She promptly closed the door, leaving Budo standing confused in the street.
Ayano's house was sparsely furnished, but she kept it meticulously neat and tidy. She dropped her bag on the floor let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Out of Budo's eyesight, she could finally relax her face into its usual flat, vacant stare. There was no way she could keep up this act forever – she had to get the delinquents off her ass, or Budo would never leave her alone. Ayano needed to talk to Osoro alone somehow, and work out some kind of deal that would satisfy him. Ugh, I didn't think Budo would tire me out so much. Using him as a shield between me and the delinquents won't work out after all. I still need him on my side, though… and I need to contact Osoro privately, without his goons around. But even alone, if he gets violent I'd definitely lose. It can't be in person… I need his phone number. Ayano pulled out her phone and sent a text to Info-Chan. As always, the reply was instant.
Ayano: I need Osoro Shidesu's phone number.
Info-Chan: That was sooner than I thought. You're into the bad boy type, huh? Ah, to be in the springtime of youth :)
Ayano: Don't make assumptions. I need to talk to him.
Info-Chan: You're really no fun, Yan-Chan. Well, whatever. You know all my information comes with a price.
Ayano: I already do your dirty work. How much more do I need to pay?
Info-Chan: The phone number is $500, or you can owe me a favor.
Ayano: Are you joking?
Info-Chan: No. I never joke about money.
Damn it. There's no way I can afford $500 for a phone number. Owing Info-Chan a favor was dangerous, but it might be my only option…
Ayano: Give me a few days to think about it.
Info-Chan: Fine. But don't keep me waiting. And don't forget to kill Mai tomorrow. I'll send the details in the morning.
Ayano stared at her phone for a few moments before finally putting it back in her pocket. She took out her ponytail, running a hand through her hair and letting it fall down around her shoulders. Okay. I need to finish my homework, study for the trig exam on Monday, review my notes on Mai, and– A loud growl from her stomach interrupted Ayano's train of thought. And I need to make dinner… when was the last time I ate? The fridge was almost empty, as usual. She'd have to settle for an egg on rice and whatever vegetables looked the least wilted and slimy. Ayano set up the rice cooker and decided to finish her homework while she waited. It was easy enough, and it was better to finish it now than beg Osano to copy his again – asking once was enough to put her off for the forseeable future. After her homework and rice were done, she fried an egg, cooked the leftover vegetables, and assembled her sad-looking dinner. Ayano didn't care, as long as it filled her stomach. She ate quickly, not even tasting the food.
It was almost midnight when Ayano finally slept. She'd spent some time with the school's map and her notes on Mai to plan the optimal time to strike. While she had the map up on her computer, she figured she'd try tracking the movements of the delinquents. If they never went to class, odds were they just hung around the incinerator and smoked. Osoro was different – he'd been snooping around classrooms lately to find the "snitch" who'd gotten him suspended. Even worse, he knew which classroom was hers. Ayano could only hope he'd already forgotten. As far as I know he hasn't been to my class since then. I just hope he doesn't realize. She'd have to leave it be for now. Besides, Budo seemed to like her well enough to protect her if she asked. Putting up a friendly front was far less taxing than getting beaten up as far as Ayano was concerned. With everything mostly taken care of, she set an alarm for 5:30 AM and went to sleep.
Friday morning was awful. Ayano woke up, bleary-eyed and groggy at half-past 5 in the morning. She dragged herself out of bed and splashed some water on her face. A grim figure stared back at her through the mirror, her black eyes dull and lifeless. Ayano slapped her cheeks a few times in a futile effort to bring some color back to her corpse-like face. She pulled her hair up into its usual ponytail and put on her uniform. God, I look awful. Hopefully eating something will perk me up. Unfortunately for Ayano, food had not magically appeared in the fridge overnight. She'd need to buy something from a convenience store on her way to school. Her bag was still waiting by the door where she'd left it – a quick glance inside confirmed she had her homework, notebooks, and wallet. After locking her front door behind her and giving it a few tugs to make sure it was secure, she started making her way to school.
The 24-hour convenience store was empty save for the single employee behind the counter, a scruffy, half-asleep guy who seemed about college age. Ayano grabbed an energy drink and two sandwiches: one for now and one for lunch. She gave the cashier a curt nod as she paid and left, immediately chugging the drink and scarfing down the sandwich when she turned the corner. After her quick breakfast, she kept on her way, arriving at the school gates before they opened for the day. Ayano circled around the walls until she got to her usual spot and, getting a running start, leapt to grab the top of the wall and scrambled over. Let's see Budo or Osoro get here at this hour, she thought smugly to herself. The rooftop was her next destination, and it was easy for Ayano to avoid the prying eyes of the teachers as she made her way up. Technically, she was breaking the rules by being here this early. She nearly tripped and fell down the stairs as her phone suddenly buzzed in her pocket, startling the already on-edge Ayano.
Info-Chan: Mai Waifu. Dead by the end of the day. Use the magical girl wand prop from the Drama Club. Oh, and the client wants a picture.
Ayano: Fine. Consider it done.
She made her way back down to the Drama Club room to grab the weapon and some gloves. It was locked. She gave the door a few tugs with no success. Shit! They usually don't lock this room… what the hell is going on?
