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Disclaimer: I don't own Tokidoki Bosotto Roshiago de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san or any of its characters...
"Kuze-san."
The Public Relations officer of Seiren's student council spoke while pushing her glasses up coolly, bringing a wave of surprise to the young man who had just finished washing the dishes.
Out of all the things that Masachika was expecting to happen today, this wasn't one of them.
It was more within reason to expect Yuki to bother him in any way, Alya obediently following his orders, Ayano offering him her assistance, or Masha reaching out to him for some-needed comfort.
Heck, it's within reason for Chisaki to drag him somewhere so he could help her out or Nonoa to relentlessly tease and make him uncomfortable.
However, considering the very person whom he was working with a few days ago, maybe he shouldn't be surprised.
"Good morning, Taniyama-san. Anything I can help you with?"
"Follow me. We have something to discuss."
That was all Sayaka said before walking away without another word, which only served to confuse him further.
A part of him wanted to ignore what Sayaka said and simply move on with his day, but doing that could most likely result in a bigger problem.
That girl is the kind of person who wouldn't hesitate to interrupt whatever he's doing and ask the same thing, simply because of how uptight and stubborn she is.
Sighing in defeat, Masachika turned his head to his two lovers who were watching the entire interaction from the start, and then gave them a nod.
"See you guys later," he spoke before following after the glasses-wearing girl.
Both Alisa and Yuki watched Masachika leave the house, feeling exactly the same as each other at what transpired.
"I wonder what Taniyama-san wants from Masachika-kun. Любопытненько…"
"I don't have a clue, but something tells me that that conversation's not gonna be pretty."
Alisa nodded, agreeing with Yuki on that statement due to the expression that Sayaka had on her face just now. Although it was Masachika whom she approached, Alisa didn't miss the look of distrust that the other girl sent her way.
She could already tell what this 'conversation' between them would be about.
"Should we see how it goes?"
"Hmm… nah," Yuki shook her head. She could already tell that nothing remotely interesting would come out of said conversation. "I believe Onii-chan can handle this himself. He'll just tell us all about it once it's over."
"You really think so?"
"Mm-hm."
"I see…" the half-Russian muttered, shifting her gaze to the floor as a cloud of unease loomed over her.
Alisa trusted Yuki's judgement and if she knew anything about Masachika, one of his many traits is that he wouldn't give up on the people he cares about. She witnessed it first-hand, after all.
And yet, she couldn't shake off the worry she felt for him after watching him leave…
With Masachika, he followed Sayaka out of the house and into the entrance of the forest, where no one was around to possibly hear them.
When the girl finally stopped and turned to face him, he did the same. He noticed that Sayaka bore her usual icy look, making it pretty clear to him that whatever comes next won't be pleasant.
"I know that you were with Nonoa-san several days ago."
He shrugged, "It's not like we were keeping it a secret, but how did you find out?"
"I saw the both of you returning to the house together yesterday. It doesn't take much to put two and two together."
"Before you go off on me, it's Miyamae-san who didn't want to tell you. If you've got problems, talk to your friend about it. Don't take it out on me," he shrugged again. "If you already knew about this, then why the hell didn't you say anything before?"
"I don't care about that. What I want to know is what you were discussing with Nonoa-san yesterday."
"I'm sure you'd love to know, but I think you're better off asking your friend. If you think about it, she approached me without telling you why. I'm not the one who went to her. Her reason is something she doesn't want you to know."
Sayaka narrowed her eyes, "I don't believe you. Tell me the truth."
"That is the truth and if you don't believe me, that's your problem, not mine. We can argue about it all day, Taniyama-san, but I'm not telling you anything. You can get your answer from Miyamae-san herself."
Masachika took a step forward and returned her cold stare with one of his own, doubling down on his answer. The two engaged in a battle of whose gaze can intimidate the other more, which resulted in Sayaka taking a step back to recompose herself.
"...fine. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But I must ask you, for the good of everyone, keep your distance from Nonoa-san."
"Sorry, can you repeat that? I must have been hearing things," he asked rhetorically.
"In fact, you can consider that a warning, Kuze-san. Stay away from my friend," she warned.
"What the hell is her problem?" Masachika couldn't help but wonder to himself. "If you have a bone to pick with me, you can just come out with it, Taniyama-san. That would be much better than acting as if I took your favorite toy away."
He turned away and prepared to leave, seeing as how this whole talk was nothing but a waste for them both. However, Taniyama obviously didn't see it that way and thought it was a good idea to spout all this nonsense.
"—but I get it, you don't want me to go near your friend. I can definitely do that, so you can stop giving me the stink-eye."
Just as he could walk away, the girl stopped him with her next words and Masachika felt like smacking himself for even listening to her at this point.
"Where do you think you're going? We are not done yet."
"What else is there to talk about? You said that you didn't want me going near Miyamae-san. I heard you the first time."
"Kujou-san, of course."
…of fucking course this conversation was going to involve Alya somehow. What else is there to expect?
"We're still going on about this, Taniyama-san? Aren't you even the least bit tired from having to say the same thing over and over?" he groaned.
"Perhaps when you tire from defending Kujou-san and her actions, then I shall stop."
"You sound like a broken record complaining about the same thing until now. Are you even hearing yourself? Alya hasn't even done anything wrong ever since that incident."
"No matter how much you try to defend her actions, it doesn't change what happened. Kujou-san's actions cannot be overlooked so easily."
"No one is overlooking it, Taniyama."
"Clearly, you are. You don't care that Kujou-san did something horrible, even if you were the victim. You only care about defending her for whatever reason you have," she accused.
Masachika felt his eyes twitch in annoyance.
He tried to be patient with this girl, he really did. Ever since the first time that Taniyama got on his nerves, he willfully ignored her grievances and criticisms towards Alya and his persistence regarding her attitude in the past.
No matter how much she tried to make it clear that she wouldn't accept Alya's apology without some well-deserved comeuppance, everyone else chose to simply move on from the issue instead.
In short, this is just ridiculous.
"Would you give it a rest already? I've tried being patient with you, Taniyama, but I'm sick of it. I'm sick of you and your damn attitude. The only thing that's being overlooked is how big the stick up your ass is."
Sayaka's mouth fell open, completely flabbergasted from his unfiltered remark, "H-How dare you—"
"Don't like it? Tough shit. Stop trying to tell me what to do first."
He turned around and walked back towards her, the serious look on his face slowly turning into a harsh glare.
"This'll be the last time that I tell you this, Taniyama. The problem has already been dealt with. There's no need to bring it up again. Now if you've got a problem with that, keep it to yourself. If you can't, you'll be dealing with me. Not only that, you'll just be bringing back memories of an incident that everyone has already forgotten."
The intensity of his gaze was enough to make the girl unnerved, but she quickly masked it with a frustrated expression to hide that feeling.
"...fine, but let me leave you with this warning, Kuze-san."
Sayaka jabbed her finger into his chest several times, aiming to make a point with the next several statements that left her mouth.
"Should anything bad happen because of Kujou-san once again, it'll be on you. Should anything happen with her that causes everyone to be in disarray again, it'll be your fault. Since you like to defend Kujou-san and be the hero, she is your responsibility and therefore, the blame will rest on you, Kuze-san. Do not say that I didn't warn you."
However, Masachika's only reaction was a raised eyebrow, wordlessly asking her if that was all she could come up with.
"You think I'm stupid? I knew that from the beginning. You're the one who needs to be reminded over and over because you're too self-absorbed to notice it."
"Make sure you do. And do keep an eye on the words that come out of your mouth, Kuze-san. I am willing to let this slide, but I cannot say the same for everyone else."
"How is this conversation not over yet… oh yeah, because this girl is a self-centered bitch…" he sighed to himself. "I think you should worry about yourself first, Taniyama. Being this uptight and unforgiving towards others can't be healthy."
The girl folded her arms across her chest, "You refer to me in such ways, but you don't know the first thing about me, Kuze-san."
"I don't. But your attitude gives me a pretty big hint of what you're really like. After all, it's what you choose to show other people like me and Alya. Why would you even expect others to see you differently?"
Sayaka did not have an answer to that question, but she still tried to maintain her cool exterior. Key word: tried. In the end, she had to lower her head in order to hide her face from him, uttering a few words as a final statement of sorts.
"...just stay away from Nonoa-san."
And with that, Sayaka walked past him and headed back to the lodge, ending the tense atmosphere between them for good. Masachika watched her leave and made sure that she was completely gone before making any further move.
"I never really understood that girl…" Masachika let out another sigh of exasperation, before deciding to move on from what just happened. "Well, since I'm out here already, guess I should go look for Ayano. I still need to check on how she's doing…"
As he left the area as well, two other individuals poked their heads out of a nearby tree, watching the young man walk away. One of them had a smug look on her face, while the other was relieved that nothing bad happened to him.
"I told you that Onii-chan could handle this on his own."
"I couldn't help it! When I saw them walking off, there was a part of me that felt worried for Masachika-kun…" Alya pouted.
"I didn't say it was a bad thing," Yuki smirked. "It's good that you were worried for him. But we should be heading back before we get caught or something. I don't really want to be called an eavesdropper."
"I agree…"
The two left the place and began heading back to the house, while making sure that no one was around, especially Masachika.
Both girls could tell that he won't be pleased if he found out that they were listening to a conversation that didn't involve them, more so in Alya's case as it was her idea to follow him in secret.
"You know, I thought you'd react more to Taniyama-san almost downright hating you. I agree with Onii-chan that it's ridiculous at this point," Yuki remarked.
"As much as I want to make amends with Taniyama-san, I won't force her. If she doesn't want anything to do with me, that's her decision to make. I have no right to tell her what to feel about me."
"If that's what you want to do, then I can't really stop you, Alya-san. Just don't be afraid to tell either me or Onii-chan if she gives you trouble, 'kay? You have us on your side from now on. We'll stick up for you whenever you need us."
Alya smiled, "Thank you, Yuki-san."
"Heh. What are sisters for?"
"Sisters?"
"Yeah. I mean, we're both getting fucked senseless by Onii-chan almost every night. We're in the exact same position too, and that's under him. That essentially makes us sisters in all but blood. It almost feels like I have another sister other than Ayano!"
"I don't think that's how it works…" Alya sweat-dropped and blushed deeply at that embarrassing yet somewhat true assessment.
The worst part about it is that Yuki sounded so sure of what she's saying…
Because they already have a steady supply of food for the coming days and because there was nothing around that needed repairs, Masachika was free to help whoever he wished today. With this in mind, he set out to find a certain individual whom he wanted to check up on.
Unfortunately, the house was already empty when he returned. Everyone else had likely gone off to handle their respective jobs today, which meant that he was by his lonesome right now.
"I want to talk to her, but I have no idea where she is…" he hung his head in defeat upon leaving the house again. "Ugh, who's Ayano helping out today again? Was it Alya? Masha-san? Or is it Yuki again? Or is she off doing something on her own?"
"Yes, Masachika-sama?"
"AHH!" he jumped in fright at the voice that answered his little monologue, only to realize that the exact same person he was looking for had appeared beside him. "Geez, you scared the hell out of me."
"My apologies, Masachika-sama. I heard you call for me, and so I answered immediately," she bowed her head in apology.
Masachika frowned in confusion. If that was the case, then where the hell was she just now?! He walked around the entire lodge looking for her, but he didn't see her anywhere.
"Never mind," the young man shook his head, simply accepting this unnatural coincidence for what it is. It is Ayano, after all. "It's good that you're here, Ayano, because I wanted to talk to you."
"Do you need my assistance for your tasks today, Masachika-sama? I will gladly assist you."
"No, nothing like that. I just wanted to talk, Ayano."
Ayano was confused about what he wanted to discuss with her, but it must be something important.
"Very well. I am listening, Masachika-sama."
"How are you doing so far? Feeling any different lately? Or do you need anything?" he asked, deciding to start with the simple questions about her well-being.
"I am well, Masachika-sama. I thank you for asking."
"That's good to know. Now, I told you that if you ever need someone that you can talk to or even approach, I'm always here. Remember? I don't want anything bad to happen to you, Ayano. I feel the same for everyone else."
"I am aware, Masachika-sama. I thank you for your concern."
Masachika shook his head again, "No, you're not. At least, I don't think so. I don't think you know how much you mean to other people, especially me and Yuki. I have no idea what's in your mind, but I'm telling you… you don't have to be a servant right now. You don't have to be a maid. You can just be yourself."
Those words reminded Ayano of what her Yuki-sama said to her not that long ago, which is something to be expected from both siblings. She also felt a twinge of joy at the fact that both her masters were showing this much concern for her well-being.
…even though Masachika had abandoned his family a while back.
"Yes. Yuki-sama told me the same thing. I will take care of myself and I will make sure to follow your words."
"How can I be sure? How can I be sure that you'll stay true to it and focus on what you need and not on what everyone else needs? Because that's what I've been seeing from you until now."
That statement caught the maid off guard, because it could only mean that he was paying attention to her this entire time. There's not many instances where Ayano can be taken aback like this, but because it involved him, it came to her as a surprise.
Did he really notice that attitude from her? If so, she was just doing her duty as a servant of the Suou family.
Masachika took her silence as his chance to continue with his words, "It's okay if you can't answer. You don't have to think about it much. Just think about yourself and what would be best for you here and there. I'll keep you safe and make sure nothing bad happens to you, that's all."
Ayano was able to regain her bearings after he spoke, and she was able to respond properly this time around.
"There is no need, Masachika-sama."
He rolled his eyes and sighed, "There you go again. Why can't you see that someone wants to help you beyond what you expect, Ayano? Didn't I tell you that I care about everyone, and that includes you?"
"It is nothing of the sort, Masachika-sama. But I believe Yuki-sama, Alisa-sama, Maria-sama, and everyone else need you more."
"You're saying you don't? If so, tell me. Do that, and I won't bother you about this again, Ayano. If you really believe that you can take care of yourself, say the word. Consider that an order, and I better not hear a lie."
Masachika's expression shifted into a more serious one and if this had taken place in a different time and place, Ayano would have an equally appropriate reaction to his intense words...
Translation notes:
- "Curious..."
MINASAN, YONDE KURETE ARIGATŌ! AISHITEMAAAAASUUUUU! *starts playing air guitar*
-Lance