Chapter Text
Things were strange.
Perhaps a bit too strange.
Osoro never noticed it until she saw it happen with her own eyes. Whenever she and Amai would pass the student council room, Amai would suddenly get a bit flustered and speed up a bit. Whenever Aoi crossed her path, the two would suddenly get this look, and carry on about their day. Osoro was sure it was nothing. But the more frequently it happened, the more curious she became. This exchange carried on for weeks, and only seemed to become increasingly awkward with each passing day.
She was unsure how to bring it up, or if she even had the ability to do so.
Osoro found herself in the halls of Akademi one afternoon, taking a walk around the building just to stretch her legs out a bit. She took slow strides as she admired the peace and quiet of the building.
“Kokona, do you still have the letter?”
Osoro paused. She stepped behind a wall to observe.
“Um, hold on!” Osoro recognized the two girls. One was apart of the Cooking Club, while the other hung around her quite often. What was her name again? Saki?
“You think this is working?”
“I mean, I think so! You've seen the way they look at each other.” Kokona pulled a piece of paper from her bag. “Got it!”
“Gimme!” Saki took it, inspecting it for a moment.
Osoro squinted. Something wasn't right.
"Shouldn't we head back to class?" Kokona looked over her shoulder nervously.
"Gimme a sec! I gotta slide this--"
"Hold up." Osoro approached. Saki and Kokona immediately froze, the color draining from their faces.
"Ohhhhh...no..." Kokona's voice was barely a whisper.
"O-Osoro! Hi! We were just...leaving!" Saki grabbed Kokona, turning to leave. Osoro stepped in front of them and intercepted their escape plan.
"Hey," The corners of Osoro's lips twitched as she feigned a smile. "Whatcha got there?"
"Oh, nothing!" Saki laughed a bit too hard.
"Yeah?" Osoro's voice went up an octave as she leaned in, her eyes closing as she smiled harder. "We're friends, aren't we?"
"F-Friends?" Saki squeaked.
"Come on. Be honest. It's just me." Her eyes opened, a dangerous shine within them.
"I--"
"Please don't hurt us!" Kokona snatched the letter from Saki and held it out for Osoro to take.
"Kokona, you snake! What are you--"
"You saw what she did to that Aishi girl! Do you want to be beaten to a pulp?" Kokona tugged at Saki's sleeve. "We were just dropping this off! Can we go now?"
"Stay right there, mmkay?" Osoro smiled again as she unfolded the paper. "I'm gonna read this. Mind hanging around?"
"O-Osoro..." Saki began to tremble.
"Move and I'll crush you." Osoro's smile quickly vanished. The two didn't say a word as she began to read the note.
Miss Aoi,
I've taken your words under careful consideration, and I've realized that I may harbor a few feelings of my own.
If you truly feel the same, then perhaps we should arrange a time for us to chat?
I'll be waiting for your response with bated breath <3
~ Amai
"The fuck?" Osoro scowled, nearly tearing the paper as her grip tightened. Her mind raced from one accusation to the next, and yet all she could do was stare down at the words before her. She could feel her fists clenching and her blood boiling. She crumpled up the paper and shoved it into her pocket. "Which one of you--"
"It was me!" Kokona was on the verge of tears. "I wrote it!"
"She's lying! I did it! She told me not to but I did!" Saki stepped in front of Kokona. "S-So if you wanna hurt anybody...you gotta go through me!"
"You? Please. I could snap your neck right now if I felt like it." Osoro rolled her eyes. "What you're gonna do is answer a few questions for me. Play nicely, and you may walk away in one piece. Got it?"
Saki nodded.
"You trying to matchmake Odayaka with that one-eyed freak?"
"Not necessarily!"
"Give me one good reason why you thought that was a good idea."
"We found a note in the club room," Kokona spoke up. "From Aoi to Amai...and we thought that they had some sort of thing going on!"
"Y-Yeah! You know, a lovey-dovey sort of thing!" Saki added.
"From Aoi?" Osoro frowned.
"Something about liking her for a long time-- at least, that's what I remember..." Kokona's voice trailed off as she watched Osoro clench a fist. Osoro couldn't tell what angered her more, the fact that she didn't catch on earlier, or the thought of Aoi of all people trying to steal her girlfriend.
"Get the hell out of here." She growled. Saki and Kokona wasted no time as they scrambled to return to class. Osoro felt her hands tremble as she made her way down the hall. Her head was still swimming. She couldn't even begin describe the emotion she was feeling. Only one thing was for certain:
Somebody had to pay.
"Hey, Kuroko," Shiromi rested her on the table in front of her, lazily swirling her cup of tea. "You believe in karma?"
"Beg pardon?" Kuroko raised an eyebrow as she looked up from her notebook.
"Karma. Ya know, what goes around, comes around?"
"In theory... I suppose I do." Kuroko returned to her notebook, quickly writing. "Why do you ask?"
"Just wonderin'." Shiromi shrugged.
The doors to the room opened, revealing Akane and Aoi behind them. The two took their seats in their usual spots.
"Good afternoon, everyone!" Akane smiled. "Are we ready to begin our meeting?"
"Aye, aye, cap'n!" Shiromi saluted her.
"Right then." Kuroko stood up, setting her pen down on the table. "I'll contact Megami postha--"
The door suddenly slammed open. "RYUGOKU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
Everyone's eyes widened as they turned to see Osoro stalk into the room. The fury was clear in her eyes, and rage was dripping from her voice
"Oh, Jesus." Aoi rolled her eyes.
Akane was the first one to stand up. "Miss Shidesu, please--"
"Shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down! This doesn't concern you!" She pointed at Akane. Akane squeaked, sitting back down quickly.
"This behavior is completely uncalled for!" Kuroko rose her voice. "Keep this up and we will get Ms. Kunahito involved."
"Yeah? Call her. I fuckin' dare you." Osoro hissed.
"Excuse me?!"
"You're a real slimy bitch." Osoro approached Aoi, completely ignoring Kuroko. Before Aoi could react, Osoro had yanked Aoi out of her chair, sending it clattering against the floor. "You think this is funny? Think it's a joke?"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Aoi pushed Osoro off of her, putting distance between them. "Don't touch me!"
"Ooooh, Aoi's in trouble!" Shiromi sung, smirking.
"What the fuck is your problem?" Osoro closed the distance between them.
"Osoro, if you don't back off--" Aoi clenched her fists, feeling the heat rush through her body.
"YOU back off!" She jabbed a finger at Aoi's chest. "You kick my people out, you managed to get rid of me, you start playing with the people I actually give a shit about--"
"I said, don't touch me!" Aoi slapped Osoro's hand away. "Who do you think you are-- stomping in here and starting shit for no goddamn reason?"
"Why are you always trying to fuck with me, huh?! What, because we don't run in the same circles anymore?"
"You're a real basket case, Osoro! You're fucking crazy!"
"Look, if you got a problem, take it up with me! Leave Odayaka out of it!"
Akane and Kuroko looked at each other, completely baffled. The situation definitely warranted intervention, and yet they couldn't bring themselves to stop watching, both out of intrigue and fear. Shiromi, on the other hand, was relishing in the chaos.
"Maybe your girl's a floozy and you've got your head so far up your ass that you can't see it!"
Without thinking, Osoro swung at Aoi, landing a solid punch across her cheek. The world spun for a moment as Aoi staggered backwards. Everything went fuzzy, and all she would see was Osoro approaching her once more.
"You wanna repeat that? Say it louder."
Aoi laughed dryly, finally beginning to regain her balance. "Too fancy of a word for you? She's a whore, Osoro!"
Osoro swung again, but missed. Aoi took the opportunity to land a punch of her own, right into Osoro's stomach. Time froze for a millisecond before the two broke out into an all out fist fight, spitting obscenities and accusations one after the other. They ended up on the floor, rolling around as one tried to subdue the other. Akane finally got up again, frantically searching for her pepper spray.
"Kuroko, please get the guidance counselor!"
"Understood!" Kuroko snapped out of her trance and rushed out of the room.
"Shiromi, do something!" Akane pleaded, rifling through her belongings to find her bottle.
"I'll help you look!" Shiromi got on her knees, pretending to look under the table while watching the fight.
Aoi clawed at Osoro's face, leaving behind all ounces of her self control. "You're lucky she bothers to keep you around! If I had it my way, your ass would've been thrown out years ago!"
Osoro threw Aoi off of her, immediately crawling over to her and landing a few more blows across her face. "I told you, I don't fuck with you anymore! Why can't you leave it alone?!"
"Go to hell, Osoro!" Aoi grabbed Osoro's neck, squeezing until Osoro recoiled.
"If I'm goin', I'm dragging you with me!" Osoro managed to rip Aoi's eyepatch away from her face before falling back. Aoi lunged at her again, using all of her strength to strangle her. Osoro resorted to biting into Aoi's arm, receiving a piercing howl and a slap across the face from her.
Students in the halls gather to watch the fight. Even the more passive students couldn't help but stare. People began pulling out their cellphones and recording the fight. Students cheered, some rooting for Osoro, others for Aoi. Chaos erupted in the hall as more students clamored to watch. Amai wiggled her way through to crowd to see what all the fuss was about. She finally squeezed into the room and felt her heart drop at the sight before her. Without a second thought, she rushed to Osoro's side, bending down and attempting to pull Aoi back.
"What are you doing?! Stop!" She grabbed onto Aoi's arm, trying to pull her back.
"Back off!" Aoi elbowed Amai in the face, barely batting an eye. Amai shrieked as she fell down, pressing her hand over her eye.
"Amai!" Osoro's focus suddenly snapped from Aoi to Amai. She rolled over onto her stomach and crawled over to her. "What the hell did you do that for?!"
"What are you doing? Do you want to be expelled?" Amai squeezed her eye shut, turning away. "Whatever this is about, just stop!
"Don't act like you don't know!" Aoi snapped. "This is your fault!"
"My fault?" Amai huffed. "What are you talking about?"
"The letters? The little notes you've been dropping off? Don't think I haven't seen them!" A chorus of "Ooohs" followed from the students beyond the door. Aoi picked her eyepatch up off of the floor. She tied it behind her head, returning it to its rightful place on her face. "Never took you for a two timing hussy."
"Letters? Me?" Amai frowned. "What are you talking about? I never wrote you a thing!" She gingerly touched her eye.
"Stop. Let me see." Osoro grabbed Amai's hand, pulling it away from her face. Amai flinched as Osoro pressed down on a forming bruise. "Does it hurt or--"
"I'm fine!" Amai took a breath. "I'm fine." She repeated, opening her eye.
"You got some nerve, Ryogoku." Osoro scowled. "I oughta kill you right now!
"Osoro, stop!" Amai suddenly took Osoro's hand in hers. "Please, just stop! I don't want you to get suspended again!" Her voice shook as she squeezed Osoro's hand. "I really don't want you to leave...!" She finally began to cry, trembling as she sobbed. "Just stop it! Please..."
"Everyone, get to where you're supposed to be!" Genka's voice boomed through the halls, sending students scattering in different directions. Her heels clicked as she stormed into the room, arms crossed and eyebrows high. She glared down at Osoro and Aoi.
"You two. My office. Now."
Amai looked up at Osoro she slowly stood up. She tightened her grip on Osoro's hand.
"Odayaka," Osoro sighed, pulling Amai up with her. "Look. It's gonna be fine."
Amai pressed her face into Osoro's shirt, soaking the fabric with her tears. Muffled cries of "Please" interspersed with hiccups were the only thing to be heard as the room suddenly became silent. Osoro said nothing-- there was nothing to be said. She hugged Amai closer to her chest, squeezing her tight.
"It's fine." Osoro repeated. "Don't worry, okay?"
"Miss Odayaka, were you involved in this dispute?" Genka walked over to Amai, her expression softening.
Amai pulled herself away, wiping her tears. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking a few times to adjust. "Y-Yes, ma'am."
"No, she wasn't." Osoro interjected. "It was me."
"No! I was involved! You have to punish me too!"
Genka pushed up her glasses, shaking her head. She placed a comforting hand on Amai's shoulder. "We'll get your side of things in a moment. For the time being, please go straight to the nurse's office."
"Is it that bad?" Amai's eyes widened.
"I wouldn't call it a black eye, but a second opinion would be beneficial." She took a moment to inspect Amai's eye. "I'll send for you in a minute. As for you, Miss Shidesu, please take a seat in my office."
Osoro reluctantly let go of Amai and wiped the remnants of her tears with her thumbs. "I'll see you in a minute." Her hands drifted down to Amai's cheeks. "Okay?"
"Don't leave again." Amai murmured. "Please don't."
"I have no control over that." Osoro gave her cheeks a firm squeeze before releasing her. "Fingers crossed, yeah?" She smirked, following Genka out of the room and into her office.
Amai watched them as they left, feeling her chest tighten as the door closed behind them.
"Well then!" Shiromi suddenly appeared behind Amai, startling her. "Let's get you checked out, Miss Odayaka!" She clapped a hand on her shoulder, guiding her out of the student council room. Amai could feel Shiromi pushing her, yet she couldn't bring herself to protest.
"I guess it's true what they say." Shiromi mused. "Bad things do happen to good people, huh?" She stifled a laugh, shaking her head.
Amai didn't respond. She moved forward, quickening her pace and refusing to entertain Shiromi's nonsense for one more second. Shiromi frowned for a brief moment before returning to her usual impish smile. She walked faster to match Amai's pace.
"Say, Amai." Shiromi hummed, pausing for a brief moment. "You believe in karma?"