Chapter 278: Hayasaka Ai Bears the Consequences Herself
Sakurai Saki carried the album into the next room.
Hayasaka Ai was sitting by the window, looking at the scenery outside; in the distance, Higashiyama could be faintly seen.
It had snowed outside this morning, and a little white snow still lingered on the eaves of the buildings.
Hearing footsteps,
Hayasaka Ai withdrew her gaze, turned her head and noticed the album in Sakurai's hand. "What's that?"
"Childhood album. I've never seen it myself, planned to look through it with you." Sakurai Saki sat down next to her.
He opened the album cover.
"By the way, just now Kaguya-san sent me a message, saying she's all alone in the mansion and really bored." Hayasaka Ai suddenly brought up Shinomiya Kaguya.
Sakurai: ( ╹ -╹)?
Sakurai Saki didn't quite get her meaning. "Kaguya-san being bored alone—does that have much to do with us?"
Could it be they had to bring her here to celebrate New Year together?
"Kaguya-san every year at this time has to stay in the main house of the Shinomiya family for New Year's, and there's no one close to her there…"
Clearly she had said she'd resigned from being a maid, yet she still couldn't let go of her Ojou-sama. Hayasaka Ai's feelings at this moment were truly complicated.
Even though she herself had found happiness, her close friend since childhood had none at all.
If possible, Hayasaka Ai wanted Shinomiya Kaguya to have the same kind of happiness.
Hayasaka to Kaguya: (づ๑•ᴗ•๑)づ♡( ˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈♡)
"You want to spend New Year with her?" Sakurai Saki was silent for a few seconds, then asked.
"... Would that be a bit selfish?"
"No, as long as you want it."
After all, it was only a matter of a phone call.
"Really? Then tonight let's secretly go pick her up." Hayasaka Ai's voice carried excitement.
Just like when they went to watch fireworks last time.
"No need for that trouble." Sakurai Saki set the album down, then took out his phone and sent a message.
"Sakurai-chan, who are you messaging?"
"Nao-san."
Hayasaka: ∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ?
Why message my mother?
And when did the two of them exchange contacts? Why didn't I know?
"I asked her to bring Kaguya-san over, and she agreed. Conveniently, tomorrow is Kaguya-san's birthday, we can celebrate too." Sakurai Saki spoke casually.
"Wait a minute! Even if it's my mom… she can't just casually take Kaguya-san out."
"Your boyfriend is a crab, able to swagger sideways across all of Japan." Sakurai Saki repeated the joke the two of them had shared last time.
Hearing that, Hayasaka Ai chuckled softly a few times, then pretended to be serious: "Feels like you're hiding something from me."
Vaguely, Hayasaka Ai felt as if a thin veil covered her boyfriend.
But that mysterious feeling was wonderful; it helped keep the freshness of love, preventing their relationship from falling into a dull phase.
Hayasaka Ai didn't think she and Sakurai Saki could stay in the passionate stage of love forever, but she wanted to prolong that stage as much as possible.
"Alright, since Kaguya-san still needs time to get here, let's look at the album first."
Sakurai Saki shifted the topic.
Hayasaka Ai also knew he didn't want to say more about it.
Opening the first page of the album, Hayasaka Ai blinked.
"Is this Sakurai-chan's younger brother?"
"No, that's me. Pretty cute, right?"
"You two really look alike."
Sakurai: (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
Same person—how could they not look alike? The last time you saw it, it was just the miniature version of me. Sakurai Saki thought to himself.
The incident half a year ago was full of holes. That it still hadn't been discovered could only mean Ai-chan's heart was truly broad.
Or perhaps she had sensed something, but chose not to delve into it.
The two of them flipped through the album for a long time; most of the photos were solo shots of Sakurai Saki.
Near the end there was finally a photo of two people.
"Doesn't look gentle at all, boyfriend-kun was really fierce when he was little." Hayasaka Ai traced the photo in the album with her finger.
In the picture, on the left was Sakurai Saki wearing a small cat mask; on the right was a woman with a bright, cheerful smile, short golden-blond hair, wearing a white blouse and black-rimmed glasses.
"Is this Sakurai-chan's sister?"
"Umu, her name is Sakurai Tooru, she and I have a very good relationship." After saying that, Sakurai Saki immediately closed the album.
"What's wrong?" Hayasaka Ai was a little surprised.
Weren't they going to keep looking at the album?
"We've seen almost all of it, let's go eat first." Sakurai Saki said with a smile.
"Mom went to cook just now, it should be almost ready by now."
"Umu."
...
Jinguuji Tamaki's cooking was excellent—after all, she was a youkai who had lived for who knows how many years.
"Here, Ai-chan, have some of this." Jinguuji-san used chopsticks to place food into Hayasaka Ai's bowl.
Tamaki: ❀.(*´◡`*)❀
Sakurai Saki glanced at his girlfriend's bowl; the food was nearly overflowing.
Hayasaka Ai awkwardly turned her eyes toward Sakurai Saki.
"Right, Ai-chan, how did you meet my Baby?"
"Last year when we entered school, we were placed in the same class."
"My treasure really has charm, to even find such a beautiful girlfriend." Jinguuji Tamaki gave a compliment that praised both of them at once.
Hayasaka Ai recalled the first time she met Sakurai Saki.
She bit hard into the broccoli that had just been placed in her bowl, as if gnawing on Sakurai Saki's bones.
Hayasaka: ( ` ᴖ ´ )
A year and a half ago, she thought Sakurai Saki was an idiot—sharp-tongued and arrogant.
A year ago, she still thought he was an idiot, yet didn't realize she liked him.
Now, she felt that she herself was the idiot for liking him so deeply, loving him so much that even when he was ambiguous with other girls she couldn't let go.
Hayasaka Ai, being a girlfriend like this is really too aggrieved.
'But since I've already fallen for him, there's nothing I can do—just accept it for now.' Hayasaka Ai chewed the vegetable in her mouth.
At New Year you shouldn't eat too much, or you'll gain weight, but with such an enthusiastic "mother-in-law," Hayasaka Ai was forced to eat everything served.
Hayasaka Ai was no different from other girls; she cared about her weight too.
Speaking of that, Hayasaka Ai suddenly thought of someone—Fujiwara Chika.
Not long ago Fujiwara Chika had posted on Instagram, sharing a photo of herself riding a bicycle, with a caption saying it was to lose weight.
'Hope Secretary-chan gains ten kilos in the New Year.' Hayasaka Ai silently prayed in her heart.
If I can't get slimmer, then let the rival get fatter!
Chika: .·°՞(¯□¯)՞°·.
Only, Secretary-chan's nutrition all seemed to concentrate in a strange place that made people jealous.
"Ai-chan, what's wrong? Doesn't taste good?" Jinguuji Tamaki saw her future daughter-in-law holding chopsticks but not moving and asked in concern.
"No, it's delicious!" Hayasaka Ai came back to herself and quickly denied it.
Being able to spend New Year with Sakurai-chan and receiving his mother's affection—could Fujiwara Chika do that? Hmph!
Hyasaka: ( ° ͜ʖ͡°)╭∩╮
...
Afternoon, after lunch.
In the main hall downstairs.
"Ara, little cute, why did you come here?" Jinguuji Tamaki hugged Shinomiya Kaguya tightly, while Kaguya wore a helpless expression. She kept patting Kaguya's back, "Are you tired? Who brought you here? Oh my, it's so cold outside and you only wore a coat, what if you catch a cold?"
"Mama feels so heartbroken."
"Mama? Jinguuji-san, I..." Shinomiya Kaguya wanted to speak but stopped.
That way of addressing her—didn't it sound as if she was already dating Sakurai-san?
Beside them,
Hayasaka: ∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ?
Hayasaka Ai blinked several times.
It seemed… something big was happening.
Her thought just now wasn't wrong; Fujiwara Chika indeed wasn't receiving Jinguuji-san's affection.
But!
'Kaguya-sama!!! Why are you getting so close to my boyfriend's mother?!'
Hayasaka: (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡┻━┻
For a moment, Hayasaka Ai didn't know what to say.
A love rival turned out to be Kaguya-sama?
At this moment, Hayasaka Ai once again realized the ugly possessiveness in her own heart.