Desperation

«⟨ Desperation ⟩»

“Are you retarded?...” Hazel said, looking at the hopeless man on the ground.

It was an understatement to call his performance just now as a show of disappointment. It was quite disgusting really, almost made her wanna slice that head off his neck.

If not for their first interaction just outside the station before, she would think of him as nothing but the lowest of a creep.

So why the sudden change in his way of talking? He was timid and polite just now…

Was this guy trying to stop our argument?...

If so, then what he did just now was too much of an overkill. Why not just stop them like a normal person would? Was he trying to set a record on creating enemies or something?

“Oh? You wanna go on a date with—”

“Enough with the crap. What are you planning here.”

Maybe the most efficient way to get the answer was to ask the person directly it seemed. Is he still tryna act like that?...

“I wonder what you mean~”

“You think I'm stupid or something?” Hazel crossed her arms together, and felt a slight furrow forming on her brows.

Why did she feel slightly offended by what the guy just did? Was it because he just helped de-escalated the situation even though Hazel didn't ask for it? Or perhaps because he still thought Hazel would fall for that obvious act of his?

I'm not Lena to fall for your stupid nonsense tricks.

In any case, there's truly no reason for him to help her out after how misspoken she was to him–that, she's aware.

Hazel saw by the corner of her eyes where Fryd was still sitting. Even that girl seemed confused by whatever was happening. There's a lot of things to address here, UGH…

Let's think about this,

Me and Lena were arguing, and then this guy suddenly walked up to us getting all creepy…

But he wasn't being a creep when we were alone, so that means he was just acting…

And the only reason he would want to do that was…

Hazel–who was still giving the guy on the floor an intense stare–thought for a moment.

……..

Then a somewhat sound reasoning clicked in her mind.

“Zero-Approval Gambit? Really?”

“WHA–”

It seemed she had hit the mark–seeing how surprised his face was. Didn't know he was this smart to even know that term…

Then it basically meant that he just did that act to force an extreme turn of both Hazel and Violena’s hostility towards the guy himself. Perhaps he thought that by doing so it would make Hazel and that girl get all chubby and make the situation here better?...

………

…We're well past that point already…

Thinking about how messy the relationship between Hazel and Violena–no, between those in this station–somewhat stung her artificial heart.

“You wanna play a villain or something? That's so lame.”

“....Why do you think that?...” the guy asked.

“It doesn't matter what I think,” Hazel poked the guy's body with her shoes, “what the hell is your game here.”

“......”

He went silent.

= = = =

Was it too obvious?

It was surprising that Hazel had somewhat figured out his act. Was it not that convincing?

No, that's not it—maybe she deduced it by my sudden change in attitude? I guess it's understandable that she didn't slap me when she should have already.

And because it was the purple-haired girl's first time meeting him, she wouldn't know about his sudden turnaround–which resulted in him getting slapped by her instead.

But then,

How can Hazel be 100% sure that the guy she met here wasn't actually a pervert?

“Oi… Answer me already,” Hazel gave another poke to his body with her moccasin shoe. Please stop, you're dirtying my hoodie…

Chitose picked up his cap that had fallen right next to him–from the slap–before lifting himself up from the concrete floor while patting the dust off his back.

Quite an unexpected windfall, so might as well take advantage of it.

“Smart people sure are something, eh?” Chitose said.

“Flattery won't get you nowhere.”

“Fine, fine—I can tell you why. But I doubt you would understand it.”

“I thought you just called me smart?”

“You?—Heck no, I was talking about mysel—”

A familiar sharpness reached the peak of his nose. A cutting schwing echoed.

“YO!! PUT THE SWORD DOWN!!”

“Make fun of me again, and I'll make sure that smarty pants head of yours came flying off the neck.”

“I got it! I got it! Chill little miss!”

Chitose gave a resigning sigh before putting his hands–which were high up–back down as Hazel sheathed her sword.

Then, he took a look around the room–Hazel following his gaze.

Decaying walls, doors with no hinges, old projector with wiring who knows would either still work. Basically the same sight he had seen when he took a walk around the station just before.

—Utter shit hole.

“What do you think of this place?” Chitose asked.

“..........”

Hazel didn't answer. Perhaps she already knew what he was implying.

“I know what I'm about to say here pretty much just came from a new guy who knows next to nothing about A.P.S inner working,” he continued, “but I'm 120% sure this place is not supposed to look like this.”

Hazel kept her mouth shut, keeping her ears on Chitose.

“I don't really know what kind of hell has broken loose here, and I don't give a damn cent about any of you guys.—Heck, even the upper guys couldn't care less about what we are doing here, right?”

Again, he continued, “But one thing for sure, I'm keeping MY job and MY money.—And if those two things would be at risk just because you guys are allergic to give me a hand.—Then I'll make sure you guys will.”

For some reason, he felt a bit heated. Maybe because he just stated those words like a declaration of war.

It wasn't far from true though.

If the reason he would lose this job here was because the people here were too messy to work with, then he would need to go look for another job. And who knows how long before he could get another opportunity on that.

Not to mention having to smile like a donkey to those HR managers. And having to find places to sleep at night all over again.

He was tired of that already…

Maybe even too tired to even do it again if he were to get fired from this job too…

……..

By the time his thought formed into a jumbled mess of irritation, he found himself staring intensely towards the girl with her sword.

If she thinks I'm here to pick a fight, then bring it on then.

Despite being a nobody here in this station, desperation pushed him to just do something about it.

………

“Hey,” Hazel opened her mouth.

“Wanna make a deal?”