"...That is why, the most important step to reach success is to put your dreams before your very eyes and_"
"No, no! Miss, this... this is not how it should be. Try to be more spontaneous... like you really mean it!"
"How so? I don't mean it! I'm born with a silver spoon. I eventually got this job because my father forced me to it. I don't even find a point in saying all bullshit about dreams and achievements to people who get more than 10 lawyers' income as pocket money."
"Still miss! You need to sound more enthusiastic!"
"Enthusiastic, my ass."
"Oh my god! Following this rhythm, even a whole day won't be enough to get your presentation ready until tomorrow."
Amane stood up the sofa and announced with a serious tone.
"Stand up, young lady! Get that ass of yours off the bed, and speak like it's the real deal!"
"Sigh~ fine!" Complained Aoi.
She then stood up and forced an awkward smile. "Greetings to all the hard-working students_"
("NO WAY SHE STARTED IT?!!")
"Huff~ greetings to all_"
("BRO THE FUCK, initiate RETREAT!! AHHH!")
Getting annoyed by Usui's screams, which reached her even with the bedroom's door being locked, Aoi barged in the living room furiously.
"You piece of shit! Won't you just shut the fuck?" "Wait, wait, bro the old lady is talking to me."
Then he turned to Aoi and said even louder.
"EYO, OLD LADY I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Then pointed at his headsets.
Becoming even angrier, Aoi started throwing pillows at Usui, one after the other.
"I'm stressed as hell trying to work my presentation, and you . being . a piece of shit . is what I'm lacking now!"
"Hey! hey! Stop it! The fuck! Am playing ranked now you stupid!!"
"Stupid?" ask Aoi in blunt tone.
"Miss, please calm down!"
"You ass hole! I may as well throw this chair at you!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
Hearing that, Aoi lifted the big wooden chair up to her head looking like an angry ape.
"WOW!" Yelled Usui in panic, quickly jumping on the sofa behind him.
"Lemme tell you something! Lemme tell you something!!"
"I wouldn't dare, huh?"
"Wait! Oh my god!! am I dying in my early 20s getting smashed by a chair??"
"Rest in peace bud." bursted Ahmed into laughters.
"Oh my god! Ahmed, please save me!"
"No way bro, still early to die!"
"I can't get any common sense out of neither the older nor the younger!" expressed Amane in disappointment.
"Clear! Clear! Okay, it's victory! Now I gotta go bud. I play another time. I gotta deal with this angry chimpanzee."
"Huh? Chimpanzee?? Yeah, I don't even know why I'm holding back!"
"No, no! Am kidding! You... oh my god, I said am kidding! I'll just... How about I help you do your presentation?"
Aoi gave up throwing the chair.
"What do you know about presentations and shit?"
"At least better than you. You introverted geezer. you bear in mind, that for all of my team projects am always the one to go do the presentation."
"Not the same dumb ass."
"Oh ho! Watch your language old lady!"
"Fine, do whatever. Just be quiet."
"No, am serious, I'll help. What is it about? Show me the script."
"Speech."
"Yeah whatever."
"Won't you be quiet for sec!!" Screamed Amane, making Aoi and Usui turn to her simultaneously, looking like little scary puppies.
"Seriously! My phone has been ringing for a while... It's Natishia-sama." Announced Amane, taking the call.
"Say hello for me!" Said Usui, which made Aoi glare at him completely flustered.
"What? We're friends you know."
"WHAT? IN 6 HOURS?" screamed Amane.
"What's wrong?" Asked Aoi all anxious.
"Da_? Oh my god! No! This is no discussion to be done on phone. I'm coming, and Usui says hello."
"Is everything alright?" Questioned Usui.
"It's gonna be fine... I guess... it's Natishia-sama getting in childish troubles again."
"Ah shit! Here we go again." exclaimed Aoi annoyed.
"At least she's more fun than you old lady."
"Ye right, fun my ass. You can go Amane. I'll get the rest done by myself."
"Yes, good luck miss."
And the second Amane closed the door, Usui jumped in a child's excitement towards Aoi.
"So~ what's the presentation about? Show me. I'll do my best to help."
"Oh God mercy!..."
It took a while for Aoi to explain the purpose of the speech and to represented it as Usui's demand.
"So? What do you think?"
"Old lady... Did you ever do a presentation of any kind in your life?"
"What the hell is this question?"
"You suck! Oh my God! And the smile at the end, so forced and cringe!"
"Hey, why so rude?"
"Am being honest."
"Okay, fine, I give up. Just tell me what to do."
"Prob is that you did no good when you're alone, what'll become of you when you present it in front of a lot of people?"
"Now, you're scaring me."
"Don't worry old lady, I got you!" Said Usui, then took few steps closer to Aoi, planning to hit her shoulders to encourage her. That's when she stepped back quickly.
"Wow, wow! No touch! No touch!"
Annoyed, Usui rolled his eyes.
"What's wrong with me touching you?"
"None of your business. Unless I touch you as my own well, don't touch me!"
"You're hopeless."
"Whatever."
"Could it be..." Usui stayed quiet for a few seconds, then said with a worried-like teasing voice.
"...that you are a mega pervert?"
"What??"
"Yeah like getting aroused by a mere touch."
Aoi let a sigh, giving up arguing with Usui.
"I can't get any common sense in you."
When she was about to go, Usui grabbed a little bunch of the back of her shirt with his index and thumb, and pulled her back.
"All right, all right! Come. Just kidding. Hey listen. You memorised the speech well and I guess you practised well the change of your voice tone just fine. The only problem is with this poker face of yours."
"What should I do with it?"
"Try smiling happily, not like it's easy with a face like yours..."
"Hey!"
"Still, here's a thing: think of something that makes you smile when you recall it. Like that, you can bring that smile again."
Hearing that, Aoi stopped for a moment considering Usui's idea.
"Do you... do you think this is some kind of Manhua or drama? Recalling good memories makes you smile? what ballshit is that?"
"At least give it a try."
"Try my ass. I'll just count on my survival mode."
"Survival?"
"Yep! That's in the very last moment of doing your work. When you're scared of getting in trouble if you don't make it. That makes your body works harder!"
"How genius." Mocked Usui while clapping his hands.
Suddenly, he thought about bringing up something.
"Old lady... you're... coming to my birthday party?"
Seeing that he was worried, Aoi looked at him straight into his eyes.
"Originally, we will be in trouble if our fathers know about me not attending, and obviously, I won't want to get in bigger trouble facing your girlfriend in the party. So I'll try to convince Father that I have a lot of work since I just moved in, and let's hope it works."
Usui then looked down, Aoi didn't really understand his expression. She held his shoulder in hopes of reassuring him.
"Don't worry, kid, I'll try my best to convince the old geezer. You won't find the slightest shadow of mine at the party! So you prepare for it well!"
Usui looked away, his gaze lost in the void. He appeared a bit disappointed. He sighed profoundly.
"But... you'll still give me a birthday present, right?"
Aoi felt a little confused with his response. She then grinned gently, letting shine a radiant smile on her face, and softly hit his shoulder twice.
"Hehe, yeah, yeah! Why not? You got it, kid!"
Stunned, Usui said unconsciously.
"So you can smile, old lady?"
Hearing that, Aoi held back, took her hand away, and then cleared her throat.
"Y,yeah, whatever, ju_, just get lost, kid!"
Satisfied with her reaction, Usui chuckled, teasing her.
"You are not wearing your gloves."
Aoi then stopped going further and turned to Usui with a soft smile.
ꕤ*.° "That's because I chose to." ꕤ*.°
His eyes sparkled wide. He didn't know how to react. He felt a mixture of surprise and satisfaction, wondering why, for some reason, hearing that made him happy.
*****
"WHAT? A DATE WITH AHMED?"