Chapter 11 Tantan Enters the Game
Oom Eisaya had a new problem.
Actually—no.
She had several problems.
But one of them had just gained a name.
Tantan Kaito.
“…she’s definitely watching me.”
Oom whispered it under her breath as she sat stiffly in the Psychology Wellness Club room, pretending to read a book she had not turned the page of in the last ten minutes.
Across the room—
Tantan leaned casually against a table, arms crossed, posture relaxed.
Her gaze?
Not relaxed.
At all.
It was sharp.
Focused.
Amused.
And very clearly—
Locked onto Oom.
“This is fine,” Oom muttered. “I am simply being perceived. People perceive people all the time.”
“She’s profiling you.”
Oom flinched.
“Yada, please stop appearing like a horror character.”
“I live to haunt you.”
Yada plopped down beside her, grinning like she had just been handed premium entertainment.
“I told you,” she continued, nodding subtly toward Tantan. “Observer. She sees everything.”
“I don’t like being seen.”
“Too bad. You’ve been very noticeable lately.”
Oom glared at her.
“I am always noticeable.”
“You are noticeably suspicious.”
Oom opened her book.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
“…she’s Bam’s friend, right?”
“Acquaintance,” Yada corrected. “Club member. Psychology brain. The type who figures people out for fun.”
“…that’s terrifying.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Oom risked another glance.
Big mistake.
Tantan was still looking at her.
And when their eyes met—
Tantan smiled.
Not wide.
Not obvious.
Just a small, knowing curve of her lips.
Oom immediately looked away.
“…she knows.”
“She doesn’t know,” Yada said.
“She knows.”
“She suspects.”
“That’s worse!”
Yada laughed.
“Oh, this is going to be fun.”
“This is not fun.”
“This is extremely fun.”
---
The problem escalated when Bam entered the room.
Oom’s entire nervous system immediately activated.
“Good afternoon,” Bam said, her voice calm, her presence instantly shifting the atmosphere.
Tantan straightened slightly.
“Afternoon.”
Yada leaned back in her chair, watching everything like it was a live drama.
Oom tried to look normal.
She failed.
Completely.
Because Bam—
Walked past her.
Without stopping.
Without looking.
Without—
Anything.
Oom’s chest tightened.
Right. Day mode.
“Senpai,” she said before she could stop herself.
Bam paused.
Turned slightly.
“Yes?”
There it was again.
That tone.
Polite.
Distant.
Unreachable.
Oom swallowed.
“…nothing.”
A pause.
Then—
“Alright,” Bam said, before continuing on like Oom had never spoken.
Oom sat there.
Emotionally dismantled.
“…I’m going to pass away.”
Yada leaned in.
“Day Bam strikes again.”
“I hate her.”
“You love her.”
“I am conflicted!”
“Same thing.”
Oom dropped her head onto the table.
“I got kissed last night.”
“And ignored today.”
“Yes.”
“Character development.”
“Emotional damage.”
Yada patted her shoulder.
“Stay strong.”
“I am not strong.”
“You’re surviving.”
“I am barely functioning.”
---
Tantan approached.
Oom sensed it before she saw it.
Like a predator entering the space.
“Can I sit here?”
Oom froze.
Yada grinned.
“Of course.”
Tantan pulled out the chair across from them and sat down smoothly, her movements calm, controlled, deliberate.
Oom stared at her book.
Very intensely.
As if the words might suddenly start making sense.
“They won’t,” Tantan said.
Oom blinked.
“…what?”
“The book,” Tantan clarified, nodding toward it. “You’ve been on the same page for a while.”
Oom closed it immediately.
“I like to reflect.”
Yada snorted.
“Ignore her,” Oom said quickly.
“I’m not talking to her,” Tantan replied calmly. “I’m talking to you.”
Oom stiffened.
“…why.”
Tantan tilted her head slightly.
“You’ve been… interesting.”
“That’s concerning.”
“It’s observant.”
“I don’t like being observed.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
Yada was enjoying this far too much.
“I like you,” she said to Tantan. “You’re fun.”
Tantan glanced at her briefly.
“I know.”
Yada blinked.
“…oh?”
Oom looked between them.
No. Not now. Not another chaotic dynamic.
Tantan’s attention returned to Oom.
“You’ve been spending time here at night.”
Oom’s heart stopped.
“I—what—no—”
“It wasn’t a question.”
Oom panicked internally.
Externally, she tried to remain calm.
Failed again.
“I just—study sometimes.”
“Late.”
“Yes.”
“Alone.”
“…yes.”
Tantan hummed softly.
“And yet—”
She paused.
Just long enough to make Oom’s anxiety spike.
“You look tired.”
Oom blinked.
“…that’s it?”
“For now.”
Oom exhaled.
Too soon.
Because Tantan leaned in slightly, her voice lowering just enough—
“To someone who understands behavior… your patterns are very obvious.”
Oom froze.
Yada leaned forward, clearly invested.
“…what patterns?” Oom asked carefully.
Tantan’s lips curved slightly.
“You react to Bam differently than she reacts to you.”
Oom’s brain short-circuited.
“That’s—normal—she’s a senior—”
“You’re flustered.”
“I am not—!”
“You avoid eye contact.”
“I don’t—!”
“You overcompensate with awkward conversation.”
Oom covered her face.
“…okay, maybe that one is true.”
Yada laughed.
“I like her. Keep going.”
Tantan didn’t take her eyes off Oom.
“And yet,” she continued, “you keep coming back.”
Silence.
Oom’s heart pounded.
“…it’s a club,” she said weakly.
“You don’t need to come this often.”
“I like the environment.”
“You look like you’re being hunted.”
“I am being hunted!”
Yada choked.
Tantan smiled again.
Small.
Knowing.
“Interesting.”
Oom dropped her hands.
“…please don’t psychoanalyze me.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m observing.”
“That’s worse.”
---
Across the room—
Bam was watching.
Not obviously.
Not directly.
But Oom noticed.
Because for the first time—
Bam’s gaze lingered.
Just slightly longer than usual.
On her.
On Tantan.
On the interaction.
Oom’s breath caught.
Wait.
Was she—
Watching?
Yada noticed too.
“Oh,” she whispered. “This just got better.”
“Please don’t narrate my suffering.”
“She’s looking.”
“I know she’s looking!”
Tantan followed their gaze briefly.
Then looked back at Oom.
“…you’re in something.”
Oom froze.
“I am not in anything.”
“You are.”
“I am not.”
“You don’t know what it is yet.”
“I definitely don’t.”
“But you’re already in it.”
Oom stared at her.
“…I don’t like you.”
“That’s fine.”
“I feel exposed.”
“That’s accurate.”
Yada clapped quietly.
“This is incredible.”
---
The tension shifted again when Bam stood.
The room seemed to quiet slightly.
Not because she demanded attention—
But because she naturally held it.
“I’m heading out,” she said.
Tantan nodded.
“See you.”
Yada waved lazily.
“Bye, ice queen.”
Oom froze.
Because Bam—
Paused.
Just slightly.
Her gaze flickered toward Oom.
For a second.
Two seconds.
Then—
“Goodbye.”
And she left.
Just like that.
Oom sat there.
Heart racing.
“…did she just—look at me?”
“Yes,” Yada said immediately.
“No,” Tantan said at the same time.
Oom looked between them.
“…which one is it.”
“Both,” Tantan said calmly.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It will.”
Oom slumped in her chair.
“…I’m going to emotionally collapse.”
Yada grinned.
“Not yet. You still have tonight.”
Oom froze.
“…don’t remind me.”
Because tonight—
Was going to be different.
It had to be.
After what happened last night—
After that kiss—
After everything—
Oom didn’t know what to expect anymore.
And somehow—
That was worse than before.
Because now—
It wasn’t just confusion.
It wasn’t just curiosity.
It was something real.
Something growing.
Something dangerous.
And Tantan—
Had seen it.
Even if she didn’t fully understand it yet.
Oom exhaled slowly.
“…I need a break.”
“No, you don’t,” Yada said cheerfully.
“You need more chaos.”
“I hate you.”
“I love you too.”
And somewhere—
In the back of her mind—
Oom knew.
This was only the beginning.