Chapter 17 Yada x Tantan Chaos
If Oom Eisaya’s life was currently a slow-burning emotional disaster—
Yada Eisaya’s life was a full-blown reality show.
And she was loving every second of it.
“…she’s doing it again.”
Oom didn’t even look up from her notebook. “If this is about me, I don’t want to hear it.”
“It’s not about you.”
“…then I’m listening.”
Yada grinned, leaning forward across the table like she was about to deliver the most important update of the day.
“It’s about her.”
Oom sighed. “That narrows it down to three people. Please specify.”
“Tantan Kaito.”
Oom paused.
Then slowly looked up.
“…what about her.”
“She’s watching me.”
Oom blinked.
“…you’re delusional.”
“I am perceptive.”
“You are dramatic.”
“I am correct.”
Oom leaned back slightly, her gaze drifting across the room almost instinctively.
And there—
Tantan.
Leaning against a desk.
Arms crossed.
Looking—
Not at Oom this time.
At Yada.
Oom froze.
“…oh.”
Yada smirked. “See?”
“That’s new.”
“I know.”
“That’s concerning.”
“I’m intrigued.”
Oom stared at her.
“You’re always intrigued by problems.”
“That’s because I am the problem.”
“That’s not something to be proud of.”
“Too late.”
---
The tension had shifted.
Oom could feel it in the air, even as she tried to focus on literally anything else.
Because for once—
The chaos wasn’t centered on her.
And yet somehow—
It still affected her.
Because Yada—
Was not subtle.
At all.
“You’re staring,” Oom muttered under her breath.
“I’m making eye contact.”
“You’re making it aggressively.”
“I’m establishing dominance.”
“That is not how dominance works.”
“It is now.”
Oom pressed her hand against her forehead.
“I can’t be associated with you.”
“Too late. We’re family.”
“I’m disowning you.”
“You can’t. Aunt Cherry loves me more.”
“That is unfortunately true.”
Yada beamed.
“I know.”
Across the room, Tantan tilted her head slightly.
Still watching.
Still calm.
Still—
Amused.
Oom narrowed her eyes.
“…I don’t like that look.”
“What look?” Yada asked.
“That ‘I know something you don’t’ look.”
“Oh,” Yada said, glancing back. “Yeah. She’s definitely got that.”
“And you’re encouraging it.”
“Of course I am.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s fun.”
Oom stared at her.
“You’re going to get yourself into trouble.”
Yada grinned.
“That’s the plan.”
---
It escalated quickly.
Because of course it did.
Tantan didn’t approach immediately.
She observed.
Waited.
Watched.
And then—
When Yada stood up to grab something from the supply table—
Tantan moved.
Smooth.
Effortless.
Deliberate.
Oom watched it happen in slow motion.
“…oh no.”
Yada turned.
And there she was.
Face-to-face.
With Tantan Kaito.
“Well,” Yada said, unfazed. “This is new.”
Tantan didn’t smile.
Not fully.
Just that same small, knowing curve of her lips.
“You’ve been looking at me.”
Yada didn’t miss a beat.
“So have you.”
Silence.
Not awkward.
Not tense.
But charged.
Oom leaned back in her chair.
“…I’m witnessing something.”
“You are,” she whispered to herself.
Across the room, Bam sat quietly, her gaze lowered—but not entirely unaware.
Because every now and then—
She glanced up.
And her eyes landed—
On Oom.
Oom’s heart skipped.
But she looked away quickly.
Because right now—
She had a different disaster to monitor.
---
“You’re bold,” Tantan said.
Yada crossed her arms.
“I’m honest.”
“You’re loud.”
“You’re quiet.”
“That’s intentional.”
“So is this.”
Tantan tilted her head.
“…this?”
Yada stepped closer.
Not too close.
But enough.
Enough to shift the space between them.
“This conversation.”
Oom blinked.
“…she’s flirting.”
“She is definitely flirting,” she confirmed to herself.
“And Tantan—”
Was not backing away.
Interesting.
“You approach people like this often?” Tantan asked.
“Only the interesting ones.”
“And I’m interesting?”
“You wouldn’t be standing here if you weren’t.”
Tantan’s gaze sharpened slightly.
“…confidence.”
“Observation.”
“Assumption.”
“Accurate.”
Oom covered her face.
“…I cannot watch this.”
But she did.
Of course she did.
Because it was impossible not to.
---
The dynamic was immediate.
Fast.
Sharp.
Different from anything Oom had seen before.
Because while her situation with Bam was quiet, complicated, and emotionally heavy—
This?
This was chaos.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you around before,” Yada said.
“You have.”
“I would remember.”
“You weren’t paying attention.”
Yada smirked.
“I am now.”
Tantan’s lips curved slightly.
“I noticed.”
Oom groaned softly.
“…this is too much.”
“You’re just jealous you don’t get normal flirting,” Yada said without looking at her.
“I do not want normal flirting!”
“You want emotionally confusing nighttime kisses.”
“…yes.”
“That’s worse.”
“I know.”
---
At some point—
Tantan sat down.
At their table.
Uninvited.
But not unwelcome.
Because Yada—
Was thriving.
“You’re Bam’s friend,” Yada said casually.
“Acquaintance,” Tantan corrected.
“Close enough.”
Tantan’s gaze flicked briefly toward Bam.
Then back.
“She’s not easy to be close to.”
Oom stilled.
Because—
That was true.
Painfully true.
Yada didn’t miss it.
“Sounds like a challenge.”
“It is.”
“I like challenges.”
“I noticed.”
Oom looked between them.
“…am I third-wheeling right now?”
“Yes,” both of them said at the same time.
“…rude.”
---
Meanwhile—
Bam watched.
Not openly.
Not obviously.
But Oom could feel it.
That subtle awareness.
That quiet attention.
And when Oom finally looked up—
Their eyes met.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Because there was something there.
Something unreadable.
Something—
Watching.
Oom’s heart raced.
And she didn’t know why.
Because this wasn’t jealousy.
Not exactly.
But it was—
Something.
---
“Why are you staring at her?” Yada asked suddenly.
Oom flinched.
“I am not—”
“You are.”
“I’m observing.”
“You’re observing her observing you.”
“That’s too many layers.”
Tantan leaned back slightly, her gaze shifting between them.
“…you’re both interesting.”
Yada grinned.
“I told you.”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
“I’ll take it anyway.”
Oom sighed.
“This is exhausting.”
“And yet,” Tantan said calmly, “you’re still here.”
Oom paused.
Because—
That was true.
She was still here.
Still in this room.
Still in this situation.
Still—
Choosing it.
“…yeah,” she murmured.
“I am.”
---
Later—
As the room slowly emptied—
Yada stood up, stretching slightly.
“Well,” she said, glancing at Tantan. “This was fun.”
“It was,” Tantan agreed.
Yada smirked.
“Same time tomorrow?”
Tantan didn’t hesitate.
“If you’re interesting enough.”
Yada laughed.
“Oh, I definitely am.”
And just like that—
It began.
---
Oom watched them.
Then sighed.
“…I’m surrounded by insane people.”
“You fit right in,” Yada called over her shoulder.
“I hate that you’re right.”
But even as she said it—
Her gaze drifted.
Back to Bam.
Who was still there.
Still watching.
And Oom knew—
This chaos?
It was only going to get worse.