The two walk side by side in the dimly illuminated streets.
It took everything out of Sujin to convince Yuki not to stay the night.
“Please let me stay over, Sujin!~”
Yuki struggles, pushing against Sujin. As he slowly inches closer and closer toward the door.
“Hell no! I don’t have a guest futon! And I’m sure not sleeping in the same bed as a guy! Go home, Yuki!”
“Bu–… Uguu…”
Yuki starts tearing up.
“Eh– I’ll walk you home, alright?”
… Is roughly how it went.
The two walk side by side in silence. With Sujin slightly behind. He opens his mouth and reaches toward Yuki. But he doesn’t say anything... until Finally...
“... I… Uh... Hey Yuki…?”
“Hm?”
For a moment, Sujin looked like someone who’d swallowed a fish bone as he struggled to get his following words out.
“Well… I want you to think about what I will say overnight, alright?”
“Sure?”
Yuki replied, extremely confused.
“Do you want to move in with me…?”
“–Eh?”
Yuki's eyes go blank as he stares silently at Sujin. Putting even more pressure on him.
“I- I don’t think your parents would object. And the apartment’s main room is quite spacious. We could divide the room for privacy. And it’s not like the school I’m going to requires you to register early…”
Sujin rambles as his face grows redder and redder.
‘Ah, man… I flopped…’
Sujin thought to himself. Covering his mouth.
…
Sujin drops Yuki off and leaves. Yuki absent-mindedly goes through the motions of his daily life. Put away his shoes, shower, change into sleepwear, brush his teeth, plug everything in, and turn off the lights.
“Eh…?”
***
“Do you want to move in with me…”
I absent-mindedly repeat those words.
I lay in bed, still in shock. My brain has a hard time processing what Sujin said.
“Hehehe… What would you do without me, Sujin?”
The answer was already all too apparent… I didn’t have siblings, nor did I have any other friends that I had attachments to besides Sujin.
I whip out my phone from my nightstand.
[Hey, Mom?]
[Go 2 bed! 😡]
Ah, crap, I'd lost track of time...
[I will, lol. But can you answer a question rq?]
[Sure? What is it, honey?]
I can already imagine Mom's haggard sigh.
[Do you think I could move in with Sujin?]
…
….
… Radio silence... Did she return to work? I hope so...
[WHAT!?!?]
Oh shit, I don’t like where this is going…
[Is that a no?]
[It's not a no. But where’d this come from? You can’t just decide to move in with him. Did you ask him first???]
[Actually, he's the one who asked me!]
[Really? Very well... But only on these two conditions.]
[?]
[First, you must pay half the share of the rent. Sujin's a nice kid. He'll probably say that you shouldn't pay because you moving in was his idea. And you're a pushover. Don't be a moocher! 2. Stay away from alcohol, smoking, and drugs. Mommy's watchful eyes are always on you!!]
[np 👍]
[OK, I'll also increase your allowance. But get a part-time job if you want fun money!]
[You’re the best mom! 😁]
[I know, honey! 💪]
I tap on Sujin’s Line to tell him the good news. He responds with a thumbs-up and says We’ll leave at 2 pm.
“Hehehehe…”
I can’t wait for tomorrow!
***
Meanwhile, in a place not bound by mortal laws. A land high above into the heavens. A young girl dressed in priestess garments sat on a looming marble throne.
She had a dignified aura as she stared deep into a floating opaque screen.
“These humans…”
She pauses and begins shaking. Rage perhaps?
“SO CUTE~”
“Ah… No staged drama can ever beat the real thing~.”
“Yuki and Sujin… Once more, you’ve delivered peak cuteness! My dopamine stocks are off the charts.”
“It’s a shame the stars aren’t aligned. I'm not too fond of bad endings. Damn it! I ship!”
“Yuki’s so cute… He acts like a girl… Girl?”
The cogs in the young girl's brain begin to turn.
‘I have an idea for their second arc! I mean… What’s the point of being a god if you can’t mess around a little…’
She taps on the opaque screen with rapt breath. Excited about what may happen next.
“Umu.”
Just a few seconds later, a beam of fire and magma erupts from the ground, followed by a thunderous roar.
“I don’t reckon the big man up top’s gonna be too pleased.”
A man with a thick British accent says.
The magma and fire fall to the ground. Slowly seeping into the floor. In its place. A young man dressed in a leather jacket with its sleeves ripped off.
“Lucifer, glad to see you make it.”
“Yeah, yeah, Mary. The only reason you ever call me is if you need a favor. Out with it.”
–Snap!
A chair of fire shoots out the floor as Lucifer takes his seat.
“Glad to see you’re so perceptive.”
“Simple, there are two mortals I want you to curse.”
“Ah, you're taking the piss! Are you daft or what? Is a god supposed to be cursing their people?”
“Whatever you may say. Just do as I say. Please~”
Mary pleaded, rubbing her hands together.
“Give me a reason. I’m not doing something that dodgy on a whim.”
“Does a god need a reason to have a little fun? Now that I recall… Don’t you owe me? I did help you smuggle in some human goods, after all.”
A fox-like grin spreads across Mary’s face.
“Ghk… Little shit… You're chuffed. Alright. But I won’t owe you after this.”
“Perfection! I knew I could count on you, Lucifer.”
“So, what’s the curse?”
“I need you to bind the humans Hak Sujin and Hirohito Yuki.”
“Bloody… Are you really a being of holy worship?”
Lucifer shakes his head, with Mary being unbothered.
After sighing, Lucifer begins writing ineligible runes in the air while whispering something indecipherable. Mary starts doing the same.
‘Hehe… I’m so excited for tomorrow…’
Mary thought to herself, practically drooling.
⟪Ch 3 End⟫
