'I was just trying to look out for you.' The blonde girl said.
Her name was Saki.
'I know,' Hina replied softly. 'That's what I like about you. But you always jump to conclusions.'
The two girls sat side by side on the edge of the bed.
Saki had blonde hair tied into a ponytail and eyes as red as blood. Her presence was sharp and aggressive, like someone who had grown up fighting the world every day.
She suddenly glared at me.
'Oi, what are you staring at?'
She bared her teeth like an angry dog.
'Saki, calm down.' Hina said quickly. 'He's not here to hurt me.'
'What if he has ulterior motives?' Saki grabbed Hina's shoulders dramatically. 'What if he;s trying to take your body?!'
'…Relax.' Hina said. 'He's not here for that.'
'You trust people too easily!' Saki snapped. 'That's exactly why you're in this mess!'
Ah.
The overprotective friend archetype.
I've seen plenty of those.
Usually, they chase you to the end of the Earth if it means protecting their 'friend'.
Before they could spiral into a never-ending argument, I interrupted.
'Do you have any other debts?'
Saki immediately shot up.
'What kind of game are you-'
Hina stopped her with her arm.
'I do.' Hina said quietly.
Saki froze.
'It's with another loan shark.'
'How much?'
Hina went over to her bedside counter and pulled out a piece of paper.
'600,000 yen.' She paused. ' At 90% interest.'
I stared at her.
90%?
Even the demons I knew had better financial ethics.
Just exactly who are these humans?
'I can lend you the money.' I said.
Both girls looked at me.
'With the same terms I mentioned earlier.'
'But…'
'You'll need to take me to them. I want to meet them.'
I leaned back slightly.
Loan sharks scamming a high school girl.
Real classy.
Adults like us should be protecting kids. Not draining them dry.
'Don't take it, Hina!' Saki shouted.
She pointed accusingly at me.
'I won't let you take advantage of her!'
I tilted my head.
'And do you have the ability to stop me?'
My young master moment has arrived.
Her eyes trembled.
'You're brave.' I continued. 'But realistically? You're a high school kid. What exactly are you planning to do?'
'WHO ARE YOU CALLING A KID?!' Her face turned red. 'YOU LOOK THE SAME AGE AS ME!'
Right.
I kept forgetting I'm in a teenager's body.
Internally I'm a veteran hero who fought back pain.
Externally I look like a guy who jerks off to the sight of boobs.
Life is cruel.
Just as Saki rolled up her sleeves, Hina grabbed her arm.
'Stop, Saki!'
'Hina?!'
Hina turned to me.
'I accept your offer.'
'HINA!'
'Stop.' Hina raised her hand.
She looked at me calmly.
'I trust my instincts.'
She hesitated before adding.
'He gives me the same feeling as my grandfather.'
Saki looked like she'd just been stabbed.
'Hina… the last time you trusted your instincts… '
Her voice cracked.
'You got scammed.'
Tears welled up in her eyes.
'I won't let you do that again!'
Her fist trembled.
'I don't want to lose you.'
Hina's eyes softened.
She pulled Saki into a hug.
'I know you care about me.'
'But trust me.'
'I know what I'm doing.'
Saki sniffed loudly.
'…Fine.'
She turned toward me with swollen eyes.
'But I'm coming with you!'
'And you two can't stop me!'
'Suit yourself.' I said. 'When are they coming to collect?'
Hina answered.
'Tomorrow. Around this time.'
'Good. I'll come earlier.'
I stood up to leave.
But Hina spoke again.
'Umm.. sir?'
'Yes?'
'There's something my friend wants to say.'
She elbowed Saki.
Saki looked horrified.
'Do I really have to?'
'It was your fault.' Hina whispered.
'I was worried about you!'
Hina gave her the puppy eyes.
Saki groaned.
'…Tch. Fine.'
She stood up with her arms crossed and looked away.
'I-I-I'm s-sorry.'
Hina sighed.
'Saki.'
'You need to look him in the eyes.'
Suddenly, Saki barked.
'AHH!'
'That's all you're getting from me!'
She flopped back onto the bed dramatically.
'Good enough.' I said. 'I'll be going.'
——————————————-
Night had already fallen.
The sky was pitch black except for the moon.
'Why are there no street lights here?' One of the boys asked.
They pulled out their phones and turned on the flashlights.
I watched them walk ahead and something suddenly clicked in my head.
'Oh right.'
'Phones exist.'
Years in the fantasy world where phones didn't exist. I naturally forgot.
'I should check my house.'
If God gave me a fake identity.
Then logically…
I should own a phone.
A modern world without a phone. Impossible.
'Alright boys.' I said. 'You can go home.'
'Boss? Are you sure?' One asked.
'It's our duty to protect you.'
'Don't worry. The only thing that can stop me is me.'
'Then… okay boss.'
—————————————
'Found it.'
A phone sat inside my bedside desk.
Under it was a passport.
I picked it up.
Then flipped it over.
'…I'm American?'
I stared at it.
First, my last name is Crazy.
Now I'm American too.
The country famous for:
Geography failures.
Obesity.
And douchebag streamers.
'God really took a shit on me.'
I placed the passport down.
Then I grabbed the phone.
*Tap*
Nothing.
*Click*
Still nothing.
I pressed every button like a confused caveman discovering technology.
'Did it die?'
I found a charger and plugged it into the wall.
Then into the phone's butthole.
The screen lit up.
Only to show a red battery icon.
'So it was dead.'
At least I'm not completely technologically illiterate.
While it charged, I went to take a shower.
Cold water poured over me.
'Ahh… this is living.'
A nice cold shower.
A must-have for any alpha male.
The only issue was that it wasn't 4.am in the morning.
After drying myself off, I returned to the phone.
It finally powered on.
The lock screen was thankfully normal.
Because knowing God…
He would've set my wallpaper to something embarrassing.
Like a dick pic.
Or worse.
A motivational quote with a lion or wolf.
The phone had no lock, so I swiped.
*DING DING DING DING DING*
Notifications out the wazoo exploded across the screen.
Emails.
Games.
Apps.
But most came from a message from someone named Marie.
'Who?'
I opened the messages.
————
Marie: Hello darling.
Marie: Why aren't you replying?
Marie: Are you mad at me?
Marie: Darling, please respond.
————-
…and about another twenty more messages.
'Darling?'
In the fantasy world, the Chad Prince's wife used that word.
Which raised a terrifying possibility.
'…Do I have a wife?'
'God you absolute bastard.'
I had no memories of my fake backstory.
So I had no idea who she was.
Sure, I wanted to lose my V-card, but to a random stranger?
I'm not that desperate.
Alright.
Time to play it cool.
What did the Chad Prince call his wife?
After a moment…
Right.
I typed a message.
————
Dylan: Sorry for not replying honey.
————-
The phone buzzed instantly.
————-
Marie: You called me honey? That's new. （＾ω＾）
Dylan: Do you want me to stop calling you, honey?
Marie: No. I like it.
————-
We chatted for about thirty minutes.
Eventually, I checked the time.
—————
Dylan: I'm going to sleep now. Goodnight, honey.
Marie: I wanted to talk more. (╥﹏╥)
Dylan: We can talk tomorrow.
Marie: Okay (´ ᴗ｀✿) Goodnight darling.
—————-
I placed the phone on the table.
I stared at the ceiling.
'Fuck me.'
—————————
[Saki Nanase] from Crimson Complete.