Every Interrogation Room Need An Aunty

The warmth and sweetness of the pancakes were significantly dulled by the fact that Sayang would not stop talking.

Jarel had to shovel small bites into his mouth at lightning speed just to swallow something before the next question landed. Quinn, meanwhile, hadn’t eaten at all - not because she couldn’t, but because she was too focused on making a good impression.

Sayang, on the other hand, was eating just fine.

Her small frame leaned forward with predatory determination, as if she’d just discovered a gold mine of romantic development and intended to excavate it personally.

“So,” she began casually, “how long have you been sleeping together?”

Jarel chose to interpret that generously.

“Only since last night.”

Lying to Sayang was dangerous. Her years had sharpened her instincts; she could smell a falsehood faster than burnt toast. So he avoided lying outright.

He simply… withheld.

She grinned.

“Oh? So you’re new to it. How did it feel?”

He chewed carefully.

“Nice.”

She turned her attention to Quinn.

Quinn, unfortunately, defaulted to honesty.

“It was comfortable!”

Sayang covered her mouth, giggling.

“And what about the cooking? You both looked adorable together.”

Jarel felt his ears burning.

“I liked that.”

Quinn nodded enthusiastically.

“He’s teaching me to cook!”

Sayang blinked.

“You don’t know how to cook, dearie?”

Quinn shook her head.

Sayang slowly turned to Jarel, eyebrow raised.

“And you knew this when you asked her out?”

He shook his head.

Technically true. He hadn’t asked her out.

Sayang sighed dramatically.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, dearie, but my nephew isn’t the best cook.”

Quinn blinked.

“But he was pretty good at pancakes?”

A surge of pride shot through Jarel’s chest.

It lasted exactly one second.

“Pancakes are easy, dearie.”

Quinn’s shoulders drooped.

“Oh.”

Then her eyes lit up again.

“Aunty Sayang-”

Sayang gasped theatrically.

“Oh! You’re calling me Aunty!”

Quinn froze.

Sayang waved a hand.

“Sorry, sorry. Go on.”

Quinn swallowed.

“Aunty Sayang… can you teach me how to make your cookies?”

Jarel was already preparing to sigh.

He had told her-

“That’s a wonderful idea! Of course I will!”

Jarel nearly choked.

“Aunty!”

Sayang shot him a warning glance.

“Shush, dear.”

Quinn’s tail wagged so enthusiastically it thumped against the chair.

“Really? You’ll teach me?”

“I’ll do better than that,” Sayang said proudly. “I’ll teach you some proper meals, too.”

Quinn beamed, fangs peeking out.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!”

Jarel stared.

“Aunty, you said you’d never teach me.”

She sniffed.

“You’re a man, nephew. You wouldn’t understand.”

She turned warmly to Quinn.

“On the other hand, your fiancée understands very well.”

Fiancée?!

Jarel opened his mouth, then closed it. He chose survival.

Then Sayang tilted her head.

“I must say, dearie, your cosplay is incredibly realistic.”

Quinn frowned.

Jarel felt the ground begin to tremble.

“But they are real.”

Everything stopped.

Sayang blinked.

“I’m sorry?”

Quinn smiled sweetly.

“That’s okay! I forgive you!”

“No, dearie,” Sayang said slowly. “What do you mean they’re real?”

Quinn reached up and tugged on one of her ears.

It didn’t budge.

Sayang’s expression shifted from amused to unsettled.

“Dearie… what are you?”

Quinn answered with complete sincerity.

“I’m a demon.”

Silence.

No one moved.

Jarel held his breath, waiting for something to shatter - a scream, a laugh, a call to the police, a priest bursting through the ceiling.

Instead, Sayang gently placed a hand on her cheek and looked at him in awe.

“Dear… a demon? You’re adventurous.”

He blinked.

That was it?

She turned back to Quinn, eyes sparkling.

“A demon, with my nephew? Whatever could have caused that?”

Quinn puffed out her chest proudly.

“I’m making him lazy!”

Sayang’s grin widened.

There was something behind it now. Something calculating.

“Are you now? Well then,” she said sweetly, “all the more reason for me to teach you how to cook.”

Quinn beamed.

“Thank you very much!”

“It’s no trouble at all. I have the time.”

She glanced back at Jarel.

“How did you find such a beautiful demon, dear?”

He sighed.

“She kind of just showed up.”

Quinn nodded enthusiastically, blissfully unaware that Sayang still believed they were dating.

“I came to Earth and knocked on his door yesterday!”

Sayang gasped.

“You’ve only known each other for a day?”

Jarel nodded.

Quinn nodded too.

Sayang’s smile turned slow. Sly.

“Well then. You must be soulmates, sleeping together on the very first night.”

Jarel finally gave up.

He abandoned hope that this misunderstanding would resolve itself. He abandoned hope that he could resolve it. He abandoned hope entirely.

Sayang clapped her hands together.

“Alright! I’m going to teach a demon how to cook for my nephew. That will make a delightful story for parties.”

Jarel blinked.

“You go to parties?”

She raised an eyebrow.

“I’m far more popular than you think, dear.”

He decided not to test that claim. The odds of being verbally eviscerated were high.

As Sayang began to stand, Jarel glanced down at the table.

The pancakes were gone.

He didn’t remember finishing them.

She sighed lightly.

“Well then, I must be going. My granddaughter is-”

Knock knock knock.

The three of them froze.

Without waiting for permission, Sayang called out brightly,

“Come in!”

Jarel’s heart dropped.

The door clicked open gently.

And standing there was probably the last person he expected to see for the second time in under twenty-four hours.

Another pretty girl.