4. The devil smiles

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for the night, Fujita?"

"No, thanks!"

Shibata had her usual devilish smile.

After passing out again, I woke up after an hour.

The fever was gone and my body allowed me to go home.

Accompanying me to the front door, I felt the cold wind that signaled the arrival of autumn.

"Even if I told you to take a day off, I don't think you'd listen, right?"

"..."

I couldn't deny it.

If they learned that my part-time job was negatively affecting my school performance, it would definitely undermine my valedictorian status.

But even if I wanted to continue at this pace, I couldn't afford it anymore.

"... It will be a few days before I can free myself up for the evening."

"To find someone to replace you, right? Don't worry, after waiting for six months, a few extra days doesn't change much... and I have to prepare myself too"

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing!"

Shibata seemed at a loss for words but was reassuring me that it was nothing important.

"So when you get your first day off, let me know through LINE."

With a hand that seemed to request something, Shibata was staring at me.

"Why do I get the impression that you want to abuse it...?"

Wary of her intentions, I hesitated to give her my contact information.

"Oh? Does that mean you're okay with me coming to your classroom and bothering you, Fujita?"

"That would be even worse!"

I couldn't even imagine the ruckus it would cause if the Princess went in search of the Yeti.

It would become a full-blown hunt for the mythical being.

Giving up, I surrendered my cell phone.

"No password, Fujita?"

"There's nothing important inside it."

Nimbly handling the app, I could tell she was used to swap contacts.

"Well, you'd better set one up."

Handing my phone back to me, I noticed that I had received a message.

"You don't want anyone to see our conversation."

It was a simple emoji, but when I saw the sender's name, I shuddered.

"Why didn't you just put your name instead of writing 'girlfriend'!"

"But that wouldn't make our relationship clear enough."

"That is, of master (you) and slave (me)?"

Hearing my statement, Shibata puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

"Of savior (me) and patient (you)!"

Pulling out her cell phone, she was showing me a picture.

"Why do you have a picture of me while I was sleeping!?"

"Because it's really cute!"

"Delete it now."

"Nope!"

"Shibata!"

"...!"

Shibata looked terrified.

"Ah...!"

Looking away, I knew I had that expression.

"I'm sorry..."

Although I wasn't in the wrong, I was regretting my action.

"..."

Shibata made a few gestures on her phone and showed me the screen.

"I deleted it. I went too far, I'm sorry..."

With her mood down, Shibata looked depressed.

Although I had only known her for a short time, this demoralized attitude did not do justice to her image.

"... Next time, ask for permission."

Shibata seemed to take a few seconds before registering my words.

In an instant, her face lit up as if the incident earlier had never happened.

"If it's my boyfriend begging me for this, I can do nothing but please him."

"I'm not begging you to do it!"

A smile, even if it was devilish one, suited her much more than a sad expression.