Pink Goddess, Part 2

(Why is it always like this? Everything always goes my way, but it only ever leads to more misfortune. Why… Why is my luck so damn good.)

Akuma wasn't always alone. The isolation only started 3 years ago, after a crazy accident. Before then, he was like any other teenage boy. He had friends who shared his hobbies. He had goals and aspirations. He had meaning and a sense of purpose.

But even back then, the cosmos had insisted on his life being absolutely perfect.

One time, he started playing the gacha game all his friends were talking about. 1 single pull. That's all it took for him to get any 5-star character. Eventually, he got every character in the game and his friends stopped playing.

Another time, they were complaining about the struggle of needing a part time job despite only being 14 years old. Then they looked at Akuma with jealous glares. After all, his father always sent an allowance every month without fail. He even bought him a house to live by himself.

And now, it was happening again. He felt as if his fist was made of iron. His intestines swished and churned like a witches' soup. In that moment, Akuma wanted to shrivel up and die. Life was simply too relentless to press on any further.

But after a blink something had changed.

"Well, well. Looks like I finally beat you at something."

Akuma was still holding his rock, but the hand in front of him was now a paper. It's not as if he had blinked dramatically slower or anything. That blink was as quick as the one before it and the one before that one. An ordinary, plain blink.

Was it possible that Akuma only imagined her holding scissors?

"It's about time. I was beginning to think you were born under a star or something."

Her smile was as pure as virgin Mary's. It made him question if such a smile could truly belong to a cheater.

"What's with that look? You're staring at me as if I did something wrong."

Akuma studied her face, searching for any trace of deception. But all he found was hope mixed with nervous determination.

"Well? What's the verdict?"

Akuma thought hard on what to say to her. What to even do in that situation. He thought so hard his brain started to throb and still he thought more. But no answers came. Instead, he felt a response building within his chest. The feeling grew hotter and hotter by the second, threatening to turn his chest into a furnace. Before he knew it, he had released it all in the form of smile brighter than the sun.

"Yeah. It's your win."

The school bell dinged its final ding. Around them, students began their usual ritual—popular kids making weekend plans while loners like him melted into the background.

A few of Alice's friends called out to her from across the classroom.

"See you tomorrow, Akuma."

"Mhm..."

"Oh, and I'll text you this weekend about our tutoring session."

"Mhm…"

As she gathered her things, Akuma felt something shift inside him. The familiar weight of isolation seemed lighter somehow, as if Alice had taken some of it with her without even knowing.

"Wait, what happened Alice?" One of her friends asked after spotting the red streaks under her eyes.

"N–Nothing. I wasn't crying or anything. I swear!"

Her friends exchanged glances, clearly unconvinced.

"Okay… Look, if you don't wanna go shopping today we can call it off."

"No, no. It's nothing, really."

The gaze of one her friends snapped toward Akuma like a predator spotting prey. Her expression twisted with barely concealed disgust.

"It was that freak, wasn't it? Alice, what is wrong with you? You're actually talking to him."

The new girl, Samantha, tilted her head in confusion.

"Is he dangerous or something?"

"More than that. He goes around calling himself God and even talks to himself sometimes. He's so cocky about his good grades that he refuses to work with anyone during group projects. Honestly, I bet the teachers only give him good grades because they're all scared of him. And that's not even the worst of it…"

Akuma had heard variations of these whispers for three years now. They no longer made him flinch or want to correct the record. Isolation had taught him that defending himself only made things worse.

But watching Alice's expression darken was something new.

"Take that back…" The seriousness in Alice's usually cheerful voice made everyone freeze. "Take back what you said about him, Aniya. He's nothing like that. He's smart, kind, and stronger than any of us." Her hands clenched into fists. "I've seen who he really is. So please, stop spreading lies about him."

The classroom fell silent. Even students from other conversations had turned to stare.

Aniya's face flushed red, caught between embarrassment and anger.

"B…But Alice, I'm just trying to look out for you–"

"I don't need you to look out for me. I need you to apologize to him."

The awkwardness stretched until Aniya finally mumbled an insincere apology, more concerned with preserving their friendship than admitting fault.

As the group headed toward the door, Alice turned back and flashed Akuma a peace sign, her radiant smile returning.

"One day I'm gonna marry that girl!" Akuma declared to the empty classroom.

A passing student shot him a concerned look before quickly averting their gaze and hurrying away.

To add salt to the wound, the spiteful apparition that had been hovering nearby cackled at his declaration. But for once, Akuma didn't care. Let it laugh. Some things were worth believing in, even if they seemed impossible.

Akuma replayed Alice's defense of him over and over. No one had ever stood up for him like that. The memory carried him through the empty streets, past the suspicious glances of shopkeepers, and past the groups of students who crossed to the other sidewalk when they saw him coming.

That warmth lasted right up until he reached his front door and found it hanging wide open, the lock clearly forced.

His stomach dropped. In his contentment, he'd completely forgotten about the supernatural complications waiting at home.

†

A nervous lump struggled down his throat as he gazed at the tear inspiring spectacle. Akuma's gaze drifted to the sacred land tucked between her stocking and pleated skirt. He tried several times to avert his eyes, but the exposed thigh called to him like a voice in his head. Maybe Alice was right. Maybe he really was a pervert.

"Do not just idle, human. Tell me your thoughts." Wujing insisted while twirling to display the school uniform.

"…"

"Human?" Wujing's head tilted as she noticed his expression was a bit red. "Oh no, please don't tell me I got the wrong one."

"N–No... It's the right one… It looks good on you."

"Really? That is wonderful news!"

"So why exactly are you wearing it? Did you just wanna cosplay?"

"Well, I have to see how it looks. After all, next week, after I'm finished with my investigation, I'll be joining you in this your studies."

There was a long pause.

"Yeah, right. Admit it, you are a cosplayer."

"I am not!"

Wujing took off the uniform and tossed it on the floor. Then she grabbed one of Akuma's favorite manga and plopped onto the bed.

"Human, why don't you fetch me one of those baby carrots."

"…We ran out."

"What?"

"I said, we ran out. I don't like carrots, so I don't make a habit of buying them. The one you ate last night was one my brother happened to leave by during his last visit." 

"Brother? You mean like a sworn companion? Wait, you have friends?"

His eye twitched from that diss.

"No, I meant brother, brother. You know, the ones who share your blood and DNA? Also, no one calls their friends 'brothers' anymore." 

"I see… Very well, go to the retail store and buy more baby carrots."

"…And why the hell would I do that? In case you forgot, I just came from school. Being in that class is practically a 9-5. Also, how do you know what a retail store is? Now that I'm thinking about it, how did you know how to cook pancakes?"

A cheeky grin spread across Wujing's face.

"Curious, are you? Well, if you are going to pull my leg about it, I guess I can–"

"Yeah, never mind. I'm good." Akuma interrupted, shutting the door behind him and leaving Wujing in the embarrassment of her own silence.

Then Akuma poked his head back in.

"Oh, and by the way, you left the door open. I don't know what this 'investigation' is, but don't just leave the door open. If you're gonna leave the house, then stay outside until I get back."

"But–"

The door slammed shut in her face, leaving her once again in that silence.