CHAPTER 34 - Enemy Number 1. Part 5.
(Pov - Saik.)
My whole body hurts. Mental and physical exhaustion, nausea, headache, blah, blah, blah.
I've been using the legendary ghosts too much without using that, and now my body's paying the price. Well, at least I'm keeping the promise I made to Noel. Iris is safe.
I hate rapists. I hate all of that… I hate it. I got there in time, so I stopped it. I need to help Iris find a safer job… No, that won't be necessary. Iris's shift ended when they tried to assault her, so… Damn it, thinking hurts.
The security camera issue won't affect Iris since all the money's accounted for—she didn't steal anything, so they can't accuse her of disabling the cameras. The employee who tried to assault her probably works the night shift; I can pin it on him. I have to do so much to make sure Iris keeps her job… Blood, huh?
I wiped my nose.
Stress is slowly killing me. Why don't I just abandon Iris and Sylphie? They're causing me unnecessary problems that ruin my peaceful life… No… I made a deal with Noel and Yuki. I have to keep my word. I'll keep it even if it costs me my life.
"Darling, you feeling okay?"
Number 31 sat beside me and caressed my cheek.
"What's wrong? You look tired."
"Nothing's wrong, just a headache. I need a break."
Number 31 hugged me.
"Rest, darling. You deserve a break."
"I can't, I need to make dinner… I shouldn't sleep."
"A short nap won't hurt. Sleep for an hour, I'll wake you up."
"Yeah… Thank you, 31… Thanks."
I rested my head on 31's lap and closed my eyes. I need to use the legendary ghosts less. I can't keep abusing my body.
Great power is never easy to wield, huh?
Oh… I'm really jealous of normal people.
•
•
(Pov - Number 31.)
He looks so cute asleep. And his lips… Those kissable, lovely lips.
…
…
…
Hmm… Uh… Would he get mad if I kissed him while he's sleeping? I mean, I think I deserve it. I did a good job today, right? Yeah, I totally deserve it… No… I should let him rest. I won't take advantage of him. He deserves a good rest. He's been using the legendary ghosts without that, and that's really dangerous and painful. I can't imagine the pain he's going through. I should let him rest, I won't bother him… Well, m-maybe a little massage would do him good, right? It'll relax him.
I lifted his shirt and started rubbing his abs. So… firm… Fufu. This brings back good memories.
Very good memories.
•
•
(Flashback.)
Saik, age 7, was on the floor. His body was so sweaty and sore that anyone who saw him would think he was sick or worse, but he was just exhausted from all the training he was doing.
He was in his room, taking advantage of his parents being at work to train without them noticing.
"Ah… Ah… Water."
"Here, Saik."
Number 31 helped Saik drink a glass of water, and he slowly got up from the floor.
"I think I'm getting better."
He started touching his body. Saik had a physique unimaginable for a kid his age, but he had more than enough reasons for it.
"Do you think I can handle more legendary ghosts now?"
"Yes. You've got the mental and physical strength to handle two more legendary ghosts, Saik."
"Hmm. Why don't you call me 'darling' anymore? I was getting used to it."
"N-No way I'm calling a little kid 'darling'! You tricked me! Ahhh! I lost my virginity to someone so young! I'm a sicko!"
"Well, first, we don't know if you were a virgin when you were alive. Second, I tricked you, so… Yeah, you're a pervert, so you're kinda sick."
"Oh… What happened, happened. Can't change the past. I'd rather wait until you're older. When you're 15, you're mine."
"No, thanks."
Saik's eyes turned gray, and small wounds started appearing on his arms.
"S-Saik, stop!"
His eyes went back to normal, and his nose started bleeding.
"It's still hard to use that."
"You shouldn't push yourself too hard, Saik. You're just a kid. Enjoy your childhood and go play."
"No… You know I can't. I'm not normal… If I want a normal life, I need to get strong, and you know it. I need more power, I can't rest."
"Saik… This is too much for you, and you know it."
"I know, but if I want to protect my parents, I need to become powerful. I don't have time to rest."
His eyes turned gray again, and blood started dripping from his eyes and ears.
"I-I need to endure it longer."
"Saik…"
•
•
(Pov - Saik.)
Ah, I slept pretty well. Number 31's thighs are super soft, and they smelled nice too. I wonder if my thighs smell nice.
I sniffed my arms… Hmm… I guess they smell… normal?
"You only slept 30 minutes, darling."
"I think that was enough."
I got up and started taking off my clothes.
"I'm gonna take a shower."
"Fufu. How about we shower together, Saik?"
"Whatever you want."
"…Huh? Seriously?!"
She got way too close. Did I say something weird? She asked, and I answered. Isn't that what she wanted?
"As long as you don't try to assault me, you can shower with me."
"Oh…"
Is she seriously disappointed by something so obvious?
"It's not normal for a guy to have sex with someone he doesn't love or isn't in a relationship with. I'll only have sex with my girlfriend or wife. That's what normal people do."
"I'm your girlfriend!"
"No, we're just friends."
"Hmmph!"
Oh, she's pouting now.
I caressed her cheeks and gave her a small kiss on the lips.
"This is all I can give you. Sorry, but I really want to live as normal a life as possible. You, more than anyone, know how hard I fought for this life. Respect my decision… I'm sorry, I really am, but you're just a friend to me. I've never fallen in love, and you know that."
"Y-Yeah… I know you're that kind of weirdo. I get it."
She took off her bra and smiled cheerfully.
"I'll wait for you. One day you'll be interested in romance, I know it."
She hugged me, and I felt her breasts against my chest.
Oh… I'm sorry, Number 31.
Yeah, I'm interested in having a girlfriend, and I already have someone in mind.
Maybe that person will help me understand what it feels like to love… I hope so.
I really want to experience that feeling before I die.
•
•
I showered and got dressed. Alright, I'm wide awake now. What should I make for dinner?
"Want anything specific, Yuki?"
"Hmm… Hmm… I want… Hmm… I'm not craving anything… Hmm… Spaghetti!"
Pasta, huh? Sounds good.
I opened the fridge. Hmm… Ground beef or should I make red spaghetti?
Yeah, ground beef it is.
I grabbed all the ingredients I'd need. I'm not missing anything.
Alright, let's get started.
•
•
Hmm… I think it's done. I turned off the stove. Alright, food's ready.
"Yuki, you'll eat in your room. I'll eat with Iris. I don't want her to eat alone, and for obvious reasons, you're not eating with us."
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
I gave Yuki two plates of food, and she went to her room.
I served the food on two plates.
Spaghetti with ground beef on top. It's a little spicy, but bearable.
A homemade dressing. Good, the flavor's on point.
Forks ready. Now for dessert.
I opened the fridge. I've got chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry cake. Hmm… Yeah, we'll eat the strawberry one.
I took out the cake and placed it in the center of the table.
Food and dessert. Nothing else missing… Oh, drinks. I don't drink alcohol, so I don't have any. I've got juice and soda… I think we'll have juice.
I grabbed the grape juice and set it on the counter.
Alright, everything's ready. I'll check if Iris is awake.
"S-Sorry, I wanted to help you cook."
Oh, she's awake. Saved me the trouble of waking her… Hmm… Yeah, my shirt's pretty tight on her because of her chest, but she looks good. Any guy would get turned on seeing her, but I don't have time to think about that. Staring too much would just make her uncomfortable. I'll just look at her eyes.
"You feeling okay now?"
"Yes, thanks. I can move now."
"Your clothes are drying, I already washed them. Please, take a seat. Not to brag, but I cook pretty well."
All those online tutorials really paid off.
"It smells delicious, Saik."
"Thanks."
I sat on one of the chairs, and Iris sat across from me.
"B-By the way, could you not tell Sylphie I fainted? I don't want to worry her."
"You should see a doctor. I don't think fainting in the street is normal. And don't worry, I won't say anything."
The drug's effects are gone, but she hasn't recovered her memories. I think it's safe for the legendary ghost of health to remove the remaining drug traces in her body now.
"Thank you so much."
"Well, let's eat."
I grabbed my fork and took a bite first. The texture and flavor are perfect. The idea of being a househusband is getting more tempting. If I get a wife, she'd have delicious food every day. She supports me, and I'll be her servant. Well, I'll kill myself, so that's not an option.
Though I'd be a perfect husband. I'm strong and would always protect my wife. I cook well and know how to clean. I'm the perfect servant any rich person would want. And sexually? Hmm… I don't know, but I could learn. Number 31 said I did pretty well my first time, so I think I'd do fine.
Would I be a good dad? I don't know. I've never even had pets. I know nothing about kids.
"Wow! This is really delicious, Saik! Y-You cook better than me!"
"I've never tried your food, so I don't know if that's true. But thanks. It was hard to learn, but it was worth it."
"How long have you been cooking?"
"Hmm… Not long, really. Since I moved to this city. When I moved, I decided to learn to cook. I didn't have my mom anymore, so I had to survive on my own. But the results are pretty good, right?"
"Y-Yes. Honestly, you cook really well."
"Thanks."
I got a call. Huh? That's weird, no one calls me.
"Sorry."
"N-No worries."
I pulled out my phone… No, I don't know this number. Who could it be?
I answered.
"Who's this?"
"It's me, Saik!"
Oh, it's Naok.
"What's up?"
"We're going to celebrate Ludius and me winning our games. Invite Sylphie. We're going to the beach!"
…
I don't even know where to start. It just rained. The cold season's coming. It's a terrible idea.
"Look, I don't think going to the beach this time of year is a good idea. And I have to decline the invitation. I've been really tired and plan to rest this weekend."
"I see. No problem, Saik, you deserve that rest. And since you're not going, Sylphie probably won't want to either. See you Monday!"
He hung up, and I put my phone away.
"Some classmates wanted to invite me to the beach. Ugh, so lazy. And it's still raining, it's a bad idea to go to the beach."
"You're right, it's still raining."
"Don't worry, you can stay the night. I have a spare room."
"N-No, I can't."
"Why not?"
"Well… I'm a stranger and…"
"You're not a stranger, you're my friend, Iris. If you go home, you could get sick. And considering you fainted, you should avoid getting wet. Don't worry, if I wanted to take advantage of you, I would've done it when you couldn't move."
"N-No! I-I know you'd never do that, Saik! It's just… I'm an older woman. Staying at a guy your age's house is… improper."
"Please, think about your health first and what people think of you second. And I don't think people are watching my house 24/7. Please, stay. The bed's comfortable."
"… Yes… Yes, t-thank you so much."
"You're welcome."
•
•
Iris and I had a pleasant dinner together. Talking with her calms me. It's like talking to an older Sylphie. She's adorable.
Dinner lasted longer than expected because we talked so much. So much that the food got cold, and we had to reheat it in the microwave.
Iris isn't as shy with me anymore. When we met, she was a bit rude and aggressive with me, but now she treats me like a friend. That's great progress. I hope our relationship stays like this in the future.
"Done."
Iris helped me wash the dishes.
"You can take a shower. I'm going to study."
"T-Thank you so much."
I picked up some books from the couch, and Iris started going upstairs.
Alright, I'll study some art history and then go to sleep…
A shiver.
I grabbed the books and started up the stairs.
Yeah, I figured.
Iris tripped, and her face was about to hit one of the steps.
I hugged Iris tightly from behind, stopping her face from hitting the step.
"You okay?"
"Y-Yes! T-Thanks!"
I helped her stand and patted her head.
"Be more careful."
I picked up the books that fell and headed to my room. Or that was the plan.
Before I entered my room, Iris grabbed my hand, and I turned to look at her.
"What's up?"
"Uh… Oh… S-Sorry… I just wanted to thank you."
She laughed a little and smiled at me.
"You're always saving me. Like the first time we met. You saved me from dying in that accident."
An accident I caused.
"When you stopped me from killing myself."
A suicide attempt I caused.
"And today, you saved me twice."
… Well, this time I actually saved her. I had nothing to do with that.
"Saik… Thank you so much for being my friend."
"And thank you for considering me a friend. It's hard for me to make friends because of my loner personality. I've always wanted real friends. Thank you so much for considering me your friend. By the way, the towels are in the bathroom. If you need anything, please let me know."
"Y-Yes. Thank you so much."
"See you tomorrow. Rest well."
"You too."
I went into my room and turned on my computer.
That was a dangerous situation. If I'd said something that could be misinterpreted, Iris might've kissed me or something more.
I made it clear I've never had friends and lied about always wanting them to make Iris feel a bit bad and not try to take advantage of the situation. Sorry, Iris, but I'm not interested in you that way. I have someone else in mind.
•
•
(Pov - Iris.)
A friend… All my friends abandoned me when I became a disgusting alcoholic, and no one tried to help me. Saik didn't just help me and stop me from killing myself, he saved my life multiple times… He's… He's such a kind guy… And I almost took advantage of that kindness.
"I'm sorry, Saik."
I almost kissed him on impulse. Thankfully, I managed to control myself.
Saik wants real friends. If I'd kissed him, I'd have taken advantage of his kindness. He wants real friends, and I'll be a real friend to him. He has no one in his life… I'll be a true friend to him… I don't know, maybe Sylphie will fall for him… Sylphie and I have the same tastes, I hope we also have the same taste in men.
Saik would be a good husband for Sylphie… Though it hurts just thinking about it.
I'm selfish. I'm an older woman. I should be ashamed of thinking about keeping Saik for myself.
… No, I need to stop thinking about that… I'll be a friend to Saik… And I don't know if these feelings inside me will ever go away.
A shower will calm me down.
I went into the bathroom… Wow… This bathroom is way bigger and nicer than the one at my house… No, the whole house is huge.
It's a big house… And only one person lives here… It's pretty lonely. And sad too.
Saik is such a kind person, a guy who shouldn't suffer. Despite being alone, he always helps me… Saik…
"Oh… You're a great guy, Saik."
I hope we stay friends for a long time. I really need a lot of emotional support lately. The voices in my head are gone, work's been going well, and my relationship with my daughter has improved a lot… Daughter… I forgot to call her!
Phone, phone… H-Here it is.
I pulled my phone from my pocket.
I have a ton of messages from Sylphie and… My boss?
I opened the messages.
[Mom, where are you?]
She sent it 5 minutes ago. I need to reply fast, or she'll think I'm trying to kill myself again.
[I won't be home to sleep, I'm staying with a work friend. Sorry. She invited me for drinks, and time got away from me.]
Sorry, honey, but if I tell you I'm staying at one of your classmates' houses, you'll hate me.
The other message is from my boss.
[Why's the store closed?]
[Do you know who disabled the security cameras?]
Huh? That's weird. Someone disabled them? Did they rob the place?! I-I hope I don't get in trouble. I don't even remember when my shift ended because of my fainting. Maybe I hit my head when I fainted… No, my head doesn't hurt… W-Wait, if I fainted and didn't hit myself, t-that means Saik caught me with his strong arms and kept me from hitting my head… No, Iris, this isn't the time to think silly things!
I'd better call my boss, I don't want unnecessary trouble.
I called him, and he answered after a few seconds.
"Oh, Iris, I was just talking about you."
"About me?"
"There's a bit of a problem, and I need you to answer something. When was the last time you saw Ryan?"
"The last time…? I guess today. I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I fainted from exhaustion and don't remember anything. But I think I finished my shift when he arrived, and I left as usual. What happened?"
"No, don't worry. See you Monday."
"Yeah, bye."
I hung up. That's weird. What happened with Ryan? The boss isn't mad at me, so I'm safe. What could've happened at the store after I left?
Oh, a message from Sylphie.
[You're not at a guy's house, are you?]
… Well, yes, I'm at a guy's house, but I'm offended my daughter would think that.
[No.]
An immediate reply should do.
•
•
(Pov - Saik.)
"Saik?! What are you doing?! You'll get sick!"
"Don't rainy, dark days feel the most relaxing, Yuki?"
"If you want to watch the rain, do it from inside the house, not lying in the garden!"
Oh, Yuki, you don't appreciate the beauty of this.
Yeah, I'm lying on the ground, looking at the dark sky while the rain soaks me, but this relaxes me a lot.
I feel free. In the past, I couldn't relax like this because any ghost could screw me over, but now I'm not in danger, I can enjoy rainy days like this.
"Yuki, lie down next to me. You're a ghost, you won't get wet."
"Oh… Alright."
Yuki lay beside me.
"There's not a single star in the sky."
"Just rain clouds."
"I know… Saik, now that we're alone, can I ask you something?"
"About my life before I met you?"
"Yeah."
"Ask away, and I'll answer if it doesn't bother me."
"Saik… Did you never ask your parents for help?"
"I did, lots of times. I'd cry and cry, telling them monsters were hurting me, but since the ghosts only attacked my soul, I had no physical wounds, and my parents thought I was having nightmares. Day after day, it was the same. My parents told me what I saw wasn't real and wouldn't hurt me, but the pain was very real to me. I felt betrayed by my own parents and stopped trusting them because I thought they were siding with the monsters."
"And what happened after?"
"I got tired of suffering and started fighting those ghosts. And as you know, I reached a point where I could control my power and hit them. From that day, I trained my ghost-seeing powers, and the ghosts trying to possess my body stopped trying. In elementary school, I'd talk to ghosts because I wanted to control my power better, but back then, I didn't know only I could see them. I always thought other people saw them and my parents were lying to me, but when I realized only I could see them, I stopped talking to them in public and grew my hair long so no ghost would notice I was looking at them."
"And they called you crazy, right?"
"Yeah. That's why I became a loner… Oh… But my relationship with my parents didn't improve even after I knew they never betrayed me."
"Huh? Why not?"
"I was always… I… Sorry, I can't tell you that part. Satisfied with the info?"
"Hmmph! You left me hanging! Tell me the rest!"
"It'd be a shame if someone got no dessert for a week, right?"
"That's not fair, Saik! That's cheating!"
"I won't say more, sorry."
I'd rather not say more than necessary.
"Oh, the ground's pretty comfy. I could sleep here."
"If you sleep here, you'll get sick."
"And Iris will call me crazy… I'll take advantage of her showering and go back to my room."
"And you need to put on dry clothes."
"Yes, Mom."
"I'm not your mom!"
•
•
I took off my wet clothes and put on dry ones. Alright… I think I'll just go to sleep.
I lay on my bed, and Yuki hugged me.
"What are you doing?"
"Does it bother you?"
"No, but why are you hugging me?"
"It's comfier to sleep like this for me."
She probably slept like this with her mom. Well, as long as it's just for today, it doesn't bother me.
"Good night, Yuki. Rest well."
"Good night, Saik!"
I closed my eyes. Today was a long day.
Classes started two weeks ago. In just two weeks, I've accomplished a lot at this school… But the system bores me. At first, I thought it was a fun system, but it's not very challenging. Forcing students to compete for the most positive points sounded interesting, but it has a lot of flaws.
Well, doesn't matter, I just want to live my school life, the rest doesn't concern me.
•
•
(Pov - Kaeyko.)
Suitcase packed. I'll come back for my computer later.
Sorry, Dad, I really tried, but I can't forgive or get along with my sister or mom. I'll use my savings to rent an apartment and get a part-time job. I can't stay in this house any longer. I'm tired of hearing them.
I'd move out today, but it rained. Tomorrow, I'm leaving this house, and I hope I never come back.
I know my attitude is immature, but rage takes over when I see my sister or mom. One day, I'll get tired of their voices and do something stupid. It's better if I leave. Being away from them for a while will help me feel better.
"My head hurts."
•
•
(Pov - Saik.)
Smells delicious.
A delicious smell woke me up. I can recognize good food just by the smell. My stomach demands I get up to eat, but my body wants to keep resting. Tough choice. Eat deliciously or rest deliciously?
Hmm… What if I eat lying down? No. I'm lazy, but not that lazy… Well, if Iris weren't here, I'd eat lying down.
What time is it?
I put on my glasses to see better.
I grabbed my phone and checked the time… Huh?
I have a ton of notifications? From that social media. Weird, I haven't posted anything.
Does the app send notifications for other things?
Well, doesn't matter. It's 7 a.m.
I got out of bed and saw Yuki sleeping. So cute.
I left the room, washed my face in the bathroom, put in my contact lenses, left my glasses on my desk, and went downstairs… Oh, I just realized my stomach beat my tiredness. This confirms I'd rather eat than sleep.
I entered the kitchen and saw Iris cooking.
"You cook really well, Iris. The smell of the food woke me up. Smells delicious."
"T-Thank you so much, Saik."
I stood beside her. Wow. Sausages with vegetables and scrambled eggs mixed together. Weird combo, but it smells great. She even made pancakes. This is how a mom cooks, huh? It reminds me of my late mom, except she made "fancier" breakfasts just to perfect her cooking. A perfectionist, really. Everything in her life was perfect, except her son. I inherited some of her beauty, or so she said, but I didn't inherit her intelligence or perfection. Why did I inherit the least important thing? Life hates me.
"It looks really good."
"Thanks. And sorry for using your ingredients."
"Hey, why are you apologizing? You're making breakfast, it's only fair I provide the ingredients. Half and half. And it smells great."
I think I still have strawberry jam and caramel sauce.
Hmm… Yeah, here they are.
I put them on the counter.
"I think that's everything."
"You have a lot of food, Saik. Why do you buy so much?"
"So I never run out of food."
"But you live alone. Things expire."
"Yeah, I know, but don't worry, I cook every day, so I always need a full fridge. Though I'll probably need a part-time job soon. Not now, but in a year, yeah… Well, doesn't matter. Need help with anything?"
"No worries, it's almost done."
"I see… Thank you so much."
Alright, I'll check those notifications. I have a lot. What could they be?
I pulled out my phone and opened the app.
"… Oh… This is weird."
"What's wrong?"
"I have 789 friend requests on this weird social media."
"That many?! Why?"
"No idea."
I checked the notifications. The photo I took with Sylphie got 2,702 reactions. I knew Sylphie had over 10,000 followers, but I didn't think a simple photo with her would get me so many requests.
Obviously, I'm not accepting any. I'll only accept people I know in real life.
"Hey, Iris, the users on this social media are weird."
"Why?"
"Look."
I showed her my phone screen.
"I-Is that Sylphie?"
"Oh, yeah, she asked me to take a photo yesterday. That's not the point. Look, tons of people sent me requests because of this one photo. It doesn't make sense. Why would they send requests to someone they don't know?"
"So you're… Oh, that's obvious."
What? I don't get it, Iris. And why do you look kinda sad? I'll never understand women.
"Huh? Obvious? I don't get it."
"N-Nothing, forget it, I was thinking of something else. Read the comments, and you'll see why."
"The comments?"
Hmm… "Cute"? "Handsome"? "Adorable"? "Is he your boyfriend or brother?"
Huh?
"Could you draw him?"
Huh? Who do they want to draw? Me? I don't understand.
"Because of my looks?"
"Your eyes are beautiful, Saik."
"Oh… I still don't get it."
Hmm… They all have profile pictures. I think I need one if I don't want my account deleted. I need to avoid that, it's my first account, it'd suck if they deleted it.
Hmm… My black shirt. My hair's messy as usual, but I can comb it a bit. I don't want the app's algorithm to delete my account because it couldn't find my eyes. I don't want them to think I'm a bot.
I'll go fix myself up a bit.
I went to my room and saw Yuki on my computer.
"Good morning, Yuki."
"Good morning!"
I grabbed my glasses and combed my hair a bit.
"You going out?"
"I'm gonna take a photo. I don't want the app to delete my account for not having a profile picture."
"… Your lack of knowledge about this stuff is kinda scary, but also adorable."
Did I say something weird?
Well, doesn't matter.
"Look at this."
I showed her my phone screen.
"Why do you have so many requests?!"
"Because of the photo I took with Sylphie. Look."
I handed her my phone and put on my glasses. I'm wearing my contacts, so it's annoying to wear my glasses. But I think I'll look better with them on.
I guess.
"Should I take the photo with glasses or without?"
"Hmm… Personally, you're cuter with glasses, but that's just my taste. Generally, guys look better without glasses."
"I see."
I took off my glasses.
"Wow, wow. You got super popular thanks to Sylphie, Saik. Fufu. I bet more than one girl's crushing on you."
"Huh? Why? They don't know me."
"Because of your cute looks."
"Huh? That doesn't make sense."
Girls are supposed to fall for guys because of their feelings, right? I don't understand women.
Oh, but now that I think about it, my mom once told me a lot of guys fell for her in the past, but my dad was her first and only love. Guys fell for her because of her beauty… Oh, this makes no sense. I'd never fall for someone because of their looks. Beauty isn't eternal, it fades. I want to fall for someone because of their feelings and personality, I don't care about looks.
Whatever, doesn't matter.
"You gonna accept them?"
"No, I'll only accept people I know in real life."
Yuki handed me back my phone. Alright, time to take the photo.
Hmm… I stood against the wall and took a photo.
Uh… Oh… Did it come out okay?
"Fufu. Hey, Saik, since it's your first account, you should take the photo shirtless so the algorithm knows you're human."
"Huh? Technology's weird."
•
•
(Pov - Yuki.)
Fufu. I don't think Saik's dumb enough to believe my lie… Huh?! He actually took off his shirt?! How clueless are you, Saik?! You really know nothing about social media?! I thought you were joking! Oh! You're so adorable! You're like an old man trying to use a phone!
"I-I'll help you with your hair!"
Alright! A bit like this…! Good…! Perfect!
Kya! So cute!
"Saik, I'll take the photo!"
"Huh? Sure."
I took his phone.
"Tilt your head a little to the left… Yes, perfect."
I took the photo.
"Now one like you're a model! Stay in that pose!"
I stood beside him.
"Look here, but don't move your body!"
Saik turned to look at me, and I took the photo. Kya! He looks so cool in that pose!
"They came out perfect! Post both!"
"Huh? Thanks… I guess."
Saik, you have so much potential, and you're wasting it!
•
•
(Pov - Saik.)
Hmm… I guess they're fine. They've got Yuki's approval, and she knows more about this than I do.
Alright… So… Upload profile picture. I select the photo where my face is front-facing with my chest and abs visible… Isn't this too much? Am I showing too much skin? Well, if Yuki said it's fine, it's fine.
I set that photo as my profile picture.
"Now post the others."
"Yeah."
Hmm… Post… Select both photos… Huh?
"Do I need to add some text?"
"Yeah, write whatever. It's like an introduction."
"I see."
I'll write… Got it. "My name is Saik, I'm 17, and I'm new to this social media stuff. I don't really know what it's for. Is it just for posting photos and talking to people? Algorithm, please answer me."
I hope the algorithm answers that question.
I posted the photos… Done.
"Now what?"
"You just wait."
"Wait for what?"
"Reactions and comments."
"Huh? Oh… Yeah, I get it."
I guess.
•
•
(Pov - Sylphie.)
Oh. She'll be home in an hour. I'll have breakfast ready for when she arrives… Oh… She's already eating with her friend? I see. Well, saves me the trouble of cooking.
I woke up feeling lazy today. I just want to sleep more before going to work.
I'll check the post. I got a ton of notifications last night. Saik really got some attention, huh?
"I-I hope I didn't cause him any trouble."
Saik's definitely not the type of guy who likes taking photos and all that.
I opened the app… Huh?
"W-W-What?!"
A photo of Saik?! No, two! And he's shirtless in both! And he looks so cool and handsome!
"S-So cute!"
I'm definitely giving this a heart!
Huh? A message from Saik?
[Sylphie, good morning. I have a problem. A guy's calling me a perverted exhibitionist on social media. I thought you had to post a shirtless photo for the algorithm to detect you're human. Is that true or false?]
… Well, Saik's new to this, but he's so adorable!
[Why'd you think you had to post that? You don't need to post a shirtless photo, but don't delete it, you look perfect.]
… Why did I say that last part?!
[I mean, you look great, you're not a pervert.]
Phew, close one.
[Well, I just assumed. Since it's a modern social media with tech, I thought I had to prove I'm human. Thanks for the help, Sylphie. I thought they'd delete my account for posting those photos.]
[You're welcome. See you this afternoon.]
I gotta save these photos!
Oh, it got 250 reactions in just a few minutes. Not bad.
I'll read the comments.
Hmm… "You look so cool! 😻💓" "Please accept my request!" "You're so handsome!"
Oh… Lots of positive comments. My followers have great taste.
"You're not a big deal." "Exhibitionist." "Just muscles, pretty face."
Fufu. If those guys knew Saik's the smartest guy I've ever met.
Oh, Saik replied to a comment. He replied to a guy who said… Oh, that was rude. "If you're like that, I can imagine your mom. Not interested in a new dad? Give me your mom's number."
Wow… Gross… Oh… Saik gave a pretty sad reply. "Sorry, my mom died this year in a car accident. I can't give you her number, it wouldn't work."
Wow… I feel a bit bad now, though I admit it's pretty mature that Saik responds to those people so seriously.
And he's replying to women too. "Thanks." "Sorry, I don't know you. I don't think I can accept people I don't know in person." "No, she's just my friend."
Ouch, that last one hurt, but it's the truth.
Looks like Saik's getting the hang of this. I'm happy for him.
•
•
"Alright, Yuki. Repeat your punishment."
"It was just a prank! Please, don't do it!"
"Repeat what I told you."
"It's not fair!"
"Repeat, or I'll make the punishment worse."
"Ahhh! No sweets for two days!"
"And what else?"
"A-And I'll wash the dishes for a week."
"Because of you, they called me an exhibitionist. You need to learn to be a nicer person, Yuki."
"Ignore those comments! They're just guys who're jealous of you! You looked great in the photos!"
"Doesn't matter, the punishment stays."
"It's not fair!"