Chapter 196: Needs Electrotherapy

  Sunday morning, a little after seven.

  Kouya had just gotten up when the crisp sound of the doorbell rang through his quiet apartment. Still half-asleep, he yawned, ran a hand through his messy hair, and shuffled toward the door. When he opened it, the early sunlight poured in, and standing there was Vigne, radiant as ever.

  "Good morning, Kouya," Vigne greeted cheerfully, her voice light and clear like the morning itself.

  "Morning," Kouya replied with a lazy smile.

  Today, Vigne wasn’t in her usual school uniform. Instead, she wore a clean white long-sleeved shirt tucked neatly into dark blue jeans that outlined her slender figure. Her hair was tied into a neat ponytail that swung slightly as she moved. The faint curve of her lips added a soft charm that made her seem especially fresh and bright in the golden light.

  "Why are you here so early?" Kouya asked casually, rubbing his eyes.

  "The sun’s been up for a while already. How is this early?" Vigne teased, rolling her eyes. "I’ve been busy all week, so I thought I’d come early today to feed Big Meow… Are you coming with me or not?"

  "Yeah, yeah, give me a second," Kouya sighed, already knowing he’d be dragged along.

  Ever since Big Meow lost his manhood and ran away, things hadn’t been the same. Even though Vigne and Kouya found him again, the cat refused to return home, holding a silent grudge. Now he stayed with the old lady downstairs, who spoiled him endlessly. Vigne was both heartbroken and comforted—at least Big Meow was happy.

  The cat’s new life wasn’t bad. He spent his days sleeping, eating, and curling up on the old lady’s lap, purring like he owned the place. The old lady adored him, and since her son happened to own the apartment complex, no one dared complain about her having pets.

  …

  After feeding the cat, Vigne stretched and turned to Kouya. "Let’s go buy some groceries."

  "Sure," he agreed. The truth was, ever since Kouya realized that lying down after eating was far more rewarding than washing dishes, he’d stopped cooking entirely. His fridge contained only snacks, sodas, and a few bottles of milk that were probably past expiration. Bread and convenience store bentos had become his main diet.

  Inside the supermarket, the faint background music played while Vigne browsed the aisles with practiced ease. She pushed the cart while Kouya lazily followed behind, hands in pockets.

  "What do you want for lunch?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

  Kouya thought for a long moment before replying with a grin. "Something tasty?"

  Vigne turned, glaring. "What kind of answer is that? If you want pork cutlets, I’ll buy pork. If you want fish, I’ll buy saury—"

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  "Everything you make tastes good," Kouya interrupted, keeping a straight face.

  Her cheeks instantly turned pink. "You—! Forget it, I’ll decide myself!" she huffed, spinning around before he could see her smile.

  …

  As they carried the groceries back, Vigne suddenly said, "Gabi-chan should be awake by now. She probably skipped breakfast again. Should we invite her for lunch?"

  Kouya shrugged. "Sure. More food for me if she doesn’t show."

  Vigne rolled her eyes and pressed Gabriel’s doorbell.

  After a few rings, there was a soft click, and the door opened just enough to reveal Gabriel—hair messy, eyes half-lidded, and wrapped in a blanket like a burrito. The dark circles under her eyes screamed of another all-night gaming session.

  "Eh? Vigne? What are you doing here?" she asked, yawning.

  "I promised Kouya I’d make him a meal. Come eat with us," Vigne said with a gentle smile.

  Gabriel’s eyes instantly lit up. "Really?! Otherwise, I’d just have instant noodles again. They smell great but taste so bland after a while."

  "If you know that, stop eating them!" Vigne scolded. "Cook something or at least buy a bento."

  "Cooking’s such a pain… besides, I’m busy saving the world…"

  "Don’t glorify gaming!" Vigne shot back, exasperated.

  Gabriel grinned. "Hehe, but I really love Vigne’s cooking!"

  When Vigne peeked inside, she sighed. The room was a battlefield—snack wrappers everywhere, curtains shut, and only the cold glow of the computer monitor cutting through the darkness.

  "Gabi-chan, clean your room."

  "It’ll just get messy again in three days," Gabriel replied without shame.

  "Then clean it every day!"

  "But I need time to play games! Maybe I need a maid…"

  "A maid can’t save you. You need electrotherapy," Vigne said flatly.

  Gabriel blinked. "…That sounds dangerous."

  A short while later, Gabriel emerged wearing her usual pink sweater and dragging her slippers. Her hair was brushed—barely—and she shuffled into Kouya’s apartment. The first thing she saw was Vigne wiping down Kouya’s desk.

  "Hey! Not fair! You clean his room but not mine!" she protested.

  "Kouya’s room is way cleaner than yours. At least it doesn’t have cockroaches!" Vigne snapped. "I’m just wiping a little dust."

  Gabriel froze, giving a guilty laugh.

  Then, without hesitation, she went straight to Kouya’s fridge, grabbed a juice bottle, and started drinking.

  Kouya, who was watching TV, nearly fell off the couch.

  This is my room! At least ask before raiding my fridge! He clenched his fist silently, glaring at her with twitching lips. (╯‵□′）╯︵┻━┻!

  After tidying up, Vigne finally relaxed for a bit. Around ten, she tied on an apron and began preparing lunch. The smell of sizzling butter soon drifted through the apartment, rich and comforting.

  Then came a loud, unmistakable laugh from the hallway.

  "Ahahaha—!"

  Kouya groaned. Some people could be recognized by laughter alone, and this one was painfully obvious.

  Satania.

  "Gabriel! Open the door! I challenge you to a duel!" she shouted, pounding on the door.

  Vigne’s voice floated from the kitchen. "That’s Satania, right?"

  Gabriel sighed. "Nope, you’re imagining things."

  "Like I’d mistake that voice! Kouya, could you open it? She might as well eat with us."

  Kouya froze. Wait. This was supposed to be his special lunch! First Gabriel, now Satania?

  Still, he got up and opened the door. There stood Satania, red hair shining, grinning ear to ear as she kept knocking even though the door was already open.

  "Come in," Kouya said dryly.

  "Eh? I’m here to duel Gabriel, not you! Step aside, servant!" she declared proudly, hands on her hips.

  The weather was warmer now, so she wore a mint-green short-sleeved shirt and sporty shorts, her pale legs practically glowing in the light. Her fang gleamed as she smiled, brimming with confidence and energy.

  "Gabriel’s in my room," Kouya said darkly.

  "W-What?!" Satania gasped, eyes wide. "You two… you actually…"

  Kouya’s eyebrow twitched. What the hell are you imagining?!

  Satania threw her hands in the air. "You actually didn’t invite me!"