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After teleporting back home, Jack sorted through the materials he'd need for tomorrow's tutoring session while calling Rias to share the good news.
Signing contracts with five people at once was no small thing. Even Rias was genuinely happy for him.
Still, since she hadn't finished the task she'd entrusted to him, Jack didn't keep her long.
Once everything was in order, he went through his usual daily training, pushing himself until he was drenched in sweat before finally stopping.
After a shower, he lay comfortably on his bed, wrapping up what had been a full and satisfying day.
In a good mood, he gave Mai Sakurajima a call. She should be home by now.
She picked up quickly, her familiar, pleasant voice coming through the phone.
"Hello?"
"It's me, Jack."
"I know. The only one who'd call this late to bother me is you."
Her tone sounded a little lazy.
Jack didn't mind her teasing. In fact, he liked that side of her.
"Already in bed?"
"Not yet. I just got out of the shower and I'm changing."
Sure enough, he could hear the faint rustling of fabric through the phone.
He raised a brow and chuckled. "So… what do you look like right now? Care to describe it?"
"I'm already in my pajamas."
…That was fast.
"Sleeping in clothes is heresy."
"If I don't wear pajamas, I'll catch a cold."
Mai was completely unfazed by his flirting.
"I should be there to hold you instead. We could keep each other warm."
"Hm? You sound like you're in a really good mood today."
Even with such intimate talk, Mai remained calm. Though whether she was blushing on the other end… Jack had no way of knowing.
She knew him well. Normally, he was pretty reserved. Only when talking to her did he loosen up a bit. And this kind of playful teasing? Even rarer.
Since she'd already seen through him, Jack admitted it with a smile.
"Something good happened."
He told her about signing five contracts at once.
There was a brief pause before Mai replied, her tone soft and faintly teasing:
"Wasn't having just me enough?"
Jack blinked, then laughed. "…So you do get jealous."
"I don't."
"Really?"
"Of course not…"
She stubbornly denied it, but after a couple of seconds, she added, a little reluctantly:
"It's just… back when I was your only contract, I kind of liked the feeling of having you all to myself. Though I always knew you'd find more eventually."
The corners of Jack's lips lifted. "Why does hearing you say that make me so happy? You're way too cute, Mai."
"Don't get carried away."
If they weren't on the phone, he was sure she'd be pinching his cheek or stepping on his foot by now.
A warm sweetness settled in his chest.
"Mai, I form contracts to get stronger. That's the only way I can protect what matters to me. You understand that, right?"
On the other end, Mai sat at the edge of her bed. After a moment of silence, she nodded lightly.
"I know. You have your own world."
"No," Jack said seriously. "My world is only special because you're in it."
"That's why I need to get stronger. To protect everything I care about. If I lost all of you, what would be the point of living forever alone?"
"So 'all of you' includes me," Mai said softly. "But somehow, I have no idea who else is included in that 'all of you.'"
Jack fell silent for a moment, then replied quietly:
"My master… and my companions who serve alongside me. They all know about you. We just haven't had the chance to meet yet. I'll introduce you next time."
"…I feel like I don't really know you at all," Mai murmured. "Maybe I'm just a passerby in your life. After all, I'm not like you. My lifespan is… so short compared to yours."
Her voice was calm, but there was a quiet helplessness beneath it.
Jack cleared his throat, sensing her mood drop. He stood up, activated his magic, and stepped through a teleportation circle.
A moment later—
"I told you, it's not like that. We're going to be together forever. You're already the target of this devil, you know? No escaping now."
He stood at the foot of her bed, smiling.
Mai, still holding her phone, stared at him blankly.
It took her a couple of seconds to snap out of it. She pouted slightly.
"…You just broke into my house, you know."
Jack didn't answer. He lifted her blanket and slipped right in beside her, catching sight of her cute pink pajamas.
"…Ah. So you really did change already."
Mai: "..."
She suddenly lifted her leg and kicked him in the face, her bare foot pressing against him.
"Who said you could get on my bed, pervert?"
Her cheeks were flushed. Mainly because Jack had just showered and teleported over wearing nothing but tight shorts. It was… a bit much.
"Mmph—"
Jack grabbed her foot, playing with it for a moment before letting go, then pulled her into his arms.
"I came because you looked upset."
He leaned in and kissed her cheek, then asked softly with a warm smile,
"So, Mai… would you like to live forever with me?"
Mai's face turned red. She couldn't bring herself to meet his dark, shining eyes and quickly turned her head away.
"I mean… of course I'd want to live forever."
"…That's not quite the answer I was hoping for," Jack clicked his tongue.
"If you didn't hear it, too bad. Go to sleep."
She smiled faintly and lay down, turning her back to him as if she really meant to sleep.
Jack smiled and moved closer, wrapping his arms around her soft waist from behind. His hand found hers.
Without hesitation, she intertwined her fingers with his.
No words were needed. They both understood.
He breathed in the faint scent of her hair and gently kissed her neck.
"Wait… don't. No hickeys. I've got an audition tomorrow…"
Mai turned her head, looking at him with a hint of apology.
"Oh… right. Sorry."
Jack immediately stopped, then leaned in and kissed her lips instead.
This time, Mai didn't resist. Her heart fluttered as she responded, melting into the moment with the one she loved…
"..."
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