Kaito's brain blue-screened.
His left arm was no longer his. It had been colonized. Kaito's internal logic was at war with itself.
[Scenario 1: The Tactical Retreat (Your Choice 1)] Action: Yank his arm free. Immediate Consequence: A scene. Mai would probably call him a pervert (again). People (like the old lady) would stop and stare. Long-Term Consequence: Effort. Conflict. Conversations. Public humiliation. Verdict: Unacceptable.
[Scenario 2: Acceptance (Your Choice 2)] Action: Do nothing. Immediate Consequence: Extreme internal embarrassment. Total loss of dignity. Unwanted physical contact, but warm and... (shut up, brain). Long-Term Consequence: The mission is completed. He can go home. Verdict: Logistically superior.
The entire thought process took less than three seconds.
Kaito let out a shaky breath he'd been holding. His cheek was still hot. He could feel Mai's victorious gaze on his face.
"Whatever," he muttered, the word sounding weaker than he intended.
He grabbed the shopping cart's handlebar with his free right hand and, with a stiffness that would make a robot look relaxed, he pushed the cart forward.
His left arm remained a prisoner, immobile at his side. Mai, sensing her victory, didn't just hold on; she took a small step forward, matching her pace to his. It was an awkwardly intimate and lopsided walk. He pushed the cart with one arm, while the other was held hostage.
"Ah, Kaito-kun," her voice was pure silk. "I need yogurt. That one, the expensive brand. With peaches."
She pointed. The shelf was on his left side.
Kaito stopped. He looked at the yogurt. Looked at his trapped left arm. Looked at his right arm, which was on the cart. He would have to... let go of the cart, stretch his right arm across his entire body, almost hugging himself, to get the yogurt.
"I-I DON'T BELIEVE IT!"
Fia's voice exploded in his mind, nearly making him jump. She materialized right inside the shopping cart, sitting on top of a pack of toilet paper, her face red with fury.
"WHAT DOES SHE THINK SHE'S DOING?! THIS IS... THIS IS... TACTILE HARASSMENT! IT'S SUCCUBUS BEHAVIOR!"
"Shut up, Fia," Kaito thought, as he stretched awkwardly to grab the yogurt. He was so tense his fingers could barely grip the container.
"SHUT UP?!" she shrieked. "Kaito, she's taking advantage of you! And... and...!" She looked at the 'Bonds' bar in the System's vision. "AND IT'S WORKING! THE POINTS ARE GOING UP LIKE CRAZY!"
Fia grabbed her tufts of pink hair. "I'm so conflicted! It's incredible progress! But it's the wrong kind of progress! It's indecent progress!"
Kaito finally grabbed the yogurt and tossed it into the cart, almost hitting Fia's spectral head.
"Thank you," Mai murmured, tilting her head and brushing her hair (it smelled like peaches, dammit) against his shoulder.
Images 100 times more indecent flooded his mind again. He swallowed hard.
[Affinity (Mai Sakurajima): +5 (Sadistic Amusement)]
The "shopping trip" continued like this for what seemed like an eternity. It was the longest supermarket trip in human history. Every aisle was a new minefield of embarrassment.
"Oh, I need shampoo. The big bottle. On the top shelf," she'd say.
Kaito, with one arm pinned and the other pushing the cart, would have to stop, let go of the cart, and stretch on his tiptoes with his right hand, while Mai remained casually attached to him, making his balance precarious.
"Eggs. Be careful not to break them," she'd say.
He had to pick up the egg carton with one hand, an awkward, one-handed maneuver to get it into the cart, all while his left arm was completely numb from the pressure.
"THIS IS HUMILIATING!" Fia whimpered, now lying face-down in the cart. "She's treating you like a one-armed butler! And you're blushing! STOP BLUSHING!"
Finally, they reached the checkout. The cart was full.
The cashier, a college-aged kid with a bored expression, looked at Kaito.
"Next," he said.
Kaito pushed the cart forward. And then he realized. He had to put the items on the conveyor belt.
Mai made no move to let him go.
With the dignity of a martyr, Kaito began. He leaned over, grabbed a bag of carrots with his right hand, and placed it on the belt. He leaned over, grabbed the yogurt. The shampoo. The milk. The eggs. Every movement was awkward, slow, and done with one hand, while his left arm remained rigidly at his side, as if in an invisible sling.
The cashier raised an eyebrow. He looked at Kaito. He saw a pale kid, sweating bullets, blushing furiously, who moved as if half his body was paralyzed.
"Buddy," the cashier said, bluntly. "You okay? Are you having a stroke?"
"I'm... fine," Kaito ground out between his teeth.
"'Cause you're holding your left arm real weird. And you're... vibrating."
Mai, who was invisible to the cashier, squeezed Kaito's arm hard to stifle a laugh. This only made Kaito blush harder.
"Cramp," Kaito lied. "Really bad cramp."
"Right." The cashier shrugged and started scanning the items. "That'll be 8,450 yen."
Kaito pulled his wallet from his back pocket (an acrobatic feat in itself) and paid. He started bagging the groceries, still one-handed. It was a pathetic sight.
While Kaito struggled with a plastic bag that refused to open, Mai leaned in close to his ear.
"You did very well, Kaito-kun," she whispered, her breath warm on his ear. "A very helpful assistant."
Kaito jumped, the shock making him rip the plastic bag.
"How problematic!" he hissed, grabbing another one.
Finally, the four grocery bags were ready. Kaito, still with his arm pinned, managed to grab two bags in his right hand and two in his left hand (which was numb and tingling).
They walked out the automatic door. The afternoon sunlight hit him.
The instant their feet hit the pavement, Mai let go of his arm.
The relief was so sudden Kaito almost stumbled. Blood rushed back to his left arm in a painful wave of pins and needles. He dropped the bags and grabbed his arm, massaging the bicep she had used as a pillow.
He turned to her, ready to say something cutting.
Mai was standing there, her face bathed in the sunlight, and she was smiling. Not a smirk or a sadistic smile. A genuine smile. A smile that made him forget why he was angry.
"Supply Run complete," she said, looking lighter than he'd ever seen her. "See? That wasn't so bad."
Kaito looked at his numb arm, remembered the cashier asking if he was having a stroke, and thought about the silent torture of the last twenty minutes.
He looked at her smile.
[Affinity (Mai Sakurajima): +15 (Genuine Gratitude)] [CURRENT STATUS: +10 (Neutral - Tending Toward Friendly)]
"I hate you," Kaito said, but his voice had no conviction.
He picked up the grocery bags.
________________________________________
Get rewarded for helping with our community goals!
🚀 Tier Reward: Help us reach 10 members for +5 chapters on all stories!
👻 Join the crew by searching patreon.com/c/ThePriceofaBond10 on (P). You know the spot! 😉