While the two girls whispered and cooked, Hayashi Maki wasn't idle.
After eliminating Sawagoe Tomaru, his mana had surged. He was sure that if he kept "recharging" with his angel Mahiru for a while longer, she'd awaken her own ability.
Once that happened, he and Mahiru could form a magic link and formally activate their follower contract. Then, if she ever faced danger, the contract would let her summon him—or his power—to quickly boost her strength. Safer, all around.
Every follower awakens something different; Hayashi Maki didn't know what Mahiru's would be. Given her personality, though, it would probably be something like healing.
As a demon, his biggest cheat was that he could use his followers' powers too. Whatever they awakened, he'd gain access to as well.
With nothing else pressing, Hayashi Maki closed his eyes and invoked his wish-granting power.
The world went quiet.
A chorus of whispers filled his ears—pleas, hatred, a tangle of emotions and stray thoughts. After filtering them out, one clear, lovely voice rang in his mind:
"I don't care who answers—god or demon—if you can wake my imouto and restore her health, I'll give anything."
Through that wish, Hayashi Maki saw a white hospital bed. On it lay a girl with waterfall-black hair, cute enough to be unfair. At her bedside, a voluptuous beauty with ear-length hair clasped the girl's hand, silently crying.
"Yukino… you idiot. I'm the one who should be lying here."
That was enough to place them.
She was Yukinoshita Haruno, the elder daughter of the Yukinoshita family.
And the sleeping beauty on the bed was "Oregairu's" main heroine, Yukinoshita Yukino.
Back at the start of term, a car suddenly came flying down the road and sent some poor bystander tumbling. Without slowing down, it turned and barreled straight toward the freshly arrived Yukinoshita sisters.
Yukino reacted first—she shoved her sister out of the way, and was launched like a kite with a cut string.
She was out of immediate danger after emergency treatment, but never woke up. The doctors said she might be in a persistent vegetative state.
Haruno fell apart on the spot. She doted on her sister—always had. Their mother kept a calm face, but even she had wept in private; her youngest daughter was unresponsive. It was unbearable.
And yes, the unlucky pedestrian who got hit first? Hayashi Maki. Fate's funny like that.
Having received the wish, Hayashi Maki used his demonic authority to send a thought into Haruno's mind:
"Are you sure you'll pay anything? Bringing a vegetative patient back to full health is no small thing."
Haruno's tears froze. "Who… who are you? Are you God? You can save my sister, right?" She glanced around, terrified she was imagining it.
[Heh. Gods don't have time for little girls. I'm a demon.]
At that, Haruno didn't recoil. If anything, her eyes lit up. "Demon or not, if you can restore Yukino's health, I'll do anything."
[Oh? Even if I want everything? Your body, your soul—your whole life belongs to me. Still willing?]
"My everything?" Haruno smiled faintly. "That really does sound like a demon's whisper. …I accept. I'll trade my soul, my body, my life for Yukino's recovery."
[Then it's a deal. Tomorrow night I'll come to collect. Don't tell anyone, or the contract is void.]
With that, Hayashi Maki released the power.
Just thinking about Haruno's figure made him look forward to tomorrow. Petty? Maybe. He was a demon, after all—and she agreed of her own will. Nothing wrong with a little pleasure.
…
At the hospital, the demon's whisper faded.
Haruno squeezed Yukino's hand and smiled. "For you, I'll risk everything. You have to wake up."
She stroked Yukino's cheek and left, determined to prepare herself. By tomorrow night, nothing would belong to her anymore.
After she left, a single tear slipped from the corner of Yukino's eye.
She had heard it all—the deal with the demon included. But she couldn't stop it, and she couldn't wake up. Some critical nerves were damaged; the fact that her consciousness remained was a miracle.
…
If he remembered right, Hayama Hayato had always carried a torch for Haruno.
Too bad. Tomorrow night, Haruno would belong to Hayashi Maki. follower +1.
In this world, the "bad" guys get the candy. If Hayashi Maki had played the eternal nice guy like Hayama—Central Air Conditioner—he'd never even brush shoulders with Yukinoshita Haruno.
But he was a demon. Taking advantage of the opening was what demons did best.
While he was still savoring the thought, Mahiru and Shino came over with dinner.
"Food's ready, Hayashi-kun."
Shino, cheeks pink, snuck a glance at him. She'd made a few of the dishes herself. Unlike Mahiru's polished cooking, hers was just simple home food—she had no idea if he'd like it.
When Hayashi Maki gave her a thumbs-up, Shino's pretty face bloomed into a bright smile.
Even if it hadn't been perfect, praise was the right move—and honestly, it was tasty. Shino would make a great wife someday. Definitely wife material.
As for Yuigahama Yui—he wouldn't touch her cooking with a ten-foot pole. The cute, busty, bubbly Yui was famously hopeless in the kitchen; even following a recipe step by step, she still produced eldritch cuisine. If you didn't watch her constantly, she'd toss something bizarre into the pot. Her own mother had banned her from the kitchen.
"A—achoo!"
Right as Hayashi Maki was roasting her in his head, Yui—lying on her bed scrolling her phone—let out a huge sneeze. She rubbed her nose and dove under the blanket.
"Weird. It's not even cold—why am I sneezing? A—achoo!"
~~~
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