Hoshino jerked upright under his blanket, still holding his phone. "What the…?"
A figure stood in the doorway. The stranger froze for a moment, and the Chinese he spoke made Hoshino blink.
"You're Chinese?" Hoshino asked.
"Yeah. What's wrong with you?" the man answered, stumbling as he stepped inside.
Hoshino got up and reached for the light switch.
"Don't turn the lights on!" the man blurted out. "They're almost here. Can I hide for a bit?"
A wave of instinctive rejection crawled up Hoshino's spine. Something deep inside pushed him to keep the man out, yet another part of him insisted he shouldn't. He couldn't tell which part was wrong, so he followed habit instead.
"Hide in the closet."
"Thank you." The man staggered across the room and squeezed himself inside.
The thick scent of blood drifted into Hoshino's nose. He tapped his index finger, and white silken threads sprung out, quickly wrapping around the man.
"Healing purpose."
"…Alright." The man's tense shoulders loosened.
Hoshino shut the closet and opened the window.
He didn't think much of it. The guy had knife wounds, nothing devil hunter–level. Besides, with eight million people in Tokyo's twenty-three wards and only a couple thousand Devil Hunters total, the chances were minuscule. Lower than getting into Tsinghua or Peking University.
Probably just a gang fight. With his Control Authority, it would be easy to handle.
Knock, knock.
Just like the man warned, someone knocked soon after.
"Quick and clean."
Hoshino opened the door. His pupils swirled, power rising.
"No one's—"
The night breeze carried a soft, familiar scent straight into his face.
"Hoshino-kun, I came to see you." Makima looked up at him, her voice barely above a whisper.
"…"
"Were you about to say there's nothing here?" she asked, her smile calm and unreadable.
"There's no one here." Hoshino forced a pleasant smile.
Makima waited silently for the rest.
He had no choice but to keep going. "I'm short on money. I thought I'd pay next month's rent late. I was worried the landlord might check, so I planned to bluff with devil power."
"Hoshino-kun, that isn't legal."
"Yeah, my bad. I'll pay both months together."
"Hoshino-kun, didn't you get this month's salary in advance? You already spent it?" Makima stared straight into his eyes.
Moonlight glazed across her amber irises, splitting his reflection with two thin, silver blades of light.
Hoshino's heart jumped.
Because Okura Village had been looping, money he spent in the first cycle had already returned. He wasn't actually short on rent.
"My college tuition isn't paid yet," he explained quickly.
"Five million yen?"
"I'm not close with them. I don't want to go back."
Makima nodded. She looked past his shoulder into the room. Most of it was drowned in darkness, except for the moonlit patch near the window.
"Why not turn on the lights?"
"I like keeping it dark at night when I'm on my phone."
Makima paused, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. "So Hoshino-kun really doesn't want me to come inside?"
"Huh?" His throat tightened. His smile warped unnaturally. "No, no. The room's a mess. I haven't cleaned. It's embarrassing."
She said nothing. Her golden eyes stayed locked on him.
The pressure made his scalp crawl. He cracked. "Give me a moment. I'll tidy up."
"No need. We'll only take a quick look." A young man with a topknot called from behind Makima.
"…Alright." Hoshino flicked the ceiling light on. The room brightened instantly. He stepped aside with a small bow. "Please, come in."
The two walked in.
Makima settled into the only chair, leaning back with effortless grace. Her pale arm rested on the armrest as she gestured toward the topknot man.
"Hoshino-kun, this is your senior from Division Four, Aki Hayakawa."
"Aki-kun, this is Futoshi Hoshino, newly assigned to Division Four."
Hoshino smiled and held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, senpai. Just call me Hoshino."
"Hm." Aki shook his hand. His expression stayed blank.
Barely two seconds later, Aki let go and said, "We're tracking a fugitive. He was gravely injured and hid in this building. Did you hear anything?"
"What?!" Hoshino feigned shock. "He was a fugitive? No wonder he forced his way in!"
He pointed toward the open window.
"If only my devil penalty didn't activate'at night, I would've gone out."
Is this enough to pass?
He didn't dare look at Makima.
Both sentences were true on their own.
If Extreme Cold didn't strike every night, he would've been out visiting Kobeni Higashiyama.
Aki didn't respond. He walked straight to the window and leaned out.
Makima stayed where she was, completely unbothered by the investigation. She truly seemed to be here just for him.
"I checked on Hoshino-kun. No one has ever survived two days of the Extreme Cold penalty." She spoke softly.
"…People have different constitutions." Hoshino forced out a grin.
He had no choice. When Extreme Cold hit the first time, Makima had been right beside him. There was no way to hide it.
And he suspected the animals under his control could act as Makima's eyes.
Yesterday, nearly all Devil Hunters were trying to break the barrier on the other side, but Makima alone had looped around. And she just happened to save him.
He'd been moved at the time. Later, he'd been terrified.
His secret was already exposed. He just didn't know how much she knew.
From the Contract demanding absolute obedience, to her uncanny lie detection, and now this—knowing his hidden abilities…
Makima was an overwhelming, absolute threat to him. More terrifying than any Primordial Devil.
"Hoshino-kun, do you believe you can keep surviving?"
"Not at all."
"Then what does Hoshino-kun plan to do?"
"I haven't decided. Makima-san's experienced. What would you suggest?"
"Hm…" Makima touched her chin lightly, tilting her head. "If time is short, breaking the Contract is best."
She added, "Using the Fire Devil's Contract can also solve this. But among all official organizations, only America has its Contract method. They won't share it."
"I see. Then I'll head to Sagae City tomorrow." Hoshino nodded.
Silence seeped into the room. The air grew dense.
Hoshino kept his eyes away from the closet. He felt like a murderer hiding a corpse.
Aki returned to Makima's side. "No sign of him leaving."
Makima nodded.
Aki glanced toward the closet and walked straight toward it.
Gulp.
Hoshino swallowed hard.
No, no, no…
Aki stopped in front of the closet and reached for the handle.
Hoshino raised a hand. "Wait, you—"
Footsteps pounded down the hallway.
"Bad news, we found a body!" A woman with an eyepatch burst into the doorway.
Aki froze and turned toward her.
"Himeno-senpai?" Hoshino called.
"Hoshino-kun?" Himeno blinked.
Aki asked, "Where?"
Himeno's expression hardened. She pointed outside. "In the lot next door. A girl's corpse. Brutal killing methods."
"Let's go." Aki left the room immediately.
The two vanished down the hall.
Thank god!!!
Hoshino let out a silent sigh of relief.
"Makima…san?" His face drained.
Makima was now standing where Aki had been, directly in front of the closet, her hands clasped behind her back, smiling at him.
He couldn't deny it. Makima was gorgeous. Her hair was perfect, her eyes were beautiful, her chest was amazing, and her curves were flawless.
Even her awful personality hit his type, though he would never admit that.
If I were the Control Devil, she'd be my dog instead.
"Hoshino-kun seems nervous?"
"Of course. Being alone with a cute girl like you—anyone would be nervous." He rubbed the back of his head. His heartbeat hammered wildly.
"Is that so?" Makima's smile deepened. "I thought maybe Hoshino-kun was afraid his secret would be discovered."
"…"
[Control Devil, … why hide…?]
Please, spare me.
Makima leaned closer to the closet.
Hoshino's heart nearly shot into his throat.