Shadow Slave

'What is she doing here?! Why is she talking to me?!'

Although Sunny was panicking on the inside, none of the emotions reflected on his face. Armed with the extensive experience of deceit, manipulation, and facing terrifying Nightmare Creatures in melee, he kept a straight face, threw a dark look at Rain, and calmly said:

"I am not staring at anything. And who are you calling a brat, you brat? Respect your elders!"

The girl scoffed.

"What elders? You're obviously younger than me!"

Sunny opened his eyes wide in outrage.

'...Ouch.'

He knew that he looked younger than his age, but to be mistaken for a middle schooler… that was just too much!

It was getting dark, so maybe that was the reason for her mistake.

Rain, meanwhile, was not done speaking:

"And you were definitely staring at me, with a very nasty expression. I almost tripped! Didn't your parents teach you not to stare?"

Sunny opened his mouth, then closed it again. Then opened it once more.

"First of all, I am eighteen. Second, I was just zoning out and thinking about stuff… adult stuff that a youngster like you would not even understand! And lastly, my parents taught me all they needed to teach me, but what do they have to do with any of this? They're not here!"

Rain mockingly raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? You live in this big house all alone?"

Sunny furrowed his brow.

"Not only do I live in this house alone, I also own it!"

…But right at that moment, Effie suddenly shouted from inside:

"Sunny! Come eat, dinner is getting cold!"

He froze, then felt the tips of his ears growing hot.

'Damn it, Effie!'

guest of mine. She's

moments with a funny expression on her face,

"Your name is Sunny?"

shrugged, trying to appear as indifferent

"Sure. Why?"

She suddenly laughed.

"What's so funny?"

my mom calls me Rainy. What

He relaxed.

was afraid that she remembers me. But it doesn't seem that way. Good. That is

he a little bit

and threw an etched chip that

process of asking

I often see you meandering on the porch

the chip and stared

"Uh… what's this?"

smiled with a corner

see? That's a government-issued citizenship chip. Now how would I have one

looked at the chip, then grew even paler than

really

mortified that she even

Sunny laughed.

course I am! As a respectable adult, I never lie. I am

like she was currently wishing

s—sorry, then. I didn't

very polite to elders, so this situation was more or less a nightmare. Sunny himself had never associated with types of people who were particular about etiquette, but from what he had seen in Rain's school, among her ilk, social hierarchy

to appear at that very moment to put an end to the awkward situation. Opening the door, she rolled her wheelchair onto the porch

or not? Because if not, I'll eat your portion too,

stopped and stared at Rain, then at Sunny. After

"Who's your friend?"

Sunny rubbed his face.

And this girl lives in the

Rain nodded.

ma'am. I, uh… am very sorry. I was just on my way home from school,

then gestured for her to