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!'

that's a guest of mine. She's

stared at him for a few moments with a funny expression on her face, then

"Your name is Sunny?"

trying to appear as indifferent

"Sure. Why?"

She suddenly laughed.

"What's so funny?"

mom calls me Rainy.

He relaxed.

remembers me. But it doesn't seem

he a

his communicator, pressed a button on it, and threw an etched chip that slid from the

was in process

you meandering on the porch

caught the chip and stared at it in

"Uh… what's this?"

smiled with a

That's a government-issued citizenship chip. Now how would I have one if I wasn't

then grew even

really

so mortified that she

Sunny laughed.

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

girl seemed like she was currently

am so s—sorry, then. I

taught to be 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,

very moment to put an end to the awkward situation. Opening the door,

or not? Because if not, I'll eat

she stopped and stared at Rain, then at Sunny. After a few moments,

"Who's your friend?"

Sunny rubbed his face.

much as you want. And this girl lives in the neighborhood.

Rain nodded.

just on my way home from school, and made a

for her to stop