Chapter 332.<h4><b><strong>Chapter 332. Troubling Developments: Finding a ce to Stay. (2/5)</strong></b></h4>


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh... so that’s why.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah. So you don’t need to be worried about Rosa. The one you need to worry about is yourself.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Which is why I’ll go to the police. That’s the only option I have.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You’re wrong. I gave you another option.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What option?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sell your soul to me and I’ll make sure the end result will be one you can be happy with.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Haaaah. You were being serious about that? What sort of nonsensical proposal is that supposed to be? Sell my soul? What even is a soul? You’re getting scammed if you believe a soul is real.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t believe it’s real, but I still want yours anyway.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“This is ridiculous to the point I can’t even try to y along. Since you’re ying pretend devil, why don’t you hand over some of that legendary immortality devils often hand out like it’s growing on trees?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Immortality? Hmm… that’s a tough one…”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Then forg-”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I can make you unaging, someone who can live forever if you really want, but immortality as in being incapable of dying altogether, would be outside the scope of my abilities.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hah? You’re seriously keeping this act up?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sure, why not? You interested in signing a contract to make it official?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sure, sure. If you’re so confident, go ahead and try. What do I care about a soul? If you’re fine getting scammed, be my guest. Let’s see what you can do, Mr. y Pretend Devil.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">I’d been joking around and hadn’t expected she’d seriously agree.


    <span style="font-weight:400">But as it was a rare chance to acquire another soul I figured I might as well strike while the iron was hot. If I dyed she probably wouldn’t sign it.


    <span style="font-weight:400">I slowed to a stop and pulled over near the curb.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What are you doing?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You said you’d sign a contract, so give me a sec to write one up.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What? You’re really going all the way through with this little act of yours?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What? Are you getting cold feet? So you do actually believe in a soul then and are scared to sell it? How cute. Taking it so seriously.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not scared. Do it. Write up a contract and I’ll really sign it, see if I care.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Haha. I doubt you’ll really sign it. You like to y it cool, but below the surface, you’re actually pretty scared about a lot of things, aren’t you?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Tsk. I’m not scared. Put your money where your mouth is and write up that stupid contract already.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Haha. Alright, as you wish.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">I took out a pen and folded-up piece of paper from my pocket then quickly wrote up a contract under the illumination of the street light directly above us. Five minutester I stuck the pen and paper over my shoulder and said, “Here’s the contract.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That was faster than expected. Are you used to doing this sort of thing?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Not at all.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Let’s see… haha, you’re seriously promising to make it so I don’t age anymore? Are you stupid?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You’re the one who asked for it, not me.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Now that I think about it, I should also ask for a lot of money while I’m at it.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ask for that and I’m ripping this contract up on the spot.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Cheapskate. It’s my soul you know, my soul. It’s super valuable. Don’t you think you should offer a bit more?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Coming from the person who was treating her soul like it was water a few seconds ago, that doesn’t sound convincing at all.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Damn, I should have done a better job. Well, it was my mistake.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You signing or no-”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Here you go.” I was cut off when my vision went white. While her left arm was still around my waist, she’d suddenly wrapped her right arm over my shoulder and stuck out the signed contract in front of my face between two fingers. The exact same instant she did that my body had simultaneously reacted. The sour taste at the back of my mouth and the usual resultant heart abnormalities. I was more or less ustomed to them by now though so they came as no surprise.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What’s wrong? You taking it, or not? Or are you panicking because you thought I wouldn’t really sign it and you’re having second thoughts now that you have to take responsibility? If it’s thetter, I don’t mind if we rip up this contract now and act like this agreement never happened.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not second-guessing anything. Your soul has been received and I’ll naturally deliver on my promise.” I retrieved both my pen and the signed contract, folded the paper up, and stuffed them back into my pocket.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, so let’s hear it. What sort of n do you have that can solve my problem and lead to a better result than going to the police?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...” I still hadn’t actually thought of it.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What? Not saying anything?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m still thinking about it now.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Huh? Still thinking? You sure sounded confident before like you already had a n. Haaaaaah. It seems I’ve been scammed out of my soul by a swindler ying pretend devil. I’m such a fool, I should have rified what your n was rather than letting you goad me on.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Rx, would you? I’ll think of something.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What? Is your current n to ride around with me all night on your motorcycle?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sure, if you want to, I don’t mind.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Your girlfriend’s going to think you’re cheating on her if you do that.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I just need to show her the video I took earlier to prove my innocence.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“How convenient of you to have that video.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Before I took off again, I sent a text to Rosa to let her know I’d probably bete because something unexpected came up. She’d let the others know for me so I didn’t have to inform everyone.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You’re still in high school, aren’t you? Now that I think about it, are you even allowed to drive thiste?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Of course not, I only have my learner’s permit still, but who’s going to snitch on me?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“If I wasn’t relying on you right now I’d definitely snitch.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Then it’s a good thing I have your soul now.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">I picked up speed and drove off again.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hey, aren’t you going to keep hiding the license te as I asked you to?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Isn’t it fine now?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well… I guess we’re far enough now that it shouldn’t be as much of a concern. But… do you n to stay in this position?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Is there a problem?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She hadn’t removed her right arm hooked over my right shoulder and it was dangling down in front of my chest. Her left arm was also positioned around my waist. Overall, I couldn''t help but feel it was an overly intimate position.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t you think it’s a bit iffy?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Maybe… but… just let me stay like this for a bit.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">I felt much more of her weight on my back than before.


    <span style="font-weight:400">While stuck in this position, I lost track of time as I drove carefully through the city thinking over a way to get through this whole gang ordeal when the loud rumble of an engine came from behind as a girl screamed out in irritation. “Move outta the way ya stupid lovey-dovey couple!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">A bit started by the outcry I changednes.


    <span style="font-weight:400">As she passed us by she continued spitting out herints, “Seriously, all couples should just go and die! I can’t even get a boyfriend, meanwhile, stupid couples are drivin around like this! Damn it! The world is too unfair to udylike girls like me!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">I was shocked when I finally recognized who it was through the loud sound of their engine. It’d been hard to make out the bike at first, but when it passed under a street light, I got a better look at the motorcycle and the figure of the girl in front of us. It was the Faceless girl.


    <span style="font-weight:400">When thinking about gangs, it’s not like this person hadn’t popped into my mind, it was just that I didn’t know her very well. Besides, why would she help me if I went to her? There was no reason to.


    <span style="font-weight:400">I… had the card she gave me… but would going to her mechanic repair shop help in any way?


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hey!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">I called out to her but she raised her middle finger above her head in the distance and cut me off, “Shut up! I don’t want to hearints from stupid couples! Go die!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">She sped off before I could say another word to her. There was no way I could catch her.


    <span style="font-weight:400">She must be… really desperate for a boyfriend…


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hey, wasn’t that girl the one who made a scene at work earlier today and hugged you outside?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Uh… yeah. Pretty sure that was her.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Haha… she misunderstood and incorrectly assumed we’re a couple.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, that seems to be the case.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Hey, if you really can’t think of anything, maybe I should just stay at a hotel tonight and use the chance to think things over.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Can you afford it?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“If it’s just one night I should be fine...”