PHASE 50 - DEATH FLAGS CHANGES PEOPLE

It was already nighttime. I immediately went to the girls room. But only Amy was there, lying on her belly, her laptop screen is half a meter away from her eyes. The room's light is off. This habit of hers would make her eyes sore.

When I realized that she's watching Kpop videos involving gay-looking oppas dancing with their flashy glittery shirts, that made my eyes sore.

I clicked the light switch to purposely interrupt her, but all she did is to glance at me. I mean glare. After her moment has been wrecked, she closed the media player and then switched to an online apparel site.

My purpose here is to apologize, so I looked away to hide my embarrassed face. "A-Amy... U-Umm... I'm sorry about what I told you earlier…"

But she completely ignored my words and started to create a topic on her own.

"Hey, Ric! What do you think should I wear for the coming Cosplay Festival?" Amy presented her laptop, showing that the online store has a lot of costumes of superheroes and anime characters.

Because of the sudden topic, I completely forgot the thing about me yelling at her this morning.

"Your call." I said coldly. "Why would you want to join that festival anyway? Otaku and Kpop idiots are mortal enemies, remember?"

"I'm not an idiot, you creepy weab otaku nerd!" Amy exclaimed. Then she turned away, hiding her rosy cheeks. "I-It's not like I want to do cosplay again. I-I just want to have some fun…since I'm going to die in three weeks. T-That's what you saw, right?"

It makes me sad that my childhood friend is forcing herself to be happy in her last three weeks. But I don't see any regret on her eyes. She's still filled with hope, that a miracle would save her. She's the most mentally stable person I ever knew.

Anyway, back in our junior high, Amy was a gorgeous cosplayer. She doesn't know anything about in the anime world (She even insists that Pikachu is the main character in One Piece), but I am there to guide her about the characters she's cosplaying. Magical girls and gothic princesses suit her petite size the most.

I just remembered the lock screen of her phone; when she was impersonating a cute mahou shoujo two years ago. That was her last cosplay since a week after, she friendzoned me.

I looked at the laptop screen, scrolling down and searching for something new. She became a bit taller, and her breast and butt sizes became larger unlike years ago. If we would go for the win, she should wear something more… daring.

"This…" I pointed on a black skinny bodysuit that would highlight some cleavage areas, as well as potential cameltoes. It also includes a cybernetic style cat ear headband that would transform the wearer into a cat-thief.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

I'm just joking about it because I know she's a bit aware of the things she's wearing. I know she's going to reject my proposal.

"Y-You pervert!" Amy slammed my head. "Y-You geeks are the worse!"

I laughed. "That costume would be eye-catchy though."

"F-F-F-Fine! I'll wear it then!"

Well, that was fast! She didn't even offer another resistance! I didn't expect her to accept a proposal that would make her lewd-looking!

"A-Are you sure?" I wanted to confirm.

"W-Well, i-it's been so long since you last picked my costume," Amy said like a true tsundere. "I-It's not like I want to do this, but because you want me to."

Suddenly, we were interrupted by a loud thud! The whole house trembled in just a second! It seems that it came from the front door of the house!

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"Auuuu…"

Tiara cried as she got her butt smacked on the floor. She is the culprit of that loud noise. She was carrying a stupidly large backpack when she ran into the entrance of the house never knowing that her bag wouldn't fit. Because of her incredible force, we almost thought that the impact was an earthquake!

"Why did you drag your whole house?" Amy's irritated smile was targeted to the shrine maiden.

"T-These are all my things in the condo… I never thought it would be this big...and heavy….ehehehe~" Tiara made a cute chuckle.

"Wait, you're transferring here?" I asked.

"Yep~" Tiara said with enthusiasm. "Nette-Senpai and Mister Heushac are persistently inviting me to live here."

"That's right." Heushac nodded.

Still, I can't imagine something so unrealistic. I could understand Heushac inviting her over, but Amy? Amy wouldn't be persistent on anything. Especially that she secretly hates Tiara for the reason that she wants to stand alone as the fairest maiden of them all. She's the most socially unstable person I know, because of her hard personality and bossy attitude.

"Let's go to your new room then. I'll help you organize your things." Amy said as she picked up some powder bottles and make-up kits that rolled outside Tiara's hiking bag.

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Amy is really strange right now.

First, she agreed to my lewd cosplay request. Second, she's awfully kind to Tiara. I want to observe what other weird things she would do, so I went to the narrow part of the backyard all the way to the girl's window. I did have a peek, but I prefer not to do it for a long time because both of them are changing clothes. I'm not a pervert like you!

"Eeeeeeeh!?" Tiara's surprised voice dominated the night. "A-Are you sure, Nette-Senpai?"

"Absolutely," Amy said.

"I-It's really surprising that you finally took my offer." Tiara cried. "W-Will you really be my friend?"

"I already told you, we are already friends!" Amy irritatingly shouted. "S-So let's get that Friendship Handshake Song done already!"

I glanced a little to see if Amy will take Tiara's hand. She did! Amy really is weird on this day!

"Je-ann-ette is my friend~ Oh I'm so happy to be with her~" Tiara's soft and calming voice made the night so blissful.

"T-That sounds like a children's song… Where did you get those lyrics?" Amy sounds amazed.

"It's a song made by my mother~" Tiara said. "My mother used to be an author of some children's books."

"Your mother was an amazing person. Too bad the Brightmore townspeople hated her for being the Vessel. They even accused her of being an evil witch."

"W-Well I'm the Vessel now, so I'm the new witch…ehehehe..." Tiara made a long pause, thinking of a way to change the topic. "Anyway, is the nickname Necchan okay for you?"

"Nette-Chan? First, Nette-Senpai. Now Necchan." Amy made a sigh. "Fine, you can call me anything you want. But I have a favor to ask for you."

"What is it?"

"Promise me that you will take care of Ric. Whatever happens, watch over him. And please stay on his side." Amy sounded serious.

"W-What i-is that request, Necchan!" Tiara blushed and shrieked. "You s-speak like we're l-l-l-l-l-lovers, b-but we're not!"

"Promise me." Amy is not joking around. It sounds like she's forcing her last will to someone.

After a while, Tiara grasped the atmosphere and matched the mood as she answered.

"I promise."