Chapter 8 - Bonding Time

The tension in the small dorm room was insane as Yukio, Kai, Asiha, and Alya were sitting in an uneasy circle. Yukio could still feel the strange connection to Asiha humming in the back of his mind, an invisible thread linking them together in a way he had never thought possible.

"So, let me get this straight," Kai said, rubbing his temples as he tried to process everything. "You two were trying to do some kind of power ritual, and it went wrong, and now Yukio is... what? Your slave?"

Asiha winced slightly at the word but then caught herself and gave a sly smile. "Well, I guess you could say that. Looks like I've got myself a personal slave now. How convenient!"

Yukio blinked in surprise at her tone. "Wait, what?"

Alya grinned, catching on to Asiha's playful mood. "Oh, this is going to be fun. I didn't think you'd get yourself a servant so quickly, Asiha. You must have some serious skills."

Kai, still trying to wrap his head around the situation, shook his head in disbelief. "Great, just great. Yukio's stuck as a mind-controlled butler now. What else could go wrong?"

Yukio opened his mouth to protest, to insist that he wasn't going to be controlled, but before he could speak, he felt a strange compulsion wash over him. His body tensed, and his thoughts were suddenly overwhelmed by a single, powerful urge.

Asiha, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow after the run to their dorm, muttered softly, "I could really use some water right now."

Without thinking, Yukio's body moved on its own. He stepped forward, his movements smooth and purposeful, as he walked toward the small sink in the corner of the room. He grabbed a glass, filled it with water, and turned back toward Asiha, offering it to her with an oddly serene expression.

"Here," Yukio said, his voice calm and steady. "You looked thirsty."

Asiha's eyes widened in surprise as she took the glass from him. "Wow, that was fast. Maybe this isn't so bad after all."

Kai and Alya stared at Yukio in stunned silence for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Did you just... wait, did he just do that without thinking?" Kai asked between laughs, clutching his stomach.

Alya wiped a tear from her eye, grinning widely. "Looks like he did. Asiha, you might have hit the jackpot with this one!"

Yukio frowned, confusion mingling with embarrassment. "I... I don't know why I did that. It was like I wanted to, but also... like I had to."

Asiha took a sip of the water, still grinning. "I could get used to this. Having someone to fetch my drinks, carry my books... What else can I make you do, Yukio?"

Kai's eyes widened, and he slapped Yukio on the back. "Dude, you're in trouble now. Asiha's going to make you her errand boy!"

Yukio's face turned red, and he quickly tried to explain. "I'm not a mindless servant! I still have my own thoughts. It's just... my body's kind of moving on its own, like it's trying to fulfill whatever she wants."

Alya leaned against the wall, still chuckling. "So, basically, if Asiha wants something, you'll feel like you need to do it? That's hilarious!"

Kai grinned, clearly enjoying the situation more now that the initial shock had worn off. "Yeah, man, this could be fun. Imagine all the things she could make you do!"

Yukio groaned, realizing that his friends weren't going to let him live this down anytime soon. "This isn't funny, guys. I don't want to be running around doing whatever Asiha says!"

Asiha, catching the playful mood, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Yukio. "Oh really? But you just did it so naturally. I might have to test this out a bit more. Let's see... Yukio, how about a back massage?"

Alya and Kai burst into laughter again, and Yukio shook his head in exasperation. "Come on, Asiha, don't push it!"

Asiha smirked, clearly enjoying herself. "Hey, I'm just having a little fun. I'm not actually going to make you do anything weird... yet."

Kai wiped his eyes, trying to catch his breath. "Man, I never thought I'd see the day when you became someone's personal assistant, Yukio. This is priceless!"

Yukio sighed, his embarrassment fading slightly as he realized his friends were just teasing him. "Alright, alright, laugh it up. But seriously, this isn't exactly a dream come true for me."

Alya, still grinning, leaned forward. "You know, Yukio, if you ever need a break from your new duties, just let us know. We'll try to keep Asiha's demands reasonable."

Asiha rolled her eyes, though she couldn't hide the amusement in her voice. "Fine, I'll go easy on him... for now."

Yukio finally allowed himself a small smile, glad that the situation hadn't turned into something more serious—at least, not yet. "Thanks. But seriously, we need to figure out how to undo this. I don't want to spend the rest of my life jumping at every little thing Asiha wants."

Kai nodded, his tone becoming a bit more serious. "Yeah, no kidding. It's funny now, but we can't let this get out of hand."

Alya tapped her notebook thoughtfully. "I agree. We'll start researching the ritual and see if there's a way to break the bond. But until then, Yukio, you might want to keep a low profile. The last thing we need is for someone else to notice that something's up."

"Got it," Yukio said, grateful that his friends were taking the situation seriously, even if they were having a bit of fun with it. "Let's just hope we can figure this out before things get too crazy."

Asiha took another sip of the water, her playful demeanor softening slightly. "Don't worry, Yukio. We'll figure this out together. And in the meantime, I'll try not to make you fetch too many things for me."

Yukio chuckled, feeling a little more at ease. "I appreciate that."

The four of them exchanged glances, a mix of amusement and determination in their eyes. The situation was bizarre, to say the least, but they were in it together. With a bit of luck—and a lot of research—they might just find a way to break the bond that had tied Yukio to Asiha in the most unexpected of ways.

But as they continued to laugh and joke, the bond between Yukio and Asiha pulsed quietly in the background, a reminder that things had changed in ways they couldn't fully understand yet. The ritual had set them on a new path, one filled with uncertainty, humor, and a fair bit of chaos.