Yumi strolled out of the lecture hall, her boots clicking against the stone floor with a confidence that echoed through the hallways. Behind her, Stryker was doing his best to disappear, his face still burning red from the earlier humiliation.
As she passed him, she couldn't resist. "Hey, Stryker," she called, a devilish grin spreading across her face.
He turned to glare at her.
"Haha." That was all she said, her voice dripping with mockery.
Stryker scowled, muttered something under his breath, and stormed off, his head down like a dog who'd just been scolded.
Yumi chuckled to herself, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Too easy," she muttered, making her way to her dorm.
The college dorms weren't exactly the lavish halls of Hell's castle, but they'd do for now. Her dorm room was on the top floor, tucked away in a quiet corner. Yumi liked it that way—less noise, fewer people to deal with.
She unlocked the door and stepped inside. The room was small but cozy, with two twin beds, a shared desk, and a single window overlooking the campus. One side of the room was meticulously tidy, with books stacked neatly and a perfectly made bed. The other side—Yumi's side—looked like a tornado had blown through. Clothes were strewn everywhere, makeup was scattered across the desk, and Cerberus was curled up on her unmade bed, chewing on a sock.
"Good boy," Yumi said absentmindedly, tossing her bag onto the floor.
Her roommate, Sakunagi Fufumi, was sitting at her desk, scribbling something in her notebook. She didn't look up when Yumi entered.
"Hey, Sakunagi," Yumi said, flopping onto her bed.
Sakunagi glanced over, her big, round glasses catching the light. She didn't say anything but quickly scribbled something on a piece of paper and held it up: *Hello, Yumi.*
Yumi gave her a thumbs-up. "You doing okay?"
Another scribble, and another note held up: *Yes, just studying.*
"Cool, cool," Yumi said, pulling out her phone. She scrolled through her social media, laughing at memes and ignoring texts from Stryker, who was probably trying to save face after today's disaster.
But then it happened.
The screen of her phone dimmed.
"No..." Yumi whispered, her heart sinking.
A message popped up: *10% battery remaining.*
"Shit," she muttered, frantically looking around for her charger. She couldn't find it. The tornado that was her side of the room had swallowed it whole.
She kept scrolling, hoping to make the most of her remaining battery. But within minutes, the screen dimmed again, and the dreaded message appeared: *Phone shutting down.*
"NOOO!" Yumi yelled, throwing her head back dramatically. "Damn it! Why, Satan? Why?"
Sakunagi jumped at the sudden outburst, her pen slipping from her hand. She quickly scribbled a new note: *What happened?*
"My phone died," Yumi said, groaning as she rolled onto her back.
Sakunagi blinked, then wrote: *Did you not charge it?*
"I *meant* to," Yumi said, flailing her arms. "But, you know, life happens. And now I'm bored."
Sakunagi gave her a sympathetic look, then held up another note: *You can borrow my charger.*
Yumi sat up. "Really? You're a lifesaver, Sakunagi!"
Sakunagi smiled shyly and handed over her charger.
As Yumi plugged in her phone, she said, "You know, you're pretty cool for a quiet person. We should hang out more."
Sakunagi blushed, quickly scribbling: *Okay.*
Yumi grinned, leaning back on her bed as her phone powered up again. "Dorm life isn't so bad after all."
Cerberus barked in agreement, wagging his tiny tail as he settled onto Yumi's lap.
The End of Chapter 38