The sight of the reporters' dazed faces made Sakurajima Mai realize, for the very first time, just how terrifyingly capable her summoned Devil really was.
Up until now, Ryuichi had always appeared calm and ordinary—quiet, polite, and seemingly human in every way. He never flaunted his power or acted out of place, and that gentle composure made it easy for her to forget he was, in truth, a Devil she had summoned into this world.
But at this moment, watching the confusion spread through the crowd, she finally understood: Ryuichi's power was far beyond what she'd imagined.
Ryuichi, meanwhile, watched the bewildered reporters and the curious students nearby with faint amusement. A rare opportunity, he thought. Perhaps he could use this chance to test another function of the spell.
The magic used by Devils and Angels often carried two main effects: one could alter perception—changing what people believed to be "common sense." The other was far stronger—erasing memory completely.
He'd already used the first. Now he wanted to try the second. Just for practice.
"What are you planning now?" Mai's tone was wary; she could tell from the look on Ryuichi's face that he was about to stir up more trouble.
"Well," Ryuichi said with an easy smile, "I just called myself your boyfriend in front of everyone. But since you're in the middle of your big comeback, I figured it might be better to keep that part private for now. So, I'll erase their memories about this little incident. What do you think?"
The suggestion made Mai's face warm slightly.
"You… you might have a point. Having a boyfriend suddenly appear in the headlines would definitely hurt my career."
Ryuichi gave a mock sigh. "Oh? So that's how you really feel? I see. My poor heart…"
His overacted expression was so pitifully fake that Mai didn't even need to guess—he was teasing her again.
"Boyfriend, huh? That's a title you gave yourself," she replied calmly. "I don't recall ever confirming it."
"Oh? So you were waiting for me to make it official, then," Ryuichi said in mock surprise.
"Of course." Mai's lips curved into a mischievous smile.
Ryuichi chuckled, unbothered. He snapped his fingers toward the confused crowd.
Instantly, the reporters and students blinked and looked around blankly.
"Huh? What am I doing here?"
"Wait, you're here too? Was there… some event going on?"
They spoke in puzzled voices, their memories of the earlier scene completely erased—including every rumor about Sakurajima Mai that had just been spreading through the school.
But before Ryuichi could relax, one of the reporters—sharp-eyed and quick—spotted them again.
Her gaze locked onto Mai. And then, to her utter shock, she realized the actress was holding hands with a young man.
Her jaw dropped.
Mai Sakurajima… has a boyfriend!?
A massive scoop!
That's Mai Sakurajima! The nation's beloved actress!
"Quick—quick, camera!" the reporter shouted to her cameraman, pointing at the pair with trembling excitement. "Take the shot! Hurry!"
Mai froze.
"…Ah," Ryuichi groaned, facepalming. "Forgot they can see me again."
Mai shot him a sharp sideways look.
She couldn't help but suspect—just a little—that he had done this on purpose.
But she had no proof.
The familiar scene unfolded once more—reporters shouldering cameras and microphones, all aiming straight at her.
"Miss Sakurajima, is this young man your boyfriend?"
For an instant, Mai's eyes flickered with embarrassment, but she quickly composed herself and faced the cameras with calm grace.
"Yes," she said softly, "he's my boyfriend."
Ryuichi chuckled from the side. "Oh? So it's official this time?"
Her cheeks turned pink, but she didn't reply. Instead, she casually stepped on his foot while maintaining her sweet, camera-perfect smile.
Ryuichi's expression stiffened in silence.
The reporters, however, were overjoyed. They'd just landed the biggest celebrity scoop of the season. The sound of camera shutters filled the air like rain. Students nearby turned to watch too, drawn by the commotion.
As the excitement grew, Ryuichi raised a hand to silence the crowd and looked at Mai with an amused smile.
"Well then," he said, "with all these witnesses around… I've fulfilled my promise. So, isn't it about time we sign our contract?"
Mai blinked, momentarily confused—then remembered. Her heart gave a nervous flutter.
"So… it's time to form the contract? What do I need to do?"
"Are you ready?" Ryuichi asked.
She nodded. "Yes."
"Then… kiss me."
"Wha—!?" Mai's face turned scarlet. "Y-you didn't say anything about that!"
Ryuichi's tone remained calm. "If I had told you in advance, would you really have agreed?"
Honestly, if he had said it earlier, she might have called the police.
She opened her mouth, then paused. He… actually had a point.
"…You're not backing out now, are you?" Ryuichi teased gently.
"I—I'm not that kind of person," Mai said quickly, trying to steady herself.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped closer, slipped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips softly to his.
The brief contact made her entire body tense.
"Whoa!"
The reporters erupted. For a moment they froze in shock, then burst into excited shouts, cameras clicking furiously from every angle.
After all, Mai Sakurajima—the actress famous for never doing love scenes—had just kissed someone in public! For the entertainment reporters, this was a once-in-a-lifetime scoop.
Even the watching students gasped. Since enrolling, Mai had always seemed distant and untouchable; few had ever seen her interact so closely with anyone.
A few seconds later, she finally pulled away, her face flushed.
"…Did the contract succeed?" she asked quietly.
Ryuichi's lips curved into a smirk. "Not yet. Maybe… we should try again?"
Mai blinked, speechless.
Wait—was he messing with her?
"You…" She stared at him, half-exasperated, half-amused.
This guy was such a devil—literally and figuratively.
Ryuichi grinned, completely at ease. "Well, even if the contract didn't work, I can't say I'm disappointed."
Then, turning to the crowd, he clapped his hands to draw their attention.
"All right, everyone. Show's over. You've had your fill of gossip, so time to head home. Oh, and please send me copies of the photos before you delete them, okay?"
Before anyone could react, his magic flared again.
The reporters froze, dazed once more. One by one, they sent their photos to Ryuichi, deleted their files, and left like sleepwalkers under a spell.
Watching the bizarre scene unfold, Mai sighed helplessly.
Those poor people… they never stood a chance against him.
In that moment, she couldn't help but think—yes, he really was a Devil.
A troublesome, mischievous, impossible Devil.
And somehow… that realization made her heart beat just a little faster.