The Devil Takes the Night Shift

Chapter 33: The Devil Enjoyed the Winter Festival (Vol. 2 End)

The two of them were able to escape the clutches of the children and now found themselves back outside in the cold. Though their bodies felt warm after what they had to do with each other.

"Well..." Juuto tried to regain his composure as he began talking. "I suppose we should be finding something else to do."

"Right." That was a good idea to her. This way, Rame could move past her thoughts as quickly as possible. "Let's go over there." The girl didn't care where they went, as long as they got there fast. So she pointed over to a nearby stand. He agreed, not knowing what was ahead them. Hopefully not where another friend of his trying to get them together.

As it turned out, the place she pointed them towards was a shop selling jewelry. Most of which was well above their pay grade, though some things were affordable.

"Ooh, shiny." Rame's devil instincts were taking hold as she scanned along all the glass displays. "If I still had my powers, I'd take them all."

"Good thing you lost them then." He worried what would happen if she ever did get those powers back, that the sweet girl he had grown accustomed to would be lost forever. Then again, was she truly sweet in the first place? Sure, he had strength in his conviction towards Marie when they discussed it. But even then, there was always doubt in his mind ever since the man learned the truth.

"It was just a joke." She lightly pushed on his arm with her fist. "Lighten up a little."

"It's a little hard for me when I know just who you are." He responded. "Or at least, who you were." Perhaps this was a bit too serious of a conversation for him to be having on a night like this. The two of them were here to enjoy the holiday, so he tried his best to steer them in that direction. "What's up with the bag you've been lugging around?" He directed their attention else where.

"Oh, I just picked something up for tonight. It's nothing all that special." From the lack of a poker face, he could tell she was joking. Whatever was inside must've been a pretty good surprise if she hadn't shown it off yet. "Speaking of, did you get me anything for Christmas?"

"How can I get you something if you haven't even told me what you wanted?"

"I don't know. I just can't think of anything that this world might have. So how about you surprise me?" That didn't make his task any easier. On the bright side, at least he had until Christmas day to find her a good gift. Not that it was something Juuto was confident in doing. The man usually made sure to know what people wanted before getting them something.

"All right, but don't get too disappointed in me." He warned her. "But considering that you just asked me what I was going to get you, I bet that whatever you got in that bag must be my present."

"You really don't miss details." She didn't take much issue with the surprise being spoiled. Though she would've preferred that he at least pretend not to know. "But, I don't want to give it to you yet, so let's go." Juuto didn't take issue with the delay. Technically, he was supposed to be getting this a few days later. So he could wait some extra minutes. "Let's go head to the tree, it's getting a little late. I bet the others are going to be waiting for us."

"You go on ahead." He told her. "I just need to go to the bathroom first, so I'll meet you there." rame did as she was asked, however this was all a ruse from her to get him somewhere more private. Which is why she would send him a message to get him to go to a different place than where they all agreed.

"Where is he?" She wondered aloud. It was getting cold, and he was taking a lot longer than a simple bathroom trip to get here. For a moment, she feared that something bad had happened to him on the way here. After the way things had turned out these past couple of months, it certainly was a possibility. Thankfully, he did arrive to lighten her concern.