The moment Ami stepped protectively in front of me, the air changed.
It wasn't wind.It wasn't temperature.It was something heavier—like pressure, like someone invisible pushing down on reality from above.
Ami's hair lifted slightly, glowing faintly as she summoned her aura. The blue light pulsed around her fingertips, gentle at first, then sharp as a blade.
"A-Ami?" I whispered.My voice cracked embarrassingly, but she didn't seem to notice.
Her gaze was locked onto the empty street in front of our apartment.She raised one hand, fingers spread, ready to summon a sword out of nothing.
"No sudden movements," she murmured. "Stay behind me."
"Is it another monster?" I whispered.
"I… am not certain," she said.
That alone terrified me.If a Lv. 10,000 goddess didn't know what was coming, what chance did I have?
A shadow rippled across the pavement.Not like something blocking the sun.More like ink spreading under glass.
Then the air popped—a weird, fizzy sound like a soda can cracking open inside reality.
And from that little ripple…a figure stepped out.
First came a leg—long, tan, toned.Then a hip swaying like it owned gravity.Then glittery, gold-tipped nails.Then—
A girl.
A girl about our age.Wearing a short plaid skirt, a loose cardigan hanging off her shoulders, hair dyed caramel blonde in a messy-but-perfect gyaru style.Brown skin glowing under the streetlights.Glossy lips smirking like she walked out of a fashion magazine.
And—this was the worst part—she blew a bubble of pink gum, popped it, and winked.
"Yo," she said, voice bright, cocky, dripping with attitude."Sup, Keeper?"
Keeper.My soul left my body.
Ami froze, expression turning colder than ice."You," she said, voice sharpened to a knife's edge, "are not of this world."
"Duh," the girl said, rolling her eyes. "Neither are you, Snowflake."
Ami bristled. "Snow… flake…?"
But the gyaru girl ignored her.
Her eyes—sharp, golden-brown like molten caramel—locked onto me with unsettling confidence.It felt like she was evaluating me, scanning me, peeling away layers of who I was with a single look.
She grinned.
"You're cuter than I expected."
I nearly died.
"W-Who are you?!" I squeaked.
She chewed her gum, tapping her finger on her cheek.
"Right, introductions."She pointed both thumbs at herself with proud energy.
"I.A. — Yergba, the Sassy Gyaru of Chaos.SSSR Rank. Lv. ???Your newest pull, babe."
"Newest WHAT?!" I yelped.
Ami took a step forward instantly."No," she said sharply. "You are not his summon."
The gyaru girl raised an eyebrow, smirking lazily.
"Uh, yeah, I kinda am? He tapped that stupid button. Fate did its thing. I popped out. Y'know how it goes."
Ami's jaw clenched.I swear I could feel murder radiating off her.
"He summoned me." Ami's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Not you. You are an aberration."
Yergba laughed.Actually laughed.
"Girl, chill. I'm not here to fight you for the 'best girl' crown. Although, if I was, you'd lose. Hard."
Ami's aura flared so violently the streetlamps flickered.
"Do not test me."
"Do not threaten me," Yergba shot back, snapping her gum. "You won't like it."
The pressure in the air pushed against my lungs.
This was bad.Very bad.These were two cosmic-tier beings.If they fought here—
"STOP!!" I yelled, louder than I meant to.
Both girls froze.
Ami instantly backed up half a step, expression swirling with guilt like she'd forgotten I was there.
"Aki… forgive me."
Yergba blinked once, then grinned. "Aw. He's got lungs on him."
"Yergba," I said breathlessly, "what do you want?"
She waved dramatically. "I want what every summon wants. A Keeper."
"I didn't summon you!"
"Yeah but the gacha doesn't care," she said. "You clicked the 'multi-pull' option in your sleep, apparently."She shrugged."Blame your thumbs."
Ami sputtered. "He did not— I monitored him all night—"
My face turned red."Y-You watched me sleep?!"
Ami stiffened. "For protection."
Yergba snorted. "Uh huh. Protection. Sure."
Ami's cheeks tinted the faintest pink.She glared at Yergba.
"You will not remain here. Aki does not need you."
Yergba blinked slowly.
Then she leaned forward, lips curling into a mischievous smirk.
"Oh?Is that jealousy I smell?"
Ami froze.
"J… Jel…?"The word physically damaged her."I-I do not—!"
Yergba stepped toward her, eyes full of challenge.
"You're jealous I got summoned too. Jealous I'm cute. Jealous I talk like a normal person. Jealous he looked at me for like, half a second."
"I am NOT jealous!"
Ami's voice cracked at the end.Her aura shimmered violently, like a storm trying to break loose.
I scrambled between them before either could explode the city.
"ENOUGH!" I shouted.
Both girls stared at me.
My chest heaved.My head spun.I was exhausted, terrified, annoyed, and somehow—somehow—worried for both of them.
"I don't know what's happening," I said breathlessly. "I don't know why I summoned you, Yergba. I don't know what this Keeper thing even is. But fighting each other doesn't help anything."
Ami lowered her eyes.Her aura dimmed.She whispered, "I… apologize, Aki."
Yergba shrugged like she didn't have emotions but her gaze softened. Just slightly.
"Fine. No world-ending girl fights. Today."
I exhaled in relief.
Ami's shoulders relaxed, just a fraction.
Then Yergba walked forward, stopping right in front of me.
She leaned in.Way closer than any reasonable teenager should.
Her tone dropped low.
"So, Keeper…"Her breath tickled my ear."What do you want with me?"
I nearly combusted.
Ami instantly grabbed my arm, pulling me back behind her like I was a plush toy on sale.
"Do not approach him like that!"
"Relax," Yergba smirked. "I just wanna know where I'm sleeping."
S-Sleeping?!
I choked."W-Why would you sleep HERE?!"
"Uh, because I spawned here? Duh."She popped her gum."And I announce with pride: I'm officially homeless."
Ami glared. "She cannot stay with us."
"She CAN'T stay outside!" I argued. "She'll be discovered!"
Ami faltered at that.She knew I was right.
Yergba grinned victoriously. "Looks like I'm crashing with you two."
Ami looked like she was about to faint.Or stab something.
Maybe both.
"Aki," Ami said tightly. "May I speak with you alone… later?"
The tone of her voice hit something in me—something fragile, something I didn't fully understand.
"Y-Yeah," I whispered.
Yergba stretched her arms lazily.
"Well," she said, turning to the street, "looks like I'm stuck with you two nerds."
Then she winked at me.
"Try not to fall for me too fast, okay?"
I immediately tripped over the welcome mat.
Ami swept forward to catch me while shooting Yergba a death glare that could disintegrate mountains.
Inside the apartment…two cosmic beings stood glaring at each other like cats forced to share food.
And me?
I was stuck in the middle.
Terrified.Confused.Overwhelmed.
But not alone.
Never alone.
Ami watched me with that gentle, worried look.
Yergba watched me with a teasing, curious spark.
And for the first time, I realized something:
The gacha wasn't done with me.
Not even close.