The Purple Flame (A Mephisto Pheles/Blue Exorcist Romance Novel)

Chapter 67

My car pulls up to my mansion, the lights still on in every room.

Since my mansion is at the top of the Academy, it's almost like... the star on the top of the Christmas tree.

I step out and tip my driver generously. Standing next to the door is Kaji.

Hm. I guess he was expecting me.

He walks over and opens the gate for me.

"It's late, Mr. Pheles." He says. "Glad you made it home safe."

"Of course." I say with a smile. "Has Judi made it home?"

"Yes, sir. She came here a little while ago." He answers. "Should I tell her you've made it home-?"

"No, no, my boy." I walk past him and unlock the door. "Let's just call it a night, already."

He nods his head nervously and swings the door open for me. "Right. I'll see you in the morning Mr. Pheles."

I tip my hat at him and don't look back once I walk inside.

Although I know Judi needs her solitude, I can't help but feel guilty. I feel as if she's only ever alone because she doesn't want my company... which is induced by me saying something foolish.

Just like tonight.

I shake my head and throw my hat to the ground.

It's so frustrating. My longing need to keep her protected from danger is mistaken for paranioa and selfishness.

Who knows, maybe that really is what's going on.

Because... I think deep down inside of me, she can protect herself from anything. Yeah... she can.

Even from me.

I walk up the winding staircase, my steps lazy and not very spaced out.

Once I reach the top and begin to descend down the hallway, I look out in front of me and pause.

Sitting in front of the doorway to the bedroom is Judi.

~

Judi Rilegeki's Point of View

As soon as I hear his footsteps, I look up at him for a brief moment, only to bury my face back into my knees afterwards.

He walks toward me.

"Judi?" He pauses. "What are you doing? Why aren't you inside?"

I sigh and shake my head. "I don't have the key."

He laughs faintly. "You could have asked Kaji to unlock it for you instead of waiting out here for so long."

"Well then maybe you should have come home sooner."

I expect to hear him argue back, but instead I hear him move to the ground. I look up and see him sitting across from me, relaxed as he sits against the wall opposite from mine.

I sigh. "What are you doing? Open the door, already. I want to go to bed."

"That's exactly why I'm not opening the door yet." He retorts. "Because you're going to go to sleep and ignore me for the rest of the night and not talk this thing out with me."

I groan.

"It's late, Mephisto. Don't do this right now."

"Do what?" He raises his voice at me. "Do what, huh? Talk about the problems we're facing so we can fix them? Confront each other so that we don't go to bed in seperate places?"