Chapter 43 - Nice To Meet You, Self.

Lewis volumed up the television and kept the doors wide open before he went to shower. Devon convinced herself that it was merely her imagination — a product of her guilt — so she didn't bother him anymore.

"It's only an imagination," Devon whispered to herself as she nodded, unable to concentrate on the drama airing at the moment. "Just… guilt."

Her expression turned bitter as the seed of guilt in her heart had grown into a sprout. She buried her face in her palms.

How could others not feel any sense of guilt or the slightest tug in their conscience when they did something vile? Were the questions hovering in her head, while she had to lament being thrust into another person's body?

Devon took a deep breath as she encouraged herself not to dwell on it. But it was impossible.

"Why am I like this?" She gritted her teeth, holding back the traitorous tears attempting to spill out from her eyes. "Why do I have to show penitence to a crime I didn't do?" 

She didn't wish to live as Devon Lin. What she wanted was death… or freedom from her previous life. But with this chance granted to her, her heart felt rather heavy with remorse.

"I hate myself." Her sullen expression grew colder as she picked up the cushion next to her to release her frustration. "Don't think about it again. I'll just return her body when she comes back."

Devon mercilessly beat the cushion, pounding her fist against it, thinking it was her anxiety. She beat it even when she was huffing and sweating, and only did she stop when Lewis' voice reached her ear.

"What are you doing?" He asked, darting his eyes from the cushion beneath her fist to her, before he whispered, "Holy… heck."

She immediately held her hand back, chuckling awkwardly as she said, "You're done?" The television was too loud, she didn't hear him approach.

Lewis rocked his head mildly as his eyes fell on the cushion that had lost its air from all the heavy pounding of her fist. The only words he heard next were, "I'll run a bath for myself, then!" before a swoosh of air blew past him as she sprinted towards the bathroom like a bolt of lightning.

"She's… starting to worry me," He whispered as he cocked his head back in the direction of the room, shaking his head sideways as he clicked his tongue. "She won the fight..." Against the cushion by a landslide.

"No, I'm more worried about myself for admiring it." He mumbled in disbelief, massaging his nape as he trudged towards the kitchen to make some snacks and have a glass of wine.

****

Devon hugged her knees closer to her chest as she rested her chin on her knees. She stared at her reflection in the still water in the tub, blowing some bubbles away.

"My friend might think I'm strange," she mumbled as she let out a sigh, recalling Lewis's reaction earlier. "Just when he's starting to be more patient… what if he abandons me?"

'No, he's not like that!' Her subconscious mind affirmed, making her nod in agreement. "That's right, my friend is not like those people. I should reward him…" she trailed off as she realized this was an entirely different world and she was not in the position to give rewards.

"What should I do to repay his kindness?" She asked herself and her subconscious mind replied, 'embroider a handkerchief?' but her mind's response only brought a frown on her lips.

She didn't have any materials, and she was starting to feel conscious about bothering Lewis. Her knowledge in this strange world was far too little to even assume things in her previous life exist here.

"Why am I always so useless?" She muttered, splashing waters in annoyance as she couldn't enjoy the bubbles anymore. 

Suddenly, Devon caught a shadow on the corner, and a sense of dread crawled up to her spine, but she squashed it down as she bravely moved her eyes towards the door. Her brows furrowed as she frowned, seeing nothing.

"I should not dwell on it," she said as she spooned a handful of water to rinse her shoulder. To keep herself from having ridiculous 'delusions,' Devon started humming while pouring more liquid soap in hopes more bubbles would uplift her mood.

*

While Devon slowly forgot about her concerns, Devon the Spirit was also inside the bathtub across from her. She squinted her eyes into mere slits as she leaned forward.

"I want to tease her, but she might get too scared and run for her life. And then, she'll clumsily trip before hitting her head and die. Tsk tsk tsk." She snapped her tongue continuously while shaking her head. 

"How did she even see me earlier?"

Devon the Spirit actually had no idea how the Princess saw her moments ago. Even though it was only brief, it got her hopes up. She thought the Princess could see her again if she wished to appear to her, but it was false hope.

"You, cute version of myself, do you really want to return my body?" She asked, despite knowing the Princess wouldn't hear her, as she was giggling while playing with the bubbles. "Goodness. Is she some kind of liquid soap model?"

Devon the Spirit huffed as she blew the bubbles on the water. The Princess flinched as she moved her eyes towards the water surrounded by bubbles. Her eyes slowly widened, seeing two people with the same face reflecting on the distorted water.

"huh?" Devon the Spirit quirked her brow as she witnessed how the other took a deep breath before she launched a piercing, "Kyaaaaah!!!"

Devon screamed at the top of her lungs that reached the kitchen, alarming Lewis. It didn't take long when Lewis to reach the door of the bath, much to his dismay it was locked. 

"Miss Lin! What's going on?" Lewis slammed the door loudly, but Devon was just screaming. It took him several seconds to remember about the keys. Hence, he dashed away to get them.

"Kyaaa!!" Devon shuddered in fear while shutting her eyes and covering her ears. 

"Aish! Oy! Stop before I factory reset you with a slap!" Devon the Spirit warned, grinding her teeth in annoyance. To her surprised, the Princess stopped as she froze.

Devon the Spirit slowly knitted her brows. "Hey, Can you hear me? Can you see me now?" she questioned in urgency as she watched the Princess opened her eyes ever so slowly.

When their eyes met, Devon the Spirit instantly knew the Princess could see her now.

"Haha! Nice to meet you, Self.." The corner of her lips curled into a sinister smirk as her eyes glinted.