"...I'm telling you! It's criminal that we only have one day off, Vert!" Neptune was finishing her impassioned speech about how the average student needed at least two days of rest. "And so that's why I'm gonna work right after high school!"

Just as much as it was an occurrence that Neptune would hangover at the Mistress' mansion, it was equally as often that she would hang out at Neptune's house. And drag along me for some reason.

I never really understood why she always brought me, but I couldn't say no to my Mistress. So I obliged and carried only the essentials with me each time, so that I could prepare tea and all the other things customary for maids.

"I personally think it's fine." Mistress said with an indifferent shrug to Neptune's complaints, "Though, if you're going to work right after high school, how are you going to get a job?"

"Mmm? I'll just work at WcDonalds or something." Neptune answered nonchalantly

"But that doesn't pay too well does it? How are you going to pay for your phone bill? Or help your mom with the rent for the apartment?"

I could see the beads of sweat falling off her face as my Mistress bombarded Neptune with the most pertinent questions in regards to her supposed plan.

Mistress sighed and flashed an uneasy smile at Neptune. "It's not a bad idea to help your mom, Nep. But you gotta think this through better. You can't just skip college, start working and expect to make a living wage. Plus I don't think that's what your mom wants either."

Neptune suddenly sprang towards me in an attempt to have me comfort her. Instead, I stepped to the side and let her fall flat on her face.

"Blanc! That's mean! You let me get hurt! I should sue-... wait, I actually can't do that, actually…" The purplette on the floor quickly sat up and rubbed the back of her head nervously in realization, "My whole life would be flatlined if I tried to sue you… Okay! Nevermind that then! Let's not do things that would get me into even more trouble!"

I groaned, "Please stop yelling everything, Miss Neptune…or I'll go deaf at this rate…" I mumbled under my breath.

"If you need to lower her volume a bit, I have a set of extra earbuds for you Blanc." Mistress suddenly procured a set of earbuds. "I believe they're your size too."

"Thank you, Mi-I mean, Vert."

Neptune raised her hand from behind me, "Ooooh! Blanc almost said the 'M' word!"

I think something snapped in my head all of a sudden.

I glanced at the Mistress. "Shall I?"

She nodded and I quickly thwacked Neptune on the head before she could say anymore. "Stop spewing nonsense, Miss Neptune. This is why you don't have many friends at school."

"Not that I need many…" Neptune said with a pout as she rubbed the spot on her head where I hit her. "OW! OKAY I GET IT! I'LL PLAY NICE GEEZ!"

Mistress chopped her hands in satisfaction and grinned, "You wouldn't say that Noire chick isn't your friend? She does come often to talk to you, y'know?"

"Yeah and I know why she's coming over to talk to me so much…" Neptune groaned, seating herself on her bed to recover, "Her relationship with me is one-sided. I don't feel the same way. I just don't know how to tell her."

"Why don't you just tell her?" I spoke up absentmindedly, "I can't fathom how it'd be that hard to tell her straight to her face that you don't like her that way?"

"Blanc's right. Or maybe there's something deeper here—Oh, a romance perhaps?"

"Best news I heard all day. It would save my eardrums from eventually being ruptured."

"No and no! Where the heck did you get that idea!"

"We're in a free country Neptune, you don't have to deny it that vehemently, right Blanc?"

"Maybe we should celebrate"

"I told you no! It's not that deep! And what do you guys know about romance anyway! As far as I know, all three of us never had a relationship in the first place!"

"I'm a rich kid." Mistress said.

"And I'm her maid, of course we have better things to do other than find romance"

"Ugh, I shouldn't have said that, now I feel stupid"

Neptune sighed loudly, cutting the conversation short. "Man, are we in the 1900s guys? Stop being so stiff. Geez…"

"Which reminds me…" Mistress gestured towards the teacups that had been set aside on Neptune's nightstand with a giggle. "The tea has gone cold thanks to our bickering."

"Do you want me to pour new cups?" I inquired

Mistress shook her head and smiled sadly, "It's fine. Just a bit disheartening is all. I did want to enjoy the tea"

The culprit for such a cause gave a sheepish laugh. "Oh come on, I hate homework! Don't you as well, Vert?"

"No comment" Mistress hummed.

Neptune slinked into the floor and let out a disappointed sigh, "Why can't you just agree with me for once, Vert…"

Neptune stood up and put a hand to her head dramatically, "You just don't get the plight of an average girl, Vert! Ah, but who cares about this topic anymore anyway? That's boring! I want to play games after all this talking!"

I sweat nervously, "What a quick turnaround…"

Next thing I knew, Neptune had walked up to me with a… controller in her hand?

I blinked and stared at the object presented in front of me in confusion, "Hmm? Miss Neptune? What is the meaning of holding the controller out in front of me?"

"I want you to play a video game with me."

"Why not Vert?"

"It's boring to play with her all the time. Plus she takes things too seriously. Even when it's an RPG she's always trying to one-up me."

Mistress could be heard snorting behind Neptune, presumably crossing her arms together. "Not my fault that you suck at everything and I have to carry you…!"

Neptune turned around and gave me a pained smile, "See what I mean? So come on, Blanc, you haven't played a single video game since we were kids!"

I glanced at the Mistress, who's only response was, "Why are you looking at me for an answer? You should answer Neptune yourself."

I sighed, "Why do you have to put me on the spot like this, Neptune…"

"Because I want to play with you!"

I glanced back at the Mistress. Worry strewn all over my face now. It's not that I didn't know how to respond. It's just that I would be reprimanded by my mother if she ever found out.

"Oh…" Vert hummed, most likely figuring out the reason why I initially glanced at her the first time now.

She smirked, "I'll deal with her if she finds out, okay?"

Letting out a sigh of relief, I took the controller from Neptune's hand, knowing she wouldn't take "No" for an answer, and fiddled with it slightly. "So what are we playing?"

"An old Lowee classic." she exclaimed as she reached to turn on the console in her room.

"Oh? I thought all of Lowee's IP would be lost to time. Which specific one are you talking about?"

"The plumber one."

"A remake?"

Neptune shook her head. "The original platformer."

"How?"

She threw a glance over at the Mistress and shrugged. "Ask Vert. Her family is the one that still publishes your games to this day. If only in small spurts."

Shooting my third glance to the Mistress, she grinned with excitement and pride. "It always takes some convincing, but my parents end up letting some games from your nation be released. The theme this time was retro."

"I… wasn't expecting this." I mumbled, "I would've thought that Leanbox would let our IPs rot and be forgotten to the sands of time."

Vert shook her head, "Why would I? When I heard that Lowee's IPs were beloved, I knew I had to revive them for everyone to experience."

I nodded, "Thank you…? Vert? What did you say?"

She waved a hand dismissively and giggled, "Oh, it's nothing, Blanc. Don't worry about it."

I frowned, but its not like I'd get my answer. When it came to matters surrounding me, Mistress always kept quiet.

It always feels as if she's scheming something…

Extra

As I was dusting off the Mistress' room early into Saturday morning…

"Blanc?"

"Yes, Vert?"

"Do you have any hobbies?"

"Hobbies?"

"Yeah. Things you do on your personal time or that you want to do."

I had to stop and think about an answer to her question.

"Nothing particularly comes to mind." I answered honestly. "When you're not around, in the afternoons I'm taking maid lessons from my Mother, which last until you come home. Otherwise my time is spent caring for your room and belongings."

"Isn't that a sad lifestyle though?"

I blinked, "Not particularly? Maybe if you treated me harshly I might come to hate it, but you treat me well. Maybe too much, if anything, because you see me as an equal when I am your maid. But I don't mind the monotony."

"...I see." Mistress put a hand to her chin. "Well, continue on for now. I have some thoughts I need to be doing for now."

"For homework?"

Vert gave a reluctant nod. "Sure… for homework…"