My Succubus Health Bar Runs on Girl-Crushes

“N-No! I can’t do this, Vanessa! It’s too weird!”

Tessa stared at the accepted friend request on her phone and the short invitation to join a private voice call. She shook her head so hard she nearly made herself dizzy, all color draining from her face.

As far as she was concerned, having a private one-on-one call with a complete stranger was barely any different from those questionable transactions people whispered about in the darker corners of the internet.

“What’s so weird about it, sweetheart?” Vanessa pinched Tessa’s tense cheek and smiled with effortless charm. “Our generous patron simply likes your voice and wants you to sing her to sleep. Besides, her verified account says she’s a woman too. What are you afraid of?”

“Exactly, Tessa!” Chloe chimed in from the side, her eyes practically glowing with dollar signs. “That was twenty thousand credits! You could cover several months of living expenses just by singing one song. Think about everything you could buy!”

At those words, images began surfacing in Tessa’s mind.

Molly bustling around the kitchen for her. Riley correcting her posture on the track with that stern expression. Iris Lane quietly looking after her in her own reserved way. Chloe and Vanessa excitedly making plans on her behalf.

And Seraphina.

Seraphina’s focused, gentle gaze as she helped Tessa study in the library.

And finally, that burning kiss pressed against her forehead.

Tessa wanted to repay them. She wanted to use money she had earned herself to give each of them a unique gift, something that carried her feelings.

Now the perfect opportunity was sitting right in front of her.

On one side lay the unknown and possibly humiliating risk of a private call. On the other was the enormous temptation of making her wish come true almost immediately.

An all-out war began inside her heart.

Seeing Tessa look so conflicted she was almost in tears, Vanessa sighed and brought out her ultimate weapon.

She pulled Tessa over to sit beside her on the bed, then spoke in the patient tone of someone coaxing a frightened animal.

“Listen to me, sweetheart. Nothing in this world is more practical than money. Don’t you still owe me for those clothes? And Chloe for the audio interface and microphone? The opportunity is right here. All you have to do is open that pretty mouth and sing a few lines. Then every debt is gone.”

She paused and lowered her voice, adding a seductive edge to every word.

“Besides, she only wants to hear you sing. There’s no camera. You can treat her like a radio with no emotions. Sing the song, take the money, block her, and move on. Neither of you knows who the other really is. What could be simpler?”

Each sentence sounded like a devil whispering directly into Tessa’s weakest defenses.

In the end, her desire to buy those gifts defeated her fear of the unknown.

Tessa took a deep breath as if making a life-changing decision. She picked up the phone and pressed the green answer button with a trembling finger.

Resigned to her fate, she put on her headphones and mouthed, “Keep it down,” at the three pairs of eyes shining with gossip behind her.

Then she forced a tiny sound through the microphone.

“H-Hello...”

The call connected.

There was nothing on the other end.

No breathing. No static. The silence was almost frightening.

Apparently, the other person had not turned on her microphone.

Just as Tessa’s heart was about to leap out of her chest, a text message appeared on the phone screen.

[Just Here for the Music: Hello.]

Two simple words, carrying a strangely cool and distant air.

Tessa quietly exhaled.

At least they did not have to speak directly.

[Just Here for the Music: Begin. Sing that little melody.]

The tone was direct and commanding, without a trace of emotion.

Tessa did not dare delay. She cleared her throat, closed her eyes, and pushed all the chaotic thoughts from her mind.

Then she began to sing softly.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star...”

There were no thousands of viewers listening in, and no flood of live comments to distract her. In this quiet space that belonged to only two people, her voice sounded even purer and more ethereal.

When the song ended, she waited nervously for a response.

Several seconds later, another message appeared.

[Just Here for the Music: Beautiful. Sing it again.]

Tessa had no choice but to sing it a second time.

[Just Here for the Music: Slower.]

She slowed the tempo and sang it for a third time.

This time, the other side remained silent for a long while.

So long that Tessa wondered if the woman had already fallen asleep. She was just about to carefully ask whether she could end the call when a final message arrived.

[Just Here for the Music: Thank you. Good night.]

The call ended immediately afterward.

The entire exchange had been clean, efficient, and almost businesslike in its coldness. There had been none of the danger or suggestiveness Tessa had imagined.

She removed her headphones, still trying to process what had happened.

That was it?

A moment later, a rapid series of payment notifications rang from her phone.

[18,000.00 credits have been deposited into your account after platform fees.]

Tessa stared at the long string of digits, her eyes going perfectly round.

She transferred the payout into her bank account. When she saw a five-digit balance there for the first time in her life, she felt as though she were dreaming.

The first thing she did was repay every credit she owed.

She sent Vanessa the money for the clothes and transferred Chloe the full amount she had spent on the audio interface and microphone.

“Whoa! Look at you, Tessa!” Chloe let out a shriek worthy of a startled prairie dog the moment the transfer arrived.

Vanessa glanced at the payment notification with a satisfied smile, then ruffled Tessa’s hair.

“Not bad. You pay back what you borrow. Such a good girl.”

With all her debts cleared, Tessa felt lighter from head to toe.

She threw herself onto the bed, opened the shopping app, and began the long-awaited shopping spree.

A blissfully silly smile spread across her face.

The luxury aromatherapy oil set for Vanessa. Ordered.

The limited-edition game figure Chloe had been talking about forever. Ordered.

Professional dance shoes and the newest training outfit for Iris Lane. Ordered.

A premium baking mold set for Molly. Ordered.

A professional sports watch for Riley, capable of monitoring heart rate and detailed workout data. Ordered.

One by one, the gifts vanished from her cart and appeared under [Awaiting Shipment].

As she looked at the growing list of orders, an unfamiliar sense of satisfaction and happiness filled her heart.

For the first time, she had used money earned through her own effort to fulfill the small wishes of people who had been kind to her.

It felt better than receiving any gift herself.

But when she reached the last name on her list, she found herself stuck once again.

Seraphina.

What could she possibly give Seraphina?

She came from a wealthy family and had refined tastes. The gift had to be special. It had to mean something. Most importantly, it needed to express Tessa’s feelings clearly.

Tessa hugged her phone and rolled back and forth across the bed, agonizing over the one gift that needed to be truly unique.

At last, she made up her mind.

“Tomorrow evening, I’ll go back to the Starlight District where we had our dorm outing.”

There, she would personally choose the most special gift in the world for the woman who seemed as distant and beautiful as moonlight.

With endless anticipation for the future and the deep joy of finally being able to spend money on her friends, Tessa fell asleep wearing a contented smile.