Chapter 31: Cousin's Call
"W-what are you doing?!"
Vigne instinctively stepped back, her voice trembling in shock, as if Kouya was about to pull out something indecent to intimidate her in broad daylight. The color drained from her face as she clutched her skirt nervously, taking another half-step back.
"Just handing you the tissues."
Kouya half-squinted, completely expressionless, his tone flat as his right hand opened to reveal the completely innocent pack of tissues resting in his palm.
Vigne blinked once, then twice. Realization dawned on her and her face instantly turned scarlet. The heat rushed up her neck, reaching the tips of her ears as she stumbled over her words. "S-sorry! I thought—well, never mind! I have tissues too, you don't have to—uh—trouble yourself!"
"Pfft—"
A short, barely contained snicker came from somewhere in the crowd of students watching the scene unfold.
And then, as if someone had hit play on a laugh track, the entire hallway burst into laughter.
Kouya could feel his last shred of dignity dissolve on the spot. He wanted to disappear into the floor. Damn gossip vultures! He wouldn't have ended up in such a ridiculous position if they hadn't been standing there, grinning like idiots!
…
He thought the disaster would end there. Surely that was enough humiliation for one day.
But he was wrong—completely and utterly wrong. He had underestimated both the limitless imagination of high school girls and the absolute stupidity of Satania.
Vigne entered the restroom to help, and a few minutes later she emerged, supporting Satania by the shoulders.
The collective gasp from the crowd was loud enough to shake the ceiling.
"Whoa! That's Satania!"
"What happened to her? She looks half-dead!"
"So the rumors were true… Kouya really did something indecent in there!"
"Unbelievable…"
Kouya's expression went completely blank as despair set in.
Because the red-haired demon stumbling out with Vigne looked absolutely devastated—her skin pale as paper, tears glistening in her eyes, legs trembling as if every step took immense effort. Her vacant stare drifted toward nothing, like a soul yearning for peace beyond mortal suffering.
It was the exact picture of someone who had been utterly ruined.
If Kouya didn't know he was innocent, he would've accused himself too.
"Poor Satania… she must've been forced into something awful…" a soft-hearted girl murmured, already dabbing her eyes.
You've got to be kidding me. She's not traumatized—her legs just went numb from squatting too long!
Instead of crying, how about someone actually helps her stand up?!
Once back in class, Satania collapsed face-first onto her desk, completely immobile for the entire period. Only by the next break did she lift her head again, looking dazed but alive.
And that was when a group of curious girls swooped in. They surrounded her like reporters chasing a scandal, pretending to show concern but clearly hungry for gossip.
Kouya could only sit in the corner, praying she'd at least try to clarify things—just one sentence could fix everything. But no. He should have known better.
"Me? Trapped because I ran out of toilet paper?" Satania blinked and let out a high-pitched laugh. "Ahahaha! Don't be absurd!"
She puffed out her chest proudly. "I am the great demon, Satania Kurumizawa! I would never fall for something so foolish!"
Then she jabbed a thumb toward Kouya. "Kouya? Hmph! He's merely my servant! I was keeping watch while he handled his own… business. As a superior, I had a duty to protect my underling!"
Silence. Thick, heavy silence.
You idiot!!!
Would it kill you to speak like a normal person for once?!
The girls exchanged shocked looks, their whispers growing louder. Their expressions shifted from disbelief to pity to disgust as they glanced at Kouya, who now looked like some twisted mastermind forcing his classmate into acts of unspeakable loyalty.
Even Gabriel, who hadn't spoken to him for days, finally looked up from her phone, her lazy gaze sharp with disgust. "As expected of a pervert who reads those awful comics."
I already told you—I'm not!!!
"Don't talk to me, hentai-kun."
Kouya twitched. You damned sloth angel! Keep talking like that and I'll expose every sin you've ever committed!
When the final bell rang, he had never felt such relief to escape.
But just as he reached the hallway, his idiot friend Fatty appeared, waddling over and bowing deeply. "Congratulations, boss! You've become a campus legend—an inspiration to all men!"
Kouya's face darkened. He kicked him squarely in the gut.
Fatty wheezed but kept grinning. "Boss, I've been reading up on history lately! There was this thing called the 'Yangwu Movement' in old China. Bold stuff! Pioneers of modern culture! You, boss, are just like them—fearless and free!"
Kouya blinked, then realization dawned—and his fury exploded. "It's the Westernization Movement, you moron! Not the Yangwu Movement! Those words sound the same, but the meaning's completely different!"
He jabbed a finger at Fatty's face. "It's like fish-flavored pork doesn't have fish, wife cakes don't have wives, and Xi Shi Milk doesn't have Xi Shi or milk! Otherwise, how big do you think Xi Shi's chest would have to be for people to still be eating it after two thousand years?!"
He didn't stop there. "And bird's nest soup? That's not from a regular bird! It's made by golden swiftlets using their saliva. You're literally eating bird spit, you idiot!"
Fatty rubbed his stomach and nodded solemnly. "Profound, boss. Deep wisdom."
Kouya's eyebrow twitched violently. "Get. Lost. Now."
…
Friday evening arrived before he knew it. Another week had quietly slipped away.
Despite the chaos, Kouya couldn't deny that he enjoyed these slow, oddly peaceful days. After packing his bag, he walked out the school gates, deciding to wander a bit before heading home.
Just then, his phone vibrated. The name flashing on the screen made his blood run cold: Cousin Kobayashi.
A single bead of sweat trickled down his temple. Immediately, an image surfaced in his mind—her blank, emotionless face; her monotone voice; and the terrifying transformation she underwent after a few drinks, turning into a slurring, overly affectionate maniac.
After a moment of hesitation, he sighed and answered. "Cousin?"
"Kouya?" came the familiar calm voice. "Come over for dinner tonight."
Kouya's grip tightened on the phone. "That's really not necessary—"
"No excuses," she cut in flatly. "Tohru wants to thank you for helping find her little sister."
Little sister? Oh. The blue-eyed baby dragon.
Kouya opened his mouth to refuse again, but Kobayashi's tone sharpened, carrying a quiet authority that allowed no room for negotiation. "Tohru's been watching cooking shows all day. She swore she'd make you a full-course meal."
He rolled his eyes. Yeah right. That dragon maid's not trying to thank me—she's trying to impress you.
"Anyway, you're coming. If you don't, I'll come pick you up myself after work."
That was the final nail in the coffin. Defying her was suicide. "Fine, fine. I'll come," he muttered.
After hanging up, he glanced at the time. The sun hadn't set yet. He decided to walk instead of taking the train—the air was cool, and he needed to clear his head anyway.
Halfway there, a sweet, buttery scent drifted from a side street. He followed it instinctively and found himself on a small shopping lane filled with snack stalls and bakeries. The smell of fresh bread, custard, and sugar filled the air. Display cases glittered with golden pastries, tiny cookies, and delicate cakes arranged like jewels.
Unable to resist, he bought a few warm egg tarts and small cakes, carefully boxed, then made his way toward the nearby park.
The sun hung low, its orange light spilling across the horizon. The cherry blossoms lining the path swayed in the evening breeze, scattering petals that fluttered like drifting snow. The soft scent of flowers mixed with the aroma of his desserts, creating a moment of almost dreamlike calm.
The park was mostly empty—it wasn't a weekend, and most office workers were still stuck in the evening rush. Kouya found an empty bench under the largest cherry tree, sat down, and opened his box. He picked up a fork, cutting a bite-sized piece of cherry-chocolate cake and savoring the balance of sweetness and fruit.
But before he could take a second bite, his senses sharpened.
Something was off.
A faint shift in the air. The subtle weight of a gaze pressing against his back.
Someone was watching him.
Carefully. Silently. Like a predator studying its prey.
Kouya's hand froze midair, fork still held between his fingers. The wind rustled the trees, scattering another wave of petals across the path.
The lighthearted calm of moments ago vanished completely.
He lowered the fork slowly and raised his head, eyes narrowing as he scanned the park's empty pathways.
Someone was definitely there.