"God I thought class would never end," Matsuda complained. "Remind me again, why did I take chemistry?"
"Because you needed a science credit, you hate physics, and the biology class was completely filled this year." Motohama answered.
"I know THAT!" Matsuda grumbled. "Still think it's a load of bull… anyway, you guys heard? About Kaji from Class F from the 3rd Year class?"
Haru raised an eyebrow. "That occult nut?" he asked. "Yeah, I know him. He's the guy who likes anything paranormal, right? Didn't he try to apply for Rias-senpai's club? What was it again? Occult Research or something?"
"That's the one," Matsuda nodded. "Well, I hear the guy's in the hospital… and in the psych ward."
The two stared at him, incredulous. "Seriously?" the three-size scouter asked in disbelief. "Where'd you hear this?"
"From a couple of busty housewives on my way here." the bald pervert replied without so much as a shred of shame. While he may have preferred lolis, he was still attracted to seriously busty women. It was even better if they were oppai loli! "Apparently the guy was found in his home, locked up in his closet, saying something like his family was murdered by a psychopath. Cops thought he saw someone, maybe whoever's been kidnapping people or whatever. He was in pretty bad shape too."
"How… bad was it?" Haru had to ask. He soon wished he didn't.
"... He was so far off the deep end he was trying to bash his own skull in on the wall. Wehn they were transporting him to the asylum, he tried to commit suicide, unable to take the mental stress."
The boys fell silent. All around them was idle chatter. Haru, for his part, felt sick to his stomach. Kuoh had always been so dully quiet, yet always so peaceful. Yet, now, these disappearances were happening… something was wrong. He could feel it, but he didn't know what. It disturbed him. And then there was that gaze… even now he could feel it, like someone was watching him. The hairs on the back of his neck were constantly standing straight up, as if sensing danger. He then stared back at the markings on his hand.
They were so bizarre… they resembled the head of a dragon, outlined in stylized red markings with two wings stretching out behind it.
Seriously… What even is this? Where the hell did it come from anyway? Did I draw it? A horrifying thought passed through his head. Wait… if Mom sees this, she'll flip!
She will assume that he went and got a tattoo. She would think he was becoming a delinquent! Well, then again, she's not entirely wrong about that. He was technically a delinquent of some sort… given that, well, he has a massive obsession for boobs. Not that he minded such accusations. Hey, he was a guy! What did you expect?! Moving on, though, he was definitely not looking forward to that talk. If he hid it with something, like keeping his hand in his pocket or wrapping it up, he could hide it from her.
"Um… e-excuse me?"
The three boys turned… and their jaws dropped instantly. Only one thought ran through their minds.
Holy shit that babe is hot!
Before them was a beautiful young woman with long, shiny black hair that fell to her lower back and stunning, violet eyes. Her complexion was light and seemed to have a pinkish glow. Her slim and voluptuous form was highlighted by her Kuoh uniform. Haru's eyes were trained specifically at her chest. That uniform looks like it could pop any second, and I'm hoping it does!
"C-can we help you?"
"Y-Yes!" The girl stuttered shyly.
"U-um, I'm looking for Haru H-Hyoudou-kun?"
The three teens glanced at one another, their emotions becoming evident in their thoughts. Two out of outrage, one out of confusion.
Haru, for his part, was confused. This was his first time seeing her. In fact, he's made it a personal mission to remember the faces of every bodacious woman he's come across… but he didn't remember her. Why did she want to see him? "Uh, r-right here?" he said, raising his hand up. "Do you… need something?"
"W-well, um… c-c-can we speak? I-in private I mean?"
… waaaaaaaaaaait a second here, is this what he thinks it was?! Was… was she… was she asking him out on a date?!
"S-sure!" he said, leaping to his feet.
"WHAT?!" Both of his friends yelled in outrage. This was unfair! Why was Haru being asked out by some chick that came out of nowhere?! Well, now that they thought about it… the girl really did come out of nowhere. They haven't even seen her before today… and they kept tabs on all the school's hotties. But despite their perverted tendencies, they knew when they realized something was off. If none of them ever met her before now, then why was she even asking Haru of all people out on a date?
Unfortunately, before they could voice this, Haru was already gone, dragged away by the new girl. The two shared a look with one another. Somehow, they just couldn't shake this bad feeling, like something bad was going to happen.
"I fail to see why Miss Gremory had asked the both of us to watch the boy. Other than that girl's obvious interest in him, when she isn't human, it's rather confusing."
"Well, Buchou gave us orders, so I don't have much of a choice, really. You're free to go back, however."
"And leave you by your lonesome? Perish the thought."
"You look happy," Gorou Hyoudou said as he walked through the door with a goofy smile on his face. "Did something good happen?"
"Oh Hell yes!" Haru nodded eagerly with a fist pump. "I got a date!"
His father paused. The man and his son stared at one another, nothing but silence between them… well, not completely silence. His mother was currently in the kitchen, preparing dinner.
"... Haru, son, we have talked about this," Gorou said seriously with a deadpan look. "Your right hand does not constitute as a date."
Haru face-faulted. "N-no, I'm being completely serious here!" he insisted. "A cute girl walked up to me in class and asked me if I was free on Sunday!"
"Ah, so it's not a date."
"Yes it is!" A pause. "A-at least, I'm pretty sure it is. I mean, it's gotta be, right? When she was asking me out, she was really nervous, so that should tell you something, right?"
Both parents looked at one another. From the way their son was acting… he must be pretty serious.
"... dear?"
"Yes, my beloved wife?"
"Does this mean there's hope for our darling Haru yet?!"
"OH SCREW YOU, MOM!" Haru wailed. "C'mon! Have a LITTLE faith!"
"Sorry, sorry..." She apologized. "But to be honest… your father and I were starting to have our doubts at this point."
The redhead felt a tick mark pop above his eyebrow. "You guys are seriously too blunt!"
"Enough about that, tell us who the girl is!" his father urged. "Who is she?"
"Her name is Yuuma Amano. And she just transferred to my school today." Haru grinned, forgetting his previous irritation.
The latter part of his response, raised flags in his parents' minds. She just transferred in… and asked him out on a date on the same day?
"... Haru, are you sure this is the kind of girl you should be going out with?" Their son blinked, staring at them as if they had just grown a second head. "Now, look, we're happy you've gotten yourself a girlfriend… but you said she just transferred today, isn't that right?"
"Y-yeah… why?"
His mother frowned in disapproval. "Haru, forgive me for sounding so crass, but she sounds rather desperate for a date, or at least for dic—"
"DEAR!" Haru's father shouted, eyes wide. Even Haru stared at her in shock. Was she just about to say what he thought she was going to say? "That's too blunt! At least tone it down!"
"Why should I? My son has a girlfriend, and she just moved into his school! If that isn't jailbait, I don't know what is!" She had every right to be blunt. Despite his perverted tendencies, Haru was still her precious baby boy, and she'll be damned if he got hurt or in trouble from someone else's actions. There was no way she would let some broad use her son like that.
Haru was blind to the fact… or he was just that desperate. Some would claim it would be the latter, but even he felt slight apprehension. That, and… he got a weird vibe around Yuuma. Just being close to her made it feel like his skin was on fire… and it was not the pleasurable kind.
It was the kind of feeling where every part of you was screaming "RUN."
Her expression may have been cute and bashful, but there was definitely something hidden beneath that visage that instilled a sense of reluctance in him. He wasn't sure why that was… he didn't pay it much mind, though. He was quite excited. This was going to be his first step towards becoming a Harem King!
"... so, there are already signs of activity there in Kuoh City?"
"So it would seem," a young voice said over the phone. "Then again, Zelretch had informed us that an event like this would have occurred. It's been 60 years since the last one… and now it's happening all over again. Come to think of it, isn't that boy you were talking about there?"
She gave a slight pause, as if thinking of her next choice of words, and then replied. "Yes… why? Do you think he will get involved?"
"Well, if he's related to onii-chan, chances are he's going to get involved, one way or another." She groaned. Of course he would… Seriously, half the time she wondered who's genes he got from. "Anyway, I'm still having Stella and Leysritt look into matters, along with Hortesia. It shouldn't be too long before we get a proper grasp of what's happening over there."
"Got it." The speaker confirmed. "I'm on my way to Kuoh as we speak. I should be able to gain more intel while I'm there."
"Alright… don't strain yourself, obaa-san."
"DON'T CALL ME THAT, YOU LITTLE BRAT!"