Nami

I stood still at the entrance of the karaoke room while Demon Boy still held my hand firmly, totally unbothered by everyone’s stunned expressions fixed upon us. They blinked several times, their jaws on the floor, as though wondering whether what they were witnessing was real or not.

“Why is everyone staring at us?” I murmured, leaning slightly toward Demon Boy. 

He shrugged and let go of my hand. “Don’t mind them,” he said flatly before flopping down next to Watanabe-san, who was seated with Shiokawa-san.

A brief moment of silence went by until Demon Boy’s ex-whatever-the-title-was punched the table, her blue eyes filled with rage targeting me as she barked, “What the hell is going on here? Why were you holding Yuu-kun’s hand? How dare you?” She pointed an accusatory finger at me.

What a bother.

As my schoolmates expectantly awaited my response, Demon Boy remarked, “Refrain yourself from speaking that way with Fukuyama-san, Emica. Not that it’s anyone’s business, but you should know that I was the one who was holding her hand and not the other way around.”

Gasps of disbelief filled the room.

Demon Boy’s ex-whatever-the-title-was recoiled, visibly hurt by his words. “Bu-But… Why her?” She continued pointing at me.

Demon Boy frowned. “What do you mean by her?”

Watanabe-san laughed. “I guess I speak for all of us when I say that the reason we’re so surprised is that you’ve never held a girl’s hand before, Yusuke. Not Emica’s, not your other dates’, not anyone’s.”

That time, I was the one who gasped, astounded. 

Is that true? Am I really the first girl Demon Boy has held hands with? I clutched onto my chest, my heartbeat going off the charts. What is this feeling? Why do I feel like smiling and singing with happiness? 

Shiokawa-san smirked, “Your cheeks are beet-red, Nami-chan. Are you, by any chance, flattered by Yuu-kun’s attention and chivalry? He was the one who insisted on meeting you at the train station when I called you earlier, you know. He was eager to be your knight in shining armor, I dare say.” She smiled slyly. 

Knight in shining armor? He is more of a demon in shining armor.

Demon Boy grumbled, “Can we drop it already?” He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets.

Meanwhile, his ex-whatever-the-title-was’ murderous glare on me started weighing heavily on my shoulders, prompting me to sit down beside Shiokawa-san in an attempt to protect myself from the threat. I should have guessed that being involved with Demon Boy would bring me nothing but trouble and spark jealousy amongst his admirers, but even so, I could not help but admit in my heart that I was glad that it was he who escorted me from the train station. 

“Nami-chan.” Watanabe-san waved at me, beaming. “You look beautiful.”

Shiokawa-san agreed, “You look gorgeous and super fashionable.” She nodded enthusiastically before looking at Demon Boy. “Doesn’t she, Yuu-kun?” 

I held my breath as Demon Boy gazed at me and replied, “Yes, she does.” His lips curled into a smile.

Shiokawa-san giggled. “I knew it.” 

Watanabe-san threw an arm around Demon Boy’s neck and ruffled his hair with a fist against the top of his head. “Of course you do.”

Feeling uncomfortable, I took the food menu from the table and scanned it, tuning out of the horrible singing that had resumed, Demon Boy’s ex-whatever-the-title-was’ glaring, and everything else that made my head hurt.

As if on cue, my stomach grumbled while I read the names and prices of the desserts. Although I had not yet fully grasped the concept of human money and was as dense as a rock when it came to distinguishing expensive items from cheap ones, I was certain that I could afford the food there without giving up on my everyday instant noodles. 

Perhaps I should ask Souma to teach me more about human money the next time I meet him. 

My instructor taught me the basics when I was preparing to go to Tokyo, but experiencing life in the human realm was completely different than just studying about it from the safety of the castle in the Kingdom of Angels. Humans were unpredictable with their explosive emotions, actions, and reactions, and I never knew what to expect when dealing with them. 

I counted the money notes in my white wallet to ensure I had enough to order a couple of desserts that caught my attention on the menu. 

The monthly allowance Father gives me shall be enough to allow me to live a comfortable life here in Tokyo without worrying about anything other than my studies and safety.

“What are you ordering, Nami-chan?” asked Watanabe-san, curious.

“I am ordering *mochi ice cream,” I replied as my index finger tapped on the image of four mochi ice creams in a glass bowl on the menu. 

“Do you like sweets?” Shiokawa-san took the menu off of my hands and inspected the dessert I wanted to try.

“Yes, I do. I used to eat sweets all the time at the castle—I mean, at Father and Mother’s house,” I said, a drop of cold sweat forming on my forehead. Instinctively, my eyes darted to Demon Boy, who, surely enough, was staring at me intently. 

Why does he keep looking at me? Not that I minded being the center of his attention, but it did enrage the other girls who wished they were in my position. 

“Let’s all order mochi ice cream, then,” decided Watanabe-san, scanning the barcode on the tab with his smartphone and placing the order once the establishment’s application confirmed our room number on the screen. 

“Can I ask you a personal question, Nami-chan? Do you promise you won’t be offended?” Shiokawa-san hesitated, furrowing her brows. 

“What is it?” I kept my expression flat.

“Is this your first time hanging out with friends?” 

I grimaced, annoyed and ashamed that she had figured out my lack of social interactions. I could lie and come up with whatever excuse, but I found myself intrigued as to what aspect of my behavior and personality had given me away, which led me to ask a question of my own. “How did you know that, Shiokawa-san?”

She laughed. “You’re not exactly trying to hide that you’re not the most social person in the world. Take the fact that you’ve been adamantly avoiding us, for example.” She gestured at herself and her friends. “You don’t talk to anyone in class except when Tonkatsu and I insist on including you in our chats during the breaks between lessons.”

“I do not see the point in nurturing friendships,” I stated dryly, shrugging.

Shiokawa-san stopped laughing and scowled. “That’s not a nice thing to say, Nami-chan. No wonder you don’t have friends.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, puffing out her cheeks.

“Now, that’s not a nice thing to say to a new friend, Aimi,” scolded Watanabe-san, shooting Shiokawa-san a stern look. “Be a good girl and apologize to her.” 

Eh, not that I care whether humans are polite toward me, but it feels nice that Watanabe-san cares about my feelings enough to call out his friend.

Shiokawa-san pouted, “I’m sorry, Nami-chan. I shouldn’t have said those things to you, but in my defense, I only did it because it’s frustrating that you don’t want to be a part of our group when everyone else in school does. It’s also frustrating that you treat us with such indifference when we already like you because you’re cool in your own way.”

Watanabe-san chimed in, “It’s true. There’s something about you that I find super charming and makes me want to be your friend.”

Shiokawa-san raised a hand. “The same goes for me. You’re super charming, Nami-chan.”

Me, charming? Is that a joke that I am not getting?

Meanwhile, three flustered and giddy girls approached Demon Boy and asked to take pictures with him, which he agreed to do. However, as he gave them a friendly smile that did not reach his eyes, I wondered what he hid beneath the mask he wore and what his true self was really like. 

“Yuu-kun’s admirers don’t leave him alone,” commented Shiokawa-san, shaking her head in disapproval. 

“Are you having fun so far, Nami-chan?” asked Watanabe-san, taking a sip of what appeared to be soft drink in a glass.

Fun?

“Honestly? No, I am not. The air is suffocatingly hot, my ears are hurting due to all the horrible singing,”—I gestured at the boy singing on the karaoke machine—“I feel watched and judged,”—I glanced at the girls in the room glaring at me—“and I feel like an outsider.” 

I do not belong here.

“So this isn’t your scene.” Watanabe-san chuckled.

“Maybe we should try to do something more low-key with just the four of us next time,” suggested Shiokawa-san, her attention on Watanabe-san. “We need to respect Nami-chan’s boundaries and not drag her around like we initially planned to do.” She turned to face me, grinning. “Right?”

“Eh.” I rose to my feet. “Excuse me, but I need some air.” Ignoring Shiokawa-san’s silent protest—her facial expression screamed, “I cannot believe she is escaping the conversation”—I walked out of the room.

Once outside and in the corridor, I took a long, deep breath, relieved to be alone. Although the air was still too warm and stiffy for me, I felt like I could breathe better there. 

“Well, since I am here, I might as well use the restroom before the mochi ice cream arrives. I should also get something to drink from the open bar,” I mumbled as I went to the nearest ladies’ restroom. 

Ten minutes later, I stepped out into the corridor again. Much to my frustration, Demon Boy’s ex-whatever-the-title-was was waiting for me, tapping a foot against the carpeted floor impatiently. I attempted to walk past her without sparing her a second glance, but she grabbed my elbow and stopped me in place.

“Let’s have a little chat,” she snarled, each and every word dripping with venom. 

I sighed, resigned, as going against her would only prolong that moment and irritate me more. I just wanted to get it over with and eat my mochi ice cream.

Demon Boy’s ex-whatever-the-title-was—I should learn her name properly because it was annoying to keep referring to her that way—was much taller than me. Though she did not scare me in a threatening way, she did make me feel small and vulnerable. 

“What’s your end game with my Yuu-kun? You may have that cute and innocent face, but I bet you’re using him to become popular and envied in school,” she began, taking on the demeanor and tone of a bully.

I forced myself not to roll my eyes in response. “What is your name?”

My unexpected question took her aback. “What?”

“I would like to know your name,” I insisted, determined to stop referring to her as Demon Boy’s ex-whatever-the-title-was because it was too long and bothersome.

“Emica Ishii.”

My lips curved into an appreciative smile. “Thank you, Ishii-san.”

She seemed suspicious. “Are you trying to change the subject?”

“No, I am not. Not that I need to justify my actions to you, but I hardly know Demon Bo—I mean, Hasegawa-san—and I do not intend, in the slightest, to strengthen our friendship, if I can call it that. He happened to escort me here because I could not find my way from the train station, but that was it,” I clarified, my tone polite. 

“I don’t believe you.” Her murderous glare returned as she released my elbow and threatened to slap me on the cheek with the palm of her right hand, a sickening smile spread across her face. “If you cherish your pretty face, then you better stay away from my boyfriend, do you hear me? I hate little girls like you.”

As someone who had never personally experienced violence, it was only natural that her warning had an undesirable effect on me, causing me to take a few steps back, shaken. The idea that she would go that far because she felt intimidated by my mere presence was disturbing and inexplicable in my eyes. I realized I was mistaken in thinking she did not scare me in a threatening way. 

“That’s enough, Emica. Leave her alone.” Demon Boy appeared out of nowhere and pulled me behind him. “Don’t harass her again,” he added.

Ishii-san stomped her feet while throwing a tantrum. “Why are you protecting her? Is she the reason why you ended things with me? Are you in love with her?” She laughed manically. “I get it. You’re playing with her feelings because she’s a new conquest, but deep in your heart, I’m the one you really love. I know it.”

She has lost it.

Demon Boy sighed, “I feel sorry for you, Emica. You need to step out of your fantasy world and face the reality that I’ve never had feelings of love for you. I apologize for inadvertently nurturing some of your dreams about me, but I never told you we were exclusive, nor did I promise you that we would be someday. Please, move on from me if you want to continue being my friend.”

As I found shelter in the one whom I once had promised to avoid at all costs, confusion filled my head and chest, frightening me more than Ishii-san’s hostility. 

“But Yuu, I love you,” Ishii-san pleaded, almost falling to her knees. 

“But I don’t love you back,” he retorted, his voice cold and firm. “How many times do I have to tell you that?”

As a result of the rejection, Ishii-san stormed away, but not before telling me that I would regret having crossed paths with her.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Demon Boy peered at me. “She didn’t hurt you, did she? I’m sorry I didn’t intervene sooner.”

I rewarded his adorable behavior with my most genuine smile. “She made threats but did not hurt me. Thank you for coming to my aid.”

He gawked at me and blushed, probably surprised by my smile, as it was my first time giving him a real one. 

“Why are you out here in the corridor?” I wondered, intrigued.

He cleared his throat and shoved his hand into his jeans pocket. “I followed you when I saw Emica leaving the room right after you did because I figured she would harass you because of me. I’m sorry for causing you trouble with the other girls.”

“Do not worry about me. Humans’ opinions do not make any difference to me,” I assured, still smiling.

“Humans’ opinions?” He arched an eyebrow. 

“Well…” 

He chuckled. “We should go back to the room before our friends get even more wrong ideas about you and me.”

“Okay,” I agreed, forgetting about getting something to drink.

We rejoined Shiokawa-san and Watanabe-san in the karaoke room, where I spent the next two hours eating four bowls of mochi ice cream, letting my guard down a bit, and not regretting having gone to that event.

* * *

*mochi ice cream - a small scoop of ice cream wrapped in a layer of pounded sticky rice dough