Yusuke

“Welcome to our milk tea shop. What would you like to order?” a young man asks from behind the counter.

“I would like to order a medium Bubble Matcha Milk Tea and a medium Bubble Hokkaido Milk Tea, please,” I tell him politely.

“Hmm… Bubble Hokkaido Milk Tea, huh?” Tonkatsu places a hand on my shoulder, his tone teasing.

“I assume Fukuyama-san likes sweets because she ate a bunch of mochi ice cream at the karaoke.” I push his hand away.

“I would like to order a medium Bubble Strawberry Milk Tea,” he informs the young man after giving me a knowing smile. “Oh, I apologize. Make it two medium Bubble Strawberry Milk Teas.”

“Aimi?”

“Yep. By the way, I was super surprised when you agreed to eat a bowl of mochi ice cream at the karaoke because you loathe sweets. In fact, I think it was the first time I saw you eat something sweet without complaining or grimacing in disgust. Why was that? Was it because you wanted to impress Nami-chan?”

I roll my eyes, thankful the young man is already handing me the milk teas, giving me a chance to escape the grilling session about Fukuyama-san. I feel uncomfortable talking about her so openly, especially when the conversation is about me being teased for my special attention toward her.

“I’m going back to the girls,” I tell Tonkatsu, briskly walking away from him and the shop without giving him a chance to stop me.

“Yuu-kun,” Aimi calls out, meeting me halfway to the makeup store where I last saw her and the angel.

Noticing that Fukuyama-san is nowhere in sight, I look around us, asking, “Where is Fukuyama-san?”

“She has gone looking for a shop to buy presents for her brothers.”

“Where exactly?”

Aimi tries to take one of the plastic cups of milk tea I am holding, but I manage to turn around and keep them out of her reach, making her pout. “One of them isn’t for me, then. Where is mine? Is it with Katsudon?”

As if summoned, Katsu appears behind me and hands her one of the strawberry milk teas. “I bought this one for you.” 

“Thank you, thank you.” Aimi grins from ear to ear.

“Where is Nami-chan?” Katsu frowns.

Aimi takes a sip of her drink. “She’s somewhere buying gifts for her brothers.”

I let out a frustrated sigh and immediately begin making my way through the crowd in search of the angel, worried about her safety. Although we’re in the human realm, I can’t help but feel sick to my stomach at the possibility of demons disguised as humans or even hybrids targeting her specifically because she’s the angel princess. I haven’t told my dad and my cousin about her yet, but I intend to once I’m convinced no one in the castle in the Kingdom of Demons is involved in the attacks on the Kingdom of Angels. Despite refusing to believe that anyone would dare to breach the Peace Pact, I need to be careful and suspect everyone, including the Demon Royal Family.

As I look around me frantically, my heart pounds against my ribcage as millions of disturbing thoughts cross my mind. I have no idea why I care so much about the angel princess, but I feel an odd need to protect her from whoever and whatever might harm her, even if it means risking my own life and revealing my real identity.

Maybe it’s my instinct as the demon crown prince to always protect those whom I deem deserving.

Five minutes later, I finally spot a very uncomfortable Fukuyama-san standing in front of a pet shop, surrounded by a group of girls I recognize from school, including Emica.

“You think you’re all cute and shit, but you’re actually hideous, you know,” Emica sneers, snorting as her condescending stare at Fukuyama-san grows more intense with each passing second. “I told you that I’d make you regret having crossed paths with me, didn’t I? How dare you have fun with my friends and my man?”

I approach the group, my jaw tensing with annoyance. “What are you doing?” The question comes out of my mouth in a harsh and calculated tone, so much so that the main bully immediately steps away from Fukuyama-san. “Why are you harassing Fukuyama-san again?” I hiss.

“Yu-Yuu-kun? He-Hello,” Emica stutters, panic flashing in her eyes. “I was just ta-talking to her about—”

“Cut the shit out, Emica. Leave her alone.” I step in front of Fukuyama-san, my back facing her.

The other girls grab Emica’s hand and start pulling her away, begging her to leave us alone before things get uglier; she ends up complying after glaring daggers at the target of her rage and shooting me a longing look.

“Are you okay?” I inspect the angel’s face, concerned. “They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

Fukuyama-san shakes her head and smiles. “I am fine, but thank you for helping me. I was actually getting scared because Ishii-san would not let me go.”

I hesitate. “Hey, have you been harassed at school because of me? Is that why you’ve been avoiding me, even though we got along well at the karaoke?”

She spins on her heels and enters the small pet shop. “Yes, I have been harassed at school because of you, and no, it is not the reason why I have been avoiding you.”

“Why have you been avoiding me, then? Have I done something that upset you? Have I been disrespectful?” I run a hand through my hair in exasperation.

She locks eyes with me and blurts out, “I believe you know why we cannot be around each other.”

I read between the lines—she is an angel, and I am a demon. The commoners in her kingdom are falling because of the traitors in mine; therefore, she needs to avoid those whom she cannot trust.

I tilt my head to the side, smiling. “I believe not being around each other won’t be possible because you happen to be friends with my friends. We’ll be forced to hang out together, whether you want to or not.”

Fukuyama-san takes a white cat collar from a shelf. “I think Yuki will like this one,” she mumbles to herself, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Yuki?”

She clarifies, “Yuki is my cat,” while heading to the cashier with the collar in her right hand.

“I didn’t know you had a cat.” I follow her closely.

“The guardian chose me as his ward when I went to the castle,” she remarks nonchalantly.

“Guardian? Castle? You need to watch what you say, Fukuyama-san,” I warn her, genuinely worried about her slips, though I don’t believe she does it on purpose.

She covers her mouth with both hands, her eyes growing wide. “Oops.”

I chuckle, finding her reaction cute.

Once she finishes paying for the cat’s collar and we’re out of the shop, I hand her the Bubble Hokkaido Milk Tea without uttering a word. She accepts it, bringing the straw to her mouth immediately, the happiness in her eyes and her body language indicating that she’s more than pleased by my gesture.

I grab the small plastic bag with the collar from her hand and start carrying it despite her protests. I don’t know why I’m doing it, but I feel compelled to spoil her somehow—it’s as if I owe it to her because our schoolmates are harassing her because of me.

“I thought you wanted to buy gifts for your brothers,” I comment, drinking my Bubble Matcha Milk Tea.

Fukuyama-san grimaces. “I was going to, but I could not find any shops that sold what I wanted to buy. Then I got lost and could not find my way back to Shiokawa-san. That was when I saw the pet shop and decided to check it out, and that was also when your admirers found me.”

I wince, feeling even more guilty for being the reason she’s being targeted so harshly. “My sincere apologies that our interactions have been bringing you stress and harassment. If you wish, I’ll stop trying to be your friend and leave you alone.” The last statement comes out low and full of uncertainty.

The angel gazes at me intently as though reading my eyes. After a brief moment, she grins. “As you mentioned, that would not be possible because we happen to be a part of the same group of friends, and I would not want to put a strain on everyone’s relationships. Do not worry about me.”

I can’t help but grin back, the weight lifting off my shoulders. In a quick, sudden movement, I entwine our fingers and pull her closer as we keep strutting toward our friends. “I need to keep you close to me so that you don’t get lost again.” I smirk, winking.

“Ri-Right…” She blushes.

“Of course, you’re holding Nami-chan’s hand.” Tonkatsu laughs when we reunite with him.

“Where were you, Nami? Did you get lost again?” Aimi asks, her hands on her hips as she scowls at Fukuyama-san, who hides behind me, taking everyone, including myself, aback.

“We were at the pet shop,” I reply, the dryness in my voice making it clear that I won’t elaborate any further.

Aimi sighs. “Fine. Do you guys want to eat something? I’m hungry.”

Tonkatsu throws a hand up in the air, excited. “Yes, food!”

“Sure, why not?” I shrug.

Fukuyama-san, who is still holding my hand, nods in agreement, giving Aimi and Tonkatsu the green light to begin their mission to find a suitable restaurant with delicious food.

Needless to say, the rest of the day goes by fast, with the four of us having a great time and strengthening our friendship. By the time we say our goodbyes at the train station, the angel’s genuine smile is enough to make me promise myself that I’ll do everything in my power to protect her.

* * *