Chapter 4: Caught in the Middle

Angelie held her hand to assist the girl to stand up.

"Um, I went inside the classroom to clean, but then I saw you two fighting. It was a just a reflex to hide, I guess. Although to be fair, you were more of a disturbance than me. So maybe I shouldn't have hidden, in retrospect."

Her eyes were darting back and forth looking at the both of them. The girl ignored the helping hand Angelie offered and stood up, dusted her skirt and then went to the locker for cleaning supplies.

"Well, we're sorry if we were a nuisance, especially to your cleaning. Mostly, he was the nuisance, anyway."

Angelie closed her eyes and pointed at Akuma.

After preparing the cleaning tools, the girl turned back toward their direction to face them.

"I don't mind it much, but be careful next time. Having to see a lover's quarrel is really a disturbance to many people."

She was blushing slightly, embarrassed about what she witnessed.

"Oh, no. We're definitely, absolutely not lovers."

"I see. Former lovers, then."

"That's not—"

After being silent for a while, Akuma couldn't hold it in any longer. Something had been bothering him during the whole conversation that he couldn't even react to what the girl was saying.

"Wait, why are you cleaning alone?"

"Eh, the other guy assigned to clean wanted to check out the clubs, since he is a new student here. To be honest, he could do that when he is NOT assigned to cleaning. What a bother."

Although she may seem irritated, it felt like she didn't mind being able to help that other guy.

Akuma, having immediately recognized the opportunity in front of him, reacted right away.

"In that case, we'll help—"

"We'll help you clean, then. Since it's partially our fault you couldn't clean earlier."

"Hey! Don't interrupt me! I need to show my diplomacy."

Angelie started to move around the tables to start their cleaning.

"Whatever, just move the desks already."

The girl laughed again, but then stopped immediately.

"It's not that I don't appreciate it, but you don't have to force yourselves to help if you don't want to."

She was avoiding looking at the two of them, ashamed to have accepted help from other people.

"We're not forcing anything, don't worry. Right, Demon Lord?"

"N-no, of course not."

He looked up, seemingly thinking of reasons not to agree, because agreeing with the Saint was something unacceptable.

"By the way, why are you calling each other Demon Lord and Saint? Is that some kind of kinky thing couples are into these days?"

"I think I already made it clear that we're not a couple or lovers or whatnot. Please, remember that… I'm sorry, what was your name again? I haven't memorized the names of our classmates."

"Ah. Sentaku Sanaka. I won't say it's a pleasure, but you guys are funny."

She seemed happy, and the subtle lonely expression she had disappeared completely.

"I'm Fukushuu Angelie. You don't need to bother about this guy."

"I have a name, you know! Anyway, it's Jizen Akuma. Let's get this done with."

The three of them started to clean the classroom. While cleaning, Sanaka saw a flier of the Help Club on the floor. After a while, they finished and decided to go home.

---

It was already the end of the first week of recruitment. Immediately after classes, the students all hurriedly went out of the classroom. As usual, Akuma and Angelie were left inside, dreading their impending failure to recruit members. Akuma was slumped on his desk.

"Hey, Saint. Why don't you pray to your gods to give us members?"

Two tables in front of him, Angelie was sitting and her chin resting on her left hand.

"If it worked that way before, I could have just prayed for your death, you idiot Demon Lord."

"But that means you tried it then! What kind of Saint wishes for death of others, huh?"

"The kind who is being oppressed by a Demon Lord."

"Hmm. You have a point there."

Laughter burst out on the classroom. It was Sanaka again. This time she didn't hold in her laughter and was just sitting at her desk a few seats behind Akuma. After laughing for a while, she wiped her tears and calmed down a bit.

"You guys crack me up. I wonder why it's easy to talk to you guys."

"Oh, I didn't see you there, Sentaku-san. Are you on cleaning duty again? We can leave now, if you need to clean up."

"No, I'm not. And it's not like I own this classroom. You can stay as long as you want to."

Akuma raised his head and turned around to face Sanaka.

"Hey, since it seems like you're not doing anything and you don't have friends in class, why not join our club?"

"Why would I want to do that?!"

Angered, Sanaka stood up from her seat. Akuma and Angelie thought she was about to walk out of the room. Instead, she walked directly toward Akuma and handed him a piece of paper. Akuma looked at the front of the paper.

"Woah! What is this masterpiece?"

"I-I had free time, so I decided to make a more appealing flier for you guys."

Angelie stood up from her seat and looked at the flier.

"Wow, Sentaku-san. You're great at art. This will surely be helpful to us. Thank you."

"I didn't do it especially for you guys. I just want to repay you guys for helping me clean the other time."

She was blushing and trying too hard to hide her smile, that she's avoiding looking at the two of them.

"Sanaka, let's distribute this now."

Akuma declared his plan with authority.

"Ugh, why are you acting like you're close with her. It's creepy."

Angelie furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him with contempt.

"Wait, w-why do I have to help distribute this around?"

Sanaka stuttered her complaint, completely surprised someone asked for her help. Akuma stood up from his seat and grabbed Sanaka's hand. She blushed a little.

"It's more efficient to use a cute girl, than a hag. Let's go!"

He ran while dragging Sanaka and grabbed the rest of the fliers.

"D-did you just call me… a hag? Come back here!!"

Angelie ran after them in a fit of rage.

---

Outside the school building, the three of them stood around the gate of the whole school. On one side of the gate, Akuma was alone in handing out the fliers. A bump on top of his head was visible, due to the strength of the retribution Angelie gave him. On the other side of the gate, Angelie and Sanaka were together in handing out the fliers.

"I hate to presume, but can I call you Sanaka-san too? I'd like it if you'd call me Angelie, as well."

"I-I don't mind, but are you sure? I think those types of things are for f-friends to do, you know?"

Her face was completely red now. She couldn't hide her embarrassment, and joy, any longer.

"Then we can consider ourselves to be friends starting from now. Of course, if it's okay with you, that is."

"Friends, huh... Well, I guess it's fine, then!"

She smiled like she never has before in front of Angelie. In her mind, she thought that being alone before was the reason she was able to meet these two people. She was grateful it happened at this moment.

Angelie smiled as she reciprocated her new friend's feelings honestly. But suddenly, a lingering concern bubbled up from Sanaka's thoughts.

"You don't find me weird or anything?"

"Not really. Why do you ask?"

Relieved to hear Angelie's answer, she was able to open up a bit more about herself.

"Oh, well, um, it's just because I heard I was hard to talk to. They say I'm too honest and frank… I admit I'm awkward, and I really find it hard to talk to others and be myself. But it was different for you two. Maybe because you're both weirder than me?"

Sanaka teasingly smiled at her.

"I can't deny that, ever since some things happened…"

Angelie forced a grin.

"Like what?"

"It's hard to explain…"

Seeing a chance to avoid the question, Angelie suggested to check on Akuma. They went to his side and compared how many fliers they've handed out.

"What is this pathetic result? You only handed out ONE flier? We only have a few left!"

"It's not my fault they don't want to come near me!"

"Oh, it IS your fault! That's natural for a Demon Lord! No one would want to come close to you!"

"Tsk. It must be easy being a Saint and have people flock over you even if you're just standing there! But more importantly, you had the cute Sanaka with you!"

A girl with long, straight and light blonde hair approached Akuma, appearing out of nowhere.

"May I take one flier, please?"

"Oh, yes. Here. How about taking more? You can give it to your—"

"No thanks."

The blonde girl left the school premises without looking back.

"I think Sanaka should stand beside me this time so I can hand out all these fliers."

"Well, sure. But don't stand too close, or they might think we are a couple or something."