Frien?

In the sunny morning at the front door of Zeno's apartment in Kuoh Town, Zeno, who wears a brown jacket over a white t-shirt and jeans with a black belt and black boots, was currently standing with his daughter Ziah, who was wearing a floppy hat with round sunglasses and dressed in a yellow overall, black and white striped t-shirt, and white baby shoes, as she sat on the child shoulder carrier while grabbing on Zeno's blonde hair with her little hands.

"Please be safe and have fun, you two."

Asia, who dressed in a simple white blouse and long navy blue skirt, waving her hand at the duo with a smile inside the apartment as she is currently sending them off.

Today Zeno suddenly decided to go out for a walk outside with his daughter since he didn't have anything important to do in the morning. It is also a good chance for him to expose his daughter to some civilization.

"Yeah, we'll be back at lunchtime!"

"Auu-ahh~!"

Zeno nodded his head to Asia before walking away with the baby while Ziah blabbed cutely, copying her mama and papa talking.

"Alright, my daughter, let's go on adventure~!"

"Auuhh~!"

Zeno said to his daughter enthusiastically while he was walking down the stairs, as Ziah also responded to him with the same enthusiasm while she was giggling happily.

A couple of minutes later, as the father and daughter strolled down the bustling street, the sound of distant car engines and the chatter of people going about their business filled the air as they strolled through Kuoh Town.

"Auuuuh~"

Ziah's eyes widened with curiosity, taking in the vibrant colors of the shop awnings and the smells of fresh bread wafting from the nearby bakery. Zeno smiled as he felt his daughter looking around with an innocent wonder at the world around her.

The two of them walked past various people and the trees that lined along the sidewalks while their leaves danced in the gentle morning breeze, causing Ziah to giggle, seeing the cool breeze gently rustle the leaves above them and casting dappled shadows on her face.

"Look, a bird~!"

"Auuuh~!"

Zeno suddenly spotted a bird and pointed out the little brown bird that was hopping from one branch to another at the nearby tree for his daughter to see. Ziah's eyes followed where he pointed, and she cooed in wonder as she saw the bird take off in flight.

"You like that? Then let's see if we can find more birds~"

"Ahh~?"

Zeno smirked at his daughter's reaction before he led her in the direction of the local park, where there are many trees and birds for her to see.

The two didn't know that they would find something more interesting than the birds waiting for them in the park...

÷×÷×÷

A hour ago, before Zeno went out for a stroll with his daughter at the top of the random building near Kuoh Academy, a mysterious black cat with piercing golden eyes and two tails sat on the edge of the rooftop, watching the petite girl with short white hair sitting alone on the bench near the school building as she nibbled on cookies in bliss. The cat's two tails flicked idly behind it as it observed the girl with some longing and remorse in its golden eyes.

The white-haired girl, or Koneko, who was clueless to the black cat's gaze, took another bite of her cookie with a stoic expression despite feeling delight from the snack's taste while a light breeze ruffled her hair as she continued to demolish the cookies that she received from other students she met along the way.

Then Her sharp ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps, and she feels the familiar aura getting closer towards her. Without even needing to look up, she knew it was one of the Occult Research Club members and the fellow peerage member who was approaching her.

"Koneko-chan!"

Issei appeared as he called out to her, his cheerful voice echoing through the area. Koneko, with a stoic face, looked up, noticing the excitement of the stupid pervert as he jogged closer. She straightened her posture quickly after she threw the last cookie into her mouth, preparing for whatever stupidity he might say today.

"Morning, Issei-senpai..."

She greeted, her voice dull just like her greeting. She knew Issei had something to say, something that would likely annoy her or make her question the sanity of this individual once again. Issei stopped in front of her, his usual wide grin plastered on his face.

"I had the best dream last night!"

He announced, a sparkle in his eyes. Koneko raised an eyebrow, curious but uninterested at the same time.

"Oh, is that so?"

She said, her voice devoid of enthusiasm as she swallowed the last bite of cookie. Issei nodded eagerly, his cheeks flushing slightly.

"Yeah, it was so awesome! I was fighting alongside all of you guys in the club, and we totally kicked ass!"

Issei exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air. Koneko couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at his unbridled enthusiasm so early in the morning. She looked away, focusing on the distant horizon where the sun was just beginning to peek out from behind the clouds.

"And then, in the dream, you know what happened next?"

Issei asked with a smirk as his eyes widen with excitement, while Koneko has a bad feeling about what he is about to say. The black cat on the rooftop that was listening to the two of them also perked up its ears.

"..."

Koneko remained silent, expecting the worst as Issei leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Me and Gasper had this amazing moment together, like something out of a shonen manga! He were in a cute little bunny outfit and his cute little boobs was-Guhak?!"

Before Issei could finish his lewd revelation, Koneko's hand immediately shot out, punching him in the face with a power that contrasted with her petite body. The powerful force of the blow sent him flying backward with his nose spurting blood.

The sound of impact filled the air, causing the other students that were passing by to stop in their tracks, their eyes widening in shock at the scene, but their shock eyes quickly turned into contempt and mocking after they saw it was one of the infamous pervert trio, Issei Hyoudou!

The black cat on the rooftop snickers quietly at the sight of Issei being punched and sent flying, its eyes glinting with amusement. Meanwhile, Koneko watches Issei fall on the ground like a piece of wet rag with a deadpan expression on her face, her hand hovering in the air where it had just made contact with Issei's face.

"Pervert Homo..."

She murmurs to herself, not bothering to check if he's okay. Instead, she pulls out a fresh pack of tissues from her pocket and wipes the blood off her knuckles, feeling only a slight twinge of satisfaction. She knew that only something perverted would eventually come out of Issei's mouth.

"Arghhh..."

On the ground, Issei groaned, rolling over and cradling his bruised face.

"Ko-Koneko-chan, wha-"

He started, but Koneko cut him off with a cold glare.

"Shut up, Homo."

She said it with a dull voice that sounded like the sharpest blade thrust inside his heart.

"Guhaa!"

Issei coughed up blood from emotional damage before he lost consciousness.

The area around them grew awkward as the onlookers eventually dispersed, murmurs of "Pervert" and "Gross" trailing behind them.

Then the bell for the first period of the day at Kuoh Academy suddenly rang, signaling the end of their brief interaction as Koneko ignored Issei and walked to her classroom while some students rushed past the unconscious Issei, some sneering at him, while the others simply ignored him like trash.

After Koneko left Issei lying on the ground, the black cat on the rooftop got up as if it had seen enough and started to stretch lazily. It then leaped off the building and to another building before disappearing into the town.

The day continued as usual at Kuoh Academy without anything interesting happening today as well...

÷×÷×÷

Meanwhile, the black cat with golden eyes made its way through the bustling streets of Kuoh Town, its two tails swaying behind it as it weaved between the legs of passersby. The townspeople didn't even give it a second glance, as if they didn't notice a strange cat with two tails casually walking past them.

After some time, the cat finally arrived at a nearby park, where it found a quiet spot to sit on the bench near the playground with some toddlers currently playing with each other under the watchful eyes of their parents.

The black cat watched the children play with a look of nostalgia as it seemed to be reminiscing about the distance past.

"Nyaah-?!"

While the cat was lost in thought, a hand suddenly grabbed it by the scruff of its neck and lifted it up, causing the cat to cry out in surprise and quickly look up to see a young man with short blonde hair and icy blue eyes staring at it with a gentle smile that looked quite eerie.

The black cat also noticed the sunglasses-wearing baby girl with the same blonde hair as the man under the floppy hat she was wearing, currently riding on the man's shoulder, as she tilted her head cutely to the side to observe the cat with curiosity.

The young man and the baby were none other than Zeno and Ziah, who were strolling in the park, and unfortunately for the black cat, it got spot by Zeno, who saw through its hidden presence technique easily, and with his curiosity aroused by the familiar supernatural black cat with two tails that were hanging around Kuoh's park, Zeno decided to find out if it was a certain catgirl he knew.

"Hmm~"

Zeno hummed as he looked down at the hesitating black cat in his hand, as it was in conflict over whether to use magic to hypnotize the man who was holding it in the air to let it go since he had the baby with him.

And this hesitation was its defeat.

"Nya-nyaaa?!"

The cat cried out in alarm as something suddenly warped around its neck out of nowhere.

Around the cat's neck there was a white collar with two little bells hanging from it as Zeno used Godblood to create this on the black cat's neck.

"You're our friend now; we're having soft tacos later~"

Zeno declared in a tone that left no room for argument, as he swung the black cat around to face him, its golden eyes now wide with shock and confusion. Is this the infamous surprise adoption? It thought with dread.

"Nyaa!"

Not wanting to be adopted by random people, the black cat squirmed in his grip, trying to get away with more strength than the normal can possibly put out, but Zeno's hold was firm and unmovable, causing the cat to become wary immediately.

Without hesitation, the cat hisses as it is trying to do something, but suddenly its body goes rigid, its golden eyes bulging in shock.

It can't "change" back somehow...? And... it can't even feel any energy inside its body; what the hell is going on?!

If Zeno heard what the cat is currently thinking, he would probably say, "Nanomachines, son!" with a serious expression.

"Nya...?"

The cat let out a confused meow as Zeno started to walk with the black cat still hanging helplessly in his hand with a stunted expression on its feline face.

Ziah giggled as if she found the cat situation amusing while clapping her hands together in delight at the new addition to their little family outing. Zeno chuckled at his daughter's reaction and looked down at the bewildered black cat.

"Your name shall be Kuroka!"

Zeno suddenly declared to the black cat with a mischievous smirk as the black whipped its head back towards him with an astonishing expression on its feline face.