Another day at school

After the trip to Kyoto, Desmon hoped to relax and unwind, as that journey had been more troublesome than enjoyable. From being humiliated in a fight against two demons to getting arrested by the police, it was anything but a relaxing getaway.

For this reason, when Desmon found out he had to attend school the very next day, he didn't know how to react.

"Today we got back from a three-day trip, and tomorrow we have school?"

"Exactly." Shizuka nodded.

"This school is a..."

Desmon ended up with duct tape over his mouth.

The next morning, during breakfast, Desmon continued complaining.

"I've been through a lot, you know. With all the blood I lost, I could've filled a river. I deserve a little kindness." He said as he popped a piece of fish into his mouth.

"Is that 'kindness' staying at home doing nothing?"

"Exactly. After all, I didn't even get paid for all my effort. It's disheartening…"

Desmon had vanquished the demon that was devouring children and rescued the quintuplets, successfully achieving his goals. Yet, he wasn't rewarded for his efforts.

"And what happened to that money?"

"A voracious, horrible creature has it."

The world can indeed be cruel. While the young demon hunter is broke and deeply in debt to said creature—who never hesitates to work him to the bone—on the other side of the world, the creature is enjoying a beach trip with a friend, funded by the money Desmon earned. To make matters worse, the men on the beach can't take their eyes off the two beauties, causing trouble with their wives.

Doesn't Desmon deserve a day at the beach, surrounded by gorgeous women? Perhaps later—if he survives the daily life of a japanese student.

"What do you do with all the money I give you? Do you spend it on sweets?" Shizuka raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with eating sweets?"

"It's bad for your health."

As a school counselor, Shizuka knows the effects of excessive sugar consumption on the human body. Sometimes, she even has to give lectures about not overindulging in sweet treats. She isn't just a ramen and shonen manga addict, right?

"If sugar could kill me, I'd be dead by now. Plus, I'm in great shape. Want to see?" He winked at her.

"Yes, yes, I know you're in shape." She replied without bothering to pay him much attention.

Is there any reason to call Desmon an exhibitionist? There is. At home, he mostly wears just shorts, so Shizuka is used to seeing him half-naked.

There was also that time Shizuka came home from work and found Desmon striking poses in front of the TV while watching an anime about muscular men… though she eventually joined him in doing the poses.

"So there's nothing wrong with eating sweets. I just wish they weren't so expensive." he said, resuming his meal to prove his point.

"Sometimes I forget that normal rules don't apply to you…"

"That's natural; after all, you're already old..."

In that instant, Desmon felt a chill run down his spine, as if his past battles against demons paled in comparison to the danger he now sensed.

"Well then, since I'm old, I suppose I might forget to give you your lunch money today." Shizuka said with a noticeable vein on her forehead, her smile hiding her frustration.

And so, Desmon had to go to school without lunch money.

…

"Today, we're going to review some important concepts we've already covered and hand back last week's essays. Please open your books to page…"

At Sobu High, in Class 2-F—a section designated for students from abroad or those planning to earn scholarships to study overseas—Shizuka was teaching modern Japanese.

Fulfilling her role as a teacher, Shizuka delivered her lessons in an organized and efficient manner.

Being the case that 99% of the students in the classroom are paying close attention to their teacher.

But what about the other 1%?

Among all her students, there is just one who found it more interesting to fall asleep in class.

At first, Shizuka thought Desmon was doing it as revenge for leaving him without lunch money. However, as the minutes passed, she dismissed that idea. Desmon wouldn't stoop to something as childish as that kind of payback. He simply… fell asleep.

-That guy…

Shizuka stopped writing on the chalkboard and turned around. Locking onto her target, she didn't hesitate to fling the chalk toward Desmon, who was comfortably in Morpheus's arms.

The chalk soared with perfect accuracy—after all, Shizuka didn't hold back in the slightest.

Unfortunately for her, Shizuka had forgotten the words Desmon had once told her.

"Unless I want it to, you won't be able to hit me."

Just as the chalk was about to collide with him, Desmon raised his hand and intercepted the projectile between his fingers.

The young demon hunter didn't even bother to open his eyes; in fact, he remained fast asleep, as if his body had reacted purely on instinct.

But as the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense.

Before the chalk could lose its kinetic energy, Desmon spun it between his fingers and sent it flying back at Shizuka. The entire exchange happened in less than two seconds.

And like a cruel act of betrayal, the chalk she had launched to wake Desmon ended up smacking her square in the forehead.

"Kya!"

-…Kya?

All the students who witnessed the exchange had the same thought: it was shocking to see their usually composed teacher make such an adorable sound.

Meanwhile, Shizuka felt a momentary sting on her forehead but quickly regained her composure. She turned back to the chalkboard and continued her lesson as if nothing had happened.

"As I was saying, turn to page…"

She couldn't bring herself to make eye contact with her students after such a humiliating moment. Her face was as red as a tomato.

-Desmon… I swear you'll regret this. I won't forgive you!

Shizuka cursed Desmon in her mind, knowing that punishing him in the traditional way would be pointless.

Kicking him out of the classroom would only grant him freedom to wander the school grounds, likely causing more mischief.

Thus, she decided that pretending her most troublesome student didn't exist was the best course of action.

And so, Shizuka resumed her class as if the guy who was sleeping soundly didn't exist.

…

"Don't forget to complete the questionnaire in your books. That's all."

As the lunch bell rang, Shizuka wrapped up her lesson.

-Now, it's time for a little… chat with him. She began mentally preparing the scolding she would deliver.

Shizuka was ready to drag Desmon to the faculty office for a long, stern lecture. But when she approached Desmon's desk, she found it nearly empty, save for a single piece of paper.

"Huh?" She picked up the paper, realizing it was written in English.

"Told you, you couldn't hit me, lol. Also, you know I don't understand any Japanese writing, so I had nothing better to do than take a little nap. By the way, you're so stingy—that's why you don't have a boyfriend. xD."

"That little brat!" She shredded the paper in a fit of rage.

-Think you can get away from me, huh? Idiot! We live together! She fumed, clenching her fists.

It seemed someone would be going without dinner—and dessert—for several days.

"Is something wrong, Hiratsuka-sensei?"

"Don't worry about it, Yukinoshita. I'm just… planning the execution of a fool." She cracked her knuckles.

Shizuka casually responded to Yukinoshita's words, who already had her bento in hand.

"Now that I think about it, when did Desmon-kun leave the classroom?"

Yukinoshita's desk was next to Desmon's, so it was strange that she hadn't noticed his departure. The only quick exit was through the window, but since they were on the second floor, that seemed implausible, rigth?

"Huh…?" The question caught Shizuka off guard, leaving her unsure how to respond. "Are you going to have lunch with Yuigahama? You shouldn't keep her waiting." With no better option, she changed the subject.

Desmon's presence in Chiba was to deal with suspected demons targeting Sobu High, but such a story would be hard to believe, especially for someone as pragmatic as Yukinoshita.

"Desmon is a demon who hunts other demons, and I hired him to get rid of demons who tried to kill me. Oh, and my car got crushed by a giant dog, hahaha!"

Saying those words would definitely make Shizuka seem like a woman with a screw loose, so she'd rather avoid anyone finding out. After all, Desmon would be gone as soon as he finished his work.

"You're right, it would be rude to keep Yuigahama-san waiting."

Paying little attention to Desmon, Yukinoshita dismissed the thought and left the classroom to meet her friend.

Shizuka let out a relieved sigh, spared from having to explain anything that might make her look foolish.

-There's no point in stressing out anymore today. Desmon will come back to me, whether he likes it or not.

With nothing else to do, and still unable to find the guy she needed to scold, Shizuka also left the classroom to head to the cafeteria for lunch.

What is a coincidence?

It can be defined as a situation where two or more events happen at the same time, appearing to be connected in some way.

And that's exactly what's about to happen.

-I wonder what's on the menu today…

Shizuka was thinking about her lunch as she turned a corner, while a white-haired guy aimlessly wandered the hallway, also rounding a corner.

-How can I get some money…

Caught in their thoughts, the two had a minor collision.

"Sorry."

"No problem."

Neither paid much attention to the incident as they continued on their respective paths…

Until Desmon only managed three more steps before a shadow loomed over him.

-Why do I feel like death is breathing down my neck…

Before he could turn around, Desmon felt something gripping his shoulder firmly.

"Enjoying your little stroll, D-E-S-M-O-N?"

Shizuka, quick to recognize him, turned sharply, closing the gap between herself and the demon hunter in the blink of an eye.

"Well… you know… walking helps me focus better in class…"

"Oh, I see. It's nice to know you're making such an effort to concentrate and learn more."

"I'm a dedicated student…" Desmon didn't even glance at his teacher, knowing full well that looking back would only make things worse.

"You know, I found a very interesting note on your desk."

Desmon swallowed hard.

"Maybe someone left it there…"

"And, interestingly enough, it was written in english."

"Coincidences of life?"

"Are those your final words?" Shizuka clenched her free hand into a fist.

"My final words are…" Desmon took a deep breath. "Your underwear ... is very erotic."

Shizuka's expression softened into a calm and friendly smile upon hearing that.

"DIE!"

With a confident smirk, Desmon seized the chance, crouching low and slipping out of her grasp before rolling across the floor as if Shizuka were the Ashen Lord himself.

"This will forever be remembered as the day you almost caught your trusty, friendly demon hunter, Desmon! See you around!"

Now free and at a safe distance, Desmon turned and bolted down the hallway.

"Get back here, you little brat! I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget!"

Wasting no time, Shizuka sprinted after him, her humiliation in the classroom giving her all the motivation she needed to push herself to the limit.

Students walking the halls stood stunned as they watched a teacher chasing a student as if her life depended on it.

Despite appearances, Shizuka was quite athletic and wasn't far behind Desmon, maneuvering skillfully as she turned corners.

It was an amusing sight, but the chase wouldn't last much longer—the hallway ended in a solid wall.

"This is it! Give it up already!"

"I refuse!"

For the average student, being trapped by a wall would've marked the end, but for Desmon, it was just another route of escape.

Without breaking stride, Desmon leaped at the wall, using it as leverage to flip through the air and land behind Shizuka.

-Tch, I forgot this guy isn't normal…

"Catch you later, Shizuka!"

With a playful wink, Desmon taunted her before dashing off, vanishing from sight in an instant.

"Now I feel like an idiot…" Shizuka sighed in frustration.

A part of her had always known catching Desmon was impossible, but for a fleeting moment, it had seemed within reach.

"I'll deal with him tonight…"

Regaining her composure, Shizuka decided to put Desmon out of her mind and headed for the cafeteria. After that wild chase, her appetite had certainly been stirred.

...

"If I had let her scold me, would Shizuka have given me some money?"

It wasn't out of necessity—Desmon just wanted something sweet. But without money, that wasn't easy to achieve.

Of course, he could easily break a vending machine and take the snacks, but even as a demon, he still had principles.

"Yahallo, Desmon-san! What're you up to?"

"Oh, Yuni! It's been weeks since I last saw you—you've grown!"

"At least you're getting closer…" As long as they didn't completely distort her name, Yuigahama would let it slide. "We just saw each other less than two days ago. I doubt I've grown that much since then." She said with a lighthearted tone.

"Is that so?"

Desmon's gaze briefly drifted to a specific part of Yuigahama's uniform.

"Why do I feel like you're mocking me?"

"I have no idea."

"You're weird."

"I know."

With that brief exchange, the atmosphere fell silent.

"So… are you planning to buy something?"

Since Desmon was standing beside the vending machine, it was the first thing that came to Yuigahama's mind.

"I'm broke, thanks to Shizuka's stinginess."

"You must've done something for Hiratsuka-sensei to refuse to give you money."

"No clue what it could've been..." Desmon thought for a moment but came up empty-handed.

"It's rare for Hiratsuka-sensei to punish you for no reason.''

To others, the relationship between Desmon and Shizuka was akin to that of an aunt and her mischievous nephew, so their familiarity wasn't unusual.

"Shizuka's weird. Anyway, changing the subject, do you think you could lend me some cash? I'll pay you back later."

Desmon's only consistent talent was borrowing money he'd never repay.

"No!" Yuigahama firmly crossed her fingers.

"Why not?"

Knowing Yuigahama's personality, Desmon had expected the sweet girl to lend him money—probably forgetting the debt later herself.

"Hiratsuka-sensei specifically told me not to lend you money... She only told me, though, not Yukinon or Hikki…"

Always cautious, Shizuka had warned Yuigahama against lending money to the guy notorious for piling up debts. As for the other two, there was no chance they'd part with their cash, no matter how much Desmon begged.

"Tch." Desmon muttered a curse toward Shizuka under his breath. His last hope of borrowing from Yuigahama seemed dashed—unless he could think of another option.

"Zuni, do you know what I do for work?"

"Hmm, you've never said exactly what you do." She didn't even bother correcting the random name he used this time.

Desmon had mentioned at the Service Club that he had odd jobs keeping him busy now and then, but he'd never clarified what those jobs entailed.

"I take all kinds of requests. For example: hitting someone for you, helping with cleaning, hitting someone for you, finding lost pets, hitting someone for you, doing shopping, and hitting someone for you."

"Why did you keep repeating 'hitting someone for me'!?"

"It's a good way to solve problems with other people." Desmon gave her a thumbs-up.

"That's a crime!"

"It's only illegal if there are witnesses."

"Oh, I hadn't thought...wait! No, it's still a crime! Don't try to fool me!"

"Alright, alright. Putting that aside, don't you need help with something? Since you'd be my first customer of the day, I'll give you a discount. I usually charge a lot, you know."

"I only have 500 yen…" She pulled out the coin.

"That's plenty. Besides, I charge upfront." In the blink of an eye, Desmon snatched the coin from Yuigahama's hand. "So, what do you need me to do?"

Without wasting a moment, Desmon began buying snacks from the vending machine.

"Hmm…" Since the deal was already sealed, Yuigahama thought about what task she could assign Desmon, though it felt like she'd just been scammed. "I'm in charge of cleaning my classroom today, but my partner is absent. Could you help me after school?"

"Are you sure you d-don't want me to b-beat someone u-up instead?" He replied between bites of chocolate buns.

"No! Why would I ask you to beat someone up!?"

"So… you're really only asking for this? You could just tell me to handle all the cleaning oin ypur place."

Desmon had expected Yuigahama to be more selfish with her request.

"It wouldn't be fair to leave it all to one person! Besides, cleaning's much more fun when you do it together!" She flashed a beautiful and innocent smile as she spoke.

For a moment, the young demon hunter froze, the smile stirring a distant memory of someone else.

"Doing things together is much more fun, isn't it?"

A faint echo of a memory from years ago lingered in his mind.

"Desmon-san? Are you still here?"

Yuigahama's voice snapped him back to reality, though he seemed lost in thought.

"I got distracted for a second, but I'm back now." He shook his head to clear his thoughts—he had no right to dwell on such memories.

Yuigahama gave him a curious look but decided not to overthink it when he returned to his usual self.

"So, what do you say? Does it sound good?" She asked eagerly.

"That sounds good to me, I'll be at your classroom once classes are over."

"That's great! I thought you'd say no." True to her personality, she began bouncing around happily.

"I always keep my word." He replied, taking another bite of the cream-filled bun he had bought.

"I'm glad to hear that!" She nodded cheerfully.

Desmon had been lucky, managing to get enough money to buy several sweets and secure a job.. All that was left was to enjoy the rest of the treats in a better spot.

"I don't have anything else to do here, so I'm heading to the rooftop to eat. See you later, Yumi."

"See you later, Desmon-san… and it's Yui, Yui!"

Desmon ignored her completely and continued on his way.

Once Yuigahama was left alone, something popped into her head. -What was I doing…?

Unable to remember why she had come here in the first place, Yuigahama decided to head back to the Service Club while humming a cheerful tune.

Back at the club, she was greeted by Yukinoshita, who had been waiting for her. The two had been having lunch together just a short while ago.

"Yuigahama-san, what happened to the sweets you were going to buy?"

"The sweets…" Her mind went blank at the question.

-That's right, I went to buy some sweets… Her expression grew uneasy.

Originally, Yuigahama had gone to the vending machines to get some snacks, but Desmon had distracted her, and she'd ended up spending the money elsewhere.

"Yes, the sweets you went to buy with the money I gave you."

"Ah, those sweets…"

"Yes, what happened to them?"

"Did they get lost?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Well, Yukinon… Sorry, I spent the money on something else." She clasped her hands together and bowed.

Yukinoshita raised an eyebrow and sighed at her friend's words. It wasn't like Yuigahama to make such a blunder.

"It's fine, as long as you didn't waste the money."

"Don't worry, I didn't use it to pay someone to beat someone up!" She said proudly.

"Yuigahama-san, I fail to understand what exactly you're trying to say." Yukinoshita pressed a hand to her temple. "Why would you even consider paying someone to beat someone up?"

"No, no!" She waved her arms frantically. "What I mean is, the money wasn't used for a crime. Even if there are no witnesses, it's still a crime, right?" She tilted her head, her words making no sense compared to her tone.

"Yuigahama-san, please sit down. I think the two of us have a lot to talk about."

And so, for the rest of the lunch hour, Yuigahama was scolded for casually joking about committing crimes.