The fires of Hell hadn't gone out. Not that they ever did.
Kikidori cracked one red eye open, groaned like a chainsaw chewing gravel, and rolled out of bed like gravity had a personal vendetta against him. He stretched with a loud pop of demonic joints and dragged himself out of the castle. No words. No ceremony. Just pure, undistilled "fuck this day already" energy.
Demons howled in the distance. One flew overhead with his torso missing. Another was being dragged by his horns into a pit by what looked like his mother. Standard Tuesday in Hell.
Kikidori walked through the madness barefoot like it was just a stroll through a mildly cursed park.
---
In Heaven, it was nothing like that.
Golden light slipped through stained-glass clouds and danced across Haruna's soft sheets. Her eyes fluttered open as she felt the divine silk hugging her skin like warmth from a memory. She blinked, smiled faintly, and stretched like a cat that had never known a moment of war.
"Okay," she whispered to herself. "Let's pretend today's normal."
She got dressed—white robes lined with the faintest shimmer of ethereal light. She strapped her belt around her waist, summoned her angel blade, and stepped outside into the divine streets.
Other angels were already up. Singing, laughing, and basking in the celestial morning.
It was perfect.
Which meant something *had* to go wrong.
---
Earth. That sad little marble in space. The one where people lied, killed, kissed, cried, drank, prayed, sinned, and didn't know what the fuck they were doing ninety-nine percent of the time.
Kikidori landed on the rooftop of a building—yep, the same one. He liked consistency. Especially when it involved watching mortals scurry like ants with phones, taxes, and unresolved childhood trauma.
"Let's see how many accidents I can cause by existing," he muttered, lighting a cigarette with his pinky. "Maybe kill a couple people. Scare some pastors."
But before he could enjoy the view, a flash of gold caught his attention.
Haruna landed beside him. Graceful. Unbothered. Radiant as always.
"Oh for fuck's sake," Kikidori groaned. "Do you just stalk me now?"
"I was *already* coming to Earth," she said, folding her arms. "Not everything revolves around your edgy ass."
"Bullshit."
"Go suck a spine, flamehead."
Before the tension could hit nuclear levels, *they* arrived.
A flock of tiny, floating cherub-faced *cupids* zoomed over the city like horny bees with attitude.
"Oh no," Kikidori muttered. "Not the fucking cherub gremlins."
They spotted the duo. One demon, one angel. But thanks to Haruna's toned-down outfit and Kikidori's glamored hoodie, the cupids—being the absolute dumbasses they were—assumed *humans*.
One shouted, "TRUE LOOOVE!" and they all fired.
**Thunk.**
**Thunk.**
"OW! FUCK!" Kikidori shouted, yanking the arrow out of his shoulder. "What the *actual* hell?!"
Haruna looked down at her own shoulder, blinking. "Oh no."
"Oh no?" Kikidori snapped. "OH NO?! WHY DO THESE FLOATING DIAPER MODELS WANT ME TO BANG A FUCKING SKY VIRGIN?!"
"I'M NOT A—" Haruna started, then turned red. "DON'T YELL THAT IN PUBLIC!"
"You think I give a fuck about public?! I just got shot with Cupid's glorified hypodermic kink needle!"
A nearby Cupid giggled, trying to float away.
Kikidori, seething, reached out, grabbed the pudgy bastard by the wing, spun him around, and without hesitation—**shoved the arrow up its tiny, golden ass**.
"HOW'S THAT FOR LOVE, YOU MAGIC BLOW-UP DOLL?!"
The Cupid screamed like a popped balloon and zipped off, zigzagging through the sky.
And then… the arrow's magic kicked in.
Kikidori felt it first.
A pull. An emotional tripwire being yanked in his chest. Like something was crawling into his ribs and tickling a heart that absolutely did not give permission.
Haruna felt it second.
Her cheeks burned, and she looked away. "Oh no."
"No," Kikidori growled. "No, no, no. We are *not* doing this."
"Why do I feel warm?" Haruna asked, face reddening.
"Because Cupid's sparkledick army just cast a *forced romance spell*!" Kikidori hissed. "This isn't affection. This is magical date-rape!"
They both stood in silence, fuming, flustered, and *absolutely not* looking at each other.
"…I'm gonna kill every last one of those heart-shaped bastards," Kikidori muttered.
"I'll help," Haruna said through clenched teeth.
They stared at the clouds above, plotting murder.
"Just… don't fall in love with me," she said softly.
"Bitch, *you* better not fall in love with *me*."
They didn't look at each other. But they didn't leave either.
Which… was weird.
And troubling.
And probably the worst part of all.
The end of Chapter 21.