If we reach 100 power stones, there will be extra chapters.
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On the academy rooftop...
The wind blew softly, making the white clouds drift lazily across the blue sky.
The place was spacious, with a clear view of the campus and the trees surrounding it. Farther away, one could see Kuoh Town.
A few students were there, quietly having lunch or just resting under the sun.
There weren't any big groups or loud conversations.
The rooftop was, after all, a refuge for those who wanted a bit of peace.
Yuu pushed open the metal door, letting it close behind him with a clang.
"Ah… the air up here feels nice."
He raised his arms and took a deep breath with a smile.
Beside him, Yue looked around and then at the horizon. Her long golden hair swayed with the breeze.
"Mm… this place is quieter."
"Of course. The ones who can't stand the noise in the cafeteria come here."
Yue held a lunch tray in her hands. They'd been in the cafeteria just a while ago, where it was too noisy. After getting lunch, he came up here with her to find some peace.
'She should be around here.'
While they talked, Yuu turned his head.
Sitting on a bench, quietly eating a small bento, was a girl with white hair and an apathetic expression.
Her golden eyes met his for an instant before she went back to her meal.
"Oh! If it isn't my friend, the silent cat."
Yuu waved energetically, his loud voice making the students who came here for peace glare at him.
He knew he was ruining the mood, but he didn't care.
Koneko flinched. Even the tiny hairs on her neck stood up.
"…Izumi-senpai."
She looked at him suspiciously. Her voice was flat, and it was hard to tell if she was greeting him or trying to exorcise him.
But then she gave a small nod and greeted him back, though hers was much more restrained.
"You came…"
Yuu walked toward her with a wide grin.
"Didn't I tell you I'd see you again? Well, I did… though, now that I think about it, that was a few worlds ago."
The first time Yuu had come here, he'd found a white-haired cat girl sitting quietly and eating. Though he'd said he'd come see her the next day, he never did.
He'd been too busy showing Yue around the academy, hallways, classrooms, and explaining how everything worked.
And now, when he returned to the rooftop, he found Koneko again, sitting on the same bench.
Koneko blinked. She didn't understand half of what he said, but she nodded politely anyway.
"…"
Then, her golden eyes met Yue's crimson ones.
That was the moment when the air between them turned strange. Two petite girls, both expressionless in their own way, quiet, calm presences. They stared at each other in complete silence.
To Yuu, they looked like two cats evaluating some other creature of a different species. If this world were a novel, this would probably be the fateful encounter between two rival heroines.
Seeing them like that, Yuu snapped his fingers and decided to take the initiative.
"Oh, right! Yue, this is Koneko. Koneko, this is Yue. You're both cute, mysterious, and don't talk much, so you'll probably get along."
Both of them nodded at each other.
"…Nice to meet you." Koneko greeted in a calm, cold tone.
"Mm…"
Yuu could tell Yue was curious about this cute, white-haired girl who was as expressionless as she was. There was a kind of connection sought by people who didn't show emotions easily.
"Are you new?" Koneko asked Yue after a moment.
"Mm… I'm in Yuu's class."
Koneko blinked once, then looked at Yuu curiously.
"Huh?"
Yuu noticed the bench only had space for two people.
"Koneko, wanna see another magic trick?"
"More magic?"
Her tone was flat, but Yuu could see the faint expectation in her eyes. She probably thought he was going to give her another lunch box.
Apparently, that's what magicians did in her mind. That was Yuu's fault.
Yuu smiled. He made a few dramatic movements and raised his arms ostentatiously to the sky. From above, the sound of angels singing echoed, and a white light shone down on him. An object surrounded by that light descended slowly and rested in his palm.
If one looked closely, it somewhat resembled a magic wand.
"Watch closely."
The moment he pointed the wand toward his target, a soft blue light began to shine at its tip. That same light started spreading from the ground, swirling around the wood.
In seconds, the bench beneath Koneko's butt smoothly stretched, extending to make space for one more person.
Koneko's eyes widened.
"…It got longer."
Yuu twirled the wand between his fingers and made it vanish with —poof.
"Of course. Now there's space for everyone. Courtesy magic, courtesy of Izumi Yuu, the multitasking magician."
"Izumi-senpai… you just made a bench grow."
Koneko, who'd already started rearranging her lunch, let out a small "hm" and slid to the side, making room.
Yuu sat down next to her.
Then Yue, without saying a word, moved over and sat on his lap.
"…"
Yuu stayed silent for a few seconds.
"Hey, Yue. You just made my magic trick pointless."
Yue wiggled slightly on his lap, finding the best position. Then she nodded, and with a small satisfied smile, leaned back against his chest. Tilting her head up, she looked at the sky.
"But I like this… Yuu doesn't?"
"Hm? Of course I don't mind. As long as you're comfortable."
Koneko stared at him while chewing on a dried fish. Truly a curious cat.
Her golden eyes went from Yuu to Yue, then back to Yuu. Maybe she was wondering why anyone would let someone sit on their lap in public. Or maybe she was just mentally labeling Yuu as a perverted senpai she should keep her distance from.
"Want some food?" Yuu asked suddenly.
Koneko stopped chewing and stared at him for a moment.
"…Food." she repeated, and nodded.
He extended his hand toward her, palm facing up. A faint glow appeared, then solidified. A lunch box appeared in his hand.
The fragrant smell spread quickly with the wind. Yuu could feel the scattered students on the rooftop swallowing hard and glancing at the food in his hand. Some even stopped pretending not to watch.
'Ah… sorry, I only treat cute girls.'
Koneko glanced warily at the other students, like a cat guarding its territory. Then she grabbed the lunch box with both hands, holding it close to her chest. She was about to open it right away, but paused.
"…Thanks."
After a quiet thank you, she opened the box.
Inside was perfectly cooked rice, some grilled salmon, tamagoyaki, stir-fried veggies, and more dried fish. For some reason, Yuu had ended up making a fish-filled lunch when he thought of Koneko.
Maybe because his subconscious had already categorized her as a kitten?
"…!"
Koneko's eyes lit up. Well, not lit up exactly, her face was still the same expressionless mask, but for a brief second, her eyes definitely sparkled. If he hadn't been watching closely, he would've missed it.
"Mm… smells good."
She picked up the chopsticks and brought a piece of salmon to her mouth.
She chewed quietly, then nodded to herself. She didn't realize it, but her stiff expression had softened, and her cheeks had taken on a lovely pink hue.
On Yuu's lap, Yue watched Koneko with interest. Her head still rested against his chest, but she'd turned slightly to get a better look.
"Yuu… do you always give food to girls?"
Her voice somehow sounded accusing.
"Huh? That's not true."
"Mm… you gave food to Jasmine and Jin-ah. You also fed me your blood when we met… Rias, Sona, Akeno, and Tsubaki… that morning you made extra food like you knew they'd come, and you fed them too…"
"…"
That was probably the longest sentence Yue had ever said. All to expose Yuu, who, in her eyes, seemed to win girls over through their stomachs.
Yuu thought about it for a moment.
"Ah, well… I guess you're right."
Maybe because he couldn't express genuine emotions, at some point in his life he'd started showing care through food.
"Hmph."
Yue puffed her cheeks and bumped her head against his chest.
Meanwhile, Yuu gently stroked her hair while looking at Koneko, who kept eating quietly. She either wasn't listening or just didn't care enough to react.
"But… I only like feeding people who look cute when they eat."
"So… Yuu thinks I'm cute?"
"Of course."
Yue blinked. Then a small smile appeared on her lips.
"Mm…"
She was satisfied with that answer and settled comfortably on his lap again.
Koneko stopped chewing for a second. She looked at them blankly, swallowed, and said.
"Izumi-senpai…"
"Yeah?"
"Where do you get the food from?"
Ah. That question.
"Magic."
"…Magic."
"Yeah. I already told you, didn't I? I'm a magician."
Koneko stared at him. Then at the lunch box in her hands. Then back at him.
"Normal magicians don't make food appear out of nowhere. Or make angels sing…"
"Have you met many magicians?"
"…No."
"Then you haven't met a good one. 'Cause good magicians perform miracles. They make the impossible possible."
She went back to eating, though he could see her frown slightly.
In her head, she was probably wondering if he was an idiot, a liar, or something worse.
The correct answer was probably "a bit of everything."
But that didn't matter. As long as he kept bringing food, Koneko would probably keep tolerating his presence. That was the kind of relationship they had.
"Oh, right, Koneko. I'd like you to take me to Rias after class."
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