The apartment was quiet, save for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the distant murmur of city life filtering through the thin curtains.
The warm afternoon light spilled across the polished floorboards, scattering gold across the modern yet modest living room.
Haruto stood near the entrance, irritation still clinging to his expression. The perfect, fleeting moment he had shared with Mai was shattered like glass.
He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair.
"So much for timing..."
When he turned, Mai was already dressed, her movements having carried a surprising swiftness that betrayed her embarrassment.
She averted her gaze, cheeks faintly pink, while tugging at the hem of her blouse.
Haruto smiled faintly. Winning over Mai would clearly take more than sweet words and a few teasing gestures.
He sighed again and strode toward the door. Whatever had ruined his good mood, he might as well deal with it.
He grasped the doorknob and turned it.The moment the door cracked open, a shaft of blinding gold light washed over him.
"—!!"He squinted, shielding his eyes. And then came a soft, clear voice filled with innocence.
"Um, hello! I'm Gabriel White Tenma. I just moved in next door... I brought you a gift!"
When Haruto's eyes adjusted, he saw her standing there — a girl who could have stepped straight out of a mural.
Golden hair framed her face like sunlit silk, and her wings shimmered faintly beneath the light. In her hands was a delicately arranged fruit basket, tied with silver ribbon.
In an instant, Haruto's annoyance vanished.
"Gabriel," he said with an easy smile.
"It's me—Haruto Amakawa."
Her eyes widened, the realization dawning. "Haruto-senpai? You live here?"
He tilted his head slightly, raising a brow. "Didn't Heaven send you to monitor me? You sound a little too surprised."
Gabriel's wings fluttered nervously.
"Ah, no! You're misunderstanding. I-I found this place on my own. Heaven didn't arrange anything, I promise."
She shook her head for emphasis, golden strands swaying.
"It's really just a coincidence."
Haruto studied her for a moment, the corner of his mouth curving in amusement.
"Is that so?"
It didn't feel like a lie.
Still, his curiosity stirred.
"Tell me, Gabriel... does Heaven actually have the power to observe the human world?"
His tone was light, but there was a sharpness behind it.
He didn't appreciate the idea of being watched.
Gabriel's eyes grew earnest.
"No. We can't do that. Not Heaven, not the Demon Realm, not even the Afterlife. The three-way agreement forbids direct observation or interference in the human world. That's why it takes us so long to notice things like roaming magical beasts."
Her voice softened, a trace of melancholy touching her words.
"If we could respond faster, maybe... fewer people would die without anyone ever knowing the truth."
"I see..."
Haruto murmured, his shoulders easing.
Good.
The last thing he needed was celestial eyes intruding on his private life.
He accepted the fruit basket with a small nod.
"Then I'll take this. Welcome to the neighborhood, Gabriel."
Her smile bloomed — pure, radiant, and so full of warmth it almost felt unfair.
"Thank you, Haruto-senpai! Please take care of me!"
When she finally left, the faint scent of lilies lingered in the air.
Haruto leaned against the doorway, letting out a wry chuckle.
"An angel next door... what are the odds?"
His expression softened. Such a pure, naive Gabriel — what a pity. He knew better than most that her fall wasn't a matter of if, but when.
Heaven only suppressed what lay beneath the surface, never erased it.Still, he couldn't deny it. The fallen version of her would be far more interesting.
"Guess I should enjoy the pure version while it lasts,"
he muttered, grinning to himself.
The wolf had spotted both his prey — angel and demon alike.
Behind him, footsteps padded softly across the floor.
"Who was it?"
Mai's voice came, still shy, her cheeks pink from earlier.
Haruto turned.
"Remember that angel I mentioned?"
Mai blinked, and then realization struck like lightning.
"Wait... you can't mean—"
He nodded, amused.
"Gabriel White Tenma. She just moved in next door."
"An angel... living next door?!"
She looked around as if expecting feathers to fall through the ceiling any moment.
Haruto chuckled, stepping closer.
"Surprising, isn't it?"
But before she could respond, he leaned in — until her back was against the door she'd just watched him open.
"Ah—Haruto-kun, what are you doing?"
Her voice trembled with flustered panic.
Haruto's grin turned mischievous.
"You do realize, Mai... certain things aren't limited to the bedroom. The entrance works too, you know."
Her breath caught. "You're impossible..."
she whispered, face crimson.
He brushed his lips near her neck, his voice low.
"Then why do you keep letting me in, princess?"
"You're... you're such a pervert!"
she stammered.
He laughed, softly but wickedly.
"Maybe. But you fell for this pervert, didn't you?"
As his gaze fell to her lips, Mai instantly covered them with her hand.
"N-No. Not that. My mouth still hurts from last time!"
Haruto froze mid-step, scratching his cheek awkwardly.
"Ah... right. That's... fair."
Before he could find an appropriate distraction, the air shimmered faintly near his wrist — a notification from the dimensional chat group buzzing in his mind.
— [Ding! Stella has sent you a trade request!]
[Trade request]: Convince Principal Kurono Shinguuji to grant her a single room.
[Ding! Please set your trade terms!]
The corners of Haruto's mouth twitched.
"Seriously, now?"
He sighed, resisting the urge to throw his phone.
"There goes the mood again..."
Mai blinked in confusion.
"Another interruption?"
"Yeah,"
Haruto muttered with a faintly bitter smile.
"My life's cursed with bad timing."