They sat side by side on the edge of the rooftop, the city sprawling beneath them in a sea of lights. Nabi's butterfly wings had already regenerated, glowing faintly as the moonlight poured over them. Hayato's feathers caught the same silver glow, and for a moment, the two of them looked almost alien.
"So, uh…" Hayato cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're part of the Watch, right? I… thought about joining once, but it seemed, uh… pretty tough, y'know? What's it actually like?"
Nabi turned her head toward him, her ice-blue eyes catching the moonlight. "It isn't so bad. Hunting demons and evil spirits can be tiring. It's a full-time job tracking them across cities but most of the time, they're easy enough to handle."
Hayato tried to nod coolly, but his voice cracked just a bit. "R-right. Easy enough… and yet you still thought I was one?"
Her eyes widened, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. "T-that was different! You were acting suspicious!"
Hayato's lips twitched, half nervous, half teasing. "Suspicious? Nabi, I was eating fried chicken. That's… not really high on the demon to-do list."
Nabi puffed out her cheeks and turned away, her embarrassment obvious. "You deceived an innocent boy into handing over his food. Demons deceive too. The comparison was… logical."
"Logical, huh?" Hayato chuckled weakly, trying not to stare at how the moonlight made her hair glow like silk. "Guess I should be flattered. Means I had you fooled."
"You shouldn't be proud of that," she muttered, crossing her arms.
Hayato hesitated, then forced out another joke, hoping his voice didn't shake. "If I was a demon, I'd have possessed the chicken instead. More efficient."
Nabi's wings fluttered, and she tried to keep a straight face but the corner of her lips betrayed her with the tiniest smile. "You're insufferable."
Hayato swallowed, cheeks heating. "A-and you're blushing."
"I am not!"
"You… kinda are. It's, um… it's actually pretty cute." The words slipped out before he could stop them, his voice cracking slightly at the end.
Nabi snapped her gaze forward, flustered, wings twitching like they were about to take flight. "Unbelievable…" she murmured.
Hayato hunched his shoulders, a hand covering his mouth as if to push the words back in, but despite his nerves, he couldn't stop the grin spreading across his face. For once, the rooftop felt warmer than the night air.
Nabi finally regained her composure, her blush cooling into something more poised. She turned toward him, eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity.
"You look… young. How old are you?"
He blinked. "Me? Uh, nineteen. Became an angel just under a year ago—when I was eighteen."
Her lips parted in surprise. "Really? I'm the same… though for me, it's only been a few months."
Hayato smirked, confidence flickering back into his voice. "So that means you're younger than me. Guess that makes me your senpai, huh?"
Nabi huffed, her fair cheeks threatening to pink again. She gave him a light shove on the shoulder. "If it wasn't for that cheap surprise attack, your 'senpai' would have been flattened by his junior."
Hayato chuckled, holding up his hands in mock defense. "That's hardly a fair comparison. You're in the Watch. I've had to figure everything out on the fly. Literally."
Nabi raised an eyebrow, her tone sharpening with playful sarcasm. "Oh, is that why you were stealing food from schoolboys? Training exercises?"
Hayato winced. "H-hey, that was a one-time thing! Honest. I just… don't exactly have any currency." He looked away, rubbing his arm sheepishly. "Haven't exactly been the best angel."
Nabi tilted her head, her teasing expression fading into something more serious. "Wait. You don't mean… you're not taking on missions?"
Hayato hesitated, then shook his head. "Barely. Almost none, if I'm being honest." His voice dipped, quieter than before. "It's… complicated."
Nabi caught the flicker of pain in his expression and let out a soft sigh. "Fair enough. I won't pry… for now." She turned her gaze back to the moonlight, then back at him. "But, will you help me?"
Hayato blinked. "Help you with what?"
Her voice dropped, her face hardening. "The reason I was following you earlier… it's because you said you were a witch hunter."
Hayato chuckled awkwardly. "Y-yeah, that was a joke. Pretty funny, right?"
But her expression didn't change. Her icy blue eyes didn't waver.
"Wait… you're not serious." He gulped. "Please tell me you're not serious."
"I am."
Hayato's heart skipped. "You're hunting… a Witch?"
Nabi nodded. "Anybody who makes a pact with demons—witches, wizards, whoever—they fall under Watcher jurisdiction."
Hayato's palms began to sweat. His wings twitched nervously as he scratched the back of his head. "…Right. A totally normal thing. Hunting witches. Casual Monday."
He forced a smile before blurting, "S-so… how much currency are we talking here?"
"One hundred Mezu."
Hayato froze. His brain scrambled to do the math. That's ten thousand dollars… which is like 1.5 million yen. He swallowed, the number crashing down like a thunderclap.
Nabi waited calmly, watching his reaction.
Hayato's thoughts tumbled. This has to be dangerous… way more than I can handle. But… His eyes flicked toward her, the silver light of her hair catching the breeze, the glow of her wings shimmering like ice and fire all at once. This is the first time I've ever been around a girl like this… and she actually wants me with her.
He licked his lips, trying to find his words. "…Why not take all the money yourself? You don't need me for this."
Nabi shook her head, her tone steady but soft. "I don't need that much. And you…" She gave him a pointed look. "You need it more than me. Considering you're scamming schoolboys for chicken."
Hayato flinched, his pride stung. "Ouch. Low blow." He looked down, then let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "But… you're not wrong."
The sincerity in her words sank deep. Generous. Honest. Kind. Hayato couldn't remember the last time anyone had looked at him like that.
He clenched his fists, forced down the rising fear, and nodded. "…Alright. I'm in."
Hayato extended his hand. Nabi looked at it for a moment, then placed hers in his.
"It's settled," she said, her grip firm, her voice ringing with authority. "It's a covenant."
Their wings glistened in the moonlight as their hands clasped, sealing not just a deal but the beginning of something neither of them could quite name.