Chapter 154: Gabriel's Misfortune
"Poke, poke, poke—"
The lazy angel trailed right behind Kouya, poking his back with a single-minded persistence that could drive a saint mad. Her voice rang in his ear, half whining and half commanding, "Come on, hurry up! The faster we buy it, the sooner we can go home!"
Kouya's eye twitched as he turned his head slightly. "Can't you just go by yourself?"
"No!" Gabriel puffed out her chest proudly, golden hair bouncing. "You have to take responsibility for me!"
It was just one kiss! And she was the one who barged into his room that night! What kind of twisted logic was that?!
Kouya could only sigh, shoulders slumping in surrender. The lazy angel's demands were endless, and her sense of shame seemed to have evaporated long ago. Together, the odd pair made their way toward the train station, the afternoon sunlight stretching their shadows along the pavement.
When they arrived, Kouya paused by a vending machine, fishing through his pocket for coins. He felt the dryness in his throat and decided a drink wouldn't hurt.
He inserted a few coins, pressed the button, and grabbed a cold can that clunked into the dispenser.
"I want one too," Gabriel said immediately, tilting her head like it was obvious.
He gave her a blank look. 'If you want one, buy it yourself! Why tell me?'
She simply grinned, eyes sparkling mischievously. "Hey." Gabriel extended her delicate hand with practiced casualness, whistling as if she'd done this a thousand times. "Lend me two coins."
Kouya stared at her in disbelief. That tone—she sounded like some delinquent collecting protection money!
'Where's your angelic dignity?!' he wanted to shout. 'You've fallen from a gaming addict to a schoolyard thug!'
"No," he said flatly.
"Tch, stingy." Gabriel puffed her cheeks and turned away dramatically.
'Before you call me stingy, maybe return all the snacks you borrowed!' Kouya groaned inwardly.
"W-Well..." Gabriel blushed faintly, clearly embarrassed yet still arguing. "A girl and her snacks can't be called a loan! It's their honor to be eaten by me!"
'Who would ever want that honor?!' he screamed internally.
Gabriel crossed her arms, pouting again. "I don't have any change right now, okay? I'll pay you back when we get home." She pointed at one of the drinks inside the vending machine. "Besides, I've never tried that one before. I really wanna know what it tastes like."
Kouya eyed her suspiciously. "You sure about that?"
She nodded confidently. "Hmph, hurry up already!"
...
The train was crowded when they boarded, filled with the buzz of chatter and the rhythmic clatter of metal on tracks. Every seat was occupied, so the two had to stand near the middle carriage.
Gabriel, being shorter, struggled to reach the overhead rail. After a moment of awkward stretching, she gave up and instead latched onto Kouya's arm.
"Why are you so close?! Move over!" she said, her face reddening as she turned away. "You smell scary!"
Oh, sorry, my terrifying human scent offends your angelic nose, Kouya thought bitterly. 'Then how about you let go?'
But she didn't. Instead, she clung tighter, her fingers curling slightly into his sleeve, as if pretending she wasn't relying on him.
"By the way," Gabriel muttered, cheeks puffed again, "don't tell Vigne we went to buy games today, or you're dead!"
Because of her height, she didn't notice the tall girl a few feet away—long black hair, serious eyes, and a familiar face.
"Huh? Isn't that... Gabriel and Kouya?" Class rep Machiko blinked, startled.
Wait a second, she thought, tilting her head. 'Don't they live in the opposite direction?' Her curiosity quickly turned to suspicion.
And the way they were standing—so close, so natural—it almost looked like... a date.
Her eyes widened. 'No way! Didn't Kouya go to the movies with Vigne just last week? And now he's here with Gabriel?'
Then, right on cue, Gabriel's voice carried over the crowd: "Don't tell Vigne!"
Machiko froze like she'd been struck by lightning.
'W-Wait! Are they... dating in secret? Is Gabriel... the third wheel?!'
Her mind spun in chaos. 'Should I tell Vigne? Or would that just hurt her?'
She clutched her chest, taking a shaky breath. "M-Maybe I'm overreacting... maybe it's not what it looks like..."
...
"Ugh, I feel awful! I'm gonna need to go to the hospital! You jerk, you totally did that on purpose!" Gabriel complained, pressing her hand against her stomach, face twisted in disgust. "What were those drink makers thinking?! That thing was poison! I wanna punch them in the face!"
Kouya rolled his eyes. 'If it's that bad, stop drinking it!'
The poor drink makers probably didn't deserve her wrath. But to be fair, Black Pine Sarsaparilla really was a nightmare in a can.
He had seen it online once, out of curiosity, and thought it might be fun to try. Big mistake. The color looked cola-like, but the taste—mint mixed with cough medicine—was unforgettable in the worst way.
As the train rattled along, another car passed by in the opposite direction, drowning out the next part of Gabriel's rant.
Machiko, who had been eavesdropping without shame, caught only fragments. And those fragments were enough to send her mind spiraling into pure panic.
'She's holding her stomach... she said she feels sick... she said hospital...'
Machiko's face drained of color. 'C-Could she be... pregnant?!'
Her hand flew to her mouth. 'So they weren't on a date—they're going to the hospital for a pregnancy check?!'
Her thoughts tangled, imagination running wild. 'Oh no! Gabriel's still a first-year! She's so young! How much pressure must she be under? The school might even expel her!'
Machiko's eyes shimmered with emotion—pity, outrage, disbelief—all at once.
"No, wait, maybe I'm misunderstanding," she whispered. "They don't seem like that kind of people... right?"
But then came Gabriel's next line—loud, clear, and perfectly misleading.
"You tricked me! You have to take responsibility!"
Machiko froze in horror.
That was it. All doubts evaporated. Her fists clenched at her sides.
'It's true... Gabriel's suffering... she's scared, and Kouya isn't doing anything!'
Her sense of justice flared. 'I can't let this go! As class rep, it's my duty to protect her!'
She took one determined step forward—
—and the train screeched to a halt.
Kouya and Gabriel stepped off.
Machiko hesitated for a heartbeat, then gritted her teeth and followed, switching into full stealth mode.
...
After a few turns down side streets, they arrived at a large store bathed in neon light. Men of all ages were entering and leaving, arms full of bags and merchandise.
Gabriel's face flushed bright red. She glanced at Kouya, mumbling, "H-Here it is... Let's buy it quickly and go home..."
Kouya smirked. 'Oh, now you're embarrassed? You weren't shy when you said you wanted to buy an eroge earlier!'
The shop looked respectable from outside—bright, clean, and organized. But once inside, the walls were lined with shelves full of beautifully packaged games, limited-edition figurines, CDs, posters, and even full cosplay outfits.
It was the ultimate haven for any otaku, and even Kouya had to admit the atmosphere was impressive.
Behind the glass displays stood two life-sized figures: on the left, the ethereal beauty Lalmina—her serene expression radiating nobility; on the right, the armored knight Artoria, hand gripping the Sword of Victory and Oath, brows furrowed as if ready to battle evil itself.
If her skirt were a little lower, the illusion of dignity might've survived.
Gabriel tugged at Kouya's sleeve timidly, her fingers barely brushing the fabric.