3rd Person POV
Kazuki was seen breathing heavily as he leaned against the wall, using one hand to support himself.
Sweat had soaked through parts of his school uniform, causing him to frown as he looked down at himself.
"...This is definitely going to stink."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Now..." he muttered between breaths, "...the girls are going to look at me like I haven't showered in three days."
The thought alone made him sigh.
Still, at least he had finally made it back to the school grounds.
After missing most of the morning, Kazuki had spent the rest of his time desperately trying to make it back before anyone noticed.
Unfortunately...
Riiing!
The lunch bell echoed throughout the school.
"...You're kidding me."
Students immediately began pouring out of their classrooms.
The corridors quickly filled with voices and footsteps, causing Kazuki to stare at the crowd.
Then at himself.
"...Shit."
He could already imagine the rumors.
"Isn't that Sakuragi?"
"Why is he sweating so much?"
"Was he running somewhere?"
"Wait... was he with a girl?"
Kazuki's expression slowly darkened.
"No." He turned around. "I'm not dealing with this again."
He immediately started running toward his classroom. Upon reaching the door, a wave of relief washed over him.
However...
Someone grabbed his shoulder.
An inexplicable shiver suddenly ran through his body.
"Kazuki-kun~!"
That familiar voice reached his ears.
The lavender scent immediately passed through his nose, causing his eyes to widen.
He really didn't want to turn around.
But painfully slowly...
He did.
Standing behind him was Akeno Himejima, her hand still gripping his shoulder.
The grip tightened slightly, making it clear that she had no intention of letting Kazuki escape.
She was smiling.
That beautiful, eyes-closed smile.
Yet somehow...
It was absolutely terrifying.
"Oh my~ Kazu-kun..." Her voice was surprisingly calm. "I didn't see you in class during the morning."
Her violet eyes opened before traveling from his messy hair to his sweat-soaked uniform.
"...Where have you been, may I ask~?"
"What's up, Senpai..." Kazuki swallowed nervously. "Um... Can I have one last sermon before I die?"
"Mhm~" She smiled sweetly. "I'd love to hear that, my cute junior~"
"Yep..." Kazuki sighed. "I'm screwed."
Small Timeskip
Outside, beneath the tree where Kazuki usually spent his lunch break alone, he now found himself sitting with someone else.
A beautiful girl, specifically.
But...
"Urgh..." Kazuki groaned as his feet began to hurt. "This is... worse than death."
He was sitting in seiza on a rough wooden board, with a pile of wooden blocks stacked on top of his thighs.
And to add insult to injury, several girls were looking at him and whispering among themselves.
The whispers weren't what bothered him.
It was the uncomfortable feeling of being watched.
Kazuki wanted nothing more than to dig a hole, crawl inside, and bury himself.
Akeno, meanwhile, sat beside him on the grass, calmly enjoying her lunch as though nothing unusual was happening.
"My~ Kazu-kun." She glanced toward Kazuki. "Are you uncomfortable?"
Kazuki slowly turned his head toward her.
"...What do you think, Senpai?"
"Mhm~" Akeno smiled with her eyes closed. "I think you're learning an important lesson."
"What lesson?"
"That skipping school without telling anyone isn't a good idea."
"I know..." Kazuki sighed. "And I understand."
"Then why are you complaining?"
"My legs," he said, "are dying, and I still have to get my free lunch and drink. What are you, a Devil?"
"My, my~" Akeno giggled. "You're such a dramatic and naughty boy."
"How long will this suffering last?"
"Hmm~" Akeno tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Until the end of lunch."
"That's cruel." Kazuki's eyes widened. "This isn't discipline. This is torture!"
Akeno simply laughed.
For some reason, despite his complaints, she looked genuinely happy.
And Kazuki couldn't help but wonder if this was really punishment...
Or if his senpai simply enjoyed watching him suffer.
Before Kazuki could complain any further, two girls suddenly approached them, carrying several things in their hands.
It was Murayama and Katase.
"Himejima-senpai," the two called out together. "We've got what you asked for."
Akeno finished the last bite of her lunch before accepting the items from them.
A book.
A lunch box.
And a drink.
"Thank you, both of you." Akeno smiled warmly. "You can go back to your own lunch now. I'm sorry for suddenly asking you to do this."
"It's okay, Senpai."
The two girls bowed before turning around.
However, Murayama suddenly stopped.
She glanced back at Kazuki.
Then she walked toward him.
Kazuki raised an eyebrow.
"...What?"
Murayama stopped in front of him before lightly tapping his forehead with her finger.
"Don't skip classes again without telling anyone." Murayama said, blinking. "You're making someone really worried."
"Oh, really?" Kazuki tilted his head. "Is it you?"
Murayama's face immediately turned bright red.
"S-Shut up!"
She quickly turned around before pulling down one eyelid and sticking out her tongue at him.
Then she hurried back toward Katase.
Katase simply stared at her for a moment before following after her.
Kazuki watched them leave before letting out a sigh.
However...
Akeno suddenly placed the book directly on top of the pile of wooden blocks resting on Kazuki's thighs.
Thud!
"Ouch!"
Kazuki winced as the sudden impact made his already aching legs hurt even more.
"What was that for, Senpai?!"
"Copy this..."
Akeno then pulled out Kazuki's notebook and placed it beside the book.
Thud!
Kazuki flinched again.
"Ow!"
"This is Shiori-chan's notes," Akeno explained calmly. "You need to copy all of them so you can study what you missed during class."
"Okay, okay, I got it." Kazuki sighed. "But don't slam things down like that, please. You're killing my legs, Senpai."
"Don't talk back." Akeno smiled sweetly. "Start writing. We don't have much time before lunch break is over."
Kazuki sighed before glancing toward the lunch box and the drink.
"At least..." he began, "...let me eat my free lunch and drink, Senpai."
Akeno nodded in agreement.
"Of course~"
She picked up the lunch box and opened it before scooping up a bite with her spoon.
Then she held it out toward Kazuki.
"Say ahhhh~"
Kazuki stared at the spoon.
Then at Akeno.
Then at his aching feet.
Finally, his eyes returned to her.
"...Is this a new type of torture or something?"
Akeno giggled.
"My, my~ Kazu-kun. I'm simply trying to feed you."
"I have hands, Senpai."
"Yes, but your hands are busy." She pointed toward the notebook resting in front of him. "You need to write, remember?"
Kazuki looked at the notebook.
Then at the spoon.
Then back at Akeno.
Then at the students.
Several of them were practically screaming as they watched the scene unfold, as though they were witnessing a romance drama happening right in front of them.
Kazuki could only stare at them in disbelief.
A nervous sweatdrop formed on his forehead.
"...You're enjoying this way too much, aren't you, Senpai?"
"Mhm~" Akeno smiled brightly. "Now, say ahhhh~"
Kazuki sighed deeply before opening his mouth.
"Ahhhh..."
Akeno happily fed him the bite.
"Mmm~ Good boy."
Kazuki's expression immediately went blank.
"...I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."
Akeno simply giggled and continued feeding him while Kazuki copied the notes.
"Don't forget to thank Kaori-chan and Shiori-chan for this, Kazu-kun."
"Of course, Senpai." Kazuki continued writing as he answered. "I'll finish this quickly and thank them properly."
Akeno nodded in satisfaction before offering him another bite.
Neither of them noticed the figure watching them from the window of the old building.
Rias Gremory stood with her arms crossed, staring at the scene below.
She let out a long, weary sigh.
"That girl..."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"I told her not to get comfortable around him."