~Narration~
In a town on the outskirts of Tokyo, named Kuoh within the Town’s premier Academy’s Student Council lay a tall, broad-shouldered young man sprawled across the Student Council’s bespoke leather settee….
The settee was an obscenely tasteful piece of hand-tufted craftsmanship that likely cost more than the average family car…
Yet the man’s long frame nearly consumed it, with one leg hanging carelessly over a polished armrest while an open book concealed most of his face…
What remained visible was striking…
Lightly tanned skin, a sharply defined jaw, and refined, faintly foreign features framed by tousled light-brown hair…
His build was lean rather than bulky…
All while carrying the quiet athleticism of someone far stronger than his indolent posture suggested…
Dressed in Kuoh Academy’s immaculate uniform yet lying utterly boneless beneath the room’s afternoon light, he looked less like one of the school’s future elite…
And a bit more like an exceptionally handsome delinquent who had all, but tossed dignity aside.
~Unknown POV Switch~
The door to the student council opened and immediately a sigh rang out across the room as a stern voice softly scolded, “Soutarou…
Must you really skip class at the first opportunity?
The new school year has only just begun.
If you remain this lazy…
Even if I give you my notes…
Will you be able to pass?”
‘So much for my peace and quiet…’
The measured clack of heels crossed the polished tile, each step carrying a deliberate rhythm until a slender hand reached down and plucked the open book from his face.
Standing over him was a bespectacled young woman whose composed bearing seemed almost tailor-made for the room around her…
Silken black hair framed a delicately beautiful face, cut neatly just above her shoulders, while sharp violet eyes regarded him from behind thin crimson frames…
Though petite beside his sprawling height, there was nothing small about her presence.
From the immaculate fit of her Kuoh uniform to the restrained displeasure tightening her lips, she possessed the effortless authority of someone accustomed to having both rooms and people fall into order around her.
Unfortunately for that authority…
The young man beneath her merely blinked against the sudden light…
The man just stretched lazily and put his arms out as if offering a hug as he said, “Mornin babe~”
The young woman’s hand came down and she flicked his forehead and said, “Babe is it?
Last I remember Kuoh academy doesn’t allow relationships on campus grounds.”
The woman raised her wrist and glanced at it before saying, “And for your reference it’s now 12:41pm.
Lunch time is almost done, forget it being morning.
Now then.
Soutarou Takashina, will you return to class or shall I escort you there?”
The man clutched his heart and feigned pain as he muttered, “Doesn’t allow relationships?
Even for me…?
So cold…
My pitiful little heart…
After all we’ve been through…
I thought you loved me~ Oh Sona…
The agony…”
The man then sat up a bit and called out to another figure behind Sona and dramatically said, “Tsubaki come and heal my broken heart~!”
Sona’s brows twitched all while a soft giggle sounded from just behind her…
Only then did Soutarou’s gaze settle upon the second young woman who had entered the room…
She was a tall, bespectacled beauty with long, straight black hair that flowed all the way down to her knees…
Split bangs framed her refined features, while a pair of blue, semi-rimmed glasses rested neatly over her heterochromatic eyes…
Her left was a striking violet and her right a soft light brown…
Like Sona, she wore Kuoh Academy’s girls’ uniform with immaculate precision, though the faint curve of her lips betrayed the amusement she was attempting to keep beneath her otherwise serious expression…
One hand rose lightly to cover her mouth as she giggled before answering him, “I’m afraid I’ll get in trouble with Lady Sona if I indulge you today, Soutarou-kun.”
Soutarou stared at her in wounded disbelief as he muttered, “Tsubaki…
You too?”
Her smile deepened ever so slightly, though she quickly straightened beneath the weight of Sona’s sidelong glance as she apologetically replied, “My apologies, Soutarou-kun…
But Lady Sona’s instructions take priority.”
Soutarou slowly turned his gaze back toward Sona…
The victorious glint behind her crimson frames told him everything he needed to know.
‘Damn…
I remember the days when Tsubaki would turn into a blushing mess the moment I said anything like that…
*Sigh*…
The agonies of giving them all so much confidence…’
Just then a sultry and teasing voice rang out as the door to the student council opened again, “Ara, ara~ perhaps I can cure your frail little heart…
Soutarou-kun~”
Soutarou softly smiled at the beautiful young woman leaning against the now-open doorway…
Her voluptuous figure was wrapped neatly within Kuoh Academy’s customary girls’ uniform, the modest attire doing little to conceal the graceful curves beneath it…
Black calf-length socks covered her slender legs, while an orange ribbon gathered her exceptionally long black hair into a flowing ponytail that trailed nearly to the floor behind her…
Two distinct strands rose from the crown of her head before sloping elegantly backward, giving her otherwise refined appearance a subtly playful edge…
One that matched the teasing glimmer dancing within her violet eyes perfectly…
She stepped into the room with an effortless sway, one hand resting lightly against her cheek as her lips curled into an alluring smile…
There was something almost bewitching about her presence…
A gentle, mature beauty wrapped around an unmistakably mischievous nature…
As though every graceful movement concealed a joke known only to her…
Soutarou immediately extended both arms toward her and declared, “Akeno…!
My savior has finally arrived!”
Akeno hummed, her smile widening as she approached the settee, “Ara, ara~…
How could I possibly ignore such a desperate plea from my poor…
poor little Soutarou-kun?”
Sona’s victorious expression vanished almost instantly as she chillingly said, “Akeno.”
The warning in her voice was unmistakable…
Akeno merely tilted her head, pressing one finger against her cheek with an expression of perfect innocence as she asked, “Yes, Sona?”
Sona just narrowed her eyes and said, “Don’t indulge him.”
A soft laugh escaped Akeno as her violet gaze returned to Soutarou, brimming with barely restrained amusement…
Before another voice chirped, “But he looks so pitiful…
Surely providing a little comfort would be alright…
Right, Sona..?
And if you don’t want him…
I’ll be more than happy to take him from your hands.”
Sona rolled her eyes before Soutarou exclaimed, pointing toward her as though the voice had delivered an irrefutable argument, “Exactly!
Finally, someone in this room with a heart.”
Before glancing toward the source of that all-too-familiar voice.
Standing just beyond the doorway was a striking young woman whose presence seemed to draw the afternoon light toward her…
At five feet eight inches, she stood taller than most girls her age, with a buxom figure wrapped neatly within Kuoh Academy’s uniform…
Her smooth, pale complexion only made the vivid blue-green of her eyes appear brighter, their depths carrying an amused confidence as they settled upon Soutarou…
Yet it was her hair that immediately seized one’s attention…
Long, lustrous waves of crimson spilled down her back like a flowing mantle of fire…
Loose bangs rested across her forehead while softer strands framed the delicate contours of her beautiful face…
With one hand resting against her hip, the crimson-haired beauty wore a smug little smile that made it abundantly clear she had heard every word exchanged before her arrival…
Soutarou’s expression brightened as he called out, “Rias!
I knew my best friend wouldn’t abandon me in my darkest hour!”
Rias stepped further into the room, her blue-green eyes sparkling with poorly concealed mischief as she replied, “Naturally…
What kind of friend would I be if I left you alone beneath Sona’s cruel oppression?”
Sona’s lips and eyebrow visibly twitched as she chillingly gazed at Rias before darkly murmuring, “Rias…”
Rias merely smiled sweetly in response before walking toward the settee and leaning down just enough for her crimson hair to spill over one shoulder…
She continued, looking directly into Soutarou’s eyes with an intensity, “Besides…
I was completely serious…
Should Sona no longer want you…
I’d be more than happy to take absolute responsibility.”
Soutarou gave her an appreciative nod before happily saying, “See?
Dependable, compassionate…
Even willing to make sacrifices for those in need!
You could learn something from her, Sona.”
Akeno covered her lips as another soft giggle escaped her, while Tsubaki quietly adjusted her glasses and looked away…
Sona just sighed and muttered in defeat, “So then are you coming to class or not?”
Soutarou instantly denied and said, “Nope!
I’m getting kidnapped by Akeno and Rias.”
Soutarou blinked his eyes repeatedly signalling an SOS before saying, “Isn’t that right?”
Before Akeno playfully made a finger gun and said, “Fufu~ that’s right I’ll be taking this…
Sona~.”
Sona’s brow twitched, but then she just sighed and regretfully muttered, “I swear…
Letting you and Rias meet was the worst mistake of my life…
All you do is just laze around and watch anime now…”
Soutarou paused for a moment before saying a bit more seriously, “How about this…
I’ll play chess with you tonight and maybe~…”
His eyes expressed the rest and Sona’s face flushed before she said, “F-fine…
I’ll make the dinner reservation…
You’d better keep your promise…”
She shook herself out of her thoughts before returning to her more stoic self and saying with a shooing motion, “Now get out of my face before I decide to give you demerit points.”
Akeno just stuck her tongue out at Sona, while Rias happily latched onto Soutarou’s arms and noticeably pressed herself up against him as the trio left the student council room and headed to the old school building…
~Soutarou POV, Occult Research Club, Kuoh Academy Old School Building~
Soutarou lazily rested his head on the softest pillow in the world before a soft voice chuckled and murmured lovingly, “You really like lap pillows that much?”
Soutarou just hummed as a hand tousled his hair and he almost purred in happiness all while facing a large flat screen tv where the latest episode of The Disastrous Life of Kunio Saitou played.
The pair watched in silence before Akeno returned with a teapot and offered gently, “Tea, Soutarou-kun?”
Soutarou shrugged all the while his face remained smooshed against Rias’ supple thighs.
Akeno just smiled and then said, “Later then, perhaps…”
She paused before asking, “Though I am curious about one thing…
You’ve become much more relaxed lately haven’t you Soutarou-kun?”
Soutarou just shrugged again before lazily saying, “Well…
Rias dealt with that flaming chicken, so what am I supposed to do now?
There’s nothing important coming up for a while, so I might as well take advantage while I can.
Especially now that we’re third years now.”
“Enjoying high school life while it lasts is important after all.”
Akeno pursed her lips and nodded before glancing at Rias…
To which she just left after getting a look from Rias…
And just as Akeno left the room Rias grabbed the remote and paused the show making Soutarou glance up and be met with her mature figure that blocked out his view of her face.
‘Boing.
Boing.
Huh…?
Wait why did she pause the show?
Well this is pretty entertaining too I suppose.
Boing.’
Rias then whispered, “Can you get up for a sec, Soutarou?”
Soutarou shrugged and did as she asked before suddenly finding Rias in his lap as she worked her way into his arms and said, “My turn now Soutarou~”
Soutarou shrugged and wrapped his arms around her before plopping his chin on her head as the pair continued to watch the show…
But at some point Soutarou’s gaze became distracted…
***Author’s Note: I highly suggest you read the “Power System & Unified Metrics (READ ME)” axillary chapter before continuing beyond this point.
Other notes: going forwards these are the rules or if you will the way I write →
*** Author’s Note ***,
[ System Prompt/Status ],
{ Mental Transmission },
‘ Main Character Thoughts/Reading ‘,
< Side Character Thoughts/Reading >,
~ POV/Narration/Setting/Time Shift ~,
Title/Important or Key Words (Bold Lettering),
| Reading/Message/Text |,
Just Italics → emphasis on certain words, and * Sound Effects *