『A/N: AI allegations.
Mom I made it.
Over a joke too.』
When they reached the school gates, Souna and Tsubaki finally released his arms.
It had nothing to do with embarrassment.
Student council duties came first, and both of them had places to be.
Still, neither left without taking something first.
Souna rose onto her toes and pressed a clean, deliberate kiss to his right cheek.
Tsubaki followed a second later on the left, cooler and quieter, but just as intentional.
Then the two of them turned and walked away without another word, already shifting back into their usual composed selves.
The effect on the surrounding students was immediate.
A wave of pure killing intent rolled toward Ren from every male within earshot.
Glare after glare locked onto him like physical weight.
He felt it, registered it, and kept walking as if it weren’t there.
From the side, the familiar loud voices of the perverted trio cut through the morning noise.
“I thought I hated pretty-boy Kiba,” Matsuda muttered, “but man, this dude pisses me off even more.”
“He’s so freaking cool too,” Motohama added, pushing up his glasses.
“Unlike Kiba he actually seems like a chill guy… but the way all the school hotties gather around him irritates the hell out of me!”
“I know what you mean,” Issei agreed darkly.
Ren heard every word.
He just didn’t care enough to react.
He stepped through the entrance and kept moving.
That was when Koneko appeared.
She simply materialized at his side like she’d been waiting for the exact right moment, small and silent as always.
Her usual quiet curiosity was already focused on him.
Ren knew what was coming.
‘ She’s definitely going to smell Kuroka,’ he thought.
‘ Not that I care.’
Exactly as expected, Koneko leaned in slightly and sniffed him.
It was something she did more often than she probably realized.
This time, though, her golden eyes widened almost immediately.
The scent of her older sister was unmistakable.
She took a sharp step back.
Ren only smiled, reached out, and gave her a light pat on the head.
“I’ll tell you later,” he said simply, then continued walking down the hallway without breaking stride.
Koneko remained frozen in place for several seconds, ears faintly twitching beneath her hair.
Stunned was one word for it.
More than anything, though, she was curious painfully, unwillingly curious.
The sister she hated most had left her scent all over the one person at school she actually felt comfortable around.
Without another word she turned and headed straight for the Occult Research Club, the strange mix of emotions still sitting heavy in her chest.
In the ORC.
Rias sat at ease in the large bath that occupied the center of the Occult Research Club room, steam rising gently around her.
The warm water lapped softly against her skin as she leaned back, crimson hair pinned loosely out of the way.
Akeno stood beside the tub, a folded towel in her hands, waiting with her usual serene smile.
“Why is she coming though?” Rias asked, clear annoyance in her voice.
“I told them I could handle it.”
Akeno tilted her head slightly.
“Well, this is the second year and we still haven’t found him yet.
Maybe that’s why.”
Rias pushed it open just enough to fix Akeno with a sharp look, one eyebrow raised.
“Is that sass?”
Akeno only chuckled, the sound light and unapologetic.
“I’m just saying, Taichou.”
Rias exhaled through her nose, stood, and accepted the towel.
Water trailed down her body as she stepped out of the bath and began drying off with deliberate movements.
“Well,” she said coolly, “I don’t appreciate your opinion.”
Before Akeno could reply, the clubroom door opened.
Koneko stepped inside without ceremony.
Her usual blank expression was slightly off ears faintly tense, posture a little tighter than normal.
She didn’t waste time with greetings.
In a few short, precise sentences she told them everything: the scent on Ren, the unmistakable presence of her older sister, and the fact that he had simply smiled and said he would explain later.
Silence settled over the room.
Rias and Akeno turned their heads at the same time and locked eyes.
‘ Ren-kun?’ both of them thought.
…
In class, Ren sat at the back of the classroom, already knowing what was about to happen.
He barely had time to settle into his seat before the classroom door opened and Rias and Akeno stepped inside together.
Both immediately looked toward him, their eyes meeting his for a brief moment before they quietly walked toward their seats.
Rias took her usual seat in the row beside him, while Akeno sat directly in front of him.
Neither of them said a word.
Ren wasn’t bothered by their silence.
Everyone else in the classroom, however, definitely was.
It wasn’t normal for the three of them to completely ignore each other, especially considering how close they had become over the past few years.
Whispers quickly started spreading around the room.
Most students assumed it was because Ren had arrived at school with Souna and Tsubaki that morning.
After all, seeing him surrounded by beautiful girls wasn’t exactly unusual anymore, but apparently there was a limit to how much even Kuoh’s students could tolerate.
Ren simply rested his head against his hand and ignored everything.
As class continued, however, the tension only grew.
Rias occasionally glanced toward him.
Akeno did the same.
Ren noticed both of them but deliberately said nothing.
Eventually, the bell rang for break.
Ren immediately stood up.
The moment he started walking toward the door, Rias and Akeno moved as well, clearly intending to follow him.
Before either could reach him, however, another familiar figure appeared.
Tsubaki stepped into the hallway and calmly grabbed Ren by the arm.
“You had your turn,” she said.
Ren blinked.
She didn’t bother explaining.
She simply pulled him away while Ren allowed himself to be dragged along.
Rias stood there watching them disappear down the hallway.
Her expression remained calm, but her mind was anything but.
There were too many questions.
Who really was Ren?
How did he know Koneko’s sister?
Why did he seem completely unfazed by supernatural beings?
And most importantly…
The infamous Kuoh Hunter.
The mysterious figure who had spent the last few years eliminating Stray Devils, Fallen Angels, rogue Church members and anything else that crossed his path.
Rias had been trying to uncover his identity for years and lately, she had started suspecting the answer was standing right in front of her.
Meanwhile, in the library, Ren sat comfortably at a table while Souna and Tsubaki sat on either side of him, occasionally feeding him snacks as they talked.
Ren looked toward Souna.
“So, how’s being Student Council President?”
Souna smiled confidently.
“It’s easy.
I was already doing most of the work since my first year, so it’s nothing new.”
Tsubaki immediately cleared her throat.
Souna paused.
“I mean…
Tsubaki and I have always been doing the work.”
Tsubaki smiled proudly.
“Yes.
It’s been quite easy.”
Ren looked between the two before leaning back in his chair.
“So you guys practically run the school now.
Honestly, it feels like you’ve always been in charge.”
Both girls paused for a moment.
He wasn’t exactly wrong.
Ever since they had entered Kuoh Academy, they owned the school.
Souna handled things with her usual efficiency while Tsubaki supported her at every step.
“Ahaha, yes, it might seem like that,” Souna said carefully.
“But the faculty still has the final say.”
“Yes,” Tsubaki added.
“Our job is to assist them when necessary.”
Ren nodded slowly.
“Sure.”
‘Nah.
Student Councils in anime are basically the government.
You can’t convince me that you aren’t running the entire school.’
He reached for another snack without questioning it further.
Souna adjusted her glasses while watching him.
“Why are you looking at us like that?”
“I’m not.”
“You definitely are.”
“I’m just impressed.”
“By what?”
“Your dedication to pretending you don’t run this place.”
Tsubaki covered her mouth, trying not to laugh, while Souna simply stared at him.
“…You’re annoying.”
Ren grinned.
“Yet here you are, feeding me like a good girl ”
Souna’s cheeks gained the faintest hint of pink.
“Shut and just eat.”
TO BE CONTINUED
Peace