"Hey, have you heard?" "Four beautiful girls just transferred to Class C!" "One of them is a stunner with golden hair. She's incredible. Gabriel's literally an angel!" "She reminds me of Shiina!" "And then there's Raphiel... absolute perfection. That figure is exactly my type!" "Nah, you guys are missing something important. Gabriel isn't like Shiina at all. Gabriel hasn't been corrupted by a succubus!"
Whispers filled the hallway as boys huddled around, passionately discussing the new transfer students like it was breaking news. Amid the buzz, Nozomi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Why... why was everyone suddenly glancing at him when the word "succubus" was mentioned?!
Nozomi, who had somehow been miscast as a seductive demon in the imaginations of half the school, could only let out a silent sigh. Truly, the world was unfair.
If memory served right, Gabriel White and Raphiel Ainsworth Shiraha were angels. Literal, celestial angels. And not just any angels—Gabriel was the main character of Gabriel DropOut, known for her divine elegance... for now. Give it time and she'd be holed up in her room, slaying digital monsters instead of spreading love.
"Nozomi," Mahiru whispered, lightly poking his side with her finger.
He looked down at the kind-hearted girl, her warm eyes tinged with curiosity. "Do you think this Gabriel-san might have... family circumstances like mine?"
Nozomi smiled gently, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. He spoke with a quiet certainty, his voice a soothing balm to Mahiru's gentle worries.
"You don't need to worry about her, Mahiru. She's... well, not exactly like you. She's not even human."
"E-Eh?!" Mahiru blinked, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Yeah," Nozomi leaned closer, grinning as he whispered like it was a secret too sacred for open air. "Gabriel is a real angel. Like how Frieren is an elf, Gabriel is a celestial being."
Mahiru's lips parted in awe, but before she could process that truth, Nozomi teased with a mischievous glint in his eyes:
"Instead of worrying about your angelic classmate, Mahiru... shouldn't you be more concerned about me? Because tonight... I won't let you sleep."
A rosy blush exploded across Mahiru's face.
"P-Pervert!!"
Her voice cracked like thunder, and she glared at him with all the righteous fury of an innocent maiden wronged.
Nozomi simply laughed.
Teasing girls like Mahiru was, frankly, a highlight of his day.
As for Gabriel... Nozomi didn't plan to get too close. He carried the blood of a dragon within him. What if she sniffed him out and thought he was a threat? It wasn't worth the risk.
Besides, if Gabriel was already here, then demons couldn't be far behind. He had a hunch the recent serial murder case, the one that reeked of otherworldly evil, was just the beginning. The world he lived in wasn't as mundane as it seemed.
Which meant one thing: mastering his powers was no longer optional. It was essential.
Later that afternoon—
With club activities wrapped up, Nozomi gently held Yukinoshita Yukino's hand as they walked back to Sakurasou together.
Yukino had said she wanted to check on the cats, but her shy glances gave away her real intentions.
She was ready.
Ready to stay the night.
Just like he'd asked before.
Sakurasou had changed since then. Nozomi had expanded the dorm and built a new bathhouse. The place even had a water heater now—a luxury upgrade thanks to his efforts.
After dinner and a bit of well-earned rest, the atmosphere in Sakurasou turned cozy and warm as the girls began gathering one after another.
Yukinoshita Yukino, Ogiwara Sayu, Shiina Mahiru, Suoh Yuki, Sakurajima Mai, Aoyama Nanami, and Shiina Mashiro all stepped into the newly built bathhouse together. The steam rose softly around them, blending with the giggles and murmurs echoing through the tiled walls. The bathwater shimmered under the warm lights, and the faint scent of cherry blossom bath salts filled the air.
The girls shed their daily burdens as easily as they shed their clothes. Their laughter was gentle and bright, the kind that lifted spirits and brought hearts closer. As they sank into the steamy waters, a sense of shared camaraderie blossomed.
Suo Yuki suddenly hugged Yukino from behind, hands sliding playfully.
"Ara, President Yukinoshita! Are you trying to catch up with me in... certain departments?" "
Suo's bust was an impressive C-cup. Yukino had always been more modestly endowed... but recently, she was definitely filling out.
"S-Suoh-san! Stop that!" Yukinoshita Yukino gasped, her pale cheeks flushed as she struggled free, clutching her chest defensively. Her flustered reaction only made the others laugh more.
Mashiro tilted her head and extended her hand toward Yukino's reddened face. "Your cheeks are warm... like mochi," she observed, touching them gently.
"Ugh, Mashiro!" Yukino cried, only to be drowned in even more laughter.
Not one to be left out, Suoh Yuki's mischief didn't stop with Yukino. She stealthily moved on to Sayu, Mahiru, and even senior sister Mai, playfully comparing figures and causing splashes of protest.
"Onii-chan really has amazing taste," Suoh murmured to herself with admiration, looking around at her companions. "Everyone here is so cute and beautiful... I could barely rank them even if I tried."
Meanwhile, Aoyama Nanami sank deeper into the water, her eyes stealing a glance at Yukino's radiant smile. A twinge of insecurity crossed her mind.
"I'm not as dazzling as the others... am I?"
But in truth, Nanami had her own charm—her subtle grace and determined nature made her beautiful in a quiet, unspoken way. If Nozomi were here, he'd surely reassure her in his usual teasing yet earnest fashion.
After their bath, the girls returned to their rooms one by one.
Yukino stepped out in a cloud of steam, her raven hair damp and clinging to her shoulders. Just as she reached for her towel, she noticed someone leaning casually in the hallway.
"Nozomi?! What are you doing here?" she asked, eyes narrowing.
"Waiting for you, obviously," he grinned, catching her by the waist before she could dodge.
"Wha—! Let me go, you rogue!" Yukino protested, though her hands instinctively wrapped around his neck.
"If you're heading to sleep, might as well do it in my room," Nozomi said shamelessly.
Blushing furiously, Yukino tried to avert her gaze. "Y-You're impossible..."
He gently laid her on his bed, gazing at her flushed face and soft lips. Slowly, he leaned in.
Just as their lips were about to meet—
Click.
The door opened.
"Nozomi, blow dry my hair," Shiina Mashiro said flatly, walking in as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Yukino squeaked and covered her face in mortification.
Mashiro plopped onto Nozomi's lap. With a resigned sigh, he picked up the hairdryer and started gently running his fingers through her hair, drying it skillfully.
Once done, he gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "There. Perfect."
Mashiro nodded with faint satisfaction and left quietly.
But then—
"My turn!" Suoh Yuki bounded in, flipping her damp hair.
And one after another, Sayu, Mahiru, Mai, even the normally reserved Nanami came by, each wanting their hair dried by Nozomi.
Frieren and Fern, meanwhile, stayed in their rooms, heads buried in magical tomes, uninterested in the bathhouse antics.
By the time the last girl had left, Yukino was a bundle of flustered nerves, hiding in the corner like a cornered kitten.
"They all did it on purpose," she muttered under her breath, cheeks puffed out.
Finally, it was her turn.
As Nozomi gently brushed through her damp hair with practiced fingers, Yukino relaxed despite herself. His warmth, his scent, the quiet hum of the dryer—all of it made her heart flutter.
When he finished, she turned to say something, but he was faster.
Nozomi kissed her.
Softly.
Firmly.
Sealing her lips with his.
The second lady's eyes widened—then slowly closed.
The world grew quiet, save for the sound of her heartbeat.
And in that moment, Yukinoshita Yukino melted into the warmth of Nozomi's embrace.
**
Don't mind the images, I introduced Vignette April Tsukinose prematurely but I'm sure she'll pop up soon enough.