Things only got worse between classes.
First, Taichi shoulder-checked him into the lockers. Yu yelped, rubbing his arm.
"Watch it, loser!"
Yamato sneered, grinning wide enough to show his canine teeth.
"Y-yes, of course."
Yu mumbled, bowing his head. Inside, though, he whispered to himself: This is just… rough foreplay. Yes. Spicy training for later. Thank you, Demon King, for preparing me.
Next, Taichi stuck a foot out as Yu walked past. Yu tripped spectacularly, sprawling face-first onto the floor. His papers flew everywhere. The class roared with laughter.
Yu lay flat, groaning into the tiles.
"…Kinky."
DK01's dry voice rang in his skull.
[Host, I don't think that's what this is.]
But Yu refused to break. He scrambled upright, cheeks red but smile plastered on.
"Such passion… you all treat me so rough, how could I not be honored?"
Yamato and Souma just cackled harder, enjoying how he turned his humiliation into fuel for their fun.
Through it all, Taichi didn't lift a finger to help. He didn't join in the jeers. He didn't even laugh. He just leaned against the lockers, arms folded, gaze distant.
When Yu stumbled into class late after another shove, Taichi's eyes lingered on him for a heartbeat too long—green irises glinting, unreadable.
But then he looked away, jaw tight.
'Why does that dream keep replaying in my head…?'
Taichi thought, rubbing his temple.
'Yukio… in that maid outfit… smiling at me like…'
He cut the thought off, scowling at nothing.
'Dreams didn't matter. What mattered was keeping face. What mattered was control.'
Yu, oblivious, dusted off his uniform and muttered under his breath.
"You'll regret treating me like this… one day I'll collect interest, and it won't just be money you'll owe me…"
He plopped into his chair, hair disheveled, heart aching, stomach growling. And yet, despite it all, he hugged his bag close and whispered into the fabric.
"Don't worry, Demon King. Your loyal Yu can endure. For you."
DK01 sighed.
[Host, you've survived one day. Barely. I estimate your chance of surviving a week at 17%.]
Yu sniffled, eyes wet but determined.
"…Seventeen is still better than zero."
—
Once school was over, and after getting lost twice, Yu made his way back to the apartment complex.
Yu staggered up the steps to his apartment, body aching from a day of bumps, bruises, and hunger. His key trembled in the lock. Finally—sanctuary. His small, quiet cave.
He opened the door—
—and froze.
Three pairs of eyes turned toward him.
Taichi sat at the low table like he owned the place, green eyes cool and hooded. Yamato lounged cross-legged beside him, cracking open another can of beer. Souma waved lazily with a grin, already half-drunk.
Yu's jaw dropped.
"W-what are you doing in my house?!"
"Correction…"
Yamato said, raising his can.
"Your apartment. Not much of a house, huh?"
Souma smirked.
"Your door wasn't even locked. Easy pickings."
'I was too tired to lock it?!'
Yu clutched his chest, scandalized.
'Oh Demon King, is this the punishment for burning eggs…?'
Taichi didn't move, didn't even blink. He just tilted his can and took another sip, as though Yu's existence were little more than an irritating draft of wind.
Then, finally, his voice cut through the air.
"Took you long enough. We were getting thirsty."
Yu squeaked.
"Th-thirsty?"
"Yeah. Bring us more drinks."
Yamato slammed his empty can on the table.
"Chop chop, Hokohayashi."
Souma grinned, wiggling his fingers at him.
"And maybe some snacks, too. I'm starving."
Yu's face crumpled.
"Wha—but I just—this is my—!"
DK01's voice drawled in his skull.
[Host, congratulations. You've officially been promoted from piggy bank to housemaid.]
"Don't call me that!"
Yu whispered through gritted teeth. But his stomach gurgled loudly, betraying him, and his legs trembled as he shuffled to the tiny kitchenette.
Yu opened the fridge. Half a carton of eggs, some wilted cabbage, and a bottle of soy sauce. He gulped.
'I can do this. Fry eggs, chop cabbage. Easy. If mortals can do it, so can I!'
Within minutes, smoke filled the air. The eggs were blackened lumps. The cabbage… unrecognizable. Yu flapped a rag at the smoke detector, wailing.
"Demon King, forgive me! I've killed the cabbage too!"
Laughter from the living room stabbed him like daggers.
"What's he doing, arson?"
Yamato cackled. Souma snorted into his beer.
DK01 sighed.
[Host, please stop murdering your vegetables. Order delivery.]
Yu froze mid-flap.
"…What is delivery?"
[Food delivered to your door. By people competent enough to cook.]
Yu gasped, ruby eyes wide.
"Mortals have slaves who appear on command with food?!"
[They are called "drivers," not slaves.]
"Where do I summon them?"
[Your phone. That glowing rectangle in your bag. Open it.]
Yu fished it out, staring at the screen as though it were a relic.
"It doesn't have a mouth. How do I speak to it?"
[Tap the icons. The little pictures.]
Yu jabbed a finger at random. The calculator opened. He gasped.
"It… it knows math?!"
[Wrong icon. Try again.]
After a humiliating five minutes of DK01 barking instructions and Yu fumbling like a caveman discovering fire, an order was finally placed.
Yu collapsed onto the floor, sweating.
"Th-the deed is done… The food slaves are on their way…"
---
When the delivery finally arrived, Yu shuffled in with bags of hot food. His cheeks burned as Yamato and Souma cheered, cracking open more beers.
"Now this is service!"
Souma said with a grin, already digging in.
Yamato shoved an empty container at Yu.
"Finally, something edible."
Taichi didn't touch the food. He sat back, watching Yu with unreadable eyes, as if trying to fit puzzle pieces together in his head. His beer sat forgotten beside him.
Yu, face red, muttered under his breath.
"One day, you'll all kneel before me… You'll see…!"
DK01 chuckled dryly.
[At this rate, Host, you'll kneel before them again tomorrow.]
Yu buried his face in his sleeve and screamed silently into it.
Yamato's phone buzzed, and he groaned.
"Ugh. The girls can't come. Something about cram school."
Souma flopped back on his hands, whining.
"Lame. What's the point of a party without girls?"
Taichi didn't even blink, sipping his beer.
"Don't care."
But then his gaze drifted toward the shelf by Yu's door… and froze. Piles of old clothes strewn about on the floors from Yu's earlier scrambling for his school uniform. Skirts. Cardigans. Ribbons. On top, a middle school uniform—faded, but clean.
Taichi's brow furrowed.
"Oi. Hokohayashi."
Yu jumped like a guilty thief.
"Y-yes?!"
"What's with the girl clothes?"
Yu's face drained of color. His fingers twitched at his sides.
"T-they were my sister's… she—she…"
His voice caught, and he looked away.
Yamato perked up, grin spreading.
"No way. You've been hiding cosplay gear? Hah!"
Souma slapped the table, laughing.
"Perfect! If the girls flaked, make him dress up instead. C'mon, Hokohayashi, put it on. Give us a show."
Yu's whole body shook. His lips parted, trembling. To the others, it looked like fear. To DK01, who was privy to Yu's inner storm, the truth was obvious.
[Host, you look terrified, but your soul signature just spiked.]
Yu's thoughts screamed:
'Finally… FINALLY, a chance! My time has come!! This is what my kin have been training me for!!'
Taichi leaned back, smirking faintly, hiding the sudden heat crawling up his neck.
"Yeah. Do it. Entertain us."
Yu slipped into the bathroom with the uniform clutched to his chest. His hands shook as he changed, but the trembling wasn't fear—it was giddiness.
The skirt fit a little tight, the blouse a touch snug, but he didn't care. He tied the ribbon neatly, smoothing it down with trembling fingers. His reflection in the mirror stared back: pale skin, red eyes, hair white as snow.
He dug through the box of his sister's old accessories, finding two berets and a pair of childish clips. With delicate care, he split his hair into twin tails, securing them in place. He tilted his head, lips quirking upward shyly.
"…Cute."
He whispered, cheeks pink.
[Correction: mortifying…]
DK01 said flatly.
[But you're glowing like a star. Truly deranged.]
Yu clasped his cheeks.
"It's like being back in the castle's costume parties… Demon King, look! Your Yu can still shine! Ah, if the other succubi and incubi could see me now, they'd punce to dress me up more!"
[Then let's see if this will make the Tragic Target pounce.]
Yu gave a determined but shy nod to himself in the mirror before reaching for the bathroom door knob.
The bathroom door creaked open.
Yamato and Souma immediately burst into raucous laughter, pounding the table.
"Bwahaha! Look at him! He actually did it!"
"Those pigtails—oh my god—he looks like a discount idol!"
Yu stepped out shyly, hands tugging at the hem of the skirt, eyes big and wet. His cheeks glowed red as he twirled once, twin tails bouncing.
"I-I'm… ready to serve…"
Souma howled, nearly spilling his drink. Yamato doubled over, clutching his stomach.
But Taichi…
Taichi froze. His beer can slipped in his grip. His ears burned, and his chest tightened with an odd, irritating thud. His eyes locked onto Yu's pale thighs peeking beneath the skirt, the nervous flutter of his lashes, the way the clips glinted in his hair.
His heart pounded, loud enough he was sure the others could hear.
'What the hell…? Why does he look… cute?'
Taichi scowled, tearing his gaze away, but heat still crawled up his neck. He tipped his beer back just to hide his face.
Yu, catching that flicker, bit his lip and thought.
'Did it work?'
Yu minced toward the table, the skirt brushing against his pale thighs, a tray of beers trembling in his hands. He wobbled comically, nearly tipping one over before setting them down.
"H-here you go, honored guests…"
He said in the breathiest voice he could manage, bowing low like the maids back at the Demon King's castle. Inside, his heart fluttered with delight.
'This is… kind of fun…'
Yamato roared with laughter.
"Holy crap, you're really committing to it! Look at you, Hokohayashi, all prim and proper—damn."
Souma slouched against the couch, waving his empty can.
"Oi, maid, refill me!"
Yu scampered over, pouring clumsily, spilling foam everywhere. His cheeks burned, but he forced a shy smile.
'If the Demon King could see me now, he'd—'
Then he felt it: Taichi's gaze. Burning, heavy, glued to him no matter where he turned. Every time Yu glanced up, Taichi jerked his eyes away, pretending to sip his beer or scowl at nothing. But Yu saw it—the quick dart of green eyes, the flicker of pink across his tan cheeks.
'He's watching me. He's really watching me…!'
Yu's heart thumped. He spun around too fast, twin tails bouncing, and tripped on the carpet, falling to his knees with a squeak. Yamato and Souma exploded with laughter again. Quickly, Yu scrambled to his feet, brushing down his skirt.
Yamato stumbled to his feet, still chuckling, and leaned down close. He brushed a strand of Yu's white hair between his fingers.
"Oh wow. You're actually kinda cute like this, aren't you?"
Yu froze. His entire body shivered, not with fear but with… bashfulness. His lips quivered as he ducked his head.
"Th-thank you…"
But to Yamato, the flinch read like pure terror. His grin twisted.
"Tch. Don't look at me like that."
SMACK!
The slap rang across the room, echoing in Yu's skull. He stumbled back, crashing back down onto his butt, twin tails flopping over his shoulders. His cheek burned hot, eyes watering.
Taichi snaps.
SLAM!
The beer cans rattled as Taichi's palm crashed against the table. His green eyes blazed.
"Enough."
Yamato blinked.
"H-huh?"
"Get out."
Souma sat up straighter, laughing nervously.
"Wait, what? We were just messing—"
"Out!"
Taichi's voice cracked like a whip. He grabbed an empty can and hurled it across the room. It smacked into the wall with a loud clang.
The two friends flinched.
"Taichi, calm down—"
Another can flew, barely missing Souma's head. Then another, then another, raining against the walls. Taichi was on his feet now, teeth bared, looking more dangerous than either of them had ever seen.
"GET. OUT. NOW!"
Panic finally broke them. Yamato cursed under his breath, Souma stammered, and both scrambled for the door, stumbling over each other as they bolted out of the apartment.
The door slammed shut behind them, leaving the room silent except for Yu's shaky breathing.
Yu sat on the floor, skirt splayed out around him, hands clutched to his reddened cheek. He looked up timidly.
Taichi stood there, chest heaving, fists clenched at his sides. His glare softened the moment his eyes landed on Yu. For a split second, the harsh gangster mask slipped, revealing something raw beneath.
"…Idiot."
Taichi muttered, voice rough. Then he turned away, running a hand through his hair, as if trying to smother the heat still burning in his chest.
Yu blinked, stunned. Then—very softly—his lips curled into the smallest of smiles.
'You really are him…'
Yu slowly picked himself up off the floor, still clutching his cheek. His knees wobbled under the skirt, but he forced himself to stand. His twin tails swayed as he looked up at Taichi with trembling red eyes.
"T-Taichi…"
His voice cracked.
"Thank you… for protecting me…"
Taichi, who had been trying to look anywhere but directly at him, stiffened. The words made his chest twist uncomfortably. He turned, sharp retort already forming—
—and promptly tripped over his own untied shoelaces.
"Wha—!"
He crashed forward, arms flailing, and slammed right into Yu. The two tumbled to the ground in a heap of limbs, Yu squeaking as the back of his head smacked the floor.
"Ow—!"
Taichi's face went beet red. He scrambled to push himself up, palms planted on either side of Yu's head, eyes wide.
"S-sorry! I didn't mean—!"
But Yu's lashes fluttered, his breath hitching. His body went slack beneath Taichi, head lolling slightly to the side.
"…Oi?"
Taichi's blush drained into panic.
"Oi, Hokohayashi? You okay?"
No answer.
Taichi cursed under his breath and pulled back, kneeling beside Yu. His heart hammered in his chest, not just from embarrassment but from something heavier, stickier.
"…Dumbass."
He muttered, carefully slipping his arms under Yu and lifting him bridal-style. He carried him into the small bed, glaring at the ridiculous pink berets still clipped into Yu's hair.
"Why the hell'd you have to do your hair so damn cutely? You look like some… some…"
His voice trailed off, ears burning.
He laid Yu gently on the bed, pulling the blanket over his body. That's when he noticed the faint swelling where Yu's head had hit the floor.
"Tch."
Taichi headed straight for the freezer, yanking out an ice pack. He returned and slid it carefully beneath Yu's head, adjusting it until it rested snug against the bump.
He lingered there, hand hovering uncertainly before finally settling on Yu's white hair. Slowly, almost without realizing it, he brushed his fingers through the strands, patting lightly.
"…Idiot."
He whispered, softer this time.
After a moment, Taichi stood. His face hardened again, though the flush in his cheeks betrayed him. He stomped back into the living room, scowling as he started gathering the beer cans and trash his so-called friends had left behind. One by one, he tossed them into a bag until the place looked halfway decent.
Only then did he cast one last look toward the closed bedroom door. His fists clenched, then released.
With a final sigh, he slipped out of the apartment, shutting the door behind him. He crossed the hall, heading to the next unit over—his own.
---
Yu woke to the faintest trace of sunlight slipping past the curtains. His body felt unusually heavy, as if someone had pressed him into the mattress during the night. Blinking blearily, he stretched—and froze.
He wasn't on the floor. He was tucked neatly in bed, blankets pulled over him.
"…Huh?"
[Morning, Sleeping Beauty.]
DK01's dry voice hummed in his head.
[Have a nice rest in your knight in shining armor's arms?]
Yu shot upright so fast he nearly headbutted the headboard.
"Wh-Wh-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"
[Don't play dumb…]
DK01 said smoothly.
[You passed out yesterday, and Taichi carried you to bed. Very gently, might I add. Oh, and he even brushed your hair back while mumbling things like 'Why'd you have to look so cute?' Honestly, it was nauseating. If he'd kissed your forehead, I might've deleted myself out of sheer embarrassment.]
Yu screeched, face exploding red, and buried his head into the pillow.
"KYAAAAAH!! NO NO NO NO NOOOO!!"
[You're welcome for the play-by-play…]
DK01 added smugly.
[I thought you'd like to know your bully secretly has the instincts of a doting boyfriend.]
Yu thrashed against the sheets, kicking his legs like an angry child.
"I—I wasn't ready for that! And—ah! What if he saw my cute face up close?! Or—or—or smelled me!!"
[Relax. If anything, it only accelerated the romance route.]
"…Eh?"
Yu peeked up from the pillow, eyes wide.
[I checked your system window…]
DK01 said lazily.
[Love-o-Meter: 30%. Congratulations, you've officially seduced him by… fainting. Truly, a masterclass in strategy.]
"Th-that's not a strategy! That's humiliating!!"
Yu flopped back onto the bed, covering his face with both hands.
"Ughhh, Demon King, please forgive me… I'm being indecent!"
Yu lay there sulking, until a glance at the clock on the wall turned his blood cold.
"AHHH!! IT'S TUESDAY?! IT'S—"
He scrambled out of bed, fumbling for his bag and scattering papers across the floor.
"I-I'm late for school! Late, late, laaaate!!"
DK01 sighed in his usual unimpressed way.
[If you'd kept half the energy you waste on melodrama, you might've been on time.]
Yu dashed around the apartment, grabbing his things without even bothering to change clothes. He slung his bag over his shoulder, shoes half on, when he caught sight of himself in the mirror.
He froze.
There, on his cheek, was a glaring red handprint-shaped mark.
"…Oh no."
Yu touched it gingerly, his red eyes trembling.
"Oh no, oh no, oh no, Yamato Yamada cursed me!!"
[It's not a curse…]
DK01 said flatly.
[It's called a slap. You remember those, right? Physical force? Humans use them.]
Yu puffed his cheeks in protest.
"I know what a slap is, thank you very much!! But—But if I show up like this everyone will laugh at me!"
He flailed for the freezer and pressed an ice pack against his cheek, wincing. Ten minutes later, the swelling went down, but the angry red mark remained.
"…Still visible…"
Yu whispered miserably.
His eyes drifted toward the bathroom counter, where a small bag sat untouched. He tugged it open and found tubes of concealer, foundation, powders—his sister's and mother's old makeup, unused but carefully kept. For a moment, his chest ached, Yukio's inherited memories stirring: afternoons of his sister practicing eyeliner, their mother gently fixing smudges, laughter echoing in a home now silent.
Yu swallowed hard.
"…They used this… to hide their imperfections."
And then another memory surfaced—late nights of Yukio scrolling through videos, watching men paint their faces with practiced ease. Makeup not just to cover flaws, but to create beauty, to assert control.
Yu's pale fingers lingered on a tube of concealer. Slowly, his lips curved into a faint, shy smile.
"The humans in my world used something like this too… though cruder. And mostly for women."
He exhaled, determination flickering in his ruby eyes.
"…But this world is different. And if Yukio liked it, then…"
He straightened, staring at his reflection with resolve.
"Then I'll do it too. Do as the Romans do, right?"
DK01's silence stretched for a moment. Finally, his voice came, unusually soft.
[…Just don't poke yourself in the eye.]
Yu giggled quietly, the sound a little shaky but genuine.
"Don't worry. I'll be pretty enough to make Demon King Talo proud!"
Yu sat cross-legged on the bathroom floor, his sister's old makeup bag spread open before him like a treasure chest. Bottles, brushes, and mysterious sponges glittered under the dim light.
"…Alright, Yu, you can do this. Just like Yukio's memories. Dab, blend, flawless. Easy."
He picked up a concealer stick and yanked the cap off like it was a sword being unsheathed. He dabbed it onto his cheek—one, two, three dots—and then froze.
"…Okay. Now I… rub?"
[You blend…]
DK01 corrected, voice flat as ever.
[Not smear like you're buttering toast.]
Yu rubbed. Hard. The concealer streaked across his cheek like war paint. He blinked at his reflection.
"…Why do I look like I lost a fight with a chalk monster?"
[Because you're bad at this.]
DK01 said cheerfully.
Yu puffed his cheeks, grabbed a powder compact, and puff-puffed his entire face until he looked ghostly white. A strand of his hair fell loose, stuck itself directly to the concealer streak, and dangled there like a sad flag.
"D-Don't laugh! I'm trying my best!"
Yu wailed, tugging at the hair only to make the concealer smudge worse.
[I'm not laughing…]
DK01 said, though his tone dripped with smugness.
[I'm simply logging the data for future blackmail.]
After another five minutes of clumsy brushes, crooked eyeliner attempts, and one near-miss of poking himself in the eye with a mascara wand, Yu slumped back in defeat.
"…Humans are too powerful. Their battle arts are unmatched."
[So you're giving up?]
Yu slapped a big glob of concealer over the red handprint, patted it roughly with his fingers until it vaguely resembled "covered," and stood.
"There. Perfect."
DK01 hummed.
[Perfectly tragic.]
But Yu was already rushing for the door, bag slung over his shoulder, still in his sister's middle school outfit, twin tails wobbling as the clips slid free. A cowlick stuck straight up at the top of his head like a defiant horn.