By the time Yu reached the school gate, the teacher was just about to close it. Yu barreled forward, waving frantically.
"Waaaait! I'm coming!"
The teacher turned, blinking at the sight of a breathless, white-haired student in a slightly-too-small girl's uniform, skirt swishing dangerously.
"…Ah. You must be the new transfer student."
Yu froze.
"Eh?"
The teacher gave a stern but kind look.
"You're late, but I'll let it slide this once. Be more mindful in the future."
Yu nodded rapidly, cheeks pink, too flustered to correct him.
"Y-Yes, sensei!"
"Come with me. You'll need the proper school uniform."
---
At the office, Yu obediently followed instructions, bowing politely like he remembered Yukio doing. He was handed a neatly folded set of clothes, thanked the staff, and rushed to the office bathroom room.
Moments later, Yu emerged—dressed perfectly in the crisp school uniform… the girl's version. Pleated skirt, fitted blouse, ribbon at the collar.
He twirled once in front of the bathroom mirror, eyes sparkling.
"Ohhh! Cute!"
DK01 groaned.
[That's not your uniform.]
"But it fits so well! And—look! It even hides my slap mark better!"
Yu pressed his cheek against his shoulder proudly.
[That doesn't even make sense… You realize no one corrected you because they think you're a girl, right?]
Yu blinked.
"…That's… fine, isn't it? If it helps me blend in with the humans, then… so be it!"
He clenched his fists dramatically.
"I'll endure anything if it means saving Demon King Talo!"
DK01 muttered.
[This is going to be a circus.]
With only minutes before the bell, Yu thanked the teacher profusely—nearly tripping over his feet in the process—and hurried down the hall. His twin tails had slipped halfway out of their bands by now, one clip dangling precariously on the edge of his hair.
But he made it to his classroom door just as the bell rang. Yu inhaled deeply, bracing himself.
"…Second day of school…"
He whispered.
"I won't lose!"
He slid the door open—into the wary eyes of classmates who already knew him as Yukio Hokohayashi… or so he thought.
Yu shuffled nervously into class, hugging his bag to his chest like a shield. He slid into a seat by the window, trying to make himself small. But the moment he sat, he felt dozens of eyes prickling his skin.
"Is that a new student?"
"She's cute…"
"I don't remember anyone like her before."
Yu ducked his head, twin tails slipping looser, bangs half stuck to the concealer on his cheek. His heart thumped so loud he swore everyone could hear.
Two girls exchanged a glance before leaning forward in their chairs and approaching. One had soft dyed blond hair and round eyes that sparkled blue—Fumiko Fujimori. The other, Sakura Sato, wore her long blond hair with a pink dyed streak in a sleek ponytail with a pink scrunchie.
"Hi there!"
Fumiko said cheerfully.
"What's your name? Did you just transfer to this class?"
Yu froze. He peeked up at them, ruby eyes wide, before mumbling.
"U-Um… n-no… I-I'm… Yu-…"
"Yu?"
Sakura tilted her head.
"I don't think we've had a Yu in our class."
Yu fidgeted, cheeks warming. His voice got even smaller.
"I've… always… here…"
The girls blinked at him, puzzled but not pressing. Instead, Fumiko squinted at his face.
"Wait… your cheek looks a little… different? Almost like… foundation?"
She reached to touch him.
Yu flinched hard, ears burning red.
"I-It's makeup…"
He blurted.
Fumiko and Sakura gasped in unison. Their eyes lit up.
"You wear makeup?!"
Sakura clapped her hands.
"That's amazing! We're both studying to be beauticians…"
Fumiko said quickly.
"Can we fix it up for you? Pleeease?"
Yu's panic melted into excitement.
"R-Really?! Yes! Please!"
He clasped his hands together, tail (if he still had one) surely wagging.
In a flash, the girls whipped out their own makeup pouches. Fumiko carefully wiped off his botched concealer with a cotton pad, revealing the angry red slap mark. Both girls went quiet for a beat, exchanging a knowing look, but they didn't comment.
Instead, Sakura leaned close, smiling warmly.
"Don't worry. We'll cover it."
They got to work. Concealer, foundation, then a careful layer of powder. Fumiko lined his eyes with a delicate flick of eyeliner, while Sakura added a soft gloss to his lips. They fussed with his twin tails, retying them neatly and clipping back his bangs with precision.
By the end, Yu peeked into a compact mirror and nearly squealed.
"I-It's like magic! I look… cute!"
His cheeks flushed pink as he turned his head this way and that.
"How do you do such amazing human sorcery?!"
Fumiko giggled.
"Practice."
Sakura winked.
"And passion. I'm Sakura Sato, by the way, and she's Fumiko Fujimori."
The three leaned close, whispering excitedly about products, colors, and how Yu's pale skin was perfect for certain looks. For a moment, Yu forgot about everything else—his demon king, his mission, even Taichi—and just basked in the warmth of their chatter.
The brief respite only lasted a few minutes, however, as the classroom door slid open with a bang. Their new homeroom teacher stepped in, clutching his roster.
"Alright, everyone, settle down! I have an announcement to make."
His eyes scanned the room until they landed squarely on Yu—sitting straight-backed, lips glossy, eyes lined, cheeks faintly flushed.
The teacher cleared his throat.
"As you've noticed, we have a new transfer student. Please give her a warm welcome."
The room went dead silent. Every head swiveled toward Yu.
Yu froze. His eyes darted wildly around the room, then down to his pleated skirt and ribbon collar.
"…Ah."
He whispered, face blazing.
From the corner of his mind, DK01's voice purred with smug satisfaction.
[Congratulations, Host. You've just been promoted from 'tragic boy' to 'mystery girl.']
The silence after the teacher's introduction broke like glass.
"She's so cute…"
One boy whispered loudly.
"New transfer?"
"No way."
"She's definitely new, I'd remember if I saw her before!"
Another muttered.
"Look at her eyelashes! And those lips!"
Yu covered his mouth, shrinking into his seat as curious faces leaned toward him.
The teacher coughed.
"Alright, young lady, please introduce yourself to the class."
Yu shot up, heart hammering. His demon instincts screamed lie convincingly, but his human tongue tied itself into knots.
"M-My… my name is… Yu."
Just Yu.
The teacher blinked at him, then nodded indulgently.
"Very well. Yu, everyone. Please treat her kindly."
The whispers resumed, more animated now.
"She's shy—so cute!"
"I bet she's from Tokyo!"
"No way, she's gotta be half, look at those eyes."
Yu sat down, tugging at his skirt nervously, lips twitching at all the attention. DK01 chuckled smugly in the back of his head.
[Host, congratulations. You've been successfully rebranded.]
In the back row, Taichi Arifukua slouched in his seat, arms crossed and head down. Beside him, Yamato Yamada and Souma Satou exchanged lazy grins, clearly entertained by the "new girl" which brought Taichi's attention.
But when Taichi's eyes locked on Yu, he couldn't look away.
That gloss. Those twin tails. The way Yu's cheeks lit up pink when people called him cute.
That's… Yukio.
His chest tightened. The dream from two nights ago flashed in his head—Yu in that frilly maid outfit, leaning close with teasing eyes. His throat went dry.
"Oi, Taichi…"
Yamato elbowed him.
"You're staring. Don't tell me you already like the new girl?"
Souma smirked.
"Man, you're fast. Not even ten minutes and you're already whipped."
Taichi's face went hot.
"Shut the hell up."
But he didn't deny it.
Because deep down, his gut twisted with a thought he couldn't shake.
'Maybe… I really am in love with him.'
---
By third period, Yu's makeover charm had spread through the halls. But so had whispers. Not everyone was fooled.
When the math teacher paused mid-roll call, frowning at Yu's skirt, it was only a matter of time.
"You, after class, please go see the counselor."
Yu's heart dropped.
Ten minutes later, he sat stiffly in the counselor's office, hands folded on his lap. The counselor, a middle-aged man with thinning hair, steepled his fingers.
"So, Yukio…"
He said carefully.
"About your uniform. Is someone… forcing you to wear that?"
Yu blinked, then shook his head so hard his twin tails wobbled.
"N-No! I-I just… I feel more comfortable like this. It's still proper uniform, right? Just… um… the other kind."
The counselor squinted, clearly torn between protocol and his desire not to deal with this headache.
"…Well. You're not breaking any rules…"
He finally muttered.
"If that's what you want, then… fine. I'll allow it."
Yu beamed.
"Really? Thank you! Humans are so reasonable sometimes!"
The counselor gave him a long, confused look.
"…Right. Just… don't cause trouble."
As Yu skipped out of the office, DK01's dry voice chimed in his head.
[Congratulations, Host. You've just unlocked 'official schoolgirl status.' Next step: the tragic heroine route?]
Yu puffed out his cheeks, whispering back.
"Shut up, toaster. This is just… part of the mission!"
But he couldn't hide the tiny, excited bounce in his step as he headed back to class. Yu practically floated out of the counselor's office, skirt swishing, lips glossed, cheeks warm from smiling too much.
'Humans are so much nicer than I thought! This is easy!'
But as he rounded the corner, his cheerful stride froze.
Taichi Arifukua stood there, hands stuffed in his pockets, clearly on his way to the same office. His green eyes locked on Yu—and stayed there.
For a second, the hallway shrank to just the two of them.
Yu felt heat climb up his neck. He clutched at the hem of his skirt instinctively, unsure if he should look away or stare back.
"…Yukio."
Taichi muttered, voice low and tight.
Yu's stomach flipped. No one else knew. Only him.
"Yes?"
He whispered, trying to sound calm but coming off more like a rabbit cornered by a wolf.
Taichi's jaw clenched. He stepped closer, eyes darting over Yu's twin tails, the gloss, the uniform that clearly wasn't his. His ears were pink, but his voice was sharp.
"What the hell are you playing at?"
Yu puffed his cheeks, trying to hide his panic under bravado.
"I-I'm blending in! That's all! Don't… don't look at me like that!"
For once, Taichi didn't snap back. He just stared, fists tightening at his sides. Then, without another word, he brushed past Yu, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "…cute idiot…" under his breath.
Yu blinked after him, heart hammering.
"Did… he just…?"
DK01 snickered in his head.
[Congratulations, Host. Your knight in shining armor has entered his tsundere phase.]
Yu stomped his foot, flustered.
"He's not my knight, he's my bully!"
But his ears burned pink all the way back to class.
However, the moment Yu stepped back inside, the buzz reignited.
"There she is!"
"Seriously, is she a model?"
"Transfer student from Shibuya, guaranteed."
Yu ducked his head, cheeks glowing, and scurried back to his seat.
But before he could retreat too far, two figures swanned up to him—bright nails, loose socks, caramel tans, and sparkly hair clips catching the light.
Fumiko Fujimori and Sakura Sato—the class's resident gyarus.
"Yuuuu~"
Fumiko sang, leaning on his desk with a grin.
"Your concealer earlier? Totally tragic. But this new look? Perfect."
Sakura giggled, twirling one of Yu's twin tails around her finger.
"And you've got such good skin! Like, literally a baby. We're jealous."
Yu's eyes widened, hands clasped under his chin.
"Really? But… the way you made my eyes shiny! And my lips glossy! It was like… magic! Please, teach me more!"
The two girls exchanged a quick, delighted glance.
"Ohhh my god, she's adorable."
"Right? She's totally our little protégé now."
And just like that, Yu found himself folded into their orbit.
Between classes, the three huddled together, Fumiko pulling out palettes and brushes, Sakura scrolling through makeup tutorials on her phone. Yu scribbled frantic notes like he was studying for a divine exam, asking questions so earnest it made both girls squeal.
"Humans have so many weapons of beauty!"
Yu marveled.
"This eyeliner—it's like… it changes destiny itself!"
"Babe, wait 'til you try contouring."
Sakura said, tapping his nose with a glittery nail.
From the back of the classroom, Taichi stared silently, pretending to ignore his friends' chatter. Yamato and Souma nudged each other, smirking.
"Oi, Taichi. You're staring again."
"Bet the new girl's your type, huh?"
But Taichi didn't answer. He only clenched his pen tighter, eyes narrowed on the radiant smile Yu wore as the gyarus laughed with him.
---
As the afternoon lunch bell rang, the classroom erupted into chatter and the rustle of bento boxes. Yu instinctively hunched in his seat, clutching at his bag. His plan was simple: escape to a quiet corner, chew on an apple, and pretend he didn't notice his stomach growling louder than a beast.
But Fumiko Fujimori and Sakura Sato had other ideas.
"Yuuuu~!"
Fumiko sang, looping her arm through his before he could scurry off.
"Come eat with us!"
Sakura chimed in, already pulling him toward the door with a bright grin.
"Eh?! B-But—!"
Yu flailed, glancing back at his desk as if it might save him.
"No buts…"
Fumiko said, dragging him along with the force of a hurricane.
"You're ours now."
Moments later, Yu found himself seated at a sunny outdoor bench, squeezed between the two gyarus as they unpacked their lunches. His own stomach sank—he hadn't brought food again.
Sakura noticed instantly.
"You didn't bring lunch?"
Yu's ears turned red.
"Ah, um… I-I forgot."
The girls exchanged a look before plopping items onto his lap. Sakura handed over half her sandwich. Fumiko added rice balls shaped like hearts.
"Eat…"
Fumiko ordered, tapping his cheek with her chopsticks.
"You're too skinny anyway."
Yu's eyes watered.
"Humans… are so… kind…"
The girls laughed, mistaking his teary gratitude for dramatics, and Yu happily devoured every bite, cheeks puffed like a hamster as he listened to them chatter about hairstyles, nail salons, and the latest J-pop idols.
When they started showing him how to use an eyelash curler, Yu leaned forward, fascinated, exclaiming things like.
"Truly… such divine tools exist?!"
Which made both gyarus nearly choke on their tea.
By the time the bell rang again, Yu's heart felt warmer than it had since leaving his Demon King's side.
---
Once back inside, the shift was immediate. While Yu doodled eyeliner notes in the margins of his notebook and whispered questions to Fumiko and Sakura, Taichi sat in the back, head propped on his hand, glaring holes through his textbook.
Every giggle Yu made with the gyarus, every sparkle of lip gloss when he turned his head—it gnawed at him.
'Why the hell is he acting like that? Smiling like that? With them?'
Yamato leaned back in his chair, smirking.
"Taichi. You're staring again."
Souma elbowed him.
"Dude, chill. She's gonna notice you glaring like a jealous boyfriend."
"Shut it."
Taichi snapped, voice low, though his ears betrayed him by burning bright red.
He tried to focus on the lesson, but his mind betrayed him with flickers of the dream—the maid outfit, the blush, the lips whispering his name. His pen tapped relentlessly against the desk, every beat matching the thrum in his chest.
By the time the bell rang for the end of class, Taichi was no closer to understanding the ache in his gut.
All he knew was this: the "new girl" Yu had everyone's attention. And it made him furious.
---
After school had ended for the day, Yu barely had time to pack his books before Fumiko and Sakura descended on him like hawks spotting prey.
"Yu-chan, let's goooo!"
Sakura tugged his arm.
"Yeah, no ditching us,"
Fumiko added with a grin.
"Café time!"
"Eh?!"
Yu squeaked, trying to tug back.
"B-But I should return home—there are… chores? And—"
"Chores can wait."
"Exactly. Fashion can't."
And just like that, Yu was whisked away.
---
The café was small, pastel-colored, and smelled faintly of strawberries. Yu sat at the table, knees pressed together, staring at the towering parfait the girls had shoved in front of him. It sparkled with whipped cream, fruit, and something called "pocky sticks."
Yu poked it with a spoon.
"It's… beautiful. Like an altar sacrifice."
The gyarus burst out laughing.
"Oh my god, you're too dramatic, Yu-chan!"
Sakura said between giggles.
"Eat it before it melts, silly."
Fumiko urged, pushing the spoon to his lips.
The first bite nearly made Yu cry. Cold, sweet, and so unlike the rations of the demon world. He clutched the glass reverently.
"Truly… heaven exists in human desserts."
"Stop being so cute!♡"
The girls teased in unison, and Yu's cheeks turned pink.
After the café, the girls dragged him through several boutiques.
"Try this one, Yu-chan!"
"No, this dress suits her way better!"
Yu found himself stuffed into dressing rooms and twirled around in everything from plaid skirts to oversized sweaters. Each time he emerged, the girls squealed like he'd just stepped onto a runway.
"You look perfect in literally everything!"
Fumiko declared, hands on her hips.
"Seriously. It's unfair!"
Sakura agreed, snapping selfies with him.
Yu, dizzy from outfit changes and attention, clutched the hem of a cardigan.
"So… this is the power of… fashion magic…"
"Pfft—fashion magic,"
Fumiko snorted.
"I'm stealing that."
At the checkout counter, Sakura noticed Yu fumbling with his phone.
"Yu-chan, you don't even have LINE set up, do you?"
"Line?"
Yu tilted his head.
The girls exchanged horrified gasps and immediately grabbed the device from his hands.
"Unacceptable."
"We're fixing this now."
They spent the next twenty minutes setting up his apps, explaining emojis, and making him add them both as contacts.
"Here! Now we can chat anytime."
"Send us selfies too, Yu-chan!"
Yu stared at their glowing names in his contacts, his chest squeezing. For the first time since arriving in this strange new world, the loneliness felt a little lighter.
"Thank you… both of you."
He whispered.
The girls grinned.
"Of course, silly. We're friends now."
---
The sun was low by the time Yu finally started making it back to his apartment. His arms were full of shopping bags stuffed with clothes the girls had convinced him to buy, his phone buzzed with their cheerful stickers, and his heart was buzzing with warmth.
"…Humans are terrifyingly kind."
From his core, DK01 muttered dryly.
[Correction: gyaru teenagers are terrifyingly kind. Do not extrapolate this behavior to the rest of the species.]
Yu giggled anyway as he trudged up the street, arms heavy with pastel shopping bags, hair bouncing in loose twin tails. His cheeks were still glowing from all the laughter and sugar.
Just as he reached the apartment complex, a tall figure leaned against the railing of the stairwell. Taichi.
He had a can of beer in his hand, his two friends nowhere in sight. His eyes narrowed the instant he saw Yu staggering under the weight of bags.
'…Shopping bags. Cute clothes. Bright logos from trendy stores.'
Taichi's jaw clenched.
'So that's where she—no, where he—was all afternoon? Out playing dress-up with those girls?'
Yu glanced up and nearly tripped on the last step.
"Ah—! G-Good evening, Taichi-san!"
He bowed slightly, trying not to drop his bags.
Taichi just stared, silent, his beer hissing faintly as he crushed the can in his hand.
Yu fumbled for words.
"Um… have a… nice evening?"
And then scurried inside, the plastic handles digging into his wrists.
Taichi stayed behind, glaring at the closed door long after Yu disappeared inside. His heart was pounding too fast. He hated it. He hated not understanding.