"My name is Nakamura Shoji, tho people who I hold dear to my heart are usually calling me 'Sho'."
"I love eating European food, mainly Slavic and Italian, tho every single European dish I've ever tasted was amazing."
"I live in Tsukihama and attend the prestigious high school called the Mihama Academy as a 2nd grader."
"Tsukihama is geographically located southwest of Kyoto, squeezed between the Sea of Japan and the forested hills."
"The city is about an hour's drive away from Kyoto and many maps either don't show it clearly, or it's not even on them."
I was sitting in class, looking at my endearing homeroom teacher, Takahashi Sayuri, as she explained something important to us, though her words didn't reach my ears.
"Do I feel any attraction towards her?"
"No, I don't, she's just a teacher for me."
"She is just endearing, that's it."
"I hope you welcome your new friend, as if she was here since the beggining!" Mrs. Takahashi said gently. She looked at the sliding door which led to our classroom, and it slid open.
All the boys, including me, were shocked by the sight. They listened to Mrs. Takahashi, so they knew someone new was about to enter the class, but they didn't expect someone like that.
The girl gracefully walked into her classroom, making her way towards the chalkboard, carrying her book bag in front of her hips.
She took a piece of chalk and wrote it down, then turned her face towards the class, a wide smile played on it as she was.
Her golden eyes gleamed with mischief and a weird feeling of reliability. Her long silver hair fell past her shoulders, almost reaching her big butt. Her chest was full all large, and her hips were hide, accompanied by thick thighs.
She wore the school uniform and a short skirt from under which, lacy garters reached her darkening thigh highs.
However, her body couldn't be even slightly compared to the most stunning part of her, her beautiful face.
"Hello, everyone! My name is Hoshizuki Fuyuki!" She chirped in excitement, her voice quirky and kind. "It rhymes, so it's easy to understand!"
She clapped her hands together and respectfully bowed her head. "I was living in Europe for a couple of years, so my Japanese might not be the best, but I hope that you will welcome and accept me as a friend~!"
I looked down at my knees, my face covered in a crimson blush as butterflies flew throughout my stomach.
"...She's..."
"...Beautiful..."
I clenched my fist under the table in embarrassment as my classmates all greeted her at the same time.
"I've never felt this way towards anyone!"
"What's with that girl?!"
The new girl, Fuyuki, decided to sit down at the desk that was in the middle of the class, right behind the class president, who everyone liked— Fujimoto Ayaka.
As the class came to an end, the entire class gathered around Fuyuki and asked her various types of questions, ranging from her favorite food to what kind of shampoo she used.
Although overwhelmed at first, she answered all the questions, obviously excluding the weird ones like 'What cup are those?' that some guys asked.
I lay my face on the book, not daring to raise it because it was still burning with a crimson hue.
Suddenly, someone pulled my already messy brown hair and raised my head, looking straight into my green eyes in confusion.
It was no one else than my best friend, Hadeka Haruki who was always popular amongst the girls due to his handsome face and blue eyes paired with blonde hair— A mix that no one would dare to resist.
It was easy for him to access me at all times due to my sitting behind me, so a simple rotation of his chair could connect our equally stupid minds.
"What are you doing, Nakamura? Why aren't you all over the new girl like everyone else, huh?" Haruki asked curiously.
I looked at him, my whole face still red. "That's none of your business, Hadeka!" I groaned, collapsing my head back into my book.
"Wait a second~" He looked at Fuyumi, then at me, then at Fuyumi again, then at me again. "Don't tell me that you've got a crush on the new girl just by seeing her for the first time in your life~!"
I raised my head and looked him in the eyes, an annoyed expression visiting my face. "You're blaming me?!" I asked loudly, insulted. "Just look at her! She's so beautiful, not even trying to mention her angelic voice which warms my ears!"
Haruki chuckled. "Well, you just did."
He then stood up and smacked my table with his fist. "Okay! Don't be a kitty! Everyone's introducing themselves to the new girl, and I don't want her to think that we are some kind of weirdos like those guys who keep staring at her chest." He flicked his eyes to the two last desks of the left row.
I followed his eyes and sighed, my blush fading away as I took a deep breath and stood up. "Fine..." I sighed in defeat.
We walked up to Fuyuki's desk, pushing through the crowd of other people who had already talked with her.
Haruki reached his hand out to her, grinning warmly. "Nice to meet you, Hoshizuki-san! My name is Hadeka Haruki and I am the vice-president of our class. I'm glad to have you in our class, I'm sure that you are a great person."
Fuyuki shook his hand, flashing back at him with a kind expression. "Nice to meet you too, Hadeka-San!" She said in a gentleness that literally invited his trust.
I looked down at her notebook, noticing cute doodles in the margins. "That's a nice kitty you've got here..." I muttered under my nose.
Fuyuki looked up at me and beamed out of her seat, standing up for the first time. Joy tumbled out of her like the morning light shining through the curtains.
She took my hands into hers, smiling brightly. "Really?! Really?!" She chirped, her delight impossible to hide.
"Uhh... Yeah..." I laughed nervously, leaning away from her face which was constantly leaning in.
Fuyuki's eyes widened and her mouth hung open. "I'm sorry! I didn't ask for your name!" Her grip around my hands tightened. "I am Fuyuki, but you will call me Fu-chan!"
Haruki raised a brow as out of all the people in our class, she only stood up to talk to me and even told me to call her by a cute nickname.
People started going back to their seats as the bell was about to ring and our teachers didnt
I bit through all the embarrassment and anxiety I had never felt before around anyone. It wasn't just a simple crush as I thought. I was totally head over heels for that girl, just by listening to her voice.
"My name is Nakamura Shoji! Nice to meet you, Hoshizuki-san!" I said, determined to give her a good first impression.
"You can also call him Sho, Hoshizuki-san," Haruki added a brick, chuckling playfully.
She looked straight into my eyes with undying resolve and a hint of playful annoyance. "Sho-kun! Don't call me so formally! Call me Fu-chan!" She pouted. It didn't seem like she was going to give up soon.
I was angry at Haruki for telling her the nickname my little sister created for me, but I was also surprised that Fuyuki called me by it and also wanted me to call her by a cute nickname. "Fuyuki-san," I looked into her eyes, smiling awkwardly. "I don't think that-"
She stared back into my eyes firmly. "Fu-chan."
The others laughed as we kept arguing about what I should call her. I refused, she insisted, until I finally gave in.
"Fine! Fu-chan! Happy?!" I groaned. My embarrassment was already gone, replaced by frustration.
"A lot better~!" Fuyuki said, just above a barely audible hush, her eyes soft and shining
We stared into each other's eyes for a longer moment. I could hear my heart beating in my chest. I didn't know what it was, what was so attractive about her that other girls didn't have.
She still gripped my hands in hers, not letting go even the slightest.
I opened my mouth slightly, wanting to ask her a question, but before I could, the bell rang and the next class began.
Fuyuki chuckled softly. "Do you want to see the rest of my drawings after this class, Sho~!?" She asked affectionately, her hands releasing mine with a lot of hesitation.
"Yeah, sure!" I chuckled, happy that I would spend some time with the new girl whom I liked.
As I returned to my desk and sat down, Haruki turned around, a wide playful smirk widening on his face. "Aren't the two of you so in love~?" He said in a teasing voice which annoyed me instantly.
I rolled my eyes. "We are not! Yes, I am attracted to her, but I am not in love with her, and so is not she!" I said firmly, taking out my math books from my bag.
Haruki leaned forward, taking my notebook to mess with me. "Oh, come on, man~!" He laughed. "Out of all people, you were the only one she asked to spend time with after classes!" I suggestively raised my eyebrows. "That must mean something, right~?"
"Just shut up and listen to the teacher, Haruki!" I scowled. "I don't want to get another F because I'm almost doomed!"
Haruki sighed and finally turned around, letting me listen to the teacher's lecture in peace.
After all the classes, Fuyuki walked up to my desk as I was packing my stuff, helping me even tho I didn't ask her to.
I looked at her and smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Hoshiz-"
Fuyuki puffed off her cheeks in frustration and started pouting on like a child. "Fu-chan!" She yelled, grabbing my wrists.
I sighed heavily and rolled my eyes smugly. "...Fu..."
"A lot better, Sho~!" She closed my bag and pulled me out of my seat, her hand finding mine and gripping tightly around it.
"Let's go to the nice café nearby and I will show you my drawings~!" She said with an excited voice, her eyes burning with joy.
"That sounds like a good idea!"
***
In the cafe, Fuyuki was sitting very close to me, so close that our legs brushed against each other.
She flipped a page in her sketchbook, a wide smile on her face. "Look, look! This is my kitty! Her name is Luna and she is a Persian cat, tho I couldn't bring her to Japan and I miss her so much!"
I was astonished by how good and detailed her drawings were. At first, I just wanted to pretend like I was interested in them to get on her good side, so I never actually thought that I would be invested in them.
It was very hot that day, so Fuyuki didn't button her shirt to the neck, giving a clear view of her cleavage.
I couldn't help but steal a glance as I sipped my coffee, then I looked at her face. "Why couldn't you bring the cat here?" I asked curiously.
"Uhm!" She put her index finger over her lips in a playful manner. "I arrived in Tsukihama today and spent my whole morning moving in, and I couldn't bring Luna because someone at the household I'll be living in is allergic."
I flicked my fingers. "Oh! So that's why you were late for the classes on your first day!" A soft laugh escaped my mouth as I leaned back on the sofa.
"I mean! My parents want to buy me a mansion in the wealthy part of the city, but I prefer to live with people who strike my curiosity!" Fuyuki said, feeling like she would explode out of the excitement.
"That's very mature of you, Fuyuki-san-..."
Fuyuki's face turned crimson in fury as she grabbed my shoulder and started shaking me in frustration. "How many times do I need to tell you to call me Fu-chan!? I want you to call me Fu-chan! You are Sho for me, and I am Fu for you!" She pouted so hard that she almost brought herself to childish tears.
"Sorry, sorry! Just stop already, don't make a scene!" I yelled in embarrassment, tho I didn't try to push her away or anything.
Her childish tantrum was put to an end when a waitress walked up to us and placed an ice cream cup on the table.
"Here's your order, ma'am, have a nice meal." The waitress said. Her voice wasn't kind, but neither was it mean, it was professional.
Fuyuki's eyes instantly darted to the ice cream cup and she released my shoulders, turning towards the dessert. "Finally! My strawberry-chocolate ice cream!" She chirped, her eyes gleaming with excitement as she dug into the ice cream.
As soon as she put the spoon in her mouth, she grabbed her cheeks in delight. "It's so good ~!" She squeaked.
I couldn't help but laugh at how childish she was acting. "It's just ice cream, Fuyuki-san, it can't be that good~" I teased.
Fuyuki sighed, not even trying to make me refer to her by the cute nickname. "Ho ho~?" She smirked and crossed her arms. "Human! You do not understand the greatness of this dish!" She said, looking at me with pity as if I were missing out on something.
"No, no, no. I can assure you that I ate the same exact dish two days ago and it tasted just like always." I rolled my eyes, leaning in closer to her.
"Are you challenging me?" Fuyuki asked, picking up the glove I'd thrown at her face.
"No, I'm not. I'm just saying that you're overexaggerating~" I quickly countered her first attack.
Fuyuki grabbed the cup and crawled towards me, taking some ice cream with the small spoon. "Then let's see-"
Suddenly, she somehow slid off the sofa and accidentally spilled the whole ice cream on my uniform. The table flipped, its leg hitting the cup of hot coffee I was holding, knocking it out of my hand. The coffee also spilled all over my uniform.
My whole face turned red in anger and embarrassment. "WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE, FUYUKI-SAN?!" I screamed in disbelief, looking down at the girl who was unharmed in every way.
It shouldn't be a big surprise for me to say that we were immediately kicked out of the cafe.
After a while, it was already getting dark as we walked through the empty alleys. I was holding the uniform in my hand with an annoyed expression on my face while Fuyuki followed closely behind, clutching her somehow perfectly fine sketchbook to her chest.
"Heyyy~! Don't be soo mad at me~! It was an accident!" She pouted and tugged the sleeve of my shirt.
I looked at her, my frown intensifying as she reminded me that I was the only one who was hurt. "What do you mean that this was an accident, huh?! It's too much for an accident!" I shouted, the words breaking loose out of my mouth.
"It's not my fault! I've always been this clumsy, and you know it!" She stomped, puffing out her cheeks.
I grimaced, not understanding what she meant by that. "Can you elaborate?"
We stopped walking, both confused. She raised a brow. "Huh?"
Suddenly, the sky turned a deep shade of crimson, and the darkness that hugged the city disappeared.
The confusion of my face was replaced by terror and disbelief. "What the hell?! Why is everything so red?!" I screamed, not believing my eyes.
Fuyuki just looked around, analyzing everything, even the slightest details. She dropped her things on the ground.
The sound of steel boots hitting the ground echoed throughout the whole alley. A man clad in a cassock walked towards us, a cross hung from his neck.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" I stumbled backward, collapsing on the ground as I gripped onto a small rock.
"Well, well, well." The man said coldly, glaring at Fuyuki. "So you are the potential danger, demon?"
"D-Demon?! Fuyuki-san, what is that guy talking about?!" I demanded an answer.
Fuyuki's smile faltered as her ears suddenly changed their shape. Instead of being small and human, they were now longer, thinner, and sharper on the edges.
"Sho-kun! Run away!" She said, her voice low, as a crimson double-edged scythe materialized in her hand out of thin air.
I watched the scene in disbelief as I slowly got on my feet. Without a word, I ran away into the distance.
The man looked at me and then turned his attention back to Fuyuki. "Your friend doesn't seem like the brave type."
Fuyuki glared at him with rage and hatred in her eyes. "My date... You broke my first date with my soon-to-be hubby..." She looked at him with rage in her eyes, her blood boiling in her veins.
"Husband, you say?" He ripped off his cross and gripped it in his hand. The cross started to transform into a silver sword. "Then I guess that your husband also needs to be killed, tho you are the first one in line."
"As an Exorcist of the Tsukihama church, I will end a stray demon without a master and then erase its human servant." The exorcist said calmly, pointing the tip of his sword at her.
Fuyuki ran towards him, but she tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground before she reached him.
"Ouch... Ouch... Ouch..." She rubbed her head and stood up, looking at the confused priest.
"There is no way you're a demon..." He stood still in disbelief, the tip of his sword dropped to the ground.
Fuyuki charged at him and swung her scythe at his neck. He blocked the scythe, but she immediately followed with a kick to his chin.
He twisted his head to the side and pushed her away, realizing that he shouldn't underestimate her.
He circles her, his sword brushing against the cold asphalt with an eardrum-breaking sound.
"You are slower than me, yet you manage to stand your ground." He raised a brow with suspicion. "Are you trying some tactic on me? Because I cannot believe that a demon so skilled could trip over her own feet."
Fuyuki followed him with her eyes, not giving him a second advantage. "I was not born to fight, I'm too clumsy for that, Exorcist!"
"Well, aren't you one weird demon? I have never heard a demon like you admit their flaws, they're always too prideful." The Exorcist said with wonder, closing in the gap between them.
Fuyuki was too impatient. She lunged at him and threw her scythe on the ground.
The Exorcist raised a brow, and then the scythe bounced off the asphalt and flew towards him.
He blocked it easily, but then Fuyuki took it and swung the other end at his leg. He kicked the flat side of the blade, almost knocking the scythe out of her hands.
They jumped around the whole alley, their blades clashed constantly, but neither managed to land a single attack on the other.
Fuyuki was slower, yes, but her double-edged scythe was so much trouble combined with her skill that the Exorcist's speed wasn't much of an advantage.
The Exorcist stepped out of the way and laughed in disbelief and mockery. "Did you just throw your weapon away-"
Then, Fuyuki yanked her hand backward, pulling the scythe using the semi-transparent string that was attached to it.
The priest saw the string shine slightly and he immediately turned around and blocked the scythe which was about cut behead him.
But before he could react to the next attack, Fuyuki was already in the air, right above him, catching the scythe in her hands, and preparing a fatal strike to the top of his head.
"It's over, Exorcist!" She yelled, sure of the fact that she had already won.
The Exorcist closed his eyes and dropped the sword, knowing that there was no escaping from this one.
But then, Fuyuki's own string somehow wrapped around her body and neutralized her.
She fell to the ground, wrapped around the string like a fish caught in the fishnets.
"No! No!" She squeaked in terror, looking at the Exorcist with her eyes wide in disbelief.
The Exorcist opened his eyes and looked at her with the same amount of disbelief, tho he was relieved and she was afraid for her life.
"No way... You really are a clumsy demon..." He picked up his sword and placed his hand on his stomach as he laughed uncontrollably, not believing what he was seeing. "There's no way that I'm this lucky today! I should buy a lottery ticket!"
Tears welled up in Fuyuki's eyes, and she broke down crying. "NO! PLEASE! I BEG YOU! I HADN'T EVER KILLED A SOUL IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! PLEASE! SPARE ME!" She screamed, pleading with him as her life was on the line.
"I don't believe you demon. You need to go." The exorcist said calmly and swung his sword at her neck.
Fuyuki closed her eyes...
Then the sound of a metal pipe hitting something echoed throughout the alley, followed by something heavy falling on the ground.
Fuyuki's eyelids slowly raised off her eyes, which she narrowed in disbelief as she saw no one else but me, holding a metal pipe as I stood above the unconscious Exorcist.
"Sho-kun?!" Even despite blinking a couple of times, she still couldn't believe her eyes.
"I-I made it in time...?" I dropped the pipe and panted in exhaustion, clutching my shirt in disbelief.
The truth is that I didn't run away, I had no clue what was going on, but I knew that Fuyuki was in danger, so I decided to run around the entire alley and attack from behind with anything that I found on the way.
"Holy shit!" I picked up the scythe, cutting the string which prevented her from moving.
"What the hell is going on, huh!? Are you really a demon!? Why does this guy want to kill you!? Where did you two even take those weapons from?!" I showered her with questions, but her mind was still in a state of shock.
She leaped onto me and wrapped her arms around my back tightly as more tears streamed down her red cheeks. "You saved me even tho I told you to run away! Thank you, Sho! Thank you!"
My hands trembled as I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I hugged her back as tightly as I could.
I looked down at her pointy ears and she immediately noticed. She looked into my eyes with worry and uncertainty. "The Exorcist was saying the truth... I don't want to lie, so I will say it without any silly games..." She pressed her hand against her chest and smiled kindly.
"My name is Hoshizuki Fuyuki, and I am a demoness." She said gently, watching my expression for any signs of rejection.
I stared into her big golden eyes without saying a word, creating an uncomfortable silence between us.
"Yes... I am a demoness... That's why I can't help but be curious..." She paused, wrapping her arms around my neck. "About why would you save a demoness...?"
I shook my head, shaking out of all the confusion and disbelief I was experiencing. I smirked playfully. "Obviously if you went missing people would bother me because we left school together today~!"
She leaned away and frowned, clearly hurt by such a response. "Really? That's it?" She looked away in sadness.
I flicked my fingers against her forehead and laughed. "Of course not, you childish idiot! I did it because I wouldn't ever leave a friend alone with some weird guy dressed like w goddamn priest~!"
She looked at me and leaned in, planting a soft kiss on my lips. Our cheeks burned as she leaned away. "That's a thank you, Sho-kun~!" She chuckled.
I was stunned. No one has ever kissed me before, especially on the lips. The first thought that passed through my mind was "We just met today!", but I decided to enjoy the moment and enjoy the kiss from the girl I liked, even if she was a demoness of some sort.
***
It was dark as we reached the doorstep of my house. I looked at her curiously, something seemed off.
Her ears returned to their human shape, just like they were in the beginning.
"It's a weird coincidence that you live somewhere near me... We even take the same path..." I raised a brow, looking at the sidewalks lit up by the streetlights. "Can you show me in which direction your house is?"
"Ho ho~! This might come as a surprise to you, Sho-kun, but the house I will be living in is exactly right in front of us~!" She covered her mouth with one hand, trying to keep a giggle from leaving her mouth, and obviously failing.
"Huh? Nah, I'm serious Fuyuki-San! Which one is it?" I smirked, trying to guess and see if I was right.
Fuyuki grabbed my hand and walked into the house as if it were her own place. "Home, sweet home~!" She chirped in a mix of joy and excitement as the doors shut behind us.
A woman with shoulder-length blue hair and gleaming emerald eyes walked out of the living room, clad in her dark pajamas.
"What are you doing Fuyuki-"
"Oh~! Fuyuki-chan~! I was so excited to meet you after not seeing you for so many years~!" My mother, Nakamura Aiko, ran up to Fuyuki and hugged her as if she were her own child.
Fuyuki smiled with contentment and hugged her back. "I am also happy! Thank you for letting me live here, Mother!"
I scowled as they both ignored me. I couldn't withstand it anymore.
"I've put your stuff in Shoji's room, just like you wished, Fuyuki-chan~" Aiko's voice warmed Fuyuki's heart like a pillow.
"Aww~! Thank you!" Fuyuki chuckled.
"What the hell is this supposed to be, huh?! You two know each other?!" I lashed out at them, my face crimson out of frustration I felt.
Aiko broke the hug and looked at me, shooting a wide smile. "Shoji, remember the time when money was tight after your father had passed away?"
"What does it have to do with whatever is going on, huh!?" I demanded an answer.
"I didn't win a lottery like I have told everyone back then... I actually got money from Fuyuki's father for a simple promise of you marrying Fuyuki when you two are older!" She tilted her head to the side innocently as if there was nothing wrong. "Fuyuki-chan is your fiancee~!"
Fuyuki blushed as her thighs rubbed against each other. "T-That's right, Sho-kun! We are engaged~!" She squeaked in joy.
I fell to my knees in disbelief. "My mother... My loving mother... Sold me to a demon..."
And so the quirky adventure of Nakamura Shoji and Hoshizuki Fuyuki began.