Chapter 212: A Family Should Stay Together
Passing through the quiet campus, everyone stopped by a convenience store not far outside the school.
"What does everyone want to drink?" Vigne asked with a small smile. "My treat."
"But it feels wrong to always let you treat us, Vigne-chan," Raphiel said, a little hesitant.
"It's fine," Vigne shook her head. "I just got my allowance, and I've earned a bit from my part-time job lately. Besides, I don't really spend much anyway..."
Then she turned directly to ask, "Rikka, what do you want?"
"Cola!" Rikka raised her hand, her little ahoge swaying in the breeze.
"No, you can't. You're still on your—"
Mid-sentence, Vigne quickly stopped herself, blushing as she glanced sharply at Kouya.
'What are you glaring at me for? It's just a period! What's so embarrassing about it? Health class textbooks explain it in full detail—with color illustrations, too! Crystal clear ones!'
"Anyway, no cola for now. I'll get you some milk tea instead."
"What about you all? What'll you have?"
"Then I'll gladly accept Vigne-chan's generosity," Raphiel said cheerfully. "I'll take a bottle of juice."
...
After finishing their drinks, everyone was ready to head home—until Gabriel hesitated and mumbled softly:
"I've got something to do… I'm not heading back yet."
Then the useless angel walked over to Kouya, lightly kicked his leg, and muttered, "Hurry up and move!"
Kouya: "..."
'That strength, that angle…'
'So you were the one who kicked me during lunch!'
'Vigne just stepped on me at the end—you're the real culprit! (╯‵□′）╯︵┻━┻!'
"Eh? Gabi-chan, where are you going?" everyone asked curiously.
'You, who always rush home to play games after class, actually have plans? That's rarer than the sun rising in the west!'
"To the mall…" Gabriel's eyes darted around as she stammered, "To the mall to play games!"
"Play games at the mall?" Vigne looked puzzled.
"Yeah, yeah! There's a game arcade there. The atmosphere's great," Gabriel said, growing more confident. "I've never been before, so I figured I'd check it out."
"An arcade, huh?" Raphiel's eyes sparkled. "I've heard those are fun! I've never gone myself—why don't we all go together?"
"I'm in too!" Satania crossed her arms proudly. "You think you can leave the great Lady Satania behind? Never!"
Rikka nodded. "Satanyan's right."
"I'll go too…" Vigne hesitated but eventually agreed.
Kouya waved his hand. "You guys go. I'll head home first…"
Everyone turned to look at him at once.
"Stare——"
Hey, what's with those looks!
It's just an arcade. You can go without me!
"No way!" Gabriel rejected flatly. "There are lots of guys at the arcade. If I—we—get harassed, what then?"
'Who would dare mess with you people? You're more terrifying than Godzilla!'
'Even if Godzilla did show up, you'd transform into a fallen angel beast and blast him with your 'Friendship Face-Breaking Punch' until he begged for mercy!'
Raphiel giggled. "That's right. Kouya-kun has to come too. A family should stay together, right?"
"..."
Gabriel looked uneasy as everyone gathered around.
"'If everyone goes, that's not what that ATM girl said would happen...'"
"'But whatever. She just said to go buy that thing at the mall. She didn't say it had to be only two of us...'"
The mall wasn't far, so they decided to walk.
As they passed a cake shop, Kouya caught sight of two small figures standing by the glass window.
One of them looked very familiar.
Long silver hair braided down to her waist, wearing a nearby elementary school's uniform with a big red backpack. Her short legs were wrapped in white stockings that shimmered under the sunlight.
"Hm?" Vigne's eyes lit up. "It's Kanna!"
The two little girls turned at the sound. Sure enough—it was the blue-eyed dragon girl.
Vigne hurried over, bending down with her hands on her knees, smiling brightly. "Kanna-chan, you're still out? Haven't gone home yet?"
"No," Kanna shook her head. "Kobayashi-sama won't be home until very late tonight."
After a pause, she added, "I already finished my homework."
"Such a good girl!" Vigne's eyes sparkled with affection as she pinched Kanna's soft, round cheeks.
Before the blue-eyed dragon could protest, the other little girl beside her frowned and stepped in front protectively.
"Who are you people?" she demanded.
"He's Kanna's cousin," Vigne said, pointing at Kouya, then added after a pause, "and we're his... classmates."
Vigne took Kanna's hand. "Right, Kanna-chan?"
"Mm." Kanna nodded.
The little girl—Saikawa—widened her eyes, glaring at Vigne holding Kanna's hand. She puffed her cheeks, grabbed Kanna's other hand, and declared possessively:
"Kanna-chan is mine! You can't steal her!"
'Who's trying to steal her!'
'If you've got that much energy, hurry up and take this gluttonous blue-eyed dragon off my hands!'
"We're not stealing," Vigne said with a drop of sweat on her forehead.
Then she realized Saikawa's gaze had turned dreamy and her face slightly red as she mumbled, "I-I finally got to hold Kanna-chan's hand... it's so soft and warm..."
'It's just holding hands! Why so dramatic?'
'It's only soft because she's got chubby little hands!'
"Kanna-chan, who's this little one?" Raphiel asked.
Kanna blinked and replied, "This is Saikawa."
"A new classmate you met recently?"
"Mm." Kanna nodded again, then added, "Saikawa's the cutest."
"..."
And just like that, Saikawa froze solid on the spot like she'd been hit by Medusa's petrifying gaze, with little hearts floating out of her eyes.
"K-Kanna-chan just called me cute! Hehehe..."
'Somehow this blue-eyed dragon seemed to have mastered Satania's IQ-draining aura, turning Saikawa into a complete fool.'
Tug, tug.
Kouya looked down.
"I'm hungry. I want food," Kanna said, looking up at him and tugging on his shirt.
'Am I your personal snack supplier now? Vigne's right beside you, ready to feed you, and you're asking me?'
"What do you want to eat?" Kouya sighed.
"Baumkuchen," Kanna replied.
"Why that all of a sudden?"
Kanna thought for a moment, then said simply, "It's tasty."
'Ah, of course. The ultimate reason.'
Everyone followed her into the cake shop, greeted instantly by the sweet aroma of cream.
Satania immediately raised her hand. "I'm hungry too! I want a pineapple bun!"
Rikka: "Dorayaki."
Gabriel: "Chocolate cheesecake."
Raphiel: "Waffles! Maybe there's a Waff inside, who knows..."
'Enough already!'
'Even with your toes, you'd know there's no 'Waff' in a waffle! That would be a horror dish!'
Kouya bought everyone a slice of cake, even the little Saikawa, who politely thanked him before accepting. Then the group found an empty bench by the street and sat down.
A soft breeze rustled the leaves above.
Sunlight streamed through the branches, scattering dappled shadows on the ground.
Everyone sat in a neat row, basking in the gentle warmth of the afternoon.
After finishing her cake, Vigne took a tissue and wiped the crumbs off Kanna's mouth, then said, "We're heading to the mall to play. Are you two going home now? If not, you can come along and join us…"
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