For someone soaring through the sky for the first time, Mai looked understandably tense.
"Scared?"
"T-This? It's nothing," she said, trying to sound defiant.
Ryuichi found her attempt at bravado adorable—the way she forced herself to hide her fear while her face betrayed her nerves. She always had this funny kind of stubbornness. It reminded him of how, whenever he made a risqué joke, she'd try to act mature and worldly, only to end up blushing a deep crimson after a few words. And, of course, she'd end things by striking that imperious "queen" pose of hers, while he'd play along and pretend to submit. Somehow, that dynamic worked perfectly for them.
Amused, Ryuichi looked at her cute expression and smirked. "Then how about we go higher?"
"...S-sure."
She tried to sound calm, but her arms tightened firmly around his neck, clutching him as if her life depended on it.
Ryuichi could feel her soft, warm body pressing close against him. A thrill rippled through him, and he couldn't help but grin as he carried her higher into the night sky.
"This doesn't even compare to an airplane..."
Mai's light huff told him she knew he was teasing her again.
"I'm totally fine," she said, half-pouting. "But if we go any higher, you might not handle it."
Ryuichi chuckled. "Actually, this height's perfect. When I first learned flying magic, the first thing I thought of was bringing you up here to see the view."
His voice carried a calm, unconscious gentleness. The affection in his eyes when he looked at her—there was no hiding it.
That was how Mai felt about him at that moment. Her heart tightened, full of emotion.
He really had changed.
When they first met, he'd been so withdrawn, almost cold. If not for the things they'd gone through together, if circumstances hadn't drawn them close, she wouldn't be here with him now—like this.
Looking down at the city below, Mai felt the familiar skyline take on a new beauty. This was their city—the place where they lived their everyday lives together.
Ryuichi flew silently, deep in thought. After what had happened, he understood more clearly than ever the strength of his resolve to protect. Even when things were at their most dangerous, he hadn't once thought of retreating.
Before long, they returned home.
At the entrance, Mai bent to remove her shoes. As Ryuichi followed, he noticed another pair of pink house slippers sitting by the door.
"Your sister still staying with you?"
"Kasaka? Yeah. She still is. But she's been busy with rehearsals lately—gets home around two in the morning every day."
"That late?"
"She's fine. Someone from her team's mom drives her—she's like the group's caretaker," Mai explained. She slipped her feet into her fluffy house slippers and let out a small sigh of relief.
Hmm… nothing beats ditching heels after a long day.
Ryuichi changed into his own slippers and followed her into the living room. He dropped onto the couch, and Mai settled beside him.
"Alright," she said. "Now tell me everything."
"Well… I guess I'll start with the current situation between the Three Factions," he began. "There used to be the Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels. But now? Humanity's probably the most powerful force of all."
He spoke calmly, explaining all that had happened. Mai listened closely. After all, she'd been worried sick when he'd disappeared for several days without a trace.
When he finally finished, she sat speechless, her entire understanding of the world rewritten. Heaven, the Underworld, the Human World—they all truly existed.
"So… those warmongers you mentioned—are there still many of them around?"
"Not anymore, I think," Ryuichi said with a faint laugh. "Don't worry. The leaders of all three factions agreed to end their wars. I doubt we'll see conflicts like that again."
But deep down, he wasn't too optimistic. The world was vast—there was no telling when some lunatic might crawl out of a corner and decide to destroy everything just because they felt like it.
Whether he was tempting fate with those words, he couldn't say. The future was a mystery, and he didn't dwell on it long.
Mai could tell he was sugarcoating things for her sake. With a soft sigh, she whispered, "I'm sorry… that I can't share your burdens."
Ryuichi smiled, shaking his head. "You don't need to. Honestly, if you ever got involved in something dangerous, I'd just end up worrying about you nonstop."
He wrapped his arm gently around her shoulders. "In this world—whether Angel or Devil—being human is still the most peaceful way to live."
Secretly, he already had a plan. Once he became a high-ranking Devil and received his Evil Pieces, he wanted to reincarnate Mai as a Devil too. That way, they could share eternity together.
"Eternity, huh?" Mai murmured. "Makes me wonder… if we spend forever together, what happens when we get tired of each other?"
Her teasing tone couldn't hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Then I'll just fall for you all over again," Ryuichi said softly. "And no matter how long it takes, I'll win you over once more."
Mai's lips curved in a small smile. "Next time, I won't give in so easily."
"Heh… now that's something to worry about. Who knows when 'next time' will be?"
"I'd say… in our next life."
She leaned closer, her playful voice barely a whisper.
Ryuichi smiled gently. "Then I'll just have to pursue you again in our next life."
He lowered his head and kissed her.
Mai melted into his arms. Their lips met again and again, passion deepening until they sank together onto the couch.
His hands explored her with growing certainty, until—before she even realized it—her last defenses were undone. She blinked dazedly, unsure how her body had become so bare in his embrace.
His lips traced her neck, her cheek, the curve of her ear—each kiss making her dizzy, her mind blurring into warmth.
Blushing furiously, she closed her eyes tight, surrendering to his affection.
Ryuichi smiled at her sweet, helpless expression, then leaned in once more…
A soft, stifled sound escaped Mai's lips as the two intertwined completely—hands clasped tightly together—lost in endless warmth and intimacy.
…