Chapter 56: Adventure in a Boy's Room
Saturday.
It was just past six in the morning. The first rays of dawn had only begun to spill across the rooftops of the quiet neighborhood, washing the city in faint gold. Birds were beginning to chirp softly in the distance, the breeze carried a faint chill, and the streets were still wrapped in the dreamy calm of early morning.
Then—ding-dong!
A sharp, crisp doorbell shattered the peace.
Kouya's eyes snapped open. For a second, he wasn't sure if he'd dreamed it. But the sound came again, ringing clearly through the thin apartment walls. It was sharp enough to feel like an alarm bell in the stillness of dawn.
And, judging by the direction, it wasn't his door—it was the one next door.
He groaned. "Vigne?"
The rhythm was too familiar. She always pressed the bell twice, paused, then once more—like a polite knock sequence. The last time she came over to check on the Scottish Fold cats, it had sounded exactly like this.
But at this hour, there was no way Gabriel would be awake. The lazy angel didn't even open her eyes before ten on weekends.
Sure enough, after two more rings, silence. Then, as expected, a few moments later—
Ding-dong. This time from his door.
Kouya sighed, dragging a hand through his messy hair. "It's way too early for this…" He threw on a loose hoodie, slipped into his slippers, and shuffled toward the door.
When he opened it, the sight that greeted him made him blink twice.
"Um, I rang Gabi's bell a few times, but she doesn't seem awake yet," Vigne said softly, standing outside with an apologetic smile. Her long purple hair shimmered faintly under the morning light. "Would it be alright if we waited inside for a while? I didn't want to disturb anyone else."
"Good morning, Kouya-kun," another voice chimed sweetly. That calm, lilting tone could only belong to one person—Raphael, the silver-haired angel who wore the face of serenity but the heart of mischief.
And just when he thought it couldn't get worse, a third voice joined in.
"Hmph! What are you looking at?" the red-haired demon puffed up proudly. "Raphael begged me yesterday, so I, the Great Satania, decided to accompany her! You should be grateful for my divine generosity!"
Kouya froze, staring blankly at the three of them.
Are you kidding me?! You're all here?!
You said eight o'clock at the amusement park! It's barely six! What kind of maniacs wake up this early on a Saturday?!
Vigne tilted her head, smiling like a teacher reminding a lazy student. "Early mornings are good for you, you know. Oversleeping ruins your energy for the day."
"Yeah, yeah," Kouya muttered, stepping aside and gesturing for them to enter. "Come in."
"Thank you, Kouya-kun." Vigne's politeness was flawless as always.
"Eh?" Satania suddenly looked down at the entryway. "There's a slipper missing."
"I live alone," Kouya said flatly. "Just come in barefoot."
"Oh, okay." Satania obediently started to step in—but Raphael, of course, couldn't resist.
"I've heard that boys' rooms are full of mysterious and scary things," she said innocently, eyes glinting. "If you walk in barefoot... you might get pregnant."
"Pff—!"
Kouya's jaw dropped. What kind of logic even is that?!
"W-Wait, seriously?!" Satania gasped, jumping back. "That can happen?!"
"Raphael, don't say strange things." Vigne sighed, handing Satania her own slippers. "And Satania, no, that's not possible."
"But Vigne, you'll get pregnant too!" Satania cried dramatically.
Pregnant, my ass!
Kouya pressed a hand over his face. How did this become my morning? "Just... come in already."
The three of them entered, their footsteps soft against the floorboards. Satania immediately began snooping around like a detective, poking at bookshelves and peeking into corners.
"Hmph," she said with a smug grin. "I expected a boy's room to be filthy and chaotic, but this is actually... decent. Of course, it's nowhere near as magnificent as my royal quarters, but I'll allow it."
"Maybe," Raphael said smoothly, tapping her chin, "Kouya-kun cleaned up last night. You know, hiding all the embarrassing things."
Satania blinked. "Embarrassing things?"
Raphael smiled sweetly, raising a finger to her lips. "Like... dirty magazines, or adult toys~."
"D-Dirty magazines?!" Satania's eyes went wide as her face turned scarlet. "A-Adult toys?! Those exist?!"
"Raphael!" Vigne scolded, cheeks flushed pink. "Stop saying those things! Kouya-kun isn… isn't like that!"
That pause—why the hell was there a pause?!
Even you doubt me, don't you?!
Fine! Maybe I do have a secret collection... but it's not what you think! It's art! Refined culture! Historical preservation of the most forbidden anime scenes known to mankind!
You girls have no idea the danger you've stepped into. This is the lair of the former Demon King! According to every dark anime trope, this should end with me locking you all inside for a lesson in corruption!
"Not necessarily," Raphael interrupted calmly. "At school, I've received quite a few love letters from boys."
"Good for you," Kouya muttered.
"Some spray perfume on them. Others include rose petals," she continued with an amused smile.
Corny, but harmless.
"And some even leave snacks in my desk."
That's just biology, Kouya thought. Sharing food's a basic animal instinct.
"But last week," Raphael added with perfect calm, "someone left me a black pair of panties."
"WHAT?!" Kouya sputtered. "That's not affection—that's a felony!"
Raphael smiled sweetly. "I had a pretty good idea who did it, too."
No. No way.
"You didn't..." he said cautiously.
"Oh, but I did." Her smile widened. "I gave him a thank-you gift. He's still recovering."
Kouya groaned. "You did turn him into a pig, didn't you?"
"Mm-hmm~" Raphael hummed happily. "He oinked so realistically, too."
Holy hell. That explains why that idiot didn't show up for class Tuesday.
"But," she continued in a lower, teasing tone, "I really liked the style of that underwear. So I ordered another pair online."
"Raphael!" Vigne exclaimed, face bright red. "Don't—"
Raphael ignored her. "Kouya-kun... want to see?"
She wasn't wearing her uniform today. Instead, a white blouse tucked neatly into a red-and-black pleated skirt. Her black stockings climbed just above her knees, leaving a slim, glowing band of bare skin between the two—a mesmerizing strip of light that could make anyone's pulse skip.
As she slowly lifted her skirt, that forbidden strip of skin expanded, smooth and flawless.
Vigne froze, mouth open. Satania's brain short-circuited completely, her face going from red to crimson.
Kouya squinted, crossing his arms. "Go ahead."
They locked eyes—Raphael's playful smirk against his deadpan stare.
Three seconds.
Five.
By the seventh, Raphael's face was bright red. She dropped her skirt in defeat, coughing awkwardly. "...You really are impossible."
Kouya smirked. "Round one goes to me."