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~ I'm planning to increase the number of advanced chapters to +18 this weekend!
~ I've edited some of the previous chapters to remove anything you might consider "cringe" or "unnecessary." I'll continue reviewing them from time to time!
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He frowned. How had they expected he take it? They were devils. They had shown him the evidence, and no matter how many questions he asked or how many times he denied it, they were still devils. Asking inane questions was not his way. Denying the truth was foolish. When Thanatos burst forth from Orpheus's body, he had accepted that his life would never be the same again. It was much the same now, just without the threat of imminent death from hungry Shadows.
In fact, this was almost tame compared to some of the things he had seen in the Tower.
"That's Arisato-san for you," it disturbed him to hear the pride in Issei's voice, "Always cool and steady!"
Rias and Sona exchanged significant looks.
"Very well then," Rias said primly, her fingers folded together on the table, "We have told you what we are. If you don't mind, we would like to ask you a few questions."
He nodded. He had expected this and prepared himself for the interrogation to begin.
To his surprise, the girl instead took a deep breath.
"Why have you been avoiding me!?" and then promptly released it all at once in an impressive outburst.
He raised an eyebrow. Now that was a question he had not expected in particular. And judging from Sona's expression, neither had she.
"That question wasn't part of the list," the Student Council President frowned.
"Every single time I try to approach you, you find a reason to go and do something else!" Rias all but ignored her co-interrogator, instead choosing to wave her arms for emphasis, "I've spent so many hours searching for you that it's practically become my damn hobby! And when I do find you and try to talk to you, you just nod and refuse to say anything! It's all very rude! If you don't like me at least have the decency to say it to my face!"
She finally stopped ranting when she noticed the amused looks she was being given.
"Ara ara," Akeno tittered, "I didn't know that our Buchou was infatuated with Arisato-kun."
Rias blushed and crossed her arms across her chest.
"That's not what I meant Akeno!"
"To think that my beloved Buchou would not tell me her heart's desire," the black-haired beauty mock-sniffed, "What a bad friend I must have been."
Rias chose then to say a few choice words that he had not expected could come from someone of her reputation. Eyes twinkling, Akeno retaliated and the two began to hurl abuse towards one another as old friends would often do.
He blinked. He wondered idly how many dreams would be broken if the male population of the academy was privy to the conversation that was happening before him right now. His bemusement was not shared though, as the rest of the occupants of the room merely weathered the storm with quiet dignity. It was obvious they were all used to this; all except Issei who looked confused as his senpais exchanged insults back and forth.
"Buchou," he ventured, "if you wanted to talk to Arisato-san, why didn't you tell me? I sit with him nearly every lunch."
The silence was staggering.
"What you're telling me," Rias finally ground out, "is that you managed to somehow find him every day, while I chased him around like some dog after a stick?"
"It must have been a very big stick," Akeno suggested.
"Not helping, Akeno," the devil massaged her temples, "Not helping," turning, she regarded Issei with a critical eye, "What were you two doing together then all the time?" then her eyes widened, "Wait! Stop! Forget I asked-"
But it was far too late. Issei's chest puffed up proudly.
"We talked about harems of course!" he declared, "And women! Lots of women! Breasts, legs, butts, you name it!"
Really. The boy had no shame. He was worse than Junpei, who had practically drooled when the girls had appeared wearing swimsuits at Mitsuru's resort.
"Ah," Koneko said from her corner, "They are both perverts then."
Now that was just being unfair. Issei had been the one who talked about harems. He had just been forced to suffer through it.
"Is it true?" Akeno waggled her eyebrows at him exaggeratedly, "Has our dear Issei-kun corrupted Arisato-san with his talk of wicked, forbidden things?"
He wasn't sure what to say to that, so he chose to say nothing at all. Apparently, Akeno took that as a yes, because a lecherous grin spread across her face.
"If you would like, this onee-san can show you some adult things when we are alone," she teased.
The corners of his mouth twitched. Were all devils this needlessly provocative?
"Way to go, Arisato-san!" Issei punched a fist into the air, "Your harem route begins now!"
Oh god.
"Will all of you stop this!?" Sona bit out, "We need to get to the matter at hand! We still have questions to ask."
Inwardly, he let out a sigh of relief. Finally, a voice of reason.
"Exactly," Rias nodded in affirmation, "Like why have you ignored me for all this time?"
Or not.
Sona sighed and took off her glasses. She rubbed her eyes tiredly.
"Is it really that important, Rias?"
"Yes," the red-haired girl huffed, "You have no idea the frustration he caused me."
He honestly didn't know it affected her that much. He felt a little guilty about that. So he decided to tell them the truth.
"You remind me of someone I know."
They stared at him. They had not expected that for an answer, especially Rias, whose cheeks were flushed.
"Oh," was all she said.
"My, my," Akeno clapped happily, "It turns out that our mysterious Arisato-kun has in his heart someone who looks like our beautiful Buchou, and whenever our brave hero looks at her he thinks of the pain that is his lost love," she winked at him, expecting him to blush, to deny it, to laugh it off.
Instead, he gave her a neutral gaze.
"Yes."
And just like that, the mood in the room soured. Akeno actually paled. He smiled thinly. He was rather good at making things awkward.
"Ah, I am sorry," the beautiful girl murmured, "I did not mean… I meant it as a joke… I didn't want to…" her apologies died miserably in her throat as he continued to stare at her.
"You have someone you love that looks like me?" Rias asked softly after what seemed like an eternity of silence.
"Had," he amended.
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