This is a oneshot to get in the habit of being in FanFiction again. I'll have to write that last chapter of EM Warrior someday. So before I can do that, here's a very rushed, not so detailed, short story that was inspired from a picture. Reason for it being Miyako, was because I have not seen any stories with her. I'll most likely forget about this. So, without further ado...

UPDATED: I expanded a bit, but I don't promise that it adds to the story.


Day 1

The day was like any other. To Keima's luck, there had been no sign of any Loose Souls. That meant that he could play as much as he could, as long as Elsie didn't bother him. But then again, Keima had the ability to tune her out. Here in Maijima Private High, we lay our scene to our hero with a PFP in his hands. The surrounding students mockingly called this boy, "Otamega." Well, not all of them. Exceptions included people like Elsie, his "younger sister" who addressed him as an older brother; Ayumi, who had settled for calling him "Katsuragi;" Chihiro, who alternated between the former, and "cockroach;" and Miyako, who also addressed him by his last name. Anyways, we see our hero having the time of his life on the other side of the screen.

"Nii-sama," Elsie whined, trying to pry her faux brother off of the handheld console. Her actions proved useless.

"Clear," Keima mumbled with a smile on his face. He had reached the last ending of the game, and instead of replacing the game, he brought out another PFP with a different game, making people wonder just where he placed them. "Just one game left until my backlog is gone for good. Thank you week with no loose souls." He immediately turned the device on, and started playing. "Every game must be played with the utmost care. Every story must be read and experienced. Not rushed. No heroine will remain alone." It was a sad sight for the demon, noticing all the stares of pity the other students were giving him. In the time that she had been with the boy, she had grown fond for him and worried about his well-being.

The door to the classroom opened, and in came Miyako Terada. She was, to pretty much everyone's eyes, a normal girl. About as normal as one got, except for her intelligence which ranked just below Keima. "Good morning," she greeted everyone. Many others replied in response.

"Good morning," said Elsie, approaching the girl. "Can you help me get my brother away from his PFP?" Miyako raised an eyebrow to such a question. Everyone knew that it was practically impossible to do such a thing. But, she couldn't resist a challenge now and again. Miyako approached Keima, and leaned in to see what he was playing. It was about a boy who had to make spirits fall in love with him so he could seal their powers.

"What a strange game," Miyako commented. As soon she said that, Keima's fingers suddenly stopped. He held a serious look on his face as he slowly turned his head towards the girl next to him. She was a bit too close for his liking. He fixed his glasses, making them shine in the light for a second.

"Typical real. None of you can understand the value of games. Nay, they are not just games, but life! The ideal life!" Miyako couldn't help the awkward laugh that passed her lips.

"Then what are these games about?" Keima gave a smirk as he went into his teacher mode.

"These games, the genre of galge, are all about making girls fall for you. You have to go through many obstacles such as a girl's fears, her insecurities, her parents, all to woo her. People say this is difficult, but can they read a girl's heart? I doubt it, but I have learned to do so. For you see, galge give you choices to proceed in the story. Should you get it right, you become that much closer to the happy ending." Miyako listened to the bespectacled boy, eyebrow raised. Honestly, this was the most that she had heard him speak.

"But isn't it a bit redundant to play a game that simulates real life? If you keep playing these games, people are going to think you're weird." Keima scoffed, not caring about the opinions of the real.

"If you are here to insult me, it will only be a waste of time." Miyako was surprised that she gave off that impression to the boy.

"Not at all. I was just curious. Overall, this game seems interesting." Keima was visibly stunned, but only for a second.

"I see..." He turned back to the PFP, and continued to play. But as he played, he could feel her gaze. "...You don't have to pretend to like it."

"I'm not pretending. May I watch?" Keima's eyebrows furrowed. He had never had anyone else interested in his games. Then again, there was that girl Aoba Fuse, but he hadn't seen her since her conquest. By now, Miyako was a bit captivated by what the screen displayed. Keima felt a tickle against his cheek. It was Miyako's hair, as she leaned over his shoulder practically breathing on his face. Hey, you're too close! What kind of flag is this? Keima shook his head, not going to allow a real to distract him.

"Miyako-san," Elsie said. "You were suppose to get him to stop, not be interested in the game." She looked to her classmates, and noticed that everyone was whispering, and pointing at the two people crowded in front of the PFP. Now that she looked closely, they looked a bit like a pair. Then she noticed Chihiro and Ayumi's faces, looking none too happy.

(Later)

After school, the members of the 2-B Pencils were holding their daily meeting in a café. The band had gotten Yui in their midst for quite some time now, and she was getting along with the other members. "Ne, Elsie," the tomboy began as she leaned towards the demon. There was a blush on her face. "Your brother...is he doing okay today?"

"Huh?" The demon put down her drink to respond. She was quite surprised to hear a former spirit host that barely interacted with Keima was talking about him. "Yes, Nii-sama was fine as usual. Well, as fine as he gets, anyways. The gaming and all..." Yui nodded, her mind picturing the boy with the console in his hands.

"Hm! That's good to hear." Ayumi, who sat beside her, was also surprised at the girl's fascination with Katsuragi's health. For some reason, the thought made her feel sad.

"What's with the sudden mention of Katsuragi?" she asked. Yui scratched her head in embarrassment, the blush still on her face.

"Ah, it's...nothing really. Just wondering." Seeing the not so girly girl being girly, Miyako let out a giggle.

"It looks like our Yui is interested in Katsuragi." The band's guitarists started choking on the soda that they were drinking

"Whaaat?" Chihiro exclaimed. There was a wave of displeasure that ran through her, but she played it off with a laugh. "That guy? That's your type? I knew were strange, but..."

"It's not like that," Yui defended, now red up to her ears. She then adding more quietly to herself but not realizing that the others could hear her, "I just want to make sure that the wedding dress will fit correctly."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..." Everyone looked at the rich tomboy who was convinced that no one could make out her mumbling. Shaking off the tomboy's words, Ayumi took this chance to also display her suspicions from Miyako's actions that morning. "Speaking of crushes...Miyako, do you have anyone you like?" The freckled girl tilted her head, and thought about it. To be honest, this was the first time someone had asked her that type of question.

"Someone I like? Hm..." No one came to mind at the moment. "I can't say. But if there's anyone I like, it would be someone smart. I like those types of people." The rest of the girls looked at her normal answer. "W-what? Romance isn't something that I think about a lot." There was an awkward silence.

...

"...Nii-sama's pretty smart," Elsie noted, immediately getting her band members' attention. The gamer popped into their minds. "Yeah, and he's always getting perfect scores." This made Miyako think. Now that she thought about it, she realized that Elsie was right. Katsuragi was incredibly smart. In fact, now that she REALLY thought about it, he didn't look too bad. She never got a good look, because his face was always hidden by his PFP, but Katsuragi was rather handsome. Heck, she was pretty sure that she heard an underclassman from the swimming club call him dashing. By the time Miyako went back to reality, she noticed her friends staring at her, making her realize that she had gone into a tangent.

"I-I don't think he's someone I like that way. I barely know the guy." She turned to the track ace of the group. "H-how about you, Ayumi?" The track runner was surprised that her question had turned against her. In the heat of the moment, the image of a certain boy playing a PFP crawled into her mind, but she quickly shook those thoughts away.

"NOPE! Chihiro? Anyone?"

"Eh?" Like her friend, Keima's face had made its way to her mind. A sudden mental image of the two kissing, in the rain entered her mind, almost as if she was remembering something that had actually happened. Soon, she too pushed those thoughts to the side. "No one at all!" She turned to a confused Elsie. "How about you El-chan? Is there a boy you like?"

"A boy I like?...I like Nii-sama!" The other band mates looked at the girl's innocent smile, wondering if she had misinterpreted Chihiro's words. Obviously, she was thinking of "like" in the sense of enjoying a person's company. "You know? Despite how he looks, Nii-sama is quite kind and helpful. On our mother's birthday, he tried to get her a present with his own money, but she found out. She was so overjoyed, and Nii-sama's face was so red. Plus, he's always teaching me about everyday life. They may be blunt, but they are very helpful!" Everyone was quite amused to hear of the gamer's acts of kindness.

"But El-chan, we meant someone you like. You know, 'like.'" Elsie tilted her head in confusion, not getting her friends' repeated question.

"Huh? I already told you. I like Nii-sama." Despite her innocent smile, her words were dangerous to those who didn't know of her non blood relation to the Katsuragi family. It was quite an awkward moment for the band.

Elsie, Ayumi, Chihiro, Yui, and Miyako soon went their separate ways. As Miyako walked to her house, she couldn't help but think of the conversation that had taken place at the café. "Someone I like, huh?" They say a big decision as an adolescent is who you fall for. It's also known as a huge mistake. The part that Miyako couldn't help but go back to, was Elsie mentioning her brother. One never really noticed it, what with his constant gaming, but he certainly excelled in everything not sports-related. Her thoughts went to what had happened that morning. When Miyako was watching Katsuragi play, she was quite close to the boy to the point that their shoulders were touching. She usually never thought about love, but she wasn't disturbed at the closeness that could have been interpreted at that moment. 'Twas a fact that surprised her. But the question was, "what did that mean for her?"

"I'm home!" Miyako exclaimed, as she entered the upper entrance of her home. The Terada family's house doubled as a dry cleaning shop that was used quite often. As soon as Miyako put her stuff down, the sound of the bell ringing signaled a customer. She quickly changed and went downstairs to the surprising sight of Katsuragi Keima. "Katsuragi?"

"Terada? What are you doing here?" There was a hint of genuine surprise in his voice, but it was buried deeply in his usual tone.

"This is my house. It doubles as a dry cleaning store."

"Oh, you too, huh? Mine is a café. But besides that, my mother said that she had a dress here, and she wanted me to get it." He fished out a piece of paper showing his mother's patronage. Miyako took it, and went to get the dress in question. As she looked through the clothes, she took a look at Keima. Even at that moment, he had his console in his hands. The fact that he was still in uniform, and had his bag meant that his mother had sprung the errand on him the moment that he got to his house.

"Here it is. I hope everything is in order." Keima took the dress, and looked it over. He didn't find anything wrong. With a nod of confirmation, he was about to leave the shop without another word, until, "W-wait!" Miyako suddenly called out to him, making him stop. Miyako herself was wondering why she had stopped him, but she had the sudden urge to have his presence longer. But if she really wanted him to stay longer, she would need an excuse. "Um...You haven't done your homework yet, yes?" She felt nervous under his sharp silent gaze.

"...No. I haven't had the time yet." He was wondering where this conversation was going.

"Ah, well if you want, do you want to do our homework together?" More silence. But this time, of surprise on Keima's part.

"..." This girl...Miyako Terada is not obeying to the archetype of a normal girl. She is usually the background character, or at least the friend of the heroine, with no real relevance to the story, but that was certainly the line of a heroine. Is it a loose soul? No. Elsie would have known by now. What to do? The silence made Miyako nervous, who was still confused about why she had said what she said.

"Um...I have tea and cookies that I bought a few days ago. Oh, but you have a café, don't you? You probably have those things already. Uh..."

"...Very well," Keima sighed. "Lead the way." Miyako was surprised that he had agreed.

"You're not busy?" Keima shook his head.

"My backlog is finished, so I have free time. Besides, Elsie and Mother won't be home until later." I have to make sure whether there is a loose soul in Miyako or not.

Miyako led the boy into her home, and sat him in the living room table. She served him a cup of tea to which he thanked her for. So he has a sense of gratitude, she thought. She went to go get her papers, and sat next to the bespectacled boy. It was rather quiet, and Miyako was surprised to see how fast Katsuragi finished his work. His mind must have been like a computer. At one point, she looked at her paper, and then to his, and noticed a difference. she leaned in. "Katsuragi, I think you got this one wrong." The boy looked to where she was pointing and then to her paper.

"Actually..." Keima took his pencil and extended his arm to point at the same question on her sheet. As he did, he accidentally brushed his hand against Miyako's cheek, but he didn't seem to notice. The girl on the other hand, jolted back her head in surprise. She put her hand to her cheek, a blush forming on her face. She couldn't help but think, His hands were rough, but gentle. She also caught the scent of his uniform, having a faint scent of coffee, and food. She figured it Must have been from his house's café.

"Are you listening?" Keima asked, breaking her thought cycle. "I was explaining that you forgot about this part." He pointed out a flaw in her work. Miyako felt embarrassed about her sudden freeze. At that moment, the sound of the door reached the living room.

"I'm home!" a woman called from the entrance. Miyako's body stiffened.

"That's my mother," the girl said, a bad feeling washing over her. A woman who looked like Miyako walked into the room and immediately noticed Keima.

"Ara? Who's this, Miyako?"

"Well, this is my friend's brother. He came by the shop to pick up his mother's dress, and I invited him over so we could do our homework together."

"Hmmm?" There was a look on her face that Miyako didn't like. "That's nice to hear." She turned to Keima. "What's your name?"

"Katsuragi Keima," the boy responded, putting on his "good boy" act. "Nice to meet you." Miyako nearly laughed at his sudden change in attitude. He was a very skilled actor, she had to admit.

"And you too. Such a well-mannered boy." Hearing him being called well-mannered, Miyako was near her limit. "Just the type of boy I'd want for my girl." The black-haired girl began to choke on her spit, while Keima held his fake smile. Although if one looked closer, they could see that the corner of his lips were already twitching. He was not expecting this to happen.

"Really, now?" he said calmly in contrast to Miyako's flustered state.

"W-what? That's not why I invited him. It just seemed faster to do the work now, rather than later. Plus, I get to compare my answers with someone else. See?" She pointed to where Keima had corrected her. "He pointed out my mistake and showed me how to correct it." Miyako's mother let out a girly squeal.

"Aww, what an adorable thing to say. Basically, he completes you?" Miyako was going to refute, when another person came in.

"What's with the noise?" the man asked. It took no guess to know that this was her Miyako's father. Keima could tell what would happen.

"Darling, look. Miyako brought home a boy. She always seemed distracted with her studies, but look at her." There was a confused look on the dad's face, as he looked between Keima and Miyako, before falling on his knees.

"Eh? Eh? B-but. Miyako. It seemed like yesterday, she was still asking me to help her with her addition homework." He began to mutter about what the girl used to do when she was little, making the girl in question even more flustered.

"Stop it you two, you're embarrassing me." Miyako turned to Keima. "Tell them, Katsuragi." The boy stood up, his smile still stuck on his face, but showing signs of wearing down.

"Sorry to intrude, but my mother and sister will be coming home soon, so I better go." He bowed. "Thank you for having me."

"Eh?" Miyako's mother exclaimed. "You should stay for dinner. I could go all out today."

"It's okay. I'm sure dinner will be ready when I get home." Getting past the mother, Keima was now facing the dad, who had grasped his shoulders.

"You," he mumbled. "Make sure you take care of her, alright?" He shook Keima's shoulder. "You seem nice enough. But if you make her cry, I'll..." He didn't finish.

"...I'll do my best." He had no idea on what to say in this situation. This never happened often in galge. The only parents he really had to deal with was Sumire's and Yui's. He waved goodbye one last time, before he finally went out the door. Once there, he released the sigh he had held. "What a pain. I don't want to get involved in things like this unless it has to do with a loose soul." Speaking of which, I was unable to determine whether Terada is a holder. Suddenly, Keima patted his chest pocket, and remembered something. He knocked on the door, and to his relief, it was Miyako who answered.

"Katsuragi? Did you forget something?" Keima fished out slips of paper, and handed it to her.

"Actually, I just remembered that the café at my house is distributing these coupons for a discount. I'd rather that no one from school be there, but go ahead and do what you want with these." Miyako took the coupons, and stared at them. "...Well, good night."

"Right...oh, wait!" Keima turned around once more. "Sorry about what happened. I wasn't expecting them to barge in like that. They don't usually act like that." Keima blinked.

"...It's alright." He waved, to which Miyako returned, as she watched him disappear around a corner.

Day 2

"Welcome," Keima droned in contrast to Elsie's happier tone. As he suspected, the members of 2-B Pencils had come, coupons in hand. They found it amusing to see the pariah of the class dressed as a barista. Elsie was in her usual kimono, along with her broom.

"Wow," Yui exclaimed, approaching Keima. The boy backed away. He barely had any contact with the girl, but something about her made his heart act up. It must've been an after-effect of her conquest. "You look good, Katsuragi."

"...Would you like to be seated?" Usually, he would be in the kitchen with his mother, but she wanted him to practice greeting customers. He led to group to a table, and handed them the menu. "Elsie. Get them water." He took a glance at Miyako, only to find her looking as well. He broke contact before anyone else could see.

"Ehh?" Chihiro mused, unconsciously staring at the gamer. "He's different from how he is at school. He's more relaxed. Probably because it's his house"

"It's probably an act," Ayumi guessed, shooting a glance at Keima in his uniform. "Miyako. How did you get these coupons again?"

"Ah, Katsuragi was at my family's dry cleaning getting his mom's dress, and he just gave them to me." Miyako made sure not to mention that he stayed in her house. "Anyways, this seems like a pretty nice place. Maybe we should hold our meetings here." The sound of silverware meeting the floor rang in the café. Keima quickly picked up the spoon with an obviously pissed off look on his face.

"I'm fine with that," Yui added. She blatantly stared at Keima as he approached them with pen and paper in hand.

"Your orders?" Chihiro took advantage of this situation to tease the boy.

"Now now, Katsuragi. We're the valued customers, aren't we? Shouldn't you be treating us with a bit more respect?" Keima's eyebrow twitched. "Come on, you can do it." There was a mischievous grin on her face, and on the others. The boy cleared his throat.

"M-may I take your orders, ladies?" The group broke out in giggles, making it even worse for Keima. The band finally gave him their order. Sandwiches for Ayumi and Chihiro, a salad for Miyako, and omurice for Yui. "Alright. I'll prepare them shortly."

"Huh?" Ayumi asked. "Are you the one who cooks?" Keima pocketed the notepad.

"Not all of it. I usually split the work with my mother."

"How about El?" Keima nearly shuddered at the thought of the girl cooking.

"She's better with people. Best to keep her out of the kitchen." They watched as he disappeared in the kitchen. But before he got through the doors, he signaled for Elsie. The girl followed Keima into the room.

"Here are the orders," Keima said, handing the notepad to his mother. When Elsie entered the room, he approached her with a hushed tone. "Elsie. Has your sensor gone off yet?" The demon tilted her head.

"Gone off?" she asked. "Have you found a loose soul?" Keima sighed.

"That's what I'm wondering. Take a look at Terada for me, and tell me if there's a loose soul inside her. I need to get their food ready." Elsie was confused, but obeyed her buddy's command. Elsie exited the kitchen, and walked to her friends.

"El," Miyako said. "You look cute in that kimono."

"Ah, thank you." She stood behind the freckled girl, and touched the skull ornament on her head. There was no reading at all. She wondered why Keima would ask her to check Miyako for a loose soul.

Soon, Keima came out of the kitchen expertly balancing four plates of food. "Let's see, sandwiches for you two, salad for you, and omurice for you. If that is all, then-"

"Wait," said Yui, holding a ketchup bottle. "Draw a heart."

"..."

"Please?"

"This is not a maid café. If you want, have Elsie do it."

"Keima," Mari called from the kitchen. "Do as she says. It's part of the order." The boy sighed, wondering why it was in the first place, as he grabbed the bottle from the girl. He drew a very sloppy heart. It seemed good enough for the girl though, claiming it to have become 10x better. The surrounding girls didn't look very happy with the scene. To her surprise, Miyako felt a pang in her chest. She was a bit annoyed that Yui had gotten a better treatment.

"Maybe I should have gotten the omurice as well," she mumbled as she lightly stabbed her food with her fork.

"You say something?" Chihiro asked. The black-haired girl snapped out of her thoughts and waved her hands in defense.

"Ah, nothing! Just mumbling to myself." Just then, the door to the café opened.

"Welcome," Keima and Elsie greeted, before recognizing the customer. It was the only girl with her hair braided into loops, their neighbor, Tenri. The girl had on her casual clothes.

"Good afternoon," she said with a bow. Though it was mostly for Keima. "My mother isn't home today...and Diana was getting hungry. Unfortunately, I'm not talented enough as a cook, so may I take a seat?" Keima sat the girl next to the band, and Elsie gave her a glass of water. The girls took notice on Keima's interactions with this new girl. Like with almost everyone, he didn't exactly fully regard her as a person. But, they could tell that there was a strong sense of familiarity between them. Something that they didn't necessarily like. The girl as well seemed quite at home as if she had been to the café often. Her food was soon brought to her, and the girl made sure she didn't look messy in front of Keima.

"I'm taking my break," the boy announced, as he sat next to the goddess host. He brought out his PFP in a flash. The girl was delighted to have him at her table.

"Psst!" Ayumi called, attracting Elsie's attention. The band signaled for her to come to them.

"What is it?" she asked. The girls looked over to Keima and Tenri.

"Who is she? You and Katsuragi seem to know her."

"Ah, her name is Ayukawa Tenri. She recently moved to a nearby house. I don't know too much about her, but she and Nii-sama are childhood friends." Everyone looked like they learned of some shocking and mind-blowing truth.

"Childhood friends?" Chihiro mused, feeling a bit let down for some reason. "Didn't think that someone like him had one of those. But..." She focused on Tenri. "It might just be me, but he doesn't look like he minds her company. And she's so pretty, too." The others nodded in agreement. Elsie looked at her friends in confusion.

...

The 2-B Pencils, excluding Elsie, left the café. Tenri stayed, enjoying a cup of tea. "Elsie," Keima said, as he washed the dishes. "Was there a reaction?"

"No," his buddy replied. "There wasn't any sign that Miyako had a loose soul. Why?" Keima's face showed that he was thinking deeply. "Nii-sama?"

"...No. It's nothing. I was misled." I was wrong. Good. This means that I have nothing to do with Terada anymore. To him, that was one less problem. He dried the last of the dishes and hung up his apron, before exiting the kitchen. At this time of day, the café was empty, save Tenri. Speaking of which, the sound of the girl clearing her throat caught his attention. Tenri sat in her seat with a leg over the other, and her arms crossed. But the sign that told him that it was Diana was the color of her eyes. "Diana?"

"Katsuragi," was her response. She took a sip of her tea. "The food you made was rather good. Who would've thought?" As always, her tone made it sound like she was insulting him. "But enough about that..." She looked rather annoyed. "Honestly, Katsuragi. How many girls do you need until you are satisfied?"

"What are you talking about?" Diana looked at him for any sign that he was kidding. Seeing nothing, she sighed.

"It can't be that you are that blind." Diana stood up. "Please do not forget to show love to us." After a moment, the goddess's face lit up. "N-no, I mean show love to Tenri. TENRI!" The girl's eyes reverted back to their natural color. "...She's embarrassed," Tenri announced. She bowed once more, before hurrying out of the café. Keima stared at the door for a while before shaking his head and going to his room.

Day 3

As Miyako walked through the halls of the school during lunch, she thought on what had happened the day before. "I'm surprised" she muttered. The picture of Keima in the kitchen popped into her head. "Who knew that he could cook like that?" But when she realized that she was thinking this, Miyako shook her head, and accidentally bumped into someone. The sight of pink hair caught her attention. "I-I'm so sorry!" Kanon, the idol, turned around with a smile on her face.

"It's okay," she replied. "I was spacing out as well." Being in the presence of someone so famous made Miyako nervous. She was glad that the idol was as kind in real life as she was on stage, otherwise things could have gone in a different course. "Ah, you're in my class, aren't you? Would you like to walk with me to the room?" The black-haired girl hesitantly nodded, and stood to the side of Kanon. It was nice, but awkwardly quiet. Kanon could see this. "No need to be nervous," she advised. Not realizing how stiff her walking had been, Miyako began to relax.

"S-sorry," she muttered. "...I'm a big fan of yours." Her words instantly made Kanon smile.

"Thank y-" At the time that the two reached their classroom, the door slid open to show Keima. His glasses reflected the light of his PFP. As the boy walked passed them, Kanon couldn't help but stop. Her eyes naturally drew themselves towards Keima, as she had done before. She had no idea why, but she always looked to Keima unconsciously. And when she did, her heart would ache, as if it was painful of the distance that was always between them. Miyako wondered why Kanon had stopped walking, and followed the direction of her eyes. Keima paid no attention to either female as he made his way past them.

"Kanon-chan?" The sound of Miyako's voice brought her back to reality.

"S-sorry for stopping all of a sudden. Shall we go inside?"

"Actually, I'm going to head for the restroom. You go on ahead." Kanon nodded, and the two separated. But it was not the restroom where she was going. Miyako noticed Kanon's gaze towards Katsuragi himself. It was nothing but surprising for someone who most of the class didn't care for to catch the eye of an idol. Miyako made sure she wasn't seen, not that it took much effort, as she followed Katsuragi. The boy was simply walking around while playing. His first destination was the roof, where Keima took rest on one of the benches. As Miyako sneaked, she noticed that one of the benches was occupied by a student that she couldn't help but compare to a doll-like the one at her side. She sat on the bench covered in a regal looking rug, and a tea set.

"Such a beautiful person," Miyako noted with a bit of envy in her tone. "I wonder what she's doing up here." She then noticed something about her. As the girl sipped her tea, her eyes set on the gamer. Her grip on the cup strengthened, and Miyako could faintly hear the sound of porcelain breaking. "Don't tell me..." She watched as the doll-like girl wiped her uniform of spilled tea with a luminescent blush on her face. "You have to be kidding me." Keima stood up from his bench, and began to walk away from the roof, with Miyako following. His next destination was the library, and when she walked inside, Keima was at the front desk talking to the student librarian.

"Are there any new books on galge?" Keima asked without looking away from his game. The librarian, an introverted person from what Miyako knew, couldn't look Katsuragi in the face as she answered his questions.

"N-none have been ordered or arrived," the librarian announced as steady as she could. Keima didn't show a sense of disappointment at the news. "But if you'd like...you can submit an application to order new books." She looked through the papers on the counter, and handed it to him. Making no sign of taking it, the librarian showed clear sadness, but as she was in the process of putting the application away, Keima grabbed it from her hands.

"I'll think about it," he said, before taking a seat at the nearest empty table. Miyako looked to the girl at the desk, and found that the girl was staring at the gamer.

"Oh my goodness," Miyako whispered under her breath. "I can't believe it." Her gaze turned to Keima. "And he doesn't even notice, does he?" Miyako approached the gamer. "Mind if I sit here?" Keima briefly looked to see who was talking to him.

"I've no way to stop you." Miyako took the seat in front of him, and glanced at the girl at the desk. She was now occupied by a book.

"Katsuragi, I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you a playboy?" She saw his eyebrow go up in question.

"If my ability to conquer any girl is any proof of that, then..." He left it at that. The silence made it uncomfortable for the girl.

"Tell me, have you ever talked to Kanon?" For a moment, Keima's fingers stopped pushing the PFP's buttons.

"...Never."

"How about that one rich looking girl on the roof?" Another pause.

"Not once."

"Do you talk to that girl at the desk often?" And another.

"No." Miyako was met with negative answers, which either meant that she was over thinking things, or Keima was lying. "Are you trying to say something about me?"

"N-no, nothing at all, I just didn't realize how popular you are?" Keima flashed a looked that one would give to a crazy person.

"Popular? Last I checked, that was not the case. Has something happened without my knowledge?" Miyako folded her arms.

"That's what I want to know," she muttered. Keima sighed, and tucked his PFP in his breast pocket.

What is this girl doing? Keima thought. Elsie told me that there was no runaway spirit inside her. She was supposed to be a normal, but she's been being anything but. Interrogation? Following me around? What flag could I have raised for this? "Tell me, Terada? What is this sudden fixation of my status in society?" Miyako was caught off guard by an aggressive Katsuragi.

"Fixation? No, it's not like that, I was just curious, is all."

"Even so, would a normal curious person follow someone around like you did?" Miyako's eyes widened at the fact that she had been caught. Her face turned red with embarrassment

"I-I was just curious," she repeated. "I noticed that Kanon was looking at you as if she knew you. After that, I was wondering just who you were acquainted with." Keima looked at her analytically, making her squirm under his gaze. "Please don't look at me like that. I'm sorry, okay?"

"I'm not angry." Keima stood up. "Though I wonder about your agenda." He stopped for a while. "The girl on the roof's name was Tsukiyo, and the librarian is Shiori." He walked towards the girl at the counter, and handed her the form she had given him. At some point in their conversation, Keima had filled it out. Shiori was glad to take it. I have to stop this, Keima thought, taking one last look at Miyako.

Day 5

It was then that Miyako was in a dilemma. She couldn't stop thinking about a certain boy. It had been 5 days now since it all began, with no encounter on the fourth. Recently, one Keima Katsuragi had plagued her mind. It was now Sunday, so there was no school. Ayumi and Chihiro were busy at home, so there was no band meeting. In short, Miyako was bored. "Should I go to the mall?" Miyako asked herself as she sat on her bed. "It would be pretty boring by myself. Maybe Eli would like to-" As soon as she thought of the young Katsuragi, the image of Keima popped up. "No, what am I thinking?"

"Miyako!" yelled her mother. "Your father and I will be out for a while. Go out to eat today, okay?"

"'Kay mom!" She heard the sound of the door closing. "Go out to eat, huh? Wonder where I should go."

...

"Welcome!" Elsie greeted cheerfully as Miyako entered the café. "Ah, Miyako-san!"

"Hey, Eli," she replied. "My parents told me to get my food outside today. Mind if I eat here?"

"Of course not! This way please." Elsie sat Miyako near the counter to maintain a conversation. Today, there were few people eating. After all, it wasn't a very well-known place. Miyako considered using the band to advertise the place.

"What would you like to have?"

"Ah, I'll just have a cup of coffee and a sandwich." Elsie wrote the order down.

"Got it. Nii-sama!" At the mention of the elder sibling, Miyako froze. She focused on his voice.

"What is it?" he asked from the kitchen. "...Another order, huh?"..."Terada is here?"..."Well tell her to wait. Her order will get to her soon." Miyako sat patiently after Elsie relayed Katsuragi's message. It felt like an eternity to her, but then Keima walked out the door with a plate and a mug. He was in his uniform again. "Here you go." Keima set the plate and mug carefully on the table.

"Th-thank you."

"Just pay the bill when you're done." Just as he was walking away, Miyako called to him.

"Katsuragi! Y-you should take a break." She motioned towards the seat next to her. "If you're okay with it, that is." Katsuragi looked at her skeptically.

"...Do you have business with me?" he asked her. Miyako froze in her seat at the sudden question. "It must be my imagination, but you've been talking to me a lot recently. There must be something that you're after, or something you need to say." He took the seat she offered, and laid his head on his knuckles. His piercing gaze made Miyako feel uncomfortable.

"I don't have anything to say," she reasoned, "I was just trying to make things easier for you. I thought you'd want to get out of the kitchen for a while." Keima crossed his legs and let out a hum.

"...Why choose this place to eat?" Another sudden question. "There are many other eateries between our houses."

"Well...I just remembered that you and Eli had a café, and I wanted to order something different from before. You made this sandwich, right?" Miyako took a bite of her food. "It tastes good." She was trying to change the subject. After all, the real reason that she came was to see him. She felt that his plaguing of her mind was because she wanted to see him. But she couldn't say so. Even then, her heart was pounding like crazy. Why did he invoke such a reaction from her?

"Thanks," Keima replied. "But besides that, Terada-"

"Why do you keep calling me Terada? Just call me Miyako."

"...Terada. I suggest that you limit your contact with me. If not to save your status, but to keep me away from you reals." I need to break this cycle of encounters, or they will interfere with the capturing of loose souls. Terada's recent behavior corresponds with that of a girl newly in love. I have to make sure that her feelings for me are gone while it's still fresh. "Know this. I have no interest in the real. They are nothing to me but nuisances." Miyako felt hurt by his words.

"Katsuragi, are you saying I'm disturbing you?" Keima's words struck the girl quite a bit.

"If you keep this up, yes. But to save yourself, I suggest that you just...stop."

"Stop what? I don't know what I am doing?" The two were trying to be as quiet as they could. The black haired girl's heart was starting to hurt, and she didn't know why. No, she DID know. She just didn't acknowledge it yet. "What is this? Why are you saying these things?"

"Terada, I don't know what it is, but you seem confused." Keima stood up, and looked down on the girl. "I suggest you get your thoughts sorted, or you might end up somewhere you'll regret." Miyako didn't move from her seat. All she could feel was the aching that she felt in her chest. "Sorry. I need to go back to the kitchen."

"Hey," Miyako said, getting his attention. She held her head down, not wanting to let him see her face, whatever it looked like at that moment. She felt gloomy. "...Could it be that...No, never mind" Her voice quivered slightly, but she didn't know what else to say. "C-could I order a slice of cheesecake?" Keima stared at her form, her hair spilling onto the table. He moved the plate away from the mess, before turning around.

"...Sure. It'll be on me." He walked away, cursing himself a bit.

(Later)

Miyako's mood didn't improve by the time she exited the café. As she walked back home, she thought about Keima's words. "Sort my thoughts? I'm confused? What's that supposed to mean? And what was with Katsuragi? It's like he was...rejecting me." At the thought, Miyako shook her head. "No, I wasn't confessing or anything. That would mean that I..." She got to her house and immediately went to her room. Miyako instantly plopped on her bed face first. "Oh, who am I kidding. But why him of all people?" She thought of his gaze, and her face began to feel warm. "But it's not just me, is it?" Miyako was a smart person. She knew how to read emotions, and she was not oblivious to this sort of thing. She thought of her band mates. Ayumi, Chihiro, Yui, maybe even Elsie. They all had feelings for Katsuragi. She could tell, even if they couldn't. And there were so many others. His childhood friend, Kanon, the girls he named as Tsukiyo and Shiori were among them as well.

And Miyako? Well...her heart ached, thinking these thoughts. As said before, she was not oblivious to this sort of thing, but it took her a while to acknowledge it. "I have so many rivals," Miyako whispered. "But I can't help it..." She took a deep breath. "I like Katsuragi." Saying it out loud sent a feeling of slight euphoria all over her body. This must have been what it felt like to be in love. Perhaps she couldn't help it. Katsuragi had always been good-looking, but she didn't realize it until a while ago. He was surprisingly kind, too. When he wanted to be, anyways. There were several pieces of evidence that he was a pretty good cook. Miyako continued to list Katsuragi's good traits, a blush creeping to her face. "He told me to sort my thoughts, and I have."

(5 more days later)

The bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

"Katsuragi," Nikaido said. "And Terada. You two are on duty today." The gamer clicked his tongue in annoyance. The girl, however, felt elated. By the time everyone had gone, Keima and Miyako were still sweeping the floor. There was nothing but awkward silence. For Miyako, anyways. At several points, she would stop to glance at Keima for a while. Unfortunately for her, this did not go unnoticed by him. Their eyes soon met.

"If there's something you want to say," he advised, "Go ahead and say it." Miyako looked down in embarrassment.

"N-no...It's just..." Her voice caught in her throat. She didn't know what to say. It's been 5 days since she had accepted that she liked Katsuragi. She contemplated whether or not to confess too, and it seemed that the moment was perfect for it. Normally, one would leave a message in the person's locker. Miyako didn't have time to thoughtfully write one. As she was thinking of what to do, Katsuragi sighed.

"You reals. You guys cause me too much trouble." The boy put down his broom, and sat on a table. His PFP was already in his hands. "My gaming has been cut nearly quadruple fold with you people. A demon, a sports girl, an heiress, a pop star, a shy librarian." He continued to list types of girls. Miyako was slightly confused. "...this is the second time a normal has crossed my path. There's nothing special about your type. There may be some uniqueness, but nothing I can work on. That's why normals are usually in the background, or at most, the heroine's best friend." Keima's hand clenched. "Normals are not supposed to be the heroines themselves. So why are you..."

"..." Miyako blushed. It was at this moment that she knew that Keima knew of her feelings for him. But something about what he said disturbed her. "...Are normals really that bad?" Keima's fingers stopped The only sound in the room was the music coming from the PFP

"Yes," was his blunt answer. Miyako felt a bit hurt by his words.

"But...that can't be true. There must be something that a normal person can do that no one else can." Keima fixed his glasses. He looked at her with a hard glare.

"Like what?" It was a declaration of challenge. He was genuinely interested in whether a real could make him back up in his own field. Miyako had a look on her face that showed that she was not backing down.

"Well, a normal person can...adapt." Keima raised an eyebrow. Miyako sorted her thoughts. "Yeah. Unlike people who are especially good at one subject, a normal can do anything. We're completely versatile. Wouldn't you be bored with the same thing everyday?"

"Sorry to say, but the uniqueness of the heroines is the factor that attracts the characters to each other."

"Y-yeah, but someone can always change their mind on what they like."

"Then that's not love, but a simple temporary attraction. Things like that are what I detest. A person can't change that easily. Normals can't be heroines." Miyako stepped back. She didn't know what to say. Gaming wasn't part of her knowledge. But there was still one point left to make.

"...Then what about the hero?"

"Hm?"

"The hero is normal, is he not?"

"The hero? He's always aggressive."

"In the beginning, the hero is normal. It's because you have different choices that he changes." Keima fully looked away from his PFP with a look of genuine interest. "The hero changes his mind all the time to attract different girls. If that's so, then why can't a normal change to be good enough for the hero? Or better yet, why does she have to change?" It felt like her heart was breaking. She never knew that being in love was so painful. "You're always playing games, making girls bend to you. It's not just in games, either. You call yourself the God of Conquest, but if you can't conquer a normal, then you're only fooling yourself." Keima's grip on his PFP tightened.

"I HAVE conquered a norm-" His thoughts instantly went to Chihiro. He remembered how he had initially thought that she had nothing special, but he was completely wrong. "I...I've conquered a normal before. But..." He was surprised at himself for having nothing to defend his games. Miyako could see the conflict in his eyes.

"Katsuragi?" The boy suddenly stood up, and turned his back to her.

"...I'll admit. You have a point, but...No matter how much you claim to have feelings for me, I'll never return them." Miyako clasped her hands to her chest, feeling another pang of pain in her chest.

"You won't even try?"

"I have my reasons. The only love life I need is in games. I told you to stay away from me to save yourself from a bad end."

"Is it...because you're afraid?" Keima turned to look at the girl. "Is the reason you don't like the real world because you don't know how to be anything other than what you are now? Because if it is, I don't mind who you are." Keima scoffed.

"Of course not. Like I said, I have my reasons. Since you're so persistent, then I'll tell you one of them." He turned back once more. "...There's something I'm doing right now. I can't tell you what, but it's something very important. I've barely had any free time, and I've even sacrificed my gaming so that I could carry out this task." He took out his PFP, and stared at it. "For once, something has become more important than gaming, and I have to go through with it. You real people, so carefree, and I'm here growing white hairs. A relationship requires that both parties regularly be with each other, each being faithful. Mutual affection, and always being able to entertain each other for as long as they are together." The PFP turned on. The light reflected on his glasses. "Unlike real relationships, the love between these characters never fades, nor lessens, while reals break up, divorce, go into states of depression. With a single push of a button, I can avoid these things, and go into the happy ending. As all games have. What does the real world have for me to compare to that?" Miyako listened to his words, holding a sense of sadness. There was a question that she wanted to ask.

"Katsuragi," she began. "Have you ever fallen in love?" Keima stood silent, and closed his eyes. He thought about it. Had he? Had he ever felt the affection for another person that his targets had for him? Had he ever fallen for them?

"Maybe I have. Maybe I haven't. Even if I did...they would have forgotten about me."

"...I see." Miyako's voice was steady. She seemed happy, underneath the sadness. "I understand that you are busy. I understand that you have no care for feelings like mine. I can see that there is no possible way for you to ever return my feelings."

"Are you giving up?" Miyako shook her head.

"No. You are busy with something that might take a long time. But I feel like I can wait. You know, I was wondering whether I really did have feelings for you, and it took this conversation to realized that I really did."

"How are you so sure that you have feelings for me," Keima asked, not believing her. "In such a short amount of time, how can you be sure that what you feel is love?" Miyako wore a gentle smile on her a face.

"In truth, I can't be sure. That's why I'm surprised. I suppose that the desire to be the first to tell you my feelings made my feelings develop faster. I'm assuming you know that I'm not the only one?" Keima didn't answer. "Well if you do or not, it doesn't matter. I'm just glad that I was the first. That's why, I'm not giving up. Perhaps one day, this normal girl can make you happy." Keima, with his back still turned, felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned around, he felt her lips take his. He was, without a doubt, surprised. It held a deep emotion, for such a short amount of time. He felt her arms wrap around his body. She soon separated, leaving the two a bit out of breath. She leaned her head on his chest. "That will be my promise right there. The next time it happens, it will be when you feel the same as I do." Miyako let go, and turned away. "See you later." With that, the black-haired girl walked away from him, leaving a surprised Keima behind. It was at that moment that Elsie flew into the classroom.

"Nii-sama," she said. "Are you guys done cleaning yet?" She was surprised to see Keima alone in the room. "Did Miyako-san go already?" Keima nodded.

"Elsie," he called. The demon walked to his side. "You New Devils. Can you erase memories even if the person has no affiliation to Hell?"

"Huh? Yeah, but you'd need approval for that."

"If that is so, then I'd like to make it a request. No, make that a demand; a demand from God.

(The next day)

"Nii-sama!" Elsie whined as she tried to get her faux brother to pay attention. As always, everyone stared at the Otamega with eyes that held rejection. But the boy would not be bothered. Not in the slightest. The door to the classroom opened, and in came Miyako Terada. "Miyako-san! Good morning."

"Good morning," she greeted in return. For some reason, the girl felt like she had forgotten something very important, but she could get even a sliver of memory on what it was. And as she passed by Katsuragi, she felt a pang of some emotion. The normal girl shrugged it off, and walked to her seat.

The gamer, conscious of the new person in the room, glanced up as the black-haired girl passed him by. It was at that moment, that he felt something...familiar. Yes, he had seen this before. Just like everyone else, she had walked passed him; As was the fate of everyone who would dare to fall in love with God.


Incredibly rushed... Don't blame me for things not sounding good. I've never had a love life before.