Disclaimer: I own nothing besides the original concepts and narratives that I have introduced in this story.

A Tale of Two Monsters,

Chapter 1:

Enter the Minus,

Who am I?

Back then, that question never even crossed my mind.

I was trapped in that room for as far back as I can remember. That room was the entirety of my world. A closed world that would never touch what lay outside the windows.

I felt like I had even older memories, but I soon forgot them. I didn't know who took care of me, either. Probably a stand-in for what you'd call a mother.

One day, for the first and only time, she brought me something that wasn't food.

It was a picture book.

As I turned the pages, its bright colors jumped out at me, as did various shapes. It had words too, but I couldn't understand them. And after that day, she never showed up again.

Anyway, this book was my first "pretty thing". The outside world surely had many more. That's what I innocently believed in that moment.

It turned out that I was half right...

...and half wrong.

But more importantly... I realized that I wasn't as alone as I first thought.

Because I met him.

He was another monster.

Just like me.

A boy in his late teens was standing still in the middle of a snowstorm, glancing around in mild curiosity and overall looking like he didn't have a single care in the world.

The cold air snapping harshly at his skin certainly didn't seem to bother him.

His appearance could be easily summed up as generic, from the simple white shirt and black pants that he was wearing, down to his messy black hair and slightly drooping blue eyes. All in all, he seemed to fit the word average much better than anyone else.

And yet, the dark and unsettling aura he seemed to be exuding simply through his presence alone was painting a completely different picture of him. The ominous air surrounding every inch of his being coupled with his unnerving expression was probably enough to make most people avoid him like the plague.

Despite the fact that he was only wearing summer clothes during a blizzard, the boy had a frivolous smile plastered on his face.

「Well, I guess that just happened. 」 He said to no one in particular, briefly closing his eyes in something that could have been easily mistaken for acceptance. 「Hmm, I'm not even mad about it. How strange, indeed.」 He rubbed his chin in thought. 「Maybe it's because I was told I could find a proper victory in this place? Hmm, yes. That's probably it.」

But then again, he wasn't given any other details besides the fact that he was supposed to be in another world now. To send him away with little to no information of his whereabouts, it was as expected of Anshin'in.

After pondering his situation for a moment, the dark haired boy shrugged nonchalantly. 「Oh well. Whatever. What's done is done.」 He spread his arms wide at his sides and smirked with confidence. 「Besides, it's not unlike Kumagawa Misogi to forge his own path through life with nothing but his sharp wits and unwavering determination!」

The boy introduced as Kumagawa briefly looked at the sky as if expecting something, before an unbelievably insincere pout crossed his face once he realized how his cool line just got wasted due to a lack of an audience.

「Ahhh, such misfortune!」 His dramatic wail didn't last for long, however, as his frivolous smile quickly returned a heartbeat later. 「I wonder what I should do next? Hmm...」

Initially, he was about to go on a self imposed exile. That's why he'd cut all contact with everyone and decided to give himself a challenge that he knew he couldn't possibly win.

But just as he was taking his first nap toward his new goal, he was surprisingly? met with another one of Ajimu's recordings. And long story short, she seemed to be convinced that he could use a better excuse for a vacation, so she generously took it upon herself to give him just that.

When he woke up, he was already admiring this harsh winter wonderland, with nothing but his clothes to keep him company. Speaking of which, he should probably get his school uniform back. They had been through so much together that he couldn't possibly allow that old soldier to get any retirement.

A simple thought later and his usual attire was back in place. The buttoned jacket really gave him a nostalgic feeling. He would definitely not give it away again without a second thought!

His clothing problem now solved, Kumagawa briefly wondered whether Ajimu was actually rooting for him even in her supposed death, or if this turn of events was just her messing with him yet again for some form of twisted enjoyment.

He didn't want to believe in the second option, but he had to be realistic here. After all, what kind of deranged person toyed with people like that anyway? He'd definitely be running in the opposite direction if he ever learned that such an unhinged maniac was on the loose.

Following a moment of silence, the Minus chuckled silently to himself, before dismissing his previous thoughts with a casual shrug.

Going back home, huh? Well, that would be a dumb thing to attempt at this point in time. His initial decision was to go off the radar, wasn't it? And in terms of self imposed exile, now that he thought about it, being sent to another world was like taking it up to eleven.

Heh. Ajimu had definitely outwitted him this time around.

As expected, he couldn't win so easily.

Then again, his current circumstances didn't really matter that much in the end. As per usual, he'd just have to make the most out of his dealt hand, no matter how crappy it was. Though judging by what he'd seen so far, it could've been waaay worse.

Kumagawa gave the snowy landscape another long, assessing look. He was starting to believe that he didn't end up in any type of harem manga setting. It was a really disheartening realization, but it wasn't enough to waver his smile.

He was a pure hearted boy, after all!

Anyway, the place around him looked like some sort of research facility. Totally the shady kind, if the hundred feet tall, thick concrete walls surrounding the perimeter were of any indication.

After almost ten minutes of standing still in the middle of the ongoing snowstorm, the Minus finally took his first step. For now, he decided to simply head toward the tallest building visible in the distance and see where that took him next.

His slow paced walk gave him ample time to better take in his surroundings.

Judging by the number of buildings scattered around the perimeter, the whole place looked a little too populated to be a simple research facility. It was pretty obvious to him that there was more to this place than met the eye. He just hoped that it would turn out to be something exciting.

Whistling a jaunty tune, Kumagawa decided to pass the time by counting any trees he walked past. But as he got closer to the tall building, something quickly caught his attention, snapping him out of his short lived game.

A dark haired kid, probably no older than six, was aimlessly walking through the snowstorm several feet away from him.

Normally, the Minus wouldn't have given this scene a second thought, but there was something about this little boy that seemed to deeply irk him. The vibe he was getting from him was too similar to that of a main character to ignore.

Placing his hands in his pockets for the added cool factor, Kumagawa quickened his pace and swiftly caught up to the thoughtful looking boy, who didn't seem to notice his presence until he verbally announced himself.

「Hey there, little boy who is silently brooding about something,」 Kumagawa greeted, his textbook practiced smile already in place. 「You don't happen to know where I could buy the latest volume of Weekly Shōnen Jump, do you?」

The young boy turned around with a start, a confused look on his face at the weird question. "Uh, I... I don't think I know what you're looking for..." he stammered, taken aback by the sudden approach.

Kumagawa merely kept his unchanging smile. 「Don't worry, I wasn't expecting you to answer my question anyway!」 His abnormally cheerful disposition didn't seem to help the boy's growing confusion in the least. 「So, what are you doing outside on this fine, wonderful snowstorm?」

The boy seemed to hesitate for a moment before answering. "There's a girl being held in there..." He pointed at one of the tall buildings in the distance. "She's being hurt... I have to help her!"

Hearing that, Kumagawa smacked his fist in his palm in realization. 「Ah, I see!」 Despite his apparent enthusiasm, there was a subtle edge underlying his tone. 「You're trying to be a selfless hero, aren't you? How valiant! How noble! How inspiring!」

The young boy blinked in confusion. "Eh...?" He really didn't understand this odd person standing across from him. Was he a Parasite? Or just a younger Adult? He certainly didn't seem like the latter... But more importantly, has it been his imagination, or did he suddenly develop an unnerving air around him while saying that last part?

「Not that I dislike it or anything, but maybe you should reconsider your decision,」 Kumagawa said with a sharp smirk. 「One wrong step while playing hero, and you might end up being self sacrificing instead~!」

The offhanded comment quickly snapped the child from his musings. "I'm not trying to play hero!" he answered indignantly, though a glance at Kumagawa's dangerous expression took most of the heat out of his tone. "That girl is suffering! She really needs someone to help her!" His plaintive words didn't have much effect on the teen, though.

「That might be true, but I really doubt you can do much about it,」 Kumagawa pointed out nonchalantly, his usual disposition returning in full force. 「Chances are that you will suffer a tragic and painful death if you try anything reckless, so you better leave this problem to more experienced people. After all, there must be someone else willing to help, right?」

An unpleasant feeling of apprehension gripped the young boy at the casual mention of possible death. He hadn't really thought about it until now, but he could see the danger in trying to help that girl. The Adults might not take his meddling in their affairs too nicely. He was already pushing it enough with his curiosity and questions as it was lately.

The child remained silent for the better part of a minute, before his eyes suddenly widened in realization. "Then what about you, mister? Can't you help her then?" His voice was hopeful, despite the dejection he felt at his own powerlessness. "She shouldn't be treated like that. She doesn't deserve the pain..."

Kumagawa couldn't help but chuckle in response. 「Wow, you really remind me of that stubborn, self-righteous guy, Zenkichi, you know?」 Cupping his chin in a thoughtful pose, the Minus pondered for a moment. 「I'm not sure whether I should hug you or beat you senseless for giving me such a pleasantly unpleasant reminder of my past.」

The young boy visibly tensed as a foreboding aura surrounded the dark haired teen. Though in his childlike ignorance, he was unable to properly comprehend the deeply unsettling nature of the Minus standing before him.

It could be considered either fortunate of him or unfortunate, depending on how one viewed it.

The oppressive air surrounding Kumagawa disappeared shortly after. 「Just kidding~!」 he singsonged, raising a finger for emphasis.

Letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, the young boy chose to remain silent for the time being, unsure of how to react to the teen's varying dispositions.

「But please don't be mistaken about something,」 the Minus continued, his frivolous smile back in place. 「I am definitely no hero. A twisted existence like myself could never hope to match up to such valiant and righteous ideals.」

The little boy looked confused once again. He was having a lot of trouble trying to understand what the strange teen was talking about. "So you can't help her?" he asked, eyes becoming downcast as his gaze lowered to his feet.

「Come on, I never said that, did I? So please don't try to guilt trip me, because you never know when it works,」 Kumagawa clarified, eyes narrowing for a moment. 「I'm not the type of person who helps someone just because that's the right thing to do. I'm the type of person who would do it on a whim, or because it might turn out to be exciting.」

The boy blinked in puzzlement.

"Huh?"

It wasn't the most eloquent of responses, but given the situation, the kid couldn't really be blamed, could he?

Kumagawa made a dismissive gesture with his hand. 「Anyway, don't worry about it. Since I've already decided to help her, she is definitely in good hands.」 The unsettling smirk on his face didn't really suit his supposedly assuring words. 「There is only so much anguish one can take before they inevitably break. I would know it, since I've seen it happen many times. I even knew someone who made breaking other people's hearts his hobby. I wonder what happened to that fellow?」 The Minus stroked his chin in thought. 「Hmm. Maybe he's having fun right now?」

The boy tried to ignore the parts of the conversation that didn't make sense. But despite his bafflement, he seemed much happier upon hearing the answer. "Thank you, mister, um..." he trailed off, realizing that he had yet to learn the stranger's name.

「Ah, of course, how could I forget it! I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? I am Kumagawa Misogi, the weakest person in the world!」 the Minus answered with a cheer that didn't match his words, his trademark smile back in place. 「But call me Kumagawa, okay? I really don't want boys calling me by my given name. That one is for the girls only. Preferably cute and sexy girls~!」

The kid wasn't sure what to make of this enthusiastic speech, though a prolonged, blank stare from Kumagawa easily managed to snap him back to reality. "Ah, y-yes, nice to meet you! My name is Hiro!" he hastily replied, sounding a little embarrassed at his absentmindedness.

Kumagawa adopted a thoughtful pose in return. 「Hiro, you say?」 Rubbing his chin for a moment, he nodded in approval. 「Hmm, yes. That's a really good name for someone who is trying to act like a main character.」

Hiro merely kept silent. For some reason he felt it was better that way, even if it was mainly because he didn't know what to say in reply.

「Anyway, I'll be on my way now. I'll go look for that girl and see what I can do.」 Hands sliding in his pockets, the Minus straightened himself in a cool pose. 「Oh, and you should go back inside, unless you want to become a human popsicle in this nice snowstorm, of course. Then again, that might be an interesting experience?」

Hiro was about to turn around and walk away from the strange teen, but hearing that last comment made him pause for a moment. "Okay, but what about you?" he asked with some concern. "You're wearing even less than me. Aren't you feeling any cold?"

Kumagawa cocked his head sideways in confusion. 「Ehhh? Cold? Is it really that cold outside right now? I'm not feeling a thing~!」 But that was probably because he was already past the initial stages of hypothermia, which conveniently left his body devoid of most feeling. 「You see, my body is completely used to harsh conditions. Even if I somehow freeze over, I'll still be okay!」 It wouldn't be the first time, anyway. He'd been given the cold shoulder on numerous occasions. Both literally and figuratively.

Hiro offered a tentative nod in response, deciding against prolonging this strange discussion that he'd been having with this equally odd and unnerving person.

Seeing this, Kumagawa simply gave a small chuckle at his own joke, before turning around and walking in the direction where the boy had pointed him earlier. The building where that girl was supposed to be didn't seem to be too far, so he probably wouldn't end up having to use his Minus to unfreeze himself.

As he watched the older boy's retreating back, Hiro unconsciously sighed in relief. He'd been getting enough chills already, and he wasn't entirely sure if the cold weather was the only one responsible for that.

Kumagawa craned his head upward, a hand rubbing his chin as he appreciated the distance between himself and the balcony above. Yep, it was really, really, reeeally high. Well, maybe not that high, but still!

Looking at the tall tree next to the building, the Minus smiled in apparent defeat. There was no way that he could climb so high up a tree. Last time he tried something like that, he ended up breaking his neck. It was pretty painful, and he didn't feel like having a repeat.

But luckily for him, there were other ways he could get up there without having to risk any sort of pain to do so. He briefly glanced around, searching for some kind of entrance, only to pout when he didn't find one.

Though it was probably for the better, since it would be a hassle if he had to deal with any security so early in the quest. After all, it was really common knowledge that you had to save the princess before fighting the dragon that kidnapped her. That way, at least you'd have done something remotely useful, in case you ended up being food for the dragon.

Then again, what did he know? He'd never managed to win any of those games, nor save a princess for that matter.

Kumagawa stared at the wall in front of him, a dubiously innocent smile on his face. Yep, this was the perfect way to go about it, no matter how lazy it seemed.

Numerous large Phillips screws suddenly manifested out of thin air, embedding themselves in the concrete wall in a zigzagging fashion. Admittedly, it looked pretty neat for something so hastily thought up. But that was besides the point here.

Smirking at his handiwork, the Minus nonchalantly made his way up the improvised staircase that reached all the way up to the glass windows of the balcony.

Kumagawa's brow rose in curiosity as he looked inside the room. It was the epitome of spartan, with only a sink and a toilet for the bare necessities. But that wasn't what caught his attention.

Lying on the cold floor, seemingly on the verge of passing out, was a little girl with red skin and matching horns that vaguely reminded him of an oni from whatever Japanese folklore he remembered. And judging by her appearance, she was probably less than half his age, but that little detail didn't seem to discourage the Minus.

On one hand, being the indiscriminate pervert that he was, he didn't mind appreciating the unique sight of a cute, veritable? monster girl lying on the floor barely conscious only a few feet away from him. On the other hand, however, there was genuine curiosity.

Heee?

It looked like his earlier hunch had been right on point. He'd just stumbled on something pretty interesting. Though knowing his luck, this was most likely another case of Anshin'in trying to mess with him.

He was a pure hearted boy, okay? He shouldn't be subjected to her whims so easily! He had his own life that he looked forward to living!

But that aside...

He was visibly surprised once he realized that he was more than just mildly intrigued by the sight before him. But it was pretty obvious why. At least to him, that was.

Sharp, broken edges were quite entrancing to behold. So easy to get cut while handling them. A simple touch, and you could bleed. And then, you would feel more alive than ever.

Now, don't get him wrong. He wasn't one to normally drop deep metaphors like this, but damn if this situation didn't deserve one. She was such a pretty little thing. Her frail and broken form, lying in exhaustion on the cold floor, covered only in a tattered black fabric to preserve her modesty.

But that wasn't it. Not really. Something as cheap as that image of vulnerability wouldn't be enough to genuinely rouse his interest. After all, he was no stranger to harsh things, was he? He wouldn't have bothered to consider her situation solely because of that.

A look at her face, however, was more than enough. Her tired, unfocused eyes told a story that perhaps no one else could have read as well as he did.

Those bright emeralds, half lidded with burden and pain, unfocused and downcast, their light heavily dulled by the harshness of life. A reflection of the unforgiving world visible through a simple glance.

He knew those eyes.

It was a familiar sight that he would see in the mirror every time he dropped his mask to remind himself of what he was.

Distorted. Damaged. Broken.

A Minus.

Though unlike his own, her eyes weren't completely hollow and devoid of light. They still held that tiny spark of innocence somewhere deep within. She was among the luckier few in that sense.

For a moment, Kumagawa wasn't sure whether to feel jealous or intrigued. After all, he'd never met someone like this girl before. A Minus who still had enough hope left for themselves that they didn't completely give up on their own person. He supposed that feeling a bit of both was only natural in this case.

Nevertheless, that didn't change what she was. He could tell. She was still a Minus through and through. Just like him. If not in the ability, then surely in mentality.

With a quiet chuckle, the teenage boy approached the window, purposefully alerting his presence to the young occupant of the room.

Blinking groggily through her haze of exhaustion, the little girl snapped awake with a start at the unexpected sight outside her room. Raising her head from the floor, her senses quickly became alert to the unfamiliar presence. She silently stared at the boy, wary and unmoving as her wide emerald eyes kept focused on his every action.

Kumagawa merely poked the window a couple times, looking like a child fiddling with a new toy. On the third poke, the whole glass panel disappeared like magic.

Obviously, he was the type who enjoyed breaking his toys, as with most other things around him for that matter.

「Looks like third time was the charm, huh? As expected of a cliché saying like that. It never disappoints, no matter how much I try.」

A cold rush of air swept through the room, causing the frail girl to jerk back with a start, eyes wide open in surprise. Her small mind couldn't wrap itself around what she just witnessed. The glass... was gone? Yes, her eyes weren't lying to her. It was definitely gone.

The smiling boy took a step inside the room, hands loosely at his sides in what looked like the epitome of nonchalance. Truly, his posture alone gave the impression that he was taking a leisure stroll instead of trespassing on private property.

Her inquisitive gaze being focused so intently on him, the little oni almost missed the brief instant when the window suddenly reappeared behind him like a magic trick intended to impress the audience.

Baffled even further by the inexplicable act, she continued to examine her strange guest as he kept standing there and smiling at her. Bright emerald eyes wide with curiosity never shifted away for a moment as a myriad of questions went through her mind, the answers currently unknown to her.

What was happening? Who was this stranger? Why was he here? Was he like her? And lastly, why was he smiling so much?

Then he spoke again, breaking her short reverie.

「Oh, what a surprise! What a thrill!」 Kumagawa suddenly exclaimed, causing the girl to yelp and instinctively jerk back against the wall. 「Who would've guessed that I'd find someone like you in this place? Yes, this must be destiny!」

The more he thought about it, however, the more this seemed like yet another instance of Anshin'in toying with his fragile heart. It wouldn't be the first time, that's for sure.

His mask slipped for a moment as he observed the frail girl huddled protectively against the wall. His perpetual smile looked more hollow than anything else. "You're just like me, aren't you?" His speech lacked its usual pretense. It was weary and surprisingly soft.

The little oni stared at him in silence, thoughtful and considering. She'd seen a lot of strange things in this place, but this person... she just couldn't grasp him.

His words were alien to her ears, yet even so, she felt as if his voice was somehow calling out to her. "Ah?" she rasped a tentative sound, despite her guarded posture.

Kumagawa merely smiled at her reluctance, his mask already sliding back in place with that simple gesture. 「Come on, don't be scared now. I am definitely not the bad guy here. I am the dashing protagonist who came to your rescue against all odds!」 He reassured, ending his over the top act with a wink.

The young girl wasn't very convinced by his attempt. She growled at him in return.

Completely unfazed by the act, Kumagawa kept his posture as laidback as when he first stepped inside the room.

His lack of reaction confused the horned girl. He wasn't afraid of her? Why? Why didn't he react like the others?

Her stoic expression made way for a curious one as she silently observed him. She couldn't feel any of the fear or disgust that she usually felt from the others. It was really strange, but not unpleasant.

Unbeknownst to her, the strange boy she was facing had thoughts going along similar lines.

Intent on rousing some sort of reaction from him, the little oni did what her instincts told her to do in the situation. She bared her teeth at him in what she hoped was a menacing gesture.

"Grah!"

It... didn't have the intended effect. It did the opposite, actually.

The Minus merely smiled wider at her, most likely finding her growl to be cute or something. It wouldn't be something unusual for a deviant like him, so really, not much of a surprise there.

「That was cute. I really liked it. But you should try to use your diaphragm a bit more. It will make you sound a lot more threatening next time,」 the boy offered helpfully. 「Still, for your effort, I give you 20 points~!」

The girl stared at him in abject confusion. "Ah?" she rasped, the uncertainty visible on her face.

Kumagawa cocked his head sideways. 「Ah?」 he parroted, sounding equally puzzled.

Frustrated and confused, the young oni bared her teeth at him again, letting out another growl.

"Grargh!"

Surprisingly enough, it appeared that she'd taken his previous suggestion to heart, as her voice came out more threatening this time.

But that aside, it seemed that even with the language barrier, she could somehow still tell that he was trying to mess with her. Then again, his frivolous smile was probably the dead giveaway.

「Wow, you learn really fast. I'm impressed!」 Kumagawa cheered enthusiastically. 「That's another 20 points for you right there! Congratulations~! For your amazing effort, you win my undivided attention!」 Amusingly enough, he sounded as if she didn't already have it. A Joker through and through.

The horned girl looked at him as if he was a strange alien life-form. Though, given his circumstances, she wouldn't be wrong about it. Technically, at least. But she didn't know that.

Nevertheless, she kept staring at him, those sorrowed eyes shining with a curious glint. He was different from the other people that she'd seen, strange even. In a good sense, she thought.

Seeing her befuddled face, the Minus snapped his fingers in realization. 「Oh, I get it! You don't understand me, do you?」 he concluded, nodding sagely. 「Don't worry, I don't mind it. It's much better than being purposefully ignored, so I'm totally okay with it!」

His spirited words were met with no answer, however.

The little oni merely kept staring at him in silence, carefully taking in his every feature.

His clothes were strange, unlike anything she'd seen so far. What were those? Some sort of black uniform? It didn't look bad on him. They seemed to be fitting.

She was really curious about him. But her curiosity was underlined by fear. Partly of him, and more of the unknown. He was unlike anyone else that she'd seen, and that made her afraid. She knew so little about the outside world, and he was clearly an anomaly to her. Someone that she didn't understand. And she feared what she didn't understand.

He seemed harmless at a glance, friendly even. But then, what was that nagging feeling at the back of her mind? Her instincts warned her that he spelled trouble in a sense. For whom, she wasn't sure. But even so, he was being nice to her. He was the only one who'd been so nice to her so far...

Perhaps she was mistaken about him?

If he wanted to harm her, he would've done so already, wouldn't he? Could it be something to make her lower her guard?

But then, what was that reaction earlier? He'd felt really genuine that time when he looked at her. She could almost see herself in his eyes. And they surely didn't lie. His expression wouldn't reveal much, but in that brief moment, she saw something. A glimpse of what lurked beneath his unusual smile. And strangely enough, it reminded her of herself.

Yes, his smile didn't feel right, and he had a really creepy air around himself. But her own skin was red, and she had horns, didn't she? He didn't seem to mind her appearance. He was being nice to her, so why shouldn't she do the same?

Yes, there was no reason not to.

In the meantime, Kumagawa was spending his time idly looking at the quiet girl, contemplating about god knew what. As expected, he didn't seem to mind her prolonged, intent staring. If anything, he most likely thought that she was being particularly cute about it. Then again, being the kind of person he was, his opinion had to be taken with a grain of salt. Or preferably not at all.

Suddenly, the Minus extended one of his hands at the girl. Whether it was on a whim, or deliberately done, no one could really tell. But such a detail didn't exactly matter in the end, did it?

「You know, this place looks really gloomy and depressing, don't you agree?」 he commented, breaking the silent atmosphere. 「I can tell that you don't really like being in here any more than I do, so how about we go outside and have some fun instead?」

The girl was completely taken aback by the gesture. "Ah...?" she rasped, unsure of what to do.

Why was he doing this? Was it a human gesture?

Did it mean something important? She felt like it did.

After a long beat of silence, and with a tentative expression, the little oni slowly reached for his outstretched hand. As she was about to accept his gesture, however, an inexplicable feeling warned her of something unpleasant. But she didn't really understand what it meant, so she decided to ignore it.

Her mouth twitched in the tiniest of smiles when she felt the warmth of his palm. "Ah..." she muttered softly, her bright eyes glimmering with that tiny, innocent spark from before.

Kumagawa's usual smile suddenly faltered when he felt the girl's tiny fingers gingerly clasp around his own. He looked at her with an unreadable expression, his uneven bangs casting an ominous shadow over his eyes.

The young girl almost scurried away when she noticed the sudden change in his demeanor, but she chose to fight off her irrational fear and didn't let go of his hand.

A moment later, the silent Minus returned to his cheerful persona and smiled wide at the girl holding his hand.「Ah! You took my hand so wholeheartedly and without even hesitating! How unexpected! How touching! I'm so happy that I could cry right now!」

Unsurprisingly, he started crying in a dramatic fashion as soon as he said that.

"Ah?" the horned girl looked in mild confusion at his outburst. Did she do something wrong? She didn't think so. She just grabbed his hand and was gently holding it. The boy was really strange, so it was probably just something that he did.

Wiping his crocodile tears with his other hand, Kumagawa glanced back at his newest companion. 「Don't misunderstand me. These aren't tears of sadness. I'm just glad to find someone in this world who isn't repulsed by my disgusting nature. But maybe you are too young to even understand it, huh?」 He seemed to ponder for a moment. 「Well, it doesn't really matter. I'll just take whatever kindness I can get.」

The girl didn't have much time to react when the Minus sharply turned around, almost twirling her like a little ballerina in the process. 「And that being said, let's go!」 he said in excitement, pulling her closer to himself.

"Ah!"

The little oni yelped in surprise when a cold rush of air whipped at her face, courtesy of the glass window disappearing in front of her once again.

「I'm not sure if I have what it takes to act like a gentleman, but since you are so innocent and cute, I'll make an exception just for you this time,」 Kumagawa spoke with a smirk, indicating at the makeshift staircase still embedded in the outer wall. 「Therefore, ladies first!」

The girl looked inquisitively at the strange, metallic objects protruding from the wall. They were aligned in a familiar shape that resembled a set of stairs.

With small, cautious steps, and without letting go of the boy's hand, she walked outside her room for the first time. The sight that welcomed her eyes immediately brought her to a stop.

It was white and cold, and there was snow everywhere! The world felt so much brighter than it did from behind the glass windows of her room.

Unfortunately, she didn't get to enjoy the snowy scenery for too long, because as soon as the smiling Minus moved to do the same, he accidentally slipped on one of his large screws that were made slippery by the melted snow and promptly lost his balance.

He didn't seem shocked by this turn of events and didn't even attempt to regain his footing, resigning himself to the impending fall instead. And naturally, he managed to drag another person down with him.

The small girl yelped in surprise when she suddenly found herself falling, her grip on the boy's hand tightening as she closed her eyes and braced for the impact.

Fortunately for her, she managed to land on top of him, which cushioned most of her fall, leaving her with only a mild scare and no overall injury.

Kumagawa, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. He managed to impact the ground loudly enough to make a nearby squirrel flee for the woods. That aside, he idly noted that the audible crack must have been his spine snapping like a dried twig.

If his face wasn't currently buried in a mound of cold snow, he might have enjoyed the overall feeling of numbness a bit more. But as things stood, his position was decidedly unpleasant. Well, at least his leg wasn't itching anymore, so there was that.

Craning his head to the side, the teenage boy noticed the horned girl giving him a concerned look. She seemed to be genuinely worried about him. Ah, it was so touching and cute! Too bad he was paralyzed, because otherwise he might have hugged her just for that.

「Don't worry, little girl!」 Kumagawa cheerfully assured, his perpetual smile completely belying the supposed gravity of the situation. 「With the power of my Minus, my broken spine is now nothing!」

He paused for a moment, seemingly contemplating something.

Yep, that didn't come out right.

「What I meant is that I am completely fine!」 he quickly corrected himself. 「Yes, that's it.」

And with that, he simply got up and dusted himself off, acting as if the past minute of life he'd spent as a cripple didn't ever occur.

The little oni stared at him in a mixture of childlike wonder and confusion. She didn't understand a thing of what he said, but she could tell he was okay. And she was content with just that.

Quickly regaining his previous zeal, Kumagawa moved to take the lead once more. 「Alright, let's go, go, go! It's time for an adventure!」 he cheered, before walking in a random direction.

"Ah!" the girl exclaimed, trying to mimic his enthusiasm. She immediately scurried over to his side, taking his hand in her own as they walked together through the snow.