"Nothing strange," Kiba reported. "Quite low grades, part of the Perverted Trio, not a lot of friends."

"You found nothing?" Rias asked. "Absolutely nothing?"

"Well, actually. Yesterday, he handed in his physics report which was remarkably good. His teacher also said he answered a question perfectly in class. I've spoken to the other teachers and some of them reported slight increases in his skills, but they weren't sure. We'll have to wait for the exams to be certain."

"Sudden increase in academic abilities," Rias pondered. "A Sacred Gear that awakened?"
"I've never heard of a Sacred Gear like that," Kiba said. "But I guess it's possible."

"And the Fallen Angels?"

"I have no idea what they are planning. They are holed up in some old church."

"Okay. Thank you."

"My pleasure." He bowed and left her.

She wasn't sure what she had expected. There was something off about his aura, but it was silly to hope he had some super special Sacred Gear. She had probably just imagined it. Maybe she wanted it to be true so badly she had deluded herself into thinking he had an aura.

Rias walked to the window and opened it.

She did not spot the person watching her.

"Wow," Issei said.

"Hey, Ise," a voice dragged him away. "Stop looking at your crush and explain this," Matsuda demanded. He held up Issei's physics report.

"Look," Issei took the report. "I was just lucky."

"I would believe you if you had a six or a seven out of ten," Matsuda said. "But not a perfect ten."

"The old school building," Issei said. "Why is she there?"

It was Motohama who replied. "Rias Gremory is the president of the occult Research Club. Their clubroom is in the old school building."

"Strange," Issei said. He looked back at the perfect beauty with her crimson hair flowing in the wind. She looked so dignified. So distant and lofty.

She wasn't looking at him. Instead, she looked in the distance with a sad smile on her face.

Issei could not figure out why and the question kept nagging him. Why was a beauty like that unhappy? Not exactly unhappy, something else. He could not place the emotion and it bothered him way more than it should.

"How big is the Occult Research Club?" He asked.

Motohama pushed up his glasses. "There's Rias-senpai and Akeno-senpai, Koneko-chan and Yuuto-san."

"Hm." Very strange. Akeno-senpai and Rias-senpai were both well known throughout the school for being the favorite subjects of the photography club and the wet dreams of all the boys here. Akeno-senpai had an even bigger chest and even longer hair, but, like Rias-senpai, she remained very distant.

He had heard of Koneko-chan as well. She sat a year lower than him and apparently, lots of guys thought she was cute. Some in a slightly more perverted way than others. Kiba was some hot guy from his year if he remembered well.

"Very strange," Issei repeated the words out loud. "An entire building for only four people."

"Let's go to karaoke tonight," Matsuda suggested, clearly not interested in this mystery.

"I have something to do," Issei said, he looked at the building. "You can go without me."

"You're acting strange lately," Matsuda said.

Issei shrugged.

"I don't think you'll see much," Motohama told him.

"See what?" Matsuda asked, confused.

Motohama slowly pushed up his glasses for no reason. "He means to peek at Rias Gremory."
Matsuda turned pale. "Are you insane? She'll kill you."

Issei said nothing.

"He's right," Motohama added. "The kendo-club is one thing, but if you peek at her, you'll be chased out by both girls and guys. If they don't expel you first. That girl has connections with the board."

"Of course," Issei said, a strange confidence in his voice. "If she didn't, they would never get an entire building. But if you're too scared you can leave."

"You're insane," Matsuda said. "Come on, Motohama. Let's go watch some safe girls. I still have to watch Kaben Rider Pinky."

"But I already watched it," Motohama protested as both of them took off.

Issei let out his breath. His heart was beating very fast.

He wasn't actually planning to peek at her of course. Not that he would see much anyway. This was the Occult Research Club, not the swimming club. Ort the strip club.

Did they have a strip club?

Maybe he should start one.

Anyway, whatever Rias-senpai was doing in there, she was probably doing it dressed. Unless some crazy ritual involved nudity. Weren't there some types of witchcraft where people danced around naked?

He tried not to let his thoughts wander of too much.

What Motohama had said had piqued his interest. An entire school building for just four people, there had to be more going on here.

But that was not his main focus. He was planning something else entirely. The Occult Research Club. That could come in handy.

Issei let out his breath and pushed open the door.

From the window he had seen her, he guessed they were on the second floor so he took the stairs up. Once there, he quickly found the right door (it was neatly labeled 'ORC'). Sounds were coming from behind it. Was that…

Rain?

That was impossible. Was someone taking a shower in there?

His throat felt dry. Maybe he should turn back.

No, he steeled himself. There was only one person who could help him.

Issei raised his hand and knocked.

The sound stopped.

Someone opened the door.

"Hello," she said.

It was a girl with a very impressive chest. Issei's eyes were immediately glued to it, although in the back he detected purple eyes and black hair as well.

"Uhum," Issei cleared his throat. "Is this the Occult Research Club?" He asked.

"Yeah," she confirmed.

"I would like to speak to your president, Rias Gremory," he said. His voice was trembling a bit.

"It's not really the right time now," Akeno-senpai said. "She's uhm."

"Let him in," a voice behind her said.

"But, Buchou?"

"You heard me," Rias-senpai repeated.

"Uhm," Akeno-senpai stepped aside. "Come on in then."
He entered the room.

The first thing that drawed his attention was a couch right in front of him. It was dark green, but the only reason it grabbed his attention was because a uniform was neatly draped over it. Rias' uniform he guessed. A towel was next to it.

A second couch had been put on the other side with a coffee table between it. To the right of that was a large desk with a chair behind it. From the red/gold design Issei guessed the president sat there.

Something was put up just right from the door, next to the desk. It was some kind of wooden cabin built in the corner with a green curtain matching the couches closing it off.

A shower? Inside of the clubroom? How utterly strange. Did they need that for rituals?

"Have a seat," Akeno-senpai said.

"Would you mind handing me my clothes?" Rias' voice asked from behind the curtain.

Akeno said nothing and just picked up the pile of clothes and the towel.

Too bad she asked Akeno-senpai. Issei would have loved to give clothes to a fully nude Rias-senpai.

But as Akeno-senpai had already picked them up, he had lost his window of opportunity.

Issei sat down. In the middle of the coffee table was an old chandelier with three burning candles. Other than the windows opposite of him, that was the only source of light. He saw a table in the other corner next to the desk with more candles. This was the Occult Research Club after all.

He heard Rias-senpai drying off and getting dressed.

She must have undressed right here. And he had caught a glimpse of some purple/black underwear before Akeno-senpai took away the clothes. If he had arrived a bit earlier he could have seen some very interesting sights.

But he was not here to peek.

Although…

"Uhum," Akeno-senpai cleared her throat. "Would you like some tea?" Her voice was strained. She was only doing this because Rias-senpai had told her.

This club looked more and more like a cover up for something else. But then again, the Occult Club most likely had very little visitors and if they had, it would be weirdos or perverts. Technically he classified under 'perverts' so her attitude was not strange.

"No thanks," Issei said. He was a bit thirsty but this girl looked like she would poison him for just breathing.

Rias arrived two nerve-wracking minutes later. She sat down opposite of him. Fully dressed, obviously. Too bad.

"So," she said. "What brings you here?"

"Well," Issei said. "This is the Occult Research Club, isn't it?"

"Yes," the redheaded beauty confirmed politely.

"Well, I have something that needs supernatural explanations."

"Sudden academic increases?" Rias-senpai asked.

"Uhm, yeah. Exactly. How do you know that?"

She smiled. "We are the Occult Research Club after all," she explained. "I noticed a strange aura the other day so I took the liberty of investigating."

"I just got back my physics report," Issei said, he took out the paper. "A perfect ten. I never had anything like that before. Usually I'm lucky to even pass. You have no idea how hard I had to study to get into this school."

"You must have been very motivated," she said as she took his physics report.

"Uhm, yeah." He probably should not mention he had picked this school because it had the highest girls to boys ratio.

"This does indeed look very good," she said. "But one test is not enough to conclude supernatural events. Maybe you were just lucky."

"There is something else," Issei said. "You heard of the dead guy in the park?"

"Yeah."
"I found him. And before that I saw a white shadow fleeing. When I went home, his blood kept burning in my palms even after I had washed it away. And then, suddenly, I got smarter, faster and stronger. Look, maybe I just have a good day or something, but I can't help but feel like there is some connection. And according to the cop I interviewed they found burn marks around the wounds. Whatever killed that guy, I don't think it was human." He probably shouldn't tell her all this.
She did not laugh at his crazy tale.

"So you've decided to come to the Occult Research Club?" She asked.

"This is what you do, right? Explain things that reason can't explain?"

She paused for a moment. "You called the cops but then you went away," she said eventually. "Why?"

"Well," Issei said. "I had stuff to do. They wouldn't have believed me anyway."

"And they found only one set of fingerprints," she said. "So you might have been a suspect."

"So you believe me?" He did not ask how she knew about the fingerprints.

"I don't think you have a reason to lie," she said.

"Unless he wants to get close to you," Akeno-senpai butted in.

"He looks like a very honest boy," Rias-senpai retorted.

Was that a compliment?

It sounded a bit belittling.

"So, will you help me?" Issei asked.

"It does sound strange enough. I'll see what I can do. Give me a few days."

"Okay. Thanks a lot." He stood up. He had taken up enough of their time.

"Don't mention it," Rias-senpai said, she stood up as well. "One more thing." She threw a glance at Akeno-senpai.

Then, something very unexpected happened.

She grabbed his arm and softly dragged him outside. Rias-senpai closed the door behind her so Akeno-senpai could not hear.

"Listen to me very carefully," she said. "You might be in great danger."

"Senpai?"

She shushed him. "Listen to me." She took out a piece of paper the size of a playing card. "This side is for emergencies only, nothing else, you hear me?"

"Uhm, okay."

"The other side is to keep me up to date. Only if more weird things happen, understood?"

He swallowed hard. "Understood."

She hesitated a second longer and then handed him the card.

Without saying another word she went back inside and closed the door.

He looked at the card. The first side ('for emergencies only') showed a drawing of a circle with… he narrowed his eyes. A rose? Well, in any case, some kind of flower inside of a complicated circle pattern with runes on it. The bottom and top proudly proclaimed 'we grant your wish'. More roses lined the words.

Issei turned it around.

His heart skipped several beats.

That was…

Yep. Not a doubt about it. Her cellphone number.

It wasn't so much of a crush, Issei thought as he took the stairs back down. More like he admired her from a distance. And he sensed that it would be near impossible to close this distance.

But the smile kept bothering him. The sad smile on her face as she looked out of the window. What did it mean?

Was she unhappy? She seemed fine just now. Could that be just an act?

Issei sighed. He was reading too much in it probably. If there was some supernatural explanation for the recent events, she would find it, that was it. There was nothing else going on. He should count himself lucky he had even gotten the chance to talk to her. And of course, fall face-first into her chest.

Such softness…

"Uhm."
"Huh?" Issei looked up. He had arrived near the bridge by now, all the while thinking about Rias Gremory. And somehow, a cute girl had found her way right in front of him.

She wore a uniform from a school he did not recognise. Something with red and green. It didn't come close to the design of his academy, but then again, nothing could ever hope to match that. Still, she pulled it off nicely. Her chest filled out the uniform nicely. He saw some strain on the top buttons.

Her hair was black and her eyes purple. A permanent blush was on her face as she fumbled with her bag.

"You're Hyoudou Issei-kun, aren't you? From Kuoh Academy?"

"Uhm, yeah," Issei confirmed. How did she know that? Sure he was famous, well, infamous, at his school, but not outside of it.

"I… uhm, are you seeing anyone at the moment?" She asked. Her eyes looked at the ground.

"Not really," Issei said.

"Would you… mind going out with me?"

"Huh?"

"I always see you passing here and well… please go out with me."

What the…

A confession? From such a cute girl?

He almost said yes, but then something made him reconsider.

"Do you mind if I think about it? It's a bit sudden."

"Oh." She was a bit taken back. Clearly she had not expected this. "Sure, I'll just…" She opened her bag in took out her notebook and a pen. She wrote down her number. Then, she ripped it off and handed it to him.

Two numbers in one day, he was on a roll.

"Give me a call, Hyoudou-kun," she said. She suddenly appeared much more confident.

"I will," he promised.

"I have to go now. I guess I'll see you around."
Yeah, Issei smiled at her. But something nagged inside of him.

She walked on, a bit too fast.

Issei let out his breath. The old Issei would have definitely fallen for that. He would have agreed without thinking. Without realising that certain things didn't make sense.

First of all, if a hot girl like that passed by here, he would have noticed it. There's no way his perverted eyes would have missed a beauty like that. Especially one with such a nice chest.

This bridge left little room for people to spot him without him noticing. Yet he had never seen that girl before. So what was up with that?

Secondly, no one would ever confess to a random boy like that. Even if she thought he was hot, she wouldn't just walk up to him and confess. At the very least she would have talked a bit longer. He was a stranger after all.

And thirdly, her timing was a bit too suspicious. Strange things started happening with the dead guy and all and then a random girl he had never seen before showed up and told him she wanted to date him? That was just a little too coincidental.

Besides, the timing did not match at all. She said she saw him walking home, but today he had gone home later than usual as he had gone to the ORC first. So did she just stand around and wait? All by herself? Just to confess this particular day when she could have picked literally any day? That didn't make any sense. What was special about today?

And of course, most importantly. When he mentioned he wanted to think about it, which wasn't strange at all, she was completely taken off balance. Her shyness had vanished for a moment which led him to believe it was acted.

She had done her research well and concluded he would easily fall for her trap. And she would have been right. But he had gotten a bit smarter lately.

Issei picked up his phone and dialed a number. He at least had to confirm this.

"Rias-senpai?"

"Already abusing it?" She sighed. "I knew I made a mistake by giving you my number."

"What are you talking about?" Issei said. "A random girl I've never seen before just confessed to me. Thought you would want to know."

"What? What's her name?"

"Uhm…" he checked the note. "Amano Yuuma." Yuuma? That was a nice name.

"Could you describe her uniform for me?"

"Red blazer with a P on it, green skirt. Her breasts were-"

"That's quite enough," she cut him off. "I'll call you back." She hung up without waiting for a reply.

He continued walking home. Maybe he was being paranoid after all.

Why had he rejected such a cute girl?

Stupid. So incredibly stupid.

He should call her right now and say he would love to go out with her.

He had waited his entire life for a chance like this and now he was wasting it based upon some strange coincidences.

Just as he announced he was home his phone went.

Issei picked up. "Senpai, give me a second."

He went outside of the living room and took the stairs up. In the back, he heard his parents discussing about who this 'senpai' was.

"Yeah?" He said when he closed the door to his room.

"Like I thought, Amano Yuuma does not exist."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm staring at the files right now. She does not go to the school that matches her uniform."

So he was right. Something did not make sense. "Maybe…" He tried finding an explanation that make sense, but he found nothing. Why would she make up a fake name?

"Seems like I'm not the only one checking you out," senpai said. "But I can't figure out why."

"You mean I'm not that special?"

"I wasn't going to phrase it quite like that, but yeah. It's strange, not dangerous. It's not like you started spitting fire or something."

"That would be very cool though."

"True. Look, I'll send someone to watch your house for tonight. Meet me tomorrow before school at the clubroom."

"Okay. What do I do if something happens?"

"Use the card."

"How?"

"Just imagine me."

"You mean like, with clothes on?"

She chuckled. "Whatever works best for you."

"So, without clothes then?"

"Goodnight, Hyoudou-kun."

She hung up.

"Goodnight, Rias-senpai," he said, although she obviously could not hear him.

Yeah. No way he could ever hope close the distance between the two of them.