Yukio looked around his room absent-mindedly. Today would be a hard day. The bespectacled teen remembered his conversation with Mephisto Pheles once more.

To become an exorcist. That day only idea of it seemed insane. After all, that time Yukio was afraid of both demons and exorcists, moreover didn't know whom he could trust. Well, it wasn't like the teen had found somebody to trust after that, but he at least had calmed down and considered his situation from every angle. After all, Yukio had always been a reasonable person. Rushed and reckless actions weren't his style. The grief and anger clouded his mind for a while, yet conversation with that strange person Mephisto Pheles helped the teen to regain his composure.

It was the same with hatred and rage. While at first they were all-consuming and overwhelming, they gradually calmed. It was like disastrous unstoppable fire, which became a little seemingly harmless flame. Yukio wasn't too naïve to believe the fire had died out for good. The hatred was still there, deep inside his soul, waiting for a possibility to burn with new power.

Yukio didn't know what would happen in future. What would be his reaction if he met Satan once more? Most probably, he would forget about any reason. And if it was his elder twin brother? Would he actually be able to kill him? Even if Yukio had told Mephisto so, he actually doubted. Blue flames were embodiment of utter darkness and evil, something monstrous, against the whole nature of this world. Something like that definitely had to be wiped out. It had no right to exist. Yet, Yukio still couldn't entirely convince himself.

What if his elder brother wasn't violent demon? What would he do then? Wouldn't it be much more evil to kill innocent person? Wouldn't it be the greatest sin to kill his brother?

Yukio shook his head. There were too many 'ifs'. What was the reason to cherish vain hopes?

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Yukio would never think that Mephisto Pheles was actually able to surprise him. Well, that man looked, let's say, weird at least, but the teen was too cautious to be caught off guard only because of that fact. He suspected that Mephisto was much more intelligent and cunning than he seemed, besides he didn't trust him entirely.

But now Yukio was really stunned. To think that Mephisto Pheles was really Johann Faust V, probably the most extravagant person in the city, if not in the whole Japan, and the principal of prestigious True Cross Academy. Which one of those two names was his real one, remained the mystery and the teen seriously doubted that the man would tell him even if he asked.

"So you've managed to get a scholarship of Domon school," said Mephisto, looking at Yukio's documents. "Quite impressive, I must say… Why haven't you tried to enter True Cross Academy?"

"I wasn't sure," murmured the teen. "After all, it's the best in our city…"

"What a waste!" sang Mephisto. "You would have a great chance, even without connections. Your grades are quite remarkable… Well, it doesn't matter anyhow. In any case, your transfer documents are ready".

"I have a question, sir Pheles," interrupted Yukio. "Is True Cross Academy school for exorcists? If not then what is the reason of that transfer?"

"Well, it's not like entire school is for exorcists," admitted the man. "There is a cram school, but of course, the most of students have no idea about demons or Gehenna. However, you're going to attend not only exorcist lessons, but ordinary ones as well…"

"But…" Yukio frowned and tried to argue.

"No 'buts'," smirked Mephisto, holding up his finger. "There is nothing good in neglecting your ordinary life. Shiro would never approve something like that…"

The teen said nothing. Even if he didn't agree, he wouldn't dare to voice it, especially now, after Shiro's name was mentioned.

The demon continued:

"Oh, and I have a little request for you… Nothing too difficult… You see, I have a little brother. He's in my care for the time being and I must say he's real pain in neck. So I need somebody to look after him…"

"I don't want to babysit some kid," stated Yukio firmly. Only idea of that seemed ridiculous.

"I think you've misunderstood something," chuckled Mephisto. "You don't have to babysit anybody. My little brother is the same age as you. However, he is problem child with tendency to get into trouble. Besides, he's not from this city and kind of socially awkward. I think somebody like you can actually help him".

"Well…" muttered Yukio. He didn't know what to think about it, but it seemed he had no other choice than to agree.

Mephisto noticed that hesitation and added:

"Besides, anyway, you're going to be roommates and attend the same lessons…"

The teen froze. For a while he really hoped that had misheard. But no, Mephisto clearly said those words. The strange request suddenly got new meaning. It seemed the man decided to appoint observer over him, or maybe even overseer. Well, nobody had said that they would leave son of Satan alone. That meant only one thing: Yukio actually had no other choice. Anyway, Mephisto Pheles would find a way to keep an eye on him…

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Yukio was sitting on the coach, considering his situation. Mephisto had gone somewhere, so now the teen had a possibility to think.

Were his suspicions justified? Was it a mere paranoia?

His train of thought was interrupted by a loud voice:

"Hey, Samael, what…"

Yukio turned back and saw the dark-haired teen, which seemed very familiar. However, even before he could actually remember, where he could meet that teen, the brunette exclaimed in great surprise:

"Yukio? What the heck are you doing here?"

"Rin?" Yukio was surprised as much as him. He would never think that Rin had any connections to True Cross Academy. The bespectacled teen opened his mouth to ask about it, but was interrupted by Mephisto's appearance.

"I see, so you are here, Rin…" the man smirked. "This is Okumura-kun. I've told you about him before…"

"I know, it's Yukio," nodded Rin. "We've met before".

Suddenly his smile vanished as he asked much quieter with noticeable shock:

"What do you mean by 'told before'? Then…"

"Yes, this is your roommate," interrupted Mephisto. The fact that the twins had actually met before slightly amazed him, but then fate had always been really unpredictable. The man turned to Yukio and added:

"And this is my little brother…"

"Half-brother," corrected Rin. He surely didn't approve omitting of that little detail. "We have different mothers".

Yukio nodded automatically. The situation turned out entirely different from what he had imagined. The bespectacled teen expected to meet somebody deviously cunning, but Rin didn't seem to be such a person. Even during their first meeting Yukio thought his new acquaintance was incredibly bold, somehow naïve and now the first impression was confirmed. Rin's smile was too bright and his blue eyes were too honest. There was no way somebody like that was able to spy on somebody. Well, that guy could as well turn out to be a brilliant actor, but for some reason Yukio didn't think so.

On other hand, the bespectacled teen suddenly understood why Rin had called his elder brothers 'bunch of weirdoes with sick hobbies'. Mephisto Pheles really was, well, unusual person, most probably actually befitting that definition.

Yukio didn't know what to say in that quite awkward situation, so he asked the most innocently sounding question he managed to think out:

"So what's your last name, Rin? Pheles? Faust?"

The question was really innocent, yet the reaction proofed otherwise. Rin's expression couldn't be described in words. Well, after all he hadn't thought about it, besides, he hated to be reminded about his relation with a clown like Samael, not to mention the fact that both names sounded really stupid to him.

And Mephisto seemed certainly amused. Probably, he actually liked the idea.

"You know," he started. "It's definitely an important…"

"Hell, no!" interrupted Rin angrily. "If I'm actually supposed to have a brother, I'd better pretend that my brother is Yukio and take his last name! Okumura, was it?"

There was a long silence. Rin had to admit that his idea was really random. It was something spontaneous and unplanned. The teen didn't even know why he said something like that.

Mephisto studied his younger brother's face carefully. Did Rin actually know the truth? For now it didn't seem so. Most likely, it was a simple coincidence. However, the demon actually liked that idea.

Mephisto looked at Yukio, who was simply shocked. Most probably, he could accept that unusual condition, even if he didn't approve it. After all he had no choice.

"You know, it's quite a reasonable suggestion," said the man thoughtfully. "After all, two brothers hanging together are much less suspicious, than two complete strangers. And about the same age, you can pass as twins. So what do you think?"

"Whatever," muttered Yukio. For some reason those words really hurt. They reminded the teen about his long lost twin. But then…

Well, Yukio knew he could pretend to be Rin's brother. However, he never planned to become friends with him…

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"Really, that Samael…" groaned Rin as both teens were leaving Mephisto's office. "What's the matter with him?"

Yukio said nothing. The situation before was too ridiculous, so he hadn't noticed it at first, but now… Rin's appearance was quite unusual. Slightly pointed ears, fangs… Yukio wouldn't pay attention to those features if it didn't know what they meant. Alas, they were too familiar to him. After all, he saw them in the mirror lately.

That wasn't easy. On the contrary, it was extremely hard. Maybe, Yukio hadn't known Rin for a long time, but he didn't seem a bad person to him.

Rin was complaining about Samael's stupidity when he heard Yukio whispered something. However, he didn't hear it well, so he asked:

"What have you said?"

Yukio repeated with a frown:

"You are half-demon".