Gremory-senpai, Koneko-chan, and I took our own paths to class since we were in different grades, but as expected of Kuoh Academy's gossip network, another rumor me sinking my claws in Gremory-senpai had already spread. Several!
I sat on my desk, looking at the chatterings of my classmates. No doubt they were talking about my entrance with Gremory-senpai. Hey, you people, I'm right here! If you want to know about it just ask me! I shouted in my mind because I didn't want to waste energy doing something like that. I knew what they craved wasn't the truth, but the juiciness of the rumors instead.
As expected, Motohama and Matsuda approached me. The interesting thing was when they did, everyone stopped their talk and not so discreetly eavesdropped on us. Those cowards. At least Motohama and Matsuda had the guts to ask me directly. Too bad we were treading on a different path of perversion, if not, I can see that we would be good friends.
"Hey, Issei. What is this I heard about you coming to school with Rias-oneesama?" Motohama put his arms around my shoulder.
"She hasn't told anyone?" I feigned ignorance.
"Told what?" This time Matsuda eagerly waiting for me to answer.
"If she didn't say anything then I guess I shouldn't. It's private matters concerning her family. I was just fortunate to live in my apartment."
Motohama just groaned, "Don't tell me she also began living there?"
I nodded, "I guess you could say that."
"Seriously, Issei. Can I move into your apartment complex?"
Now, this question caught me off guard. Somehow the class went silent after Matsuda's question. Could they move there? I was just a normal resident, I did not decide anything as it was Gabriel-san's job as the Landlady. In fact, I would be glad if they start to live there as I am the only normal human there but... would it be fair if their normal life was thrown into disarray for just my selfish desire of not wanting to be alone?
"Well, nobody would stop you if you want. But in order to properly move there, you need to pass a screening test, and I'm not sure if you're going to pass."
Yes. Specifically for the two of them, there would be a test from me. If they failed, then they wouldn't fit in with the crazy supernatural side of the world we were living in and if I asked Gabriel-san nicely then she would definitely refuse them.
Sorry, Matsuda, Motohama, it was for your own good.
"Uwooh! What is this test, Issei?!"
"Not sure if this would be easy or not. But you may come with me after school. I'm going to buy groceries and pay a visit to HamburGeneral first. After that, we can talk with the Landlady about you moving in."
"Issei!" A teary-eyed Matsuda jumped to hug me.
"If only our way of perversion was not so different!" Motohama fixed his glasses, but there were tears moving down his cheek.
Luckily after that, the bell rang, signaling the start of the first period. The other people had a contemplative look, probably considering themselves to move into Serene Apartment, but wasn't brave enough to try the screening test blindly.
Jokes on you people, even if you know it, you wouldn't expect it until you experienced it.
After all, I'm gonna put Motohama and Matsuda in the same room as Gabriel-san to discuss the matter of moving in. If they fainted, then they wouldn't fit in with the supernatural world. Exposing them to the most beautiful woman was cruel, but that's the beauty of the test. If they can survive, then they could deal with other beautiful women.
After school ends, I knocked on the Student Council room's door with Motohama and Matsuda behind me. The door was opened by Hanakai-san.
"Oh, it's you."
"Good afternoon, Hanakai-san. Is Shitori-kaichou available? I'll only take five minutes at most," I explained to her.
"Sure, come in."
There were shouts of disapproval from inside, with a male voice being the most vocal. I had a feeling that Saji didn't like me. What did I ever do to him? The bastard.
"Is it okay if Motohama and Matsuda also come inside?"
Hanakai-san blinked at what I said. "What? What do you mean?" She then looked at me. "What are they doing here?"
Even without looking back at them, I knew there were knives stabbing their hearts metaphorically. Hanakai-san didn't even register them the first time she looked. Wait, wasn't lack of awareness like that bad for Devils?
"You should be more aware of your surroundings, Hanakai-san. They are here because..." I lowered my voice. "Because they wanted to move into Serene Apartment. I'm taking them to meet Gabriel-san."
Uncharacteristically, Hanakai-san laughed out loud that had the entire Student Council concerned.
"Is there something, Momo?" Shitori-kaichou asked Hanakai-san as she approached us. "Ah, Hyoudou-san, is there something that I can help you?"
Subsiding her laugh, Hanakai-san tried to explain to Shitori-kaichou. Though some giggles escaped her. "N-Nothing, Kaichou. It's just..." she giggled. "The two perverts here are going to meet your Landlady."
Shitori-kaichou blinked. She then blinked once again. After that, she bit her lip. Was she... was she suppressing her giggle?
Not long after that, her neutral expression was back. "You two," she addressed Motohama and Matsuda. "I wish you the best of luck."
"Shitori-kaichou, what do you want for dinner? After HamburGeneral, I'm going to buy the groceries."
"I am having some cravings for udon. Can you make some, Hyoudou-san?"
"To make the noodles from scratch is going to take a long time, and I haven't stocked any dashi last night or the night before. Is it okay if I just buy instant noodles and dashi powder?" I asked her back and she answered with a nod.
"It is fine. I am looking forward to tasting the udon, Hyoudou-san," Shitori-kaichou then went back to her desk inside the room.
"Right, come on, guys," I gestured to Motohama and Matsuda to follow me.
We left the school premise quickly but not in a rush. First, I was going to HamburGeneral first, to pay for Gabriel-san's dinner last night. Despite being reliable at times and clumsy at other times, she still had no self-awareness of her deadly beauty.
Motohama and Matsuda asked me many kinds of questions but I always deflected it and just answered with 'wait'. They quickly shut their mouth at that though there were grits of teeth as well. I enjoyed this, they knew it, and I knew that they knew it.
"Yo, Old Man," I greeted him as we arrived at HamburGeneral.
"Ise-kun. Here's three on the house," the Old Man handed me a paper bag as I blinked in confusion.
"What is this, Old Man? I'm just delivering the Landlady's money." I took a peek inside the bag and saw three wrapped hamburgers inside.
The Old Man smiled, "It's precisely because of that, that I give you this now. Say hello to little Kunou and Ophis, will you? Oh, and that Kuroka too. I'm a little busy so I can't say it myself."
"Right, here's the money," I brought out the money Gabriel-san trusted to me and gave it to the Old Man.
"Thanks. I'll be having words with the new recruits so something like that won't happen again."
After that, I gestured to Motohama and Matsuda to follow me once more as I led them towards the nearest supermarket.
"You a regular there, Issei?" Matsuda suddenly asked me.
"What are you saying Matsuda, of course, he is. The owner even gave him three freebies. When all he did was delivering some money."
"Well. It's true, I am a regular. But these," I brought up the paper bag. "I guess you can say that the owner is fond of my family."
"Anyway, Issei. Can you tell us about the test?"
"Nice try but no."
The two groaned again as their attempts to make me spill the beans failed. To be honest, I didn't want to say anything not just because of the amusement when they got to face Gabriel-san, but also to hold back my amusement when I thought what kind of reaction they would make. If I made a thousand yen bet on 'fainted', pretty sure nobody in the apartment would take it.
We arrived at the supermarket and I grabbed the essential ingredients to make a fine udon. The variant I would make for tonight's dinner is the spicy seafood udon. So I bought chili, pepper, onion, a kilogram of small-sized shrimps, a kilogram of squids, half a kilogram of fish-fillet because holy fuck I hate separating fish meats from the bones. Of course, I did not forget to buy the instant udon noodles in a package and the dashi powder. Three packages actually. Since it can be stored for two to three months the most, maybe I could use it later if I bought too much.
As I look around in the supermarket, I laid my eyes on the green packs of green tea-flavored Pocky lining up on the shelves and sighed. I did not forget my promise to Ophis. I do not ever want to forget them anymore. Once, I forgot my promise and Ophis gave me a cold shoulder. Fifty packs of green tea flavored Pocky entered the trolley.
Motohama and Matsuda didn't just follow me, they also bought something for themselves. Motohama bought a lot of cup noodles, the one who had ridiculous advertisements on television. Meanwhile, Matsuda just bought a lot of instant coffee. Oi oi, cup noodles and instant coffee were the ultimate NEET energy supplement, what were you? NEETs? What would your parents say?
Anyway, after that, we paid for our things to the clerk and continued our way to Serene Apartment. Since I was a little curious, I asked them why they bought the ingredients to be a NEET so much.
"I'm pulling all-nighters trying to finish 'Love Love Cut Cut', that's why I need coffee," was Matsuda's answer.
"Wait, isn't that the famous galge where the heroines are all yandere?" Motohama asked for confirmation of Matsuda's statement.
"What? What's the appeal of all yandere heroines? Galges were made to have a variety of girls to cater to all preference! What's the appeal of single preference game like that?" I exclaimed in confusion. Nowadays, I rarely played Galges since I was too busy taking care of everyone in the apartment. But back when I lived with my family, all of my consoles and handhelds were full of galges. My foolish past self even once thought that having a power to see the relationship meter between you and girls were cool.
"That's what makes it interesting," Matsuda explained. "The official source from the developers said that they gathered data and made a research. The research concludes that in a game, people only play for the heroine they prefer. That's why they released this all yandere galge. To be honest, though, I'm fifty percent on reaching all the endings and the thing that's keeping me interested is actually the protagonist."
"What's the protagonist like?"
"And why do you like him?"
We spent the rest of the way in a deep and meaningful conversation about Love Love Cut Cut and other galges in general. This confirmed my thought, I mused, that I would be good friends with them had circumstances been different.