Back to Yuki's POV. I wanted to give you guys a little bit of a feel regarding Haruna, since we don't really see her reactions out of Yuki's POV. However, based on the way the last chapter ended, I'm switching back to the MC here.

This is also going to be a pretty short chapter. You'll see why.

Chapter Sixteen: Surprise

I didn't expect to be out so late on a Saturday. I should have called Haruna, but I was so into this battle.

Ku Fei was training me with her kung fu knowledge while Setsuna and Kaede were having a duel of swords. Then you had Mana firing her bullets aimlessly at us. It was one of those times where we had to do two things at once. Fight, and dodge. I managed to dodge both the bullets and Ku Fei's fists.

However, the firing abruptly stopped when a black shadow pool suddenly emerged from the ground. The four of us hurriedly gathered around it, only to find Zazie emerging along with four of her shadow figures. Each of them were carrying a terrified Nodoka, Yue, Konoka, and Haruna.

"There was an explosion at a fair," Zazie explained. "My job here is complete."

The figures walked out towards the shadows and put the girls down before returning to Zazie at the center and disappearing with her. Much to our shock. I could hardly help but to gape as they all faded back into the shadow pool that eventually shrunk and disappeared.

Then, without acting, I ran over to Haruna and embraced her. She was still shaken up from the situation. Setsuna did the same thing with Konoka, but she didn't hug her. Instead, she bowed and begged for forgiveness for not protecting her.

"It's okay Secchan!" she coolly said. "We're all safe now thanks to Zazie!"

Yue and Nodoka however, were surveying the area.

"What are you guys even doing out here?" Yue asked, looking up at all the trees. "Is this a secret hiding spot for a new club?"

"No," Mana answered. "This was my spot, but we are using it to help train Yuki."

Ku Fei did some air fists. "She's progressing very well must I add!"

"And Setsuna's an excellent samurai!" Kaede added, giving her the thumb up for approval. "We had a lot of fun dueling!"

Not to also mention it was more challenging with these tight bulletproof vests. This is all I wore for a shirt while the other girls wore it over their training clothes. Guess that's the advantage of being a guy!

"Do you guys even know what's going on down in Mahora City?" Haruna asked. "There was a festival going on and an explosion happened!"

"There was a stampede!" Nodoka added, now looking in Mana's direction. "While you guys are out here doing your fighter's training, we nearly got trampled."

Setsuna was even more embarrassed. "Please forgive me Kono-chan! I should have been there by your side!"

"Secchan don't," Konoka reassuringly replied, touching her chin and holding her head up, prompting the samurai to blush. "Even if one of us got hurt, I'd heal them."

"But you could have been hurt," Setsuna replied. "I was told to guard you."

"Gramps understands. Besides, Zazie was there to save us."

"But why were her actions necessary?"

The sound of rockets came flying in from behind me, and I turned to see Chachamaru and Evangeline coming in for a landing. Both of them firm and not giving into whatever. Vampire master being the first to speak, snarling as she went.

"Luckily for you idiots, I sent Zazie out on target patrol! If none of you remember, Fate is still out there, and it is rumored that he is gathering all the demons that he can summon for a superfight. Now that Chigusa and Tsukuyomi are out of the way!"

Konoka and Setsuna now let go of each other and looked at her.

"We know!" Setsuna defended us. "Evangeline, that's why we're up here. Preparing for the inevitable."

"Milady, it was faulty wiring in a vehicle," Chachamaru said. "There was no attack on that festival."

"Accident or not," Evangeline continued, "we have an enemy on the loose. If I am not mistaken, we now have two super enemies on the loose. Yuki, I don't think I managed to stop your adversary, so you are right for being here. As for the rest of you, one of you should be on guard at all times! That last part is coming from the headmaster himself!"

Setsuna, Mana, Kaede, and Ku Fei firmly nodded in unison.

"You too Yuki!"

I jerked and nodded, letting go of Haruna, who now looked at her.

"And to Lois Lane over there," Evangeline said, obviously addressing Haruna, "Konoemon tells me that your parents called. Apparently, they are coming up to Mahora to see you and they would like to meet your new boyfriend."

"Oh no!" Haruna said, and her face was fire engine red at this point.

Oh dear! Parents wanting to meet the boyfriend? This is going to be interesting. However, out of respect to the original creator of this series, they won't be making a detailed appearance. No faces, but occupations and voices to your imagination.

I met Haruna's parents. Much to my shock, her mother happens to work as a sex therapist and her father works for the tabloids. Haruna was all red the entire time, thinking that I would tell her hell no and up and leave. However, I didn't.

"Yuki-kun," her father told me in a sudden one-on-one conversation, "you should know that you have my stamp of approval! Feel free to propose to her by the end of your senior year!"

Then there was her mother, who also did a one-on-one with me. "These are going to be some interesting years for your life Yuki-kun. If you and my daughter have to go for it at some point, please understand that you must still wear protection even though it's impossible for you to possibly impregnate her."

Yeah, that was very uncomfortable to hear.

Once they left, Haruna paid me a visit in the log cabin. Right when I was trying to find a place to put all the condoms her mother gave me. To be honest I felt even more sorry for Haruna. No wonder she's a gossip monger at the school!

"Did she ask to take a look at your…." Haruna trailed off, much to my continued embarrassment. "She's quite the psych."

"She just asked the length," I replied, blushing. "You have a pretty interesting set of folks. I can see now why you can't talk about them. Don't worry though! Mine are going to be more of a handful if they ever show up!"

Probably gray haired and old by the time they figure out where they actually sent me.

Once the box was secured, I turned to look at Haruna, who was now sitting at the side of my bed. Therefore, I joined her. Put my arm around her, and kissed her temple. "Relax! I'm still here!"

"My mom said that you're worth keeping," she said. "She also says she expects grandchildren once I'm out of high school."

"You don't have to do that just yet," I told her, slightly blushing. "You know, I have to find a career for myself too. Besides, I want to be around you as you progress as a writer. I know you're going to be amazing, and I don't care what kind of job I have as long as I stay with you."

She turned her head to mine and went in for a kiss. I closed my eyes and felt her lips lock against mine. I didn't resist, obviously because I liked it. At this moment, I knew this was it: I had found my future spouse.

When we finally broke off, I reopened my eyes to see her smiling back at me.

"You felt that," she asked, "right?"

"The spark exploding to where I'm determined to say 'I do' in the future?" I asked. "If that's it, then yes."

"I've never felt that before."

"Neither have I."

Well, I might have. Had Chieri lived to grow even closer to me. Nonetheless, she had to be far far away in that universe if she were a ghost like Sayo.

But before we could talk, Evangeline knocked on the door. "Hello? Haru, Yuki, we have company."

The two of us got up and followed the vampire up the stairs and into the living room. Much to our surprise, there was Mana, Kaede, and Ku Fei. All hanging out by the kotatsu as Chachamaru served them drinks. Evangeline quickly joined them and ushered us to join in as well.

"Forgive our sudden appearance," Mana said, "but we had to show up and ask you guys for some pointers."

Haruna and I looked at each other. Then we looked back at them.

"For what exactly?" I asked. "If this is about fighting can it wait?"

Ku Fei shook her head. "No! It's not about that! You see, we were asked out a while back by a trio of demons."

My jaw dropped as Haruna blurted out her response. "Demons? You're all still underage!"

"Yeah," Kaede replied. "That's the point. However, they seem to be interested in going out for a night on the town."

"For drinks," Mana added. "Don't worry Yuki. If things get out of hand, we'll be able to fight them long enough for you and Setsuna to respond."

Evangeline's eyes narrowed. "You came all the way over here to ask for demon dating advice? Well, best of luck to the three of you! Dating a demon is risky business! If you plan on hitching yourselves with them, bear in mind you may have a little group of half-demon children roaming the Earth!"

"Milady," Chachamaru said, "Mana is half-demon."

Evangeline shot her a look but then smiled and crossed her arms. "You're right Chachamaru! We do have a half-demon present."

Haruna's jaw dropped. "Really? I never knew!"

"Now you do!" Mana said, smiling at her. "I'm not for gossip though."

"I understand. But yeah, I'd still be careful. Those demons have to be hundreds of years old."

"We're only hanging out as friends," Ku Fei interjected. "All we need to do is hang out for a couple of hours and we should be all set!"

"Hopefully they'll be satisfied enough to leave us alone!" Kaede added.

The strongest girls in Class 3A wanted to ask for dating advice? Thank God they waited until we were out of school to ask this. If Kazumi got wind of it, the class would have had a field day!

We talked a little bit more. Basically exchanged background information. Like, fighting skills and such. Evangeline even talked about her days wreaking havoc as a vampire prior to being confined to the school by the Thousand Master.

"Well," Mana eventually said, ending the visit, "I think we better return to protecting the school. Evangeline, Chachamaru, be sure to communicate with us more often as well!"

"No problem!" Evangeline said. "Anything to bring me closer to freedom. And I've been missing out on all the good fights!"

As they left, I managed to pick up one of their thoughts. Particularly Ku Fei's because she seemed to be the most clueless out of the three. Not to also mention she was thinking partially about me.

Her mind was on Setsuna and Konoka, and they were thinking about not being able to go to the dormitory for a couple hours. Wait a minute! Were they inferring that the two were...doing something?

"Well," Evangeline said, taking a swig of tea. "Of all things they come over here for, it's dating advice."

Maybe they weren't really dating those demons after all. Made sense, but why come all the way here when they could have just hung out in those woods? Especially with the threat of Fate returning!

"Or maybe Konoka and Setsuna were using their room for some reason," I said, looking at a now surprised Haruna. "That would explain why our little talk lasted over two hours!"

Captain Obvious strikes again!

Haruna and I went back down to my bedroom. Once again, we sat atop the bed. However, the tone was much different and the topic was not all about us.

"Konoka approached me for dating advice recently," Haruna said, blushing and touching the tips of her forefingers together. "I think the two might have needed the room for an extended period of time for some reason."

"A pactio," I said, remembering that at one point the two would wind up together. Setsuna was Konoka's designated partner per Dean Konoemon himself. "They might have been forming a pactio and Konoka might have wanted them to be alone."

"True," Haruna said, remembering her pactio cards with Professor Negi. "Say, Yuki, you're not jealous that I kissed the professor, are you?"

I shook my head. "Never crossed my mind and never will. Besides, I think he's got a thing for Asuna."

"True. Have you ever had a thing for anyone else in class?"

I shook my head. "You're the only one I ever noticed. Not even Shizuna-sensei."

"I still can't believe we saw that!" She said, face becoming even redder than before. "Sex out in broad moonlight when any of the 40,000 students could have passed by and seen them."

"But they did not," I replied. "Anyway, I don't think there's anything serious going on between Konoka and Setsuna just yet."

"True," Haruna said, looking at me and lightening up a little. "Setsuna appears to be more protective of her than anything else. But Konoka admitted to kissing her recently."

At that point, I remember Setsuna and her flustered appearance one day. The day following her night out with Konoka. She pulled me to the side and had a talk with me about it.

"We kissed!" The samurai hissed, but I simply smiled with little to no reaction. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"It was your first official kiss as a couple," I remember replying. "It's normal to feel a little uneasy. Right now you're trying to get with the fact that the two of you have made that big step from simple friendship to a relationship. Although I never got to experience that, I can imagine that would have been me and my previous crush."

"Really?" Setsuna was taken aback at my sudden response. "But now I'm going to have to talk to her father."

"He'll be supportive," I replied. "You and Konoka have been inseperable. Even though you spent some years at a distance."

"Yeah, but won't this complicate things?"

"Haruna's dating my superhero ass!"

At that point, I focused back into the current conversation with Haruna. "Yeah. Setsuna told me about it. She was pretty flustered over the situation, but I reassured her that nothing bad would come of it. What about Konoka?"

"She was asking me advice when it comes to dating," Haruna replied. "You have no idea how much of an adjustment I had to make when we started dating. My rumor mill was even lagging!"

"But it isn't as much because we're back to doing our own things."

"And finding time for each other."

"Which is why I decided to take a couple days off from training. I feel you need some more one-on-one time with me."

"Doing what exactly?"

"Hanging out and talking."

At that moment, Haruna drew nearer to me. "Well Yuki, there's one thing I've wanted to see lately."

My eyes widened. "What?"

Her face drew towards my ear, and at this point she simply whispered. "I still haven't gotten the chance to see you shirtless."

Nervousness overcame me as she said it. For the first time since I transitioned, my girlfriend was asking me to take my shirt off and show her. Then again, her parents were the ones who raised her. Dirty talk.

However, I came up with a much better plan. Whispered back in her ear. "I'll show you, but let's go to the beach first!"