Hello everyone. Keeping it short in hoping you continue to enjoy this as much as I do creating it.

"Thanks again, Koneko. Honestly, your business alone is enough to keep the place afloat."

Issei said it casually, waving his hand side to side in the air. Rias, Akeno, and Kiba were also at the counter, tea before them. Koneko had a cup of hot chocolate along with another tray of sweets in front of her.

There was a cookie halfway to her mouth. She nodded softly before continuing on. He noticed the crumbs at the corner of her lips and grabbed a napkin. He leaned over the counter and wiped at the crumbs, much to the amusement of her friends.

"Ise..." She groaned. Her cheeks were dusted pink as he pulled away and Akeno tittered, only darkening them.

He nodded his head, satisfied, oblivious to the embarrassment he had caused her. He was also unaware of the fuel he had just given the senior over her kouhai. "That's better. Cookies are to go in your tummy, not on your face, Kit."

"Mmm," Koneko pouted and puffed out her cheeks. She couldn't be mad at him that he cared about her but his tact was still abysmal and she would be the one taking the hit. Not him.

"So, do you have plans to hire soon," Rias asked after a sip of her tea and sigh of happiness. "It has been a week or so and I'm sure you should be able to hire a few hands."

Issei poured another cup of tea for Akeno and Kiba before turning back to the heiress. "I actually have interviews later on today. I was actually surprised by the sudden response as I hadn't even put up a sign. But I accepted nonetheless."

It had come as a surprise for the young man when he had been asked if he was looking for employees. He had actually just finished crunching the numbers and had plans to finally put out requests for new hires. Maybe it was luck or maybe something more was at play but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"That is good to hear," Rias nodded her head. "Would you prefer them on the floor or behind the scenes with you?"

"More than likely the former," he replied. "Baking the sweets and brewing the drinks is kind of a sacred thing for me. It's something I hold close from a time ago and I'd much rather continue to do it for myself."

The group could all understand where he was coming from. Koneko, herself, wouldn't accept anything that wasn't made by the hands of Issei anymore so her reasons were a bit more selfish. But, everyone else could find personal connections in his words and simply nodded their heads.

"Well, as long as you're happy then, Issei." He blinked at her. Her cheeks darkened and she shrunk a bit in her seat. "I-Ise..."

He nodded his head. "Better."

"It's actually quite unfair Rias. He dotes on you almost as much as Koneko. I feel left cheated by not receiving such affection, ufufu~."

The Gremory's cheeks were starting to match her hair. "Mou~, Akeno," she whined.

Akeno giggled but that came to a pause as a hand rested on top of her head. "Eh?" Then it began to move back and forth and a warmth beyond all others filled her from the touch. She looked back to see Issei petting her.

"My apologies, Akeno, I didn't mean to make you feel left out," Issei said. That face was still as stoic as ever and his tone was as mono as could be. But the words alone, with a little help from her imagination, did carry them a long way.

"U-Uh..." Her eyes were wide and her jaw was slackened. Her mind was actually a little numb to the point she was oblivious to the amused responses of her friends.

"Ara, Akeno, seems Ise has enough affection for all of us," Rias teased, resting her cheek into the palm of her hand.

The Queen still had a hard time forming a coherent sentence. She just sat there as Issei continued to rub his hand back and forth. The warmth was still filling her and her heart was starting to beat loudly within her ears.

"It was selfish of me to only dote on Rias and Koneko." Issei finally removed his hand and, with it, the warmth seemed to retract immediately back into the appendage. Almost like a spell being broken, Akeno finally blinked and reality seemed to have returned to her. "Kiba, I must have also been neglecting you. Would you care for me to dote on you as well?"

There was a bead of sweat that slipped down the blonde knight's brow. "I think I'm good. Just be sure to spread the affection for me amongst them and I'll be more than happy."

Issei nodded. "Very well."

There was a chime at the door and Issei looked up. It was the kendo girls and the owner went off to take care of them. The devils were left to themselves and there was much to discuss now in the young man's absence.

"So Akeno, how was your doting from Ise," Rias asked. "It looked amazing just by your expression."

The reaction the heiress wanted was not what she received. Akeno raised a delicate hand over her lips and gave a slight eye smile.

"It was quite comforting and warm," she informed. Even while teasing, her cheeks darkened as she remembered her heartbeat quickening under his touch. "I might have to partake of him myself if he's not careful."

Rias blinked owlishly. That definitely was not the reaction she expected. "Y-Y-You what!?" Her voice didn't crack. It so didn't!

"Ara ara, does Rias want to claim Issei for herself? Hmmm~?"

"W-What!?" Rias' entire face matched her hair. "T-That is preposterous! We have only known him for a short period of time and I would dare not claim such scandalous things about Issei!"

"I'd say we've become very well acquainted, in my opinion," a monotone voice behind her spoke up.

The heiress' heart leapt into her throat. She shot around as Issei returned to their side. He moved behind the counter and began to prepare, what looked to be, the kendo girls orders.

"I-I-I-..."

"If it were you to ask, Rias, I would consider a date. You are a very attractive young woman and a joy to talk to. However, I would question why you chose me."

There it was again. That emotionless voice saying such nice things. It was frustrating that she still couldn't read him and still couldn't tell if it was flirting or simple complimenting. He never gave a tell, never made a move that hinted at his intentions. It was always hidden behind that blank expression.

"It would seem that you left her speechless," Akeno teased.

"I don't understand. I simply spoke the truth. Anyone with eyes could see that she is definitely a catch," he continued. "She is kind, a good senior to her underclassmen, she seems to put all of you before herself..."

As he continued to list off her traits, the group of devils watched as their King sank lower and lower into her seat and her face grew redder and redder. It was an odd sight to watch, not only because of Issei's lack of emotion but also how easily Rias allowed his words to affect her.

It didn't stop their amusement, however.

"But I digress," Issei finally concluded. He then picked up the tray and moved from behind the counter to return to Muruyama and Katase. "I shall say this, though. Whoever ends up taking your heart, Rias, will be the luckiest man alive."

That struck a chord. Not just in her heart but through her entire team.

She was at a loss for words. "I-...Thank you..." She meekly replied.

He nodded and moved on. Rias grasped her cup of tea in both hands and stared down at the green liquid inside. She could see her reflection and could see the frown marring her face. Her cheeks were still burning but that didn't stop the pit in her stomach from trying to swallow her whole.

"Lucky, hm?" She whispered to herself.

"Rias?" Akeno reached a hand over and grasped the redhead's shoulder. She squeezed, trying to provide some comfort and the heiress accepted with an appreciative smile.

"I'll be fine, Akeno," she replied.

There was a silent exchange between the two and both Kiba and Koneko provided their presence as the best form of comfort. A few more smiles and nods were exchanged and, slowly, the dark clouds faded away once more.

"M-Mister Hyoudou..." The group heard from behind them. It sounded very nervous and the pitch had spiked momentarily.

The four turned back to see the two second year girls blushing and failing to meet the owner's eyes. Their faces were bright red and a few nervous beads of sweat were slipping down their cheeks.

"Yes? What is it?" He asked, cocking his head slightly to the side.

"W-Well..." Muruyama started.

"W-We were, umm, just wondering..." Katase continued on.

Akeno smirked at the sight. She leaned over Rias' shoulder and whispered. "Ara, it seems our kouhais have a little crush."

There was a moment of registration before Rias looked back at her Queen with wide, shocked eyes. "What!?" She whisper-shouted.

Akeno's smirk widened. "Just watch."

"If it...isn't too much trouble..." Muruyama fiddled with her fingers as her eyes roamed around the room, trying to find anywhere to look at that wasn't directly towards the young man.

"Yeah, not too much trouble..." Katase joined in, hands playing with the hem of her skirt.

Issei raised a lone brow.

""Will you come to our next kendo tournament!"" They both shouted in unison.

The devils reactions varied. Kiba chuckled awkwardly from the loud request. Koneko paid little mind, tart shoved in her mouth, but keeping an eye out for Issei's response. Akeno giggled behind a delicate hand. And Rias. Rias couldn't stop her jaw from dropping.

'So bold!' She praised.

"So bold." Akeno voiced her thoughts.

All eyes were on Issei now. He showed no physical reaction and his eyes were still as blank as ever. It was even more tense when he didn't move for a few seconds and simply stood there, still as a statue.

It was a moment after that he then finally moved. He bowed his head and simply said, "sorry, but I must decline."

The kendo girls' heads fell to the table. More than likely, they were embarrassed and hurt by the rejection. It was brave of them to do so but they came up short. It would heal with time but, for that moment, there was the sad realization.

""Okay..."" They mumbled simultaneously.

It was heartbreaking to see but Rias couldn't help the relief that flooded through her. She hadn't even known why she was so tense nor why she cared so much if he had said yes or no. But her heart wouldn't slow and her palm was actually hurting from how hard her nails were digging into them.

Why was that?

•~¤~•

With a final goodbye to the last customer, Issei closed the shop but didn't lock the door. In fact, it wasn't even his usual closing time as he opted to call it a day far earlier than he usually did.

Even his growing favorite group of supernatural misfits didn't stay after as they usually did. Koneko wasn't pleased but he made sure she had some cookies to go and a ruffle on top of her head. It appeased her and he knew she'd be back tomorrow.

For now, however, his focus was on other things. Namely, the potentially new hires that he had coming in. There was still a growing suspicion of his as to their timing between when they had asked and when he had realized he could actually hire someone. But, he opted not to just know the answer and simply learn with time. After all, actions would speak louder than words and everything always came to light.

Still, he didn't know how interviews truly worked. He was still new at being a running business and, as the devils stated before, he wasn't the most sociable of people. A fault of his own and also not.

Was he supposed to ask questions to gage them? There was that television show he had started to watch about running a business. However, the guy who came to help just yelled at people half the time. It never delves into actually hiring people either. Still entertaining though, he wouldn't lie.

Issei simply decided to wing it. It was what he had always done anyway. It was what had also gotten him in this current situation. But, and that was a huge but, the current situation was starting to turn around so he'd take those odds with a pinch of salt.

The owner moved to the tables with a clipboard in hand. There was nothing on it but it made him look more professional. He even decided to wear a tie. Was he nervous? No, he still felt that same as he always did but that wasn't to say his curiosity was as dull as it once was. Not only for Koneko and her friends but simply for another step in this modern day of living.

There was a knock on the front door. He knew they had arrived but felt the need to allow the gesture anyways.

He moved to the door and opened it. What awaited him outside were four girls of varying heights and sizes. They all shared the same high school uniform but were different from that of the devils. Where the devils had pinstripe shirts and blazers or shoulder capes, these girls simply had brown button up blazers. And where the devils had a magenta skirt, these girls wore a blue one.

"HI! We're here for the interview!" The one in front exclaimed with excitement. She had long coral brown hair tied back by a large white bow into a high ponytail. She also had two long strands of hair that reached slightly past her chest. Her eyes were an emerald grin and were practically glowing with excitement.

"I see. Well then, please come inside then," Issei replied, stepping aside to allow enough room for them to step inside. They wasted no time and had claimed a corner booth the moment they were, sliding around with ease.

Issei took the opposite and set his clipboard down.

"I'll be honest and say I'm new at this," he told them instantly. "So, for now, let's start with introductions."

"I'm Monika!" The brunette from earlier introduced with an extended hand across the table. The owner looked at it before looking back at her. She was vibrating with energy as she waited for him to return the gesture. And he eventually did.

He then turned to the shortest of the group. A girl with straight pastel pink hair, cut around chin length. She had dark pink eyes that seemed to stare through him rather than at. Her bangs were swept to the right and, like Monika, she had two prominent strands of hair beside them. She also had a red Japanese-style crossed hairclip and two red ribbons that held two small ponytails on both sides of her head. She also had a sharp tooth that poked from her top lip.

"Natsuki." She kept it short. He could respect that.

Issei nodded and turned to the next girl. She was the tallest of the group.

"My name is Yuri," she said, just as elegant as she looked.

She had long, straight, dark purple hair that reached the small of her back. Her light purple eyes had a light glow to them but she failed to meet him at all, preferring the table or her friends. She also had purple barrettes on both sides of her head, clipped upon her own two prominent strands of hair beside her bangs.

Then Issei turned to the final girl of the group.

She had coral pink hair, cut at chin-length with slightly curled ends and a large red bow on the left side of her head. And, like the others, she too had two prominent strands of hair beside her bangs. Her eyes were a sky blue and held an innocence that Issei hadn't seen for a long time.

"I am Sayori."

"Alright, I have Monika, Natsuki, Yuri, and Sayori. With that being said-"

"Wait," Monika interrupted. Issei rose a brow. "What about your name?"

He blinked. "Issei. But you are free to call me Ise."

"Okay Ise!" Monika agreed easily.

"I don't know about that, sir. It's a bit personal." Sayori seemed very respectful.

"Whatever." Natsuki brushed him off. He took no offense.

"Only if it is okay with you, Ise." Yuri was hesitant but accepted nonetheless.

"Good. Well, as I've said, I'm new to this and don't know much about questions I should be asking you," he picked his clipboard back on and feigned looking through the papers. Maybe he looked professional in doing so. Maybe not. Either way, he simply followed what he saw on tv and would go from there. "So, what made you want to work here?"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Once again, Monika took the lead. He nodded towards her. "We all want to experience what it's like working here."

"In a café?" Issei wanted to clarify. They nodded. "While the standard job for most high school students, is that truly the only reason?"

Monika looked over to the shortest one of the group and her smile warmed. "Well, not entirely. Natsuki really likes sweets and baking. So..."

"So you all wanted to join her so she doesn't feel outed?"

The trio nodded.

"She's not the best with her words, as you can see," Yuri added with a bashful smile.

Natsuki's cheeks lit up red. "That is so not true!" She exclaimed.

"Is that what that is," Issei nodded.

"Shut it!" She shouted before folding her arms and grumbled. "I still am unsure about all this, anyways..."

Issei looked at her for a brief moment. Then he straightened up.

"I see."

The small girl turned to him. "See what!?"

Issei stood and made his way to the counter. The girls all watched as he stepped behind and ducked behind the display case. It was only a few moments later that he appeared again with two plates in hand. He returned to the booth and slid the plates into the center of the table. On one was chocolate chip cookies and on the other was a plate of strawberry icing cupcakes.

"What is this?"

"Just try it for now."

And they did. Their eyes went wide after the first bite. The reaction that followed was as expected. It had now become the norm for Issei to see newcomers absolutely devour his sweets. And the four were no exception as seconds passed before the plates were clear of even the crumbs.

"Holy crap!" Monika exclaimed as she licked her lips.

"T-That was...holy crap is right!" Sayori agreed.

"I must say, I am very blown away," Yuri further praised.

Then, Issei felt two small hands fall on top of his. He turned to see that Natsuki had slid across the booth to his side. She had a determined look in her eyes, only made cute by the small specs of icing on her cheek.

"Sensei, I am in your care!" She said firmly.

Issei rose a lone brow. "'Sensei'?" He repeated. He received an immediate nod.

"I now know that there is no one who can train me like you! You must teach me so that I can make the bestest pastries in the world!" She claimed, her grip on his hand tightening. "Please!"

His expression never changed, blank as ever. But damn him if he actually didn't feel a little moved by the determination in her eyes. Still, his baking was sacred to him. However, if she was to learn from him, instead of trying to do her own thing, then he could accept that and pass on his knowledge to her. Same as that guy from those cooking shows with his apprentices.

Odd how his opinion changed so quickly.

"Fine. However, I do have one question to ask all of you before we move forward. Simply to get it off my chest and clear my mind."

There was a brief silence and some confused glances before the four nodded. Issei snapped his fingers and the café suddenly was swallowed in black. There was no warning, no build up, just the five in a booth to them floating in an endless void within that very same second.

"What are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse really doing in my shop?"

Eh, he did accept that his social skills were shit.