Sitting down at his desk, Ataru began writing in his journal. The sound of light rainfall accompanied by the night sky is shown right outside his window.

'As I'm writing this, it had been less than two whole days since the Oni people had agreed to a truce.

Humankind is now under constant surveillance by a massive spacecraft stationed just outside the moon's orbit. Visible in the night sky for all to see.

I have been told by their kind that steps will be made on their part to fix the problems I've brought up during my announcement. When I intended to surrender.

It seems that for the first time in a long time, one could say the world is safer than it ever has been.

The Middle East? Silent. North Korea? Silent. I believe that I don't have to worry any more about their missile 'tests.' As they'd like to call them.

The combined military forces of China, Russia, and The United States have been reported to be at a complete standstill. Which is very fortunate news for hundreds of millions worldwide.'

He took a moment to listen to the rain outside before continuing his writing.

'The world is finally moving towards the right direction. The fight against famine and disease is intensifying. So then why am I afraid? Maybe with the end of our current problems, new ones may arrive to take their place.

There's still so much we don't know about Oniboshi. As humankind stares into the face of a new era, it has no choice but to keep moving forward. Holding on to the past will only cause problems.

Earth feels so small. So insignificant compared to everything that's out there. Every empire that has ever existed in our history has, at one point, collapsed entirely.

I only hope this isn't a universal truth. Otherwise, an unavoidable disaster is on its way.'

Satisfied with what he wrote, he was about to read over it when a voice rang in his ears.

"Darling! I'm in bed! Come join me!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to write down that I'm engaged to an alien princess. How stupid of me." Ataru thought.

His restlessness only grew when he saw that Lum had removed her bra. The sheets are now covering her bare chest.

It didn't matter to her if she hadn't known Ataru Moroboshi for that long. She's one day going to be married to him and married couples take the proper time to 'consummate.'

Ataru couldn't help but yell at her. "BAKA! Who… who told you to get the futon out! Put it away!"

Lum was about to playfully argue back when an unexpected knock came from Ataru's door.

"Moroboshi-san! Moroboshi-san! Are you here!?"

As the door swung open, Lum was quick to put her bra back on. Silently cursing at the late guest.

Ataru's eyes lit up. "Huh? Cherry-san? Hey, what's going on, man? How've you been?"

"You better have a good reason to come barging in here in this ungodly hour!" Lum, on the other hand, wasn't as happy as she started putting on her boots.

"I came as quickly as I could to warn you, Moroboshi-san! A great misfortune is afoot for you tonight!

There's probably no escaping it, but it may possibly be reasoned with."

Seeing no reason to doubt Cherry's words. Ataru walks over to his desk and picks up his smartphone: a red iphone 8 that he bought for a good price back in 2019.

"If there are any monsters running around Tomobiki, this will know before I do."

The device captures Lum's attention. She levitates closer to it.

"I saw a lot of people carrying devices just like that one. It's kinda creepy, really… seeing technology just like ours on this planet."

This made Ataru smirk. "This… is relatively new technology to us, Lum. Never before can an individual be connected to the world this easily!"

His statement only made Cherry sigh. "Young people always on their phones."

Scrolling on an iphone of her own, Shinobu makes her way across town towards Ataru's house.

"Wait for me, Ataru-kun. I wasn't willing to give up on you back then, and I'm not going to start now…

Ohh… why am I so tender-hearted?

It must be that the more disasters one endures, the stronger love gets…

That damn princess… How dare she steal him away from me!"

Right after she finished talking, she heard what she could only label as a growl coming from a nearby alleyway.

It was a growl that she couldn't associate with any animal, though. And it seemed like it was directed towards her.

"Yeah, it says right here another UFO has flown over the area."

Holding Ataru's phone, Lum continues scrolling through the news article.

"You know, this is just like looking at a news article on my planet. It's even got advertisements and everything."

"Okay, so this monster you speak of is actually another Oni?" Said Ataru. "What exactly does this have to do with me?"

Cherry looks at Lum, who's still invested in looking through Ataru's phone.

"I can think of one good reason."

Before Ataru could say anything else, he heard a voice from his window.

"Ataru… kun."

He was quick to recognize it. "Shinobu!" As he ran closer to her, he could tell that something seemed… off. Why go in through the window of all places!

He hears Cherry scream out. "A ghost!"

Ataru turns around. "Huh? I don't think-" "Yay! Shinobu's dead!"

Lum had shouted out in excitement and dropped his phone in the process.

"My phone!" As Ataru went to grab it, Cherry clasped his hands together and began praying.

"May this spirit find its pathway to Buddhahood."

"I'm not dead, you idiot!" Shinobu shouted at him. "This person forced me to ride on his back!"

What Ataru saw next was something he couldn't prepare himself for.

During the entire time he knew of the Oni race, he had thought they were just like humans. Horns, fangs, and abnormal sizes aside.

This particular Oni had the ability to shapeshift into some sort of cow-tiger hybrid. The hybrid being the same size as Lum's father.

He squints his eyes. "Who the hell is-" "REI!"

Ataru, Lum, and Cherry look at Lum, who's now looking more disturbed than anything else.

"You know this man?" Questioned Ataru.

Lum brought her hand to her cheek. "Rei is… my ex-fiance."

Rei didn't feel insulted. Since seeing Lum after what felt like years, his face had lit up.

He spoke, capturing everybody's attention. "Lamu!"

Ataru blinks twice. Did he just hear what he thought he did? Is Lamu Rei's pet name for Lum?

He looks over to her and sees that she's blushing. Just like she had been when she thought he proposed to her.

"Rei…" She spoke in a flustered tone. "You know… You know I don't go by that name anymore."

Ataru took a step towards her. "Wait, so your name isn't actually Lum?"

Lum took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Darling, it… Lum was the name I chose for myself after I broke off my engagement. I always thought it was so… needlessly complicated. I like the sound of Lum better. I just… get so embarrassed when somebody calls me… by THAT name."

She then points at Rei.

"He doesn't care! Not one bit! He never stops and asks himself how anybody else feels about anything! Not ONCE!"

Now it's Shinobu's turn to speak. "But… he's so good looking. I'm sure with some practice, he could become quite a gentleman."

Lum crosses her arms. "All that he ever thinks about is FOOD! Just look at what he's doing right now!"

During the brief time he was out of everyone's line of sight, Rei had picked up Ataru's guitar case and was looking over it. The look on his face states that he's never seen anything like it before.

He opens his mouth as wide as he could and bites through the object. Not finding it edible at all.

"AAAHH! MY GUITAR CASE!" Ataru screams out.

His shock quickly subsided, however, as he felt Lum wrap her arms around him. The embrace of a girl enough to calm him down. He's unsure if this is the work of his perverted side.

Lum smiles. "Darling will make a much better husband! He cares a whole lot about everybody! I thought Earthlings were all just selfish and destructive creatures until he proved me wrong!"

It was then that Ataru felt a warm feeling in his chest. He didn't know why exactly Lum had fallen in love with him and even now he still isn't sure. He won't go so far to say that he loves her too, but he can love seeing things through a new perspective.

Rei, on the other hand, felt more furious than anything. Lamu was supposed to be his wife. The woman who's going to be cooking for him the rest of his life. Now here comes this random nobody in this unsavory planet taking her away from him.

Lamu will be cooking for him. It doesn't matter if she broke off the engagement and changed her name. He's at his happiest when he's with her and she should feel the same way no matter what.

Those were his final thoughts before he lost his mind completely. That tends to happen as he transforms into his monstrous form. It always made him hungrier for more when he shapeshifts back, so nothing really matters anyway.

Since Rei crashed through the roof of the house; Ataru, Lum, Shinobu, and Cherry witnessed the trail of destruction as they stood in a nearby park.

Cherry looks at Lum. "Your ex-fiance there is going to get hurt if he doesn't calm down. The military doesn't treat monsters kindly."

Lum shook her head. "Weapons are… ineffective against the shape-shifting members of our species, I'm afraid."

She then looks up at the night sky. "Although… from what I heard, they can hear every little thing that's going on below them." She looks at Ataru. "Darling… you can finally play that song I've been wanting to hear."

Ataru sighs as he gets up from the bench. He has no other choice. "I'll grab my electric piano."

Less than ten minutes later, Ataru, alongside with Officer Itsuka, stood below Rei, who at this point is looking down at them with curiosity.

Itsuka, who's holding a violin, looks at Ataru. "I don't like this, man. What if he doesn't like it?"

"He stomps us flat and we die." Answers Ataru. "Anyway, let's get this started!"

He began to play the keys to a song he thinks will calm Rei down. Itsuka, meanwhile, is cursing to himself in his head. "Oh god! Why did I agree to this!?"

Ataru began to sing. Lum and Shinobu listened in closely.

"I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not enough.

Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up…

Am I more than just the sum of every high, and EVERY low…

Remind me once again because I need to know…

Yeah, I need to know."

As Ataru and Itsuka performed in unison, Rei suddenly found himself getting drowsier by the second. He isn't used to hearing sounds like this back on Oniboshi. No rage. No annoyance. No unorganized thoughts. His mind is at peace. Alongside that peace: rest.

Everybody watches Rei as he began to shrink back down to normal size. Ataru sang a bit louder.

"You say I am loved! When I can't feel a thing!

You say I am strong! When I think I am weak!

And you say I am held! When I am falling short!

And when I don't belong! Oh, you say I am yours!

And I believe…"

Ataru finishes off the song as Rei curls up on the ground and went to sleep. Music has calmed

the savage beast.

He spent the next hour listening to Shinobu and Lum fighting over him. Itsuka, meanwhile, encountered a few guys in suits who said that they are entertainment executives from Seoul and that Rei has the kind of face that they're looking for.

The food that Rei had been offered was more than enough to convince him to move to Seoul where he later agreed to become an actor.

He didn't really need to say anything while on the job. He just stood there and did what he was told. All while looking forward to his next meal.