Hello, everyone!
I'm back... after nearly 3 month long absence... -.-'
I'm so very sorry that it took me so long to update this... Kanon continues to prove to be a challenge and I was stuck on one part for very long time, but still, I have no excuse and I'm so freakin' angry at myself...
*sighs* Anyway, I want to thank you all for your reads, favorites, follows and reviews. Below are the replies to the latest reviews.
Ghost Man: thank you, I'm glad the events surprised you and that you enjoyed them. As for the beginning, well, I'm not hiding that writing Kanon is not easy and that probably makes me miss some opportunities. Also, the spell check thing worries me. I do spell checking and more than once :/.
Sir Sleep-a-lot: oh no! I crashed Sir! xD *reboots* Anyway, I don't particularly disagree, but I guess Kanon is used to nervous situations and knows how to follows procedures and plans automatically, so during the dangerous situation the adrenaline and her experience kept her together even though she was scared inside... but when everything was over and the adrenaline wore off her emotions took over she lost it. I'm very sorry about the gun thing. I think brain shutting off is actually the smartest response at times. The kidnapper conversation... I blame it on KaoriNore being in a hurry and under pressure too, as they wanted to get their point across before the help arrived. Heh, kinda hard to start a war if the people you're suppose to fight don't exist. As to whether Rimyuel'll find out... we'll see :P. Nakaragi sounds the best for some reason :). Anyway, thank you for the very detailed review and I'm glad you liked the chapter.
Red Glasses: thank you for the detailed review, though I have to admit I don't fully get your point. As for the quotation marks, the way I use them changed during my fanfiction career and the way I use them is the method I read about somewhere, though I know it's not perfect. As for the story's length. I do want to make shorter stories. I actually don't care how many chapters or words does it take. I don't care that this chapter is over 7000 words. But I do care that it took me almost 3 months to update. I blame some of it on the fact that Kanon is difficult to write about, but still, this is several times slower than I'd like, so one of the ways to fix this is make shorter stories. As for Kaori Yuuzaki – I'd love to give her more of a role in this, but this, once again, requires ideas and time. Moreover, I don't want to write too much about her, because I haven't decided everything about her. Last time we saw her in hospital, so this proves she's in fact alive and as part-yandere it made sense to include her in KanonNomi. But I'm not sure how she should be like now and we'll have more Nomis where she could appear, so for now I don't intend for her to appear again in KanonNomi. As for the hookup... well, MioNomi had Urara too, I believe. As for this story, I don't know really :P.
Devil: thank you and I'm very sorry, because this definitely isn't something that you'd call "fast chapter update".
Big Bad Beowold: glad to hear the identity of Kaori was a surprise to you. :)
El Sasori69: thank you for the review. I'm very sorry about this Haruhi spider boy thing. I do not plan to stop using Japanese expression though, so I'm sorry for that :/. I take the fake abduction comment as compliment then :P. As for babies... we shall see I guess :).
fss The Red Devil: I think apology for posting the chapter so late is a good, though far from perfect, way to start this review response. Glad the swimming scene had the cringy emotional effect it was kinda supposed to have. As for the kidnapping, I do understand your "you don't always have dramatic events to progress" point, but with how hard it is to write KanoNomi, this kinda event helped me a lot. I'm glad you liked the conference/confession scene. P.S. Yeah, I did update Clash of Ideals, though it was mostly just calm aftermath with nothing really new and wasn't really a hit with my readers it seems :P.
Okay, I don't really have anything more to say, so let's get onto the chapter.
Enjoy!
Warning: this chapter contains some slight 4th wall breaking.
(* * *)
Keima Katsuragi stood unmoving and uncertain as he gazed at his destination – the Maijima Private High School campus and its entrance gate flooded with students. Some of them were moving through to get to their classrooms. However, some of the students – mostly males – didn't enter the school grounds, staying by the gate instead. Seemingly waiting for something. And Keima knew.
They were waiting for him.
They were waiting for Kanon's boyfriend to give him a piece of their mind... for starters.
Oh, how he wished he had hagoromo with him to turn invisible! He even looked around to see if Haqua was there and maybe she would take mercy on him. Then again, why would she? He had made fun of her and made her embarrassed too many times. No wonder, she wouldn't help him. She might even enjoy his bad luck.
Such misfortune, Keima thought as he started walking, trying not to look like himself. He had pretty decent 'look like a commoner skill' so he might just pull it off. He continued walking, gate getting nearer and nearer, he might just be able to pull it-
"Hey, you!" someone called.
Keima flinched and pretended he didn't hear anything in hopes he could just slip by.
"Hey, I'm talking to you otamega!" the guy grabbed him by his collar. Before Keima could come up with any answer, three more guys surrounded him, leaving him no room to escape. Why was it so similar to back when he was starting Kusunoki's conquest?
That didn't bode well...
"Listen, otamega," the guy in front of him said, his fist raised for emphasis, "I don't know who you think you are, but-"
Keima never learned what the guy wanted to say, because another voice interjected.
"Hey, leave him alone!"
The person who said it was a girl and one that Keima knew. It was Ayumi Takahara.
"You," the guy said, not looking very affected by the girl's appearance, "don't butt in! This is between me and him!"
Thud!
Keima blinked and then looked over his body. Weird. He didn't feel any pain. How come Ayumi had just kicked him and he wasn't hurt? And then he realized the impossible.
Ayumi had kicked someone and it wasn't him!
"I told you to leave him alone!" Ayumi shouted in the direction where the guy was lying, sprawled on the ground, several meters away and only because he was stopped by the school gates. Ayumi turned to glare at the other guys. "Do I make myself clear?"
The guys didn't have to be told twice.
"Are you alright?" Ayumi asked, approaching Keima. He nodded. "Good, then let's get going."
"To where?" he asked.
"To class of course," she responded.
(* * *)
"Okay, what was that back then?" Keima asked after a few seconds of silence.
"What do you mean?" Ayumi asked back, though she was obviously hoping to avoid the topic.
"You know exactly what I mean!" Keima said. "You protected me from those guys! Why? It's not like you at all!"
"Hey, don't say it like I'm a villain!" Ayumi shot him a glare, but Keima challenged her with a glance of his own, making Ayumi falter, "o-okay, I wasn't very nice to you in the past, so I'm making amends."
"Seems logical," Keima said, "except I'm not buying this."
"Alright, alright, geez... Kanon-chan called me and asked me to do this," Ayumi admitted, "there, happy now?"
"Do elaborate," Keima said, watching his surroundings, but it turned out Ayumi's presence repelled any other background characters.
"What's there to elaborate?" Ayumi asked. "Kanon-chan approached me and asked me to make sure that no-one bothered you at school."
Keima sighed soundlessly. So he had not only one or more devils close to him at all times, but he also had a guardian angel now?
"And you agreed?" he asked.
"Well, Kanon-chan seemed pretty desperate," Ayumi said, "she even offered me money if I did it."
"You took money from her?" Keima asked.
"No!" the dark-haired girl exclaimed. "Both you and her are my friends! Besides," she blushed a little bit, "you didn't deserve to be beaten over something like that!"
Keima was quiet. Was it just him or did Ayumi become much... nicer to him lately? And the redness on her cheeks hit him, because he realized it was the first – and rather weak – sight of interest from her in quite some time now, which meant Ayumi had moved on, which was good.
"So you did it for free basically?" the gamer asked.
"Well, yeah, basically," the runner said, "though as one of your friends I think I deserve to get to know a little more."
"What do you mean?" it was his turn to play dumb.
"Oh, c'mon, you know what I mean!" Ayumi exclaimed, making more heads turn in their direction. "A few days ago Kanon-chan confessed to you on TV and it came out of the blue... and everything seems to say that you didn't reject her."
"Perfect analysis," Keima said half-sarcastically.
"Don't use that tone with me, mister!" Ayumi's eyes narrowed. "How long had it been going on and what were you two doing on the rooftop a few days ago before me, Chihiro and Eri interrupted you?"
"Talking," Keima said and when Ayumi continued to look at him expectantly he added, "and here I thought out of the two of you only Chihiro was interested in such a gossip."
"Well, Kanon-chan and you is big news," the dark-haired girl said, "I bet some people don't even believe it."
"Says the girl who believed a creepy otamega was going with a super idol after reading about it in a school newspaper," Keima noticed.
"I saw Kanon-chan confess to you back then as well," Ayumi reminded him, "anyway, stop beating around the bush! Spill!"
Keima sighed. "Kanon likes me and I decided to give it a try, provided Kanon would be able to make it official," he said. "I didn't expect anything to happen soon and Kanon was reluctant as well... but then the kidnapping happened."
"And it wasn't your doing at all," Ayumi said sarcastically.
"Are you insinuating I'd orchestrate an event that would put Kanon in danger?" Keima asked, his voice serious.
"So you two weren't making out on the rooftop back then?"
"Are you crazy!?"
"And Eri?" Ayumi continued, ignoring his remark. "She seems weird whenever I see her. I don't know, it's like she's-"
"Part happy, part in shock and part offended that I didn't tell her anything sooner," Keima finished for her.
"So that's why you two didn't come to school together," Ayumi mused.
Keima nodded.
"Anyway, speaking of shocked," Ayumi added when they reached the shoes lockers, "how was your family's reaction?"
"Stable and dynamic," Keima said as he put on his indoor shoes, remembering various moods Mari has gone through, including confusion, denial, shock, wrath, pride and glee as well as generally unchanging disbelieving expression on his father's face.
"Oh, c'mon," Ayumi grabbed his collar, preventing him from leaving, "you have to give me something more than three words here!" she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not letting you go to class until you tell me more."
"Fine," Keima said, "I'll answer one question, so choose it wisely."
Ayumi thought for a moment. "I assume you've met Kanon-chan at least once since the confession," she said, "tell me about it."
Keima sighed, remembering the scene.
(* * *)
"KEIMA-KUN!" Kanon exclaimed as she pounced him.
Keima didn't respond, the power of the glomp forcing the air out of his lungs.
"Calm down!" he said after a few moments, not even sure if he was talking to Kanon or to himself, his face a little red as the idol hugged him tightly. "How can you be so lax?" he added. "Did you already forget what happened yesterday?"
"It's okay, Okada-san and a few other people are outside the door, so it's fine," Kanon said, a smile and sparkles not leaving her face and eyes. Keima felt himself sweatdrop a little, remembering the yanderish tendencies of the idol and wondering if they would manifest themselves again now that he was in a relationship with Kanon.
He wondered what he got himself into.
"Listen," Keima said, which made Kanon look up. At least it was easy to get her attention. "I talked with Haqua, she promised to get you protection."
"Did she agree immediately or did you have to pester her?" Kanon asked weirdly lucidly, which surprised him.
"What does it matter?" he asked.
"Because I don't like you owing her!" he could feel her fingers dig a little more into his shoulders. "You have me now, right?" she pursed her lips. "Or were you lying when you promised me you were going to go out with me?"
"Why would I lie?" he asked, acting offended.
"It's not like you always told everyone the truth, me included," Kanon accused.
"Fair enough," Keima said, "so what can I do to prove my trustworthiness?"
"You know what, mister," Kanon said, pouting.
Okada glanced through the window just when Keima was leaning forward. She looked away immediately.
"Is it better now?" Keima asked as he pulled back.
"I'm not sure," Kanon said back with a smile, enjoying the aftertaste on hr lips, "I think you need to do it more to be certain."
(* * *)
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Ayumi said, interrupting his story. "Too much information! I don't need the details of you two making out!"
"It wasn't making out!" Keima said, "It was two kisses!"
"Ah, right," Ayumi said, her eyes narrowing, "I forgot that two kisses is nothing to a man who had like several dozen kisses with 20 different women!"
"Every single one of them," Keima mumbled under his breath, his eyebrow twitching, "one would have thought you'd all be just a little more grateful about me saving the world!"
"It's a little difficult to do when we're victims as well," Ayumi shot back.
"Can we at least go to class?" Keima asked. Ayumi nodded and soon they were walking through the halls, curious, shocked, unbelieving and angry glances and whispers surrounding them.
"Let's go through here," Ayumi led them through one staircase, leading to a corridor barely ever frequented by students, mostly used by the janitors.
"You sure have it tough though," Ayumi said as they were walking, "if people are like this even though Kanon-chan asked everyone for support then I hate to think what it'd be like if she didn't do this."
"I'd be dead probably," Keima said. Then again, back during the Mai-high festival it wasn't all that bad. Sure, he got many threats and hate calls and it's not like he got anything out of it, because the rumor about him and Kanon was (mostly) wrong.
Still, this 'idol dating' business certainly didn't look like how it played out in games. Not to mention he and Kanon couldn't even see each other all that much (which was one of the reasons he agreed to it in the first place – such a setting allowed him to retain some semblance of sanity instead of being dragged all the way into the real). Keima sighed wordlessly. He was feeling pretty clueless, thrown further than dating sims usually portrayed and in the real world no less with no hard grasp on what he felt for Kanon or how he was going to survive school, even with Ayumi acting as his bodyguard.
'Speaking of that,' Keima thought as he looked at Ayumi, 'what if people see the two of them and misinterpret it and think he was two-timing Kanon or something?'
"Then again, you are dating Kanon-chan," Ayumi mused, unaware of Keima's inner thoughts, "honestly to be able to date such a sweet, caring, pretty and popular girl as her, I bet half of the entire Japan male population would take your place in an instant. And honestly, I can't tell what Kanon-chan sees in you after all this time. If I didn't know any better it'd say you used some of your dirty gaming tricks again... so tell me, what is your next move going to be, Mr. Idol Boyfriend?" Ayumi asked and waited for answer.
And waited. And waited.
"Hey, are you listening to me?" she turned around to look at Keima, but saw nothing. She was alone in the otherwise empty corridor.
"Huh?" she blinked. "Where did he go?"
(* * *)
Keima was half-listening to Ayumi's monologue, when he suddenly felt a strong tug and was pulled away. He was pretty certain one of the high schoolers exploited Ayumi's lack of attention, but he had to reconsider when he felt a pair of lips claim his.
"Kanon!" he exclaimed as soon as they separated.
"Keima-kun!" the pink-haired idol said with a smile. He had to hand it over to her – she seemed in a pretty good mood every time she was around him.
"That's the second time you pounced on me during the same chapter!" the boy said. "If you're going to use the same event again then at least lengthen the gap a little!"
"What do you mean a chapter?" Kanon asked.
"Nevermind..."
"So, did you miss me, Keima-kun?" Kanon asked with a smile.
"We didn't see each other for only 2 days!" he said.
It was true. It was three days after Kanon's public confession. Fortunately, thanks to the combination of weekend and a national holiday, today was the first school day since then.
"Aww!" Kanon pouted and Keima didn't like how that face affected him. "You're so mean! And here I missed you so much!"
"Alright, I missed you too," Keima said, patting Kanon's head and watching her smile again.
"Hehe... that's more like it, Keima-kun," she hugged him again.
"You do realize you've just pulled me into a mop closet?" Keima indicated to the barely lit cramped space, full of buckets and with mops lining the walls. "How did you even know I'd be passing through that corridor?" he asked. "Did you plan this with Ayumi?"
"No," Kanon said, "you could say it was a woman's intuition... speaking of Ayumi-san," Kanon looked up at him, the slight grimace on her face appearing again, as her hands embraced his neck more tightly, "I don't like how close she was to you."
"You were the one who told her to guard me!"
"I know," Kanon said, "but, please, try to not get so close to her," her hands creeped up his back even more, as if she was scared some female hands were going to shot out of the wall and steal him away.
"I'm not!" Keima said, trying to ignore her hands on him and the fact that he could smell the weird and sugary scent on her. "What are you even doing at school?"
"Mou... it's the third year of high school you know?" she told him as if it was obvious. "I need to attend school more this time around."
"For what?"
"For my studies of course," the idol said.
"And I'm your personal tutor? he guessed.
"I'm glad you understand me so well," Kanon chirped, before she pulled back, "oh, I almost forgot... here," she handed him the bag that was on the floor.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Look inside and see for yourself," she advised him.
Keima did as he was told and found...
"Galges?" he said when he pulled three boxes out of the bag.
"Yep," Kanon said, smiling, "it's a gift!"
"Um... thank you, but I played that one though," he pointed to one of the boxes.
"That's why I bought three games, silly."
"Wasn't it expensive?"
"Says the guy who buys games by hundreds..."
"I didn't think you'd try to shower me with gifts for affections," he said.
"Hypocrite," she accused, "you've done that a lot as well! Besides, it's not like it's a bribe. It's compensation."
"For what?"
"For having to deal with my fans," Kanon explained, "I really would like to get you something else, but I didn't know what else would you like... which is exactly why we should go on a date and get to know each other better! How about the evening the day after tomorrow?"
"You seem in a big hurry," he noticed.
"Well, my schedule is busy and I know you have a lot on your plate as well with games and girls," she said the last word in a way that clearly indicated he should strictly keep relationships with all other females to friendship, "so we need to be efficient! That way I'll be able to do all my idol duties, attend some classes and you'll be able to go to school, meet others and play games and we'll still have time for ourselves!"
"And when I'm going to eat and sleep?!" Keima asked.
"I'm pretty sure a man like you can do it," Kanon assured, her hands coaxing him into obeying.
"That's impossible!"
Kanon smiled with her eyes closed for two seconds, before she looked at the boxes in Keima's hands, making him lean back against the door.
"Then the games have to go," Kanon said.
"Over my dead body!"
Kanon moved to snatch the games back, but she wasn't able to as the door behind Keima moved open and the gamer fell down to the floor.
"What the!?" Keima nursed the back of his head as he looked upwards... only to have a high school indoor shoe implanted on his face.
"Hey, where do you think you're looking!?" the voice and the shoe belonged to Ayumi who sported an angry face as she pressed her skirt against her body to prevent Keima from looking anywhere she didn't want him to look.
"What are you doing here!?"
"We came to look for you because we were worried when you suddenly disappeared!"
"It was her who kidnapped me!" Keima, with Ayumi's shoe still on his face, pointed to the general direction of Kanon, before he noticed something. "Wait... what do you mean we?"
Ayumi stepped back and Keima could see that it wasn't just her in the doorway. The "rescue team" also consisted of Eri, who was looking at them with wide eyes, and Chihiro, who was sporting the biggest, widest, sliest and the most delighted smile Keima had ever seen.
"Look what we have here!" Chihiro said louder than necessary, as if she suddenly got rid of her 'must act humble around Kanon' thing. And then her voice got all sing-song. "Kanon-chan and Katsuragi..."
Keima turned pale while Kanon turned red.
"...sittin' in a mop closet..."
"Don't you dare!"
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
(* * *)
People were streaming out of classrooms, joining the already big group of boys and girls gathered on both sides of the corridor. Some were looking with wide-eyes and open jaws. Some others were whispering to each other. Still, everyone's eyes were focused on the pair walking through the middle.
Keima briefly wondered what caused the crowd to be this big. Was it simply because Kanon was at school? Was it because Kanon had a boyfriend? Or was it because the said boyfriend was him – the otamegane. Keima personally leaned towards the last option as he noticed the eyes of the crowd being focused on Kanon's hand, which was currently inside his, their fingers interlaced.
The reactions of people to him and Kanon waltzing through the corridor were varied to say the least. There were looks of shock and disapproval, whispers of excitement and disbelief. And then there were gazes of jealousy from many guys. Keima was sure if looks could kill he'd be but a smoking pile of ash already.
Why was their classroom on the third floor again? Oh, that's right, they were third year students now.
Kanon was mostly unaffected by the onlookers. She seemed relaxed and happy, her hand still in his. He didn't have to look to know that she was blushing, despite the fact that she was the one who insisted they walk to class holding hands. When he asked why, she told him it was to mark her territory, as if she was threatened. Keima reckoned it was because of Ayumi and Chihiro who nabbed them in the mop closet, but he didn't see why. Did Kanon view them as potential rivals? Real girls and their logic...
Not to mention that for nearly everyone at school it was hard to believe that Kanon would want to date an otamegane like him, so it was natural for them to suspect that Kanon was forced into this. That, in turn, made it look like it was Keima not Kanon, who was marking his territory.
As on cue, he could suddenly feel a dark aura coming from a particularly big group of jealous boys standing together and glaring daggers at him. He was planning to ignore them, but Kanon suddenly stopped and turned to the group of guys. She was still smiling, but Keima could clearly feel an aura – one much more dreadful than the one the guys had – emanating from her in waves.
"Is there a problem?" the idol asked the boys, making Keima fully aware he was not dating just any idol, but a one who used to use stun guns first and ask questions later.
The guys cowered in panic, but were accidentally saved by someone asking for Kanon's autograph. At this the dark aura disappeared and Kanon happily signed the bag she was given. By the time she was done there was already a line of other people who wanted her autograph. Because of that they were almost late for the homeroom.
(* * *)
"I never thought a day would come when you'll be more famous than infamous," a voice said, making Keima turn around.
It was break time and, surprisingly, no-one tried to bother him and it had to do with the fact that people saw the proof they wanted to see and when the mystery was solved they lost interest. Maybe it was because talking to Kanon was more in demand compared to bothering the otamegane, especially considering how rarely Kanon attended school. Maybe it was because Kanon actually answered (some) questions about their relationship, while Keima would ignore all questions.
Or maybe no-one bothered him because Ayumi was sitting behind his desk, seemingly playing with her phone, but her eyes were attentive. Apparently, she was taking her protect-from-harassment role rather seriously.
Keima briefly glanced at Chihiro, who was the one who spoke to him, and then got back to the task at hand, or rather in hands – to playing his games.
"You could at least say something," the normal girl said angrily and Keima sighed. Guess Ayumi won't protect him from that kinda harassment.
"And why I should react to you picking on me?"
"I was complementing you, idiot!"
Keima blinked. "Since when do you-" he stopped when he felt someone kick his chair from behind, "I-I mean, is it really that different from usual?"
"Of course it is!" Chihiro exclaimed as if offended. "Normally people ignore you most of the time. Today everyone is watching you. Even Yoshino-san!"
To prove her point Chihiro pointed to the girl with dark-violet hair pulled into a side ponytail sitting a few desks behind Keima. The said girl was looking at them, but the moment Chihiro pointed to her she hid back behind her book.
"Like I said," Keima spoke, "how is that different from usual?"
"Yeah, right," Chihiro said, "in what timeline does Yoshino-san watch you?"
"You'd be surprised," he mumbled.
"What was that?" Chihiro didn't catch that.
"Nevermind that," Keima said, "so what's up with that complimenting thing? I mean shouldn't you be asking me if I'm not using Kanon or have some ulterior motive to date her?"
"Naah," Chihiro said, "I know you wouldn't try anything funny with her."
Keima blinked. "How do you know that?"
"Let's seee," Chihiro drawled, "you're an avid gamer, disliked by most of your peers and you ended up dating a national idol who has... quirks."
"You mean taser-happy fingers and yandere tendencies?"
"Exactly," Chihiro said, "so let's see what would happen if you tried to cheat on Kanon-chan or upset her. First, she would fry you," the guitarist extended her hand and started counting on her fingers, "second, her fans would lynch you. Third, your mother would kill you. Fourth, me and Ayumi would kick you until you're a wet splotch on the floor. And fifth, Eri would sweep you remains into a trash bin where you'd belong."
"Thank you for summing that up," Keima said, "and speaking of things that could make Kanon mad, I'd prefer you didn't get too close to me before she gets jealous or something."
Chihiro moved back, except not in fear, but in indignation or disgust. "Eww, why would I want to get close to you?" she asked. "Seriously, get off your high horse, Katsuragi! I don't know what Kanon-chan sees in you. I'm leaving to make place for your inflated ego!"
"She has a point you know?" Ayumi said from behind him.
"Like I don't," Keima said back, before going back to his game. Of course, the way this scenario was unfolding was far from ideal, but, considering it was the real world, it was still better than Keima had anticipated. Of course, some unforeseen and difficult events were sure to happen and Keima was clueless as to where all this was going in the long run, but still... so far he had survived.
However, there was this funny feeling that picked at the back of his head. It was almost as if he had forgotten something important, but he couldn't figure out what. That nervous feeling continued to accompany him while he played his games. After several more minutes of peace Ayumi made a bored sigh.
"Are you going to just sit here for the entire day?" she asked.
"I'm not leaving the safe zone if that's what you're asking", Keima said neutrally, aware that one kick form Ayumi could break chairs, bones and gaming consoles.
"A safe what?" Ayumi asked back.
Keima groaned.
"Safe zone is mechanic in some games where player-vs-player is allowed that defines safe places where players cannot harass or kill other players," he explained.
"So I'm supposed to stay in the classroom with you day after day?!" Ayumi asked, obviously terrified of the prospect of staying still for extended period of time, before turning to her left. "Chihiro, swap with me!"
"Ugh... I'd rather not," the other girl answered.
"Some best friend you are," Ayumi whined.
"Can't you just go?" the normal girl said. "It's not like anyone would be stupid enough to try messing with him when Kanon's at school and let's be honest, he's not worth the trouble anyway," she finished, ignoring the I-can-hear-you look Keima was giving her, "I'm sure Kanon-chan would be okay with it."
"Well, you have a point," the runner smiled and stood up before she stopped dead in her tracks and uttered an uncertain 'uh-oh'.
Keima didn't even had the time to decide whether he cared for whatever was happening, when he felt something hit him from the side. A second later Keima realized what was the thing he had forgotten about.
And it wasn't even a thing!
(* * *)
"Umm... Kanon-chan," a shy teenager girl said to the idol surrounded currently by a swarm of fans, pointing to Kanon's classroom, "umm... I don't want to poke my nose into your relationship, but who is that man that seems to be harassing your boyfriend?"
Kanon reacted immediately, her eyes narrowed and dark aura emanating from her. Did someone dare to harass Keima-kun despite her and Ayumi-san's presence, she thought as she rushed back to class to help Keima... and then she stopped in the doorway, looking at the scene in front of her.
Ayumi and Chihiro were having very uncomfortable looks on their faces like they didn't know what to do. Their classmates that remained in the room were looking even more confused. And Kanon could understand that as she watched Keima being all but snuggled by a man and that man was...
"Yui-san!"
Indeed, the "man" turned out to be no-one other than Yui Goidō. Now how did Kanon (and Keima, judging from the way he looked as if a prey caught by a predator) not foresee this? Did making Keima her boyfriend make Kanon lower her guard? Was she so focused on her fans that she didn't notice one of her most dangerous love rivals entering the classroom right under her nose?
"Oh, good day, Kanon!" Yui said back with no sign of fear or embarrassment, making the jaws of students around (and the ones' in crowd that was gathering around Kanon) almost unhinge in shock.
Just who was this person who clung to Kanon-chan's boyfriend and addressed the idol directly like that?!
"Do you mind telling me what do you think you're doing to my boyfriend?" Kanon asked, her voice sounding calm, but Ayumi and Chihiro could hear the underlying tone and feel the aura radiating off the idol.
"I think I'll go get some bread from the bread stand," Ayumi said to no-one in particular before running out of the classroom in a blink of an eye. Chihiro on the other hand hid behind a girls magazine, which would be a valid excuse, if the magazine wasn't upside-down. At the very least it seemed like the runner and the band leader didn't want to choose sides when it came to Kanon and Yui.
"Asking Keima-kun out on TV doesn't make him your boyfriend," Yui replied calmly as if that explained and solved everything, before going back to her snuggling attempts.
Kanon didn't say anything to that. Instead she walked to Yui and literally wrenched Keima out of her hands.
"Hey, I was first!" Yui complained, but stopped when Kanon grabbed her hand. "What are you-"
"You stay here," Kanon said to Keima, who was looking like he had just been fished out of the water, before turning to Yui, "and you... you come with me!" and with this the idol dragged the drummer out of the classroom.
(* * *)
"What is the meaning of this?" Yui asked a few minutes later.
The two of them were on one of the rooftops. Luckily, the crowd was too shocked by the situation (and Yui's not obvious gender) to manage to follow them here.
"I want to talk with you obviously," Kanon said her arms crossed over her chest, "I'll say it once more – Keima-kun is my boyfriend!"
"I told you, just because you confessed in public doesn't mean you're going out together," Yui said, confident as ever, "you confessed before, you should know it won't be enough."
"If so, then why were you trying to... to... to smother Keima-kun like that moments ago?!" Kanon challenged. "Why there would be the need for that otherwise?"
"I was just showing my love to Keima-kun," Yui said back, "anyway, you have no proof that you and Keima-kun are going out."
"Of course Kanon has proof!" a new voice resounded and the actually angry face of Apollo appeared on the nearby glass pane. "Katsuragi had finally come to his senses and him and Kanon are a happy couple now!"
"That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but yeah," Kanon said blushing, before turning back to Yui, "I can't believe you just assumed things like that and didn't try like, I don't know, ask me or Keima-kun! I confessed a few days ago! You had enough time to do it!"
"I was out of the country, so I learned of your confession today," Yui said and Kanon groaned. It made sense: if Yui wasn't in Japan at the time the confession was made then it was natural that she didn't go after Keima immediately after. Her lack of activity also made Kanon (and apparently) Keima forget about her in the first place.
"But damn," the drummer said, snapping Kanon's attention back to her, "I knew I couldn't leave Keima-kun alone like that! No matter," Yui pointed her finger at the idol, a determined expression on the drummer's face, "as an idol you can't be around Keima-kun all the time! You can't keep him away from me!"
"I don't plan to," Kanon said calmly.
"Yeah! Wait, what?" Yui asked, for the first time visibly surprised. Apollo also made a surprised face.
"What are you saying, Kanon?" the goddess asked, but Kanon ignored her.
"I like you and consider you a friend, Yui-san," the idol told the drummer, "I don't want to fight you... but you're underestimating me. You're underestimating the bond between me and Keima-kun," Kanon continued, the determination in her eyes matching Yui's, "true, getting to Keima-kun's heart certainly isn't easy... but I had some success. I wouldn't have done that confession otherwise... and that's why I'll trust Keima-kun."
"Trust Keima-kun?" Yui and Apollo repeated, neither understanding.
Kanon nodded. "Back then when I was stabbed, Keima-kun was the one who saved me and I believed in him. I believed he'd be able to solve everything on his own, against all the odds. And I was right," she said, her eyes getting a distant look, before she continued. "I believed in Keima-kun then and I'll believe in him now. I believe he'll continue to strengthen our bond, no matter how slowly it will happen. Thus, there's no need to keep or hide Keima-kun away from you. I believe our feelings will protect him... and if you somehow manage to charm him... then so be it... it's Keima-kun's right to choose who he want to be with," Kanon finished.
"I'm not sure I get it, but it's a challenge, right?" Yui said with fire in her eyes, making Kanon sweatdrop, "in that case, I'll get back to the classro-" she turned away and wanted to run back into the building, but was stopped by Kanon holding her by the collar of her school uniform.
"Wait, I'm not done yet," the pink-haired girl spoke, "I said I won't keep you away from Keima-kun by force and if you think you have what it takes to win him over then be my guest... but that doesn't mean you can do anything you want," the idol said, her voice becoming harder, "whether you like it or not, Keima-kun and me are going out right now, so if you try anything physical like you did today or you'll cross the line in any other way, then we'll be back to this conversation... and it won't be pretty..."
"Heh, and here I thought you were a quiet and gentle girl nowadays," Yui said, the glance she was giving Kanon changed, as if the idol gained more respect in the drummer's eyes, "but I see the old possessive Kanon Nakagawa is back... I don't blame you though. Keima-kun is worth it! And right back at you – if I hear of you abusing Keima-kun, you'll have to deal with me!"
"You won't," Kanon assured.
They stayed like that for a few moments, neither girl blinking, before Yui closed her eyes and sighed.
"I guess there's no point staying here. I have Keima-kun's heart to win! See ya!" the drummer said as she turned around and walked away. Kanon waited till the tea-green-haired girl left the rooftop... and then plopped down on the bench, sighing.
"For the record," the pink-haired goddess spoke from her glass pane after a few quiet moments, "in my private opinion allowing Mars' hosts to be so close to Katsuragi is a really bad idea... but other than that you did really good. You showed her who's the boss!"
'I'm not so sure,' Kanon thought as she gazed at the clouds lazily traveling towards the horizon. 'I guess, all that is left is to believe in Keima-kun... Then again,' she thought as she stood up, 'I should better get back to the classroom as well in case Yui-san tries something really outrageous again...'
'Come to think of it,' Kanon thought as she got up, 'if Yui-san is like this, then I definitely need to make that date with Keima-kun happen soon!'
(* * *)
Okay, here you have it – Keima's first day of school after Kanon's announcement. So we have other students trying to harass Keima, Ayumi coming to the rescue, a romantic rendezvous in a mop closet, Chihiro having a lot of fun with the said rendezvous, Chihiro being grossed out by Keima, Keima acknowledging the existence of Light Novels characters like Asami Yoshino, Kanon and Keima failing to foresee the obvious assault by Yui and, finally, Yui and Kanon having a rivalry talk on the rooftop.
Not to mention Kanon's yanderish traits seem to have reawakened for some reason. :P
And if you're wondering the title of the chapter alludes to the mop closet scene and the color of Yui's hair (at least according to some sources).
Aso to what is my opinion about this chapter... on one hand the plot didn't really progress as much as I'd like to... on the other hand the chapter has both funny and romantic moments in it and I had writing/reading about them. Also, I managed to use "I believe in Keima-kun" thing that further shows how Kanon views Keima, so it is a progress of sorts.
Still, that all doesn't change the fact that this chapter is beyond late, so I won't ask what I always ask, 'cause I'm not sure I deserve it...
I do have some general plans for the next chapter and we're slowly getting to the part when I have to use my other plot points, so it might be easier to write from now on. I'd like to post the next chapter at the start of October, but I don't know if it'll actually happen.
Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter and I hope you'll wait for the next one.
I guess that's everything for now.
See you next time!
P.S. This chapter's references were partially brought to you by A Certain Magical Index (such misfortune...).
Edit: One more thing I forgot to mention. Those last two chapters (Flags 73 and 74) had a plot hole, namely Mars was mentioned to be in the rescue party during Kanon's kidnapping in Flag 73 and now in Flag 74 it's mentioned that Yui was out of the country. I fixed the previous chapter, removing mentions of Mars.