Disclaimer - I don't own The Devil is a Part Timer!/Hataraku Maou-sama! or any of its characters. Copyright to Satoshi Wagahara, White Fox and Funimation. Momoko and Shizuka are original characters created by me.

Things are picking up...! I think Suzuno's gonna become a main character in this story, wasn't expecting that, but hey she's my second fav and I absolutely love her so~ Also I slipped the first half of an idea from the user MissGela into this chapter~ (Thank you! ^^)

Chapter 3

A few weeks passed and Urushihara had spent a grand total of six hours out with his friends in that time. Sure, he did prefer staying home most of the time and they talked regularly online, and of course Shizuka couldn't always make it into Tokyo to hang out anyway, but all things considered, he saw it as a major achievement.

Suzuno, Emi and Chiho, on the other hand, saw it as slightly suspicious. Suzuno was the first to notice him leaving the apartment every now and then. Not long after, she brought it up while the three of them were over at the boys' apartment for lunch.

"Wait, what?" Emi paused, her chopsticks hovering over the plate in front of her as she looked up at Suzuno, then turned to Urushihara sat at his desk, "Have you been sneaking out or something, you lousy littl-"

Maou interrupted before Urushihara, who was already glaring at Emi with gritted teeth, could snap at her.

"Whoa, whoa, hey, he's not sneaking out. I gave him permission."

"You what?!" Emi dropped her chopsticks and slammed a hand down on the table.

"Jeez, overreact much? So I go out sometimes now, I'm not doing anything wrong." Urushihara continued to glare at her as he picked at the bland bowl of udon he had been giving.

Chiho's eyes were wide with surprise, while Emi and Suzuno's eyes narrowed.

"Is that so? Then what are you doing on these outings, Good Hanzo?"

She may have been growing closer to the fallen angel, but that didn't mean Suzuno was about to completely let her guard down.

"I made a couple friends o-"

All three girls jumped.

"Friends?!"

"Yeah, we were pretty surprised too..." Maou chipped in.

"How did you of all people even meet someone?" Chiho's tone almost sounded impressed, although still disbelieving. Urushihara gave her a cold, blank stare for a moment before answering.

"Maybe if you guys didn't interrupt me I would tell you."

Chiho and Emi only pouted at that, leaving Suzuno to be the mature one.

"Apologies. Go on."

"I met them online. We'd been talking for a while then one of 'em suggested we meet u-"

"So they're weird computer nerds like you?"

"Hey! Who're you calling weird?! You're the one who keeps spying on us and stalking Maou...!"

But by then, none of them were listening to him anymore. Leaving him to throw one of his temper tantrums, Emi, Chiho and Suzuno wondered what sort of people could possibly be friends with someone as hopeless as Urushihara. Eventually, he gave up and turned back to his laptop, still picking at the udon noodles. As the others ate, they thought, the girls seemingly communicating in silence through their facial expressions.

Urushihara had found friends online, and had even made the effort to go out and see them. Now he was leaving the apartment on a semi-regular basis to spend time with them outside. Whoever they were, they couldn't be much different from him. For someone to actually enjoy being around him, they had to be just as cynical, just as childish, just as... downright repulsive as Urushihara was.

They were still curious, though. Not that any of them would admit it.

Within a couple of days, however, Suzuno's mind drifted to other things, more important things. She had her own life, after all, she needn't worry herself so much with Urushihara's business. She went about her usual schedule but when she was in the middle of making herself some lunch, she paused.

Ah, I've run out of ginger... Careless, really. Perhaps Good Shiro has some I could use...?

She turned down the stove and left her room. She was about to knock on 201's door when it opened and Urushihara appeared. He gave her an indifferent look and a half-hearted wave as he slipped past her and opened the door to the stairway.

"Oh, hey, Su... Just headin' out. Later!"

She watched him for a few seconds; he seemed quite excited, something she couldn't remember ever witnessing in the time she had known him.

"Ms Kamazuki?"

Urushihara had obviously guessed what she was doing and left the door open for her, and Ashiya was no stood in the doorway looking down at her.

"Oh, Good Shiro..."

Of course, she hadn't come here to find out anything about Urushihara. But even so, she looked to Maou while Ashiya went to check the fridge for her. She couldn't help it.

"Good Sadao?"

"Hm. I suppose it's not important. Thank you anyway," she turned to Ashiya, who held out a small piece of ginger root which she took, "And thank you as well, Good Shiro. Goodbye."

With a small bow, she went to leave, then turned her head back to Maou.

"By the way, do you know where he is going?"

"Huh? Uh... I think he said they'd be hanging out around Shinjuku. That's where they normally go, far as I know... Why?"

"... No reason."

Back in her own apartment, Suzuno finished cooking and ate in silence and afterwards, she made her way down to the phone booth around the corner from Villa Rosa.

"Hello?"

"Emilia?"

"Suzuno? Is something wrong?"

"I can't say for sure something is wrong, but I would like to talk to you. Do you have time?"

"Yeah, I just left work. What's on your mind?"

"It's these friends of Good Hanzo's. I just spoke with Good Sadao and he knows nothing about them either. Apparently, Good Hanzo has told him next to nothing. And I saw him leaving not an hour ago, he looked quite cheerful, too. Do you think he could be... up to something?"

"Well, I don't doubt it," there was a hint of a smirk in Emi's voice, "But that doesn't mean it's something bad. I mean, it might not have anything to do with Ente Isla or magic, y'know?"

"I suppose. But even in that case, they are normal human beings of this world and he is a demon. Don't you think there is a possibility that he could endanger them in some way?"

"I guess you're right..." she trailed off, probably thinking it over, "Tell you what, if he's out right now, I'll look around and see if I can find him. I got some free time."

"Good idea. I was told they were going into Shinjuku. Even if he is telling the truth, we can at least find out who these people are."

"Exactly. I'll talk to you later."

"Good luck."

Suzuno placed the phone down and returned to her room.

Meanwhile, Emi was heading for the train station when she spotted a familiar face up ahead. Chiho was saying goodbye to someone who Emi could only assume was a friend from school. Turning around, Chiho spotted her and came running over.

"Hey, Chiho, you been shopping with a friend or something?"

"Uh-huh! What about you, Miss Yusa? Are you going shopping?"

"Not quite. But maybe you'd like to help me with something."