NGJ Chapter 76: Bento

---[3rd Person]---

Sona couldn't help but be nervous after hearing Akira's voice come through the door.

After recent events, she had no choice but to admit it. She had a crush on the devilishly stupidly handsome snow-haired transfer student who had probably the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen.

She was faced full force with this revelation during the rating game.

But she refused to admit she was looking mostly at his stupidly handsome face while she had nothing to do. 

As her job during the rating game with Tsubaki was to edit the rating game live for the viewers, she had to watch almost every confrontation up close, to take care of upskirts, nip slips and other wardrobe malfunctions.

This also meant that she also saw up close how Riser threatened to cripple Akira and grabbed his arm before he burned Akira's arm off and blasted him away. 

At first, in the beginning, she was pumped up about seeing Akira handle a superior opponent like Riser with almost ease as he ducked under and around his blows and threw his own. Her eyes widened in wonder when she saw how with one word he had defeated Riser's queen.

And her heart sunk to the absolute bottom once she saw Akira get grabbed and mauled like that. She had seen plenty of Rating games before, hell, she had seen people die in rating games before. But never had she felt this horrible over a rating game.

She didn't even think how Akira losing there would affect Rias, no, the thought that plagued her mind was dread at what Riser did to Akira.

And subsequently the disbelief and elation with excitement when she saw how Akira got up with a tight black shirt that hugged his muscular body with smouldering fire in his eyes that made Sona feel hot herself.

It's no secret that Devils like power. Almost everyone is attracted to power after all. 

Akira looked very attractive as he walked briskly without strain as he swung Riser around like he wasn't a noble high-class devil from the renowned house of Phenex. 

The gap between the usually charming and somewhat funny caring Akira she knew and this Akira ruthlessly destroying his opponent in order to save Rias. He was willing to go to such an extent for those he loved.

Sona could imagine herself easily in the same situation as Rias, and Akira still coming to save her fighting tooth and nail just for her.

...With dreams such as that, even she had to begrudgingly admit that she, Sona Sitri did indeed have a crush.

While Rias may or may not be ahead of her in the game of gaining Akira's affection she was Sona Sitri. The proud Heriess of the Sona family, she wouldn't fall behind Rias. While her... breasts may be more lacking compared to her crimson-haired rival she wouldn't lose. After all many people in the Underworld lusted after her too.

Why wasn't she averse to chasing the boy her friend and rival had her eyes on? Well, they were rivals since they were kids, this wouldn't be anything new. In fact, she even liked the challenge.

Besides, monogamy was not a favourably looked down upon concept by Devils. With their impressively low birth rates, it was heavily encouraged that the stronger Devils take a dozen or so women.

"So what brings you here Akira-kun?" Thankfully Sona managed to keep a level tone. She wasn't just some blushing schoolgirl.

"What? Can't I just come here to see a pretty girl?" Akira said tilting his head down to tilt his glasses down to expose his eyes, giving her a wink as she got flustered.

"Nah I'm just kidding. I wouldn't bother you from your busy day from just that." Hit by the whiplash Sona could only sport a slight pout as her cheeks burnt, she was almost desperate to change the conversation.

"So, why are you really here then?" She was really curious as to what someone like Akira had come to consult something with her. 

"Well, since you and Rias are the Kings of Kuoh I thought I should ask before doing anything. I was planning to set up some wards around the town to secure it, just wanted to know if that was fine with you."

That immediately activated the business side of Sona. While she might like Akira it was her duty to look after Kuoh town. She contemplated on Akira putting wards on Kuoh.

On one hand, it was great, the town was getting warded by a skilled warder(at least she assumed he was) on the other hand she was basically giving free rein of the town to him. After all, he could also put surveillance wards etc in the town too.

But on the other hand, Akira had already proven himself both trustworthy enough to let him and powerful enough to demand respect. Besides, even if she didn't agree Rias for sure would and then she would be put in a bad position. Besides, she had trust in Akira.

From the very beginning, Akira had taken chances, explaining his unique abilities to them even though they could have used the information against him. Even when he had defeated the fallen he hadn't killed them to save THEM the hassle and problems.

But... an idea came to her mind. Was she going to take the chance? Should she? She was already behind. After a moment's hesitation, she decided to shoot her shot.

"Alright, I will let you place wards around this city but I want something from you i-in exchange." Well, she could have worded that better. 

Though she hadn't noticed the near-impossible to see shift in Akira's posture.

" Sure, name it. " 

"Will you go on a date with me!?" She hadn't intended to shout that. But nervousness really does a number on the person. And that said person wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

'What's wrong with you Sona!? Where did all of your cool go!? Now you just look desperate! It's hopeless...' As she was in her episode of pessimism Akira was just... confused. [Fortuitous Encounter] had triggered but he hadn't really expected it to lead to this.

"Uhhh sure? I wouldn't really consider taking out one of the cutest girls in the school to a date as a price but alright. I would love to take you out on a date sometime."

 [+10 Affection with Sona Sitri]

Her expression lightened at that managing to recover her wits. She could do this.

"Alright then!..."

...

---[Akira PoV]---

And that is how I am going on a date with Sona on Sunday.

Weird turn of events, I know, but my luck works mysterious ways. My Cursed Technique in even more mysterious ways.

Anyway, now that I had gotten one permission from one king it was time to get the other one. And I don't think that will be very difficult considering my relationship with Rias was rather good.

[ Rias - Affection: 100(Lover) | Obedience: 40(Trusting) ]

Moving to an unseen corner I pulled my glasses down and used View Air, View Earth and Sense Cursed Energy at once to almost instantly point out Rias' location, which was rather predictably the ORC room.

Well, she wouldn't mind. With that reckless mindset, I teleported into the ORC room right behind Rias, there was nobody else around with class in session. Without a sound, I wrapped my hands around her eyes as she jumped. But before I was blasted with a wave of PoD I spoke.

"Guess who?" I said playfully.

"Akira? When did you get here? Nevermind, what brings you here?" She said recovering from her shock at me teleporting behind her. Turning around and seeing me she sported a slight smile and a blush on her face, she still wasn't fully over jumping my hips it seemed.

However, there was a different air about her. She looked more, beautiful? I think, she seemed more relaxed and more here it seemed. Like a large weight had been lifted off her shoulders allowing her to act freely. I think getting rid of that source of constant stress helped.

"Is it so strange that I would visit my new girlfriend?" I asked teasingly, normally I don't need to do anything with her Affection 100 and all I already had the reward but I felt like it. Plus seeing her face brighten slightly and her smile becoming a bit larger with her blush deepening was... satisfying.

"A-ah yes, your girlfriend that's me. Yes. We are in a relationship. Oh! That reminds me! Akira I wanted to make something for you, you know, I never really gave you anything back. And I bailed on you the... morning after too. So I decided to make a bento for you!" Saying that she avoided my gaze after rambling and went behind the desk and retreived a cute looking pink bento with roses painted on it.

There were two actually another one was jet black with red patterns and looked expensive as hell. And she gave me that one taking the pink one for herself.

"I hope you like it. I spent a lot of time making it you know?" She said as she opened her lunchbox, it wasn't an impressive meal by any means, white rice alongside eggs and sausages with some veggies. She wasn't a beginner but she wasn't better than any other teen with a decent amount of practice. 

I didn't expect her to actually go out of her way to do this for me. So I did not really manage to say anything just saying thanks I think. No, I wasn't overwhelmed, I do not get overwhelmed by things like this. I opened my own box whose insides mirrored hers. I saw her look at me with expectant eyes so I wordlessly took a bite.

That tastes.

That tastes good.

For some reason better than the food I cooked. That can't be she is an amateur. I could point out over a dozen flaws in her cooking. The eggs were dry, the sausages were slightly overcooked.

*Giggle.* An uncontrollable giggle emerged from my throat even though I tried to suppress it.

"Hey! Don't laugh! I know it isn't as good as your cooking but I put quite a lot of effort into it you know!" She said huffing and looking away with a red face before I forced myself to swallow the meal and speak.

"No no. It tastes great. I love it. Thanks Rias." Her mood lifted almost instantly with that.

The food really was great. 

I can vaguely recall, my mom... she never really cooked for me, think. I can only remember her always being too busy to cook, coming home from work too tired to cook and instead opting to rest. 

Nobody had ever cooked for me, not out of obligation anyway.

It tastes great. 

!All your stones are belong to us!

A/N: What did you think about this chapter? I would love to know, your comments really help motivate me to write.

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