A Breath of Fresh Air

"I'm back." Issei arrived home with a small package in his hands.

"Welcome back!" His mom shouted. "Say, Issei, when are you moving out?"

"Moving out? Where did this come from?"

"I don't trust a brute like you around Asia-chan!" She said while hugging the nun. For the last few hours they had been bonding like mother and daughter, even sleeping together. Compared to the expression when Issei first met Asia, she now had a relaxed face.

"Um, I don't think Issei-san is a brute..." The poor girl tried to defend the only man in the house.

"That's because you don't know him, I do!" But that argument was shut down quickly.

Tiamat had gone back to the familiar forest to take care of some stuff that Issei didn't care about. Raynare was still sleeping. It was early morning.

"Anyway, Asia, wear this and come with me." He handed her the package.

"Eh? Where are you going?" Miki asked.

"To school of course."

...

Issei had just left his house along with the blondie and she was more nervous than a to-be-bride.

Until yesterday, she was just a random excommunicated nun who had nowhere to go. And now she was walking beside the red dragon emperor.

She didn't really understand what that title meant, but she knew that he was really strong.

"I-Issei-san...am I...am I wearing this because...?" Asia meekly inquired about her uniform.

"Yeah. I'm going to get you enrolled in the same school that I go to. You haven't completed education, so go ahead and enjoy school life now." He smiled gently.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hold back her tears. Bowing deeply she thanked him again and again until Issei ordered her to stop. She didn't understand why he was doing this. Why he was being so kind to her. Going to school had been a secret dream of hers. She was so happy that she didn't even consider it being a trap. This girl truly was naive.

Issei however, was also suffering from a similar dilemma. He was doing this for her without a major reason behind it. Perhaps he really was kind.

Before long, the unlikely duo arrived in front of Sona's office, this time without any interruptions. 

Issei opened the door without knocking. Sona wasn't alone this time, with most of her peerage in the room.

"Who are you? How dare you walk into the student council room like this!?!" Ruruko Nimura, a member of the student council shouted at Issei.

"Ruruko!" Sona interjected, "Don't say another word!" Everyone in the room except Tsubaki and Issei were surprised at this sudden outburst by their usually calm president. "I-Issei-san, I'd like to apologize for my pawn's actions yesterday...I've made sure he won't repeat them." 

That's when the peerage realized that the person who Ruruko shouted at was the red dragon emperor. The girl in question was so terrified that she fell on her knees and passed out.

"Uh...is she going to be alright?" Issei looked at the poor girl with pity.

Someone dragged her onto the sofa and they resumed talking.

"Anyway, leave Saji's matter aside. Asia, come in!" Issei called out. When the blonde walked in, everyone was dumbfounded not only at her cute face, but the air of innocence around her. You wouldn't expect a heavenly dragon to be hanging out with this type of girl. Sona was certain that this was some sort of trap. "This is Asia Argento, she's going to be attended school from today. Put her in the same class as me. I assume you can handle the rest, right Sona?" 

...

Leaving Asia behind, Issei started walking towards his class.

[Are you sure? Leaving the girl behind with those devils?]

'Don't worry, Sona won't try anything. And besides-'

[Yes, yes, I know. The blondie needs to deal with some things by herself. I was just saying that maybe its too early. She's been alone for a long time already.]

Issei didn't reply and just kept walking.

Someone bumped into Issei and fell on their butt. When they looked up however, their face lost quite a bit of color.

"L-L-Lord Red Dragon Emperor!!! I-I am sorry!" Saji immediately knelt and apologized, presumably for yesterday as well. His shoulders were visibly shivering.

'Geh...what did Sona do to this guy...' Issei thought.

"Saji, stop embarrassing yourself. Get up and follow me." 

In a few moments, they were on the roof, sitting side by side. 

"Um, Red Dragon-"

"Call me like you used to do, dipshit." Issei said with a bit of frustration.

"EEK! Issei! Are you not angry?" Saji was a bit nervous.

"No, not really. If I were to be angry at something, it would be something entirely different from what you're thinking." Issei sighed before continuing. "We were friends before, let us stay friends."

"...If you say so." Saji finally relaxed his shoulders. "By the way...could you tell me what happened between you and Sona?"

Issei sighed heavily at this.

"Saji, do you like Sona?" 

"Of course I do! I love the president!" 

"Have you confessed your feelings yet?"

"I have!"

"How many times?"

"..."

"Pfft-Phahahahaha, I knew it!"

"H-Hey! Don't laugh at me! Sona will reciprocate my feelings one-" Saji was hit in the head by a smack from Issei, using a bit of his actual strength. "OUCH!!!! Why did you do that!?!"

"Because you're an idiot. Sit back down." Issei basically ordered. "Listen Saji, let me teach you about a few things."

"Ohhhhhhh! Is the infamous playboy finally going to- OUCH!!! Fine! Fine! I'm sorry! Please continue!"

"Its true that sometimes you need to be persistent. But not always. Girls don't like men who can't take a no." Issei looked at him with a scolding expression. "Has Sona ever showed attraction towards you?" 

The two smacks had really got Saji's head working, it seemed like.

"Well, no, not really. She treats me like she treats everyone else..."

"Saji, how much do you know about your sacred gear?"

"My sacred gear? It's absorption line isn't it?"

"Yes. But you do you know that its a part of Vritra-type gears?"

"VRITRA!?! You mean that d-dragon Vritra!?! One of the Great Dragon Kings!?!"

"That's right, you have Vritra inside you."

[Actually, he doesn't-]

'That's not the point Ddraig.' Issei mentally sighed and continued. "Do you know what that means? It means you can become as strong as me."

[Vritra becoming as strong as me? Don't make me laugh-]

'Again, that's not the point Ddraig.' 

"I can become as strong as Issei..." Saji practically had stars in his eyes.

"That's right. You can become like a rival to me."

"Rival..."

"And I won't have my rival chase after someone who doesn't want him." That sentence sent a shiver down Saji's spine and he flinched. 

Issei got up to walk back down to his class. But he paused before the door to say a few last words. 

"And besides, if you're too busy chasing after someone, you won't notice the girl chasing after you." 

"Eh?"

Saji looked to his right to find Issei already gone. He desperately chased after him.

"Hey! Issei! You! What does that mean!?! Does that mean there's a girl who likes me!?! HEY!?! ISSEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!"