Chapter 7: Dohnaseek!

The girls in class were all watching us, their faces lighting up with amused smiles.

"Ow, that stings!" I complained as Koneko carefully cleaned one of my cuts.

"Well, suck it up, you big baby," she retorted, her tone flat but her words sharp.

"But I don't like bandages!" I whined, shifting uncomfortably. "I can't punch people properly with them on!"

Without missing a beat, Koneko flicked my forehead—again.

"You shouldn't be punching people anyway," she said sternly. "Unless you absolutely have to."

"But I like causing trouble," I shot back, grinning mischievously.

She sighed, exasperated. "I've noticed."

From behind us, the teacher chuckled, clearly entertained by our back-and-forth.

"So," Koneko began, her tone shifting to something more serious, "what did my so-called fan club want with you?"

"Oh, n-nothing," I stammered, suddenly avoiding her gaze.

Her eyes narrowed as she leaned closer. "Shiro. Truth. Now."

I sighed, knowing there was no way out of this. "It's nothing, really. They just… sorta tried to beat me up."

Her expression darkened with anger, but then something dawned on her.

"Wait," she said, narrowing her eyes, "tried?"

I grinned, a little proud of myself. "Oh, yeah. They were so slow. I dodged the first two punches, kicked one into another, and as they fell, I got behind the other two and pushed them into the pile."

She stared at me for a moment, her face unreadable, before shaking her head. "You're more trouble than you're worth."

"I ain't worth much anyway," I replied with a shrug.

Her fingers flicked my forehead again, making me flinch.

"It was supposed to be a joke, idiot," she said, her voice carrying a faint hint of amusement.

I tilted my head, confused. "Really?"

….

Koneko's POV:

I had just received a text from Rias asking me to come to the clubroom. When I arrived, she was already there, seated gracefully at her desk.

"Good, Koneko, you're here," Rias said, looking up from some papers. "There's someone I'd like you to keep an eye on—the new transfer student from America, Shiro."

My eyes widened slightly at her words.

"I've noticed you've taken an interest in him," she continued. "I'm not sure if he's someone we can trust or if he might even have the potential to become a peerage member. For now, my focus is on training Issei, but…" She paused, her crimson eyes darkening with thought. "There's something about him—something deep, something powerful. I don't know what it is, but I need you to find out."

I nodded. "I understand. I'll keep an eye on him and see what I can uncover."

I clenched my fists briefly, conflicted. Shiro was my friend—or at least, that's how I saw him. But even so, it was our responsibility to ensure he wasn't a threat.

….

Shiro's POV:

As I walked through the park, I couldn't help but notice that Koneko was following me. Her stealth wasn't bad, but I was starting to get used to her presence.

I stopped at the fountain where Issei had been killed, letting the faint trickle of water fill the silence. Then I felt it—a darker, more sinister aura heading straight for me.

Moments later, a man wearing a hat stepped into view. His aura practically screamed danger, and my instincts kicked in. I used Observe to assess him.

[Observe Activated]

Name: Donaseek

Gender: Male

Race: Fallen Angel

Title: None

Fame: None

Level: 30

Strength: 25

Endurance: 25

Agility: 25

Intelligence: 25

Wisdom: 25

Luck: 10

The man's lips curled into a predatory smirk as he locked eyes with me.

"Looks like I've found my prey," Donaseek said, his voice dripping with malice.

I clenched my fists, readying myself. This wasn't going to be easy.

As the enemy spread his wings, he hurled a light spear straight at me with deadly precision. Without hesitation, I summoned my sword, its blade gleaming in the dim light. 

I could hear the sound of footsteps behind me but couldn't afford to look. With a swift slash, I shattered the light spear into a cascade of glowing fragments, scattering in all directions like falling stars.

I dismissed my sword momentarily, conjuring a burst of flames that roared from my hands. The flames surged toward him, and his expression twisted in surprise. He couldn't react in time, and the fire engulfed him. With a pained cry, he fell to the ground, motionless.

Knowing what I had to do, I re-summoned my sword. Walking over to his fallen form, I aimed for his heart. One clean strike was all it took to end his suffering. The sword pierced through, and with a final exhale, it was over.

I stood there for a moment, catching my breath as I dismissed my weapon again. But when I turned around, I froze.

"K-Koneko!" I stammered, my voice cracking as I caught sight of her.

She was standing there, her wide eyes locked on me. Shock and anger painted her face, creating a storm of emotions I wasn't ready to deal with.

"Shiro," she said, her voice low and laced with frustration.

Uh-oh. Shock and anger—definitely not a great combo, especially coming from a girl like Koneko.

"Uh… uh… bye!" I blurted out, panic overtaking my senses as I spun on my heel and bolted.

"Shiro!" she shouted, her voice full of both anger and confusion as she sprinted after me.

"Fuuuuuuuuuuck!" I yelled, my voice trailing off as I ran for my life.

….

I ducked into a dark alley, leaning against the wall to catch my breath. My heart pounded in my chest as I scanned the shadows. Hopefully, I'd lost her.

Spotting a nearby bench, I slumped onto it, letting out a relieved sigh.

A tap on my shoulder made me nearly jump out of my skin. Whipping around, I saw Koneko standing there, arms crossed, her expression a mix of irritation and concern.

'How does she do that?!' I thought, panicking internally. "K-Koneko!?"

Before I could react, she stepped closer, pinning me against the wall with her hands on either side of me. Her glare was enough to make me shrink under her gaze.

"Shiro," she said, her voice low but firm, "do you know about the supernatural?"

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Y-yes," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her eyes softened just a little, and she released me, gesturing toward the bench. "Come on. Sit."

I hesitated for a moment but obeyed, sitting beside her. She took a deep breath before speaking again.

"I'm sorry for getting mad earlier," she began, her tone calmer now. "But you had me worried. You killed a fallen angel right in front of me—like it was nothing."

"I-I'm sorry," I mumbled, staring at the ground.

Koneko shook her head. "That's not it, Shiro. Why are you always so scared when you think you're in trouble? You act like… like you're afraid someone's going to hurt you."

Her words hit me harder than I expected, and I looked away, unable to meet her gaze.

She reached out and gently took my hand, her touch soft but firm. "I know what you're thinking," she said, her voice quieter now. "That I can't help you. But I can. I'm a devil, Shiro. I can help you, at least ease the pain. Please… I'm worried about you. About my friend."

Her words caught me off guard. I turned to look at her, the concern in her golden eyes unmistakable.

"R-really?" I asked hesitantly, unsure if I could believe her.

Instead of answering, Koneko leaned forward and hugged me. I froze, completely unused to such a gesture of kindness.

When she finally pulled away, she gave me a small, reassuring smile.

"C-can I tell you some other time?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly.

Koneko sighed but nodded. "Fine. But you have to promise me that you will."

I swallowed hard and nodded. "I promise."