(DxD Black) Ch. ???: 10 reasons to like the worst you

*'Please, could Lavinia-sama be a nude model for the Art Club? Thank you very much!' - **Request from X-kun.***

*'Can you tell us which kind of underwear Allocer-san wears? I'll deeply appreciate!' - **Request from Y-san.***

*'Hey Rina-chan, your measurements?' - **Request from Z-san.***

Requests upon requests about Rina, and to say they're starting to piss me off is an understatement. How, just how, she became as popular as Shiori-san is beyond me, but this deeply reflects on how many lewd requests she has for herself. Either disguised as simple model posing or blunt as bricks, some students are really bold in asking those kind of requests, and as president of the suggestion box club, I decide whichever is better suited and which students should have a little talk with Headmistress Morimoto(Plenty, I might add). But just ripping apart then burning them pretending they ever existed seems to bring equal satisfaction for me for some reason.

Here I am, back in my room, separating what's worth the suggestion box club attention and what is simple garbage, for tomorrow's after-school activities. Since not many people/guys want to request me for things(not that some older girls already asked me to be petted by them), I usually do this back in school, but since we're already by the end of the first semester, there are tons of people asking to do something mid-vacation. I brought the box home so it'll be easier and less annoying to organize the requests, and for now, only a handful looked like real helpful requests. The rest is more like perverted requests for the girls and love letters, being burned by yours truly.

I don't get it. Why do people like Rina so much? It's not like she's unattractive or anything, she's a pretty girl. But if only they knew she wasn't always like that, I bet none of hem would be as despairingly as they are with those letters. Tasha, Dairyuu and Yoko and even Ryuubi-sensei gets their share of letters, but the one who is requested the most is Allocer. Besides, hammering the same thing is really pissing me off. Just leave her alone, go request or suggest something else, something useful instead of ogling over her! This is why the goddamn club is named the Suggestion Box club, for fuck's sake! Reading all of those letters makes my head hurts, and to think it won't ever stop...!

...

Am I... Am I jealous of her?

Nah, it can't be. I mean; why would I? I'm just pissed because all of her so-called fame is actually being a pain in the ass for all of those suggestions and requests she receives. They receive. Yeah, she's not the only one, all of them receive those, and it's pissing me off deeply.

Wait, so does that mean I'm actually jealous of all of them?

Ugh, I'm thinking too much. This week before the Conference is actually driving me nuts, nervousness combined with uncertainties and the fear of imminent disaster is pushing me to a wall, and I don't even need to think about it too much to start hyperventilating. From time to time this stupid grin plasters on my face and doesn't leave it until I literally splash ice-cold water on my face, and even so, things as simple as reading letters are driving my thoughts away. Ugh, what is wrong with me? Thinking that I'm jealous of pretty girls? So not me...

Ah! Ah! Overthinking again! What am I doing? Overthinking one thing to get my head off of overthinking another?! Goddamnit, since when I started to be a multi-dimensional character?! Whatever, screw this, I'll just keep my mind occupied with something so I can remain thoughtless and brainless until the meeting. It can't be too hard! I just need to continue to read those letters and don't mind their lewd intentions so that my mind can be let astray and don't mind anything els-...

*'Lavinia-sama, mind a date with me?' - **Request from F-chan.***

**\*RIP!\***

Y'know what? Fuck it, I had enough of everything by now. The suggestion box's requests, the meeting, my own heart, I'm just so sick of it! I'll take a nap and if some quadrio of mad spirits inside the Sacred Gear on my left arm has something to say to me, said it right now because I rather reach the deep layers of unconsciousness and stay there until the meeting. Nothing to say? Good! With that in mind, I put the suggestion box and the two piles of letters on top of my desk and sat on the edge of my bed, taking a deep breath and letting myself fall onto the soft surface. I think laziness is also a form of self-indulgence, right? So maybe, just this time, I might follow Defrah-san's ideas to heart and take my time to rel-...

**\*BAM!\***

Fuc-... -king hell! I forgot that goddamn headboard on my bed! And now not only I broke part of it, my head hurts like hell! Ugh, goddamn mahogany! Why does this always happen to me?! I think I hit it too hard, I'm even feeling a little numb! Ah, shit...

"Zenjirou? What was that about?" When I could finally tell left from right and things were not duplicated anymore, my eyes landed on the door to my room, where a recently-showered Rina with a towel on her head and wearing one of my shirts and (her) panties was standing, blinking a few times at me. I stopped holding my head to sit back on the edge of the bed and grunted under my breath.

"Nothing, Rina. I just... Hit my head on the headboard." I grimaced with the sharp pain on top of my head. She giggled, tossing her towel to the basket on a corner of the room and taking a set next to me on the bed. Sweet, there's a sweet smell on the air, and with some thinking, I noticed it came from her. Oh. "Hey Rina, you're not using my sisters' shampoo, are you? If so, you'd be a dead woman."

"Nah, I brought my own back from the underworld. I know it smells kinda gross, but it's one of the few it can help me with this mane." She said, shaking her grey hair and letting some drops of water flew over. She says it smells gross, but it's actually kinda nice. I sighed, probably another reason why she's so popular. I looked back at her: he reason she's so popular with people... Milky legs, cute yet mature frame, big breasts, exposed cleavage, sweet collarbone where all the sweat and water runs to, unruly grey hair which grew quite a few inches from when she cut short. Slender fingers that are waving at me. Wait, what? "Zenjirou? Are you there? You're staring at me too much, it's kinda creepy~!"

"I am? My bad." I said, coughing a little to move my eyes away from her body. Well, at least now I have a taste of the reason why she's so popular. She shrugged between her arms and started to kick the air nonchalantly, as she wants to say something to me. Which begs the question: why is she even here in the first place? She said nothing, though. So this is my time to say something: "Hey Rina, did you know you're pretty popular with the requesters? There's at least a dozen of letters just for you."

"Is that so? That's the Allocer charm for you, I guess." She said with a witty smile and a wink, and for that I grunted a little. I can't deny that either, but she's been so nonchalant about it. I heard a chuckle coming from her, and when I turned around, she flashed me a grin with a tongue put out. "Aw~, what's the matter, Zenjirou? Jealous?"

"A-As if." I said, pinching her little nose yet she still laughs. Damnit, don't make me more confused about all of this! I dunno why, but this pisses me off! I tried to imitate her with a smile and a shrug. "I mean, I was just wondering... If all those people would still request you if they knew the REAL you."

"Gahow! So mean, Zenjirou!" She pouted, sticking her tongue out and in return also pinching my cheek. Typical Rina, the real Rina people don't get to know and see how she truly is. The typical Rina I only know about. "I have you know, I just had two development arcs just for me, while you sat back and did nothing in the personality department! You'll see! One day I'll be a full-fleshed character while you'll always be a boring, stupid, flat MC that everybody will write instead their own original character!"

"As if. No matter how much you develop, people will always think of you as the big-breasted ditzy blond-now greyhead, and you know that much!" I said back, and her face pouted so much I thought she was going to explode. Maybe that one was too cruel, but let's not forget, those gimmicks of her are what making her so popular and, by extension, helping the suggestion box club. Fortunately, those don't work on me... Okay. just a little. I turned to her to see her reaction, but then a shiver ran down my spine: Despite the still pouting face, she was also on the verge of tears. Oops. "Okay, no need to cry, Rina. I'm just kidding, c'mon."

"Eh...?" She then stopped her tight face to a surprised one, and touched her face, looking at the running tears on her eyes. She then cleaned herself and opened a smile. "I mean... Hahah! Just kidding too. I mean, I might just be the typical trope-filled character, but at least I have positive points in myself! How about you?"

"Eh, you're right? I got nothing." I said, both hands in the air. I mean; who am I to say anything about flatness? After that, her face faltered yet again, and she sighed, now supporting her little head on my shoulder, and also reaching her hand for my own, until we locked fingers, and she sighed.

"I'm just kidding too. Stupid Zenjirou, sometimes I think you do that on purpose." She spoke; and we both sighed. I really don't know about this... Am I a terrible person? Or is Rina a terrible person? Are we both terrible and petty person? I seriously don't know, but don't care either. This feeling being next to her is... Quite nice. Maybe birds of a feather... Whatever. Goddamnit, shouldn't have skipped that poetry class to mess with Reika. "Hey; Zenjirou! I had an idea! Let's say 10 things we like about each other!"

"What?" I flatly declared. Wasn't that a little random? Also, what kind of stupid game is this? Saying 10 things we like about each other? I looked at her confused as she started clapping her hands and kicking the air around aimlessly.

"Yep, it's a game the Allocer usually play to avoid awkward reunions with their servants and other clans, and honestly, I don't think we should always throw insults at each other. Let's think... Positive things about ourselves." She smiled, and honestly, I think I blushed a little. Maybe she's right, maybe this will help us, specially help me with those issues, otherwise we'll just be one of those... Couples which only bicker at each other, and I already have Kan'u to deal with this. Okay then. "After all, I did say I have more than enough reasons to like you."

"I guess... You're right." I responded with a sigh and a scratch on the cheek. Oh my god, I can't believe this, what kind of situation is this? C'mon, think of something. Maybe... A joke to start the conversation. "But, eh, that's cheating, don't you think? I think I'll need a handicap for this game."

"Hah?! Rude as always! Jerk Zenjirou! No wonder I have already ten motives to hate you!" She spoke, jumping on me and punching my chest with her tiny hands. I picked her by the wrists and made her stop, and again she tightened her face in a pout. I sighed, bad idea.

"Just kidding, just kidding. My bad." I said back. She calmed down and sat back on the bed, face still pouting, but I guess it's her normal reaction.

"Dummy, I won't play this game anymore if you do that again." She said, crossing her arms and legs on the bed. Rina then poked my cheek and blew a small ball of air out of her system. She then clicked her tongue. "Since I gave the idea, then you start: say something you like about me. It doesn't need to be a good thing, but... I'd like if it were."

"Okay, it's fair, I guess." I said back. But wait, say something I like about her on the spot? That's kinda cheap. I looked at her expecting eyes, and hummed in thoughts. A thing I like about Rina... I can't think of just one... I can't think of one. "Well, you have big breasts."

**\*BAM!\***

"W-W-What?! Who are you and what have you done to my Zenjirou?!" I didn't even blink and Rina practically slammed herself against the wall, sweating buckets and pressing herself against the surface I thought she wanted to pass through it like a ghost would. Wow, I was expecting a reaction, but that was surprising. "As far as I know, Zenjirou is an eunuch protagonist who rather give cheap inspirational speeches and stupid snarky remarks than talk about anything remotely sexual! Help! Help! There's a pervert passing out as Zenjirou~!"

"Screw you, Rina!" I jumped towards her and flicked her nose before she could say anything stupider. Goddamnit, that's what I get for playing too much! She calmed down a little despite the fact her eyebrows were still frowned, and I sat next to her again, facing that little pouting face. "I never said I didn't like breasts, but I never had the reason to say that either. I like breasts... And women in general... And yours are kinda nice. So much they kinda helped us back then."

"Oh... Really? So... Zenjirou really likes breasts." She blinked a few times in realization, and soon after, she smiled in a dreamy way, groping and bouncing her jugs up and down in total bliss. I think I broke her again. "Eheheh... Zenjirou loves breasts~... And mine are so big~... I won this time~."

"Shut up. Never say that in public, or in privacy, or to yourself. Don't say anything." I sighed in shame, again with a flick on her forehead to snap her back to reality. We're up to a good start it seems, we didn't kill each other at least. "Your turn, Rina. Say something."

"Oh, right. Uuuuh~..." She made a face and put her finger under her chin to make a thinking pose. A few seconds of thinking, and she snapped her fingers with a smile. "Oh, I got one: I like how blunt you are sometimes!"

"Hah...?" What the hell does she mean by that? She likes 'my bluntness'? If that's kind of 'bluntness' it's what she refers to, I don't think that's something most people would find interesting or endearing. Scrap that, most people would say that's fucking scary. I shot her a doubtful expression. "My bluntness? What do you mean by that?"

"Well, Zenjirou is a very blunt person. He measures words with other people, but with me you're kinda rude, violent, expressionless, shitless and not afraid to save some words!" She spoke in a enthusiastic manner, and I was ready to hit her just one more time and be done for now, it then she clapped her hands together yet again. "And that's what I like about you! I mean, you're not afraid to be the utmost honest with me and, while it can hurt a little, doesn't mean I don't like that in you. How can I say... I like your honesty! Although sometimes you could be a little softer."

"..." I had no words for that. I can actually feel myself burning a little. That's something I didn't expect to hear, being blunt actually being something people like about me. Sure, not all people think that, see my sisters, but she does. I scratched my cheek and sighed. "Uh... Thank you, I guess."

"Now it's your turn!"

"Okay, okay. No need to hurry me up." I said annoyed. Another thing I like about Rina. Since she said she likes my honesty, I can't say something bad to her again. Let's see. Another good point. "Rina, I like how easy things go for you."

"Oh, you're gonna privilege-guilt me? That's not very nice." She said, and I flicked her forehead yet again. I should cut her time on the internet. Well, back to the plan.

"It's not like that, you dunce." I pinched her cheek. "What I'm trying to say is... I'm kinda jealous of you. Not about how rich or famous you are, but how you can deal with things better than I can. Maybe it's how I was raised, but I always thought your way of facing things headfirst... Better than my way to deal with things. I always try to take things logically and sometimes I'm afraid to even act, and I don't even think we were going to have that many Evil Pieces if you were not that... That. It's annoying sometimes, but I like how you can deal with your shit better than me. And, to be honest, I could only push myself forward with my Destroyer Astra because besides senpai, I always thought 'What would Rina do'?"

"Is that so? Even when I sometimes am too stubborn and almost got us killed from time to time?" She said with bright eyes, and I nodded, making her smile. "Wow, that's awesome. Okay, my turn: I know It might sound stupid, but I think your simplicity is cute."

"..." I arched an eyebrow. Scratching the end of the barrel already? "Yeah, you're right about this: this sounds stupid."

"Hey, Hear me out!" Now it was her time to pout and flick my head. Ouch! That hurts! "When I say simplicity, I mean simplicity. We go to school, we dine with your family, we sleep together, we take baths together, we do homework together, and we talk a lot like right now. It's... Nice to have calmness now that I think about it. I was always fighting with my sister, trying to find more candidates for my Peerage and... Trying to be like lady Rias. With you, despite the Destroyer Astra, I can now feel how is nice to have a break once in a while. I guess what I'm trying to say is that is nice to be a so-called human."

"..." If only she knew. But yeah. Like I said, I'm nothing special, no special heritage, no destiny to fulfill besides the new typical encounters with the Hakuryuukou and no curse under my star, I know that much since I was born, but then, be called cute because of those is kinda nice. I'm a boring person, yet she likes that on me. Huh. Oh, it's my turn. now. "Okay, that's nice. Rina, your stubbornness is a thing from the Gods."

"Gahow! You're being mean again!" She pouted.

"Okay, maybe I didn't word that right." I said with a sigh and a blush. "Rina, I think that you being stubborn and confident is an awesome thing. I'm even I am even jealous again. How you find me as a dragon host, how you recruited me and how you almost got us all killed during the Rating Game with Berolina-san..."

"Eheheh... My bad."

"No, that's the thing, Rina. I wouldn't be able to be this straightforward sometimes. I would probably kiss Berolina-san's feet if she hit me like she did to you. Or maybe just say 'No? Okay', if you were to reject me like I rejected you. The thing is... I'm kinda of a coward, and I admire how stubborn and brave you are."

"..." She said nothing, only smiled with her head down. Yeah, that's another thing that I'm jealous of her. What kind of man am I for admitting this? It's so pathetic. But that's the rule of the game, right? In the end, she turned to me and touched my face with her slender fingers, and flashed me another smile. "I don't think... You're a coward."

"..."

"Heheh..."

"Thanks, Rina." I said now also touching her hand on me. She laughed her again.

"My turn: you might not think that, but you're a very reliable person, Zenjirou!" She said with a smile again. Me? Reliable? That's kinda nice. "I can still remember my time as Akane, so I can certainly say that I can count on you whatever and whenever I want. You say a lot of bad stuff, but I'll always know you'll be there for me."

"..." Being a reliable person. I hope she's not the only one to think that, but even so, it's enough for me. I can't say anything to her. "Uh~... Another thing I like about Rina... I know I'll be a jerk to say this, but your overall mediocrity makes me feel good about myself."

"..."

"..."

"Eh...?"

"I mean... It's not like you didn't change from back then, but even so, sometimes I feel good about myself thinking about how there are people like you in the world."

**\*STAB!\***

"I am the youngest and the only guy in the family, so my standards were pretty low. I always thought myself as the worst, but when you came to my life, all ignorant, stupid and kinda mental, that bar kinda lifted, and then I thought to myself there a people way worse than me."

**\*STAB!\***

"To be completely honest, even as of now, with you being all popular and stuff, makes me feel optimist for humanity and the devil kin as a whole. If even you can do it, then everyone can do it."

**\*STAB! STAB! STAB!\***

"But, of course, that's actually more about you than anything or anyone els-...!" I turned back to her only to be darted with the worst view: Rina was now lifeless laying on the bed, her body pierced with various truth arrows, and I think some bile was coming out of her mouth! Oh shit! I got so distracted I didn't even notice! I crawled to next to her and helped to get rid of those pesky things! "A-Ah! Sorry, I kinda got carried away!"

"You... You...! Meanie! Dummy! Asshat! I want you to be submerged in the Cocytus making company to Samael who will pierce your butt with his dragon-dick and explode your body inside out!" She said, now punching my head childishly while steam was buffing out of her head. I took a moment or two for her to calm down, and when it finally came to be, but she was still mad at me, I sighed and patted her head, while she was still kinda red. "Now I have 11 reasons to hate you! I hope you're feeling good about yourself!"

"Sorry, my bad. I think what I was trying to say was that you make it look so easy." I said back, and still a little hesitant, she eyed me. "To change. I mean, first I thought you as someone who wouldn't ever grow up, living in your fantasy world and making everyone your toy. But then Akane came, then it was you again. You changed so much over just a few months, and for the better, even! So, if someone I used to hate could change to someone I respect so much, maybe there is some hope for me."

"..." She didn't say anything, but a silent gasp escaped her lips. Her eyes started to sparkle intensely, and a blush covered her entire face, which soon she turned other way. Her next words actually came as a whisper. "Don't say that."

"Eh...?"

"Don't say there is hope for you, because you don't need that. You changed... A lot more than I." She spoke, I was taken back a little for that. "That was going to be another thing I was going to say: you changed a lot too. I thought you were going to be my obedient and loyal Issei Jr., and we were going to live a happy life like Lady Rias and Issei-sama. When it didn't happen, I started to hate you... So, so much..."

"..." Understandable. I kinda am to blame for Akane.

"But then, even so, you started to make things as your own person. Fighting your own battles, dealing with things your own way, in ways Issei-sama wouldn't ever do. And I... Kinda started to see that maybe having my very own Zenjirou wouldn't be that bad." She smiled, and I blushed, holding my sheets tightly. So that's that. I really don't know how to feel about this. "I don't know if I would like the previous Zenjirou much, but even if you were nasty, bullying and kinda stupid, very far from Issei-sama, I started to see that you could also turn into such a loyal and nice guy. If I waited just a little more, maybe I could've melted that heart of yours faster, and we wouldn't have been tangled like that."

"Don't say that." I echoed her last words, she flinched a little. "You already said you regret your fights with Berolina-san, right? So don't regret what happened between us, even more that you said it's actually a good thing. If there's a thing I learned is that we should have as less regret as possible."

"Oh, and from who you took that? *King Raoh*?"

"..."

"Oh, jackpot?"

"Shut up." But yeah, jackpot. She giggled, reaching for my hand with her own and locking fingers with it. I reciprocated the feelings, changing heat like that. This is actually feeling great. But even so... "Hahah..."

"Huh...?" She peeked at me.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that I think we're terrible people, Rina." I said back to use, and she arched an eyebrow in curiosity. Yeah, that last item was actually such a terrible thing to say. To both of us, of course. "Do you realize what we just say? People would normally say 'I like you the way you are' or 'you're your best just the way you are'. Now we both technically said we rather change each other than saying all of that stuff. Don't you l feel a little pathetic?"

"Yeah, a little." Rina lowered her head a little, supporting her body on the wall and on me. Yeah, we are the bad apples. I don't think I would stay sane if greyhead Rina was still that same Rias-otaku redhead from before, worst case scenario being one of us dead. Even so, admitting such is a pain, since this seals the fact I won't ever be that romantic. I peeked at my greyhead again, and heard her giggle. "You say that like it's a bad thing. I have you know, it's not. Change is good from time to time."

"Yeah, I know that much." I know that kuhn indeed. She smiled.

"It's my turn now. Zenjirou, I like your new brown hair a lot!"

"Rina, my hair is dyed black."

"Oh..."

"..."

"..."

"We have been living together for months..."

"I know! I know! Sorry!" She clapped her hands in apology. This is really awkward, but I'll let it pass just this time, after all, we don't have illustrations for our characters and this site doesn't support images during stories, moving on!

"Since we're back about this, then I'll say your new grey hair is also pretty charming."(5)

"Thank you! It's very hard to keep it like that, y'know." She laughed with her hands passing through her grey locks. No joke, that hair of hers is one of the best points of her appearance, really. Besides other two, of course. "Okay then. Uuuuh, oh! Zenjirou is very creative for his techniques and attacks!"

"..." Now it's my turn to pout. That's actually a very dark story about how I get to know very special techniques of mine. A little copied from senpai, I might add. "Even when those get me names like 'Oppai eater'? Huh, Rina?"

"Actually, that makes things even better!" She exclaimed excitedly, and I turned into moot just by hearing that. Talk about nonchalant about other's misery. But i guess after what I said, I deserve some shit-talk. "It's not like you're just getting just power-ups again and again. It's also kinda funny to see some reactions! You're very smart, too!"

"Huh, okay then." Said I to this new light she has on me. "But I think the one who's the smartest and cleverest on us is you, actually. Coming up with those stupid ideas no one would ever have. I dunno, maybe it's another good point being so... You."

"Now you're escaping the point of the game! Stupid Zenjirou." She pinched the back of my hand, and I grunted for that. "If we're gonna talk about that... Then, other point I like about you is that you spoil me quite a lot, even when sometimes I act a little dumb. Like when you touch and pat my head, it makes me feel safe and warm, I like it."

"Yeah; I like that too." I'm just doing what mom used to do, I'm glad that I'm not the only one who likes it. "I think this is seven for you and seven for me, so let's see the eighth one. For my eighth thing, I'll say that, now, when you make a mistake, you do anything to correct it."

"Hah? Now who's scrapping the end of the barrel." She stuck her tongue out. "Isn't that just normal decency? That's... Just that. It's nothing special."

"Well, the previous Lavinia wouldn't say that. Probably would either blame Berolina-san or me. Or both. She wouldn't say that is her fault." I shrugged, and from her came another pout. I'm really a horrible person for making her flustered and frustrated so much, am I really even a man? But I'll be lying if our previous trip to the underworld wasn't quite a blast mainly because she's the one who tried to apologize. It was... Cute; even. "Even I can't say 'sorry' sometimes. Would probably put the thing under the rug and wait for the best. I don't think I'd even want to face Rei-chan if she's ever angry at me. Certainly, you can be braver than I, Rina."

"That's a really nice thing to hear, actually." She winked at me. "My turn. For my eighth thing I like about Zenjirou, I'll go with the fact that you let me stay in your house even when I don't know how to cook, clean, behave or even stay put in my bed! You're the guy every freeloader dreams!"

"Don't think I won't force you to try to help me with the dishes or in making dinner, I had enough of just me, Gou-nee and Mom knowing how to cook. Just because you say you like this about me doesn't mean it'll last forever." The other girls at least try to help, while my king goes around eating chips and day-dreaming about something. The shit-eating grin on her face after that just solids that she's not even sorry about her behavior. I'm sorry, but this isn't the Hinata Inn and I'm no harem protagonist. Let's see. "As for you, another thing: I don't know if it's just me, but there's an aura around you that might draw people."

"Now you're getting a little too high, Zenjirou." Oy, are you mocking me? "Of course I'd draw people around me, Zenjirou. Is a character trait. Like, why would my mom even find someone to marry her, or how does Berolina's pieces like her so much? This can only be a family trait, kinda like the Gremories! Although I can also say this: there's something about you that attracts people, even when yourself is a social pariah. Maybe there's some kind of spell that attracts people to you, because let's be honest, no one likes a loner like you."

"Okay pot, thanks for giving me, the kettle, some explanation, it feels so much better." I rolled my eyes. She pouted and stuck her tongue out again. I don't think I feel comfortable playing this game anymore. This is dumber than I thought, and is getting even more as we develop. Better stop now. "I'm sorry, Rina. But this game is really, really stupid. We better stop now before we go at each other's throat."

"It is, isn't it? Ahahahah." She laughed half-heartily, since I think she didn't like how this game turned out to become in the end. What the hell was that all about? Just to show us how horrible people we are. I push each other against one another, and our strong points are only selfish reflections of ourselves or just physical sense of such. I want to be like her and see myself as better, and she sees me as a servant and someone to depend on. That's sad, we're sad. This is so bitter to swallow. "Sorry for making you play this game too. If only we knew. But I have you know... I still like you a lot, Zenjirou."

"Yeah, me too." I said back. Yeah, we're horrible people, after all, you can't spell 'Devil'(Akuma) without 'Evil'(Aku). I patted her little head, and she giggled. "But if you need something more, let me help you with just one more number in your list."

"Oh, something you like about yourself? It's against the rules, but okay." She shrugged with a cat-like smile.

"Okay then, if there's a thing that I like about myself is: I have a King who can count 9 motives to like my pathetic self."

And that's that. No nothing from her. And that's one of the few things I like about myself. I'm no royalty, no prodigy, just a hard-working guy who got lucky because another guy did the ultimate sacrifice, and I'm not even special in my own house, being the fifth child of a man who just can't chill with a single woman. Yet, I got to meet several people who like me despite all of that, whatever was the first reason my left hand or whatnot. Rina and Yoko specially. They even like my flaws and quirks, and I'm grateful for that. Maybe she's right, I can attract people, even when I'm still on the green. I felt some weight on my shoulder, and then I saw Rina supporting her head on it, dreamy, her hand squeezing my own tighter this time.

"Heheh; that's a nice one." She muttered, and I relaxed on her. "I can also say something that I like about me too."

"It's not... That hard, really."

"Huhuh, thanks Zenjirou."

"Anytime, Rina."

And we continued to support ourselves on each other. I think it's nice, after all, we can be horrible people to each other, and we can be horrible people together. No need to suffer alone, either. I still have so much to learn about people. But I guess being this closer is a little better. I think for now, we're not devils, we're the magi, somehow...

I wonder if this how it feels like having a girlfriend...s.

Next; An extra life with my beloved.

Previous; Temptation, Truth and Will.