After school, at night.
"...So that happened. I didn't know Issei had a friend like that. I'd love to meet him."
Asia said before clasping her hands together in a prayer, though she flinched slightly from a small pain. The blonde girl still wasn't used to being a devil—it hadn't been that long since she was a devoted nun. Most of the Occult Research Club members had gathered in the living room of Issei's house while his parents were out working.
"Did you feel anything different about him, Issei? Maybe something out of place?" Rias asked, folding her arms in front of her chest, causing her bust to shift slightly. Issei's gaze was momentarily caught by her assets before he snapped back to his senses, shaking his head.
"No, I don't think there's anything different. He was just like I remembered."
[Well, you might not have noticed it, partner, but I did. He seemed to be able to feel my presence inside the Sacred Gear. He was looking at your left hand discreetly while you weren't paying attention.]
"...That's what Ddraig said, but he's just a normal human though?" Issei replied, scratching the back of his head. He genuinely believed his friend was just that—normal.
"He is no doubt a human, but..." Akeno said with a hand resting on her cheek. Koneko continued where she left off, munching on cookies as she spoke.
"...He feels strong. Like a tiger lurking behind its prey."
"I didn't feel anything different when we talked for a bit at lunchtime," Kiba muttered. He felt like they were making a mountain out of a molehill. Since Kousuke had no connection to the Church, Kiba wasn't particularly interested in him.
"Well, if what Rias and Koneko-chan said is true, then... why don't we just invite him into the Occult Research Club?" Issei suggested after a moment of thought. He didn't fully believe their suspicions, but that didn't mean he dismissed them entirely. Better safe than sorry. If something really was going on with his friend, he wanted to help however he could.
"That's a great idea, Issei. Then, could you?" Rias leaned into his chest before whispering into his ear, sending a shiver down his spine. He blushed at her sudden closeness, feeling her breasts pressing against his shirt, and nodded repeatedly. Seeing him agree so quickly, Rias smiled and pecked him on the cheek.
"My, how bold. Did you take the words I said earlier to heart~?" Akeno teased with a giggle. Realizing they weren't alone, Rias quickly stepped away from Issei with a faint blush on her cheeks. Issei couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed at the loss of contact, but quickly shook his head to clear the thought.
Feeling embarrassed by Akeno's teasing gaze, Issei excused himself by saying he would go prepare some drinks and rushed into the kitchen. He sighed, leaning his back against the counter before sliding to sit on the floor. The memory of Rias leaning in and kissing his cheek remained vivid in his mind. He found himself touching the spot where her lips had brushed, a small smile forming at the corners of his lips.
"Hehehe, he won't believe this."
...
Kousuke Igarashi POV
"Hmm? What is this? I don't think it's Mother's Day today."
"It's just a small gift. If you don't want it—"
"Who said that?! I'll graciously take this, hmph."
Kousuke let out a wry smile as his mother took the necklace from his hand and immediately wore it around her neck. He turned his head toward his dad, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, watching a soap opera with a bowl of popcorn in his lap.
"Here. A small gift."
"Say what now? Alright, thanks."
Unlike his mom who acted like a classic tsundere, his dad took the watch without even taking his eyes off the TV. Kousuke shook his head with a smile before heading upstairs to his room.
Though the gifts looked normal on the outside, each one held a carefully concealed enchantment. It was a precaution for their safety. He didn't mind using his powers for their sake. On top of that, he'd even added stamina recovery alongside protective enchantments, just in case they overworked themselves.
"I was planning on giving them something like that anyway, but seeing them at school just pushed the plan forward."
Kousuke muttered to himself while sitting in his chair, eyes fixed on the glowing monitor in front of him. He was digging through information about the supernatural. He needed to understand as much as he could so he could better prepare. After meeting the members of the Occult Research Club, he'd be an idiot to stay ignorant.
"Most of this is probably fake, but even if a small number of them have some truth sprinkled on top, that's more than enough."
If devils existed, what about angels? It was a simple line of reasoning—he wouldn't be surprised if they were real too. And if angels existed, what about gods? It would be a nightmare if beings like that final boss from the other world were real. Why the hell would you give an enemy an unkillable trait? That world was completely busted.
"Huh? There are demi-humans as well?" Kousuke mumbled, eyes widening. That was unexpected. His thoughts drifted to a certain party member of his from the other world—a girl from the cat-eared tribe. He remembered the time he couldn't resist touching her ears, only to be sent flying by a powerful kick. Apparently, touching their ears was equivalent to a marriage proposal in her culture.
"Please... save this world... hero."
The memory of her dying in his arms resurfaced, and he frowned. Back then, he hadn't been strong enough. He'd realized that just "doing his best" wasn't good enough. He had to do more. Even if his muscles tore or his body broke down, he could always rely on potions to recover. He pushed himself further, harder, and eventually—he got revenge for her. He made the traitors suffer.
"**aka, I hope you're happy in the afterlife."