After School – Eishi's POV
The final bell rang, echoing through the halls of Kuoh Academy.
Today was a rare day—no extra practice, no club work, no plans to stay late as he promise to his mom to take it easy for once. He slung his bag over his shoulder and started walking out of the gate.
"Yo! Eishi!"
He turned to see the spiky-haired figure of Hyoudou Issei jogging over, wearing that familiar grin.
"You heading back?" Eishi asked.
"Yeah. Let's go together," Issei said, falling into step beside him."Heard you had kendo class today. And you beat Kiba? Damn, man, you're living my dream! I've always wanted to punch that pretty-boy face once."
Eishi let out a tired sigh."It was a spar, not a brawl. And I didn't even punch him—also, I didn't win. It technically counted as his victory in the end."
"Still counts!" Issei laughed."You're famous now!"
"Famous?" Eishi shot him a look."You're one to talk. Thanks to you, my reputation's nose-diving. People think I'm part of your pervert trio."
"Eh?! What did I do?!"
"You being you, that's what you did."
"What's wrong with being myself? I just appreciate beauty—it's not my fault you're blind to it."
Eishi laughed, unable to stay annoyed.
Then Issei leaned in with a mischievous grin. "Oh, by the way… there's even a rumor about you and Kiba now."
Eishi froze."…What."
"Yeah, something about all that intense swordplay and meaningful eye contact. The fangirls are eating it up, bro."
Eishi went pale."You've gotta be kidding me. I finally look cool for once and this is what I get?!"
Issei slapped his back, still laughing."Congrats, you're shipping material now! 'Kiba x Eishi' is trending in the first-year hallway!"
Eishi groaned."I hate this school."
The two boys traded playful jabs all the way down the familiar road toward their houses. They lived next door, after all—had been neighbors for years. Their banter was routine by now.
Sona Shitori's POV – Student Council Room
"So… he beat Kiba?" Sona asked, setting down her pen.
"Yes," Shinra Tsubaki replied, her voice calm but edged with respect. "I witnessed the match. He fought with surprising skill and composure. Even though Kiba adjusted his strength, in the final exchange, his output briefly rose to that of a low-class devil. A normal human shouldn't have been able to endure it—yet Eishi countered with a grappling move. At first, I assumed he was just a quiet scholarship student. Now I understand why you asked me to monitor him. He could become… a very effective pawn."
"I don't sense any supernatural power from him," she added. "On the surface, he's completely ordinary."
Sona leaned back in her chair, her gaze falling to the file of Eishi Seishirou spread across her desk.
"You're not wrong," she murmured. "He's not strong—by our standards. And yet… something about him doesn't quite add up."
"His movements today weren't just practiced. They were precise, given his background, he didnt seem to have any other activities other than his after school club, so where did he learn to do all this"
Tsubaki tilted her head. "Do you suspect he's hiding something?"
Sona's lips pressed together in thought. "I'm not sure yet. But I intend to find out. Quietly. Let watch him… for now."
Tsubaki bowed. "Understood, Kaichou."
As the vice-president exited, Sona turned her gaze toward the window, the late afternoon light spilling across her desk.
That boy…
She remembered the rooftop.
"…Truly interesting."
Occult Research Club – Rias Gremory's POV
"He beat you?" Rias asked, brows lifting slightly in surprise.
Kiba Yuuto stood before her, arms crossed, his expression thoughtful.
"Yes," he admitted. "His strength and speed are within the range of a normal human. But his technique… it's exceptional. Refined. His movements show experience—both in swordsmanship and close-quarters grappling. I'd say he's highly trained… possibly a martial arts prodigy."
From the nearby couch, Akeno sipped her tea with elegant grace and a teasing glint in her eyes.
"Ara~ Kiba praising someone this much? Maybe the rumor about you two has some truth to it~"
"Rumor?" Kiba blinked, clearly confused.
Rias sighed and gave Akeno a mild look. "Enough teasing, Akeno."
Akeno tilted her head, lips curled in her usual mischievous smile, but said nothing more.
Rias turned back to Kiba. "You didn't sense anything unusual? No magic, no trace of sacred gear activation?"
Kiba shook his head. "Nothing. All of his movements were purely physical. Human. But precise. Controlled. He's definitely skilled."
Rias leaned back in her chair, folding her arms.
"Then… Akeno, I have a task for you. Observe him discreetly. If there's anything hidden, it'll surface sooner or later."
Akeno gently set her cup down with a soft clink. "Of course, Buchou~ Leave it to me."
"And run a background check. Quietly," Rias added, her gaze narrowing slightly. "I want to know what makes Eishi Lucivar… so compelling."
Akeno smiled. "My, my~ Curious already?"
"One more thing, Buchou," Kiba interjected. "I noticed Shinra Tsubaki was watching the spar."
Rias turned to look out the window, the sky outside painted with hues of early dusk.
Akeno giggled lightly. "Ara ara~ So he's caught the eye of the Student Council already? He's quite the popular one, isn't he?"
Rias smirked. "As always—first come, first serve. Besides, Sona hasn't said anything to me… so we proceed."
Akeno gave a knowing nod. "Understood, Buchou~"
Rias's gaze remained on the skyline.
"We may have stumbled onto something… unexpected."
Eishi returned home just before sunset. The house glowed softly with golden light spilling through the windows, and the comforting scent of soy-braised chicken drifted from the kitchen. He kicked off his shoes, stretched, and called out, "I'm home."
"In the kitchen!" his mother called back.
He walked in to see her already plating up dinner. Simple, warm, homemade—just like always. They sat together, steam rising from the dishes between them.
Midway through the meal, Eishi paused, his chopsticks hovering above his bowl.
"Hey, Mom…"
"Hm?"
"I don't remember much about Dad. Can you… tell me about him?"
His mother paused for a moment, her eyes softening as she looked down at her food. Then she smiled gently, memories clearly surfacing.
"Your father… Lauzel Lucivar. He was a good man. Honest. Kind. Quiet, but steady. I met him during my college years. He was working part-time as a barista at this little café near campus. I went there almost every day."
"A barista?" Eishi blinked. "That's so random."
She chuckled."He made me the worst cappuccino art I've ever seen. Said it was a heart. I told him it looked like a jellyfish."Her eyes softened slightly, the memory tugging at something deeper."I was going through a rough patch with my family back then… and he just—asked me to talk about it. Can you believe that? Who does that? Just casually asking someone to open up while they're struggling like it's normal."
She paused, then smiled to herself."But he said he wanted to 'study human relationships' or something weird like that. He says the strangest things sometimes… One thing led to another, and before I knew it, we were going out."
"So… you asked him out?" Eishi asked, tilting his head.
Her smirk returned, playful and knowing."I might've. Or maybe he finally worked up the courage. Depends who you ask."
"Right," Eishi said, smiling.
She nudged his bowl toward him playfully. "Eat."
He did, for a while, before he asked again—more quietly this time. "Do you miss him?"
His mother stopped for a second, then looked out the window. The evening sunlight lit her face in gold.
"…Sometimes," she admitted softly. "There are nights where I still expect him to walk through the door.
She paused, then shook her head and smiled again.
"But I have you. And that's enough. You remind me so much of him."
She looked at him for a long moment, her gaze gentle, shimmering just a little.
"Especially your hair. That silver hair… just like his."
Eishi quietly ran a hand through it. "Yeah… this hair really stand out you know"
"Your eyes? That's me. But that hair?" She reached across the table and ruffled it. "All him. Whenever I see you walking down the hall or coming home from school with the sun behind you, for just a second… it's like he's still here."
Eishi blinked, his chest tight.
"…I'll try to live up to that," he said.
"You already are," she replied.
They finished dinner quietly. No more heavy words—just the clink of bowls and the warm hum of family.