Chapter 4: There Really Are Angels and Demons Among My Classmates
During lunch break, after finishing his meal, Ren returned to the classroom but didn't see Hitori. He had been thinking of chatting with her to find out what she usually does so he could tailor his approach accordingly, but Hitori wasn't there.
Meanwhile, Gabriel was still asleep—she must have pulled an all-nighter last night. Though she was quite cute, Ren was a tough guy who preferred pink-haired beauties.
"Gotou, what do you usually do? Just watch videos or play games? Or something else?"
When Hitori finally shrank into her seat, trying to lower her presence and return quietly, Ren struck up a conversation with her.
"I-I watch some videos."
Still seemingly dazed by the happiness of having a friend, Hitori stammered her reply to Ren.
There was progress—at least she didn't morph into a different shape when spoken to.
"What kind of videos?"
Looking at Hitori, she didn't seem like the type to watch makeup bloggers. Ren guessed she might be killing time with eating shows or something similar.
"Music... I-I a-a-actually can play a little guitar."
She said it!
Hitori's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would jump out of her throat, and her mind went completely blank. Discussing her interests with a friend was something she never even dared to dream about, yet it was happening!
"Oh? That's impressive! You're really full of surprises."
This genuinely surprised Ren. He didn't understand music or instruments, but being able to play the guitar must be quite something, right?
"Hehe~ Not really~ Hehehe~"
After managing a few lines of conversation, Hitori melted again. This time, she scratched her head and giggled foolishly, her whole body shaking like a wavy line.
"At least I can't play. How about playing for me sometime if you get the chance?"
Ren continued the conversation, following her interests—this was the most basic step.
"R-really? But I'm not very good..."
This was even more unimaginable for Hitori. She was happy and excited but quickly grew afraid. With her mediocre skills, it would be embarrassing to show them off.
Just imagining the scene where Ren would scorn her for playing poorly made her face turn deathly pale.
"So you play this badly, Gotou? And you dare say you can play the guitar? How lame. Let's not be friends anymore—having a friend like you is just embarrassing."
"Ahhhhh————"
Lost in her fantasy, Hitori turned into pixelated static again, twitching and letting out a mournful cry.
"No, I think learning how to play is already impressive. Gotou, you should be more confident. Maybe you're the only one in class who can play the guitar. That would make you the best guitarist in the class, wouldn't it?"
After watching Hitori turn into a monochrome mosaic and convulse continuously, Ren continued to praise and encourage her, testing whether this approach could restore Hitori to normal.
"O-oh, is that how it is?"
Convinced by Ren's twisted logic, Hitori regained her human form and slumped into her chair, murmuring with little confidence.
"Exactly! And when playing for friends, isn't the most important thing the sincerity behind it? By the way, how long have you been practicing?"
Seeing this method worked, Ren had essentially figured out one technique for interacting with Hitori, then proceeded to ask how long she'd been practicing.
As long as someone isn't naturally tone-deaf or completely untalented, the longer they practice, the better their skills become.
"N-not long, just from middle school until now."
Hitori spoke with her head lowered, lacking confidence. Even counting generously, she'd only been learning for three or four years, even with daily practice, it was still at an embarrassing level.
Indeed, it would be better if she didn't embarrass herself in front of Ren and lose this hard-won friend, right?
"Isn't that even more impressive then? I'm looking forward to that opportunity."
Hearing that Hitori had been learning for so long, Ren felt some admiration. No matter what you study for three years, even if not reaching mastery, you should at least grasp most of it.
"I-I-I-I'll stake my life on satisfying you!"
Though constantly self-deprecating and lacking confidence, Hitori couldn't refuse Ren's request. Not just playing guitar, even if Ren tried to trick her into bed now, she probably couldn't refuse, though she might just transform instead.
"No need to be so dramatic. We're friends, not master and servant. Your way of thinking is quite unique, Gotou, and your reactions are interesting too."
Hitori was an interesting person, at least Ren could accept this level of peculiarity.
"Hehehe~ That's right, we're friends~"
The word "friend" had tremendous impact on Hitori. Whenever Ren mentioned it, she would giggle foolishly.
After laughing for a while, she suddenly flusteredly rummaged through her shoulder bag, took out all her pocket money, and presented it to Ren with both hands.
"Please take it, this is today's friend fee."
"?"
"Didn't I say there's no such charge?"
"How could that be? Doesn't making friends always require paying friend fees? Please, you must accept this!"
Hitori looked at Ren with disbelief, then thought of another possibility, trembling as she continued:
"D-don't tell me Watanabe-kun just wants to toy with me and laugh at my disappointed expression?
I knew it, how could someone as handsome as Watanabe-kun possibly be interested in a short, pathetic, moldy-smelling paramecium like me..."
"I think you should probably just accept it."
Watching Hitori immersed in her own fantasy on the verge of tears, Gabriel, who had been observing their interaction with great interest, spoke up to remind them. Ren not taking the friend fee left Hitori feeling somewhat uneasy instead.
"I understand, I'll accept it then. Similarly, I should also give you a friend fee, Gotou."
Ren knew this made sense, so he reluctantly accepted the friend fee offered by Hitori. A glance told him it was quite substantial, at least 5,000 yen.
But could he really take it? Definitely not. So he began thinking of ways to return it.
"No no no, being allowed to pay a friend fee is already an honor for me. How could I let Watanabe-kun pay me? No no no."
Seeing Ren accept the friend fee had improved Hitori's mood considerably, but when she heard Ren wanted to give her a friend fee too, she shook her head in resistance.
"Gotou-san, could you be friends with me too? I really like your... I mean, I think you're someone worth befriending."
At this moment, Gabriel spoke to Hitori with sincere expression, her eyes filled with excitement as she looked at Hitori. She really did give money to friends!
"Really? Gabriel-san, you're simply an angel! But I don't have any money on me now."
Hearing that Gabriel also wanted to be friends with her, Hitori was so excited she nearly jumped up. Was today her lucky day? Not only did Ren want to be friends with her, but even Gabriel too. Was making friends really this simple?
"That's fine, you can bring it to me tomorrow instead."
Upon hearing this, Gabriel revealed a gentle smile.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Ren actually sensed a hint of divinity in Gabriel's smile. This little one really had an angelic charm when she smiled.
But was she really trying to make friends? Ren couldn't be bothered to call her out, just watching her speechlessly.
"What are you looking at? I need money, she needs friends, aren't we a match made in heaven?"
Gabriel didn't feel guilty at all under his gaze. Recently, the living allowance from heaven had been getting smaller and smaller, and she was about to fall behind the top tier in gaming. How could she get stronger without spending money?
Wasn't befriending Hitori a perfect case of mutual benefit? If people knew she was a real angel, the line of those wanting to befriend her would stretch all the way to the Atlantic.
"Gaba-chan, I heard everything."
Just as Gabriel was confidently explaining herself, a girl with purple medium-length hair stood behind Gabriel, squinting her eyes while smiling at her, but the aura she emitted was more intimidating than a teacher's.
"V-Vignette, I was just joking with Gotou-san... Wait, why are you, a demon, stopping me? Isn't this exactly the kind of thing you guys would do too?"
Gabriel felt somewhat guilty under her gaze, but quickly recovered and mustered the courage to retort against Vignette as well.
"What kind of demon are you talking about, Gab? Don't speak nonsense! Sorry about that, Watanabe-san, Gotou-san. Gab just gets too immersed in her games. I'm Vignette April Tsukinose, you can just call me Vignette."
Vignette covered Gabriel's mouth, forcing a smile as she explained.
"..."
Ren silently glanced at Hitori, then looked at the strained smile and the struggling Gabriel, who was being muffled.
Having witnessed Hitori's transformation, Ren didn't think Gabriel was joking, the name "Gabriel" itself was quite suggestive.
So it's not just possible aliens, does this world have demons and angels too?
But why are they all so cute?