"So what you're saying is, this is the club's field trip?" Kousuke asked. He was currently sitting on a bus next to Issei, his seat by the window. The destination: Kyoto.
"Yes, the official reason is researching the occult in Kyoto," Rias answered from the other side of the aisle. Akeno, sitting next to her, covered her mouth—possibly holding back laughter. After all, Rias was dressed like a common tourist.
"Are you sure it's not just an excuse to research Japan's culture?" Kousuke asked, his tone clearly skeptical.
"I-It's not! This is for the club!" she retorted a little too strongly.
"Um, why is Koneko sitting on your lap instead of her own seat?" Issei asked, unable to ignore what had been bugging him the entire ride. Everyone else was acting like it was normal—but he couldn't let it go!
"...?"
Koneko turned her head toward Issei and tilted it to the side, basically asking him, 'What are you talking about? This is normal.'
"She's just a little spoiled, don't mind it," Kousuke replied, patting her head. She purred in response. At this point, he was used to how clingy she could be. He didn't mind spoiling her—if anything, it felt like she was seeking out this kind of affection to make up for the time she lost after being separated from her sister.
"So what's our first stop?" he asked, feeding Koneko snacks while glancing toward Rias, who was browsing her phone—probably looking for good tourist spots.
"There's this Inari Shrine place. It looks cool—I mean, there are some rumors about a fox demon being spotted there," she said, changing mid-sentence upon realizing her mistake.
"A fox demon, huh? Do those even exist?"
He glanced at Koneko, who rubbed the top of her head against his chin as if to say, 'I'm one—or close enough.'
Kousuke just assumed she wanted more snacks and fed her again.
"Yes, Youkai do exist—especially in Kyoto," Rias said matter-of-factly. "In fact, the one who oversees Kyoto is a fox demon—a stronger variant. They call her the 'Youkai Queen.'"
"Heeeh, that's interesting," Kousuke said, his eyes glinting with curiosity. He wondered what this 'Youkai Queen' looked like. Would she be someone familiar, like from the Other World? Or worse, just a furry knockoff?
"'Youkai Queen'... Sounds powerful. Is she hot?" Issei asked.
Rias shot him an exasperated look. She already knew where her boyfriend's mind was going.
"She has a child," she said in a low voice, omitting the part about the Youkai being a widow.
"Aw, dang it," Issei muttered, deflating like a popped balloon. As an aspiring Harem King, he wanted to meet all kinds of girls—even if only in dreams.
"Damn," Kousuke muttered under his breath. Everyone turned to look at him as he pretended to whistle and stared out the window.
He couldn't help but recall his time in the Other World—specifically, ***aka's mom. She was dangerously close to his ideal type. If her daughter hadn't constantly gotten in the way every time he flirted with her, he might've seriously considered proposing.
'She maxed out the hot MILF stat,' he thought to himself.
"...Are you thinking of something perverted?" Koneko asked, as if reading his thoughts.
Issei flinched instinctively, thinking she was talking about him.
Kousuke coughed awkwardly. His adopted little sister was clearly more perceptive than she looked. He'd need to keep his guard up around her from now on.
---
Inari Shrine, Kyoto...
"...I'm lost," Kousuke muttered with a wry smile. He'd been following the Occult Research Club closely until something had caught his attention—and he followed it. Before he knew it, he found himself standing in front of an unfamiliar mansion.
'Was there a mansion near the shrine? I don't think so…'
"Well, might as well check it out, I guess," he shrugged, walking up to the entrance.
The interior was traditional, with tatami mats lining the floor. Each of his steps made a soft creaking noise as he explored.
"Oh my, are you a burglar? Not the guest I was expecting, I suppose," came a melodious voice from behind him.
He turned around instantly—and froze.
He felt like he was seeing a ghost.
There was no way.
How could she be here?
"Are you stunned by my appearance?" the woman said with a chuckle, her nine fluffy tails swaying gracefully behind her. "I guess this must be your first time seeing a nine-tailed Youkai?"
But he remained frozen in place, not moving an inch.
"Ya...saka?"
"Oh?" The nine-tailed beauty tilted her head, golden eyes twinkling with curiosity. "I didn't expect you to know my name. I suppose you must have heard it from that young devil of the House of Gremory."
She gave a coy smile, her tails fanning out behind her like a blooming flower.
But Kousuke wasn't looking at her tails. His eyes were locked on her face—those eyes, that teasing smile, that familiar voice.
For a moment, the present blurred.
Instead of a graceful kimono, he saw a woman in weatherworn armor, fists wrapped in enchanted bindings. Loud. Reckless. Hiding her sadness behind laughter and barbs. She'd always charge into battle, no matter the cost.
Even when it killed her.
"...No way," he muttered. "You even sound like her."
"Hmm?" Yasaka stepped closer, her expression softening. She studied him carefully, with the gaze of a queen—and the gentle curiosity of someone who noticed a crack in someone else's mask.
"You seem... shaken. Have we met before?"
He didn't respond at first. His fists clenched at his sides, a wave of nostalgia crashing over him like cold water.
He knew it wasn't her.
This Yasaka was older, more refined. A warm, powerful presence that exuded calm rather than chaos.
But the resemblance... was uncanny.
Same name. Same eyes. Same smile.
"Sorry," he finally said, forcing a wry smile. "You just... remind me of someone I used to know. Her name was Yasaka, too."
"A former lover, maybe?" Yasaka teased gently, walking closer with the elegance of a queen—but the warmth of a hostess.
He chuckled under his breath, the sound tinged with bittersweet nostalgia.
"Something like that. She was one of my companions... someone I trusted with my life."
"You'll have to forgive me for staring. I didn't mean to intrude, either—I think I'm lost," he said, turning away and regaining his composure.
He needed to stop gawking at her.
If he didn't, those memories would keep flooding back.