Since he'd officially been suspended, there wasn't much point in following the school uniform guidelines. The outfit was the only one that would fit him in his current form, so he was condemned to wear it for now, but the jacket found a new, permanent home on the floor. The shirt was untucked and not ironed. Its top three buttons were undone, and he forewent the belt requirement. The school bag made its way to the trash.

In the strict Shikigami-cho school district (or any school district of Japan, for that matter), this was the equivalent of social suicide. No one would want be caught associating with a boy whose hair appeared bleached at its spiky tips and whose overall appearance screamed 'gang leader.'

Akira tried to talk him out of it, but Zenki wouldn't listen. He preferred it this way. So what if he drew more attention? Fewer spectators would be inclined to actually bother him.

As Zenki stepped out the door, Akira couldn't help but worry. At least he felt more justified in sticking around for an extra day.

That was when the phone rang. Akira hot-footed it down the hall and nearly slammed into the wall, anxious to know why Saki would be calling—she was the only one with the phone number. He suspected it would have to do with Teppei. He knew it would have to do with Teppei.

He brought the receiver to his ear and yelled frantically into it, " WHAT DID HE DO TO HER?!??!"

"You'll have to tune in next week to know that," a familiar voice responded.

"TOSHI??!?"

"AKIRA! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN SHIKIGAMI-CHO STILL?! YOU HAVE TO COME BACK! CLASS IS STARTING IN ONE HOUR!!!"

"I can't come back today, Toshi—wait, how did you get this phone number??"

"From the old woman! You already missed an entire day, Akira! You have to come back, everyone's wondering about you, and I haven't got any answers for them. What are you doing there??"

"Please, Toshi, keep covering for me, okay? It'll just be one more day, and I'll be in school tomorrow."

"…… Fine. I'll cover for you. For one more day. I'll tell them you're on your death bed. Gods, this must be really important for you to jeopardize your scholar status. Tokyo University'll seriously drop you like a rock off a cliff if they think for just a second that they made a mistake with you! They really took a big chance accepting a fourteen-year-old!"

Akira smiled and his voice softened. "So did you."

"I… Ah, damnit, Akira. You're always making me worry about you. You little bastard. Look, BLIZZARD has a live on Friday—and I'm gonna take it personally if you're not there to cheer for me. Got that?"

"Roger that, Captain Yamatsuri!
I'll be back tomorrow and I'll see you then, I swear…"
 

Zenki was purposely early. He sat high a tree overlooking the school's main gate. He could see everyone who went in or came out. So many teenage hormones… the smell offended him.

Not true. It didn't offend him. It made him angry because it reminded him of the thing he wanted and couldn't have…

"Chiaki!" Teppei called, climbing out of the black sedan. Everyone who was within observing distance gasped aloud. Teppei Hannigan was calling to Chiaki Enno—like they were intimate friends?!

The demon lord was startled to attention—he hadn't even seen her coming! And there was that little shit, walking towards her, while she just kept on…

Hey, why is she walking like that?
Slow… Staring at the ground… Something is wrong.
She isn't greeting him either.
She doesn't want to see him.

THIS IS GOOD!!

Zenki jumped off the branch, out of the tree, and landed before a shocked group of students with perfect form. He snarled up at the students, and they gave him a wide berth, suddenly feeling the need to run to class. He pushed himself to his feet and very coolly brushed off his hands before stuffing them into his pockets.

When Teppei approached from behind and took Chiaki's hand in his own, she seemed to snap back into reality. He leaned down and twisted his head to look up into her face, smiling broadly. "Good morning, Chiaki. Is everything alright?"

"Y-Yes," she stuttered.

"I'm glad, then! Let's go—I'll walk you to class," he said, leading her toward the gate. "Where would you like to have lunch today? We could go on the roof again and be alone, or my chauffeur can take us anywhere you'd like to—"

"Mornin', Chiaki," Zenki said very loudly, to be sure she couldn't pretend to not hear.

Teppei felt Chiaki squeeze his hand in the instant that he spoke.

She isn't looking at him.
She isn't greeting him either.
She doesn't want to see him.

"Well, well," Teppei spoke up so Chiaki wouldn't have to. "If it isn't—what did you say your name was? Zanken? Zekin?"

"Zenki," he replied calmly. He knew this game. It was the 'Pretend the Enemy is a Worthless Little Nothing Who Means So Little That his Name Isn't Worth Remembering' game. Zenki played this game all the time, and he played it well.

"That's right. Zanki, good morning! Are you off to class looking like that? I don't think they'll let you in…"

Does Zenki look peculiar? Chiaki finally brought her eyes up to see him. Oh, geez! Why the hell would he come to school looking like that?! … It didn't take her long to realize he shouldn't be coming to school at all, and so she didn't allow this question to trouble her.

Zenki ignored Teppei. Now that he had her attention, he tilted his head toward Chiaki so Teppei couldn't mistake his words as being for anyone but her. "Good morning, you silly bitch."

"!!!!!" Chiaki was about to open her mouth to cuss Zenki out—
 
 

—when Teppei punched him across the jaw.
 

Zenki allowed his head to twist back slightly, but his expression never changed.

She could hardly believe it. No human had ever touched Zenki like that before! Well… maybe when he was restricted by his seals, but never when he wasn't! She was suddenly very concerned for Teppei's welfare. It was true that she didn't entirely trust him anymore, but she wasn't angry with him at all, and certainly didn't feel vindictive. And the fact that he had thrown that punch for her added to her desire that he not get killed.

But what could she do now?
You don't sock a demon god in the face and apologize for it.
You pay for it.

"That's my girlfriend you're talking to, punk!" Teppei declared.

Zenki broke out laughing. "That's my bitch you're calling your girlfriend, asshole!"

A gigantic sweatdrop adorned Chiaki's brow. She easily walked away from the two quarrelling warmongers as their dialogue quickly degenerated, and one of them finally jumped the other.

She didn't want to see either of them get hurt…
She didn't want to see either of them at all.
 

"Everyone stand!" the class president called.

Everyone stood.

"Bow!"

They bowed to their first period teacher.

"Be seated!"

They sat.

"Good morning students. Please pull out your text books and turn to page—"

"OH, MY GOD!" a girl sitting by the window cried. "THE NEW RICH BOY AND A GANG LEADER ARE FIGHTING IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL!!"

Chiaki grimaced and stayed seated as the class leapt to its feet and raced to the window, competing for a glimpse. Even the teacher struggled for a good spot.

Sayaka gasped. She turned and pushed her way out of the crowd, darting out of the classroom to the stairs.

"Sayaka?!" Ako and Chiaki called simultaneously.

Yuka followed in her path—
"I'm going to go get the principal!!"
 

Teppei threw a powerful fist that actually caused Zenki to stumble backward. The demon threw a foot behind him and into a tree trunk, using it as a jump point to throw himself back at Teppei. His elbow flew into Teppei's gut, and his blue eyes went wide as he coughed, staining the concrete below him red. His hand lashed up and grabbed the back of Zenki's neck, pulling him down as he simultaneously brought up a sharp knee. The two broke and squared off again.

Zenki was having fun. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun. He was actually bruising and bleeding, and Teppei was holding his own against him. He was only holding his power down slightly.

Teppei was having fun. He didn't get in many fights. All the bruising and the bleeding was a bit of a shock to him—he never realized that being punched hurt so strongly. But he continued to brace himself and dish it out the best he could figure how.

He focused his blue eyes and straightened, pulling back his fist and preparing to start again. He charged Zenki—
 

—and stopped his knuckles mere inches in front of Sayaka's face.

Shit! What is she doing here?! the combatants nearly said aloud.

When she realized she wouldn't be hit, Sayaka grabbed Teppei's wrist and swiftly pulled him away.

Zenki stood by, dumbfounded. He turned his head and spat blood onto the sidewalk. When he looked back at their retreating forms, they rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.

"Che. That sucks."

He kicked a pebble that was lying on the ground so hard that it became embedded in the brick wall surrounding the school grounds.

"THERE HE IS!" Yuka called, pointing Zenki out to the principal.

"Ah, shit!"

It became Zenki's turn to run for it.
 

Even after lunch, Teppei and Sayaka were both still missing. Chiaki couldn't keep herself from thinking about it. She had heard that Sayaka dragged him away, and she was glad that he was safe… but the fact that neither of them had returned…

Somehow…
It made her feel…
A little jealous.

Zenki, bruised and swollen in various places, watched her quietly from a tree branch that extended outside the window of her third-floor classroom. He disapproved of the look on her face. She was concerned—and he knew who about.

"Tuesday's test results were HORRIBLE!" the gorgon teacher exclaimed. "A few of you have blamed the erratic weather for making you feel ill. I hope that two days has been sufficient for you all to recover. I will administer the test again tomorrow. For many of you, this is a chance for redemption. So please study hard and practice at home!"

Oh, damn… I don't want to take that test again…
But I really need to get a good grade this time…

"Everyone take out your flutes," she commanded. "I want you to practice the score on page 45 of your music books."

Chiaki sighed and checked her desk for her flute.

Stupid girl… Zenki thought. She doesn't keep it in there, why does she keep checking her desk first?

She gave up on the desk and picked up her bag. She fished around inside for the flute.

Then her eyes widened at the terrible realization…
 
 

I left my flute at Teppei's house!!
 

He wished he could read minds when he saw her new expression.

Chiaki looked as though she had just been chosen for human sacrifice.
Zenki was determined to find out why…