Sorting out the final miscellaneous details with Tamao-senpai and her Swimming Club took another hour. Our talks were nothing dramatic, per se, just the boring stuff you would have to get straight when building an organisation, where the small details could be the life-or-death details. We established some form of communication and emergency contact methods, mainly our flip phones.
By the time we stumbled out of the Swimming Club building, the sun was starting its slow crawl toward the horizon. The festival was winding down around us, students filtering toward the dorms or other evening activities, their voices carrying across the campus in that lazy post-event buzz.
Kurumu had attached herself to my right arm somewhere during the negotiations and made it very clear she had no intention of letting go while Moka didn't shy away from claiming my left arm.
So there I was, walking through Yokai Academy like some kind of harem protagonist, sandwiched between a succubus and a vampire, with a fluffy winged creature hovering above my shoulder and a tiny bat familiar tucked into my pocket.
What can I say… Life was kind of ironic. When I don't try my best not to get both of them entangled with me, they are actually sharing?
Ahh, I guess not because I can spot the sparks of tension whenever they would look at each other.
"So," Kurumu said, breaking the awkward silence, "the Newspaper Club. Really? Haven't you visited so many interesting clubs that we can join together? Why pick this one."
"You got a problem with that?"
She tilted her head, considering. "I mean... it's just papers. And words. And sitting around." She shuddered dramatically. "Sounds boring. Like, who even reads the newspaper anymore? Do students actually line up for that stuff?"
I couldn't help but smirk.
"You haven't noticed how crowded the Newspaper Club's bulletin board gets whenever they release something?"
Kurumu blinked. Moka tilted her head, thinking.
"Now that you mention it," Moka said quietly, "I have seen crowds there sometimes. I just never paid attention to why."
"Exactly." I nodded. "Think about it. In an academy this size, with this many students, how do people find out what's happening? There's no internet here, no MySpace, no TVs, there's not even a radio station for the whole Academy that would do school-wide announcements that actually tell you anything useful."
"The Newspaper Club is literally the only game in town for news."
I could see the gears turning in Kurumu's head.
"So you're saying..."
"I'm saying imagine the potential. It would be so easy to build a network of correspondence from the students volunteering to work with us. If we deliver something trustworthy, say like CNN, gaining the admiration of the student body would be nothing but a piece of cake."
"You want to expose bullies, shine a light on corruption, fight back against hidden enemies?" I shrugged. "The Newspaper Club can do all of that."
Moka's eyes widened slightly.
"And with a little magic, we can speed up the whole process. Production, distribution, all of it." I grinned. "Sure, there might be some actual work involved. But the payoff? Huge."
Kurumu was quiet for a moment, processing, until she sighed dramatically as she realized the convenience of being inside the Newspaper Club.
"Fine. You've convinced me. But only because you're the one asking." She squeezed my arm tighter. "And because I'm not letting you out of my sight with this pink mosquito being around."
Moka made a scoffing sound, a sharp "hmph," and pulled me closer to her, which had the side effect of squishing Kurumu's face into my shoulder.
Kurumu cuddled there for half a second before snapping back like she'd been shocked. Her face withdrew, but her eyes were blazing.
"You pink-haired mosquito did that on purpose!" She jabbed a finger at Moka. "Just say you're jealous of how close me and Tsukune have gotten. You can't monopolize him anymore!"
Moka's expression didn't change, but there was a definite smugness in her voice. "I'm not jealous. I'm simply... maintaining my position."
"Your position? What position? You're not even his girlfriend yet!"
"Neither are you."
Kurumu's mouth opened, then closed. Her tail lashed behind her.
"That's—that's not the point!"
I stepped in before the sparks became actual fire.
"Ladies." I raised my free hand in a placating gesture. "Can we not make a scene? We're in public. People are staring."
They both looked around. A few passing students quickly averted their eyes.
Kurumu huffed but subsided. Moka's grip on my arm loosened, just slightly.
Moka tilted her head, fixing me with those green eyes. "You had other reasons for choosing the Newspaper Club, didn't you? Something to do with a particular teacher?"
I laughed nervously, but I didn't deny it.
"Since Shizuka-sensei asked me to check on her club with the intent of having me join, I couldn't refuse her." I shrugged. "She's been good to me since the first day. Helped me navigate the Academy, gave me pointers on how to handle certain troublesome teachers—like Ririko-sensei and Ishigami-sensei."
I let my expression turn conspiratorial.
"I'd feel bad if her club shut down because nobody joined. Seems like the least I can do."
I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice.
"Besides, there's another advantage to becoming a student of Shizuka-sensei. If you build a closer relationship with her, she might teach you Senjutsu. Maybe even some of her unique Youjutsu techniques."
Kurumu's eyes went wide. Her tail stopped mid-lash.
"Wait. Wait wait wait." She grabbed my arm with both hands now. "She can teach us that? The thing that lets you sense energy and read people and all that crazy stuff?"
"That's the gist of it, yeah."
She was growing in excitement. "Would she really teach us? I mean, if we joined her club and did good work and stuff? I don't even care if it's the full Senjutsu—just some strong Youjutsu would be amazing. I need to get stronger."
Moka was quiet, but I could see the interest flickering in her eyes. She couldn't access Inner's power directly—the rosary made sure of that. But if there was another path to gaining strength, one that didn't rely on unleashing her other half...
She nodded slowly. "That would be... valuable."
I grinned. "See? Told you the Newspaper Club was a good idea."
The walk to the Newspaper Club room took us through a quieter part of the campus, past buildings that looked older than the rest, their architecture leaning into that weird mix of traditional Japanese and gothic that seemed to be the Academy's whole aesthetic. Students we passed gave us looks—some curious, some wary, some straight-up intimidated.
The rumor mill was already working overtime.
A group of first-years huddled together as we passed, their whispers carrying just enough for me to catch.
"That's him. That's Aono Tsukune."
"The one who beat Tamao Ichinose? No way. He doesn't look that strong."
"Looks don't matter, idiot. I heard he went full vampire mode and just destroyed her. Like, turned into some kind of monster with wings."
"Ohoo, Wings? Seriously?"
"I'm just telling you what I heard. My stupid friend was there. Said the whole pool turned red and mermaids were flying everywhere."
A girl in the group shuddered. "And he's just walking around like normal now? With those two hanging off his arms? Why do I suddenly feel sick in my stomach?"
"I hear you, man. Those are Moka Akashiya and Kurumu Kurono. The prettiest girls in the first year."
"No way. Both of them?"
"Both of them. At the same time."
The guy's expression shifted to something between awe and jealousy. "How does he do that?"
I bit back a laugh and kept walking.
'You think being a harem protagonist is easy? You have no idea how pitiful I am right now.'
'I can only thank my multithreaded consciousness, but even this otherworldly ability of Vampires is overwhelmed by those two demanding babes.'
Further ahead, a cluster of upperclassmen watched us with more calculating expressions. Their whispers were quieter, more measured.
"So the rumors were false. He's not human."
"Clearly not." Another one crossed his arms, studying me like I was a puzzle to solve. "The real question is what kind of vampire he is. Ichinose isn't a slouch to lose to just anybody that challenges her. She might have a cute face, but her teeth can turn razor sharp in an instant to bite your head off."
A third leaned against the wall, arms behind his head. "Interesting news. That much power as a first-year? That's either insane talent or insane bloodline."
"Could be an old bloodline. One of the noble families." The first guy again. "Is it the Western Branch or the Eastern Branch of Vampires?"
The second guy shook his head. "I wish he was an Eastern-branch Vampire, like the Chinese or Japanese ones since they are weaker than the Western ones. Would make things easier."
"We'll have to see." The third guy pushed off the wall. "Until further info is gathered on him, let's not try our luck to kill him because of those rumors that he might be a human. The scent is dim, and there's plenty of explanations for that."
A fourth guy, who'd been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up with a bitter edge to his voice. "What? I was looking into killing this bastard for stealing those two hot babes. That little hotty, Kurumu Kurono, even ignored my confession and used her Hypnosis to get me off her tracks."
The others snorted.
"You? Kill him?" The second guy laughed. "You couldn't kill a fly."
"Shut up! You're just as jealous as I am. Don't pretend you weren't thinking about it."
"I was. But I'm also not stupid enough to pick a fight with someone who just took down the Swimming Club." The third guy shrugged. "You want to get yourself killed, be my guest. Just don't drag us into it."
The bitter one muttered something under his breath but didn't argue further.
I made sure to remember their faces as I walked away, for later activities if they ever chose to face me. In hindsight , they were potential assets or potential problems, depending on how things shook out inside the Academy.
And, not only the guys were gossiping, in fact, I could hear a pair of girls whispering behind cupped hands as we passed.
"He's kind of hot, isn't he? In a scary way."
"Scary hot is still hot. And look at those two fighting over him. He must be good at something."
"Moka-san and Kurumu-san? They're both gorgeous. What does he have that they both want?"
"Maybe we should find out."
I felt Kurumu's grip tighten possessively. Her tail lashed once, a clear warning to anyone watching.
Moka's expression didn't change, but her hand on my arm might have squeezed just a fraction harder.
"Ahem." I cleared my throat, loud enough for them to hear. "Don't worry, girls, I'm not that much of a horndog that wags his tail at any girl. I have my standards, okay?"
Both girls replied at the same time: "You better not!"
Then they looked at each other, blinked, and immediately turned their faces away with matching "hmph" sounds.
I bit back another laugh.
What struck me most was how quickly the "Tsukune is human" rumors had evaporated. Now, I couldn't get used to the new stares.
(Ririsa's POV)
Meanwhile, somewhere else in the Academy, the Disciplinary Committee's headquarters occupied a wing of the main building that most students avoided. The corridors were clean, well-lit, and utterly empty—no one wanted to be caught lingering near the place where judgment was dispensed.
Ririsa Kuchiba sat in her office, long black hair spilling over her shoulders as she reviewed the day's reports. Her burgundy eyes moved slowly across the pages, cataloging infractions, planning responses, doing the actual work that kept the Committee running while Kuyo did whatever Kuyo did.
A knock at the door.
"Enter."
Hiyashi slipped in, his sharp features arranged in an expression that immediately put Ririsa on alert. The baboon demon wasn't one for subtlety, but right now he looked almost... uncertain.
"What is it?"
"There's news." He hesitated, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "About that first-year you told me to watch for. Aono Tsukune."
Ririsa's pen stopped moving. She looked up slowly.
"What about him?"
"There's news that he fought Tamao Ichinose at the festival." Hiyashi's voice was carefully neutral. "Beat her. Beat the whole Swimming Club, actually."
Ririsa's eyebrow rose a fraction of an inch.
"Looks like the human rumors were wrong," Hiyashi added.
Ririsa leaned back in her chair, processing this information. The boy who'd caught her attention at the festival, the one whose scent had been so intriguing, so different... he'd taken down the president of the Swimming Club, who was someone who could even put up a fight against her.
"I see." She tapped her fingers against the desk. "So he's not human after all."
"Doesn't look like it. Unless he's a human who wields a Sacred Gear, but it wouldn't make sense for such a person to be recruited by the Headmaster. It would conflict with the ideal of making Refuge for the Yokais."
Ririsa considered the possibilities and waved a lazy hand, silencing Hiyashi mid-thought. The baboon demon shut his mouth with an audible click.
'A dhampir, maybe? Half-human, half-vampire?'
'That could explain the confusing scent. Or perhaps he is such a human that was taken in by the Headmaster to be groomed as a weapon for us Yokais.'
Regardless, her interest hadn't diminished. If anything, it had grown.
"A dhampir, perhaps," she murmured to herself. "Or we're played by the Headmaster all this time." A slow smile curved her crimson lips. "Nevertheless, I still want a taste of you Aono Tsukune."
"Just to satisfy my curiosity."
Hiyashi blinked "Even after the news that he beat Ichinose-san, you still want a taste of him?"
"His blood, you idiot." Ririsa's voice was flat. "Don't be crude."
"Right, right. Sorry."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Keep your ears open. I want to know everything about this Aono Tsukune. His habits, his friends, his schedule. Any rumors, any news—I want to hear it."
Hiyashi nodded. "And if we find something useful?"
"Then you bring it to me." She turned back to her reports. "Dismissed."
He hesitated at the door.
"What?" Her voice carried an edge. "Anything else you have to report?"
"Kuyo-sama is in the detention block, again. He's... relieving some stress, again..."
Ririsa's eyes twitched. "By beating someone?"
"He had a few prisoners brought up. Said he needed to unwind after the festival."
She pinched the bridge of her nose, a long-suffering sigh escaping her lips. "That brutish fool and his violent tendencies. Now I have to clean up after him again if he accidentally kills one of those roaches in the cells."
She waved her hand. "Fine. I'll deal with it. Just go."
Hiyashi fled.
Ririsa stared at the door for a long moment after he left, her burgundy eyes cold.
"If only you weren't a monster, I would have killed you for making me act as your little maid, cleaning after all your trash."
"Maybe I should just abandon the Committee and not join any groups for a while. I'm spending my free time dealing with all the administrative work of the Committee while that braindead fire fox just does whatever he wants."
"But if I leave, who protects the students from him? Who keeps him from going too far?"
She didn't have an answer.
With another sigh, she rose from her desk and headed for the door.
'Time to play babysitter again.'
---
(Tsukune's POV)
The Newspaper Club was tucked away on the base floor of an old building that smelled like paper and dust and something vaguely sweet—incense, maybe, or whatever Shizuka-sensei used to keep her cat ears perky. The door was half-open, light spilling out into the hallway, and from inside I could hear...
...heavy breathing?
Kurumu stopped walking. "What's that sound?"
Moka's nose wrinkled. "I don't know, but it's—"
We pushed the door open.
The room was small but cluttered. Stacked newspapers everywhere. A few desks pushed against the walls. A window that looked out over the courtyard. And in the corner, hunched over a desk with his back to us, was a guy with shaggy hair and a cheap camera clutched in his hands.
He was staring at the camera's display screen with an expression that could only be described as deranged. His mouth was open slightly. A thin line of drool was making its way down his chin. His eyes—those were the worst part. Glazed over. Hungry. The kind of look that made you want to shower just from seeing it.
"Ohhh," he breathed, his voice high and reverent. "Ohhh, these are good. These are really good. The angle on that one—yes, yes, yes—"
Kurumu made a sound of pure disgust while Moka hid behind my shoulder, also having an expression that told a lot of what she thought of this person..
I coughed.
The guy jumped. His camera flew out of his hands, clattering to the floor as he spun around with the panicked expression of a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. For a second, he just stared at us, eyes wide, mouth opening and closing like a fish.
Then his gaze landed on Moka.
Then on Kurumu.
And the sparkle returned.
Not the deranged sparkle from before—this was different. It felt as if he had spotted two Mona Lisa's or Giocondas, and the sparkle was so overwhelming in intensity that the girls instinctively stepped back.
"Oh," he said, straightening up and running a hand through his hair in what he probably thought was a suave gesture. "Oh, hello there. Welcome, welcome to the Newspaper Club!" He stepped forward, arms spread wide. "I'm Morioka Ginei, president of this fine establishment. And you two lovely ladies are...?"
He completely ignored me, no he didn't even glance in my direction, too focused on looking at the girls.
Moka and Kurumu exchanged a look, and for all their newly found rivalry in having me alone, they had a certain understanding of each other. Kurumu's expression said something among the lines of 'Is this guy for real?' while Moka in her own meekness, could only scream internally a 'I want to leave. I didn't sign up to be stared down by a pervert.'.
[Name: Gin Morioka]
[Threat Level: A(Werewolf)]
'A-tier. Of course he was. Because why would anything in this academy be simple?'
"Uh," Kurumu said, clearly thrown by his intensity. "Kurumu Kurono. First year."
"Moka Akashiya." Moka's voice was flat. "Also first year."
Gin's eyes went impossibly wide. "Kurumu Kurono? Moka Akashiya? The Kurumu Kurono and Moka Akashiya? The ones everyone's been talking about?" He clasped his hands together. "The beauties of the first year, right here in my humble club! This is—this is—" He seemed to be searching for the right word. "—destiny!"
Kurumu raised an eyebrow. "Destiny?"
"Absolutely! Think about it! Two gorgeous girls like you, joining the Newspaper Club? The articles we could write! The coverage we could do!" His eyes got that glazed look again. "I can see it now... exclusive photo spreads of our new idols... intimate interviews, such as learning the three sizes or what you liked for your future boyfriend (me?)... the readership would explode—"
Moka took another step back.
Kurumu's eye twitched violently.
They both turned to look at me.
Their expressions said the same thing.
'Help us, Tsukune!'
I sighed.
"Ahem." I stepped forward, positioning myself slightly in front of them. Not aggressively—just enough to break his line of sight. "Gin-senpai."
He blinked, finally noticing me. "Hmm? Oh. You're still here."
This arrogant attitude, combined with such a blatant display of perversion directed at what I now considered my girlfriends, made me shift my initial approach. The polite first-year act wasn't going to work with this guy. He'd just walk all over me if I let him.
"Unfortunately for you, yes." I kept my voice calm, but there was an edge to it now. "We're here to join the club. But not because of how great you've made this place."
I let my gaze drift around the empty room, the dust-covered desks, the general atmosphere of neglect.
"By the way, where are the rest of the club members? Did you harass all the girls out of it, while the boys ditched the moment they saw your unhinged behavior?"
Gin's smile faltered. A muscle in his jaw twitched.
"Since I'm feeling generous, Gin-senpai, let me give you some friendly advice for the future." I met his eyes. "You might want to work on your recruiting technique. Staring at people like they're a five-course meal tends to make them uncomfortable."
Gin's face went through several expressions in quick succession. Confusion. Offense. A flash of genuine anger. For a moment, the mask slipped, and I caught a glimpse of his pervert face shattering as I noticed his jaw lengthening along with his canines growing.
A low growl rumbled in his throat.
For half a second, I thought he might actually attack, and for this reason I prepared myself by utilising my increased Bloodline Control in enhancing parts of my body by turning them Vampiric, such as my eyes, muscles and nails.
'The amount of time inside the Ghoul transformation has increased since I leveled up by Bloodline Control.'
'My stats should have increased even in my Ghoul form based on my default state.'
'I am ready if a fight breaks out.'
'But he will not attack. No one has joined his Newspaper Club and he's at risk of being closed down sooner or later.'
Then as I expected, he caught himself, recalling his Yokai transformation. However, the burning behind his eyes didn't lessen as much as he still growled at me for a bit.
He forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"And you are...?"
"Aono Tsukune. Class 1-B. Same as these two."
For a moment, nothing happened. He just looked at me, assessing. Then his gaze drifted upward—to the tiny winged creature hovering above my shoulder. The kuriboh tilted its head and chirped.
Kuri?
Then his eyes dropped to my pocket, where my vampire familiar's little red eyes were peeking out. The bat stared at him with an intensity that was almost comical coming from something so small.
Afterwards, he looked straight into my eyes, and I let them remain in such a state. I'd learned a trick recently with my enhanced Bloodline Control—I could induce Vampirism in specific body parts at will. It had become almost easy now. So I let my eyes shift, just slightly.
It was nothing dramatic, just established from the start that I wasn't a 'weakling' he could step over just because he was a Werewolf.
Gin's expression flickered and for a moment I saw a flicker of recognition in his gaze. His eyes narrowed while his posture shifted, becoming more alert.
"You're..." He trailed off, then shook his head. "Never mind. Kohai." The word came out flat. "I'll remember your advice. So you're here for the application forms, I assume?"
"If you've got them. Or maybe I should go directly to Shizuka-sensei and fill them with her?"
Gin's eye twitched. He mocked my tone under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear: "If you've got them... My ass."
He turned to his desk, rummaging through the chaos with surprising efficiency. After a moment, he produced a stack of papers and held them out—to Moka and Kurumu.
"Here you go, ladies! Just fill these out and bring them back whenever. And if you have any questions—any questions at all—my door is always open." He smiled, all charm again. "I'm very... available."
Moka took the forms with the enthusiasm of someone accepting a death warrant. Her hand actually trembled slightly as she reached for them, like she expected the paper to bite her.
Kurumu just stared at hers like it might burst into flames. She held it between two fingers, as far from her body as possible, her expression screaming what fresh hell is this.
Gin turned to me. The smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Forms are on the desk. Grab one yourself. Since you know your stuff, I bet you don't need my help either."
He didn't offer to hand it to me.
I walked past him, glancing at the desk where the forms sat. As I did, something stirred in my pocket. My vampire familiar, perhaps sensing my irritation, poked its tiny head out. Its little red eyes locked onto Gin.
Then it spat.
A glob of bat saliva landed directly on Gin's cheek with a wet plop.
Gin froze. His hand slowly came up to touch the wet spot. His expression cycled through shock, disgust, and then a flash of pure, unfiltered rage. For a second, I thought he might actually transform right there. His features started to shift, fur rippling across his skin, his jaw lengthening—
But he didn't. His fists clenched along with his jaw tightening. And then, with visible effort that made his whole body tremble, he forced himself to relax because he couldn't create another mess by letting his impulses distance people away from him.
I couldn't help it. The look on his face—like he'd just eaten a pile of shit—made a dark chuckle escape me.
"To be fair, I didn't tell it to do that. Must be a misunderstanding on its part."
Gin wiped his cheek with his sleeve, his eyes —if they could kill—would have ended me already, but this is only the first dish I am willing to serve . Once we become club members and you start gooning and perving over Moka and Kurumu, I have even more in store for you.
Another chuckle got out when I saw him breathing heavily, hyperventilating to maintain his control.
Behind me, Kurumu snorted. I glanced back to see her covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. Moka was hiding a smile behind her hand, her green eyes dancing with amusement.
Even the kuriboh chirped happily, doing a little spin in the air as if celebrating the bat's successful attack.
Both Kurumu and Moka kept their distance from Gin after that, sticking close to me as we grabbed forms and found seats at a relatively clean table in the corner. They'd rather have me guide them through the application process than risk another encounter with the resident pervert, who was now muttering darkly to himself while scrubbing his face with a handkerchief.
I'd had plenty of experience with paperwork in my previous life. The secret to not messing up bureaucratic forms was simple: read everything twice before signing. It had never betrayed me.
So I took my time, reading each line carefully, while the girls watched and mimicked my approach.
"Make sure you read everything before you write anything," I told them quietly. "These forms can have hidden clauses. Nothing dangerous, probably, but you never know."
Kurumu nodded seriously, her brow furrowing in concentration as she scanned the first page.
Moka did the same, her lips moving slightly as she read.
Gin, after cleaning himself up, tried to be helpful. He hovered nearby, offering unsolicited advice and commentary.
"You don't need to read that part, it's just standard language—"
"Actually, I do." I didn't look up from my form. "Standard language can hide non-standard clauses. I'll read it, thanks."
He opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it. His eyes flicked to the bat in my pocket, then to the kuriboh on my shoulder, then back to my forms.
He hovered near Moka, trying to explain a section she was already reading.
"If you look at section B, paragraph three, it explains the club's policy on—"
"I can read." Moka's voice was quiet but firm. She didn't look up.
He hovered near Kurumu, attempting to compliment her handwriting.
"Such elegant penmanship for a first-year! You must have had excellent—"
"Go away." Kurumu didn't even bother with politeness. "I'm concentrating."
Each time, the girls shot him looks that could curdle milk. Each time, he retreated for a moment before coming back, like a fly that couldn't understand why everyone kept swatting at it.
It was almost impressive, in a sad way.
By the time we finished filling out the forms, I'd added "persistent" to my mental list of Gin's qualities. Annoying, perverted, and persistent. A dangerous combination.
Moka handed her form to me for a final check. Kurumu did the same. I scanned them quickly, comparing them to my own, making sure everything was filled correctly.
"Good," I said, nodding. "You both did fine."
Gin perked up immediately. "Excellent! I'll make sure Nekonome-sensei gets these right away." He reached for the forms, his fingers stretching toward them.
I held them just out of reach.
"We'll deliver them ourselves. Thanks."
His smile strained. "But as president, I really should handle the administrative—"
"I'm sure Shizuka-sensei would love to see us." I met his eyes, letting the crimson flicker again. Just a flash, there and gone. "We're her new students, after all. Only right that we introduce ourselves properly."
"Fine, fine. Take them yourselves. Not like I can stop you." He waved a hand dismissively.
I nodded and headed for the door, the girls flanking me.
As we left, I heard Gin mutter under his breath: "Aono Tsukune. First-year, my ass. I will teach you a lesson tommorow. Trying to destroy my chances at such babes, unforgivable."
I smiled and kept walking.
The moment the door closed behind us, Kurumu let out a breath she'd been holding.
"What. The. Hell. Was. That?!"
Moka just shuddered, still pressed against my shoulder.
I couldn't help it. I laughed.
"It's not funny!" Kurumu whirled on me, her tail lashing. "I have seen many perverts drooling after me, but not like this. It felt like a dog drooling after a piece of meat."
"Your attitude was also bad, there Tsukune-kun."
"Me? I did shield you girls. But you also have to defend yourself. Did he harass you? Apart from being a pervert creep, which I can't change, I kept him in check."
"Besides, your reactions were precious." I held up my hands in mock surrender.
Kurumu was close to using her tail to strangle me, but I used Moka as a shield.
"Sorry, I promise I will not laugh next time."
"Liar," Kurumu muttered, but the corner of her mouth twitched.
Moka pulled back slightly, her hand still resting on my arm. Her expression shifted, becoming more serious.
"Tsukune." Her voice was quiet. "That guy... Inner says he's not simple. She felt something powerful in him, especially when you provoked him. When he got angry, his energy spiked."
I nodded, not surprised, but I was aware of what Yokai he was based on the Anime and now the info I received from the System Identification Feature.
"I know what he is."
Both girls looked at me, curious.
"He's a werewolf." I glanced back at the closed door. "A-tier. He is among the stronger ones in the Academy. Not S-tier as Nonko-senpai or Haru-senpai, ahh, and especially not as strong as Moka."
Kurumu's eyes widened. "A-tier? That pervert?"
"Power doesn't care about personality." I shrugged. "He could probably tear through most of the students here if he wanted to. But he won't, especially not with us since he needs us to keep his club alive."
Moka absorbed this, her brow furrowed. "So we have to work with him? With someone like that?"
"It is what it is. You girls need to be careful around him, and don't lower your guard and expose your panties to him. He might take pictures of your assets."
"I'm planning to go straight to Shizuka-sensei when discussing important headlines. As far as I am concerned, Gin can handle the spicy topics, keep his title and his camera so his ego isn't hurt."
Kurumu's expression shifted from concern to something almost like admiration. "You thought this through."
"Someone has to."
She snorted but didn't argue.
---
The teaching staff room was on the second floor of the main building, a sprawling space filled with desks, filing cabinets, and the quiet rustle of papers. We found Shizuka-sensei at her desk, half-hidden behind a mountain of documents, her cat ears twitching as she worked.
She looked up as we approached, and her face broke into a warm smile.
"Aono-kun! And you brought friends!" Her eyes crinkled with delight. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
I stepped forward, holding out our application forms.
"We're here to join the Newspaper Club, Sensei. If you'll have us."
Shizuka blinked. For a moment, she just stared at the forms in my hand. Then her eyes went wide, and her ears shot straight up.
"You... you're serious? All three of you?"
Kurumu nodded. Moka gave a small, shy smile.
"We talked about it," I said. "Seemed like the right choice."
Shizuka took the forms from my hand with the reverence of someone receiving a priceless artifact. She scanned them quickly, her expression cycling through disbelief, joy, and something that looked almost like relief.
Then, before any of us could react, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around all three of us in a crushing group hug.
"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Her voice was muffled against our shoulders, but the emotion in it was unmistakable. "You have no idea how much this means! The Student Council was going to shut us down next weekend if we didn't get new members! I was this close to losing my club!"
I patted her back awkwardly. "It's our pleasure, Sensei. Really."
She pulled back, beaming at us with eyes that were slightly wet. "You have no idea how many recruitment drives I've done. How many posters I've put up. How many times I've begged students to give us a chance." She laughed, wiping at her eyes. "And then you three just... walk in."
"Ahh, a weight got off my chest. I have not failed my own senpais by disbanding the Newspaper Club."
Kurumu shifted, looking almost embarrassed by the display. "Well, Tsukune convinced us. Said it was a good opportunity."
Shizuka turned to me, her smile softening. "You've always been a good student, Aono-kun. From the very first day. I knew I could count on you."
I rubbed the back of my neck. "I try."
She hugged us again, quicker this time, then stepped back and composed herself. "So! Forms accepted. You're officially members of the Newspaper Club." She paused, glancing at the door. "Did you meet Gin?"
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
"We... met him," Kurumu said carefully.
Shizuka's ears drooped. "Ah. I see." She sighed. "He's... a handful. I know. But he's actually a good journalist when he focuses. Very dedicated. Very passionate."
"Passionate about photography," Moka murmured.
Shizuka winced. "Yes. Well. That." She straightened, forcing a smile. "But if he does something that upsets you girls, make sure to tell me, I'll handle Gin properly this time."
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure we can rely on him if something goes wrong? He seemed more interested in the girls than the club's actual work."
Shizuka's expression flickered. For a moment, she looked tired. Hopeless, even.
"He's not a bad person," she said quietly. "Just... lost. He has talents, real talents, but he can't seem to see past his own... urges." She shook her head. "I keep hoping he'll grow out of it. Find some direction. But..." She trailed off, shrugging.
I nodded slowly. "Well, as long as we're working with you mostly, I think we'll manage."
She clapped her hands together. "Wonderful! Now, go get some rest. It's been a long day. We'll start fresh tomorrow."
---
Outside the Academy the walk back to the dorms was quiet, the festival's energy faded to distant echoes. The sun had fully set, leaving the campus bathed in moonlight and the soft glow of path lights.
Kurumu and Moka flanked me as always, their rivalry momentarily set aside in the comfortable silence.
We reached the split in the path—the girls' dorm to the left, the boys' to the right.
"Same time tomorrow?" Kurumu asked.
I nodded. "We'll meet at the club room after classes."
She squeezed my arm once, then released it, heading toward her dorm with a final wave.
Moka didn't let go.
I looked at her, curious. She was staring at the ground, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Moka?"
She took a breath, then another. Then, before I could ask what was wrong, she stepped closer, rose on her toes, and pressed her lips to my neck.
This wasn't a kiss per se, even though her lips made contact with my skin. She just bit me.
Her fangs sank in with that familiar sharp sting, and I felt her draw my blood, just a mouthful, just enough. Her arms wrapped around me, holding tight, and for a moment she wasn't the shy, timid Outer Moka instead became quite assertive.
Kurumu had frozen mid-step, ten feet away, staring with wide eyes.
"WHAT THE—" Her voice was cut off, strangled.
Moka pulled back, licking the tiny wounds closed with a swipe of her tongue. She met Kurumu's gaze, and there was something in her green eyes that I'd never seen before. A flash of possessiveness.
"Payment," she said quietly. "For earlier. He owed me."
Kurumu's mouth opened and closed. Her tail lashed with a wave of emotions that overwhelmed her.
"That's—you can't just—in front of me—!"
Moka turned and walked toward the girls' dorm without another word, her steps light, almost skipping.
Kurumu looked at me, scandalized. "Did she just—did she really—"
I touched my neck. The wounds were already healed.
"Goodnight, Kurumu-chan."
She sputtered incoherently for a few more seconds, then threw her hands up and stormed off after Moka, shouting something about "unfair advantages" and "vampire privileges."
I watched them go, a smile tugging at my lips. It seems that the path into an Harem wasn't impossible with these two girls, but what matters is that Inner is also having feelings for me.
Hahh, life was never boring around here.