DW DXD Remastered Chapter 5 Calm before the Storm (Patreon)

Fuyuki City, Park (Three days before Fourth Holy Grail War) 11:00 am

The faint chill of early winter lingered in the air, but Issei Hyoudou was drenched in sweat. His breathing came out ragged, each exhale forming a thin mist as he ran laps around the quiet park. His worn sneakers slapped against the pavement rhythmically, the sound of his effort echoing faintly in the empty morning.

“Why… am I doing this… again?” He muttered between gasps, dragging himself forward with sheer willpower.

(You’re the one who said you wanted to be prepared and ready for the war, partner.) Ddraig’s deep, rumbling voice resonated in his mind. (While your magical reserves are impressive, your physical conditioning is abysmal. If you tried using the Boosted Gear seriously right now, the power would crush your body before you ever hit your limit.)

‘Not to mention,’ Sherri added through the Dimensional Watch, her tone calm and methodical, ‘You need to be prepared for whatever the enemy has planned. Endurance and understanding are both essential.’

“I get that,” Issei panted, wiping sweat from his brow as he took a turn. “But… why are you making me do this and listen to a lecture at the same time?”

‘Because knowing is only half the battle,’ Sherri replied matter-of-factly.

“I swear, even if you explained all this magic stuff a hundred times, I’ll never get it. Can’t you just give me the cheat sheet version? Like… a few spells, some tricks, and skip the encyclopedia of ‘What the Hell is Thaumaturgy.’ I still don’t get what a Magic Crest even is! Or a Reality Marble!”

‘If I don’t explain everything, you’ll never understand the dangers you’re dealing with,’ Sherri countered, unrelenting.

(While I agree with you Sherri, it’s probably too much for him and he’s not wrong.) Ddraig’s tone softened slightly. (He’s not a magus and partner doesn't even have magic circuits, so most of their system doesn’t apply to him. But still, there is some merit in Sherri’s words that you must understand about the supernatural and knowing the basics of this world will keep you alive. You’d be surprised how much you don’t know about dragons.)

Issei groaned. “Yeah, yeah, I get it… still feels like you two are trying to turn me into a nerd instead of a fighter.”

“Go, Darling! You can do it!”

The voice broke through his fatigue like a spark. Issei turned his head, blinking in disbelief.

Standing near a bench under the shade of a tree was Tamamo, her pink hair glimmering in the sunlight. And she was dressed in… a cheerleader outfit. A very short one. With pompoms.

“W-what the hell…” Issei stopped mid-lap, nearly tripping over his own feet. “Tamamo, why are you—where did you even get that?!”

She giggled, twirling one pompom and waving it toward him. “Isn’t it cute? Hana-san and I watched a show last night about school festivals! I thought this would motivate you!”

It was certainly motivating… just not in the athletic sense.

‘Focus!’ Sherri’s voice snapped in his mind.

‘Can you blame me?!’ Issei mentally screamed.

Yuuka would have been there too, but Misuki had ordered her to attend school as usual. Something about “not letting the end of the world ruin her grades.” Yuuka had argued, of course, about how she could focus on schoolwork knowing that a deadly war was about to start. She wanted to be by Issei’s side, even if it meant skipping class.

For Issei, though, her absence was almost a blessing. Whenever Tamamo and Yuuka were together, they bickered like cats fighting over a sunny spot. Last night’s argument over who got to sleep next to him had been… an experience. He was starting to realize that the path to becoming Harem King came with emotional hazards no one warned him about.

“Why are you out here, anyway?” Issei asked, trying to catch his breath again. “I told you to stay in spirit form when we left. You know, for safety?”

“It’s boring being invisible!” Tamamo puffed out her cheeks adorably. “Besides, it’s such a lovely day for a date~”

“Date?”

“Mhm! Like in that show Hana-san and I watched! The one with the fireworks and the clueless boy who didn’t know that his childhood friend liked him.” She clasped her hands behind her back, looking far too pleased with herself.

Issei sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Look, I don’t mind spending time with you, but Sherri said there are familiars around here. The last thing we need is to get spotted by one. A girl as beautiful as you sticks out too much, it’s impossible not to notice.”

For a second, Tamamo froze. Then her ears twitched, and her tails, if they were visible, would have been wagging furiously. “Darling…” She said softly, her voice dripping with warmth. “You really know how to make a girl feel special.”

Issei blinked, confused. “Huh? I’m just saying the truth—”

“Darling!” She squealed, and before he could react, she lunged at him, wrapping him in a suffocating hug.

And by “suffocating,” it meant his entire world was now… Oppai.

‘Oh sweet heavenly Oppai,’ his brain whispered dreamily.

(Hey!) Ddraig roared in irritation. (Fox! Don’t interrupt his training!)

“Don’t interrupt our love, you overgrown gecko!” Tamamo shot back without missing a beat. “I’ll find a way to muzzle you, see if I don’t!”

(Try it, nine-tails, and I’ll roast your tails one by one—)

“Enough!” Issei yelled, flailing slightly as Tamamo’s grip only tightened. “Both of you, stop before someone actually sees us!”

They froze at that, though Tamamo still refused to let go immediately.

“Ddraig,” Issei started, trying to refocus, “earlier you said something about there being much to learn about dragons. What did you mean?”

(Ah, right. That’s something you should know.) Ddraig’s tone turned serious again. (Dragons—true dragons—are living catalysts. We attract everything. The powerful, the dangerous, the chaotic. Sometimes it's an opportunity. Sometimes it's a disaster. Like the situation, we're in now or the fox, now living with us. It’s why your life’s been anything but ordinary since you were born.)

“Meaning?”

(Meaning the world notices us. Even when we wish it didn’t. The people who cross your path aren’t accidents, partner. They’re drawn to your power, consciously or not. So… be careful who you let close.) Ddraig’s voice faded into a low hum, his words heavy with warning. 

Issei then returned to his run.

While Tamamo, sitting at the bench now, looked thoughtful for once. Her golden eyes softened as they followed Issei jogging along the path again. She rested her chin on her hand, tails flicking gently behind her.

“Darling really does attract trouble…” she whispered under her breath, smiling faintly. “Guess I’ll just have to make sure I’m the kind of trouble that keeps him safe.”

And with that, she returned to watching him run, cheering quietly now, her voice soft but full of warmth.

Issei, though exhausted, found himself smiling without realizing why.

Maybe, he thought, that was enough reason to keep running.

—-------------------------------------------

Homurahara High School 12:00 pm

The steady droning of the ceiling fan filled the classroom, blending with the teacher’s voice as he recited passages from the history textbook. Sunlight streamed through the half-open blinds, scattering warm stripes of light across rows of uniformed students. Most were diligently taking notes.

Yuuka Hana was not one of them. Her pencil hung loosely between her fingers, her notebook open to a page that had only two lonely lines of half-finished writing. Her eyes drifted to the window, where she could see the faint shimmer of heat rising from the school courtyard.

She was bored. No—beyond bored. The kind of restlessness that made every word from the teacher’s mouth sound like static.

Just days ago, she was the perfect student. The kind who sat straight, kept her notes organized, and planned every detail of her future. Getting into a good university had been the dream.

But now? Now she knows the truth, and met a boy who changed her life. Now it was difficult to try to listen to a lecture on the Tokugawa era after that.

“Seriously,” she thought bitterly, resting her chin on her hand. “How am I supposed to care about 1600 A.D. when my life turned into a mess?”

She glanced at the clock. Still forty minutes until lunch. Her thoughts drifted as they always did to him.

Issei Hyoudou. The boy who had literally broken her front door to save her. The boy who talked to a disembodied voice in his arm, carried a dragon inside him, and now lived under the same roof as her and her mother.

‘A Dimensional Traveler…’ She thought, almost laughing. ‘From another version of our world. With a talking dragon gauntlet and a fox goddess girlfriend.’

When she said it like that, it sounded insane. It was insane.

She sighed quietly. ‘Why couldn’t the guy who saved me just be… normal?”

It wasn’t that she disliked Issei. In fact, she liked him too much. Maybe that was the problem. He was kind, even when he was stupid. Brave, even when he was scared. And honest — sometimes too honest. The way he could look her in the eye and say what he was thinking, even when it embarrassed both of them, had a way of disarming her.

And then there was Tamamo.

Just thinking about the fox woman made Yuuka’s stomach twist. Tamamo was gorgeous, impossibly so. Everything about her screamed confidence and charm. The way she walked, the way she smiled, the way she always called him Darling. It made Yuuka feel… small.

She remembered confessing that insecurity one night while lying in bed beside Issei, the quiet of the house wrapping around them. He’d just laughed, not mockingly, but warmly and told her that Tamamo was beautiful, yes, but that Yuuka had something the fox didn’t.

When she asked what that was, his answer had been simple.

“You’re you. And that’s enough for me.”

Those words… they’d melted something inside her. Her heart had fluttered so hard she’d been sure he could hear it.

It could’ve been the perfect moment, maybe even their first kiss if Tamamo hadn’t chosen that exact time to slip into bed with them, announcing she didn’t want to “feel left out.”

Yuuka groaned under her breath, covering her face with one hand. “Damn fox.”

“—Hana-san?”

Her head snapped up. The teacher, an older man with graying hair and kind eyes, was staring directly at her from the front of the room. The entire class turned to look.

She froze. “Eh?”

He raised a brow. “Please tell me, Hana-san, what lesson are we currently on?”

Her brain emptied faster than a leaky faucet. “U-Um…”

A pause.

Then she bowed her head slightly, cheeks burning. “Gomen, sensei.”

The man sighed but smiled faintly. “You’re usually one of my more focused students, so I’ll let it slide this time. But please, try to keep up.”

“Yes, sensei,” She said, sinking into her seat.

The class resumed, the teacher’s voice fading back into its monotone rhythm.

Yuuka stared at her half-written notes again, but the words refused to stay still. Her mind kept drifting to Issei, to the way he smiled, to the ridiculous way he’d fumble when Tamamo teased him, to the strange warmth she felt when he said her name.

She tapped her pencil against the desk, her heart skipping slightly.

Maybe Misuki was right, she should focus on school. But with the Fourth Holy Grail War only days away, and a dragon-wielding pervert living in her house… Focusing on anything else was impossible.

—---------------------------------------

Homurahara High School 4:00 PM

The final bell rang across the courtyard, echoing between the cream-colored buildings. Students flooded out of the classrooms in cheerful chatter, their laughter carrying faintly through the crisp air.

Among them, Yuuka walked quietly, her schoolbag hanging loosely from one shoulder, her thoughts a thousand miles away. The setting sun bathed her in a soft amber glow as she stepped out onto the front steps of the school.

Her gaze was distant, unfocused, her mind circling one simple but oddly important question.

‘What would Issei love to eat today?’ She frowned slightly, her lips pursing as she walked down the steps. ‘He’s been training every morning lately. Maybe something hearty… But Tamamo probably cooks for him already, though.’ Her cheeks puffed slightly in mild annoyance at the thought of the pink-haired fox fussing over him in her cute apron again. ‘Tch. Of course she would. Probably feeding him by hand too.’

“Hana-senpai, wait!” A loud voice cut through her thoughts.

Yuuka turned around, blinking as she spotted a girl jogging toward her. Long brown hair swayed behind her like a banner, its tone lighter than Issei’s, almost golden-orange under the sun. Slung across her back was a kendo stick painted in an odd tiger-striped pattern.

Yuuka’s brows rose. “Tiger-san.”

The girl’s face twitched. “It’s Taiga!” She shot back immediately, her tone brimming with exasperation. “Jeez, everyone calls me that! Why does no one ever remember my real name?!”

Yuuka fought the urge to smirk. “Sorry. Habit.”

“Never mind that!” Taiga said, crossing her arms with a serious look that didn’t quite match her hyperactive energy. “I wanted to check on you! Are you okay?”

Yuuka blinked. “Huh?”

Taiga’s frown deepened. “Don’t ‘huh’ me! You were attacked by that serial killer, right? The one they just recently caught? You almost became one of his victims!”

Yuuka froze, the faint smile fading from her lips. “…How do you know that?”

“Ah—uh…” Taiga scratched her cheek nervously. “I might have, uh, overheard it. My family has a few… connections.”

“Connections?”

“My grandpa’s… kinda in law enforcement,” Taiga said quickly. The way she averted her eyes screamed that’s not the full story. “He mentioned it over dinner. Said there was a poor family that barely made it out alive. That was you, wasn’t it?”

Yuuka’s tone turned colder. “Well, as you can see, I’m fine.”

Taiga flinched a bit at the sharpness of her words. “Hey, I didn’t mean to pry! I was just worried!”

Yuuka sighed softly through her nose. ‘Great. The entire school probably knows now. What’s next, rumors about me dating my rescuer?’

But Taiga wasn’t finished. “Still… people have been saying you’ve been acting weird lately.”

“Weird?” Yuuka repeated flatly.

“Yeah!” Taiga leaned closer, her tone lowering conspiratorially. “Apparently, the ‘Studious Ice Queen’ of Homurahara High finally cracked.”

Yuuka stiffened. “...What did you just call me?”

“Don’t look at me like that! That’s what they say!” Taiga said quickly, raising her hands defensively. “It’s just everyone noticed you’ve been spacing out in class, not taking notes, smiling to yourself for no reason—”

“I do not do that.”

“—and blushing a lot!” Taiga finished dramatically. “Oh, and get this! When a boy bumped into you yesterday, instead of freezing him with your ‘filthy male glare,’ you actually apologized!”

Yuuka’s face burned bright red. “Wha—who said that?!”

Taiga shrugged. “Pretty much everyone on the second floor. So, what’s the deal, huh? Does that mean you don’t hate men anymore?”

Yuuka’s embarrassment quickly flared into defensiveness. “Why should I care about what people think of me? They can gossip all they want. And why do you even care?”

For once, Taiga didn’t retort with her usual energy. Her eyes softened slightly, her voice losing its usual teasing edge. “Because I was worried, okay?”

That simple sincerity disarmed Yuuka completely.

“When I heard what happened,” Taiga continued, rubbing her arm awkwardly, “I thought maybe you got hurt. Physically or… you know, up here.” She tapped her temple lightly.

Yuuka’s expression softened. “…I’m fine. Really. But… thank you.” Her tone was quieter now, genuine. For a moment, both girls simply stood there.

Taiga grinned, scratching her cheek. “Heh. Guess you’re not as scary as people say.”

“Guess you’re not as much of a loudmouth as people say,” Yuuka replied with a small smile.

“Hey!” Taiga’s indignant protest only made Yuuka chuckle.

“I’m serious,” Taiga said, a bit more gently this time. “If you ever want to talk about… whatever’s going on, I’m around, alright? Doesn’t matter if it’s about a guy or something else.”

Yuuka blinked, caught off guard by the casual mention. “What guy?”

Taiga smirked knowingly. “Oh please, the whole ‘smiling in class’ thing? You’re so not fooling anyone.”

Yuuka’s face turned crimson again. “It’s not like that!”

—--------------------------

The school day had wound down as students packed up and left, chattering about plans, and spilling out toward the main gates. Yuuka and Taiga walked side by side, the conversation between them still lingering in a light, comfortable silence. It was strange—after all the teasing, Yuuka didn’t mind her company at all.

But the quiet broke when a faint commotion stirred ahead.

“Huh?” Taiga blinked, shading her eyes with one hand. “What’s going on?”

A cluster of students had gathered near the school gate, murmuring among themselves. Excitement buzzed through the air, mixed with curiosity.

Yuuka frowned. “Did something happen?”

They drew closer—just enough for a familiar, slightly clueless voice to carry above the crowd.

“So, uh… can anybody tell me where Hana Yuuka is?”

Yuuka froze mid-step. Her heart skipped a beat. That voice—

“…Issei?” she whispered, eyes widening.

And there he was.

Standing in the middle of the gathered students like someone who had no idea what kind of attention he was drawing, brown hair sticking slightly from the wind, a jacket unbuttoned, and a thin sheen of sweat still clinging to his forehead. He looked more like he had run a marathon than visited a school.

The crowd was staring at him like he was an alien. A few girls whispered, trying to figure out who the mysterious boy was. Some of the boys just looked irritated.

“Wait, he knows Hana Yuuka?” someone muttered. 

“The Ice Queen? No way!” another whispered.

Yuuka felt her cheeks heat up as her heart raced. ‘Why is he here?!’

But despite the confusion, the moment he spotted her, Issei’s face brightened. “Yuuka!”

“Issei!” She didn’t think—she just moved.

The next thing anyone knew, she had darted through the stunned crowd and thrown herself straight into his arms. The impact made him stumble a step back, but he caught her easily, his grin widening in surprise.

“Yuuka,” He breathed, chuckling as she held onto him. “Man, it took me forever to find you. I asked a few people but they just stared at me like I had three heads.”

“Why are you here?” She asked softly, still not letting go.

He rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. “Well, I finished my workout early. Then Sherri told me you’d be done with class soon, so I thought… y’know, we could walk home together. You were kinda bummed you couldn’t come with me earlier, so…” His sheepish grin turned gentle. “I figured I could spend the rest of the day with you. Sorry, though—I’m still kinda sweaty.”

Yuuka looked up at him, eyes soft, lips parting slightly. “Issei…”

And just like that, the entire front gate exploded in whispers.

The students watching, especially the boys, couldn't believe what they were seeing. The infamous Ice Queen of Homurahara High, the girl known for her calm, distant attitude toward every boy in the school, was clinging to some random guy like a scene out of a romance drama.

“She’s smiling?!”

“No way! The Ice Queen has a boyfriend?!”

“WHY ISN’T IT ME?!”

Taiga’s jaw hung open. “Wha—Hana-senpai?!”

The scene looked straight out of a shojo manga—the sunlight catching Yuuka’s hair, Issei’s arms gently steadying her, their faces so close that even a whisper could bridge the gap.

The guys in the crowd groaned collectively, the girls either sighing dreamily or gossiping in shock.

“Wait!” Taiga blurted suddenly, stepping forward. “Who the heck is this guy?!”

Yuuka blinked, snapping out of her daze. “Ah! Right!” She turned slightly red, realizing how public this whole thing had become. “Issei, this is Taiga—my kouhai.” Then, before he could say a word, she added with a shy smile and a little too much courage for her usual self. “And Taiga, this is my boyfriend.”

The world went quiet.

Issei’s brain took exactly three seconds to process the words. “Eh—wait, what—me—?” He blinked rapidly, his face turning scarlet. “N-nice to meet you!” He stammered, bowing slightly in panic.

“Uh… likewise?” Taiga managed, eyes darting between them like she couldn’t decide if this was a prank or divine intervention.

Yuuka smiled nervously, tugging at Issei’s sleeve. “We’ll be going now, Taiga.”

“R-right,” Taiga muttered faintly, still frozen in disbelief as the two walked past.

The crowd parted like the Red Sea, all eyes following the pair as they headed down the street hand-in-hand.

The whispers erupted behind them again—half admiration, half disbelief, and more than a few jealous groans.

Taiga exhaled slowly, rubbing her forehead. “What the heck just happened…” A moment later, her lips twitched into a grin. “Well, I’ll be damned.” She slung her kendo stick over her shoulder and started walking home, still shaking her head with a smile.

______________________________

Fuyuki City, 4:45 P.M.

The sun had begun its slow descent, dyeing the quiet streets of Fuyuki in a warm amber glow. Children were heading home from cram school, the hum of passing cars blending with the faint chirping of cicadas.

And among all that normalcy, one scene stood out like a sore thumb,  a brown-haired boy being gleefully dragged down the street by an energetic, blushing girl holding his hand.

“Yuuka, wait—slow down!” Issei laughed breathlessly as she led him by the wrist, weaving through the narrow lanes of the neighborhood.

She turned to him with a bright smile that made his heart skip. “Come on, slowpoke!”

Her hand felt soft in his, her grip firm but warm. The contact made his thoughts spiral wildly. ‘I have a girlfriend!’ The words repeated in his head like fireworks going off. His heart thudded in his chest, his grin so wide it hurt.

(Looks like it, partner.) Ddraig’s amused rumble echoed in his mind.

‘You’re damn right it does!’ Issei shouted internally, still grinning like an idiot.

‘Congratulations, Master,’ Sherri added, her tone precise but somehow cheerful. ‘This marks a statistically significant milestone in your romantic development.’

‘What do I do now?! I’m not prepared for this!’

(You’re pathetic.) Ddraig sighed. (Didn’t you literally dream about this since middle school? You call yourself a future Harem King, and you’re freaking out over one girlfriend?)

‘It’s different when it’s real!’

(If you ask me, it’s karma. You’ve been fantasizing about harems for years, and the moment you get one girl, you act like a scared puppy.)

Sherri chimed in again. ‘And if you take Tamamo’s words at face value, you technically have a wife as well.’

‘Don’t remind me!’ Issei groaned internally.

“Issei,” Yuuka’s voice called gently, pulling him out of his mental chaos.

He blinked. “Yeah?”

She slowed her pace, glancing up at him with a faint frown. “I’ve been wondering…”

Her tone was light, but there was something sharp behind her eyes, a look Issei had learned to recognize as female intuition with a hint of danger.

“Where’s the fox?”

“Huh? Oh—Tamamo?” He laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s right beside us actually.”

Yuuka’s brow twitched. “...What?”

“You see,” He explained quickly, “to make sure nobody spots her, she turned invisible. She’s kinda… here, but also not here.”

Yuuka’s expression froze between disbelief and irritation. “Is that… so?”

“Yeah,” Issei continued, completely missing the shift in her tone. “I wanted to come alone, but Tamamo insisted. Said a wife should always stay near her husband.”

“Of course she did,” Yuuka muttered under her breath, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Mphh.” A very obvious snort came from seemingly nowhere, directly to Yuuka’s right.

She turned her head slowly toward the sound, her left eye twitching. “Ah, yes. I see she’s right here.”

“Ehehe…” Issei laughed nervously. “See? Told you she’s around.”

The air shimmered faintly for a moment—just enough for a faint outline of pink hair and fox ears to flicker into view before vanishing again.

Yuuka exhaled deeply through her nose. ‘Calm down, Yuuka,’ she told herself. ¿Don’t let her get under your skin. She’s invisible. Invisible means harmless. Probably.’

But then, she saw a leaf roll mysteriously along the ground beside her legs… then another… then another. Almost like someone invisible was flicking them at her legs on purpose.

Her smile tightened dangerously. “Tamamo-san, please stop throwing things at me.”

A faint, mocking giggle echoed in the air.

Issei, meanwhile, was oblivious, grinning at the way the light hit Yuuka’s hair. “Man, I forgot how nice this part of the city is at sunset. Makes me feel like I’m back home.”

Yuuka squeezed his hand suddenly, drawing his attention back to her. Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

“Hey, Issei.”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s have a date.”

He blinked. “Right now?”

“Of course.” She tilted her head, feigning a pout. “Unless… you don’t want to?”

Her lower lip jutted out in mock sadness, her lashes lowering just enough to make his heart panic.

“I—I do!” He blurted, waving his hands. “Of course I do! I just… Misuki-san’s waiting for us, and—”

“I’m sure Mom can wait,” She said sweetly, tugging him forward again. “Now come on!”

“Wait—Yuuka, slow down!”

Her laughter rang out through the quiet street, echoing with the soft clatter of their footsteps as she pulled him along toward whatever she had planned.

Behind them, a faint shimmering silhouette stood with arms crossed, golden eyes narrowing.

“Darling,” Tamamo’s voice muttered darkly, audible only to herself, “if that girl doesn’t stop touching you soon… I might forget how to be nice.”

And so, completely unaware of the brewing supernatural jealousy behind him, Issei Hyoudou followed Yuuka down the glowing street.

--------------------------------------------------

Fuyuki City, Shinto Shopping District, 6:00 P.M.

The evening lights had begun to bloom across the city, bathing the streets in soft hues of gold and pink. For most people, it was just another peaceful evening.

For Issei Hyoudou, it was the best day ever. He walked beside Yuuka through the busy streets, her hand looped through his arm as she led him from one stop to another.

‘A date,’ Issei thought, his heart fluttering with disbelief. ‘I’m actually on a date.’

It wasn’t their first outing together—they had done a “tour of the city” a few days ago to get him familiar with the area—but this one felt different. There wasn’t fear or tension hanging over them. No reminders of the serial killer. Just them—laughing, talking, being normal.

And he realized something. After everything that happened… Yuuka needed this.

—-----------------------------------------

Their first stop had been the arcade.

Yuuka had never been much of a gamer, so Issei found himself explaining almost everything. “Okay, so this one’s a fighting game. You just mash buttons and pray you win,” He said, grinning as he handed her the joystick.

“Pray?” she repeated with a skeptical look. “Shouldn’t there be skill involved?”

“Yeah, but skill is optional when luck’s on your side!”

He demonstrated, furiously mashing the buttons until the screen erupted in bright lights and flashing text. Then it was Yuuka’s turn who later gasped when her character suddenly won the round.

“I-I did it!” she cheered.

“See? Natural talent,” Issei said with a wink, proud of the smile blooming across her face.

She tried more games after that, racing, rhythm, and even claw machines. Her coordination was awful, but every time she lost, Issei encouraged her with a smile, eventually helping her win a small toy plush.

For Issei, the arcade felt like nostalgia. like a retro museum of his own world. Some machines were ancient versions of ones he recognized, while others were completely unfamiliar.

‘Weird,’ Issei thought. ‘Do the same creators exist in both worlds? Maybe there’s even a Hyoudou Issei somewhere here… nah, that’d be too weird.’

—-------------------------------------------

Afterward, they strolled through the shopping street.

The first store Yuuka dragged him into was a clothing boutique. The moment she spotted the display of trendy outfits, her eyes sparkled mischievously.

“What kind of clothes do you think would look good on me?” she asked, tilting her head.

Issei, very much unprepared for this kind of test, tried to stay calm. “Uh… something comfortable?”

Yuuka’s smirk deepened. “Comfortable, huh? Don’t you mean revealing.” She teased.

Issei quickly sputtered trying to deny it-

But Yuuka disappeared into the racks and came back holding a few outfits, each one a little less modest than the last.

Issei’s face went red as she pressed a low-cut sweater against herself. “You think this would be good for winter?”

He nearly choked. “Y-yeah, it’s… warm where it counts!”

Yuuka burst out laughing, enjoying how easily she could fluster him. For her, teasing him had become a guilty pleasure. For him, it was a battle between self-control and cardiac arrest.

—-----------------------------------

After that, Issei spotted a manga store and immediately pulled her in.

Again, he was struck by a sense of déjà vu. Titles he’d seen in his own world lined the shelves alongside ones he’d never heard of. ‘Is this like some multiversal copyright thing?’ He wondered. ‘Maybe Toriyama-sensei’s stories are timeless across worlds.’

Yuuka wandered into the romance section, drawn by the pastel covers and sparkly-eyed heroines. “These stories are so dramatic,” she said softly, flipping through a volume. “But… it’s kind of nice.”

“You like that kind of thing?”

“Maybe,” she said with a smile. “Girls dream about moments like that sometimes.”

Issei blushed faintly, watching her tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

—---------------------------------

Their final stop of the day was karaoke.

It was Yuuka’s idea, her classmates had gushed about how fun it was, and she wanted to see what the hype was about.

They rented a private booth, the lights dim and cozy. For a while, it was perfect. Issei queued up an old anime opening, Yuuka laughed at his dramatic singing, and he cheered when she shyly picked up the mic for a song of her own.

Her voice, to his surprise, was clear and warm.

“Wow,” he said softly as the music faded. “You’re amazing.”

She hid her face behind her hands, flustered. “You’re just saying that.”

“Hey, I mean it! Compared to me, you sound like a professional.”

“Oh, please, you weren’t that bad.”

He grinned sheepishly. “You’re just being nice.”

The next song began, and just as Yuuka started swaying with the beat—

The air shimmered.

“Darling~!” Both froze as Tamamo materialized out of thin air in a swirl of pink light, wearing a jealous pout and, of course, a glittery mic of her own.

“Tamamo!” Issei groaned. “You said you’d stay invisible!”

“You two were having too much fun without me!” She huffed, crossing her arms. “Unacceptable! I deserve a date too!”

Yuuka’s brow twitched. “Well you're butting into my date.”

“Correction: You're the one butting between me and Darling.”

“Correction again: I’m the one he’s walking home with.”

The tension in the room skyrocketed.

“Alright, alright! Everyone calm down!” Issei pleaded, stepping between them. “Let’s just… all sing together, okay?”

The two women glared at each other, tails (visible or not) twitching in silent competition, but eventually, both sat down—one on each side of him.

And somehow… the argument dissolved into laughter.

Yuuka sang first, Tamamo followed with an elegant melody, and Issei—utterly tone-deaf—joined in, making both girls giggle uncontrollably. For once, there was no jealousy, no fear, no war hanging over their heads.

Just laughter and peace.

When the night ended, the three walked out of the karaoke box under the glowing city lights.

Issei looked at them, Yuuka’s soft smile, Tamamo’s playful grin and felt his heart settle into something gentle, something real.

‘If only things could always be like this’, he thought. ‘No wars, no monsters. Just this. Just us.’ Peace, he decided, was the greatest wish he could ever ask for.

Done with the remastered version of chapter 5. Tell me what you think and if I made any mistakes. Glad I was able to fix this one. Out of all my chapters, this one was always the weakest one that needed fixing.