Chapter 492: Kouhei and Kyouka, Part 1

Kouhei and Kyouka were having a little car date together. It had been quite a while since they had last gone on a date or even spent any proper time together, so Kouhei felt that he needed to set aside some time for her, especially since his schedule had been so packed lately. Now that he finally had a little free time, he wanted to spend it with Kyouka instead of letting another day pass without getting the chance to be with her.

"It’s surprising that you suddenly asked me out on a date," Kyouka said with an amused expression as she kept her eyes on the road.

"Well, it’s been a while since we last hung out together," Kouhei replied. "I know I’m supposed to spend time with you too, but finding the time hasn’t exactly been easy lately. That’s why, now that I finally have some free time, I want to spend it with you."

Kyouka blushed at his words, and a gentle smile appeared on her face. "You really didn’t have to go out of your way to do that for me, you know. Just knowing that you love me is already enough to make me feel loved."

Kyouka understood how busy Kouhei was at the moment. Although she didn’t know all the details about what he was dealing with, she knew that Kozue’s life was in danger and that they desperately needed information to find a way to cure her. Naturally, that situation was far more important than something as simple as going on a date.

Of course, Kyouka still wanted to spend time with Kouhei whenever she could. She was his girlfriend, after all, and there was nothing strange about wanting to be with the person she loved. However, she also understood that she wasn’t his only girlfriend, and that meant Kouhei had several other people he wanted to spend time with as well.

Although Kouhei had told all of them that he didn’t prioritize one girlfriend over another and that he loved them all equally with his whole heart, Kyouka understood that things weren’t always that simple in practice. Even if he genuinely loved them all equally, he couldn’t possibly spend the exact same amount of time with everyone when their schedules and circumstances were different. Some days, he might have more opportunities to spend time with one girlfriend, while other days, someone else might get that chance instead.

It wasn’t something she could reasonably blame him for, especially considering everything he was currently dealing with.

"Besides, I think finding a way to cure Kozue should be more important than anything else right now," Kyouka continued. "You really don’t have to worry about me, Kouhei-kun. I can wait until you have more free time."

Kouhei could tell that she genuinely meant what she said, and he appreciated her understanding more than he could easily explain. Still, he didn’t want to simply accept her reassurance and leave things at that. He wanted to make sure that Kyouka knew she was important to him, too.

After all, no matter how busy he became, he still wanted to spend as much time as possible with his girlfriends. He knew that he couldn’t always give them all the attention they wanted, but that didn’t mean he wanted to stop trying. If he had a little free time available, then he wanted to use at least some of it to make them happy.

Besides, it wasn’t as though spending time with Kyouka was some kind of troublesome obligation he needed to squeeze into his schedule. He genuinely wanted to be with her, and that was precisely why he had asked her out in the first place.

"Looks like we’re here," Kyouka announced as she began slowing the car down.

They eventually stopped at a park that was still relatively close to the Kouhei Faction’s territory, although it was far enough away that people from their usual surroundings were unlikely to show up. It was a quiet place where they could spend some time together without worrying too much about someone recognizing them or asking unnecessary questions.

Kouhei looked outside the car for a moment before turning toward Kyouka.

"Are you sure you want to stay here, Kyouka-san?" he asked. "I mean, we could always go somewhere else if there’s a place you’d rather visit."

"I’ve never actually been on a proper date before," Kyouka admitted with a small smile. "Well, I’ve never had a normal date like this, anyway, so I’m honestly happy that you brought me somewhere outside our usual surroundings. It feels nice to have a chance to go somewhere different with you."

Her words made Kouhei pause for a moment.

He hadn’t really thought that something as simple as taking Kyouka to a park would mean so much to her. To him, it was just a matter of finding somewhere quiet where they could spend time together without attracting unwanted attention. For Kyouka, however, the experience itself was something she had never really gotten to enjoy before.

The reason they couldn’t go out together as often as they wanted was fairly obvious. If someone happened to see them together, it could easily cause a bit of an uproar, especially considering their relationship.

Although Kyouka was currently working as a teacher, Kouhei was still a student, and that alone was enough to make their relationship complicated if anyone discovered it. The fact that both of them were demons didn’t necessarily make the situation any easier, either, since no one knew about them.

Honestly, it sounded like the kind of relationship that people might find entertaining in a manga. The teacher and the student secretly dating each other, meeting in quiet places and trying to avoid being discovered, could easily become the premise of a romantic comedy.

Unfortunately, their lives weren’t actually a manga, and the people around them wouldn’t necessarily treat the situation as something amusing or romantic. Even though Kouhei’s life had already become so ridiculous that it sometimes felt as though he had stumbled into the plot of a particularly chaotic series, there were still limits to what people would accept.

A relationship between a teacher and her student was definitely something that could attract criticism, especially if the details became public knowledge. It wouldn’t matter how much the two of them genuinely cared about each other, because some people would judge the situation before even trying to understand it.

Of course, Misuzu could probably erase the memories of anyone who discovered their relationship, provided she had a reason to do so. That would solve the immediate problem of people remembering what they had seen, but it wasn’t something they wanted to rely on unnecessarily.

Manipulating people’s memories was a serious matter, and using that ability whenever an inconvenient situation arose would hardly be a sensible approach. Besides, there was always the possibility that doing so could create even more problems than it solved. It was much easier to avoid drawing attention in the first place.

That was precisely why they had decided to come here instead of staying near the mansion. Since the park was far enough from their usual surroundings, the chances of running into someone who recognized them were much lower.

For once, they could enjoy a little privacy without having to worry about someone suddenly appearing and ruining their date.

"Should I just start attending school as a student?" Kyouka asked after giving the matter some thought. "That way, we wouldn’t have to keep going somewhere else whenever we wanted to spend time together. I could simply meet you at school, and we wouldn’t have to worry so much about being seen together outside."

She paused briefly before continuing, her expression becoming a little more thoughtful.

"Besides, I feel uneasy knowing that you’re away from the mansion. I can’t help thinking that you’re putting yourself in danger."

It was a fairly natural conclusion for Kyouka to reach, considering the circumstances surrounding Kouhei’s life. She wanted to spend more time with him, and she also wanted to make sure that he was safe.

Although Kyouka certainly didn’t look like a typical student, given her mature appearance and the fact that she was already an adult, she could technically still enroll as one if they adjusted the necessary details and information to accommodate the change.

It wasn’t as though they were dealing with an ordinary situation, after all. If they wanted to make it happen, they could probably find a way to arrange everything without too much difficulty.

"Uh..." Kouhei awkwardly scratched his cheek as he considered her suggestion.

For some reason, he found himself having a hard time answering her immediately. It wasn’t that he disliked the idea of having Kyouka around more often. Quite the opposite, actually, since having more opportunities to spend time with her sounded wonderful.

However, there was another reason he wasn’t particularly eager to see her change her current position.

Kyouka noticed that Kouhei was blushing slightly, and her expression quickly shifted into one of curiosity.

"I kind of want you to stay the way you are," Kouhei admitted, his voice becoming a little quieter as he looked away.

It was definitely his personal preference showing itself. Although he knew that their relationship could be considered taboo by some people, the fact that he was dating a teacher was something that made him feel strangely fortunate.

He wasn’t particularly interested in explaining the entire thought process behind it, mostly because he suspected that saying everything out loud would make him sound rather embarrassing. Still, the idea itself made him happy, and he couldn’t deny that he liked the situation more than he probably should.

Kouhei had no intention of making Kyouka uncomfortable about her position, of course. He simply preferred things the way they were, and the thought of her remaining a teacher was something he found appealing.

Kyouka noticed his reaction almost immediately.

Rather than becoming upset, she smiled and nearly let out a chuckle. Seeing Kouhei blush and struggle to explain himself was honestly refreshing, especially when he was usually so occupied with the many problems surrounding him.

For a moment, he didn’t look like someone who had to deal with dangerous situations, complicated plans, and the countless responsibilities that seemed to follow him wherever he went. He simply looked like an ordinary highschooler who was embarrassed because his girlfriend had caught him revealing a personal preference.

And Kyouka found that side of him rather endearing.

"Come here, Kouhei-kun," she said, reaching toward him with a playful smile.

Before Kouhei could properly ask what she had in mind, Kyouka took hold of him and led him toward a particularly dark and secluded spot nearby.