𝚕𝚎𝚐𝚊𝚌𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚢 𝚐𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚝 [𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯]

🏐 TWENTY SIX 🏐

Morning practice went well, everybody showed up and put in enough effort to get them decently sweaty. Yusei walked Jiga to his class because she had heard he had been skipping. Well, more like she dragged him to class.

"I have a bruise around my neck thanks to you!" Jiga seethed as he slammed his tray onto the cafeteria table beside Yusei. She glanced at him, then back to her food without comment. "What? Nothing to say for yourself?"

"Don't provoke 'im today Jiga-kun, he's in a mood." Kataoka warned, sitting on the other side of Yusei.

"And how would you know?" The ace asked lowly, turning towards the make dramatically. He swallowed.

"Well, uh, it's just that, uh, when you're in a mood you, errr, get super quiet and then you like, uh, burst when someone pushes your buttons-" Kataoka tried to explain, which made Yusei snicker.

"I suppose you're right. I'll try not to blow up on anyone." She said as her lips curled up. "I got most of my aggressions out last night."

"Oh yeah? How'd you do that?" Nishioka butted in, sitting opposite Yusei as Akagi and Yakoya followed suit. Shrugging, the ace's smile turned into a devious smirk.

"Guess you'll never know."

"Hey guys! Why's the atmosphere so tense over here?" Sorey asked, his attitude light and happy as he plopped down next to Kataoka, Mikleo sitting beside him.

"Nothing to worry about."

"Dad's being sketchy." Jiga answered.

"And son's about to get punched."

"Even after last night?"

"My knuckles are perfectly capable even after last night."

"So you WERE fighting last night!"

"I admit nothing."

"Wait, I'm confused." Miyake raised his hand. "Why are we suspicious of what Yusei did last night?"

"I spotted him outside my window at around midnight, and he admitted that he was out but won't say what he did." Nishioka explained, so Miyake nodded.

"Well if he was outside of your window isn't that kinds creepy-"

"Not that kind of outside, as in he was walking by my house." He corrected. Yusei snickered at them, it was so fun to watch.

"Hey guys! Did you hear? Some guys were found all beat up in an alley not far from here!" Arinori called, jogging over with Shino and Reijiro in toe.

All eyes went to Yusei.

"Man, I should get new minions who can actually keep secrets." Yusei pretended to be disappointed, crossing her arms and shaking her head.

"Wait, it was you?" Shino gulped, and the three minions immediately apologized for bringing up the subject as Yusei gave them a dark look.

"Whatever, they probably would have found out either way." She sighed, leaning back slightly as she gauged the table's reaction. It was a mix between disappointment (Nishioka), indifference, annoyance (Jiga) and awe (Sorey).

The rest of the day went by fairly normally, except after practice when Yusei was buying everyone meat buns. "How do you have so much money, Udai-senpai?" Sorey asked.

"I'd tell ya but it's technically illegal so I'm not at liberty to disclose." She out a finger to her lips and winked at him, so he got the hint and dropped the topic.

None of the others seemed to want to question it, all just taking their pick and offering their thanks and goodbyes as they all headed home. "Hey Yusei, mind if I sleep over?" Kataoka asked.

"Sure." Yusei agreed.

"Tch, who sleeps over on a school night?" Jiga humphed, crossing his arms and turning his head away. Yusei sighed.

"Did you want to join us?"

"Who would want to join you?" He stuck his tongue out, so she shrugged and started walking with Nishioka and Kataoka. "H-hey! Wait up!"

"I thought you said you didn't want to?" Yusei threw a smirk over her shoulder, which made the demon prince blush slightly as he looked away.

"S-shut up! I never said anything like that.."

"Suuuure ya didn't." Yusei went along with it, and soon Nishioka waved goodbye as he headed to his own house, leaving the three at the Udai's.

"Welcome back Yusei! Oh, and friends!" Mrs. Udai smiled as her daughter walked into the house, followed by Kataoka and Jiga. "I don't think we've met."

"I'm Tadakuni Jiga, it's nice to meet you Udai-san." Jiga bowed, actually acting polite. The sight made Yusei snort.

"And it's nice to meet you as well, Jiga-kun." Mrs. Udai responded, then glanced at Kataoka. "It's good to see you again too, Kataoka-kun."

"Hi!" He grinned widely at her in return. "Sorry to intrude!"

"Think nothing of it, I'm glad Yusei is getting to spend some time with you guys." She smiled, "now go on and wash up, I'll have dinner ready in no time~"

"Yes ma'am." Kataoka and Jiga replied, and Yusei couldn't help snorting again as her mother went back into the kitchen.

Dinner went well, everyone was cheerful and Yusei's parents dubbed Jiga their grandchild after she told them he was the demon prince. He went along with it, liking the attention.

"W-wait, hold on a sec-" Jiga's eyes were wide as he stared at Yusei. "You're a girl?!"

"Didn't I tell you first years?" Yusei frowned, tugging her shirt the rest of the way on.

"I don't think you did." Kataoka said, which increased the span of Yusei's frown.

"Oops. Looks like I know what I'm doing first thing tomorrow."

"B-BUT HOW ARE YOU SO GOOD?!"

"Ah, now there's the recognition."

"OF COURSE I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE THAT YOU'RE GOOD NOW THAT I KNOW YOU'RE A GIRL LIKE WHAT THE HELL?! HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!"

"Training. And lots of it." Yusei grinned at him, patting his shoulder. "Now stop yelling and get in bed."

"W-we're sleeping in the s-same bed?!"

"Yeah, got a problem?" She raised an eyebrow as she slipped under the covers, Kataoka immediately wrapping his arms around her and spooning her. Jiga sweat dropped.

"Uhh, guess not..." He slowly followed suit, and as he flipped over to face Yusei, he could see her smile and open her arms. "I'm not cuddling."

"You sure?"

"Yes." He defiantly turned away, so with a sigh Yusei let him do as he wished and turned in Kataoka's arms, closing her eyes and talking asleep.

Meanwhile, Jiga was a blushing mess. The guy he looked up to was actually a girl. Oh jeez, I can feel the crush coming on... He groaned into his hands, trying to keep himself quiet as he wallowed in embarrassment.

Soon after his pity party, Jiga fell asleep as well. As he slept, the first year slowly migrated over to the nearest heat source and curled into it. By the next morning, the three were so entangled that no one couldn't tell where one ended and another began.