#date with mukami

[married-to-google-translater]

Can you tell us your top 5 husbandos?

Yeah sure. My list rarely changes, but now something has changed.

Kanato Sakamaki #5

Ummmm….

guys I really don't know how to say this….

But Kanato is kind of relatable.

Before you ask yes I'm mentally fine and no I don't need professional help lol. (If you don't know what this means, good luck reading the fanwiki.)

So I am an autistic person. And Kanato has small traits that make him relatable. His obsession with certain things, aversion to places with a lot of people, the assumption that everyone assumes the worst about you and difficulty dealing with changes.

These traits are not true for all autistic people, but they are true for me. So that's why I find Kanato relatable. And that's also the reason why he attracts me like a magnet.

And that's why he's so high on this list.

+ Hes kinda canon yandere lol. I love write for those.

Malleus Draconia #4

Malleus Malleus Malleus Definitely one of my favorite characters from twst. Maybe also a bit in the canon yandere category.

I really like the Malleus character desing and backstory. It hits me. He is also a character that is really nice to write.

And every night I cry because the Malleus figure was the only one that never went on sale in the country where I live :(

Leviathan #3

Definitely my second favorite character. Originally the reason why I got to know Otaku culture. I really like the way the character is made.

I also apparently have a thing for characters with tails. I have no idea where it comes from.

But Leviathan is also really relatable and moody.

JUST LOVING HIM <3

Douma #2

Same thing that with Kanato. I'm fine and I don't need professional help XD

Not even I find Douma relatable lol

Listen, everyone has their own character through which they got to know the fandom, and for me, Douma is that character.

I really REALLY REALLY like how he's done. His backstory is good as is his desing and pasta god bless the person who handled his Japanese dubbing.

This just works. Hits just the right spot and I can't wait for us to get more screen time for him.

Azusa Mukami #1

I have been an Azusa simp since 2018. This man was perfection in my opinion at the time and I have had no reason to change my opinion over the years.

I LOVE this man. Everything is perfect. EVERYTHING.

The dubbing of the character is perfect, I like his backstory and his appearance.

And I am one of those people who have read game translations. In them, if you make your choice correctly, Azusa is a wonderful cinnamon roll… Aaaaaaah

I just love him... And its pity we no have Azusa merch ;(

Plz send me Azusa requests...

[seaoflove07]

☕️Coffee Date☕️

🔪Azusa & Me🌹

I’m a coffee addict so I had to choose the coffee pose option. 😆

Photo done on the Neka App. I’m not tagging anyone specific but I will share the Link to everyone if you want to create your own.

NEKA

[kannra21]

I had to go through my old phone to find an important person's number, but when I turned it on, I was instantly reminded of who was there before Obey Me boys were even a thing. 😂

They're basically incomparable. They're not even remotely similar. The boys on the right were literally so toxic but for some reason everyone liked it. 😭😂 Who would've thought that vampires could be more effed up than the actual demons.

OK, apparently, it's a common trope that in every fictional family you have- 1) sibling who thinks he's better than anyone else 2) sleepy-head 3) the flirt 4) sibling with unique hobbies 5) anger issues 6) DILF 7) big boi who likes food

Let's be honest, DL art is drop-dead gorgeous. It's so beautiful. Other games could never. But OM has a bunch of good boys who genuinely care ab MC.

So it's rly difficult to decide which game is better. 😅 I just love em all.

[ruki--mukami]

A wild Ruki appeared!

@iricathel has selected hold hands!

"Just a little longer, Irina. We're almost there. There's a rare sight I would like to show you, one that can only be seen tonight."

Hand in hand with his beloved wife, the charcoal-haired Vampire with locks akin to the night sky overhead admiringly brushed his slender and elegant fingers against hers, strolling through the verdant forest not too far from their abode on a surprise excursion. Umbra surrounded the two as branches adorned in pendulous sprays of aromatic foliage swayed in the vespertine gale, caressing their hair no lighter than a feather. Every so often, he would give the Owl's hand a gentle, almost possessive squeeze, despite the woods lacking signs of another presence aside from the natural fauna inhabiting the woodlands. At long last, they finally encountered a clearing atop a hill that soared above the city lights and neon landscape.

"Ah, here it is. After you."

A convenient garden bench summoned by his familiars earlier stood on the hill with enough seating room for just the two of them. When the sun set and the darkness crept in, the constellations glittered in the endless expanse, twinkling like celestial jewels. Before Ruki could utter another word, a shooting star descended across the sky like a cosmic reminder of the vast world around the couple. The special occurrence left in its wake small particles of light; and then another one followed soon after as if chasing its predecessor into the dusk. Without releasing Irina's hand, the Vampire admired the stellar sight, holding his wife in a soothing embrace.

"Absolutely breathtaking," he said in awe. "Almost as much as you are. The bright streaks in the sky are certainly captivating, though nothing more. They say if you wish on a shooting star, your wish will come true, but oddly enough I fail to think of anything that I cannot already obtain with my own two hands. That's because I have already married the woman I love with every fiber of my being. Shall we stay here for a moment and observe the falling stars a while longer? I rarely while away the time like this, but I'm glad to do so with you."

[askazusablog]

“I’m ready Azu. Do you think they have a coffee flavor ice cream?”

Fufu I am sure... they might have it...

That place has... a lot of different... flavors...

[afra-blueraz]

I can imagine Ruki and Yui in this date. Gosh it's so cute 🥺🥺🥺💞💞💞

DIABOLIK LOVERS Para-Selene Vol.12 Mukami Ruki Animate Tokuten CD

Original title: DIABOLIK LOVERS Para-Selene Vol. 12 無神ルキ アニメイト 各巻購入特典ドラ

Source: Diabolik Lovers Para-Selene Vol. 12 Animate Tokuten CD

Audio: Here

Seiyuu: Takahiro Sakurai

Translator’s note: What better date spot for Ruki than a book cafe? This man really has an obsession with literature after all. I’m not much of a reader myself, but Ruki’s natural charms could probably win me over to start reading more lol. I do wish the CD elaborated more on the picture book which the MC gave him though. It was really cute how she sees him in such a different light than he sees himself and it got me intrigued about the actual plot of the story. Unfortunately, it got completely forgotten afterwards as the focus shifted to the book Ruki picked out for her instead. 

Keep reading

[reisprettytestsubject]

DL Master List |Hcs Pt.3

Updated: 06/01/24

Sakamaki | Mukami | Tsukinami + others

♥️School/Studying/Class with the S bros + K

♥️School/Studying/Class w the M & T bros

♥️Gardening w Yuma (Bf hcs)

♥️Yuma's Dream Girl

♥️The Diaboys react to Megan

♥️Mukami Boys Family + Household hcs

♥️Sakamaki & Tsukinami brothers Family + Household hcs

♥️Shin's Wolf Form (Bf hcs)

♥️Mukami's as single parents

♥️Academic Rivals to lovers w Reiji

♥️Where they like do it

♥️Subaru's girl smoking

♥️Reiji Teasing his lover

♥️Ruki and Reiji like the same woman

♥️reaction to a girly gf

♥️can I stack donuts on it reaction

♥️online dating reaction

Dark Content/Realistic Hcs up ahead ♥️Their Italian names

♥️What happens to the Diaboys after Yui/Mc dies?

♥️The diaboy's handwriting

♥️Their age (more info)

♥️Shu irl hcs (has some crack pieces)

♥️Christa Sakamaki irl hcs

♥️Cordelia Sakamaki irl hcs

♥️Beatrix Sakamaki irl hcs

♥️Reiji's temper (not hcs)

♥️Karl having a relationship ship with his daughter

♥️ Who is capable of loving their S bride/how much do they value her?

♥️ Kanato Sakamaki NSFW Alphabet

♥️Azusa Mukami NSFW Alphabet

♥️Yuma Mukami NSFW Alphabet

♥️Sakamaki Mansion irl

♥️Reiji and Ruki realize they are in love w a girl

Collab posts with @/mikalara-dracula

♥️The boys as children irl

♥️Extended Vampire Ball Alphabet + Additional Hcs [Shu's Vers.]

♥️Nicknames they would give their s/o

♥️Diaboys having a wet dream

Other DL Links;;

♥️DL General Questions Master List

♥️DL Hcs Master List Pt. 1

♥️DL Hcs Master List Pt. 2

♥️DL Aesthetic + Hcs Master List

♥️DL Stories

♥️Who's your boyfriend quiz?

Main/request at: @liannelara-dracula

[reareaotaku]

Masterlist IV [Complete]

Masterlist V | Masterlist III | Masterlist II | Masterlist I Updated: Aug. 28, 2024 [9:39 PM CDT] * = Slight Nsfw/Nsfw Content

Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice & Lydia Deetz Headcanons

Lydia Deetz

Beetlejuice & Lydia Deetz Headcanons

Goofy Movie

Max Goof

She Said See You Later, Boy [Pt. II of He was a Skater Boy] Birthday Celebration Max Goof Headcanons Max NSFW Headcanons* Max Dating Headcanons

Bradley Uppercrust III

Bradley Headcanons Birthday Celebration Bradley NSFW Headcanons*

Peter Pete Junior "P.J."

Birthday Celebration

Bobby Zimmeruski 

Birthday Celebration Bobby Headcanons*

Tank

Birthday Celebration

Goofy

Birthday Celebration

Teen Mutant Ninja Turtles

Michelangelo 'Mikey'

Mikey Headcanons

Donnie

Sweet Pretty Thing

Stranger Things

Mike Wheeler

I Wanna Be More Than Friends

Victorious

Tori Vega

Victorious Main Cast Headcanons

Andre Harris

Victorious Main Cast Headcanons

Cat Valentine

Victorious Main Cast Headcanons

Robbie Shapiro

Victorious Main Cast Headcanons

Beck Oliver

Victorious Main Cast Headcanons

Jade West

Victorious Main Cast Headcanons

Spiderman

Miles Morales

Miles Morales Headcanons Another World

Gwen Stacy

Yandere! Gwen Stacy Headcanons

My Babysitter's a Vampire

Ethan Morgan

[Yandere] Ethan Morgan Headcanons

It

Richie Tozier

First Kiss

Emperor's New Groove

Yzma

Male! Yzma Headcanons

Turning

Miles Fairchild

Impress a Crush New Girl

Dork Diaries

Mackenzie Hollister

Mackenzie Hollister Headcanons

Malcom in the Middle

Reese Wilkerson

Reese Wilkerson Headcanons

The Middle

Axl Heck

Love Thy Sister's Friend Axl Heck Drabble

Kim Possible

Kim Possible

Being Friends w/ Kim Possible [& More]

The Goldfinch

Theo Decker

But I Love You

Boris Pavlikovsky

Yandere! Boris Pavlikovsky Headcanons

Diabolik Lovers

Kou Mukami

Yandere! Kou Mukami Headcanons

Azusa Mukami

Yandere! Azusa Mukami Headcanons

Carmen Sandiego

Graham Calloway

Yandere Crackle Headcanons

Inside Job

Brett Hand

[Toxic] Brett Hand Headcanons

Gravity Falls

Bill Cipher

Bill Cipher Headcanons Bill in Prison Equally Obsessed Reader Hate, Hate, Hate Yandere Bill Cipher Headcanons Yandere! Ford vs Yandere! Bill Jealous/Yandere Bill Headcanons

Reverse Pine Twins

Rev! Pine Twins vs Pine Twins Keep You Here [Pt II]

Pine Twins

Rev! Pine Twins vs Pine Twins Monster Fall AU Monster Falls [Pt II]

Dipper Pines

Aged Up! Dipper Pines Romantic Headcanons Reader who can Jump Dimensions

Stan Pines

Teen! Stan & Ford Pines Headcanons Monster Fall AU Lost in Town [Pt I] Stan Pines Headcanons Yandere! Stan Pines Headcanons

Ford Pines

Teen! Stan & Ford Pines Headcanons Monster Fall AU College Ford w/ Painter Reader Yandere! Ford Headcanons Yandere! Ford vs Yandere! Bill Stanford Gleeful Headcanons Enemies 2 Friends to Something More* Hot & Sweaty * [^PT II] Good Morning I Can't Have You*

Peanuts

Schroeder

Schroeder Headcanons

Phineas and Ferb

Jeremy Johnson

Jeremy Johnson Headcanaons

Ferb Fletcher

Ferb is quiet as a mouse

Fairly Oddparents

Periwinkle 'Peri' Fairywinkle-Cosma

Peri Headcanons Human Reader More Peri x Human Reader Headcanons Peri x Toothfairy!GN! Reader

Scream

Billy Loomis

Prank Call

Game Of Thrones

Daenerys Targeryan

A Knight

Bran Stark

Yandere! Bran Stark Headcanons

Superman

Jon Kent

Apple of My Eye

Batman

Damian Wayne

Apple of My Eye

Dick Grayson

Watcher or Stalker?

Tim Drake

Tim Drake Headcanons

The Umbrella Academy

Five Hargreeves

True Hate-filled Love

Mean Girl

Regina George

Regina George Headcanons

Own Characters

Rich Boy Lucas

Kidnapping Lucas

Arcane

Jinx

Yandere! Jinx Headcanons

Coco

Miguel Rivera

Miguel Headcanons

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Prince/Fire Lord Zuko

Yandere Zuko Headcanons

Katara

Katara Headcanons

Avatar Aang

Avatar Aang Headcanons

[bubblespalace]

can i have the Mukami’s reactions to finding out that They have a crush on the Sakamaki’s younger sister?

"How poetically sad. I'm in love with a woman who thinks impure vampires are repulsive... I shall have to charm her."

"Fufu~ Another thing I can tease Subaru-kun about, I'm gonna date his younger sister!"

"Aw man, and she has to be related to that NEET. I'm gonna have to fight for this chick, huh?"

"Kanato-kun... Will keep me away from her... But I'll always come... I'll endure more pain for her..."

"Fufu~ In this way... She'd be causing me pain."

[ruki-mukami-dl]

With his eyes fixed on the pot, Ruki opened the kitchen cupboard and took out a spice without looking at it. Before he refined the simmering dish, he realized at the last moment that he was holding cinnamon in his hand. Staring angrily at the Christmas seasoning, he immediately realized that one of his brothers had adjusted the jars. But which one of them would mess up the spice cabinet? It was probably Azusa in search of his shichimi spice...

As Ruki put the cinnamon back in the cupboard, he remembered last Christmas and his date with Yuriko. This year's festive season would soon be upon us and the dark-haired man wondered whether he should surprise his wife with some homemade Christmas cookies.

Quickly, Ruki sprinkled in the missing seasoning to the stew and then reached for his phone. While he stirred the food every now and then, he searched for recipes on the internet. A small smile spread across the vampire's lips when he found what he was looking for. Without neglecting to finish the dinner, Ruki wrote down the ingredients needed for the cookies on a piece of paper.

With his mind already on baking, he pushed his notes and the pen aside and stirred the tonight's meal again. Just as he was about to add the chopped vegetables into the pot, the blue-gray eyed man noticed Yuriko's presence. Continuing his doing, he listened to her words. Pleased with the diligence of his beloved, Ruki praised the young woman. "Oh? That is great. You did so well."

Enjoying her touch, he placed his hand over hers. "Right, you were indeed." Grinning, he turned his head slightly towards her. "So that is what you think~?"

Yuriko kept speaking and Ruki tilted his head slightly. "A wish?" The vampire listened attentively. "I see..." Pondering, the dark-haired man stirred the stew with his free hand. "Something European... Hmm..."

Slowly, Ruki slithered out of Yuriko's embrace, turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I would like to visit a European Christmas market again. Well... There are little stalls where you can buy delicious food and drinks. Mulled wine tastes very good. You can also purchase handmade things there. Self-knitted hats and scarves. Or candles and wood carvings. Christmas music and lights create a peaceful atmosphere. I am sure you would like that."

For a moment, Ruki reminisced. "Transylvania used to have a very nice Christmas market. It would be interesting to know if it is still worth a visit." He lovingly stroked a strand of hair behind Yuriko's ear. "Shall we travel to Transylvania and see the Christmas market there? Would you be interested?"

@yuriko-mukami

Christmas Date 2023

An interaction between @ruki-mukami-dl & @yuriko-mukami

Utada Hikaru - Can't Wait 'Til Christmas

A smile spread on Yuriko's face. She had finished all the university assignments for this year early and now there was nothing but free time ahead. Unfortunately, a glance out of the window revealed that there was no sign of snow. She had hoped for the white wintery season but perhaps this year it was not possible.

The lack of snow brought out another thought. When Yuriko had left the university a day before with Ruki, she had noticed how the city was already full of colorful lights and cheery people. Everyone was waiting for Christmas, the big date night. Last year, Ruki had also taken Yuriko out on Christmas Day and fulfilled her long-time dream.

Ah, that was so perfect... But we haven't talked about Christmas this year.

Nibbling her lip, Yuriko stared into the yard. She knew that the Mukamis hadn't cared about seasonal celebrations that much before. Perhaps they still didn't... but Yuriko yearned for something.

But I shouldn't be selfish. Last year, we did something important to me... but I know that Christmas is different in another part of the World. That one book I read... I think it said something about European traditions...

Pondering over the matter, Yuriko tilted her head and played with her curls. Ruki was from Europe. So... would he like it if they did something European this time? It would be a great opportunity to learn more about him too. And of course, Yuriko wished to study her favorite subject even deeper.

Yosh, I'll do this!

Turning around, Yuriko hurried out of the bedroom and all the way to the first floor of the Mukami manor until she stepped into the kitchen full of delicious aromas of dishes Ruki had been preparing for dinner.

"Ruki~ I finished everything I needed to do for university for this year." Yuriko roamed toward the stove and wrapped her arms around her husband from behind, leaning her cheek on his upper back.

Caressing Ruki's belly through his shirt, Yuriko took a deep breath and enjoyed the scent of her lover that mixed perfectly with the spices of the stew. "I was a good girl, right? I... I think... I deserve... umh... a reward."

This was bold, Yuriko knew it. Yet, she wanted to play this correctly to get the outcome that would please them both. "So... Ruki... If you think the same, I have a wish..."

Yuriko squeezed Ruki a little, pressing her upper body against his backside. "I would love to do... something Christmasy... and something European together with you. Can we... can we... come up with something?"

A nervous giggle bounced from Yuriko's lips and her heart took an extra leap. Would Ruki brush the idea aside... or would he agree?

[yuikomorii]

might be wrong about this but I think the thing that really differentiates Ayato from his brother is that he actually values life in a ''pure way''. Both Subaru and Shu didn't really have the will to life until they met the MC, Reiji's only will was to overcome his father and become better than his brother due to his jealousy, and even if it doesn't seem like it from the surface both Kanato and Laito were too mindbroken due to their trauma to actually enjoy life in a non-twisted way.

Ayato went through a lot of traumatic experiences just like the rest of his brothers but unlike them, he actually had a pure reason to live, that's why he didn't abandon his brothers and was desperately searching for them when they arrived to Rottienburg (I think that's the name) and prioritized them after he got saved by reiji and was willing to go look for them with no plan ahead and he's never changed. Even after they obviously drifted apart he still wanted to save his siblings (like in Lost Eden) even if they didn't want to save him when he got kidnapped by Kino.

Or when he was the only who saved yui in the anime when she got kidnapped by the mukami (Ik it's only fanservice because the anime shows Ayato as the ml). Or when he was the only one worrying about mc in the Olympics cd when the whole thing crushed down. I know mc has had her effects in everyone (because even reiji got worried in the CD drama when he though someone was drowning, turns out it was just Shu being weird) but at the end of the day, Rejet made it very clear that ayato always was different from his brothers even as kids.

Too long? Maybe, I just like rambling a lot about ayato lol

// This franchise is longer than a decade, it’s time for people to stop pretending that Ayato isn’t different from the rest, because it annihilates his purpose like that. Now I’m not saying that everyone else sucks and Ayato is the only cool character there, it’s just that Rejet wrote him in a way that genuinely gives off main character energy. Heck, even other characters have confirmed that he got *something* nobody else does, which is true.

Credit to: dialovers-translations, tournesolia

One thing about Ayato is that he might roast and prank you, but the moment you need help, he’ll be the first to lend you a hand. He’s by no means perfect, of course, he has flaws and makes mistakes too, but his good qualities are just so many that they’re easily able to outshine his bad ones.

Another example is the DF prologue scene. The most normal reaction would have been fighting with the wolf, as Subaru did, but instead of trying to get rid of it, Ayato used himself as shield the moment he saw it, so as to protect Yui. What makes this scene so powerful is that not only they weren’t a couple back then, but in the other Sakamaki routes, he’s still severely injured. He values life, yet he still sacrificed himself for her, no matter if she dates someone else afterwards, and guess what? Even after waking up from the coma in the other routes, he holds no grudge against her for that, but rather is on good terms with Yui. I would also like to talk about how self-sacrificing he is in the Daylight CD, but I feel like everyone listened to that one already, given that it was the most liked of the Daylight series.

While I understand that some people out there prefer more rational and/or introverted characters, I can’t stand those who deny the essence of a character. And, for all people who blame Rejet for “making him more special than the rest”, let me remind you that he’s the Diaboy who got the worst journey ending. Let that sink in. :”)

[married-to-google-translater]

Azusa Mukami relationship headcanon

Okay, the beginning of a relationship with Azusa would definitely not be easy.

At first, Azusa would think that pain is love...

Oh this maid needs therapy... his childhood would have been really sucky...

Yeah, it would take a lot of work to make you understand that it's not a good thing.

It would take a while, but it would be possible.

Azusa would be surprisingly cute as a boyfriend.

He would really care about you.

Azusa wouldn't be particularly jealous with you.

Usually he would just pull you away.

It would help if people thought he was weird and wouldn't want to come near him.

Azusa would learn to be a good boyfriend.

He would love to take you on a date.

Somewhere where you could be just the two of you.

Definitely would protect you from everything too.

Those who have played the game know what I mean :3

[seaoflove07]

“Yay! I add it to our Family bucket list.”

[cozymoko]

Welcome back I was wonder if you could do a platonic yandere mukami's/sakamaki x like 13 y/o human sib that's yuis sibling and they're just like this is mine now

STEALING YUI'S SIBLING — PLATONIC YANDERE SAKAMAKIS

Note: Thank you.

Pairing: Platonic! Sakamaki brothers (separate) x gn! reader

Format: Headcanons

WARNING(S): Yandere themes, unhealthy, not proofread

Want more Diabolik lovers? → Masterlist! ★

SHU SAKAMAKI

Shu could not remember when he had grown so fond of you. A mortal sibling of hers, nonetheless. Shu his ponder his tenderness toward you, as there was nothing truly riveting about you on the surface. In his mind, you were a child and nothing more. An annoying, human child who can't help but stick close to its twice as annoying sister. But somehow your childishness weaseled its way into his cold heart.

He found his actions quite humorous, much like right now. Long, slender fingers glided along the pianos' smooth keys in fluid motions as though it was second nature. You rocked back and forth to the music, silently cheering for the vampire. A cold hand was placed on your head after the last keys were brushed, and instinctively you look to the culprit. Shu snorted, gazing back into your round eyes. It's decided, he will watch over your forever.

“Another one? Haah, just how needy can you be? Sit back down, I didn't say I wouldn't do it. Now, listen closely and try to keep up.”

REIJI SAKAMAKI

As a companion of the sacrificial bride, Reiji believes it's only fair that he treats you with the same respect he gives your sister. Which may or not be good or bad, it's a mere matter of opinion. Reji makes sure you are well-fed and up to date on all your homework and other responsibilities as asked of him. He initially had no desire to do anything more. But when proposed such innocent curiosity about his "work" how could he deny you?

Reiji often tasks you with lengthy assignments to ensure you don’t grow too close to others in the manor. It’s truly a shame that you happen to be the sibling of Yui, he’d much rather take her place if the opportunity presented itself. To say he’s a little envious of how reliant you are on the mortal woman is an understatement. Seething with envy would be a better description. Just put all your trust in him and perhaps he'll become more lenient with you!

“Have you completed all your duties for today? Not yet...I see. Do not deter from your responsibilities like that frivolous sister of yours, you have far more potential than you think."

AYATO SAKAMAKI

Unlike the others, Ayato is very easy to please. A few shots to his ego will do just the trick. Even as a juvenile, the vampire was very weak to praise; but when it comes from a kid it makes him swell with pride because ultimately, kids don't lie. Don't be surprised if he looks to you for validation at times, not even you are safe from his evolving ego.

When was the last time you hung out with Yui? Geez, you could not recall. Most of your days were spent with Ayato, busying yourself with whatever caught your attention. However, everything had its ups and downs. Every time you didn't acknowledge him, he'd throw a fit, demanding to know who could possibly replace him. Or even pestering you about the time you spent with his brothers instead of him. But who were you to complain? Free Takoyaki for you.

“The hell’re you talkin’ about him for? You’re in the presence of ‘yours truly’ so start actin’ like it. Tch, I’m better than all of them anyways!”

KANATO SAKAMAKI

Loud, whiny humans do not interest him in the slightest; and that's exactly what kids are. But you were different. You were somewhat whiny, like any young teenager, but not to an overwhelming extent. With your age you had the potential to be the perfect doll, and Kanato wasn't going to let such a perfect opportunity slip through his fingers.

You glared daggers at the back of Kanato's head in hopes of evoking a reaction. Your body was tightly constrained by these horrid fabrics many called clothes. Kanato, of course, paid you no mind, ruffling through the array of clothing he had designed just for you. You scowled at his blatant ignorance, tempted to strip the intricate fabrics that hindered you, but you refrained from doing so. After all, Kanato wasn't being too insufferable at the moment.

“Don’t move or you’ll rip it! You wouldn't want all my hard work to go to waste, would you? Fufu, good, now stand still and wait for me to finish.”

LAITO SAKAMAKI

Since the beginning, Laito had always been kind to you, though it wasn't always genuine. He only had an interest in your sister thus a middle schooler had hardly captured his attention. But you were different, somehow. Before he knew it, Laito was listening to you ramble about your day. Even sharing some meaningless advice, that you could've honestly gone without, solely to get a reaction out of you.

The sun had just barely met the horizon, signaling morning was upon you. Your cheek was pressed flat against the vampire's lean back, dazed and hardly awake. His hands were gently hooked under your legs as he busied himself with a heedless tune. Your snores brought him comfort, though they were loud. He should honestly thank you for your existence because for once, Laito finally felt like an older brother.

“My, what a heavy sleeper. Dragging me all the way out here just to be carried home. How cute~! I hope you don't rely on the others like this.”

SUBARU SAKAMAKI

It's likely that you somehow took interest in this ill-tempered vampire so you decided to tag along with him. Subaru was charged as your guardian and he was anything but pleased. Nonetheless, he did his job, from picking you up from school to treating you to your favorite cafes. Even growing rather protective along the way. At this point, he's more of your brother than Yui is your sister! One could even say he's arguably calmer than before you arrived.

You stood outside the school doors, waiting patiently for someone, anyone's arrival. The weather was especially chilly that day, nipping at the tips of your fingers. As if someone read your mind, a familiar man with ashen-colored hair was coming your way. His arms snaked protectively around your shoulders as he lightly tugged you to his chest. His heart was pounding at an alarming rate as he quietly sighed in relief. And despite the coolness of his touch, you were warm. Happy and oh so very warm.

“Oi, where's the kid? Ha, what do you mean 'at school' who dropped 'em off? That's my job damnit—! Tch, forget it; dont even think about pickin' 'em up either, I'll do it. ”

[otomehonyaku]

Diabolik Lovers Grand Edition Tokuten Special Booklet Short Stories ☽ Mukami ver. ☽ The Rainy School Night Mystery

Original title: 雨降る夜の学校の怪 English translation by @otomehonyaku Click here for the scans (special thanks to @karleksmumskladdkaka!) Sakamaki ver. ☽ Year-End Pandemonium (coming soon)

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

This short story booklet was part of the limited edition release of Grand Edition! Keep reading below the cut for the second short story, featuring the Mukami brothers. I will translate the Sakamaki one at a later date!

Please do not reuse or post my translations elsewhere or translate my work into other languages without my permission.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Droplets of rain tapped against the window panes and quickly converged into small streams, drawing curved lines on the glass on their way down. The rain had started the day before yesterday and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon. Maybe that might have been why, by the time the oppressive humidity began to make everyone feel uneasy…

“Hey, Kitten. I need to talk to you. Do you have a minute?”

With a smile bright enough to wipe away any worries caused by the weather, Mukami Kou—the idol with a household name—approached Komori Yui in a friendly manner. His presence caused a stir among the other students around them.

Yui grabbed Kou by the sleeve of his uniform jacket and quietly uttered, “Kou, we’ll stand out if we talk here…”

“Alright!”

Yui was puzzled by Kou’s unusually good mood, but followed him to a spot that would keep them away from prying eyes.

“Kou… Did something happen?”

“I heard a very interesting rumour. I thought I’d ask you about it, too.”

“A rumour?”

“Yes! It’s a little strange for this time of year, but it’s about a ghost story. Apparently, most of the students and teachers are familiar with it. Have you heard about it?”

“No… What’s it about?”

As soon as he realised Yui was completely oblivious, Kou gleefully talked away.. 

“Apparently, when it’s very late on a night of endless rain, when most people have left the school… strange sounds start coming from one of the classrooms.” Kou lowered his voice in an attempt to stoke her fear. “Nobody knows exactly where the sounds are coming from. It could be an empty classroom, the art room… You can hear it from various places depending on the day.”

“And… it couldn’t just be a burglar?”

“That’s what I thought, too, but I haven’t heard anything about things going missing, and even if that were the case, wouldn’t the police have been involved already? There’s also rumours going around about it being the students’ own doing, but apparently there are scratch marks in the rooms where the sound came from. Like, in places higher up than the curtains, so people generally wouldn’t be able to reach that high.”

With the odds of it being a student prank getting smaller by the minute, Yui’s throat grew dry. She swallowed loudly.

There shouldn’t be any sounds coming from an unoccupied room. The first thing that came to Yui’s mind was an unscientific explanation—something she would rather not think about.

“So, you mean… it’s a ghost?”

“Yes, yes, exactly! People are saying it might be a ghost.”

“But couldn’t the sounds be coming from the building itself (1)? I heard that ‘strange sounds’ people hear inside their houses are usually just the rattling of the building.”

 “But that’s so boring, Kitten! Ghosts are way more interesting than rattling houses! Besides, people think it’s a ghost for good reason.”

“W-what reason…?!”

The way Kou purposefully explained it to her with such kindness, patience, and in such detail, made Yui shiver. A broad grin spread across the vampire’s face as he pulled Yui’s body closer while surveying their surroundings as if he was afraid of being caught, and started whispering into her ear.

“Some students have already snuck into the building at night as a test of courage, and apparently they saw dark shadows along with the strange sounds they heard. If it had been only one or two students spreading the rumour, it wouldn’t be a very credible story, but when so many people have had the exact same encounter, it’s difficult to still call it a trick of the mind, right? There’s also some students who claim they saw arms wrapped in bandages emerge from the darkness, at the exact timing that the lightning struck outside.”

“Oh…”

“Hm? What’s wrong, Kitten? You look a bit pale.”

“It’s because of your strange story…”

“Hehe! How cute. It’s going to be alright, Kitten. I’ll be by your side, after all.” Kou met Yui’s frightened eyes and shot her a sweet smile to put her at ease. “I’ll protect you. So… it has been a bit boring with all this rain lately. Shall we do some nightly exploration of the school for ourselves so we can figure out the truth behind the rumours?” 

“What?!”

“Come on, let’s go!”

“W-wait a minute! Where are we going?”

Kou, who would not have taken ‘no’ for an answer either way, grabbed Yui’s hand and hurried pulled her along, down the hall. He swiftly dodged the students who were already starting to head home at this hour.

“W-wait! Slow down…”

“But there’s no time like the present, right? Besides, if we don’t hurry, my fans will only try to pull me aside. Let’s go to the others quickly!”

Kou led her in the direction of a far-away third-year classroom.

When the two of them walked through the door, the other Mukami brothers were already there. Yuma was straddling a chair, Azusa lingered by the window, and Ruki stood leaning with his back against the wall, his arms crossed. 

“Hi, everyone! Sorry to keep you waiting. I brought our little Kitten!”

“You’re late, Kou. I was this close to goin’ home, even though you urged us to stay here ‘n wait.”

The discontent was plain on Yuma’s face. Kou muttered a half-serious apology to him and let go of Yui’s hand.

“Eve… did you run on your way here? You sound… out of breath…” Azusa tilted his head slightly to the side in concern for Yui.

“I’m okay, Azusa. Thank you.”

“Kou… If you need something from us, why gather us on campus?”

“Hehe. That’s because I need you all to be at school for this, ” Kou said, still beating around the bush.

Ruki glared daggers at his brother. Knowing he could not hold it off much longer, Kou decided to explain the situation.

“I was talking with Kitten about this earlier, but I heard an interesting story and I’d like you to know about it too! Have you heard the rumour that a ghost is haunting the school?”

“The one that’s making strange noises at night? I heard my classmates talkin’ ‘bout it.” Yuma clearly just wanted to know what mischief Kou was up to, making the blonde’s shoulders droop in disappointment.

“Oh, so you already know. Word certainly travels fast among the third-years.”

Ruki had a glaring suspicion about Kou’s intentions and decided to drive the point home before his brother could do it himself. “I suppose you weren’t going to ask us to look for the ghost with you, were you?”

“Hehe, bullseye!” Kou smiled broadly.

“Seriously? It’s just a rumour, though,” Yuma replied, sounding exasperated.

“How old are you? Don’t get so excited about this, Kou. Ghosts do not exist.” Ruki was referring to the fact that when someone dies and the moment their body perishes, a peculiar thing called the ‘soul’ perishes along with it. Ghosts were merely ridiculous fantasies; illusions invented by humans. Only ignorant children would be afraid of them… right?

However, Kou had already expected this reaction from Ruki and did not back down.

“Heh… I don’t think it’s good to decide that ghosts aren’t real without confirming anything ourselves. Right, Kitten?”

“Huh…? M-me?”

“Do you really believe this nonsense?” When Ruki turned to her, Yui instinctively straightened her spine.

“Not necessarily, but… It sounds a little scary, I think, but whether they’re actually real is another thing…”

“Kou, do you… really think the ghost… will appear? It might have just been… a trick of the mind, you know?”

“Of course I don’t believe the ghost actually exists.I don’t sense any other supernatural presences around here either, besides ourselves and the Sakamakis. Doesn’t that make you all the more interested in the hype around this ghost story?”

Ruki’s curiosity was piqued, if only a little, at Kou’s words. “Hm… You do have a point.”

It was easy to dismiss urban legends like this right away, but if there was a reality to this particular ghost story, that would change things.

“And what if people besides us are purposefully stirring up a ruckus at the academy? We can’t let that slide, right? So, I want to expose the truth behind these rumours! It won’t be fun if it’s just the four of us, though, so that’s why I brought Kitten with me.”

“I-I’m not going! Walking around the empty building at night sounds scary enough already, let alone when an actual ghost shows up…”

If the Mukami brothers could barely even make sense of the situation, didn’t that mean there was an actual chance a ghost was haunting the premises? When Yui thought of it like that, a chill ran down her spine.

“Heh, sounds fun!” Yuma put a hand on the back of the chair he’d been straddling and stood up with great vigour. “If she’s coming, I’m in, too!”

Yui was taken aback by his enthusiasm. “Yuma?!”

“I knew you’d come around, Yuma! Hey, Ruki. Please join us!”

“Alright. I do not care for ghosts, but I agree that we have to find out who’s causing all this trouble.”

“Right? Azusa, you’re coming too, aren’t you…? Azusa? Hello—?

“...”

Even as Kou’s eyes intently watched Azusa’s puzzled expression, the younger brother still didn’t answer. He raised a hand to his mouth as if in deep thought. Thinking it strange, Yui instinctively called out.

“Azusa?”

“Huh? Ah, I’m sorry… If you’re all going… then I will join you.”

“Great, that settles it! Let’s wait here for a bit until the school empties out.”

“H-hold on a second… Don’t I get a say in this?”

“Your opinion does not matter. Were you thinking of going home all by yourself, then?” Ruki said.

“Oh…” Met with four stares that left little room for protest, Yui reluctantly went along with their plans.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Several hours passed.

By the time all lights in the academy had been turned off and the emergency exit signs were the only source of light in the halls, the five began their search. The building had fallen completely silent. Only their footsteps and the distant sound of the rain outside could be heard.

Kou pulled Yui along by her hand and walked slightly ahead of the others.

“Hey, Kou… I don’t like going first.”

“Why?”

“Because it’ll be even scarier if something appears…”

“It’s okay, really! You can lag behind if you want, but something might creep up behind you.”

“L-like what?”

“Who knows? But I’m right in front of you and Ruki and the others are right behind you. Don’t you think this is the safest position for you to be in?

Though Kou encouraged Yui to move to whatever position she wanted, she felt unable to do so. She decided to quietly follow behind Kou. They had been walking around the school for a little while now, but had not noticed anything out of the ordinary yet. 

Fed up with their aimlessly walking around, Yuma began to complain. “Hey, Kou. Nothing’s happened so far.”

“You’re too impatient, Yuma. We haven’t even been walking around for that long.”

“I feel no other presences nearby, nor have I heard that particular ‘sound’ you were talking about. Do you think it’s wary of us?” Ruki whispered, frowning as he surveyed his surroundings.

“Hey… If this really is a ghost’s doing, what do we even do? It probably won’t worship us or anything…”

Ignoring Yui’s worries completely, Yuma clutched his stomach and could not keep from bursting into laughter. “Pff, haha! You dummy. Why’d it worship us?”

“Because—isn’t that what they say about ghosts? That they worship people?

“Then they’d only worship you.”

“What…?”

“They only worship people, right?”

Yui tilted her head to the side, not quite understanding what Yuma was saying right away, but Ruki filled her in.

“Because we are vampires, after all. Besides, I don’t understand why you would be afraid of something as abstract as ghosts.”

“But… You never know! They might worship vampires too!”

While Yui desperately clung to her theory, Azusa and Kou decided to rub salt in the wound. 

“I think… we’re stronger than ghosts, though...”

“I know, right? I think they’d be repulsed rather than worship us.”

“Ah…” With nobody agreeing with her, Yui felt her position becoming more and more vulnerable. On top of being forced into this situation, she was the only one who was actually scared. 

Kou watched her intently, an almost reproachful expression on his face. “Oh, this won’t do. Even if you pout at me that way, I’ll just think you’re cute. But hey, I’ll protect you whatever happens, so stay calm, alright?” He winked at her in a way only an experienced idol could.

When Yui thought about it, being surrounded by four vampires—former humans, but still—probably was the safest position for her to be in, oddly enough. There was no way vampires would lose to an intangible ghost.

However, precisely because they were dealing with something intangible made it difficult for Yui to suppress her nerves. She desperately fought to keep the fear from overtaking.

The five walked around for a little while longer, Yui securely in the middle, but nothing happened.

“This is weird… Maybe it really is wary of us, like Ruki said. I wonder if it doesn’t like being ganged up on by a large group of people.”

“How about we split up then?”

“Right! If we go in small groups, the ghost might be more motivated to come out.”

“What…?! I don’t like the idea of splitting up.”

“We’re not asking for your opinion. That said, you would be in trouble if we left you alone, so… Yuma?”

Yuma looked puzzled when Ruki called his name. “Huh? What, Ruki?”

“Keep her company. If one of us goes with her, we’ll be able to swiftly deal with any unforeseen situations.”

“Yeah, true… Alright, Kou. We’re switchin’.”

Kou complied with Yuma’s demand, though the displeasure was clear on his face. The blonde might have rebelled against this change if Yuma had been the one to ask, but Ruki’s orders, on the other hand, were simply to be followed.

“Ah, what a shame. I was looking forward to holding hands with Kitten for a little longer.”

Kou reluctantly let go of Yui’s hand and surrendered his spot to Yuma.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

After that, Yui and Yuma split up from the rest of the group and began exploring the school anew.

It’s so quiet when it’s just the two of us walking around… Not feeling brave enough to speak up, Yui kept quiet and followed Yuma. I hope we can meet up with the others soon… If the ghost comes out now, I wonder if we’ll make it to them if we run.

“Hey, Sow… Why’re you shufflin’ behind me the entire time? Go out in front.”

“What?! N-no! I can’t!”

“There ain’t no way in hell that ghost is real, so no need to be such a scaredy-cat. You’re only makin’ yourself look more like an idiot.”

“I-I don’t care if I look like an idiot…! Some things are meant to be feared!”

“Ha! There ya go again… If I wanna leave , I’ll leave!”  As if to get the irritation out of his system, Yuma banged his fist against the wall beside him. 

Yui’s eyes snapped shut for a brief moment, but she did not flinch when she returned Yuma’s gaze, his face suddenly much closer than before.

“But…”

“But what?”

“Don’t you think… if vampires exist, then ghosts might exist too?”

“Hm… Sounds pretty funny comin’ from you, but nah, they don’t exist.” One corner of Yuma’s mouth curved upwards into a mocking grin. He let out a laugh. He seemed pretty convinced that ghosts were not a thing of this world.

CLATTER—!

“...!”

A clattering sound suddenly came from one of the classrooms. It startled Yui, making her tremble. “That wasn’t… in my head, was it?”

A lick of ice-cold fear slid down Yui’s spine. She quickly hid behind Yuma.

“You… Why’re you hiding? You’ve got some guts usin’ me as a shield.”

“B-but…” She could not find the words to speak—she was simply too scared. She crouched in on herself behind Yuma in an effort to hide.

The sound seemed to have come from the empty, unused classroom near them. It was pitch-black. Nobody seemed to be inside.

“I’m gonna go look.”

“What?! W-wait, Yuma!”

Yuma ignored Yui’s pleas and opened the door to the classroom. He thoroughly inspected the room, but still, there was not a soul in sight. As though expecting someone to be hiding, Yuma set foot into the classroom.

“Y-Yuma, don’t! It’s dangerous!”

“Ha! You’re scared shitless, aren’t ya? Just wait here. I’ll only have a quick look inside.”

The only thing coming in from outside was the sound of the rain. Not even a sliver of moonlight fell into the room. The ominous darkness gradually swallowed Yuma’s form whole as he walked farther away.

Oh no… If something comes out at me, I’ll…

Yui’s heart hammered against her ribcage, and just when her eyes inadvertently fluttered closed—she felt something brushing up against her leg. Goosebumps rose on her skin. She couldn’t keep her voice from leaking.

“Eek!”

Yuma rushed back when he heard her cry out, but still found no traces of anything lurking in the shadows close to where Yui was standing, nor in the deserted classroom. 

“Damn, don’t scream like that! I thought somethin’ happened!” 

“B-but… something… touched my leg…”

“What?! What the hell was it?”

In the end, the two never figured out what it could have been. The sky, still clouded with heavy rain, slowly started to become brighter.

“Shit. It’s close to mornin’ already. Hey, Sow? We should get back to Ruki ‘n the others. We’re done for today.”

“For today? You don’t mean…” A heavy sense of dread fell upon Yui, but she did not need to finish her sentence. 

The anxious look on her face made Yuma’s lips curl up into a sadistic smile.

“We’ll be back for round two tomorrow.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The next night, Yui was accompanied by Azusa on their rounds through the school hallways. Yui kept a tight grip on Azusa’s left arm and had no intention of letting him go.

“Eve… If you hold on to me like that… it’s a bit difficult to move…”

“Oh! I-I’m sorry, Azusa! I’m still not quite used to this…”

“...”

“Azusa?”

“Ah… What is it…?”

Yui was even more unsettled by Azusa’s restlessness. He’s been lost in thought the entire time, she thought. 

“Hey, Azusa? Is something wrong…? You haven’t seen the… g-ghost, have you?”

“Huh? Oh, no… I haven’t.”

“Ah… That’s a relief.”

“Are you… really that scared? Then… here.”

“Huh…?”

Azusa came to a halt and pulled Yui into a hug with his other arm, gently patting her back as he whispered into her ear. “Eve… I’m here with you. Even if something comes after you… I’ll protect you. But… are you maybe worried… that it’s just me…?”

“No, not at all… Thank you. I think I might be a little less scared now.”

“I’m glad… to make myself useful.” Azusa smiled softly, but then his gaze quickly shifted to the window.

He really is worried about something… I wonder what’s gotten into him…

Once again, the night ended without them coming any closer to finding the source of the strange sound.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Along came the third night of exploring the academy.

Carefully calculating when the building would empty out, the five once again split up and made their rounds. The never-ending rain had abated into a drizzle for a brief moment, but before long, it was pouring once again. The weather showed no signs of letting up.

“It really won’t stop raining. It would be nice to be able to see the moon, though…”

The night sky was covered by heavy rain clouds. Yui had been looking out of the window while she was walking down the hall, but in the meantime, Ruki—who had been right next to her only a moment earlier—had already put several steps in between them. Yui half-ran to catch up to him.

“You seem awfully careless today. Have you already overcome your fear of ghosts?” 

“N-not exactly, but… This is the third day already, so it’s getting a little… Ah!”

Maybe Yui’s attention slipped because she was relieved to walk beside Ruki again, as she suddenly stumbled and nearly fell over. Ruki immediately extended his arms, swiftly catching Yui and keeping her from falling.

“T-thank you…”

“If you let down your guard like that, bad things will happen—like this, for example.”

“Huh…?”

The ominous tone of Ruki’s voice caught Yui’s attention. She tilted her face upwards to look at him.

Ruki looked pointedly somewhere behind her, nodding in the same direction as if to urge her to do the same. Yui’s hands were braced on his upper arms as he held her, and her grip only tightened at the thought of something being at her back.

“I-is something there?” 

Yui was hit by an indescribable wave of anxiety. Her breath involuntarily caught in her throat, but she bolstered her resolve and gingerly looked over her shoulder. 

There was nothing but the long, dark, gloomy hallway stretching out behind her.

“N-nothing’s there, right? Wait, were you… Huh…?”

“You said you’d gotten used to it, right? I figured I’d test you. It seems like you don’t have your fear under control just yet, though.”

“Ah…!”

Yui’s cheeks flushed bright red. Had Ruki really been toying with her, even though he knew she was scared?

“That’s not fair…! You can’t just play with me like that… I’ve gotten a little more used to walking through the dark hallways, but you know I’m scared of ghosts…!”

Yui crouched down on the ground, her face between her knees, both mortified and scared beyond her wits. Any regular male student might have been worried, might have tried to calm her down, but Ruki showed no signs of showing her such kindness.

“Don’t make a fuss. How long are you going to sit like that? If you don’t feel like moving, I’ll leave you here.” Quickly dismissing Yui’s worries, Ruki did not bother to cast her another glance and began walking away.

“Oh… W-wait up!”

Not knowing where to direct her fear and frustration with being ignored, Yui’s head was full of chaos. Still, she would not be able to bear being left alone like this, and so she hurried back to Ruki.

Yui felt herself grow stiff while she walked behind him. Just then, a strange sound reached her ears.

“...Did you hear that?”

“It came from that classroom. Do you want to check it out?”

It was a different sound from the one she had heard with Yuma the day before yesterday. This one clearly sounded like someone was rummaging around… and it kept going.

“Ruki…”

“There’s definitely someone here.”

Ruki opened the door to the classroom with great force.

The moonlight did not quite reach the room because of the heavy rain—it was darker than the hallway had been—and the unoccupied desks and chairs were nothing but eerie silhouettes. 

When Yui’s eyes had gotten used to the darkness, though, she saw someone standing there with her back to her—someone familiar. Recognition struck her.

“Huh… Azusa?” The words just slipped out.

At Yui’s surprised voice, Azusa slowly turned around to face them. He looked just as surprised to see them. “Eve… Ruki…” 

“Azusa? What are you doing here?” Ruki took a step forward and had barely finished speaking…

And then, it happened.

“Found you—!”

Yui looked in the direction of the voice reverberating through the hallway, she spotted Kou running towards them. Their eyes met. Kou raised his voice as if he’d known all along how this would end.

“Grab it, Kitten!”

“What?!”

Yui followed Kou’s finger pointing ahead. A small, black shadow darted out in front of him. Kou had clearly ordered her to catch it, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it right away. While she stood there hesitating for a moment, the black shadow collided with her chest on its own.

Out of sheer reflex, Yui wrapped her arms around it immediately. It felt heavier than she’d thought, and softer to the touch. The unexpected sensation almost made her drop it, but she regained her posture and held it tightly.

“Nice catch, Kitten!”

Kou was out of breath, having run at full speed, as he pointed at the black lump in Yui’s arms. “That’s… the cause… of the ghost story… the source of the sounds… is that cat.”

Yui suddenly realised she was holding a black cat. Its tail pointed upwards, the fur fluffed up as it eyed Kou suspiciously. In an effort to calm down the evidently upset cat, she gently stroked its back. “It’s okay… Don’t be scared…”

“Wow… Have you seen the way it’s staring at me?” Kou breathed. 

“Isn’t that because you were chasing it?”

“I had to! Of course it’s going to run if someone tries to catch it.”

“Hey, hey! What’s with all the—what the fuck! What’s that black thing?”

Yuma burst into the room after having heard the commotion. Yui had only just managed to calm down the cat a little, but in response to Yuma’s voice, the black cat’s tail fluffed up again.

“Whoa, that’s a pretty rough-lookin’ cat… But wait, what’s a cat doing on campus?”

A nod from Ruki confirmed his brother’s unspoken suspicions. “If this cat is the cause of the ghost story going around, I wonder how it managed to sneak into the academy and cause such an upheaval.”

If the cat had snuck in while the students and teachers were on campus, it could not have gone unnoticed. The fact that nobody was aware of a cat on campus must mean that it had snuck in sometime late at night, when the school was already empty.

However, that still begged the question how it came in. The campus was built in such a way that it seemed unlikely for the cat to have come inside easily. If that was the case, maybe someone had purposefully lured the cat inside and hidden it from everyone…

How did this little one even get here…? Yui was at a loss as she stared at the black ball of fur in her arms, but the only response she got from it was a loud meow.

Azusa, who had been quiet up until now, suddenly joined the conversation. “I’m sorry… Actually, this cat… is here because I was… looking after it…” He apologetically raised his right hand.

“Huh? Azusa, you’ve been taking care of this cat…?”

“Yeah… I’ll talk you through what happened…” Azusa began explaining the origins of the ghost story and how the cat had infiltrated the school. “About a month ago… I found this cat in the school courtyard, but…”

Azusa’s story went something like this: one day, he had found a weakened black kitten. He had given it something to eat and soon began to look after it. Even after it had mostly recovered, the heavy rain continued to fall, and Azusa had felt the need to keep checking in on it out of sheer worry. 

As he suspected, the cat had fallen ill again after a while. Azusa had pitied the little black cat and made sure to gently stroke it and talk to it. Eventually, he brought it to this classroom so he could take better care of it.

“Oh, Azusa, you’re too kind,” Kou said, carefully approaching the cat so as to not startle it, and petted it. The cat seemed to have gotten a little more used to him. It was more docile now, allowing Kou’s gentle touch.

“That’s not… true… In the end, I only… ended up scaring the cat…”

“What do you mean?”

“When the cat became healthier… I got a little careless… After it escaped from this classroom where I’d been taking care of it… I lost track of where it went…”

“So that means this cat roamed the school at night, and the kids mistook the sounds it made for a ghost… and that led to the ghost story?”

Azusa nodded in response to Yuma’s question. “I think those sounds… must have been the cat running away or playing around… and when I couldn’t find it for a while… it must have been hiding somewhere… because it was scared…”

“Yeah, that’s fair… It’s pretty scary to be chased around, after all.”

Kou nodded exaggeratedly, but the brothers’ reactions were pretty mild overall, as though these kinds of things happened on the regular. Yui thought it strange, but tried to gloss over it by shooting Azusa one more question.

“The students were talking about an ‘arm wrapped in bandages’ poking out from the darkness… So that was…”

“Yeah… They must have seen… me. As soon as I heard the rumours about the ghost… and knowing about the cat, it just clicked… so, lately… I’ve been looking for it by myself…”

“Ha… so that’s it. That ghost story was brought to life just ‘cause of Azusa and this black cat.”

“Good grief… You certainly caused trouble.”

With all questions answered, Yuma and Ruki looked even more exasperated than before.

“Azusa… Of all places to take care of a cat, you should not have done it at school. If you’d just taken it home, it wouldn’t have caused such a stir.” (2)

“I thought it might… bother you…”

“Well, that’s Azusa for you. But this wouldn’t have inconvenienced us at all! We’re brothers, right?” Kou said light-heartedly in an effort to cheer up Azusa, whose eyes were downcast.

“Of course. Don’t be so reserved, Azusa.”

Touched by the kindness of his brothers, Azusa smiled cheerily. “Yeah… Thank you, all of you…”

“So, uh… What do we do with the cat?” When Yui handed the cat over to Azusa, it began loudly purring in his arms.

“How about we bring it home with us?”

“I don’t mind either.”

The cat could suffer a grim fate if we leave it here like this and someone else finds it… What if it becomes weak again? What if it dies?

“Ruki… Would it be alright if we took it home?”

Everyone’s eyes naturally shifted to Ruki.

“We can’t decide that so easily. If the cat belongs to someone who lives somewhere around the campus, shouldn’t we return it to its home? Don’t they say that dogs tend to be attached to their masters, and cats are attached to their homes?”

Ruki had a point, but Kou was not yet convinced, especially seeing how Azusa felt for the cat he’d been taking care of for so long. “But look how attached it is to Azusa…”

“Thank you, Kou… I’m alright… The cat’s happiness is… the most important, after all…”

“Well, if Azusa’s fine with it, then I’m fine with it… Ah, I’m so tired from chasing the cat. Hey, Kitten. Can I lay my head in your lap (3) when we get home?”

“What?!”

The subject of the conversation shifted from the cat to something else so quickly that it almost gave Yui whiplash. 

When Yuma joined in as well, it became even more confusing. “Hey, Kou. You’re not the only one who’s tired! You don’t get to keep all the fun for yourself.”

“But I worked really hard, you know? Don’t you think I deserve to ask for a small reward?”

“I don’t. I ran pretty damn hard myself! Hell, I was the only one who actually ran.”

“What? How do you know? I definitely ran the hardest!”

“Nah, I did!”

“I’m telling you, I did!”

Kou and Yuma’s bickering escalated quickly, neither of them realising their fight was getting farther and farther away from the issue at hand.

“Christ, this is not worth fighting over.”

“But… it’s kind of fun, isn’t it?”

Ruki averted his eyes, clearly fed up with his brothers’ antics, while Azusa warmly watched over the two.

It would be nice if they forgot about the laying–his-head-in-my-lap thing, too… Yui thought. When her gaze flicked to the window, she noticed that the rain that had plagued the city, pouring incessantly for days on end, had let up.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

A little while later, the black cat left the campus, and the ghost story that had haunted the academy quickly receded into the students’ and teachers’ memories.

THE END

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

家鳴（やな）り：Lit. the ‘rattling of a house,’ meaning things like creaking windows, the air vents, the sounds you sometimes hear when the walls or window panes expand due to moisture or heat, things like that.

Not a translation note but Ruki, sir, with your history of ‘taking care’ of cats, I’m not sure if that’s a good idea…

膝枕（ひざまくら）: Lit. ‘knee/lap pillow,’ meaning to use someone’s lap as a pillow, laying your head in someone’s lap.