DMC: Being a demon hunter in Japan is not easy

"You really love causing me trouble, huh?"

As if time had slowed down, their eyes met. Nino didn't know what to think when she saw the guy she found frustrating and foolish by her side, who, without hesitation, lifted her into his arms.

"You...!"

"Not exactly thrilled to see you again either, though it's only been a few seconds... You should remember that flying requires wings." He smirked mockingly.

As expected, the moment Desmon saw Nino falling, he questioned how someone could be so stubborn and clumsy. After quickly concluding that she might be the most naïve of her sisters, he dashed to the edge of the rooftop and leaped.

One second had passed since Nino had fallen—one second in a four-second drop, creating a significant gap between them. So, the moment Desmon was in the air, he twisted his body, planting his foot against the wall to propel himself forward.

With this, he gained enough speed and force to close the distance, aligning himself with Nino mid-air. From there, all it took was a quick rotation to slow his descent and position himself to catch her. And he did it all in under two seconds.

"You...what are you...!" She protested, irritated by how suddenly Desmon appeared.

"Stopping you from crashing to the ground.. Pretty obvious, isn't it?" He said with a smug grin.

Their exchange of words lasted only a second, leaving just another before crashing to the ground. Explaining to bystanders how two people had fallen from such a height unscathed would be annoying, so Desmon had another plan in mind.

Kurox, his trusty motorcycle, materialized beneath his feet, serving as a platform to push off from, gaining altitude. The devil arm then vanished—otherwise, it would've been like dropping a massive weight onto the pavement.

With a successful boost, he used the hospital walls as stepping stones, swiftly bounding up the building with several rapid jumps.

With one final push, he reached the rooftop, landing smoothly with Nino still in his arms.

This time, Desmon had perfected his landing—Miku had criticized him the last time.

"Thank you for flying with Desmon Airlines. Hope you enjoyed the view."

From the moment Desmon caught her, Nino's mind struggled to process how she had gone from plummeting to standing safely on the rooftop once again.

No matter how hard she tried, she simply couldn't comprehend it.

"Put me down!"

But she did understand one thing—Desmon was still holding her like a princess.

"Your wish is my command."

"Kya!"

Nino let out a cute sound as she landed on her backside.

"Why did you drop me?!"

"You wanted me to put you down, but not let you go? Make up your mind... Women are impossible to understand." Desmon sighed.

-I really don't get these sisters. They're way more complicated than they seem. No wonder Uesugi chose Yotsuba.

Compared to the others, Yotsuba seemed far more pleasant and approachable.

"You're a complete idiot!"

"Mmm, maybe just a little." He shrugged.

Nino stood up, dusting off her skirt.

"Dropping a girl just like that… Tch!"

She wanted to focus on the fact that she had almost died, but Desmon's attitude—acting like it was nothing—infuriated her.

"By the way, how did you even know I was here? Are you stalking me? Gross!" She crossed her arms, fuming at the idea.

"I have better things to do than stalk a crazy girl like you."

"Oh, so I'm supposed to believe you just happened to show up here by chance?!"

"You can thank Miku. She was worried that her idiot sister might do something stupid. Also, since I saw those things lurking around the hospital, it was likely that you were in trouble.''

Miku's exact words had been different, but her concern for her sister was clear all the same.

Minutes earlier, as they were heading toward the exit, Desmon had noticed the unusually high number of specters lingering around the hospital. It was curious at first, but after a moment's thought, it made sense—after all, countless people died in this place every day.

"I'm worried about Nino." Miku said, looking worried.

''The one who ran off?'''

''You could at least make an effort to remember her name.''

One of the reasons the four girls were upset with Desmon was that he kept forgetting their names.

''Too much work.'' He shrugged. ''If it worriers you so much, why don't you go after her?''

Desmon already had a pretty good idea of where Miku was going with this, but he preferred to be wrong.

''Right now, she wants to be alone. She probably doesn't want to talk to any of us… but I know her. She's my sister.''

''And what you're really trying to say is?''

''She's impulsive. After everything that happened, none of us are the right person to talk to her...'' Miku smiled as she looked at Desmon. ''If only there were a guy who's absentminded, terrible with words, but honest about what he really thinks—then she wouldn't know how to react.''

''That's interesting. Hope you find someone like that.'' He nodded.

''It's you, baka.''

''Ehhh? Why do I have to go talk to your sister? She's annoying, and she doesn't seem to like me. Though, I could be wrong.''

''She can't stand you.''

''Thought so.''

It wasn't exactly a surprise that Nino seemed to hate him.

''Nino won't listen to anything we say, but I'm sure she'll listen to you—because you drive her crazy.''

''I can't tell if that's a compliment or an insult, so I'll just take it as a compliment.''

Miku burst out laughing.

''It's a favor I'm asking you. I'm counting on you to take care of Nino.'' She said this last part with a serious expression.

''Aren't you trusting me a little too much?'' He raised an eyebrow.

Their interactions had been brief, so entrusting him with something important like Nino felt a bit strange.

''Mmm, I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like I can trust you.''

Stockholm syndrome?

''Maybe Yotsuba isn't the only one who needs a mental check-up.''

''What was that, Desmon-kun?'' Miku asked, smiling ominously as she clutched her necklace.

Affection? A crush? Not a chance.

Since the day they met, all Desmon had done was be an idiot—someone who seemed to enjoy life in his own way. That alone wasn't enough to make someone fall for him.

But when it came to getting things done, Desmon had proven he could deliver on his promises. That was enough for Miku to know that if she asked him, he would make sure it got done, no matter what.

''Fine, fine. I'll make sure your sister doesn't do anything stupid.'' He sighed, knowing he'd have to track down that troublesome girl.

''Thanks.'' Miku smiled warmly as she bid him farewell.

And so, the young demon hunter set out to find Nino. After a few minutes, he wondered what the most cliché place for a rejected girl to go would be—of course, the rooftop.

And that's how he found Nino before she could jump.

''Miku? She sent you to babysit me like I'm a child!?'' She said, outraged.

''That's right. You'd probably do something stupid otherwise. I hate being a babysitter…''

Nino wanted to be angry at Desmon, but she suddenly remembered something he had said.

''By the way, what exactly do you mean by "those things"?''

''Long story short, a specter was messing with your head, making you consider taking skydiving lessons—without a parachute.''

''You're saying I…''

''Yeah, save the shock. You're back now, so overthinking it is pointless.'' He shook his head.

''You should have more tact when you talk to people!''

''You're not my boss, and I don't get paid enough to save you twice, so at least make sure to have a parachute or learn how to fly. Later.''

Having fulfilled his promise to Miku, Desmon turned to leave.

-I'm hungry. Maybe I'll stop by a shop and grab something to eat.

''It's so easy for you to talk like that, like you just do whatever you want. You don't know what it's like to have someone you love forget about you and be powerless to do anything!''

Despite him being a stranger, she didn't hesitate to vent her frustration.

Hearing that, Desmon stopped and turned around.

''You've got a point. I have no clue what that's like.''

Desmon tried to think about it, but he had never been in a similar situation—most of the people he cared about were just… dead.

''Then don't talk like I'm overreacting!'' She pointed at him.

''Is that so? I just said what I think. What's the point of complaining if you can't do anything about it?''

That was something Desmon had been taught—whining and grieving over something beyond your control was meaningless. It was better to focus on making sure it didn't happen again.

''That… that's not…''

"Your sister was traumatized, but she's still alive. And as long as she's alive, she can recover. As for the rejection, Uesugi isn't the only guy in the world—find someone else and move on."

There wasn't much to think about—Desmon was speaking the truth. But it was his truth, something that differs for each person.

"Don't talk like it's that easy to get over!" She stepped closer to Desmon.

"Just accept it and move on. It's easy to do. But if you can't, then you really are an idiot." He nodded.

"You…!"

Nino tried to slap him, but Desmon was faster, flicking her forehead lightly.

"Kya!" Nino winced at the sudden pain and took a step back.

"You need about a hundred more years of training before you even think about hitting me, baka." He said with amusement.

Whether it was a girl or the Prime Minister of Japan, Desmon made no distinctions. Equal treatment for all.

"You're such an idiot! How dare you hit me?!" She rubbed her sore forehead.

"That was self-defense, no matter how you look at it." He shrugged.

"You…!!" Nino wanted to lash out at him again, but in the end, she gave up.

Unlike normal people, Desmon did whatever he wanted most of the time.

"If you stayed just for that, then leave already! Get out and leave me alone!"

Right now, Nino's opinion of Desmon couldn't be worse.

-I feel like she's about to do something stupid again. This day is seriously exhausting.

His only option was...

"If you keep dwelling on the past, you'll miss the things right in front of you." Desmon lifted his gaze to the sky, watching as the gray clouds slowly began to disperse. "Or at least, that's what someone once told me."

The conversation had hit a dead end. Arguing wouldn't lead anywhere, so the only thing he could do was try to give her some advice—even if he wasn't exactly the best person for it.

Nino stared at him, stunned for a few seconds before looking away, her shoulders trembling slightly.

"I know that! Do you think someone like me doesn't already know that?! It hurts…! Talking is easy, but…" Her voice cracked, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

-I really hate these situations… Desmon scratched the back of his head, feeling uncomfortable. These kinds of conversations weren't his strong suit.

"You don't have to go through this alone. You have a family that cares about you, and they always will. I mean, I'm here because Miku is worried about you. Technically, I was forced to come, but you get the point." He nodded as if that could somehow downplay the situation.

If it were up to him, he'd already be on his way home, but Miku's request had kept him on this rooftop.

"I don't want to drag them into this, I…"

"It's too late for that. Your sisters care about you." Desmon glanced toward the rooftop entrance. "Whether you like it or not, there are people who won't just let you disappear from their lives."

Nino clenched her fists. She wanted to shoulder all the blame herself, but in her situation, that was impossible.

"Even so… what happened to Yotsuba… she… she…!"

The conversation was about to loop back to the beginning, making no progress. That's why Desmon decided to tell Nino a part of his talk with Yotsuba.

"When I spoke with Yotsuba, she told me that, as a kid, being alone was really hard. It was boring and lonely, not having anyone to talk to or spend rainy days with. Well, that's how she remembers it now."

Nino gritted her teeth tightly.

"But when I kept asking her questions, she said:

''Mmm... this might sound strange, but I had some dreams about the past. In them, I wasn't alone as a child—I was with four other girls. We had fun together, did everything as a group, and were inseparable. But... I can't remember their faces. It's a weird dream, isn't it?''

''She told you that!?'' Nino stared at him, her eyes filled with total shock.

That was enough to know that Yotsuba hadn't completely forgotten them. They still existed somewhere in her mind, buried deep in her subconscious, as if a part of her refused to let them go. As long as those fragments of memory remained, no matter how faint, Yotsuba had a chance—however small—of regaining her past.

''A bond that strong can't just disappear. Your sister's mind suppressed those memories because accepting the truth would have been too painful—that the ones who hurt her were her own sisters. Simply put, Yotsuba loves and cherishes you all so much that she chose to forget rather than face the reality of what happened.''

That was Mr. Nakano's conclusion after his explanation.

-I see… I see… Yotsuba refuses to accept that something like that could've happened, so her mind blocked it out…

Even now, the human mind remains a mystery, something even science has yet to fully unravel.

But now, Nino understood. Her sister didn't hate them. Even in this state, Yotsuba still cared about and loved them. Realizing that felt like a ray of light breaking through the darkness.

''She doesn't hate us…''

Nino's expression began to change—from sorrowful and distressed to melancholic yet hopeful.

And then, she noticed it.

Sunlight spilled onto the ground. Nino lifted her gaze, watching as the gray clouds that had covered the sky just moments ago had completely dispersed, revealing a vast, brilliant blue sky.

''Looks like you finally get it.'' Desmon stretched, noticing that Nino seemed to be feeling better. ''You really are a handful. Running off to be alone in the rain, like you were waiting for someone to come and find you so you wouldn't be by yourself. What are you, a little kid or something?''

''Can you repeat that last part?' 'For some reason, Desmon's words felt oddly familiar to Nino.

''That you're a little kid?''

''Not that! The part before.'' She frowned.

''That you ran off to be alone in the rain, like you were waiting for someone to come and find you?''

''Where did you hear that!?''

The words themselves weren't anything special—but to Nino, they were. She felt a flicker of hope as she waited for Desmon's response.

''Yotsuba said it when I mentioned it looked like it was about to rain.''

At that moment, something stirred in Yotsuba's mind—a vague, distant memory.

''Rain, hmm… That reminds me. If you ever see someone sad and alone on a rainy day, you should stay with them so they don't feel lonely!'' Yotsuba nodded to herself. ''I feel like I promised that to someone a long time ago, but I can't remember who… Oh well! I'm sure I'll remember someday!'' She said cheerfully.

Hearing that, Nino was stunned.

''She… she still remembers!''

Tears welled up in her eyes, and no matter how hard she tried to stop them, they spilled over uncontrollably.

But this time, they weren't tears of sorrow. This time, they were tears of joy—because despite everything, despite her condition, Yotsuba had still managed to hold onto a piece of the promise they made as children.

-At this point, I doubt she'd do anything reckless. Desmon was convinced now. Nino no longer had that aura of sadness hanging over her.

With Desmon's support, maybe their relationship would finally be a little more peaceful… right?

''Why didn't you mention that sooner…?'' Nino wiped her eyes, drying her tears.

And just when things seemed to be settling down, Nino turned her frustration toward Desmon.

If he had just said that earlier, maybe she wouldn't have gotten so emotional. Maybe she wouldn't have thrown a tantrum that led to her falling from the rooftop. In other words, this was all Desmon's fault.

''It was just some random conversation. I didn't think it mattered.'' He shrugged.

''Of course it matters, you idiot! You could've said it from the start!''

''You're intense. Now I get why Uesugi chose Yotsuba.''

Is being that blunt a blessing or a curse?

Thanks to Desmon's kind and considerate words, several veins of anger popped up on Nino's forehead. Now she was well and truly pissed. Whatever feelings she had before were completely replaced by rage.

As if being rejected wasn't enough, now they're making fun of her.

"Go to hell, you idiot!" She gave him the middle finger.

"I would if I could, but I still have things to do. Maybe later." He replied as if he couldn't care less.

"Moron, idiot, fool, dumbass!!!"

Doing anything physical against Desmon was impossible, so all she could do was insult him and try to vent her frustration.

"Aren't you overreacting? He just rejected you. There are plenty of guys out there."

For someone who's never been rejected, his words felt like punches to Nino.

"Don't talk like it's that easy! Do you think I'd just go out with any random guy?"

"Yeah? Would you?"

"You're a complete idiot!" She had to hold back the urge to punch him.

"You asked."

"That's not the point! Fuu-kun is special to me, he's really important! I can't just forget about him so easily!"

The situation had shifted from emotional and sad to Nino wanting to beat Desmon up. Humans really are fickle creatures.

"But he rejected you. And he has a girlfriend."

"I know…"

"Though, now that I think about it, with your personality, I doubt any guy would be willing to put up with you."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" She was ready to jump at him, even though she knew she'd lose.

"Oh well, guess I'll have to sacrifice myself for the greater good. Hopefully, my noble act will be worthy of a peace prize." He said with conviction.

"You!? Hahaha, don't make me laugh! Not even if you were the last guy on earth!"

-I have way better qualities than that idiot. I'm sure any guy would be happy to talk to me. Not that I need them, anyway. She thought proudly.

Nino would rather stay single than even consider dating someone with Desmon's attitude.

"Oi, oi, I think I'm a solid option. I like eating sweets, I enjoy sleeping, and I'd rather stay home than go to work."

What girl wouldn't be attracted to such amazing qualities?

"Hahaha!" Nino couldn't hold back her laughter at the nonsense he was spouting. "You're an idiot! You have no idea how to deal with girls, your attitude is the worst, and any girl interested in you should seriously see a therapist!"

-As long as they're not too much of a hassle, I guess dating a slightly crazy girl wouldn't be so bad.

It's not like the girls Desmon usually dealt with were completely sane. Take the four sisters possessed by a demon who fought him—no matter how you looked at it, those girls were missing a few screws.

"Right now, I'm looking at a girl who checks all those boxes. Though she's still a headache, considering she tried to fly by jumping off a building. Maybe she's an idiot, but she's kind of cute."

A fantastic compliment that would surprise any girl—but not in a good way.

"I don't even know why I'm still talking to you!"

This last part really pissed Nino off, mainly because it was true. So she decided to leave before Desmon could give her an even bigger headache.

"Because you keep talking to me. Even an idiot would figure that out."

"I'm outta here!"

Tired of that guy, Nino walked toward the rooftop entrance to leave. Just as she stepped through the door, she whispered something to herself and kept walking.

"You could be more honest, it wouldn't hurt you." Desmon said with a lighthearted tone.

Even though Nino spoke in a low voice, Desmon's enhanced senses picked it up.

"Thanks."

All the pain and guilt Nino had been feeling faded after her conversation with Desmon, giving her renewed hope that one day Yotsuba would regain her memories. As for the rejection, Desmon's stupidity made it easier for her to forget the sting. After all, she gained confidence in knowing that finding a partner wouldn't be an issue for her—while Desmon, on the other hand, was just a hopeless fool who could barely talk to girls without scaring them off.

Simply put, despite how unlikely it seemed, Nino realized that everything that had happened in these last few minutes had helped her process the negative emotions she had been carrying. And considering Desmon had saved her life, she couldn't just leave without thanking him.

Of course, she wasn't about to acknowledge him directly. He probably hadn't even intended to help her—just blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Still, she knew that things had turned out fine thanks to that idiot.

Without a doubt, any girl who hangs around Desmon has a screw loose.

And so, just as Miku predicted, Desmon was the one person Nino wouldn't know how to deal with.

"I guess you could call that a good outcome?" Desmon tilted his head.

Now, with his last unpaid job done, he could finally head home. Maybe he'd even make it in time for lunch. Shizuka had probably made ramen.

Something Desmon definitely wouldn't complain about.

-Guess I should wrap everything up… and here I thought I was done.

"How much longer do you plan on eavesdropping?" He asked in his usual voice.

His voice echoed across the rooftop, as if speaking to no one in particular—but that wasn't the case.

"Ah, you caught me. Figures."

Near the rooftop entrance, another girl peeked out—the same one Desmon had seen just a few minutes ago.

Looks like his day was far from over.