The Quintuplets Are My Neighbors

Early Morning.

The shrill sound of an alarm clock shattered the stillness, forcing Kenji out of his slumber. Groaning, he fumbled for his phone and answered.

"Good morning, Mafuyu-sensei…" His voice was groggy.

There was a brief silence on the other end. Then, a cold voice snapped, "Humiliation."

Kenji smirked. "If you're that angry, why not come wake me up yourself?"

The call ended with a sharp click. Kenji chuckled and tossed the phone aside, stretching as he got out of bed.

---

Knock. Knock.

Kenji opened his door to find Kirisu Mafuyu standing there, her usual stern expression on her face. Her long, pink hair cascaded down her back, and her pristine business suit clung to her slender frame. Even with her icy demeanor, she was undeniably beautiful.

"Since you're up, don't be late today," she said curtly.

Kenji leaned casually against the doorframe, a playful grin on his face. "With a wake-up call like that, I promise to be on time."

"Humiliation." Mafuyu's lips tightened, and she turned to leave.

Before she could, Kenji grabbed her wrist gently. Her eyes widened briefly in surprise before narrowing into a cold glare. He quickly released her, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, Mafuyu-sensei. You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Come in and eat."

"I've already eaten." Her tone was clipped, but her slightly flushed cheeks betrayed her discomfort.

Kenji smirked knowingly. "Omelette rice it is, then. Come in."

Mafuyu hesitated, glancing around nervously. Seeing no one, she sighed and stepped inside, shutting the door behind her.

---

In the Kitchen.

The sound of eggs sizzling filled the small apartment as Kenji worked. Mafuyu sat stiffly on the couch, her back ramrod straight, her hands folded neatly on her lap. Despite her aloof exterior, her gaze softened slightly as she watched him cook.

"I heard there was another anomaly last night," she said suddenly. "Kenji, are you sure it won't affect the real world?"

Kenji paused, his expression unreadable. "No… It won't."

That was a lie.

The anomalies had been escalating, creeping closer to reality. But he didn't want Mafuyu to worry. She had already seen too much.

"I've seen the ruins," Mafuyu muttered, her voice trembling slightly. "Under the blood moon… the desolation… the monsters. Is it all real?"

Kenji turned, his face unusually serious. "Yes. It's real. And I'm the Demon King. Wherever I go, disaster follows."

Mafuyu's sharp gaze cut through his theatrics. "Enough. Finish cooking."

Kenji shrugged, returning to the stove. "You're the one who asked."

---

After Breakfast.

Mafuyu stood, brushing invisible dust from her skirt. "Thank you for the meal. I need to go."

As assistant principal, history teacher, and club advisor at Sobu High, her schedule was always packed. Kenji waved her off casually. "Don't overwork yourself, Mafuyu-sensei."

Her eyes softened briefly before she left.

---

The Streets of Chiba City.

Kenji walked leisurely toward Sobu High School. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, their petals drifting gently in the breeze. The air was sweet with their scent, masking the usual industrial tang.

He should've been enjoying the serene morning, but his gaze shifted upward. His eyes narrowed as he spotted it—a jagged black crack in the sky. Invisible to everyone else, it hung there ominously, like a wound in reality.

The crack was why he had returned to Chiba City. It was the harbinger of the anomalies, proof that the barriers between worlds were weakening.

---

At the Intersection.

A muffled sob reached Kenji's ears. Turning, he spotted a little girl crouched in a corner, her shoulders trembling as she cried. But there was something off. Her figure was faint, almost translucent.

A ghost.

Kenji's jaw tightened as he noticed the cause of her distress. Three delinquents stood nearby, stomping on a small memorial of flowers placed by the roadside.

"What's with this crap?" one of them sneered, grinding a white chrysanthemum under his heel. "Bad luck this early in the morning."

The others laughed, scattering the flowers. Passers-by averted their gazes, quickening their pace to avoid confrontation.

Kenji's eyes shifted back to the girl. The air around her was changing, growing darker, heavier. An ominous aura began to swirl around her fragile frame.

Kenji's expression hardened. Not here. Not now.

He stepped forward.

✥✥✥

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