Chapter 12: Vigne
Kouya opened the door and was immediately greeted by a bright, almost divine light—no, it was just the idiot angel Gabi-chan standing outside, smiling as if she'd been blessed by the heavens themselves.
Even though Kouya had no fondness for this poke-happy idiot angel, he couldn't deny she looked dazzling in that moment. She seemed to glow under the morning sun, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders, catching the light in every strand.
Today, the idiot angel wasn't wearing her usual school uniform. Instead, she had on a pink home sweater trimmed with soft white frills and a pair of black leggings that perfectly hugged her long, slender legs. The casual outfit somehow made her seem even more radiant, a mix of warmth and innocence that hurt Kouya's eyes to look at for too long.
The golden light from the doorway framed her like some overly dramatic painting, and Kouya couldn't help but click his tongue. Angels, honestly—they didn't even need to try to look saintly.
"Good morning, Kouya-kun," Gabi-chan said, clasping her hands together in front of her chest, her smile so bright it could probably purify a small nation.
What the hell is with that blinding smile? Seriously, no wonder demons hate angels! They're walking light bulbs of holiness!
"Um, I already bought the ingredients. Kouya-kun, how about coming to my place for a bit?" she asked sweetly, tilting her head just enough to make it look practiced.
Kouya opened his mouth to refuse, but one glance at those wide, shimmering eyes told him all he needed to know—she wouldn't take no for an answer. If he didn't go now, she'd just keep standing there until the end of time.
He sighed, shoulders slumping. Fine, just eat, then leave. The faster this ended, the better.
He locked his door and followed her next door, all while thinking, 'I swear, if I ever end up stuck with this idiot angel again, I'm jumping off the balcony.'
But the moment he stepped inside her apartment, he froze.
Someone else was there.
A demon.
Not just any demon—but the model student type, the perfect example of hard work, manners, and decency. The kind who always turned in her homework early and helped old ladies cross the street.
Vigne.
The purple-haired girl turned, her soft lavender eyes narrowing slightly as she noticed him. Her expression wasn't unfriendly, but there was a calm authority to it, the kind that made Kouya feel like he was standing trial.
"Eh, Kouya-kun, I didn't expect you to live right next to Gabi-chan," she said politely, though her tone carried the faintest trace of suspicion.
Hey, you're talking, but why do I feel like I'm being interrogated by the police?
"Sorry if this sounds rude, but did you move here because you knew Gabi-chan was going to live nearby?"
I lived here first, damn it! Get your facts straight!
Vigne crossed her arms, giving him a serious look. "After all, you used to bully Gabi-chan in class..."
Bully your ass! She's the one who kept poking me every five minutes! One day, I'll poke her back so hard she'll regret sprouting wings!
The two girls exchanged a small laugh while Kouya stood there, expression flat. The irony of being accused of bullying an angel wasn't lost on him.
...
Because they were in the same apartment complex, the two rooms were identical in structure. Yet, despite only moving in a few days ago, Gabi-chan's place already screamed girly paradise.
The bedsheets had been replaced with pink ones covered in little hearts. Cute cat-shaped slippers sat neatly at the entrance, and even the glasses in the kitchen had cartoon stickers of smiling clouds and bunnies.
The whole place was spotless. Kouya could practically see his reflection in the floors. The balcony windows gleamed like mirrors—it was so clean it almost made him uncomfortable.
Gabi-chan came over, carefully balancing a plate of snacks. She set it down in front of him with a cheerful, "Please wait a bit, Kouya-kun. I'll start cooking now!"
The kitchen, however, was another story. Narrow, barely big enough for two people, it looked like a disaster waiting to happen.
And sure enough, it was.
Within minutes, Gabi-chan was proving why angels shouldn't be trusted anywhere near sharp objects. She almost sliced her finger cutting vegetables, then managed to drop a few droplets of water into a hot pan, causing the oil to explode like fireworks.
Kouya's expression was deadpan as he watched the chaos unfold.
"Gabi-chan, let's cook together," Vigne quickly said, stepping in before the idiot angel burned down the kitchen.
"B-but I said I'd cook for you guys..." Gabi-chan protested weakly, puffing her cheeks.
Vigne smiled with motherly patience, already tying on an apron. In a blink, she took over, her hands moving gracefully. The sound of her knife hitting the cutting board was steady and rhythmic—clack, clack, clack—like music.
Within minutes, the vegetables were neatly chopped, the ingredients perfectly organized.
"Wow! Amazing!" Gabi-chan gasped.
"It's just practice," Vigne replied softly, her tone warm. She moved around the kitchen with elegance, tossing ginger, onions, and garlic into the pan. The aroma that filled the air was rich and savory, filling every corner of the room.
Kouya crossed his arms and watched, half irritated and half impressed. The sight of a demon cooking with such care was almost surreal.
Meanwhile, Gabi-chan, bored of standing idle, opened the fridge and pulled out some fruit. She tilted her head in confusion. "So weird. It's called dragon fruit, but it doesn't look anything like a dragon."
Kouya almost choked on his drink. "Pff—" He turned away, fighting the urge to laugh. 'How dumb can you be?!' Dragon fruit has as much to do with dragons as wife cakes do with actual wives!
He muttered under his breath, imagining an ancient battlefield filled with slaughtered couples and turtle ghosts haunting dessert shops. This angel's ignorance could fill a library.
Half an hour later, the chaos had somehow produced results.
Three dishes and one soup were laid out neatly on the table. Steam curled up into the air, carrying a mouthwatering scent that made even Kouya's stomach rumble. The dark red sauce glistened, the meat shimmered with heat, and the scallions added the perfect touch of color.
"Alright, dinner's ready," Vigne announced, wiping sweat from her forehead. She said it in a tone that sounded suspiciously like a wife calling her husband to dinner.
Kouya washed his hands and came over to sit down, only for Vigne to glance at him and say, "Kouya-kun, could you bring the rice cooker over?"
"Eh?"
She raised an eyebrow, the hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Gabi-chan and I did the cooking. You can at least do this much, right?"
You dare order the Demon King around? You've got guts!
The table was a small, portable foldable one, painted black with white wave patterns. It had no decorations but was spotless. There were no chairs either, so the three of them sat cross-legged on the floor like some odd little family.
When Kouya finally picked up his chopsticks, Vigne stopped him again. "Kouya-kun, manners."
He stared at her silently. "..."
'Shut up, are you my wife or what?!' Whoever marries you is doomed! You'd have them living by a minute-by-minute schedule! Wake up at seven, sleep at ten, no skipping chores—and if they messed up, they'd probably have to kneel on crushed instant noodles as punishment!
He sighed. "Let's eat."
"Itadakimasu," Gabi-chan and Vigne said together, smiling warmly.
Kouya didn't bother with the formalities. He grabbed a chicken leg immediately and took a big bite. The flavor exploded in his mouth—it was amazing. Vigne's cooking was on another level.
As he devoured his food, Vigne calmly began eating, graceful and unhurried. "Vigne-chan's cooking is amazing!" Gabi-chan said between cheerful bites.
Vigne chuckled softly. "It's nothing special. If you practice, Gabi-chan, you can do it too. I can teach you, if you want."
"Really? Yay!" Gabi-chan's wings fluttered slightly in excitement, earning a faint smile from Vigne.
Kouya glanced at the two of them—the shining idiot angel and the gentle demon—and felt a strange contrast. One was like sunlight, the other like calm moonlight, and somehow, they balanced each other perfectly.
Compared to his wolfish eating, Gabi-chan's table manners were flawless—tiny, delicate bites, perfect posture. Vigne, on the other hand, was just... normal. No pretense, no airs. She sipped her miso soup, ate steadily, and smiled softly after each bite, as though genuinely thankful for the meal.
Thankful your ass! You're a demon! Stop radiating saintly light already!