Chapter 1: The Baby

"Long long ago, in a certain place, there was a very handsome, cool, kind-hearted and popular young man..."

"Wait wait wait wait-" An annoyed voice broke out, interrupting the 'story' this idiot was telling us. Oh wait, I haven't introduced who I am yet have I? Well, for starters, I'm Shimizudani Aki, having shoulder length auburn hair and hazelnut brown eyes. All and all, I'm just a typical Japanese teenager.

I'm good friends of Tatsumi Oga; the current story teller, and Takayuki Furuichi; the story interrupter. Well, good friends might be pushing it a little, I'm just a classmate of theirs' who they don't mind hanging out with and vice versa.

"Don't 'huh' me Tatsumi, who's kind-hearted and popular? You're a tyrant, aren't you?!"

"Yeah Tatsumi, the day you're kind-hearted and popular is the day that hell freezes over." I joined in, Furuichi and I shared the same face of skepticism.

"Idiots," Tatsumi stated firmly, "The both of you, idiots! Think about it, do you think I'm the sort of guy that'll force people to bow before me?"

"Yeah."

"Without a doubt." Furuichi and I said at the same time, giving Tatsumi, who had just finished his strawberry cake a curt nod.

"Oh yeah, really?! Wanna hear the rest then?!"

"Ow ow ow! I give! I give!"

Tatsumi had trapped Furuichi in a headlock after his outburst, and by the looks of it, Tatsumi was definitely not holding back. Yep, he had some serious anger issues. I half-heartedly listened to Tatsumi's story, more interested in eating my own strawberry cake.

I'd been careful in eating around the most delicious and wonderful fruit all the time, wanting to leave the best for the last. After one last mouthful of cake, my smile widened. The moment had finally come! It's time for my strawber-

My fork was halfway down when my strawberry had disappeared, leaving an empty plate staring back at me. It'd all happened so fast, once second my strawberry was there, the next second gone! I slowly lifted up my head, still smiling as my face had frozen. I was met with the face of Tatsumi, he was towering over me, licking his fingers.

"Your punishment." Tatsumi shrugged, "You shouldn't have ignored me."

"... ... RAHHH!" I pounced onto Tatsumi, ready to give him knocked his lights out when his palm flew out, stopping me by the forehead. I flailed my arms, struggling to reach him, but him being taller, his arm was longer, easily kept me at a distance.

"Now, where were I," Tatsumi said lazily, picking his nose with his free pinky finger. "Ah right... ..."

8888888888888888

"AHHHHHHHH!" I continued to scream like a bloody banshee as another building came rumbling down, narrowly missed us. In the time span of 60 minutes, Tstsumi had a green hair baby that can conduct electricity with him, a baby that's very attached to him. Then, a beautiful, blonde woman with really, big, and I mean, huge boobs had mysteriously appeared, introducing herself Hildegarde or Hilda, a devil, and baby a demon lord that goes by the name of Kas-

... ...

Kaisei? Kaisei... da... something something the thirt- no, fourth?

Ah! Whatever!

Anyway, for some odd reason, Hilda was supposed to bring the baby back to 'hell' (If it's true) but the baby refused. She then said Tatsumi was now the 'father' of the baby. But Tatsumi being Tasumi, he'd refused, and one thing led to the another, Hilda was now chasing after us with a very, very sharp sword.

"Stop screaming and do more running, stupid!"

"Who are you calling stupid, stupid! It's all your fault! Why do you have to pick up that freaking baby?!"

"And what? Leave it to die?! I'm not heartless!"

"Yes! Yes, you are!" Furuichi joined in the shouting fest, the three of us still running at full speed.

"Shut up, you idiot!" Tatsumi yelled, still trying to pry the baby off him. Not heartless? Riiiiight.

"Give up," Hilda's cold voice rang out from above, her standing on the top of a tall electric pole, "Do you think you can run away from a demon?"

"SHUT UP! Just stay up there for the rest of your life!"

"We can see your panties!"

"You're not a devil, you're a psychotic bitch!"

The three of us ran off at the speed of light straight after we'd insult her, and before we know it, a gigantic monstrous-looking bird emerged out of nowhere, landing right in front of us, blocking our way. Before I can register what's going on, Tatsumi had kicked the bird in the face, sending it flying.

Had I mentioned Tatsumi was extremely strong?

Hilda never stopped attacking us, and we soon ended up the end of the river where it's normally deserted saved for some hooligans. We're all panting, trying to catch our breath. I wasn't huffing as bad as Tatsumi and Furuichi though, for one of my strongest forte was running away, but that didn't mean I wasn't winded.

"H-Hey, are you g-guys alr-" My question was cut off when I saw the tip of Hilda's sword pointed at Tatsumi's face, the woman standing right behind of him. Furuichi was frozen at our spot, afraid she'll do anything rash.

"You think you can escape?" She asked, her voice void of any emotion.

"Y-You were planning this right from the beginning, weren't you?"

"... ... Demons are quite stuck up on contracts, so I'm happy you refused..." Her sword glided over Tatsumi's cheek, drawing blood. I watched as a thin line of blood trailed down his face, a droplet landed on the baby's cheek, surprisingly at the same spot of Tatsumi's injury.

The next thing I know was a loud and raw wailing sound, accompanied by an intense pain throughout my whole body before my world turned black.

I'd fainted.

The first thing I'm aware of when I woke up, was that I wasn't alone. Fearing the unknown intruder, I bolted upright instantly, and trust me, it's a bad idea.

"OW OW OW OW OWWW!" Pain shot through my whole body, so painful that tears pricked my eyes. Had I been hit by a truck?!

"IDIOT!" A loud voice boomed out, and a blurry figure approached me, wrapping an arm around me to keep me steady and helped me lie back down."Don't get up so quickly when you're injured! Do you not have common sense at all?! Geez!"

"Injured? Wha-?" My mind was still disoriented, utterly confused. Using the back of my hand, I rubbed away the unshed tears, that face I'm so familiar with staring back at me. "Tatsumi?"

"Who else, idiot." He scoffed.

"Stop calling me idiot you assho-"

"Oh Aki-chan! You're finally awake!" It was I realized Furuichi was there as well, sitting on the floor of... my room?

"Why are the two of you in my house?! My room no less?! How did the two of you get in?!"

"That would be my doing." A third voice said, "It's easy to locate your house from your scent and breaking in was even easier." I whipped my head around, seeing the person who just spoke was none other than the devil herself; Hilda. Memories suddenly came flooding back, remembering what'd happened.

"Wha-why-wha- huh?!" I spluttered, gapping like a goldfish, unable to comprehend why the woman who'd tried to kill us was now standing so calmly in my bedroom.

"No need to be so eloquent Aki, People might not know you're an idiot if you keep it up," Tatsumi said, a mocking smirk on his face, sarcasm practically dripping from each word. Annoyed, I'd punched his shoulder him, hard.

Another bad idea.

"Owwwwwwwwwww!" I moaned in pain, nursing my now probably bruised knuckles. Damn Tatsu mi and his hard firm muscles!

"Can you get even more idiotic?" Tatsumi scoffed. "Idiot."

"DA!"

My eyes widened when I heard that particular noise, seeing that very green hair baby that was the cause of all chaos climbed onto Tatsumi's head. He was looking down at me condescendingly as if he was agreeing with Tatsumi on calling me an idiot.

I was about to throw my pillow at that baby when Furuichi cut in, sitting next to Tatsumi at the side of my bed.

"Now, now Aki-chan, we know you're very confused right now, so if you just let me explain... ..."

20 Minutes Later...

"So I'm out for 5 days?"

"Yes."

"Because I was electrocuted by the baby's crying?"

"Yes."

"Who is indeed, the real devil lord?"

"Yes."

"Who'd chosen Tatsumi to be his parent."

"Yes."

"So he can grow up to destroy the human race?"

"Yes."

"And I'm not dreaming?"

"You're not dreaming."

"... ..."

"... ..."

"Okay."

"OKAY?!" Furuichi burst out, "YOU ACCEPT IT SO EASILY? THAT BABY IS THE DEVIL LORD!"

"WEREN'T YOU THE ONE WHO'S TRYING TO CONVINCE ME IT'S REAL IN THE FIRST PLACE JACKASS!"

"ENOUGH!"

Furuichi and my shouting match immediately ended upon the icy voice of Hilda, the woman giving us a look that promised pain if we continued.

"The two of you are upsetting the young master."

"Err... on the contrary..." Tatsumi pipped up, his eyes on the naked baby that's perched on the top of his head, "He seems pretty happy."

Like what Tatsumi had said, the baby, which Tatsumi had named Beel, was clapping away happily, making excited gurgling noises and eyes shining brightly. Did he enjoy arguments?

Tatsumi promptly shuts up when Hilda shot him a withering glare. Whao, she got him whipped.

"So," I cleared my throat, trying to defuse g the tension, "All of you had been taking turns to take care of me for the whole day?"

"Well yeah, when we found out you live by yourself in an apartment, we can't just leave you alone can we?" Tatsumi answered as-a-matter-of-factly, that same stupid righteous expression on his face.

"And in such a luxurious apartment too! Why haven't you tell us? Where're your parents? Working overseas?"

I know Furuichi asked out of pure curiously with no ill-intention, but I found myself muted by his questions. I had always been a private person, never told them much about myself. We just hung out, never no personal feelings, no nothing, I don't want them to know what I'm hiding... ...

"Stop asking useless question Furuichi," Tatsumi suddenly cut in, breaking the silence, "Since she's already up, we can go now. My parents will start nagging if I'm late for dinner again." He grumbled before looking back at me, still with a perfectly straight face. "Will you be alright on your own?"

"Er... no?" I deadpanned. I can barely move and when he'd mentioned about dinner, I realized just how hungry I am. In fact, I'm starving! As if on cue, my stomach let out a thunderous rumble, so loud that everyone's eyes had widened in astonishment.

One

Two

Thre-

"BUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Of course, my rumbling stomach never fails to amuse Tatsumi and Furuichi, the both of them swore it was loud enough to scare off anyone. Beel himself was also laughing, hitting Tatsumi's head in mirth.

Yeah baby Beel, hit harder, hit till he got a concussion!

"S-SHUT UP! I was out for a day! It's natural if I'm hungry!" I yelled in embarrassment, face flushed.

"Right," Tatsumi smirked down at me before turning to Furuichi, "Come on, we're going out, I'm going to buy Aki dinner while you buy some groceries, her apartment is practically empty of food."

"Yeah, sounds like a good plan."

"Hilda, can you take care of her before we're back?"

"Alright."

I was stunned, marveling at how Tatsumi was taking in charge of everything so easily. It's fascinating. Just as Tatsumi was about to leave, my hand flew up and grabbed his, momentarily stopping him. He paused for a second before turning his head around, an eyebrow rose.

"What?"

"You're not curious?"

"Arh?"

"What Furuichi had asked before, you're not curious?" I asked softly, avoiding his eyes.

He was quiet for a while before a loud scoff was heard, my head snapping up. He had puffed out his chest a little, crossing his arms indignantly.

"If you want to tell me, I'll listen, but truthfully speaking, I don't really give a damn." Tatsumi said coolly before leaving, me still speechless. Most people might find his words cold, even crass, but to me, they were the best words one can ever say to me...

"Hmm, interesting."

My eyes darted towards Hilda who'd just spoke, her having a knowing look on her face, as if she knew something I don't.

"What's interesting?" I asked, still suspicious.

"Oh," She said cryptically with a smirk, "You'll see."