Chapter 7: Seventh Deconstruction.

"When you put yourself in your character's shoes, always remember this: 'Anything that could go wrong would one day go wrong.'"

"Where is he!?"

"I don't know, that's what I'm supposed to be asking! Where are you hiding HR-sensei!?"

"That's our line!"

I held my breath, terrified and afraid as I tried to keep quiet over one of the school's support beams in the ceiling. Inwardly, I thanked the architect who made the building; without all these spaces over everyone's heads, I would've been caught much earlier.

Good thing nobody made the point of looking up.

"…Hyoudou-san."

I nearly fell off in surprise before I recovered my balance and turned to whoever found me. If it was yet another fan or overly excited teacher… maybe I'll cry in the corner. That way, people would stop following me, right?

But thankfully, instead of what I feared, the person calling me was none other than a certain blond bishounen that I knew from another life.

"Hyoudou-san, Buchou had told us to collect you." Yuuto Kiba smiled at me as he sat over the opposite half of the beam I was sitting on. He then turned to the girls below the both of us and shook his head as he held out a hand. "Here, I know all the ways around the school on how to evade them all and reach the clubroom in time."

I almost gave out in relief as I heard his words. That was right, Kiba was overly popular with the female population himself, right?

I took the offered hand as I stood on the beam. "Thanks, I appreciate the help."

Too bad that that movement seemed to be just what the people below us needed to finally notice the two males clasping each other's hands over their heads.

The rumor of the Hyoudou x Kiba x Hyoudou love triangle was all over the school before the day even ended.

"Of course! I'll do anything to get a touch of Buchou's breasts!"

Hearing the voice of my brother utter those words as I neared the old building where the Occult Research Club resided, my heart fell.

So even in the presence of his new allies, he still kept on the act?

Kiba, apparently having seen my emotions through my face, misunderstood my reasons as shame. "Is it difficult? Having a pervert for a brother?"

I shook my head, holding back the urge to glare at the teenager who had just helped me. "No. Pervert or not, Issei is my brother and I would accept all of his faults and good points without argument. It's just that I'm a bit sad that even you people still fail to see who he really is."

The fact that Issei still pretended to be a pervert was resounding proof for my statement.

Kiba seemed to have questions, but he didn't voice them. Instead, he simply nodded before knocking on the door that alone separated us from the rest of the Occult Research Club. Seconds later, the door was opened from the inside, letting me have a full view of what was happening within.

Besides the white flash of hair that I knew was Toujou Koneko, the streak of red that I was now slightly familiar with was at the center of the room. Rias Gremory stood, arms crossed beneath her bountiful chest, as she leaned over a teleportation circle. Standing beside her with a reassuring smile on her face was her Queen, the secretly sadomasochistic Himejima Akeno.

And within the circle was no one other than my brother Hyoudou Issei as he saluted with a perverted grin on his face.

I heaved a sigh. The sound caught everyone's attention, including my brother's, whose expression fell with a dash of horror. His mouth opened to say something.

The circle glowed, and he disappeared.

"Ara, it seems a bit of bad luck for Hyoudou-kun to miss his brother now." The former priestess of a Queen gave me a smile, no doubt enjoying the look on my brother's face as he was forced to leave. "Now we have to talk to the famous HR-sensei all alone!"

"I won't even deign that with a response."

I could only shook my head at the antics of devils and the thoughts of whether my brother would pick up these tactics in the future. Instead, I sought out the nearest sofa I could sit on, trying to ignore the rather gregarious finery around me as I did. I might own riches, but I was never going to let myself get used to them. That way led madness.

The moment I sat down, the feeling of being in front of a judge and awaiting for verdict suddenly rushed me.

"It was nice for you to come here." Rias sat down on the sofa opposite of me, a wry smile on her lips. "I'm sorry for the forceful depart of our dear little Issei – we can't have him trying to prevent us from talking to you now, could we?"

I returned the expression. "I apologize. It seems the habit of keeping me secret is still ongoing for him. Even in class, he never spoke once about me personally, even when his classmates asked him to explain."

"My, our dear pawn has a protective side!" Akeno praised from the side, sending me a wink. "Himejima Akeno, in your service. Has Hyoudou-kun been telling you information about me? You seem a bit unsurprised by my tactics."

As Kiba held out a cup of tea for me, I hid my smile as I drank. "Let's just say you are a very unforgettable person, Himejima-san."

"Oh please, call me Akeno."

"Very well."

Rias watched as with amusement. "As much as it pleases me to see that two of you get along, it would be well if we get on with the rest of the introductions. As I suppose you already have been introduced to Kiba over here," Kiba nodded in agreement, "so it would be Koneko's turn."

The petite white-haired girl gave me a bow. "Toujou Koneko."

I bowed, reminding myself that as much as I knew about the people in front of me, they didn't know me as well. "Pleasure to meet you. Should I call you Toujou-san?"

"Koneko." Straight to the point, as I expected. Koneko then raised her head, asking me a simple question. "Are you a pervert?" Like Issei?

I held back the urge to laugh. After all, as much as Issei pretended to be one, he was most certainly not a pervert. Or at least, more than what any teenager would be to those who really knew him. "No, I suppose I am not."

"It's true!" Akeno added from her side. A familiar book was in her hand – 'The Nurarhiyon's Grandson,' wasn't it interesting that she chose that book out of all things? – before placing it near her lips as if it was her personal treasure. "Even with many books HR-sensei had written, not a single one of them held any sexual themes. It's a matter of principle, he says."

I spotted the signature on the front that I had just written the other day. Now, I suppose it was either her or that frightening girl Kiryuu who had convinced my brother to make me sign all those books.

"And it is also a matter of pride." I replied, taking another sip of my tea. "I had been writing since childhood after all."

And that was the crux of the matter wasn't it?

Forget how the hell I found out about my brother's gear before it was even activated. Forget how I knew of the Devil Piece system before I even met a devil. Forget how I knew and could detect the supernatural from far away if I took the moment to focus. Each of those were important, yes, but there were far more important things.

How did I manage to get this far, this high, while knowing the supernatural world and not get struck down for it?

And why had I chosen now of all times to contact the Devil society?

"Imagine our surprise when Akeno found out that you have past dealings with the Youkai." Rias started the talk that would change what would happen in the future. "Imagine the looks on our face when we found out that alone, just with the words you wrote, new Youkai were born into existence. To think of it, how did you even know that there was a supernatural world out there?"

"I am supernaturally sensitive." No lies, only half-truths. "I have known since I was a child."

Akeno hummed beside her King. "I suppose you could tell me what you could sense about me then? If only to prove those abilities?"

I nodded, closing my eyes. As much as I knew about her history, of what and who she was, I still felt the urge to feel the power of a half-Fallen, half-Devil myself. Dropping into a meditation state, the world around me flickered into darkness before it was filled with light.

There were four beacons with me in this room. There were several more in the distance, in what I supposed was the Student Council Room where Sona Sitri and her peerage resided, but I ignored them for the moment as to focus on those closer to me. Words slipped out of my lips as I judged and tried to describe what I felt.

"Light tainted by darkness… Humanity covered in painted white, sparking lightning colored by the black of the Devil. Red, like blood rubies, accompanied by hurt, pain, suffering… yet even as acceptance and denial existed, family lost and family gained. Paired wings, mismatched and changed, hoping for reassurance and acceptance, only to be turned away. And Gremory, Rias Gremory in the center."

I didn't know the words I was saying until I finished, opening my eyes only to see the shocked faces of the Devils around me.

None more so than Akeno, who had such a pained look in her eyes that I couldn't help but mutter-

"I apologize." I bowed my head sincerely. "I didn't mean to do so."

I was so lost in the deep trance that I failed to see, failed to recognize the sadness that was now coiling around her, as I poked too far and damaged old scars that had hidden behind painful memories. It would be crucial that I would learn to control that, but for now, it was time for me to apologize for the pain I had called out from her.

There was a silence before she recovered, a wistful smile on her lips. "…Do not worry. It was my request after all."

Rias, who had seemed to have recovered just as well, had her hand pinching the bridge of her nose, as if trying to hold back a headache.

"I see that we should not ask that in the future." The Gremory announced, sending looks over her just-as-unsettled other Pieces. "Isn't that right, Kiba, Koneko?"

The two of them looked like somebody slapped them. Kiba was deadly pale, as was Koneko who was even shivering a bit. It was then that I recognized that it wasn't Akeno alone who had matched what I had just said. The same way Akeno lost her mother, Kiba lost his childhood friends and Koneko lost her sister.

Hurt, pain, suffering… even as acceptance and denial existed, family lost and family gained.

"Y-you're right, Buchou." Kiba gasped out a breath. "It wouldn't be nice to remember those thoughts too far again."

Koneko nodded solemnly.

"So there is nothing to disprove about your words." Nobody piped up to follow up Rias' words – they were still too emotionally hit to speak. However, as if just as hurt by the pain her Peerage felt, Rias strove on – far more seriously this time. "May I ask now as to why you chose us Gremory, out of all things, to protect your brother then?"

"Issei might not ask you out of his sheer trust, but I don't have such compulsions. Tell me, why us Devils when there are other choices out there, like the Church, the Angels, or the Youkai?"

Her Peerage froze from her words.

Why would she ask that, in front of her Peerage that was one by one scarred by those she just spoke of, I didn't know. However, this time unlike how unprepared I was to answer Issei when he was the one who asked, I immediately had a reply.

"I have reason to believe that there are Fallen Angels in Kuoh City as of now that would target my brother unless I did something. Along with several Exorcists, some may or may not be exiled. Thus, I have no trust in the first two." Again, I told no lies. However, given my very real ability to sense supernatural beings and their thoughts, as I had just shown, there was no need to justify myself this time. "And as much as the Youkai have supported me in the past, their protection is not enough. Your presence here was just what I needed."

Rias stiffened in her seat, probably surprised by my statement. "I see… then I should change the question. Why me?"

I gave her a smile, as sad as it was that it needed to be told. "For the same reasons I can't trust them, I could trust you. You might not know about me, but I know of you, and of how you helped those who needed it."

Essentially, I confessed that I emotionally manipulated her, but I hoped she would accept it as a compliment.

As much as I lied, I didn't like to lie to the people in front of me.

As much as I acted to be someone I was not, I didn't want them to ever think that I was hiding something from them, even if it was true.

Because they would be the ones who would be around my brother. Because if it ever came to be that I went away, at least Issei would have them. Because if it ever came to be that my family was in danger, they would be the only ones that would be willing to help.

Silence reigned the room.

Kiba was the first one to break it, with none other than a refreshed smile on his face as he turned to his King.

"Buchou, looks like you don't have to worry about the two of them." Them being me and Issei. "They really don't mean any harm to us, nor do they really want to manipulate this club."

Akeno chuckled at her side. "Nufufufu… I can't believe the HR-sensei is really like this…"

Koneko even sent the small, almost unnoticeable, curve of her lips that was her version of a smile at my direction.

I couldn't help but gape.

Rias gave out a sigh as she gazed at my surprised expression at their blasé acceptance. But she herself had her lips curled up, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at me.

"I'm sorry for the interrogation but-" She shook her head, as if remembering a memory. "My friend, Sona, had been a tad worried when she found out about the deal we had the other week. Not to mention, the familial loyalty and affection Issei holds for you is so strong that even I felt a little out of place. Never before had I been King to a Piece who placed someone else as a priority before after all."

I blinked at her last statement. Issei… had actually voiced concern about me?

"'Tad worried' isn't what I would use for it, Rias." Akeno teased, all tension away from her already. "I would instead call it exasperated, stupefied, irritated, bemused, incensed, and hot and bothered. After all, why would she not be all that when her dear childhood friend suddenly starts associating with a well-known pervert like Issei~"

"Ignore her please." Rias twitched as she did just what she said. Her eyes softened at me. "But you didn't lie to us. We may be devils, but you still told us the truth, instead of what other humans would usually do in this kind of situation. In fact, if you had just asked instead of making a contract in the beginning, I would've still done the same."

…So, I had worried too much?

Still with the serene smile on her face, Rias rose from her seat and walked towards me. Her Peerage stayed in their positions, calm and unworried as their master… no, Buchou came close to a virtual stranger.

"I'd like to say this now, Ryuusei-san." She murmured, her eyes twinkling as she looked at me. "Finally, welcome to the Occult Research Club."

And starting that day, I became the club's advisor. Issei was torn between celebrating and disapproving when he found out.

It had been weeks now, since I first entered Kuoh Academy as part of its faculty.

It had been… interesting- no, scratch that, it was a lot of '-ing's. It was stupefying, it was hair-raising, hair-pulling, heck one could even say that it was depressing, but somehow I managed to survive as a famous writer inside a school filled with fans of both genders.

Never before had I climbed so many support beams in my life though. It was practically a new exercise at this point.

"Hyoudou-sensei, good job for today."

Turning my head with a smile, I gave a thankful nod at the speaker. "To you as well, Koyomi-sensei."

Koyomi-sensei was a fellow teacher like I was, also specializing in English but for those in the higher sections. She was a very impressive woman, with a no-nonsense approach to life and apparently a dream of one day starting a family of her own. In the beginning, she was one of the vocal minority that expressed disagreement at my sudden entry into the school, but after a while she had taken it to herself to watch over me and teach me how to be a proper teacher.

"Oh no, there's no need to praise me, Hyoudou-sensei." She gave me a fond smile – we really had gotten closer over the past days. "Unlike you, I still make a few errors in grammar, even as a teacher. To be honest, you are enviable that way."

I grinned easily at her. "Well, at least that means I can teach you there, right? After all, it's only right I teach you in return for telling me all those tips on how to make those kids listen up instead of just staring at me."

She shook her head warmly. "Only you would be that appreciative for such a minor thing. Plus, with the help you bring when it comes to you brother…"

I tilted my head at her words. "What is this about Issei again?"

Koyomi-sensei opened her mouth to say something, before pausing as no words came out.

"About that… Hyoudou-sensei, you may not know this, but your brother has a certain… reputation in this school. Your presence here has simply reduced that." She looked like she had swallowed something sour. "In fact, that was part of the reason I was so adamant at preventing you here at first, because Hyoudou Issei is infamous for-"

"Being a huge pervert?" I finished for her, much to her surprise. I then nodded. "Yes, I do know that. My students called him Pervert-Issei when they first met me after all."

"…And you don't have any problem with it?"

I knew why Koyomi-sensei asked that. If I had known that Issei was infamous as a pervert, why hadn't I done anything? In fact, if Issei had grown to be a pervert, wouldn't that say something about me, being the one who practically raised him since we were kids?

That is, if what they were saying about Issei being a pervert was true.

"I do have a problem with perversion." I stated, causing her to sigh in relief. "It is just that… Issei isn't really what people think he is in this school."

Koyomi-sensei looked dubious, but still nodded. "Do tell then."

I started with a question. "Tell me, does Issei participate in perverted acts in this school?"

The reply was immediate. I had a feeling Koyomi-sensei was a victim herself once in the past – maybe the Perverted Trio peeked into the girl's bathroom while she was there?

"Yes. He most certainly did."

I clicked my tongue. "Really? Are you sure that Issei himself has participated? Has he peeked himself into locker rooms? Has he brought along any unsavory magazines in class? Has he actually discussed any perverted subjects in public, outside of the odd 'I will become Harem King' and 'I love Oppai' sentences that he screams once in a while?"

Koyomi-sensei blinked, visibly recalling her own memory. Slowly, but surely, it clicked in her mind. Probably, images of those incidents popped up, where Matsuda and Motohama did their activities… with Issei just sitting behind them. "No… honestly, Hyoudou-kun hasn't done anything of that sort. But I did see him once carry home one of those ero magazines though!"

"None of it reaches our house." I answered quickly. "I would know – I'm the one who cleans the entirety of it after all. Motohama-san, though, his house is at our direction."

"T-Then… why?" She asked, reasonably confused. "Why would your brother even make himself out to be a pervert, then?"

The answer for that was simple. A rueful smile was on my face when I pointed at the reason – myself.

"Koyomi-sensei, remember. I am HR. And I know Issei is rather ridiculously protective of me."

And with that, it clicked again in her mind. "…Oh."

Yes… The same way I was thankful for Motohama and Matsuda's friendship with my brother, Issei was thankful of them. But instead of thinking about himself, he thought about me.

Issei's funny antics about me and my fanclub aside, he knew how much it discomforted me to be basking in so much attention. It was different when I actively sought for it – Issei trusted my decisions no matter what after all – but when I myself didn't want to be the center of the attention… well, Issei made sure that there was no chance of the spotlight landing on me. Even if it meant making it difficult to himself.

'Hyoudou Issei being recognized as HR's brother?' Issei responded to that by making himself so outrageously unlike what people would think 'HR's brother' would be, all in order so people won't connect him to me, and reach me in the process.

Issei had dirtied, lambasted, and condemned himself to other people just so I could have a relatively private life.

I hadn't liked it first, but… Issei had that determined look in his eyes when he told me about it. There was no way I could say no then.

Strange brothers, we are really…

"As for the other two, Motohama-san and Matsuda-san," I continued, as if talking about the weather, "I think I can somehow convince them to lay it down a bit. I can't really say I can rehabilitate them per-se… but at least, I think I can make them subtler when it comes to their hobbies. If needs come to worst, I could always resort to bribery."

Read: bribing them with porn to stop them from bringing and peeking porn into school. Strange, but I knew it could work.

Koyomi-sensei nodded slowly. "I see…" I had a feeling she really wasn't. "Then why are you telling me this then? If Issei is really doing this for your sake, then why are you unraveling this now?"

My reply to that was to place my face close to hers as I smiled. "It's to finally tell him he doesn't need to pretend anymore. Koyomi-sensei, you would help me on that matter, right?"

Her face was red, but… "O-Of course!"

"Thank you." I pulled away, allowing her to breathe. It felt a bit bad, using her for this, but… Issei was still the person I prioritized. Plus, I knew she had developed a bit of a crush on me some time ago already. "But for now, I have to go."

"G-Go?" Koyomi-sensei stuttered before visibly calming herself. "I mean, are you in a hurry?"

"Yes," I answered gravely, already packing the bag I had in mind. "There is a place that needs me now."

After all, around one of my right hand's fingers, a single band of metal went cold. Very, very cold.

My brother was in deep trouble. And he needed me to be there.

There was simply no time to rest.

"Hey Nii-san, Merry Christmas!"

Issei jumped up and down cheerfully, waking me up with a smile. I couldn't help but return it – his expression was plenty infectious.

"All right, all right, I'm up." I settled him down with a rubdown of his hair. "Did we forget to prepare for this year?"

"Nope!" My brother grinned, taking a few steps back before spinning several times in joy. "We did that yesterday morning – today, we're just going to enjoy Christmas!"

"That's what happens when we live in a house of two, huh." I ended up mumbling to myself. I was still pretty surprised at the neatness of the house – and utter ease in managing it. I was naturally a clean person, and it seemed Issei picked that up from me as well.

The orphanage wasn't like… this. It didn't feel like home, especially at Christmas.

"Hurry, hurry!" Issei cheered, already under our admittedly small Christmas tree. "Let's open the presents already!"

I immediately ran up to him. I wanted to see his expression when he finally opened his gift after all.

Christmas in the Hyoudou home was never happy. We didn't have Mom and Dad whenever the day came, and until recently, we didn't have the money. But I was a successful writer now. I could finally give my brother a taste of a real Christmas. Not just the taste of a store-bought cake for a dreary holiday, but the feel of how it felt back then when Mom was still awake.

And… today was also a special day for another reason my brother never seemed to comprehend.

"Hohohoho!" I gave my best Santa Claus laugh – like Dad used to – in my red suit and fake mustache. Issei smiled under his Santa hat. "Now, little boy, here's your gifts!"

"Nii-san, I'm not a kid anymore, really…" Issei grumbled goodheartedly, but the smile was still on his face when he received his first present ever from family. "But anyways, I have a gift for you too!"

Unlike my rather large set of presents, Issei gave me a small shoddily gift-wrapped box with a shy look. "Sorry if I couldn't do much…"

"Who are you kidding?" I broke out of the 'Santa' character and gave him a grand hug. "This is enough for me!"

To think that my brother had saved up for giving me a gift too… I already knew I would love it even before I opened the package.

Issei stiffened at the sudden reaction before empathetically leaning into it. Minutes later, he gave a hesitant smile. "Let's open the gifts?"

I nodded seriously, causing him to laugh.

…

"Nii-san, this is…" Issei looked at the book I gave him with an almost reverent look. "I love this!"

"Good to know." I said to him over the amount of candies and clothes I gave him – a little proud too that it was the book he had gushed over, not the toys, not the cool clothes, not the food, but my original book. "There's only one copy of that – I was the one to hardbound it myself."

It was the same book I had recently published, the story I had based over our lives, based on my hopes and dreams. The Mind of A 'Genius' and Those Around Him. It was the story of a reincarnated boy who did his best to become a doctor and save lives in his newfound life in King Arthur's court. It wasn't exactly close to my own story, but my emotions were on every page.

It ended on a happy note. I just hoped reality would do the same.

And in Issei's hands was the one and only Japanese version of it, with all the names replaced to match - especially the main character, whose name became Hyoudou Issei.

But his excitement over reading it over and over was nothing to the sheer joy I had over my brother's one gift.

"Nii-san… I'm sorry if it wasn't much…"

"Don't worry, I love it!" I simply jumped over to hug my brother again. "What made you decide to give this to me?"

Issei blushed at the praise. "I just… wanted to give you something to make you remember me."

"You have yours, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Then wear it. All the time. I would too. Now, show me yours."

The moment Issei raised his right hand, I did the same, putting them side-by-side. On our ring fingers were matching rings – not the engagement kind of course, but with a meaning just as strong. Around my finger was a blue-banded ring of stainless steel, and on his was a red-banded matching one.

Mine read, "Hyoudou Ryuusei – A Brother." His read, "Hyoudou Issei – His Brother."

They were only trinkets anybody could buy with a few hundred yen, but to us they were priceless in both meanings.

"This means, we won't ever forget each other." I vowed. Issei nodded. "This means that we won't leave each other behind, that we would do everything for the other until we die."

The moment passed, and then I jumped up from my seat to get something I hid in the kitchen.

"Nii-san, what's that?"

I announced, "It's a celebratory cake!"

"Woohoo!" He cheered. "I love cake!"

Taking out the box containing the cake I baked myself and placing it over the counter, I turned to my brother before opening it up. Doing so, I revealed a large, simple white chocolate cake with a large numbered candle in front. 10, it proclaimed as it stood over the middle of the cake, with a small caption below it.

"Happy tenth birthday, Issei." I murmured sadly, pulling him even closer to kiss him on the forehead. "Sorry that Mom and Dad still aren't back this year."

Issei froze at my words for a few seconds before he sagged. A small sad smile was on his lips. He almost seemed a few years older.

"Don't worry, Nii-san. I'm just alright with you here."

And then that night, there was a small party in the still-small Hyoudou home, and then we watched as diamond dust once again beautified our winter.

AN: Alright, that's the seventh chapter. And it's a bit shorter than the previous two.

The Seventh Deconstruction is an aversion of what usually happens in Mary Sue/Gary Stu stories relating the Occult Research Club. For some reason, OCs are randomly and unreasonably accepted into the Club without worry or aversion from the members – some of which have some very reasonable grounds to not just accept that easily.

Though, so far Ryuusei has only been accepted by Rias and the Occult Research Club as a whole. Everyone else, like Kiba or Koneko, would only do so personally later on. At this point, they are only following Rias' wishes. And as for the subject of Issei… well, he is different from canon here as well. He won't just accept the ORC that easily too. He has his own goals, and it's not like his canon counterpart's 'I want to be the Harem King' dream this time.

Kind of ironic though, now that this Issei would easily fit in with the rest of ORC with his kind of past…

Anyway, the last scene is a snippet from the first proper Christmas in the Hyoudou household after Issei was born. The reason as to why it isn't in a omake section – something I'm thinking of – is that it's actually very important to the plot. Please, remember this scene.

Personally, I haven't found any detail over the web as to when was Issei's birthday, but let's just assume for this world that Issei was born on December 25. Additional information though – Ryuusei's own birthday is March 28, four years before Issei was born.

This is the last pre-written chapter. At this point, expect at least a full-week wait before the next update. But for now; review and reply, tell me your reactions.