A few days passed, and life in Kuoh slowly settled back into something resembling normal.
Well… not really.
Xenovia had been relentless. The moment she decided Silas was "worthy," she started making very direct advances, cornering him in hallways, declaring that their child would be the second coming of some holy warrior, and generally treating him like he was already her destined partner.
Silas, for his part, simply ignored her. He wasn't about to start picking favorites. Impartiality was important when you had this many girls orbiting you.
...
Saturday Afternoon, Kuoh City Center
Cars honked endlessly in the weekend traffic as Silas leaned against a wall near the crosswalk, checking the watch on his wrist.
'Hmm. I think I arrived a bit too early,' he thought.
Suddenly, he heard a small, embarrassed squeak from behind the wall. He recognized the voice immediately.
He walked around the corner and found Sona Sitri standing there, frantically checking her reflection in a small pocket mirror. She was dressed in a simple but elegant white blouse and a dark pleated skirt, clearly having put a lot of thought into her outfit. A light blush already dusted her cheeks.
'Guess not,' Silas thought with a small smile as he approached.
"Hey," he greeted casually.
Sona jumped slightly and quickly shoved the mirror back into her bag. She turned to him with a bright, albeit nervous, smile.
"H-Hi! It's nice to see you. Did I make you wait long?"
'That's not how it works, but okay,' he thought.
"No, you didn't," he replied, stepping closer. "How are you?"
As he got near, he noticed a small piece of white wool stuck in her hair. He reached up gently and plucked it out.
Sona froze, her face turning a deeper shade of red.
"I'm okay. Thanks," she said meekly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Great." Silas backed up a step and smiled. "So, what's the plan for today? We've got the whole day and night to ourselves."
He added the wink at the end just to watch her reaction. Sona's blush deepened instantly. She looked away for a second, fiddling with the strap of her bag.
"Umm… well, I was thinking we could start at the library. It's nice and quiet. We could get our own booth and… read together."
Silas nodded. "That sounds fun. Let's go."
He reached down and took her hand. Sona's palm was a little sweaty, but he didn't mind. They started walking side by side through the city streets.
'What arc is this again?' Silas thought to himself. 'I genuinely forgot everything about this show. The only thing I remember is the hot yokai milf…'
Meanwhile, Sona was practically overheating like an apple device. Her heart was racing so fast she was worried he could hear it. She kept stealing glances at their joined hands, then at his face, a small, shy smile tugging at her lips.
They arrived at the library and managed to snag a cozy booth in the far corner on the second floor. It was quiet, tucked away from the main aisles, with a soft couch instead of stiff chairs. They sat close together, sharing the same book between them.
They took turns reading aloud.
Silas did all the character voices, switching between dramatic, gruff, sarcastic, and overly posh with ridiculous ease. Sona, on the other hand, read the narrator parts in her usual calm, monotone voice, which somehow made the dramatic scenes even funnier.
The book itself wasn't anything special, some generic fantasy novel but the experience was genuinely enjoyable. They kept glancing at each other, trying not to laugh when Silas overdid a villain's evil laugh or when Sona delivered a heartfelt romantic line completely deadpan.
It was easily one of the best dates Silas had been on so far.
After they finished the book, Silas pulled out a small USB stick from his sock (along with a few condoms he didn't really need but carried anyway) and plugged it into the booth's TV.
They spent the next hour watching a bootlegged action movie, whispering comments and sharing snacks they'd snuck in. When they finally left the library, both of them were in a good mood.
They walked down the block to a quiet café. Sona ordered a cappuccino, Silas got an iced black coffee, and they sat at a small table by the window.
As they sipped their drinks, Sona looked at him curiously.
"I really am interested in knowing the hierarchy of your devil faction," she said. "Just in case I run into a High-class devil."
Silas nodded, setting his cup down.
"Okay, well it's quite simple," Sona began, slipping into her serious Student Council President mode. "At the top, you have the Maou, the four Devil Kings. My sister Serafall is one of them. Below them are the Ultimate-class devils, then High-class, then Mid-class, and Low-class at the bottom. Most noble families like the Gremorys and Sitris are High-class by default. Peerage members can rise in rank through achievements or power, but it's not easy."
She took a small sip of her coffee before continuing. "There's also the concept of 'Evil Pieces' and the Rating Game system, which basically treats devils like chess pieces. That's how we measure strength and status in the Underworld now."
The conversation flowed easily after that light, comfortable, with occasional teasing from both sides. Sona's usual strict demeanor softened a lot when it was just the two of them.
After the café, they spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the city.
They didn't have any real destination, they just wandered, talking about small things. Sona pointed out a few old buildings she liked, quietly sharing little facts about their history.
Silas listened, occasionally teasing her about how she sounded like a tour guide, which earned him a light elbow to the side and a rare, genuine laugh from her.
Eventually, they ended up in a quiet park. They found a shaded bench under a large tree and decided to play chess.
Sona had brought a small travel set in her bag (because of course she did).
And she was very good.
They played for hours. Move after move, both of them completely focused. Sona's style was precise, strategic, and patient. Silas played more instinctively, sometimes making bold sacrifices just to see how she'd react.
In the end, every single game ended in a tie.
Ten games. Ten draws.
They sat there afterward, the chessboard forgotten between them, just staring at each other. The golden hour sun filtered through the leaves above, casting warm light across Sona's face. For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Sona slowly leaned in.
She had to tiptoe slightly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Silas's hands settled gently on her waist, pulling her closer.
Their kiss was soft, slow, and surprisingly tender , nothing rushed, nothing overly heated. Just warm lips pressing together, lingering, savoring.
Sona melted into it. Her fingers curled lightly into the back of his shirt as she sank deeper into the kiss, a faint, content sigh escaping her.
When they finally pulled apart, her cheeks were flushed a deep pink and her glasses were slightly fogged. She looked a little dazed, lips still parted.
"Where should we go now?" Silas asked quietly, voice low.
Sona blinked slowly, still caught up in the moment.
"I… don't know," she whispered, sounding almost drunk off the kiss.
Silas smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I have an idea."
He took her hand again, gently intertwining their fingers. Sona didn't resist, she simply followed, a small, shy smile playing on her lips as they left the park together, the golden sunlight following them down the street.
TO BE CONTINUED