I Fell In Love With A Girl Who Died Before I Was Even Born

We stepped onto school grounds just as the morning rush hit full tilt. First period was about to start, and Crescent Moon Academy was alive with motion: students pouring across walkways, chatter and footsteps echoing off the stone, uniforms half-done, backpacks clutched like shields.

The four of us walked under Crescent Moon Academy's twisted wisteria-inspired iron gate.

Shion glanced around, then turned to Yuki.

"Why are you making such a big deal out of training?" she asked, adjusting her skirt with a shrug. "Isn't Hibana supposed to be helping him with that? I mean, yeah, Blondie got high this morning," she shot me a smirk, "but he can still train tomorrow."

I shook my head. "Shion… I bumped into Ken yesterday, and he found a loophole."

She blinked. "What?"

Yuki nodded as I continued.

"A loophole that lets him fight me. For real. School rules let Ivan pick someone to stand in for him in a fight. Ivan chose Ken, and nothing says he can't."

Then Yuki stepped in.

"Suiren-sensei herself confirmed it."

For a moment, Shion didn't say anything.

Then her expression changed: first confusion, then something like shame.

"I want to help but, I got in trouble," she admitted, lowering her voice. "For what happened with Ivan. They warned me. Officially, I'm not supposed to fight anymore. If I do… they'll take me."

Natsumi made a shocked noise.

"Take you where?" I asked.

Shion looked away.

"To become one of the noppera-bō."

Natsumi's eyes went wide. "No face?" she whispered. "Natsumi has heard about those. Servants of the school."

Yuki floated closer to my side.

"One escaped once, to Colorado. To a community college," Natsumi muttered in hushed tones.

Shion rolled her eyes. "I heard that story too. Stupid rumor. No one would ever mistake a noppera-bō for a human being."

I didn't laugh.

I couldn't. My stomach was too tight.

Natsumi turned to me, her voice softer than usual. "Ken is frightening. He was scary last year, and he hasn't changed. American-jin should be careful."

Shion nodded. "I'll keep an eye out for Ken. And Ivan. I'll see you at clubs, Blondie."

She gave me a half-salute, then turned and walked off toward the buildings.

Natsumi watched her go. "Natsumi likes her," she said. "She's entertaining."

I looked over. "What's your first class?"

She gave me a lazy shrug. "Natsumi is going to see Daigo Taramura. In the boys' room."

Yuki did a full double take. "The boys' room? What on earth for?!"

Natsumi held up her vape, almost empty. "Buying a new one. Daigo runs an illegal shop out of the auxiliary gym stall. Natsumi needs more mango. This has been fun morning."

She handed me the vape. "Here. American-jin can finish. Mango-Deez-Nuts, later."

And just like that, she was gone. She did her usual stretch and lazy, seductive walk towards toward the gym, trailing chaos behind her.

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Before I could say anything, Azuki came trotting over with Inego at her side.

"Yo!" Azuki called out. "Ryu-ama! Yuki-kun! Good morning you two!"

I smiled, glad to see Azuki after last night. I had so many questions.

Inego spotted me and smiled. "Hey, I'm glad I caught you," he said. "I wanted to talk about Murasaki."

"Speak of the devil," a voice purred behind me.

A chill ran up my spine as Murasaki slid an arm around my waist.

"Hello, darling," she said.

Inego's eyes widened, full of fear.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" Murasaki grinned at him. "Jealous?"

"I'm worried," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "You're… getting very close to Ryu."

I agreed.

I tried to step away, but her grip tightened. She frowned.

"Why don't you let yourself hold me?" she asked. "I thought… after last night."

She sighed.

And that time I didn't pull away. I should've.

But I knew that her touch made everything quieter.

The noise, the spinning, the heat in my chest, it all just… softened.

And that scared me more than anything.

I told myself it was because Murasaki was a succubus, but it was because, for the first time in too long, someone noticed I was drowning without me saying a word.

And she reached in anyway.

"Well, I'm certainly pretty enough," Murasaki said.

Her violet eyes met mine.

"And so humble," Yuki said dryly.

"Ryu knows better than to get close to girls like you," she added, floating between us.

Azuki gave a thumbs-up. "Yuki's got a point."

Murasaki looked around. She rubbed her shoulders because they'd suddenly grown cold as she tried to find Yuki.

"And who is this Yuki girl?" she asked.

"Jealous?" Inego teased.

"She has every reason to be jealous," Yuki said, putting her hand on my shoulder.

Until it floated through my shoulder, and she frowned.

Murasaki turned to glare at Inego.

"Hmph," she huffed. "As if. You wish you could get a girl half as pretty as me. And you had your chance. You were too foolish and let it slip through your fingers."

Murasaki stepped closer to me.

I saw Yuki bristle.

"Ryu-kun isn't nearly as immature as you," she said.

Then she turned towards me.

"Darling, don't tell me that last night meant nothing to you," she said, brushing some of my blond hair out of my eyes.

The thing is it did.

And I wanted to tell her, but that would be impossible with Inego and everyone else because I knew exactly what they'd think if I told them I'd spent a meaningful evening with a succubus.

"Tell her how you really feel," Yuki whispered in my ear. "That she's a fresh tart."

I burst out laughing because I was high and the sixties slang was too much.

Murasaki turned to me, and her whole expression changed.

Like I'd slapped her.

"Darling?" she asked.

Her voice cracked.

Eyes already glossy and red with tears.

Then she turned to leave. And I didn't think, I just moved.

I reached out and grabbed her hand. She tensed for a second.

Then our fingers laced together like they'd always known how.

Inego gasped.

"Well, mate," he muttered. "It was nice knowing you."

"I knew it," Murasaki said, pressing her lemon-ginger-scented body against mine.

I saw Azuki's jaw drop.

And that hurt more than I wanted to admit.

It wasn't like I suddenly wanted to be Murasaki's boyfriend, but I didn't want her to walk away either.

Not like that.

Not when I knew.

"I knew you'd pick me," she said, placing her other hand on my chest.

Inego was there in a heartbeat.

"What're you doing, princess? Don't you dare try to claim my best mate," he said, crossly.

I swore he was a second away from pulling out his "air pods" and dancing some kind of spell at the succubus.

A lot was happening, and I raised a hand, words slurring slightly.

"Hey… can we just relax a minute? Everything's happening really fast right now. Seriously, this is a lot."

Then Azuki jumped between us.

Murasaki's expression twisted from joy to fury in under a second.

My stoned brain interpreted it as: peak amazement.

Before Murasaki could speak, Azuki launched into her usual rapid-fire mode.

"Whoa, let's just chill-ax everyone!" she said, hands raised in front of her.

Inego looked stunned.

Yuki huffed and crossed her arms.

Murasaki looked like she was seconds away from summoning fire.

Azuki turned to static for a second as she adjusted her glasses, then faced me.

"Hey, Ryu-sama. I know there's, like, a lot going on right now, with you and the succubus…"

Murasaki's violet eyes flashed.

"—and Inego," she added.

Inego coughed and straightened his tie.

"And first period. But I hope you haven't forgotten your promise to help the tanuki. They really wanted me to remind you."

I felt Murasaki's grip on my hand tighten.

"You interrupted everything for that?" she yelled.

Azuki grinned and nodded, oblivious to the angry demon giving her side-eye.

"Oh, certainly! But you shouldn't be mad. Ryu's just doing what he thinks is right. He's trying to include you, even if no one else trusts you because you're, you know… a demonic temptress."

Murasaki's mouth dropped open.

"Still," Azuki added, beaming, "he does see you as someone worth saving."

Murasaki said nothing. Her grip loosened.

"Anyway! You're doing a great job, Ryu-sama! The bake-danuki are super grateful!"

Then, quick as a wink, Azuki leaned in and kissed my cheek.

Murasaki sputtered, and the rage coming off her was tangible.

Azuki just grinned like she didn't notice a thing and spun away, skipping off toward the buildings.

Inego burst out laughing.

"I think she forgot to say, 'ta-ta for now,'" he said between cackles.

Murasaki finally let go of my hand and crossed her arms.

Yuki nodded, voice calm.

"I really like Azuki."