章 3: Chapter 3- Kiyome Abe

I was currently on the rooftop of the school, eating a sandwich while looking at my classmate and possibly my first friend.

Seeing me eating my sandwich, Abe decided to sit next to me and turned her face towards me, smiling at me.

"Kojou-kun, do you really don't want some of my hanami's bento?"

That's the second time she asked me if I want to eat some of her food, but even though I would love to taste some home-cooked food, I'm not really sure what to think about this whole thing. While it could be just me being paranoid about her motives, not only did she act why too friendly towards me, not that I mind to be honest, since it's nice to know that there may be some people out there that would want to befriend someone like me. Yet at the same time I'm still trying to find out why did such a beautiful girl decide to practically drag me out here?

"Thank you for the offer, but I can't take your food. I'll just eat my sandwich."

"We can't do that, I won't take no as an answer so just open your mouth and let me feed you."

Not that I mind, after all, who would pass the opportunity to taste some good food? Letting myself be fed by Abe was quite interesting, to say the least, she was very kind and she seem to genuinely try to befriend me, compared to many other people that just did it out of pity.

After we finish eating our lunch, Abe looked at me, waiting for me to ask her something, or at least that's what I presume her gaze was suggesting me to do.

"Thanks for the food, Abe-chan. Now that we have eaten why don't we get to know each other?"

"That's a good idea, Kojou-kun. Let me start…what do you dislike? It could be a specific day or activity"

"Well, if you want to be the first one to ask, then I can only answer you. Let's see, while I tend to like most things, as of lately I start to hate most of the sunny days as it makes me annoyed every time I'm walking outside."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Not only would the weather become hot, but at the same time, the sun would obstruct me from looking at a beautiful girl like you."

My bullshit reason made her blush slightly, but that didn't make the girl back down, on contrary to that, she giggle a little before she continues talking again.

"I see, I'm glad that your know-how to be funny and at the same time different from the rest of our male classmates, who don't even know how to talk to a girl, Kojou-kun. As for me, I don't particularly like or dislike when it's a sunny day, but I can certainly tell you that I love spending my time surrendered by nature, especially when there are a lot of animals around. They are so different from us and sometimes, I feel like they could better understand me than most people do. You don't need to fear that they would talk behind your back or even plot something that would make you a tool in their plans, which is why I usually tend to not have too many friends. You on the other hand are similar to me, I can see that and that's why I wanted to get to know you and maybe even become friends with you."

What Abe told me really surprised me, since she was telling me the reason behind her rather unexpected invitation, and while I can say that I kind of understand her to some extent, I won't voice that, at least not right now. Everyone has their secrets and it would foolish of me to tell anyone that I can't be one hundred percent sure that won't denounce me as a crazy guy or even worse as some sick bastard, and until I can say for sure that we are friends, I'll start slowly by getting to know her.

"You know what, Abe-chan, we both have something in common, I also like spending my time with my friend Scar, he's a raven and probably the only friend I made since I move from Tokyo to Kuoh, not that I had many friends there either since I'd rather spend my time with him than with a bunch of kids that are way too noisy for their own good."

"We are also kids in a way, Kojou-kun. Anyways, will you introduce him to me someday? I'd love to play with your raven."

"Sure thing, though I don't know when. Shitori-san said that pets aren't allowed inside the school grounds, so maybe I could have him sneak inside the school grounds and fly up here someday?"

"That could work, also Kojou-kun, we should return to our class. The break is almost over and I don't want to be late, at least not on your first day. We can continue talking later."

"As you wish, after all, it would be kind of embarrassing to get an earful on my first day."

We quickly packed our things before making our way down the hallway. It didn't take us long to reach the stairway down to the second floor, and while I wasn't in a hurry at all, my new friend, Abe was, and she really didn't like or better said she feared the council president's punishments, so I let myself be dragged by her ignoring all the looks that we got along the way. Yes, I had a pretty handsome face, my body was fairly muscular, and adding the effect of being quite mysterious and new to the students, not to mention being dragged by one of the most beautiful girls in the entire school was a sure way of becoming the subject for those people gossips.

At the same time, I wasn't one of those guys that would get angry for such things since I didn't mind the gossip at all, since my life would not be affected by any means other than maybe making me slightly popular, which was the only bad thing in the whole actual situation that would happen to me. What I mind though, was how those guys kept staring at me, like I was some kind of monster. Hell, we are holding hands because she's dragging me back to our class, you fucking degenerates. No biggie. After all, they can cry all they want and while I'm sad to admit it, I'm more than sure that those idiots won't get the chance to even talk to a girl due to them doing something perverted.

Back to us, the other reason behind those new gossip was really glad to have finally reached the staircase, and she jogged down the stone steps rather fast, dragging me behind her.

As I was so lost in my thoughts, I overlooked someone coming up the stairs, just barely making the turn like Abe did before I saw red. All I noticed was a bunch of almost unnatural red hair crashing into me before that person was sent flying down onto her ass. I hurried over to her, damn I wasn't used to my own strength in such an unexpected situation. The girl must have felt like running into a brick wall at full speed or even worse, maybe she felt how's getting hit by a truck.

Meanwhile, Abe was too stunned and amused to do anything other than giggling and looking forward to what will happen, most likely anticipating some kind of drama that would start due to the fact that she may know the girl that I knock to the ground.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," I muttered as I extend my hand to help the crimson-haired girl get up on her feet.

"Don't worry, it's my fault. I should have seen you coming. You were pretty lost in thought weren't you?" the redhead asked, still sitting on the floor.

I just nodded at her. While at the same time I noticed her eyes drifting to my abs for a fraction of a second before they returned to his eyes. She didn't flinch or anything.

"I am Rias." She said with a polite smile "Rias Gremory" she held a hand out to me, and as the person that produce the accident I took it to help the beautiful young lady to her feet. Her soft, delicate fingers disappeared in my strong hand. Rias was surprised how effortlessly I pulled her to her feet again, since I definitely wasn't a weakling, even though one couldn't really see thoroughly the clothes, as I wasn't one of the guys that would buff myself just to get some attention. At the same time I could practically feel or better said see what she was thinking: He had the body of a man, not the body of a normal teenage boy that spends most of his time closed in his room, like most of the other male members of Kuoh-academy.

'Damn, Akatsuki looks good, maybe a little too good for his safety, who knows what could happen. 'Thought Rias, who had to hide the deep blush rapidly spreading over her cheeks.

What I and Rias didn't notice, was how a few dark lines appeared on Abe's forehead when she saw Akatsuki being so casual to a girl he doesn't even know.