Chapter 20: Frustration
Though he wasn't happy that Rias had slept naked with a boy known for his perverted nature, Vahn didn't feel that Issei deserved to die to protect his feelings. If Rias hadn't done what she did, the seat to his left would no longer be occupied in class, and while he and Issei weren't even remotely close, his sudden death would definitely affect him.
With such thoughts in his mind, Vahn returned to his class after lunch and immediately looked to where Issei was seated, modeling a broad smile as he conversed with his only two friends in the Academy, the remaining two members of the Perverted Trio, the glasses-wearing Nakakuni Motohama and the perverted baldy, Takumi Matsuda.
Noticing Vahn's arrival due to the reaction of various girls, Matsuda and Motohama scowled, while Issei, seemingly feeling that he was on top of the world, laughed and bid his friends goodbye, prompting them to return to their respective classes. He even decided to speak to Vahn for the first time, waiting for him to sit down before asking, "Hey, man, are you feeling okay? You look like you've just learned your girlfriend was cheating on you with another guy."
Meeting Issei's gaze with a slightly incredulous expression, Vahn couldn't help wondering if the boy was provoking him. According to Rias, Issei had yet to be made fully aware of his situation, but his question was so on the nose that it felt like it couldn't be a coincidence.
Inhaling and then exhaling huffily through his nose, Vahn responded, "It's more like there is a guy aiming for my girlfriend, unaware that she is so far out of his league, they might as well be from different worlds..."
"Oof, that's rough, man," said Issei, completely unaware that Vahn was talking about him as he beamed and said, "Well, whoever it is, I'm sure they'll get what's coming to them. No need to get hung up over it."
"You're right..." affirmed Vahn, adopting a somewhat mean-spirited smile at the thought of how Issei would react to discovering the truth. Rias had asked him to bring Issei to the club room after school, so only a few hours remained before his delusion was supplanted by reality. Vahn wasn't used to looking forward to or hoping for another person's downfall, but since he had come to view the ORC as his home, he wouldn't tolerate Issei perving on the members of his family, least of all his girlfriend...
Though Vahn's expectant grin made him uncomfortable, Issei assumed it was directed at the boy aiming for his girlfriend, not him. Thus, after a few more brief exchanges, interrupted by the arrival of their teacher, he spent the rest of the day absentmindedly doodling a surprisingly accurate pair of breasts in his notebook, eagerly awaiting his reunion with their owner...
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