Kyoto is home to countless tourist attractions, but at night, only a few spots truly shine under the moonlight. One of these rare gems is the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove.
At night, the Arashiyama Bamboo Grove transforms into an almost magical place, starkly different from its daytime charm. The dark stalks rise like towering shadows under the moonlight, while the wind whispers through the leaves, creating an almost hypnotic melody. The darkness gives the forest an air of mystery, as if it holds ancient secrets, and the stars filtering through the bamboo tops add a dreamlike touch to the scene. Strategically placed lanterns enhance the enchanting atmosphere, making it a mesmerizing sight.
It's the perfect setting for a confession—a deeply significant moment where someone bares their feelings to another.
This logic guided the Service Club members in choosing this spot for a boy's confession to his classmate.
The plan was set the day before their trip to Kyoto, when the Service Club, composed of Yukinoshita Yukino, Hikigaya Hachiman, and Yuigahama Yui, agreed to help ensure the confession went smoothly.
They brainstormed ideas to increase the boy's chances. But things took a twist when the girl, supposedly the lucky recipient, visited the Service Club the next day and, indirectly, expressed a desire to keep things the way they were.
Hikigaya, after spending three days in Kyoto and having private conversations with Hayama Hayato and Miura Yumiko, realized what he had to do.
The boy wants to confess and find out the girl's response, while the girl doesn't want the dynamics within the group to change.
At first glance, it seemed like an impossible dilemma—there was no way to satisfy both sides. But Hikigaya devised a solution where no one would end up hurt.
As a self-proclaimed "King of Loners." it was unthinkable for him to choose an option that would benefit everyone—someone would inevitably lose.
When the time came, the Service Club, the boy, and his friends gathered in the bamboo grove, preparing for the big moment.
Everything unfolded as expected: Tobe Kakeru stood before Ebina Hina, fumbling to find the right words to declare his feelings.
Despite his determination, all he managed to utter were incoherent stammers.
"Uh, uh… see, um…"
This was Hikigaya's cue to step in and take control of the situation.
He began to walk toward them, ready to confess himself. Ebina would reject him, stating she wasn't interested in dating anyone, allowing Tobe to get his answer while preserving the group dynamic.
This plan would create countless problems for Hikigaya and change many things with his companions...
Or at least, that's what would have happened if an unexpected voice hadn't interrupted, stealing everyone's attention.
"What's going on here? Is this a party or something? If I know the guy in the back, that technically makes me invited, right?"
The voice belonged to a boy approaching them. He wore a coat with shards of glass, along with tattered pants that still served their purpose. If someone said he'd just survived a dogfight, it would have been believable.
His skin bore dried bloodstains; his injuries had already healed, and overall, he looked less like a vagabond and more like something far worse—comparing him to a vagrant would be an insult to them.
This scrappy figure, who could terrify anyone in a dark alley, was none other than Desmon, the young demon hunter.
But what was he doing here? Wasn't he arrested and taken to the police station?
That's correct. Desmon had been detained, handcuffed by the police, placed in their vehicle, and taken to the station for questioning before being arrested as a suspected perpetrator of the explosion.
A dire, inescapable predicament?
Perhaps for someone normal. But not for Desmon. This wasn't his first time being hauled into a police station for interrogation.
Months earlier, on his way to his first job, Desmon had found himself entangled in an incident in Manhattan, New York, and was treated as the culprit, leading to an interrogation by the Special Victims Unit.
But that's a story for another time…
Since Desmon already had experience dealing with the police, he preferred to avoid causing a scene or showing off how many bullets he could dodge while breakdancing, as he had in the past.
So, while still in the patrol car, Desmon decided to perform a magic trick.
"Want to see something cool? Now you see me... and now you don't!" He quipped before leaping out the car window.
Desmon tumbled across the road a few times before getting to his feet, effortlessly breaking the handcuffs. With a snap of his fingers, his trusty motorcycle, Kurox, appeared, and he sped off. The police lost track of him, still trying to process what had just happened.
Still, they had their orders to capture the suspect of the accident. However, a call from their superior soon clarified things—the boy they'd detained was innocent.
Mr. Nakano, wielding considerable influence, stepped in immediately when Nino casually mentioned that she had told the police Desmon was to blame for everything.
Isn't Nino such a lovely person? Desmon couldn't help but wonder why he didn't hit her pretty face harder when Kiyohime had possessed her.
In no hurry, he took his time, using the journey as an opportunity for a nap.
Over an hour passed as he slept soundly, while Kurox's auto-pilot feature guided him all the way to Kyoto. When he woke up, yawning like a child who'd just napped after a day of play, Desmon noticed the bamboo forest—a well-known attraction in the city.
Since it wasn't too late and knowing he'd be too lazy to return another time, he stopped at the entrance of the bamboo forest and decided to explore it.
-Why not visit a free spot? He thought as he wandered through the serene paths.
Desmon's stroll should have been brief, allowing him to continue his journey. But along the way, he came across other students from Sobu High, recognizing a few of them.
With nothing better to do and completely ignoring the atmosphere, Desmon nonchalantly approached Tobe and Ebina.
"Hey, bro, I don't think this is the best time to interrupt..." Tobe said awkwardly.
Hearing this, Desmon glanced around, noticing that the two seemed to be alone, while others watched from a distance, as if this were some sort of significant event.
After thinking about it for a few moments, Desmon understood the situation.
"I wouldn't recommend it." He said, shaking his head. "Girls just want to make you work hard and take all your money. They'll never be satisfied and will always push you to earn more, even if it means coming back covered in blood..."
He spoke from experience with Lady. She only ever called him to settle her debts or give him frustrating jobs.
"Uh..." Tobe didn't know how to respond to Desmon's nonsense.
"I'm serious. Your life will become miserable, and you'll lose all your freedom. You're still young—go out, have fun with your money, eat delicious food, and flirt with as many girls as you want."
The best advice for someone young, right?
"But be careful who you get involved with." Desmon continued. "Just met a guy a few hours ago who won the hearts of five sisters.—yeah, five! But four of them had a screw loose. They didn't even hesitate to try sending him to the afterlife. So make sure the girls close to you aren't crazy, or at least get to know them well before doing something stupid."
Nodding to himself, he reflected on his past. Sure, cute girls are appealing, but some turn out to be lunatics who get possessed by demons and try to kill you. And even after you save them, they might still throw you to the cops.
"Anyway..." Desmon placed his hands firmly on Tobe's shoulders. "I recommend you make the most of your youth. Spend time with your friends and have fun. There are plenty of girls out there, but the moments you share with your friends will be far fewer."
From another angle, it looked like he was spouting nonsense, especially considering how oddly Desmon was dressed.
There's an old saying: A fool who listens to a fool is also a fool.
Thankfully for the lucky girl about to receive a confession, the boy in question was also a fool.
"When you put it that way... I think you're right!" Tobe exclaimed, his mood lifted.
So far, Tobe had received kind and encouraging words from his friends about confessing his feelings, so Desmon's opinion was well received. Moreover, since this was his first time falling in love, he hadn't really thought about what would happen afterward—typical of a teenager.
"Of course I'm right. For now, just focus on having fun and spending money on yourself." Desmon said, giving Tobe a hearty slap on the back as if to cheer him on.
"Hahaha, I will! I think I rushed into this." Tobe responded, a laugh on his face.
Since Tobe had never been in a relationship, everything that might happen if Ebina accepted his confession would be new to him. Hearing those words from Desmon—a lively guy who seemed to get along with everyone—instantly gave him confidence. Even though they'd only crossed paths a few times and never really interacted, Tobe decided to trust him as if they'd been lifelong friends.
"It's good you realized that. I won't keep you any longer—carry on!"
Desmon walked off toward the Service Club members, who, for some strange reason, gave him complicated looks. Or to put it simply, they stared at him as if silently telling him he was an idiot.
Meanwhile, Tobe nodded as he saw Desmon off.
-How is he such a nice guy? Why didn't I become friends with him sooner?
"Tobechi, is something wrong?"
Ebina had already noticed the change in Tobe's demeanor, feeling more at ease now that the situation was resolved, albeit in a very unusual way...
"I just wanted to ask if you've been having fun these past few days. Hahaha." Tobe said, his usual goofy tone back, something Ebina found endearing.
"Yes, I've had a lot of fun." Ebina replied with a smile.
She wasn't looking for a relationship with anyone—she just wanted her friend group to stay the same.
"Hahaha, that's good to hear… I won't keep you any longer. Though it's getting late, and I can't let such a cute girl walk home alone at this hour." Tobe said, pointing to himself with a confident grin.
To anyone else, it might have sounded like flirting, but Ebina knew better. This was just Tobe being considerate toward a friend.
"Oh, Tobechi, you're so thoughtful. I'll gladly accept your offer." She said.
"Hey, guys, are you coming, or are you just gonna keep standing there staring?" Tobe called to his group of friends. "When we get back, I wanna play poker! I'm feeling lucky tonight, hahaha."
Tobe's friends were surprised for a moment but quickly joined in.
"Just don't start whining when we clean you out!"
"My gut says you're all going down!"
"Wanna bet your future lunches on it?" One of them joked, wrapping an arm around Tobe's neck in a friendly gesture.
"Don't flirt in front of me, guys… it only makes me…!" Ebina added, her breathing turning exaggeratedly dramatic.
"Ebina-san, maybe you should calm down a little…" Hayato said, handing her a handkerchief.
And so, the group walked off in high spirits, eventually disappearing from the Service Club's line of sight.
"Something on your minds? You all seem a bit... distracted?" Desmon said.
Yukinoshita, Yuigahama, and Hikigaya were still processing everything that had happened.
"Desmon-san… what exactly did you just do?" Yuigahama asked.
"I just spoke the truth. You'd be surprised how many girls don't handle rejection well, turning into grotesque creatures as they try to take revenge on the guys who turned them down. It's convenient for me, though, since it becomes my job to deal with it." Desmon replied with a shrug.
"Desmon-kun… We've been carefully thinking of ways to help Tobe-kun with his confession. We spent time planning all this, and you just walk in, say whatever comes to mind, and somehow resolve everything…" Yukinoshita remarked.
"You're welcome. I'm a professional problem-solver. Normally, I charge for this kind of thing… Tch, had I known, I would've set a fee." Desmon sighed, regretful.
-What's going on in this guy's head?
For once, the members of the Service Club all shared the same thought.
"If the problem's resolved, does it really matter how it happened?" Yuigahama asked.
"I'd like to disagree with that, but... you have a point," Yukinoshita admitted, letting out a sigh. "By the way, Hikigaya-kun, before Tobe-kun confessed, you started walking toward them. Were you planning to…?"
Her words also caught Yuigahama's attention. If Desmon hadn't intervened, what exactly would Hikigaya have done? Yukinoshita could guess—and she didn't like the thought.
"Well, I…" Having been caught, Hikigaya hesitated for a moment.
In his mind, his plan and reasoning were flawless, so he had no reason to waver. Yet Yukinoshita's piercing gaze made him falter.
"And why does that matter?"
Before he could answer, the half-naked guy spoke first.
"Desmon-kun, could you be quiet?" Yukinoshita shot a cold glare at Desmon.
Something a normal person would interpret as "don't interfere," but Desmon, used to far more dangerous situations, simply ignored it.
"Do I really have to say it?" Hikigaya stopped hesitating and answered.
"I want to know what you were going to do. You know I don't approve of certain ways of doing things." She focused on Hikigaya.
"That has nothing to do with you.'' He replied, meeting her gaze.
"Hikki, Yukinon…" Yui could only whisper, not knowing what to do. A bigger problem had been avoided by not letting Hikigaya sacrifice himself for others, but the willingness to do so was still there—something Yukinoshita wouldn't overlook.
"Hey, Yoshi, since when has Yobiko been dating Nineman?"
Desmon asked Yui casually, watching as the two seemed to start an intense couple-like argument.
"They're not dating…" She started to reply but quickly cut herself off. "Wait, who are Yoshi, Yobiko, and Nineman!?"
Yuigahama's words created an awkward silence. Even Yukinoshita and Hikigaya turned their attention to him with a deep sigh.
"Yobiko, Nineman, and Yoshi—it's obvious." Desmon pointed at the three as if his words were the most normal thing in the world.
"Why am I Yoshi?! How does Yoshi even resemble my name? I'm Yui! Yui!" Yoshi started to protest like a little girl.
"They both start with Y. Are you dumb or something?"
"That makes no sense... Yukinon, I think I'm going to cry..." Yui, unable to deal with Desmon, turned to her friend for help.
"Desmon-kun, could you stop renaming people? Also, who is Yobiko?" Yukinoshita asked sinisterly, her gaze sharp on Desmon, though she glanced briefly at Hikigaya—something he didn't miss.
"Yukinoshita, why are you laughing...?"
"What do you mean, Nineman-kun?" She replied with an innocent expression.
"I see... Yobiko..."
"Did you say something, Nineman-kun?" She added a menacing tone to her words.
"I didn't say anything..."
The tense situation eased with a few simple words.
"Hikigaya-kun, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this time." She used her hand to toss back her long black hair.
"I'll keep that in mind..." Hikigaya shrugged as he replied.
Thanks to Desmon's interruption and nonsensical remarks, they both had time to clear their minds and realize that arguing over a non-existent problem made no sense.
"Desmon-san, did you plan this?" Yuigahama asked softly.
"Plan what?"
"To stop them from fighting."
"?" Desmon's expression said it all. He simply said what came to mind. "You're weird, Yoni."
"Who are you calling weird? Aren't you the last person who should say that? And why am I Yoni now!?"
"Yuigahama-san, trying to get a coherent answer from him is pointless. You'd just be wasting your energy." Yukinoshita sighed. "By the way, Desmon-kun, why are you half-naked?"
Yuigahama, distracted until then, quickly noticed and stepped back.
"Now that you mention it, he's only wearing an open coat and ripped pants..."
"Is it some kind of fetish?" Hikigaya added.
"Like I said, I was dealing with four sisters who went crazy, so I ended up like this after helping them. Of course, the police arrested me, but I escaped the patrol car by jumping out the window." Desmon's calm tone didn't match the absurdity of his words.
"So, in short, you harassed four girls, got arrested, and managed to escape. Got it… I just need to call the police, and everything will be fine..." Yukinoshita pulled out her phone.
"Are you really dating her? Good luck, man..." Desmon pitied Hikigaya.
"We're not dating!" They both shouted simultaneously.
"Even answering at the same time—you two are so in sync." He nodded.
"That has nothing to do with this! Why would I date this dead-fish-eyed guy?"
"I have no reason to be this stubborn girl's boyfriend."
Both denied simultaneously again, neither willing to yield to the other.
"Shizuka always says that people who argue a lot secretly like each other. What do you think, Yumi?"
Yuigahama, lost in thought, was startled by Desmon's words, stumbling over her response.
"Eh... well... I guess... I don't know..."
Asking Yuigahama to give her opinion on something like this is too much. She's still grappling with her own emotions and can't really offer an answer.
"As you can see, even Yui agrees with me." Desmon said, taking Yuigahama's stammering as confirmation.
"Like I told you, my name isn't—oh! You actually got it right this time!"
The fact that Desmon pronounced her name correctly for once overshadowed everything else.
Talking to Desmon was practically impossible. His conversation topics shifted so quickly that it was hard to keep up. Yukinoshita and Hikigaya could only sigh, realizing it was pointless to continue talking to someone who seemed to have a flair for exhibitionism.
"Desmon-kun, if you've got nothing better to do, we should head back to the hotel and meet up with the others," Yukinoshita suggested.
The Service Club was in the area to support Tobe, but that boy had already left with his friends several minutes ago.
"Good idea. I also need Shizuka to get me a new uniform."
It was already the second uniform Desmon had ruined. Not to mention, his coat had also been torn to shreds and would have to wait until they returned to Chiba to be repaired by a tailor.
"What happened to your last uniform?" Yuigahama asked, grinning widely. It wasn't every day that the guy who usually forgot her name actually remembered it.
"A cow and a horse shredded it. It was a tie since they both retreated..."
A giant question mark seemed to hang over the heads of the Service Club members. They might think it was some kind of joke, but Desmon's expression suggested he was being entirely serious.
"I'd rather not ask for details... This feels like a never-ending loop." Yukinoshita muttered, a headache already forming.
"I feel the same..."
Hikigaya, no stranger to dealing with eccentric types like his friend Zaimokuza, found himself thinking that Desmon was in a league of his own.
"It's late, and I'm hungry. Let's go back." Desmon began heading toward the exit of the bamboo forest, with Yuigahama quickly following.
"Desmon-san, tell me more about that cow and horse!"
"It's a pretty long story. It all started the day God created the universe..."
Before Yukinoshita and Hikigaya realized it, Desmon and Yui had already walked ahead, with Yui pouting as Desmon launched into his own bizarre version of the origins of cows and horses.
Yui's cheerful and carefree attitude blended well with Desmon's laid-back and slightly goofy demeanor.
"Should we follow them?"
"We don't have much of a choice, do we?"
The more rational pair started walking as well. Unlike Yuigahama and Desmon's nonsensical chatter, Yukinoshita and Hikigaya's conversation took a more serious and intellectual turn. For instance, they debated which version of Pan-san the panda was better: Kyoto's or Chiba's. You know, the really important topics for Yukinoshita.
Once they returned to the hotel, the staff stopped Desmon and refused to let him enter until Shizuka stepped in, scolding him.
And so, Desmon's journey in Kyoto came to an end.
Though his adventures hunting demons and meeting new people across Japan were only just beginning.