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There he was.
Atsushi spotted the familiar white head of hair belonging to the young boy he'd been watching ever since he was born.
The boy that the prophecies were about, that there have been endless whispers about in Hell.
A smirk was on his face, hidden by the menu in his hands.
The boy... Kusatsu Kinshiro... age five, was with his parents at a restaurant.
Why the smirk? Well, Atsushi was going to start to initiate his plan. He had watched in the shadows for long enough. And five years was nothing to him, but he had to start while this boy was still this young.
Not literally in the shadows, either, though.
He was visible, and appeared unthreatening just like any average human. He also had the option of making himself invisible, but what was the fun in that?
Atsushi peeked sideways again. Little Kinshiro was now alone at the table. His parents had gone to the counter to pay for their meal.
This was his chance to introduce himself. If he wanted to get close to the boy, he'd need to start early while the boy was young and trusting.
Atsushi got up from his chair, and walked over to the boy at his table.
To be safe this time, he had made himself invisible to everyone but Kinshiro.
"Hi there," Atsushi said, smiling down at the child. He glanced down at the pattern on the boy's backpack, and Atsushi put his hands behind his back, materializing something into his hand.
"Do you like stars?" he asked, motioning towards Kinshiro’s backpack.
"I have these stickers I have that I don't need; would you like them?"
Still sitting down and waiting for his parents to return like a good boy, Kinshiro was somewhat startled when an unfamiliar boy that appeared to be only several years older than him suddenly came up to him.
Kinshiro had never seen such a smile before... and least of all not one directed at him.
Surprised and startled, Kinshiro's eyes sparkled as the unfamiliar boy took out some shiny star-shaped stickers.
"Stars!" he exclaimed, bright eyes glancing at the stars as a hand began reaching outwards towards the stickers.
But then he coughed, removing his hand away, remembering his manners.
"It's nice to meet you!" Kinshiro exclaimed brightly, reaching forwards once more except this time, with the intent to shake the boy's hand.
"I am Kusatsu Kinshiro," he introduced himself, smiling happily as he shook the boy's hand enthusiastically.
"And yes, I love stars! Do you love them too?" Kinshiro asked, looking once more at the sparkly stickers.
He knew he shouldn't accept gifts from strangers but this boy seemed nice and maybe he could finally have a friend...
But Kinshiro couldn't hope for too much.
He had never had any friends before and was always in the midst of adults attending formal events.
While Kinshiro tried to be happy so he wouldn't cause his parents any problems or inconveniences, he wasn't truly happy.
Kinshiro had always wanted a friend and maybe this boy with the slightly messy dark blue hair and gentle yet mysterious eyes and beautiful smile might want to be his friend.
He could at least hope for a friend, couldn't he?
Even if his hopes would end up hopeless.
The smile on Atsushi's face widened at how easily reeling Kinshiro in was. They had just met and he seemed incredibly excited.
And there was how easily he smiled at him, and how friendly he was.
How much his eyes shone with wonder as Atsushi brought the stickers and showed them to him.
Yes.
This boy was desperate for any kind of interaction that wasn't his family.
He would be easy to manipulate.
Easier than Atsushi had previously thought.
It was also a good thing Atsushi had chosen to appear as a young boy around eight years old in order to implement his plan. This way he could become closer peers with Kinshiro, and gain his friendship and trust over time.
He laughed heartily once Kinshiro took his hand back after impulsively reaching for the stickers.
He seemed like a nice child. Too bad fate was against him.
"Oh, yes! It's nice to meet you... Kinshiro-kun?" he took his hand, and shook it back, just as enthusiastic. "I'm Kinugawa Atsushi."
Which was his real name. But he also went by Epinard in Hell, but that wasn't relevant.
Atsushi followed Kinshiro's gaze to the stickers, and nodded excitedly.
"I love stars!" he nodded his head. "I got these stickers, but I don't really have any use for them... So I saw your bag, Kinshiro-kun, and I wondered if you liked stars too, and might put them to better use!"
He took the stickers and placed them into Kinshiro's hand. Atsushi was a good actor, so resisting his urge to smirk and snicker was easily abated.
"Do you also like to watch them at night?" he asked, smiling.
This was way too easy.
"I do!" Kinshiro nodded, smiling happily.
He was so glad someone had come to talk to him. No one ever did. Kinshiro never understood why everyone tended to avoid him and leave him all alone.
"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Atsushi added, nodding his head. "The night sky is one of the earth's most wonderful pleasures."
And that hadn't even been a lie.
Well, it's not that Atsushi cared about the night sky too much in the first place. Though it wasn't as if he didn't understand why humans enjoyed it so much. To them, it was something beautiful and mysterious. It was an entire world away. Even Atsushi got mystified sometimes.
"But I've never had anyone to watch them with," Kinshiro spoke, his bright smile dissipating, his eyes shining with emotion.
But he wouldn't let that get to him! Someone around his own age had finally talked to him and even though he seemed a little older than him, Atsushi seemed nice.
But Atsushi only watched the sky to pass time, most of the time while deliberating new schemes. It wasn't the worst thing to do.
The way Kinshiro's eyes and smile fell as he said those words... Atsushi almost laughed. This poor boy, lonely and desperate for companionship.
Well, Atsushi would just have to fix that, wouldn't he?
"That's too bad," Atsushi said, pulling out a chair and sitting beside him at the table. "Something like that is always better shared with another person..."
"Are you sure I can have these?" Kinshiro asked, looking at the sparkly stars in his hand, holding them gingerly as if they would break if he wasn't careful.
Kinshiro knew not to ever receive things from strangers but this boy had come to talk to him and had even smiled at him!
He couldn't help the way his heart beat slightly faster as he looked at the stickers and then back at Atsushi who seemed like he would also like a friend.
And Atsushi almost laughed again at Kinshiro's uncertainty about the stickers.
"Of course you can," Atsushi said, patting the boy on the head as he laughed. "I already said so, didn't I?"
And Atsushi should have expected the sudden invitation, but it left him feeling slightly surprised. But not in a bad way. It just made things more interesting.
"I know we just met, Kinugawa-kun, but..." he trailed off, biting his lip as he fidgeted.
Kinshiro knew he was getting ahead of himself but he had hope in his heart and perhaps he could finally be himself with someone.
"I-If you also like to look at the stars, would you watch them with me someday?"
Kinshiro was so eager... so innocent. It was hard to believe that this was the boy from the prophecies.
"Sure!" Atsushi said with another smile.
"I'm usually alone, too. It'll be nice to watch them with someone!" He barely even paused, before continuing. "How about tonight?"
Reeling him in deeper and deeper until he got what he wanted would be so entertaining.
They would have so much fun together.
That smile was so enchanting that Kinshiro easily found himself replying with an enthusiastic Yes! before he even had a chance to think about his words.
Eyes widening at the words that suddenly passed his lips, tiny hands went to try to hide the tint that now coloured his cheeks.
"T-Tonight?" he asked in a soft voice, feeling as if he would jump in joy at finally having someone to enjoy the stars with.
Fidgeting a little more, his eyes shyly dropped from Atsushi's face to the ground.
As expected, Kinshiro agreed immediately. Atsushi clasped his hands together, and they vibrated with excitement.
His plan on getting close to Kusatsu and getting to be friends with him before corrupting him completely was going well.
And he barely had to do anything yet.
"Yes, tonight! Why not?" Atsushi gazed curiously at the shy expression on the boy.
"I-I don't think my parents will let me go though."
"Oh, really?" Atsushi fake pondered this for a moment.
"Come anyway! Your parents shouldn't stop you from doing something you want to do!"
He smiled, reaching over to fluff up Kinshiro's hair some more.
"It's not like watching the stars is dangerous, who cares what they think?"
Kinshiro fidgeted a little more, his heart beating fast in nervousness.
"B-But if I can come, there's this hill I usually go to," Kinshiro spoke, taking a napkin and drawing a little map to it so that Atsushi would be able to find it.
"It's not too far away from this restaurant," he explained, smiling a tiny, shy smile.
Kinshiro's eyes were drawn back to the sparkling stars in his hand.
"I would enjoy seeing the stars with you, Kinugawa-kun."
Having drawn the map to the best of his ability and including as much detail as possible to make the hill easier to find, Kinshiro passed it to Atsushi.
His eyes were sparkling at the thought of sharing something so special with the other boy while his parents made their way back to him.
"This way, you won't feel alone anymore."
Atsushi watched with feigned interest as Kinshiro drew a map. He then took the small napkin from Kinshiro's fingers.
Of course with his powers he wouldn't need a map to find the location, but this was all an act, after all.
"Thank you, Kinshiro-kun!" Atsushi said, grinning.
"I'll definitely be there. Hopefully you will too. Sneak out if you have to." He then laughed, as if he were kidding.
But he wasn't.
And then Atsushi saw Kinshiro's parents heading back to the table.
He was invisible to them, so he didn't need to worry, but it would ruin everything if they saw Kinshiro talking to someone who wasn't there.
It was too early for anyone to get suspicious.
"And you won't feel alone either, right?" Atsushi said, smiling serenely once more.
"Okay. Enjoy the stickers, and I'll see you later!" With one last grin, he waved, and left the table, and the restaurant.
Although he made himself invisible to all this time, so he could still watch Kinshiro's demeanor as his parents returned.
Upon their return, Kinshiro's parents didn't even notice the star stickers as they grabbed the backpack and ushered Kinshiro out of the restaurant.
The stickers still in his hand, Kinshiro smiled softly at them, a hopeful warmth spreading through him.
Maybe this was his chance to finally make a friend.
Kinshiro knew not to be too hopeful but he couldn't help himself. Someone had actually come up to talk to him!
He couldn't contain his excitement for tonight as he sat in the limousine and waited to be taken to one of his mathematics lessons.
His parents, of course, hadn't bothered to care what he was so excited about.
They were busy people and they had no time for anything frivolous that did not require their immediate attention. Attention that mostly involved their business and other activities that had nothing to do with Kinshiro himself.
But he wouldn't let that bother him. He now had someone to watch the stars with!
Now, Kinshiro just had to think of a way to either ask his parents to allow him to go out to his hill tonight or to do as Atsushi told him and sneak out.
"Can I see the stars tonight?" he asked, thinking he'd go for the first approach first.
"Again? You do it all the time, Kinshiro," his mother replied in an exasperated tone.
Kinshiro fidgeted, the stars sparkling in his tiny hands.
"Please?" he asked, fidgeting in his seat some more.
Sighing heavily, his mother shared a look with his father.
"Come home immediately afterwards."
A wide, happy smile overtook Kinshiro's features as he nodded vigorously.
He would finally be able to see the stars with who could potentially be Kinshiro's first friend.
Time went on, and Atsushi had continuously watched Kinshiro and his family from the shadows, completely invisible for the rest of the day.
Kinshiro was generally a quiet, obedient child. But it was very obvious how excited he was for the plans that they had made.
Nothing like this had ever happened to the boy, after all.
He had acquaintances he talked politely to at school in the past, but he had generally been too busy with schooling, or not allowed, to have any playmates.
Nobody had attempted to become his friend before.
And throughout those first few years of Kinshiro growing up friendless and lonely, Atsushi had watched it all very gleefully.
With his situation, it would definitely be too easy to get Kinshiro to trust him.
Soon, they'd be best friends, glued to the hip, and Kinshiro would rely upon him heavily.
That's what he wanted.
So when the prophecy child becomes more well-known across hell, everyone would know that the child was Atsushi's property.
"You're mine," he said quietly, with a smirk on his face a while later as he watched Kinshiro getting ready to leave the house after night had fallen.
Atsushi magically changed into a different outfit, and headed up to the hill first.
"Kinshiro-kun!" Atsushi said happily, waving his hand in the air when a while later he saw the boy heading over. The moon shone nicely from the boy's silver head of hair.
"You made it!"
Smiling a wide, bright smile the second he saw Atsushi. Kinshiro excitedly picked up the pace until he was running towards the older boy.
"Kinugawa-kun!" he exclaimed, his cheeks flushed pink as he stopped himself just before he ran into the other boy.
He had been so excited for tonight that Kinshiro was now out of breath as he looked in utter fascination at the smile on Atsushi's face.
Atsushi jumped up from the hill and met Kinshiro halfway.
He then revelled in his great decision making skills. He didn't make himself Kinshiro's age, but a few years older. This way, he could use his status as leverage in the future.
And there was also the slight height difference which allowed him to pat Kinshiro's tiny head.
Which he did.
And then he resisted the urge to rub his hands together with glee.
"I asked for permission!" Kinshiro stated proudly, smiling widely.
The sky was clear of clouds tonight so they would have no problem seeing the stars together.
"Ah, I have something for you," Kinshiro spoke up, nearly jumping from excitement as he took out something from is pocket.
"You didn't need to do that!" Atsushi exclaimed, laughing, carefully avoiding the smirk that would generally form on his face.
Atsushi was lucky he was a good actor.
"Live a little. You should sneak out once or twice. We all do it!"
And then he watched with vague curiosity as Kinshrio took something out of his pocket.
"What is it?"
Walking over to Atsushi, he moved to press a star right onto the other's green shirt.
"Now we match!" Kinshiro exclaimed, motioning to the star on his own shirt.
And he smiled the brightest smile ever.
Atsushi had been watching him all day, yet he didn't know what Kinshiro was about to do...
But when Kinshiro stuck a sticker to Atsushi's shirt and showed him his with a giant smile, he once again had to fight the urge to laugh out loud.
Really? Seriously?
This child... this poor, innocent child.
He had no idea who he was truly talking to, or what awaited him.
What a simpleton.
What a fool.
"We do!" Atsushi said, grinning back at him.
"This looks cute, and it's a very nice use of the stickers. Thank you, Kin-chan!"
And then he paused calculatingly.
"Ah, is it okay if I call you that?"
Pausing, Kinshiro's smile fell as quickly as it had appeared.
He had never had a nickname before. He didn't think anyone would ever make one up for him since he had no friends.
"K-Kin-chan?" he asked shyly, testing the way the words sounded.
Atsushi watched with morbid curiosity as Kinshiro seemed slightly sullen with the nickname.
Atsushi would have thought he'd be thrilled.
Maybe he didn't know the boy as well as he had thought.
Well, there was plenty of time for that.
Fidgeting on the spot, Kinshiro's cheeks tinted even more pink as he thought about it.
"I-I guess it's all right but why a nickname?"
He was just not used to hearing his name which his parents had been exceedingly clear was one that should be respected used in such a simplified manner.
"I just never had a nickname before," he whispered, avoiding Atsushi's eyes.
Atsushi's own smile dropped as he also made his voice become sad. He looked towards the ground.
"Do you hate it?"
He then paused.
"I think it suits you," Atsushi said, looking back up at him with a false nervous smile.
"I know we just met, but I thought it fit, you know?"
Suddenly, Kinshiro didn't think this would be a good idea. What if his parents heard? What if they thought he wasn't being respectful? What if they thought he was improper for allowing such a nickname?
"And I..." he paused, eyes still averted as his tiny hands clutched onto the remaining stars, "can't call you anything because you're older."
He had to play this correctly. Atsushi, the innocent eight year old was just a friendly kid. And Kinshiro was younger than him, why wouldn't he give out nicknames?
"Oh, really?" Atsushi sounded surprised.
He obviously had known that, for having watched him his whole life. But the eight year old Atsushi who had just met him obviously wouldn't.
"I don't mind the age!" Atsushi assured him. "I'm not some strict sempai character..." he laughed a bit.
"But if you're not comfortable with it, you don't have to. I can still just call you Kinshiro-kun, too. The name just came out..."
Now that he thought about it, Kinshiro didn't know anything about Atsushi.
How old was Atsushi? Where were his parents? Why hadn't he seen Atsushi leaving with anyone in the restaurant?
And the question that now made Kinshiro nervous as he thought about it were Atsushi's previous words to Kinshiro's own.
T-Tonight? I don't think my parents will let me go though.
I'll definitely be there. Hopefully you will too. Sneak out if you have to.
I asked for permission!
You didn't need to do that! Live a little. You should sneak out once or twice. We all do it!
Now nervous, a shiver passing through him despite the warmth of the summer evening, Kinshiro unwittingly took a few steps back.
"It's l-late so I think I should go home now," he spoke, his voice stuttering with nerves as he took another few steps away from the other boy.
And then he became quiet, watching Kinshiro's facial expression. It was dark, but Atsushi could see clearly.
So when Kinshiro spoke, saying he would leave, Atsushi found himself not that surprised. Although he wondered what the small boy was thinking and why he changed his mind.
Atsushi, as a demon, had a lot of powers - although mindreading wasn't one of them.
It wouldn't be fun if it was that easy, after all.
Atsushi jumped forward and grabbed Kinshiro's wrist.
"Why?" he tried his hardest to sound disappointed. "You just got here, and we didn't see the stars yet!"
Once his wrist was grabbed, Kinshiro froze.
His green eyes wide, he wondered what he should do.
What if Atsushi wasn't who he said he was? What if he wasn't a good person?
His parents had told him to be careful of strangers, and yet here he was with a strange boy that Kinshiro knew nothing about all by himself in the evening who now had such a forlorn expression.
"...I like the n-nickname," he finally said, his words coming out as more of a whisper.
Atsushi stared at Kinshiro while he was frozen, trying to give him the puppiest of puppy dog eyes he could muster.
Kinshiro couldn't leave yet – not so soon – and Atsushi would not let that happen.
This was a very important bonding moment for him and his target.
He wasn't doing that good a job to get Kinshiro to trust him so far it seemed. But, he had a plan. And that couldn't be ruined so soon. It's not that he thought it would be, though. Atsushi knew he could fix it.
"Oh, really?!" Atsushi's face lit up again. Score.
"I'm glad. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I mean, friends have nicknames, right? It'd be nice if we could be friends..."
While he should still be wary of this older boy he knew absolutely nothing about, Kinshiro couldn't just allow such an expression to cross the other's face.
He wouldn't allow someone to be so sad.
"C-Can I call you..." he began but broke off, his voice timid, his eyes moving from the boy's face down to the star he had placed on the other's shirt, “by a nickname too?”
But then Kinshiro's cheeks immediately turned pink at his own words. Hadn't he been too bold?!
His eyes still on the star, he waited for an answer, keeping so much focus on the star that he hadn't even noticed just how close Atsushi had gotten.
When his head turned upwards, Kinshiro's breath got caught in his throat as he found himself gazing into those chocolate eyes.
Those eyes – there was something about them.
Kinshiro had thought they were gentle but there was something he couldn't understand, something ancient and mysterious.
He took a step back and loosened his grip on Kinshiro's wrist.
"We already have something in common!"
He laughed again. And then stopped to listen to Kinshiro's stuttered out beginning of a question.
"What is it?" he inquired once more.
He noticed that Kinshiro was staring at him an awful lot.
Yes.
That's what he wanted.
Kinshiro would become transfixed by him, and soon enough, never want to leave his side...
But standing here together with this boy underneath the moon, the boy's hair resembled the dark sky above them and the moon shined off him and Kinshiro was transfixed.
He was so utterly lost in this boy's eyes that Kinshiro didn't even realize his free hand moving upwards, coming to rest on Atsushi's cheek.
"At-chan."
Atsushi didn't snicker aloud at the nickname, although he wanted to. Kinshiro was really so sweet... so cute...
Atsushi smiled again, his face turning very bright and he let out a small gleeful giggle.
"Yes!" he said. "I don't mind, I like it! Thank you, Kin-chan!"
The smile that appeared on Kinshiro's face at the mention of his nickname was a radiant one.
But then he snapped out of his reverie and took his hand away from the older boy's cheek, blushing heavily at what he had just done.
Averting his eyes, Kinshiro looked down, shifting his weight from foot to foot.
How embarrassing! That wasn't any way to act with a friend!
But then he immediately stopped that train of thought.
Was Atsushi – At-chan – Kinshiro's friend?
I mean friends have nicknames, right?
But they had just met! Surely Atsushi was just saying that and didn't actually consider him a friend!
And anyway, now that he was no longer looking at how the moon illuminated the older boy's features, making them look all sharp and beautiful, Kinshiro's worries had risen to the surface once more.
"...We should stargaze before it gets too late," he spoke, still avoiding his gaze.
He had to return home before his parents worried. They might not pay much attention to him but he couldn't inconvenience them. That wasn't what proper children did, after all.
"A-And I'm glad you like the nickname, A-At-chan."
The turn of events pleased Atsushi greatly. Kinshiro was happy with his nickname, and he had given Atsushi one in return.
He could say that he had never been called At-chan before in his existence, but the sound of it coming from his target didn't sound so bad.
They stood there in very companionable silence for a few minutes. Atsushi could tell that Kinshiro seemed nervous and slightly embarrassed.
But Atsushi agreed, taking Kinshiro's hand and leading him a bit further on the hill.
"This seems like a good spot," he said, glancing up at the sky. Sure enough, it was a wonderfully clear day, and an area vacant of lights, so all the stars were very visible. Even Atsushi, a demon, had to admit they were pretty.
He turned to Kinshiro, smiling. He had to reassure the boy again.
"I'm happy!" Atsushi assured him. "I love the nickname. I know only we only just met, but if we could be friends, that'd be great! I don't really have any friends..."
The story he made up seemed reasonable enough.
He paused, acting a bit shy now.
"So when I saw your backpack, and you liked the stickers… I thought it was fate or something, you know?"
He frowned, making his voice grow sad.
"I'm sorry, that must sound stupid, right?"
"N-No," Kinshiro replied, eyes still averted from Atsushi's face. "I don't think so."
Fate.
Unbeknownst to Kinshiro, fate had already been set in motion the second he met Atsushi at the restaurant and would continue to have a large deciding factor in his life.
Atsushi smiled back at him, conveying the happiness he would be feeling inside... if the situation was real, that is.
"Yay!" Atsushi exclaimed, taking a few steps closer to Kinshiro, grinning. "I'm glad. I didn't want to stay anything weird, you know?"
He then looked down at the ground.
"I was only saying what I thought. That's all."
Kinshiro seemed to be warming up to him a little more, which was a very good thing.
It would be no time before they were the best of friends, and Atsushi would have Kinshiro wrapped around his finger in every way.
And he was greatly looking forward to that time.
His heart beating loudly in his ears, Kinshiro felt warm at hearing such words even though the hand he was holding was cold to the touch.
Atsushi was such a warm name. Why was it that he was so cold, then?
Upon that thought, another shiver went down Kinshiro's spine.
"I-I want to be your friend," he uttered anyway, ignoring any feeling of discomfort that was bothering him. "I have never had any f-friends before..."
"I want to be your friend, too, Kin-chan!" Atsushi confirmed once more.
"I haven't had any friends before, either..." his voice became quiet. "At least not any that lasted... I always had to move around a lot so..."
He made his voice sound so sad, like he was going to choke up. But then he coughed, getting a hold of himself.
Turning his eyes from the beautiful night sky shyly towards Atsushi, Kinshiro was once again transfixed by the sight.
There was something Kinshiro couldn't place about this boy and yet, he couldn't stop the increased thud of his heartbeat.
"At-chan," he whispered, his gaze intense as he looked at the other boy.
He looked up again, gazing into Kinshiro's eyes as he said his name, not being able to distinguish his tone.
"What is it, Kin-chan?" Atsushi asked. "Is something wrong?"