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Love. What is love? Who decides how to love? If love is equal for all, then I’m of the opinion that you can love who you want, without fear or restraint.
It was a quote from a book Asa had read before… you know, before everything happened. She never really agreed with it. She found it stupid. After all, what does love matter in the apocalypse? Not that Asa wanted to be loved and doted on—that would be pathetic… Right? You agree with me, Yoshida?
Step. Step. Step.
Huff. Huff. Huff.
“Asa, is this really the time?” Yoshida said through gritted teeth, still wearing a weirdly even, preset smile on his face.
They moved rapidly up the stairs of the destitute apartment building, that of course had once been home to all types of people. Now not even a ghost roamed the halls. A pity. It was such a beautiful building—well, that might be a stretch, as it wasn’t up to Asa’s refined standards anyway.
The two made their way off the stairs and into the equally empty hall, still running. At this point Asa was exhausted; the constant moving between floors had tired her out. And don’t you judge her—you try running all the way from the second floor to the fifth. It’s not fun. But after all, this was Asa we’re talking about. She could do anything she set her mind to.
Asa huffed. “Yoshida, could we please just slip into one of the open apartments, just for a moment? My legs are killing me,” she said, small tears welling up in her blue eyes that were so dark they almost seemed black.
Yoshida sighed. “You’ve only been running for about five minutes. I carried you the first half” he said, sweat dripping from the side of his forehead and falling to the floor from his chin.
“That’s not my fault,” Asa groaned. “My leg cramped. You can’t hold that against me. What type of person would? Are you saying that you would just abandon a girl in need? How shameful.”
Crash. Bang. Screech.
Just as they passed the halfway point, the wall on the right side of the hallway burst open, rubble flying everywhere. It was a devil—and an ugly one at that.
“Oh, shit! It’s—fucking—climbing the stairs! I thought you said it couldn’t!” Asa roared at Yoshida. Well, at least now she didn’t seem so worried about resting.
“I said it might not know how to climb, not that it couldn’t,” Yoshida fired back. “And hurry up if you don’t want to get eaten.”
“That’s the same thing, you idiot!” Asa shouted. Honestly… was she the only one with some intelligence in the group? Curse my beautiful brain.
They continued to get chased. Asa looked back just to get an idea of where the devil was in comparison to herself. It was almost right on top of her. That’s when, like a cliché horror movie… Asa tripped.
No—OF COURSE she did. But hey, what was new in the spiralling hellhole that was her life. Oh, nothing much—just about to get eaten. Asa had lived a good life… or so she would say, if she actually did.
“No… I don’t want to die!” Asa cried internally. I haven’t gotten to experience everything I wanted… even… even… love! Or my first kiss, I want to experience love!
The devil, grotesque and writhing, swung a sharp tendril at her head.
“Dammit, Asa!” Yoshida shouted, trying to rush forward with his weapon, but he was too slow.
Then—like a whirlwind of shadows and pale blonde hair—she appeared. Her hoodie flared as tendrils twisted and snapped with terrifying precision. In a heartbeat, she struck the devil, slicing through its grotesque form. The hall filled with the sound of tearing and screeching as the creature crumpled to the floor.
Asa stumbled back, wide-eyed, tears still in her dark blue eyes. “Wh… what…?” she stammered.
Yoshida just blinked, sweat dripping down his face. “I… I think we’re saved?”
The figure leaned close, her featureless face—eyes hidden behind writhing tendrils—studying Asa up and down. Her voice was frantic, urgent. “Are you okay?”
Asa stumbled further backward, her chest heaving. Her dark blue eyes—still wide with tears—tried to take everything in. What the hell is happening? The thing… the girl… whatever she was, leaned so close, her tendrils writhing like living shadows, and asked if she was okay.
Okay? Asa thought. I’m not okay! I’m about to get eaten! And… and she has no eyes! How can she even see me?
Her heart thudded painfully. And why… why am I suddenly feeling… something? Flustered? That’s ridiculous. I’m dying—literally dying—and I’m… flustered?
Asa wiped a tear from her cheek and squared her shoulders. “I’m fine!” she shouted, voice loud and panicked, trying to sound in control. In control? Ha. More like a panicked idiot.
Even as she said it, she couldn’t stop staring at the pale blonde hair, the writhing tendrils, the way she seemed impossibly… in control.
“Wouldn’t it be better to ask a question instead?” Yoshida muttered, closing in on the two… uhmm… people.
Asa shot the dark-haired boy a sharp glare. Not even going to ask if I’m okay? And here I thought we were getting along so well… serves me right trusting you.
For some reason, she took offense.
The air still hummed with tension, the crumpled devil lying in a smoking heap behind them. Asa’s chest heaved, but she refused to look too relieved — not with those writhing tendrils still lurking at her side.
Yoshida muttered something under his breath, probably about strategy, probably about not dying, and gestured toward the stairs. “Back to the second floor,” he said. “That’s where the group is staying. We can regroup there.”
Asa hesitated, glancing at the fiend beside her. Pale blonde hair, tendrils flicking like restless snakes, the featureless face tilting slightly as if waiting for instruction. Do I… ask her to come? she thought. Ugh, fine. Don’t look desperate.
“Uh… you can come with us,” Asa said, voice tight and slightly annoyed. Not that I’m… asking because I want you here. Just… safety reasons, obviously.
The fiend gave a subtle tilt of her head, as if acknowledging the invitation, and matched their pace silently. Tendrils brushed occasionally against Asa, not harming her, just… present. Protective. Infuriatingly reassuring.
As they descended the stairs, Asa grumbled under her breath, mostly to herself. Great. She’s here. And I invited her. Fantastic. Totally in control.
By the time they reached the second floor, the hallway was eerily quiet. The group had done their job, drawing the other devils away. Asa let out a shaky breath, glancing at the fiend again. Safe for now… and she’s still here. Wonderful.
They approached the apartment door on the second floor. Asa still struggled to catch her breath, her hands flexing slightly as Yuko moved close to her side.
Aki opened the door. His eyes immediately assessed the two of them, sharp and serious as always. “You’re back… faster than expected,” he said, his voice calm but precise, clearly noting the urgency and tension in their movements.
Asa shifted nervously, her gaze flicking downward as she realized Yuko’s tendrils were subtly coiling around her. Yoshida’s expression remained unreadable, but his eyes tracked the pale blonde figure beside her.
Aki followed their gaze. When his eyes landed on Yuko, he blinked once, expression tightening slightly. “That… is new,” he said, tone clipped, neither judgmental nor impressed—just observant.
Asa internally groaned. Of course. My apocalypse fiend companion is now officially noticed. Totally normal.
Yuko remained silent, tendrils subtly coiling protectively around Asa, her presence calm but imposing.
***
Now in the apartment, Asa sank onto one of the old, dusty chairs, still trying to catch her breath. She glanced at Yuko and then at the group.
“Okay… so,” Asa began, voice a little shaky but trying to sound in control. “Yoshida and I… almost died back there. This devil came out of nowhere—huge, fast, ugly—and we were completely screwed…” She trailed off, glancing at Yuko. “Until… this happened.”
Yuko stayed silent, tendrils curling protectively around Asa, watching the group with her usual intense, unreadable presence.
Aki’s gaze was sharp, taking in every detail—the speed of their return, the tension still clinging to Asa, and now the fiend at her side. His lips pressed into a thin line. “Explain exactly what happened,” he said, tone precise and calm, betraying none of the surprise he likely felt inside.
Asa swallowed. Right. Keep it concise. Keep it dramatic. Don’t fluster yourself. “We were cornered. Completely outnumbered. I… tripped. And then…” She gestured vaguely to Yuko, who gave a subtle nod, tendrils flicking slightly. “She saved us, Yuko. Both of us.”
Yoshida leaned against the wall, arms crossed, trying to look casual but clearly exhausted. “Yeah,” he added flatly, “she’s… effective.”
The room fell into a brief, tense silence, everyone processing the new reality: Yuko was here, and she wasn’t just another threat.
Then Angel stepped forward, crimson hair catching what little light filtered into the apartment.
“So… you got saved by a devil,” he said, voice steady and matter‑of‑fact. “What has the world come to?”
“Hah! Another servant for thyself! ’Tis a great day indeed!” Power laughed, eyes gleaming with excitement.
“A… a devil… a devil?!” Kobeni stammered, eyes wide. Her hands fluttered nervously as if she might push someone—or herself—back. “You… you let a devil in here? Why would you do that?!”
“Hey, calm down, Kobeni,” Aria said gently, stepping closer. Her voice was steady, soothing, and patient, the kind that made people listen even when their hearts were racing. “I’m sure they have their reasons.”
Yuko, still being carefully eyed by Kobeni, cleared her throat. Tendrils flicked and twitched subtly around her, brushing lightly against the floor and Asa’s sides. “Well… actually, I’m not a devil, per se,” she said, voice steady but soft, almost apologetic.
“Wait… what?!” Asa blurted, eyes wide, stumbling back a step.
***
Later, in the quiet of the apartment, Asa and Yuko sat together, away from the others. The chaos of the hallway and the group’s reactions were gone, leaving a rare moment of calm. Asa finally allowed herself to study Yuko properly — pale blonde hair, writhing tendrils brushing lightly against the floor, her featureless face calm but intense.
“So… how did you become like this?” Asa asked, voice tentative, still trying to process everything.
Yuko’s tendrils shifted slightly as she spoke, curling around her feet almost like a gesture of thought. “A while ago, I made a contract with the Justice Devil,” she said, her tone steady. “I wanted to be strong. I wanted to protect people… to become a hero, like Chainsaw Man. That’s why I accepted the change.”
Asa blinked, trying to absorb it all. “So… you didn’t choose this just to scare people or… hurt anyone?”
“No,” Yuko replied firmly. “I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to fight devils and make a difference. And… I wanted to be someone who could be loved.”
Asa exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing slightly. “Okay… got it. That actually makes a lot of sense. Still terrifying, but… thank you.”
Yuko’s tendrils shifted again, brushing lightly toward Asa’s side in a protective gesture. “You’re safe now,” she said simply, voice calm and certain.
Asa kept glancing at Yuko, trying not to stare too obviously. For some reason… she felt warm. Uncomfortably warm. The room is supposed to be cool, she thought frantically, blinking. So why is it hot?
Her chest fluttered, and her mind kept looping over the same thought: What… what does this feeling even mean?
She tried to focus on Yuko’s words, on the tendrils resting lightly against the floor, on anything practical — but her thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind. Concentration? Gone. Completely.
Asa felt the tendril brushing lightly against her side. It was… strangely soft. Not at all like she had imagined a tendril would be. And trust her, she had—only for research purposes, of course.
Her fingers twitched almost unconsciously, half-expecting it to be cold, rough, or slimy, but instead it was smooth and surprisingly warm. Her heart skipped a beat. Okay, this is weird. Really weird.
She froze mid-thought, cheeks flushing. Yuko’s tendrils shifted slightly, curling as if responding to her nerves, and her head tilted ever so slightly toward Asa.
Asa swallowed hard, trying not to look too obvious. Uh… maybe if I just… act normal… She promptly failed, fidgeting with her hands and biting her lip.
The faint movement of Yuko’s tendrils seemed almost… amused, like she knew what was going through Asas's head.
Yuko turned her head, meeting Asa’s eyes. At this point, the warmth in Asa’s chest was molten, and she felt slightly hazy. That’s why she didn’t notice when Yuko leaned in and placed a small, light kiss on her lips.
“That… was something,” Asa said, covering her face with her sleeve. Her ears were now visibly red, and her heart was still racing.
It’s not that she wanted that to happen — of course not. She never liked this type of stuff anyway. But… she guessed she wouldn’t mind if it happened again.
“Are you… are… are not going to eat us?” Asa whispered, her voice trembling. “I heard… that’s what devils do, and you… you know…”
“I… I only…” Yuko curled up. “I get it. You should like having me around… I’m just a hazard.”
She looked away, voice barely above a whisper. After all… who would want to love something like me?
The words from the book she had read at the very start of everything… Love. What is love? Who decides how to love? —they echoed in her mind again, clear as day. She grabbed Yuko’s hands… tendrils, and said, “It doesn’t matter how you look now. I’m of the opinion that it doesn’t matter how you love, or who you love. So, to say, Yuko… I don’t care that you think you shouldn’t be loved. Because in this apocalypse, all we have is each other.”
As she said this, she gently placed her hands on Yuko’s face, turning her to meet her gaze, and leaned in, kissing her.
But from a corner, hidden in the shadows, someone scowled as they watched.
All I want is your heart, after all, Yuko thought.