Asia was the first to reach me. “Akira-san are you ok?”, Asia asked worriedly while holding my hand.

 

“Akira what happened?”, asked Rias with a worried face as she approached. “Are you alright?”, asked Akeno looking worried as well.

 

“What happened man?”, asked Issei worriedly. Kiba and Koneko looked worriedly as well.

 

Kiba said, “Are you hurt anywhere?”. Koneko said, “Akira-senpai are you ok?”.

 

My hands were shaking. I know this person should have been killed as she had been berserk but still…this was the first person I killed.

 

I know-I know that this was essential but…but still….I….

 

I shook my head, clenched my fist and got up. “Akira-san?”, asked Asia in worry.

 

I smiled as much as I could and said, “I am ok. I am perfectly physically fine as you can see”.

 

“But you clearly aren’t. You were down just a minute ago”, said Rias. Everyone else nodded.

 

The realizing something Rias said, ”Wait, you said physically….does that mean”.

 

I nodded and said, “Yes I am physically fine. It’s just that……”.

 

“Just that what? Answer me Akira”, said Rias with a worried expression.

 

“….Well this……is the first time I have killed someone”, I said bitterly.

 

“That’s…O..”, said Rias speechless, I guess she couldn’t find words to comfort me.

 

“Don’t worry Akira-san you did the right thing. Everything will be ok”, said Asia trying to cheer me up.

 

“Ara this is troublesome”, said Akeno. Issei scratched his head and said, “I am sorry man, I can’t help you with this”.

 

Koneko said nothing. Kiba asked, “If you knew you couldn’t handle it, why did you kill her yourself? We could have killer hear as a team like we usually do”.

 

“Well,….you see, with everything we will face in the future, both the known and the unknown as I don’t know everything in the future, there might come a time when I have to kill someone or else I or maybe someone I care about will die, my hesitation at that time might cause me or that person to die. So when that time comes, I don’t want to hesitate, hence this was the time prepare my mind. But as expected……..it’s difficult”, I said bitterly.

 

Kiba opened his mouth to say something but immediately closed it. Everyone was silent.

 

Then Rias hugged me and said gently, “There, everything will be alright. You have done nothing wrong. I will be there for you”.

 

Asia also hugged me and said, “Me too, I will be there for you too Akira-san”.

 

Akeno said, “Don’t worry Akira-kun we are all here for you”, said Akeno.

 

Everyone else said, “Yes”, together.

 

I burned my face in Rias’s chest for sometime and gathered my thoughts and calmed my mind.

 

After sometime I let go and said, “Tahnks everyone, I feel a bit better” with a smile.

 

“Of couse we are comrades”, said Issei and everyone nodded.

 

I needed to get my mind off things for now so I looked at Issei’s bike and said, “By the way Ise, what’s with that big-ass picture frame?”. Everyone looked in the same direction after I said that.

 

Issei looked at it and said, “Oh, it’s something I got on fulfilling my contract”.

 

“You fulfilled your contract? Congratulations”,  I said.

 

“Congratulations”, everyone said as well.

 

“Thank you everyone”, said Issei happily.

 

“But that picture better be worth it, otherwise it will be scam”, I said.

 

“Scam?”, said Issei worriedly.

 

Rias went and opened the picture from it’s covers, she was astonished for a second and then showed it to us, it was indeed a wonderful painting, I expected as much, it was Azazel after all but I was having fun now, so I won’t stop.

 

Rias said, “This is an antique painting, made by a famous artist. This is valuable. To think you were given this as compensation…..”.

 

“Goodness Ise, just what dd you do to get this picture? Were you doing a striptease?”, I said.

 

Everyone expected Asia looked at Issei in horror. Koenko said, “Pervert”. Asia just titled her head and asked, “What’s a striptease?”.

 

Crap, shouldn’t have said that in front of Asia. I hurriedly said, “It’s n-nothing Asia, you don’t have to worry about that”.

 

“But I want to know”, said Asia with an expectant look. Crap, I brought this on myself.

 

Issei’s face was red. He screamed and said, “OF COURSE NOT. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF ME? DO I LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO WOULD THAT?”.

 

A good chance to avoid answering Asia’s question. I said, “Well, you are a pervert”.

 

Issei screamed again and said, “I HAVE STANDARDS. I AM NOT LIKE THAT. AND I ONLY TALKED WITH THE GUY, NOTHING ELSE, I SWEAR”.

 

“Guy? Not girl?”, I asked.

 

“Yes, a middle aged guy, take that”, said Issei with a triumphant smile as if he had won.

 

I made a face as if I felt sorry for him and said, “I apologize Ise. I didn’t realize you were into middle aged men. I shouldn’t have assumed that you like girls”

 

Issei’s face turned redder and he shouted, “NO, I AM NOT INTO MIDDLE AGED MEN. DIDN’T I TELL YOU WE ONLY TALKED AND NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED? DON’T GO ASSUMING THINGS”.

 

I chucked and said, “Sorry, sorry I just joking”. And everyone except Issei burst out laughing, “HAHAHAHAHHAHAA..”.

 

When everything calmed down Issei said, “Geez guys” and hid his face with both his hands.

 

I then made a serious face and said, “Seriously though, if someone gives something so valuable for just talking it’s suspicious. You better watch yourself for any danger”.

 

Rias nodded and said, “Akira is correct. It’s better not to attend this person’s call again”.

 

“No, I want to. This is the first time I completed a contract successfully on my own. I don’t want to lose out on a contract because of some suspicion”, said Issei with determination.

 

Seeing his determined look Rias sighed and said, “Fine, just be careful and immediately contract us if there is any danger”.

 

Issei smiled and said, “Of course. Thank you Buchou”.

 

It’s not like calling us will do anything, it’s Azazel we are talking about. He can beat all of us with his eyes close. But I know he won’t so I am not worried about issei.

 

I then said, “Al right everyone, time to go home. It’s already late we have school tomorrow”.

 

Rias nodded and said, “Yes, let’s go home”.

 

We bid each other goodbye and left. At home I bathed and got ready for bed. When Rias and Asia came I said, “Please leave me alone for tonight”. I needed to sort out my thoughts for myself alone.

 

Rias looked at me worried and said, “Are you going to be ok?”.

 

I smiled and said, “Yes, it’s just for today. I’ll be ok after I sort my thoughts ALONE tonight”. I emphasized the word alone.

 

Seeing the determination in face Rias sighed and said, “Alright, but call us if you need us”.

 

“Yes Akira-san please call us”, said Asia worried. “Of course I will”, I said  with a smile.

 

I lay in my bed after they left and tried to calm myself. After who know how much time passed I fell asleep.