YOSHIKO TSUSHIMA'S POV

Before we talk about current events, let me do the honor of explaining the symptoms which led to that event...

As you know, Riko Sakurauchi and I first met when Aqours was formed, but our fateful encounter properly began only many months later during a rainy day. I found a dog to keep, however since my mom refuses pets at my kingdom, I am forced to entrust this dog, Laelaps, to Riko. It was also my way to aid her in her struggle against her fear of dogs. However, she ended up surprising me by owning that dog herself, the name Nocturne became a symbol of betrayal! We fought each other over true ownership, until the real owner took the dog away and we were both wrecked with failure. It was at this moment where I questioned if magic was real, if angels were real. Riko told me that whether or not they are real, what is real are my beliefs in them. I thought she would simply tell me they aren't real, so it enlightened me. From then on, I made her my fourth little demon with the title: "Riri". And though she denied it at first, slowly she fell under my influence...

Look, just watch the Season 2 anime, my reader. Only then shall you be enlightened!

Ehem, now then, lets get with the true timeline. It was during our stay at Hakodate, the homeland of St. Snow. This was before we met Saint Snow in this land, and just days before the birthday of the Son of God...

"SILENT CHERRY BLOSSOM NIGHTMARE!!", I shouted as I did one of my special moves (the other one is called the Phoenix Strike) at an adversary. I was training with a snowman I built - EHEM - a frost giant I summoned via the Winds of Magic. Riri was my audience. Elsewhere, the other girls such as Ruby, Hanamaru, Chika, and You played snowball fights.

Similar to my other moves, my Cherry Blossom attack restrained the frost giant via arms and legs. Doing that was risky - the frost giant has cold elemental powers (it is simply too cold) that can debuff any assailant. It didn't work on me though, for I am a Fallen Angel! (I wore a thick longcoat.)

"You're amazing, Yoshiko-chan! Where did you learn all those moves?", Riri praised me. I explained to her my experience.

"At the Colosseum! During the time of Rome, I dueled with the best gladiators there! As a Fallen Angel, I live forever! Which is why I can travel through time at will - "

"You mean television? A self-defense documentary perhaps? Or maybe a movie?"

"Huhuhu! You know my language now, huh?", at this time the two of us already had a strong bond. Riko already has developed powers such as the Riko Beam, and we got to know each other's interests and beliefs. Our relationship was so active that almost everytime, we had a moment or chat with one another behind everyone's backs.

"Well then, I want you to learn my technique!"

"I'll pass, Yoshiko."

"Oy, this trick is for self-defense and combat! It will be useful for you!"

"Just do what you are gonna do. I am just gonna sit by here and wait."

I just focused on training with my frost giant. Riko just calmly watched. Then suddenly, about five minutes later, my frost giant got hit by a high velocity snowball. It's head fell down.

"NOOOOO!!! MY FROST GIANT HAS BEEN ASSASSINATED!!!"

"PONK!!"

Then I got hit by another snowball and fell. At the head. Someone deliberately aimed at me.

"Haha! Yoshiko is dead! One point for me, zura!", I knew quickly who the upstart was. I rose in response...

"Hehehe....(evil face)...face my retribution, Hanamaru....SHARDS OF DARKNESS!!! (throws snowballs)"

I engaged in a rough duel against my second little demon. I initially hoped for a quick end to this fight. She fought back fiercely as well, extensively using cover, so I was forced to use attrition tactics. I got distracted for a long while. At the end, I prevailed over Hanamaru by throwing deceptively an imaginary snowball whilst my other hand threw the real one. Hanamaru failed to dodge that quickly enough and fell. I HAVE TAUGHT HER A LESSON!

(Our duel was so fierce that Ruby was forced to hide, constantly worrying she might get hit. You and Chika both retreated outside the snowfield to avoid the blazing snowballs.)

Once the snowball fight was over, I decided to return back to my training. I saw something which surprised me:

There was a snowman built there. And it looked like Chika? More importantly, Riri was doing something:

"Uhhh....I think I got it....SILENT CHERRY BLOSSOM NIGHTMARE!!!", she said as she dashed at her snowman. She wrecked it because she used so much force. Aha!!

All this time, Riri has been training behind my back! Amazing! This is clear evidence of my influence! I arrived to expose her.

"Hehehe!! My little demon has learned my tricks! I knew your heart desired it all along!!"

"Eh!!? S-shut up!!", she denied. But the evidence is there: her Chika snowman fell apart to pieces. Riri just looked at me embarassed.

"Okey, Riri, as a reward for your self-study, I shall build you a castle worthy of your achievement!!"

"Ahhh...you don't have to....", ignoring Riri's pleas, I decided to build a castle to impress her as much as she impressed me. Her Chika snowman inspired me to do it. I built a castle which kinda looked like the Bastille. Riko was amazed.

"Wow....you really gave your all!", she praises my creation as she observed it's parts.

"I am happy you stayed to see it. Hmmm...how about you build one as well?"

"Eh?"

"I know you have a taste for art, Riri. I wanna see ya do it!"

"Well...I will try..."

I really wanted the two of us to enjoy this snowfield as much as possible. This was less because of romance and more about friendship, because this was one of my first times that I actually had friends who cared about who I am. Riri, Hanamaru, Ruby, everyone...I really treasure them. But Riri stood out in a way that she gave me maximum tolerance and actually started acting like me. Even as I did all those crazy moves, she understood me. I felt so happy....she felt like a sister to me.....well, Hanamaru does something similar but she does it in a very different style....

"There you go! What do you think?"

Riri finished her castle. AND IT WAS MAGNIFICIENT!!

"Ah! Perfect Riri! I never actually expected you would make a very detailed snow castle! Let me take a look!", I gave her snow castle a look. I actually am astonished how much effort she put into it.

"Man, I am jealous. Your castle is very detailed. Better than mine. Plus you found this branch and made it look like a tree in this area here. Huh?", but then I noticed a detail....

"Hmmm? Yoshiko, what is it?", Riko wondered.

"...a large tree....and this animal logo?", I whispered...

"What? Yoshiko, is something off with my castle?"

Then...something entered my mind...her castle looked familiar...then I remembered....

"Riri....your castle looks like Winterfell..."

"!!! (diamond mouth) !!!", she made that crazy, embarassed expression. She clearly didn't expect I know one TV series she watches...

"NO WAY!! Riri, you watch Game of Thro - "

"SILENT CHERRY BLOSSOM NIGHTMARE!!!", she shouted as she restrained me and covered my mouth. I could not resist - she learned my trick so quickly!

"Never. Say. A word! Understood?!!!", she said with an evil glare. I nodded anxiously and she let me go.

"Man, now I guess it makes sense why one of your favorite novels involve a girl professing her love at a wall - "

"Want me to bury you in snow?"

"Alright, I will shut up!!!"

Whatever the case, I learned one crucial info: whenever Riri's secrets are revealed, whenever she is not being watched by anyone or whenever she gets flustered, she unconsciously unleashes her inner demon to deal with me via magic. It is a pattern I finally learned to understand, and I used it to help her develop her powers - and maybe her fetishes sometimes? It is kinda like how Dia rubs her mole when she says something opposite of what she says. In any case, I had a really fun snow experience....

Whatever, that was one of many beginnings...Riko herself probably has her own tale to tell...

YOU WATANABE'S POV

"Those two are really enjoying the snowfield.", I said as I pondered over how much fun those two have been having with each other recently. It's been a long while since I saw them interacting so closely yet it still surprises me how those two somehow connected with each other.

"Yeah, I mean, those snowmen and castles they were making were so well done! And they have been spending about two hours already in that field. They really are having so much fun...", Chika herself notices this connection. Yet I also feel that she herself must still feel that she is not used to it. I mean, she and Riko have always been so close yet only recently has that pattern changed. Still, she keeps smiling regardless cuz I know she herself is glad the two found something common with one another. If she does feel a bit sad, she would just continue to smile in order to keep us from worrying.

"They seem too close....I wonder how that happened..."

"I am also curious too, You-chan! Still, I do hope that their friendship doesn't become too different...."

"Hmm? What do you mean..."

"I just am glad those two are interacting now, but Riko-chan needs to keep up the amount of time she spends with you and I, You-chan. Something like that.", she said with a bit of worry.

"Oh.", I uttered when Chika quickly turned her glare away from Riko and Yoshiko and looked at her watch.

"Hey now, look at the time! We need to rendezvous with Dia, Mari, and Kanan at Saint Snow's live! Ruby, tell those two that we are going now!"

She called Ruby, still playing with Hanamaru, to get those two to follow them soon.

"Yes, I will be on it!", Ruby responded as Chika and I went ahead on our way.

Just thinking about what we saw makes me more comfortable for some reason. As much as I am happy for Yoshiko for finding a new playmate, I am happier to find Riko spending time with someone else.

Hehe, well that's good then! Thanks to Yoshiko, I can now make my moves on Chika-chan without interference!

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A/N: Notice that reference I made there? I am equally surprised when I wrote that part as well cuz I was just simply letting my mind give me ideas flawlessly as if I was watching an imaginary clip. It is kinda hard to explain, hehe...

Anyway, I hope you are entertained long enough to continue to the next pages which will give more insight to the relationship before the main events begin. Next page will come next month though, so wait for a while. See ya!!

Happy New Year by the way!