note: this route episode does not intervene with the actual plot. what happens in the shoto route didn't happen in the main story. except for the flashback- that did happened.

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⛥┊オカルトクラブ ˎˊ˗

┊₍✞︎₎ ..⃗. ꒰ ⁰¹· the rabbit's rogue stew ꒱ ⛥ೄ･ﾟˊˎ

╰─•*⁀➷

"ah, president. the sky is dark, and going home alone is dangerous." one of them said. "can i walk you home?"

"really? w-well, if it won't be a bother..."

"where do you think you're off to?"

everyone snapped their necks at the pool room's door.

it's the student council president!

"shoto..." the boys mumbled.

"kaicho." y/n also mumbled before her grip on her tote bag tightened.

how long has he been there?

"what is this, y/n?" he asked as he marches towards the president of the occult club. "are you having a pool party at the school's private property? is this how the occult club is supposed to work?!" shoto exclaimed, towering y/n with authority.

"let the president explain." vox immediately said in between as he pushes shoto gently.

the six of them waited, watching how y/n remained unmoving and looking at the floor.

"i have nothing to explain." y/n said after raising her head.

they were dumbfounded. is she not going to do anything to defend them and the occult club? they were just found guilty of using the pool without council permission!

"y/n..." shoto whispered while gritting his teeth. "you amuse and annoy me at the same time. can you stop?"

"can you?" ike barged in. "we'll pay for the consequences. we're responsible—"

"no." y/n cut him off. "i have nothing to explain."

y/n sure was guilty when she let shoto catch them using the school property. she should've thought that this may happen. but what is the president also doing at school at night?

shoto just groaned while massaging his temple.

"everyone, go home." shoto said. "y/n, you fucking stay here." despite the harshness, there was a hint of gentleness still left in his tone.

mysta scoffed. "like we'd leave you with y/n you—"

"go home, everyone. i'll see you again tomorrow at school." y/n said with a smile of reassurance.

"a-are you sure?" vox asked.

"yeah? we can fight off shoto together." shu added.

"we can then drop his body in the nearby lake."

"we won't. shut up, mysta." ike immediately said.

"y/n, we can't just leave you alone..." luca worriedly said.

y/n was amused— bewildered by how everyone cared for her. it has been a while since a number of people have been worried for her safety.

"i'll be fine. why are you acting like shoto's going to kill me the moment you guys leave?" y/n said with a little joking tone, and a tiny chuckle to lessen the awkwardness in the pool room.

"go on. i'll see you guys tomorrow." y/n said, pushing the nearest person to her, which is luca.

"don't you love us anymore...?" luca feigned, making y/n laugh.

despite her bright attitude amidst the dark pool room, everyone was grim, especially whenever their sight would meet shoto.

"my eyes are on you." vox whispered as he passed by him.

"oho~? should i be self-conscious now?" shoto whispered back.

he made sure not to forget the weird smell vox emitted that almost burnt his nose.

and here i thought i'd still have to investigate that fucker's origin... shoto thought.

shu was the last one leaving the pool room. he couldn't stop himself from looking back at y/n, so he did. y/n just gave him a smile, telling him she'll be fine with the council president. shu nodded and left, still with worry before closing the door completely.

"LETO Y/N!!" shoto dramatically exclaimed before hitting y/n's head with a roll of paper. "you idiot!"

"ow! shoto! gee!" y/n whined while suppressing her laughter. "hey—! stop! it hurts!"

"i don't care!"

"stop or i'll scream you're harassing me!"

"fair enough." shoto said and stopped.

he then sighed. "so why are you in the pool? without any permit? and with boys?! do you want me to tell your mother about this?!"

y/n sighed as well. "i'm sorry, it won't happen again." y/n said while fiddling her fingers. "i-i just wanted to give the new club members a warm welcome, and i don't know how! y-you know how happy i am getting new members, don't you?! it's my first time being the president and recruiting! at least give me a slack!" y/n whined with a pout.

"leto! that's not an excuse to use the pool!" shoto argued. "what if it wasn't me who came but the principal huh?! you and those guys would've been suspended or worst, expelled! you were too careless!"

"i understand that you were just happy about the new recruits, and i also understand how you feel about giving them a little celebration. but don't you think a pool party at school is too much?"

he bit on it. y/n thought.

"i'm sorry... it won't happen again, i promise."

"it better not!"

y/n just gave shoto a cheeky grin. "it really won't! i swear on our cat's name!"

shoto's face immediately grew red like a beet's— yes, that was how worst it is. y/n just called guildy 'our cat' like it's own by him and her. like they are guildy's fur parents...

"s-shut up! she's not ours! guildy is owned by no one!" shoto argued.

"nemu." y/n corrected.

shoto just clicked his tongue. "whatever. let's get you home."

the both of them went out of the pool room, and a few minutes later they were already far from the school property.

"kaicho." y/n called. "why are you at school this late? i didn't recall inviting you over."

"oi." shoto called, annoyed. "you should just be thankful that i was the one who caught you and not anyone else."

"ah! a-are you letting this slide?!" y/n excitedly said. "oh please, mr. kaicho! with a cherry on top!"

why the fuck is she acting overly cute tonight?! shoto asked himself in pain.

"well, you better keep it or i'm telling the school admins that you ditched school with me. i still have the receipt at home, you know?" y/n said with a grin. "ah, that wouldn't be too good. after all, you are the school council president."

i take it back. she's not cute at all. shoto frowned.

y/n saw how his frown deepened with the lampposts, making her laugh out loud.

"well that was an interesting reaction," she said and kept walking.

y/n was walking faster for unknown reasons, which gave shoto the chance to stare at her back shamelessly.

future shoto can just think of a way to escape once y/n figures out i were staring at her back. shoto thought to himself.

he would be lying if he said he wasn't interested in y/n. it was the reason why he was at the school right now in the first place.

y/n promised to reply to his messages so he'd be aware that she's safe after talking to a stranger. but the cutie-pie never replied. shoto was so worried that he went back to school to see if she was still there— it's possible! or maybe he could find the old man and ask him where she is now.

not until he figured out that the pool room was being used by y/n herself, with her club members. what's worst, they were men.

you can trust a lady, but you can never entrust a lady to a man.

hell, shoto is interested. very interested.

the breeze was cold. and the silence was heavy. y/n could feel that there was something wrong.

she immediately ran away a lightning speed before turning around to face shoto. "what do you think you're trying to do?" she said, pausing with a low voice.

shoto also paused walking and kept his hand behind him. "hmm? i don't know what you're talking about, leto. is there something wrong?"

"stop lying."

"what do you mean?"

"you were trying to kill me."

"what?" shoto mumbled in surprise, but y/n's look didn't waver.

"ah... i've been caught." shoto listlessly said and placed his hand on the side, revealing a jade knife.

the two of them stared at each other with a cold look. no one bothered saying anything or moving an inch.

but y/n was trembling in fear. she knew shoto was being weird ever since he tried befriending her during their first years. and the way he's acting now— as if he was trying to get closer to her for a reason.

"i want an explanation, y/n." shoto said with a smile. "i'll leave you for good if you give me a good one."

the street light was coincidentally flickering above the two of them too. the atmosphere was domineering and it just gave y/n more anxiety.

"what explanation do you want..?"

"you smell like a thousand souls. that must have an explanation, no?"

"d-don't take another step!" y/n yelled.

"s-smell? what do you mean?" y/n asked with her sweat trickling down her cheeks to her chin. "a thousand souls...?"

"w-who are you-? no. what are you, shoto?"

shoto sighed and stood up straight again. he pushed his hair back before grinning with his hand on his head.

"i'm shoto," he said. "i slay demons."

"i'm not a demon." y/n immediately said while hugging her tote bag tightly. "how did i even become a demon? what is wrong with you?!"

shoto shook his head. and in every step forward, y/n took a step back.

"my nose is never wrong. you reek thousand— million souls. i don't know how, but there are only a few reasons for that." shoto coldly said and lifted his knife.

y/n's chin rested on the tip of shoto's blade.

"i have to kill you. i can't let a demon roam around freely, let alone build a cult in the guise of a school club." shoto said sharply. "no hard feelings, y/n. you're cute and everything, but as the school council president, i can't let the school be prone to any more danger such as your existence."

"n-no... no! you got it all wrong!" y/n exclaimed. "i'm not a demon! i-i'm an exorcist!"

shoto blinked at the lady dumbfoundedly.

"...really?"

"un..." y/n said with a nod.

shoto hid his knife and immediately brought his face close to y/n's neck. that made the lady jump in pure fear and surprise.

but she just let shoto sniff her out while being warry of his weapon. this is harassment...

"you still smell like a lot of souls. so much that i could've mistaken you as the grim reaper." shoto said. "but you're right. you may smell like souls, but... you don't smell as bad as demons."

y/n sighed in relief.

"although you smell similarly to vox akuma." shoto said. "and that guy's a demon."

"w-what?! i already told you, i'm not a demon! let alone vox—"

"leto. you just knew him a few days ago. he is a demon." shoto said before making his distance from you.

"y-you... you're not going to harm him... are you?"

shoto grinned. "what are you gonna do about it?"

y/n's face darkened. her gentle expression was replaced with a grim look of bloodlust.

"don't touch my club members, shoto. or i'll kill you myself." she proclaimed as the wind blew extra cold.

shoto managed to observe her, despite the fear creeping into his system. he never knew y/n could be this cold and dark. interesting.

shoto suddenly bowed a very perfect 90 degrees and yelled, "i'm so sorry! please forgive me for trying to take your life!" he exclaimed with his eyes tightly closed.

y/n blinked in confusion. her face was still etched in bafflement and that didn't change as shoto stood up straight again.

"are you serious..?" y/n mumbled.

and just like a balloon, she slowly deflated as her knees fell to the ground.

"leto!" shoto worriedly called and approached the lady. "shit— i'm sorry for scaring you! i really am!"

"i-it's fine. we're good…"

the two of them just sat under the flickering street light, on the dirty floor.

"it was a surprise that you knew i held a knife out." shoto honestly said.

y/n shook her head with a little sound. "everything that has happened tonight was a surprise to the both of us."

"demon slayer…" she whispered.

"so you're like us too, right?" y/n asked.

"like you? no, i'm not an exorcist." shoto said.

"that's not what i meant. you know… we know the existence of magic and supernatural stuff."

"supernatural stuff? i thought you said you guys are exorcists? isn't that like the guys on youtube using technology and gadgets to track down spirits?"

shoto's innocence and lack of knowledge of the topic made y/n giggle.

"me and the club members are spirit mediums. we use magic to guide the spirits back to their realm." y/n said and took her charm from her shirt. "this is a charm. it contains magic our senpai gave."

"is this real?" shoto doubted.

y/n frowned. "you're a demon slayer. speak for yourself."

"riiiight…" shoto mumbled. "that explains why you smell like souls."

"the only thing i don't understand is why you smell like a lot of them with a mix of a demon's smell. i doubt you've handled a lot of cases." shoto said.

y/n shrugged. "there must be something wrong with your nose, then."

"i can never be wrong."

"you were just wrong about me."

"because you smell like a thousand souls, y/n. i told you there are only a few reasons why you do."

"yeah." y/n said with a sarcastic grin.

"it's either you are a spirit medium, you're the grim reaper, or you've been killing."

y/n just stared at shoto with the dumbest look. "of course, the last two were impossible with that face of yours." shoto mumbled.

"what if i am the grim reaper?"

shoto snapped his neck at her. "no… you're kidding."

y/n immediately burst into laughter when she saw the dramatic shock and intense fear on shoto's face.

shoto was flustered and red in embarrassment. "l-leto! you fucking—!" shoto sighed.

he just watched y/n laugh endlessly.

"yeah… how can this lady be a demon?" shoto whispered as he balled his fist. "i almost killed her too. fuck."

"i'm really sorry, leto." shoto mumbled while y/n wipe the tears that escaped her eyes from laughing too much. "i almost took an innocent's life."

y/n stood up and patted her butt to remove the dirt before she offered her hand to shoto.

"come on."

shoto took her hand as she pulled him up.

"how did you notice the knife?" shoto asked while patting his jeans.

"ah! i heard there's a nice taiyaki store nearby. wanna eat?" y/n asked.

"huh? sure."

y/n hummed and walked beside shoto. there was still guilt on his chest, and he doesn't have any idea how to make it up to y/n.

"uhm… leto."

"yes?"

"is there… any way i could make it up to you?"

y/n glanced at shoto.

"there is." she chirped.

shoto's face brightened. "i'm all ears."

with a smile, y/n said, "i want you to vouch for the occult club."

"i'm back! done talking with the school council president!" selen exclaimed after entering the club room.

"the school council president?" y/n asked, who paused from dusting the bookshelves.

"yeah— oh. you're the only one here? where are the others?" selen asked.

"they went to the cafeteria to buy snacks," y/n answered with a smile.

"y/n you're so fucken cute!" selen exclaimed and caged y/n in her arms while shaking her.

the both of them just giggled at how silly they are.

"why did you have to talk to the school council president? is there something wrong?" y/n asked out of concern.

selen shook her head. "you know, elira-senpai taught me this technique about the school council president." selen said. "elira-senpai said, for the occult club to be able to stay at its feet no matter what, we'll need to get the school council president on our side."

"how so..?"

"do you know what makes a rabbit stew? minecraft?"

y/n shook her head no.

"we need one carrot, one cooked rabbit, one bowl, one potato, and one mushroom." selen said. "a cooked rabbit, y/n. we need a cooked rabbit." she said and bopped the cute one's nose.

"uhm… what does that have to do with the school council president?"

selen chuckled. "we prey on them for our own benefits, y/n."

"we cook them and eat them."

"w-we cook the president?!"

selen started laughing so hard that y/n couldn't understand her anymore. she's just so confusing sometimes.

"soon, you'll understand. y/n."

"and although you are the rabbit this time," selen continued. "that doesn't mean you can't cook stew with other meat aside from a rabbit."

"okay. i'll vouch for the occult club." shoto said with a smile.

y/n smiled back at him, making him blush and look away. that's when y/n knew what she has her fingers wrapped around on.

"you were supposed to have rabbit stew for dinner, shoto." y/n whispered while staring at her hands. "i suppose the rabbit found its way out of a rogue's hunt."

"it's not the rogue's rabbit stew. it's the rabbit's rogue stew."

but do i really smell like them? she curiously asked herself.

y/n proceeded to tell shoto everything about the occult club and including the origin of their magic while eating taiyaki.

after all, a stew isn't complete without seasoning. no matter what meat is in it.

the rabbit's rogue stew

21%

5%

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┊⛥ ..⃗. ꒰ ⁰¹· end ꒱ ･ﾟˊˎ

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end of all routes!! I'm really happy you guys liked everything so far. thank you so much for supporting the Occult Club! we're resuming the main story in the next update! ^^