Inverse Fate: I Get Rewards by Inversing the Heroines' Fates!

For dinner, Riku cooked a meal that was nutritious, balanced, and kid-friendly—a warm bowl of miso soup with soft tofu and seaweed, fluffy white rice, grilled salmon with a mild soy glaze, and some simple side dishes like tamagoyaki and lightly seasoned vegetables. It was simple, comforting, and something even the kids could eat easily.

As Riku plated the food, Ai clapped her hands together with excitement. "Ooooh~! You really can cook, huh?"

"I told you I could," Riku replied, setting the dishes down on the small dining table. "It's nothing fancy, though."

Ai's eyes sparkled as she leaned over, inhaling the warm, savory aroma. "Ah~ it smells amazing. I don't even care if it's fancy or not—I'd eat anything that isn't instant ramen or convenience store meals at this point."

'Why does that sound like a personal problem...?'

Instead of commenting, he simply sat down and gestured for Ai and the kids to eat. Ai scooped up a bite of the grilled salmon, blowing on it a little before taking a taste.

Her eyes lit up instantly. "This is so good!"

Riku remained unimpressed. "Don't exaggerate. It's just grilled fish."

"Yeah, but you don't understand. It's been… tough, you know?" Ai sighed dramatically, propping her chin on her hand all of a sudden. "Being a single mom with two babies, working constantly, moving to a new place, having no idea how to adult properly—it's just a lot."

Riku was silent, listening.

Ai continued in a somewhat serious manner. "I used to eat whatever was fastest, you know? Instant ramen, convenience store bento, cereal, you name it. And I tried cooking before, but… let's just say the fire department got involved."

"…What?"

Ai laughed nervously, waving it off. "Anyway, having someone make an actual meal for me and my babies like this is really nice. I appreciate it, Riku-kun!"

Riku sighed. "I hope you don't try to cook again in the future."

"Hey, that's just cruel!"

"Yeah, for your family."

"Urk—" After a moment of silence, Ai thoughtfully tapped her chopsticks against her bowl. "Hey, Riku-kun, do you like kids?"

The twins, who had been happily squishing rice between their tiny fingers and unconcerned with the complexities of adult conversations, stopped their activities. Their not-so-innocent eyes slowly turned to the two adults sitting across from them, ears perking up like prey sensing a nearby predator.

Riku glanced at them before answering. "…They're alright."

'Alright?' the twins thought in unison. 

Ai tilted her head, resting her cheek on her palm. "Just alright? So you're not that into them?"

Riku remained completely casual as he set his chopsticks down. "I mean, I don't dislike them or anything. I've spent a lot of time with them, so I guess I know my way around."

Ai's eyes widened slightly. "Oh, wow. You must have a lot of experience, then."

The twins shared a glance. 

'Is he doing it on purpose?'

'Definitely.'

"I wouldn't say a lot," Riku replied, shrugging. "But yeah, I know how to handle them. It's not hard once you get used to it."

Ai leaned forward, curious. "Really? What's the best way to approach them?"

"Depends on the situation. If they're shy, you have to be gentle. But if they're rowdy, you need to be firm. You have to make them trust you first."

Ruby gripped the edge of the table. 'W-What the hell does 'that' mean?!'

Ai nodded in understanding. "Ahh, I see. So, what's your usual method?"

"I start slow," Riku answered, completely aware of how his words sounded. "I don't do anything too sudden. I let them get comfortable around me. After that, I test the waters to see how much they're willing to accept."

The twins' souls left their bodies.

Ai gasped, clearly impressed. "That's amazing! So you can read them really well, huh?"

"Yep. I can tell what they like and what makes them uncomfortable. Once I figure that out, it's smooth sailing."

Aqua aggressively grabbed a rice ball. 'The only thing sailing is this man to prison.'

Ai gave him an approving look. "You're sounding like a professional, Nifuruji-kun. I bet they love you, huh?"

Riku smiled wryly. "Most of them do. Some take a bit longer to warm up, but eventually, they all come around."

Ai clapped her hands together. "That's so sweet! I wish I had your patience."

Ruby leaned into Aqua. 'We have to escape.'

"Well, you have to be careful," Riku continued seriously. "If you rush things, they might cry or run away. And that just makes things worse."

The twins froze.

Ai pouted. "Ugh, that does sound tricky. But once you get them to trust you, you can do whatever you want with them, right?"

Aqua and Ruby looked at their mom in pity. 'Mom, you just makes it worse!'

"Yeah," Riku nodded, taking a sip of his tea. "After a while, they'll even start asking for it themselves."

Ai's face lit up. "That's adorable! How do you usually start?"

Riku shrugged. "Depends. Sometimes I just offer them something nice. Other times, I ask them straight up."

Aqua put his hands on his ears. 'I didn't hear a thing.' Ruby was beet red.

Ai giggled. "Ohh, you must be really confident."

"I've done this so many times that I know what works," Riku said with a bit of pride.

Ai, still somehow finding this conversation charming, clapped her hands together. "You should teach me your ways, Riku-kun! I want to try too!"

The twins went rigid.

'NO, MOM! NO, YOU DON'T!'

Riku raised an eyebrow. "You? You think you can handle it?"

Ai huffed. "Of course! I might not have as much experience as you, but I "love" kids! I think I'd be great at it!"

The twins were now actively gripping the table, their brains short-circuiting.

Riku exhaled through his nose, smiling. "Alright. I can give you some tips."

Ai cheered. "Yay! Oh, but before that—how young is too young?"

The twins' souls left their bodies. 

Riku, unbothered, hummed in thought. "I'd say it depends on their maturity level. Some are ready earlier than others."

Ai nodded, completely serious. "Ohhh, so you go case by case?"

The twins clutched each other.

CASE BY CASE?!

CASE. BY. CASE?!

"Yeah, you have to," Riku explained. "Otherwise, you might scare them off."

Ai smiled in understanding. "Got it. Then, next time I see one, I'll try approaching them the way you do!"

The twins passed out.

Riku finally gave her a skeptical look. "Just don't be weird about it."

Ai puffed her cheeks. "I won't! I want them to like me as much as they like you!"

Riku chuckled. "Well, good luck, I guess."

***

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