Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

The morning began with the soft chirping of birds. Ryan lay in bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling, feeling the cool air envelop the room. A weight rested on his chest, but it wasn't anxiety, much less guilt.

Actually, it was Rika. She had fallen asleep there, with him. Of course, nothing had happened—they just slept in each other's arms, which, unfortunately for Ryan, was sweet torture.

Rika began to wake up slowly, stretching and letting out little grunts that sounded cuter than she probably imagined. Distracted, Ryan ran his hand through her hair... and, almost instinctively, let his hand slide down to her ass.

Without opening her eyes, Rika murmured in a lazy tone:

"Pervert."

Ryan looked away, trying to appear innocent, and replied in a semi-defensive tone:

"Look, I've already held back a lot sleeping in an embrace with you..."

She gave a small smile, still sleepy.

"Good morning... Ryan."

With a lazy movement, she sat on top of him, still stretching her arms. Her voice, drawn out by sleep, carried a slight provocation:

"I don't judge you. This older body of mine... It kind of makes me act different, you know?"

Rika leaned down slightly, bringing her face closer to Ryan's, with a smug smile.

"It makes me more... indecent sometimes."

Before he could react, she sealed his lips with a brief kiss, a morning greeting. But before Ryan could get too excited, Rika placed her hand on his chest, stopping him from moving forward.

"It's already 7 am. I have to go home." She smiled, satisfied, as she pulled away.

Ryan cast a lazy glance at the clock and replied in a tired tone:

"What if I go back in time so we can sleep a little longer?"

Rika brought a hand to her chin, thoughtful.

"I think it's best not to... I'm curious about something."

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Curious? About what?"

She laughed as she adjusted her blouse, getting out of bed. Her long hair swayed gently with the movement.

"Mom wants to see you, remember?"

Ryan blinked a few times, as if struck by an epiphany.

"Damn! I had forgotten about that!"

He got up quickly, pulling on his shorts and straightening his shirt.

"We have to be quick, because I have an appointment at 10!"

Rika tilted her head, curiosity etched on her face.

"Appointment? With who?"

Ryan paused for a moment, scratching his cheek as he tried to find the right words.

"Well... With Yuki."

The name reminded her of something. Rika became thoughtful for a second, and then murmured:

"Yuki? The one who was at the table with us yesterday?"

Suddenly, a specific memory came back to her mind—a night in Hinamizawa, when she had Ryan's cell phone. At that time, a message had arrived from a certain Yuki, saying:

"Good night, my beautiful and beloved big brother!"

Rika raised her eyebrows, putting the pieces together.

"Is she your sister?"

Ryan nodded as he picked out an outfit.

"Yes, my sister."

Rika started swinging her foot against the floor, a shy movement. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and her voice came out in a hesitant tone:

"Ryan... what exactly are we?"

Ryan stopped, his attention still on choosing clothes, but his expression changed to a mixture of nervousness and surprise.

"What do you mean, what are we?"

She took a deep breath, stepping forward, closing the distance between them. Her eyes shone with sincerity as she said:

"You are my everything. The one who pulled me out of a nightmare. The one I love. And me? What am I to you?"

Ryan remained silent for a moment, adjusting a shirt in place as he organized his thoughts. Finally, he leaned against the wardrobe, crossing his arms and scratching his head, clearly bewildered.

"Rika... I'm not going to lie. After you opened your heart like that, I feel like it would be wrong to run away from the truth. But, to be honest, I'm completely useless when it comes to feelings."

Rika frowned slightly, tilting her head, curious. Ryan sighed deeply before continuing:

"I wasn't always like this. I didn't always care about people... I didn't even think about what it would be like to be in someone else's shoes. In my previous life... I was the kind of person who gave out more evil than I received."

Rika stepped forward, gently taking Ryan's hand. He returned the gesture with a lost look, as if reliving memories he would rather forget.

"In my past life, I did terrible things... things that hurt those around me. I won't deny that. But after everything I've lived here, after remembering who I was, I realized that something in me has changed. Even though, at first, I resisted accepting it."

Rika brought a hand to his face, gently stroking his cheek. Her voice was sensitive, almost a whisper:

"Do you still blame yourself for what you did?"

Ryan looked away for a moment before sighing, exhaling the weight he carried.

"I don't know... Maybe. But, more than that, I want to learn to love in this new life."

Rika maintained eye contact, but her tone became more direct:

"And you and Yuno? What were you? Enemies? Ex-lovers?"

Ryan let out a short laugh, shaking his head.

"Ex-lovers? Not even close. To me, she was just a walking target. To her, I was the man who killed the guy she was obsessed with. That's it. Nothing more."

He looked up at the ceiling, as if seeing something far away, and continued:

"To be honest, I don't even know why I participated in all that. In the end, it was just a game. I didn't care about anyone... It was just about winning and that's it."

Rika lifted Ryan's face with both hands, forcing him to look directly at her.

"You don't have to talk about a past that hurts you. I just want to know about the present. About us."

Ryan's eyes met hers, shining with sincerity and something else he couldn't describe. He pulled her into a tight hug as he said:

"I'm still trying to understand my own feelings, Rika. At first, I didn't even care about Yuno. No hate, no love. But, when she reappeared and attacked Alya... that's when I realized that trying to rationalize feelings is useless."

He pulled away from the hug, holding her by the shoulders and facing her firmly.

"I'm not going to be a jerk and pretend I don't know how I feel about you. But I also don't want to say I love you until I'm totally convinced of it."

Rika looked away, biting her lower lip as she murmured:

"And do you feel something similar for her? For Yuno?"

The answer came immediately, without hesitation:

"I don't know. She's not the best example, but, if you want, you can use Yuki as a comparison."

Rika gave a short smile, though there was a slight discomfort in her eyes.

"I understand... I won't lie, it bothers me a little. But, considering everything... I'm over 100 years old and you can go back in time. Why would I expect anything normal in a relationship like this?"

Ryan laughed heartily, crossing his arms.

"Well, there's one thing you can brag about."

Rika tilted her head, curious.

"What?"

He gave a smug smile before replying:

"You're my Mini Miku."

Rika couldn't help but laugh, cheering up at the nickname. But, noticing the clock, she realized that time was running out.

Ryan shrugged and approached the center of the room, adjusting his posture.

"I better go back in time so we can take a shower and get ready. Your mom is a high-class woman, right? I have to be presentable."

Rika brought her hand to her mouth, chuckling softly.

"Yes, definitely!"

Before activating his ability, Ryan looked at her with a mischievous smile.

"But can I ask for just one thing before?"

Rika narrowed her eyes, suspicious.

"No biting my chest!"

Ryan laughed, waving his hand.

"No, you pervert! That's not it. I just want you to do your 'Nipaah!'."

Rika blushed slightly, looking away.

"You know... Doing it in the context of a joke is kind of normal... But doing it out of nowhere... Especially being older..."

He insisted, almost like a boy asking for candy:

"Yesss, please!"

Rika sighed, defeated by his ways, and took a deep breath. She made a cat's paw with her hand as she let out a sweet and melodious:

"Ni... Nipaaaah~! >⩊< ♡"

Ryan was so excited that he almost lost control of his ability to rewind time, laughing like a child. And, although she tried to appear indifferent, Rika couldn't hold back a genuine smile.

With Rika's sweet and lively "Nipaaaah" still echoing, Ryan activated his ability, returning time to the moment they both woke up. They got up lazily, brushed their teeth, and Rika took a shower first, stopping at the bathroom door to throw out a humorous warning:

"Don't peek at me in the shower, okay!"

Ryan smiled smugly, crossing his arms.

"Me? Peek? Never!"

Rika didn't answer, but a sliver of thought escaped her mind: "Damn... I kind of wouldn't mind..."

While she showered, Ryan prepared a simple but carefully made breakfast. The aroma of toast and fresh coffee filled the kitchen, adding a cozy touch to the moment. After getting dressed and eating together, they were both ready to go out.

Ryan chose an impeccable black dress shirt, paired with his best pants and a pair of shiny white shoes. To complete the look, an expensive watch rested on his wrist, reflecting good taste, or perhaps an attempt to impress.

Rika, on the other hand, looked like a vision straight out of a fairy tale. Her long, silky hair shimmered in a mesmerizing shade of indigo, swaying gently to the rhythm of the breeze. Her purple eyes sparkled with a charming mix of serenity and joy as she smiled at Ryan.

She wore an elegant white dress that fell gracefully to her knees, further highlighted by a vibrant green coat over it. A white hat adorned with a delicate blue flower rested on her head, shielding her radiant face from the morning sun.

Ryan watched, fascinated, as he thought to himself: "Rika is the personification of nature in its most beautiful form... An eternal reminder of spring."

As they walked through the busy streets of Tokyo, hand in hand, they attracted attention wherever they went. Comments inevitably followed the couple:

"Look, what a beautiful couple!"

"That guy's so lucky! Dating a goddess like that? It must be the devil's work!"

Visibly embarrassed by the stares and whispers, Rika moved closer to Ryan, covering her mouth as she spoke softly:

"Is this normal in big cities?"

Ryan tilted his head, already preparing his usual dose of sarcasm.

"Of course not. The people of Tokyo are just weird. Or, maybe, it's just the price of being so... hot."

Rika blushed instantly, squeezing his hand tightly.

"Ryan! Use more... decent language when we're on the street!"

Ryan coughed theatrically before rephrasing his sentence in an exaggeratedly formal tone:

"Forgive me, your excellency. I believe this is the divine taxation for your celestial beauty."

Rika couldn't help but let out a graceful laugh, drawing even more attention around them. Her smile seemed to light up the street, or maybe it was just the reflection of the many curious eyes – mostly boys clearly enchanted.

A short time later, they arrived at Rika's house and, consequently, Yuno's residence.

To their surprise, Yuno was waiting for them at the door, arms crossed and an unfriendly expression on her face.

As soon as they approached, Yuno's passive-aggressive voice broke the silence:

"Why are you holding hands?"

Ryan, with his usual irreverence, responded without hesitation, his voice laden with sarcasm:

"Well, you still ask? I would be a terrible man if I let Rika walk around alone! Imagine if some pervert decided to mess with her!"

Yuno raised an eyebrow, displaying a disdainful smile as she turned to Rika:

"Did he do anything indecent?"

Rika gave a small smile, casting a knowing look at Ryan before replying:

"Nothing! Miiiii~"

Ryan chuckled softly before adding:

"The only indecency of the night was eight hours trying to kill a boss in Dark Souls."

Rika rolled her eyes, puffing out her cheeks.

"It was my first game! I did very well!"

As they argued, Yuno and Rika's mother appeared behind them, with a gentle smile and a curious voice:

"Ara ara! Are you here already?"

Ryan felt a chill down his spine, though he didn't know exactly why. Still, he maintained his composure and responded politely:

"Good morning, Mrs. Gasai!"

She brought a hand to her cheek, speaking in a slow, drawn-out tone:

"Good morning, Masachika-kun!"

The name fell like a weight in the air. Ryan almost shuddered at hearing something he hadn't heard in so long.

"It's been so long since anyone called me Masachika... I even felt a chill."

Before he could fully process it, Yuno's mother raised an eyebrow, curious, and blurted out:

"Ara? Are you trying to form a love triangle with my daughters?"

Ryan's eyes drifted to his hand still intertwined with Rika's and, realizing the situation, gave a smug smile before letting go:

"Of course! I'm staying with both of them and I'm going to make them both very happy. Oh, and who knows, maybe you and your other daughter will join the list too?"

Yuno shouted, alarmed:

"WHAAAAAT!?"

Rika covered her mouth with her hands, trying to hold back laughter, while her mother was momentarily speechless before beginning:

"You—"

Before she could finish, Ryan immediately activated his ability to rewind time, rewriting the answer.

With the timeline reset, he spoke with a contained smile:

"No, ma'am. I just held Rika's hand to keep her from being bothered on the way, you know?"

He gave a discreet laugh, while Rika tried to control herself so as not to burst out laughing.

Behind them, Yuno leaned against the door, one hand pressed against her chest as she tried to catch her breath. In her mind, she grumbled:

"DAMN YOU! You'll pay for this!"

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