Ryan descended the stairs of Jujutsu School with a tired expression, his shoulders slightly slumped and his eyes filled with boredom. He was already fed up with the endless litany of those old men, their political games, and pompous speeches. However, at his side, at least, was someone he truly valued.
"R-Ryan... Actually... Masachika..." Riko's voice was hesitant, almost a whisper, as if she were lost in her own doubts. Still, she didn't let go of his arm, as if afraid he would disappear if she did.
Ryan, sensing the hesitation in her voice, wrapped one arm around her waist, keeping a steady pace as they continued down the long stairs. "You can keep calling me Ryan, Riko." His voice, although deep and full of presence, had a touch of softness, a rare warmth that he reserved only for those who truly mattered.
Riko momentarily pressed her lips together, looking away as if trying to organize her own thoughts. "But... wasn't that a fake name?"
Ryan let out a short sigh through his nose before answering. "Well... more or less. In reality, that name is what makes me feel most comfortable."
She seemed to ponder for a few moments, her eyes wandering along the path ahead, before finally murmuring, "If you want me to call you that..."
Suddenly, Ryan stopped, and Riko, taking another step down, turned to him, surprised by the interruption. He still held her hand, and when their eyes met, hers carried a mixture of confusion and concern.
Ryan's voice sounded serene, but there was something firm in his tone, something that allowed no doubt. "Riko... Don't think I hid my true self from you. At first, my only mission was to prevent your assimilation... But in the process, I ended up becoming attached to you. And that's why I went so far to have you here with me now."
Riko's eyes shone under the morning light, the winds playing with her dark blue hair as she absorbed every word. Ryan descended the step that separated them, closing the distance between them before enveloping her in a protective embrace.
"I want you for myself. Don't doubt that... But there are things you need to know."
Riko, her voice trembling but filled with her usual sweetness, whispered against his chest. "I... I imagine so... At first, everything was just until the end... Until my assimilation. But now, I want... I want it to be forever."
Her breath hitched, and then the tears came, her body shaking as she tried to hold back her sobs. "You... saved Kuroi... Fought until you were so hurt... Everything, everything for me..."
She hid her face against his shoulder, and Ryan felt the warm dampness of her tears seeping into his shirt. Her voice came out muffled, full of emotion. "I know you have your life... before me. But I don't care. I only had Kuroi all this time... and now I have you. And... I just want to be by your side."
Ryan slid one hand through her hair, his voice low but filled with something intense and absolute. "You are my Riko. And I will take care of you until you are sick of me." A small laugh escaped him before he added, "I just hope you forgive me for being a little... greedy in my ideas."
Riko pressed her face even closer to him, responding in an almost childish murmur. "I forgive you..."
She raised her head slightly, her bright, moist eyes fixed on his. "After all... I shouldn't even be here with you... So, I accept you the way you are."
Ryan pulled her back slightly, just enough to face her directly, his expression full of a silent promise. "I will make your choice to live worthwhile."
And then, he sealed that promise with a kiss.
On the first steps far above them, Gojo crossed his arms, observing the scene with a half-smile. Beside him, Geto and Gensei also watched the moment in silence.
"Yeah... Ryan is going to be a relevant subject for quite some time," murmured Gojo, adjusting his glasses. "Although we've decided to keep what happened in that room a secret... for now."
Gensei, with his impeccable posture and always analytical expression, adjusted his suit before speaking. "I expected this. They will try to study everything that happened and understand what Ryan really is... But they will fail in their mission."
Geto, with his always relaxed posture, cast a sidelong glance at the two before adding disdainfully: "Yeah... Ryan doesn't seem very interested in what happens in the Jujutsu world."
Gojo let out a short laugh. "Haha! Indeed. He simply took Riko and left, leaving everyone talking to themselves."
Gensei, however, did not seem satisfied. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his voice was filled with distrust. "Satoru Gojo... Why did you commit to helping Ryan? I see no reason to put yourself in front of everything he did, unless you are trying to create ties with the Suou family."
Gojo smiled slyly, pushing a strand of white hair away from his face. "Relax, Gensei. There's no politicking involved."
Gensei raised an eyebrow. "Then what is it?"
Gojo raised a finger in the air, a sharp glint passing through his eyes. "Because he's strong. Strong enough to completely take me out of my comfort zone."
His fist clenched slightly, and his tone took on a rare seriousness. "But... I also have a lot to evolve. So I want him around. To remind me that the position of 'the strongest' has more than one contender."
Gensei closed his eyes for an instant, as if pondering everything before finally murmuring, with a slightly disdainful tone:
"I see... It's a more vulgar reason than I imagined."
He then began to descend the stairs with calm steps, each beat of his shoes echoing through the air. Gojo, in turn, just smiled to the side, observing the silhouette of the man moving away.
"Well... Maybe it is." he said, with his typical nonchalance.
Geto, who remained by his side, crossed his arms before asking:
"Do you intend to bring him to Jujutsu School?"
Gojo let out a brief laugh, shaking his head slightly.
"I doubt he'll accept."
Meanwhile, Ryan continued down the steps, his hand intertwined with Riko's, the soft warmth of her fingers contrasting with the cool morning breeze. He looked at her, a slight amusement in his voice as he asked:
"What do you think of going to my house?"
Riko blushed slightly, squeezing his hand a little tighter before answering:
"Well... I would even accept... But I need to stay with Kuroi today. Gojo offered to arrange an apartment for the two of us, and he even let Kuroi choose!"
Ryan raised an eyebrow, frowning slightly.
"Does he have that much money?"
Riko laughed, tilting her head slightly to the side as she looked at him with a mischievous look.
"Don't tell me you got jealous?"
Ryan gave a crooked smile, displaying a carefree expression.
"No, not at all."
But, internally, his mind was already buzzing with other ideas. "Okay, time to use my powers to become a millionaire!"
When they finally reached the end of the stairs, they saw a parked car, and inside, Kuroi was waiting. As soon as she saw Riko, the girl opened the door and came out to greet them. The meeting was brief but full of meaning. Kuroi, even without remembering exactly what happened, trusted what Riko told her. That was enough for her to look at Ryan with respect and gratitude.
Soon after, the sound of relaxed footsteps announced Gojo's arrival. Ryan turned to face him, and his voice came out firm, but without hostility.
"I'm counting on you to ensure Riko's safety for now."
Gojo leaned his arm on the roof of the car, a smile playing on his lips.
"You can count on it, but you should also worry about yourself. You know that now those old guys will be on your tail, right?"
Ryan narrowed his eyes, crossing his arms as he let out a sigh.
"Yeah... And it's your fault, for making me burn that finger..."
He waved his hand in the air, as if trying to brush away the uncomfortable memory.
"Well, then I'm also counting on you to guarantee my peace. After all, it's clear that you have a certain relevance around here..."
Gojo let out a low laugh as he opened the car door. Before entering, he made one last comment:
"Yeah... It's going to be a hell of a hassle... But you owe me one."
Ryan watched the car drive away, and his eyes soon met Riko's, who opened the window and waved to him with a bright smile. He returned the gesture, a slight smile pulling at the corner of his lips. But, inside, his thought was different.
"I owe him one... Only in his head..."
He sighed and put his hand in his pocket, pulling out his cell phone. The screen lit up, revealing a few missed calls. He frowned at the repeated number on the screen.
"Yuno?"
Twelve missed calls. Raising an eyebrow was inevitable.
"Did she teleport to my house and, not finding me, got worried?"
He was silent for a second before shaking his head.
"No, I doubt that's it..."
With a lazy sigh, he pressed the button to return the call and brought the phone to his ear. The call didn't even ring properly before it was answered.
Yuno's voice came sharp, loaded with contained impatience:
"Where were you, Ryan Gosting?"
Ryan raised his eyes to the sky, assuming a sarcastic tone.
"Are you my mother now?"
Yuno huffed on the other end of the line, the exasperation clear in her voice.
"Idiot, what are you doing? I'm serious!"
Ryan clicked his tongue, leaning lazily against a pole as he replied:
"I'm in the middle of the street... Why don't you come pick me up before we talk?"
The grumble that came from the other end of the line was almost audible.
"I'm at school, you idiot! And why are you in the street? You could barely move!"
Ryan's answer came without hesitation, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world:
"Your breasts made me feel great..."
The silence that followed seemed eternal.
Until Yuno finally whispered, her voice filled with pure disbelief and indignation:
"Never... say that again... IDIOT."
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