Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

Yuno crossed her arms, her analytical gaze sweeping over Ryan and Alya, who was still clinging to him as if letting go was a real risk. There was something strange about that scene—and it wasn't just the fact that Ryan had appeared out of nowhere in front of her house.

"Ry—Cof..." She quickly corrected herself, her face impassive. "Masachika? And Alisa-san? What are you doing here?"

Beside her, Rika raised her hand in an adorable way, an innocent sparkle in her eyes as she hummed excitedly:

"Mii~! Do you guys want to come with us to school?"

Ryan tilted his head, a clumsy smile on his face as he still held Alya in his arms.

"Well... How can I explain..."

Yuno and Rika didn't need anything more. Their gazes immediately fell on the way Alya was nestled against him, her face partially hidden in his chest, her hands still clutching his shirt as if letting go was unthinkable.

Yuno's brow furrowed slightly.

"The front of my house isn't the place for lovey-dovey stuff."

The words hit Alya like an electric shock. Her body gave a small jump in Ryan's arms, and she let out a hurried cry:

"T-that's not it!"

Ryan just laughed, amused by the situation. Carefully, he lowered Alya to the ground, but even so, she hesitated for a moment before completely letting go of his coat.

Her face was already starting to blush as she desperately tried to explain:

"Kuze-kun was just helping me! Bad guys appeared and—"

Before she could finish, she felt his hand land on her head, playfully messing up her hair. The warmth of his touch made her lose her train of thought a little, and she just closed her eyes reflexively.

"Let me explain..." Ryan's voice came calmly, but firmly.

Yuno, who had already heard enough, sighed, closing her eyes.

She and Rika then murmured at the same time:

"Wow... She speaks in such an innocent way..."

Ryan, ignoring the comment, straightened his posture and caught Yuno's attention with a more serious tone:

"Yuno."

Her eyes turned to him instantly. She recognized when Ryan spoke like that.

"I need you to take care of Alya while I take care of something important."

Yuno looked away, feigning disinterest as she replied without hesitation:

"Can't, I have school."

Rika, beside her, giggled, hiding her mouth with her hand. She always found the way the two interacted funny—as if one was challenging the other with every sentence.

Ryan sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before, without warning, pulling Alya closer into a protective hug. She shrank slightly, becoming even more shy, but didn't protest.

With a tired but certain voice, he stated:

"There won't be class today. Believe me."

Yuno arched an eyebrow, skeptical.

"Oh? How so?"

Ryan opened his eyes again, and his expression became more impatient.

"I'll put it in simple words." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Bad men after Alya. Me, knight, took them down. Location of the fight? Our school. Reason for closure? I made a little mess and... I also think something strange happened. There were no teachers there."

Rika giggled again, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I'm going to remember this day... The day you talked like a silly boy."

Alya, still hugged by Ryan, shrank slightly, her voice coming out hesitant:

"D-didn't you explain it in a kind of weird way?"

Ryan just smiled sideways, not caring about the comment.

"Yuno will understand. I spoke exactly in the language she understands."

Yuno huffed, placing her hand on her waist.

"I'm not childish to the point of needing explanations like that."

Ryan's smile slowly disappeared. His mind was taken over by a more urgent thought—his duty to Riko. His gaze became more serious, and his voice took on a direct tone, with no room for discussion:

"I want you to take care of her, Yuno. Can you do that?"

The request was not made with arrogance or provocation. It was a sincere request, one in which he placed trust in her.

Yuno blinked a few times, feeling a strange weight in those words.

"W-Well..." She looked away, biting her lip lightly before murmuring: "Mom isn't here... So I can keep an eye on her..."

Alya, who was already embarrassed enough, tried to protest softly:

"D-don't worry, I can go home and—"

"No."

Ryan's voice cut off her sentence instantly. He looked directly at her, his expression filled with conviction.

"You'll be safer here, Alya."

And then, he turned to Yuno, his gaze firm, unwavering.

"And... I trust Yuno. She will keep you safe."

It was a simple sentence, without any hidden intention. But for Yuno, it sounded like a direct blow to the chest.

She felt something inside her tighten, her teeth sinking slightly into her lower lip as she thought:

"Damn it... Why are you like this?"

Ryan slowly released Alya's hug, taking a step back.

"I have to go now."

Ryan's thoughts hammered in his mind like a restless drum.

"This was clearly a trap to get me away from Riko... Now... Who did this?"

His gaze narrowed, and he instinctively clenched his fists inside his pockets. He felt frustration growing inside him. If someone was trying to keep him away, it meant they knew the importance of his presence by Riko's side.

Rika, with her always sweet manner, gently called Alya to come in. But Ryan barely registered the gesture, his thoughts still spinning restlessly.

"I hope Gojo can handle things... After all, he calls himself 'the strongest', doesn't he?"

Then, Yuno's voice brought him back to reality.

"Want me to take you to where you need to go?"

Ryan blinked, slightly surprised.

"You?" He arched an eyebrow. "Offering me a ride like this out of nowhere?"

Yuno crossed her arms, her expression immediately closed off.

"I've already given up on the idea."

He let out a nasal laugh, shaking his head, before pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. He tried calling Gojo, Riko, Geto... even Kuroi. Nothing. No answer.

A sigh escaped his lips as he scrolled through his cell phone screen.

"Well... Seems like there's no exact photo of this shitty place on the internet either..." He murmured, his fingers sliding across the screen. "But..."

He raised his cell phone to Yuno, showing an image.

"Here would be close enough."

Yuno looked at the photo with a bored look, before closing her eyes for a moment and placing her hand on his shoulder.

"You're a pain, you know?"

Ryan narrowed his eyes.

"Why are you coming up with this, huh?" His tone of voice carried irritation, but also a hint of curiosity.

Before they disappeared from there, Alya's hesitant voice made him stop.

"K-Kuze-kun!"

He turned around, finding her standing at the entrance of the mansion. Her body still looked small under the large gate, but her eyes shone with something different—a mixture of concern and sweetness.

Her hand landed on her chest, and her voice came out soft, almost hesitant:

"Stay safe, okay?"

The smile that formed on her lips was delicate, almost angelic.

Ryan felt a strange warmth in his chest, but just smiled back and nodded slightly.

Before he could respond, Rika grabbed Alya by the arm with her always lively energy.

"Mii~! Come this way, Alisa-san!"

She pulled Alya inside, allowing Yuno to teleport without interruptions.

In the next instant, Ryan's vision changed in the blink of an eye. The air around them shifted as if time had compressed in a fraction of a second. When he realized it, they were already in a new location.

Yuno's voice came from right next to him, loaded with false nonchalance:

"I'll help you, so you can take care of your Russian Girl yourself—"

"No."

Ryan cut off the sentence in the middle, his voice firm and non-negotiable.

"You stay with Alya. Here... This has become a personal matter."

Silence hung between the two.

Yuno stared at him for a few seconds, blinking slowly as her mind processed that answer. Then, she let out a long sigh.

"If you have problems..." She began, hesitating for a brief moment.

But then, she rolled her eyes, returning to her usual tone of sarcasm.

"Actually, you won't. You go back in time. Why am I wasting MY time with you?"

Ryan cracked a wry smile, and before Yuno could realize it, he leaned forward slightly.

In a quick and unexpected gesture, he placed a kiss on her forehead.

The touch was brief, but enough to completely destabilize her.

"Thank you, Yuno." His voice came out low, but full of sincerity. "For bringing me here. And for taking care of Alya."

Yuno's body froze in place. Her eyes widened slightly, and her mind took a few good seconds to comprehend what had just happened.

And before she could react, he disappeared in the same instant.

The moment she reappeared in her room, her body automatically bent forward, her hands pressing against her forehead as she let out a muffled scream.

"Ahhhh! I want to kill that cute idiot!"

Frustration was palpable in her voice, but even she didn't know if she was irritated by the gesture... or by the effect it had on her.

_______________

Hey everyone! Hope you're all doing well! ^^

Things are certainly heating up for Ryan – feels like a big confrontation is just around the corner, doesn't it?

I wanted to reach out with an honest update about the story and its future. As you know, writing this is a labor of love for me. It began as a passion, but also with the hope that it could eventually help support me financially, allowing me to dedicate more time to bringing you new chapters. Unfortunately, the support through Patreon, while deeply appreciated, hasn't yet grown enough to make that sustainable. Coupled with increasing demands from my primary job, I'm finding it harder to keep up the current pace, and I might even need to seek out extra work soon.

Because of this, I'll have to adjust our posting frequency and slow things down a bit. I know this might be disappointing, and I truly wish things were different.

However, I want to make one thing crystal clear: My promise to you is that this story will be completed. Finishing Ryan's adventure and sharing it with you remains incredibly important to me. Even if it takes longer, transitioning back into more of a beloved hobby than a source of income, I am dedicated to seeing it through. Your readership and encouragement have been the fuel keeping me going, and I can't thank you enough for being part of this journey!

If you'd like to help me bridge the gap and potentially allow me to keep dedicating more consistent time to writing, visiting my Patreon would mean so much. Your support, no matter the size, directly helps sustain this creative endeavor. <3

Find me here:

patreon.com/ErisNoSeraph