Rirota sighed with relief as he left the infirmary to head back to class. Riro stayed behind to watch Roun get treated by the nurse. The nurse asked them what happened, "What happened to you two?", she asked Roun about her brother's resting on the infirmary bed. Roun looked at her friend for help.
Riro nodded in understanding as she spoke on the behalf of the two, "They got attacked by three men during break period, it was by luck that we found them and chased them away."
The nurse nodded, although to her surprise that she and her brother was able to chase them away without any injuries on them. Rirota's presence was enough to scare them away. She thought as she remembered about him kissing his classmate, Rio Damon, yesterday.
She shook her head as she voiced her concerns of their reckless and selflessness, "What if one day you two weren't so lucky and got hurt as well? Please be more careful and call for a teacher's help next time, okay?"
Riro hummed, "Hm."
Roun nodded quietly.
The two of them left for their classrooms after Roun had taken first aid treatment from the school nurse. She looked at Riro and leaned against her neck, "You called him love?"
Riro stopped, causing her to stop as well to watch her friend's face blushed terribly like a volcano has erupted from Roun hearing her back then. She clenched tightly on her both shoulders as she told her, "Keep your lips sealed."
Roun smiled widely with an obvious expression of satisfaction and 'Gotcha' after catching Riro red-handed for her close relationship with her brother, She teasingly asked her, "After you kept telling me to stop talking too much about my little sister... I never knew that you're actually a..."
"Keep your lips sealed.", Riro replied with the same words to her earlier. However, this time, Roun sweats nervously as she feel like this was a death threat rather than a request.
She muttered without hesitation, "Yes ma'am."
...
Rirota watched Riro cowering on her desk, hiding her entire face from being seen by anyone. He looked at her with worry as he remembered stepping in instead of letting her do her thing, [Shit... is she mad that I beat that guy up instead of letting her?]
Riro turned her head slightly to face him. He noticed her lips moving as his eyes widened in shock.
"She heard me call you love."
Rirota mouthed a 'Fuck.', as their teacher walked into the class, rubbing his bald head nervously.
"Sorry for my late arrival, class. I'll be changing this session to independent study period since I had a terrible stomachache today."
Some students cheered, some students were grossed out by his explanation. For the former delinquents, the mentally unstable Rio, and the two delinquent exterminators? They sighed in unison of relief as they relaxed themselves in their seats.
Riro opened her phone as she hurriedly open an application for online shopping service. Rirota on the other hand, turned around to find Ayani Kujo staring at him. He narrowed his gaze surprising her into looking to another direction.
He sighed as he scooted over from his desk and Riro's desk. He had lifted his chair and brought it over to take a seat in front of Ayani and Rio.
"Yo, Class Rep."
Ayani replied with a cold tone, "It's too early to slack off, Riro."
"Not here to ask for that.", he faced Rio with a concerned face, "You doing good? Have your brother checked on you today?"
She shook her head but reassured him that she's better, "Talking to Virgil and Vee helps a lot.", she faced them with a bright and cute smile, "Thank you, Vir, Vee!"
Virgil jolted as he heard her gave him a new nickname, Vee noticed his visible goosebumps and laughed heartily, "Ahahahak!!"
Rirota sighed lightly as he faced back to Rio and Ayani, "That's a relief."
Rio asked, "Are Ayani and you good friends?", Ayani answered this time, "Just from kindergarten. We're childhood friends, estranged."
He nodded, agreeing with Ayani, "Yep, we rarely spoke nowadays thanks to my sister now living with me at my new place."
He looked at the school ceiling as he recalled what's new about his house, "Well, it's been a year so I can't really say it's new now.", he shrugged after finding no significant good things of his place.
Ayani asked, "You two are step siblings, no? You hated each other with pure irritation each time you come to school... lately this week... you two are so close like actual siblings now.", she casted her suspicions about their relationship.
Rirota sighed as he faced Riro who was smiling happily from the success of purchasing something online in a large bulk. He then faced Ayani back with a gentle expression, "She... acted like my mom when I was reminded of my mother's birthday."
Her eyes widened, she felt sorry for asking immediately, "A-Ah, sorry... I also forgot that your mother's birthday was--"
"Sunday, 3rd April." - Rirota.
"Last Sunday." - Ayani.
The two of them spoke at the same time, the latter felt worse from making him remember about his beloved mother. Rirota smiled as he patted her head so suddenly, "It's not your fault if you can't remember. It's my mom, not yours, lol."
She frowned as she felt annoyed from his headpats, "Do Riro like these pats?"
He jolted from both her voice and her question regarding his 'sister', Rio... too was interested in finding out, "Can I get some headpats too?", or not.
Rirota sighed heavily as he placed his hand against her head while facing Ayani to answe her question, "She's like... a sensitive water boiler with a broken switch for hot and cold water. Sometimes she likes it, sometimes she hits me for it."
Ayani chuckled after hearing his explanation, "That's just like you...", she placed her hand against his head, patting him like a cat, "Hands off.", he sounded rough immediately.
Ayani pointed out his own attitude, "See? You're just like her, ehe... hm?", she looked toward Riro, who's watching them with lifeless eyes. What happened?
A few minutes back in time.
=====
(Riro's Perspective)
Thank goodness... I landed a really good deal and bought a two year's worth of monthly deliveries on medical grade birth control pills on an official account authorised to sell the items.
They do ask me some questions about why I wanted so many all of the sudden but I managed to get them off my case by paying more just for the first month's batch to arrive at our doorstep under nine hours.
Most of the money should go to medical researchers anyway, and if they were to embezzled my money...
...
Let's hope it's not that, I don't want to go to the hospital, never. Nada!
But... if that were to happen... Ah! Rirota... Eh?
I looked at the empty desk and missing chair beside me as I wondered where did he go. Don't tell me he's ditching school already... no it's too early in the morning still...
I turned around after hearing his voice chatting with Rio and... who is that girl? She looks similar to Akira Kujo, someone who... died in my world. He was... someone who tried to keep me away from losing control over my power over the public.
Is he still alive in this world? Should be right? Since he's not in this classroom... don't tell me he's in Cassius?
I looked at them and was shocked to see that girl patting my Rirota's head.
"Hands off." Damn right you should! He's mine. Wait, if I look at her right now... won't I look like Rio last time? Am I a crazed bitch now...? I should ask.
She's looking at me.
Uh, I don't know how to react. Am I making an unapproachable face right now?
Now, he's looking over to check on me. Wait, Rirota... I'm not jealous, I don't think so.
"Riro?"
"Yeah?" I replied almost immediately. Both Rio and that girl is still looking at me. I need to clear this up by moving over there.
Smile. I smiled as I dragged my chair over to check on them.
"Hey, Rio..." I greeted Rio first, seeing her cutely waved her hand makes my heart melt. She's really cute when she's not killing us. I turn over to face that girl who rubbed her hand on my...
"Ayani Kujo, your brother's childhood friends since elementary."
Oh, she is a Kujo, "You know Akira Kujo?" I asked about him.
Although I was surprised to see her shaking her head, "No, I'm an only child."
I noticed Rirota's eyes scrutinized her and... I too, acted the same. What a surprise, there are still people without any counterpart. But... is Ayani here as the original being in this world or... transmigated like us two and... that stranger.
She's alone too... that should confirms that Ayani didn't lie at all.
I nodded, "I see, can I borrow him real quick?"
Rirota faced me confusingly, "What, why me?"
You will listen to me, dummy. I pouted angrily at him. He sighed tiredly as he stood up from his chair, "Fine..."
Hehe, pouting successful.
"C'mon~!" I urged him to hurry up as I left the classroom for the hallway. After seeing him left the room and closed the door behind him. I spoke quietly to keep only his eyes stuck on my lips. I know he's good at reading lips.
Just as I do.
"Only child, yeah?"
"Is Akira Kujo, someone who supposed to be Ayani Kujo's brother?"
I shrugged, I don't know if that's a fact yet in this world but hearing how she told us that she's the only child in her household. I affirmed with a light shrug, "Eh kinda, but since he's not in our classroom, he's either in different classes or... still in Cassius."
"Hm."
"...Do you want to find him?", his question made my heart sting for a moment. Do I... fuck it, I'll just tell him everything.
I shook my head, prompting him to ask another, "Why not?"
"He was my boyfriend in my previous world, he died because of me."
His eyes widened from the sudden reveal, "I... sorry..."
Not your fault, I smiled bitterly before I placed my hand against his cheek, "Many people wanted to end me for various reasons when I was growing into a villianess in their eyes. Akira... he used to keep me in control each time I needed help with what to do next."
...I need somewhere quiet, if I start crying here, people might hear me.
I lowered my hand and held his hand, "... Let's go up, rooftop."
He nodded.
...
We walked to the rooftop and we stopped by the barbed wire fence surrounding the entire rooftop to prevent certain suicidal students from committing a jump fall scene from various animated opening shows.
That's a little rude... I placed my hand against the mesh wire.
How do I even... start this? I glanced for him beside me, patiently waiting for me to talk about my previous world. I... really don't know. Will he have second thoughts about me since I used to have a boyfriend? And... I told him that he died because of me.
Tears flowed down my cheeks as I didn't realise it. I shouldn't have send you there alone... I should've gone there with you... If only I didn't tell you to push through... I should've listened to your guts whenever you felt something was off when you first stepped into the abandoned hospital.
Why didn't you smell any gasoline? Why?
*sobs*
Why didn't I cry back then? Why?
Why am I crying right now? Why didn't I cry back then?! ...Why did you leave me, Akira? Why?... Why do I still feel like this when I was reminded of you, if you remembered how you died in this world... I'm sure you never wanted to meet me again.
"...Riro.", he placed his hand on top of my head.
"You don't have to say anything if you feel like it's too hard. Everyone has their own painful past."
He continued with a sincere voice, "Just like my past with those retards from before."
He wondered on their presence in the merged world, "I'm surprised that they're still the same in this world. I guess some things will never change, I wonder who's the counterpart of that guy..."
I... still haven't you say anything about your past.
"I... wanted to know your story.", I blurted that out without any thoughts on his feelings.
I wonder why he smiled at my question.
"...I have terrible... anger issues."
=====
Rirota recalled his old world's memories, all the bad and good ones he vividly remember from how it started and how it had ended... He sighed heavily as he noticed Riro's red eyes from crying.
"Ten years old me..."
...
"Nngh!-- Gah!"
"Kahk---"
"..."
Rirota at that time was walking home from school after his club activities. He used to be a part of a music club, learning violin as one of their members.
Although, he never really liked playing the violin as it reminded him too closely to his late mother. Each melancholic notes represent her in any way he could think of and ruined his chances to have a proper student's life.
He was a loner and preferred to be left alone. However, unfortunately for him. Witnessing a bully beating up his schoolmate countlessly until he bled from both nose and mouth, triggered something deep in his soul.
His inner demon, like all of us have deep within ourselves. He yelled at the bully to stop and immediately felt pain in his arms as soon as he felt an attack coming right on his face.
There were two of them and Rirota knew that... someone who never fought in his entire life, won't win against two, let alone one of them in a fight. However, his inner demon controlled his emotions from showing defeat.
All he could hear in his mind was,
[Break their bones, crush their hearts, kill their spirits, make them suffer for hurting the weak.]
[As you are an...]
Moments passed as Rirota woken up as a voice escaped from his side, nudging his shoulders to wake him up from him passing out in him sitting on his knees position. He asked him if he was injured as Rirota lifted his hands to look at the blood that wasn't from his own wounds.
He lifted his head to find the two bullies from before, he was in shocked to witness the horrible state they're in as he noticed their broken fingers, dislocated shoulders and lastly their bruised bodies and legs.
"I... did this?"
The boy he had saved told him some vague details of his fight against the bullies. It didn't make any sense. He didn't know any martial arts or learn any defensive skills. He was just a depressed loner, still missing his mother's embrace.
However, one key point stayed in his mind after hearing his elaboration of his fight.
'You punches were explosive! Literally!'
But there was no smell of charcoal in the dark alley...
...
"Fourteen years old me..."
...
Rirota learned basic fighting techniques from the internet, mainly from boxing. In the course of four years after he began his new life exterminating bullies and delinquents, he learned about the special power he held and vowed to only use it on the best possible situation.
He failed, one day. After witnessing one of the thugs under Toru Jason in his world, using excessive violence and extorting money from every female hostages' relatives. He lost control of his self one more time.
And it was the worst imaginable thing to happen to everyone who was engaged in the vile acts, that he saw with his own two eyes without any faulty details of their appearances.
Rape.
Rirota blanked out again... this time he felt like no one was coming to help him wake up...
Until that man came.
"Sheesh, feels like I walked into a crime scene back in my prosperous days as an 'Adventurer'."
Rirota turned his head to find the white clothed man, smiling at him with concerned plastered on his face. The man had a pale blonde hair, hidden by his white cap and his face had a unique birthmark.
It was the shape of a guitar pick, just smaller in size than the average human's pupils. It was under his left eye, as those golden eyes of his showed strong masculinity and maturity.
He watched the alleyway as it was painted all red from the blood of the thugs Rirota had... almost killed, "Luck was on your side, young one. Good thing you didn't kill them wannabe scums, ahh~ this does remind me back in my days, saving my future wife from thugs like them. And I was way smaller than them back then, ahh~ good times."
He shook his head as he digress of his own ramblings. He hovered his hand toward Rirota, "I'll handle this, Aurgo, so all you have to do right now is... to be yourself and do what's best for your own future."
...
"You met him... too?", Riro was surprised after listening to his second story, he nodded, "I didn't want to interrupt your story last night. I wanted to make sure you let your hearts out."
Her heart bumped as she averted from his gaze for a quick second, "Y-You're making me blush."
She turned back and looked into his eyes as she asked him to continue, "Please continue.", she felt like he hasn't finished yet.
He nodded as he faced the skies with a dark expression...
"Twenty three years old me."
Her eyes widened as she heard him speak of his future self in his own world. She had a thought, [H-He's older than me by three years? Here I thought that I was alone, acting like a high school student... he looked so sad about this one...]
Rirota's lips moving caused her to stare at him with a wide expression, she was utterly speechless of his mouthed words.
"I watched Ayani die.", he sighed before continuing his words, "We were supposed to be married that year and I was... when I heard that she was admitted to the hospital."
...
She passed away from breast cancer. The doctor told him and her parents of Ayani's cruel fate. Rirota was... speechless. He found Ayani was the second light in his life after losing his first light, his mother to an accident. He had finally found happiness from those six years of reunion with her.
He... couldn't take the losses anymore and decided to end his own--
...
Riro pressed her lips against his, stopping him from finishing his story. She pulled herself out to watch his eyes. He was crying before he even know it.
"...Hah.", he forced out a chuckle before wiping down his tears from his eyes.
She then spoke after watching him take a deep breath to calm down his emotions, "I still need to tell you why Akira died because of me, right?"
He shook his head, "If you don't want to--"
She interjected, she wanted him to know the full story now since she found out his real age on the inside, "We were gathering data on a black company who could very well be distributing drugs in Cassius..."
...
The intel Riro and her party have on them was the abandoned hospital having one of their scouts spotting mysterious figures leaving and coming back to the area with various containers.
Seeing an opportunity, she sent out Akira alone despite wanting him to have a partner on site. He refused her suggestion as he left for the night. His eyes were determined, which calmed down Riro's worries a little bit.
However, when Akira stepped into the building. He felt like something was terribly off. It was dark in the night and inside the abandoned building, it's like staring into the abyss.
Luckily, Akira had brought night vision goggles and a silenced firearm to keep himself safe. Riro, instead of telling him to follow his guts and leave the area. She told him to delve deeper to find any information on the company's hidden stash of illegal drugs. When Akira found the containers in a room and checked the closest container.
"Nothing, Riro---"
She realised too late that it was a trap to lure her and her party in to annihilate them from continuing on their trails.
...
"...I was eighteen at the time and ran into hiding in Ridgea after we failed. I lived on for another two years and finally got the feeling of victory against the black company who killed my boyfriend.", she sighed after remembering her last fraction of memories.
She narrowed her gaze down at her hands, "... I think I was betrayed, since I remember being shot in the back of my head, completely ending my life."
"Assassination?", he asked. He became curious of her life story. She's won but... she was betrayed? Life was never fair, right?
She shrugged, still wondering what went wrong on her last days in her own world, "... I was outside, with several bodyguards and the public eyes all over us. It could be that, a genuinely fitting end to a 'villianess' like me.", she came to a conclusion of it by calling it a fair game.
She pressed her hand against her chest, "I'm glad... that I was given another chance in this world, with you as my---"
*buzz* *buzz*
"Likewise.", Rirota muttered under his breath as the two of them sighed as they pulled out their phones to begin reading out their messages from 1kawa.
'We found their hideout.'
'-Coordinates attached-.'
"That's pretty closer than I thought.", she mumbled under her breath while looking towards Rirota for his face as she shuddered from his malicious grin.
[Will the public eyes allow me to marry my stepbrother?], she was mesmerised by his dangerous expression.
Rirota faced her as he pinched her cheek, "Ow!"
"You're creeping me out with those thirsty eyes, we're still in school so chill out!", he shouted. Riro pouted angrily as she slapped his back as hard as she could!
"Erh?!", he was taken aback from her strong slap as he watched her run straight for the steel door, she looked behind him as she stuck out her tongue mischievously.
His heart bumped before grinning happily at her playful side, "C'mere, you fucking!!"