Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

"Ah… It's already becoming routine to wake up with the sun in my face…"

Ryan opened his eyes slowly, feeling the daylight invading his room without ceremony.

"You know… I think a curtain would solve this… But you know… Someone has to put one there…"

He murmured lazily, still lying down "someone…"

Stretching with a long sigh, he ran his hand across his back and got up, his muscles still heavy with sleep.

"It's pretty early… So I guess I'll eat what's in the kitchen before I leave—"

As soon as he opened the door, he stopped mid-sentence.

Ayano was there.

Standing in the kitchen, with her hands delicately placed in front of her, as if she were waiting for her master. Her serene face contrasted completely with the fright Ryan got.

"Good morning, Master. Although my heart is racing… If it is your wish, I cannot avoid accepting that you—"

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE?!"

Ryan almost jumped back, pointing at her with wide eyes.

Ayano bowed politely before replying calmly:

"I arrived early this morning, under orders from Master Gensei. I came to deliver your cursed tools, which are finally ready."

Ryan lowered his shoulders, massaging his temples.

"That doesn't answer how you got in…"

"I used a spare key to get in."

"YOU HAVE A SPARE KEY TO MY HOUSE?!"

He widened his eyes even more, feeling a strange chill.

Ayano, however, simply pointed delicately to the table, which was completely set.

"I prepared your breakfast to optimize your time before the mission, Master."

Ryan narrowed his eyes.

"Why do I feel like you're dodging the subject…?"

Before he could pressure her, a strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee reached his nose. He took a deep breath, feeling his stomach rumble.

"You know what? I'm going to play dumb… Only because I just woke up and I'm too lazy to question this now."

He walked to the table and sat down with a heavy sigh.

Ayano served his coffee with almost ceremonial precision and was preparing to spread jelly on the bread when Ryan held her wrist with a firm but gentle touch.

"Ayano, it's an order. Sit down and have coffee with me. No acting like a Maid now, just like a normal girl."

His eyes were still half-open with sleep, but the husky tone of his voice gave a different weight to the words.

Ayano blinked, hesitant.

"If it is an order… I will have to comply."

She gave a subtle bow before sliding into the chair next to him, adjusting her dress with precision.

While Ryan prepared his own bread, carefully placing the scrambled eggs, he broke the silence:

"So… You said the weapons—or tools, whatever you guys call them—are ready. Where did you put them?"

Ayano pointed to the living room sofa.

"They're over there."

Ryan looked over his shoulder and chuckled softly.

"It's even funny to imagine you, in those clothes, carrying something that's almost your size…"

He let out a laugh through his nose, still chewing.

Ayano maintained her impeccable posture as she spoke calmly:

"Master Gensei analyzed your behavior on the day he introduced you to the weapons and the Jujutsu world."

Ryan shot her a curious look, chewing slowly.

"I knew that old man was studying me. So what did he come up with?"

"He noticed that you chose the weapons with the least amount of cursed energy. He didn't give me details, but I noticed that he reduced the energy in them even more. I suppose it's to make it easier for you to control them."

Ryan leaned back in his chair, twirling the cup between his fingers.

"Man… Gensei really deserves the title of family leader, huh?"

Ayano leaned slightly, curious.

"I know it's not my business… But why did you choose the weapons that way?"

Ryan sighed and clicked his tongue.

"It's a long story… And honestly? Too lazy to explain now."

He took another bite of his bread, chewing slowly.

After a last sip of coffee, he got up and stretched his arms.

"I'm going to go now, Ayano. I need time to prepare."

Ayano simply nodded, watching him as he left.

The smell of coffee still filled the kitchen, but, in the background, Ayano discreetly looked at Ryan's cup, where a little of the hot liquid still remained.

Ryan picked up the sword on the sofa and raised it in the air, analyzing the size of the blade with a skeptical expression.

"Damn… How am I going to walk around with this?"

Ayano approached, maintaining her impeccable posture, and replied in a professorial tone:

"You can store it."

Ryan gave her an ironic look.

"Oh, sure, because it obviously fits in my pocket."

Ayano ignored the sarcasm and picked up a bracelet that was also part of his order, holding it up for him to see.

"Just put it here."

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't it a bit tight?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he felt an immediate discomfort.

"Wow… That sounded weird."

Ayano, oblivious to the path Ryan's thoughts had taken, replied naturally:

"It will fit when you put it on."

Ryan closed his eyes for a brief moment, feeling his thoughts go straight to questionable territory.

"I don't know… I think Yuki is contaminating me. I'm starting to think like her…"

Shaking his head to clear away the distractions, he positioned the sword close to the bracelet. To his surprise, the blade slid smoothly into the accessory and disappeared completely.

He blinked, impressed.

"What? It actually worked!?"

Ayano maintained her composure as she explained:

"This tool has an inventory that expands according to the user's cursed energy. It is useful for storing other items and, in addition, has its own hidden blade."

Ryan picked up the bracelet and adjusted it on his arm, observing the design.

"Really… It looks like the Hidden Blade from Assassin's Creed… Only with a very interesting upgrade."

"Assass-?"

Ayano began to question, but Ryan interrupted her without ceremony.

"Like I said, I'm going now."

He started walking towards the room, but stopped at the door and turned his face to her.

"I'm just going to change clothes. Feel free to leave."

Ayano put her hands together in front of her dress and replied with a soft but determined tone:

"I will stay to perform the household chores of the master's house."

Ryan looked around, analyzing the state of his home.

"Yeah… I guess I won't refuse…"

Saying this, he entered the room and closed the door.

After a few minutes, he came out again, opening the door with a confident movement.

"Look, just don't overdo it. I'd rather you take care of Yuki."

Ayano, who was cleaning the table, turned around when she heard his voice—but her words died before they could come out.

She stopped abruptly, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

Ryan was wearing an impeccably cut beige overcoat, its long panels floating slightly as he moved. Under the overcoat, he wore a fitted black vest that contrasted with the impeccable white shirt, whose high collar was adorned with an elegant tie and a bluish brooch that gleamed subtly in the ambient light. The white pants, aligned and well-pressed, harmonized with the ensemble, while the polished brown shoes completed the look. He exuded an air of casual sophistication, as if each piece had been chosen to balance charm and mystery.

He gestured slightly with his hands as he spoke, unaware of the effect it caused.

"You know, after seeing the amount of crap that exists in this world... I got a little worried about the people I care about. So I want you to help me make sure they don't get hurt."

Ayano continued to look him up and down, her gaze wavering between surprise and something she couldn't quite name.

There was something mesmerizing about the way he dressed and carried himself, as if he were a character straight out of an aristocratic story.

It took her a moment to regain her composure, and she cleared her throat before asking, hesitantly:

"Forgive my intrusion, sir... But why did you choose such a sophisticated outfit?"

Ryan raised an eyebrow and looked at himself, as if only now realizing his own visual.

"Oh, this?" He smoothed the overcoat. "Well, besides hiding the tool on my arm, it also gives me more options to store the weapon."

Then, he raised his gaze to Ayano with an elegant half-smile.

"And, let's be honest... I look pretty presentable like this, don't I?"

Ayano inhaled quickly, trying to find words.

"W-well..."

Before she could formulate a coherent response, Ryan turned with a carefree wave.

"Since my Maid found me breathtaking, I think I'm on point."

Ayano stood still, a slight blush touching her cheeks.

As she watched him leave, an unsettling thought crossed her mind:

"C-could it be that he's going to betray Yuki-sama's heart!?"

Ryan opened the door, feeling the morning breeze touch his face as he looked up at the sky. The sun was rising lazily on the horizon, but he was still a bit groggy from sleep.

"Hmm... You know what..." He murmured, his voice heavy with tiredness, as he pulled his cell phone from his overcoat pocket.

His gaze fell on the address Gensei had sent. He let out a sigh and ran his hand through his hair before putting the device back.

"If I use my energy and run there, I'll get there much faster than by car."

He cracked his neck, already preparing himself mentally.

"Okay... This will save me some cash."

With an agile leap, he climbed straight to the roof and started running, crossing the buildings with impressive speed. In just a few minutes, he was already near the building where Riko should be.

He landed discreetly on an empty street, adjusted his clothes, and walked calmly to the reception. As expected, Gensei had already prepared everything, making his entry ridiculously easy.

Inside the elevator, Ryan leaned against the wall and watched the numbers go up at an agonizingly slow pace.

"You know..." He murmured to himself, with his hands in his pockets. "Climbing the building would have been faster."

When he finally reached the correct floor, he walked unhurriedly down the hall until he stopped in front of the door. He knocked twice.

There was a brief silence before a female voice, slightly tense, sounded from the other side.

"Who is it?"

Ryan smiled to himself.

"An old acquaintance."

Another moment of hesitation. Then, the door opened just enough to reveal Kuroi. She stared at him intently, her eyes and shoulders carrying a discreet nervousness.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, her posture rigid.

Ryan kept his smile, his tone naturally nonchalant.

"Heh... I said we'd meet soon, didn't I?"

Kuroi didn't relax.

"You didn't answer my question. If you came to make jokes, you can get lost."

Ryan raised his hands slightly in a casual gesture, tilting his head with false regret. At a glance, he looked inside the apartment and noticed Gojo sprawled on the sofa, completely relaxed.

"Hey, I wasn't that bad the last time we met..." He commented, feigning indignation. "In fact, if I remember correctly, I was the one who saved that girl... Riko, right?"

Kuroi didn't waver, maintaining her firm posture.

"Yes. But right after, you disappeared without answering any of our questions. How can I trust you?"

Before she could continue, the ringtone of her cell phone interrupted her speech.

Ryan noticed the way her expression changed immediately.

"You better answer it, right?" He commented sarcastically. "It might be important."

Kuroi picked up the cell phone without taking her eyes off him.

"Yes." She answered, her voice professional.

But, upon hearing the response from the other side of the line, her eyes widened slightly.

"W-what!?"

There was a tense silence as she absorbed the information. Her gaze flicked between the phone and Ryan, as if trying to process something.

When the call ended, she simply replied with a short and dry:

"Yes."

Hanging up the phone, she continued to stare at Ryan, who simply smiled to himself, satisfied.

"Look, it's going to sound presumptuous on my part, but... If I had to guess, I'd say you just got informed that I was sent by the Misato Clan to provide support in escorting the Star Plasma Vessel."

Kuroi's eyes narrowed.

"I don't remember you... How can—"

Ryan shrugged.

"Families have so many branches, don't they? I guess I wasn't invited to the same family dinners as you."

His sarcastic tone only made her expression close even more.

Before Kuroi could retort, Gojo's carefree voice came from inside the apartment.

"Let him in, Kuroi. We need to talk to him. And, you can rest assured..." The confidence in his tone was almost annoying. "Me and Geto are strong."

Ryan tilted his head slightly, analyzing the way Gojo spoke.

"If they're boring questions, I don't know if I'll answer."

Kuroi sighed, clearly displeased, but opened the door.

Ryan entered calmly, offering her a slight bow in a gesture of forced politeness.

On the sofa, Gojo was sprawled with the typical expression of someone who didn't care about absolutely anything. Near the window, Geto watched the movement in silence. Next to Gojo, Riko smiled and waved at Ryan, seeming more friendly than her guardian.

Ryan raised his hand in a casual gesture of peace.

"See? Our reunion was pretty quick, wasn't it?"

Before he could continue with another provocation, Kuroi crossed her arms and, in a firm tone, cut the relaxed atmosphere.

"Before we proceed... Could you tell me your name?"

Ryan smiled to himself, taking a few seconds before answering, thinking quickly.

"Man... It feels so good to be able to introduce myself with this name..."

The smirk widened, and he tilted his head slightly.

"Ryan."

He made a dramatic pause.

"Ryan Gosting."

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