Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

"The destiny is a cruel enemy... no matter how much you fight, no matter how much you resist, it always finds a way to pull you back into its chains..." Rika murmured, her voice heavy with fatigue and resignation.

Once again, she woke up in her futon. The incessant sound of cicadas echoed outside, filling the morning air with their familiar yet suffocating melody. The sunlight filtered through the cracks in the house, illuminating the space with a brightness that seemed to mock her exhaustion.

With slow and heavy movements, Rika got up, her bare feet meeting the cold floor. She walked over to the window, leaning on the frame as she looked out at the same scenery she always saw — the village still asleep, wrapped in the deceptive calm of another day that seemed identical to the one before.

Her eyes, as tired as her soul, wandered over the horizon as she whispered, almost as if confiding to herself:

"I'm tired... tired of this game that never ends..."

"Every time... I always end up back at the same point... always forced to wear the same smile..."

Rika sighed as she prepared for yet another day in this endless cycle. In front of the mirror, she carefully adjusted the suspenders of her school uniform, smoothing the wrinkles of her skirt and brushing her long hair with precision. Her eyes stared at the lifeless reflection in front of her as she whispered, almost inaudibly:

"Smile... Rika..."

The smile that appeared on her face was as flawless as it was fake, laden with a melancholy hidden under the mask of sweetness.

As she left the house, her steps were methodical, following the path she knew by heart, almost as if her feet already knew the direction without her needing to think. As she walked, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts:

"Rika!"

Without hesitation, she turned, her expression instantly transforming into an angelic one.

"Good morning, Satoko!" she replied in her usual sweet voice, accompanied by a perfect smile, as rehearsed as it was automatic.

Satoko ran up to her, waving enthusiastically.

"I'm so glad you woke up early, Rika! Let's go buy ingredients for the club's picnic!" she said, full of energy as if she had a whole day of fun planned.

Rika nodded slightly, her hands resting together in front of her.

"Yes, I think I'll make some rice cakes for everyone."

Satoko's eyes sparkled with excitement as she grabbed Rika's hand, pulling her eagerly.

"Let's go then! If we get there early, we'll get the best vegetables!"

Rika followed Satoko's joyful pace, a gentle smile adorning her face. But behind that serene expression, her thoughts were far less enthusiastic.

"I already know exactly what we're going to find there..."

"It's what I expected..." Rika reflected as her eyes remained fixed on the unfamiliar boy.

He seemed out of place, someone who clearly didn't belong in this repetitive setting. His presence broke the monotony of Rika's days for a moment, causing her to lose track of time.

"You're not from here, are you?" Satoko asked, excited, with the curiosity typical of someone encountering something new.

"No, definitely not from here," replied the boy casually, almost indifferent to the strangeness of the situation.

"Ah! So, this year we'll have visitors from other towns for the festival!" Satoko continued, interacting enthusiastically, while Rika remained silent, lost in her own thoughts.

"What is this, fate? Are you so cruel that now you decide to add new pieces to this damn board?" Rika thought, her eyes still fixed on the boy.

He wasn't alone. Next to him, a girl with pink hair stood. Rika felt there was something different about them, something that didn't fit the pattern she had longed to escape.

"All these years... all these attempts... I won't be fooled by something as trivial as another piece on this board. It won't be like Akasaka... Not like that time when I allowed myself to believe that someone could take me out of this hell..."

Rika was deeply immersed in her thoughts, paying little attention to the conversation around her.

"Ah, I see. By the way, my name is Masachika Kuze. And this here..." The boy hesitated, casting a brief glance at the girl beside him with pink hair and a closed expression. "...this is Yuno Gasai, my friend."

Satoko, with her contagious energy, smiled politely and slightly bowed her head.

"I'm Houjou Satoko, and this is my friend, Furude Rika."

While the others interacted, Rika remained silent, completely absorbed. Masachika noticed her stillness and the way she seemed disconnected from the conversation. He watched her with curiosity, noticing something peculiar in her posture, until he heard a barely audible murmur escape her lips:

"Ni..."

Confused, Masachika frowned and leaned slightly toward Rika.

"What did you say, mini Hatsune Miku?"

Rika murmured again, this time a bit louder:

"Ni..."

Masachika raised an eyebrow, curiosity clear on his face, as he tilted his head slightly. Then, suddenly, Rika lifted her gaze, displaying an angelic smile. She tilted her head slightly to the side and, with an incredibly sweet and melodic voice, exclaimed:

"Nipaaaaa~! >⩊< ♡"

Masachika placed a hand over his chest, his expression exaggerated as if he had been hit by an invisible bullet.

Rika, with her angelic smile intact, seemed to radiate an almost supernatural sweetness. Her bluish hair shimmered under the soft light, giving her an ethereal presence that seemed impossible to ignore.

Masachika, after a few seconds of "critical hit," straightened up and forced a smile, which quickly turned into a mischievous expression. Without warning, he moved forward and wrapped Rika in a warm and spontaneous hug, proclaiming with enthusiasm:

"My God, a goddess has descended from the heavens to illuminate this little town!"

Rika widened her eyes, surprised by the unexpected gesture. For a brief moment, her mind went blank, her train of thought interrupted by the sudden closeness. However, while in Masachika's arms, something unusual happened.

"What... what is this feeling?" she thought, confused, as she felt a slight warmth spread through her body. It was hard to describe, but it didn't feel unpleasant. On the contrary, it was comforting... something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Maybe, just maybe, it was the first time in years that she experienced something close to... safety.

"I don't want... I don't want to cling to hope... Not anymore. Not after so much pain from losing what I could never hold on to..." Rika thought, as Satoko's lively voice sounded beside her, unable to fully reach her.

"Oh-oh-hoh! Rika, looks like you just gained a completely devoted fan!" Satoko teased, clearly enjoying the scene.

Still in Masachika's arms, Rika lifted her gaze to him, her face adorned with that angelic smile that seemed almost like a mask. Without hesitation, she spoke again in the same cute, irresistible tone:

"Ni... Nipaaaaa~! >⩊< ♡"

Masachika tightened his hug slightly, as if completely enchanted by the purity of her voice. His overly enthusiastic tone exploded:

"YES! RIKA-CHAN, I'M GOING TO YOUR PERFORMANCE! I WON'T MISS IT FOR ANYTHING!"

Rika switched to automatic mode, responding and reacting almost like a programmed doll, her thoughts deeply disconnected from the interaction around her. She smiled, nodded, and exchanged a few words without truly paying attention, her mind submerged in a storm of reflections.

"Speaking of which, Satoko, how about we go prepare the snacks now?" she suggested with her usual calmness, desperately seeking a moment to organize her thoughts before they collapsed.

Satoko, still glowing from the recent interaction, turned to her friend with an enthusiasm that seemed inexhaustible.

"Great idea!"

Before leaving, Satoko waved to Masachika with an excited smile.

"Maybe we'll run into you around there!"

Rika, true to her polite and graceful nature, gave a slight bow as a farewell before walking alongside Satoko, her smile remaining on her face while, internally, her mind whispered in desperation:

"This feeling... this moment... is it another trap? I can't... I can't let myself believe that anything has changed..."

Rika continued walking beside Satoko, responding automatically, making sure her friend didn't notice the turmoil consuming her from within.

Her thoughts flowed like an uncontrolled tide, crushing her with hypotheses and fears.

"They're just more pieces on the board... But maybe, if I try a little harder... maybe, this time, I can escape this damn loop. Maybe I can avoid the death that seems so certain."

So absorbed in her musings, she only realized they had arrived at school when she was already sitting beside Satoko. Her friend's voice brought her back to reality:

"Rika... you seem a bit off today. Do you have a fever?" Satoko asked, concerned, as she placed her hand on Rika's forehead.

Rika, gentle as always, responded with a calm smile:

"It's nothing, Satoko. I just didn't sleep very well last night. I think the exhaustion distracted me a bit."

As Rika briefly closed her eyes, maintaining her serene smile, a familiar voice echoed behind her.

"Hey, Rika-chan! You need to sleep well to grow strong!" Rena commented in an almost motherly tone.

Rika turned to Rena, keeping her angelic expression.

"I'll be more careful, Rena." And, tilting her head slightly, she added in a sweet and charming tone:

"Nipaaaaa~! >⩊< ♡"

Rena immediately placed her hands to her face, enchanted.

"Ahhh! Rika-chan is so cute! I want to take you home!"

Beside Rena, Keiichi let out a relaxed laugh and retorted:

"Hey, Rena, you can't just take our Rika for yourself."

The two began to bicker in a lighthearted and fun manner, while Rika again disconnected from the conversation, lost in her thoughts. However, something Rena said soon brought her back to reality.

"Something different happened today. I saw two people from outside the village and even offered them some water." Rena's voice had a slight excited tone, which immediately caught Rika's attention.

Rika focused on the conversation and, with a soft tone, asked:

"These people you saw, Rena, were they Masachika Kuze and Yuno Gasai?"

Rena smiled, placing a hand on her cheek, looking surprised and delighted.

"Oh, so you saw them too, Rika-chan?"

Rika nodded, keeping her calm tone.

"Yes, Satoko and I met them while we were shopping."

Satoko, with her usual energy, quickly added:

"They said they came to watch the performance on the day of Watanagashi!"

Rika listened attentively, but her thoughts soon began to stir again.

"Why are they here? What is fate trying to suggest this time?"

Rena and Satoko continued chatting excitedly about the two strangers, while Rika remained trapped in an overwhelming emptiness. She didn't know exactly what she felt — she was numb, crushed by a mix of despair and anxiety. Without realizing it, time passed, and the lesson ended.

Even during the club games, which usually brought moments of joy, Rika seemed distant. She stayed silent the entire time, oblivious to the enthusiasm of the others, until the sun began to set. Now, alone, she sat on the steps of the shrine, the place that would host Watanagashi in just a few days.

The orange sky of Hinamizawa stretched above her, but it didn't bring comfort. Rika murmured to herself, her gaze lost in the horizon:

"I don't know what to do... I want to scream for help... But they're just kids from the city. How could they help me?"

The words escaped like a sigh, as light as the sound of cicadas crying around her, merging with the muffled cry of her desperate heart.

Suddenly, a soft voice whispered in her ear, carrying a sweet tone, but also a veiled sadness that seemed to blend with the wind rustling the shrine's branches:

"You can't give up, Rika."

The wind played with her bluish hair, tousling it gently as she closed her eyes for a moment. In a low and empty tone, Rika replied:

"Give up... I'm not giving up, Hanyuu. I'm just... tired. Tired of living without hope."

Her voice almost got lost in the breeze, as weak as the thread of hope she still tried to hold on to. The orange sky seemed to darken gradually, as if the night itself shared in her melancholy.

"It's been over a hundred years... A hundred long and bloody years..." Rika murmured, her voice empty and devoid of emotion.

"In all these attempts, I believed I could escape the traps of this damn fate. But in the end, I always wake up trapped in this same month of despair."

Hanyuu, a translucent girl with lilac hair floating gently around her face, deep violet eyes, and a pair of black horns with purple tips — one slightly chipped — approached slowly. Her expression carried a palpable sadness, the weight of a guilt she silently carried.

"Rika... I'm sorry. I... I wish I could do more for you..." Her voice was a whisper, trembling, as her eyes began to well with tears.

Rika closed her eyes, hugging her knees. Her voice came out softly, almost inaudible.

"It's not your fault, Hanyuu."

Even so, Hanyuu pressed her wrist to her chest, as if trying to contain the pain she felt. It was an invisible wound, but one that seemed deep and unrelenting.

Rika hid her face between her arms, trying to stifle the tears that wanted to fall. Dark, old thoughts returned to haunt her, like a distant echo that never disappeared.

"Fate... you are the worst enemy I could have. Relentless... cruel... But now you present me with new pieces on this board. I need to know..."

As the words silently flowed through her mind, the sky of Hinamizawa began to darken, matching the growing weight in her heart. It was as if the world itself shared in her melancholy.

Then, a voice cut through the silence and the sound of cicadas, vibrant and friendly:

"Hey, Rika-chan! What are you doing here?"

Rika quickly lifted her head, wiping her eyes before anyone could notice. She found Mion smiling at her.

"Oh, hi, Mion. I was just thinking about the upcoming festival." Her voice was sweet, and a cute smile curved her lips, hiding any hint of sadness.

Mion took a deep breath, visibly tired, but maintaining her usual tone.

"Phew! Don't stay out here too long, or you'll catch a cold before the festival!" She gestured with the energy of a good friend, but quickly changed the subject, excited.

"Oh! You know what? I saw Keiichi with that outsider, Masachika!"

Hanyuu, who was beside Rika but could not be seen by Mion, took a step forward, getting closer to Rika.

The name echoed in Rika's ears, bringing back the strange sensation she had felt earlier.

"Keiichi asked for help finding a place where he could spend the night, so I suggested a house that has been empty for a while. It's very close to Rena's house."

Rika averted her gaze, pondering what this could mean. Before she could ask more questions, Mion remembered another commitment.

"Oh! I almost forgot that I have a meeting with the council members! See you later, Rika-chan!" And with a hasty wave, Mion ran down the stairs, leaving her alone again.

Rika remained silent, staring at the horizon. Hanyuu's voice sounded close, delicate, but laden with meaning.

"Rika..."

She slowly turned her head, meeting Hanyuu's eyes, which now sparkled with something between hope and determination.

"I know what you're thinking," Hanyuu said, gently placing her hands on Rika's shoulders. "You see fate as an enemy... And maybe it is. But sometimes, even it offers a spark of hope. And you need to accept it... even if it's the smallest one."

Rika sighed deeply, the weight in her voice reflecting centuries of weariness.

"Even if it's the smallest one..."

Hanyuu nodded silently, conveying support with that simple gesture.

Finally, Rika made her decision.

"I'll go there..."

With the words still hanging in the air, she descended the shrine stairs, the sounds of cicadas gradually fading, replaced by the chirp of crickets marking the beginning of the starry night.

"Always the same days... Always the same blood spilled... Always the same fear..."

Each step felt heavy, but she kept moving. When she got near Rena's house, she heard raised voices.

"Rena..." she murmured to herself, watching from a distance as Rena hurried out, visibly shaken. "How can someone so sweet carry so much..."

Without letting her thoughts deepen, Rika turned her attention back to the house where Masachika was staying. Before she could hesitate, she walked up to the door and knocked, three firm knocks.

The door creaked open, revealing Masachika, who looked tired. He glanced around, confused, before murmuring:

"Huh?"

Looking around, he let out a long, tired sigh, scratching his neck.

"Great... Now the house is haunted..."

"It's not haunted." Rika's voice was firm, cutting through the silence like a blade. "It's just me."

Masachika stepped back slightly, surprised, as he looked down. His eyes scanned Rika's figure, analyzing her. There she was, standing in the doorway, wearing a green dress with a white ribbon and simple sandals. But something was different.

"Rika?" He tilted his head, still confused.

She stared at him with a serious expression, her posture distant from the cheerful girl he had known before.

"I couldn't contain my curiosity..."

Her voice was low, filled with something indescribable. As Masachika tried to process what was happening, Rika took a step forward, her presence somehow becoming larger.

"I've played with fate many times," she continued. "Even when it threw pieces out of order... There were only a few times when it brought something new to the board."

Masachika shivered down his spine. There was something... disturbing about her. He furrowed his brow and muttered, more to himself:

"What the hell is this...?"

"Masachika Kuze... Yuno Gasai..." Rika said, her voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight. Her eyes seemed to glow with a red hue, replacing the soft purple he had seen before.

"Will you be my hope in this endless month? Or just another trap in this hell?"

He tried to maintain his composure, crossing his arms and tilting his head with a defiant smile.

"Are you still the same little girl I saw before?"

Rika nodded slowly, her face expressionless.

"If it's really you..." he began, his voice gaining a provocative tone. "Then prove it. Do it, do Nipaaah."

Rika's eyes widened for a moment, surprised.

"He wants me to do this...?" She hesitated, weighing the decision.

Then, slowly, an ironic smile appeared on her lips. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and, with perfection, uttered:

"Ni... Nipaaaa~! >⩊< ♡"

_____________________

If you wish to see the advanced chapters, you can check the link below:

patreon.com/ErisNoSeraph