Once a mobster, now Masachika Kuze

The moonlight illuminated Rika through the window, casting a silver glow on her figure while the cold wind seeped through the cracks, making the air in the room feel even colder. Her voice carried the same weight and coldness as that night.

"The villagers believe in the Curse of Oyashiro-sama. They say that every year, two people die to appease Oyashiro's wrath. And according to them, these deaths are linked to those who supported the construction of the dam that threatened to destroy Hinamizawa..."

Rika paused, lowering her head. Outside, clouds began to cover the moon, plunging the room into a shadowy twilight. Her voice trembled slightly as she continued.

"But... this is just a superficial story. A convenient explanation for a much deeper problem."

Ryan watched the girl lose herself in her words, the cold glow of the moon now replaced by shadows dancing across her face. He slowly got up, walking toward her with an expression that mixed patience and curiosity.

"Sounds like a long story..." — his voice was calm, understanding.

Rika lifted her eyes to him as Ryan continued, his tone now more direct.

"But I'm not here to hear about urban legends or tales from the past. I want to understand why you're stuck in this time loop."

Ryan sighed deeply, as if gathering patience, and then made a hand gesture, signaling for her to continue.

"Although, to understand that, I'll need to hear it from the beginning, right?"

Rika leaned against the window, her expression carrying a touch of melancholy. When she spoke, her voice seemed more mature, but still weighed down by a contained sadness.

"The Curse of Oyashiro-sama... The Watanagashi Festival... The dam construction... These are the major pillars of my tragic fate."

Ryan crossed his arms, his eyes fixed on Rika, capturing every nuance of her words.

"The rumors about this curse ended up catching the attention of some scholars. They came to the village... and asked to investigate something they called the Hinamizawa Syndrome."

Ryan uncrossed his arms slightly, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Investigate it, huh? And, from the looks of it, with your protagonist vibe, I bet you're right in the middle of all this, aren't you, Rika?"

Rika slightly tilted her head, averting her gaze. Her murmur sounded cute, but it carried a melancholy that was hard to ignore.

"Mii~..."

Ryan turned his back, assuming a thoughtful posture while his voice came out in a low tone.

"And from what you're telling me... It sounds like these scholars are the powerful type of people. The kind who hire bodyguards."

Ryan paused for a moment, diving quickly into his thoughts.

"The type of people who used to hire me in my past life..."

Rika didn't respond, but the tension in her posture indicated that he was right. After a moment, she finally spoke again, her voice colder, as if she wanted to cut the pain with her words.

"The Hinamizawa Syndrome... is one of the main reasons I'm trapped in this cycle. My friends always end up being affected by it..."

Ryan looked over his shoulder, his eyes landing on Rika, who continued staring into the void, lost in her thoughts.

"And you want a perfect loop where everyone is saved, is that it?"

His question sounded dry, direct, almost cruel as it broke the silence in the room.

Rika placed her hand on her arm, as if seeking comfort in herself, before answering with a contained voice.

"Yes."

Ryan glanced at her from over his shoulder. His gaze seemed judgmental, but he let out a slight huff before turning completely, now more serious.

"There's one thing that caught my attention: this Hinamizawa Syndrome. What is it? How does it work?"

Rika remained calm as she answered, her tone carrying an almost rehearsed serenity.

"Don't worry about it. The syndrome affects almost exclusively the villagers..."

But Ryan didn't let the key word slip by. He raised an eyebrow and interrupted with sharp sarcasm.

"Almost? So you're saying I could get infected?"

Rika diverted her gaze and responded in a neutral tone.

"Yes, but only if you're directly exposed."

Ryan tilted his head, curiosity clear on his face.

"Directly? What does that mean?"

Without answering immediately, Rika opened the window behind her, letting the cold night wind in. She looked outside, towards Rena's house, before explaining in a heavy tone.

"The Hinamizawa Syndrome, in short, is what they call 'the Curse of Oyashiro-sama.' It has three stages... and it affects the perception of the people it strikes. It has caused several loops I know."

Ryan stepped closer to the window, also observing the view outside. As the wind tousled Rika's hair, she continued.

"Unfortunately, my friends are victims of the syndrome. When affected, they become hostile... they might end up killing each other... and sometimes, they even end up killing me."

Ryan looked at her, surprised.

"Your own friends are the problem?"

Rika shook her head slowly.

"No, it's not their fault. The syndrome controls them... but there's also another issue. Those who study it..."

Ryan narrowed his eyes.

"And do you know who these people are?"

Rika shook her head again, a trace of frustration on her face. Ryan leaned against the window frame, crossing his arms.

"You mentioned you know some loops. Which one is this?"

Rika thought for a few moments before responding, with a more serious air.

"I believe this one is... my friend Satoko's loop."

Ryan tilted his head, intrigued.

"Why? What are the signs?"

Rika sighed, the melancholy evident in her voice, but still maintaining firmness.

"In short, Satoko starts living with her uncle, who mistreats her. Keiichi, in a protective outburst, begins acting like her missing brother and decides to kill the uncle. All of this while those studying the syndrome end up killing me... for some reason."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, skeptical.

"Keiichi? The guy who introduced me to Mion, who, in turn, arranged this house? He seemed pretty normal."

Rika nodded.

"The syndrome has stages. In the beginning, it causes an intense feeling that everyone is conspiring against you or that you're in danger. But things get worse over time..."

Ryan stroked his chin, reflecting.

"So, people become aggressive, right?"

Rika confirmed with a soft noise, almost a murmur.

"Mii~."

Ryan, still lost in thought, asked another question.

"Are you sure this isn't your friend Rena's loop?"

Rika squinted, confused, as she tilted her head. He continued casually.

"I've seen her arguing with her father for a while... and it didn't seem like a friendly atmosphere."

Rika widened her eyes, a trace of concern appearing on her face. But before she could dive into her reflections, the sound of Ryan's stomach broke the silence.

She slowly lifted her eyes, staring at him with a neutral expression. Her voice came out slowly, almost inquisitive.

"You... ate something today?"

Ryan scratched the back of his neck, visibly uncomfortable, before responding with an awkward smile.

"Eat? Uh... not exactly."

Rika sighed deeply, as if she were about to deal with another complication. Then, she spoke with a resigned tone.

"Ah... There are some Onigiris left at my house."

Masachika flashed a sarcastic smile, tilting his head slightly as he teased:

"Grandma's Onigiri?"

Rika stood still for a few seconds, long enough for the silence to become uncomfortable. Her eyes fixed on him until, suddenly, her cheeks turned red. She averted her gaze, murmuring between her teeth with a mix of irritation and embarrassment:

"Grandma my ass, idiot."

Ryan let out a short laugh through his nose, clearly enjoying her reaction. He replied in the same carefree tone:

"Okay, okay. I'll take Grandma Hatsune Miku home. I was considering ordering Food delivery, but, thinking about it, I guess Hinamizawa doesn't have this type of service, huh?"

Rika turned her face with a slightly irritated expression, although a touch of cuteness softened her posture. She retorted with sarcasm in her voice:

"Oh, I get it. So, I'm the one doing you a favor, offering the Onigiris. Just don't get confused thinking it's for you!"

She turned her back to him, dramatically flipping her hair to the side as she began walking. As she reached the door, she stopped and turned to face him again. Her expression was now one of challenge disguised as indifference.

"So, are you gonna stay hungry or are you coming?"

Ryan shrugged with a relaxed smile.

"Yeah, I'm coming..."

He walked up to her, stopping just behind her. Then, without warning, he grabbed her hair with agility, separating it into two makeshift pigtails as he said in an exaggerated playful tone:

"Mini Miku!"

Rika stood still for a second, incredulous at his audacity. She turned her face to look at him with an expression that tried to be serious, but the shadow of a smile threatened to escape.

"You're really an idiot, you know that?"

Ryan simply shrugged again, keeping his smug smile.

"Idiot? Or visionary? Mini Miku is a masterpiece."

Rika rolled her eyes, puffing out air, but turned to the door, letting out a small smile at the corner of her mouth as she ignored him.

"Hurry up before I regret it."