On the surface, Kid seemed far more harmless than other phantom thieves.
But that was precisely the problem. Because he came across as too harmless... too perfectly aligned with the romantic image people had of a gentleman thief most of the public felt little guilt in admiring him.
And so, imitators cropped up everywhere.
That was what worried the police most.
In the public mind, detectives and investigators were already considered clever people. But someone who could outsmart them? That made Kid look like a genius.
Naturally, this attracted countless wannabes people who fancied themselves smart but acted recklessly, copying his stunts without thought.
Every time Kid staged one of his flashy "magic tricks" to steal something, copycats sprouted like weeds. Saeko herself had arrested several of them. It was one reason she found Kid so infuriating.
After all, even if he returned what he stole… it was still theft.
To her, Kid wasn't some dashing hero... he was a troublemaker chasing fame, leaving chaos in his wake and poisoning the atmosphere of society.
"He'll set a bad example for the kids, won't he?"
Ryuji nodded in agreement, though a trace of embarrassment flickered across his face.
After all, he too was someone who ignored the law.
In a proper society, even if the underworld was full of scum, they were still human beings subject to the law. Punishing them was the job of police and courts, not self-appointed vigilantes.
Any power outside the law could be twisted. Every era proved that true. Even in the 21st century, with the internet amplifying everything, Ryuji had seen it happen. Cases where a man was falsely accused of voyeurism, for example. Once, the mob would've lynched him online without hesitation. But now? People were a little more rational, waiting for official results before passing judgment.
Ryuji understood well: whether it was him or Kid, their actions had no place in a society of laws.
The difference was… he, Ryuji punished criminals because he needed money, while Kid if he recalled correctly was chasing some mysterious organization that killed his father... but both stepped outside the law.
Even so, Ryuji thought himself a shade better. Kid, for the sake of his personal vendetta, had dragged countless innocents into the crossfire. Ryuji, on the other hand, troubled no one but the overworked police and the gangs who richly deserved it.
Still, from the eyes of law enforcement, there wasn't much distinction. Whether admired or despised, Ryuji would be arrested just the same if they ever caught him.
But in his own mind? He would never be caught. Worst case, he'd simply run away.
Casting a glance at his "travel log," he saw the entry marked Seako. At that moment, the girl was happily devouring the breakfast he'd prepared, her face glowing with satisfaction.
That made him smile.
"It really does seem like you want me to come to Japan, Miss Saeko," he said lightly.
By now, he had already seen through her intentions but he wasn't particularly bothered.
"Of course," Saeko replied lightly, her lips curving in a teasing smile. "I'd very much like to be friends with you, Mr. Ryuji. You saved us, after all. At the very least, I should treat you to a drink sometime."
Her eyes held a trace of flirtation.
But Ryuji only shook his head, folding the newspaper.
"You shouldn't say things like that, or you'll end up pregnant."
He could tell she was only toying with him. If he were foolish enough to believe she truly liked him, he'd end up dancing in the palm of her hand, running errands for her with little or no reward.
A woman like her wasn't someone you "chased." Unless you pursued her relentlessly for five or six years, and unless she happened to meet no one she truly liked in that time, the chances of success were nearly zero.
And even then... what kind of man did a woman like Saeko even want?
Ryuji had no idea. He was skilled at making women feel good… but not at chasing them.
So he shook his head again.
"Unfortunately, I'm not interested in police work. And besides, Miss Saeko... joining the Japanese force would mean changing my nationality, wouldn't it? That's a bit too much for me."
He didn't mind living in Japan, even marrying someone like Erina there and letting her handle the household registry. But giving up his own citizenship? Never.
He had no intention of swearing loyalty to another country.
A forged identity he could accept. But a vow to renounce his roots? That was out of the question.
"I see. What a shame…" Saeko sighed.
She wasn't surprised. She'd suspected from the start that recruiting him would fail. But it was worth the attempt. Who knew? She might have gotten lucky.
"Well then, when do you plan to head for Japan? I'll make time to buy you that drink."
Even if she couldn't rope him in as a partner, nothing stopped her from building a relationship.
"Not too long from now," Ryuji said with a shrug. "Just need to settle a few things here in Hong Kong first."
Although, he had decided to lay low for a while, but he still cared about actresses like Maggie Cheung and the other Hong Kong stars. He might have said he'd be leaving for Japan soon, but what was the harm in lingering a few extra days to stir up a bit of plot?
After all, most movie storylines were packed into short, intense timeframes. A few opportunities to be a hero rescue the damsel in distress!
But then…
His thoughts strayed toward Ran Mouri and Shizuko. One of them just needed a little more "development" before she was his. The other was a cheeky little brat who, despite her age, was surprisingly open-minded and didn't seem to mind if he had other women.
"You don't sound very certain."
Saeko chuckled lightly. She guessed Ryuji must have been wrestling with something troublesome; otherwise, he wouldn't have worn such a conflicted expression.
"Can't be helped. There's just… a lot going on."
And he wasn't lying. He really was conflicted. Both choices were tempting. Sure, real-world actresses had all kinds of problems but their movie versions? Perfect. And the two-dimensional girls… they were stunning in their own right. If he didn't act quickly, he might miss his chance.
Just as he was drifting away in thoughts of beautiful girls, completely forgetting his mission—
"You!"
A sharp, indignant cry rang out from behind him.
It was a girl's voice, one that sounded oddly familiar.
Ryuji turned around, smiling casually.
"Oh. Long time no see."
There she was: Usagi Tsukino, dressed in casual clothes, her twin ponytails bouncing like rabbit ears as she glared at him with a mix of fury and embarrassment. Gone was her usual ditzy cheerfulness; her face burned red with shame and anger.
And surrounding her, four other Sailor Moons closed in quickly. Each wore a different expression, but all of them stared at Ryuji with the same look of united hostility.
And really, who could blame them? That day, when they had been trapped, he hadn't actually touched them—but the water currents he controlled had been far from innocent. Otherwise, Ami Mizuno, the Sailor Guardian of Water, would have easily broken free of his so-called "water prison."
"Long time no see, my ass!"
Usagi nearly exploded, her humiliation bubbling over. If not for so many people around her, she would have transformed right there and beaten him senseless.. Whether she could actually beat him or not didn't matter. What mattered was the principle.
"You dare show your face in front of me again?!"
She stormed up to him, ponytails swaying with each furious step. The instant she reached him, Ryuji simply reached out and patted her head.
"Mm. Your hair's really smooth and pretty."
Usagi froze, blinking in surprise then her expression softened, lips curling into a pleased little smile.
"Of course! I take good care of... wait! Don't change the subject!!"
Catching herself, she slapped his hand away and grabbed at his collar. But she was shorter, so she had to tug him downward just to get a grip.
Ryuji only smiled kindly at her.
"Did you forget what I told you that day?"
Her body froze.
The memory crashed into her... what he had said, what he had done and her entire face went crimson. Whatever words she'd been about to hurl at him evaporated. Her mind went utterly blank.
"Ah, I… um…"
She knew all too well: if she provoked him again, this man would absolutely repeat what he had done. Because he was exactly that kind of man.
The very thought of that shameful, mortifying sensation made her heart tremble with fear.
"Then be a good girl and let go."
Ryuji flicked her forehead lightly. Honestly, he found girls like her adorable... energetic, lively, quick to anger, but polite at their core. When they made mistakes, they took their punishment honestly. Not like bratty little kids.
This kind of girl made you want to keep her close. Usagi's character really was written too well.
Blushing furiously, she let go of his collar, though her expression still mixed defiance and unease.
"Usagi!"
A girl with short blue hair suddenly pulled her back and stepped protectively in front.
"Don't you dare bully her!"
It was Ami Mizuno. Her voice trembled slightly because deep down, she didn't think she had much of a chance against him. After all, last time, she hadn't even been able to break out of his water trap. She, the Sailor Guardian of Water, had been defeated with water itself.
No.
Her fists clenched. She refused to believe it. If his methods hadn't been so indecent, so shameless, she would have broken through. She could have!
Ryuji, though, just scratched his head.
Honestly, he didn't harbor any real malice toward the Sailor Guardians. But having this pack of beautiful girls glaring at him like he was some monster? That did irritate him a little.
"Judging by your faces, you're not actually planning to fight me. How about this, I'll buy you all dinner. No, wait. Actually… you should be treating me, shouldn't you?"
The realization dawned on him.
He was the victim here!
He had saved them, only to be slandered afterward. Everything he did was in self-defense!
"Why the hell should we treat you to dinner? You're—!"
Minako Aino, with her bright golden hair much like Usagi's, blurted out instinctively. But before she could finish, Rei Hino quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. The last thing Rei wanted was for that embarrassing incident to be spoken aloud in public.
Meanwhile, Makoto Kino tightened her ponytail and clenched her fists, ready to charge forward and land a punch on Ryuji the moment someone gave the word.
"After all, I was the one who saved you," Ryuji began, his tone calm but edged with irritation. "Everything that happened afterward was entirely—"
Before he could finish, Saeko frowned and spoke up.
Because Usagi had been speaking Japanese, Saeko understood most of what was being said. Watching the five girls bristle with equal parts embarrassment and hostility, Saeko, who already thought she had grasped Ryuji's true nature, immediately imagined a dozen questionable scenarios.
After all, learning that Ryuji had slept with Shizuko hadn't been difficult intel to uncover. Saeko had noticed the irregularities that very morning when they'd taken headcount.
It was precisely that discovery which had convinced her that seduction was the most effective way to deal with him.
Because she was certain temptation worked on men like him.
"Mr. Ryuji," Saeko asked sharply, "just what exactly did you do to these girls?"
Ryuji rolled his eyes. "This is a matter of the supernatural. If you don't believe in that, then there's no point in asking."
Saeko let out a light laugh, though her gaze was sharp. She had been about to ease the tension herself.
"Even so, they're Japanese girls. I'm a Japanese police officer... it's only natural I take responsibility here."
"This is Hong Kong," Ryuji replied flatly. "You don't have jurisdiction here."
He wasn't wrong. She was a woman of science, tied down by procedures and protocols; men like him, who moved freely in shadows and dealt with magic, were from an entirely different world.
"Ugh…"
The moment the word "police" came up, the five Sailor Moons visibly lost some of their fire. They might have been heroines who fought evil, but at the end of the day, they were still just students. The idea of being dragged into a police station, questioned, or—worse—having their secret identities exposed? That terrified them.
After all, fighting monsters often left collateral damage. They weren't exactly clean in the eyes of the law.
"Well then," Saeko sighed, shrugging her shoulders as if in resignation. "Looks like there's nothing more I can do."
She stepped aside, lips curling with amusement, as though content to watch the storm unfold between Ryuji and the blushing, restless Sailor Moons.
As a proper policewoman, she still felt the need to speak.
"But don't go doing anything illegal, alright?"
She might not want to meddle in Ryuji's affairs, but if he broke the law, she wouldn't hold back especially if it involved deceiving young women's feelings.
"You don't have to worry about that."
"Oh?"
"Even if I were to break the law, I'd make sure you'd never see it."
Ryuji tossed the remark out casually. After getting a glare in return, he gestured at the seats in front of him, signaling the Sailor Moons to sit down. He was genuinely curious about these girls.
Saeko left without another word.
~~~~~~~~~~
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