"'Raise me'… You know that sounds like a crime," Shiro said, face unreadable.
Riku deflected with a flippant quip. "Relax, joking. No one's getting hurt, and nothing illegal is happening."
Shiro glanced around. No one had noticed the odd scene here. She understood the situation.
"Okay, back to the point." Riku ruffled her hair. "Do you want to stay here, or come with me?"
"Leave. What price do I pay?" The deep red of Shiro's eyes wavered as she voiced words far beyond her years.
She understood very well that she was a prisoner in this White Facility. Without help, her future here would be bleak. She hated the way people here looked at her.
And she understood something else: to gain anything, you pay a price. Saints might exist, but Shiro did not believe she would meet one.
"Mhm. I only need you," Riku said without hesitation. He had taken full stock of Shiro's daunting intellect and envy-worthy brilliance. Which was convenient; he wouldn't have to explain much.
He also seemed to forget that his own childhood had not been so different; he, too, had been called a "monster."
"You need my body?" Shiro put on a mock-startled look and crossed her arms over her chest; even so, her eyes stayed perfectly calm.
"Drop the last few words," Riku sighed. "Don't twist my meaning. And if you're going to act scared, at least let your expression budge a little."
"I'll take you out of here. In return, you stay with me, be my little sister." He kept gently patting her silvery hair as he spoke.
"Riku, are you a… doting big-brother type?" Shiro tilted her head, deadpan.
"Think of it that way," Riku said, shaking his head. He really hadn't noticed before that Shiro had a sly streak.
"Hey, Riku, do you like games? Chess, shogi, go." The moment she said "games," a faint light came into her garnet eyes.
"I do. Those are some of my favourites," Riku answered at once, lips quirking.
"Let's play a game," Shiro said and, rare for her, showed the faintest smile. "If Riku wins, I'll leave with you and be your little sister fulfilling your 'big-brother' wish."
"If I win, you still save me and take me out," she added.
"A wager on yourself, huh." Riku smiled. Even at such a young age, she sees straight through things, striking a deal, and staking herself on it. Even in Little Garden, crammed with prodigies, few could match that.
"Then let's begin." He snapped his fingers, pure theatrics.
A board appeared in midair between them, pieces neatly arrayed, hovering. Round one: chess. It ended quickly.
Riku won cleanly. His skill could go even with Jibril's; for all Shiro's genius, she was still only four.
The crisp defeat of the first of her life sent ripples through her eyes. A stubborn spark flared.
Round two: shogi Again, Riku swept the board.
"Again," Shiro said, raising her small face to meet his, voice soft but unyielding.
"It was best two of three. You've already lost, Shiro," Riku said, smiling.
"Again." Fingers clutching her hem, eyes fierce. She hated losing. She wanted to win.
"A true player," Riku murmured. Real players crave victory; they can't accept a loss. When they lose, they burn to win it back. And the gifted tend to be obsessive about it.
"If you want to keep playing, we'll keep playing." He conjured more sets, and they went through game after game.
In the end, Riku won them all.
Geniuses are obsessive; Riku was no exception. In games, he refused to sandbag. That would insult the opponent.
"Riku… that's cheating," Shiro said at last, eyes misting, lips pushed out in a tiny pout.
"…Yeah." He rubbed his face, a touch sheepish. No matter how brilliant, she was still four; her heart could only take so much. He'd overdone it. But in games, he simply couldn't hold back; to him, that would be disrespect.
He had taken Shiro as a serious opponent at the table, not a cute child to coddle.
"Ahem. Shiro, it's time to get out of here. Big brother's taking you out for hamburgers." He dabbed away the moisture at the corner of her eye, patted her hair again, then lifted her into his arms with an easy smile.
"…Mm." Shiro calmed, slipping her arms around his neck.
Space rippled. The two of them vanished. No one noticed a thing. Every person in the White Facility had their memories gently scrubbed clean.
-
In an apartment block in Tokyo's Ashikaga Ward, room 405 on the 4th floor—Riku and Shiro appeared.
"From today, this is home," Riku said, ruffling Shiro's silver hair with a smile.
"Bro, there's nothing here. Do we need to go shopping?" Shiro looked around the bare unit.
"Nah—no shopping." Riku snapped his fingers. In an instant, furniture manifested in place, neatly arranged.
Creation and bestowal like that is child's play for a double-digit with full authority—let alone for Riku.
"Bro, you're totally a manga-style superpower user," Shiro said, eyes wide.
"I'm not a superpower user," Riku chuckled.
"Then a demon? A yōkai?" Shiro deadpanned.
"Why not an angel, or a god?" Riku teased.
"Because angels and gods don't go around 'abducting children,'" Shiro replied, looking up at him.
"Hmph, Shiro lost to me fair and square," Riku said, squatting to gently squish her cheeks, entirely too pleased with himself.
"And for the record, you're off by a bit. I'm a Demon Lord," he added.
That answer stunned Shiro for a beat; she blinked, all wide-eyed innocence.
"Okay, okay, enough teasing," Riku relented, melted by the cuteness.
"Time to greet the neighbours. Want to come? Or would you rather try the console?" He pointed at the game system by the TV.
"I don't like that kind of social stuff. You go. I'll play," Shiro said without hesitation. She'd wanted to try console games for ages.
Riku laughed and shook his head, unsurprised by her choice.
He stepped out to room 404, pressed the doorbell, and waited.
Footsteps approached, but instead of the door opening, a mature woman's voice called from inside:
"May I ask who's there?"
"I'm Riku Dola, the new tenant in 405, just dropping by to say hello," he answered.
"Oh! A new neighbour." Locks clicked; the door opened to reveal a woman with an apologetic smile.
She has striking, refined features, a gentle air, blue eyes bright with intelligence, and silver hair braided over one shoulder. Slender, graceful, the very picture of a demure young wife.
"Sorry to be cautious just now," she said, hands together in apology. It was just the two of them, mother and daughter, so she had to be careful. Not that she could tell that to a stranger.
"No worries. In your shoes, I'd ask first, too," Riku said with an easy smile.
"Dola-kun, won't you come in for a bit?" His answer seemed to put her at ease; with that mature composure, good looks, and considerate manner, he didn't read like a bad person at all.
"Then I'll take you up on it." Riku stepped in, slipped off his shoes, and put on the guest slippers she set out.
Once he was seated, she brought tea.
"Thank you," he said, taking a sip. "Brewed perfectly."
"Thank you for the compliment, Dola-kun." She beamed. Riku's bearing made a strong first impression, and his polite, unassuming tone only helped.
It didn't hurt that the sheer presence of his life force tended to draw people in.
That, in truth, was why she'd felt comfortable inviting a stranger inside.
"By the way, Kōsaka-san, I don't think I caught your given name," Riku said with a blink and a smile.
"Ah, sorry! I forgot to introduce myself." She touched her braid, a little flustered, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. "I'm Rie Kōsaka."
"Rie Kōsaka? A lovely name," Riku said. "It suits you, graceful and warm."
"Oh, you're too kind, Dola-kun," she laughed behind her hand.
For two people who'd just met, they somehow felt oddly familiar already.
"I'm only stating facts," Riku went on lightly. "You do give that gentle, capable impression." "You do have a sweet tongue," Rie smiled, eyes curving as a faint blush deepened.
"By the way, Dola-kun, are you from overseas?" she added, deftly shifting the mood before it got too cosy.
"I am," Riku said, smiling.
"Eh, so Riku-kun really is a foreigner," Rie Kōsaka said in surprise. "Your Japanese is amazingly fluent, though."
"More or less," Riku shrugged.
"Riku-kun, did you come to Japan with your family?" Rie couldn't help asking.
"Mhm. I have a little sister. The rest of my family… isn't in this world," Riku answered evenly.
"I'm sorry, did I bring up something painful?" Rie froze for a beat, her mind filling in melodramatic possibilities, and bowed apologetically.
Riku didn't bother explaining; the more you explain, the messier it gets.
"Um, Riku-kun, if you ever run into trouble, you can come to me," Rie said solemnly.
To her, a boy of maybe seventeen looking after a kid sister in Tokyo had it tougher than she did. No wonder he seemed so mature.
"Got it," Riku said, rubbing his nose and nodding.
"Huh? What's this?" A booklet slipped off the side of the sofa; Riku reflexively caught it.
"Riku-kun, wait!" Rie's face went crimson under her light makeup. She lurched to her feet, hands reaching to snatch the booklet back.
…but she was a moment too late. In that instant, Riku had already seen most of it.
They were doujin illustrations specifically, 18+ yuri.
Riku almost couldn't help the wry comment rising to his tongue.
He'd already guessed who Rie was, but still leaving your 18+ yuri doujin right on the living room sofa? That's… bold.
"Um, that…" Rie stammered, cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Getting caught by the new neighbour with this sort of thing would kill her now. Her ex, a man with a "purity complex," had divorced her over this exact work.
"Your draftsmanship is excellent, Kōsaka-san. Easily pro level," Riku said matter-of-factly.
Inwardly, he added 'No wonder you'll raise such a talented daughter… the original Eromanga-sensei, huh.'
"Eh… Riku-kun, you don't mind?" Rie blinked, taken aback.
A woman drawing 18+ yuri at home, most people would call that "not normal," right?
"Why would I mind? It's your hobby and your livelihood. As an outsider, I've no right to judge," Riku replied with a small smile.
"Riku-kun, I bet girls are going to like you," Rie said, relaxing as she met his clear gaze.
There wasn't a trace of scorn, disgust, or lechery there, just calm sincerity.
With someone who carries himself like this, it's hard not to like him. If she were still a young maiden, she might have fallen then and there.
"Then I'll take that blessing. With your words, maybe romance will finally find me," Riku laughed. "I'll have to thank you properly when it does."
Rie pressed her lips together in a smile; her impression of him couldn't have been better.
"By the way, Riku-kun, why don't you just call me Rie-san, and I'll call you Riku-kun? We're neighbours now; being friendly is nice."
"Understood, Rie-san." Riku wasn't one of those painfully wooden rom-com leads; he accepted it smoothly.
Which only deepened the blush on world-wise Rie's cheeks. She'd never chatted this comfortably with a man before.
"Oh, Riku-kun, this is just a small gift from me to you. Please accept it," Riku said then, lifting a shopping bag brimming with fruit.
"I can't! I should be the one giving you a welcome gift," Rie protested at once.
Fruit is absurdly expensive in Japan; a bag like this signals real sincerity. And Riku was supporting a little sister in Tokyo, splurging like this worried her.
"Please take it, Rie-san. My sister and I aren't big on fruit; if you don't, it'll just go to waste," Riku said, shaking his head.
"That…" Rie could only accept the bag with a helpless sigh. He was too considerate. It delighted her and made her fret a bit more about his finances.
"Right, Riku-kun, do you like light novels and manga?" Rie suddenly remembered something, eyes lighting up.
"I do. In fact, one reason I came to Japan was to debut as a light-novel author," Riku smiled.
"Really? Then come with me for a moment!" Rie brightened, stood up, and, unable to hide her excitement, took Riku by the hand.
Before long, Riku let himself be towed down the hall by Rie Kōsaka. She stopped at a door and knocked lightly.
"Sagiri, Sagiri, could you open up for a moment?" Rie called gently.
"Mom?" came a small voice. Light footsteps pattered over; the door cracked open to reveal a little girl in white pyjamas. Her voice was soft and childlike.
Her features were stamped from the same mould as Rie's silver hair, blue eyes, but with the dewy softness unique to children. She was so adorably delicate that one's first instinct was to cuddle her.
"…!" The moment she saw Riku, Sagiri's eyes widened. She shrank back, ready to swing the door shut.
"Don't be scared, Sagiri. Riku-oniisan is a good person and our new neighbour," Rie said, already prepared for this. She set a hand against the door, crouched to Sagiri's height, and stroked her silver hair with a warm smile.
"I… okay." Rie's smile was contagious; Sagiri blinked, then answered in a voice barely louder than a mosquito.
Without another word, she padded back inside and flopped face down on her bed.
"Sorry, Riku-kun. This is my daughter, Sagiri Kōsaka. She's terribly shy," Rie said, apologetic about the brusque reception.
"It's fine. Lots of kids are shy. My little sister's the same way," Riku replied with an easy smile.
"I see. Well then, Riku-kun, please, have a seat on the bed," Rie said with a small, amused smile at how considerate he was. She led him into the room, closed the door, and moved toward the bookshelf.
Riku took in the pink-forward room at a glance, then glanced to Rie selecting books… and finally to Sagiri, lying on the big bed, hugging a plushie. He shook his head lightly.
'Bringing a teenage boy into your daughter's room if I were the wrong sort, this could go badly. Rie-san, you're fearless,' he thought, half-chiding, half-impressed.
"Since you're planning to write light novels, there are some must-reads you should learn from," Rie said, returning with an armful and setting them neatly on the bed with a smile. "These are all big hits right now."
She sat beside him, holding a book up enthusiastically. "If you skip this one, you'll regret it for life!"
"Uh…" A faint, clean fragrance of shampoo and fabric softener drifted from the married woman beside him, and Riku touched his cheek, a bit at a loss. 'Rie-san… this setup could be misunderstood, he thought wryly.'
"And this manga, if you want to write fantasy, you can't miss it. It's excellent," Rie continued, perfectly focused on her "recommended reading" like an earnest evangelist.
"Right. If it's your recommendation, Rie-san, I'll read it," Riku said with a smile.
"Mhm, mhm and this one, too!" Rie grew more animated as she went; at some point, their shoulders were lightly touching.
Across the room, Sagiri peeked at Riku from over her plush. It had been a long time since she'd seen her mother this cheerful.
Half an hour later, Rie stacked everything into a large paper bag and handed it to Riku with a bright-eyed smile.
"Riku-kun, please take these. Think of them as my little welcome gift, no refusing!"
"Thank you, Rie-san." Riku accepted the bag with a light laugh.
"Rie-san, it's getting late. I should greet the other neighbours, too," he said as he rose. However friendly things had become, lingering too long in someone else's home wasn't ideal.
"I understand. I won't keep you," Rie said, a touch sheepish.
After stepping out of the Kōsakas' and waiting for the door to close, Riku slipped the "welcome gift" of novels and manga into his system storage.
"What a genuinely nice boy," Rie said from the doorway, truly impressed.
"Sagiri, keep practising your drawing, okay?" she added, turning to her daughter with a smile. "Who knows, maybe you'll be able to help Riku-kun someday."
"Emmm…" Sagiri just blinked, baffled, at her smiling mother.
By then, Riku was already at Room 406. He picked up another bag of fruit, pressed the doorbell, and waited.
"May I help you?"
The door soon opened to a man of about thirty. He looked Riku over, surprised.
"Hello, Mr Karuizawa. I'm the new tenant in 405, just making the rounds," Riku said, lifting the fruit slightly with a friendly smile.
"A new neighbour! Please, come in, come in," the man said, eyes flicking to the fruit and to Riku's composed demeanour before warmly taking him by the hand and ushering him inside.