'Well, this is unexpected.' Kouga thought to himself as he watched Kiana sleeping peacefully on the futon stuffed inside his closet. He hadn't expected her to break into his house and eat half of his supplies. From what he'd seen of her past through his Kamen Rider Ghost power, despite her sharp reaction that morning, she was a good girl with a heart of gold. Breaking into someone's home didn't match her at all.
Deciding to wake her up, Kouga leaned closer and snapped his fingers a few times. The sound made the girl stir. She turned from side to side before finally rolling toward him, murmuring in a drowsy voice:
"Five more minutes, old man…"
Kouga, amused, replied, "Sorry, but I'm not your old man."
The sleepy girl blinked. Her blue eyes shot open when they locked with Kouga's crimson ones—and the next thing he knew, he had to block a punch aimed squarely at his face.
Kouga caught the blow, then leapt back across the room. Kiana jumped down from the closet in a fluid motion, glaring at him. Her reflexes were fast, and that punch… it had been strong.
For several seconds they circled each other like predators, the tension thick. Then Kiana lunged, spinning into a reverse kick. Kouga barely sidestepped in time, the air cracking where her heel passed. She pressed forward with a flurry of strikes while he evaded with calm precision.
--- POV Change ---From outside, the house looked abandoned, its faded walls blending into the quiet street. Passersby moved along, oblivious—until a sudden crash rang out, echoing through the neighborhood.--- POV Change ---
Minutes later, the two stood facing each other in Kouga's ruined room. Kiana was panting, sweat dripping down her temple, while Kouga remained guarded but calm. Cracks split the walls, the closet doors had been knocked from their tracks, and the room looked like a small battlefield.
"Are you done?" Kouga asked flatly.
Kiana didn't answer. She just glared, still on edge.
Kouga rolled his eyes. "Fine. Then let me ask you something else. What are you doing here in my house?"
That made her blink. "Huh?"
Seeing the tension falter, Kouga pressed on. "Yeah, why are you in my house eating my food?"
Confusion flickered across her face. Kouga took the chance to pull out his briefcase and show her his documents—proof that he owned the house.
Kiana's expression twisted in realization. "Wait… this place wasn't abandoned?"
Kouga sweatdropped. "Didn't it occur to you that someone owned this place? The inside's been cleaned, and the food wasn't spoiled. Doesn't that strike you as a little suspicious?"
Kiana paused, the truth dawning on her, and muttered sheepishly, "…Oh."
Kouga sighed. "Now, give me one good reason not to call the police on you, intruder." He deliberately avoided using her name—despite knowing it—so it wouldn't seem strange.
Flustered, Kiana waved her hands. "I'm sorry! I just… lost my credit card today and couldn't find it anywhere…"
She stumbled through her explanation: she had no place to stay, she'd been traveling constantly, and she thought the house looked empty enough to crash in. Kouga had to admit she wasn't completely wrong.
"Okay, okay, I get it." He raised his hand to stop her rambling. "You're lost, broke, and needed a place to stay. But you can't just break into someone's house. That's illegal, you know."
Her blue eyes widened in embarrassment. She muttered, "I didn't mean to… I really am in a mess right now."
"Yeah, I figured." Kouga chuckled, glancing at the cracked walls and the collapsed closet door, then back at her flushed, awkward face. "Alright, here's the deal: I won't call the cops, but you're cleaning this room. And if you really don't have anywhere to stay… I guess we're housemates for now."
Kiana hesitated, suspicious. "What do you mean? You're not kicking me out?"
"I don't think of myself as a nice guy," Kouga replied, "but I'm not heartless. You can stay here until you can afford your own place."
Her eyes softened, gratitude mixing with disbelief. Before she could say more, her stomach growled—loudly. Her face went red as she clutched it.
Kouga raised an eyebrow. "You ate all my cup noodles already, didn't you?"
"...Sorry. I have a really big appetite," she admitted, scratching her head.
"Figures. Just set the broken stuff aside. I'll buy cleaning supplies tomorrow. For now, I'll make dinner." Kouga turned for the door, only stopping when she called out:
"Hey! My name's Kiana Kaslana. What's yours?"
"Kouga Hayata," he replied simply, heading downstairs while she cleaned.
The kitchen soon filled with the sound of chopping and sizzling. Kouga cooked enough to cover the whole dining table—golden-brown roast chicken, steaming vegetables, roasted potatoes, and more. When he finished, he called for Kiana.
She rushed down and froze at the sight. "Wow… you made all this?"
"Yeah. You did say you had a big appetite." He shrugged, drying his hands. "I figured I'd better make enough."
Kiana laughed, her earlier tension melting away. "Thanks, Kouga. I feel bad for earlier, but this looks amazing!" She dove straight for the chicken.
"You're welcome." Kouga sat across from her and started serving himself vegetables.
They ate in relative peace, Kouga occasionally sneaking glances at her unrestrained enthusiasm. She devoured food like a storm, matching the fiery personality he'd glimpsed earlier. For someone so fierce, she looked oddly vulnerable now.
When the meal was over, Kiana leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "So what's the plan now? Am I your permanent housemate?"
"Until you've got your own money, yeah. For now, behave. I've got school tomorrow."
She gave a mock salute. "Got it, Captain. I'll be on my best behavior."
"Just don't destroy the house again." Kouga smirked.
"I'll try my hardest." She grinned, leaning back in her chair.
"I'll grab cleaning supplies tomorrow," Kouga said, stacking dishes. "For now, you should rest."
"Yeah. Thanks again, Kouga," Kiana said softly, her tone gentler now.
"No problem. Just stay out of trouble."
Later, Kouga carried his suitcase and briefcase downstairs, leaving Kiana to rest in the closet-bed.
"Goodnight, Kouga."
"Goodnight, Kiana."
When Kiana finally drifted off to sleep, Kouga took the quiet moment to prepare. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he reached into the depths of his power—this time drawing on Kamen Rider OOO.
A soft glow spread across the room as energy took shape, condensing into dozens of small metal capsules. They hit the tatami with light clinks before unfolding, transforming into tiny mechanical animals—Candroids, each with its own unique form and movement.
Kouga's crimson eyes swept over them, his voice calm but firm."Go. Spread throughout the city. If anything strange happens, alert me immediately."
The Candroids chirped and whirred in response before scattering, crawling and rolling their way toward the open window to vanish into the night.
Only one remained. Kouga extended a finger toward it—the Taka Candroid, its sleek bird-like form twitching with life."Not you. You've got a special task."
The mechanical bird tilted its head as if listening intently.
"You'll stay close to Kiana. Watch her, protect her if needed. From what I've seen of her past… trouble follows her. If anything happens, report back to me."
The Taka Candroid gave a sharp metallic cry of acknowledgment. Just as it prepared to take flight, Kouga added in a quieter tone:"And keep yourself hidden. The last thing we need is unnecessary attention."
With a flutter of steel wings, the bird slipped out the window, circling upward until it perched unseen near Kiana's room, watching over the white-haired girl as she slept peacefully.
Kouga let out a slow breath. With his scouts in place and his precautions set, there was only one thing left for him to prepare for—the role this world had given him.
"School, huh…" He muttered to himself with a wry smile. "Guess tomorrow, I play the part of an ordinary student."