Her words landed like a slap dressed in expensive lipstick.
Moments later, the lounge door opened again—and Ryuu finally appeared. His hair was slightly damp, as if he'd hurried over after hearing who was here. His eyes flicked to Sayaka… then to Reina.
"Sayaka?" His voice was even, but Reina caught the flicker of unease—memories stirred awake.
Sayaka rose slowly, her steps measured as she approached him. "You came. It's been so long." Her tone softened, her hand reaching up to smooth his hair—making Reina hold her breath.
Ryuu exhaled, brushing her hand away. Without a word, he walked past her to his usual seat. From behind the bar, Reina quickly busied herself with glasses, though her ears strained for every word.
"You're still here?" Ryuu asked coolly.
"Yeah, that's not a problem, is it? Besides, Aunt Naomi lets me stay at the mansion… And imagine my surprise to find you frequenting this place… and…" Sayaka's eyes flicked toward Reina, her smirk razor-sharp, "…with new company."
At that, Ryuu's gaze shifted immediately to Reina. Their eyes met for a fleeting moment—long enough to say everything unsaid.
Reina turned away, her chest tight. Was it jealousy? Or just discomfort gnawing at her? Ryuu hadn't done anything… and somehow, that hurt most of all to her.
Sayaka settled into Ryuu's usual seat, crossing her long legs. "May I borrow you for a private conversation? Just the two of us, Ryuu."
Ryuu hesitated. "Sayaka, this isn't the place—"
"It won't take long. I only want to talk about… our past. And your future.."
The last word froze Reina in place. Future? She bit her lip, an ache blooming in her chest.
Of course she shouldn't expect anything. How could a countryside girl like me ever dream of a CEO…
Ryuu glanced toward her, as if he wanted to explain, to reach her. But Reina avoided his eyes. In her silence, it felt like betrayal of something she hadn't even had yet.
"I'll… step to the back for a bit, Senior," she murmured to Leon, her voice trembling, before slipping into the staff room.
Against the wall, Reina pressed her hands over her face. "Am I just a distraction to him?" she whispered, heart pounding.
Meanwhile, out front, Sayaka and Ryuu sat together—the past and present colliding.
And in between them, Reina's heart whispered. 'Will he choose me… or return to his harbor of old?'
---
Sayaka swirled the deep red wine in her glass, her gaze lost in the liquid as if it held their history.
"I hear you're now a major investor in this place.. Ryuu."
Ryuu nodded faintly. "Yes. But I don't come here for business. This place is quiet for me. What do you want to ask, Sayaka?" he asked directly.
Her eyes lingered on him. "It's because of her, isn't it? She's why you stay here.."
Ryuu's gaze wavered, as though seeking someone. "She's… different."
Sayaka's smile tightened, sharp with bitterness. "So I'm just like the rest. Everything we had—just the same as everyone else?"
"That's not it," Ryuu cut in quickly, though his tone remained steady. "That was the past. And it's over, Sayaka."
Sayaka inched closer. "But not for me. And not for you either. When you left—when you abandoned everything to start over—I believed you would return. For me."
Her hand slid onto his muscular thigh through the fabric of his trousers.
Ryuu looked down at her hand, then back into her eyes. Gently but firmly, he moved it away. "I didn't come back to relive the past. I came to build something new. With new people in it."
Sayaka's breath caught. "You're serious about her?"
He was quiet for a moment. "For the first time in my life, I'm trying to be honest."
Her fingers tapped the glass before she smirked bitterly. "Fine. But you know our world isn't that simple. You have a name, Ryuu. I know who you are—and who she is. She won't survive in your world. Sooner or later, she'll break..."
Ryuu's fists tightened beneath the table, though his face stayed calm. "Maybe. But she's not someone who runs when she's hurt. And I'm not someone who hides from guilt anymore."
Meanwhile in the staff room, Reina stood before the mirror, her reflection blurry through tear-brimmed eyes. Her lips trembled.
Yuki slipped in quietly, watching her friend's slumped shoulders. "Oi. What's with the long face, Rein..?"
Reina wiped quickly at her eyes. "N-nothing. I'm just… tired."
Yuki narrowed her eyes. "Hum… tired, or jealous?" She dropped onto the bench beside her.
A heavy sigh escaped Reina. "She's his ex, Yuki… And now I know the kind of woman he once had. How could I ever compare..?"
Yuki leaned back, unwrapping a candy. "So what? You're not just some ordinary girl either. Honestly? I think you're the reason he keeps coming here. I've worked here longer than you, and I've never seen him act… human."
Reina let out a weak laugh. "And what was he before?"
"A guest in permanent serious mode," Yuki quipped around her candy. "But I mean it, Re. Don't let an ex knock you down. You don't even know him fully yet. For all you know, Ryuu now is different."
Reina fell silent. "…Do you really think so?"
"Yeah. Just find out, okay?"
---
Back in the VIP room, Sayaka rose, clutching her purse. "I'll be coming here often from now on. For business… and personal reasons."
Ryuu stood slowly. "Do as you wish. But I hope you come with good intentions, Sayaka.."
Her smirk was faint, dangerous. She patted his chest lightly, a gesture from long ago. "My intentions are always good, Ryuu... But if someone gets pushed aside in the process—that's not my fault, is it?"
On tiptoe, she brushed a kiss to his cheek before gliding out. Ryuu remained still, watching her leave, then turned toward the bar. Reina was nowhere in sight. His hand clenched into a fist.
From the crack of the staff room door, Reina had seen everything—the chest pat, the kiss. And Ryuu's empty gaze toward the bar.
She bit her lip hard, pain twisting inside her.
"Maybe I really am in a fight… But if I have to battle for my place in his heart—I won't back down. Or… am I just being foolishly confident?" she whispered to herself, torn between hurt and resolve.