Bab 44: Hope
Ryosuke's lips curled into a faint smile—not mocking, but disarmingly calm. He raised a hand, motioning for her to slow down.
"Not so fast. It's not that simple. If I'm going to do this, it has to be for both you and your sister... at the same time."
Mai froze, her eyes widening in shock.
"Why?" she demanded, suspicion creeping back into her tone. "Why does she need to be involved? This bond—it's in me, isn't it? It's my fault she's suffering. You should be able to change it without her."
Ryosuke shook his head, his voice steady. "It's not that straightforward. Your bond… it doesn't belong to just you or just her. It's shared. You're like two sides of the same coin. I can't alter one side without affecting the other."
Mai turned away, her jaw tightening as she tried to contain the storm of emotions rising within her. Anger, frustration, despair—they clashed in her chest, leaving her both vulnerable and furious.
"So what you're telling me," she whispered, her voice trembling, "is that you can't do anything. Not unless she's here. And even if she was… how am I supposed to trust you?"
"It's not about trust, Mai. It's about choice." His voice softened, almost a whisper. "If you want me to do this, you both need to be ready. Otherwise, the bond stays as it is, and nothing changes."
She knew he was right, even if every fiber of her being wanted to argue. The logic was sound, but the thought of facing her sister, of having that conversation… it felt like an insurmountable mountain. Yet deep down, a faint spark of hope refused to be extinguished.
Her eyes met Ryosuke's again, her fists still clenched, but her tone softened just slightly. "And if I do trust you… how are you going to do it?"
Ryosuke's smile shifted, lighter now, almost teasing. "That's a surprise. But don't worry—you'll know when the time comes."
Mai stared at him for a moment, then let out a frustrated sigh. "You're absolutely impossible."
"And yet," he replied with a shrug, mischief gleaming in his eyes, "you haven't punched me yet."
Against her better judgment, a corner of her lips twitched upward, betraying a hint of a smile she quickly suppressed. "You'd better not disappoint me, Ryosuke. Or else—"
"Or else what?" he asked, mockingly pretending to be afraid.
Her gaze hardened again, turning icy. "You'll see."
Mai stared down at her hand, disbelief written across her face. Sweet, sticky ice cream was dripping through her fingers, forming a small, gooey puddle on the ground. She shot Ryosuke a glare, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Seriously?! Look at this! My ice cream is ruined! All because of your weird demonstrations!"
Ryosuke, watching the scene with an infuriating mix of amusement and indifference, raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
"My demonstration?" he repeated, feigning offense. "You're the one who stood there staring at me like I'd summoned a dragon. I didn't ask for an audience."
Mai blinked, stunned.
"What?! You've got to be kidding me! You distracted me with all your 'concepts' talk, and now you're blaming me? You should seriously learn when to shut up!"
Ryosuke raised his hands in mock surrender, the mischievous glint in his eyes only stoking her frustration further.
"Okay, okay," he said, his tone disarmingly calm, though the smirk on his face was anything but. "I'll get you another ice cream. No need to look at me like you're about to hit me."
He turned and strolled leisurely toward the vendor, hands stuffed in his pockets. Mai, still simmering with anger, folded her arms and glared at his back.
"Some gentleman you are," she muttered under her breath, her voice dripping with a mix of irritation and exasperation.
As Ryosuke neared the halfway point to the vendor, he tilted his head slightly, as though addressing someone who wasn't there.
"You planning to keep spying on me?" he asked casually, his voice carrying a faint edge of boredom.
Everything seemed normal. Only the sound of children playing and the hum of insects broke the silence.
Then, a faint buzzing emerged. A tiny mechanical bee suddenly darted out from a nearby bush. Its translucent wings, glowing faintly blue, beat rapidly, producing a steady, artificial sound.
"Of course, you sensed me," said the bee, its voice synthetic but surprisingly expressive. "And yet, you still opened your mouth and spilled everything."
Ryosuke shrugged slightly without breaking stride.
"It involves you too," he replied in a detached tone, not even glancing at the bee. "Might as well deal with it now. I hate repeating myself. Two birds, one stone."
The bee hovered around him.
"Why would you do that?"
Ryosuke stopped abruptly, forcing the bee to adjust its flight. He turned his head slightly toward it.
"My aunt," he began, with an exaggerated sigh, "said I should build connections. Put in the effort to talk to people, to bond, blah, blah, blah..." He waved his hand dismissively, emphasizing how tiresome he found the idea. "So here I am. Doing it my way."
The bee floated silently for a moment before replying:
"And obviously, you expect something in return. So, what is it?"
Ryosuke resumed walking, his hands buried in his pockets. A faint, cryptic smile played on his lips.
"Help me hold onto my humanity."
He said no more, leaving the bee to process his words. It hovered motionless for a moment before following him quietly, its buzzing blending with the ambient noise.
Ryosuke strolled over to the ice cream vendor.
As he opened his mouth to order, the bee cut him off:
"Pistachio flavor."
Ryosuke raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Pistachio?" he muttered, skeptical. "You've got to be kidding. She picked melon earlier."
"Trust me."
He stared at the bee for a moment, unsure, then sighed in resignation. "Fine... pistachio it is." He placed the order, suppressing a grimace, then walked back toward Mai, who was waiting nearby.
"Here. Your ice cream," he said, his voice strangely hesitant.
Mai grabbed the cone and squinted at it. "What flavor is this?"
Ryosuke glanced away, scratching the back of his head. "Pistachio..."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. For a moment, she just stood there, staring at the green scoop. Then, to everyone's surprise—especially Ryosuke's—she took a tentative bite.
The silence that followed was almost unsettling. Ryosuke folded his arms, watching Mai closely, searching her expression for any clue. But all he saw was pure, unfiltered delight.
She savored the ice cream with an intensity that was almost comical.
Ryosuke smirked and looked away, his hands returning to his pockets. "Thanks..." he muttered under his breath, barely audible.
Mai glanced up, her mouth still full of ice cream. "Huh? Thanks for what?"
Ryosuke stiffened slightly, like a kid caught sneaking candy. "What? Uh... nothing."
Mai eyed him suspiciously but eventually shrugged, deciding not to press the issue. After all, the ice cream was delicious.
Ryosuke, relieved, let out a quiet sigh and shot a quick glance at the bee, which hovered lazily beside him.
The bee said nothing, merely drifting aimlessly around his head.
TO BE CONTINUED!
Next Chapter: First year of Kyoto Jujutsu High School
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