LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 35: You know what? Screw it. I'd still hit it!
Yuno walked out of the room ahead of Ryan, casting one last look that said it all: Do anything stupid, and you'll regret it.
Ryan took a deep breath, adjusting the collar of his shirt before following her. As he stepped out, he was met with a vast and luxurious corridor, so elegant that he barely managed to hide his astonishment.
"Damn, Yuno is full of the money!" he muttered, more to himself than to her.
Yuno didn't stop or turn around, but her sharp voice echoed down the corridor.
"Watch your language around my mother. And, above all, you'll never mention what you're about to see."
Ryan smirked, carrying that naturally provocative tone.
"I'll think about it."
She abruptly stopped, turning with an expression that looked like it could rip someone's soul apart.
"Promise."
Faced with the seriousness in her gaze, Ryan sighed, raising his hands in surrender.
"Fine, fine…"
Without another word, Yuno resumed walking, leading them to an extravagant spiral staircase that looked straight out of a movie. As they descended, Ryan couldn't help but observe every detail of the house, which screamed wealth in every corner.
They arrived in the kitchen, where Yuno's mother and her sister, Maki, were already seated at the table. Before anyone could say anything, Yuno took the lead, trying to keep control of the situation.
"Hi, Mom. This is my friend Kuze. He accepted my invitation to dinner, despite his always-busy schedule."
Ryan glanced at Yuno, who was smiling angelically—so different from the murderous expression she wore minutes ago—that he could only think: I'll remember this forever.
Deciding to play along, he bowed slightly in a polite gesture.
"It's a pleasure to join you. Thank you for the invitation."
Yuno's mother clasped her hands together, looking as excited as a teenager.
"Yuno, my dear, what a polite young man you've brought!"
Yuno immediately waved her hands, trying to dismiss the idea.
"It's not like that, Mom! He's just a FRIEND!"
Maki, on the other hand, dramatically pointed a finger at Ryan.
"You better take good care of my sister. She deserves the best, and I won't accept anything less!"
Yuno's cheeks turned a light shade of pink as she retorted with mild irritation.
"Maki! I told you to stop saying stuff like that!"
Ryan barely held back a laugh but managed to maintain his composure.
"Well, Yuno is truly an amazing girl, Maki. Beautiful and special in every way. But, as she said, there's nothing romantic between us. We're just handling… mutual business."
Yuno shot him a look he interpreted perfectly: That's not what I wanted you to say, but I'll take the compliment.
He was certain she cursed him mentally but chose to savor the moment.
"Come, sit down! Make yourself at home, Kuze-kun." Yuno's mother said warmly.
Ryan pulled out a chair, keeping his tone polite.
"Thank you."
As he settled in, Yuno noticed something peculiar: her mother had arranged the seating so she would be next to Ryan. Narrowing her eyes in clear irritation, she pulled out the chair without complaint. However, upon noticing Ryan's smug smile, she discreetly stomped on his foot, eliciting a brief yelp of pain and wiping the grin off his face.
Dinner proceeded with a mix of embarrassing questions from Yuno's mother and awkward remarks from Maki, which seemed more focused on testing Ryan than anything else.
When the meal ended, Ryan decided it was time to make his exit.
"Yuno, could you tell me the time?" he asked politely.
She pulled her phone from her pocket, answering curtly.
"It's 9 PM."
His eyes widened in mock surprise.
"Really? Unfortunately, I have to go. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
Yuno's mother tried to insist, her voice laden with melodrama.
"But it's still early, young Kuze. Why not stay a bit longer?"
Ryan waved his hands, keeping his tone polite.
"I'd love to, but I really must rest. I promise to visit again."
Yuno's mother smiled warmly but couldn't resist a final comment.
"Do come back. I'm sure my beloved Yuno will make a wonderful wife for you."
Yuno shot up from her chair, her voice a little louder than usual.
"I'll walk him to the door, Mom!"
Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Ryan's arm and dragged him out of the kitchen.
Once they were far enough away, Ryan couldn't resist teasing.
"My future mother-in-law is adorable…"
Before he could finish, Yuno tightened her grip on his arm, and the warm house atmosphere was replaced by a chilling wind.
"You're not leaving me here…" he muttered, realizing her plan.
Yuno turned with a look that could make anyone rethink their life choices. Instinctively, Ryan grabbed her waist before she could disappear.
When he felt solid ground beneath his feet again, he realized they were back in Yuno's room. Before he could orient himself, he saw her pull a knife from under her pillow and lunge at him.
Ryan narrowly dodged but couldn't avoid a superficial cut on his arm.
"Why so aggressive? I didn't even do anything wrong at dinner!"
Yuno growled, her voice as cold as winter.
"It was a mistake bringing you here. Now die!"
She tried to strike again, but Ryan caught her from behind.
"Okay, you know you're not killing me right now. Look, I'm already bleeding! Isn't that enough for you?"
She struggled harder, but Ryan knew he needed a quick escape.
"Alright, you don't want to listen… So here's the deal: CALM DOWN, OR I'LL GRAB YOUR BOOBS AS HARD AS I CAN!"
Yuno froze, blinking once before clicking her tongue in irritation. Without a word, she teleported him again.
When Ryan opened his eyes, he recognized the house Mion had arranged for him in Hinamizawa.
"Well, I wanted to see Yuki, but this'll do…" he murmured, relieved.
Before he could finish the thought, he felt a blade graze his abdomen, leaving a light scratch.
"Crazy bitch!" he yelled, jumping back.
Yuno, with a look of both hatred and satisfaction, simply replied:
"You'll pay for this, Ryan."
And with that, she disappeared.
"I'm already paying…" Ryan muttered wearily as he collapsed onto the dusty couch behind him.
Lying on the couch, Ryan began muttering to himself while trying to stop the bleeding on his arm.
"Damn, Yuno… for a moment—a tiny moment—I thought you had a soft side, buried deep inside that stone heart of yours. Hell, I was even trying to be more zen in this new life…"
He stopped, standing up with an irritated sigh to look for something to use as a tourniquet. Grabbing a random cloth, he began wrapping it around his arm, still talking to himself.
"Her mom's a sweetheart, so attentive. Her sister? Loves her more than anything in the world. But Yuno herself? A compulsive, crazy psychopath! I'm sure, if given the chance, she'd kick a puppy. What the hell!"
As he tightened the cloth, Ryan grew more agitated, his words spilling out faster and more annoyed. When he finally tied the last knot, he stopped, letting the silence settle for a moment.
A short laugh escaped, dripping with irony.
"You know what? Screw it. I'd still hit it!."
With one final tug, he tied a firm knot on the makeshift bandage and threw himself back onto the couch, a sly grin spreading across his face, satisfied with himself.
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Message from the author!
The Hinamizawa arc is nearing its end. I've always wanted to read a fanfic about this work, but I could never find one that I liked or that had a proper ending. The same goes for Roshidere and Mirai Nikki. So, after thinking about a bunch of crazy ideas, I decided to start writing this story. Even though this story connects to countless other works, I'm trying not to modify things too much so that one doesn't drastically interfere with the other. Ryan will be the link that ties these various works together.
By the way, the next major arc is coming soon. This time, we'll delve into a more recent anime. This new arc will give Yuki and Alya more screen time, focusing more on action and romance.
The "I drive" guy will finally meet the "I'd win" guy. Who will be the more honorable?
If you're enjoying the story and would like to support me, I'll leave the Patreon link below. Currently, we have 15 chapters ahead, but my goal for January is to have at least 30 chapters available on Patreon (and if a lot of people subscribe, there will be 40 chapters ahead of the current ones, hehe).
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If you wish to see the advanced chapters, you can check the link below:
patreon.com/ErisNoSeraph