"Haha, I told you that what you ate wasn't spicy enough. This is my ultimate Spicy Miso."
Rikuo saw Sakiko's expression, and his smile finally broke. He picked up the herbal tea from under the table and handed it to Sakiko.
"This will relieve the spiciness. If you can't eat it, just spit it out."
Sakiko covered her mouth and stubbornly swallowed the spicy chicken, then took the red can of herbal tea Rikuo offered, a bit hesitant.
"I'm not lying to you, it's really herbal tea. Smell it, it's sweet."
Hearing Rikuo explain again, Sakiko finally took the herbal tea and guzzled a mouthful. Feeling the coolness neutralize the spiciness, she finally recovered.
"Rikuo, can you really eat something this spicy? I heard that spiciness is pain. Rikuo wouldn't be..."
Sakiko looked at Rikuo with a disgusted expression.
"...Really, Sakiko-sensei?"
"I don't know about others, but Rikuo is probably that kind of person. After all, I feel like you often deliberately want me to... sigh?"
Rikuo heard Sakiko's words, thought for a moment, and it seemed to be true.
"Now that you mention it, I'm starting to suspect I might be one of those things too."
"Hehe, Mutsumi, stay away from Rikuo from now on! And if he makes any strange requests, be sure to refuse!"
Sakiko hugged Mutsumi beside her and loudly whispered her conspiracy.
"Sakiko-sensei, it's not that serious. Honestly! I only seem to have done that to you."
Rikuo tried to protest.
"Saki, yes. I haven't seen Rikuo do that to anyone else."
Mutsumi thought for a moment and also helped Rikuo explain.
"Well, thank you very much for your special preference, Rikuo."
Sakiko looked at Rikuo with an even more disgusted gaze.
'Could it be that Rikuo really only likes me to do this? Well, it's not like I can't satisfy him.'
"That's good, I've collected a new CG. Actually, I wanted to fight..."
Sakiko covered Rikuo's mouth.
"What are you saying in front of Mutsumi? Father, you tell him too!"
The three turned to look at Togawa Kiyotsugu. It was then they noticed that someone hadn't spoken a word the whole time.
Togawa Kiyotsugu was seen reclining on the sofa, looking very serene.
"It seems he's been dead for a while."
Rikuo felt he understood Togawa Kiyotsugu's underworld cooking.
'It seems their whole family can't handle spicy food.'
...
After dinner, it was already 9:20.
"Sakiko, can you come out with me alone?"
Rikuo invited Sakiko out privately.
"Of course, Rikuo. At this hour, you're not going to confess, are you?"
Sakiko, of course, wouldn't refuse, in many ways.
"That's hilarious. Do you need to be alone to confess? Sakiko, I like you!"
"That's true, Rikuo never seems to have hidden it."
Sakiko turned to Mutsumi and said,
"Well, Mutsumi, you go back to sleep now."
"Saki, good night."
Mutsumi replied with an extremely robotic response and walked back to her apartment with an extremely robotic gait.
"It seems Mutsumi still has a long way to go in learning rebellion."
"But with someone as interesting as Rikuo, Mutsumi will probably cheer up very quickly."
"Then I'm finished. If Mutsumi becomes like me, I'll have to apologize to the entire BanG Dream! world."
"It's not that exaggerated. I really like Rikuo's personality."
"You can remove the last few words."
'Of course I can remove them.'
The two chatted as they walked out of the apartment. The heavy rain of the night had stopped, and the air carried a hint of damp coolness, which felt refreshing in this late spring, early summer season.
Rikuo led Sakiko to a nearby open space and turned to face her.
"Sakiko, are you carrying an Undead Card, and have you come into contact with an Anomaly?"
"Was I exposed? I wanted to secretly help Rikuo."
'With so many oversights, has Rikuo already discovered my Kamen Rider identity?'
Sakiko could only answer Rikuo's question.
"You're not hurt, are you? Why didn't you tell me? Also, trying to help me with just one card is too dangerous, Sakiko. I'm happy as long as you're safe. Can you tell me which card you're carrying?"
Sakiko saw Rikuo's worried expression and understood that he hadn't discovered her Rider identity; he was simply concerned.
"Mm, I escaped, I'm not hurt. It's just that the Anomaly has also disappeared without a trace. As for the Undead Card, it's this one."
Sakiko took out the 7 of Spades from her skirt pocket and handed it to Rikuo, because at present, this was the most normal one for Rikuo.
Category A was the most special, and heart was the most special suit. Only the 7 of Spades was within a reasonable range.
'However, the 7 of Spades is Rikuo's father's relic... so it might be the most special after all. I'm a bit selfish for possessing it privately. I'll have to find a way to hide the card in the future. Perhaps I can put it on the Shadow Chaser.'
While Sakiko was thinking about how to continue hiding her identity, Rikuo had already started to reply.
"7 of Spades? That's good. Sakiko, you keep it. I'll add Concealment to it next time. That way, when I'm not around, your safety will be guaranteed. You keep it for now; I guess you came back safely today thanks to it."
Rikuo's 9 of Clubs was currently with Anon. Anomalies were too frequent now, and after practicing until the Ouma ga Toki every day, he definitely wouldn't feel at ease letting Anon go home.
"Then, next time, I'll rely on Rikuo."
Sakiko put away the 7 of Spades, then suddenly took Rikuo's hand and shyly said,
"The moon is beautiful tonight." (You should all know that means 'I love you'.)
Rikuo glanced at the dark clouds in the sky and sighed.
"Sakiko-sensei, there's no moon tonight."
Sakiko shyly stomped on Rikuo's foot and turned to walk towards the apartment.
'Idiot, what are you pretending for! You clearly know what I mean! And you're deliberately pretending not to know! Just wait until I help you overcome fate, then let's see how you'll refuse me!'
Rikuo sighed again, watching Sakiko's retreating figure.
"I don't even know what the future holds. What if I can't do anything, and the world resets, and everything is over? What if the Joker's curse still comes true, and I'm finished when a child is born? How can I casually agree now?"
Rikuo was still sighing as he walked towards his apartment.
"Ugh, I feel like I lost a hundred million! But being stomped on by Sakiko-sensei actually felt pretty good."
Opening the apartment door, he saw the old man had also woken up.
"Rikuo-kun, Sakiko prefers sweet food. When she marries into your family, you can't just casually make such spicy dishes."
"You call what you eat spicy? But, yes, I do want to reserve Sakiko. Speaking of which, old man. It seems you'll be the only one in the parents' seats then."
Rikuo wasn't being coy. Barring any accidents, he would be with Sakiko-sensei this lifetime, provided he succeeded in the remaining 8 years.
"Hiss, it seems that's the case!"
Togawa Kiyotsugu gasped, contributing to the arrival of summer.
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