I Want to Meet Her

Ryuki woke up as usual and took a bath with his sister, Saki, and their mother first thing in the morning. Afterward, he and his mother prepared breakfast together. In his previous life, his older sister had done so much for him—cooking meals, helping him out—so he'd learned to cook to repay her kindness. Sadly, he never got the chance to let her taste his food.

After breakfast, his mother left for work. Ryuki took Saki to Asuka's house, dropped her off, and then headed to the park where he'd agreed to meet Rena and Ruby. He knew Saki was curious about where he went. She and Asuka had secretly followed him before—or so they thought. Their attempts were clumsy and obvious. Ryuki could spot them in the car's side mirror every time. He'd take a few sharp turns, duck behind a car, and lose them easily. His ability always helped him stay one step ahead.

---

"Ryuki got away again," Asuka said, irritation creeping into her voice. She was more curious about Ryuki's mornings than Saki was. She already knew why he left them in the evenings—dropping Saki off with her—but his early disappearances puzzled her.

She called Rena one day and asked where she and Ryuki went after school. Rena said they just played the latest games at her house. Asuka knew Ryuki loved games but couldn't afford them at home, so that made sense. Still, she pressed Rena about the mornings. Rena didn't know either. Asuka's curiosity about Ryuki grew. Where did he go?

Meanwhile, Yuta stood nearby, arms crossed, staring at the ground. "Should I use my gift?" he muttered under his breath.

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"Yesterday, Asuka called me about why we vanish right after school," Rena said to Ryuki.

He nodded. They were walking back to school after helping Ruby with her homework, giving her a sandwich, and dropping her off. 

"Did you tell Asuka we just play games?" Ryuki asked.

"Yeah, I did," Rena replied.

Ryuki thought for a moment. "Asuka, Saki, and Yuta are just kids. We'll stick to the story—we play games after school every day. In the mornings, I meet Ruby, my new little sister, to hang out with her. Today, we'll bring Asuka, Saki, and Yuta to meet Ruby. We can say whatever, and they'll buy it—as long as Yuta doesn't use his gift. But if we keep my mornings a secret, he'll use it in two days. So, let's introduce them to Ruby today."

"Good plan," Rena said, nodding. They fell into a comfortable silence as they walked. It wasn't awkward—just peaceful. They were headed to school, or so it seemed, until Rena stopped and asked, "Can you use your gift to find a way back to our old world?"

"I already did," Ryuki said. "There's a way."

She nodded, quiet for a moment. Then she spoke again. "In my last life, I loved someone. I made a mistake that split us apart for a while. By the time I could see them again, they were dead. Is there a way to bring them back in this world?"

Ryuki tilted his head. "Give me a minute." He consulted his gift. Rena was clever—she didn't say if her love was a man or a woman, keeping it vague. She clearly didn't want him digging into her past.

"There's a way," he said finally. "The fastest option is in twenty years. Something will fall from space and land here. If we get it, I think we can revive your lover in this world."

Rena's face lit up. She clenched her fists, eyes blazing with excitement. Ryuki could tell she was thrilled at the thought of bringing her love back. He smiled faintly.

They walked on to school. Rena's happiness was obvious, and it rubbed off on him. She'd just learned she could resurrect her love—good for her. Ryuki wondered if he should return to his old world to see his older sister. It'd take years to get back, but did he even want to? 

His old world held nothing but his sister. She might've moved on by now, built a life. He'd ignored her for three years before this life—why barge in now? She'd once said she wanted a husband and kids. Hopefully, she'd gotten that. Still, a pang hit him. Damn, he missed her.