The Gravity of Fate

"So there's no problem, then." Toyokawa Sakiko said expressionlessly.

Just then, her female coworker beside them also finished work. Seeing Riki, she smiled and said, "So this is your boyfriend, huh? Treat Sakiko well."

Boyfriend?

Riki stared at the female coworker in bewilderment. When had he become "the boyfriend"?

Was she making things lewd?

He wasn't that kind of casual person.

"She just misunderstood. I didn't pay much attention to it, so don't overthink it either." Toyokawa Sakiko said expressionlessly as she pulled Riki away. Riki only noticed that her fair ears had turned completely red.

Teacher Da Xiang had a pretty stubborn mouth.

He couldn't say that now. Toyokawa Sakiko knew about her insulting nickname, and if he said it, she would definitely give him an angry glare.

"Where are we going now?" Riki asked curiously.

"My place." Toyokawa Sakiko pointed at a two-story apartment ahead. She led Riki up the creaking stairs to the second floor, took out a key, and unlocked the door.

"Wouldn't it be bad with your father there?" Riki asked worriedly.

Toyokawa Sakiko paused, then said calmly, "He's rarely home. Even when he is, all he does is drink. Come in."

Riki and Toyokawa Sakiko entered the room together. The curtains were half drawn, and dim light fell across empty beer bottles scattered on the tatami. Washed clothes hung from a rope strung across the room, and the smell of alcohol was exceptionally strong.

Toyokawa Sakiko tried her best to appear calm. "Sit down for now. I'll tidy up the room."

Riki nodded. The room was very small. What Toyokawa Sakiko called her room was really just a space divided off with a curtain. The cabinet that had probably originally been used for clothes held neatly folded futons, with the dolls she liked placed beside them.

Although he knew about Toyokawa Sakiko's current situation, only after seeing it with his own eyes did he understand how bad it really was.

Riki sat beside Toyokawa Sakiko's "bedroom," the only place where he could sit. A pleasant scent lingered there, the same fragrance he had smelled on Toyokawa Sakiko.

So beautiful girls really do have a natural scent. The virgins of the Chinese internet didn't lie to me after all.

Riki thought this as he picked up the doll beside him and gave it a sniff. When he raised his head, he saw Toyokawa Sakiko looking at him with disdain.

"Let me explain." Riki put down the doll without changing expression.

Toyokawa Sakiko had already felt ashamed of the place she lived in, but she hadn't expected to turn around and see Riki seriously sniffing her favorite doll. The complicated feeling completely swept away her earlier shame and unease.

For some reason, I don't feel nervous whenever he's around. Toyokawa Sakiko thought. Seeing Riki's tense expression, she couldn't help laughing. Her cheeks glimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.

Holy crap, the fair Sakiko form... Riki thought.

"By the way, there's one more very important matter..." Toyokawa Sakiko suddenly said.

Chapter 4: The Gravity of Fate

"Since we might often be traveling to each other's worlds from now on, you need to find somewhere to live. I rented the room next door for a month as payment for staying at your place. That way, neither of us will owe the other anything."

Toyokawa Sakiko was even more stubborn than Riki had imagined. Her pride made it impossible for her to take advantage of someone else.

Riki went to look at the room next door. It was completely empty.

I'll have to buy some food in preparation for later.

Thinking this, Riki walked around the nearby area. It was his first time in Japan, so everything looked fresh to him. As he walked, he realized he had arrived in front of Ring.

Many young girls carrying musical instruments came and went through the concert hall, and quite a few girls were sitting in the café on the first floor.

"Pilgrimage complete!"

Just as Riki turned around to continue walking, he suddenly bumped into a girl wearing a Haneoka school uniform.

"Sorry..." Riki lowered his head. When he saw the gray-haired girl's face, he froze. That dazed, penguin-like appearance—wasn't she Haneoka's mascot, Takamatsu Akari, the heaviest girl in the world?

The ultimate Heavy Woman who could say, "Would you be willing to form a band with me for the rest of our lives?" upon their first meeting.

A terrifying gravity capable of warping even a black hole!

But Riki wasn't afraid. He wasn't a girl, so how could he possibly be caught by Takamatsu Akari's gravity?

"Are you all right?" Riki pulled her up. Seeing the astronomy guidebook in her arms, he said, "I like constellations too, especially the Cowherd and Weaver Stars. Though if they wanted to meet once a year, they'd definitely have to travel faster than light, but human stories should be a little more like fairy tales, right?"

"Humans?" Takamatsu Akari blinked as she looked at the black-haired young man with the bright smile.

For some reason, she seemed to see a shadow of Toyokawa Sakiko in him.

They had both fallen to the ground.

They both talked about humanity.

They both had beautiful smiles.

"Then can I become more like a human too?" Takamatsu Akari asked unconsciously.

"Humans? That really is a difficult question. People come in all kinds, and I don't even know where the universe ends, so answering a question like that would be a little arrogant. But there's one thing I can say for sure..." Riki smiled as he patted her head. "You're an interesting girl."

Exactly the same...

Takamatsu Akari stared at Riki's smile.

It was just like when she had met Sakiko.

Takamatsu Akari couldn't help reaching out...

"Hey, what are you doing to Akari!?" An irritated voice suddenly came from behind. Riki turned around and saw a black-haired, purple-eyed girl with a beauty mark at the corner of her eye. Wearing a café employee uniform, she hurried over and stepped in front of Takamatsu Akari.

Shiina Riki.

Riki recognized her. A line immediately flashed through his mind—Aine, is there something wrong with this build?

Holy crap, the god of pressure.

"I was just discussing life with her." Riki smiled.

"Huh?" Shiina Riki narrowed his eyes. "What do you know about Akari? I've never seen you before. Do you live around here?"

"I've recently moved into the area," Riki said. "I should get back now. See you next time."

"Akari, are you all right?" Shiina Riki asked worriedly as he looked at Takamatsu Akari, but Takamatsu Akari only stared blankly at Riki's retreating back.

Buzz—

Takamatsu Akari saw a message from Nagasaki Sose on her phone.

Nagasaki Sose: [Akari-chan, I already know why Sakiko-chan left. It was because of a disgusting man. I'll have Crychic back together very soon.]

A disgusting man?

Takamatsu Akari froze.

Sakiko-chan was so proud. How could she have anything to do with a man?

And why did that boy feel so special?

Takamatsu Akari grew curious.

"Rumble—"

Takamatsu Akari heard an airplane passing over Tokyo, leaving a white trail across the azure sky. The image of the plane was reflected in her eyes.

High above, in the airplane, a pink-haired girl was preparing to enroll at Haneoka Middle School.

"Becoming Student Council President right from the start isn't very realistic. If I want to stand out, maybe I should start by becoming class representative?" Chihaya Anon giggled.

I have a feeling my high school life is going to be really interesting.

The threads of fate, under the influence of gravity, descended upon five... no, six people.

As soon as Riki returned, he heard Toyokawa Sakiko's voice.

"Riki and I don't have the relationship you think we do. Besides, I'm no longer connected to Crychic. Please don't contact me again." Toyokawa Sakiko hung up on Nagasaki Sose, then turned around and saw Riki standing at the door.

"Are you going to call me cold and heartless?" Toyokawa Sakiko asked calmly.

"I'm not going to be generous with someone else's resources. I'd get struck by lightning." Riki said, "But couldn't you have been a little more polite?"

"If I had, she would have called even more." Toyokawa Sakiko said. "I'll call Mutsumi first and tell her not to reveal anything about me here. She can't become a messenger."

Toyokawa Sakiko had just been about to make the call when the scene before her suddenly blurred. She looked up and discovered that she had returned to Riki's home.

"What unfortunate timing." Toyokawa Sakiko sighed.

"I think it's pretty good timing. It just happens to be dinnertime." Riki had barely finished speaking when Toyokawa Sakiko's stomach let out a loud rumble.

Toyokawa Sakiko's cheeks flushed red.

"Let's go to the supermarket and buy some things to cook." Riki smiled. Unable to resist the temptation of food, Toyokawa Sakiko nodded.

"I'll pay you for the food later." Toyokawa Sakiko said calmly.

"My family has a tomato hot-pot base. Let's buy some beef and vegetables and have hot pot. It's about the same as the sukiyaki you have over there." Riki pushed a cart through the supermarket with Toyokawa Sakiko.

"Beef? Isn't that too expensive?" Toyokawa Sakiko couldn't help frowning. These days, she didn't even eat beef once a month. She always bought half-price vegetables and cheap chicken, and if it was too expensive, she wouldn't be able to pay him back later.

Riki saw her conflicted expression and thought for a moment. "Oh, right. I happen to have an assignment that requires me to record a video. If you help me, we can count it as payment for the food."

Toyokawa Sakiko was tempted, but she put on a calm expression. "Then let's do that."

Then, without drawing attention to herself, she placed two packs of sliced beef in the cart.

It's been so long since I've had proper meat.

Riki smiled at the sight of her like that, finished buying everything, and went to pay.

When the cashier saw Toyokawa Sakiko, her eyes lit up. "Little Riki, is this your girlfriend? She's so pretty! Which wealthy family is she from? When did you start dating? Why didn't you tell me?"

Toyokawa Sakiko couldn't understand what she was saying, so she could only put on a polite smile while looking at Riki questioningly.

Riki kept a straight face. "We started dating a couple of days ago. She's rather shy and doesn't want to announce it."

"Haha, young girls are like that..."

After leaving the supermarket, Toyokawa Sakiko couldn't help asking, "What were you saying to that woman just now? Why was she laughing so happily?"

"Was she?" Riki looked confused. "She's probably just an optimistic person."

Toyokawa Sakiko felt that Riki was lying, but she had no evidence.

After returning home, Riki immediately got busy preparing the hot pot.

"I'm telling you, there are four ways to cook beef..." Riki said seriously. Toyokawa Sakiko didn't believe him. She had already gotten a rough understanding of his personality. Although he could be impressive when he was serious, he usually liked saying ridiculous things, so there was no need to take him seriously.

"I live alone. My father went to Africa for work, and my mother is a career woman in Hong Kong. I'm the only one living in this house, and I even have an extra room for you to sleep in at night." Riki said. "I never saw my father when I was young. My mother said he had gone somewhere far away. As a mature child, I realized early on that my old man had probably died a long time ago. Then, when I was in sixth grade, I saw my living, breathing father. He really had gone somewhere far away to work."

Toyokawa Sakiko listened curiously while eating hot pot. It had been a long time since she had eaten anything hot besides cold bento.

"Another time, I went on a roller coaster at an amusement park. I didn't run into Gin or Vodka, but the roller coaster malfunctioned and left me hanging in midair. My life was in danger..."

Toyokawa Sakiko froze and asked nervously, "Did you make it back alive?"

Riki: "?"

As someone who spent a lot of time online, Riki always had endless topics. He kept Toyokawa Sakiko laughing behind her hand.

He really does have a happy family... Toyokawa Sakiko thought as she looked at Riki.

She had once had a happy place too—not only her family, but also the five members of Crychic. They had all been her treasures...

But one had been destroyed, and she had personally disbanded the other.

She also wanted to return to the time Nagasaki Sose had mentioned, but it was impossible to go back anymore.

"Tap."

A tear fell onto the dining table and shattered into several droplets. Toyokawa Sakiko's nose began to sting, and tears kept welling from her eyes. The more she wiped them, the more came out.

She was an extremely proud person. She hadn't cried even when she had moved from a mansion into a rented room, but now she couldn't stop herself from crying.

Riki froze.

"Sorry, I'm going to the bathroom." Toyokawa Sakiko turned and ran into the bathroom. She crouched down, hugging her knees, and cried silently, her delicate shoulders trembling.

Outside, on the other side of the door, Riki also crouched at the entrance and quietly waited.

Is there anything I can do to help her?

Riki looked at the moonlight and thought.