Sunlight streamed in through the tinted windows of Akari Minazuki's apartment, slipping past the sheer curtains and landing softly on her bed. The first thing she felt was the warmth on her skin—the second was the faint weight of her pink-dyed hair sticking slightly to her cheek. She groaned lightly and turned over, her oversized cropped tee rising just above her navel, her smooth, brown skin glowing faintly in the gentle morning light. The soft fabric of her shorts clung loosely to her hips, riding just slightly as she rolled onto her back.
Her alarm hadn't gone off. She hadn't needed it.
It was one of those mornings.
She blinked up at the ceiling, half-dreaming, then stretched her limbs slowly, her fingers grazing the edge of the comforter. Her body felt sore in that good way—the kind that followed a solid yoga flow and a proper eight hours of sleep. She yawned, grabbed her phone, and scrolled lazily. No urgent messages. No disasters. Just a few memes from group chats, an invite from Kana to hang out later, and a single message pinned from Riku:
Let's talk later. I've got something to show you.
She raised a brow but didn't overthink it. Riku could be cryptic sometimes, but after months of dating him, she'd learned when to push and when to just roll with it. And today? She was just rolling with it.
After a quick shower and a change—tight dark jeans, a pastel pink crop top, gold earrings and a matching chain—she poured herself some tea and opened the window. Her apartment overlooked a quiet park two blocks down. It wasn't fancy, but it was hers. A few houseplants on the sill, books stacked on the coffee table, and some half-finished charcoal sketches pinned on a board near her desk.
She pulled her yoga mat into place and stretched for half an hour to keep her morning rhythm intact. Deep breaths. Controlled motion. Music low in the background. After finishing, she sat on the floor cross-legged, sipping what remained of her tea.
Later in the afternoon, her phone buzzed again.
[Riku] I'm coming to get you.
[Akari] Cryptic again? What is it?
[Riku] You'll see.
She rolled her eyes and laughed.
—
When he pulled up outside, Akari couldn't help but stare. A luxury black car. It looked sleek. Aggressively expensive. He stepped out wearing a simple black tee, silver chain, dark jeans—nothing too flashy, but he always made it look intentional.
She raised an eyebrow. "You rob a Yakuza boss or something?"
He smirked. "Something like that. Come on."
The drive was quiet but not awkward. Her arm rested on the window, watching the city lights blur past. She stole a glance at him, noting how tired he looked. Not physically—no, his body language was calm. But his eyes were heavier than usual.
He finally broke the silence. "I've been thinking… I need a break."
"A break from what?" she asked, watching his hands grip the wheel a little tighter.
"Everything."
She nodded slowly. "Okay."
No questions. No pressure. That was something she liked about their dynamic. He didn't need to explain himself, and she didn't need to hear every detail to know something mattered.
When they pulled up to the building, Akari actually laughed out loud.
"You've gotta be kidding."
The skyrise towered above them, all glass and elegance. When they entered the penthouse floor and the doors opened, her jaw dropped.
"…Holy shit."
He watched her reactions with a faint smile.
"You live in a goddamn luxury suite?"
"Technically, I just moved in."
She wandered forward, eyes wide, taking in the marble floors, gold-accented walls, the massive open-concept living space. A sectional couch that could seat twenty. A wall-sized TV. The kind of kitchen celebrities filmed shows in. Floor-to-ceiling windows gave them a view of the entire skyline.
"I knew you had money," she said slowly, "but wow."
She walked barefoot across the cold floor, peeking into rooms, laughing softly. "Is this a walk-in closet or a bedroom? Riku, this is insane."
He flopped onto the couch. "I take it you like it?"
"I love it. I mean—I'm not moving in or anything."
"Why not?" he asked, meeting her eyes.
She blinked. "Wait. You're serious?"
"Just for a while. Stay here with me. Take a break."
Akari stood there, arms crossed, trying not to look too moved. She walked over, flopped beside him, leaned into his side.
"...You're lucky I like you."
"You love me," he teased.
"Don't get cocky."
He pulled her closer, arm draped over her shoulders. They watched something random—a cooking competition with dramatic music and intense narration. Akari giggled, head tucked under his chin.
"You know," she said softly, "this is the first time I've seen you just… relax."
"I'm working on it."
She glanced up. "You'll get there."
They didn't need to say anything more. The quiet between them wasn't empty—it was full. Laced with understanding, warmth, and months of little moments that built something real.
And for the first time in a long time, Riku Yamadera let himself stop moving forward and simply be.
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This is just filler, but anyway, I wrote this chapter because I wanted to address the fact that many people don't like Akari and want me to kill her off. That's okay — you don't have to like her — but stop constantly complaining about her. Like, if you don't like romance, then maybe, just maybe, check the FUCKING tags before reading.
I don't know this for sure, but I think a lot of authors get this complaint when they're writing their stories, and that can be really stressful. So please, for the love of everything that is good, stop FUCKING complaining. NO one is forcing you to read this.
I'm on break, but I check the comments to see if anyone has questions — and I had to come out early to write this just to say: FUCKING STOP.
To my true fans: thank you for reading, and thank you for your powerstones. Please continue to support me by leaving comments and reviews.
Also what chapter should we go to another world? Manga, Manhwa, and Anime are all option if I've watched them but I don't really watch a lot of anime anymore.