Me and my g-

"Well..." Ryan began, his voice tired and slightly bitter as he pulled the hoodie over his head. Luckily, he was wearing a white t-shirt underneath. "When I left home, it was cold and there was a forecast of rain." He paused, furrowing his brow as if reflecting on fate. "But damn... why is it so hot here?"

In front of him, Yuno continued marching with long strides, ignoring his comments. However, this wasn't enough to silence him.

"And what kind of place is this? It's six in the morning, and not a single shop is open! Do you realize we've been walking for TWO HOURS?!"

Finally, Yuno stopped, audibly sighing before turning around, her eyes glowing with irritation.

"Why don't you save your energy? We're almost there."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, looking at her with clear exhaustion.

"We are? And how do you know that, huh?"

With a look of disdain, Yuno lifted her chin, her voice full of superiority.

"It's a matter of geolocation, idiot."

Ryan let out a half-smile, responding with the same sarcastic tone.

"Oh, sure. You're just praying we get there soon, that's it."

Without bothering to respond, Yuno spun on her heels and hurried on, the silence between them falling once more. For a moment, Ryan almost thought he might finally get some peace, but then the unexpected sound of a stomach growl echoed through the air.

Yuno froze in place.

Ryan stopped behind her, trying to process what he'd just heard. Just as he was about to speak, Yuno's voice sliced through the air like a sharp blade.

"If you say ANYTHING, I swear... I SWEAR I'll tear up that contract and send everything to hell!"

He froze, trying to hold back a laugh that was rising in his throat. With an evident smile on his face, he decided to tease.

"Just answer me one thing..." He tilted his head, his voice full of amusement. "Did you eat anything before leaving home?"

Yuno clenched her fists, her face visibly reddening in irritation. Without answering, she spun on her heels and resumed walking, muttering sounds of pure displeasure as her footsteps echoed on the empty road.

Ryan stayed behind, now laughing softly to himself. "Definitely, this trip has been worth it..."

As he tied the hoodie around his waist, Ryan let his thoughts wander, analyzing the situation. "It's curious... physically, I don't feel tired, but the challenges are still here: heat, thirst, hunger... It seems these 'upgrades' we got aren't as impressive as I expected."

He kept walking, his gaze fixed on the ground, the unbearable heat draining his mood. After a few seconds, he sighed deeply, letting out loud:

"God, but I'm dying of thirst..."

Ahead, Yuno kept her pace, her hands now stuffed in the pockets of her coat while her expression hardened. "Damn..." she thought, feeling a slight discomfort in her stomach. "I didn't eat anything before leaving home... and now I'm dying of thirst too..."

Despite the obvious frustration, she would never admit it to Ryan. "That idiot doesn't need to know I'm in the same boat as him." With this thought in mind, she quickened her pace, as if trying to escape the conversation—and perhaps, the need to stop.

As she quickened her steps, Yuno spotted some houses appearing in the distance. Before she could say anything, Ryan, at her side, interrupted with excitement:

"Ahhh! Finally! The village is right there!" He exclaimed as if he were seeing the finish line of a marathon.

"I really hope there's a shop open..." she muttered in frustration, wiping sweat from her forehead.

Yuno kept silent, her gaze fixed ahead. It was then she noticed a girl walking toward them from the opposite direction, strolling leisurely. She had short orange hair, with two strands framing her delicate face. Her large blue eyes displayed a friendly, maybe slightly shy, expression. The school uniform she wore was classic: a white blouse with blue details, a yellow tie, and a matching blue skirt. Dark shoes and folded white socks completed the look, while her posture gave off a reserved and modest air.

Ryan noticed the girl soon after, and his voice rang out, loud and unmistakable:

"HEY, GIRL!"

The girl immediately stopped, her eyes wide with surprise as Ryan approached with hurried steps, clearly exhausted.

"Please, tell me this is Hinamizawa..." he asked, almost pleading, his breath heavy from the endless walk.

The girl placed a fist to her chest in a polite gesture, slightly tilting her head before responding softly:

"Good morning. Yes, you're in Hinamizawa."

Her curious eyes shifted from Ryan to Yuno, who was approaching right behind him, her expression cold and impassive. Yuno said nothing, just raised an eyebrow as if silently evaluating the newcomer.

Ryan smiled kindly while bowing politely.

"Sorry for approaching you like this out of nowhere. My name is..." He paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing in a quick thought. 'Wait, do I use Ryan Gosting or Masachika Kuze?' Deciding quickly, he settled naturally on:

"Masachika Kuze."

He then gave Yuno a meaningful look, as if saying: 'Your turn.'

Yuno kept her eyes on him for a few seconds, her expression clearly judgmental, before suddenly softening. With an unexpectedly sweet voice, she replied:

"Hello, my name is Yuno Gasai." Accompanying her words, she gave a slight bow, as polite as it was forced.

The girl, maintaining a warm smile, responded kindly, mirroring the gesture:

"Welcome to the small village of Hinamizawa. My name is Ryuuguu Rena."

Her voice was calm and friendly, but not without a hint of curiosity as she looked at the two of them. Then, with a gentle smile and her eyes briefly closing, she continued:

"I suppose you're here for the Watanagashi festival, right?"

Her tone was so welcoming that it almost felt like a personal invitation, though it was clear it was just the village's typical hospitality.

Ryan furrowed his brow as his eyes scanned the village, taking in the simple, rustic environment. After a brief moment, he turned his attention back to Rena and began speaking:

"Kind of... I and my g-..." He hesitated, glancing at Yuno, whose irritated expression stared at him like a sharp blade. Ryan gave an awkward smile before continuing:

"...my friend and I are exploring historical places, but..." He scratched the back of his neck, letting out a defeated sigh.

"Due to a miscalculation, we've ended up without water or food..." His voice took on a nearly dramatic tone as he finished:

"Please... tell me there's a shop around here..."

At that moment, the silence was broken by another loud stomach growl from Yuno. Her cheeks instantly flushed, and her fists clenched tightly as if she were fighting the urge to punch the air—or maybe Ryan.

Rena gently placed a hand over her face, hiding the understanding smile that appeared. Her voice was kind:

"Well, it's still too early for many shops to be open... Actually, none of them are."

The tired sigh that escaped Ryan was almost audible. He ran a hand over his face, trying to maintain composure.

"And at least one place to buy water?" he asked, exhaustion evident in his tone.

Rena placed a finger on her chin, assuming a thoughtful expression.

"Hmm... Well, my house is just over there. I wouldn't mind offering you some water."

Before Ryan could respond, Yuno quickly spoke up with surprising speed:

"Yes, please."

Ryan's eyes widened, surprised by her eagerness. His smug smile appeared almost immediately as he thought, 'Look at that... Miss Pride was really desperate.'

He shot a playful look at Yuno but said nothing—which, for him, was already a heroic feat.

Rena gestured delicately, pointing in the direction. Her voice was naturally sweet:

"Come on, my house is just over there."

Ryan nodded, beginning to follow her, with Yuno doing the same, though in complete silence. As they walked, Ryan glanced sideways at Yuno, noticing how visibly stressed she seemed. A mischievous thought crossed his mind: "Look at that... walking with a cute girl makes everything easier. Little does she know, this pink-haired girl could make even the devil run crying to God."

They walked for a few minutes until they spotted Rena's house—a neatly kept residence by village standards, surrounded by a low wall and an impeccably maintained garden.

Rena stopped at the door and turned around with her typical gentle expression.

"I'll bring a jug of water and some glasses for you."

"Thank you very much, Ryuuguu-san," Ryan replied politely, while Yuno remained completely silent, her arms crossed.

As soon as Rena stepped inside, Ryan took the opportunity to provoke Yuno:

"You know… you're sweating more than you should. Not that it's any of my business, but don't you think that coat is a bit... unnecessary in this weather?" His remark was, as always, dripping with sarcasm.

Yuno lifted her chin, looking at him with the disdain of someone stepping on something unpleasant.

"How I dress is none of your business." Her voice was sharp but controlled, though the irritation in her eyes betrayed her real frustration.

Ryan crossed his arms, a mocking smile spreading across his face.

"You're naked under that coat, aren't you?"

Yuno made a sound of contempt, twisting the corner of her lips into a pure expression of disgust.

"Tch."

The exchange was brief, but the discomfort in the air was almost tangible — at least on her side. Ryan, of course, was simply enjoying himself.

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