Flashback, Yuna’s Office, “Day Four”
Ryuga kneels before an elegant woman. The room they are in looks like an office, but the lights have been dimmed to create a warm, inviting environment. The woman, sitting in the chair, looks down at Ryuga.
"You've exceeded every metric," she says. "Speed, combat, loyalty. My perfect soldier," she continues, circling him. "Do you know why you're the best we've ever produced?"
"Superior training?" Ryuga replies.
"No. The others had that too." She stops in front of him. "It's because you had something to destroy inside yourself. That internal war made you stronger than those who never had attachments to break."
"I understand."
"Do you? The man who can kill his own past can kill anything." She touches his shoulder, continuing. "You're my masterpiece, Ryuga. My deadliest creation."
He says nothing. He doesn't need to. His results speak louder than words.
After a few minutes of silence, the woman orders Ryuga to get up, her voice suddenly professional.
“Ryuga. I must send you on another mission,” she says.
“Yes. What is it, Yuna?” Ryota asks.
She hands Ryuga a folder. "Eight years old, his parents just died. He's the prince, and you need to stop his future self."
"Kill him?"
"No, we're trying not to do that this time. Just... distract him kind of. Distract him from doing what he's gonna do. Change his path."
“His actions will mess up our ? Is that why?”
Yuna is silent, thinking about her response. “Y-yes…” she stutters, unconfident in her words.
“Yuna. Are you lying to me?” Ryuga asks, suspicious.
Yuna sighs. “Ryuga. All you need to know now is that changing the course of his path have benefits to the future that will far surpass what you think.”
“Wow! This king is really that powerful?”
“Yes. He is very careless and destructive, as well. That is why this mission is the most important task I have ever considered giving to a bodyguard.”
“I…feel honored.” Ryuga thinks for a moment. “I’ll do it,” he says finally.
“Thank you,” Yuna says with a sigh of relief. “Now for the actual mission. In order to get to this place, you must use this.” She pulls out a time crystal. “Crush this in your hand, and you will be sent to the start of your mission. However – and this part is very important – close your eyes while you crush this crystal. You will feel a rush of wind after; do not open your eyes until the wind has passed.”
“Yes, sister. I will follow these directions,” Ryuga says, pocketing the folder and crystal and leaving Yuna’s office to walk into an adjacent room.
Mission Report, Day One of Mission
Ryuga stands in the middle of a park. He spots the kid sitting on a wooden bench alone, sitting in the shade of a tree.
I have to change this kid? Ryuga thinks. Shouldn't be too hard. How hardened can an eight-year-old be?
Ryuga walks over. The boy's reading a picture book with bright colors and big letters.
"Hey kid—” Ryuga interrupts. “Did you know you’re reading that book upside down?"
The boy glances up, then at the book.
"Oops, my mistake," the boy says, flipping it right-side up.
This kid is so dumb he can't even read a book correctly, Ryuga thinks. Yuna said he is the one that is going to change the world? I doubt it.
Ryuga sits down, already relaxing.
Ryuga thinks
"What's the book about?" Ryuga asks the kid.
"Insects." The boy shows him a page of ladybugs. "They're friends."
"Cool. You like ladybugs?"
"They're okay." The kid turns another page, moving his finger along the words like he's sounding them out.
Ryuga pulls out a notepad, filling out the report. "First Day. Target is barely literate. Reading children's books upside down. This should be quick."
When Ryuga looks back, a notebook on the table is open, visible. It's filled with equations surrounded by drawings. In the margins, in tiny neat handwriting, "Subject believes I cannot read properly. Maintain assumption."
“Hey kid. What’s that notebook?” Ryuga asks, reaching for it.
“I don’t know. Some guy left it here and went to the bathroom,” the boy answers, not looking up from his book.
Ryuga freezes when he reads the notebook. He looks at the kid who's still tracing words with his finger, mouth moving like he's struggling with basic phonics.
The boy glances up. "Some of these words are really hard."
"Yeah... I bet."
The kid goes back to his picture book. But now - Ryuga finally notices - the boy's eyes aren't tracking the words. They're looking over the book to a mirror a few tables down that reflects the entire park; the boy is using this to watch Ryuga.
An older woman walks by the two. The boy holds up his book, looking at the woman and pointing to a line.
"Miss, what's this word?" the boy asks.
She leans down. "That's 'friendship,' sweetie,” she says.
"Friend-ship," he sounds out slowly. "Thanks!"
She ruffles his hair and leaves, chuckling as she walks away.
Ryuga scribbles out his previous observation in his report.
The boy flips another page of his picture book. He turns it upside down again, but this time Ryuga catches the boy’s eyes: he's reading Ryuga’s report. When Ryuga scribbled out the note about the kid’s incompetency, Ryuga thought he noticed a slight grin appear on the boy’s face.
"Mister, can you help me with this word?" the boy says, showing Ryuga the book.
Ryuga looks. The boy's pointing at "cat."
Ryuga thinks.
Mission Report, Day Two of Mission
The boy — Roy, he'd finally admitted — sits at his usual table. Today he's got three books open: one about ancient Rome, one about behavioral psychology, and that same insect picture book.
Ryuga's given up pretending this is simple. The kid runs circles around him without trying.
"You're back," Roy says without looking up.
"You knew I'd be,” Ryuga says, sitting down.
"You always come back. Even though you know I know you're watching me." Roy turns a page, his eyes glued to the mirror. "That means someone's paying you. A lot."
Ryuga doesn't respond. Ryuga thinks.
"I did something interesting yesterday," Roy continues. "Want to hear?"
"Sure."
"I convinced three different kids to give me their lunch money. Not by threatening them. Just by talking." He draws a comic page in his notebook depicting the conversations. "People are really predictable when you know what they want."
“When did you start studying psychology, kid?” Ryuga asks.
A woman approaches the table – the same woman as yesterday, Roy’s aunt. She looks exhausted.
"Time to go home, sweetie,” she says.
Roy immediately shifts. His whole posture changes; his shoulders hunch, making himself smaller. "Do I have to, auntie?”
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"Yes, you have therapy in an hour."
"The therapist is stupid," Roy mutters, but quietly, like a normal kid would.
His aunt sighs. "Please don't call people stupid."
"Sorry."
He packs his books. As Roy passes Ryuga, Roy drops his notebook – which Ryuga is certain Roy did on purpose – which falls open to a page that reads "Day Two: Keep subject entertained. He still believes in the success of his mission."
Ryuga picks it up and hands it back. Roy takes it with a shy smile that doesn't reach Ryuga’s eyes.
Mission Report, Day Three of Mission
"Want to play chess?" Ryuga asks while sitting down, trying a new approach.
"I don't know how to," Roy lies.
"I can teach you."
They set up the board.
Ryuga moves a piece.
Roy picks up a rook. “Where does this thing go?” Roy asks.
Ryuga thinks.
Five minutes later, the game is on.
Roy picks up a pawn again. “Where does this go again?” he asks Ryuga.
“It can only move one square forward or take diagonally,” Ryuga says unimpressed, moving the pawn. “This is the only square it can move to.”
“It can’t take what’s next to it?” Roy asks.
‘’What? No. Obviously not…unless…”
Before Ryuga can finish, Roy moves the pawn, taking Ryuga’s pawn with en passant.
“What the hell? How’d you know that move, kid? I you knew nothing about chess.” Ryuga asks, irritated.
Ryuga thinks
"Beginner's luck?" Roy asks, moving his queen.
"Must be." Ryuga replies.
Ryuga thinks.
“Oops,” Roy smirks.
“Checkmate,” Ryuga says.
They play three more games. Roy keeps blundering at the last move.
"You know what's funny?" Roy says, resetting the pieces. "In chess, the king is the weakest piece. He can barely move. Everyone else does the work while he hides."
"That's one way to see it,” Ryuga replies.
"My parents are like kings. All that power, but – if they were to be put to the test – unable to defend themselves. Maybe if they were pawns, they would learn these skills."
Mission Report, Day Four of Mission (Unrecorded)
Ryuga finds Roy crying on the playground. Actual tears. Ryuga almost believes it until he notices Roy checking the reflection of the clock in between sobs.
"What happened?" Ryuga asks, taking Roy's hand and walking him over to their usual bench. Ryuga sits next to him today instead of across from the boy.
"The other kids won't play with me," Roy sobs in perfect eight-year-old distress. "They say I'm weird."
Ryuga watches this child who's too smart for his own good. "You know what your problem is?"
"Tell me."
"You think understanding people is the same as connecting with them."
Roy's crying stops. He wipes his nose on his sleeve.
"I am weird though," Roy says quietly. No performance now. "I know that."
Ryuga sits back. "Everyone's weird at your age. The kids who won't play with you? They eat glue and believe in Santa. You're not special for being different."
"Then why won't they—"
"Because you treat them like experiments. Test subjects." Ryuga looks at him. "People can tell when you're analyzing instead of participating."
Roy goes quiet. Picks at a loose thread on his pants.
"Why did you want to play with them anyway?" Ryuga asks.
"I..." Roy stops. Starts again. "My therapist said I should try making friends. Said it's important for development or whatever."
"So you don't actually want friends. You just want to complete an assignment."
"I guess."
They sit there in silence.
"They probably would've played with you," Ryuga says. "If you'd actually wanted to play. Kids are dumb, but they're not dumb."
Roy nods slowly. Then, awkwardly, he leans against Ryuga's side. Not quite a hug. Just... contact. Like he knows he should but doesn't really understand why.
Ryuga lets him.
Ryuga thinks.
They sit like that for a minute. Then Roy pulls away. The boy gets up, going back to his side of the table facing Ryuga.
"Why were you looking at the clock for?" Ryuga asks, trying to change the subject.
Roy glances at the reflection again. "Therapy's in twenty minutes. I was just... keeping track."
"You don't want to go."
"It's stupid." Roy kicks at the ground. "She just asks me how I feel about things. Like that matters."
"Does it matter?"
"No." Roy says it too quickly. "Feelings are just chemicals and stuff. Responses to stimuli. It’s not real."
"You're eight."
"So?"
Ryuga leans forward, elbows on his knees. "You know what I think? I think you're scared that if you actually tell her how you feel, she'll figure out you're not as smart as you think you are."
Roy goes very still.
"Being smart is easy," Ryuga continues. "Understanding your own feelings? That's hard. And you hate doing things you're not immediately good at."
Silence.
"I don't know how I feel about things," Roy says finally. His voice is small. "I try to figure it out but it just... doesn't make sense. The equations work. People don't."
"That's what therapy's for."
"She won't understand—"
"She doesn't have to understand you." Ryuga stands, brushing off his pants. "You're not there to impress her with your knowledge; she's there to help you figure yourself out in the places you can't see yourself." Ryuga reaches across the table, putting his hand on Roy’s shoulder. "I'll wait here for you until your aunt comes to pick you up, okay?"
Roy looks up at him. After a few moments of silence, he inquires, "Why are you helping me?"
"Someone has to."
They sit quietly. Roy picks at the thread on his pants again, but there's something different in his posture. Less calculated.
Roy's aunt approaches them a few minutes later. She greets them both.
"Roy, I'll be back soon. Just need to run to the restroom really quick." She looks at Ryuga. "Hey, Roy's friend. Thanks for taking care of him. But aren't you supposed to be in school? You're in, what, high school?"
"Yeah, but our school's on break right now."
"Schools these days. Always on break. When do you kids even study?" She shakes her head, smiling. "Anyway, I'll be right back."
She hurries off towards the library bathroom inside the building.
Ryuga stands. "Alright, young man. Have fun at that therapy."
He turns around, walking away, hands in his pockets.
Ryuga thinks, smiling
Ryuga’s a few tables down when voices drift over from the playground. Roy's high, childish tone and someone else. Adult male, friendly, too friendly.
"Hey there, young man. You're Roy, right? I know your aunt; she asked me to pick you up today."
Ryuga freezes. He turns around inconspicuously.
The man left hand is in his jacket pocket, while he places his right on Roy’s shoulder. Ryuga catches a glint of metal from the pocket.
Ryuga thinks, recognizing the blade from his training with Yuna.
Yuna's words echo in Ryuga’s ear. Words about how important this boy’s survival is. How Roy is meant to be redirected, not killed.
Who the hell is this guy?
Ryuga thinks, trying to make sense of this situation.
Ryuga moves fast but calm. He walks over like he belongs there.
"Excuse me," Ryuga calls out, friendly but firm, before the man could make a move. "Hey, sorry to interrupt. Sir, could I talk to you for a second? I think you dropped something back there. Something metal. I saw a glint from afar, and it was coming from person." Ryuga turns around, pointing at the mirror behind him. “That mirror that reflects this whole park is equipped with a security camera. Now, let’s look at the footage to see what you dropped, yeah?”
Ryuga thinks.
The assassin's hand pauses in his jacket. Roy looks between them, confused but not alarmed.
"I haven't dropped anything-" the assassin starts.
"No, I'm pretty sure you did. Just over here." Ryuga's hand is already on the man’s back, guiding him away. Not forceful, just insistent. Ryuga looks back at Roy with a look that tells Roy all he needs to know. "Roy. Wait here a minute, okay?"
"Okay..." Roy watches them go, that too-intelligent look in his eyes.
Ryuga leads the man around the corner, still maintaining the friendly facade. Once they're out of sight – out of earshot – everything changes.
“Your jacket is there,” Ryuga says coldly, pointing to the bushes.
The man’s demeanor changes. “You said there was a camera in that mirror before, right?” the man asks. Ryuga can tell the man’s hand in his pocket firmly grabs on to something. “There wouldn’t be any cameras , right?” the man asks, a smirk on his face.
Ryuga composure remains calm, even slightly bored. “Did you ever think, in that dense head of yours,” Ryuga says, starting to walk closer towards the man, “that the reason I brought you here was because I didn’t want to be recorded?”
“What the hell are you talking about!” the man says, pulling the knife out and swinging at Ryuga.
Ryuga does not move or flinch, but, before the knife can connect with Ryuga, the man lets out a scream of pain and drops to his knees.
“Ahhh, what the fuck!” the man exclaims in pain, all fours on the ground. “What the hell did you do to me?!”
Ryuga doesn’t respond, but the main lets out another yelp as if he was being steamrolled.
Coughing out blood, the man continues his screams of pain in intervals as blood gushing from every hole and pore of his body. Once the man is immobilized, Ryuga kneels down and picks up the man’s knife. He points the knife inches away from the man’s eye.
“I’m not playing games today. Who sent you?” Ryuga asks calmly.
“I won’t tell -” the man starts.
Ryuga stabs the knife through the man’s left eye.
The man lets out a scream of pain as Ryuga retracts the knife.
“I don’t want to hurt you, but I don’t have a lot of time. Now tell me. Who sent you?” Ryuga asks again, his tone the same as the last time he asked that question.
“Agarian…rebel force…” the man spits out between spasms. “Please, stop -”
"Why the boy?" Ryuga asks, anger showing in his voice for the first time since talking to this man.
"Not just him... whole bloodline... killed tonight at the peace negotiations..."
"What do you mean tonight?"
"His parents... the diplomats... Agary will never accept peace with the filthy Phenoans... not while any of that family lives..."
“Who the hell is Agary? And what ‘rebel force’ are you talking about?” Ryuga asks, his curiosity growing. “Never mind,” he realizes. “I can just look this up.”
Ryuga gets up and walks away from the pool of blood.
Twenty minutes later, Ryuga emerges from the corner alone. His hands are steady, but there's something different in his eyes.
Ryuga thinks.
Ryuga goes around the corner, walking inside the library. He goes to one computer and sits down, starting to type.
When he has the answers he needs, he gets up, deletes the search history of the computer, and walks back to the playground, his composure perfect. Roy is still there, reading his book upside down again.
"Found what he dropped?" Roy asks without looking up.
"Yeah. All sorted out." Ryuga keeps his voice level. "Listen, Roy. I have to go now."
The boy finally looks at him. "You're not coming back tomorrow."
Ryuga thinks, impressed.
"No. I'm not." Ryuga pauses. "Take care of yourself."
"I always do." Roy turns back to his book. "That man won't be coming back either, will he?"
Ryuga doesn't answer. Just walks away.
