Riku's eyes fluttered open to the soft glow of morning sunlight filtering through his curtains. He reached for his phone on the nightstand and saw the clock: 9:00 AM. A flutter of excitement rose in his chest as he unlocked the screen to discover several unread messages from Akari Minazuki.
His pulse quickened as he tapped through them:
"Good morning! Would you be free today?"
"I was thinking a cafe nearby…"
Riku froze, his thumb hovering over the screen. "Oh shit. This is really happening." His mind raced. Okay. Don't panic. Just reply normally. With a firm breath he typed:
"Yeah, I'm free today!"
Seconds later she replied:
"Great! How about Café Aurora by the plaza?"
Riku scanned three lines of his phone screen. "That's not far." He tapped again:
"Sure—what time?"
Her name appeared next:
"Is 2 PM alright?"
Reassured, he tapped:
"Yes, two works."
He set the phone down, exhaling a shaky breath, his heart pounding with equal parts elation and nervous dread. "I'm going on a date. Holy shit. What do people even do on a date?"
His internal alarm snapped him out of his stupor: "Workout. Clear your head." He grabbed his 10‑ton wrist weights, switched on armament haki for his limbs and a flicker of cursed energy, then dove into an intense morning routine: 15,000 push-ups, 15,000 sit-ups, and 25,000 jumping jacks. His muscles burned. Sweat poured. Breath came in ragged bursts.
Once he finished, he looked at his arms. The armament haki gleamed like polished steel beneath his skin. "I wonder—can I learn observation haki next? Luffy learned to sense Haki blindfolded. Maybe I can train something similar…" But time pressed on. He headed to the shower.
Clean and calmer, Riku sat at his desk and loaded up websites: "What to talk about on a first date," "Cafe date tips," and "How to be charming without sounding fake." His Perfect Memory skill had him scanning lines, storing conversation starters, avoiding insults, practicing compliments. But an hour later, with his mind still a jumble, he slammed the laptop shut.
"This is fucking useless," he hissed. Glancing at the clock—1:00 PM—his pulse ratcheted up. It was almost go-time. He moved to his closet and pulled on the outfit he'd carefully chosen: a charcoal-grey slim-fit button-up that hugged his shoulders and arms; dark-washed jeans that were fitted but not tight; black Chelsea boots with a polished shine. He finished with a brushed-back hairstyle and a final look in the mirror.
"Drip‑God Riku Yamadera," he murmured, smiling at his reflection. With careful deliberation, he slid the wrist weights under his sleeves, then glanced at the clock again—1:30 PM. Half hour left.
Gently, he walked down the stairs to the kitchen. His mother, Rena, was plating food in the soft glow of mid-morning sun. She looked up, and raised an eyebrow at his dressed-up appearance.
"Riku, honey—where are you off to, all dressed up like that? Some kind of shareholder event?" she asked, concern mixed with curiosity.
He laced his fingers to keep his voice steady. "No, Mom… actually—I have a date today."
Rena paused, fork in mid-air. Across the kitchen, his father, Kenji, turned from the stove with a surprised look. He opened his mouth to speak but paused too—then laughter burst from his chest. "A date?" he said slowly. "With someone who's… not your mother, right?"
Riku's heart hammered. He tried to keep his face neutral, but his fingers fidgeted with his shirt sleeve. "Yeah—but it's not a joke. I'm actually—"
Rena wiped her hands on her apron and stepped forward with a playful shake of her head. She reached out to gently grasp his arm. "Sweetie, we're teasing, okay? We're just—these are new waters for us. Just… don't turn it into a monologue about stocks or video games, okay?"
He managed a small laugh. "I've got it, Mom."
His dad tossed a spatula down and grinned. "Just… try to have fun, son. And don't make things awkward or weird."
Riku nodded, chuckle dancing on his lips, and allowed himself a moment to breathe in their warm smiles. I've done all that I could, I've prepared… Now I just need to be Riku.
He stepped outside into the brisk midday air and made his way toward Café Aurora, anticipation doing mental flips in his stomach. When he saw her waiting by the entrance—her energy calm and radiant—his breath caught. Akari Minazuki. Her flawless brown skin caught the light, her short, pastel-pink hair framing a face both confident and gentle, and her figure, graceful and curvy, conveyed a comfortable self-assurance that made Riku's heart thump.
He slowed to a near-stumble. "H-Hi," he managed softly.
She turned with a smile that lit the plaza. "Hello, Riku. It's so nice to see you."
He could feel warmth in his cheeks. "You look amazing," he found himself saying before thinking. His heart jolted at his own words.
She laughed—a soft, melodic sound. "Thank you. You look… very nice too."
He nodded, waving toward the door. "Shall we?"
Akari led him inside, and they found a cozy table near a sunlit window. He pulled out a chair for her, then sat himself, then both ordered drinks—matcha latte for her, black tea for him.
At first, he stumbled through small talk.
"So, uh… matcha latte. Bold?"
Her laugh tilled the ground. "I love it. How about you—tea guy?"
They exchanged favorite movies, travel dreams, and even embarrassing childhood stories. She laughed until tears formed. He felt… human. Real. In that moment, all the cursed spirits and training pulled back, leaving only a guy trying to connect.
He told her anecdotes about inadvertently buying too much ramen for college; she talked about her new art exhibit. She asked about his training—he kept it vague: "Just working out." She nodded, totally accepting it, never prying.
After, they stood by the café's front steps.
Akari checked her phone. He checked his.
"It's almost six," Riku said quietly.
She nodded. "I had a wonderful time, Riku."
He smiled. "Me too. Way more than I expected."
She opened her mouth, paused, then whispered, "Can we do this again?"
He smiled. "Yes. Please."
They took a quick hug—nothing crazy, just snug and comfortable.
"Goodnight, Riku." She raised a hand and walked away under the glow of streetlights.
He checked his phone and typed:
"Thank you, Akari. Sleep well."
He crawled into bed—mind buzzing with hope. It felt like the first truly normal—and beautiful—thing he'd done in a long time. As his eyes closed, he let himself think:
"Maybe I can have this. Balance. And still be a walking horror-show when I need to."
He drifted off to dreamland—lighter, softer, but still ready to kick ass tomorrow.
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Sorry that this chapter took soooo long. I planned to drop two chapters today but writing this just took so long so I might not. Before you comment and say it sucks keep in mine this is my first time writing romance or a date and honestly romance is my weakness I can't write a good romance scene to safe the life of me but I'll keep try and hopes of improving.