On the surface, Kid seed far more harmless than other phantom thieves.
But that was precisely the problem. Because he ca across as too harmless... too perfectly aligned with the romantic image people had of a gentleman thief most of the public felt little guilt in admiring him.
And so, imitators cropped up everywhere.
That was what worried the police most.
In the public mind, detectives and investigators were already considered clever people. But soone who could outsmart them? That made Kid look like a genius.
Naturally, this attracted countless wannabes people who fancied themselves smart but acted recklessly, copying his stunts without thought.
Every ti Kid staged one of his flashy "magic tricks" to steal sothing, copycats sprouted like weeds. Saeko herself had arrested several of them. It was one reason she found Kid so infuriating.
After all, even if he returned what he stole… it was still theft.
To her, Kid wasn't so dashing hero... he was a troublemaker chasing fa, leaving chaos in his wake and poisoning the atmosphere of society.
"He'll set a bad example for the kids, won't he?"
Ryuji nodded in agreent, though a trace of embarrassnt flickered across his face.
After all, he too was soone who ignored the law.
In a proper society, even if the underworld was full of scum, they were still human beings subject to the law. Punishing them was the job of police and courts, not self-appointed vigilantes.
Any power outside the law could be twisted. Every era proved that true. Even in the 21st century, with the internet amplifying everything, Ryuji had seen it happen. Cases where a man was falsely accused of voyeurism, for example. Once, the mob would've lynched him online without hesitation. But now? People were a little more rational, waiting for official results before passing judgnt.
Ryuji understood well: whether it was him or Kid, their actions had no place in a society of laws.
The difference was… he, Ryuji punished criminals because he needed money, while Kid if he recalled correctly was chasing so mysterious organization that killed his father... but both stepped outside the law.
Even so, Ryuji thought himself a shade better. Kid, for the sake of his personal vendetta, had dragged countless innocents into the crossfire. Ryuji, on the other hand, troubled no one but the overworked police and the gangs who richly deserved it.
Still, from the eyes of law enforcent, there wasn't much distinction. Whether admired or despised, Ryuji would be arrested just the sa if they ever caught him.
But in his own mind? He would never be caught. Worst case, he'd simply run away.
Casting a glance at his "travel log," he saw the entry marked Seako. At that mont, the girl was happily devouring the breakfast he'd prepared, her face glowing with satisfaction.
That made him smile.
"It really does seem like you want to co to Japan, Miss Saeko," he said lightly.
By now, he had already seen through her intentions but he wasn't particularly bothered.
"Of course," Saeko replied lightly, her lips curving in a teasing smile. "I'd very much like to be friends with you, Mr. Ryuji. You saved us, after all. At the very least, I should treat you to a drink soti."
Her eyes held a trace of flirtation.
But Ryuji only shook his head, folding the newspaper.
"You shouldn't say things like that, or you'll end up pregnant."
He could tell she was only toying with him. If he were foolish enough to believe she truly liked him, he'd end up dancing in the palm of her hand, running errands for her with little or no reward.
A woman like her wasn't soone you "chased." Unless you pursued her relentlessly for five or six years, and unless she happened to et no one she truly liked in that ti, the chances of success were nearly zero.
And even then... what kind of man did a woman like Saeko even want?
Ryuji had no idea. He was skilled at making won feel good… but not at chasing them.
So he shook his head again.
"Unfortunately, I'm not interested in police work. And besides, Miss Saeko... joining the Japanese force would an changing my nationality, wouldn't it? That's a bit too much for ."
He didn't mind living in Japan, even marrying soone like Erina there and letting her handle the household registry. But giving up his own citizenship? Never.
He had no intention of swearing loyalty to another country.
A forged identity he could accept. But a vow to renounce his roots? That was out of the question.
"I see. What a sha…" Saeko sighed.
She wasn't surprised. She'd suspected from the start that recruiting him would fail. But it was worth the attempt. Who knew? She might have gotten lucky.
"Well then, when do you plan to head for Japan? I'll make ti to buy you that drink."
Even if she couldn't rope him in as a partner, nothing stopped her from building a relationship.
"Not too long from now," Ryuji said with a shrug. "Just need to settle a few things here in Hong Kong first."
Although, he had decided to lay low for a while, but he still cared about actresses like Maggie Cheung and the other Hong Kong stars. He might have said he'd be leaving for Japan soon, but what was the harm in lingering a few extra days to stir up a bit of plot?
After all, most movie storylines were packed into short, intense tifras. A few opportunities to be a hero rescue the damsel in distress!
But then…
His thoughts strayed toward Ran Mouri and Shizuko. One of them just needed a little more "developnt" before she was his. The other was a cheeky little brat who, despite her age, was surprisingly open-minded and didn't seem to mind if he had other won.
"You don't sound very certain."
Saeko chuckled lightly. She guessed Ryuji must have been wrestling with sothing troubleso; otherwise, he wouldn't have worn such a conflicted expression.
"Can't be helped. There's just… a lot going on."
And he wasn't lying. He really was conflicted. Both choices were tempting. Sure, real-world actresses had all kinds of problems but their movie versions? Perfect. And the two-dinsional girls… they were stunning in their own right. If he didn't act quickly, he might miss his chance.
Just as he was drifting away in thoughts of beautiful girls, completely forgetting his mission—
"You!"
A sharp, indignant cry rang out from behind him.
It was a girl's voice, one that sounded oddly familiar.
Ryuji turned around, smiling casually.
"Oh. Long ti no see."
There she was: Usagi Tsukino, dressed in casual clothes, her twin ponytails bouncing like rabbit ears as she glared at him with a mix of fury and embarrassnt. Gone was her usual ditzy cheerfulness; her face burned red with sha and anger.
And surrounding her, four other Sailor Moons closed in quickly. Each wore a different expression, but all of them stared at Ryuji with the sa look of united hostility.
And really, who could bla them? That day, when they had been trapped, he hadn't actually touched them—but the water currents he controlled had been far from innocent. Otherwise, Ami Mizuno, the Sailor Guardian of Water, would have easily broken free of his so-called "water prison."
"Long ti no see, my ass!"
Usagi nearly exploded, her humiliation bubbling over. If not for so many people around her, she would have transford right there and beaten him senseless.. Whether she could actually beat him or not didn't matter. What mattered was the principle.
"You dare show your face in front of again?!"
She stord up to him, ponytails swaying with each furious step. The instant she reached him, Ryuji simply reached out and patted her head.
"Mm. Your hair's really smooth and pretty."
Usagi froze, blinking in surprise then her expression softened, lips curling into a pleased little smile.
"Of course! I take good care of... wait! Don't change the subject!!"
Catching herself, she slapped his hand away and grabbed at his collar. But she was shorter, so she had to tug him downward just to get a grip.
Ryuji only smiled kindly at her.
"Did you forget what I told you that day?"
Her body froze.
The mory crashed into her... what he had said, what he had done and her entire face went crimson. Whatever words she'd been about to hurl at him evaporated. Her mind went utterly blank.
"Ah, I… um…"
She knew all too well: if she provoked him again, this man would absolutely repeat what he had done. Because he was exactly that kind of man.
The very thought of that shaful, mortifying sensation made her heart tremble with fear.
"Then be a good girl and let go."
Ryuji flicked her forehead lightly. Honestly, he found girls like her adorable... energetic, lively, quick to anger, but polite at their core. When they made mistakes, they took their punishnt honestly. Not like bratty little kids.
This kind of girl made you want to keep her close. Usagi's character really was written too well.
Blushing furiously, she let go of his collar, though her expression still mixed defiance and unease.
"Usagi!"
A girl with short blue hair suddenly pulled her back and stepped protectively in front.
"Don't you dare bully her!"
It was Ami Mizuno. Her voice trembled slightly because deep down, she didn't think she had much of a chance against him. After all, last ti, she hadn't even been able to break out of his water trap. She, the Sailor Guardian of Water, had been defeated with water itself.
No.
Her fists clenched. She refused to believe it. If his thods hadn't been so indecent, so shaless, she would have broken through. She could have!
Ryuji, though, just scratched his head.
Honestly, he didn't harbor any real malice toward the Sailor Guardians. But having this pack of beautiful girls glaring at him like he was so monster? That did irritate him a little.
"Judging by your faces, you're not actually planning to fight . How about this, I'll buy you all dinner. No, wait. Actually… you should be treating , shouldn't you?"
The realization dawned on him.
He was the victim here!
He had saved them, only to be slandered afterward. Everything he did was in self-defense!
"Why the hell should we treat you to dinner? You're—!"
Minako Aino, with her bright golden hair much like Usagi's, blurted out instinctively. But before she could finish, Rei Hino quickly clapped a hand over her mouth. The last thing Rei wanted was for that embarrassing incident to be spoken aloud in public.
anwhile, Makoto Kino tightened her ponytail and clenched her fists, ready to charge forward and land a punch on Ryuji the mont soone gave the word.
"After all, I was the one who saved you," Ryuji began, his tone calm but edged with irritation. "Everything that happened afterward was entirely—"
Before he could finish, Saeko frowned and spoke up.
Because Usagi had been speaking Japanese, Saeko understood most of what was being said. Watching the five girls bristle with equal parts embarrassnt and hostility, Saeko, who already thought she had grasped Ryuji's true nature, imdiately imagined a dozen questionable scenarios.
After all, learning that Ryuji had slept with Shizuko hadn't been difficult intel to uncover. Saeko had noticed the irregularities that very morning when they'd taken headcount.
It was precisely that discovery which had convinced her that seduction was the most effective way to deal with him.
Because she was certain temptation worked on n like him.
"Mr. Ryuji," Saeko asked sharply, "just what exactly did you do to these girls?"
Ryuji rolled his eyes. "This is a matter of the supernatural. If you don't believe in that, then there's no point in asking."
Saeko let out a light laugh, though her gaze was sharp. She had been about to ease the tension herself.
"Even so, they're Japanese girls. I'm a Japanese police officer... it's only natural I take responsibility here."
"This is Hong Kong," Ryuji replied flatly. "You don't have jurisdiction here."
He wasn't wrong. She was a woman of science, tied down by procedures and protocols; n like him, who moved freely in shadows and dealt with magic, were from an entirely different world.
"Ugh…"
The mont the word "police" ca up, the five Sailor Moons visibly lost so of their fire. They might have been heroines who fought evil, but at the end of the day, they were still just students. The idea of being dragged into a police station, questioned, or—worse—having their secret identities exposed? That terrified them.
After all, fighting monsters often left collateral damage. They weren't exactly clean in the eyes of the law.
"Well then," Saeko sighed, shrugging her shoulders as if in resignation. "Looks like there's nothing more I can do."
She stepped aside, lips curling with amusent, as though content to watch the storm unfold between Ryuji and the blushing, restless Sailor Moons.
As a proper policewoman, she still felt the need to speak.
"But don't go doing anything illegal, alright?"
She might not want to ddle in Ryuji's affairs, but if he broke the law, she wouldn't hold back especially if it involved deceiving young won's feelings.
"You don't have to worry about that."
"Oh?"
"Even if I were to break the law, I'd make sure you'd never see it."
Ryuji tossed the remark out casually. After getting a glare in return, he gestured at the seats in front of him, signaling the Sailor Moons to sit down. He was genuinely curious about these girls.
Saeko left without another word.
~~~~~~~~~~
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