HeartBeats - Ruka Sarashina (Kanojo, Okarishimasu)

Love comes in many forms...

Love at first sight...

Childhood love...

Posthumous love...

Familial love...

And supernatural love.

______________________________

"Let's do a test to see if we can have a real relationship, then... I'll be your boyfriend." - As she said those words, Ruka seemed to have stopped crying.

But in fact Ruka started crying again, and I could see the raw pain in her eyes. Tears ran down her cheeks quickly, each drop reflecting her softness. Her shoulders shook slightly as she covered her face with her hands, trying to stifle her sobs. The sight of her broke my heart.

"Sarashina-san..." - I began, taking a step forward, but not knowing exactly how to comfort her.

She looked at me through her tears, her eyes red and swollen, and her voice broken by sobs. - "I'm crying.... Of joy, Ryo. I just wanted a chance to show you this... And now I can."

My chest tightened, seeing how much this meant to her. Without thinking twice, I walked over and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. She snuggled into my chest, her sobs muffled by my shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay, Ruka..." - I murmured, gently running my hand through her hair. - "I didn't mean to hurt you..."

Ruka continued to cry, her tears soaking my shirt, but I felt her body relax a little in my arms. I held her tighter, wanting to convey all my sincerity and comfort. Leaning my head, I kissed her forehead softly.

The moment my lips touched her skin, something happened. A soft glow began to emanate from Ruka's chest, growing until it became a pulsating blue heart. I was surprised, but before I could react, the glow enveloped us completely.

We were transported to a white domain, a vast and empty space, illuminated by a soft and diffuse light. The blue heart still glowed on Ruka's chest, its glow reflecting in the environment around us.

The white domain was serene, almost ethereal. We could feel a comforting presence around us. Ruka suddenly disappeared from view, I was there alone.

"Approximately 200,860,200 beats ago..." - I hear Ruka's voice, but she was not here with me.

The empty scene begins to take on color. I see a very familiar child, her hair color was black and she wore two pigtails. Her bangs were familiar too and her eyes were blue. It was Ruka Sarashina as a child.

"My heart beats slowly."

I saw Ruka as a child in a classroom.

"I have a condition called 'no heartbeat.'" - she would say to her school friends.

I couldn't help but feel nostalgic just to see a school environment. They were tense memories when it came to studying, but nostalgic at the same time.

"Huh? What's this?" - one of the girls said.

"Are you okay?" - the other girl said.

Ruka tried to explain. - "It's just that, basically, my heart beats slower than other people's..."

"How slow?"

Ruka got up from her chair and started gesturing. - "If most people beat 'Ba-dum, Ba-dum, Ba-dum', then I do 'Ba-dum.... Ba-dum....' I guess." - It was really cute, but it didn't seem like the other kids understood. - "What does that mean?"

"I forgot the real name, but I was born with it. The average number of heartbeats in a minute is between 70 and 80 (for children around 90)"

I saw a brief memory of Ruka in the hospital, where the doctor explained her condition.

"But I only have an average of 60 heartbeats... And the fastest doesn't go over 80."

The scene changed again, we went back to school where Ruka appeared lying on the floor. That scared me and I went closer to understand the situation better.

"Are you okay?!" - said the teacher, picking Ruka up.

"When doing very tiring exercises, I sometimes got dizzy and short of breath."

Several other children started approaching. - "What happened?!" "Ruka suddenly seemed to be in pain..."

"The doctor told me it wouldn't be an obstacle in my daily life. But when people found out, they started treating me differently, especially when I was younger."

"I see where this is going... In my class there was a girl with a similar condition... But honestly, I don't remember much." - I said as I tried to remember my school days.

The scene changed, now she was in the living room. Ruka was playing a video game, she seemed extremely entertained by the game. She was playing Wario Land, I loved playing it as a kid.

When the game was reaching its peak, a woman appeared and took her video game, this woman was her mother. - "Oh no!" - Ruka said.

"That's enough." - her mother said. - "You know you can't get agitated like that, your breathing problems might come back again." - her mother said, scolding Ruka.

'Wow... But she couldn't do anything? That reminded me of the day I went to a girl's house to play video games... Good times.' - I thought.

"But I was in the best part!" - Ruka said.

"I said no!" - Her mother replied harshly. This answer made Ruka back down.

The little girl looked at the floor with her head down. - "... It's not like I can't... I can't stay like this! I want to try to make my heart beat as fast as possible!" - Ruka said while blushing.

"Ruka..." - Ruka's mother and I said at the same time. - "D-Don't be selfish! Now go to sleep..." - Her mother said after leaving.

"As I got older, there were fewer obstacles in my daily life."

"And I became able to decide for myself what I could and couldn't do."

"I have a checkup every month."

"And I take some medicine."

"When I was in high school, my parents were pretty used to it too."

"They let me do whatever I wanted to a certain extent."

"If I didn't think about it, it was almost like I wasn't there."

Ruka's memories changed again, now she was at an amusement park with her friends.

They seemed to be having fun, except for Ruka. The girl with the blue ribbons didn't seem to be part of any group.

"Sarashina-san..." - I said.

"It's almost like I'm a robot..."

"No matter what I'm doing... It always seems like people are having way more fun than me."

"I couldn't feel much of anything, not even love... That's when I found out about Rental Girlfriend..."

"I was an idiot."

"As if I'd find any love here..."

"As if there was real love in a rental."

"Real love, right?... Yeah, I know what that's like..." - I talked to myself.

"I was already used to this... Nothing in this world can make my heart beat faster."

The scenery began to disappear, and there I was, alone in that white and ethereal setting. The white domain I was in began to tremble slightly, a feeling of unease arising from nowhere.

Before I could understand what was happening, a shadowy figure appeared in front of us. The Baron of the Staircase was back, his oppressive presence dominating the space.

"You're here again..." - I said, trying to sound nervous.

His gaze was intense, and his deep voice echoed through the room. - "Your name is Ryo Murata, right?"

Prelest, shining brightly, appeared next to me and quickly intertwined itself with my right arm, forming a sword. - "Ryo, be careful with him!"

The Baron had a kind of hammer on his back, it was huge. - "Tell me, Mr. Murata. What do you think about love?" - said the man.

I prepared myself, holding the sword tightly. - "Love?... I don't know if this is a good time to talk about it..."

The tension in the white domain was palpable as the Baron revealed an unexpected weapon. With one fluid movement, he pulled a huge hammer from his back, the head of the hammer glowing with sinister energy. His eyes fixed me, daring me to continue the fight.

"Let's talk about love then." - he said, raising the hammer.

With a powerful blow, he slammed the hammer into the ground, and immediately a ladder materialized between us, but the Baron was at the top. I didn't hesitate and began to run, climbing the steps with Prelest firmly in my hand. Each step felt like a challenge, but I was determined to reach the Baron.

"What do you find important in a person?" - he laughed, slamming the hammer again. The ladder disappeared beneath my feet, and I fell, landing back on the floor of the white domain.

I stood up quickly, frustration building inside me. - "Will you shut up?!"

The Baron smiled, a cold, disdainful smile. He slammed his hammer on the ground again, and a new staircase appeared, this time extending at a different angle, almost like a maze. I ran towards it, but every time I got close to reaching the Baron, he slammed his hammer on the ground and the staircase disappeared or changed position.

"Do you prefer someone handsome or friendly?" -The repetition was exhausting. Every time I climbed, he pushed me away, the distance between us ever increasing. I could see the contempt in the Baron's eyes, but I also felt Prelest's strength and encouragement at my side.

"A very vague question..." - I shouted, frustration boiling over. - "Why do you insist on this so much?!"

The Baron paused for a moment, the expression on his face hardening. - "Ryo, it's the certainty that your ideals are fragile. Let's see how long you can hold out."

He slammed his hammer on the ground again, and the staircase disappeared once more. I fell, but quickly got up, taking a deep breath. It gave me the strength I needed to continue.

"Prelest!" - I muttered, feeling the energy of the sword in my hand. - "We have to think of something."

Prelest pulsed, as if responding to my thoughts. - "Ryo, trust your heart. Use the connection we have with Ruka."

I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the blue energy from Ruka's heart emanate towards me. When I opened my eyes, a new determination filled me. I advanced again, but this time, each time the Baron created a staircase, I didn't try to follow it directly. Instead, I began to predict his movements, moving with more strategy and precision.

"You can't keep running away forever, Baron!" - I declared, my voice firm.

The Baron seemed surprised by my resilience. Despite his attempts to push me away, I continued to advance, getting closer and closer. - "Tell me, what made you think of helping a girl you don't know?!" - He slammed the hammer into the ground again, but this time, I was ready, quickly dodging and using Prelest's energy to jump directly to where he was.

"I don't need a reason..." - Finally, I managed to get close enough, my sword glowing brightly. With a quick strike, I attacked, forcing the Baron to retreat. - "To help someone!"

He looked at me, his confidence shaken. - "Maybe you're different, Ryo. But you have no idea of things."

The fight against the Stair Baron continued, each moment a new test of strength. I realized that the strategy needed to change. - "Prelest, we have to try something different."

Prelest shone brightly, responding to my thoughts. - "Ryo, trust me. Let's transform this energy into something more versatile."

Suddenly, the sword in my hand transformed, molding itself into a kind of compact cannon on my arm. - "Let's try throwing energy balls." - I suggested.

I concentrated, feeling the energy flow through Prelest and emanate from my arm. I threw the first energy ball, which moved quickly through the air and hit the Stair Baron from afar. He was forced to retreat, surprised by the new tactic.

I continued to launch more energy balls, each one pushing the Baron back and allowing me to advance. Finally, I managed to get close enough to confront him directly.

I used the remaining energy I had absorbed from Ruka, and with a shout, I advanced towards the Baron. - "Take that!"

Just as I was about to attack him with Prelest, I felt a sudden weakness. The energy that was propelling me began to dissipate, leaving me vulnerable. The Baron, noticing this, laughed out loud.

"Do you think you can defeat me so easily, Lord Murata?" - His voice was filled with mockery and amusement. - "I will give you a chance to live, because I found this battle... entertaining."

I fell to my knees, exhausted and without strength. - "Why... are you doing this?" - I asked, trying to understand his motivation.

The Baron approached, the hammer resting at his side. He looked at me with a thoughtful expression. - "I'll ask you again... Ryo Murata, what do you think about love?"

His question caught me off guard. I tried to answer, but the words escaped me. What did I really know about love? I just mumbled, unable to formulate a clear answer.

The Baron laughed again, but this time his laugh seemed less cruel and more contemplative. - "You can't defeat me now, Ryo, until you understand the true meaning of love."

He began to walk away, his presence still powerful, but now with a different tone. - "Love is not just a word or a passing feeling. It is something deep, complex, that demands more than you can imagine."

I remained there, kneeling on the floor, reflecting on his words. What was love to me? I thought about Ruka, about Aiko, and about everyone who cared about me. It was more than simply liking someone. It was about sacrifice, understanding, and a connection that transcended words.

The white domain around us began to slowly dissolve, indicating the end of the immediate confrontation. The Baron looked back one last time. - "Find the answer, Ryo. Only then will you have the strength to finally defeat me."

When he disappeared, I let myself fall completely to the ground, exhausted but deep in thought. Prelest, still in my hand, pulsed slightly. - "Ryo, you already know what to do..."

I took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of defeat and hope. "Yes, Prelest. I already know, but how did he get here?"

"He is the Baron of the Stairs, wherever there is a staircase, we will be in his domain." - Prelest said.

"All that I saw was Ruka's past, isn't it?" - I said to Prelest who came out of my arm.

"Just a part of her..." - he said a little apprehensively.

As the ethereal world undid, my image became blurred, I closed my eyes. When I opened my eyes, I saw that Ruka was back in my arms and I was still kissing her forehead.

Prelest had disappeared. Aiko finally reached us. - "Wow... You guys run a lot..." - Aiko had seen me kissing Ruka's forehead. - "Did I... Miss something?!"

Ruka lifted her face and looked at me, her eyes shining brightly, I couldn't help but blush a little. - "So you mean you won't need a rental girlfriend anymore?" - she said as her expression changed as she looked at Aiko.

I started scratching the back of my neck. - "Huh... I don't know if you noticed, Sarashina-san. But Aiko is my sister."

"What?!" - She looked at me confused, then looked at Aiko, and then at me and then at Aiko again. - "Aiko... Is your sister?!"

"YES!" - My sister and I said at the same time.

Ruka started laughing. - "So that's why you look so alike!" - She laughed while she was still on my lap.

"Are you serious that you only realized now?!" - I said to Ruka.

The girl with the blue ribbons turned to me. - "Actually, I already had a certain suspicion, but I couldn't believe something like that."

"Look, it's a long story..." - I turned to my sister. - "Anyway, Aiko. Sarashina-san and I...-"

"We're dating now!" - Ruka said, interrupting me.

"What?!" - Aiko jumped back in fright. - "Didn't all of this happen like... Really fast?!" - She said, a little apprehensively.

I snorted. - "We're not dating yet! Since she wants it so much, let's go out and see what happens."

"Like, a first date?!" - Aiko asked.

"Exactly." - I added.

"I see... It all happened so fast, but it's okay then... I guess... You won't tell anything about me, right?" - Aiko said, smiling nervously at Ruka.

Ruka's expression changed. - "Why would I do that? Now that I know you're siblings, if I did that, Ryo could hate me forever... And that's something I don't want! No way!" - None of us were expecting that answer.

Aiko smiled. - "PHEW.... Alright then. I accept your relationship." - My sister said while giving a thumbs up.

"Wait Aiko, this isn't a rela-"  - I was interrupted again by Ruka.

"Thank you, Sister-in-law!" - Ruka said while smiling happily.

"S-Sister-in-law?!" - Aiko and I said at the same time.

Everything happened so fast, Ruka simply looked at me and kissed my cheek. - "You may have stolen three kisses from me.... I still don't have the courage to kiss you on the mouth, I feel like exploding when that happens, But to be even, there are two more kisses left..."

I didn't know what to say in that situation. - "Who knows... Our first date might involve a kiss... And it might be on the lips." - Ruka said after getting off my lap.

The girl with the blue ribbons stood up, getting ready to leave. - "And don't forget, you still grabbed my breasts, which means I'll be able to grab any part of your body too..." - Ruka said as she left. - "See you later, Ryo and Aiko!"

"So this is the equivalent exchange..." - I said quietly to myself.

Going back a little to the past...

"But it's okay..."

"Yeah, it's okay!"

"I'll live..."

"Normally!"

Ruka remembered the moment when Ryo had saved her. Ruka was extremely confused, very concerned about the kiss. - 'Why this guy... He...' - Ruka didn't know what to think.

After what happened, Ruka walked down the streets thoughtfully. - "Me too... I'm a rental girlfriend..." - the girl with the blue ribbons took her cell phone out of her pocket.

Her heart rate had gone over 90%, Ruka couldn't help but blush a lot, she started crying right there.

"I'm not like a robot..."

"Someone made my heart race!"

Back to the present...

"My heart beats slowly."

Ruka left her house. - "Ah- Ruka, don't try too hard!" - her mother said.

"It's okay, I've been feeling great lately!" - Ruka said as she said goodbye to her.

"Now that I've found my 'special someone'..."

"I, Ruka Sarashina..."

The girl with the blue ribbons was fiddling with her cell phone, sending a good morning to Ryo on his contact. He replied with a good morning back.

"I'll keep looking for even more electrifying experiences!"

End of chapter 3