I Need To Do What?!

The Plan

Rio's POV:

"WHAT THE FUCK, RIO!"

Anzu was truly a vision to behold while she was angry. She was a fiery temptress that Rio simply couldn't get enough off! She was the flame and he was a mere moth drawn to her brilliance. She shone like a thousand blazing suns, brimming with unrestrained passion.

When he had first started his job, he wasn't entirely convinced that Anzu even deserved a love interest. He believed the girl was too self absorbed and focused on inconsequential issues. But he did the job that was given to him, out of a sense of duty. A challenge was a challenge after all.

The longer he got to know her, he realized that there was more to her than a childish girl obsessed with video games and cats.

She was kind and extremely considerate. The people lucky enough to be drawn into her inner circle thrived under her attention.

Rio himself found himself blossoming under her tender care.

Sure, she loved to kick him around sometimes and Rio would be the first to admit he preferred a little rough handling every now and then.

Rio was starting to enjoy life as a human. Probably a bit too much. It was enough to cause a wave of dissension amongst his colleagues and higher ups. They wanted to terminate this project as soon as possible but couldn't since they had promised an extension of the deadline earlier.

Wizards never went back on their word.

A few days ago, he had received a summons to the wizarding headquarters. The talk was brief and to the point.

"We cannot afford to waste so much time on one individual. If Anzu Hoshino cannot appreciate the gift we have given her, then she does not deserve it. We will rescind all the love interests presented to her and return them to their normal lives as before. They will no longer have any memory of Anzu Hoshino but she will. It only seems fit since she must be aware of what she has lost," they said.

Rio was left reeling.

It was a cruel punishment for Anzu. The people who lost their memories were better off, but she would remember. And knowing Anzu, she would regret it deeply.

Rio was conflicted. On one hand, he wanted to let her know but on the other, he was scared of her choosing someone. Someone who wasn't him.

Rio wasn't sure when he started to feel this way but he knew that he needed her in his life, He needed her as a lover or friend in some capacity.

If she chose someone then he had no purpose to stay. Wizards had no place in the mortal realm. They were nearly immortal beings.

"Rio! Answer me!" Anzu screamed in his face, shaking him roughly.

Her cheeks were flushed, matching her fiery hair and her blazing temper. Rio wondered if it would be wrong to wax poetry in her face.

But, unfortunately, there were bigger fish to fry.

"Uh, yes Anzu. If you don't fall in love by the end of the month-"

"-the guys will lose all their memories of me. I heard you the first time. But what about my memory? Will I also forget them?" she demanded.

Rio looked at his feet.

"No."

He didn't have to see her to know the expression of pure horror on her face. Anzu backed away from him till her back hit the wall. He looked up to see her slide down the wall, completely speechless for the first time since he had met her. It was not a good look on her.

"Anzu," he said kneeling in front of her. Her face was cast in shadows, resembling an abject look of misery.

"What do I do? Why are you wizards so cruel? You started this program and now you want to destroy me for not playing the role of a perfect puppet in your games!" she cried, covering her face in her palms.

Rio wished he could defend wizard kind but he knew it was all their fault. He did trick Anzu into signing the contract but it never weighed heavily on him since she met wonderful people and had blossomed in the months after.

"It doesn't have to come to that, Anzu! You can choose someone," he trailed off, sounding disgruntled by the idea.

"Haven't you done enough? You made me realize that I have potential love interests in my life. I don't need to commit to any one individual now, do I? I'm just 18!" she pleaded, appearing as forlorn as he had ever seen her.

"The point was to prove you are capable of romantic attachments. You haven't been romantically involved with any of your love interests. You have essentially friend zoned them," he replied in a factual tone.

Anzu clenched her jaw. Rio wondered if she would start throwing punches at him.

"Tell me what you expect me to do. What do I have to do to prove that I am capable of having romantic relationships?" she demanded.

Rio considered her question. It was a good one as far as he was concerned. He flicked his wand and poofed his relationship manual in front of him.

He flipped through the pages, ignoring Anzu's curious hovering over his shoulder. She couldn't understand his language either way.

"Hmm... It says here that romantic intentions are proven by the physical acts such as hand holding, cuddling, hugging, kissing and ooh.."

"Shut up, Rio!" Anzu slapped a hand over his mouth before he could delve in deeper into the specifics. He smirked at her flushed appearance.

"Physical acts. I hold hands with Tsukasa and Junta. We have hugged. Junta leans against me while we watch tv. I suppose that can be considered as cuddling. Hijiri gets freaked out by any physical contact but that's probably his idea of rubbing shoulders with a 'commoner'," she mused, snorting at her thoughts.

"Mm mmph!"

Rio's statement was muffled underneath her palm.

Anzu lifted her hand away with a threatening look in her eyes.

"I said that we have kissed twice! And we have had more physical contact together than you have had with any of your other ikeman!" he said proudly.

"Those were physical acts of violence, you little shit!" Anzu growled at him.

"Love and hate? What's the big difference?" he asked with a shrug.

"Rio," Anzu whispered.

"Yeah?"

"I suggest you run," she added calmly.

"You're right! Toodles!"

Rio poofed out of existence pondering the situation.

He had finally revealed the information to Anzu.
What she chose to do with the info was entirely up to her.
The ball was in her court now.