common enemy [Ryuji Sakamoto x Reader]

chapter eight: a call

"Oh my god, you finally have a boyfriend!" Emi yelled, wide-eyed, as soon as you walked into your apartment. In a matter of seconds she had taken a photo of the two of you and was shaking Ryuji's hand. "Thank you so much! I thought nobody would ever take her."

"Ugh, Emi. He's not my boyfriend." You swatted her hand away from Ryuji in embarassment.

She ruffled your hair. "There's no need to be embarrassed about it!"

Ryuji laughed nervously, "She's right, we're not dating. I'm here for a project."

You knew you weren't actually dating Ryuji, but you still felt a little downcast that he had admitted it so easily. Emi looked almost as disappointed as you felt. You immediately shook away the feeling.

"Sakamoto, this is my sister, Emi." You explained, flattening your hair out. "We're gonna work in my room, sis. Please don't bother us by trying to win Sakamoto over or some shit like that." You turned to your sister. "And don't you dare touch those baby photos."

Emi froze in her position, her hand about to grab a photo album on one of the shelves in the living room. You let out a sigh, putting your head in the palm of your hand. Ryuji bit his lip as he held back his laughter.

"Let's stop wasting time." You grabbed Ryuji's arm and pulled him up the stairs to your room. Ryuji glanced around as you pulled him along, looking for any framed family photos. However, every single wall in the apartment was bare except for a few paintings.

You arrived at your room, letting go of Ryuji's arm. You threw your bag onto your bed as Ryuji gently placed his bag next to your desk, as if letting it down any harder would break something. Visiting foreign homes always felt like walking through a land of glass, after all.

"I'll go get another chair for you," you told him, leaving the room to get a metal folding chair from the hall closet.

He used the extra time to look around your room, examining its contents. Your bookshelf held a lot of complex crime investigation books. In between some of the books was the occasional manga. Ryuji almost laughed out loud. The fact that you read that manga was beyond surprising. Other than your bookshelf, everything in your room was neat and organized.

He glanced to your desk, finally discovering the only photo in your house. It was a formal image; younger versions of you and Emi looked free and cheerful in blossoming white dresses. The two of you stood in front of an older man and woman. Much to Ryuji's confusion, the man and woman's faces were covered with two ripped pieces of paper inside the frame.

Are those her parents? Why are their faces covered?

"You seem a little too interested," a voice startled him, cutting him away from his thoughts. Ryuji looked towards the sound to find you leaning against your doorframe, the metal chair in your hands.

Ryuji quickly backed away. "Sorry. Just thought it was real fucking weird that there's no pictures in your house."

"Then stop thinking about it. It's none of your business," you retorted. A smirk grew on your face, "Besides, I didn't know you wanted to look at me so much."

His face went red at your teasing. "What the hell do you mean by that?!"

"Nothing in particular," you laughed, unfolding the chair and setting it down beside your own. "Let's get to work now. I don't have all day. Your school gives way too much goddamn homework."

He sighed, plopping down into the chair and pulling out his papers. You did the same, grabbing your library books from your bag.

•••

The both of you worked for an hour or two, occasionally exchanging ideas and writing down notes. The only problem was that he was sitting right next to you.

This is way too close for comfort, you thought, shifting a little bit more to the opposite side of your chair. Ryuji didn't notice.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. You figured that was it, but it continued to buzz over and over for five minutes.

"Can you just fucking answer it?" You finally snapped at him. It looked like you broke him out of his thoughts.

"Shit, yeah." He pulled his phone out of his bag, checking the caller ID. "I'm gonna take this outside. You know, so you can work and shit."

He walked into the hallway, shutting the door behind him. You waited for a minte before your curiosity peaked and you couldn't resist creeping from your chair to lean your ear against the door. You could hear his faint voice as you strained your ears to listen.

"I know right? Dude, I can't believe he confessed so quickly."

Confessed? Who are they talking about?

"I'm still worried, though. Why do the shadows keep talking about someone in a black mask? I didn't know other people could enter palaces like we could."

They have to be talking about a video game or something.

But it was strange, they weren't talking playfully; his voice sounded dead serious, as if the situation he was describing had really happened. Maybe they're in a gang? Those words could be code.

You gave up on listening to the rest of the discussion and walked back to your desk. You stretched out your joints, enjoying the soft popping noises they made when you moved the right way. A few seconds after, Ryuji entered.

"The hell are you doing?"

"Stretching, obviously." You scoffed, reaching to your toes. "I haven't done any physical activity since I finished track."

"Track?" This topic seemed to interest him as he leaned against your door frame to listen. "You run?"

"Isn't that what you usually do in track?"

He groaned, putting his hand to his head. "I fucking know that. I was just surprised to find out that you run. Can we go one conversation without you being sarcastic?"

You laughed, finally deciding to humor him. You opened a drawer in your desk, pulling out a few medals to show him. "Yeah, I've run since I was a kid. It's a way for me to cool off."

"I feel the same way," he nodded.

"Hm? Do you run too?" You put your medals back into your drawer, sliding it closed.

"Yeah, I used to do track. I haven't run in a while either. I guess I should start again," he looked thoughtful as he stared out of your window, hands in his pockets. There was a slight pause as you admired his figure, but most of all, his bottomless brown eyes.

He turned to you and made eye contact as you spoke. "Well, maybe we can get in shape together, then?"

You were shocked by your own words. Why the hell did I say that?

Ryuji also looked surprised for a moment, but he quickly agreed.

"Yeah, sure. I'd like that."