"Next up is taking over Tohto Medical's assets," Seiji said with a nod. "Keep an eye on things for me. Retain all the useful personnel."
"Understood." Ken Sakaguchi bowed deeply. "Then, I'll excuse myself for now."
"Thanks for your hard work, Attorney Sakaguchi."
Once Sakaguchi left, only Seiji and Ryo Yamada remained in the lobby.
Ryo held the property deed tightly in her hands, looking around the familiar surroundings.
"Seiji, I want to take a look upstairs."
"Alright."
The two took the elevator up.
They entered the second floor of the hospital.
Although Tohto Medical had renovated the place, the layout remained the same.
Ryo walked to the window, gazing out at the familiar street below.
"There used to be a painting here," she said softly. "Mom's favorite... cherry blossoms in full bloom."
Seiji stood behind her, quietly listening.
"This…" Ryo moved toward another doorway. "Was Dad's study. He used to sit here reading medical journals, sometimes all through the night."
She pushed the door open. The room was empty now. Her eyes grew distant.
"Back then, I always thought… Dad would be here forever."
Seiji stepped up beside her and gently took her hand.
Ryo turned and buried herself in his arms.
The next morning, 10 a.m.
In front of Yamada Hospital.
Seiji had arranged a grand ceremony for its return.
A temporary stage had been set up in the plaza, lined with a red carpet.
Reporters, hospital staff, local residents... and even some fans who came just to witness this historic moment... filled the area.
At exactly ten, the ceremony began.
The host, a veteran news anchor, opened the event.
"Good morning, everyone. Thank you for coming. Today, we're here to witness a truly special moment... Yamada Hospital returning to its rightful owner."
Thunderous applause followed.
"First, let's welcome the new director of Yamada Hospital... Miss Ryo Yamada!"
Ryo, dressed in a white dress, stepped onto the stage.
Standing before the microphone, she took a deep breath as countless eyes turned to her.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Ryo Yamada."
Her voice was soft, yet it carried clearly through the speakers.
"A year ago… my parents passed away in a fire."
"The hospital was forced to be sold to the Tohto Medical Group."
"For a long time… I thought I'd lost everything."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"But today, thanks to Fujiwara-sensei's help… I've taken it back."
She looked up at the hospital sign above her.
Yamada Memorial Hospital
"From today onward, Yamada Hospital will reopen," she said firmly. "I'll carry on my parents' legacy and continue to provide the best medical care to everyone in this community."
Applause roared once more.
At the edge of the crowd, Nijika stood silently.
She had taken a day off just to see this moment in person.
But as she watched Ryo and Seiji standing side by side on the stage…
A complicated feeling welled up inside her... joy for her friend, mixed with unease and sorrow.
At the live house, Seika Ijichi was watching the news broadcast.
She frowned slightly as Ryo's relieved smile appeared on-screen.
"That girl sure is lucky," Seika murmured.
The PA girl beside her nodded. "Yeah. In the world of business, for someone used as a pawn to end up getting her hospital back? The man behind her must be pretty generous."
Neither of them really believed it was that simple.
Fujiwara-sensei helping a helpless girl reclaim her family's hospital?
That kind of thing only happened in fairy tales.
Both Seika and the PA had been through enough in society to know better. To them, Ryo was likely just caught up in a much larger business... or even political... game.
What the public saw was only the tip of the iceberg.
Three days later, late at night.
At the Yamada residence.
Outside, the city lights glowed. Inside, the bedroom was dimly lit by a single bedside lamp.
Seiji leaned against the headboard, flipping through documents... the final confirmation papers from the law firm regarding Yamada Hospital's ownership transfer.
All the legal procedures were complete.
From today on, the hospital officially belonged to Ryo Yamada.
At last, it was done. He nodded in satisfaction and set the papers aside.
Just then...
The bathroom door opened.
Ryo stepped out, wrapped in a bath towel, damp hair cascading down her shoulders, skin glowing faintly pink under the warm light.
She sat down beside Seiji naturally.
"Still working?" she asked.
"Just finished." Seiji smiled, pulling her into his arms.
"Seiji… thank you."
"Thank you again?" He chuckled. "Didn't I tell you? You're with me now. This is all as it should be."
"But…" Ryo bit her lip. "I still feel like I haven't done enough for you."
"Not enough?" Seiji raised an eyebrow, then smiled faintly. "Ryo, I'm glad you think that way."
He leaned closer, voice lowering playfully. "But maybe you've misunderstood your role a little."
Ryo blinked. "What do you mean?"
His fingers brushed along her collarbone. "You belong to me."
Her breathing quickened.
"I… I know…"
"Do you?" Seiji smiled faintly. "Then you know what you should do now."
Ryo closed her eyes and whispered, "Mm."
Much later, silence returned to the bedroom.
Ryo lay in Seiji's arms, her cheeks still faintly flushed as she slept peacefully.
Seiji, however, remained awake, gazing at the ceiling, savoring the lingering sensation of their intimacy.
With his current stamina, three or four hours of sleep a day was more than enough.
Then...
A familiar electronic chime rang in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host. You have completed Phase Two of the Ryo Yamada capture.]
[Reward unlocked: The Complete Japanese Music Library from your previous world.]
A grin curved across Seiji's lips.
He closed his eyes as waves of information flooded his mind.
Music... endless music from his past life on Earth.
From the classic enka of the Shōwa era to the J-pop hits of Heisei…
Rock, folk, electronic, hip-hop... every genre, every note.
Mika Nakashima's "Yuki no Hana."
Utada Hikaru's "First Love."
Mr. Children's "Shirushi."
RADWIMPS' "Zenzenzense."
Kenshi Yonezu's "Lemon."
Every song was vivid and complete.
Every melody, every lyric, every arrangement detail... all perfectly preserved.
It felt as if his mind had become a vast musical archive.
With a single thought, he could recall any song... its sheet music, lyrics, and production details.
"This feeling…" he murmured. "It's like… I composed them myself."
No... he had.
Under the system's influence, those songs truly belonged to him now.
He possessed total mastery over them... singing, performing, arranging... all of it.
"This reward…" Seiji opened his eyes, a spark of excitement gleaming within. "This is incredible."
He mentally called up a few tracks...
The sorrow of "Lemon."
The youth and energy of "Uchiage Hanabi."
The tangled emotions of "Pretender."
He could even distinguish between the studio and live versions in perfect clarity.
"With this power…" Seiji smirked. "I can do a lot more."
"The Genesis project can expand even further…"
"And I can make sure Ryo enjoys her music career without worry."
He glanced at the sleeping girl beside him.
If he had the ability to ensure the women around him lived comfortably and happily... why wouldn't he?
That was how life should be.
The next evening.
At the Yamada home.
Ryo was in the kitchen, learning to make steamed egg custard.
Seiji was still out on business.
The doorbell rang.
Wiping her hands, Ryo went to answer it.
"Nijika?" she said, surprised. "What brings you here?"
Standing at the door, Nijika held a few papers in her hands.
"Ryo, can I come in?"
"Of course." Ryo stepped aside. "Come on in."
Nijika sat on the sofa while Ryo poured her a cup of tea.
"If you came all the way here, something must be on your mind," Ryo said calmly. "You've never been good at hiding things."
Nijika held the cup, silent for a long moment before finally speaking.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
Nijika bit her lip. "What's your relationship with Fujiwara-sensei?"
Ryo blinked, then smiled faintly.
"What's with the sudden question?"
"I just… wanted to know." Nijika lowered her head.
Ryo looked at her thoughtfully. "Do you want the truth?"
Nijika nodded.
Ryo took a quiet breath. "Then I'll tell you. Seiji and I… are in a relationship."
Nijika froze.
A couple…? But Fujiwara...
"Yes," Ryo said evenly. "To be precise, I'm his woman."
Nijika's hands trembled.
"But… Fujiwara-sensei, he…" she hesitated, voice shrinking to a whisper, "he seems to have others, doesn't he?"
"You mean Utaha Kasumigaoka and Eriri Sawamura?" Ryo didn't dodge the question. "Yes. They're his women too."
Nijika stared at her, stunned. "You… you knew?"
Ryo smiled wryly. "I knew from the beginning."
"Then why... "
"Why stay with him?" Ryo finished for her, still smiling. "Because I want to."
Nijika frowned. "Ryo, don't you feel… wronged?"
"Why should I?" Ryo shook her head.
She looked straight at Nijika, her tone steady.
"You remember what I was like before, right?"
Nijika nodded silently.
"My parents gone, the hospital stolen, buried in debt…" Ryo said softly. "At that point, I didn't even want to live."
She paused.
"Seiji saved me. He paid my debts, helped me reclaim the hospital, gave me a reason to keep living." Her gaze grew firm. "After all that he's done for me… what right do I have to demand he belong to only me?"
Nijika stared at her, speechless.
"And besides," Ryo smiled faintly, "I've never regretted it."
"But… don't you think it's unfair?" Nijika whispered.
"Unfair?" Ryo asked quietly. "When has the world ever been fair?"
"Seiji treats me well. That's enough. Whoever else he has... that's his business. As long as I can stay by his side, I'm fine with it."
Nijika looked at her for a long moment.
The light in Ryo's eyes, the calm, genuine smile on her face... it was unshakable.
Finally, Nijika lowered her head.
"I understand," she murmured. "I'm sorry, Ryo. I shouldn't have questioned you."
"It's fine." Ryo smiled and hugged her. "You were just worried about me. I get it."
They held each other for a long while before Nijika finally let go.
"Thank you… for telling me the truth."
"Silly girl." Ryo chuckled. "We're friends, aren't we?"
Nijika nodded, standing up.
"I should go."
"So soon?" Ryo blinked. "Stay for dinner?"
"I can't," Nijika said, shaking her head. "I have to help my sister tonight."
"Alright." Ryo walked her to the door. "Be careful on your way home."
"Yeah."
As Nijika left, Ryo stood in the doorway, watching her figure fade into the night. Her eyes darkened slightly.
She hadn't forgotten Seiji's earlier interest in Nijika.
"I'm sorry, Nijika," she whispered. "If it ever comes to that… I'll still take Seiji's side. After all, I belong to him."
Tokyo, Kuroiwa Law Firm Branch Office
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, scattering over the polished wooden table.
Seiji sat on the sofa, casually flipping through a business magazine.
Across from him, Ken Sakaguchi was sorting through documents.
At forty-two, Sakaguchi was one of Kuroiwa's senior partners... experienced, confident, and in his prime.
"Thank you for waiting, Fujiwara-sensei," he said after a moment, adjusting his glasses. "I've completed a preliminary plan for managing the Yamada Hospital operations."
"No rush." Seiji set the magazine aside, smiling faintly. "Actually, I came today to discuss something new."