The classroom was already half full when they entered. The voices fell silent for a few seconds, as if someone had pressed the "pause" button.
It wasn't hard to notice the reason.
Every gaze seemed to be sucked towards Ryan, all the students looked at him, as if his "presence" filled every corner of the place. Some girls exchanged quick glances and laughed softly, others simply stared at him without any disguise. Even some guys furrowed their brows, uncertain between surprise and discomfort.
Elena felt the tension in the air, but pretended to be natural.
Bonnie, on the other hand, lifted her chin with that expression she used when she didn't want anyone to notice that she was also a bit bothered.
"Looks like you've already got a whole audience..." Bonnie murmured, softly, just for him.
Ryan smiled sideways, as if that didn't affect him at all.
"It's not my fault if the school isn't used to receiving new students..."
After whispering that to Bonnie, he walked to one of the desks further ahead, choosing his seat without hurry, as if he were completely oblivious to the gazes that still followed him. He sat down calmly, adjusting himself in the chair, while some nearby students quickly averted their eyes, trying to disguise their curiosity.
Elena and Bonnie continued walking to the back of the classroom, finding two empty desks side by side in a more distant row. Bonnie left her backpack on the chair first, occupying the spot next to the wall, and Elena settled right behind the row where Ryan had sat, resting her books on the desk.
The atmosphere seemed to have returned to normal, with conversations resuming in low murmurs and muffled laughter.
Well, Ryan wasn't the only new student the school had received this year.
In a corner of the classroom, another "new student" observed Elena in silence. Earlier, he had found her in the bathroom, at the moment she was giving a lecture to her younger brother for using drugs. Now, his eyes remained fixed on her, even though Elena didn't give him the slightest attention. He knew that, under other circumstances, perhaps she would be more receptive to his presence. But there was no way to compete with the boy with black hair and green eyes who monopolized her gaze. That situation made him uncomfortable.
Who was that boy?
When he researched Elena's life, he found nothing about him. Well, maybe he was just a "new student." Or perhaps an old friend who had studied abroad and now decided to return to Mystic Falls?
When the bell rang, the students began to settle into their seats. The classroom soon filled with low laughter and whispers. Some still took the opportunity to exchange quick words with friends before class started.
The door opened and Professor Tanner entered. Tall, with curly black hair and brown eyes, he had an athletic build and a firm presence.
"Good morning, class!" He said with a clear voice.
"Good morning, professor!" The class responded in chorus.
Tanner placed some papers on the desk, adjusted his glasses, and turned to the board.
"Today we're going to talk about the history of Virginia during the Civil War..." He began, scribbling with white chalk while explaining.
He spoke about the conflict, about how Virginia joined the Confederacy in 1861, and how that led to divisions until resulting in the creation of West Virginia in 1863. Then, he moved on to the Battle of Gettysburg.
But for some, the explanation sounded distant, almost like a hum.
Elena couldn't take her eyes off Ryan. He, in turn, turned slightly and looked at her over his shoulder. For a moment, their gazes met. A discreet smile appeared on his lips, a smile that seemed to understand everything without needing words.
Elena's heart raced. It was as if butterflies had stirred in her stomach, too light to ignore. She tried to force her eyes back to the board, but the image of Ryan's smile was already etched in her mind.
Bonnie also observed him in silence. She pretended to jot something in her notebook, but her eyes insisted on returning to Ryan. She gripped the pen tightly, trying to disguise the sudden wave of heat she felt.
Behind her, Matt noticed that silent exchange immediately. His expression closed, and a discomfort crossed his chest. Seeing Elena look at Ryan that way awakened a jealousy he wasn't prepared to feel. He tried to focus on the professor's voice, but the scene replayed in his mind.
And so the class continued, with each one trapped in their own thoughts.
The clock seemed to drag until finally the bell for the end of the next class rang. The math teacher left the room, gathering her papers with a sigh, and most of the students let out a chorus of relief. Notebooks were closed and the typical interval movement began to take over the hallway.
"Thank God...." Bonnie murmured, resting her head on her arms: "If I had to hear one more explanation about quadratic functions, I swear I would turn into a graph myself and disappear...."
Elena laughed softly, putting away her things: "It wasn't that bad..."
"Easy for you to say, who understands it right away." Bonnie retorted, without lifting her face.
Ryan stretched as he approached the two, looked at both with a light smile, and asked: "How about we forget math for a while? I'll buy something for you in the cafeteria. Consider it an official apology for disappearing for years."
Elena raised her eyebrows, surprised.
"You don't need to do that, Ryan."
"I do...." He insisted, with that light tone, but one that left no room for refusal: "The truth is, I really wanted to take you to some decent restaurant, one of those with a menu in French and dishes we don't even know how to pronounce right. But, since we're stuck at school… I think the cafeteria will have to do."
Bonnie stared at him with that characteristic look of distrust, but the corner of her mouth betrayed the start of a smile: "French restaurant? You've barely returned and you're already trying to flirt with both of us?"
"I wouldn't be a real man if I didn't try, right?" He replied, with a voice loaded with humor: "But you can think it's just a friend trying to redeem himself...."
"Ah, sure… just a friend trying to redeem himself" Elena repeated, with a playful tone, but her eyes betrayed something deeper.
A sudden warmth ran through her chest, memories of laughter, jokes, and even more intimate moments with Ryan flashing in her mind.
Bonnie, on the other hand, tried to look away, but couldn't. Her green eyes followed him with every movement, and an involuntary smile escaped when he approached. A wave of emotion mixed with irritation and desire ran through her body. She wanted to suppress it, but at the same time she loved that sensation, that familiarity loaded with tension....
"You really don't waste time, do you?" In the end, she murmured, the corners of her mouth lifting, trying to sound serious, but the tone betrayed a mix of amusement and something she didn't want to admit even to herself.
Ryan shrugged, that mischievous half-smile that always left her irritated and enchanted at the same time: "What can I say? Old habits never die...."
Elena ended up giving in, shaking her head, but with a playful gleam in her eyes: "Alright, but only because school cafeteria isn't usually as glamorous as you're promising...."
"Deal..." Ryan replied, satisfied: "Come on, before the good options run out...."
The trio left together, crossing the already crowded hallway of students coming and going.
As they walked, Elena and Bonnie exchanged discreet glances, each processing the mix of desire, longing, and something more complicated that they felt for him. Ryan seemed to notice, maintaining that perfect balance between provocation and affection, joking about the time they spent apart and everything that had been left unsaid… or undone.
The noise increased with every step until they reached the cafeteria. The double doors opened, revealing a spacious area, lit by large windows. Long tables occupied the center, full of noisy groups. The smell of freshly baked pizza mixed with that of french fries, and the constant sound of trays being banged on the counter gave a sense of organized chaos.
There was everything: pizzas, sandwiches, simple salads, hot dishes with pasta or breaded chicken, plus shelves full of juices, sodas, and small packages of snacks.
Ryan went straight to the line, with Elena and Bonnie beside him. When it was his turn, he didn't waste time: he grabbed a tray with a slice of pizza, a turkey sandwich, two bottles of orange juice, and some extra french fries.
"Alright...." He said, handing one bottle of juice to Elena and another to Bonnie: "It's not a French restaurant, but I hope it serves..."
"It does...." Elena replied, laughing, taking her share.
Bonnie took the other bottle and looked at him with an arched eyebrow.
"At least you didn't offer us a bit of vodka this time..."
"... Unfortunately, they don't sell that here in the cafeteria." Ryan said, shrugging.
As he spoke, he noticed that both their gazes became "complicated" because of Bonnie's comment. Of course... how could they not remember that night? A night that he, to his frustration, hadn't really lived, just carried as a "memory."
That bothered him.
Still, the idea of reliving that experience, or better, conquering it a second time, crossed his mind. It would be harder now, after all, the three were more mature and experienced women. But, if he had succeeded once... it wouldn't be impossible to do it again.
Ah, so that was it... He wanted to take the three to bed. But, let's face it, if any man were in his place, wouldn't he want the same? He was honest at least in that point, so the answer could only be a resounding "yes."
What a stupid question.
Would he be a scoundrel for ignoring feelings and thinking only about sex?
Of course yes.
But did he care about that?
Not at all.
In the end, he only worried about himself and no one else.
I mean, why else would he be trying to get along with the two? For friendship...? Please. Friendship between man and woman only truly exists if one of them is gay or if both find each other too ugly to try anything. It's the pure and simple truth.
Speaking of "truths," he had the powers of the King of Curses. He just needed time, a bit of training, and soon he would have absorbed all his power. Invincible. Absolutely invincible in this world. So, why the hell would he stay stuck in a small and boring town? The only reason was the convenience that his identity in the world had and, of course, the fact that he wanted to have fun with the three girls he saw in his memories.
Besides, that town wasn't just fun. It was also a terrain full of future enemies that he wanted to defeat, eliminate, and collect like someone collects trophies. If it weren't by his own choice, he would have left the instant he was reborn.
But staying there?
Ah, he would remain. Because there, between convenience, pleasure, and the simple possibility of eliminating anyone who dared cross his path, life was too fun not to be enjoyed.
He would do whatever he wanted, without restrictions, because now he held even more power than before. There were no more rules, no laws to contain him like in his old world. His philosophy of life, as distorted as it had always been, finally found fertile ground.
Although his mind was full of thoughts like that, he showed nothing on his face that displayed a light smile after his comment, which was quickly met with a soft punch from Bonnie on his shoulder and "a look" from Elena.
The three settled in a corner of the cafeteria, away from the central bustle, but still visible enough to observe the movement around. With Ryan sitting next to Elena and Bonnie in front of the two.
Bonnie took the sandwich and raised her eyebrow, biting the corner of her lip in a smile she didn't want to admit.
"I see you still remember what I like to eat."
Elena laughed softly, taking a slice of pizza and arranging it on the plate.
"The same with me… cheese pizza and french fries. Nothing changed."
Ryan settled in the chair, resting his arm on the back with a carefree air. A light smile appeared on his lips, but inside, he reflected with certain irony: his identity in that world was simply perfect. Not only did he possess the same personality and the same tastes as before, but he also carried a genius mind, capable of remembering everything with absolute clarity.
Even something as "useless" as this that he would have forgotten after about three months.
He didn't let any of his thoughts show.
He just tilted his head slightly, as if it were natural.
"Some things you can't forget. You two have an enviable consistency."
Bonnie laughed, shaking her head.
"Consistency? I think you meant 'predictable'."
"No." Ryan replied: "I meant that you know what you want. There are people who change tastes every season. But not you. That always caught my attention. Oh, and it also helped me remember more easily."
Elena, biting the pizza, looked away, but the soft smile that appeared made it clear that the words moved her. Bonnie pretended to roll her eyes, but the warmth in her expression also gave her away.
They started eating, and soon the conversation flowed naturally, as if the years of distance hadn't existed.
Ryan asked about the school news, and Elena was the first to respond. She talked about the changes, the new teachers, and how the football team had lost badly in last year's championship. Since her parents had died the previous summer, she felt empty and completely lost. But, with the arrival of the boy accompanying her, that feeling began to disappear.
She spoke animatedly, gesturing lightly, while Ryan listened attentively, displaying that half-smile that seemed to see much more than her words revealed.
Bonnie joined the conversation right after, remembering funny episodes, like the time Caroline tried to organize a surprise party but forgot to tell the birthday person. The three laughed together, and for a moment it seemed like nothing had changed, that they were still just teenagers having fun without worries.
When the topic shifted to Ryan's life in Japan, he answered a few questions casually, not giving much weight to the details. He shared just enough to satisfy everyone's curiosity, but didn't linger on the subject. Soon after, he steered the conversation toward something lighter, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, making it clear he didn't want his personal life to become the center of attention:
"By the way, did you know that in Japan people really eat rice even for breakfast? I almost died missing a simple bread with butter."
Elena widened her eyes, laughing.
"Seriously? I can't imagine breakfast without bread."
"That's right." Ryan replied, laughing too. "And not only that. You ask for water in a restaurant and they bring you hot tea. In the summer. I almost had a syncope the first time."
Bonnie burst out laughing, shaking her head.
"I can imagine your indignant face."
"It was exactly that. Pure indignation."
The table filled with laughter again, and so they stayed, exchanging stories, memories, and provocations. Ryan let slip small observations about the time away, Elena and Bonnie responded with their own local stories, and gradually what happened in the past gave way to the lightness of simply being together again.
__________________
(A/N: I just wanted to make something clear: Ryan is basically the opposite of Ren Zu.
Ren Zu started out human, full of flaws but still with feelings, and over time he matured into what I'd call a villain. Ryan, on the other hand, is the complete opposite: he starts as a pure sociopath, cold, with a twisted philosophy like Sukuna, and absolutely no empathy.
The difference is that Ryan isn't going to sink deeper into that side — he's going to take the reverse path. Over time, instead of losing his humanity like Ren Zu, he's going to start finding it. He'll mature by learning what it means to care, to feel, and to carry something beyond just himself.
In the end, they're two extremes walking in opposite directions: Ren Zu going from human to villain, and Ryan going from sociopath to someone more human. Anyway, I want to cook up something cool with this...
So, look forward to it ~
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