Settling into the house with Shigure, Ryu mentally prepared herself for the questions that were bound to come. She had fallen off the radar when her pregnancy became difficult to conceal, leaving Shigure, the naturally curious one, with a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

There were occasions when she felt compelled to reach out to him, but each time, she inevitably reminded herself of her actions and the memories she had to forcibly erase. The reality was that he, along with the other two individuals from the trio, might never find it in their hearts to forgive her. The guilt weighed heavily upon her, a constant reminder of the consequences of her decisions.

Shigure poured them both warm sake, his voice laced with a hint of curiosity as he initiated the conversation.

"It's been seven years, yet it feels like an eternity," he began. "Will you finally grace me with a reason?"

Ryu accepted the warm beverage appreciatively, a hint of sarcasm in her voice as she responded, "Even if I don't tell you, I'm sure you'll uncover the truth one way or another, right?"

She chuckled, adding, "Although, in seven years, I think I've become quite skillful at concealing things."

Shigure chuckled, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Well, I'll happily take on that challenge."

Ryu fixed him with a steadfast expression and inquired, "Leave it to you to turn everything into a game. So how many ongoing games do you have at the moment?"

She leaned her elbow on the table as she spoke, continuing, "I assume that Tohru, the teenager, is the latest addition to your repertoire." Shigure offered a humble laugh, not bothering to deny her observation. Much like Ayame and Hatori, she was intimately acquainted with his true nature.

Shigure chuckled, his tone tinged with playful mischief.

"Ah, you're her senior in the game. Why not join her?"

"No, thank you," Ryu replied firmly, shaking her head. "I'm still grappling with the current game I'm in."

She took a sip from her cup, her gaze lowering as her grin darkened. "Until I confront Akito, I won't know the answer you've been craving."

Shigure eyed her, a look of disbelief on his face at her words. Since their acquaintance, she had consistently declined any inclination to visit the main estate, given that she was not a Sohma.

"So, you actually intend to meet him?" he inquired. "Willingly?"

Ryu turned towards him, observing his stunned expression, and retorted, "Is it really that difficult to believe?"

His response was unequivocal, "Yes, it is."

Ryu shrugged, accepting his skeptical response. "Ah, well, I suppose I can't fault you for that. It's not every day that someone admits to willingly meeting with Akito."

Shigure chuckled at her candid admission, acknowledging the rarity of her decision. Despite his significance to Akito, even he harbored a fear of the volatile nature of Akito's anger.

Shigure finally posed the question he had been eager to ask since hearing about her return to the town after so long. He had exercised restraint, restraining himself from visiting the dojo without permission, despite his curiosity.

"So, I'm curious," Shigure said. "Why did you choose to come back after all this time?"

Ryu was hesitant to provide a direct answer, knowing that deceiving Shigure was akin to inviting him to delve deeper into the very aspects she preferred to keep private. Given his astute observational skills and uncanny knack for uncovering secrets, attempting to deceive him would likely prove futile.

She had even entertained the notion of altering his memory, but the memory of her past mistake served as a deterrent, reminding her of the consequences of such actions.

The traumatic night in question had caused Ryu to develop a strong aversion to memory manipulation, treating it as an absolute taboo. While the ability was undeniably useful, Ryu viewed it as a curse that would only bring despair and misfortune.

Ryu chose her words cautiously, her finger tracing the edge of her cup as she spoke.

"Let's just say it was something I didn't want, but needed." She continued, a hint of determination in her voice. "I still feel timid, but I'm clenching my teeth and confronting the things I've been trying to avoid."

Shigure paused, his finger rhythmically tapping against the tabletop.

"Would that include ever explaining why you abruptly cut off contact with us?" he inquired.

Ryu nodded slowly, her grip unconsciously clenching her cup tighter. "If it comes to it, yes," she replied. "But I... I'm uncertain when you'll receive the answer."

As the guilt clawed at her insides, she closed her eyes, struggling to contain her emotions. "I will reveal it one day," she reaffirmed.

Shigure reassured her, placing his hand on her fist and gently kneading it.

"No one will rush you, Ryu," he said. "Despite my curiosity, I know when to be patient."

Ryu snorted at his words and continued holding onto his hand, expressing gratitude. "Thank you, Shigure. You truly have no idea how much those simple words mean to me."

Shigure chuckled in response, acknowledging, "I may not always be here to assist, but I will offer my support as much as I can."