After a month since the assault, Ren had fully recovered and returned to work. The first thing he did was to deal with Riku. His men had located Riku hiding in another prefecture and brought him back to Tokyo.
At the warehouse, Ren stood before him with no hesitation in his eyes. He stepped forward and looked down at Riku, who was already bruised and restrained by Ren's men.
"I never thought I'd meet someone as bold and foolish as you," Ren said coldly. "You didn't just cross a line. You tried to hurt the people I care about, and you almost killed me. You really thought you could get away with it?"
Riku smirked despite the bruises on his face. "You've always acted like you're above us. I just wanted to remind you you're not untouchable."
Ren's eyes narrowed. "Maybe that's where I went wrong. I was too kind to you. Too lenient. I should have shut you down the moment you showed your true face."
Riku shifted slightly, but the men holding him tightened their grip.
"You stabbed me twice through your men. Now I return that favor," Ren continued. "In the same places. Just enough so you live. But don't expect mercy."
He turned to his men. "Do it."
Without hesitation, they restrained Riku's arms against the table. One of Ren's men took the prepared knife and stabbed Riku in the side and shoulder, exactly where Ren had been wounded weeks before. Riku screamed in agony, his body convulsing from the pain.
Ren leaned closer, his voice calm but full of threat. "You'll find your own way out of here. I'm not calling any ambulance. If you survive, disappear. If I see you again, I'll kill you myself."
*****
After leaving the warehouse, Ren went straight to pick up Emi from her classes. He stood outside his car, leaning casually as he waited for her to come out. His presence caught the attention of several girls passing by. They whispered among themselves, clearly drawn to his striking appearance.
Emi spotted him from a distance and jogged toward him, a little breathless. "Ren? You didn't tell me you were coming."
"I missed you. Wanted to see you," he said simply.
"I have about an hour before my work shift starts," she told him.
"Quit that job," Ren replied without hesitation. "Come back to my office instead. That way I can see you all the time."
Emi gave a small laugh. "Your office is too boring. And you're barely there anyway. At least the café keeps me busy, and I get to talk to all kinds of people."
Ren gave a slight pout, and Emi found herself smiling even wider. It was rare to see such a serious and composed man act this way. She lifted her hand and placed her palm gently against his cheek, stroking it affectionately.
"We already see each other most of the time. You don't have to keep me in the office just to be close to me. And besides, I feel safe now. Being with you, being related to the Kazama group… I feel protected."
Ren looked at her quietly, his heart stirred by her words. Then he pulled her gently into his arms, closing the space between them, and pressed a firm kiss against her lips.
Emi blushed and whispered, "Ren… we're in front of my school."
"It's a college, not elementary school," he said with a hint of amusement. "And I'm not breaking any rules by kissing my girlfriend."
Ren then opened the car door and gestured for her to get in. "There's somewhere I want to take you."
They drove a short distance, and Emi looked around in surprise when they stopped in front of a pachinko parlor. "You're bringing me here?" she asked curiously.
"You'll see," Ren said.
As they entered the building, Emi noticed rows of people playing machines, the constant clicking and spinning of the pachinko balls filling the space. But one figure caught her eye and made her stop. Her father was there, wearing a staff uniform, quietly cleaning around the machines.
"Dad?" Emi whispered, stunned. "What is he doing here?"
Ren turned to her and said, "I've been thinking of how to help ease your worries and your burden. I offered your father a job here. He works as a cleaner and support staff. He gets to play the machines for free during breaks and off-days, but only if his performance remains acceptable. If not, the privileges are revoked."
Emi covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes welling with tears. Seeing her father working properly for the first time moved her deeply.
Ren placed his hand on her back and said softly, "You never know how much you mean to me. This is just something small I can do for you. I want you to know that you can rely on me."
Emi's father looked up and saw her standing there. For the first time in years, he smiled at her, and it was the kind of smile she hadn't seen since she was a child.
"Dad," she called out as she stepped forward.
Her father walked over slowly. "Emi," he said, his voice trembling. "I'm sorry for everything. And I'm happy you've found someone who really cares about you and looks out for your family. I'm sober now. I've been working hard, and I've come to enjoy this new life. You don't have to worry about me anymore. Just focus on your studies. That's all I want."
Emi couldn't stop the tears from falling. She reached out and hugged him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder.
"I'm so glad to hear that, Dad."
Her father gently wrapped his arms around her and cried softly too, finally letting go of the years of mistakes and pain.
Ren stood quietly behind them, his hands in his pockets, watching the moment with calm eyes.
*****
Back at the Kazama Residence that night, after Emi returned from her part-time job and finished washing up, she walked toward Ren's study and saw the soft glow of light spilling from under the door. When she pushed it open gently, she found him sitting at his desk, scanning through a stack of documents with his usual calm focus. He glanced up when he sensed her presence, and the moment their eyes met, a small smile formed on his lips.
"Welcome home," he said softly, the words carrying more warmth than anything else she had heard that day.
Without saying anything, still overwhelmed with gratitude and love for everything he had done for her, Emi walked straight toward him. She sat down gently on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, burying her face in the curve between his shoulder and jaw.
Ren chuckled softly, his arms encircling her waist as he leaned back a little to balance them both. "Someone has missed me that much?"
"Yes," Emi answered without hesitation, her voice muffled by his shirt. She tightened her embrace as if she wanted to merge herself into him, to be closer than words could allow.
Ren placed one hand on her back and slowly began to stroke it in soft, calming motions. "You're really clinging tonight," he said with amusement and affection.
"Ren," she murmured, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes. "I just want to tell you something. I really, really love you. A lot. I don't think I can live without you in my life anymore."
Ren raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly. "Are you proposing to me now? Because I'm pretty sure that's supposed to be my job."
Emi smiled, her cheeks flushing. "I don't care about the order. I just know that I won't ever look at another guy for the rest of my life. There's only you."
Ren's expression softened even more, and he leaned forward slightly, brushing her hair back from her face. "Then let's get married after you finish college," he said tenderly. He had been holding those words in his heart for a while.
Emi's eyes lit up, and without any hesitation, she nodded. "Yes."
The answer was simple and full of certainty. Ren smiled again, and with one arm still around her waist, he brought his other hand to the back of her head and guided her closer. Ren kissed her deeply, his tongue sliding against hers. His hand slipped under her shirt, tracing the curve of her waist and hip.
Emi gasped, gripping his shoulders. His touch burned against her skin. Breathless, he pulled back just enough to murmur, "I love you." Then his mouth was on hers again, hungry and insistent.
Ren broke the kiss just long enough to sweep Emi into his arms, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist as he carried her down the hallway. Their lips met again, hot and desperate, tongues tangling as he nudged the bedroom door open with his shoulder.
The moment they reached the bed, he lowered her onto the sheets, his body following hers in one fluid motion. His hands roamed her curves, fingers tracing the hem of her shirt before sliding beneath it, mapping the warmth of her skin. Emi arched into his touch, her breath coming in soft, uneven gasps as his mouth trailed down her neck.
"Ren," she whispered, her fingers threading through his hair.
He kissed his way back up to her lips, his voice rough with need. "I want you."
Her answer was a breathless sigh against his mouth as she pulled him closer, losing herself in the heat of his touch.
Ren's hands trembled slightly as he peeled away the fabric separating them,his touch devoured her as it glided over newly exposed skin. Emi shivered beneath him, her nails lightly scraping down his back in silent demand.
He took his time, savoring the way her body responded to him. The hitch in her breath when his lips found the sensitive spot below her ear, the way her hips lifted when his palm smoothed over her thigh. Every sigh, every tremble, was a language only they understood.
When the last of their clothes fell away, Ren groaned at the sight of her body arched toward him, skin burning where they touched.
He guided her thighs apart gently, then pushed into her with slow intent. Her lips parted in a gasp, her body welcoming him with perfect heat.
They paused, foreheads touching. "Look at me," he murmured.
Her eyes met his as they began to move together.
"God, Emi—" Ren's voice broke as her nails dug into his shoulders.
"More," she gasped, arching beneath him. "Just like that."
Whispers and moans filled the air—their hands gripping, lips crashing together between ragged breaths.
"You feel…" He couldn't finish, too lost in the way her body clenched around him.
"Perfect," he finally groaned, his hips rolling against hers in a slow, deep rhythm that made her whimper.
Emi's hands slid down his sweat-slicked back, pulling him closer. "Don't stop—" Her plea dissolved into a moan as he obeyed, angling himself to hit that spot that made her thighs tremble.
The air thickened with the sound of skin on skin, their ragged breaths tangling between kisses. Ren's control frayed with every gasp she let slip, every clutch of her fingers.
"Come with me," he demanded against her lips, his voice rough with need.
"I'm—" Her warning cut off as she shattered, nails biting his back.
"Emi..." Her name was a groan as he followed, hips stuttering against hers.