Ryuko's destiny and curse

As Ryuko grabbed the cup of tea, she heard a commotion outside. With a bad feeling swelling in her heart, she quickly let go of the tea and went outside. Far from the shop, Ryuko saw Tomoko being held by three guys. They all wear hooded jackets and blue jeans.

"Let me go!" Tomoko shouted as two guys behind her grabbed her arms and shoulders.

"Come on Tomoko. You must have some inheritance from your grandma. How about you treat us just like before?"

"I don't have any money. It was given to mom and dad."

"Then ask your mom and pops."

The guy in front of her, pulled out a small knife and place it on Tomoko's face.

"This time, let them know that if they don't bring money, their precious daughter will follow her grandma."

Tomoko's face was in fear as she felt the coldness of the knife on her skin. She closes her eyes and prays.

"Please help me."

Suddenly, a rock flew and hit the guy with the knife. It hit him in the head that makes him move back and hold his head.

"Hey jerks! Do you need to gang up on one woman? I already called the police. So, scram!"

The man who got hit got angry and walk furiously to Ryuko.

"Oh yeah! But I can still make a hole in you before they arrive!"

The man run to Ryuko and she immediately run inside the shop. The man proceeded to enter the shop and was met with Marco standing in front of him. Ryuko was hiding behind Marco.

"And who are you freak!" the man shouted.

Marco kicked on the man, sending him flying to the door and it bust open. The man falls in the ground with the door while holding his stomach in pain. When Marco saw what happens to the doir, he immediately looks at Ryuko while flapping his hands and shaking his head.

"I'll do the explaining to Laura. Just beat him up one more time." Ryuko commands as she saw the man slowly standing up.

Marco walks to the man and grabbed him in the throat. He lifted him up with only one hand. The man tried to stab Marco, but he just quickly grabs his hand. Marco's grip was painful for the man and let go of the knife.

"I surrender." the man pleaded.

Marco let the man go and he fall in the ground gasping for air. The man then runs to his friends who already let Tomoko go.

"Why are you just watching me getting my ass kicked?" he asked his friends. However, his two friends just stared at him. Tomoko run away as the other two men started to jump on the man and attacks him.

"Ahh! Stop! Help me!"

Ryuko hugged Tomoko who's still shaking in fear.

"I.. I don't know what happen. They suddenly let me go." Tomoko said.

"You're okay now. Just go back inside the shop. Marco and I will take it from here." 

Tomoko nodded and obeyed Ryuko. When the man finally got knocked out unconscious from the barrage of attacks, his two friends suddenly fall in the ground like puppets that got their string cut off. Ryuko walk to them to check and saw something that came out of their ears. A bumblebee and a ladybug. They flew to Ryuko's hand and became trinkets again. Ryuko can feel they are wet and she doesn't want to know why.

"Ewww. Please don't be brain juice."

Ryuko knows she has to wash them first before returning them to Tomoko. Police arrive later on and picked up the three men. After giving their testimonies, the police leave Ryuko and takes Tomoko with them to send her home.

"Thank you, Yamada-chan. Please also give my thanks to Marco." Tomoko said.

"You're welcome. Please also take care of these."

Ryuko handed the bumblebee and ladybug trinket to Tomoko which gave the smile back on Tomoko's face.

"Tomoko!"

Ryuko and Tomoko look at the man and woman calling Tomoko.

"Dad? Mom?"

Tomoko's parents hugged her and cried apologizing to her. Tomoko also cried on their arms. Ryuko walks away to give the family a moment of privacy.

"What an eventful evening. I still prefer boring nights that dangerous ones though."

The next day, Ryuko has to explain everything to Laura. While the owner forgives them for breaking the door, they still got scolded. Ryuko and Marco are now kneeling in the ground.

"Yamada-chan, making moves that can aggravate the attacker could harm the hostage. And what if you hit Tomoko instead? Don't ever do that again without thinking!"

"Yes, miss Laura." Ryuko said in low voice.

Laura then turns her attention to Marco.

"And Marco. While depending inside our shop have no issue, using excessive force is a no go especially if it will cause damage in the shop. You still have to learn to control your strength."

Marco nodded very fast to Laura's instruction.

"He really reminds me a parakeet." Ryuko thought to herself while watching Marco.

Ryuko still find Marco mysterious and he doesn't open up to her.

"Well, we can take one step at a time."

The shop is close the next day to repair the door, so Ryuko spends time with Kaguya to check some books in the book shop.

"How about this? That time I got reincarnated as a zombie in another world and became the undead king." Kaguya suggested while holding the novel on her hand.

"No way! I don't like those kinds of Isekai novel." Ryuko refuse.

"When you're bored, novels like this will help you past time."

"Past the time by making me sleep."

As the two friends are checking the other novels, Ryuko notice a guy wearing a baseball cap and wears a camouflage jacket get close to her.

"Don't come back in that antique shop or you will lose your sanity soon." he said in low voice.

"What?" Ryuko asked confused.

"Hey Ryuko. How about this one? My handsome boss is so attractive I offered myself as his slave." Kaguya said while holding another novel.

Ryuko glance to Kaguya for a moment and look back at the guy who now is walking away. Ryuko put down the novel she's holding to follow the guy outside the bookshop. But when Ryuko is outside, she no longer can find the guy.

"What is it?" Kaguya catches up and asked while Ryuko is looking around.

"Uh nothing. I thought I saw someone I know."

The two return back to the bookshop but the word of the man is still lingering on Ryuko's mind.

"What does he mean I will lose my sanity?"

The next day, Ryuko arrive early in the antique shop. The door is now fixed like a new one.

"You're finally here. The door is now fixed, and I have to leave early. Take care of the rest like usual, okay?" 

As Laura is about to leave, Ryuko came forward in front of her.

"Miss Laura, can I ask a question?"

"Sure. As long as it won't take an hour or more."

"I received a warning that I shouldn't return here or I will lose my sanity."

Hearing those words, Laura put down her bag and look at Ryuko seriously.

"And? Are you going to quit?" Laura asked.

"No. I want to hear your side first. I don't want to make a decision without getting the context. I believe that whoever warned me knows what is happening inside the shop."

Laura sighs and seat down on the sofa. Ryuko just followed her and remained standing.

"The truth is that I was also an employee like you before. I'm not the owner of this antique shop."

"Really?" Ryuko exclaimed.

Laura nodded and continued.

"This antique shop is like a pandora box. Someone has to guard the items here or else it will scatter the bad things it has to the world. To escape, the guard will first find its replacement. While the replacement is inside; the guard will be able to finally leave the box."

Ryuko's mind is now realizing what is the meaning of Laura's words. She is the replacement.

"As the time past, the replacement will finally not able to leave this place and the guard is finally free to leave. As a reward, the guard may take one item here for free, without any consequence. The new guard have to stay and distribute the items here as always until the next replacement arrives."

"How long it took you before you found me?" Ryuko asked.

"A decade." Laura answered.

It was not the answer Ryuko expected to hear.

"A decade? Then what happens if I stop right now?"

"Since you are already aware of the consequences, it is no longer advisable for you to disobey this place. You already signed a contract to work here."

Laura pointed at Marco.

"If you made this place as your enemy, you will be bound in this place forever and lost your identity just like him."

Ryuko's knee weakens and she slumped in the sofa. Laura faintly smiles and holds her shoulders.

"Don't worry. As long as I return back here, you can still leave and attend your university. However, you must return back no matter what. As the time go by, your time spending in here must increase until you have to live here every day. That would be the time I'm no longer allowed to come back here. I will be free. I'm really sorry Yamada-chan."

Ryuko look at Laura for a while and then smile.

"You have to go now miss Laura. You only have five hours of freedom."

Laura hugged Ryuko tightly and Ryuko hugged back.

"I'm sorry and thank you." Laura said crying.

Laura finally leaves the shop and waved goodbye. Ryuko closed the door and sighs. She then wiped the tears on her eyes with her hands. Ryuko then felt something on her face. Marco is handing a handkerchief to her. She accepted it and smiles.

"Shall we open the shop?"

Marco nodded fast.

"Are you a parakeet in the past life?"

Suddenly, they heard sound of the door chime. Ryuko faced the door and greeted the new customer with the best smile she could muster.

"Welcome to the antique shop of destiny and curses."