After finishing breakfast and helping Mikan with the dishes, Rito wiped his hands on a towel, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"Not bad. This system really makes learning new skills easy."
As he casually pulled up his Growth System, a new skill notification popped up.
🔹 [Dishwashing (Lv. 1)]: A basic yet essential skill. Increases cleaning efficiency and prevents soap mishaps.
"Seriously? Even something this simple gets a skill?"
Shaking his head with a small chuckle, Rito decided he wasn't in the mood to head straight back to his room. The morning was still fresh, the cool breeze pleasant against his skin.
"A walk sounds nice."
And with that, he stepped out onto the quiet streets, the soft rustling of leaves and distant chirping of birds creating a peaceful atmosphere.
The streets were calmer than usual, with only a few people out for morning jogs or walking their pets. The rising sun cast a golden hue over the town, illuminating the clean sidewalks and well-maintained greenery.
Rito walked leisurely, appreciating the familiar yet slightly surreal sight of a city he once thought only existed in fiction. The anime version of Sainan City never truly captured the small details—the way the wind carried the scent of freshly baked bread from a local shop, the distant hum of cars starting up for the day, or the occasional chatter of early risers heading to work.
He glanced around, his gaze trailing over the quaint shops and convenience stores that lined the streets. A few elderly couples walked hand in hand, and kids in their summer uniforms rode bicycles, their laughter echoing through the neighbourhood.
It was peaceful.
"Living in an anime world might not be so bad after all."
Just as he was about to turn toward the park, something—or rather, someone—caught his attention.
A rhythmic bouncing motion entered his peripheral vision, and when he turned to look, his brain momentarily shut down.
A girl was jogging towards him, her ample chest moving in sync with her steps, barely contained by her tight-fitting sports bra. Strands of light brown hair swayed with the motion, sticking slightly to her flushed skin.
She wore a simple pink tank top and black running shorts, exposing her toned legs. But what truly caught his attention was her bright blue eyes and the cheerful, slightly tired smile on her face.
"Wait... isn't that Yui Yuigahama? What the hell is she doing here?!"
Before he could fully process his shock, a blur of fur bolted toward him.
"Sable! Wait!"
The large, energetic golden retriever made a beeline for Rito, his tail wagging furiously as if he had just found his best friend in the world. Before Rito could react, Sable jumped up, placing his heavy paws against Rito's chest.
"Whoa—!"
Rito stumbled back slightly but managed to steady himself, instinctively placing a hand on the dog's head.
Sable barked happily, his tongue lolling out as he eagerly nudged Rito's hand.
"Huh? He likes me?"
🔹 [Animal Affinity (Lv. 1)]: Grants a natural connection with animals. Increases the likelihood of positive interactions with pets and wild creatures.
Yui finally caught up, her breathing slightly heavy from jogging. "Geez, Sable! You can't just pounce on random people like that!"
Her voice was light and energetic, carrying that familiar bubbly charm he remembered from her anime counterpart.
Rito, still slightly caught off guard, managed a small smile. "It's fine. He's pretty friendly."
She huffed, grabbing the retriever's leash before flashing him a sheepish grin. "Still, sorry about that! He gets excited when he sees someone he likes."
At that moment, Yui took a good look at him, her eyes scanning his face with mild curiosity.
"Hey… have we met before?"
Rito stiffened.
Crap.
Rito blinked as Yui Yuigahama examined his face with mild curiosity.
"Crap, did I just get recognised? But wait… Rito should know her, right? They go to the same school."
The realisation hit him as he quickly searched his inherited memories. Yui Yuigahama—a girl from another class at Shuchi'in Academy. Though they weren't close, she was quite popular in friend circles, always surrounded by people. Rito had never spoken to her directly, but her bright, cheerful personality made her well-known.
That said, his anime knowledge screamed at him that she wasn't supposed to be here.
"How the hell did a character from another series end up in To Love-Ru?"
Despite his inner confusion, he decided to play it cool. "Uh, yeah, we go to the same school. I'm Yuki Rito."
Yui's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh! Right! I think I've seen you around before. You're, like… Haruna-chan's classmate, right?"
"Well, at least she remembers me somewhat." Rito nodded. "Yeah, that's me."
She smiled, wiping some sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. "Small world, huh? I never expected to run into a schoolmate while jogging."
Her gaze shifted to Sable, who was still wagging his tail and leaning against Rito's leg. Yui sighed. "Ugh, this guy seriously has no shame. He never acts this friendly to strangers."
Hearing that, Rito crouched slightly and scratched behind Sable's ears, earning a happy bark from the golden retriever.
🔹 [Animal Affinity (Lv. 2)]: Animals now naturally trust you more. It increases your chances of calming down agitated creatures.
"Huh, that levelled up fast."
Yui tilted her head, watching how easily Sable warmed up to him. "Weird… he usually takes time to warm up to new people. Guess you're an animal person?"
Rito shrugged. "I don't know. I've always liked animals, but maybe Sable and I just get along."
"Hmm... lucky you," Yui pouted slightly, placing her hands on her hips. "I had to bribe him with snacks for a whole week before he stopped growling at me."
Rito chuckled, watching as Sable flopped onto the ground beside him, clearly comfortable. Seeing this, Yui stretched her arms and let out a deep breath. "Anyway, I should get going. Sable still needs to finish his run."
She paused for a second before glancing at Rito again. "Hey, do you come jogging often?"
"Not really. I just started today."
Yui raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Summer motivation?"
"Something like that."
She hummed thoughtfully, then flashed him a friendly smile. "Well, if you keep at it, maybe we'll run into each other again."
As she turned away, Sable hesitated for a moment before bounding after her. Rito watched them go, his mind still trying to process the situation.
"Okay, so I just met Yuigahama Yui. And she exists in this world."
That raised a lot of questions—was this really just to Love-Ru's world? Or were more characters from other series here too?
He exhaled, shaking his head. One problem at a time.
For now, he had a morning to enjoy, a system to explore, and a whole summer ahead of him.
🔹 [Dishwashing (Lv. 1)]: You can now wash dishes efficiently. No more soap disasters.🔹 [Animal Affinity (Lv. 2)]: Animals now naturally trust you more.🔹 [Running (Lv. 1)]: Basic jogging skill. Slightly increases stamina over time.
🔹 New Skill Acquired![Personal Observation (Lv. 1)] : Enhances awareness of surroundings and minor details in people's expressions or behaviour.
"Huh… guess meeting Yui triggered that last one."
With a small smirk, Rito turned back toward his home. This world was getting more interesting by the day.