Aiden, hard at work in the kitchen, blinked at the sudden notification. He'd been messing around with the system even more these days, mainly due to boredom, and had discovered several "updates" in progress. Now, after they were done, he had become able to see his favorability with certain people.

He mentally clicked on a certain tab and blinked at the whopping value of..fifty-nine. Hm. Well, that was fairly good, right? He had no idea, honestly. It didn't really say what effect this had, but they did get along well enough so Aiden decided that value meant good friends. Probably. 

Speaking of favorability values, Rumi's was currently at fifty-three. Aiden felt that was rather odd, considering she'd basically become some weird, perverted cookie-fiend recently. She behaved most days, but that whole debacle where she'd tried to "seduce him" with her whole yoga ruse was a dead giveaway. Later, she'd even admitted to planning the whole thing with her slipping grads so she'd get her mother out of the house. That way she could do whatever she wanted with Aiden without interference. 

Given that's what she was willing to do at fifty-three, Aiden had to wonder why Angela hadn't made any moves on him.  Maybe it was just Rumi who was weird? A weird pervert. 

As for her mother...

Aiden glanced at the red, broken-looking 9999 with a chill. The thing looked like it had a virus. Like it was haunted. 

He didn't even want to know what that one meant. 

Putting it to the back of his mind, Aiden got back to work. 

It was a few hours later during closing time that he finally made his way out and took a seat, fanning himself and rubbing his legs. He was used to the pain, but it was still tiring. If he hadn't exercised to much he would've collapsed a long time ago. Baking was serious business, it required a lot of concentration sometimes. And being on his feet for so many hours, well, with his current body that was a little taxing.

Still, in the past months, he'd slimmed down greatly. He was pretty lean, with a good amount of muscle. He actually seemed like the athletic type these days. 

"Thanks for your hard work." Angela walked over with a clean handkerchief. "Catch." She tossed it over.

Aiden nodded in appreciation. "If you really want to thank me, a kiss wouldn't be unwelcome." He flashed a grin as he wiped at his brow. 

Then, to his surprise, the woman took a hand to her chin and seemed to seriously consider. 

"It was a joke." He spoke mildly.

"Maybe, but it really wouldn't be too much to ask. You single-handedly saved my business." 

"I wouldn't say single-handedly." Aiden replied. "But that wouldn't be wrong, either."

"Exactly." Angela sighed. "I really owe you everything!" She exclaimed. "I don't know how you did it, and I was here watching you do it."

Aiden shrugged. He'd done well, he knew that. To save he saved the shop by himself, that really wasn't an exaggeration. Angel had the business sense of a brick and the cooking skills of a twelve year old. 

In fact, he'd seen twelve year olds in his last life capable of cooking Wellingtons that would satisfy Ramsay himself. So really, she wasn't even as good as a twelve-year-old. 

But she was learning. She wasn't useless in the kitchen, she just made mistakes. That's why each time she mistook the baking powder for the baking soda he hit the back of her hand with a wooden spoon. 

Since then she'd improved rather remarkably. Still not up to a professional's standards, but barely competent now on her good days and still improving slowly but surely.

But yeah...she still had no head for business. The most she could do was the bookkeeping and ordering of ingredients, really. 

"I agreed to this job, so I'm going to keep it afloat. Just keep my paychecks coming on time and we're kosher." 

"Will do." She smiled. Aiden had to squint. It was too damn bright, that smile. 

"That's one sickening grin you have there, Angela. Please refrain from scaring the poor boy. And he is still just a boy, might I remind you." Naoko came back from changing into her normal clothes and had a peeved expression on her face.

"No need, Naoko-san...you remind me every day, after all." Angela turned to the woman, her smile turning strained. 

"Since you keep shaking your ass at my Yuu-kun, I feel the reminders are a daily requirement." Naoko stared icy daggers at Angela, turning the room cold

"I do not!" Angel yelled indignantly. 

"You're shoving your breasts in his face right now, yet you dare deny trying to entice him?" 

Angela threw her hands up in the air, clearly upset. "Ah, that's it, I've had enough of your crazy nonsense!" She shouted. "You're fired!"

"You don't pay me. I'm here for Yuuji."

That stopped Angela in her tracks. "Well...then you're banned from the store!"

"I will burn this little shop to the ground." Naoko said bluntly, causing Angela to turn white with rage. 

She turned to Aiden with tears of frustration. "Yuuji, do something about her." She begged. "Every day it's like this. What's her problem? I'm tired of being accused of being a cradle robber...I can't stand it anymore. I just want to live my best life, and she's just...just...." She broke off into a sob. "Ah, I hate this! I want to hit her. I really want to hit her."

Aiden sighed. 

"Naoko, your services will no longer be required. Go back home."

"Fine, let's go." Naoko started walking. Then stopped. "Yuu-kun?" She asked after noticing he stayed put.

"I'll be there in a minute. Go on. Shoo." He waved her off.

She stared at him. Then looked at the miserable-looking Angelad, who glared back at her meanly. 

"Is Yuuji choosing her over me?" The woman asked quietly. The room seemed to darken despite the bright lights inside.

"The hell are you talking about now?" He asked back. "Look, just go. I'll take a cab home. We'll talk later." Aiden was getting fed the fuck up with her constant jealousy. 

Naoko pursed her lips. "Yuuji, don't be like this. Come with me."

"I said to go." Aiden was getting tired of talking to her, and the edge to his voice showed it.

Angela snickered. "Yeah, leave. No one likes a third wheel." She laughed evilly and placed a hand over Aiden's shoulder. Aiden knew what she was doing and didn't quite like it. But Naoko had been so damn annoying ever since he'd known her that this much he would allow. 

The woman was hot, but crazy. 

And as soon as he thought this, Naoko changed. She smiled. "You're right. We don't need one." 

Then, faster than he could blink, Naoko shortened the distance and grabbed Angela by the throat. And clenched.

It happened so fast Aiden didn't even register what happened for several seconds. 

By the time he was able to react, Angela's body had already hit the floor. Meanwhile her nephew, who'd been cleaning the tables up to them, dropped the rag in his hand and stared at his aunt's lifeless body in disbelief.

"Aunty?" His voice was barely a whisper. 

Naoko glanced at him. "What a pity. I don't like killing kids. Oh well." 

Aiden roared. "Run!" It was useless. Naoko had already gotten to his side and used a finger to stab at the boy's heart. 

Horrified, Aiden looked as Naoko killed the boy in cold blood. 

"Jesus fuck." He muttered. "Fuck. Fuck." He ran a hand through his head. What the hell?!

Aiden was in a daze. What was going on? This couldn't really be happening. Right? Fuck! They were talking just moments ago, dammit! 

The woman had gone insane! 

But Maddox men were men of action. And so when faced with a crazed woman who'd just made short work of two people, with speed like lighting and strength like a bear, he promptly made the decision to get the fuck out of there.

And yet, a soft hand over his shoulder left his heart cold. 

Reacting with instincts that hadn't been used in over a year from his perspective, he grabbed that hand and got ready to throw the assailant over his shoulder. But Naoko dodged easily and appeared in front of him. 

"This is your fault, Yuuji." The woman looked heartbroken. "You neglected me. You chose her. Why did you choose her, Yuuji? Aren't I enough for you?" Naoko's beautiful face was stained in tears. "What should I do, Yuu-kun?" She cried. "I don't want to live in a world where I'm not your number one."

Aiden was having none of it. "You crazy son of a bitch, get the fuck away from me." He kicked at her stomach. She didn't even flinch. 

She just appeared sad. "You're my Yuuji. I won't give you to anyone."  

And suddenly Aiden felt a pain blossom in his chest. He stared down at the fresh blood staining his clothes. The pure white apron became a dark, somber red. 

His legs turned weak and he fell against Naoko's chest. She held him close and lowered them both to the ground where she placed a loving hand over his head.

"Shh...it's okay Yuuji. It's okay. I'm here." She cooed softly into his ear. "We'll be together. You, me...Rumi. We'll follow you soon, Yuu..."

And those were the last words he heard before everything faded to black.

***

He woke with a cold sweat, gasping for air. Aiden's consciousness registered a faint pain at his chest that made him claw at his heart. No blood. 

Swallowing hard, he forced himself to calm down. 

Alright. The first time was a coincidence. This time, he was sure he'd been killed. 

"Well...shit." He felt his heart pound as the realization set in.

"You good, kid?" A voice interrupted his thoughts. 

A familiar-looking man then appeared behind Aiden in all his leather-clad glory, totally calm in the face of the insane events taking place.

"Cade!" Aiden exclaimed. "I don't usually say this to guys, but hell it's good to see you."

"Really?" He raised a brow.

"No!" Aiden snarled. " What in the finger-licking fuck is going on?!" He demanded. 

"Looked like a murder-suicide in motion," Cade observed.

Aiden was left speechless. "Are you kidding me? I know that. I mean, how the hell am I alive? This is the second time I got killed and came back to life."

Case's eyes flashed behind him signature shades. "Well yeah. Naoko's an unhinged bitch. You knew that, so why did you provoke her? You thought she was harmless just because she liked you so much? "

Aiden looked at him like the man grew a second head. "What the ever-loving fuck are you getting at." He shook his head. " Forget it. Explain this shit right now! That bitch made a hole in me and now I wake up fine and dandy. Last time some prick gutted me with a flying sword. How the heck am I living right now?" 

Cade shrugged. "I can let you in on more since you already experienced it. Simply put, you can't die." He paused. "Well, you can, but you'll just wake up at the place you last slept."

"What?"

"Yeah. Neat, huh?"

Aiden wanted to hit him. The man reminded him of Ty, somehow. That same infuriating carelessness. 

"But why? What is this? Some kind of sick game?"

"I really shouldn't answer that," Cade replied. "Think of it that way if you want. Point is, this was done to protect you. Your soul doesn't belong in this world so there's no afterlife for you if you die here for real. So, well, we did this so your soul isn't just destroyed. You're lucky you even survived coming here. If it wasn't for--" He broke off. "Well, never mind how you survived. Just try not to attract too much attention from the cultivators here. There's a right dangerous cunt here who already wants you dead and we're doing our best to hide you from him but we can't be on guard all the time because there's a goddamn war going on over my father's pimp stick and he just killed, like, a few hundred of my sisters so there's that mess to deal with too." The man seemed annoyed. "Just lay low for a few years longer, then things should be okay."

Aiden couldn't make heads or tails of what the hell the man was talking about.

"Are you serious? The fuck does that mean? War? Who the hell even asked about your daddy? And why do you give a damn what happens to me at all?" He shot several questions at the man in rapid-fire, eyes narrowing. 

"You're my uncle. I can't exactly leave you to the wolves, now can I?" 

Aiden's mind promptly went blank.