After Makise Kurisu and her team departed from Japan, Kurisu made a promise to return to the country once she obtained her university degree. According to her estimates, she anticipated being able to come back the following year.
In preparation for Kurisu's eventual return, Rifat started all necessary preparations so that the experiments on the time machine could start immediately upon Kurisu's arrival. With the aim of discussing these preparations, Rifat initiated a video chat with Asada.
As the call connected, Asada's face appeared on the screen, wearing a pouting look, accompanied by a slightly coquettish tone in her voice. She exclaimed, "Rifat, I've missed you. It feels like such a long time since we last saw each other."
"I've missed you too, Asada-chan," Rifat responded warmly. "Don't worry, it won't be long until we can live together again. I've made the decision to commence our research on the time machine at the beginning of next year. Since you'll be responsible for setting up the laboratory for the experiments, we can meet in person next week."
Rifat eagerly anticipated Asada's arrival, seeing it as an opportunity to reconnect intimately with someone of the opposite sex after a prolonged period without such contact.
Asada's pouting expression transformed into a smile as she responded, "In that case, I'll book my ticket right away. But I recall you mentioning that you wanted to wait until the canon event starts before initiating anything. What prompted the sudden change in your decision?"
Asada's curiosity piqued, and she was eager to understand the reasoning behind the altered plan.
Rifat straightforwardly replied, "The reason for the change is simple. I didn't anticipate being able to establish a connection with Makise Kurisu this early. Since I've already convinced her to join me in this experiment, I don't want to delay any further."
Rifat added, "Makise Kurisu is the main mastermind behind the creation of the time machine. As for the other two, their roles may not be as crucial, but I will do my best to involve them in the experiment to accelerate the process."
Rifat continued, confident in his approach. "Getting Hashida to join the team shouldn't be a problem since he's now a devoted fan of mine. However, even if he chooses not to join, I can easily find a replacement as my programming skills surpass his."
He went on, considering Okabe's potential involvement, "I'll attempt to reach out to Okabe through Hashida, but even if he doesn't join the team, the experiment shouldn't be significantly affected. Kurisu's expertise alone is sufficient. Besides, I plan to contact other scientists to provide assistance to Kurisu as well."
Rifat took the opportunity to explain his reasoning and the factors influencing his decision to Asada, ensuring she understood his perspective.
"I understand," replied Asada. "I'll do my utmost to create the best lab possible by the end of this year."
Once they finished discussing work-related matters, their conversation shifted to topics that lovers typically discuss. They indulged in various subjects for about half an hour, sharing intimate moments and catching up on personal matters. Eventually, Rifat concluded the video call, ending their conversation, and proceeded to summon Hashida to meet him in the office.
...
".....That's the deal. So, what do you think about this whole project?" Rifat invited Hashida, sharing his thoughts. "If you're interested, I'd be happy to have you join as my assistant. Your programming skills more than make up for any lack of experience."
There are two main reasons why Rifat extended the invitation to Hashida. Firstly, he wanted to avoid exhausting himself by spending countless hours typing code in front of a computer screen. If Hashida joins, Rifat could delegate that work to him, simply guiding him in the right direction.
Secondly, Rifat saw Hashida's involvement as a way to potentially bring Okabe into the experiment.
Rifat had doubts about whether he could retain all his memories when the timeline shifts during their time travel experiments in the future.
By having Okabe participate through Hashida, he could maximize their progress. While Makise Kurisu was undoubtedly capable of inventing the time machine alone, having Okabe Rintarou on the team would significantly sped up their advancements.
"Thanks a bunch, Sensei! This is a friggin' amazing opportunity! You can definitely count me in!" Hashida eagerly agreed, worried that Rifat might rescind the offer.
Observing Hashida's swift acceptance, Rifat nodded in approval and continued, "If you know anyone else who's interested in this field, feel free to recommend them to me. Of course, the recommended person should have something special like you do. Alright, you can go now. I'll inform you when the experiment is ready to kick off."
"Yes, Sensei," Hashida replied, bowing slightly before leaving the office room.
...
Time swiftly flew by, and several months elapsed. Today, Makise Kurisu reached out to Rifat, informing him that she would be arriving in Japan within three days.
Upon hearing this news, a radiant smile spread across Rifat's face. Throughout these past few months, he had meticulously organized and arranged everything to ensure a seamless and successful start of the time machine project upon Kurisu's arrival.
In the canon, Okabe and his companions faced numerous threats from various organizations while conducting their experiments.
Aware of the potential risks, Rifat took great care not to disclose any sensitive information to untrustworthy individuals. He implemented numerous anti-spy measures to safeguard his data both online and offline.
However, he was aware that even with robust security measures in place, there was no absolute guarantee of protection.
After all, in a world where the existence of a time machine was a reality, there was always the possibility that someone from the future might attempt to transmit information, rendering Rifat's anti-reconnaissance measures irrelevant.
To counter potential threats, Asuna and Suguha had established their own influence in the region over the past few months.
Asuna had become the Governor of Toshima, the very region where Rifat planned to conduct the experiments. Similarly, Suguha had risen to the position of chief inspector in the area. Their swift ascension to such high positions was made possible due to their influential backgrounds.
[A/N: Ignore their age. I didn't think that the experiments would be starting this early when I started writing.]
With the combined support of Asuna's political authority and Suguha's policing expertise, Rifat felt confident that they would be able to carry out the project and develop a functioning time machine without interference from external forces.
The political and law enforcement backing provided them with a shield of protection, significantly reducing the risks associated with potential attacks or meddling by other organizations.
Meanwhile, Asada established her own company using her own name in the same region. This strategic move provided a safety net for Rifat and others, ensuring that even in the event of unforeseen circumstances befalling her "father" and the main company, financial support for their experiments would not be a concern.
All this necessary measures were taken under the advice of Rifat in order to ensure that they were well-prepared and equipped to tackle any challenges that may arise.
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[A/N: I apologize for the long delay. It's mainly due to writer's block. Nothing was coming to my mind. I was also unsure about the direction to take for this, whether to delve into detailed descriptions or provide a summary and conclude the Steins Gate arc.
I'm still clueless. But despite a lack of clear direction, I decided to write a new chapter anyway since I don't want to drop this one like my other ffs.]