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On their “road trip” summer vacation / investigate the Jails that have started popping up in this new Metaverse, the newly-reinstated Phantom Thieves have decided to stop for the night. Goro has some contemplating to do about the situation he finds himself in, and one thing plagues his thoughts...
Why did they let me come?
That was the only question on my mind as I sat on the ground, back against the camper behind me. Of all the things I expected to do this summer, going on a road trip with the former...well, reinstated Phantom Thieves would have never been one of my guesses. It was tense. Even so, we were trying to get along, for Ren’s sake. Haru, understandably, didn’t say a word to me since we left that day. Sophia had been persistent in her attempts to have me open up and talk. But I was not going to force any of them to like me.
We had stopped for the night. The girls were sleeping in the camper, and the guys were up in a tent on the roof. I didn’t want to become a problem, so there I was. Sleeping outside on a hot day. Better that than the tent with the guys...and Ren.
Ren. He was the reason they let me come with. That look of disbelief and elation on his face when he realized I was truly alive...they all saw it as clearly as I did. Morgana had told me in secret how Ren had not been himself when he thought I was gone. No wonder he’d been so close to me since that day-
“Is it hot out here, or is it you?”
Speak of the devil. Of course, that teasing voice could only be Ren. I watched as he dropped the pile of blankets and pillows he had been carrying. “What are you doing?” I asked, deciding to ignore his earlier remark for now.
“What do you think?” He started to lay out the blankets, staring at me the entire time. “Figure it out, detective.”
It didn’t take a detective to connect the dots here. He and I both knew that. “Why don’t you sleep with your friends?”
“I wanna be with you,” he replied like it was the most obvious statement in the world.
“Fine. Do what you want. I don’t care.”
He gave a toothy grin, somehow satisfied by my disinterested response. He finished setting up the blankets and laid down, patting the spot next to him. I obliged, silently grateful. We laid there in comfortable silence for a few minutes. And then he slips his hand into mine. For the second time that night, I asked, “What are you doing?”
“Holding your hand.” Again, he said it like it was obvious. Which it was, I suppose. “You don’t wear gloves anymore.”
Truth be told, I had been surprised it took him this long to bring that up. “So?”
At that, Ren pulled something out of his pocket. It was the glove I had ‘given’ him after our duel last November. “I kept it,” he said before I could say anything, “because it’s from you.”
“You sentimental idiot.”
“Thank you.”
“It wasn’t a compliment.”
Ren laughed, shaking his head as he pocketed the glove again. But something about that laugh seemed...hollow. Forced. Did I do something wrong? No, I did. I could tell that much. “Ren-?”
“I’m okay,” he said without prompting, a little too quickly.
I knew what he was thinking. “You’re not going to lose me again.”
“Wha?” he asked with slightly exaggerated confusion. “Where’s this coming from?”
“Don’t play dumb. You’re worried that you’ll wake up and I won’t be around. I’m not leaving. Not now, and not ever.”
Ren didn’t say anything at first. We both were surprised at my words. Several seconds passed before he pulled me into a tight hug. “I won’t let you go,” he mumbled.
I gently wrapped my arms around him, trying to be reassuring with my embrace. “I know. I know... Goodnight, Ren.”
“Goodnight, Akeppi~”
No, I’m not commenting on how we had slept in each other’s arms, cuddling despite the heat. Nor am I going to say anything about how we had enjoyed each other’s company.
But, when I had woken up to him still fast asleep, he had been smiling.
13. “You’re talking too much, just shut up and hold me.”
I am going to tell you the biggest fight Ren and I have ever had as a couple.
Well, perhaps “fight” is a bit of an exaggeration. Despite my volatile emotions, it’s been impossible for me to get Ren upset. Sad, perhaps, but never angry. I’m not even sure if he knows how to be enraged outside of the Metaverse. If not a fight, then...polarizing conversation? No, that’s not quite right. For simplicity’s sake, let’s just continue to call it a fight.
It all started when Ren asked, “So you know how I’m a silent protagonist?”
“You, silent?” I scoffed. “You’re about as silent as Sakamoto.”
“Hey, I can be silent.”
“Around strangers, perhaps. But when you’re around me, you never shut up.”
“I have to make sure you know I love you.”
“Fine, but that doesn’t make you a silent protagonist.” He didn’t say anything to that. I turned to look at him. He was just staring at me, though why I had no idea. “Are you even paying attention?” All he did was nod in silent confirmation.
What was he even doing? Did he think that, by being silent at that moment, he was proving his earlier claim of being a “silent protagonist”? I tried to ignore him in his taciturnity. If he wanted to stop talking, then I was more than happy to indulge. I was only able to ignore him for so long. Even without saying a word, Ren was still able to make his presence known. It was nerve-wracking. “All right, Ren. That’s enough. You made your point.” Still, he said nothing. How long did he plan to keep this up? Trying to think of something that would get him to respond, I blurted, “Silent protagonists don’t get cuddles.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, Ren abruptly stood up and walked away. What was that about? Confused, I trailed behind him as he went inside our bedroom and closed the door between us. I turned the doorknob. It’s locked. As if prompted by the sounds of my attempted entrance, he said, “You don’t get cuddles, either.”
I sighed, a bit fed up with this game. “Ren, this is ridiculous. What do you want?”
“An apology.”
“I’m not apologizing for that.”
“Then no cuddles for you.” I could hear him walk away from the door as he finished.
“Whatever. I don’t need them anyway, unlike you,” I added as I turned around and went back to the couch. I figured I could wait it out. He’s a physically affectionate person, and he constantly loves to show that affection to me. I was certain he wouldn’t even last ten minutes before he came back wanting cuddles.
But then ten minutes passed. Soon, those ten minutes became twenty, then thirty, and then nearly an hour. Ren had not left our bedroom the entire time. I started to worry that he was truly pissed at me. There’s no other explanation I could think of for why he hadn’t come back yet. And I know I said that I didn’t need Ren cuddling me, but not having the option was getting to me. I hadn’t known I was so addicted to his touch until I was being denied it. Normally, I was fine being away from him, but at that moment I craved his attention. I couldn’t stand it. I went over to the bedroom and gently knocked on the door. “Ren?” No response. I knocked a little louder. “Ren, can we talk?” He didn’t even acknowledge my question. I tried to turn the doorknob again, but it was still locked. Sighing, I grabbed a lockpick from the stash Ren keeps “just in case”. I don’t have Ren’s finesse when it comes to lockpicking, but he’d taught me enough that I could do it before it inevitably broke from use. It took me a couple of minutes, but I managed to get the door unlocked without needing another lockpick. I opened the door, starting to say, “Okay, this is what you get for teaching me how-”
I fell silent the moment I saw that Ren was in the bed, fast asleep. He apparently decided to cuddle my pillow instead of the blankets this time. So, that’s how he did it, I thought to myself. No wonder he never came back.
I stared at him for a few moments, thinking about what I should do. Walking over to him, I gently moved the pillow back to where it’s supposed to be before inserting myself where the pillow had been. I could feel him shift behind me as he unconsciously accommodated for the change in mass. “I still want an apology,” he mumbled. I must have woken him up.
“Fine. I’m sorry for implying you wouldn’t get cuddles. Happy?”
“Yeah, now that you’re here.” He pulled me closer. I was content as I laid there curled up in his arms. I could almost hear the smirk that was likely on his face as he asked, “Were you wanting me to cuddle you?”
“What? No.”
“You needed me, didn’t you?”
“I did not need your cuddling in the slightest.”
“Then why did you break in and lay down in my arms?”
“I...was concerned that you were angry.” It wasn’t a complete lie. That had been a concern of mine, although it was only the reason for my entering the room.
“Why would I be angry at you? I think you just wanted cuddles.”
“You’re talking too much, just shut up and hold me.”
He chuckled a bit as he replied, “I thought you said I wasn’t a silent protagonist?”
“That doesn’t mean you need to keep talking.”
“Okay, but you know I’m right. You wanted me to cuddle you. How cute~”
“Shut up,” I grumbled, unable to refute it anymore. “I wanted your cuddles, not your gibber jabbering.”
“Gibber jabbering,” he repeated, snorting at my word choice.
“Yes. Now can we just cuddle in silence?”
“Okay, Akeppi~” He buried his face in my hair. Hmm. Maybe that was why he was cuddling my pillow earlier. It probably had my scent.
Normally, I would roll my eyes at the stupidity of the idea. But if I’m being honest with myself...it was kind of cute seeing him sleeping like that. Not that I’ll ever tell him that. That’s a secret best left to these memories.
Fate has always been fickle as can be
It left my life in such a disarray
But fate is more than sorrow and dismay
Because fate is what brought you, my beauty
Somehow despite everything you love me
Even with all my misdeeds on display
There to guide me back when I’ve gone astray
You are my world, the only one I see
But if we would have met as children
I think we could have been great together
If only I hadn’t drowned in my sin
Can we still be friends, rivals, something more?
Because you make me light as a feather
And release my love for you deep within
After a harrowing escape from their worst monster yet, Ren and Goro have some time for a reprieve. They’ve saved each other from near-death situations time and time again. Yet Goro has never seen his companion’s face under the paper bag covering his head. Goro decides it’s time to see what Ren is hiding.
Notes: Excerpt from a project of mine combining the plot of Little Nightmares 2 (great game imo) with Ren and Goro as the main characters (Mono and Six, respectively). As such, characterization won’t be quite the same as usual.
Ren grabbed Goro’s outstretched hand by the wrist, gray eyes full of mirth as he asked, “What are you doing?”
You’re still hiding your face under there, Goro thought but didn’t say aloud. He reached for the bag with his other hand, but Ren caught that one too. Goro refused to give up. He kept attempting to grab the bag. His hand touched the paper bag after several seconds. There! At that moment, Ren realized exactly what Goro was trying to do. Ren lurched back. His grip on Goro’s wrists tightened, arms rigid as he kept Goro from removing the paper bag from his head. Ren’s adverse reaction shocked Goro. But that wasn’t what truly confused him. It was Ren’s expression, or what little he could see of the other boy’s face. Ren’s eyes were wide, pupils barely visible as he stared at Goro.
Ren was terrified.
Ren’s voice shook a little as he once again asked, “What are you doing?”
This time, Goro decided he should probably verbally answer that question. “I want to see your face.”
“No,” Ren responded, shaking his head.
“Why not?”
“Because.”
“Because,” Goro repeated with an annoyed sigh. “Because what?”
“Because.”
“Oh, for god’s sake. Just take the damn bag off. You’ve seen my face, so it’s only fair.”
“No, I haven’t! Your face is covered by hair,” Ren retorted, letting go of one of Goro’s arms for a brief moment to twirl a lock of his brown hair. “And you have a hood now!”
“Still more than I’ve seen of yours. All I have seen are your eyes. Do you even have a reason for keeping your face hidden under that paper bag all the time?”
Ren would’ve responded, but the words got caught in his throat. He withdrew from Goro. Why did he hide? He’d never put it into words before, and now that he was being confronted about it by Goro, he wasn’t sure where to begin. Goro patiently waited. Ren was grateful for at least that much. “The world hates me,” he finally murmured.
“The world doesn’t hate just you,” Goro responded, not thinking through his words. “It hates everyone.”
“You’re wrong.” Ren drew his legs toward himself, hugging his knees as he continued. “I keep trying to help people, but no one wants it. Everyone rejects me. And the people I do manage to help...they’ve all died. The world keeps me alive and alone, laughing at my misery. No one cares about me, so why bother showing myself? But I just want to help everyone...”
“Ren...” Goro didn’t know how to respond. So, he said the only thing that came to mind. “You’re not alone. Not anymore. I’m here.”
“You didn’t want my help either.”
“No, I didn’t,” Goro acquiesced, “but I trusted no one. I...I was scared. Every day, I thought it would be my last, but it never was. I had learned to trust only myself. The idea of having to rely on someone else...was abhorrent to me. But you made me realize how foolish that was. The world doesn’t hate you-”
“Yes, it does, just like everyone else-”
“That’s not true! I care about you, damnit!”
They both went silent. All they could do was look at each other, surprised by Goro’s sudden outburst. Ren wasn’t sure he could believe what he was hearing, even with everything they’d been through together. Today should have been more than enough to prove that there was something special between them. Yet, someone...actually cared about him? No, it was too good to be true...right? Ren hesitantly broke the silence as he asked, “Do you...really mean that?”
“Of course, I do,” Goro responded instantly, no longer filtering his words. There was no point in hiding from Ren anymore. They couldn’t keep hiding like this. “I trust you with my life. Don’t you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Why not show me your face then?”
“No.”
“What? What’s stopping you?”
“It’s just...”
Ren didn’t seem like he was going to finish that thought. It was up to Goro to prompt Ren’s thinking. “You can tell me.”
“Okay, then why the gloves?”
That startled Goro. “Huh?”
“I told you why I hide my face under this,” Ren explained, pointing at the bag still covering his head, “so now it’s your turn. Why do you wear those gloves all the time?”
“...I don’t know.”
That was a lie. Goro knew exactly why he wore them.
He also knew that Ren was seeing right through his excuse. Goro expected Ren to call him out on it, yet the other boy stayed silent. Ren was waiting, patient. Goro fixed his gaze on his hands, eyes boring into the black fabric that covered them. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Ren right now. His voice shook as he said, “I...don’t want to talk about it. But if I...if I show you, will you let me see your face?”
No response.
“Actually, you don’t have to.” Goro steeled himself for what he was about to do next. He could do this. Clutching the glove covering his right hand, he yanked it off before he changed his mind.
Pale, bony hands. Skin marred by scar after scar. Fingers disfigured and joints misaligned.
These were the hands Goro hid from view from everyone, especially himself. He almost expected Ren to scream or freak out. But that didn’t happen. Instead, Ren reached out and grabbed the gloved hand. Goro didn’t resist as Ren pulled it off. His left hand was a similar sight, although it was less disjointed. To his surprise, Ren took Goro’s hand in his, gently caressing his fingers. Shivers ran down Goro’s spine.
Goro decided to try and remove the bag from Ren’s face again. This time, when Goro grabbed it, Ren didn’t flinch. Was Ren...allowing Goro to do this? They stayed still for a couple of seconds, gauging the other’s reaction. Ren...was all right with this. Off went the bag, and what greeted Goro sent his heart racing. Not for a bad reason, far from it. Ren’s black hair was messy and unkempt. It looked soft and fluffy, a fact that Goro quickly confirmed when he ran his hand through it. With the bag gone, those silvery-gray eyes of his were brilliant. A fire burned in those eyes, and now Goro could see one thing clearly:
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Admin here to yeet this 3-day mess of “how does one write lol” based on this amazing idea (click that for the link, seriously, click it) from @ofhualiians (please let this tag work) that I reblogged and immediately knew I had to write something after having not written for months. Anyways, um...hope you enjoy? Or something? Okay, I’m going to stop rambling now.
In the two years I have traversed the world of the Metaverse, I thought I had seen everything this world had to offer. The glitzy casino we are currently in is only the tip of the iceberg. This is a world where banks can fly in the sky and fighting mythological beings is a constant occurrence. One of the Palaces had even been a spaceport, complete with UFOs and having to go through sections of outer space. Nothing should be able to surprise me anymore.
That is, until Sae’s Palace. Ever since I had started working with the Phantom Thieves, with Joker, I have been surprised time and time again. But now that we have secured the route to the treasure, there shouldn’t be anything more to surprise me.
How foolish I am to think that is the case.
We have just crossed the Bridge of Judgment to head out of the Palace when we are greeted by the sight of a...very familiar brunet. This must be Sae’s cognition of me. Seeing for myself how someone else sees me is jarring. It’s like looking into a distorted mirror: staring at yourself yet it’s not your actual reflection meeting your gaze. Everyone else tenses up as if they’re anticipating a fight. Well, everyone except Joker. He decides to approach the cognition without a second thought...or perhaps even a first thought.
Upon noticing the raven-haired thief, the cognition grins, giving that picture-perfect smile I use so often while in public. I slowly move away from the group to observe since it’s clear this won’t end in a fight. This cognition is so innocent and soft that I doubt it would even put up a fight if we attacked. It makes me want to puke. “Oh, hello, Amamiya-kun. I was hoping to see you, actually,” the cognition adds, a pink tinge dusting its cheeks.
Wait. Is that thing...blushing?
Joker tilts his head as he stops a few feet away from the cognition. He moves his mask off his face, but I can’t make out his expression at this angle. “Oh? What is it, Akeppi?”
My eyes narrow at that damn nickname. Why is Joker even bothering to speak to it, as if it’s me? That thing is nothing like me. It’s just a cognition. It isn’t worth our time, though I don’t say this out loud. I’m too busy trying to keep myself from showing my outrage as the cognition’s blush becomes more obvious. Its voice is barely louder than a whisper as it speaks. “Wow, you’re hot.”
What.
I freeze up, unable to hide my shock at the cognition’s comment. Why is it even saying something so...so absurd? Why is it even acting like this?
And...how the hell does it know!?
Wait, no. I don’t have a crush on Ren Amamiya. I don’t. Sure, I spend a lot of what little free time I get with him. I can acknowledge that he is charming and captivating. I also suppose he would be considered attractive by many. But I do not have a crush on him. I can’t have a crush on him.
The only good thing about any of this is that even Joker’s slightly surprised; it’s barely noticeable and only for a split second, but it’s still there. His lips twist into a sly smirk as he recovers so easily. He’s facing the cognition, but it’s almost as if Joker is staring right at me as he asks, “Is that what you think?”
The cognition nods, much to my annoyance. “I’m always talking about you to Sae-san when we aren’t discussing a case we’re working on. She likely knows that I have a crush on you.”
I have to fight the urge to shoot the cognition right between its stupid wide eyes before it goes spilling any more nonsense. Oh, how I want it to just shut up. Unfortunately, that wouldn’t be very becoming of the detective prince. I’ve worked so hard to build up this charade and I can’t let it shatter now. “Joker, we should leave,” I interject, trying to keep my irritation out of my voice. “We’ve secured the route to the treasure already. There’s no point in talking to Sae’s cognition of me.”
“We can get some insight into Sae’s views,” Joker replies. Oh, now he comes up with some valid reasoning. It’s infuriating. “And how could I ignore such a pretty face?” he adds, giving the smuggest grin imaginable, even going so far as to wink.
New plan: let’s just shoot Joker now.
The cognition’s blush deepens, looking embarrassed as it replies, “If you see me as pretty, then you must be gorgeous. I...may have called you that to Sae-san once.”
Great. I had wanted to forget about that. It had been a rare slip of the tongue, nothing more. Joker, however, seems to think otherwise. He chuckles as he wraps an arm around the cognition, his grin widening as the cognition reciprocates the action. My stomach clenches, and I shove the surge of intense jealousy deep in the recesses of my mind. I refuse to feel anything about this. Even as he gently caresses the cognition’s cheek. “That’s so cute. Is there anything else you’ve told her?”
I’m almost grateful as the cognition frowns. “We haven’t spoken much. She doesn’t trust me, not since she accused me of stealing data off her laptop.”
“You, steal data?” Joker asks, not missing a beat as he adds, “You’re too pretty to be a criminal.”
“You’re pretty, though-”
I’ve had enough of this. With a small huff of annoyance, I say, “Joker, it’s clear we aren’t going to get anything out of this. Let us leave.”
This time, Joker does relent, moving away from the cognition. “I’ll see you later,” Joker says to it, blowing it a kiss as he walks away. I follow him and the rest of the thieves, who have been watching in absolute confusion. I am already dreading our next conversation.
We leave the Palace with very little fanfare. Everyone says their goodbyes, and we all split off. Before I can leave, Ren grabs a hold of my wrist, looking quite smug as my own face heats up. “What is it, Ren?” I ask curtly, hoping he’ll take the hint and leave.
He doesn’t, of course. He has that cocky smirk he usually only gets as Joker as he pulls me close. “So...you like me?” he asks in that low, sexy tone-
You did not hear that from me.
“No, I don’t like you in the way you think.”
“Sure about that?” Ren is right in my face, those gray eyes of his seeing right through my statement. I can’t help but notice how beautiful his eyes are. “The cognition said it, Akeppi.”
There he goes again with that stupid nickname. “That wasn’t the real me. It doesn’t count.”
“Does too.”
“How so?”
“Because Sae must have a reason to think that you do.”
“Am I not allowed to talk about you on occasion?”
“On occasion?” Ren snickers as he repeats my words. “You liar. It sounds like you talk about me all the time.”
“I do no such thing. The cognition was clearly exaggerating.”
“I don’t believe you,” he nearly whispers. His breath is hot against my ear. Damn is he such a beautiful, distracting menace. Wait, no. He’s little more than an inconvenience. Distracting, yes, but decidedly an inconvenient part of my life as of this moment. “I think the detective’s fallen in love with the thief he’s trying to catch.”
I’m tempted to back up and put some distance between us, but I refuse to let him see that he’s getting to me. It would only prove him right. “You’re wrong, Ren. I do not ramble incessantly about you, nor do I-”
“No,” he interrupts, pressing his index finger on my lips to silence me, “you’re wrong.”
It’s only now that I finally pull away. “This is getting us nowhere. Perhaps we should call it a night.”
“Okay,” he says, sounding a little saddened at my statement.
“Well, I’ll see you later.”
“Goodnight, honey,” he hums, smirking as my face flushes. He is so infuriating, god damnit. I can hear his laughter behind me as I turn around and briskly walk away, not letting him have another moment of satisfaction from teasing me.
Up until this year, all it had been was a painful reminder of something I both would never have nor deserved to have. The day was little more than an inconvenience when my sole focus was bringing ruin to Shido’s life.
Then Ren happened, and everything changed. Despite feeling unworthy of love, he gave it to me in spades. Now that we can spend it together, I find myself surprisingly looking forward to today. I have been planning this for a month now. Well, that’s not exactly true. Despite normally being too stubborn to seek the help of anyone else, I knew that this wasn’t something I was good at. I had approached Ann, figuring she would be the best person to go to. She had listened to my ideas, telling me what was good and giving suggestions of her own. I want it to be perfect, just like the one who stole my heart nearly two years ago. All I can do now is wait for his arri-
“Hi, honey~”
I nearly jump, whirling around to see Ren sitting cross-legged on my bed, a huge grin plastered on his face. Speak of the devil. I immediately notice the red rose between his teeth, but that is not what needs addressing first. “How...How did you get in here?”
“Your love summoned me.” Ren grabs the rose from his mouth as he speaks, idly twirling it with deft fingers.
“Love cannot summon anyone through a wall.”
“Yet here I am,” he replies with an extremely overdramatic shrug.
I am not fooled for a second. “Don’t tell me you picked the lock again.”
“Nope. Climbed through the window.”
He sounds extremely proud of this later achievement. “Do I have to start barricading the window too?”
“You know I’ll just find another way in.” I know Ren well enough to realize he’s likely correct. He chuckles at my nonverbal agreement. In one fluid motion, he stands up and presents the rose to me. A blush blooms across my cheeks as he plants a quick kiss on my lips. “A beautiful rose for the precious love of my life~”
“I...thank you,” I stammer as I tenderly hold the proffered rose, much to Ren’s amusement. “It’s perfect.”
“Not as perfect as you~” he hums, chuckling as my blush deepens. “I also have this for you.”
He reaches into his surprisingly feline-absent bag and hands me a black heart-shaped box. The top is emblazoned with his phantom thief mask that appears intricately painted, and a red ribbon is expertly tied into a bow. I can only guess at how long this must have taken him. Knowing him, he probably spent weeks on the box alone. “I love it. It’s...I don’t know what to say.”
“Oh? Did I manage to surprise the great detective prince himself?”
“You’re always surprising me at every turn,” I reply, admiring Ren’s handiwork. “I almost don’t want to tamper with it.”
“I think the chocolate will make it worth it.”
“I’m sure it will be.” I reluctantly move away from him to place the rose and the box on the bedside table, opening a drawer as I do so. As I reach to grab something, Ren comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist. I chuckle as I remark, “Can you not keep your hands off me?”
“Nope.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“Because you love me.” He gently kisses my neck, snickering as I instinctively tense up. We both know the first neck kiss usually turns into either tickles or hickeys. To my surprise, he doesn’t do either. “So what are we doing today?”
“You’ll see.”
“Keeping it a surprise?” he asks teasingly. “Are you going to be giving me chocolates too, my darling Akeppi?”
“Actually, I...did try to make this for you,” I say hesitantly as I turn in his hold to show him the object in my hands: a small white box with a gold ribbon.
He lets go of me to take the box in his hands. It’s almost like he didn’t expect me to actually give him chocolates. “Goro...?”
“I may have almost burnt the chocolate, and I’m sure you’ve received some that are much more delicious than mi-”
“You made these for me?” he asks, sounding so shocked since we both know my cooking and baking skills are...definitely not exemplary.
“Well, Ann explicitly told me homemade chocolate would be more meaningful and heartfelt, but yes. I made them, just for you.” He doesn’t say a word as he just stares at the box, a melancholy look crossing his face. His reaction concerns me. I had tried to do everything just right, so why has he gone so silent? “Ren, are you alright? I didn’t do something wrong, did I?”
He snaps out of it immediately, smiling happily. It...somehow feels forced. “Oh, no! I love it.”
“Ren, are you sure?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You looked like you were lost in thought, and not in a good way.” Ren doesn’t respond to that. His left hand moves to cover his mouth, a gesture he normally makes only when he’s uncomfortable. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Come on, I wanna try these,” he adds, pulling me along to sit next to him on the bed. He’s about to unwrap the ribbon, but I grab his hand in both of mine before he can do so. “Hey-”
“Please. I know something is plaguing your thoughts. You know you can confide in me, yes?”
“I know,” he says after a moment of quiet deliberation.
“Then can you at least stop evading the issue and tell me what is troubling you?”
He doesn’t answer at first. We simply sit there, my hands holding one of his as his free hand holds the small box of chocolates. It doesn’t matter how long the silence lasts. I will stay here with him until he answers me, even if it takes the entire day. Eventually, he briefly says, “Last year.”
“Last year?” I repeat, hoping this would prompt him to elaborate.
Luckily, it does. “Last Valentine’s Day. After...you know. It kinda sucked.”
“How so?”
“It just...well, I did act normal. I got a lot of chocolates from my friends, and they thought I was fine. But when I was alone, I...”
“Ren...?”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I was eating the chocolates, imagining what we would’ve done. It probably sounds dumb, but I was wishing you were there. And I wanted to see you again, maybe give you some chocolates. I wondered if...you would’ve given me some too, and... Even if I thought I never would, I...I just wanted to hear your voice. To see you again, and to hold you in my arms. I just...” I gently take the box from him, setting it aside before pulling him close. He tightly wraps his arms around me, clinging onto me as if he is worried I might vanish. For once, I don’t mind his cloying personality. I can’t blame him for his fears. I’ve disappeared on him too many times, claimed by deaths that refused to stick. His voice chokes up as he finishes, “I missed you so much, Goro.”
“I’m here now,” I murmur. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know, but back then...”
I let the conversation fade into silence. Right now, all I can do is try to comfort him. Absentmindedly rubbing his back with slow, circular strokes, I start to hum a tune he usually hums to me when I am not in a good state of mind. He recognizes it immediately. His own baritone joins in as he hums along. I can feel him relaxing in my embrace. After a bit of time has passed, I break the quiet ambiance. “Ren?”
“Yeah?” He at least sounds like he’s doing better.
“You said you imagined what we would do,” I start, standing up and holding out a hand to him. “Would you want to find out?”
The grin he gives me as he takes my hand is so purely heartwarming that it sends my own heart aflutter. “I would love that,” Ren replies, giggling a little when I bring his hand to my lips and kiss his knuckles.
“Why are you laughing for?”
“I didn’t think you could be this affectionate...not that you can top me,” he adds, his tone more than enough to indicate that he’s challenging me.
“Well, maybe I should prove you wrong today.”
“You won’t~”
I laugh, helping him to his feet. If he truly wants to play this game, I am more than happy to indulge him. “Very well. Let us go.”
124. “You seem like a friendly face, mind if I sit with you?”
When I had walked into one of the many cafes in Shibuya for lunch, I had not expected the visit to be anything noteworthy. I was going to get something quick to eat and leave just as quickly. That is until I looked around the place. It’s never been a very crowded cafe, even at its busiest. It’s one of the hidden little gems Ann had shown me a few months ago that I’ve started frequenting somewhat regularly. But, at one of the tables closest to me, I see Ann herself sitting with someone. The other person, probably a friend of Ann’s, is unfamiliar to me. I decide to approach them, greeting them as I say, “Hello, Ann.”
Ann’s face lights up as she replies, “Oh, hey Goro!”
It’s days like these when I’m glad I have her as a friend. She was the first of Ren’s friends to accept me for who I am. Once she found out that I did, in fact, have a sweet tooth despite saying otherwise, she constantly dragged me with her to have whatever dessert she fancied that day. I’ve grown to genuinely enjoy her company. Even if I already know the answer, I ask, “What are you doing here?”
“We’re gonna get some cake! Can you believe she hasn’t had the cake here? If I had known you weren’t busy, I would’ve asked you to come too!”
“That’s all right.” I turn my head to look at the person Ann’s with. She has short black hair that fluffs out a bit. The rest of her face is obscured, her head turned as if to avoid making eye contact with me. Compared to Ann’s vibrant outfit, this girl’s is much more subdued. Even so, her long-sleeved gray top that exposes her shoulders and the black skirt seem to suit her, for some reason. I wonder why I haven’t met this girl until now. I look back to Ann as I remark, “I don’t think you’ve introduced me to your friend. What’s her name?”
“Ah! The name. Um...it’s Akira! Akira Kurusu.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet, Kurusu-san. You seem like a friendly face, mind if I sit with you?” The girl only shakes her head in response, not even looking up at me. Her reticent attitude gives me pause. I didn’t mean to offend her. “My apologies. Did I say something wrong?”
“No no! Sit down,” Ann says reassuringly. I sit down in a chair between the two girls as Ann stammers, trying to explain Akira’s behavior. “Uh, it’s just...that...she...she’s a huge fan of yours! Yeah. And we didn’t think we’d be seeing you.” She laughs awkwardly as she finishes, twirling a lock of hair in her fingers.
“Oh? I’m honored,” I reply, pulling out my typical TV-perfect smile that’s as fake as the personality it belongs to. Even if Ann knows that I’m very much unlike my detective prince facade, Akira likely doesn’t know that. I figure it’s best to keep up that pretense around her. “Most people seemed to forget my name after the Phantom Thieves incident ended. So, how do you two know each other?”
“I, uh, met her at one of my photoshoots! She’s wanted to be a model for a loooong time.”
“A model? I’m certain you’ll do well in the industry. You have the looks befitting a model.” Akira still doesn’t look at me, her gaze glued to her hands in her lap. Her nails are painted black, and I think I can see her blushing? Or perhaps it’s makeup. Either is possible, all things considered. She is rather flat-chested for a model, but there is nothing wrong with th-okay, why am I even noticing this? I really hope she didn’t catch me looking. After a few seconds of silence, I turn to Ann, who didn’t seem to notice my earlier gaze. My voice is hushed as I gently ask, “Are you sure she’s okay?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. She’s really shy at first.” Ann doesn’t seem too surprised at her friend’s behavior. Maybe it’s normal for Akira. Ann seems to remember something as she quickly adds, “But she does talk about you a lot!”
“Is that so?”
“Mhmm! I don’t think she’d be able to stop talking about you. She goes on and on about how great you are.”
The laugh I give, while mostly fake, is a somewhat genuine one. “Surely, you exaggerate.”
“Nope. We went to get crepes, and once she found out you were my friend, she talked about you the whole time.”
“I see. Well, a friend of Ann’s is a friend of mine,” I say, looking over at Akira. She’s still staring at her hands as she fiddles nervously with the chain attached to her skirt. Hold on, why am I still noticing these little details? That thought gets shoved aside. Right now, I need to find out what exactly is making Akira act so quiet around me. Is she perhaps intimidated due to my former popularity? If that’s what the problem is, I need to try and get her to open up to me somehow, get her to see that I’m not as unapproachable as she thinks. Well, not unapproachable due to being the detective prince, that is. I doubt someone like her would be comfortable around my true self. “It’s all right. You don’t have to be shy around me. You and Ann are probably much more popular than me.”
“Oh, don’t say that! You’re the second detective prince. Even she knew about you after being in Tokyo for only a couple of months.”
“You’re not from here?” Akira shakes her head, starting to play with the chain hanging off her black choker. I can’t see much of her face, but I think I see a smile starting to form. At least she seems to be more at ease, even if she hasn’t said a word thus far. “Are you enjoying Tokyo so far?” A nod this time. “How long have you lived here? Or are you just visiting?”
“She’s been here for about two years now,” Ann says for Akira. “Likes it so much better than home.”
“In that case, perhaps I know the area where you’re living? I’ve been to a lot of places in Tokyo.” As I finish my comment, Akira’s chest starts to heave. Is she...laughing? What a strange girl. It’s clear she’s trying to hold her laughter in as if she doesn’t want anyone to hear it. I don’t understand. What’s so funny about what I just said? “Kurusu-san? Are you all right?”
Akira finally looks up at me with brilliant gray eyes accentuated by a lot of makeup: eyeliner, pink eyeshadow, and even a little black heart under her left eye. Her gaze is sharp, and it feels like she’s staring right into my soul. It almost reminds me of- Wait a minute. I get a closer look at the person sitting next to me. I recognize those eyes. My own eyes narrow instantly as I drop the detective prince act entirely.
“You.”
“Akira” gives me a lopsided smile, their identity finally revealed to me. I know exactly who this person is. “Hi, Akeppi~” the “girl” who is none other than my boyfriend, Ren Amamiya, says before quickly kissing me. His lips, I notice, are covered with lipstick, and the blush I had noticed earlier was indeed a lot of makeup. Now that I know exactly who this is, I understand why I was so drawn to the mysterious person next to me. I allow myself to notice that he’s wearing black thigh highs over fishnet tights. Well, I suppose this being Ren explains the flat-chestedness observation from earlier. “Are you enjoying yourself, staring at me?”
My eyes dart up upon hearing his question, seeing the devious look in his eyes. Damn it, did he notice earlier then...? I groan, “Shut up. Just...explain. Now.”
“We didn’t mean to trick you!” Ann says, trying not to giggle now that the charade is done. “I just wanted to see if Ren could pass off as a girl, and he let me dress him up.”
“It must’ve worked if even Akeppi didn’t notice,” Ren says as he scoots his chair closer so that he can hug me. So much for that reserved personality from before. “You should’ve seen the look on your face when you realized it was me.”
“You are a menace,” I snap, trying to pry his arms off of me with no success.
“Yup! But I’m your menace.”
“Damn you both.”
Ann and Ren both laugh at that. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had been trying to hold it in during the entire conversation. How they made it so long without laughing, I have no idea. Despite how annoyed I am that I fell for their spur-of-the-moment prank, I can’t help but join in, chuckling under my breath. Their laughter is infectious. Well, at least they’re enjoying themselves.
“This was fun, Ann,” Ren comments after he’s had his fill of laughing at my expense. “We should do this again.”
“For sure!” she replies. “We could try another style and see how it looks.”
“Wait, I have an idea. You should do Akeppi next time,” Ren suggests, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Oh, that would be amazing!” Ann immediately looks at me, her excitement at the prospect all too obvious. “Can I? Please?”
“Not a chance,” I snap, refusing to entertain this latest scheme of theirs. “Ren may have agreed to it, but I’m not Ren.”
“Come on, please?” Ann looks at me, doe-eyed, pleading with me to allow her request. “At least let me do your hair and paint your nails.”
“Fine,” I groan. I can put up with that much, I suppose. They both grin simultaneously, sharing a quick glance. Something tells me I should be concerned about what they’re plotting, but I can deal with that later. “So, are you both actually planning on having cake, or was that as much a lie as Ren being a girl named Akira Kurusu?”
“Oh, yeah! That was true. Do you want some too, Goro?”
“I don’t think I’ll have much of a choice, considering someone probably won’t let go of me.” I pointedly look at Ren as I say this, who is still hugging me, might I add.
“No~” he hums as he tightens his hold, confirming that much for me.
“Well, in that case, I suppose I’ll have some cake. If it’s as delicious as it was last time, then I look forward to it.”
We talk for a while longer while eating cake, Ann having more than enough pieces for the both of us. How she can eat so many sweets with no problem, I have no idea. Eventually, we part ways with Ann, Ren holding onto me the entire way home like a cute, clingy girlfriend head-over-heels in love with me. That is a mental image I never thought I would apply to my own life. I can’t help but affectionately ruffle Ren’s hair, the action earning me a jubilant grin. I truly am blessed to have both Ren and Ann in my life.
