(A/N: Howdy, everyone! How're you all doing with the pandemic and coldness of winter? Hope you're all safe and healthy. In case you're having a rough day, here's this chapter that might lift your spirits with a dose of comedy! Without any further ado, BUCKLE THE FUCK UP!!! 'CUZ HERE WE GO!!!)

Music: army⇒G♂ (Extended) | Attack on Titan

*******

Opening

*******

------The Velvet Room------

"Our master would like a word with you. Stand up straight and listen closely, Inmate." Justine said calmly.

"It seems you freed the heart of a frenzied girl and saved her from her haunted past. Another step has been taken to rehabilitation... you are progressing quite nicely." Igor chuckled delightfully.

"Our master bestows words of praise upon you! You'd better feel honored!" Caroline scoffed.

"By the by, more curious information has found its way to your ears. A scientist's research... it seems that world may secretly be known after all. Furthermore, that very research has been stolen and is now used by those with malicious intent... I wonder how this will change the approach you take toward your rehabilitation..." Igor said.

"Who stole the research?" Ren asked.

"Though you have my aid, be sure not to let your guard down. Otherwise, you may get swept off your feet..." Igor chuckled mysteriously, "...We shall meet again in the near future."

"Time to go, Inmate!" Caroline announced.

The sound of the bell rang in the distance, causing Ren's view to grow hazy before his stiff body began falling down. His consciousness drifted away as Igor's chuckle faded and felt pulled back to his world.

*******

------The Next Day: Café Leblanc's Attic------

"Makoto and Yusuke are scheduled for today, huh...? I haven't seen them... what happened to them?" Morgana wondered.

"I don't know." Ren took his phone out, about to message them.

As if on cue, his phone buzzed in his hands as notifications began flooding on his screen from the group chat.

Makoto: Futaba, can you open up?

Futaba: Open what?

Yusuke: The front door.

Futaba: Why?

Makoto: Won't you come too, Ren? We're in front of Futaba's house.

Ren: I'm on my way.

Futaba: You wanna meet here... and not at Leblanc?

Makoto: Isn't that more comforting?

Futaba: YYYou never mentioned this.

Makoto: It would be nice if you could hurry down soon. It's scorching hot out here.

Futaba: You demon...!

"Looks like we're meeting up immediately over at Futaba's. Makoto's really going about this seriously..." Morgana sweatdropped.

"Yeah..."

*******

------Sakura Residence: Futaba's Room------

"Um..." Ren trailed awkwardly.

"...What is that supposed to be?" Makoto sweatdropped.

Only what he saw inside wasn't like anything he ever expected. Futaba sat on her desk, wearing a large ominous-looking mask that hid all of her face, shaped like a traditional matryoshka woman.

"Don't worry about it."

"Such avant garde design. You have excellent taste." Yusuke complimented her with a delighted smile.

"...Mwehehe." Futaba giggled while spinning the chair.

"L-Let's get started, shall we?" Makoto spoke nervously.

Realizing there was no room left for more argument, Futaba took her mask off, revealing her petite face and long, silky bright orange hair. As she ran her fingers through her locks, Yusuke's eyes caught the view of a set of figurines placed next to her that looked like masked rangers. His eyes examined them thoroughly while humming to himself before reaching his hands out, working his magic on them.

"What do you plan on doing?" Morgana questioned.

"I'd like to simply have a normal conversation. That is the basis of true communication, after all." Makoto stated matter-of-factly.

"You seem confident, Makoto." Ren commented.

"Yes. You must be well-versed in speaking when you are student council president. Don't think too hard about our conversation. We're just going to talk about ordinary topics today."

"And what do you mean by ordinary topics?" Yusuke's interest was piqued, slightly turning his head to her side.

"You know, things like food or the weather. Well then, let's begin with food. What do you like to eat, Futaba?"

"Organic ones."

"Um, that wasn't exactly what I meant..."

"........."

"L-Let's try a different topic! How about the weather? I heard that this heat wave is showing no sign of stopping..."

"Dunno. I haven't been out."

"O-Oh, right..."

"Makoto's getting overwhelmed..." Morgana sighed deeply.

"Yeah..." Ren sweatdropped.

"Th-This is odd... it wasn't supposed to go like this..." Makoto trailed awkwardly, "By the way Yusuke, what have you been doing this whole time?"

"...Ah, superb."

Stepping aside to reveal his masterpiece, the figurines' state was changed drastically that it wasn't recognizable anymore from how it used to be. Each piece from every figure was from a different close and their poses became more battle-esque and showy, resembling an action squad from a famous show.

"Some of their heads came off when I was moving them, but I made sure to rearrange them pleasingly."

"W-Waaaaaaaah!" Futaba shrieked, standing up quickly, "M-My children... wh-what have you done... to my children...?"

"They appear to be quite shoddily-made."

"They're from 'Phoenix Rangers Neo Featherman'! No... Yellow and Pink's heads... and Red's been hacked to bits... this is all Inari's fault..."

"Inari?"

"Your thief clothes were like a fox. According to Japanese folklore, foxes like inarizushi, thus Inari."

"Inari..." Yusuke repeated, knitting his eyebrows at the nickname.

"Rghhh, they were in the perfect poses too...! It was so much work getting them set up just right! You wouldn't know aesthetics if it hit you in the face, Inari!"

"H-How dare you say that to me of all people?!"

Enraged by his action, Futaba stomped her foot onto the floor as she began screaming at Yusuke's face angrily. And offended by her previous insult, the dark blue-haired boy returned the same loud and harsh tone in equal fervor, both raising their arms in anger.

"Sheesh, it's not a conversation anymore... it's a full-blown argument." Morgana sweatdropped.

"Yeah..." Makoto followed.

"Um, guys?" Ren called hesitantly.

"Don't even try..." Morgana trailed hopelessly.

Realizing that nothing could be said at that point, Ren pursed his lips in a straight line as he watched the two arguing and screaming at one another. He couldn't help but notice the difference in height between Futaba and Yusuke, chuckling to himself as their words weren't comprehensible anymore. The two suddenly stopped shouting, catching the others' attention at the abrupt quietness, wondering if something happened with them. Futaba and Yusuke burst into laughing loudly at their silly little dispute just now, holding their stomachs in the process as the other three chuckled with them as well. Still slightly giggling to herself, Futaba sat down again and began chatting with Yusuke about Neo Featherman since the topic seemed to catch his attention--no longer shouting or arguing, only talking like normal old-time friends.

Throughout their conversation, it never slipped Ren the way Yusuke's irises lit up ever so slightly, the way his lips curved upward into a wide smile, how his eyes lingered on Futaba's brown ones as he listened to every word she spoke closely. His eyes would sometimes widen in awe at the new ideas he was hearing or his gaze would focus solely on her as if she was the only thing present in the world around him. At that moment, Yusuke Kitagawa was just the happiest he had been ever since first joining the Phantom Thieves. That thought caused a delighted grin to make its way onto Ren's lips, his chest brimming in warmth at the absolutely beautiful scene he was seeing.

"I see... so their versatility allows you to recreate almost any dramatic scene you can imagine." Yusuke slightly widened his eyes in awe.

"Mm-hm. Victory is great for action, and Neo's got the best transforming suit. So cool." Futaba grinned.

"Fascinating. Art depicts a flash of inspiration, but models offer a much different means of enjoyment."

"Huh? Take a look at that--Futaba's having a regular conversation." Morgana was taken aback.

"It seems she doesn't have a problem talking to others as long as the subject interests her. I suppose the topics I brought up were not the right ones." Makoto smiled happily.

"So this is all I gotta do? What a breeze!" Futaba seemed relieved.

"In that case, we should advance to the next step. How about we have her spend time in someone else's room?" Yusuke suggested.

"Yes. She hasn't had many chances to leave the house yet, so that would be the perfect opportunity." Makoto agreed.

"Don't set the bar so high!" Futaba looked away.

"Don't worry, we'll all be there too." Ren smiled at her reassuringly.

"W-Well, I guess in that case..."

"I've left tomorrow to Ann and Ryuji. Ren will be there as well, so you'll be OK." Makoto placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Can I wear my mask?"

"I-I think it would be best if you didn't..."

"There's really no telling how tomorrow's going to go..." Morgana looked worried.

*******

------Evening: Café Leblanc's Attic------

"Not bad, for her first time... she's still got a long way to go, though. I wonder how long before she's ready for the beach..."

"I hope so too."

The sudden buzz of his phone caught Ren's attention, causing him to pull it out before opening the group text chat.

Ryuji: Dude, people're so pumped!

Ryuji: They're talking about how the Phantom Thieves took down Medjed.

Ryuji: Mishima's website has a shitton of comments flooding in too!

Ann: The news coverage has been pretty insane as well!

Emiko: Every channel I saw on TV or page online was talking about us.

Yusuke: Yes, they have only spoken of the Phantom Thieves for the entirety of today.

Makoto: We've been getting attention all over the city.

Ryuji: So... how's the one who helped us take Medjed down doing?

Ann: Futaba-chan!

Futaba: My Phoenix Rangers almost met their demise...

Emiko: Phoenix Rangers?

Ann: Uh...

Ren: We just talked.

Emiko: Did you?

Makoto: Anyway, things didn't go perfectly, but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

Yusuke: Tomorrow's goal will be to spend time in someone else's room.

Yusuke: Futaba is a difficult personality to handle. Good luck, you two.

Futaba: Shut it, Inari.

Emiko: What, Inari? Where is this coming from?

Ren: I'll explain it later.

Ryuji: All right, it's our turn next! Seeya tomorrow, Futaba!

Ann: We have so much to talk about! Oooh, I can't wait!

"Ann and Ryuji teaming up honestly worries me... but I guess we'll see what they can do." Morgana shook his head hopelessly.

"You only want Ann to yourself, right?" Ren smiled.

"Wh-What?! No, I do not!"

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say."

*******

------The Next Day: Café Leblanc------

"Huh, you seem surprisingly calm. I thought you'd be more panicked." Morgana eyed the girl curiously.

"There's no customers."

The door opened once again as two very familiar faces stood by the entrance.

"Yooooo." Ryuji greeted.

"We're here!" Ann followed.

"Eep?!" Futaba quickly ran away.

"Ah, Futaba?" Ren called.

"Sorry we're late. We were out buying stuff and I got a little caught up in what to get." Ann giggled, placing two large plastic bags on the counter.

"So many snacks... what exactly do you plan on doing?!" Morgana wondered.

"Well, summer vacation's the time when you lounge around in your room all day." Ryuji grinned while rubbing his nose.

"Yeah, and eating snacks is the best part of that!" Ann coincided.

"You're gonna get fat, y'know."

"Shut it!"

"Hey, where's Futaba?"

"You have done well in coming here." Futaba approached them while wearing her mask.

"What...?" Ren sweatdropped.

"Wh-Whoa!" Ryuji gasped in shock, "Shit freaked me out... that you, Futaba?"

"Yup. Welcome."

"Why are you wearing that?" Ann tilted her head.

"Habit. Anyway, bring it!"

"Not sure I get it... but let's do this!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Sheesh. Looks like today's going to be another noisy day..." Morgana trailed helplessly.

Taking her mask off while climbing the stairs behind the three, Futaba watched as Ryuji insisted on carrying the two plastic bags despite Ann's initial protests. Once they reached the attic, the two blonde-haired teens wasted no time in emptying the content of the plastic bags on the table, filling it with all kinds of potato chips and soda bottles, earning awed expressions from Futaba and Ren. The teens quickly sat down and made themselves comfortable before opening the potato chip bags and soda bottles, allowing for the amazing salty and sugary taste to melt in their mouths. After taking a big gulp from his grape soda, Ryuji began the conversation with some of his old stories from middle school back when he was a member of the track team. He explained in full detail... if not a little bit exaggeratedly about one of the races the team had against a different school. How he managed to outrun all of them, earning the first place, and how everyone gathered around him afterward in celebration.

"For real, it was freakin' amazing! There were girls all over me!" Ryuji exclaimed, "...Wait. You don't believe a word I'm sayin', do you...?"

"........." Ren stayed quiet, sipping from his soda.

"Hey!"

"Uh, It's you we're talking about here. There's no way you were ever a chick magnet." Ann pointed out.

"What was that...?"

"Agreed. As a member of the opposite sex, I sense no charm from you, Ryuji." Futaba commented.

"Plus, popular guys wouldn't go bragging about that stuff to other people." Morgana added.

Groaning to himself in defeat, Ryuji sulked in his sitting position, quietly drinking his coke as his attempt to improve his image in front of Futaba backfired on him and didn't work the way he hoped to. Part of him wanted for the new girl in the group to look up to him as an amazing person, but the other part of him secretly wanted to... impress Ann and for her to idolize him. Shaking off his head to kick those silly thoughts out of his head, Ryuji quietly cursed himself for being so freaking sappy and making things worse for him like he always did before shoving a piece of potato into his mouth. That time, Ann was the one to pick up the conversation and began talking with Futaba about some beautiful pictures of wedding dresses she saw in a fashion magazine that managed to captivate her entirely. That day, Ann thought about what she'd look like if she ever got married and wore a wedding dress like those; the idea was pleasant for her... mostly.

"I keep wondering if I should do it while I'm still young... but the dresses show a lot of skin, right?" Ann wondered before glaring at Ryuji who had his face buried into his hand, "...Hey, are you even listening?"

"There's no point talkin' about wedding dresses right now. None of us have significant others." Ryuji sighed in boredom.

"Oh... right..." Ann trailed, frowning at his words.

"Yup. I don't wanna get married right now." Futaba agreed.

"How about you, Ren?" Ann looked upward.

"Me?"

"Do you want to get married sometime in the future?"

"Oh, well... umm..."

"Can we please talk about something else?!" Morgana cried out.

"...Y'know, Futaba's fine havin' conversations." Ryuji grinned.

"Yeah, she doesn't have any trouble speaking her mind. Seems totally normal to me." Ann smiled in agreement.

"I dunno what normal is... but if this is it, I'm happy." Futaba's eyes lit up.

"I totally thought you were gonna be some weirdo, but I guess all that worryin' was for nothing."

"Mm-hm, I'm relieved too. I think things should keep going smoothly at this rate. By the way, what's on the agenda for tomorrow?" Ann wondered.

"Let's see... Mikki's pretty much the only one left."

".........?" Futaba's ears perked up.

"Oh, if it's Emiko then there's nothing to worry about!" Ann exclaimed.

"What's there NOT to worry about Mikki...?" Ryuji sweatdropped.

"I can't say I'm looking forward to having Miss show-off spend time with Futaba alone. I... have my concerns." Morgana agreed with Ryuji which was quite rare to happen.

"Oh, come on. There's no need to act like that! Emiko is reliable and that's the most important part! Don't you think so too, Ren?" Ann clapped her hands.

"I do."

"You guys are seriously making me more worried..." Futaba trailed.

"Then it's all set. We'll be rootin' for you, Futaba!" Ryuji grinned.

After finishing off whatever was left from their snacks and collecting the empty bags and cans, Ryuji and Ann sat up along with Futaba and all waved goodbye to Ren before walking down the stairs. Sighing to himself, Ren took out his phone to recheck the agenda he wrote in his notes, making sure that Emiko was indeed scheduled for tomorrow. The moment his eyes laid on her name written in his notes, a soft smile made his way onto his lips as his dark grey irises sparkled ever so slightly, lingering on the characters of her name written on the screen. Morgana, who noticed the boy's smitten expression, had a very vivid idea of what must've been going on with Ren, smirking at his reaction while slowly nodding to himself in deep thoughts. However, the sudden buzz of his phone forced Ren to snap out of his daydreams and to quickly open the group chat as messages flooded in.

Ryuji: Our popularity's through the roof! You guys gotta hear this!

Ryuji: This cute chick said she wants to go out with a Phantom Thief!

Ann: But not you specifically, huh?

Futaba: Not surprised. As a member of the opposite sex, I sense no charm from you, Ryuji.

Ryuji: You don't gotta say it over text too!

Emiko: She's not wrong though.

Ryuji: Hey, ya gotta back me up here!

Emiko: Why should I?

Ryuji: Oh, c'mon!

Futaba: Oooh, Ryuji's been bamboozled!

Makoto: What in the world were you all doing today...?

Ann: Girl talk at Leblanc. Er, more like chatting and snacking really.

Yusuke: So she's completed her objective for the day.

Yusuke: What's next on the agenda?

Ann: Emiko's the only one left who hasn't spent time with Futaba-chan.

Makoto: Tomorrow will be on you, Emiko. Think you can handle it?

Emiko: I can't promise anything though. So don't expect much.

Ryuji: Ya got anything in mind?

Emiko: Not really. I was just thinking of spending time in Ren's room.

Emiko: You'll be there too, right?

Ren: Of course.

Ryuji: That's it?! I thought you'd plan somethin' more... y'know what I mean, yeah?

Emiko: Oh, shut it. It's not like you did anything better.

Ann: Can't argue with that.

Emiko: This includes you too, you know.

Ann: ...I take that back.

Futaba: It's fine, I really don't mind. As long as it's you guys, I'll be just fine.

Futaba: Guess I'll see you tomorrow then?

Emiko: Yeah, sure.

Makoto: I guess that's settled then.

Yusuke: Very well. We shall leave Futaba in your care, Emiko.

Ann: Good luck!

"Huh, looks like we'll spend tomorrow here as well. And with Miss show-off too... well, good luck with that." Morgana stated matter-of-factly.

"I don't think it'll be that bad though."

"I highly doubt that..."

*******

------The Next Day: Café Leblanc's Attic------

"She's late..." Ren glanced at his wristwatch for the umpteenth time.

"Hey, is Emiko really as bad as Mona and Ryuji made her be?" Futaba asked hesitantly, fiddling with her fingers.

"No, don't worry. She doesn't bite... for the most part."

"The most part?!"

"Hahaha, I'm just kidding!"

"T-T-That wasn't funny!"

"Sorry, sorry."

"You're seriously hopeless..." Morgana let out a deep, troubled sigh.

"........." Futaba suddenly fell quiet, staring at the floor.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Ren asked worriedly.

"No, It's just that..."

"I'm here." Emiko's voice could be heard from downstairs.

"Eep...!" Futaba quickly hid behind Ren's back.

"Took you long enough!" Morgana scolded as her figure came into vision.

"Sorry I'm late, but I had to look for some stuff before coming here."

"What's this?" Ren pointed at the bag slung on her shoulder.

"This? It's just my laptop. I thought we could watch something." Emiko took the bag off her shoulder, shuffling through one of the side pockets.

Suddenly, an object fell down from it onto the wooden floor, creating an audible thud.

"Ah!" Emiko nearly jumped at the sudden sound.

"Wait, this...!" Futaba jumped away from Ren, kneeling on the floor to pick up whatever fell on it.

"H-Hey!" Emiko tried to snatch it away from her.

"What's gotten into her so suddenly...?" Morgana trailed.

"No. Way!" Futaba gasped in shock.

"What is it?" Ren asked.

"This keychain...! It's shaped like Todoroki wearing a butler outfit!"

"And what about it? It's just a keychain." Morgana tilted his head.

"Just a keychain?! This was a super ultra-rare limited item that only a hundred of them were made! I looked for it everywhere online to pre-order it but it was sold out immediately!"

"O-Only a hundred?!"

"Give it back!" Emiko yelped, snatching the keychain away from Futaba.

"Wow, I never thought you like anime too, Emiko. You totally don't give off an otaku's vibe."

"Anime? Wait, Emiko... are you-" Ren tried to say.

She sent him a sharp glare, making him close his mouth as she delivered her message loud and clear.

"Of course! That's Shoto Todoroki from a super popular anime series! My Hero Academia!" Futaba exclaimed happily.

"I don't understand a word she's saying..." Morgana sweatdropped.

"........." Emiko looked away, cheeks flushed in pink.

"You sure are full of surprises, Emiko. Not that I mind at all." Ren chuckled softly at her.

"Say, let's watch some anime together! Can we? Can we?" Futaba bounced in front of Emiko.

"...I guess that's fine."

"Hehehe, you better have a good taste. I'm hard to please, after all."

After pulling her laptop out and going through her saved files of dozens of saved anime episodes, which earned a loud gasp of awe from Futaba at the quantity, Emiko picked a random show and played the first episode. Placing the laptop on the table while the three teenagers sat on the couch along with Morgana, the colorful light from the screen bounced on their faces as they watched the events unfold. Every now or then, Futaba's eyes would widen or sparkle in excitement while gasping every now and then at a surprising event or new info revealed to her. Even Ren, who didn't have much interest in anime, watched the show with his full attention, completely mesmerized by it and its unique plot that he didn't see quite like it before--even Morgana seemed to enjoy it too. The one episode soon turned to a couple of ones, completely losing the track of time. His eyes stole a quick few glances at Emiko, watching her smile growing with the show going, how her eyes lit up in pure joy, and the pink flush on her cheek. That alone was more than enough to draw a smile on his face too, his cheeks slightly flushing as well as his chest brimmed in warmth.

Her smile was undoubtedly... so beautiful.

"Whoa, the characters are named by real authors and their abilities are named after their works?! That's so sick!" Futaba gasped.

"I also had no idea about those Japanese authors!" Ren followed.

"The amount of thought put into this show is admirable. Heh, not bad, Miss show-off." Morgana smirked.

"Oh, quiet you."

"No, seriously. The animation and art style are top-notch too! How I didn't hear of this anime?!" Futaba leaned close to the screen, "I gotta download it ASAP!"

"Because it came out just recently. I discovered it by accident, but I'm glad I did." Emiko smiled ever so slightly at the sentence.

"While the protagonist isn't the most handsome, THAT character is! Talk about cheating."

"Huh, would you take a look at that? Futaba and Emiko managed to bond together so quickly. I'm honestly surprised." Morgana stated.

"I'm so happy to see that." Ren grinned softly.

"You seemed totally unapproachable at the start, but you're actually a really cool person. And you have a good taste in anime, so I like you." Futaba smiled.

"O-Oh... thanks, I guess." Emiko seemed baffled.

"Good for you, Emiko." Ren gave her a thumbs-up.

"Don't mock me, four-eyes mop-head." Emiko nudged his shoulder, earning a chuckle from him.

"Looks like today's objective is a success. Nice work, Miss show-off!" Morgana swung his tail.

"In that case, what's planned for tomorrow?"

"How about we have her try helping around the store?"

"Yeah, this should help her get used to being around strangers." Ren agreed.

"Eep...! Nope, nope, nope! Showing up in the shop at lunchtime'll be like, super-crushing hard mode!" Futaba yelped.

"You don't have to deal with customers if you don't want to. Maybe you could dry plates in the back?" Morgana suggested.

"Hrgh... nrghhh..."

"I'll be there too." Ren smiled at her reassuringly.

"...I'd be mad if you weren't."

"Hey, don't you think you're setting the bar a bit too high...?" Emiko sweatdropped.

"Yeah, you tell them, Emiko!" Futaba cried out.

"Good luck, Futaba." Morgana smiled.

"Grrr... you're all gonna pay for this someday..."

After checking the time, Emiko decided to call it a day and began collecting her stuff amidst Futaba's protests to continue watching the show. Sliding the laptop's bag on her shoulder again, Emiko walked down the stairs after waving goodbye to Ren and Morgana, followed by Futaba who was still discussing the anime with her. After their voices vanished from his ears, Ren sat on the edge of the bed while looking for more info regarding that action anime he just watched with the girls, noting to himself to continue watching it later. Even Morgana was interested in the point of peeking at Ren's phone and reading the articles about it with him which was something he never did. Today was a lot of fun learning something new about Emiko and the way she reacted to it was, well... cute. And having the chance to see her smile which he loved so much as a much-appreciated bonus. The girl has been through a lot for the past years, so she deserved to be happy--both girls deserved that happiness equally. So Ren was glad that he was a witness to their happiness.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed, making him quickly open the group text chat.

Ryuji: So how did today go? Any good news on your side, Mikki?

Emiko: It went much better than I expected.

Ryuji: For real?! You're pretty damn amazin' then!

Futaba: Apparently we're both bound by an invisible eternal bond. And nothing can break it apart!

Ann: What do you mean?

Emiko: ...You wouldn't understand.

Makoto: Regardless, I think it's amazing to see that the two of you bonded so fast and found a common ground.

Yusuke: I believe it is safe to say that today's training was a success as well?

Ren: Yeah, you can say that.

Ann: Next up is practice going out in front of people.

Futaba: Wait, WHAT?!

Makoto: You'll be fine. Ren will be with you the whole time.

Makoto: We want to ease you into it, so your first test will be helping out at Leblanc.

Ann: Only Ren will be with you tomorrow... good luck!

Ren: We got it.

Futaba: Thanks for the help.

Emiko: Seriously, aren't you just pressuring her?

Futaba: I can handle this!

"You better make an effort tomorrow, Ren!" Morgana exclaimed.

"All right!"

*******

------The Next Day: Café Leblanc------

"You want me to let Futaba help out around the shop?" Sojiro widened his eyes, "But I've never had her do anything like that before. Is she gonna be OK?"

"I'll be there for her, don't worry." Ren glanced at Futaba, smiling.

She smiled in return.

"This isn't the same as taking care of a cat, you know?"

"D-Don't worry. I did graduate middle school last year... I-I'll be fine if I just think of this as my first summer job of high school!" Futaba stuttered in her words.

"Well in that case... how about you wash the dishes? Just don't push yourself too hard, OK?"

Walking backward toward the kitchen, a huge pile of dirty dishes was waiting for Futaba at the sink, earning a dumbfounded comical expression from her. She glanced behind her at Ren with a look that meant "what in the world is this?" in which he could only shrug his shoulders at her. The two teenagers began washing the dishes together with Futaba cleaning them with the sponge before handing them to Ren to dry. The process remained relatively steady as silence filled the atmosphere, not feeling the need to say anything to one another. But while picking up a clean dish to hand it to Ren, it slipped from her fingers and fell on the floor, shattering into many tiny pieces immediately.

"Eep!"

"Hey, are you all right?" Sojiro quickly approached her.

The door's bell suddenly jingled softly, causing Sojiro to quickly turn his gaze to the entrance.

"The usual, Boss. Extra strong." A pompous male customer walked in.

"Sure thing." Sojiro nodded before glancing at Ren, "...Keep an eye on Futaba for me."

"Hey, are you OK?" Ren asked her worriedly after Sojiro walked away.

"O-Oui!"

"She a new part-timer?" The pompous male customer noticed Futaba, "Man, smooth as always. What number Bond girl is this, Boss?"

"It's not like that."

"You usually go for the older ones, right? It's only natural you'd want someone younger sometimes. It's like the Guatemala Peaberry coffee. Its acidic sweetness is akin to a breath of fresh air."

"Sorry, we're serving a blend today." Sojiro stated before looking at his right, "Hey, snap out of it. Hurry up and bring him the coffee before it gets cold."

"Wait, Futaba..." Ren reached his hand out before sweatdropping.

"A-Aaaaah!" The customer yelped in surprise, falling on his back.

"Yo, here's your coffee." Futaba placed the cup down, wearing her haughty mask.

"When in the world did she.." Sojiro trailed, "Hey, Futaba. Haven't I told you not to show up in front of people with that damn thing on? And be more polite when you're bringing something to a customer."

"H-H-Here is your coffee... sir."

"A-Ah... thanks." The customer sat down nervously.

Feeling the tense atmosphere vanishing as quickly as it came, the pompous male customer began drinking his coffee, humming to himself in content with the heavenly taste. The coffee he loved so much from Leblanc sure worked like magic as his body relaxed almost instantly, forgetting about whatever the hell just happened. He exchanged light conversations with Sojiro like usual and even a few words with Futaba who replied with stuttered words. After finishing his coffee, the pompous male customer left with a smile on his face, thanking both Sojiro and Futaba for their service before leaving money and walking out.

"Did you see?! I did my job right!" Futaba exclaimed happily.

"You did great." Ren gave her a thumbs-up.

"Huh. Turns out this is pretty easy."

"To think Futaba'd go out and talk to a customer herself... mask aside, I'm impressed. Looks like people really can change." Sojiro chuckled.

"Sojiro! Want me to bring coffee to more customers?"

"Mask off first."

"H-Hrghhh... I'll think about it."

Noticing that time was already late, it was almost time to close the shop after Futaba served a few more customers with a bit more confidence. She waved goodbye to Sojiro and Ren before walking out from the café to return home, leaving the two of them alone to clean up some stuff before closing. The peaceful silence fell on Leblanc as Sojiro and Ren worked on whatever was left to clean from drying the cups or cleaning the tables. While cleaning a table, Ren's hand stopped working as he stared at his blank reflection on the polished table... the smell of curry served that day brought back a lot of old memories, after all.

"Ren, got some time?" Sojiro called the boy, "I'm gonna lecture you on how to make curry."

"..........?"

Following his guardian to the kitchen, he couldn't help but notice that the pot was already placed on the stove along with all the ingredients he needed. Standing next to the man, Ren ended up following Sojiro's instructions to prepare curry as he explained every step in detail from the amount of every ingredient to the temperature of the stove. He carefully minced the vegetables to not cut his fingers before placing them in the pot along with the spices in amounts he felt were right. While stirring the mix he prepared, soon its aroma filled the kitchen, making Ren close his eyes while taking a deep breath of the smell. He poured some of it in a small plate, having a taste from it, the flavor made his lips curve into a satisfied smile.

"When all's said and done, it helps to have an extra pair of hands. And you're surprisingly earnest." Sojiro stated while washing the dishes.

"Eh...?"

"You know... I think if your mother was still alive, she'd love to taste the curry you're making right now."

"You... knew my mom?!" Ren widened his eyes.

"Yeah, I used to know her well, and your father too. Did you know that curry was her most favorite dish? If she could've eaten it every day, she'd never complain. She was such an odd woman in her own way, but that's what made her so special."

"...Yeah."

"She raised you well." Sojiro smiled while placing his hand on the boy's shoulder.

".........!"

Widening his eyes at the words spoken by his guardian, Ren felt a lump in his throat that prevented him from speaking. His chest tightened from the memory of his late mother and how she used to make him curry for dinner most of the time. If anything, she was the person who made him love that dish so much himself. A sudden urge to cry overwhelmed Ren as he blocked his eyes with his arm, a few shaky breaths escaped his trembling lips. Feeling the steady grip of Sojiro still on his shoulder, Ren lowered his arm before glancing backward at the man who kept smiling at him so warmly and reassuringly.

"You've stopped working." Sojiro let the boy go.

"Right." Ren smiled back at him.

*******

------Evening: Café Leblanc's Attic------

Yusuke: Did anyone here share information about our real identities?

Ryuji: Like hell we'd do that!

Makoto: Why the question?

Emiko: Yeah, something wrong?

Yusuke: I overheard someone in the city saying they're our acquaintance.

Futaba: Talk about false rumors.

Ryuji: But hey, at least we're famous enough to HAVE rumors about us!

Ryuji: We might even break into the news online! Or maybe TV!

Ren: Yeah, if we get caught.

Ann: Well... yeah...

Emiko: Can't argue with that...

Makoto: By the way, how did today go?

Futaba: I served coffee to customers!

Ren: She did good.

Ann: That's great, Futaba-chan!

Ryuji: Anyways, you better get used to it fast.

Ryuji: You can't be a phantom thief if you're scared of people!

Emiko: Don't just force this upon her!

Futaba: I'll try my best.

"Mask aside, I really think she's built up some confidence."

"She did. Futaba's really amazing!"

*******

------Time Skip: The Next Day------

"Let's see, our plans for today are..." Morgana trailed, "Huh? Do we not have anything planned...?"

"I don't think so..."

His phone buzzed as a flow of text messages began flooding in.

Ann: I'm out shopping with Makoto and Emiko. We'll head over when we're done.

Makoto: Honestly, I wanted to bring Futaba along with us...

Ann: We can't just take her into crowds like that though! That'd be way too soon!

Makoto: Sometimes drastic measures are necessary.

Emiko: I... don't know how I should feel when you put it like that.

Futaba: Such spiky words...

Makoto: You know you'll need to do this someday, right?

Futaba: Actually, Queen's clothes have lots of spikes too. They'd prolly pierce my hand if I touched them.

Yusuke: I have honestly considered that possibility as well.

Makoto: You too, Yusuke?!

Emiko: You sure are... two of a kind.

Ren: Agreed.

Ryuji: Hey this sounds like fun. I wanna join in.

Ann: We're talking to Futaba! This doesn't involve you!

Futaba: Note; Ann is cold to Ryuji.

Ann: Don't take notes on this...

Emiko: Don't act like this is your first time.

Futaba: Ooh, you gotta tell me more later!

Ryuji: You two are startin' to scare the shit outta me...

Ann: Anyway, look forward to us coming over!

Futaba: My heart's pounding...

"...Just what are they scheming?" Morgana wondered.

Before he could even open his mouth to speak, the café's door opened, catching Ren's attention as he heard Ryuji and Yusuke's voices from downstairs... they must've been really close by. Climbing the stairs upward, the two waved at Ren, and surprisingly Futaba was with them as well before sitting down at the sofa with him. The four began eagerly chatting with Ren about various things, including how to improve the decor of the attic, thus earning a sweatdrop from the black-haired boy when Futaba called him "a man without a taste." Ryuji sweatdropped heavily as he listened to Yusuke and Futaba bickering quite intensely about the best way to remodel Ren's room, amidst Ren and Morgana's indifferent faces, trying to say anything to change the subject.

"Today's the fourth day already. You gettin' a little better at dealin' with other people?" Ryuji asked the girl.

"Hrmm... I dunno. I can't really tell."

"People cannot change their deep-seated habits that easily." Yusuke pointed out.

"Well, let's just say you've made some progress for now." Morgana commented.

Futaba began stroking his cheeks violently.

"Ack! S-Stop it! You're gonna pull my cheeks off!"

"Man, those girls're late. Who do they think they are, makin' us wait like this?" Ryuji groaned.

"Hello." Ann's voice exclaimed from downstairs.

"Please excuse us." Makoto's voice followed.

The teens' attention went to the stairs as they heard footsteps climbing up before the figures of the three girls came in view.

"Apologies for the lateness. We were looking at multiple items and weren't sure which to choose." Makoto explained.

"Looking? Looking at what...?" Morgana wondered.

"A swimsuit, of course. For Futaba-chan." Ann smiled.

"A-A s-s-swimsuit?!"

"You don't have one, do you?"

"No, but..."

"OK. Let's have you try it on right now then."

"N-N-N-Now?!"

"You can't go to the beach if you don't have a good-fitting swimsuit. We don't have much time left, you know."

"Uh, but... ummm... uhhhh...!"

"Ann, can't you see that she's uncomfortable with this...?" Emiko sweatdropped.

"Emiko, help meee!" Futaba called.

"You know what'll happen if you try and look... right?" Makoto gave the boys a threatening look.

They all nodded simultaneously before running down the stairs, afraid to even look into Makoto in the eyes, afraid of her overwhelming aura. If anyone could beat Emiko with menacing glares, Makoto would rival them with no questions asked. Sitting down in the booth, the boys let out deep sighs as if they've just escaped a certain death... seriously girls could be scary when angered.

"Oh wow, it's perfect. I'm amazed you were able to eyeball it with accuracy, Ann." Makoto's voice exclaimed.

"Wow, guess you're not a model for nothing, after all." Emiko's voice followed.

"I know, right?" Ann's voice agreed happily, "...There we go. It's on."

"What the?! This barely covers anything!" Futaba's voice yelped.

"That's normal for a swimsuit. Now, we just need to push these a little more this way..."

"Gyah!"

"Push...?" Ryuji repeated.

Yusuke cleared his throat nervously.

"Are you supposed to move them with that much force...?" Makoto's voice wondered.

"You gotta put some oomph into this stuff... there! Good to go!" Ann's voice exclaimed.

"Whoa, even I'm impressed...!" Futaba's voice gasped in awe.

"Hmm... not bad." Emiko's voice spoke.

"That's it?! I thought you'd compliment my skills more than that!" Ann's voice gasped.

"Well, you thought wrong."

"I wonder what they're doin' up there." Ryuji glanced at the ceiling.

"They're... having her try on the swimsuit, right? What else could they be doing?" Morgana followed awkwardly.

"Futaba in a swimsuit, hm...? I suspect that would make a great painting. Perhaps we should ask Makoto about it?" Yusuke wondered.

"Go for it, Ryuji." Ren joked.

"ME?!"

"I humbly request you do so as well."

"Hell no!"

"You guys are such children." Morgana commented.

"What's with all the ruckus upstairs? Something about a swimsuit?" Sojiro approached the boys.

"Yeah, we're goin' to the beach pretty soon so they're tryin' some swimsuits out."

"Futaba's going to the beach... I didn't think I'd ever see her take that much interest in going outside again..."

"She'll be fine." Ren reassured him.

"It's almost time for lunch. Why don't you serve your friends what you made last night?" Sojiro suggested.

".........!" Ren slightly widened his eyes as Sojiro went to the kitchen and returned with two plates of curry.

"Whoa...!" Ryuji and Yusuke gasped in awe at the curry's scene.

It looked good AND smelled good!

"Thanks for the grub!" Ryuji exclaimed before having a spoonful of the curry.

His face went all red while sweating heavily.

"Spicy! Water! Water!"

"You have the tongue of a child!" Morgana commented.

"But I could get used to it." Ryuji spoke in determination after gulping down water, having more of the overly-spicy curry.

"What a shock! It's a spiciness that stimulates the creative urge!" Yusuke snapped his eyes open, also sweating heavily himself.

"Um..." Ren trailed.

"Well, you did good for your first time." Sojiro smiled proudly.

"I don't think I did..."

"Well then, it seems we're good to go with the swimsuit." Makoto's voice seemed satisfied.

"All flattery aside, I think it looks really great! Now you just gotta get rid of those round shoulders. Come on, straighten out your back." Ann's voice urged.

"R-Right..."

"She might be some trouble, but I hope she can make some great memories with you guys." Sojiro looked at the boys, sweatdropping at how Ryuji and Yusuke were eager to finish their dishes.

"We will." Ren smiled.

*******

------Evening: Café Leblanc's Attic------

Ann: We've got swimsuits! We're totally ready to hit the beach!

Makoto: All that's left is for Futaba to prepare herself mentally.

Futaba: I can do this. I can... I think.

Futaba: Maybe.

Yusuke: So you're not confident.

Futaba: Shuddup, Inari.

Emiko: You can't just expect her to go out so suddenly after all this time.

Ryuji: Ahhh, it's finally starting to feel like summer vacation.

Makoto: Still, I've been thinking about some things now that matters have calmed down a little more...

Ren: Like what?

Makoto: The psychotic breakdowns, cognitive psience...

Makoto: And the one in the black mask.

Ren: I wonder who they are or what they want...

Ren: But they're dangerous either way.

Makoto: Right. We'll need to proceed with extreme caution going forward.

Makoto: That said, we don't have enough information right now... we'll need to investigate more.

Futaba: I'll help out too.

Emiko: We have no doubt about that.

Ryuji: Can we talk about this some other time? I'm so damn sleepy...

Ann: OK, good night then! Futaba-chan, good luck tomorrow too!

"The chief had such high expectations of us. We need to work harder to help Futaba make some good memories."

******

------The Next Day: Café Leblanc------

"So, what should we do today?" Yusuke questioned.

"Let's see... wanna eat together? Y'know, like how we had hot pot that one time." Ryuji suggested.

"That may be a good idea. It'll be a great way to strengthen our intrasquad friendships."

"I-I can do that!" Futaba stuttered.

"OK, I'll take a cola and an omelet with rice. Oh, and make that a large please." Ryuji called.

"I'd like the same." Yusuke followed.

"Do you have the money though?" Ren asked.

"No, but this is for Futaba's sake."

"...Fine. You owe me, got it?" Ryuji sighed.

"I want the same. Extra large." Futaba raised her hand.

"Same here, please." Ren followed.

Nodding at the kids, Sojiro went to the kitchen to prepare their lunch as they began chatting together regarding various topics. Not too long after, the omelet's aroma filled the entire café, making the teens' stomachs growl in hunger, Yusuke's mostly, thus earning a snarky comment from Futaba as she laughed at him. After more chatting and bickering between Yusuke and Futaba, who seemed like they could never have a conversation without arguing, the food arrived at the table. The teens nearly drooled at the amazing look and smell of the omelets before they began digging in, their happy exclaims echoing all over the place due to the indescribable taste. The little lunch the group had brimmed with life and joy as they continued chatting happily together, chuckling at a few jokes or comments made every now and then. After their plates were wiped clean from any remains of food, the teens sighed in content as they nearly fell on their backs, holding their now full tummies.

"Ahhhhhh, I ate loads!" Futaba exclaimed.

"Damn, Futaba! I'm impressed!" Ryuji widened his eyes.

"Indeed, your appetite is quite nice to see. I much prefer that to women who don't eat a lot." Yusuke smiled delightfully at her.

"...You'd better not be hitting on me." Futaba knitted her eyebrows at his words.

"How rude!"

"Sojirooo, help meee!"

"Will you stop that?!"

"So does this mean... her training's goin' good?" Ryuji sweatdropped.

"I think so." Ren replied, uncertain.

"Let's go with that then..."

"Hey, let me make you guys some after-meal coffee. It's on me." Sojiro offered.

"Thank you." Yusuke smiled.

"I want iced cocoa!" Futaba exclaimed.

"You can't handle bitter stuff either, right? Iced cocoa sound good?" Sojiro looked at Ryuji.

"Yeah, definitely! Extra cold, please!"

"Hm, I don't think we've ever had a lunch this exciting."

"Mm-hm! It's lots of fun!" Futaba agreed happily.

"Yeah!" Ren followed with a grin.

******

------Evening: Café Leblanc's Attic------

Ryuji: Hey, whaddya think we should do about the beach trip?

Ryuji: Does it look like she can go soon?

Ann: Well, she HAS started to talk a lot more.

Makoto: She's made great progress compared to how she was at the beginning.

Emiko: That's true. You've been working really hard, Futaba.

Futaba: Hehe, it was nothing.

Yusuke: Thoughts, Futaba? Will you be able to do this tomorrow perhaps?

Futaba: Tomorrow?!

Futaba: That's too soon.

Futaba: I wanna prepare myself.

Ren: When is good for you?

Futaba: I should be good if it's the day after tomorrow.

Futaba: I think?

Ryuji: We'll go the day after tomorrow then!

Makoto: Just let us know if you aren't up for it, Futaba. OK?

Emiko: If you feel like you're being forced to do this, then just say so.

Futaba: It's all right. I can do this.

"Looks like we know when we'll actually finish up now. The beach is finally within reach!" Morgana exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm excited!"

"Well, we made it this far. Let's see how tomorrow goes."

*******

------Time Skip: The Next Day------

"Just one more day to go! Tomorrow, we hit the beach!" Morgana exclaimed.

"Hey, are you there? Sorry, but I need your help with the dishes." Sojiro called from downstairs.

"Help with the dishes!" Futaba repeated.

"Coming!" Ren replied.

"Is Futaba here, too? That means we're not only helping out at the café, but we're also babysitting Futaba today too... well, the faster we get started the faster we'll finish!" Morgana stated.

Walking down the stairs, Ren was greeted with the smiley face of Futaba who was waving at him happily the moment her eyes fell on him. Sojiro also gave him a small smile, earning a slight nod from the boy as he went behind the counter to put his apron on. At the kitchen, Ren was welcomed with the sight of yet another pile of dirty dishes, making him sweatdrop heavily at the insane amount; even a lot more than the time he worked with Futaba. Sighing to himself in defeat, Ren began scrubbing each plate clean with the sponge before drying them. It didn't take long before the pile was over and done with, making Ren dry his hands with a small towel while taking a deep breath--he was more than used to washing dishes at that point. Walking back, he saw Futaba with her elbows rested on the counter while kicking her legs and having a conversation with her foster father.

"You want anything, Futaba?" Sojiro asked.

"Orange juice. 100% natural." Futaba replied.

"That reminds me, you're going to the beach tomorrow, yeah? Go have fun, and make up for the fireworks festival. Just try not to cut loose too much." Sojiro told Ren.

"Right."

"Fireworks?" Futaba questioned.

"Oh yeah, you wouldn't know. He tried to go to a firework festival, but it got rained out. Not only did he get crushed in the crowd, but he came home looking like some kinda drowned rat."

"Yeah, it was a total disaster... so don't ask." Ren sweatdropped.

"Fireworks, huh..." Futaba mumbled.

Suddenly, the shop's bell jingled, which caused Futaba to jinx and hide behind Ren's back.

"Hello." Akechi smiled.

"Oh... welcome." Sojiro greeted.

"Oh, Amamiya! It's been a while, hasn't it?" Akechi smiled at him.

"It has."

"Huh? You know each other? Wait, aren't you..." Sojiro trailed shockingly once he remembered that face.

"I'm Akechi."

"Oh yeah, the one on TV and stuff. So what brings you here, Mr. Detective?"

"I don't know if you remember, but I came here once with Sae-san. The atmosphere is wonderful. No wonder she recommended it so strongly to me back then."

"I already told her everything I know. There's nothing more I got for you people."

"Oh no, that's not my intention. I just came to enjoy some coffee."

"Oh..."

"And she is...? Oh, you must be Wakaba Isshiki's..." Akechi caught Futaba hiding behind Ren.

"What'll it be?" Sojiro interrupted him.

"I'll have whatever you recommend."

"Coming right up."

Walking toward the kitchen, Sojiro left the three teens alone in awkward silence as none of them dared to say anything to the other. Ren and Akechi just looked at each other quietly, the atmosphere becoming too thick for any of them to try and break it while Futaba remained hidden behind Ren, tugging into his sleeve tightly. The silence was becoming too overwhelming and heavy for the teens all of a sudden, yet no word was said to pull them from it. Their only saving grace was Sojiro walking back with Akechi's coffee and placing it on the counter before walking back to the kitchen.

"It seems I'm unwelcomed no matter where I go." Akechi looked down sadly.

"Really? That's surprising." Ren tilted his head.

"........."

"What's wrong?"

"...Did I bother you? My apologies. Apparently, my mother was in a relationship with some low-life of a man... she was swiftly discarded when he learned she was pregnant... that despair would lead to her death. Thanks to him, I was passed from foster home to foster home. But, I do quite well by myself these days."

"I'm sorry. I had no idea..."

"......." Futaba stayed quiet.

"Ah, yes. Medjed." Akechi recalled, "...To think they'd be taken down by another hacker. I'm not sure whether Medjed was defeated by the Phantom Thieves themselves or an avid supporter..."

"........?" The two looked at him puzzlingly.

"Um, you're... Futaba-chan, right? Sae-san told me about you. Many kids your age seem to be fans of the Phantom Thieves... do you like them too?"

"........."

"What's the matter?"

"...You're popular too, Ace Detective Akechi."

"Thank you. Although I'd rather not be compared to people like the Phantom Thieves, if at all possible." Akechi chuckled softly before taking a sip from his coffee.

He hummed to himself in content as the bitterness of the coffee melted in his mouth, relaxing all of his body entirely.

"Mm, this is delicious. You get to drink this coffee every day? I'm incredibly jealous. I would never have thought you'd be boarding at this café... we seem to share some kind of bond."

"Yeah, I agree." Ren nodded.

"Thank you. I believe that fate brings people together. It's strange, but talking to you is thought-provoking."

Finally sensing everything returning back to normal, Ren and Akechi indulged themselves in further conversations regarding various topics with Ren carefully choosing his words around him. Along the process, Futaba slipped away from Ren's back and walked out from the café, followed by Morgana almost immediately amidst the boys' confused faces. Chuckling to themselves, they returned to their conversations over Akechi's coffee, thinking that Futaba must've been uncomfortable and that was why she stepped out... or maybe she only wanted to give them space to talk freely. Once Akechi's most delicious coffee was finished, he paid for his drink before thanking Ren for the amazing service and walking out. Smiling to himself, Ren took the empty cup and washed it in the back before returning to clean the counter--those times he spent at Leblanc were the most treasured ones for him.

But suddenly, his phone buzzed, making him stop his work as he opened the text chat.

Futaba: Come out right now.

Futaba: I'm outside Leblanc.

Ren: I'll be there.

Having a confused expression, Ren couldn't help but think what Futaba could've possibly meant by her short two messages. Well, she did suddenly leave a little while ago with Morgana following her... so what could she possibly have in mind? Opening the door, Ren's eyes were met with Futaba's smiling figure while carrying a plastic bag with Morgana standing next to her.

"I wanna light fireworks. Can we? I bought some." Futaba pleaded.

"Did you go with Morgana?" Ren asked in genuine curiosity.

"I went by myself. I just ran into Mona on the way back."

"That's nice."

"I'll go get Sojiro!" Futaba ran inside the café.

"That's surprising..."

"I was worried, so I decided to follow her. She was able to buy everything on her own though. If she can do that, she should be good to go. Plus she did a great job dodging that ace detective." Morgana stated.

"Yeah, you're right. She was amazing!"

"Sojiro! Hurry, hurry! We're gonna have a firework festival!" Futaba's voice exclaimed.

"Hold on, Futaba. I haven't even put out my cigarette yet..."

Rushing outside the café while dragging Sojiro along with her, Futaba quickly opened the package she bought earlier, pulling two small fireworks for her and Ren. Sojiro lit them up with the lighter he had before the two teens knelt down, the dim light of the flames dancing on their faces. Futaba's eyes lit up in pure amusement, grinning happily as the light reflected on her petite features. Ren's gaze traveled to Futaba, catching her awed expression like a small child experiencing the wonders of the world for the first time--well, she wasn't any different from a small child at that moment due to everything she's been through. Smiling sadly to himself, Ren's eyes went to the small lit firework he was holding, a bittersweet expression ghosting over his face as the experience brought back many memories for him.

"Cough! Cough! C'mon, don't get the smoke on me!" Morgana coughed.

"Super double move! Wheeee!" Futaba exclaimed, rotating both her arms.

"Will you listen to-- cough!"

"Hey... the cat doesn't like the smoke! Keep the flames away from him." Sojiro sweatdropped.

"Daaaaang! I made a huge one! Sojiro, look! Look!" Futaba gasped in awe.

"R-Right. Just be careful, OK? Memories of summer, huh..."

"Okeydokey, I'm gonna do ten now!"

"N-Noooo! Cough! Cough!" Morgana coughed again.

A moment of silence passed as Futaba stood up on her legs again, eyes focused on the starry night sky above her. Her brown irises shone with the stars reflecting on them, reaching out her hand upward as if she was trying to capture them between her fingers.

"I wonder if Mom is watching..." Futaba gazed upward.

"Yeah, I'm sure she is." Sojiro agreed.

Ren's eyes were also glued on the sky above him with a pained expression taking over his face as the image of his late mother came back to the forefront of his mind again. On many nights like that, he wondered to himself aimlessly whether his mother was happy wherever she was now and if was watching over him. How many times he wished if he could reach out to the heavens to see her again... oh, how much he missed her loving and warm hands that embraced him with much affection like nobody else. The thought nearly brought tears back to Ren's eyes before he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve, making him turn his attention to Futaba who gave him a small, reassuring smile as he did to her until that point.

Now it was her turn to return the favor.

"I'm sure whoever you lost is watching over you..." Futaba turned her gaze back to the sky, "So don't worry much about it."

Ren couldn't help but smile at her words, feeling his chest brimming with warmth from what he just heard. His previous frown was wiped away entirely and replaced with a genuinely happy smile before looking at the smile once again, a peaceful quietness falling over the two teens.

"Thanks, Futaba. I know she is..."

*******

Ending

*******

Word count: 9779 words

A/N: Oof, started with fluff and ended with angst... well, kinda? I mean, the last paragraph was more bittersweet than angsty so to speak. But it was a nice addition nonetheless, huh? Hope I did you justice with it!

And daaang, the anime references in this chapter are for real. 😂😂
Truth is, I wanted to reference Tower of God and Dr. Stone instead of MHA and Bungo Stray Dogs, but the timeline wouldn't make any sense then. Cuz P5 is technically set in 2016 and the latter two anime were released in 2019.

Ah, yes. A good slice of life chapter is always needed after a Palace is done. Well, ya better savor these chapters cuz you won't get many of them soon--

Aight, imma shut up before spoiling myself. 😯

Anyways, what do you think of this chapter? Liked it?

Let me know! 😊

Rand Talih💞

Published on: Sun/Dec 20/2020