"Yongen-jaya! This is Yongen-jaya!"

The familiar announcement through the train speakers woke Makoto Niijima from her daydream. A daydream that involved the boy she was about to visit. School was just around the corner and though they did spend some time together during the summer, they had only truly been alone together a few times during the whole break. Not that she was overly upset about that! Ren Amamiya was a busy person after all and with everything going on with Medjed, Futaba and the beach trip, she couldn't blame him if the young man didn't have any proper time for her. Not to mention she had heard about the other people that he helped out. It was a wonder he had any time for her at all. Still, she was glad he did make time for her when he could. Though it might not have been officially a date, the time they went to see a movie together sure felt like one. She was glad that he didn't find it weird that she enjoyed action movies. A part of her was scared it would be a turn off. That guys preferred girls who were into girly things. Not that Makoto wasn't girly, she certainly had her feminine side but she wasn't the overly cutesy type that Japanese men seemed to prefer.

But Ren Amamiya wasn't like most Japanese men. Or at least, that's what Makoto felt. He was always so selfless, always quick to show kindness to those that needed it and accepted people for who they were. He was extremely brave and had an honourable sense of justice. Strong willed and intelligent, almost rivalling Makoto in that department. He was funny too though some of his antics made Makoto groan in mild annoyance, he always knew how to defuse tense situations. His smile and laughter could ease her worries almost instantly. He was the kind of person that would listen to you, even if you were just complaining about things. He didn't really care or judge you for that. Not to mention he had a certain unkempt attractiveness to him that went with his supposed bad boy mystique. He was just so strong and reliable. The kind of boy that once you get to know, you couldn't help but fall in love with.

And Makoto Niijima had certainly fallen in love with Ren Amamiya.

She wasn't sure if it was wishful thinking or that her mind was simply playing tricks on her but there were certain things that made Makoto think that Ren might reciprocate those feelings. Quite a few of his messages and the way he'd talk to her could certainly be mistaken as flirting but maybe she was just thinking that. Maybe she shouldn't overthink things like that. At least for now, she should focus on today.

She had been pleasantly surprised that Ren asked if she wanted to study for a bit. Even though it was summer break, Makoto still regularly studied. It was a habit she had going way back and though becoming a Phantom Thief had helped reduce some of her more stricter habits, she still made sure to set aside time for studying. Outside of the Metaverse, her mind was definitely her strongest asset. Still, she hadn't expected Ren to suggest this. While he was a smart person who had consistent high grades and studied regularly, most kids their age wouldn't dare study during the summer break. That was more for overachievers like Makoto herself, a fact she didn't particularly like. Ren didn't seem to mind her more rigid characteristics though. He was just so accepting of people, as long as they weren't harmful to others, of course.

The familiar sight of Yongen's backstreets came into view as Makoto ascended the station steps. The weather was a lot cooler today compared to the other summer days. There was also a cool breeze that had come in from the south, bringing with it the freshness of the sea. Today seemed pretty perfect in Makoto's opinion. Honestly it seemed like such a waste of the day to be spending it inside studying but she didn't really mind. She just wanted to spend time with Ren.

'I've only known him for a few months but… I've got it pretty bad, haven't I?' she mused.

Turning the corner as she usually did, Makoto was surprised to see Morgana resting on a perch near LeBlanc. Though when she thought on it more, perhaps it wasn't as much of a surprise. As much as Morgana denied it, he was still in a body of a cat and from what Makoto remembered, cats loved to sunbathe. What did pique Makoto's interest was the expression on Morgana's face. It seemed worried, almost downcast. Quite the difference to his normally self-assured demeanour. The not-cat peeped his head up as he noticed her nearing.

"Oh, Makoto." he said.

"Hey Morgana. What's wrong? You seem a little out of it." she greeted back.

"Oh… I guess… I'm a little worried."

"What about?" Makoto wondered.

If it was about Futaba or the mysterious Black Mask, Makoto didn't know. But at least if that were the case, Morgana would most likely be talking about it with Ren or the others. Not… moping? At least that's what it looked like.

"I'm worried for Ren…" Morgana said.

That got Makoto's attention straight away. Did something happen to Ren? Was he in trouble? Why were they just out here waiting if that were the case? They had to help him!

'Take a breath, Niijima!' a part of her mind said.

Temporarily calming herself, Makoto asked Morgana to elaborate on what he meant. The cat began to recount how the day began.

"This morning was pretty much the same as always though after yesterday's beach trip, I told Ren that we should probably take it easy today. He said all he had planned was studying with you so I was like alright that sounds fine but then he got a phone call."

"A phone call?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah, from his parents…" Morgana replied.

"His parents?!" Makoto asked in surprise.

Truth be told, Ren had never spoken about his parents to her or anyone else, at least to her knowledge. They didn't really know anything about his family or his past aside from the incident with that false assault case. She didn't know what Ren's relationship was with his parents but from what she knew, they hadn't contacted him since he moved to Tokyo.

"I was wondering why his parents never contacted him before but he told me not too long ago that it was one of the required things for his probation." Morgana explained.

'Well that answers that.' Makoto thought.

"Do you know what they called him about?" she asked.

Morgana shook his head.

"No, I excused myself this time and waited down stairs since Boss hadn't opened shop yet. Seemed kinda rude for me to listen in on that." he replied "I figured he'd want the privacy."

"That's very considerate of you, Morgana." Makoto said with a soft smile.

"Yeah but…" Morgana responded before trailing off.

"But…?"

"Something seemed off about the phone call. I couldn't really hear anything but when he was done I went up the stairs to find him just staring off into space. I swore I could see his eyes watering. Whatever they said really affected him."

Makoto couldn't help but feel for Ren. Did he have a strained relationship with his parents? After his incident and the accusation of his assault, it was entirely possible. But Makoto didn't truly know that. She could just be speculating without any real evidence. Her Dad always taught her that while keeping your mind open to all possibilities was good, backing up your theories with evidence was what was important.

"I wanted to ask him but… I didn't know what I'd say." Morgana said solemnly.

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Makoto asked.

The cat's ears perked up a little at the suggestion. It seemed to work for him.

"Honestly? You're probably the perfect person to talk to him." Morgana stated.

Makoto blushed at the statement. Though the circumstance didn't seem ideal, that was far too much of a good thought for her heart.

"W-what do you m-mean about t-that?" she stuttered, her cheeks still flushed pink.

"Well between all of us, he seems closest to you and Ryuji." Morgana explained "And let's be real, that bonehead's probably not the best person to talk to him at times like this."

Makoto couldn't help but blush even more at that. She was considered that close to Ren?

"Oh I don't know about that… Ryuji-kun can be quite dependable at times." she said.

Morgana burst into laughter at that.

"Yeah whatever hahaha!" his laughter died down "Well, you should probably see how he's going."

"Will you be staying here?" Makoto asked.

"Nah, I think I might go check up on Futaba."

The cat jumped down from his perch and made his way through the narrow streets of Yongen.

"Good luck, Makoto!" he called back before disappearing around the bend.

"Right…"

Makoto opened the front door of the café. While it wasn't a hot day, she was thankful that Sojiro had a few fans on to cool down the place. Said barista was standing behind the counter facing his back shelf. It looked like he was measuring the contents of his coffee bean jars. The sound of the bell ringing caused him to turn towards her.

"Ah Niijima-san. What brings you here?" he asked.

"Err sorry for the intrusion…" she mumbled.

It always felt a little awkward talking to him for some reason, especially now considering she was alone and was about to visit Ren.

"It's fine. Are you here for the kid?" he asked.

"Yes. We were going to study together for a bit before school started." she nodded.

Sojiro looked at the teen girl with one eyebrow raised as his lips began to curve into a slight smirk.

"A study date during the summer break?" he mused "Well, if that's what you kids are into these days, I won't judge."

"It-it's not a d-d-date!" Makoto stuttered, her cheeks flushing brightly red again.

"I'm just kidding, Niijima-san." Sojiro laughed before his expression changed to a more solemn one "Though something does worry me about the kid."

"Oh?" Makoto asked, feigning ignorance that she hadn't heard anything yet.

How do you explain your previous conversation with a talking cat after all?

"Well he got a phone call this morning. At least that's what I heard but when I checked up on him after something was off. The kid looked like he was moping." Sojiro explained.

"I-I see…" Makoto said.

"Bit weird if he's got a beautiful young lady as yourself lined up for a study date but I didn't want to pry."

Did the inhabitants of LeBlanc get a kick out of making Makoto blush? It seemed like that was all they did.

"Still," Sojiro continued "Something must be wrong if Ren of all people is down like that. He's been cooped up in his room all morning. Would you be kind enough to see if he's okay?"

Makoto smiled at him.

"You can count on me."

The old man smiled back as Makoto gave a respectful bow before ascending the stairs. There she spotted Ren sitting on his bed, gazing out the window his back against the headboard. His eyes looked quite red from what she saw, as if he had been crying. Why was he crying? The sight of him in such a vulnerable way brought Makoto's heart down.

"…Ren?" she softly called out.

He jumped a little in surprise when he heard a voice and turned to the source. His eyes widened a little when he saw her.

"Oh Makoto…" he said "right, we were going to study."

Now that didn't seem like Ren at all. He was extremely attentive and had never forgotten a commitment in the time that she knew him. Especially when it came to her, it seemed.

"Ren, what's wrong?" she asked.

The boy scrubbed his eyes with his forearm.

"Sorry, you shouldn't see me like this…" he mumbled.

Makoto set her bag down on the table nearest to the stairs and walked closer.

"It's okay, Ren." she said as she stood just beside the bed "Do you mind if I sit?"

The boy merely nodded, albeit a little weak. Makoto took this as a sign that it was okay. She was genuinely shocked to see Ren like this. He was always so strong, so bold. Almost infallible. Yet seeing him vulnerable like this was different. It hurt her more than she knew.

"Ren…" she spoke "What happened? Boss and Morgana both said you got a phone call and well… you've been like this ever since."

Ren's head dropped at that. He hated people seeing him weak. It wasn't like he had moments like this frequently, they were quite rare in fact but still. He was the leader of the Phantom Thieves! He had to be strong.

"I… I'm sorry you came here when I'm like this." Ren said.

Makoto frowned.

"Stop apologizing for that. It's okay. We all go through things that get us down." she said.

A strong part of her wanted to just grab his hand and squeeze it in reassurance but she wasn't sure if that was overstepping her limits. They weren't even dating after all. But she wanted nothing more to be here for him.

"Still…" he mumbled.

"Hey… it's okay. Now tell me, what's wrong?" she asked.

Ren sighed. He supposed if anyone understood what he was going through it was Makoto. Futaba could probably as well but they were different from each other. And well, it was Makoto that he had feelings for.

"My parents called me earlier. It was the first time I had spoken to them since I moved here." he began.

"Morgana said something like that. Apparently they weren't allowed to have any contact with you for the year?" Makoto said.

"That's correct but they were allowed to if it was important or an emergency."

"So…" Makoto pondered "It would be correct to assume that this was important then?"

Ren merely nodded.

"Yeah… they called to let me know," he began before taking a breath "That my Grandfather had passed away."

It seemed like saying that caused a wave of emotions to wash over Ren. His lip quivered a little and a few tears managed to escape his watery eyes.

"Ren, I'm so sorry…" Makoto whispered.

The boy wiped his tears from his face with his hands.

"Sorry it's just…" he began before breaking into a small sob again.

"Take your time…" Makoto said.

It hurt her to see Ren like this. The young man that had already done so much for her. The young man that had broken through her barriers and captured her heart. She wanted to do nothing more than just be here for him, by his side to comfort him but in all honesty she didn't know how. A few minutes had passed as they sat there in silence. Makoto was really unsure what to do. Should she hold his hand? Should she hug him? Should she even say anything?

"W-was he ill?" she managed to ask.

He shook his head.

"No, not really. I mean, he wasn't a sickly person but he wasn't the healthiest either. He was getting on in years so it was just old age. Well, that's what they told me anyways." he said.

"I see…" Makoto said "Oh, um… you have my condolences."

Ren merely smiled at her as the two sat there in silence. Minutes went by without a word and Makoto was suddenly feeling a little more awkward.

'I wish I could do more for you, Ren.' she thought.

"Thank you…" Ren suddenly said.

"Hm? What for?" Makoto asked.

She didn't really do anything.

"For just being here and… not judging me in this state."

"Ren," Makoto began as she turned towards him "I don't think anyone would judge you with how you are now, especially after losing a loved one. And if they did, they aren't worth your time."

He moved to face her. His grey eyes meeting her red. Though he could tell she was worried, her expression was almost serene to him. Her eyes held so much. They were calming. They were full of understanding.

They were full of love.

'Love?' he wondered.

The thought caused his cheeks to blush lightly as he turned away from her, hoping he didn't make her uncomfortable with the way he was looking at her. It seemed she was in the same predicament.

"Um…" she began but couldn't find the words to say.

"Sorry," Ren apologized again "I guess I'm just not used to talking about myself like this."

Makoto chuckled lightly.

"I've kind of noticed. But err…" she started to trail off.

She didn't want to seem like she was pushy or whatnot but maybe having him talk about things would help? After all, she always felt better whenever she poured her heart out to him. It was only right that she returned the favour.

"What is it?" Ren asked.

"You don't have to tell me if you're uncomfortable but… do you think you can tell me about your family?" she asked.

Ren looked at her in surprise. Truth be told, he didn't really expect that. Not that he was against telling her. He was just used to be the one listening to other people's problems. He had always been like that. Growing up, he didn't really talk much but enjoyed listening to others. In fact, that was one of the life lessons his Grandfather had taught him.

'Sometimes people talk too much and are too invested in their own voice to really see the problems in life. Listening another person can make a huge difference. Sometimes people just need someone there to listen to them.'

It was words to live by. Ren could feel a little bit of a sob creep up in his throat at the thought but he powered through it. Perhaps telling Makoto would help him. After all, sometimes people just need someone there to listen to him. Even himself.

"Alright…" he said.

Makoto smiled and shuffled her body around so that she was facing him. She was ready to listen to every word that would come out of his mouth.

"I'm from Okina City but my parents were originally from a small town near it called Inaba. Since your Dad was a cop, I'm sure you've heard of it." he began.

"There… was a string of murders that happened there, right?" Makoto replied "It was five years ago and they were rather creepy from what I remember."

"Yeah." Ren agreed "I was actually there when it started happening."

"Wh-what?" Makoto stammered "You weren't involved, were you?"

"Oh goodness no, I was only 11!"

She breathed a sigh of relief before realising how dumb she sounded. Why would a kid be involved in something like that anyways?

"You were from Okina City but were in Inaba for that year?" she asked, picking up on that detail.

"Yeah. My parents are kind of workaholics especially when I was younger. Their jobs couldn't exactly give them time to look after me so up until the end of Elementary School I'd live with my Grandparents and cousin and go to school in Inaba." he explained.

"What did your parents do for a living?" Makoto asked.

"Well my Dad owns a shipping company. Delivers goods to and from Okina and the Inaba area. Import and export." Ren said "You're probably thinking why that would keep him away from his family, right?"

Makoto nodded though she blushed lightly because he had guessed what she was wondering.

"My Dad loved the open road. It wasn't really something you'd expect from the company's owner but since it wasn't a big company, he was able to go on long drives around the country. He just loved being behind a wheel and driving to new places. He was pretty big on having a hands on approach to his business."

Makoto could see a hint of a smile on Ren's face as he was talking about his Dad.

"Sometimes during school breaks he'd let me join him. It was nice. I wouldn't say we were overly close but those were some great moments I shared with him."

"What about your mother?" Makoto asked.

"Mum was a nurse at Okina General. I don't know why but there were quite a lot of sickly people there so she often worked overtime. When I was back home I'd only really see her on the weekends and even then she spent most of her days off catching up on sleep."

"It must've been hard." Makoto said.

Ren smiled weakly at her.

"I suppose it wasn't as hard as what you had to go through…" he said before realizing that might have sounded inconsiderate "N-not that I'm comparing! It's just, I guess you had it tough as well…"

"It's alright." Makoto said with a smile "Tell me about your grandparents."

"They're the most loving and kind-hearted people I know." Ren stated.

"They must be." Makoto said "After all, they have you for a grandchild."

Ren couldn't help but laugh at the statement. It seemed Makoto had taken a page out of his play book. Truth be told, talking to her was starting to cheer him up a little.

"Were you very close with them?" she asked.

Ren nodded.

"I was. With my parents often away they practically raised me. Even when I was old enough to look after myself and started going to school in Okina City I'd still try to visit them regularly, help out a bit in their shop and do errands for them. That sort of thing."

"A shop?"

"A tofu shop." Ren answered before beaming proudly "Best one for miles!"

Makoto smiled at how proud Ren looked. It was almost adorable. He probably didn't notice the huge grin on his face. Actually scratch that, it was incredibly adorable and made her heart flutter.

"Makes me want to try some then. I've always liked tofu." she said.

His smile grew wider.

"I'll take you there sometime."

"I'd like that." Makoto replied.

"I'm sure Grandma would like you visiting. Knowing her she'd probably dote on you, treat you like you were her one of her own grandchildren." Ren said with a smile.

"She sounds like a lovely woman."

"Yeah… Grandpa would have liked you too, I think." he stated, his expression changing to a wistful one.

Makoto noticed this. It seemed Ren really was close to his grandparents, especially his Grandpa. She shuffled a little closer to him. A part of her wanted to lean her head on his but she wasn't sure if that was overstepping her boundaries. The last thing she wanted was to make him feel uncomfortable. For now, she'd just be content where she was. The room was quiet for a moment save for the fan Ren had set up in the corner of the room. After a while, he spoke again.

"Grandpa always valued the mind, always trying to think of ways to test mine. He would have loved how smart you are."

He choked back a sob as he kept talking. Makoto could tell he was struggling a little and didn't know if she should ask him to stop or not but he continued.

"He used to tell me that while he was blessed to have what he had in his life, he always wanted more for his children and grandchildren. I think my whole family had that mindset. Though we loved our family, they felt there wasn't really anything for us in Inaba or even Okina City. The plan was always to get us to Tokyo or another big city somehow." he explained before sighing "Guess I got here anyways even if the method wasn't ideal."

"Ren…" Makoto whispered.

"It's alright." he said trying to smile "I don't regret being here, I never would have met all of you if I didn't. I wouldn't change that but…"

He trailed off. Makoto could see a few tears slowly streaming down her face. Without thinking, she unrolled the sleeves of her shirt and wiped them away.

"Sorry…" he murmured.

"It's okay…" she merely said.

"I just…" his voice cracked into a light sob "I just wish his last memory of me wasn't me being treated like a common criminal."

With that the floodgates opened as Ren broke down, tears streaming down his cheeks. He buried his face into his hands as his sobs grew louder. His mouth was quivering wildly, unable to contain the raw emotion that had built up inside him. It wasn't just his Grandfather's death that was affecting him. Everything that he had held onto since coming to Tokyo, every negative feeling, every negative thought, all built up until he finally crumbled. It broke Makoto's heart to see him like this. Within an instant she moved from her position beside him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. She never expected the strong willed leader of the Phantom Thieves to be in such a vulnerable way. The stubborn side in him kicked in as he continued to speak, his voice still plagued by painful whimpers.

"I… th-they all thought I w-was the one th-that would a-amount to s-something!" he wailed "I was s-so smart! Th-they were s-so proud of m-me. It w-as like I c-could be a-anything and in the end…"

Makoto hugged him harder.

"E-everyone just s-saw me as… as a… a… criminal!"

He continued to cry into Makoto's shoulder as she held him. She was speechless. Stunned by how pained Ren sounded. How long had he been holding on to these feelings? Did anyone know about them? Why did he always keep them inside of him? Eventually his cries died down as Makoto continued to hold him in an embrace. When she thought that he had truly calmed down she pulled away.

"Ren," she began "Does your family see you as a criminal?"

He shook his head.

"N-no, thankfully. Though all the friends I had made in Okina City shunned me, my family… th-they believed," he paused to change his words "They believe me."

"You can still amount to something then." Makoto said firmly "You can be someone your family would be proud of. Someone your Grandfather would be proud of."

Ren's eyes widened before his expression changed to a relieved grin. Makoto smiled with him. That was probably what he needed to hear. She then suddenly realized how close they were and how long they had been in that position. Trying her best not to freak out she pulled away and sat at the opposite side of the bed. Ren looked confused for a moment but didn't pry, instead choosing to wipe his face on the blanket that lay beside him.

"That doesn't seem very hygienic." Makoto scolded.

"Neither are shirt sleeves." the boy said, merely shrugging causing both of them to burst into a light fit of laughter.

The laughter soon died until silence filled the room once more. Makoto's eyes wandered around, trying to think of something to say. She was beaten to it when Ren broke the quiet.

"Thank you." he said.

"It's not a problem." Makoto said, waving him off.

He smiled.

"No really. I mean it. Thank you, Makoto." he said once more, a little firmer this time.

"Ren," Makoto shook her head "You've done the same for me. For all of us, even. I'm just returning the favour."

She gave him a loving smile, as loving as she could make it. In Ren's mind, she didn't really have to try. Any smile of hers was a wonderful smile. Suddenly she had a thought.

"Oh, you mentioned a cousin right? Were you close with them too?" she asked.

"Yeah, we both didn't have any siblings so we treated each other as such. She was painfully shy growing up though and hardly talked to anyone other than family. I think she used to be bullied when she was in elementary."

"That's terrible!" Makoto commented "Is she doing better now?"

"Yeah a lot better but when I was a kid I used to find her by herself crying. Whenever I'd ask if something was wrong she'd push it aside. You know one time I told her it was okay to cry because I'd see my Grandparents cry too sometimes when things were tough. You know what she told me?"

"What did she say?"

"She said that big sisters aren't supposed to cry in front of their younger brothers. We weren't proper siblings but it felt like it. She'd tease me whenever she could but she always used to look after me."

That sounded extremely familiar to Makoto. It was how her relationship was with Sae, before their Father passed. How she was before Sae had to take on the role of caregiver for their family. Before Makoto was a burden.

"How did she take it?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Ren wondered.

"Your cousin. How did she take the whole false charge?"

Makoto noticed Ren tense up a little. Was there a falling out? She imagined herself in Ren's position and what Sae would say. Truth be told, the scenario that played in her head wasn't a pleasant one. She imagined Sae chewing her out, telling her how much of a failure Makoto was. How everything Sae had done for them was for naught. It made Makoto's stomach drop. She wondered if Ren suffered something similar.

"She doesn't know." he bluntly stated.

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked "Isn't she pretty much like your older sister? Wouldn't she find out straight away?"

"No, she doesn't live back home. She's um…" Ren began before pausing to think.

"She's what?"

He pondered for a moment, trying to figure out a way to explain this.

"Alright so I told you about how my Grandparents wanted more for their children and Grandchildren right?" he said as Makoto nodded, remembering him saying that earlier "Well, my parents and her parents were the same. I've always been pretty smart so they wanted me to just buckle down, focus on my studies and I could get into whatever university I wanted. Ideally in Tokyo."

Makoto noticed he had an almost amused smirk on his face, probably reminiscing about times during his childhood.

"Big Sis wasn't very smart. She wasn't all that sure what she wanted to be when she got older which is fine, I still don't really know what I want to do but my family always used to say at least I had my smarts. Still, we were both their pride and joy. I guess we both still are."

Makoto smiled at that. Seeing that Ren didn't have a strained relationship with his relatives. It would've tore her heart in two to see this wonderful young man be cast aside by those that are always supposed to love him just because someone tarnished his life. They sounded like a wonderful family. She listened intently as he continued.

"She used to be quite chubby growing up. I used to tease her asking how she got to be like that when we ran a tofu shop and ate pretty healthily."

"Ren!" Makoto scolded "That's rather mean, don't you think?"

He snickered.

"I know I know but she knows I didn't mean anything by it! In fact, she'd always tease me back like saying Brazil called asking for the Amazon forest back while pointing to my hair."

Makoto burst out into laughter after that. That was great! His hair was definitely a mess. Like someone had plopped an untamed jungle onto his head.

"She sounds like she was wonderful to be around."

He smiled at that.

"Yeah she was. We were glad to have each other growing up since we both didn't have too many friends. It changed when she was 14 though. She lost a lot of weight and it was then my Mum and Aunt decided to enter her in a competition they saw."

"A competition?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah. An idol one. We never saw it coming but she won." he explained.

"Wow, so she actually became famous?" she asked.

"Yeah. Grandpa wasn't huge on it. He could get really overprotective of her at times though Grandma loved that she was finally getting some positive attention."

"How did your cousin react? From what I hear, the idol lifestyle is much harder than people think."

"At first she was really into it. Got really big too but after a year and a half she seemed so drained. Decided to step away from it for a while and come home. I was actually really glad to have her back. I missed her a lot but she seemed really off for a while."

"That must have been hard." Makoto commented before smiling with almost a hint of envy "You and your family seem close."

"It was and yeah, we were. At least as close as we could be. Eventually she became happier, I saw that she made some great friends in Inaba but…"

"But what?" Makoto asked.

"I hate to admit, I was kind of jealous of her." Ren admitted.

Makoto's eyes widened. Ren was jealous? Was such a thing even possible? It just seemed like something that was extremely unlikely. But in all honesty, she understood the feeling. She too grew up in the shadow of her older sister.

"I know what you mean." she replied.

The boy smiled gently at her.

"I think that's why I empathise with you so much. When you told me how your Sister felt. The way she saw you. I know it's not the same situation but when my cousin became so well-known and famous, I felt like I had to be good just so people wouldn't say bad things about our family. Especially because she became the golden child of the family."

His smile turned to a frown.

"I guess I'm a bit lucky with this whole situation." he continued "If my assault charge happened in Inaba, everyone would have known and it would've gotten back to her somehow. Plus my grandparent's shop would have been affected too."

"No one in Okina City knew about your family?" Makoto asked.

"No, thank god." Ren replied shaking his head "Well at least other than who my parents were and knowing we were from Inaba. I suppose I didn't really open up too much about it either."

"I could imagine that." Makoto commented "Being closely related to an idol would probably cause people to give you unwanted attention or attempt to fabricate a friendship with you."

Ren hummed in agreement.

"Yeah… it'd make it worse with my record."

Makoto noticed the gloomy look in Ren's eyes.

"Is that why neither you or your family has told her? Because you think it'll affect her reputation?" she asked.

Ren turned his head in surprise. Though Makoto would put herself down saying she knew nothing of the troubles that affected her peers, she could be pretty damn attentive. She wasn't the student council president for nothing, he supposed.

"Y-yeah." he affirmed "You're exactly right."

He breathed a pained sigh. He missed his cousin. His big sister. He missed his grandparents and his parents. He… he'll never get to see his Grandfather again and with this whole Phantom Thieves business, there was a chance he could never see any of them again.

"Ren," Makoto spoke "Is she here in Tokyo?"

He nodded before sighing.

"Yeah…" he began "I haven't seen her in 2 and a half years. The last time she visited my grandparents I couldn't make it because of exams. Her schedule was just too packed and now… now if I go visit her or she comes to see me somewhere prying eyes could be, it'll be a huge scandal."

"She's that famous?" Makoto wondered.

Ren nodded before glancing at the blue poster that hung on the far side of the room. A faint smile graced his lips causing Makoto to wonder what he was looking at. Her eyes traced his gaze before coming to a stop. Upon realizing where he was looking, her eyes widened in surprise. She remembered hearing about Ann giving him this poster. Though the name was obviously there, the face was instantly recognizable. Even though Makoto wasn't into those sorts of things, being a teenager in the last 5 years meant she at least had an idea on which celebrities were popular. And… this was… Ren's…

"Wait, really?!" she exclaimed.

Though the past few months their lives had been exposed to so many incredible and out of the world things, the fact that Ren Amamiya was related to Rise Kujikawa took the cake. Not that it was supposed to be out of the ordinary. Celebrities of course would naturally have relatives. That made perfect sense. She took a moment to compose herself.

"I… I understand then why you don't want to tell her." she said.

He merely nodded, still gazing at the familiar poster on the wall. Truth be told, he wasn't all that sure why he accepted it from Ann. Maybe it was because he missed Rise. He missed his family at home. He didn't particularly miss what happened in Okina City but family was family. Then a thought struck him. Makoto noticed him tense up a little.

"Wh-what's wrong, Ren?" she asked.

He sighed.

"She's going to find out soon." he stated.

She raised a curious eyebrow at him. Then she too thought of it.

"Oh, um… your Grandfather's funeral…" she mumbled, almost afraid of saying it.

She hoped that it wouldn't damper his mood again. Not that she could blame him. Losing a loved one hurts, especially if you're close to them. In all honesty, she still wasn't truly over her Father's death and that was three years ago. But she had to be the strong one today. It was all she could do for him, after all.

"I suppose your probation wouldn't allow you to go…" Makoto said with a sigh.

The boy merely nodded.

"I guess it can't be helped." he stated.

She frowned. That was just like him. Shrugging things off to make it seem like he wasn't affected. She thought they were past that already. He was already opening up to her. Why was he being like this again?

"Ren…"

He looked at her and smiled.

"I know. I'm shrugging it off as usual." he responded.

She looked at him with a shocked look. So he could tell?

"She'd probably find out sooner than later. I just hope she doesn't find out where I am and show up here while the rest of you are over."

"That would probably be a problem, yes." Makoto hummed in agreement.

They eased back into silence, content to just be near one another for the time being. They both knew the feelings they had for another. It wasn't just them being teammates that made caused them to have each other's back. No it was something else that made them gravitate towards each other. They both knew it.

"R-Ren…" Makoto began before she was cut off by the boy.

"Thank you, Makoto."

"You-you're w-welcome." she stuttered.

"No really." he continued "Thank you for being here and just listening. I guess I'm not used to being the one that talks. Especially when it comes to my family. I guess I just like to keep things bottled up in side and focus more on others. There's a lot I wish I could change about myself but I guess that wouldn't make me who I am. At least, that's what Grandpa told me."

She looked up at him as their eyes met. He spoke again.

"I'm going to miss him. Quite a lot. Talking about it did help even though it hurt a little. But I think I'll be okay, as long as I have you guys with me. As long as… I have you."

Her face instantly flushed red as she turned away, too flustered to face him. Damn that boy for always seeking to make her blush!

"O-oh w-well th-that's goo-goo-good!" she said all while blushing.

She managed a smile though. We never truly get over those that leave us but having the right people around you. To support and love you.

That would help you keep going.

"By the way…" Makoto began.

Ren turned to face her and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I know you mentioned it was a gift from Ann before but…" she continued

"But?"

"Isn't it weird having a poster of your cousin on your wall…"

Author's Notes:

I'll be completely honest. This is probably the submission I feel weakest about. Not that I think it's terrible. I wouldn't submit it if I did, I just think that it isn't my best work. I'm not the best writer I feel when it comes to more hurt/angsty topics. Most of my writings tend to be more on the humourous or fluffy side. I'll definitely try to work harder on that.

As for what happens in this story, I did want to give Ren a somewhat interesting background as well as add story to some things that were left open to interpretation. Having Rise as his relative is something I feel I can write interesting situations out of in the future so I also had that in mind. In terms of Ren coming to grips with not being with his Grandfather when he passed, I tried to base that on my own experiences with my Grandmother's death. I think Ren and I (at least in this story) are similar in that regards when we tried to push off the grief and used focusing on others as a coping mechanism.

As always, do leave a comment or review on your thoughts and feel free to follow myself or ShuMako Week on Twitter.

MadmanJrs
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