March 3rd. After showing Coach Hiraguchi Sumire's new routine, the couple went on a date to Dome Town. After that, Sumire left for her training camp. Soon after, Ryuji called everyone to meet at Leblanc. While there, they all discussed their future plans, reminiscing on how they fought Dr. Maruki and were deciding to make the best of their freedom. Ryuji sought to get physical therapy and begin training for track again. Haru and Makoto were going to go to the same college. Ann expressed her desire to go overseas and model. Futaba was starting at Shujin. Yusuke was staying at Kosei. Lastly, Ren was returning home. After they left, Ren received a text message from Sumire.

Sumire: Hello, Senpai. Sorry for messaging you so late. I just wanted to send you this picture from our first shrine visit of the year.

Attached in the message was a photo of Ren wearing his casual winter gear, with Sumire in her yellow yukata.

Ren: That feels like… forever ago. It's so strange to look at it now. Ren replied.

Sumire: I know. It's already been two months… I've got a lot of mixed feelings about this picture, I guess. That's supposed to be me there. But it just… isn't. It really makes me realize how buried I was in Kasumi's identity.

Ren: But now you're Sumire. My Sumire.

Sumire: Hehe… that's right. I'm not going to run away anymore. Actually, there's one more photo I want you to see.

Attached to this message was a photo of Sumire in her blue gymnasts leotard, posed on one leg, her ribbon high in the air.

Sumire: It's kind of embarrassing, but this is a photo my coach took of me. The real me, I guess. Training is tough, and it's really hard sometimes… but I feel like I'm finally moving forward with my life.

Ren felt tears welling up in his eyes. He couldn't quite explain the pride he felt in hearing Sumire say that on her own.

Ren: I'll support you, Sumire. Together, we'll become our world champions.

Sumire: Thank you, Ren-senpai. It feels like a long time since you told me that. When you tell me these things, I feel like I can take on the whole world, with you at my side. I'll make our dream come true. And I'll do it as myself-not as Kasumi. I'll climb all the way to the top of the gymnastics world. So… will you keep watching over me until then?

Ren: I'll do that and more. And even after that, I'll stay by your side. The Olympics is just the beginning. We're a team.

About a minute passed before Sumire texted Ren back.

Sumire: Oh gosh… I'm tearing up for some reason… Falling apart at the slightest thing… I guess that means I really am back to being Sumire, huh…?

Ren: The Sumire I'll pick back up and push forward. I love you.

Sumire: Ren-senpai… I love you too! My break's over now, though! I have to get back to training… I'll see you soon!

Ren: See you!

Ren put his phone away, a small smile on his face. They were going to take on an enemy even tougher than Maruki or Yaldabaoth. No Persona could help them now. It was all up to their own hard work and guts. With that in mind, Ren spent the next week looking for the perfect gift for Sumire on White Day. Time flew by as this became his sole goal. Eventually, he found it.

Ren woke up, completed his morning routine and walked downstairs. Sojiro laid out his breakfast and began to make idle chat.

"I can't believe there's only a week left before you leave," he sighed, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"It's surreal. I've built up so much here. I know everyone will wait for me to come back, but still…" Ren rubbed the back of his head.

"Well, your parents are your parents," Sojiro sighed again, "Anyway, sorry, but I'll need you here after school. I know how much you want to spend time with that Yoshizawa."

Ren chuckled. "She's been at a training camp for a while now, but that reminds me, I think she's coming back today."

Sojiro stroked his beard. "That's good timing, now get going."

"Right, thank you," Ren stood up after finishing his curry and coffee, and proceeded to school. He eagerly looked for Sumire, bouncing up and down through the crowds of students. He finally reached the school gate, unsuccessful.

"Why do you look' so down, man?" Ryuji patted his shoulder with a grin.

"Sumire was supposed to come back from training camp today… but I haven't seen her…" Ren drooped his head in defeat.

"Why don't ya just text her to meet up?"

Ren looked up at Ryuji with a look of shock on his face.

"Ryuji, you genius! I've been so caught up in just finding her I didn't even think about that! Thank you!"

Ryuji laughed, rubbing his hand on his head. "No problem man! I hope you don't forget anything else! See ya!" He walked into Shujin Academy, leaving Ren at the gate. Ren pulled out his phone, his fingers shaking. The last time they hung out in earnest was when they performed for Coach Hiraguchi. Over the past two weeks, Ren had meticulously traveled around Tokyo looking for the perfect gift for White Day. He still had time to plan the date… he thought. As he opened Sumire's contact, a warm pair of hands grabbed his cheeks from behind him.

"Ren-senpai!" A familiar voice echoed through his eardrums, immediately brightening his day.

Ren quickly turned around and slid his phone back into his pocket. Sumire stood in front of him, wearing her hair in a ponytail, her glasses perched on her nose.

"M-my hands were cold… so I thought that I'd use your cheeks to warm them up..!" Sumire began to blush as a bead of sweat dropped down her face.

Ren giggled and wrapped his arms around her. "I've missed you, Sumire."

"I missed you too, Ren-senpai." Sumire wrapped her arms around him and leaned up for a kiss. He reciprocated, and the warm feeling that shot from their lips throughout their bodies jolted them to complete consciousness.

"I missed that too," Ren said with a grin.

"So did I." Sumire leaned up again and pressed her nose against his.

"Hello, Sumire," Morgana briefly popped out of Ren's bag and perched on his shoulder.

Ren frowned. "Unfortunately, we have class, so we can't spend all day together. After that, I have to help Sojiro." Then he smiled, "But, I'll make it up to you soon."

Sumire nuzzled her nose, causing their glasses to bump.

"I'm so excited! I can't wait, Ren-senpai!"

Her happiness was enough to cause Ren to collapse from sheer joy. His whole body felt impeccably warm. It was a feeling he missed.

"Look forward to it. We'll see each other again soon."

"Yes! I'll see you soon!"

The two walked inside and went about their day.

Ren didn't see Sumire on his way out, but he figured that she still had practice. Regardless, he still had to help Sojiro. After a short train ride, he walked into Leblanc and changed into his barista outfit. The afternoon was relatively busy, but him and Sojiro made for a good duo. Eventually, the sun set and the customer influx ceased. As Ren splashed the water from his hands, Sojiro spoke up.

"Oh yeah. You ready for tomorrow?"

"Huh, tomorrow? What about it?"

Sojiro gave Ren a puzzled look.

"Don't tell me you forgot. White Day. That's tomorrow, right? What's your plan? You've at least got some kinda present ready, right?"

Ren's arms went slack at his sides.

"Uhhh….. I have a present... But I didn't realize White Day was tomorrow! I was going to find a date spot! I thought I had time!"

Sojiro pinched his fingers on his nose and sighed.

"Get it together, kid… Sometimes I don't know if you're fearless or just plain careless." He grinned and looked Ren in the eye. "Fine. Listen up, and I'll give you the recipe for the ultimate date."

Ren sighed in relief. He had focused so much on getting her a present that he had zoned out in regards to school and the passage of time.

"Thank you so much, Sojiro."

Morgana reared up on his legs. "Whoa, the chief has an ultimate date plan? I better listen in too, just in case."

Sojiro crossed his arms and began to stroke his beard. "First off, you're gonna need flowers. You have a gift, but you really need to drive home how serious you are. This plan won't work without them. Just make sure you buy them before the date." He grinned again.

"You gotta present them near the end. Surprise her. So you can't let her see you buying them on the date, got it?"

"Yes, sir!" Ren nodded.

"Aha… Gotta give them flowers, huh? I gotta take notes…" Morgana commented.

"Next, think about where you're taking her," Sojiro continued, "You're gonna want somewhere with the right atmosphere, but it's gotta be peaceful… Oh, how about that new aquarium exhibit in Shinagawa? Just saw a commercial for it. Might be a good spot, right?"

"Right," Ren continued nodding. He wanted to take her there again, on a real date, but he knew any advice from the legendary sage Sojiro Sakura was worth listening to.

"The aquarium's a good place for a date… I see." Morgana licked his paw.

"Now, once the date part's over, you gotta take her out to dinner. Somewhere nice, too. But it's kind of last-minute to make reservations. All the fancy places get booked pretty fast around White Day." Sojiro grumbled.

"Okay, right, too late to make any reservations-wait, what!?" Morgana yelled.

"I'm screwed…" Ren wanted to bang his head against the table in frustration.

Sojiro shook his head. "Dammit. I don't usually do this, but… I know a place. Can't guarantee anything. I bet they're full up, too. But you might get an edge if you mention my name."

"Wow, amazing! Chief has connections!" Morgana's eyes sparkled, as did Ren's.

"So once you're at dinner, you get to talking, enjoying yourselves… That's when you give it to her."

"The gift and flowers." Ren clapped his hands together and pulled out a small case.

"Right, so you were listening. Is that the gift?" Sojiro carefully looked over the case. It was a simple but finely carved wooden glasses case. Ren opened it, revealing a pair of glasses with large lenses and thin, black frames. They resembled his own.

"Glasses, huh? Well, you know her better than I do. That oughta do it. Just follow the plan, and you're safe."

Morgana wagged his tail. "Wow! This plan is foolproof! Leave it to the chief!"

Sojiro scratched his head and slowly put on a neutral expression.
"Well, I taught you my secrets. The rest is on you. Do your prep, and make those reservations."

"Got it. Thanks again. You really saved my ass."

"Heh. This is the least I could do. I can't believe you worked so hard to find that gift yet didn't have any date plans. In any case, I'm going home. Now it's up to you."

Sojiro gave Ren a nod and left Leblanc. Ren felt all the tension in his body relax.

"I was so hyper fixated on getting her these glasses that I forgot the date. What the heck, Morgana."

"That's just like you, though. She's all you think about, and I know how much you like her when she wears her glasses."

Ren couldn't hide his smile. "Well… I mean… she's just so cute, alright!? I can't help it!"

Morgana laughed. "Anyway, we should start prepping right away. Don't waste the chief's advice, all right?"

Ren and Morgana walked upstairs, where Ren changed and sat on his bed. He pulled out his phone.

"Let's see… The reservation comes first. You remember that restaurant Chief told you about?"

"Yup."

Ren dialed the number.

"Thank you for calling, sir. Were you looking to make a reservation?" A pleasant male voice echoed through the phone.

"Yes, please. Dinner for two tomorrow." Ren replied.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid we're fully booked for tomorrow."

"White Day is crazy, huh…" Morgana sighed, "But don't worry, Ren! All you have to do is mention the chief!"

Ren took a deep breath, praying Sojiro was the sage he made himself out to be.

"Sojiro Sakura told me to call."

"Y-You're a friend of Mr. Sakura's!?" The voice on the other side stuttered in a surprised tone. "My apologies, sir! If you could just hold for one moment… Thank you for your patience. You wanted a dinner course for two on the 14th? We will have a table ready for you."

"Thank you so much!" Ren looked to Morgana in complete shock.

"Dang! The chief has serious clout!" He excitedly said.

"Could I ask your name and contact information?"

Ren proceeded to give the man his name and phone number, and hung up.

"Okay, your dinner plans are locked in. Now you just gotta get the flowers, and then it's off to the aquarium and dinner! It's gonna be busy tomorrow, so we'd better get rest while we can." Morgana jumped against Ren, who played along and slowly laid down.

"You're right. I'm so excited, though. Sojiro really saved me."

Morgana curled up on his chest.

"Won't worry about it now, just sleep."

"Right... Sleep…"

Ren closed his eyes and let himself drift off, sleep taking him.

Ren's day flew buy, his mind solely focused on White Day. As the final bell rung, Morgana finally spoke up.

"Today's the day. Let's go get those flowers! You worked for a florist in that underground passage in Shibuya, right? Let's go there!"

"Oh yeah. I know just the thing!"

Ren speed-walked out of Shujin Academy, ignoring the swathes of students and other potential couples. There was only one thing on his mind, and that was blowing Sumire away. Again. Within a short train ride, he found himself in the Underground Mall and at the Raffetalia.

"Welcome! What kind of flowers are you looking for today?"

"Hi. It's been a while. I'm here for a surprise present. Violet themed."

"Ohhh. I see. Understood. I'll get right on that." The shopkeeper winked at Ren and began to prepare a bouquet. After a few seconds, she turned back to him. "Here you go! I tried to keep it as simple as possible. The total comes out to…"

She held a bouquet of violet flowers, ranging in color from blue to purple, and even lighter shades of pink. Morgana tapped Ren's shoulder with a paw.

"Hold on! Let me cover this one. You've been taking care of me yourself, so… I need to express appreciation for you, too." Morgana slunk into Ren's bag and pulled out the exact change.

"Thank you for your purchase. Good luck!"

"Okay, now you're all ready for the date. Now you just need to invite Sumire. Don't worry, I'm a gentleman who knows his manners. I won't be tagging along. All right, good luck out there!"

Morgana hopped out of the bag and scurried off into the expanses of the Shibuya Underground. He knew what he was doing. Ren pulled out his phone, pulled up Sumire's contact, and called her.

"Yes, Yoshizawa speaking."

"What, did you forget my number already? Don't have a special name for me?"

"Huh? Oh, Ren-senpai. I just answered so quickly I didn't notice the name. Are you busy?"

"Not at all. That's why I'm calling. I want to go on a date with you. Shinagawa."

"Right now? Of course, that's fine! I don't have practice today, so I'll head over right away. See you there!"

"See you soon!"

That was easy, Ren thought to himself. This will be easy. Everything will go according to plan.

Ren took the train home and changed. He neatly tucked the flowers into his casual bag. Surprisingly, they fit well and did not crumple. That was good. Next. he took the train to Shinagawa. As he stepped off onto the platform, he quickly found Sumire. She was wearing a white patterned sweater and an orange, cream-colored skirt that extended to just above her knees. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, and she didn't have her glasses.

"No glasses today, huh?" Ren walked up to her, adjusting his own glasses.

"Ah, well, I'm sorry, Ren-senpai. I tried to wear them to practice… and I bumped into my partner and they fell and… broke…" Sumire lowered her head in guilt.

Ren placed a hand under her chin and lifted her head. "And that's alright. We all mess up."

In fact, it was perfect, almost like fate. Luckily, the same place they shopped for her father's glasses so long ago was also where she got her prescription. All he had to do was ask for glasses for her.

"You'll always be my Violet, hair up, hair down, hair cut, glasses, contacts. I just think you're adorable."

He bumped his forehead against hers. Her cheeks turned all sorts of shades of red.

"Th-th-thank you, Ren-senpai."

"Yup, always adorable. Let's go."

Ren gently moved his hand from her chin to her right hand, lightly grasping it. They walked to the aquarium and began to look at the exhibits. Behind thick glass various fish swam through the water, with coral and other types of sea fauna creating beautiful sights behind the glass.

"There are so many different kinds of fish! I'd never have realized just seeing them from a distance. They're all so… beautiful."

"They'd look more beautiful on a plate!" Ren remarked with a sly grin.

Sumire smiled and looked at Ren.

"That's true… I am really hungry. Hmm… Come to think of it, I remember we had a family trip to an aquarium when I was younger. Kasumi was so excited to see the fish. But apparently I was so scared I cried the whole time."

"But now you're just hungry."

"Hehe. I am. I'm also having fun, now. I'm here with you, and that's all I could wish for. Hmm… Ren-senpai, if I'm wrong, you can just tell me, but… Is this a date for White Day?"

Ren nodded, a smile on his face.

"Of course. I would do this any day, but today is special."

Sumire's beamed a smile. "I knew it…! I'm so glad I got to spend it with you, Ren-senpai. Since we're on a nice date again, we might as well have some fun!"

As Sumire turned to go to the penguin exhibit, she stopped.
"Oh, wait… I think this is the end of the exhibit. We're out of time. I wanted to see the penguins…"

Ren placed a hand on her shoulder, smiling.

"Next time.
Sumire giggled.

"Right. Next time. Thank you for taking me out today. I'll be even more motivated for tomorrow's practice."

"Hold on, we're not done. Let's say we go eat some fish. Not these ones, of course."

Sumire's eyes widened in surprise.
"What?" her cheeks turned a light shade of red. "Well… I suppose I'll take you up on that."

Ren took her hand again and led her out of the aquarium. They boarded at the Shinagawa train station and headed to the restaurant that Sojiro had designated. They walked into a fine banquet hall, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, with various other couples chatting. Ren approached the desk clerk and informed them of his reservation. The clerk obliged and escorted them to an elevator. They rode up and found themselves quite high up. The clerk pointed to a waitress, who seated them. Ren set down his bag on the right side of his seat. Sumire glanced around and took in the sight of the restaurant. Red velvet drapes lined an entire side of the room, while several black tables were set up with utensils and flowers. A large chandelier hung from the ceiling, creating a warm atmosphere.

"This restaurant is beautiful… I'm impressed, Ren-senpai."

Ren nervously rubbed the back of his neck.

"I'm comfortable in a bar, but here, I'm actually really nervous. It's more fancy than the Wilton Buffet!"

Sumire looked at him in surprise.

"Really? I thought you could handle going anywhere, considering our trips. But, to be honest, I'm nervous too." She took a deep breath. "Love is so strange. I feel so happy when I'm with you, but even tiny failures get me so depressed. As long as I've got you, though, I feel like I can get through anything."

Ren smiled.

"I'm always thinking about you, and how you would feel about my successes and failures. I feel the same way, basically. I want to do my best for you, and that feeling makes me feel unstoppable."

Sumire giggled.

"Ren-senpai… I'm glad we're on the same level. Um, so to speak." She quickly stood up. "Oh, uh, sorry! I've got to use the bathroom! I'll be right back."

Sumire walked off and left Ren briefly. The atmosphere was perfect. The mood was set. Even so, when should I give her the gift? Ren lost himself in anxious thought as Sumire returned.

"Sorry about that. We should order."

Ren crossed his arms. "Right. The fish."

The two patiently waited for a waiter to take their order, and sat back again, waiting for their meal. As they sat, the lights dimmed, and they began to hear a voice from an intercom.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us on this special day. We wish you all an unforgettable evening, with one last finishing touch from us…"

Sumire looked at Ren, confused. "Huh? It looks like something's happening."

The red velvet drapes slowly began to rise, revealing a stellar view of Tokyo at night. Vibrant colors dotted the landscape, with the sky tower at the center of their view, acting as a beacon of light. Sumire gasped, at a loss for words.

"...It's gorgeous…"

Sojiro's words echoed in the back of Ren's mind. This was the moment. He had surprised her before, over and over, and she had even given him something in return, but this couldn't be topped. Probably. He didn't have time to think about that. Ren quickly reached down and pulled the flowers out of his bag, with the glasses case tied around the bottom of the wrapping.

"Not as gorgeous as you, my violet."

Sumire turned to Ren in complete shock.

"What…? Ren-senpai… thank you… so much… I never saw this coming… but I'm so, so happy." A wide smile crossed her face, her cheeks tinted pink from joy.

"That, Sumire, is my last surprise for now. Look at where you're holding."

Sumire looked at her hand, which was graped around the glasses case.

"Are these…?"

She took the case from the wrapping and opened them, seeing a replica pair of Ren's glasses.

"Ren-senpai…"

"I thought about how much I inspired you and thought I'd give you a little memento so you'll always think of me."

Sumire giggled and leaned towards him. In a flash, she took Ren's glasses and put them on.

"Does this look good, senpai?"

Ren internally screamed, unable to comprehend how cute she looked as she adjusted his glasses on her head. He gave her a thumbs up.

"Perfect. Thank you so much."

Sumire grinned. "No, thank you for always thinking of me. How did you know I needed a new pair of glasses?"

"Chihaya," he quickly made up a response.

"Mifune-san sure is amazing…" Sumire looked over the prescription pair she held in her hands. "You just keep surprising me and showering me with gifts… I keep falling in love with you all over again… I guess you put a lot of effort into this date. But I shouldn't have expected anything less, Ren-senpai. You take care of everybody. And you always put their happiness before anything else.:

Ren chuckled.

"You're happiness is my own, Sumire. All of your successes and failures, too. We're a team."

Sumire slightly lowered her head.

"I don't want this to be totally one-sided. One day, I want to take care of you like you do for me… Though, I guess that might not be for a while."

"You already have taken care of me. You gave this bangle, comforted me when I felt down… But I look forward to it regardless. First, we have to take the world stage."

Sumire's face lit up again with a smile.

"Right! Thank you! I'll definitely take care of you! So, please be patient! Ah… okay… maybe I'm getting a little too worked up about it… Um… we still have some time left tonight, so… Can I stay with you, just a little longer? I have another training camp session starting tomorrow, so I'll be jumping between here and there."

She began to frown again.

"You… leave on the twentieth, right? I hope I'll be able to see you… I'm not sure of when I'll be back… It won't be nearly as long as last time… I'm a terrible girlfriend, aren't I…?"

Ren leaned over and grabbed her hand.

"Sumire. The best thing you can do for me right now is practice like your life depends on it. Don't worry about me. Just keep me in your thoughts, and those glasses on your face. You look really cute right now."

Sumire could feel herself tearing up.

"Ren-senpai… you're too kind…"

"I will shower you with love for as long as I breath air. You can't stop me." Ren firmly gripped her hand.

Sumire began to giggle. "I don't want you to. I'll be sure to return all of this kindness one day!"

"Good! For now, let's focus on winning the Olympics! Dates like these will remind us to keep pushing forward! Now, we should probably eat." Ren replied excitedly.

The waiter delivered their food after a short time. Sumire ordered a large plate of broiled fish, topped with butter and several seasonings. She ate it slowly and in a delicate manner. Ren ordered a ribeye steak, topped with various seasonings. They enjoyed their meals while their gazes shot between one another and the view of Tokyo at night. Some more time passed, and they finished their meals. Sumire turned and looked at Ren.

"Ren-senpai, is there anything you would want to do tonight?"

Ren looked back at her. "I'm satisfied with what we've done. Go home and get some sleep. I want you to be in tip top shape for your training."

"You sound like my Coach," Sumire stated between a giggle. She sighed as the giggling stopped, but kept a smile. "I'll make sure I see you before you leave."

Ren leaned back and crossed his arms.

"I look forward to it. Now, let's get you home."

After a few more minutes, Ren paid for the meals, and the two boarded a train headed for Kichijoji. Sumire had Ren escort her home. As the two stood outside of her apartment, they took in the sight of one another.

"There is one thing I could do for you before I go," Sumire looked at Ren with a sly smirk.

"I'm listening," Ren replied, mirroring the same smirk.

Sumire wrapped her arms around the back of Ren's head and pulled herself up to kiss him. They held one another for a long time, knowing this was their last date until summer break. Eventually, they broke out of their trance, and Sumire took off Ren's glasses.

"You should take these back. I'll certainly wear these new ones."

"I hope so. You really looked great in them." Ren put his glasses back on, though there was no change in his vision.

"I'll swap between these new ones and my own. That's one way I could keep you looking forward to seeing me."

"I look forward to it because I get to see you! But I will not stop you from doing that! It sounds fun."

"Good."

Sumire untied her ponytail and let her hair fall loose against her back.

"We've got to remember the things that keep us moving forward. You're… everything to me, Ren-senpai."

"And you're everything to me, Sumire. We'll see each other again, I'm sure of it."

"So am I. Thank you again!"

Ren bumped his head against Sumire's again.

"I'll see you soon, Sumire."

"Yes! See you soon!"

Sumire turned around and made her way into her apartment, leaving Ren with a wave. Ren put his hands in his pockets, walking away with a bittersweet smile, with visions of his final encounter with Maruki crossing his mind.