New Year's 2020
"Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year!"
Ryuji and Sakiya cheered as they watched a countdown from the glass panes of Shibuya Crossing. The two of them had gone out eating ramen and taking in the sight of Tokyo. As they stopped in the middle of the crossing, Ryuji felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. It had been nearly four years since Ren, Ann, Morgana, Yusuke and him discreetly made this location their hideout while they fought to steal the hearts of Madarame and Kaneshiro. Makoto joined them too after several bouts.
Now he was about to confess to a girl. He couldn't tell what was scarier. Potential death from infiltrating a cognitive world or confessing.
"I did once... I can surely do the other!" He told himself, gripping the railing.
Ryuji swallowed the lump in his throat as the fireworks died down. Sakiya was leaning her back against the rail, leaning back and looking up at him with a grin.
"Got any New Year's resolutions, Ryuji?"
"Resolutions?"
"Yeah!"
"Well, uh…"
He stopped and thought to himself. "Do I wanna confess? Shit! I didn't think about this much… Do I just slide it into a conversation or like… Go for it? Ann would tell me to go for it. Futaba would too. Would Morgana? Ren?"
"Don't be shy!" Sakiya smiled and tilted her head, which caused Ryuji's heart to skip a beat.
"Why am I freaking out about her now? She's so hot but cute! Why is it different now? It's just a confession!" He internally panicked.
"Well, it's to win at the Olympics, duh!"
"Of course!" Sakiya roared in laughter.
"Yep!"
"Damnit, Ryuji! Just tell her!" Ryuji closed his eyes and shook his head. His grip was so intense that he felt he'd break the railing.
"My New Year's resolution…" Sakiya giggled, "Is to become an even better gymnast. I'm not quite Olympic worthy yet. It's the same resolution I make every year."
"A better gymnast, huh?"
"Always."
"Sakiya." Ryuji let go of the railing and grabbed her hand.
"Ryuji?"
"T-There's somethin' else I want to say. Another resolution."
"What is it? I'm all ears."
He grabbed her other hand and focused himself completely on her face. The beat of his heart threatened to overtake his thoughts completely. He'd stolen plenty of hearts before.
This was easy.
"Sakiya… I… I love you. You mean the world to me and I wanna take things further between us. Whenever I think about you, I want to run faster and further than ever. Your smile, your strength… Everything! So… I want to be with you forever."
Time stopped. The world froze around them. Snowflakes hung in the air, unmoving.
"What…?" Sakiya took a step back, breaking the silence.
Her mind went blank.
"R-Ryuji… I…" Her face tensed up.
Seconds became hours as Ryuji waited. His heart sunk as she nervously looked at him, and then looked away. It felt like watching Ren and Morgana be overwhelmed by Kamoshida, but he couldn't summon Captain Kidd to save the day. Dread overwhelmed him as her lips pursed.
"I'm sorry… I can't…"
She pulled her hands back and ran away as the snow fell once more.
"A series of hard-hitting blizzards have hit Japan as of 2nd of January, 2020. All citizens are to remain indoors and not leave under any circumstance. The roads are to remain closed until further notice. We apologize for any inconveniences."
"Futaba-chan, it sounds like you're locked in with me!" Hanako giggled as she moved closer to Futaba, whose jaw was slack. They sat on Hanako's bed, watching TV together.
"I-I'm stuck here?"
"Yup!"
"But my apartment is only a few feet away!"
"Not leave under any circumstance!" Hanako lifted a finger and waved it, smiling.
"My charger…" Futaba dropped her head.
"Meanwhile," the emergency news reporter continued, "China appears to have continued a disease. What this disease was is still a mystery, but officials have reported that it is no longer a threat."
"So what will we do, Futaba-chan? I'm pretty cold, so why don't we snuggle?"
"But we have the heat on…" Futaba pointed at the small heater plugged in, and at the heater in the wall.
"Well, I'm still cold!" Hanako wrapped her arms around Futaba, which only made Futaba want to implode.
"Uh… Alright…" Futaba swallowed the nervous lump in her throat. She had no idea what to make of Hanako's actions. They weren't different from what she usually did, but she definitely had become more clingy, which drove Futaba insane.
"I hope everyone else is alright!" Hanako cheerfully exclaimed while rubbing herself against Futaba. She wore her nightgown and long socks, while Futaba wore her green sweater and a pair of black sweatpants and socks.
"I haven't seen Sakiya or Ryuji since last year…" Futaba chuckled.
"They've been busy! And wait, last year?" Hanako gave her a confused look.
"You know… cause it's 2020 now…" Futaba sighed.
"Oh!"
"Ren and Sumire are probably doing what they always do… hugging and…"
"And?"
"Snuggling…"
"Nice save, Futaba!" She cheered herself on. Saying something lewd, even as a joke, was one of the few things she never wanted to do around Hanako. The problem was that they've become so close that it's hard for her to not slip up. If she was with her other friends, that was free real estate. With Hanako… She didn't want her to think she was some kind of pervert. "One stupid joke and it's over, Futaba!" Is what she'd tell herself after every instance.
"I'm so happy for them!" Hanako tightened her hug around Futaba, which caused her to shiver as she felt an incredible softness envelop her.
"Yup… Hanako… Can't… Breathe…" Futaba tried to weasle her way out.
"Ah, there you go, Futaba-chan!" She loosened her grip, freeing Futaba.
"I-If you're so cold why dontcha just use a blanket…?"
"We could share a blanket! That's a wonderful idea!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Futaba internally screamed, "WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"
As Hanako threw a comforter around Futaba and herself, Futaba silently planned.
"I need to divert the conversation… Did we talk about New Year's resolutions? Probably but she wouldn't mind talking about it again!"
"Say uh, Hanako-chan."
"Hm?"
"What was your New Year's resolution again? I kinda forgot…"
"I don't think you forgot, Futaba-chan! Your memory is amazing!"
"HOW DID SHE REMEMBER THAT?" Futaba panicked mentally and buried her face in her hands, blushing.
"Well… Uh…"
"I'll tell you again, so you better remember for sure this time!" Hanako tapped Futaba's nose and lifted her hand in a peace sign, "I want to do my best at the Olympics and show everyone how I feel!"
"Right, right! I totally remember now!" Futaba nervously laughed.
"From what I remember, yours was to become even better friends with me, help me with the Olympics, watch me practice, and do even more research!" Hanako shined a bright smile at Futaba, causing her to blush an even deeper red.
"Yup… You're spot on…"
"It makes me so happy, Futaba-chan! Thank you!"
"N-No problemo…"
Futaba wished she could throw the covers over her and disappear completely. That did not happen, however.
"Uhh…" Futaba nervously gazed right at Hanako.
"What is it, Futaba-chan?"
"How're you gonna… you know… practice? You can't afford to waste any time…"
"I'll be fine!"
"Are you sure?"
"Mhm! I can do all my stretches here, and you can help me!"
"Bu-Bu-Bu-But what about your routine?"
"All in my head! It's not like Coach Murakami is going to make me go outside!"
"Right… Uh… What about showering and stuff?"
"What about it?" Hanako asked as innocently as ever.
"I mean… uh… We're stuck in here together…"
"There's a door between the bathroom and here!"
"Oh… yeah…"
"Let's make the best of it, okay?"
"Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh….!"
Futaba was paranoid out of her mind. She had no choice but to stay with Hanako, which was both incredible and terrifying. Surrendering herself to her fate, she dragged the comforter over herself.
Several Days Later
The group, through a series of text messages, learned of the falling out between Ryuji and Sakiya. Due to the blizzard, nobody could meet in person to talk, which only made things more strenuous. Hanako found that her anxiety spiked, and she began to avoid speaking to everyone, barely speaking to Futaba. Ryuji and Sakiya isolated themselves in their apartments, only coming out when the semester began. Futaba was hit with a depressive wave as Hanako found herself unable to talk to her.
Ren and Sumire were left worried about their friends until the snow cleared and the semester began.
Saturday, January 11th
Ren cleared his mind as he waited for Hanako to enter and sit down. He knew this wasn't going to be an easy conversation, and he needed to maintain a neutral ground.
"Is something the matter, Amamiya-kun?" Maruki adjusted his glasses, giving Ren a concerned smile.
"Yeah, it's just… What happens if an issue between the client and therapist overlaps. Say, they share the same friend group, and something happens that stresses both the therapist and client out, and the client is bound to bring it up?"
"Ah."
The room went silent barring the tick of the clock on the wall as Maruki thought to himself. After a minute, he cleared his throat.
"That, Amamiya-kun, is called boundary-crossing. I'm sure you're aware of the term."
"I am."
"Under most circumstances, I'd say that from your side, you should keep things vague. While boundary-crossing is not strictly forbidden, it's not advised. However," he held up a hand, "Given the fact that Japanese culture and mental health do not mix well, and the fact that Natsuki-san knows you better than anyone, I'll allow this so long as you maintain a neutral stance. Your objective is to assist the client work through their problems and mental barriers. Can you do that?"
"I can." Ren didn't hesitate for a second. "Like I said before, I'm going to help Natsuki-san."
"Very well. I have faith in you." Maruki leaned back and assumed his friendly, non-intrusive role. Hanako stepped in shortly after a few minutes with bags under her eyes and a slight hunch.
"Hello, Amamiya-san…" A melancholic tune echoed within every word she spoke as she sat down.
"Hello, Natsuki-san. You aren't looking so well. Did something happen?"
"Yes." She nodded. "I apologize for not scheduling an appointment sooner. I was very busy last semester, and then there were the holiday's, and then the blizzard…"
"That's perfectly fine, Natsuki-san. Life happens."
"Thank you very much, Amamiya-san. So…"
She paused.
"Take your time."
A deep breath. "Just like my routines," Hanako calmly thought to herself. She knew the best way to approach this was to keep everything neutral, and refer to everyone vaguely. She wasn't talking about Ryuji and Sakiya. She was talking about "two friends."
"Okay okay okay… So… Something happened in my friend group. Two of my friends um, they're taking a "break" from their relationship. They were best friends before, really!"
"It's alright, Natsuki-san. Take as long as you need." Ren reassured her, impressed and surprised that Hanako took a neutral stance..
"I-It makes me scared about my relationship with my best friend. I'm romantically in love with her and I don't want to lose her."
"Love is a tricky thing. It takes time to fall in love and stay in love. Perhaps your friends simply weren't ready for that. I wouldn't worry too much, though. Has anything happened strictly between you and your friend that would indicate a strain in your relationship?
"Just between me and my friend?" She looked at him, pleading for clarity.
"Yes. Just between you two."
"Um… No. Nothing has happened between us, though I have found myself unable to talk to her lately. That is because of this situation, though."
"I see. I wouldn't worry about your relationship, then. Nothing has actually changed between you and your friend. Instead, you simply believe something has, or will."
"So I just believe something bad will happen?"
"Yes."
"What should I do then, Amamiya-kun?" Hanako spun the flower pin in her hair.
"What do you want to do, Natsuki-san?" Ren gave her a serious, but welcoming glance.
"I want to keep talking to my friend, and spending time with her."
"There's your answer." He nodded affirmatively.
"So nothing has really changed…" Hanako's eyes widened in realization.
"Between you and your friend? I don't think so. As for the tension between your friends, perhaps you could talk it out. I'm sure your friend will want to as well."
"Ohhhhhh…. I see!" A smile crossed her face, her anxiety fading. "I think I know what to do!"
"I'm glad to hear that." Ren leaned back and waited a few seconds. "Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"
"Yes." Hanako nodded. "Thank you for helping me think about that issue, Amamiya-san. If it's okay with Dr. Maruki and you, I'd like to talk about my mental illness."
"That's fine, though I wouldn't call it a mental illness, Natsuki-san."
"That's what the psychiatrist called it…"
Ren and Maruki both frowned.
"Natsuki-san."
"Yes?"
"What do you think about it?"
"I don't really think much about it." She shook her head, a smile on her face. "After the psychiatrist explained the symptoms to me, a lot of things became clear to me. I finally understood why I felt different, why I had a hard time talking in certain situations, and why I love gymnastics so much."
"Did the diagnosis change how you felt about gymnastics?"
"Nope! I still love gymnastics, anime, and my best friend!"
A genuine smile crossed Hanako's face.
"That's good news. Hold onto the things that are precious to you."
"You don't think any differently of me, Amamiya-san?"
"Not at all."
"Thank you!"
"Just because you were diagnosed doesn't mean you have to change who you are. It simply means that we can properly address anything you would want to address."
"Hmmm…." Hanako closed her eyes and let herself think for a minute."I see! In that case, I'd like to talk about my troubles with speaking in public! When I'm directly spoken to by a large number of people, I become really uncomfortable… I just don't know what to do. They usually ask me about gymnastics, and it should be easy for me to talk about, but when so many people speak at once… It overwhelms me."
"There are treatments for that. There isn't a "cure" necessarily, but there are things like cognitive behavioral therapy, speech therapy, and more. I'm currently studying it at university."
"Really? So you'll be able to help me?"
"If you want, yes." Ren nodded.
"That makes me really happy!"
"That's good. We would need to schedule appointments more frequently, though."
"Oh… That would be difficult. I need to train basically every day for the Olympics…" Hanako sighed.
"We could wait until after the Olympics, if you'd want to try it out then."
"I could do that!"
"We have a deal then." Ren smiled and nodded, and he felt the word Hope echo within the sea of his soul for the seventh time. "Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"
"Let me think…" Hanako pushed her glasses against her face. "I'd like to talk about university more, and what happened since I last saw you."
"Go right ahead."
Hanako proceeded to talk to Ren about the fall semester and events that occurred since her last visit. She told him about her parents reaction to the news, and he responded by reassuring her that he would help her no matter what. She spoke about how her friend helped her with university, and just how grateful she was. Their session passed quickly, and Hanako left determined to speak to her friends. Ren leaned back, took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes and stretched after she left.
"That… was intense."
"You did well, Amamiya-kun."
"Really?"
"Yes. You and Hanako maintained a neutral stance on the issues at hand, and you kept it vague, and managed to maintain your composure. I'm impressed and proud of both of you."
"Thanks… I guess..." Ren sighed. "I need to lie down."
"That was your last appointment for the day." Maruki stood up. "Get some rest."
"Heh…" Images of Sumire's lap flooded Ren's mind, and he stood up to go home.
Later That Afternoon
"Futaba-chan, are you home?" Hanako knocked on her door lightly.
"Hanako?" The door swung open. Hanako saw Futaba wiping away fresh tears, her glasses nowhere in sight, wearing a green shirt and sweatpants. "Is that you?"
"Hi, Futaba-chan." Hanako opened her arms.
"Hanako!" Futaba jumped into her arms and smothered herself in Hanako's chest. "Are you okay?"
"I'm okay." Hanako lifted Futaba up and carried her inside. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry, Hanako… Remember?"
"Right." Hanako giggled. "Thank you for worrying about me."
"I was worried about you! My best friend basically went missing!"
"There there…" Hanako set her down and patted her head. "I'm back now. I needed to think about things, but I'm okay now!"
"Well good!" Futaba pouted. "Don't leave my side again!"
"I won't, I promise!"
"Good!"
"Where are your glasses, Futaba-chan?"
"My glasses… Uh…"
"How bad is your vision? How many fingers am I holding up?" Hanako held up three fingers on her left hand, and four on her right.
"Uhhhhhh…. Three?"
"I see…" Hanako grabbed Futaba's hand, "Let's look together! Once we find them, we can work on our assignment together!"
"Uhhhhhhh…." Futaba blushed intensely. "Sure…"
"Yay!"
Hanako kept a tight grip on Futaba's hand as they looked for her glasses, eventually finding them under her desk. Even after they found them, she didn't let go, and the two ended up watching anime together, hand-in-hand. This cost them dearly, though, and they ended up spending most of the next working together, which only filled Hanako with glee. Knowing her bond with Futaba was stronger than ever, a tranquil clarity filled Hanako's heart and mind as she silently reaffirmed that she loved Futaba just as much as she loved gymnastics. Futaba's mood returned to normal, excited as ever to spend time with Hanako.
Sunday, January 12th
Ren woke up in the morning before Sumire, who practically held him down in bed. Her arms were like vices around his waist, and no matter what he did, she wouldn't let go.
"Sumire, are you awake? You have to be. I doubt you could hold me like this in your sleep."
"You caught me~" She nuzzled her face against the back of his neck, which made him shiver.
"I got a text from Sakiya." Ren held up his phone.
"Oh!" Sumire immediately shifted her focus, "Is she okay? She hasn't spoken to anyone, even at practice!"
"She said: 'Can I come over today? I'm sick of being sad and pissed off. I've listened to The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner over 500 times, and I need to vent. Please.'"
"The Loneliness… Sakiya… I'd like to speak with her, too." Sumire steeled her expression.
"I hope we can help her…" Ren sighed and texted her back.
Ren: Sure. How about around noon?
Sakiya: Works for me. Thanks.
"I hope she's alright…"
"It's Sakiya. She'll be fine." Ren rolled over and ran his hand through her hair, giving her a warm smile.
"Hmmm… You're probably right."
"Let's just focus on getting ready first." Ren placed his hand on hers, which was still wrapped around him.
"Okay! Do you want to shower first, or me?"
"Why don't we go together?" He smirked, and Sumire turned red.
"You're still holding onto me, so I assume you want to go with me."
"Y-You can go!"
Sumire let him go, and he frowned.
"Darn… Fine…"
Ren went to shower while Sumire started cooking breakfast. They went about their morning routine and cooked a large pot of curry for Sakiya, with Sumire concerned that she might not be eating properly. Around noon, Sakiya arrived.
"Bonjour…" she kicked off her shoes haphazardly and sighed.
"Hello, Sakiya!" Sumire quickly walked up to her, a worried look on her face.
"Do you have any curry?"
"Lots!"
"That's nice… I'm pretty hungry…" Sakya's eyes were sunk, her headstrong expression absent.
"Well, come in! Take off your coat!" Sumire helped Sakiya and let her into their main room, where Ren waited, setting down plates of curry.
"Is Morgana here?"
"He's out walking." Ren remarked.
"Good. I feel bad, but I'll save getting over my allergies for another day." Sakiya sat down and sighed.
"Where do you want to start?" Ren tapped his fingers on the table while Sumire sat down.
"Phew… I don't know. I've tried to isolate the world around me and focus on practice, but all I hear and see is Ryuji and that face he made… I'm such an ass…"
"No, you're not." Ren shook his head.
Sakiya slapped her fist on the table, gritting her teeth.
"But I rejected him! Hell, I didn't even do that! I just ran away!"
"Sakiya." Sumire calmly smiled at her, "It's okay. What made you run away?"
"That's…" She winced. "I just… I wasn't ready. I never thought about it before, and then he dropped that on me… No… This is my fault."
"You weren't ready? What do you mean?" Sumire asked.
"I wasn't ready to commit to that. To love. I like Ryuji a lot. I have a blast spending time with him, and the sex is great! But love… I don't get it."
"I see." Ren leaned forward and crossed his hands on the table while Sumire lightly blushed, scratching her cheek. "Romance is something that just… happens. You can't force it. Believe it or not, but Sumire and I had a pretty complicated relationship before she confessed to me."
"Really? Given how much you two lovebirds swoon over each other, that's really surprising." Sakiya sarcastically remarked.
"Sakiya, calm down." Sumire recomposed herself after taking a deep breath, reaching out her hand and placing it on Sakiya's.
"Sorry… I guess that's a defense mechanism."
"That's fine." Ren nodded. "So you don't think you're ready to commit. I understand that. Committing yourself to someone else means that you have to take care of them and yourself. Giving yourself to someone emotionally is a very tough barrier to cross, if that makes sense."
"Ren's right." Sumire affirmed. "Confessing to Ren was incredibly scary. I was prepared for him to reject me, but it was still hard. My mind raced as I went to tell him. I thought: 'Am I ready for this?' and 'Will I actually be able to take care of Ren?' and so on. And I still don't think I've taken care of him properly…" She looked at him, frowned and sighed.
"Don't be like that, Sumire." Ren shook his head. "You've done plenty. Now, Sakiya, is that how you feel about Ryuji?"
"I definitely care about him a lot. I do. But I think you two are right on the mark. I've committed myself to gymnastics, and I don't know if I can commit myself to Ryuji too."
"Honestly, that's understandable. Romance isn't for everyone." Ren replied.
"You're not mad?" Sakiya tilted her head.
"Of course not." Sumire shook her head. "I do think you should talk to him, though.
"What am I supposed to say?" Sakiya bit her lip, clenching her fists. "I'm scared of hurting him more. I don't want that."
"I think you should just be honest, Sakiya." Ren gave her an encouraging smile, his eyes full of hope.
"Be honest…" She took a deep breath.
"If you're not ready, that's all you have to say."
"Just be you, Sakiya!" Sumire pumped her fist, a confident smile on her face.
"Gah… fuck it!" Sakiya leaped out of her seat. "I'm going to think about what I want to say, but I'm definitely going to talk to him! Thank you Ren! Thank you, Sumire! I can't just sit around here like this!"
"You've got this, Sakiya. Good luck."
Ren gave her a nod, which she returned with a confident smile. He feltthe word Hope echo within the sea of his soul for the eighth time as their eyes met.
"Now I'm fired up!" Sakiya picked up her spoon. "But dammit, I'm hungry!"
"Please eat, Saki-chan."
"I will!"
Sakiya sat back down and eagerly dug into her curry, managing to finish a plate in seconds.
"Another!"
"Sure thing!"
Sumire and Ren hosted Sakiya for a while longer as she regained her bearing, and she left shortly after, reinvigorated.
A few seconds after Sakiya left, Ren finally sat on his couch and relaxed.
"Sumire… Can I rest on your lap?"
"Are you tired, Ren?" Sumire sat next to him and guided his head onto her lap.
"Not really… But this whole situation is stressful." He closed his eyes and sighed. "It's no-one's fault. I know that. I just need a break…"
"You'll always be able to rest on my lap, honey."
"Mmmm… Thanks, dear."
As Sumire and Ren giggled together, his phone rang.
It was Ryuji.
"Hello?"
"Ren."
"Ryuji?"
"Can we uh, talk?"
"Of course."
Ren heard a sigh of relief.
"Thanks man. I've uh… I've been sitting on well, you know, with what happened…"
"Right."
"Can I come over later? I'm going to talk to my mom now. I need to get out of my apartment, so I wanna come over after."
"Go ahead. I just need a little nap, but you can make your way over when you're ready."
"You tired, man?"
"Yeah, but I won't be after this nap."
"Gotcha. I really appreciate it. See you soon."
"See you later, Ryuji."
Ren dropped the phone and let out a long sigh.
"You really want to help everyone, don't you?" Sumire ran her fingers through his hair, an understanding tone in her voice.
"Of course I do. I'm sorry for stretching myself thin… I know you don't like it."
"In a situation like this, you can't help it. I'll do what I can to help you, as little as that might be. And besides, they need you."
"Sumire."
"Oh…" She frowned. Ren leaned up and looked at her, adjusting himself and giving her a stern look.
"You do way more for me than I do for you. I'm going to keep telling you. You do know that, right?"
"Yes… I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Besides, we're going to keep working together until you're through this mental block, alright? You've been working so hard, Sumire."
Ren grasped her hands and pressed his head against her own.
"Have I really? Hanako is well on her way to the Olympics, and Sakiya is practicing as hard as ever, despite the pain she was feeling. I have you to support me through everything, too."
"None of that matters, Sumire. We're both working together to fulfill our promise, right? I know the pain of Kasumi's loss still hurts. It always will."
As the two sat silently, they felt their souls stir as one. Time slowly passed as they simply held each other close. Ren slowly opened his eyes after a few minutes.
"However," He took a deep breath, "I want you to turn that pain into motivation. Let the Olympics this year be the turning point, where you turn all of that lingering guilt and sadness into strength. I'll hold you to it."
"I'll do it." Sumire replied, opening her eyes. Ruby met onyx as the bond between them deepened even further. "I'm not going to do it only for you, though. I'm going to do it for Kasumi, and everyone else cheering me on. I've almost mastered the clubs, and I'm going to start working on perfecting the ball and hoop, too. I'm like a broken record…"
"I don't mind. Gymnastics may look repetitive, but I see you improve every time I watch you. It's small, little changes, but those little improvements are what create a perfect performance, right?" Ren smirked.
"Yes. In order to create a perfect routine, you need to master every little step and movement. Every toss, every pivot, it all counts. One small mistake can destroy your performance."
"I can't wait to see what you do."
"I can't wait for you to watch me."
"I'll do my best."
"You're so silly, Ren." Sumire giggled.
"Well, I try my best, Sumire."
"Mmmm… That's enough for now. Take a nap." Sumire moved her hands up to Ren's head, and she guided him down to her lap. He closed his eyes and let himself be lost in a temporary bliss, knowing he'd have to speak with Ryuji soon.
Take Your Time
Ryuji went and spoke to his mother, telling her about the confession and how he felt. She comforted him and helped him reaffirm his feelings for Sakiya, telling him that his feelings didn't need to change, and he could continue to move forward. He left her slightly confused and still downtrodden, but he wanted to speak to Ren, quickly making his way to the apartment.
"Yo…." Ryuji waved as he stepped inside. His expression was even sadder than Sakiya's. Under his eyes were heavy bags, and his mouth was stuck in a permanent frown.
"Come on in, Ryuji." Morgana stood in front of him.
"Hey, Morgana." He sighed.
"I'm surprised… This isn't like you at all."
"Huh… I'm not really feeling alright, man."
"I know. Let's go."
Ryuji begrudgingly followed Morgana inside, where he saw Ren sitting at the main table.
"Where's Sumire? I thought she'd be here…"
"She's at practice." Ren motioned to the empty chair.
"Oh…"
"Sit down."
"Thanks…"
Silence. Ryuji slumped in his chair, absentmindedly looking at the glass of soda in front of him.
"Soda, huh…? Haven't drank that in a while."
"You've probably given up on it, huh? Sorry about that. I just knew you wouldn't want coffee."
"Nah it's fine." Ryuji shook his head.
"So how are you doing, Ryuji?" Morgana jumped up on the table.
"Shit."
"We could tell that much."
"Then why ask?"
"Because there's more to it than that." Morgana sighed. "Listen, Ryuji. I know we've had our issues, but… I've gone through this too. Kinda. I mean, when I found out that Ann was dating Shiho… It hurt a lot. I didn't know what to do."
"Oh yeah… I didn't even think about that." Ryuji let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry, man."
"I'm over it now. What's important is that I understand what you're going through."
"Yeah… I guess you do."
"So what exactly did you want to talk about regarding the situation?" Ren motioned for Ryuji to look at him.
"Well… I'm sick of crying in my room and just training with no goal in sight. I'm pissed off!"
"Yeah?"
"Yeah!" Ryuji gripped his fist and shook it, gritting his teeth. "I can't even run right now! Whenever I try, my legs feel like jelly! It sucks!"
"Did you lose motivation?" Ren tilted his head.
"I… I think Sakiya was my motivation…" He took a deep breath and calmed down.
"She motivated you to do your best, huh?" Morgana replied. "Wait… Did she motivate you to go to the Olympics?" His eyes lit up in realization.
"She told me I could do it, and I believed her." Ryuji sniffled, losing his composure. "The reason I was able to focus was because she was pushing me… telling me I could do it. I was doing it for her…" Tears started to stream down his face. "Whenever we went to practice together… She smiled at me and told me I was doing great, and that I'd be at the top in no time! Now I fucked it all up because I said something stupid! Damnit!" He slammed his fist on the table, crying in earnest.
"I tried… I did! I thought I finally had something goin' for me, and I just had to run my mouth!"
"You haven't cried this whole time, have you, Ryuji?" Ren gave him a reassuring smile. "We're here for you."
Morgana and Ren let Ryuji cry for a few minutes and vent his grief. He eventually calmed himself down, slapping his cheeks repeatedly.
"Feel any better?"
"Kinda…"
"Ryuji." Morgana spoke adamantly. "I don't think you've lost her. You said you were doing it for her, right?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Well, I think you still are. Maybe you could win her over with your performance at the Olympics? Oh! Why don't you tell her that you'll 'Steal Her Heart!' by taking the gold in sprinting?"
Ryuji's eyes widened as he rapidly connected the dots.
"Morgana… You're a genius!"
Morgana laughed mischievously. "Heheheh. I know I am! Don't underestimate the original Phantom Thief!"
"Sakiya just needs some time, Ryuji." Ren gave him a confident nod. "You two should talk. I'm sure she'll respond positively. You tripped during the first few steps, but you didn't lose the race."
"Give her some time… Right!" Ryuji stood up. "Alright!" He smiled. "I'm gonna go run and eat some ramen! I'm done crying! I'll talk to her in a couple days!"
"That's the Ryuji I know!" Morgana smirked as well as a cat could.
"Thank you so much, Morgana!" Ryuji started petting him aggressively.
"Ah! Slow down!"
"You'll be fine, Ryuji." Ren chuckled. "You were the most charming Phantom Thief, after all."
"...Yeah! I am!"
"Huh?" Morgana looked at them, confused. "Ren, you liar! I'm the most charming Phantom Thief!"
"Nope! Joker said that I was!" Ryuji stuck out his tongue.
"Well I taught him everything, so I have the final say, and I say that I'm the most charming Phantom Thief!" Morgana retorted.
"You're just a cat!" Ryuji laughed.
"Shut up!"
"Hey now, you two." Ren held up his hands.
"Don't worry about Ren, Ryuji." Morgana snickered.
"I'm just pumped up now!" He grinned back.
Ren sighed and smiled, happy to see his two best friends were the same after all these years. "I'm glad you're in a better mood, Ryuji."
"Really… Huh. I guess I am!"
"Ramen and running, right?"
"Yup!"
"Can I come with you?" Ren held up his fist.
"Hell yeah!"
Several Days Later, Saturday, January 18th
Ryuji relaxed himself as he waited for Sakiya to knock on his door. The night before, she texted him, asking for them to talk. He missed her so much.
Every day he saw her, but that wasn't nearly the same as being with her, sweating with her, and just talking to her. He wanted to do it right this time.
"Yo." He waved as she opened the door.
"Hey." She replied, keeping her eyes on the floor.
"Want to uh… sit down?"
"Sure."
Awkward silence quickly enveloped the room as he sat in his desk chair and she sat on his bed.
"Uh… so…"
"Uh…"
"I'm really sorry!" Ryuji clapped his hands and bowed.
"I'm sorry too!" She bowed.
"What're you sorry for?" He asked.
"What do you mean? I ran away from you! I've been such a big idiot!"
"Well it's my fault that I even said such a dumb thing out of nowhere!"
"Well I didn't even think about the possibility you'd ask, so I ran!"
"You probably weren't expecting it… I didn't even think you'd say no…" Ryuji sighed. "I just jumped the gun, like I always do…"
"Don't say that!"
"But it's the truth!"
"Well… I don't think so!"
"Sakiya…"
"Listen, Ryuji… I… I still want what we had. I just… I'm not ready to commit to love. Does that sound stupid? It does, doesn't it?"
"No no I get it!" Ryuji waved his arms. "I didn't consider your feelings!"
"You're really not a romantic, Ryuji." Sakiya smiled and shook her head.
"I-I'm not trying to be!"
"Really?"
"No! Anyway!" He sighed. "Uh… How would we go back?"
"Well," Sakiya crossed her arms, "I want to tell you how I feel."
"Please."
Sakiya took a deep breath.
"Right now, Ryuji, I want to commit myself to gymnastics, and I don't know if I can commit myself to both gymnastics and you. Not that I dislike you!" She waved her arms. "I do! It's just… that next step is scary, and I need to think about it. Does that make sense?" She barely held open an eye, with the other closed.
"So… You're not saying no?"
"No." Sakiya smiled warmly. "I just need some time. Let's stay friends for now, okay? I want to take my time and focus on practice. You should, too."
"Focus on practice…" Ryuji took a deep breath and nodded. "Deal. I don't want to make you uncomfortable anymore, so we'll stay friends. You'll still help me study, right? Please?"
"Of course."
A massive sigh of relief. "Thanks."
"You have Olympic medals to win, Ryuji. Practice makes perfect!"
"Right!"
"Alright!" Sakiya stood up and walked to the door. "I'll be going now. I have to uh, practice."
"Oh, uh, right. See ya." Ryuji awkwardly waved, and Sakiya waved back just as awkwardly. Once she closed the door behind her, Ryuji clenched his fist.
"I'm gonna steal your heart, Sakiya! I might not be able to now, but I swear I will! Just watch me run!"
With a new resolve, Ryuji prepared himself for practice.
Sunday, January 19th
Ren lazily opened an eye as he woke up. He felt an incredibly soft sensation atop him, and he saw Sumire lying on him, resting her head on his chest, making what appeared to be purring sounds.
"What is she, a cat?" He chuckled to himself and rustled her hair with his left hand.
"Mmmm… I can't reach… senpai…"
"She still calls me senpai in her dreams, huh? I can't wait to pull that card on her later. Heh."
"Ah! Senpai! The club!" She winced in her sleep. "Oh… It hit your head… Rest on my lap…"
"Just how much does she enjoy letting me rest my head on her lap?" He smiled.
"Don't cry, Etsuko-chan! Mama Sumi is here…. Heheh…"
"Oh… Poor Sumire… Having lucid dreams…? I wonder if Maruki will ever let us babysit? Nah…"
"Mmm…" Sumire slowly opened her eyes. "Good morning, Ren."
"Good morning. I just woke up." He lied as he breathed.
"I slept really well!" Sumire leaned up and stretched, which was a wonderful sight for Ren.
"It's nice to hear Sakiya and Ryuji worked something out." Ren smiled.
"Yes! I'm sad that Sakiya doesn't feel the same way, but I'm sure she'll figure out how she feels soon!"
"Everyone falls in love differently." Ren leaned up and kissed her forehead. "It just so happened that you stole my heart from the start."
"I think it's the other way around." She giggled as he kissed her up and down, ogling her.
"Who knows…"
"Breakfast?" Morgana leaped up on the bed.
"We're having a moment, Morgana!" Ren hissed.
"Well I'm hungry!" He hissed back.
"Fine…" Ren kicked his feet off the bed and went to stand up. "Sumire?" Her hands were wrapped around his neck.
"Carry me."
"Are you a child?"
"I'm greedy." She whispered into his ear.
"Ah…" He blushed. "Alright. Hot chocolate time."
Ren put his hands behind his back and lifted her up.
"Ren!"
"What?"
"Sorry. I was trying to get a grip."
"You did that on purpose!"
"Nah…"
Ren piggybacked Sumire to the kitchen, having Morgana open the door using his professional skills.
"Can I put you down now?"
"Nope!"
"I can't make breakfast while I'm carrying you."
Her stomach rumbled.
"Fair point."
Ren laughed as he set her down, and she went to shower. He pulled out the classic ingredients for curry and started cooking. Spending time with Sumire, making curry, and drinking coffee was all therapeutic to him. It took a few weeks, but he was glad that Ryuji and Sakiya were able to work out something. It was better than a few months, or never.
"I could tell just by speaking to the both of them that they're smitten for each other." He grinned and looked down at Morgana.
"I don't see Sakiya that often, so I can't say the same."
"Oh she's definitely in love with him. She just doesn't know it. It's not like she's in denial, but its more so that she really just doesn't want to commit. I don't blame her, but I don't think that will last, either."
"Ryuji did say he was going to steal her heart." Morgana laughed in reply.
"That he did."
"Hmmm… Makoto and Haru's wedding is during Golden Week, right?"
"Yes."
"Have they picked a location?"
"I have no idea. Haru will probably rent out a whole mountain range or something!" Ren snickered.
"She probably would. Poor Makoto…"
"She knew what she was getting into."
"Yeah. She made a good choice, though. Haru is an incredibly sweet girl."
"Mhm… Do you wish you could spend more time with her, Morgana?"
"Of course I do." Morgana nodded. "I'm happy here, too, though."
"And we'd be hopeless without you…"
"Yup!"
Ren sighed, and the two quieted down. Sumire joined them a few minutes later, wearing a comfortable, white sweater and purple sweatpants. She kissed Ren on the cheek and hugged him from behind.
"Is it my turn?"
"Yes! I'll take over from here!"
"Alright…" Ren walked off to the bathroom, leaving Morgana with Sumire.
"Well, it's just you and me, Sumire." Morgana started.
"Mhm!"
"Do you think Sakiya is in love with Ryuji?"
"Hmmm… I can't say that she isn't! Saki-chan feels like the type of girl who needs to figure things out herself. It took me a long time to realize how Kasumi really felt about me… too long. I didn't want to make that same mistake, so I told Ren how I felt! Being a gymnast isn't the same for everyone, though. I want Ren to watch me. I want to perform for him and nobody else. I think Saki-chan wants the whole world to watch her, which is why she's so committed. Ryuji-senpai is just one small part of that, so committing to loving him would make her feel like she's turning her back on the world!"
"That's very insightful of you, Sumire."
"Like I said, I'm not going to repeat my mistakes, and I don't want her to repeat them either. Saki-chan is my rival and my best friend. I want her to know my feelings just as much as I want to know hers!"
"I see…"
"That's all there is to it!"
With a bright smile on her face, Sumire finished making breakfast, swapping out Ren's coffee for hot chocolate. Once he came out of the shower, they sat down to eat, and she eagerly anticipated him picking up the mug.
"Hmmm…" He eyed the mug curiously.
"Is something the matter?"
"No…" He picked it up and took a sip. "Okay maybe."
"You just drank hot chocolate! Isn't it delicious?"
"It's very sweet…"
"Right?"
"Well, the girl who likes to call me senpai in her sleep made it for me, so…" He smirked and smugly raised an eyebrow.
"Wh-" Sumire's face went beet red.
"Heh. Do you want your senpai to watch you at practice today? I'm off…"
"I-I-I don't… I…I…" Her hands shook as she felt blood rush to her cheeks.
"You don't? Aww…"
"Wait! I do! I want you to keep massaging me too!"
"When did I say anything about massages?" Ren grinned devilishly.
"Eep!" She covered her mouth.
"Today's gonna be so funnnn…"
"Rennnnnnnnnnnnnn!"
Morgana sighed and finished his food. Soon after, the couple finished their breakfast, got ready to go practice, and continued their quest to have Sumire turn her pain into strength.
