February 9th
Snow calmly blanketed Tokyo as Ren curled his fingers around one of the many train pivoted grab handles. He shivered as his warm hand met cold metal. Jack Frost wasn't hesitating this year; at least that's how he rationalized it. Since the new year, due to the hectic weather, he elected to wake up a few minutes earlier and take the train to Tokyo Mental Health and UTokyo every day instead of driving. That way, he could snuggle with Sumire for a few extra minutes in the morning, and take the train with her. It was a win-win! Sometimes, he found that she would get up even earlier just to make him coffee. He always felt his heart burst with joy when she did.
"It's almost Valentine's Day," He smiled and looked down at Sumire, who was tightening her scarf with one hand and gripping a grab handle with the other, standing next to him. Her vibrant, beautiful red hair reached down to her neck, her signature red ribbon fashioned as a headband.
"It is!" She smiled and nodded, a simple, small gesture that always made Ren's heart skip a beat.
"No special celebrations though, right?"
"None!"
"Hmm… We do have the weekend off though."
"I'm going to be practicing two out of those three days!"
"Reserving the third day for me?" He smirked and winked.
"W-Well… We also have course work…" The red hue that encompassed her face told him "Yes!"
"Eh. That's nothing. It doesn't hurt to take a day to ourselves," He quickly glanced around and assessed that no-one was listening or paying attention to them before bending down next to her ear. "Besides, I could give you a thorough massage."
The red hue spread across Sumire's entire face as she felt a chill crawl down her back.
"D-Don't say things like that here!" She whispered with a hint of frustration.
"You seem to be enjoying it, though," He whispered back with a smug grin.
"I-I-I am not!" She pulled her scarf up to cover her face.
"You're so adorable." Ren took a deep breath, satisfied. "Just a few more days and it'll be massage city."
"Ren!"
"Hehehe."
Sumire sighed and turned away from him as they waited to arrive at campus stop.
A cold gust of wind sent shivers down Ren's spine as Sumire and him shuffled alongside the crowd to get off the train. "That doesn't make any sense, we were above ground for a bit, but now we're underground! Is it really that cold? Damn you, Jack Frost!" He yelled to himself, gritting his teeth as Sumire grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. She guided him up and out of the subway, only for them to be hit by another wave of cold winds.
"Ughhhh… Sumire, can I tuck my hands against your waist?" Ren sniffled.
"This is why you should always wear three layers during the winter, Ren!" Sumire squinted her eyebrows, reaching her hands up and adjusting his scarf.
"You're acting like a mom," he giggled.
"A mom?" She immediately jumped back, as red-faced as she was on the train, "I-I-I'm not a… Ren!"
"Now I'm feeling all warmed up!" He lifted his hands and placed them against her cheeks.
"H-Hey! W-W-We're in public!" Sumire shouted within a whisper, quickly gripped her hands around his and pulled them off, panicking.
"No one is paying attention to us," Ren tilted his head, "No one ever has, and no one will, at least not until we've taken the world stage."
"Ren…" Sumire's eyes widened.
"That being said, we have more pressing matters, like class!"
"Oh, right!"
"The snow's only going to pick up, so let's hurry!"
Ren intertwined his fingers around Sumire's, and the two began their snowy trek to UTokyo with a brisk jog.
Their day passed by like every other, with the two going to their separate classes and then practice or work. Sumire continued practicing with Hanako and Sakiya, though Hanako ended up staying late more often than not. Not wanting to fall behind, the rivals begged Murakami and Hiraguchi to join her, to which the coaches obliged. Ren continued his work at Tokyo Mental Health, receiving an influx of clients thanks to the winter blues. He managed to keep his spirits high, knowing Sumire was always waiting for him at home with a smile. Maruki appeared less frequently, but always managed to make it for appointments with Hanako. Once he finished his work there, he took the train home, where Sumire was waiting for him. After a quick warm-up shower and cup of coffee, Ren snuggled up on the couch next to her, resting his head on her legs, a ritual they performed daily at this point.
"I really can't tell if I like long hair or short hair more…" Ren brushed his fingers through Sumire's bangs.
"Want me to try a mid-length style sometime?"
"Like what?"
"I'd grow my hair out to my upper back and tie it in a ponytail!"
"I see… I do miss your big, poofy ponytail sometimes though."
"You should have told me that before I cut it then, silly!"
"But I also really like your short hair!" Ren sighed, "I wonder if cognitive psience would allow you or me to change our appearance in the Metaverse…"
"It's far too late to test that out, Ren." Sumire shook her head, "Besides, I like it when you're not putting yourself in danger constantly."
"Sorry…"
"Don't apologize. I'm the one reminiscing about a problem I don't need to worry about…"
"Classic Sumire, right?"
"Yes."
A few minutes of silence. The buzz of a phone.
"Hello?" Ren leaned up and adjusted himself on the couch.
"Hello, Amamiya-kun? Thank goodness you picked up…"
"What's up, Doc?"
"I'm sorry to ask you this so brazenly and out of nowhere, but could you babysit Etsuko next Sunday, on the 16th? I've run through all of my contacts, but they're all busy or have babysat her enough times to the point where I just feel bad asking again… Rumi suggested I ask you, but I told her that you're just kids…"
"Sure." Ren answered plainly.
"Really?" Maruki sounded relieved, "Thank you so much! We'll provide you with baby food, formula, and everything else you'll need. All you need to do is watch her. Do Yoshizawa-san or you have any experience taking care of an infant?"
"Sumire goes to the daycare at the University of Tokyo often. She's taken care of infants and toddlers. It's so adorable when I find her there, looking after all those kids."
"That's wonderful to hear! Rumi took a liking to Yoshizawa-san. She thought she really had what it took to be a, as Sakura-san called it, a 'mama.' I guess she wasn't far off, considering that Yoshizawa-san visits a daycare."
"Hehehehehehe. She has quite a bit of experience." Ren scratched his chin, smirked and laughed.
"You're talking to Dr. Maruki, Ren? Why are you talking about my work at the daycare?" Sumire gave him a confused look.
"Just a minute," He held up a finger.
"Do you want us to meet up at your place?"
"Yes, please."
"Got it."
"Thank you again, Amamiya-kun! I'll see you then!"
"Goodbye."
"Are Dr. Maruki, Rumi-san and Etsuko-chan alright?" An increasingly worried look covered her face.
"They're fine." Ren answered with a straight face. "We're going to babysit Etsuko-chan on the Sunday after Valentine's Day."
"W-W-W-We're going to WHAT?" Sumire's face exploded red. "You just agreed like that?"
"Yeah."
Complete poker face.
"I-You-We-Babysit?" Sumire felt her heart pounding and her face melting from the heat.
"Yup."
"We aren't qualified at all!"
"Rumi thinks you make a good mama, and you've worked at a daycare! That counts for a lot!"
"Wha-" Sumire froze, her mouth agape, "M-M-M-Me?"
"Yes you," Ren poked her cheek, grinning.
"I-I-I-I-Uh-Um...I…"
"Is she wrong?" He leaned in closer.
"W-W-Well… I-I'm just… We're… I don't have enough experience!" She picked up a pillow and buried her face in it.
"Yes you do." Ren gently tapped her shoulder. "I've seen you taking care of those toddlers. Besides…" A massive, devilish grin grew across his face. "You sounded like you were having the time of your life, taking care of Etsuko-chan in your sleep."
"UM." Sumire froze, too embarrassed to think.
"I think it's a good opportunity for some hands-on experience, since you seem to want to in your dreams!" Ren laughed.
"O-Opportunity!?" Her lips quivered as her arms shook wildly. "I-I-I never said anything like that!"
"I heard it with my own two ears…" Ren tapped his ears. "I mean, we're going to be parents someday, right?"
She froze again.
"Well?" He poked her again.
"T-T-That's so far from now, though!" She rapidly shook her head, her face a garden of red roses.
"Practice makes perfect, Sumire. You tell me that every day."
"R-Ren! This is a baby we're talking about! A tiny, cute… adorable.. sweet… little baby…"
"See, perfect!" Ren gave her a thumbs up, "Besides, if you don't want to, I'll just have to do it alone, since I agreed."
"I-I-I… Fine! I'll help you! Who knows what you'd do alone with a baby!"
Sumire crossed her arms and puffed her cheeks in a huff.
"Thank you, sweetie."
"J-J-Just ask next time you want to do something like this, okay?"
"I'm sorry…" Ren reached his arms around her and hugged her. "I wanted to help the Doc out."
"I know... " Sumire slowly calmed down and rested her head on his shoulder. "You're so selfless…"
"I guess… But I'm definitely selfish when it comes to you." With a conniving grin, he nibbled her ear lightly.
"H-Hey!"
"Yes?"
"L-Let me be selfish, too…"
"Oh?" His grin widened.
"W-Well, it's.. Um… you know… um…" Her eyes darted left and right as she nervously tapped her fingers against his hands.
"You want a massage?"
"..."
"I don't even need to ask, do I?" Ren chuckled and ran his hand through her deep-red hair, "I guess I owe it to you since I said yes without asking…"
"That's right!" Sumire excitedly nodded, "You owe it to me!"
"Well then who am I to refuse?" With a deft swipe Ren picked Sumire up as he stood up, carrying her to their bed, where he then proceeded to give her a thorough, extremely pleasurable massage.
Thursday, February 13th
"The weather's pretty bad tonight, Sumire." Ren tightened his grip around her hand as they stepped onto the train platform, preparing to walk to the Aoyama Cemetery.
"I'm not going to let bad weather stop me from visiting Kasumi, Ren." Sumire gave him a determined look, shaking her head.
"I know. That's why I'm coming with you."
"Thank you. Should we bring Morgana-senpai next time?"
"I'm not sure… We'll think about it."
The couple exited the station and stepped out onto the snowy streets, illuminated by a vast array of lights, whether it be street-lamps or massive skyscrapers in the distance.
"Back in the country, everything was dark after 7 at night in the winter." Ren took a deep breath as they began their trek to the cemetery. "Even after living in Shibuya for well over three years, I'm just not used to this."
"And you're afraid of heights." Sumire playfully stuck out her tongue.
"It's only gotten worse with time." He sighed. "Back in the Metaverse I never even thought about it."
"Your persona did have wings!"
"And I had a grappling hook. On top of that, I just… I never feared anything. I was free, determined and unstoppable."
A disappointed sigh escaped him as he reminisced.
"You still are to me, Ren." Sumire gave him a reassuring smile. "You never stopped being the confident, proud man I feel in love with."
Ren felt a wave of relief wash over him as he saw Sumire looking at him without a hint of falsehood.
"Thanks…"
"Of course!"
"You're still the same graceful, beautiful and bold woman I fell in love with." He smiled, and she kissed him on the cheek.
"You're the one who lets me show myself off, Ren."
Ren gulped and blushed. "Yup… There's the bold…"
"You're cute when you think you're in control." Sumire winked and turned back to face the street. Ren felt his face burning red for once. Just what did she mean by that?
As cold snowflakes constantly hit his face, Ren managed to finally calm down as they entered the cemetery. Sumire went about the routine of cleaning the grave, though it was a bit more difficult in the winter. She allowed Ren to help her now, which made the process a bit easier. The cherry blossom tree had bared itself with the onset of winter, but Sumire knew it wouldn't be long until it blossomed once more. Once they finished, Sumire stood up and clapped her hands in a prayer, preparing to speak.
"Hi, Kasumi. Not too much has happened since we last spoke. Ren and I made another promise, but I already told you about that. I've kept the thoughts in my mind as I practice my routine. I want to turn my pain into strength, and when I recall my memories of you; the times we practiced together, got ice cream, and caused trouble, I think I'm starting to see it all differently. Before Ren helped me realize it, I always saw everything we did as you doing something, and me being there to watch. It didn't feel like I was doing things with you, not until now. I'm sorry about that. I was a huge idiot, but I'm done misinterpreting everything. I promised a while ago to face the future head-on. I need to start doing what I say I'll do, and I want you to make sure I don't run away. Ren will help you, too, so don't stress yourself out. Thanks, Kasumi."
Sumire opened her eyes and stepped back as she felt a warm sensation well up in her heart. Ren stepped forward, clapped his hands, and closed his eyes.
"Hello again, Kasumi. You obviously just heard Sumire, but we're going to work hard to finally eliminate the last of her pain. You've watched her practice, and I'm sure that you're just as confident as I am that she can do it. A long time ago, Coach Hiraguchi told us that you practiced so hard because you were afraid that Sumire would completely outclass you with her grace. You considered her a rival, although you didn't say it. Was she right? Whenever I watch Sumire perform a routine, I'm driven to tears. It's always so indescribably beautiful that I'm left without words. The only time she breaks down and cries from the stress is when she's in my arms. She gets stressed about her routines, her lack of improvement, how she thinks she'll never make it… and how she thinks she's failing you. That's what we're aiming to stop completely. Both of us know that she doesn't want to think like that, but mental scars don't disappear so easily. It's been a long, hard road, but I think we've almost reached the point where she'll think about these things and tell me 'I'm going to do better,' instead of 'I wish I could do better.' Please watch over us until then. Thank you."
Ren exhaled and opened his eyes after finishing, turning to Sumire. She silently gave him a nod, and the two cleaned the grave together before making their way back home.
On Valentines Day, Sumire practiced and Ren worked. Once they made their ways home, Sumire presented him with some homemade chocolate, and the two did some more preparations to babysit Etsuko. Sumire explained some of the basics to Ren, telling him that caring for toddlers and infants was primarily experience based, and was not something a person could read up on and pretend to know, or as Ren loved to do, wing it. They spent the better part of their night relaxing together, and on Saturday they repeated this routine.
Sunday, February 16th, Afternoon
With a crunch under their feet, Ren and Sumire stepped out of their car in front of the Maruki residence. Snow lightly fell as they stepped up to the door and knocked.
"Ah, hello Amamiya-kun, Yoshizawa-san. Thank you for coming." Maruki opened the door, and the couple saw him wearing a fine white suit, his hair slicked back.
"Well that's a blast from the past, Doc." Ren shivered as he stepped inside, Sumire right behind him.
"I apologize if my appearance elicits any negative memories. Rumi picked this out for me, and didn't want me going out with a 'mophead,' as she stated." Maruki nervously chuckled and sighed.
"It's okay, Dr. Maruki," Sumire gave him a nod. "I just hope Ren never combs his hair like that."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh I just like his hair the way it is, that's all!" She lightly blushed.
"I'm right here, Sumire." Ren lightly ruffled his hair with his hand.
"I see… Well, in any case, step inside." Maruki opened the next door on their right, and they all stepped into the main living room. Rumi wore a long yellow dress and her hair straightened, reaching her lower back. She held Etsuko in her arms, who was wearing cat-patterned pajamas and immediately turned her attention to Sumire.
"Oh, great! You're here!" Rumi excitedly walked up to Ren and Sumire. "I hope Takuto didn't give you two a hard time. He didn't beg, did he?"
"Not at all." Ren shook his head.
"Good! Him and I are going to have one heck of a time today! Thanks for offering to look after Etsuko! Here you go!" Rumi held Etsuko out to Sumire, whose eyes went wide.
"Huh? You're just going to leave?"
"C'mon, take her! She wants you to hold her!" Rumi giggled, lightly bouncing Etsuko up and down, who also laughed.
"Um…" Sumire looked at Ren, who gave her an approving nod.
"O-Okay…" Swallowing her anxiety, Sumire took a hold of Etsuko.
"See, it's not so bad!" Rumi gave her a thumbs up.
"Um….."
"Bababaaba!" Etsuko babbled and grabbed at Sumire's coat.
"Oh! She really does like you!" Maruki laughed. "I guess we really don't have anything to worry about. You know what to do, right, Yoshizawa-san? Just make sure she doesn't get into any trouble."
"Right… Feed her when she's hungry... " Sumire took deep breaths.
Rumi clapped. "I have faith in you, Mama Yoshizawa-san!"
"T-That's not-!"
"Mama Yoshizawa, huh?" Ren rubbed his chin, smirking.
"Not you too, Ren!" Sumire pouted as Etsuko continued to babble.
"Alright! The food is all laid out on the table." Rumi pointed at their dinner table. "And diapers are in the storage closet right in the main hallway!"
"Diapers… Food…" Sumire went through her mental checklist.
"This ought to be fun…" Ren chuckled. "You'll do just fine. Sumire spends a lot of time at the daycare at our University. Isn't that right?"
"Eep!"
"That's even better! Takuto mentioned that after talking to you." Rumi stretched. "Well, I think that covers everything!" She wrapped her hand around Maruki's. "Let's go!"
"Thank you, Amamiya-kun, Yoshizawa-san. I truly appreciate this." With a bow, Maruki and Rumi made their way out of the apartment, leaving Ren and Sumire with Etsuko.
"I… I…" Sumire looked down at the baby Ren and she now had to take care of, "Wh-Wha…"
"You look so cute right now!" Ren stepped up to her and patted her head.
"This is so embarrassing!" Her face flushed red as she looked between Ren and Etsuko, who giggled.
"She likes it when you blush, huh?"
"T-This isn't funny!"
"Gaogao!"
"Oh… But she's so cute…" Sumire slowly leaned in her head toward Etsuko's face, smiling.
"She is…" Ren wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Let's sit down."
"Hold on…" Etsuko wiggled in Sumire's arms, babbling.
"I think she wants to crawl around."
"Do you speak baby?" Ren laughed.
"O-Of course not! I just know some of the things babies do when they want something…"
"So they have some sort of universal language?"
"Not really… The mother needs to learn their baby's signals, which can be unique."
"I see… You sure know a lot about this…" He grinned.
"We wouldn't be doing this if I didn't!" She pouted. "I can't believe you just agreed!"
With a sigh, Sumire set Etsuko down on the bed while she crouched in front of the bed. Ren sat on the bed after being motioned to by Sumire. Etsuko started the crawl around, attempting to stand up and repeatedly falling. Her eyes darted between Sumire and Ren as she babbled nonsense.
"Bahhhhh!" Etsuko crawled up to Ren, batting him with one of her hands.
"Do you want me to hold you?" Ren laughed, and then felt himself internally panic. He looked at Sumire, a nervous look on his face.
"H-How do I pick her up?"
"You really don't know?" Sumire sighed. "I can't believe you just accepted that offer!"
"I didn't want to shoot Doc down like that!'
"For most other situations, it'd be fine!" Sumire pouted and stood up before sitting next to Etsuko, parallel to Ren. "You need to scoop one hand under her and support her head with the other."
"Alright…" Ren gently picked Etsuko up, who eyed him curiously. "This is more intense than i thought…"
"That's because you're taking care of a baby! They can't take care of themselves!"
"Right…"
"Habbah!" Etsuko waved her hands and grabbed at Ren's chin scruff.
"Ah! Hey!"
"Pa!"
"Did she just try to call me pa?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not sure… I don't know if Dr. Maruki and Rumi-san have been trying to teach her to say 'mama' and 'papa.' yet."
"Hmmmm…"
Ren slowly lifted Etsuko and spun her around, letting her support her feet on his legs. She held her so she was facing Sumire.
"Etsuko-chan. Say mama!"
"Wh- Ren!" Sumire blushed, and Etsuko giggled.
"C'mon, Etsuko-chan!"
"Mamama!"
"Close!"
"Mamama!"
"Well, it's something."
"Rennnnn!"
"Mama Sumi!" He laughed.
"Rennnnn!"
Etsuko's face slowly shifted as she began to mimic a sucking sound.
"Oh? What's she doi-" Ren was interrupted by a sudden outburst as she began to cry. "Crap! What'd I do?"
"Hold on!" Sumire jumped up while Ren turned Etsuko around as her crying grew louder.
"What's wrong, Etsuko-chan? I'm right here! Uhhh…"
Ren realized for the first time in his life. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing, and he had no idea how to wing it. This little, loud, crying human was a completely foreign entity to him. He had fought two gods, but he didn't know what to do with this small baby.
"It's alright…" He cooed her, picking her up and trying to rock her. Nothing worked.
"Uhhhh…. Sumire!" He looked over at Sumire, who was preparing the baby bottle.
"I think she's hungry! Just hold on!"
"Arsene? Parvati? Zeus? Nope… Nope… I don't have a Persona for this! Mother Harlot, maybe?" Ren internally went through his compendium, panicking.
"Gently hold her up!" Sumire instructed him, holding the prepared bottle. She lightly brushed the tip of the bottle against Etsuko's lips as she screamed. Slowly but surely, she calmed down , and when Sumire saw the opportunity, she gently slipped the bottle into her mouth. Etsuko latched onto it and began sucking on it while Sumire held it.
"You're a big eater, aren't you, Etsuko-chan?" Sumire spoke softly, and Ren sighed in relief.
"How did you stop her…?"
"Babies cry for a lot of reasons. I didn't smell anything, and she doesn't seem tired yet. Either she wanted to be burped or fed, and it looks like she wanted to eat." Sumire replied in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I'm so sorry for jumping into this…" Ren hung his head low. "I really had no idea…"
"I don't blame you." Sumire shook her head. "You've always been like this… Diving in headfirst and helping others without asking a single question. I love that about you."
"Sumire…"
"But…" Her eyes narrowed, and Ren felt a nervous sweat break out as she gave him a death glare. "When it comes to taking care of a child, you need to know what you're doing. Babies are very delicate, and you can't use a persona to help you."
"How did you know I was thinking about that?" Ren averted his gaze, looking the other way.
Sumire sighed.
"Sometimes, Ren…"
"I'm sorry!"
"You owe me a dozen massages, okay? Also, let me call you senpai for the rest of the day!" Sumire grabbed his ear with her free hand.
"Fine, fine!"
"Good!" Sumire giggled as Etsuko let go of the bottle and began giggling with her.
"You're in on this too, huh Etsuko-chan?" Ren looked at her and shook his head.
"Ga!"
"I see…"
Etsuko hiccuped.
"Oh! I think Etsuko-chan needs to be burped!" Sumire put the bottle down and picked Etsuko up, pressing her stomach against her arm and shoulder. She patted Etsuko's back gently.
"There you go, Etsuko-chan."
Etsuko kept her mouth open as she attempted to burp, and several minutes passed with nothing.
"Hmmmm…" Sumire spun her around. "You try, Ren. Just press her belly against you and gently pat her back."
"S-Sure…" Ren took a hold of Etsuko again, pressing her against him. She was incredibly warm and soft. "Uh… There you go…" He patted her back, and surprisingly, she started burping.
"Oh, hey! She's doing it, Sumire!" Ren found himself smiling as she burped.
"Good job!"
"Why am I enjoying this…?" Ren thought to himself. "I was stressed out a moment ago with her crying, but knowing that she's burping is… satisfying? I don't get it."
"You seem to be having fun, Ren." Sumire smirked at him, a satisfied look in her eyes.
"W-Well…"
"Wait… How did this happen?" He realized the predicament he was in, mentally putting the pieces together.
"Eughhhh…." Etsuko tapped Ren's chest and shoulder repeatedly with her hands, wiggling.
"Do you want to crawl around again?"
"Bah!"
"Okay…"
Ren set Etsuko down, and she began to crawl around on the best. Sumire made funny faces toward her, sticking out her tongue and wiggling her fingers, which caused her to laugh. The three of them continued this for the next hour or so, with both Ren and Sumire keeping their focus on the bay they were responsible for. At one point, Etsuko's face shriveled and she giggled. The two smelt what had happened, and Sumire showed Ren how to change her.
"Babies are disgusting!" He pinched his nose with two fingers.
"What happened to gloating about wanting to have one, Senpai?" Sumire giggled as she wiped Etsuko clean.
"Eh!?" Ren blushed. "Well… That's…"
"I thought so." Sumire smirked and wrapped another diaper around Etsuko. "We only have one more hour with you, Etsuko-chan!" She tickled her belly. "Let's get a little nap time, okay?"
Ren felt his heart throb at the sight.
"Sumire is so ridiculously good at this… I really would have been screwed! She looks so cute when she's taking care of Etsuko! I can't believe I just said yes! I really owe her! Damnit!"
"Sit down with me, Ren-senpai."
"Alright…"
Ren and Sumire sat on the couch, Etsuko held in Sumire's arms.
"I've always found it very easy to make a baby fall asleep. You need to gently rock them and keep your eyes on them until they eventually doze off! It's good if you've let them move a lot, too!"
"She was definitely moving…" Ren weakly laughed. He was completely out of his zone, and Sumire knew that. She had him wrapped around her finger.
"You're so well-behaved, Etsuko-chan! Rumi-san and Dr. Maruki take really good care of you!"
"Papapa!" She giggled and waved her arms.
"Mhm!"
"Mamama!"
"That's right!"
"Now I see why Futaba wanted to take pictures…" Ren smiled, wrapping his arm around Sumire's back.
"Everyone saw them… mom… dad… grandma… I'll have to get Futaba back for it!"
"I didn't think you were the type for revenge, Sumire."
"I'm not, but I've seen how flustered Futaba gets around Hanako-chan."
"Is that so?"
"Yes!"
"Hmmm…"
"Do Rumi-san and the Doc really do this every day? I'm exhausted…" Ren yawned, and Etsuko yawned in return.
"It's very tiring, but it's also very rewarding to know the baby is happy and healthy at the end of the day!" Sumire giggled.
"You really are a mom already…"
"If I am, then I want you to be ready to be a dad, Ren."
"Uh-Oh…" He blushed.
"We still have a lot of time before then, but promise me you'll be more prepared, okay?"
"Absolutely."
"Good!"
Etsuko and Ren dozed off, with Ren resting his head on Sumire's shoulder. An incredible happiness enveloped her as she smiled to herself.
"One day, Ren… One day I'll finally take care of you… I just need to wait a little bit longer…"
Sumire patiently waited for Rumi and Maruki to return home, forcing herself not to doze off. Of all the important things she learned, one of the most important was to not leave the baby unattended. In some circumstances it was okay, but she refused to let Rumi and Dr. Maruki down. Etsuko didn't wake up over the next few hours, gently sleeping in the crib after Sumire set her down. Ren fell over onto the couch and took his own nap, completely burnt out from babysitting. Eventually, the parents returned home.
"Hello!" Rumi whispered as she opened the door. "Yoshizawa-san? Amamiya-san?"
"Hello, Rumi-san." Sumire waved. "Etsuko-chan is asleep."
"You managed to get her to fall asleep, huh?" Rumi walked up and looked in the crib. "Gotta say, I'm impressed."
"It appears that Amamiya-kun fell asleep, too." Maruki gave Sumire a worried look.
"He signed up for more than he thought, Dr. Maruki." She smiled and shook her head.
"So there are things that even he can't handle… You appear to be fine, though."
"Yes!" She nodded. "This isn't my first time taking care of infants. I hope this teaches Ren-senpai a good lesson!"
"It will." Rumi reached her hand in and rubbed Etsuko's cheek. "You did great, Yoshizawa-san. I knew she liked you, but given the fact that she fell asleep and there isn't a mess means that she must have been really cooperative."
"She was. Of course, she cried a few times, but I calmed her down. I taught Ren how to burp her, too!"
"He's got a lot to learn, huh?"
"He does…" Sumire sighed.
"You two will be great parents." Rumi smirked. "I just know it."
"Um… Thank you."
"When you two have a kid, let her play with big sis Etsuko sometime, alright?"
"O-Of course…" Sumire's cheeks burned red.
"Thank you very much again, Yoshizawa-san. I cannot express how much I appreciate this." Maruki bowed. "I won't ask this of you again."
"No no, it's okay! Feel free to ask us if the situation calls for it, Dr. Maruki!" She waved her hands lightly.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course!"
"Thank you again!"
"Nnnnnhh…" Ren slowly opened his eyes. "Huh?" He leaned up. "Oh."
"Good evening, papa Amamiya-san." Rumi smiled and waved.
"Ah… I'm so sorry for falling asleep!"
"Don't sweat it, kid! Taking care of a baby is exhausting."
"I know that now…" Ren sighed.
"Thank you for working with Yoshizawa-san to take care of Etsuko, Amamaiya-kun."
"No problem, Doc. I'm not sure if I want to again…"
"Yoshizawa-san already said she would if the need arose."
"Oh…" Ren wanted to tease her, but he knew the spot he was in. "Well, you know what they say… The best thing you can say to your girlfriend is 'yes.'"
"You're a smart one, kid!" Rumi laughed and gave him a thumbs up.
"That's a good way to think about things, Amamaiya-kun." Maruki nodded along.
"That's right!" Sumire wrapped her arms around Ren's right arm.
"Oh, it looks like someone is waking up!" Rumi picked up Etsuko, who slowly opened her eyes. "Say goodbye to Yoshizawa-san and Amamiya-san!"
"Bababa!" Etsuko reached her arms out toward Sumire.
"No no, Etsuko! Yoshizawa-san needs to go home now." Rumi kissed her forehead.
"I apologize if my departure causes her to cry!" Sumire bowed.
"It can't be helped! Get going!" Rumi waved her off.
"Goodbye, Amamiya-kun, Yoshizawa-san!" Maruki waved as they made their way out.
"Goodbye!"
The couple put on their shoes and exited the apartment, walking to their car.
"Today I learned that taking care of a baby is not easy!" Ren pressed his head against the back of the headrest after sitting down in the car.
"It's not, but it feels nice, doesn't it?" Sumire gave him a warm smile.
"I-It does... "
"You're so cute when you get embarrassed, Ren-senpai! It feels even better knowing that no one else gets to see this side of you~"
"Right… Massages... " Ren sighed and turned on the car.
That night, Sumire got a thorough massage, with Ren putting in extra effort to relax the various muscles across her body. He went to bed humbled, having learned a valuable lesson that day.
March 1st
Hanako cheerfully sat down across from Ren in the familiar, welcoming room where they had their sessions.
"Hello, Amamaiya-san!"
"Hello, Natsuki-san. You appear to be in a good mood."
"I am!" She nodded. "I reconciled with my friend since I last visited, and my other friends appear to be in better moods again! I think they talked, but they've been keeping themselves busy."
"That's good to hear. What brought you here today, then?" Ren adjusted his glasses and pressed his pen against his notebook.
"I wanted to update you on my progress for the Olympics! I've been practicing every day!"
"Every day? Does that get stressful at all?"
"It's not stressful." Hanako shook her head. "I do feel butterflies in my stomach when I think about performing, but I think that's because of something else. Lately, my best friend, the one I'm romantically in love with, she's been coming to watch me practice, and I think I'm starting to realize something!"
"What would that be?" He gave her a curious look.
"I can't really say yet!"
"I see."
"Don't worry, though! I don't think it's a bad feeling. Actually, I think it's really good!"
"So it's a motivational feeling, then?"
"I think so!"
"It's good to be motivated." Ren nodded. "Of course, gymnastics isn't the only thing you want to be motivated about. How's university?"
"It's great! My friend helps me study for everything, even though I'm training every day! Some nights, she'll even stay with me at my apartment and fall asleep at the desk! I'll carry her to the bed so she can be comfortable!" Hanako gleefully smiled as she talked about Futaba.
"Has forging such a close bond with someone helped you when it comes to your anxiety and condition? She sounds very important to you."
"Yes it has! She accepts me for who I am, even though I only talk about gymnastics and anime. For a long time, people didn't want to talk to me because I was too passionate, I think. They thought I was too into gymnastics, to an unnerving degree. All through elementary and highschool, nobody really wanted to talk to me. I had my family, although they wanted me to focus on school and pursue 'my interests' as secondary goals. It was always about getting good grades…"
"That must have been rough, but I can see why you value your friend so much."
"Right! I love her! Romantically! I'm so happy that I was able to realize that."
"Right. Now that you're happy with your current standing with your friend, what do you want to do? You mentioned that there was something you wanted to figure out."
"There is something I need to figure out. It's something that I'll only be able to understand during a certain moment, I think. Love is tricky, like you said!" Hanako happily giggled. "I feel like I'll be able to understand more after the wedding I'm going to! I forgot to mention that!"
"A wedding?"
Ren knew it was Makoto and Haru's wedding. She was doing everything to maintain neutrality, so he was going to do his part too. He knew he needed to let her speak her side of the story, and it was his job to listen.
How much longer would this last, though? Every session, maintaining neutrality becomes a harder task. They both know much more they're becoming involved in each other's lives. What was he supposed to do? He wanted to help Hanako more than anyone else. He was going to help her. That was out of the question.
"Yes! Two of my friends are getting married during Golden Week, and they invited me! I've never been to a wedding before, so I'm really excited!"
"I hope you have fun, Natsuki-san."
"I will!" Hanako took a deep breath. "Thank you, Amamiya-san."
"Thank you?" He gave her a curious look.
"Yes! Thank you for helping me, even though there doesn't appear to be much wrong with me. I know what it's like to love now, I'm going to the Olympics… I know why I act the way I do… There isn't much left for me to understand. That's all because you helped me!"
"I don't think so, Natsuki-san." Ren shook his head. "You did all of that yourself. I merely gave you advice."
"Well in that case, I think having someone to talk to about even the smallest problems helps a lot! So thank you again, and I look forward to working through my problems with talking to large crowds with you!"
Ren felt the word Charity echo within the sea of his soul for the eighth time as Hanako poured her heart out to him. They spent the rest of her scheduled time talking about the various things happening in her life, elaborating on how excited she was to go to the Olympics, how much of an honor she considered it, as well as how nervous it made her in the sense that she was in fact going, and would be competing against some of the best rhythmic gymnasts in the world. The session passed by quickly as they spoke, with Ren more enthusiastic than ever to make sure Hanako was finding her happiness. He returned home with a smile on his face, satisfied that he could actually help someone. For all the clients he had lost, was forced to turn down and reject, and refused his services, Hanako was the one that made him want to keep going, no matter what.
"Welcome home, Ren!" Sumire kissed Ren on the cheek as he went to take off his shoes. Since their babysitting session, she called him senpai sparingly, waiting until she knew he was the most vulnerable for teasing. He had lost the high ground when it came to surprising her, but he enjoyed it all the same. Her satisfied smile when she managed to make him blush made him fall in love with her all over again. It wasn't as great as her blush, but if she was happy, he was happy.
"Anything interesting happened today besides practice?" Ren took off his coat and hung it up.
"We received our final letter for Haru-senpai and Makoto-senpai's wedding! It's at the St. Mary Church in Kyoto, and the reception is at the Wilton Hotel and Buffet afterward!"
"Wilton? Seriously?" Ren's eyes widened. "I thought this was a private wedding with only a few guests! Did Haru really buy out the entire hotel for her reception?"
"Are you actually that surprised, Ren?" Morgana laughed, standing at Ren's feet.
"You know what… Now that I think about it. No."
"Exactly."
"We get the entire buffet to ourselves, Ren! Can you imagine it?" Sumire's eyes sparkled.
"It is pretty damn good."
"Does that letter have a guest list?" Ren held out his hand, and Sumire gave it to him. "That's a yes… Let's see… Sojiro, Sae, Ryuji, Ann, Shiho, Sakiya, Hanako, Futaba, Yusuke, Takakura-san… Even your parents. About everyone I expected."
"Who's Takakura-san?" Sumire gave him a confused look.
"He is one of the executive directors at Big Bang Burger. He helped Haru shift the vision and goal of the company back toward being a family business, like her grandfather envisioned. It's an ongoing process, but he's been a huge help. She's probably talked about him before."
"I see! No wonder Haru-senpai invited him!"
"Looks like Haru invited your parents, too. Do you think it's because of that collaboration your dad and her did?"
"Yes! She really liked dad!"
"Hmmm… I wonder how Sae feels about her little sister getting married. Heh."
"She's probably really happy!"
"Yeah, probably. It'll be good to see Sojiro again. The more I think about it, the more I miss that smug old man."
"Boss-san is like another father to you, right?"
"Yeah. Life is like a tornado, though. I get so caught up in work and stuff that I forget to keep in contact with people. I really should check in with my old confidants sometime."
Ren sighed and placed his head against Sumrie's.
"I'll have to think about it though." He closed his eyes. "For now… Could I rest on your lap? This week is going to be crazy."
"Of course you can!"
With a smile, Sumire grabbed Ren's hand, walked him into the main room, and let him rest on her lap as the evening came to a close. He dozed off thinking about the upcoming wedding and the joy of having a celebration for his friends in their next step of adulthood.
