Sadayo Kawakami played plenty of different roles in her life. Teacher, maid, confidant to the notorious leader of thieves, you know normal things. So it was quite different when she could feel a particular set of eyes on her during her lesson today. In fact maybe more if she was being honest.

Currently, Ann Takamaki was watching her every move like a hawk. She began to sweat nervously as she sat down and saw the girl's eyes flick up and down at her. Kawakami looked behind her and saw Ren not paying any attention to it. He was playing the part of the studious student.

The teacher sighed as she focused on her lesson planner. It was safe to say that her social circle was considerably small if she was looking at her student as a friend. Was it unethical? Most likely. Even with the stigma of the relationship between students and teachers, the two had different personas outside that would draw some eyes on them.

After all a juvenile student and a maid aren't exactly the best pair either. Kawakami inwardly sighed as she continued her lesson.

A long hour later, Ms. Kawakami sat at her desk when she saw Ann and Ren. Ren seemed to be a bit surprised by something that she said before looking at Ms. Kawakami. Kawakami raised an eyebrow before Ren sighed and walked away.

And then it was two. Ann turned to her teacher and sat in front of her.

"Takamaki, what can I help you with?"

"Ms. Kawakami, I...this a bit personal. It's about Ren."

"Amamiya?" Kawakami blinked. Was this what she thought it was? Did she have to answer some things that all highschool girls go through?! "Oh, in what capacity."

"It's about Ren and you!"

The silence was deafening. Kawakami could feel her eye twitch as Ann stared right at her. What on earth could she be talking about? Unless…

"What do you mean by that?" Kawakami started. Ann looked for the right words.

"Mishima saw you guys yesterday. Hanging out." Kawakami began to sweat. Did Mishima see the parcel with her maid costume? Did he hear about their arrangement? Could she play dumb to escape this situation?

"Oh. Is that so?"

"You two are really close. Almost how Kamoshida was with me and Shiho."

If there was coffee in her mouth, Kawakami would've spat that out in a beautiful arc. "Wait, what?! Takamaki, are you accusing me of something?"

"Am I?" Ann pushed. "I don't want to accuse you of anything, but this is my best friend we're talking about and I-"

Kawakami raised her hand. "Are you saying this to make sure I'm not like Kamoshida?"

"Everyone ignored what he was. Even I stood by when Shiho was hurt. I won't let anything like that happen again. Not with me or Ren."

Kawakami sighed and nodded. "I understand what you're saying. The trust you had in us teachers was low during Kamoshida's reign. I can imagine that trust hasn't magically been built up since then."

Ann looked away.

"Ren and I are friends." Kawakami confessed. "He helped me out of a tight spot with work. I was running raggaged from some other things."

Ann remembered the Mementos request that Joker took them on. Kawakami's extortion held some greedy shadows in the metaverse.

"Takamaki, I am a teacher first and foremost. The boundaries between a student and I will only be extended to that of friendship if it goes far. I am not Kamoshida."

Ann sighed and slumped her face into her hands. "Sorry, Ms. Kawakami. I didn't mean to drag that out."

"You're being a good friend to Amamiya. I think he would greatly appreciate the lengths you'd go for him." Ann smiled. "Although, I sort of assumed this conversation would be about something else."

"Something else?"

"I thought you came asking for romantic advice for Ren." Kawakami said. Ann blushed hard as she got up.

"It's nothing like that! I gotta go!" The blonde ran out fast as the teacher laughed.

Sadayo felt something weird in her chest. She put a hand on her bosom and tried to understand that feeling. It was right after seeing Ann freak out about Ren and romance.

"Weird. What was that?"

A Few Hours Later

Kawakami rubbed her head from that conversation. Takamaki wasn't wrong per say. Her experiences with Kamoshida must've left her with some feeling of regret. Dr. Maruki's therapy session may not be as effective as they initially thought.

"Though I guess I haven't been as discreet as I'd like to be." Kawakami said as she stopped at a convenience store. Nothing like curry udon to go to finish the day. "Besides being my student, Amamyia has been a good friend."

A truer friend than any adults in her life. The staff weren't thick as thieves, at most they'll get together for a few drinks before tucking in early. Ms. Chumo was too intense for her and switched at the flip of a coin depending on her actions.

Ren was different.

Kawakami closed her eyes as she hopped on the train.

He was her student. And her master. And a Phantom Thief. Different really is looking more like an understatement. She's seen a few of their calling cards before and the internet speculated what they'd look like. The silhouettes appeared to be the only confirmation of their existence.

Still it was something that the elusive and suave leader of Japan's most notorious group was a dorky high school student that paid for her maid services.

"Suave?"

The conversation from Takamaki and her exhaustion have finally worn down her defenses and into the realm of...intrusive thoughts and a few memories.

Leblanc Cafe

"Master, I've completed your curry!" Kawakami said. "No, I think that's a bit much. Too much pep."

The maid teacher was currently cooking over the stove of the cafe. Ren stepped out for some business and asked her to cook something alongside making some coffee. Given his diet, she aimed to make the house special.

"I can't believe I'm still doing this." She sighed. "What would the Master think if I just slacked off?"

An image of a disappointed Ren loomed over her.

'Eh, this the best curry you can do? Those younger girls at the Maid Cafe make it better.'

Kawakami punched her side. She was very flustered. "Well screw you, Master! It's not like-"

The door rang as she turned to see Ren standing there. "Screw me? Did I startle you?"

"Oh Amamiya! I didn't say that! I just-" She stopped when he titled his head. She sighed again and moved in front of the counter. "Welcome home, Master. I hope you're hungry."

"I actually am. It smells delicious." Ren said. She gestured at the seat and he sat down.

"Well you know me, Becky put all her heart and soul into the dish!"

"You really don't have to that anymore Ms. Kawakami." Ren said as she put down a plate of curry for him. "Join me."

Kawakami blushed a little at the sincerity of the offer and took it. The two said their thanks.

"I hope you know I'll be grading you on this."

"Huh?!"

Ren winked at her as he lifted his spoon. "This curry was taught to me by Boss himself. Curry from other restaurants no longer does it for me. As such, I expect to be blown away if I am to enjoy this curry! After all, I think I can be considered a connoisseur of curry"

Kawakami was sputtering nonsense as Ren lifted the spoon to his lips. "Wait, wait, I didn't expect some-"

The food was in his lips and Kawakami went pale. This was her curry against the boss's. She's eaten it herself and it was heavenly and now her student was going to grade her own against that!

Ren chewed slowly and shook his head to the side.

"I-Is it good?"

Ren paused and swallowed. Turning to her, "It's excellent."

Kawakami let out a sigh of relief as Ren continued to eat his plate. She joined after him with some pride that it was impressive.

"You've really got some talent, Ms. Kawakami."

"Hm?"

"There's a lot of things I ask you to do. Cooking, cleaning, and even crafting some tools for me." Ren turned to her. "All while you're upping your responsibilities as a teacher. I hope it's not cutting into it."

"Don't be silly. If there was something in the way of me working, I would've told you. Remember I look for all my students, but especially you. You've got the reputation of a troublemaker even if it's not true."

"Is it?"

Kawakami chuckled. "Well legally speaking, being a phantom thief might legitimize those claims, but it's not the worst thing out there."

The two turned to their food as Kawakami grabbed her coffee mug. "Truth be told I never really imagined that such a criminal group would help the likes of me. A lazy teacher that put more effort in moonlighting as a maid."

"Kawakami."

"It's true. And you're so young. People your age would be going on dates, studying for your future. Instead, you have the responsibility of almost everyone in Japan looking your way." Kawakami took a sip. "We, adults, should be handling this yet we haven't. Making curry and a smoke bomb should be the least I can do."

Ren stared at her and Kawakami noticed. This new level of vulnerability, it really made her relax and take a moment to look at Ren. He was quite mature for his age, tall, mysterious. He fit the description of several shojo manga she confiscated and read.

The two fell in silence and the teacher felt heat creep up her cheeks as Ren stared on. He removed his glasses and it seemed Kawakami was looking at a different person.

"It's not easy. What we do, what I do, is draining at times. It can overwhelm me, but then I remember you and the others we helped."

"Me?"

"Yeah. Since I'm close to you, I get to see what I did as a Phantom Thief has paid off. It means a lot to see something good come from it."

Her heartbeat picked up. Her hand reached up and cupped his cheek. Some part of her mind was screaming at her.

"I'm happy to help."

The two smiled at each other and Kawakami could just lean in. Ren gave his signature smirk as his hand grazed her thigh. The two leaned in, breaths mingling when they-

Her head snapped up. "That part didn't happen!"

Her outburst caught several people's attention. She covered her face as she was blushing red.

Hopping off the train, Kawakami was racking her brain on what just happened. This was her student and her student was not-whatever that was an area of thought. You think of him as mature for only a few seconds and…

"You two are really close. Almost how Kamoshida was-"

Kawkami paused. Takmaki was looking out for her friend. She was also one of Ren's first friends so their bond is somewhat special. Still the comparison was ugly to say the least.

"I'm nothing like Kamoshida."

She entered her apartment and almost collapsed in bed.

Sadayo Kawakami played plenty of different roles in her life. Teacher, maid, confidant, tool crafter, teacher distracter, chaperone. These were only a few of her personas in life. She shouldn't expect a curveball like a student to ruin that.

She glanced at her closet. The maid outfit was sold to a shop of old rags. It was a statement that she was finally done with that period in her life. The money, the exhaustion, meeting Ren.

She clutched her head as she gazed at the ceiling. Raising her hand, she remembers the time with Ren. Learning how to make the curry and coffee, discussing their time at school together, and even that little moment at the fishing pond where he called her "Master Kawakami".

"Oh no. No, no, no."

Sadayo Kawakami played many roles in her life. A love-struck woman was not one of them.

Outside Takemi Clinic

Futaba took a deep breath as she faced the sign. "You can do this. You can do this."