A/N: There are some slight changes to the universe. Sae is a bit younger than portrayed in P5R. Other small changes are going to be the timing of certain events here and there. Narrative convenience demands as much. Without further ado... enjoy!

Chapter 1. The Second of Many

(May 29) Late Evening

Stepping out into the spring evening air, Sae Niijima maintained a dignified, if exhausted poise. She had been at the office far past her normal hours. All the cases of mental shutdowns had been piling up and now with a strange rumor of changing hearts and the Shujin scandal, her workload had certainly increased. She was still expected to perform her normal prosecutor duties and was due in court the next day. On top of all that, the renowned painter Ichiryusai Madarame had received a calling card from the mysterious Phantom Thieves that very morning.

She wasn't quite sure what to make of them. The first calling card had looked cartoonish and more like a child's arts and crafts project. This new one had a sleeker, more polished, look to it. It was concerning, but she supposed she'd have to wait and see if there was more to this case than coincidence and petty vandalism.

With all the commotion, luckily Sae had caught a small break. She had enough time to relax for an hour or two before she'd have to head back into the office. Sae stifled a yawn; the very thought of another night's work sent a phantom headache to her temple.

She needed a good cup of coffee. At the very least the stimulant could provide the barest feeling of alertness. Heading for where she parked, a small cafe in Yongen Jaya came to mind.

"Hold down the shop while I'm out. I'll be right back, I'm just going out for some smokes."

Ren nodded into the sink of dishes as Sojiro slipped off his cafe apron. As Ren rinsed his hands of soap, Sojiro cracked open Leblanc's wooden door, a pleasant chime signaling his departure.

"Hey!" He called back to Ren.

The bespeckled teen, previously monitoring the counter, regarded his guardian.

"I'm trusting you with this, don't mess up my shop, punk."

The old man's eyes darted to Morgana sleepily curled up on the countertops, enjoying the heat of the coffee machines.

"Same goes for the cat!"

With those parting words of encouragement, Sojiro slipped out of the door and into the cool evening alleyway. Ren couldn't help the smile that wormed its way to his lips. Morgana cracked a cerulean blue eye, stretched, and sat up.

"Seems like the chief is starting to warm up to you."

Ren nodded, sighed in contentment, and turned away from the door. It was quiet in Leblanc, the few regulars who came in for dinner had already left. It wouldn't be long before the cafe closed shop for the night.

While preparing the bean ratios for a blend, Morgana let out a soft mewling yawn and settled behind the counter next to the cafe machinery.

"Purr… Wake me up when your shift is done."

Within seconds, he was sound asleep, purring softly. As cute as Morgana's cat behavior was, it came with a slightly bitter reminder. Today they had stolen Madarame's treasure. During their fight with the ruler of vanity, Morgana had been knocked out of the battle a number of times. He soured at the memory. As their leader, he felt responsible for their injuries.

Setting the coffee beans aside, he reached out and pet the small creature, gently stroking its fur.

"You did good today Morgana. I'll work on being a better leader."

Ren chuckled to himself as the black ball of fur purred louder. If Morgana was awake, he'd be so annoyed and fussy with Ren for petting him. His companion could be so prideful.

After a moment, he stepped away, thoughts of the metaverse set aside, and returned to his work as a barista. Just as he sealed the supply bags and turned to slide the jar back onto the shelf, the door chimed. Sojiro seemed to be back early, he normally took longer when picking out his smokes. Placing the jar in its spot, he spun around.

"Well that was… oh, welcome, what can I get you?"

Standing in the entryway, was a tall woman in a sharp dark business suit. She had dark red eyes which complimented the pale green tones of her long silvery hair. Her demeanor was serious, but she managed a cordial greeting.

"Good evening, I'll have the house blend."

Despite her sudden and intimidating presence, Ren breathed easy as Berith's steady and collected nature washed over him.

He nodded back to her.

"Coming right up."

As he prepared Leblanc's special house blend, Ren took note of the woman who had come in so late. While he normally took note of Leblanc's few customers and was naturally observant, he found himself paying extra attention to this particular customer.

As silly as it was, Ren simply just thought she was a beautiful woman worth paying attention to. But more than that, she looked familiar, especially her eyes. Perhaps he'd seen her somewhere before?

Leaving the entry, she unbuttoned her suit jacket and set it onto the nearest counter-side chair, revealing a slender black turtleneck underneath as she took a seat. Placing her carried belongings in the chair beside her she let out a soft sigh and relaxed into her chair.

She looked incredibly tired, exhausted even.

The last drop of the brew rippled into the cup's contents and he brought the steaming drink dexterously to the counter before her.

Perhaps this would help. Peering beyond his cosmetic glasses and messy black hair, he offered an honest smile.

"Here you are, one house blend."

Her eyes, unfocused a moment before, sharpened and met his gaze. With only the wooden counter between them, Ren was able to get a good look at her. She had fair skin and wore little to no make up, save for some mascara and lipgloss.

There was something charming about how natural she appeared.

"Thank you," she said simply.

Accepting the cup and saucer, she kept her eyes on him for a moment longer, as if trying to solve a puzzle. It was only thanks to the hierophant persona that dwelled within that kept him from squirming under her scrutiny. He'd been feeling more courageous lately, but perhaps not enough for this. The last piece seemed to click into place and she perked up.

"Oh, you're that part-timer from Shujin I spoke to when I first visited this little cafe, May fourth as I recall."

That's right, she was that woman he had spoken to at Leblanc before leaving to sell Kamoshida's cognition medal. She had asked him about the possibility of changing hearts.

A flicker of nervousness rattled through him. Perhaps she had just been making conversation back then, but that didn't feel right. There was definitely more to this woman than just a pretty face.

"That's me."

She gave him a strange look as she leaned back into the counter-side chair, sipping her coffee.

"It's pretty late to be working part time as a student, don't you have school tomorrow? Shouldn't you be home?"

It was an honest question. However the way she spoke carried the weight and edge of someone asking a steeley inquiry. Standing his ground, he let what courage he'd gained take over and explained his living situation, minus the arrest and 'assault' on his record.

" ...after the shop closes I lock up and head upstairs," he finished by nodding to the staircase beyond the bathroom.

The woman listened, all the while her eyes kept scanning and the wheels in her head turning. She seemed incredibly analytical. Even Berith seemed to be feeling a little nervous. With one last sip she set the empty cup on the counter with a soft clink and a sigh.

"That's quite some diligence you have to be working this late and still be in high school," for just a moment, her eyes seemed to soften, "it's commendable."

Even with Kamoshida out of his life and awaiting trial, the rumors of his rabid delinquency still floated around the school. More than he let on, every ill word crawled under his skin. Ren couldn't help the small smile that rose to his features at her simple praise. It was always refreshing to be judged off of his actions rather than his history.

"You're too kind."

The woman offered her own small smile at the exchange.

"Just be careful," pausing a moment as if thinking of something, "working too hard can be detrimental, make sure to get plenty of rest when you can."

Ren nodded along, taking the advice to heart. Judging from the bags under her eyes, she likely spoke from experience. He wondered what she worked so hard for.

Checking a small wristwatch, the woman let out a small huff. She slid back from the counter and stood, placing her payment on the wooden surface. Seeing she was preparing to leave, a thought occurred to Ren and he sprung into action. She really did look tired, and he suspected her night wasn't over quite yet.

Replacing her suit jacket, and gathering her things, she pushed the chair back under the countertop. Before the woman could step away from the counter, Ren reached out.

"Miss?"

Caught off guard, she regarded him with interest.

Offered simply, he held a to-go coffee cup, steam wisping lazily from the top. Her crimson eyes drifted to his kind smile, a question on her lips. But before she could ask…

"A house blend, on the house."

Their eyes met as an understanding took place.

"For the long night ahead."

She stood for a moment, and Ren worried he may have been too forward. Soon his anxiety settled down as she accepted the warm drink from him. Eyes brightening, she nodded her gratitude. A flash of mirth appeared on her lips.

"You're too kind," she mimicked.

Ren chuckled at his own words coming back to him as she turned to leave. The door chimed and she was halfway out the door when he spoke a farewell.

"Come again."

The door closed shut and he wasn't sure if she had heard him, but still, he was glad he'd said it. Those words felt particularly more genuine than the customary service industry lingo he'd grown accustomed to.

And so Leblanc was quiet once more, nothing but the steady hum of appliances and the chatter of the old television. Ren smiled to himself as he stored Leblanc's revenue and picked up the used coffee cup from the counter. What had been a run of the mill evening at work had been transformed into an interesting encounter.

Busy hands scrubbed the cup clean as he thought of their interaction. His practice with Sojiro really came in handy. He was able to whip up that to-go cup pretty fast. He felt more proficient than he had been before.

Drying the ceramic, the door chimed as Sojiro returned. The Hierophant grumbled to himself as he rounded the counter.

"Damn store didn't have my favorite brand."

Ren placed the dry dishes beneath the counter, ready for service as Sojiro's grumbles died down. The old man's eyes looked him over.

"You look weird, did something happen while I was out?"

Ren exhaled in a short sharp laugh, the phantom of a smile creeping behind his mask. Berith took over, keeping him steady in the excitement.

"Nothing really, just a customer."

Sojiro let out a clipped guffaw.

"This late?" realization set in, "You better have taken care of them properly," he said sternly.

Rolling his eyes inside, Ren smirked. He suspected the old man was simply giving him a hard time out of pride.

"It went well."

Sojiro seemed satisfied with that answer.

"Hmph, well… it's getting late, clean up and close for me."

Ren nodded and got to work. As he started shutting down the machines and cleaning out the siphons and pots, Sojiro chimed his exit.

"Oh and Ren…"

He looked up, his guardian imparting parting words once more.

"Good work today, keep it up."

"Understood."

Sojiro cracked a smile and the door swung shut. Ren couldn't help but feel he had gotten closer to the old cafe owner. With the return of his solitude, he quickly finished the cleaning and closed the shop. He finished by hanging his apron and flipping the sign so it read 'closed' outside.

Leaning against the counter, Ren yawned into his hand. Stealing Madarame's treasure and his evening shift at Leblanc tested the limits of his stamina. He had planned to study after the shop closed but the beautiful woman's advice from earlier came to mind.

Perhaps it would be best to get some rest while he could.

Nodding in agreement with her, Ren pushed off the counter and walked around to its other side. There, right where he had left him, was the snoozing curled up form of his feline companion. Gently picking up his fellow Phantom Thief, he carried the sleeping cat upstairs.

"Time for bed Morgana."

Nighttime

In the dark and dreary prosecutors office, Sae sat slumped in her office chair, pouring over the mental shutdown cases as well as her preparation notes for her appearance in court the next day. The only light was a simple lamp which illuminated the numerous scattered files across her desk.

Sae sighed to herself and pinched the bridge of her nose. She set down a file she had been reading for far too long and reclined back into her chair. Reaching out, her hands came into contact with a nearly empty to-go coffee cup. Bringing it to her lips, she slowly sipped the last remnants of the drink offered to her in goodwill.

Her mind drifted away from the cases, giving herself a much needed mental break. She thought of the small coffee shop in Yongen Jaya, Leblanc. She'd remember that place from now on. It was pleasant there.

Cup in hand, she thought of the young man who had offered it to her. Normally Sae wasn't keen on accepting handouts, but his offer had felt different. For the briefest of moments she thought he might understand what she's going through.

A laughable idea. He was just a high school kid. Perhaps she was getting lonesome, maybe she should get a boyfriend. He was a little young for her, but maybe she'd ask the boy from the cafe. He was quite handsome.

Now that was an even more laughable idea.

Jokes aside, she did relate to him on some level. Sae couldn't even begin to count how many late nights she had spent in her own high school years, working multiple part time jobs to support her and Makoto. He didn't get paid, he simply worked to earn his stay, a necessity to continue on with his daily life.

She understood that.

His parting words drifted through her mind…

"Come again."

If these cases didn't get resolved soon, and she suspected as much, then she definitely foresaw her return to Leblanc on another late night like this. Without realizing it, she found herself smiling.

In a strange way, it gave Sae something to look forward to.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Updates may be a bit sporadic, but I intend to work on this story pretty regularly. I did just get my second covid vaccine shot so I may be out of it for a day or two. Until next time, farewell.

Edit: Date added