After several weeks of studying with Makoto, this is what it came down to. The final exams that Ryuji still needs to finish before attending the exams of the 3rd years, before graduating high school at long last.
He was outside of the school grounds, looking at his own notes, one final time, before going inside to start the exam.
Later...
Ryuji left the school building, looking like he had just seen something that cannot be unseen... before then jumping high up into the air, throwing his bag up as well, before catching it again, all the while yelling in joy, "Freedom! At last! Hahahaha!", jumping around and humming cheerfully, like the angels have just kissed his bad luck goodbye.
Ryuji: "I've done it! I've done it! Haha! These tests are mine to gloat about now, for once! "I am a failure", my ass, Morgana! Kiss my ass, man, I have just done the unthinkable, what do you think NOW?"
As he cheerfully makes his way home, he decides to let everyone know about this, especially Makoto, who was free for today.
Naturally, everyone was shocked to learn the news and Ren jokingly allowed Morgana to type with his paws, letting him type an emoji into the chat that read as a face with its head exploding.
Ryuji: "Hehe, even Morgana is blown away, I see. Take that, man, you said I was never gonna do it, but look at me now! I gotcha! I gotcha!"
Then, he decided to let Makoto know about this in a separate chat window.
Ryuji: "Makoto! I've done it! This final rehearsal exam was the last one indeed and I'll finish with flying colors!"
Makoto: "Oh Ryuji, I am so damn proud of you! I never doubted you for a second. I told you, changing tactics while learning the subjects does wonders."
Ryuji: "You really saved my life, Mako. Tell you what, I'll invite you to some GOOD Ramen today. It will be all on me, we shall celebrate this occasion, I say!"
Makoto: "That would be wonderful. Thank you."
Ryuji: "No, I thank YOU, for saving my bacon. Finally, the lady of fortune is smiling down upon me!"
Makoto: "I'll see you in about an hour then. See you later."
She said, with a wink emoji.
High in motivation, Ryuji cheerfully runs home to let his mother know about the good news and surely enough, she was just as overjoyed as Makoto and right after that, he decided to text Makoto one more time, as he felt really giddy on the inside.
Ryuji: "Hey Makoto, I know, it's still too early, but man, I really can't wait to see you again, I mean... you really saved me. I mean it. I don't know what I would have done without you..."
As Makoto was returning from a quick shower, to freshen up for her meeting with Ryuji, she was still in nothing but a towel around her body and around her head, she saw the message on her display and almost instinctively decided to respond to it, as she was just as excited as him to go for this meeting with him... and she responded back:
Makoto: "Hey Ryuji. Same here. This really calls for celebration indeed. I am just running out of ways to say how proud I am of you. You certainly are not the same as before, you really knocked it out of the park."
Ryuji: "But I wouldn't have been able to do it without your help. Your ways of teaching me really carried fruit in the end. It's ME, who should be thanking YOU, not the other way around. That's why, the ramen today will all be on me."
Makoto: "Ohhh, are we being a gentlemen today, or what now?"
Ryuji: "Oh, c'mon, you are making it sound like, I am NEVER kind to anyone, or something. Don't do me like that, Mako!"
Makoto: "But in all seriousness, I also have to thank you, Ryuji. It didn't even last for months and yet, these past few weeks with you... in a way, you also helped me."
Ryuji: "In what way? Pardon me, but you kind of lost me there."
Makoto: "Spending time with you literally made me realize something crucial about myself... and that is how lonely I truly felt."
Ryuji froze when he read that paragraph. It suddenly created a knot in his stomach, because he knew: He felt her on this. So he grew nervous, for some bizarre reason, as he continued waiting for her responses.
Makoto: "The moment I went to college, even before then, I knew, this will get quite lonesome for me, since I'll be going my own way and everyone else in our team as well."
She continued, while Makoto outside of the chat, was growing mildly depressed...
Makoto: "I did know what I was getting myself into and yet... I ended up severely underestimating the factor in loneliness. Sure, I was free to do whatever I wanted at last, but all the same... I just wasn't able to connect with any of my peers. Most would just be interested in drinking themselves half to death, go to clubs, partying the night away, etc... I just wasn't interested in any of that. And despite this, I still ended up mildly regretting not picking up upon the kind offer of one of my fellow college "friends", which is also a stretch to claim... but you know, after where I ended up, because of Kaneshiro, bars and brothel-like places end up giving me PTSD."
Ryuji: "Yup. Please don't remind me of that, if you are so kind. And you shouldn't do that yourself. If you're not comfortable with going there, you shouldn't force yourself."
Makoto: "I know. Sorry. I guess, my gut feeling actually helped me for once here, huh...?"
Ryuji: "But, man... I really didn't know... makes me wonder: Should I ever go to college myself, will I also end up like you? Bored to death and mostly all on my own? That sucks..."
Makoto: "Yup, I guess being all sorted out, right at the beginning, was kind of a mistake on my behalf. I only ended up wasting precious time, which I could have used for more than just studying... making memories with friends... I really did end up missing all of you..."
Ryuji: "Makoto..."
Makoto: "So yeah, you really did end up helping me as well: Overcoming my sterilizing boredom and making memories with me..."
She ended up blushing a bright shade of pink, after realizing what she had just typed.
Makoto: "B-But don't misunderstand me! N-Not in a weird way or anything! I really did enjoy it, honestly!"
But hearing this, also made Ryuji blush, as he was quite perceptive when it comes to social interactions and he noticed how exactly Makoto typed the last phrases in her previous message... if she was this real with him, being comfortable enough to do on this level, anyhow... he decides to break the ice and repay the favor.
Ryuji: "To be honest with you, Makoto... these last two months with you, were quite an experience for me. If I was to be frank, I really feared this interaction to become one-sided and a major personal drag for me. You know how I tick, I literally want to live life the way I want to. Planning stuff just was never one of my strengths and really, I never saw any true value in that, since... life can be so unpredictable, y'know. Life is far too short to constantly live in a square. Call this spineless, call this unorganized, I call it, "just going with the flow without thinking too hard". Knowing you didn't mind that and you really enjoyed spending time with a troublemaker like me... heh, that means quite a lot to me."
She felt her heart pumping out of control, reading these last few phrases. She felt as though she had butterflies in her tummy and she felt so appreciated, welcomed and... loved.
Makoto: "You have quite a way with words, don't you...?"
Ryuji: "What I lack in charm, I make up for it with my guts. Being real with those around me, when the time calls for it."
Makoto: "Yup. I can only agree with you on that..."
Then... an awkward silence kicked in between the two, as the last few messages read almost like... they were actually flirting with each other... none of them dared to continue... and despite the lack of words being expressed in this chat... both really felt as though their bond had only just tightened...
Priestess & Chariot Arcana! Level up! Level 5!
Shakily, Makoto continued typing... without realizing that she had just pressed the button for her phone camera being turned on... and on top of everything, while she was typing with him, the towel around her body fell off of her, leaving her literally butt-naked... and when Ryuji realized that her camera was on and he got the privilege to see her naked body in all its glory... he became as red as a beet, while screaming out loud in panic!
Ryuji: "Did you just turn your camera on?! Put some clothes on, damn it! W-What are you doing?!"
Makoto: "What are you- ...huh?!"
Comically, her face moved downwards, only to realize for herself... she was quite literally, exposed of any clothing now... and she was able to see Ryuji through the chat camera... and the moment that it hit her like a truck, that she accidentally filmed herself, completely nude... her blood pressure starts rising, her face going blank with shock and reddening like a tomato, before screaming out loud in panic...
Ryuji: "P-P-P-Please! Don't be mad with me! I-I-I really didn't see much! I only saw your shoulders and part of your upper half! I-I swear, I wasn't peeping!"
Makoto, shaking quite badly from the nasty shock she gave herself, quickly put the towel back around herself, turned the camera off and returned to the chat to immediately clear herself up and Ryuji's conscience.
Makoto: "I-I-It's OK! Don't panic! I am not blaming you for it! I was the idiot for turning my camera on in the first place! Please, don't remember it that way!"
Ryuji comically breathed out in relief and typed reassuringly:
Ryuji: "Thank you. The least we need now is for a moment like this to sour the mood later. I'll also get ready in a moment."
Makoto: "Go do that. I'll be doing the same. See you later."
Ryuji: "Bye."
As soon as they put their phones back onto their charger units, both suddenly felt... even more drawn to each other... even if he did see her naked body, for some reason, she didn't feel the need to justify herself or anything... it weirdly began to feel... empowering, for the lack of a better word.
And Ryuji felt the same way. He comically raised his arm and posed in a victorious fashion...
Ryuji: "I finished my older exams with flying colors... My mom and Mako are proud of me... and I got to see Mako being all nakey without getting any penalties... could this day possibly get any better for me? What can possibly go wrong now? I got this in the bag, man!"
Later...
Makoto was on her way to the spot where she and Ryuji were to meet up. She was dressed in her casual look, black short-sleeved jacket, white tank top, black capri pants and sporty sneakers.
...but the moment she was about to let Ryuji know that she had arrived at the desired location...
...she felt someone grabbing her by the shoulders and dragging her into an alley, before silencing her with a finger over mouth, with it turning out to be Ren, who has finally returned from his long weeks of working overtime. Makoto was overjoyed to see him again.
Makoto: "Geez, why did you have to scare me like this? I know you're a Phantom Thief, but at least to separate that from real life! My weak heart can't take this level of surprise!"
Ren: "Sorry, I just felt like surprising you, because my agency decided to give me some slack today, knowing that I have something very specific in mind... and that is you."
Makoto blushed a bright shade of pink... before regaining focus as there was something really important he wanted to let him know about.
Makoto: "Oh my...! But, would you please let me go, I appreciate the thought of me, however, I have an appointment with-"
Ren: "Oh, c'mon now, you are just looking for excuses. I bet you really missed me, don't you? I read your text, and I made the promise to catch up with you, so... here goes."
Makoto: "Ren, I am being serious here, I have to meet up with-"
He quickly silenced her, by engaging with her in a good, long kissing session... However, though still had a crush on Ren and him kissing her made her feel really good about herself, making her feel genuinely desired in general, she couldn't really enjoy this moment, as she made a decision to meet up with Ryuji and she is not one to break promises...
...but just as she was about to break away from the kiss, when her eyes turned to see who was watching them... all the color drained from her face, as she realized... It was Ryuji. Looking at her and Ren with the rawest form of disbelief being written all over his face.
At that moment, she very quickly broke away and began sweating nervously, trying to explain everything and calm the situation down, with her heart beating completely out of control, with Ren just looking very confused at what is transpiring right now...
Makoto: "R-Ryuji! W-Wait, this is not what it looks like, I swear...! I-I really mean it, he took me by surprise-"
Ryuji: "Oh, I AM surprised alright. Surprised at how two-faced you are, for someone who wants to work for the police. The bad cop routine really works on you, I see."
Makoto: "Ryuji! Listen to me, I tried denying the kiss, I didn't want to, because-"
Ryuji: "You were afraid of possibly hurting my feelings? Oh my, how considerate of you. And tell you what, I don't even really care about the kiss itself, this is not the problem here. If you felt more like spending time with him instead of me, you should have just told me so, right off the bat. If there is anything I despise more than umeboshi plums, it's people not telling me the truth."
Ren: "I am confused... Makoto, what's going on here? Care to explain yourself?"
Ryuji: "And you-"
He was so cross with Ren, he angrily just runs right in and pushes him away from Makoto, very harshly, looking the angriest and most personally betrayed than he has ever been in his entire life, right at him from above, scaring the crap out of the two of them.
Ryuji: "Lay off her, will you?! I get that you are a horndog, but sheesh, ever thought about learning self-constraint on yourself?! Keep your hormones for someone who cares!"
Ren: "Ryuji, what's your problem with me?! I just wanted to surprise Makoto, what is so wrong about that? What, you jealous that I get the chicks and you don't? Kind of pathetic, isn't it? I don't really see this as a valid reason to get your nutsack in a knot over this."
But when he said that, Makoto grew suspicious of Ren and she decided to keep quiet about it, as Ryuji is the one, who is in serious need of backup here. She gently spoke to him, saying:
Makoto: "Ryuji, ignore Ren for a moment, look at me. It was my fault, alright? I shouldn't have let this happen in the first place! Please calm down and let's resolve this like rational people!"
Then, Ryuji's face turned from simply angry to a mix between complete and utter defeat and being totally wrecked on the inside. Almost as though, the Ryuji she grew to know and appreciate has just dissipated in front of her very eyes and alm that was left, was one empty shell of a man, who had just witnessed his entire world burn down, in front of his very eyes. He really began to both creep her out at this very moment, but also breaking her heart to pieces... and it slowly began to dawn upon her, how deeply this must have hit him, in spite of this being a misunderstanding.
Ryuji: "No, it's fine, tell you what? I give up. You always preferred hanging out with people of your own intellect anyhow. Folks like me are just a waste of time and energy to you, I'll bet."
Makoto: "Ryuji, please! Don't make this harder than it already is-"
Ryuji: "Shut. Up. It was proven to me right here... the fact that you didn't immediately fight back is more than enough for me to verify: I am probably going to remain a loser for the rest of my life. And you probably just saw me as a selfish excuse to not be alone, while you wait for your precious Prince Charming over there to come pick you up, as soon as I am not looking. Just... leave me alone with your BS excuses. I am done. Go enjoy yourself and screw right off...
It doesn't seem like Ryuji is willing to listen to her anymore... no words are reaching his heart...
A really strange, yet deep-rooted tension has formed between her and Ryuji... their relationship is changing...
Priestess & Chariot Arcana! Turning upside down, getting reversed.
The social link has become reversed. Until you reconcile, the relationship will not be able to move forward anymore.
Ryuji: "Have a nice life."
And with that, Ryuji left, weakly dragging his weaker leg along, as the pain in his heart was basically overpowering him so much, his general health has also begun depleting, like being bitten by a snake and the poison slowly killing all of his internal functions...
And Makoto was just standing there, gritting her teeth, as her knuckles tightened and she felt a tight knot forming in her stomach. Ren could sense that this was getting dangerous, as Makoto started bottling up a lot of pent-up, probably directed towards him, so wanting to be considerate at the very least, he decided to leave her alone, instinctively knowing, she is being this way, because of him screwing it all up.
And after he left, Makoto just broke down on the ground in a sitting position, pressing her back against the wall, before starting to weep into her knees and hugging her legs in the process... she slowly began realizing the heaviness of her actions this evening. She broke him. She didn't just break his heart, that would be bad enough, she quite literally BROKE him to pieces in his soul.
Makoto: "I am such an idiot...! I should have fought back... funny, I schooled Eiko on not being too easily persuaded by the charms of a male and yet, I got far too cocky...! And now look at what I have done...! I should have broken off contact with him first... why was I so stupid...?! I am so sorry, Ryuji... I-I am so sorry...!"
THE END
