Okay, this part took a bit longer than expected. I was a little bored and I had to be careful with the wording that I was using. Also, there's been an issue with publishing lately and I thought that the previous chapter failed to be published. Good thins is that when I tested it, it was working. Anyway, here's the next chapter of this story. I'll finish this story after one more chapter. I hope you enjoy.

Day - Sunday

Time - Daytime

Location - Café Leblanc

Ren woke up the next morning and had the usual Leblanc curry for breakfast. As he was eating, he got a text from his best friend, Ryuji.

Ryuji: Hey man, I just finished packing up everything we'll need. I'll be heading over in a bit. Can't wait.

"He sure seems pretty enthusiastic," said Morgana, sitting beside Ren at the counter.

Ren went upstairs after eating breakfast and prepared everything he will need to study with Ryuji. He set up a table and two chairs for them to work on. Just as he was finishing with the preparations, Sojiro called him from downstairs.

"Hey!" he said, "One of your friends is here."

"Must be Ryuji," Morgana said.

Ren immediately went downstairs after being called. Sure enough, he saw Ryuji sitting by the table nearest to the entrance. He was wearing his purple hoodie with red stripes and the number '777' on the back, a black shirt with a yellow frowning face, dark pants, and yellow sneakers.

"Good morning bro!" he greeted as he gave his best friend a handshake.

"You seem prepared," Ren told him, "Let's get started then."

"I'm opening up shop soon so if you're both gonna study, you better do it upstairs," Sojiro told the two boys as he was preparing the supplies by the counter.

Ren and Ryuji went up the attic and sat on the chairs by the table. Ren sat by the side facing the stairs and Ryuji sat by the side facing Ren's bed. They both picked up their bags to bring out what they prepared for their study session.

"I'm glad you agreed to this Ryuji," Ren told his best friend, "Shall we get started?"

"Yeah man!" Ryuji replied as he was bring stuff out of his bag, "I brought tons of stuff for us to do today. I got cards, board games, manga, magazines..."

"What did you even come here to do?" Morgana told Ryuji with a slightly annoyed look.

"Huh?! What are you talking about? We're gonna be studying the entire day. Aren't we going to take breaks?"

"We can't afford to take breaks!" Ren said, "Exams literally start tomorrow and you haven't even gone through anything."

"Dang it..." said Ryuji.

Ryuji immediately lost motivation to study again. He's gonna be studying at Ren's place the whole day without any time for leisure. Now he's suffering from extreme boredom.

"Hey," he said, "This got me thinking. How come Ann and the others aren't here? They're also taking the exam tomorrow. Shouldn't they be studying with us?"

"Oh, Ann?" said Ren, "She's having her own study session with Makoto and Haru. They're in Makoto's place right now."

"Can't believe they ditched us."

"Actually," said Ren, "This whole studying thing with you was Makoto's idea."

"FOR REAL?!" Ryuji said his usual catchphrase.

"Yep. Makoto told me that whenever we all studied together, you never even get any information inside your head. She told me that I'll be able to help you more if I'm the one tutoring you while she's gonna be tutoring Ann and Haru."

"But Ann's taking a different test from the two of them since they're 3rd years. Shouldn't she be studying with us as well?"

"Makoto has taken the same stuff before. She knows how to help Ann at this point."

"How about Yusuke? Isn't he gonna study with us?"

"Kosei won't have tests until next week. Also, he's busy with his art stuff so he can't spend time with us right now."

"Welp, guess we're stuck together, huh?"

"Shall we get started? Why don't we start with Biology?"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure."

Ryuji returned the stuff he brought out and picked up his Biology notebook. However, as he flipped open his notebook, he began having a dreaded look.

"What's wrong?" Ren asked.

"Oh, uhh... i-it's... nothing," Ryuji answered, obviously hiding something.

"Something's suspicious," said Morgana, "Ren, go check his notebook out."

"On it," said Ren.

"Hey, stop!" Ryuji said, trying to keep his notebook away, "It really is nothing!"

But Ren didn't care. He kept reaching for the notebook until he has finally retrieved it. He flipped open Ryuji's notebook and sees that it's empty. He, along with Morgana, stared at the emptiness with a helpless look.

"Sorry," Ryuji said, "I always end up sleeping in this class so I always forget to take down notes."

Ren and Morgana were discussing about the whole matter. Ren look back to Ryuji, trying to hide his disappointment with a smile.

"Oh, ummm..." he said, "Why don't we start with something else, then? How about we go with Social Studies first?"

"Oh that one?" Ryuji said, sounding a little more confident, "I actually listened to that class more. I should've written down something about that."

Ryuji got out his Social Studies notebook from the bag. He was more confident that he as written something. However, as he flipped open the notebook, he looked hopeless again.

"What is it now this time?" Ren asked.

"Oh umm..." Ryuji tried coming up with an answer, "I've written down so many things that I don't know where to start hahahahahahaha".

"You sure?" Morgana asked with suspicion, "Ren, you known what to do."

Ren reached for Ryuji's notebook again, with Ryuji trying to resist. However, Ren grabbed the notebook and flipped it open, only to see that the notebook was filled with doodles of shadows that they have fought in their palace infiltrations. Ren and Morgana looked at the notebook helplessly again.

"This dude's hopeless," Morgana said to Ren, "There's no way he's gonna pass the exams tomorrow, or even the succeeding ones."

Ren looked back at Ryuji from his seat, trying to find a solution for this conflict.

"Okay, ummm..." Ren was thinking hard, "I think I see where the problem is stemming from. Here's an idea. Why don't I let you borrow one of my notebooks first?"

"What do you mean?" Ryuji asked.

"I don't think we can study the same subjects simultaneously with your lack of notes. I suggest I let you borrow one of my notebooks first and you study on your own for now while I read a different notebook. How's that sound?"

"Ummm... okay... sure."

Ren got his Social Studies notebook from his bag and handed it over to Ryuji. In the meantime, he was reading his own notes for another subject with Ryuji reading his notes. However, this idea did not work after a while. Ryuji's mind was preventing him from absorbing almost any of the information he was reading.

"Damn it!" Ryuji said as he dropped the notebook on the table, "This isn't working."

Ren simply ignored Ryuji for now as he was busy studying on his own. Ryuji was looking from behind his seat and saw Ren's TV and the video game system along with it. He was about to do something he was not supposed to do.

"Hahahahahaha," he laughed quietly.

Ryuji stood up from his seat and walked towards Ren's TV, booting up the game system and playing some Star Forneus. Morgana just stared at Ryuji with disappointment.

"Ren," he said, facing up.

Ren knows it already. He placed his notebook down on the table and flicked his glasses. He stood up from his seat and walked going to Ryuji and slapped his best friend's head.

"OWWW!" Ryuji said, holding the top of his head, "What was that for?!"

"I invited you here because you need to get started studying," Ren spoke seriously, "But it seems that's not what's happening right now."

Ryuji sighed. He had no choice but to be humble.

"What are you gonna do?" Morgana asked Ren.

"Looks like I have to do something drastic," Ren said.

"What do you mean?" asked Ryuji.

"Ryuji, you told me that you can't focus because of this Phantom Thieves business we do, right?"

"Well... yeah, I did say that."

"As leader, I have to make sure each member of the Phantom Thieves is doing their part in the real world as well. So here's what's gonna happen."

Ryuji listened to what Ren had to say.

"If you fail in at least any one of your tests," Ren said, "I'm gonna have to suspend you from any Phantom Thieves activity for a month. That means we'll be exploring Mementos and infiltrating palaces without you for the said period."

Ren's statement caused pressure on Ryuji and Ryuji started to panic.

"REEEENNN!" Ryuji said as he grabbed Ren by the shoulder and shook him again, "You can't do this to me man! I'm your best friend. You can't just leave me to the dust like that."

"Well, if I were you," Ren said, "I suggest you begin taking your studies seriously from now on so you don't have to experience this. But of course, I will also give you an incentive with the next condition I'm giving."

Those words motivated Ryuji a little.

"What is it man?!" Ryuji said, grabbing Ren's shoulders again.

"If you get a score of at least 85 in all of your tests," Ren proposed, "I'm taking you somewhere you will definitely enjoy. My treat."

"FOR REAL?! What if I pass but I don't meet that score?"

"Well, then I'm just gonna take Makoto with me there so both of us can go on a date."

Ryuji grabbed Ren's hands and held them upwards.

"How could you man!" Ryuji was trying to act like he was hurting, "Why would you prioritize taking out some girl instead of your best friend?!"

"Hey!" Ren said, "I'm actually being generous right here. I can't let anyone be part of this Phantom Thieves thing we do while also forgetting to do their real life obligations. Plus, I'm giving you a reward if you get at least an 85 in all the tests. Sounds fair for you, doesn't it?"

Ryuji thought hard about Ren's idea. While he hates studying, his friend is right. He must do his tasks as a student in the real world alongside their Phantom Thieves activities.

"I guess this would be the best idea then," he admitted, "But where are we going anyway if I did reach the score you told me?"

"It's a surprise," Ren said casually, "But I'm sure you'll enjoy it there."

Ryuji was curious about what Ren will offer him. But they've been best friends ever since Ren went to Shujin Academy due to his probation. Ren knows exactly the type of things that Ryuji enjoys and what he also doesn't enjoy. Ryuji has decided that his best friend's proposal was fair, and then he finally accepted it.

"Alright," Ryuji said, "It's a deal. I'm gonna do my best, leader."

"Great!" said Ren, "I'm glad you accepted it. I hope you're gonna fully dedicate yourself to studying in this session because I'm really going to tutor you."

"Aye aye captain!"

The two boys returned to their seats and officially began their study session. Ren was very strict with the questions he was asking Ryuji and wouldn't let him skip any of it until he has answered them correctly. Ryuji's mind was feeling overwhelmed, but he placed his full dedication on this study session. Not only is he going to be penalized if he fails in at least one test, but he will also get a reward if he gets at least an 85 on his tests. Morgana was quite impressed that Ryuji was being diligent this time after often giving expressions of boredom from studying. The study session lasted for the entire day, but Ren wanted to make sure that Ryuji really understands what they're going to take in the next few days. Ryuji made sure to write down everything Ren was telling him as much as he can in his notebooks. He didn't want to fail and he was really trying his best. He was happy enough that his best friend was willing to help him and he knew that Ren was treating him fairly. He was never this dedicated to studying before. In the end, Makoto was right when she said that Ren will be able to help Ryuji more.