Persona 5: The Phantom Files

by sithlorde1988

Will cover the events of Persona 5 Royal, with the sequel set to cover Strikers. What happens when in addition to Ren being sentenced to go live in the care of Sojiro Sakura for a year after being sued for assault, his younger brother is also ordered to go and oversee him? How will this extra character change things? Read to find out! More info in chapter 1! Read and review! Enjoy!

75. More Filler! Joker's Comeback part 4

A/N: sithlorde1988 here, with another chapter of Persona 5- The Phantom Files! Hard to believe we're already up to chapter 75 for this story, but here we are! And just think, we've still got at least another 2 and two thirds arcs, if not 3 and two thirds, left of the story. So it's a fairly safe bet that we should hit 100 chapters by the end of the final arc. And that's a crazy thing to think about, having a story hit the triple digits in terms of chapter count. Anyways, let's take care of the disclaimer here, yeah?

Disclaimer: sithlorde1988 does NOT own the Persona series in any way, shape, or form (Excluding the OCs Kusa/Draconis, Somasi/Slim, Kyori, Akira, Lumine, and Mimille, along with any other OCs that might or might not appear later in the story, all of whom are made and thus owned by sithlorde1988) and the actual credit for owning the Persona series belongs to Atlus, Sega, and to a lesser extent Koei Tecmo, so all credit to them!

And with that disclaimer done and dusted, let me real quick warn everyone reading this A/N that there will be a couple of slightly naughty scenes in this chapter. However, if you're not into that, don't worry about it. I made sure that said scenes will be clearly marked so those who aren't interested in such scenes can skip over them. So consider yourselves warned! That said, on with chapter 75!

Chapter 75- Prep Period continued! More Confidant Shenanigans! Joker's Comeback part 4

(In the evening, at Leblanc, in the attic with Ren and Morgana)

Ren walked over to Morgana and spoke up as he saw the not-cat standing on the ledge near the stairs.

"Hey, what's up? Kinda nice having you around for a bit, Morgana. I know you and Kusa have to stay at Boss and Futaba's place for the sake of keeping up appearances, but even still, that doesn't mean that I don't miss having the two of you around, because I do." Ren said to Morgana, who chuckled as he spoke up.

"Glad to hear it. But let's be serious for now. We have a lot of prep to do for this next Palace! Luckily for you, it's still early days here. Let's take it nice and easy for now." Morgana said as Ren nodded his agreement. On checking his options, Ren frowned slightly as he noticed that Chihaya was literally the only available option he had for ranking up. But Ren shrugged, figuring he hadn't ranked up Chihaya in a bit anyways, so it couldn't hurt to spend time with her. Ren then spoke up.

"Fair enough, Morgana. Thinking about it, I think our only real option for tonight is to spend time with Chihaya, since none of my other Confidants are available, outside of Iwai, but he's not ready for a rank up from what I saw. So I suppose Chihaya it is?" Ren said as Morgana nodded his agreement. After that, the two went out and did some other stuff, including selling Iwai around 250,000 yen of excess Treasure Ren had accrued from his recent trips into not only the Metaverse, but also Mementos.

In addition to that, Ren also sold some sooty armor to the second-hand shop in Kichijoji and used some of the points to get a Clothing Grab Bag which had mostly old gear that Ren forgot the name of in it. But he did use some of his extra points to grab a few 'Ultimate Spray' items, seeing the label advertise it as an item that dropped all stats on one enemy when used, which Ren figured could be handy in a boss fight or something.

Afterwards, Ren saw he had a ton of sooty armor, at which point he spent 5,000 yen on running a load of clothes that he had Kawakami handle washing, figuring he should at least somewhat take advantage of the housekeeping services she offered him. Once that was done, Ren headed to Shinjuku to rank up Chihaya, findng her sitting at her booth, smiling at her as he took a seat and spoke up.

"Hello there, Mifune-san. It's been a bit, hasn't it?" Ren said so only Chihaya could hear, making her blink as she saw Ren's face under his hood and spoke up.

"Oh, Amamiya-kun the elder! I'm so confused. According to the reading I did of you, you're alive. Yet, at the same time, you're also dead. Why is that? Very odd. You have an interesting fate, indeed." Chihaya said as Ren darkly chuckled and spoke up before he could think better of it.

"Heh, that's one way of putting it, Mifune-san. Though I don't think my younger brother or my girlfriend would put it that way, necessarily. But, I would say fate and I do have a rather interesting relationship, to say the least." Ren said as Chihaya nodded and spoke up.

"Indeed you do, Amamiya-kun the elder. Well then, what would you like to do today, or were you just here to say hi and confirm you're alive?" Chihaya asked Ren. Ren smiled and spoke up.

"No, I came here with a purpose in mind. It's been a bit since we did one, so I figured I should make good on my end of our deal and do a verification test for you, if you have one ready to go, that is." Ren said to Chihaya. Chihaya nodded approvingly as she spoke up.

"Fair enough. To be honest, there's a lot I want to tell you. Please take a seat." Chihaya said to Ren, at which point Morgana spoke up so only Ren could hear.

"Hm. Well, nobody thinks you're alive at this point outside of the others, so it should be okay as long as you're careful. That said, what's the plan? Are you gonna hang out with Chihaya, Ren?" Morgana asked Ren, who nodded and spoke up.

"Of course. I did come all the way out here to see her, after all." Ren said before looking at Chihaya and speaking up.

"Very well, then. I will have a seat as you asked, Mifune-san." Ren said as he had a seat in front of Chihaya, who gave Ren a closed-eye smile and spoke up.

"Great! Thank you. Let's see, for today, there's a lot to talk about. Where to start?" Chihaya said to Ren, who spoke up quietly.

"Take your time, Mifune-san. I've got a reasonable amount of time right now." Ren said kindly as Chihaya giggled while still giving Ren a closed-eye smile as she spoke.

"Good point. Well, I have a lot to show you today! Look! 'Mental Training for Sports'! Oh, and 'Building a Successful Business from the Ground Up'! I even have a book about the secret to being a good listener! It was written by a hostess from a club in Ginza. Just picking out which books to bring took me half a day. I have tons more back home, though!" Chihaya said as Ren blinked and spoke up.

"Oh. I see. If you don't mind my asking, why pick up so many books?" Ren asked Chihaya, who spoke up with a smile.

"That's simple. I've started using these as reference materials for the advice I give my clients. This way, I can suggest new alternatives instead of leaving them resigned to their fates." Chihaya said as Ren nodded and spoke up.

"Ah, that makes sense. Has anyone ever told you what a hard worker you are, Mifune-san?" Ren asked Chihaya. Chihaya gave Ren another closed-eye smile and giggled while she spoke up.

"Yes, of course. I hear that a lot, actually. After all, I need to be able to advise my clients on their future selves! Anyway, what I really want to tell you is that I've arrived at a new fortune telling philosophy. Those with strong convictions can, in fact, change fate. O-Oh, and as for the people I sold Holy Stones to before? As part of my way of making it up to those people, I've started reading their fortunes free of charge. I'd like to return the money they gave me too, but um, it was a lot of money, and well, you can probably guess the rest." Chihaya said to Ren, who blinked in surprise before he spoke up.

"Indeed I can, Mifune-san. You spent it all, didn't you? I'm not mad, mind you. Just curious." Ren said. Chihaya winced and spoke up.

"W-Well, um, about that-" Chihaya said before another voice cut in and interrupted what Chihaya was about to say.

"Am I interrupting?" An assertive-sounding voice asked from behind Ren, as a man who looked to be around Ren's age, maybe a bit older, and had brown hair, black square-looking glasses with smaller lenses, a grey button up jacket that he wore unbuttoned over a light-blue dress shirt, dark grey slacks and black dress shoes with darker brown lining on the bottom. Chihaya gasped as she seemingly recognized this man while speaking up.

"Hm!? Yokoda-san!?" Chihaya asked as the apparently now-named Yokoda nodded and spoke up.

"That's right. It's been a while, Maiden." Yokoda said to Chihaya, who frowned and spoke up.

"U-Um, what are you doing here?" Chihaya asked Yokoda, who looked at Chihaya as he spoke up.

"That's simple. The chairman asked that I come see how things are going." Yokoda said before he blinked and noticed Ren, making him frown as he kept speaking.

"Hm? And who are you?" Yokoda asked Ren, but before he could reply, Chihaya spoke up to answer for him.

"Um, to be honest? Th-That's my apprentice! I haven't actually introduced him to the chairman yet, you see." Chihaya said while giving Ren a look that suggested he play along, which Ren did by nodding his agreement to Chihaya's claim of him being her apprentice. Yokoda scoffed and spoke up.

"I see. So let me make sure I have this right, Maiden. You're telling me you're so busy you needed to hire an apprentice?" Yokoda asked Chihaya, who spoke up while looking visibly flustered as she nodded while speaking.

"Oh, um, y-yes! He's been a wonderful help!" Chihaya said as Yokoda nodded his understanding and spoke up.

"Ah, I see. I guess I should have expected such great foresight from you, Maiden. Now then, I should be going." Yokoda said to Chihaya, who nodded, giving Yokoda a closed-eye smile as she spoke up.

"Okay! Th-Thank you for stopping by, Yokoda-san." Chihaya said as Yokoda left, after which Chihaya sighed and turned to Ren.

"Oh, um, sorry for basically speaking for you back there. Also, I'm sorry you had to see that whole display." Chihaya said to Ren, who nodded as he spoke up.

"Don't worry about it, Mifune-san. I didn't mind playing along since it saved me having to come up with a fake name to give that guy. Speaking of, who was he?" Ren asked Chihaya, who frowned but spoke up.

"Hm, good question. Um, I suppose you could say he's kind of an acquaintance of sorts? A-Anyway! It's a private matter, Amamiya-kun the elder. Nothing you should concern yourself with. W-Wait, hold on. Are you perhaps asking out of concern for me? Is that it? Are you worried about me?" Chihaya said as Ren smiled and spoke up.

"Of course. I always worry about my friends, Mifune-san. Also, at first I thought Yokoda-san was gonna harass you, so I was ready to step in if needed." Ren said honestly as Chihaya gave Ren a closed-eye smile and spoke up.

"Truly? Oh, I'm so touched! Honestly! You know, my luck really improves when you're around, Amamiya-kun! But what should I do for you in return? Hm, decisions, decisions. Oh, I know! In return for you being concerned for me, I'll predict your luck whenever you want!" Chihaya said as Ren nodded his acceptance of the offer, smiling as he felt if he could sense Chihaya's intense motivation.

At that point, the 'Fortune' card appeared in his mind's eye, the 'IV' turning into a 'V' to signify that his Fortune Confidant link with Chihaya had reached Rank 5. As a result, Ren was now given the ability 'Affinity Reading', which made it so that he could now have Chihaya use her fortune telling skills to boost the bond Ren had with a Confidant of his choice. Afterwards, Chihaya spoke up again, looking surprised.

"I'm glad you approve, Amamiya-kun the elder. Hm? Oh, my! It's already so late! Heh, I should close up shop for today!" Chihaya said, giving Ren a closed-eye smile as Ren stood up to leave and spoke up.

"I see. Well, I should probably get back home myself, then. No sense in pushing my luck further by getting back after curfew." Ren said as Chihaya nodded and spoke up.

"Very well. Good night, Amamiya-kun the elder." Chihaya said as Ren headed back to Leblanc with Morgana, where the two curled up on the bed together and got comfortable as the not-cat curled up on Ren's chest for the night, both idly wondering as they dozed off if Kusa was having any sort of similar enjoyment with his evening...

(At around the same time as Ren hanging out with Chihaya, over at a certain cafe in Kichijoji, with Kusa and Futaba)

"Heh, pretty nice place here, eh Taba? Definitely glad that Ren told me about this cafe, since that knowledge is coming in quite handy right about now." Kusa said with a smile on his face as Futaba nodded, speaking up as she swallowed the bite she was working on, Kusa and Futaba both rather glad they'd booked the cafe to themselves for the night so they didn't have to worry about someone coming in and spotting the two having a nice meal together.

"I agree, Kusa. I didn't think I'd find something I like as much as Sojiro's curry, but the food here is pretty amazing! I mean, who knew they had curry-flavored pancakes!? So good!" Futaba said happily, making Kusa laugh as he spoke up.

"Right? I personally find the irony of that statement rather palpable, especially when considering exactly who Ren claims was the one that turned him on to this place. After all, I seem to recall that a lot of people, not least of which being both Ren and Ryuji, were calling Akechi-kun 'Pancake Boy' for a minute there. So what are the odds that this place was both a pancake cafe and curry restaurant? Granted, their curry is nowhere near as amazing as Boss' curry, but it's still good enough." Kusa said with a smirk as Futaba nodded and spoke up. *1*

"Agreed. You know what this has me curious to see if it exists?" Futaba asked as Kusa shrugged, having a few vague ideas, but nothing he was confident enough in for him to venture a guess. Futaba smiled and spoke up.

"I don't blame you for not guessing this, since it would be seen as slightly random to most. But for some reason, these pancakes put the idea of curry-flavored pizza in my head, and it sounds like it could be interesting. But that's just my opinion." Futaba said as Kusa winced, trying to not let his slight disgust at the idea of curry-flavored pizza show while he spoke up.

"Um, Taba? Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think those two things would pair together at all very well. I mean, we were pushing it the time you got me to try that chocolate-flavored curry that you got Boss to make. And in fairness, that curry was amazing, but I don't think curry flavoring and pizza seasoning would mesh well together. But that's just my opinion. The more important thing is that you seem to be enjoying yourself a good deal, which is what I was hoping for." Kusa said to Futaba, who smiled and nodded as she spoke up.

"Of course I'm enjoying myself, Kusa! I always enjoy myself when I'm with you, you doof! You're my boyfriend, after all!" Futaba said as Kusa nodded and spoke up.

"Fair enough. My mistake for doubting that you wouldn't enjoy yourself with me then. Well, what should we do after this? I know we've got a lot of time, but I figure it can't hurt to start figuring that out now, while we finish our meals." Kusa said to Futaba, who nodded as she pondered the question while finishing her curry-flavored pancakes she'd picked out for herself.

As for Kusa, he had ordered himself a stack of regular pancakes, which he'd lightly drizzled with syrup and a bit of melted butter for flavor, which made it all the better. In addition to that, Kusa and Futaba had ordered themselves some cider to drink, since the cafe happened to have some and Futaba hadn't had it before. After a bit, Futaba spoke up.

"To be honest, I had a couple of different ideas for things we could do from here. On one hand, we could go to the darts lounge and finally play that game of darts we promised each other a couple months ago. Or, on the other hand, we could go catch a movie together. I was almost going to suggest we could take a soak together, but between the fact that it's unlikely there's any night-time pools in the area, the fact neither of us brought bathing suits, and the fact that the closest thing to a pool around here is probably that bath-house near Leblanc, I don't think that option works well for us at all.

Granted, we could do it anyways, but I feel as if it might be seen as just a tad inappropriate if we were to go into a bathhouse together, even if we are dating." Futaba said as Kusa's eyes widened at Futaba's suggestion of a bathhouse, his cheeks pinking slightly in embarrassment as his brain had briefly blinked off at Futaba's idle mention of the two sharing a bath together. After a bit, Kusa found his voice and spoke up.

"Y-Yeah, let's not do that quite yet. Not because I don't want to, but because I feel like it might still be a bit soon for that. Especially since we've only really been dating for about a month. Speaking of which, happy 1-month anniversary, Taba! Sorry we didn't do anything on the actual day of said anniversary, but between things being hectic and both of us having other things on our minds, it just wasn't a good time that day. The way I see it, it's only like a bit over 24 hours late, so it's better to celebrate it a tiny bit late than never, yeah?" Kusa said agreeably as Futaba shyly smiled and nodded as she spoke up.

"That's true, Kusa. At least you remembered our anniversary, so that's something. Hmm, maybe we should go with the movie plan, if there's any still playing this late. If nothing else, we could always sneak some cuddles during the movie. That could be fun, I think. Mwehehe." Futaba said as Kusa nodded and spoke up.

"That sounds like fun to me, Taba. Were there any movies in particular you were wanting to see?" Kusa asked Futaba, who nodded and spoke up.

"Honestly, yeah. I heard about this one new movie that came out called 'Hallowed Cal', which is apparently a cross of a romance movie and a comedy where the main character is initially this really narrow-minded guy who only judges on surface impressions of people until he's put under a spell to look past surface impressions or whatever. It sounds a bit cheesy, but at the same time I find myself intrigued by it." Futaba said to Kusa, who thought about it and nodded while speaking up.

"Oh, I've heard of that. Ann told me about the time she and Shiho went to see it while Shiho was still in town. Apparently they both liked it a lot and couldn't stop laughing at how good of a performance Mack White apparently gave as the title character. If true, that should make the movie worth watching for that alone, since I've seen a movie or two of his and he's a pretty funny guy. So I wouldn't mind catching that with you if we can find an airing tonight." Kusa said agreeably as Futaba looked up the schedule on her phone before smiling as she spoke up. *2*

"Mwehehe! We're in luck, Kusa! There's one more showing for 10:30PM tonight at the movie theater over in Shibuya. It's a bit far, but we can probably get there if we take the trains there." Futaba said as Kusa nodded and spoke up while using his phone to check the time.

"True. It's only around 8:30 right now, so if we don't take more than another like 10-15 minutes to eat and another around 5 to get the next train to Shibuya, we can get there and have a little time to walk around a bit before the movie if you want." Kusa suggested as Futaba smiled and spoke up.

"Mwehehe, perfect. Let's go ahead and get some to-go containers for our food so we can finish it at home later if we want. That way we can go get a train to Shibuya." Futaba said as Kusa nodded and headed up to get one of the staff's attention so he could get them some to-go containers and settle the bill. Afterwards, the two had their food packed into to-go containers and headed to Shibuya, where the two walked around a bit and did some sight-seeing before heading to the theater to get their tickets, Kusa smirking as he slipped off to buy a big bucket of popcorn for him and Futaba to split as well as a fountain drink each for him and Futaba.

Once he did that, he caught back up to Futaba as they headed into the screening room to get seats for the film, somehow managing to get seats in a row both close to the screen, but also far away from anyone who could see either of them. From there, Futaba smiled as she focused her attention on the screen as the movie started, both her and Kusa watching the movie intensely. Futaba got so into the movie, she gave a squeak of surprise when she felt Kusa gently lift her from her seat into his lap as the two watched the movie together, discreetly stealing a kiss or two where they could as they watched.

As they watched the film, Kusa and Futaba both agreed that they not only enjoyed the movie, but that it was also one of the funniest films they'd ever seen, even if Futaba did think it was adorable that the main character of the film eventually found himself falling for a shy and petite raven-haired girl who isn't necessarily the prettiest to look at on the outside, but had a heart of gold and was absolutely stunning on the inside. Kusa smirked as he noticed the slightly awed and intrigued look on Futaba's face as she enjoyed the film, smiling at the rare look of genuine enjoyment on Futaba's face.

After the film, the two got up and left, leaving their empty drink containers and popcorn bowl where they were sitting as they got up and left the theater, Kusa discreetly reaching under a nearby ledge to retrieve the to-go containers he'd stored there before the two went inside. From there, Kusa and Futaba headed back to the house, where Kusa headed into the kitchen to put away his and Futaba's leftovers in the fridge for later consumption, after which he followed Futaba down the hall to her room, where the two looked at one another and smiled as Futaba spoke up.

"Not gonna lie, Kusa. That movie was amazing! I found it quite moving how the main character was able to look past the flaws of that girl and see the beauty within and make her feel good about herself. It makes it that much more satisfying when they get together at the end." Futaba said as Kusa smiled and spoke up.

"I quite agree, Taba. But at the same time, it reminded me in some ways of our relationship. And before you react, I mean that in a good way. Because, let's be honest here, Taba. We're both kinda similar to the couple in the movie. When you first saw me, I seriously doubt you had the best surface impression of me even if I was rather kind and gentle to you when we introduced ourselves to each other.

But we both were able to see past each other's flaws to find the true beauty within each of us. I think that's partly why we're so naturally drawn to one another. That, plus the fact that you're so absolutely adorable and amazing helps for sure." Kusa said wryly as Futaba flushed prettily before she looked Kusa in the eyes and spoke up.

"N-Not true, Kusa! I thought you were rather genuine and nice when we met. Sure, I might have briefly thought you were just some random associate of Sojiro's that he sent to check up on me, but after we spoke, I knew you were more than that. I think I could tell even then that you were genuinely interested in me even back then, even if it took us both a while to finally confess our feelings to one another and then act on them." Futaba said as Kusa spoke up.

"True, but I recall hearing a saying once that goes 'sometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for'. Basically, it means that if something's really good when you get to try it, it's usually worth the wait for that thing. And I think that saying applies quite readily to our relationship." Kusa said as Futaba nodded and spoke up.

"Fair. I suppose we should go out on the hide-a-bed and get comfy so that Sojiro doesn't have conniptions, which he probably might if he found us in here cuddling on my bed, assuming that's all we were doing." Futaba said as Kusa flushed a bit and spoke up after carrying Futaba to the hide-a-bed and settling her into a position where she was resting on his chest but looking up at him while he spoke.

"True. But at the same time, what else would we be doing, Taba? It's not like either of us are trying to rush into anything too physical. As it is, I distinctly recall how red you got that night at Crossroads once we got into that private room, and you actually had the chance to actually sit down and take a proper look at my bare chest. To be fair though, I don't think either of us can be blamed for the fact that we both then proceeded to have an extremely intense make-out session that may or may not have had us letting our hands roam a bit on each other's chests.

Which to be honest? I don't know why you seem to be so insecure about how you stack up compared to the other girls. Sure, there are some, like Ann and Shiho, who are well-endowed in the chest area. But, if we're being totally honest here? While it is definitely an advantage to some, being well-endowed in the chest area is a perk that isn't necessarily something the average man looks for in a woman, at least in my opinion. On the contrary, Taba.

After all, on occasion, there are men out there, like myself, who prefer their women a bit slimmer and more petite. And to be honest with you Taba, I think you're absolutely perfect just the way you are. Just slim enough to fit snugly against me, but also sexy enough to turn heads. What's not to love about you?" Kusa said honestly to Futaba, who blushed at Kusa's genuine words of praise before smiling shyly at him and speaking up.

"That's true, Kusa. But at the same time, I can't help but feel like I'm not enough for you sometimes. I know that's probably silly to you, but that's truly how I feel." Futaba said shyly as Kusa smiled at Futaba and spoke up.

"Ah, I see. Heh, that's so totally you, Taba. You are quite the silly little weeb, aren't you?" Kusa said with a laugh as he proceeded to playfully poke Futaba in the nose gently, smirking at the adorably cute way she stuck her tongue out at him in response as he laughed and kept speaking.

"And that's more like the Taba I love. Why would I care how you look on the outside? I didn't fall in love with you strictly for your looks, after all. I fell in love with you because of that sharp mind of yours, not to mention that witty, spunky personality of yours. I couldn't care less that you're skinnier and more slender than most girls your age, Futaba. Those girls aren't you. You're the one I fell for, and thus the one I want to be with. So please stop doubting yourself, Taba." Kusa said sagely before lightly kissing Futaba reassuringly, which she smiled at while she returned the kiss. Kusa then leaned in to whisper into Futaba's ear at that point.

"Besides, if you think about it, the fact you're so slim is actually something of a good thing. For example, it's quite helpful when it comes to giving you massages. Because you're so slender and slim, it means I don't have to spend as much time putting oil on you. Thus, I get to spend more time enjoying how smooth that skin of yours is to the touch. So if you ask me Taba, you're actually at an advantage compared to most girls." Kusa said into Futaba's ear, making her flush prettily as she spoke up.

"T-True. And the fact you're so cut and chiseled means I have a lot to explore as well. The fact that I could very clearly see a tent in your boxers that night is just a bonus, as it suggests to me that you're pretty well-endowed in your own right." Futaba said slyly to Kusa, who blushed as he spoke up while laughing.

"I should've known you were ogling my bits that night, Taba. While I'm flattered you seem to like it, I don't want you to feel you need to rush into anything over it. After all, I'd prefer it if you were fully certain that you're ready before we take that step. Because that step isn't one that can be undone. After all, losing one's virginity is essentially an irreversible decision for a lady. So it's not one to be made lightly as a result, in my opinion. But at the end of the day, it's also what you want that matters here." Kusa said wisely to Futaba, who nodded as she laid her head happily on Kusa's shoulder and spoke up.

"Heh, that's true. Sorry if I embarrassed you before by bringing that up. I know it's probably not something you're used to hearing, but since you were complimenting my figure, I felt it was only fair to return the favor. Besides, I'm quite sure I saw you holding yourself back from taking the next step that night. So I think we both want it, but might not be quite ready for it just yet? I guess it's not the end of the world if we wait a while to do so. I'm just glad I have you to cuddle on right now, honestly." Futaba said as Kusa nodded while kissing Futaba as he spoke up.

"Good point. To tell you the truth, I was rather tempted by what I saw of you that night. But I am a gentleman first and foremost, and I knew it was a bit soon to be making any overly bold moves with you, whether you might have been receptive to them or not. Because I think we can both agree our first time should be memorable and special for us both." Kusa said while gently putting his arms around Futaba, who nodded as she spoke up.

"I suppose that makes sense, Kusa." Futaba said before surprising herself and Kusa both by yawning at that point.

"Hm, that's interesting. Looks like our date took more out of me than I thought." Futaba said honestly as Kusa chuckled and spoke up.

"That's fair. If you're tired, go ahead and rest, Taba. I don't mind one bit." Kusa said honestly, smiling at Futaba, who spoke up.

"Maybe I will. Night, Kusa." Futaba said as she shyly snuggled into Kusa's chest and dozed off, making Kusa smile as he pulled a blanket over himself and Futaba while quietly speaking up while gently wrapping an arm around Futaba's waist as he spoke.

"Heh, that's right. Sweet dreams, Taba. I love you, my pretty little Treasure." Kusa said happily, lightly pressing his lips to Futaba's briefly before gently pulling away and running his hands through Futaba's hair lovingly before stooping and gently cuddling Futaba close to him as he eventually dozed off himself while watching TV, neither one of them hearing the sound of a phone going off as Sojiro discreetly snapped a few photos of the two happily dozing in each other's arms, both looking very happy and content...

(Back at Leblanc, with Ren and Morgana)

As Ren and Morgana got back to Leblanc from hanging out with Chihaya, they found Kawakami waiting for them, smiling as she spoke up.

"Hi! Thanks for waitinggg, Master! Here you go!" Kawakami said as she handed the finished laundry to Ren, which consisted of the following: 'Old Pure Collar', 'Leopard Print Vest', 'Royal Holy Shroud', and 'Old Snakeskin Scarf'. Afterwards, Kawakami spoke up again.

"All right. I'll see you later, Master." Kawakami said as Ren and Morgana went and got comfortable for the night...

(The next afternoon, in the attic of Leblanc with Ren and Morgana)

"Hey, Ren! Should we tell the others about this batch of Mementos targets?" Morgana asked Ren, who thought about it and shook his head.

"Nah, not yet. I think we should try to get like one or two more requests first if we can. But if in like a week or so, we can't get any other requests, we'll tell the others then. Fair enough?" Ren said to Morgana, who nodded his agreement. After a bit, the two headed to the Velvet Room to reshuffle Ren's Personas, managing to create a handful of new Personas, including a very powerful Yatagarasu and Thor, the latter of which Ren had been impressed by when he fought him during the previous Palace.

From there, Ren recalled his lottery ticket and went to check it, finding he'd won 2,000 yen off of a 3,000 yen ticket, meaning he'd made most of the investment back. Ren then used the money to buy another ticket, figuring it was a low-risk, mid-to-high return investment. After that, Ren decided to head to the clinic, where he re-stocked his supply of healing items to some extent, figuring he was probably due for it. Once he finished, he looked at Takemi as he spoke up.

"Thanks for selling me those healing supplies, but I also needed to speak to you about something." Ren said to Takemi. Takemi frowned as she spoke up.

"Oh? There's nothing to talk about anymore, Amamiya-kun the elder." Takemi said despondently as Morgana got Ren's attention.

"Why don't you tell her about Oyamada, Ren? I'll go on and head back to the chief's house and see if anyone's home to actually let me in there while you do that." Morgana suggested as Ren nodded and looked at Takemi while he spoke up.

"With all respect to you, Doctor Takemi, I disagree. I think this is something you'll want to hear." Ren said insistently as Takemi sighed and spoke up.

"Oh fine, if you insist, Amamiya-kun the elder. I'll go to you, so wait there." Takemi said as Ren nodded respectfully and did as he was asked. After a bit, Takemi sighed at Ren and spoke up.

"Fine, you've got me out here, Amamiya-kun the elder. So what did you need to talk about? I thought I had asked you not to come back here anymore." Takemi said dryly to Ren as the sick little girl from before and her dad walked in, the girl's father looking at Ren and Takemi as he spoke up.

"Oh, Doctor! Doctor! Oh, and you too, guinea pig-san!" The sick girl's father said as Takemi sighed and spoke up.

"Yes?" Takemi asked as the sick girl's father spoke up.

"I'm sorry, but I wanted to speak to you right away! The hospital that was on the news is the same one you used to work at, right!?" The sick girl's father asked as Takemi blinked and spoke up in confusion.

"Hold on, what? What do you mean, the hospital on the news?" Takemi asked the sick girl's father in confusion, right as an elderly lady walked in to stand with the little girl and her father.

"Oh, dear. I'm afraid everyone was thinking the same thing. But I knew you weren't capable of doing those terrible things." The elderly lady said as Takemi sighed and spoke up

"Ugh, what is it? I've got so many people who want to speak to me all of a sudden. Can one of you explain that to me? Also, wh-what's going on?" Takemi asked as the elderly lady spoke up.

"Oh, my. You really don't know, do you dear?" The elderly lady said as the sick little girl's father spoke up.

"You see, Doctor, it's like this. Apparently, Chief of Staff Oyamada turned himself in. He was manipulating things behind the scenes. Turns out he was the one who made that terrible medical error, and laid the blame on his subordinate!" The sick little girl's father explained, leaving Takemi to gasp and give the sick little girl's father a wide-eyed look of shock as she spoke up.

"Huh!? Is that right? Could that be true?" Takemi asked in surprise. The sick little girl's father nodded as he spoke up.

"It's true, all right. It's been on news channels all over the country!" The sick little girl's father said as Takemi had a look of shock on her face while she spoke up.

"Oh, my. I haven't been paying attention to the news that much lately. So if there was a story about Oyamada on the news, I probably wouldn't have seen it yet." Takemi said honestly. The sick little girl's father spoke up again at that point.

"Don't worry about it. To be honest, I knew something didn't quite add up about that story." The sick little girl's father said as the elderly lady nodded and spoke up.

"I agree with this young man right here, dear. I never believed someone like you could have ever done something like that." The elderly lady said as the sick girl cheered and looked at Takemi as she spoke up.

"Hooray! Doctor! You're a good person! But, um, what's a medical error?" The sick little girl asked, tilting her head to the side in confusion. Takemi blinked at the question before looking at the sick girl as she spoke up.

"What? Um, how do I put this? Ah, I got it. Basically, it's something that shouldn't be allowed to happen at all, I guess." Takemi said as the sick girl's father and the elderly lady chatted between themselves before Takemi frowned and spoke up.

"Okay, I've been listening to this for long enough. One of you better answer me. Is this all some elaborate joke? Oyamada surrendering himself to the authorities? And at such a convenient time for me, no less? Why would he do that?" Takemi asked before shaking her head and frowning as she kept speaking.

"It's irrelevant, I suppose. Regardless of why he did it, it doesn't matter. It's too late. It doesn't change the fact that I couldn't save her in the end." Takemi said as Ren spoke up, looking into Takemi's eyes as he spoke up.

"Ah, but that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Doctor Takemi. That scumbag Oyamada lied to you about Miwa-chan's passing. As it turns out, she's still very much alive." Ren said honestly. Takemi gave Ren a look of surprise at what he'd said before she spoke up with widened eyes.

"What? Are you serious right now!? There's no way that's true! Absolutely no way at all..." Takemi said before slowly trailing off while her eyes widened a bit more when a thought occurred to her as she turned to the gathered guests and looked at them while speaking up.

"Wait, what!? Did the news mention anything about the patient involved in the medical error incident!?" Takemi asked as the sick girl's father nodded and spoke up.

"It did indeed. From what was said, she's not had an easy time of it. Oh, it must've been difficult for her too. I heard she's been moved to another hospital somewhere." The sick girl's father said as Takemi quietly gasped at this before covering her face to try to hide the tears of joy she'd shed at hearing this, but the elderly lady saw it and spoke up.

"Hm? What's the matter, dear?" The elderly lady said as the sick girl spoke up.

"Are you okay, Doctor!?" The sick girl asked Takemi, who nodded as she discreetly wiped her tears away, smiling as she spoke up.

"Ah, I see. So she's really okay. Miwa-chan is okay. She's alive after all." Takemi said as Ren smiled at her and spoke up.

"That's right, Doctor Takemi. Miwa-chan is still very much alive. That said, even though we know Oyamada lied about her death, it's not over yet, Doctor. You still have to cure her if you can, yes?" Ren said to Takemi, who gave Ren a grateful closed-eye smile and spoke up while nodding.

"Amamiya-kun the younger, thank you. Yes, you're right about that. It's not over yet! I have to finish what I started." Takemi said resolutely as the guests left, leaving Takemi and Ren alone, at which point Takemi looked at Ren and spoke up.

"Do you have time right now, Amamiya-kun the elder? If so, you'll help me, right? I take back what I said. We'll resume development right away." Takemi said as Ren nodded and spoke up.

"Absolutely, Doctor. I've got plenty of time to help you out right now. Let's get to work." Ren said, smiling at Takemi as he got a feeling that his bond with Takemi was about to grow deeper. At that point, the 'Death' card appeared in his mind's eye for the first time in a long time, the 'VII' becoming a 'VIII' to signify that his Death Confidant link with Takemi had reached Rank 8, but no new skills were gained for the rank-up. Afterwards, Takemi spoke up.

"Good answer. Sorry, but we're going to move quickly today. So be aware that as a result, you may experience some pain during the examination. If you do, I'm sorry. Just hang in there, okay?" Takemi said to Ren, who nodded and spoke up.

"Not a problem, Doctor. Let's do this, both for your sake, as well as for Miwa-chan's." Ren said kindly. Takemi gave Ren a closed-eye smile as she spoke up appreciatively.

"Thank you. You're quite the loyal ally, aren't you? Heh, you're a good guy. That said, once the medicine is perfected, I'll introduce you to Miwa-chan and tell her how much you helped." Takemi said as Ren nodded his understanding before Takemi spoke up.

"All right, that's enough talking. Into the examination room you go, oh guinea pig of mine." Takemi sai as Ren followed her into the exam room, feeling as if the clinical trial had boosted his Guts, giving his Guts a slight, if unneeded, boost. After he finished the trial, he got up and left, at which point Takemi spoke up.

"Thank you for today, Amamiya-kun the elder. That's all for now. Please, take care." Takemi said as Ren nodded his understanding while heading back to Leblanc, where his phone rang as he got to the doorstep, prompting him to answer it.

"Hello? Ren speaking." Ren said as he answered his phone, chuckling as he heard Takemi's voice on the other end.

"Oh, hey. Any change in your condition after that last one?" Takemi asked Ren, who spoke up.

"Nah, I feel fine, Doctor." Ren said as Takemi spoke up.

"Ah, that's good to hear. Regardless, I pushed you way too hard today. Really, I'm sorry I put you through so much. But I swear to you, I won't waste the opportunity you're giving me. We're really going to make up for our lost time in a big way. God, what was wrong with me this whole time? I can't believe I spent all that time moping. Feeling sorry for myself. Miwa-chan was fighting all that time, and probably still is fighting. I have to fight for her, too." Takemi said as Ren spoke up.

"That's great, Doctor. I'll be cheering you on. I suppose I would be remiss in my duties as your guinea pig if I didn't ask if there was anything else I can do, so is there anything else I can do?" Ren asked half-teasingly. Takemi chuckled as she spoke up.

"Heh, you're really stepping up for this aren't you? You really are a weird kid. You've done so much for me already. No, that's okay. The rest is up to me. All we need are some finishing touches and this drug will be ready. But anyways, get some good rest today. Remember that you can call me at any time, within reason, if you need to." Takemi said as Ren spoke up.

"Got it, Doctor. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." Ren said as Takemi spoke up.

"No problem, my little guinea pig. Heh. Okay, goodnight. Sleep well and build your strength up." Takemi said as Ren nodded and hung up the phone before heading into Leblanc. Once he got inside, Sojiro spoke up.

"Ah, you're back, Ren. Yo, another box came for you." Sojiro said as Ren opened up the box and looked at what was inside as Sojiro spoke up.

"Not to try and be nosy, but what did you even get?" Sojiro asked Ren, who spoke up.

"You're not being nosy at all, Boss. And to answer your question, it's some healing supplies I ordered that are hard-to-find." Ren answered Sojiro. Sojiro spoke up.

"Ah, that's right. I do see you ordering stuff off of that home-shopping program occasionally, now that I think about it. I trust you're being wise in what you order." Sojiro said as Ren nodded while pocketing the items that had arrived. Ren then saw a crossword at a table, quickly solving it for a minor, if unneeded, Knowledge boost.

Afterwards Ren had a seat while he looked over his options and promptly grimaced as he noticed that other than Sojiro, who he'd already maxed out, and Hifumi, who he couldn't hang out with due to not having finished her request, Ren's only available Confidant to rank up was Ohya. But as Ren wasn't one to waste time without cause, he just shrugged and fast-traveled to the Crossroads to see Ohya. Once he got there, he found her at the counter as usual, and walked over to her.

"Hey, Ohya-san. It's been a bit since we last hung out, hasn't it? Feel like some company?" Ren asked Ohya, who shrugged and spoke up.

"Fine with me. You know, I wonder if the Phantom Thieves leader really died. There hasn't been any comment from the police. I don't like that detective, the Akechi guy. Ignoring the fact that he's a smug, insufferable prick, he's also so cocky." Ohya said, making Ren have to stifle a laugh at how much Ohya sounded like Kusa in that moment while complaining about Akechi. Ohya then looked at Ren and kept speaking.

"Oh, but enough about that guy. You brought me some news, right?" Ohya asked Ren, who nodded and spoke up.

"I did indeed, Ohya-san. I did indeed." Ren said agreeably. Ohya spoke up.

"That's nice. Sorry, but let's go somewhere else. You can give me the info later. For right now though, we gotta get outta here quickly. Someone problematic might've found out about us, I fear." Ohya said as she led Ren out of the bar, speaking up as they left.

"Shit! Sheesh, it's never a dull moment with you, is it Amamiya-kun? This is really annoying, though. Where is that idiot?" Ohya said, ignoring the confused look Ren gave her as she saw someone coming and spoke up again.

"Crap, I didn't know he was coming! Hide, kid!" Ohya said to Ren, but before he could hide, a man with short brown hair glasses, and a business suit walked over and spoke up.

"Ohya! There you are! What do you think you're doing, making me look all over the place for you!?" The man asked Ohya, who forced a smile on her face while she spoke up.

"Hm? Oh, Ch-Chief? What are you doing here?" Ohya asked innocently as the man she called 'chief' spoke up.

"That's my line. Why isn't your phone on? Are you doing something you don't want me to find out about?" The man that Ren guessed was Ohya's boss said as Ohya's eyes widened while she spoke up.

"N-No, not at all! Ohhh, it looks like my battery ran out. I've been busy covering the Phantom Thieves, so I've not had a lot of time to charge my phone. My bad." Ohya said as her boss frowned and spoke up.

"You sure about that? I got a complaint from the higher-ups the other day. Apparently people have seen you snooping around recently, and in places unrelated to the Phantom Thieves." Ohya's boss said as Ohya frowned and spoke up.

"Th-That's ridiculous, Chief. I've been hot on their trail lately. Who told them that, I wonder?" Ohya said as her boss frowned at her and spoke up.

"It doesn't matter who! The board's coming down hard on me for this. Now don't make me ask you again, Ohya. Why are you sneaking around behind the company's back!?" Ohya's boss demanded of Ohya, who frowned and spoke up with her eyes closed.

"I'm honestly not. I just have been doing some independent research on the side while working on gathering info on the Phantom Thieves." Ohya said as Ren frowned and spoke up.

"What's this about? I apologize for speaking out of turn, but you've got me confused with what you're discussing." Ren asked. Ohya looked at Ren, getting an idea of how to get her boss off her back as she spoke up.

"All right, I'll tell you. Just promise me you'll keep it a secret, okay? The truth is, I don't know how or why it happened, but for some time now I've been in a relationship with this kid." Ohya said as both Ohya's boss and Ren frowned at this, both speaking up in unison.

"WHAT!?" Ohya's boss and Ren yelped in unison as the former kept speaking.

"Isn't he a minor, Ohya!?" Ohya's boss asked as Ohya nodded and spoke up, ignoring the near-inaudible groan Ren gave as he sighed and darkly muttered 'Dammit! What is it with my female Confidants and wanting me to fake-date them when I have an effing girlfriend!?' under his breath while she spoke.

"Yup, that's right. That's why I'm being so discreet about it. Who knows what laws we might be breaking. Hm, I guess keeping our tryst a secret is tougher than I expected. Maybe someone saw us out and about somewhere." Ohya said as her boss frowned and spoke up.

"Hm. I see. Ohya, for someone who specializes in fabricating articles, I'd expect you to be a better liar. I expect your resignation letter on my desk next week. If it doesn't come, I'll handle matters myself." Ohya's boss said as Ren and Ohya both blinked at this, the latter speaking up with a frown.

"Huh!? So what, you decide I'm lying and that's that?" Ohya demanded as her boss huffed and spoke up.

"Oh, give it a rest already. I'm annoyed enough as is for having to come track you down out here." Ohya's boss said as Ohya turned a desperate look towards Ren while she spoke up, silently begging for help.

"W-Wait a minute, Chief. I'm telling the truth! We're totally dating, aren't we, sweetie?" Ohya asked Ren, who sighed, not wanting to do what he was about to do, but knowing he had no choice if he wanted to keep Ohya as a Confidant. Ren sighed before he looked at Ohya's boss and spoke up.

"Yes, it's true. Please don't tell anybody, sir. I'd rather no one know about this that doesn't have to." Ren said to Ohya's boss, getting shocked looks from Ohya and her boss as the latter spoke up.

"What, are you being serious right now!?" Ohya's boss said as Ohya triumphantly pumped a fist and chuckled while speaking up with a closed-eye smile.

"Heh, see? We've had to be extra secretive about it 'cause his high school has strict rules against dating adults." Ohya said as her boss frowned and spoke up.

"Ohya, tell me the truth. Are you blackmailing him? I mean, let's be honest. You don't have the physique to be going around attracting high school kids, unless they're those weird types who prefer tomboys who like kung-fu." Ohya's boss said as Ohya frowned and spoke up in annoyance. *3*

"H-Hey, that's sexual harassment! And besides, our love is something that defies both age and logic!" Ohya said insistently as her boss shook his head and spoke up.

"Ugh, well whatever. Just make sure you don't miss any deadlines, okay?" Ohya's boss said to Ohya, who frowned and nodded.

"Of course. So, if that's all, can we go now?" Ohya asked as her boss spoke up.

"Just one more question. I could've sworn the reason you were sneaking around was so you could follow up on your old partner's case." Ohya's boss said as Ohya gave him a shocked look and spoke up.

"Huh? Whatever gave you that idea!?" Ohya asked in surprise. Ohya's boss gave her a pointed look and spoke up.

"Well, Ohya, are you gonna come clean?" Ohya's boss said as Ren frowned and spoke up.

"That's enough, sir. She told you what you need to know. Whoever told you that line about her old partner's case is probably mistaken. Now, can we go? Our movie is about to start." Ren said, sighing as he found himself once again playing the role of fake boyfriend. The chief frowned and spoke up.

"Oh, yeah? Is that so?" Ohya's boss said as Ohya frowned and spoke up.

"Ugh! Like I said, I'm here on personal business. I promise you!" Ohya said insistently as her boss spoke up.

"You lost all credibility when you started sneaking around like this, Ohya. But fine, I'll back off. But don't go pulling any funny stuff, okay? The board wants me to keep a close eye on you. And with that, you've been warned." Ohya's boss said before turning around and leaving, at which point Ohya let out an audible sigh. She then spoke up gratefully.

"Thanks, kid. That guy is one of the execs over at my job. Arrogant bastard, ain't he? He's the kind of guy all the girls at a bar would instantly turn down. Anyway, I'm sure that was a real surprise for you." Ohya said as Ren gave her a look that was a cross of confused and irritated while she spoke up.

"You know, not only are you a good source of info, you're not half bad as an actor either. You're honestly the type of guy I'd wanna grab drinks with after work from time to time. Too bad you're underage." Ohya said as Ren frowned and spoke up.

"Not only am I underage Ohya-san, but I'm also very much taken! You're lucky I played along tonight, but don't expect me to make a habit of it! My girlfriend already has to put up with me having to pretend to fake-date one girl, and she was very understanding about it once we explained it to her.

However, that girl was a friend of hers, unlike you. So I really can't be getting in the habit of bailing you out by pretending to date you. Got it?" Ren said pointedly to Ohya, who just nodded, leaving Ren with a sense that his bond with Ohya had grown deeper. At that point, the 'Devil' card appeared in his mind's eye for the first time in a while, the 'III' becoming an 'IV' to signify that his Devil Confidant link with Ohya had reached Rank 4, though no new skills were gained from the rank-up. Afterwards, Ohya spoke up.

"Right, right. Sorry about that, Amamiya-kun. Well, I guess that's it for today." Ohya said to Ren, who nodded as he made to leave, at which point Ohya spoke up.

"Oh, don't stop in any weird shops on your way home, okay? Well then, see ya later." Ohya said to Ren, who nodded while feeling as if he'd gotten more Charm from very reluctantly pretending to be lovers with Ohya, netting him a modest, if unneeded, boost to his Charm. Ren then headed back to Leblanc where his phone rang as he got to the doorstep, making him sigh as he answered it.

"Hello? Ren speaking." Ren said, trying to keep his voice down, groaning as he heard Ohya's voice on the other end.

"Hey, kid! You headed straight home, right? No detours?" Ohya said as Ren spoke up.

"No, I totally stopped off to surprise my actual girlfriend at her house, Ohya-san. Yes, I headed straight home." Ren said dryly as Ohya chuckled while speaking up.

"Fair enough, I probably deserved that one. But I must say, you've got some real acting chops! Man, no lie, they really saved me today. Once I got back to the editorial staff, all they asked for was my daily report. I couldn't believe it! You seem like a handy kid to know. Expect another call from me soon, since I could probably use the help! And I'll repay you with the power of journalism of course. I'll write you a solid article on the Phantom Thieves." Ohya said as Ren spoke up.

"That was our deal, wasn't it? Fine, I'll help where I can. But I meant what I said earlier! Don't make a habit of expecting me to pretend to be your boyfriend to bail you out of trouble! I actually have a very pretty girlfriend who's an up-and-coming competitive gymnast who is very insecure about herself, and who doesn't need any reason to think I have eyes for anyone but her, because I don't.

She's the only one I want to be with. As long as you can respect that I already have a girlfriend, I don't mind continuing to honor our deal." Ren said bluntly to Ohya, not wanting her to think she could keep pretending to date him indefinitely. Ohya nodded and spoke up agreeably.

"Yeah, it sure is! And I heard you loud and clear before, Amamiya-kun. I have no intention of actually taking you from your girlfriend. But whoever she is, she's a very lucky lady. That said, this is gonna be a two-way street, so don't you worry! I've got your back like you've got mine! But man, you've got a whole lotta guts for a high schooler." Ohya said as Ren spoke up.

"She really is amazing, though. And I get that a lot about my guts, actually." Ren said with a chuckle as Ohya spoke up again.

"Ah, I see. Well, I'm sure we'll gradually get to know each other better, so I look forward to it. Let me know if you get any really juicy info! Okay, bye!" Ohya said as Ren hung up his phone, idly deciding that Ohya would be lucky if they ended up casual acquaintances, let alone being friends. Ren was quite committed to Kasumi, and to Kasumi alone. Or so Ren told himself as he headed into Leblanc to change into his pajamas. Once he changed, Ren then decided to send Kasumi a private chat.

"Hey there, beautiful. Just thought I'd send this to let you know that I was thinking about you. I hope things are going well for you. I'm sorry I don't try to spend more time with you, but between having to keep up the pretense of being believed dead, and not having a lot of free time for socializing, I just haven't had a lot of chances to message you. But I want you to know that I love you and am here for you, if you ever need me. If you want, maybe we can hang out sometime." Ren sent while laying down on his bed for the night, hoping that Kasumi was doing better than he was. Because of Ren choosing when he did to fall asleep, he slept through Kasumi sending him a response...

(The next afternoon, in the attic of Leblanc with Ren)

Ren saw that he had 19 days left to the deadline, and roughly 10 days left of his prep period. He then looked at his options, but at that point, a group chat came up from Ryuji, Ann, Kusa, Yusuke, Makoto, Haru, and Futaba, with Haru sending the first response.

"Have you been well, Ren?" Haru sent as Ren sent a response.

"Yeah, I've been doing well, all things considered. And how about all of you?" Ren sent as Haru sent a response.

"We're all fine." Haru sent as Ryuji sent a response.

"Granted, I'm jelly you get to ditch school and all, Ren. But anyways, everything on TV and even online is irritating as shit." Ryuji sent as Makoto sent a response.

"Easy, sweetie. I know how you feel. But we can't get worked up over it. We're just letting Shido and Akechi win if we do. That said, not a day goes by that we don't see Shido on the news." Makoto sent as Futaba sent a response.

"Right? Same with Akechi. I agree with Kusa when he says that all that genius detective stuff is a load of bullcrap. Granted, Kusa said horse shit, but the general sentiment is the same either way." Futaba sent as Kusa chuckled and sent a response.

"That's because I do at least somewhat try to censor myself to a point, Taba. But I stand by that opinion. I eagerly await the day we get to put those smug scumbags in their effing place." Kusa sent as Ann sent a response.

"Right!? It makes me sick to think how quick they both are to act like heroes." Ann sent as Kusa sent a response.

"Agreed. If those two are heroes, Ren's an effing playboy who has even older women falling at his feet. Hell, I'd sooner believe that that drunk reporter chick is interested in Ren than I would believe Akechi or Shido are in any way heroic." Kusa said as Ren winced, not wanting to say how close Kusa's words were to describing what had happened last night. Yusuke then saved Ren an awkward silence by sending a response at that point.

"I concur, Kusa. Honestly, the people who believe that rubbish are just as bad in my opinion." Yusuke sent as Ryuji sent a response.

"Totally. Everyone's been going on about the end of year elections like it's some kinda festival." Ryuji sent as Makoto sent a response.

"I agree wholeheartedly, Ryuji. Yes, this political season is nothing more than a party for most of them. But depending on how we approach it, this might actually be a good opportunity for us." Makoto sent as Yusuke sent a response.

"Ah, I get it, Makoto. We will take advantage of this commotion to execute our mission. It will be a great distraction." Yusuke sent as Futaba sent a response.

"Right? And considering all the attention they're getting, the appearance of the Phantom Thieves will be huge." Futaba sent as Ryuji sent a response.

"Hell yeah! Let's show 'em the Phantom Thieves are still going strong as ever!" Ryuji sent as Kusa sent a response.

"Preferably without having things go pear-shaped this time, if possible. I believe we've already suffered quite enough at the hands of Akechi AND Shido to last us several lifetimes. And I know that Ren, in particular, still has a lot to make up for with his girlfriend. So he should probably take advantage of this prep period to at least somewhat make good on that as much as he can. But that's just my opinion." Kusa sent as Ann sent a response.

"Good point, Kusa! And Ren? It's your call when we meet. Just be careful, OK? I didn't like thinking I'd lost you." Ann sent as Ren nodded and closed his group chat. After that, Ren noticed he had several new private chats, one each from Futaba, Makoto, Shinya, and to his slight surprise, the last one was from Kasumi.

Ren looked over the first three, noting that Makoto and Shinya were around if he wanted to hang with them, while Futaba asked about going to the Palace, which Ren ignored as the group was still in their prep period. After looking at the map, he saw that Haru, Makoto, Shinya, Ryuji, and Ann were available to hang out with, though he had already maxed out his bonds with the latter two. Ren then opened up Kasumi's private chat and read her response.

"Aww, thank you, Ren. That's sweet to hear you're thinking of me. I've missed spending time with you also, though. And to be honest, I've been getting more free time of recent, probably because my coach has been trying to give me extra time for us, since I think Kusa-kun might have accidentally told Coach Hiraguchi about our relationship the day he came to watch my practice in your place. But I know he meant well, so I can't be mad at him for it.

That being said, I wouldn't mind spending time with you at some point soon if you're up for it, Ren. Hopefully you've not had it too rough being cut off from most of us like you have. I'm also always here for you if you need me, Senpai. I love you so much. Actually, if you're not busy today, would you like to grab some lunch with me this afternoon at the diner?" Kasumi sent as Ren smiled and eventually sent a response after deciding he had time for her.

"I'd be delighted to have lunch with you, Sumi. If you're free, why not meet at the diner in like 30 minutes or so?" Ren sent as Kasumi smiled and sent a response.

"Sounds like a plan to me, Senpai! See you then! Love you!" Kasumi sent as Ren closed the private chat and got ready to meet Kasumi, figuring it was a solid plan. Worst case, he could head from the diner to hang out with Haru or Shinya, as they were the lowest ranked of his available options, and he had both an Empress Persona and a Tower Persona on hand. His mind made up, Ren put on some light cologne and freshened up a bit in the downstairs bathroom before pulling up his hood and heading to meet Kasumi in Shibuya...

(In Shibuya, at the diner with Kasumi)

"Hm, hopefully he's on his way here." Kasumi said to herself as she waited for Ren in front of the entrance to the diner. After a bit, Ren walked over, hood up, and smiled at her as he spoke up.

"Hey there, beautiful. Sorry if I kept you waiting. Took me a bit to get ready." Ren said to Kasumi, who smiled and kissed Ren eagerly before she spoke up.

"Don't worry about it, Senpai. I'm just happy to get to spend time with you at all." Kasumi said honestly as she and Ren headed into the diner, and both got their orders placed, with Ren ordering the Surprise Sando and a cup of Frui-Tea, while Kasumi got the Surprise Sando, the Nostalgic Steak, and a glass of Frui-Tea. Ren chuckled and spoke up as Kasumi finished her order and the waitress left to fill their orders.

"Heh, I forgot how healthy your appetite is, Sumi. I've honestly missed spending time with you like this." Ren said honestly as Kasumi giggled and spoke up.

"Aw, come on. It hasn't been that long since we saw each other last, has it? I want to say it's only been a few days." Kasumi said as Ren spoke up.

"True, but I enjoy every moment we spend together, Sumi. And I do so relish these occasions, when it's just the two of us, and I can enjoy that adorably flustered look you get on your face when I shamelessly flirt with you or compliment you." Ren said honestly as Kasumi flushed and spoke up.

"S-Senpai! No fair! You know that embarrasses me when you do that, even if it is flattering! But I'm glad we're able to spend time together like this as well." Kasumi said to Ren as their orders arrived then, the two focusing on enjoying their meals with a shared cry of 'Thank you for the food!' as they dug in. After their plates were cleaned, Ren spoke up once more.

"In all seriousness though, Kasumi, I want you to know just how much you mean to me. I feel terrible that I had to let you think I was gone for any stretch of time. I'm just as happy you forgave me for it. And to be honest? I can't wait to introduce you to the others as the newest Phantom Thief." Ren said, making sure to keep his voice down as he spoke the last sentence, making Kasumi smile as she spoke up.

"Thank you, Ren. I'm glad to hear that. You know, I actually have a couple of days off coming up, so if you want, maybe I can come back with you to Leblanc and hang out with you overnight?" Kasumi suggested shyly as Ren blinked at the idea before smiling as he spoke up.

"As much as I'd love that, what about school? I'm pretty sure it's a school day tomorrow, Sumi." Ren said as Kasumi giggled and spoke up.

"Not to worry, Ren. I have the week off from school, since Coach called the school and told them I was going out of town with her so I could do extra training. However, since I'm doing so well, she's letting me have the next couple days off to spend as I see fit. So I figured, why not spend them with my boyfriend? I just have to call my parents and get permission, but I think they'll let me spend at least one night with you." Kasumi said confidently as Ren spoke up.

"If that's the case, then I'd love to bring you home tonight, Sumi. After all, I have the attic to myself since Boss has Kusa and Morgana staying at his house until the facade of us being out of town/dead is over. So I might as well make some beneficial use of that, I figure. However, I did need to go do some things in Akihibara this afternoon once we're done here, but after that, I'll meet you back at Leblanc and we can have the rest of the night to spend together." Ren suggested as Kasumi smiled and spoke up.

"Sounds like a plan to me, Senpai. And who knows? Maybe we could even go check out the bathhouse together." Kasumi suggested coyly, enjoying the hints of red on Ren's face as her words sunk in for him, and he spoke up.

"U-Um, we could definitely do that, Sumi. But are you sure you're ready for something like that?" Ren said, not wanting Kasumi to feel she had to rush into anything before she was ready for it. Kasumi giggled and spoke up.

"I was just teasing you, Ren-senpai. But I wouldn't be adverse to it if you did want to do that. After all, it's not like we didn't see virtually every bit of each other anyways the other night during that party at Crossroads. Speaking of which, you have such magic hands, Senpai. I can't believe how much your massage relaxed me." Kasumi said happily as Ren flushed and spoke up.

"We'll see. I'm not going to rush you into anything you're not ready for. But if you truly are ready for that, I also won't stop you either. The most important thing to me is that you're happy and content." Ren said honestly. Kasumi gave Ren a pretty closed-eye smile and spoke up.

"I'm always happy with you, Senpai. Well, I guess I should get going and let you finish what you need to do. I'll see you tonight, Senpai! Hee hee!" Kasumi said with an excited-sounding giggle as she left the diner, while Ren packed up his and Kasumi's leftovers in the provided to-go containers which he then put in a bag and carefully tucked into his school bag, right where Morgana would usually ride. Once he did that and paid the bill, Ren then left and made to head for Akihibara, only to stop as he heard his name called out, turning to face the speaker, which to his surprise was Mishima, who waved him over and spoke up.

"Wow, it is you! I thought I saw you walking out of the diner just now! Getting something to eat?" Mishima said as Ren smiled and spoke up.

"More like having lunch with my girlfriend. She had to go do other things, but she and I are going to hang out more tonight at Leblanc. But never mind that. What's up, Mishima?" Ren said to Mishima, who spoke up.

"Glad you asked. I was policing the Phan-Site, as I so often do, when I saw a rather disturbing post on the forum. I bookmarked it on my phone so I could show it to you. Hold on while I pull it up for you, Amamiya-kun the elder." Mishima said as he pulled up the bookmarked post, which Ren then read, his eyes widening as he saw it.

"To the ones who call themselves the Phantom Thieves: I realize you've lost your leader recently, but I have reason to believe you've installed a new leader, and that the new leader in question is in fact someone I know rather well. You see, I have reason to suspect that the one you call Draconis, or your apparent new leader, is in fact the 'Kung-Fu Dragon' himself, Kusa Amamiya! But despite my instincts telling me this, I don't have any actual proof to validate this claim, which is why I'm sending this. And at this point, this next part is aimed directly at the one called Kusa Amamiya.

Amamiya-kun the younger, I realize now that I treated you horribly during our last meeting. But I feel the time has come to settle the score with you. If you are indeed a Phantom Thief, then bring your friends and head for the place called Mementos. And before you ask how I know of it, well let's just say a certain 'acquaintance' of yours tipped me off on a lot of things, which saves me a lot of beating on first-years to flush your cowardly ass out.

Consider this my challenge to you, as well as your calling card! So if you accept my challenge, I'll be waiting for you in Mementos, or more likely, my Shadow will. Not sure if I believe that guy who told me about all that, but he seemed like he knew what he was talking about, so I guess it woriks? Either way? Be there, if you dare. We'll settle up on everything then. -Best regards, Akira Kurusu." Ren read, his eyes widening as he recognized the name of the sender as the guy who'd personally orchestrated the attack on Kusa earlier that summer that had landed Kusa in the hospital and required him to spend the best part of a month recovering his knee from the damage that the attack had done to it. Ren then turned to Mishima in shock and spoke up.

"Is this post accurate, Mishima!? If so, this is the first time someone's sent US a calling card." Ren said in shock as Mishima grimly nodded and spoke up.

"Unfortunately, it's 100% legit. I even fact-checked everything myself, and it all tracks. As for the 'acquaintance' Kurusu mentioned in that post, I suspect he means Akechi-kun, since I thought I noticed Akechi-kun hanging out with someone recently, shortly after the news report that Akira Kurusu was released from juvie for good behavior. So if so, that would explain how he has such knowledge of the Metaverse, though I question if it'll be Kurusu himself that's waiting for you guys, or if it'll just be his Shadow." Mishima said as Ren shrugged and spoke up.

"Dunno. One way to find out for sure, though, and that would be for us to take this request and accept Kurusu's challenge. Which is just as well that he sent the challenge when he did, since I was waiting on at least one more Mementos request to be able to commission a Mementos run during this prep period anyways. So thanks for helping with that, Mishima-kun." Ren said gratefully as his phone, along with everyone else's phone in the Phantom Thieves aside from Kasumi, pinged to signify the receipt of the Mementos request 'Calling Card for a Grudge Match', giving Ren a total of five outstanding Mementos requests, with the unfinished gamer request included. Ren then nodded to Mishima as he headed to Akihibara to hang out with Shinya.

Once he arrived at the arcade in Akihibara, Ren noticed that the prize for the crane game had changed to a 'Wanna-wanna-kun Doll'. Shrugging, Ren decided he had the yen for a few tries at the crane game, so he decided to try and see if he could win the doll quickly. Ren smirked when, likely due in part to his maxed-out Proficiency, he managed to win the doll on his first try once again. A smiling Ren then accepted his prize, which was a 'Wanna-Wanna-Kun Doll'. After he finished with the crane, Ren walked over to Shinya and spoke up.

"Good afternoon, Oda-kun. How are you today?" Ren said conversationally to Shinya, who nodded at Ren and spoke up.

"I'm not bad, Amamiya-san the elder. And you?" Shinya said as Ren spoke up.

"I'm good. I figured I'd come hang out with you since I was in the area, having just finished having lunch with my girlfriend." Ren said honestly as Shinya nodded and spoke up.

"Ugh, not sure what you see in girls, but I won't judge you for it. If you want girl germs and the like, that's your business. Back on topic, aren't you gonna train today? I can teach you a bunch of stuff. You down?" Shinya said to Ren, who smiled and nodded while he spoke up.

"Absolutely. That sounds amazing. Teach me more of your ways, oh wise Oda-sensei." Ren said politely. Shinya smiled and nodded as he spoke up.

"Cool, sounds good to me. Hey! By the way, have you eaten yet, Amamiya-san the elder?" Shinya asked as Ren spoke up.

"Eh, I did just have lunch with my girlfriend about 30 minutes ago, but I could probably still eat a tiny bit if I had to. Why do you ask, Oda-kun? Are you hungry?" Ren said as Shinya nodded and spoke up.

"Yeah, I'm starving, to be honest. But then again, my hunger doesn't really bother me when I'm playing." Shinya said as Ren frowned and spoke up.

"Hm. I see. Unless you really want to learn first, why don't we get you something to eat? I might have a bite to eat too, but I'm still kind of full from earlier." Ren said. Shinya looked at Ren in shock at his offer as he spoke up.

"Wha? What!? R-Really? Are you sure?" Shinya said as Ren nodded his agreement and Shinya smiled and kept speaking.

"Okay, today's training will be a 'lecture.' Meaning, if you pay for my meal, I'll let you have the course for free." Shinya said as Ren spoke up.

"Hm, I see. Yeah, okay, that's fair enough. Provided you don't run the bill up too high, I can pay for your meal. I have some money, but not a lot. I'm kinda still re-building my coffers, so to speak, after letting myself be duped into paying for a costly 100,000 yen scam a couple months ago." Ren said, a sheepish look on his face as Shinya blinked at this but didn't comment on it as he spoke up happily.

"Sweet! I get my meal, and you get your training, so we're both happy. And don't worry, I can eat on a budget if needed. I'm not that expensive of an eater. Now, stop wasting time and take me some place to eat! Let's go!" Shinya said as Ren took Shinya to the diner in Shibuya to eat, since it had a pretty budget-friendly meal. After Shinya had eaten his fill, he spoke up with a closed-eye smile.

"Phew, I'm stuffed. Thank you for the food, Amamiya-san! I gotta eat a lot and feed myself well because I'm fighting a war." Shinya said as Ren gave Shinya a confused look, making him keep speaking.

"Hm? Oh, didn't I tell you? I've been having serious battles with kids at school. They attack me in large numbers, so I can't let my guard down. Well, all they did today was throw eraser crumbs into my lunch, though, so I won that round." Shinya said as Ren frowned and spoke up.

"Seriously? Are these kids bullying you, Oda-kun?" Ren said to Shinya, who shook his head and spoke up with a serious look on his face.

"No, not really. At this point, it's not bullying, so much as it's a war. And I'm on the defensive right now, but I'm looking for a chance to counterattack. I could finish them in a second if I put my mind to it. It's just that, even if I wanted to strike now, I couldn't. You see, now's not the right time. It gets kind of annoying having to watch my back all the time, though. We're talking about something that's really annoying.

Hm, I wonder. Maybe I can ask the Phantom Thieves to take care of them for me. I hear they help those in need where they can." Shinya said, but before Ren could do more than frown at Shinya's suggestion of enlisting the aid of the Phantom Thieves, both Ren and Shinya heard a grade schooler sobbing nearby, as their mother spoke up kindly while smiling at them.

"There, there. Your food is here, sweetheart. Well, today you lost, but there's always other opportunities. So that means you'll just have to try harder next time. Now, eat up and feel better." The grade-schooler's mother said as the grade-schooler spoke up in surprise.

"Really? So you're not mad?" The grade-schooler, a male based on their voice if Ren had to guess, said. The grade-schooler's mother smiled at him and spoke up.

"Of course not, dear. You did your best, and that's all that counts. Now, no more crying." The grade-schooler's mother said as Shinya frowned and spoke up while looking at Ren.

"Wrong! What a joke, right? Once you lose, it's over." Shinya said, prompting Ren to give him a look that was a mix of confused and quizzical. Shinya saw it and kept speaking.

"Oh! Well, that's what my mom told me, at least. My mom's fighting with my school, you know. About how classes are taught, the way teachers treat students, the size of the classes, stuff like that. But hey, listen to this! Since the divorce, my mom's been taking care of me all by herself. She says it's exhausting. She leaves really early to go to work. Then she comes home really early to take care of me.

So it's no wonder she demands so much from the school, you know? But all of my classmates make fun of her and call her a complainer, among other things. When I tell them to stop, they call me a momma's boy and make fun of me. And that's how the war started. I hate it! My mom gets made fun of because I'm weak! And that's why I gotta get stronger!" Shinya said as Ren smiled and spoke up.

"That's the spirit, Oda-kun. Props for being brave enough to stand up for your mom. I'm sure you're aware of this by now, but a real man is always willing to stand up for their family and those close to them, but especially for their parents. So you already have my respect to some degree for being willing to stand up for your mom the way you do. But, I do hope you remember which lines not to cross, yeah?

As for getting stronger, if Gun About ever fails to pan out, I'm sure I can get my brother, or 'K.F.D.' as you called him, to give you some martial-arts lessons when he has time. He might not look like it, but Kusa's really a very patient and understanding guy, and would probably gladly help you out with that if you wanted." Ren said to Shinya. Shinya smiled and spoke up, sparkling music notes going up over his head while he spoke.

"Thanks! Well, the Phantom Thieves would laugh at me if I lost now. And to your offer, I might consider it, but I want to be sure I'm worthy of it first. After all, if the stories about him are true, your brother doesn't teach people martial arts if it's being used for things like revenge. So I'm not sure if he'd approve of why I'd want to learn it. But I've got a long way to go before that point, to be honest. Oh before I forget, I need to show you something, Amamiya-san." Shinya said before he chuckled and spoke up.

"Heh, don't tell anyone else about this, okay? But I'm going to show you a guaranteed way to win!" Shinya said as Ren nodded his understanding, all the while smiling as he got a sense like his bond with Shinya was actually starting to deepen somewhat. At that point, the 'Tower' card appeared in his mind's eye, the 'II' becoming an 'III' to signify that his Tower Confidant link with Shinya had reached Rank 3.

As a result of the rank-up, Shinya had instructed Ren on the art of the 'Warning Shot', which enables Ren to scare enemies in negotiation to make it easier to obtain a Persona. Afterwards, Shinya spoke up again.

"Still, to be honest? I wish I could be a member of the Phantom Thieves and help them defeat the bad guys in the world." Shinya said, surprising Ren with his honesty, but making Ren frown, as he felt like Shinya was too young to get involved in what the Phantom Thieves do. Shinya then spoke up.

"Oh, it's kinda late, isn't it? I guess I should go home, Amamiya-san." Shinya said as Ren kindly nodded, feeling as if interacting with Shinya was helping his heart to grow larger, netting him a modest, if unneeded, boost to his Kindness. Afterwards, Shinya spoke up as Ren paid for the food and the two headed their separate ways.

"Yeah, I should definitely get going. Well, thanks for the food. Later!" Shinya said as Ren headed back to Leblanc, where his phone once again rang, making Ren shrug as he answered it.

"Hello? Ren speaking." Ren said as he answered his phone, just nodding as he heard Shinya's voice speaking on the other end.

"Oh, Amamiya-san? Thanks for that food earlier. I guess that's also kinda training, technically. We just talked a bunch about me today, so you gotta tell me more about the Phantom Thieves next time. Maybe we can go get something again while we're at it?" Shinya said as Ren smiled and spoke up.

"Sure. Provided I'm not busy or broke, I can be persuaded to buy you a meal from time to time. As for telling you more about the Phantom Thieves, I'll see what I can do. They don't really like being talked about to others more than is strictly necessary. Basically the whole 'fighting war on the bad guys from shadows' approach and all. I'm sure you understand." Ren said kindly yet agreeably to Shinya, who blinked in surprise but smiled while he spoke up on the other end.

"Wait, really!? Thanks, Amamiya-san! And I understand about having to be careful what you discuss. I was just curious about them, that's all. But now that I think about it, it's been a while since I went out to eat with anyone but my mom. Okay, let's go get some hamburger steak next time. It's my favorite food! Oh, but come to think of it, my mom hasn't made hamburger steak in a while either, has she?

But she seems super busy, so it can't be helped. Oh well, not much I can do, I guess. Wonder if she's coming home late again tonight, actually. Okay, bye, Amamiya-san. I'll see you at the arcade." Shinya said as Ren nodded, hanging up the phone as he headed into Leblanc. Once inside, he put his and Kasumi's leftovers into the fridge as Sojiro smiled at Ren and spoke up.

"Ah, you're back. I see you invited your girlfriend over to spend time with you. Nice to see you're making the most of your free time with her. Just be smart about it. She's upstairs waiting for you, in case you were wondering. Just keep it quiet while I have customers here.

But I'll close up the cafe soon, so that way you two can have the place to yourselves. But as a heads-up? I might bring Kusa and Futaba back this way later for a family dinner, so don't be surprised if we come back this way for that purpose." Sojiro said to Ren, who nodded understandingly as he headed upstairs to set his bag down, smiling as he saw the sight of his red-headed girlfriend cutely snuggled up on his bed, appearing to have dozed off slightly while she was waiting for Ren.

Ren smiled as he gently set his bag down before kicking his shoes off and setting them by his bag and sitting lightly on his bed before lightly rubbing Kasumi's shoulders before gently pressing a kiss to her cheek while speaking up.

"Hey there, beautiful. Sorry to keep you waiting so long." Ren said gently as Kasumi yawned cutely before waking up and stretching out in a vaguely cat-like manner as she looked up and saw Ren sitting there, smiling at him as she spoke up.

"Oh, Ren! You're back! Welcome home, Senpai! Did you have fun while you were out?" Kasumi asked as Ren spoke up.

"Mostly. I got to hang out with one of my gamer friends at the arcade. But before that, I ran into Mishima-kun at the diner. Apparently he needed to speak to me about something relating to you-know-what. Apparently, it involves someone calling Kusa out in an online post, if you can believe that. So that's a thing that totally happened." Ren said while shaking his head in an exasperated manner. Kasumi giggled cutely as she kissed Ren briefly before speaking up.

"That sucks, Ren. But I know we can handle it as a team. For now though, let's not stress on business, yeah? It's just you, and me, and this very comfy bed. So let's make the most of it, shall we?" Kasumi said coyly, giving Ren a seemingly pleading look as Ren smiled and laid down while pulling Kasumi gently into his arms while he spoke up.

"Heh, you don't have to tell me twice, Sumi. I'm all yours." Ren said as he eagerly captured Kasumi's lips in his own, looking into her eyes happily as the two kissed. After a bit, Kasumi briefly pulled away to smile at Ren before lightly giving his lower lip a playful nip, making him gape in shock as his jaw dropped a bit, something Kasumi took advantage of to eagerly slide her tongue into Ren's mouth as she decided to deepen the kiss a bit.

This unexpected move from Kasumi had the result of making Ren smile appreciatively as he returned Kasumi's affections, the two staying like this for a few minutes. After a bit, a red-faced but smiling Kasumi looked into Ren's eyes and spoke up in a tone that Ren swore almost sounded a mix of suggestive and slightly sultry.

**Slight Adult Content starts here. Anyone who doesn't like lemon-esque shenanigans can skip to the section marked *END OF ADULT CONTENT*, otherwise read on at own risk**

"Hey, Senpai? Is it me, or is it heating up right now?" Kasumi asked impishly, before surprising Ren by quickly tugging her shirt over her head in one swift motion, tossing it to the ground and letting Ren see her bra-clad chest as she continued kissing Ren eagerly, who just smiled and spoke into the kiss.

"Mmm, what's this now? Is someone feeling frisky, Sumi?" Ren asked huskily, smiling eagerly at Kasumi as he gently but lovingly started trailing kisses along her exposed neckline, enjoying the low mewls of mixed surprise and approval Kasumi gave from his actions as he kept going, eventually speaking up.

"Maybe I am, Senpai. Maybe I am. But considering how sexy you are, can you blame me?" Kasumi said as she let her hands reach up to fumble with the buttons of Ren's coat as she started trying to unbutton it, making Ren chuckle as he helped her un-button and remove his coat, as well as his shirt, letting Kasumi take in the view of his bare chest, something Kasumi eagerly did before she leaned up to lightly press a kiss to one of Ren's pecs, enjoying the low moan of surprise her actions drew from Ren, who smiled at Kasumi before he spoke up.

"Ah, so that's what you're after. Feeling rather adventurous right now, aren't we Sumi?" Ren said eagerly as he gently let his fingers trace circles into Kasumi's bare stomach, enjoying how soft and silky his girlfriend's skin felt to touch, also enjoying the slight shudders of mixed pleasure and surprise Kasumi gave for his actions before she spoke up.

"Mmm, that's nice. I like that, Ren. Ahh, you know I like it when you lavish attention on me, Ren. Here, let me make it easier for you to do that." Kasumi said, giggling playfully as she carefully reached behind her back to un-clasp her bra, eventually sliding it down her shoulders as she slipped out of it, tossing it to the ground behind her and Ren, letting her petite yet distinctly mid-to-large B-cup breasts hang out for Ren to see, making him smile at the displayed skin, before smiling at Kasumi as he gently pressed a kiss to one of her nipples, lightly but lovingly tracing circles on the area in question with his tongue.

Kasumi then shuddered in a mix of pleasure and slight arousal at Ren's actions before she started returning the favor by playing with Ren's abs a bit, enjoying how toned and fit her boyfriend was, the two lovers having to keep from audibly moaning at the feelings they were generating in each other. Kasumi then lightly licked her lower lip excitedly as she spoke up.

"Am I being too forward if I say I kinda want to get those pants off of you, Ren? Because I honestly do. I'm not saying I want us to get naked, but I feel like we could at least go a bit further. After all, I seem to recall that we woke up in nothing but our boxers and panties respectively the morning after Ann-senpai's birthday party. And that was so amazing, honestly." Kasumi said, blushing prettily at her own admission as Ren smiled and spoke up.

"Sumi? That's honestly not that forward at all. I don't mind taking my pants off for you at all. In fact, hold on a sec." Ren said as he stood up to un-do his belt as he slowly slid his pants down his legs, tossing them down next to the growing pile of his and Kasumi's discarded clothes as he then straddled Kasumi so she could get a good view of his boxer-clad lower body. Kasumi smiled and spoke up.

"Thank you, Ren. I appreciate that you're so considerate of me. But wow, either that's a weapon in your boxers, or you're that excited to be with me." Kasumi said teasingly before giggling at how red her boyfriend's face got as he spoke up.

"To be honest? That's just what you do to me, Sumi. Even if you won't admit it, the fact of the matter remains that you're a sexy woman. So it's not that surprising that I find myself wanting you more than I probably should. But, I don't think it's fair if I take my pants off, but you don't do the same." Ren said playfully as he then lightly grabbed the sides of Kasumi's skirt, waiting until after she nodded her approval before slowly but eagerly tugging it down her legs and tossing it to the ground.

This action had the result of leaving Kasumi in just her skimpy but adorable baby blue panties that were made of similar material to her bikini from Hawaii. After that, Ren straddled Kasumi and kissed her passionately, the two losing themselves in a heated make-out session as they felt their private parts rub against one another through their underwear. Kasumi felt this and smiled at Ren as she spoke up.

"Well, I wasn't expecting this to happen tonight, but if it happens, I'm not going to argue with it. Still, I want us both to agree we're ready for it before we make any huge moves together." Kasumi said as Ren spoke up.

"Sumi, if you want to take that step tonight, I'll gladly take it with you. But only if you're absolutely certain you're ready for it. Otherwise, we can just keep doing what we're doing." Ren said as Kasumi cutely pouted and spoke up.

"But Reeeen! You know I want to see what you're hiding in those boxers! You've got me curious." Kasumi said before playfully reaching for the waistband of Ren's boxers, acting as if she was going to tug them down Ren's legs, when Ren heard the door to Leblanc open up, making him frown as he gently pushed Kasumi's hands off of the waistband of his boxers before looking her in the eyes apologetically and speaking up.

"Shit! Sorry to say it, but I'm gonna need you to hold that thought, Sumi. That sounded like the door to Leblanc opening, so I need to go downstairs and make sure that's not a customer real quick, since technically most of the world believes me to be dead right now. And while it is true that most people are easily misled, as Akechi and I once proved while getting coffee together, I'm pretty sure that no matter how naive people are, no one's going to believe that Boss has two extremely horny ghosts in his attic if someone does come in and hears moaning from up here.

Tell you what, Sumi. Maybe once the coast is clear, if we're still in the mood, we can go for it then. Okay?" Ren said seriously to Kasumi, who sighed but nodded her assent as Ren tossed a blanket over Kasumi and quickly pulled his pants and shirt back on as well as his shoes and socks, trying to look as presentable as possible before heading downstairs. As he got downstairs, he relaxed a bit more when he recognized Kusa's voice speaking up.

**END OF ADULT CONTENT FOR NOW. STORY RESUMES HERE FOR THE TIME BEING IF YOU SKIPPED THE PRECEDING SCENE**

"I'm telling you, Taba. We should've called ahead first to let Ren know we were on our way. What's to say we didn't just interrupt him and Kasumi while they were in the middle of doing the deed?" Kusa asked bluntly, making Ren very glad he wasn't drinking anything right now, otherwise he'd have done an epic spit-take on hearing Kusa's last words, his face flushed as he realized that he had in fact dodged a rather huge bullet when he stopped Kasumi from stripping his boxers off. Ren then headed downstairs and spoke up.

"Ah, so Boss wasn't kidding earlier when he said you guys might show up at some point. And Kusa? Has anyone ever told you that you're a little too perceptive at times?" Ren said in embarrassment, making Kusa smirk and pump a fist triumphantly as he smugly turned to Futaba and spoke up.

"HA! Told you he was busy with Kasumi! Pay up, Taba!" Kusa said triumphantly as Futaba cutely pouted but nodded as she pulled Kusa into a kiss and slipped some yen into his pocket as she did so, making Kusa smile as he spoke into the kiss.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Taba." Kusa said as Ren frowned and spoke up.

"Do I even want to know what you two bet on?" Ren asked dryly as Kusa laughed and spoke up.

"It's fine, Ren. That was just me pocketing the easiest 2000 yen ever made. I can't believe Futaba was foolish enough to bet that you two wouldn't be upstairs either making out or getting frisky with one another, if not both. But we know better, Ren. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist the chance to love on Kasumi for a while. And to be honest, you two have most definitely earned that, and then some, after what you've been through recently.

If not for the fact that Sojiro suggested this, I'd have insisted we wait until tomorrow to do it, so as not to disturb you and Kasumi. But Sojiro wanted to have a family dinner here, so here we are." Kusa said as Ren nodded and spoke up, pointedly ignoring the fact that Kusa had called Sojiro by his name at least twice in his previous statement while he spoke.

"Heh, that's fair. And you're not wrong. Had you two not shown up when you did, I think I was pretty likely at a point where I was about to go all the way with Kasumi. She was certainly ready for it, at least. Actually, she was literally about to yank my boxers off when you guys opened the door. So thank you for bringing Kasumi and I to our senses, Kusa.

Sure, I'm aware Kasumi would've been more than fine giving her virginity to me tonight, but I dunno if she was truly ready for it or not. But I also wouldn't have stopped her if she'd told me that she was absolutely sure of it." Ren said honestly as Kusa smiled and spoke up, clapping Ren on the back in a manly fashion as blue sparkling music notes popped up over his head while he spoke.

"That's totally understandable, Ren! I'm the same way with Taba. I don't mind snuggling up and/or making out with her when she asks for it, but I want her to be absolutely, 1000+% sure she's ready for it before we go all the way. I would hate to see her agree, and then have regrets about it afterwards, since that's the sort of thing there's no going back from. Once you give up your virginity, you can't take it back if you're a girl.

It's also true for us guys as well, but it's especially true when it comes to girls. So I think we're both wise to be sure our girlfriends are absolutely sure they're ready before we take that step with them." Kusa said wisely as Futaba blushed but nodded her agreement, as did Kasumi, who'd just finished getting dressed and walked down in time to hear Kusa's last few remarks. The latter of the two girls then smiled at Kusa and Futaba before she spoke up.

"Ah, so it's you two, Kusa-kun and Futaba-chan. What brings you over here?" Kasumi asked, trying to hide her embarrassment at almost being caught going all the way with Ren as Kusa smiled and spoke up.

"Glad you asked, Kasumi. Sojiro, err I mean Boss, told us that he wanted us all to have a family dinner together in Leblanc. Something to do with getting to know Ren's girlfriend, and making sure that we could pull off a good family dynamic. So he had Taba and I head over here ahead of him to ensure you two were decent and agreeable to this, even though he claims he warned Ren ahead of time that it might happen. So sorry for interrupting your moment, but it is what it is." Kusa said as he gave Ren and Kasumi apologetic looks, the former smiling and speaking up.

"No need to apologize, Kusa. We hadn't even really gotten into anything that terribly indecent when you two got here. Sure, you might have seen a lot more of us than you'd want if you'd come upstairs, but you wouldn't likely have seen anything that you and Futaba haven't already at least thought about doing, other than maybe if you'd come up as Kasumi was reaching for the waistband of my-" Ren said before a red-faced Kasumi quickly slapped a hand over Ren's mouth to cut off the rest of his sentence, blushing prettily as she spoke up, pointedly ignoring the identical pair of wide, knowing grins on both Kusa and Futaba's faces while she spoke.

"REEEEENNNNN! That's not important! The important thing is that we don't mind you guys coming over. After all, Leblanc is as much your place as it is Ren-senpai's place. So don't feel bad for wanting to have a family meal here." Kasumi said honestly as Futaba and Kusa nodded their agreement, the former flushing a bit in embarrassment as she spoke up.

"Y-Yes, well, I suppose in the interest of full honesty, I should inform you two that I have a camera hidden in here to observe the goings-on around Leblanc, so there's a chance that you two were being recorded just now. But if it makes you feel any better, we weren't looking at the cameras right then." Futaba said sheepishly as Ren and Kasumi both flushed bright red, while sporting identical looks of mortification as Ren spoke up, his face red with embarrassment, and his voice slightly raised.

"Delete any footage you might have gotten of earlier when you get home, Futaba! You told me those cameras were to watch out for troublemakers around here, not to get your own free softcore effing hentai!" Ren lightly but firmly rebuked a sheepish Futaba, as Kusa frowned at Ren before he crossed his arms and spoke up.

"First of all Ren, wouldn't it be considered softcore porn, rather than hentai? That said, I wouldn't have let Futaba use any footage she did get for that. I'd have made her delete it. Besides, if she wants that, she can just ask me when she's ready, and I'd be willing to help her record some for her to watch at her leisure. But only for HER viewing pleasure! I'm sure you and I are both of the same mindset when it comes to keeping our girlfriends as happy, and satisfied, as we can possibly make them, yeah?" Kusa said to Ren, who nodded his agreement as Sojiro came in and spoke up.

"Ah, good. You're both awake and decent. Seems like sending Kusa and Futaba ahead was the right choice. I had to go pick up ingredients for our dinner, plus a certain furry four-legged someone hitched a ride on my shoulder after begging me to bring him." Sojiro said as Morgana poked his head out from behind Sojiro's back and hopped on to the counter as he looked at Ren and spoke up, not at all surprised to see Kasumi there.

"Hello! Nice to see you, Ren!" Morgana said conversationally as Ren smiled and lightly patted the not-cat on the head while speaking up.

"Nice to see you too, Morgana. I missed you too." Ren said as Morgana smiled at Ren and took a seat at a counter seat while Ren, Kasumi, Kusa, and Futaba all managed to fit into a booth seat together, Sojiro smiling as he pulled up a counter seat for him to sit at while moving Morgana's counter seat over as he spoke up.

"So, how's everyone's day going?" Sojiro asked conversationally as Ren and Kasumi just looked at each other and blushed while Kusa spoke up.

"Heh, I think these two were getting quite cozy when we showed up. I almost feel bad for interrupting their moment, but then Ren said he was glad we did, so I don't feel as bad about it as I otherwise might have. Not that I have room to judge, though, considering Futaba and I are almost as bad as you two when it comes to being frisky." Kusa said sheepishly as Sojiro chuckled and spoke up.

"You say that like it's a crime to love your girlfriends and want to get intimate with them, Ren and Kusa. You know, when I was you guys' age, hoo boy! I tell you what, I was totally a smooth operator. Any girl I wanted, I could easily get. At least that was the case for a while, but eventually I met one girl that I couldn't get, no matter how I tried. But that just made me love her even more.

It's a shame she's no longer among the living, but I think she's looking down on me right now and smiling, if only because of how much love and care I've shown her daughter. But then, she's probably equally happy with Kusa as well, for that same reason." Sojiro said as both Kusa and Futaba gasped in unified shock, the former speaking up to voice the realization that both of them had had after hearing what Sojiro said.

"What!? Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting, Boss?" Kusa asked as Futaba nodded her agreement and spoke up.

"I think he is suggesting that he was in love with my mom, yes. But I believe that had Mom not died when she did, Sojiro might have eventually worn her down. To be honest, she was definitely attracted to Sojiro. I could tell from the way she spoke of him. And to tell the truth, I wouldn't have minded if they got together. Sojiro's a great man, and definitely someone I'd have been proud to call my stepfather! Hell, I'm happy he lets me call him dad!" Futaba said honestly, making both Sojiro and Kusa smile at her as the former got up to serve everyone curry, having just finished cooking it. Kasumi, Futaba, Kusa, and Ren all smiled as they spoke up in unison.

"THANK YOU FOR THE FOOD!" The four said at the same time as everyone dug into their meal. After a bit, Sojiro set down his fork to look at Ren as he spoke up.

"So, Ren. Kusa told me that the two of you discussed taking a fishing trip at some point in the future. If it's while you're still here, maybe we can do it on a Sunday, since I know a pretty affordable place that's open on Sundays that I can get us into which has great fishing and is in a very scenic location. Heh, if Futaba doesn't mind watching Morgana for us, we could make a guy's day out of it. Y'know, bring some drinks, rent a boat, and go out on the lake for some bonding time." Sojiro suggested as Ren and Kusa both eagerly nodded their agreement, the latter speaking up.

"That sounds like a lot of fun, Boss! I'd be honored to go fishing with you and Ren whenever Ren's free." Kusa said as Ren thought about it and spoke up.

"Hm. Would you two be free this Sunday? I figure there's no time like the present, and we've all earned a day away from it all. Worst case scenario, Boss can close up Leblanc for the day like he did that day he took Kusa to the doctor shortly before his birthday. But I agree that a guy's day on the lake sounds great." Ren said eagerly, as Kusa and Sojiro nodded, the latter speaking up.

"I can do that. Assuming Kusa has no plans Sunday, we can make a day of it. Have some fishing in the early parts of the day, maybe catch a movie afterwards, then we can come back to Leblanc and cook up our spoils to share with Futaba and Morgana as a family. How's that sound, you two?" Sojiro asked as Ren and Kusa nodded eagerly, the former speaking up.

"I think I speak for both myself and Kusa when I say we're definitely in!" Ren said as Kusa just nodded his agreement, a rare look of excitement and shy happiness on his face, making Futaba giggle at how cute the eagerly happy expression that was currently on Kusa's face looked. Kasumi then smiled at Futaba and spoke up.

"I think I have that day off from my training, so if Futaba's agreeable, maybe I can go over and hang out with her and we can have a girls' day at her house, maybe even go have a soak at the bathhouse if she's feeling up to it." Kasumi suggested as Futaba shyly smiled and nodded as she spoke up.

"Th-That sounds wonderful, Kasumi! Though would it really be a girls' day if we have Morgana with us?" Futaba pointed out. Kasumi nodded to this and spoke up.

"Good point. Hm, I suppose we could leave him at the house to watch things while you and I go have a girls' day out instead. I'm sure I could probably persuade Takamaki-senpai, Niijima-senpai and Okumura-senpai to join us, and maybe even Suzui-senpai if she's in town, since I know she comes in and out of town to surprise Takamaki-senpai a lot." Kasumi suggested as Futaba smiled and spoke up.

"That sounds much better! And then we can bring them back home afterwards for a nice meal with just the girls and Morgana, unless the guys are back before then." Futaba said as Kasumi nodded her agreement. After plans were sealed among the group, dinner finished peacefully and the quartet of Morgana, Kusa, Futaba, and Sojiro got up to leave, but not before Futaba leaned in to whisper into Kasumi's ear.

"Sorry we interrupted your fun with Ren. Once we're gone, try to pick up where you left off with Ren. I'll turn the camera off so you can have privacy." Futaba said as a scarlet-faced Kasumi just nodded, not trusting herself to speak from the embarrassment she felt from Futaba's words. After everyone but Ren and Kasumi left Leblanc, the couple headed upstairs to sit on Ren's bed, where Kasumi looked at Ren and spoke up sheepishly.

"Well, that was an event that just happened, wasn't it?" Kasumi asked Ren, who nodded as he spoke up.

"Indeed. I'm sorry that we were interrupted like that when you were about to have your fun with me, but maybe it was for the best? Imagine if that hadn't been them, and it'd have been a customer instead? I think that could've been rather awkward for the both of us, to say the least. Not to say that I wasn't enjoying what we were doing, because I totally was. And you seemed to be rather happy with it as well." Ren said as Kasumi nodded and spoke up.

"Can you blame me, Senpai? You have such a chiseled physique and you're so endowed. How am I not supposed to be drawn in by that?" Kasumi said honestly, trying not to flush too much at her own honest admission, making Ren smile as he spoke up.

"That's more than fair, Sumi. After all, it's not like I was all that shy about letting my hands wander over your chest before." Ren pointed out before surprising Kasumi by guiltily flushing as he kept speaking.

"That, and I may or may not have let my hands lightly cup your butt once or twice as well. But in my defense, you're so toned and slender, Sumi. How am I not supposed to appreciate such a wonderfully perfect figure as yours?" Ren said as Kasumi giggled before speaking up.

"Aw, you don't have to be embarrassed about it, Ren. I'm flattered you're that comfortable with me, really. Maybe for now we can play a game or something and wait for the mood to be right again before we try to pick up where we left off?" Kasumi suggested as Ren nodded his agreement and spoke up.

"That's an option. I do have a retro gaming console set up in this room that Kusa installed, as well as a DVD I rented that we can watch." Ren said before smirking playfully as he kept speaking.

"And, if you're still feeling rather bold and adventurous, we can go to the nearby bathhouse together if you really want to." Ren suggested coyly, making Kasumi flush prettily at the bold suggestion before she spoke up.

"M-Maybe later, Senpai. For now, let's see what video games you've got. Maybe I'll see one I want to try." Kasumi suggested as Ren nodded, pulling out his game collection and showing it to Kasumi, who immediately ruled out both 'Punch Ouch' and 'Power Intuition', before eventually also setting 'Star Forneus' and 'Train of Life' to the side. Kasumi then looked at the three remaining games, which were 'Gambla Goemon' for Charm, 'Golfer Sarutahiko' for Proficiency, and 'Featherman Seeker' for Knowledge. After a bit, Kasumi eventually picked up the copy of 'Featherman Seeker' and put it in the system carefully, surprising Ren with her choice as he spoke up.

"Hm, wouldn't have taken you for a Featherman fan, Sumi. But I'm up for trying it with you if you're up for trying it out." Ren said as Kasumi nodded and spoke up.

"That's fair, Senpai. But to be honest? When my sister was still alive, she and I used to both really be big into Featherman. Granted, after she passed away, I kinda stopped watching the show as much since when I tried, I'd keep having memories of the time we spent watching it together. But I think it's been long enough since she passed away that I should be okay to play a game based on Featherman." Kasumi said as Ren nodded, gently putting his hand on top of Kasumi's to give it a reassuring squeeze, getting a surprised look from her as Ren spoke up.

"Understandable. We can definitely play this together. But don't feel bad if you have to stop during it if it gets to be too much for you. I just want you to be happy and content, Sumi. So don't be shy about telling me if you need to stop." Ren said encouragingly as Kasumi nodded and Ren gave the two of them controllers before he started up the game and turned the power on. After the game's title screen came up on screen, Ren spoke up.

"Oh, that's right. I checked the manual for this game, and it says the story in this game different from the original TV show. It said something about this game focusing on you trying to become the sixth Phoenix Ranger?" Ren said as Kasumi blinked in surprise as she spoke up.

"Is that right? Interesting. My sister always used to insist on being Feather Red, since she felt she fit the mold of a leader. As for myself, I was always content just trying to come up with my own unique ranger name. Most of the time, I'd alternate between 'Feather Dove', 'Feather Swan', and 'Feather Sparrow', usually either wearing light blue, white, or light pink, depending on my mood and what color my sister would wear. She liked having us color-coordinate our outfits where possible so we didn't clash with each other unintentionally. She always was the more fashionable of us two, though." Kasumi said with a sigh. Ren smiled at Kasumi and spoke up.

"If you don't mind my saying so Sumi, it sounds like you and Sumire, assuming Kusa didn't get your sister's name wrong, were very close to one another. I'm sorry that her passing has upset you so greatly, Sumi. I think you might know this already, but don't feel bad if you ever need to just come and vent to me now and again, or even just use me as a sounding board. I want to be here for you any way that I can, after all. I love you and don't want to see you suffering, Sumi." Ren said truthfully to Kasumi, who nodded and spoke up, notably not having much of a reaction to Ren speaking her sister's name aloud other than to wince slightly while she spoke.

"Thank you, Ren. I appreciate that a lot. But let's get back to the game, shall we? I realize you might not know that much about the TV series since you've probably not watched it, but this looks like a game we can really sink our teeth into! So let's both become Phoenix Rangers, shall we? Ready, Senpai?" Kasumi asked Ren, who nodded and spoke up.

"Sounds good to me, Sumi." Ren said as he got ready to hit the start button to start the game. Ren then smiled as he recalled something.

"Oh, right, almost forgot. I read a secret technique book recently at Morgana and Kusa's insistence after we struggled on a game called 'Train of Life', so with that, we should have an easier time with the input commands, hopefully." Ren said to Kasumi, who nodded agreeably as she spoke up.

"Sounds nice, Senpai. I feel like we should try it once without the technique, but if you want to use it, I won't object to it." Kasumi said as Ren smiled and spoke up.

"I suppose we can try it once without the technique, and then if it doesn't go well, next time we can use the technique." Ren suggested, as Kasumi nodded. Ren smiled and spoke up.

"Heh, I like how fired up you seem right now, Sumi. Let's go for it!" Ren said as Kasumi nodded as the two started playing. At that point, the narration started up on-screen.

"As the threat of doom draws near, a new power spreads its wings and takes flight!" The narration said as Kasumi smiled while lightly laying her head on Ren's shoulder and speaking up.

"Wow, they really know how to get you pumped up, don't they, Senpai?" Kasumi said in a mix of awe and surprise. Ren nodded as he spoke up.

"That they do, Sumi. Wait, hold up. Is this place supposed to be a lab? That person in front of the computer looks like a scientist." Ren said as the person on-screen turned, revealing that she was a woman, and spoke up.

"Ah, you're awake already. That's a promising sign. My name is...er, well, just call me Osagiri. I've been put in charge of your training." The now-named Osagiri said as she kept speaking.

"Welcome to my space laboratory. You are the strongest fighter that I've created yet. We will now commence your training. Endure it, and you will acquire power equaling that of the Phoenix Rangers. Since today is your first day, we'll use the simulator. Don't worry about passing or failing, just show me what you can do." Osagiri said on-screen as Ren chuckled and spoke up.

"I see. Training, huh? Well, it makes sense if you think about it, Sumi. After all, it's only a logical guess that one can't become a hero if one doesn't put in the effort, am I right? It's kind of like your gymnastics training in that respect. Both of them reward hard work." Ren said as Kasumi nodded agreeably before Osagiri spoke up again on-screen.

"Let's begin with a warm up. Try controlling your strength as instructed." Osagiri said before showing a command on-screen, which Ren expertly put in as Osagirl spoke up once more.

"Impressive! You exhibit flawless control. Let's see how you do with the next challenge." Osagiri said before flashing a slightly tougher input on-screen that Ren once again put in perfectly, making Osagiri chuckle as she spoke up.

"Incredible, just incredible! Your strength is far greater than I initially projected, to be honest. That said, this next challenge will be the last. Battle simulator, start!" Osagiri said as Kasumi gasped when the scenery suddenly changed, looking at Ren as she spoke up.

"Oh, my! Ren-senpai, look! The scenery changed. Hm, how interesting. Is this a waste disposal facility?" Kasumi asked Ren, who shrugged, not really sure of the answer to that himself, but Osagiri spoke up on-screen once more before either of them could really ponder the scenery change further.

"You will be facing an Aberrant from Zylam, the Infinibug army planning to take over Earth. Its name is Scrapeternum, and it is a powerful Aberrant born of a parasite that fed on scrap metal. But I know you can defeat it. I have faith in you." Osagiri said as Kasumi smiled and spoke up.

"Aha, I get it! So this training is preparing us for real combat. All right, let's get that Aberrant, Ren!" Kasumi said eagerly as Ren nodded. At the same time, the boss, also known as Scrapeternum, spoke up on-screen.

"Clangity clang! I'm Scrapeternum, the scrap metal eating Aberrant, clang! There's too many people on Earth, clang! I'm going to squash them flat to make it a more comfortable place to live, clang!" Scrapeternum said as Ren winced and spoke up while looking at Kasumi.

"Yeesh, this guy's pretty chipper about being a threat to the planet's safety, don't you think Sumi?" Ren said as Kasumi nodded and spoke up.

"Agreed, but that's irrelevant! We can take this guy if we work together!" Kasumi said confidently as Ren nodded his agreement before turning to the screen as Scrapeternum spoke up once more.

"Hm? You dare stand in my way, clang? I'll flatten you out, clang!" Scrapeternum said threateningly as Kasumi spoke up.

"Oh, here it comes! Let's get our controllers ready, Ren!" Kasumi said excitedly as Ren nodded, both of them preparing their controllers as Scrapeternum spoke up.

"Take this! Compression Press!" Scrapeternum said menacingly as Kasumi and Ren easily nailed the command prompt that came up on-screen, making Scrapeternum growl as he spoke up in annoyance.

"Hm!? How could these cheeky little brats dodge my attack? Clang it!" Scrapeternum said as Kasumi smiled and spoke up.

"Ooh, here it is! This is our chance, Ren! Let's show this guy the combined might of our collective Wind Punches!" Kasumi said as Ren nodded, another prompt coming up that Ren and Kasumi both nailed flawlessly. At that point, Scrapeternum winced and clutched his stomach before speaking up once more dramatically.

"I can't believe it! I can't believe I lost to such inexperienced fledglings! Gah! Glory to Zylam! Nooo! Clang you two!" Scrapeternum said menacingly before slumping over and proceeding to explode in epic fashion as Kasumi and Ren cheered, the latter speaking up with a closed-eye grin while pumping a triumphant fist.

"Aw yeah, we did it Sumi! Oh yeah, big win for us!" Ren said eagerly as Kasumi nodded, briefly pulling Ren into a congratulatory kiss before blinking as a flash of light hinted at a change of location, making Kasumi turn around and blink as she spoke up.

"Oh, my! Hey Ren, we're back in the laboratory." Kasumi said as Osagiri spoke up on screen at that point.

"Well done, rookies! The simulation is complete. Now you know what fighting an Aberrant is like. From now on, you two will be known as Grey Pigeon and Teal Songbird. Continue your training by going on solo missions. You two will meet the Feathermen only when you gain sufficient strength. You two could become the sixth and seventh Feathermen. And who knows? You may even surpass them. No one would be able to defeat you if that happened! No one. Well, you two must be tired. Here, take these nap capsules and get some rest. You've both earned it." Osagiri said as the level ended and Kasumi spoke up.

"Wow! That was so much fun, Ren! What do you think? Now that we've finished training, could we become Phoenix Rangers in the game?" Kasumi asked Ren, who spoke up.

"Maybe. Anything's possible, Sumi. Well, most anything." Ren said, amending his statement after a bit when he saw the look on Kasumi's face as Kasumi spoke up.

"Fair enough, Ren. You know, that game felt rather stimulating to the brain. Playing it might have buffed up our Knowledge." Kasumi said as Ren nodded, feeling his Knowledge get a modest, if unneeded, boost. Kasumi then smiled at Ren as she spoke up.

**MORE ADULT CONTENT STARTS HERE. FOR THOSE THAT DON'T CARE FOR NUDITY OR SENSUAL SCENES, SKIP AHEAD TO THE PART MARKED *END OF ADULT CONTENT*, OTHERWISE YOU READ ON AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!**

"Well then, I think we both got really into that game, Ren. And to be honest, after dominating it so well with you, I kinda want to celebrate a bit. Maybe we can try picking up where we left off?" Kasumi said shyly as Ren spoke up.

"If that's what you want, Sumi. We can definitely do that." Ren said as he led Kasumi back to the bed, where she eagerly pushed him down so she could straddle him, wasting little time in tossing aside everything she had on except her panties, smiling at Ren as she leaned in to capture his lips in hers. Ren spoke up huskily.

"Oh, my. Someone's in a frisky mood for sure. Hm, let me get out of some of this, yeah?" Ren said as he tossed his shirt aside, before Kasumi giggled and helped divest Ren of his shoes, socks and pants, leaving him in just his boxers, making Kasumi lick her lower lip excitedly as she reached for the waistband of Ren's boxers while she spoke up.

"Hee hee, and now to pick up where we left off when that interruption happened." Kasumi said eagerly as she slid Ren's boxers down, smiling at the sight of Ren's erection falling free after she tossed his boxers to the ground. Kasumi spoke up breathlessly while blushing at the sight of Ren's impressive manhood.

"Oh, my. You're so endowed, Ren. I had a hunch you might potentially be huge, but not like this! Would you be mad if I tried taking you into my mouth and experimenting with you a bit?" Kasumi asked Ren, who blushed in embarrassment as he spoke up.

"Thank you, Sumi. Glad you like what you see. But to your question, not at all. I'm perfectly fine with that as long as you're sure you're comfortable with it." Ren said as Kasumi spoke up.

"Of course I'm comfortable with it, Senpai!" Kasumi said as she gently pressed a kiss to Ren's tip, smiling as she felt the slight trail of white connecting her lips to Ren's tip before she smiled and spoke up.

"Hm, looks like you were more eager than you were admitting to for this, Ren. Oh, well. Here goes." Kasumi said as she smiled and slowly took Ren's length into her mouth, licking it eagerly, smiling as she enjoyed the low groans of arousal coming from Ren as he gently ran his hands through Kasumi's hair while she pleasured him.

After a bit, Ren smiled as he saw Kasumi's butt wiggling around eagerly as she busied herself with Ren's length, causing Ren to get a mischievous grin on his face before he brought his hand up and playfully yet firmly smacked his palm down right on Kasumi's very firm yet quite shapely butt, making her yelp a bit in surprise before smiling as she felt Ren's hand suddenly connect with her butt with a distinct smacking sound, causing Kasumi to blush a bit as she looked at Ren.

"Oh, I didn't peg you for the naughty boy type, Ren. But I like it, I think. Hee hee!" Kasumi said as she playfully wiggled her butt in Ren's face, making him smirk as he playfully took Kasumi's panties in his teeth, carefully sliding them down her hips before slipping them over her feet as Ren pulled them from his teeth and tossed them to the ground, grinning as he then gently laid a kiss on the visible nub that he could see between Kasumi's legs, thanks to the fact she kept her pubic regions shaved.

For her part, Kasumi blushed prettily as she felt Ren's mouth between her legs, giving a slightly husky, rather sensual, and quite appreciative moan as she spread her legs a bit to give Ren better access so he could play with her a bit while she pleasured him.

Ren saw this and eagerly obliged as he trailed kisses along her inner thighs a bit before eventually using his tongue to slick his fingers before sticking one finger slowly into Kasumi's slightly moist entrance, slowly inserting it as he felt Kasumi shudder appreciatively at his touch. After a bit, Ren eventually slid a second finger into Kasumi, starting to move the fingers up and down inside her to stimulate her, making Kasumi audibly moan in pleasure at the feelings Ren was giving her.

"Oh, god, I don't know what you're doing right now, Ren. But whatever it is? Don't stop! That feels so damn good!" Kasumi said happily as she started massaging Ren's balls with her free hand while suggestively sucking on his tip and shaft, making Ren give a low husky moan of his own from the feelings she was generating in him.

"Damn, Sumi! You're pretty good with that mouth of yours, aren't you!? I love it. Keep going!" Ren said as Kasumi eagerly nodded, the two continuing to use their hands/mouth to pleasure one another. This kept going for several more minutes before Kasumi started shuddering in anticipation as she spoke up.

"Ooh, yes! Oh my god! Ren, keep going! I think I'm getting close! Please, Senpai! Drive me over the edge!" Kasumi said pleadingly to Ren, who nodded as he increased the speed and intensity of what he was doing, feeling his efforts be rewarded a short time later when he saw Kasumi arch back and let out a low shuddering moan as she spoke up.

"Oh god, YES! Senpai, look out! Ohhh, ooh, yessss!" Kasumi said before she shuddered as she felt herself release, which thankfully Ren had anticipated and widened his mouth out enough to fit over the entire of Kasumi's pussy as he felt her release explode into his mouth, smiling as he dutifully swallowed every drop, enjoying how his girlfriend tasted. A short time later, Ren would have his own turn to shudder as he spoke up.

"Ooh fuck yes! Keep going, Sumi! I'm getting close now!" Ren said huskily as Kasumi eagerly nodded, moving her head up and down as she started sucking on Ren's shaft and tip while gently massaging his balls. A short time later, Ren shuddered as he spoke up.

"Oh hell yeah, I'm coming Sumi!" Ren said as he felt himself shudder moments before he gave a very pleased-sounding groan as his length constricted and he felt a load shoot off into Kasumi's mouth, making her smile as she felt his warm juices sliding down the back of her throat, waiting until Ren was done releasing and had gone limp in her mouth before slowly sliding his length out of her mouth, smiling lovingly at Ren as she then pushed him down onto the bed and passionately kissed him.

As she did so, Kasumi demonstrated with her actions that she either was unaware of or not concerned about the fact that she was somewhat tasting herself as a result of kissing Ren right then. Ren and Kasumi then spent a few minutes passionately making out before the two eventually collapsed together on Ren's bed, both very red-faced as they smiled at one another, both very happy after what they'd just done with one another.

**END OF ADULT CONTENT. STORY RESUMES HERE FOR THOSE WHO SKIPPED OVER THE PRECEDING SCENE**

"Wow, Sumi. You were really getting into that, weren't you? For a second, I thought I was about to feel that pretty hair of yours brushing against my crotch at the end, but thankfully that didn't happen. I rather prefer that glorious flowing hair of yours as it is, to be honest. But then every bit of you is so beautiful and perfect, I wouldn't want to see any of it change very much, Sumi." Ren said lovingly as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's slender waist, looking happily into her red eyes as she spoke up.

"Heh, I'm glad you think so, Ren. I was hoping I would get that right. Truthfully, I might or might not have discreetly looked up some articles on how to pleasure guy parts after the other night, when we almost did what we did just now. So I've kinda been studying it in hopes of being good enough to really satisfy you, since I feel like it's just a small part of how grateful I am to you for all that you do for me, Ren. I love you so much." Kasumi said honestly as Ren smiled and spoke up.

"I love you too, Sumi. But real talk though, how funny would it be if we were somehow the first ones to take this step out of the established couples within the group?" Ren asked teasingly as Kasumi giggled and spoke up.

"It would be pretty funny, Senpai. But I dunno if that's likely, considering how often we see Kusa-kun and Futaba-chan all over each other. Sure, Kusa is a very patient man, but I've seen the almost hungry looks Futaba gives Kusa while she looks him over. I would not be surprised one bit if she's already ready to give it up to Kusa, but he's holding back for similar reasons to yours, probably not wanting Futaba to have any regrets when she does take that step with him.

To be honest, you two seem rather similar in that regard, but it makes sense with you two being brothers, I suppose." Kasumi said as Ren nodded, smiling as he felt Kasumi snuggle up to him, feeling their bare chests rub against one another as she embraced him while he spoke.

"That's true. But to be fair Sumi, I think you're probably rather tired after how into it we were just getting. So why don't we call it good here for fooling around for the night, yeah? Assuming you stay another night, we can always go another round tomorrow night." Ren said kindly to Kasumi, who nodded as Ren pulled the blanket up and draped it over their naked bodies as they both fell asleep, smiling happily as they laid there, feeling rather content while resting in each other's arms...

(The next morning, in class with Ann)

"To be honest, this might be the first time I actually care about an election! Isn't Shido cool?" Ann heard a male student near her ask his friend as Chouno heard the male speaking and spoke up.

"Ah, getting into politics, are we? I see. How about you then? A charismatic politician can make even apathetic young people excited, hm? And not only does Mister Shido have good judgment and decisions, he has important qualities as a leader. Like communication skills, for instance. Don't you think his words are easy to understand? Don't his speeches resonate with you?" Chouno said as Ann scoffed to herself and spoke up under her breath.

"Ugh! Everyone's getting tricked by his facade. They don't know it's all lies! We have to make him show his true colors!" Ann said to herself resolutely as the rest of class passed uneventfully...

(After school, at Leblanc, in the attic with Ren and Kasumi)

"Um, Ren? Didn't you say you and Morgana had enough targets to commission another run to that place you told me about? I think you called it Memeworld?" Kasumi asked as Ren laughed and spoke up.

"Ha! Memeworld! That's a good one, Sumi. No, but for real, it's Mementos. And yes, we do have five requests stacked up. But I'm not sure if I want to call a Mementos run or not quite yet." Ren said uncertainly. Kasumi then looked at Ren and spoke up.

"Be honest with me, Ren-senpai. If you didn't call a Mementos run today, what else would you do? I have a feeling you don't have anyone available to hang out with." Kasumi said to Ren, who nodded his understanding as he spoke up.

"That's a good point, actually. I looked at my map already and only Ann and Ryuji are available, and both are maxed out. Sure, we could go hang out and get a meal or something, but we're already hanging out. Hm, yeah, I guess I should call a Mementos run. Plus, that way we can also get you properly welcomed into the ranks of the team." Ren said decisively before speaking up.

"But I guess that means we have to properly get dressed, rather than just lying on each other in our underwear, as much as I think we're both enjoying it." Ren said as Kasumi nodded and spoke up.

"Nice, you agree with me, Senpai! Let's contact everyone, then!" Kasumi said as Ren nodded his agreement. Once the two were dressed, Ren opened up a group chat with Kusa, Ann, Ryuji, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, and Haru, where he sent one response.

"Good afternoon, everyone. While we're not out of our prep period yet, I do think I am going to call a meeting at the hideout today. So if all of you are free, make your way over here when you can. Also, as some of you might have already sussed out before, we also have a new recruit to introduce to the team as well, and she'll be here waiting too." Ren said as Ryuji and Ann sent responses close together, Ryuji's coming through first.

"Wait, FOR REAL!? Did you and Kusa seriously add your girlfriend into the team? I mean, sure, she can probably handle herself, but I'm pretty sure she kinda lacks the ability to protect herself in the Metaverse, since as far as I know, she has no Persona." Ryuji sent as Ann sent a response.

"Oh my gosh! Yoshizawa-san's our new recruit!? That's so cute!" Ann sent as Kusa sent a response at that point.

"Actually, you'd be surprised what Kasumi can do, Ryuji. According to Morgana and Ren, she inexplicably awakened to a Persona a few weeks ago, and has been discreetly training to get better with it since then. And I do hope I don't have to remind you how much of a mean backhand she has on her.

Granted, I did have to stop Ren and Morgana from turning her away at first when she offered to help us out. And I stand by what I said that day. Kasumi's gonna be in danger whether she joins the team or not! So she might as well help us, so we can be close by to help her if she needs it." Kusa sent as Ren put his phone away, making sure he and Kasumi were decent before the two awaited the arrival of the others. Kasumi then spoke up.

"Um, can I talk to you briefly, Ren?" Kasumi asked Ren, who nodded and spoke up.

"Sure. What's on your mind, Sumi?" Ren asked Kasumi, who spoke up.

"To be honest, I think I had a bad dream about the day my sister passed away. Oddly enough, she seemed to appear in my dream and encouraged me to be true to myself and not to keep running away from life. Maybe she means I need to be truthful with you about how she died." Kasumi said as Ren spoke up.

"If you want to do that, I'm all ears, Sumi. Keep in mind that we don't know how long we will have to speak about it before the others show up." Ren said as Kasumi spoke up with a nod.

"Right. I can give you a more detailed version later, then. Suffice it to say, she died pushing me out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. Honestly, I still miss her, even now." Kasumi said as Ren hugged her gently and spoke up.

"That's perfectly understandable. After all, you and Sumire were rather close to each other based on what you've told me of her. So it's to be expected that you're struggling to come to terms with it, even now. But I'm here for you if you ever need to talk about it. You don't have to deal with this alone, Sumi. I want to be there for you and help you get through your pain and grief any way that I can." Ren said sincerely to Kasumi, who smiled at Ren and spoke up.

"Thank you so much, Ren. I appreciate that a great deal. I'm so glad I agreed to be your girlfriend." Kasumi said as she quickly kissed Ren, who smiled and returned the kiss, the two breaking apart shortly after. After a bit, Ren headed downstairs to let Sojiro know he was calling a Phantom Thieves meeting, prompting Sojiro to nod and close up shop so the group could have the cafe, smirking at the sight of the red-faced Kasumi and Ren before he left. After a bit, Futaba and Kusa arrived ahead of the others, Futaba looking at Kasumi and speaking up.

"Hm. Good, Kusa and I got here first. Hey, Ren? If she's okay with it, can I take your girlfriend upstairs to discuss something with her real quick?" Futaba asked as Ren spoke up.

"That's up to Kasumi, but if she's fine with that, I don't mind." Ren said as Kasumi smiled and spoke up.

"I don't mind at all, Futaba. Let's go upstairs and chat." Kasumi said as the girls headed upstairs, after which Ren gave Kusa a confused look and spoke up.

"What was all that about, I wonder?" Ren asked Kusa, who spoke up.

"Not sure. All she told me was she had an idea for a new battle strategy, but wouldn't go into details. But if I had to guess, odds are pretty good she's probably trying to recruit Kasumi as her second Showtime partner." Kusa said as Ren nodded and spoke up.

"True, that does make sense. Plus, given what you and Akechi did during that last fight against Shadow Niijima, it's a safe bet you have two Showtime partners now. So Futaba's only real options for a second Showtime partner would be me or Kasumi, and I get the feeling that she'd rather have one with Kasumi. So that makes sense to me." Ren said agreeably as Kusa nodded, sparkling blue music notes going up over his head.

(Meanwhile, upstairs with Kasumi and Futaba)

"O-Okay. Now that we're alone up here, what did you want to discuss with me, Futaba?" Kasumi asked Futaba, who spoke up.

"Mwehehe! Glad you asked! I don't know how much Ren's told you about what we do, but when we fight in the Metaverse, we get these cool duo moves called Showtimes that require us to pair up for them. Suffice it to say, most of us already have both of our partners picked out. But I notice that you, Ren, and myself all have less than two Showtimes. So that brings me to what I was going to suggest.

Truthfully, I was looking at manga online out of boredom the other day and saw a really cool fighting scene in one of the manga I read that gave me the idea for a potential new move. The problem is, the idea I had involves a lot of flexibility and a bit of gymnastics expertise, which is where you come into the picture. Since you're one of the best gymnasts I know, I thought maybe you could help me out with this move. Would you be interested in hearing about it, at the least?" Futaba asked Kasumi, who smiled and spoke up.

"You know what? Sure. I'm willing to hear you out on this, Futaba. What's this idea of yours?" Kasumi asked as Futaba smiled and spoke up.

"Good, I was hoping you'd say that! So my idea goes like this..." Futaba said as she proceeded to explain the idea for her move to Kasumi, who listened attentively before speaking up.

"Hm, that's not too bad. But, what if instead of beaming one of us up and dropping a bomb on the enemy's head, we do this instead?" Kasumi said as she laid out an alternative version of that part of the move for Futaba's consideration, making her smile and speak up.

"Wow, Kasumi. That's actually really cool. I don't think I'd have thought of that myself. Yeah, let's do that. So are you in, then?" Futaba said as Kasumi spoke up.

"Sure, why not? I'll help you out with this move, Futaba. Maybe if we're lucky, we can even turn our boyfriends' heads while we do the move." Kasumi said impishly as Futaba giggled and spoke up.

"Oh? Wow, I wouldn't have pegged you for the bold and wild type, Kasumi. You're a girl after my own heart, it seems. Mwehehe. Put 'er there, sister!" Futaba said as Kasumi smiled and shook Futaba's outstretched hand, neither one aware of the Star shining in Ren's pocket at that moment as they went downstairs to rejoin Ren and Kusa...

(A short time later, in the lower level of Leblanc, with Ren, Kasumi, Kusa, Morgana, Futaba, Ann, Yusuke, Ryuji, Makoto, and Haru)

"Hm? Is everyone here? Our operation has only begun, so let's remain calm as we go about this." Haru said as Ren spoke up.

"Almost everyone is here. Kusa, head upstairs and tell our new recruit to come on down, will you?" Ren said as Kusa nodded, hopping up to go upstairs and fetch Kasumi. A short time later, he walked downstairs and spoke up.

"She'll be right down, she said to tell you guys." Kusa said as Ren nodded.

"Good. And yes everyone, Kusa said 'she'. As most of you have no doubt pieced together by now, our new recruit is another girl, but this is a girl you've all met before, with the possible exceptions of Haru and Morgana." Ren said as Kasumi came down at that point and spoke up.

"H-Hi, everyone! What's up?" Kasumi said as she sat down next to Ren, making Ryuji, Makoto, and Ann's jaws all drop as Ryuji frowned at Kusa and spoke up.

"Dude! What is up with you and undermining Ren and Morgana's decisions when it comes to the ladies?" Ryuji asked Kusa, who frowned slightly at Ryuji while he spoke up.

"Hey, watch it! In case you missed the memo Ryuji, Ren and Morgana both mutually appointed me as second-in-command of this team. So technically I only undermined Ren's decision. I merely pulled rank on Morgana, since he was being a bit of a fool about keeping Kasumi out of harm's way. Yes, I realize that where we're going is highly dangerous, but considering how much she helped our leader out before, do we not owe it to Kasumi to allow her to join us if she wishes to do so?

And if I recall correctly, Kasumi clearly asked Ren, myself, Futaba, and Morgana if she could join us the other day. So, I told her she was one of us as far as I was concerned. Hate me for it if you want Ryuji, but Kasumi's one of us now, whether you like it or not. And Ren even thanked me for it once all was said and done, after telling me not to undermine him anymore, which is more than fair." Kusa said bluntly as Ryuji spoke up.

"I see. Fair enough then. I apologize for being harsh with you. I was just trying to think before I spoke a bit, but I can see it was unnecessary. My bad." Ryuji said as Makoto smiled at Ryuji and patted him on the shoulder while speaking up.

"Don't feel bad, sweetie. You had great intentions, at least." Makoto said honestly as Ryuji nodded before Ren spoke up.

"Anyways! We can discuss the finer points of Kasumi being one of us later, but for now, we have another batch of Mementos requests to tackle. Morgana, if you'd do the honors?" Ren said as Makoto frowned and spoke up as the group gathered around Ren, none of them noticing Sojiro listening in from the counter as Makoto spoke.

"Hey! We're going to do a request run now, of all times? Isn't that somewhat dangerous?" Makoto asked as Kusa spoke up.

"It's only dangerous if we get caught, Makoto. Also, I would think you'd be pleased we're trying to be proactive about preparing for the Palace. If you have to, look at these requests as a special form of training to get us in shape for our current target." Kusa said as Ann spoke up.

"Ugh, that's true, Kusa. Much like Ren, you can't let people suffer, huh? All right, I'll come too if you're going, Ren!" Ann said as Morgana spoke up at that point.

"Heh, nice to see you're still as kind and considerate as ever, Lady Ann! Well then, we have some new intel on a Mementos target today. Hm, let's see. Yes, we'll start with this one first, I think. Listen up! This intel is on a foul young man who scams the elderly with all sorts of fraudulent businesses. At this point he's expanded this crime into a larger organization." Morgana said as Ryuji and Kusa exchanged identical unimpressed looks as Ryuji spoke up.

"I'm gonna make 'em pay! That's bullshit! I can't forgive someone who's takin' advantage of old people like that! Ugh, we gotta take that bastard down and make sure nobody else ends up gettin' scammed by him!" Ryuji said as Futaba nodded and spoke up.

"I agree, Ryuji! I hate people like that too. Let's destroy them." Futaba said as Kusa nodded approvingly to Futaba's words as Morgana spoke up.

"Well said! But that's not all. Now on to the next target. This intel is on the stage mother who mistreats her daughter, the shogi player Hifumi Togo." Morgana said as Yusuke gasped at hearing this before his eyes narrowed while he frowned and spoke up in surprise.

"Wait, WHAT!? Togo-san's mother mistreats her!? Are you serious?" Yusuke asked, a rare look of anger on his face as Morgana spoke up.

"Huh, it's kind of rare to see you getting this worked up, Yusuke. But yes, it's true. She controls every aspect of Hifumi's career, and has thus ruined her daughter's social life." Morgana said as Yusuke gasped and spoke up.

"Oh my! No wonder Hifumi's seemed so much more hesitant and even a bit skittish the last few times we've interacted. I had just chalked it up to it being that time of the month for her, but it seems that wasn't the case at all." Yusuke said, blushing a bit as he realized he'd called Hifumi by her first name at that point. Kusa smirked and spoke up.

"Ah, I see what's going on here. Level with me, Yusuke. Do you have feelings for Togo-san?" Kusa asked as Yusuke nodded once and spoke up.

"That's right. She's always been so supportive and understanding of my art and circumstances at Kosei, and even seems to have appreciated it on a level few others have. And to be quite honest, I find her quirks rather endearing. But that's not important right now, is it?" Yusuke said bluntly as Morgana nodded and spoke up.

"Well said, Yusuke! I'm sorry you had to find out about it like this, but for what it's worth, I agree with what you're saying. Now back on topic. Hifumi's mother forced her to become an idol against her wishes and even plans to fix her upcoming shogi match." Morgana said as Makoto frowned and spoke up.

"WHAT!? I'm sorry, but that's unacceptable! She's treating her daughter like some kind of tool. We have to release Hifumi from that state." Makoto said as Yusuke spoke up.

"Very well. Much like how Togo-san went along with it and was there for me in her own way while I was first adjusting to life after Madarame, I will now be there for her the same way. I think it goes without saying, but I will go along with this." Yusuke said as Morgana nodded and spoke up.

"Nice! We're all ready to do this! I already left the calling card at the target's house. Unfortunately though, that's not all. I know of one other target. Now on to the next target. Listen up! This intel is on the parents of Futaba's friend Kana. As Kusa, Ren, and I found out recently from Futaba, apparently Kana's parents have forced her to take immoral jobs so they can pay off their debt. And what's worse, it appears as if ever since she was young, Kana's parents have trampled over her life." Morgana said as Futaba growled and spoke up.

"Gah! I'm gonna crush them both! I'll save Kana-chan!" Futaba said as Kusa turned and smiled approvingly at Futaba as he spoke up.

"And I'll be right there with you when you do! We'll put those scumbags in their place together, Taba." Kusa said firmly as Morgana spoke up.

"Nice! That sounds good to me too. Okay, it looks like we're all ready to do this! I already left the calling card at our target's home." Morgana said as Ren spoke up.

"Good. Before we vote, I have one other target I wish to bring up that I only recently learned of through Mishima. And Kusa? You might want to be sure you're sitting down, since this target concerns you in a big way. It seems that one of those cowards that got arrested for attacking you was released early on 'good behavior'. But anyways, from what Mishima told me, people posted on the Phan-Site that he's been running around Shibuya, attacking any first-years he happens to find, hoping to find you so he can finish what he started this summer." Ren said as Kusa's eyes widened comically before narrowing as he looked at Ren while he spoke up.

"WHAT!? Which one of them was it, Ren?" Kusa asked, and when Ren spoke up to give the answer, Kusa was very glad that he was sitting when he heard Ren's response.

"Unfortunately, it seems it was the ringleader of the group, Akira Kurusu. According to a post Mishima showed me, he apparently sent YOU a calling card on the Phan-Site in hopes of luring you out to face him. Too bad for him it's about to backfire as we take the fight to his Shadow instead!" Ren said decisively as Kusa's jaw dropped in disbelief before his eyes narrowed dangerously while he spoke up angrily.

"KURUSU GOT RELEASED FROM JUVIE!? FOR REAL!? I could see it if it was Slim or Kyori, since I did sense some remorse and regret from them, but Kurusu!? That man likely faked his way into an early release. Hm, I see. Very well then. If Kurusu wants to settle up, I'll give him what he wants. But I'm going to do it right, by changing his scummy heart! Who's with me!?" Kusa said resolutely as Futaba smiled at Kusa and spoke up.

"I'm with you, of course. But you knew that already." Futaba said as Morgana and Ren nodded their agreement with Futaba's statement, also conveying they too were with Kusa. Ryuji then smirked at Kusa and clapped him lightly on the shoulder in a manly fashion as he spoke up.

"Heh, perfect. I was hopin' I'd get the chance to give those effin' bastards a piece of my mind, so I'm for sure going along with this, Kusa! If you're gonna take Kurusu down, I've got your back man!" Ryuji said as Ann smiled at Kusa and spoke up.

"I'm with you too, bro. You don't have to do this on your own." Ann said as Kasumi nodded and spoke up.

"I agree. If this is about that attack that left you in the hospital, count me in too! I'm still pissed at those guys for what they did to you, Kusa-kun! So if you want me fighting at your side for this, I'm in!" Kasumi said firmly. Morgana then spoke up.

"Sounds like we're in agreement, then. No objections, right?" Morgana asked as no one voiced an objection, making him keep speaking up.

"Yup, seems like a unanimous agreement to me! Mm, seems like we're good to go if you're okay with it, Ren." Morgana said as Ren nodded and Morgana kept speaking.

"Good, that's a unanimous decision! Okay, now that I see Kusa sending Kurusu a calling card through the post Ren showed him, all that's left now is to take down the targets in Mementos! And that includes that cheating gamer we didn't finish off before! Let's not forget him!" Morgana said as the others nodded, agreeing that this Mementos trip was one that was of high importance to the entire group...

END OF CHAPTER

A/N: And boom! Another chapter done and dusted! Wow, I got a lot of unique stuff to fit into the chapter! Also the next chapter will be the trip into Mementos for the group, as well as Kasumi's first Mementos trip as a Phantom Thief. So that should be interesting. And before anyone asks about the unique Mementos request I slotted into the current batch, it's a needed request for the final rank of the World Confidant link, despite the fact that Ren gets it not from Kusa, but from Mishima. I even laid the groundwork for the event where said final rank-up will probably happen.

So there's that to look forward to, for sure! Before I go any further, let me give a special shout-out to AKANOS, who clarified more of the particulars of how the 'san', 'kun', and even the 'chan' honorifics are used, and his explanation was very helpful! So thank you for that, AKANOS! Secondly, let me give another shout out to Chaosinthesky13 on both YouTube and Twitch, since a lot of the dialogue related to Sojiro's nickname of Coffee Daddy was very much inspired by commentary he himself did on his Persona 5 Royal playthroughs that he posted on YouTube.

(Seriously, if you're reading this far into this A/N and want some new content to watch on Youtube, go give Chaosinthesky13's playthroughs a view, since they're great. And I'm not just saying that because his commentary on both of his Persona 5 Royal playthroughs is rather hilarious overall, even if he does seem to have a slight dislike for Morgana. But that's his opinion, and I respect his opinion.) That said, I am just loosely borrowing the idea for this story, and have no intentions whatsoever of claiming it as my own idea, so all credit for it goes to Chaosinthesky13!

Also, thanks to everyone who's been supporting this fic so far! All the favoriting of this story and the following of both this story and of myself as an author are greatly appreciated! Especially since as of the point I'm typing this end-of-chapter A/N, this story has officially eclipsed the 25,000 views mark!

Absolutely staggering, since prior to this story, The Amasawa Files (or my Hacker's Memory fic) was my most viewed at just over 5,000 views, so this has easily destroyed that by a lot. This fic even has more reviews than Amasawa Files did at a whopping 67 reviews, so thanks to everyone who's left a review on the story or PM'd me their feedback!

I love hearing from my readers, especially when they give feedback, as it lets me be able to refine my work and make my stories even better for you, the readers! So feel free to keep supporting the story! Whether you choose to do so by favoriting it, following it, or even just leaving a review and/or PMing your feedback on it makes little difference to me! I appreciate the support either way!

Real quickly before I end this A/N, just letting people know that read this A/N that chapter 76 might be a tad bit delayed in being uploaded due to technical issues that are ongoing that relate to the charger giving out for the laptop I'm using to post these chapters. However, we were able to source a new charger, and it should arrive in the mail within several days, with any luck. So hopefully the delay will be minimal at best. And on that note, until next chapter, sithlorde1988 out!

NOTES

*1* - Kusa's joke here was something of a nod to the trope that Akechi constantly gets teased about his being exposed by making a comment about pancakes, of all things. This is rather ironic to think about, considering the cafe that Kusa and Futaba's date happened in was the same one Akechi took Ren to for his rank 4 cutscene.

The fact he then calls Akechi 'Pancake Boy' in that same statement is also a nod to how many people on YouTube took to affectionately referring to Akechi as 'Pancake Boy' after the infamous pancake scene after the end of the sixth Palace when Akechi's treachery is exposed to the group. So yeah, I felt like commenting on the irony of that statement. The fact that Kusa happens to bring it up while on a date with Futaba is both coincidental and highly irrelevant to his point.

*2* - For anyone curious, the movie that Futaba and Kusa go to see, 'Hallowed Cal', is actually both a parody of and a nod to the 2001 movie 'Shallow Hal', which was a pretty good movie for when it was released. But that might mostly have been because of how much Jack Black killed it as the main character of said movie. To be fair, Jack Black is a very funny guy, no matter the role he plays.

I'm legit excited to see the Super Mario Bros movie at some point, just to see how much he kills it as Bowser. Because I'm sure it's gonna be a riot. And speaking of which, the guy who plays the title role in 'Hallowed Cal', Mack White, is himself a slight parody of Jack Black, that I put in to the story because I can.

*3* - Yep, I had to make a reference to Persona 4 Golden here! To be more precise, the part where Ohya's boss roasts her for 'not having the figure to be attracting high-school guys, outside of those weirdos who are into tomboyish kung-fu fighter types' was a nod to Chie, who is both a tomboy AND big-time into kung fu and kung fu movies in Persona 4 Golden.

To further the irony of that comparison, Ohya's voice actress actually has a voiced role in Persona 4 Golden. But the best part? In that game, she voices not Chie, but Yukiko Amagi, the fire-wielding heiress of the Amagi Inn who is a close friend of Chie's. So you can see the irony present in this comparison, I think.

CONFIDANT RANKS AS OF THE END OF CHAPTER 75

FOOL (Igor/Prison Master) - Rank 9

MAGICIAN (Morgana/Mona) - Rank 9

PRIESTESS (Makoto/Queen) - Rank 6

EMPRESS (Haru/Noir) - Rank 4

EMPEROR (Yusuke/Fox) - Rank 6

HIEROPHANT (Sojiro/Boss/Coffee Daddy) - Rank MAX (10)

LOVERS (Ann/Panther) - Rank MAX (10)

CHARIOT (Ryuji/Skull) - Rank MAX (10)

JUSTICE (Akechi/Crow) - Rank 8

HERMIT (Futaba/Oracle) - Rank 7.5

FORTUNE (Chihaya/Fortune Teller) - Rank 5

STRENGTH (Caroline and Justine/Twin Wardens) - Rank MAX (10)

HANGED-MAN (Iwai/Weapons Dealer) - Rank 4

DEATH (Takemi/Back-Alley Doctor) - Rank 8

DEVIL (Ohya) - Rank 4

TOWER (Shinya/Skilled Gamer) - Rank 3

STAR (Hifumi) - Rank 7.5

MOON (Mishima) - Rank 7

SUN (Yoshida/Man Of The People) - Rank MAX (10)

JUDGEMENT (Sae/Prosecutor) - Rank MAX (10)

FAITH (Kasumi/Sumi/Yoshizawa) - Rank 5 *MAX*

COUNCILLOR (Maruki/Doc) - Rank MAX (10)

WORLD (Kusa/Draconis) - Rank 9.5

**ALL CONFIDANTS UNLOCKED**