Valentine's Day. It was a day for lovers, but also Ren's second day out of juvenile detention. And since none of the Phantom Thieves had a significant other with whom to spend the day, they opted to spend the evening together at Leblanc. Even Sumire managed to find time away from training to attend. The nine friends gathered around one table in the otherwise empty café. Ren and Makoto offered up the more comfortable seats for the others while they took stools at the head of the table, Morgana resting on Ren's lap. Ann, Yusuke and Haru sat to the duo's right while Futaba, Sumire and Ryuji took the other side.

"Heh, those two look like the mom and dad at a family gatherin'," Ryuji chuckled, pointing to Makoto and Ren with his thumb.

"Yep-yep," Futaba concurred. "They definitely have a surplus of that mom and dad energy."

"Imagining the two of them as a couple with a large family is rather cute," Haru added with a giggle.

"Please, stop," Makoto practically whined.

"It's okay, dear," Ren said, gingerly placing a hand on hers.

"And you cut that out!"

"How about we move on to the main event?" Ann proposed, filling in as the responsible/mature one while Makoto was too flustered to do so herself.

"Th-Thank you, Ann."

"Huh? 'Main event'?" Ryuji voiced the confusion that all the boys were feeling.

"Yes," Haru responded, taking charge in her fellow senpai's absence. "We didn't only arrange to spend time together today because Run-kun just came back or because we know you boys won't have gotten any Valentine's chocolates today. In truth..."

Acting as one, all five girls reached into their bags and produced a few small boxes of what could only be obligation chocolate.

"We probably do a pretty bad job of expressing it," said Ann, cheeks slightly red, "but we appreciate everything you guys've done for us over the last year, not just Ren. You helped me get justice for me and Shiho and everyone else Kamoshida victimised. And you accepted me for who and what I am. Even when Yusuke kinda... you know... it made me feel like it wasn't just creeps like Kamoshida that thought I was beautiful. I mean, later, after I had time to think about it. Maybe I'm just weird, but it was kinda flattering once I got to know what Yusuke was really like and I'm just rambling now, so... thank you, guys."

Ann pushed her boxes towards the three boys across the table.

"They're store-bought, since I'm not that great at cooking or baking. I did take home ec. back in the States, but that was, like, seven years ago or so? So, I don't really remember much of it."

"No need to feel bad," Ren reassured her. "What's that English expression? 'It's the thought that counts'?"

"That's mostly used to gently let people down when you're disappointed. Like, I know you don't mean it like that, but..."

"I'm sure when Ren means to say - and that Ryuji and I agree with - is that, store-bought or hand-made, you went out of your way to treat us. That is the most important part and we appreciate it greatly."

"Right, what he said," Ryuji concurred.

"I tried to say it in a snappier, more relatable way, but that's pretty much it, yeah."

"Woah, Yusuke beat Ren in a battle of smoothness," Futaba said in awe.

"Mm-hmm," Haru nodded. "Yusuke-kun certainly does have a way with words."

"He's artist with more than just a paintbrush," Sumire added.

"Thanks, Yusuke, guys," Ann said appreciatively. "I'm so glad I met you all."

"Hm? What's wrong, Morgana?" Makoto asked, taking note of the cat beside her. Morgana looked almost dejected as Ren picked up his box and looked it over above Morgana's head.

"Of course, we didn't leave you out, Mona-chan," Haru said giddily as she produced another, larger box from her bag and passed it to Makoto to open.

"We didn't want to risk getting you sick from feeding you chocolate while you're an ordinary cat," the darker brunette explained. "So, we all chipped in to get you something we're sure you'll be able to eat without issue."

Morgana's eyes lit up when Makoto showed him the packaging for the treat they had collectively gotten for him. "Fatty tuna!" he exclaimed, mouth already watering. The girls giggled at his jubilation.

"Well, look at that," Sojiro said as he passed the group and spotted the packaging. "Looks like the girls have a favourite."

"Please don't put ideas in his head, Boss," Ann requested, dreading what Morgana might do if he thought he was Ann's 'favourite'."

"Alright, alright. Here. I'll go get this cooked for him." Makoto handed the package to Sojiro, who disappeared behind the bar to do just that.

"Boss is so nice," Morgana beamed dreamily.

"Uh, we're the ones who bought it for you," Futaba replied in potentially mock frustration.

"R-Right! Th-Thank you, girls. I'll savour every single juicy, meaty... bite."

"Aaaand, he's gone again," Ryuji quipped as Morgana fell back into his daydreaming.

"Well, that should be fine," Makoto said as she began separating her own chocolates. Unlike Ann's her boxes were all uniform in design, rather than individualised to each recipient. "Sis helped me pick out the right kind of chocolate for you all."

"Lemme guess, a balance of taste and nutritional value," Ryuji joked.

"I... guess you know me very well," Makoto answered, brushing some hair back behind her ear. "That's very reassuring, Ryuji, thank you."

"Huh? I was right?" The blond opened the box and looked at the packaging on the back, comparing it to Ann's. Indeed, Ann had prioritised taste, while Makoto's was the healthier option.

"I'm sorry if it's not what you were expecting-"

"Nah, this is great, actually."

"I-It is?"

"Yeah. It's different, it's personalised, it shows you're always lookin' out for us, and I could do with somethin' a little healthier while I try ta get back inta track. So really, it's perfect. Thanks a ton, Makoto."

"O-Oh. You're welcome."

"Don't forget me and Yusuke," Ren chimed in. "Yusuke needs all the nutrition he can get, and I need to still be able to fit into my old clothes when I get back home." That got a chuckle out of the team. "Ryuji's right. This is very you, and that's what makes it special."

"I'm happy to hear you guys like it. I was worried it might be disappointing or make me come across as a busybody."

"I mean, you kinda are?" Ryuji replied in that sincere way he typically did. "But you wouldn't be part of the team if ya weren't, right?"

"Indeed," Yusuke nodded. "And without you, our escapades into the Metaverse would have gone far less smoothly than they did in reality. Thus, your busybody nature is a valued trait, as far as the team is concerned."

Makoto was on the verge of tears. "You guys don't know how much it means for me to hear you say that. I always thought that was one of my worst traits and something that made me so unapproachable to the other students."

"Nah, it's probably that trademark Queen aura you give off," Futaba reassured her.

"Which is also a positive thing when we're on operations," Ren was sure to add before Makoto could get the wrong idea.

"Thank you. But, um... we-we should move on. We're only about halfway done, right?"

"Right," Haru nodded. "Would you like to go next, Sumire-chan?"

"Uh, sure." Sumire's eyes passed over Ren as she said this and she quickly lowered her head to focus on her chocolates instead. The packaging of her chocolates was notably black and red, the colours of both her and Ren's Phantom Thief attires. "I was, um... I was going to get you guys something healthier as well, but I figured Makoto-senpai would already have that covered, so I decided to make some myself. That made it a little harder to personalise each batch to the individual, but they're a little different to suit you all. Ryuji-senpai's should be more energising for his training, while Yusuke-senpai's is a little more fattening so he has something stored up for when he skips out on food."

"She's treating him like a bear that's about to hibernate," Futaba whispered to Ryuji.

"And Ren-senpai's... well, I wanted to make it something that would remind him of home, so I looked up local recipes from his hometown and tried to replicate that as well as I could, but it probably just tastes like regular chocolate..."

"No," Ren replied through a mouthful of Sumire's chocolate. "It definitely tastes like what I'd eat back home. Thanks, Sumire."

"Oh. Th-That's good." Sumire's cheeks turned as red as her hair and she fidgeted adorably in her seat while averting her gaze.

"Man... I think we just got totally outclassed, Makoto."

"Ah! I-I didn't mean for it to be a competition, Senpai. I'm sure you both would have done something similar if you weren't so busy with studying or work."

"If you won't make it a competition, then I will!" Futaba boldly declared as she passed her treats around. Hers were in small boxes with the masks of the current Featherman series on, assigned to each boy's respective PT glove colour.

"Cute packaging," Ryuji noted.

"Mm-hm! I knew you'd like it, Ryuji. You have good taste in TV."

"I'm guessing you bought these online?" Ren asked.

"Mwehehe! Even the great Joker was taken in by assumptions based on my lifestyle. Nope! These are bonafide Leblanc originals, made by me with a little help from Sojiro."

Sojiro cleared his throat meaningfully in the background.

"Uh, I mean... Sojiro showed me exactly what to do and I followed his every instruction like a good pupil," Futaba corrected herself dejectedly. The others laughed.

"And you can take it from me," Sojiro said from behind the bar, still cooking up Mona's tuna, "the Sakura family recipe is perfectly replicated in Futaba's work. Damn near as good as mine."

"This'll be one to look forward to then," Ren said with a reassuring smile aimed Futaba's way.

"Indeed, " Yusuke agreed. Boss' cooking is always a fest for the soul. If your attempt has his praise, then there is nothing to be concerned about."

"What they said."

"Yes! Praise me more!" Ren patted Futaba's head. Ryuji reached around Sumire's back to do the same. Futaba melted faster than the chocolate.

"I guess I'm the last one then," Haru spoke up, passing out her packages. The boxes were wrapped in floral pink paper adorned with one of the logo concepts Yusuke had drawn up for her future café as a birthday gift back in December. Evidently, she had made her choice, and Yusuke's expression made clear how much this meant to him. "You can probably guess from the packaging that this is a test for the kind of chocolate I want to sell at my café in the future. I'm sorry to use you guys as guinea pigs while I work out the recipe, but I'll be sure to pay you all back properly once I've finalised it. I'll also be making a hot chocolate version once that's done, so you can... have some of that as well..."

Ren chuckled. Inwardly, it was because of her choice of words - 'guinea pig' - but outwardly, it was because- "You're worryin' over nothin'," as Ryuji so eloquently put it.

"Ryuji's correctness streak continues unabated," Yusuke agreed.

"He's really on a roll today, huh?"

"Indeed."

"Naw, I'm just sayin' what we're all thinkin'. Gettin' a free trial of Haru's café chocolate is hella sweet."

"'H-Hella'?"

"He's saying the opportunity to try it before anyone else is very sweet," Sumire translated for the confused heiress. "And I'll bet it tastes just as sweet too."

"I taught you our thieving ways well, Violet," Ren said with a grin. "You're even stealing my lines now."

"Hehe, I did learn from the best, Senpai."

"You're very sweet as well, Sumire-chan. And you too, Ryuji-kun. All of you are. I'm very lucky to be surrounded by such sweet friends. And that means you as well, Boss!"

"You don't gotta butter me up," Sojiro half-grumbled from the back. "Your coffee's already on its way."

"Hooray!" Haru cheered, clasping her hands together in a satisfied manner. "But to get back on-track, I'm glad you're so happy with my chocolate. I just hope its taste lives up to your expectations."

"My only expectation is that it's better than the last one," said Ren. "Even if only by a little. It's less important that it's good now and more that you're always improving."

"He pulled it back," Futaba whispered to Ryuji.

"Yes, thank you, Ren-kun. Always improving. That's what matters."

"Yes, definitely outclassed," Makoto mumbled to Ann. "By a country mile."

"Right?"

"Didn't one of them say that it doesn't matter if it was store-bought or home-made?" Sojiro asked as he approached the table with Mona's tuna on a plate in his right hand and three coffees in his left. "Trust me, guys like a girl who takes pride in her own self-worth and doesn't fixate on how she compares to other girls. And girls like the same thing in guys," he added as he looked over the three boys. "You should all take more pride in yourselves. You're all much stronger and more supportive than you give yourselves credit for. Even if I can't wrap my head around all this Metaverse stuff, even I can tell you couldn't've become the Phantom Thieves if you weren't." With those words of wisdom, he turned to return to his place behind the bar.

"Sojiro, wait!" Futaba suddenly called out, louder than she'd intended. "Here!" She held out another box to him. "Happy Valentine's Day."

Sojiro was clearly taken aback, but his was a master of hiding how he really felt behind a mask of unflappability. He smirked as he took the box and opened it. "What, were you worried a guy like me wouldn't get any chocolate from the ladies this year?"

"Maybe from a seventy-year-old regular," his daughter replied cockily. "I thought you'd be happier getting some from someone who really loves you."

He couldn't hide his surprise anymore. Rather than say anything, he focused his gaze on the box's contents. Inside was a bar of some alcoholic chocolate. "And how exactly did a fifteen-year-old get her hands on something like this?" he asked, using this to help hide how touched he was.

"The reporter lady bought it for me after I explained who it was for," said fifteen-year-old replied casually.

"I should have a word with that woman sometime," Sojiro grumbled, shaking his head. "Still, I do appreciate this, Futaba. Thank you." As he once again began his return trip behind the counter, Ren spoke up.

"Aren't you gonna say you love her too?"

"You cheeky punk," Sojiro said as he turned back, but his expression didn't indicate he was mad. "Of course I do. She's my daughter, after all." Futaba staggered out of her seat, almost tripping over her own discarded boots as she left the booth and leapt into Sojiro's arms.

By the time Futaba returned to her seat, Morgana had finished his tuna.

"Did you enjoy that, Mona-chan?" Haru asked, giggling at the speed with which he wolfed it all down.

"Mm-hm! It was delicious! It was everything I ever hoped it would be."

"What happened to savouring every last bite?" Ann asked.

"I... uh..."

Ann chuckled and stroked his head. "It's fine, Mona. I'm just glad you enjoyed it."

"Lady Ann..." He nuzzled into her palm.

"Kinda sad that this is the peak of the love here, huh?" Ryuji noted.

"Why do you have to go and make it weird?" Ann snapped.

"I'm weird!?" Morgana asked, stunned.

"N-No, Mona! You- Geez, Ryuji!"

"You know what is weird?" Sumire asked, making Ann grateful for the interruption. "Valentine's Day is done differently in the west, right, Ann-senpai?"

"Th-That's right," the blonde said with a smile and a nod. "They don't have White Day over there, so they kinda have both days in one. But the expectations are usually on the guy, so it's more White Day than Valentine's Day.

"So, the guy does the romantic thing and the girl reciprocates on the same day?" Futaba asked.

"Yep. Also, they don't really do obligation chocolate over there. It's just the romance stuff and maybe you give something to a relative, but that's not super common."

"Huh, interestin'. Hey, since we've learned somethin' while we're here like Makoto wanted, I guess we don't need to study, right?"

"Ryuji's got a good point, Makoto."

"Please don't encourage him, Ren," Makoto sighed. "But, I guess I can let it slide for today. We are here to show our appreciation to the guys, after all."

"Yep," Ann said jovially. "And we expect something even better in return for White Day."

"White Day is in March, correct?" Yusuke asked.

"That's right."

"You will still be here by then, yes?" he asked, turning his attention to Ren.

"I'm here until the 20th of that month, so yeah," the leader reassured his teammates.

"Damn, just over a month left, huh?" Ryuji lamented.

"And the damn pigs left us even less time with him," Futaba grumbled.

"You do remember it was my sister who asked him to turn himself in, right?"

"She could stand to lose a few pounds."

"I think that's just about enough," Ren intervened before Makoto could snap back. "What's done is done. Let's just focus on having the best five weeks we can, huh?"

"Senpai's right. Although, I won't be able to spend much of it with you because of practice..."

"We'll just have to plan around that then. I didn't let gods stop me, you think I plan to let a little thing like time keep me from making the most of my time here with you guys?"

"So cool," the two younger girls gushed with stars in their eyes.

Some hours later, the group were departing as Sojiro closed up the shop. He offered to let them stay longer, but Makoto insisted they leave so as not to be too tired for school the next day. Ryuji was the last one out the door as everyone said goodbye to Ren.

"But maaan, it's a shame ya didn't have someone ta spend your one Valentine's Day in Tokyo with, huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Huh!? Y-You did?"

"It's not like I'm never gonna be in Tokyo for another Valentine's Day. I'll be here for plenty, especially if I do come back here for college."

"Huh? O-Oh, right. Yeah, that makes sense."

"Besides, my girlfriend would kill me."

"Huh!? Wait!"

But Ren had already locked the door and headed back into the café, laughing as he went.