Chapter 8: A moment of calm.
April 24th, 2016.
"I tell you, nothing can beat a good sushi, Ren. Not even ramen." Futaba says as she and Ren walk back from Yongen-Jaya Station. "It's an undisputed fact!"
"Tell that to Ryuji. He lives by the ramen." Ren snarks back, holding a box. "At least we got some sushi for Morgana. I don't think he'd let us live it down if we forgot like last time."
"Yeah… I still feel bad about that, you know. It was probably one of the reasons that added to him running away as well." Futaba looks down, kicking a stray pebble. "At least this time, we won't have that happen. Right?"
"Definitely." They take the turn towards Leblanc. "Well, I better get inside. Boss is probably wondering where I am." With a nod and brief hug, Futaba heads back to Sojiro's house while Ren returns to Leblanc.
Hmm… that's strange. The closed sign is already flipped. Ren notes as he nears the door. What's going on? Entering inside, he sees Sojiro sitting on a barstool, suddenly looking a lot older than he was. In the manner he was sitting and not in the colour of his hair, at least.
"Sojiro-san? Is everything alright?" Ren asks politely. His words seemed to wake Sojiro from his stupor as he looked over to him, giving him a tired yet warm smile.
"It's nothin', kid. Just a headache." He shakes his head before standing up. "Can you do me a favour really quick?" Ren nods his head slowly. "Can you call Futaba over? I have some questions for the two of you." Ren's eyes widen in surprise, before realisation fills his veins.
"Boss… You remember?" He asks hesitantly. Sojiro's smile seemed to grow even larger as he nodded back.
"Yeah, kid. I do. And boy, do I have a lot of questions that need answering." That was all the confirmation Ren needed as he moved to hug Sojiro. While surprised at Ren's sudden hug, Sojiro happily returned the gesture with his own. Just as the doorbell rang.
"Sojiro!" Futaba cries as she joins in the hug, with Sojiro bellowing a laugh at the hacker's affection.
"Did you hack into my phone again? Wait, don't answer that…" Ren deadpans as Futaba sticks her tough at him.
"Look who showed up several months early!" He says in goodwill before sobering up. "But in all seriousness, what happened? Why are we back in April?" The two break from the hug as sighs escape their lips.
"You may want to sit down, Boss. It's going to be a long one."
Sojiro didn't know what to expect when Ren said it would be a long one. Fighting a god above the clouds, dying, coming back to life in the past, getting more members for the Phantom thieves… It was way over his poor mind to even wrap around.
"What the hell do you lot get into, kid?" Sojiro asks tiredly. Ren shrugs his shoulders along with Futaba as Sojiro breathes another deep sigh. "Well, that's neither here nor there. You two didn't ask for this life, but that bastard forced it on you." He leans forward and grasps his hands. "I'm just worried that the same thing will happen again. I already lost the two of you once, apparently…I don't want to have that happen again."
"Boss…" Ren places a hand on his. "It's not like we wanted to get dragged into this rigged game either. But we are, and we have to play. The only upside we have is that we know what's coming. And that we can and will prevent them from happening."
"Ren's right, Sojiro." Futaba agrees with a nod. "It's not like we're going in blind like last time. We know what's coming and how to plan around them. It's not a rigged game for us anymore. It's a rigged game for him."
"Still won't stop me from worrying." Sojiro responds with a huff. "That God already killed you once. But…I also know that you won't pack it in and call it quits. That's why I'm not going to waste my breath and argue against you. You brought down Shido and Yaldabaoth once. You can do so again." A smile crosses his face. "Besides, what sort of father would I be if I didn't support my kids beating up the one responsible for our pain in the first place?" The two teen's faces lit up as Sojiro stood. "That being said, what about Akechi? Is he like us as well?"
"Don't know. If he was, he would have come after us already. The fact he hasn't, or tried to blame us yet, means that he isn't like us. It makes sense since he died in Shido's Palace." Ren replies, arms folded.
"I see… I suppose that's one thing going for us." He walks over to the counter, lifting the barrier up. "Come on, let's eat. I've got plenty of leftover curry we can have for tea."
"Sojiro, you're the best!" Futaba cheers while punching a fist into the air. Ren just chuckles to himself before spotting Morgana rushing down the stairs. He glances around, looking between Sojiro, Ren and Futaba before hopping onto the table.
"So…what did I miss?" Ren and Futaba looked at each other before glancing over to Sojiro, who was busy heating up some rice. The man seemed to feel their gaze as he turned around to look at Morgana before giving the cat a wink. Morgana's jaw dropped as Sojiro turned away before Morgana turned back to look at the siblings. "Well. That explains it." The two chuckles at Morgana's reaction before Ren suddenly stands up and heads for the counter.
"By the way, Morgana. We got you something from Ginza." Morgana's eyes widen while his ears and tail perk up when Ren brings over the sushi box to him. Opening it up, his mouth drools as he sees a selection of tun dishes waiting for him.
With an excited mewl, he digs into the tuna just as Sojiro arrives with the curry.
"By the way, Ren. What day did I lift the ban on you staying only in Yongen-Jaya at night?" Ren pauses for a moment, playing with the tuft of his front hair as he thinks.
"I think it was… the 6th of May? Yeah, that sounds right."
"Well, consider that ban lifted." Sojiro replies with a smirk as the small family settles in for tea. Reunited at last.
Chatroom: Return of the Phantoms!
Joker: Boss remembers!
Skull: For real!? SWEET!
Fox: Oh, happy days!
Panther: That's awesome! We have our old hideout back!
Queen: That is terrific news, Joker! I'm so happy to hear that Boss is back.
Noir: It will be nice to enjoy his curry and coffee again.
Oracle: Actually, curry that my mom made to go with Sojiro's coffee. But yeah.
Spring: Really? Your mom made the curry?
Oracle: Yeah. She took Sojiro's original recipe and spent days on it to turn it into the powerhouse it is today. Even making it go with his coffee. It's all I have left of her. If she didn't pass away, I bet she and Sojiro would be married by now.
Spring: Sorry if I brought back painful memories.
Oracle: It's okay, Spring.
Outlaw: Still, it's great news to hear that he remembers! I'm guessing you already told him about me and Spring?
Joker: Yeah. And just so you know, everyone is welcomed back to Leblanc.
Spring: I've never been to Leblanc, so I'm excited to see it.
Panther: Trust us, Spring. There is a very good reason why it's our hideout.
Queen: And also very good timing as well. People are getting suspicious of us when we go to the roof.
Skull: Shit. Then again, it was bound to happen.
Outlaw: If there's one thing about Shujin that's consistent, it's the rumour mill. At least we can still go up there to help Noir with her garden. Nothing suspicious about that.
Noir: And I appreciate the help. I'm planning to make it even bigger than last time.
Fox: At least we won't be using the passageway in Shibuya. Why we thought an open space would work as a hideout will always escape me.
Noir: That… I have no words to express my feelings on that.
Joker: It really shows how we thought no one would be able to find us. I want to punch past me so hard. Besides that, are we all clear to meet up on May 7th?
Spring: Yeah.
Outlaw: Same here. But why?
Skull: OH! That's when we first went into Mementos and heard about Madarame!
Joker: Exactly. While most of our targets will be out of reach, we can still grab the stalker that mentions Madarame.
Fox: So that's how you found out. Was he one of Madarame's former pupils?
Panther: Yeah, he was.
Fox: I see…
Noir: Fox…
Fox: Do not worry Noir. My will has not changed. In fact, it is stronger than ever.
Queen: Anyway, it's getting late. We'll meet up on May 7th and head into Mementos. After that, we get ready to infiltrate Madarame's Palace.
Joker: Rest up guys. But don't forget we have exams on the 11th to 14th.
Skull: …for real…?
Panther: Better start studying Skull!
Spring: I can say the same to you, too, Panther. 😊
Panther: I've been betrayed….
Oracle: RIP
April 29th, 2016
"Another day of school done. Man, it's boring to go through all this again…" Ryuji moans to Ann and Ren as they walk away from school. "I mean, we were already taught all this, so it's basically repetition."
"Something that you desperately need, Ryuji." Ann lightly jabs. She receives an elbow to the arm in response as Ren and Morgana silently chuckle at the two. It felt good to leave the school without fear of expulsion from Kamoshida. No hanging dread over their heads if the Change of Heart worked or not. Just friendly chatter as they head home.
"Hey, is that Shiho?" Ann suddenly asks, pointing over to her. She was crouching on the ground, looking over something with a concerned face.
"Wonder what's up." Ryuji ponders.
"Let's go and ask." Ren replies before heading over. The blonds close behind. "What's up, Shiho?" The girl was briefly startled by Ren's question before turning around.
"Oh, Ren, Ann and Ryuji." She greets before seeing Morgana's head popping out of the bag. "And Morgana as well."
"What's up, Shiho? What are you looking at?" Ann asks. Shiho quickly turns around before picking up something from the ground. Turning back to the others, it became clear what she found. A white kitten covered in dirt.
"I found this little one as I was just leaving. I think they were recently abandoned." Shiho informs the others, holding the small kitten to her chest. "She can't be more than a few weeks old."
"Who would abandon a small kitten?" Morgana asks, disgusted at seeing a fellow cat abandoned.
"I don't know. But I can't just leave them here." Shiho replies, gently moving her hands over the kitten's back, eliciting a small meow from it.
"There should be a pet store in Shibuya Mall. I'll head over and get some supplies for you." Ren offers.
"I'll tag along. More hands make light work, right?" Ann offers. "And I can guide you to Shiho's house as well. Ryuji, can you go with Shiho?"
"Leave it to me, Ann." Ryuji thumps his hand to his chest. Shiho smiles gratefully between them as the team split up.
It didn't take long for Ann and Ren to find the pet store or grab the items needed for the kitten. Returning to Shiho's apartment, they found Ryuji and Shiho cleaning the kitten after giving it a nice warm bath.
"Here, Shiho. Some kitten feed." Ann offers. Shiho graciously accepts before opening a small corner of the packet and squeezing the mixture out. The kitten immediately starts munching down on the treat, starved before falling asleep on a small bundle of clothes.
"Thanks for the help. I'll keep the kitten with me until I find out what to do."
"No problem, Shiho. Wouldn't feel right just leaving the poor things alone." Shiho smiles at Ann as Ryuji and Ren help tidy up the sink of kitten hair and dirt.
"You really have a kind heart, Lady Shiho." Morgana quips near the sleeping kitten. "Stopping to help at the drop of a hat."
"It's just how I am, Morgana." Shiho replies, looking back at the kitten. "Growing up, I've always had a fondness for helping others. It's how Ann and I became friends, after all."
"By insulting my skills at drawing, you mean." Ann quips back.
"It helped you improve though." Shiho shoots back. The two chuckle at each other as the four hang out for a while. Soon, Ann and Ryuji leave, citing the need to study for the exams in May, leaving Ren and Morgana with Shiho.
"I wonder if I'm doing enough to help." Shiho suddenly says. "Compared to all of you, I'm still inexperienced at all of this. Even Mishima seems to be more at home than I am."
"That's how we all start." Ren reassures. "Back when I first awakened Arsène, I had no idea what I was doing. Even with Morgana guiding us, I still felt that I was just making it up as we went along in Kamoshida's Palace. There are times I still feel like that, even now."
"And that's why we look out for each other." Mona chimes in. "Sure, all of us are strong, but there's only so much that we can do by ourselves. I learned that the hard way when I tried to go solo after feeling I had no place with the Thieves."
"Not everyone starts out an expert. It was the same way when you started Volleyball, right?" Shiho takes a moment to think, looking over to the sleeping kitten.
"Yeah. You're right." She replies with a smile. "Thank you for telling me that. I promise even though I'm still new, I won't hold the team back. I'm with the Thieves until the bitter end." Ren smiles at her reply, seeing the Tarot Card appearing above her head as it gains a third star. "By the way, I have a question about Ann and Ryuji."
"Hm? What do you want to know?" Ren asks, although he already has an idea what it was.
"How did Ann and Ryuji become a couple? She still hasn't told me after I asked her when Kamoshida confessed." Ren chuckles at her before sitting down on a sofa, Shiho sitting across from him.
"Well, if you want to know, I'll tell you. It started back when Ann awakened to her Persona, Carmen. Ryuji was the one to help snap her out of Kamoshida's lies before she awoke. After that, the two had always fought on the front lines side-by-side."
"Then there was the time we went to the beach in August. Some guys were trying to hit on both Ann and Makoto at the time. It was also shortly after Makoto and I started dating, so I did not like that someone was trying to hit on her. Ryuji also cracked his knuckles to intimidate the two men. Not that Makoto and Ann couldn't handle themselves, they admitted they were close to beating them up anyway."
Shiho chuckles at that, along with Ren and Morgana. "So, it was basically constant interactions with each other that led to it?"
"Well, Ann also did play matchmaker with me and Makoto along with Yusuke and Haru, so I think that also had some affect as well." Ren replies. "To be honest, we figured that they liked each other back in Okumura's Palace. Watching out for each other, taking hits and following up attacks without speaking. It was the same with me and Makoto. But the moment that really made them official was when we took down Shido."
"What happened?" Ren sighs to himself, folding his arms.
"Well…"
December 17th, 2016, Original Timeline.
Eruptions rattled the giant ship that was Shido's Palace as explosions ripped through decks. Water spilled through hallways as the ship began to sink backwards. Shadows and cognitions alike ran for lifeboats or simply leapt off the sides in desperation.
While at the front, standing in what was the Diet Building, the Thieves looked around in despair. No lifeboats were left for them to take.
"We're gonna die! I don't know how to swim!" Oracle panics as Joker tries to calm her down. Fox and Noir hold each other as they look for any way to escape.
"Over there! A lifeboat!" Queen calls out from Joker's left, pointing to a lifeboat at the front of the ship. The team rushed to a better spot, seeing the boat still attached to its holder.
"We just need to get to it…" Joker says through gritted teeth as another explosion rocks the ship.
"It's too far! We won't reach it in time!" Fox calls out, noting the increased rate of the ship's descent. Skull looks to the team, his found family, before huffing a large sigh. He made his decision.
"I got this." He says resolutely.
"Huh? What are you talking about? You're not thinking about—" Panther asks, worry and fear in her eyes as Skull turns to look at her. With a sad smile, he pulls her forward before planting a kiss on her lips, stunning her for a moment as he pulls away. Pulling his mask down to cover his face as he leaps from the floor onto the deck.
"It's now or never…" he tells himself, getting into a crouching runner's pose before sprinting across the sinking deck. Reaching a large gap of water, he leaps over to the other side before running up the steep deck.
He could hear the others cheering him on behind. With one final giant leap, he reaches for the controls and activates the winch. The lifeboat lowered into the water as Skull hung on to the switch, as he could feel his leg mussels cramping up.
Before an explosion knocks him into the air, and his vision goes black.
When he began to regain consciousness, his entire body felt like it had been punched all over. He could hear the cries of someone, along with the frantic calls for his name, as he struggled to come back to reality.
Opening his eyes, he was greeted by the night sky of Tokyo while soft grass lay under him as he pushed himself up. The voices became clearer.
"Ryuji! Where are you!?"
"Say something!"
"Talk to us Ryuji-kun!"
He groans as he struggles to stand, finding a row of bushes in front of him. Grunting, he pushes through to find the other Thieves looking for him in desperation. While Ann was on her knees, crying into her hands as Makoto attempted to comfort her.
"There he is!" Morgana cries, pointing a paw at him as he limps forward. As one, the team turn to face him, relief and tears in their eyes as they rush over to help him. Ryuji manages to make a tired smile before Ann walks up and smacks him across the face.
"You idiot! Don't ever do that again!" She yells at him, anger and tears in her eyes. Before enveloping him in a hug. "I thought I really lost you…"
"Sorry about that. But I'm here. Not going away that easily." Ryuji says, managing to recuperate the hug. Before the two blonds quickly remember whose watching. They quickly separate, although Ann stays near to help Ryuji stand as they look at the rest of the team. Smiling coly at them.
Suffice it to say, they were no longer immune to teasing.
"So that's how, huh?"
"Yeah. I won't lie. We really thought Ryuji died back then. But we're glad he didn't." Ren finishes the tale as he stands up. "It's getting late. Better head back to Leblanc. We've got our journey to Mementos next week as well."
"Right. I won't lie. I'm both excited and nervous to see it." Shiho replies as Morgana leaps back into Ren's bag. "Thank you again for helping me look after the kitten. Judging by how things go, I might have a new roommate."
"Anytime, Shiho. If you need any help, don't hesitate to message us."
"Of course. Good night." And with that, she closes the door.
"Are you sure that was wise telling her that? You know Lady Ann and Ryuji will hold you to it." Morgana asks as the two make their way to the station.
"She was going to keep on asking anyway. Better me who tells it and saves them the embarrassment." Ren replies casually. "Wonder how Mementos is going to be this time around…"
"Hopefully, the same as last time. Minus that Reaper, of course." The two shiver at the thought of the Reaper, the giant floating monster with chains wielding two large revolvers, chasing after them as they run to escape. It was worse than getting chased by a horde of Mara.
"Somehow, I don't think we have to worry about it appearing on the higher floors. Still, I can't help but wonder…" Ren pauses as they enter the station. "Why does it look like a teru teru bōzu?"
May 2nd, 2016.
"Ever since that specific incident, many of you have voiced concerns that I could not bear to ignore." Kobayakawa speaks to an uncaring audience of students in the gym hall. It was a sudden surprise for the impromptu gathering, something that none of the future Thieves remembers happening. They couldn't help but wonder if this was another ploy from Shido or Kobayakawa trying to curry favour.
"We believe the mental health of our student body is absolutely vital, so we've acquired the services of a specialist." That caught their attention. Nothing like this happened in the original timeline, which, now that they thought about it was very odd. "The floor is yours, Doctor."
Kobayakawa steps away from the mic just as a young man with shaggy brown hair and glasses, wearing a traditional lab coat, takes the stand.
"It's nice to meet you all. My name is—" He pauses for a moment, seeing the microphone die for a moment before coming back to life. "My name is Takuto Maruki. Thank you for welcoming me into your school." He bows in thanks, only to hit his head off the microphone instead.
The gym burst into subdued laughter as the tension filtered out. Even the future Thieves couldn't help but crack a smile at him. Compared to everything else they had seen, Maruki looked to be a decent person.
"No need to be formal with me, though. I'm just here to counsel anyone who's interested. You can even call me Doc if that would help you feel more comfortable. Any assistance you need, I'll be—Oh…" He takes a moment to scratch the side of his cheek. "I guess I'm not really good at solving money problems…"
More subdued laughter erupts from the students, already taking a liking to Maruki. Kobayakawa then walks up to him, patting him on the back before taking over again. Thanking him and dismissing the students.
"Does anyone really think that Kobayakawa really gives a shit about our mental health? He never did anything like this in the original timeline." Ryuji complains, moving some fertiliser over to Haru's plants. "I mean, doesn't it seem weird?"
"I admit it is strange. What could have caused the change?" Makoto questions, passing a watering can to Ann.
"Well, the school did make headline news this time. Think that had anything to do with it?" She supplies, though it was admittedly a weak one.
"Do you think it's because Kawakami-sensei was assaulted this time that made it worse? That never happened before, right?" Shiho then supplies, pulling out some weeds that had grown.
"Maybe. But still, that Maruki…" Ren comments, helping Ryuji move the fertiliser. "So far, he's managed to make a good impression. But it's too soon to tell if he is being earnest or is another person with a distorted desire."
"Couldn't we use the Nav to find out?" Mishima asks.
"We could, but it doesn't feel right to use it on a guy we know nothing about. Let's wait a while and see what happens. If he is, then we step in." Morgana replies from between the grass, munching on a few blades. He never knew cat-grass tasted this good.
"I agree with Mona-chan. It's too early to tell." Haru agrees, carefully pulling out some carrots. Before anyone could say more, the door to the roof opened. The team look to the entrance to find, to their surprise, Maruki approaching them with an easy smile.
"Hello there." He greets them politely. "Sakamoto-kun, Takamaki-san, Nijima-san, Okumura-san, Mishima-kun and Suzui-san. And that makes you Amamiya-kun, right? Along with your cat Morgana." The team looked around, surprised that he knew their last names.
"That's right, but how did…?"
"Well, I was informed of certain students before I started my tenure here. I wanted to find and get to know you, so Kawakami-san told me that you come up here to help with Okumura-san's garden. So I thought I'd come up to see." He glances around, seeing all the plant pots scattered around the roof. "Quite impressive. This is more of a rooftop garden than a school roof at this rate."
"Certain students? Do you mean those who had interaction with Kamoshida?" Makoto asks. "I can understand Ren and the others, but why me and Haru?"
"Apparently, it's because just before he confessed, he was ranting about expelling both you and Okumura-san. So the board included you with the others." He shakes his head before looking at Ren. "It must have been hard for you, Amamiya-kun. Being transferred here on a false charge. Kawakami-san told me about that, and I believe her." He informs the team. They were quite surprised that Kawakami told him about that, even moreso that he believed her.
"I admit, it was hard initially. But I found friends who I would gladly call my family, so I guess it evened out in a way." Ren replies, casting a glance at the team behind him.
"I see…" Maruki replies with an easy-going smile. "Anyway, to why I am here. I know that I already offered up my services, but how would all of you be up for it? I don't want to force any of you to come. It's your choice, after all." At seeing the team's quiet glances at each other, Maruki pushes his glasses up and readies his trump card.
"If you come, I can offer you free snacks and cookies as well. All you can eat."
"Oh, he's breaking out the snack card…" Mishima whispers to Shiho, earning a muffled giggle out of her.
"Tell me more about these snacks…" Ren says, placing a hand on his chin.
"Is he really falling for that?" Ann asks Ryuji in a deadpan tone.
"I'm interested in these snacks as well. What kinds do you have?" Makoto asks as well, causing Ann and Ryuji to stare at her agape.
"I forgot Mako-chan had a sweet tooth." Haru says with a shake of her head.
"And I thought Lady Ann was hungry for sweets…" Morgana whispers to himself.
"I have all different kinds of snacks, from sweet to savoury and salty." Maruki politely tells Makoto with a smile before falling into a frown. "But despite all that, I've been explicitly ordered to provide counselling to the students directly involved with Kamoshida. 'It's in the school's interests… for its students.' They tell me, but to be honest, it feels like they don't even care. At least some of the Teachers here do."
"Why does that not surprise me…" Ryuji mumbles to himself.
"I know that I'm asking a lot to be open with a complete stranger like myself is a lot. Making it mandatory wouldn't do you any good, either. Might as well make it a worthwhile experience…" His eyes lit up as he snapped his fingers. "Ohhh, I know! I can teach you a different way to improve your mental acuity. Like a way to hone your concentration before exams or not getting nervous on dates. How's that sound?"
That could actually be beneficial to us in the Metaverse… Ren pounders to himself. Sure, we have a whole 6 months under our belt, but it never hurts to pick up new skills. "Alright, Dr. Maruki. I don't see the harm in a little chat." Maruki's eyes lit up at Ren's answer.
"Really? Then, I guess it's a deal. I'll be in the nurse's office—feel free to come by whenever it's convenient for you."
"Well, if Ren's going to it, I might as well too." Ann offers, with Ryuji accepting as well. Mishima and Shiho, while a little hesitant, also agreed to go whenever they felt comfortable. Makoto and Haru, the least affected by Kamoshida in the real world, decided to accept it at a later date if needed. Happy at seeing them agree, Maruki turns to leave, but not before giving one final parting word.
"Thank you for taking my counselling into consideration. Now that we have a deal, I promise I'll do my best to help you."
"Thank you, Dr. Maruki." Ren courtly replies before noticing a Tarot card appearing around Maruki's head.
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
That breaketh thy chain of captivity.
With the birth of the Councillor Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
Shall lead to freedom and new power…
Later in the day, Maruki was sitting in the nurse's office, looking over the files of the students. His heart ached at seeing how many were affected by Kamoshida's abuse, the nonsensical violence and assaults.
How could a man like him ever get a place at Shujin in the first place? Especially after his little session with Ann and Shiho, those poor young women. And Kawakami-san… what she did was the most brave thing she could have done, even if it led to her being hospitalised. Maybe he should schedule a few visits with her as well?
He shakes his head in disappointment, mentally cursing those in higher positions for their lack of foresight before the door to the room opens. Turning around, he smiles warmly as a familiar face enters the room.
"Hello there, Yoshizawa-chan. How have you been?" He asks the red-haired transfer student as she sits down on a couch.
"I'm doing great today, Dr. Maruki. Thank you for asking." Yoshizawa replies before taking one of the cookies from the table. "How have you been?"
"I have been fine. But the students… To hear what that man did to them, it breaks my heart." Maruki sighs as he leans back in his chair. "I'm glad you didn't have to interact with him, Yoshizawa-chan."
"So am I, Dr. Maruki." Yoshizawa shivers to herself. "I don't want to even imagine what would have happened. Even my brief encounter with him was too much." Maruki silently nods as he pulls out a clipboard, going over it with his eyes.
"So, nothing new has changed since last we met?" Yoshizawa was about to answer but paused in her thoughts before looking to the ground.
"Well…there has been something. But not with me." Maruki raises an eyebrow, motioning her to continue. "It started a few weeks ago, not long after Kamoshida confessed…"
"Are you sure you should do this, Ren?" Makoto asks as the couple walk towards the nurse's office. "Are you even sure it is safe?"
"It doesn't hurt to try Makoto, and besides." He lowers his voice to a whisper. "I saw a Tarot Card appear above his head, like Shiho. He's a new confidant."
"Really?" Makoto's eyes widen in brief surprise. "Well then, that changes things a little. But Akechi also had one, and he betrayed us. Still, I can see your argument." Before they could say anymore, the door to the office opened, with Yoshizawa stepping out. Maruki close behind. She notices them approaching, giving them both a smile.
"Oh, hello. Are you both here for counselling?"
"Not me. Just my boyfriend." Makoto replies, nudging Ren.
"Oh! I never knew you were a couple. But congratulations." Maruki says with a smile, one mimicked by Yoshizawa.
"Thanks, but can you stay quiet about it. We don't want to attract attention. Especially with my 'situation'." Ren says, glancing around them for anyone nearby. Thankfully, they were alone.
"Of course, your secret is with me. I'm really sorry, but I need to get going. Bye." With a small bow, Yoshizawa leaves the couple and Maruki.
"Well, I've got to get going too. Got some thing left in the Student Council left to finish up." She gives Ren a quick peck on the lips before hurrying to the stairs.
"It's nice. Being in love, isn't it?" Maruki asks with a sad smile. Ren notices it but refrains from asking. There could be a later time if needed. "Anyway, come inside. And thank you for coming."
Confidant Ranks:
Phantom Thieves of Heart: The Fool (Rank 10/Max)
Makoto Nijima: High Priestesses (Rank 10/Max)
Ryuji Sakamoto: Chariot (Rank 10/Max)
Ann Takamaki: Lovers (Rank 10/Max)
Yusuke Kitagawa: Emperor (Rank 10/Max)
Haru Okumura: Empress (Rank 10/Max)
Futaba Sakura: Hermit (Rank 10/Max)
Morgana: Magician (Rank 10/Max)
Mishima Yuuki: Moon (Rank 9/Locked)
Suzui Shiho: Charity (Rank 3)
Hifumi Togo: Star (Sealed)
Sojiro Sakura: Hierophant (Rank 10/Max)
Goro Akechi: Justice (Sealed)
Chihaya Mifune: Fortune (Sealed)
Munehisa Iwai: Hanged Man (Rank 10/Max)
Tae Takemi: Death (Rank 10/Max)
Sadayo Kawakami: Temperance (Rank 10/Max)
Ichiko Ohya: Devil (Sealed)
Shinya Oda: Tower (Sealed)
Toranosuke Yoshida: Sun (Sealed)
Takuto Maruki: Councillor (Rank 2)
Lavenza (Justine & Caroline): Strength (sealed)
