Makoto is inspired.

"Representing The Magician, Saint Joseph was the earthly father of Jesus. A carpenter who accepted with piousness the divine mission and responsibility of raising the Son of God, Joseph is the patron saint of workers, virgins, mothers and unborn children."

[15 Years Ago]

"Makoto?"

She stopped her window shopping and looked around at the source of the voice calling out to her. Not too far away from her, stood Ren-kun, with Morgana's cute and adorable face peeking out from his backpack.

"Hey guys." She greeted with a small, subdued smile.

He gave her a searching look, then smiled back tentatively.

"Hi." He said back. "I didn't expect to see you around here. You seemed busy these past weeks. We barely even talked after my release…" He told her, his tone in a mix of playful and disappointed.

She gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry, the end of the year rush caught up to me. You know, being the president of the council and all. I had to organize the elections for the next term."

"Is that so? Sorry, I guess I just voted and forgot about it." He said sheepishly.

She nodded in understanding and smiled. "That's alright. But you won't believe who made it as the new president."

"Hm…Who?" He asked curiously.

She smiled mischievously. "Mishima-kun."

Ren snorted. Then laughed. "Really? I'm so happy for him, I have yet to talk to him."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I'm going around making sure to say goodbye to everyone I met since, you know, I'm heading back home tomorrow."

Her heart clenched at the reminder. Of course, she had already missed her chance with him anyway, but she could at least take solace in their friendship.

Idiot. She was an idiot.

"Ah, of course. Did you manage to reach out to your parents?"

He ran a hand through his cute and fluffy hair in apparent frustration. Makoto stared like a starving woman.

"Not really. I called but my dad barely said anything. I'm honestly surprised they remember I exist at this point."

She couldn't help but reach out and touch his arm, giving him a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Ren-kun."

He waved her concerns away with his usual boyish smile that made her weak at the knees. "It's okay. That's life."

They stared at each other transfixed for a time, until someone cleared their throat. Well, to the best of what a cat could do, that is.

"Hey guys, don't forget about me!" Morgana whined.

Makoto let go of Ren's arm and she laughed off nervously. She reached to the backpack and gave Morgana a good scratch under his chin. The cat purred.

"I could never forget you Mona. I'm gonna miss you a lot too."

"I'll miss you too, Queen!"

She smiled sadly. She stepped back. They started to walk around together.

"So, I have decided what courses to take about a month ago, but since we had to focus on freeing you, I ended up forgetting to talk with you guys about it."

"Hey! No worries. Tell me more." Ren said, voice soothing.

Her eyes almost fluttered close at his timbre.

"Since I'm striving for the position of police commissioner one day, I'm going to major in public policy. I have a couple of electives that I can take as well to broaden and enhance my qualifications."

He frowned in apparent concern. "Wouldn't that just make your study schedule a bit too tight to juggle?"

"A little, but I'm used to studying on the side for mock entrance exams. I think I can make it." She told him brightly.

…Well, she almost fainted on the examination day last month. Thankfully it took place before the valentine's day fiasco. She also smashed the lid of that pandora box close. She should just forget it.

"Okay, if you're sure." He told her with a cautious smile.

"Hey Makoto, why don't you tell us more about your electives?" Morgana demanded curiously. She smiled at him.

"I'll aim for both political science, and psychology."

Ren seemed surprised at her choices. "I can understand polsci, but psychology?"

She hummed to herself. "Well, after that whole debacle with Doctor Maruki, I was thinking… Maybe there is more to others that I can't quite grasp or understand."

She paused on her walking and gazed at her friends with sheer resolution and determination.

She was inspired, moved, by her beliefs.

"I wish to learn how the human mind works. If I can predict a criminal's motivations and thought patterns, or how to reach out to victims with more empathy, then I can protect and help others better that way. Just imagine the kind of reforms that I could help push forward with the mental health and wellbeing of officers and citizens in mind!" She told them excitedly.

She noticed a spark of something on Ren's eyes. Perhaps admiration?

…Or maybe her having a wishful thinking moment again.

She sighed, hating herself for it.

"That's so wonderful Makoto. You're amazing. If there is anyone who can make it, I know without a shadow of a doubt that this person is you." He told her, closing their distance again.

She flushed red, a pleasant chill running down her spine at his praise.

"T-thanks, Ren-kun." She stammered out.

"Ren's right! You're gonna kill it, Queen!"

She petted Morgana again. "Thank you Mona. It means a lot to me."

Ren, however, continued getting a little more into her personal space. She could almost feel the air getting charged.

"Hey, so… I was thinking, do you remember that time at the Crossroads, after the whole Eiko and Tsukasa fiasco?" He asked, his voice full of tension.

She swallowed dryly. "...Yeah. What of it?"

She looked up at him. His eyes were intense, if not a bit foggy, with a storm brewing on their gray horizons. Makoto knew she should take a step back and do the responsible thing, but what if…

…What if he changed his mind?

If he did… Then Sumire be damned.

He seemed to get even more lost in her eyes, and she almost reached out to touch his arm again, but restrained herself.

She waited. When she was just on the cusp to urge him to ask her his question again, he seemed to snap out of it, his face changing, twisting and morphing into a panicked, regretful look.

She did her best to not let her own face crumple down. Her heart was already shattering up again.

Ren chuckled nervously. "Ahh…Nothing, I was just thinking… You were really brave, you know? Doing all of that for your friend. I have always admired your resolve since that day."

She almost scoffed. If the metaverse was still around, she was pretty sure Agnes would be cursing at this clear deflection.

Why was he doing this to her? Did he knew of her feelings? Did he think it was fun to toy with her heart?

"Yes. You told me this already, a couple of times, even." She said dryly.

Ren scratched his neck nervously. "Right. Well just, um, expressing my admiration again, is all."

Morgana looked on between the two of them, seeming to pick up on the charged atmosphere.

She sort of lost her patience. "Really? Or maybe… Was there something else you wanted to say?"

Ren looked like a deer caught in redlights. "What?"

"About that night." She pressed him on.

His eyes widened. "I…"

They were startled out of their tense exchange by an annoyingly loud, obnoxious, stupid, ring of a phone.

Ren swiftly picked it up.

"Hello. Ah, hey Sumi…"

From inside out, Makoto froze. Not in an instant, paralyzing fashion. It was more like a slow chill that crawled up her entire body until Makoto herself was made of ice.

Her expression grew disappointed. Frustrated. Tired.

Pained.

"...Yeah. Sorry, I forgot to call you. Mhm hm. Yeah, I'm just running around Tokyo to say goodbye to everyone. Yeah. Uh… Okay. Bye."

Ren hung up the call and turned back to her again, but Makoto had decided to put some distance between them. She could hear her sis' voice in her own head, telling her to keep her head high.

She was a Niijima.

His eyes held on a pleading desperation. "Makoto, I-"

"I think… I need to go now." She told him.

His face crumpled. Hers was steel.

Morgana was just confused, if not a little suspicious of their behaviors. She sent the cat a smile, a plastic one at that.

"Thanks for the chat, guys. I'll see you guys again before your departure. Stay safe, Ren-kun, Morgana."

She left. He stayed behind, and Makoto didn't dare look back.

[The Present Day]

With Sumire still giving him the cold shoulder, Ren decided to spend the next day in the presence of his sister and father. While calling that silly hotline last night helped, he felt like he needed to clear his mind from the disastrous situation he put himself into.

Leblanc was home. Over the years, the cozy café had officially served as their get together spot, their favorite, special place for family reunions and happy occasions.

If only things didn't get strained and so stilted after that night…He wished he could stop blaming himself for it, since his former friend was just as at fault as he was.

"You look irritated as all hell. Something happened?" The rough and deep fatherly voice of Sojiro broke through his conflicting thoughts.

He let out a frustrated huff. "Sorry, dad… You could say that."

Boss should've retired already, but he just preferred not to. After the gang's eventful road trip during summer vacation in 2017 and the subsequent problems he had with his biological family, he moved back to Tokyo the next year, this time more permanently. He and Sumire started to date seriously then.

And Sojiro officially adopted him. It was one of the most emotional moments of his life. He only kept his original surname out of respect for his grandfather, the only man who kept treating him with love in his biological family even after his arrest.

He was the only relative that Ren ever cried for in a funeral. Once his grandpa passed away, the only family Ren had left in his heart was Sojiro, Futaba and his fellow Thieves.

Even her.

"You need an ear, kid?"

"Eh, I'm fine. Just… Had a minor disagreement with Sumi last night. But don't worry about it."

Sojiro just leveled him a look that said 'You're making it seem like it's nothing and we both know it', but chose to not press Ren into answering it.

Ren just decided to focus on the present.

Through college, his marriage and his new career in politics, Ren still made time for his father figure. Making curry and coffee together was a sacred ritual that gave him great comfort and made him feel loved.

They finished their current batch of curry as they bantered and talked of lighthearted topics, eventually landing on their makeshift family of choice, and on the subject of kids.

"I'm sorry I didn't give you any grandsons or granddaughters of your own to dote on yet." Ren told him, apologetically.

Sojiro snorted in surprised indignation. "Where on earth is this even coming from?"

Ren sighed, but said nothing. Sojiro just shook his head.

"Listen, neither you or Futaba have any obligations of this sort. I am happy and content with our little family as it is. Besides, Rei-chan, Yunchan and Aki-kun are as good as my grandkids."

Right, Aki-kun. Her little boy.

As if Yaldabaoth was still around and reading his karma attracting thoughts, Futaba chose that moment to burst into the café, with none other than six year old Akio Niijima in tow.

He didn't take after his mother: Big hazel eyes and fluffy black hair. Yukino Maruki looked more like her aunt than her own son did.

'Maybe he takes after the father, whomever he is.' He thought with a vicious pang of jealousy festering in his heart.

He was a cute, wholesome kid though. Polite, calm and sweet, a little sunshine through and through. She raised him well.

"Uncle Soji!"

"Hey, slow down, little tyke!" Sojiro said, chuckling happily as the little kid hugged his old, bony legs.

Futaba had her trademark grin on, which got wiped out when she noticed he was there.

This was one of the things that irritated Ren the most. His family insisted on tiptoeing around the fact that both of them - and even the rest of their friends - still interacted with her when he was not around. It got so bad that her kid barely knew him, so-

"Hello, Mr. Ren." The boy said timidly and politely, as if he was a stranger.

He felt a pang of pain at being addressed like a stranger by her kid.

"Hi Aki-kun." Ren said with a sincere smile curling in his mouth as he tried to mask his hurt.

Akio gave him a sweet, friendly smile.

Futaba stared between him, Akio and Boss. Sojiro just leveled a stern eyebrow at her and she just rolled her eyes.

"She'll revoke my visitation privileges." She mumbled helplessly.

"She won't mind. If she ever gets angry, pull the 'Boss is old and frail, he insisted.' card." Sojiro told her confidently.

Futaba crossed her arms and contemplated what to do. Then she just shrugged at the end.

"This is outta my hands now." She said as she sat down beside Ren himself and pulled out her laptop.

She nudged shoulders with Ren and gave him an apologetic smile. "Hey bro."

"Hey sis."

Ren sighed, part of him irritated, another part amused at that woman's audacity. It was cute that she thought she could cut him off completely by guilting his own sister into not letting him get close to her son.

Selfish was not even enough of a word to describe that woman now.

"So Aki-kun, how is school life? Anything fun happening?" Ren asked, deciding to enjoy the little time he had available to interact with him.

"We are going to have a science fair. Uncle Yusuke is helping me come up with my project." He chortled happily.

Sojiro grimaced. Ren just smirked, knowing his friend.

"What kind of project, Aki-kun?"

"We are going to make an, uh, exi… An exihi… Hey, auntie Taba, what is the word to show things off?" He asked her innocently.

"Exhibit." She smiled as she supplied a correction.

"Yeah! That!"

Sojiro chuckled fondly. "That sounds nice, kiddo. What are you going to show?"

"Bugs of the sea! I prefer real bugs but uncle Yusuke told me lobsters were like big oceanic bugs!"

Futaba burst out laughing. "Only Inari could come up with that idea."

Akio pouted and his lips trembled at her mocking of Yusuke. "Don't be mean, auntie! Uncle will be sad. He likes lobsters and prawns, I don't want him to cry."

This made Ren's heart ache at his innocent display of compassion. This kid was just too precious.

"Aww, sorry Aki-kun. I'm not making fun of Yusuke or you, I promise. It's a cool idea. I'll help you guys, okay?" His sister compromised.

"Yay! Thanks auntie! Auntie Haru promised to help out too."

Ren smiled. Maybe…

"Can I help out too?" He offered.

Akio went silent, his face scrunching in a look of curious concentration. Then he deflated.

"Sorry Mr. Ren… I don't think mommy will be happy if you do."

Ren felt cold inside. Of course. Her. It's always her.

"That is alright. Maybe some other time." Ren told him with a smile, trying to mask his disappointment.

Akio sent him a soulful, and wistful, apologetic look.

Ren closed his eyes and sighed.

"You have reached out to the Confessional. My name is Joe, and I will be your personal priest today." A kind, fatherly voice echoed out from the other side.

Ren foolishly decided to call that helpline again. He had so many things he wished he could say, and nobody to turn to.

What he had to say was a bit sordid.

"Hello. I have something I need to confess." He said with urgency.

"I'm here for your troubles, my son." Joe's strong, encouraging voice nudged him on.

Ren took a deep breath.

"I am a married man, but I can't stop being reminded of this other woman… Whether I'm alone or in the company of others, whether I'm awake or asleep, she haunts me. She is in everything, she is everywhere, all at once. I don't know what to do. This is consuming me."

She was his personal purgatory…

"You sound burdened beyond belief, child. Is this woman someone close to you?"

…But he was also a glutton for punishment.

"She used to be one of my best friends, if not the most. I relied on her for everything, we used to be the big sister and big brother figures of our little band of friends together."

Joe let out a small grunt, likely contemplating the situation. "A natural partnership of sorts, would you say?"

He closed his eyes, in pain. "Yes… But we had a falling out. A few years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that, son. Do you wish to talk about it?"

"...I'm not ready yet, father. Hurts me too much still. Maybe one day."

Damn it… He was even getting into the whole piousness and fervor thing of the roleplay now. Futaba would never let him live it down if she ever found out.

Joe was steadfast and compassionate, though. "That's comprehensive, my esteemed confessor."

"I'm not even sure what I want, right now. It's more like the bitterness of not having this person around is consuming me. I think I hate her for it."

"Yet you seemed to imply that an attraction between you and this other woman still exists. Is that so, my son? Be honest, child."

"...Yes, Joe. I think… Deep down, it did back then… And it still does now."

She would never leave his soul alone.

"Do you love your wife, son?"

"...I do. Or at least, I think I do. She is my safe harbor. Whenever I'm down, my wife is there to pick me up. She is uplifting, beautiful, kind. And yet…"

"Yes, my son?"

"...She is not her."

His Queen.

"I understand. I am truly sorry you are undergoing such turmoil, my child. Maybe try to find solace in your wife, instead of clinging to the idea of this other woman. Give yourself some time to create an emotional distance, time heals all."

"I see.. I guess you're right, Joe."

"Is there more you wish to confess?"

"...No, I don't think so. I just wanted to unload that, it has been consuming me all day. Thank you, father Joe."

"The Confessional is here for you, son. Many blessings to you and your family, and please, reach out to us if you ever need to confess. A good evening to you, esteemed confessor."

"Thank you, Joe. To you as well."

Ren hung up the call.

It helped, but…

A part of him wished it was Hanna from the other day instead. She seemed a lot more compassionate and objective, and a bit less likely to go overboard on the roleplay aspect. Joe seemed like a good guy, and he did indeed help, but the religious fervor started to feel a little weird.

Hanna was more like a friend that listened to your problems and gave you a little nudge. Besides, her voice…

… Anyways, it didn't matter anymore. It wasn't like he planned to call this silly hotline ever again.

Right?

Right.

To be continued…