Makoto is brave.

"Representing the Strength, Jeanne d'Arc is a national heroine of France and the country's patron saint. Born during the Hundred Years' War, Joan received divine guidance to help Charles VII free France from the English domain. Young Joan was first sent to the siege of Orléans with a relief army, and there, she rallied the demoralized french troops. After several decisive battles under her morale and influence, Charles VII was crowned and the tides turned for the french. Joan was later burnt at the stake for heresy due to her claims of having visions, and she became a martyr."

[8 Years Ago]

Two police officers were forced into a kneeling position, their arms behind their backs, hands tightly restrained with cuffs and both looking worse for wear.

In front of them, a man kept pacing back and forth, checking the windows in the room to look out from time to time. He seemed nervous and almost manic in his ritual.

The youngest of the two officers wondered, amidst labored breaths of pain thanks to the severe beating she took as well, how they would frame this incident in the papers.

Drug den bust gone wrong?

Two police officers killed in an ambush?

Patrol unit massacred cowardly?

Beside her, and just as tightly restrained, Kazuya spat out blood on the ground, his gaze murderously aimed at the crook.

"Shit, they're taking too long to come back." The crook muttered nervously.

Makoto thought she felt betrayed by Sae when she called her useless, but that was honestly fucking nothing compared to what she felt now.

Tomo-kun was her boyfriend.

He was her comrade, her work partner.

And he betrayed them all for easy cash.

She stared at his face, disgust and hatred coursing through her entire body.

Tomoe was the fucking mole all along.

They had been ambushed by a local gang of drug lords that decided to take shelter in a shady area inside Adachi.

They were using Tomoe as their police connection to get away with trafficking. She and Kazuya fell into a trap, after they followed him around.

Makoto still didn't understand why they were being kept alive though, and left alone with the traitor while the other gang members went off to god knows where.

The only theory she had was that they were testing Tomoe's willingness to betray his police buddies. If he let them go, then he was a dead man walking.

But If he killed them and an administrative investigation found him to be a crook and a traitor, then he was also completely fucked.

Makoto was not dumb. She was certain the gang Tomoe worked for did this on purpose to get rid of him. He was just as doomed as the two of them.

What a stupid way to die.

Behind her back, she started to carefully see if she could slip from the handcuff. She might have to hurt her own wrists for this.

"Tch…Y-you fucking bastard!" Kazuya spat out. "Your mother doesn't deserve to have a vermin such as yourself for a son!"

Tomoe, who was already extremely on edge and pissed off, beat Kazuya on the face with the butt of a gun.

"Shut the fuck up!"

"You hit like a fucking sissy, Tomo-chan." Kazuya taunted after he recovered.

Tomoe was furious.

"Shut," he hit once more. "the fuck," and another, this one with a loud crack. "UP!"

A final hit ensued. Kazuya's head lolled to the side.

Makoto's heart stopped. But resumed beating as soon as she realized that her comrade was still breathing, even if he was struggling severely.

Fuck, she had to do something. She didn't want to die here.

This was not the metaverse though. She wasn't the invincible Queen, she was just a junior police officer equipped to catch burglars and help pedestrians cross the streets.

There were no personas to save her now.

Tomoe, unaware of Makoto's chaotic thought patterns, was facing his own meltdown as he shouted at Kazuya's face.

'You think you're hot shit, huh!? Fuck you, Kazuya! I'm done with your bullshit!" He screamed resentfully.

Tomoe clearly was having a psychotic breakdown of his own. His eyes were wide and bulging, his face sweaty, with the veins in his forehead popping out in an ugly manner, signaling that the stress of the situation was getting to him too.

Almost there. She needs to keep him talking.

"Tomo-kun, please. Please, just let us go."

The man whipped his head in her direction, his eyes bloodshot and the hand on his gun unsteady.

"Why the fuck did you follow me!? This didn't have to happen!" He demanded.

"You were acting off for a while. Just…Please, Tomo-kun. "

"You should have stayed put, dammit!" He shouted at her, waving his handgun around.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked, genuinely hurt and wanting to know why he decided to take this route.

"The money was too good to pass up. My income isn't enough, I have to do this for my brothers! For my mother!"

"Tomo-kun… Please. Stop this while you can." She pleaded.

He was trembling and his eyes were bulging out more and more. "There is no way out of this, Makoto!"

"There is. You could let us go, let us help you. We'll find a way Tomoe, please." She said, trying to show him as much empathy as possible.

"Y-you don't get it! I don't have a choice anymore. They are going to kill my family if I bail out now!" He shouted in desperation, while pressing his gun to her temples.

Shit shit shit. She started to panic. She was going to die at this rate, and unlike the metaverse, there is no recarming her way out of it.

This was a real life and death situation.

'Calm the fuck down, Makoto. THINK.'

"Tomoe." She tried again, her voice choking up a little with her very real panic. "Please…Don't you love me?"

She knew it was a low blow but she wanted to get the fuck out of there alive, at any cost.

He looked perturbed and haunted at the reminder of their relationship, on the verge of snapping. "I do! But I cannot let you go, Makoto. I know you! You're going to snitch on me!"

He lifted the safety of the gun, but instead of shooting her, he aimed at Kazuya. The loud bang echoing right next to her ear almost deafened her right then and there.

But there must be a merciful god out there, because Tomoe was so nervous, he missed.

Makoto had, luckily, finally freed herself while she tried to reason with him. It was risky, and she could get shot, but she had to wrestle that gun out of his hand, then restrain him.

He aimed again, this time more directly at Kazuya's head. Fuck, she had to move NOW.

Makoto used the moment to propel herself forward and tackle him down.

She succeeded, but the fight that ensued was bloody and ugly. She had the advantage since he was taken off guard.

Kazuya had a little son and a wife waiting at home.

The traitor, however, had a larger build than her own, and was quickly overpowering her.

Tomoe had a mother, and two child brothers.

He punched her in the face, and the intensity of his brutal assault pushed her off a little, but Makoto was not going to give up now.

Makoto had Yukino, Sae, Takuto.

She got the upper hand and managed to kick the gun out of his hand, but they continued in their struggle.

She had Eiko, Futaba, Haru, Ryuji, Yusuke, Ann and Morgana.

He started to strangle her. Her vision was near blacking out.

She had Ren.

Makoto freed herself from his grasp by kicking him in the groin, and started to get away from him by crawling.

She reached for the gun.

Makoto can't die. Not like this.

Even if her life was not perfect, even if Ren did not love her, and even if she was betrayed by her boyfriend, she wanted to live.

She wanted to see Yukino grow up.

She wanted to see Sae smile more.

Tomoe grabbed her by the hair.

Her hands closed on the gun, and she twisted her upper torso around to meet the face of her work partner and boyfriend, and aimed.

His eyes were wide with overwhelming terror. He wanted to live too.

Makoto pulled the trigger.

[The Present Day]

Ren's heart was in his throat as he panicked. What could one even say in such a scenario?

"Well?" She prompted impatiently.

He swallowed dryly. "I was talking to Futaba."

An obvious lie, one he should feel ashamed of.

"...At almost one in the morning?" She echoed, sounding puzzled and suspicious of him.

"You know she sleeps late." He said lamely.

"Then you won't mind if I call her to check, right?"

Fuck.

At her words, he panicked even further. His mask breaking must have given him away, since Sumire's looks of suspicion transformed into utter disappointment and betrayal.

"Sumi…" He started, trying to placate her.

She held one hand up as she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and reopened them.

Her eyes were cold. "Just tell me the truth, Ren. Was it Makoto?"

He was instantly taken aback. "Of course not. Why would I call her? We're not on speaking terms."

"Please. 'Why wouldn't you be calling her?' is a better question. And the answer is that you obviously are still hung up on her." She said bitterly.

"Hung up on her? Sumire, I have married you, not her!" He said in alarm.

"And yet, you're calling her!"

Ren was starting to get furious with the insinuation. "I'm not fucking calling that woman, stop accusing me of doing that!"

"Then prove it to me, Ren! Who were you talking to!?" She shouted angrily.

He felt ready to rip his hair out. Why didn't she believe him!? He never chose her over Sumire.

Never. Even when most of the time, that is what he should have done.

But he always, in the end, picked Sumire. So why couldn't she just fucking appreciate that!?

He calmed down, but his voice came out frosty as he decided to just admit the truth to his wife. "...I was calling a helpline."

Silence ensued. Then Sumire's angry stare slowly morphed into confusion and even slight concern.

"Why would you be calling a helpline?" She asked cautiously and apprehensively.

He chuckled humorlessly. "What else for? To get things off my chest. To have someone, for once in my fucking life, listen to me without judgment or a patronizing tone, because I am apparently a selfish, unreasonable asshole nowadays, according to many people."

"Ren…" Sumire whispered, taken aback by his response.

Ren opened the confessional website on his phone, and scrolled to the dial lines, then trusted the phone in her hands.

"There you have it. You can even check the damn numbers if you're this hell bent in catching me with another woman." He spat out.

He saw her hands tremble as she carefully read the numbers and switched applications to check the call history. His wife's posture sagged and she looked remorseful.

"Ren…I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I didn't know you felt that way."

He didn't respond. What was there to say? He would go unheard anyways.

His wife helplessly handed him his phone back, clearly looking just as lost as he did.

And the worst part, he felt like he lost something that was precious, a secret.

A vulnerability he realized he didn't want to share, not even with Sumire. It was meant to be his and Hanna's alone.

He wasn't doing anything wrong, sordid or immoral. He was just opening up his soul to someone that at least tried to show they cared for him.

Even if Hanna, deep down, didn't care and was just doing her job, he couldn't deny that she always made the end to his days easier, simpler, happier.

Lighter.

He felt the urge to cry hit him.

"I'm going to Leblanc for the night." He said coldly.

"Wait, what? Ren, it's past midnight!" She protested.

He didn't listen to her and started on his way towards the door. He had to get away from there before he said something he regretted.

"Ren!"

He ignored her and slammed the door on his way out.

Makoto finished the call with Mr. Red full of mixed feelings.

A part of her told her to not read too much into his words, and to not get her hopes up again that he somehow still cared for her or missed her.

'You hate him, remember?'

And yet… And yet slowly, a small smile curled on her lips. She bit her lip to not let it morph into a full blown, victorious little grin.

She knew he was talking about her. She knew it.

Makoto started to giggle, her stomach full of stupid little butterflies. She stayed like that for a time, looking at the phone in wonder and biting her lip to not let a goofy grin appear on her mouth.

That night, Makoto went to sleep with a huge smile on her face.

Ren spent some time isolating himself from his wife, wondering about their rocky relationship and her reluctance to become a mother.

Maybe, there was more to it than just not being ready. The fight she had with her mother on that disastrous dinner was still a little too suspicious, and he couldn't help but feel that pressure from Chise was not the only thing at play, but something that went much deeper.

He needed to talk to someone who was deeply versed in the situation. They met at Inokashira park, and to his delight, Maruki didn't come alone.

He brought his angel of a daughter, and his little nephew, alongside a cute german shepherd dog that seemed very well behaved and sweet. The domesticity of the situation was very funny considering that the man almost brainwashed the entirety of Tokyo into submission.

How times and people change.

"Hey, Takkun, thanks for coming." Ren greeted his former antagonist.

The ex-councillor just grinned. "No worries Ren-kun. I was about to come get some fresh air with this gang anyways." He said, gesturing to the kids and the cute shepherd.

"Uncle Ren!" Yukino waved at him with a bright smile.

"Hey there Yunchan." He greeted his favorite troublemaker.

"Hello, Mr. Ren." Akio said politely, with a shy smile.

Yukino looked between her cousin and Ren, puzzled. "Why don't you call him uncle Ren, dummy?"

"Mommy doesn't like Mr. Ren." Akio said sadly.

"That's stupid of her." Yukino said bluntly.

"Yukino!" Maruki reprimanded with a tired tone of voice. "Don't speak of your own aunt like that."

"Yeah! Mommy is not stupid!" Akio defended his mother fiercely.

She pouted at being reprimanded. Ren, who had a soft spot for her, gave her a smile.

"It's okay Yunchan, your aunt must have her reasons." Ren told her patiently.

Yukino sent him a look that said 'You're even stupider than she is', but stayed quiet.

"And who is this?" Ren asked as he crouched to pet the dog.

Maruki smiled. "That's Agnes, Makoto's service dog."

'Service dog? She needs one?'

Ren frowned, a pang of concern hitting him.

"She looks smart and well trained."

"That she is. Sae-chan herself picked the puppy a few months before Aki-kun was born. We started to acclimatize her and train her early."

"Aggy-chan is very smart." Akio said happily. "I've known her since I was a baby!"

Ren chuckled at the scene of the little boy hugging his canine friend.

Maruki laughed. "They pretty much grew up together."

That sounded entirely cute.

Soon enough, the group started moving and strolling through the park. The kids ran up ahead.

"So, I was wondering if you could answer me a few things honestly about Sumire. I understand that there is a bit of patient confidentiality, but… yeah."

Maruki stayed quiet. "I see. Truth to be told, this is a very difficult subject for me nowadays."

Of course it was. Out of everyone that he brainwashed, Sumire suffered the most. Ren was sure guilt consumed Maruki day and night.

"You see, my wife would constantly call me out on it when we first met. You know Sae, you survived an entire interrogation with her breathing down your neck. But she was…Brutally honest. She said that the only thing I accomplished was to make things worse for Sumire in the long run."

Ren frowned. He wished he could say he disagreed with Sae, as his wife was in a much better place now than back then, but sometimes she would show signs of still suffering in regards to Kasumi.

He pursed his lips.

Maruki gave him a soulful look. "Unlike the others, Sumire's desires were not happy ones. And the one thing that she desired the most was… unfathomably bad. I truly felt like I had no other choice at the time."

Ren looked at Maruki with deadly seriousness. He knew exactly what he meant.

"Do you think… She might still be carrying those thoughts?" Ren asked fearfully.

"I don't know, Ren. You are her husband. Maybe, pay attention to her, and see what you can do to be there for her." Maruki said seriously.

Ren felt a wave of self consciousness hit him.

"The problem is that Sumi barely talks to me about these things."

Takuto sent him a meaningful look. "Keep trying. Or maybe consider couple therapy. Just don't give up until you exhaust all options."

Right. It wasn't a bad idea, exactly. He just didn't know if it would work.

"I guess you're right."

Takuto just smiled regretfully in response.

"What I have been meaning to ask is…What do you know of Sumire's relationship with Chise?"

Ren paused in his walking and stared at his now good friend, who also stopped. Not too far from where they were, the kids played with the service dog.

Maruki turned to him. "Chise-san always favored Kasumi, but I'm sure that is something you know already. The problem is that she always pressured Sumire to be exactly like her sister. In the end, I sense that Chise-san is the real driving force behind Sumire's negative feelings, not just Kasumi."

Ren was not surprised, but still…

Something about the way Chise treated Sumire always irked him. It was almost always like she was on the verge of disowning her.

Worse, it was almost always as if she preferred Kasumi had survived instead.

Maruki looked crushed. "I have come to learn, Ren, that my actions with Sumire were not real solutions. I was a fool. What I did was monstrous because it did not heal what was inherently hurting her. It only served to validate all her existing issues and make them worse by making it seem like Sumire herself had less value as a person than Kasumi. And for that, I don't know if I can ever forgive myself."

At that sincere declaration, Ren took a deep breath. Was he the same too? Has he been, all this time, only making things worse for her?

Didn't he choosing to stay with her despite some deep, secret feelings he may have had for another make things better for Sumire?

Or did he throw his, hers and even Sumire's own happiness away, all because he was too much of a coward to face the truth?

"What do you think I should do now? I feel like things have been slowly starting to crumble." Ren asked, a tinge of vulnerability leaking from his voice.

"Try to do what my dear sister-in-law has been doing alone, on her own, for the last five years or so, Ren." Takkun said honestly.

At the mention of her, his entire body jolted as if an electric current passed through him. He faced Maruki again.

Finally, someone is willing to tell him something about her.

"And what has she been doing?" He asked, almost eagerly.

Maruki only grinned. "Soul-searching."

Right. Of course it would amount to nothing.

"Is that so? Has it been helping her?" He asked almost sarcastically.

But Takuto just looked serene, and dare say, even proud. "Absolutely. Trust me Ren, if there is one person on this whole planet that has taught me the true meaning of the words resilience, perseverance, and hope, that person is Makoto Niijima."

Maruki sounded so sure. Had she really overcome that much strife on her own?

'Of course she did.' His mind whispered to him automatically. 'There could be no other outcome if it's her.'

She was strong. She was amazing, and yet…

He wished he was there for her. But he was only one man, and couldn't be in two places at the same time.

He had made a choice.

Ren closed his eyes and sighed as he thought of his unspoken regrets.

"Thank you for being honest with me, Takkun."

The other man merely smiled in solidarity. "Anytime, Ren-kun. Anytime."

They soon resumed walking.

Later, when Maruki asked him to mind the kids for a bit as he had to take a phone call, Yunchan tugged at Ren's sleeve, and he crouched down to her level.

"Hey, do you think if I stop talking to my aunt for a bit, she'll let Aki-kun call you uncle?" She whispered in his ear.

Ren stifled the urge to laugh with a sigh. "You shouldn't do that. That's emotional manipulation."

Her red irises shined with her seriousness. God, she looked painfully like her. "But what if it works?"

"That's going to hurt your auntie. Do you want to hurt her?" He asked gently.

Yukino went quiet at that.

Of course, he was sure she didn't. The day Yukino was born, she changed. It wasn't like she couldn't be nice, gentle and soft. It was just that, whenever in the presence of her niece, she transformed.

He remembers Haru and Yusuke's wedding. Something had stood out to him that day, at the reception.
His former friend, who was quiet and subdued whenever they interacted, often sought excuses and opportunities to hold her little niece. Sae was more than happy to unload the baby on her sister's arms. He remembers clearly when she had let out the most pure, musical, beautiful laugh he had ever heard coming from her when the baby kept messing with her short hair. He never imagined to see a softer, less strict and just purely joyful side to her, but she was that and more, when holding her beloved snowball.

So he was sure, Yunchan would never want to hurt her beloved Buchi-pal. The two were thick as thieves.

"...But she is being mean to you. I don't like it." The little girl told him seriously after a while.

Oh, lord, this girl.

"Look, don't worry about it. I'm happy that you like me enough to defend me from your auntie, but you don't have to."

The girl was not to be dissuaded.

"Wait, what if she starts to like you, uncle? Maybe then nobody has to get hurt, and everyone gets what they want!" She told him smugly, as if she just had the most brilliant of plans.

From the mouths of children and nursing babies.

"That's a wonderful sentiment Yunchan, but I'm afraid it's not to be."

She stared at him, and blinked a few times. Finally, she let out a tiny huff.

"...Then I give up. You two really are impossible." Yukino concluded in the most impressive imitation of her own mother's trademark haughtiness.

Not waiting for a response, she skipped away as if nothing had happened. Beside him, Aki-kun just looked puzzled.

"Don't worry, your cousin was just scheming as usual." Ren told the little boy conspiratorially.

"Mommy always says that Yunchan lives for trouble." He told Ren wisely.

Ren laughed and, without resisting, ruffled Akio's hair. "Mommy is right, little tyke. Come on, let's go join your uncle."

"Thanks for reaching out to the Confessional. My name is Tom, and I will be your personal priest today."

Sumire frowned. The voice irked her because it reminded her of Akechi-kun.

But there was no way it was him. She was sure he'd rather jump off a plane than do something as undignified as this.

Maybe it's just a coincidence…?

After Ren left her behind, she had spent the next day worrying over their exchange. She felt remorse for accusing him of calling Makoto, but she wasn't stupid either.

Ren's body might be here with her, but his mind was always with their senpai.

…Not that Sumire could blame him, considering that sometimes she felt like…

No, best to not think of that.

She already has enough burdens living forever in Kasumi's shadows in their mother's eyes. It's best not to pour more gasoline into an already burning house.

"Hi, um… I don't know how any of this works, but I guess I have a confession to make?" She asked hesitantly.

The priest went eerily quiet for a moment. Then sighed.

"...Of course my esteemed confessor. How can I help you today?" The priest asked trying to mask his voice, but the dry, sarcastic undertone bled out before he could control it

Her eyes widened.

'No way. That IS Akechi-kun!'

"Akechi-kun?" She questioned.

"...I'm afraid my name is Tom, dearest confessor." He responded in a deadpan.

"Um…Okay, I guess…" She said awkwardly.

God, this was embarrassing. She was pretty sure it WAS him now but she couldn't just back down and hang up, it would look pretty stupid of her.

She had to do what she called here to do.

"I suppose I need to make a confession, right?" She tried again, this time not overthinking it.

"Yes. I'm here for your troubles." He said, a little bit more approachable and sincere. Huh, she didn't know Akechi could be like this without a fake persona. What a pleasant surprise.

"I caught my husband dialing this line yesterday, but now I just feel so awful for accusing him of certain things…"

"What did you accuse your husband of, my dear confessor?" Tom asked, now a little more bored. Maybe Akechi was rolling his eyes? She wouldn't put it past him.

She sighed. "I… Accused him of talking to another woman behind my back, but turns out, he was just dialing this helpline. You see, my husband and I are having a crisis in our marriage…"

"I am sorry to hear that, esteemed confessor. How do you feel in that regard, and what would be the source of this crisis?"

"I don't know Tom, I'm honestly so confused some days… I really love him, but then, sometimes It's like…" She trailed off.

She couldn't say it, could she? And to Akechi, of all people.

But how long can she keep this up? She loved Ren, and she had at one point had some genuine attraction to him, but…

But…

"Um, I don't know… I-It's really strange. And I guess my mother doesn't help either. Both him and her are pressuring me to have children. That is mostly what our conflict is about."

"I see. Is having children a wish of yours?"

Was it? She thought it was. Or maybe it is but…

But it just sounded so permanent.

If she had children with Ren, then there was no going back.

She wasn't ready. Sumire was still confused about her own feelings, even her own identity.

"I'm sorry, my mind is so full right now. I don't know what to say or do correctly." She told him apologetically.

"Don't apologize, my dear confessor. We at the Confessional are here for all your troubles, judgment free. This is an anonymous line for you to be true to yourself. Don't worry." He said reassuringly.

Wow, that was incredibly compassionate of Akechi-kun!

That did make her relax a little.

"Thank you very much, Tom. In any case, I'm not entirely sure. Children sounds like a great commitment, and I'm not sure if I would be capable of handling it. I actually did want kids at one point, was even excited for it, but… It now feels like it's a little permanent? And I can't help but feel like my husband and mother are more excited for it than I am. It's honestly too intimidating."

Tom hummed to himself. "I understand, my esteemed confessor. Have you considered sitting down with your husband and mother both, and explaining the situation to them, and your feelings in this regard?"

"I did consider, but… I don't know how to approach either of them with this conversation. We always end up fighting. My husband and I over children, and my mother… Over a lot of things I don't even want to get into now. I fear the issue with my mother is even worse than the issue with my husband, and that is saying a lot." She said regretfully.

"That sounds complicated. The situation with your husband, however, sounds a bit more salvageable if that is the case. Is there really not a way for you to communicate your feelings?"

Hm, of course Akechi-kun would ask that. He always had a strange soft spot for Ren, no matter how much he denied by issuing death threats.

She sighed. "I don't think so, I'm honestly certain my husband is on the brink of leaving me. And it's not just because of the children thing. He has been conflicted for years, he just thinks I can't see it. I believe he feels obligated to be with me because I have always been reliant on him emotionally."

"So you two have a codependency of sorts, would you say?"

She winced. "...Yes."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do for you, to ease your burdens?" He asked with a lot more honesty than she'd expect from someone like him.

"I don't think so, but… Wow, talking has been really helpful!" She told him, voice full of wonder.

Akechi actually sounded kind in return. "I'm glad, my dear confessor. Here at the Confessional, we're always at your disposal, just so the heavy burdens upon your soul don't drag you down."

"Thank you so much, Tom! I must leave now, but this has been really uplifting. Good night!" She said brightly, feeling lighter than she felt in months.

He actually chuckled good naturedly. "Good night, esteemed confessor."

She hung up, and looked at the phone in her hands.

Maybe she had been too harsh on her husband. This thing is phenomenal.

…

Maybe she should call it again sometime.

That night, Sumire went to sleep with a huge smile on her face.

To be continued…