Ren's POV
I'm fine. I'm absolutely fine. Sumi's just coming over for a Christmas date. Totally cool.
Sojiro's not here. Morgana is with Futaba, rest of the Phantom thieves are with families or eachother. No distractions... just the two of us... alone.
Totally not freaking out.
Ok maybe I am a little.
It's going to be fine. It's going to be awesome!
What if it's not awesome?
The door suddenly opens.
"Merry Christmas Senpai!"
"Merry Christmas Sumi."
Ugh, I forgot how cute she is.
I wondered if she would tie her hair up in a ponytail, but she has it down. Good, I prefer her this way, staying true to herself... plus, I love the long red hair.
"Would you like me to take your coat?"
"Yes, please, if you wouldn't mind."
She hands me her coat... is she wearing the violet dress she wore when we went shopping? She looks beautiful! Stunning even. "You look incredible."
"Oh! Th-thank you senpai."
Did I say that outloud?
We both sit in a booth, across each other.
...
This is awkward. (Don't just sit there silently you idiot!)
That's definitely something Morgana would say.
Hmm, what would Ryuji say? (Uh maybe talk about, sports or something?) Ann would talk about clothing. Actually... oh wait I did that already.
Speak you idiot, stop staring into her... dazzling, rose, red eyes. They match her, enchanting red hair as it cascades down her slender shoulders, the mixture of the purple from her dress and red from her hair is a festival for the eyes. Like I'm in a field of flowers, the Rose and the violet.
What. Just. Happened? (Wake up!)
I think I literally just got captivated by beauty. Oh my, is this what Aigis meant when she gets distracted by Makoto? I still haven't spoken yet! SAY SOMETHING!
"Uh hi?"
"H-hi? You've been staring at me for a while senpai, are you alright?"
"Uh, y-yeah, I'm sorry I just had something on my mind."
"Oh? What was it?"
"Has anyone ever told you, just how beautiful you are?"
Great lie trickster. Well technically not a lie. But now she won't even look me in the eye! Did I upset her?
"You don't play fair Senpai."
Oh. Oh. I had no idea that would work so well. She's not just red this time, she's playing with her fingers, she's swaying in the booth! Plus, she has the biggest smile on her face that she just can't hide.
"Where's the fun in that?"
She knows I'm teasing her, but she can't even pretend to be mad about it.
She starts to mutter something to herself.
"Stop... making... love you... jerk."
...
It's just silent now. Has Sojiro turned up the heating? My cheeks are on fire.
Gotta break this awkward silence. As my cheeks start to cool down, I decide to Ask Sumi something that's been on my mind recently.
"I've been wondering for a while now, when we were in the tv world, you suddenly showed up in the battle against Adam Kadmon and Oizys. How? And how did you know we were there?"
"It's a bit of a long story."
"I have nothing but time."
"Well, do you remember the last time we saw eachother before then? You were heading back home after we defeated Dr Maruki."
She gave me kind of a cold goodbye. Or, not cold but it felt... fast and wrong, but I had rejected her so I imagine that was why.
"Yes I remember."
"As you know, I was on my way to a gymnastics retreat to refine my own technique instead of relying on Kasumi's- Kasumi..."
She's still affected by her sister's death. Of course she is. I get up and sit next to her. And I grab her hand to reassure her.
"I know it's been hard for you. But I'm here for you."
"Thank you Senpai. Sorry I got a little distracted. So as I was on the train I kept thinking of, I don't know, all the things I should've said to you. I hated the way we left things. You did teach me to keep my head up but... it still hurt that you won't be by my side..."
I will! I'll never leave your side! Ugh, why can't I tell her?
"I can't promise that I'll always be with you. But I'm here now."
"Good, cuz I'll get mad if you try and leave now."
I remember how she handled the Sahasrara in Sae's palace...
She makes a gun with her fingers and fires it at me.
"Bang."
Is this her being cute or a warning? The look on her face says it's both. Message received.
"Anyway, you were saying?" Trying to mask my fear.
"I spent four months abroad, refining my technique, studying, preparing for another competition, but I couldn't get you off my mind. I kept thinking, 'I have to succeed for sister and Senpai.' But when I returned to Shibuya, I heard you had come and gone."
Oh yeah, the whole jails ordeal.
"Things were... pretty hectic while you were gone."
"I want to know what you mean by 'hectic', but later. Anyway, I'm a second year at Shujin, and me and the rest of the gymnastics team head back to Hawaii for the same training camp we did last year. Only this time we stayed for about one month. Futaba-chan came with me but she left with the rest of the second years three days in. It was two days after she left, that Futaba-chan told me you were back in town. I was so mad at my luck! But I couldn't just leave, so I focused on my training, (as much as I could) and waited until we went home. This year the school decided to hold a mini competition to see who would compete in the national gymnastics competition the day before we left. But at midnight the night before, I remember it raining, and the tv turned itself on, and I saw you! You, the Phantom Thieves and everyone else, Inside a stadium. I thought I was hallucinating. But when I saw Adam Kadmon I knew something wasn't right, and no other TV's were showing that, so in panic I instinctively grabbed the TV, it was then that my hand went inside! And something pulled me all the way in!"
"Yu told me about that, The midnight channel. It responds to desire and shows you what you want to see."
"Oh. I just missed you all so much I must've... thought back to the day I had saw you last. I just wanted to see you again."
"That's really sweet Sumi. I missed you too."
She's got a little blush on her face. So cute.
"Anyway, when I was pulled into the TV world, I was surrounded by fog, and I saw Lavenza, but in her butterfly form, and she told me you needed help, so she transported me right to you, just in time."
"Wow that's incredi- wait a second... did you miss your competition!?"
"Heh, lil bit."
"Sumi, why would you do that?"
"What do you mean why? You could've died! You were in trouble, I couldn't just leave you."
"I- thank you Sumi, really I can't thank you enough, but that means you can't perform this year for the competition."
"I'd much rather see you alive Senpai. As for the competition, I'll definitely win next year."
I know how important that competition is to her and Kasumi, to think she would give it up without a second thought... I love her. So much.
I wrap one of my arms around her. Wow she's soft.
"You're absolutely right you will. Cuz if you don't I'll get mad."
I make a gun with my fingers and shoot at her.
"Bang."
She does the same, and our fingers are touching as I have my arm around her.
"Now I really have to win."
This is the closest we've ever been. And I never want to let go.
Normally she blushes in such a position, but this time she actually gets comfortable and enjoys the closeness.
She goes, "Mmmmmm" in a soft voice.
Did she just...
"Sumi?"
"Uh, forget you heard that!"
No, I don't think I will.
I'll invite her upstairs to play some video games later, but for now, I just want to stay like this.
"By the way Senpai, there's something I feel I should tell you about Makoto..."
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Side note, the next chapter will be the last for this arc.