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“Excuse me, what?”
Ren sat across from the rest of the phantom thieves at Leblanc, arms crossed. They had called him for an “important meeting” and wouldn’t take no for an answer. The team sat in a semi-circle around him, as if it were an intervention.
“I mean, it’s hard to miss,” Ann continued, looking away to hide her blush. “She’s always giving you a look during class, and you’re often talking in the halls too.”
“Yeah,” Ryuji interrupted, “I’ve seen you two together way too many times for it to be a coincidence. Plus, Mona said she absolutely sees you reading or fiddling with tools in class but doesn’t say a thing.”
“She always calls out slackers, so she has to be making an exception for you,” Ann finished.
Morgana hopped on a chair. “I’ve overheard your conversations too. You definitely have more than just a professional relationship. I think I heard her call you ‘honey’ one time.”
“Guys,” Ren exclaimed, “I am not dating Kawakami!”
The rest of the thieves looked to each other, thoroughly unconvinced.
Makoto spoke up first. “I saw you two shopping together last Saturday. I wasn’t following you or anything,” she quickly clarified, “but I was around Shibuya for most of that day and you were walking awfully close together. I even saw you trying on clothes for her.”
Ren thought back to that day.
“God, how long has it been since you bought a pair of pants?” Kawakami asked, peering at Ren’s jeans from her seat.
“Hey, they still fit.”
“Yes, but the cuffs are frayed to shreds, both knees are ripped, and the colour is entirely washed out. Same with your jacket.” She shook her head. “I know torn clothes are in style, but you really need a wardrobe that’ll protect you from the elements. Do you even own winter clothes?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “Does wearing several sweaters count?”
Her eyes went wide. “What? No! How do you not own a decent coat? That’s it, we’re going shopping. I won't have you getting sick because you can’t properly bundle up.”
“She was going to pay for it all, but I know she’s still trying to save money, so I convinced her to let me pay half,” he finished explaining.
“So, you just went shopping with your homeroom teacher? And you don’t see anything weird about that scenario?” Ryuji pressed.
“Honestly,” Futaba huffed, “what kind of teacher just buys a student clothes cause they look poor?”
Ren put his hands up defensively, “Ok, I’ll admit we have a bit more than just a student teacher relationship between us. But we are not dating. She’s just sympathetic to my situation and wants to help out,” he finished calmly.
Makoto nodded, still averting her gaze. The rest of the team was still tense. Only the sound of Ryuji’s bouncing leg kept the room from being silent.
“Well, that would make sense,” Haru said hesitantly, “but it’s far from our only time witnessing you two together.” She took a breath. “A couple months ago, I was staying late at school to replant the garden. When I was returning to my locker to put the supplies away, I heard a couple voices. I took a few steps down the hall, and, well…” Her cheeks flushed as she struggled to maintain eye contact. “I saw you two hugging. And more than just a friendly hug, you had nuzzled your face into her neck.” Her eyes shot to the wall. “I didn’t look long, just… long enough to see. I left as soon as I could.”
Ren sighed, “Well you see…”
“Hey, Ren-san.” She stopped him not two steps out of her office, “Are you alright? You were really distracted today, usually you’re a lot more focused.”
He rubbed his eyes. “Sorry, I really appreciate you taking the time to tutor me. I guess I’m just tired today.”
“You’re tired most days,” she corrected, “but today was different. You know you can talk to me…”
“Yeah, I know.”
The two stood in silence for a moment.
“It’s Ryuji.” he said finally, “He’s still dealing with the fallout of Kamoshida’s grudge against the track team. His old teammates hate him. He says it’s fine but I can see the hurt in his eyes.” He paused. “We train together; he wants to get back into running, but his leg gives him some real trouble…” He lifted his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stealthily wipe the tear from the corner of his eye. “He’s trying so hard to move on, he’s always smiling and pushing forward, but I can’t help but get mad for him after all the shit— stuff he’s been through.” He chuckled weakly. “Guess it’s just getting to me is all.”
She smiled sympathetically. “I know it’s not easy to let go of stuff like that. I still struggle not to beat myself up for not noticing at first, and not speaking out once I suspected he was up to something bad. It sucks, but you can’t change the past. Sakamoto-san will be fine. Besides, ever since you came along he’s been doing better than ever. You’re a good friend, and your support will help him reach his potential. I’m sure of it.”
Ren sniffled, his tears now significantly less stealthy.
“Hey, it’s okay. Come here.” Without thinking she pulled him into a hug. It had been a long time since he had a proper hug, he couldn’t help but pull in closer.
“It’s alright,” she whispered. “There’s nothing to be ashamed of. I’m proud of you.”
In that moment, Ren learned how much those four words meant to him.
“I’m not sure whose side that helps to be honest,” Futaba said, spinning slightly in her chair, “and plus you don’t seem much of the crying type.”
“Not usually no,” Ren agreed, “but that day I needed to let it out. It’s healthy, helps balance out internal chemicals.”
“Dude, were you really that stressed out about me?” Ryuji asked.
“I mean, yeah. You were doing everything you could to stand up for yourself and stop running from your past; but half of it was blowing up in you face. It sucked for me and I was just a bystander, I couldn’t imagine how you must’ve felt.”
“Dude…” Ryuji continued, “I had no idea you were so torn up.”
“Well I wanted to be there for you.” Ren leaned against the coffee bar. “I couldn’t exactly do that if I was an emotional mess. Plus I had faith things would work out in the end, mostly…”
Ryuji laughed, “Well thanks, I’m glad you had my back.”
“I must say this is all rather peculiar,” Yusuke interjected between snack sticks. “It seems you’ve formed quite the emotional bond with her.”
Ren huffed, turning to hide a faint blush. “Yeah, she’s almost like the mom I never had, you know?”
Yusuke nodded, “Indeed. I myself am familiar with such a situation. However, that does not align with the circumstance in which I saw the two of you interact.” He paused, consuming an additional stick before resuming. “I was attending a gala to observe both the ice sculptures that were to be displayed as well as the guests who were to attend. Such an atmosphere is ripe for inspiration you see.”
“Get to the point, Inari!” Futaba interrupted.
He glared at her a moment before continuing. “Yes, well. I was not officially a guest of the gala, however a good portion of it was open to the public, or at least it appeared to be. Several hours later I was asked by security to leave, as apparently a gap in the velvet rope is not an invitation to observe. Regardless, long before that unfortunate run in, I found myself drawn to the dining hall by the delicious smells of baked goods and cooked meats. It was beautifully decorated in blues and silvers to match the crystalline theme of the event. I, as you know, am quite fond of such an aesthetic, and so I…”
“INARI!!”
He winced. “Anyhow.” He cleared his throat. “Eventually I found myself looking among the dining guests, and who should I see but our leader sat across from this supposed Kawakami individual. You were both dressed spectacularly, your suit was well-fitted, and your sky-blue pocket square matched her simple yet stylish dress. I thought nothing of it at the time, but the rest of our team informed me that this could be nothing other than a date.”
A dozen eyes were affixed to Ren now. He felt like they were staring into his soul.
“So here’s the thing…”
“God this is embarrassing,” Kawakami said, taking a sip of the ice water in front of her.
“You know you didn’t have to bring me, right?”
“No, not you.” She shook her head. “I wanted to properly thank you for helping me get out of the whole ‘Becky’ ordeal. I’m just embarrassed that I didn’t have another option as a plus one to my cousin’s wedding.”
He chuckled. “What’s the English expression? ‘Always the bridesmaid, never the bride?’”
Her face lit up. “Very good! I see you’ve been studying.”
“Yeah, next week’s test is supposed to be focusing on expressions, so I’ve been reviewing. Ann’s been a real help with that. She’s been studying harder lately; she wants to help Shiho when she gets back to school.”
“Oh I’m glad to hear that. Her grades could use it.” She covered her mouth in shock. “Don’t tell her I said that.”
The two chuckled, just as the newlywed bride sauntered up to the table.
“Heyyyyyyy Sadayo!” she said, holding a glass of white whine and nearly tripping over her dress. “Glad you could make it! Who’s this cutie you brought with you?”
“He’s a family friend, I tutor him once in a while. He was the only person who could make it on such short notice.”
Ren gave a polite smile. “Pleasure to meet you.”
“Yeahhhhhhh! Omg I’m sooooo sorry your invite got lost in the mail,” she said in a way that she must have thought was convincing. “When you told me I thought you were going to have to show up allllllll alone. But I’m glad you found someone to fill the slot.” She laughed far too hard, “Anyways I’m going to go talk to everyone else. Byeeeeeee.”
Kawakami waved politely as she trotted off to another table. She spoke quietly through gritted teeth, “Yes, please walk away and don’t come back.” Once her cousin was definitely out of earshot, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Now do you understand why I couldn’t come alone?”
Ren nodded. “Yeah, seems like she wouldn’t let you live it down.”
“Not that she’ll let me live this down. But hey, silver linings.”
To that, Ren raised his glass. “To silver linings and generic wedding food.”
“She said what about me!?” Ann stood from her seat, nearly swatting her glass off the table.
“Don’t shoot the messenger,” Ren insisted, “she just said she was happy that you were studying.”
“No, she called me dumb!” Ann raged. “And to another student! I don’t care if you two are dating or not, she should keep my grades out of it.”
“I told you like three times now, we’re not dating,” he stressed, “like I said, I was invited so I could get a meal as thanks and so that she didn’t have to face her cousin alone.”
Ann was still angry, but seemed to decide her revenge would come later as she sat back down. The rest of the Phantom Thieves were still skeptical, but Ren could see he was slowly convincing them. Hopefully this interrogation would be over soon, he was starting to get hungry.
“Ghaah,” Futaba threw her head back, “I didn’t want to have to do this, but you leave me no choice.” She fished her phone out of her pocket. “Two weeks ago I’m checking everyone’s location via their phones, just a quick ping to see if all’s good. Your phone is way out in Roppongi. So I take a closer look and you’re at some kind of hotel.” Her voice sped up as she spoke. “So I get curious and, like, a little nervous. Like, I know you do I bunch of stuff with your ‘confidants’ or whatever but also you could have been kidnapped so I have to make sure.” She started tapping her phone furiously. “So I turn on your mic remotely and hit record in case I need to submit evidence or something and…” She slammed her phone on the table, immediately swivelling 180 degrees in her stool and covering her ears.
Everyone took a step closer to look at the small screen, which displayed an open audio recording. Its title was a date and time, presumably when it was made. Ren reluctantly pressed play, and was immediately filled with regret.
“Oh My God~, this is amazing!” He heard in his own voice.
There was a feminine giggle. “There’s plenty more where that came from. I’m here all night, so have as much as you want. I prepared it just for you, after all.”
The voice was without a doubt Kawakami’s. The rest of the thieves had apparently not heard the audio clip; Ren had only ever seen this level of disgust from his teammates in palaces. Ryuji’s jaw looked like it was going to unhinge, Ann looked like she was going to vomit, Makoto was clenching her hands into fists, Haru was looking for somewhere to hide, Morgana was literally hacking up a hairball, Futaba kept her hands pressed onto her ears, and Yusuke, well, he just seemed very confused.
The recording ended there, Futaba waited an extra few seconds before she took her hands off her head, “I stopped recording after that, I would have stopped earlier if I hadn’t missed the button like three times. I’m sorry, I just…”
“It’s alright,” Ren said, calm as always, “just please give me the chance to explain…”
“Oh My God~, this is amazing!”
“There’s plenty more where that came from. I’m here all night, so have as much as you want. I prepared it just for you, after all.”
Ren continued to gobble down the plate of stir fry in front of him, barely stopping to breathe.
“Careful, you don’t want to give yourself a stomach-ache.” Kawakami warned.
Heeding her words, he slowed down his pace and took the time to savour each morsel. “I did not know,” he said between mouthfuls, “that a dish of mostly vegetables could taste so good.”
Kawakami laughed, already preparing another plate. “You just have to know how to season them right.” As she let the food simmer, she sat across the table from him. “Do you know why I brought you here?”
He shook his head. “Not really, though I seriously appreciate the stir fry.”
She smiled, but it wasn’t her normal smile. It was the patient smile she wore whenever Ren got a question wrong during their tutoring sessions. “I brought you here because you said you survive on nothing but coffee and curry!” Her smile almost turned into a scowl. “You’re a growing boy, for god’s sake. You need vitamins and minerals, and you can’t get everything you need from meat, rice, and curry sauce.” Ren tried to speak up and defend himself, but she raised a finger and continued on her rant, “I know you’ve been skipping meals. You pack your schedule so tightly that you don’t have time to eat in the evenings and you skip breakfast in the mornings.”
Ren put down his fork, swallowed his mouthful and crossed his arms nervously. “Are you mad at me?”
Her expression softened, “Of course I’m not mad at you. I just want you to take care of yourself. I don’t know everything about this Phantom Thieves business but it sounds very intense. I know how easy it is to burn out when you’re going non-stop, and how hard it is to recover once you have. You want to be there for your friends when they need you, right?”
He nodded, not quite sure what to say.
“So to do that, you need energy. Both to think on the spot and to move and duck and do whatever else you kids do.”
He took a deep breath. “Yeah… you’re right,” he admitted.
That seemed to satisfy her. “You’re an exceptional young man Ren-san. I’ve no doubt in my mind that you’ll accomplish great things, both as a student and as a Phantom Thief. But to take care of others you have to take care of yourself. And sometimes—” She dramatically flipped a spoon in the air, nearly dropping it as it returned to her. “—That means letting other people take care of you.”
He finished his plate as Kawakami put a fresh one in front of him. The next batch was already in the wok.
“Once you’ve had your fill I’ll show you the recipe so you can make it yourself. It’s pretty cheap, so you should be able to make it even on a student budget, but if ever you’re short on funds just let me know.”
"For sure." Ren paused for a moment. “Hey, Kawakami-sensei?”
“Dear, you can call me Sadayo when we’re not in school.”
“Well, um, Sadayo,” he said quietly, “thanks.”
She turned to him, raising an eyebrow. “For what?”
He stirred in his seat before continuing. “For, you know, helping me out. Just in general. Like…” He collected his thoughts. “Adults have never been especially kind to me. When I was growing up no one really bothered to hear my side of the story, and now with my record that’s only become more of the case. Hell, my own parents sent me off cause they didn’t want to deal with me. And now I have my friends, who are absolutely fantastic, but they’re all my age, and I have to be ‘the leader’ around them. Then there’s Boss, and he cares, but he’s a real ‘tough love’ kind of guy. I guess what I’m saying is it’s been a really long time since I’ve felt like I can be a teenager, like an adult is looking out for me and like there’s a net to catch me if I fall. I don’t know if you want kids of your own, but if ever you do I’m sure you’ll make a great mom.” He half-chuckled. “So I guess what I’m saying is thanks for acting like a mom me.”
Sadayo had tears in her eyes. “Oh Ren, of course.” She sniffled. “I do everything I can as a teacher, but… I knew you needed someone to look out for you.” She laughed to herself, wiping the tears from her face. “I never thought it would end up like this, to be honest, but I’m kind of glad it did. It’s terrible that your own mother was a…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “…wasn’t as present as you needed, but you might as well be my own son at this rate. I care a lot for you, and even after you graduate and get a career I’ll always be around to lend an ear or bring you a hot meal.”
He stood from his seat and wrapped her in a hug. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Ren took a sip of the coffee he made while he told his story. “She brought me to the hotel because she didn’t want her neighbors thinking we were together. I didn’t even spend the night; she drove me home when all was said and done.”
The thieves were dumbfounded. “You serious?” asked Ryuji, “Like, no joke, that is actually what happened?”
“Cross my heart.”
Morgana shook his little cat head. “Either you have become an expert at lying with a straight face, or this is actually the truth.”
Futaba drew her legs to her chest and piped up, “I think it’s kinda sweet. I know what it’s like to have no one to look out for you, and then to have someone who takes care of you no matter what. Kawakami’s doing for you something like what Sojiro did for me.”
“Exactly!” Ren smiled, pointing at Futaba for emphasis.
“I understand craving that kind of connection too,” Haru added, “especially after everything with my father.”
The rest of the team slowly joined in agreement. They were all familiar with distant or absent parents, maybe it wasn’t that strange Ren would develop such a connection.
“Sorry for prying, and for assuming you were keeping secrets,” said Makoto. “We should have trusted you.”
He smiled, “It’s really okay. You guys are my best friends, so I get why you’d be concerned.”
“Awww, Ren.” Ann beamed, putting her hands up to her face.
“Hey, you’re my best friend too, pal.” Ryuji shot him a thumbs up.
Yusuke joined in. “Indeed. I know not where I would be if you hadn’t come to my aid. Leblanc may as well be my home.”
“Mine as well,” Haru agreed.
“You’re pretty much family,” Futaba added. “And plus, you’re my key item. Can’t have you disappearing on me!”
That earned a laugh from the room, the previous tension seemingly gone. Kawakami wasn’t brought up for the rest of the night. Instead, the thieves spent it eating, sharing stories, making jokes, and discussing potential targets. As Futaba and Yusuke got into one of their classic arguments, Ren sat back and looked around the room, at the people he decided to spend his time with. He smiled to himself; despite any dysfunction, he couldn’t think of a family he’d rather find himself in.
Monday morning
Kawakami wrote a formula on the whiteboard. “I’m sure you’ve all heard Einstein’s theory of relativity, E=mc2, but can anyone tell me what each of these variables stand for?”
She waited a moment, giving the class a chance to murmur among themselves and try to figure it out. When no one seemed to know, she figured she’d test Ren to see if he was keeping up with his studies.
“How about you, Amamiya-san, any guesses?”
He thought for a moment, tapping his pencil on his desk to drown out the meowing coming from his desk. “Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared.”
Kawakami smiled. “You got it, well done!”
“Thanks Mom.”
The class went silent, all eyes on Ren, before Ann burst into laughter. The rest of the class soon followed suit. If he had gained any Charm for knowing the answer, that one word had made him lose it and then some.