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“Take a seat at the counter, and I’ll fix you something to drink.”
With his ever familiar warm smile, Ren gestured for Sumire to take a seat. Heart pounding, she obliged his request and settled onto the centermost chair, fiddling with her hair. Ren slipped behind the counter, shrugging off his overcoat and bag, and reached for one of the forest green aprons hung on the wall. She couldn’t help but admire the deftness of his long, graceful fingers as they knotted the string into loops around his waist.
Ren pulled the sleeves of his shirt back until they crumpled to a stop near the end of his forearm. The jar of coffee beans rattled as he scooped a serving amount into the shop’s grinder. His glasses slipped from his nose as he worked, and a single finger rose to push it back into place. The muscles in Ren’s hand and wrist flexed under his skin as he worked against the beans, his eyes focused.
Medium fine, he had told her once when she had first come to visit. Leblanc’s preferred grind. Sojiro, who had been listening in on their conversation while he stirred a pot of fresh curry to life, smiled proudly at that.
Ren leaned back, satisfied with the coarseness of the beans, and transferred them onto a filter. Sumire watched, entranced, as he reached for a kettle of boiling water and began pouring in a smooth, circular motion. The grinds darkened with water--it didn’t take long for the first earthy brown drops to start peeling through the filter. Sumire sucked in a deep breath through her nose, relishing in the way that the air filled with the warm, fragrant, earthy tone of fresh-brewed coffee.
Sumire sighed.
Ren peered at her through his lenses. He reached for a small, pale ceramic cup and wiped it down with a steamed towel, tone casual and light. “Is everything alright?”
She blinked, startled, and shook her head hurriedly. Were her stares too obvious? “Er, no! I-I mean, yes! I’m alright.” Sumire felt her cheeks warm.
Ren smiled. He poured the readied coffee into the mug and prepared a saucer for it to rest atop. “Here.”
She accepted the drink gratefully and blew gently over the dark surface. Steam billowed up, fogging her glasses. She heard Ren laugh, and indignantly pulled her frame off to wipe them down.
The coffee slipped down her throat hot, sending tingles that shivered through her body. Sumire breathed out, savoring the deep flavor as it lingered on her tongue.
Have courage.
Her grip around the cup tightened as she worked up what bravery she could muster.
“Ren-senpai,” she began slowly. Deep breaths. “I wanted to thank you. For everything you’ve done.”
He was quiet for a moment as he contemplated her words. “I didn’t do much,” he said finally, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “It was all a result of your efforts.”
The coffee swirled in her cup, dark and monochrome. It reflected her somber face, framed by long, straight hair and plain black glasses. As Sumire stared into the clear, brown surface, her image shifted--there appeared the mirage of another girl in a ponytail, beaming back at her with a confident smile. When she blinked again, the illusion faded. It was just the same old Sumire.
She smiled wryly. “I was weak, Senpai. I was content to run from the truth. If I hadn’t met you, I might have never realized that I wasn’t Kasumi. If I’m being honest, that thought scares me sometimes.”
Ren frowned. “You would have realized. Without a doubt.”
Sumire flushed slightly. “You say that with such confidence. Maybe that confidence is wasted on me.”
“You’re strong, Sumire.” Ren looked her directly, onyx black irises meeting ruby red. “I believe in you.”
Her heart fluttered as if someone had set loose a flock of doves inside of her ribcage. She lowered her head and blinked back tears, startled by the sudden wave of emotions that welled up in her breast. It was that kindness, that strength that she so admired in him. That she aspired to live up to and emulate.
Sumire sucked in a sharp breath and tried to quell the trembling in her voice. “You’re absolutely right. I’m not Kasumi. I’m not confident or beautiful like she was, but I’m strong in my own right. I was running away, but I couldn’t hide in Kasumi’s shadow forever. I have to move forward on my own two feet…as my own person.”
Ren gave her a genuine smile. “And this is just the first step.” Sumire nodded in agreement, meeting his gaze.
“Yes. That’s why I can’t accept this reality--Dr. Maruki’s reality. Perhaps it’s selfish, and maybe people would be happier in this fake world and its illusions, but that’s what I believe in. That we are strong enough to move past our hardships.”
Ren smiled, an unflinching determination in his eyes at her words. As befitting of the leader of the Phantom Thieves. It seemed that they had come to the same conclusion.
Be strong.
“But that’s…not what I came here to tell you, Ren-senpai.” She closed her eyes and took a long sip of coffee. The familiar taste seemed to give her the boost of courage she needed to continue. “Remember what my coach told me? That just by having someone by your side, watching and encouraging you, you can perform at your best? Coach said that I was the reason that Kasumi was able to succeed the way she did at competitions. Honestly, I didn’t really get it for a while, and I had to think on it long and hard--the source of my motivation. But…I think I can finally understand what that feels like.”
Ren tilted his head, listening intently. “Go on.”
“Um,” Sumire began, but fumbled. Her fingers danced nervously along the edge of her now empty cup. “So…if I were to think of a person like that for me, obviously, that would be you, Ren-senpai. You've always been there to encourage me when I was down, and you're still pushing me to be better."
You're rambling.
"But…the more I thought of it, I think it was less a matter of wanting to be encouraged, and more that I wanted to show off,'' Sumire mumbled, voice puttering out. Ren raised a brow at her, bidding her continue. It was at times like this that she wished that he didn't have such an excellent poker face. Anything--anything--to betray what he was thinking right now would have made her feel less like she was going to melt into a nervous pile of goop. Sumire brushed her bangs aside, eyes darting around for something to look at.
“And by that, I mean…um…”
Go ahead. Say it.
"I…er, I-I-I li-like…"
Sumire could feel her face growing hotter by the second, and not just from the warmth of the cafe. God, she was shaking harder than a newborn deer trying to walk. Her blatant display of anxiety wasn't helping either, as she was sure that she was making a fool of herself.
"You like…?" Ren pressed, expression betraying absolutely nothing.
Sumire drew in a heavy breath, letting it stew in her lungs, before releasing everything in a burst of air.
"I like you, Ren-senpai!" Her voice echoed in the empty cafe, loud as a megaphone ringing across a stadium.
Sumire sat there, stunned. She said it. She actually said it. Did she really say it? The sound of her voice had already faded from the room, and part of her half wondered if she'd actually said anything at all.
Ren was silent for a moment, blinking down at her with wide eyes. Her hands tightened around her cold cup. Sumire needed to fill the emptiness with something, or she feared that she would start crying.
"I'm…sorry. I don't mean to make things awkward between us," she began, hating the way her voice quivered. "I cherish the friendship we have, and-"
Ren cleared his throat. Sumire looked up from where she had been boring holes into the counter with her eyes. His expression was soft, she could tell, even from behind his glasses.
"I like you too," he said.
Sumire stared at him, open mouthed. She suddenly felt dizzy. "As…more than friends?"
Ren nodded. "Romantically, yes. If that's what you meant."
She stared blankly at the wall behind Ren, wondering if she was dreaming. "Oh…then, I guess…does this mean that it's mutual?"
"Mm-hm."
"So, are we dating now?"
"If that's okay with you."
Sumire leaned back in her chair, mind spinning. Ren grabbed her cup and poured her a refill of her drink. “You good?”
“Yes! I’m…good,” she managed, offering a quiet thanks for the drink. Her palms burned against the ceramic, but she needed something to hold to calm her shaking. “Um, I’m sorry. I’m the one who confessed, but I’m messing it all up. I just never really expected to make it this far, so I don’t know…how to react.”
Her voice broke at the end. Something clear and small fell from her cheek and into her cup, scattering the clear reflection with ripples.
Sumire bit her lips as her vision began to blur. The mask of bravado she donned to contain all of the feelings and doubts and emotions she’d been barely keeping together had so swiftly come undone. It all came crashing down on her like a waterfall, but at the same time she’d never felt so light and free in her life. Tears poured out like a river, and Sumire lowered her face in shame.
Why? Why am I…?
A warm hand settled over her own. Ren looked down at her, eyes filled with that familiar warmth that made her knees go weak and her heart flutter--affection. Had he always looked at her like that? Sumire’s face heated at the thought.
“I, uh,” she stumbled faintly. Gathering her wits, Sumire wrapped her hands over Ren’s and blinked up at him, struggling to keep from bursting with embarrassment. “Can I…ask something?”
Ren nodded, squeezing her hand tight. “Of course.”
“I want to look at you.” No doubt, she was probably pink all the way to her ears. The level-headed teen blinked back, nonplussed. “I want to look at your face.”
He composed himself quickly, a wry grin forming on his lips. “Just look?”
“Yes,” she replied quickly. “I just want to look.”
Ren let out an incomprehensible sigh, but if the look on his face was anything to go by, he was amused at the very least. He wiped his hands down and tugged at his dark bangs. “If that’s what you want.”
Sumire nodded, excited. She folded her hands onto her lap, getting ready to focus on the face of her new lover, when--
Bam!
His palm descended on the countertop, swift as a snake. Ren leaned into his arm purposefully, his dark eyes staring deep into her soul. Sumire jerked backwards as if she had been stung, gaping up at him in mixed alarm and shock. Heat crawled up her neck.
“Ren-senpai-”
Bam!
Down came the second palm, planting firmly on the table. His body hovered over the counter, close enough that Sumire could make out the individual lashes framing his eyes, which were brimming with mischief.
She let out an embarrassed squeak. If she leaned back any further, she would’ve fallen backwards over her chair--and Sumire wasn’t about to risk humiliating herself any more than she already had that evening. She peered at him, wide-eyed, through her splayed fingers as they poorly attempted to cover the blush on her cheeks.
“Well?” Ren asked, voice low with barely contained humor. He was undoubtedly getting a kick out of seeing her squirm. Sumire would have been indignant--if she hadn’t already been secretly enjoying the front-row view of his features. “Anything different?”
This was her chance. Sumire repressed the embarrassment threatening to burn her alive, and lowered her hands. Ren was really close. When she breathed in, she could catch the aroma of freshly brewed coffee from his clothes. A curtain of unruly black fringe hung over his brow, and her fingers itched to brush them aside. His grin was playful, but it did nothing to mask the genuine affection in his demeanor.
Throwing aside caution and shame, Sumire leaned in until their noses were mere centimeters apart. She was going to get a real good look, and no amount of insecurity was going to stop her. Ren’s expression briefly betrayed a hint of surprise and embarrassment at the sudden proximity, making her feel rather smug. She closed the distance, feeling almost burning heat as their foreheads pressed against each other. A smile flitted across her face, all too calm for the raging emotions boiling within her. She whispered hoarsely, unable to repress her feelings any longer.
“I love you."
This time, it was Ren’s turn to flush red. Though flustered, he didn’t break her gaze. A faint laugh bubbled at his lips, and he reached forward to brush against her hand, intertwining his battle-calloused fingers with her own.
"I love you too," he murmured, voice filled with kindness.
Sumire felt like her insides had all melted into honey, sickly sweet. Time slowed to a stop as the two basked in the warmth of each other’s presence. She wasn't sure if she could ever bring herself to look away.