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It was a normal night in Shibuya. People coming and going down its crowded streets and packed trains. People going home, people going for a night out.
Unbeknownst to the people, a clash of two wills had just taken place, in a world beyond their understanding.
From this world, two people: a boy and a girl, step out into the Shibuya Station that the rest of the world is aware of, and tonight, their personal worlds will change.
It was tonight that Ren Amamiya, second-year student of Shujin Academy, and Kokoro Akechi, acclaimed Detective Princess, discuss the nature of their relationship.
“I'm going to be entirely honest with you, Ren,” Kokoro says. “I hate you.”
Ren remains silent. He was always a man of few words, always letting his actions talk for him.
“Your deft handling of your unfortunate circumstances. Your uniqueness. The way you've wormed your way into my daily thoughts…”
A faint dusting of pink appears on Kokoro’s cheeks.
“…Kissing me during our fight. All these... irritate me.”
Regaining her composure, Kokoro continues. “You're the one person I refuse to submit to, even with this... infatuation I have. Even knowing that you feel the same.”
Ren wryly smiles at her. He knew this was coming for months. Expected even. Yet hearing it out of her own mouth… it feels different. Like daggers directly into his heart
I thought we had a chance. But I guess we’re too different.
“Same here.”
Kokoro does an audible tch, making sure Ren hears it over the Shibuya chatter. “Wipe that smile off your face. I'll let you have his win today,” Kokoro declares. “But next time, I WILL win. Let this be proof of my convication.”
The Detective Princess removes one of her gloves, throwing it at Ren with a look of determination. He catches it, barely, almost dropping it. He looks at the glove, his wry smile slowly dropping to a determined look himself.
“There's a tradition in the West to throw one's glove at their opponent when demanding a duel.” Kokoro explains. “Should the opponent accept the glove, the duel is also accepted.”
Ren clutches on the glove tighter. He looks into the detective’s dark brown eyes, her look of determination slowly melting into a look of wanting, of need.
Accept it, her mind begs. Please. I need you to accept it. One last meeting as rivals before…
“I accept,” Ren exhales, as Kokoro’s eyes widen. “I won’t forget what you’ve done for us, Koro. What we’ve done together.”
Kokoro bites her lip, her heart racing with Ren’s declaration.
Together. We did do a lot together, didn’t we?
She closes her eyes to calm herself down. She opens them again to look into Ren’s grey eyes, that look of determination returning to her.
“Make certain that you never forget: only I'm allowed to beat you, Joker. No one else. Only me.”
“I won’t,” Ren replies.
The two of them have a moment of silence before Ren speaks up. “At least let me take you home. You live nearby, right?”
“From this station? Not really… but I’ll take your offer.”
Ren pockets the glove in his empty bag, Morgana long gone, having asked him to go on ahead back to Leblanc. He makes a gesture towards Kokoro to have her lead the way, the both of them silently walking towards her apartment, neither one wanting to break the tension.
It only takes a few minutes before Kokoro feels a hand touch her ungloved hand. She looks up to Ren, an unreadable expression on his face.
Kokoro opens her mouth, but closes it again. She doesn’t want to ruin this tonight.
What are you thinking about, Amamiya? What are you planning?
She shakes off those thoughts, instead hugging and leaning into Ren’s arm, tentatively accepting his small token of affection. In return, Ren squeezes his hand a bit tighter, and pecks a small kiss on Kokoro's honey brown hair.
It was a complicated relationship. An unorthodox one, and with the casino heist coming up, they both knew that whatever they had was temporary. At least for now, during the walk home to Akechi's apartment, a walk where she deliberately chose the long way around, it was simple.
It was a normal night in Shibuya.
It was tonight that Ren Amamiya and Kokoro Akechi, understood each other a little deeper. And at least tonight, they weren’t a delinquent thief and a Detective Princess, neither Joker nor Crow.
They were a boy and a girl, holding hands beneath the bright lights of night-time Tokyo.