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Kouki hasn't ever been sure of what he wants. Sure, he awakened his Persona and realized he wanted to live, but outside of that? Not much.
Until one fateful day, where he walked into a closed coffee shop, and saw the boy with messy black hair and glasses.
His name was Ren Amamiya. He served him coffee and curry. He was a Phantom Thief like him. He was the one who saved him back in their second foray into Mementos.
And he was pretty. Really pretty. Oh God he was so pretty. Were boys even allowed to be that pretty?
It took a couple more trips into that coffee shop before Kouki realized he might like boys. And he might really, really like this boy.
This presented a problem. For one thing, that coffee shop was a cognitive world of some sort. His footsteps have that same weird effect they have in Mementos. Would he even be able to interact with him outside of the coffee shop?
For another, he didn't even know if he was interested in boys. He also could be already dating someone. His friends were also really pretty! Did he even have a shot? Could he even love someone as empty as Kouki was?
These thoughts were all swirling around in Kouki's head as he opened the door to LeBlanc. Ren looked up from the coffee he was making, and smiled his wonderful smile.
"Hi, Kouki! Do you want another cup of coffee? We got some new blends in."
Kouki's face flushes. "I—Yeah."
"Are you alright? It doesn't have to be coffee, y’know," Ren asks, concerned.
"I'm fine. It's just..."
"It's just what?"
What Kouki wants to say is, "I love you."
What he actually says is, "I want to do something else with you."
Ren laughs. "Getting sick of my cooking already, huh. Well, I've got some crosswords, and some videogames upstairs."
Wait. Wait. What if... he could see if they could go outside of this café together?
"I was thinking... something like the batting cages?"
Ren looks a bit shocked. "Oh! I mean, sure? I could give it a shot, it's just..."
He winces. "You've noticed it too, right? Your footsteps. Whenever you come in, our footsteps change to how they are in the Metaverse."
He's noticed. But if Kouki had any shot of asking him out, he needed to make sure that Ren could leave with him.
"I still want to try."
Ren nods, and grins. "Well then, lead the way."
The two of them walk to the door, Ren standing right next to Kouki.
Then, in a moment of impulse, a moment of pure desire, Kouki grabs Ren's hand with his right.
They were holding hands. Kouki suppresses the desire to squeak, before having a realization.
This is what he desires. He wants a future with Ren. Even if he can't go out with him, he wants Ren to be in his life. He wants him to meet Tomoko, Haruna, and Kano. He wants to go to the batting cages with him, to the gym with him, he wants to introduce him to his parents, he wants to play videogames with him! That's what he wants! He isn't too sure about his future, but as long as it includes Ren, he would be happy with it! So they had to leave this place together!
Ren's hand still in his, he runs out the door.
...And runs face first into it from the outside.
"Kouki?! Are you alright?!" cries the owl in his bag.
"Yeah... I'm alright, Ruferu," Kouki groans.
Kouki rubs his head with his right hand.
His right hand. It feels empty without Ren's. Where was he?
He looked around. No sign of him.
"Are you sure? You were staring at the door for a long time, and then you bumped into it—"
Ruferu gasps. "You're crying..."
Kouki smiles, and wipes at his eyes. "I'm fine. We can get going now."