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Ren was convinced he was able to give Haru the slip by some sort of witchcraft. But that didn’t matter too much to him now. He was finally in the sanctuary of the usually empty diner. Well, today it was almost empty save for you studying here, and Ritsu passing by for his regular black coffee. It’s times like these he’s thankful he took up work here in this diner, and for some reason seeing you here made the ambiance strangely comforting. Not that he had any reason to complain about the near silence save for the occasional notification sounds from his phone. And the odd smells from some of the kitchen’s ingredients he had unfortunately become familiar with had become more bearable as well. Ren smiled in spite of himself as Ritsu bid him and you farewell and headed off to sort out any new shenanigans.
Ren still had about fifteen minutes before the daily login reset for the day so he decided to check his progress for the day and find out how to optimize the next day’s rewards. It didn’t look like there was all that much to do, since this time’s event he cleared all the story and gameplay. And there were a couple simple tasks to farm for stamina, and he needed all he could get. They were simple puzzles, so no more than two minutes was needed. His fingers moved deftly across the screen, the soft glow of his phone lighting up his face.
Unconsciously, his gaze drifted to you sitting by the window. The sun filtered through the glass panes of the window, enveloping you in its warm light like a halo. He could have sworn the sunlight was woven into your skin, making you look like you were an otherworldly being. You were finally given a break (sort of) to study though the stack of books and notes in front of you seemed just as daunting as any field assignment. Ren couldn’t help but feel bad for you, it was always either missions or assignments for you.
But he was soon shaken out of his reverie when you sensed him staring and then waved at him with a smile. His heart skipped a beat as he stumbled behind the counter, cursing his own foolishness. Of all the times to look like an utter clown! Heat crept up his neck and bloomed across his cheeks as he hastily grabbed a random towel to feign busyness. What was worse, the counter was reflective, and he could still see the embarrassed mess of himself. “Pull it together, Ren,” he muttered under his breath, glaring at the towel as though it were responsible for his predicament.
At least, he thought, none of his dormmates—especially Haru, thank whatever deity was watching over him—were around to witness this. But still, you had seen it, and that thought alone was enough to make him wish he could sink into the floor.
What was that about? You wondered. You shrugged it off and checked the time on your phone. It looked like the daily login just reset, so you logged in to the game. You glanced over at the counter to see a still red-faced Ren also on his phone, no doubt logging into his game also. He took this event quite seriously, especially since he really wanted the rewards. He told you before that this is the story update he was looking forward to most. Sadly for you, you’d have to complete it at a later time. If you played any more, you wouldn’t be able to concentrate on your studies. Or so you told yourself, but your gaze shifted towards the now calm Ren behind the counter. His brow was furrowed in concentration as his fingers danced across his screen. The faint glow of the screen cast a subtle light onto his features, highlighting the sharp line of his jaw and the way his dark lashes fluttered with each blink. You couldn’t help but admire how focused he seemed, utterly lost in his digital world. Ren's brows knit together, his lips pressed into a slight pout that was, admittedly, kind of cute. You shook your head, trying to snap yourself out of it. Focus, you chided internally. Your study notes were waiting, and you really couldn’t afford to fall behind.
But the diner’s quiet ambiance, combined with Ren’s calm yet oddly captivating presence, made it harder than ever to concentrate. Ren let out a faint “yes” before he set his phone down. His stamina was probably depleted right now, so he let the gauge recharge. He looked up and made eye contact with you. Immediately he went beet red.
“Oh, hey, Ren,” you said. “Don’t mind me, I’m just admiring how cute you looked just now.”
“H-Hey! You can’t just say that!” He sputtered.
“Why not? It’s just us here, and you are indeed cute.”
Ren fumbled for words, his mind scrambling for a witty comeback but delivering none. He resorted to pretending to be engrossed in wiping down the already spotless counter, though his crimson face betrayed him. His ears burned as if your words had set him ablaze, and the towel in his hands twisted tighter with every passing second.
“MC, you will be the death of me.” he finally managed, his voice a mix of embarrassment and something softer, something almost shy.
You chuckled. “Anyway, think you can get me a latte? Kinda need caffeine and sugar right now.”
Ren seized the opportunity to escape. “Sure!” he muttered before darting into the kitchen, grateful for the excuse to hide his embarrassment.
As the door swung shut behind him, you heard a muffled, “God… damn it!”
Smiling to yourself, you turned back to your books. This was shaping up to be a good day after all.