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“And Nagisa Kamisiro from Kokatsu Academy scores just before the buzzer sounds! Completely misleading the goalkeeper from Kosei High School, Nagisa scores a clean goal! The winner of this scrimmage is Kokatsu Academy, 21 to 16!!”
A loud whoop sounded from the stands, and Yota rushed over to embrace the team in a group hug, celebrating their victory. Granted, there weren’t any real stakes, but to know that they had a fighting chance at all was already a massive boost to team morale.
“I can’t believe it,” Yota gasped, ecstatic. “We’re in the running! We’ve got a chance!”
“I’ll say, I didn’t expect Nagisa to do so much for us this quickly,” Mamoru admitted. “But I sure as hell am not complaining. Well done, team.”
“Hey, that’s my line!” Yota cried in mock offense. “Stop taking my lines!”
“Better get a move on then Yota, Nagisa’s catching up to you real fast,” Osuke shrugged. “Soon maybe your club leader spot’ll get taken too.”
“Won’t let that happen, not on my watch,” Yota exclaimed. “We’re gonna train five times as hard from now on! We’re going all in!”
A myriad of mild groans and complaints arose, but no one truly objected to the sentiment.
”Today, we’re taking a well-earned break,” Hatsuo said. “Wanna meet up in Shibuya tonight? Go out and celebrate, maybe go to some bar to get some food and drinks.”
“Again, really?” Osuke sighed. “We all know you just want to find some girl to ask out on a date, it’s all you’ve done the last three times you dragged us out.”
“Hey, this time it’s actually a celebration,” Hatsuo said defensively. “We’re celebrating actually having a chance at winning the competition now. And I mean, I’m not gonna complain if we run into some hot ladies along the way, y’know? Besides, we’re all single, we should be happy about this opportunity!”
“Holy shit, again with the ‘we’re all single’ thing,” Mamoru groaned. “If one of us gets a date, can you shut up about that?”
“Does that mean we’re going out to pick up girls? Sounds like a yes,” Hatsuo smirked. “Alright, Shibuya tonight it is! 9pm, don’t be late, guys.”
Nagisa sighed imperceptibly before he set off for home. It wasn’t that he didn’t enjoy hanging out with his friends, far from it, it was just that…
Well, he wasn’t single. So it was always awkward to be dragged around to these late-night stints all the while knowing that he was already dating Kotone.
Nagisa couldn’t blame his teammates for not knowing, as both he and Kotone wanted to keep their relationship under wraps. The media outlets and tabloids that wouldn’t let them know a minute of peace if they’d figured out they were truly dating instead of just spinning theories and rumours. Easier to hide their relationship with a few discreet, intimate touches outside the Metaverse and keep the majority of their love inside the Metaverse or at each others’ house.
…It still kinda sucked that he couldn’t kiss her right out in the open, though. He really wanted to.
After getting home, Nagisa headed straight to his washroom to take a shower and pick out some more comfortable clothes for his nighttime outing. After doing all that, it was still solidly 6:30pm. Nagisa collapsed onto the couch, exhausted, and debated if taking a nap was worth it.
So engrossed in his thoughts, he didn’t hear the front door click open. It was only after hearing footsteps approach that Nagisa looked up, alert, but was immediately pushed back down onto the couch as his girlfriend flopped down on top of him.
“Hey,” Nagisa smiled, basking in her presence. “Didn’t know you were coming over today.”
“Well, I was bringing some clothes here while waiting for Tomoko, Motoha, and Riko,” Kotone mumbled. “Motoha wanted to go down to Shibuya for a girls’ night out, so I figured I might as well bring some clothes for more choices, should I find myself in your area. How about you? How’d your… Qu’est-ce que c’est? soccer meet go?”
Nagisa hummed in content. “Our team won against Kosei in scrims… It seems like we actually have a fighting chance in the tournament.”
Kotone pecked him on the cheek before resting her head on his chest. “ Félicitations, mon chéri. Perhaps we ought to celebrate, non? ”
“My teammates are already dragging me down to Shiina-san’s bar at 9,” Nagisa complained. “I wish I hadn’t accepted… Wanna spend time with you.”
Kotone huffed in consternation. “Is this that Hatsuo’s doing again?”
“Unfortunately so,” Nagisa grumbled. “It’s getting a little annoying.”
Kotone hummed thoughtfully. “I can probably get us down to the bar at 9… Help you out a little. I sit there, have a couple drinks, then you can approach me. We can put on a little show for them.”
“What? I couldn’t ask you to do that,” Nagisa shook his head. “It would be unfair of me-”
“ Chut, mon chéri, ” Kotone murmured, pressing her lips to his. “I offered, did I not?”
“But if we do this, our relationship will be out in the open… Are you okay with that?” Nagisa asked worriedly. “I wouldn’t mind, but if it brings you more stress…”
“The press has bigger problems if all they have to report on is the relationship of a figure skater,” Kotone said dismissively. “It has been torture, these past few weeks… Not being able to be with you in public. I will stand for it no longer. Coach approves of you, my junior likes you, the little kids at the skate club adore you… As far as I am concerned, I have nothing to worry about. Besides, I would like to give Hatsuo a piece of my mind.”
Nagisa grinned and hugged Kotone tighter to his body. “How did I ever get this lucky?”
Kotone hummed happily. “I suppose I should ask the same.”
The couple stayed cuddling together on the couch for a while, simply enjoying each other’s presence and dozing off. After a short while, however, Kotone had to get up in order to meet with the rest of the girls of the Phantom Thieves.
“Nagisa,” Kotone called, getting a soft noise of acknowledgement. “What time should I get to the bar again?”
“Er, the team said 9, so around that time, I guess. Maybe a little afterwards, since they want to eat first.” Nagisa responded. Kotone hummed in response.
As Nagisa got up to get ready for his own outing, Kotone was the first to leave. Nagisa leaned in for a kiss, only to whine softly when Kotone gently pushed him away. Only when he looked again did he notice that Kotone put on a little bit of makeup, enhancing her already ethereal beauty.
“For later at the bar,” Kotone winked. “ Bisous, mon bijou~ ” She blew him a kiss before heading out the door, leaving Nagisa lovestruck and his thoughts in wild disarray.
After a moment, Nagisa gathered himself and changed into his outerwear before also proceeding to head down to Shibuya.
__________________
“So, we ready drink ourselves to death, or what?” Hatsuo called, throwing his arms over Nagisa and Mamoru’s shoulders. “Shibuya better watch out, the best soccer team in the country is coming through!”
“We can’t drink alcohol yet, doofus,” Mamoru grunted. “Still gotta wait a few years.”
“Yeah, but it’s the spirit of the thing,” Hatsuo said dismissively. “Drinking with the team, eating bar food… It’s the experience that we live for.”
All Hatsuo got was a huff of amusement in response.
The group meandered down the street, down to the bar where Nagisa knew Yumi worked. After the group entered though, Nagisa was met with an unexpected, although not unfamiliar face tending the bar.
“Ah, Nagisa. Great to see you.”
Nagisa reeled as Ren stood behind the bar, tossing and twirling a couple shakers expertly. Nagisa tilted his head in a silent question, before Ren chuckled softly.
“Sorry, just wanted to see your reaction. Yumi’s in the back, she’ll be out momentarily. Give me a second…” He poured out the two drinks he was making, serving them to two giggling girls with a wink and a grin. He turned his attention back to Nagisa, silently counting the group.
“Table for five?”
“Would be great,” Nagisa nodded. Ren gestured for them to follow before leading them to a booth in the back of the bar, complete with a little disco ball and sofa surrounding the table. “Thanks, Ren.”
“Not a problem,” Ren nodded. “Got any idea what to order?”
“Coffee and curry?” Nagisa asked, half-joking, half-hopeful. Ren laughed, confusing the others at the table.
“Seems like everyone loves that stuff,” Ren snickered. “Unfortunately, I don’t quite have the ingredients here. I’ll make some for you another day, come by Leblanc. It’s on me. Let the others know.”
“Thanks,” Nagisa said gratefully. “For now, can we get two orders of gyoza and karaage? That should be enough for now…”
“Er- Can I add an order of yakitori?” Osuke added on. Ren’s gaze snapped to him before nodding.
“Two orders of gyoza, two orders of karaage… and one order of yakitori. Alright, drinks?”
“Surprise us,” Nagisa grinned. “I wanna see if you’re as good as Shiina-san is. Five hundred yen says you’re not.”
Ren snorted at that. “Challenge accepted. Showtime.”
As Ren headed back to the bar, Osuke tapped on Nagisa’s shoulder. “Nagisa, he’s… do you know him?”
“Yep, he’s a friend I met… in the… subway.” Nagisa said carefully. “We figured we had a common interest in those Menaces, so we kind of just chat from time to time about them. He also works at a cafe down in Yongen-Jaya that I go to pretty often.”
“I- I see. Do you have- Can you give me his number? Can you introduce me to him?” Osuke stammered, glancing back at the bar. “I just- please?”
“What’s gotten into you?” Nagisa questioned, a grin slowly forming on his face. “Don’t tell me…”
“Ah, is Osuke perhaps crushing on yet another bartender?” Hatsuo chimed in. “You gonna try picking him up? Or are you still hoping to ask Shiina-san out?”
“Hey, show’s starting,” Mamoru said. The group fell quiet as Ren picked up five shakers and handed two of them to Yumi, who gave Nagisa a cheerful little wave. After a brief pause, the two launched into what looked like a choreographed sequence, rolling and spinning the shakers in their own way before tossing them to each other. Yumi’s actions were smoother and flowed together into one another like a dance, while Ren’s actions weren’t as smooth but had a lot more showmanship and flamboyance behind them.
After another few passes and a balancing act from Ren that earned a smattering of applause, Ren and Yumi poured the drinks out, put them on a tray, and Ren brought them over.
“So, how was the show?” Ren asked conversationally, setting the drinks down. “I’ve been practicing that one with Yumi for quite a bit. Glad we could finally put it to the test.”
“It was amazing,” Osuke got out breathlessly. “The way you guys spun and tossed the bottles without dropping them- or even looking at them was so cool.”
“Why, thank you,” Ren smirked, adjusting his glasses. “I aim to please. As for the drinks…”
“I settled for the Frost Family and the Jack Bros., along with one drink of my own design. Jack Frost and Pyro Jack make up the Jack Bros., both refreshing, citrusy drinks. Cheerful little fellows,” Ren said, pointing out the mascots on the glasses. “The remaining Frost Family members, Black Frost and King Frost, are thicker and a touch more bitter with a stronger taste. For more refined tastes.” He pointed at the dark purple and gold glasses.
“What about that one?” Nagisa asked, pointing at the last drink. It was dominantly light blue, interspersed with swirls of white. Ren glanced at Nagisa and smirked.
“The Queen of Winter, sweet and refreshing. She’s a sweetheart,” Ren commented, lifting it up and setting it down in front of Nagisa. “And looking for her king.”
It was only then Nagisa noticed that instead of a usual garnish like a mint leaf or an orange slice, a long piece of ice was fashioned to look exactly like Kotone’s sword in the Metaverse. It pierced through two small peeled lychees near the hilt, parts of their peels in the shape of his and Mont’s masks. Nagisa looked up at Ren in surprise and received a conspiratorial wink in return.
“I hope you guys don’t mind if I give him my personal creation,” Ren added, giving everyone a genial smile before turning to leave. “I’ve known this guy for the better part of a year now, so he gets to try my… little experiments. Your food’ll be out shortly.”
“W-wait!” Osuke half-yelled, his voice slightly strangled. Ren turned around, eyebrows raised. “I- I’m Osuke. Osuke Yamada.”
Ren tilted his head curiously. “Hello, Yamada-san. Can I do something for you?”
Osuke gulped as the entire table’s eyes suddenly focused on him. “If… If it’s not too much to ask, can I have your name?”
Ren smirked imperceptibly. “The name’s Ren. Ren Amamiya. Don’t wear it out, now.”
With that, Ren turned and walked back to the bar, before the table exploded with noise.
“I can’t believe you fumbled it!” Hatsuo yelled, slapping his hand to his forehead. “The opportunity was right there! He was right there! All you had to do was ask for his number! Or ask him for Shiina-san’s number! Ask him anything! Just his name? ”
“I- I couldn’t,” Osuke wailed, burying his face in his hands. “Oh my God… Just kill me already, I can’t take this.”
“It’s not that bad,” Yota said sympathetically. “Here, you can get the first pick of the drinks. Which one do you want?”
“I’ll take the Black Frost…” Osuke muttered, reaching for the dark purple drink. “Dark and gloomy… Just like my future.”
“I think Yota should get the King Frost,” Nagisa piped up. “He’s the team leader, after all. He’s got us this far, hasn’t he?”
A general murmur of agreement swept the table, and Yota accepted his drink gratefully. Hatsuo took the Pyro Jack, and Mamoru took the Jack Frost.
“To a great season! To our victory! To us!” Yota toasted, raising his glass in the air. “Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
After the chorus, the entire team drank, with a general sigh of relaxation emanating when they resurfaced.
“Are these new on the menu? Because I might’ve just found my new favorite drink,” Yota asked enthusiastically. “This is great stuff!”
“I think those are Ren’s additions to the menu here,” Nagisa mentioned contemplatively. “I noticed them one night, as a special for groups of two or three… I didn’t think much of it.”
“How’s yours, Nagisa? He said that one was custom, yeah?” Yota asked. Nagisa nodded, sipping on the drink yet again.
“He’s not wrong on the flavor… It is pretty sweet. I also feel a little more alert.”
As Nagisa closed his eyes to enjoy the drink, he could swear he saw Kotone skating about behind his eyelids, unleashing ice attack after ice attack and following up with as much grace. He could feel the cold radiated by her HIGHLIGHT on his face, and the little smile she’d give only him when the Shadow would crumble to motes of black dust. The little, fleeting touches they’d share, the hitch of her breath and the cute blush she had when Nagisa moved close…
Ren, Nagisa thought. You truly are a miracle worker.
Nagisa was jolted out of his thoughts when Yota nudged him.
“You doing good over there? Food’s ready,” Yota said excitedly. “Damn, that drink must’ve been really good if you spaced out for that long. Osuke even failed a second time to ask Amamiya-san for his number when he delivered our food.”
“You what?” Nagisa cried, turning to Osuke. “There’s no way…”
“I don’t knowwwww,” Osuke moaned, covering his head with his hands. “He was just standing there looking at me with those eyes… My throat just closed up, I couldn’t say anything. Both he and Shiina-san have these really pretty eyes, I always clam up around them.”
“Ah, well,” Mamoru muttered. “Maybe you’ll get it the third time around.”
“Oi, Nagisa, you better help him out, yeah?” Hatsuo called across the table.
Nagisa shrugged in response. “I’ll put in a good word, but Osuke’s gonna have to swim on his own on this one. For now though, food’s getting cold…”
“Itadakimasu!” the table chorused, before starting to eat.
The meal was mostly eaten silently with a few conversations spread out in between. It was only after their meal was almost done when Hatsuo broke the silence.
“Is that Tanemura-senpai?” He whispered to the table, gesturing at the door. “I didn’t expect her to be out at a place like this.”
Nagisa looked over, and sure enough, Riko, followed by Motoha, Kotone, and Tomoko walked through the door. Kotone and Nagisa locked eyes, and while her gaze sharpened and her eyes widened in recognition, she didn’t make any sort of outward acknowledgement before sitting with the rest of the girls at the bar. Nagisa could see Ren raise an eyebrow at the silent exchange before turning to converse with the girls of the Phantom Thieves.
“So does anyone wanna try to ask Tanemura-senpai out?” Yota asked, grinning. “Which one of you bozos are brave enough to approach her?”
“Seems like Amamiya-san beat us to it.” Hatsuo pointed out.
When Nagisa looked over, and although from his angle he couldn’t see it clearly, he was admittedly a little surprised to see Ren and Riko conversing in low tones, their heads close together. As Nagisa watched, Ren reached forward and tucked a lock of Riko’s hair behind her ear, giving her a soft smile before starting to make their drinks.
“Well, I’m not complaining, she scares me,” Hatsuo shrugged. “Personally, that silver-haired girl looks like she has a really good figure… I’m gonna try to ask her out.”
Nagisa scowled at that. Their plan was for Nagisa to approach her, pretend to flirt a bit, then get the hell out of the bar together, freeing him from these charades. Not for his teammate to unknowingly hit on his girlfriend.
“I kind of want to ask that black-haired girl out,” Mamoru whispered. “That short one in the pink shirt? She looks cute.”
Nagisa silently prayed for Mamoru’s soul, because if Riko didn’t kill him, Ren absolutely would. The pair was fiercely protective of Tomoko for reasons that Nagisa had yet to figure out.
Tomoko didn’t seem to mind having an extra pair of parents though, so it all worked out.
“You go first then,” Hatsuo said. “I’ll go in after you.”
Mamoru meandered up to the bar, leaning down casually next to Tomoko. Tomoko regarded him curiously before turning back to Motoha to continue their conversation. It was only after Mamoru rested an arm on her shoulder and said something to her did Ren take his glasses off and Riko turned to face him.
Mamoru paled significantly after noticing two pairs of eyes boring into him, barely managing to hold up a finger to request another drink. A short conversation later and Mamoru came back to the table with a haunted look in his eyes.
“They’re going to murder me,” Mamoru said simply. “It was nice knowing you all, but you’ll need to find a new goalkeeper. I don’t think I have much more time.”
“Don’t be crazy, I’m sure you’re just imagining things,” Hatsuo snorted. “They can’t be that bad.”
Mamoru simply shook his head and drank deeply from his second glass. “I’m gonna have nightmares… and a little bit of paranoia.”
“Well, whatever you say,” Hatsuo shrugged. “I’m off to score myself that silver-haired chick, looks from her friends be damned.”
Nagisa glared daggers at Hatsuo’s back as he approached Kotone. Hatsuo leaned down and said something while casually brushing her shoulder, causing Kotone to raise a delicate eyebrow. She replied evenly, turning her head slightly. Hatsuo said something back, and then Kotone’s brow came down hard.
Nagisa could only watch with twisted glee as she stood up with a scowl and hissed something at Hatsuo, shoving his hand off her shoulder and jabbing a finger at his chest. Frost crept up the wood of the bar and bit at her fingertips before she turned away icily and sat back down, ignoring him.
After a few moments of stunned silence, Hatsuo hurried back to the table, shellshocked and almost shivering. After he sat down, Nagisa stole a glance at the bar, where Yumi was staring at Kotone’s frosted glass with raised eyebrows.
“Dude… what happened? She flipped on you real quick, what the hell did you say?” Mamoru asked.
Hatsuo shuddered before speaking.
“She was kinda jumpy at first, real cute, y’know? A little timid. So I decided, why not try talking about those Phantom Thieves to break the ice? The ones that exposed that baseball player and Miyazawa?” The rest of the team nodded in understanding. “Clearly that was the wrong thing to talk about, because after I said a few words, she got mad almost immediately. I swear the temperature dropped thirty degrees… She's cute but man she’s just not worth the trouble.”
“Can’t be scarier than Amamiya or Tanemura-senpai,” Mamoru muttered. “They looked like they both decided to kill me right then and there, and they were just trying to find the best place to hide my body.”
“Okay, but what did you say exactly? I’m kinda curious what you said now,” Yota laughed, ignoring Mamoru. “There’s no way you said something that set her off that badly, right?”
“Nah, it’s nothing important,” Hatsuo muttered, waving his hand. “Don’t worry ‘bout it.”
“I’m actually really curious too,” Nagisa snickered, leaning forward. This was something he had to hear. “Maybe the Phantom Thieves are a sore subject. What did you tell her about them?”
“Y’know how they’re called the Phantom Thieves of Desires? Well, I said, ‘Those Phantom Thieves might have to target me next, because my desires for you are far greater than Kiuchi and Miyazawa combined.’ I know it’s not the best, but surely not…?”
“Holy shit,” Yota threw his head back and roared with laughter, while Hatsuo flushed in embarrassment and looked down at his glass. Nagisa buried his head in his hands and tried to reign in his laughter, although that didn’t exactly help much as his entire body shook with the suppressed laughs.
No wonder Kotone was so offended by that, Nagisa mused, glancing over at her. She seemed deep in discussion with Ren about something, gesturing to her drink. I don’t think Hatsuo quite knows just how far Kiuchi and Miyazawa would have gone… Not to mention the fights we had to endure.
“That,” Osuke’s chuckling voice broke Nagisa out of his thoughts. “Is the worst thing I’ve heard in a while, possibly ever. That was your master plan? Did you come up with that yourself?”
“Some guy online said it worked for him,” Hatsuo sighed, leaning back. “Guess I shouldn’t use random pickup lines from randoms online.”
“Maybe just don’t use pickup lines, period? They clearly don’t seem to be working,” Yota mused. “Shouldn’t you at least try and buy her a drink first?”
“Alright, Mr. Team Captain,” Hatsuo snapped, suddenly fired up. “If you think you got what it takes, why don’t you prove it? Get her number and go on a date, otherwise shut your trap.”
“I don’t have that much money left on me,” Yota warned. “If I’m unable to pay the tab, we’re splitting the bill.”
“Yeah, yeah, get the girl first,” Hatsuo goaded. “No backing out now, Yota.”
“Fine, dammit,” Yota sighed, getting up. He strolled over to the bar section, leaning over the counter to get Ren’s attention. Ren slid over from his conversation with Yumi, and Nagisa watched as Yota conversed with the girls before holding up four fingers. Ren gestured to Yumi, who handed him four shakers. He poured some brightly colored liquid into them before tossing and spinning all of them in a practiced manner, rolling them deftly along his arms and lifting them off each other with nary a clang.
Nagisa couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly Ren had picked up flair bartending, but at the same time he also wasn’t surprised given his dramatic tendencies in the Metaverse. Lufel had described his demeanour as “so flamboyant and extravagant that he’d combust if he didn’t do a flip every five seconds.” Given the sight in front of him now, Nagisa was tempted to agree.
After Ren had sunk into a deep bow and caught all shakers with his hands outstretched, he straightened up and glanced over at Yumi while pouring them out, as if looking for approval. Yumi seemed to ask something, tilting her head to the side inquisitively. Ren’s mouth split into a wide grin, and said something back and blew a kiss that made Yumi blush and shy away.
“Nagisa, that- that should’ve been me. I want to- I want- How do I get a job here,” Osuke asked desperately. “I wanna learn that stuff too. Surely- surely I can get both of them to teach me, right? Guide me through the motions? Tell me I’m doing a good job…?”
“Which one should’ve been you? Besides, I don’t even know how he got a job here, when I asked Shiina-san she said they weren’t hiring,” Nagisa shrugged. “Guess he somehow convinced her to give him a job on busier days.”
“Will you two stuff it?” Hatsuo hissed. “I’m trying to see if Yota’s plan actually works.”
“You wouldn’t get it, Hatsuo,” Osuke mumbled. “Shiina-san… The new guy… Their suits… Oh my God, their suits…”
Nagisa watched with a slight amount of interest at the bar. Kotone didn’t seem to pay Yota any attention at all, sipping from her free drink. Her delicate fingers wrapped around the base of the martini glass as she brought the glass to her lips, pale and pink and oh-so-inviting. Nagisa didn’t think the angle in which she was drinking was meant to tease him, but the way she tilted her head back and her throat bobbed while she drank was driving him crazy. He was of half a mind to just go up to her and kiss her before Mamoru’s hum broke him out of his reverie.
“Huh… The silver haired one ain’t paying attention to him at all, but the blondie and Tanemura-senpai are. What do you think they’re talking about?”
Nagisa glanced at the bar, where Yota and Motoha were talking. Or rather, a slightly overwhelmed Yota was focusing on a very energetic and enthusiastic Motoha making diagrams and gesturing with her hands wildly while Riko watched with quiet amusement.
“Sports? I know Motoha is getting back into her baseball training, so maybe she’s asking him for workout routines?” Nagisa hedged.
“Wait, you know her?” Hatsuo asked, scandalized. “You could’ve started with that! You could’ve introduced us!”
“Didn’t you want to go for, and I quote, the ‘silver-haired chick?’” Nagisa asked snidely. “Besides, she’s in my class. Of course I know her. That’s Riko-senpai over there, wanna try to get her number too?”
“Still could’ve let us know,” Hatsuo grumbled. “And hell no, Tanemura-senpai is terrifying.”
“So! What was that challenge again, get a number and go on a date?” Yota interrupted, arriving back at the table. He scooted in and showed his phone to the group, where Motoha had arranged to meet him at the Shibuya gym in a couple days. “Seems like my way works.”
“You basically bribed her,” Hatsuo muttered, disgruntled. Yota raised an eyebrow, but before he could speak Hatsuo cut him off. “Fine, fine, you win. Did you even have enough for those drinks?”
“Ah,” Yota said sheepishly. “Yo, Nagisa, you know the bartenders, right?”
“Yeah, why?” Nagisa asked. “Need me to pass along a message?”
“Er, yes,” Yota admitted, ignoring Osuke’s cry of “Send him a message from me too!” “I’m a few hundred yen off from being able to pay the bill, can you ask them if they take IOUs? I don’t wanna ruin my first impression with Arai-chan.”
Nagisa snorted. He highly doubted Motoha would care - honestly, he suspected that she might try to pay the bill for him. Mementos did pay pretty well when they were running with Ren, somehow the shadows dropped actual money when Ren was in Mementos with them.
Riko had a minor meltdown when that first happened.
“Yeah, lemme go ask.” Nagisa said, getting up. As he approached the counter, Ren raised a curious eyebrow.
“Lemme guess. Kurosawa-kun didn’t have enough for those four drinks and is now asking you to be the middleman for an IOU.”
“…Yes,” Nagisa admitted. “How’d you know?”
“I can tell from his body language,” Ren chuckled. “You gonna cover for him, or what?”
“I might just pay the bill,” Nagisa nodded. “Money isn’t too tight for me right now.”
Without warning, he felt a weight pressing into his side, and looked down to see Kotone leaning into him.
“My, how selfless,” she murmured, not looking at him. “So kind and understanding… Quite unlike the company you’re keeping, no?”
Nagisa blinked hard, twice, before catching on. “Ah, you’re making the first move now, huh?”
“Well, all your friends seem to have approached us with the same intent… Are you not going to do the same?”
“Why?” Nagisa countered, lowering down onto the seat next to Kotone and mustering his acting skills. “You have your eye on me from the start? Excited for me to finally try to shoot my shot?”
“Mn,” Kotone swayed briefly before sitting up and turning to look at Nagisa. “You were the most interesting of the bunch. Quiet, levelheaded… Tell me about yourself.”
Nagisa was dimly aware of Ren sauntering away, before opening his mouth.
“I’m Nagisa Kamisiro, a second-year at Kokatsu Academy. I’m part of my school’s soccer and band club. Charmed to meet you.”
Kotone let out a faint smile at the memory before returning to a more neutral expression. “You’ll have to do better than that, stranger. Not quite catching my full attention from such a bland introduction.”
“Can I at least get a name from you, Miss…?”
“I think not. I’ve yet to hear something impressive out of you,” Kotone said dispassionately. “So, Kamisiro-kun, care to elaborate on what might set you apart from your… delightful company?”
Nagisa winced at her distasteful tone.
“I’m one of the Phantom Thieves. I helped them bring down Kiuchi and Miyazawa. Stole their desires and made them confess to all the terrible things they’d done.”
Granted, he wasn’t exactly sure why he said this in public. However, no one except Ren, himself, and the girls appeared to be able to hear the conversation, and they were all part of the same group. No harm in that, Nagisa supposed, since it was mostly an act in the first place to get his teammates to stop dragging him around to these late-night stints.
“Well now, that’s a different story,” Kotone mused, leaning forward in interest. “What now, monsieur ? Going to take me away in the dead of night as your greatest heist? Steal my heart secretly and unknowingly, leaving me longing and aching for your presence? Je l’avoue, je suis très excité… ”
“I can’t do anything to you without a name, madame ,” Nagisa smiled. “Perhaps you’d be so inclined to give me one?”
“All so you can entrap me for your vile and sinful plans?” Kotone wondered, tapping a delicate finger on her lip. “This is exhilarating, you know … Possessing the true name of one of the illustrious Phantom Thieves. You may call me Mont, if you truly must require a name. Compared to you, I’m just a simple figure skater trying to find the meaning of love.”
“A figure skater… Hmm, weren’t you on the news a few weeks ago? Didn’t you almost cause a scandal by skating with some guy during practice?” Nagisa grinned. “What’s he up to, these days?”
“Mmn, I’m not quite sure,” Kotone pouted, locking eyes with him. “Something tells me he’s out with his friends, trying to pick up girls in a bar down in Shibuya… What a naughty boy he is, non? Playing with a girl’s heart like that.”
Nagisa suppressed a shiver running down his spine from the way she looked at him. “He sounds like the absolute worst,” he agreed. “I’m sure he missed quite a wonderful opportunity to spend his time with you. What say you give this gentleman thief a chance instead?”
“I warn you, petit voleur, I do have some requirements I need… satisfied,” Kotone said quietly. “Are you sure you’re up to the task?”
“Anything,” Nagisa agreed. “I’ll do everything and anything you ask and more.”
“ Mon dieu ,” Kotone sighed dreamily. “With words like that, I’m sure you could steal any girl’s heart. I suppose I should count myself lucky to have been your target tonight. But if you insist… Do you know how to cook? I do need someone to help me with a few recipes I can’t quite nail down.”
“I’ve been taught a few things here and there,” Nagisa shrugged nonchalantly. “I cook for myself at home quite often, and a few others have complimented my culinary skills. Maybe I can show you a thing or two after we get out of here.”
“Mn, a tempting offer. I’ll also need you to teach me about love. I thought I learned a lot, but maybe that boy didn’t teach me quite as much as I hoped…”
“And I think he’s quite the fool for not doing so. I’d be quite glad to pick up where w- he left off.”
Kotone leaned in, dropping her voice a little so that Nagisa had to strain to hear her. “I also need someone to watch my skating routines and give me pointers on where to improve… Do you know anything about figure skating at all?”
“I do believe a world-class athlete has taught me a little about the subject,” Nagisa replied cheekily, almost touching his forehead against Kotone’s. “Guiding me through the motions, praising my basic abilities… I’ve picked up on a few things, yes.”
“Really?” Kotone’s voice was quiet now, almost ethereal. “What’s their name, if I may be so bold?”
“I think they went by… Kotone Montagne,” Nagisa murmured lowly. “The sweetest and most beautiful girl I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting.”
“ Fais attention ,” Kotone breathed. “Most wouldn’t like another girl’s name coming out of their lover’s mouth.”
“Well, then I guess we’ll have to make sure that mine belongs only to you.”
After Nagisa uttered these words, Kotone simply tilted her head up and pressed her lips against his, shutting him up and making him go weak in the knees. Her lips were warm, soft, and oh-so-sweet, her lipstick intoxicating and addicting. Nagisa could hear some noises from his friends’ general direction, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.
“Come home with me?” Nagisa breathed, pulling away and touching his forehead to Kotone’s. He dropped the act fully, just immersing himself in his girlfriend’s scent. “I think… he got the message. I miss having you over.”
“ Je veux bien, mon cœur , mais la presse… ” Kotone protested half-heartedly, leaning her head on his chest and tapping her fingers across it absentmindedly. “I know I said they don’t bother me, but I’d still rather not create… unnecessary extra stories.”
“Hey, Ren,” Nagisa called. Ren wandered over from his conversation with a light brown-haired patron, leaning across the counter. “Is there a back exit from this place?”
“Yeah, I can get you guys through,” Ren offered. “Technically, it’s only for staff and deliveries- sorry, Yumi,” he added after hearing Yumi’s small noise of protest. “But I can understand wanting to dodge certain people on your tail.”
“Could you?” Nagisa asked gratefully. “That’d be amazing.”
“My pleasure,” Ren winked. “Let your friends know you’re heading home. Kurosawa-kun’s a little short for the drinks, but I can cover that. I finally understand Yusuke, people-watching really is fun.”
“Thanks man,” Nagisa said. “Be right back.”
Nagisa went back to the table, all of whom were staring at him in stunned silence.
“Yota, Ren says you’re slightly short but not to worry about it. He said he’ll cover the rest of that cost,” Nagisa said. “I’m heading home now.”
“No, you wait a minute,” Hatsuo stood up, slamming his hands on the table. “Was this your plan all along? Swoop in after all- well, most of us make fools of ourselves to seem like the best choice?”
“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” Nagisa shrugged, grabbing his keys. “I only went up there to ask Ren for an IOU, Montagne-san- the, uh, ‘silver-haired chick’ as you put it- she’s the one that talked to me.”
He technically wasn’t lying, Nagisa supposed. Sure, the plan was for him to initiate, but Kotone flipped that on its head. That part wasn’t really his fault.
“That’s bullshit,” Hatsuo snarled, getting angry. “Just be-“ he cut off, staring behind Nagisa. Ren walked up with Kotone behind him, staring down crossly at Hatsuo.
“Please refrain from making a disturbance,” Ren growled. “Otherwise, I am going to have to ask that you leave.”
Hatsuo seethed, but eventually bowed his head. “Sorry, Amamiya-san. Won’t happen again.”
“Let’s keep it that way.” Ren said shortly before turning back.
“ Chéri, ” Kotone whined softly into Nagisa’s ear, slipping her arm into his and interlacing their fingers. “I’m tired. Let’s go home, yes?”
Ignoring the flabbergasted look of his friends, Nagisa simply nodded and turned around. They followed Ren behind the counter to the back exit, leaving the four thunderstruck soccer team members behind.
“That was fun, wasn’t it?” Nagisa murmured as they walked towards the exit. “A nice change of pace.”
Kotone hummed contently, leaning her head against Nagisa’s shoulder. “It felt odd, I will admit. Such public displays of affection do not come easily to me. But… it was not unpleasant.”
“Maybe Hatsuo’ll finally leave me alone,” Nagisa huffed in amusement. “That’s the goal, at least.”
Ren snorted. “If you ask me, you just painted a target on your back. Your team’s gonna grill the hell out of you tomorrow, I’m sure.”
“I can probably get Osuke off my back, at least… Do you mind if I give him your number? He knows I know you, he’s never gonna stop pestering me about that. Shiina-san I can wave off as just me knowing her from going to the bar often, but you… I can already feel my phone blowing up.” Nagisa asked.
Ren chuckled. “Feel free, but don’t tell him to expect too much. I’ve got someone else.”
“Oh?” Kotone noted, joining the conversation. “Who is it? Tomoko? You were oddly protective of her this evening… and now that I think about it, in general, too.”
“Thought you didn’t do social situations that well,” Ren snarked. “But no. I can’t really explain it. I don’t like Tomoko-chan in that way, but I still feel… responsible for her. Like in a familial way. It’s an odd situation.”
“Well, you did save her from Kiuchi and were the reason she awoke to Prosymna, maybe that’s why?” Nagisa mused. “Okay, not Tomoko. How about Shiina-san? Don’t think I didn’t notice you flirting with her over the course of the night… Or the fact that you’re on a first name basis. Those tricks you performed were also some of hers, right?”
Ren shrugged. “She’s a good friend and helped me out with a problem a while back. Besides, I have to learn tricks from her. We’re coworkers and I have to earn my keep, plus synchronized performances are good for customer retention. Fancy flair and picking up tricks is my entire thing as Trickster, remember?”
Nagisa had to admit that he had a point. After just two runs with his HIGHLIGHT, Ren could perfectly mirror Nagisa’s thoughts and act in tandem with him to follow up on opportunities and openings he created. Meanwhile, he couldn’t keep up with what Ren called Showtimes even after numerous runs.
And those were the basic, solo ones. Nagisa didn’t even want to begin to think about the ones that required two people to be perfectly in sync.
“Hmm… how about Riko-senpai? Maybe today you really did just want to grab something stuck in her hair, but that’s not all. I saw you two hang out quite a lot recently, and I’ve seen you share a swan boat with her down at Inokashira Park. What was that about?” Kotone pushed.
“Hey, when did this turn into an interrogation about my love life?” Ren protested. “She’s simply the most responsible of all of you, I’m afraid. I don’t go to the same school as you guys, so I gotta get updates on what you guys are doing from her. And I don’t wanna hear about Inokashira Park, you two almost got caught up in another scandal there that day. Yes, I saw you.”
Kotone ducked her head in embarrassment, and Nagisa rubbed the back of his head bashfully. Ren smirked silently in victory as they walked down towards the exit. He cleared his throat as he opened the door, revealing the alleyway of Shibuya. “Have a good night, you two. Rest up for tomorrow.”
Nagisa and Kotone waved before Ren disappeared behind the door.
“You know, Ren-san never did deny that he was with Shiina-san,” Kotone mentioned conversationally. They began to walk towards Shibuya station, hand in hand and dodging any people with cameras they saw. “I wonder if they’re together but just don’t want others to know. I think… they’d make a good couple.”
“It’s not impossible,” Nagisa agreed. “But she’s a few years older than him, isn’t she? He also flirts with a lot of people, men and women and the Shadows down in Mementos. Can’t really use that as a benchmark. I think Riko-senpai’s a safer bet… he’s not as flirtatious around her but he’s more sincere. Like he takes his mask off around her. Plus, they’re like the mom and dad of the team. What were you two discussing after you scared the living daylights out of Hatsuo?”
“That was Hatsuo?” Kotone asked. She turned around and gazed at the door contemplatively, weighing her options. “I want to go back and hit him again. Harder. Perhaps a Durandal of Ice would work.”
“…Eh, as much as I’d like to watch that, it’s not worth it,” Nagisa decided. “Anyways, what…?”
“Ah,” Kotone said embarrassedly. “I was offended by what he said, and I suppose my emotions got the better of me. I thought I heard Terpsichore in my head… the next thing I know, that imbécile is running, my hands are cold, and my drink is now frosty. Ren-san says that it’s possible for Personas to manifest in the real world with enough effort.”
“Ah, that’s how Ren doesn’t get drunk at all,” Nagisa chuckled. “Apparently, his housemate has a bunch of alcohol and turns a blind eye whenever Ren takes some. He just uses what he calls Amrita Drop to erase any trace of drunkenness. He says healing spells also work for injuries.”
“How do you know?” Kotone asked, baffled.
“I saw him drinking a glass of the wine he uses to cook curry at Leblanc,” Nagisa admitted. “The owner there hired him a while back after he made her his coffee. I asked him about it, and he told me.”
Nagisa’s head snapped up as he heard a faint click go off somewhere behind him. He looked around, wondering if the media had somehow spotted him and Kotone, but he couldn’t see anyone holding cameras pointed towards him, nor any mad rush of people to try to get to him. Just in case, he still held onto Kotone’s hand tighter and jogged a little faster to the station.
The subway ride home was mostly quiet, with a few small conversations interspersed throughout the journey although thankfully uninterrupted by any more photographers.
“Can’t believe we dodged the media that well,” Nagisa sighed with relief, unlocking the front door to his house. “Thank the gods Ren is willing to bend the rules a little. I still think I heard someone take a picture, though…”
“I don’t much care anymore,” Kotone murmured, rifling through Nagisa’s closet. “ Attends, Nagisa, do you… ah.”
“What is it?” Nagisa asked, hurrying over. “Are you alright?”
“Y-yes,” Kotone nodded, her cheeks growing pink. “It’s just… I forgot to bring my nightgown over with my other clothes. I had intended to earlier today, but I believe I left it at my house…”
“You can borrow one of my shirts, if you want,” Nagisa offered. “I should have something around here that fits… Here.”
It was a large, plain black t-shirt stuffed in the back of his closet. His mom had bought it for him a while ago and Nagisa just forgot to return it.
“Ah, that would work great,” Kotone said gratefully. “ Merci beaucoup. ”
As Kotone slipped into his washroom to change and freshen up, Nagisa also took the opportunity to change out of his outerwear and into more comfortable clothes. Just as he finished tossing his clothes into the laundry basket, he heard his washroom door click open. He turned around and was met face-to-face with his pink-faced girlfriend wearing nothing but his oversized shirt. Her long, pale legs and silver hair were accentuated by the black shirt, making her look like she was glowing with radiance.
In all honesty, it was the cutest thing Nagisa had ever seen.
Growing shy under his gaze, Kotone spoke up. “W-well? Does it fit fine?”
“I love it,” Nagisa blurted out, his thoughts still spinning. “You look adorable.”
“A-ah,” Kotone flushed an even deeper shade of pink. “Well… thank you. Shall we rest?”
Nagisa nodded, and both headed over to the bed. Kotone crawled into his bed first, her silver hair splaying across the pillow and glimmering in the moonlight. Nagisa would admire it more if Kotone didn’t insistently tug on his shirt, beckoning him to join her. With a soft smile, Nagisa too slipped under the covers.
With a soft rustle, the lovers cozied up together under the blanket, Nagisa absently running his hands through his girlfriend’s hair while she tucked her head under his chin and sighed in bliss.
“It’s been a while since we’ve last done this,” Nagisa murmured softly. “Cuddled, I mean. You have the keys, you should stay over more often… or maybe just move in full time.”
“A tempting offer,” Kotone yawned, her voice slightly muffled. “I might take you up on that… petit voleur… I love you.”
“I love you too.” Nagisa mumbled. He waited for a response, but all he got was steady breathing from his girlfriend, already fast asleep.
“Sweet dreams, my love.”
With those words uttered, Nagisa turned off the lamp and drifted off into slumber with his girlfriend, warm and content within her arms.