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It was the middle of September in Tokyo. The trees in Shibuya Station Square were beginning to turn different shades of yellow and orange and losing their leaves, symbolising the ever present cycle of change. However, one element in the square remained constant; that being the sound of a certain guitar strumming girl playing her heart out in the middle of the square. Ayaka Sakai's heavenly voice and skillfully played music notes echoed throughout Shibuya, chasing the silence away with a divine melody that would stay in everyone's heads for hours on end. She would be joined by a red haired boy to help perform her most recently written song, Wonder Light. Nagisa's presence gave her confidence and comfort, as well as a much needed bassline. No one knew, however, the secret meaning the song had. To others, they were simply friends, wanting to share their musical prowess to the world and brighten everyone's day. That, however, was a gross oversimplification of reality.
They were madly in love with each other, spending every evening they could together. Somehow, they managed to hide their relationship really well, despite there not being any stakes to it, but they decided they didn't want to make a big deal out of it, especially considering it could make things awkward when with their other friends or when they went on missions as the Phantom Thieves, the very same who had been making an uproar as of late.
The only people who knew they were together were Ritsuka Takanashi, who as the band club vice president at Nagisa's school wanted to know who was the girl he kept bringing when none of the other members were around, and Riko Tanemura, who had unintentionally forced the information out of him after an interrogation on the events of July 7th out of concern. That night was when Ayaka and Nagisa had fallen in love, though through a rather... unconventional method. After all, how often did you hear about two people falling for each other during an intense makeout session in a love hotel, all caused by a giant heart shaped Shadow? They spent a lot of time talking and ironing out the details, however, making sure they both wanted to go ahead with this, and their feelings for each other felt and grew more natural with each passing day.
The guitar notes slowly faded as the song came to a close. The lovers gave a little bow as the small crowd surrounding them clapped, seemingly satisfied with the performance. As people dispersed and they started packing up, Ayaka's stomach rumbled slightly, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since morning. Nagisa, having heard it, looked at her with a small smile.
"Feeling hungry, hmm? Let me guess, you haven't eaten anything since morning, right?"
Ayaka blushed slightly. She could never understand how his intuition could pick up on the little things.
"How do you always know stuff like this? Am I that predictable?" she replied with an embarrassed laugh, "but yeah, I'm feeling a little peckish, didn't have time to eat at college today."
Nagisa only held out his hand in response.
"In that case, I know a place in Yongen that serves excellent curry. Shall we? It would be wrong to leave the love of my life hungry like that."
Ayaka returned his gesture with a smile, eyes sparkling, and took his hand, intertwining their fingers.
"We should probably leave our instruments in the band club room at your school first, yeah? For once I don't really feel like lugging my guitar across Tokyo and back, and I can always go grab it tomorrow."
-----
A while later, they're standing in front of a small café in the backstreets of Yongen Jaya, the sign above the entrance reading "Leblanc Coffee and Curry". The sign on the door was flipped to Open, but it seemed like no one was inside except for a young man with unkempt black hair and glasses sitting at the counter, reading a newspaper.
"This is the place. Quaint and quiet, right?"
Nagisa looked over at Ayaka, who squeezed his hand slightly.
"Yeah, looks great! I come to Yongen a lot cause of the cinema, but I never knew this was hiding in the backstreets. How'd you find such a place?"
"I know the guy behind the counter. He's also a Phantom Thief, or rather was. Settled down after he got rich off the Shadows in Mementos."
Ayaka tilted her head in slight confusion.
"Did he sell Konpaku Gems to get rich quick or something?"
"No, apparently they dropped cold hard yen after he defeated them. Don't tell the others or they'll break down in shock."
"I can't blame them. Imagine how easily we could solve any financial issues if the Shadows we fought dropped money too."
"Would be wonderful, right? But that's something we can discuss over a plate of curry."
The couple entered the cafe and were immediately greeted by the bespectacled young man.
"Welcome to Leblanc- oh, it's you, Nagisa. Good to see you. Here to taste test another one of my culinary creations, or-" Ren's monologue stopped dead in its tracks when he noticed Ayaka standing beside his good friend. He looked at Nagisa, then Ayaka, then back to Nagisa before pushing his glasses up and smirking.
"Ah, I see. My apologies, I was unaware you would be bringing company today. I know just the dishes that'll satisfy your appetites. Feel free to seat yourselves in any of the booths, your food will be ready in a bit. Coffee will additionally be served to you shortly."
As Ren got to work behind the counter, the pair sat down in the furthest booth, as it gave them the most privacy in case someone else came in. Ayaka lowered her voice to a whisper and leaned over the table.
"He seems a little eccentric, doesn't he?"
Nagisa couldn't help but grin, reminding himself of his first encounter with Ren during the infiltration of that strange castle Palace with Lufel, Motoha and Shun. Joker was quite a flashy Phantom Thief, taking down Shadows with style rather than efficiency. At the time, it was almost impossible to believe his claim to have not entered the Metaverse in months.
"Very, you'll get used to it. It's a mixture of being charming and a showoff, but his skills in both cooking and thieving are the real deal. Trust me on this one."
The conversation shifted back and forth between the two while they waited for their food, from music related topics to classic movies to their earlier conversation about the Mementos Shadows dropping money, with Ren serving them coffee in between (which Ayaka dubbed the best cup she had ever drank, much to Ren's delight).
Finally, after a good few minutes of Ren working his magic and a debate over which of the Phantom Thieves would have the worst breakdown at finding out that Shadows could drop money (they had settled on Riko, despite there being a very good case made for Motoha), two plates of fragrant curry were brought out by Ren.
"May I introduce you to two plates of Neo Leblanc Curry, one topped with tonkatsu, the other torikatsu, made with love for two lovebirds that decided to perch on this branch of Yongen-Jaya. I hope you enjoy your food."
The two blushed slightly, not accustomed to their relationship being acknowledged by others. Ren gave them his usual smirk and turned to Nagisa for one last word.
"I decided to omit the honey this time, but my regulars have been enjoying it. Thanks for that tip. I have a feeling I hit bullseye with these plates, though, so don't worry about missing the full package."
Nagisa simply nodded in response and turned to Ayaka, who he could tell was just about ready to dig in. He could feel his stomach crying for food too, so he picked up his spoon and took his first bite. Immediately, he could feel the savoury sauce flood his taste buds with a tsunami of flavour, delicious, but not overwhelming. Ren had nailed the dish perfectly, and judging by Ayaka's reaction, she was absolutely over the moon. The katsu on both plates was fried to perfection as well, emitting a satisfying crunch when bit into.
They were well into eating their portions when Ayaka raised her spoon a little higher than normal.
"You gotta try this tonkatsu, it's to die for!"
She guides the spoon towards Nagisa, wanting him to taste the food. Although a little embarrassed at being spoonfed, he did take the bite, and could feel himself ascending at the taste, the tender pork filling his mouth with juicy goodness.
"...mmm, holy crap, that is good. You gotta try this, too."
He decided to return the favour, taking a portion of the torikatsu on his spoon and feeding her with it. He had trouble holding back a chuckle when her eyes rolled back upon tasting the food. Everything was simply perfect, and it wasn't just the food he was thinking about. It soothed his heart to see her having such a great time.
After the two had finally finished their food, Ayaka moved seats and sat beside Nagisa. He wrapped his arm around her as she rested her head against his shoulder, stomach filled and heart content.
"Ahh, that was so delicious, but I can't eat another bite. I could probably fall asleep right now."
Nagisa smiled gently, fixing his gaze on the girl he loved so dearly.
"I feel the same... how about we head back to my place and get a little comfier there?"
Ayaka looked up at him, peering into his scarlet eyes, crystal clear as polished rubies.
"I think... I'd like that very much. Promise me that we can lay just like this when we get there?"
"Absolutely."
Nagisa turned to Ren, who after thoroughly washing all his pots had gone back to silently reading the newspaper (a habit he had picked up from the man who taught him all he knew) while occasionally glancing at the pair.
"Ren, how much do I owe you?"
Ren set aside the newspaper and flashed him a somehow even sneakier smirk than usual.
"Today's meal is on the house. Your delighted expressions are all the payment I need. Reminds me that I need to give Sumi a call soon..."
Nagisa's eyes widened and he simply nodded in gratitude, willing to leave it at that. Ayaka, however, had one question for the boss of Leblanc.
"How did you get the Shadows in Mementos to drop yen?"
Ren shrugged. He admittedly didn't have a clue, but he wanted to keep his little charming facade going.
"Hah, I'll choke that one down to a Trickster's secret. Maybe I'll tell you someday."
-----
As the couple were taking the train to Zoshigaya, Nagisa came up with one last idea to end the night on a high note. He had recently become fascinated with the concept of slow dancing, its elegance catching his interest. He thought that maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to spend a few minutes doing it with Ayaka in his embrace. However, he had no clue as to what she thought about it, so he decided to drop the question before they arrived.
"Hey, Ayaka? What do you think of slow dancing?"
Ayaka put her hand to her chin and started thinking. She never really thought about it once she graduated high school.
"Hmm, can't say I ever thought too much about it, but it seems fine enough. I know how to do some basic steps, more or less, but that's about it. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, uh... no reason, my mind just happened to start wandering-"
"You mean it started wondering?"
She flashed him a cheeky grin, seemingly proud of her little pun. Nagisa couldn't help but smile.
"...sure, yeah, let's go with that."
He was fully satisfied with her answer, now he just needed to find a good moment to clear the living room and let the music carry them from there.
-----
The small talk continued until they finally got to Nagisa's house, where after arriving they kicked off their shoes and flopped onto the sofa upstairs in Nagisa's room, finding themselves in the same position they were in before leaving Leblanc. Ayaka sighed contently as her head rested against Nagisa's shoulder once again, the rest of her body curling up.
"You were right, this is much better than when we were in Leblanc."
"Indeed, especially now that no one's watching, I can finally do this..."
Nagisa guided her head to look at him, staring into the verdant green eyes that he could never get enough of, and leaned in. Their lips connected, and they shared a moment of pure, uninhibited love, hidden away from the world's prying eyes. His tongue gently swept across her lower lip, sending shivers down her spine. She slowly broke away from the kiss, needing to catch her breath, but still longing for more.
"You've gotten much better since July. Feels like we can finally stand on this stage as equals."
"Then why the intermission? The crowd is demanding an encore, we shouldn't keep them waiting..."
Ayaka placed a hand on Nagisa's cheek and just stared at him, studying the features of his face. As much as she wanted to lean back in...
"What sort of show would this be without a little suspense? As much as I hate to keep the crowd waiting, there are times where it is needed."
With that said, she got up and headed to a different room, presumably to freshen up. Nagisa watched her leave, then immediately stood up and headed downstairs to quickly rearrange what living room furniture he could move out of the way in the span of a few minutes. He thought there'd be a lot more to move, but all he had to do was move the zabutons and table behind the kitchen counter, which took a lot less effort than he was expecting.
His dance floor was ready. All that was needed was to set the music, and he had the perfect song in mind. Once he heard Ayaka moving about upstairs, he asked her to come downstairs for a minute. When she was nearly downstairs, Nagisa started playing "Stand By Me" (the Florence and the Machine edition) from his phone. Her eyes widened slightly, seeing him standing in the middle of the now empty living room, not knowing what he had in store for her. She was snapped out of her dazed state by Nagisa reaching out his hand to her.
"Forgive me for the surprise but... my lady, would you honour me with an evening dance?"
Ayaka could feel herself turning red trying to process his request. How could any girl resist such a romantic gesture? His unusual way of asking did amuse her, however, reminding her of Ren's way of speaking when they had visited Leblanc earlier, so she decided to play along with his gentlemanly tone, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Very well, I shall indulge your little request. You would do well to not disappoint me."
The two met each other in the middle of the room, Nagisa placing his right hand on her back, Ayaka placing her left hand on his right shoulder. Lastly, their free hands clasped together, fulfilling the conditions needed to begin.
When the night has come...
As the first words of Stand By Me began playing, they started moving, one foot to the left, other foot meets it, one foot forward, other foot to the right and so on, completing a simple box step.
And the land is dark...
And the moon is the only light we'll see...
Their gazes were locked into each other's eyes, unwilling... no, unable to look away. All that mattered to them was that they were together, dancing in each other's embrace, as if time itself had slowed down to let this moment last forever. As luck would have it, rain started to fall outside, adding to the ambience of the scene.
No, I won't be afraid...
Oh, I won't be afraid...
Just as long as you stand, stand by me...
Their steps slowed as the singer's voice rose, reducing their movement to a simple sway while the chorus played, seeking to enjoy this moment of closeness. Ayaka's head rested against his shoulder, closing the distance between them. Nagisa felt that he had to say what he was feeling at that very moment. He completely dropped the gentleman charade and spoke what his heart was telling him.
"I love you, Ayaka."
She looked up at him, processing what she had just heard. She realised that in their two months of dating, they had never actually told each other that. Tears of joy started forming in her eyes as she lifted her head to look into Nagisa's scarlet eyes.
"I-I... I love you too, Nagisa..."
The dance continued, with the pair doing a turn before returning to their box step once the second verse started, passion engulfing them both.
As the song drew to a close, their steps slowed down to a complete halt, just embracing each other as the music started to fade, leaving only the gentle pitter-patter of the rain preventing the silence from taking over. Ayaka's eyes were slightly misty, yet she could not allow herself to cry during the happiest moment of her life. When Nagisa reached to gently wipe those tears away, however, she could feel herself breaking down. She pulled him in for an electrifying kiss, not wanting to let any tears fall farther than she allowed them to. Nagisa, of course, reciprocated, pulling her in closer to deepen what was already the most passionate kiss they had ever shared, her lips tasting like the divine ambrosia of the gods above. Once they finally pulled back, Ayaka lead Nagisa upstairs to his room, pulled him down onto his bed and wrapped her arms around him.
"Don't move, I need this. I haven't been so sure of what I felt in ages, and I hope this isn't just a dream I'm having."
Nagisa immediately understood what she meant and simply stayed there, letting her snuggle up to him. Never in a million years could he have imagined that the girl standing in the middle of Shibuya strumming her guitar would go from an acquaintance, to a close friend and fellow Phantom Thief, to a lover, to the person who mattered most to him, and she was laying right beside him, eyes closed, having fallen asleep while embracing him. This day couldn't have ended in a better way, and before he could form another thought, he drifted off to sleep as well.