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Come in, sit down sweet angel, and I will take some of your fear…
…
So give me your fire, give me your fear
Give me your faith, when love gives you tears
Give me your heart, give me your fate
Give me your hands when love gives you hate
Give me your prayers, upon your feet
And I’ll give you a show, it helps fill the seats
So give me your sins, give me your lies, but whisper your love…
And I’ll whisper mine
And I’ll whisper mine
I’ll whisper mine
Ayaka sighed softly, slumping onto the table and letting her head hit the table with a soft thump as the track echoing in the room came to an end. Off to the side, she could hear Ren huff in mild amusement as he tossed his own pen down on the table. Ayaka glanced over at him as he stretched over the back of his chair languidly, his shirt riding up on his stomach slightly and a small noise of contentment emanating from the back of his throat.
The action was strongly reminiscent of a cat, Ayaka thought. She giggled to herself softly at the mental image of two little cat ears poking out of the top of Ren’s messy hair as he looked at her bemusedly.
“Something funny?”
“N-no,” Ayaka stammered, slightly embarrassed. “I just… thought you looked a lot like a cat.”
“Live around a cat long enough, and you start to act like one,” Ren let out an amused breath. “Finish familiarizing yourself with the song?”
“No, not fully,” Ayaka grumbled. “That bit at the end… The song feels like it ends beautifully after that guitar, but then it repeats the chorus just one more time.”
“Is that why you’re letting out a little annoyed huff every time?” Ren chuckled. “I thought it was just the tempo switch, but then again I’m not the one doing an analysis for an English song.”
“It’s just a small setback. I’ll get it eventually,” Ayaka murmured, jotting a few things down on her notebook. “How about you? How’s your studying going?”
“I’d say it’s going pretty well,” Ren nodded to himself as Ayaka wandered over. “A lot of this stuff is just theory… And I’d say it’s easier for people like us, who have firsthand experience with the subject matter.”
“I can’t believe people are actually trying to study the Metaverse, isn’t it pretty dangerous if you don’t possess a Persona to defend yourself?” Ayaka rested her head over Ren’s shoulder, her hair tickling the side of his head as she looked down at his notes. “You could die pretty easily. I might’ve, if you weren’t there…”
“Hey, no speaking about that stuff in public, remember?” Ren said absently, reaching up and running his fingers through Ayaka’s hair. “But it’s not really the subway specifically, and more so just on how Jung’s philosophy influences the world. Masks, Personas, Shadow Selves, the Collective Unconscious… I think it’s still pretty useful to understand where these come from. Makes me wonder if Jung himself was a Persona-user, way back then…”
“Hey, who’s talking about this stuff in public now?” Ayaka complained softly. “Hypocrite.”
“My bad,” Ren agreed. “Wanna go out somewhere after this? It still doesn’t feel right that you’re just holed up in a study room on your birthday, of all days.”
“It’s not that big of a deal,” Ayaka said thoughtfully. “Usually, people don’t even remember it… On the off chance my friends did remember, we’d have a small celebration, but you know we split up after high school… And now in university we’ve got finals to deal with, so there hasn’t really been that much time to celebrate. Honestly, I’m just glad that I’m not spending it alone, haha.”
“Maybe after this, we can go out somewhere, just you and me,” Ren offered. “Make a day out of it once finals are over. Maybe on Christmas, assuming nothing terrible happens.”
“I’d like that,” Ayaka said, humming contently. “I’d like that a lot.”
A knock on the door sounded, startling Ayaka and causing her head to whip around towards the door.
“Talk about catlike behaviour,” Ren teased, poking at Ayaka’s cheek. “If I stretch like a cat, you startle like one.”
“S-stuff it,” Ayaka muttered, her cheeks reddening. “Hi, can I help you?” She added, reaching over and opening the door.
“Hi, Sakai-san,” A guy that Ren vaguely recognized was at the door. Was he in Ayaka’s Music Theory lecture? “I think I have this room now? It’s 8pm. I can share it, though, I don’t mind.”
“Oh, is it that late already?” Ayaka asked, pulling out her phone. “Jeez, time really flies, huh? Now that I think about it, I am getting pretty hungry…”
“Studying while listening to a cute music student work out her troubles with an English song certainly beats studying alone,” Ren chuckled. “Of course, this is a privilege that belongs only to non-music majors.”
“I-I see. And you are?” The boy said, somewhat confrontationally. “These rooms are reserved for music majors, and you’re clearly not one.”
“I let him in, and I was using the room to continue working on my final,” Ayaka called, putting her guitar back in her case and closing her notebook. “He’s not imposing-”
“That doesn’t matter,” The boy sniffed. “These rooms are supposed to be for music students and music students only.”
“Uh-huh. I’m sure my existence in the room for a few hours has tainted it and ruined its acoustics,” Ren snorted derisively. “We’re leaving now, so you can spend your time fixing the room. Make whatever upgrades you see fit, I’ll be back tomorrow to taint it all again.”
“Wha- You-” He spluttered, outraged. “You ought to have more respect for our work! Sakai-san’s doing a particularly difficult song in another language, and she needs to focus!”
“Yes, I’m sure the scratching of my pencil dealt a great blow to her cognitive abilities,” Ren said sardonically. “Next time I’ll put a gun to my head and summon Satan to freeze the room solid, how’s that sound? She gets cold easily, you know, so that’ll certainly distract her.”
“Don’t mock me, you worthless, second-rate imbecile,” The student growled. “If you have no respect for what we’re doing, then you need to get out! You shouldn’t be around her in the first place!”
“I certainly lack respect for you,” Ren yawned, turning around. “But I do have great appreciation for Ayaka and how she helped me…” A smirk spread across Ren’s face. “De-stress.”
“Wh- HUH?! No, that can’t be. She would never…” The student trailed off, scandalized.
“Whoops. Did I say too much?” Ren grinned. “Makajama.”
The student’s head slumped down, his eyes glazing over as he stood there, motionless. Ayaka sidled up to Ren’s side, poking him in the arm.
“You really could’ve phrased that differently, you know? Calming you down during a breakdown is certainly different than what you implied,” She muttered. “What did you even do to him?”
“He’ll forget everything that happened in the last, what, five minutes? We should probably get out of here before that happens, though,” Ren shrugged. “Got everything?”
Ayaka hummed in confirmation before they set out. The pair walked in a comfortable silence, song lyrics slipping out of Ayaka’s mouth every so often as she replayed the song in her head.
“What are you planning to eat?” Ren asked, as the pair made it to Shibuya Square. There weren’t as many people as during the day, but people were still mulling about, heading towards the subways and trying to get home. “There’s still a few restaurants open, we can probably grab something.”
“I’m just worried that I’ll get too caught up in the atmosphere and lose my focus,” Ayaka murmured. “I think I’ve still got some instant noodles at home…”
“And how long have you been having instant noodles, this past week?” Ren asked suspiciously.
“Er…” Ayaka began sheepishly. “The past two days…?”
“Well, that won’t do now, will it?” Ren said lightly. “If we’re not going to a restaurant, we’re at least going down to pick up some groceries and a cake for your birthday while we’re at it. I’ll cook.”
“I can’t ask you to do that,” Ayaka protested. “Don’t you have your final to work on as well? Don’t waste that time on me…”
“Shiomi-sensei will wait for me if necessary,” Ren snorted. “I’m starting to think that she suspects me of knowing the cognitive world is real, and thus gives me more lenience on my assignments. She wants to hear what I have to say. But I’m almost done, anyway. Like I said, firsthand experience with the course material.”
“Well, if you’re sure, I’d greatly appreciate it,” Ayaka smiled. “Thanks, Ren.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
The pair made their way down to Shibuya’s underground mall, poking through shops and picking up groceries. As they finished up and stepped outside, however, snow began to fall from the sky.
“Jeez, it’s snowing now?” Ayaka shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. “It’s so cold…”
A small rustle sounded from behind her, and before she could react, something heavy draped itself over her and obscured her vision. Digging through the material, she pulled it off her head only to see Ren’s gray winter coat, bundled in her arms. She glanced back at Ren, a protest on the tip of her tongue, but Ren simply shook his head.
“You’re not good with the cold. Take it. I’ll b-hee fine, ho.”
“Are you… wait, what?” Ayaka asked, a smile spreading across her face. “What did you just say?”
“I’ve got Jack Frost on me,” Ren said embarrassedly. “I become immune to the cold, but I get drawbacks like that.”
“No wonder you don’t talk much when you have the little guy equipped,” Ayaka giggled. “I thought he might have just been overwhelmingly evil. In any case, thank you.”
Ayaka wormed her way into Ren’s long coat and immediately tucked her chin into the tall collar, closing her eyes in bliss. The coat smelled like coffee.
It smelled like Ren.
The coat was so much larger than her that her arms didn’t even reach the end of the sleeves and the bottom of the coat reached her knees, but to Ren, it was the cutest thing he’d ever seen.
“It’s so warm,” Ayaka said, her voice slightly muffled by the collar. “I understand why you like using this coat a lot.”
“It’s great, isn’t it?” Ren agreed. “You can keep using it, if you like. I’ve got another one.”
“Really?” Ayaka asked, her eyes brightening. “I’m taking you up on that offer, then! No refunds!”
Ren could only chuckle lightly at her antics as they took the subway back to her apartment. The ride was mostly quiet, the two university students exhausted from their studies, but Ayaka still hummed a few songs contently in her new, oversized coat.
“Sorry, my apartment’s been getting kind of full with music stuff lately,” Ayaka apologized, unlocking the door. “Haven’t had much time to clean up due to exams.”
“My best friend and my little sister’s places are both extraordinarily messy, so I’m quite used to it,” Ren chuckled. “As long as you have a stove and a place to eat, I’m set.”
“Then, welcome in,” Ayaka smiled. “Certainly is a happier occasion than last time, huh?”
“True,” Ren agreed. “I’m still endlessly grateful for what you’ve done for me. As long as you have need of me, I’m yours.”
Ren swept through the door, oblivious to the rising colour beginning to dust Ayaka’s cheeks. She shut the door quietly behind them, heading to the living room to drop her stuff onto the couch. Ren headed to the kitchen, hauling the groceries onto the countertop, beginning to wash and cook.
As the stove turned on and something began to sizzle, Ayaka melted into the couch, immersing herself in the homey atmosphere. It had been quite a while since Ren had last been over, and that hadn’t exactly been on the kindest of circumstances. But now, with Ren bustling about in the kitchen, cooking food while she relaxed on the sofa after studying like hell for her finals…
Well, it felt quite domestic.
It had been quite a while since their first meeting, when they crossed paths in Shibuya that one day. She didn’t recognize him, but he’d stayed almost the entire day, simply listening to her music. After that, he came almost every day she played, only missing a few days due to what she now knew was his work with the Phantom Thieves.
And now she was a part of them! Granted, she was their newest member, and it came as quite a shock to know that their ranks were composed mainly of… high school students. Ren was the oldest among them, and he was only a few months older than she was. Some were particularly famous as well. Kotone Montagne, the world-class figure skater, Riko Tanemura, the heiress to the UMETANE corporation, and Shoki Ikenami, a pretty well-known Italian actor… It almost blew her mind. Seeing so many people come together to fight for the greater good of humanity was inspiring and eye-opening, and she, too, decided to play her part on the world stage. Fighting next to them, finding purpose in daily life and rebelling against the general lack of desire in the populace…
Well, her guitar, her music, and her voice saw a definite uptick in intensity after she joined the Phantom Thieves of Desires.
At some point, Ayaka must have dozed off, because she was woken by Ren shaking her shoulder gently. As she opened her eyes blearily, her own green eyes met Ren’s piercing, gray ones, and she averted her eyes shyly.
“I was worried you’d be too sleepy to eat,” Ren chuckled softly, sitting back down. “Food’s ready.”
Ayaka blinked a couple times to clear her vision, focusing on the food that Ren had prepared. A platter of sashimi glistened under the warm light of her apartment, bowls of rice and miso soup off to the side. A platter of chicken karaage also stood next to the sashimi, and a small bowl of tokoroten noodles sat in front of her. As the final cherry on top, the strawberry cake they had picked out from the bakery down in the underground mall sat at the end of the table.
“You made all this?” Ayaka asked, sitting up straight. “In, what, just an hour? It looks so good…”
“Just because curry’s my best dish doesn’t mean I’m no good at others,” Ren grinned. “I’ve gotten particularly good at sashimi to satisfy my cat… If Mona wants his sashimi, he’s not gonna let me rest until he gets it. The chicken karaage was the more difficult part.”
“...Can you come over more often?” Ayaka asked, half-joking. “I’m not sure what exactly I can offer in return, but I can pay for the ingredients.”
“Your presence is the only payment I’ll need,” Ren chuckled. “Seeing you happy makes it all worth it.”
“I- I see,” Ayaka said, color dusting her cheeks once again. How could he say such things so casually? Didn’t he know that was bad for her heart? “U-uhm… Well, I suppose I’ll just call you next time!”
“I eagerly await it,” Ren smiled, bowing his head. “As of now, let’s not let the food get cold. If you would?”
“Ah, right!” Ayaka said. “Itadakimasu!”
“Itadakimasu!”
The pair ate quietly, small hums of content emanating from Ayaka every so often and a huff of satisfaction coming from Ren. All too soon, Ayaka’s chopsticks clinked softly against the last piece of fatty tuna, all the other bowls empty and leaving the cake standing alone.
“Maybe on second thought, I shouldn’t call you that often,” Ayaka sighed. “If I have this kind of cooking every day, I’m going to gain weight…”
“I can always mix it up,” Ren chuckled. “Dad taught me everything he knows about cooking, and he’s a damn good chef. I’ll make sure to impress.”
“Then, I look forward to what you make.” Ayaka grinned.
“You can count on it,” Ren nodded, taking the strawberry cake out and setting it on the table. He stuck a little candle into the centre of the cake and lit it with a small Agi. “Any birthday wishes?”
Ayaka hummed in thought, tapping her chin. “I suppose a standard ‘Here’s to a better year’ wouldn’t be remiss?”
“Pretty general,” Ren shrugged. “But with the world the way it is… I’d say it’s desperately needed, hah.”
Ayaka simply hummed in acknowledgement, making her wish silently before blowing the magically-lit candle out. As the tiny bit of smoke wafted upwards, she cut into the small cake, portioning out a piece between herself and the boy across from her.
The cake was sweet, and the strawberries on top even more so. Ayaka let out a soft moan of satisfaction as she swallowed the cake, the sweetness making her slightly drowsy.
It definitely beat instant noodles.
“Happy birthday, Ayaka,” Ren smiled softly, taking a bite of his own slice. “Here’s to another year.”
Out of seemingly nowhere, Ren produced a bottle of plum wine from UMETANE. “I asked Riko for a favor. Typically, she wouldn’t have allowed it, but Amrita Drop allows us a certain… leniency, if you will.”
“Are you sure?” Ayaka asked. “I wouldn’t want to get drunk, or anything…”
“We’ll only have a small cup,” Ren replied. “Just as a small celebration, between the two of us. After all, life can’t only be about studies and phantom thieving, right? You gotta kick back, enjoy life, and take your time.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Ayaka laughed quietly. “Sure, a small glass, then.”
Ren poured out a small amount of plum wine into two small, ornate cups before handing one to Ayaka. Ren raised his cup in a toast, Ayaka mirroring his actions.
“To a liberated tomorrow,” Ren toasted. “Unchained, truthful, and in the hands of humanity.”
Ayaka echoed him, swallowing the plum wine in one smooth gulp. The alcohol burned the back of her throat slightly, but the sweetness of the plum mostly overpowered it, leaving a pleasant aftertaste.
“That’s… pretty good,” Ayaka said, surprised. “Thanks for that.”
“No worries,” Ren said, beginning to clean the table. “I’ll leave the bottle here, but if you’re going to drink, make sure to drink responsibly, okay?”
“I won’t drink it without you,” Ayaka promised, getting up. “It wouldn’t be the same.”
Ren chuckled warmly as he washed the dishes, watching Ayaka’s form retreat deeper into the apartment. He hummed quietly to himself as he washed the dishes, the actions mundane and familiar. As he finished washing the final plate and left it on the drying rack, Ayaka emerged from her room, wrapped up in an oversized white shirt and a towel wrapped around her hair.
“The shower’s free, you can go ahead and use it,” Ayaka yawned. “I’ll wait for you here.”
“Wh- It’s quite alright,” Ren said, flushing slightly. “I can head home, it’s really no worries.”
“In that?” Ayaka asked, pointing out the window. To Ren’s surprise the snow had almost become a blizzard, snowflakes the size of small marbles falling from the sky at an astonishing rate.
“Y’know, for someone that’s usually really perceptive, this is kind of a dumb mistake,” Ayaka giggled. “You can stay the night, I don’t mind.”
“Well, maybe I was distracted by a certain someone,” Ren answered smoothly, adjusting his glasses. “Sure, I’ll stay. Since you’re so insistent.”
Ayaka averted her eyes shyly, but a grin spread itself across her face regardless. As Ren retreated into the washroom, Ayaka took the time to put the wine bottle away in one of her cabinets. As she did, however, she noticed a couple of cards and a small package on the table with her name on it, with the sender being listed as Ren.
Opening it curiously, she unveiled a small box containing a bright yellow guitar pick, reminiscent of the ones she used in the Metaverse. The other was a gift card to the music store that she worked at, down in Kichijoji.
“Ah, you’ve found them.”
Ayaka turned with a jolt, Ren having snuck up behind her with nary a sound. His hair was messy as always, but in his loose sleepwear, Ayaka couldn’t help but find him adorable.
“You really are like a cat, you know that?” Ayaka pouted. “You make no sound when you move whatsoever.”
“It helps with being a stellar Phantom Thief,” Ren agreed. “I forgot to give those to you, but it seems you beat me to it. Happy Birthday.”
“You really didn’t have to…” Ayaka murmured, holding the two small packages close to her chest. “But thank you so much for the gift! I'll perform with this pick all the time, so I hope you'll come listen to me play.”
“I always come to listen to you play regardless,” Ren grinned. He sat down next to her on the sofa, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes in bliss. Ren wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and the next thing Ren knew, Ayaka had dozed off, out like a light.
The woes of a university student, indeed.
“Happy Birthday, Ayaka. Thank you.”