2025-09-25: A Storm Brewing
- Log: 2025-09-25 A Storm Brewing in Their Hearts
- Cast: Ren Amamiya, Minako Arisato
- Where: Cafe Leblanc - Yongen-Jaya - Tokyo
- OOC Date: September 25, 2025
- IC Date: Monday, July 16, 2012
- Summary: While Minako and Ren are chatting and having/serving coffee at Leblanc, a sudden storm blows in. It's heading up towards Port Island, so the sooner Minako leaves, the better, but she forgot her umbrella at home. Obviously the only solution is for Ren to give her their own--and walk her to the station, too. This confirms Minako's feelings, and she asks them an important question at the end... One that will need to wait until after finals for an answer.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's week-before-finals-week, which means Ren should be studying!
Ren is not studying. They are, in fact, part-timing at Leblanc and, more specifically, chatting with and smiling at one Minako Arisato as they serve her another cup of coffee.
It's not like they don't care about their grades. They're keenly aware of how any little excuse could be made to expel them--something that got them to eke out at least middling grades on midterms--and so it would be very bad to flunk their first semester finals. It's just, well...
Studying is boring. And serving coffee to a cute girl is interesting. And he's been made to part-time at Leblanc this afternoon anyway, so what's the harm if he waits until evening to crack out the books?
From atop the fridge, Morgana is totally giving them the stink-eye... and in their mind's eye, the Boss is no better. Yeah, they'll have to buckle down and use their desk for actual studying later...
For now, though, Ren sets the carafe back in its proper place. "So you and your friends do group study sessions, huh?" they remark. "That's nice. It's always easier to study when you've got someone to do it with." At least, that helps shave off the 'boring' aspect of it. "Seems like a bad time to go to another city for coffee, but I guess it's still the start of the week..."
A rumble outside interrupts them. Ren's smile fades as they glance at the door. It's gotten awfully dark, awfully quick. "Looks like that storm's rolling in," they remark--knowingly, because the weather forecast just played on the TV not too long ago. "You're sure you shouldn't get going?"
She doesn't visibly have an umbrella, but Ren figures she's just keeping it in her schoolbag.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
"Mm-hm. We study together in our dorm. Though, some people contribute more than others. Iori-kun maybe isn't the best student," Minako says -- with a wink and a good-natured smile. She might be saying Junpei isn't the best at school, but she isn't knocking him. Besides, she is only a little bit ahead of Junpei.
She shifts a little -- when she hears the rumble of thunder -- and looks away. For a second, she catches Morgana and is sure that Ren's cat is glowering at them. Then, though, she looks back at him.
She hesitates for a second. Then, Minako has a sheepish smile on her face. "I, uh, forgot my umbrella." She looks out the window. "...not the best timing, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren chuckles as Minako admits that some of her friends are better at contributing than others. "I have a friend like that," they say, thinking of Ryuji. ...Though in fairness, they and Ann aren't a ton better. They're not totally sure of how good Yusuke, Haru, or Kasumi are at their schoolwork, but Makoto is definitely top tier... Maybe they could ask her for study tips at some point.
From atop Leblanc's fridge, the white tip of Morgana's tail twitches. That glower is now more of a pointed look when Minako admits she forgot her umbrella, just before the telltale sound of an absolute downpour sounds.
"...definitely not," Ren replies. "Well, there's no need to rush. The weather said it'd last a while, but maybe it'll be wrong?"
The weather also said the storm would move north towards Port Island, which is not great for Minako either way...
"At least give it until you finish your cup," they suggest. "And if it's still raining... I've got an umbrella you can borrow."
Obviously that's the gentlemanly thing to do, Morgana. Ren knows that.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako smiles at that, her chin in her hand. She doesn't quite know, of course. Even if she might have the same reservations Ren may well have, when she speaks: "Maybe I could meet him some day."
She smiles a thim, when she says it. Then, there is a glance out the window, and back at Ren. "I'll definitely finish my cup," she says, having another sip. "It's moving up to Port Island, though, from what the news said."
She sighs. Then, she blinks -- and looks at him. Her head tilts to the side. What Yukari said to her -- what they talked about, and Minako's own uncertainty that she wants to date -- comes to her. But rather than reflect on it, she grins at him.
"Well," she says. "If you wanted to share an umbrella and walk to the station... I wouldn't say no."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Sure. He'd like you--but he likes most pretty girls. He's that type," Ren replies, a bit of mischief to their grin. "I'd warn you to watch out for his flirting, but somehow I doubt you'd mind that."
She is, after all, a friendly, sometimes flirty kind of girl. Ren doesn't mind that at all. It makes it more comfortable for them to flirt too, like they just did, and besides, it's fun to be a girl who's comfortable with teasing boys. That's the kind of girl they'd like to be--if they had the courage to openly be a girl when they're feeling it... Alas, for that, they're currently lacking in Guts and Charm. One day...
"True," Ren replies, glancing at the TV. "If you wait too long, you might end up rained on here and there." So, after finishing her cup, it might be best to get moving after all. At least the train stop's right around the corner. It's a little farther from Iwatodai Station to Minako's dorm--at least, that's the impression they have when she showed them around town a while back.
They catch her eye as she's looking at them. They blink back over at her--and when she grins, they smile back. It's very easy to smile at Minako. This is one who has Guts and Charm in spades--not that Ren is lacking in either, but sometimes 'a lot' is still not enough.
Case in point: the way she directly suggests they share that umbrella over to the station. Ren blinks again, openly startled by her daring... but not in a bad way. Indeed, they grin again, eyes crinkling. "Let's do it, then," they say.
She'll have time to finish up her coffee, and they'll have time to fetch their umbrella from upstairs... The cafe was already almost empty, and they're definitely not getting any customers right now. It'll be fine if the shop's closed for the next ten minutes or so.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
"Amamiya-san," Minako says, with a little mock gasp. "Me? Flirt? Surely, sir, you jest!"
Then she laughs, and she knows that is absolutely a joke. She winks at him and then there is a look at the television screen. Her eyes widen a little as she catches a snippet of the forecast. Then, she looks back at Ren. She watches him, carefully. She said it as a joke, but it wasn't entirely.
But a joke made it a question -- and a way that Ren could say no without it being too awkward.
But when he says let's do it, her cheeks turn a little pink. It is a romantic trope. But, she also doesn't walk it back. In fact, she smiles a little more. "Well, then. I don't mind waiting a little bit, if you don't."
She takes a sip from her cup -- and it's only got about a third left now. "It won't put you out, though?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren laughs--quietly, but genuinely--along with Minako. "I know, I know, it normally seems so out of character for you," they reply, dark eyes sparkling behind their glasses. "But somehow I get this sense you've got a bit of a wild side, Arisato-san."
And, all jesting aside... they like a wild side in their datemates.
They also like someone who can commit to being bold and daring. They see Minako start to blush, but she doesn't backpedal or get embarrassed. She simply agrees to go along with it.
"I don't," they reassure her. But... it won't put them out? They pause a bit, nonplussed. Usually they're a decently good read of people, if they do say so themself, but... "What do you mean?"
(Surely she couldn't mean having to go out in a raging downpour, even for a few minutes... No, Ren's first thought is that she means 'It won't put you out to act lovey-dovey when we're just kidding around?'--but they'd like to make sure of that first.)
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Ren's laugh gets a giggle out of Minako. She tilts her head to the side, and she does a little wave of her hand. Waving Ren off, even as she agrees.
"Well..."
What does she mean?
It's an offer to back out, because it is a romantic overture. And, more than that, she isn't sure someone would want to date her -- or do something like that with her -- despite what Yukari said. She hesitates for a second.
"...You know, if you had something to do. But it's not so far, is it?" she asks, with her head tilted. "And--you said you don't mind waiting."
She has another sip.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Oh, I see," Ren says, looking around at the mostly-empty cafe. They are technically on the clock, and even if it's only ten minutes, it might annoy the Boss for them to step out without permission. If a regular came running by to try to get out of the rain and have a hot drink to warm them up, it would suck for them to come to a CLOSED sign, too. Ren (thinks he) gets what Minako is trying to say.
...What the hell, it's only ten minutes. And even if it means leaving the shop, Ren doesn't think Sojiro would be that mad if the reason is because they were seeing a lady friend safely to the train station. They looks back at her with a smile. "I did," they reply. "And I meant it."
A beat. They glance down at Minako's cup. "On that note--be right back," they say, and move to head upstairs to fetch theirs. It's a clear plastic umbrella, leaning on the side of the stairs just as one reaches the attic. It'll take them less than a minute to grab it. (There's an umbrella stand near the doorway, of course, but that's for customers. ...Ren assumes.)
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako smiles a little more at Ren, when he says he meant it. If there is one thing she likes in someone she is interested in, it's the confidence and charm. And he has that -- and it makes her smile, as she looks at him.
"I'm glad, then," she says, and she takes another sip of her drink. She smiles again, and nods. She looks back down at her drink. Minako closes her eyes for a second.
A little voice whispers to her: she isn't cut out for this. She will mess this up. She doesn't know what she wants.
But it feels nice.
So she finishes the coffee with a gulp. She puts the cup down, with a small clatter on the plate it came with. Then, she stands up, so when Ren comes back, she'll be waiting for him.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It does feel nice, doesn't it? It feels nice to have someone attractive flirt with you; not only is it flattering, it gives you permission to flirt back. There's one other person in Ren's life who's like that, and that's...
... ...well, anyway.
Ren returns from upstairs in less than a minute, as promised. They still have their Leblanc apron on; it being a school day, they have their school turtleneck and slacks on underneath. They join her with a smile, then look out the glass door.
"It really hasn't let up at all, huh," they remark. It looks like the wind's blowing the rain towards the street, so... "Allow me."
They open the door and open the umbrella, then hold both for Minako as they look at her. Morgana gives them both a tiny nod of approval. He'll hold down the fort for them. (Never mind that Morgana is not technically supposed to be in the store.)
"Hold your bag close. You don't want it getting soaked," they say. They'll stick close to her once they leave at whatever pace Minako sets--and position their body so the rain has to hit them first as they head to the station. (They're taller, and they live right here. It's only right.)
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako smooths her Gekkoukan uniform out, just a little bit. She pats out the skirt; it's more of a nervous motion given that she expects to go out in the rain. To say nothing of the fact that once she gets back to Port Island, she won't have an umbrella.
"Nope," she says. She shakes her head -- and follows after Ren. She cracks a smile when he steps up first. "Why, thank you!"
She steps through the door, with a brief glance at Morgana. She waves once at him. "Be good, Morgana!" she calls out. "I'll see you next time!"
She looks back at Ren, then, and she nods. She hugs her bag close -- and then she steps close to him. Enough that she flusters; she hasn't really stepped so close to someone she's attracted to--er, a guy--before.
"Got it," she says. She takes a pace that isn't super fast, but not as slow as it could be. That would be asking Ren to get soaked.
She laughs a little. "I really did forget my umbrella, for the record. This wasn't some scheme."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Morgana opens his mouth as if to answer Minako--
*yawwwnnn*
...Well, obviously. Of course he was just yawning and not covering up an instant where he was about to answer for real. He's a cat, and cats don't talk, silly!
Sharing an umbrella does mean they have to stick close. That's the nature of umbrella-sharing, and how it became a romantic trope in Japan in the first place. Not going too fast means less splashing in puddles, too. The pace means that Ren can hook the umbrella around Minako's shoulders and point it in the direction of oncoming rain and wind, too. They're going to get somewhat soaked no matter what, but at least it's not too bad this way.
"Oh? You weren't desperately hoping to connive me into sharing my umbrella with you?" Ren teases. "Don't worry, I know. It puts you above someone else I know," they add dryly.
If it were Akechi, it would DEFINITELY be a scheme.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Morgana's yawn gets a genuine giggle out of Minako. "It's almost like he was going to talk to me," she says with a laugh.
But it's just a joke.
She does glance up at him -- and she fights a smile back when he says that. The closeness is quite nice. That actually surprises her, for a second. But, she finds she does like being close like this, and the fact it's with him.
But then she smiles a little bit more. "I'm afraid," she says, "that deviousness isn't one of my strong suits. I'm more of a dive right in sort."
And that isn't even a lie.
"So no conniving from me."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Morgana's like that sometimes," Ren remarks with wry humor. (Morgana is scratching his face with one of his back paws and definitely not looking at Ren anymore.) "It's part of his charm."
But it is a joke--because that's the kind of relationship they have, isn't it? Both of them are normal people to the other--and they have a trek to the train station to make. At least the station itself is covered--Minako will be dry once she's there, and once she gets on the train. But once she gets to Port Island, well... Not to mention the transfer she'll have to make at Shibuya Station. Always a daunting proposition, even without heavy rain.
Minako says: no conniving from her. Ren's smile widens as they nod once. "It's part of your charm," they reply.
Unlike someone else who's absolutely irritating in between being absolutely intriguing... Minako feels like (emphasis on "feels like") a very straightforward person. It reminds Ren of Ryuji and Ann, and they like that. Not necessarily romantically, but...
Well, it's like she said, right? This wasn't a scheme. This is just a friend helping another friend get to the train station dry. Anything else... is just kidding around. Lighthearted teasing and whatnot.
Even if Ren would not necessarily go this far for all their friends.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
"I can see that," Minako says, with a smile.
They are normal people to each other. And that's what Minako wants -- someone where she isn't the co-leader of SEES, where she can be close without admitting that there is a twenty-fifth hour to the day and a tower full of Shadows, and someone who sees her for who she is. Or, maybe, who she could have been.
If life happened differently.
She brightens up at that -- even if her cheeks turn pink again. That compliment got through some of her armor of being charming and confident. She laughs -- and one hand brushes a little bit of her hair back from her forehead.
"My charm?" she asks. "You know... I'm glad you think I'm charming."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren enjoys their abnormal life, of course. Being a Phantom Thief is a delicious thrill--the thing that helps them get through their regular normal life. But there's another aspect to their "normal" life--the fact that 95% of the school body is terrified of them and avoids them as much as they can. They have good friends--trustworthy allies--so it's not as bad as it could be...
The fact that Minako is (as far as Ren knows) a totally normal person and believes in their innocence means a lot. Maybe Haru or Kasumi, who also believe in him despite the rumors, could have made it to a similar spot... but they're both in or at least associated with the Phantom Thieves now. They have Justice to seek out and enact, even though the world's against them. Even though one wrong step means everything comes crashing down.
Minako... lets them be a normal high school student. The kind they'd be if they hadn't gotten arrested and falsely convicted.
It's nice. And it's reassuring.
And it's also a healthy ego boost when she blushes again. Ren's smile blooms into a grin. "Who wouldn't?" they joke. Maybe that would actually detract from the moment, implying that this is something anyone would think--
But then the wind picks up, and Ren stops and pivots to both point the umbrella towards it and also shield Minako from some of that sideswiping rain. This does means that they bump into her, though.
"Sorry--you okay?" they ask, sincere concern breaking through the banter. "It's just a little further, thankfully. Straight down this road."
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako almost starts to pout. It's a good-natured almost pout, but it's cut short when the wind suddenly picks up. She feels it just before she gets soaked -- and then she blinks, as Ren moves so deftly to insert himself and the umbrella. And he bumps into her... and she laughs.
Which might be an answer.
"Never better," she answers, with a smile. She actually bumps Ren in kind -- a brief one -- and then she smiles, and looks ahead at the road. It's straight ahead; she can see the outline of the train station.
And she feels a little sad to see it. They're not far now.
She doesn't let that slip through so much. "Mm," she murmurs. "Nope, not so far now. And you, you've handled that umbrella like a pro."
A beat.
"You know, if there's such a thing as a professional umbrella-er."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Some pink rises in Ren's own cheeks when Minako counter-bumps them that was definitely not accidental like theirs. Score for Minako, perhaps.
"Maybe during the rainy season. At least that's behind us," they reply. Training has been generally helpful for their reaction time--something that suffered when they went to seed, so to speak, after their initial arrest. One day and you will know, three days and everyone will know... Even if that saying is about ballet and not ice skating, it has some similarities.
A few more sopping steps, and at last, the two of them make it to the cover of the station. Once they're far enough in, Ren lowers their umbrella and shakes it out at their backs. They look up at the digital signs. "More good timing. It looks like your train will be here pretty soon," they observe. "You doing okay, Arisato-san? Still relatively dry?" After all, it's impossible to not get wet at all in this kind of weather. Ren is half-soaked, for their part, though at least their head and most of their shoulders are dry still.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
"That's true," Minako says. "The rainy season always seems to go on a little too long." She cracks a smile -- and then she steps inside of the cover of the train station. She can't quite hide the sigh, at the fact that they have to part here. Then, she turns, and looks back at Ren.
Her head tilts to the side for a second, as she considers his question. "Mm-hm! Dry and feeling good," she says. "And I hope you're not too wet."
She cracks a smile again. It's playful and joking -- but it softens after a moment. She told Yukari that she was trying to figure out what she wanted; that she wasn't sure. But if she never tries for anything, then...
...then...
"Hey, Amamiya-san," she says. It's a prelude. "This was... this was a lot of fun."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren nods in solidarity. Unlucky for Akechi that his birthday is right as the rainy season starts, because Minako's absolutely right. But that's why it's a "season," they guess.
"I've got a towel back in my room. I'll survive," he replies with a bit of a smile back.
But then there's a shift in Minako's expression. Something softer... maybe a little more hesitant. They blink once, just before she says how much fun this was.
Their heart beats faster. 'This was a lot of fun,' even though it was just coffee and then walking together in the rain. There is an implication there, and Ren is too sharp to miss it. Minako jokes and teases a lot, but she's a straightforward person, and...
"...Yeah. It was," they say softly. They look up at the digital display again; it's just another minute or two until the train to Shibuya rolls in. They look back at Minako, then hold their umbrella out to her.
"Here. You've still got a ways to go, and the forecast said this storm's going to follow you to Port Island," they say.
Just make sure not to forget it, they could tease.
They don't.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako finds her heart beating faster, as she waits for his response -- and she stares for a second. But then a smile spreads across her face, as Ren says it was. And then her eyes widen, when the umbrella is offered. She takes it, a little gingerly -- like she isn't sure she can handle it -- and then there's a warm smile on her face.
"I..." She almost says she shouldn't. But, it's a kind gesture, and it's one she shouldn't refuse. "...Thank you."
She grips the umbrella, even as she lets her bag fall away from her chest. It hangs down by her side. "Well... I should get to my train. I'll see you soon."
She smiles again. She turns and starts to the turnstile. She runs her card over the reader -- pi pi~ -- and then she steps through. But she takes a couple of steps, then stops. The digital display ticks down, leaving only a minute until the train comes.
But she stops and looks back at him. Her crimson eyes are, for just a moment, unreadable.
"H-Hey, Amamiya-san," she says, and she only stammers a little. "Do... do you want to go on a date sometime?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"You're welcome," Ren replies, quiet but warm in return. They tuck their hands into their pockets and nod goodbye once Minako accepts it, and watches as she crosses the turnstile. On that side of the station, she'll be all right; they linger a little longer than necessary anyway, and that gives her time to stop and look back.
Her question is at once the logical next step and wholly unexpected. Ren sucks in a little breath as they stand up straighter, eyes widening.
"I...
"I do."
Their brow crinkles as their expression clouds. "But I'm not sure I should."
They glance to one side, not at the digital display, but at the approaching train. There are a lot of reasons for what they just said, but there's simply not time to go into them. "That's not a no. That's a 'let me think about it,'" they say quickly, meeting Minako's eyes again. "Let's talk about it again after finals. That okay?"
they are so not going to be able to study after this
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako glances at the monitor. She considers it for a second. True to herself, she doesn't mind missing the train to wait for his answer -- but that's not the wisest idea. She smiles, but it's nervous, as she waits.
There is a blink, then, at what he says. And she understands -- it lands close to her own doubts about whether she should. And there is some comfort in that, especially when she realizes it isn't a no.
Nor is it a yes.
Minako nods to Ren, quickly.
"Sure," she says. "That sounds good. And maybe more responsible than I'm being." She winks at him. "I'll text you, okay?" She pauses. "Not about this, we'll talk about this after finals."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren laughs a little, relaxing. 'More responsible,' huh... Maybe she's right. At least she's willing to wait for an answer--and isn't taking it badly that it isn't an immediate yes. "Sounds good," they reply. They nod her forward and add, "Now go, catch your train!"
She might not mind it, but they'd hate to hold her back.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako relaxes a little too, when he does. She can wait -- and until then, she will try to not be distracted. Even if any thought of studying for exams, tonight, is shot. She laughs, too. "Right, right. Have a safe walk back!"
She waves at him -- and then she is off, descending the escalator into the station.
It's only once she is down there that she exhales with some tension she hadn't quite let out.