2025-11-19: A Piece of the Sea and Its Stars

• Log: 2025-11-19 A Piece of the Sea and Its Stars
• Cast: Goro Akechi, Ren Amamiya, Umie Akabane
• Where: Shinagawa Aquarium, Tokyo
• OOC Date: November 19, 2025
• IC Date: August 13, 2012
• Summary: Akechi has spare tickets to the aquarium and invites Ren to join him there. Ren accepts, and after Umie interrupts their hang-out, Ren brings up the matter of Makoto and the Buchimaru-kun umbrella. Towards the end, thanks to a jellyfish exhibit, Akechi notices Ren's love of stargazing, and the two agree to make plans to visit the planetarium in Ikebukuro.

---

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

It just so happens that on a night before a day that Ren has off from his various part time jobs, that a text message alerts him.

@>Apologies for the sudden message. Are you free tomorrow?
@>A work acquaintance gave me tickets to a popular aquarium in Shinagawa some time back, but I haven't been able to utilize them.
@>Seeing as they're about to expire, it seems a waste to just let that happen. Would you like to come along?

The Shinagawa Aquarium is part of a hotel attraction, built into it in order to attract tourism in the area. They're doing a fine job. It's only about a two minute walk from the nearby station for Ren, and upon entering there's the spectacle of a tunnel for people to walk through, with the shining blue waters overhead in a sprawling half-cylinder of glass.

Light ripples down through it, shifting and distorting over a view of sea turtles and schools of fish. Even Manta Rays can be seen, it's fins moving up and down in the rhythm of their currents. Akechi is in the antechamber, just past the ticket booths, looking down one of the sides of an aquarium that leads up to it, schools of tiny fish moving within the reaches of their confinement.

He's dressed in, of all things, a white long-sleeved dress shirt, and blue sweater vest of various diamonds, khaki slacks and nice shoes with a fine polished sheen. And of course, he has the brief-case with his logo upon it.

Ren's let in without any fuss by the employees upon arrival, apparently he was told that he was to be expected, such that he didn't even have to wait in line.

And Akechi doesn't see him, at first. He's just watching the fish explore the reaches of their prison, safely living a life that frees them from the anxiety of predation. Is it worth the sacrifice of their life in the ocean?

Living on instinct, they move to and fro, not even understanding that a wider ocean exists... despite millions of years of adaptation, development for life at sea.

"Much like people." He murmurs to himself, as he ruminates on it. People who do not know their existence is held by a cage and confines of society. People who do not understand even their own history.

They are much like these schools of fish, living and dying in an eternal status quo. But if this were truly like people, there would at least be predators. A shark would swim out, consume a few- they would scatter.

Then begin to mindlessly swim on the instinct anew.

It is beautiful, but also... troubling to think about, for he knows his existence dwells in confines like these as well, even as a predator that dwells among them. Much like everyone else, he is bound by the rules of society to give his life framework- and meaning...

... but mostly validation. Empty calories from people who live their lives much like these fish. It's painful to understand that it will not nourish you, but to always crave it anyway.

Which is why of course, he's so hopeful that Ren arrives today- and so anxious about the possibility that he might not.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Granted that 'having off' from his part-time jobs doesn't mean very much, because Ren can and will just show up for a shift. They're free to turn them down, just as they're free to turn down a request to come in. It's a very relaxed job contract, which is very convenient for someone in Ren's position. Their friends have fretted about them having so many part-time jobs and spending too much time on the grind, and they're not necessarily wrong to, but it's fine, seriously.
    
    But Ren is inclined to take the next day off, since their Sunday was spent working at Triple Seven, among other things. They're settled in for bed and about to conk out when a text notification dings on their phone.
    
    They look. It's from Akechi, inviting them out tomorrow to see an aquarium in Shinagawa.
    
    They wonder if those tickets a) really were given to him by a work acquaintance b) if they really are about to expire.
    
    Come to think, they've got a ticket to the Bunkamura in Shibuya that's going to expire one of these days... They should make sure to invite Minako there once she's back from her vacation, assuming it's not already too late by then. Right now, though, there's Akechi. If this is tomorrow, they really should answer right away... They think for a moment, then reply:
    
    @> ok
    
    And that's that. Akechi could still be anxious on if Ren will follow through, but at least he has a positive response.
    
    The next day, Ren arrives in their usual summer casual: spectacles, wristwatch, white button-up with the front open and the sleeves rolled up, black undershirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers. They don't have their shoulder bag with Morgana in it; they do not, as a rule agreed upon between themself and their kitty co-conspirator, bring him along on outings with Akechi.
    
    It's a stunning place--and easy to get to, too. Walking out the correct station, it's easy to find the associated hotel, and the aquatic tunnel splays the light beautifully. Ren takes their time just walking down it, looking around in wonder at the dappled light and the swimming fish, sea turtles, and manta rays. Ren's tempted to just stop and watch them as they are--but Akechi's waiting for them.
    
    They don't even need to wait in line, which is both mildly surprising and makes perfect sense. Their ticket is already stamped; their... companion... is already waiting for them. (Their "date"? But this isn't a date, it's just an outing with... whatever Akechi is to them. It sure looks like an amazing date spot. Ren notes all the couples waiting in line together and wonders what Akechi's intentions are.)
    
    Either way, he thanks the employees and approaches his... companion. Akechi is at least not dressed out of the ordinary for himself, giving credence to the idea that this is indeed an outing between... friendly acquaintances? Friendy-ish? No, they're really more than acquaintances at this point, though Ren would be hard-pressed to call Akechi a friend. Associate? Yes, that'll do. A platonic get-together to spend time with their associate. Ren approaches--maybe more quietly than Akechi anticipates--and settles in at his side.
    
    "Hmm?" they prompt, hearing Akechi's murmured remark. They follow his gaze and see... "The fish?"
    
    There's a lot of potential reasons why he might be saying that. Ren could make all sorts of conclusions based on what they know about him. But... even if Akechi might or might not tell the truth, why not?
    
    "Why do you say that?"
    
    Hearing him out, even if it's a lie or a prevarication, is still valuable.
    
    (...And also, Ren just wants to hear what he says.)

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

Well at least he didn't turn him down. He just hopes he wasn't merely being polite. Ren doesn't seem like that sort of person, however...
 
... who would do that for what's definitely not a 'date'. It's merely a 'hang out'. Right?
 
Yet as Ren approaches, he does seem to catch him a little flat-footed, in the midst of his thoughts, "Oh! There you are- you took me by surprise." 'The fish?' 'Why do you say that?'
 
He doesn't have to answer truthfully - but he does, at least - speak most of what he was thinking about, "Ah. I just mean in the sense that many people live their lives just like this, don't you think?"
 
As he gestures at the tank with a free-hand. "Mindlessly following others, going through the motions, day in, day out - never really questioning why they do what they do or why they simply bow to what's expected of them."
 
It's a rather cynical way of looking at society, but a Detective like Akechi has more reason to be cynical than most. He sees the worst side of humanity in the work that he does.
 
Far more than any teenager should ever be expected to witness.
 
"I suppose I got a little lost in thought while I was waiting. It's been a while since I've been to a place like this."
 
He does allow a small smile, to creep up, "Sorry to drag you along." A symptom of his anxiety perhaps, apologizing for what really isn't an inconvenience-
 
-at least he hopes not.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Yes. A Hang Out. That's a good term for whatever this is.
    
    Ren can't quite help the smile that creeps onto their lips when Akechi startles and admits they surprised him. They don't speak, though--not until he answers their question. Their gaze rises to the schools of fish swimming by. They don't get it at first, but when Akechi specifies he means how they mindlessly follow others and go through the motions, it makes more sense.
    
    At least, it makes more sense coming from him. Ren certainly understands that cynical way of viewing society, having experienced it for themself. "Not everyone. But yeah. Many do," they agree quietly, watching them flit through the water. "That's how they survive, I guess. Sticking with the crowd, going with the flow." Literally, even! "Stick close enough with the school and maybe you won't get eaten. But if you do, the rest of the school just moves on."
    
    They look back at Akechi. He must've had tickets someone else gave him after all. After hearing that, it's hard to imagine that Akechi went out of his way to buy tickets for this place, even as some kind of metaphorical backdrop for whatever conversation they'd have; it'd be too much of a buzzkill. Taking what he's got and making the most of it, though... That feels like him.
    
    The apology does get a slight smile back, and then a shrug. "You didn't drag me along. I came because I wanted to," Ren replies.
    
    They turn to meander deeper into the aquarium, though they make sure Akechi is moving with them before going too far. "I've never been to an aquarium before. Only ever seen them in videos and pictures," they remark as they go. "Depressing metaphors aside, it's beautiful. It feels like we're under the sea with them."
    
    Even with the occasional family and/or school trip, this just isn't an experience the typical Inaban would have.

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

A great term for it, fantastic even. One doesn't need to think too deeply about hanging out.
 
"Indeed so..." He agrees with Ren's thoughts on the matter, "...and yet here, they never will be." Part of Akechi does wonder vaguely if fish still have anxiety through instinct about what might happen if one breaks from the crowd.
 
But he doubts it.
 
"Though I wonder, even with that in mind, is it truly a better life for them than living in the open sea?"
 
He's certainly not meaning to be depressing of course. He's not about to get emotional over the lives of fish.
 
But that doesn't mean he doesn't think about it, and relate it to life anyway.
 
But is Ren correct that it came from an acquaintance? Or... did he merely not think too deeply about it until he got here?
 
Well! Either way, he's not about to say!
 
"Oh? Is that so?" He says, as his smile widens all the more, to Ren saying he's here because he wanted to be. "I'm glad you like it. This suits you, huh? I wasn't actually sure if you were the type. But I agree, I'm actually quite impressed by how nice this place turned out to be."
 
And then again, does not confirm how much time he spent online thinking about things Ren might enjoy and might agree to a hang out with him thereby.
 
Nope. Nope. Nope.
 
"To tell you the truth, it's a rather novel experience for me as well. I've been only once during a school trip during elementary school - but it did make quite the impression on me."
 
Funny how any positive childhood memories drip with a certain nostalgia and may be viewed completely differently now that you're much older.
 
... He's just gonna throw that idea in a hole where self-awareness goes to die, however. Taking it any further would be distinctly uncomfortable to his entire existence.
 
"So I'm happy to reacquaint myself in the company of someone who's never had the pleasure."

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Anxiety is just fear of what hasn't yet happened. Can fish anticipate that far? ...Maybe it depends on the fish.
    
    "It's got to be a lot safer for them in here," Ren muses. "Someone's always watching out for them--making sure they're fed and taken care of. There must still be a risk, though. The sea turtles and the manta rays, they probably eat fish too, right? So even if there's less risk, there isn't none." They're silent for a moment as the two of them walk further. Then they say, "I think I'd rather live in the ocean, if I were a fish. Even if something bad happened to me, it at least wouldn't be because I was at some invisible caretaker's mercy." They look back at Akechi. "...But I don't think it's a bad thing for everyone, either."
    
    For some, the safety is worth the exchange of freedom. Out in the wide ocean, there are so many terrible things that can happen to you. At least in an aquarium, you won't have to deal with fishermen or pollution, for example. Who is Ren to say what's right for everyone out there?
    
    They chuckle a bit, though. "You think so?" That it suits them, they mean. It could be another example of Akechi's backhanded compliments--he's done that to Makoto just recently--but it doesn't feel like that to Ren. Not this time. "I guess I didn't know if I was the type until just now, either. It's relaxing, though."
    
    That thought might convince Ren that it was something Akechi planned on from the start, rather than taking advantage of something he just happened to get. It's relaxing. It's a very different vibe compared to a lot of their hang-outs up until now. If Akechi's worried about the argument they had the other day (to say nothing about their encounter in Kobayakawa's Palace), this'd be just the thing to reset their mindsets, huh? ...Ren isn't sure how much like him that is, though.
    
    But then, maybe it's not a matter of how much 'like him' it is--not if he asked Ren here because he was gambling on it being something they would like, something they'd want to visit even if it's with him.
    
    "Oh yeah? I bet. If it was anything like this..." Ren reaches out a hand to brush against the glass. They really shouldn't--someone's going to need to wipe it clean later--but the structure of the aquarium invites one to try to reach out, as if one could flow through and touch the sea creatures directly.
    
    There's something about what he says next, though... I'm happy to reacquaint myself in... They look back at him. "Akechi..."
    
    Their cadence implies they're going to say something else--but they don't. They themself don't know what they want to say next.
    
    "Thanks," they ultimately decide on. "For the invite."
    
    For a moment, their dark eyes linger on him.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    The soft lighting of water and the muted sound of the world beyond the thick glass invites introspection. The Aquarium is a date destination for a reason; even with many others in the same room, two people can become lost in a world of their own, their only audience unconcerned with whatever occurs beyond their aquatic realm.

    And for once, someone is not too late; they're mercilessly early instead.

    "Out of all the people I'd expect here...." There is an Umie Akabane here, presenting a smile that can only promise a casual, light bit of subdued mischief. "... Seems like everyone's had the same idea today. Line's practically at a standstill."

    Her own outfit is slightly removed from her usual fare, being a grey and white striped shirt layered with white summer cardigan, the crocheted pattern somewhat camouflaging the wrist sleves on both her lower arms. Shorts, sandals, and her usual hairband, choker, and red bracelet complete the outfit.

    In other words, it's a clue that she's here for a reason, as that reason is whoever she was just texting on her phone, still in her hand.

    If she had heard the earlier words, she would have, for both their benefit, left the two alone. However, caught up in her own sphere of less thoughtful messages of 'where are you at' and 'let me know', she's in a state of limbo.

     .... She may be intruding, but it would be good to see just how these two interact briefly, if under the weight of someone else watching, Umie supposes. "I'm waiting for someone; hope you don't mind a little company."

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

Akechi perhaps does wonder how the tanks self-regulate like that. Do they put fish that are under threat with animals that predate upon them? Or is this a separate tank, with just these small schools of prey fish?
 
Either way, it wouldn't be the point anyway.
 
"Myself as well. At least them my life would be mine to decide."
 
It is, the basis of his philosophy on why he opposes change of hearts- at least. That his life is his own.
 
But it's not as if Ren disagrees on wanting his life to be his own either.
 
"Perhaps not..." He concedes. There are people out there who are utterly helpless in the face of predators. The vulnerable, the infirm- or children
 
If only people would leave them alone in the real world because of such. "I certainly think so." He says, on it suiting Ren. "You are the quiet type after all... you're not the sort of person that can't stay still... can't take the time to enjoy the view and the silence."
 
That doesn't mean he doesn't think Ren isn't active. Far from it. It's just, he doesn't need to keep moving.
 
"... Not quite, as I remember. It was a good deal smaller, but still... I'd never seen the sea, nor gave a thought to what was beneath the surface back then. So I found it rather impressive."
 
He is a city kid, through and through - but he had fewer opportunities than most, to push the boundaries.
 
The cadence Ren puts upon his name, Akechi doesn't say anything as he thanks him- as his dark eyes linger. And something softens in his own brown eyes as his mouth opens and-
 
'Out of all the people I'd expect here...'
 
-and snaps shut, as he looks off to the side, with a blush that's ever so faint as he puts on that faux affable smile upon contact with the Umie.
 
"... Well it is Summer Vacation right now, so that's hardly surprising." Akechi says with an easy reply, "But still, a rather interesting coincidence statistically. A city of thirty seven million... and somehow, you end up here on the same day as your co-worker."
 
He's not going to accuse Umie of stalking one or both of them - Heaven Forbid. He would NEVER.
 
He turns to her, and his smile vanishes for a far more serious expression, "Is it the case that you're in fact, spending your day stalking Amamiya-kun? Or perhaps myself?"
 
oh wait he just did
...
...
...
...
...
"Just kidding." He says, as his smile returns, "The questions almost ask themselves at times like this. Call it a detective's habit. Personally ... I see no harm in a little company so long as Amamiya-kun agrees."
 
Inwardly he's perhaps more than a little irritated for inexplicable reasons, but he's not gonna shooowwwwww that. Nope.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    'At least then my life would be mine to decide.'
    
    "...Yeah."
    
    Unfortunately, not everyone can decide their own lives. Sometimes it's because they're being predated on by others; sometimes it's because they need to be stopped from predating. People should be allowed to live freely, but if someone is actively keeping others from doing that, then they need to be stopped. This is especially so when there are those who are so easy to take advantage of--the vulnerable, the inform, or children.
    
    Ignoring the plight of such people in the name of 'letting people decide their own lives' is only hypocrisy. That's the basis of Ren's philosophy. Humans are social creatures; sometimes they need help. They want to be someone who can help those who need it.
    
    "Hmmm..." They shut their eyes briefly when Akechi explains his reasoning for why the aquarium suits them, smiling slightly. They can be plenty active, and even easily bored, but... yeah. They can appreciate the value of standing still and absorbing the peace of a place like this, too. So Akechi can be kind sometimes. ...Maybe they just need a reason to be kind--or someone who's willing to take him to task when he's not. "I'll take it."
    
    They fall quiet when he describes his own childhood experience with the aquarium. They'd been about to ask for more details, so they listen closely when he offers them anyway. It must've really expanded his horizons if he'd never thought about the ocean or been to it before then. They want to ask how old he was, but they first say his name... trail off, offer gratitude... see the way his brown eyes soften...
    
    And then there is a familiar voice. Ren blinks and turns to see-- "Akabane-san?"
    
    They look her over briefly. Her outfit's a little different than usual--a cardigan to mask the wrist sleeves over a shirt, shorts, and sandals. They of course know why she wears those long sleeves now--and Akechi does too, they recall--and based on the phone in her hand...
    
    Sure enough, she confirms she's waiting for someone. A date? Ren wonders, but they manage to bite back the words before they can actually say them. Asking if it's a date will only highlight how many male-female couples there are here. Will only highlight that this could be a date, if Akechi were willing to be open about his sexuality--if Ren weren't already dating someone else.
    
    If they weren't, you know, archrivals with radically different ideologies, one of whom may or may not arrest the other one day if he can help it.
    
    Akechi's the first one to speak. It immediately provides a contrast to their conversation up 'til now. Ren called him out before on being plausibly deniable in his nastiness, and here he is just straight-up accusing Umie of stalking them--before reeling it back with a 'just kidding.' Ren chokes back a laugh. It's an asshole thing to do, but somehow, right now, it's extremely funny. Maybe it's because of the sheer hypocrisy. Ren's come to develop an appreciation for Akechi's inconsistencies.
    
    They do tilt their head at him when he claims he's fine with Umie's company as long as he is. Hmm... Is he really...? So: "Sure. We're just hanging out," they reply, slipping their hands in their pockets. "Seeing new sights and all." They pause. Curiosity prompts them to ask, "Who is it you're waiting for?"

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    "My, my, Akechi-san." Umie's eyelids lower slightly, coupling with the half smile forming below. Is that... a slight blush, on the detective's face? Surely, it's a trick of the light. "Is that your view of me? I thought I made a better impression than that."

    And just maybe, a little bit of irritation at being interrupted from his alone time with Ren?

    The Badb in her would like to hear more, Akechi. In fact, one can just see the way Umie's lips upturn, as she's about to say something...

    Only for the cold dead fish equivalent of 'just kidding' to whack Umie in the face.

    ".... Keep saying that and I'll begin to wonder if you're really kidding," Umie flatly replies, through a kneejerk smile.

    Yet, if Ren were to mistake that reply back as a reason to hold back on his laugh, Umie's beginning to laugh too.

    And now, as Ren asks their own question, Umie turns her attention to him. "Oh my, are you're seeing if I have someone in my life, Amamiya-kun?" she gently teases, before shaking her head. "A friend of mine. We're having a girl's day out, to make up for her getting sick on the Fireworks Festival. She's still stuck in line, though."

     Her gaze travels past them to the fish beyond; her gaze, colored by blue, turns thoughtful. "It really is serene in here..."

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

'Me too.'
 
Akechi might have said, to 'I'll take it.' but he doesn't. Akechi is one who so often doesn't get quiet, even when he's alone. The inside of his head, is anything but quiet, unless he forces himself to be.
 
But then, his 'joke' makes Ren choke back a laugh, and that causes him to grin a little.
 
"Well, you're welcome to speculate, Akabane-san. I do so enjoy keeping you on your toes~" He says with a tease, perhaps in better humor now- for some reason.
 
(That reason is Ren laughing of course.)
 
Ren does however inquire as to who Umie is waiting for, and Umie teases him back? "A girl's day out, you say?" Akechi says with a smile, as she explains that she's still stuck in line.
 
"It is quite the line." Akechi remarks, "That does rather imply you'll be hanging out with us for some time waiting on her, doesn't it?"
 
He tries his best not to sound irritated, and mostly succeeds! Mostly! And as Umie remarks on the serenity of this experience here. "Perhaps to corroborate your story, you wouldn't mind pointing her out to us?"
 
Umie might be waiting for the 'just kidding' to drop and...
 
oh it just doesnt
 
"I admit, I am curious as to which of your girlfriends you'd be going on a date to the aquarium with."
 
WHY THAT PHRASING?
 
"And since Amamiya-kun asked, I can only assume he is as well."

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Is that a slight blush on the detective's fair cheeks? ...Probably. Ren sees it, and will most certainly not comment on it.
    
    "He probably isn't," Ren remarks, rubbing a lock of their bangs between their fingers, of Akechi's 'just kidding.' They catch Akechi's eye as his temper mysteriously improves and he teases Umie back, then adds, "But who knows? It sure sounds plausible."
    
    For what it's worth, he doesn't sound like he's criticizing Akechi for it this time. Just giving him a little shit.
    
    Umie then teases them, and they smile ironically for a moment. "Yeah? That sucks for her. You probably shouldn't head too far ahead if you're still waiting for her. There's plenty of fish to look at over in the antechamber, and she might feel better if she can see you."
    
    Of course, then Akechi asks her to point out her friend to them--without a 'just kidding' this time--and then implies that Umie is gay. Ren snorts faintly again, lips curved in mild amusement. "You've got that many girlfriends, huh, Akabane-san? I get it. Akechi's got legions of girls who'd want to be on this date with him."
    
    A beat.
    
    "Only one he'd actually bring, though."
    
    Ren doesn't explain what that means. It'll be more fun for Umie and Akechi to speculate.
    
    (Maybe Ren also has an assholish streak to them.)

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    "Only as long as I feel like~ I'm not about to ruin your *entire* day." WIth a wink, she holds up a finger; the nail polish has been refreshed finally to a dark apricot color. "Just for a few minutes."

    Ren's words bring a grin. "See, Akechi-san? I *told* you: Amamiya-kun is a thoughtful person, looking out for his work senpai." She takes another look at her phone, on that note, just in case. "All is well, though. We're meeting up in the penguin exhibit." (This information will become useful later.)

    Why that phrasing, indeed! Ren's comment follows along similar lines.

    Umie doesn't seem bothered in the least, as she gives them both an impish little grin. "You two really are a force to be reckoned with. I'm in awe."

    "As for dates--" Her gaze goes to Akechi. "Definitely not me, though I'm sure if Akechi-san asked me to pose as a date for him I'd accept," Umie says, grinning. "I could rock a nice wig, and then, I'll steal his dessert, running off into the night like a true Pâtisserie Thief." Umie doesn't realize that Akechi may be okay with the last bit, not being a fan of sweet things.

    (Also, forgive the translators here, they had to make a pun out of this and nothing remotely worked as well as this.)

    Looking at her phone again as Akechi asks, Umie's reply is light and teasing. "I'm sure she'd love it, since it's Toki-chan. Which is why you'll likely not see me for the rest of your own day out." She pockets her phone. "And time's up. Enjoy your boy's day out, you two; Amamiya-kun, make sure you keep an eye on Akechi-san. He's a sneaky one." She winks and gives the two of them a wave, before disappearing into the crowd.

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

"Haha." He chuckles, to Ren's giving him shit, "It rather does, doesn't it?" Certainly he remembers their last discussion.
 
And as Umie winks at him, Akechi grins back so wide, "How could that ever be true- when you're always such a refreshing change of pace?"
 
No that eyebrow is not twitching that's just your imagination, stop imagining shit Umie.
 
"The two of us, you say? Well it just so happens that I've offered for Amamiya-kun to consult on my cases - every so often, as I've had similar thoughts."
 
As he purposefully evades the reason actually UMIE MEANT IT!
 
Ren's comment though on his 'legion of girls', "It is the price of popularity-" 'Only one he'd actually bring, though.' That one stops him - causing him to look mildly surprised, as he places a hand against his chin as if in thought over who Ren might mean, even as Umie teases him.
 
"If I'm ever investigating a place with a cake buffet I'll certainly keep that in mind..."
 
what place has a cake buffet and why was ann not informed any sooner
 
"... I take it you mean Niijima-san?"
 
There's no way she didn't tell the group. "I must admit, she is quite an intriguing prospect... but alas, it would make things far too awkward at work, even if I were inclined to ask her."
 
He says it like it's only a very small shame that that is getting in the way of that. "When you've been around Sae-san as long as I have... the idea of being on the wrong end of one of her spinning hook kicks... in heels, no less, is enough to give any man pause."
 
One might wonder if he's actually joking about that. He definitely is not. He's witnessed that inflicted upon a man who dared to try and snatch her purse.
 
And then - Umie vanishes without ever having pointed out who her friend is. "Hmmm." She watches her go. "Why do I feel as if my theory that she was stalking us is more plausible than ever?"
 
He says, with a skeptical look, before turning to Ren, "Ah well, potential observers of our hangout not withstanding, shall we move on?"

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Dark apricot... It's pretty. Ren wonders how that'd look on them. It's a shame make-up is so expensive...
    
    The penguin exhibit, huh. Ren blinks thoughtfully at this information, which reminds them that there is also an aquarium in Ikebukuro. They know this from an anime, though, rather than any word of mouth or brochures or anything else since moving to Tokyo. They glance sidelong at Akechi. The penguin exhibit, huh...
    
    Aloud, though, Ren wonders mildly, "Oh? Do the two of you talk about me behind my back?" The humor here is subtle, rooted in the fact that Ren knows for a fact that they've talked about him behind his back thanks to Akechi. They let this hang for a second, before elbowing Akechi gently. "Just kidding." When Umie takes this in stride and calls them a force to be reckoned with, they grin back.
    
    Akechi evading by mentioning his offer to have Ren consult on his cases does give them pause, though. Maybe he's only bringing that up to sidestep any possible other meanings, but was he actually serious about that?
    
    (There's a cake buffet at the Wilton! Ann's been there before, even! It's just not just cake, and way more expensive than the average teenager can casually eat at...)
    
    It is a funny mental image to picture Umie as Akechi's girlfriend--though this reminds them that she might just have a crush on their alter ego... which is a sobering thought, given context. "Ah, the friend of yours who's a big fan of his? Yeah, better keep her occupied." No penguins for today, then. "See you later, Akabane-san. Have fun with your friend." They give her a wave farewell just before she vanishes into the crowd.
    
    Akechi deduces that Ren means Makoto. They nod affably and slip their hands in their pockets. "So you're just going to pine for her instead? I get it," Ren says sagely, a wicked sparkle in their dark eyes. "It's easy to track down rare merch for something she loves, that she never told you directly she loves, to gift her at just the moment she needs it most. It's hard to actually come out and say how you feel." There is a continuation to this thought: Good thing she's got a scary older sister to use an excuse not to go for it, huh? ...but that's a little too mean.
    
    Whether Akechi's joking or not, he's sure trying to make her sound scary--and considering what Ren's seen Makoto do to Shadows in the Metaverse, they'd be willing to believe that Sae can also kick considerable amounts of ass.
    
    But then Akechi remarks on Umie and her departure. "No, I've met the friend she's talking about. I think you have too, actually," Ren comments. "Remember that girl who was at the butler cafe booth with her at the Yongen Festival?"
    
    Well... he might not. And even if this person actually exists, that doesn't mean that she's not stalking them. Ren doesn't think that's the case, though.
    
    "Sure," they reply, strolling leisurely down the underwater pathways. "Too bad about the penguins. I hear there's an exhibit for them in an aquarium in Ikebukuro, though..."
    
    Though if Ren had to pick any one attraction to visit in Ikebukuro, it'd be the planetarium, hands down. Too bad they don't know about it.

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

"Haha- you act as if you wouldn't enjoy it, knowing that we did." Akechi says cheerfully to Ren, knowing full well that Ren knows they have.
 
But he does know that Ren enjoys attention, at least as Joker. And indeed, as Umie does depart-
 
Akechi's eyes do follow her, as if - wondering something, before turning to Ren at his teasing, "Hardly." He says at the idea of pining for her. "I simply have a certain appreciation for her newfound... resolve, shall we say, after she told off a certain Principal?"
 
But Ren goes further, bringing up the Umbrella, and all the effort he put in to obtaining it. "Aha..." He chuckles, like he's about to deny it... but...
 
"It was more that I was extending an olive branch rather than having any ulterior motives such as it being an 'icebreaker' for a confession- I was rather unkind to her when she wouldn't cooperate with my investigation due to Shujin's Principal applying a great deal of pressure upon her."
 
Is he saying then it was his idea of an apology without actually saying the words? Well that doesn't rule out that he does have a crush on her.
 
He kinda does a little, but at the very least he wasn't using it for that purpose. Then Ren points out that girl, and Akechi thinks on it, "I see... I believe I do remember her as the reason behind a rather rapid extrication..."
 
...
...
...
 
Look at least he's being honest about dodging his more uh, enthusiastic fans. "It is a shame..." He agrees as if finally accepting Umie was telling the truth, "... I was rather looking forward to them, given how much time I tend to spend in an establishment of their namesake."
 
Ever notice how the Penguin Sniper actually lacks any real Penguin Decor? Akechi has.
 
Not that it's a mark against the place, given how often he goes back. "Oh? That does sound rather intriguing... are you interested in going, one day?"
 
Given that the Penguins are taken up...
 
"Hmm... I've heard the Jellyfish exhibit is quite spectacular. We could always swing by... and see for ourselves."
 
And more importantly, on the opposite end of the aquarium as the Penguins. Gotta put some distance between him and this Toki.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    "Hmmm... It'd depend on what kind of behind-the-back talking you were doing," Ren replies without denying Akechi's claim. Their smile gives them away there, because it's true; Ren does enjoy attention.
    
    It just... depends on what kind. Some attention really is terrible.
    
    The attention they get as Joker's still a positive thrill, at least. Even those encounters with the one in the black mask were an adrenaline rush.
    
    For a moment, they're silent when Akechi claims the umbrella is a gift in honor of Makoto's resolve. They have to be. They really doubt Akechi could have learned of that in any other way than by Kobayakawa's Palace, and acknowledging that is a trap. However, when Akechi goes on to say it was an olive branch, Ren's eyebrows rise.
    
    Well, it is like Akechi to be too proud to actually say the words 'I'm sorry,' but... "Oh yeah? I'm glad to hear that. Makoto's a good friend. So if, for example, you were using that umbrella as a roundabout way to rub it in her face that you're closer to her sister than she is, because you were able to deduce that she likes Buchimaru goods thanks to an observation you made while you were with Sae-san..."
    
    Ren wheels around then, blocking Akechi's way. Their face is a mask. "...that would be incredibly cruel, and an example of the exact kind of behavior we were talking about the other day," they say, staring him in the eyes.
    
    They let that statement hang like a noose for a moment; then they shut their eyes and return to their place at Akechi's side. "...So I really am glad that's not what it was," they say mildly. They nudge Akechi again with their elbow. "Being an asshole can be funny, but only if it's at someone who can laugh back at it. Like Akabane-san."
    
    Makoto is just too serious to be able to brush that sort of thing off easily--especially if it's about someone she has genuine emotional turmoil over.
    
    And, just to make sure that Akechi doesn't think he's in hot water, Ren offers him another smile. "If you ever want to turn that olive branch into something more, let me know and I'll help you out. Makoto's actually pretty competitive too; I think you two would get along great if you gave each other a chance."
    
    Ren doesn't necessarily mean that 'something more' to be romantic; it could just be a male-female friendship. Either way, Akechi would need to give her a chance... something he might not be willing to do, given everything. (It's sure be awkward, given everything. But that didn't stop him with Ren, did it?)
    
    That smile turns wry when Akechi muses on a rapid extraction. They nod all the same. "Maybe another time," they offer. Maybe even later today, if Toki and Umie don't spend all day at the penguin exhibit. ...They wouldn't, right?
    
    Ren has noticed Penguin Sniper has no penguin decor. It's an odd choice, but maybe the owner just liked the name for some reason.
    
    "To the Ikebukuro aquarium? Yeah, it'd be neat to see how it's different from this one, especially if we don't get to see them today," they reply. "It's kind of weird to think of how there's several in Tokyo, but it is the biggest city in the world for a reason. Seeing something else there would be good, too. I kinda like seeing all the different things Tokyo's got to offer. One of these days, I'd love to check out the Skytree over in Asakusa."
    
    There's also Tokyo Tower, but Ren's actually been there before on a family trip. They wouldn't be against going again, but they'd rather see new things first.
    
    Such as the jellyfish exhibit. "Sounds good," they reply.
    
    And so the two of them head in that direction...
    
    It actually is spectacular. This section of the aquarium is dimmed so as to allow the jellyfish to luminesce in the darkness, and it's one hell of a sight--like galaxies traveling at their own leisure. Ren's eyes widen as they approach, and they actually pick up the pace to get there closer.
    
    "Wow..." they murmur, engrossed. "It's like they're floating in space..."
    
    Once again, they reach out a hand to gently rest it on the glass. Specks of light float near their palm as the jellyfish flap their hoods and dangle their tendrils, and motes of bioluminescence float in their wake. "...imagine if you could reach out and touch the real stars that easily."

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

"Well I suppose that will have to remain a mystery for now." Akechi says cheerfully of his talk with Umie.
 
Even as Ren tells him he's glad to hear that... but then begins to say the alternative possibility... and Akechi's smile fades, as he's now facing down with Ren blocking his way, wearing that mask.
 
And a rather direct accusation.
 
Akechi doesn't say anything, for a moment, his smile a more thin-lipped thing as he lets Ren say what he wants to... before he moved back to her side.
 
"For the record, if you really wanted to know my reasoning for why I was unkind to Niijima-san in that particular way... you could always ask."
 
He lets that hang for a time, "But it wasn't for anything so crass as trying to be funny to someone who was effectively in a hostage situation."
 
He's quiet for a time afterwards, not because he's offended or anything or thinks he's in hot water, but because he is allowing himself to think about it. He was in fact, an asshole to her - and he knows that being an asshole with 'purpose' doesn't in fact make it better.
 
At the same time... when Ren makes the offer, "I'll keep that in mind... though I believe it would be best if I approached her on my own..."
 
He's not trying to brush it off. He is thinking about it. But... mostly because Ren has pushed him to thinking about it.
 
Could it work? And well... she does interest him. It's just...
 
... his mind wanders to thinking of Ren and Minako, again.
 
Either way, he focuses back in the moment it comes to discussing the Ikebukuro Aquarium, "Yes I'm curious about that myself, I admit. I rather wonder if they see themselves as 'competitors' or not... in what exhibits they set up, their presentation. An aquarium is still a business after all."
 
It's not merely him being rivalry brained, but actually being interested in how businesses might compete on this scale.
 
"Now the Skytree is quite the treat... I've been there before. A client once rewarded me with dinner at the restaurant. The food was actually a little memorable... but the view of Tokyo over dinner is an experience without compare."
 
Once in the Jellyfish section, Akechi finds himself a little transfixed himself by the luminescent creatures... as he looks upon the spot where Ren has his hand upon the glass, the reflection of his face reflecting on the side of the tank.
 
"... They're beautiful." He says, softly, at the view, before he walks up to stand beside him. "But I'm not sure I can."
 
His eyes watch as the creatures within drift, like moving constellations. His hand does not join Ren's upon the tank, and as he watches he says ever so softly-
 
"The stars have always felt rather unreachable to me."

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    A direct accusation--but also a plausibly deniable one. Because doesn't Ren say right after that that they're glad it wasn't that all along?
    
    ...That's what it's like, Akechi.
    
    By the time he speaks, Ren's already settled back in at his side. They thus shoot Akechi a surprised look when he essentially admits he was being a dick on purpose. Ren... kind of figured that, but they genuinely never expected Akechi to admit it. Not after he doubled down so hard and so much during their argument the other day.
    
    "I could always ask. I just didn't figure I'd get a straight answer." A pause. "Why, then?"
    
    It wasn't to be funny, at least. Ren considers this as they toy with a lock of their bangs. "For what it's worth, I didn't think you were doing it to be funny. I figured, either you were mocking her, or you were trying to make an overture to be friends." A beat. "Or, more likely, both at once."
    
    They fall silent then, allowing Akechi the quiet he needs to think it over. Ren is comfortable with a lack of conversation, and takes in the underwater sights as they head towards the jellyfish exhibit together. They glance back at him when he says he'll keep it in mind. It probably would be best if he did that, but...
    
    "For the record, when I broke down those possibilities for Makoto and asked her what she thought, she assumed you were mocking her," they remark. "I sold her on the idea that it was some of both, though, so if you do approach her on your own, I think it wouldn't be out of line to apologize for going a little too far." Another beat. "...But I'll let you decide for yourself what you do. Like I said, Makoto's competitive; I bet she'd be just fine with proving for herself you ought to respect her, either as a friend or a girlfriend or whatever. I just wanted to let you know what's what."
    
    Whether Akechi asks Makoto out or merely tries to befriend her, he ought to know where he currently stands with her--especially since it's partly Ren's doing. Ren can imagine that Akechi might be thinking of them and Minako, and maybe he'd rather nurse that one-sided crush, but... it'd be too sad to Ren if Akechi never even tried to make any other friends or pursued any other kind of love.
    
    They're willing to let it drop at that and move on to the next topic, though. Romance--and Akechi pursuing someone who isn't Ren--isn't something Ren really wants to linger on for too long.
    
    "Hm. I guess it is a business, now that you mention it," Ren muses, considering a manta ray flapping by to the right. "I always thought of them more as underwater zoos, and zoos are supposed to be about keeping animals safe and letting people learn more about them, right? Or at least, that's what the good ones are about." The bad ones... aren't worth discussing.
    
    Akechi mentions he's been to the Skytree, and Ren looks at him with interest. "Yeah? That sounds really cool." Dinner at Tokyo Tower was something that didn't happen, and the prospect of looking over the city at night over a meal does sound like an incredible experience. Maybe another fine date spot, actually... "I'll have to look forward to it."
    
    At last, though, they reach the jellyfish section. Ren is too absorbed by the glowing creatures to notice Akechi looking at them and their hand, but they do hear and sense him as he walks up next to them and expresses his own opinion.
    
    The stars have always felt rather unreachable to me.
    
    Ren is silent for a long moment after that, absorbing the sentiment. It makes sense, coming from Akechi. It makes sense coming from anyone who was born and raised a city boy. Their fingers curl as they remember that night Akechi sat on the wall with them as they tried to find the stars. If you can't see them, they may as well not exist. Venus is all well and good, but she can't dazzle the night all on her own--not when she's got all the city lights to compete with.
    
    With that in mind, they look over at him. "Have you ever seen the stars? Really seen them? Not just a couple dots overhead but a whole sky's worth?"

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

"Ah... I think you may be under a mistaken impression." Akechi says, to Ren asking him of the Umbrella, giving the reasons of mocking her or trying to make an overture to be friends.
 
"The reason you gave for why you believed I was being cruel. It came up during my conversation... back before you were friends with her. The fact that you used that specific example is rather telling."
 
What does he mean?
 
"The truth is that I already knew that she was being press-ganged into doing Principal Kobayakawa's dirty work when I approached her..."
 
He's just going to flat out say it, isn't he? "... I thought, that if I did, I might convince her into cooperating with myself or Sae-san, but it quickly became apparent that she was stonewalling me because she didn't want her sister to know about her situation. So I was faced with a quandary. Do I tell Sae-san against her obvious desires to the contrary? Do I strongarm her into accepting assistance from me she desperately needed- but did not want?"
 
Pause.
 
"Or do I push her towards extricating herself from her unenviable situation, by standing up to the man? If I was cruel to her in that way - it was always because I was hoping she'd find her resolve to stand up for herself."
 
It's not even really a conclusion that Ren and Makoto haven't come up with themselves. "I take no credit for the fact that she did. She did it on her own... and perhaps you'll argue that's not a good enough reason for what I said."
 
Pause.
 
"But I disagree." And then he adds, "That's not to say I believe an apology is unwarranted, though. It's merely that I set myself up in opposition to her in her prior state- so it's... a little awkward, broaching it."
 
Thus the Umbrella, or at least - so he claims. Whether it's the full truth, or merely more half truths upon half truths... the fact is, sometimes these are layered upon themselves, with the contradictory mess that Goro Akechi is.
 
Even the good things he does may be for ill intentions, and the things he does to harm may be for what he thinks are the best of reasons.
 
Still, since Ren brought it up, he tries his best to explain himself, to the degree that he can.
 
They do move on, though.
 
"For tourism... spectacle... education... entertainment." He says, as if offering his thoughts upon them as a business. "Though that's not to say some employees are quite passionate about keeping the animals safe- and educating people about them."
 
Akechi smiles slyly at Ren saying 'I'll have to look forward to it'. "I hope that wasn't an implication that I'll be picking up the check for a very expensive dinner, one day." He teases.
 
In the Jellyfish- Ren looks upon them like the stars one can reach for- whereas Akechi sees them as something unreachable, in contrast.
 
To look- but not reach - not touch, not grasp.
 
Akechi is quiet himself, contemplative. His chin tips up, to look closer to the top of the tank, where few of them go. Beyond it- to them, the unknown.
 
Ren's question lingers for some time without answer.
 
"Not really. I can pick out the few that appear above the skyline. The North Star... Orion's Belt."
 
He stops, then thinks about it, "I suppose I just never considered that there was anything for me, outside of the city." He thinks of his mother's descriptions of growing up where she did- why she came to the city, "The idea of leaving always felt like... an admission of defeat."
 
That's a strange way to put it... in a sense, they're the feelings of the Mother, carrying on to her Son, in the telling.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Ren pauses and faces Akechi as he explains his rationale. How much of this is the truth? There's no way of knowing--and it isn't really an explanation of the cruelty behind him giving Makoto a Buchimaru umbrella, just him calling her a good-girl pushover. At least, Ren doesn't see the link. It does contrast with what Makoto's told him, but at the same time, it reminds Ren of that famous Akutagawa story. A different teller conveys a very different perspective with a very different agenda...
    
    It does explain why Akechi mocked her, or at least seemed to mock her, when they first met. Indeed, Ren and Makoto had speculated that maybe Akechi had pushed Makoto towards the Phantom Thieves on purpose. Maybe he meant for that, and maybe he didn't, but pushing her to stand up for herself led in that direction regardless.
    
    "Well... as long as you weren't trying to tear her down, then that's fine," Ren says. "I don't think that's something I'd do, but," they give a little shrug here, "there's a lot of things you'd do that I wouldn't, and that I'd do that you wouldn't. That's not a bad thing. And I can acknowledge that you were trying to help her in your own way." A pause. "It is a little funny, though. It's kind of the opposite of what I'd expect from someone who's trying to make himself out to be a Detective Prince--cruelty to be kind, I mean." They look over at him. "But even if it's awkward, I do encourage you to talk to her a little more straightforwardly." They smile faintly. "It worked with me, didn't it?"
    
    Maybe it's the full truth, and maybe it's more half-truths among half-truths. Ren will choose to believe him for now, though.
    
    It's their way of reaching out to him, just as he reached out to them by going out of their way to explain.
    
    Ren hadn't meant to imply that--but they do smirk back at his sly smile. Is he still trying to flirt? They'll choose to believe that he's just joking around by now. And so: "Maybe I'll make it a bonus for that consultation work you want me to do for you."
    
    A bonus, meaning they'd still expect a proper paycheck... Now there's a date that doesn't come cheap.
    
    When they're at the jellyfish exhibit, Ren watches Akechi's gaze rise to the top of the tank. They look too. It's closed off, of course; it has to be for it to be so dark in this area. There aren't many jellyfish up there. Maybe they like the very light, faint lighting towards the bottom, to mark where the walkways are and keep patrons from tripping. It's no surprise to Ren that Akechi's not familiar with the stars, but... it is a surprise what he says next.
    
    That he thinks there's nothing for him outside the city. That leaving would be an admission of defeat.
    
    They don't really understand what that second part means. Why would it mean defeat in anything? But the first part is agonizingly clear, or at least it resolves that way for Ren: Akechi has no interest in the stars.
    
    And why would he, if he doesn't even want to leave the city? It's nothing he'd even have reason to stop and think about. The ribbon of the Milky Way that cuts across the heavens... That view that shines atop the mountains, where Ren would normally camping around now... it'd mean nothing to him.
    
    "...Ah."
    
    Something aches in Ren's chest. They quickly came to love city living, but there's one thing they miss about the countryside, even now. ...Still, there's no point in talking overlong about something the other person doesn't care about. He'll just get bored and annoyed.
    
    "Got it."
    
    Well, that's just how relationships are, sometimes. Sometimes you really care about something and the other person doesn't. That's no one's fault. Ren slips their hand away from the glass and tucks both into their pockets.
    
    "Never mind, then."
    
    This is good enough. The galaxy is an aquarium of the night. They fall silent again and admire the jellyfish. These little lights in the dark... They're beautiful in and of themselves. Ren can enjoy them for what they are, and resolves to do exactly that.
    
    Eventually, though, their cell phone beeps with a text notice. They pull it out to check--and it's a notice from Umie, informing them that she and Toki are moving on to the dolphin exhibit.
    
    "...Looks like we can go check the penguins out now if we want, as long as we skip the dolphins along the way," they comment. They slip their smartphone back in their pocket and look back at Akechi. "You wanna head there?"

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

The disconnect is interesting - but that's just how information may flow. Akechi is making certain assumptions about what Makoto told him, and thus, he explains to the best of his ability for the original conversation.
 
It's not exactly a lie, either - it's just not the whole truth. Akechi is complicated and has layers... like a ridiculous over the top cake of opposing flavors, not an onion.
 
He only chuckles at one point, "Well, when you think of famous Detectives, even Princely ones, do the majority of them strike you as kind?"
 
It might perhaps strike Ren that the majority of his 'models' for the archetypical Detective, aren't.
 
"By it's very nature, being a Detective is a rather goal oriented profession... and to outwit your opponent, requires methods that most would consider ruthless and underhanded, even for the best among us."
 
So does he think then, this is proper behavior? Does he think then that he shouldn't try to be kind, so long as he gets a good result?
 
Or does he merely fail at trying to be?
 
"I suppose we'll see." Is... the best he can give right now. He is rather rejection sensitive, after all. The idea that he might be turned down out of hand- doesn't make it that appealing.
 
Is he trying to flirt? Hard to say! Akechi smirks at Ren's statement of a bonus, "Is this a salary negotiation? If that's supposed to be your bonus... even I'd feel the pain of that check."
 
He at least keeps it ambiguous enough so as not to cross a line... for now.
 
Midnight Mementos: With the Stars and Us - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX9SuGd23ts
 
Ren ruminates about the stars, and their meaning to Akechi- when... Ren says 'Got it.' his eyes are still looking upon the translucent membrances- the tentacles, the spots of luminescence dotting all of them.
 
Looking but not touching.
 
Then 'Never mind, then.' he doesn't respond for a time, watching his reflection indirectly in the reflection of the glass.
 
Ren
looks
so
disappointed
 
Even in his acceptance of his words. What about the stars, holds appeal for Ren Amamiya?
 
What about them makes Goro Akechi feel so alone?
 
He could bid Ren to continue - to keep going - because he wants to know. But he doesn't- not right away.
 
As Ren takes out his phone and indicates the 'coast is clear' so to speak. Akechi's still looking at the tank, not so much because of the idea of the stars themselves, but because Ren is interested in them.
 
"Hmm? Oh- in a minute, I think. I'd like to linger a little longer if you don't mind."
 
In the silence he watches, waits before... "You know, I'm reminded that if you're interested in the aquarium in Ikebukuro... there is quite the splendid Planetarium there, I'm told."
 
...
 
"As I recall... a coworker did say there are couches you can reserve, to lay there, as if you're under an open sky."
 
He doesn't have to see the appeal in the stars. He just has to be open to learning why someone else does.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    "Good point," Ren concedes of detectives generally being kind of dickish, actually. "But you usually don't see Detective 'Princes'--and you go out of your way to act sweet and approachable when you're on camera." To the point of pretending to like sweets, a thing he's in reality indifferent to at best, because it makes him more 'marketable.' "In other words, you try to lean more 'Prince' than 'Detective' when it comes to the public." It's even reflected in his cognitive costume, something that Ren naturally doesn't remark on aloud. "That's more what I mean."
    
    When it comes to just being a detective, Ren knows perfectly well that many of them are insufferably smug know-it-alls. That's absolutely in line with the other stripe of Akechi's personality, the one he reserves for when he's not on talk shows or the like.
    
    Ren doesn't press Akechi talking to Makoto, just as they said they wouldn't. It's ultimately his choice if he reaches out to her again. Ren is confident Makoto would engage, though... even if it were only to challenge him and try to knock him TF out.
    
    They doubt Akechi would hate that.
    
    Is it a salary negotiation? Ren chuckles. "Know your worth," they say simply. Akechi's the one who asked them if they'd consult for him. If he wants their viewpoint that badly, knowing he's a Phantom Thief, then he'd better be prepared to pay top dollar. And if he's joking after all, then all is well.
    
    ...The stars, though...
    
    The stars have always been something that have brought Ren wonder and comfort. Compared to a human life, they may as well be eternal. Something that's always there, no matter what. A connection that binds you to someone else, because you can both see the same starry sky. It's... deeply personal.
    
    So why would they talk about something deeply personal to someone who won't get it? They'll just both end up put out.
    
    If they look disappointed, it really isn't Akechi's fault. They can live without it. They've been living without it for the past several months. If being without them makes Ren feel alone, that's no one's problem but their own. They know that. They're used to it. They can deal with it.
    
    So when they tell Akechi they can head to the penguin exhibit now, their eyes widen when he wants to stay.
    
    "...okay," they say, a touch guarded. But they linger with him too, to watch the jellyfish float by in all their unearthly colors. It really is serene, as Umie described it. They breathe, and breathe, and breathe, and let go of their momentary tension.
    
    Until Akechi mentions a planetarium.
    
    Ren snaps another wide-eyed look his way. "Really?" they murmur, hushed, but unable to mask the surge of... it's not exactly excitement, and it's not exactly hope, but it's stronger than mere interest. It very much gives them away, or would have if Akechi hadn't already figured them out.
    
    Couches you can reserve, just to watch the stars... Their eyes grow rounder still, until they're like a pair of full moons, shining despite their blackness.
    
    "That sounds incredible," they murmur, holding themself back even now.
    
    They look back up at the jellyfish. Why is Akechi mentioning this? What's he trying to get out of this interaction?
    
    ...Did he just... notice how Ren felt and want to do something kind for him?
    
    "Do you..."
    
    If they hadn't internalized emotional restraint a long time ago, maybe the mere idea would make them cry.
    
    "...want to go together sometime...?"
    
    They'll just risk a little emotional vulnerability instead.

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.

"... It's because adults are easily flattered." Is Akechi's response. "That they believe I'm behaving as I ought to, is what gives me the ability to pursue my 'Justice' as I see fit."
 
Another half-truth, since he truly desires the validation of this image. He wants to be wanted - needs to be wanted.
 
But it suits him to indicate it's for a goal as well.
 
-=-=-
 
'Really?'
 
'That sounds incredible.'
 
'Do you...'
 
'... want to go together sometime...?'
 
The depth of emotion Ren shows here is perhaps... the most he's seen, even if he knew it was there, beneath the surface.
 
Even he's surprised at it when it emerges. Even when Akechi lets himself be a little vulnerable - he never bares so much, is never so raw.
 
"... Sure." He says, not 'Why not' or 'if I find the time' or 'If things align'.
 
"Let's plan a day for it."
 
Not 'I just so happened' or 'short notice but' or 'I'm in the area.' Just an affirmation...
 
... in front of a piece of the sea, and it's stars.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Ren hums quietly, thoughtfully, at Akechi's assertion. Adults are easily flattered; that's true enough. Their arrest and conviction was partly due to the fact that they refused to go along with that. But is that really it...?
    
    For now, they let it go.
    
    ~ * ~
    
    There's a breath of trepidation as Ren asks. If Akechi wanted to hurt them, here and now would be the perfect time. Rejecting them out of hand--something like, 'Oh, I never said I wanted to go, I was only mentioning it,' would be genuinely upsetting. There are lots of reasons why Akechi might want to hurt them, too. They know that painfully well.
    
    But maybe... it doesn't have to be like that. Just like how Ren could have taken this information and asked someone else--one of their partners in crime, or their actual girlfriend--and left Akechi in the dust, but they didn't. Maybe it won't be like that.
    
    It isn't like that.
    
    Ren breaks into the broadest, warmest smile that Akechi has ever seen from them.
    
    "Okay," they breathe, for they can only breathe; they are, quite literally, unspeakably happy.
    
    If they fall silent for now, it's to bask in the bright anticipation of a moment of future happiness. If their heart pounds...
    
    ...well, no need to read too much into it.