2026-01-08: Spilling the Broth
- Log: 2026-01-08 Spilling the Broth
- Cast: Ren Amamiya, Akihiko Sanada
- Where: Iwatodai Station, Tatsumi Port Island
- OOC Date: January 08, 2026
- IC Date: September 07, 2012
- Summary: Ren runs into Akihiko at Hagakure Ramen and sits down with him for a bowl. They talk first about Minako and her volleyball team's recent loss, then about rivalries, and then about Akechi--and Akihiko's unpleasant past with him.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Evening has just fallen over Port Island, and with it having grown dark, Ren is heading for Iwatodai Station after an afterschool-date with Minako. It wasn't anything big--mostly just walking around town and chatting about books they're reading--but it was a lovely time, and when you're with someone you care about, talking about anything is fun. They're glad they followed Dr. Maruki's advice earlier that day about just going for it. It might've been last second, but you really never do know until you ask.
The time did get away from them, though. Ren arrives at Iwatodai Station just in time for his train to leave the station. It'll be some time before the next one comes, so they decide to check out the strip mall there--it's right there, so why not? Bookworms is a gem, but unfortunately it's already closed by now. There's a few restaurants, including one that does take-out--but it turns out you have to be signed up to some newsletter or something to be able to do that. Pass.
The smells coming out of the ramen place are tempting as hell, though... Ren lingers outside of Hagakure, considering if they ought to have a whole meal or if just a snack of gyoza or something would be enough. Plenty of time for someone cooling down from a training session to run into as they head in for a hearty meal full of protein.
To that end:
"Oh, Sanada-san," Ren says, blinking over at him as he approaches. They're in their summer Shujin uniform, with its polo shirt and red plaid pants, and wear their usual non-prescription glasses. They nod to him amiably, hands tucked in their pockets. Their shoulder bag does not contain a cat today; Morgana is a gentleman and would not be so gauche as to tag along on someone else's date. "Nice seeing you again. How was your summer?"
Akihiko might recall that Ren was there at Minako's volleyball team's disastrous preliminaries match last week, whether he was there himself or not. Shinjiro was, as was Yukari, and either of them certainly could've mentioned it to him--to say nothing of Minako herself and her tension with her team captain, Rio Iwasaki.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko arrives by at Iwatodai's strip mall on his way back from his boxing club activities. His aim? Dinner, before heading back to the dorms proper and seeing about a Tartarus run tonight. He happily walks over to his (and Shinji's) favourite ramen place, when he spots Ren Amamiya standing outside. He raises his hand in casual greeting.
"Yo, Amamiya-san. It's good to see you again!" Similar to Ren, Akihiko is dressed in Gekkoukan's summer uniform...which mainly means just a short sleeved button up underneath his usual scarlet red vest, with his shoulder back slung around back. "Well enough here. A bit chaotic since summer vacation." He chuckles lightly. He's a little light on details right now, not really...wanting to share private SEES activities with outsiders. And the less said on 'Operation Beach Fling', the better.
Akihiko was indeed present as fitting as a sports alumni and senpai to Minako Arisato. However, the losses of the volleyball exhibition...shouldn't be spoken about right at this moment.
"Are you leaving, or going in?" Akihiko asks, as he gestures towards the ramen shop. "Feel free to join me for dinner, if you'd like."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Best not to share SEES details with this particular outsider, no. Minako currently has Ren convinced that SEES is an academics club run by the student council president that does innocent, totally normal extracurricular things, and the less that is said that might cause them to suspect otherwise, the better.
Especially since neither Ren nor Minako realizes the other is a Persona User. For some reason, Minako's Resonance just doesn't ping to Ren... and Ren, as one with the Will of Rebellion, generally doesn't ping to others at all.
"I was thinking of going in. I just missed my train," they reply. The invitation to join him gets a thoughtful look before he nods. "Sure. Thanks."
The inside is cozy and even more delicious-smelling. There are tables to one side and stools in front of a bar; Ren will join Akihiko at whichever he chooses to sit at (probably the bar). Ren looks up and around at the place before settling on Akihiko. "What do you recommend here?"
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
The acceptance makes Akihiko smile, and he nods. "Come on in." He leads the way inside, holding the door open. Soon, he's settled in his usual spot at the bar, though he may wince a little bit should Ren take Shinji's usual spot.
It's nothing, ultimately. Just a silly territorial instinct. "Oh, everything's good. I would suggest the ramen though." He raises his hand to catch the chef's attention. "The usual please, boss."
Then, he pauses. The pause turns into silence, as Akihiko tries to find any topic that isn't volleyball. He utterly fails. "...So, uh. How is Arisato-san holding up?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
There's only two seats that one can pick when sitting with someone at their usual spot at the bar, and by coincidence, Ren does indeed take Shinjiro's usual spot. They notice that little wince, but not understanding its reason, they pretend not to. If Akihiko doesn't say anything, best not to make a fuss.
"I'll have the ramen too," they tell the chef. They glance at Akihiko, then add, "And I'll try his 'usual.'" A good way to get to know people: try the food they like.
Ren is comfortable with silence. When the chef takes their orders and neither of them say anything for a moment, Ren is chill with that. Akihiko seems uncomfortable, though. Ren wonders if this and that wince are related, and glances at him again, wondering if they should ask after all. But before they can--Akihiko asks after Minako. Ah, so that's it...
"She's worried about Iwasaki-san, but otherwise she's doing all right. She's good at staying cheerful," Ren replies. Privately, they understand that 'staying cheerful' is not always a good thing, but no need to make Akihiko worry. The point of that behavior is to make people not worry. "We were hanging out before this, actually, and we had a good time," they add to underscore that. It's the truth--and they're happy that she does seem genuinely cheered up outside of her issues with Rio.
What else can they say to reassure Akihiko... "It sounds to me like Iwasaki-san is taking it harder, but that's not actually my business," Ren offers, looking forward at the chef as he preps their bowls. "Still, I can understand how it frustrating it is to lose. Especially if you have a rival you want to beat..." They scratch the side of their head. Maybe that's going too far, given that-- "Minako says she doesn't have someone like that, though."
Except maybe Rio herself.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko nods. "That's good to hear. Arisato-san is...very good at standing alone. It can be tough to read her, sometimes." He says. It's less that he needs to be reassured, but...
"Iwasaki-san is very serious when it comes to her art. I don't think she's learned how to take losses in stride yet. Or how to work with others weaker than her in a team." As a fellow athlete, Akihiko understands what it's like for Rio Iwasaki. In fact, Ren may remember spotting him following Rio, after he saw the rest go to comfort Minako anyways. "Iwasaki-san isn't a bad person. She'll figure out her problem somehow."
Akihiko considers talking more about his analysis on athletics, but is cut off by being served the ordered ramen, topped off with meat and eggs. Solid protein! "A rival, huh? Not a bad idea if you want to get stronger." Akihiko doesn't really have someone like that either. It's lonely being at the top, when you want someone to provide a real challenge against. Shadows have taken that position for him. "It's not the only way to get stronger though. It's external vs internal drives, you know? One is a goal to overcome, to push you forward. The other is an obsession with strength for strength's sake. Or for your ideals."
"Do you do any sports, Amamiya-san? Or do you have a rival in other aspects?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It can be tough to read her sometimes... Ren muses on this statement for a moment, head bowing in thought. They wonder how often they get described in the same or similar terms by their own friends. Is that why Akihiko invited them to dinner?
Ren only caught a glimpse of that, being caught up with Minako, Yukari and Shinjiro, and at the time hadn't thought too much about it--but talking to Akihiko now does bring it back. They look at him thoughtfully. "Do you know her well? I haven't actually formally met her. I asked Minako if she was going to go after her after the match, but she decided to give her some space." A beat. "Good thing you were there, huh?"
Meat and eggs... That is a lot of protein. Ren accepts their bowl and stares at it for a moment. They used to eat like this when they were training in ice skating... Their expression stays neutral as they crack a pair of wooden chopsticks, murmur an 'itadakimasu,' and start in on the broth as they listen to Akihiko. External vs. internal drives, huh... They've got someone who represents both those things right now.
"No sports," they reply, and don't add, Not anymore. "But I do have a rival." They raise up a stream of ramen noodles to cool. "We play billiards. He's obnoxiously good at it. Way better than me. But I'm going to beat him someday."
Akihiko will recognize well the steely determination in Ren's quiet voice and intense gaze, even as the slurp of noodles soon overtakes them.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"Not overly so. We're both captains of sports teams, so we come into contact regularly enough." Akihiko says, after some swallowing some meat. "You see her type of...personality often in athletics though." Goodness knows, he's been the chosen rival of many an aspiring boxing champ. "Mm. I don't think I can help her through it though." It comes with being unbeatable. He may know loss, but he doesn't know losing.
"Billiards, huh? That's quite a mature sport to pick." He can't imagine it's a club at Shuujin either. Where could Ren be playing it at... Akihiko does pick up on that quiet determination though. That's not bad at all. And it reminds him of some of his juniors. "Heh. With that sort of determination, I'm sure you'll reach those heights. I've heard that there's books that might help as well."
Akihiko chuckles as he slurps on some noodles. He's suddenly reminded on how his younger self wouldn't have cared about this at all. Back then, he was single-mindedly intent on growing stronger. Oh, how he's changed...
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Hmm." And that's all Ren has to say about Akihiko and Rio. It's a shame he can't help her, but they just don't know either of them enough to weigh in more--and ice skating isn't a team sport. At best it's a pairs sport, and Ren never got into that. They only did matches solo.
They smile at Akihiko's praise, though. "Thanks. I've been reading up on it, yeah," they reply, noting how Akihiko's mood has improved. "He also gave me a few pointers when I was starting out, which helped." It startled them a lot at the time, but those pointers have formed the foundation of their current play.
It does occur to him, though--when they (as Joker) compared Shinjiro to Akechi, he made an irritated noise like he knew about him. And he's in the same academics club as Akihiko, who's also a third year... they think? It might be nothing, but that prompts him, before taking a bite of a seasoned egg, to mention, "His name's Goro Akechi." As in the Goro Akechi, the celebrity Detective Prince--but that's not the point of why Ren brings him up, so they don't mention those parts. "The billiards were his idea. I'd never played before he invited me to."
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
It doesn't help that Akihiko is a boxer either. Boxing is one-on-one, and a test of strength and skill in equal measure. SEES provides his perspective on team 'sports', but there he uses his strength to support everyone. It's tough. He really hopes that Minato and Rio can figure it out.
That's not a bad idea, taking advice from your rival. It takes humility and a genuine desire to grow stronger to do that. Akihiko really respects it. At least...for a few blissful moments. He freezes, chopsticks in midair as Ren mentions Goro Akechi's name. It's unfortunately noticeable.
Akihiko takes his time with his next bit of ramen, taking this information in. "Akechi-san, huh? I know him." He pauses, to take a drink of water. "...Are you two friends? Or just 'rivals'?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's very noticeable. So much so that Ren pauses, too, the second half of their seasoned egg halfway to their mouth when Akihiko freezes. They blink at him, dark eyes focused on that reaction... which widen when Akihiko confirms he knows him. That's precisely why they asked, but they didn't actually expect to strike gold.
"Friends..." they repeat, as if tasting the word. They frown. "That's a strong word," they decide--but they also don't say they're just rivals. "It's complicated," they decide on.
It's not like they could go into the details on why it's complicated.
They take a drink too. Then they note, "It doesn't seem like you know him in a good way, based on your reaction. If that's the case... just know, I get it. He's not at all like how he acts on TV, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"I can't really say." Akihiko's not one for talk shows, or wherever Goro is on TV. He really can't blame Ren for saying it's complicated though. Goro is...a complicated person. "We have ancient history together."
Akihiko pauses once more, as he chews on his food. What is the price of honesty here? How deep does he want to get into things?
"We, Shinji, Akechi-san, and I, grew up in the same orphanage for a bit. Please don't offer your condolences, I'm lucky to have had a good life. We just knew each other briefly, before..." The orphanage burned down? His sister was murdered? "Before I was adopted out." And then they met again more recently. And then Akihiko acted like a fool. And then he wasn't kind. He wasn't strong.
"We didn't get along. That's all. Stupid kid stuff."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
That grabs Ren's attention. That DEFINITELY wasn't what they were expecting when they dropped his name. "Ancient history? As in you've known him a long time?" they wonder, raising their head, ramen momentarily forgotten.
They're willing to wait while Akihiko chews on both his food and his answer. Indeed, they watch him closely as he does. Maybe Ren and Akechi aren't friends, but they clearly take that relationship seriously. Maybe that tracks for a rival.
They continue to listen when Akihiko chooses to share. They note that pause before he says he was adopted out--and they hear what Akihiko doesn't say when he tries to brush that history under the rug with 'stupid kid stuff.'
"I see," they murmur. They chew on this too--as well as another chopstickful of noodles. When they swallow it, they remark, "Akechi told me once he used to get into a lot of fights when he was younger. People would judge him for being an orphan--that sort of thing." A beat. "Is that true?"
They don't really have a reason to doubt it. It's not something that makes Akechi look good. But... it's also something that might make him look sympathetic.
Like with Akechi and Tsubasa recently, they want a corroboration. To know what Akechi's told them really is true.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko shrugs a little, as Ren asks whether it's true Goro got into a lot of fights about being an orphan. "He was...sullen. Quiet as a kid. Quick to lash out." He still remembers what Goro said that night. Mocking Akihiko for not being strong enough.
"You...might want to ask Shinji actually, about the bullying bit. After I got adopted out, I didn't keep in contact with Akechi-san. I wasn't really bullied either, but that might be because of my adoptive family. Not that I would have noticed either. I was obsessed with growing stronger at that point too." Another clear divide between his current self, and his current self.
"I would believe it, at least. Our relationship wasn't smooth. We...fought a bit. We were just people who didn't mesh well back then." Has Goro changed since then? His image is stuck as a child to Akihiko. It's tough. To be kind, while looking back on such an unpleasant time of their shared time together.
As well as... Akihiko certainly doesn't think he bullied Goro. But Goro might have a different perspective on that one. He's near finishing his ramen at this point.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"..."
Akechi at least never mentioned Akihiko as one of his bullies. However, he also never named any names. It's fully a surprise to Ren to learn that the two have a childhood history. They mull over what they've just heard--sullen, quiet, quick to lash out--and it does feel congruous with what Akechi has told them.
"Noted," they say aloud. About that, and about following up with Shinjiro. If Akihiko got adopted out, then it makes sense that their history with Akechi really is ancient--and it's also clear that Akihiko is not enthusiastic about this topic.
"Thanks for telling me, Sanada-san," they add. "I was just curious if he was telling the truth." A beat. "So do you have any matches coming up?" they prompt--both to change the subject and give the conversation a more gracious way to end once Akihiko's done his ramen. It'll give Ren some time to focus on eating their meal, too--something they'll need to, and do, hurry up on if they want to catch the next train.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"If it helps, I don't mind too much. Any friend of Arisato-san is a friend of mine." This, Akihiko says firmly. He believes solidly in Minako. "I wish you luck in beating Akechi-san. Keep up with your practice. You can learn a lot from both less skilled and more skilled opponents." He smiles a little. He'd rather not...inject his personal ill feelings into an otherwise pleasant conversation, but he'd like to see Goro lose.
Akihiko notes the smooth conversation transition as well. Something he should learn, heh. "Soon, I'll return to defending my title." He pauses. "Honestly, I'm a bit envious with this talk of rivals. I haven't been properly challenged in a while." It's fine, ultimately. He's challenged in other respects. But a true challenger wouldn't do unappreaciated.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Thanks." That's good advice, Ren reflects. They've mostly been playing against friends while they practice their billiards, but maybe they can challenge other players at Penguin Sniper. And the concept applies for other games they've been playing against Akechi, like chess... even if they have to pivot slightly to shogi to do it. "I'll make a point to find more people to play against."
They drink some of the broth of their ramen--it's hot but delicious and feels good going down their throat. It'd be even better in winter, but at least the weather's starting to cool down a little now that they're in September. Setting their bowl down, they nod once. "Maybe you can encourage someone to step up to the plate," they suggest. "See who's got potential when you're defending your title." Like Akechi did for me, they don't add.
Next, after another drink of water, are the slices of charsiu meat. They're closing in on the bottom of their bowl too now.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"Anytime. Sports and improving are things I'm good at, at least." And definately not sneaking around, or talking up random people.
Akihiko considers this nugget of advice this time. "That's not a bad idea... I'm usually focused on raising my juniors up." Heh. He could even act as this person's villian, prodding them to take his crown. "Not a bad idea at all... Ah, when is the next train?" He checks his phone real quick. "We've been chatting for so long..."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Everyone has something they're good at, that others aren't so good at. Such differences make the world go 'round. "Good luck with that, then," they say with a slight smile.
The reminder of the train gets Ren to pull out their own smartphone. "Ah, another five," they say, and while they stay calm outwardly, their pulse jumps. "I'd better get going." They shovel down the last of their meal, take out their wallet and put down the correct about of money. Fortunately, tips aren't a thing in Japan, so they don't need to take time to figure that out.
"Good talking to you. Later, Sanada-san," they say, and hurry out the door. There's still a couple minutes, but they're a fast runner, so they should be able to make it...!
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko raises a hand. "See you, Amamiya-san. Treat Arisato-san well.~" He says with a litle bit of a laugh. Here's hoping Ren can make his train! It's not too far at least.