2026-02-22: Words That We Couldn't Say
- Log: 2026-02-22 Words That We Couldn't Say
- Cast: Minako Arisato, Ren Amamiya
- Where: Port Island Station - Paulownia Mall
- OOC Date: February 24, 2026
- IC Date: Saturday, September 29, 2012
- Summary: Minako and Ren attempt to talk about what just happened after Minako glomped them in front of their friends. The two reach a point where they're both smiling again, but has anything actually been resolved?
- Music: Words That We Couldn't Say by Steven Conte
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
It's a little later in the day on Saturday. Minako and Ren said their goodbyes to Yusuke and Makoto -- and then they stepped aside, as they had agreed they needed to talk.
The second level of Paulownia Mall actually offers a reasonably private place to talk, so they headed there. Most of the stores are less in-demand, on this level; a florist, a dentist's office, a travel agent. That means that parking in front of one is just fine -- and with a view of Paulownia, besides.
They stop near a vending machine. It rattles; one bottle, then a second of the requested drinks. Minako holds Ren's out to them, then she smiles. It's a little hesitant -- and still embarrassed.
"Sorry," she says. "I... kinda surprised you, today, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren follows Minako upstairs and accepts the drink she gives them--a grape Manta. They predict hers is Earl Green; that's what she asked for when they bought her drink when she came to see them at Shujin Academy. But then again, maybe today it's something different.
They smile back at her, though likewise the gesture is embarrassed. "You didn't do anything wrong," they reassure her. "And it was a good surprise, anyway."
At least, it was at first. It rapidly soured, but that's still not Minako's fault.
"I'm... the one who should be sorry," they continue, though Ren struggles to feel like they did anything wrong either. Still, there's no denying how hurt she was, and so there's no denying they did in fact do something wrong. They take a deep breath, not yet cracking open their drink. "And I am. I'm sorry I didn't introduce you to my friends earlier."
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako does, in fact, have an Earl Green. She uncaps the plastic and has a long drink from it -- and then she smiles back. It was a good surprise; she can understand that means 'at first.' Neither of them would be delusional enough to have found a lot of what went wrong.
"I... thanks," she says, a little lamely. It's hard to not be frustrated; it's also hard to know that she shouldn't hold onto that frustration. "It... just took me by surprise. Uh..."
She looks at them, her crimson eyes focusing. "...Do you mind telling me why you didn't mention having a girlfriend to them?" she asks, even as she hesitates.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's a bit of a relief to see her smile back. Only a bit, though, because things are still awkward between them--and for good reason, of course. Ren nods at her lukewarm response, and tells themself not to feel bad that it is lukewarm. Obviously this is something they need to talk about and not just sweep under the rug if they want to have a serious relationship. And they do want a serious relationship with her. Right?
The question is kind of a tough one. Ren rubs the back of their neck. "It's not like I went out of my way to hide it or anything," they say slowly. "You've met Ryuji and Ichika. They're part of the same friend group. It just... never came up with Yusuke or Makoto." They pause. "Or... anyone else in our group, I guess." They rub the back of their neck, feeling self-conscious. "I don't know. I just don't tend to talk about myself that much in general." They look back at her, expression sober. "I'm really sorry it made you feel bad. I'll tell the rest of our group right away, I promise."
...But is that really enough?
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
"Thanks," Minako says, with another sigh. She listens as they explain, but it's not quite a satisfying explanation to her. Or -- no, she realizes, it didn't quite answer her question. They told her what they did in more detail, Minako thinks; they didn't tell her why, exactly.
She bites her lip, quiet for a moment.
She looks to the side. And if she thought it through more -- if she didn't let the tension that she hasn't quite let go out -- then she would have considered their response more. The way they did answer her question, though it raises some about the group dynamic.
But there's a stinging feeling of rejection that she can't quite overcome.
So Minako blurts out, albeit quietly: "Are you embarrased about us?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren can tell right away that this answer--and therefore this promise--isn't enough for her. Their lips part, but they hesitate, then choose to say nothing. They don't know what to say, and anyway, Minako should get a chance to mull what they have said over and respond. Right?
(As far as the group dynamic goes, they're all Ren's dear friends and they love them--but Ren is also The Leader and everything that implies. What's more, their former best friend from their hometown had a dynamic with them where sharing good news carried the risk of prompting jealousy and strife. Their current friends wouldn't do that, but it's hard to unlearn those coping mechanisms.)
For now, they crack open their soda and take a drink. It gives them something to do with their hands and mouth, too. When they lower the can, though, Minako asks what she does, and they startle.
"What? No," they reply. They want to ask 'why would you think that?' but... Their eyes cloud. They know exactly why she thinks that. But what else can they say in response that they haven't already? "I'm sorry. It's just the way I am," they thus say, feeling a little helpless. If anything, they've told more people than they normally might have. If Ryuji hadn't had a girlfriend of his own, Ren definitely would not have told him.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
'It's just the way I am.'
Minako flinches at that. She falls quiet, looking down at her open bottle of Earl Green. It hits her in a way that isn't fair; a way that she doubts that Ren intended. But she is reminded of family gatherings, where she and her brother were the orphans that their father's or mother's family were never quite sure what to do with.
It isn't the way that they see her. She knows that. But it's hard, for a moment, to feel that.
"I just... I thought, um." She looks down. "I want to be something in your life that you're happy to tell others about. That... that you want to bring up."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren sees her flinch, and they don't know why she's flinching--the two of them have not had that kind of relationship up until now--but it's clear they've said the wrong thing again. They fall silent once more, watching her with anxiety worrying at their heart.
When she does speak, it's their turn to flinch. They know it's not what she's trying to say, but they can't help but hear, 'I don't accept who you are after all.'
Which they immediately feel bad about. They're the one who hurt her, so why do they have to keep making this all about themself in their head?
Ren hangs their head and says nothing, now feeling fully helpless.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako looks at Ren, as they stand there silent -- and look as helpless as they feel.
The frustration of feeling like she might be a burden comes to the fore, but this time, it competes with another feeling: like she might drive them away by getting caught up in her own issues. Minako looks at them and hesitates, having a sip of her drink to steady her nerves.
"...sorry," she says. "That... that wasn't fair of me. I, um. You said I'm great to them. I... I know you don't think of me like that."
But it feels inadequate, both as an apology and for what she wants. She bites her lip, eyes down on the ground again.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
In Ren's shoulder bag, the one Ren has forgotten about because they're so used to its weight by now, Morgana is quietly going, Oof.
Ren themself looks up at Minako. They can tell that, for all she walks back what she just said, she probably doesn't mean it--or if she does mean it, it comes with the cost of But I still feel the way I feel. They can understand that because it's how they feel too.
"Minako, I really care about you. I want to get more serious with you," they say, a little desperately, as they step closer to her. "I'm really, really sorry I didn't mention you to the others before."
It's not like you've introduced me to all of *your* friends, a treacherous thought comes. Yukari and Akihiko had to go and introduce themselves, and look how that went. Ren shakes their head to try to shake it off.
"What can I do to make this right?" they say instead, reaching out to her with their free hand. "Please. Tell me."
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
A similar thought goes through Minako's head. She didn't tell people in SEES about it until later. But that--that's different. Even if Yukari and Fuuka are her friends, a lot of them are people she stands with against Dark Hour, against Tartarus. That is a part of her life that she can't share with Ren. How would they understand?
But, it makes her a hypocrite. It makes her regret that.
"Ren..." She looks at them, and she hesitates. "...It's--it's okay. I want that, too." What can they do to make it right?
She hesitates as she considers that, but she takes their hand. She squeezes it. "Maybe... tell the friends you're close to. And--um. Do it... do it your way, okay? I don't want you to have to be someone you're not."
But, she realizes, she needs to be something more. The sort of girl they won't hesitate to tell their friends about.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's encouraging when Minako takes their hand. They squeeze it back, mustering up a little smile for her. Sure, things are bad right now, but they can get through this. Fights and arguments are part of a relationship. It can't be all happy sunny roses all the time.
...even if that is the foundation of why the two of them started dating to begin with. Ren hesitates, then swallows that treacherous thought back down.
"Of course," they say, because they were planning on telling the rest of their friends anyway. But it also feels insufficient--that's literally what they said only a moment ago, and it was clearly not enough--so they also say, "I have a lot of fun with you, Minako. You're sweet, and you're kind, and you're funny, and you make me happy. I really enjoyed it when we went to the pool, and when we went to the festival, and even when we just walk around town talking. You're really important to me. Okay?"
They have not, Minako might note, said that they love her. This isn't meant as a slight, though; Ren just feels like those aren't words someone should say frivolously. Certainly they aren't words someone should say for the first time as a way to smooth over a fight.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako looks at them -- and she smiles back, and it's not entirely forced. It's still small; it's still quite hesitant. But, they would have an argument sooner or later. It couldn't always be fun, even if -- even if that's why they're dating. And...
And, besides, Ren wants to be more serious.
They can't say that they love her. Minako isn't sure that she could say that, either. She wonders if she could really love anyone like that, still -- if all of the trauma, all of the loss, all of it adds up to make her not able to do that. She doesn't linger on that thought, though.
She smiles more when they compliment her. "Okay," she says. "You are, too. You're... kind, you're funny, you're confident -- and you care about people. It stood out since I met you," she says. "So... so I want to keep that up."
She can get serious about them. She can make this work, she decides.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren's own smile grows as Minako reflects it back at them, complete with compliments back. They're doing it. They're getting through this.
(The two of them have not actually talked about why this was an issue or either of their feelings behind it. Surely that's fine.)
"Me too," they murmur, and step in closer to give her a hug if she'll let them.
Sooner or later, the two of them separate. Ren searches her face for clues about her mood. "Hey... since we're here anyway... you wanna do something fun? Lighten the mood?" they offer. "Like karaoke--or if you wanna hit up Kenneth Arnold, I'll buy you a present." They offer her another smile. "Anything you want. You deserve it."
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako accepts the hug -- gladly! -- and she returns it. She pulls back, and when she does, she is smiling. And the smile is happy.
But it's happy in the way so many people know her to be happy. The cheerful smile that looks so genuine, it covers up the feeling inside -- the fear she almost ruined this, the fear that she will always lose people, and the uncertainty of how she can keep them close.
But it's an easy smile for her to wear. She wears it every day.
"Sure," she says. She grins. "I won't say no to a present~" She pokes their shoulder, with her index finger. "But karaoke sounds great, too!"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Then let's do both. My treat," Ren says decisively, accepting that shoulder-poke as their due. They know that presents alone won't fix the problem, but they're sure to make things feel better--and sure enough, Minako's smiling again that smile they're so familiar with. They half-turn and, once again offering their free hand to her, walk with her back downstairs for the CD/DVD shop. They'll both be able to finish off their drinks as they go, and then later, as they come back upstairs for Mandragora Karaoke.
Everything seems fine on the surface. Everything seems to have been wrapped up, at least for now. But there is that bad feeling lurking under the surface--for Minako, hiding her worries behind her smile, and Ren, refusing to acknowledge the ways they were hurt.
Indeed, on the way home, Morgana will poke his head up and, with the best of intentions, ask them, "Do you really think you resolved anything?"
...which is when Ren will realize that he's right. All they did was spackle over the problem.
It will be a very quiet rest of the night.