2026-04-18: Ad Astra
- Log: Ad Astra...
- Cast: Umie Akabane, Ren Amamiya
- Where: Big Bang Burger, Shibuya
- OOC Date: April 18, 2026
- IC Date: October 27, 2012
- Summary: Ren's hard work has paid off, which requires some sort of celebration in Umie's mind. Unfortunately, it's not much of a celebration if you're working *at* the place being used to celebrate, but Ren's a good sport about it. While some subjects remain as mysterious as the night sky, the two have plenty to chatter about, including a certain annoying detective prince. What will either of them do for the rest of the day? Definitely not going to Mementos, that's for sure...
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
===THAT MORNING===
>> Hey, did you find out how you did on your exams?
It would be terrible of Umie to not follow up with her fellow co-worker, after that study session with Kurou. (She'll need to check with Kurou as well, but that can wait until he gets back from his day.)
Looking in the mirror as she carefully taps some concealer over a scratch on her cheek, Umie looks over her face for any other recent signs of her jaunt through the Dark Hour.
Her phone dings, but this time, it's as an alarm: she'll need to start getting ready to leave for her shift.
===A LITTLE BIT AGO===
It's a cool, clear, breezy late October day once Umie gets off her shift. Tugging the the orange and red scarf around her neck and stifling a shiver, she checks her phone, and texts Ren back.
>> How about we meet at the BBB then?
If he's already there... well, why not? She breathes into cupped hands, and considers, for a moment, just how much of a coincidence that is.
The thought simply passes to the backburner of her mind, as the sound of the crosswalk alerts her it's her time to cross the street.
===NOW===
".... Oh."
Peeking into the fine establishment, it comes to the blonde, whether it's through the sight of a familiar curly-haired teenager working in full uniform, or something that occurs to her, far later than it really should have.
This is yet another of Ren's many jobs.
She pauses, looking back down at her phone, and looking back up with a lopsided smile, as she walks up to get in line.
He never seems to give himself much of a break, does he? Maybe that's what his parents expect of him, on top of grades.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
===THAT MORNING===
>> Yeah, I'm in the top third. :)
The smily face is more than Ren usually does, but they're quite pleased with themself. It's not just an improvement compared to last time; it's arguably the best grade they've ever gotten on an exam, ever. It doesn't beat out Makoto's or (likely) Akechi's grades, but it makes them feel good about themself that they can match up to them--at least do well enough not to embarrass them--if they try.
They still don't like the stifling structure of school or exams, but with the recent new study habits and strategies they've been learning, it's easier to work within that framework and do the parts of learning that they enjoy.
Umie suggests they go out somewhere that afternoon to celebrate. They say sure, once they're off work. What they don't mention: they've picked up a new part-time job, and it is crucial that they get at least one shift in.
They need that authorization.
===A LITTLE BIT AGO===
The weather is really perfect right now: not too hot, not too cold, a nice breeze on a darkening night.
Ren Amamiya is not getting to enjoy any of it.
Umie texted him recently where he is. They got the briefest moment to text back:
>> @ the bbb
before the demands of the job called him back.
Thankfully, their shift will be over soon, but until then...
===NOW===
"Welcome to Big Bang Burger, open twenty-four hours a day because there's no day or night in space!"
So Ren declares smiling a customer-service smile to the person at the front of the line as Umie enters, bowing in welcome before standing up straight i their bright yellow uniform with red BIG BANG BURGER visor and half-tie. Lower down, they're also wearing a star-spangled red waist apron, black slacks and shoes.
"Due to the popularity of the Big Bang Challenge, we are offering another campaign this month! At night, the Big Bang Challenge will cost our intrepid travelers a meager fee of only 500 yen! We're currently offering what we call the Big Bang Challenge! Why don't you take it? The universe awaits!"
Even though they're still smiling, there is a certain robot cadence to that spiel, like they've already repeated it a dozen times already and they're just going through it to go through it.
"Otherwise, thanks to the autumn season, we're also currently offering the Moon Burger, which is our Big Bang Burger with a delicious fried egg on top! What can I get for you today?"
Smile, smile.
...At least once Umie gets to the front of the line, she'll have a chance to either cut off the spiel or just say immediately what she wants, because Ren does indeed repeat this for every customer. Boss's orders, no doubt.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
The text from Ren comes just as Umie is ready to slip out the door.
That's.... a smilie face. Umie has a private cackle to herself, sharing in a little of Ren's understated joy.
(... selfishly, that is. Top third for her was just a signal that she had to try harder, back when she was in school.)
>> Sounds good. I'd be a terrible work senpai if I encouraged you to skip a shift.
She would have asked where, but that was more time that she didn't have, if she wanted to get to her own shift sufficiently on time.
======
Umie is a creature of the earlier October weather; her pink windbreaker is proving to not be up to the task compared to the sadly ruined light grey one she often wore. But there is something about how crisp the air is, even deep into Shibuya. It's not freezing, at least. Perfect scarf weather.
(She is definitely not wearing any of Shiryuu's coats that he keeps throwing on her, sadly, even if they plenty warm, aka 'the latest technology', or whatever he means when he says that.)
The two bunned devil is definitely in a cheerful mood as she gets to the front of the line, her eyes alit in an impish twinkle, joined by a smile that is just sharp enough. "My, my. You're doing well, Amamiya-kun," she says, in order to bite through that robotic spiel she knows so well. "The Moon Burger, was it? I think I'll have that."
Once payment is made, she says, "No rush. I just got off work, so I'm probably going to chill out in a booth until you're off."
She'll have to think of something else to celebrate, but first, she needs to eat. She can't think on an empty stomach!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
If they were still living at home, maybe it would be. Ren doesn't have any illusions that anything they do would ever be good enough for their parents. But that's not something they're going to talk about unprovoked.
When Umie reaches the front of the line--which, thank god, is also the end of the line, currently--Ren drops the customer service smile and sighs, shoulders slumping. "If it looks like it, that's good enough," they reply. They draw themself back up then and dip into the bow anyway, then nod at her order. "It's pretty good, I have to admit."
They'll accept her payment. "Your order will be right out, Akabane-san." They glance at a clock on their side of the station. "...and me along with it. Once my replacement gets here, I'll finally be off." They meet her eyes. "See you soon."
The pink is a change from the gray. It looks pretty good on her, though. Makes them feel better about maybe wearing more pink on their side... Right now, their nail polish is still standard black--even if they've since added a glittery overcoat to make it look like the stars.
About fifteen minutes later, Ren does indeed arrive with Umie's order, including a Moon Burger for themself. (Even after having seen how the sausage is made, Ren is not immune to the allure of seasonal items--especially for fall, their favorite season.) They've changed out of their uniform, which has been stuffed into their shoulder bag, and they sag into the seat opposite hers.
"I'm so tired," they declare as soon as they sit. "This job is brutal." They halfheartedly grab a French fry and dip it in ketchup. "...How're you and the Ryouharas doing, Akabane-san?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
There's been a subconscious current to Ren's tendencies and mannerisms that made Umie suspect his parents were strict, but, on the other hand, how much is that Umie using her own experiences to fill in the blanks of Ren's own life?
And even if they are strict, Umie supposes, did it mean he needed someone to worm their way into his own privacy? To breach that secrecy, if at all, would mean being careful; a human isn't some Dark Hour demon wandering around the streets of Sumaru City.
Not to mention, Ren is a normal teenager, and you are supposed to similarly be the normal, boring adult, _Umie Akabane_.
"Alright, then add one exhausted shift worker onto my order, then," she quips. "See you."
====
As Ren approaches, Umie looks up from her Moon Burger, grabbing a napkin to wipe some of the yolk from her mouth. "Amamiya-kun." A pause, as Umie notices the sparkle of Ren's nails in the light, as they sit down. "Ahhh... Did you change up your nails? I like the glitter overcoat." She displays her own: apricot orange, a color they've seen her wear before. "I thought it fit the season. Halloween is soon, after all~"
Not that it really changes anything on Umie's end, as she looks for clues through a newly discovered desert of information.
Every day is one day off being an April Fool.
"I bet," Umie says, grimacing. "Fast food is brutal; I'll take retail over it anyway." She sips from her drink. "The pay must be good, though..."
How are her and the Ryouharas...
Umie smirks. "I'm waiting to hear how Ryouhara-kun's doing, but if you're any indication, he's probably doing just as well. As for the other." She waves a hand nonchalantly. "He's still him."
Ren may perceive it in the way she looks aside with a softness to her gaze; as much as she tries to hide it, there's a fondness there. "If he bugs any employees of the Triple 7, I'll have to be on my guard."
"What about you and yours? Told anyone yet about the good news?"
'Your family', she wanted to say, but this felt... safer.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Umie noticing their nails does immediately help Ren perk up. "A little," they say, holding out their hands to show off their nails. "It's still black, just with an overcoat." They smile, fondness crinkling the corners of their eyes. "I like the stars." Which provides a mundane enough excuse for why they started working this job, perhaps. They observe Umie's apricot nails and nod their approval. "Nice. I like that too," they say, and don't mention that Halloween is also their birthday.
Is the pay good? ...Let's not discuss that one, maybe. That's not the real reason Ren's doing any of this, anyway. No need to go into that.
"The Triple Seven's also tough, but here..." Ren shakes their head and glances over their shoulder towards the order counter, where their shift relief--a female employee--now stands to take people's orders. Somewhere in the back is the manager, barking orders. "...well, let's not get into it," they conclude diplomatically.
They already knew this would be a tough job, thanks to Haru. It still took them by surprise how tough, but they can suck it up for as long as they need to.
They look back at Umie as she replies about the Ryouharas. Not all that informative, but there's only so much she'd tell a 'normal' teenager. At the least, it sounds like there's no change--including to Umie's feelings. They nod once and dig into their own Moon Burger. Because of that, fortunately, when she asks, they have their mouth full.
"Hrrmmmrhhr," they reply at first without parting their lips. A moment of chewing and a sip of grape Manta later, and they say, "Sojiro-san knows. He's pretty pleased. My friends... well, our grades are pretty all over the place."
No mention of family.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"The stars, huh..." She looks beyond Ren to the logo and theming of the fast food joint around them.
When her eyes travel back to Ren's, wrinkling with a certain amount of mischief, Umie adds, "I'm beginning to see why you chose this place." A pause, and Umie adds, "Aside from the fact that they pay you when you come in and work."
As Ren seemingly comes to defend their choice of work, Umie chuckles, dabbing a fry into her ketchup. "No wonder you're tired."
While Ren's cover as a perfectly normal teenager restricts what information Umie would give away, it has its boons in being a perfect excuse for why they're here, working. Umie, of all people, has no reason to suspect any ulterior motives; Ren's array of part time jobs put Umie to shame, especially when he has school on top of it all.
Ren's endearing attempt at an answer nearly causes Umie to choke on her soda; she coughs a laugh into her her napkin.
"So...sojiro-san?" Umie asks, as she recovers. It only takes a second before her own memory catches up. "Oh! Don't tell me." She holds up her index finger. "Leblanc, right? He must be a pretty neat guy, keeping an eye on his employees like that." There's no suspicion in Umie's words, either, considering what she's doing right now.
"With a shooting star in the midst, I figure Takamaki-san and Sakamoto-san can only benefit, in time." She has a bite of her burger.
No mention of family. She chews, considering. It's just after a hard shift, and, it'd be bad form to be asking right during a moment when he should be, by all means, relishing in his success. But too bad, she's already--
.... No.
This is not a demon, or some supernatural matter where breaking a few eggs is just Umie's custom.
"... My folks were strict as hell, too," she says instead, after a sip. "... Whether your family is or isn't, it's great to see your hard work pay off." She offers Ren a small grin.
Speaking of stars. "Laying that aside, you know why Seven Sisters is named the way that it is, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Getting paid is a good thing," Ren agrees solemnly, nodding once. They restrain a smile when she chokes, recovers, and laughs.
Their array of part-time jobs is at least more jobs they have available to work at; some of them they work far less frequently than others. They haven't done a shift at Cafe Chagall or Ore no Beko in ages, for example, while they're seen at Triple Seven or Bar Crossroads far more frequently, while Untouchable is basically an on-request job, and Leblanc, well... they live at Leblanc. Speaking of which...
"Yeah--" Ren pauses when Umie indicates she wants to guess; when she does correctly, they nod again. When she betrays that she doesn't realize that Sojiro is their guardian and that they live in Leblanc's attic, they mentally pause. ...Another personal thing they haven't shared with a friend, huh. Maybe Minako was right to get upset at them... They really do keep secrets a lot.
They decide not to tell her anyway. They trust her, but they wouldn't want that information getting back to the Ryouharas, and she'd have no reason to keep it from them when she thinks they're a) a normal student b) Kurou's (budding?) friend.
"I don't know about that. Neither of them like to study. Well, I don't either," they admit. "But study partners make it easier for me. I don't think it ever gets any either for either of them." Chomp, chew, chew, chew. For a moment, they're both quiet as they both eat their dinner. Ren takes another sip of their drink too.
Umie brings up her strict parents. Ren glances at her. "...Yeah. Thanks."
She didn't ask, so they don't have to say.
The question she does ask gets another small smile out of them. "The Pleiades," they reply promptly. "It's obvious from the school sigil on the uniform." They don't know that many Sevens students, but the one they do know, they spend a pretty significant amount of time with.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Umie *sees* that smile that's trying to get through, Ren! She knows it!
What a proper teenager, to try to respect their elders.
... Especially when it's one with secrets to keep, which may be why Umie feels such a pressure to respect Ren's, despite her nosiness and general busy-bodying otherwise.
Ren has no secrets, but why should she hold him to another standard because he has none? Few teenagers are open books, Persona User or no, and she was no different.
.....
(Little does Umie know the whole dam of secrets Ren is keeping, on top of being a Persona User.)
"I don't know that many people that really like studying, especially when it's not something they're interested in," Umie says, lighting tapping a finger against the table as she eats another fry. "You and Ryouhara-kun seemed to really hit it off well, though; if you ever need another study buddy next time, you're welcome to ask him. You guys have each other's number now, right?"
That apartment was warm, in a way Umie could finally see.
Starry skies... does Ren ever see them, where he was from?
All of Umie's nights lacked stars, or were green.
She ponders this, as she finishes her burger, finally feeling comfortable with the silence.
At Ren's acknowledgement, there's a small nod, a form of shorthand to note what neither Umie or Ren would normally discuss.
Nothing more needs to be said, just a grin as Umie manually moves the topic along.
"<Correct.>" The fact that he specified the school uniform... "Uniform, hm~" Her eyelids lower a touch, as she picks up her last fru. "You should tell Akechi-kun, sometime. I can see him trying to play it off, but I'd like to think he'd see your rise in grades and see you as a proper rival."
Even in a Big Bang Burger... the Badb smiles!
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren Amamiya might well love secrets. They certainly love secrets more than they love their own family.
"Right," they confirm; they'd gone out of their way to make sure they and Kurou exchanged phone numbers. "I'll do that. He actually make history sound interesting."
And while that's not the only reason Ren will keep in touch with Kurou, it is true. They do actually enjoy his company, for all that they're always keeping in the back of their mind that he's the enemy. Hell, if they can do that for Akechi, why not him too?
Starry skies... They were always present in nights over their hometown, especially on field trips up into the mountains. It's the one thing about home they miss--something that pierced clean through their heart last summer. For as much as they enjoy city life, that's one thing they wish they could enjoy more often.
But it's okay. There's the planetarium, and... there's overnight trips to the outskirts of the Tokyo metropolitan area, where nature abounds.
"He expects me to've gotten good grades already, actually," they reply. "We were talking about it after midterms were over."
A proper rival, huh... Ren pauses in eating to lean their chin on one hand and stare into space for a moment. Considering what he told them that night, is a 'rivalry' still how he views their relationship...?
Even now, they still don't know quite how to define what the two of them are.
"What brings that up?" they add, looking back at her as they grab a couple more fries. "Just making conversation?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Ren's mention of history causes Umie to pause, realizing just what the Ryouhara name meant.
"Mmn," she conceeds. "The two of them have that quirk, though Ryouhara-kun is not as overdramatic about it." As Shiryuu, that is.
The way Kurou looked at Shiryuu that rainy day, when Umie forced him to define how Kurou was related to him... In her mind, she contrasts it with the look he had when Shiryuu left.
It's insidious, how she almost shares that with Ren, letting him in just a little further into her feelings.
She trusts Ren, and she trusts Kurou. She even trusts Shiryuu. It's the world and the dark connections that bind the Ryouharas and her together that she does not trust. A young man like Ren, if he somehow got in the middle of things...
The fry stills in her hand at the thought of it. In encouraging this, as innocent as it is, is she not putting Ren in danger?
If Black Mask paid Ren a visit...
'He expects me to've gotten good grades already, actually.'
She looks up, briefly startled, then settles back, chuckling. "He said that, huh? To have him think that of you..." Her lips slide into a lopsided grin. "I don't think he's the sort to make that admittance lightly."
A careless comment brings Ren to think on it. Umie, meanwhile, takes a moment to reconsider if she's overstepped in her teasing.
Hm. "Possibly, but I do think he looks for people he can relate to." Loneliness, she and Ren had once identified it as. "Detectives like Sherlock Holmes may have 'friends', but they'd probably called them by different names." Pause. "... I guess Holmes would be considered a friend..." She frowns. ""Rival' feels like something he'd say, when 'friend' doesn't work."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
I bet, Ren thinks. A secret ninja clan? Yeah, there's definitely a lot of history that's got to be there. Meanwhile, Shiryuu being more overdramatic than Kurou is just par for the course. A collective ten or twenty minutes of interacting with him has made that painfully clear.
Though even if Shiryuu were normal about it, Kurou's so inexpressive that he'd still be more dramatic. That's something Ren and Kurou have in common, really... though Ren has a feeling that the reasons why aren't the same.
Either way, it is true that there's a risk in Ren getting more involved with this--but Ren sees it as less of a risk than it otherwise might be. Tsubasa was captured and tortured despite encountering Shiryuu as a Persona User. As long as Shiryuu doesn't know Ren is one, and Umie continues to stand up for them, Ren suspects that any violence will be confined to, for example, getting tied upside-down to the ice machine, or whatever ridiculous thing it was Shiryuu had threatened them with that first encounter.
...If the Black Mask paid Ren a visit, though... that would definitely be interesting in the Chinese curse sense of the word.
"He seems to think more of me than most," Ren agrees, keeping their expression neutral to not betray how their chest squeezes. "I guess I'm entertaining."
It wouldn't even be the first time he'd said something like that, though; he'd made a similar assumption during the summer finals. It had aggravated Ren back then too--and also inspired them to work harder, so their grades ended up mediocre rather than as bad as Ann's or Ryuji's.
Loneliness. That's certainly true. And it's true, too, that the two of them called each other friends to the other's faces for the first time recently. The two of them are just... more than that. Less than that? Something other than that. That's the part that's hard to define.
"A rival's someone you think can match you, or someone you want to beat," Ren replies. "There's a lot of friendly rivalries in media--two people competing against each other while respecting and valuing each other. Akechi's the kind of person who doesn't believe in easy relationships..." For reasons that are not theirs to share. "I guess a rivalry would feel more sincere to him."
To say nothing of the deeper feelings Akechi has for them. ...that they might just have back. That's still hard to think about too, though it's no longer something veiling itself from their conscious mind. They've been growing fonder and fonder of him for a while now... maybe since that fateful battle in Mementos. Maybe since well before then.
Their gaze is still distant, their expression neutral. With them dating Makoto right now, things are too complicated to smile like Umie had over Shiryuu.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
If there is one thing about Shiryuu that Umie can (somewhat) appreciative, it's that he is rather straightforward in how he presents himself. Supernatural, or droll mundane reality, he's the same Shiryuu.
Kurou, on the other hand... has secrets, but likely only that way one could discover them is knowing what to ask.
Like a lock.
Or an umbrella, offered to someone because you're too irritated at being encountered again, at your workplace.
Like how Akechi did the same, that first time they definitely, truly met.
Entertaining, is it...
Umie chuckles. "He'd probably say the same of me, but I think, for you? It's in a different way." She again, finds herself wanting to say more, but even that, with Akechi having nothing to do with the NWO, is dangerous. He said as such, when she revealed more than she realized, straight to him.
They're all just lonely, aren't they? Separated by having Personas, and having to deal with things they couldn't say to anyone. Akechi was younger than she was, if he encountered Sudou when that orphanage burnt down.
Hearing Ren explain draws Umie's attention. Unlike then times when she started up with a quip, or tried to commandeer the topic, she draws to a quiet lull, listening back as Ren thinks aloud. ".... He's seen things that would make it hard to go back to thinking about relationships in a conventional way," she admits.
It'd be okay to admit that, and mean his detective work, not something necessarily supernatural.
And Ren's expression....
It feels... familiar, in a way.
"What's on your mind, Amamiya-kun." It's not a question, but the soft delivery narrows it out being a demand.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
One would hope there's more than one thing Umie appreciates about Shiryuu, if she's fallen in love with him. Her feelings are her own business, though--it's not like Ren would know what she sees in him either way. Kurou... Clearly that's an entirely different issue.
Ren blinks over at Umie. Entertaining in a different way? It would be easy to assume they already know, but-- "What do you mean?" As far as they can tell, Umie's also relatively close to Akechi. If she has an insight into his thought processes, their first instinct is that they want to know about it--especially vis-a-vis them. This isn't (just) about how they feel; it's about their principles, their ideals, the future of the Phantom Thieves.
They're no longer as wary as they once were of Akechi, but that doesn't mean that wariness is gone. They know they have to continue to be careful, no matter how much closer they've gotten and continue to get.
Their eyes lid when she remarks on what Akechi's seen. That, they don't need to question at all. He's shared enough about himself and his past for them to already know. As much as he tries to project himself as the perfect boy-next-door Detective Prince on TV, he just isn't that person. He's so damaged. That's part of what keeps luring Ren in; it makes him intriguing. It makes them want to know more and more.
What's on their mind, though?
"...That I'm incredibly ready for the weekend." They pick their burger up again. "I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow." Chomp. They've got to get their calories in while they can; they've still got another train before they get home, and then there's taking their nightly bath, and doing homework, and reaching out to Lala about the change to their next shift, and calling Makoto about their next date, and reviewing their calendar to decide when the Phantoms will next explore Futaba's Palace, and...
Ren's schedule is busy indeed. They don't even need to lie about what's on their mind, because there's so much on it at all times.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
'What do you mean?' Ren asks. Umie gives him a casual, closed mouth smile.
"We're on either sides of his age, but I'm also an adult. I'm part of the establishment that derides him for being too young, and that sees his youth as making him somehow 'inferior' to some older man with white hair who may have never had to struggle the same way he's had to," she murmurs, thoughtfully. "It took me forever to feel okay with calling him 'Akechi-kun' because of it. I didn't want to convey that I took him lightly."
It rides dangerously close to the reason she and Akechi met in the first place, but something in Ren's voice made her consider sharing just a little more.
This part, she can give.
"You, on the other hand, are not an adult." In Umie's mind, there's also the consideration that they're both male, but--
".... Also, Akechi-kun and I in the same room is like seeing two birds bicker at each other." She sips from her drink. "And he's usually the one that wins. It's sweet, sometimes, that he'd consider me someone worth pranking like he does. Other times, it's annoying. Hardly the sort of perfect detective prince he portrays himself as on TV." She shrugs. "There's no attraction between either of us, so that may be part of it."
"You two, meanwhile," she continues. "... I sense a different connection."
Magnetic, maybe? Or is that Umie's own prejudice speaking?
(She's already low-key shipping Akechi and Joker, but _that's her secret pasttime, thank you very much, she can imagine whatever she wants_)
Ren answers with something mundane, and Umie laughs. "Ahh... Perfect. You *better* sleep in. Work Senpai says so!"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Umie says that she's an adult. Ren falls silent. ...Yeah. Yeah, that's true, isn't it. She might be barely an adult, but in Japanese society, 'child' and 'adult' are treated like binary switches, like Dr. Maruki said. It's... kind of reassuring to hear that Umie's aware of that on some level and acts accordingly.
"...Yeah. We're both teenagers, still--and in high school." Akechi will graduate at the end of the year, but... Ren won't be too far behind him. What's that year and change when Akechi's twenty and Ren is nineteen going to look like...? Though that's still a couple more years in the future. Who knows where any of them will be by then.
They look up when Umie describes what her relationship with Akechi is actually like, though. They quirk up a smile. "Pranking, huh? ...You two might be better friends than you think. I wouldn't say he pranks me, necessarily--" that one time in Maria's Kingdom that he jumped down and landed on Joker aside, "--but he likes to annoy me too. And I like annoying him back, I guess. Maybe that's the kind of relationship he's most comfortable with--someone he can be kind of a jerk to without worrying about if he's going to be judged or they're going to ditch him."
It would sure fit in with everything Akechi's told them about his past. Being alone and rejected due to his parental situation, even by actual biological family--getting into fights, to the point that he outright enjoys violence now. Desperate to put on a polished surface that everyone will love, yet only willing to accept love from those who see the real him.
Those he dares to show the real him to in the first place.
Umie mentions there's no attraction between her and Akechi. Ren's already perfectly aware of that, so they don't remark on that. But... 'a different connection,' she says... "...What kind?"
They're kind of morbidly curious how it looks from the outside.
They chuckle at Umie's encouragement, though. Yeah, they'll need that rest for when they return to Okumura's Palace tomorrow with Mona and get past the authorization door. They've got a trap to plan and set. "Will do, Work Senpai," they say amiably before working on polishing off the rest of their dinner.
Maybe, before they take the train home after this, it might be worth it to stop into Mementos real quick first...
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
A year ago, Umie was counting the days to her 20th birthday, when the world opened up to her. Adulthood, however, brought with it a worse sense of self-inflicted loneliness, silent expectations, a quiety continuations of the problems she had before, and an empty ache that she was still suppressing some part of herself.
The problems of her late teens were still there, while the world looked and judged her for the things she couldn't control, all while the ghost of her childhood, dressed in red patterned silk, cruelly told her everything she wanted to hear, in order to weave her way back into Umie's mind and thoughts.
Is it any wonder, that she and Akechi act the way they do when they release themselves from the burden of 'sharing information'?
"You think so?" Umie chuckles. "I admit, it's fun, trying to rise to his level. He's always one step beyond me, it seems like." Hearing he likes to prank Ren as well feels comforting, somehow; perhaps, he feels better able to express it with someone more similar to his age and position in life, even without the mask of the Dark Hour.
Ren then hits on that reason, drawing restrained, but not unwelcome, bit of surprise from Umie. "... I think you're right." Though that streak of something darker in Akechi showed through when dealing with Sudou.
How much do either of them truly know him, and, in Umie's case, how much of it is her inflicting the detective prince with her own feelings of loneliness and fear?
What is the difference between Akechi's relationship between her and Ren, if she sets aside the obvious reasons that she can't say?
She thinks on this, as a certain restlessness begins to creep into her manner.
Is it 'synthesis', as Shiryuu would call it? What is that word, in this context?
"Connection. Neither of us have really shared our backgrounds directly, but I..." Hm, how to term this, without giving Akechi away? She doesn't know what Ren knows, even if she's assuming some of it. "... Feel like he's had expectations placed on him that I didn't. My own family is..." Her lips settle into a prim line. "Moderately well-off. That leaves me with... certain advanatages, let's just say, even if I have no intention on taking them. An absence of an advantage like that is different from choosing not to take them. And, as a woman... what is expected of me is different than him, as well, regardless of what I choose to do with that role."
This is heavy to give to a high schooler, even someone as perceptive as Ren. As if making up for it, Umie shrugs. "Honestly? I think he likes wiping that smug smile off my face, and I enjoy trying to engage with him."
She smirks. "Just like I enjoy giving you a bit of Work Senpai treatment~" She settles back into her seat, looking out the window, briefly, that restlessness still in her eyes.
"The day's still young, though... It'd be a good day to do some running around, later..." Ren's not the only one, thinking about Mementos, it seems.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's fun, trying to rise to his level...
"...Yeah," Ren murmurs, shutting their eyes as they smile faintly. With affection, they add, "He's so annoying."
Thesis and antithesis come together to form synthesis, to paraphrase Hegel. Maybe Shiryuu's a philosophy fan too?
They look at Umie anew when she explains--dancing around what she knows of Akechi and giving hints of her own background (that Akechi already casually revealed to Ren). They understand what she's doing--they'd do the same in her position--and so they don't interrupt. The expectations of the haves vs. the have-nots, of women vs. men... It is a heavy topic. It'll linger on Ren's mind too for a while.
But for now, it's time to wrap up dinner and part ways. For now.