2026-08-02: Bound in Silence
- Log: Bound in Silence
- Cast: Umie Akabane, Ren Amamiya
- Where: Underground Mall, Shibuya, Tokyo
- OOC Date: August 02, 2026
- IC Date: December 19, 2012
- Summary: Umie needs to make sure Ren isn't hiding any secrets about what he remembers about the GiraGiraCon 'incident'. The two chat about two bonds they hold in common, though one in particular, Kurou Ryouhara, holds extra relevance in ways neither Ren or Umie admit applies to them, as well.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
It's rather easy to forget the swing of exams, once you've graduated. In another life, Umie would be worrying about university finals in whatever program, field, or general type of college she finally went to.
She'd probably would have accepted Ryuusei Honjou's proposal, and likely still be living with her parents until she and Ryuusei made their union official. Life would be easier, in many ways.
And yet, the very thought of it all fills her with a dread akin to seeing the barrel of Ruin's gun, pointed at her. ...Or the lingering half-remembered memory of hearing Hodai's distorted voice yelling her name, as she tried to pull open the locked doors to the other convention building...
.... as her co-worker, Ren, is right there.
>> It's finals week for you, right, Amamiya-kun?
Yet Ren's okay, even going up to talk to Kurou. She'd resolve she'd check with Ren further, to see if Kurou's suspicions of Ren remembering more than he was letting on was correct.
>> Do you need any help?
A pause.
>> I also need to talk with you when you're free
>> we can meet at 777 to pick up something quick to eat
--------
With the cold winter setting in, the doors to the Triple 7 let in their share of appropriately bundled customers, including Umie, in her red turtleneck and white coat, her blonde hair in those usual twin buns.
Looking over the items, she looks up towards the door, half expecting Ren, then looking back down as she compares the prices between the two items in her hands.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
>> Yeah. Just finished up for today.
Which is why Ren's response is fairly prompt. Once you're finished with tests, you're ready and eager to pay attention to something else. That being said--
>> I'm doing OK, been better at studying/homework thanks to your tutoring
>> Right now I really just need to rest up for tomorrow.
There's still two more days of testing, after all, and since Saturday's the last day of the semester, there's no half-day to finish up exams on--they're all crammed into five days instead. Ren's beat.
So when Umie says she wants to talk to them, they consider telling her to wait 'til the weekend. However, they consider that it'd be nice to not have to cook anything tonight, so dropping by the Triple 7 to pick something up for dinner isn't a bad idea.
>> OK, see you there soon.
---
It's not too long until Ren arrives, wearing a black coat and blue scarf on over his school uniform. They're covering a yawn as they enter, their school bag balanced on their shoulder like usual, and head over to where Umie is comparing prices.
"Hey," they greet her. "What's up?"
They'll browse in a bit. Maybe a tuna salad sandwich would be good...
...nah, Morgana will insist they share. The egg sando's probably the better bet.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
>> sounds like you are over it already
Umie grins to herself, seeing Ren admit that they're doing okay on studying.
>> good.
.... He's probably beat, Umie thinks. Would there be one day or two days left, though? Ugh, she can't remember. Either way--
>> we can swing by someplace to chat on the way to the station, won't take up too much of your time.
Then, because Umie can't resist setting a good example:
>> you better!
There's an emoji of a grumpy cat raising a fist added, for good measure.
Exam week was rough enough when you had the Dark Hour tempting you to fling yourself outside when you really needed the sleep. Umie doesn't miss it.
---
It seems like it's not that long after Umie looked up at the doors that Ren's there.
"You weren't kidding. You *look* tired."
Umie waves at Ren using the Chosen Meal: a bento box. "Take your time. I'm in no hurry."
It gives her time to think more on where they can eat. Her first instinct in warmer months would have been a park, but as cold as it is, the underground mall may be better. "Would the Underground Mall work? I'm not about to get you sick on top of tired."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's Wednesday afternoon, so it'd normally be three days left, Umie. Two years out of school and already you've forgotten... Repressed trauma, much?
Ren smiles at Umie's grumpy fist-cat emoji before tucking their phone away.
---
Once at the Triple Seven, they end up getting neither an egg sando or a tuna salad, but two of those bento boxes Umie waves at them. What can they say? They're hungry, that looks delicious, and the bentos are apparently on sale right now. A perfect storm. They'll save the second one for lunch tomorrow and buy a canned Earl Green to go with it. (Their favorite drink is still grape Manta, but Minako really turned them on to Earl Green while they were dating. Between that and Kurou, it's nice to have tea every so often.)
"Sounds good to me," they reply. It gets colder in the countryside, so this honestly isn't so bad for them, but they're not eager to spend their winter break sick either. Going somewhere nice and warm sounds like a great idea.
Besides, they might be tired, and they might have had a run-in with a Homunculus yesterday, and exams might be rough (though not too difficult; they're confident they're doing well), but they're still in an overall good mood this week for some mysterious reason.
The Christmas Village is already dismantled--of course it is, it was a one-day event--so the shutters once again cut off the deeper parts of the Underground Mall. However, there are places to sit, even if it's just the stairs leading down into the mall. The two of them will find a spot to eat their dinners.
"So what did you wanna talk about, Akabane-san?" they wonder as they crack open the bento and dig in.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
With a Persona, sometimes it comes down to high school trauma, or blunt force trauma, Ren.
"Oh, good idea. I should grab a second myself." It's not like Shiryuu'd know, right? (Flash to: Shiryuu's underlings kidnapping Umie for a talk, but that's later.)
At least Ren seems to be in good enough spirits. Maybe thinking about a date? It *is* that season.
... Would... Shiryuu... want a date, her mind thinks next. Is Shiryuu even aware, is the next question.
---
Alas, the deeper parts of the underground mall are already shuttered. "The Shujin booth did a pretty good job," Umie comments idly as they walk by the shutters, finding a small out of the way spot to sit down. "I don't take you as the type to volunteer for those sorts of things, but I kept an eye out for you just in case."
There was a whiff of something strange at the Shujin High booth, come to think of it. Umie opens her lips, about to ask, but opts not to. Better to keep things on-topic, rather than give Ren reasons to worry.
'So what did you wanna talk about, Akabane-san?'
Could she really overlook the possibility of Ren playing dumb, now that Kurou's pointed it out? Ren *would* be the kind of person to not let on to things that easily.
"I wanted to thank you for reaching out to Ryouhara-kun. He was worried, after..." She opens her soda and sips, gesturing vaguely outwards. "The things that happened, a few weeks ago."
Setting the drink down, she opens up her bento box and separates her chopsticks. "You don't need to worry about any fees for the costume, either. I'm taking care of it." She picks up a piece of salmon and pops it in her mouth, thoughtfully.
Be strategic, Umie. "Do you... remember much, about that day?" Umie, you already know how he's going to answer this question, what are you doing
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Trauma's trauma!
As for dates... maybe, maybe not. That goes for both of them, really.
"Yeah? Cool," Ren replies. Technically speaking, it wasn't a volunteer thing, but that doesn't really matter. They contributed a token amount of effort to preparation, then ditched the day of to go do... something else. They don't regret it in the slightest.
By the time Umie's speaking, Ren's mouth is full. This is in purpose. They have an idea of what she wants to discuss, and they'll have to play it carefully. They're still chewing by the time she asks what they remember, so they have plenty of time to consider what to say next.
> What day?
No. Fully playing dumb would itself be dumb. They were too cognizant at the time, and anyway, Kurou clearly told Umie about how they showed up at the apartment to talk to him.
> Everything.
Haha, no. Obviously they're not going to cop to that. She'll either realize they're a Persona User and wonder why they've never summoned in front of her, or try to encourage her to become one. No, definitely not this option.
> Not much.
Safe enough. It ought to be about what she expects anyway, and if they're vague, well, of course they're vague if they don't remember much.
Ren swallows. "Not much," they reply. "Some stalker was on a tear after you... It's mostly a blur. I guess there must've been a gas leak or something; sure glad nothing sparked. But the Ryouharas got you to safety--right? I'm pretty sure I remember that much." A beat. "And thanks about the dress. What a waste of a beautiful outfit." They sigh in genuine regret. "Our lives are more important, but damn, I looked good in it."
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Ren's short response causes Umie to stifle a laugh around her bit of rice. Keeping her mouth closed until she takes a sip of her drink (she really should have gone for something warm...) Umie looks at Ren with a cheeky, lopsided grin.
"Good on you," she says, even if she doesn't know at all about what Ren did.
Umie can make assumptions!
What Umie *doesn't* make assumptions about is Ren's timing, and how that bit of food is giving them just enough time to debate what they say next. _What day, indeed_.
She makes a slight face at his answer: it's about what she expected, and one that she's glad he knows to give.
Damn that Akechi, making it seem like Ren being close to awakening was a hidden blessing.
It shouldn't be. Ren Amamiya needs to be able to be a normal high schooler, not someone drawn into the supernatural, especially because of her shortsightedness.
And if Ren *is* hiding something... she can't draw it out, anymore than Kurou could.
So, Umie plays along. "Yes. And... so did Akechi-kun." She takes another bite from her bento, chewing thoughtfully on what to say next.
She could have sworn Ren tried to protect her, and for some reason, she didn't object.
"Yeah, it was a freak accident," she murmurs, softly. "But, the important thing is, it's been resolved. And even if it hadn't..."
Akechi had said to keep the details palatable, and to go from there.
"... You still would've been safe." Literally, as the Joker Cursed would only go after the victims they called the Old Maid on.
At least this means *she* doesn't need to explain what the hell she was doing. Ren doesn't seem scared of her at all, either.
"There can always be more outfits," Umie says. "But you *did* look good in it. Even played the part well."
"I admit," she continues, with a sly grin, "there's a whole lot that's blurry for me too, so I was hoping to hear how everyone came to our aid~ Sometimes it can be fun to be the princess being saved in the nick of time."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren's features soften with fondness when Umie brings up Akechi. "Yeah. I remember talking to him a little afterwards," they say, which lines up with what Akechi told her, because it's true. "But I don't remember exactly what," they add, which is not. "Glad you made it out okay."
It's 'been resolved,' huh. Ren wonders if that guy is getting tortured by the Ryouharas or if Umie stopped that much from happening. They don't try to ask. They can't justify how they'd know to ask, and anyway, they already decided that it was Umie's call to make.
They look over at her when she claims they would've been safe either way. No need to ask a question, though, because they chuckle when she agrees on the outfit. "I'd be up for that." More outfits, that is. They acquired a special sort of starry silk from the Mizunagi, found after they left the place, and once finals are over, they plan on taking it to Peacock Silk to see what they can do with it.
So Umie's memories are fuzzy too, huh. She could be lying, but Ren's inclined to believe her; they're pretty sure she got concussed. "Makes sense, if there was a gas leak," they reply. "That's too bad. I'd have liked to've heard about it too, but Kurou didn't seem to want to get into it."
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"Yeah, he mentioned that he was able to talk to you a little afterwards," Umie admits, with a relieved expression. "It made me feel better, knowing you had that; I remember you being a tough cookie. But what a person does when their adrenaline is kicking in and what they do afterwards... those are two very different things."
'But I don't remember exactly what.' "Akechi-kun's dealt with a lot due to his job, so..." She twirls her chopsticks thoughtfully. "He probably made sure to check you for any signs of injury or shock." She can't help but smile a little herself. "He can be annoying, but... he really pulls through for you when you're in a pinch."
She knows she can tell him anything, and he'd take a rational look over it. So helpful, that Akechi!
As for Hodai?
ha ha ha, it's a very good question (that wasn't asked, thankfully). What exactly *did* happen to Hodai? Between recovering from Hodai's attack and the Mizunagi incident, it's a thread that keeps falling out of Umie's hands.
But surely, Umie thinks, she'll be responsible and look into it, after learning what she has.
Surely... she doesn't feel a dark kind of anger over it.
Surely...
Kurou... so the first name basis is mutual. Umie regards Ren with a soft grin. "He's a sensitive guy, as quiet as he is. Finding people closer to his age that do well with that can be rare; even moreso because he's afraid of something happening to you." She'll admit that much, justifying it with, "He's been through a lot."
She hates how much she sounds like some family member, apologizing for a socially awkward grandson, but Ren deserves to know how she feels.
"You're doing it because you want to, but I'm still thankful that you did. He needs friends like that, instead of feeling like he has to separate himself completely from others."
It's bouncing a little too close to home, despite Umie being the one to cause it.
Pretty dresses, however...
"If you need a chaperone or escort, I can always oblige~" Umie wiggles her fingers at Ren, her eyes turning to merry slits.
She's not entirely sure if it was wearing the dress or wearing the *role* that was more fun for Ren, but as far as she's concerned, it felt like something Ren could enbody.
Like her, and the Dark Hour, with her paper masks.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
He can be annoying, but... he really pulls through for you when you're in a pinch.
Ren chuckles ever so faintly, ever so fondly, at Umie's description. "Couldn't have said it better myself."
That slight, warm mirth fades when she moves on to Kurou, though. "...Yeah. We've talked a little about it. I know his mom's in jail, and... that's about it. The way he talked about that day, too..." Their eyes narrow. "He doesn't think of the 'normal' world as one where he belongs. I can't even begin to imagine what he's been through."
What it's like to be trained as an unhesitating killer.
They look over at Umie as she continues. "...Yeah. I had that feeling about him, too. He seems... untethered. And," despite all the reasons they shouldn't, "I like him." They look down at their bento. "We feel... similar, somehow."
Similar, and yet so very different.
But a breath of humor returns at Umie's wiggling fingers. "I'll think about it," they say mildly. "It's not something I get too many opportunities to do anyway." Aside of course from shifts at Bar Crossroads, but considering the help needed to put on a kimono, that's a commitment.
For now, though, they resume eating. If she's got more to ask, she'll have to wait for another round of chewing and swallowing. It might be a good time for her to get back to eating, too.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
With how fondly Ren seems to regard Akechi in that moment, there were so many stories Umie wished she could have shared, just to show off those qualities.
... Like the moment Akechi came in with konbini food, and even some ice packs to keep them cool as they lay hidden from the nurses.
--alas she can't justify it, she was was in the hospital
Or that... no. Or that? No.
However, does she even need to? Ren already knows what he feels, if it's a bond of friendship or something else.
That's between those two, and she's glad for it.
Ren mentioning Kurou's mother being in jail surprises Umie; her chopsticks pause enroute. "Yeah."
The way Ren's eyes narrow-- Umie nods to that as well, a similar sentiment in the slant of her mouth.
The way he spoke of the 'normal' world, like it was the other side of the water's surface, existing in the Dark Hour, conscious in some form, but lacking a Persona...
He was afraid of the same thing happening to Ren, despite his own circumstances being as wholly unique as hers (or was hers unique at all?).
"He's afraid he'll draw you in to something similar, just by being around him," Umie says, carefully, after taking a bite's worth of time to think. "It's easy to get in that mindset-- that something, or someone you like, is better separated from you than with you."
Unthethered. "That's a good word for it." She sorts out some of the dried seaweed, picking it with some grains of rice, and popping it in her mouth.
Her lips smile around the chopsticks as Ren says they like them.
"I do too. And I also see it." Similar, and different. "If you ever come over and I'm around, I'll have to cook for you two sometime. He likes it when we have meals together."
'I'll think about it.' Umie chuckles. "It was fun. That much, I remember."
She starts on some pickled vegetables, the carrot quietly crunching in her mouth.
Silence... it ain't half bad.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's easy to get in that mindset-- that something, or someone you like, is better separated from you than with you.
"..."
They really are alike... Ren and Kurou.
"Sounds good to me," Ren says of Umie cooking dinner. "I'll be happy to help out, too. I've been learning a lot myself." And whether they brew some coffee to go with it, or Kurou brews tea, or even both--it'll no doubt be a fun evening.