2026-04-03: Because It's From You

• Log: Because It's From You
• Cast: Ren Amamiya, Kurou Ryouhara, Umie Akabane, Shiryuu Ryouhara
• Where: Umie's Apartment, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo
• OOC Date: April 03, 2026
• IC Date: October 19, 2012
• Summary: Kurou needs a study buddy. Why not Ren? They need snacks. Why not go get them? There's four cups of tea. Why leave so soon?

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<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    >> Hey
    >> Kurou Ryouhara-kun was wondering if you wanted to study together?

    Ah, no, Umie thinks, in the aftermath of sending that last text. That'll sound weird, like she's trying to manage him.
 
    >> He doesn't have your number, no big deal if you got plans

    Umie grins triumphantly. There. Now Ren won't feel obligated, either way.

    ======

    With all that settled, Umie dips her head to take a quick scan of the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the amount of appropriately study-necessary snacks and drinks are low; Umie looks up to Kurou. "I'm going to stop by the Larson's down the way. If Amamiya-kun gets here before I do, just let him in." Checking her phone to check the weather, Umie makes a face and grabs her rainjacket. "I'll be quick."

    The frosted sliding windows, while amazing for privacy reasons, come with a major drawback: you can't really get a sense of the weather. (Though, to be fair, with the other apartment building a narrow alley's width away, it's anyone's guess what the weather would be.)

    With the weather turning cooler, they've rarely been open; the apartment, as small as it is, is far better suited for keeping warm as long as they're kept shut, with the space heater turned on whenever Umie is there. Due to the layout being longer than it is wide, most of the warmth is concentrated in the living area than the hallway, with the kitchenette (done in cheery yellow tiles) situated in between.

     The main area is a small couch and a table, with a TV mounted on the wall. While the white walls sit more or less empty of any decor, a painting hangs centered over the couch, being of a random spatter of paint across the stretched canvas, with a little 'WHIRLWIND - RHYTHM' print stamped into the texture. There's a clothing rack for Umie's clothes to the side. A smaller crafts table is set into the far corner nearby the windows, where a strange mobile of hangers sits empty, connected to a long painted over hook for some long forgotten device. The table itself is covered in newspaper and a crafting mat, with a narrow thin small shelving unit there to house various paint supplies. A sliding door to the bathroom next to the kitchen.

    It'd be so much tighter if it wasn't kept mostly clean; it'd make sense to Umie why Kurou considers it a 'warm' place.

    What was a previously overcast day will soon turn rainy, however, making Umie's decision to only step out in her rainjacket a remorseful one as the rain begins to strengthen.

    Whether Ren is able to beat the rain will be a matter of timing; Umie, stuck in the line at Larson's, looks out the sliding doors with a grimace of determination.

    A little bit of rain never hurt anyone, least of all her!!

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    On the way out of Shujin Academy for the day, Ren gets a text from Umie. They furrow their eyebrows at it, and Morgana pops up out of their bag to take a look in time for the second text to come in.
    
    "Kurou Ryouhara... wants to study with you?" Morgana murmurs, peeking over at his protege.
    
    "Kind of last second. There's only one day of exams left," Ren murmurs back.
    
    "Hmm... It could be a trap. Even if he doesn't know your true identity, he could've found out you're friends with Tsubasa. What're you gonna do?"
    
    Ren considers it for a moment, then texts Umie back:
    
>> OK. Where to?
    
    ~ * ~
    
    "I'll keep an eye out from out here. Good luck in there," Morgana says from where he's hopped down from Ren's bag in the alleyway Umie's apartment window opens into.
    
    Ren nods. The rain hasn't started yet, but it's only a matter of time. Timing-wise, it helps that they came here straight from school; it's along the way, after all. "You sure you'll be okay out here?"
    
    "Getting caught in the rain isn't my favorite thing," Morgana admits, "but I like it way better than getting caught by ninjas." His furry face sets with determination. "Don't worry. I've got your back, Ren."
    
    They smile slightly, briefly, then turn to leave the alley. Morgana will be left to parkour up the side of the building and keep an eye out from above while Ren heads to the front and makes their presence known, whether by pressing a buzzer or knocking or however it works for Umie's apartment. Hopefully Kurou will let them in before they have to open up their umbrella.

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

It is thanks to the wisdom and mercy of the shirogarasu that Kurou does not have to juggle his shinobi tasks with his studies... but that does not mean the studies are simple. Not if he wants to excel in them, as he has promised to do. Previously, he had a respectable showing, but...

For Kurou, merely 'respectable' is not enough. Not if he wants to allow himself to earn the prestigious mochi sticker he has set aside for himself.

(And also, it is important to be the sort of shinobi who would lose a minimal amount of fingers.)

As Umie has tried to point out many times before, studying together is an effective tactic, and with the final push of exams underway, there is no tactic that can be overlooked. Tea, Kurou decides, is something he can make toward the end of the study sessions: that way, Umie may be able to benefit from a cup herself.

"Oh. As predicted..." Kurou muses to himself as it seems Ren has arrived before her return. He opens the door and seeing the darkness of the clouds outside, does not linger with excessive formalities as he might otherwise be wont to do.

"Welcome, Amamiya-san. Please come in. You may sit where you like."

His own study materials -- a spiral notebook, a single pencil, and a cracked open textbook, each perfectly in parallel to one another -- are laid out over the table, with his schoolbag and its other texts and notebooks peeking out of it. Kurou's face isn't particularly animated, to put it mildly, but there is a fatigue worn upon it with a tension in his brow etching his determination to push past it. He has failed to touch up his nail polish recently, and it does not quite meet the cuticle.

"I hope you did not find my request disruptive. My intention is that we will both gain the strength we need to subdue our respective final challenges."

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    It's a good reason for Ren to be wary; for all he knows, it could be a setup for an ambush, and, being the leader of the Phantom Thieves, he'd be a prime person to target.

    Morgana may find the apartment notably easy to get to from the alleyway: a jump on the dumpster, a few footholds, andddd well, the windows are locked, unless you knew the secret method of lifting up on the window pane, and then jiggling it out with your wider human arm span and--

    Yeah. At least he'll be there? And he'll have a clear view of a short woman in a pink rainjacket on the other side of the street, hurrying over to the crosswalk... at just at the right time a car whizzes through a puddle at just the right angle, launching a magnificent wave of water over her and another unlucky onlooker. Seriously, it's like the car casted an Aqua spell.

    Umie, however, just continues on! The snacks must be there!! She promised.... no one, actually, and Kurou'd likely not mind, but Ren is not a secret Ryouhara ninja!

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    The apartment door opens. Kurou invite them inside. "Thanks," they reply, and enter.
    
    The vibe doesn't seem off, Ren notes as they take a look around. Study materials, a lived-in-but-regularly-cleaning sort of amount of mess... They look back at Kurou, and he may be inexpressive, but he does seem tired.
    
    "You're fine. I was just a little surprised," they reply. "I study better with a partner, too."
    
    They pull their own study materials out and lay them on the table, then set down their bag next to the chair they seat themself on. "The last day for us over at Shujin Academy is sort of general questions. Make sure we've been paying attention in class, sort of thing," they remark, looking up at Kurou. "What about for your school?"
    
    If Kurou is doing this earnestly, then that means he cares about scoring well on his exams. If that's the case, then he must have an idea of what he's being tested on.
    
    Outside: Morgana settles in on the window sill and peeks in from outside. It's started raining, and unfortunately he lacks human arms to jiggle the window with, but at least he's got a good view of what's going on inside and out.
    
    This includes Umie getting splashed by a car as she walks up the street. Morgana sweatdrops. Poor Umie...

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

It is to Kurou's discredit that he never considers when his actions might be considered an ambush or a trap. This is because he would like to think that he would never be announcing one, even if deception, and that anyone he intended to give a last surprise would never see it coming.

Today, he is genuinely focused on studying.

"Kasugayama has a similar structure, from my understanding," Kurou tells Ren. He glances down, sighing. "... Though I did not attend as a first year at this or any other institution, so I can't claim full confidence, nor deny the possibility of trick questions..."

Kurou may have been told what he's being tested on, but that does not mean he necessarily believes it, and only has the previous exam period as an example. That's hardly a pattern. Expecting to be deceived about what he's being tested on might be an odder behavior if Ren did not already know Kurou's line of 'work'.

He rubs at his temple idly, his gaze wandering with his struggling thoughts.

"... There was even some psychology material..."

With a shake of his head, he focuses back on them.

"What about you? We will need to cover both of our weaknesses."

<Pose Tracker> Shiryuu Ryouhara has posed.

 
     They'd never feel him coming until it's too late.

     The boy arrives like the fall wind and rain, little more than a grey blotch against the skyline, nimble, silent, and armed. He arrives somewhere between now and then, somewhere in the blotch of parasols that flare open as the overcast turns into a drizzle, though little peeks of his white silk haori flick beyond the umbrella he carries.

     It's not all he carries, a little crossbody bag under his haori, into the band of which a long red bundle has been tucked.

     Another plastic bag produced, the parasol shaken neatly, and tucked into it, to be tucked in against the red bag. The boy's shoes -- getting slightly older now, a pair of expensive collector's edition Nike -- are soundless in the halls as he makes his way upstairs, the glide of his sleeves in the still air as he disappears into the dark of the complex's hallways.

     The lightest whisper of his aura creeps in from beyond the raw edges of the apartment door, as the shihaisha of all Ryouhara approaches, a look of cold ambition across the otherwises indiscriminately, oppressively neutral mien of his face. The lock is not at all an impediment to him.

     That would be the end of things, wouldn't it?

     No, hardly; Shiryuu never actually makes it to Umie's doorstep. He stops at the edge of the doorway, practicing what to say. "'Akabane, long time no see,'" he starts thoughtfully. Hm. Not natural. It would be good to set a powerful precedent for Kurou. "'Akabane, the night comes for you!'" ..ugh, no, she doesn't seem like the type. Plus, if it's too much she'll think of a good comeback and he would have to resort to subduing her....somehow. Come on, Ryouhara, think. Don't let the female win.

     "...iehh?" He looks up from his thought a moment later.
     The next words are the thunder of genuine silver-haired distress, now actually audible from inside.

     "AKABANE, why do you look like a drowned pixie!!"

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    See, you may think the storm has come, but in reality, the storm is still coming. Even from Mona's vantage point, he would be clueless.

    That is how ninjas work, after all.

    *squish* *squish* *squish* *squish*
    
    Triumphant as she gets to the elevator, Umie jams her hand into her purse to feel for her keys, her other hand holding up the dripping plastic bag as she peeks inside. "...."

    Well, the snacks are dry, at least.

    A chipped nail presses the call button for the elevator- she's not feeling up for going up the stairs today, no matter how good it may be for her stamina.

    =======

    The triumph leaks out of Umie with all the aplomb of a slow, sad mute trombone, as she stands there by the practicing Shiryuu, like some.... pink... raincoat-ed killer??

    'AKABANE, why do you look like a drowned pixie!!'

    "Nice to see you too," she says with a flat, lopsided smile, as she puts the key into the lock and opens the door. ".... I got some snacks, uh, give me a sec, Kurou, your..." She looks to Shiryuu, as if trying to remember their relation to each other. "... cousin? How are you related again?"

    REN, RUN. IT'S CLEARLY A SETUP. MAYBE.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Shiryuu does enter the building without drawing Morgana's attention. Perhaps it was while he was distracted with parkouring up to Umie's apartment window; perhaps Shiryuu's just that good. Perhaps it's some of both. Either way, Morgana won't be able to give Ren a warning about him.
    
    'Though I did not attend as a first year at this or any other institution...'
    
    "..."
    
    Yeah, it's a good thing that Ren already knows they're talking to a ninja. They do wonder how he got enrolled if he has no previous schooling, but Kasugayama does have a reputation for not caring. Maybe that's explanation enough.
    
    Trick questions are a lot easier to understand. It really depends on the teacher. Speaking of which: "We've had some of that this year too. Psychology, I mean," Ren remarks. That's thanks to Dr. Maruki, though. "Assuming it's like the first term's exams, I think as long as I review my notes, I'll be okay."
    
    They rest their cheek on one hand. Weaknesses, huh... "I'm not really great at history or social studies, though. They're pretty boring." Especially when 'social studies' is synonymous with 'political stuff.' "What about you?"
    
    This is approximately when a shout erupts from the hallway outside the apartment. Ren raises their head to stare in subdued alarm. ...They recognize that voice.
    
    The next moment, a key undoes the front door lock, and Umie walks in, soaked. The silver-haired youth in the white coat is out there in the hall behind her.
    
    "......"
    
    Ren keeps their mouth shut. They want to know how Kurou and Shiryuu are related to each other too, actually.

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

There are ways to fabricate a history of education. None of these ways are likely to matter that much to Kasugayama High. Even trying to do well on his exams may not be considered typical Kasu student behavior.

But here Kurou is, in a high school he ought to be unqualified for by virtue of the system's requirements, doing his best to ace his exams. Surely even ninja children require education, though. So why is this all new to Kurou...?

As Ren relays his own weaknesses, Kurou's demeanor perks up. "History I may be able to assist with --" That's about as far as he gets into that line of thinking before his attention is in sync with Ren's own to outside the apartment.

Instead of alarm, Kurou's own eyes seem to have the smallest beginnings of a sparkle for their surprise guest.

That sparkle evaporates abruptly to see Umie's drowned pixie form. "Akabane-san, are you all right?" he asks, first thing, before grabbing a towel from the kitchen. He looks down at it, then back up at her. She is going to need a bigger towel...

But there's a question: how are Kurou and Shiryuu actually related?

...

Kurou looks directly at Shiryuu, deferring to him to set the designation.

<Pose Tracker> Shiryuu Ryouhara has posed.

 
     "Aaaaah, you're going to catch your death of co--"

     Shiryuu was thoroughly intending to let Umie really have a piece of his mind this time. She's always playing out in the rain, getting soaked. It's not like endurance training, she has a thin constitution and could catch pneumonia ...

     'Nice to see you too.' then she smiles.

     The onmitsu doesn't say anything, locked with mouth quirked open in a state of mute annoyance and deep, unabiding confusion. Did she just move him out of the way? She absolutely did, didn't she? What was he going to say? This is completely unconscionable.

     "....." Shiryuu sighs, sword-long, as he finally lifts his chin, stepping quietly inside just enough to divest Umie of her varying burdens as Kurou gets the towels. It is very clear that if he doesn't take her bags he's going to dry her hair, and once that happens, there's literally no telling what all else.

     Now he is well weighted. Even so, the intensity with which Shiryuu is fretting on the other side of the bags is intense, little more than a grey mop swishing back and forth on the other side. ".....cousins is fine," he states, mildly offput.

     A brown eye peers around the bag at Ren, finally realizing they're here. Is his situational awareness really that bad??

     "a...ah. it's you."
     A look is shot. Don't spill even a single bean, you.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    While Umie had set up that question in case Ren was there, she hadn't thought beyond that. That much is clear when the door opens, and she's surprised to see the curly-haired unassuming young man there. "Oh hey! Sorry about that." She casts a glance towards Shiryuu, as if giving him a silent warning in case he decides to just barrel inside. "They're studying."

    "Oh, you two know each other?" Eyes focus on Ren momentairely, sharing a subtle twinkle of amusement. Is that a hint of mischief there? "Ah, Amamiya-kun, you should have said something! Shiryuu can be shy sometimes..."

    Which may look weird to say, as Umie finds her burden lightened. "O-oh," she says, broken out of her secret little jab at Shiryuu for threatening her co-worker. "Oh, hey, you don't need to..." Drip, drip. The edges of Umie's coat channel drops of collected rainwater onto the no-nonsense low pile carpeting of the hallway.

    While the rain has let up slightly, it hasn't stopped.

    Shiryuu *did* come here, for her, after they chatted about bonds, and she does really miss him. It's just that there's things they need to talk about, and Umie needs to talk to him!!

    And, to left him in, after the trouble he put Ren through...!

    No matter. Shiryuu's taking the snacks, while Kurou is grabbing a kitchen towel. "Don't worry, I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

    Looking back towards Shiryuu, her gaze softens a touch; she directs him in with a jerk of her chin. "Maybe you can help. Amamiya-kun's a co-worker of mine. He's a great worker, quiet, but don't let him fool you. Sometimes he can be a bit of a mischief-maker himself."

    Taking off her jacket, and hanging it in the open hallway closet Umie slips out of her slopping wet shoes. Walking into the main room, she grabs a sweater and some sweatpants. "Augh... I'm going to go change in the bathroom really quick. You three behave, okay?" ... not that she won't just hear it past the door.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    'Cousins is fine,' Shiryuu says, which indicates to Ren that 'cousins' is not what they are but he doesn't care enough to correct her.
    
    On top of that tidbit, he seems to be fussing over Umie all the way into the apartment, to the point that he doesn't notice them until they're all well inside the apartment. He's really obsessed with her, huh...
    
    They glance at Kurou as he approaches with that too-small towel, then look back at Umie. They catch the Look that Shiryuu shoots them and return it with a bland lack of expression that betrays none of what they're thinking.
    
    They already hinted Umie into awareness anyway.
    
    They meet her sparkling eye and give her a non-committal shrug. "Shouldn't you dry off, Akabane-san?" they say. When she describes them to Shiryuu in turn as a 'bit of a mischief-maker,' Ren can't quite help a slight smile. As she goes off to the bathroom with a change of clothes, they watch her go; then they look at Shiryuu and Kurou.
    
    Then they focus in on Kurou. "You were saying about history?" they prompt. All considered, they suspect he could make the subject very interesting indeed.

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

Cousins. This is the easiest way to explain their family relations, really. Kurou suspects that he and Shiryuu do not actually share a grandparent, and after a fashion, even a family-family (as opposed to a shinobi family) may use the term broadly as specifics become too entangled. Their actual relationship is that of shihaisha and subordinate, but to be called cousins -- not mutually exclusive with the truth -- still puts a shine in Kurou's eyes that is getting worse the longer he is considering it.

It is, after all, still a family-family term.

Oh. Do Shiryuu and Ren know one another? As Umie brings up the possibility, Kurou, too, looks between the two of them with his subtle brand of curiosity.

The wrong place at the wrong time. "Then let us correct it," Kurou offers, as Shiryuu takes her burden. Umie has that covered, making her move into the bathroom to change. He hesitates, gaze straying to the kitchen.

"Maybe I should make tea..." he ventures. They're supposed to be studying, but he doesn't want Umie to catch a chill and get sick. Plus, Shiryuu is visiting. It's Ren, thankfully, who reminds him of his purpose here with studying, and Kurou finds their gaze now instead.

"I would not call it my favorite subject... that still belongs to biology. But history is similarly alive... like an organism with many moving parts. If it is 'boring', perhaps we can find a different perspective that better illuminates the greater whole for you."

<Pose Tracker> Shiryuu Ryouhara has posed.

 
     "You two-bunned demon -- I'm not shy -- !" Shiryuu objects in all immediacy after Umie introduces him in such a friendly context, though now he's quite literally holding the bag, so his objections are forced to trebuchet over the top, a singlee defiant sprig of dingy grey hair wagging with the force of his declaration.

     He does not, however, seem to be thinking about where to put the bag, and is definitely not giving it back while putting on a solid information suppression campaign. "I'm -- not a mischief -- what! It's you who are the --" Shiryuu is scandalized right up until Umie is gone.

     Right up until she is gone.

     "-- if I have to be, I'll become the overlord of mischief," Shiryuu threatens. "Tengu will look to me for advice, and monkeys will avert their heads in shame. You'll absolutely not give me that cool look of studious indiference again, part timer, or I'll have your hair dyed purple," he informs Ren in not even a second's worth of wasted time. "I have no mercy for you," he adds, hushed.

     Then he pauses thoughtfully.
     "... except during midterms," he allows.

     "Become a strong academic power for Kurou to match his wits with, and I'll overlook your catty nature. But ... you're forbidden to teach him any of your part-timing ways. I'm still responsible for my family."

     This all would be much better if he wasn't still carrying the bag, and Ren could actually see his eyes to tell how dead serious he is.

     "....oh.."

     Finally Shiryuu seems to notice, setting down the sack nearby. "No," he tells Kurou, when he thinks about tea. "I'll get to it. Instead, use these to strengthen your bodies for the coming trial," he finally says, scratching his temple. He's looking off in the direction of the bathroom. I guess she did say...

     "If you have any academic need," the shihaisha finally decides with a imperious lift of his chin, "my resources were and are as limitless as the night sky." He's fetching a sheaf of napkins, so that he can get to his knees, tying up his haori sleeves so he can fold the paper and use both hands to blot the wet out of the carpet before it starts to smell strange. Strange little ceremony, all truth told.

     Odds are he's just coping.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    'You two-bunned demon--' Umie's lips split in a merry, open smile, as she walks in. "I missed you too~" she says, singsong, before remembering that Ren is here.

    But also, _Ren is here_. Surely, Ren would forgive her for a bit of friendly violence, as long as he gets to remain free and involved as an innocent bystander?

    .... oh right she might catch a cold

    Shutting the sliding panel door shut, Umie barely gets started when she hears Shiryuu talking. And going on. Something about Tengu, and monkeys, and 'no mercy'--

    "No bullying Amamiya-kun," Umie flatly warns from the bathroom. She's listening, though when the hairdryer comes out, it's a little bit harder to do so.

    ...... But only for a moment.

    It clicks off, only for Umie to add a punctuated, "I mean it, Shiryuu." This, regardless of how grey haired young man is handling Ren.

    When she hears the faintest suggestion of words and tone that agree with her, the hairdryer turns back on.

    Soon enough, the door opens, and Umie emerges like a butterfly from a non-Homunuculus-type cocoon: an oversized grey sweatshirt that hangs over her waist, sweatpants, socks and slippers, and her toweled off blonde hair in a ponytail.

    In other words, the most comfortable grey butterfly.

    "Are you all comfortable?" she asks moving to the kitchenette. "... Oh Shiryuu, it's fine," she murmurs, with some fondness. "I'll put a towel down." She looks for the snack bag and, opening it up, reveals some chips, a few cans of soda. Something savory, something sweet, something just good comfort food. "I should've put these in the fridge..." She sets them put by the two, and looks to Shiryuu. "I'll help you make tea. You make better tea than I do, after all." It'll also get him off the floor.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    And while Shiryuu might not care enough to correct Umie, Kurou seems deeply happy to be labeled a 'cousin,' if that shine in his eyes is any indication. It... kind of makes Ren sad to see. The implications break their heart a bit. (At least Shiryuu does call him 'family' later?)
    
    It's undermined by Shiryuu yelling at Umie about how he is NOT shy, then at Ren about mischief, mercy, and midterms. (And part-timing, but that doesn't start with an M.)
    
    Ren raises their eyebrows at him. Shiryuu continues to be an absurd human being. At least Umie has their back... She doesn't seem at all threatened by him, either. It's bizarre to watch. It's probably just as well Shiryuu's still holding that bag.
    
    Tea would be a good idea, even if it is a distraction from studying. Ren really shouldn't let themself get distracted either. Fortunately, Kurou suggests something intriguing: that history is akin to a living organism. Ren's own dark eyes light up some.
    
    "That'd be great. I used to think math was boring too, but then Akabane-san got me to thinking of it like a puzzle. It's not fun, exactly, but I enjoy it a lot more than I used to," they reply. They look over at the kitchen, then at Kurou. "Tea sounds like a good idea. Now that we've got a plan, we can start in earnest once we've got something hot to drink."
    
    ...which apparently Shiryuu (and Umie!) will handle instead of Kurou. Ren's not sure how they feel about that, or about this ninja overlord getting on his hands and knees to clean up the carpet, but of the bag of snacks, they say, "Thanks."
    
    They'll accept the chips and soda from Umie upon her glorious comfy return with a nod of gratitude and acknowledgement of their own comfort, and share with Kurou as the two of them sit back down, Ren flipping the pages of their notes until they get to the history section. "Tell me your perspective," they prompt him, looking over at Kurou.

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

Kurou once again watches the interactions between Umie and Shiryuu with a slight squint. There is something he should pick up on here, but he is not quite sure yet what it is. Shiryuu cares for her deeply, he knows that. And Umie for him. He knows that, too. So why would they need to obfuscate...? Perhaps it is a form of play...?

Like crows rolling down a snowy windshield...

He forgets about this as Shiryuu goes off about becoming the overlord of mischief, and Kurou's eyes shine a little again with his admiration for his shihaisha. (And, indeed, Ren may see the family mention being especially affecting.) At least until...

"Part-timing...?" Kurou echoes, looking to Ren and back to Shiryuu, uncomprehending of this forbidden knowledge.

Regardless, Shiryuu and Umie take up the task to make tea instead, so Kurou can focus on his studies. Kurou bows deeply before nodding. "I will," he agrees of Shiryuu's 'command', resolute. "And I will surpass my previous score. That is a promise."

To Ren, Kurou gives a smaller, apologetic bow. "I would like to make you tea myself sometime, but this will have to wait until after we have suitably dealt with our exams."

He returns to his seat at the table, pausing as Shiryuu points out the other resources. "... You already do much for me," Kurou says in a quiet earnestness. "I do not wish to overburden you."

For, as far as Kurou is concerned, that is something Shiryuu does far too much. The line between 'obedience' and 'true loyalty' is still a difficult one to navigate...

... Ah, but history. Kurou peers over at Ren's notes to get an idea of what their exams stand to cover.

"Yes. The lesson usually takes the point of view of political actors, but if we instead consider it from the angle of..." Kurou begins, trying to shift the approach to something that may be a more interesting narrative than the one Ren's been given until now.

<Pose Tracker> Shiryuu Ryouhara has posed.

 
     The boy has literally no actual full sentences to say to Umie Akabane.

     "Ch--" She's threatening Shiryuu from the bathroom, all the while with Ren in the background subduing him with their eyebrows. Shiryuu would absolutely respond in kind and engage in a tense eyebrow struggle for dominance with the aloof part timer, but Akabane turned off the hairdryer, a detail the sharp-eared onmitsu doesn't miss.

     "Part-timers need laws and structure to avoid becoming delinquents," Ryouhara complains mildly at the closed door, though he is absolutely not saying it loud enough for Akabane to hear. She doesn't need to hear his absolute authority to feel its force, like the way the sun warms a house. Or so he insists in his own head.

     "You're lucky Akabane has compassion," Ryouhara says, enigmatic and bitter in equal sum. He's not looking back at Ren, the three leaves of the Ryouhara symbol plain across the back of his haori.

     What was it she said to him?
     It just now occurs to him he was too distracted to say anything back.

     Ryouhara takes all of it out on the carpet until stopped. "Most buildings in this area do not ventilate well," he counters, folding over the sheaf of napkins to blot more, pressing down with both hands. "You all could become victimized by black mold. I won't stand for it."

     He looks up, once he realizes Umie is back. .... and then, sharply, he looks again.

     Cowed, the boy settles back on his knees, resting on the backs of his heels, with his hands folded primly in his lap. He sighs. At this angle, Ren can tell he wears a _thick_ wool sweater underneath that haori. Both of his wrists are adorned, his left with a rather severe-looking bangle that does not at all seem like it was purchased, and a white cordage bracelet around his right, delicately braided and hand-wound, with a jade charm fixing the end so it doesn't fall past his wrist.

     "...Kurou."

     Shiryuu's eyes are closed while he sits.
     "Do not concern yourself overmuch with my limitations. I have none."

     If Shiryuu is aware that Kurou is sparkling, he doesn't say anything about it. Instead, the boy kips up onto the balls of his feet. Sneakers removed and stored carefully, Ryouhara looks back at Akabane suspiciously, finally digesting her offer to help, and her implied compliment.

     "...You should be resting too," he remarks flatly, face the lightest shade of red before depositing the damp napkins in the wastebasket, deliberately not looking directly at her. "... mmnh." Yes, that's the correct sound to handle her. Regardless, the boy gives consent by not actively stopping her when he gathers supplies and washes his hands.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    A puzzle. Umie's eyelids lower slightly, secretly touched that she had that impression on someone else.

    .... especially considering that the last person she tutored was _Tatsuya Suou_.

    She also notes the shine in Kurou's eyes, lingering on them as she realizes what she may have just enabled (or enabled further). She tries not to puff up with pride at her accidental overreach of authority over the _great shihaisha_.

    "It'll give another reason to come over. I'll even give you guys some space," Umie then adds, with a sideways grin. "Though it *does* keep me on my toes to have the expectation of people coming over. Got to keep my place tidy..." She turns her head to try to share an amused glance with Shiryuu, considering the mess it was before.

    As Shiryuu gets the carpet cleaned, Umie works on the tea instead, getting out the kettle and the tea leaves, as well as four cups for all of them.

    Subtly, she steals a glance over the two, as Ren asks Kurou his perspective, smiling slightly as she turns back to her preparation. Ren was always good at that; at his age, Umie was walled off, save for her friends. It feels now like she's having to catch up, in order to understand people around her.

    The exchange between Kurou and Shiryuu, too, is not missed, Umie's lips still curved in a soft smile as Shiryuu assures the polite shinobi, in his own way.

    "If you're concerned about my health, then we should get to making tea to calm my fragile nerves," Umie quips at Shiryuu now. "See? I got everything out for you."

    It's only until they begin preparing and the two students are seemingly deep into their studies that Umie begins to talk directly to Shiryuu.

    "By the way," she murmurs, beneath her breath; while she thinks Ren (and Kurou!) can't hear, it's impossible in this small space to keep too many things secret. "... I need to talk to you about something. Not now, but soon." Her fingers stop her eyes looking to the angle of Shiryuu's face to get a sense of whether or not he's listening. "Let's not use Jogashima Park, this time."

    A hint-- it's something serious, but not something she wants to go that direction, either.

    "I need to figure something out with you," she adds, softly; remembering how he tried to 'assure' Kurou moments earlier.

    To preserve her moments of peace with the Ryouharas, as well as to give Phoenix their own, Umie will have to figure out what Shiryuu is thinking, and express to him how she feels. Not everything has to be a kiss of a blade or of passion; the grey inbetween is what she seeks, for the good of all involved.... which may include Ren now, in a way, possibly?

     ..... nah, Ren'll be fine, he's just a normal person.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Shiryuu asserts that part-timers need structure to avoid turning into delinquents, albeit not so loudly that Umie will hear from the bathroom. Ren peers at him again for a moment before they look over at Kurou. "Part-time work. Work done for a limited amount of time. That's what Akabane-san and I do at the Triple Seven," they explain. With a straight face, they wonder, "Are you not allowed to work after school?"
    
    Kurou's probably too busy working for Shiryuu and/or the NWO to have any time for part-timing, and Shiryuu doesn't seem to have the best grasp on what part-timing is in the first place...
    
    Ren watches the interaction between Kurou and Shiryuu. If nothing else, Kurou seems to really care about his 'shihaisha,' and the implication that he cares back might just be keeping him on his tether. Whether Shiryuu actually does care back... that's harder for Ren to get a read on. It's easy to boss someone around and say you do it because you care about them.
    
    It seems more obvious to them that Shiryuu cares about--or maybe the better term's "is affected by"--Umie in some fashion or another. A man who calls himself the overlord of all ninjas surely doesn't get on his knees to clean a carpet for just anyone, black mold or no. And, sure enough, Shiryuu tells Ren it's lucky Umie has compassion. In other words, if not for her influence, he wouldn't be so merciful on them...
    
    But Ren keeps that thought to themself, though they do briefly twiddle a lock of their bangs as they consider it. They do slip their hands back into their pockets and take in the details of Shiryuu's garb when he leans back on his heels. It's a very interesting look he's got. Ren's not an expert on fashion--something they'd like to change at some point--but none of his accessories seem store-bought. Local goods, maybe? Or made by his clan, even?
    
    "You want me to come over again?" Ren remarks to Umie, purposefully misunderstanding her comment. He half-turns to Kurou. "I guess we ought to exchange phone numbers, then, so she doesn't have to arrange play dates for us."
    
    As little as Ren trusts the Ryouharas, they understand they're now in an excellent position to keep an eye on them thanks to Umie. ...And they do want to try Kurou's tea sometime. They give him a slight, brief smile. "Another time."
    
    But now it's time to return to studying as Umie and Shiryuu take care of the tea. (Snacks can wait.) Settling back in at the table, Ren nods as Kurou starts suggesting that alternate framework. "Hmm... How about from counter-culturalists? Like rebels or freedom fighters?" they suggest. (They're not trying to start anything or even guide him down the path that rocks. They just think rebels are way cooler than kings or queens. Of course, that's not likely to be what they'd get tested on, so it might not help their exam scores anyway--but it might help them, ahem... change their cognition of their studies.)
    
    Over in the kitchen, near one of those frosted windows... a pointed ear twitches. Outside, Morgana leans a little closer. As a 'cat,' his hearing is sharp, but the window is shut and the rain provides extra background noise, and Umie's keeping her voice down besides. How much of her private conversation with Shiryuu might he overhear, if any?

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

Yes, crows rolling down the windshield or tugging at one another's tail feathers... Play is also an important wisdom.

Shiryuu and Ren have their own friction together, and it may be telling that Kurou reacts little beyond his own questions. This is Shiryuu, and how Shiryuu carries himself is normal to Kurou. But that Shiryuu acquiesces to Umie's compassion in the matter is a seed to planted in Kurou's mind for later.

Ren explains a part time job in detail, and Kurou nods slowly, brow knit as pieces together new understanding. "I see. My awareness of the concept has proven superficial... I did not realize there was a deeper philosophy attached. Akabane-san and Amamiya-san have much to adapt to..."

Is Kurou not allowed to work? He shakes his head to reject the notion. "No, but I do not think I am someone suited to the 'part time' approach." The way of a shinobi is to live it fully, and this is why Kurou considers to be his job. (Though isn't Shiryuu, despite his insistence, ensuring that Kurou is 'part time' enough to commit to his studies and bonds? Nobody worry, Kurou himself has not pieced this logic together.)

At his name, Kurou looks to Shiryuu with full attention. It does not matter that Shiryuu is on the ground, and Kurou is not: Shiryuu remains his shihaisha, and the respect never leaves Kurou's bearing. Shiryuu reassures him. It is not the first time. Whatever Kurou needs, Shiryuu is not so weak to be threatened by it.

And not for the first time, Kurou feels a hesitation at the idea that threatens on traitorous. Surely Shiryuu is so powerful, but...

... But Akabane-san shares her warmth with him, too. Maybe that is a good start, and enough for Kurou to refocus on his studies.

Kurou, ultimately, bows his head. "I understand."

As much as Kurou has that sparkle in his gaze for Shiryuu's presence, the same silent glimmer of happiness appears as Ren 'misunderstands' Umie. Kurou gets out his own phone for the number exchange: a battered thing with a cracked screen and faded stickers on the back of its green, silicone protective casing. There is a chain dangling from it -- whatever charm it had has evidently broken off.

"Yes. Before I forget..."

Studying, though, must continue, for that is their sacred task. Kurou trusts his shihaisha and Akabane-san with the tea, easily refocusing. "An advantageous interest," he remarks of Ren's desire for a more rebellious lens. "We can paint outlines around history based on what events and customs motivated the actions of such figures, and even further in how history responded to them."

He believes this, genuinely, from a purely pragmatic place: if Ren lacks interest in the biographical information of political leaders, they can learn what those leaders were doing based on those who opposed them, and tackle their exams from this angle instead.

<Pose Tracker> Shiryuu Ryouhara has posed.

 
     Shiryuu would have a different perspective. The qualities and moorings of 'synthesis' are not so readily tucked into neat boxes like 'part time' and the delineation between studies and missions. It is a torturously simple perspective, not yet clear.

     It may in fact, never be, as long as the shihaisha is busy being distracted.

     "Hrnh. The restoration.." the boy muses quietly, catching words every so often from the conversation in the main room. He whips his hands dry in the basin rather than dirty another towel, movements crisp and sharp. To his merit, he's trying to follow along, monitoring the two in the main room for any signs of potential part-time unionizing or anything to that nature.

     It is absolutely not simple while trying to look around Akabane and listen to only a certain percentage of what she says, for concerns of being scandalized yet again. Protective measures, Ryouhara. Right?

     Something something 'calm my fragile nerves.'

     Wait, what was he doing again?

     "...iih?" the grey-haired onmitsu blinks, energy pensive as he notices everything's already been laid out. "....aah.."

     The shinobi turns to face Umie. ".... thank you.." he says, holding her eyes for just a second or two.

     "but I thought ...Jogashima was .. okay?" he asks, confusion bordering on mild alarm. No, that's not what she's talking about, he reminds himself. The onmitsu's head tilts, as he takes up a knife. It's a peculiar step, cutting the loose leaf jasmine, taking a moment to press down on the stem with the flat of the knife. Not too much. Just enough to speed up the process, when he tamps and shakes the bundle into the infuser. Mindful, for at least a second or two, of the process.

     "Ah, but.." His voice drops, when the full shape of the far darker topic settles with him. The young man manages to wrangle his attention span to something far more important than the tea at hand.

     "... should we be trying to," he thinks aloud.
     "Akabane... there are a lot of dangerous elements at play."

     He has no idea there's a cat listening to him, with his attention far more occupied than it really ought to be.

     "--ow!"
     He tried to pick up the boiling water again.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    It's as quiet and unassuming to an onlooker as the menaingful look Umie and Shiryuu share, devoid of any of their earlier squabbling and ruckus. A quiet 'thanks' from Shiryuu, and a pleased smile from Umie, and the moment has passed.

    Ren comment comes a second later after the moment has ended, timed expertly well whether accidentally or intentionally. Umie looks over her shoulder, shooting Ren a smirk, before answering, "Ahhh, what kind of work senpai would I be, to not offer my wealth of space to someone in need of quiet?" Umie teases with a lopsided grin.

    At four people, it's managable for a social gathering, but it's hardly meant for more than one person. Just how do two people live here? (Answer: one of them is a Kurou.)

    With the two students absorbed into their studies, Umie fully turns her attention to Shiryuu and their covert conversation.

    As if the rain gods had seen Morgana's effort to hear, the rain begins to lessen; while not completely gone, it will be easier for the 'cat's' sharp ears to overhear what Ren may not, though how much and what parts may vary.

    "Jogashima was..." A blush of heat blooms on Umie's face. "Definitely fine. We should go there again, sometime."

    She quiets, watching Shiryuu prepare the tea. It's so much more complicated that the teabags, but it comes out so nicely...

    Dangerous elements at play, he says, as he works with the knife.

    "So dangerous that you can't listen to me?" she offers.

    She give Shiryuu a meaningful pause, giving a covert glance over her shoulder towards Ren and Kurou before looking back. "... We'll talk about it later."

    In contrast to Shiryuu's handling of the leaves-- "The pad's right here." She offers it to Shiryuu, with a sideways grin. "Guess we know the water's done~"

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    It is an important wisdom--especially when that mischievous play balances out one's image as a harbinger of death and doom. Maybe that's why a certain someone else ends up with the codename Crow...
    
    But that's neither here nor there right now. Particularly since that moment passes observed by all and commented upon by none. For Ren's part, they roll their eyes good-naturedly at her teasing. "One who knows how much she talks," they quip back, smiling slightly at her too.
    
    "It's not really a philosophy..." Ren tells Kurou, then stops while wondering if this is something they can make him understand. This is especially so given what he says about the 'part time' approach. It doesn't occur to Ren either that, as a high school student, Kurou is functionally a part-time ninja; they just nod slowly. "...Yeah, you seem like the fully-committed type."
    
    Maybe, as they get to know Kurou better, Ren will notice this contradiction. As it stands, the two of them have phone numbers to exchange (Ren's own phone is a two-year-old smartphone model in an industrial steel-style case) and historical lenses to scrutinize.
    
    "Oh?" they reply, then nod thoughtfully at his explanation. That does sound more interesting. "Let's do it." And so the two of them can review the subject and revise Ren's notes accordingly...
    
    ...Kurou seems happier now too, again based on that shine in his eye.
    
    Ren glances up when Shiryuu yells "ow!" from the kitchen. From what they can see, he tried to pick up the boiling water. If this were an anime, a large bead of sweat would be rolling down the side of their head.
    
    Is this really the coldblooded monster who tortured and terrorized Tsubasa...? Then again, they could ask the same question of Kurou over here... Ren may not like Shiryuu, but they must admit, his contradictions make him an intriguing figure.
    
    At this rate, Ren and Umie are going to need to form a support group.
    
    At least the rain's letting up. That's good for Morgana's fur and his ears. Those ears twitch a bit. Jogashima...? It sounds like those two have a different understanding of whatever happened there... But what are these dangerous elements they're talking about?
    
    ...Seems like they won't be talking about them much more. Which makes sense, given the mixed company.

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

A Kurou is a creature that knows how to take up very little space. When he had his own apartment, he felt his space become bigger. But somehow, sharing this space with Umie has felt even a little bit bigger than that.

Serious discussions going on to the side is not something Kurou is attuned to. Even if he was, he would pay it little mind. That is not his assigned task for the moment, and his trust for Shiryuu is one that doesn't think to question any of his and Umie's whispering.

Not a philosophy...? "But it surely requires its own approach and mindset..." Even the idea that something should not be overthought is something Kurou has the power to overthink. He might be doing it right now. But he does not firmly with Ren's assessment. That is something he can accept with pride.

Right now, his commitment is fully invested in shifting the perspective of Ren's history notes. It might mean covering unintended material, but Kurou trusts the negative space's ability to let Ren demolish their exams.

Let's do it, and, like a command, Kurou methodically cascades into notebook opening, textbook referencing, phone typing fervor. His ears nearly seem to burn in the warm atmosphere of Umie's apartment.

Where Kurou's formal education has suffered, and while his social understanding is... lacking, to put it mildly, his ability to get information surfaces. Using Ren's notes, he's able to cross reference figures and bring up research material with expedience, and instead of the political machinations of queens and kings, begins penning notes on the responses for those who contested them.

Yet his focus on the objective of it remains intact as he speaks to Ren aloud of his findings and their function: it might be easy to meander into a tangent of interesting information, but this is about the test's questions and finding the solution Ren needs to better absorb the answers.

<Pose Tracker> Shiryuu Ryouhara has posed.

 

     The onmitsu is currently nursing his burned fingertips by flicking the infuser in a hand, shuffling the fine-diced leaves in the basket to fluff them for maximum surface area. Otherwise known as, completely ignoring the problem. Flick flick. The boy does this in a strange, ritualistic two-handed fashion. He's intensely focused, as if trying to get each shred arranged in the basket exactly to his liking. Little wafts of the sweet scent begin permeating the air. Agh, oh no.

     Any more and he'll ruin it. The _shihaisha's_ nerves are considerably more at ease when Akabane concedes at least one point. That leaves the other.

     'We'll talk about it later.'
     Not listening to her... the thought sticks with the grey-haired boy a moment. "...the Indigo," he proposes, quietly. "Maybe the rooftop this time..."

     Shiryuu meets the bunned devil's crooked smile for awhile. Long enough for the moment to become awkward. Finally he blinks, accepting the pad with a numb, blank expression, finally noticing his fingertips still ache. "...." The infuser lifts, holding it in three fingers while he presses the remaining two between his lips to soothe, his bracelet falling down his wrist. "Mnh," he grouses, noncommittally. He returns to the water, handling it gently enough to get it onto the pad, and to set the infuser just so in the hot water. It has to brew only for so long. Long enough to get cups.

     It's easy to forget things, here, in this space. Yes, in that, there is a certain 'warmth' that the young man slowly becomes aware of, somewhere between his subordinate exchanging phone numbers with the accursed but powerful part-timer, and the tea he and Akabane make. Umie might notice when Shiryuu's attention breaks, when his eyeline finally raises off of what he's doing -- off of her.

     The shirogarasu is watching Kurou quietly out of the corner of his eye, making sure not to interrupt. Absently he's setting out cups. The young man's written face is a studious neutral, unsmiling, unwavering, as his focus sharpens.

     One ... two ... three. The fourth is considered. It's set aside, back behind a door. The rain's stopping..

     And just like that, the dream ends for the shirogarasu.

     "It would be unconscionable to interrupt any further," the shihaisha decides quietly, eyes closing. The tea doesn't take long to brew -- a few minutes -- nor does it take overlong, with the appropriate attention paid, to pour it.

     Now, and only now, is there the sense that Ryouhara's attention might be anywhere near sharp enough to notice they are being spied on. Luckily, the young man's attention only shifts lightly towards the window.

     "... I'll leave it in your hands, for now," the young man says.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    Seems both Ren and Umie's lives have their share of crows in them. Odd, given their liking of uncomplicated, straightforward people...

    .... ah, well, there's that love of complicated people, too. That's probably the culprit.

    'One who knows how much she talks.' There's the ol' Amamiya mischief, there. Umie's eyes sparkle slightly in the back and forth, but, as befitting a proper senpai, she holds back her next remark, shooting Ren a blackbird's grin. "Save that energy for your studies, Amamiya-kun~"

    This may be the strangest, most indirect way Umie has helped the Phantom Thieves, all without knowing a single thing. Ren gets a rare look into the other side of Shiryuu, someone only a few of the Phantom Thieves have actually seen, with the benefit of her being there to ensure Shiryuu's... Shiryuuness doesn't inflame itself to dangerous levels.

    "Alright. Let's do that," she says quietly to Shiryuu. "Until then, how about you..." She follows Shiryuu's gaze to Kurou and Ren.

    She shares a grin then, with Shiryuu, almost smugly as she indicates Ren with her chin.

    'See?' she says, without saying anything at all.

    However.

    The rain has let up, and the spell is over, evident in the lack of the fourth cup. "...." Umie's expression saddens a touch at Shiryuu's admission. ".... Tonight, then. No fair for you to come all this way." They'll talk about something, either way.

    Her fingers stray over Shiryuu's for a discreet second, and she lets them go, with a cheeky smirk, as she pours the tea. "You're always welcome to change your mind, of course," she offers, taking over for the tea. "Thank you for stopping by; it was good to see you."

    That is the last bit of intel Ren will find: the way Umie and Shiryuu regard each other, and how it turns from one moment to the next.

    ......... They'll definitely need that support group, won't they?

    Coming over with the tea cups, Umie sets down one before Kurou and Ren, going back to have some of her own. "I would've used the teabags, if it was me. You two are extremely lucky." She gives the two young scholars a discreet wink. "I'll need Kurou to teach me sometime... I don't have the patience to do it properly, though."

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    One can like uncomplicated, straightforward people and contradictory, messy people. Cats vs. dogs is a false dichotomy.
    
    "Fiine," Ren says mildly to Umie. They did come here to study, whether that's their books or the two ninjas they ended up encountering here.
    
    Not a philosophy, but--an approach and mindset? Ren considers this. Considering all the part-time jobs they've got (eight at last count; they're just collecting them at this point), they have to imagine it'd have to compared to a single full-time job.
    
    So: "That much is true," they concede. "If there is a philosophy, I don't know about it. I just clock in when I've got time for a shift and collect my pay at the end of it."
    
    It's fascinating to watch Kurou throw himself into research. Ren thinks they can understand how he's managing at high school despite no previous schooling (allegedly). "What subject do you have trouble with?" they prompt so they can do something while Kurou's doing this for them.
    
    And the fact that Kurou's focused on what will actually show up on the exams is a lot for them. Ren enjoys reading and learning. It's the structure of school itself that chafes on them. Having what's functionally a cheat sheet to remember what will appear on those exams, as opposed to falling down a rabbit hole of interesting but irrelevant information, will make them that much easier for Ren to conquer. They might even end up in the top third this time around...!
    
    For all that Morgana might be spying, at least he can only hear some of it--the roof of the Indigo? where is that?--and certainly can't see what Shiryuu does with that fourth cup. Ren, too, is sufficiently caught up in studying that they don't notice either. For better or worse, that moment belongs to Shiryuu and Umie alone.
    
    They only look up when Umie serves the tea that she and he prepared. "Thanks," they say, and now glance past her at Shiryuu. It seems like he's going to leave early, huh... ...well, that's fine too. These things take time, and thanks to a misunderstanding on their part, they don't realize that a clock is still ticking on Tsubasa and the task Shiryuu's trying to force them to complete.
    
    "Is Ryouhara-san," as opposed to the 'Ryouhara-kun' that is Kurou, "that good at making tea?" they wonder, and reach for their cup to take a sip and taste for themself.

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

Kurou could understand that, for he likes both cats and dogs very much. (Kurou may not know what anyone were talking about.)

Ren goes on to describe what Kurou, unfortunately, begins to parse as their philosophy on the matter of work. It's good he does not know there are eight jobs being described: it would only encourage him. "I see... A dedication of time you have, so long as they make it worth spending..." He nods slowly like this is enlightening him to something.

It might be. He always considers the time he gives the shirogarasu worth spending.

But his meandering mind goes much quicker with a target. Ren asks after Kurou's own weaknesses, and Kurou looks to his textbooks. "I struggle with Literature... and essay questions only add to the difficulty..."

One might imagine Kurou having unusual takes and interpretations on texts while struggling to communicate any of it.

His focus only breaks from Ren once tea is served. But there are only three cups.

"Ah --" Kurou barely utters it before he quiets, watching Shiryuu in an uncertain silence. But it would be rude to ignore Umie any longer, and Kurou gives a small start back to the tea he's been served. He wraps his fingers around the cup to feel the heat.

He does not frown, but he looks at the surface with a weight of something like loneliness. Yet it does not feel right to Kurou to call the feeling gnawing at his chest entirely his own.

"... I do not mind. But... 'The fact that it's from you' is the most important thing," he echoes of something Umie told him once, when he wondered aloud if his mother would like his tea. "Isn't that right?"

Kurou takes a single, slow sip, lingering with the taste and aroma for several moments.

<Pose Tracker> Shiryuu Ryouhara has posed.

 
     "Yes," Shiryuu thinks absently. Fondly, when no one else is paying attention. "She does talk a lot, doesn't she.."

     The thought is adrift, long belated and long cooling on the windowsill upon which Shiryuu's attention is focused. After taking a moment to carefully bag the leaf, wipe everything down and rinse the infuser, the young man steps away from the kitchenette, slowly pulling loose the cordage at his haori sleeves so they drop slack around his wrists again as Akabane takes the cups out and over to Kurou and Ren. It leaves the older Ryouhara to consider his hand for the moment. Not the one that was burned -- the one that held the pad a moment ago. A thumb runs over the first two fingertips thoughtfully under eyes that are two different shades of brown.

     'It was good to see you.'
     "... I .." Shiryuu starts to say something, but it's lost to a split-second look just past Umie's shoulder.

     Then, his hand disappears beneath the sleeve of his haori, and it was like they were never there.

     "...Second only to inimitable Kurou," Shiryuu acknowledges Ren in the background, as he steps through the living space, checking the painting on the wall for straightness as he goes. Mostly, it's an excuse not to have to look at anything or anyone other than the window. "Tea is a matter of timing, and precision. But there is another X-factor that cannot be quantified readily." He nods to Kurou simply, without looking. 'The fact that it's from you.' ".... it's something like that," he guesses absently.

     As would be expected, Shiryuu's technical ability is par excellence. The tea has been, despite his injuries making it, perfectly steeped and measured, the hot water at just the right temperature. It is mildly sweet, and it is fragrant. More robust than light, because his intentionality is heavy-handed. But -- it will differ from something made by Kurou. Even the tea-bags that Umie threatens all of their delicate sensibilities with.

     For those with an excellent, unfettered taste, they will understand where the feeling goes numb for the grey-haired young man. Where warmth ends and .. nothing starts.

     He is polite enough. "Kurou... please show this person the full power of three hundred years of Ryouhara academics." A glance lifted to Ren. "Enjoy it fully and without discretion. But..."

     "....no part-timing," he reminds them, severely.

     Umie gets the last, long second of his eyes.
     "...Akabane."
     Faced with saying something, anything, the young man visibly breathes outward, evicting all of the air in his chest, to make room for a fresh fill of his lungs, easing his own carefully managed discomfort.

     ".... be seeing you."
     He will, to his credit, at least leave quietly without further incident.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    Ren's reply gets an unexpected chortle through Umie's hand. Ahh, a relaxed Ren and Kurou is a sight to see.

    Too bad she'll likely need to not be present for more of it to happen, but that's just the way friendships are able to bloom: naturally.

    And sometimes violently, without intention.

    Shiryuu's own contribution, perhaps, may only have Mona as company, for how well he hides it from the rest of them.

    ".... It's a discipline of flexibility," Umie contributes. "I may not have the ability to do this forever, but those late night shifts mean I can have time for..." Pause. "Things like this."

    For the Dark Hour, and Mementos, and all the things that drive the part of her that was so eager to get out of her shift. But also this. She can just say that, and no one will think anything of it.

    Kurou, seeing the three tea cups, draws a soft sound of sympathy, as she realizes where his eyes draw to.

    He's hungry for that connection, isn't he? And why not, considering Shiryuu is the only one...

    But this itself may be Shiryuu's gift, Umie realizes. To give Kurou that room to be Kurou, and not simply Kurou Ryouhara, the one who swore loyalty to his shihaisha.

    "The tea *is* different between the two," she says, picking up on Ren's question. "I'll never say which is better, but..."

    'The fact that it is from you'. Umie gives the words a solid nod. "Yes. I never ask, but whenever he comes ho-- here, from school, Ryouhara-kun makes me tea." She looks down at the cup, the corners of her lips fighting to keep from twisting up in joy. "Any time I don't get home in time, I feel bad, because I know he's made tea for me. But on the days I come in, and it's been a rough day, there's tea. And even if there's none, there's the memory of it, and I make myself some."

    It's hard to convey, without leaning too hard on it; Kurou is supposed to be a teenage boy, with teenage dreams and aspirations; not someone obliged to make someone giving him a place to stay something to drink. However, Umie senses there is a joy in it for him, like expressing a feeling his face and manner is unable to convey.

    It's something Umie's very unused to, when it came to her own home: thoughtfulness.

    'Akabane.'
    
    Now, it's Umie's turn; eye straying towards the window, she selfishly wishes the rain would come back, so he'd feel like staying here was no longer a bother to the rest of them.

    No answer comes, which Morgana is likely thankful for, at the very least.

    Looking over her shoulder at Shiryuu, her gaze lingers a touch. She nods. "Be seeing you, Shiryuu."

    'You can still stay', she wants to say.

    It's when Shiryuu leaves that Umie digs into a bag of cheese puffs, munching a few. Munch, munch, munch minch.

    "Don't mind him, Ren. He's a Sagittarius," Umie says, taking another sip of tea from her teacup.

    As if that explained anything, _little Miss Aries_.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    In fairness, Ren only works those jobs at their convenience. Some of them they haven't worked in a solid while, like Cafe Chagall or Ore no Beko. Hell, they only still work at Triple Seven because they get to see Umie there--a benefit for more than just her scintillating personality. Either way, it does seem like Kurou grasps the gist, and they nod in acknowledgement. Umie has a good contribution too.
    
    Literature, though, huh... "That's a tough one. A lot of literature is up to interpretation. I'm pretty good at that subject, though, so let's go over that next," Ren replies. After all, it's not really something one can do on the side.
    
    The tea is excellent, Ren reflects as they drink and Shiryuu explains. They glance at Umie when she seconds that the two of them make tea differently. The technical prowess, despite Shiryuu burning his fingers, is clearly there. But... Maybe a year ago, Ren wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. However, after drinking cups of the Boss's coffee nearly every day since April, they do have a sense of when there's something else there. 'The fact that it's from you,' as Kurou puts it. As Umie expands upon that with her story about how Kurou manifests it.
    
    Ren glances at the two of them, then sips the tea again as he considers Shiryuu and his tea's lack of that X-factor. How he's choosing to leave, even though both Umie and Kurou clearly want him to stay.
    
    "Thank you for the tea," they say politely. They hold their tongue about the part-timing.
    
    Umie might try to dismiss his behavior as the antics of a Sagittarius, but it's pretty clear to them it goes far deeper than that.
    
    Once the three of them have finished their drinks, they and Kurou can return to studying--and Umie to snacking--in earnest.

<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.

"Ah, a fortuitously complimentary situation..." Kurou notes of Ren's strengths to his weaknesses. So this is the power of a study partner...

Kurou sips at the tea with a cherishing pace, not merely as one who appreciates the subtleties of Shiryuu's proficient blend, but... hm. The 'X-factor' Shiryuu finds himself missing...

Kurou does not say what he thinks it is, but his gaze wanders to where Umie keeps her cups. The absence of the fourth...

What if it had rained a little longer...?

"...I like it," he says of Shiryuu's tea, not quite to Shiryuu, but 'at' him with the way it quietly spills into the air. "No part-timing," Kurou echoes, with more firm intent, as someone who understands what it is Shiryuu means by such words. He will give his all to this, because that is the opportunity his shihaisha wants him to have.

How to give his shihaisha the opportunity for a 'fourth cup'... that is a more difficult question.

But Kurou's posture perks up with Umie describing her appreciation for the tea. "Please do not feel badly for such days, Akabane-san. If it is there when you need it, that is enough."

Much as Kurou tries to make the tea last, no cup is infinite. Soon, he and Ren will return to their studies to defeat the final day of exams.