Chapter 52
Maruki’s reality didn’t last a week.
Not only because of Ren’s return, but also because of Yu, the embodiment of truth. As long as either of them existed, Maruki couldn’t control the world.
He was destined to fail.
[Haru Okumura: So, any plans before school starts?]
[Makoto Niijima: We have entrance exams to prepare for. Is Ren going back to his hometown?]
[Futaba Sakura: He doesn’t have to, but he insists on facing his past. Honestly, he’s so stubborn.]
[Yusuke Kitagawa: Does Narukami-senpai agree?]
[Ann Takamaki: I guess so? Isn’t Narukami-senpai starting university soon? Have you noticed they haven’t been around much lately?]
[Ryuji Sakamoto: I heard from Mona that… they’re going somewhere together.]
[Everyone: …]
A couple in their midst?! And one of them was their leader?!
[Yusuke Kitagawa: A leader abandoning his team for romance? Is that even allowed?]
[Yusuke Kitagawa: I propose we tag along! Especially me!]
[Ryuji Sakamoto: Are you like a little chick following its parents everywhere?!]
[Yusuke Kitagawa: My funds are critically low. I need the leader to feed me. I wouldn’t mind his New Year’s money either.]
[Ann Takamaki: That’s pathetically tragic.]
[Haru Okumura: Kitagawa-kun, want to try the Big Bang Burger Challenge? If you succeed, you get a free burger and a prize.]
[Yusuke Kitagawa: There’s such a thing?! I’ve never heard of it!]
[Ryuji Sakamoto: That’s because it’s incredibly difficult, and you can only try it once.]
[Yusuke Kitagawa: Only once…]
[Futaba Sakura: Anyway! I’ll be secretly observing them. Secretly. Observing. Hmph!]
[Ren Amamiya: It’s not like I’m not coming back. It’s only for three days.]
[Yu Narukami: We can’t miss the entrance exams. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be in such a rush.]
[Everyone: Shut up, you two!]
Ren chuckled, putting away his phone and looking at Igor and Lavenza.
Igor’s laughter echoed through the Velvet Room.
“Guest, our journey together has come to an end,” Lavenza said. “You faced false accusations, an uncertain future, and even ventured into a fabricated reality, risking your life for your friends’ happiness, achieving a miraculous rebirth.”
“Now, you’ve become your best self.”
Ren looked at Lavenza. “You knew I returned from the future?”
“Of course,” Igor chuckled. “Your selfless courage, sacrificing yourself to protect your friends, combined with the desire for universal happiness, created an extraordinary miracle, returning you to a past where nothing had happened yet.”
“It was the last ember of the false god’s power.”
“And your unique fate has drawn another contractor with a similar destiny.”
“You were meant to meet.”
Hearing Igor’s words, Ren couldn’t describe his emotions.
Maruki had ultimately fulfilled his wish, granting him the happiness he desired: a second chance, a return to a time before everything went wrong. Life was truly absurd. Maruki’s desire for universal happiness had been the root of his downfall.
Although Maruki probably hadn’t intended to grant Ren this wish.
After their final farewell, Igor and Lavenza vanished. Ren left the Velvet Room, finding Yu waiting for him.
Yu, holding the pre-ordered figurine, admired it, his gray eyes bright.
Ren hugged him from behind.
“Ren?” Yu put down the figurine. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Ren closed his eyes, inhaling Yu’s scent. “I’m just glad I met you.”
“I should be the one saying that,” Yu held Ren’s hand. “I’m so glad I met you, Ren. I wouldn’t be this happy without you.”
“No need for mutual flattery,” Ren released him. “It’s almost time for our train. We should go.”
“Right,” Yu nodded. “Where’s Morgana?”
“Probably wandering around.”
Mona, thankfully, had a better sense of time than they did, waiting for them at the station entrance. They boarded the train to Inaba.
On the train, Yu watched Ren and Morgana looking out the window, their reflections shimmering in the glass.
He smiled, then looked down at his phone.
A message from his mother.
[Mom: Bring him home to meet us sometime.]
Yu’s smile softened. He reread the message, then replied.
[Yu Narukami: Okay.]
His mother was the best, a strong and capable woman at work, a kind and loving parent at home, a family member he respected and adored.
This future… it was perfect.
Knowing Yu was returning, everyone gathered at the Inaba train station, including Rise, who had resumed her idol activities, and Naoto, busy with detective work. They had all taken a break for the New Year’s holiday, reuniting in the small town where their journey had begun.
Dojima and Nanako were there too, everyone chatting and laughing as they waited.
Nanako’s eyes lit up.
“Big Bro!”
She let go of Dojima’s hand and hugged Yu’s leg.
Yu had grown taller since they last saw him, his shoulders broader, but then again, he was about to start university.
Yu smiled, crouching down and ruffling Nanako’s hair. “Nanako.”
As he did so, the boy standing behind him came into view.
He wore glasses and a gray winter coat, his slightly messy black hair giving him a quiet, innocent appearance. He glanced at the group, then at Yu and Nanako, unsure whether to greet them.
“Ah?!” Rise, the only one who recognized him, pointed at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?!”
Finally seeing a familiar face, Ren waved. “Hello again, Kujikawa-san.”
“Huh?! Did Narukami bring you?”
“Sensei! Is that the guy in the bat costume?”
“Did Narukami-senpai actually bring someone home?!”
“Rise knows him!”
“Who is he?”
“Wow, someone Narukami brought home… could he be the one he keeps talking about…?”
Before they could finish, the zipper on Ren’s bag opened, and a calico cat emerged.
Morgana stretched. “Finally! I thought I was going to suffocate!”
“A kitty!” Nanako’s attention shifted to Morgana, and she let go of Yu, running towards Ren, only realizing she had hugged a stranger after petting the cat.
She blushed, hiding behind Yu.
“…Sorry.”
“Haha, it’s okay,” Yu pulled Ren forward. “This is the older brother who gave you that present, Nanako. Remember the bracelet you made for him? I brought him here.”
Ren greeted her, and Morgana jumped out of the bag and onto Nanako’s lap.
The cat nuzzled her, and Nanako’s eyes lit up.
She hugged Morgana. “Daddy, a kitty!”
“Hahaha,” Dojima chuckled. “Bringing a cat all the way here… as expected of Yu’s friend. How did you even get past security?”
Hearing this, the others started discussing amongst themselves.
“How did a cat get on the train?” Kanji, also wanting to pet Mona, asked curiously.
“It’s not impossible, just requires some… unconventional methods. Avoiding all the staff,” Naoto mused. “Requires excellent observation and evasion skills, and consideration for the cat’s well-being…” She looked at Ren suspiciously.
“No offense, but… do you have another occupation besides being a student?”
“Hahaha, another occupation, hahahahaha!”
“…What’s so funny, Yukiko?” Chie asked, exasperated.
“He’s a Phantom Thief,” Yu declared proudly. “Ren is a Phantom Thief who steals hearts and can fly through buildings! He’s amazing!”
Naoto raised an eyebrow, clearly thinking of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts case in Tokyo, while the others started discussing the coolness of being a Phantom Thief, their laughter echoing through the station.
Ren: …
This was mortifying!
He tugged on Yu’s sleeve, telling him to stop.
“Hello,” Ren finally managed to regain control of the conversation, which had spiraled out of control.
“I’m Ren Amamiya, Yu’s friend.”
“Sorry for intruding without warning.”
“Don’t worry about it. He’s been talking about you non-stop,” Yosuke chuckled, shaking his head. “He kept mentioning you even before summer break, and again during his visit. We were all wondering when he would bring you here.”
Ren was surprised. “You thought he would bring me here?”
“Not sure, but it was a possibility,” Chie shrugged. “It’s hard to tell what that guy is thinking.”
“He once threw someone into the other world for a whole week.”
“That was scary, kuma,” Teddie nodded. “That person almost died.”
“Huh?” Dojima asked, puzzled. “Who almost died?”
“No one! No one! We’re just kidding!” Yosuke quickly said.
Ren only knew that Akechi had disappeared for a week, and that Yu was somehow involved, but he hadn’t realized Yu had imprisoned Akechi in the other world.
That was surprising.
“Hey, hey, you don’t know the whole story!”
Rise jumped in, pointing at Ren. “Don’t you know? Their relationship isn’t just ‘friends’!”
“What do you mean?” Teddie asked, curious.
Rise took a deep breath, then declared dramatically, “He said they’re considering marriage!”
Silence.
After a few seconds, Dojima sighed, taking Nanako and Mona and turning to leave.
“I’m taking Nanako home. It’s cold out here. You should all head home soon too.”
“Let’s go to the shrine! We can get fortunes!” Yosuke suggested, as if he hadn’t heard anything. “Maybe we’ll even see Marie waiting for us there.”
“Yes! I’m in!”
Rise watched as everyone casually walked away, her cheeks puffed out. “Aren’t you surprised?!”
“Huh? Surprised about what?” Yosuke pointed at Yu. “Look at him, charming everyone he meets, no concept of personal space. He probably just said something without thinking. Don’t be fooled, Rise.”
“Yeah, yeah, Narukami is terrible at that kind of thing.”
“Let’s go get our fortunes.”
“Why doesn’t anyone believe me?!”
Naoto coughed softly. “Actually, I believe you, Rise, but… let’s just drop it.”
“It’s not something we should discuss.”
She followed the others.
Yu walked over to Rise, looking at her thoughtfully.
“If I said I believed you, Rise, would that make you feel better?”
Rise/Ren: …
This guy’s communication skills were still terrible.
“Yu-senpai! You’re so mean!” Rise huffed, then ran after the others, leaving Yu and Ren behind.
Ren walked beside Yu, watching his friends walk away, chatting and laughing.
Just as he had imagined, Yu’s friends were just as kind and cheerful as he was, their warmth infectious, accepting him without hesitation.
They were good people.
“They’re nice,” Ren said.
“Right?” Yu said proudly. “They’re the best team!”
“The Phantom Thieves are pretty good too. I’m not losing to you when it comes to teamwork,” Ren retorted seriously. “I’m confident in my team.”
As they walked, the others seemed to realize Yu and Ren weren’t with them.
They turned around, waving and calling out.
“What are you two doing? Hurry up!”
“We’ll miss out on the fortunes!”
“Coming!” Yu called back with a smile.
He turned to Ren. “Shall we go?”
“Yes,” Ren nodded.
They ran towards their friends, the cold wind unable to chill their warmth.
Ahead lay Yu’s cherished past, beside him, his present.
They were everything precious to Yu Narukami.
The greatest treasure he would never let go of.
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