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Red Rut Ch 1

Chapter 1 Unsettle Before The Storm

Summary: You’re a former OF model/gore wore, turned beloved housepet by the infamous snuff streamer, Fox. He had been scoping you out for months, and now you’re all his! It’s just a few months into your bizarre “relationship”, and you’re about to learn a lot more about what makes beastkins like him tick!

Contains: Abuse, hurt/comfort, drug mention, omegaverse

NSFW

MDNI

Notes: Hey guys! It’s that time of year when I HC Ren goes through his heat/rut cycle! As a treat, I’ve configured that part of my fic, Pleasure Pain and Power, into an XReader! Some parts have been rewritten, so even if you’ve read my fic, it’s still worth the read! If you want more, check out PPP, as I’m working on a new chapter as we speak :D

It’s been months since you were abducted by your former top client, Ren. You’re not sure why he targeted you, he’s said something in the past about wanting someone in a “similar industry”, but you’ve largely given up caring about his motives. Shockingly, even to yourself, you’ve grown fond of the beastkin, despite the circumstances. You live in a large penthouse, have all your wants and needs paid for, and you’ve been gaining little privileges back each day with good behavior. Besides a few slip ups here and there, you’ve become a nice little lapdog for Fox, and you’re even enjoying your new position. He’s adapted well to the partnership as well, giving you gifts and showering you with as much attention as you could ask for. Recently, though, Ren has become much more possessive over you. It started out with small gestures, like holding you tighter when he came home, or doing various tasks around the house for you. You only started to notice the change a week or so into it, when he started hurting you. He would pinch you for getting off the couch without him, sometimes he would leave scratches while cuddling. He even grabbed your arm and yanked you back down to your chair when you got up from the table without asking first. One night, you were sitting at the dinner table and discussing his day as usual. “I’ve had better days, Pet. Profits are steady, but I had to meet with a new client around lunchtime. He was referred to me by another client I’ve had for some time now, but Christ I wish he didn’t.” Ren has made a consistent point to talk at lengths about his time at work, but never discloses too much information. He’s not once let a client’s name slip, revealed the location of his work, or any finer details. The one thing he would talk about semi openly, and semi fondly, is his coworkers. Trying to lighten the mood, you decided to bring them up. “Hey you haven’t talked about your coworkers much, how are they? How’s Kangaroo doing?” Kangaroo had visited you a few times while Ren was out of town. Usually just to bring you food and other care items you’d need since you weren’t allowed to leave on your own. Sometimes, though, he would linger, and the two of you would talk and enjoy each other’s company. Ren put down his fork and stared into his plate. “I can talk about whatever I want, why the Hell do you want to know about him?" You looked up at him, confused at his sudden pissy tone. “I’m just curious, Ren, you usually talk about them a lot.” “No, why do you want to know about Kangaroo so bad, huh? Did you two do shit while I was away?” His voice rose, causing you to back into your chair. “What? No, you know neither of us would do that.” “Right, and now you’re fucking lying to me. That’s it, give me your phone.” He got out of his seat and stood over you, extending his hand. “Ren, what’s gotten into you? You’re usually not like this, and besides, my phone’s in the other room.” He grabbed your arm and pulled you to your feet. His claws sank into your wrist and you yelped in pain. “Don’t fucking lie to me, Pet, I saw how you smiled at him the last time we went out.” He dragged you to the bedroom, and you yelled at him to stop. “What did you two do, huh? Did you fuck on my bed? Did you initiate it? Did he make you scream his fucking name?” He threw you to the floor and dug his foot into your back, forcing you down. You cried out in pain, begging him to stop, and he grabbed your phone off the bedside table. It had been a while since he checked your phone, even though it was mirrored onto his. He went to your messages, and immediately went to Kangaroo’s contact. He swiped through, but all he saw was a short back and forth about a show, dating back weeks ago. Still, he threw your phone on the ground in anger. “Ren, please, I didn’t do anything! Why are you doing this?” He looked up at the mirrored ceiling above the bed and saw himself. He was skinny, and his tail was less puffy than usual. He had noticed more hair coming off in the shower, much more than usual. He sighed, and lifted his foot off of you.

You woke to Ren’s alarm going off, and not to him cuddling you. You rolled over and were met with his back facing you. Not remembering the night before quite yet, you lazily threw your arm around his waist and nuzzled your face in his back. When you got no response, you shook him a bit. Still no response. “Ren, your alarm is going off, shut it off.” Still no response. You sat up, turned off the alarm, and looked down at him. His eyes were still shut and he was drooling onto his pillow. “Ren, are you dead? Wake up." You shook him harder and he finally started to rouse. Now remembering the night before, you didn’t feel bad about shaking him so hard. “Did you stay up all night? What were you doing so late?” Ren rolled over, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and barely looked up at you. “…hm?" You looked down at him, now with pity instead of irritation, and brushed his hair back. You hate to admit it, but he looked so adorably pathetic when he was half asleep. “Hm, poor Ren. Come on sweetie, you need to get up.” With a soft groan, he rolled back over. Was he hit with a tranquilizer dart or something? You took it upon yourself to brew the morning coffee and start on breakfast. Ren’s coffee almost had more creamer and syrup in it than actual coffee, but it’s the only way he’d drink it. You set fresh fruit, coffee, and bowls of oatmeal out on the dining room table before returning to their bedroom. Ren, of course, was still knocked out cold in the bed. You ripped the blanket off of him and pushed him on his back. You grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him awake, and his eyes shot open. “What, what?! What’s wrong?” “Ren, wake up, you slept through your alarm.” He sat up and asked what time it was while rubbing his face. “It’s not too bad, it’s 7:30 and breakfast is on the table…what’s that?" You focused on a pill bottle you hadn’t noticed before on Ren’s nightstand and pointed at it. “What, that? Oh, nothing, don’t worry about it.” He stood up, grabbed the pill bottle, and made his way to the bathroom, mumbling something about getting dressed under his breath. You sat on the bed with your arms folded. Great, he’s being mysterious about drugs now too. Who said relationships get boring? I’m always finding out new shit about him.

Ren entered the dining room shortly after you and sat down. He was still in his pajamas, but had washed his face and was much more awake than before. “Thank you for breakfast, Pet. I’m so sorry, my medication makes it hard for me to wake up in the morning." You bit your lip and looked at him. “Is that what was in that pill bottle?” “Yeah, it is, I won’t be on it long though…shit, I’m sorry about last night, Pet.” He noticed the bandage on your arm and focused on it. “I know I haven’t been myself lately…let’s go out to dinner tonight, alright? Let me make it up to you.” He seemed genuinely remorseful, but you were still annoyed with him. “Sure, let’s go out tonight. I take it Kangaroo won’t be driving us.” Ren took a deep breath and a long sip of his coffee. “Delicious coffee, darling, let’s get your arm bandaged again after breakfast.” Deflecting again, at least he isn’t furious this time. Sure enough, he tended to your wound before getting changed himself. You sat on the edge of the bed and he kissed your arm as he wrapped it. “You’ll heal just fine, darling. Spend today relaxing and picking out what you’ll wear tonight.” He kissed your temple and went to get dressed. While he was in the bathroom, you made the dangerous choice of snooping through his bedside table. There’s no way a medication is making him act like this, what’s in that bottle? You opened the drawer and held up the medicine bottle. It dawned on you that you never asked for his last name, you only ever knew him as Fox or Ren. Hm…Hana, doesn’t that mean lily or something? You flipped it over and found the name of the medication, but didn’t recognize it. Inside it were blue and white pills you also didn’t recognize. Ren walked out of the bathroom and you quickly put the bottle back in his nightstand and laid back on the bed. He didn’t notice, and kissed you again. “I’m leaving, darling, is there anything else you need?" You smiled at him and shook your head. “Nope, I’ll be fine till you get back, I’m excited for our date night.” He smiled and bit his lip. “I am too, Pet, I’ll try to rush home.” He left, and took his pills with him, leaving a very irritated and confused Pet behind.

Ren got home early, and you had some time to calm down. Even though your arm still stung, your new concern for Ren overpowered your irritation for him. You already had your makeup and hair done, and was waiting for him to come home before getting dressed. “Hi Ren! I’m almost ready, when did you want to lea-” he cut you off with a tight hug from behind. “Hmmm I missed you, Pet, I missed you sooo much.” He buried his face in your back and his claws threatened to scratch your waist. “You smell so good, good enough to eat~” “I missed you too, sweetie, when do you want to leave for our date?” He hugged you tighter and backed you to the bed, pushing you down. “Hmmm, how about we forget the date, and instead we stay here and-” He looked at your bandage and noticed the confusion on your face. “-and…uh, yeah, let’s…let’s leave soon, just give me a minute.” He rushed out of the bedroom while patting his pockets, assumingly looking for his pills again. Greeeat, I’ll be lucky to just see him by dinner time. You didn’t want to let on too much, but this time his dashing off actually hurt. Even though you were sort of used to his new flakiness, you foolishly thought this time would be different. He promised you’d go out, and you were looking forward to it. You tried not to let your tears fall, since you had spent so much time and effort on getting ready. Your phone buzzed, and you looked over at it. It was a text from Ren. “We’ll go soon, I need to take care of something. Shouldn’t take longer than half an hour, I’m sorry.” A faint smile grew on your face, and you dabbed at your tears with the tie on your robe. Forty five minutes passed and you got upset again, but tried keeping your cool. You gently knocked on Ren’s door and waited on a response. “Ren, sweetie? Do you want to go soon? I’m all ready, I just need to put on my shoes.” “Yes Pet! I’ll be ready in five minutes!” His breath was shallow, almost as though he had been exercising the whole time. “O-okay! Take your time…” Sure enough, a few more minutes passed and he finally came out of his office. “One more minute, darling, I need to get changed before we go.” As he passed, you caught his scent and a glimpse into his office. Maybe I’m right, it sure smells like he’s been working out, and I think that’s exercise equipment in there. You followed him into the bedroom and put on your shoes. You were wearing a strappy, skin tight, dark red dress with a slit going up each leg. You decided to go with your taller open toed heels, knowing they were one of Ren’s favorites. After you slid them on, you walked to the mirror and looked at yourself. Ren appeared behind you, wearing a dark blue suit. He took a deep breath as he looked at you and placed a hand on your waist. He brought you down to turn the apartment’s perimeters off your collar, and whispered in your ear. “Ravishing, Darling, let’s go.”

The three arrived at the restaurant, another fancy one you hadn’t been to. Other women, dressed much more conservatively than you, snickered as they walked by, but looked up in awe as Rhino followed. You looked down, embarrassed by the idea of having a chaperone on your date with Ren. You overheard one of the women whisper something under you breath. “…can’t believe that animal’s out of its cage…” Are they talking about me, Ren, or Rhino? Luckily, Ren seemed to have calmed down enough to either not notice, or not care about the people staring at them. They approached the hostess stand, and Ren flashed a big smile at her. “Hello, my dear, we have two reservations. One for two, and one for just one.” She looked at him worriedly, but nodded and led them to their tables. Sure enough, Rhino sat a few tables away, but they could still see him clearly. “Well I am absolutely starving, what are you in the mood for, Darling?” He asked, opening the menu and snapping you out of your thoughts. “Oh, um, I’m not sure yet. Let me see…" You opened your menu as well, which mostly featured steak and other high end meats. You decided on a shrimp cocktail as an appetizer, and a Moscow mule for your drink. Ren went ahead and ordered his entree, an extra raw steak with three sides. “You’re really hungry, honey, what did you have for lunch?” “I had leftovers from last night. I’m just really starved today, not sure why." Your shrimp arrived, and you playfully fed one to Ren, trying to rekindle whatever romance you could from the night. To your surprise, he ate the whole thing in one bite, including the tail. When your entrees arrived, you simply sat back and watched Ren scarf down his food while nibbling on your salmon. “Ren, for the love of God, calm down. No one’s going to take your food from you, and people are already staring at us.” He looked up, midway through shoving more of his barely cooked steak into his mouth. He swallowed, and whipped his mouth with his napkin. “Sorry Pet, I’m just so hungry.” He calmed down and you looked back at Rhino. You followed his gaze, and landed on a table of people snickering and pointing at Ren. After dinner, Rhino drove the couple back to the apartment. Ren looked like he was on the verge of passing out, and even “rested his eyes” on the ride back. You were also exhausted, but more so due to the nagging embarrassment you felt the whole night. From Ren acting out, to the stress of being watched all night, you were ready for it to end. All you wanted to do was go to bed, but Ren insisted on taking a bath together first. He drew the water while you took off your makeup. He looked at you, and then at himself in the mirror. “Shit!” He leaned into his reflection and touched his face. “I forgot my concealer! Fuck, that’s why so many people were looking at us tonight.” He had hidden his tail and ears well throughout the night, you hadn’t noticed his marked cheeks. Still, you kissed them, and led him to the bath. You stripped, expecting some comments or light groping, but were met with nothing. You didn’t know whether to question it or be relieved. While this was very unlike him, you were still turned off of him from dinner. Ren got into the bath, and you shortly followed. You laid back on his chest and held each other in silence for a while.

While keeping your focus on the ceiling, you broke the silence. “Ren, I need to ask, what the Hell are in those pills you’re taking? You haven’t been yourself lately, and I miss how you were.” He rolled his eyes and took a deep breath. “Darling, how much do you know about Beastkins?" You raked your brain, trying to remember any bits or pieces of knowledge you could. “I know a decent amount, I guess. I’ve done research here and there, and I used to have a friend who was a wolf beastkin back in the day. Why do you ask?" You looked up at him, and he avoided your gaze. God this is never fun to talk about. Come on man, spit it out, she needs to know what she’s in for. “How much do you know about um…heat and rut cycles?" You narrowed your brows at him, but then your eyes got wide. “Oh I um…oh-OH!" Your jaw fell and cupped your hands around your mouth. “Oh Ren, is this what this is? Oh my God, that explains so much!” His ears pinned back, his cheeks blushed, and he still wouldn’t look at you. “Yeah, and this is why I don’t like talking about it, you people always get so weird about it.” Having this talk with past captives has always been a mixed bag. He’d been met with misinformed excitement, confusion, and repulsion. Most of the time, though, he’s been met with fear. “N-no, Ren, I just didn’t know that’s what was wrong. God, I thought you had a drug addiction or cancer or something.” He finally looked at you, now it was his turn to be confused. “A drug addiction? Cancer? What the Hell would make you think…” Ren stopped and thought for a second. “Oooh, no, my medication? Those are my rut suppressants." You let out a sigh of relief and put a hand over your heart. “They don’t work too well in my actual rut, but they help with the lead up to it." You rested your head back on Ren’s chest, and he put his arm around you. “How long does your rut usually last?” He sighed, preparing himself for your questions. “Usually a week, but I’ve had lead ups last almost a month. Of course that was when I was younger, though. With my suppressants at my age, I can operate just fine and go to work, but I take off the week of my actual rut. Then there’s my peak, which lasts a day or two right in the middle of it." You brushed his chest fur, a tuft coming off in your hand. “So that’s why you’ve been so upset lately, and why you’ve been spending so much time in your office.” He nodded along, finally validating Your suspicions. “Don’t worry though, Pet, we’re about to spend a looot of time together." You sank a little into the water, now realizing your role in this. If he’s acting this possessive now, I don’t know if I can handle him at his peak. Sure you were bigger than Ren in almost every way, but he still had sharp teeth and claws. Not to mention, he could put you in a collar whenever he wanted. “Well, um, what are you like at your peak?” Ren chuckled softly at your sudden meekness. “All the instincts of an animal with the intelligence of a human. Soooo an apex predator, basically.” Cocky bastard. You sat up again and looked back at him, not amused by his ego suddenly jumping out. “I'm kidding, Pet…Well, not really, that’s kind of accurate. I don’t think you’re going to hate it, though, you’re tough." You raised an eyebrow, even less amused with his snarky comment about you. “I just get really horny, is all. And I nest, and I knot real bad, and I get kind of…aggressive.” “Okay, define aggressive.” “It’s not too bad, I just might not let you leave the nest is all.” Thankfully, you were already familiar with nesting, and now his insistence on leaving the bed a mess made sense. “Ren? Are you lying to me.” He scoffed, acting offended, but you wouldn’t bite. “You’ll be alright, Pet. I have some medical supplies ordered just in case.” “That doesn’t make me feel any better!”

#the price of flesh #boyfriend to death #ren hana #tpof ren hana #tpof fox #Red Rut #omegaverse #renxreader

Ren x Reader

Title: Date Night Fluff No Warning

#ren sakakibara #renxreader #ren #assassination classroom #fluff

Christmas Drabble #3: Peppermint Kiss

Crunch.

“Stop it.”

That was what your boyfriend of two years, Ren Amamiya said, looking up from the book he was reading.

The white, red, and green-striped candy cane was crunched between your teeth, your eyes meeting the glasses-framed stare of your significant other.

You smirked as Ren tilted his head to the side, glasses glinting underneath the living room’s light a barely-there frown touched his lips.

“Stop what, dear~?”

Crunch.

“That.”

The familiar taste of peppermint lingered on your tongue, red and green melding together and besmirching the white candy cane as it was rolled across your tongue, clattering against your teeth as you smiled.

“You mean stop doing this?”

The telltale crunch as the candy cane was bitten into resulted in a stare from your boyfriend, narrowing his eyes as your toothy smirk twitched, quirking at the corners as it threatened to widen.

The frizzy-haired demon breathed a sigh, shaking his head.

Ever since you had decided that today was as good a day as any to put away the Christmas decorations, the tree included, he had to put up with the crinkling of plastic wrapping, and the painfully familiar noise as the colourful peppermint-flavoured candy stick was bitten into.

He quietly cursed himself for doing as you asked him to at the beginning of December.

Ren Amamiya was cursing himself for caving in to your request of purchasing two boxes of candy canes.

It hadn’t taken you long to work your way through half of one of the two boxes as you both took down and put away the decorations.

At first you ignored Ren’s subtle glances aimed squarely at you, staring at you out the corner of his eye.

At first you disregarded the way his brows twitched, onyx irises flashing with signs of irritation as you finished crunching your way through one candy cane, and quickly working your way through another.

Unfortunately, there came a point in time where you no longer ignored Ren’s quiet annoyance bubbling to the surface.

There came a point in time where you looked forward to your boyfriend’s reactions.

There came a point in time where you knowingly—and willingly—antagonized Ren.

You watched him in your peripheral vision, quietly observing—and delighting—in each of his reactions.

Crunch.

A brow twitched.

Crunch.

A lukewarm stare—a stare that was almost a glare, almost—was pointed your way.

Crunch.

The crisp noise as a page was turned, pausing to toss you a stare that was cold enough to frost the windows of the two-storey house you both called “home”. For all you knew, Ren’s chilly askance could start a full-blown ice age with little effort, if any trouble whatsoever.

Crunch—

The fourth crunch was what broke the dam and resulted in a tsunami of water rushing to greet you with arms wide open, as it were. The dam being Ren’s resistance to your nonchalant teasing, and the water being Ren’s patience as it snapped.

A quiet growl was all the forewarning you received. The thick novel Ren was reading hit the rug covering the floor around the couch with a dull thump; the couch’s springs wailed as they were relieved of Ren’s weight. Hands pushed you to the armrest; arms caged you in; black-framed glasses glinted as obsidian eyes flashed marigold.

“Something wrong, RenRen~?” you said, cooing your boyfriend’s nickname.

“As a matter of fact: yes. There is something wrong.”

He was practically hissing the words, heat fanning your face as Ren leaned in.

“And what’s bugging you? Can’t take my form of teasing?”

Feeling cattish, you stuck out your tongue. A small piece of what remained of your candy cane was there, reduced to a small and sticky ball of red, green, and white.

But it was what happened in the seconds following that caught you off-guard.

It was Ren’s lips pressing to yours.

The kiss was so sudden that your jaw fell open in surprise. Ren took that window of opportunity to slip his tongue past your lips, the moist organ scooping up the small saccharine ball of peppermint candy. He pulled back, strings of saliva connecting your lips to his mouth.

“…Maybe not, but…”

A chill shot down your spine, hitting your tailbone before it wormed back up to your nape, possessing your shoulders with a shiver. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, not if the familiar hint of embarrassing heat shading your cheeks with a rosy hue was anything to go by.

“…It appears you can’t handle my teasing either, sweetheart.”

Ren stuck his tongue out and for a moment, you thought he was letting his inner child shine through—but when you looked, actually looked, you narrowed your eyes.

There, on the tip of his tongue, was the same rolled ball that had once been the rest of your candy cane; the red, green and white colours mixing, intertwining was obvious to spot to your critical-eyed leer.

“Maybe, maybe not,” you said, making sure to lace your voice with a low, teasing croon. “But…”

Ren’s eyes flashed marigold, watching as you edged yourself closer to him and you, in due kindness, watched as his mouth was closed. The small sphere of peppermint-flavoured candy was seen for a moment and then, not seen the next.

“Perhaps I don’t mind egging you on?”

Ren smirked; his lukewarm onyx irises were slowly, oh so slowly engulfed by a hue of molten gold.

“Is that so…? Then…”

He leaned down, pressing a kiss to your lips. His mouth was a bit sticky from the round ball that no doubt was still on the tip of his tongue, literally. You take in a breath, inhaling the vague but brisk hint of peppermint lingering on his breath as he exhaled, chuckling in your face.

“I won’t mind responding to your challenges.”

#Persona 5 #P5 #Ren Amamiya #Incubus!Ren #Reader #RenxReader #Incubus!RenxReader #SFW #Unless you count the kinda sorta French kiss lol #First debuted on my AO3 account #Christmas Drabble

Ren - Luck

Anon asked for Ren trying to confess but embarassing himself in the process and avoids you after. Please enjoy!

Warnings: none

You’re wonderful, absolutely wonderful, Ren thinks as he smiles to himself while texting you. “Earth to Ren,” Aron says for what seems like the tenth time. The words still go unheard.

“He’s talking to _______________ again, the only way you’ll get through to him is if you take the phone,” Minhyun points out.

“Don’t you dare,” Ren mumbles as he types his reply to you.

#nu'est #nu'est scenarios #ren #ren scenarios #kpop scenarios #kpop scenario #ren fluff #nu'est fluff #nuest fluff #nuest scenarios #nuest scenario #nu'est scenario #nuest ren #nu'est ren #renxreader #ren x you #lee jinki

Ren x Reader

Title: Guess Who Fluff No Warning

#ren sakakibara #renxreader #fluff #assassinationclasrrom #ren #Big5

Ren x Lesbian!Reader

Title: A Bet Fluff/Angst No Warning

#fluff #angst #ren sakakibara #renxreader #ren #lesbian #assassination clasroom

The Charlatan: First Day I

OOC: Good morning, my dear customers. I’ve been on quite the roll lately, haven’t I? I hope this trend continues.

This is something to tide you marvellous people over until I get around to posting something related to the Halloween requests.

Well, that’s enough rambling from yours truly. Let us start the game, shall we? ☕

Part 4 of Transfer Student is here. https://thehuggamugcafe.tumblr.com/post/179520794687/the-charlatan-transfer-student-iv

A sigh was breathed past the lips of Ms. Kawakami as she walked on the courtyard’s walkway, the soles of her white kitten shoes clicking as she stopped at a familiar voice addressing her. She glanced up at a tall man with unkempt brown hair, thick brows pinching the slant of his brown eyes as he frowned in clear disapproval. He sighed as he raised a thick, masculine hand, fingers tussling his hair.

Suguru Kamoshida, the PE teacher and volleyball coach. He was also an former Olympic medalist, and if his dedication (for lack of a better word) to the volleyball team was anything to go by, he certainly had talent in athletics.

“What a troublesome situation.”

The brunette Japanese Language teacher sighed as she rested a hand on her hip.

“I can’t believe they pushed someone with a record on me. A male teacher would be better suited for this...”

Although... She couldn’t help but silently admit that she wasn’t sure who she was complaining about the transfer student to: Kamoshida or herself.

She shook her head, dismissing the thought. It wasn’t something she should fret over for now. She had enough on her plate to deal with already...

“Why in the world was someone like that admitted here?”

Mr. Kamoshida made no attempts to hide his disapproval he felt at the situation; his face and his voice spoke volumes of his irritation.

“Who knows? It was the principal’s decision. I was told that it was for the school’s reputation.”

“I would’ve thought that my volleyball has contributed more than enough to cover that.”

“That’s certainly true.”

“Be careful, okay?”

Mr. Kamoshida flexed his lightly muscled arms as he talked.

“Then again, if anything were to happen, I’d kick out a student like that right away.”

Ms. Kawakami pursed her lips as she scratched her head, her slim, feminine digits toying with her brunette hair. As Shujin’s “golden star,” Mr. Kamoshida certainly did have a lot of strings to pull at Shujin Academy. It wouldn’t surprise her in the least if he was able to convince the faculty, the student body to give the cold shoulder to the transfer student, and all for having a criminal record.

Shujin Academy couldn’t afford to have any blotches stain its reputation for being a prestigious college-prep school, after all. Then again... It would only bolster the school’s notoriety if, say, a student with a criminal record was reformed.

As the situation was currently playing out, they would most likely outcast her without Mr. Kamoshida having to say anything at all... She couldn’t help but quietly pity the transfer student a bit, just a bit.

“I keep wishing that she’d just end up not coming to school. Still, that isn’t something I should be saying as a teacher...”

“Well, I should be returning to practice.”

Ms. Kawakami’s head bobbed up and down as she nodded.

“Oh, right. The tournament’s coming up soon, isn’t it?”

“Hehe,” Mr. Kamoshida paused to laugh, letting a hearty grin pull at his mouth, displaying pearly white teeth, “having such high expectations placed on you by others is quite a problem in itself.”

Yet you clearly love the attention it brings you.

Ms. Kawakami didn’t dare to voice the thought that just crossed her mind.

There were rumours, of course, unsubstantiated for the most part, but rumour was that Mr. Kamoshida “had a talk” with the necessary people in Shujin Academy to have the previous volleyball coach fired.

She wouldn’t put it past him to have her sacked, simply for speaking up against him or disagreeing with him in any way, shape, or form.

“We’ll have to work hard to make up for the track team too.”

“Yes... that’s true.”

She watched Mr. Kamoshida walk away, and it wasn’t until that she was sure that he was out of earshot that she muttered to herself.

“Why’d it have to be my class...?”

The atmosphere in Sojiro’s car was tense, and although you didn’t show it, you worried that saying the wrong thing might upset your caretaker somehow.

Keep your hands folded in your lap.

Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to.

Don’t speak unless your opinion is asked for.

Don’t say anything unnecessary.

The barista in question grunted in annoyance, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel as he stared---no, glared---out through the windshield. Taillights blinked red, horns honked, and several unkind words were given and exchanged.

It looked like you and Sojiro would be returning home late today...

“Traffic’s not moving at all. You’re taking the train starting tomorrow.”

You nodded silently, not daring to open your mouth.

He paused, and the stress that wrinkled his forehead softened slightly. It was barely noticeable, but for once since you met him, he spoke to you in a somewhat mild manner. You saw that he was doing his best to show that he was annoyed with the traffic jam, and not you; your first impression of him improved slightly because of it, but only slightly.

“So, how was it? The school, I mean. Think you can manage?”

You voiced a soft “mm,” nodding once. “It seems fun.”

However, he breathed a sigh at your response. He didn’t look totally convinced.

“Do you even understand your situation...?”

You blinked as your (f/c)-framed glasses glinted. Your eyes showed confusion behind the spectacles that you wore, and a shimmer of annoyance.

What’s he getting at here? I understand the situation I’m in perfectly well.

“Still, you were expelled once already. To think you’d re-enroll at a different one. It’s not like anyone will be sympathetic with you.”

The passenger seat shifted as you tried to make yourself comfortable. You breathed a silent sigh as you stared out at the busy street, pursing your lips as your caretaker continued talking.

“...If that’s what it was like at school, people might say stuff about me in the future too... What a troublesome kid I’ve taken in.”

You felt a hand curling to a fist that shook in your lap. You clenched it tighter, forcing the barely-there trembling of irritation to stop.

“...Why did you take me in?” you asked, glancing at Sojiro.

“I was asked to do it, and I... just happened to agree to it. I’ve already been paid for it too, after all.”

You said nothing, redirecting your attention back out the windshield, blankly staring at the traffic jam, at the flashing taillights.

It was probably her idea. She convinced Dad to pay Mr. Sojiro to take care of me for my probation period.

Your mind conjured the enraged visage your mother had on that evening. If you focused hard enough, you still felt a phantom pain that was surprisingly familiar, but negative. The phantom pain of being struck across the face.

The low, droning voice of a newscaster on the radio caught your attention.

“Again, a subway has derailed at Shibuya Station, greatly affecting the timetable all across the---”

Sojiro voiced a low, growling sigh of clear-cut vexation.

“Another accident...? So that’s why it’s so crowded. There’s been a lot of those lately.”

Screams filled the air, hair-raising shouts of fear and panic as citizens rushed for safety, running away from the subway platform. The loud screeching of metal was heard as the subway rolled on its side, the high speed resulting in the train colliding one compartment of the train to another. Finally, a cloud of dust hung in the underground subway tunnel, the live footage cutting to a brunette news anchor.

“That was direct footage from the accident. According to the police, the engineer’s life was not in danger despite his injuries. After questioning, even he could not explain his high speed, and no further comments have been made. Police are looking for a plausible motive. In other news....”

The female reporter’s voice droned through the TV’s speakers, and the staring contest was broken by the gruff voice of an elderly-looking man.

“It’s less of an operating accident and more of a crime of the company and the government. Site inspectors reported all of this 6 months ago. The deterioration of the tracks and ATC. Seems the railway company and the Ministry of Transport both turned a blind eye to the truth. There’s no way they can hide; this will go all the way to the top.”

“Now onto our main story. With this derailment accident, as well as other recent incidents of unknown motive, concern is spreading among the general public. Just what could be causing such a drastic change so suddenly in these people?”

“Everything’s linked. That’s what you’re thinking, correct?”

The tall, long-haired woman standing adjacent to him said nothing. Her brown, mauve red-tinted eyes stared at the TV screen, lost in thought.

“Ah well. You free? You and I haven’t gone for a drink in a while.”

A smile curled the woman’s lips as she glanced at him.

“Thank you, sir, but I have another meeting to attend. I must be going.”

She paused to bow respectfully before her boss, her dark gray heels softly hitting the carpet-covered floor of the SIU Director’s office. Soon, she was descending a winding marble staircase, her gaze falling on a young man who was dressed rather well, dressed to impress himself upon others.

A smile curled the brunet, auburn-eyed 18-year-old’s lips.

“Did you ask for me? Is it a case?”

“Not quite. I want your opinion on something.”

“Sure. Your judgment is quite often correct. Shall we discuss this over sushi, perhaps? You are making a student work late, after all.”

“Conveyor belt only.”

The brunet’s face showed disappointment.

“Aw.”

The lock of the coffee shop was undone with a soft click, and the small golden bell jingled its melodic chime as the door was opened. Sojiro’s disgruntled mood was obvious the moment you crossed Leblanc’s threshold, glancing at the middle-aged barista as his face openly showed the annoyance he felt.

“Damn, to think there’d be that much traffic... What a waste of time. I wasn’t able to open the café today.”

He paused, his gray irises staring into your (f/c)-framed gaze, pursing his lips as he breathed an all too familiar sigh.

“...Whatever. Just head upstairs. There’s something I need to give to you.”

Deciding not to question it, you nodded and made your way for the attic stairs, and Sojiro followed.

He glanced at his cellphone as a news notification blinked on his screen.

“Talk about a gruesome accident... 80 people were involved.”

He slid the cellphone back into his pocket, withdrawing a thin book from the front pocket of his two-button white blazer.

“It’s a diary. Make sure you write in it.”

The black-covered diary hit the table with a noticeable flap noise, landing near your schoolbag.

“You may be under probation, but there’s no special limitations on what you do in particular. Besides following the law, that is. However,” he paused, his forehead wrinkling as his stern stare drilled holes into you, “I’m obligated to report on you, which is why I’m having you record your daily activities.”

Be-be-beep.

You watched as Sojiro took out his cellphone again. You noted how he took the time to glance at the caller ID, and how surprisingly relaxed he sounded. He didn’t sound anything like how he spoke to anybody else, but especially you.

“Hey, what’s up? ...I’m about to leave right now. ...Uh-huh. I’ll see you soon.”

The soft smile that curled his lips fell as soon as he hung up, glancing back at you.

“Well, I’m off for the night, so do whatever you want for the rest of the night. Oh, but don’t mess up my store. If something goes missing, I’ll hand you right over to the cops. You got school tomorrow... You’d better head off to bed, all right?”

“Yes, Mr. Sakura. Good night.”

You weren’t bothered by the fact that he didn’t so much as wish you a good night before he left, no. You watched as he descended the stairs, and it wasn’t until you heard the café door opening and shutting that you moved.

Your gaze eyeballed the diary, picking it up and staring at it.

I should do as I’m told for now.

You all but collapsed into bed, the old, lumpy mattress cradling every curve of your body as you stared up at the ceiling, hands cradling the back of your head in folded palms, in interlocked fingers.

Sojiro had called just as you were getting ready for bed, asking you to flip the sign over to closed, and to lock up for the night. You did as he requested of you.

You had only written a few sentences in your probation diary.

4/10

“Today wasn’t a bad day. All in all, my experience in Tokyo has been as I expected it to be so far: busy and bustling.”

“It’s my first day of school tomorrow. I hope everything goes well.”

Let’s see... I need to take the train to school tomorrow...

You dug out your cellphone from your pocket, eyeing the screen.

Yongen-Jaya... Aoyama-Itchome... Transfer...

More news about that subway accident... It sounds like a lot of people were hurt.

I bet this’ll affect the timetables for tomorrow too...

You breathed a hum of confusion, blinking owlishly as a familiar icon blinked on your phone’s screen. It was red and black, taking the form of an eye.

That strange app from last night is back... It keeps showing up.

“It’s so creepy,” you muttered, placing an index finger on the screen.

You dragged it down as a trash can icon popped up, and it was deleted. Again.

I should probably reboot my phone, just in case...

Exhaustion slowly took its hold on you, and you had enough energy to yawn as your eyes felt heavy. You succumbed to the welcoming abyss of unconsciousness.

The first thing you smelled when you woke up the next morning was the pleasant aroma of coffee and curry. Instinctively, your mouth watered as you got dressed for school. You tugged (f/c) leggings over your thighs, and shoved your sock-covered feet into the dress shoes, tapping the heels on the floor as you straightened the front of your blazer.

I have school starting today... I hope I can get there without getting lost. I don’t want to be late on my first day. I should head out now...

The soles of your shoes clicked as you approached the stairs, grabbing your schoolbag and slinging it over your shoulder as you descended the stairs.

“Oh, so you actually are going to school?”

The surprise that laced his voice, that was across his face was as plain as day.

The bag bumped against your back as you walked, and you greeted Sojiro with a soft, “Good morning” and a small smile as you walked past him.

You didn’t want to intrude on his business, and you didn’t want to be late for your first day, however...

His stern voice stopped you when you were halfway to the café door, and you felt a chill run up and down your spine.

“Hey.”

Crap. It’s this early, and I’m already in trouble? I didn’t touch anything last night!

“You leaving so soon, and on an empty stomach?”

What?

You turned around, confused, and stared at Sojiro as he stood behind the service counter.

“Sheesh... Do country folks go out the door in the morning, hungry? At least eat breakfast first.”

...Breakfast?

Your eyes fell on the steaming plate of curry that was placed in front of an empty stool, complimented by a piping hot cup of coffee. Your mind yelled at you to get to school, but your stomach whined, pleading you to eat the food Sojiro had waiting for you.

So, you swallowed and nodded, shrugging the schoolbag off of your shoulder. You set it on the empty stool on your right, picking up the spoon and slowly, carefully stirred it.

“...Curry and coffee? For breakfast?”

You blinked owlishly up at him, (e/c) irises peering through the (f/c)-framed glasses that sat on your nose.

“...What’s that look for? Make sure to eat it before the customers come in.”

“...Thank you for the food.”

That was all you said as you picked up a helping of curry, popping it past your lips. Immediately, your eyes widened in astonishment, chewing and swallowing what was in your mouth before another helping touched your tongue.

This is... This is delicious! I can taste complex flavours hidden in the bold spiciness... How does he not have more business with food this good?

It amazed you even further when you took a sip of coffee, your (e/c) irises shining with enjoyment.

I’m not one for coffee, but this cup is making me seriously reconsider!

When the last spoonful of curry was washed down with a few sips of coffee, you allowed a smile---a real smile, a genuine smile---to curl your lips as you stared at Sojiro.

“That was delicious. Thank you,” you said, nodding as you stooped down to collect your schoolbag.

“Thanks. Hurry over to school. You’ll end up late if you get lost on the way.”

You nodded, bidding him a quick farewell, and turned on your heels, approaching Leblanc’s entrance.

“Oh, flip the sign outside to ‘open’ for me.”

You turned and nodded. It was the least you could do after he went out of his way to make you breakfast, after all.

“Yes, Mr. Sakura.”

“Be sure to do that for me, all right? Now, you better hurry on out. You’ll be late if you get lost, country girl.”

Again, you nodded, turning around and gripping the latch, tugging on it and pulling the door open. The small golden bell jingled softly as you exited, shutting the door as you left.

You flipped the sign from ‘closed’ to ‘open’, glancing around your immediate surroundings as you took in a slow, steady breath, doing your best to shake off the first day jitters.

Stay calm. Stay calm. You got this, country girl or not.

You paused to glance up at the sky, brows furrowed as you took silent notice of the dark rain clouds that were slowly gathering.

“...Did the forecast call for rain this morning? ...Well, at any rate, I should get to school.”

#persona 5 #p5 #persona 5 au #akira kurusu #ren amamiya #reader #akiraxreader #renxreader #akiraxreaderxren #ryuji sakamoto #morgana #ann takamaki #yusuke kitagawa #makoto niijima #futaba sakura #haru okumura #goro akechi

The Charlatan: Transfer Student IV

OOC: Holy hell. Am I in a mood today! Big Barista mood today indeed!

Do enjoy part 4, my dear customers! Cheers to each and every one of you marvellous people! ☕

Part 3 is here. https://thehuggamugcafe.tumblr.com/post/179489187227/the-charlatan-transfer-student-iii

Your (e/c) irises eyeballed the long-nosed, grinning man as his wide, bloodshot eyes stared at you in quiet contemplation, silently valuing your worth as though you were an antique he hadn’t seen before, and he was a master appraiser. Your fingers found the long and cold bars of the cell you resided in, wrapping around the icy steel as a simpering snicker came from the warden standing on your left.

When you glanced at him, you couldn’t help but notice several key differences between him and his carbon copy standing on your right. The other warden’s eye was cold and indifferent whenever his stare honed on you, and the other warden’s eye sparked with warmth and interest. The smirk that pulled at his lips twitched, threatening to widen as your eyes met his one-eyed leer.

“Ah... So Sleeping Beauty finally awakens, and not to kisses?” he asked, more to himself than to you.

The frizzy-haired warden breathed a laugh, chuckling as he caught the soft hum of irritation that tickled the back of your throat. You stared at him as he lost the smirk, staring at you as his obsidian eye shone with open interest in you, acting—and looking—serious enough to fit the situation.

“The ‘you’ in reality is currently fast asleep; you are only experiencing this as a dream, my dear prisoner.”

“Your posture is horrible. You are in the presence of our master, so straighten your back, Inmate.”

You glanced at the noiret, onyx-eyed warden standing on your right, watching as he tapped a thin, but decidedly deadly-looking baton in the palm of his gloved hand. His left eye stared at you critically, narrowing to an icy slit of gray and white, watching you as your eyes strayed back on the grinning man.

“Welcome. I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room that only those who are bound by a “contract” may enter. I am Igor, the master of this place. Remember it well.”

The man tapped his glove-covered fingers on the wooden desk he sat in front of, one thin, bony-looking leg crossed on a knee as he sat in a cushioned chair, wide, bloodshot eyes ogling you as he spoke.

“I summoned you here to speak of important matters. It involves your life as well.”

Swallowing, you cast a glance around what little of this space you could successfully glean with your vision. Across from you, around you, on your left and on your right, you saw cramped cells that mirrored the one you resided in. You watched as shackles lazily swung back and forth from the mantles that were bolted into the padded walls they hung from, making a faint metallic noise that sent chills up and down your spine. You saw empty food trays. You saw empty beds, the lumpy mattresses not holding any sleeping bodies. You saw cell doors that were flung open, unlike the door belonging to your personal cell.

Even if you could escape from this hellish place, you doubted you could break yourself free from the padded cell that surrounded you. The lock was quite sturdy, the chains that interwove across each other on the cell looked durable, hefty enough so that you didn’t have a prayer in Hell to so much as dent them.

The cold steel shackles on your wrists reminded you of the cell you had briefly owned in reality, and the bitter irony of leaving one cell and winding up in another wasn’t lost on you. The shackle that adorned your ankle, constantly reminding you of its chilling presence each time you shifted your feet, each time you took a baby step—however, the iron ball that connected your left ankle to it ensured that your mobility remained as it was: limited.

Forced confinement. Isolation. No freedom. Stern glares. Coy, flirtatious looks. Drawling hums of interest. Orders being hissed to you, and like it or not, you were expected to follow them to the letter, or risk facing severe punishment. Eyes constantly watching you. Eyes always quietly judging your worth, what little value you may have at the moment.

This strange place was no different than the juvenile hall you had been in reality for a short time.

If there was indeed a place called Hell, you were certain that was where you were in the present.

Anxiety threatened to overpower you, and you felt a cold sweat beginning to break out across your forehead. A few icy droplets trickled down your cheeks, causing a few strands of hair to stick to your worried, high-strung expression. (E/c) irises nervously glanced around, looking for a way out, an escape route out of the odd place you found yourself residing in. Frustrated, the apprehension piquing, your fingers gripped the cold steel bars as your jaw became set, as you narrowed your eyes and breathed a long, drawling growl.

“Dammit! Let me out of here!” you seethed, gripping and tugging at the steel bars as you spoke.

A chilling one-eyed stare was the only forewarning you received before an arm was swung back and forward, slamming the baton into the bars of your cell. Gloved fingers gripped the thin weapon, electricity crackled along and around the thin weapon. The noise the weapon made as it struck your cell created a ear-ringing clang, the sound echoing for a few moments.

You breathed a gasp as your hands left the cell bars, jumping back as though a jolt of electricity had coursed through the cold steel rods. Your nervous, on-edge visage met the stern, no-nonsense glare of the frizzy-haired warden.

You recognized the action for what it was. You recognized the stare the other, more standoffish warden gave you as he kept his cold one-eyed glare on you. It was a warning. A warning for you to acknowledge the position you were in. A warning for you not to toe or cross the invisible line, the invisible line that had been drawn in the sand for you.

Keep your head down.

Smile and nod.

Be obedient.

Do as you’re told.

Abide by the rules and you’ll scrape by unharmed.

It was nothing new; it had been your day-to-day routine before and during your stint in juvie, but especially after your brief stay in jail.

“Hold your tongue, Inmate. Be mindful of what you say to our master, do you understand?”

The warden didn’t shout at you, and he didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t have to. What he did and said to you was enough of a warning as it was.

The other warden voiced a few teasing “tsk’s,” raising a hand and crooking a leather-covered index finger back and forth, slowly, the smirk pulling at his lips as he did so.

“Now, now... You’d best behave yourself, my dear jailbird. I’d hate to have to punish you for misbehaving.”

The other, more warmhearted warden finished his statement off with a simpering chuckle.

“Still, this is a surprise...”

Igor’s wide, bloodshot eyes stared at his surroundings, the wide grin eternally stretching his lips apart.

“The state of this room reflects the state of your own heart. To think a prison would appear as such.”

Soft, shaky breaths left you as you slowly walked forwards, hands reaching for the cell bars, which your fingers gently held.

“You truly are a “prisoner” of fate. There is no doubt that in the future, ruin awaits you.”

“...Ruin?”

You quietly took notice of how much your voice shook as you uttered that single word.

It certainly sounded ominous, but especially so whenever you spoke it.

“I speak of the end of everything. However, you have no need to worry; there is a means to avoid such a fate. You must be “rehabilitated.” Rehabilitated toward freedom. That is your only means to avoid ruin... Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?”

You fell silent, your (h/c) bangs brushing against your cheeks as you bowed your head, lost in your thoughts.

Rehabilitation... Ruin... I don’t get what this old geezer’s saying, but...

“Please, help!”

“You little bitch... I’ll sue!”

“Years, years, of hard work, gone, wasted! Because of you!”

“Tch... Daddy’s little girl... You can’t do anything wrong in his eyes, can you? You little bitch!”

“Sister, it’ll be okay. I’m here for you!”

“Just behave yourself and don’t get into any trouble. A year will go by before you know it, and then you’ll be able to come home, honey.”

“Oh, and you heard what I said, didn’t you? Cause me any grief, and I’ll toss you out onto the streets like the troublemaker you are. Got it?”

Several voices, several faces popped into your mind. The face of the woman you saved. The glaring eyes of the man as he spat threats of suing you. Your parents’ faces. Your sister’s. Your brother’s. Hell, even Sojiro’s face came to mind.

The majority of their expressions were cold, uncaring, their eyes showing either disapproval, disappointment, a sneering haughtiness, but the few that didn’t quietly express his or her dislike of you were kind, worried for your well-being.

If there’s a chance I can... I can fix things, maybe get back at the shitty society somehow... I’m all in!

(E/c) irises glinted with determination, burning with resolve as you raised your head, staring long and hard at the wide-eyed, grinning elderly man.

“Oh?” Igor drawled lazily, breathing a deep chuckle. He seemed to be amused at the look you gave him...

“Yes, I do,” you said, polishing off your statement with a sure-fire nod.

For the first time in weeks, in months, you felt confident of what you had decided upon.

“I mean I...”

You faltered, the boost of self-confidence ebbing away no sooner had it come to you.

“I’d rather avoid ruin, if it’s possible to do so.”

Igor voiced another throaty laugh, raising his hands and bringing them together once, twice in a clap.

“Ah, I’m glad to hear it. Now... Allow me to observe the path of your rehabilitation...”

The wide-eyed, grinning man paused as the two warden moved as one. They turned around, stepped forward, their backs straight as they stared at you through the cold steel bars of your cell.

“Ah, pardon me for not introducing the others. To your right is Ren; to your left, Akira. They serve as wardens here.”

“What’s that defiant look for, Inmate? Would you like your freedom to be restricted further than it already is?”

Ren’s stone-cold stare bore right into you, cutting deep like the glinting blade of a knife.

Meanwhile, Akira’s warm laugh slowly soothed you, the smirk switching for a smile.

“Now, now... Be nice to the prisoner, Ren. It’s her first time visiting us, after all.”

Akira’s joking undertone earned him a bored askance from Ren, the former smirking as his twin shook his head.

“As wardens, it is our duty to ensure that your safety is guaranteed; we are also your collaborators, should the need arise. Of course,” Akira paused, his right eye twinkling with merriment as he laughed, “so long as you behave yourself, that is.”

“I shall explain the roles of these two at another occasion.”

Akira and Ren pivoted on their heels, their one-eyed stares pointed at their master, Igor, as he talked.

“Now then, it seems the night is waning. It is almost time... Take your time to slowly come to understand this place. We will surely meet again, eventually.”

The grinning man raised a gloved hand, and you glanced up and around as a blaring alarm rang shrilly.

“Your business is done here.”

You glanced at Ren, watching him as he spoke, turning back around, stepping forward with his hands folded behind his back. Your eyes fell on the baton the frizzy-haired warden held, causing a chill to run down your spine.

“Hurry up and go back to sleep already.”

“Sweet dreams, my lovely detainee.”

“W-Wait a minute...! I still have questions!”

Your voice echoed as you shot forward, fingers gripping the bars with a renewed vigour, but it was pointless. You felt a dizzying spell of exhaustion creeping up on you, and you slowly released your iron-clad grip on the cold cell bars, slumping to your knees as your eyes grew heavy.

You passed out before you hit the icy floor of your confinement cell, but the last thing you saw...

Ren’s coolly collected stare and Akira’s soft smile stared back at you.

“W-Wait!” you gasped as your eyes flew open, shooting up in bed.

You glanced around, your shivering gaze taking in the familiar sight of dust floating in the air. As surprising as it was, seeing the cobwebs, the plastic sheets, the old books, and feeling a gentle spring breeze wafting in through the attic window comforted you.

It was a relief to be back in your attic room once again, and the spring breeze that cooled your sweating face was a welcomed relief. You breathed a sigh as you sat up in bed, your nightshirt and pyjama pants rubbing against your warm skin as the (f/c) sleeping bag was tossed off of you. Despite your sluggish demeanour, your body wailing in protest whenever you moved, thoughts ran through your mind as you got dressed for your first-time visit to Shujin Academy.

What a strange dream that was... Ruin... Rehabilitation... That old man... Those twin wardens... Maybe the transfer to the big city was a bigger shock than I thought it was...?

You breathed a second sigh as you buttoned the black blazer, pulling (f/c) leggings over your thighs, and shrugging your sock-covered feet into the black dress shoes.

Yeah, that... That has to be it. What else would it be?

You spared a glance down at your wrists, pursing your lips as you brushed your fingers over the skin.

I can still feel those damn shackles on my skin...

The sound of footsteps ascending the stairs pulled you from your musings, and your gaze met Sojiro’s. All in all, the only differences between his barista outfit and what he wore at the moment were a two-button blazer, and a white trilby with a red-white-and-blue striped hat band. The pale pink shirt, the pale rolled-up khakis, the white leather belt, and the white loafers remained.

“Looks like you’re up. Well, let’s go introduce ourselves properly to the staff about your transfer. The school you’ll be attending is in the Aoyama district. It costs you a bit to ride the train there, and the route transfers are a pain. I’ll drive you there, but just for today. Let’s go.”

You nodded as you got up off of the bed. The lumpy mattress shifted, and the (f/c) sleeping bag rustled as you moved. However, when you followed Sojiro down the attic steps, you heard him mutter to himself.

“Sheesh... Women your age aren’t usually allowed in my passenger seat.”

Your eyes stared up at the prestigious Shujin Academy, (e/c) irises shimmering with intrigue. It was a hell of a lot more impressive in person. You figured that your old school back home could fit twice, three times into a college-prep school the size of Shujin Academy easily!

I guess they don’t call Tokyo the big city for nothing.

You were pulled back to reality with an all too familiar, stern-sounding “hey” from Sojiro. You blinked your eyes—framed by (f/c)-coloured glasses—once, and tilted your head, silently telling him that he had your full attention.

“Do me a favour and behave yourself, all right? Don’t get me wrong—I don’t care what happens to you. Just don’t cause me any trouble.”

“...Yes, sir,” you replied softly, nodding once.

“Let’s go.”

You breathed a silent sigh, nodding as you followed him up the steps of the labyrinth-style school. Your eyes glanced around as you took in the sight of spotless windows, the wooden floor that shone with a mirror polish, the trophy cases that boasted of students’ accomplishments, both past and present. Everything in the school was clean, almost unbearably so.

How does anyone find their way without getting lost? It’s like a maze!

It was sooner than you would have liked, but you felt the nostalgic sense of being judged, of being leered at with distrust—but by the principal this time. You bit back several choice titles as he watched you, as you watched his several chins wobbling as his mouth moved, his thick brows pinching the slant of his narrow eyes as he talked.

“To reiterate, just so we’re clear, you’ll be immediately expelled if you cause any problems. Honestly, I hesitated on accepting someone like you, but there were some circumstances on our side...”

The sound of a pen clattering as it was set back on the principal’s desk was clear. Sojiro had finished signing the small stack of forms. Clearing his throat, the pot-bellied man continued speaking.

“You may have done a variety of things in hiding in your hometown, but you will behave yourself here. If you are thrown out from our school, there will be no place for you to go. Keep that in mind.”

Turning to the brunette standing beside him, he nodded.

“This is the teacher in charge of your class.”

“I’m Sadayo Kawakami. Here’s your student ID.”

She set a red ID holder on the desk, and you reached forward, taking it and stuffing it in one of the front pockets of your blazer.

“Be sure to read the school rules. Any violations will send you straight to the guidance office. And, if by chance you cause any problems, I won’t be able to protect you at all.”

Turning to the bald head of the school, she asked, “That is your promise, yes, Principal Kobayakawa?”

“Mm-hm. She is responsible for all her actions.”

Kawakami’s face fell as she folded her arms across her chest. She didn’t look or sound pleased.

“But really though, why me...? There should’ve been better candidates.”

I’m standing right here, you know.

“It was a sudden transfer, and your class was the only one that had an opening. Besides,” he paused, sparing you a quick glance before looking back at the drowsy-eyed teacher.

“Wouldn’t you feel more at ease having a transfer student in your class? A female transfer student at that—she shouldn’t be too much of a handful for you, Ms. Kawakami.”

Kawakami sighed, raising a hand and scratching at her head. “I hope not...”

“If you’re done explaining things, mind if we get going? I got a store to get back to.”

“Mr. Sakura, please keep a close eye on her... Don’t let her cause any trouble outside.”

It took everything you had not to narrow your eyes, not to let a particularly snarky comment roll off of your tongue.

“I’ll be sure to have a serious talk about the situation she’s in.”

“Come to the faculty office when you arrive at school tomorrow. I’ll show you to your classroom.”

You nodded, pausing to bow respectfully before leaving the principal’s office with Sojiro. It wasn’t until you two were halfway to the school entrance that he stopped, breathing a sigh as he scratched at his balding head of black hair.

“They’re treating you like some kinda nuisance... I guess that what it means to have a criminal record.”

Turning on you, he continued, “Turns out your past follows you wherever you go.”

Sojiro paused, his brows pinching the slant of his eyes as his gray irises coldly leered at you.

“By the way, if you get expelled now, I won’t hesitate to kick you out. Got it?”

“I’ll be careful, Mr. Sakura.”

You polished your statement off by toying with a stray bang of (h/l) (h/c) hair.

“Hmph.”

He didn’t look convinced, breathing a sigh before he softly muttered, “School never changes, huh?”

“Come on, we’re going home.”

You said nothing, opting to remain silent as you followed him out of the school, and to where Sojiro had parked his car.