The rain tapped softly against the windows of Café Leblanc, creating a calming rhythm in the background. Inside, the café was warm and familiar, filled with the scent of coffee and curry. Ren Amamiya sat at his usual spot near the counter, textbooks and notebooks spread out before him. He occasionally glanced at his notes, but his eyes kept drifting back to the clock on the wall. His mind was elsewhere, and his heart raced with anticipation.

“Why’d you call Akechi over?” Futaba Sakura asked from a nearby booth, her eyes focused on her laptop screen as she picked at some leftover curry. She glanced up at Ren with a curious look. “You two scheming something?”

Ren looked up from his notes, trying to appear nonchalant. “No, nothing like that. I just… need to talk to him. About something personal.”

Sojiro, who was wiping down the counter, looked over. “If this is Phantom Thief stuff, keep it outside. I don’t want the café getting caught up in any trouble.”

“It’s not about that, Boss. Just something between me and Akechi,” Ren replied with a small smile, trying to mask his nerves.

Futaba stretched and closed her laptop. “Personal, huh? Sounds juicy. Well, I’m heading home. I’ve got other stuff to do.” She stood up and leaned in close to Ren, whispering with a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Maybe I’ll hack your phone later. See what this ‘personal talk’ is all about.”

Ren rolled his eyes, chuckling. “Yeah, sure, Futaba."

She smirked. “Maybe I could leak that juicy talk to the others!” she teased, tapping her temple. “But don’t worry, my lips are hashtag zipped.” She then grabbed her laptop bag and made her way to the door.

Sojiro chuckled as he hung up his apron. “Alright, I’m locking up for the night. You finish up, Ren, and make sure to clean up before Akechi leaves. I've got a date with my bed from the heavy workload today.”

Ren nodded. “Got it. Thanks, Boss.”

As soon as Sojiro and Futaba left, the bell above the door chimed softly behind them, and the café settled into a quiet stillness. Ren took a deep breath, looking down at his notes but not really seeing them. He was only pretending to study, trying to keep himself calm for what was to come.

Unbeknownst to Ren, Morgana, who had been lounging on one of the chairs, slipped down quietly and snuck behind the counter. His curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to hide and listen in on what was about to unfold.

Moments later, the bell chimed again as Goro Akechi entered, shaking off the rain from his coat. His eyes scanned the now-empty café and landed on Ren with a mix of curiosity and caution. “Quite the private setting,” he commented as he hung his coat by the door.

“Yeah,” Ren replied, trying to keep his voice steady. “I wanted to make sure we wouldn’t be interrupted.”

Akechi raised an eyebrow but took a seat across from Ren, his posture relaxed yet guarded. “So, what’s this about? Some new scheme of yours?”

Ren shook his head, closing his notebook and setting it aside. “No, nothing like that. I wanted to talk about… us.”

Akechi’s brow furrowed slightly. “Us? Now that’s an interesting topic. What exactly about ‘us’?”

Ren swallowed, searching for the right words. “I know we’ve been through a lot—enemies, allies, everything in between. But somewhere along the way, I started seeing you for who you are beneath all the masks. I know about your past, Goro. I know how you lost your mother when you were young, how that broke you, and how you grew up with so much pain and anger inside you. I know why you hate me.”

Akechi’s eyes darkened. “Excuse me?” he asked, his voice filled with disbelief. He began to repeat Ren's words in his mind, struggling to grasp their meaning. After a brief pause, Akechi let out a dry chuckle. “Hold on… You meant that in a ‘I understand your pain’ sort of way?”

Akechi paused for a moment, seeing that Ren was serious about his words. His jaw tightened. “You think you know me?” he said, his voice barely above a whisper and filled with bitterness. “You don’t know anything about what it’s like. Watching my mother die and being tossed aside like trash by the very people who should have protected us. And then you show up, with your stupid ideals and your stupid friends, acting like you’re going to change the world.” His eyes burned with emotion. “I wanted to destroy you for that. You had everything I lost—friends, a place to belong, people who actually cared.”

Ren nodded, his heart aching at the pain behind Akechi’s words. “I get it, Akechi. I really do. You had every reason to hate me. But even after everything, I don’t hate you. In fact... I realized that I care about you. More than I should, maybe. And I can’t keep pretending I don’t.”

For a moment, the café was filled only with the soft sound of rain against the windows. Akechi’s expression softened, a mix of confusion and something almost vulnerable. “Why would you care about someone like me?” he asked, his voice wavering. “After everything I’ve done… everything I am?”

Ren leaned forward, his gaze steady. “Because I’ve seen the real you. The one who’s been hurt, who’s been angry, but who’s also capable of more than just hatred and revenge. I see the person who could be something more—someone I’d like to get to know better.” Ren tangled his fingers with Akechi’s as he slowly leaned in.

Akechi turned his head away, hiding the emotions flickering across his face. “You’re a fool, Ren Amamiya,” he muttered, but his voice lacked its usual sharpness, though Akechi couldn’t help but give a small reaction to the intertwining of their hands as he immediately took his hands off the counter.

Ren smiled softly. “Maybe I am. But I’d rather be a fool who’s honest about how he feels.”

Akechi stared at Ren, his walls slowly crumbling. “You… You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into. I’ve never had anything like this before. I don’t even know if I can… reciprocate.”

“That’s okay,” Ren said gently. “I don’t expect anything from you, Akechi. I just wanted you to know how I feel. Whatever happens next, we can figure it out together.”

There was a long pause as Akechi considered Ren's words, his eyes never leaving Ren’s. Slowly, his shoulders relaxed, and a small, genuine smile tugged at his lips—a rare sight. “You really are something else, Ren,” he murmured.

Akechi’s smile slowly grew a little wider as he leaned back in his seat. "Alright, then," he said softly. "I’ll give this… us, a chance. But don’t expect me to go easy on you, boyfriend.” Akechi teasingly said as he rests his arms on the counter

Ren’s face brightened, a warm smile spreading across his face. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Just then, a soft rustling sound came from behind the counter. Morgana, who had been hiding there all along, peeked his head out, his eyes wide with fascination. "Wow, didn't see this coming," he whispered to himself, barely audible over the rain.

Akechi’s gaze flicked briefly toward the counter, but Ren didn’t notice. “Was that Morgana?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, his smile still lingering.

“Huh?” Ren turned, confused, but Morgana quickly ducked back down, hiding before Ren could see him.

“Never mind,” Akechi said, amused, letting it go.

Akechi’s gaze lingered on Ren for a moment, the air between them thick with unspoken emotions. Ren, feeling the intensity of the moment, reached out and gently tangled his fingers with Akechi’s once again. Akechi's face revealed surprise, his eyes softened, and Ren leaned in, closing the distance between them. As their lips met, it was a slow, tentative kiss, a melding of their emotions and a quiet confirmation of their newfound feelings. The kiss deepened, soft and lingering, each touch a promise of something more.

Back at her room, Futaba smirked to herself, imagining the scene unfolding at Leblanc. "Heh, told him I'd hack him," she muttered. But Ren had brushed off her words, assuming she was just joking.

OHMYGODTHISTOOOKSOOOOLONGGGIMMMMCRYIGNGGGGGGGG485237575-237IOH i had to use chatgpt for grammarohmygod