unfoggedlotus | IC Inbox

I want to, but that weird Shadow version of Akechi-senpai acted like something was wrong with me, too.

It bothers me. Maybe something happens to my sister in other worlds that makes her act like me, but Dr. Maruki really did just help me face my grief.

He's a counselor, not a monster.

We're all only human! It's possible for him to make mistakes. Maybe he's more prone to it in other universes... I know I would've been in a bad spot if not for Goro helping me. Maybe he got a counselor in ours that changed him around or something! Counselor-ception! （　´∀｀）

[ Please help him. ]

Sayyyy...have you met Aki-chan, Sumi? B) He's making cookies for Goro-senpai right now. You can come over and meet him! It's impossible to feel sad with the little guy around (っ˘ω˘ς )

Honestly, there are still a lot of people I haven't met here. I guess that's the problem with getting stuck in that tower for over a month.

...Are you sure it's okay, though? I don't want to impose! Especially if Akechi-senpai's busy.

Yeah! Goro-senpai is out having some Goro-time with Magpie, he's out of the house right now

[ He attaches a picture of Aki-chan, whose eyes are scrunched up in concentration as he tries to do...something with the cookie dough in his hands. ]

C'mon!! Promise it'll be fun 。.:☆*:･'\(^―^) !

[Oh, goodness! He's so little. And that face...

Bless his heart.]

Aww, he's adorable!

I guess if it's really okay, I can drop by for a visit. I'd just need directions.

Here you go!

[ Ren gives her directions to their house. Hopefully he doesn't regret this in like...twenty minutes when she shows up. ]

"Hey, Aki-chan...we're gonna have a guest over soon, ok?"

It's not too hard to find, thanks to the compressed travel distances, though she has a very awkward run-in with a younger Akechi outside the house on his bike. He dismounts the bike and gets closer to promptly ~~interrogate~~ inquire about her.

"...I see. So you're from the year 2016 and go to the same school as Crow and Ren. Which means you're from my future. How fascinating..."

Kasumi tries so hard not to giggle at his antics or coo at how cute he is. That serious expression! The sharp determination in his eyes... but he's younger and spikier and, goodness. Well, she'll just smile and nod.

"Yep! They're my senpai. In fact, Ren-senpai just invited me over to help with the cookies." ...She thinks, anyway. "Oh, but don't worry! It's completely platonic." She probably doesn't need to warn for it, but it can be hard to tell with kids.

Raven just snorts. "Well, obviously. Those two are so absurdly in love that there might as well be a neon sign pointed over them at any given time." He turns to his bike, but hesitates. "...And are you a Persona user?"

Oh. That's... hmm. Kasumi titters. "Wellll... I'll let you figure that out, detective! It's no fun if I give away too much about your future." With that, she practically skips over to the door and knocks. Save her, Ren-senpai! Little Akechis aren't supposed to know about her powers!

Who answers the door isn't Ren, but the aforementioned tiny Akira-kun. He stares up at this Yoshizawa-senpai with wide, grey eyes. He says nothing, but the inviting smell of fresh-baked cookies wafts from the house.

"Oh, Sumi!" Ren's voice calls from inside the house. "Hey, c'mon in, I'm just..."

"Cooky," says the small Aki-chan.

"The first round of cookies are almost done...you can be our taste-tester!"

O-oh, goodness. He's so little... and cooky. Bless his little heart. Kasumi clasps her hands together, needing a moment to just process this lil' guy.

"Aw, hi! You must be Aki-chan." So tiny, and... wait. Her eyes drift to Ren's hand, to that ring. "I guess I really have missed a lot."

Something inside Ren wants to snatch his hand away from her prying eyes. "Maybe you have," he says, a little stiffly, then remembers who he's talking to. "Er...kinda? I can tell you more about it..."

A little belatedly, Aki-chan bows in greeting to Yoshizawa-senpai. "M Aki-chan, Yozishawa-senpai." His face scrunches up just a little bit. "Yowizawa-senpai. Yoshishasa-senpai. Yo-shi-aw-za. Yo-shi-wa-za. Yo-shi-sen-pai...?"

Ren can't help but chuckle at Akira-kun's attempts to pronounce Sumi's last name. "It's a tough one, isn't it? I don't want to a-Sumi-e anything, but I think it'd be okay if you called her by her nickname."

Oh. Is her name hard to pronounce? Then again, Aki-chan is just a little kid. Despite his struggles, she smiles sweetly. "It's okay. You can use the nickname!" She'd offer a pat on the head, but maybe not until they know each other better.

"And if you want to talk about it, Senpai, I'd listen! Whatever you're comfortable with."

"Sumi-senpai," Aki-chan lets out a small sigh of relief, bowing again and nearly bonking his head on Cooking-Senpai's leg. "Fanks fer name!" Ren smiles at how adorable the little guy is, then glances down at him. He doesn't wanna bring anything potentially triggering up around him...

"Come on inside," Ren ushers Sumi inside the co-opted Dojima residence, showing her where she can put her shoes. "And...Akira-kun, why don't you show Sumi our cookies?"

Aki-chan takes up his mission with solemnity, and Ren whips out his phone as soon as they're on their way.

Hey Sumi! So. Goro proposed. Kind of. Lol We have rings to reaffirm our permanent, monogamous dedication to each other, as he would say (￣ω￣) And I am very very happy about it!!! ✿♬ﾟ+.(｡◡‿◡)♪.+ﾟ♬✿。 But...Aki-chan comes from a troubled household... His parents fight a lot, and because of that he has a hard time understanding that love can be positive and good... (;_;) I think he took the news of our sort-of engagement pretty well!! But I just wanna avoid possibly upsetting him, so I'd prefer not to talk about it with him around o(-( Some other time, ok? B)

Edited 2024-01-05 05:42 (UTC)

Kasumi follows the little guy along, though when he phone vibrates, she takes a quick look at the messages, and—

Oh!

Oh. Goodness. On one hand, aren't they kind of young? On the other hand, it's obvious how much they care about each other. Effectively stating intention to marry when it's made possible is a sweet gesture and shows genuine commitment to the relationship. Not that she'd expect anything less from Akechi.

The rest of the message, though... She frowns for a moment, looking down at little Aki-chan. Rather than press it, she sends a quick message:

Thanks for the heads up! We can talk later.

There's more she could say, but right now, she's supposed to be helping the little guy with cookies. So! She tucks her phone away and smiles once again.

Ren rushes over as soon as he's done texting, just in time to catch Akira-kun showing Sumi the cookies Ren just took out of the oven.

"Dagon-san," Aki-chan says, showing her the chocolate chip cookies they tried -- emphasis on the tried -- to make into dragon shapes. Akira-kun is frowning just a little bit, though. They didn't come out to his expectations, courtesy of his tiny little hands and still-developing motor control.

"I'm sure they'll taste great, Aki-chan," Ren reassures him, grabbing some plates. "Would you like to try the...grains of our labor, Sumi?"

D-Dagon-san... Oh, goodness. Sumi takes a deep breath just to avoid squealing at how cute Aki-chan is. But Ren's right, of course!

"I'd love to! And don't worry too much about the shape, okay? What matters is that you did your best!"

"Bettew," Aki-chan grumbles in the frowning-ever-so-slightly way of his, but he looks a little happier at the reassurances. After climbing up the chair to get to the tray Ren just removed from the oven, he places the fresh, lumpy cookies on their plates for them to try.

Ren raises his cookie up in a mock toast. "Bon appetit!"

Kasumi gladly accepts the plate, raising her own and repeating, "Bon appetit!"

She takes a little nibble, and despite the shape, it's a perfectly respectable cookie. To better encourage little Aki-chan, she makes a happy little sound. And, of course, she swallows before speaking. "You did a good job, Aki-chan! I'm sure the others are gonna love these."

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