Ren stood frozen behind the counter, dumbfounded, as you sat on the stool across from him, animatedly recounting your “adventure” in the Metaverse.

You were rambling—again—about the Phantom Thieves. Specifically, about Joker. How cool he looked fighting off shadows. How calm he was under pressure. How he stayed by your side the entire time. How safe you felt with him around.

Ren stirred the coffee in his hand slowly, his expression neutral but his insides? Absolutely tangled.

It had all started when the Phantom Thieves opened the MetaNav to infiltrate a Palace. Everything was going smoothly—until the Palace alarm rang, signaling an intruder. But it wasn’t them. Confused, they rushed toward the disturbance and found you—surrounded by Shadows.

Ren’s heart had dropped. You weren’t supposed to be there. But when he saw your uniform, it clicked. They must’ve activated the MetaNav on your usual route home. You’d been dragged into the Metaverse by accident.

The group fought off the Shadows quickly. Ren had kept you close the entire time, shielded you without thinking, and practically wrapped his entire will around you like armor.

“You okay?” he asked once the danger had passed, his voice softer than usual. His fingers had trembled just slightly against your wrist.

He’d wanted to send you back immediately. You didn’t even have a Persona—how could he let you stay? But you insisted. Promised not to get in the way. Begged to stick around and see the Phantom Thieves in action. And Ren… sighed. Of course he caved. One of his weaknesses was you, after all.

The Palace run continued, but Ren slowed his pace to match yours. Kept his eye on you more than the Shadows. He felt like he aged five years every time you got too far.

And now here you were—safe and sound, practically glowing as you recounted the whole thing in vivid detail. Telling him how incredible another version of he was. Ren blinked at his lover. Silently. His jaw twitched.

The adventure left Ren with two important revelations—one good, one bad.

The good news? You had the potential to awaken a Persona. The fact that you were able to enter the Metaverse at all meant something deep inside you was resonating. There was power there. A spark waiting to ignite.

The bad news? …You were making him jealous of himself.