Real & the Ideal: A Persona 5R Dark Sun Sequel (Goro Akechi x Amamiya Ren)

2: How Is It Possible?

Everyone is capable of changing themselves...

(Ren's P.O.V)

I couldn't even explain what I was seeing.

Akechi was arrested days ago. Shido had suffered a breakdown and was deceased as of the week prior to Akechi turning himself in. I watched Crow empty his gun into his fathers cognitive shadow...

How was it possible? Why was I staring at them both inside of Penguin Sniper?

"Oh, you're here."

Akechi's voice triggered an innocent and excited joy inside of me as he noticed me from across the room. The carefree side of my personality wanted to just accept whatever it was I was seeing and jump at him, refusing to ever let go again. But the feeling was gone in an instant. My unforgiving moral compass rooted me to the spot, even as the former Detective Prince strode over to me.

"How convenient. I was just telling my dad about you."

"...what?"

Even more alarms began ringing in my head. I could only mutter out of complete disbelief, unable to fathom the situation unfolding infront of me.

Instantly I felt dizzy. Why was Akechi calling Shido dad? Overwhelmed, my mind began spinning, enough to make me grab my forehead as my balance tipped ever so slightly. Akechi noticed and put his hand on my shoulder to steady me, but at that same second, my surroundings seemed to fracture; breaking into multiple colours, vibrating like a UV lamp at night, then reassembling.

In the blink of an eye, it was gone; leaving me stunned.

"Ren-kun, are you alright? You look pale."

I was hardly listening to Akechi. Had Shido's shadow somehow survived the attack in his Palace? Did he have other pawns that could go into the Metaverse, easily able to aid him in his time of need?

Akechi's dark eyes stared at me. I met my gaze with his.

My boyfriend was yet another part of the puzzle. He was supposed to be locked up behind bars right now.

But...aside from that, he looked different. His expression was calm, collected, and relaxed. If I remembered correctly, the last time I had ever seen Akechi look so carefree was during his Ace Detective days. When he would hide behind that charming persona he'd created.

I swallowed. Was it possible that Shido had never actually died? Was it possible that the event that shaped Akechi had never been triggered? The one that allowed my boyfriend to dispose of his guarded double life? Did he and Shido know something I didn't?

"Ren-kun?" Akechi's voice was innocently worried. I felt the fingers of his left hand gently brush my cheek to get my attention. He was staring into my eyes, trying to deduce an answer.

"What's wrong?"

I couldn't hide my slight blush as every cell of skin he touched lit up my face in fire. I turned my eyes to him.

I needed to get to the bottom of this.

"...can we talk? Alone?"

------------------

"What's going on? You're always much more collected than this.."

The Detective Prince stood across from me outside the lounge, questioning me in confusion. The cold air gave away how nervous I was; each of my quick breaths bursting into a cloud of white air as it left my lungs.

Akechi crossed his arms, a confused frown on his face. Meanwhile, I had begun pacing, unable to look him in the eye.

"Don't you remember?--"