TheCharredDragon
Tis the Hour to Reload
Summary: Why Ren wears fake glasses. Spoiler: it's for his sister, Akira, not because he wants to look less threatening. Set before chapter 1 of my fic, Persona 5: Refraction.
It was it.
The day was the day.
The first day of school.
Ren rushed out of his bed and got ready as quickly as he could before he, with great effort, slowed down and just as slowly opened the door to the room beside his own.
"Aki? You up?" he said, smiling.
Or rather he was smiling until Aki half-groaned, half-hummed in answer.
Ren frowned and got closer. "Something wrong?"
"I should say that to you. I still don't get why you're excited," Aki said, half-closed eyes glaring at him over her shoulder.
He grinned. "Because I want my friends to meet my sister. That I just got. And is the bestest in the world. Now come on!"
He pulled.
"Ah!"
She grunted with a thud.
"Ah! Aki! Are you okay?!"
"What did you think was gonna happen when you pulled my blanket?!"
That worried Mama and Dad a lot, but thankfully Ren and Aki were able to tell them they were fine. Now that his new sister was up, Ren helped her get ready for school, combing her hair while she put her socks and stuff on. Then they had breakfast and they were finally heading to school. Ren couldn't help but wiggle in the seat and look out the window in excitement, even if Aki wasn't.
The thing that actually stopped his excitement was when they were right in front of his school and Mama also wasn't too happy, just like Aki.
"Come on, Shiori. Don't worry too much. They're going to notice if they hadn't already," Dad said, quietly but Ren could still hear as he got out of the car.
Mama sighed. "I know, I know, but...I'm still having a hard time. I..." Another sigh. "Will Akira really be all right?"
Aki tensed and looked away, sad. Ren frowned and went straight up to Mama.
"I'll protect her!"
"Huh? Ren?"
"I promise to protect Aki! Don't worry Mama!" Ren said, standing as tall and straight as he can to show he was serious like a gentleman.
Mama stared but then laughed. Then she crouched and hugged him. Ren was surprised but hugged her back.
"I forgot that my little light has her little angel," she said. "All right, Ren. If you promise that, then I got no choice but to not worry."
Ren smiled. Yay!
Mama let go only to then hug Aki tightly and a lot longer than she did with him.
"You have your inhaler?"
"Uh huh."
"You remember to stay away from any weird smells?"
"Yes Mom."
"And that you'll make sure to eat..."
"Moooom...I'm fine..." Aki said, sounding like she was complaining, but she was hugging Mama just as tight as her.
All of them chuckled at his sister and that seemed to be the magic words to have Mama let go and finally smile properly.
"Okay. I'll see you both after school then. All right?"
"Okay!"
"All right!"
And so, Ren finally got to bring his sister to school.
Since there was still some time before school started, after they checked where their own classrooms were and the rooms of the people he was looking for, Ren brought Aki to where most of his friends were, which luckily was his own classroom.
"Hi everyone!"
His friends were surprised and smiled.
"Hey Amamiya!" Tada said. Then he was curious. "Huh? Who's that?"
And everyone else was curious too, though he noticed Korobi looked a bit suspicious.
Ren smiled wide. "She's my little sister!" To said sister, making sure to point, "Aki, these are my friends, Korobi, Tada, and Yoshi!"
"...hi. I'm Akira..."
"Huh? Sister? I thought you didn't have a sister..." Yoshi said, confused.
"Yeah! How'd you get a little sister that's already big? I wish my little sister was bigger already so she'd stop crying..." Tada said.
"It's 'cause his dad married another girl and she already has a kid," Korobi said. "Mom told me about it. I didn't think it was true."
Ren frowned. "Why did you think that?"
"Because now you got a disgusting sister. Mom said I shouldn't get near that 'whore' or her daughter or I might get sick."
Ren gaped.
Aki gasped.
"Korobi! That's a bad word!" Yoshi said.
"But that's what Mom calls her. Says she's also a gold digger and a liar and a—AAHH!"
"You take that back!" his sister said as she attacked Korobi like a cat, the boy trying to get her off.
"Aki!" he said as tried to do the same, worried she'd get hurt.
If Ren thought the chances of his friends becoming friends with his sister were low, they were now zero with Aki attacking Korobi and both of them ending up in the principal's office. It only got worse when he saw how worried Mama and Dad were when they came and how sad Aki was for having them worry. They suggested going home, ignoring the principal, but Aki was quick to say she wanted to keep going...if the school would let her.
The principal decided to let them but they would talk about what happened again after school.
So Ren continued with school, away from Aki since she was a year younger than him, with Korobi now ignoring him in class.
"I'm...sure it'll be fine," Yoshi said. "I mean uh...he did say it's just your sister he doesn't like, right? So you can still talk to him..."
After what Korobi said about Mama and Aki, he didn't really feel like being friends with him anymore, but Yoshi didn't need to know that. He already worries a lot for all of them.
So he just nodded and said, "Uh huh."
It turned out Yoshi was right that things were fine. All his classmates still talked to him and his other friends too. But once lunch came and he got to see Aki again...
Ren frowned. "What's wrong?"
...she was sad and sitting at the fartest corner of the playground, where she eas hidden by bushed and trees.
She didn't say anything.
"Aki...what's wrong?"
Still nothing.
Ren sighed and gave up on that.
"Come on. Get away from those bushes. It's not good for your asthma."
Thankfully, Aki moved when he pulled her away to sit down somewhere else with her and have lunch.
Then, after making sure Aki would actually eat her food, his sister said,
"One of my classmates keeps saying I'm not your sister..."
Ren frowned. "Well don't listen to them. They're dummies. I say you're my sister and Mama and Dad to so you are, okay?"
"... Okay..."
But after the first day, it kept happening. Him, completely fine like nothing had happened except with Korobi, but Aki not, his sister never mentioning any friends, always looking when they had lunch and classmates saying mean things about her, and while that was sad by itself, Aki was really upset when they said he wasn't his sister because she "didn't look like him", she had curly hair, blue eyes and big glasses. He had wavy hair, grey eyes and no glasses.
He saw it broke Aki every time, always wanting to go cry in whatever corner was the nearest to her whenever she heard it.
Ren wanted her to feel better but he couldn't just make everyone stop talking about her, or beat up the bullies so they'd shut up. That one would be mean, even if they were also mean, and he didn't like being mean. So he kept trying and trying and trying to think of a way to cheer Aki up. He almost gave up too.
But then one day when he was helping Mama with groceries like a gentleman should, he did come up with an idea.
It took a lot of time and a lot of saving his allowance, but eventually he got what he wanted.
As soon as he did, he hid that and waited for the next day, getting up as soon as possible, this time to do what he wanted before he had to get ready for school.
Sneaking into Aki's room, he tiptoed to be right beside her bed, waiting until she woke up.
Thankfully it wasn't a long time until she did, his sister groaning as she turned and opened her eyes.
"AH!"
"Ta da!"
"Big Bro?! What are you doing?!"
Ren grinned. "Put on your glasses, Aki."
His sister was confused but listened anyway. She stared and her mouth hung open as soon as she did.
"Uh...Big Bro?"
"Ta da! Now we look alike!" he said, striking a pose to proudly show...
...the fake glasses he bought.
Aki snorted.
Then she laughed.
"Hey! What's that for?!"
"Ha ha ha ha... Sorry, sorry, I just..." Aki breathed and calmed down, looking teary but definitely smiling. "That's really the best you came up with?"
Ren pouted. "Hey. Well do you have any better ideas? I didn't want Mama or Dad or you to find out so I couldn't ask for help to make my hair curly or something."
Aki laughed again and that annoyed him until she said, grinning brightly,
"Thanks Big Bro."
And he smiled back. "No problem, Aki."
Author's Notes: In this fic, Ren and Akira are about ten and nine respectively and their respective parents had been married for about a year. Also absolutely bo research was done so if I got anything wrong with how kids are treating Aki and her status as not only a bastard child, but one whose mom got married to someone and thus people assume things about both her mom and step-dad, feel free to correct me. I just wanted to write this "backstory" for Ren's glasses that I imagined for a long time.
As for Ren's classmates, he referred to all of them by their last names. I'll say right here the only one that matters is Yoshi, who's the only one I gave a first name, Tatsuji. Why? Well...you probably won't see for a long time, not until Refraction is done at least. So all I'm gonna say there's a reason I made him the nicest of his hometown "friends, but also wishy-washy, which I hope I conveyed.
It was it.
The day was the day.
The first day of school.
Ren rushed out of his bed and got ready as quickly as he could before he, with great effort, slowed down and just as slowly opened the door to the room beside his own.
"Aki? You up?" he said, smiling.
Or rather he was smiling until Aki half-groaned, half-hummed in answer.
Ren frowned and got closer. "Something wrong?"
"I should say that to you. I still don't get why you're excited," Aki said, half-closed eyes glaring at him over her shoulder.
He grinned. "Because I want my friends to meet my sister. That I just got. And is the bestest in the world. Now come on!"
He pulled.
"Ah!"
She grunted with a thud.
"Ah! Aki! Are you okay?!"
"What did you think was gonna happen when you pulled my blanket?!"
That worried Mama and Dad a lot, but thankfully Ren and Aki were able to tell them they were fine. Now that his new sister was up, Ren helped her get ready for school, combing her hair while she put her socks and stuff on. Then they had breakfast and they were finally heading to school. Ren couldn't help but wiggle in the seat and look out the window in excitement, even if Aki wasn't.
The thing that actually stopped his excitement was when they were right in front of his school and Mama also wasn't too happy, just like Aki.
"Come on, Shiori. Don't worry too much. They're going to notice if they hadn't already," Dad said, quietly but Ren could still hear as he got out of the car.
Mama sighed. "I know, I know, but...I'm still having a hard time. I..." Another sigh. "Will Akira really be all right?"
Aki tensed and looked away, sad. Ren frowned and went straight up to Mama.
"I'll protect her!"
"Huh? Ren?"
"I promise to protect Aki! Don't worry Mama!" Ren said, standing as tall and straight as he can to show he was serious like a gentleman.
Mama stared but then laughed. Then she crouched and hugged him. Ren was surprised but hugged her back.
"I forgot that my little light has her little angel," she said. "All right, Ren. If you promise that, then I got no choice but to not worry."
Ren smiled. Yay!
Mama let go only to then hug Aki tightly and a lot longer than she did with him.
"You have your inhaler?"
"Uh huh."
"You remember to stay away from any weird smells?"
"Yes Mom."
"And that you'll make sure to eat..."
"Moooom...I'm fine..." Aki said, sounding like she was complaining, but she was hugging Mama just as tight as her.
All of them chuckled at his sister and that seemed to be the magic words to have Mama let go and finally smile properly.
"Okay. I'll see you both after school then. All right?"
"Okay!"
"All right!"
And so, Ren finally got to bring his sister to school.
Since there was still some time before school started, after they checked where their own classrooms were and the rooms of the people he was looking for, Ren brought Aki to where most of his friends were, which luckily was his own classroom.
"Hi everyone!"
His friends were surprised and smiled.
"Hey Amamiya!" Tada said. Then he was curious. "Huh? Who's that?"
And everyone else was curious too, though he noticed Korobi looked a bit suspicious.
Ren smiled wide. "She's my little sister!" To said sister, making sure to point, "Aki, these are my friends, Korobi, Tada, and Yoshi!"
"...hi. I'm Akira..."
"Huh? Sister? I thought you didn't have a sister..." Yoshi said, confused.
"Yeah! How'd you get a little sister that's already big? I wish my little sister was bigger already so she'd stop crying..." Tada said.
"It's 'cause his dad married another girl and she already has a kid," Korobi said. "Mom told me about it. I didn't think it was true."
Ren frowned. "Why did you think that?"
"Because now you got a disgusting sister. Mom said I shouldn't get near that 'whore' or her daughter or I might get sick."
Ren gaped.
Aki gasped.
"Korobi! That's a bad word!" Yoshi said.
"But that's what Mom calls her. Says she's also a gold digger and a liar and a—AAHH!"
"You take that back!" his sister said as she attacked Korobi like a cat, the boy trying to get her off.
"Aki!" he said as tried to do the same, worried she'd get hurt.
If Ren thought the chances of his friends becoming friends with his sister were low, they were now zero with Aki attacking Korobi and both of them ending up in the principal's office. It only got worse when he saw how worried Mama and Dad were when they came and how sad Aki was for having them worry. They suggested going home, ignoring the principal, but Aki was quick to say she wanted to keep going...if the school would let her.
The principal decided to let them but they would talk about what happened again after school.
So Ren continued with school, away from Aki since she was a year younger than him, with Korobi now ignoring him in class.
"I'm...sure it'll be fine," Yoshi said. "I mean uh...he did say it's just your sister he doesn't like, right? So you can still talk to him..."
After what Korobi said about Mama and Aki, he didn't really feel like being friends with him anymore, but Yoshi didn't need to know that. He already worries a lot for all of them.
So he just nodded and said, "Uh huh."
It turned out Yoshi was right that things were fine. All his classmates still talked to him and his other friends too. But once lunch came and he got to see Aki again...
Ren frowned. "What's wrong?"
...she was sad and sitting at the fartest corner of the playground, where she eas hidden by bushed and trees.
She didn't say anything.
"Aki...what's wrong?"
Still nothing.
Ren sighed and gave up on that.
"Come on. Get away from those bushes. It's not good for your asthma."
Thankfully, Aki moved when he pulled her away to sit down somewhere else with her and have lunch.
Then, after making sure Aki would actually eat her food, his sister said,
"One of my classmates keeps saying I'm not your sister..."
Ren frowned. "Well don't listen to them. They're dummies. I say you're my sister and Mama and Dad to so you are, okay?"
"... Okay..."
But after the first day, it kept happening. Him, completely fine like nothing had happened except with Korobi, but Aki not, his sister never mentioning any friends, always looking when they had lunch and classmates saying mean things about her, and while that was sad by itself, Aki was really upset when they said he wasn't his sister because she "didn't look like him", she had curly hair, blue eyes and big glasses. He had wavy hair, grey eyes and no glasses.
He saw it broke Aki every time, always wanting to go cry in whatever corner was the nearest to her whenever she heard it.
Ren wanted her to feel better but he couldn't just make everyone stop talking about her, or beat up the bullies so they'd shut up. That one would be mean, even if they were also mean, and he didn't like being mean. So he kept trying and trying and trying to think of a way to cheer Aki up. He almost gave up too.
But then one day when he was helping Mama with groceries like a gentleman should, he did come up with an idea.
It took a lot of time and a lot of saving his allowance, but eventually he got what he wanted.
As soon as he did, he hid that and waited for the next day, getting up as soon as possible, this time to do what he wanted before he had to get ready for school.
Sneaking into Aki's room, he tiptoed to be right beside her bed, waiting until she woke up.
Thankfully it wasn't a long time until she did, his sister groaning as she turned and opened her eyes.
"AH!"
"Ta da!"
"Big Bro?! What are you doing?!"
Ren grinned. "Put on your glasses, Aki."
His sister was confused but listened anyway. She stared and her mouth hung open as soon as she did.
"Uh...Big Bro?"
"Ta da! Now we look alike!" he said, striking a pose to proudly show...
...the fake glasses he bought.
Aki snorted.
Then she laughed.
"Hey! What's that for?!"
"Ha ha ha ha... Sorry, sorry, I just..." Aki breathed and calmed down, looking teary but definitely smiling. "That's really the best you came up with?"
Ren pouted. "Hey. Well do you have any better ideas? I didn't want Mama or Dad or you to find out so I couldn't ask for help to make my hair curly or something."
Aki laughed again and that annoyed him until she said, grinning brightly,
"Thanks Big Bro."
And he smiled back. "No problem, Aki."
Author's Notes: In this fic, Ren and Akira are about ten and nine respectively and their respective parents had been married for about a year. Also absolutely bo research was done so if I got anything wrong with how kids are treating Aki and her status as not only a bastard child, but one whose mom got married to someone and thus people assume things about both her mom and step-dad, feel free to correct me. I just wanted to write this "backstory" for Ren's glasses that I imagined for a long time.
As for Ren's classmates, he referred to all of them by their last names. I'll say right here the only one that matters is Yoshi, who's the only one I gave a first name, Tatsuji. Why? Well...you probably won't see for a long time, not until Refraction is done at least. So all I'm gonna say there's a reason I made him the nicest of his hometown "friends, but also wishy-washy, which I hope I conveyed.