Ren woke up the next morning stiff and sore.
This is going to suck, he thought as he stretched. I'll have to find a cheap bedframe, I think.
Digging through the cardboard box that held his belongings, he searched for his exercise clothes—and paused when he noticed a small felt pouch tucked between folded shirts.
'Huh. Didn't Yu-niisan carry something like this sometimes?'
He opened it.
Inside was a neatly kept deck of red tarot cards. Ren slid them out and thumbed through the deck slowly.
'Tarot cards… Didn't Yu-niisan say "the arcana is the means by which all is revealed" when I asked him about his deck?'
His thoughts were interrupted by a faint flicker of blue light.
'Bummer. Guess my mind's already going,' he joked to himself as he drew the card that had briefly glowed.
The card made his breath catch.
The World.
Unlike the rest of the deck, it wasn't red—it was yellow.
"…That's not supposed to be here."
He stared at it for a moment before carefully setting it aside.
'I'll mail it to Yu-niisan soon.'
After changing clothes, Ren began his morning workout before Sojiro arrived to open the café.
'Ruin… rehabilitation… what does that mean…'
The thought lingered as he moved through his martial arts kata. Chie-neesan and Akihiko-sensei had actually taught him real techniques when he'd asked. Self-defense was practical, but martial arts—those were meditation.
The sound of a door chime rang out downstairs.
"Kid! Finish getting ready!" Sojiro shouted up. "I'll make you some coffee for the road—but after today, you pay!"
Ren chuckled as he headed down the stairs.
"Sure thing, boss."
"Oh? I see you heard my nickname already," Sojiro said. "Good. Just remember to behave."
Ren smiled. He hadn't heard any nickname at all—but it oddly fit.
Before handing him a travel cup, Sojiro asked, "Cream or sugar?"
"Black, please."
"You sure, kid? Blue Mountain's good coffee. Don't waste it."
"I wouldn't dream of it. I love coffee. The stuff in juvie tasted like dirt."
Sojiro laughed. "Did you expect it not to?"
"…Good point."
"Well then, let's hit the road. I don't want to get stuck in traffic."
He muttered under his breath, "Sheesh… I don't usually let men in my passenger seat."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Shujin Academy looked… good?
Artificial, maybe. Plain. Not especially inspired—but it definitely screamed prep school.
Ren barely noticed as the principal—who looked suspiciously like a villain from an American comic—launched into the same tired lecture about how lucky he was to be there and how he'd better behave.
'Why did that guy ask me to take care of his sister? Where was that…?'
"…Are we clear?" the principal finished.
"Yes, sir."
His response startled the young teacher standing beside the pudgy man.
"I'm your homeroom teacher, Sadayo Kawakami," she said wearily, handing him several documents. "Here's your ID and your itinerary. Be on time."
As Ren glanced through them, he noticed a pink flyer mixed in. He quickly slipped it into his pocket.
'She probably didn't mean to give me that. I'll toss it later. No need to embarrass her.'
"Remember," the principal warned, "you are responsible for all of your actions."
On the way out, Sojiro paused. "School never changes, huh? Think you can handle it? Your probation lasts a year."
"It'll be tough," Ren admitted, "but I think I can manage."
"Well, try to make some friends. Probation doesn't stop you from doing much—just keeps you stuck here because your hometown thought you were a pain in the ass."
'You don't know the half of it.'
"I'll try," Ren said.
-----------------------------------------------
Traffic crawled to a halt.
"Why is it so bad today? I'm not even going to be able to open the café!" Sojiro complained—just as the radio announced a train derailment.
"Another accident…" Ren whispered.
"They've been happening a lot lately. Just the other day, there was one that led to the death of a fifteen-year-old girl. Poor parents must be devastated."
The smooth jazz that followed was calming.
-----------------------------------------------
They didn't make it back to Yongen-Jaya until after dark, and Sojiro never opened the café that night.
As Ren lay down, his gaze drifted to the tarot deck he'd set aside earlier.
He fell asleep thinking about sending Yu a message tomorrow.