April 18 (Sunday); 13 Days Until Expulsion
Chapter 69: Morning
Sano texts Nanako, who had forgotten they were meant to meet up and hurries over, with Yu not quite fast enough to remind her to call her father. Nanako finds his family's shop in the Ueno district, where Sano is minding the store alone while his grandfather enjoys tea and shoji across the street. After Sano promises discretion, Nanako presents the model pistol to request a holster. Sano measures her and guesses the holster is for cosplay, and Nanako seizes the excuse. Sano is eager to help, but as his father disapproves of using their leather for cosplay, he'll have to do the project surreptitiously and charge extra: 30,000 yen. He says she can pay as she can and it'll take a couple of days, and Nanako agrees to tell him what the cosplay is for later. As she leaves, she reflects that she may actually have to cosplay now.
SOCIAL LINK STATUS
- XI–Strength: Satoichi Sano
Level 2
Chapter 70: Afternoon
Nanako second-guesses everything about her appearance as she meets Ren at Shibuya Station, insisting he keep his glasses off while they're together. They engage in comfortable small talk about the city as they browse the stores, with Ren teasing Nanako about buying a puce jacket for himself with matching lipstick and Nanako bringing up the fashion knowledge she'd gotten from Rise. Ren remarks about Nanako being famous in middle school before they have lunch; after the meal, Nanako makes to bring it up again, but spies a man snatch an old woman's wallet. Ren feigns tripping Nanako to steal it back, leaving Nanako bewildered at trying to figure Ren out. After a tense pause, Ren offers to show Nanako where he's staying, and she eagerly accepts.
Chapter 71: Afternoon, Leblanc
Nanako immediately falls in love with Leblanc, having a warm conversation with the owner and Ren's guardian, Sojiro "Boss" Sakura. Too full from lunch to try the curry, she enjoys a cup of coffee as Ren shows her his room. Nanako admits that she wants to see more of Ren's true self, like when he's Joker, and he finally decides to answer. He explains that his father is a magician and his mother a gymnast and contortionist and that they ran their own act and taught him everything they knew. In middle school, though, they'd settled in Inaba, and Ren had had to hide his trickster nature to fit in. His father had told him after he was arrested to use the tricks he'd taught him to escape, and while Ren is confident his parents are trying to help him, he doesn't understand how, nor does he get their relation to Sojiro, whom they'd never mentioned. He remarks that being enigmatic must run in the family. Noting the time, Nanako makes to go, but Ren also says that while he finds it weird that she followed him, and thinks she'd be happier going back to Inaba, he's glad she's there, and walks her to the station.
SOCIAL LINK STATUS
- VI–The Lovers: Ren Amamiya
Level 2
Chapter 72: Evening
Nanako cleans up after making an unusually delicious dinner, according to Yu, still in high spirits from talking with Ren. Ryotaro calls her and she apologizes for forgetting to call, and they share an awkward conversation, Nanako saying how things have been interesting but mostly good, how she's an officer in the Gardening Club, and things are going well with Ren. All the while, she feels guilty being unable to share the full truth, knowing her worried father will be trying to piece it together anyway. They exchange "I love you"s and hang up.
SOCIAL LINK ESTABLISHED
- XIII–Death: Ryotaro Dojima
Level 1
