FeMC Scenarios [Persona 5 Royal]

TAKUTO MARUKI [Romance Route | Rank 9]

I don't think I've ever genuinely stared at a text for so long before processing it as I do when I see it's Maruki, once more asking me to the nurse's office for a... well. Whatever it ends up being. My heart is beating out of my chest like the traitor it is and I have to suppress the urge to delete the text and pretend it never arrived.

He didn't actually do anything wrong, a voice whispers in my ear, then another materializes the scene between Shibusawa, Maruki, and I, at the buffet, and my throat tightens with suppressed... what? Anger? Desperation?

I recall the giddy butterflies taking over my gut when Maruki asked me to that buffet. Like a naïve idiot I was getting my hopes up, I realize that now. But... nothing happened. Nothing except his college buddy showing and hinting at how Maruki was most likely not over his last girlfriend yet.

I mean... I didn't honestly believe he'd be interested in me, did I?

I clench my teeth and keep staring at my phone. The screen goes black a couple seconds later and I sigh. Honestly, what am I even thinking? I'm not thinking... maybe that's the problem. I shove my books into my bag and exchange a look with Morgana who's still hiding in my desk. He usually disappears about now when I go hang out with people and, as expected, when nobody is looking, he slips out of the classroom window.

I stand up and straighten out. Why am I being such a child? At first, I couldn't even understand why everyone was so into Maruki. He was just another adult who thought he knew how to fix 'problematic' children when in truth he was part of the system that caused the problems... right?

I try to think back and pinpoint when exactly I changed my mind, as I'm making my way out of the classroom and into the hall—towards the nurse's office. Was it when he offered me the deal? No—even then I recall agreeing more out of concern about what would happen if I refused.

It must have happened somewhere along the way. Sometime during one of those stupid, funny, thought-provoking, and completely void of actual counseling sessions he's asked me to attend over and over.

I take out my phone again and barely dodge a couple senior students who snicker back at me. I could have sworn I heard 'delinquent bitch' in that torrent of incomprehensible words. I shove my glasses up and walk faster.

It isn't just that he's genuinely a good person—so much I discovered faster than I was honestly comfortable with—but also... he is someone to talk to.... outside the Phantom Thieves. Even someone who is interested in the concept of cognition and how it may be affected just as much as we... only he isn't one of us.

Involved in topics concerning the Metaverse, yet not a Phantom Thief. A friend, but not a peer. An adult working for the school we so hate, yet one who is truly benevolent. Maruki's walking so many lines that I got tired of counting them.

And then, just when I thought I had finally gotten myself to accept him as a trustworthy ally, perhaps even friend... those other feelings began. The ones that I want to shove down, forget, make disappear—because they're impossible.

Well, technically I did have hope... for a tiny moment, last time, when Maruki asked me to that buffet. For a moment... I recall my own thought and nearly laugh, I thought I could tell him how I feel if we're not at Shujin. If we're somewhere together, without this annoying professional aura the school and the office emit. But then Shibusawa showed and—

Before I can properly finish the thought, I'm looking at the door to Maruki's nurse's office. All I have to do is be a grown-up about this, and everything will be fine. Just act like I always do, and... Screw it. I push the door open with force. If I don't go in now, I'll be standing here until I graduate.