common enemy [Ryuji Sakamoto x Reader]

chapter seventeen: cherry blossoms

You snatched your hand away from Ryuji, quickly stumbling backwards. His actions had left you confused, and most of all, vulnerable; a feeling you despised.

Who am I supposed to believe?

Without another thought, you flew away from the scene, taking off to the supposed entrance of the strange dimension you had been sucked into.

I didn't have much more time, anyway. I can feel the power wearing off.

"(F/n)! Wait!" You heard the patter of Ryuji's footsteps behind you. You could only guess his motive for giving chase. The sound made you quicken your pace, hoping he wouldn't catch up.

"Ryuji!" Ann desperately called after him, but he ignored her, persistent in following you.

The red-hued scenery rushed by in a blur, yet you ignored it in your race to the exit. You dove into the hazy patch of area that you assumed was your way out, feeling slightly dizzy as everything around you began to stretch and warp.

•••

You stumbled out of the train into the unforgiving embrace of the storm. Rain fell in sheets, drenching you as you trudged on without a care. The frozen droplets of water seeped through your clothes, caressing your skin and chilling you to the core. Even so, you refused to shrink back from nature's fingertips, thus ignoring the impending cold. There wasn't any room in your thoughts for complaints, anyway. There was only one thing on your mind: a desperate need for clarity.

You kept your pace quick and steady, paying no mind to any passerby. You took special care in holding your bleeding arm close to your body, minimizing any temperature decrease. As soon as you had left "Mementos," as the strange app on your phone had called it, the bullet had immediately disappeared, leaving behind the wound and a copious amount of blood.

Continuing on your path, thoughts of the day's events filled you to the brim. Countless emotions wirled around in the melting pot of your brain; confusion that came with the knowledge of a seperate world, bright red anger that called for redemption, the release of acquiring a persona, and regret after seeing the hurt in Ryuji's eyes. You grasped at your forehead as you felt the growing roots of another headache.

Not now, you thought. The pain lasted for but a fleeting moment.

Although the area near Yongen-Jaya was still new to you, you were overly familiar with your destination. After having walked for several minutes, it quickly came into view: the gates of Yongen's little-known community park. You'd been hundreds of times, yet still found difficulty in entering. But before the feeling could drive you away, you stepped inside.

You seemingly waded through the area, taking a practiced route towards a familiar cherry blossom near the center of the park. Its once-flowery branches were covered in dull, brown leaves that shivered under the pounding rain. You clutched your clothes closer to you as you gently lowered yourself onto the wooden bench facing the tree.

After a few moments of silence, you spoke. "What am I supposed to believe?"

Of course, no response came from the tree's lonely branches, swaying gently in the light breeze that was followed by the pounding of rain.

"No matter how much I might resent them, I don't believe that my classmates could have been killers." You took in a breath, allowing yourself to take an unaffiliated stance on your feelings. "If they weren't the real culprits, then who is? Just how long have I been wasting my time for?"

Yet again, you looked to the tree for answers. The mirage of younger versions of you and your sister danced happily around the tree, shadowed by the grinning figures of your mother and father. In the next moment, there you were, sitting in your mother's lap while she read a picture book aloud for you to hear. And then, your sister pretending to arrest your father for hogging all of the crayons. Sitting in silence, your imagination continued to remind you of the carefree moments that your family had shared under that very same tree. Looking back at the images made you crack a light smile before you shook the scene from your head. Turning your head upwards, you noticed that the sky had become much darker.

How long have I been here for?

"(F/n)!"

You immediately recognized the voice that called out for you, turning slightly as you watched him sprint to where you were sitting. "Ryuji? How did you find me...?"

"I... Uh... Morgana followed you." You followed his gaze to the ground, where you spotted a black cat that looked awfully similar to the one you'd seen in Mementos.

As you wondered how much the cat had heard, Ryuji took the opportunity to sit down on the bench next to you. The cat meowed, seemingly at Ryuji, before turning around and leaving the park. A long stretch of silence grew between the two of you as he carefully observed your forlorn gaze; your eyes seemed to be completely focused on the tree, as if it would begin to speak at any moment. For what reason, Ryuji could only guess, but he was sure that it meant something important to you.

Unable to bear the quiet, as well as the stream of rain cascading down his spine, he spoke. "I... I hope I can convince you that it wasn't us who did what you think we did."

He looked to you for a response but recieved none. Taking that as his go-ahead, he continued.

"The Phantom Thieves aren't killers. We found a way to... use that world we were in to make criminals confess without hurting them. Actually, we heard that there's someone else using the metaverse to their advantage, so maybe it was them." He paused his rambling for a moment and scratched the back of his neck, the thought dawning on him that you probably had no clue about what he was talking about. "Believe me, it was hard for me to understand at first, too. I could try and explain it to-"

"I do believe you," you interrupted, "I knew it couldn't have been you guys. Somewhere inside of me... I knew..."

Quiet ensued as soft tears began to trickle down your cheeks, immediately pushing you to wipe them away and leave their damp trail behind. "I've just been hurting for so long... I was willing to blame it on my own friends. I even fought against you. Aren't I horrible?"

"(F/n)..."

There was no time to reject the tight embrace that was suddenly thrown around you. Your eyes widened as Ryuji pulled you into his warm chest, noting that even the cold of the droplets continuously pelting the two of you seemed distant.

"(F/n)... I'm not very good with words but... I don't want you to feel that way," he began, resting his chin on the top of your head. "You took the facts that you were given and decided the best option was to fight. If I were you, I would have done the same damn thing. It's what I like best about you."

You turned your chin up to look at him, his blond tresses as bright as the sun against the dark clouds painting the sky. Ryuji's gaze connected with yours, his heart squeezing at the innocent expression on your face; cheeks red, lips slightly parted. He could feel his own face beginning to heat up, but disregarded the fact. He needed to let this out. Now.

"(F/n), I..."

And then he said the words that made your heart pound.