66 The Park Cleanup. (Part 2)
Before the cooking session started, Ren still had to clean up with his assigned group. They had decided on a lottery system, drawing names to assemble groups of four, an approach that had grouped Ren up with a certain fluffy-haired gardener.
As Ren gathered the cleaning supplies and trash bags, he heard a familiar voice call out to him.
"Ren!" Haru approached with a bounce in her step, her hands energetically waving in greeting. Her face was lit up with an unmistakable joy. "Guess what just happened!"
Ren, unable to resist the infectious nature of her enthusiasm, let a slight smirk grace his lips as he turned to face her.
"What's up?" he inquired, his voice laced with a playful curiosity. "Did a miracle happen?"
Haru's grin widened, her eyes sparkling with fervor as she eagerly nodded in response.
"Remember the man I was engaged to? Well, I suppose 'ex-fiance' is the more appropriate term now. He actually confronted his father and called off our engagement! Apparently he had gotten another girl pregnant, and he wanted to marry her to take care of their kid. It turned into quite the spectacle, so much so that his father disowned him over the ordeal." As she spoke, the brightness in her smile grew.
Ren responded to her with a smile before placing his hands in prayer.
"I went to a shrine and offered god some of Sojiro's best coffee beans if he helped you. It seems I am going to have to pay up now." Ren said, causing Haru to let out a charming giggle.
After finishing gathering their supplies, the two walked to meet with the rest of their group. Among their cleaning group was a random girl and a somewhat familiar boy named Mishima. As they began cleaning the park, Mishima was unable to stop talking about the Phantom Thieves announcement.
As they listened to him ramble on, Haru suddenly had a moment of realization.
"Hey, Ren, do you think that the Phantom Thieves were the ones who helped me? It's sort of similar, no? From what I know of Sugimura, he isn't the type of guy to take responsibility like he did. Kind of like how the Kaneshiro guy who turned himself in."
Hearing her question, Ren gave her a shrug.
"Who knows? I wouldn't be surprised if it were the Phantom Thieves. The short meeting I had with him was enough to know that he was someone who probably deserved it."
Hearing his answer, Haru got lost in thought for a second before smiling again.
"I see…" She said, giggling slightly before continuing. "Regardless, I'm thankful. Maybe I should visit that shrine too, make my own offering, just to be sure."
While cleaning, Haru's attention was caught by a couple of small flowers beside a tree.
"That reminds me! Did you plant any of those seeds I gave you? I know the owner gave you a good amount because we are friends. Just remember not to plant them all at once; they can become overwhelming, especially since they're perennials." Haru advised.
Caught off-guard, Ren chuckled awkwardly, showing her a photo on his phone of his room, which was covered in different flower pots.
Haru laughed softly upon seeing the image.
"Ren, you weren't supposed to plant them all!" Haru exclaimed, her smile beaming as she examined the flourishing plants. "Though, they do seem to be thriving."
Before Haru could delve deeper into a gardening discussion, they were interrupted by another student's slightly awkward call.
"Hey, uh... Amamiya, Doctor Maruki asked if you could come to help with the cooking now," the student conveyed, a bit uncertain.
"Oh, may I join as well?" Haru inquired, her interest piqued, which led the student to give a noncommittal shrug and nod in agreement.
Seizing the opportunity, Haru and Ren excused themselves from their cleaning tasks, leaving Mishima to continue his one-sided conversation with the increasingly uncomfortable girl beside him.
As they approached the area designated for food preparation, a black cat leaped from a nearby tree, landing gracefully beside Ren. Haru's eyes lit up at the sight.
"A cat!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with delight. She knelt down, extending her hand in a gesture of friendship, inviting the cat to acquaint itself with her scent.
Observing her actions, Mona glanced at Ren before gracefully accepting Haru's gesture and sidling up to her.
"Oh, this is Morgana," Ren introduced. "Mona, meet Haru."
Haru chuckled softly at the introduction, her surprise evident when the cat turned to Ren and meowed in return.
"She smells nice… Is she the one with the annoying fiancé?"
"Yes, she's quite nice, don't you think?" Ren affirmed with a smile.
Before Morgana could continue, he found himself gently scooped up into Haru's arms.
"Is he your cat?" Haru asked, her fingers finding the perfect spot behind Morgana's ears to scratch.
"Well, you could say I adopted him, though it's probably more accurate to say he adopted me. I doubt I could get rid of him even if I wanted to." Ren replied, his tone playful.
Mona would have rolled his eyes at the comment if he had not been busy thoroughly enjoying the attention.
Haru's eyes sparkled with delight as she engaged with Morgana, her fondness for animals shining through.
"A cat with such discerning taste," she mused, her attention fully on the feline now purring contentedly in her arms. "I've always believed animals can sense good people."
Haru's interaction with Morgana left a warm atmosphere as they approached the cooking station. Her fondness for animals was evident, a small testament to her gentle nature. With Morgana purring contentedly in her arms, she drifted towards a quiet corner, leaving Ren to join Maruki.
Dr. Takuto Maruki, with his ever-present friendly smile, was meticulously arranging ingredients on a table when Ren approached.
"Ah, Ren, perfect timing!" Maruki greeted with a welcoming voice. "I was just about to start on today's menu. But before we get started cooking, how much do you know about cognitive psience? I don't want to waste your time with things you already know."
Ren pondered momentarily before responding.
"It's hard to find information on it, so most of what I know is from some random books I could find. It's basically a type of research into psychology, no? The study of the mind and how it perceives things." Ren admitted, choosing his words carefully.
Maruki's eyes lit up, his enthusiasm for the topic apparent.
"Indeed, you've hit the nail on the head! It dives into the intricacies of the human mind, examining how our perceptions can mold our reality. My research specifically targeted the processing and perception of emotional pain within our cognition."
As Maruki picked up some ingredients and started chopping, Ren mirrored his actions.
"My work explores the pain triggered by abstract concepts, such as trauma or stress, unlike physical pain, which signals injury or sickness. This psychological pain doesn't necessarily arise from a physical issue within our bodies."
Ren nodded, absorbing Maruki's words.
"That makes sense…" he muttered, lost in thought.
Noticing Ren's focus, Maruki offered a gentle smile before posing a question.
"Before we proceed, I'd like to ask you something. Can you recall a moment when you felt true pain in your heart?"
The question made Ren fall silent for a moment before he answered.
"I can only think of two examples… One time was when I saw someone I cared about become a shell of their former selves after their daughter died. They shut themselves away from the world, and there was nothing I could do to help them. He used to be confident and strong, and in the blink of an eye, the man I knew was gone."
The chopping noise ceased as Maruki absorbed Ren's words, his hold on the knife tightening perceptibly.
"The second time was not so long ago… I messed up. But that's about as much as I can say." Ren said as he thought back to the fight against Kaneshiro.
Maruki set the knife down, giving Ren his full attention, his expression blending professional interest and genuine empathy.
"Thank you for sharing, Ren. Discussing personal experiences, particularly those that involve profound emotional pain, is never easy," he expressed with heartfelt sincerity.
He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts.
"Your examples," he said softly, the earlier enthusiasm in his voice tempered by a sudden solemnity. "They remind me of why I started down this path in the first place."
Ren looked up to Maruki, only to see Maruki look off into the distance.
"I once knew someone, very dear to me, who suffered a tremendous loss. It was... it changed her, profoundly. And in trying to help her, I realized how powerless we can be in the face of psychological trauma."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Ren said genuinely
Maruki was momentarily drawn back from his reverie by Ren's words.
"It's alright... Your openness has, in a way, rekindled my resolve. It's a reminder of the path I've chosen and the necessity to intensify my research efforts. Thank you," Maruki replied, his smile tinged with nostalgia yet radiating warmth.
As they were engrossed in their conversation, a student approached hastily, interrupting with urgency.
"Doctor! How's the food coming along? We're nearly done with the cleanup!"
Caught off guard, Maruki responded with a slight blush of embarrassment.
"Ah, yes, we're just about finished here. The food will be ready shortly."
The student hurried away, leaving Maruki to chuckle lightly.
"I suppose this is why therapy sessions are typically held in private settings, isn't it? Though I wasn't able to share much of my knowledge today. We can continue our conversation next time," he joked, a soft smile gracing his lips.
With the pressing deadline, Ren and Maruki quickly resumed their culinary duties, managing to finish just as the students began to converge on the kitchen area. Maruki, with a flair for the dramatic, added the final touch of salt with a famous technique, much to the amusement of the onlookers.
~Confidants~
Takuto Maruki (The Councilor) Rank 2 — Rank 3
