Ren

Available During Chapter 2:

Event 1:

Ren: No, seriously. I don't need comfort. I'll be fine.

What should I do? Should I invite Ren to hang out?

Invite Ren to hang out

See who else is around

Ren: Sure. If you insist.

He shreds on the electric guitar, throwing his entire self into the performance. No wonder he's a professional performer.

Looks like Ren and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Ren a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#4 Minstrel's Herbs— A tin of loose-leaf tea said to boost creativity and energy. Perfect for a last-minute deadline or curing artist's block. It even comes with petit fours. No special effects come from them, but they sure are tasty!

Ren: Thanks so much for the gifts! Oh, yeah, I'm also counting the smile I've been wearing since you stepped in the room~

...

Tozen: I think I saw you on one of those nighttime talk shows my mom watches once.

Ren: Ah, really? What a coincidence; MY mom owns your cookbook.

Tozen: Oh wow! Small world, huh?

Ren: I mean, we all have various levels of fame, so it's not unlikely for some of us to have heard of each other.

Tozen: I don't actually know all that much about you, though. Admittedly, my music tastes are somewhat eclectic. Are you in a band? Or are you a solo act?

Ren: I'm a solo artist. But that doesn't stop me from being the pretty one.

He winks. Jeez, this guy.

Ren: I've formed "bands" with people on the internet every now then, but I'm infamously hard to work with.

Tozen: You? I can't imagine that.

Ren: Nobody knows why. I like that I leave people wondering whether there are passionate, heated disputes that lead to me departing from these bands. But honestly? It's just cause I can't do any daytime shows outside, so that doesn't work for a lot of musicians' schedules.

Tozen: Ohhh, I see. How did you get your start?

Ren: Posted covers online and got noticed and promoted by a bigger channel! After I got a certain amount of subscribers, I started writing my own songs, and they really took off. One of them went seriously viral— a ballad called "Antares." And then, shortly thereafter, I pumped out another hit, this one a J-rock song called "Scorching Sun." People love my versatility. I'm a fan of pretty much all genres, and I'm capable of writing a bit of everything.

Tozen: That's seriously impressive. Do you do jazz?

Ren: I certainly can!

Tozen: Honestly, I haven't known you too long, but you seem like you're the type who would absolutely ADORE being famous.

Ren: I do. I love a crowd. All eyes are on me. With each guitar string I pluck, I also pluck at heartstrings. At the beginning, though, it was kind of scary. I wasn't expecting any of it. That wasn't at all the reason I started this.

Tozen: Then, what was?

Ren: ...Love of the craft. What else? I've always loved music. It's like how books can transport you to new worlds, but music feels more immersive. These musicians made me feel like I was free, and I want to share that freedom. Even if it was just gonna be for a handful of people.

Tozen: It's crazy, huh? That so many completely different skills and hobbies wind up bringing the same feelings to different people. Music makes you feel free. Acrobatics makes Azumi feel free. Of all things, nutrition makes me feel free.

Ren: That's what happens when you find your passion!

Kana rushes in, dragging Monterio sheepishly behind her, and asks Ren if he can play some bossa nova for them. He gives me a bow and rushes off to help them.

Ren's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Available During Chapter 3:

Event 2:

Ren: Hey! Are you a banana, cause I find you very a-peeling!

What should I do? Should I invite Ren to hang out?

Invite Ren to hang out

See who else is around

Ren: Yooooo, the line worked?! Victory! You mentioned jazz, lemme play you some!

He plays some jazz with a smarmy expression on his face.

Looks like Ren and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Ren a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#106 The E-scent-ials-- A pack of essential oils and incense sticks. They bring a bit of whimsy to any room due to their fragrances.

Ren: Aw, really? You're gonna give me something so great? But you're enough of a present already~ I'm so lucky!

...

Ren: Hey, wait, be careful. I refuse to let anything bad ever happen to this guitar.

Tozen: Sorry, sorry. You're really protective over this thing, huh? You were cradling it that one time, too.

He cringes lightly. I probably shouldn't have reminded him of his panic attack, but it slipped out before I could think to stop it.

Ren: Yeah, my acoustic guitar is my baby. It's got a lot of personal history. My dad painted it for me.

Tozen: Your dad? I haven't heard you talk about your father at ALL. You've mentioned your mom.

Ren: Oh! My dad's an artist! He paints all sorts of things, but he's super interested in landscapes. He used to be a portrait painter, but, when I was born, he switched specialties. He travels all over the place and fills a bunch of canvases with scenes he wants me to get a chance to see. He's not home very often, which is probably why I don't talk about him much. But I really admire him.

Tozen: That's sweet. I've always been curious about the design. What a nice cityscape!

Ren: Right? He even managed to fit in little people walking by. I started playing guitar when I was around six. And he painted it for me when I was ten, once it became clear that playing is my favorite thing to do and that I don't ever intend on giving it up. This guitar's kind of my trademark! Sure, my neon purple electric guitar looks sick as fuck, but anything with a gorgeous picture is automatically cooler. And it's where all the sentimentality lies.

Tozen: I can see why!

Ren: Not only that, but I got to be there to watch him work on it! All of the tiny thoughts and details that went into it was incredible-- even Yuu would've been impressed!

Tozen: I have a feeling he secretly is even if he didn't get to see it happen.

Ren: If my passions didn't lie with music, I'd probably follow in his footsteps.

Tozen: Really?

Ren: Sure! I wouldn't be able to paint you, though. You're already a masterpiece, and I could never do you justice.

He laughs playfully.

Ren: Though, I'd have to come up with ideas for things based solely on internet references and my own imagination, pretty much. My dad being able to actually GO places and SEE things is probably a big help. Now, music? It's special. The same chords and lyrics can evoke different meanings to different people, but we ALL feel it and know it. It pulses through everything, so even someone like me can get it. So... music isn't universal, like everyone claims. But it's deeply intimate and familiar on an individual level.

Tozen: Seriously, it sends me reeling just how enthusiastic you get.

Gou comes up to me asking me to explain a bunch of different vitamins and minerals-- he even has a notebook prepared-- so I take up his request.

Ren's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Event 3:

Ren: God, this fight... what did everyone get themselves into?

What should I do? Should I invite Ren to hang out?

Invite Ren to hang out

See who else is around

Ren: Well, yeah. I'd wanna hang out with you even if we weren't quarreling with like half the group.

We draw fake album covers. His are better than mine, but it's a fun time regardless of skill.

Looks like Ren and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Ren a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#33 Dare Dazzles-- Extraordinarily bright, attention-grabbing accessories. Only for those with the bravest fashion senses. Will force everyone who sees them to stare for at least five seconds (Warning: Do not wear in traffic)

Ren: Thanks so much for the gifts! Oh, yeah, I'm also counting the smile I've been wearing since you stepped in the room~

...

Tozen: Ren?

Ren: Yeah?

Tozen: I remember you saying that you could understand hypnosis if there was a more desperate need for it. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I'm really curious. What kinds of situations would that apply to, in your opinion?

He stares up at the ceiling and hugs himself a bit before sighing.

Ren: My mom... has always tried her best. But she worries about me to an unhealthy degree, and I don't think she even realizes I worry about her right back. She tries to shield me from the world. I've mentioned before that I rarely ever leave my house, right?

Tozen: Mhm.

Ren: Like, I mean it. We have blackout curtains blocking all the windows. Even at nighttime, she makes me pack my parasol for every trip— and those only ever happen when I have a show. I've never been camping, I've never been to an amusement park or to the beach. "Indoor swimming pools only." "Ren, my dear, we have a stationary bike at home. You don't need a bicycle, you'd have to go out in the sun." I've literally never even been fucking grocery shopping!

Tozen: No wonder you're so heliophobic, you've been raised that way your whole life!

Ren: And I'm LESS freaked out than my mom is. Think about that. I had a panic attack after being in the sun for like, five to ten minutes, and I'm BETTER than my mom. And that's just the worst offender. She also makes sure that every product I use for my skin or hair is clean, and natural, and nontoxic and all that stuff. And sure, that's not a bad thing, but it's so much.

Tozen: I'm more concerned about the no sun thing. How often do you get colds?

Ren: Practically every time I do a show... which obviously reinforces my mom's concern.

Tozen: One of Vitamin D's most critical roles is to help your immune system. Do you get easily fatigued? Do your bones feel weak?

Ren: Hard to say, really. I always have, like, a baseline level of those things. I don't exactly know what's normal. Besides, she gives me Vitamin D supplements, so it should be okay... I never found any in the infirmary here, though. Toz... what's it like, out there in the world?

I have to take some time to think about this.

Tozen: It's very lively. Everything is always bustling and a bit crowded, and there's always conversation stirring. I think you'd like it. There are all sorts of sounds out there.

Ren: I notice. Whenever I sneak out of the house at night, or when I go into the garden, I hear so many. The shuffling of dirt beneath my feet, the soft squish of grass and the crackling of bark. The bugs buzzing or chirping— though we don't have any of those here. I wish I could hear birds.

Tozen: Yeah... there aren't any animals but us here.

Ren: I wish I could go out there. But... we're so scared. Mom and I. Ah, damn. I'm probably messing up my eyeliner. I'm gonna go find Fujiko and ask her to show me how to get perfect wings like that.

He does so. Wow. Everyone is so much stronger than I am.

Ren's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Available During Chapter 4:

Event 4:

Ren: Toz! It feels like it's been a while since we've hung out! Come feel my shirt— it's made of boyfriend material~

What should I do? Should I invite Ren to hang out?

Invite Ren to hang out

See who else is around

Ren: Phew, good! I was almost starting to worry that you were avoiding me.

He plays in the playground area, and I try to act like I'm fine and that every pickup line doesn't make me feel like screaming.

Looks like Ren and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Ren a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#42 Top 1000 Landscapes— A book containing the most popular natural sights and phenomena throughout the world, as well as some of the most praised landscape paintings. Some pages even glow in the dark, like the Aurora Australis!

Ren: For me?! Honestly, I don't even think I should flirt here! I don't wanna diminish how much this means to me by being corny!

...

Tozen: Do you have any siblings?

Ren: ...I have a little sister. She's twelve. You have one, too, right? I've wondered if they'd get along well.

I smile thinking about it.

Tozen: What's she like?

Ren: She's really social. She has a lot of friends and she's really playful. She sure has a mouth on her, though. Really sassy to the point where it can be a bit annoying.

I snicker.

Tozen: Yep, my sister would love her.

Ren: You get along with your sister really well, right?

Tozen: My siblings are my biggest supporters, for sure.

Ren: ...I'm jealous.

Tozen: Do you two have a hard time getting along?

Ren: Yeah. For a particular reason.

Fame

Age

Albinism

Tozen: Well, she's twelve and you're sixteen. There's bound to be friction there.

Ren: True. That's not really what I mean, though.

Fame

Age

Albinism

Tozen: You're kind of famous. I'm sure that must lead to some issues of jealousy.

Ren: Jealousy... you're not entirely wrong on that front. But it's not cause of my job or anything like that.

Fame

Age

Albinism

Tozen: She... I never asked if she has albinism. Does she?

Ren: She does not. ...I'm the jealous one. I hate myself for being bitter toward her, but I can't help it. She lives in the sun. She gets to go to school and spend time with her friends. She doesn't ever introduce them to me, by the way... probably because of the fame thing; she wants her friends to hang out with her because they like her, not because she has a well-known brother. She gets to travel with Dad sometimes, see some of the amazing places I can only see in paintings and photos. Even for like, a week at a time. When she goes out with Mom, she gets the version of Mom that doesn't have to spend every waking minute stressing. She always comes home enthusing about eating ice cream in the park with her and hiking with her "besties." Almost like she's rubbing it in.

I'm nervous about offering this, but I can put aside the issue of feelings for a second.

Tozen: Do you need a hug?

He leans in and hugs me tight.

Ren: We love each other... and take care of each other. I handle her chores when she wants to leave the house, and sometimes she'll join me when I sneak out. But she's probably just as jealous of me as I am of her. Cause when we're home, I get all of Mom's doting, and Dad pays attention to me since he rarely sees me. She doesn't really understand that the time she gets with them is warmer... less tense. I feel like my family life is so full of "but"s. "I love Dad, but..." "I love Mom, but..." "I love Tamiko, but..." Sometimes, it makes me wonder if it's my fault.

Tozen: How could it possibly be your fault?

Ren: Me just existing as myself brings them hardship. I think maybe that's why I was trying to hide my albinism. But I'm done running.

Tozen: I really admire that. You're braver than I am.

He starts to interject, but Azumi comes in and asks Ren to help her figure out timing for some choreography.

Ren's Report Card has been updated based on your experience with him.

Available During Chapter 5:

Event 5:

Ren: Hey... can I hang out with you for a bit? I saw my fear in the simulator again.

What should I do? Should I invite Ren to hang out?

Invite Ren to hang out

See who else is around

Ren: Thank you. I really appreciate this.

We stand outside the garden staring for a few minutes before he wracks up the courage to put on sunscreen and take me outside.

Looks like Ren and I drew a little closer today.

Would you like to give Ren a present?

Definitely!

Not really...

#51 High-End Headphones-- Top-grade, high-end headphones. Use these if you truly want to hear the nuances in classical and jazz music.

Ren: For me?! Honestly, I don't even think I should flirt here! I don't wanna diminish how much this means to me by being corny!

...

Ren: I need... to say something. It might make a lot of things clearer.

I feel like running, because I am very concerned that this might be a confession, but I don't.

Tozen: What's up?

Ren: I'm... not my parents' first kid. I had an older sister named Koyuki.

We spend a few moments in silence as I process what that sentence implies. I then nod slowly, trying to be reverent.

Ren: I wasn't old enough to remember much about her. Tamiko wasn't even born. Koyuki had albinism. She was like me. And it was skin cancer.

Tozen: Oh... my God.

Ren: The grief... destroyed my mom. And that's why she's so overwhelmingly careful. She swore up and down, "I can't lose you, too. I won't lose you, too." That sentiment has flowed through every action, pretty much every thought in her head, since before I could even understand the concept of death. No, seriously, the first time I remember her telling me that, I thought she meant that she was keeping me stuck in the house because she didn't want me to get lost.

Tozen: I don't know what to say. Ren...

Ren: You asked me, a long time ago, about the reason I started all this... the guitarist stuff, I mean. I said it was just cause I love music, but that was only half-true. My acoustic guitar... it was Koyuki's before it was ever mine. I found it in all of her stuff when I was still pretty young, and I got curious, so I tried to learn how to play it from videos and books and stuff. When I first started actually sounding decent, my mom cried and hugged me so tight and expressed how grateful she was. So I decided that, whenever my mom would start to feel sad, I'd play for her, to show her that Koyuki was still here watching over her. It helped that I have a genuine love of music anyway, but that was my initial driving force.

Tozen: I really need to listen to more of your music. I'm sure, knowing all of this, that your message and your feelings will ring loud and clear.

Ren: I'm gonna say something kinda sad.

Tozen: Uh, thanks for the warning?

He gives a quick laugh at my reaction.

Ren: I posted stuff online cause I wanted that comfort to my mom to last longer than I would. In case I was ever incapable of continuing...

Tozen: And now we're here. In this game where so many have already lost their lives...

Ren: I told Nari that I would live. I'm making it out of this place, and I don't care how long it takes. But... it's nice that so much of my music will last forever... just in case, you know?

I can do nothing but nod, trying to take in all this new information.

Ren: I want... even after all this time, I wish my family could see me, instead of this replacement for a child who didn't make it. I've outlived her. I try to make myself distinct, and obvious, and build up an identity so separate from her. Aside from our albinism, we look nothing alike.

Tozen: Well, hey... We've only ever known you as yourself. You're not a second chance for us, you're just our friend. Maybe, if we make it out, we can remind them, just by our actions, that you're a person independent of her.

Ren: Thanks, Toz. And thank you for listening so intently.

Tozen: Of course, dude.

He launches himself around me in an enthusiastic hug. I hug back, trying to forget about all of the scary things. He's a person who's overcome a lot, and it gives me hope that maybe I can overcome, too, in time. I suppose that Ren is a true friend to me, in every sense of the word.