( he pauses, watching her— then finally breaking into a cheerful, curt chuckle. makoto was trying hard, right? he had no desire to see her efforts go unrewarded, and so he answered her force smile with a more beaming one— and offering a thumbs up. )

You say that like Ryuji would remember the consequences from last time. ( it's hard not to feel this warmth when he was talking about his friends... all of them. )

They'll be okay. Or else... maybe we might be the ones facing the consequences? Heh. ( it was a joke. but if it meant knowing everyone was safe and sound... he'd have gladly accepted them. )