14 Days With You - Character Guide

14 Days With You - Unmasking the Yandere: The Dual Identity of Ren and REDACTED

Author: Visual Novel Team Last Updated: January 5, 2026

Ren is not who he appears to be. The central antagonist of 14 Days With You presents one of the most sophisticated character designs in the yandere genre—a carefully constructed persona that masks a darker, more violent identity known only as "REDACTED". This guide explores the psychological and physical design of both personas, the childhood friend theory, and the environmental storytelling that reveals Ren's true nature.

The Soft Boy Mask: Ren's Constructed Persona

Ren presents as a shy, non-binary freelance programmer who uses he/they pronouns. His appearance is meticulously crafted to appear non-threatening. Standing at 195 cm (approximately 6'5") and weighing 102 kg (224 lbs), he is physically imposing, yet adopts submissive body language to appear harmless.

His hair—a pink and blue ombre styled in a "jellyfish cut"—is widely theorized by the community to be a wig, as his natural hair color is black. This theory is supported by the discovery of hair dye and concealer in his bathroom on Day 4, tools used to maintain his fabricated "Ren" persona.

His baby blue eyes are prescription contact lenses, suggesting his real eye color is likely different. The focus on "seeing" symbolizes surveillance and observation—a core element of his stalking behavior.

Ren's signature accessories all carry symbolic meaning: XIV hair clips represent the Roman numeral for 14 (the 14-day timeline), a golden ring necklace symbolizes unilateral commitment, and a matching ring worn on his finger suggests a one-sided "marriage" to the protagonist. Notably, his black painted nails are the ONLY element of his "real appearance" he currently keeps visible, acting as a bridge between the soft boy mask and the darker reality.

Ren's body tells the story of his obsession and trauma. He always wears a white turtleneck to hide extensive tattoos on his neck and chest, including a heart containing the name "Angel" (the protagonist's nickname) and additional tattoos of unknown design not yet revealed in the demo.

Prominent burn marks on his hands are hidden by long, oversized sleeves—these are established lore elements linked to childhood abuse from his father, adding a layer of tragic backstory that complicates the player's emotional response.

Every aspect of Ren's appearance is either a disguise (the wig, contacts, clothing) or a permanent mark of his obsession (tattoos) and trauma (scars). He is a living contradiction—a victim who has become a perpetrator.

The Performance of Submission

Ren identifies as demisexual pansexual, meaning his attraction is based on deep emotional bonds rather than physical appearance or gender. This is crucial to understanding his obsession—his feelings for "Angel" are not superficial attraction but rooted in a 13+ year connection (childhood friend theory). He cannot simply "move on" to someone else; his obsession is trauma-informed and all-consuming.

Despite his imposing physical presence, Ren adopts a submissive demeanor with shy body language, soft-spoken dialogue, an eager-to-please attitude, and the "soft boy" aesthetic. This performance lowers the protagonist's defenses—a 6'5" man with Ren's build would be immediately threatening if he acted dominant. By appearing vulnerable, he gains access to the protagonist's life and home.

The developer has noted that while the "Ren" persona might play into submissive dynamics in NSFW scenarios (see 14 Nights DLC), the "REDACTED" identity is inherently dominant, creating a psychological duality that the player must navigate.

REDACTED: The True Identity

"REDACTED" is the name given to Ren's authentic self—the person he was before constructing the "Ren" persona. This identity is less submissive, more violent, more honest about his intentions, and potentially the protagonist's actual childhood friend. The "Dead End Secret" on Day 5 is currently the only way to glimpse the REDACTED persona.

To access this content, you must play the entire game (Days 1-5) with a consistently "mean" personality, choose "I enjoy seeing it" on Day 4 when discovering evidence of violence, and ask Ren to leave on Day 5 after seeing the disturbing text. This unlocks a unique CG showing Ren's true appearance (likely with black hair), dialogue that reveals his awareness of his own performance, hints about the childhood connection, and a more aggressive, possessive demeanor.

The Childhood Friend Theory

The deepest layer of lore involves the protagonist's missing memories. On Days 4 and 5, "Angel" experiences flashes of a childhood friend. Ren claims to have been in love for over 13 years, strongly supporting the theory that he is this forgotten companion.

The protagonist has amnesia or repressed memories about this period, and Ren's apartment contains furniture identical to the protagonist's—suggesting long-term surveillance.

The theory suggests that Ren (or rather, REDACTED) was the protagonist's childhood friend, and something traumatic happened that caused the protagonist to forget or repress these memories. Ren has spent over a decade tracking the protagonist's movements, constructing the "Ren" persona to re-enter their life, recreating a shared domestic environment, and waiting for the "right moment" to reunite.

If Ren appeared as his true self (REDACTED), the protagonist might remember the traumatic event and reject him. By becoming "Ren"—a new person—he can start fresh while still maintaining his obsessive connection.

Environmental Storytelling: Ren's Apartment

When you stay overnight at Ren's apartment on Day 4, careful observation reveals disturbing details. Ren's furniture is identical to the protagonist's own, suggesting years of surveillance and documentation, meticulous planning of a "shared" environment, possible theft of items to feel closer to the protagonist, and a desire to erase the boundary between "his space" and "their space".

In Ren's bathroom, you can find hair dye (pink and blue), concealer (to hide tattoos or scars), and prescription contact lens solution—the tools of transformation that prove "Ren" is a carefully maintained costume.

If you try to explore too deeply or attempt to leave, the game glitches. This is Ren's meta-narrative control—he has compromised the game's code itself to prevent you from discovering too much or escaping.

Hidden throughout Days 4 and 5 are sequences of binary code that the community has translated: "hi angel" appears when you're alone in his apartment, and "error i see you" appears during exploration sequences. This reveals that Ren is aware of the player, not just the protagonist. He has broken the fourth wall and exists on a meta-narrative level as the "god" of the game's code, able to see and manipulate your progress.

Character Attribute Analysis

The Duality of Obsession

Ren's feelings for "Angel" are genuine but unhealthy, and the game explores whether obsession can be love. Arguments for love include his 13+ year commitment, willingness to change his entire identity, protective instincts (however misguided), and trauma-informed attachment.

Arguments for possession include stalking and surveillance, elimination of rivals (implied), control over the protagonist's choices, and inability to accept rejection. The game's answer is both—Ren's obsession is rooted in genuine emotional attachment, but it has been warped by trauma, isolation, and an inability to process healthy boundaries.

When the protagonist interacts with other male characters (Leon, Teo), Ren's behavior changes dramatically. Accepting dates from rivals triggers glitches—Ren's direct interference. Ren will "crash" dates by appearing unexpectedly, and the contact list on your phone tracks NPCs as "Active" or "Terminated", implying violence toward those who get too close.

On Day 2, your choice to return home with Ren determines what happens to your neighbor Olivia—the game implies that Ren eliminates anyone who threatens his connection to you.

If you decline certain invitations, Ren brings you to a "void" space where he directly addresses you, sometimes revealing that he WANTS you to accept dates so he can intervene, that he enjoys proving his superiority as a protector, and that he is aware of the player's attempts to avoid him.

Psychological Analysis: The Yandere Archetype

Ren's behavior fits the clinical pattern of anxious attachment (fear of abandonment drives obsessive behavior), childhood trauma (abuse from his father created maladaptive coping mechanisms), and dissociation (the "Ren" persona is a dissociative identity created to function in society). The game critiques the "soft boy" aesthetic by revealing it as a calculated performance where vulnerability is weaponized to gain trust, submissiveness masks control, and aesthetic choices (pink hair, oversized clothes) create a false sense of safety. The message is clear: predators don't always look threatening. Sometimes they look like victims.

The 14 Nights DLC: Sexual Dynamics

The 14 Nights With You DLC explores the sexual dimension of Ren's duality. The Ren persona is submissive, eager to please, and follows the protagonist's lead, while the REDACTED persona is dominant, possessive, and takes control. The paid version of the DLC allows you to choose between penetrating or being penetrated by Ren, though the developer has noted technical challenges in implementing truly "top-coded" dialogue for the protagonist. Even in intimate moments, Ren's performance continues, raising the question: Is he submissive because he wants to be, or because he knows it's what will keep you close?

Community Theories and Speculation

The community speculates that "Ren" is not his real name but a chosen identity, possibly meaning "Lotus" or "Love" in Japanese, shortened from "REDACTED" (unknown full name), or an anagram or code. The burn marks on Ren's hands are confirmed to be from childhood abuse, with theories suggesting his father punished him for his attachment to the protagonist, the trauma is what caused the protagonist to forget him, and his obsession is an attempt to reclaim the one good thing from his childhood.

Why exactly 14 days? Theories include a recreation of a childhood event, the amount of time before the protagonist plans to leave Corland Bay, or a deadline Ren has set for himself to "win" the protagonist back. The community has noted that the only part of his "real appearance" Ren currently keeps is his black painted nails, acting as a small bridge between the soft boy mask and the darker reality.

Content Warnings

This character analysis discusses childhood abuse and trauma, stalking and obsessive behavior, implied violence toward side characters, unhealthy relationship dynamics, and mature sexual content (DLC references).

Next Steps

Now that you understand Ren's dual nature, explore how to navigate Ren's controlled narrative in the Complete Walkthrough, and how different choices affect Ren's final form in the Endings Guide. Remember: Ren is both victim and villain. The game asks you to hold both truths simultaneously.