Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Yu's POV

June 5^th, Morning;

“Despite the efforts of the Kirijo Group, the situation in Inaba has only slightly improved.  On a lighter note, the dangerous fog has thankfully been contained and is only visible on the outskirts of the town and in the town itself. It is still unclear what adverse effects the mysterious fog has on the health of town’s residents. Experts say… “

Yu solemnly listens to the news anchor, while sitting in a train bound for Tokyo.

It has already been 5 years, and it still feels like yesterday.  The investigation team failed to catch the true culprit, despite everything that happened, they split up on amicable terms, but still…

It has been years since we talked. I wonder how everyone in Inaba is doing, I miss them all. Yosuke, Kanji, Rise, Naoto, Yukiko, …Chie.

I hope they never find out what I’ve done.

He stares at his reflection in the train window — Tokyo blurring by. Every time the city light catches his eye, he looks less like himself.

Do I have any regrets? Of course... but I need to stick with my decision, Adachi is my friend after all. He has done a lot for me.

Or is he? Weren’t the others your friends as well?

Yu’s thoughts are interrupted by a beep on the phone. A message.

“Hello Yu Narukami, this is Sae Niijima. I was notified by my superiors that you are to be my assistant as of today. Come to the court as soon as you can, I will be there until the afternoon. We can talk more about your job when you arrive. “

Sae Niijima, the prosecutor in the city of Tokyo. From what I have heard she has quite the record, Adachi-san warned me to be careful around her. Still, I don’t even understand why I am here…

As Yu finally exits the train, he sees people rushing towards the TV displays.

Did something important happen? I should check it out.

“H-how could I… I possibly… apologize to- everyone for what I have done…”

“And that was from the urgent apology conference by Madarame that took place a moment ago.” The TV anchors state.

Madarame? The famous artist?

Yu listens to the numerous conversations taking place around him.

“Wow, he seemed so pathetic.” A young student states.

“Why so out of the blue?” An elderly man asks.

“The Phantom Thieves did it!” The student replies.

“Hahaha, like I would believe in such thing as thieves stealing people’s hearts!” The elderly man laughs.

The Phantom Thieves… Huh… Could be this the reason you sent me here, Adachi-san? No, I am just overthinking things.

Yu immediately shakes off the intrusive thoughts and sets out towards the court.

June 5^th, Afternoon;

As the day goes on, Yu finds himself standing in front of the courtroom, where Sae Niijima was attending a hearing. Through the courtroom doors, a sharp, confident voice cuts through the murmur. A woman’s voice. Then a hammer drops; thud thud. As he hears the noise Yu prepares himself for a first meeting with his new boss, the infamous Sae Niijima.

It takes her a while to come out, but once she comes into the view of Yu’s eyes, there was no mistaking it. The stern look of confidence. The crimson-colored eyes. It was her. She’s wearing an all-black business suit, which compliments her ashen-brown hair. Her appearance is way more formal and intimidating than Yu’s casual attire of black jeans and a white shirt. This is going to be interesting.

“Miss Niijima.” Yu tries to shout for her, as it seemed that she hasn’t noticed him.

Despite his shouting only coming out as a simple whimper, Sae did notice his presence.

“Hm?” Sae offers Yu a questioning look of curiosity, her eyes piercing him as if she’s analyzing him in every sense of the word.

Even in a simple introduction she seems like she might put me behind bars just for trying to get her attention.

“My name is Yu Narukami, you sent me a text message to come see you here. I am supposed to start working for you as an assistant.” Yu quickly responds.

“Oh… I almost forgot. Yes. Hello Yu Narukami, it is pleasure to finally meet you in person. I have heard great many things about you, especially from the Inaba police department. Well, I have some time before I must go back to the office so, shall we?” Sae starts walking towards the exit, motioning Yu to follow her.

As they sit down at a homely café, conveniently close to the court, Sae initiates the conversation.

“So, Narukami, I am quite curious as to why would you want to be my assistant?”

Why would I want to be your assistant? I don’t even want to…  Never mind, I have to quickly think of something.

“I have followed your cases, and I must say, I am quite impressed by your record. I want to see firsthand how a top-tier prosecutor operates.”  Yu replies, slightly satisfied with his lie.

“Oh? So, you wish to be a prosecutor yourself someday Narukami?” Sae quickly responds with another question.

Do I? What do I even want… why am I even doing this? No, I MUST do this, because Adachi-san…

“Yes…” Yu forces a smile.

“I see. I must say you are not a good liar.” Sae states, clearly unconvinced by his answer.

Before Yu can even think of a reply to the accusation, Sae interrupts him from his thoughts.

“Well, we can continue this conversation later. I just want to make some things clear to you.” Sae states, her crimson eyes still piercing him as if to hammer the incoming words to his heart.

“I have no need of assistance and least of all no need of a pushover, I have all that at work and at home. Still, for some reason my superiors deemed it necessary for you to become my assistant. I don’t know how you managed it, but I’m going to figure out why. Even if you refuse to tell me.”

Sae’s words echo through Yu’s ears.

This is going to be way harder than I thought, and I don’t even know what I am supposed to do here. I just know I must gain her trust somehow.

Yu brushes his hair with his hand and prepares himself to reply:

“I am sorry for not being so upfront with you, just know I did not ask for this as well, it’s just something my close relatives wanted for me. And by any means, I will not be a pushover to you, I will try my best to fulfill my duty as your assistant and learn from you, Miss Niijima.”

“We shall see… and I am not married, so please just call me Niijima-senpai.” Sae replies slightly more satisfied with Yu’s retort.

“As you say Niijima-senpai, I am looking forward to working with you.” Yu states, slightly more relaxed than before.

“Tsk, it’s already this late. Drink your coffee Narukami. We have to go.”  Sae says as she’s checking her watch.

The pair then quickly drink their coffee and leave, Yu clenching his fists all the way to the office.

All I have to do is follow Adachi’s advice and I will get through this.

The journey is a quiet and a tense one. Perhaps because Yu’s mysterious atmosphere doesn’t quite stir well with Sae’s intimidating and question-asking demeanor. 

Chie's POV

June 5^th, Morning

Chie wakes up to the sound of honking cars next to her dorm. Her room is a bit messy. Numerous books describing Japanese law laying scattered around her bed and the same can be said for her typical greenish clothes. Her TV in the dorm is still on. The Trial of the Dragon 2, stuck on the menu.

She looks at the time.

“Oh crap, I overslept!”

She quickly puts on whatever clean clothes she has lying around and leaves the dorm.

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Once she arrives at the police academy, she looks at the time again.

Phew, I made it on time.  Looks like those evening trainings at Protein Lovers paid off!

She sits down at her typical spot in the classroom. It is the last exam day today! Japanese law. It’s time to kick those exams in the butt!

A fellow female student comes to her and asks her: “So, Satonaka, you overslept again?” She asks.

“Hey Hikari! N-n-no! I just…. had some morning exercise before class, y’know, to get the blood flowing before the exams!” Chie retorts, making it clear to her classmate that she indeed did oversleep again.

“Yeah right, you seem to be oversleeping more and more lately, is something going on?”

“Hahaha, no, no. Don’t worry.”  Chie smiles.

Hikari is right though. Something was going on, and it has been going on for the past 5 years.

“I know it’s tough being an outsider, but maybe you should join us, we do plan to celebrate surviving the exams.” Hikari says with a warm smile.

“You are really kind, and I appreciate it, but I just don’t have the time for all that, y’know, the training and stuff… 

Besides I am not as smart as all of you, so I need to work that much more.” Chie replies albeit more sadly this time.

It felt like she was telling the truth.

But deep inside, it wasn’t.

She had a good head on her shoulders. There was a guy who proved that to her.

Yu Narukami…

I wonder how he is doing.

Her thoughts are interrupted by the teacher entering the class, officially beginning the last exam day. Chie pumps herself up and begins writing her heart out on the paper.

June 5^th, Afternoon

Finally…. After a while, her body feels a bit more relaxed. The exams are over.

Her classmate Hikari comes over to her desk.

“Ugh, tonight’s sleep will be a damn good one.” Hikari says.

“Damn right!” Chie replies with her usual cheery and confident voice.

“I wish I could believe you, Satonaka. But from how you looked even the day after the last exams, it seems like you didn’t get much sleep either way!”  Hikari says with a small hint of accusation.

This sentence hits Chie like a truck.

Is it that visible?  Am I looking that bad?

“You really should join us, even the guys are coming!” Hikari says with a small smirk as if to suggest that perhaps a love interest is something Chie needs.

“No, thank you.” She replies, slightly more coldly. Something about that sentence hurt her. She quickly reconfigures herself back. “I-I mean, thank you for trying to help me, really! I do consider you a friend. But I just don’t have the time, sorry….” Chie makes an apologetic smile.

“Fine… but you have to PROMISE to go out with us at least once before our studies end!” Hikari sighs.

“I promise, Hikari!” She says with confidence, before looking at the time. Damn, is it really that late?

“Oh, I have to run now. See ya tomorrow, Hikari!” She says as she hurriedly packs her belongings into her bag and runs off towards the exit.

“Satonaka. I’m starting to get worried about you.” Hikari quietly says to herself, watching Chie leave.

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As the day progresses, Chie arrives at her favourite spot for some training. Protein Lovers. The gym isn’t very crowded, and it has all the tools necessary for her to train her body. Still, it will never beat training in the countryside of Inaba.

Ah… How much do I miss Inaba. The beautiful nature. The sound of the river while kicking into the air. Feelings of ambition and happiness. I miss those times… especially training with Yu.

These thoughts make her look even worse, her reflection in the gym mirror looking deflated and blank.

“Yo! You okay?” A guy behind her asks, making her jump slightly. “Aaah!” Instinctively, she raises her left leg like she is about to fight a shadow.

“Whoa! Sorry for scaring you!” The guy replies back. He is wearing a blue tank top that lies on top of darker blue shorts. Spiky blonde hair. Doesn’t look like a year over 18.  He also looks pretty delinquent-ish.

“Oh, I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to-“ Chie tries to apologize, but she’s quickly interrupted by the boy with the spiky hair.

“No, no, it’s okay. You just seemed a bit pale, so I thought you were gonna faint for a sec.”

“You sure you’re okay?” He asks again.

“Yeah! I was just, um... thinking about how I miss training in the countryside!” Chie replies.

Yeah, that’s the only thing I was thinking about. For sure…

“Oh, you not from around here?” He gives her a curious look.

“No, I am from Inaba. I am studying in Tokyo to become a police officer.” Chie points a thumb towards her chest, feeling a bit too prideful.

“Whoa, that’s cool! So Inaba huh?”

Chie immediately knows where he’s heading with this. Her stomach twists a bit. She forces a smile. “Yeah, the infamous fog town of Inaba!” She says half-sarcastically and half-angrily.

“I didn’t mean to-“ The boy tries to explain before quickly being interrupted by Chie herself.

“It’s okay, really. I just…”   

The fog, the things that have happened there… I could have stopped it; we could have stopped it. There isn’t a single thing I regret in my life more… Well, maybe except for one more thing… Despite that, I will try my best to make amends and make Inaba look like it had looked before.

“-Me and my mouth.” The boy mumbles. “Look, I just want to make sure you’re okay. I didn’t mean to bring up bad thoughts.  Anyways, you said you like training in the nature. I know a good spot!” The boy smiles, scrubbing the back of his head.

“Oh? You do?” Chie asks, half-curiously.

“Yeah, Inokashira Park! It’s a sweet spot and there’s plenty of space for training and jogging and whatever. Maybe we could see each other there and I can start the conversation by not scaring you.” He laughs.

“Oh, thank you, I’ll definitely check it out! And no, you didn’t bring me up any bad memories or whatever.” Chie tries to reassure him. Despite the prying question from before, the boy seems to be slightly intriguing to her: “Oh, and if you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name? I’m Chie. Chie Satonaka,” she continues.

“Ryuji Sakomoto. Nice to meet ya, Satonaka-san!” Ryuji replies enthusiastically.

“Jeez, do I look so old already?”

“No- I mean!” Ryuji quickly retorts, slightly embarrassed.

“I’m just messing with ya.” Chie laughs. “Anyways, it was nice meeting you, Sakamoto-chan! I hope we see each other again at the park or at the gym.” She gives him a bright a smile.

“See ya, Satona- Huh wha-? … Sakamoto-chan ?!”  He says embarrassed, watching Chie head off, still chuckling under her breath.

June 5^th, Evening

Chie lights up her dorm room as soon as she arrives.

She huffs from the exhaustion.

Today was quite the day. Still, I think I did well enough on the exams.

As she looks at the mess in her room, she feels even more exhausted. But she grits her teeth and gets to work.

She cleans the room to make it look at least somewhat hospitable. She finally shuts down the TV. She picks up her books.

As she’s cleaning, she immediately notices the newspapers hidden below some of her clothes. The headlines say:

“Who was the killer of Inaba?”

“Unresolved murders: The fog monster of Inaba”

“Was Taro Namatame the mastermind behind the murders at Inaba?”

Inaba… The murders…  The fog… The Investigation team…

It all hovers over her head.

No, I won’t give up not even after 5 years.

She stops her cleaning and sits down behind her desk, turning on her computer.

Hours pass, as she browses the Internet for old news articles about the murders in Inaba.

She stumbles on something new, albeit not at all connected to the murders that happened in her hometown.

“Breaking news: Ichiryusai Madarame has confessed to numerous crimes including counterfeiting and manslaughter.”

Feeling curious, she clicks on the article.

“Some of the public starts to think that the famous artist “had a change of heart”, instigated by the group known as The Phantom Thieves.  However, the police stated that there is no proof indicating that there was any blackmail involved in Madarame’s confession.”

He was this big of a dick? Huh. Still, if he really was there... No, there is no way, he would admit such crimes out of the goodness of his heart!

…The Phantom Thieves…

Chie ponders.

Something just seems off about that.

To be continued.

Chapter Text

Ren’s POV

Ren wakes up to the faint smell of cold metal and the sight of a flickering blue light. A coarse prison uniform clings to his skin; cold iron chains shackle his wrists.

Not again…

“Wake up, inmate!” Caroline growls, slamming her baton against the cell bars.

“Yeah. Just…g-give me a minute.” Ren exhales a heavy sigh. After a short moment, he forces himself to his feet and steps toward the cell door.

“I really hope this is important.” He mutters, exhaustion weighing on his eyes, but the remark only makes Caroline angrier. Just as she raises her baton for another loud clang, her motion is stopped by her twin, Justine. “When our master calls, you have to answer. You should show some more respect and appreciation, inmate.”

“I am working toward my ‘rehabilitation,’ aren’t I?” Ren interjects.

Whatever that means...

“That may be true, trickster,” Igor chuckles from behind the desk, his legs stretched out and his eyes bloodshot as always. He continues, “I’ve noticed you’ve changed another heart. Well done.”

“Then why am I here?” Ren asks.

“You are here because I wish to warn you. “Yes, your rehabilitation is progressing as planned… but something quite unexpected has occurred.”
The long-nosed man says, fiddling with his fingers.

Unexpected? Does he mean Yusuke’s awakening? Maybe we did something wrong with Madarame’s change of heart…  Or is this about another persona user traversing the metaverse?

“Could you elaborate?” Ren asks, his eyes locking with Igor’s.

Igor chuckles again, the sound echoing softly through the room.

“Not long ago, another with the same gifts as yours arrived in the city where you reside. I expect the two of you will meet sooner or later. What will come of that meeting, only time will tell…”

Another like me? Is he talking about the person Madarame mentioned, or someone else entirely?

His thoughts are interrupted.

“Our time is up, trickster. We shall see each other soon.”

The prison alarm starts ringing.

“Wait!” Ren cries, but his vision is already fading to black.

It’s too late.

June 6^th, Morning;

As dust fills his airways, Ren opens his eyes. He’s back in the familiar old attic, generously provided by Sojiro Sakura, his guardian.

Ren glances around the room, trying to find where Morgana is, only to discover him sleeping on top of him.

Ren pats Morgana's head.

. . . 

“I’M NOT A CAT!” Morgana jolts awake suddenly, like he’s been pulled out of a dream. As if he was that deep in his sleep...! “I noticed. Not many talking cats around.” Ren smirks.

“Ha-ha, very funny, Joker. Couldn’t let me sleep in peace? You’d think we’d earn at least one quiet night after stealing another treasure.“ Morgana frowns.

“We do. But I still have school. Miss Kawakami will skin me alive if I'm late again.” Ren smiles.

“Would it kill you to skip one day of school?” Morgana asks half-seriously.

Ren doesn’t even look up. "Yes.”

Besides, there's someone I'm quite looking forward to seeing again.

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The train ride to school is uneventful; the people around Ren are still debating Madarame's change of heart. This makes Ren feel proud. Leaving the station, Ren notices just one person waiting — Ryuji. “Yo, Ren!” he greets, clapping him on the shoulder.

“What’s up?” Ren smiles at him.

“Just tired, you know? I feel like we deserve some proper rest after what we just did,” Ryuji says, stretching his shoulders.

“Right?!” Morgana pops his head out of Ren’s school bag.

“Everyone knows the student council president’s keeping an eye on us. We should keep up appearances,” Ren says, his tone serious.

“Still—stealing another treasure? Man, that felt awesome!” Ryuji says, a bit too enthusiastically.

“Shut up, you idiot!” Morgana’s screams echo from the bag.

“What felt awesome?” a familiar voice comes from behind.

Ren turns around and sees the student council president in person. She is wearing her usual Shujin uniform — the white turtleneck and tailored black vest make her look both intimidating and elegant. The red plaid skirt, which sits just above her knees, is complemented by black tights, creating a look that is both sharp and composed.

Had a feeling that someone had been following us.

“Oh… Prez, nothing really! I was just telling Ren here how the morning wind felt awesome hitting my face when I went out! Right, pal?” He slings an arm around Ren, an anxious smile carved onto his face.

“Yeah, right.“ Ren replies while dying inside.

“I see. How come I don’t see Takamaki with you two?” One of her eyebrows lifts — the kind of look someone gives when they’ve just caught a lie.

“Uh—oh, yeah, she—” Ryuji begins, only to yelp when Ren elbows him in the shoulder. “What’s that to you?“ 

Her crimson eyes flick away from Ryuji to Ren, the vivid hue dulling as they meet Ren's.

“Uhm, nothing really. I just see you three together so often. I was a bit surprised.” She brushes the side of her carefully tied hair.

She looks kind of cute when she’s flustered… I should mess with her like that more often.

“I trust you three have stopped meeting on the school rooftop.” The color to her eyes returns. “If I catch you there again, I can assure you that we will have a personal discussion about it.”

“I actually wouldn’t mind that, Niijima-senpai.“ Ren says, the corner of his mouth tilting into a half-smile.

“You’re really looking for more trouble, aren’t y—”

She cuts herself off, and for a brief moment, all Ren can see is the soft red hue rising in her cheeks as his words sink in.

“Oh… uh- what?” Makoto stutters, looking either completely confused or extremely embarrassed.

The sound of someone coughing from inside his school bag brings him back to reality.

Okay, I may have gone a bit overboard.

“Oh, nothing. Let’s go, Ryuji.” Ren grins and gives his stunned friend a gentle shove forward.As he glances back, he catches sight of Makoto watching him leave, her eyes wide.

Yup, definitely worth coming to school today.

June 6^th, Midday;

Ren is sitting behind his desk, his head rests on his arm as he is looking out the classroom window. His reflection sometimes catches his eyes. All he sees is a timid boy, his true nature hidden behind a pair of glasses. Despite being in metaverse just two days ago, he doesn’t feel too tired. He actually looks forward to his next assignment as a Phantom Thief. Still there was something bothering him.

What was that about in The Velvet Room… Another like me? Can they also wield multiple personas? Then again, it could also be the metaverse user Madarame’s shadow was talking about.

He feels his head throb a bit. Too deep in thought.

No…

Maybe?

It can’t be a coincidence.

Suddenly, he is snapped out of his thoughts: “Helloooo? Earth to Ren!” A certain girl’s cheery voice calls out.

“Huh? What is it, Ann?” He looks back at her.

Ann Takamaki is standing above him. Her blonde bushy pigtails still in motion, indicating she hasn’t been waiting for long.

“If you keep daydreaming like this, I won’t have someone to eat lunch with.”  Her blue eyes are showing a small hint of concern.

Ann always looks cheery and innocent. Even after the incident with Shiho and Kamoshida. A fact that made Ren slightly relieved at the time.

“Oh? And what about Ryuji?” He asks.

“What about him?” She gives a curious look.

“If I don’t come, you can always ask him.”

“Okay, first of all, you are kinda creeping me out here. And second, Ryuji is Ryuji. And I can only handle that much talking about sports sometimes.” Ann puts her hand on her side.

“Sorry.” Ren smiles apologetically.“ Speaking of Ryuji, he couldn’t keep quiet… Again…”

“Oh- Don’t tell me!” Ann says, annoyed.

“Yup, he blabbed a bit in front of the student council president.”

Ren’s words don’t offer any comfort to Ann.

“Does she know?” Ann looks at Ren, her face now visibly worried.

“We shall find out.” Ren smiles.

Wait, why am I smiling?

Makoto’s POV

A low hum from the fluorescent lights vibrates through the empty restroom. Makoto stands at the sink with her hands resting on the cold porcelain. She looks in the mirror to check that she looks okay. After all, she needs to look presentable to both the teachers and her fellow students.

The hair looks acceptable, the bangs are straight, the headband fits well enough.

She pauses at the mirror, meeting her own gaze one last time — eyes burning with confidence and resolve. You got this, Makoto.

As she steps out, her eyes fall on Ann and Ren walking away side by side.

They really seem to be spending a lot of time together. I wonder if those two are dating.

The thought makes her stomach twist before she can stop it.

Pull yourself together, Makoto… But still — what was that about this morning?

Her thoughts halt as she finds herself before the principal’s office. Drawing in a slow breath, she exhales and steps inside.

Knock, knock.

“Come in.” A voice calls out.

She enters.

Principal Kobayakawa is sitting behind his deck; his round and chubby head covered in sweat.

Is he nervous?

“You called for me, Mr. Principal?” Makoto asks after closing the door.

“Ah, yes. It's about the matter we discussed earlier this month.“ He wipes some sweat from his forehead. “Have you looked into it?“

“Yes, I have narrowed it down, but I lack any evidence.“ She replies.

“That just won’t do. The Phantom Thieves are a danger to this school. I thought the safety of our students mattered to you, Niijima-san.“ He sighs.

This man is making me feel physically sick.

Her eyes narrow — a flicker of anger breaking through her usual composure. “Were the things Suguru Kamoshida did to the students something you even cared about?"

“What’s that supposed to mean?!“ Kobayakawa’s eyes widen at Makoto’s accusation.

The silence that follows seems to burn in the air. Makoto straightens, steadying herself and forcing her tone back to neutral. “You covered for Suguru Kamoshida, didn’t you?“ She throws an accusatory glance at the principal, whose sweating just intensifies.

“Niijima-san, I understand that you are still shaken, and possibly even traumatised, by what happened — a fellow student trying to jump from the roof. It was a truly tragic incident.”

Shaken? Traumatised?! I’m not traumatised, I’m angry! I’m angry that I couldn’t bring Kamoshida to justice before he drove a girl to attempted suicide!

“But the matter with Kamoshida is in the past. The Phantom Thieves are now the pressing concern we must focus on,” he continues. “Have you heard about the incident involving the artist Madarame? Like Suguru Kamoshida, he also received a calling card.“

What does that matter to you...? 

“Yes, I've heard.“ Makoto clenches her fists.

“I wish to believe this was unrelated to our students, that’s why I need you to find out more about those Phantom Thieves.“ He replies.

“Yes...“ She says in a defeated tone.

I'm not sure why, but this feels totally off to me. But I'm going to have to go along with it.

June 6^th, Afternoon;

Makoto is sitting alone in the Big Bang Burger restaurant. Her mouth and eyes feel dry. A bead of sweat runs down her cheek.

She is looking at a seinen manga titled “Bungō Stray Dogs”. Or at least she is pretending to.

Takamaki, Sakamoto and Amamiya are sitting across the restaurant.

Makoto sometimes sees a cat’s ears pop out of Amamiya’s bag... Which makes her wonder if she is imagining things or if the delinquent student is bringing a cat to school.

(She quickly dismisses the idea in silence.)

A few hours have passed and all they have done is shop at a store called 'Untouchable' and play at an arcade. Not too suspicious, although I should go and ask the owner of the shop about it later. Let's hope he's friendly enough to share some information.

Ugh, following my own classmates like this is so stressful. Feels… wrong, somehow. Am I doing this for the principal? Or just for me?

Her mind races, but her eyes are glued to the first chapter of the manga she brought to this 'special investigation', though she barely sees the words.

“Here you go, miss.”

A waitress snaps Makoto back to the present, placing a huge soda on the table.

Perfect timing — just enough for the Phantom Thieves to vanish.

“What?” Makoto glances quickly at the now-empty table where the trio had been sitting. “Oh. Thank you,” she mutters, finally taking a sip of the soda she probably didn’t even order.

Wait, what?

She looks back up at the waitress, still standing patiently beside her table.

“Heh- I think you’re probably wondering who ordered that for you. It was that gentleman over there.” She points towards the kiosk next to the exit.

And Ren Amamiya is leaning against the window. His dark-brown eyes glowing even from behind his glasses. They are looking directly at her. A small but warm smile upon his face.

“He said you looked pale and thirsty.” The waitress giggles quietly.

Makoto’s eyes flick back toward the waitress, just for a second.

“A-ah, did I? It's quite warm for this time of year, isn't it?” Makoto asks, feeling her throat tighten and her heartbeat rise.

But the spot where Ren had been standing just seconds ago is now empty. 

Oh.

A strange heaviness settles in her chest.

He’s gone.

Thankfully, her heartbeat steadies, yet she can’t shake the hope of catching another fleeting glance of Ren Amamiya.

I mean, why am I feeling sad, right?

Must be because he caught me following them.

“Don’t worry. He’ll approach you next time, I'm sure of it!” The waitress smiles warmly at Makoto, offering reassurance.

“Yes… Thank you.”

She murmurs, letting out a soft sigh as her gaze lingers on the empty air where Ren had been.

Huh?

Wait!

Why would I want him to come over when I didn’t want to be noticed? Still… no reason to follow him now. I should check out the store instead.

June 6^th, Evening;

Makoto finds herself alone on the street, walking home from the train station. The deafening silence is amplified by the buzzing sound of each street lamp she passes. To be completely honest, she doesn’t feel too bothered by it. She walks, deep in thought. (It is one of her favourite activities.)

The store those three visited, “Untouchable”, is an airsoft shop.

What would they need airsoft guns for?

I can’t even imagine them buying something like that from the owner. He wasn’t cordial at all. In fact, I got dismissed quickly. Too quickly, in fact…

Makoto slows her pace, feeling that she has made a small breakthrough, finally.

But it's still hard to picture a group of students using toys to blackmail adults. Though some of them were pretty impressive —

That revolver in particular caught her eye, practically feeling herself drawn to it.

Makoto’s mind wanders back to the past.

She remembers a tiny plastic revolver her dad gave her for Children’s Day. She’d pose as a sheriff, her dad as a bumbling burglar trying to steal her and her sister’s Buchimaru-kun plushies. In her little world, she was the heroine of justice, never failing to catch the culprit.

She feels herself smiling weakly.

After a while of walking, she stops, looking directly into the light coming from the street lamp. And her smile turns into a frown.

“Makoto, what are you standing here around for?” A similar voice calls out.

“Oh! Sis? But what are you doing here? Didn’t you say you'd be working throughout the whole night today? Makoto asks in a surprised tone.

“I managed to get off early, c’mon, let’s move.” Sae turns and starts walking forward.

Without hesitation, Makoto trails after her.

--------------------------------------

When they get home, Makoto quickly puts her shoes away and runs to the kitchen. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realise you would be home tonight. I’ll make us something for dinner right away.” She calls out, looking at the few ingredients left in the fridge.

“No need, I already ate.” Sae replies dismissively and sits down at the table next to the kitchen counter.

“Oh…”

Makoto can only manage a sad whimper.

I wish we could turn back time… back to when Dad was here, before everything changed.

Makoto clumsily approaches the table and sits down in front of her sister, her eyes fixed on the ground.

“So, how was school?” Sae tries to break the silence.

“It was..” Makoto pauses for a bit.

Chasing down the would-be Phantom Thieves was the most fun I had in a while.

“…It was okay." She manages to smile.

“And your grades?” 

Sae gives an intimidating look.

“As always, top of the class, sis...” Makoto replies in an annoyed tone. “And what about you, hm? Anything new at work?”  She tries to stop her sister’s line of questioning.

“Yes, actually.” Sae crosses her legs. “That’s the reason I managed to come over so early.” She rests her head on her fist. “I got an assistant. I made him stay behind at the office to do some paperwork for me.”

The surprise hits Makoto, and her face can’t hide it. “I thought you never wanted any assistants.”

“True, but I guess my superiors thought otherwise.” Sae’s face now showing a glimpse of dissatisfaction.

“Maybe they want him to spy on you!” Makoto says in a slightly sarcastic tone.

Sae gives a serious look.

“Maybe.” 

Makoto gives in to her curiosity. “So,... what’s he like?”

“Hmmm, he looks well enough, but that weird, mysterious vibe he’s giving off? I don’t like that one bit.”

Sae taps her fingers on the table for a moment, as if she's thinking deeply.

“Still, he is competent. Which surprises me. The most people I know aren’t.”

This makes Makoto flinch.

Like a needle just pierced her heart.

“There’s a chance you might meet him someday. Actually. I think I didn’t even scare him away.”

Her sister smiles to herself.

 “I see.” Makoto replies, thoughts still lingering on her sister’s previous statement. "The most people I know aren’t." 

Okay, fine. I’ll prove you wrong, sis; If I have to, I'll prove anyone wrong. I'm going to do whatever it takes. I'm going to do it right.

“Anyways, I should go take a shower. Good night.” Sae spares her sister just a quick look before turning and leaving.

But a look of resolve settles on Makoto’s face as she walks toward her room.