Word on the street is that the Protagonist's name in the manga is Akira Kurusu so let's roll with that.

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EFFORT

"Yo Joker! Why do you look so down?" Ryuji Sakamoto slapped his friend's back during lunch break.

"Not so loud you idiot. And don't call me that outside of the Metaverse." Akira responded quietly with an annoyed tone as he put his phone away.

"Come on man lighten up! We just cleared Kaneshiro's Palace after all. Isn't this the time for celebration? How about we invite Yusuke, Ann and Makoto to a buffe-"

"Sorry, you guys could go if you want but I'd rather not." Akira grabbed his bag which Morgana resided in and promptly left the classroom to buy food from the nearby vendor.

"…I wonder what's got him so depressed." Ryuji wondered aloud with concern. "Maybe I should ask the others…"

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"Hey." Morgana asked from within Akira's schoolbag. "Why did you give Ryuji such an attitude? I mean, I know that he and I bicker a lot but the two of you get along reasonably well."

"It's…it's nothing." Akira said quietly in response as he nibbled on some of the overly expensive bread that the school sold. He was near the rooftop since eating in the cafeteria or just around others caused various problems.

"It's not healthy to keep things in you know?" Morgana advised with a serious tone.

"I'm not keeping in anything worth telling anyone about."

"If you say so…" Morgana relented and went quiet in Akira's bag.

'I should probably consult with the others about this.' Morgana thought to himself as he waited for time to pass.

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Later that day, Akira arrived back at Leblanc after giving some info to Ohya who kind of annoyed him.

"Oh you're back." Sojiro acknowledged as he looked up at Akira's face. "What's with that scowl? You're gonna scare off any incoming customers."

"Isn't it about time to close up shop? I doubt that anybody else is going to be coming in." Akira noted much to Sojiro's chagrin.

"Well… I guess you have a point."

Akira walked up to the attic and started responding to Hifumi through text. She's recently begun to break out of her shell of servitude towards her mother and has been asking Akira for assistance on more than one occasion. Akira didn't complain though. Not only did she offer valuable aid for expeditions in the Metaverse but she herself is someone that Akira felt legitimate sympathy for.

"Shouldn't you go to bed? You look pretty tired." Morgana advised.

"Soon. I still have to visit Chihaya and help Mishima snap out from his inferiority complex." Akira quickly answered, only fueling Morgana's worries.

"Have it your way." Morgana said with a sigh. "I'm going out for a walk, it won't be long."

"Sure. Don't get hurt."

Morgana then left Leblanc by somehow slipping through the door without Sojiro noticing and went towards the Shibuya Walkway.

When he arrived there, he saw Ryuji, Yusuke, Ann and Makoto waiting at the railing they always held their meetings at.

"Ah, there you are Morgana." Ann noted, alerting the other Phantom Thieves.

"You better have a good reason for calling us out here…" Ryuji yawned.

"Indeed." Yusuke agreed. "And why is it that Akira can't be with us?"

"I'm curious too." Makoto acknowledged. "It's rather fortunate that my sister is working overnight today since this sounds pretty serious."

"Well…Akira's been acting… weird lately." Morgana stated indecisively.

"Weird how? Be more specific." Yusuke asked.

"He's just been strangely obsessive. Every second of the day he's either texting someone to help them with their problems or talking to someone to help them with their problems."

"You know, now that you mention it…" Ryuji started. "I have noticed that he's been talking to someone on the phone almost every time I try to talk to him."

"Is there something going on with him?" Ann asked. "Like, is he keeping something from us?"

"I don't know. I've tried asking him but he just plays it off." Morgana replied tiredly.

"He's always been quiet…" Makoto said mostly to herself.

"Well, he's our Leader so if something's wrong with him then it's going to affect future operations." Ryuji said gravely.

The other four gazed at Ryuji in astonishment.

"Wow Ryuji, that's probably the smartest thing I've heard you say."Ann gasped in shock.

"What?!" Ryuji snapped loudly. "I'm not that much of a dumbass!"

"Quiet down." Makoto sighed. "Let me talk to Akira-kun tomorrow."

"You Niijima-san?" Yusuke voiced in surprise. "No offense but the two of you aren't exactly the best casual talkers. Besides, both of you tend to get awkwardly quiet around each other sometimes."

"Um…you're right but…" Makoto accepted.

"No I think she's perfect." Morgana retorted. "He was just ignoring me but if the student council president were to inquire then it would probably get his attention."

The others nodded in agreement.

"I'll invite him to the student council room for lunch I guess." Makoto said.

"Good luck Niijima-san!" Ann waved as she left along with the others.

"Honestly… they could stand to be a little more concerned." Makoto sighed.

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In class the next morning, Akira got a text from Makoto for the first time and it wasn't in the Phantom Thieves group chat.

"Niijima-san messaged me? That's new." Akira said to himself as he read the message.

"Akira-kun, I'll be waiting for you in the student council room during lunch break." Akira recited. "Huh. She's as blunt in text as she is in conversation."

"Welp, I guess I have that to look forward to." Akira told himself as he waited for Kawakami's class to end.

Morgana smiled to himself form with the desk.

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"Hey." Akira greeted as he entered the student council room.

"Oh Akira-kun, glad you could make it." Makoto set the book she was reading to the side and prompted Akira to take a seat across from her.

"So…" Akira took a seat. "what's up with the sudden invitation?"

"I just wanted to ask you something personally." Makoto took a deep breath.

"Okaaay." Akira said aloud as he tried to alleviate the awkward atmosphere.

"Is there something wrong? You seem rather tired as of late."

"I've just been doing a lot of stuff lately." Akira answered vaguely much to Makoto's frustration.

"What kinds of things?"

"Oh just a part time job at a bar, a part time job at a flower shop store, a part time job at Big Bang Burger, meeting with an informant that helps with the Phantom Thieves image, helping a fortune teller escape from a religious sca-"

"Wait wait wait." Makoto halted him. "Did you just say that you have THREE part time jobs? And what's this about a fortune teller?"

Akira then told Makoto of all of the help he's been giving his Confidant Links and the effort he's put into his several part time jobs.

"Why exactly are you doing this?" Makoto asked angrily.

"Well, someone has to cough up the money for new equipment and items each time we enter a new palace."

"Wait, YOU'RE the one that buys all of the equipment?!" Makoto asked in astonishment.

"Uh yeah, I thought you knew?" Akira said in surprise.

"No no I thought that Takamaki-san and the others were earning money for our heists as well but I guess not." Makoto sighed in disappointment. "I would help but I don't get much free time with the duties I have to contend with as the student council president."

"I'm not blaming you Senpai." Akira reassured. "I just have nothing better to do so I decided to make shit tons of cash."

"I-I understand but please don't push yourself so much. Morgana was really worried."

"Oh he was? I'll be sure to apologize to him later then. I think he's with Ryuji and the others now…"

"And don't worry Akira-kun." Makoto suddenly formed a terrifying smile. "I'll be sure to make the others pay their long abandoned dues."

Needless to say, Akira was glad to be on her good side.

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