"YOU'RE LYING TO ME!" Sae yelled, slamming her palm onto the desk. Akira didn't flinch, but continued to look her straight in the eyes, unfazed. She could see the intelligence and calm in his eyes, and in that moment she understood what her sister might've seen in him, why he might've been a good fit for her. But it didn't matter, because she hated this boy, this boy who had corrupted her sister and involved her in his games, who had jeopardized her life and taken her innocence.
"I know you're lying," Sae said, her chest heaving. "Because you were over my apartment that night, with my little sister." Her lips twisted bitterly. "I'm sure you remember, don't you? So don't bother with your stories, I have no patience for them."
His eyebrows had shot up into his hair, and she felt oddly satisfied with herself for having managed to catch him off guard. "You're selfish," she continued. "You used Makoto, and then threw her away when you were done with her. You could've ruined her life. You seduced her into joining your little group, and then into having relations with you. You're no better than those "twisted adults" whose hearts you were changing."
Akira's jaw had tightened, and his eyes had narrowed. The corner of her mouth twitched upward. She had hit a nerve. "I never used her," he said firmly. "She's my teammate, and my friend. I loved her. I still do." He coughed weakly and winced, his injured body betraying his weakness. "I would've never forced her to do anything. Everything that our relationship was, it was because she wanted it that way."
"You know nothing about love," Sae snapped. "Don't speak to me about loving my sister. You haven't sacrificed for her the way I have. So don't act like your actions are justified because of 'love.' You don't know what you're talking about."
"And what do you know?!" he yelled at her, his voice cracking. "She showed you nothing but love and respect, everything that family members are supposed to show one another, and how did you repay her? By calling her a parasite that ate away at your life." Sae flinched, her expression softening. She could see the tears filling Akira's eyes, and she knew he was becoming emotional.
"She idolized you," he said quietly. "The principle was blackmailing her a few months ago, did you know that? He wanted her to spy on the students at Shujin to try and find the Phantom Thieves. She didn't want to, obviously. But he told her that if she didn't, your position as a prosecutor would be put in jeopardy." He smiled fondly through his tears. "She didn't do it for herself, she did it for you. That's just the kind of person she is."
Sae had sat back down across from him, fists clenched, eyes wide. Speechless. "And," he continued earnestly. "When we first snuck into Sojiro-san's house, she got scared because it was dark and Futaba had been creeping around, avoiding us. She was clinging onto me, but do you know who she was calling for? You." He laughed harshly. "She wanted her big sister to come and save her."
Sae could feel her lip quivering, and her eyes began to sting. She blinked the tears away angrily. She hadn't cried in years, and yet here she was, letting this teenage criminal get to her. "Does that make you feel nostalgic, Sae-san?" he asked, continuing to push her. "Does that make you feel sorry for how you treated her? You haven't even heard the worst yet." He sniffled sharply, and then wiped the water from his eyes. "Before we stole Kaneshiro's heart, we had to find a way to meet him. Do you know how we did it? Your sister confronted a few of his men alone. She got them to take her to Kaneshiro. When we found her, they had her pinned down. Do you know what kind of place it was in? You should've seen it. Prostitutes around every corner. Hard drugs on every table."
Sae had moved her hand up over her mouth, mortified. No. Not her little sister. She would never act so recklessly. "You're lying," she repeated, but the statement lacked the conviction that it had contained earlier. "She wouldn't do that."
Akira gently inclined his head. "But she did. And she was threatened with being sold off, too. But it didn't faze her." He looked up at Sae. "You wouldn't have been able to live with yourself if that had happened to her. But maybe then you'd understand what effect your words had on her, how deep her scars ran."
Sae laid her forehead briefly against the table. She was amazed at how deep of an understanding this boy seemed to have of her sister, and she was envious of him. Envious of the kindness that he had obviously given Makoto when she needed it most. She should've been the one that was there for her sister, not the delinquent who just moved into town.
But not only had she not been there for her sister to rely on her, but she was the direct cause of all her reckless decisions and depression. Sae had made her feel useless, unappreciated. Her mind lingered for a moment that Makoto, her baby sister, had been threatened with being sold into prostitution. The thought made her sick, and she could almost feel the bile rising up her throat.
No. Now was not the time for such thoughts. She had already allowed herself to get too emotional.
She took a deep breath before raising her head and speaking again. "So tell me what happened next."
