The Medjed threat against the Phantom Thieves was all anyone was talking about on my way to school. The news announcements on the train station, the morning commuters, and even my fellow Shujin students were all talking about it. Honestly speaking, the threat seemed somewhat odd and out of left field. I doubted if it was even real.
As I walked to the front school gate, I overheard a conversation between two students from another class. I had seen them around but I didn't know their names. Honestly, most of the students at Shujin looked very similar to one another.
"Did you hear about that Medjed threat to the Phantom Thieves last night?"
"Yeah, I did! Didn't they post something on their official website calling them out?"
"Basically, but do you think it's actually real?"
"Who knows. Maybe it's all a set-up to get the Phantom Thieves worldwide recognition."
"Huh, I never even thought of that!"
"Worldwide recognition? I didn't think about that either," I thought to myself. What if this really was a ploy just to increase the fame of the Phantom Thieves? No, that couldn't be. The Phantom Thieves I know are about justice for those who can't fend for themselves. There's no way they'd stage a stunt for popularity…would they?
When I got to my classroom, I realized that I had been so consumed in thought that my body moved on autopilot to my destination. I quickly snapped out of it as I walked to my seat and greeted Ann and Akira with a smile. They acknowledged me with a smile and nod back, but the both of them looked like they were on edge. They had this look that seemed like they were carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. I wondered what could be weighing so heavily on their minds.
"OK class, get your stuff ready. The bell's about to ring, and I'd like to get this lecture over with early. There isn't much material at the moment, so please pay attention," said Ms. Kawakami as she walked in the door. Speaking of people who had the weight of the world on their shoulders, Ms. Kawakami always seemed so tired and like she doesn't get enough sleep at night. In any case, I got my stuff prepared and after the first bell rang, I braced myself for another long, tediously boring day.
By the time final period came around, the day couldn't have gone any slower. Instead of paying attention I was wondering what I should do after school…
"Kasai-san, are you even listening over there?!"
I immediately turned my attention back towards the teacher. I hadn't even realized that I was dazing out the window for half the class. I wasn't paying attention at all, so I had no idea what the lecture was even about.
"Every word, sir," I responded back to the teacher with a confident nod. Anyone could tell that I was lying though. I just prayed he didn't ask me to answer a question.
"Every word, huh? So you wouldn't mind answering a question right now then," said the teacher with a menacing look on his face.
I nervously gave a smile as I nodded again as I responded, "Y-yeah, I can answer a question." I averted my gaze from the teacher's as I anxiously waited for him to hit me with something I probably had no idea what the answer was.
"What is the reasoning behind individuals seeing the world differently?"
Oh, this was an easy one. I breathed a sigh of relief as I opened my mouth to answer and replied confidently, "Well, no two people are alike so the brain takes visual information and creates an image that corresponds to the individual's cognition. That's why we all see the world a little differently."
As impressed as the teacher was, I could also see how frustrated he was with my ability to answer the question. As I gave my answer, all eyes on the classroom were on me to see if I would mess up, but as soon as the teacher confirmed I was right, everyone was shocked. They all whispered things like, "maybe she's not a complete rich airhead," and "woah, do you think she actually knew that?" I smiled proudly as I went back to daydreaming. I decided that today after school maybe I would ask Takamaki-chan to take me to Leblanc if she wasn't too busy, or maybe I'll go on my own. I eventually have to learn how to navigate on my own.
Riiiiiiiiing!
Finally! The last bell rang, and I immediately began to put stuff away. When I was done, I leaned forward and was about to ask Ann if she'd like to hang out today, but she seemed to be in a discussion with Akira. I noticed that periodically throughout the day the two were checking their phones simultaneously so they're group chat I believed they were in must be talking about something important. Without meaning to eavesdrop, I heard Ann mention something about "meeting at the hideout as soon as possible" and I also heard the faint sound of meowing which must have been Akira's smuggled cat. I had to stifle a laugh when I heard Ann mention a hideout because it sounded akin to a child playing a game, but I deduced that maybe she would be too busy so I was flying solo again.
I immediately rushed back home and changed from my uniform into my casual clothes. Even though summer was about to be ending, it was still pretty warm outside so I put on one of my flowery sundresses and a pair of classic black Chuck Taylor's. I stood and looked in the mirror at myself as a small smile crept across my lips. As the child of wealthy parents, most people would think my wardrobe would be adorned with designer clothes and such, but this dress was actually handmade by my best friend, Raine. Surprisingly, Raine really had a keen sense for what would maximize my features and all of her clothes were more gorgeous than most expensive garments I could buy, in my eyes at least. So I packed a small bag that could hold my belongings and pulled up the train schedules on my phone. I missed the first train to Yongen, but luckily for me there was one coming in the next 15 minutes. I made my way to the station, and the train pulled up just in time.
When I boarded, I managed to grab a seat amongst the large mass of people. I situated myself in my seat and got comfortable as I pulled out a magazine from my bag. I found it all on its lonesome amongst the magazine ad racks in the subway station. Something about it had just stuck out to me so I grabbed it. Conveniently, it was a magazine about places to visit in Yongen-Jaya, and as I flipped through the pages, I found an article about Leblanc Coffee and Curry. The article raved about the masterful coffee perfectly paired with curry that the owner crafts himself.
Yongen-Jaya. This is Yongen-Jaya.
The sound from the speakers of the train station averted my attention from my magazine. I tucked it away and made my way off the train. The station in Yongen seemed smaller than the one in Shibuya so it was easier to navigate. I simply waked up one flight of stairs and found myself walking down a small street. Along the way, I passed a couple restaurants and even a second-hand shop but no Leblanc. To my luck, there was an officer nearby so I asked him where I could find the café. He pointed me in the right direction and I thanked him as I made haste to my destination.
Once I turned on the right street, there was no denying that I was close. The rich aroma of fresh brewed coffee emanated all down the block, and I couldn't be any happier. I proceeded to walk following the smell and as I got closer, I could hear voices coming from the café. The odd thing was that when I reached the coffee shop, I could hear voices but the sign read that it was "closed". I stood there for a second contemplating whether I should walk in when I heard the patrons inside talking with a sense of urgency. I could hear the voices talking about the Phantom Thieves and something called Alibaba, whatever that was. I could also hear the TV playing in the background, so I figured that the shop had to be open.
Before I could put my hand on the knob, the door opened and I was suddenly standing face to face with that boy I had met before, Ryuji. He exclaimed in shock as he took a step back from me.
"What the hell! Didn't you see the closed sign on the door," he said with a somewhat harsh tone.
"Ryuji! Don't be so rude! I honestly wonder what's wrong with you sometimes…" said a contempt familiar female voice. If I didn't know any better, I would say that it sounded like Ann-chan's voice.
I opened the door and noticed that all my friends from Shujin were here as well as one boy that I hadn't met yet. I walking in and smoothed my clothes before I saying, "I saw the sign but I heard so much noise from the outside that I thought maybe it was open…plus I was about to just walk in before Sakamoto-kun opened the door for me."
I laughed at the incident that just took place as Ryuji just scratched the back of his head embarrassed. Ann-chan shook her head at him disappointingly, and then Makoto stepped in.
"It's nice to see you hear. Did you come to enjoy Boss's delicious coffee as well, Senna," asked Makoto in that diplomatic tone of voice of hers.
"Ah, yes, the Boss's coffee is something to experience," said the one boy I didn't know. He had a certain mysterious air about him, and he was quite good looking too.
"Boss," I questioned with a quizzical tone of voice. "Is that the name of the man who owns this place?"
Everyone nodded in unison, and then the mystery boy stood and approached me.
"Forgive my insolence as I have so rudely failed to introduce myself. My name is Yusuke Kitagawa, pleased to make your acquaintance, Kasai-kun."
I could feel the faint heat invading my cheeks as I began to blush lightly before responding, "Nice to meet you, too, Kitagawa-kun. I'm assuming Makoto or Ann-chan have told you about me, and that's how you know my name."
"Yes, Takamaki-chan has mentioned you to me prior to this, and I am honored to meet you."
Yusuke was very proper and well mannered. Watching as he interacted with me, it made me wonder how he could be friends with someone as loud and vulgar as Ryuji.
"Well, Boss actually left shop early today so that we could use it, but since you're here I'm sure Akira wouldn't mind making you some coffee, Senna-chan. He works here so he can make a pretty good cup…but not as good as Boss" said Ann with a hint of a mocking tone to her voice.
I looked over at Akira who was sitting in one of the booths beside Makoto. He simply smiled and nodded after Ann spoke so I took that as yes to him making coffee. So I stepped forward and sat at the bar facing everyone and nodded in return. "I would love that, if you don't mind Kurusu-kun. But I don't want to impose if the shop is closed."
Akira then proceeded to get behind the bar and start making the coffee. As he brewed the beans, the smell emanating from them was heavenly and my mouth began to water slightly. After he served me the coffee, he looked me in the eyes and said, "It's no problem," all with a smile on his face. When I took the first sip, the richness and culmination of flavor were amazing. It was different from most other coffee I had in New York, but was also more delicious. This coffee was made with care and time, as opposed to the rushed, mass produced coffee to serve a plethora of people that you often get back home.
As I drank my coffee, we all socialized and engaged in conversation. I stayed quiet for the most part since it was quite entertaining to watch all these different personalities interact with each other. However, the pleasant time we were sharing together was abruptly interrupted by the television in the background.
Breaking News: This just in, the culprit behind the mental shutdown cases seems to have struck again. About an hour ago, another train conductor seemingly became unresponsive as he recklessly drove a train headed toward the Shibuya station too fast and off the rails. While luckily many escaped with just injured, there were quite a few fatalities. Among these fatalities were high ranking government officials, officers in the police force, and most notably Mr. and Mrs. Kasai of Kasai Industries the weapons company. Their one and only daughter, Senna Kasai, survive them. We extend our deepest apologies to all of those affected by this incident.
As the news read off the victims, my heart immediately sank down into my stomach. I could feel everyone's gaze on me as I closed my eyes to fight back my tears. The only thing I thought to myself was that none of this real, and when I got home my parents might be there waiting for me. I felt like I was going to be sick. I wanted to run away and hide in a hole where no one could find me. But, with this accident, there was no way I could even take the train home. So I buried my head in my hand and began to sob silently as everyone surrounded me and tried to extend their condolences, but no one could take this pain away from me. None of their constant apologies could fill this emptiness I felt growing inside, and the worst part was, I wasn't even surprised. For some reason, after I read that note, I had a sneaking suspicion something like this would happen. I didn't even get to say goodbye.
"I'm so sorry, Senna-chan. I can't even imagine how this must feel for you," said Ann with sadness in her voice.
I wiped my tears and quickly pulled myself together. I couldn't allow myself to break down completely in front of these people I didn't even know that well. "It's ok, Ann-chan," I said with an empty tone, "I'll be ok. I promise."
Makoto sighed as she reassuringly placed her hand on my shoulder. "If you need anything at all, we're all here for you. Remember that," said Makoto. As she spoke, I looked into her eyes and it seemed as if she herself was almost about to break into tears. As I looked around the room and saw everyone trying to empathize with me, I couldn't help but smile a little through my tears. How it that this group of people who barely knew me could be so invested in how I feel?
"The trains undoubtedly will be very delayed, if not closed all together. We should devise a plan on how each of us will be getting home," said Yusuke. He was right…if the train derailed there was a good possibility of the other lines cancelling transportation.
"Well, actually, I had already arranged for Sis to pick me up since she's taking a short break before working overnight, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind taking all of us. The only thing is not all of us fit…" said Makoto.
"Considering that I have stayed here before, I'll let Kasai-san take my place. I'm sure Akira doesn't mind," said Yusuke thoughtfully.
However, while they were talking, I took the liberty of looking up the train schedules, and there was no mention of cancelling transportation. I shook my head as I looked at everyone and said, "Actually, the trains are delayed but still running, so if it's ok with you Akira-kun, I'd like to stay here for a bit longer."
Akira didn't mind that I stayed a little longer, and so everyone left with Makoto's sister. They were all so nice to me, but I couldn't understand why.
As I sat at the bar, Akira made me another cup of coffee and sat with me in silence. Finally, he looked over at me and asked if I was ok. I looked down at the drink in front of me as I felt a tear begin to escape my eye.
"I'll be ok…it just hurts, you know? My parents aren't around much at home. Heck, I haven't seen them around the past three days. They're always so busy at work, and we're never home at the same time. They'll occasionally leave me notes or send me messages to remind me that they love me, but it's different when it's not face to face. A message or an email has no emotion attached to it. It can't fill me with warmth or show me it loves me. I didn't even get to say goodbye…"
I closed my eyes and fought back the stream of tears that I could feel was ready to overflow. I was getting more upset, too, because I was subjecting Akira to listen to me when I'm sure he didn't really care. Yet, sitting here with him and opening up felt very natural and easy. I was telling things to this boy whom I barely knew for a few days things that I'd normally keep to myself. Perhaps it was because it had been so long since a person was willing to listen to me.
"…And now I'll go back home to an empty house. I didn't mind before because there was always this hope that my parents might be waiting for me, but now that's gone. Now every time I go home will just be a reminder that I'm all alone now in a city that I'm unfamiliar with. This is honestly unbelievable. And I'm sorry that I'm making you sit here and listen to me."
"You're not making me," replied Akira. He was a very compassionate, kind person, and as he responded to me, his cat jumped up on to the counter and nuzzled its head on me. Between Akira's words and he cats actions, I couldn't stop the smile from creeping across my face. I was finally able to wipe my tears and begin to ready my belongings to leave.
When I stood up, Akira offered to walk me to the train station, which I politely declined. As much as I complained about being alone, I needed time to sort out my thoughts. Plus, he had already listened to me enough. And so, I said goodbye, petted the cat one time, and left for the train station to be on my way home.