A/n: just a quick note about pancakes :P . I've been getting quite a few comments from readers asking about the pancakes incident. Yes, it happened. And no, no one remembers it at the moment. Like in the game, it happened so long ago that no one remembers it anymore. They will remember when the time is right.
Wings of Rebellion
Written by Aiyumi
Disclaimer: Persona and all related characters are property of Atlus. Any trademarks that may be referenced in this fan fiction are properties of their respective owners. I am just a fan and do not have any relations to said people/companies.
Chapter 11: In Front of the Camera
Friday, September 30
Akechi had gotten a sudden call from the TV studio informing he would be featured in a TV show about young talents. Since his TV career didn't matter much to him anymore, he wasn't too keen on going, but he chose to go because skipping TV appearances was unusual behavior for him and might make the organization suspect something was up.
Akechi went to the TV station building and was seated on a couch in the waiting room. He had heard that he would be interviewed alongside a promising model named Ann Takamaki. Modeling wasn't among his topics of interest, and he had no idea who that young model was. The call from the studio had been so last minute that Akechi didn't have time to check the details. What was his surprise when someone from the staff beckoned Takamaki-san into the waiting room, the door opened, and Akira's female blond friend entered.
"Um, Akechi-kun, good afternoon..." She greeted him shyly.
"... Oh, so it was you!" Akechi was so surprised that he was unable to keep his usual formal mask.
"... Huh?" Takamaki-san startled.
"Uh, sorry, I hadn't known your name..." It was embarrassing to admit that. Even more awkward was to think that he had known her Phantom Thief code name, but not her real name. "I had heard I'd be interviewed alongside someone named Ann Takamaki, but I could've never imagined it was you. What a coincidence, isn't it? The world's such a small place..."
"Yeah..." She laughed a little. "When the model agency told me I'd be on TV with you, I was surprised too." Takamaki-san sat down on the couch across from him. "Um, Akechi-kun, are you excited about this interview?"
"To be honest, not really."
"Oh. Akira said that you're having second thoughts about your celeb status."
"She said that?" Akechi raised an eyebrow. "Yes, it's true, though. It's precisely the reason I'm not too excited about this interview. At least having a familiar face around should make it less boring..."
"Um, you mean me?" Takamaki-san shuffled awkwardly. "I'm so nervous... I've done interviews for magazines before, but it's my first time on TV. Akechi-kun, you're used to this TV stuff, right?"
Akechi nodded. "I have been trained to be on TV."
"Trained? Wow... I might ruin your spotlight, then. I'm a total newbie at this, and have no idea what I'm doing..."
Unlike him, Takamaki-san needed the publicity for her future as a model. And when Akechi realized it, his goal had changed from, "endure the interview and pretend not to be bored," to, "help Takamaki-san go through the interview."
"Okay, I'll try to give you a hand if you get stuck."
"Whoa. Really? Thanks..." Takamaki-san seemed both surprised and grateful, and a smile broke through her insecurity. "Oh, I have an idea! So, how about we drop by the crepes store after this?"
Akechi was taken off guard by the sudden question. "... You want me to come too?"
"Yeah. Neither of us is too thrilled about this interview, right? So, I thought having some kind of goal'd keep us motivated. Unless you don't like crepes..."
Akechi shook his head politely. "No, that's not it. I just didn't expect you to invite me. Crepes sound good to me, though. I'll take you up on your offer."
A man from the production staff came to inform them that the time had come.
"Ah... oh my god..." Nervousness got the better of Takamaki-san, and she shut her eyes tightly.
"Calm down. It'll be fine." Akechi tried to assure her.
her eyes opened and looked at him in search of support. Akechi could feel that Takamaki-san was depending on him...
"I am thou, thou art I... thou hast acquired a new vow, the Ann Takamaki Confidant. It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity. With the birth of the Lovers Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power..."
And yet another new bond had to form and take Akechi by surprise.
Akechi blinked the Tarot card vision away, and nodded supportively at Takamaki-san. "Let's go." He stood up from the couch and left the waiting room, with Takamaki-san trailing behind.
... ... ... ... ...
"Today's featured talented youths are these two!" The TV show hostess announced. "Please, introduce yourselves and tell us a bit about what you do."
Akechi took the lead. "Hello, my name is Goro Akechi. I'm a third-year high school student, but some people call me a detective because I also do some investigative work in my free time."
The hostess gave the word to Takamaki-san.
"Um, hi. I'm Ann Takamaki. I'm a second-year high school student at Shujin Academy." She more or less mimicked Akechi's introduction structure. "I aim to become a professional model!" She chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm so nervous! It's my first time on TV, so please bear with me."
So far, so good.
"Takamaki-san surely has some distinct visual traits, doesn't she?" The hostess noted. "Takamaki-san, you must get this question a lot, but are you a foreigner?"
"No. I'm Japanese, but my grandmother is American."
"Oh! Do you speak English?" The hostess asked curiously.
"I do. I'm not a native speaker, though, and my accent isn't the best..."
"Do you mind giving us that same self-introduction, but in English?"
"H-huh?!" Insecurity took over Takamaki-san's face. "O-okay, I'll try..."
She recited her self-introduction in English. Both the hostess and Akechi clapped their hands at the end, and Takamaki-san blushed.
"Akechi-kun, what about you? Do you also have English skills?" The hostess asked him.
"Um..." Akechi was caught off guard despite all his training. "I think it's important to learn English because it greatly broadens one's ability to look up information. I can understand some English, but speaking is very hard for me."
"Uh... want to give it a try?" Takamaki-san asked him tentatively, out of the microphone's range.
"... Me?" Akechi was the one embarrassed now. "Right after Takamaki-san's performance, no less?" He shook his head. "No thanks. I'll pass. Uh, well, if not even Takamaki-san's accent is perfect, then mine will probably butcher the language. I'd rather not take the risk..."
On one hand, this incident was embarrassing to Akechi, but Takamaki-san had fared well, and this might boost her confidence a little.
"Okay. Moving on." The hostess went to the next question. "Choosing a profession is an important step in life, and may be difficult even to adults. Amazingly, these two are so young, and already know what they want! Takamaki-san, what made you decide to become a model?"
"Uh, my parents are fashion designers, and one day they needed a model for an event. But the model didn't come, and I ended up acting as a sub. The people watching looked so happy, and it was so fun that I decided to continue!"
"A 'sub?'" Akechi asked out of the microphone's range.
"Ah, substitute. Sorry..." Takamaki-san fidgeted.
"Akechi-kun, what made you decide to become a detective?"
"Since I enjoy solving mysteries and puzzles, I figured detective would be a suitable profession for me." While this was true, it wasn't the whole truth. His real motivation had been that he wanted to find out Shido's whereabouts.
"You even have a detective name! Goro Akechi. It's similar to Kogoro Akechi, the famous fictional detective character! Forgive me for asking, but is this really your real name?"
"Yes. My mother was a fan of the Kogoro Akechi books and named me after him. I guess this fact also contributed to my decision of becoming a detective. It was too fitting to ignore." There was more to it, but he wouldn't get into details.
"Pretty cool." Takamaki-san commented.
"Akechi-kun, you also do detective work for the police, and your popularity has earned you the title of Second Coming of the Detective Prince. How do you feel to have gotten this title?"
Now that Akechi thought about it, he felt horrible. His reputation as a detective had been built around manipulated cases. He definitely didn't deserve that title, as unofficial as it was.
"That isn't an official title." He explained. "My fans only began calling me that because I'm a high school student doing detective work, similar to the original Detective Prince. At first, I didn't know anything about the original Detective Prince, except that it was someone named Naoto Shirogane. Then I looked the person up, and... wow. Shirogane-san is amazing. She's actually a detective princess, not a prince, but people had given her that title because she used to hide her gender to avoid being discriminated in the male-dominated field. But now she doesn't hide her real gender anymore, and is admired as a highly competent detective. I really admire her work. And honestly, I don't think I can be compared to her."
"Aww, he's so modest, isn't he?" The hostess asked no one in particular.
"No, I'm not." Akechi shook his head, genuinely embarrassed. He was a disgrace to Shirogane-san's title. "For one, Shirogane-san had a nice head start because her grandfather is a detective, and she had been earning experience in the field from the time she was little. Meanwhile, I'm just starting out. I don't think it's fair to compare both of us."
"Oh, don't worry. As you said yourself, you're just starting out. You still have a whole life ahead of you!"
Akechi awkwardly muttered his thanks, sure that the woman's words didn't apply. His days were already numbered.
The hostess proceeded to ask Takamaki-san some questions. When Takamaki-san got stuck in her answers, Akechi tried to help her along, and when she spoke too much modeling jargon, he asked her to clarify.
"I apologize for intruding so much," Akechi said even though his intrusions had been on purpose to help Takamaki-san get her messages across. "I'm unfamiliar with the modeling-related terms, and sometimes it sounds like Takamaki-san is speaking in another language... that's not English."
The hostess chuckled. "It's fine. The clarifications enrich the presentation, and should be good for those in the audience unfamiliar with the terms, too. By the way, you two seem to get along well. Had you known each other before?"
"I had run into him at a TV station during a school field trip, but we didn't talk much." Takamaki-san answered. "Just greetings and some random small talk, like when you try to talk to strangers and end up discussing weather, and that was it."
"It was only today that I learned her name," Akechi said, and both the hostess and Takamaki-san laughed.
A few more questions later...
"It's almost time to wrap the show up!" The hostess announced. Just when Akechi thought the interview would be over... "But Akechi-kun, there's something I would like to ask you. Anyone who has heard of you knows that you have your eyes glued to the cases involving the Phantom Thieves. Any news on your investigation about the Phantom Thieves? Everyone is dying to know!"
Takamaki-san tensed.
Great. Just what I needed... Akechi thought sarcastically.
"Sorry to disappoint, but nothing significant yet."
"Even though there is nothing in the Okumura Foods front, there are new gratitude messages on the Phantom Thieves forum." The hostess pointed out. "It seems to indicate the Phantom Thieves are active and are fulfilling smaller requests. Do you think they may have decided to ignore Mr. Okumura and the rankings? The fans are going crazy!"
Takamaki-san seemed to be holding her breath now.
"Perhaps the Okumura Foods case is too hard for them? It's the president of a big multinational company we are talking about. I had said something similar during the Medged case. I had doubted the Phantom Thieves would be able to defeat Medged, and they still did it, on the last day before Medged's deadline, no less. But it took around a month from the day Medged declared war until the day the Phantom Thieves defeated them. I think we just need to be patient. It still hasn't been a month since Mr. Okumura's name got to the top of the rankings."
"And you will only wait and do nothing?"
"As frustrating as it is, there's no other way. No one knows where the Phantom Thieves are or what they might be doing. Their only tracks are the news and comments on the Internet. I can't continue my investigation unless new information appears."
"Akechi-kun, you have been opposing the Phantom Thieves ever since, and have even compared the changes of heart to brainwashing. However, the results of the Phantom Thieves' actions seem largely positive so far. They even saved us from Medged's cyber terrorism threat!" The hostess observed. "Takamaki-san?" And Takamaki-san jumped. "I'm sure the audience would like to hear your opinion as well! What do you think of the Phantom Thieves?"
"Huh? ... Me?!" Takamaki-san was even more nervous. "I... I b-believe they are just... um, I mean, there are lots of gratitude messages from people and all..."
"Looks like we have a Phantom Thieves fan here! Akechi-kun, still no chance of your opinion about the Phantom Thieves changing?" The hostess gaze was almost expectant.
That hostess was clearly a Phantom Thieves supporter, and one of the naive TV staffers not yet corrupted by Shido's followers. Akechi's opinion had already changed, but his statements must be consistent with what he had already said before, or the organization might figure his true intentions out.
"Even though their actions' so far seem positive as both of you pointed out, I don't want to hastily jump to conclusions. Plus, I still believe that forcefully changing people's minds is something very dangerous. It's undeniable that these sudden changes of heart have points in common to the psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns, and we still have no evidence to rule out the possibility of the Phantom Thieves being the ones responsible. This is why I must investigate. I'll get to the bottom of this case and gather proof to clear these doubts once and for all. Once I'm 101% confident in my conclusions, you can be sure that I will share them with all of you."
"If, in the end, there is conclusive proof that you have misjudged the Phantom Thieves, will you admit you had been wrong?"
"If there is conclusive proof, yes, of course. I have been getting a lot of backlash from fans whenever I make a mistake, and if there's one thing I have learned from this, it's that I should admit to my mistakes."
"These were some wise words!" The hostess seemed a bit disappointed that his opinion didn't seem about to change, but praised him anyway. "We can only wait and see how both you and this case will develop! And with this young boy's wise words, we wrap today's show up. Akechi-kun, Takamaki-san, thank you for your time. I wish both of you success in your careers!"
They left the studio and were in the elevator. Akechi was more tired than he thought he would be. Probably because of the Phantom Thieves questions which he had to quickly think at least twice before answering. His statements needed to be consistent with what he had said in previous interviews so as not to trigger alarms in the organization members.
Takamaki-san also wasn't faring too well, for obvious reasons.
"Takamaki-san, are you okay?"
"Ah!" She jumped slightly. "Um, yeah... sorry, I was nervous until the end." She tried to hide the fact that the worst of her nervousness was because of his Phantom Thieves comments.
"You did well."
She shook her head. "No. You had to keep stepping in all the time..."
"But you got all your ideas across, and said everything you should." And didn't say anything she shouldn't for that matter. Not that anyone had reasons to suspect her of being a Phantom Thief, though.
"Uh, thanks. Akechi-kun, your help meant a lot, really. I had no idea what to do there..."
"You're welcome. And now you have a bit more experience for the next TV interview."
"Hey, don't talk about a next interview. This one was already hard enough... I still need to recover!"
Akechi allowed a soft laugh to leave his mouth.
They left the building. On the way to the train station, they passed a restaurant. At the sight of Akechi, some teens that had likely watched the interview from the restaurant's TV began shouting and booing him.
"Akechi, get lost!"
"Quit trying to steal the Phantom Thieves' spotlight! Just give up and leave them alone!"
"Ann-chan! Stay away from him, cutie! This guy's worthless!"
"Phantom Thieves, what are you doing?! Take this jerk's heart already and make him apologize in public!"
The haters wanted to see him humiliated. Ironically, this was probably what would end up happening. After everything Akechi had done, he was sure he deserved the humiliation. Once they had managed to take Shido's heart, Akechi intended to reveal the truth publicly. He would formally apologize to the Phantom Thieves, confess his crimes and turn himself in to the police. This would make the Phantom thieves finally figure out that he was Crow, the one responsible for all those atrocities. The members closest to him would probably be hurt, feel betrayed by that revelation. But it would already be too late and Akechi wouldn't be in condition to see their reactions anymore. Most importantly, Shido would be arrested and not become prime minister, the Phantom Thieves' justice would be proven once and for all, and everyone else would live happily ever after...
Ann had been already nervous because of her inexperience with TV interviews, and the Phantom Thieves questions and Akechi's comments made her nervousness even worse. Contrary to what it seemed, Ann could tell that Akechi wasn't in his best element, either. And it didn't seem to be just because he was in that interview against his will. During the interview, Ann kept looking at Akechi to follow his example of how to behave in front of the camera, and also because she had gotten curious after her friends kept mentioning how Akechi was opening up and all. Even though everything seemed well on the surface, Akechi's eyes showed a hint of sadness from time to time, which he was quick to hide.
Now, Ann was feeling bad for Akechi at seeing those guys harassing him. They wanted the Thieves to change someone's heart just for the sake of it, just to eliminate opposition, like twisted tyrants. Never mind that Akechi didn't have a Palace. Forcefully changing people's hearts in repression was wrong. But the public didn't care, and only wanted to watch everything burn as though it were a game. This wasn't the reaction the Phantom Thieves wanted from the public. Their goal was to encourage others to face the adversities in life, not this chaos...
Even with all that hostility, Akechi held his head high. It looked like he was really serious about getting to the bottom of that case. However, his determined posture contrasted with the sadness in his eyes. The same sadness he had tried to hide during the interview, now showing clearer than ever.
"It must be tough to deal with all of that." Ann spoke once the haters were out of earshot.
"This is the general public for you." Akechi chuckled resignedly. "Ha. To think I began my TV appearances because I had been seeking people's approval... but you know what? I've realized that I don't need their approval to do what I must do. Quite ironic, right?" He smiled weakly. "Uh, thanks for the concern, though."
Once more, Akechi pushed his sadness to the background and tried to appear strong. Ann knew the sadness was still there, though. She wanted to comfort him, but wasn't sure how. She recalled Akira and Futaba bringing up how messed-up Akechi's childhood had been, and how ostracized and lonely he was. Now he had been realizing his popularity on TV didn't provide him what he wanted. Akechi must feel he didn't fit in anywhere, and that was a feeling Ann had known all too well. She wanted to tell him that there were people who cared about him. She cared, and she knew at least Akira cared, too. Ann wished Akechi would open up to her. But they were practically strangers. They had barely talked to each other, and she knew he wouldn't open up to her just yet. So, Ann concluded that all she could do for now was keep him company and take him to the crepes store.
They rode the train in silence and came out at the Shibuya station. There, they ran into someone Ann didn't want to see at the moment.
"Hi, Ann-chan!"
"Hi, Mika..." Ann greeted the girl back with no enthusiasm whatsoever.
"Akechi-kun!" Mika flashed a wide and exaggerated smile at Akechi. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person! My name is Mika. No need for honorifics. I'm also a model, and have been featured in magazines together with Ann-chan a few times. Right, Ann-chan?"
"Yeah..." Ann confirmed dryly. "So, you were waiting to ambush us here?"
"Ambush? What a rough word to use, Ann-chan." Mika did a mock offended face. "I watched the show on the big screen in Shibuya, and just thought I might manage to welcome you back here at the station, or if I got lucky, both of you. It seems I have good fortune today!" An unnatural happy face, and a bright smile. "Akechi-kun, I saw that you kept having to step in to help her. She can be quite the airhead sometimes..." A giggle. "Just kidding." (not) "I just hope it wasn't much trouble."
"Oh, It was no trouble at all." Akechi waved it off. "She has fared quite well, despite not having gotten any training for talking in public."
"You were given special training?!" Mika's face lit up. "Wow, you're really a pro! That's a whole different level. No wonder why you're so amazing!" She threw him flattery words for good measure. "How about we go to a restaurant to talk more? There's so much I'd like to know about your TV career..." Mika pouted.
"Mika, a restaurant, seriously? What about all those diets?" Ann remarked and ruined Mika's acting.
Mika did a disgruntled face, but recovered quickly. "Hey, don't be a killjoy, Ann-chan. Let me have my moment! So, Akechi-kun?" Mika gave him one of those seductive glances of hers that made most men drool. Rather than just trying to talk, it seemed more like she was flirting with him. It was weird.
"Mika-san," Akechi said, even though Mika had stated there was no need for honorifics. "I apologize for ruining your moment, but I already have an appointment today."
"I-is that so?" Mika looked frustrated because her seductive glance didn't work on him. Still, she didn't give up. "Um, then, how about we trade phone numbers and set up another time?"
"Sorry, but I can't go giving my number to everyone, as getting a lot of calls from random fans would be rather inconvenient." Akechi quickly shot her down.
"Uh, I... understand. Then, if we ever see each other again... Akechi-kun, thanks for your time. Have a nice day!" Mika left in a hurry, desperately trying to hide the expression of utter defeat on her face.
Ann gaped in awe. That was amazing. Mika's acting always earned favors from people of the opposite gender, both fans and men from the agency alike. However, Akechi not only didn't fall for her tricks, but also showed her that she wasn't invincible.
"Ah! Wait..." Ann recalled Akechi's words from earlier and gasped. "Akechi-kun, sorry. You said you have another appointment..."
"Aren't we going to the crepes store? ... If you're still up for it, that is."
"Uh, yeah... sure!" Ann laughed in embarrassment. For a moment, she had thought Akechi already had an appointment scheduled beforehand, and she had caused him an inconvenience by inviting him to the crepes store.
Akechi followed Takamaki-san to the crepes store, and they were talking while having their crepes.
"Um, about Mika. She's totally fooled me at first. She may look all nice and friendly, but it's just an act." Ann told Akechi.
"I could tell."
"Wow. You know? You're the first person I've seen that didn't fall for her tricks! How did you figure it out?"
"Just some detective deductions," he said playfully. "First, the way you seemed uncomfortable when she approached us spoke volumes. You seem to be a kind person, and the fact that her presence bothered you so much could only mean that something was up with her. Second, she was trying too hard to appear nice, and her exaggerated smiles and expressions looked rather forced. This point bothered me the most, because... um, as you've probably noticed, I'm guilty of doing some of those things too."
"Y-yeah, I've noticed."
"It's the way I've been trained to behave in public, especially in front of the camera. Flash friendly smiles, offer flattery words and the politically correct responses people would like to hear. Only now that I've seen someone else overdoing it, I've realized how annoying it can be."
"You haven't done those things much today, though."
Akechi raised an eyebrow. "You were paying attention?"
Takamaki-san chuckled. "Yeah. I didn't know how to behave in the interview, but since I was sure you knew what you were doing, I tried to use you as example."
"Oh, that was a smart move. I honestly have no idea where Mika-san's airhead comment came from."
Takamaki-san blushed. "Uh, um... today I think you behaved naturally most of the time. I think it's better this way."
"Hmm. Yes, I haven't bothered much with those 'techniques' today. On one hand, I'm glad I didn't get you to mimic those forced gestures. But on the other hand, I don't know. If I don't behave the way the producers want, they might kill me." Literally, if the organization were to deem his behavior change to be a reason to suspect him of betrayal.
"You mean they not only impose how you should look, but they're also the ones who decide what you can and what you can't do and say? Akira told me that you said you're at the producers' mercy. Was this what you meant?"
"Sounds like Akira is proving to be quite the gossip, huh?" Akechi sighed. "But yes, that's pretty much it."
"That's horrible!" Takamaki-san was indignant. "You don't have any freedom at all?!"
"This is how it is."
They continued eating their crepes. Takamaki-san kept glancing at him as though she wanted to say something, but she didn't, and they finished the crepes in silence.
"Um, so, how did you like the crepes?" Takamaki-san spoke up awkwardly.
"They were great. It had never occurred to me to try out chocolate crepes. Thanks for the recommendation."
"I've recommended them to Mika, too, but she refused to even try them out. Ah well, her loss."
They were back on the street and were about to part ways.
"Akechi-kun." Takamaki-san addressed him, with a serious expression. "You're having second thoughts about your TV career..."
"Please, just don't spread rumors." Akechi cut her off. "The public and the TV staff must not know about this."
"The TV staff? You mean you'll keep quiet and continue doing whatever they want? They're using you! It isn't right! You shouldn't just bow down and accept that! Maybe you should just quit..."
"I can't."
"They won't even let you quit? This should be your choice, not theirs!"
"If only it were that simple..." Akechi couldn't quit. Quitting would be a giveaway of his betrayal intent. Plus, even though the Phantom Thieves weren't aware, they were depending on him to keep stalling on TV to buy them time.
"Um, okay. I don't know the specifics, but if you need support, or help with something, or just someone to talk to... well, remember you have Akira. She cares a great deal about you. Um, and of course, if there's anything I can do, I'll support you, too."
And there came one of those heartwarming speeches that touched him in a way only a Phantom Thief's magic could... accompanied by the Lovers Confidant ranking up. That was a first. Two ranks in just one day!
A smile broke into Akechi's face. "Thanks. I'll be going now. Speaking of Akira, please send her my regards if you see her." He slowly turned away and left.
Akira was in her room talking to her mother on the phone.
"Akira, your friends are really something, aren't they? That boy, Kitagawa-kun, is the winner of that art competition. And you had told me about Ann-chan, your classmate that's a model. She's the girl that appeared in today's young talents feature, right?"
"Yeah, it's her!"
"Wow! Being forced to move to Tokyo was tough for you, but it'll be good if you manage to have nice memories of your stay by the end. I'm glad you've been making friends, but tell me. Nothing more than that yet?"
"Huh? You mean..."
"I mean it's about time you begin considering to get a boyfriend! The easiest place to find someone interesting should be at school. That was how I met your dad! Okay, that was in college, not high school, but whatever. Since the school has so many people, it's the place where you have the highest chances of meeting someone interesting. Akira, you've been there for almost half a year already. It should've been enough time for you to have won at least a boy's heart, or a boy to have won yours..."
"Mom..."
But Mrs. Kurusu was lost in her high school romance fantasies. "Ideally, if only you could find someone good-looking and smart... you know, like that cute detective boy from TV."
"What? A-Akechi-kun?"
"He was with Ann-chan on TV just a while ago. He's so polite and well-behaved, isn't he? And the way he kept helping Ann-chan along... he seems to be such a sweetheart! Too bad he doesn't like the Phantom Thieves..."
That last part was unexpected.
"Uh, Mom, do you believe in the Phantom Thieves?" Akira asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I do! I've read so many good things about them! I just wish they were around at the time your false charges happened..."
Come to think of it, the Phantom Thieves only came about because the false charges happened. If Akira hadn't been forced to move to Tokyo, the group wouldn't have formed. Anyway, Akira was glad to hear that her mother believed in the Phantom Thieves.
"Isn't there a way for you to meet Akechi-kun, though?" Her mother insisted.
"Uh, actually, we've already met. It was during a school trip to the TV studio. Then I ran into him again at the hotel when I went to attend the entrepreneurship course, and we've been talking more since then. We don't seem to agree when the subject's the Phantom Thieves, though..."
"So you're already acquainted with each other? This is great! He's a celebrity. The fact that you have his attention is a huge victory already! Oh, and today, for the first time, he raised the possibility to admit he had been wrong if he gets conclusive proof that the Phantom Thieves are just. So, now there's a chance that his opinion will change! With no more reasons for disagreement between the two of you, maybe you can finally take his heart!"
Akira deadpanned. "Mom..."
"Sorry, I have to begin preparing dinner. I'll hang up now. Akira, take care, and keep it up! Ah, and stroke the cat for me a little, okay? Bye!"
Akira put her cellphone away, and with no warning, walked over to Morgana and playfully stroked his head.
"H-hey!" Morgana jumped.
Akira giggled. "Mom asked me to do this in her behalf."
Morgana pretended to be displeased, then followed Akira downstairs.
The last customer left, and Akira was helping Sojiro wash the dishes.
"Hey, Akira. So, any interesting happening between you and the detective yet?"
"Huh?" Akira recalled Sojiro was "shipping" her and Akechi, as Futaba would say.
"Haven't you noticed? He's interested in you, girl."
"What? Boss, where did you even get that idea from?"
"It's easy to see that he likes you a lot."
"Uh, yeah, but that's just because he's too lonely." Akira argued. "He has no family and no friends..."
"I heard that when he talked about it the first time he came here. Isn't this the more reason for you to be with him, though? Haven't you ever thought of this possibility? You clearly enjoy his company, and care about him, too. Don't you feel like being the one to fill the void in his heart? Unless you already have your eyes on someone else..."
"I... I..." Akira was unsure how to argue back.
"You may be thinking I'm joking or spouting nonsense, but I'm serious." Sojiro heaved a sigh. "He may not be aware of his own feelings just yet. But the way he acts around you reminds me too much of how I used to behave near Wakaba, and I just can't ignore it." Sojiro turned the faucet off and looked Akira in the eye. "And you don't seem to be aware of your feelings, either. How much do you care about him? And how much are you willing to do for him? Is it enough for you to want to become more than friends with him or not? Before anything else, you need to determine the answers to these questions. Akira, think about it with care, got it? I'll do the rest of the dishes while you reflect. I'll let you know when dinner's ready."
Stunned, Akira returned to her room, with Morgana in tow.
Akira had always heard about how unexplainably obsessed people became over their crushes, and thought the moment it happened to her would be the moment she should start thinking about romance. But so far, she hadn't felt anything unusual toward anyone. Was it really time for her to start thinking about that?
"That was quite the speech, huh?" Morgana remarked. "The chief raised some valid points, though. Don't just dismiss them."
Oddly, what Sojiro said didn't involve obsessions nor crushes... but his points actually made sense. Did Akira care about anyone enough to become more than friends with them? And how much did she care about Akechi?
"So, how is it, Akira?" Morgana asked her. "Akechi needs someone by his side. And you've been the one practically forcing us to befriend him to begin with! How far would you go for him?"
She wanted to help Akechi recover his motivation, sure. Her Confidant bond with him made her feel some of his loneliness and sadness, and it made her heart tighten. Akira wished she could do something to make that sadness go away. She wanted to give him the attention that he deserved and that all those horrible families refused to give him. But get into a romantic relationship with him? Would she go that far?
"I don't know..."
"Well, you don't need to have an answer ready right away. Just be sure to keep these questions in mind." Morgana paused. "Uh, I could've never imagined I'd say this one day, but... if in the end you decide to go for Akechi... um, I'll support you."
Akira gaped and stood there, reactionless.
... ... ... ... ...
Saturday, October 1
That morning, Ann was the talk of the classroom. Classmates flanked around her and kept asking her about the interview.
All the Phantom Thieves from Shujin gathered on lunch break, and Ann told them about the previous day's events.
"He said he will admit he is wrong about the Phantom Thieves if he gets enough proof!" Haru said innocently. "It's the first time he has said something like this. Isn't this nice?"
"It's kinda hard to believe, though..." Unlike her, Ryuji didn't buy it.
"Yes." Makoto agreed with Ryuji. "He still suspects us, and might have said this only to make us lower our guard and deliberately reveal ourselves to him. He seems really serious about figuring us out, and that statement may be part of his plan. His statement might've had a positive impact on restoring his popularity, though. Saying he'll admit to his mistakes gives the impression he's becoming humble, and may make people respect him more."
"But he said something that got me wondering..." Ann countered. "Later, we went to the crepes store, and he told me that the producers are the ones who decide what he can and what he can't say. Then, I thought that they might be forcing him to say stuff against the Phantom Thieves too, and that maybe he doesn't mean those things he said... but I wasn't brave enough to ask him if this is really it."
"And perhaps this was precisely what he wanted you to think. It might also be part of his plan."
The way Makoto distrusted Akechi greatly bothered Akira. "Makoto..."
Makoto cut her off. "Akira, you've seen the determination on his face when he talked about getting to the bottom of the Phantom Thieves' case. And he said he will tell the truth to everyone once he is 101% sure of his conclusions. He spoke with such conviction, and looked really confident that he can solve the case. I'm sure he already has a concrete plan, and this might mean he already has figured something out. He is serious about this. We must take this seriously as well."
Akira opened her mouth to argue. However, the words died in her throat. What Makoto was saying made sense, but the Confidant bond with Akechi made Akira want to trust him.
Lunch break was over, and everyone returned to their classrooms.
"Um, Akira, I noticed something about Akechi-kun," Ann said on their way to the classroom. "He looked mostly fine during the interview, but sometimes he'd look very sad."
Yes. It was that sadness that also bothered Akira. She believed she and Akechi were rather close, but despite this, there was something Akechi wasn't telling her.
Ann talked about the haters that harassed Akechi after the interview, the interaction with Mika, the talk at the crepes store, and how Mika's forced acting had bothered Akechi because it was the same way he was trained to behave in public. When Ann's narrative finished, they were in the classroom and the teacher was coming.
Akira believed in Akechi. She believed that he had been realizing things about himself, and that his behavior wasn't an act. Akechi must have been going through a hard situation, and whatever it was made him sad. Akira didn't like when her friends distrusted him. She wanted him to join them, and for that, everyone in the group needed to get along with him. Maybe if Makoto spent more time with him, she would understand...
... ... ... ... ...
Classes ended. Akira got a text message from Makoto, and headed to the Student Council room.
"Akira, I need a favor." Makoto looked worried. "I had reported the issue about Tsukasa to the police a few days ago, but I just called them to ask about the status, and guess what? They said they will look into it. In other words, they haven't even begun investigating yet! I asked if they had any estimate as to when they would get to it, but they had no concrete answer. If Tsukasa really turns out to be ill-intentioned, Eiko will get in trouble if no one does anything! If the police takes too long to address the case, it may be too late!"
"This is bad..."
"I can't just leave this be. I'm thinking of asking around in Shinjuku to hear what people say about Tsukasa. Um, but I'm not sure about going there alone..."
"I'll come with you, too! When do you want to go?"
"As soon as possible. The more time passes, the more trouble Eiko might get into! Ideally, I'd like to go today..."
"As in, right now? Okay! Let's go!"
Akira agreed without much thought, and they set off to Shinjuku. Only once they disembarked at the Shinjuku station, Akira realized something.
"Um, we'll have to ask those promoters and such too, right?"
"Yes."
Akira hesitated. "Uh, I hadn't thought about this until now, but two girls wandering alone in Shinjuku and approaching shady promoters doesn't sound like a good idea..."
Makoto was embarrassed. "Um, yes, now that you mention it... this had completely slipped my mind as well."
"I think we should ask the boys if they can help us."
Akira texted both Ryuji and Yusuke, but they answered they weren't free today.
"What now?" Makoto was getting nervous.
"Wait, there's Mishima! I've spotted him at Shinjuku a few times. He should be more familiar with the area!"
... But Akira texted Mishima, and he was also busy...
"Oh no..." Makoto was losing her hopes.
"If only I were human, I'd gladly escort both of you..." Morgana lamented from inside Akira's bag.
Makoto flashed a weak smile. "Thank you for the concern, Morgana. But what should we do now?"
And Akira figured this was the chance she needed. "All isn't lost yet! I have an idea." And she made a call. "Hi, Akechi-kun, Akira here. You're free today, right? Please say you are. We need your help!"
"A-Akira, what are you..." Makoto gasped in alarm.
"Wh-what's wrong?" Akechi's voice wavered. He sounded concerned.
"The thing is, Makoto's friend began dating a host from a club in Shinjuku. The guy's all suspicious and weird, and Makoto suspects he might be from a human trafficking gang. But the girl's so obsessed over the guy and doesn't listen to reason. And now she's already asking people for money! Makoto's worried, and wants to investigate the guy and find out if he's really from a gang. Because if he is, Makoto's friend might be dragged into deep trouble!"
"Akira...!" Makoto gesticulated in panic and pleaded for Akira to stop.
However, Akira ignored her. "We want to ask around in Shinjuku to find out more about the guy. Um, so, could you help us, please?"
"H-hold on..." Akechi sounded overwhelmed. "Let me see if I got this right. You want my help to ask around in Shinjuku to investigate someone that may be from a human trafficking gang?"
"Yeah. Having a detective helping with our investigation would make things much easier! Plus, we need someone to escort us! Only now that we've arrived at the Shinjuku station, I realized we'll need to talk to those creepy promoters and possibly other hosts that try to drag girls to their clubs..."
"Wait, you mean you are already in Shinjuku?!" Akechi was alarmed.
"Yeah, at the station."
"Why don't you just report the case to the police?"
"Makoto's already done that! She made a report a few days ago and called the police today to know the status, and they're still saying they have no estimate as to when they'll start looking into it! If no one does anything and the guy really is bad, who knows what might happen to Makoto's friend! Akechi-kun, please help us out. We'll just ask around to hear what people have to say about the guy."
After a few seconds of silence, Akechi heaved a sigh. "A-alright. I'll just drop my school materials at home, and will head to Shinjuku. Don't leave the station. I'll be there shortly."
"Yes!" Akira exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"
Morgana poked his head out of Akira's bag. "He'll be coming, then?"
"Yeah!" Akira looked at Makoto. "This also means we can see how he goes about detective work, right?"
"Well, yes." Makoto nodded hesitantly. "... What did he say?"
"He told us to wait for him and not leave the station. It's what we'll do. Come on. Let's head to a spot he can find us easily."
Makoto wasn't too sure about getting Akechi's help, but followed Akira anyway.
A/n: Akechi seems to have come a long way already, but even now he's still realizing new things about his previous behavior. :D
Next up, Makoto, round 2.