A/N: It's finally here! It's been a crazy week and half for me, between finals week last week and moving home again for a couple months, getting this chapter out has been a hassle! But I knew I had been wanting to write something like this for a long time and that if I was going to do it, I wanted to do it right! This chapter went through more revisions than any other to make sure it's something I was ready to put out there. And while I don't think I'll ever truly be able to look at it and say it's 'perfect,' it's finally a good enough chapter that I can put it out there to continue the story and be the chapter I've wanted it to be. I hope you all enjoy this extra long chapter, and as always: Thank you for continuing to support me and the fic!
4/29
Ann observes herself in the mirror as she ties her last twin tail. Today's the day. They'll arrive while I'm at school. Butterflies move around inside her stomach as Ann tries to calm her nerves about tonight. Ann sprays a dash of perfume into the air and walks through it and out of the door to her room. Just going to have to see what today holds, she thinks.
XXXX
"Good morning," Akira says to her as he takes his seat behind her in class.
"Good morning. How're you feeling?" she asks.
"Better. You?"
"Still a bit sore, but not nearly as bad as yesterday or the day before," Ann replies. "My parents will be arriving today, so I figured you and Ryuji can just come home with me after school. If that's alright with your parents."
"Should be," Akira says. "My guardian isn't too concerned what time I come home."
"Oh, I'm-I'm sorry," Ann says. She forgot he didn't live with his parents and lived only with a guardian he doesn't talk much about.
"Hmm? Oh no, it's ok," he says with a small smile. "It's not like that. He just trusts that I know what I'm doing and that if I'm not back early I've got a good reason." Ann returns the smile as her phone vibrates in her bag.
Mom: We just arrived in Tokyo. We'll be back at the apartment before you get off school so bring your friends over! We'd love to meet them before dinner gets started
"You going to tell them we're male?" Akira asks as his smile turns mischievous. "Might be better to warn them if it's something you'd think they'd not take well."
"I don't know how they'd take it," Ann says as she stares at the phone. "I've never had a boyfriend before so it's not really a topic that has been broached before."
Ann: Ok. I don't think I mentioned it earlier but they're boys, I hope that's ok.
Mom: Oh, one of your friends is a boy?
-I suppose you are about that age now :)
Ann: Boys. Plural, Mom.
-My two friends are both boys…
Mom: Oh!
-I see
-Don't worry Dear, I'll warn you father ha-ha
-You're not dating either of these boys?
Ann: No
Mom: OK, I'll have a talk with your father about it. See you tonight! We love you
Ann: Love you too!
Akira chuckles as he reads the conversation.
"That's probably the best reaction you could get I'd say."
"I think so too," Ann says with a slight blush. "My dad has always seen me as his little girl, so I think she's just going to remind him how old I am."
"Never had a boyfriend though. Really?" Akira asks. "I thought all models were supposed to be dating other models, all the magazine racks tell me so."
"Don't believe everything you read," Ann says with a smile as she turns around in her seat for class to begin.
XXXX
"Hey Akira, you excited?" Ryuji asks as the three of them walk out of Shujin. "Cause I'm excited. A penthouse suite in Tokyo!"
"Ryuji, please…" Ann says.
"Yeah yeah I know. 'Behave' and all that. Do you guys have like butlers or something?"
"No," Ann replies. "We can still do things ourselves despite having some money."
"Some? Ann, I knew you were a model, but I never knew your parents were world famous fashion designers. How come you never told me?"
Ann shrugs, "You never asked. Hey," she says turning to Akira, "where's Morgana?"
"At home," Akira replies. "Wasn't sure if he would be allowed and he's been pissed at this crow that keeps tapping on the bedroom window every morning he wants to see if he can catch."
Ann laughs as the two of them fall silent and listen to Ryuji become more and more excited the closer, they get to Ann's apartment.
XXXX
"Good afternoon, Lady Ann," the door manager says to Ann as they enter the building.
"Hello Hiroshi," Ann says with a large smile on her face. "Are my parents still home?"
"I haven't seen them come down unless they snuck out another entrance hehehe. So good to see them back in Tokyo."
"Ok, thank you Hiroshi-san," Ann says with a bow. She turns and leads the boys towards the elevators.
"I think this is the nicest elevator I've ever seen in my whole life," Ryuji says looking at the trim decorations.
"Ryuji, it's just an elevator," Akira says with a chuckle.
"Maybe, but it's a fancy elevator."
Ann shakes her head as they step inside and press the button for the top floor. The elevator hums lightly as they're all carried upwards. As they arrive and step out of the elevator, Ann leads them to the apartment and puts her key into the lock. She turns the key and opens the door to a wall of smells. Ann leads the boys into the apartment as they remove their shoes.
"Mom?"
"Annie?" a voice responds from around the corner in the kitchen. A woman with long jet-black hair and olive skin comes walking around the corner.
"Mom!" Ann says as she runs to hug her mother. Ann embraces her and feels her eyes water as she holds her.
"It's good to see you Annie," her mother says as Ann's hair and shoulder muffle her voice. She pulls Ann away from her slightly before looking down. "Have they… gotten bigger again?" she whispers.
"Mom! Not in front of…" Ann says as she motions her head towards the two boys standing in the doorway awkwardly.
"Ah, yes! You must be the friends Annie has told me about," she says as she moves closer to the boys. They all exchange bows as Ann introduces them.
"Mom, these are my friends from school: Ryuji Sakamoto and Akira Kurusu. Guys, this is my mother."
"Thank you for having us over," Akira says as he ends his bow.
"Yeah totally," Ryuji says doing the same. "Your place looks awesome." Ann facepalms behind her mother as she chuckles.
"Hehehe, well thank you very much Sakamoto-kun," she says as she turns to Ann. "Dear I'm nearly done with dinner; I'm just waiting on your father to get back with some more ingredients. You can take your friends to your room if you'd like," she says as she begins walking towards the kitchen. As she passes Ann, she puts a hand on her shoulder and leans into whisper, "Your father knows and is fine, but leaving the door open would help dear." She winks at Ann and returns to the kitchen.
"C-c'mon you two," Ann says as she begins walking towards her room trying to hide her blushing.
XXXX
Akira follows Ann and Ryuji as they walk through the sitting room and into down a small hallway where Ann opens a door. As the three of them walk inside, Akira takes a moment to observe his surroundings.
Two walls in the room appear to be a convincing faux brick pattern while the other two walls are a painted a light grey. The room is disheveled with clothes and boxes strewn across the floor. A red and white target rug is on the ground underneath an orange desk and chair. In the middle of the room is a large trunk with sweets and a mirror stacked on top of it with another chair facing the mirror. Ann's messy bed sits caddy corner to the door next to a large shelf adorned with various boots and shoe pairs all neatly aligned.
"So, this is it," Ann says as she stands in the room with her arms spread open.
XXXX
Ann looks at the two boys as they stand and take in their surroundings. I'm really glad I remembered to pick up all the dirty clothes yesterday.
"What's in here?" Ryuji says as he walks towards a set of slightly bulging double white doors.
"Don't open that!" Ann gasps. "It's… my closet. I barely got that door to close last time I opened it. It's stuffed full of clothes."
Ryuji's eyes widen as he looks at Ann's dresser next to him, then to the clothes hanging across the room from him. "You've got more clothes?"
"Of course," Ann says. "Some are clothes I've gotten from shoots and things like that I was allowed to keep. But, yeah, it's a bit of a mess in here still, sit wherever you'd like," Ann says as she sits on her bed. Akira sits at the desk chair while Ryuji tosses Ann a large heart plushie on her trunk chair to her before sitting down.
"It's very… feminine… in here," Akira says as he continues to look around.
"Thanks, I've never had anyone say that before," Ann says as she blushes.
"Why're you so blushy and nervous?" Ryuji asks.
"Well, to be honest I've never had a guy in my room before and now I've got two. It's like my own private space you know? I feel a little awkward having other people in here."
"I know the feeling," Akira replies, "I share my room with a talking cat."
Ann and Ryuji laugh as Akira chuckles at his own joke. Ann looks at the two boys and remembers why she made friends with them. Sure, it was to take down Kamoshida and get revenge for Shiho, but it's more than that. There was a reason she continued to message them and why she went through with bringing them here in the first place.
They make me feel welcome.
"Hey, while we're waiting for my dad to come back and my mom to finish dinner, can you guys help me complete this jigsaw puzzle?" Ann asks as she reaches under her bed and pulls out a box. She clears off her trunk by handing things to Akira to put on the desk.
The three Shujin students begin to build the puzzle of an American pop star on the trunk making idle chit chat.
XXXX
"Ugh, this is impossible," Ryuji says as he throws a puzzle piece on the trunk in frustration.
"Ryuji if you pick up two pieces at random to see if they fit together then it'll take forever," Ann explains. "Here, start with the edge pieces. Get the outline done first then fill it in as you go."
"No thanks, Ann. Puzzles just aren't really my thing. Even in the Metaverse, it's why I always let this guy figure them out."
Akira smiles as he silently continues to put pieces of the puzzle together. Simple puzzles such as these, or complex puzzles in that book that occasionally get left at Leblanc were all enjoyable to him. The feeling of working on a puzzle until it's solved and getting the rewarding feeling of finishing it were all the motivation Akira needed to do it again.
"Did you guys hear anything new about Kamoshida at school today?" Ann asks them. Both boys shake their head no.
"He was gone again today, which I think is still a good sign," Ryuji says.
"Yeah, maybe," Ann says uncertain. "Do we even know what a change in heart looks like? Morgana said that it'd be him confessing his crimes but if he never comes to school, how can he confess? How do we know he didn't have a complete mental shutdown like on the news?"
"Because he's not dead," Akira answers quietly. "The mental shutdowns that have been on the news have involved the people dying, and because they died something catastrophic happened. Like the trains crashing. Kamoshida is still alive because I overheard Kawakami-sensei speaking with Principal Kobayakawa about him. He's still not talking to anyone so it's no real news since we knew that already."
"Good point," Ryuji agrees. "Still, I'm worried about our possible expulsions. Do you have any idea how bad that'd be?"
"Yeah," Akira responds quietly still. The moment hangs in the air as all take in what he'd just said.
"Sorry man," Ryuji says. "I forgot you know?"
"It's ok," Akira says as he looks up at him, "but yeah, I know how it feels. If it happens it won't be my first time, but they'd throw me in prison for it this time. I'd really prefer not to go there, but for now we have to wait and see."
As Akira says that, the three of them hear a door open in the apartment and close again. Ann's parent's voices can be heard in the other room speaking in hushed tones.
"C'mon, I wanna introduce you to my dad," Ann says with a smile as she stands up and begins heading towards the door. "Ryuji don't speak unless spoken to."
"Why doesn't he get that rule?" Ryuji whines.
"Because Akira already watches what he says," Ann says with a bit of sass in her tone. She waves her hand and leads the boys out of the room.
Ann walks out to see her dad smiling speaking to her mother. When he turns and sees Ann walking towards him his smile seems to get even bigger.
"Annie!" he shouts as Ann runs up to him and jumps into a hug. "My little girl has grown up so much!"
"Hi Dad," Ann says burying her face into his neck. "I've missed you."
"We've missed you terribly too, Dear," he replied as he set her down. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked at her from top to bottom. "Good God, Dear? I think she's gotten even taller," he says to Ann's mother.
"I tried to tell you that," she responds with a giggle that matches Ann's perfectly. Ann gets her mannerisms from her mother but almost all her looks, it seems, from her father. The blonde hair and nearly white skin, the height from her father but the personality of both all rolled into Ann.
"Dad, I want you to meet my friends. This is Ryuji Sakamoto," Ann says gesturing to Ryuji.
"Pleasure to meet you Sakamoto-kun," he says as he and Ryuji bow to each other.
"And this is Akira Kurusu," Ann says as the same pleasantries are expressed. "These are the friends I've been spending time and studying with for the past couple of weeks since…" Ann explains as her voice and tone taper off.
Akira sense where the conversation was going and turns to Mrs. Takamaki.
"That smells great, what're we having?"
"Hmm? OH, we're having sushi and tempura, Kurusu-kun. Thank you for the compliment. You can have a seat at the table, it's nearly ready."
Ann sits next to her father across from Ryuji and Akira. Ann sees that her father is analyzing the two boys but trying to not give away that he's doing it so easily.
"So, you two boys are second years as well?"
"Yes sir," Akira responds maintaining the eye contact Ann's father was making.
"And I understand you've formed a study group with Ann. Is that correct?"
"That is correct," Akira says.
"So, what brought the three of you together?" Ann's father continues his line of questioning. Ann can tell he wants more information but doesn't want to come across as though he's interrogating the boys. He kinda is anyway, Ann thinks.
"I sit behind Ann in class," Akira responds nonchalantly.
"Yeah, and you and I met on the day you transferred to Shujin," Ryuji says to Akira.
"Oh, you're a recent transfer student?" Ann's dad asks. Ann feels her heart drop into her stomach. Is he going to find out Akira has a record?!
"Yes," Akira answers without anything to suggest he's panicking like Ann. "I recently moved to Tokyo to go to a new school and see what city life is like." Ann knew he was likely picking his words very carefully to not quiet lie, but to also not quite tell the truth either. It was the same thing he did with all adults they interacted with.
"And how are you liking it so far?"
"It's different for sure. But work and studies keep me busy so some of it is familiar."
"Are your studies important to you, then I take it?" Ann's father asks.
"You kidding?" Ryuji interjects again. "This guy is like one of the top students of our year."
"That's good to hear. What about you Sakamoto-kun? How are your studies doing?"
"Me? Well… uh… they're going ok. I guess," Ryuji says as he looks away rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm much more into sports than books, or at least I was until that bas— until the track team got disbanded."
Ann's father looks intently at Ryuji until they're interrupted by Ann's mother bringing food to the table. Once all the food is on the table and everyone has been served they all begin to eat. Little chatter is had while everyone consumes the delicious food. Ann frequently glances over at Akira to see what he might be looking at or trying to say but he is quietly and politely eating his food in solace.
Unlike Ryuji who is frequently dropping bits of food onto the table in front of himself and occasionally chewing with his mouth open. However, Ann seems to be the only one to notice before Ryuji cleans up what he spills as Ann's parents eat as Akira does. Ann feels like an awkward tension is surrounding the table, but no one appears anxious. The dinner is finished as everyone eats the last of their meal and conversation gradually picks up again as each person finishes.
XXXX
"Whatever these 'mental shutdown' things that the media keeps talking about are, it's clear they're just trying to get more people to tune in by scaring them half to death to think something is out to get them," Ann's mother says to her father.
"I don't know, they're just reporting what's happening," Ann's father says.
"Well they should be reporting on the Diet and the election coming up. Elections are this year and they've barely discussed candidates at all. Not some cases of subway workers falling asleep on the job or truck drivers pressing the wrong pedal. It's sad but there's more important things on the horizon we should be thinking about," Ann's mother says.
"But Dear, we're not even going to be in the country when the elections take place. Why be so upset about the media covering it or not?"
"I'm not upset," Ann's mother explains. "I just think they're distracting people from what's important. Ann, promise me when you're old enough to vote you'll pay attention to these things."
"Uh sure thing, Mom," Ann says. She's never cared about anything political but if it'll make her mother happy she'll agree to it. Ann's father smiles at her comment as if he knows what she's thinking already.
"You kids will be old enough, soon enough. Have you thought about what you want to do after high school? More schooling or go straight into work? Sakamoto-kun you said you're a fan of sports, must be nice having an Olympic champion at your school teaching you about them, huh?" Ann's father says. If Ann's heart had dropped into her stomach earlier, it was now crashing through the floor.
"Heh, not really," Ryuji blurts out.
"What was that?" Ann's father asks.
"He means," Ann interrupts, "that he's not so into sports after the track team disbanded. And it was Mr. Kamoshida who disbanded the team to make the volleyball team bigger. It's a bit of a sore spot."
"Ah I see," Ann's mother says. "Well it seems to have brought a lot of popularity to the school in recent years. If that administration was better with their funding perhaps they'd be able to have both sports teams up and going at once."
"What about you Kurusu-kun?" Ann's father asks. "Are you involved in any clubs or sports at school?"
"No, sir," Akira replies. "I'm still getting my bearings around school with the help of these two. I do have a job that I go to after school I recently started."
"Where's that?"
"Leblanc Café, I work there with serving coffee and curry, the specialty dish."
"Coffee and curry?" Ann's mother says. "What a strange combination."
"A little bit, but don't knock it until you've tried it," Akira says with a smile. Ann can tell he's trying to make sure the conversation stays away from Kamoshida and she was going to do everything she could to help.
"Akira has been helping Ryuji and I improve our grades," Ann says poorly attempting to steer the conversation.
"Well that's good," Ann's father says. "You could use a little help in your grades sweetheart."
"Mhmm," Ann says with a big smile, "And that's why we've formed a study group!"
"What brought the three of you together to start this study group?" Ann's mother asks.
"We both know Akira, and he's one of the smartest people in the year so we won't leave him alone now until our grades improve," Ryuji says. Laughter erupts around the table.
"What's your secret Kurusu-kun?" Ann's mother asks. "How do you manage to stay on top of work and school seemingly so well to start a study group?"
"I don't know," Akira responds truthfully. "I try and read as often as I can when I get a chance, so I guess that might help with my studies. Recently I finished a novel about a femme fatale named Carmen," Akira says as he shoots Ann a small smile. "I think just reading as often as I can helps expand what knowledge of the world I've got."
"Well what a delightful way to spend your time," Ann's mother says. "So, are you the tutor to the group?"
Ann begins to worry as they hadn't planned on questioning this in depth and they didn't have a story rehearsed for such an event. It'd almost be easier to just come out and tell them what they were really up to.
"I guess you could say that," Akira says. "But Ann takes over when it's English lessons."
"Well I'm glad you children have found a way to help each other in your studies," Ann's father says happily. "Do you have any studying to do tonight?"
"As a matter of fact, we do," Ann replies quickly seizing the opportunity to end the questioning.
"Well you can head off to do that," Ann's mother says. "We'll worry about clearing things here. Boys, you're welcome to stay as long as you'd like to finish studying."
"Thank you, Mrs. Takamaki," Ryuji says. Wow Ryuji is really putting on his best here, Ann thinks.
As more thank you's and 'good to meet you's are exchanged, the Shujin students leave the table and make their way back to Ann's room. The three of them take their seats again, all full of the excellent meal they'd just had.
"I've never been so nervous," Ryuji says in a hushed tone only those in the room can hear.
"Really?" Akira asks.
"He knows what I'd do to him if he did something stupid or embarrassing," Ann says casually which causes Akira to laugh. "I wasn't that worried, except when that comment about Kamoshida came up," Ann says glaring at Ryuji.
"Sorry!"
"It's fine," Akira reassures her.
"I guess," Ann sighs. Regardless if we told them anything or not, having the two of you over is driving my nerves into overdrive, Ann thinks to herself. Boys in my room and meeting my parents is bad enough but hiding why we're friends and what we're really doing and how 'bad' of people you two appear to be on paper makes it hard to have a truthful conversation with my parents.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I cannot wait for school tomorrow. Or Monday for that matter. I want to see Kamoshida and see if what we did had any effect," Ryuji says.
"Close the door a bit if we're going to talk about him," Ann says as Ryuji moves and closes the door to be barely more than a crack open. In hushed tones Ryuji continues.
"Never thought I'd ever actually utter those words," Ryuji admits.
"I know what you mean," Akira agrees.
"I'm fine with never seeing him again," Ann explains. "I saw enough of him and he's seen enough of me that he can never show his face in that school again and I think I'd be happy with that."
"What do you mean by that?" Ryuji asks.
"What?"
"You said 'he's seen enough of me.' What do you mean?" Ryuji clarifies.
"Oh," Ann says as she looks away from the boys. "Kamoshida… he would try and get me to… to… do it with him. He'd call me into his office occasionally and try and get me to."
"That bastard!" Ryuji hisses. "What a disgusting pig."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that Ann," Akira says softly.
"Thanks. Thankfully it never went any further than getting a shirt off or something like that," Ann replies even softer than Akira. "Seems like something always saved me from him whenever those days would occur."
Ann's room sits quietly as the inhabitant's digest what they have just shared and learned. Ann expected herself to cry but really, she felt numb to the memories of the experience. I've shed enough tears because of him. I won't shed any more moving forward.
"I'm sure we got him," Akira says finally.
"Me too," Ann agrees. "Morgana seems confidant as well. Do you think he'll actually be at school tomorrow?"
"I doubt it," Akira replies. "But Kawakami-sensei says that the board meetings are mandatory for all faculty so if he's not there on Monday, we might actually have to check in on him ourselves to make sure we didn't cause a complete shutdown."
"Who cares if we did?" Ryuji mutters.
"I do," Akira shoots back. "We're not murderers."
"I know, I know. But if anyone deserves it, I'd vote it's him," Ryuji says.
"Not our call to make," Akira replies. "Not really sure it's our call to make about stealing the treasure to be frank."
"But if it helps everyone, including ourselves to have his treasure stolen," Ann explains, "then our call or not, I think we made the right one."
"Totally!" Ryuji says smiling. "We're helping people to be rid of a predator like Kamoshida. It's totally the right call."
"Maybe…" Akira replies.
"Hey," Ann says. "You guys any good at Mario Kart?"
"Yes," both boys answer simultaneously. Laughter fills the room at the response.
"Alright well grab a GameCube controller from that drawer, we're going to see who's the best!"
XXXX
"Oh, what a load of horseshit!" Ryuji gasps as Ann drives past him to finish in first place. "How are you supposed to avoid a red shell coming right at you?!"
"Hold something behind you to block the shell," Akira says as his cart crosses the finish line in fourth. "I thought you said you were good at this game?" he pokes.
"Still placed higher than you!" Ryuji mocks back as the two boys laugh. "Alright well it's nearly eight and I gotta get home before nine. My mom hates it when I'm out too late, I get an earful."
Ryuji stands up and stretches before fist bumping Akira and saying goodbye. Ann escorts Ryuji out to say goodbye to her parents and walks him to the elevator.
"Hey Ryuji?"
"Hmm?"
Ann leans in a gives Ryuji a peck on the cheek and a hug. Ryuji pauses for a moment before reciprocating.
"Thanks for being on your best behavior with my parents."
"Don't mention it," he replies softly. As he says it the door to the elevator opens and Ryuji steps inside as Ann returns to her apartment. Ann returns to her room to find Akira sitting on the ground leaning against her bed. Ann flops on her bed and watches their carts endlessly zoom around a track as the victory screen shows.
"We've come a long way you know," Ann says.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we only met about two weeks ago and already I feel like we're close friends. You've told me about you and your personal life and I've told you the same about me. It's something people don't usually do with someone they've been friends with for such a short amount of time."
"Well our relationship isn't typical or usual," Akira replies. "We may have only met two weeks ago but a majority of that time we've spent every day together since going into another dimension to fight our perverted gym teacher. Oh, an we're also fighting for our lives directly with one another. I think it makes for an accelerated friendship if anything ever qualifies for that."
"Good point," Ann replies. "Honestly, I'm exhausted. I thought today would be an easy day, but I feel like we just got done with fighting Kamoshida's demons all over again and all we did was have dinner with my parents. I've been so nervous and anxious about everything going on I feel like I've barely had enough time to stop and think."
"I know the feeling. Reminds me of when I was sentenced."
"I still can't believe that happened to you," Ann mutters. "It's so unfair."
"Actually, I'm kind of glad in a weird, morbid sort of way."
"You are?"
"Yeah," Akira explains. "Up until now I've just been drifting along, taking life a day at a time. And while that does have some benefits, I realized I was just living day in and day out in a rut. Now with the Metaverse, and Personas, and a new setting of life I've finally begun to pay attention to what's happening in my life. I've gotten to meet a great amount of awesome people like Ryuji, and Dr. Takemi, and you, and loads of others."
Ann blushes at his final comment. He's happy to have met me?!
"That's very sweet of you to say… Thank you."
"You're welcome," Akira says as he rests his head back and closes his eyes. "We still up for visiting Shiho together?"
"Yes of course!" Ann says. "And as I recall, you said you'd be willing to hang out some more once we got everything done with Kamoshida."
"I plan on it. Just as soon as I get confirmation I'm not expelled and going to prison," Akira says as he smiles and opens his eyes making direct eye contact with Ann. That damn smile of his, Ann thinks to herself.
"Well, probably about time I headed home too," Akira says checking his phone.
"OK, let me walk you out," Ann says as she escorts Akira, much like Ryuji, to her parents for goodbye's and then out of the apartment to the elevator door. Ann stands awkwardly with Akira as they await the elevator to arrive at their floor. Ann wants to hug him like she had with Ryuji but something about it just didn't seem right. Would he think I was coming onto him? Did Ryuji?
"Hey, Akira?" Ann asks. "Can I give you a hug? For everything you've done for me and for being so nice and polite to my parents?"
"Uh, sure," Akira says as he turns to face her. He pulls his hands out of his pockets and extends his arms as Ann closes the distance and wraps her arms around his torso. As soon as his arms envelop around her as well, Ann can feel her legs begin to feel weak and her heart pounds in her chest as she smells the hint of coffee on his clothes. As the hug ends, Ann moves her head back and gives Akira a peck on the cheek much like she did to Ryuji.
"Thank you, again. I don't know how I could ever repay you for all you've done for me and Shiho."
"Don't mention it," Akira says as his cheeks turn a visible shade of red. "No repayment necessary." With that, Akira gives her that smile again as he pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and steps into the elevator.
"Good night, Ann."
"Good night, Akira."
XXXX
Ann steps back inside her apartment to see both her parents waiting for her inside, both wearing slight grins.
"So," Ann's mother asks, "How long have you been crushing on him?"