I've seen the new realities of all of my friends over the last week. Ryuji is still on the track team, Ann still has Suzui with her, Yusuke is living with a better Madarame, Makoro and Haru's fathers are still alive, same with Futaba's mother, Morgana is human and Akechi is alive and never killed anyone. It did seem like a better world all around. But something about it just seemed wrong. I couldn't quite explain it, though.

Akechi dug up some of Maruki's history and told me about it over the phone. Then he asked if I was still in for putting a stop to this. Akechi would rather have the old reality restored, even though he knows he'll be dead. I wished I had that kind of conviction. I told him I needed time to think it over. He seemed disappointed to hear that. I guess, in spite of everything, Akechi had respected my determination during our time working together. I told him I'd let him know once I'd thought it over.

Somehow, my mind kept going back to Sadayo during our conversation. Her perfect world has also become reality. Takase-kun never died, she never had to take on all those jobs to pay the Takases, and our relationship is not only public, but it's practically encouraged. After all the suffering she went through, it's her I'd feel the most guilty about if we put things back to how they were. I had to call her.

"Oh, hey," she said once she picked up, sounding happier than I've ever heard her. "I was just thinking about you."

"Yeah. Same."

"Is everything alright? You sound a little down."

"Yeah, yeah. Fine." Despite my efforts, I knew I wasn't very convincing. "Are you... happy, right now?"

"Am I happy?" she repeated, as if the question was strange. "Sure, I guess? I'm not really sure I understand the question."

"I mean, like, in general. Are you happy with how your life turned out?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I'm living my dream of being a teacher my students can all turn to, and I've got a loving, supporting boyfriend that everyone approves of."

"Yeah, but... I don't know how to explain."

"What's wrong? You know you can trust me, right?"

"I do, it's just... I don't know what to do."

"Tell me about it then. Start at the beginning. Even if I can't help, just having someone to explain it to can help you lay everything out and reach your own conclusion."

"Heh. You're right. What if you could... I dunno... make a person happy by changing the things that make them happy?"

"Is this more of that Metaverse stuff? Sorry, I still don't really understand it, even after you told me, so I don't know how much help I can be. But, I do think it's wrong to force happiness on someone, no matter how you do it or how good your intentions are. Because what you think will make them happy might not actually make them happy."

"But what if you can make them feel happy about it?"

"Are they really happy if you force them to be? If what you guys do isn't brainwashing, this certainly would be. Even with the people who's hearts you changed, you guys didn't decide how they'd atone, right? You just opened their eyes to the suffering they'd cause from the perspective of their victims. How they chose to respond to that guilt and work towards being better people was on them. Without the crucial step they had to take themselves, could they ever really become better people?

"Likewise, with making people happy. You gave me the strength to seize my own happiness and removed the roadblock that was preventing me from reaching out to it. But, would I really be happy if you'd just changed my heart to make me feel happy about what was going on, even if the Takases were still taking advantage of me? And how long would your influence over my heart last? Would I still be happy ten, twenty years down the road? Or, would I just end up back where I started? Or worse, with my ability to cope with such crushing sadness stifled by the coddling of your fake happiness?"

I said nothing in response for a while. She must have gotten worried about that.

"Sorry if I got a little heavy there. I probably went a little far for just a hypothetical."

"No, no," I said, a smile spreading on my face as I imagined her arms flailing around. "You've just given me a lot to think about."

"Oh, that's good to know. I'm glad I'm still proving valuable as your teacher." I could practically hear her smile.

"And as my moral guide." I could practically hear her blush. "I don't think I could've made this choice without you, Sadayo."

"Wait, this wasn't a hypothetical?"

"Sorry for being dishonest about this. We're about to go up against... a guy who's been doing this since New Years, and I needed some guidance to decide how to deal with it."

"And this is going to be a big thing, like Christmas Eve?"

"It looks that way."

"Okay. I trust you to do the right thing here. Just, promise you'll be okay. Promise you'll come back to me. And make sure you and I are still together. Okay?"

I smiled. "I promise. I'll kick this guy's ass and then come back to you, Sadayo."

She chuckled. "Go get 'em, Joker."

I called Akechi right after. I apologised for letting my conviction waver. It's not going to happen again.