Chapter 19: Mine of Gluttony/Powerless
June 15th, Mementos Overview…
The Monabus was teleported to the entrance of Mementos:
-"We are done for today, everyone. Let's scatter."- Ace said as she got down of the car so Mona could transform back.
-"What are we going to do about that sealed place then?"- Fox asked.
-"...Nothing."- Ace said.-"We can figure that out next time."
-"Why? There's gotta be a new palace in that thing! I'm serious!"- Skull said to her.-"Come on, cutie. Didn't you want to strike a palace at once so we could forget about-?"
-"Ryuji!"- everyone but Ace exclaimed to shut him up.
-"What? Agh...my bad."- Skull said a she realized what he was about to say.
-"I have to return now...Tomorrow is the visit."- Ace said to them.-"Fox, activate the nav."
-"Of course."- Fox nodded obediently as he did it, warping them back to Shibuya.
-"Ann, I have a favor to ask of you."- Kazumi turned to her and took Morgana.-"Can you please take care of Morgana for tomorrow? I can't bring a cat to a hospital."
-"I am not a cat!"- Morgana hissed annoyed.
-"I have no problem, you better take him back when you return, ok?"- Ann said as she took the cat on her hands.
-"I promise."- Kazumi said as she tried to look up to her.
-"Morgana, you're going to be a good boy right?"- Ann said with a teasing tone petting his head.
-"Meorrw! Yes, Lady Ann!"- Morgana meowed excited.
-"I will see you tomorrow after school then, everyone."- Kazumi said as she went away and left them behind.
-"And...she's gone."- Ann said in low tone.
-"I know she's bein' actin' up so shady and depressed since we suggested about that woman's palace but…"- Ryuji said.-"I think this time she's really worrying me, y'know?"
-"She must have seen something in that glass seal."- Morgana said.-"In the worst of the cases, that glass seal might actually blocking our way to that woman, Haruka Furukawa's palace."
-"Is it ok for us to not confront her about it?"- Yusuke asked.
-"Whatcha gettin' at with that?"- Ryuji asked.
-"Her protector told me that Kazumi-san's only happiness was her brother before she came here."- Yusuke added.-"While I think she wasn't lying about fearing to become evil, there's more into her fear for that woman...I'm sure of it."
Kazumi arrived home at the evening and went straight to her room. Sojiro mentioned that she got another pack from his dad, it was yet another box with banana milk packs. While she was drinking one of them, she started to check out her backpack in search for her notes and found something interesting:
-"This notebook…"- she checked the front page.-"This is the Council President's…!"
Meanwhile, in the Nijima apartment, both siblings were eating silently while the news were filled about nothing but Detective Prince Akechi's latest solved cases:
-"How is school now? I heard you are planning to visit the conference of St. Luke's Hospital."- Sae started the conversation while tapping on her laptop.
-"Same as always. I was actually tasked to babysit the rumored delinquent of the school."- Makto mentioned.-"She won the contest on her classroom."
-"I see, well, you can defend yourself so I don't see where to complain."- Sae said.-"Did you just said…'she'?"
-"Yes…"- Makoto said as he started to look for his notebook on his bag but he didn't find it.-"Can't find it…"
-"What's wrong?"- Sae asked.
-"I must have left my notebook somewhere. I had some relevant information for tomorrow's visit there."- Makoto said.
-"Is that so? Have your school or your classmates called you?"- Sae said.-"I might take you there by my…"
-"It's ok, Sis. You are already too busy to deal with my distractions."- Makoto said as he went to his room to look for it there.-"I'll look in my room to see if it fell somewhere."
Meanwhile, Kazumi took a train following the address of the notebook to return it. She knew how important it was and wanted to return it as soon as possible. On her way, she exchanged texts with Ohya to give her Mishima's number as part of their deal. She also exchanged texts with Mishima to made him aware about the situation… Although, he took it as a 'date' recommendation from her.
She finally reached the high class apartments where he was living:
-"Wow...As expected of a snoob like him…"- she thought before checking for the keypad for the number of his apartment.-"Here, it is. Nijima."
-"Did you say Nijima?"-the voice of a woman said and she turned around meeting with Sae.-"That is my apartment."
-"G-Good evening!"- Kazumi made a reverence to the lady.-"I was actually looking for Makoto Nijima-senpai…"
-"Wait a minute. You are…"- Sae recognized her.
-"Something wrong?"- Kazumi asked her.
-"May I take a moment of your time?"- Sae said to her.-"Kazumi Asaka."
-"Eh..?"- Kazumi was surprised that this woman knew her name.
They resumed their conversation inside a cafe around the corner:
-"Don't hold yourself. The payment is on me."- Sae said to her.
-"It's not that…"-Kazumi said as she took her glass of water.-"Why do you know my name, ehmm…?"
-"Sae Nijima."- she introduced herself.-"I am a prosecutor in the Special Investigation Department of the Tokyo District."
-"A prosecutor officer!?"- Kazumi entered in a little internal panic. It wasn't helping that she was probably related to the Council President that is always spying on her.
-"You might wonder why I called you out here all of the sudden since we have seen each other just a few times…"-Sae said to her not noticing her reaction.
-"I-I remember now! You were that time in LeBlanc!"- Kazumi recognized her.-"So, why are we here?"
-"I had the feeling you seemed familiar and found out about your relation to an incident of six months ago in my files."- Sae said.-"You were one of the witnesses of the murder of Dr. Shinkai Hiromi."
-"...Yes, that's right."- Kazumi looked down.-"I saw what he did and reported every detail to the police...I don't know why to ask me again."
-"At LeBlanc, I said that if you were interested about the cases of people ragging out of the blue…"- Sae said.-"I believe my cause might put you at ease about the truth of that incident."
-"The truth…? What truth?"- Kazumi asked confused.
November 11th
Kazumi slightly smiled when remembering that part of the story:
-"Junya Kaneshiro...Truth enough, he was a criminal the police couldn't handle that fast…"-Sae mentioned.-"However, what was that palace that supposedly transferred and what did you see in there?"
-"You seem more invested now…"-Kazumi replied.-"I remember well. It was around that time we made contact with each other…"
-"That time…"- Sae was actually surprised how she just blew her investigation to a Phantom thief herself back then.-"I remember..."
Back to June 13th…
-"Based on your declaration back then, you were the one who saw Dr. Hiromi suffer indeed a psychotic breakdown."- Sae revealed.
-"Psychotic breakdown…?"- Kazumi asked in shock.-"Just like the ones in the other accidents…?"
-"In theory, yes."-Sae said.-"Suddenly losing control of your mind and doing things you won't normally do, it is a shame he died while in that state."
-"A psychotic breakdown…"- Kazumi was stabbed in her memory by such a paranormal cause. She was down. Her whole probation was gained almost for nothing and she might have blamed the wrong person.-"Is it true? No drugs? Not some kind of suspicious elements in the crime scene?"
-"The autopsy revealed that his body was clear of those possibilities."- Sae mentioned.
-"So, I have been blaming the wrong person this whole time…!"- Kazumi said in a murmur.
-"Blamed? Your testimony to the police does not show anything about that…"- Sae wondered.
-"I did not blame anyone personally in the conversation. I simply mentioned how Dr. Hiromi acted strange last time I saw him…"
-"Because there was someone who caused a turmoil in the hospital that day…"- Kazumi said.
-"So, you think that person had something to do with it?"- Sae said and checked the report but nothing was written outside of the victim mentioning the strange behavior.
-"Not anymore…"- Kazumi made the disapproval look.-"Anyways, Ms. Prosecutor, why telling me all of this?"
-"I'll go straight to the point."- Sae crossed her arms and reclined.-"The testimonies from the victims of psychotic breakdowns are not enough to connect to any suspect. You are the only person who has seen and witnessed the change of the person before the breakdown."
-"Not to mention, you are from Shunjin. The school where the first change of heart of the Phantom Thieves occured."- she added.-"Those are too many coincidences."
-"My guess is that you are somehow tangled into all of this by someone you don't know."- Sae said.-"I need your collaboration to solve this case."
-"In exchange, I might help you legally anytime."- she said.
-"You are bringing all of this at once…"- Kazumi felt pressured by the woman.-"I don't even know what kind of help a high schooler can be…"
-"Listen to me. You only need to tell me everything that happened to him and also, what you do know about the phantom thieves case."- Sae said.
-"...I am not interested."- Kazumi tried to cut her off. The woman was being too pressuring and she was at risk of revealing her identity if she accepted.-"Dr. Hiromi is dead and so it's my brother. I can only move on from that."
-"So you have no interest in the truth at all?"-Sae said in a very cold tone.-"I have a little brother as well, if someone did something like that to him…"
-"I do not."- Kazumi said as she took the notebook from her bag and put it close to her.-"I have to leave…"
-"This is your brother's notebook. I took it by accident when I left the study room."- she added.-"Please, return it to him. That's all I came to do here."
-"Tsk…"-Sae clenched her teeth irritated for not being able to convince her. Before she walked out, she pulled a card out of her pocket and gave it to her.-"Call me if you change your mind."
-"...If you insist."-Kazumi took the card and left.
November 11th
Sae looked down remembering before looking at her again:
-"To think that same person is actually in front of me as a Phantom Thief…"- she murmured.-"No wonder you weren't willing to share any information…"
-"Is that offer still available?"- Kazumi asked her.-"After all, it was in Furukawa's palace that we found a piece of truth of the psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns."
-"You did…?"- Sae wondered.-"What's the relationship between this and that?"
-"I can remember by pieces…"- Kazumi said as she held her head dizzy.-"But you just did say I targeted her for revenge...That's nothing further from the truth."
-"Just because you opposed so much to that offer of your complices does not mean it wasn't your true intention."-Sae said back.
-"I am saying all the truth."-Kazumi shaked her head denying Sae's words.-"I'll continue and perhaps you will consider it."
June 16th
The students from different schools arrived to St. Luke's hospital. The staff guided the Shujin students towards the seats on the view of an immense meeting room. Kazumi received a text from her friends while everything was being prepared:
-"Hey! How's the conference thingy goin'?"- Ryuji wrote in the group chat.
"It hasn't started yet."
*"Have you seen or heard of anyone suspicious?"
×"Are you feeling ok?"
"No one yet and I am just a little nervous."
×"Morgana says that you should keep your guard up."
-"As bossy as always…"
"Thank you."
"This time I will really get a worthy target…"
-"What are you doing?"- she heard behind her and saw Makoto disgusted taking it from her.-"No cell phones in the conference, remember?"
-"I am sorry. Can you give it back?"- Kazumi asked but he put it on his jacket's pocket.
-"Once the visit is over perhaps."- Makoto replied.
-"..."-Kazumi frowned angry.-"Very well. Ann was right about the teacher's pet thing."
-"That's not true."- Makoto replied annoyed.-"By the way, thanks for delivering my notebook…"-he replied in a low tone.
-"Attention students from all the city. Minister Yamaoto-san and the councillors will begin the conference now."-a woman announced.
As she said that, all the councillors from the Health service Bureau and the Minister entered on the room:
-"Good afternoon students from all around Tokyo."- the Minister of Health, Yamaoto, said on the microphone.-"I am grateful to see all of you who took their time to come here. The reason why I am here today is to discuss with my councillors and you all about our current health system."
-"Allow to present the councillors."- Yamaoto said as they stood up in their podium.
-"Current health system? Is he on about the mental shutdowns?"- some students murmured while the councillors were introducing themselves.
-"I heard the Ministry of Health has someone who donated billions to the clinical investigation of that."
-"Yeah! That person really wants to find a cure for it!"
-"But who is it? I heard that they already found a way to prevent one…"- the rumors kept going and going.
-"Finally, one of our new additions to the Council, Mrs. Haruka Furukawa."- he said as the woman stood up.
-"..."- Kazumi looked at her in detail. It was the same woman without doubt. However, she wasn't dressed as a plain nurse. The hair curled up and dark eyes. Her outfit was clean as a sheet and she was wearing very showy accessories along with makeup that made her look better.
-"Good afternoon, young men and women."- she said to all of them.-"Pleased to be here. Do not worry, I am sure you are all aware of the issue and want this over as much as we in the councillor body wants to."
The students laughed at the woman's joke except Kazumi and Makoto...along with Minister Yamaoto:
-"Anyways, let us start the debate."- the Minister said.
-"Keeping that false smile as always…"-Kazumi thought irritated as she looked at the woman.
-"One of the questions that I'll like to tackle with you all is the current treatment in infants."- Yamaoto said.-"It might not be as relevant as mental shutdowns, however, it is an important issue."
-"Children in our current times are suffering through the fact that they can't defend themselves all the time."- Yamaoto added.-"They are powerless, even more so in times of adversity."
-"How can we make children feel encouraged by the hospitals in our country in these times of crisis?"- he said.
-"I agree that children are important. The issue on hand however is not."- one of the councillors said.-"My suggestion is that we should spend more time gifting the children with happiness inside the hospitals."
-"That is right. Visits from famous people, activities inside and 24/7 care from the staff in charge."- another one said.
-"Yamaoto-san, I do think you are exaggerating."- Haruka said.-"There is no such thing as a powerless child. They are all strong."
-"Is that so, Furukawa-kun?"- he asked.
-"Look at the young children we have with us. I am sure they dislike to be called powerless."- she said.-"What do you say everyone? The Minister should not treat you like victims right?"
-"She's right!"- many of them agreed.
-"We are not powerless!"
-"Children shouldn't be underestimated!"
-"Adults are just making that shit up so they can get money from our insecurities!"
-"Give the children confidence, Minister!"
-"Well...I guess you got a point as our public agrees…"- Yamaoto said.
-"Poor man. He just wanted to make people interested in something else than the mental shutdowns…"- Kazumi thought for herself.
-"Excuse me, Mr. Minister."- suddenly Makoto raised his hand.-"I do think you have a point."
-"Oh, young man. Go ahead."- Yamaoto said as one of the staff gave the boy a microphone.
-"My name is Makoto Nijima. Third-year and Council President of Shujin Academy."- he presented as Kazumi turned around to see Makoto.
-"Well, Nijima-kun. Can you please elaborate about your opinion?"- he asked.
-"As Furukawa-san said, children are strong, however, that just sounds like a false illusion in my opinion."- Makoto said targeting the attention of the woman.-"A child cannot become strong without a strong adult."
-"If the staff from the hospital does not show an example of responsibility and perseverance, there is no hope in the child to learn perseverance by themselves."- his statement impressed the audience.
-"What's this one on about?"
-"The Council President?"
-"He's totally killing the message here."
-"Your name was Nijima-kun, right?"- Furukawa said as she took the microphone of her table.-"I see your point now. You must have been well educated by a strong figure."
-"But you know, many children don't have such parents to rely on."-an unsettling smile formed on her lips.-"Their parents think they might be a burden for not being like the other children, or perhaps because the treatments cost a lot of money or are stressful."
-"You seem earnest and educated. Perhaps, now you realize how senseless and uninsightful is your argument, right?"- Furukawa said making him nervous to the judging eyes of everyone else.
-"I think he is right."- a voice sounded in front of him and Kazumi stood up. For a time, she had enough of hearing that woman spouting hypocrisy.
-"Pardon me but you are?"- Furukawa said as she didn't recognize her at that distance until the staff passed her the microphone and illuminated better on her. It was when Furukawa recognized the fiery eyes of the young lady.
-"I am Kazumi Asaka. Second year in Shujin Academy."- she said.
-"As Nijima-senpai said, I believe the children need to feel secure of those who work in the hospital with them."- she said.-"I had a relative who couldn't even express his feelings because the hospital staff was pressuring him for their sake and reputation."
-"Am I not in the place to argument on favor of the Minister as well, Mrs. Furukawa?"- she said with a tone that showed her absolute disdain for that woman.
-"...Not at all, dear lady."- Furukawa closed her eyes pretending to be in pain.-"My apologies for misplacing your argument, Minister Yamaoto."
-"No need to apologize. We are here to discuss after all."- he said with a nervous smile.-"Thank you to the students who seek to participate in this question. We can pass to the next topic…"
As the room was coming back to their boring debate, Kazumi sat down and gave a big exhale. She didn't expect to face that woman like that:
-"What was I doing…?"- she thought for herself.-"I came here with the second objective of looking for a target…"
-"Agh! It's all Nijima-senpai's fault for coming up with an answer like that!"- she started to scratch her head nervous in a mad way making the people beside her to get nervous.
-"Asaka."- Makoto murmured to her and she turned around.
-"What is it?"- Kazumi murmured back annoyed.
-"No...It's just…"- Makoto felt her annoyance.
-"Don't thank me for earlier. I was making my point as you did...That's all…"- she replied to cut him off of any conversation. He agreed to leave it like that.
At lunchtime in Shujin, Ann was on her seat eating her lunch. She was checking her phone about the latest news on social media while hearing some classmates talking about how a mafia boss turned himself to the police at first hour in the morning:
-"It might be just a uncommon target but it caused a good stir…"- Morgana meowed inside Ann's bag.
-"Yes…"- Ann said a bit uninterested.
-"Are you worried?"- Morgana asked her.-"Do not distress, Lady Ann. I'm sure everything will be ok."
-"If she thought it was for the best, I have nothing to say."- Ann replied.-"..."
-"At the end, we aren't that close…"- Ann thought for herself.
After a couple of hours, the conference was over. When her group was leaving, Kazumi could hear the whispers about her again and about how she just defended the Council President because she was trying to hit on him.
In her mind, she was wondering if the woman even recognized her. The goal of the targets didn't even cross her thinking:
-"Asaka."- suddenly, the council president referred to her.
-"I need to go to the toilet if you excuse me…"-she said as an excuse to get away.-"The cafeteria is where we the group will be, right?"
-"Yes, but…"- before Makoto could say anything, she was already walking fast.-"Your smartphone…!"
-"Agh. I guess I have to wait until she's back…"-Makoto sighed and left with the group along with Mr. Ushimaru, the social studies teacher.
-"Where did she go?"- Ushimaru asked.-"Does that girl even know about authorities?"
-"She went to the restroom, Mr. Ushimaru."- Makoto replied.-"I will wait for her…"
-"Well, with you by her side we don't have to worry about that delinquent."- Ushimaru nodded and left with the rest of the group.
-"Geez...I shouldn't have agreed to this."- Makoto said.-"I just made myself of a fool in front of everyone back there…"
In the restroom, Kazumi stepped out of the toilet and washed her hands:
-"At the end, I didn't see anyone suspicious…"-she thought.-"I wonder if Mr. Yamaoto could be a target…"
-"Doing good?"- she heard a familiar voice and saw Furukawa in the reflection of the mirror next to her along with a woman in black suit.-"Great argument you did back there, Asaka-chan was it?"
-"..."- Kazumi pressured herself to run from there if it wasn't for the woman in a suit that grasped her from the arm and the neck.-"G-Get off!"
-"Why are you so tense, dear?"- a strange smile curved in the lips of that woman.-"Not that it matters. No one is getting here to see us anyways."
-"Are you stupid, little brat!?"- she said to her in a threatening voice.-"It seems that being arrested for possession of drugs didn't make you learn anything."
-"Now, you stay here in this city living your life as nothing happen and try to ruin my chance to get up as a minister…"-she said as she was opening a purse she was holding.
-"I don't need you to tell me what I do…!"- Kazumi replied with rage and Haruka ordered the woman to cover her mouth as she put gloves.
-"Silence your imprudence."- she was taking a syringe and taking a strange red liquid from the purse to put it on it.-"I am going to silence you this time...But what is the fun of killing? Without seeing someone twist in fear first like a goddamn cow being stabbed."
-"...!"- Kazumi tried to get the woman off her and scream for help but she was way stronger and in her tension, Haruka stabbed the needle of the syringe on her right bicep. The pain was unmeasurable.
-"Scream as much as you want, nobody is going to hear you…"- Furukawa said as she was pushing the liquid up on her veins.-"Didn't you know? Hospital rooms are sound proof…"
-"That's a nice sight to see…"- the woman said as she saw Kazumi's face being swallowed by her desire to cry.-"It looks exactly like that little retard kid, your brother… I guess that's family for you."
The woman took off her gloves and the syringe and give them to another of her assistants behind her who put them on a zipper bag and inside their suit. The other woman released Kazumi and she fell on her knees feeling numb:
-"Hope you learnt your lesson this time…"- Furukawa said as she looked at her right on the eyes.-"Sweet dreams, my precious miner…"
Kazumi fell unconscious on the wall next to the hand washing table. The open injury started to bleed and Furukawa placed an empty syringe with a different substance next to that hand. They proceeded to leave before anyone outside of the hospital staff came.
Makoto saw the woman and her agents on the hall while he was waiting for Kazumi:
-"But if it's you, the Council President of that school on the news, wasn't it?"- Haruka said to him.
-"Mrs. Furukawa…"- Makoto said feeling still embarrassed by what she said about him in the conference.-"I want to apologize…"
-"Why is that, young man?"- Haruka asked her as she ordered her agents to not touch the boy yet with a signal.
-"You were right about me not knowing about those children and that I have no place to argument about it."- he said as he did a reverence.
-"Well, there's nothing wrong about voicing your opinion politely."- she said with a dishonest tone.-"Such an obedient kid...I'm sure you'll go far."
-"Now, if you excuse me…"-Haruka retired with her agents. Makoto noticed a stain of red in the collar of her white clean suit as soon as she turned around.
He approached more to the restrooms as he thought Kazumi was taking a long time there. It was when he heard the scream of a woman in the women's restroom:
-"KYAHHH! Someone call a medic!"-he didn't hesitate to get in there to help.
-"What's going on? Are you ok, miss?"- he asked to the woman, a teenager who was just going in.
-"T-That girl…! She's bleeding!"-she pointed at the inert body of Kazumi.
-"Asaka!"- Makoto exclaimed surprised as he saw her in that state.-"Hey! Open your eyes!"
-"What is this…?"- Makoto thought stressed as he saw her arm bleeding and the syringe. He then proceeded to run in look for help as he said the girl to look after Kazumi.
In Shujin, the students of class 2D were about to receive their homeroom class. Ms. Kawakami was being late and when she finally appeared:
-"Alright. Settle down."- Kawakami said as she was sweating because of the heat.-"I apologize for the lateness...there was an emergency to resolve."
-"Unfortunately, Asaka-san has been interned on the St. Luke's International Hospital not long ago. Her condition is not stable yet."- she mentioned to the dismay of the other students.-"I have already contacted her guardian. So as of tomorrow, she might not be with us for quite short."
-"Asaka-san? Interned?"- Mishima thought in shock.
-"No, no way…"- Ann was absolutely shocked by that declaration and so:
×"Guys...I hope you have free time today."
-"Uh? What are you up to?"- Ryuji replied. He wasn't aware of the situation.
*"Was it Kazumi-san? She found a new target?"- Yusuke asked.
×"We're gonna visit her."
×"Kawakami just told our class that she was interned on the hospital they were visiting."
×"And they didn't know of her condition yet."
*"What?"
-"Are you serious? What the hell!?"
*"Just what could've happened to her?"
×"We are meeting on Shibuya, got it?"-it was everything Ann said before she hang up.
-"Agh. I wish I could've gone with her!"- Morgana thought.
In the hospital, Kazumi woke up with her eyes blurry and feeling pain on her body:
-"What is this place…?"- she asked.
-"You finally woke up…"-Makoto said as he stood up from where he was seating.
-"Nijima-senpai?"-she turned around and saw that she had a serum injected on her right arm.-"I remember now…"
-"What do you remember? I found you unconscious in the ladies' restroom along with a suspicious syringe."- he said.-"Asaka, do you have a problem of addiction?"
-"...I have never taken a narcoleptic drug in my life."- Kazumi said.-"I understand why you think I will due to my criminal record…"
-"This is serious!"- Makoto said in a demanding tone.-"Don't you understand what a probation is about!? Not only that, I was the one of the big idea to take care of you here so this will most likely fall on me too!"
-"..."- Kazumi wasn't in disposition to talk to him.-"You will figure out something…"
-"I am different though. My guardian must be absolutely furious and about to kick me out."- she said.-"You are not the only one who regrets coming here…"
-"And knowing that, why would you do such a thing like using drugs until you lose consciousness!?"- he asked.
-"You can really tackle on my nerves sometimes…"-Kazumi said mad.-"That syringe wasn't mine to start with."
-"May I come in?"- suddenly, a familiar voice was heard and Sojiro entered on the hospital.-"So, you already had visit."
-"He was about to leave…"- Kazumi said.-"Right, Nijima-senpai?"
-"...With your permission."- he said as he left them alone.
-"I can't believe what I'm seeing right now."- Sojiro said.-"My mind cannot phantom why did you make such a stupid decision."
-"I can explain!"- Kazumi said as she lifted up her face to him.-"I didn't drug myself I swear."
-"And how do you expect me to believe that story?"- Sojiro crossed his arms.
-"Is there anyone else coming?"- Kazumi asked him in a whisper.
-"No."-Sojiro replied and she made a signal for him to sit closer.
Outside of the room she was, Makoto was sitting in the waiting room. He wasn't going anywhere until the girl could gave him a proper explanation. He deserved to know about it as he was going to be affected too.
-"The nurse said is this hall!"- he heard Ann's voice as Ryuji and the others turned around the corner.
-"...You!"- Ann said pissed off from seeing the council president.
-"Above of all people, whatcha doin' here?"-Ryuji said with the same tone.
-"Who is he? If I may ask…"- Yusuke felt confusing for their reaction.
-"The student council president."- Ann explained.
-"What are you all doing here if I may ask?"-Makoto asked as he stood up.
-"That was my question."- Ryuji said with a ton to make fun of him.-"Showin' worry for Kazumi so everyone thinks you're such a responsible and caring honor student?"
-"Her guardian entered a while ago and we couldn't finish our conversation."- he said.
-"We are here as her friends. The school reported about her internship a couple of hours before."- Yusuke mentioned.-"Do you know anything about it?"
-"...Was Asaka ever doing drugs around you all?"- he asked directly.
-"Drugs…? That's just an old stupid rumor…"-Ann said.-"Kazumi is just as healthy as anyone can be."
-"I have my doubts after finding her lying on the floor with her arm bleeding and a syringe next to her."- Makoto said to them for their shock.
-"No…! You can't be for real!"- Ryuji said in denial.
-"Kazumi…"-Ann said worried about her seriously.-"Why did she went to the restroom alone to start with?"
-"She wasn't feeling good after the conference. If I remember correctly, she seemed stressed out after she did an argument against the councillor Mrs. Furukawa…"- he mentioned.
-"What!?"- the three of them reacted in shock.
-"So, she did encounter herself with her…"- Yusuke said.
-"Now everything makes sense…"- Ann said as she looked towards the Council President.
-"Hey, douchebag president."- Ryuji said as he approached to him.
-"What do you want?"- he asked before receiving a fist right into the face powerful enough to leave a bruise.
-"THIS IS ALL YOUR GODDAMN FAULT!"- Ryuji screamed at him after hitting him.
-"Ryuji!"- Ann saw as he grasped the president's uniform with rage.
-"This is all because you got your nose in the wrong business!"- he said to him.-"Do you have any effin' idea of what you were doing when you forced her to come!?"
-"Stop it. We know how is to blame and he's not to blame."-Yusuke said to him so he could let Makoto off.
-"I know but…!"- Ryuji complained as he pushed Makoto.-"It makes me damn mad!"
-"What was that for!?"- Makoto said angry as he fixed up his uniform.-"I didn't force her to anything!"
-"You did. You just had no idea at that moment."- Ann replied.-"Anyways, we don't have time to talk to you. We came here to see Kazumi."
-"...Do what you want."- Makoto said mad at their accusation and he left to get a bottle of water to relieve the inflammation of the bruise.
-"You guys are too shaken up from the frustration…"- Morgana meowed as he left.-"We should leave after we talk to Kazumi if we want to avoid more attention…"
Sojiro exited the room soon after and saw the three teenagers there:
-"Wow...I didn't expect to see any of you here…"- he said surprised.
-"Good evening, I guess."- Ann stood up to say hello.-"Is she okay?"
-"She is alive and she can still think rationally…"-Sojiro said with a dejected view.-"There are consequences in society, however, for every decision we take."
-"What's that supposed to mean?"- Ryuji asked.
-"It's better if she tells you rather than me."-Sojiro said as he went out for a cigarette. The three students entered on the room.
-"Guys. How did you know I was…?"- Kazumi asked surprised to see them there.
-"Kawakami told the whole class that you were interned here."- Morgana meowed.
-"I see…"- Kazumi looked down.
-"Nijima-senpai told us your state…"- Ann said.-"How did that happen to you?"
-"I pissed her off, Ann…"- Kazumi said.-"Even if I didn't do it on purpose, I did that."
-"She surrounded me in the restroom with her agents and injected something on me by brute force…"- Kazumi explained.-"I couldn't even scream for help…"
-"That woman, Furukawa…?"- Yusuke asked and she nodded.-"It seems there's no limit to her sick acts…"
-"That's gotta be it! Right, Kazumi?"- Ryuji said.-"That woman is messed up...She's gotta be the owner of that palace!"
-"We aren't going to any palace."- Kazumi replied.-"It's over...The Phantom Thieves are over…"
-"Over…!? Why are you taking that decision?"- Morgana said in shock. How he was going to recover his memories now?
-"I already told Sojiro-san about what she did to me."- Kazumi said.-"But, nothing can be done against her if I accuse her…"
-"He contacted my father and...I'm leaving Tokyo in 3 weeks from now."- she added.-"As soon as he finishes his business in South Korea…"
-"What…?"-they reacted surprised for that revelation.
-"Don't make any precipitate moves."- Yusuke told to her in a desperate manner.-"If we change the heart of that woman...perhaps you can stay!"
-"I…"- Kazumi thought it was a good idea but suddenly her head started to hurt and her vision turned blurry.-"Agh! Stay away! It hurts!"
-"Kazumi?"- Ryuji tried to help her but she rejected his hand.
-"Don't come here!"- she started to cry suddenly.-"Get out!"
-"W-What's happening to her?"- Morgana said in shock and Ann pressed the help button next to her bed so someone came to help her.
Sooner after, a nurse came and suggested them to leave while she calmed her down. Sojiro came back from his cigarette and saw the students in their state of disbelief. He knew they heard about her moving out but only suggested them to go home for now.
Later, at night. A doctor told Sojiro that Kazumi was given a drug of confusing origin and totally different from the one analyzed on the syringe. He realized she was telling the truth. Although, when the doctor told him that she had to stay, he didn't gave the authorization and asked if she was ok with it which she was not. In the end, Kazumi was transferred to Takeo's clinic to stay at night.
Meanwhile, in the Nijima residence, Sae was arriving after her heavy work day. The mafia boss, Junya Kaneshiro who had been ordering people to blackmail others in Shibuya confessed today. All because of those so called Phantom Thieves. Her day wasn't going to go any better when she arrived home:
-"Makoto…"-she saw her little brother in the living room. Putting ice on his inflamed cheek.
-"S-Sis!"- he tried to hide the first aid kit but she already saw his wound.
-"What happened to you?"- she sat down next to him and saw the bruise.-"This was just an accident right? Where were you?"
-"It wasn't an accident."- Makoto replied dejected.-"I dropped my guard and some thug punched me."
-"You got into a fight?"- Sae didn't seem any caring when she said that.-"Why would you do something like that?"
-"Forget it. I probably deserved it."-Makoto said as he remembered Ann's words.
-"Deserve it?"- Sae stood angry.-"What are you hiding from me? Why would you hide anything from me? I have given you everything!"
-"Nothing you should be concerned with, Sis."- Makoto replied.-"Calm down."
-"Calm down!? You want me to calm down!?"- she was really stressed.-"Makoto. I am everything you have left. Don't you think about that trash talk from father about men being men."
-"You have changed recently… You have just transformed into a burden."- her words were getting hurtful for the boy.-"Right now you are useless to me. You're just eating away of my life!"
-"..."- Makoto looked down quietly being offended for being called useless.-"I am really sorry…"
-"Ugh…"- Sae took a deep breath after he said that. She knew she went too far.-"Dinner is ready right? I think I will just eat outside from now on…"
-"..."- Makoto let out a frustrated sigh.
That night, Kazumi had a dream about Kazuya visiting her on the hospital and saying that she was going to be ok just like when she was always visiting him.
June 17th
Kazumi woke up in the clinic feeling better than yesterday:
-"Finally awake aren't we? Guinea girl."-Takeo said as he noticed her while he was bringing up some coffee.
-"Doctor Takemi…"-Kazumi said confused.-"I'm sorry for yesterday…"
-"Indeed it was a real inconvenience that you asked to be transferred here in the night."- he said as he scratched the back of his head.-"But, it wasn't for naught."
-"Hm?"- Kazumi wondered.
-"I pulled an all-nighters to analyze that drug it was in your bloodstream…"- Takeo said.-"I've never seen anything like it...It's not even a drug people should use as a narcoleptic."
-"Even if it was, I wouldn't consume it for free will."- Kazumi denied.
-"And you didn't, right? It was forced on your system."- Takemi said as he took notes.
-"How did you…?"- Kazumi was impressed that he even figured that out unlike the doctors on the International hospital.
-"The nerve that was injected is tensioned now."- Takemi said.-"The injury started to bleed more than it should when I pressed on it."
-"A rather unprofessional injection and therefore it indicates no care for the damage."-he said.-"You might be a shady girl but, even I know you wouldn't hurt yourself this badly."
-"...What are the effects of this drug?"- Kazumi asked as she thrusted her arm.
-"You should've already suffered them."- Takeo said.-"It is a fungi that messes with your brain, in the hypothalamus, and causes anxiety and hallucinations with some panic attacks when you're on stress."
-"..."- Kazumi was worried about that and remembered when the woman said that there was no point in killing without making someone suffer.-"Will I die…?"
-"The dose given might stay with you for a few days."- Takeo explained.-"As long as you don't get another one, it will fade away as if nothing happened. It doesn't cause addiction either."
-"I see…"-Kazumi was relieved that it was the case.-"Thank you and...sorry for making you work up like this. If I have to pay you…"
-"You don't have to."- Takeo said.-"As long as you keep being my assistant, this should pose no problem."
-"Then I'll do it...I will help with your clinical trials today."- Kazumi said.
-"Slow down."-Takeo avoid her to get out of the bed.-"I appreciate your enthusiasm but you still have that drug on your system. I'll recommend you some pills for the hallucinations. Those are not free of charge."
-"I don't mind. You are probably the only person I can trust my health to now, Dr. Takemi."- Kazumi said with a sad smile.
-"Oh really? Even after telling you about my medical mistake?"- he asked intrigued.
-"Was it really your fault?"- Kazumi asked.
-"That error was well documented everywhere. Everyone in the field knows about it."- Takeo mentioned.-"I led the development of a cure for an incurable disease called the 'Crawford-Ende's disease'."
-"Although I wasn't the one administering the medicine, it was the cause of the error."- he added.
-"What do you mean?"- Kazumi asked.
-"With this disease, cells start to attack the healthy ones throughout the whole body."-he explained.-"When it reaches the muscles, the patient slowly begins to die. Not to mention, there wasn't any progress due to the low infected ratio."
-"I was working with a pharmaceutical company to develop a cure for it. Until, one day I was taken out from my position."- Takeo said.-"The Chief of Staff Yamada, that guy who has been here a couple of times...He took the control of the operation."
-"I don't know whether it was for fame or recognition that he did it, but he rushed the development of the drug to test it on this patient, Miwa."- Takeo said as he started to scratch his back head again.-"Miwa had a reaction and collapsed. The chief panicked and laid the blame on me as I was the one who fabricated the drug."
-"Really? That chief Yamada...he sounds like a real pain…"-Kazumi said.-"But what else happened with Miwa…?"
-"Her family and her resent me…"-he said looking down on his desk with his arms crossed.-"No matter what I said, I couldn't change that…"
-"I know it's not too late for you to change that, doctor."- Kazumi said to him with a reassuring feeling.-"You can get back on that superior of yours too!"
-"I appreciate the feeling but I am fine where I am."- Takeo turned towards her.-"I had no reason to stay in that hospital with the development suspended. I am just here in my own consultory progressing on its development by myself with my own guinea pig."
-"Eh? You mean…?"- Kazumi was kind of surprised.
-"Yes. I have been doing tests of it on you."- Takeo replied to her question early.-"I am at the final stage and I can't do it without you. You better not flake and get well as soon as possible, got it?"
-"Yes! I'll be back and help you finish it!"- she stood up to get her stuff.
-"That's my guinea girl…"- Takeo nodded.
Kazumi felt the trust of Takeo on her which made their bond grow deeper and the Death Arcana got a fifth star.
-"You can dress on the back while I am going to the waiting room."- Takeo said as he stood up.
-"Thank you."- she said smiling as she went to the back.
-"...I have to make these three weeks worth it."- Kazumi thought for herself after making that promise to Takeo.
Take Your Time.