Since she moved out of her sister's home one year ago, Makoto Niijima made time to go and visit her sister, Sae. Every two weeks on Sunday evenings, she would visit her sister and make dinner for the two of them. Haru would join them as well, which Sae didn't mind. Though she longed for quality time just between her and her little sister, she also knew that Haru made Makoto happy, and in the end, that's all that mattered. Makoto and Haru let themselves into her apartment with the key that Makoto had kept even after moving out and began preparing dinner. Sae wasn't home from work yet. Staying true to her word, she left her job at the prosecutor's office and began her career as a defense attorney. It was a bit jarring at first. After working hard for so long, she suddenly found herself sliding further back down the hill, going from being one of the most famous prosecutors in Tokyo to working at a medium-level defense firm. Still, it was what she wanted. She was going to power through it. She had a promise to keep after all. With that said, with all the work she was doing, she hardly had enough time to eat a homecooked meal. She didn't cook much herself. She only knew how to cook the basics. Not that it mattered much to her. Sae's determination to succeed crushed any feelings of starvation, and every victory and every step forward, no matter how small, made anything she ate taste one hundred percent better.

"Alright! Dinner is just about ready!" Haru exclaimed. "When should we expect Sae-san, Mako-chan?" Makoto checked the time on her watch.

"Any minute now, she said she would be home at seven o'clock. We should set the table."

"Oh, I took care of that already while you were focused on the beef tongue. The vegetables didn't take long at all." Haru grinned. Makoto turned to her girlfriend and shot her a devilish look.

"Well, I do know how much you like chopping things." Makoto wrapped her hands around Haru's backside. "Just as long as you save it just for vegetables." She grinned back, and the two shared a long passionate kiss. Makoto felt a bit naughty and placed her hand on Haru's breast.

"Mako-chan, wha-... what about your sister?" Haru asked, attempting to breathe between kisses.

"Don't worry about it..." Makoto said. "...mahn armor," She spoke in broken french, causing Haru to giggle hysterically.

"It's pronounced 'mon amour,' mon amour." Haru smiled as she took Makoto into her arms as they kept kissing, when suddenly...

"MAKOTO? I'm HOME!" Sae announced. The two heard the front door open and quickly pulled away from each other, making sure their hairs weren't messy, or their clothes weren't wrinkled.

"WE'RE IN THE KITCHEN!" Makoto yelled back. She and Haru exited the kitchen together and walked into the living room.

"Hello Makoto, Haru," Sae greeted the two with a hug each.

"Hey sis, how was work?" Makoto asked her sister.

"Fine enough. I got handed a new case, and it's a bit stressful. I wish I could discuss it with you. All I'll say is that I know the accused is innocent."

"How so?"

"Call it a gut feeling." Sae smiled. "I know I'll be able to win this case. Clean as a whistle as well." Sae was referring to winning without relying on any of her dirty tactics she used during her time as a prosecutor.

"That's great to hear, Sae-san!" Haru beamed. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," Sae immediately replied. She and Makoto sat down while Haru left to fetch their meal. Gyutan stew, one of many recipes Akira had picked up during their summer trip and shared with everyone. The only ones to actually use his recipes were Haru and Makoto. Sadly, while far from bad, their efforts never came close to Akira's. His dishes always had a certain je-ne-sais-quoi about them. As the three sat down and began to eat, they started with small-talk, which gradually escalated to full-blown conversations about life and such.

"Oh!" Sae said as she wiped her chin with her napkin. "I forgot to ask, how was your camping trip?"

"It was lovely, Sis. Everyone had a great time. We went hiking, we swam in the lake, enjoyed a campfire. It was great!" Makoto said excitedly.

"...Except..." Haru said a bit solemnly.

"What's wrong, Haru-chan?" Sae looked at Makoto, who was clearly bothered by something.

Haru took a deep breath. "...Something happened on our way back."

"You weren't hurt, were you?"

"No, we...um..."

"Did you get into an accident?"

"No, no. Nothing like that. We were driving back and..."

"...And?" Sae was growing more frustrated and more worried. Haru couldn't answer. She flashed back to Akira's body convulsing on the floor of the camper. Before shedding a single tear. Makoto placed a hand on her shoulder and took over speaking.

"Sis, Akira suffered a seizure..." Sae's eyes went wide with shock.

"Oh, my God..." She covered her mouth with her hand for a moment. "Is he okay?" She worriedly asked.

"Yes, but it was scary," Makoto explained everything as Haru remained quiet. Sae was in disbelief. She got scared herself when Makoto told her about the swerve that almost lead to a traffic accident.

"Is this a new thing, the seizures?" Sae asked, taking a sip of her wine.

"As far as we know. Sadly, we found out that that wasn't his first one." Sae grew wide-eyed once again, nearly choking on her wine. "This has happened before!?"

"He said the first one occurred the other night when..." Makoto paused before continuing. "...when he was assaulted." Sae was so shocked at all this sudden news. She was ready to slam her fist and make a hole in her dining room table.

"He was assaulted!? By who!?"

"Just some random, drunk nobodies who were trying to harass Futaba and Sumire." Sae had fire in her eyes. She wanted to call in some favors and have the two drunks locked uptight, but she knew abusing what little power she still had wouldn't be right. This was the one and only time she wished she had remained a prosecutor. "Akira and Sumire went to see a neurologist today, a friend of Dr. Takemi-san's. They said she found nothing wrong with his brain."

"That's a relief."

"Not quite. He said he'll have to get an MRI at the hospital to be sure there's nothing wrong with him elsewhere. He's also been put on medication." Sae looked confused.

"I don't understand. How is he on medication if the neurologist found nothing wrong?"

"He said they're meds that can quell seizures and migraines. You don't have to have epilepsy to take them."

"I see." The room was silent for a bit. The conversation had soured the atmosphere on what was supposed to be a fun family dinner. Sae broke the silence. "I wish there was something I could do for him." Makoto and Haru looked at her, Haru looking up for the first time in a while. "I owe Akira-kun a lot. He taught me the true meaning of justice and put me on the right path. Even with getting him released from juvenile hall, I still feel like I owe him."

"We all feel the same way, Sae-san. He's done so much for all of us." Haru said. "If not for him, my future and the company's would probably still be in limbo. He's taught us all so much." Makoto said nothing, just nodded silently.

"Do you think... we've been there for him the same way he has for us?" Makoto started thinking out loud.

"How do you mean, Mako-chan?"

"I mean, we've all had a problem that we were able to overcome thanks to him and the time he spent with us. Whenever I would call or message him, asking to help me on my investigation with Eiko, he was always there to help."

"Me too, whenever it was something to do with the company and my prospects, he helped me along the way."

"So, what are you saying, Makoto?" Sae asked.

"I'm saying that we always contacted him when we needed him. But, to my knowledge, he never contacted us outside of the group chat." Haru thought about what Makoto was saying and realized she might be correct. "I mean, we've never individually spent time with him, right? When we had, it was because he was helping us. Not because we just wanted to talk."

"He's never asked anyone in your group out just to talk?" Sae asked. Makoto just shook her head.

"During our first year together, despite him being our leader, Akira was always the quiet one of the group. He never talked about himself or anything."

"What about his parents?"

"We met his mother, Kairi, once. When we took him home last March. We didn't meet his father, though. We assumed he just wasn't home at the time. But during our trip last summer, we indirectly found out that his father had passed away when he was younger."

"I'm sorry. What do you mean, indirectly?"

"We... overheard him talking about it with Ryuji-kun and Yusuke-kun one night." Haru inserted herself back in the conversation. "We never asked him about it afterward. I doubt he even knows that we know."

"Otherwise, we don't know much about his past before Shido. After he and Sumire-chan finally became a real couple, he seemed to open and talk more. Not about himself, but just generally." Makoto added.

"I do wish he would talk more about himself," Haru stated.

"From what I know, Akira-kun is a humble person and not the kind to make things about him. He's genuinely selfless. After all, he agreed to turn himself to the police without argument. Not because he wanted to or that he wanted to be a hero, but because he knew it was what had to be done to convict Shido properly. If he chooses to keep to himself about certain things in his past, that's his choice. However, and I hope this doesn't come off as harsh to you two, you're lack of questions to him about it shows a lack of caring." Sae commented.

"We care very much about him, Sae-san!" Haru felt a bit of anger as she felt like she and the group were being judged.

"I know you do. But if so, how come you've never asked him about his past?" Makoto and Haru tried to speak, but the more they thought about it, the more they realized Sae had a point.

"Even Ryuji-kun asked about Akira-kun's father," Haru said as she hung her head in shame.

"Ryuji asked Akira if he'd ever gone camping. Akira was the one who brought up his father," Makoto pointed out.

"Even so," Sae said, rejoining the conversation. "It sounds like he bothered to ask. If you don't ask, you'll never know. I mean, how else do you get to know a person?" Makoto and Haru realized Sae was right. It was partly their fault. They should've tried to get to know their leader better, rather than always calling him for help.

"We'll never be able to repay him for everything he's done for us, but we have to be better and invite him to be more open with us," Makoto declared.

"Agreed, Mako-chan." Haru smiled for the first time since dinner began.

"Akira-kun would do anything for any person he loves and cares about. He loves and cares about all of you. He's always there for you. Be there for him as well." Sae said.

Haru and Makoto agreed as they finished their dinner and returned home. Both Makoto and Haru felt a bit tense after their conversation with Sae, but they knew she was right. They hadn't been as good to Akira as he'd been to them. They vowed to change that, sooner rather than later. As they got changed and ready for bed, their young hormones began peaking around the corner, and the two were soon engaged in passionate lovemaking.

Meanwhile, love was in the air elsewhere as well, as the sounds of a creaking bed and sensual moans reverberated around the small bedroom of one Ryuji Sakamoto. The former Shujin track runner poked his head out from underneath the covers, reaching for his water bottle on his nightstand as he tried to catch his breath. A moment later, another head poked out from under the covers, that being Ann Takamaki. Ryuji handed her her glass of water that he had gotten for her earlier. After both drank massive synchronized gulps, Ryuji removed his protection, chucking it in the tissue-filled garbage can at the foot of his bed. The two lovers laid in bed next to each other, making no attempt to cover up their exposed bodies, seeing no point after what they had just done for the past two hours, and turned to each other.

"Wow..." Ryuji began. "That was intense." He grinned.

"...Y-yeah... Sure was..." Ann grinned back.

"Wh-what brought that on?" He asked her.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you! Plus, we had some unfinished business from yesterday."

"Ah yeah. That was some good thinkin,' ya know, the whole "sprained ankle" thing? You didn't have to trip yourself like that, though."

"I had to try and make it look real, didn't I? I didn't plan on scraping my knees, though." Ann chuckled.

"And what about that kiss in front of everyone then? What happened to bein' discreet?"

"Well, you surprised me when you pulled out your med kit and patched me up. At that point, I just got too excited."

"Ohhh-kay. Note to self; Ann has a doctor's fetish." Ryuji suddenly felt Ann punch him in the arm. "Ow!...I guess I had that comin'." He smirked.

"You're more of a nurse than a doctor." She giggled.

"Pfft, whatever." Ryuji rolled his eyes at her before the two started chuckling. Ann then spoke again.

"And, like I said, I wanted to do something nice for you."

"Why's that?"

"Because of what you did for Akira."

Ryuji thought for a moment. He still had sex on the brain, so he wasn't sure what she was talking about. "...Oh! Ya mean the guitar?" He asked. Ann nodded in response.

"That was very sweet of you. I sometimes forget that you have a heart of gold. I don't often see it because your mouth is in the way." She smirked at him.

"Yeah...I just wanted to do somethin' nice for 'im. You're gonna tell me to let it go, but I still feel partly responsible for... well, ya know." Ryuji rubbed the back of his head before continuing. "And after everythin', I thought it'd cheer 'im up a bit." Ann leaned over and kissed him on the mouth.

"And that's why I love you, Ryuji Sakamoto." She softly said to him. Ryuji damn near had a heart attack.

"...Y...Y-you... love me?" He asked, still not believing what he had heard. Ann looked him dead in the eye.

"I do. Very much." She paused. "...To be honest, I have for quite a while..."

"Since when...?"

Ann thought for a moment. "I think it was after your stunt while escaping Shido's palace."

"Oh, yeah... when I nearly died." Ryuji received another punch to the arm. "Ow! What was that one for?"

"Don't say it like that, you moron! We thought we had lost you...I thought I had lost you! And then you showed up again like it was nothing."

"I was fine. Like I said, I was just knocked for a sec."

"I still cried for you. And then you showed up and put your foot in your mouth like you always do."

"Yeah, I guess, lookin' back, it wasn't my best moment." Ryuji put his hand up to his cheek. "I can still feel that slap, you know."

"Good! Let that be a reminder to you to never do something that stupid ever again." She said, chuckling. Once again finding her smile. "At least I came back for you afterward."

"Yeah, after you and everyone else left me lyin' on the sidewalk!" He loudly said. He had anger in his voice, but he was really just messing around with her, and she knew.

"You deserved it!" She laughed.

"Oh yeah? Well, maybe, it's time I get some payback!" He said as he jumped on her. The two began laughing and enjoyed some more quality time together.

Another blank canvas, another artistic slump. Yusuke was growing frustrated. He had been in a slump for the past two weeks. He'd hoped he'd find some inspiration out in Rainmaker Park. Unfortunately, no such luck. After trying to come up with an idea all day, he gave up and put down his paintbrush. He felt his stomach grumble. He looked outside his window and realized the sun had gone down. He had not eaten all day and lost track of time. After walking over to the fridge in his small studio apartment he had just moved into, he saw that it was devoid of food. He sighed before hearing a knock on his door. He went over and opened the door.

"Futaba?" He saw the ginger-haired girl standing at his doorway, holding a bag in her hand.

"I brought you dinner!" Futaba said, holding up the bag.

"How did you know I was hungry?" He asked her.

"Because you said it yourself, Inari. You're always hungry." She giggled. Yusuke let her into his apartment. She noticed how small it was. All that was there was a canvas, a kitchenette, and an inflatable mattress. She took a seat on the mattress, trying her best to find a comfortable position to sit with no success.

"Man, Akira's bed might be an improvement over this."

"My apologies. I don't have much in the way of furniture yet, as you can tell."

"Not that you can afford furniture anyway. Let alone food, mwe-hee-hee."

Yusuke took no offense at Futaba's jab and just laughed it off. "I am thankful for my scholarship. Otherwise, I am unsure what would become of me." Yusuke had very little. He had to bring his suitcase over to the air mattress and use it as a makeshift table to avoid eating off the floor. Futaba took the food out of the bag and placed it on the suitcase as Yusuke sat cross-legged across from her, and the two started eating.

Futaba looked around the apartment and wondered. "Did you paint the walls yourself?"

"Hmm?" Yusuke was caught off guard as he was eating the food Futaba had brought for him.

"The walls. Did you paint them?" She asked again.

"No, they were this color when I moved in. Perhaps they were painted recently? Why do you ask?"

"I dunno. Just looks cool."

"I chose this apartment because it was the only one I could afford..." Yusuke looked into Futaba's eyes. She looked back at him with a raised eyebrow. She knew he wasn't being completely honest with her. "...And yes, because of the wall color as well."

"Why...?" She pressed further, giggling slightly.

"...Because... The walls reminded me...of..."

Futaba knew what was coming, but she was still on the edge of her uncomfortable seat.

"...Lobsters..."

"THERE IT IS!" Futaba yelled as her arms shot up before laughing hysterically. The walls were salmon-colored, with only the ceiling being white. It totally made sense to her why Yusuke would've picked this place. After about a minute, she calmed herself down and started eating with him. The two talked for a while about their lives.

"So, you're going to be starting your final year at Shujin, correct?"

"Yup! I really hope I get Kawakami as a homeroom teacher again this year. The others? Meh. Kawakami's the only one who acts like she actually wants to be there."

"I do not know her personally. I only met her once during the trip to Hawaii. But, from what I've heard, she seems passionate about what she does."

"She's super cool. Akira was right. She asks me about him a lot, saying he doesn't keep much contact with her."

"Really? I wonder if he's contacted anyone other than Boss and us since leaving Tokyo?"

"I dunno," Futaba shrugged. "He has seemed a lot more distant lately. He doesn't reply to the group chat as much as he used to. I mean, he didn't do so as much when we were the Thieves, but he did after he went home. It seems like ever since he left again after our summer trip, he went back to his more distant and closed-off self."

Yusuke couldn't help but nod in agreement. "Indeed. I did notice he seemed a bit distracted when he first returned to Leblanc."

"What's weird is that he even got cranky at Sojiro and Mona. Akira doesn't get cranky." Futaba stated.

"Everyone has their days of frustration," Yusuke argued.

"Yeah, but it's not like Akira to take it out on people, let alone Sojiro. Mona, I totally get, though. Hee-hee." Futaba giggled.

"Agreed. Morgana has been known to provoke. His attitude can be rather obnoxious." Yusuke chuckled. "However, you are correct. Akira is not one to get angry at those he cares about."

Futaba thought for a moment. "He was our leader and our strongest fighter. Maybe he used the metaverse as a way to vent. You know, taking out shadows and stuff? I mean, come on! We've seen the guy take out like four shadows all by himself."

"And now that the metaverse has disappeared, you believe he lacks an outlet to channel his anger towards?"

"Maybe? I dunno, to be honest. I wonder if that's what caused his seizures?"

"His time in the metaverse?"

"No, his pent-up anger. You know, emotional stress and all that jazz?"

"Hmmm, you may have a point. I just hope, for his sake, whatever it is, it is not broken beyond repair." Futaba nodded in agreement, and the two continued to eat their dinner.

Yusuke cleared off the suitcase and dumped anything that he couldn't eat at a later time in the garbage can. When he returned to the mattress, Futaba was lying down. She motioned for him to join her. The two were lying side by side to each other. They looked into each other's eyes and began kissing. After a few minutes of passionate kissing, Futaba broke the kiss.

"I'm sorry," she quietly said. "I... I just..." Yusuke just hushed her, putting his finger to her mouth.

"It's alright. To be honest with you, I don't feel emotionally ready either. We don't have to go any further." Futaba was happy that Yusuke understood her and felt the same way.

"Thank you." She simply said, smiling at him. She sat up and stood up from the air mattress. "I should head back."

"You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"I promised Sojiro I'd come home tonight." Yusuke looked a bit disappointed but nodded in understanding. He got up from the air mattress as well and walked her to her door. Futaba turned back to him and gave him one more kiss. "I'll text you when I get home."

"Goodnight, Futaba."

"Goodnight, Inari." Futaba smiled and winked at him before exiting the apartment. Yusuke closed the door behind her, laid back down his air mattress, and stared up at the ceiling. After a few moments, something popped into his mind, and he headed over to his blank canvas and started painting.

Akira was nervous. His hands were clammy, and his right leg was trembling non-stop. Two days after his appointment with Dr. Hiromi Kimura, he and Sumire found themselves sitting in yet another waiting room. This one more crowded and active than the one before. They were at the University of Tokyo Hospital. True to her word, Dr. Kimura had called in after the two had left her office and had managed to get Akira an appointment only two days later. Akira and Sumire wondered if she had to call in few favors or pull a few strings. The Phantom Thieves really did have a lot of friends with connections. Either way, they were thankful. Sumire put her magazine down and placed her hand on Akira's trembling leg.

"Calm down," She said soothingly. "It's going to be alright." She tried to reassure him, but it wasn't quite working. He had started taking the medicine that Dr. Kimura had prescribed for him, which did manage to ease his migraines, but at the cost of an increase in anxiety. Not that he needed help from the side effects for that. He was already plenty anxious, fearing what could be wrong with him. Feeling Sumire's hand and hearing her voice, he managed to get his leg to stop trembling and compose himself once more.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm just really worried." He said to her.

"I know. I am too, but, whatever it is, I'm going to help you through it."

"You didn't have to come with me this time, you know."

"Your shaky knee says otherwise." she chuckled. He cracked a smile as well.

"I'm serious. You should be training for your gymnastics meet tomorrow. I'll feel bad if you do poorly because you didn't get enough practice because of me."

"Do you believe in me?"

"Of course I do." Akira was shocked at her question.

"Then that's all the motivation I need. Besides, I know the routine like the back of my hand. I could do it in my sleep."

"Still, I could've asked Ann or Ryuji, or-" She cut him off before he could continue.

"I know. But right now, you and your health are more important to me. I don't think I could've focused anyway." Akira relented. He was reminded why he didn't want to have this exact conversation on Saturday night before his appointment with Dr. Kimura. Sumire would just not take "no" for an answer. It was one of the things he loved about her. Yet, he still felt annoyed at her following him to these appointments. He felt embarrassed to be there and thought it would've been better had he come alone.

Eventually, a nurse came into the waiting room. "Kurusu, Akira?" Akira and Sumire both stood up and headed towards the nurse. "I'm sorry," the nurse said, stopping Sumire. "Only the patient is allowed unless you are an immediate family member." Sumire was not happy.

"I am going with him! I am staying with him the entire time! I refuse to wait here!" Sumire was stern as she argued with the nurse. She reminded Akira of Makoto. Sumire even threw the nurse a death glare similar to Makoto's. After the Yoshizawa death glare, the poor nurse had no more words left. She folded like a deuce before a full house and let Sumire through.

Again, Sumire did not take "no" for an answer.

The nurse led them to a room and instructed Akira to remove his clothes and put on the hospital gown that was laid out for him before exiting.

"Would you mind turning around for a minute?" Akira asked her.

"Why? It's nothing I haven't seen before. Heck, I've seen way more." She deviously winked at him. Akira chuckled.

"Yeah, I know. Just humor me, please?" Sumire obliged and turned away. Akira handed her his glasses and began removing his clothes, keeping only his boxers on. He then tried putting on the gown. He felt it was a bit tight on him. "Okay, it's clear." Sumire turned around and immediately covered her face with her hands before bursting into a giggle fit.

"Yeah, I know. Looks silly, doesn't it?" Akira said.

"No...heeheehee...It's not that." Sumire tried to talk but couldn't stop giggling. Akira raised an eyebrow in confusion. "You put it on backward." She finally managed to get out. Akira glanced down then back up, still confused. "It's not a robe." She said.

Embarrassed, he quickly took it off and put it on properly. Sumire noticed his bruises from the assault had fully healed. Though, his body was still covered in scars and marks. The nurse came back in and led the two down to the room where the MRI machine was located. She gave Akira the rundown of what would happen, telling him that he would lay flat on the surface, we would go in the MRI, and they would scan his body. She also made sure he didn't have a fear of enclosed spaces and gave him some earplugs to block out the thumping noise that the machine makes. Akira felt nervous and sweaty as he got on the movable table, lying flat on his back, and then went inside the tube while Sumire and the nurse went into the observation room. After a few minutes, the head doctor came in and got on the microphone.

"HELLO, AKIRA. CAN YOU HEAR ME!" Akira cringed at the volume level.

"It's a little loud!" He replied.

The doctor adjusted the volume and tried again. "Is this better?" Akira heard him ask at a quieter volume.

"Yes." He replied.

"Okay, sorry about that. You don't have to speak if you don't feel comfortable. We can see your face through a camera that's right above you. Unless we ask you to voice your reply, like something that's not a yes or no question, you can choose to simply nod or shake your head, all good?" Akira simply nodded. "Great. I'm doctor Takahashi, and I'll be analyzing your body today, Akira-kun. I'm going to turn on the MRI now. Just stay calm and relax. I may ask you to perform small tasks or answer some simple questions, but otherwise, just remain still and relax. Understand?" Akira nodded once more. "Good, do you have any questions before we begin?"

"How long will the test last?"

"Fifteen minutes to an hour. We were told that nothing came back from that EEG you took the other day, so we may have to really dig to try and find the problem if there is one. Just remember to remain still. Otherwise, the scans will produce blurry images. Any more questions?" Akira shook his head. "Alright, I'm starting the machine." For the next five minutes, Akira was a statue. He just looked up and thought about whatever he could to distract himself.

"Aw damn it." He heard Dr. Takahashi say through the microphone.

"Is everything okay?" He worriedly asked without moving.

"Oh, sorry about that, Akira-kun. Didn't realize the mic was still on, hehe. Yeah, no worries. The MRI just rebooted itself. We just had this new one installed last week, and we're still trying to work out some kinks. Don't worry, should be smooth sailing from here on out." Dr. Takahashi said.

Akira began to feel anxious again. "Count to four, inhale, count to four, exhale." He thought to himself. Twenty minutes later, Akira heard Dr. Takahashi speaking to him and snapped him out of his daydream.

"Sorry, what was that, doctor?"

"I asked you if you had a pacemaker." Akira was confused.

"A pacemaker?"

"Yeah, you know. A pacemaker? Goes in your heart, keeps your ticker ticking?"

"Yeah, I know what it is. No, I don't."

"Do you have any artificial heart valves or any prosthetic parts around the coronary artery?"

"No, none at all."

"Huh, alright then."

"Why? What's the matter?"

"It's just that the image, for the most part, is totally clear. But the image is slightly distorted around the heart. It's still clear enough that I can still see it, and from what it looks like, nothing's wrong. Maybe it's just the machine again." Dr. Takahashi said. Akira got scarred again for a moment. That combined with the thumping noise that the earplugs didn't block out in the slightest, he felt like the machine was going to explode.

After spending a total of thirty-five minutes in the machine, Akira was pulled out. He hopped off the table and met Dr. Takahashi in person, shaking his hand. Dr. Takahashi was rather tall; he had black slicked-back hair and black-rimmed glasses. He also had a small beard. He reminded Akira of a younger Sojiro. He and Sumire followed Dr. Takahashi and the nurse back to the room where his clothes were. They all left, giving him a moment to change back before reentering.

"So, what did you find, doctor?" Sumire asked.

"Well, we won't know for a few days. We'll get these down to a radiologist so that they can scan and analyze them. We'll call you if we find something urgent, otherwise expect to hear from us in the next few days or so."

"Great. Thanks, doctor." Akira unceremoniously said, and he and Sumire left the hospital.

Sumire went home after she got him back to Leblanc. Akira spent the afternoon sitting alone in his room, bored out of his mind but also expecting a bad news phone call from the hospital. With Morgana nowhere to be seen, he decided he had to do something to distract himself. He noticed the guitar that Ryuji had bought for him sitting in the corner of the room and decided to grab it. He felt the strings and decided to put it back down. He grabbed his jacket, headed out the door, and got on a train heading for Shibuya. He walked out of Ishibashi Music, a music store in Shibuya, with a brand new pair of guitar strings and even a tuning wrench. He went home, clipped the old strings off, and threw them away. He decided to clean up the fretboard a bit as well. It turns out he also still had his maintenance chops as well as his playing chops. The sun went down once the new strings were set and tuned up. Akira started playing. Not playing a particular song, just strumming chords and noodling. Like a songwriter with writer's block. He was interrupted by his cell phone ringing. He felt the blood drain from his face and immediately got anxious. Fearing the worst, he reached for his phone and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the caller id.

*Rise Kujikawa*

Akira answered the phone. "Hey Rise, what's up?" An overly chipper voice was on the other line.

"Hey, cuz! How's Tokyo treating you?" Rise aksed

"Ah, can't complain."

"Whatcha been up to?"

"Nothing much, just been hanging out with friends, getting ready for classes to start in two weeks." Akira, stubborn as he was, did not tell Rise about his visits to the doctor.

"Nice! So, the reason I'm calling is that I still haven't received your answer for the wedding." Akira realized he hadn't properly RSVP'd in regards to attending Rise's wedding. He had left the invitation on his desk back home.

"Sorry. Yeah, of course, I'm coming."

"Will you have a plus one with you?" She slyly asked.

"Yes, I will." He smirked.

"Is it that Yoshizawa girl? Am I finally gonna get to meet her?"

"Yes, you will."

"Yay! So much to look forward to! I'm so excited!"

"Rise, your wedding isn't until August. It's still March. Why did you want me to RSVP so soon anyway?"

"Sorry! It's just stressful planning a wedding."

"I get it. Not from personal experience, obviously, but I get where you're coming from. Just remember to chill out now and then."

"I know, I know. Trust me. I'm sure Yoshizawa-chan will feel the same when you two get married."

"WOAH! Woah! Slow down there, cuz. I'd rather not think that far ahead right now." Akira chuckled nervously.

"Right, you're still young after all~."

"So are you." Akira chuckled.

"Oh, you!" They both laughed. "By the way, how's your mom?" And just like that, the laughter stopped for Akira. "Have you called her yet?"

"She's fine. And no, but I've messaged with her a few times." He lied.

"Oh, okay. Just so you know, she'll be at the wedding too. In case you were worried about when you'd see her next."

"Swell," Akira said unenthusiastically.

"Boy, don't need sound too happy about it." Rise said sarcastically.

"Sorry, I just got other stuff on my mind. You know, university and stuff? How's Yu?" Akira tried to steer the conversation away from his mother.

"He's fine. He left to pick Nanako-chan up. He's spending the day with her. You remember Nanako, right? Middle-schooler, brown hair, etc."

"Yeah, I remember her. She's a sweet kid."

"Too bad, you're already taken. I'm pretty sure she has a crush on you~." Rise giggled.

"Yeah. Tell her what. If, God forbid, in ten years, me and Sumi aren't together anymore, I'll give her a call." Akira joked.

"I'll let her know you said that!"

"Alright, alright. It's been fun chatting with you, Rise, but I have to get ready for tomorrow. Sumire has a gymnastics meet."

"Oh, nice! Well, hope you have fun! Great hearing your voice, Akira!"

"Yours too. Bye, Rise."

"BYEEEE!" The two hung up. Akira felt anger at the mention of his mother. His migraines started coming back. He simply sat on his bed and tried to think about something else. He was interrupted by his phone going off. He opened it to see the Phantom Thieves group chat active.

*PT Group Chat*

SY: I got you all tickets to the meet tomorrow. They're at will call.

HO: Yay!

FS: Same im hyped!

RS: We'll support ya Sumi

AT: Definitely!

YK: I look forward to it.

MN: Looks like we'll all be there.

RS: Yo, Akira, you'll be there too, right?

"Of course, I'll be there. What am I gonna do? Not show up and support my girlfriend? Why did you even ask, Ryuji?" He muttered to himself.

"What was that?" Akira heard a voice that made him jump. It was Morgana, climbing back in from the window.

"Nothing was just thinking out loud. The chat was wondering if I was going to make it to Sumi's meet tomorrow. I was just responding."

AK: Yeah, of course i'll be there.

Akira typed in and sent his reply before closing his phone, not bothering to look at the replies.

"Oh, hey! How'd your hospital visit go?" Morgana inquired.

"Fine, they'll call me in a few days or so, but it seems like everything's okay."

"That's good to hear."

"Sorry, if you don't mind, I think I'm gonna go to bed early tonight. The meds are making drowsy." Morgana waved him off.

"I get it. Sleeping should do you some good. Good night."

"...' Night."

On the morning of the gymnastics meet, Akira, with Morgana in his bag, met up with the other Phantom Thieves. He ran into Sumire's parents, and they expressed their sympathies for what Akira had been going through. Akira felt embarrassed but thanked them for their concern. Sumire had already arrived way in advance like the other gymnasts and was in the locker room getting ready. While changing, she ran into a rival of hers, Arisa Nanoe. A snobby teen girl who came from a wealthy family and who didn't care about the sport the same way Sumire did. Though she didn't like Arisa, Sumire always tried to keep it friendly whenever Arisa tried to talk to her. Though it always a case of grin and bear it for Sumire.

"So, Sumi! How do ya feel? Feelin' good?" Arisa asked.

"I feel prepared. I'm confident in my abilities."

"Ya sure? Ya missed practice yesterday to hang out with your boyfriend. Hope he's worth it~" Arisa was trying to get under Sumire's skin.

"You would know the answer if you had someone like him in your life." Sumire retorted before slamming her locker shut and walking away.

She heard Arisa scoff behind her.

Meanwhile, the thieves found their seats and began waiting for the competition to begin.

"How are you feeling, Akira-kun?" Haru asked.

"I'm feeling alright. A bit tired from the drugs the neurologist gave me but otherwise, head's fine." Akira replied. Once again, lying to his friends.

"What about your MRI?" Ann asked.

"I'll know in a few days. Doctor said I should be good though, nothing wrong." Before another question could be asked, the announcer came on the microphone and announced the start of the competition.

Over the next hour, everyone watched as, one after another, gymnasts performed their routines. A few of them made mistakes, and very few were perfect. And the scores that the judges gave at the end reflected that. Finally, it was time for Sumire to come out. Akira had to nudge Ryuji, who was asleep next to him. Sumire came out in a light blue leotard. The same one she wore, and he first said, "I love you," to her more than a year ago. She performed her routine perfectly in the eyes of her friends and received a standing ovation at the end of her performance. There was no way she wasn't winning first place. That was until Arisa Nanoe came out. She started her routine and immediately made a slight fumble. She quickly recovered and continued without error. Despite no more fumbles, her routine wasn't as crisp or as smooth as Sumire's. It lacked grace and elegance and came off as generic.

Despite this, the judges gave her the same score as Sumire. It only got worse when Arisa was crowned first place, and Sumire received second place. Everyone cried foul, and the hall was filled with boos. Even to someone who didn't live and breathe the sport, it was clear that Sumire's routine was objectively better than Arisa's and that Sumire had been robbed. Later on, the thieves met up with Sumire's parents in the lobby of the venue. The lobby was packed. Competitors were with their families, and coaches were talking to the parents. The thieves saw Sumire walk out of the locker room entrance with coach Hiraguchi, Sumire's sensei. Sumire looked distraught and was on the verge of crying. Akira held her and comforted her as the Phantom Thieves each expressed their anger towards the result. Coach Hiraguchi assured them that they would investigate the matter. Sumire removed her head from Akira's chest and spotted Arisa from afar. Feeling anger and bitterness towards the girl, she decided to go over and confront her.

"How much?" Sumire asked her.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Arisa. How much did your parents bribe the judges?"

"Hey! That's disrespectful. We didn't bribe anyone. It's not my parents' fault ya weren't as good. Maybe if ya spent your day here rather than with your boyfriend, ya could've been going home with this." Arisa held up her first-place trophy. Sumire wanted to deck the girl but restrained herself. A voice on the right said to Sumire.

"Lookie here, girlie. My sister was betta than ya. Just accept it." Sumire looked at a weird-looking fellow who stood next to Arisa.

"And, you are...?" Sumire asked the weird boy.

"This is my brother, Koh. He came to support me." Arisa answered. "What about ya?"

"What about me what?"

"Who came to support ya? Are ya here by yourself?" Arisa disinterestedly asked.

"Yes. My friends, my parents, and my boyfriend."

"...But not your sister." Arisa's words made her blood run cold. "What. A. Shame."

*SMACK*

Sumire slapped Arisa. The sound was loud. The entire lobby went quiet and turned towards them. Arisa said nothing. She just held her hand up to her cheek and whimpered. Sumire stood frozen, her eyes closed, tears slowly pouring down her cheek. Koh grabbed her arm started pulling her away, but not before deciding to open his big mouth.

"The hell's the matter wit chu? It ain't 'er fault yer sister's dead." Yoh and Arisa turned around and started walking away. Sumire felt someone rush past her.

"She prolly jus-WOAH!" Sumire opened her eyes in time to see Akira grab Koh by the collar and slam him against the wall multiple times. Akira was enraged. He had the same red mist in his eyes as when he shoved Ryuji to the camper floor.

"Say that again, Asshole!" Akira shouted at the guy. "Go on, say it!"

"Who the hell ar ya!? Get offa' me!" Koh pleaded. He looked genuinely terrified of Akira.

"I'm her boyfriend," Akira spoke more softly before once again raising his voice. "You want to talk disrespect? How dare you and your talentless sister disrespect her family, huh? Huh!?" Akira slammed Yoh against the wall once more. "You have no fucking clue what it's like to lose a sibling, you fucking douchebag!" Akira was yelling. His yells reverberated across the entire lobby.

"Look, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, 'aight? Lemme go!" Koh begged.

"If you ever say another word about Sumire or her family ever again, I will kick the living shit out of you. Do you understand me?" Akira sternly said before letting him go. "Now, fuck off!" Koh and Arisa quickly headed off in the other direction as Akira watched them.

Akira's head was pounding like a jackhammer once again. He closed his eyes and groaned in pain. He thought he was about to have another seizure. A few seconds later, Akira's migraine mellowed out. He opened his eyes, and his vision cleared. He turned around and saw that the entire lobby was fixated on him. The other competitors, their parents, Sumire's parents, Coach Hiraguchi, the Phantom Thieves, and finally Sumire. All staring wide-eyed at him, completely speechless. He glanced around at everyone who was staring at him before heading for the entrance. No one stopped him or said a word as he quickly exited the venue and disappeared.

"Hmmm..."

"What is it, Dr. Takahashi?"

"I don't get it."

"Get what, doctor?"

"These distortions around Akira Kurusu's heart."

"I thought they were simply an error from the MRI?"

"I thought so too, but it's usually on just a few images, not all of them. Besides, the pattern is always consistent and perfect to look like a simple technical error." Dr. Takahashi thought for a moment while analyzing the images from Akira's MRI. A sense of familiarity about the images hit him. "Wait a minute. Nurse, could you do me a favor? I need to access another patient's file. I think I've seen something like this before."

"Who's file do you need, doctor?"

"Masayoshi Shido."

END OF ACT I

Author's notes:

Ooof, that was a long one. Part of me wants to split it but nah. I'm pretty proud of it so far. By this point I feel most of the setup is done. I came home for the summer now that classes are done. I am jetlagged af and gonna be up all night for the next few days, so good time to be writing. I'll probably squeeze chapters every day or so unless I can't think of anything to write. As always, thanks for your feedback and I hope you enjoy :)