"Got any plans for the weekend, kid? Got another study session, perhaps?"
"We haven't gotten any assignments for this weekend, surprisingly enough. Miku's probably not coming over this week."
"Her name's Miku, eh? Cute name."
"C'mon Boss. You're too old for that, plus you already have Futaba."
"Ah- Hey! That cheek's gonna cost you rent eventually, you hear me?"
Akira chuckled as he went back and forth with his old guardian and mentor on a late Thursday night, Sojiro having been forced to stay open a little later than usual. A customer had been ordering coffee non-stop and had finally been kicked out 30 minutes after closing time. Sojiro heaved a sigh of relief as he went back to cleaning the counter and the booth as Akira took up the job of washing the cup and the equipment, preparing to close up shop for the night.
"So, you just finished your second week of university, right?"
"Right…"
"Only one friend so far?"
"Eh, the other people spread rumors about the two of us. I'm not into that."
"Not much different from how it was before, is it?"
"It is what it is. It's better to be alone than in bad company."
"Wise words, kid. Wise words indeed."
The two of them continued cleaning up the cafe in relative silence as Akira's thoughts drifted towards other things, mainly focusing on what's happened since he's arrived back in Tokyo. A visit from Doctor Maruki and Akechi, as well as running into the now Tokyo based Zenkichi and Akane. If he didn't know any better, he'd have thought-
*Tinkle* *Tink* *Tink*
It couldn't be, right?
Now?
No, impossible.
Akira forced himself to turn towards the door, not knowing what to expect, although what he found disappointed him just a little bit.
"What is it, Akira? You look…" Morgana trailed off as he hopped onto a chair at the counter, scratching his ears. "I don't know the word exactly but…"
"It's nothing, Morgana." Akira shrugged it off, drying his hands and setting the cup and equipment aside. "You just brought me out of a thought is all."
"You sure, kid? You've been pretty out of it since you started university." Sojiro asked, a tinge of concern echoing in his voice. "Well, obviously not all the time but on certain days, I've noticed you just seem a little… well, out of it."
"I'm sure, Boss. Really." Akira persisted. "It's probably just the stress of starting school back up again. I might've let myself get too much into the holiday spirit."
"Ha! You might have a point there." Sojiro guffawed as he took off his apron. "I'm not your parent or anything, neither am I your guardian anymore, but do remember to keep your head high, all right, kid?"
"You don't need to tell me twice, Sojiro." Akira chuckled. "Are we done for the night?"
"Done and some more. Thanks for the help today." Sojiro graciously thanked Akira as he made his way towards the door. "Get some rest tonight. By the looks of things, you need it."
Akira smiled gratefully. "Roger that Chief."
Sojiro quickly took his leave, seemingly eager to get back home since Futaba was waiting and most likely hungry, saving her stomach on the promise that Sojiro would order fried chicken that night. Akira and Morgana retired to their room as they both fell onto the bed, tired from the day's events.
Take Your Time
Akira woke up the next morning with a loud yawn, causing his partner who had peacefully fallen asleep on his stomach to stir and roll. Stretching a little, he sat up and checked his phone out of habit before he went downstairs to start his morning routine. Not long after, he had finished changing and his usual morning wash up and was ready to start the day.
"Did Sojiro mention anything about not coming in today?" Akira asked Morgana with a slight tilt to his head. "I don't remember him saying that he'd be taking the day off today…"
"Neither did I… Do you think he's okay?" Morgana replied slowly. "He would've told you something, right?"
As if on cue, the two of them heard the lock fumble before the door swung open revealing Sojiro carrying a large box. "That's because I never said anything, idiot. What kind of guardian do you think I am? I've got a store to run too, y'know…"
"Duly noted." Akira chuckled as he ran over to help the Chief with the heavy box. "Did the package keep you?"
"As a matter of fact, it did." Sojiro wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead after Akira set the box down behind the counter. "Oh, apparently you got a letter too."
"I got a letter?" Akira raised his eyebrow in suspicion as he turned to the chief with an inquisitive look. "I haven't gotten a letter since-"
"That time Futaba asked you to steal her heart!" Morgana whispered loudly. "Letters aren't usually a good sign for you, Akira…"
"Believe me Morgana, I know…" Akira muttered back. "Do you have the letter with you, Sojiro?"
"Yeah. I brought it with me this morning. It should be…" Sojiro paused as he fumbled for the letter. "Here! I have no idea who sent you that letter, kid, but if it has anything to do with your Phantom Thief shenanigans…"
"I doubt it, but I promise if it is, it won't involve you, Sojiro."
"Good."
Sojiro slid the letter across the table smoothly as Akira caught it deftly in his hands before tearing it open to reveal the contents inside. As he twirled the envelope around, he noticed that there wasn't anything unusual about this letter unlike the one he had hand delivered by Futaba. Everything seemed normal so far, and Akira didn't like where this was headed. Unfolding the letter within the envelope, Akira took it out and began to read it over before crumpling it up and throwing it into the bin with perfect accuracy.
"What was it, Akira?" Morgana inquired curiously as Akira simply shrugged. "What'd it say?"
Akira bit his lip. "It wasn't anything important," His eye twitched a little. "Don't worry about it."
Sojiro and Morgana both turned to each other as Akira looked at his phone, both of them squinting at each other with a look of surprise. Deciding not to push the topic any further, the two of them decided to drop it.
"So, got any plans for today, kid?"
"Not really. Do you need me in the cafe today?"
"You kiddin'? As if there's any people on a Friday."
"Good point."
"Look, kid. You don't have to help me out if you have something you wanna do. I'd appreciate it, sure, but you shouldn't feel obligated." Sojiro assured him as he walked over and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm not forcing you, got it?"
"Right." Akira nodded simply as he put his other hand on top of Sojiro's. "Thanks. I'll probably bring Morgana out for some lunch today. It's been a while since we've gone somewhere, just the two of us."
"Enjoy yourselves, you two." Sojiro chuckled. "You need some time off, kid. Enjoy the spring air. It's a beautiful day, after all."
"Copy that, Chief." Akira said with a smile before beckoning Morgana over and bringing him upstairs. "Do you wanna do anything specific? We have the day to ourselves."
"I've never really thought about it…" Morgana admitted, scratching the back of his head as if he were in thought. "You've got a lot of free time nowadays, since you only have classes from Mondays to Thursdays… Ooh! How about we go watch a movie! We haven't seen one in a long time! Or maybe we could have lunch and-"
"Surprise Sumire after school?" Akira finished before Morgana opened his mouth, before closing it soon after. "We could do that."
"It's always you making the calls, isn't it?" Morgana playfully sulked, pretending to be upset. Akira however, saw right through his act.
"You say that as if you didn't make me the leader of the Phantom Thieves all those years ago." Akira shot back as he smirked. "I'm kidding, Mona. How does sushi sound for lunch?"
"Oooh! Sushi! I'm in!"
"Knew that would get you to agree. I still owe you the sushi that I promised you last time, so I figured that this was as good a time as any."
"Now that's the Joker I know!"
Take Your Time
Akira and Morgana soon found themselves down a busy district in Shibuya, eagerly looking for a decent sushi restaurant that didn't consist only of conveyor belt sushi, which in Morgana's words, were: "Too simple for his sophisticated palette."
After a delicious meal of sushi among other things, Akira and Morgana made their way towards Aoyama Itchome as Morgana continued to gush and thank Akira for their meal.
"It tasted amazing, Akira! We need to go back there again at some point!"
"Calm down, Morgana! I'm not made of money, y'know?"
"And exactly how much time did you make us spend in Mementos? You can't seriously tell me that all of our funds have run dry already?"
"That…" Akira bit his lip before shaking his head. "You're one smart cat, you know that?"
"Glad you're finally taking note!" Morgana smiled proudly from atop his shoulder as Akira raised his other hand to pet him.
"You have a point though," Akira admitted as he thought about it a little more. "I should treat the team sometime. We did work our asses off for all that money, we might as well put it to some good use."
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Morgana cheered.
The two of them reached the gates of Shujin Academy without much of an issue. Most of the white noise of the busy streets behind them had soon been replaced with silence as the two of them waited outside the large building.
"I've never noticed, but I guess it does get pretty quiet if you come here before everyone's let out of class…" Akira muttered to Morgana. "I don't even remember the last time I've come at a time like this…"
"That's probably because you've never skipped class besides that first day, and subsequent days in December because of, well…" Morgana whispered back. "Now that you mention it though, it does feel awfully quiet. I guess we're just not used to it, huh?"
"Yeah, you might be right…"
Take Your Time
Sumire sat idly in class as she half heartedly listened to Mr. Inui's lecture on World War II, hoping that she could soon be out of the class and on her way home. Coach Hiraguchi had given her the day off today, since according to her, she had been performing extremely well. She accepted it graciously and with open arms as it meant that she would finally have a day besides her precious Sundays to relax and take a break from her gymnastics.
"Now, as you might recall from our last class, we discussed Japan's involvement in the second World War. It was a historic event, and Japan suffered many losses." Mr Inui seemed to drone on as Sumire scribbled down a few notes in her book. "Yoshizawa?"
"Oh! Yes, Mr Inui?" Sumire hastily replied as she turned her attention back towards the blackboard.
"Right, so if you were paying attention in the last class you would have known that Japan was bombed by the United States in two places, namely Hiroshima and Nagasaki respectively." Mr Inui scribbled the names of the two cities onto the blackboard. "Now supposedly, according to official records, the United States weren't part of World War II until which historic event caused them to retaliate?"
"Ah! Um… It was because Japan attacked first at Pearl Harbor in December of 1941!" Sumire answered confidently as she looked towards Mr Inui who seemed most impressed.
"Well done!" Mr Inui clapped, clearly impressed by her extensive knowledge of the War. "The United States were brought into the war by Japan after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. In Layman's terms, our actions were met with repercussions."
A few loud whispers erupted from her classmates around her, most of them seeming impressed or flat out dis-interested. Sumire herself couldn't care less, though, her thoughts drifting back to her free day and wanting the class to be over as she copied down a few more notes before letting out an audible but quiet sigh.
"I wonder what Akira's doing now…" Sumire muttered to herself as she shifted her attention towards the window, looking outside. "Bet he's having a lot of fun. I can't believe he gets Fridays and Saturdays off! Then again, I guess he's probably helping Sakura-san in the cafe…"
The class ended soon after, with Mr Inui assigning some light reading as homework for the day. Sumire took her time packing away her belongings since it was the last class of the day, and she had the entire day to herself. Getting lost in thought, she wondered how she would want to spend her free time, although she soon lost track of that thought when her phone buzzed from the inside of her bag.
Private Message (SumiEvergarden and BeneathTheMask)
BeneathTheMask: Still in class?
SumiEvergarden: Haha, very funny. What do you want?
BeneathTheMask: That's the response I get for wanting to know how my girlfriend's doing?
SumiEvergarden: You never text me when I'm in class, loverboy. There has to be a reason, right?
BeneathTheMask: I can't just text my girlfriend without a reason?
Sumire felt a faint blush appear on her face as she quickly turned around to hide herself more from the few classmates that were still there. They seemed to take no notice as they continued to chatter away within their groups as Sumire turned back to her phone as she typed up a quick reply
SumiEvergarden: Someone's feeling flirty today, I see.
BeneathTheMask: Love ya ;)
Sumire rolled her eyes.
SumiEvergarden: Love you too, you dork.
BeneathTheMask: So, are you still in class?
SumiEvergarden: I'm about to leave, why?
BeneathTheMask: No reason, I was just curious.
SumiEvergarden: Hm…
BeneathTheMask: Oh! Gotta go sweetie. Got a customer. I'll talk to you later, okay?
SumiEvergarden: If you say so... Good luck! Say hi to Boss for me!
Sumire tucked her phone away as she put the rest of her belongings into her bag and made her way towards the entrance of the school. Saying a brief goodbye to Futaba at the front gate, Sumire continued walking towards the station, eager to make her way home.
"I wonder what Akira's doing…" Sumire mused. "He usually isn't that ambiguous when he's texting me…"
…
…
!
"Surprise!" Akira jumped out from the inside of an alleyway with Morgana on his shoulder, taking Sumire by surprise. "You weren't expecting me, were you?"
"I knew you had something planned!" Sumire remarked in triumph before she was engulfed in a hug from her boyfriend. "What are you doing here? Don't you have better things to be doing?"
"Well… Sojiro gave me the day off." Akira admitted as he scratched his head. "I thought I'd take Morgana for some sushi, since I owed him, and then drop by."
"Of course you did…" Sumire sighed as she embraced his hug before quickly breaking away, noticing that they were drawing a little bit of attention. "Hey Morgana! It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Yep!" Morgana chirped from atop Akira's shoulder. "I haven't seen you since we saw Zenkichi-san! How've you been?"
"Well at least someone's concerned about my well being…" Sumire emphasized as she gave Akira the stink eye. "I have good news today, actually! Coach Hiraguchi gave me the day off!"
Akira winced. "First of all, ouch. Second of all, that's great! Got any plans for today?"
Sumire shook her head. "Nope, not really. I was just thinking of going home and resting up for the day. What about you two?"
Morgana spoke up first. "Well if you two lovebirds want to do anything by yourselves, I can-"
"No, you can't go home by yourself Morgana." Akira interrupted, stopping Morgana mid sentence. "It's a 14 minute ride by train, and who knows how far it'd be if you walked? If you really want to get back home I could at least drop you off with Futaba and she could take you."
"Aww… fine. I guess you have a point…" Morgana sighed in defeat. "Do you guys have any plans, though?"
"If it were up to me, I would absolutely love to spend the day with my girlfriend," Akira winked as Sumire blushed a light shade of pink. "Although if she just wants to take the day off, I'm fine with that too. I know how tiring gymnastics practice can get."
"I'd love to spend the day with you Akira!" Sumire confirmed decisively with a nod before Morgana heaved a sigh. "Sorry Mona! I'll make up for it, I swear!"
Morgana nodded. "I'll hold you to that, Sumire!"
Akira stuffed Morgana back into his bag. "Right, I'll take this one to Futaba. Maybe while I'm gone, you can decide what you wanna do. See ya in a bit!"
"I'll have something by the time you're back, Senpai!"
As Akira made his way back towards the school entrance seeking their orange-haired friend, Sumire sank deeper into thought as she wondered what the two of them could do together on their shared day off.
"Hmm…" Sumire pondered, getting lost in her train of thought. "Where could we go…? Maybe the Jazz Jin? Oh! I know! I have the perfect idea!"
Akira returned not a moment too soon, having found Futaba rather quickly and saying a quick hello to Akane-chan before heading back to the spot he had left Sumire at. "So, sweetheart, thought of anything?"
"I actually have, Akira!" Sumire cheerfully nodded with a bright smile on her face as she tugged Akira by the hand towards the station. "I can bet all of my money that you'll never see it coming!"
"Oh really?" Akira smirked. "If I don't manage to guess it within 3 guesses, our next lunch together is on me. Sound good?"
"And if you do guess it, I'll bring you out for lunch." Sumire giggled. "Although I'm warning you, Senpai, the lunch is already mine!"
"We'll see about that." Akira chuckled as he followed his girlfriend towards the station, eager to find out what she had planned for the two of them for the remainder of their free day.
Take Your Time
"So if we aren't going to the aquarium, nor Kichijoji…" Akira murmured, deep in thought as he continued to hammer at his brain, thinking about what his girlfriend had in store for the two of them. "...I have no idea. Guess I owe you that lunch."
"I figured as much." Sumire smirked in victory as they walked out of the Shibuya station. "Cause we've got a little bit of walking to do!"
"Well, considering the fact that we're in Shibuya, I'd be surprised if we didn't have any walking to do…" Akira muttered under his breath before receiving a playful hit on the back. "Hey! What was that for?"
"For being right." Sumire giggled as she ran ahead, holding onto his arm as she dragged him through a few familiar roads. "You miiight be able to tell where we're going now, right?"
"Well… I can think of several places, although if you wanted me to just walk you home, you could've just asked." Akira replied bluntly before getting another playful smack. "Really?"
"Yes, really." Sumire pouted before they turned an ever familiar corner Akira had seen a few times when walking to Sumire's house in the residential outskirts of Shibuya. "When's the last time you've been to my house, Akira? The only time I remember was when I invited you into my room before we went to fight Doctor Maruki."
"That's the only time I've been in your house, love." Akira shrugged as he continued to follow her down another long road. "There's been a couple of other times that I've walked you back but nothing more."
"Well, today I have a surprise for you!" Sumire announced as they reached her doorstep as Akira gave her a questioning look. "Relax, Akira. It's nothing bad, I promise!"
"Well, I can think of several things which you could be inviting me to your house for."
"Do you want to just step inside so I don't have to explain, or are we really gonna just stand outside bickering like an old married couple?"
"I mean, it'd save us the wait of a few decades-"
"Save it, smartass. We're going in."
Akira chuckled as Sumire fumbled in her sling bag for her keys before she hastily pulled out a neat key ring and slid it into the lock. Turning the handle rather quickly, she took off her shoes and slotted them on a shelf, prompting her boyfriend to follow suit. To his surprise, he heard her shout something out that he hadn't expected.
"Mom! Dad! I'm home!"
Akira froze in place, still in the process of taking off his shoes at the front door. "What?! You didn't tell me your parents were home, Sumire!"
Sumire giggled. "Don't worry, they won't bite! I'll be here. And besides, you've met my Dad before, right?"
"That…" Akira trailed off as he sighed. "I have, but that doesn't mean-"
Akira was interrupted by a cheerful voice coming from further inside the house. "Welcome home! You're off for today, right? Coach Hiraguchi told me you had the day off!"
"Yes, Mom! I wouldn't be home early if I had practice." Sumire responded in a loud enough voice that she hoped her mother could hear.
"I'm just preparing dinner, sweetie! Your father will be home in a minute, he went to get some extra groceries since he was off today as well." Sumire's mother called out as the audible sound of a tap running echoed through the main entrance hallway. "I'm surprised you're home early today, though! I would've thought you'd have gone to see your boyfriend! Or was he busy today?"
"Sumire! Exactly how much did you tell your mother?" Akira aggressively whispered as she only shrugged in response. "I swear… We're going to have a nice and long talk, later."
"Well, um…" Sumire paused mid sentence, thinking of a way to formulate a reply as the two of them made their way towards the living room. "He uh…"
Having been here only once before, Akira didn't really pay attention to the finer details within the Yoshizawa household, having been rushed up into Sumire's room the one time he was invited without much of a chance to look around downstairs. Akira noticed that the kitchen wasn't separated from the dining room nor the living room that much, similar to his parent's house that he remembered before he was sent on probation. The living conditions were much more modest than he had been led to believe, since Sumire's father worked as the director of the popular and famous TV talk show "Good Morning Japan". Not before long though, Sumire's mother decided to turn around, bringing her into eye contact with her daughter and Akira as he froze like a deer in headlights, unsure of what to do.
"Oh! I didn't know we were having a guest over! You should have told me, Sumire!"
"Sorry Mom! It was kind of a… spur of the moment decision. I didn't really think this through…"
"Don't worry! Would you perhaps be the boy that my Sumire talks about all day long?"
"Mom! Not in front of him! Please?"
"Well, I'm sure he knows all about it already. You aren't very good at keeping things secret, after all."
Akira could only look at the two of them in his semi-frozen state, his eyes darting back and forth between his girlfriend and her mother before he finally spoke up. "Um… hello Mrs. Yoshizawa… I'm Akira Kurusu."
"Nervous, are we?" She chuckled as she walked over out of the kitchen. "Don't be! From what my daughter's told me about you, you have nothing to worry about! I'm Akane! Akane Yoshizawa. I'm so happy that I finally get to meet the boy that my daughter spent the entire of last year chatting about!"
"Well, it's nice to meet you too?" Akira nervously responded as politely as he could before he was ushered towards the living room.
"You don't need to be so formal, I won't bite, promise! Although I can't say the same about Shinichi~!" Akane teased. "Sit down, sit down! Make yourself at home! I'll save the questions for later so my husband can get in on the fun! Sumire, take care of him, will you?"
"On it, Mom!" Sumire answered as she brought Akira up to her room before closing the door behind the two of them. "Sorry! This probably wasn't what you were expecting, huh?"
Akira heaved a huge sigh of relief. "I… Well, let's say that could've gone better." Akira chuckled as he reassured his girlfriend. "I just wasn't expecting to meet your parents this soon."
"I probably should've given you some time…" Sumire apologised as Akira shook his head. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this…"
"Don't apologise. This day was bound to come sooner or later."
"Right. Well… what do we do now? Your dad's coming home soon, right?"
"He should be. Mom did say he just went to get some groceries."
"Then I guess we'll wait till he gets back and then get through this together. This shouldn't be too hard, right?"
"Not if you don't make it hard for yourself."
"Listen here, smartass. It wasn't my idea to do this, okay? So what if I'm a little unprepared?"
"And here I thought the leader of the Phantom Thieves was prepared for every eventuality…"
"That was then, and this is now! Those are two completely different-"
A loud voice was heard from outside Sumire's room alongside the faint sound of a door closing. "Sumire? Dad's home!"
"Just play it cool, alright? You've met Dad before. He doesn't bite."
"You owe me one."
The two of them smiled as they laughed it off before opening the door to Sumire's bedroom together and heading downstairs, greeting Shinichi as he dropped off the groceries on the kitchen counter.
"Hi Dad!" Sumire greeted as she came downstairs first, waving hello. "How's your day been?"
"Well, I haven't been working today. Your mom told me Hiraguchi-san gave you the day off, too. I guess you're home early for dinner?" Shinichi set the groceries down and gave his daughter a hug. "It's nice to see you home early for a change."
"It's good to see you too, Dad…" Sumire embraced his hug as he soon let go of her. "I um… I have a guest over. I don't know if you remember him, but…"
Akira took this as a signal, and slowly walked down the stairs, waving at both Sumire and Shinichi. "Hello, Mr. Yoshizawa. I'm not sure if you remember me but… It's nice to see you again. I apologise if I'm intruding."
Shinichi chuckled. "Nonsense. Any friend of my daughter's is welcome at any time, although a little warning wouldn't have hurt. If I remember right… you're Akira, correct?"
"Yeah. Akira Kurusu. I'm sorry I didn't offer you my name earlier, but we barely had a brief moment." Akira apologised politely as Shinichi only shook his head.
"You have nothing to apologise for, and please, you needn't be so formal. Shinichi works just as well, and if my hunch is correct, I'll be seeing you a lot more from this day on." Shinichi smiled kindly as he turned to Sumire. "Well Sumire? This is the boy you've been telling us about day and night, right?"
"Dad!"
"What? I'm right, aren't I?"
"Could you not say that in front of him?"
"Why not? I'm sure he already knows."
"It's different!"
Akira chuckled as he watched the two squabble as Akane pulled him aside into the kitchen as they talked while she cooked. "I'm sure you can tell but Shinichi loves Sumire very much, so he can be a little overprotective at times."
"I remember that year when I was staying here she used to get called back home early many times." Akira nodded subtly. "I appreciate how smooth this is going, though. I admit I wasn't ready to meet you two today."
"Oh? Did Sumire drag you here?" Akane laughed out loud as she continued to prepare their meal. "I can see why you'd be more nervous than usual."
"Mom! I heard that! I didn't drag him here, okay?"
"Sure sweetie! Also, mind helping me put away the groceries? I think your dad went upstairs to cool down."
"Coming Mom!"
Akira spoke up as he watched his girlfriend run in and out of the kitchen a few times. "Akane-san? Do you need help?"
"Help? Oh that's right! Sumire told me you're quite the cook! I nearly forgot! Don't worry. I can handle it." Akane assured him as Akira nodded. "I appreciate the offer though, dear! It's very kind of you."
"I'll wait outside then. Thank you for having me over for dinner." Akira excused himself politely and headed towards the dining table where his girlfriend was arranging the table to welcome a fourth person. "Hey. You doing okay?"
"Hm? Sumire looked up before giving him a peck on the cheek, causing a faint tinge of pink to appear on his cheek. "I should be asking you that, dork. I'm fine, although I wish they wouldn't talk so openly about what I say about you…"
"I think that ship has sailed already." Akira chuckled quietly as he continued to talk to her, Shinichi having seemingly gone upstairs, leaving the two of them alone as Akane continued to finish up dinner preparations. "I'm… not as nervous as I was before, at the very least. So that's good."
"I'm glad!" Sumire happily smiled at him as she skipped off to the table and continued to prepare it for their meal. "Are you gonna stand there all day and look pretty, or will you actually help me?"
"With what? I barely even know where things are kept here." Akira shot back with a smug grin as his girlfriend gave him the stink eye before grabbing his hand and dragging him back into the kitchen.
Take Your Time
An hour became two, then three as Akira helped Sumire and Akane in the kitchen, mostly with the cooking since as luck would have it, Akane had decided to prepare some curry for their dinner tonight and after some persuasion from both her daughter and from the praise she's heard about his curry prior to their meeting, she finally gave in and allowed Akira to helm the preparations. To her surprise, he was extremely efficient, preparing the ingredients with little to no help as Sumire watched in enthusiasm after she had finished storing the groceries.
"Akira-kun, you're a natural!" Akane complimented, visibly impressed by the skills he was displaying. "I never would've guessed you were such a good cook! The curry smells delicious!"
"Oh please, my curry pales in comparison to Sojiro's curry." Akira shrugged as he tasted a mouthful. "You should visit Leblanc one day. I'd be happy to make you a cup of coffee but curry is Sojiro's specialty."
"I would love to!" Akane replied cheerfully as she helped Akira with what little things she could as he finished up the curry. "Sumire's been telling me a lot about it! Apparently it's even better than her Mom's home cooking…"
"Mom!" Sumire butted in indignantly. "Don't keep judging me for that! Wait till you've tasted it first! Boss's curry is amazing and Akira's is no slouch either!"
"I'm kidding, sweetie. Go ahead and call your dad down, it's nearly time for dinner. I'm sure he'd love to get the chance to taste the curry you've been talking about all year."
As Sumire wandered out of the kitchen, Akira turned off the stove and with Akane's help, started plating the curry, making sure not to lose too much heat as he wanted to keep it warm in case his girlfriend wanted seconds. Moments later, both Sumire and Shinichi emerged from the staircase as Akira left the kitchen, leaving the serving of the food to Akane. He soon took a seat next to Sumire as Shinichi took a seat opposite him. Akane soon joined her husband after serving their curry, the delicious smell of it wafting through the air in the house.
"This curry smells delicious, Akane." Shinichi noted as he picked up his fork and spoon. "Did you make it?"
"Actually, Akira-kun did most of the work. I just helped him with some of the preparations." Akane shrugged with a smile and a wink towards Akira. "You've heard about the food he can make from Sumire, right?"
"That I have. I'm curious to taste it for myself, now that you mention it." Shinichi smiled as he took a spoonful of rice and curry. "My, this is delicious! Sumire wasn't kidding when she said your curry is the best she's had."
"I appreciate that, Shinichi-san." Akira thanked him politely as he took a mouthful himself, as did Sumire and Akane. His heart nearly jumped as he saw the two of them immediately close their eyes, savoring the taste of the dish. "I take it you two are enjoying it as well?"
"Are you kidding?" Sumire jokingly punched him lightly in the side of his shoulder. "Your curry's always delicious, Akira."
"Agreed! My Sumire knows her way around the kitchen too but if you could I'd love it if she could make this at home too!" Akane nodded between mouthfuls of food. "It wouldn't be too hard to teach her this recipe, would it?"
"Sorry, but it's not mine to give." Akira chuckled. "She could ask Sojiro herself but I'd be happy to teach you if he agrees."
"You mean it?" Sumire perked up, nearly halfway done with her curry already. "I've already been working with that cookbook Doctor Maruki gave me, I'd love to have another recipe to work on!"
"Swing by Leblanc sometime, then. You could ask Sojiro yourself. I'm sure he wouldn't mind, but I'd like to be sure. It is his most prized recipe, for a reason."
"There's always a reason to swing by Leblanc when you're around, Akira."
"Save the flirting for when we're alone, 'Mire."
Shinichi and Akane chuckled as they watched their daughter turn a bright shade of pink before going back to her curry, the four of them continuing to finish their meal in relative silence.
"So Akira-kun, you're in university now, correct?" Shinichi asked with a curious gaze as he finished up his curry. "What are you majoring in?"
"I'm currently majoring in psychology." Akira answered. "I just started 2 weeks ago, actually. I've been learning a lot so far, and I'm enjoying it. It also helps that I got offered a scholarship to the University of Tokyo, and the professors there are excellent."
"Really? Congratulations!" Shinichi offered his hand as he allowed Akane and Sumire to take their plates to wash up with a brief signal. "Was there any reason you decided to major in psychology?"
"There were a lot of factors, actually." Akira kept his reply brief as he tread his ground carefully, not wanting to mention his experience with the cognitive world. "One of the biggest ones would probably be when Doctor Maruki came to offer us counseling in school due to the Kamoshida incident, if you recall. It was nearly two years ago."
"I do remember, actually. It caused quite a stir." Shinichi remembered as he crossed his arms. "Sumire did mention that Doctor Maruki would be teaching in Shujin temporarily as well. I assume he offered you some counseling while he was there?"
"That's one way of putting it." Akira chuckled as he recounted the events that had transpired. "I was actually pressured into attending as I had a bad run in with Kamoshida before he… had a 'Change of Heart'."
"Ah, I see. That would explain it." Shinichi nodded in confirmation. "Did Sumire ever tell you that she was seeing Takuto before she started attending Shujin?"
"She did, yes. I believe she told me it was because of her sister's death…" Akira trailed off as he noticed Shinichi's expression saddened a little. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up a sensitive topic…"
Shinichi simply shook his head. "Don't be."
The two of them sat in an awkward silence as they both were unsure of how to continue the conversation. An air of uncomfortableness rouse and continued to grow as the silence enveloped the cheerful atmosphere that had been there for dinner, the only audible sounds coming from the kitchen, where a mother and daughter duo bickered back and forth, the latter currently being teased by the former due to reasons unbeknownst to the two of them.
…
…
"Akira-kun? Would you mind if I asked you something… personal?"
"That depends on how personal the question."
"Good answer. Now, when did you start developing feelings for my daughter?"
There it was. The real bomb drop of his evening at the Yoshizawa household. He had been expecting a question ever since he arrived here, and the time had finally come.
"I… It was January of last year." Akira started cautiously, biting his lip. "We had actually been spending more of our time together since most of my other friends were… busy, to say the least. I guess over time, I started growing feelings for her, yet I didn't dare confess myself, worried that I'd ruin the bond we shared. That was until, of course, she confessed to me. My world has changed a lot for the better ever since."
"Ah, I see. That does sound like her."
Akira smiled, his mood brightening a little. "Later that same year, though, I had to move back to my hometown, so we became a little long distance, and I was worried that would affect our relationship negatively, but thankfully that wasn't the case."
Shinichi nodded. "Thank you for that answer. I can tell that there were some details that you had left out. Whether that was on purpose or not, I cannot tell. I'm sure you have a good reason. I hope that one day, when the time is right, you'll be able to talk about it to Akane and myself."
"It's a long story." Akira stated simply as he heard his girlfriend and Akane emerge from the kitchen, hands wet with smiles on their faces. "One day, I promise."
"I'll hold you to it." Shinichi smiled kindly as he turned to Sumire. "I just had a talk with your boyfriend and it seems as though you've scored quite the jackpot, Sumire."
Sumire's smile immediately turned into a bright red blush. "I… um…"
Akira shrugged. "If anything, it feels like I scored the jackpot. I don't think I could've found anyone I love more than that tomato standing next to Akane-san."
The blush on his girlfriend's face seemingly deepened into an even darker shade of red as she was left speechless. "A-Akira! I…"
"Love you too, 'Mire."
Akane and Shinichi chuckled as Akira stood up from his seat and gave her a hug.
"Don't they remind you of us when we were younger?"
"That and so much more…"
Take Your Time
"Are you leaving already? You aren't staying the night?" Akane pleaded with hopeful eyes as she made her way towards the door, finding Akira and Sumire exchanging a few words.
"Well, since I wasn't aware I was coming over today, I didn't bring any clothes or essentials to stay the night." Akira shrugged as slid his hands into his pockets. "If you're okay with it, though, I'd love to stay the night one day! I hope I wouldn't be intruding, but-"
"Nonsense! I'm sure Shinichi would love to have you over, as would I!" Akane reassured him with a bright smile. "You're welcome to stay over any time. Just, don't get too frisky at night, 'kay?"
"Mom!"
"I'm kidding. I know you two are responsible enough. I have my full faith in you two. Just be aware, Akira-kun, if you break my daughter's heart, I won't be so forgiving."
"Duly noted. Not that I have, nor ever had, any intention of doing so."
"Good answer! Now I'll leave you two be, if you'd like to speak in private before separating for the night. Be quick though! You don't want to miss the last train." Akane waved as she headed back inside.
"Right. Thank you for having me over, Akane-san!" Akira waved back as he stood on the doorstep. "Well, I guess I'll see you on Sunday, right?"
"Oh that's right! We're getting together for our first actual session of Dungeons and Dragons! I can't wait!"
"Yeah. I can't wait to see how we'll do. Then again, Futaba's the one DMing…"
"She wouldn't kill us in our first session, would she?"
"It's Futaba."
"Valid point."
The two of them laughed as Akira pulled out his phone to check the time before sighing and pulling Sumire into a hug, to which she happily embraced.
"I'll be heading home." Akira let her go from his hug, giving her a quick peck on the forehead. "Say goodbye to your dad for me. Let him know I enjoyed my day here."
"I'll do just that!" Sumire said with a smile through her blush. "Sunday?"
"Sunday. Or who knows, I might surprise you after school again if I feel like it." Akira replied with a cheeky grin, earning him a pout from his girlfriend. "I'd do a lot of things to spend more time with you, y'know that?"
"You're not the only one, Aki." Sumire winked as she slowly closed the door, leaving Akira alone on the front porch.
"Aki, huh? I… kinda like it, actually…"
Getting lost in his own thoughts, Akira slowly made his way out of the residential area of Shibuya and found himself back on Central Street. Making his way back to the station, he paused at the junction, something having caught his eye. A familiar sight presented itself to him right outside of the Untouchables store where he had used to spend certain nights working for Iwai, yet it disappeared in the blink of an eye. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he continued walking forward, only stopping twice more on his way back to Yongen-Jaya. Once for the bookstore, as he was curious to find any new books he hadn't read yet, and once more after he had crossed the road and made his way to the station square.
"My… Kurusu-kun? Is it really you?" A familiar voice called out from near the Buchiko statue. "It really is! It's good to see you again."
Akira turned around to see the ever smiling face of one Toranosuke Yoshida, a good friend of his back when he used to attend Shujin. "Yoshida-san! I wasn't expecting to run into you tonight."
"Neither was I, old friend." Yoshida chuckled quietly. "What brings you back to Tokyo? Last I had heard, you were moving away, although I had heard the Phantom Thieves were up to some… interesting things in the past summer.
"It's a long story." Akira replied with a smile, not dissimilar to the one on Yoshida's face. "We were called back to action in the summer, and we answered loud and clear."
"That sounds very much like the Phantom Thieves I know." Yoshida beamed as Akira felt a surge of pride swell within him. "I'm surprised to see you back in Tokyo at this time of year, however. Are you here for more… business?"
Now it was Akira's turn to beam. "Actually, I accepted a scholarship for the University of Tokyo. I just started last week on the Komaba campus, so I'm back in Tokyo for a while."
"Congratulations." Yoshida patted him on the back. "It seems as though we're both moving forward with our lives, just as we had promised each other on that day."
Akira offered a handshake, to which Yoshida accepted with a simple nod. "Right. How about you, Yoshida-san? Have you been up to anything over the past year? It's been quite a while since we've last talked."
"That it has. I've recently been giving classes on public speaking as I wait for the next election. I have to say, our country is full of talented youths like yourself." Yoshida laughed heartily. "I can only hope that I help them as much as I can."
"That's very honorable of you, Yoshida-san." Akira complimented. "I'm happy to hear you're keeping yourself busy."
"Same to you, old friend. I'd love to catch up on old times, but I must get going." Yoshida sighed sadly. "I've got an important lesson to work on for tomorrow, and I mustn't keep myself too long. We'll meet again."
"Right. I've still kept my contact info, so let me know whenever you have the time."
"I will. See you soon, Kurusu-kun."
"Goodbye, Yoshida-san."
The two of them parted ways, Akira taking his own path back home, following the signs towards the Den-en-toshi line as he boarded the train from the ever familiar platform, making his way back to the back streets of Yongen-Jaya.
Take Your Time
"Yongen-Jaya. This is Yongen-Jaya."
Akira snapped himself out of his train of thought and stepped off the subway after a short ride back to Yongen. Having spent nearly the entire afternoon and evening out, he was looking forward to a nice, long rest back at Cafe Leblanc. Making his way outside the station and into the dimly lit streets, Akira took a deep breath, taking in the fresh spring air as he quickly turned into the quiet alleyway hiding both the cafe and the bathhouse opposite it.
*Tinkle* *Tink* *Tink*
Looking up and noticing the cafe was empty, save for Sojiro behind the counter, Akira let out a long and tired sigh. Sojiro looked up and chuckled as Akira collapsed into a booth while he continued to wipe down the cafe for the day.
"Long day, kid?"
"Save it, Sojiro. I'm beat."
"You okay? You usually aren't this out of it."
"I'm fine. It's just been a long day today."
"Ha, believe me, I can tell. The cat's upstairs, probably taking a nap. He was when I last checked up on him, in case you were curious."
Akira nodded. "Thanks for taking care of him."
"No prob. You want some coffee?"
"Not this late. I wouldn't be able to sleep if I drank coffee at this hour."
"Fair point."
Akira closed his eyes, attempting to relax as Sojiro finished wiping up the counter, a quiet sigh escaping his mouth as he clocked open the cash register to calculate his profits for the day. "Man… I'm actually making money. Who would've thought. Hey, kid?"
Without moving a muscle, Akira mustered up the strength to reply. "What is it?"
"Remember that time I took you and Futaba out for some sushi?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I've been saving up over a good bit of time, and I was wondering if you'd like to go anywhere. Y'know, as a family?"
"How kind of you, Sojiro. I'd be happy to tag along wherever we go. Let Futaba decide."
"Spoken like a true older brother."
"And you're sounding awfully like a dad."
"That makes both of us, eh?"
The two of them laughed heartily as Akira sat up in the booth and pulled out his phone while Sojiro stepped out from behind the counter. "Right then, I'll leave it to you to lock up tonight, Akira. I'll see ya tomorrow."
"Night, Boss." Akira waved as Sojiro stepped out, the chimes echoing to announce his leave. Glancing down at his phone, he noticed that he had a few messages that had gathered up over the evening and sighed before making his way upstairs to change into some more comfortable clothing.
Take Your Time
"Mreow…" Morgana yawned as he woke up from his nap to see Akira stretch too, having just changed into his casual clothes. "Welcome back, Akira. How was your date?"
"It was more of a… meeting the parents than a date, but it was fun." Akira shrugged as he sat on his bed and pulled his phone out, twirling it around in his hand. "How about you? I'm sorry I've been leaving you with Futaba a lot since we've come back, but-"
"I know, I know. It's been a long time since you've seen her. If anything, I get it." Morgana nodded in understanding. "It's been fun though! Futaba's been introducing me to a lot of games, and some anime. We're nearly done with KonoSuba!"
"I'm glad to hear it." Akira looked down at his phone. "Wanna join in? I've got a few conversations to get to."
"Gladly!"
Private Message (Zenkichi Hasegawa and BeneathTheMask)
Zenkichi Hasegawa: Yo, Kurusu? You didn't change your contact info, did you? Or do I have to dig it up again?
BeneathTheMask: Sorry, we have a nickname thing going on in the group chat. Please don't go digging for any more of my information…
Zenkichi Hasegawa: Sorry! You know how it is. Anyways, I just wanted to check in and make sure this is still the right Chat ID, and maybe check up on you as well. How's university?
Morgana sighed. "Yeah… that sounds like Zenkichi alright."
Akira shrugged. "Same old same old, eh?"
BeneathTheMask: University's been great, actually. I've got a nice round number of friends, and the first two weeks haven't been all that bad. How about you? How's Akane? She doing well?
Zenkichi Hasegawa: Yeah, she's reacting like any teen would, you know, high school and all that jazz. They don't like it at first, then they come to miss it in the days to come? Yeah, that kinda thing.
BeneathTheMask: Been there. Is she still doing her live shows?
Zenkichi Hasegawa: Oh, those. Yeah she's still going at it. I can't believe that's what her online thing was that she didn't want to tell me about. I'd bet she'd lose it if she knew you guys were the Phantom Thieves.
BeneathTheMask: She'd probably lose it more over the fact that you're part of the Phantom Thieves, Gramps.
Zenkichi Hasegawa: Touché, Kurusu. She'll find out one day.
BeneathTheMask: Keep us posted.
Zenkichi Hasegawa: Right. I'll see you around, Kurusu. Say hi to Yoshizawa for me, will you?
BeneathTheMask: Duly noted.
BeneathTheMask and Zenkichi Hasegawa have gone offline
Akira minimised the conversation as he went back to his main page and entered the one he knew and loved well, the chat between him and his beloved thieves. Makoto seemed to be helping Ryuji out with a math problem as he let out a chuckle, knowing how much the blonde could struggle with his academic subjects.
Phantom Thieves Group Chat
FistOfThePhantomStar: So Ryuji, when you add that function over there, you bring it over to the other side of the equation. Got it?
Runnin'FromCops: Oh! I see it! Thanks, Makoto!
FistOfThePhantomStar: No problem.
"Looks like the standard homework questions with Ryuji." Morgana snickered as he peered back down at the group chat.
"It's good that he's at least getting help from someone." Akira replied, defending his friend as he too looked back at his phone.
BeneathTheMask: Hey guys. How's it going?
Runnin'FromCops: Makoto just finished helping me with some homework. You wanna join?
FeatherCyanIsInnocent: As if, Ryuji. Akira's probably done with his homework already. He even had the day off to visit Sumire.
StarvingForArt: Speaking of, where are Sumire and Ann? I haven't seen them for quite some time.
SumiEvergarden: I'm here! Sorry, I was just watching some anime. :D
RollOfFloof: I see! That makes sense.
Runnin'FromCops: Guess Ann's busy. She might be workin' on an assignment or something.
BeneathTheMask: Anyways, I wanted to ask you all something. I… somewhat forgot about this but… Zenkichi's back in Tokyo!
FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Yep! We even had him over for some curry!
SumiEvergarden: He also got promoted to chief inspector!
StarvingForArt: You've met Zenkichi, Sumire?
SumiEvergarden: He was there when Akira came to visit me after school, so we know each other.
Runnin'FromCops: Dayumm! Gramps is doing gooood!
RollOfFloof: I'm happy for him! After last year, he deserves it!
BeneathTheMask: Agreed. So with that, what say we add him to the group chat?
FistOfThePhantomStar: I'd love to talk to Zenkichi-san again. It has been a while…
RollOfFloof: Me too! I think Mako-chan lost contact with Akane-san but at least now we can ask Zenkichi-san!
StarvingForArt: Wolf would be welcome here any time.
Runnin'FromCops: Yeah! It's been ages since we've seen Gramps.
FeatherCyanIsInnocent: As long as he doesn't stop us from doing what we do, I'm a-okay!
SumiEvergarden: All in favor? Then do the honors, Akira!
Akira smiled as he searched for his contact and added him into the group chat, swiftly adding his name to one of many already that were part of the team.
Zenkichi Hasegawa has joined the chat.
SumiEvergarden: Welcome, Zenkichi-san!
BeneathTheMask: Yo.
FeatherCyanIsInnocent: Yo, Gramps!
FistOfThePhantomStar: Hello, Zenkichi-san. It's been a while. How are you?
RollOfFloof: Hello Gramps-san!
StarvingForArt: It is a pleasure to be reunited with you, Gramps.
Runnin'FromCops: Yo! Been a while, Gramps! How've ya been?
Morgana stared at the phone impatiently as he looked over towards his partner, who also seemed to be awaiting a message from their detective friend. After a minute…
BeneathTheMask: I guess he's busy. Well he'll see this soon enough. Probably tomorrow. I could swear he was just online though...
FistOfThePhantomStar: We'll just have to wait for him to reply.
StarvingForArt: Right.
BeneathTheMask: In that case, I'd love to head off right about now. I've had a long day… thanks to someone…
SumiEvergarden: I didn't mean it, okay? :(
BeneathTheMask: I'm kidding. Anyways, I'll catch you guys another time. Goodnight!
BeneathTheMask has gone offline.
Akira minimised the app as he turned his phone off and set it next to his bed, collapsing onto it alongside his feline friend and partner. Closing his eyes and attempting to rest, preparing himself for the next day ahead, and whatever lies between.
Something he had failed to notice, though, was that sometime through the night as he and Morgana were deep in their dreamless slumber, a little blue butterfly had paid them a visit...