"…and that's that."
Akira sat on the edge of his bed as he looked up from the ground, checking around his room, analyzing the faces of his Phantom Thief companions. No one left at any point; they stuck around for the entire duration of Akira's horrible anecdote about his childhood. They were understandably speechless. He had just finished telling his closest friends about the abuse he suffered at the hands of a man whose name he only said once and never referred to again for the duration of his story. Ryuji's knee couldn't stop trembling. Yusuke's hands were shaking uncontrollably. Morgana was breathing rather heavily. Sumire, Makoto, Haru, Ann, and Futaba were fighting to hold back tears. The silence was loud. No one was saying anything, and the sounds of their breathing could barely be heard. To them, it felt like Akira had dropped a literal atom bomb, and all that could be heard was the droning sound from the aftermath of the explosion as they all stood in front of an imaginary mushroom cloud.
"I know you guys already knew about my abuse, but today was the first time I had told anyone the full story. Doctor Maruki suggested I share it with the rest of you. From the looks on your faces, though, I'm starting to wonder if it was really a good idea…"
Akira was calmer and more controlled than in Maruki's office, managing to avoid getting worked up and keep any exploitive words out of his speech. The lack of cursing, however, didn't make the story any easier to listen to. Everyone shook and felt more and more uneasy as Akira went on; Ryuji especially had to rush to grab the wastebasket Akira kept by his desk and ended up regurgitating his curry when Akira mentioned the switchblade. Akira halted his story and asked if his friend was okay. Ryuji assured everyone he was fine. Akira waited patiently, but after about a minute, the silence was becoming unbearable.
"Can someone please say something?" Akira asked to no avail. The others were stuck, either anxiously squeezing their hands, staring at the floor, trying not to cry, or all of the above. Akira sighed. "I'm sorry. I know that was a lot to take in. I'm-uh… I'm gonna head downstairs and give you guys a minute to process all of that," he said before getting up from his bed.
As Akira began walking towards the stairs, he felt a hand on his shoulder behind him. He stopped and turned around to see that it was Sumire's. She wrapped her arms around him and let her head sink into his chest. Then Futaba got up from her seat and hugged him from behind, then Ann, then Ryuji, then Haru, then Makoto, then Yusuke, until everyone single one of his friends had him in a comforting group hug. Even Morgana, unable to properly hug as humans did, squeezed in and rubbed up against Akira's leg.
For the briefest of moments, Akira felt happy once more. He felt like breaking down and crying but didn't. It had nothing to do with feeling like he would look weak or anything like that; he just couldn't cry, no matter how hard he tried. This wasn't new; he hadn't cried in years, but by now, his began noticing his lack of emotion more and more, was really starting to piss him off.
The rest of the day was, thankfully, a lot lighter in tone. While Akira's story still weighed on both his and the others' minds, they managed to move on and just talk about other things. They all sat in Leblanc, swapping more light-hearted war stories. Akira made coffee for everyone. It was as if the rest of the day hadn't even happened. Laughs were shared among everyone as the daylight began to fade; even Akira managed to find his smile again and tell some more pleasant stories.
"So, I'm like six years old, right? I'm on a skiing trip with Rise and my aunt. Now, one thing I loved about skiing is the jumps. I would go off-slope and try to hit as many jumps as possible, haha."
"Did ya fall on your ass a lot?" Ryuji asked, smirking.
"More times than you can possibly imagine, haha," Akira laughed. "Anyway, we're almost at the bottom. Rise and my aunt are ahead of me. I'm lagging behind, just taking it easy, feeling a bit tired when I see another jump. Of course, being the little daredevil that I was at that age-"
"—And still are today," Makoto chuckled.
"What are you talking about?"
"The Metaverse, duh," Morgana cut in.
"Seriously, you were a total showoff in there," Futaba added before giggling.
"Shut up; no, I wasn't…" Akira playfully argued, receiving a few playfully doubtful looks from his companions. "I WASN'T!"
"You kinda were…" Ann hesitantly said with a smile.
"Hello? You jumped out of a window back in Niijima-san's Palace," Futaba pointed out.
"What was I supposed to do? You said it was the only exit," Akira retorted.
"Still, you were twirling around in the air like a gymnast," Morgana chuckled.
"Ooh, I wish I could've seen that…" Sumire chuckled; Akira simply shrugged, everyone laughed. He continued his story.
"Anyway, like I was saying. I go to make the jump. I get up to it, and I hit it. I'm up in the air, not super high, but I still get a decent amount of airtime. For some reason, though, probably because I'm exhausted by then, but I land flat on my front and end up sliding down the slope for about thirty seconds straight with my ass sticking straight up in the air."
"Oh my God!" Sumire exclaimed. "Were you hurt?"
"No, I was just embarrassed, but that wasn't the worst part. Remember when I said Rise was in front of me?" Everyone nodded. "Well, I was wrong. She came down to me and would not stop laughing. She never let me hear the end of it." At that moment, Akira's phone rang. He checked to see who it was. "Speak of the devil," he chuckled. "You guys mind if I take this quick?" They all nodded in approval. He went up to his room and answered the phone while they continued talking among themselves, though at a lower volume.
"He seems happier, doesn't he?" Ann asked.
"Definitely. Maruki's a freakin' miracle worker," Ryuji said.
"I doubt it was all Doctor Maruki, but I have to admit, Akira seems like he's doing a lot better," Haru added.
"Maybe he's finally getting out of his funk, whatever it was?" Futaba suggested.
"I hate to be the one to ask, but do you guys think we should…?" Ryuji trailed off.
"Ask about his mother?" Makoto finished; Ryuji nodded. "I don't know…"
"It seems like he's been all right the past few days," Yusuke pointed out.
"Hello? Did you see how out of it he was when he got back from Maruki's earlier?" Futaba nudged Yusuke.
"Ah, true, but I've noticed, it seems the migraines have diminished as well, don't you all agree?" Yusuke asked around.
"That or he's getting better at hiding them…" Morgana theorized.
"Still, he looks like he's doing better," Ann began. "Plus, he hasn't had another seizure in weeks, right?"
"Um… not quite…" Sumire spoke up. Everyone looked at her.
"What do you mean?" Haru asked.
"The other day, while you were all here talking with Yu-san, Akira had another micro seizure in the laundromat… and a blackout," Sumire admitted.
"What!? Why didn't you tell us!?" Ann quietly exclaimed.
"We wanted to avoid ruining the evening, and then it slipped my mind. I'm sorry," Sumire replied. The others were stunned but understanding.
"So, what happened?" Makoto asked.
"He told Rise-san about his seizures and his blackouts-" Sumire began before Ryuji cut her off.
"What the hell!? He didn't tell us about his blackouts. We had to find out through the group chat."
"Calm down, Ryuji," Morgana said.
"We're his best friends-" Ryuji started saying before Morgana cut him off.
"—and she's family. Besides, he's slowly been opening up to us; today was proof of that." Ryuji looked down and sighed.
"Yeah… you're right," he admitted. "It's just that…"
"Yes, Ryuji?" Yusuke asked.
"…nah, forget it. It can wait." Ryuji rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry, you were sayin', Sumire?"
"Right. Anyway, Rise-san asked how his mother felt when she heard about his seizures. When Akira told her that she didn't know and that they had an argument before he left, she got mad and demanded to know why."
"Aw, man. Wrong move, Risette," Futaba muttered.
"Well, she didn't know. It's not her fault," Haru pointed out.
"I talked with her afterward," Sumire continued, "she knows everything now. After our talk, however, we found him staring into nothing. I thought he was having a micro seizure, and that's what I seemed like, but something else happened."
"What happened?" Makoto asked.
"I touched his shoulder, and he yelled. It was like he was startled by something. I don't know why."
"You didn't ask?" Ann asked; Sumire shook her head.
"I thought it'd be best not to."
"I wonder if he's told Doctor Maruki?" Haru pondered.
"Sorry, I didn't tell you all sooner," Sumire apologized.
"It's okay; don't worry about it," Morgana said.
"Back to the original question: Should we ask Akira about his mother?" Makoto asked, looking around the café at the others.
"I think it would be best to wait and see if he discusses it with Doctor Maruki first. Like he did with… well…" Yusuke was unable to finish his sentence, but they knew what he was talking about.
"I agree. We have to be patient; we want to help him, and we can't do that if we push him, after all," Makoto added.
"But we waited so long before, and he didn't say anything to us then," Futaba said.
"Because we didn't know we had anything to wait for. Akira's always hidden parts of himself. We have to be patient if we want to uncover them," Haru retorted. "Remember, we're not trying to pressure him."
"Makoto's right. He's clearly making progress and slowly getting better. It might take a while, but I think we'll know the rest soon enough," Morgana said.
"Yeah," Ann said, looking down. "I'm just worried about what else we're gonna find out…"
"For real… if he kept that to himself, who knows what other bad shit he has locked up in his head…" Ryuji added. At that moment, Akira came back downstairs and took his seat back next to Sumire. He had the biggest smirk on his face.
"Everything okay?" Sumire asked. He nodded, still smirking. "What are you smiling about?" She was now smiling herself. Akira paused for dramatic effect as everyone looked at him.
"Do you guys have any plans for the week of August 16th?" he asked.
**Moments Earlier**
Akira sat on his bed and answered his ringing phone.
"Hey, Rise, what's up?"
"Hey, kiddo! Is this a bad time?"
"No, we're all just hanging out at Leblanc. How was Dome Town?"
"Oooh yay! Dome Town was super fun, but that doesn't matter right now. Remember that surprise I was hinting at the other day?"
"Yeah…?"
"Well… I have some exciting news! I wanted to ask if your friends would like to come to the wedding this summer?"
"Wow… are you serious, Rise?" Akira was in disbelief, but ecstatic.
"Super serious! I talked to Yukiko; she checked the inn's bookings around the time of the wedding. She said there'd be more than enough room for everyone."
"Wow! I don't know what to say. That's really nice of you… and Yukiko-san, of course."
"I don't need an answer right away. Just make sure no one has anything going for the week of August 16th."
"You sure the wedding won't be overbooked with them as well?"
"That's part of the reason why I wanted to invite them, actually. Got a few invites that came back as a no-go, unfortunately, so I thought, 'Why not?' you know?"
"Gotcha."
"Plus, I really like them! Heehee."
"Even though you've only met them once?"
"Yep, and they clearly mean a lot to you as well. Any friends of yours are friends of mine!"
"I'll tell them you said that," Akira chuckled.
"Look, I gotta go. We're about to head out to dinner. Talk to everyone, work up an estimate, and get back to me whenever, 'kay?"
"Sounds good. We still on for dinner tomorrow night?"
"You mean our double date? Heehee."
"Stop it," Akira laughed.
"Yeah, we're still on! See you tomorrow!"
"'Night, Rise," he said before hanging up.
Akira had a big smile on his face. It was very nice of Rise to invite a group of kids she'd only met once. He was thrilled and felt like celebrating with a small drink. He crouched and moved the milk crate that hid his bottle of whiskey. Akira pulled off the cap and was about to take a sip when suddenly… he didn't feel like drinking anymore. He still felt happy. He felt better than he had in the last few weeks. True, telling Maruki and his friends about his abuse was tough, but it felt good to finally tell someone else. Maybe he just needed to clear his mind and finally let go of a bit of his past. He pondered over it for a minute before putting the cap back on, placing the bottle back under the bed, and walking back downstairs with his head held high, looking forward to his friends' reactions (especially Ryuji's).
"Do you guys have any plans for the week of August 16th?" Akira asked, smirking.
"Pfft, like I'd plan that far ahead," Ryuji laughed.
"Same, I don't even have a plan for tomorrow, let alone three months from now," Ann added.
"Not even a five-year plan?" Haru asked.
"Uhm…" Ann looked down, and Ryuji rubbed the back of his neck.
"I can't believe you two," Makoto said, shaking her head. "I worry about your futures."
"You gotta stop worrying so much about us, Makoto," Ann chuckled.
"Somebody has to!" Makoto said, everyone chuckled.
"Aww, how sweet! Makoto still sees us as her kids. What a cool mom!" Futaba laughed, earning a glare from Makoto. "Oop, I'm in trouble, heehee."
"Relax, Queen. We're still just starting college; I think we're doin' okay, right?" Ryuji said, looking at Ann, who nodded in agreement.
"I gotta agree with Ryuji," Futaba surprisingly added.
"You, especially, Futaba! You'll be starting college next year," Makoto said.
"All right, all right. I think that's enough, Mako-chan," Haru said, giggling.
"Give me a break, Makoto," Futaba began. "With my programming skills, I could literally develop some software, sell it, and get rich off of it before you guys even graduate, mwehehe."
"For real?" Ryuji asked.
"You wanna try me?" Futaba smirked mischievously.
"All right! That's enough!" Sumire unexpectedly shouted out. She wasn't typically the authoritative type. Unfortunately, it did nothing, and the group carried on.
"Seriously, you worry too much about us, Makoto. Don't get me wrong; it's cute, but still…" Ann pointed out, smiling.
"For real, you're like my mom," Ryuji said, earning another glare from Makoto.
"Do you want to get smacked?" she threatened.
"…no, ma'am." Ryuji whimpered.
"That's what I thought," Makoto smirked.
"Not right for a mom to hit her kids…" Futaba snickered; Makoto jokingly raised her hand and smirked at Futaba.
"Why do you always provoke her?" Ann asked Ryuji.
"Wha-Me!? Futaba just did it! 'Sides, it's not like I try to," Ryuji retorted.
"He can't help himself. It's that thick head of his," Morgana fired.
"Piss off, Mona!" Ryuji fired back.
*PHWWWWWHHT* Akira put his fingers in his mouth and loudly whistled to get everyone's attention. The sound was ear-pearcing, and made the Thieves cringe.
"Agh! Dude, what'd you do that for?" Ryuji asked.
"Ah good, you're all here. Welcome back, everybody," Akira said, sardonically smirking.
"We were listening to Akira, weren't we?" Sumire added.
"Akira, why did you ask about August 16th?" Yusuke asked.
"Thank you, Sumire. Glad you asked, Yusuke. I just got a call from my cousin. She told me to tell you that you're all invited to her wedding this summer." Everyone was in disbelief, especially Ryuji and Ann. Akira's announcement broke their brains.
"Ffff-FOR REAL!?"
"ARE YOU SERIOUS!?"
"She really said that?" Sumire asked.
"I could call her up right now and put her on speaker, but I'd rather not interrupt her lovely dinner," Akira joked. "Yeah, she did. She said she took a real shine to you guys." Everyone felt touched.
"Wait until she gets a load of me, mwehehe," Morgana added.
"Humility, Mona. Look it up," Futaba joked. Morgana shrugged.
"That is so nice of her!" Haru said, smiling. "So, what's the plan?"
"I'm not sure exactly. I'm thinking we could all spend the week there. The wedding's on the 17th, that's a Tuesday. Maybe we could drive up there during the weekend and stay for the week?" Akira suggested.
"It would be cheaper than taking the train," Makoto pondered.
"Where would we be staying?" Yusuke asked.
"Like she mentioned the other day, she's friends with the manager of the town's famous inn."
"Oh, right, your babysitter crush, heehee," Futaba giggled. Akira huffed.
"Anyway… She said the manager will have rooms for you guys, although I'm assuming she meant in pairs, if you know what I mean…" Akira winked at everyone. Having been a couple the longest amount of time, aside from Akira and Sumire, Makoto and Haru agreed and chuckled. Ryuji and Ann, as well as Yusuke and Futaba, however, were blushing. Akira turned to his girlfriend. "Sumire, remind me when's your retreat again?" Sumi didn't respond right away. She looked down. "Are you okay, Sumi?"
"Y-Yes. Sorry, it's just that… I don't get back to Tokyo until the 16th, likely late in the evening, as well."
"…ah." That was all Akira could say. Everyone else looked down in silence as well.
"So what? That ain't too bad, right?" Ryuji began spitballing. "She can just come the next day. She'll prolly miss the ceremony, but… you know. Maybe, she could make the reception?"
"If we leave without her, how is she going to get to Inaba?" Ann asked him.
"Uh, duh, train. If it takes us three hours by car, it's gotta be like nothin' by train, right?"
"There are no direct trains from Tokyo to Inaba. You have to take a connecting train, which takes forever. I mean, Morgana and I arrived in Tokyo at eleven a.m. after traveling for almost five hours," Akira clarified.
"It doesn't matter. I'll do it," Sumire said.
"You will?" Akira looked at her in surprise.
"Yes. I doubt I'll make the ceremony, but I'll at least try to make it to the reception. I don't want to miss this," she smiled.
"Okay. We'll figure out the details for you later." Akira smiled back before softly kissing her lips. "So, what do you all say?" Akira looked at his fellow Phantom Thieves. "You in?"
"Hell Yeah!"
"Definitely!"
"Works for me!"
"I'd be delighted to come."
"A wedding does sound lovely."
"I should ask if they'll let me paint them…"
"You're coming too, aren't you, Morgana?" Akira looked at the one Phantom Thief who hadn't given an answer. Now, all eyes were on him.
"I don't know. You sure your cousin won't mind a cat at her wedding? NOT that I'm actually a cat, though."
"Even if she doesn't, I'm not gonna leave you here all alone. Besides, I bet Mom misses you too." Akira smiled. Morgana paused before answering. He and the others hung on to a word he said without flinching.
"…then, yeah. I guess I'm coming too," Morgana smiled back.
"Then it's settled! We're all going," Akira announced. Everyone was excited. "I'll let her know tomorrow. Sumi and I are going out to dinner with them."
"Sweet! Look out, Inaba! This summer, the Phantom Thieves crash a wedding!" Futaba loudly shouted out; Everyone chuckled.
Eventually, they all went home—everyone but Sumire, that is. She stayed behind as Akira made her dinner (can you guess what he made?). The two sat and talked about how she was going to make it to Inaba. They looked up possible trains to Inaba for her to take on the 17th of August.
"Okay. So, it looks like we have two options," Akira began.
"I'm listening," she asked to hear the options. He sat down next to her as she finished her plate.
"Option A: an early morning train ride that leaves at seven a.m. and arrives at one p.m. Definitely not enough time to make the ceremony, but you could make it to the reception afterward."
"Hmm, that's not too bad," Sumire pondered.
"You'd have to get up early, though. Plus, with you getting home late the night before, who knows how much sleep you'll actually get beforehand."
"I'll be fine. That's why they invented coffee, after all," Sumire chuckled.
"I just don't want you to be too exhausted."
"You're like Makoto-senpai. You worry too much, too," Sumire chuckled and smirked at him.
"Yeah, but to be fair, I was the leader of a group in charge of stealing treasures and battling demons. Worrying about everyone's well-being was kinda my job, haha."
"Oh, you…" She chuckled before planting a kiss on his cheek. "So, what's the other option?"
"Option B: A trip that starts later in the day and has a shorter overall travel time. You'll definitely miss the ceremony and the start of the reception, but at least you'd be able to sleep in after getting home late the previous night." Akira thought for a moment. "I think that's the one you should take. It's easier." Sumire shook her head in disagreement.
"Don't be ridiculous, Akira. It may be easier, but it's more expensive, and I'd miss more than I'd like."
"Sumi, look at the travel time. You wouldn't miss much more than the other one. Plus, I'm paying, don't worry about it."
"No way! I am not letting you pay! I can get my own ticket," she said sternly.
"Sounds like Christmas all over again, haha," Akira chuckled before typing in something.
"What are you doing?"
"…Nothing," he smirked.
"Akira, you are not-" Akira didn't listen and bought her the more expensive ticket.
"Too late," he grinned, showing her the receipt.
"You're terrible, Senpai!" She scoffed, pouting. "I'm paying you back."
"You can try," Akira said in a cocky manner.
"At least, let me split the cost with you."
"Sumire, I said it's fine. Don't worry about it."
"Akira, you're being ridiculous."
"For only three-thousand extra yen, let me be ridiculous," he smiled. "Besides, isn't the man supposed to pay for everything?" He joked.
"That's only for dates, and I can pay for myself, you know," she began to crack a smile.
"Dates. Train tickets. Same difference." Akira managed to make Sumire chuckle. He sat back down next to her; she was still pouting and facing away from her. He began to rub her shoulders, which she really enjoyed. Thanks to Kawakami, Akira had a natural talent for giving massages. Once she was more relaxed, he began kissing her neck, which tickled her slightly. Eventually, she turned to face him once again, and the two began making out in the booth.
"Shall we go upstairs?" She cheekily suggested.
"Yeah… but I think I'd like to go straight to bed tonight, if that's okay. As much fun as I had with everyone, the morning was a lot, you know?"
"Of course, I completely understand," she nodded. "Shall we go?"
"I still have a few more dishes to do. You go on ahead; I'll be there in a few," he smiled.
"Okay," she said before kissing him one more time. "I love you."
"Love you too," Akira cheekily winked.
Sumire went upstairs while Akira finished the dishes. Once he was done, he turned off the lights and began making his way upstairs but stopped when he heard a phone vibrate. When he looked back, the phone's light illuminated the now unlit café from one of the tables. It wasn't his phone since it was in his pocket. He looked over at the table and saw that Sumire had left her phone on the table. He walked over to pick it up, thinking he would bring it up to her, but the notification banner caught his attention.
A text message from a group chat titled: 'Akira.'
He knew it was wrong to go through Sumire's phone, but curiosity got the better of him. Plus, it seemed like it concerned him anyhow. Akira guessed the six-digit passcode and got it on the first try. [032501] March 25th, 2001; her and Kasumi's birthday. He unlocked the phone and opened the 'Akira' group chat as messages from the other members kept coming.
**Akira GC**
RS: So, you all noticed how Akira totally name-dropped his mom earlier without flinching, right?
AT: Yeah, what's your point?
RS: Maybe it's okay to ask him?
MN: I don't know… I think it's still too soon.
FS: Oh come on! He's clearly doing well enough that we can probably get it out of him now.
RS: Definitely! Now's our chance!
AT: Don't say it like that, Futaba.
FS: Like what?
AT: You make it sound like we're trying to force it out of him.
HO: No, I agree with Mako-chan. We should be more patient.
YK: Agreed. He will tell us when the time is right.
The messages stopped there for a moment. Looking through past messages confirmed suspicions Akira previously had for a couple of weeks. Sumire had heard him talking to Takemi about his blackouts, and she had shared it with the group. He also found out Makoto and Haru had blabbed to everyone else about his argument with his mother and his hand injury at the gym before telling them himself. The group chat's intentions were to make sure he was okay, but that's not how Akira saw it. In his eyes, they were separating themselves from him; Akira felt more isolated than ever before. He was angry. He didn't care what they were talking about. Just the fact that they were talking about him behind his back was enough to cloud his judgment. His mind was amplifying his negative emotions, and Akira felt a migraine come back in full force. Just like that, all the joy he felt, just hours earlier, had vanished. Akira wanted a drink, more than ever, but since Sumire was upstairs, he couldn't. He didn't bother reading the other messages. He put the recent notifications on [Unread] and went upstairs, faking a smile. Sumire was lying in bed, looking beautiful as ever to him, but it didn't do much to soften his anger.
"All done with the dishes?" she asked him, smiling.
"Hm-hm," he nodded. "Oh, and you forgot your phone downstairs," he said before handing it to her and getting changed in his sleep attire.
"Oh, I was wondering where it was. Thank you."
"No worries," he sounded unenthused. Sumire chalked it up to a long and stressful day, which it was. Despite putting on a happy face, Sumire couldn't stop thinking about what Akira had gone through, five years ago. Akira got into bed, they both wished each other good night before going to sleep. It wouldn't be a good night for either of them, however.
The next morning, when Akira woke up, he noticed that Sumire was gone. He found a note on his phone and read it.
Went home, have practice later on. You looked so peaceful, didn't want to wake you. Call you later. Love you!
—Sumire XOXO
Akira may have looked like he was sleeping peacefully, but in actuality, he felt anything but peaceful. He got up and took his seizure meds. He then had a sudden realization and saw a golden opportunity. Since he was alone, he got the bottle of whiskey from under his bed and took a couple of sips. It dulled his senses, but he didn't feel any better. Akira spent the rest of the day helping out at Leblanc, still mostly keeping to himself, but faking enthusiasm and happy feelings whenever Sojiro or anyone talked to him. In the evening, he and Sumire took Yu and Rise out to dinner. They managed to get a table at the same restaurant where Akira brought Sumire during White Day the previous year. They sat down and ordered their dinners.
"So, I talked to everyone about your invite. They all accepted," Akira said.
"Yay!" Rise exclaimed. "Great to hear! Speaking of, Yu and I have something to ask you both."
"What is it?" Sumire asked.
"Well, I've been doing some thinking," Yu began. "Akira, I've gotten to know you pretty well over the last few years or so. I'd even consider you a good friend of mine, and I'm really hoping you'll accept me into your family."
"Yu, if you're asking me for your blessing, one: you're a little late, and two: I don't think I'm the one you should be asking," Akira retorted; the others at the table chuckled.
"Haha," Yu laughed, "no, no, that's not it. What I'm asking you is, I'd like you to stand at my side when I marry Rise."
"Wait, you want me to be in your wedding party?" Yu nodded. Akira was speechless. "I-I don't know what to say…" Rise took over.
"…and Sumi-chan, I'd like you to stand by me." Now, Sumire was speechless.
"R-Really?" Rise smiled and nodded. "That's so kind of you, Rise-san!"
"So…? What do you guys think?" Rise leaned in, expecting an answer. Akira and Sumire looked at each other.
"Well, I'd be honored," Akira said, looking back at the engaged couple.
"So would I, but…"
"But what, Sumi-chan?" Rise raised an eyebrow.
"Well, I'm afraid I won't make it to the ceremony." Yu and Rise were worried.
"What? How come?" Rise asked.
"I'm leaving for a gymnastics retreat early in the month. I don't get back to Tokyo until the 16th late at night. Akira and I got found a train to Inaba for me to take the next day. I will be at the reception, but unfortunately, I won't make it to the ceremony," Sumire explained.
"Oh, that's too bad," Yu said.
"I'm deeply sorry. I thought I'd be able to make it, but I only learned your wedding date yesterday," Sumire said.
"Don't worry, Sumi-chan. It's perfectly fine," Rise assured her. "I'll just have Akira walk down with Nanako-chan, instead, heehee," Rise joked.
"Rise…" Akira facepalmed and sighed.
"Oh, relax! I'm just busting your chops, heehee," Rise giggled.
"Hey, cheer up, Akira. At least you don't have to live with her," Yu joked. Rise stopped giggling and punched him in the shoulder. Despite Akira being genuinely honored to be a groomsman, it still didn't make him feel better after his discovery the previous night. He felt betrayed.
**Tokyo Station**
Eventually, Golden Week came to an end. On the 5th of May, Akira saw Yu and Rise off at the train station shortly after lunchtime.
"Thanks for such a fun time, kiddo!" Rise said, hugging Akira goodbye.
"No worries, glad you enjoyed your stay," Akira said before shaking Yu's hand.
"Thanks for everything, Akira. You were really good to us," Yu said.
"My pleasure and thank you again. It means a lot that you'd ask me to stand with you during the wedding."
"Of course!" Yu smiled. "I'm just sorry that Sumire-chan won't be with you during it." Akira waved it off.
"It's okay. It's not like she won't be there at all."
"Well, I just wanna say, I hope one day I'll be able to stand at her side when she marries you, kiddo," Rise smiled, nudging him. Akira (fake) smiled as well. "She's a very sweet girl, and she's perfect for you, Akira."
"I know. I'm very lucky to have her in my life," Akira said.
"I'd say she's lucky to have you. You're a great man, Akira," Yu complimented.
"Hmm, no. I'm pretty sure he's the lucky one here, sweetie, heehee," Rise ribbed; Akira rolled his eyes.
"All right, all right. Get going, you two, you're going to miss your train. Have a safe trip. Message me when you get home."
"Will do!" Rise said. She and Akira shared one more hug before the engaged couple boarded the train. They waved goodbye as the train rolled out of the station. Akira turned around and began walking home.
**Leblanc**
Back at Leblanc, Akira helped out around the café. He served customers, did the dishes, and cleaned the floors. It was getting near the end of the day.
"Did you have a nice Golden Week?" Sojiro asked.
"Mm-hm," Akira simply replied.
"What about your cousin? Futaba told me she invited you all to her wedding?"
"Yep, is it all right that she's going?"
"Of course! I'm just upset that I didn't get an invitation. I made them curry, after all," Sojiro joked.
"If I remember correctly, I'm the one who made the curry."
"Yeah, but with my recipe, hehe," Akira didn't reply. Instead, he kept washing the floors. "Relax, I'm just messing around."
"Too bad, I bet you'd be a real lady-killer at a wedding," Akira replied.
"Hehe, undeniably," Sojiro smirked. "You got any homework to do?" Akira shook his head.
"Did it all before the start of Golden Week," Sojiro nodded, impressed.
"Way to go, kid. Well, you don't have to help out anymore. Why don't you go call up one of your friends, or your girl, and take advantage of whatever free time you have left?"
"I don't feel like it," Akira replied, still not looking up from his broom.
"Why not?" Sojiro raised an eyebrow.
"I just don't, okay?" Sojiro could tell something was up, but decided against pressing further.
"Well, they're probably busy, anyway. I bet they didn't finish up their homework before vacation. I know Futaba didn't, hehe."
"Makoto and Haru probably did," Akira responded.
"Didn't expect a serious answer, but okay," Sojiro smiled. Akira finished his chores and put the broom away.
"I'm gonna head out, okay?" Akira said.
"Oh, so you're going out, after all? Where you headed?"
"Just out for a walk."
"Did you remember to take your meds?"
"Yeah."
"All right, just make sure you remember to lock up when you get back. Have a good walk," Sojiro said; Akira nodded and headed out the door. Sojiro stared at the door and sighed. "… Hope everything's okay, Akira," he thought aloud.
Akira walked around Yongen-Jaya for a bit before deciding to go to the World's End bar. He removed his glasses and walked in. The bartender recognized him.
"Hey! Amamiya, right?" Aki-Ren nodded. "What'll it be?"
"Just a beer, please."
"Blond or draft?"
"Doesn't matter."
"Comin' right up," the bartender nodded. He opened up a blond, poured it into a pint glass and handed it to him.
"Thanks," Akira said before downing it in one gulp. The bartender was stunned. "Another round, please?"
"Bad day or just really thirsty?" the bartender asked as served him another one.
"Yes," Akira replied.
"Well, you know, drinking beer's only gonna make you more dehydrated."
"Why? Is it made of seawater?"
"Hehehe, good one," the bartender chuckled. "Alcohol is a diuretic, which gets rid of the sodium and water in your body and bloodstream. You gotta drink plenty of water with booze, otherwise, you'll dehydrate faster than a guy wearing arctic gear in the desert."
"What are you, a teacher or something?" Akira raised an eyebrow, unsure what to do with the sudden dump of information.
"No, but I have a doctoral degree in biochemistry, so I could've been one if I wanted to, hehe," the bartender smiled.
"Well, no offense, but I really didn't come here for a science lesson."
"Fair enough. You wanna talk about your day instead?"
"Again, no offense, but aren't you busy?"
"Heh, look around. You see anyone else here?" Akira looked around, two other patrons were sitting at a booth, but that was it.
"Look, I appreciate the company, but I'd rather just sit in silence by myself for a bit."
"No worries, I get it. Let me know if you need anything else, 'kay?" The bartender walked off. Akira kept sipping his beer, not downing it in one like the first. Like the last time he was in here, he thought about things; how he felt betrayed that his friends were talking about him behind his back.
"I'm tellin' ya, my boss is a real dickhead."
"Yea, sure sounds like it…"
Akira's train of thought was interrupted by the other two patrons' ongoing conversation.
"I mean, I spend one night in jail, and the fucker up and fires me."
"I mean, it's not like it was your first time getting arrested, though."
"Yea, but he didn't know that."
As Akira was eavesdropping, he felt something: A sense of familiarity. "I know that voice," he thought.
"It's total bullshit. I mean, the guy punched me first. I just playfully smacked the chick's ass. I was drunk. It was harmless fun, ya know?" Then it hit him. The patrons were the two assholes who assaulted him, Sumire, and Futaba on their way back from Ginza, a few weeks back. No wonder the name of the bar sounded familiar to him. Sojiro said the two of them frequented the place. Under normal circumstances, Akira would've paid and up and left right then and there. Instead, he stayed. He wasn't scared. Akira was furious, and he wanted revenge. "I swear to God. If I ever see that little pipsqueak again, he's gonna get what he's got coming to him, lemme tell ya."
"You're gonna end up in jail, and I ain't going down with you this time."
"What are yer sayin', asshole?"
One of them stood up.
"I'm done with your shit. I have a criminal record now because of you."
"HEY! Don't blame it all on me! You're just as guilty!"
"At least, I learned from it, unlike you."
"Fuck off! Get lost!"
"I'm already gone, dickhead." One of the men left the bar. The other stayed behind, muttering to himself as he kept on drinking.
"Fucking spineless asshole," he muttered before finishing his glass. "Yo, Muto! Ya get the shitter fixed yet?" he asked, referring to the bartender.
"Not yet. You gotta go number one or number two?" The patron responded by flipping him the bird. "Just go in the alley." The patron got up and wobbled out the front door. "God, that guy pisses me off," he said before looking at Akira. "You good, Amamiya?"
"I'm fine, thanks for everything," Akira said as he finished his own glass, paid his tab, and got up.
"Wait, what's your hurry?" The bartender asked, but Akira didn't listen. He followed the man out the door. The bartender looked concerned for the guy, who seemingly left in a hurry. Once outside, Akira looked to his right. True enough, he found the man a few feet away in an alley, taking a leak by some trashcans.
"What are you lookin' at?" The man spotted Akira but didn't recognize him in the dark and from afar. The man continued to do his business, not noticing Akira walking behind him. Akira thought about his plan of action, would he strike his head? Go for the legs? Grab a trash can lid like Sumire did? Ultimately, it didn't matter. The man zipped up his pants and turned around and was face to face with Akira.
"Shit, what am I gonna do?" Akira didn't know, but ultimately, it didn't matter. The man zipped up his pants and turned around and was face to face with Akira.
"Jesus!" The man jumped. "You scared the shit out of me. What? What do ya want?" Akira didn't say anything. His fists were clenched. "Hello…? Anybody home?" The man said before scratching his chin. "Wait a minute, have I seen ya bef-"
*BAM*
Akira decked him. The drunk grabbed his face before picking Akira up, slamming him to the ground, and punching him in the face a couple of times. Akira somehow found the strength to over-power the man, and soon, he was on top, pummeling him and getting his own hits in. Unfortunately, it didn't last. The man raked Akira's eyes and kicked him in the gut, causing him to fall backward, clutching his ribs as he struggled to find his breath. The drunk got up and stood over Akira, looking him over.
"Wait a minute…" The man was gasping and panting. "I know you. You're the little shit from before who was with the two girls," he laughed. "How funny, I was just thinkin' about ya," he said before kicking Akira in the gut some more. Akira coughed and gagged before gasping for air. "Gotta say, you hit pretty good for a kid. Well, now that I've got ya, I'm gonna-"
"Hey!" The drunk heard someone call out behind him and turned around.
*WHACK*
Next thing, his lights were knocked out, and he was down on the ground next to Akira.
"You're not gonna do anything, fuckface." Akira looked up to see Muto, the bartender. He kneeled down to check on him. "You okay, Amamiya?" He offered Akira his hand. He accepted it and got up. Akira was shaky but otherwise fine, for the most part.
"Umm…" Akira quietly responded before looking at the unconscious man. "Is he…?"
"Don't worry about him. He's just out cold," Muto said, shaking his right hand and loudly cracking his knuckles. "Haven't boxed in a while. Good to know I've still got a nice right hook, hehe. You know I once KO'd Akihiko Sanada, a year or two ago?"
"…who?"
"Heh, forget it, it's not important." Muto rubbed the back of his head. "I'll ask again, are you all right?" Akira reluctantly nodded. "Hang on. I'll go call the cops."
"I'm gonna go," Akira said.
"Wait, what? Amamiya, you can't go. You gotta tell them what he-"
"My name's not Amamiya!" Akira shouted. Muto was stunned.
"What?"
"And I'm not twenty… I'm eighteen," Akira admitted; Muto shook his head.
"Jesus fucking Christ, are you kidding me!? I could get in serious trouble, you know!? So could you!"
"Sorry…" Akira hung his head.
"Be honest with me, kid. Do you know this guy?" Akira nodded and explained how he knew the man. "God dammit, this guy never learns," Muto said, looking at the man.
"Sorry…" Akira also told Muto the truth about who he really was. Muto thought for a moment.
"Wait a minute, did you say your name was Kurusu?"
"Yeah."
"Akira Kurusu?"
"Yes."
"Huh," Muto said, folding his arms, "it seems we have a mutual friend."
"We do?" Akira raised an eyebrow.
"Munehisa Iwai." Another one of Akira's confidants, along with Takemi, Chihaya, Ohya, Kawakami, and others. The owner of an airsoft store that sold Akira the weapons he and the Phantom Thieves used in the Metaverse.
"You know Iwai?"
"Yeah, he's an old 'brother' of mine, if you know what I mean." Muto winked at Akira. "He asked me to make sure no one laid a finger on you during your time in lockup and in juvie. I have some connections to the cops, as well as the… well, you know." Akira noticed a dragon tattoo on Muto's neck for the first time and put the pieces together.
"Wow… uh… well, thanks for that…"
"He told me you were a good kid, but I kinda have my doubts, now."
"I understand. I've just had some bad luck, recently."
"Hmm…" Muto thought for a second as the drunk squirmed around on the ground, still unconscious. "Look, Iwai's a really good friend of mine, and he said you helped him out a lot, so consider this a favor from me to you. Don't worry about this sack of shit. He won't bother you ever again. Don't worry about talking to the cops, either. You got somebody to call and come get you?"
"I live nearby. I can get home by myself."
"Good, go home, kid. I'll take care of this guy." Akira thanked him and started walking away. "Hey, Kurusu!" Muto called out to him. Akira looked back. "I don't care whether twenty or sixty. If you ever set foot in my bar again, I'll snap you like a butterbean, you hear me?"
Akira nodded and went home. Leblanc was thankfully empty. Akira went to the bathroom and turned on the light. His abdomen hurt, and his face was a bit bloody, but, thankfully, it wasn't bruised. He cleaned the blood off his face and went to bed. He had the mother of all migraines. It hit him that he could've died tonight. He counted his blessings, thankful that he was still alive, but at that moment, it didn't matter much.
He still felt mostly dead.