**July 20th, 2018 — Final Week Before Summer Break**
It wasn't Akira's alarm that woke him up, it was all the noise he heard from leaving his window open. The outside world didn't care how early in the morning it was, and neither did the heat. Summer had come back around, and the temperature seemed to be increasing with each passing day. Akira removed his thin sheet and got out of bed. He went over to his desk and took his seizure medication for the morning, along with pills Takemi had given him recently to ease his pain, since his medication seemed to be getting less and less effective. Either that, or the migraines were getting worse. Whatever the case was, Akira needed something else, anything else. About two months ago, after Akira's run-in with an inebriated bum outside of World's End, he went to Tae and asked for painkillers. She was hesitant but accepted so long as he was responsible with how he took them. Thankfully, as well as unfortunately, she trusted his word. Needless to say, Akira wasn't responsible.
The water in the bottle was warm, and Akira wanted to puke, but it was better than swallowing the pills dry. He always got up before Sojiro came into the shop. After getting dressed, he went down to the kitchen and made himself three things for breakfast, coffee, curry, and a whiskey sour. Akira only ate to avoid drinking on an empty stomach, which was not ideal when he was about to take his exams in a few hours. A drinker eats when he's loaded, while a drunk eats when he's not. Before heading down, he grabbed his tumbler off his desk and poured a third of whiskey into it. Once he was downstairs, he poured in about two-thirds of the orange juice he had bought for himself. This was part of his daily routine for the past two months. After the incident with Maruki, he knew he had to try harder to hide his drinking. Akira always drank alcohol in the morning to help alleviate the migraine in his head which, at this point, he'd had for over two months without a solid break. Akira saw it as self-medicating since no amount of aspirin, painkillers, or medications could seem to make the migraines go away. The best he could hope for was that the pain would be minimal. Sometimes, it was intense; other times, it was at least tolerable, but it was always there.
Once that was done, Akira went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. His beard had grown a lot more. His eyes had bags under them due to a lack of sleep, which, in itself, was due to reoccurring nightmares. He took a deep breath. Akira didn't look great; in fact, he didn't look or feel very good at all, but what could he do about it? He stepped out of the bathroom as Sojiro walked into the shop.
"Morning," Sojiro said.
"Morning," Akira unenthusiastically replied. His tone tone was flat and emotionless.
"Exams start today, right?"
"I've got two after my usual lecture."
"Weird that they start on a Tuesday, huh? Hehe…"
"Hmph," Akira shrugged.
"Do you feel ready?" It was evident to Akira that Sojiro was desperately trying to keep a conversation going.
"Yeah," he nodded, and that was it. No more words were shared between the two of them. Akira headed out the door. "See you later."
"Wait…" Sojiro said.
"Yeah?" Akira stood at the door while Sojiro tried to think of something to say.
"Have a good one," Sojiro said with a soft smile. Akira nodded and left Leblanc; he had lost his smile a while ago.
In the past couple of months, Akira had regressed back into his quieter, more reserved self than before his probation. He talked very little and barely hung out with others anymore, always coming up with excuses like studying, working out, helping around the café, or whatever. He even stopped going to lunch on Tuesdays with Ryuji, Ann, Makoto, and Haru. Akira never forgot about the group chat that was named after him, but that was the least of it. Whether he liked it or not, the old Akira really was back, but he was worse. He felt like he was falling apart.
Akira's week of exams started poorly. He was ready for them but was annoyed that he still had to deal with Nagata's lecture. On this particular day, his migraine was about a seven out of ten on the pain scale and sitting through a whole two-hour lecture from the worst teacher in the college sounded like his personal hell. Akira took his usual seat; soon after, Riku showed up and sat down next to him.
"Mornin', Akira," he greeted.
"Riku," Akira acknowledged with a nod.
"What's up? Ready for exams?"
"Mm-hm."
"Say, you wanna come over later? It might be a good way to blow off steam. Besides, it's been a while since we've hung out."
"Sorry, but I have to study." His go-to response for the past two months or so. Though, in this context, it was more valid, but it was still a lie, nonetheless. Akira just wanted to be left alone.
"You sure?" Riku leaned in and whispered. "I got the good beers, this time. Not the cheap shit." The offer was now more tempting, but in the back of his mind, Akira wanted no part of it.
"…"
"You know what? No pressure, if you don't want to, that's cool. I should study more anyway. Not like this is the only day of exams."
"Say no, damn it," Akira thought to himself. "Sure, why the hell not…"
"Sweet!" Riku was overjoyed.
His growing addiction answered for him. He wasn't saying, "yes" to Riku. Akira was mad at himself and Riku, but he couldn't blame him. He didn't know about his weakness to booze. As far as Akira was concerned, anyone could get him a drink. Despite being found out and banned from World's End, not like he'd want to go back there anyway after last time, Akira's drinking didn't slow down. He still went out and bought his own alcohol, stashing the bottles around his room at Leblanc, under the bed, behind the TV, behind his desk, anywhere out of sight. He didn't always get drunk, but he always, at least, got a good buzz. It dulled his senses and made him forget about life which, in his eyes, had grown sad and pathetic. Akira didn't want to admit it, but alcohol had become his new best friend.
"All right, all right, quiet down!" Eventually, Nagata walked in. He was in a fouler mood than usual, probably because of the heat. "Now, I know you all have exams this week, but if you think just because this is our last lecture before summer break that I'm going to let you off easy, think again. Now let's begin."
"Boy, someone's in a bad mood, huh?" Riku said, nudging Akira.
"I'm always in a bad mood…" Akira muttered.
"Huh?"
"I said, he's always in a bad mood."
"Oh, hehe, right," Riku chuckled. Akira was having none of it.
The lecture went on. Akira tried to listen attentively, but mostly waited for it to be over. At the start of the year, he'd tried to pay attention, but after a while, he stopped giving a damn. Nagata was so bitter that Akira couldn't listen to his driveling anymore. Nagata stopped throwing students out if he caught them slacking off. Instead, he dropped their final grade by one letter. Near the end, the intensity of the migraine was increasing. Akira looked at the PowerPoint slides on the board when, suddenly, it happened again. He was having another micro-seizure, but unlike the other ones, he felt this one hit him.
"Kurusu?" Nagata asked. He looked over and saw Akira just staring blindly into space. "Kurusu? I asked you a question." Still no response.
"Hey, Akira, you okay?" Riku whispered while softly nudging him. "Come on, stop messin' around, man." Akira didn't hear him. Riku pieced together what was happening. "Aw, shit…"
"Last chance, Kurusu. Answer my question, or you will be penalized."
"Professor," Riku began, "it's not what you think, Akira's-"
"Quiet, Ibushi. Three… two… one. Time's up, Kurusu." Akira came back to reality after that. He looked at Nagata
"…what?" he asked, confused.
"No second chances. I'm going to have to penalize you, Kurusu."
"What? Why?"
"Because you didn't answer my question."
"Sir, does the punishment really fit the crime?" Riku asked.
"I said, 'quiet, Ibushi,' or your grade will be next to drop," Nagata responded. He was getting more and more frustrated, and so was Akira. "I warned you and everyone else at the start of the year that I will not tolerate slacking off."
"I wasn't slacking off. I-I… I was…" The migraine was at a nine and about to reach a ten.
"You were what? Go on, what is your excuse?"
"I was having a fucking seizure!" The lecture hall went quiet.
"Hmph…" Nagata seemed unfazed. "Make up any excuses you want, but don't you dare raise your voice at me or use such foul language." Riku spoke up in his defense.
"I-It's true, Professor. Akira suffers from seizures. He might've had one of those micro-ones." Akira told Riku about his seizures while drunk after jamming with him at his house. He showed him the medical bracelet, which Akira had since stopped wearing entirely.
"I don't recall asking your opinion, Ibushi. Kurusu, you know the rules, get caught slacking off, and your grade suffers." Akira stormed out of his seat and furiously made his way over to Nagata.
"This is bullshit! What the hell kind of teacher are you that doesn't give a shit about their students!?"
"Sit down, Kurusu, or I will-" Akira cut him off.
"NO! SHUT YOUR MOUTH! YOU'RE GONNA LISTEN TO ME!" The entire lecture hall gasped. Akira began spouting nonsense, or at least it sounded like nonsense to everyone, including Nagata. He began speaking in a lower, more threatening voice. This wasn't Akira anymore. This was Joker. "I don't know what happened to you that your desires became so fucked up, but if you ask me, it sounds like your heart is distorted and needs to be changed."
"What are you talking-" Nagata began, but Akira cut him off again.
"Here's the thing, though. You're not worth the trouble of going through a Palace, sending a calling card, and stealing your treasure… I'd rather just rip your fucking heart out, right here, right now." The look in his eyes was dead serious. Although Akira's voice was lower than before, it was still loud enough for at least the first few rows to hear his words and gasp once more. This wasn't regular Joker. This was someone else entirely. Nagata wasn't threatened, though. Akira said his piece and walked back towards his seat where he gathered his belongings. He ignored Riku's attempts to reach him and began heading for the exit.
"Kurusu?" Akira was stopped at the front door by Nagata calling out to him. "If you walk out of my classroom, I'll have no choice but to consider you permanently dismissed." Akira looked back at him.
"Do I look like I give a damn?" He opened the door and stepped out. "And it's a lecture hall, you dumbass!" He added before loudly slamming the door. The lecture hall was silent for a minute. Nagata sat down at his desk and sighed.
"Ibushi?" He said in a more somber tone of voice. Riku looked at him after staring at the door in disbelief for what felt like forever.
"Uh, yeah, Professor?"
"Go find Kurusu. Tell him I…" Nagata sighed once more due to not being able to complete his sentence. "Would you just go get him, please?" Everyone was stunned. This was the first time Nagata had even said the word 'please.' Riku nodded and got out of his seat. He walked out of the lecture hall and into the hallway. He turned to his right, only to see Akira lying on the ground, violently spasming.
"Oh shit! Akira!" He ran over to him. "Professor!? Call the hospital!"
Later, Akira gently woke up. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around; he had no idea where he was. He still had his uniform on, only his shoes were removed.
"Akira," he heard a voice calling his name. "You okay? How you feelin'?"
"…wh-who are y-you?" Akira groaned.
"What do you mean? It's me, Riku."
"Don't mind him, Ibushi-kun. This usually happens after he has a seizure," Another voice said, this one female. Then, another female voice could be heard.
"When Akira first wakes up after a seizure, he's a bit disoriented, and doesn't immediately know where he is or who's talking to him."
"Freaky…" Riku said.
"For real, but what can ya do?" Akira recognized that voice, for sure.
"Ryuji?" Akira asked, debilitated.
"See? He's coming to. He's okay," Ryuji said to Riku.
"He's lying in a hospital bed after having a seizure. Does that really sound like he's 'okay' to you?" A third female voice scolded Ryuji. This one he recognized as Ann's. He spotted the source of the first two female voices, Haru and Makoto, respectively.
"Sorry, you're right. Wrong choice of words." Ryuji then turned to Akira. "How you feelin,' man?"
"Did you say I'm in a hospital bed?" Akira asked, now feeling more awake and aware.
"Yeah, Riku said you had a seizure after storming out of class," Ann told him what Riku told them. Akira barely remembered having a verbal confrontation with Nagata. His memory went as far as feeling confused as to why Nagata was penalizing him.
"How'd you guys find out?" Akira asked the others.
"Ibushi-kun came looking for us around lunchtime and told us what happened," Haru responded.
"Please, Haru-senpai, you can just call me Riku," he politely said. Akira was surprised. Riku had only joined them for Tuesday lunch during their first week. Afterward, Riku changed some of his classes, altering his schedule, making it impossible to join them. Since Riku was a lonely guy, Akira figured that one lunch must have meant a lot to him.
"We also let Boss know. He's on his way," Ann said.
"We just got here a few minutes ago. It's a good thing we have a hospital right on campus," Ryuji added.
"Don't you have class, Riku-kun?" Makoto asked him.
"Nah, I got a free track right now since we had our exam last week. By the way, Akira, the nurses let the school know what happened, so you don't gotta worry about exams for today."
"Man, I wish I could get out of exams…" Ryuji whined, which annoyed Akira.
"Maybe if put you in a headlock, I'll give you a seizure and you'll wind up in the bed next to me," Akira deadpanned. No one said anything. Ryuji was clearly offended by Akira's comment, but let it slide considering the circumstances. Riku felt the awkward tension in the air.
"A-Anyway… Nagata felt bad about what happened-" Akira cut him off.
"That son of a bitch actually has feelings?" he said sarcastically.
"Hehehe…" Riku awkwardly chuckled. "I know, right? Um, he said that he wants to let bygones be bygones so, you won't be penalized, and you're still good to attend his lecture after break."
"Why would I want to attend his stupid lectures anyway?" Akira balked; Riku looked at the others.
"Am I saying something wrong? I should probably stop talking…" Riku quietly said.
"No, don't worry, it's not you," Ann said. "Akira's usually irritable after a seizure; don't take it personally."
"And before, as well," Haru added.
"Huh, well, explains his rant on Nagata, then…" Riku replied.
"What'd he say?" Ryuji asked.
"Um, do we really have to go over this now?" Makoto asked. "I don't want Akira to get too stressed out or anxious." Akira looked away.
"I don't know, I didn't catch all of it. Some weird ramblings about Nagata not being worth the trouble of going through a Palace or something…" Riku wisely chose to leave out the last part of what Akira said to Nagata, but it didn't matter. Now, Ryuji, Ann, Makoto, and Haru were the ones who were stressed out and anxious. "Seemed like gibberish to me. Could that have been part of his seizure as well? You know, weird babbling nonsense?"
"Uh…y-yep, probably. No clue what it could mean otherwise, ehehe," Ann awkwardly said, shrugging.
"God, her acting," Akira muttered to himself and shook his head.
"Right," Riku began, "well, I think I should get going. Sorry, Akira. I hate to leave ya, but I wanna grab a bite and get in some last-minute studying."
"Do what you got to do," Akira replied, still in an irritable mood.
"I'll see you around, 'kay? Oh, and better we forget about hanging out later. Maybe sometime over break?" Riku asked; Akira nodded. The others were confused and slightly ticked off. "All right, well, feel better, man. Bye, everyone," Riku said, waving at the others.
"Bye," Ann said.
"Thank you again for letting us know, Riku-kun," Haru added. Akira watched as Riku left the room. He turned back to see Ryuji glaring at him.
"Something on your mind, dear?" Akira sarcastically asked Ryuji. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You agree to hang out with a guy you barely know, while we've barely seen you in months? The hell's that about?"
"Ryuji, is now really the time?" Makoto asked.
"Akira can hang out with whomever he wants," Haru added; Ryuji looked down.
"I thought we were your best friends," he said before turning back to Akira, who didn't say anything. "Aren't we?"
"Ryuji, stop it!" Ann demanded. "Of course, we are!"
"I want to hear it from him," Ryuji said. "So…?" Akira remained silent. "Fine, whatever…"
"Ryuji…" Ann groaned.
"No, screw this," Ryuji said before storming out of the room.
"I-I'm really sorry. I don't know what's gotten into him," Ann said before leaving the room and going after Ryuji.
"What the hell did I do?" Akira asked, looking at Makoto and Haru
"Nothing, don't worry. That was uncalled-for on his part," Makoto said. "I think… I think he just misses you. We all do…"
"Mako-chan is right, Akira. We barely see or hear from you anymore. We've been worried. I know we don't have to get together every day or even every week, but the last time we were all together was during Golden Week. You don't even respond to the group chat anymore," Haru added.
"Why would I? You all seem to be getting along just fine in the other one," Akira thought. "Sorry, I've just had a lot to do, and to be honest, I just wanted a bit of time alone," he said.
"Did something happen?" Makoto asked.
"No, no. I just… haven't been in the best of moods, and I wanted to avoid taking it out on you guys." Akira was still lying, of course. He was still mad at them texting about him behind his back. He wanted very little to do with them. Nevertheless, Haru and Makoto bought it. "See, Ann? That's acting," he thought.
"O-Okay, just please let us know if you need to talk to us about anything, okay?" Haru asked, grabbing onto his hand. Akira nodded.
"I swear," he said, all the while crossing his fingers in his mind. Afterward, Makoto and Haru had to get back to campus before their next classes, so they excused themselves and left. Not long after, Sojiro arrived to bring Akira back home to Leblanc. He didn't say a word during the drive back, and Sojiro didn't bother him. They walked into the café and Akira went to the fridge.
"Do you want anything? Something to eat, maybe?" Sojiro asked.
"No, thanks, I'm just going to rest for a bit and take a nap," Akira responded as he grabbed the orange juice.
"All right, well, I'll be here if you need anything," Sojiro said before Akira disappeared upstairs. Once in his room, Akira did what he usually did when he was in a sour mood, which was pretty regularly lately: he drank. He always made sure to wash his tumbler as soon as he finished his morning pick-me-up. Not wanting to take any chances, he poured the remaining orange juice, which was about a third, into his tumbler and poured another third of whiskey into it. He was about to take a sip when…
"Still at it, huh?" A voice from behind startled him. Akira turned around to see Morgana on his window sill.
"Christ! You scared me. What are you talking-" Morgana cut him off.
"Don't play dumb with me!" Morgana raised his voice. "Perks of being a cat, my sense of smell is stronger than a human's." Akira sighed, looking away from the feline.
"How long have you known?"
"About a month."
"Good for you. You want a cookie?" Akira snarked.
"No, I want my partner back!"
"Maybe you shouldn't have left me, then. Did you even think about that?"
Morgana hung his head in shame. "…you're right. But it's not just me, either. We all want our leader back."
"I'm not your leader anymore."
"Well, what about our friend?" Morgana looked back up. Akira didn't say anything. He just kept his back turned. "You know, the only reason why I haven't told the others about your drinking is because I'm afraid."
"Of what?"
"That if they find out, they're going to try and help you, and you're going to push them away for good." Akira took a sip from his tumbler, barely listening to Morgana.
"I had another seizure today, you know?"
"I heard…"
"Of course, you did. I wonder who squealed?" Akira thought.
"Are you all right?" Morgana asked, concerned.
"No."
"I also heard Ryuji stormed out."
"Christ, they really tell each other every detail, don't they?" "Yeah, because he was jealous that I decided to hang out with somebody outside the group for once," Akira huffed.
"You really think that's the reason?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Not because he misses his best friend? The first real friend he made after Kamoshida almost took everything from him?"
"Oh, don't give me that bullshit. If I wanted a guilt trip, I'd tell the group I was drinking."
"I don't know how you can live with yourself right now."
"Oh, that's easy, it's because you're not around. Hell, if I could actually live by myself, you and I'd be having this conversation by telephone and I wouldn't have to worry about you sniffing around my business…" Akira sighed. "Look, why don't you just run on back to Futaba's and let me black out in peace?" he said, taking another sip.
"Who even are you?" Morgana asked.
"Someone who wants to be alone, right now. So just get the hell out, will you?" Before he left, Morgana got one last word in.
"Are you going to be like this when we go back home in a few weeks? I don't think your cousin would be thrilled to see you like this at her wedding, let alone your mom."
"You really think I care about what other people think about me?"
"Akira…" Morgana paused briefly. "… Right now, you're all we're thinking about," he said before disappearing out the window and going back to Futaba's. Akira didn't even look at Morgana once during their conversation; he just stared at the floor, drinking his cocktail, and following a spider with his eyes.
"Screw 'em," he thought as he kept drinking.
Despite concerns, Akira went to take his exams in the following days. He was told he didn't have to and could take the week off, but decided against it, not wanting to take make-up exams. He would have to make up the two exams he had on Tuesday that he missed due to his seizure. The migraines made studying and focusing difficult, and on several occasions, Akira thought about giving up entirely. Nevertheless, he studied hard like usual. It was better to get them over with sooner rather than later, so he could take full advantage of his summer break. Like he really had anything to look forward to.
Saturday morning, he walked to the Yongen-Jaya train platform. Before going down into the subway, he noticed someone with a familiar bob cut walking out of the station.
"Doctor Kimura?" he called out.
"Akira-kun! Isn't this a surprise!" Hiromi smiled.
"How are you doing, Kimura-san?"
"Fine, but please — feel free to call me by my first name. At this point, I feel our relationship is far too amicable just to be a traditional doctor-patient one, don't you?"
"Yeah, I guess." Hiromi had stopped in Leblanc so many times over the past few months that she had point.
"So, how are you doing?"
"I'm horrible, thanks for asking," he thought. "Fine, thanks. I'm just going to my Saturday therapy session."
"Oh, good. Are you making good progress?"
"More or less," Akira shrugged.
"Well, believe me, it can take a while."
"Speaking from personal experience?" Akira asked; Hiromi silently nodded, still smiling. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked."
"Oh no, no. Don't worry; you didn't say anything wrong," she assured him. "I went to a therapist for a while when I was a kid, after my parents split up. Their divorce was a bit hard on me."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Don't worry; I got over it eventually," she shrugged.
"Good to know," Akira said, relieved. He preferred not to put his foot in his mouth so early in the day. "So, what are you up to?"
"Well, I had a craving for coffee and curry." Her tone switched from neutral to annoyed. "Thanks a lot, by the way."
"Why, what'd I do now?" Akira got defensive and bitter.
"You introduced me to Leblanc's coffee and curry. I have days when it's all I can think about, hahaha," she said, smiling once more.
"Oh, hehe," Akira forced out a chuckle, "yeah, I've heard they have that effect." Since Akira told Hiromi about Leblanc back in March, she's been over to the café fairly often, even multiple times a week. Whenever she was over there while he was there, Akira noticed she and Sojiro flirted quite a lot. He couldn't tell if it was for real or just for fun. Why not ask?
"Anyway, how've you been? Are you still having problems with blackouts?"
To dodge another question, that's why.
"Can I ask you a question, Kimura-san? What do you think of Sojiro?" Akira quickly said. Hiromi was taken aback by Akira's question.
"Huh? Oh, well, uh, he's a master coffee and curry-maker, that's for sure. Otherwise, he's a very nice man, funny, kind, fun to chat with… Why do you ask?" Hiromi raised an eyebrow.
"Well, it's probably just my imagination, but I often see you two flirting, and… I don't know, I was just wondering…"
"Oh!" Hiromi got it. "I see what you're asking me."
"Sorry, I was just curious since I don't see a ring on your finger."
"I just haven't found the right person yet," Hiromi admitted.
"Maybe you have…?" Akira was clearly hinting at Sojiro. "Although, he would hate the idea of me being a wingman to him, hehe." Another forced chuckle.
"I wouldn't say this to Sakura-san in such a direct manner, but to satisfy your curiosity, no freaking way." Now, it was Akira who was taken aback.
"Oh, well, okay then. So much for being subtle."
"Sorry, haha," Hiromi started cracking up. "I didn't mean to sound so harsh. He's a very nice man, but he's not my type."
"Right, I understand. I don't know why I asked, to be honest," Akira said, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Haha, no worries. It's not like it's some sacred topic to me. Anyway, I shouldn't keep you any longer."
"Right. I should probably get going as well. Have a nice day, Hiromi-san."
"You too, Akira-kun," she smiled before waving goodbye.
"Well, that was fucking embarrassing."
Akira cringed at the awkward conversation he just had as he got on the train and headed for Shinjuku. He arrived at Maruki's office and walked inside. Maruki came out and greeted him.
"Welcome, Akira-kun," Maruki welcomed Akira into his office. The two sat down and began their session. "How are you doing, today?"
"Could be better. I had another seizure this week."
"Oh, my, I'm sorry to hear that. What happened?"
"Remember my business lecture giver, Nagata?"
"Yes, I do."
"Well, I had a micro seizure in class and…" Akira trailed off before stopping his speech entirely and sighing. He hung his head and vigorously ran his hands through his hair.
"…are you all right, Akira-kun?" Akira's head shot back up; he looked angry.
"No! I'm not all right! I'm fucking horrible!" he yelled as he slammed his fists in the sides of the armchair he was sitting in. "Pardon my language."
"No worries, let it all out," Akira sighed once more.
"I think it's finally happened, Doc."
"What's finally happened?" Maruki was confused.
"I think I've fully regressed into my past self, only angrier. At least, I feel like I'm getting closer and closer. Or hell, maybe I'm just losing my fucking mind."
"What makes you say that?"
"I've barely seen any of my friends in the past two months, even Sumire. I've been pushing them away. Some days, I hate the idea of being with any of them. I want to be alone; I don't want to be with anyone."
"Not even Yoshizawa-san?" Akira hesitated.
"…kinda, but not really, although I should."
"Why do you say that? Did something happen?"
"Yeah…" Akira paused. "They don't know this, but about two months ago, I found out they were all texting behind my back."
"About what?"
"Me."
"Really?" Maruki was stunned. "I'm surprised. I didn't think they were the kind of people who gossip about one another."
"It's not quite what you think, Doc. It's not gossip."
"Nevertheless, talking about someone behind their back is not a good thing. If they are saying things concerning you to each other rather than directly to you, it can make it hard to maintain a healthy relationship. Plus, it can create trust issues."
"Right."
"Do you know what they've been saying about you?"
"Yeah. Like I said, it's not gossip. They want me to talk about things."
"What things?"
"Things I don't even feel comfortable talking about with you."
"Ah, I see…" Maruki got the picture.
"Did I tell you I told them about my abuse?"
"No, you did not."
"Well, I did. It was hard."
"When was this?"
"Golden Week."
"Really? That long ago?" Akira nodded. "And? How did they react?"
"They…" Akira sighed. "They were there for me. For the briefest of moments, I felt happy again."
"I see… and was this before or after you found out they were 'gossiping' about you?"
"Doc, how many times do I have to say it? It's not gossip."
"I know. Let's just refer to it like that for simplicity."
"Fine," Akira huffed, "it was before."
"How did you feel when you found out?"
"About the same as how I feel right now," Maruki nodded and made notes.
"Let's back up for a moment. When you said you hated the idea of being with your friends, I asked if that included Yoshizawa-san, and you were hesitant. Why is that?"
"To be honest, I don't know what it is, but thinking about her calms me down. She's like my support system, and I'm hers as well."
"How so?" Maruki raised an eyebrow.
"Well, you know how she sometimes gets panic attacks?"
"No, I didn't know that, actually."
"She doesn't get them as often anymore, but she actually had one during our first date. We were at the aquarium. She got so nervous that she lost control of her breathing. I've seen her push people away with like she was the Hulk when it happens, but she seemed to calm down when I put my hand on her back."
"Oh, I see…" Maruki looked down for a moment.
"You okay, Doc?"
"Y-Yes, I'm fine. It's just that… never mind."
"No, no. It's okay, Doc. Tell me what's on your mind."
"It's more of a question, really, but…" Maruki paused. "I thought it had something to do with you and Yoshizawa-san being a part of the Phantom Thieves perhaps?" Akira's stomach dropped like a Christmas number one single in the January Billboard charts. Where in the hell did that come from?
"Uh-um… W-What do you mean?"
"You don't have to hide it from me, Akira-kun. I found out shortly before starting my tenure at Shujin."
"How!?"
"I noticed you, Sakamoto-kun, and Takamaki-san in an alleyway by the school. You just appeared out of thin-air."
"You pieced it all together from that!?" Maruki nodded. "Wow…"
"I was going to tell you before I left Shujin, but I figured there was no point."
"Man, we were so careless back then…" Akira thought, except…
"I wouldn't call it careless exactly, just keen observation on my part."
"Oh… did I say that out loud?"
"Haha, yes, you did."
"Sorry," Akira said, feeling awkward. "God… you know, she knows, how many fucking people know?" he muttered.
"Who's 'she'?" Maruki asked. Akira shook his head and waved it off.
"Never mind, forget about it…" Akira felt a migraine coming on, once more. "How come you didn't tell me about it until now?"
"I was hoping you would. To be honest, I originally assumed it was the reason you wanted therapy."
"You'd think. I mean, you would not believe half of the shit we saw or went through as the Phantom Thieves. But no, that's not why I came here in the first place."
"I see…" The room was quiet for a moment as awkward tension filled the air. Then, finally, Maruki spoke up once more. "Don't worry, Akira-kun. I haven't told anyone else, and I never will. My lips are sealed." Maruki crossed his heart.
"I appreciate it, Doc."
"So, was I also right in assuming Yoshizawa-san was one of you?"
Akira sighed. "Well, no reason to hide it now, I guess, but yeah, Sumire was one of us. Not for very long, though. She joined kinda late in our tenure."
"Long enough for her to be your support system?"
"Not exactly. She was my support system long before then. I just didn't realize it until later."
"Can you tell me when you realized it?"
"I'm sorry, Doc, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Well, you mentioned thinking about Yoshizawa-san calms you down. I think it would do you a bit of good."
"Fair enough," Akira said as he thought for a moment. "It was the night before I turned myself in…"
**December 24th, 2016 — Shibuya**
"I'll ask you once more. I'd like for you to turn yourself in to the police of your own accord," Sae Niijima asked of the hero who just saved the world from ruin mere moments ago.
Akira, Morgana, Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, Haru, and Sumire, the group collectively known as The Phantom Thieves of Hearts, had been through a lot in the past couple of hours. They had nearly died, the Metaverse momentarily fused with the real world, and to top it all off, they had to fight a giant god. Sadly, they also lost a member. Morgana had vanished once the Metaverse supposedly disappeared after their battle with the God of Control. Though he would eventually come back, at the time, it was heartbreaking to lose one of their founding members. Despite this, the Thieves all felt relieved; proud of what they had accomplished, thinking they've finally earned a break.
Afterward, the group decided to go their separate ways for the time being but promised to all meet up at Leblanc the next day to celebrate Christmas together. Akira, himself, was about to head back to Leblanc when Sae came up to him, once he was alone, and asked him to do the unthinkable. The decision weighed heavily on Akira's mind. He knew he was going to do it; there was no question. Not that he really had a choice, to begin with, if he wanted all the efforts of him and the Phantom Thieves to mean something. More importantly, however, Akira wanted to save his teammates. He knew it was the right thing to do, but it still hurt him deeply on the inside.
"I-Is there really no other way?" Akira asked.
"Like I just said, with Goro Akechi gone, the Phantom Thieves are the only ones left who can testify and make the correlation between the Metaverse and the mental shutdowns. I don't want to have to bring you all in, and trust me, I wish I didn't have to ask this of you, Akira-kun, but if you want Shido to be proven guilty in a court of law, this is what needs to be done."
"I-I…" Akira didn't know what to say. Well, he did, he just wanted to delay the inevitable for as long as possible. "…okay. I'll do it," he reluctantly agreed, looking down at the ground.
"Thank you. I had a feeling you'd say that," Sae softly smiled. It was as if a final deal was made between the two of them. "All right, let's go."
"W-Wait, y-you mean, right now!?" Sae didn't respond vocally; the expression on her face said it all. "N-No, it's fine… let's just go." The two began making their way out of Station Square, but they didn't get very far. As soon as they started walking, Akira's phone went off. He had received a text. Akira saw the message banner and who it was from.
"Hm? Is something wrong?" Sae asked, looking back at him.
"I-I'm sorry, Sae-san. I just need a little more time. Please…"
"Hmm…" Sae was reluctant, but after all he'd done for her and society, and considering what she was asking of him, she deemed it fair to afford him this, at the very least. "… Very well, but I need you to promise me you'll turn yourself in tomorrow morning at the earliest."
"I promise," Akira told her as he gave a sad nod.
"I'll be by the café early in the morning to take you to the station. I know this is hard, but I hope you'll do the right thing."
"Sae-san, don't worry. I don't run from my problems, I face them head-on."
"Hm," Sae cracked a small smirk, "I figured as much…" she said before walking away as Akira opened the text message.
SY: I'm sorry. I should've said something earlier, but I'd like to spend some time with you.
AK: I would love that. You sure your parents are okay with you not spending Christmas Eve with them?
SY: Yes, don't worry about them. I just don't want you to be alone on Christmas.
AK: Don't worry, I would've spent it with Sojiro and Futaba had you not texted me.
SY: You know what I mean :)
Akira smiled before answering once more. "God, I love her," he thought.
AK: It's a date then.
SY: Great! I'm at Shibuya Station, shall I wait for you?
AK: I'll be right there.
Akira put his phone back in his pocket and ran to Shibuya Station to ensure he'd spend as much time as possible with Sumire. When he reached her, he was out of breath, panting and gasping.
"Did you run here, haha?" Sumire chuckled.
"I… *pant* yeah… I couldn't *gasp* wait to see you," Akira said, breathing heavily.
"Slow down there, remember what I taught you, count to-"
"—four, inhale, count to-"
"—four, exhale," they spoke in unison. Akira caught his breath once again. "All right, hehe, all better."
"Good! Now, what should we do?" she smiled.
"Shall we get dinner somewhere?"
"That sounds great! I hope we'll be able to find a table, though…" Sumire looked slightly worried.
"Well, let's go see," Akira smiled before sticking his hand out, inviting her to hold it.
"Let's!" she smiled and gladly accepted it. Sadly, dinner was a bust. As expected, not one restaurant had a table available. Both were disappointed, but neither of them was surprised. After all, they had been too busy saving the world to worry about such trivial things as a dinner reservation.
"Welp…" Akira said, shrugging his shoulders.
"Should've expected as much…" Sumire responded.
"We could try and get a cake? Are you up for that?"
"Sure! I spotted a shop while we were walking through the mall. Let's go see!" They walked to the cake shop, and literally all signs pointed to them being sold out. Akira and Sumire looked at each other. "Shall we try asking?" she suggested.
"Eh, it's worth a shot," Akira shrugged. Sumire walked up to the female vendor dressed like Santa, complete with a fake beard, and asked her.
"Um, excuse me. You wouldn't happen to have any cakes left, would you?"
"I'm really sorry, we just sold our last one," the vendor said.
"O-Oh… that's all right… thank you anyway," Sumire politely responded before turning back. She heard the vendor sigh.
"Wait… come back," the vendor waved Sumire back, and Akira followed. "Are you two a couple?" she asked them; they both nodded. "Ah, I see… wait here, one moment…" The vendor walked off momentarily. Akira and Sumire were confused.
"What's that about?" Akira wondered.
"I have no idea," Sumire replied. A minute later, the vendor came back with a box and handed it to Sumire.
"Here, go ahead and take it, free of charge." Sumire opened the box to find a cake inside. Both her and Akira's faces lit up.
"R-Really? I-I don't understand. You said you were all out?" Sumire was puzzled; the vendor sighed.
"I reserved that one for myself," she admitted. "I was going to eat it at home all by myself later, but that's just too sad. I figured it'd be better for a couple like you two to share it."
"Wow, that's so generous of you! Do you really have no one to spend Christmas with?" Sumire asked.
"Ah, don't worry about it. It's not my first Christmas alone, and it probably won't be my last, but that's okay. It's why I volunteer to work around here during the holidays," the vendor smiled.
"That's sad; I'm sorry to hear that," Sumire said; the vendor waved her off.
"I just haven't found the right person yet."
"Well, thank you very much, um…" Akira began.
"Hiromi," the vendor introduced herself.
"Hiromi. Thank you again for your generosity. We won't forget you," Akira smiled.
"Don't make promises you can't keep, haha. Merry Christmas!" she waved as Akira and Sumire walked out of the underground mall.
**Back in Maruki's Office**
"Huh."
'Is everything all right, Akira-kun?"
"Yeah, yeah, I just realized something."
"What is it?"
"Don't worry, it's not important." Akira had a hint of a smile. It was small, but it was the first genuine smile he had in a long time.
"Oh, okay. Would you like to continue?"
"Right, anyway…"
**Christmas Eve — Leblanc**
Once they had their cake, Sumire was as happy as a clam. Akira was just glad he was able to catch one final break before the night was over. They returned to Leblanc and went up to his room. After pulling the table closer to the couch, Akira connected his phone to a Bluetooth speaker and put some Christmas music on shuffle. For their Christmas meal, they decided to skip dinner and go straight to dessert, savoring their lucky Christmas cake.
"You know, what we're doing isn't exactly healthy," Sumire chuckled.
"What do you mean?" Akira asked with a mouthful of cake.
"Eating dessert without dinner."
"Come on," he began after swallowing, "we just saved the world by shooting a god in the head," Akira smiled.
"You did that," she said, playfully nudging him.
"Yep, and I will gladly have my cake and eat it too," Akira said before taking another bite of cake.
"That's not what that saying means, you know?" Sumire laughed.
"I 'reworked' it," he smiled. "Point is, I think we can indulge a bit, don't you?"
"Well, I suppose, but in any case, tomorrow, I'm making you a healthy lunch," she stated. The room's atmosphere changed faster than Ryuji ran, as the smile from Akira's face disappeared entirely. "Oh, come on, cheer up, haha. As amazing as Sakura-san's curry is, you need some proper vegetables too," Sumire chuckled, but the smile on Akira's face was still missing. Once he looked down and away from her, she realized something wasn't right. "Hey… what's wrong, Akira?"
"Uhhhh…" He'd spent such a lovely evening with Sumire that he'd entirely forgotten about the fact that he would have to leave her and go to jail in less than twelve hours. But should he tell her? He knew it was the right thing to do, yet somehow, agreeing to go to turn himself in was easier than telling Sumire the truth. "I-I just… I've been thinking about Shido." Akira wanted to tell her, but he couldn't.
"… I see," Sumire responded.
"Sorry, it's just… I'm afraid about the Phantom Thieves getting caught. I don't want anything to happen to the others, or to you…" Akira rambled on for a bit before Sumire put her hand up to stop him.
"Akira?"
"Yeah?"
"Tell me what's really wrong." Sumire's bullshit detector strikes again; he wasn't fooling her. "Whatever it is, you can tell me." Akira looked down. He couldn't muster up the courage to tell her the truth, let alone look her in the eye.
"I'm sorry," he finally said, his voice cracking slightly.
"For what?" Akira sighed before answering.
"I have to do something tomorrow, something important. I'm really freaked out about it, but I know it's the right thing to do. I just wanted to spend this last night with you without thinking about it, but right now, it's all I can think about." Akira started having breathing problems. His emotions were all getting to him at once. All that was missing were tears, he didn't want to cry in front of her, but it didn't matter. He couldn't cry even if he wanted to. "I… *pant* *pant* I can't…" His breathing was out of control. He tried counting to four in his head, but the thought of him in locked up in an actual prison cell, away from his friends, away from her, kept interrupting his count. That's when he felt Sumire's hand on his back, and just like that, his breathing seemed to control itself.
"Easy, easy… count to-"
"—four… inhale… count to-"
"—four, exhale…" They once again spoke in unison. Akira leaned forward.
"It's okay, Akira," she whispered as she gently rubbed his back. "I'm here for you." Her words helped calm Akira down, and he remembered why he agreed to do turn himself in the first place, to protect her and his friends, no matter what. "I'll always be here for you," she whispered. Akira's breathing was steady once more. He grabbed a drink of water and leaned back on the couch.
"Thank you…" Akira quietly said.
"For what?"
"…for saving my life."
"You're exaggerating, haha," she softly chuckled. "Besides, you've saved me plenty of times before," Sumire smiled. "I still have a lot to go before I catch up to you." Akira smiled back before looking at the time.
"It's getting late. I think you should go home."
"I don't have to be home tonight."
"Your parents really trust me that much?" he joked.
"They trust you as much as I do." They shared a chuckle. "I'm serious, though, I don't want to leave you."
"Sumire… as much as I don't want you to go, it'll make tomorrow a lot easier for me if you're gone."
Sumire argued for a bit, but eventually relented. She would later regret not getting him to tell her what he was planning on doing, but she knew his mind was set either way. They got up from the couch and shared one final dance to Frank Sinatra's recording of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" before they hugged and kissed for what seemed like forever. They said their goodbyes, and Sumire was about to go downstairs when she remembered something.
"Oh, I almost forgot…" She said before pulling a small box out of her bag and handing it to him. Akira opened it up.
It was his glasses.
"Oh my god…" Akira's heart skipped a beat. "I-I… I didn't think I'd ever see these again."
They had been broken during his interrogation/torture at the hands of the police. He forgot about them entirely and focused on the Thieves' next course of action against Shido. Besides, they were fake anyway. He hadn't thought about them in a while, but seeing them again, as a gift from the girl he loved, was almost too much. Especially since they were the only memento he had of his mother, whom he only now realized how much he missed.
"I fixed them myself. I know they're fake, but I thought it would be a nice gift," she said.
"Sumire… Thank you so much… You honestly have no idea how much these mean to me…" Akira smiled. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Akira," she smiled back. "I love you."
"I love you too." She left before the tears in her eyes started coming down. Then… she was gone.
Akira sat on his bed and stared at his glasses for what seemed like forever. There wasn't anything left for him to do but get ready for bed. He put the rest of the cake in the fridge, put the table back in its place, got changed, and went to sleep, ignoring what came tomorrow and just thinking about every detail on Sumire's face. Akira was woken up at six in the morning by a phone call from Sae. She told him she was outside and waiting for him in her car. He sighed, got dressed, put on his faux glasses, and headed out of Leblanc before Sojiro showed up. He took one last look around before leaving, not knowing when he'd be back, if ever. He walked to the street where he found Sae's car. He got in the front seat, noticing a chocolate cornet and coffee in the cup holders.
"Oh, you're wearing your glasses again?" she asked.
"Yep," Akira simply said without looking at her.
"I brought you breakfast. I didn't know what you liked so I hope this is okay."
"Thanks, but I'm not hungry…" Akira stared out the window. He couldn't help but sound unpleasant. After all, he was in a tough situation, and Sae knew it and understood. She switched off the engine for a moment.
"I'd like to say once more," she began, "I really appreciate what you're doing, and I'm sorry it has to be like this."
"Don't mention it," he said, void of emotion.
"I promise you, Akira-kun, I will do whatever it takes to get you out of there."
"Sae-san…" Akira trailed off as he thought about all his friends, not just Sumire. "I need your word that if I do this, then nothing will happen to my teammates."
"Like I said, as long as you agree-"
"SAE-SAN!" Akira raised his voice and looked her straight in the eye. "Do. I. Have. Your word?" Under normal circumstances, she would've likely chewed the kid out for speaking to her in such a way. Had her desires still been distorted, that's exactly what would have happened. She would have tossed him in a cell herself and thrown away the key. However, she found couldn't do that to Akira, especially when she knew that this decision could ruin his life for good. He was a good kid who got hit with a ton of bad luck. Sae took a deep breath before answering.
"Nothing will happen to your teammates. You have my word."
"Good…" Akira took a bit of the cornet and sip of the coffee. The cornet was a bit stale and the coffee tasted like motor oil. He missed Sojiro's coffee and curry already. He finished his sip and put the cup back in the cup holder. "… Now, take me to juvie."
**Present Day — Maruki's Office**
"After that, she brought me to the police station, and I did as I said I would. I willingly turned myself in." Akira rubbed his forehead. "For about seven weeks, I was in this juvenile detention center. It wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be, but it was still pretty bad and hard to get through. I received letters from my friends pretty much every week, but I wasn't allowed to send any myself or have any visitors. Being the leader of the infamous Phantom Thieves, I was kinda treated as a special case, so I was mostly kept in solitary confinement. My cell had a light, a toilet, and the worst "bed" I've ever slept on in my life. I honestly think the floor would've been more comfortable. I won't deny it; I was terrified. After the first night there, I didn't think I was gonna make it a week, let alone seven. But I pulled through. And it was thanks to them."
"My, what a story…" Maruki said in disbelief. "Though, I'm not surprised by what you did. You're one of the most selfless people I know, Akira-kun. I just want to say that I appreciate all the work you and your teammates did."
"Thanks, but the Phantom Thieves are done. It's old news."
"Just the group, or your friendship with your teammates as well?" Akira didn't respond; he simply looked away. "I can tell you're hurting, Akira-kun."
"No fucking shit, Doc, what gave it away?" Akira sarcastically responded.
"Do you know why I had you help me with my paper on cognitive psience?" Akira shook his head. "Because I had a goal, a dream. Create a world where there is no suffering, no pain. Where emotional scars not only heal, but they also never exist in the first place."
"Wait, are you telling me you wanted to manipulate people's cognition?"
"In a sense, yes."
"…huh," Akira said. "No offense, but that sounds crazy, and kinda creepy to be frank."
"I understand, but then, I realized something."
"You don't actually have the power to change reality?" Akira joked.
"Haha, yes, that, but also, pain is just a part of life. It's part of our growth…" Maruki paused. "While I hate what happened to Rumi, it doesn't matter anymore. I have to move on."
"What are you getting at, Doc?"
"What I'm saying is that I feel like there's something in your past you haven't moved on from, Akira-kun. Am I correct?"
Maruki was right on the ball. Akira went inside his thoughts. Only one thing appeared at the forefront of his mind.
Tetsuya.
"Well?"
"…"
"…"
"…yeah, there is…" Akira finally admitted.
"And what would that be?"
"…can I ask you a question first?"
"Of course."
"What happened to Rumi?" Maruki went numb. "Sorry, let me rephrase my question. Do you feel responsible for what happened to Rumi?" Maruki didn't say anything for a moment, but eventually broke his silence.
"…I did at first, but part of the reason I was able to move on was that I accepted that it wasn't my fault."
"What did happen, if you don't mind me asking?"
Maruki took a deep breath. "She lived with her parents. We were supposed to go to a show one night. I got sick and canceled…" Maruki began to tear up. "That n-night… her home was invaded… she and her parents were…" Maruki stopped his explanation there. "If I hadn't canceled our date, she might still be…"
"I-It's okay, you don't have to tell me anymore." Despite Akira's current state of mind, he managed to feel genuine sympathy for Maruki. The room was quiet for a while as the grieving doctor calmed himself down. "Do you hate me for asking about her?" Akira asked, feeling guilty.
"Of course not, Akira-kun," Maruki shook his head. "You're one of the kindest people I've ever met."
"Thanks, Doctor."
"Now, then…" Maruki took a drink of water and a snack and felt like himself once again. "Would you like to discuss what's on your mind?"
"I'm sorry, Doc, but I really don't want to talk about it."
"Why not?"
"…because, unlike you, I actually am responsible…" Maruki was stunned.
"Are you really? Or is that just what you think?" Akira didn't answer; he simply stared at the ground. Maruki looked through his notes. "Are you referring to this other tragic event that occurred when you were eleven?" Akira looked up.
"You remember that?"
"I'm not sitting here, drawing cats, Akira-kun, hehe."
Akira sighed. "…yeah, I am."
"I see… I'm going to take a guess and assume somebody close to you passed away as well." Akira reluctantly nodded. "My feeling is that you haven't moved on as you did with your father's passing, and that's why you feel responsible." Akira neither confirmed nor denied it as Maruki continued. "Are you familiar with the five stages of grief?"
"Of course, I am."
"Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance."
"Yeah, yeah, I know them, so what?"
"Can I tell you what I think?"
"That's what I'm paying you for."
"My theory is that you're stuck between denial and anger, and you have been for the past seven years. The shock of experiencing two losses so close to each other deeply affected your psyche; that's why you felt disconnected for so long. Now, I don't know what happened that briefly got you out of it, perhaps something to do with the Phantom Thieves. But eventually, when you went back home, last year, you began slipping back into your old state of mind because despite everything, you still haven't moved on from that second loss. That's why you're feeling angry, and, perhaps, that's also why you think you'd rather be alone. I don't know what the connection is exactly, but my instincts tell me that that loss is related to your current state of mind and desire to be alone. But, deep down, that's not really what your heart desires, is it?"
"Hmph…" Maruki was one hundred percent right, but Akira didn't realize it. Or maybe he did, and he simply didn't want to admit it.
"Akira-kun, how can you move on and build a future if you spend so much time stuck in the past?" Akira said nothing. He checked the time and saw the time was up. He got up out of his seat and began making his way towards the door.
"I'll be going home for summer break, so we won't be seeing each other for a while. Take care, Doc." Akira said before exiting the office. Maruki didn't say anything and didn't stop him; he simply sighed as his heart ached for Akira.
Back at Leblanc, Akira was getting ready for bed. He enjoyed his nightly cocktail being a whiskey and TaP as he sat on his bed and thought about what Maruki said. He checked his phone; Sumire had messaged him a goodnight message every night for the past two months. Akira didn't always respond, but when he did, he made sure to tell her how much he loved her. Akira realized Maruki was right. He didn't want to lose her. He didn't want to lose any of them.
*Forget Them!*
Akira cringed in pain as he heard a voice. He looked around his room, went downstairs, wondering if someone was there. As expected, Leblanc was empty. Akira went back upstairs, and the voice came back.
*Take Back Your Freedom!*
"Shut up! Shut up!" Akira shouted. This wasn't the first time he heard a voice in his head. He slapped himself, thinking he was going crazy. His phone began to ring. He picked it up without checking who it was. "WHAT!?" Akira answered aggressively.
"Woah… Sorry there, kiddo. I didn't wake you, did I?"
"Rise?" Akira was relieved. "God, sorry, no. I-I was just um… studying, and I was deep into it."
"Studying? Aren't you done with your exams?"
"I have make-up tests on Monday, I uh… had another seizure this week, so I missed two exams."
"Oh, God! Are you all right?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." He wasn't. "So, what's up?"
"W-Well, I had a small favor I wanted to ask, but… never mind. It's too silly."
"Rise, come on, don't be ridiculous, just spit it out. The worst thing that happens is I say, 'no,' so what?"
"Well… I was wondering, do you still have your old guitar at your house?"
"No, I sold it a while back after I stopped playing. Why do you ask?"
"Well, do you remember when I sang 'True Story' while you played guitar in front of everyone?"
"Boy, do I." Akira's cheeks turned red.
"Haha, right. Well, I was kinda hoping we could do it again at the reception." The thought shook Akira to the core. Performing in front of ten people? That was one thing. In front of possibly hundreds? God… "You don't have to give me an answer right now. Think about it, but it would mean a lot to me, personally."
"Sure, why the hell not?"
"Really!?"
"…yeah."
"Oh! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much, Akira! I'm so happy!"
"Does this mean I don't have to buy you guys a wedding gift?" Akira joked.
"Uh…no. Haha." Akira couldn't tell if she was serious or not. "Seriously, I really appreciate you doing this!"
"No worries, I'll get the electronics fixed and bring the guitar that I have here."
"Cool! Thanks again! I love you, cuz!"
"Hehe, I love you too. 'Night, Rise."
"BYYYEEEEEE~!" She hung up.
Akira exhaled. "I'm going to have to play in front of a hundred people?" he thought.
Akira finished his cocktail, washed his tumbler, and went to bed. As he fell asleep, the voice came back one more time as if to sing him a lullaby.
*I'll Be Waiting For You…*
End of Act II