4/14-Ann sits in class, trying to pay attention today. At least, she'd be trying a lot harder if Kurusu-kun behind her would stop texting all the time. Every few seconds she'd hear a phone buzz lightly in his hands.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz buzz buzz.

Buzz.

I swear, Ann thinks, I will 'accidently' spill water on his desk tomorrow if this becomes a repeat occurrence.

XXXX

Ann walks around after school, through every hall twice before she manages to find Shiho.
"Shiho!" Ann shouts as she hugs her.

"Oh, h-hello Ann," Shiho whispers.

"What's wrong? You look terrible, no offense."

"Oh it's, it's nothing," Shiho replies.

"Ok… well let's go find somewhere to sit, I've got something I want to ask you." Ann grabs Shiho's hand and begins leading her to the courtyard to find an empty bench. She's got new bruises, Ann thinks.

Ann finds an empty bench near the vending machines and sits down with Shiho. But something is obviously wrong. Shiho barely looks at her, or much of anything. Her eyes stare ahead but don't focus on anything until they snap back to reality.

"Shiho? Would you want to go get some candy and watch a movie at my place tonight?" Ann asks.

"Huh? Oh, no, I'm sorry Ann. I have to get to volleyball practice tonight."

"That bruise above your eye… is that from practice?" Ann knows it's not from practice. Its from that bastard Kamoshida. But Shiho would never admit it. Ann knows it's been her dream to make starting team and speaking out against Kamoshida would ruin her chances more than they already are because of Ann's refusal of Kamoshida's 'time together.'

"Y-Yeah," Shiho says.

"Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard?" Ann asks. There's so much more she wants to ask but she doesn't want to hurt Shiho's feelings. Shiho hasn't always been the most emotionally strong girl and pushing too hard will just cause her to clam up.

"I'm ok… Volleyball's the only thing I can do right…" Shiho responds. Ann's phone begins to ring. "Shouldn't you take that?"

"It's probably just my part time job, I think…" Ann says.

"I should probably get going," Shiho says after a short pause. As she begins to stand up, Ann gets a horrible feeling in the pit of her stomach to not let her go.

"Shiho, are you sure you're ok?"

"Uh-huh," she says. Ann notices as she begins to walk away her eyes un-focus and go back to their thousand-yard stare.

Ann pulls out her phone after Shiho rounds the corner and sees the name of her agent on the caller id. She hits the button and answers.

"Hello?" Ann says.

"Ann baby! I've got a great gig for you; another model has not shown up for her appointment, so we've got an opening across town if you're interested. But you've got to let me know now if you're interested."
"Today won't work… I'm… I'm not feeling so good…" Ann replies.

"Oh, that's quite alright dear! Let us know when you're feeling better and we'll start scheduling you again!"

"I will, sorry. Goodbye," Ann replies before hanging up. As Ann leaves, she passes two boys going to the vending machines and hears one ask, "Hey isn't that Takamaki?" Ann just shuts her eyes and focuses on anything else as she walks away. She's heard the rumors before, there's no reason to listen to them today.

XXXX

Akira is about to take a shortcut through the courtyard when he is stopped by a girl standing in front of the door, staring at a message on her phone. As Akira approaches, the girl seems to realize where she is and come back.

"Oh… I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry…" she says as she looks up at Akira's face.

"Don't worry about it," Akira replies. This girl must be an athlete in some fighting club. With all those cuts and bruises and all. Maybe she's a volleyball player for Kamoshida?

"I really am sorry though. I must have space out…" the girl says. "Hmm, you don't look familiar. Could you be that transfer student from Class D?"

Akira feels a tightening in his chest. This was it, the first person beside Ryuji to confront him about the rumors about his past. Akira worries if saying anything more than necessary would make things worse. Would it make this girl afraid of him? A nod is all he can muster and gives a single nod of confirmation.

The girl looks away for a moment, as if pondering what she will say before she turns back.

"Um, this might not be any of my business, but don't let the rumors get to you, ok…?"

"I… I try not to let them get to me," Akira replies.

"I'm glad to hear that. My best friend is often misunderstood too, all because of her looks. Sorry," she says, "I didn't mean to drag on like that. Anyway, I have to go to practice… I'll see you around."

With that, the girl begins to walk away. Akira was overwhelmed with the feeling of relief and gratitude that someone who doesn't know him but has heard the rumors about him would actually treat him so nicely.

"Hey, uh… What's your name?" Akira asks. The girl stops for a moment and turns her head slightly back before replying in little more than a whisper.

"Suzui. Shiho Suzui," she says as she rounds the corner and disappears.

XXXX

Ann is walking toward the subway when her phone begins ringing again. Expecting it be her agent again she answers without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Good evening Takamaki-chan," Kamoshida says.

"Oh… good evening Kamoshida-sensei," Ann replies.

"Listen Ann, I'm worried about Shiho's performance as of late. She's not playing as well as I'm sure she's able to. Why don't you come over and convince me that she's worth keeping on the starting team? You remember our deal, yes?"

Ann stops walking and searches her brain for what to say next. She knows what he wants. She's tried to keep him at bay for the longest time. Before she can speak again, Kamoshida continues.

"Just in case you don't, might I remind you that if you can't help me help Shiho, I might have to help Principal Kobayakawa find a reason to expel Shiho."

"Wait, what…?! That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher?!" Ann shouts. Fury begins to burn in the pit of her stomach but mixed with it is the fear that Kamoshida will follow through with his threats against Shiho. What more can she do? She's already tried to appease him by meeting with him in his office in various states of undress. She has never let him see anything without clothing but it's only because of a few close calls of someone knocking on the door to summon Kamoshida or borrow a basketball.

"This has nothing to do with Shiho," Ann continues. "You're just using her to get to me, the way you've been using me to get—"

The line disconnects. Ann doesn't know how to react. Had she been too forceful in her denial? Had she scared him off? Would he do anything to Shiho? Her mind races with questions as she stands there in shock. A moment later she can feel the emotion swell up inside her as her eyes begin to water. Ann crouches down and hugs her knees as the tears begin to slide down her face.

"Sh-Shiho's starting position? Would he really…?" Ann asks herself out loud. She's interrupted by a pair of legs walking up to her and as she looks up, she sees Kurusu-kun. Ann stands, startled as she looks at the delinquent standing next to her.

"We-were you listening?" she asks.

"Not on purpose," Kurusu responds.

"Haven't you heard of privacy?" Ann pauses for a moment to collect herself. She shouldn't be mad at him for accidently hearing her yelling into her phone. "No, I was out of line. Sorry," she says with a short bow. "So, how much did you hear?"

"Enough," Kurusu says. "You were arguing, about a friend."

"It's nothing. Nothing at all," Ann retorts. She begins to wipe away the tears still streaked down her face. She turns to walk away but can feel them coming again and instead breaks into a light jog as she attempts to get away.

Ann finally stops running when she reaches the underground and leans against a pillar to catch her breath and steady herself when she sees that same guy approaching her again.

"Stop following me! Just leave me alone!" Ann shouts at him. Heads of passersby turn to stare but none stop to do anything.

"Are you ok?" he asks.

"What? NO! Why… why do you care?" Ann asks as she begins to sob again as the tears come back. She can't help it. Fear of how Shiho's been acting plus Kamoshida's threat isn't going to do her stress levels any good. Kurusu reaches out a hand and puts it on her shoulder.

"C'mon, let's go somewhere safe," he says.

What is with this guy? Ann allows herself to be led by Kurusu as he removes his hand from her shoulder.

XXXX

Kurusu-kun brings Ann to a café in Shibuya. Ann has seen the place many times but had never actually been inside herself. They each order their coffee and wait in silence until it arrives. All the while, Akira looks as though he's sitting down with a family member in how relaxed and casual his demeanor is.

XXXX

Don't look like an idiot, Akira thinks to himself. She's pretty, yes. No, she's gorgeous but she's upset and you're just here to get coffee. Don't overthink it. It's just two friends getting coffee. You're only trying to make her feel better and see if she has any dirt on Kamoshida we can use. Man look at her eyes… FOCUS AKIRA.

XXXX

"I don't have anything to talk about with you," Ann says. He was sitting there sipping his coffee not saying anything and Ann really wasn't feeling like sitting here for the rest of the day in silence. But as the words hang in the air, Ann feels the need to clarify if he's ever going to believe her.

"It was… just an argument…" she says.

"…with Kamoshida?" he asks. This momentarily catches Ann off guard.

"Seems like you heard every word then, and then some." Ann pauses for another moment, wondering how to continue. "You've heard the rumors… haven't you? About Kamoshida-sensei. Everyone says we're getting it on. But… that's so not true…"

Ann feels the tears coming back and a tightness in her chest as she relates to this complete stranger who she is.

"That was him, on the other line. I avoided giving him my number… for the longest time… He wanted me to go to his place after this. You know what it means," Ann spits as she crumples up a napkin on the table. "Initially if I'd turned him down, he said he'd take my friend off as a regular on the team. Now he's saying if I don't give him what he wants, he'll have her expelled. I've been telling myself that everything I've done has all been for Shiho's sake.

But I can't take it anymore. I've had enough of this… I hate him!" Ann nearly shouts as the tears begin to fall down her face again. She doesn't bother trying to clean them up this time. "But still, Shiho's my best friend. She's all I have left in that sorry excuse of a school! Tell me, what should I do?" Ann asks the question before even realizing she wanted to. Did she really want his advice? Or was it just wanting to know that someone is looking out for her?

"Sorry, I shouldn't have asked. It's not your problem…"

"No, it's ok," he finally responds. "I'll tell you something someone told me the other day. Actually, it was your friend Shiho that told me."

Ann perks up at the sound of Shiho's name.

"She said to not let the rumors get to you. She said that she had a friend who's been judged all her life because of how she looks. I think she was referring to you…"

"That sounds like Shiho." Ann smiles, and begins to wipe away her tears. "I don't know why I'm saying all of this to you, I've barely talked to you before."

"Maybe that's why?"

"Huh? Oh. Usually everyone just ignores me. Are you really a bad person as the rumor says...? you just don't seem like it."

"Oh, I'm bad to the bone," Kurusu says smiling.

Ann chuckles at what he says, "Is that supposed to be a joke? I kinda had a feeling they were all just exaggerations. You seemed lonely… almost like you didn't belong anywhere. We're the same in that regard. Maybe that's why it's so easy for me to talk to you," Ann says. She blushes a bit, not wanting to say something so casual to such a stranger. But it was true. She feels… safe in his company.

"Is there really no way for me to help Shiho? I just wish he'd change his mind… Like forget about me and everything. As if something like that could ever happen."

"It could happen," Kurusu says, a hint of excitement in his voice.

"I wasn't asking for a serious response," Ann says, chuckling again. "But I do feel a bit better now, I'm gonna head home. Thank you for sitting with me, and for the coffee. OH, and don't tell anyone what I told you, ok?"

Kurusu nods in response. Ann gathers her things and begins walking out of the café.

XXXX

Today has been another one of those days. I'm beginning to wonder if my life will ever be normal again. While Ryuji and I were at school, Morgana found us. He's a cat, despite what he says to the contrary; and he can talk. We discussed what to do about Kamoshida and Morgana told us something interesting. We can punish the King Kamoshida in the metaverse, and the real Kamoshida will be affected by our actions but unaware of what we've done.

It's crazy to think about. It's essentially a 'do whatever you want without consequences' card. By taking the treasure in the palace, we can remove Kamoshida's distorted desires, a change of heart. It all comes with a risk though, we risk killing Kamoshida.

But if he's doing what we're sure he's doing, maybe it's worth the risk.

I also got to get to know that girl I saw a few days ago. Her name is Ann Takamaki and we went out for coffee after school. I had overheard a conversation she was having over the phone with who I'm pretty sure was Kamoshida. She opened up to me a bit, and I wonder if she'd consider us friends now? I texted Ryuji about what he'd heard regarding her and Kamoshida. He said he'd heard that she'd done 'things' with him but said he's known Ann since middle school, and he doesn't believe it for a bit.

I wish there was more I could do for her. I guess she's another reason we're going to take on Kamoshida.

Akira lays the journal on the floor, and drifts to sleep again.

XXXX

Ann tries calling Shiho again after leaving the café but gets no response. I NEED to see her tomorrow. We'll go somewhere for the whole weekend, just the two of us. I'll drag her along if I have to.