5/2
Akira pulls himself out of bed. It was the Monday of the board meeting at Shujin Academy. The day the faculty were having their monthly meeting. The day Kamoshida said he'd have them expelled for standing up to him and his abuse.
Akira sits on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands. Last time he was expelled he didn't have any control over it. This time, he'd done everything he could to prevent it but had nothing to show that it had worked.
"We'll be alright," Morgana says nudging him. "If he doesn't say it today, we'll find him after school and make him."
"I know…" Akira replies as he stands and gets changed and ready for the day.
XXXX
Akira arrives early to school and makes his way to his classroom. As he enters, he sees the few students who also arrived early conversing or reading books to pass the time. Akira stuffs Morgana into his desk as he sits to read as well. But time passes slowly. Every minute is another minute of stomach pain and paranoia about Kamoshida and the meeting. Akira's thoughts of doubt are interrupted by Ms. Kawakami's voice coming over the intercom.
"Would all students please report to the gymnasium. All students to the gymnasium please."
"What the hell is going on?" Morgana hisses.
"I don't know," Akira says as he leans down. "Stay put and quiet and I'll let you know."
Akira makes his way to the gym with the rest of the students. The gym is packed and stuffed with students. The noise is almost deafening as all the students gossip and discuss what could have brought all of them here before classes start for the day. Akira spots two blonde heads sticking out of the crowd and makes his way over to them.
"Hey," he says as he arrives behind them.
"Oh, hey dude."
"Good morning," Ann replies without looking at him. Her eyes are fixed to the stage and podium against one wall of the gym. "You think this is it?"
"Has to be," Ryuji replies. As Ryuji says that, Principal Kobayakawa walks up to the podium on stage.
"Alright, let's begin the school wide assembly," his voice booms from the speakers. The discussions around the gym die down as everyone turns in to listen. "As you all know, a tragic event took place the other day."
"It was a couple of weeks ago!" Ann hisses to Akira and Ryuji.
"Thankfully," Principal Kobayakawa continues, "we have been informed that she has pulled through, but it will take time until she recovers. Everyone here has a bright future ahead. I implore that you rethink the importance of life and—"
Principal Kobayakawa is interrupted as the door to the gymnasium is flung open, clanging off the door stoppers. All heads turn to see who opened the door.
Suguru Kamoshida.
XXXX
Ann's heart drops and her throat feels tight as she looks at Kamoshida standing silhouetted in the doorway. He looks as though he hasn't slept or bathed in days. His mop head of hair looks greasy and even more unkempt than usual. His shirt is stained and wrinkled and neither of his shoes are tied. The slight beard that's begun to show indicates that he has made no effort to take care of himself.
"Mr. Kamoshida?! What's the—" Principal Kobayakawa begins but is unable to find the words to finish his question.
"I… have been reborn," Kamoshida says in a raspy voice. "Th-that is why I will c-confess everything to you all…"
Kamoshida begins making his way to the stage as the gym stares in bewilderment. He climbs the stairs slowly and comes to a stop half way across the stage. He turns to face the crowd of students and teachers, where Ann can now see more clearly how bloodshot his eyes are. Whether it's from crying or restlessness, Ann doesn't care.
"I have," Kamoshida begins in a louder, raspier voice, "repeatedly done things that were… unbecoming of a teacher. Verbally abusing students…" Kamoshida says. "Physically abusing my team, sexually harassing female students, and… even raping one of the students on my volleyball team."
Gasps and shrieks spread out across the gym. Ann immediately feels tears rolling down her face as she finally hears the words she's been waiting so long for. The truth.
"I am the reason Shiho Suzui tried to kill herself," Kamoshida continues amidst more gasps and screams. Kamoshida's legs seem so wobbly that he can barely stand. And he falls to his knees on the stage. Principal Kobayakawa standing behind him still at the podium, a look of sheer shock still etched across his face. Ann watches as Kamoshida begins to openly weep on stage.
"I thought of this school as my own castle… there were even students that I sentenced to expulsion, simply because I didn't like them. Simply because they stood up to me. I will, of course… rescind those…"
Ann notices as some heads turn to look at her two friends standing next to her. Rumor must have gotten out to some but obviously not to all. Akira and Ryuji both have their jaws hanging open at what they're hearing.
"I am truly sorry… for putting innocent youths through such horrible acts… I am an arrogant… shallow… shameful person. No, I'm worse than that… I will take responsibility. I will kill myself for what I've done!" Kamoshida proclaims.
Upon hearing those words Ann's sadness and relief is replaced with anger. A fire burns in her stomach as more tears streak down her face and fall off her chin. A nauseous feeling begins to overtake her as she struggles to catch her breath. She reaches a hand to grab Akira's arm to steady herself. She takes a moment to breath as Principal Kobayakawa tries to usher Kamoshida off the stage. Shouts from teachers instructing everyone to return to their classes are starting but quickly drowned out by students reacting to the revelation.
Ann catches her breath and fights back the will to vomit as she lets go of Akira's arm and rips her hand out of from under his holding it there. Ann begins to elbow and push her way towards the stage. As Ann nears the front of the crowd she's stopped by a hand grabbing out to grab her arm. As she turns to see it is the student body council president Makoto Nijima and Ms. Kawakami standing behind her.
"Takamaki-san stop!" Nijima-senpai says.
"Ann-chan please stop!" Kawakami-sensei pleads. "Don't do anything—"
"Let. Go. Of. Me." Ann instructs Nijima-senpai.
"Takamaki-san, you can't do anything to—"
*SMACK*
The sound of Ann slapping Makoto Nijima across the face rings out across the gymnasium. The crack of hand on skin seems to stop those in the immediate vicinity from talking and causes all nearby heads to turn. Ann wrenches her arm away from Nijima-senpai and turns to find the crowd has parted allowing her to get to the front. As Ann arrives, she sees Kamoshida standing up, helped by Principal Kobayakawa.
"Don't run you bastard!" Ann shouts causing Kamoshida and all other eyes in the gym to be on her. "Shiho's still alive! Even after all the things that made her want to die! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO RUN FROM THIS!"
Ann wipes her nose with her sleeve as tears fall harder down her face.
"You're right," Kamoshida replies. "You're absolutely right…" Tears fall down Kamoshida's face to match Ann's. "I should be punished under the law and atone for my crimes… I… did horrible things to Takamaki-san as well."
Ann's heart drops into the pit of her stomach as Kamoshida says those words. Images flood into Ann's head of all the times she was brought into Kamoshida's office to strip for him. All the times she was narrowly saved by coincidence and happenstance from baring anything private to him.
"In return for giving Suzui-san a position on the team… I tried to force Takamaki-san into having relations with me. I made her strip in my office under the threat of expulsion of her and Suzui-san if she didn't."
More gasps and shrieks ring out across the gym, mainly from the girls and women. Ann feels a fire burning in her cheeks from embarrassment, but it soon mixes with the fire of anger burning just underneath her skin.
"As of today, I will resign from my position as an instructor and turn myself in. Someone please call the police!" Kamoshida says falling to his knees again.
"GLADLY!" A student in the crowd shouts back.
Ann stands there, unable to move. Fury burns through her body at finally hearing the words spoken by Kamoshida. He'd finally done it. He'd confessed.
Ann feels a hand grab hers and turns to see Akira standing there. Ryuji stands just behind him, tears in his own eyes. Ann tries to say something but the shouts and cries of the student body around them drown out all attempts at speaking.
Ann follows Akira as he begins to pull her towards the doors to the gymnasium. She grasps Ryuji's hand with her other one, pulling him along as well. They exit the gymnasium and make their way through the empty hallways towards the stairwells and up to the roof.
XXXX
Akira opens the door and holds it for them, still tightly holding Ann's hand as she and Ryuji make their way through it. As they arrive and stand near the AC unit, Ann lets go of Ryuji's hand as she turns and buries her face into Akira's collarbone.
"Wow…" Ryuji says. "He actually said it. In front of the whole school and everything. The bastard actually said it… Ann? You going to be OK?"
Ann shakes her head against Akira's chest as he wraps his free arm around her. Ann lets go of his hand and balls her fists, grabbing fistfuls of Akira's Shujin jacket as she sobs.
"Let it out, Annie," Akira whispers to her.
"AHHHHHHhhhh-haaaaa-hhaaaaa!" Ann wails into Akira's chest, startling Ryuji. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHH-HHHHAaaaaaaa-haaaaaaaa-haa!"
"Let it out…" Akira whispers again. Ryuji moves to put his hand on Akira's shoulder and rub Ann's back with his other hand. Sobs wrack through her body as she cries and cries. Akira can feel the tears soak through his jacket and shirt as the minutes pass. Ann's wails turn into just sobs before becoming just whimpers. Finally, Ann is able to let go of Akira. She turns and gives Ryuji a hug, holding tightly to him and she finally calms down and can speak.
"I'm… sorry…" Ann croaks out. "About your shirt."
"It's fine," Akira says with a soft smile.
"His heart really did change then…" Ann says.
"Seems like it," Ryuji responds. "But, was this really for the best?"
"You worried about how he did it traumatizing more people?" Akira asks. Ryuji nods. "I still think this was the right thing. He even asked for the police to be called. It was hard for people to hear, but I think it'd be hard to hear however he did it."
As Akira says that, the door to rooftop opens causing everyone to freeze. Instead of a teacher walking out however, it's Yuuki Mishima. He freezes temporarily seeing them up here but closes the door and makes his way over to them. He turns to Ann and bows deeply.
"Takamaki-san, I'm glad to have found you. Me and the rest of the volleyball team have been looking for you."
"Me?"
"Yes, I wanted to tell you I'm sorry! We all knew but pretended we didn't. The rest of the team wants to apologize to you too. We're so sorry."
"It's… it's OK Mishima-kun. It's… it's all in the past now… Kamoshida is going to get what he deserves," Ann replies with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
Mishima then turns to Akira and bows once again to him.
"I also cannot apologize enough for what I did to you. Kamoshida made me leak your record online but I barely even fought back against him when he told me to. I only thought of myself and I'm sorry. I swear… I'll make it up to you someday."
"Thank you," Akira nods at him. "If you would like to start, don't tell the rest of the team we're up here. We need a little time to ourselves if you guys don't mind. We can chat more with them later."
"I will," Mishima replies.
"How's the situation down there?" Ryuji asks.
"Somber chaos," Mishima replies. "Teachers are trying to get students to go back to class but no one is listening really. Some teachers are trying to console students who're having emotional breakdowns. I think they said they're going to get a full medical team to come and deal with everybody…" Mishima says as he turns towards the door. With that, he walks silently towards the door and leaves the roof.
"Looks like Kamoshida isn't the only one who had a change of heart," Ryuji mutters.
"Give him a break," Ann replies quietly. "He's as much a victim as anyone else was…"
"Ann, about what you did…" Ryuji says cautiously.
"Hmm? Oh, you mean shouting at Kamoshida?" Ann asks as she wipes her face.
"No, the thing before that… You slapped Nijima-senpai. You know… the student body president?"
"I… I know. I couldn't help it. Her face and words just made me so angry I wasn't thinking," Ann says as more tears form. "Her and all the teachers. They're all terrible people in their own way. You heard what shadow Kamoshida said. They all knew and they all did nothing to stop him."
"I don't know if all of them knew…" Akira replies somberly.
"Well if they didn't than they are stupid!" Ann spits. "Anyone who didn't see what was happening was either too stupid to know or had their head buried in the sand to prevent themselves from seeing it!"
"Ann, you can't blame everyone without proof of it," Akira says.
"Why?!"
"Because it's not who you are," Akira replies softly. The moment hangs in the air as Ann seems to digest the words.
"I know. Y-You're right," Ann wipes tears out of her eyes yet again.
"'Never attribute to malice that which can be attributed to stupidity,' is a phrase I had drilled into me by my dad," Akira says. "I've found it to be good advice in some situations."
"How do you know this is one of them?" Ryuji asks.
"I just do…"
"I'm not apologizing to her though," Ann says with a little defiance in her voice. "Whether I should or shouldn't have done that, her job is to represent us. To protect us. The students of Shujin. Be the bridge and the wall between us and the faculty. And she failed us."
Akira says nothing to Ann's comment. I don't agree with what she's saying exactly, but now isn't the time to debate it. Emotions are high.
"You going to go see Shiho again tonight?" Ryuji asks Ann.
"Probably. Now that my folks are gone again and Kamoshida has finally confessed I'll need a way to kill some time and I've got a lot to fill her in on. Actually, I think I'll go see her now."
"During school?" Ryuji asks dumbfounded.
"Why not? Mishima-kun said that the teachers are having difficulty keeping track of everything down there. I doubt they'd notice one student leaving to go to the hospital."
"Good point," Akira agrees. "We'll be here if you decide to come back in time." Akira turns to Ryuji to explain. "We might be needed to discuss the meeting and expulsion possibility today. May need to explain our side of the story."
Ryuji nods and turns to Ann, "You going to be OK going by yourself?"
"Yeah," Ann replies. "I think I need the time alone anyway." Ann moves and hugs Ryuji again before turning to Akira and hugging him as well. She pulls back gives him a long kiss on the cheek and whispers into his ear. "Text me later…"
Ann thanks the two boys again and makes her way towards the door and opens it, Morgana comes walking through. Ann says 'Hello' and she passes by and descends back into the school.
XXXX
Akira, Ryuji, and Morgana spend hours on the roof talking and hanging out. The school must be pandemonium and Akira, at least, has had enough of that for today already.
"I totally freaked out," Ryuji explains. "I was so overcome even I shed a few. He really did have a change of heart. And on top of it all, his mind didn't get messed up at all! This was an 'A+' job!"
"First 'A+' job for you Ryuji?" Morgana quips.
"You're a cat," Ryuji replies.
"I'm not— ugh. So, does this mean that they won't have a mental shutdown even if their palace disappears…?"
"Seems so," Akira replies.
"So, we need to persuade the shadow without killing it. Then send it back to its real self. Pretty handy way to avoid a cognitive collapse."
"So, we can get 'em to confess with no bad stuff?" Ryuji asks. "Works for me!"
"Still, even Morgana didn't know if it would work out like this and we took that chance anyway," Akira says. "I'm glad it worked out."
"Me too," Morgana agrees. "And now we know what we're doing for the future!"
"For the futu—" Akira begins but is interrupted by the door opening again to see Ann walk through. The largest smile is plastered across her face that Akira has ever seen.
XXXX
*A few hours earlier*
Ann walks into Shiho's room at the hospital to find an empty bed and no decorations. She looks at the whiteboard in the room to see it wiped clean of any patient information. Adrenaline floods through Ann's veins as she leaves and heads towards the nurse's station on this level.
"Hi, I'm Ann Takamaki looking for Shiho Suzui's room," Ann tells the woman behind the counter.
"Ah, Takamaki-chan. Yes, Suzui-chan has been moved to a new room. It's down the hall there, 4th door on your left. She's been asking for you."
"She's been…" Ann asks quietly before taking off at a run towards the room.
"No running!" the nurse at the desk shouts behind her but Ann ignores her warning as she rounds the corner and hurls herself into the open room to find Shiho sitting up in her bed, quietly talking with her parents.
Shiho turns to make eye contact as Ann lets out a small yelp and rushes to the side of the bed not occupied by Shiho's parents. Ann gingerly but quickly embraces Shiho as the two girls silently cry into each other's arms. If I waited forever for Kamoshida to confess, then I've waited all of eternity to have this.
"Ann," Shiho says in a weak voice.
"Shiho," Ann replies. "It's so good to have you back. I've missed you so much!"
"I've missed you too, in some way," Shiho says.
"What do you mean?" Ann asks pulling away and having a seat.
"I could hear you, Ann," Shiho says. "Every day you came and visited me and spoke with me. I heard every word you said."
Ann sits stunned and looking at Shiho in disbelief. Every word? Every day?
"How… how is that possible?" Ann asks.
"I don't know," Shiho replies. "I felt like I was trapped in my own body. I could hear everything that was happening around me but had no way of communicating. I tried so hard to speak or to squeeze someone's hand. But I never could. The doctors say it's happened before and is a relatively new development in neuroscience. They can't explain why but…" Shiho trails off. "I don't know how but it happened."
"That… that sounds terrifying," Ann replies.
"It was. I constantly felt isolated and alone. I looked forward to the nights when you or anyone would come and sit with me."
"The doctors think that because of it, it kept her brain active enough to not sustain any injury," Shiho's father says. "Or something like that. To be honest none of us really understand half the mumbo-jumbo they were spouting off about it. They're just as shocked to hear the news as we were."
"It's a miracle," Shiho's mother adds. "To be out for so long and still be so coherent after waking." Shiho's mother holds her daughter's hand. "We have been blessed."
"I think I'd agree," Ann says. "Shiho I'm so glad you're ok!"
"Me too. I still need to talk to the doctor about physical therapy for not only the leg, but also the atrophy from the coma," Shiho says somberly. "It's going to suck."
"I'll be here with you every step of the way," Ann says.
"Thanks Ann," Shiho says with a smile. "Mom, can I eat? I'd kill for some French fries."
"We can go and see if the cafeteria has some, Dear," Shiho's mother says as she stands up and grabs her purse. "We'll be back in a couple of minutes."
Shiho's parents both leave the room as Ann and Shiho hold one another's hands.
"OK, you have to tell me about everything that's happened," Shiho says.
"Well, Kamoshida finally confessed today…" Ann begins.
"I know," Shiho says. "It's already made the news and my parents told me about it."
"They did? Wait, it has?!"
"Mhmm. We were just talking about him before you came in."
"Did you tell them…?"
"Yeah," Shiho says quietly. "It was hard. I think it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do," Shiho continues as tears begin to roll down her cheeks. Ann begins to cry with her. "They're putting me in counseling in addition to the physical therapy."
"That's…" Ann begins as she digs in her bag for tissues for them. "Good. I think that'll be good."
"Me too," Shiho agrees, taking a tissue from Ann. "I've been to therapy before and it really helped at the time. It's going to be hard discussing it… but I know it's for the best."
"Shiho," Ann says as tears continue to fall down her face, "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't do enough for—"
"Stop!" Shiho hisses. "You've apologized enough to me. You didn't do anything wrong, Ann. If anything, I'm the one who's sorry."
"What do you mean?"
"I realized when you spoke to me why there were rumors going around about you and Kamoshida. You were trying to get him to ease up on me by taking it yourself… I'm so sorry Ann. You shouldn't have had to do that."
"I-I-I did it for you," Ann stammers. "I didn't want you to have to put up with his bullshit!"
"I know. You stepped in on my behalf while it was happening and got him back while I was here."
"Wait!" Ann says in realization. "So, if you heard every word than you know about…"
"The Metaverse? Yeah, I heard everything you said. Kurusu-kun and Sakamoto-kun and the talking cat! Ann, is it real? Is it all really true?!"
"Yeah…" Ann says nodding. "I know it sounds crazy, but it's true."
"It sounds amazing, and yet, also terrifying."
"That's exactly how I'd describe it," Ann says smiling.
"What's going on with you and Kurusu-kun? How'd the dinner with your parents go?" Shiho asks in rapid fire.
"Oh boy…" Ann begins. "I still have a lot to fill you in on."
XXXX
*Present Time*
"You're so loud, Ryuji," Ann says brightly.
"Well you're in a much better mood," Ryuji says. "So, how'd it go with Shiho?"
"She's regained consciousness!" Ann squeals throwing her hands in the air.
"For real?!"
"Excellent!"
"That's amazing, Lady Ann!"
"She's really weak still, and tired. I only got to speak with her for a bit. I was able to talk with her about Kamoshida. Tell her that he admitted to what he did! But Shiho… Shiho told me she was sorry… She found out I was flirting with Kamoshida for her sake. And here I was wanting to apologize to her."
"Kamoshida is the one who's at fault for all of this," Morgana says. "And everything that happened because of it."
"I know…" Ann says as her mood worsens. "Shiho agrees with her mom about the transfer to a new school after she recovers. She's afraid of being labeled after the sexual harassment and attempted suicide."
"Shit…" Ryuji sighs. "It's gonna get lonely…"
"Yeah," Ann agrees. "But I think after talking with Shiho about it, it's for the best. It'd be really hard for her to stay here."
"Well she's alive. And her folks said you can see her anytime, right?" Ryuji asks. Ann nods in response.
"I think I've realized another thing after talking with Shiho. She seems like a completely different person compared to how she was acting before the jump. She seems, different. Like she's changed but only in a way to improve who she is and who she'll be moving forward. I think I need to change too."
"What do you mean?" Akira asks.
"I need to be a better person. Get a better control of my emotions and take a better interest in my own life and what's going on around me," Ann explains.
"Well I think you've already gotten that down," Ryuji says. "I was surprised you could hold yourself back against Kamoshida's shadow."
"No, it wasn't like that. I wanted Kamoshida to apologize himself for what he'd done. I felt the better revenge was to make him repent. Make him live the rest of his life forced to live with what he's done and be labeled for it. I felt death would've been too kind…
This way he'll grovel for forgiveness for the rest of his life. I believe that there are fates worse than death and that is certainly one of them."
"Holy shit Ann…" Ryuji says. "A-Anyways, that's all settled, right? But there was one last thing I was wondering about that castle. Why was Kamoshida the only one who had that Metaverse thing?"
"It isn't necessarily limited to him," Morgana explains. "It's something anyone could have if their heart became warped from their desires."
"Anyone…" Ann says quietly.
"Wanna check it out?" Morgana asks excitedly.
"Not right now," Ryuji replies. "We better lay low for a while. People are still gonna be talking about Kamoshida. Then again, it's totally impossible for someone to find out what we did at his palace."
"Oh yeah, about that," Ann says. "I spoke with some members of the volleyball team on my way back in the school. After they apologized they asked me about you guys. Weird rumors are already starting to go around. Stuff like, 'you got together and threatened Kamoshida with something close to physical violence…'"
"The hell?" Ryuji gasps.
"Well I am a hardened criminal after all," Akira says which brings smiles to everyone's faces.
"People aren't just going to easily believe that phantom thieves really exist," Ann explains. "People think the calling card was a prank by someone who knew what Kamoshida was doing."
"I guess that makes sense," Ryuji replies. "We're the ones who did it, and I still don't completely believe it myself."
"We should wait for things to settle down for the time being," Ann says.
"Agreed," Akira nods.
"Anyways, you still got that medal somewhere?" Ryuji asks. Akira nods.
"It's back at the café."
"Well let's check and see how much we can sell it for," Ryuji says. "It'd be better if we pawned it off ASAP." Ryuji begins typing away on his phone for a few minutes before speaking up again. "Ooh I got a hit! Wait… thirty thousand yen?! That's all a gold medal's worth?!" Ann smiles at Ryuji's surprise.
"Remember that time in middle school? I lent you some money…"
"I didn't borrow thirty thousand yen from you!" Ryuji remarks.
"Oh, I think with compounded interest it's getting there," Ann replies throwing an arm around Ryuji's shoulders.
"Interest my ass!"
"I wouldn't take all of it! I mean, it is your fault for not paying me back all these years."
Akira looks over at Morgana who looks just as uninterested and confused as he does. Akira shrugs and turns back to the two bickering blondes.
"I agree on laying low and keeping an eye on the situation," Morgana interrupts them. "But it would be nonsense not to celebrate a successful mission."
"Yeah!" Ryuji agrees. "If we can't split it then let's blow it on something fun!"
"Discussions among phantom thieves are to take place over luxurious food. How about it?" Morgana suggests.
"I guess it's fine," Ann replies. "There's somewhere I want to go though. A place Shiho and I have been wanting to go for a while."
"Works for me," Akira replies. "Ann can pick the place."
"Supposedly I owe money, so I can't complain."
"OK! I'll check prices and get a reservation set," Ann says cheerily. "We should do it on the last day of the holidays to reenergize us for when school picks back up."
"So that's… the 5th. Children's Day," Ryuji says. Ann nods in agreement before looking at Akira.
"Are you going to sell the medal then and meet us with the money?"
"Yeah Mona and I can do that," Akira replies. "Iwai has said he'd take some things off my hands if they were valuable."
"Awesome! We'll leave it to you guys," Ann says. "It's also getting late, should we head out?"
"Probably," Ryuji says. "I'm impressed no one caught us up here other than Mishima-kun."
"Don't jinx it," Akira says standing up. Ann walks closer to the two boys and extends her arms.
"Bring it in. We've finally done it! And Shiho woke up! This couldn't have gone better."
The three Shujin students embrace as a black cat stands on their shoulders to feel included. As the hug breaks they agree to stagger their exits to draw less attention as the school day has nearly wrapped up and none of them were in class. Ryuji exits first saying he'll text them all later.
Ann goes to leave but as she gets to the door she stops and turns to Akira.
"I mean it, text me later ok?" Akira smiles and nods in response as she goes through the door.
"Man, she's got it bad for you…" Morgana says dejectedly.
"You think so?"
"Oh yeah."
"I thought you said you were ok with it," Akira asks. "Her and I and everything."
"I am. Doesn't mean I still don't have a thing for her. Doesn't mean I still don't wish I was human."
"We'll figure out what's going on with you buddy…" Akira says bending down to pick Morgana up.
"HEY WHAT THE HELL PUT ME DOWN!" Morgana shouts as Akira moves towards the door to exit the rooftop and go home.
A/N: And the second large chapter in a short time is done! It feels good to have it made it this far and finally put the Kamoshida arc behind us. Thank you to everyone who supported and read the story, all 22 chapters and over 50k words of it. Big thanks to my most frequent commenter, MyobiXHitachiin. I've loved reading your comments attempting to figure out where the story is going and excitement for what's coming next!
Thanks again everyone, here's to another 50k words!