So excited to publish this chapter and the following one, which were originally supposed to be released as a whole. However, the more I typed, the more details I added. In the end, I found myself with nearly 11.000 words, and decided to split this into two. This is where my story seriously starts to diverge from the original, and interactions between characters will get more intense! As always, thank you all so much for the support, let me know your opinions and enjoy! :D

Goro Akechi hadn't slept much the night before the departure: he had taken his time packing his things, and then decided he could finally clean his apartment before leaving Japan. When he was finally finished with everything, the clock read 2:47 AM, and his alarm was supposed to go off at 5 AM. He thought it was basically unnecessary to sleep at that point, and resolved to go through his mental checklist to make sure he wouldn't forget anything. Of course, they would be staying in Hawaii for less than a week but he wanted to make sure he could make the most out of it. After all, his summer had been uneventful and he deserved some proper holidays.

When the alarm finally went off, Akechi had already taken a shower and changed into fresh clothes. Instead of waiting one more hour, he decided to call a taxi and head straight to the airport for an early check-in. That way, his chances to get a better seat were higher. Of course, ideally he would prefer an aisle seat: he couldn't stand being clammed between two strangers whenever he flew in a middle seat, and the window seat offered a great view, but it was a hell to go to the toilet when the other passengers were fast asleep.

He dragged his suitcase and a smaller bag all the way to the elevator and downstairs. The taxi was already waiting for him just outside the building, and Akechi handed the suitcase and the bag to the driver and climbed in the car. The ride to the airport was mostly spent in silence, with the driver only speaking to ask him if he was the famous ace detective he had seen many times on TV before, and what it felt like to be obscured by the Phantom Thieves' popularity. Akechi had to refrain himself from sighing contentedly when they finally pulled over and parked outside the terminal.

He got out of the car, enjoying the fresh night air, retrieved his belongings and paid for the ride.

The large parking place outside and the whole neighborhood were relatively dark, illuminated only by the bright lights coming from the terminal, its walls made entirely of glass so that he could see every single shop and restaurant from where he was standing.

He entered and headed straight for the check-in kiosks where he promptly printed his boarding pass and the luggage tag, before leaving his suitcase at the bag drop and watching it disappear on the conveyor belt. Well, that had taken less time than expected so he imagined he could grab something to eat while he waited for the Shujin students to arrive. Just before entering the first bar he saw, he noticed a girl with short, dark hair and dressed in a Shujin uniform standing by one of the self-service kiosks.

"Good morning, Niijima-san" he greeted, his voice almost a whisper and she jumped in surprise.

"A-Akechi-kun!" she exclaimed, her hand on her chest. "Please, don't scare me like that!"

"My apologies" he smiled "Do you need help?"

"Uhm, well…" Makoto shifted from one foot to another. "I've only flown once before, and I can't remember how to make this thing work."

"I am surprised such an intelligent girl like you is struggling with a simple machine" he said, punching in the reference code for her. "Now you only need to scan your passport under here…"

A few seconds later, and her boarding pass and luggage tag were printed, and he helped her attach the tag to her suitcase and carried it to the bag drop.

"T-thank you…" she muttered, her face turning a light shade of pink.

"You're welcome."

"Morniiiing!"

Akechi and Makoto both turned and were greeted by a very happy Ann, who was carrying an oversized luggage plus a couple more bags. The two seniors exchanged a defeated look before waving at the blonde.

"Uhm Ann, you know we're staying there for a few days only, right?"

"I know, Makoto! But there's all my life in here!" Ann replied with a huge smile, patting her luggage as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

"How are you going to lift this?" Makoto was eying the size of the luggage, which looked like it could burst anytime.

"Ehm" the blonde bit her lip, and then locked eyes with Akechi. "Akechi-kun! You're a man, right?"

"…I believe so."

"And men are supposedly strong, right?"

"Supposedly" Akechi signed in defeat, knowing fully well where the girl was heading.

Ann simply flapped her eyelashes, with what he could only guess was a pleading look. He rolled his eyes. "Alright, I get it."

"Aww, thank you!"

Well, he now knew that Ann was definitely not shy. At least not when she needed something.

"Did Ann put you to work already?"

The familiar voice made him turn instantly, and he found himself face to face with Akira, who had a backpack and a small luggage with him. He was smiling kindly, and had one hand stuffed in his pocket as it was his customs.

"Yeah" Akechi replied, using both his arms to lift the extremely heavy luggage. "It's a good thing we have full-flex tickets. At least, Takamaki-chan won't be needing to pay an extra fee for the weight of her luggage."

The two boys watched as the large suitcase was being transported on the conveyor belt, and froze when it got stuck in a corner. An airport employee noticed and used a stick to set it free, and gave Akechi a reprimanding look. The boy sighed once again in defeat, while Akira simply chuckled.

"Now you know what you just signed up for" the dark-haired boy said, patting him on the shoulder.

Another boy with black hair dressed in a Shujin uniform came to say hi to Akira and the others. When he saw Akechi, his face darkened a bit but still introduced himself as Yuuki Mishima, one of Akira and Ann's classmates. Shortly before the check-in closed, Ryuji Sakamoto made his entrance, running like they'd never seen before with a large backpack. He braked in front of them and started panting loudly.

"Arriving late even on a day like this, eh Ryuji?" Ann sighed and shook her head.

"I…need…water!" Ryuji managed to blurt out.

"Here" Akechi offered him a bottle of water he had brought from home, and Ryuji literally snatched it out of his hand and emptied the content in a few gulps. "Aaah! That was good! Thank y- argh!"
The blonde jumped backwards and almost fell on his butt when he realized who had just offered him to drink.

"A-A-Akechi!" he stammered in shock. The brown-haired boy simply lifted a brow at him.

"You'd better check in, Sakamoto-kun, or we will have to leave without you" Mishima warned him as he nervously checked his wristwatch. Ryuji didn't need to be told twice and, now refreshed thanks to Akechi's water, he ran to the closest kiosk.

A few minutes later, they were good to go and, joined by the other groups, they headed all together to their gate, arriving just in time for boarding.

They all entered the large aircraft after exhibiting their tickets and were comfortably sitting in their assigned seat.

Akechi's wish came true when he found out he had gotten an aisle seat, sharing the rest of the row with students from other classes. Luckily enough, none of them was a girl. After all, he could still feel their gaze on the back of his neck and hear them chatting excitedly about his presence.

He spent almost the entire flight asleep, before being awoken by a flight attendant telling him to fasten his seatbelt before landing. He looked out the window and could indeed see their destination approaching, every detail becoming clearer as they descended.

Ten minutes later, and they were all walking on foreign soil. They went through customs clearance and picked up their respective luggage, and in a blink of an eye they were in a bus taking them to the hotel.

The hotel itself was relatively nice, but definitely designed for Japanese tourists and school trips as it offered assistance in their native language, as well as excursions accurately programmed for students.

"So, are we going to share a room?"

"Yes! I've been waiting for this for two years!"

Akechi realized with shock that, unlike his school trip the previous year, Shujin Academy had tried and saved as much money as possible, and students were therefore required to share a room with others.

As Ryuji was forced to share his with a classmate because of their school rules, Mishima took his chance and asked Akira if he was willing to be his roommate. Akira looked at Akechi, a silent apology in his grey eyes, and reluctantly accepted.

Nice. His only friend was currently unavailable. And, judging by the other students' faces, most of them had found a partner and were already on their way to their rooms.

"What happens if one is left with no roommate?" Akechi asked Makoto, a faint hope burning in his chest. "Do you get a room for yourself?"

"We are an even number, Akechi-kun…" Makoto replied flatly. As the remaining students became fewer and fewer, most of them breaking the rule of not sharing a room with a member of the opposite sex, both Akechi and Makoto were becoming desperate.

"Akechi-kun! Will you share your room with me?"

"No, don't listen to her, Akechi-kun! Sleep with me!"

Two girls had approached him and were begging him to be their roommate, creeping the hell out of him. He actually blushed at one of the girl's direct question, and shook his head with an embarrassed smile.

"I-I am so sorry, but I…" he turned to look at an equally shocked Makoto "I already have a roommate!"

"Don't lie to us, Akechi-kun" one of the creepy girls exclaimed. "Who would that be? All the boys are gone!"

"That's because my roommate is not a boy" he grinned, and he locked eyes once more with Makoto, ignoring her panicked expression.

"Wait…" the most direct of the two girls said, her eyes widening. "Are you saying… Niijima-senpai is sharing a room with you?!"

"Precisely! You know, what with us being third-year students and the people responsible for your trip, it is only natural we stick together as much as possible to plan all the excursions for you all" he beamed, and grabbed Makoto's wrist. "Come, Niijima-chan. We need to unpack before the evening."

And with that, Akechi left behind the two stunned girls before they could reply, needing however to literally pull Makoto all the way up to the fourth floor, for the girl seemed to have frozen in place.

A hotel porter was waiting outside their room with their luggage, which he promptly handed over to Akechi, eying with disapproval the boy and the girl who were entering the room. Makoto, on the other hand, simply wished she could be wearing her Phantom Thief mask right now.

Why hadn't she predicted this? Why hadn't she asked a girl to share a room straight away? Because of her negligence, she was now stuck with Akechi for four days…

"I'm taking the bed closest to the door" she said immediately, sitting on it and placing her luggage beside her.

He lifted an eyebrow. "So you have an easy escape route?"

"Sharp as always, Akechi-kun" she smiled with a nod, and then proceeded to unpack.

Akechi rolled his eyes and went to put his clothes in the small closet.

"Hey, you're taking all my space!" Makoto complained as she eyed him disapprovingly.

"No, I am not taking all your space!" he retorted. "I only used two shelves! You, on the other hand, seem like you are moving here permanently. Look at all the stuff you brought."

"Mph" she turned the other way and pouted angrily. "Now, let's make this clear: no light and no noise after 10 PM, and I am using the bathroom first in the morning."

Akechi blinked as he listened to the assertive girl. "Fine by me."

Makoto dropped her jaws, for she had expected him to start another argument. "Really?"

"Niijima-san, I learned long time ago not to pick a fight with a woman when it comes to her personal needs" he said simply. "So, what's the program?"

"Program?" she repeated confused.

"Yes. You must have a schedule with all the excursions for the students, right?"

"Ehm…"

Truth be told, Makoto and the others didn't have time to plan anything special for their fellow students. It had happened so fast and unexpectedly that she barely had time to fix a last-minute ticket for Akechi and the other chaperones…

"You didn't plan anything, correct?" he sighed as he shook his head.

"Hey, don't blame it on me!" she complained angrily. "I barely had time to breathe!"

"Well then…" Akechi loosened the tie around his neck and tossed the light jacket he was wearing on the bed. Makoto widened her eyes and blushed furiously. "Wait, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Uh?" he stared back at her for a moment. "What do you mean? Do you seriously think I am going to have my jacket on when it's thirty degrees outside?"

"Oh…" she whispered, feeling suddenly very stupid. "I thought… Nevermind."

"Whatever you think of me, maybe you should reconsider it" he reprimanded her. "And, just to be as clear as you, I am not going to try and take advantage of you or anything."

"T-that was not what I meant!" she stammered, his words making her blush even more.

"Oh, really?" he smirked, and watched her distress grow with great amusement. "Well then, since it obviously embarrasses you so much to see a man getting a jacket off himself, I can only imagine what your reaction may be if I unbuttoned my shirt." And, with a self-satisfied grin at her cherry-red face, he took some new clothes and locked himself in the bathroom.

"I. Can't. Stand. Him!"

Makoto was sitting on a wooden bench just by the beach, while Ann was patiently listening to her complaints.

"You've only been in the same room as him for five minutes, and you're already bickering like an old couple" she giggled.

"We are NOT a couple, and never will be!" Makoto retorted.

"Well, never say never… alright, alright, just kidding!"

"Don't forget who he is, Ann" Makoto said in a much more serious tone.

"Right…" Ann nodded sadly. "Even though, it's quite hard to believe sometimes... But I guess Ryuji is right when he says Akechi uses his charm to trick others."

"Yo! What's the long face for?"

"Speak of the devil…"

Ryuji, Akira and Mishima all seemed ready to spend the rest of the day at the white beach, and had even bought a ball to kill time with some fun and entertainment.

"Hi guys" the girls greeted.

"So, how are you holdin' up with Akechi, Makoto?" Ryuji asked with a hint of worry in his voice.

"He is the biggest, most annoying self-centered person I've ever had the misfortune to encounter and…"

"Wow, that sounds really bad…"

The group of friends jumped and were all met with none other than Akechi himself, who had apparently managed to change into a t-shirt and shorts.

"Hi Akira" he said with a smile, as if Makoto hadn't just been talking about him.

"Hi Goro" the dark-haired boy waved at him, causing quite the shock in his friends.

"You guys are going to the beach?" he asked excited. "I was thinking about taking a trip to the city center and getting something to eat. Not a big fan of hotel food, to be honest."

"Sounds like fun!" Akira beamed. "Maybe I can join you later today. What about you girls? What's the plan?"

"Oh, I have brought my swimsuit with me today" Ann smiled. "I can get changed in one of those cabins and join you guys."

"Err… no, sorry. Boys only" Ryuji retorted.

"Oh, shut up, Ryuji. I'm joining no matter what you say."

"Makoto, what about you? Coming with us?" Akira asked kindly.

Makoto was not the beach-type of girl, and preferred to roam around the city whenever she was in a new place, but knowing that Akechi had had the same idea just made her wish she had brought her swimsuit, too. "I… I was actually planning on shopping around the city center…" she said resigned.

"Ah! Well, you have fun with Goro" Akira winked at her. "We will be joining you guys for dinner."

"You know you are not required to follow me, right? You can walk around on your own."

Akechi finally said to the girl who followed him like a shadow, though being extremely careful to put enough distance between them. Makoto jumped when the brown-haired boy turned to her suddenly and gave her a stern look.

"I am not following you!" she whined. "I just… happen to be walking in the same direction."

Akechi rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time that day and snorted. "Right."

"I am sorry, OK? It's just… I never travel alone. Normally I am with my sister and she shows me around. Being in a foreign country on my own is a bit…"

"…scary?" he completed for her, and she nodded. "Well, just for the records, I have no idea where I am going."

"But you do remember how to get back, right?" Makoto asked alarmed.

"Worst case scenario, we can use the GPS on our phones. Seriously, Niijima-san, there is no need to worry" he reassured and kept marching on. However, the girl seemed to be reluctant to walk alongside him and he stopped once again. When he did so, Makoto took a step back and instinctively lifted an arm as if to defend herself. Akechi frowned and looked at the scared girl in front of him: she was obviously still shaken after what he had done to her back in Shibuya.

"Listen, Niijima-san…" he began, but realized he had no idea what to say. He took a look around and spotted a quiet café in a cozy-looking area. "May I offer you a cup of coffee?" he asked gently "I promise you I just want to talk."

She seemed reluctant for a moment, but then nodded shyly and followed him inside the locale. There were very few people sat at the tables, but Akechi wanted to make sure they had enough privacy and, after placing their order, asked if they could sit outside, despite the hot sun that made them sweaty.

Once alone, Akechi took a moment to study the girl's reaction: so far, she still seemed wary of him and often diverted her eyes whenever theirs met.

"Niijima-san, please accept my sincerest apologies" he said, trying to sound genuine. "I should never have reacted that way back in Shibuya, and I regret it deeply."

Makoto's lips parted slightly as she finally lifted her gaze to glance at him, probably to check if he meant what he was saying.

"I guess I am very stressed lately, what with school, and college applications and the investigation about the Phantom Thieves" he continued. "And people just won't listen to me any longer. It seems I am unwelcome no matter where I go…"

Playing the card of the lonely and misunderstood boy seemed to be working, for Makoto's expression softened and she sighed.

"I accept your apologies, Akechi-kun. But only if you accept mine. I have to say, I couldn't trust you either in the start, because I was afraid you were suspecting me and the others were the infamous Phantom Thieves…" she confessed.

"Not at all" he shook his head with a smile. "My intentions are true: Akira and I… sort of became friends at a certain point. I cannot even tell when and how it happened, but here we are."

"Yes, I noticed" she nodded, but she still seemed to be choosing her words carefully around him.

"Niijima-san, I may not be as flawless as people think, but I can guarantee you –and I swear it on my life- that I truly care for Akira. You can say he… is my only friend" he muttered, and Makoto could feel a wave of loneliness and sadness coming from the boy in front of her. He did seem sincere…

"I can hardly believe that Goro Akechi doesn't have any friends other than Akira Kurusu" she giggled, mostly as a way to discover more.

"I am telling the truth" he shook his head, his eyes hiding some deep emotion. "Forget how popular I am… or rather, was. That never really helped me make friends. Sure, people praise me and adore me and stop me to ask for an autograph, but they never ask to meet the real Goro Akechi. Or maybe I never really gave them a chance…"

"Why not?"

"Because… I am afraid…"

The sorrow and regret he was feeling was almost tangible, and Makoto felt deeply sorry for the young man in front of her. If he really was the assassin behind all those mysterious deaths, was it safe to say they had been provoked because of his lack of affection?

"Well, then I can ask you that" she said kindly. "Who is the real Goro Akechi?"

His eyes lifted to meet hers and for several seconds he simply stared at her, as if pondering what to say next. "He is…"

"There you are, lovebirds!"

Ann was running towards them holding a large smoothie and a satisfied smile plastered on her pretty face. Akira and Ryuji were following suit with heavy bags, looking tired and mentally drained.

For the first time in her life, Makoto could say she was not particularly happy to have been interrupted by her best friends. Akechi had seemed so close to telling her something important…

"Having fun? We've been chilling all day and then went to shop a little" the blond girl beamed.

"A little?" Ryuji repeated angrily. "A little?!"

"Ryuji, stop complaining and lift that bag a little higher, will you? I don't want the bags to get dirty"

"You serious?!" he snapped. "Why don't you carry 'em yourself uh, Miss Model?!"

"Tsk" Ann decided to ignore the blonde entirely and focused once more on Akechi and Makoto. "So, dinner?"

"You've been eatin' all day, woman! Do you even have room for more?!"

"RYUJI, I SAID SHUT UP!"

The atmosphere had been totally ruined, but Makoto made sure to lock eyes with Akira, hoping he could understand she had discovered something. Judging by the look he gave her and the small nod of his head, he had got it.

"Hey, where's Mishima-kun?" Makoto had just realized the group was missing one, and Ryuji shrugged. "Said he needed to update his blog or som'ing. But I suspect he simply doesn't have money to buy food, and prefers to eat at the hotel 'cause it's for free, y' know."

"So what will it be?" Ann asked again. "I was thinking about Big Bang Burger."

"Hell no!" Ryuji complained "We eat there all the time in Japan! I wanna try some local food!"

"It's expensive, Ryuji. I don't think we can afford it…"

"Hey, speak for yourself!"

The group of friends then decided to follow a very excited Ryuji to a local restaurant not too far from the café where Makoto and Akechi had been sitting, Ann smirking triumphantly when Ryuji's jaws dropped when he checked the prices.

"Maybe Big Bang Burger doesn't sound so bad after all" the boy said in defeat, and so the five friends headed all the way back to the fast food store.

"Well, what a coincidence."

"HOLY SHIT!" Ryuji shouted in disbelief. "What the hell are you doin' here, Yusuke?!"

The blue-haired boy was standing in front of the large menu posted to the wall outside the locale for everyone to see, and he seemed to be pondering how much of his budget he was allowed to use for today's meal.

"I thought your school was going to Los Angeles" Makoto said surprised.

"Indeed" Yusuke nodded. "However, a terrible storm made it impossible to land there, and we were therefore taken here instead."

"Wow, what are the odds?" Akira smirked.

"Yeah, if Futaba was here we could almost say we were complete" Ryuji chuckled, but Akira and Makoto didn't join him: they were too busy watching Akechi's reaction. The boy, however, seemed to be perfectly capable of ignoring the blonde's constantly provoking comments.

"It's OK" he said with a small smile. "I know he didn't mean to be rude."

"Indeed. Ryuji can be as delicate as graffiti at a Van Gogh exhibit" Yusuke said dreamily.

"Hey, are you trying to pick a fight?" Ryuji retorted angrily, but Yusuke simply smirked and ignored him. "Shall we eat?"

Joined by Yusuke, they all waited in line for their turn to place an order and, once finished, wandered around the locale until they found a large table where they could all sit together.

"I have to say" Ryuji said while chewing on his burger "You don't find a Hawaiian-style cheeseburger in Tokyo!"

"Yes, apparently every Big Bang Burger has a different menu depending on the country you're in" Ann confirmed. "Ryuji, put that bag back on the chair!"

"You can't occupy a chair with bags, Ann!"

"I am NOT having my precious bags on the floor of a fast food!"

Akechi watched the two teenagers bickering and realized that, for once in his lifetime, he wasn't bothered by it. Normally, people fighting or chatting about trivial things would be uninteresting for him, but sitting around the circular table with those boys and girls felt somehow different. It felt like he belonged.

"How's the burger, Goro?" Akira asked him as he bit his.

"Worth its price, I suppose" he shrugged with a smirk.

"The famous Goro Akechi eating at Big Bang Burger. I thought you only attended these classy dinners with prosecutors and judges" Yusuke said. "I can only imagine what they serve at those kinds of places…"

"Oh not at all!" he laughed amused. "I can barely afford to buy ramen once a month, so most of the times I just buy some simple take-away at the local fast foods or make my own meals."

"You can cook?!" Ann exclaimed impressed. "Like, I can barely boil an egg!"

"Well, I do live on my own, you know" he smiled softly.

"Don't you have parents or som'ing?" Ryuji asked with a frown, and Akechi shook his head.

"As I already told Akira, I never met my father. And my mother…"

"…she died when you were a baby" Akira finished for him, his voice sounding softer than ever.

"Well, that is only partly true…" Akechi confessed, and he could feel everyone's gaze on him. "Yes, she died when I was but an infant. However, what I never told you, Akira, is that… she suicided."

Every single one of them gasped in shock, Ann and Makoto brought a hand to their mouth.

"What? Why would she do something like that?" Yusuke inquired.

"Can't you imagine?" Akechi chuckled bitterly "She was too ashamed after my father left her when he learned she was with child. And I guess that my birth… the joy of having a child, was not enough for her…"

"Don't say that…" Ann muttered sadly. "I am sure she did love you…"

"If she did, she would still be alive" he stated assertively. "She would have spared me the childhood I was forced to have. Can you imagine what it feels like to share a tiny room with twenty more kids? Waiting for someone to see something special in you and take you home? And feel like you belong somewhere? That is what I had to go through every day and every night, changing foster home every few months or so, because I was not enough…"

"No, Akechi-kun…" Makoto whispered, unable to believe her ears.

He was so angry he barely noticed he was shaking, and he had to fight back the tears in his eyes. Why was he telling them -a group of people he barely knew- the truth about his childhood anyway? What good could come out of it?

"I never met my father either, if that makes you feel better" Yusuke was the first to speak after a long pause. Akechi's lips parted as he concentrated to hear more. "My mother died when I was three years old, and then… well, I was lucky because Madarame gave me a place to stay. But you know very well how that turned out. When the Phantom Thieves made him confess, I discovered he had killed my mother and stolen her most beautiful painting and was making copies of it to sell them and gain money."

"That's… that's awful" Akechi whispered, clenching his fists.

"And my father" Ryuji intervened "He used to beat me and my mom up all the time. He was an alcoholic that forced my mom to work day and night to bring enough money home so that he could play at the slot machines and buy more drinks… And when I thought we had finally gotten rid of him, that bastard Kamoshida came along and broke my leg to ruin my career as a runner for the school's track team."

"But Ann had it even worse…" Akira continued, looking at the blond girl who, upon hearing her name, diverted her eyes. "She was forced to have a relationship with Kamoshida because the bastard was blackmailing her and her best friend Shiho. The poor girl almost killed herself when the abuses became unbearable."

"Please, I don't want to remember that…" Ann whined, a tear escaping her eye.

"Then there is me" Makoto smiled bitterly. "When my father died, my sister was forced to graduate as quickly as possible and find a good job to support the two of us. I've always felt a weight for her, a parasite… And the adults all around me would only use me for their own purposes…"

"And finally, there's me" Akira said. "But you know the story."

Akechi had listened to each and every one of them with great interest, and realized that their stories were just as terrifying as his. Stories that no children should be telling. Why was society so unjust? Why were they paying the price of adults' lust, thirst for power, indifference and negligence? It was so unfair he could feel every single nerve in his body burning with rage.

"So that's why…" he then stated calmly. "That's why you all became Phantom Thieves."

Despite the loud chattering all around them, the table they were sitting at felt like it was engulfed in a sound-proof bubble, such was the heavy silence that had fallen on them.

"W-what?" Ryuji was the first to speak, looking at his fellow comrades as a trickle of sweat ran down his temple.

"No, you are mistaken" Ann giggled nervously. "I mean, I know it sounds like we all had a reason to seek revenge, but we are not the Phantom Thieves!"

"I've known for a very long time, now" Akechi continued as calmly as before. "You don't need to worry about it, though. I have no intention of reporting you."

"Why not?" Yusuke asked.

"Because…"

"…because you feel the same way, am I right?" Akira suggested, and Akechi nodded.

"Akira, do you remember when I told you that sometimes I think the Phantom Thieves are doing the right thing?"

The dark-haired boy nodded and let him continue. "Now I understand why you're all doing it, although I may not approve the methods you use. I just wish… I wish I could do more to help you."

"Not reporting us would be more than enough, thank you" Yusuke said.

"I promise on my honor I will not reveal your true identities. For now, this is all I can do for you guys" Akechi continued.

Unbeknownst to them all, a few tables away from theirs, a man dressed in casual local clothes was sitting alone with a tray of burger and fries, still untouched. He was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and was busy talking on the phone.

"Yes, sir. I can confirm it. Affirmative, I have visual evidence. Yes, sir."

It was dark when they arrived at the hotel, each one of them feeling lighter as if a weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

"Well, I suppose I will see you guys tomorrow!" Ann smiled broadly, as she waved at her friends.

"Yes, thank you for today. And thank you for the ice-cream, Akira" Yusuke nodded, proceeding to his room on the first floor.

"See ya!"

"Goodnight!"

Makoto and Akechi rode the elevator to the fourth floor together, both unsure what to say after discovering so much about each other. When Akechi opened the room, Makoto shyly stepped inside, feeling a swirl of different emotions: Akechi had finally confessed he knew about their identities, but decided to keep quiet about him being the black-masked intruder behind the mental shutdowns. However, even if she knew he was a Persona-user because he could hear Morgana, and although he had a valid reason to be mad at society for what happened to him when he was a child, they still didn't have a proper evidence that he was the dangerous hitman that had caused the deaths of so many, including Futaba's mother. After all, he had seemed genuinely touched by their own stories and angry for what they'd had to go through, so why would he kill innocent people? If she had to be completely honest, most of the deaths reported in the newspapers and on TV regarded shady politicians, but some others seemed to be normal people with normal lives. She couldn't find a correlation between the murders, and couldn't believe Akechi was the one behind them all. Maybe Akira was right, maybe they'd been wrong about the detective all along…

But then why was he hiding the fact he could summon a Persona?

"Niijima-san…"

Makoto turned to look at Akechi standing in the doorway. "…may I ask you a question about the Phantom Thieves?"

"Go ahead."

"How do you trigger a change of heart?"

She was actually surprised to hear the question: being a Persona-user himself, he must have surely heard of Treasures which, once stolen, would make the Palace crumble and the ruler confess their crimes. Could it be that he was new to the powers? In that case, he couldn't possibly be the black-masked intruder, for they knew he was incredibly powerful. Or maybe he was bluffing?

"I don't think you'd believe me" she decided to reply with a small smile, before kicking off her shoes and lying on her bed.

"Try me" he insisted, sitting on his own bed and staring at her.

"We use this app on our phone, end up in a different world called Metaverse. We track down our target, whose distorted desires create what we call Palaces, and steal the Treasure hidden deep within. The Treasure itself is the manifestation of the ruler's true desire, and can only manifest once their real self has been warned someone is going to steal it. Which is why we send calling cards. Once the Treasure is stolen, so is their desire. Without the object of their distortion, the person has a change of heart and simply confesses" she explained, trying to sound as simple as possible.

"I see…" he muttered as he massaged his chin.

"You... don't seem sceptical or surprised" she stated with a frown, and he chuckled lightly. "No, I'm not. I want to believe you."

"Well then, I guess it is my turn to ask you a question, if it's OK" Makoto said, and he nodded. "Is there… is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"What would that be?" he gave her a quizzical look, however he seemed slightly nervous.

"I don't know. You tell me" she said while resting the back of her head on her arms.

"I am confident I have told you everything there is to know about me" he retorted slightly more aggressively than it was necessary, then quickly stood up and went for the bathroom. "I know it's almost past ten, but I was hoping to take a shower, if it's OK with you."

"Sure, no problem" she said, and listened to him walking to the bathroom and locked the door, followed shortly after by the sound of splashing water.

She had no idea what to believe. Was Akechi an ally or a foe?

When he was finished showering and putting on his pyjama, he opened the door and quietly stepped outside, his eyes falling immediately on the girl lying in bed. She had apparently fallen asleep with her clothes still on, and in what looked like a very uncomfortable position. He sighed and strode towards her bed, gently moving her to one side so that she wouldn't wake up with a backache the following day. She moaned quietly but didn't wake up.

Akechi watched the peaceful girl breathing regularly for a while, but his head was running a million miles an hour. He had been a fool to confess he knew about their identities, and couldn't honestly understand why he had taken such a decision back at the fast food. Of course, he would be needing to do it anyway one day, but not this soon. What was happening to him? He used to have full control over his actions and words, but whenever he was around the Phantom Thieves, he ran purely on instincts.

What was he supposed to do now? Besides, Niijima-san did ask him those strange questions that made him believe she knew more than she let on.

"Who is the real Goro Akechi?" and "Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

He remembered how he had promised he would take care of this nuisance and eliminate her, and he could do it now. She was so defenceless in that exact moment… all he needed to do was activate the app, bring her to the Metaverse while she was still unconscious and her life would suddenly end. She wouldn't feel a thing…

The window suddenly burst open as a gust of cold wind entered the room, the curtains fluttering in all directions, and Makoto instinctively curled up into a ball, frowning in her sleep. Akechi wrapped his fingers around the bed sheets and pulled them over the girl, making sure no parts of her body were exposed. He then crouched beside her and observed her as her lips curled in a contented smile.

"Dammit…"

Oh. Oh. Oh. Aren't things getting interesting...

Fluff fluff fluff alert in the next chapter! :D