After breaking off from the group for the day, Makoto returned home. There wasn't much she could do but try to relax and act normally. She was eating dinner by herself at the table.
"I'm home." Sae said as the door opened.
"Hi, Sis." Makoto said, standing up from her seat. "Should I warm up dinner for you?"
"No, it's okay." Sae said while walking into the room.
"How about a bath?" Makoto offered. She knew her sister was very busy, and with that Haru told her, she knew that Sae was chasing the Phantom Thieves more intently than before.
"No need, I just came home to get a change of clothes." Sae replied calmly. "I've been entrusted with a very important task."
"You look awful though…aren't you tired…?" Makoto frowned.
"As an adult, there are times you must accept a task where failure is not an option. It's all over for me if I can't win this." Sae had the power to finally win, she couldn't throw that away right now.
"Still, if you were to collapse from exhaustion…" Makoto was worried now. Sae was working so hard and far too much lately. It was only natural for her to be concerned.
"This is my one chance to get a promotion!" Sae's voice got louder, but she wasn't yelling at Makoto. There were a few seconds of silence before she spoke again. "I've heard the police have been coming to your school, I hope that hasn't been too difficult. But don't worry. It'll all be over soon."
"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.
"I'm going to catch the Phantom Thieves myself." Sae said.
"Is that the important task you mentioned…?" Makoto tried to ask, but Sae wasn't going to give her an answer.
"That's none of your concern." Sae said before leaving.
"….This is getting bad…" Makoto mumbled. She already knew her Sister was in hot pursuit of the Phantom Thieves, but the SIU itself was getting involved now? Makoto realized that Hifumi's theory of police involvement may have been more on the nose than she originally thought. The higher-ups were getting involved now… "I have to let everyone know…" And so she pulled out her phone to text the others and inform them of the rapidly changing situation. Things were getting more and more tense with ease passing day. They needed to make a move soon…
.
.
October 21st
Are the Phantom Thieves Just? 34% to 29%.
Every day at Shujin was growing more and more taxing than the last. Even though midterms were over, the troubles continued. The police were personally involved with investigating the Phantom Thieves connection with Shujin. As a result, this led to them questioning every single student, starting with the first years. Because of this questioning, Kasumi thought to inform the others ASAP so they could be prepared.
Kasumi: You guys know how the police are here, right?
Ryuji: Seriously!?
Makoto: They're here already?
Yusuke: The police are at Shujin? They haven't come to Kosei…
Hifumi: Is everything alright over there?
Kasumi: They called in the first years. I just had to go through it myself…
Ren: Was it bad?
Kasumi: It was quick, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous the whole time. I think it was alright, though.
Ann: Wait…does that mean we're gonna get called in too?
Makoto: I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to get through the entire student body. Make sure you mentally prepare yourselves for this.
Ryuji: They gotta be looking for the culprit, right…?
Futaba: Be careful, guys. You should probably try not to say too much. Like Hifumi, they'll see through any lies you might try telling.
Hifumi: I don't like it when you phrase it like that…
.
Second years had their run of interrogation in the afternoon. Kawakami was reading off the list of who was next. "Let's see…next up is Takamaki-san and Amamiya-kun. You two will go together."
Together!? Oh no…were they onto them already!? Ann was trying so hard to keep her cool right now. "H-huh? Together…?"
"Why? They'll probably have one of you wait outside." Kawakami explained. "That's how they've been doing it so far."
Oh. Of course. Ann was getting paranoid for nothing. She was trying to mentally prepare herself for this all day, but that was an easier task said than done. "Oh, right…"
"Just make sure not to say anything unnecessary." That was a warning for Ann, and a causal reminder for Ren. Kawakami knew Ren was a Phantom Thief after all, and the last thing she wanted was for Ren to get arrested by the police. There wasn't a lot she could do for him right now, but she would act to protect him anyway she could when the moment arose.
.
.
The meeting was in the student council room. When Ren stepped inside, there were two officers waiting. At first glance he could already tell there was a good cop, bad cop dynamic going on here. The more approachable police officer sat at the table, while the more overbearing one sat just behind the chair where the students sat. His intimating presence was likely to make people nervous.
"Please, have a seat." The nice policeman said, and Ren did just that. The eyes of the overbearing detective never left Ren once. "Ren Amamiya…oh, you're currently the one under probation. It says here you had a dispute with Mr. Kamoshida?"
"I wouldn't say that." Ren said simply.
"I see…" The detective responded, looking over his notes. "You spend time with an interesting group. Yusuke Kitagawa, Hifumi Togo, and Haru Okumura? The more friends the better, right?"
What? How did they know about that? Ren was surprised, but he was able to keep his usual cool, indifferent expression. He couldn't afford to show any signs of surprise with that overbearing cop looming over his shoulder, just waiting for the smallest hint of hesitation to latch onto. "You said it."
"I'm sorry to have taken your time, you're free to go." The nice detective said. Questioning really was quick and easy. "Oh, wait. I have one more question. Do you think the Phantom Thieves are associated with this school?"
"Is that really true…? I hope not…" Ren was able to feign a response.
"Don't worry. We're here to keep all of you safe, okay?" The nice one leaned back in his chair.
"Thank you for your time." The overbearing detective finally spoke. His voice was just as cold and heavy as Ren expected.
"Your responses will serve as great reference material. Takamaki-san is next, could you ask her to come in?" The nice one asked.
"Yeah." Ren nodded, opening the door to exit, letting out a quiet sigh once he was certain he was clear of their earshot.
.
.
Once again, the group gathered within Leblanc. Meeting every day was a necessity as the events of their situation grew more and more tense. Haru let out a quiet sigh. "I was so nervous I almost stuttered a few times. I thought I was used to police questioning by now, too."
"It seems everyone was asked the same questions…" Makoto surmised.
"That's how they get ya." Ryuji was speaking like someone who watched way too many police dramas. "They do that and wait for someone to slip up."
"I hope you didn't." Futaba turned to Ryuji.
"I was prolly fine…I would've been done for if they saw how sweaty my hands were, though…" Ryuji slumped over. The situation was a little more stressful than he would've liked.
"I was a little nervous too, but I was able to keep my composure." Kasumi also let out a sigh. "I can't say I enjoyed having that one cop leer at me, though…"
"Right!" Ann shook her head. "That guy was so scary…it was like he was smiling with his eyes, waiting for me to mess up…"
"That's exactly how I felt…!" Kasumi quickly nodded in agreement.
"To think Hifumi and I's names would come up …." Yusuke was in shock the police knew that much about their friend group.
"That's a little nerve wracking, if I'm to be honest…" Hifumi rubbed her arm. "If they know that much, I wonder what else they know…"
"Sounds like we can take the police lightly either." Morgana said. "The government's really firing on all cylinders to take us out…"
"Hifumi-senpai's theory truly is looking more and more likely…" Kasumi remarked.
"If that's the case, we need to be even more careful from now on…" Ren said.
"I'm sorry for all of this." Makoto closed her eyes, frowning slightly. "It's all because of my sister…"
"That's not true Mako-chan." Haru objected.
"It's not as though I didn't predict this would happen." Makoto brushed her hair back. "But now that it's become reality, I don't know what to do…"
"We'll get through this." Ren said.
"Yeah, it ain't your fault, Makoto." Ryuji added. They were trying to take the burden of guilt off Makoto's shoulders. She had no control over her sister's actions, and she shouldn't have had to feel like she was responsible for the way things have turned out.
"I'm going to see just how far this investigation really is." Futaba told the others. It was within her power after all.
"I'm worried about the police too, but as of right now, anyone in the city can be a mole…" Ann slumped in her seat.
Makoto turned to Haru. "Haru, um. I know this might be a very hard thing for you to do…but can I ask you to search your father's belongings for clues about a possible culprit? The only true lead we have is Black Mask, but…"
"I understand." Haru's tone was firm. "Now isn't the time for me to look away. I'll see if I can find anything."
With Haru's confirmation, Makoto felt a little less guilty now. "As for everyone else, you need to be cautious about how you spend your time at school. So, I've decided to have you three second years, and you, Kasumi, to join me on the school festival executive committee."
"Why…?" Was the first thing Ryuji asked.
"It will allow us to gather without drawing suspicion. Trying to blend in will only have the opposite effect." Makoto explained.
"Works for me." Ren was fine with this.
"I agree. The more time I have to kill, the more time I'll spend worrying about this stuff. No matter what happens, I don't want to regret my decisions." Ann had no complaints.
"Don't jinx it!" Ryuji quickly said.
"That's fine with me!" Kasumi responded positively. "I don't have to worry about practice with the school festival coming up. I've already had to do a lot of it on the days after midterms as well."
"It would be no surprise if they came directly to our homes for questioning…" Yusuke remarked. If the police were being this thorough, it was best to prepare for anything.
Hifumi thought for a moment, before shaking her head. "Ironic…I think my mother may actually be my ticket out of any police questioning in this regard. No way will she let them even mention the possibility I could be involved in any of this…" A rare saving grace from Hifumi's mother, if such a situation came to pass.
"For now, the best option is to remain on the defensive. Although we're not going to make any progress on this rate." Morgana reported. "Let's try and figure this out somehow, okay?"
"Of course." Makoto and everyone else nodded. They knew what they wanted to do, but they were completely stuck on how to proceed…
.
.
With things proceeding so smoothly, the SIU Director thought of another way to hasten the capture of the Phantom Thieves. As usual, he was on the phone, speaking to someone on the other end. "Yes, I have another suggestion. Call for the arrest of the Phantom Thieves, then mobilize the police. The rest will go as you mentioned…heheh…." There was a pause after his chuckle. "Still, I'm truly amazed at the atrocious methods you come up with…"
.
.
October 21st.
Are the Phantom Thieves Just? 29% to 25%
Morale at Shujin was low. Between police questioning, and the fact the school festival was postponed a few days, every student was feeling less than excited. Everything just kept moving faster and faster each day. Makoto gathered Ren (and Morgana by extension), Ann, Ryuji, Haru, and Kasumi into the Student Council room. They were tallying ballets for the special guest of the school festival. Ryuji was just on his phone, checked out of the situation. "Dammit…we don't have time to be doin' crap like this…"
"You don't need to keep mentioning it." Makoto was getting a little irritated with Ryuji's constant complaining. "We're doing this to keep suspicion off of us, remember?"
"Let's see…Goro Akechi…" Ren was reading a few ballots.
"This one also says Akechi…" Ann reported.
"This one says…Alice Hiiragi…?" Kasumi blinked before looking at the rest of the ballots near her. "But outside of a few outliers…they all say Akechi."
"They're mostly the same over here as well." Haru reported.
"Everyone's so eloquent when they can be anonymous." Morgana was pretty huffy about it. "It's like they never accepted us to begin with."
"It would be nice if you helped us too, Ryuji." Haru said with a bit of a pleading tone. "Right, Ren?"
"Yeah, come on…we're all in this together." Ren told Ryuji.
Ryuji, however, had a reply to that. "We're lookin' up information, you know, online and stuff."
"That's one way to put it…" Morgana would shrug right now if he could.
Ryuji glanced at his phone again, eyes widening at what he saw. "Whoa…look here, this ain't good."
"Criminal Profiling?" Morgana's eyes were widening. "The acts of thievery committed by the Phantom Thieves are mere fakes. Every hear they've changed before Okumura was just a warm up and their real goal is…murder…!?"
Ann groaned lowly. This was so tiring. "Now they're accusing us of being a bunch of killers?"
"I-Isn't that going a little too far…" Kasumi never expected public opinion to shift against the Phantom Thieves so radically.
"Ugh! This is so effin' stupid! Dammit!" Ryuji shouted in frustration.
They all shared Ryuji's frustration, but there was nothing to be done about it now. Makoto was looking on a laptop that helped her keep track of the votes. Even with the occasional vote for someone else, the results were a landslide. "We have our results. The winner is Goro Akechi."
"What!? Akechi!?" Ryuji said, as if this was the first he was hearing of this.
"What are you so surprised for…? We've been talking about him this whole time." Ann rolled her eyes.
"Seriously? Not some singer, or an idol!?" Ryuji did not want Akechi at the school.
"There were a few votes for others, but Akechi-san won by a mile." Kasumi told Ryuji.
"It's because of us that his popularity has skyrocketed." Morgana rolled his eyes.
"We're the one's countin' the results! Can't we just make 'em up! We don't hafta get him!" Ryuji suggested. This was a far better alternative in his eyes.
Kasumi just smiled nervously at Ryuji's idea. "I…don't think that's a wise idea, Ryuji-senpai…"
"People will figure it out. He won by a landslide." Makoto closed her eyes, withholding an exasperated expression. She did understand Ryuji's stance, however. Dealing with Akechi at this moment in time was too dangerous. "It would be best for us to avoid inviting such a clear threat upon ourselves…"
"I didn't think so many people would vote for him. It's kinda insane…" Ann lost count of how many times she ballots with Akechi's name on it. She did know one thing, though: it was far more reading than she ever wanted to do.
Kasumi looked to the others. Clearly Makoto was struggling in accepting the results, if only because their situation was precarious enough without having to worry about Akechi. "So…what do we do?"
"I'd like a little more time to think about who to ask." Makoto was hesitant. She really did not want to invite Akechi to Shujin for so many reasons…but she needed something for the festival.
So they put a pin onto the Akechi situation. With that in mind, Haru turned to Ren. "Wasn't Futaba-chan looking into something? Has she told you anything?"
"Not yet. But I think it's best to leave her to her own devices. She works better when focused." Ren said.
"Even one clue would work wonders for us." Makoto said wishfully. "We should let her continue with her own investigation."
.
.
Hifumi made a quick stop first, before heading home. Mitsuyo was there and this was already going to be a difficult conversation. "Hello, Mother."
"Hifumi." Mitsuyo greeted her daughter with a nod. "I've heard that the police have been going to Shujin."
"That's right…but my friends don't have anything to do with it." Hifumi quickly said. Shujin was already on thin ice with Mitsuyo, and she could feel it cracking the more the police looked into Shujin. "Everything is just really tense at the moment…"
"Oh, is that so…?" Mitsuyo was just naturally suspicion of anything Shujin. She was glad her daughter wasn't involved, but she hated the association Hifumi had with that school. She was getting closer and closer to unveiling her trump card that would permeantly stain the reputation of Shujin beyond repair.
"I know this is a precarious thing to ask right now….but my friends have extended an invitation to Shujin's school festival…" Hifumi began.
"Absolutely not." Mitsuyo shook her head. "I don't want you anywhere near that school while the police are lingering around. Or at all, really."
Hifumi knew that was going to be her mother's response. It was an understandable one…but this was really important to Hifumi. So with a quiet sigh, she pulled out her phone and held it out after dialing a number. "I thought you might say that. Please listen."
"…." Mitsuyo took Hifumi's phone. "Hello?"
"Hello, dear…" It was Mitsurugi.
"Ah…!" Mitsuyo let out a small gasp of surprise. "You should be resting…"
"I know…but Hifumi told me there was something important she wanted to do." Mitsurugi said on the other line. "She wants to be with her friends, don't you think she should be allowed that?"
"But those Shujin kids-" Mistuyo began.
"Hifumi trusts then, and they make her happy. Isn't that important enough?" Mitsurugi ask.
He didn't know what she knew. That picture from a few months back sat on her phone, waiting for the perfect chance to strike. But she couldn't deny that Hifumi looked happier with a friend group…even after she stated once before that Hifumi had no friends. That blonde girl was at fault… "Ugh." Hifumi knew Mitsuyo couldn't say no to Mitsurugi. It was a bit of a dirty ploy on Hifumi's end, but she had to pull out all the stops during this time. "Very well…I will allow her to visit their school festival, but if anything happens…!"
"That's fine. I agree to those terms." Hifumi said with a slight smile. She and Mitsurugi were good at twisting her mother's arm.
"Thank you, dear." Mitsurugi said before hanging up the phone.
Mitsuyo handed Hifumi her phone back, letting out a sigh. "I mean it. If anything happens while you're at Shujin, there will be consequences." Having said that, she decided to head off elsewhere into the house.
"I'm glad that worked…" Hifumi was getting better at finding ways to work around her mother. That was one less thing to worry about. She then turned her attention to the TV, realizing her mother was watching the news.
"In response to the police identifying the Phantom Thieves as primary suspects, Goro Akechi had this to say…"
"Even though my opinion has been met with criticism, I've held fast that the Phantom Thieves are not just." Akechi said. "However, I believe the recent series of suspicious deaths is unrelated to their actions."
"…!" Hifumi's eyes widened at Akechi's words. She could detect lies after all, and it appeared that Akechi was telling the truth. "He's serious…?" This was also the first time her power didn't react strangely to Akechi. How odd…
Akechi's response shocked the interviewers. "What!? But you were the one who were telling everyone the Phantom Thieves were dangerous!"
"This doesn't change the fact that they are indeed a dangerous group. That said, I would like to express that immediately linking them to his case is far too hasty. There are still many questions to be answered here. It feels as though there is more to this." Those were Akechi's thoughts on the matter.
"Following this conference, Akechi-san stated he will be limiting his media appearances and…"
The voice continued, but Hifumi stopped listening. This was…an interesting turn of events. A little convenient too, but it was a lead all the same. "I don't know how to feel about this…but it looks like we have a chance…"
.
.
October 23rd.
With no school, everyone could gather at the hideout as soon as they were able. They had a lot of things to discuss. "Makoto, has your sister told you anything about the investigation?" Yusuke asked.
Makoto let out a sigh and shook her head. "Actually, Sis has stopped mentioning work in front of me. It's possible I made some kind of mistake…" But there wasn't anything she could do about that now. "But I wanted to discuss with everyone who to invite to the school festival. I'm thinking about asking Akechi." And everyone's expression shifted to one of shock and disbelief.
"Weren't you just sayin' that you didn't wanna invite danger or whatever!?" Ryuji asked.
"I understand this is dangerous." Makoto really did. Her voice was a bit strained, because she felt the same way as everyone else right now. "But without a powerful source of intel, we won't be able to win against the police network. And I can no longer rely on my sister for information."
"Is this because of his connection to the police?" Haru asked. "Do you intend to use him as a source of intel?"
"Isn't that risky?" Kasumi tilted her head. "If he gets too close…"
"It is a bold move. I'm surprised to hear it coming from you, Makoto." Morgana remarked. Usually, Makoto was the more calm and collected tactician. So really, he expected something like this to come from Hifumi.
"It is a risk we have to take." Hifumi said in agreement with Makoto. "We can't stand idly by forever…besides, his press conference yesterday was interesting. He's certain that we're not guilty…and I can tell he meant it. He may have said knowing the Phantom Thieves were watching."
"I agree." Makoto said.
"But the school festival is gonna be so crowded…" Ann said. "Are we gonna be able to pull this off?"
"It's a gamble…and the odds are less than favorable." Makoto said. "Not to mention…there's still a chance he may not even accept the invitation. Regardless, we cannot afford to hesitate any longer. Ren, what are your thoughts? Should we invite Akechi-kun?"
"Whatever you decide, I'll follow through with you." Kasumi said with a determined voice.
Ren took a moment to think. This was dangerous, but it was their only option out of this situation. They would have to play their cards perfectly… "Do it."
"Okay then." Makoto said. "Is everyone else okay with that?"
"It would be reassuring to gain him as an ally, rather than a source of information…" Yusuke said.
"I share the same sentiment, but we should take things one step at a time." Hifumi replied.
"Hold on." Ryuji spoke up. "How're we even gonna get in contact with him? It's not like we got his contact info."
Ren held his phone out. "Actually, I do. Ever since the TV station."
"Hifumi-senpai, Ren-senpai, Akechi-san, and I also spent some time together once." Kasumi said with a smile towards Hifumi.
"WHAT!?" This was the first Ryuji was hearing of this.
"Would you mind sending that my way?" Makoto asked. Ren nodded and sent her Akechi's contact info, which she used to send him a message, asking if he would mind joining the school festival.
"Wow, you work fast, even from the past." Futaba said.
"Gotta say…I'm really not big on this Akechi deal…" Ryuji grumbled.
"Now's not the time to be petty." Ann shook her head.
Makoto barely had the chance to put her phone away before it buzzed again. "I have a response already…he says: Let me think about it."
"That was fast…" Hifumi blinked.
"Didn't he say he wasn't gonna do anymore stuff for the media?" Ryuji did bring up a good point.
"That's likely why he's so hesitant." Yusuke said.
"What are we gonna do if he turns us down…?" Ann hated to bring that up, but it was something they needed to account for.
"I'll make sure that won't happen." Makoto replied immediately. "He's all we have right now."
"We're counting on you, Makoto." Morgana said.
"Mm…" Hifumi furrowed her brows. Something about this situation just felt…a little off…but she couldn't put her finger on it…
.
.
October 24th.
Are the Phantom Thieves Just? 25% to 24%.
Evening. Once Ren was finished with his afternoon, he went straight home to Leblanc. There was a surprise waiting for him. Akechi was sitting at the counter with a cup of coffee. He smiled at Ren the moment he walked in. "Welcome home."
"Huh. What brings you here?" Ren couldn't help the surprised tone.
"I wanted a cup of coffee." Akechi replied simply. He then turned to Sojiro. "How has business been for you lately?"
Sojiro let out a small 'ha' at the question. "Take a look around." There was only one other person aside from Akechi in the café at the moment. "How has the Niijima lady been?"
To that, Akechi's expression fell slightly. "I haven't seen her. We had a…difference of opinion."
"What are your thoughts, Representative Shido?" The news was on as usual.
"…" Sojiro's expression immediately turned to a subtle scowl when he heard that name. Even Akechi could barely contain a look of hidden disgust on his face.
Shido appeared on camera. "It doesn't surprise me that people say our country is lethargic. We've let those Phantom Thieves run amok."
"….?" Ren furrowed his brow. Shido's voice…it sounded too familiar. He felt like he heard it before…not just once either. He knew this voice. "That man's voice…."
"And because they've targeted only prominent figures, our government leaders have been hesitant to act." Shido continued. "I apologize for any concern they have caused. And will henceforth find a countermeasure! This is an important undertaking, and one I intend to confront with every asset available to me! The selfish criminals enacting this 'social reform' are in fact the ones most deserving of reformation. Answering to the interest of the people as hastily as possible is my natural duty as a politician."
"Man, this guy is admirable! I really like him!" The other customer said. It was the pompous regular. Nobody was listening to him, though.
"Rampant political scandals, thieves on the loose. As much as it pains me to say it, this is the state of our country. We must resolve this problem, and I assure the people of this noble country I will do just that." Shido finished.
Ren thought back to the evening of May 2nd, the day he, Ann, Ryuji, and Morgana officially formed the Phantom Thieves. During that celebration, they bumped into a man who had no care for the people around them. That man…that was Shido. Ren vaguely recalled this memory. It was so long ago and a brief encounter…it only stuck in his memory because of his voice. It sounded a lot like….
"What're you standing there staring off into space for?" Sojiro asked Ren. "You're creeping me out."
"Huh? Oh…uh, it's nothing. You're standing too." Ren said.
"That's because it's my job…" Sojiro rolled his eyes.
"That politician is honest and carries and overwhelming charisma!" The pompous customer said. "It finally feels like a trustworthy leader for Japan has finally shown up! Don't you think so, Boss?"
Sojiro didn't really feel like talking about it. So he was idly preparing something while giving the usual dismissive response of "Sorry, I wasn't listening."
"Criminals, huh? Well, I suppose that's how he sees it." Akechi said. "However, that is ignorant of their true nature?"
"What, are you a fan of the Thieves now?" Ren asked, half-jokingly, half-serious.
"It would be a stretch to say that I am on their side." Akechi responded. "But I do emphasize with them. If the Okumura incident was not the Phantom Thieves…if they only change the hearts of criminals…then even though they can't be considered, perhaps my goal is not so different from theirs…"
"They're not guilty." Ren said.
Akechi laughed. "I knew there was something special about you. I feel like I can tell you anything during our conversations…" It was ironic…. "Oh, that reminds me. I've been invited to a panel at Shujin Academy, and….oh wait, I'm sure you know that already. Considering it's a good opportunity, I decided to accept the offer."
"Really…?" This worked out…really nicely. Ren was surprised.
"Thank you for the coffee, it was delicious." Akechi said to Sojiro.
"Glad you liked it." Sojiro said.
"I'll be going now. I'm happy I got to see you." Akechi smiled at Ren one last time before making his exit.
Once Akechi was gone, Sojiro looked to Ren. "That kid was going on about some complicated stuff. He's probably a fair bit smarter than you, huh?"
"I'll have you know, I got top 5 results in midterms." Ren said proudly.
"Guess I don't have to worry about you and school then. Nice job." Sojiro said honestly. "I guess you didn't need this then…" Still, Sojiro handed over a special Leblanc charm. "I made it from scratch, it's got the finest coffee beans in it. I wanted to give it to you before the exams, but well…you still have more tests. Don't ease up now."
"Heh…thanks, Boss." Ren managed a slight smile.
Ren's phone buzzed and he checked it. It was a message from the group chat.
Makoto: I didn't notice I got a response from Akechi-kun. He accepted the invitation.
Ren: I heard. Well done.
Makoto: Huh? How…?
Ann: Either way, the real issue is what we do next.
Hifumi: We'll have to proceed carefully…
Yusuke: The lecture is on the second day of the festival, yes?
Ryuji: Huh? You two are coming to our school festival?
Ann: Fumi? Will your mom even let you go?
Hifumi: I've already taken care of it.
Yusuke: Incidentally, will that counselor be at the festival as well?
Kasumi: Dr. Maruki? I think so.
Yusuke: I see! I shall witness his skills for myself. Perhaps I should prepare a gift. They say first impressions are everything.
Hifumi: [Sweatdrop Emoji] I do not think you need to do that…
Ann: You wanna come too, Futaba?
Futaba: Seriously?
Haru: I don't see why not. We should all walk around together tomorrow!
Kasumi: I like that idea!
Ren: I don't see why not.
Makoto: At a time like this?
Futaba: Are you sure? It seems a little soon…
Haru: I'm sure. I've always dreamed of walking around my school festival with friends. I haven't been able to do that before, but now…
Makoto: I suppose if you say it like that, I can resign myself to enjoy our time there too. Thanks, Haru.
Haru: It's my pleasure.
"Looks like everything's set…" Morgana whispered.
"Yeah. We're gonna have to be ready for whatever comes next…" Ren nodded. The panel with Akechi in two days was their only shot to fight their way out of this situation. It was do or die time…