February 20th.
Mitsurugi Togo had a few surprising guests in his hospital room. "Well…isn't this nice?" The sickly man said with a slight smile. He looked pretty weak. It was as Hifumi said, it wasn't going to be much longer until his inevitable passing. Before that day, Ren (with Morgana in tow), Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, Haru, and Sumire went to visit him for the very first time. For most of them, this was the first time they'd even met him. "So…you all must be Hifumi's friends. She's made so many…"
"It's nice to meet you." Haru said with a polite bow. "Hifumi talks about you a lot…so we wanted to see you…"
"Before I rest one final time? That's very nice of all of you." Mitsurugi responded to Haru with a smile. "It's nice to have all of her friends here." His voice carried a bit.
"Ugh…" A voice came from behind the door. Soon, even Mika stepped out, grumbling that Mitsurugi managed to notice her. "How do you keep doing that…"
"Mika?" Ann blinked. "What are you doing here?"
"Hey, Hifumi-chan is my friend too." Mika huffed. That's all she was going to say. With a group this large around her, the last thing she was going to admit aloud is that she was worried.
"Hey, isn't that the hot chick from those magazines?" Ryuji asked Ann specifically. He knew that she knew Mika, he just lacked the specifics.
"…" Ann didn't want to answer that. Instead she just lightly jabbed Ryuji in the side with her elbow.
"Ow?!" Ryuji grunted.
Makoto sighed. She felt like this was an absolutely terrible first impression to be making in front of Hifumi's father. "Come on, you guys. We have to stay on track here…we're not doing great so far."
"You're telling me." Mika rolled her eyes. To think Hifumi would be friends with this group.
But Mitsurugi seemed amused by all of this. He let out a weak chuckle. "May I have all of your names? I know a few of you already."
"Ren Amamiya."
"Ryuji Sakamkoto."
"Yusuke Kitagawa. Hifumi and I go to the same school." Yusuke added.
"Makoto Niijima."
"Futaba Sakura."
"Haru Okumura."
"Sumire Yoshizawa." Sumire bowed respectfully.
"I see…it is a pleasure to meet all of you." Mitsurugi coughed. "I am Mitsurugi Togo…to what do I owe this visit today?"
"Well…" Ren rubbed the back of his neck. "…I think we all just wanted to see what kind of person you were."
"Hifumi talks about you a lot." Yusuke said. "And we all decided that we should visit you one day, while she's busy today."
"I hope we aren't intruding on your time." Haru said while placing her arms behind her back.
"Not at all. I'm happy to have visitors." Mitsurugi shook his head slightly. "Even happier to have those visitors being Hifumi's friends. This is actually great timing…" He coughed a little bit. "I was hoping I would get the chance to meet all of you at once."
"You were?" Ryuji blinked.
"Yes." Mitsurugi confirmed. "I was hoping I'd have this chance, because I wanted to thank each and every single one of you for befriending my daughter. Whenever she comes to visit, she always has the biggest, brightest smile…especially when she talks about you all. It's the happiest that I've ever seen her. It brings me joy knowing that even when I'm gone, she'll continue to have that smile…"
"…No wonder she loves you so much. You're always thinking about her." Ann brushed her hair behind her ear.
"I only have one thing to ask of you all…" Before Mitsurugi could get there, he coughed a few times. It made everyone worried, but there wasn't anything they could do either. After a few moments he stopped and took as deep a breath he could. "I know Hifumi is going to be very sad…so please support her as best as you can after I'm gone…"
"You won't have to worry about that." Sumire said, balling her hands into fists. "We're all going to be there for her, we promise! She's done so much for all of us, it's the least we can do for her in time of need."
"What she said." Ryuji nodded. "Your daughter's an awesome person and a great friend. We owe her a lot."
"And we won't let you down either." Ren told Mitsurugi.
"Agh, you're so disgustingly mushy about this." Mika pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. "I might need a room in here myself if I have to listen to this any longer."
"…Hifumi-senpai is friends with you?" Sumire asked. The question came off as rude, but she didn't mean for it to. She just couldn't believe that Hifumi and Mika were friends.
"Isn't Hifumi-chan just great?" Mika flipped her hair in Sumire's face. This made Sumire furrow her brows. "But I think I've heard enough. Anymore of this sweet talk and I'm going to throw up. See you in the next photo shoot, Ann. Try to make me look better as usual, got it?" With a smirk, Mika took her leave.
"…She's pleasant." Futaba said while adjusting her glasses.
"That's Lady Ann's rival? I don't see it." Morgana shook his head. "She's nowhere near as cool and beautiful as you."
"Ugh, I'm gonna take that cool and beautiful smirk off her face." Ann grumbled. Morgana sighed because once again, Ann didn't acknowledge his words.
"Hm…did I hear a cat?" Mitsurugi blinked, a little surprised. Everyone turned to Ren's bag since that's where the noise came from. "…I suppose I'm just hearing things." Nobody had any reason to worry about the idea of Mitsurugi ratting them out…but he played that off even cooler than they expected.
"So this is where Hifumi gets her…everything from." Ryuji muttered. There was a lot that made sense to him now that he's met Mitsurugi.
.
.
February 25th.
…Today was the day. Hifumi and Mistuyo went to Mitsurugi's hospital room. The man was slated to initially pass away before the New Year. Thanks to Dr. Takemi and the medicine she provided, he was able to last a few months longer. But as she stated, his illness had already tipped past the point of no return. Hifumi and her mother were fighting the tears as they sat in the room. They were there all day, spending Mitsurugi's final day together as a family. "Father, I…" Hifumi bit her lower lip. She was trying to stay strong, but that felt like an impossible task.
"…You don't need to worry about me…" Mitsurugi said with a gentle smile. "I'm just happy the two of you came here together. It's all I could've asked for."
"…You're so stubborn." Mitsuyo scowled, turning her head away. "This isn't just about us, it's about you too, Mitsurugi. Smiling the whole time just makes this…harder than you realize. Tell us how you really feel. We're your family; I think we deserve at least that much compared to anyone else."
"Mother…" Hifumi lowered her gaze. She couldn't deny the idea that she felt the same way. While it was nice that her father was putting on a brave face the whole time…she wanted to know how her father truly felt. Going the rest of her days without knowing that truth? As painful as it might be, it was something she didn't want to be without.
Mitsurugi let out a quiet sigh. Laughing wasn't exactly something he could do at the moment. "The compassion returned to your eyes, my dear. I don't know when it left…but I'm happy that it's back all the same."
"Eh…?" Mitsuyo blinked, turning to Mitsurugi. It felt like he was evading her question, which only irritated her more. "Stop with your compliments and admit the truth already."
"Very well…" Mitsurugi closed his eyes. He knew there was no point hiding how he truly felt from his family, and he shouldn't be doing that either. On this front, he conceded. "…I wish I hadn't been sick. I know it's something that I couldn't help, but it's been a regret for me for a very long time. Not being as capable as I used to be, being stuck in this hospital bed as my wife and daughter live their lives…preparing their lives for when I can no longer be in it. It is painful. I wanted to be there to support my daughter in her big shogi matches, to be there and watch her grow as she becomes a wonderful woman…but I won't have those opportunities. I'm sorry to the both of you, truly."
"You don't need to apologize for being sick…" Hifumi shook her head. It was an unfair circumstance, but that was life. This was the reality she fought to be in…so she had to accept it. It was harsh, but that was life. She knew that. "I'm eternally grateful for everything you've done for me. You introduced me to shogi, and I can never thank you enough. Shogi has done so much for me, some good…some bad…but it's changed my life – you changed my life. And I will always carry what you taught me in my heart."
"Oh, you….." Mitsuyo closed her eyes and sighed heavily. She got what she wanted. It hurt to hear, but she knew now. Her husband was always putting on that brave face, but underneath it all was a sad husband and father with regret. "…I'm sorry…to the both of you." Mistuyo said, taking a seat in a chair nearby. Hifumi and Mitsurugi turned to her. "…I've been a very awful person for a while now. I know I'm far from the nicest, but I don't know when it got so bad. Pushing Hifumi to do things she didn't want, pulling her along with my ideas, I honestly don't know what came over me. I just…despised what was happening to our family. I could feel it deteriorating from things without my control. But I've done awful things to people because I was selfish…things I intend to answer for. But I want to remain here at the moment, as selfish as it may be."
"Mother…" Hifumi felt her jaw drop a bit. She looked between the two of her sad parents before narrowing her eyes. "We're taking a picture."
"Huh?" Mitsuyo stared at Hifumi in confusion. "But why…"
"Because…I'm selfish." Hifumi replied. Her parents weren't going to argue. "So wipe whatever tears are falling and come with me so we can smile one last time, together. Okay?"
"…You've become very assertive. I must've missed that…" Mitsuyo let out a quiet sigh. "…I still don't like those friends of yours…"
"I do. I think they're wonderful." Mitsurugi said while his own smile returned. "I'm grateful that they brought our daughter into their lives and out of her shell. They've done more for her than I could."
"Both of you will always remain very important people to me, no matter what." Hifumi said before getting a picture with her, her mother, and her father. They were all smiling, and this was a photo she would cherish. It was the first family photo they'd all taken in a while, and even if it was on a sad day, Hifumi would keep this bittersweet memory close to her heart. "…It's perfect. Even if we've had our ups and downs as a family…I truly love the both of you with all my heart. I'm…I'm really happy…we got this moment…" Hifumi couldn't stop the tears from falling. She was barely holding herself together this whole time, but she couldn't hold on any longer.
It was getting close to that time. Mitsurugi was coughing and his heartbeat monitor was getting weaker. The beeps were becoming less frequent. "Mitsuyo…whatever the future holds, I hope you and Hifumi…can mend your relationship. You're her mother after all…and I want the two of you to be happy, no matter what."
"…I…I'll do what I can…to make up for what I've done…." Mitsuyo was feeling the tears now. "I love you, Mitsurugi…"
"I love you too," Mitsurugi told his wife, before looking at Hifumi. She was looking right at him, tears falling from her eyes. "And Hifumi…your friends are wonderful people. I'm very proud of the person that you're turning into…always remember, it's okay to stop in place sometimes, but never stop moving…move forward and keep fighting…and I love you both very much…"
"…M-Mhm…I…I'll do that!" Hifumi closed her eyes, nodding profusely as her tears hit the floor. "I won't disappoint you! I'll keep making you proud! As heir – a-as ruler of the Togo Kingdom, I promise I won't let you down father!"
"I know you won't…" Mitsurugi could smile through his last moments. He closed his eyes, let to one last breath….and the flat line began. The doctor came into the room to confirm this.
Mitsurugi Togo, time of death: February 25th 7:56PM.
Hifumi wanted to try and remain strong, but she couldn't. Her knees buckled and she almost collapsed, letting out loud sobs. As much as she tried to prepare for it, it was an impossible event. She felt her heart break. "W-Waaaaaaah…." Her father was undoubtedly the most important person in her life for the longest time. Without him, she had no idea where she'd be in life at all. He introduced her to shogi, a game she loved with all her heart. Now he was gone.
Mitsuyo could barely contain her sobs. But there was one thing she had to do above all else. She went over to Hifumi to hug her. She had been a terrible mother to her own daughter for the longest time. Nothing would erase what she had done, and she fully intended in accepting responsibility in her actions. But for now? If she had to be a mother just one time, it was now. She had to embrace her daughter as they shared in this sorrow together.
.
.
The others were in Leblanc, although the atmosphere was a little tense. Eventually Hifumi texted the group chat with a simple message.
Hifumi: It just happened. I'm going to need a little time to myself, but thank you all in advanced for everything.
"…Oh, poor Fumi…" Ann frowned.
"I feel so bad for her…" Sumire sighed. There were a few too many people in their group that knew the pain of losing a family member.
"…We just have to hold on to our promise." Ren said. They all promised Mitsurugi that they'd be there to support Hifumi, since she was likely going to need it.
"Yeah…it's the least we can do." Ryuji nodded. There was nothing wrong with Hifumi needing some time to herself, but they weren't going to what they did before and let her be alone for too long.
"After a few days, we should check in on her." Haru said. She never really had the proper time to grieve after her father's death, so she at least wanted to ensure Hifumi had that.
"I agree." Makoto brushed her hair behind her ear. They weren't going to make the same mistakes again. Not after all Hifumi did for them.
.
.
March 1st.
After school was over, the group made their way to Hifumi's house. Ann was the one who knocked on the door, and took a deep breath. "…I hope she lets us in."
"She did say her mother mellowed out a little bit, right?" Ren rubbed the back of his neck. Everyone knew Mitsuyo Togo was pretty difficult. They were just hoping she wouldn't be today.
"Yeah, but…well, she still scares me." Ann admitted.
The door did open. Mitsuyo was the one who answered and her brows furrowed at the group in front of her. "Oh…all of you must be Hifumi's friends." A lot of shujin kids…and that one oddball student from Kosei. How did Hifumi get wrapped up in such a group?
"…Can we come in and see her?" Ann asked.
"We don't want to leave her alone for too long. We are her friends." Yusuke said.
"A-And we made a promise to look out for her….!" Futaba hastily said. Mitsuyo's aura intimidated her.
Mitsuyo narrowed her eyes for a moment. Having this many kids in her house…ugh. Yet, despite that, she stepped aside. "…She's in her room, studying. Don't make a mess and if there's a single thing out of place…"
"G-Got it!" Ann quickly nodded.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Togo-san!" Sumire bowed respectfully. Better to speak now than get an earful. Everyone quickly shuffled inside, left their shoes at the front door.
"…Which one is her room?" Haru asked.
"Down the hall, to the left. The door is open, you can't miss her." Mitsuyo sighed.
"Thank you." Ren nodded.
Hifumi was indeed studying, but it was hard to focus considering everything that happened. With a small groan she decided to give up, just slumping over her desk. "…I think that's enough studying for now…" She then heard a knock at her door. She turned and… "Guys?"
"Surprise!" Ann said with a wide grin. "You didn't think we'd leave you alone for too long, did you?"
"…No…No I didn't." Hifumi was able to smile a bit. It was the first time she smiled in days, so she was already feeling better.
.
.
March 3rd.
After school today, Ryuji asked everyone if they could meet up at Leblanc. There was something he wanted to discuss with everyone. "You sure you want me hangin' around? I can step out for a bit, if you like." Sojiro didn't want to feel as though he was intruding on their conversation.
"No, I'd prefer you stick around." Ryuji said. "Everyone I owe somethin' to has gotta here this." He took a deep breath. "I'm thinkin' about moving."
That was a surprising thing to hear. "Moving…?" Haru blinked.
"It's just…a helluva lots happened this year. It's got me thinkin' about the future 'n stuff." Ryuji replied. "…And how I still wanna get back on the track team. That's why I wanna move closer to a physical rehab facility, get my knee fixed up while goin' to school…at the earliest, this'll all kick off starting next month. But that's only if everything goes well…"
"I see…that is quite sudden." Yusuke said. A month wasn't a lot of time.
Ann was silent for a moment as well. "Actually, I have some news too. I'm in the middle of studying abroad, just short term. I think it would be the smartest move for my career…but it would take a little while before I can get started." She'd have to actually start taking her studying seriously if she wanted this to work…and her school grades weren't the best…
"You're moving, too?" Yusuke was stunned. Even if it wasn't in the immediate future, the fact it was happening still surprised him,
"…Haru and I are in the process of looking for our own places to stay as well." Makoto said.
"I plan to keep learning about the business while also attending college." Haru smiled. "That's why Mako-chan and I were talking about how we might not be able to get together like we used to."
"I see…" It was a bittersweet feeling, but it was also nice to hear everyone's plans for the future, even if it was soon. Hifumi managed a slight smile. "I'm going to continue playing shogi. It's been a little difficult to shake that Phony Princess title, but I'm still going to show everyone the extent of my ability. My mother intends make up for what she's done…it won't be an easy road, but it is one we're going to walk all the same."
"…I'll be going to training camp soon." Sumire said. "Being a Phantom Thief has taught me so much, and it's helped me rediscover who I truly am. Balancing practice and that was a little difficult, I honestly don't know how I managed, especially towards the end of last year. That said I can't afford to let up on my training. I still intend to be number one in the world. For Kasumi's sake and my own."
With everyone discussing their plans, Sojiro looked to Futaba. "Do you want to tell them?"
Everyone looked at Futaba. "Um, so….I passed the entrance exam. I'm going to be a high schooler starting in April. First high school, then college, then I can study cognitive psience for real."
"Even you, Futaba?" Yusuke said. "Actually, no. I should be wishing you good luck. You're all making strides forward, but I will not be going anywhere until I've completed my current painting. No matter how many years it takes, I will express this feeling that's grown within me since we've banded together."
"Yeah. We'll always be connected. I wish everyone good luck." Ren said with a nod.
"No matter what we may go through, or how many times we stumble, we'll follow the path we believe in. That's what the Phantom Thieves are about!" Morgana said proudly.
"Stop trying to be such a cool cat!" Futaba teased.
"I am not a cat…! Well…I guess I am." Morgana admitted it at last.
"I'm still not acceptin' Doc's reality, but I don't think I'd feel this way if it weren't for everything we'd gone through." Ryuji said.
"…Oh! That reminds me…" Sumire pulled out the newspaper clipping and set it on the table. "With everything that happened, I completely forgot about this. I think this is Dr. Maruki's Treasure. I'd been holding onto it, but I forgot to let everyone know."
"It's the case about Dr. Maruki's loved one – the one whose family was murdered." Yusuke mumbled.
"So her case was the origin of Dr. Maruki's distortion…" Morgana said.
"Would you hold onto it, Senpai?" Sumire looked at Ren.
"…Yeah." Ren nodded and slid the clipping into his pocket.
"We've all gotta keep livin' with our eyes focused on our dreams. Otherwise, Dr. Maruki's gonna give us all kinds of shit." Ryuji said.
"That's right." Haru and Hifumi nodded in agreement.
"You've all become quite mature." Sojiro smiled. "Let me throw you a little celebration in honor of the next chapter of your lives."
"Woohoo! It's all you can eat and drink!" Futaba beamed.
"Boss! Thank you for your generosity!" Yusuke was extremely eager now.
"Uh? Wait…that's not what I…" Sojiro began to sweat. Everyone was looking at him with hopeful eyes. Damn him for being so soft."…At least go easy on me, will you?"
.
.
March 19th.
Do the Phantom Thieves really exist? 48%.
Ren was all set to leave tomorrow. He walked downstairs and was greeted by Sojiro and Futaba. "Hey, so you're finally taking off tomorrow." Sojiro said.
"Sojiro said you don't have to help out here today." Futaba said.
"Go on and see your friends before you leave." Sojiro nodded.
"Try not to crrrrrry!" Futaba teased. Like she wasn't going to.
"…No promises." Ren said with a slight smile. Before he left, he turned to Sojiro. "See ya soon."
"Saying goodbye to me? Cut it out, you're gonna see me tomorrow." Sojiro chuckled. "Just remember to pack once you get back, you here. I don't want you forgetting anything important here."
"Oh, right…speaking of." Ren held out his probation notebook. "Take it."
"I forgot about this." Sojiro said with a small laugh. "The diary of the Phantom Thieves' leader. I'm sure it'll be worth a lot someday. Try to behave yourself back home, would ya? Ah, not like you ever listen to me anyway…now go on and get going. You have plenty of people to see today, don't you?"
"Yeah. I'll see you soon." Ren said with a nod and exited Leblanc. He didn't get too far, because Sae was practically right outside the store. "Oh, hey."
"You look like you're doing well." Sae said with a slight smile. "I decided to stop by after work. I used to come by this area all the time, I was always a fan of Leblanc's coffee. It's tomorrow, right? The day you go home."
"Care for some coffee?" Ren asked.
"I appreciate the offer, but I imagine you have other things to do." Sae responded. "On the record, you've been officially cleared of every crime you were accused off. Unfortunately, the stigmas that came with them are a little harder to simply wipe away. You might find that even now, it seems like the whole world is against you. So just in case, take this…" She handed Ren a business card.
"A lawyer card?" Ren said. He wasn't surprised since Sae did tell him she planned to make that change.
"Whenever you need help, I'll be there." Sae said with a smile.
"…Thanks. That means a lot." Ren gave Sae a smile of his own.
.
.
Ren spent his day visiting those he'd come to rely on. Takemi, Kawakami, Ohya, Chihaya, Shinya, Mishima, Yoshida, and Iwai. All of them gave positive updates about their situations and weren't the only ones planning to move forward with their lives. It was late, so Ren returned to Leblanc where Futaba and Sojiro were waiting. "So, how'd it go? Did it make you wanna stay?" Sojiro asked.
"Yeah." Ren didn't fight that at all.
"I see. You must've made a lot of good memories." Sojiro smiled gently. "You're leaving early tomorrow from Shibuya, right? Make sure you pack up before you head to sleep. Oh, and take that stupid cat with you. I don't want it getting lost and coming back here."
"Don't make fun of me! I can go wherever I want and handle myself!" Morgana huffed.
"It never really stops meowing, huh?" Sojiro sighed. "Hey, Futaba. What did it say?"
"It said Sojiro's stupid!" Futaba lied with a smiel.
"What kind of translation is that!? Let me have a nice goodbye!" Morgana objected. Futaba just smiled and laughed.
"Mona's your responsibility now, Ren. Leave Sojiro to me!" Futaba said excitedly.
"…Isn't the other way around?" Ren asked. "Ah, I'm counting on you."
"Alright! I've been counted upon!" Futaba adjusted her glasses. "And even if you're not here, I'll still do my best. I promise…!"
"I know you will." Ren tilted his head a bit, smiling at Futaba. It was time for him to go upstairs and pack his things. He'd be leaving soon…
.
.
March 20th.
Today was the day. Ren walked downstairs with his bag in tow. "Hey. You got everything?" Sojiro asked. He wanted to make sure Ren didn't forget anything.
"Yeah, nothing's left." Not that Ren had a lot here to begin with. But that was beside the point.
"When I took you in, I thought I was the one helping you. But it turns out it was the other way around. Take care." Sojiro gave Ren one last smile.
"You too." Ren said with a slight smile.
"Oh, right…I wanted to have Futaba see you off too. I haven't been able to find her since this morning, same with that cat. But anyway, if you ever drop by, I'll treat you to a nice cup of coffee." But as nice as the offer was, Sojiro realized the flaw in this. "Wait. That means I can't go closing the store. Huh…hey, what're you doing? Hurry up and go."
"Hah. Right, right. I'm so grateful…thank you for everything." Ren said before making his way out of Leblanc.
Once Ren was gone, Sojiro stared at the probation notebook, and wiped away a single tear. "…Yeah…."
.
.
Ren made his way to Shibuya. He was curious about where Morgana went off to, since he did want to go home with him. Surely he'd run into him soon enough. But for now, Ren was taking in the Shibuya atmosphere. "A lot sure did happen in this city…"
"Yo! You over there!" Ryuji's voice called out to Ren. When Ren looked over, he could see everyone gathered together in a van. Makoto was driving and Ann was in the passenger's seat. Ryuji, Yusuke, Haru, Sumire, Hifumi, and Futaba were in the van as well.
"Hello there." Hifumi gave Ren a slight smile. "You didn't think we wouldn't see you off, did you?"
"After we all said we'd disband…" Yusuke remarked.
"We are all on break after all." Haru giggled.
"No more entrance exams. I can drive you to the station." Makoto said.
"Can I drive on the way back?" Haru asked. Makoto immediately stiffened up. "I-I appreciate the offer, but I can handle it. It's not a long drive."
"You really, really gotta go?" Futaba asked.
"…Mmm…" Ann took the rear view mirror and tilted it slightly. Behind them was a black car. They were being tailed. "They're still here."
"Are you serious!?" Sumire looked and so did everyone else.
"They really are persistent…" Hifumi grumbled. "They must be bored these days."
"Shit…" Ryuji cursed.
"I bet we would've lost them if Mako-chan took that turn like I suggested…" Haru pointed out.
"That was into incoming traffic, Haru-senpai…" Sumire said with a sweat drop.
"To think they would follow us here, though…" Yusuke said. "What should we do?"
"Guess I'm still pretty popular with the police…" Ren sighed, feeling like he was causing trouble just for trying to leave. It wasn't his fault.
A taxi cab then pulled up next to them. "Need a hand?" The window lowered and the driver was…Tatuko Maruki. He opened the back seat for Ren to slip inside.
"Dr. Maruki!?" Ryuji gasped.
"Holy…" Ren wasn't expecting this.
"Are you suggesting we split up?" Makoto asked. Maruki just gave a silent nod, and Ryuji gave a thumbs up in response. So the others drove off, goading the undercover police into chasing them, while Ren sat in the back seat of Maruki's taxi.
"Shall we, then?" Maruki asked.
"Yeah." Ren replied.
So Maruki drove Ren to the station. Once he stopped, Ren was about to pull out some cash to pay for the fare, but he was stopped. "There's no charge."
"What…?" Ren was a little surprised.
"If you find yourself struggling in life, you can start over, like me." Maruki said calmly. "Remember that. So yeah, if that ends up saving you…then we're square." He turned back and held his fist out for a fist bump. Ren gave the fist bump and stepped out of the taxi. Just in time, because they could see (and hear) the van the others were in screeching nearby. "Good luck. Until we meet again." With that, Maruki drove off.
The very second Maruki drove off; the van came to a halt in front of Ren. The door opened and Ryuji was there. "Man, those guys wouldn't give up!"
"Wish it went smoothly, but…I guess this is it?" Futaba asked.
"Take care of yourself." Hifumi smiled.
"Be sure to eat well." Yusuke said.
"We'll see you. Soon, right?" Haru said.
"If you don't come back, we'll find you there!" Ann teased.
"Be well, senpai! You were the one who taught me to keep my head up." Sumire said with a warm smile.
"Take care." Makoto said. With that, they began to drive off.
"Seeeee ya later, my duuuude!" Ryuji waved.
"I'll text you!" Futaba exclaimed.
"…See you later, guys." Ren couldn't help but smile. As he started to walk into the station, he felt something move in his bag. Morgana popped out of the bag. "What the-?"
"Told you I was coming with you!" Morgana said cockily.
"…You didn't have to hide, you know. You missed the goodbyes." Ren said while shaking his head. "But I was wondering why my bag felt a little heavier than before."
"I'm not that heavy!" Morgana exclaimed.
Ren just chuckled at that. He got onto the train and they still had a little bit of time until they took off. Morgana eventually fell asleep in his bag, and Ren was sitting by the window, waiting for the train to depart. He got a notification on his phone and decided to look at it. In that moment, while his attention was out of the window…he missed a familiar young man passing by, only wearing a single glove. "Huh…?" Ren looked out the window, but that person had already walked past. Was it just his imagination? It felt like…. "…."
"We will now be departing…"
The voice of the conductor spoke to every passenger on the train. The train soon began to move from the station and Ren was off back to his hometown. His attention went to the window and his reflection showed him something most surprising. He saw himself as Joker staring right back. "What the…?" Ren quickly took his glasses off and looked out once again, but it was just his normal reflection now. "…I must be seeing things…heh…."
.
.
"Are they still following us!?" Sumire looked behind them. The black car was still tracking them down.
"I give them points for their tenacity." Yusuke groaned. "But we've nothing of interest."
"Mako-chan, I think you should make that turn now!" Haru suggested.
"Haru, that's way too dangerous! Don't worry, I can lose them!" Makoto was confident in her ability.
"Please don't turn too harshly; I don't want my breakfast coming up …" Ann pleaded. Being chased by the police wasn't on her itinerary for the day.
"Well, this is one hell of a way to end things for now, ain't it?" Ryuji laughed. He was the only one finding enjoyment out of this. "Besides, there's no way they'll catch us with the Fist of the Phantom Star drivin'!"
"If I weren't driving I'd smack you." Makoto said. She still didn't like that name too much, but she was also joking. Even in this tense situation, she was smiling slightly.
"Hey, a red light's coming up! If you can clear it we'll lose them!" Futaba pointed out. Makoto didn't need to hear anything else. She absolutely sped forward, a little over the speed limit, clearing the red light. The police would've followed, but another car cut in front of them at the last second…Maruki's taxi. There wasn't much they could do but be angry at this random taxi cab driver that got in their way. By the time the light did turn green, they were long gone.
"That worked out well." Hifumi snickered.
"I told ya!" Ryuji beamed.
"Alright. I'll go find a place to park…and then we can head on our separate ways." Makoto said. It was a bittersweet thing to say.
"Nothing wrong with having lunch together first, right?" Ann said. "I could really go for something sweet."
"Yeah, come on!" Futaba pleaded.
"I think that's a good idea." Hifumi added.
"I could go for something as well." Yusuke added.
"I'm pretty hungry myself…" Said Sumire, the biggest eater of them all. "It would be nice to have a good lunch before I head to camp."
"Come on, Mako-chan!" Haru was piling on the peer pressure.
"Yeah, let's go!" Ryuji was adding onto it as well.
Makoto had no choice but to concede. She sighed, but there was a smile on her face. There was nothing wrong with a little more time together. "Alright, alright. We'll have one lunch together. We're on break, so I don't see anything wrong with that."
"WOOOO!" Everyone cheered.
While they were all deciding on where to go for lunch, Hifumi pulled out her phone. She made her lock screen that family picture of herself, Mistuyo, and Mitsurugi. That family photo would be a great reminder for her. "My life has had many ups and downs lately. I feel like I've lived several lifetimes in just the span of a few months, but…if I had to live through it all again, I would. It's been hard, but I've had a great many people on my side to support me." Her gaze briefly went to the people in the van. At some point, Ryuji and Yusuke were in a disagreement over where they should go eat, with Sumire weighing in as well. This chaos only made Hifumi smile. "So, Father…I promise that I won't stop. I'm going to move forward, and keep fighting with everything that I am. Please watch over me and mom…we'll both do you proud, I swear it, as ruler of the Togo Kingdom. As the mighty Dragon, my roar will be heard across all the land, and I will be the brightest start in the night sky!
So please, rest well and watch me shine…"
.
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Persona 5 Royal: The Star Shines.
End.
Thank you all so much for reading this story. I've had a great time writing it. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did! One day, the Phantom Thieves will return and Strike back against evil once again.
This chapter was also written when the news of Takuto Maruki's English voice actor, Billy Kametz passed away. I would like to thank him for his voice work and all of the joy and laughs he brought to his fans and his friends. May he rest in peace.
Until next time, everyone!