8/18 Wednesday
As she prepared to go see Futaba for the day, she felt her phone ringing, and that Ren was calling her.
"Hey, Makoto!" Ren greeted.
"Good morning, Ren." Makoto greeted. "Shall I come over now?"
"Actually…"
"Hm?"
"Why don't you take the day off?" Ren asked. "I can handle things."
"Are you sure?" Makoto asked. "I can…"
"Makoto. Relax. She's going to be here at Leblanc and helping out, remember?" Ren reminded her. "Both Boss and I will be there to make sure that nothing happens to her."
"Well… I suppose…" Makoto trailed off.
"Rghhh…Nghhh… Hnghhhh!"
"Um, what's that noise?" Makoto asked.
"Oh, that's Futaba." Ren answered. "She's making Futaba noises."
"… Are you sure everything is going to be ok?" Makoto asked.
"It's fine, it's fine." Ren insisted. "Don't worry, I've got this."
"Are you sure?" Makoto asked.
"Positive." Ren assured her.
"Well, alright… if you think it'll be ok…" Makoto muttered.
They said goodbye, leaving her with the rest of the day off.
Although now she wasn't quite sure what to do…
She eventually settled on simply relaxing at home. Her summer break had certainly been very hectic so far. It would be nice to just relax, if only for a little bit…
She awoke a few hours later.
"Did I… fall asleep?" Makoto muttered.
She must have been really tired. She really did need this small break.
She let out a smile, remembering how it was Ren that had suggested that she take a break.
She'd have to make sure to thank him the next time she saw him.
She was about to prepare a small meal for herself when she heard her phone going off.
She glanced at it, seeing that she had gotten a text from Ryuji.
"Hey, Makoto!" Ryuji yelled. "Big news!"
"What happened?" Makoto asked.
"It's Yamauchi!" Ryuji replied. "I'm sure that he's up to no good, so I've been trying to get some information on him. But I'm probably gonna need your help."
Seems her break wouldn't be lasting that long…
Still, it was for a friend.
"What do you need me to do?" Makoto asked.
"I heard that he's going drinking at a monja restaurant." Ryuji told her. "He'd recognize me, but not you, so I need you to go undercover and see if he says anythin' about the track team!"
"Alright. I'll see what I can do." Makoto promised.
"Thanks. I owe you one." Ryuji grinned.
Considering that she would be going undercover, Makoto decided that it would be best if she wore the same outfit that she wore while secretly meeting with Ann back when they were dealing with Kobayakawa.
She had secretly been looking for an excuse to wear it again, to be honest.
She made her way to the monja restaurant, Ryuji going to the bathroom.
"Just leave your phone on so I can hear, ok?" he said.
Makoto nodded, slowly eating her monjayaki while she waited.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before Yamauchi and another teacher appeared and ordered some drinks.
She quietly waited and listened in as they engaged in some small talk.
"You can really hold your liquor, huh, Yamauchi." the other teacher noted.
"Well, I've had some experience." Yamauchi stated.
"Back in my college days, I used to rent a yacht and throw parties."
It was only a little bit, but Makoto could tell that his words were slightly slurred.
"The sake seems much sweeter now." Yamauchi said.
"That's probably because Kamoshida isn't around anymore. Things are much calmer after those dark days." The other teacher theorized.
Yamauchi nodded. "I suppose so."
"But hey, now that he's gone, you finally get the chance you deserve!" the other teacher exclaimed.
"Hahaha, you don't have to flatter me." Yamauchi laughed. "He had his strengths, but because of him, the volleyball team is permanently scarred. It might be best to just abandon it completely…"
"But surely there has to be to get Shujin back into the limelight." the other teacher said.
"That's where I come in." Yamauchi said.
"With the track team, right?" the other teacher asked.
Yamauchi nodded. "Imagine this. Students that went through so much hardship under Kamoshida rising again with a caring new advisor. The public and the media will love it!"
"Will you hire another coach to help you?" the other teacher asked.
"Of course." Yamauchi nodded. "And naturally, all of the praise will be coming my way as well."
"Very smart!" the other teacher praised.
"Indeed." Yamauchi nodded. "And I'm sure that the school will recognize my excellence when it comes time to pass out bonuses."
"You might have to deal with some of the problem students first." the other teacher advised. "I hear that that Nakaoka boy is a bit of a troublemaker."
"Nakaoka… oh right, he was the one who asked the school if they could bring back the coach that was before Kamoshida." Yamauchi recalled. "I've already taken care of him…"
"How so?" the other teacher asked.
"You see… There's this other student on the team… Takeishi. He… He doesn't really excel in anything." Yamauchi said. "But I told him that if he found a way to get rid of Nakaoka, then I'd make him the captain of the team. I might have… subtly told him that Nakaoka had worked with Kamoshida before too…"
"Oh? And how did that work out?" the other teacher inquired.
"Worked like a charm, of course!" Yamauchi chuckled. "I heard that Takeishi already managed to chase him away! And what's even better… I recently heard that he comes from a very affluent family, and his mother is even the president of the PTA."
"Hmm… it would be nice to have someone like that in your corner, then." the other teacher observed.
"That's true, but… like I said, he doesn't really excel at anything. There's no way he'd make a good captain for the track team." Yamauchi replied. "I might have to find a way to get rid of him too."
Makoto narrowed her eyes, trying not to express how angry this conversation was making her.
She could only imagine how difficult it must be for Ryuji…
"Until then, however, he can show the rest of the team how important it is to obey me." Yamauchi explained.
"Hehehe… What a wonderful plan." the other teacher praised.
The two of them spoke for a while longer before leaving.
Ryuji exited the bathroom soon afterwards, the expression on his face showing that he had heard every word.
Ryuji slammed his fist on the table.
"That effin' asshole!" Ryuji shouted. "If we don't do something quick, then Yamauchi's gonna get rid of Takeishi too, dammit!"
"Did you record the call?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah, I did." Ryuji mentioned. "So, you think that we should just change his heart."
"I'm not sure… I'm hesitant to change the heart of someone we weren't requested to change." Makoto admitted.
"The only reason no one's makin' requests is because he's manipulatin' them." Ryuji replied. "Ain't it better to deal with Yamauchi before it becomes a big enough problem that someone feels like they have to request us?"
"Even so…" Makoto trailed off…
"Maybe the track team will finally start to respect me after this…" Ryuji muttered.
"That's not why we do this." Makoto reminded him.
"I know that!" Ryuji exclaimed. "I know why we gotta remain anonymous, but all I'm sayin' is it would be nice to have some appreciation, that's all."
"I understand that, but… there's still tension in the track team after Kamoshida left. I'm worried that this will have the same result. I think we should try to talk to them about this and see what they want to do." Makoto reasoned.
"I suppose it is their problem…" Ryuji shrugged. "Either way, I can't just sit by and let them suffer. Not after what we went through… alright. I guess we can talk to them. See what they have to say."
She smiled. "Yeah. Let's do that.
She felt like she understood Ryuji's feelings a little better and felt closer to him as a result.
CHARIOT CONFIDANT: RANK 7
After saying goodbye to Ryuji, she made her way back home, still feeling somewhat concerned…
8/19 Thursday
Soon after she woke up, she saw her phone beginning to ring.
"Hello." Makoto greeted.
"Hey, Makoto." Ren greeted. "How's it going?"
"It's going well." Makoto replied. "I really did need a break. Thanks for suggesting I take a break."
"No problem." Ren smiled. "You would have done the same for me."
"So, how did everything go with Futaba?" Makoto asked.
Ren paused for a moment.
"Well… she scared some of the customers with her mask." Ren admitted.
Makoto sighed. "I knew I should have been there…"
"But it was fine! Really!" Ren told her. "There was that incident, sure, but other than that, things went really well!"
"Is that so?" Makoto asked.
"It's true." Ren told her. "I'm definitely starting to see improvement."
"That's good to hear." Makoto smiled. "Although…"
"What is it?" Ren asked.
"I am a little concerned… we'll be going to your hometown soon." Makoto mentioned. "Do you think she'll be ok?"
"Well, that's what we're here for, right?" Ren replied. "To make sure that she'll be able to get by on her own."
"I suppose." Makoto agreed.
"We'll let her know when the time comes and see what she says." Ren said. "Anyways, I think Futaba's earned a break today, don't you?"
"Yes, I suppose she has." Makoto agreed. "
They said their goodbyes, Makoto immediately receiving a text as her call with Ren ended.
Hifumi: Good morning, Niijima-san. Would you like to practice Shogi with me today at the church?
She smiled, texting that she'd love to come, and made her way to the church.
The moment she arrived, she saw Hifumi speaking to an older woman.
"That's right! Your next opponent will finally be a professional!" the older woman excitedly said. "My client is a big shot in the Shogi Players' Association, so I worked really hard to set this up."
"But…" Hifumi trailed off.
The older woman turned towards her. "Oh? Is this young woman a fan of yours?"
"No, Mother." Hifumi whispered. "She's another one of my shogi friends… I told you about them, remember?"
"I see… well, at least she's not that scruffy haired boy from before." her mother muttered. "We can't have you being seen alone with a boy."
"M-Mother…!" Hifumi gasped.
"I'm just reminding you that you're not allowed to date, young lady." her mother pointed out. "It would be a shame if you lost all of the new male fans you've been attracting with all of your photo spreads."
Makoto could tell that Hifumi was starting to look visibly uncomfortable.
"I need you to do this for me, Hifumi." Hifumi's mother requested. "Understand?"
"…Yes, mother." Hifumi whispered. "I understand.
"Good. I'll see you at home." her mother said.
As Hifumi's mother left, the two of them sat down, the atmosphere more than a little awkward.
"… I apologize." Hifumi finally said. "That must have been… quite the shock."
"That was your mother, right?" Makoto askes.
"Yes. She's very…"
"Controlling?" Makoto finished.
To her surprise, Hifumi let out a small giggle.
"I suppose that's not altogether inaccurate." Hifumi smiled. "She has her reasons though."
"What would they be?" Makoto wondered.
"It's my father." Hifumi answered. "He's ill and unable to work, so my mother supports us. My mother used to be a T.V announcer, but she quit in order to take care of father. It was actually my father who inspired me to play Shogi in the first place."
"Really?" Makoto asked. "You know… my father was a large inspiration to me too."
"It seems we have that in common, then." Hifumi smiled. "My father was a pro Shogi player. He's usually calm, but you can feel his spirit whenever he played. But…"
"But what?" Makoto asked.
"My father put Shogi above everything, and it started to affect his health until one day he collapsed." Hifumi explained. "To my mother, it was as if Shogi stole both her dreams and her husband."
"So why does she encourage you to do Shogi?" Makoto asked.
"I think that… she wants me to be successful since she couldn't. She wants me to fulfill her dreams." Hifumi muttered, glancing towards the ground. "And I want to become a professional so that I can make enough money to ease my parents' burdens."
"I see… is that why you've been posing for magazines?" Makoto asked.
Hifumi nodded. "I've been doing photoshoots and interviews, hoping that it'll add a bit to our income. But… it's very difficult for me."
"You should do what's best for you." Makoto advised. "If it makes you uncomfortable, you should stop."
Hifumi gave a small smile. "I'm glad that you're so concerned about me. It's just… I want to support my family any way I can."
"I understand." Makoto nodded. "Just… make sure that you're doing it because you want to. Don't let anyone dictate your life."
"I will keep that in mind." Hifumi nodded, before frowning. "Tch… I don't want to dwell on this too long, though. I'll be facing a strong opponent in battle soon."
"Well, I know something that might take your mind off of things." Makoto suggested.
Hifumi paused, before frowning.
"… You aren't going to make me pose with you, are you?" Hifumi asked.
"… That depends. Are you going to make me come up with my own special move names for Shogi?" Makoto asked.
"… Hahaha. Touché." Hifumi giggled. "Now then, you were going to suggest Shogi, right? Then let's begin."
She felt a little closer to Hifumi.
STAR CONFIDANT: RANK 5
After saying her goodbyes, she left Hifumi and went back to her home.
8/20 Friday
Futaba was taking another break today, so she decided to simply take a walk around her home, hoping to relax and be able to take her mind off of everything.
As she was walking around the park near her home, she noticed a few people gathered around some tents.
"Hello there, Niijima-San."
She quickly spun around, seeing Yohei smiling behind her.
"O-Oh, hello." Makoto stammered. "Sorry, you startled me."
"Ah, sorry about that…" Yohei trailed off. "I've been told that I have a quiet presence."
"Haha, Yohei, don't tell me you're scaring kids, are you?"
A grey-haired woman in a tattered coat and worn-out boots approaches them.
She looked to be about a decade older than Yohei.
"Tomo-san, you know I wouldn't do that." Yohei frowned.
"Is she a friend of yours?" Makoto asked.
Yohei nodded. "This is Tomo. She's one of the people who live in our camp."
"It's good to meet you, Tomo-san." Makoto said. "I'm Makoto Niijima."
"Nice to meet you, Niijima-san." Tomo smiled. "Do you know Yohei?"
"I do." Makoto nodded. "We met in this park a while ago."
"Well, any friend of Yohei is a friend of mine." Tomo smiled. "Did you come over to see him?"
"I was actually just going on a walk right now." Makoto told the woman.
"Well, if you aren't busy, maybe you could stop by our little camp." Tomo invited.
"Are you sure?" Makoto asked.
"Of course." Tomo beamed. "I'm sure that the others will love having a visitor."
"They'll probably want to play cards again." Yohei mentioned.
"Cards?" Makoto repeated. "What card games do they play?"
"Today, they're playing Oicho-Kabu." Tomo answered. "It's a little like Baccarat. Have you ever played either of them?
"I haven't." Makoto answered. "I'm not really sure how to play."
"That's alright." Tomo smiled. "I'm sure that you'll learn the ropes soon enough. Let's play a few rounds!"
"I, um… don't really have any money on me." Makoto admitted.
"Ah, that's all right." Tomo insisted. "I would feel bad takin' money from a kid. Let's just play for fun. What do you say?"
Makoto smiled. "I'd like that."
She turned towards Yohei.
"Would you like to play too?" Makoto asked.
"Me?" Yohei questioned.
"Yes, you." Makoto nodded. "Don't you want to play too?"
"Yeah, come on, Yohei!" Tomo smiled. "It'll be fun."
"Well… alright, I suppose I could play a few games." Yohei replied.
"That's the spirit!" Tomo grinned.
The three of them went to the homeless camp, meeting with the others and playing cards with the others.
"Hey everyone!" Tomo greeted. "Ready to play? Yohei said he'll play cards with us too."
The men and women in the camp smiled, greeting Yohei.
"Yohei, play me first! Maybe you can give me some tips!" one man said.
"Ah… I don't really know this game that well." Yohei admitted.
"That's alright. I can teach you." another man offered.
Makoto noted that they all seemed to have a lot of respect for Yohei.
"Say, who's that girl with you?" a woman asked.
"This is Niijima-san." Yohei answered. "She's just visiting."
They all seemed to accept that response, greeting her and offering to play cards with her.
She found herself smiling the entire time playing with them, even managing to win a round after a few tries.
After finishing some games, the three of them left the camp, Tomo laughing as they did.
"You're a natural, kid!" Tomo grinned. "You picked up on that game really quick."
"Thank you." Makoto smiled. "It was a lot of fun."
"It was good to have you join us for a day." Tomo smiled. "And… it was good to have you join us as well, Yohei."
"They really seemed to respect you." Makoto noted.
"Of course they do!" Tomo grinned. "Yohei's always looked out for and protected us."
"Protected you?" Makoto repeated.
"Some people around here aren't really too fond of us…" Yohei explained. "Even so, I'll try my hardest to make sure that no one tries to harm them in any way.
"I see…" Makoto trailed off.
It was definitely clear to her why the other members of the homeless camp held so much respect for Yohei…
She felt her own respect for him grow as well.
DEATH CONFIDANT: RANK 4
It was good to see you again, Niijima-san." Yohei smiled. "I… had some fun. Feel free to stop by at any time."
Yohei stepped away, and as soon as he was out of earshot, Tomo began to speak again.
"Thanks for convincing him to come and play cards with the rest of us." Tomo expressed.
"Does he not play with the rest of you normally?" Makoto asked.
"He tends to keep his distance." Tomo frowned. "I'm thankful for everything that he does for us… but a part of me is still a little concerned about his behavior."
"What about his behavior?" Makoto wondered.
"It'd be one thing if he just didn't talk much… but there are times when he'll leave in the dead of night." Tomo muttered. "None of us are really sure where he goes, and whenever anyone asks, he says that he has no idea what they're talking about."
"Well, he trained with me for a few nights recently." Makoto stated.
"Interesting… although this has been happening for years now." Tomo stated.
Makoto frowned. "If it's been happening for years, then I'm afraid I don't know."
"That's alright." Tomo said. "See you later, Niijima-san."
"Goodbye." Makoto smiled.
As Makoto went home for the day, she couldn't help but wonder what Yohei could possibly be doing so late at night…
Makoto's Confidant Progress:
THE FOOL - Ren Amamiya: Rank 8
THE HUNGER - Igor: Rank 6
THE CHARIOT - Ryuji Sakamoto: Rank 7
THE MAGICIAN - Morgana: Rank 6
THE FAITH - Eiko Takao: Rank 6
THE TOWER - Chiaki Yasui: Rank 5
THE SUN - Shiho Suzui: Rank 7
THE MOON - Takayo Tachibana: Rank 5
THE HIEROPHANT - Sojiro Sakura: Rank 5
THE TEMPERANCE - Naoya Makigami: Rank 5
THE STAR - Hifumi Togo: Rank 5
THE DEVIL - Mitsuhide Matsuoka: Rank 3
THE HANGED MAN - Munehisa Iwai: Rank 3
THE DEATH - Yohei Kiritani: Rank 4
THE EMPEROR - Yusuke Kitagawa: Rank 5
THE EMPRESS - Haru Okumura: Rank 4
THE LOVERS - Ann Takamaki: Rank 5
THE HERMIT - Futaba Sakura: Rank 1
THE STRENGTH - Caroline and Justine: Rank 6
THE JUSTICE - Goro Akechi: Rank 4
THE PRIESTESS - Kasumi Yoshizawa: Rank 3
THE FORTUNE - Phantom Thieves of Heart: Rank 4
THE JUDGMENT - Sae Niijima: Rank 5
THE COUNCILOR - Takuto Maruki: Rank 5
Are the Phantom Thieves just? Yes 54.7%
