A/N: There are songs used as inspiration for this chapter. After the Rain by W (Idolmaster ide M game) and Funny Bunny by The Pillows


As everyone on stage sung the song, the audience sang with the idols as they jumped and cheered with glee, clearly taken in by the performance.

Ryuji was just standing there however. He knew people had been in his position before, he knew that much. The main difference was that he had already given up. He resigned himself to not achieving much in life.

That was why he was so committed on being a Phantom Thief.

Being Skull gave him a purpose, something he knew he was able to do. He believed that he and the rest of the Phantom Thieves were changing the world for the better through the changing of hearts.

He knew he wouldn't benefit from his activities in the long run, at the very least, no one would else from Shujin would experience what he had gone through.

Then these people come in and tell him that it wasn't too late.

Tell everyone that he still had a chance at improving his life, a chance to give back to his mother who had sacrificed heaven and earth for him.

"Ryuji?" Anne called for his attention. "Are you alright?" She asked in concern.

"H-huh?" Ryuji turned towards his fellow Phantom Thief. "Y-yeah." He gulped. "I-I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Anne frowned. "You know you can tell us anything right?"

"Don't worry." Ryuji grinned.

"I'm serious." Anne glared at her companion. "I know people have given you flack over the past years." She admitted. "I-I just don't want you to end up like what Shiho did." She confessed.

"I'm fine." Ryuji insisted. "What about you?" He returned the question. "Are you fine Anne?"

Anne was caught off guard at the question, but she nonetheless answered.

"Y-yeah." Anne stuttered. "I-it's just that, Yamamoto-senshu's words reminded me of what happened to Shiho." She admitted.

Ryuji did not buy Anne's answer. He instead got the both of them to a relatively quiet place and conversed there.

"His words really got to you, huh?"

"Yamamoto-senshu's words just reminded me of my powerlessness and inability to help Shiho under Kamoshida." Anne admitted. "I-I ju-"

"H-hey." Ryuji cut off whatever Anne was about to say. "Suzui already forgave you." He assured his friend. "Even when there was nothing to forgive." He continued. "Both of you suffered under him." He explained.

"Still."

"Still nothing." Ryuji grinned. "Suzui has already moved on from this incident and you should too." He advised. "Besides, bastard's rotting in jail, and won't be released anytime soon." He finished.

"I hope you're right Ryuji." Anne confided her worries. "I really hope you're right."

"Hey hope for the best." Ryuji showed his friend his toothy grin." Am I right?"

"Speaking of moving on." Anne looked at her friend's face. "Got anything else you're good at besides Track, Ryuji?"

Ryuji was taken aback by the question. He did not expect the conversation to go there. Sure the athletes' words were what opened the topic in the first place, but putting him on the spot was not something he expected.

"I-I don't know." Ryuji admitted. "Ever since Nishi-nee started coaching us and tied with sixth graders in a race, all I could think about was joining the sport." He reminisced.

"Nishi-nee?" Anne questioned.

"Nishi-nee lived across us when Ma and I were still living with my deadbeat of a father in Tatsumi Port Island" He shared. "She and her boyfriend were the ones who coached us, a bunch of fourth graders." He sighed. "If only Shujin had her as a coach."

"That's sweet." Anne cooed.

"Other than that, I guess the only thing I'm good at is beating people up." Ryuji continued as he looked at his open palm. "And get myself and everyone I care about into trouble." He added bitterly as he clenched both his hands.

"Ryuji you weren't at fault," It was Anne's turn to comfort her friend. "Kamoshida and your father were the ones at fault, not you." She assured. "Your father took his job loss on you and your mother and Kamoshida was one jealous pervert."

"Got that right." Ryuji gave off a bitter laugh.

"If I may suggest." Someone inserted themselves into the conversation.

"Who're you?!" Ryuji and Anne were on alert at the sudden interruption.

"Sorry, sorry." The man in a black blazer and orange undershirt raised his hands to appease both teens. "I did not mean to eavesdrop." He apologized. "I just happened to hear the full conversation as you conversed in my earshot." He explained.

"S-sorry." Anne and Ryuji apologized as they bowed to the stranger.

"No harm, no foul" The man shrugged. "In any case, I'd like to suggest you play the drums." He offered. "Appearance-wise you aren't unfortunate." He began assessing Ryuji. "You already have a knack of beating things." He added. "We just got to put some rhythm into it."

"I don't know." Ryuji looked at Anne.

"Why?" Anne looked at her friend.

"I've never been good with academics." Ryuji admitted. "I'm pretty sure I'll fail as a drummer." He sighed.

"We won't know unless we try." The man shrugged. "If you change your mind, call me." He smiled at the boy before giving him his business card.

Ryuji and Anne looked at the card.

"Tsunayoshi Sawada." Ryuji read the card.

"What do you think Ryuji?" Anne questioned as her attention went back to her friend. "He does make a good point, you're already good at hitting things." She teased. "Let's just put some rhythm into those."

"I'll think about it." Ryuji sighed. "I really want to help out Ma." He confessed. "With my Track and Field dreams gone, I really don't know what else to do."

"I mean, it's not too late right?" Anne asked. "I mean W retired early because of their injuries." She pointed out. "But whatever you decide, we'll be here to support you."

"Thanks." Ryuji smiled at his friend as they returned to their places and turned their attention to the people performing on stage.

WE GO! Every time.

KICK OFF! We can start this now.

WE CAN! Run forwards to the goal we are aiming for.

The idols onstage sang as they spun in place then gestured towards the audience as the song ended.

"Encore! Encore! Encore! Encore!" The audience yelled.

"Encore you say?" Risette asked. "How about it every one?" She asked her fellow idols. "Do we have room for one more song?"

The people on stage looked at each other before they nodded.

"I guess we have one more room." Kyosuke answered.

"How about we sing Funny Bunny?" Yusuke suggested.

The audience's response was simply to cheer louder than before.


Defying the voice of your king,

You slipped out in the night, laughing

As the song started playing, the audience started to sing along as Ryuji and Anne reflected on their journey as members of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

How Ryuji and Anne overcame Kamoshida's abuse.

How Yusuke overcame his mentor's neglect and theft.

How Makoto overcame the late principal's manipulations.

How Haru stood above her father's desires and death.

How Futaba rose above the emotional manipulations of her relatives.

How Ren overcame the case filed against him.

Your dreams aren't fulfilled by someone else

It just comes on a strong wind one day.

The things they achieved as Phantom Thieves wouldn't have been possible if they weren't members of the group in the first place.

In a way, they themselves achieved their own dreams.