Breaking The Habit

"Excuse me, Niijima-san?"

Makoto Niijima, a third-year and the president of the Shujin Academy student council, turned to face her interlocutor, a girl who wore a pink sweater over the Shujin Academy girls' uniform. Makoto did not recognize the girl, but assumed that since she was polite enough to use an honorific but did not address her as "senpai,' she was a fellow third year.

"I'm Haru Okumura," the girl said, "a third-year and the student in charge of tending to the gardens. I have a question for you."

"Go ahead and ask, Okumura-san," Makoto said.

"It's about the garden," Haru said. "I understand that the roof is to be locked ever since... the incident, but I am still responsible for the gardens. Is there any way for me to access it?"

Makoto nodded.

"The custodian has a key," Makoto said. "He should be able to lend you a copy when necessary, but please keep in mind that you will be responsible for ensuring that the door is locked when the rooftop is not in use."

"I understand," Haru said. "Thank you for your help, Niijima-san."

"Not a problem," Makoto said.

At the time, Makoto thought nothing of it, and even forgot Haru's name, expecting she would never see her again.. There were hundreds of students in Shujin Academy, so it was hardly surprising that Makoto never exchanged words with Haru until the latter needed her help as the president.


As fate would have it, Makoto saw Haru a handful of times over the next few months. She participated in the cleanup in Inokashira Park, along with the rest of the school. She, while wearing a fancy yukata, got into a limousine at the fireworks festival. She, along with Makoto and a handful of other third-years, served as chaperones on the school trip. And she, in a Phantom Thief costume, infiltrated her father's Palace alongside Morgana.

Makoto was familiar enough with Haru to recognize her face, although it took looking at her in the class directory to remember her name.

Shortly after joining the Phantom Thieves, Makoto, noticing that Haru was still a bit formal around the others, wrote a response encouraging Haru to not worry about showing respect to those who, while younger than her, had seniority over her in the group. Makoto didn't clearly remember what she wrote in the text, but she remembered Haru's response word-for-word.

Haru: Thank you, Mako-chan.

Makoto hesitated to reply for a moment, and when she did, asked if Haru had meant her. Makoto already knew the answer, but posed the question so that if Haru regretted the nickname, she could simply claim it was a mistake to save face.

But Haru never did. Instead, she persisted in calling Makoto "Mako-chan" and referring to her other new friends in a similarly polite but affectionate manner.


In March of 2017, at the end of a very eventful school year, Makoto and Haru graduated from Shujin Academy.

Makoto delivered a graduation address as president. Her main theme was the most important piece of advice that her father had given her- the most important part of one's life is how one chooses to live it. She stressed that adulthood is a time of both freedom and responsibility, of endless opportunities and difficult decisions, and that the decisions one makes- even the decision to do nothing- reflect on one's character.

Makoto had considered castigating the Shujin Academy community for their complacency in the face of Kamoshida's wrongdoing, but she realized that doing so would not only be hypocritical, but entirely inappropriate for the situation. Rather than berate or talk down to her fellow graduates, it would be wisest to tell them what they should do, and leave it up to them to follow her advice.

After the ceremony ended, Haru walked up to Makoto.

"Great speech, Mako-chan," Haru said.

"Thank you, Haru," Makoto said. "The experiences I had over this past year helped influence this speech. I also have to thank Ren and Eiko; spending time with them helped me remember my father's advice."

"Oh, are you thinking about the time you and Ren-kun pretended to be in a relationship so you could investigate Takao-san's boyfriend?" Haru said.

"Partially," Makoto said, "but I'm thinking more about Eiko in general. Her plan was to coast through life, get married to her boyfriend and become a housewife, but that all fell apart when it turned out that Tsukasa was taking advantage of her, so she applied herself to her studies and got into a decent school. Meanwhile, I remembered the dream I had of following my father's footsteps and joining the police."

"I think I was a bit like Takao-san," Haru said, "until I took charge of my life, broke off my engagement to Sugimura-san, and decided to work toward becoming owner of my own cafe. Many people helped me with that, and you were one of them, Mako-chan. So thank you."

"You're welcome," Makoto said." We should probably meet up with the others so we can take a picture together."

"You're right," Haru said, "but before that I..."

"Yes?" Makoto said.

Haru's words caught in her throat. A part of her wanted to confess to Makoto, to take what might be the last possible chance to let her know her feelings. But another part said that the chance had expired, since Makoto and Haru were now going to separate universities and would be heading down entirely different career paths. Besides, there was no indication that Makoto was even interested in girls.

So Haru said nothing and shook her head.

"Nothing," Haru said. "Come on, let's go."

The two graduates of Shujin Academy rejoined their friends, wondering how many times they would be able to come together as a group.


On March 20, the Phantom Thieves prepared to drive Ren home, only to catch sight of some plainclothes investigators tailing their van and realize that the police hadn't yet given up on Ren. Luckily, their former enemy Maruki arrived in a cab to spirit Ren to the station, while the Phantom Thieves served as a diversion, then met up with Ren for a quick goodbye. Sumire crossed paths with Ren at the station, then left.

Later, while the Phantom Thieves were at Leblanc, Sumire called Futaba, who answered her phone.

"Yo, what's up?" Futaba said.

"Futaba-senpai?" Sumire said. "This is Yoshizawa. I saw the train leave with Senpai on it."

"So Ren made it?" Futaba said. "Great; I'm at Leblanc with the others, so I'll put you on speaker."

Futaba pointed the cell phone in the direction of the other Phantom Thieves, who were sitting at tables in the cafe.

"Can you hear me?" Sumire said.

"Loud and clear," Ryuji said. "Thanks for the good news.

"Just wondering, Sumire," Makoto said, "but do you know where the investigators went?"

"No idea, Makoto-senpai," Sumire said. "I think you and the others served as the bait well enough."

"I see," Makoto said. "I doubt this issue will be resolved this easily, but if Ren can go home without being followed, that's the best we can hope for."

"By the way, Sumire-chan," Haru said, "were you able to say goodbye to Ren-kun properly?"

"I didn't have long to speak with Senpai," Sumire said, "since we both had places to be. That said, I don't think of our encounter today as saying goodbye forever. We'll keep in touch, and we'll see each other again someday."

Sumire's answer filled Haru with hope. Connections weren't simply severed because people moved away, especially not with cell phones, the internet and other modern communication methods.

"Anyway," Sumire said, "I've got to get going, so if you don't have any questions, I'll hang up soon."

Futaba looked at the other Phantom Thieves, who shook their heads.

"Nope," Futaba said. "See ya at Shujin in a couple of weeks, Senpai."

"Until then, Futaba-senpai," Sumire said, hanging up.

Haru smiled. The Phantom Thieves lives' were taking them in different directions, but not necessarily to places they couldn't reach each other, so she was sure they'd reunite one day.


Before long, Makoto and Haru left for their respective universities with little fanfare; Sae helped Makoto move, while some servants of the Okumura household helped Haru.

After Futaba's first real day at Shujin, the group had an IM conversation.

Futaba: Check me out, rocking the Shujin Academy colors.

Futaba posted a picture of herself, which Sumire had taken with Futaba's smartphone, to the conversation.

Sumire: Looking great, Futaba-senpai.

Sumire: I mean Futaba-san.

Futaba: Glad you remember, senpai.

Yusuke: I see you are finally starting to show your elders their proper respect.

Yusuke: Can I perhaps expect to be treated the same way?

Futaba: Only if I transfer to your school, Inari.

Yusuke: You have a point.

Yusuke: In all seriousness, Sumire, you do not need to call me "Senpai," either, since I attend Kosei.

Makoto: Haru and I have also graduated, so we're technically not your senpai anymore, either.

Sumire: Understood.

Sumire: So I guess I'll use "-san" on the rest of you, instead. Does that sound right?

Haru: That's fine by me.

Haru: I suppose that's what I'd call you if you were a third-year.

Ren: I'm fine either way.

Sumire: All right, Senpai.

Haru giggled. Somewhere along the line, "Senpai" had morphed from an obligatory term of respect to Ren due to his status as Sumire's upperclassman to an affectionate nickname from a girlfriend to her boyfriend.


Makoto and Haru's schools were close enough for them to occasionally visit each other, although the fact that they required a train ride, something that was time-consuming and expensive, meant they couldn't visit all that often.

On a Saturday evening in the middle of April, Makoto called Haru.

"It's me," Makoto said. "Are you going to be working at the cafe tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yes, I will," Haru said, "which means we won't be able to hang out, unfortunately."

"I thought not," Makoto said, "but how about I visit you at work? Would you like that?"

"I would," Haru said, "but I have two stipulations. First, I won't be able to talk with you for too long, especially not if it's busy. Second, I hope you won't mind if I'm a bit more formal than usual. Third- no free food or drinks. Is this acceptable?"

"It is," Makoto said. "The last thing I want is to get you in trouble.."

"Me too," Haru said. "I'm sure you'd love the coffee at my workplace.

Haru helped Makoto decide on a time to come, and also gave her a few recommendations.


Makoto headed to the cafe in the afternoon.

Upon arriving in the cafe, Makoto immediately recognized Haru, who wore a white blouse and black slacks with the coffee shop's apron.

"Welcome," Haru said. "What can I get started for you?"

"I'll go with a #3, please," Makoto said. "Is it all right if I sit at the counter?"

"Certainly, miss," Haru said. "Please, have a seat."

Makoto sat down.

"Thank you for coming, Mako-chan... I mean Makoto-san," Haru said.

"'Makoto-san,' huh?" Makoto said. "So that's what you decided on."

"Well, obviously it wouldn't be appropriate to call you by a nickname," Haru said, "but on the other hand, calling you 'Niijima-san' or perhaps 'Niijima-sama' would be treating you like a stranger. So I stuck with this, what I'd have called you if you hadn't been fine with my nickname."

"Good plan," Makoto said, "but are your employers fine with it?"

"They expect us to be polite to the customers," Haru said, "and while some actions are obviously unacceptable, other decisions are best left to the employee's discretion."

Makoto nodded.

"It sounds as though you have everything figured out," Makoto said. "Keep up the good work, Haru-san."

"Oh," Haru said. "Y-You don't have to use '-san' on me, you know."

"Maybe not," Makoto said, "but if it makes you feel less awkward about treating me formally, then I'll do the same thing while we're here."

"Thank you, Makoto-san," Haru said. "Shall I take your order?"

"Yes, please," Makoto said, and let Haru get to work.


Not long after Makoto finished her coffee, Haru's shift ended. After changing out of her work uniform into her casual clothes, she met Makoto outside.

"Thank you for waiting, Mako-chan," Haru said. "I hope you weren't standing there too long."

"Not at all, Haru," Makoto said. "I took a moment to browse some of the nearby shops, and only arrived a couple minutes ago."

"That's good to hear," Haru said. "I was worried that I was inconveniencing you."

"Thanks for the concern," Makoto said, "but depending on how one sees it, it seems like I'm having fun while you're working."

"Or that I'm playing host but I don't have time for my guest," Haru said. "It's a matter of perspective."

Makoto nodded.

"My point is that I don't mind you treating me differently while at work," Makoto said, "because even if it feels awkward to be treated that way, you're the one who has to make an effort to treat me differently. Seeing things from your perspective is the least I can do."

"I appreciate it," Haru said. "Now that I'm no longer on the clock, why not have some fun together?"

"Lead the way," Makoto said.


The moment Haru got home, she took out a glass jar, screwed a lid on it, and cut open a hole in the lid wide enough for a 100-yen coin. Her task finished, Haru deposited a single 100-yen coin, a small act of penance for not being able to keep the rule she set for herself.

When Haru was younger, her father explained to her why he was so strict on her. One's actions always had consequences, and by punishing her for her misbehavior, he would dissuade her from taking action that harmed herself or others. At the time, the principle was easy enough to understand, but as Haru got older, she found that her father seemed mainly interested in whether her actions would adversely affect him. Worse, he pursued an alliance with Shido that resulted in the deaths of Kunikazu's enemies, as well as Kunikazu himself when he became a liability to Shido

That said, Haru was grateful to her father in spite of his selfishness and hypocrisy. If nothing else, he'd raised her to be a well-behaved girl who accepted responsibility for her actions. She thus strove to emulate the good she remembered in her father while not repeating his mistakes.


At the start of the Golden Week holidays, Haru took the train over to meet with Makoto.

Makoto waited at the entrance to the train station with two friends. One girl wore a sky-blue cardigan with a white blouse and pink skirt, while the other wore a denim jacket and jeans.

"Thank you for coming all this way, Haru," Makoto said.

"It's my pleasure," Haru said. "Are they your friends?"

"They are," Makoto said. "This is Haru Okumura, a friend of mine from Shujin Academy."

"Nice to meet you," Haru said, bowing. The girl with the cardigan immediately complied, while the girl in denim was a bit slower.

"This is Shiori Shirasagi," Haru said, "a schoolmate of mine who also started this year."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Okumura-san," Shiori, the more well-dressed girl, said. "I'm always glad to meet Makoto-san's friends."

"And this is Ririka Yano," Makoto said. "She and Shiori have known each other for years."

"Yep," Ririka said. "Nice to meetcha, Okumura-chan."

"Likewise," Haru said. "Thank you for introducing us, Makoto-san."

Makoto looked at Haru oddly for a moment, then just nodded, knowing that asking about why Haru wasn't using her nickname would only make things more awkward.


The four young women went to a cafe that Makoto and her new friends frequented and sat down together.

"So, Okumura-san," Shiori said, "has Makoto-san told you that I have a boyfriend?"

"No, I don't recall hearing that," Makoto said. "Please tell me more, Shirasagi-san."

As Shiori's face lit up, Ririka let off a long sigh and muttered, "Here we go again."

Shiori spent several minutes telling Haru about her first boyfriend, a male classmate.

"So he's your first boyfriend, right?" Haru said.

"That's right," Shiori said. "My father didn't allow me to date while I was in high school."

"Ah, I understand," Haru said. "Neither did mine."

Makoto glanced to Haru with a worried expression, privately hoping that her new schoolmates wouldn't dig too deeply.

"Anyway," Ririka said, "you can really tell that it's Shiori's first boyfriend with how ga-ga she is over him."

"Please don't be so cynical, Ririka-san," Shiori said. "Just because your first relationship ended badly doesn't mean the same thing will happen to me and Kazuya-san."

"Yeah, I admit that I didn't know what I was getting into the first time," Ririka said, "since I made the mistake of going out with the first guy who was interested in me, even though we weren't at all compatible. But the second guy seemed like a perfect gentleman at first glance... and turned out to be a pickup artist who cheated on multiple girls."

A chill went down Makoto's spine as she recalled one awful man she'd just met. Had Makoto not intervened, Eiko would have suffered a fate far worse than mere heartbreak.

"So now I'm up to Boyfriend #3," Ririka said, "and I'm cautiously optimistic at best."

"It's wise of you to not get your hopes up too high when it comes to a relationship, Ririka," Makoto said, "but instead of trying to burst Shiori's bubble, why not give her advice so that she doesn't make the same mistakes you did?"

"I'll take that under consideration, Makoto," Ririka said, "but I'm not sure you're qualified to give love advice considering that you've never had a boyfriend before. Even Shiori has more experience than you do."

"Y-You're not wrong..." Makoto said, "but I did once go out on a date with a male friend of mine, along with another female friend and her boyfriend."

Ririka rolled her eyes skeptically.

"I... was actually engaged once," Haru said, "and it was not a happy relationship in the slightest. I understand what you're afraid of, Yano-san."

"Yeah," Ririka said. "I'd ask why the relationship lasted that long, or why you got engaged so young, but I figure it's not a pleasant subject."

Haru nodded gratefully and said "Thank you very much."

"So with that in mind, I have a question for Shirasagi-san," Haru said. "Can you say, without a doubt, that you are happy with your relationship?"

Shiori paused, then nodded decisively.

"Yes, I can," Shiori said.

"There you have it," Haru said. "If you want my advice, Yano-san, I think you should listen to Makoto-san. She might be inexperienced in the ways of romance, but she's the smartest girl I know, so her advice is usually right."

"All right," Ririka said. "Sorry, girls; I kind of put my foot my mouth sometimes."

"It's fine," Makoto said. "Personally, there are many times when I feel like the most childish of the four of us."

"I think that honor goes to me, Makoto-san," Shiori said. "Back when I first arrived, I..."

Shiori changed the subject, and as embarrassing as Makoto found the ensuing conversation, she also noticed it was less awkward for all involved.


Eventually, the girls went their separate ways, and Makoto walked Haru back to her apartment.

"That conversation got rather serious for a moment there," Makoto said.

"I know," Haru said. "I didn't think Shirasagi-san would be the type to share something like that with someone she's just met."

"Shiori's an open and honest person," Makoto said, "which is why Ririka can't help but worry that others might take advantage of her. Despite that, I think that's part of the reason why I became friends with her so quickly; Ririka only warmed up to me recently."

Eventually, Makoto and Haru arrived at Makoto's apartment.

"Well, here we are," Makoto said. "It's a shame that my roommate's out visiting her family for the weekend. I'd have liked to have introduced her to you."

"Pardon the intrusion," Haru said, "and thank you for having me, Mako-chan."

"Speaking of which," Makoto said, "I noticed you kept things formal around my friends earlier."

"Ah, yes," Haru said. "I was worried that if I called you by a nickname, you might get embarrassed."

"I honestly don't mind," Makoto said, "since it was more embarrassing to have to admit that I never went on a real date than to have a friend call me by a nickname."

By the time Ren had agreed to Makoto's plan to pose as her boyfriend, he'd already met Sumire, practiced gymnastics with her, tasted some of her cooking helped her pick out glasses, spent an afternoon with her at the batting cages and began to develop a crush on her.

"Well, I've just become more conscious of how I act around you in public," Haru said, "not just while I'm at work. I put 100 yen in a jar every time I slip up and call you 'Mako-chan' around people I don't know well."

"Funny you should mention that," Makoto said, "because when Shiori was younger, she used to call Ririka 'Ri-chan.' Now, Shiori always calls Ririka 'Ririka-san,' even when it's just the two of them. According to Ririka, it didn't happen overnight, but she could tell that the change was taking place."

"Is Yano-san fine with that?" Haru said.

"She is," Makoto said. "After all, Shiori addresses her boyfriend the same way, so she doesn't have any cause to take it personally. That said, I think a part of her is sad because their relationship is changing over time."

"That certainly gives us something to think about," Haru said, "considering that we haven't even been friends for a year."

"Not all change is necessarily bad," Makoto said.

Haru felt her heart flutter upon hearing that.

"Anyway," Makoto said, "I'd just like to say that when we meet up with the others in late July, you can be yourself around me."

"Of course, Mako-chan," Haru said. "I'm looking forward to it.


Haru and Makoto spent a couple days with Makoto's friends. On the final day of the holidays, Makoto walked Haru to the train station.

"I'm glad that you could come for Golden Week, Haru," Makoto said. "Shiori and Ririka enjoyed meeting you."

"It was my pleasure, Makoto-san," Haru said. "I hope I didn't seem too distant from them."

"I don't think you did," Makoto said. "They understand you only just met them and are a friend of a friend, rather than someone they'll see on a regular basis. Even I feel like a bit of an outsider among those two."

Haru nodded. She'd made friends of her own at her school, but wasn't nearly as close to them as she was to her fellow Phantom Thieves.

Eventually, Haru arrived.

"Well, this is where we part ways," Haru said.

"Ah, yes," Makoto said. "Have a safe trip; I'm looking forward to seeing you again."

"Me too, Makoto-san," Haru said.

Makoto smiled and nodded.

"Ah, I mean, Mako-chan," Haru said.

"It's fine," Makoto said. "I actually didn't notice until now."

"All right," Makoto said. "I'll see you later, Mako-chan."

"Until next time, Haru," Makoto said, waving goodbye.

As Haru left for the station, Makoto began the walk home, thinking about her various friendships. Perhaps someday, life would take her in a different direction from Shiori, Ririka, and maybe even Haru and the other Phantom Thieves, and she would one day call them people she used to know, fondly reminiscing about the memories they shared while not making an effort to reach out to them.

It was natural that many relationships ended this way, and Makoto could count the number of Shujin Academy students she wished to remain connected with on her hands. Despite this, she did not particularly relish the idea of losing touch with Haru in such a way.


As the months went on, Makoto and Haru continued to see each other occasionally, with Makoto having the misfortune of getting in the car when Haru was behind the wheel.

In the summer of Makoto and Haru's first year at university, they went on a road trip with their fellow Phantom Thieves, sans Sumire, who was busy with gymnastics. They had less time to relax than they had hoped, but they nevertheless appreciated the chance to see more of each other in a month than they had in the entire first term.

While they were in Sapporo, they took the opportunity to ride in a Ferris wheel together.

"It's a shame Sumire-chan couldn't come," Haru said. "Ren-kun would have loved to have taken her on the Ferris wheel."

"Yes, it's unfortunate," Makoto said, "but she has her career as a gymnast to think of. Besides, she and Ren knew this would happen when they got into a long-distance relationship."

"That's true," Haru said. "Besides, Ren-kun was locked up so long we didn't know for certain that he'd even get to go home in March."

While both Ren and Sumire were disappointed that Ren had to go home so soon after his release from juvenile hall, thus leaving behind Sumire and returning to a town where he was ostracized, Ren was glad he was no longer behind bars, as was Sumire.

"Long-distance relationships are definitely harder than if you can see the person you love every day," Makoto said, "but by that same token, if you can make things work long-distance, then you're probably better off than couples who haven't been tested."

Haru nodded.

"So are you saying you're open to a long-distance relationship?" Haru said.

"I've certainly considered the possibility," Makoto said. "Do you mind if I ask what brought this question on?"

Haru paused a moment. She could easily politely decline to answer, or make a white lie and say that Sumire and Ren's relationship was her reason, but she knew that if she did, then she would likely never get another chance to tell Makoto about her feelings.

"You may," Haru said, "because it's something I wanted to say for a long time."

Haru took a deep breath. The Ferris wheel car was at the top and the doors were securely locked, so there was no way for either her or Makoto to leave, nor for anyone else to intrude on this moment.

"Makoto Niijima... I'm in love with you," Haru said, "and I've been in love with you for some time. I was scared to tell you this earlier, because I thought it was too late, but I'm glad that you kept in touch."

"Is that so?" Makoto said. "I'm honestly touched, and I'm glad that you could be honest with me."

"Thank you," Haru said.

"Not a problem," Makoto said, "but I suppose what you just said is half a statement of your feelings and half a question of what mine are, and you're expecting me to answer, right?"

"When you're ready," Haru said.

"I understand," Makoto said, "I...I'll have to think about this, especially with everything that's going on. This... isn't the best time for me to get distracted, after all."

"Oh," Haru said. "I'm sorry if I troubled you."

"Don't be," Makoto said warmly. "For starters, if my answer was a definite no, I'd have turned you down now. Besides, it took courage to say what you did, and I respect you for that."

"That's good," Haru said.

Eventually, the Ferris wheel's cars came full circle, and Makoto and Haru exited and rejoined the Phantom Thieves, who remained unaware of what had transpired between their two oldest members.


Makoto had relatively little time to think about Haru's confession, as the rest of the month was rather hectic. The Phantom Thieves uncovered yet another wide-reaching conspiracy, were nearly arrested and faced off against a godlike being.

At the end of the month, as the Phantom Thieves went their separate ways in Shibuya, Haru's phone vibrated, and she saw that she had a text from Makoto.

Makoto: Do you have a moment?

Makoto: There's something I'd like to talk with you about.

Makoto: Let's meet in the karaoke place on Central Street.

Haru sent off a reply.

Haru: Absolutely.

Haru: I'll be there in a moment.

Haru then hurried over to the karaoke place, her heart beating more quickly than could be expected of this level of exertion.


Haru met up with Makoto inside the karaoke place.

"Thank you for coming," Makoto said. "I hope this doesn't cause you to miss your train."

"Oh, no problem," Haru said. "I checked the schedules and I have time.

Makoto and Haru made a reservation for the private booth. Once they were inside, they resumed their conversation.

"I don't think I've ever been inside here before," Haru said, "but I do remember it. It was here that you and the others saved me from Sugimura-san, my former fiance. I'm so grateful to you for that."

"You're welcome," Makoto said, "but Morgana was there first, and if I recall correctly, Takakura-san was the one who helped free you from your fiance's phony contract."

"He did," Haru said, "but it took a while for me to confide in him. As for Mona-chan, he defended me valiantly, but there isn't much he can do as, well... a cat."

"Fair enough," Makoto said.

"But in any case," Haru said, "I recall your voice was the first one who called out to me back then, as well as how you and Ren-kun approached me after you recognized me. You've always been the first to reach out to me."

"You've done your part, too," Makoto said. "You were rather supportive when I was dealing with Sis, and you confessed your feelings."

"I-I see," Haru said. "Are you ready to answer?"

Haru nodded.

"I am," Makoto said. "I've thought over my feelings throughout this past month, and one thing has been constantly on my mind every time we were in danger- protecting you. I would never put you ahead of our goal, but I would say that you are important to me... perhaps in the same way I am to you."

"Do you mean it?" Haru said.

"I do," Makoto said, "I'm in love with you too, Haru."

Haru smiled warmly, and she and Makoto embraced.

"We... probably shouldn't do this in public," Haru said.

"Maybe not," Makoto said. "But when it's just us, there's no harm in it, is there?"

Haru shook her head. The Phantom Thieves had many secrets that they had to keep from others, and while Japanese society was better off as a result of their actions, many of them were still outcasts who could become fugitives if the police hunted them again. Nevertheless, their will of rebellion lived on, so other people's opposition to their way of life no longer held them back.


As school resumed, Makoto and Haru kept in touch, mainly by phone and text conversations. They knew that there was a possibility that they could be wiretapped, so they avoided talking about the Phantom Thieves on the line, but other than that, acted as though they did when they were alone.

For their first official date, they went out to a restaurant between both of their schools; both of them would have to take the train to reach it. The restaurant had no official dress code, but Makoto and Haru decided that dressing up a bit would be appropriate for their first "real" date.

Haru, who was the first to arrive, waited for Makoto at the train station.

Eventually, Makoto arrived with a crowd of others who had gotten off the train with her.

"Ah, Makoto-san, you made it," Haru said.

"Thank you for waiting, Haru-san," Makoto said.

The two faced each other and locked eyes, but did not move to hold hands, let alone hug or kiss, since there were people around.

"The restaurant's close by, isn't it?" Haru said.

"Indeed," Makoto said. "Right this way."

Makoto and Haru then proceeded to the restaurant side by side. Perhaps some people would naturally come to the conclusion that the two well-dressed women were on a date with each other, rather than with a pair of unseen boyfriends, but they had no desire to do anything that might lend credence to those suspicions.


Before long, Makoto and Haru arrived at the restaurant where they'd made a reservation and were seated at their table.

"I hope I don't seem overly cold," Haru said.

"It's fine," Makoto said. "Shiori acted the same way around her boyfriend the few times I've met the latter; they don't engage in any displays of affection in public, nor do they use nicknames. Even the more free-spirited Ririka does the same with her boyfriends."

"The same goes for Ren-kun and Sumire-chan," Haru said, "although Sumire-chan still calls Ren-kun 'Senpai.'- these days, it's more of a nickname than a means of showing respect."

"In other words, it's largely a matter of how you think about it," Makoto said. "When I think about it, being polite to me is just as in character for you as calling Ren 'Senpai' is for Sumire."

"I'm glad you think so, Makoto-san," Haru said. "If I were in Sumire-chan's year, I'd probably be calling you 'Senpai,' too, since I wouldn't feel right using a nickname on an upperclassman."

"And I'd probably get used to it," Makoto said, "because I'd probably call you 'Senpai' if I were your underclassman."

Makoto and Haru spent much of their date discussing all the ways their relationship might have changed if one variable were different- if one or both were male, if one was significantly older or younger than the other, if they went to different schools, and so on and so fort. In the end, they were sure of one thing- that they were happy with the relationship they currently had.


Makoto visited Haru at her apartment for Christmas, since Haru's roommate was spending the holiday with her boyfriend. After a dinner out, the two young women retired to Haru's apartment.

"I'm so glad your roommate was willing to let me stay over," Makoto said. "Does she know... we're a couple?"

"Not at all," Haru said. "I just told her you were a friend."

"I can understand why you might be hesitant to tell her all the details about us," Makoto said. "The others gladly accepted our relationship, and even Sis was fairly open-minded about it, but there's no guarantee our other acquaintances will take kindly to us being a lesbian couple."

Sae had a long talk with Haru and Makoto about their relationship, reminding them of the difficulties they faced. Despite her stern tone, which intimidated Haru, Sae concluded by saying that she no longer had the right to tell Makoto how to live her life, and that while many people would judge the couple unfavorably, she wouldn't be one of them.

Makoto fell silent for a moment, before being distracted by a loud voice from next door.

"Is something the matter, Makoto-san?" Haru said.

"Did you just hear that, Haru-san?" Makoto said.

Haru nodded.

"The walls of the apartments are rather thin," Haru said, "and noise passes through easily. You often hear things like people yelling, dogs barking, loud music and... people making love."

"I'd imagine," Makoto said. "I assume that's why your roommate chose to visit her boyfriend- to do things with him that she wouldn't feel comfortable doing in case people might hear them."

"P-Probably," Haru said, "but she also doesn't want to kick me out every time she brings him over."

"That's true," Makoto said, "and I appreciate her consideration in letting us stay here tonight. Speaking of consideration, I don't think anyone will mind what we do in here as long as we don't make too much noise, so you can relax a little."

"All right, Makoto-san," Haru said. "Shall I make you a cup of coffee?"

"Please do, Haru-san," Makoto said reflexively.

As Makoto watched Haru make coffee, she was reminded of watching Haru at work, as well as how they kept things formal while Haru was on the job. At first, the two of them had to be conscious of their behavior all the time, but now, it had become more natural to them; Makoto only saw a single coin in Haru's jar despite the fact that the month was almost four fifths of the way over. Just as Makoto and Haru's relationship had changed in the past several months, so, too had Makoto and Haru themselves, a chane that was at least as much due to growing up as it was due to falling in love.


One evening, shortly before Coming of Age Day, Haru got a call on her cell phone. The caller ID read "Mari-san"; Mariko Hyodo, an old friend of the Okumura family, had kept in touch

"Okumura speaking," Haru said.

"It's been a while, Haru-san," Mariko said. "I wanted to congratulate you on becoming an adult."

"Oh, thank you, Mari-san," Haru said. "Or rather, Mariko-san, if that's all right with you."

"It is," Mariko said. "It's hard for me to admit, but you're not a little girl anymore, so I can't treat you that way."

"That's true," Haru said, "but you've never been 'soft' with me. In fact, you insisted that I get up when I fall."

"Oh, did I?" Mariko said. "Well, I guess I always had high standards for myself and for others... for better or for worse."

Haru remained silent, knowing full well what Mariko was talking about. Her harsh and even abusive treatment of her staff in her time as mayor haunted her years later, and while she had accomplished much for the people of Sapporo since then, many people would never forgive her.

"Adulthood is a challenging time," Mariko said, "and people will ask much of you while giving you little in the way of aid. But you gain a great deal of freedom in addition to your responsibilities, and the people who do manage to succeed at 'adulting,' as some young people put it, can live fulfilling lives."

Haru nodded. She'd helped to punish many corrupt adults as a member of the Phantom Thieves, but nevertheless, knew that the ones who upheld their responsibilities were worthy of her respect.

"It's still sinking in," Haru said, "since even if I'm turning 20 this year, I don't feel quite where I want to be yet."

"Oh, I know you're still growing," Mariko said, "and you'll probably make all sorts of mistakes along the way- everyone does. But I know that you'll be able to pick yourself up when you fall, and keep going without losing sight of what's most important to you."

"Thank you, Mariko-san," Haru said. "I'll do my best to live up to your faith in me."

"I'm sure you will," Mariko said. "Anyway, I've got to get going; tomorrow, I'm going to give a speech like this to the young adults of Sapporo."

"I see," Haru said. "Goodbye, Mariko-san."

"Goodbye, Haru-san," Mariko said, hanging up.


The next day, Makoto and Haru attended their Coming of Age Day ceremony together, both of them wearing kimonos and surrounded by their similarly well-dressed peers.

"Congratulations on reaching adulthood, Haru," Makoto said.

"Thank you very much, Makoto-san," Haru said. "Congratulations to you, too."

"You're remarkably formal today," Makoto said with a grin. "Is it because of the occasion?"

"Partially," Haru said. "Mari-san... I mean Mariko-san called me the other day to congratulate me on becoming an adult and started calling me 'Haru-san' out of respect for how much I've grown, and to acknowledge us as equals. I'm no longer the little girl she once knew, and it's hard for her to accept it, but I'm glad she did."

"That's nice of Hyodo-san," Makoto, said. "Maybe we should follow her example and call each other 'Haru-san' and 'Makoto-san' from now on, as a sign of mutual respect between adults."

Makoto glanced at Haru, expecting her to laugh at the last remark, but Haru gave a smile of approval, rather than amusement.

"If that's what you want, then I'd be happy with it," Haru said, "since, like Mariko-san told me, relationships change over time."

"That's fine with me, Haru-san," Makoto said with a nod. "By now, I've gotten used to you calling me 'Makoto-san,' so I might as well address you the same way, since it's not too much to ask."

"Thank you, Makoto-san," Haru said. "I was a bit worried that you didn't like how I don't call you 'Mako-chan' much anymore."

"I honestly don't mind," Makoto said, "since any healthy relationship, whether romantic or platonic, requires those involved to make compromises and sacrifices. After all, you're the one who has to make a conscious effort to not use my nickname."

Makoto glanced around, once again reminding Haru that they were still in public.

"That's true," Haru said, "but calling you 'Makoto-san' has gotten easier for me over time, since I've had a lot of practice. In fact, it feels more natural for me to call you that now."

"I'm glad to hear that, Haru-san," Makoto said. "Just remember this; I still appreciate how you broke the ice with me by calling me by a nickname, so if you'd like to go back to doing that, be my guest."

Makoto and Haru then fondly discussed past memories, with the exception of those that related to the Phantom Thieves. Perhaps relationships changed over time, but the past eventually became memories, which in turn served as the foundation for any long-running friendship, familial bond or romance.


The following year, Ann and Shiho came back to Japan to visit for Coming of Age Day. The two girls had been going out since their last year of high school, and after Shiho learned about Makoto and Haru's relationships, she'd eagerly befriended the older girls.

"Thanks for the help with our kimonos, Makoto, Haru," Ann said. "I've worn all sorts of clothing as a model, from jeans ripped in the right places to formal dresses, but this is the first time I've worn traditional Japanese clothing in years."

"You're welcome, Ann-san," Haru said. "Makoto-san and I are always happy to help."

"This might not be any of my business," Shiho said, "but why are you and Makoto-san so formal with each other, Haru-san?"

"I didn't feel it would be appropriate to use Makoto-san's nickname in certain situations," Haru said, "and as time went on, I gradually started calling her 'Makoto-san' even in private."

"I ended up responding in kind, since it seemed fair," Makoto said, "until eventually, we got so used to doing so that we did it all the time. Is there any reason you're asking."

"I'm just curious," Shiho said. "At first, I called Ann 'Takamaki-san,' but after we started seeing each other on a regular basis, she insisted that I just call her 'Ann.'"

"Yep," Ann said with a smile. "Of course, I called her 'Suzui-san' until then and asked her permission before using her first name."

When Ann had befriended Makoto, she believed it was right for the older girl to make the first move and ask permission to address Ann by her first name. Once Makoto had said yes, Ann had eagerly accepted, and proceeded with using Makoto's first name.

"Speaking of which," Shiho said, "coming to America was Ann's idea, too."

"And you were OK with it?" Haru said.

"Of course," Shiho said. "I don't have many friends besides Ann in Japan and realized it would be easier for us to live there, since we can get married someday."

"Yeah," Ann said. "We're not ready yet; a lot of people in America wait until they're older to get married. Then again, it's nice to have the option."

Shiho nodded.

"In any case," Shiho said, "what I'm trying to say is that it's fine to make audacious requests of your significant other, as long as you talk things out with them and consider what they want and need."

"I'll keep that in mind," Haru said. "Thank you."

The four young women spent a little while discussing their respective relationships before leaving to meet up with their old friends. While the Phantom Thieves now had their adult responsibilities to deal with, they could come together for days like this to celebrate their members' achievements and milestones.


Two years to the day after her Coming of Age Day, Haru, with Makoto in tow, rang the door of the Sakura residence. It was now Futaba's turn to take part in the ceremony, and she needed some help with her kimono.

"Sakura Residence," Sojiro said.

"Hello, Sakura-san, this is Okumura," Haru said, "and I've brought Makoto-san with me. Is Futaba-san there?"

"Yeah," Sojiro said. "Hey, Futaba, your guests are here.

Futaba came downstairs and opened the door. She was still dressed in her night-time clothes, not seeing the point of getting dressed when she was about to change.

"Hey, Haru, Makoto," Futaba said.

"Good morning, Futaba-san," Haru said, "and congratulations on becoming an adult. Do you mind if I use '-san' on you from now on?"

"Go right ahead," Futaba said. "Sumire-senpai and I have been waiting our turn for two years. I guess it's gonna be Akane's turn next year?"

"I actually decided to 'promote' Akane-san this year," Haru said, "since I don't want her to feel left out."

Futaba, Makoto and Haru all walked upstairs.

"Honestly," Futaba said, "I tried to convince Dad to let me wear my suit, but he insisted on a kimono, even if it costs a fortune just to rent one."

"He just wants you to look nice," Makoto said. "He has one daughter who will have one Coming of Age Day, so it's fair for him to enjoy it. My father rented a kimono for my sister when I came of age and would have done the same for me had he lived long enough."

"Yeah," Futaba said. "I'm sure Mom would have done the same."

Haru glanced at Futaba's desk, which had a portrait of her and Sojiro for her university entrance ceremony. Futaba wore a dark skirt suit, while Sojiro wore his usual nice outfit- a white blazer and hat, a pink button-down shirt and khaki trousers.

"I'm curious about something," Haru said. "How long have you been calling Sakura-san 'Dad,' exactly?"

"I dunno, a while," Futaba said. "I had to get him used to it, so it started out as an occasional thing, but eventually, I got to the point where I called him 'Dad' all the time. I guess it was some time in my second year of high school."

"That's nice," Haru said.

"Y-Yeah," Futaba said, slightly embarrassed. "I was considering calling him 'Father' like you and Makoto did with your old men, but I doubt he could handle it."

"Who knows?" Haru said. "I'm sure he could get used to practically anything given enough time. Right, Makoto-san?"

"Quite right, Haru-san," Makoto said.

Futaba giggled.

"Wow," Futaba said. "You guys are so formal with each other, but it makes you seem more in love, not less."

"If that's true, it's only because we're around someone who knows about us," Makoto said. "Haru-san and I exercise self-control in public, so no one suspects our relationship is anything more than platonic."

"True," Haru said, "and I guess that sort of behavior became more natural for our private lives, too."

Futaba had to concur. As a university student, she was generally more polite than she was with her friends, especially seeing how the vast majority of the people she encountered were professors, senpais or people she'd known for less than a year.

"Well, whatever works for you two," Futaba said. "Let's get started."

Futaba got out of her pajamas and allowed her two friends to help her put her kimono on.


After Haru and Makoto graduated from university, they moved in together. Makoto joined the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, while Haru got a job as an assistant manager at a nearby cafe. Their apartment was chosen because it was close to both their workplaces- although they decided to prioritize Makoto's workplace due to how she'd have to go there on short notice- affordable and comfortable for two people.

"Well, we're finally here," Makoto said.

"Yes, finally," Haru said. "We certainly put a lot of work into this move."

Haru and Makoto knew that finding an apartment that met their needs was only the first step; they had to move their belongings into that apartment. In the weeks leading up to the move, they had all sorts of conversations about various rules they would have to follow, from dividing chores and the rent to their bedtimes.

"Still, this is just the beginning," Makoto said. "I'm just a lowly patrolman who has yet to distinguish myself from all the other recent graduates. It'll take a lot of work to rise up through the ranks, let alone change the system."

"It's certainly a tall task you've taken on, isn't it?" Haru said.

"It is," Makoto said, "but at the same time, it's reassuring that there are so many competent- and hopefully, honest- up and coming officers. I may not make it all the way to police commissioner but having a person of strong moral character on top, and many like-minded individuals in the rank and file would certainly achieve the result I'm hoping for. At the very least, there are a lot of people who are closer to that goal than I am."

"Then we're the same," Haru said, "since I'm not nearly ready to open my cafe, either. Let's just keep working toward our goals and supporting each other every step of the way."

"Yes, let's," Makoto said, holding hands with Haru.


"Haru-san?"

Haru, who was laying in bed, turned to face Makoto.

"Yes, Makoto-san?" Haru said. "Do you need something?

"Nothing, really," Makoto said. "I thought you'd fallen asleep."

"Not yet," Haru said, "but I am quite tired."

"I'll imagine," Makoto said. "Near the end, you cried out 'Mako-chan!'"

"Oh..." Haru said. "Did I?"

Makoto nodded. The last few minutes were something they believed no one else had any right to witness, and not just because they were both girls. It was only sense that once they proceeded under the assumption of absolute privacy, Haru would let down her guard.

"You did," Makoto said. "I heard it rather clearly."

"T-That's so embarrassing... Makoto-san," Haru said.

"Don't worry," Makoto said. "Not only am I not offended, but what you call me when it's just us is none of anyone else's business."

"Oh," Haru said. "That's good."

Haru then yawned.

"Well, I'm getting sleepy," Haru said. "Good night... Mako...chan..."

Makoto smiled. Before long, they would both have to go to work and do other business under the watchful and judgmental eye of the public, but for now, this intimate moment belonged to them.

"Good night, Haru," Makoto said.


Author's Notes

Thank you for reading the fic.

This is a companion fic to "Old Habits Die Hard," telling the story of Makoto and Haru. It also continues the theme of relationships changing over time, but also shows how couples often need to make compromises with each other.

Makoto's OC friends from college are inspired by how, in Strikers, she mentions how her female friends at college constantly talk about their boyfriends.