DATE: SEPTEMBER 27
THE NIGHT AFTER THE PALACE
TWO DAYS PRIOR TO OKUMURA'S DEATH
Ren "Joker" Kurusu stepped through the now-familiar door to Leblanc, and felt exhaustion hit him like a thousand bricks.
This was the fifth time he'd stepped into Leblanc the night after a successful Treasure run. He was used to feeling tired after the fact, but he wasn't used to feeling like this. Kamoshida, Madarame, Kaneshiro, even Futaba – their Palaces were nothing to scoff at, but Ren always left them behind feeling satisfied and confident, confident that he'd done the right thing and changed their hearts for the better.
This time was different. Not only was this Palace easily the worst and most frustrating one so far, but Ren wasn't sure if he'd actually done the right thing. Everyone felt it when they saw Okumura's weakened Shadow. There was something wrong about it – something in the water just did not compute, and they didn't have time to find out what, because that damn launch sequence was going to count down to zero and take them all with it.
He plucked off his glasses and rubbed at the gray eyes beneath them. Morgana was quiet in the back of Ren's bag, likewise lost in thought.
…Whatever happens, happens. But still… I can't help but feel like…
He let the thought hang in the air, unwilling to complete that train of thought. He slipped his glasses back on and took a good look around Leblanc. It was as quaint and peaceful as it always was, with all the familiar landmarks Ren had come to know and love – the antiquated yellow phone, the chalkboard menus, the ticking clock and the comforting presence of the Sayuri, opening her arms to greet customers at the door. Joker heard a faucet running – he leaned over and saw Sojiro leaning over the sink in the tight, compact kitchen, scrubbing a pot lined with emptied-out curry until it was spick and span.
"I'm home," Ren called out, an action that made Sojiro stiffen and turn around in surprise.
"Ah! You're back." There it is.
Sojiro stepped away from the kitchen and rubbed at his neck. "Sorry about that, Ren – must've been daydreaming again."
"That's alright," Ren hummed, rolling his shoulder. Sojiro raised a weathered brow at that.
"You look beat. What've you been up to, anyway?"
"Ryuji," Ren responded, with practiced ease. "He and I hit the gym again."
"Oh yeah, yeah. Protein Lovers, right? Heard it's pretty affordable, too." Sojiro plucked off his own glasses to clean them with his apron. Ren couldn't help but think of Kunikazu Okumura's glasses. "Glad you're staying in shape, kid, but don't wear yourself out."
"Heh – I'll try."
"Must've burned a lot of calories. Want some dinner?" Sojiro gestured to the kitchen.
Ren swiftly held up a take-out bag. "Got it covered. It ain't Sakura Curry, but it'll do in a pinch."
"If you say so." Sojiro held out a hand. "Gimme the key – I'll close up for you." Ren tossed the silver key over to Sojiro, the older man effortlessly catching it and storing it into his apron pocket. "Oh—hey! How's Futaba doing? You and your friends getting along with her?"
Now that was an easier question to answer. Ren nodded with a smile. "I'd say so."
"Good. Good," Sojiro hummed, a big ol' smile on his own face as well. "She's got this… glow about her these days, you know? Like she's finally… found herself again." Sojiro chuckled, walking by Ren and giving him an affectionate squeeze on the shoulder. "Guess I have you to thank for that, huh?"
Whether Sojiro knew it or not, he had a different kind of glow about him, too. Five months ago, Sojiro was a grumpy man full of apathetic hums and suspicious stink-eyes. But now, they were on a first-name basis and Sojiro was smiling more often. There were times when Ren thought he liked Sojiro a lot more than his own dad.
And part of this glowup that the Sakuras had received… was thanks to the work of the Phantom Thieves. They did good things for good people.
That's what made them the Phantom Thieves.
…right?
Sojiro gave Ren a look that snapped him out of his stupor. "Futaba's cool," Ren said with a laugh. "Trust me – glad to have her as part of the squad."
"Yeah, you really are like a little squad, huh?" Sojiro hummed, chuckling and then leaning over to give Morgana a few pets on the head, Morgana responding with a pleased mewl. "Alright, you look wiped out – I'll get out of your hair. I'll tell Futaba you said hey."
"You got it. G'night, Sojiro."
"Night."
Sojiro took his leave, flipping the 'Open' sign to 'Closed' and strolling back to the Sakura residence, leaving Ren behind in the quiet ambiance of Leblanc. With a sigh, Ren decided to sit down at one of the empty booths – one of the perks of having a café all to yourself – and pop open the Styrofoam box's lid to reveal the yakisoba chicken beneath. Morgana crawled out of his bag and sat himself on the table.
"You're thinking about Okumura, aren't you?" queried Morgana, as perceptive as always.
"It's hard not to," sighed Ren, tearing open the paper casing that contained his chopsticks. "Just…" He leaned in to grab at some noodles, but paused before closing the chopsticks together. "…Can't help but feel like I went a little… overboard."
"…well. Can't exactly blame you for that," Morgana muttered, settling down on his hind legs. "That was one of our toughest challenges yet. Besides… we all would've died if we didn't hit him as hard as possible. I think everyone was a little anxious."
"yeah."
"Where'd you get that new Persona from, anyway?" Morgana asked, a look of shock and awe crossing over his face. Ren had never seen a cat make that kind of expression before. "That was incredible!"
"Oh, Messiah? Velvet Room. It was a… gift, of sorts."
"Oh, yeah. The Velvet Room." Morgana's face scrunched up. Something about that name was familiar to him outside of what Joker had told him, but he wasn't sure what. "Whatever that is."
Ren ate in silence for a moment.
"…"
"…"
"…Palace rulers won't die unless we kill them, right?" Ren piped up.
"That goes without saying."
"So he was still alive." Another pause. "…right?"
"…I'll be honest with you, Ren. It's hard to say. We didn't exactly…"
"have time to check," Ren finished.
"Mraow," Morgana hummed, a cat's affirmation. "…That said. Whenever a Shadow dies, they turn to dust. They dissipate into this… black ash, and just fade away. And Okumura's body was still there when we left the Palace."
That did give Ren a little hope. It was something. "So… there's a chance?"
"I think we're good," Morgana said, with a hint of uncertainty. "Haru would have to monitor his condition, though. Speaking of which – check your phone already! It's been humming for like half an hour."
Oh. He was so lost in thought that he hadn't even bothered to check. Ren pulled out his phone with one hand, eating with the other as he scrolled through the most recent chat log.
CHAT LOG – "Everyone alright…?"
ANN: Everyone alright…? Just checking to make sure
FUTABA: eh? Physically, I am A-OK, I guess. Little sore, but I'm outta shape so NOT surprising tbh
MAKOTO: I've just been lounging around in bed. I'm hungry, but I don't have the strength to get up and get something to eat.
RYUJI: man, I'm glad injuries from the Metaverse don't pop up IRL
RYUJI: Would've had a LOT to explain to my mom if I came back w/ burn marks and, like
RYUJI: robot imprints all over my chest
FUTABA: Saaaame. Sojiro would have a HEART ATK if he saw me like that!
ANN: It's so weird. I still feel, like, the effects of the damage that was done to me
ANN: But I don't see any of the actual wounds!
ANN: It's like that Phantom-Something Syndrome
RYUJI: Phantom Thief Syndrome?
MAKOTO: Phantom Limb Syndrome, I believe.
FUTABA: Phantom Thief—damn it, that's my line, Skull!
YUSUKE: Apologies – I was taking a shower. I'm alright. But I have to admit… I'm feeling a little concerned this time around.
RYUJI: yeah
RYUJI: Glad someone addressed the elephant in the room.
MAKOTO: This is about Okumura's Shadow, correct?
YUSUKE: Right.
YUSUKE: I think Ryuji raised a salient point earlier. About how Shadows usually confess their crimes before the end. Madarame was just like that.
ANN: Same with Kamoshida.
MAKOTO: And Kaneshiro. Futaba was the only exception to the rule, but Futaba was a unique case altogether.
FUTABA: psh, yeah, a basket case.
ANN: lmao
FUTABA: (also thank you guys again I'll always be grateful blah blah blah)
ANN: Of course! 3
ANN: But, yeah, Ryuji's right for once.
RYUJI: "for once"? Bitch cmon
ANN: They always do that. But Okumura was, like… quiet. Really quiet.
MAKOTO: Yes, and that doesn't make any kind of sense to me. Okumura was clearly involved in a number of crimes.
MAKOTO: Even if he isn't the mastermind behind the mental shutdowns, he abused his workforce and treated his daughter like property.
MAKOTO: We also have good reason to believe that he benefitted from the mental shutdowns.
MAKOTO: There's no way he wasn't responsible for something. So for him to be so quiet was…
JOKER: Unsettling?
Ren prided himself on picking the best times to chime in.
RYUJI: Ren! There you are!
YUSUKE: Where have you been?
JOKER: got some takeout
MAKOTO: Smart move. I should've done the same… I'm thinking about having something delivered.
FUTABA: good idea. HMU, I can probably find you a coupon or two
MAKOTO: But, yes. "Unsettling" indeed.
ANN: Ren, Morgana - is Haru with you?
JOKER: No, why?
ANN: She just… hasn't been responding? And I'm getting worried.
Ren couldn't exactly blame her. His fingers began to fly over the keys.
JOKER: haru – are you reading these?
A couple tense minutes passed. Then:
HARU: Yes, I'm here. Sorry about that – I just wasn't sure where to chime in.
JOKER: hey. You okay?
ANN: took the words right outta my mouth. This must've been hard for you.
HARU: I'm perfectly healthy. I feel a little drained, I suppose, but that's to be expected.
HARU: But… I am worried about my father.
MAKOTO: Are you home RN?
HARU: Yes.
JOKER: Is he home RN?
HARU: He's in his study right now.
RYUJI: Have you talked to him? How is he?
HARU: I… I don't know. He's awfully quiet. He was never the most talkative man, but he didn't have much at all to say back to me.
HARU: I feel like there's something on his mind.
YUSUKE: I'll put your mind at ease and say that this is actually quite normal. Madarame was the same – quiet and withdrawn, if not downright catatonic.
ANN: yeah, same with Kamoshida, from what I've heard.
MAKOTO: I can't testify what Kaneshiro's condition was like post-change of heart, but I'm going to assume it followed the same pattern as the others.
JOKER: that's just how they are after the change of heart.
JOKER: I don't blame you for being worried, though.
JOKER: You should keep an eye on him for the time being – give us updates on his condition.
MAKOTO: Seconded. If anything changes or happens, we'd appreciate it if you'd let us know ASAP.
HARU: You'll be the first to know, I promise.
ANN: and, hey. You're okay, right?
HARU: I assure you – I'm fine.
HARU: I just need to rest and clear my head, that's all.
JOKER: If you ever need us, Haru – we're here for you.
RYUJI: For real, man. You're one of us.
ANN: Totally! Anything for you, "Beauty Thief".
HARU: I-I'm never going to live that down, am I?
HARU: Thank you, everyone.
YUSUKE: Rest well, Haru.
MAKOTO: We'll see you tomorrow.
FUTABA: Night! And good work out there.
JOKER: Morgana says good night.
HARU: Good night.
The chat log began to slow down after Haru took her leave for the night. Even with that valuable insider intel into Okumura's condition… Ren still felt like there was something wrong. Something that Haru wasn't telling them.
Time would tell, though. Time would tell.
[***]
DATE: SEPTEMBER 28
THE DAY BEFORE OKUMURA'S DEATH
Father had always been a man of few words – especially in the last few years, when his mind became preoccupied with political daydreams and power fantasies. But even so, Haru just knew, deep down in her heart, that it wasn't normal for him to be so silent.
He had excused himself from his study to his chambers without a word, not even notifying the staff of his leavetaking like he usually did. Haru only managed to catch a glimpse of him at breakfast before she had to catch the morning train, but it seemed like he was having… some difficulty eating, like it was a struggle for him to lift the fork and knife off of the table. Father seemed like he was lost in his own little world. When Haru said she was heading off to school, she was met with silence in response.
And it wasn't a surly, pissed-off kind of silence. Haru would have preferred that. At least it would have shown that he was feeling something.
Haru had a chance to talk with the Phantom Thieves at lunch, the group – sans Yusuke and Futaba, of course – conferring on the rooftop and sitting next to Haru's planters and vegetables. When she brought up what happened at breakfast that morning, it bothered them enough to text Yusuke and ask him what Madarame's eating habits were like during the change of heart. Yusuke mentioned that Madarame was in a trance-like state while performing his day-to-day functions – eating, drinking, walking – and said very little to Yusuke beyond plaintive phrases like "I'm sorry" and "Please forgive me". It put some of Haru's worries to rest…
…But only some of them. Because Okumura hadn't said a word to anyone at all. He certainly hadn't apologized to Haru about his behavior. So either he was truly too proud or too far gone to even apologize to his own daughter… or something was wrong. And neither answer pleased Haru in the slightest.
She decided not to check on her crops after school that day, instead deciding to go straight home.
Her deplorable fiancé, Sugimura, kept texting her during the train ride home, pestering her with messages about the marriage and an early honeymoon mixed in with the usual verbal abuse he just loved to shower her with. All it did was fuel Haru's anxieties even further. If her father stayed in his catatonia for days or even months to come, then he wouldn't be in the right frame of mind to cancel the marriage and nullify the contract between her and Sugimura's family.
Something in the air was just not right. And that festered in Haru's mind like a tumor.
There was a pleasant surprise waiting for her when she returned home. A guest had dropped by the Okumura estate – namely, it was Mariko Hyodo, known as the "Mayor of Sapporo" to most, but to Haru, she had alwaysbeen "Mari-san". Haru hadn't seen her in quite some time – she was a client and good friend of Father's, but they had grown distant from one another around the time Haru had entered her tweenage years. Mariko was a different woman these days, with her big, bouffant hair, lavish earrings, and thick, elaborate eyeshadow, but Mariko's affections and tendency to dote on Haru hadn't changed in the slightest. Case in point: the moment Haru entered into the foyer, Mariko zeroed in on her and gave her a great big hug.
"Haru-chan!" Mariko enthused, beaming as she embraced her. "My, it feels like it's been ages!"
"M-Mari-san!" Haru stammered, laughing a bit as she hugged her back. "It—yes, it has been a while, hasn't it? Have you gotten taller?"
"I was just about to ask you the same thing! It feels like you've sprouted like a mushroom," Mariko hummed, laughing and stepping away from Haru. "I'm glad I caught you when I did. I was just about to take my leave."
"You were…?" Haru queried. Has she come to see my father? …Did—did she manage to *talk* to him?
The look on Mariko's face told her otherwise. It seemed… concerned. "Yes, I…" Mariko paused, wondering what to say. "…Haru-chan, ah, would you mind if I spoke to you about something? It's about your father. I was wondering if…"
Haru immediately slipped her bag off her shoulders and nodded. "…Let's go to the tea parlor, shall we?"
In the manor's warm, bookcase-lined tea parlor, Haru and Mariko sat across from one another, nursing cups of jasmine tea and taking careful, polite drinks from their cups, almost in unison. Mariko sighed and set her cup down on her tea plate, giving Haru a serious look.
"Did Father invite you over?" asked Haru.
"Yes. We'd been planning to meet today for a little while now," Mariko stated, folding her steepled hands under her chin. "Your Father's entering the political realm, after all, and I wanted to talk to him about it. I wanted to learn about his plans, maybe offer him some pointers or even iron out a campaign for him."
"That's very kind of you," Haru hummed.
"Mostly, I just wanted to go golfing with him again. It's been ages," Mariko said, laughing more out of nervousness than anything else. "…But…"
"…?" Oh no.
"…Well, like I said. We agreed to meet on the 28th. But… well, when I came to see him—"
"He was… awfully quiet, yes?" Haru piped up.
Mariko blinked in surprise. "Wait, have you… so you know what's going on with him?" Mariko leaned forward on the table, her teacup rattling slightly with the gesture. "I tried to see him today, but the house staff insisted that he wasn't seeing any guests today."
Red flags. All Haru had been seeing today were red, red flags. Father wasn't the most honorable man, but he never went back on the promise of a meeting or a get-together unless he absolutely had to. He always honored his work commitments at the very least, even if they weren't exactly scrupulous. So for him to either shut Mariko out when Haru knew that his schedule was open today, or for him to be in a bad enough condition that the staff found it necessary to shoo Mariko away…
Haru was starting to have second thoughts about everything that had happened. She was fearing the worst.
"…Father's been…" Haru struggled to find the right words. "…rather withdrawn lately. He… he won't speak to me, or anyone, for that matter."
"My goodness," Mariko murmured, looking more and more worried by the moment. "Did something happen?"
Haru hoped that Mariko didn't catch her wince, or the tighter grip on her tea cup. "…I… I'm not sure. I think the stress of managing a business and starting a campaign are… starting to get to him." Haru didn't like having to lie so frequently to so many people, but…
Maybe that's just part and parcel of being a Phantom Thief.
Mariko took an unsteady drink from her own cup. "…I see." A heavy silence settled over the room for a moment before she spoke again. "…hmm… Haru, you don't think that maybe…?"
Haru bit her lip prematurely. "…h-huh?" she responded, lamely.
"…oh—nothing. Nothing." Mariko responded, listlessly waving a well-manicured hand. Haru knew exactly what she was thinking about, though. She was wondering if the Phantom Thieves had gotten to Okumura. Everyone knew that he was at the top of the list, after all. She probably just didn't want to worry Haru any further. Not that it would have made any difference.
"Do you think you should check him into the hospital?" Mariko said, trying a different angle instead.
"I'm… considering it," Haru admitted, stirring her spoon around in her tea. "…This isn't exactly normal."
"Certainly not." Mariko ran a hand against her brow and exhaled a deep, unnerved sigh. "…I wish there was something I could do for you, Haru, but… this is far beyond my area of expertise. I'm not even sure what's going on to begin with."
"No, no, that's quite alright," Haru reassured her. "Trust me, your concern is more than enough." That much was genuine, at least. "I'm… just as lost as you are."
"If you'd ever need a shoulder to lean on, then you can always call me, you know. I'd make the time for you, Haru-chan. I swear."
Haru lapsed into silence, stirring her tea around aimlessly. After a few beats of quiet, she looked back up at Mariko.
"…would it be possible for you to drop by tomorrow morning?"
Mariko's expression twisted into a question. "Oh? Not that I mind, but – may I ask why?"
Haru gathered her thoughts for a moment before speaking. "…if… if there is something wrong with Father… something that requires hospitalization, at the very least… then I'd like for him to be admitted to a hospital in Sapporo." Mariko's face lit up as she realized where Haru was going with this. "I don't want the media to know about it, and since you're the Mayor of Sapporo, I figured…"
"That I could pull some strings?" Mariko finished, a hint of a grin on her face. "My, how you've grown, Haru-chan. That's smart, that's very smart!"
Haru laughed a little at that, flattered by her praise. "…If it wouldn't be too much trouble, then do you think-?"
Mariko stood up, walked over, and put her hands on Haru's shoulders. "Anything for a friend. If you ever need my services, or the City of Sapporo's, then say the word and I'll be there for you. The last thing I want is to see you and your Father suffer. I'll make the time in my schedule."
Haru smiled and squeezed at Mariko's hands. "…I can't thank you enough, Mari-san." She rose out of her chair and bowed in front of Mariko. "I'll let you know about Father's status tomorrow morning."
"Please do," Mariko insisted. "I'll make sure to have a hospital room booked for him ahead of time. He'll get the best care in the world, Haru – I promise."
It was strange. Haru felt more reassured by this woman's promises that Kunikazu Okumura would be okay… than the Phantom Thieves' own promises of the same thing. And she didn't know anything about the Nav or the Metaverse or the changing of hearts.
Unfortunately, it was all too little, too late. Kunikazu would never see that hospital room.
That night, when she passed by her father's study – the door was still locked and the light was still on – Haru messaged Yusuke privately, asking him about Madarame and A.) if he'd ever received hospitalization during his change of heart, and B.) if he'd isolated himself and turned down any guests that may have come by his atelier. Haru almost felt bad – Yusuke had been pestered about questions about Madarame all day, it felt like. But Yusuke answered her queries with a refreshing grace.
YUSUKE: I actually never thought to have Sensei admitted to a hospital.
YUSUKE: It didn't seem like he needed any medical attention – he was eating and drinking normally, in spite of the trance he was in, and he never showed any signs of sickness. He was remarkably healthy for his age.
YUSUKE: And yes, he actually turned down a number of interviews he had planned for the coming weeks. He didn't let anyone come into our atelier besides myself. So he did 'isolate' himself, I'd say.
YUSUKE: I completely understand your worries, Haru. But this does seem 'normal', given the circumstances.
YUSUKE: If you feel the need to have a doctor check on your father, however, I'd definitely say you should go through with it. Better to be safe than sorry.
YUSUKE: Joker swears by a "Dr. Takemi" in Yongen-Jaya, but I've never seen the woman myself, so I can't vouch for her. Her clinic also seems awfully shady, but that's neither here nor there.
Yusuke's words were reassuring. But the reality of the situation still felt… off, to Haru. Like a song that was slightly out-of-key, with a melody that was slightly off-beat.
As she was going to bed, Haru passed by her Father's study one last time while brushing her teeth. It wasn't unusual for him to coop himself up inside his study for hours at a time, but… god, it just felt like he'd been spending an awful lot of time in there today.
Haru almost lifted her hand to knock on the door, to finally check on him herself…
…But she felt a sudden burst of anxiety and decided against it. After all… what if he remembered what happened at the Palace all of a sudden?
She hurried back to her bedroom.
And Haru would spend days upon days after the fact wishing she hadn't.
Because maybe she would have been able to save him.
[***]
DATE: SEPTEMBER 29
THE DAY OF THE MENTAL SHUTDOWN
The high-pitched scream of a maid woke everyone up, Haru included.
She woke up with a start, drenched in cold sweat, as if waking up from a terrible nightmare. Her room felt awfully chilly in spite of the heavy comforter blankets she had on top of her. Elsewhere in the estate, she heard the house staff rushing down the halls, towards the source of the scream.
That urged Haru to get up out of bed almost right away, jumping into a pair of pink slippers and tightening her nightgown before bolting out of her room.
…It's… it's just a vase.
She ran down the hallways, as fast as she could in slippers.
Someone just dropped a vase, that's all.
She hooked the corner.
They dropped it, and they screamed when it shattered. Because they didn't see it coming.
She realized she was nearing her father's study. She heard voices close by.
A vase. That's all it is. A glass vase.
Maids and servants, all wide eyes and bunched-up shoulders, were gathered in front of the study. There were hands over some of their mouths, as if stifling the mutual urge to gag.
I'm going to turn the corner…
A handmaid noticed Haru running close by, and she scrambled towards her, shouting something akin to 'don't let see her him like this'.
Walk inside his study…
Haru shouldered and pushed her away past the maids with an unladylike grace, stumbling into her father's personal office.
And when I look up…
Haru looked up… and froze in place.
…I'll see the remnants of a beautiful vase… scattered across the floor.
Droplets and streaks of black blood were splattered across the floor. A mural of the same shade of blood stained the drapes of the study. Knick-knacks had been knocked off of her father's desk, the sign of a scuffle or a struggle written on the table. And the centerpiece of this disturbing, macabre picture…
…Was the corpse of Kunikazu Okumura, slumped against his leather chair, with his eyes wide open and rolled back, revealing white-hot sclera pouring out cold, black blood.
Haru was paralyzed. She couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't breathe or blink. All she felt was the pounding of her heartbeat. A heart that was lucky enough to keep beating.
She didn't scream. She didn't shout. She didn't even cry.
All she could do… was stare back at her father's glazed-over eyes, with two thoughts burning in her head:
They killed him.
Followed by a resounding, haunting reprise:
*I* killed him.
