Hope everyone is doing well. I'm sure you're eager to find out what happens after last chapter's ending.
I don't own these characters, but belong to Persona 5 of Atlus.
Thank you again to SomebodyLost. As their assistance truly helps make this story the way it is.
Chapter 22
"Why does the sun have to be so loud..." Sadayo groaned.
Her left arm was numb, her head was pounding, and her eyes refused to open. The glaring light only made her screaming headache worse. She raised a hand to cover her face, to no avail.
Sadayo knew this feeling well — the all-too-familiar hangover. It didn't surprise her though considering last night's decisions.
When Ohya-san had presented the saké bottle, Sadayo knew that she was going to suffer for it the day after. Still, she had drunk; she was no saké connoisseur, but it was one of her favorite drinks. Yet it was something that she could only take in small doses.
Her headache firmly reprimanded her why she should have heeded her warning. Not helped by this was the blazing heat outside; apparently she had shed her shirt off sometime last night. Strangely, her bra was still on when past experiences told her it was one of the first things to go when in heat. Its loose strap was still hanging down her right arm.
"...I think I went a bit too far on the partying last night," Sadayo chuckled. "When was the last time that had happened? Honestly, other than the whole thing of getting outed about Akira and I, it was actually a lot of fun." At the mention of her boyfriend, something ran through her mind, as if she was forgetting something. "Akira… didn't he show up at the bar? Urrgh, I can't think straight with this headache."
Sadayo tried moving her left arm, but for some reason it was trapped under something. She turned to the side to find the source, only to discover a particular student sleeping peacefully.
"Oh... I guess I'm still in the middle of a dream," she mumbled at the familiar image. How else would Akira be here like this? "Still... usually he's not wearing anything either. Not that I don't mind, this is nice too." She giggled to herself. Idly debating removing her bra so she can feel him completely, laziness and comfort compelled her to just snuggle and enjoy the dream a little longer. Slowly, she drifted deeper into a lovely sleep, enveloping herself in his warmth, inhaling his scent…
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
Her exhaustion, along with the aches and pains were immediately pushed to the side as a full dose of adrenaline hit her. It wasn't a dream. With a sudden burst of strength, she pulled her arm from under him while pushing his side with the other hand. Her boyfriend fell off the bed with a loud thud.
"Ow…" the clearly solid and very much real Akira groaned.
"W-WHY ARE YOU HERE?! HOW DID YOU END UP HERE?! WHAT HAPPENED?!" Sadayo then looked down, remembering her state of undress; she quickly grabbed the sheets to cover herself while adjusting her bra strap. "AND WHERE DID MY SHIRT GO?!"
Images popped in her mind, potential scenarios that caused her red cheeks to pale as she fell back onto her ass. "Oh no. I can't believe... I did it..."
"Ummm, Sadayo? Are you okay?" Akira peeked from the edge of the bed.
"I laid a hand on my student like that. I seduced him and had my way with him while drunk. What is wrong with me?" Sadayo distractedly tugged on her hair with one hand. "And what's worse is that I don't even get to remember—"
"Sadayo!" Akira's hands gently but firmly pulled her hand from her hair. When she finally met him eye to eye, he disentangled one of his hands to pull on his shirt. "I'm still fully clothed. And you still have your skirt on."
"Huh?" Sadayo looked at Akira with confusion. She peeked under her sheets, realizing that indeed, her lower half was still dressed. But a skirt can be easily bypassed if you're determined, so Sadayo surreptitiously slid a finger through the edge of her jean skirt, feeling for the other edge of her underwear.
It was still there. "Oh thank god..."
Akira smiled, relieved at her relief. "So what was that about not remem—"
"Nothing!" Sadayo quickly interrupted, her face back to beet red. She massaged her forehead to cover her embarrassment and to soothe the returning headache. Settling on her headboard for a more comfortable position, she peeked at her boyfriend through her fingers; Akira seemed content on watching her, sitting at the edge of the bed. "Still, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at Leblanc?"
Traces of bemusement fled as he blushed. "Well… about that..."
"Oh god… do I even want to know what happened last night?" She facepalmed at what kind of stupid things she must've done. Though her thoughts didn't go far as she was interrupted by her grumbling stomach. "Sorry."
Akira simply laughed at her compounding embarrassments. "That's one way to break the tension." He stood up and walked to her side of the room, picking something from the floor — her shirt, which he then offered to her. "Why don't I tell you during breakfast? I'll see if I can make us something. What do you say?"
His easy smile was contagious, and its gentle warmth reassured Sadayo, and helped her to calm down. She took the offered shirt.
"That would be lovely..."
The piano jazz music was the only mark of existence in the silent bar. Almost seamlessly, the song transitioned to another, just for a few seconds, but a lifetime for Akira.
Sadayo was looking at him with a mortified expression, begging him to come up with something. But for what? Why was everyone giving him looks of utter disbelief? While it would be strange to have his teacher find him in a bar, it shouldn't have caused a scene that would cause Lala-chan to drop a glass, especially after the stuff she's heard from her regulars.
Then Chihaya moved, pointing a wobbling finger at his direction.
"Ya'hr dating ya'h teachah!"
It echoed throughout the (thankfully) empty bar, vibrating every bone of Akira's body. Chihaya's drunken laughter also served as an impetus to resurrect the ladies from their frozen state.
"It's over..." Sadayo covered her face in shame, sounding to be on the verge of tears.
Alarmed, Akira tried, "Wait a minu—"
"Whoa, are you serious?" Ohya gasped, wide-eyed and out of her usually buzzed state.
"What are you talk—"
"Sorry, but we already went through this song and dance," Takemi interjected, "so I'll just cut to the chase: they know about you and Kawakami."
"How did they—-!" Akira clamped his jaw shut when the reality of the situation finally hit him. He looked at Sadayo, hoping for some denial, but she was curled into herself, awkwardly patted by Takemi in some semblance of comfort. This wasn't helped by the surrounding stares and open gwaking from the others in the room.
'This is just another ambush,' he reasoned with himself, tamping down the urge to yell, cry or curse. Sadayo may have skipped too many steps about announcing their relationship, but what was done was done. He was about to approach their table when his girlfriend finally emerged from her shell with a determined expression.
"Screw it," Sadayo announced, grabbing the saké bottle in front of her. Ignoring the small cups, she threw her head back and drank straight from the bottle.
"Wow, look at her go," Ohya whistled, impressed.
"Sadayo wait!" Akira rushed to the table, and thankfully, Takemi moved out of the way. He carefully pried the bottle from his girlfriend's fingers; to his dismay, it was already empty.
"Hey, that's unfair!" Sadayo cried out, completely red as tears began to form. "What does it matter anyway?! It's not like it's going to make things any worse! Might as well—"
"Hey, hey, it's okay," Akira hushed his justifiably panicked girlfriend as he took a seat next to her and pulled her close. If the others truly did know about their relationship, then he figured there was no reason to hold back.
"Stupid Akira! Why do you have to keep showing up and knowing everyone?!" Sadayo complained as she ineffectively pummeled his chest.
Akira let her vent her frustration. He still wasn't sure about the exact situation, but he can tell that he'd screwed up. There was no solution he could think of, and all eyes were on them.
Eventually, Sadayo tired and her fists slowed, clinging his arms tightly instead. Braving the inevitable, Akira looked up to his audience — a mixture of confusion, amusement and intrigue. But one specific reaction seemed to be thankfully missing.
'No hostility yet, good.' Akira took the relief as a small blessing, though their probing eyes didn't escape him.
"I imagine that you have questions," Akira let out a drawn-out sigh, familiar to his girlfriend's when she's exhausted. "But before that, what exactly is going on here?"
"Lala-chan," Akira stared pleadingly at his boss, even though he knew it was hopeless, "can you waive the underage drinking for once?"
Lala-chan smirked, shaking her head in amusement. "Sorry, no can do, hon."
Groaning, Akira buried his face on the curly mass of hair in front of him.
For a good while, the ladies proceeded to recollect their evening. Mostly from Takemi and Ohya; Chihaya was giggling at nearly everything, but Sadayo was still withdrawing into Akira, clutching the empty bottle in hand. Eventually, Sadayo seemed to calm down enough that she was no longer hiding, though she swiped another saké bottle. He tried to take it away, but for some reason she decided to sit on his lap. An effective tactic, since he promptly turned red at the spectators' grins and the way Sadayo shifted...
"So let me guess," Akira lifted his head from his girlfriend's hair and turned to the fortune-teller responsible for this whole thing. "That was why you always kept asking about the Temperance?"
"Ah admit tah being just a littlah bit curious," Chihaya meekly toyed with her cup, avoiding Akira's stare. Her guilty demeanor was ruined by her dopey smile.
"Shtupid Temperansh, shtupid powers, shtupid Kira-kun," Sadayo mumbled. She stared down at the other girls while holding him close, as if trying to keep him safe. It was, admittedly, quite cute and surprising.
"Sorry," Akira patted her head gently, causing her to flinch for a second, before welcoming his touch.
"You better keep petting," Sadayo playfully pouted. "If you don't I won't forgive you."
The first time that Akira had seen Sadayo drunk was before they started dating. Back then, her anger and insecurity was plain to see, but had held it in until they were alone. Now it was surprising and confusing to see her openly affectionate around others, even letting him pamper her more so than she normally would when they were alone.
Not that he minded, of course. Under normal circumstances, Akira would be more than welcome to receive and give this amount of affection, but it was still surreal to have an audience watch his teacher nuzzle his neck as she sat on his lap.
'Feels like I stepped into a bad plot of a cheesy film.' Akira laughed awkwardly as he continued to pet her.
"So, I have questions," Ohya declared. "First of all, how much of what she told us is true? I mean, she made it sound like she was just a freelance worker."
"My real job is being a teasher, but for years I did all shorts of side jobs because I needed money," Sadayo spoke up from his chest. "And truth be told, teaching might have been just another shide job during that time."
Akira felt her embrace tighten, and he returned it as encouragement.
"How many jobs are we talking about?" Ohya asked.
"I've done all shorts of things." Sadayo pulled one arm away from Akira as she began to count with her fingers. "Sometimes I would work before school. shtuff like assembly, inventory, news delivery... whish reminds me, I shaw that little article of yours, Msh. Journalist," she pointed at Ohya with slight annoyance, but continued counting. "I also did some minor shtuff like walking the neighbor's dog and convenience store work. But the job that I worked on the longest was—"
"Cleaning," Akira quickly finished Sadayo's sentence, worried she'd let Victoria slip. "She works for some cleaning service. It's actually how we met. I needed help cleaning up my place and it just so happened that she ended up as the designated ma—cleaner."
"You're kidding, right?" Ohya stared him down with pure suspicion. "That seems way too much of a coincidence."
"It's true," Takemi, who went back to her spot after Sadayo took a seat on his lap, thankfully backed him up. Coincidentally — or not — she was also blocking his escape route. "I actually ran into Kawakami while she was doing some cleaning for Kurusu. Of course at the time, I had no idea she was also his teacher. I just figured she was just... a cleaner who has a weird uniform."
Akira twitched.
"And the money she mentioned you spent because of her?" Ohya pressed. "And what uniform?"
"It was sort of an excuse," Akira rubbed the back of his neck, making sure to carefully word things. He willfully ignored the other question. "The money she would normally earn was never enough to pay her extortion and her living expenses. So I kind of requested her to clean a lot more times than I needed to, just so she would be paid."
"Oh, you did a lot more than jusht have me clean," Sadayo slurred suggestively with a giggle.
He could easily visualize the streak of red on his cheeks as his face ignited. Unfortunately, despite the liquor they imbibed, the others had sharp eyes.
"Did he now? Come on, dish out the dirt," Ohya's suspicion was clear as day, her face plastered with a cheshire grin. Akira recognized that look and began to worry.
"He wash such a gentleman about it too," Sadayo smiled dreamily. "He wash so supportive and understanding... even when I wash in his bed."
"WHAT?!"
Ohya gaped, spilling her whiskey with slack fingers.
Chihaya spat out her drink, coughing and wiping her nose.
Lala-chan fumbled with the glassware; thankfully, she was able to save the fragile stack from hitting the floor.
Takemi stared, wide-eyed and lost. "I… never thought you had it in you."
"N-no wait, you got it all wrong!" Akira desperately tried to take control of the situation. "S-she's talking about sleeping! Wait no, not that kind of sleeping! I mean resting! She would come over tired and sometimes she'd take a nap at my place since she didn't have time to go home!"
Sadayo giggled. "Then he would make me coffee and we'd enjoy each other's company for the rest of the nigh—"
"Not the whole night! And not that type of company! We just talked and—-"
"Kira-kun, shweety… it's not nice to interrupt like that," Sadayo placed a finger on his lips as she looked at him with annoyance. Akira wasn't sure on what to do as he tried to figure out a way to explain things to her drunken brain, but her sour facade easily crumbled to amused giggling and snorting. "Sorry, I couldn't help it. You're jusht so cute when you get so flushtered like that."
To make things worse — or better? — Sadayo pulled herself closer, planting a loving kiss on his cheek. He must be red as a tomato right now.
That brought the ladies out of their shock as they began laughing and pointing at him. Considering how hard he tried to keep appearances around them, this was the first time for them to see him this way. Thankfully, it looked like he had at the very least cleared the misunderstanding, but he soon realized that he was now surrounded and trapped by a number of eager women with no way out.
"...Please go easy on me," Akira prayed.
"And miss seeing you all red in the face? No way!" Ohya grinned devilishly. "Besides, we still have tons of questions about you two, don't we Chihaya?"
"Ya darn tootin we do!" Chihaya proclaimed, swinging a sloshing cup determinedly.
"And I'm going to guess you're with them on this one," Akira turned to the doctor who blocked the other end of the table.
"Of course." Takemi held out her glass, back to her amused self.
"The way you said that has me even more worried." Despite his words, Akira grabbed the lone glass of water from the table and clinked it against hers.
"Come on Kira-kun, it will be fine," Sadayo wistfully said. Her thumb lovingly caressed his cheek. "I don't mind. It's actually nice to jusht hang out with friends without without having to hide."
"Friends, huh?" Akira could feel himself smiling at Sadayo's words, though melancholy ran underneath. Taking off his glasses, he rubbed his eyes, absorbing the waiting crowd through his fingers. Resigned, he plopped his glasses on the table and let out a sigh. "Fine, I guess we can stay and chat."
"YAY!" Sadayo cheered happily as she hugged his red face to her chest. "Okay, lay it on me, ladies!"
"Oh! OOH! ME, AH DO!" Chihaya excitedly waved her hand. "Who confessed tah who?!"
Akira bashfully raised a hand, unable to answer from his position.
"You better let the poor boy breathe," Lala-chan said as she approached, tray clinking. "Though he's probably fine there."
"I'm pretty shtrong, ya know?" Sadayo giggled, raising a bicep to clumsily flex it — an action that enabled her prisoner to escape. "Kira-kun, you were really cute and charming back then! Even when you fell to the floor you were… chi-chiva… shivarous!"
Akira couldn't meet any eyes and drank his water.
"Fell to the floor? Chivalrous?" Takemi asked, intrigued.
"Someone wash a bit. Too. Bold," Sadayo playfully poked his cheek for each emphasis, "and tried to shteal a kiss in the middle of his little confesshion. It wash kinda funny in retrehspeck."
Akira couldn't help but smirk a little, even if he couldn't meet anyone's eyes. "You think so? I wasn't the one that ran off in panic afterwards."
"You both ran away from each other?" Ohya laughed; Takemi must've told them about his escape from the clinic. "How far have you two gone?"
"Well, we've..." Sadayo playfully giggled, cupping her cheek like a lovestruck princess. "We've already had our first kiss! It was so romantic," She sighed happily.
"Ishee a good kissah?!" Chihaya gleefully banged the table with eager fists.
"HE'S THE BESHT KISSER!" Sadayo wiggled on his lap — which was very distracting and interesting for Akira — and leaned an upraised hand to the fortuneteller, who smacked it with her own. The high-five echoed through the room.
Shoulders shaking, Akira covered his embarrassed, hysterical, yet proud, grin. Did Sadayo truly feel that way, or was it just the saké talking?
Takemi mused, "I'm guessing this happened after your first date?"
"Yep! We went to the ferris wheel at Odaiba and the city looked so gorgeous! He had me sitting on his lap like this and just held me close and told me he loved me. That was when we kissed."
"Oh mah goodness…."
"I guess that's romantic if you can beat the crowds..."
"Rather touristy, but lots of couples do go there..."
Bewildered, Akira watched the three women wistfully sigh as hints of pink bloomed in their cheeks while — Akira did a double-take — is Lala-chan sniffling?!
Unfortunately, his movement and expression made the room focus on him like predators to a prey. 'Is their vision is based on movement?' Akira sarcastically thought.
"That's really bold of you," Ohya smirked dangerously, "I can only imagine the look of my boss' face if you've done that with me. You should have totally pulled something like that when we were dating!"
Just as Akira was about to refute, his head was grabbed in a deathhold and his mouth swallowed fabric. The yellow clothing and the enticing flesh he can fully feel but barely see fizzled all thoughts.
The other women laughed.
"No need to glare, Kawakami," Takemi teased. "If you keep shoving him at your chest, you'll end up smothering him."
"Yeah, I'm only messing with you two," Ohya chuckled merrily. "Still, have you… you know. Done that?"
There was no need to look at her to know what she meant. Akira turned his head to the side to blurt, "Ohya!"
"Hi-hi-him and me?" Sadayo stuttered, arms loosening their hold. Looking like a deer in the headlights, she cupped her red cheeks in guilt. But despite her expression, a big grin spread on her face. "No no no, too soon. Much too soon! I mean..." she then squealed and wiggled excitedly on his lap, grabbing his shoulders. "When is graduathion?!"
"Sa-Sadayo?!" Akira floundered, frankly confused.
"Okay, okay time to stop poking at the poor boy," Lala-chan authoritatively walked towards the table. "Not to mention, some of you have had enough drinking for the night?" She then winked at Akira. "Besides, the kid should head out soon; it's getting late."
Akira let out a sigh of relief, truly thankful for the chance of freedom.
"Before you go though, would you be a dear and help bring out some crates from the back?"
"Of course," Akira nodded, before he turned to his cheerful girlfriend. "Sorry, I have to help out a bit. Will you be okay?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Sadayo left his lap with uncoordinated limbs and a wide smile, nearly crashing onto Chihaya. Takemi slid out of the way, finally allowing him a way out, but just as he was about to leave, a hand yanked him back by the collar of his shirt. Stumbling, all he could do was flinch when his girlfriend pounced.
'Sadayo's definitely forward tonight,' was his only rational thought as the rest of his brain screamed in mortification and euphoria. His girlfriend was kissing him in plain sight with drunken abandon and... was... that her tongue?!
"Drinks and a show!" Ohya laughed.
That was a good reminder that they weren't alone. Gently but firmly, Akira pried his girlfriend off his lips. Sadayo pouted and tried to kiss him again, but her drunken limbs were no match to his sober coordination. In an attempt to seriously convey that they definitely shouldn't engage in public indecence, Akira looked at her, straight at the eyes.
Big mistake.
Coffee-brown eyes stared back at him longingly, smoldering embers in the depths. The light of the bar casted her dark hair and face with an alluring pink glow. Flushed cheeks and quivering lips — an expression filled with unabashed desire, pleading for him to keep going.
Truth be told, if they were alone, he wouldn't be able to resist pinning her down to fulfill those wishes. Her constant affections throughout the night had already lit a spark that steadily grew into a flame; it would be no challenge to succumb and unleash his Joker persona in a passionate inferno.
...If it wasn't for the surrounding laughter and giggles. He promptly deposited Sadayo back on her seat, somewhat grateful yet annoyed that they had an audience. Sadayo pouted again, so Akira resisted the urge to kiss her senseless and pecked her politely on the forehead.
"I'll be back," he smirked with a confidence he didn't feel. Akira didn't wait for a response nor looked at the other women; he simply fled to the storage room.
Once the door was closed, Akira sagged against the wall before slouching to the ground. Even if there was no one to see, his hands came up to his face, red from overheating.
"Get a hold of yourself, Kurusu," Akira slapped his cheeks. With a groan, he noticed a growing, familiar lump on the front of his jeans; he tried his best to adjust and smother it. "Dammit, down boy. Sadayo's drunk out of her mind, so the last thing you want is for both of you to do something that you'll regret."
Akira let out a sigh as he listlessly sat on the floor. Finally, even with problems down there, he has a moment of peace... which also gave him the opportunity to reflect on the evening. Or more precisely, where he screwed up.
"Seriously, I knew this would be hard, but it really feels like someone has it out for me. Though at least all the people that found out want to help." Akira ran his hands down his face, annoyed at his blunder. After all his talk about confidence, the moment he panicked he over thought too much that he just threw out the fact that Sadayo was his teacher. Letting out a frustrated chuckle, his head slumped in defeat.
The door opened beside him, and two people piled in.
Closing the door, Lala-chan asked, "How are you holding up, dear?"
"I must say, that bombshell you dropped was really something," Ohya remarked as she sat on one of the empty crates.
Akira realized what was going on. He couldn't help but chuckle again. "I thought we were done with the interrogation."
"Sorry, I just wanted to talk to you personally," Ohya waved him off, "and it's hard to do that with everyone else around."
"You mean with Sadayo sitting on my lap while glaring at you," Akira remarked with a smirk.
"We just want to be sure you're alright. Considering the stuff that happened at your school," Lala-chan spoke, her concern for him obvious. "The things that boy told Ohya about what was happening at your school were quite serious, and the fact that it went ignored for so long is equally as cruel."
"The stuff with Kamoshida, right?" Akira asked.
"Let's just call it a follow up," Ohya dropped her cheerful facade and leaned intently. "When I did the interview with that Mishima kid I didn't try looking too deep into things since I just wanted a quick scoop so I could look for Kana. But as a journalist, I can't help but find it a bit vexing that there was info that I could have discovered if I had done my job properly. So I just want to make sure I don't leave anything unturned this time."
"We just want to make sure you're okay," Lala-chan affirmed. "We know you're a capable person, and god knows you're more responsible than Ohya here."
"That last part wasn't necessary," Ohya glared at Lala-chan.
Lala-chan chuckled before turning back to Akira. "But at the end of the day, you're still young, and as an adult, I can't just leave things without at least making sure you're safe."
Akira sighed, but admittedly, he couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, I do appreciate the concern. I know that it looks concerning, especially with the school stuff, but she isn't forcing me to do anything. I wasn't lying when I said I was the one that confessed to her, nor the fact that she ran off in a panic and it took a long time before I got an answer out of her. So don't worry, I'm fine, more than fine even. Though I may not know what I'm doing."
"You can say that again," Ohya scoffed.
"But I do know how I feel about her — I want to make her happy."
The two adults exchanged looks; the years of friendship between them made words unnecessary. Ohya exhaled, almost like she had lost something, as she flopped on the crate she was sitting on and gazed up at the ceiling. "Can't argue with that I guess."
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry you all got dragged into our dirty little secret, and I hope you guys can keep it quiet?" Akira sheepishly put his palms together.
"Hush now. As long as you're doing well, you'll have a safe place here, dear," Lala-chan waved her hand in amusement. "And don't worry, Sadayo-chan seems like a sweet girl, and we both like her. Why do you think Ohya went the roundabout way of questioning her?"
"Who asked you?'' Ohya sat up, sneered at Lala-chan as she pushed herself from the crate in a burst of energy. "Though, it would be nice to have another drinking buddy."
Akira instantly asked, "Please don't get my girlfriend constantly drunk."
"I make no promises," Ohya mischievously grinned, just like Ta— oh no, she and Takemi are now friends! "Never seen someone chug saké, after all."
"That's not something to brag about," Lala-chan lightly rebuked as the three of them shared a laugh. "Just be careful, the both of you. And know that Ohya and I are here if you need us."
The familiar pain he'd been feeling all day blared back. While he was able to smile for the bar's hostess, a part of him still felt guilty. He needed his glasses back.
Akira got up from the ground. "Thanks, I'm sure Sadayo will be happy to hear that." He dusted his pants, surreptitiously checking if his problem down there was gone while he made a show of looking around the storage room. "So do you still need help carrying some boxes or was this all?"
"Well if you're offering to help..." Lala-chan teased. "Don't worry about it. I think you should be helping someone get home."
"You got it, boss."
With that, the student, the bar owner, and the journalist walked back into the bar. There was a joke somewhere in there, and Akira kept the amusing thought enroute to the table. He smiled at the scene of Sadayo chatting happily with Chihaya — who was wearing his glasses for some reason — and Tae about a show she'd been watching.
After everything that had gone down, he had to admit that he was feeling drained, but at Sadayo's carefree laughter mingling with her peers, he felt himself recharged anew. Actually, it reminded him of the time when the Phantom Thieves had their first celebration at the buffet. Snobby individuals aside, it was truly fun to enjoy delicious food with people that had accepted him and become friends. It was the first time since he had moved to Tokyo that he started to feel like things were going to be okay. So maybe, this was a good sign for Sadayo as well.
'Yep, still no regrets.' Akira kept his smile as he walked to the table, "Sorry to interrupt ladies, but it's probably a good time to head out."
"Awww, do we have to?" Sadayo's playful puppy eyes should be outlawed.
"Sorry, but I think Lala-chan's closing early, and we have to make sure that we both make it home." Akira pecked her on the head.
"I guess..." Sadayo let out a happy murmur before arranging her limbs to get out of the booth. She grabbed the glasses from Chihaya's dazed face and donned them herself. How adorable. "But I don't need any help getting back—" Her footing stumbled as she got up; luckily, Akira was more than ready to catch her. "Okay, maybe I had a bit too much?"
"I'm not surprised. Your intake became faster the moment Kurusu showed up." Takemi was already standing with her hand bag.
"Maybe I do need a little bit of help..."
"Just leave it to me," Akira smirked.
"Akira what are you — waaaah?!"
With one fluid motion, Sadayo was raised behind him on a piggyback. He expected her to panic, and for a moment she did, but it was quickly replaced with delighted giggles.
"Mrrr, you feel nice," Sadayo sighed happily, burrowing between his shoulders as her arms wrapped around him. Certain soft lumps made the heat rush back.
"You seem quite red. Need me to check your temperature?" Takemi teased.
"I'm fine," Akira coughed. Maybe he should've gotten his glasses back, even if they were poor shields to hide his blush. He adjusted Sadayo on his back, which got another amused giggle from her.
"Oh! Careful where you're grabbing~!" Sadayo leaned in — pressing the soft lumps and intensifying Akira's blush — and whispered in a breathy voice, right at his ear, "But you know, Becky doesn't mind if you wanted to… Mashter."
Akira was incredibly grateful that Lala-chan and Ohya are still in the storage room while Chihaya was in a drunken trance. It would've been perfect if the chuckling Takemi was also out. Taking a deep breath, he calmed the growing flame inside before moving his hand to make sure he had a good — and chaste — grip on his girlfriend.
The door from the back opened and closed, and Akira turned to the approaching footsteps. "What about Chihaya?"
"We can take her back home. I know where it's at so it's not a big problem," Ohya approached and tweaked Sadayo's nose, who swatted her off. Amused, Ohya backed down and nodded at Takemi, who smirked back.
"Don't worry about it, hun," Lala-chan noted the jostling pair beside him. She led the way to the door and held it open for the crew. "This isn't the first time Chihaya-chan has needed help from her friends. She's in good hands."
After exchanging contacts, everyone left the bar in high spirits. Takemi opted to accompany him and Sadayo, commenting that there was no need to split up since their paths were the same, but Akira suspected that it was more out of curiosity as to where Sadayo lived. Shaking his head at his nosy and protective friends — not that he could deny having that trait himself — Akira was about to leave when someone called his name.
"Be firm, Kurushukun!" Chihaya drunkenly shouted, heedless of the staring passersby. "In yer convicshun, I mean. Not down der, but that's unavoiladable anyway..."
Akira didn't understand half of what she said, but the other half… well, he hoped she wasn't saying what he thought she was saying…
Before Chihaya can spout more embarrassing prophecies, Lala-chan and Ohya tugged her on both hands, laughing their goodbyes.
"Bye-bye, Lala-chan, Oh-chan, Chi-chi-chan~!" Sadayo wildly waved them off, clinging to his back like a monkey.
With that, Akira and Takemi left. The walk to the station was a lively one, as Takemi and Sadayo chatted about plans for a fan club. For a while, Akira was worried that a noisy grown woman piggybacking on a teenager would catch attention, but as people just walked by bemusedly, he realized that with Takemi along, they just looked like a couple of friends helping a third get back home safely. Still, he made sure to be on the lookout for anyone that could recognize him or Sadayo with his Eye.
By the time they entered the train, they were able to blend in with the drunken groups that were scattered throughout the corridor and seats. Akira made sure to stick to a corner and kept his face hidden, helped by Takemi who guarded their rear. The train departed soon, the crowded and lively streets transitioning to the quiet and peaceful suburban areas. Sadayo seemed to settle down with the ambient change, squeezing his shoulders occasionally while happily murmuring.
Eventually, they made it to their station. Other than the occasional glances of amusement from passersby they made their way without trouble. The peaceful neighborhood was nearly empty at this time, which allowed Akira to take a breather.
Takemi now walked beside him, her head turned to the dozing Sadayo. After a moment, she finally broke the silence. "Is something bothering you?"
Akira turned off his Eye, making sure she was asking him, not his girlfriend. "That came out of nowhere. Why do you ask?"
"No particular reason. You just seem like you have something on your mind."
"Do I?" Akira chuckled.
With a sigh, Takemi raised her hand and lightly swatted his head, a familiar gesture without her usual clipboard. "What did I tell you about the most important rule of communications between a patient and their doctor? We—"
"—can't help you unless you're honest with us. We aren't mind readers," Akira exasperatedly finished.
Takemi glared. "If you memorized it, it wouldn't kill you to take it into practice."
Geez, tonight really isn't his night, huh? Akira sighed, "It's not really important. It's just me being petty and unfair."
"Well, if you truly think it's so petty, why don't you get a second opinion? I've heard it's apparently popular to ask one of your neighborhood doctors."
"Twist my arm, don't yah?" Akira let out a defeated chuckle, letting a bit of the silence linger to collect his thoughts. "I guess... I'm a bit frustrated."
"With what happened tonight, I'm not too surprised."
"No it's not about that. Okay, maybe a part of it is that," Akira groaned. He made sure that Sadayo was unconscious before he answered. "I promised her that we wouldn't get caught, that I would do everything I can to make sure that we would be okay. Yet people keep finding out about us. Add to the blunder I did tonight..."
"It's not like you knew that we all found out about your relationship."
"That still doesn't excuse the fact that I just blurted that out. I could have been more vague with my answers, or I could have just said hi and followed the discussion; it's not like I haven't done that before. But instead, I tried too hard and thought of what would be the most distant relationship we have." Akira sighed, letting his frustration at himself simmer. "When we talked about dating, I knew that getting found out scared her the most, so I reassured her it would be okay, that I could keep both of us safe. But now… that promise just feels like empty words."
"Sounds like something the both of you should talk about," Takemi in concern looked towards Sadayo on his back again. "But is that all?"
"Nope. But this is our destination." He nodded to the apartment building on their right.
"Fine fine, I'll take the hint. But I really do think you need to talk things over with her. It's going to cause her to worry if you don't."
"Since when did she become the favorite?" Akira playfully asked.
"Who says I can't have more than one? I'm just looking out for my two lovey-dovey patients," Takemi chuckled at his expression. She turned to leave. "Anyway, I'll leave the rest to you."
Suddenly, the weight on his back shifted so violently that Akira nearly fell on the pavement. While he was trying to regain his balance, a hand quickly darted to Takemi's shoulder, yanking her back to Akira before it snaked around Takemi's shoulder securely. Takemi bumped on Akira's shoulder; Akira bemusedly watched her cheeks turn slightly pink at their proximity.
Sadayo was halfway off his back, managing to finagle him and Takemi into a double hug. "I'm really glad I have the two of you. I was alone for so long, but now, not only do I have an amazing and loving boyfriend, but also a best friend who cares and is there for me. I'm so greatful to have you both in my life. Akira, Takemi..."
Akira couldn't help but smile at Takemi's bug-eyed expression from Sadayo's genuine gratitude. There had been only one other time that he had seen her looking so surprised, and it was when he suggested that being a local doctor suited her. But even that didn't compare to her flustered expression right now.
Not that he was any better, but he already got the hang of constant embarrassment since he had all night to get used to it.
"You seem happy," Akira smirked.
"You're more than welcome to keep such comments to yourself," Takemi sniped, but her glare was less effective with her blush and an affectionate Sadayo between them.
"But I thought you told me I should be honest with you?"
"Then I guess I should take an extra pint of blood from you the next time we run a test." Takemi patted Sadayo's hand with a resigned smile. "Yes, yes I get it. Honestly, how did I end up with a couple of softies like you two?"
Releasing herself from the drunken grasp, Takemi helped Akira put Sadayo down so she could stand on her feet, though Akira kept an arm around Sadayo's back in support afterwards. Sadayo laughed and bopped her hips against his, leaning on his shoulder.
"That's right, I almost forgot." Takemi opened her bag and produced a vial. "Here, it should help her with her hangover tomorrow."
"Your own remedy?" Akira smirked.
"What if it is?" Takemi returned with a smirk of her own. "Worried I might be giving your girlfriend something dangerous?"
"Nope, I know firsthand how effective your stuff is."
"Such a loyal and trusting guinea pig," Takemi giggled, walking away. "Make sure to get back home, okay?"
"Sure thing, doc."
"Byeee Kemi-chan!" Sadayo joyfully shouted. Without turning back, Takemi raised a hand in goodbye, and the couple proceeded towards Sadayo's apartment building.
Akira was thankful that Sadayo's place was only placed on the third floor. Deciding that speed was better than discretion, he hit the button for the lone elevator. Tense seconds counted down; he would've taken the stairs, but a drunken, affectionate girlfriend on uneven terrain sounded like a recipe for disaster. When the bell rang, he was steering Sadayo into the elevator even before the doors finished opening all the way. Ignoring her wandering hands, Akira turned on his Eye again, watching the floors whizz by; thankfully, no one else was summoning the elevator.
Then Sadayo grabbed his ass.
Violently shocked from his supernatural vision, Akira valiantly held back an unmanly squeak, even when his jump betrayed him. Quickly, he took off Sadayo's hand off his butt; there's a camera in the corner, dammit!
"But Kira-kun," Sadayo pouted, unrepentant, "you have a nice butt. I always watch it."
Without a doubt, Akira knew that his redness in the bar earlier paled in comparison to now. Unable to speak, Akira opted to keep his face hidden from the camera while grabbing both of her hands to prevent more… erm, grabbing.
Fortunately, the bell dinged, and they were out of the elevator.
Once they arrived at her doorstep, Sadayo rummaged for her keys while he watched the hallway for residents that may pop out. As soon as the door was opened, Akira immediately but gently ushered her in. Sadayo didn't bother to turn on the lights and simply dropped her bags and shoes on the entryway.
'Mission accomplished,' Akira tiredly sagged against the closed door. Escorting his drunken girlfriend was one of the most stressful things he had ever done, and while he would've loved nothing more than to relax with his girlfriend, Sadayo's grabby hands blared alarms in his head — something that reminded him of Chihaya's drunken prophecy.
"Okay, I should head home now," Akira began to let go, but suddenly his girlfriend spun and yanked him for the umpteenth time of the night. Stumbling to regain his balance again, he was unable to resist as she pulled him down for a searing kiss.
'This is a goodbye kiss anyway…' Akira thought as he let himself enjoy it. Then all thoughts flew when Sadayo lightly bit and licked his lower lip.
"Thank you for bringing me back home safely," Sadayo lovingly purred as Akira's brain scrambled to repair itself. Her fingers caressed his cheeks, making the repairs useless. "You're such a caring master. Becky is so lucky to have someone like you."
Playfully tapping his lips with her finger, Sadayo peeled herself off. "I guess I'll see you later then. Make it home safely, okay?" But before she could make three steps, Sadayo quickly lost her balance.
Thankfully, Akira's knee-jerk reaction permitted him to catch her before she hit the floor. "Hey! You alright?"
"Guess I'mma little bit tipsy," Sadayo giggled. "Is it okay if you took me to bed?"
Maybe it was the fact that she was drunk, but the way she looked at him dried the words in his throat. Normally, his savviness would allow him to successfully negotiate with Shadows, but now he was unable to tell whether or not his girlfriend was intentionally reeling him in. A part of him felt like he shouldn't go into her room, especially when she was in this state, but another part was also worried that Sadayo could hurt herself if left alone.
So he took a deep breath, putting up a brave face as he repeated the advice he had told her so many times before.
"Just leave it to me."
Feeling absurdly exposed, Akira didn't reach for the lightswitch on the wall. He made sure to hold his girlfriend steady as he helped her towards the one place he hadn't been in, navigating the apartment in the scant moonlight. Once he entered her room, Akira observed the area as he walked Sadayo towards her bed.
The room was obviously smaller than his whole attic at Leblanc, containing a small dresser and some half-opened drawers. The centerpiece, of course, was the bed; it was more spacious than he expected, though not particularly decorative, which he figured fitted Sadayo's casual attitude. Two small desks flanked the bed; the one on the right held a simple desk fan, a pen and notepad and what looked to be a photo portrait, though the darkness made it impossible to discern.
On the other hand, the left table had him smiling. Hanging above it from a lamp was an assortment of familiar cranes, and from the look of it, Sadayo had added more paper birds. He wondered if she had reached the one hundred mark yet.
He brought Sadayo to her bed and helped her down gently, watching as her head lolled towards him. Against his plan to immediately leave, his body plopped down on the edge of the mattress, magnetized by the mischievous smile on her face and her focused but loving gaze. Sprawled on her bed, silhouette half in shadow and moonlight, she was the perfect image of picturesque, a moment in time he would cherish forever. If Yusuke could see this, he would have no doubt immediately painted her and would never run out of inspiration. After all, Sadayo's smile was worth a thousand paintings... though Akira was more than happy to keep this side of Sadayo to him and him alone.
"See something you like?" Sadayo breathed. Her gaze sparkled, free of her usual embarrassed and shy demeanor.
"V-very so much. Much so very. I mean, very much so." Akira hoped that his stupid expression came across as a confident smirk. "But I really should probably head home now. Definitely."
"Why leave so soon?" Sadayo placed her hand over his white-knuckled fist on the sheets. Slowly, she pushed herself up from the bed, drawing closer to his face. Akira tried to back away, but her other hand quickly grasped the front of his shirt. "Won't you stay with me for a bit longer? I promise I'll make it worth it."
She released him with an impish smile, the blush on her cheeks accentuating her beauty. Then, to his stunned disbelief, she slowly ran her hands down her chest, cupping the soft mounds that had pressed against his back earlier.
Speechless and frozen, Akira can only watch as she extends a finger to his jaw, lifting it to close his slack mouth. Momentarily cross-eyed, he refocused on the other hand still on her breast, squeezing lightly. The pressure on his lips made him realize that Sadayo was timing her touches in tandem…
"So cute," Sadayo giggled as his face erupted anew. Her laugh, so similar yet so different, captivated his ears.
Then her finger gently tugged down his lower lip, just as her other hand trailed down her shirt. Akira didn't comprehend what she was doing nor that she had let go of him until he saw her shirt climbing past her navel. He quickly turned around. "S-Sadayo!"
"No need to be shy," came the tempting voice from behind. Sadayo's arms came from the edges of his vision, caressing his head and shoulders. Her weight rested on his back familiarly, but now he was hyperaware that she was purposely resting her chest on him. "Akira, you can look…"
"Trust me, a part of me would want nothing more than to do that." Akira sweated, even when his face formed Joker's smirk. Good thing she couldn't see his treacherous expression.
Her weight retreated from his back. "But I want you to." The sound of fabric hit the floor as the bed bounced slightly. "Why don't you turn around and see?"
"That's cheating and you know it," Akira chuckled nervously. He raised a shaky hand to rearrange his face to a properly mortified gentleman. Being unable to see what she was doing was backfiring, causing his jumbled head to fill in the blanks. "You're not thinking things through, Sadayo. I don't want to take advantage of you."
"Really? Even if I do this?"
While her voice had been veering suggestively before, this one was outright seductive. Warning sirens blared, and he quickly whipped around. Sadayo was grinning, and her chest was thrust towards his face. Before Akira re-lost his marbles, he noticed her arms were behind her, moving like she was scratching an itch, but…
Akira lunged to grab her arms to stop her from removing her bra. Unfortunately, his desperation and the lack of proper lighting caused him to put more force than he intended, ending in a tangle of limbs and a surprised but excited yelp from Sadayo. Blinking to reorient his vision, he found himself kneeling on the mattress, pinning her to the bed.
There she was, lying under him, eyes wide and dark as her fanned hair. In that moment, she was back to that cute and bashful girlfriend who knew her sexy charm but rarely used it. But without the protective layer of a shirt, her femininity was more pronounced, highlighted by the rays of moonlight that paved the way downwards.
His eyes betrayed him as they followed the moonlit path of her bare shoulders, her collarbones, and her mounds, which moved up and down against her lacey bra in time with her ragged breaths. A bead of sweat ran down his face and fell on top of one of her cups.
He pulled back. "I-I-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to—"
Sadayo lunged this time and grabbed his head, pulling his babbling mouth to her chest. It wasn't an unfamiliar position, especially after tonight, but the lack of a shirt made the sensations different. "It's okay, Akira. Enjoy them as much as you like."
More alive than ever, Akira could feel his blood rising, trying to get out of his skin. His mind stopped working for a moment as his hands hung uselessly behind Sadayo, reaching desperately for something in the air. It was only a few seconds, but in those few moments, Akira was bombarded with all sorts of thoughts, similar to when he Awakened.
Thankfully there was no life-threatening scenario in hand. Just something similar… that he can get out of… if he can only think clearly...
He mumbled the first rational thought he could articulate. "I'm good. You can let go now."
The arms around his head squeezed lightly before loosening. "You can spend more time there. You can even go downwards…"
"Be firm, Kurushukun!" Chihaya, the one who started the mess of the night, had reminded him.
"It's okay," Akira gathered the scraps of his tattered firm conviction and soldiered through, "you don't have to do this."
"But I do! I owe you so much, and yet…" Sadayo sighed, "I feel like I don't give enough."
At that moment, all inappropriate thoughts lost power. Now more focused, he was able to recall his strength to remove himself from her chest. "What do you mean?"
"You've done so much for me — even now. I really owe you so much, but I can't help but feel like in the end, I'm still just relying on you to take care of everything. That I'm not showing how much I appreciate all your effort." Her voice trembled. "So when you say that you've failed me..."
"Sadayo," Akira realized why Takemi had been looking behind him. The sneaky doctor had set him up. "So you overheard all of that."
"I know it's frustrating. It feels like no matter how hard we try, how hard you do your best, people just keep finding out." Sadayo was beginning to tear up as she hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry that I put all the pressure on you. I'm sorry that I made you make those promises, but it's okay, I just want to be with you. So please, stay with me… I don't want to lose you."
Driven to make her tears stop, he drew her flushed and wet face to his. Peppering her face with kisses, he held her close, eventually settling in her beautiful mess of a hair as she fell on his shoulder. Stroking her head, his eyes opened, gazing at the bedside desk across him.
The collection of cranes hung motionless. They were for Sadayo, made during her time at the hospital. After he had held her like this.
He wished that he could take her tears away permanently, that she would never feel so desperate and so lonely like this again. But that was childish — life can be cruel, and in some sense, being with him only made things difficult for her. Just wishing that things would work out wasn't enough and though things had been turning out surprisingly well for them at present, he couldn't deny that they'd been lucky. But eventually, their luck would run out.
So instead, he compromised. He promised to himself that for every time she suffered, he would be there for her, and make sure that she would be able to smile and laugh a thousand times more afterwards. He'd protect her, and in turn, protect their happiness.
"Don't worry," Akira kissed her beside her ear, continuing to stroke her hair. "I'm not planning to lose you either. And I don't intend to leave you. I'll be with you for as long as you will have me."
Little did he know that his words would be more literal than he intended. Before the night ended, both fell asleep in each other's arms. Eventually, Sadayo's tears faded and Akira's worries lightened, both drifting in abundant warmth and contentment...
"I'm so… so sorry," Sadayo wallowed in mortification behind one of her couch cushions. "I can't believe you saw me like that! This is so embarrassing..."
The two of them were sitting at her kotatsu with their breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon. Coffee could have been excellent with the greasy food, but Sadayo didn't even own a coffee machine, so they settled on iced tea instead. It wasn't anything elaborate, but Sadayo was honestly just happy that her boyfriend made her breakfast at all. Not to mention, thanks to Takemi's medicine, her hangover was mostly cleared.
Sadly, there was no miracle drug that could cure the sheer amount of embarrassment and shame that Sadayo was feeling at the present.
Akira merely smirked around the last of his rice. He had to admit that it was entertaining to see her reactions to last night. He had earned this, dammit.
"I'm so sorry you had to go through that," Sadayo continued groaning.
"It's fine," Akira laughed, rubbing his girlfriend's back comfortingly. "I must admit though, I had never seen you that—" he coughed, "—forward."
"It's the saké," Sadayo grimaced, only for her to realize the insinuation. "Not that I flirt like that to anyone whenever I drink it! I don't usually do stuff like that, promise! It just means that I tend to be more ho...nest..." she trailed off.
'Which part were you most honest about?' Akira mirrored her blush.
Sadayo pulled her legs up and curled around them. "I'm never going to live this down, huh?"
"Be ready for some heavy teasing the next time you see Takemi. And probably Ohya," Akira gallantly advised, letting out a small laugh at Sadayo's cute pout. Having finished his breakfast, he stood up and moved to sit in the space between his girlfriend and the sofa, allowing her to lean on him. He rubbed her arm lovingly as she snuggled close and rested her head on his shoulder. "But you had fun, right? And Lala-chan did say you could visit anytime."
"Yeah... I guess you're right." Sadayo replied. As she let herself enjoy his presence, she looked towards her boyfriend and gave a cynical smirk. "Of course, that was AFTER Ohya-san and Lala-chan questioned you in the back."
"They just wanted to be double-sure, and as much as it sucked we can't blame them."
"True," Sadayo sighed. "No matter what we say, people are still going to be suspicious of me. I am the adult between the two of us after all, and the stuff at Shujin isn't doing any favors. But we both knew that from the start when we started dating."
'When we started dating, back when WE agreed to do this.' Sadayo pondered on the hazy part of last night's events, pulling herself away from her comfortable boyfriend-cushion. She placed a hand on his chest to steady herself. "Akira, about what happened at the bar..."
"I know, I really screwed up," Akira rubbed the back of his head, unable to return her gaze. "I could have cost us everything. I'm sorry."
"No, that's not it at all," Sadayo shook her head. Her heart ached at seeing Akira's genuine regret. Resting her forehead against his, she cupped his cheeks, smiling when she felt his arms wrap around her waist. "It's not fair to put all the blame on you, blunder or not. They'd already found out about us by the time you came in, and I'm sure you're an amazing thief, but from the sound of it not even that would've stopped Chihaya's powers." She then bopped his nose with a finger, knowing he also felt bad for this topic, "And don't even blame yourself for the bugs in Leblanc."
"Alright, but what about Takemi?" Akira pulled back from the finger with a rebellious smirk. "Technically, it's my fault that Takemi found out about us, since I asked her for a personal favor to take care of you."
"Technically, you did that while we weren't dating. And she seemed to be perfectly fine about teasing us even before we started dating, so I'd say that was more of a lucky guess from her part. Then there's Mona; he learned about us during the fireworks festival."
"Actually, Mona told me he saw this coming, long before either of us even knew," Akira chuckled. "I didn't worry about it since I'm certain he wouldn't tell anyone about us."
"Oh! Speaking of which, where's Mona?" Sadayo finally realized the feline has been missing since last night.
"He decided to stay at the Boss' place and try to figure out what's going on with Futaba." Akira shook his head in disbelief, "Man, three weeks? Usually it doesn't take this long; the Palace rulers definitely never went out of commission to this degree before."
"Hopefully she's alright. Isn't she supposed to help you with the Medjed situation?"
"Yeah," Akira deflated on the upholstery behind him. "Unfortunately, there's nothing else we can do. We don't have much time, and with how little info we have we're sadly past the point of trying other methods. All our hopes are on her."
"That's scary. Is she really going to be able to handle something so big?"
"Don't worry, she definitely proved her skills. If she told us she can do it then I'm sure she will."
The times that Akira had bounced from his melancholy was always intriguing and inspiring to Sadayo. Like now — Akira has straight spine and shoulders, calm and still hands, sharp and fiery eyes.
Everything seemed against him; the deadline was coming this Monday, they had little to no info on their opponents, and their only hope was still out of commission. Hearing all of that terrified her, but Akira spoke with confidence, like the game wasn't over. That no matter what the world throws at him, he'd find a way out of it. It could easily be mistaken for arrogance, but Akira's sense of responsibility heightened it into a promise.
'I wonder if this is what it's like when he's leading the rest of the group? Sadayo thought, imagining Akira masked as Joker, leader of the Phantom Thieves. Truth be told, she actually found it kind of sexy... even if it was embarrassing to think of her boyfriend in those terms after she'd shamelessly thrown herself at him last night.
But of course, Sadayo could still feel the quickness of his heart underneath her palm.
"Are you scared?" Sadayo gently asked, reaching out to hold his hand in reassurance.
Akira gratefully smiled, "I'd be lying if I say otherwise." He caressed her hand with his thumb before giving it a kiss. "But panicking won't help my friends or solve the problem. Besides, based on what Chihaya's reading told me, it seems that Futaba truly is our trump card, and I trust Chihaya's advice. After all, we've both seen firsthand how accurate she can be."
"Don't remind me," Sadayo pulled back, playfully rolling her eyes. "Seriously, why do you know so many people, especially ones that are good at gathering information? Next thing you're gonna tell me is that you know the Detective Prince."
Akira was torn between amusement and sheepishness. "Actually…"
"...No," Sadayo straightened. "No way!" She grabbed him by the collar. "Did you eat together?! Do you know his blog?! Did you know that the latest cafe he featured has this cute pancake that reminded me of Mona because the chocolate was—"
"Whoa, whoa, slow down," Akira raised his hands and held her shoulders. "You're… a fan? But... you support the Phantom Thieves?"
Sadayo laughed at her boyfriend's open bafflement. "Not exactly a fan, though I am in favor of his investigation on the mental shutdowns. But mostly, I love his food blog. He's so good at describing and photographing the food that it makes you feel like you're there, eating the real thing, you know?" She turned wistful. "When I didn't have much money, imagination was my only escape sometimes."
"Ah, that makes sense," Akira deflated, somewhat... dismayed. He didn't hate the guy, nor did he fault his girlfriend for seeking pretty pictures to alleviate her previous situation, but of all food blogs, it had to be Akechi's? Really? Then again, the universe had seen it fit to make all his lady friends meet last night, so it was just a regular day in the life of Akira Kurusu.
Reading his mind, Sadayo bopped his nose. "Don't worry; I'm not going to go gaga if — or most likely with our crazy luck, when — I see him. You're the one who actually stole my heart by feeding me back then when I needed it. Speaking of which," she waved a hand to their empty plates, before leaning in for a peck, "thank you for making breakfast."
"You're welcome," Akira kissed back with a smile, mollified.
"Still," Sadayo said when she leaned back, "isn't Akechi-kun super smart? He might figure us out once he sees us."
"I don't think so. Unless he's got some detective vision or telepathy, he's not gonna jump to the conclusion that we're dating if he sees us together. We're pretty careful, recent circumstances notwithstanding," Akira thoughtfully said.
Although... Akechi is part of his arcana, right? Last night truly showed how his web of contacts could tangle, and considering his string of 'I know you're a Phantom Thief' from his confidants…
Plus, Akira has some suspicions, ever since he'd first met the detective in the TV station, but…
"It's complicated," he finally shrugged, "but I don't think he'll be on the lookout for an adult girlfriend when it comes to me. He asks me stuff about justice and all, so I think, at the least, he'll be more interested in my record. At worst, it'll be my Phantom Thievery."
"You sound way too blasé for a criminal talking to a detective," Sadayo rubbed her forehead, exasperated. "Well fine, Mr. Confidence. That just means that I have to try harder."
"Sadayo?"
"Even though I'm the adult, you were always the one doing all the work," Sadayo said quietly, head bowed, taking his hands off her shoulders to lace their fingers together. "Like at the bar last night — I could have spoken up myself when you walked in, but instead I just put all the responsibility on you to take care of it. Like I always do. Like on our date to the museum, our date on Odaiba, even that time on the school roof when Ms. Chouno almost caught us. So I'm sorry that I wasn't strong enough that you had to carry all the responsibility."
When she lifted her head, Akira expected to see sadness or regret, but instead, he got radiant determination and resolve. His breath caught.
"I don't want you to do everything anymore," Sadayo declared. "I may not be a Phantom Thief nor have special vision, but I really want to be with you. So this time, it's my turn to promise you: if anything happens, we'll get through it, together. So please, if something is bothering or frustrating you, I want you to tell me." She bit her lip, but pressed forward. "I know that something's bothering you more than just the women finding out."
Immediately, Akira's expression turned sour, though his reverence remained. In fact, he was impressed that Sadayo has been consistently able to read him throughout their talk. Still, he shook his head. "Like I said, it was nothing important. Just me feeling petty."
"Akira Kurusu," Sadayo glared, hands on her hips.
"Oh boy, full name and everything."
"You're not talking yourself out of this one. So spill, mister."
"Okay, okay," Akira sighed in resignation. "You're meeting with Ryuji and his mom tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah," Sadayo's posture deflated. "I'm admittedly still kind of nervous. I told him that we would talk with his mother about his potential future, but I am not sure how I'm going to talk to her and wait, how did you know…?"
With a TV show announcer smile, Akira threw his arms widely and exclaimed, "Ta-dah!"
"What?" Sadayo raised a brow, her perplexity morphing to annoyance. "Akira, you're not coming for my sake, are you? That's sweet and all, but this is my job. You don't have to be there for me."
"No no, it's not because of you. Well, at least not directly," Akira shrugged. "Ryuji and I talked for a bit yesterday after we hung out. He told me he was still worried and wanted me to be there as well. He'd already introduced me to Ms. Sakamoto, once." He chuckled in realization, "Actually, it was the same night that we ended up requesting you."
"That brings back memories," Sadayo sighed wistfully. "I nearly faceplanted on my desk when I looked up Ryuji's address for our meeting and saw that it was in the same building as that empty apartment."
"He was the one that came up with the idea," Akira shamelessly threw his bro under the bus. "Luckily, his nerves made him back down."
"And jump from a second floor balcony with Mishima-kun."
The two laughed in good humor as they reminisced about how much they had changed since that initial encounter. When they calmed, Akira gave Sadayo a sad smile.
"It really was because of him that led to this." Akira gazed at the floor in regret. "Because of him, I was able to really get to know you, fall in love with you. It's because of him that I was able to realize how much you were hurting, and it gave me the opportunity to save you."
"Akira..." Sadayo gently stroked his cheek to bring him comfort.
"So many people know about us. Mona, Futaba, Takemi, Chihaya, Ohya and Lala-chan. They all know that we are dating and seem to be okay with that, and honestly, as much as we wanted to avoid this, I'm glad you have people who you can talk to and not feel alone."
"But you still have to keep it a secret from your friends," Sadayo tried to finish his thoughts, finally realizing what had been bothering him.
"I'm friends with them as well," Akira pointed out. "I actually knew them before you did, after all."
"But it's not the same," Sadayo shook her head, knowing that her boyfriend was trying to downplay his own problems. "I'm impressed at how mature you can be and how you're able to make friends with people much older than you. And I know that they all care very much for you." Sadayo let out a comforting smile, her hands rubbing his chest before patting it. "But we both know it's not the same as being able to confide with those closer to your age."
"I still have Mona and Futaba?"
"But you really don't know her, and honestly, Mona is his own special case." Sadayo nodded her understanding and sympathy. "I can imagine that it's not fun having to hide our relationship from your friends."
"We both knew we would have to do this. I made up my mind ever since I decided I wanted to be with you. But..." Akira hesitated for a moment, but was brought back thanks to Sadayo's gentle squeeze of his hand, "initially, I expected to only have Mona know, but now…"
Akira shuffled and laid down on the floor. Sadayo joined him, resting her head on his chest and Akira pulled her close as he stared at the ceiling.
"Ryuji and Ann — and Shiho too — were the first to reach out to me when I first came here. Our circumstances were a bit bumpy at first, but I know that Ann is always looking out for me, and Ryuji has always had my back. They've both opened up to me about their problems, their family life, their goals. They've included me in their lives and I wanted to do the same for them, but I can't."
"Do you want to tell them?" Sadayo asked quietly. "You said it yourself, we have so many people that know about us, and I now have Tae and the rest of the girls to talk to." She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "So if you feel like you can trust them, then I'm willing to trust them too. They're your friends, after all."
"Are you sure?" Akira asked with a skeptical brow.
"Maybe not all of them at once," Sadayo backpedaled nervously. She sighed, letting his beating heart soothe her. "We can take it slow if needed, but to tell you the truth, I'm terrified. I was always on Sakamoto-kun's case, and I was the one that told you to not get involved with him. I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't my biggest fan, and Takamaki-chan… I've known her since her first year in Shujin, yet I was never there for her when she needed someone."
Sadayo closed her eyes. "So I'm scared, scared that they will hate me. I don't want to put you in a position where you will be forced to choose between them and me."
"Then we won't do it," Akira grimly decided. "I don't want to put us in a risky position. It doesn't matter how I feel."
"But it does matter!" Sadayo pushed herself off his chest. The nervousness still remained, but she held to her convictions. "It's not fair that you have to struggle so much while I take the easy road. I don't want you to isolate yourself from your friends just to be with me; I want to become part of your life, and that means being accepted by those important to you."
She focused on his gray colored eyes that always lent her strength, trying to convey that that strength was not wasted on her. "You don't have to decide now, and if you really think it's best to not tell them now, then we'll figure something out. But you trust them, don't you?"
"With my life," Akira let his lips curve into a smile.
"Then I'm willing to take that leap with you. I want you to be happy. I don't want you to regret being with me, so I'll do my best for you too. Because I love you."
Akira laid on the ground, quiet for some time. Eventually, he chuckled. 'Sadayo, I wish you would realize that you're stronger than you give yourself credit for.' Maybe it was the morning rays coming from the window, but from his position, Sadayo was radiance incarnate. "I really am hopeless."
"Huh?" Sadayo was confused, but let her boyfriend pull her close. She met him halfway as they closed their eyes and kissed.
Eventually, they parted. Akira's finger lovingly moved strands of her hair away as his eyes stared into hers. "Hopelessly in love with you."
"I… I feel the same," Sadayo responded with warm cheeks, nuzzling her nose against his, followed by a peck on his lips. "Just being with you makes me want to do things that I've never thought I could or would do."
"Does that include being late for school?" Akira teased.
"Nope, I already did that long before I met you," Sadayo giggled happily, as she leaned in for another kiss, only for her to realize what he was insinuating. "Oh shoot, what time is it?! And I haven't even showered yet!"
Sadayo sprung, making a mad dash towards her room. Frantic panic can be overheard as Akira stood up. Leisurely, he picked up the empty dishware, put them in the sink, wiped the table, and washed his hands. Gathering his stuff that he'd drop on the floor last night, he headed towards the door.
"Oh no, you don't!"
Akira halted in the genkan, one foot already in a shoe. He turned to find his girlfriend running towards him.
With a playful smirk, Sadayo lunged towards her boyfriend, embracing him tightly as she planted one more loving kiss goodbye. "You aren't getting away that easily. I want you to think about what I told you, okay? That will be your homework assignment."
"Giving me homework during break? That's harsh, sensei," Akira smiled warmly, hugging her back.
"I told you, didn't I? I plan to go the distance for you," Sadayo grinned and gave him another peck before running off once more. "Make sure to get home safely!"
'You'd think she'd take it easy after all she's gone through, but here she is, trying to multitask.' Akira laughed, leaving her apartment with peace of mind.
'Thank you...'
First, I would like to start with saying thank you to everyone. As you may have noticed this chapter was quite a bit shorter than my last few ones. This was originally my attempt at Making the chapters come by faster, but sadly real life makes it difficult to to achieve that. Still I want to make sure that we give you guys the best, and so I really appreciate everyone being so patient and understanding.
I will say, that this story has really taken a life of it's own as things keep happening that I had originally not planned off. And next chapters will continue that trend as things have moved much more differently than I originally planned, but in the way, this makes it all the more fun. I will explain in details what I mean by this next chapter, but I'm sure some of you may have caught on to what I'm hinting at.
Speaking of unintended, today's chapter had a bit more... spice, than any of my previous ones. There was I reason I rated my story the way I did and I just hope none of you hunt me down with pitchforks for ending it the way I did.
Next chapter will hopefully be wrapping up the end of the summer vacation before going back to school life. I hope you look forward to it, and I love to hear your thoughts on this chapter as well.
Till next time.
