Akira makes his decision. This shirt will not do. He wrenches it off, pulls another from his box of clothes, and drops it on over his head.
Morgana watches him from the windowsill, eyes sharp. "Is this really the most important thing right now?"
A witty repartee - he's looked it up since yesterday - pops into his mind, but he swallows it and mumbles, "Give me a break. I'm nervous."
Not to mention worn out. The morning's competition had seen to that.
He throws a white button-down over the t-shirt.
That's better.
Morgana's ears droop. "I get that. It's just that we worked hard to avoid this."
Evidently, not hard enough.
"What're you going to say to her? To them?"
Akira checks his phone for the fifteenth time since coming home. No new messages. "It'll depend on what they say to me."
Morgana's tail swishes through the air. "Not much of a plan."
His laugh is short. "Yeah, well. Considering how all my other plans involving Makoto have turned out, maybe it's time to start winging it."
Morgana says nothing for a time. Then, "Just be careful."
His phone vibrates. I know."
"Because we're still not sure what her intentions are."
"I know." There's a message from Makoto.
MAKOTO: We'll arrive in a few minutes.
Akira replies with a text of his own, then looks up at the cat. "You should join Ryuji and Yusuke on patrol."
"Right. Good luck." The cat slips through the window and trots off.
Ann is waiting for him downstairs, but alone, Akira takes a seat on his bed, hands clasped together, and stares at the floorboards.
Okay, he thinks. Okay. Just stay calm. Stay in control. Stay calm and in control. He takes a deep breath. Let's do it. But it's another thirty seconds before he can stand himself up.
Ann sits at the bar, by herself, mug of coffee in her hand. She still wears her summer uniform. He approaches and she turns to him. "You ready?"
He gives her a nod, and runs a hand through his hair. "Is all that green stuff off me?"
A thin smile breaks across her face. "Looks like it."
Akira pulls out the chair next to her, and sits. "Good. That's good."
"Nervous?" She asks.
"Oh, yeah. You?"
Ann turns her face towards the coffee. From this angle, Akira can see she's barely touched it. "Take a guess."
His gaze wanders around the cafe. "Thanks for doing this with me."
Ann reaches out and lightly jabs him on the shoulder. "No problem. Did Niijima message you?"
"About a minute or two ago. They said they'll be here soon."
Ann lets out a long breath that isn't quite a sigh. "Okay, then. You ready?"
Akira smirks at her. "You already asked me that."
Ann shrugs. "Just making sure."
Akira stares past her, towards the door. "As ready as I probably can be."
#
AKIRA: I'll be here.
Makoto goes to replace her phone in her pocket. Its corner gets snagged as she tries to slide it home, and she needs to take it back out and try again.
"Mako-chan, are you alright?" Haru asks.
"Fine," Makoto says as she stuffs the phone away. "That was Akira."
"What did he say?"
Makoto readjusts the bag on her shoulder. "It appears he's ready for us." She does not resume walking.
After the conclusion of that ridiculous game show, the school had sent everyone home for the day. Makoto and Haru had been allotted just enough time to rush back to former's, so she could shower properly, change, and prepare.
So what if she had taken a little longer to make sure her outfit was appropriate?
Her mind drifts back to the stupid show. The questions. The obstacle course. The thrill as she'd brought the ball to the finish.
"Nervous?" Haru asks.
Makoto shuts her eyes. She breathes in. She breathes out. Breathes in, breathes out. "I'm just trying to get my head in the right space," she says.
"If you're not up for this-"
Makoto's eyes snap open. "No. No, this has been put off long enough. I want the truth."
Haru nods. "Agreed." She turns and faces the path ahead. "Let's go get it then, Mako-chan."
Makoto steps up alongside her. "Let's."
They weave through Yongen-jaya's alleys, and pass an assortment of shuttered shops, grumbling older citizens, and one odd boy with blue hair who stares at the skyline through a box he's made with his fingers.
She's walked these streets before, during her investigation, so she recognizes Cafe LeBlanc. But to go inside? She can feel her pulse in her neck.
"Oh no," Haru exclaims.
Makoto spins around, searching for the danger. "What's wrong?"
Haru points at the sign that hangs in the door. "It says it's closed."
Makoto's shoulders slump forward. "I don't think that applies to us, Haru."
#
The door jingles open and Akira sits all the straighter.
Ann's head snaps around, but Akira tries a more controlled turn, and finds Makoto and Haru in LeBlanc's threshold. The door swings shut behind them.
No one says anything.
Come on, focus!
"Welcome," he says, and does his best to smoothly slide off the chair.
The silence broken, Makoto takes another step, quickly followed by Haru. "Thank you," she says.
"Um," Haru puts in. "You're not closed, right?"
Akira chuckles as Ann stands up, arms crossed. "LeBlanc is," he says. "But you don't have to worry about anything. Boss won't be back for a while."
The two girls glance at one another, evidently wondering over the identity of 'Boss.'
Akira doesn't give them time to consider. "Why don't we all sit down?" He gestures towards a booth.
The two approach. "Interesting name you have for Sojiro Sakura," Makoto mutters, nonchalantly.
He turns his head to hide his scowl. Of course she'd have looked up the owner of the place. "Want some coffee?" He asks.
Both consider, before sitting. "I would, thank you," Makoto says.
"I'll have some as well," Haru puts in. "It smells wonderful in here, by the way."
"Thanks," Akira replies, as Ann says, "I'll get it." She marches her way behind the bar, takes two clean mugs from the shelf, and pours from the same batch Akira made earlier.
Akira takes a seat across from the girls.
"Are you recovered from our experience earlier today?" Makoto asks.
He smiles. "I am. How are you doing?"
"Well, thank you." She glances around. "Where's Sakamoto?"
Moving right along, eh? Akira shrugs. "Around."
Haru looks past him, towards the stairs. "And Mona-chan?"
"He's around too."
"It's interesting," Makoto replies. "That you wouldn't have them present at this meeting."
Ann saves him from having to answer by arriving at the table. She sets the mugs down before the two girls. "Don't worry," she says, in a clear voice. "They're not poisoned." She sits next to Akira.
Makoto stares at the cup for a moment, then lifts it and takes a sip. Her eyes brighten. "It's very good, thank you." Haru follows in kind.
"So," Akira says. "What's this information you have?"
Makoto sets her mug back on the table. "We'll get to that, I hope."
"You hope?"
"Yes, I hope."
"Because," Haro pipes up. "Before we begin, Mako-chan and I would like certain assurances."
"Or," Makoto says. "To be more specific, we want your word."
Akira feels his brows creep upwards. "My word? For what?"
Makoto holds his gaze steady. "That regardless of how this meeting turns out, neither Haru nor myself will be in any kind of danger, or face any kind of repercussions from the Phantom Thieves."
He lets himself glance at Ann, who stares back at him, wide eyed, and feels his stomach churn. "Could you be a bit more specific? About this danger you think the Phantom Thieves pose?"
Makoto lifts her mug, and takes another sip. Akira gets the distinct impression she's psyching herself up. Should've done that before you got here. She replaces the cup on the table, swallows, and folds her hands together. "Ichiryusai Madarame. Two hours after his televised appearance, in which he confessed to his crimes, he was murdered."
Akira leans back in the booth. Is this why she looked afraid yesterday? Because she thinks we did that? Hell, why not? Ohya had put it together. He'd said it himself too, that night she'd made her suspicions knowns. If I wasn't a Phantom Thief, I'd think something weird was going on too. But hold on. Madarame was one thing. But it was Madarame's death coupled with Kobayakawa's supposed suicide that made it all suspicious. Does she know about the note? How? Was there a way to ask her somehow?
It's Haru who speaks next. "You two don't look all that surprised."
Ann shakes her head. "What do you want us to say? Madarame was stabbed by his former apprentice."
Akira follows up. "Exactly. What's that got to do with the Phantom Thieves?"
Makoto's thumbs tap against the table. "You're saying the timing is coincidental?"
Damn, she's not letting this go. Alright, he had his own cards he could throw on the table. "I'm saying, that if the Phantom Thieves wanted to kill Madarame, why didn't they kill Kamoshida?"
Makoto blinks. "Excuse me?"
Ann catches his eye and nods. She crosses her arms. "I'd like to bury that bastard for what he did to Shiho." She nearly spits the name, and Makoto winces at the mention of it. Haru's eyes narrow. "But he's sitting in a jail cell. He's perfectly fine." She slaps her hand on the table. Everyone jumps. "You'd think the Phantom Thieves would let scum like him go, but kill off Madarame?"
Akira tries to telepathically tell her that she's going a bit overboard, but it doesn't seem to puncture.
He starts to speak quickly instead. "Did you forget what happened the day Kamoshida confessed? He said he was going to kill himself. It was Ann and Ryuji who convinced him to turn himself in and atone for what he did." A new avenue hits him. "If the Phantom Thieves wanted Kamoshida dead, why didn't they just let him off himself?" And if she knows about Kobayakawa, this'll throw doubt onto the idea that we killed him.
Haru clears her throat. "Excuse me?"
#
Makoto turns to her friend, all the while running through what Akira had said in her head. Dammit. I hadn't thought of that. Kamoshida was alive, and had done much more to affect the lives of Akira, Takamaki and Sakamoto than Madarame ever had. So why kill him and not their primary tormentor? If she had a choice between the two, she'd rather it be Kamoshida dead.
"But," Haru states. "That you didn't kill Kamoshida is not evidence that you couldn't. Only that you didn't. There's also the chance that you didn't know how to use your powers to kill someone at that time. Plus, Kamoshida was something of a fool, and it's likely he wouldn't have figured out you were the ones behind his downfall, so you were relatively safe from reprisal. But someone like Madarame, who ran his scam for years undetected? I imagine he was a bit more cunning. It's possible he had something on you, or a link to your identities. And that's why you killed him."
Makoto fights the grin off her face. That's right! The same held true for Kobayakawa. If Morgana overheard the Principal's talk with Makoto that one day, then the Phantom Thieves would've known the man was onto, or at least suspected them.
A decidedly unpleasant and queasy look passes over Akira's face. That's right, Akira, Makoto gloats. You spent all this time trying to outsmart me. Did you realize you had to outsmart Haru too?
Her friend maintains her poise. "What we are trying to say," she continues. "Is that we want to believe the Phantom Thieves aren't murderers. I don't believe there's anything that either of you can say that will convince us completely of that, which is why we are asking for your word that nothing will happen to us."
Akira shakes his head. "The word of a potential killer?"
Haru doesn't blink. "The word of Akira Kurusu, our friend."
Makoto watches some of the color drain from Akira's face. Just a bit. Wow, she thinks. I should've just let Haru run the whole thing.
Ann recovers faster. "You say there's nothing we could say to convince you we didn't kill Madarame. Well, there's nothing you could really say to convince us that you're not our enemies."
"Perhaps not," Makoto replies. Here we go. The give and take had to start somewhere. "But perhaps there's something we could show you." She shifts in her seat, and reaches into her bag.
#
Goddamn, Akira thinks. I spent all this time trying to outthink Makoto, I should've kept a closer eye on Haru.
The girl doesn't look the least bit concerned over anything she's said, rather she appears to have just finished discussing the weather. He snaps his mind back into place as Makoto withdraws a folder from her bag, and sets it on the table.
Akira looks at it. It's thin. Manila. Nondescript.
"What's this?" He asks, but he already has a strong suspicion.
Makoto takes another sip of coffee, and looks almost lighter. "Why don't you open it?"
He reaches out, and turns the cover. His own photo stares back at him. His school photo. It is his student record.
There are more pages. He flips to the next. Ryuji glowers out from his student picture. He turns the page. Ann grins. Another page. Mishima stares tentatively at the camera. Once more. Shiho wears a small smile.
Ann's hand shoots beneath the table and grabs his leg. "Akira," she whispers, but he just nods.
"The day after Principal Kobayakawa died," Makoto says. "Before the assembly started, I went into his office. At the time, it felt like I was in a dream. I even kept telling myself to wake up." She nods towards the file. "I knew the police would eventually come. I was surprised they hadn't yet."
"You stole it," Akira mutters.
Makoto's cheeks redden, but she says, "I suppose I did."
There is one last page in the file. He turns it. Makoto's own photo stares up at him. Calm. Collected. Exactly where she needs to be.
Akira's mouth works, but no sound comes out.
You heard wrong.
I didn't.
You heard wrong.
I'm telling you, I didn't.
And he hadn't. He hadn't heard wrong. He just hadn't been able to see what was on the last page. And why would Kobayakawa have mentioned her presence in the file, when she could see it with her own eyes?
It is Ann who asks, "Why are you in here?"
"On that day," Makoto says, and stutters. Haru reaches out and wraps the girl's hand in her own. She smiles at her friend. "On that day, the Principal called me into his office." she nods towards Akira. "Given our relationship at the time, he suspected me of having some involvement with the Phantom Thieves. He wanted your identities. He presented me with this information, and threatened to withhold my Letter of Recommendation until I could definitively name you."
Ann frowns. "If he thought we were all Phantom Thieves, why did he ask you to investigate? That doesn't make any sense."
"I do not believe Principal Kobayakwa had a firm grasp on the situation," Makoto replies.
"He," Akira starts. "He blackmailed you?" He looks over at her.
#
Makoto meets his gaze and sees a little of what she'd hoped to see in his eyes. She nods.
Takamaki, of course, ruins it.
"And so you just went along with it?"
His eyes harden. No, she thinks, and curses herself for thinking it. Not yet. Please don't doubt me yet. She wills him to remember just a few hours ago, when they'd worked so well together and for a short time, they'd just been two teenagers caught up in a ridiculous game on television.
"I did not," Makoto declares. "Though, of course – at the time – I said I would." She tries to lead him back to the logic. "You may recall my sister's presence at Shujin the following day? I believe she warned you to stay away from me?"
Akira smiles a little. "An order I have a hard time following."
It's not exactly trust but I'll take it. She returns the grin. "Evidently."
"Hey," he tells her. "You're in my place, remember?"
Takamaki groans and rolls her eyes. "Seriously?"
Haru pats her hand. "I believe there ample time for, um, all that, later."
Makoto shares a look at Akira, and she can almost tell that he's thinking the exact same thing she is. If only- But she shuts that thought down because Haru is right.
"Well, Sae came to the school to set Kobayakawa straight."
Akira's eyes widen. White breaks out across his face. "Wait, wait, wait," he says. "Sae knows about this?"
"Sae knows," Makoto begins, gingerly, "that I was blackmailed, by the Principal, to spy on my classmates. She does not know about the Phantom Thieves aspect of it."
"You're sure?" He asks.
"Yes," she replies.
"No, but you're sure?" He repeats.
"Yes," she growls.
"But-"
"Oh for God's sake," Makoto replies, and throws her hands in the air. "Do you seriously think you'd be sitting here, talking to me right now, if I'd told Sis about all that?"
Akira mulls this over. "Fair point," he says. "I'd probably be in some gulag in Russia or something."
"Anyway," Makoto continues. "She straightened that all out. She told him, in no uncertain terms, that I would not be blackmailed. And that was that."
A look slides onto Akira's face, and she reads it as him having a hard time believing Sae 'straightened' everything out.
"Wait a second," Ann says. She extends a hand and slides the file a few inches closer to herself. "If that's true, then why were you still following us around?"
Akira's eyes harden further. "Yeah, I'm interested in how you'll explain Operation Destroy Akira Kurusu."
Makoto opens her mouth, but Haru cuts in. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we're getting a bit off track."
"Off track?" Both Akira and Ann ask.
She gives a compact nod. "Yes. We asked for your word that no harm would come to us. We have yet to receive this."
Makoto straightens in her seat. "Haru and I walk out of here, unscathed." Akira glances around the cafe in a look that says, 'Just where do you think you are?' She continues, "And we suffer no retribution."
"This is so-" Ann starts.
"Fine," Akira declares, his voice steady and calm. "You want my word, you've got it. Everything you just said. No scathing. No retribution. No whatever."
Makoto nods.
Haru nods.
"Well," her friend says. "First of all, you got the name wrong."
#
Akira's mind races.
Makoto took the file. That's why we couldn't find it. Makoto took the freaking file! And she's in it! But couldn't she have just added herself to it later, to make it look like she was in there all along?
And who could say this was the original file? You could buy a whole sheaf of files like this one at any office supply store. Makoto no doubt had access to student records, and could reconstruct it if she wished to.
He wants to believe her.
He believes she is telling the truth.
But he can't tell if it's his guts and reason telling him this, or something else that's far too biased.
Haru continues speaking. "It's not 'Operation Destroy Akira Kurusu.' It's 'Operation Destroy Akira Kurusu Or Something Less Drastic.'" She lifts up her cup of coffee. "And I'm afraid that was mostly my fault. I came up with the name 'Destroy Akira Kurusu,' after Makoto informed me of your lie about dating. I was, understandably, mind you, upset."
Akira remembers the slashing he'd received via Haru at the flower shop. That was when she'd tried to take Morgana.
"However, Mako-chan is the one who added the 'Or Something Less Drastic,' part." She takes a shallow sip. Swallows. "I apologize if you took it out of context. In truth, the title was little more than a joke."
A joke? He crosses his arms. "Pretty extreme for a joke."
Makoto's eyes narrow. He feels himself wilting beneath it, but stays firm. "Extreme as in how you lied about dating Takamaki?"
"I'm right here," Ann growls.
Akira doesn't let her take her pot shot unanswered. "I'd say, it's less extreme then when you decided to visit Shiho."
Her face falls and something in Akira's ribcage flops over, but he doesn't let his face shift.
"Yeah," Ann says, jumping into the silence that's opened. "Was that a joke too?"
"And," Akira says, trying to get things back on track. "You still haven't told us why you were investigating us in the first place. If it wasn't for the Principal, then why?"
"I..." Makoto starts, then stops. She stares at her cup of coffee, but makes no move to pick it up. Then she says, "I was worried."
Ann crosses her arms, mimicking Akira. "You've got a funny way of showing worry," she says.
Makoto lifts a hand and runs it through her hair. Her face has gone a degree paler. Good, Akira thinks. We've pushed her a bit towards the ropes. If we keep going we may be able to get her to tell us what she knows without giving too much away. Maybe there was a way out of this after all.
Still, a part of him wants to reach out towards her. Rest his hand on top of hers. Tell her-
He shuts that part of himself up. Focus.
"I believed you were the Phantom Thieves," Makoto says. "It always felt a bit obvious to me. True, I had no idea how you were the Phantom Thieves, but I couldn't shake it. And, well, I thought I could help." She looks up. At him. "Not the Phantom Thieves. You." Akira wants to swallow, as his throat is dry, but he keeps himself calm and quiet. "I didn't want you to get expelled, and you came so close with Kamoshida. If Principal Kobayakawa suspected you, then it was only a matter of time. I thought, if I could figure the whole thing out, then somehow, I'd be able to help you."
"Help me?" He asks. He feels his control start to slip. "You stalked me. You kept tabs on my locations, kept a notebook of all my activities. You went to see Shiho in the hospital and-"
"I know!" Makoto says, eyes. "I know, okay? I know what I did was wrong. I just felt so confused and I-"
A sudden flush of anger overtakes him. "Why didn't you say anything to me?" He asks. "All this stuff about wanting to help me, but you didn't even talk to me?"
Makoto shakes her head. "You wouldn't have said anything. You would've evaded it, like you always do."
He lets out a groan. "I thought you were investigating me for Kobayakawa."
Her look shifts and a part of him melts. "Did you honestly think I'd turn on you?"
He shakes his head. "How did I know? If you'd come clean-"
"I was going to. That Sunday at Shujin," she shouts. She points at Ann. "But then you and Takamaki pulled that 'we've been secretly dating' stunt and I got so mad!"
Keep going.
"So you thought, 'What the hell, I'll keep investigating anyway?' How would that help me? You should've stayed away."
"Um, guys?" Ann says.
"I couldn't," Makoto yells. "And anyway, you could've come clean. You could've confided in me. Come and told me everything and-"
Akira rolls his eyes. "Right, like you would've believed me."
Makoto scowls. "I would have!"
"Mako-chan?" Haru whispers.
"Bullshit," Akira hisses. "You would've believed all this? That Morgana was a talking cat? That we can change hearts?"
Makoto bites her lower lip, glances away and says, "If it came from you, then I would've-"
"Oh, come on, Makoto! You really would've believed all that? Would've believed that I was a Phantom Thief?"
Makoto is silent for a time. He watches as her face shifts from pained, to anger, and back to a kind of resolute calmness. She folds her hands together and asks, "Is that a confession?"
Akira's jaw soon begins to ache. He unclenches it, reaches towards Ann, and taps the file. "Is this what you wanted to exchange? Because aside from your own profile, we already knew what was in it."
Makoto's lips form a thin slash across her face. She composes herself further and says, "No. That is not all. Two nights ago, Haru and I encountered someone in Shibuya. I believe you will find what they had to say, very interesting."
#
Makoto watches as Akira tries to piece together their contact all on his own. Let him wonder. Let him stew. The anger still rattles in her chest. "This was," she continues. "Right after we returned from Mementos."
Haru holds up her hand. "We're still not sure what you did to my phone, but if you tried to remove the app, it didn't work. Our theory," and she nods at Haru, "is that when you sent me there, Akira, the app somehow installed itself on my phone. Knowing this, Takamaki volunteered to help Mako-chan look for me and-"
"That's not true," Takamaki cuts in. Makoto blinks. The girl's gaze is set. "I didn't know you were there." She fixes her eyes on Makoto's and jerks her head towards her. "I helped you look because you seemed real freaked out." She lifts her hands in mock defense. "Oh, I know. Everything we do is somehow all about fooling you, so you probably won't believe me or whatever. Fine. But that's what it was. Niijima, you looked like you were about to cry. So I helped." She shrugs and slumps back in her seat, arms crossed. "Last time I do that."
Makoto opens her mouth. "I-"
Akira cuts her off. "This isn't a game, like following me around Shibuya. Don't go there anymore. It's incredibly dangerous." He turns to Haru. "You should get a new phone. Throw your current one in the Bay, or microwave it, or do whatever. Just don't use it."
Haru glances at her. Makoto gives a slight shake of her head, and says, "I think an explanation into the orig-"
"No," Akira says. "You wanted a promise from me, and you got it. Now, I want a promise from you. You do not use that anymore. Mementos is dangerous and you don't know what you're doing there."
Makoto considers this. In truth, we don't need to go to Mementos anymore. We know it exists and that's enough. She nods. "Very well. Haru and I won't use the application anymore."
Akira's shoulders visibly droop. Exhaustion worms its way across his face for a split second, before it leaves and he shakes himself back straight. "Good. Thanks."
I've got to take control of this. They still haven't admitted to being the Phantom Thieves yet! She channels as much Sae into her voice as she can. "Let's settle this, once and for all. We came for information, and you want the information we have."
Akira shrugs. "How do I know we want the information you have? I don't have any idea what it is. It could mean nothing to me."
Makoto doesn't let herself smile. "If you knew what it was, you wouldn't need it. It's imperative to your continued operations. So, tell us, once and for all, are you Phantom Thieves?"
Akira leans towards her, eyes unblinking. "And if I tell you what you want to hear, if I tell you what you already suspect, what then? Will you turn me in? Report me?"
Something claws inside Makoto's ribcage. Still? She leans over the table herself and opens her mouth, but Haru clears her throat.
"I think," her friend begins. "That what we have here, is a failure to communicate. Akira, please look at me."
He does.
"I think we can all understand how Mona-chan's interpretation of the meeting between Makoto and Principal Kobayakawa led you all," and she nods towards Akira and Ann, "to suspect her of trying to entrap you. But you should know, that Mako-chan only did what she did with the best of intentions." She pats her friend's hand. "She has, admittedly, made some mistakes. However, she began her investigation with the ultimate goal of protecting you all. If you don't believe that, Akira-kun, then you are stubborn to the point of absurdity." Akira blinks. Haru reaches down and takes a sip of coffee.
Damn straight, Makoto thinks.
"That may be-" Akira starts.
Haru cuts him off again. "Furthermore, we were both significantly upset over the Makoto Deception, and-"
"The what?" Ann asks.
Akira mumbles to her, "That's Haru's name for the lie we told Makoto."
"Oh."
Haru clears her voice in a tone that says she will not be interrupted again. "We were both upset, and at that point our investigation changed directions. Our goal became muddled. But, with everything Mako-chan has told you, and everything you've seen, you should understand by now that we have never directly opposed the Phantom Thieves, and never intended to turn you over to the authorities."
Akira leans towards her. "And how can we believe that?"
"Because," Haru says. "You are not sitting in a jail cell, Akira-kun."
Makoto decides to strike the final blow of the hammer. "My sister is a Public Prosecutor. Haru's phone can access Mementos. Don't you think we could go to Sae, show it to her, and say we got it from you? She'd believe us." As if in response, Haru pulls out her phone and sets it on the table. Makoto prods it with her finger. "This is evidence, but it's here, with us." She stands up in the booth then, and leans across the table, a scowl on her face. "So get this through your head, Akira. We are not going to turn you in."
Akira meets her gaze, and she watches all the many things play out in his eyes.
Come on, she wills him. Come on. Believe me!
A faint vibration sounds from Akira's pocket. He looks away, and pulls out his phone. Makoto groans inside her mind. Seriously? "Can't it wait?" She asks.
"It's Ryuji," he mutters, and Makoto can tell he's exclusively talking to Ann.
Her eyes widen. "Something's wrong?"
He answers the phone. "Hello?"
Maybe it's the quiet of the café. Maybe it's the intensity of Sakamoto's voice, but Makoto can hear the boy on the other line as he shouts. "Dude! Incoming!"
Akira has to hold the phone away from his ear. "What?" He shouts.
Makoto tries to listen. "Incoming, du….couldn't intercept… contact… ten seconds!"
"Who is it?" Akira shouts, and stands in his seat.
Takamaki shoots up, pale. "What's going on?" She demands.
He levels a glare at Makoto. "What did you do?" He hisses.
Makoto remembers the nurse in Suzui's hospital room. What did you do?
LeBlanc's door swings open.
"Kurusu!" Screams a female voice.
Makoto twists in her seat.
The woman who approaches them looks… odd. Sunglasses wrapped up in dark black hair. A funky looking t-shirt. Faded jeans. Makoto tries to take in the whole of the wardrobe, but it's a lot.
"Oh shit," Akira whispers, and Makoto glances back at him. He holds his phone from limp fingers. He scoots out of the booth, shooing Takamaki out of his way.
"Akira Kurusu," the woman screeches and comes to a stop alongside the table. "I've got a skeleton to pick with you."
"Um," Akira replies. "Hey."
"Hey?" The woman growls. "Hey?" She looks down at Haru. "This is all he has to say to me? You've got some explaining to do and…" She trails off. She looks at Takamaki. Then at Haru. Then settles her gaze on Makoto. Makoto meets it. "Is this some kind of harem thing?"
A noise escapes Akira's mouth that is somewhere between a gasp and a sob.
"What?" Ann asks, red faced. "Gross!"
"Oh, my." Haru shakes her head and takes another sip of coffee to cover her red cheeks.
Makoto will not be baited by some stranger. "Akira, who is this woman?"
She crosses her arms. "I'm his cousin."
Akira removes his glasses and rubs his eyes. "No, you're not."
"Fine," she states. "I'm his girlfriend."
Haru spits coffee out on the table.
"Oh," she says, clapping her hands over her mouth. "I'm so sorry!" She shoots out of her seat, making her way towards the napkin dispenser at the bar. "Please, let me clean that up."
Unbelievable. Makoto crosses her arms. "Are you seriously trying to pull this trick, again?"
Akira shakes his head and pats the air. "No, listen. She's not my girlfriend, either. She's my… friend." He turns to her. "I know what you're going to say, but this really isn't a good time. This is literally the worst of all the times. Waking me up at 3 AM in the middle of the night would be a better time than this right now."
"We had a deal."
"And I'm not reneging. I've been busy and-"
The woman reaches into pocket and pulls out her phone. "Oh, I know all about how busy you've been, Akira! Did you forget?" She jiggles her phone in the air. "I've got your phone tracked. So I know all about your little clandestine bullshit."
Wait, what? She tracks his phone?
"Akira," she finds herself saying. "Why is this woman tracking your phone?"
"Okay," Akira says. He reaches out and takes ahold of the woman's arm. "Everyone hang out here for a bit. We're just gonna step outside for a minute."
The woman shakes free and follows, eyes narrow. The door jingles shut behind them. Haru finishes mopping up the regurgitated coffee, and sits back down next to Makoto. Takamaki slides back into her seat, across from them, an uncomfortable look on her face.
Makoto folds her hands together. "Care to tell us who that was?"
Takamaki squirms a bit. She doesn't look as confidant with Akira gone. "It's… complicated."
Makoto shakes her head. "It always is."
#
Akira spins around towards her, and jerks his head towards the sign. "Didn't you see the 'Closed' sign?"
Ohya scoffs out a humorless laugh. "Right. Like that'd apply to me."
Akira stares at her face. Her cheeks are redder than usual. "Are you drunk?"
Ohya scowls at him. "No, I'm pissed. What the hell happened to our deal? No Good Tora, remember?"
"I know," he sighs. "But like I said, I've been busy."
"Right," she drawls. "Too busy hanging out with ex-yakuza and The Plague."
The words mean so little to him he can't even comprehend them for a moment. "I… what?"
She jabs a finger in his face. "You want to deny it? Go for it. Deny it!"
He spreads his arms wide. "Okay, I deny it. I don't what the hell you're talking about!"
"Hah!" She barks, and holds up her camera. She turns it around so Akira can see the viewer. She scrolls through some photos, one at a time. Akira sees himself. Sees Takemi. Sees Iwai and Kaoru. All in the side street from the night before. "Want to keep denying it?"
"Ohya," Akira says, slowly. "Let's skip over the part where I yell at you for stalking me, since I know you don't care about invading my privacy, and get to the part where I tell you that I still have no idea what you're talking about."
Ohya taps her fingernail against the screen, right over Iwai's face. "Munehisa Iwai. Former enforcer for the Dragon syndicate." She shifts her index over to Takemi. "Doctor Tae Takemi, also known as The Plague. Shunned in the medical community for her unethical practices, not to mention her mortality rate."
Akira stares at the pictures, and looks back up at her. Ohya seemed so expectant. Does she really think I knew all of that? And is this even true? It didn't make sense. Except, it kind of did. "Ohya, Takemi-san is my friend, and she's a regular here." He nods back towards LeBlanc. "Her clinic is right down the street. Iwai owns a shop in Shibuya that I hang out at sometimes. My friends and I buy model guns there. He asked me to watch his son for a few hours, so I took him to Doctor Takemi's. I don't see how-"
"You expect me to believe that an ex-yakuza enforcer, asked you to babysit his son, and your plan involved taking him to a clinic down the street from your own home? Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"That's what happened!"
"Are you on drugs?" Ohya asks, and suddenly slings her camera back over her shoulder, grabs Akira's face and forces back his eyelids. "Is that what this is? Is The Plague selling you drugs?"
Akira shoves himself free and shakes his head. "No, I'm not on drugs! What the hell is wrong with you?"
"That's exactly what someone on drugs would say!"
"I'm not-"
"I've been calling and texting you, and do I get anything more than a cursory response?" She throws her hands in the air. "Nope. Just another, 'Oh, I'm so busy, Ohya. I can't possibly honor the deal we made because I'm too busy babysitting for gangsters and hanging out with blacklisted doctors.' It's bullshit."
Akira feels something rising in him. "How many times do I have to say it? I've been busy and-"
"Oh, poor you," Ohya spits.
"What do you want me to say?" Akira shouts. "I'm sorry we haven't been hanging out lately. I'm sorry we haven't been looking for scoops or whatever the hell it is you want me to do. I'm sorry I can't take the time to dick around with some geriatric, washed up politician whenever it's convenient for you! I've got other shit that I've got to deal with, and it doesn't always involve you! I'm not backing out of our deal, but if you could give me some fucking space so that I can handle it, then things would go a lot smoother."
Great, now she'll really let me have it.
He waits for the comeback. Waits for the sting of her words and her bite and the fury he's sure she's about to unleash.
There's none.
Ohya just stares at him. There's no scowl. She just stares at him.
"Right," she says, finally. "It's too bad that my deadlines don't give a shit about your schedule." There's no animosity. Akira doesn't know what to do. He's never heard her like this before. She sounds so… normal. "I looked into your Principal some more. I've got some information for you. It's yours if you help me out. No Good Tora will be talking tomorrow night at Shibuya. Meet with me beforehand, and I'll brief you. If you can't make it, for any reason," and she shrugs, "then it's all off. And I won't bother you anymore."
"Ohya, look," Akira says, a pang in his chest. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak out, I just-"
"Spare me," she grumbles, and turns. "I don't know what you're into, Akira. I wish I did, but I don't. But be careful. Munehisa Iwai is former yakuza. Doctor Takemi is for all intents and purposes, blacklisted in the medical community." She starts to walk away. "But what do I know?"
"Ohya, come on, I-"
"You're busy, remember?" She snaps and waves her hand towards LeBlanc. "All those pretty girls are waiting for you. Tomorrow. I'll text you the details."
Akira watches her walk away. Why the hell did I say all that shit? True, Ohya drove him nuts sometimes, but she was his friend! "I'll be there," he calls after her. "I promise."
"Good," Ohya calls back. "I'd hate to think you were a liar."
Akira watches her leave, and then he turns and walks back into LeBlanc.
##
A/N: Happy Friday, everyone!
Hope you all enjoyed the inevitable Akira and Makoto meet-up, because it's not over yet.
Just a head's up, I should still be able to post next Friday, but a couple of issues have popped up between now and then. If I need to delay the post, I'll probably post about it in the Ao3 comments or over on Twitter. You can find the link to the latter on my Ao3 profile.
Thanks everyone, and I hope you all enjoy your weekend!