So…. some of you might be wondering "Hawk, where the fuck have you been, it's been like a week since you last updated!"

My answer?

Getting ass-reamed and raped by assignments. Today's like the only free ay I have to work on this fic then tomorrow till Friday next week I'll be back to working on assignments. Then it'll all be over and I might return to my coffee-fuelled fanfic writing rather than coffee-fuelled assignments.

Spent like ¾ of the day just sleeping so that was nice after being awake for 48-hours. Thought I saw the face of god at one point but turned out it was just my reflection in the tv above my desk.

On with this shitshow of a fic!

It was Sunday morning, five days after Akira's school excursion to clean-up Inokashira Park that Goro found himself in the strange situation of his frizzy-haired friend actually staying home for the first time in just about forever. In a strange turn of events, Goro watched as Akira subjected himself to his hated coffee rather than spending his day at Leblanc, and what was even stranger was the fact that Akira was using the television.

As far as Goro could recall they'd used the thing close to a total of ten times in the three years he'd lived here.

"I'm surprised you're watching the news," Goro commented as he watched Akira sip his coffee on the sofa from his position at the kitchen counter, the two rooms adjacent enough that he'd be able to eat his Sunday pancakes while watching the news and reading the newspaper on his phone.

"I'm bored," Akira said simply before picking up the tv remote and beginning to browse through the news channels. As he scrolled through the television networks with his remote, the large seventy-inch tv leaving brief traced of static as he switched through the channels, the speakers he'd bought blaring the noise of each channel as he flipped through them, he tried to search for the news channels that would be covering Madarame's closing of his exhibit.

He paused as he found it.

"Madarame's closing speech about the exhibit?" Goro frowned from his spot at the counter, slightly miffed at this reminder of what had happened in the artist's Palace. Even moreso miffed when he'd tried to enter it the day after only to find it had simply vanished like it would have had he killed the owner of a distorted heart.

He shook his head before Akira could notice.

Just as he was about to take another bite of his pancake, he heard crying… from the television. Goro slowly placed down his fork as he stared at the news channel playing in the living room, both himself and Akira entranced by the crying elderly artist.

I… I have committed crimes that are unbecoming of an artist.

Those words caused Goro, in a rare display of himself, to abandon his pancakes and move over next to Akira and take a seat on the couch, fully immersing himself with what was on the news. Goro felt his phone vibrate but with a quick motion, he turned it to silent before tossing it to the side onto a cushion facedown so its vibrations wouldn't make too much noise as he paid attention to what was in front of him.

Plainly put… I, um… plagiarized work…

"Well damn…" Akira muttered as they both watched the screen

On-screen, the cameras started flashing, capturing the stunning admission of Japan's most famous artist.

I-I… tainted this- this country's art world… and even 'Sayuri'! H-How could I… I possibly… apologize to – to everyone for… for what I've done… Aaaah…

Goro watched as this man just completely admitted to his own crimes, breaking down sobbing in the middle of a public interview. It was one thing to hear it over the phone, but this… this was amazing. There was a way to actually make someone admit their own crimes by their own admission.

Now… if only he could find out the method they'd used. He internally grimaced in remembrance of the black-masked individual he'd encountered within the elderly man's heart.

Loki roiled in agitation while Robin Hood stood silent.

Had it not been for the black-clad figure, he'd have been able to discern their methods.

The news channel was quickly cut, their views most likely dropping from the admission by the famed artist Madarame, a man who'd just completely admitted that every work he'd ever produced was plagiarised.

Goro mulled it over, correlating that twice now, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts had through the use of the Metaverse, changed the heart of another corrupt criminal. Once was an accident but this second time… when he'd seen them in the Madarame's heart they at least seemed like they'd known a marginal amount of what they were doing.

"Akira…" Goro turned to his friend, the frizzy-haired teen looking at him questioningly, "…What are your opinions on the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?"

…

Akira's eyes didn't betray his thoughts, his face an impassive mask as he thought over his next words.

He didn't get the chance to answer his question, however, as Goro's phone vibrated violently signalling that rather than just the spam of messages he'd been receiving, it was a phone call instead. The brown-haired second coming of the detective prince allowed his hand to wander and pick it up and look at the Caller ID.

With an almost resigned sigh as he realised who it was, Goro unlocked his phone and answered the incoming call. "Good evening, Sae-san," the brown-haired detective greeted tiredly already knowing exactly what his silver-haired liaison with the SIU was calling about.

"I presume you're calling regarding the confession by one Ichiryusai Madarame?" Goro inquired while Akira took another sip of the coffee, flashing a grateful nod as he muted the television, the news still scrolling along its surface.

"Yes. It's quite sudden isn't it?" Sae confirmed from across the other side of the connection, "At the very end of his recent exhibition he decides to call an emergency conference. What's more, he decided to release a decades-old secret he'd been harbouring? If I hadn't known any better I would have guessed this would have been the work of a certain group."

Goro rolled his eyes at the lack of subtlety Sae was displaying. She must be agitated if she wasn't even trying. "No need to beat around the bush Sae-san, we're both well aware that this was likely the work of the Phantom Thieves," Goro said casually, internally cheerful at the slight hitch that echoed across the connection along with the accompanying pause.

"You knew…?"

It was always wonderful to catch the SIU's top prosecutor off-guard.

"Of course," Goro affirmed allowing a rare smirk to display itself across his face, safe in the fact Sae wouldn't have been able to see him. "The Shibuya Precinct is already aware that the Phantom Thieves have done something regarding Madarame-san. Once more I've been assigned the case for Madarame since this is the second incident following Shujin Academy."

Goro listened to the silence that resounded through the connection.

"…And you hadn't thought it prudent to inform me?" If he hadn't known any better, he would have assumed Sae was hissing at him in displeasure.

"Sae-san, we may be liaisons and partners between the Precinct and the Special Investigation Unit, however, we are partners," Goro replied with a clipped tone. "You are not my superior officer nor are you an investigator. You are a prosecutor and as far as I'm aware, that does not mean that I need to share with you my findings unless I've been directly ordered to by my immediate superiors."

A stunned silence took over the connection, Sae most likely unused to being reminded that not everyone would simply hand her information. Goro looked up for a moment and found Akira staring at him analytically, slowly taking a sip of his murky black coffee.

"My apologies, Akechi-kun… I'd forgotten myself for a moment," Goro was slightly surprised by the apology but thought nothing of it. Chances were she'd ask for the two of them to meet up to discuss the information gathered by their respective organisations and place it all on the table.

"If you'd be amenable, I'd like to meet with you to discuss the information the both of us have gathered," Sae offered, her voice confident and authoritative but humbled at the reminder that he didn't answer to her.

Goro smiled lightly.

Called it.

"Of course," Goro accepted, "I'm free at the moment. Would you like to meet in the SIU building lobby?"

"That would be appreciated."

"I'll be there within the hour," Goro didn't wait to hear her response as he disconnect the call.

"Trouble in paradise?" Akira smiled from across the couch as Goro stood up.

"You already know it's not like that," Goro refuted with a shake of his head as he made his way to the kitchen, grabbing his unfinished plate of pancakes and placing them into the microwave for a couple of seconds to reheat them.

"Do you have any other plans today other than being a couch potato?" Goro asked as he stared at the timer, the numbers slowly ticking to zero as he waited.

He could hear behind him as Akira got off the couch and moving to the kitchen, the ceramic of his mug clinking against the metal of the sink. "Not particularly. I might go to Shibuya then maybe Leblanc for lunch," Akira said.

Goro gave Akira a concerned look as the microwave dinged, taking out his pancakes before turning around to look at him as he continued eating his pancakes. "I don't understand how you can eat curry day in and day out…" Goro retorted looking at Akira.

Akira just gave Goro a dead stare, specifically at the plate of pancakes he was currently eating. "You're one to talk," Akira mumbled as he reclined against the counter, Goro giving him a light glare as he polished off the pastries before sliding his dirty cutlery into the sink, running water over it to loosen the stuck-on maple syrup that had dehydrated in the microwave.

"I'll be heading over to the precinct then the SIU building for the day, will you be okay?" Goro asked as he made sure he had everything, his metal briefcase and keys with him.

"You won't be finding me in the hospital if that's what you're asking," Akira retorted with a roll of his eyes, plucking his keys off the hook in the kitchen.

"You've yet to give me a reason otherwise to believe that," Goro said as the two made their way out of the house, Akira locking the door behind them. "I'll see you later tonight," he said as he got on his hybrid bike, placing a helmet securely on is head before looking at Akira.

"Stay safe."

"Yeah, yeah," Akira waved dismissively but a smirk still on his face, "Good luck with your investigation."

With their pieces said, the two split off in different directions.

"So, uh…" Ann was the first to speak up as the five Phantom Thieves met up at their hideout in the walkway of Shibuya Station. "Is anyone going to address the elephant in the room?" she couldn't help but ask as she noticed Rem pointedly ignoring Ryuji's existence while Ryuji just seemed to slump in exhaustion.

"They've been like this since yesterday, Lady Ann," Morgana informed dutifully if warily, ensuring he was fair away from his braided-hair roommate.

"Is this situation a common sight between them?" Yusuke asked as he took a few steps back, framing Rem between his fingers as she seemed to radiate the aura of feminine scorn.

"I… wouldn't say so, no," Ann shook her head. "What the heck happened between the two of them?" Ann asked the only source of information that was seemed even the slightest bit willing to relinquish any sort of information.

Which was not the two humans but the talking cat of the group.

Morgana let out a sigh, giving a moment to look up at the two affected individuals, specifically at Ryuji to give him the chance to defend himself. When he didn't Morgana began to explain.

"Ryuji and Mishima decided to sign their death warrant yesterday."

"…What?" Ann had to ask since it seemed she was the only one in the group even remotely interested with fixing the team dynamic, Yusuke having long-since pulled out his sketchbook and beginning to sketch Rem's stewing form.

It was at this point that someone decided to step-in and actually defend himself. "Look…" Ryuji began, wincing as he realised he'd have to divulge information that wasn't something you'd exactly want to say to any females around you.

"It can't be that bad…" Ann cocked her hip to the side as she looked at Ryuji before she looked at Rem who was still making it clear she was unhappy at the moment then looking back at Ryuji, "…can it?"

"Not…really?" Ryuji hedged but winced nonetheless as he rubbed the back of his head, embarrassment lingering in his eyes. "I mean, me an' Mishima wanted to go do somethin' but then Rem found out, and-" he began to say quickly, his words making little sense to the female blonde.

Ann looked at him annoyed before snapping her fingers in front of his face to get his attention, "Would you slow down and give details? You're not making it any easier to figure out what's going on."

Morgana shook his head pityingly while Ryuji slumped. "Yeah, I know, it's just…" Ryuji said haltingly before taking a deep breath.

"Me an' Mishima were discussin' bout using a housekeepin' service in a vacant apartment in my complex, found the flyer stuffed in my mailbox yesterday," Ryuji said quickly.

…

"That's… it?" Ann couldn't help but ask before looking at Rem with a questioning eyebrow. Even for her, this was a bit over the top.

"Not… exactly," Morgana shook his head before looking at Ryuji, "Do you want to continue?"

"Yeah, yeah," Ryuji sighed. "I was talkin' to Mishima 'bout this in the courtyard yesterday and then Rem found us…"

"Okay… I'm still following along but why is Rem mad at you now?" Ann asked.

Ryuji looked at her forlornly with a wince.

"Mishima told her everything and invited her along."

"Ah…" It dawned on Ann before she similarly winced. Then it also dawned on Ann what Rem tended to do in those types of situations, usually involving her fist and someone's face. "Mishima's still alive right?"

"Yeah… almost got my head taken off for my troubles," Ryuji sighed. "Rem would've broken Mishima's face if I hadn't held her back."

"That still doesn't explain why she's mad with you though," Ann pointed out.

"Because he stopped me from knocking Mishima out for even suggesting that I'd be interested," a voice growled, the three looking over to Rem who'd finally broken free from her brooding and approached them.

Or at least Ann since Ryuji had decided to taken refuge behind the blonde.

"It's like herding cats with you," Ann sighed as she digested Rem's flimsy explanation her eyes narrowing at their braided haired leader. "Look, that's it."

Ryuji looked at her in confusion.

A dainty hand snapped out, a finger coiled back before flicking forward.

Rem recoiled stunned.

Yusuke continued sketching.

"Rem, you're meant to be the voice of reason here," Ann dressed down her friend as she nursed her afflicted nose from where it'd been finger-flicked. "Ryuji did the right thing, if you'd assaulted Mishima at school you'd have been expelled before you knew it."

Rem looked at her stunned, not having even taken that into account when she'd lost herself into that familiar feminine fury that had consumed her similar to when she'd punched Yusuke's lights out. She looked at Ryuji who was still using Ann as a human shield, wincing as she realised that his was because of her.

"I really messed up, didn't I?" Rem, wincing as she looked at Ryuji and Ann.

"Just a bit," Ann admitted before moving to the side. "Don't you have something to say to Ryuji first?"

Ryuji had a deer caught in the headlights look with his human shield having suddenly left him to fend for himself. That look became more pronounced as he now faced with his red-eyed leader. That look became one of confusion as a lithe pair of arms ensconced him in a hug.

"Thank you for stopping me yesterday," Rem said as she hugged him, Ryuji frozen and tense in her arms, "And… sorry for being mad at you."

"U-Uhh…" Ryuji flushed as he flailed for words, his eyes meeting Ann's looking for help.

Ann just shrugged her shoulders, watching as Rem apologised and Ryuji was out of his depths, Morgana by her side watching the two do this in the middle of the Shibuya subway.

Thankfully for Ryuji, Rem eventually relented. "So… uh… we good?" Ryuji asked hesitantly, more than confused at what had transpired since when he was behind Ann he was unable to see what'd happened between the two.

Rem smiled, "We're good, I was just being stupid."

Ryuji just stared before slumping. "Oh thank god, was kinda worried you'd be mad at me all week," Ryuji said wryly before looking up. "So… since that's been fixed anyone wanna explain why exactly we're here?"

Ryuji lurched as a small black form pounced onto his shoulder, a small paw batting him in the face. "Did you really forget?" Morgana asked as a small batted at Ryuji's head ineffectively.

"Huh?" Ryuji let out in confusion, "Forget bout what?"

"Madarame's confession," Ann said only to get a confused look from Ryuji before his eyes widened and he frantically made to pull out his phone.

"I totally missed it!" Ryuji scrolled through his phone, looking through the various new channel before finding the one covering Madarame, but just low enough that only they could hear.

"How in the world did you miss it? It was broadcasted on every television in Shibuya," Ann asked confused. It was practically impossible to travel through the city without being bombarded with news, much less breaking news such as Madarame's confession which rocked all of Tokyo.

"Honestly? I was so worried about Rem that I ended up completely missing it on the way here," Ryuji admitted with a shrug as he finished watching the latest news broadcast about Madarame.

"Damn… it's just like what happened with Kamoshida," Ryuji said as he tucked away his phone, readjusting Morgana who was perched on his shoulder.

"They also pointed out the calling card that was sent, which… wait, where's Yusuke?" Ann said before looking for their blue-haired friend.

"My apologies, I'd gotten distracted during my time sketching," a male's voice said from behind Ryuji, freaking both him and Morgana out.

"Holy-! Yusuke, man! Say something before you do that!" Ryuji yelped as he made space for the tall teen who was still in the middle of sketching before snapping his sketchbook closed with a snap.

"I'm sorry, I was so distracted with sketching the four of you that I'd momentarily forgotten why we were here," Yusuke apologised, a small smile on his face.

"Even in the middle of a train station, he can find time for art… amazing," Morgana muttered shaking his head.

"Forgetting about that, you called for me?" Yusuke asked as he looked at Ann.

"She was talking about the calling card you made," Rem whispered, making sure she kept her voice low enough that the average bustling of pedestrian traffic would cover it.

"Ah yes, it took a while with Ryuji's assistance but we were able to make something that worked," Yusuke gave a reminiscent smile basking himself in the memories of forging the calling card.

"No kidding, it was so much better than the one Ryuji made," Morgana muttered from atop said teen's shoulder.

"Hey, not like you could do any better," Ryuji growled.

"I have paws, what's your excuse?" Morgana retorted.

"Dammit…" Ryuji huffed as he conceded before shaking his head, "But still, with stuff like this, we can change the hearts of more and more people."

"Heck, with this… we might even be able to do more than just getting' back at society," Ryuji crowed lightly, but evident by how he kept himself quiet he was still more than aware that they were out in public.

"And do what?" Rem asked curiously.

"Uh…" Ryuji paused for a moment before scratching the back of his head with a sheepish look, "I'll be honest, I'm not sure."

"Well we're giving courage to others to ask for help," Ann pointed out, waggling her phone with the phan-site open.

"For two breakdowns to happen in such a short period of time is too massive to be a coincidence," Morgana chirped up. "We've finally proved to the public that we exist. We can help more and more people."

"Heh… that doesn't sound half-bad," Ryuji smirked

Both Rem and Yusuke noticed a pair of attendance officers approaching to their side, stopping just a few feet away before falling into quiet discussion.

"We may want to quiet down for a moment," Yusuke advised seriously, broken from his artistic reverie.

"Uh… do you know them?" Ann asked, not knowing who they were.

"They're attendance officers," Rem said simply with a shrug. The moment she'd said that the two officers approached the group.

"Hello there," an officer wearing a suit and a pair of sunglasses greeted Rem, his partner standing beside him with a stern look on his face dressed in the normal Shibuya precinct uniform. "May I speak with the four of you for a moment?"

"Ah, yes! How can we help you?" Ann asked in a nervous monotonous tone that made everyone including the officers look at her strangely.

"That monotonous acting of hers never fails to send a chill down my spine," Morgana murmured.

"Uh… you wanna be a little less nervous?" Ryuji asked in disbelief.

"Is your friend alright?" the officer with the shades asked as he looked at Ann in concern. He made to approach but Rem threw an arm out stopping him.

He gave her a questioning look.

"Sorry," Rem apologised on the spot, her mind running at a thousand miles a minute trying to think up an excuse, "She doesn't have a great experience with males in positions of authority?"

It ended up sound more like a question rather than a statement.

"E-Excuse me?" the officer in the sunglasses seemed taken aback while the one beside him seemed to laser-focus his sights on Rem, before swivelling from her to Ryuji and Ann.

The officer with the glasses made to say something but was cut off when his partner placed a hand on his shoulder and moving him gently to the side, moving to the front himself.

"Are you all from Shujin Academy?" he asked in a straight-forward manner, his question sending the entire group ramrod straight. He simply stared at Rem when he didn't receive an answer

After a few seconds of staring, Rem eventually and reluctantly nodded.

The police officer stared for a moment longer before taking off his cap and running a hand through his short hair with a sigh.

"Sorry about that," the man apologised surprising them, "I have a daughter that attends Shujin. When the Shibuya Precinct was informed about the PE teacher that violated his students, I was one of the first to know alongside some of my colleagues who have students that go there as well."

The attendance officer looked at Ann in particular with an extremely apologetic look, "I'm sorry if we've made you uncomfortable."

The four just stood there in shock processing the information, before Ann finally responded. "N-No, it's okay. You're just doing your job," she said earning her a grateful look from the officer.

"Thank you," the officer nodded before placing his hat back on, "We're just going around ensuring that everyone is okay following the odd happenings lately along with the confession by an artist."

"Uh, nah… we're all good. Didn't really bother us," Ryuji said.

The officer in the blue shirt nodded while his partner stayed quiet. "That's good. Do make sure you get home before it's late as a precaution with everything that's been happening."

"Will do officer," Rem nodded, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Thank you," the officer nodded before sending one last glance at Ann, "Our apologies for making you uncomfortable. We hope you have a good day," he apologised once more with a slight bow before he and his partner departed.

"Man… I'll admit sorta surprised to find out that some of the officers actually give a damn," Ryuji admitted as he kicked the ground. "Mishima said that nearly everyone including the parents and police knew 'bout the abuse…"

"Not everyone it seems," Rem said as she watched the two officers meld with the crowd and disappear. "I suppose not all adults are corrupt, just… unaware."

"Yeah… thanks also for covering for me," Ann looked at both Rem and Ryuji. "I had a small panic attack the moment they appeared.

"I am surprised, however, that they did not question Morgana's presence," Yusuke joined as he looked at Morgana who was still perched on Ryuji's shoulder, holding his hands out and his finger creating a frame of both Ryuji and Morgana. "Your presence with each other seems quite natural…."

"We got lucky," Morgana said as way of explanation, "After you admitted you were from Shujin, they basically turned a blind eye. But still… both victims of people's whose hearts were stolen meeting up… for too large a coincidence."

"Is it though?"

All heads turned to the voice who spoke.

"What?" Ryuji asked as he noticed everyone looking at him questioningly.

"You… sound like you're on to something," Rem said slowly, wondering if Ryuji might have had a point or if he was just trying to get a rise out of Morgana.

"Well… yeah?" Ryuji uttered as he scratched the back of his head, unused to the intense attention he was receiving. "I mean, is it really too big or somethin' of a coincidence? Can't we just tell 'em the truth?"

"You want to tell people that we're the Phantom Thieves? Are you a moron?" Ann hissed.

"No, not like that!" Ryuji scrambled for words. "I mean like how Yusuke asked you two to be his models and all that," Ryuji said causing Ann to pause and both Rem and Yusuke to straighten.

"You… might be onto something," Rem said as she thought about it.

"Right?" Ryuji grinned, "Yusuke did stalk the two of you through Shibuya station so it wouldn't be too large a leap to say we became friends or somethin'?"

Everyone stood there in stunned silence.

"I guess you can come up with some amazing ideas from time to time Ryuji," Morgana complimented. "At least now we have an alibi for why we always meet up."

"I didn't even think of that," Ann muttered while Rem felt impressed.

"Excuse me, but I have something that I'd like to bring up," Yusuke said ringing attention to him. "Back within Madarame's Palace, he spoke of an individual doing as they pleased wearing a black mask… would you four happen to know who that may be?"

Aaaaand into the fire it seems.

"We… have a slight idea," Rem said hesitantly.

Ryuji snorted. "Slight? We have a suspect who we think it might be," Ryuji told Yusuke.

"Oh? That… is truly more than I'd hoped for," Yusuke said. "That… does bring up the issue that there are more than just us within Palaces."

"Yeah, this guy, he's called 'Remnant' by the way," Ryuji began to explain. "We met this guy in Mementos and he sorta kicked our asses.

"Mementos?" Yusuke tilted his head in confusion.

"The Palace of the public," Ann added.

"And… you've fought this 'Remnant' and were soundly beaten?" Yusuke clarified.

"Yup, ass over tea-kettle," Ryuji said with a grin, "and now that you're here… dibs on not fighting the dude next time we see him!"

"…Can he do that?" Morgana asked.

"No, he can't," Rem shook her head watching in amusement as Ryuji tried to worm his way out of the inevitable. "We couldn't beat him four-to-one so we'll have to see if five will do."

"I'm sorry, but you speak as if you plan to meet with the man in the black-mask," Yusuke said even more confused than before.

"Yea, look it's like this. Rem made an agreement with the guy that every time we become more and more famous, he'll meet us in Mementos and fight us," Ryuji grinned.

"Why are you so excited about this? Just a few seconds ago you wanted to get out of fighting him," Ann asked with a raised brow.

"Well, we've gotten stronger, haven't we?" Ryuji grinned, "Aaand it'll be five against one so we've gotta have better chances! Besides, we can ask him what he was doin' in Madarame's Palace while we're at it."

"If he's actually the one that was there," Rem pointed out causing Ryuji and everyone else to look at her.

"What do you mean?" Morgana asked.

Rem shrugged as she leaned against the railing. "Well he did say that there were other 'players' in the game," she quoted, the four quieting down as they realised she was being serious now. "He said that there were people out there that wouldn't hesitate to kill us… if we couldn't beat him, we'd be dead before the year's up."

"Man… completely forgot that's the whole reason you agreed, huh?" Ryuji murmured, his grin faded before reigniting as he smashed his fist into his palm. "Guess we just gotta prove him wrong, yeah?"

Rem shook her head at Ryuji's optimism. "And find out if the man in the black mask was him or not," she added.

"That too."

"Your enthusiasm in the face of such odds… it is inspiring," Yusuke said quietly, the serious tension in the air dissipating like ash in the wind. "I do believe I've made the right choice in joining you."

"You'd better believe it," Ryuji smiled before slinging an arm around the teen's shoulders, "It means there's one more guy in the group as well!"

"That's what you took away from all this?" Ann shook her head.

"He can't help it, he's been cooped up with us girls after all," Rem said slyly, an amused glint in her eyes.

"That is true," Ann hummed before a question popped into her head. "Actually, Yusuke what are you planning on doing now that Madarame's being sent to prison?"

"I'll be leaving the atelier," Yusuke said as Ryuji relinquished his hold on the teen's neck, "I can't draw in such a place anymore."

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" Rem asked in concern but that concern was unfounded as Yusuke nodded.

"I do, thanks to my fine arts scholarship I can stay at the school dorms free of charge," Yusuke said simply.

"Wait, what?!" Ryuji recoiled in surprise, "You have a scholarship?"

"I do indeed," Yusuke nodded.

"Huh… the more you know I guess," Ryuji muttered, eyes still wide and comprehending. "At least this means it'll be easier for us to meet up whenever we need to now that you live on your own. Don't have to worry about anyone on your end."

Yusuke nodded. "That would make things much easier, however, for now, I believe we should wait and see how things play out."

Rem felt a prickling on the back of her neck.

"Fair enough," Ryuji shrugged, "Gotta head into Mementos one of the days and chat with that 'Remnant' guy, never mind that it'll take a while before someone with a Palace pops up."

"So does that mean you'll be acting like normal students for now?" Morgana asked as he hopped down from Ryuji's shoulder before scrambling up Rem's jeans and plopping himself in her bag.

"That would be for the best," Rem nodded looking around at the others in agreement. "Good, I suppose now's a good time to let you know that we're being stalked?"

"What?!" Ann hissed looking around frantically but found no one. Ryuji and Yusuke doing the same but albeit at a much more casual pace.

"I'm getting that same feeling when Yusuke stalked us before," Rem explained, the prickling sensation only intensifying even more as Ann's field of vision swept over the crowds of Shibuya.

"I don't suppose anyone knows a good place for students to hang out and kill some time? Somewhere we can use as a cover for now?" Rem asked curiously only to get shakes from Yusuke and Ann.

Ryuji, however, had a thousand mega-watt grin.

"I know a place in Kichijoji."

The following day, Akira found himself slightly weirded out as he walked through the halls of Shujin Academy as girls would sometimes look at him and giggle in small groups as he walked by. Normally Sumire would have been with him but she was currently at gymnastics meet until midday.

"That's him, right?"

"I can't believe he did that. That's so brave!"

By the time he reached the Student Council Room for his weekly Monday-morning meeting, he was glad to return to a sense of normalcy. "Good morning Nakajou-san, Ichihara-san," Akira greeted as he shut the door closed behind him and greeted the two girls sitting at the cluster of tables moved together in the centre of the room

Asuka Nakajou was a second-year but if you'd seen her outside of her uniform you wouldn't have been remiss in assuming she was younger. She barely even reached below Akira's chest, petite and in possession of a head of chestnut curls, Akira had come to liken her akin to a squirrel. She was also the sole secretary of the Student Council.

Suzune Ichihara, on the other hand, was a third year, and more than looked the type. She had a tall but willowy frame and features that the description of 'beauty' would have done her justice. Those features, however, were nearly always set in a solemn almost stern expression. She possessed locks of hair so black that in a certain light they were blue and purple eyes the colour of grape wine. Ichihara was the treasurer of the student council.

"A-Ah, g-good morning Vice-President Kurusu!" Asuka greeted, a slight flush to her face. Suzune only gave a bare nod of acknowledgement, too engrossed in her work to do anything else.

"I've told you before Nakajou-san, there's no need with the titles," Akira shook his head as he took off his blazer and slung it over the back of a chair before sitting down.

"A-Ah… yes… I'm sorry Kurusu-san," Asuka apologised, but with his height and her features even though she was calm she still looked like she was going to cry if he looked at her from above.

"Is Makoto-san late?" Akira asked as he noticed a distinct lack of brown-hair in the room.

Suzune only took a moment to look up from her papers to give Akira a long look.

"She's currently busy at the moment dealing with an issue," was her only response which was more than disconcerting as Akira felt as if she was insinuating that the problem had something to do with him.

Beside him Asuka sat down stiffly in her chair, fiddling with her smartphone in her hands. The smartphone flew through the air for a moment as the door slammed open and Makoto stomped her way in, a large pile of paperwork in her hands before in an ingenious way of using her limbs, her foot snagged the door before shutting it closed.

The table jolted from the sheer weight of the paperwork before Makoto promptly split the pile of paperwork into two, a small pile and a large pile.

The three members of the student council sat quietly, Suzune continuing her own paperwork while Akira and Asuka looked at the Council President who seemed to be staring a hole into the papers, Asuka tittering nervously.

"I am finding myself in the unique position of reconsidering your position on the student council Akira-san," Makoto said as she finally looked up from the two piles of paperwork to stare at him exasperation clear in her eyes. "You're diligent and hard-working in your duties but you also seem to have a precarious knack for involving yourself in troublesome situations."

Akira found himself flummoxed, unsure of what she was talking about. It must have been on his face as Makoto just sighed.

"You don't know, do you?" she asked before slumping in her chair.

"Would you like me to show him, Niijima-senpai?" Asuka asked Makoto, a hesitant look in her eyes.

Makoto gave a deep sigh before nodding.

"Please…" she murmured before pinching the bridge of hir nose aggrieved.

Akira found himself even more confused as Nakajou turned to him and handed him her phone, a video on the screen. It was black with the play button glaringly bright in the middle. He rose a brow at Asuka whose only response was to press the play button.

Akira found himself watching the video, only able to stare at himself on-screen, Sumire hiding behind him with her hands clutching his blazer and, in his grasp, a middle-aged man who was sweating profusely.

Akira just stared as the video confused as it played out, the sound more than audible in the small

H-Huh? Wh-Who the hell are you?

I'm a student at Shujin as well. I'm more than happy to talk if you'd like.

Dammit, no need to get worked up! Just being friendly!

The last person that was being 'friendly' to a girl from Shujin, raped her. We've had enough with paedophiles like you.

Tch, bloody brat!

I-I'll sue, you damn brat!

Go for it. You tried to assault me in broad daylight in the middle of public in an area full of CCTV cameras."

It'll be more than obvious that it's a case of self-defence…

I'm sure the police down at the Shibuya Precinct would love to see the footage of how you tried to sexually harass a student from the same school their daughters go to.

"Because of you, I've had to deal with the fallout alongside Principal Kobayakawa when this video was posted this morning by an anonymous source and began to circulate online," Makoto said as the video finished. "By then, the online community had already come to a consensus."

She gave him a dull and exhausted look.

"Congratulations, Vice-President Kurusu. You're now considered the face of Shujin Academy."

Fuck.

Fuck indeed.

Yusuke, I love you my man but why the fuck are you so hard to write?

Next chapter won't be out for like a week cause I need to focus on my assignments.

Also here's the AO3 link for a fantastic story known as Retribution of the Trickster by Asphaow but call him Chadzura since that's his name.

/works/24405181/chapters/58872412