These last several days at Kosei High, there is someone whom Yusuke considers a problem student, someone whom the administration and the student body turn a blind eye to whenever she brings trouble. Junko Tomioka, daughter of the CEO of Tomioka Fashion. Long dark brown hair flowing in the autumn breeze like the flames of hell, olive green eyes radiating conniving confidence, and an incredibly alluring hourglass figure vaguely similar to that of Ann's.

Works part time as a model for her parents' company.

Teachers praise her for all her superb grades.

Worshipped by the entire student body for her fame.

Boys fawn over her as though she's a goddess because of her beauty.

Yusuke remembered what little he had been told of Kamoshida's actions or what he learned during his time under Madarame's thumb, everything isn't what it seems. A person who is incredibly famous appears as friendly and charismatic on the outside, all the while keeping their darkest desires hidden.

Why did he remember this? Well for whatever reason, Junko had her eyes on Yusuke for quite a while. At first, he was flattered by her kind words and showering praises for his work. Sometimes, she volunteered to work with him in group projects and he appreciated the assistance. But as the days passed, her constantly invading his space or trying to start a conversation, distracting him from his assigned projects or class lessons, irritated the young painter to no end.

One day, Yusuke had politely refused her request of hanging out after school because he had other plans. But Junko clearly wasn't fluent. Instead, she tried suggesting they do it tomorrow. He said no. And when she tried again by suggesting the day after tomorrow, he said no. When he turned to leave, Yusuke gasped when that stubborn girl had swiftly grabbed his arm and dug her nails into his flesh, very insist they should get together.

The sudden physical contact and that strange look in her eyes... he could see it clearly now... the mask of false goodness has slipped off. In its place is the face of a possessive she-demon. Someone who cannot and will not comply or obey anyone who gives orders.

As if the gods are on Yusuke's side, Naoya had come to his rescue with the excuse that the two of them are hanging out after school. With amazing speed and quick-thinking, the bespeckled boy had swooped in, pried Junko's grip off his arm and dragged him away. Yusuke graciously thanked him for the rescue. Naoya explained, in his theory, that Junko probably has some sort of silly infatuation with him. It'll probably wear off the more he turns her down, hoping she would get the message.

Except that infuriating witch had other plans in mind, as Yusuke found out soon after. Which is exactly what made him come to despise her at present. The art director of the fine arts division had made a special announcement to him and his peers.

A female student willingly volunteered to be a nude model for the painting department and then for the sculpting department. When someone agrees to model for these sessions, said person has to sign a form and does get paid per session, even more if one or two artists request the model personally. The pieces of the completed model may or may not be featured in various galleries, depending on the model's decision.

Yusuke would've looked forward to participating in the session with his fellow art-loving peers if the model didn't happen to be Junko Tomioka herself. She entered the studio wearing a coal black sheet, her body movements the reminiscence of a snake. All eyes within the room intently focused on her as she slithered up to the middle of a small stage and sat on a chair.

With no hesitation on her part, Junko let the blanket drop to the floor. Here stands a naked girl, who's voluptuous breasts and porcelain skin amorously presented for all to witness, surrounded by multiple eyes roaming their gazes up and down at her body, ogling at her bare form like gullible sailors under the spell of a siren.

Yusuke bit his lip, a sudden feeling of revulsion and disapproval set off by this unpleasant sight. This isn't the first time he got to paint someone with his or her nudity exposed. Ann has continuously refused to pose nude as a result of whatever happened between her and Kamoshida.

But everything regarding Junko just screams abominable, devilish and repulsive. Especially when she gazes at the blue-haired boy with a lustful look in her eyes, making him terribly uncomfortable. When she made a suggestion of posing with her legs spread apart, she demonstrates by doing this and exposing her... oh lord, Yusuke shifts his gaze aside.

He needs a subject who physically and spiritually embodies the definition of pure beauty. One who could rival or even surpass the Sayuri. Not this witch whose beauty physically and spiritually represents the aspects of temptation, destruction and power. The only painting which he could see rivaling or surpassing Junko's pose is John Collier's Lilith.

Yusuke silently got up and changed seats, sitting further away from the center of seduction. Unfortunately, Junko had noticed this and, in a tone of sickening sweetness, asked the instructor if Yusuke could sit closer so he can see and paint her more clearly because sitting in darkness might be bad for his work. Yusuke tried to assure the instructor that he's perfectly fine where he is. To his disappointment, the poor boy was told to sit closer to the stage.

Yusuke reluctantly changed his seat, catching a brief glimpse of Junko's triumphant smirk. He realized that she knew she was making him uncomfortable being naked, and she didn't care in one bit. 'Don't try to resist me' is written all over her face as she looks down on him.

At least the instructor sternly refused Junko's request of modeling with open legs, explaining she has to sit with her legs together, head tilted to the side with an expression of someone in serene content, and her arms crossed in a self-embrace. After that, the rest of the session goes on without a hitch.

In the eyes of the instructor and his students, Junko's nude portrait made her look like an actual goddess. In Yusuke's case, he senses no emotion other than deception and seduction in the painting. This he kept to himself.

When it was over, he hurries out of the studio shortly after turning over his work to the instructor. By the time Yusuke made it to his dorm, Junko had managed to catch up to him. The bluenette didn't resist the urge to groan when she burst into his room and latched onto his arm. She didn't even bother knocking, thinking it was a good idea to barge in like she owned the place.

Junko probably believed revealing herself naked made him fall in love with her, asking what he thought of her and what dirty thoughts raced through his mind. That's a disturbing question to ask. He demanded why she was interested in him when she as many guys in school drooling over her like drunken buffoons. Junko explained she wanted him only because he was considered the most handsome and gifted student in school. She begins stroking Yusuke's chest in a very indelicate way, trying to suggest they should definitely go on a date now that he's officially seen her naked. And after that, he should invite her back to this room for a night of intimacy and passion.

To Yusuke, her touches feel like a spider crawling up his uniform. Enough was enough. He pries his arm free, telling the witch straight to her face that he has no interest in her as someone of the opposite sex. And most likely, never will. He ordered to leave, forcibly escorting her out and slamming the door in her face, not caring about the faux hurt look on her face.

From behind the door, Junko had given him this warning before she left. "You really need to think about what you say every time you turn me down, Kitagawa-kun. It could really get you hurt."

And ever since she made her warning, things had changed from bad to worse for Yusuke Kitagawa.

Next morning, he got cornered by five of the boys from the studio yesterday. Yusuke felt at once that something was wrong, judging by their horrible, stone-cold scowls. One of them spoke, throwing a malicious accusation of him sexually harassing Junko because he was enamored by her nudity. Yusuke didn't like the way he spoke, so he calmly replied there was no proof of him doing horrendous things to her. Neither of the boys believed him, and the second boy retorted how she came crying to them with bruises on her arms, saying Yusuke had done it. Yusuke retorted back that he had never touched the girl, only forcing her to leave when she trespassed into his room, this he responded in his defense.

Again, none of the boys believed him. The third boy shoved Yusuke against the lockers, openly viewing the bluenette as an extension of Madarame, believing his being one of his victims was all an act to gain sympathy. Yusuke still tried to reason with them as they're attacking him on word of mouth and false evidence to no avail. As the boys savagely beat him, they called him 'Madarame's trash' and this will teach him a lesson for hurting Junko.

The ruckus caught the attention of Naoya, who bravely leapt into the fray and placed himself between Yusuke and his culprits. He lied by claiming he caught the whole thing on video, threatening to take this to the principal if they don't leave. And those barbarians did leave, but not before they warned Naoya that if he continues to blindly defend Kitagawa, they will come after him too. Naoya carried Yusuke with one arm over his shoulder and brought him to the nurse's office.

After being tended to his injuries, Yusuke thanked his closest friend for coming to his rescue. He explained everything and wanted to go to the principal to report the incident, but Naoya warned him that proving Junko instigated the assault is meaningless. Not just the fact those five boys came from very prestigious families, all who be willing to cover up anything their rotten offspring would do, but there was an unhappy story regarding a former senpai.

This senpai's name was Koji Kugimiya. A handsome and popular student who was extremely gifted at singing in the music division. He rejected Junko, who was a first year at the time, when she asked him out. He wasn't interested in dating her at all, so he said no. The more Junko kept on asking, the more he said no. She couldn't nor wouldn't take no for an answer.

Then, ugly rumors spread about Koji. His friends confronted him and proceeded to beat him to a pulp when Junko told them he spread a rumor that she's a prostitute for Kaneshiro. Koji protests fell on deaf ears when no competent adult at school listened to him. Not only that, but he got banned from the music division and expelled from school because Junko said he was sabotaging other singers by planting false evidence in his bag to incriminate him.

Koji's parents were of no help to him either. They'd rather believe a sweet, innocent girl against their own flesh and blood, expressing what a disappointment their son has become. Naoya explained he didn't know the rest of the details when he heard a rumor that Junko went to 'reason' with Koji to 'make peace.' It concluded with the tragic ending of Koji's death.

A battered and bruised Junko had told the police that she was forced to stab him in self-defense because he tried to rape her. To the police, they concluded Junko wasn't at fault and left it at that. Naoya revealed he has doubts about Koji raping her because he's not the type of person who'd physically hurt anybody. He suspected Junko deliberately lied, and if Koji had a reason to fight, it'd be for a damn good one.

The details were horrific. Yusuke was left in a state of shock from what he heard, his heart broke for poor Koji. And now, he himself is in Koji's position because he has become Junko's newest target.

Ever since then, the two boys have decided to walk to and from school together, in order to keep Junko at a distance. She hasn't made a move on Yusuke, nor has she sent those boys after him again. However, Yusuke's wandering eyes eventually led to said girl fixating a hard stare in his direction. That frown alone radiated bitterness, one who'd do whatever it takes to make him belong to her.

Back to the present.

Yusuke took out his second bento box, containing whatever Haru's chef had cooked for his dinner, from the small refrigerator in his room. Earlier at lunchtime, he spent most of his lunchtimes eating with Naoya alone in the dorms, because he wanted to stay away from Junko. He had enjoyed a delicious meal of Katsu chicken, miso salad, and a rice ball perfectly designed to be an adorable replica of the kitsune mask he always wore in the Metaverse.

He correctly deduced that Haru must've asked Umeko to make the rice ball look like a fox mask. Yusuke had only one word to describe the kitsune rice ball - divine. Such a kind thing to do for a friend.

Speaking of Haru, what else is there about her that captured Yusuke's interest in the first place? It goes beyond her beauty and goodness. Maybe it was her being a mystery, just like the Sayuri. She definitely was a mystery when she called herself the Beauty Thief, sneaking through the depths of her father's Palace before they had the chance to properly introduce themselves. But there has to be more than that. Yusuke doesn't think anyone who can be both mysterious and beautiful has ever kept his attention for long. He didn't want to eat the rice ball at first, because it was simply too beautiful. But he can't let himself go hungry and he took a brief picture of the rice ball on his phone before he started eating.

And now, Yusuke was alone at the dorms, reheating his dinner in the microwave until the contents in the box are ready to be eaten. This one was a little bigger than his lunch bento because there was more food inside - beef covered in teriyaki sauce, crab wonton, sushi, mixed vegetables and rice. Everything was so delicious as he eats to his heart's content.

Finished, he decided now is the time to transport what he drew in his sketchbook to a canvas. He sets up shop in the center of the room until everything is ready. The first ten minutes are promising, whirls of bright and lively colors come to life, which he hurriedly articulates on where to paint them or else they'll vanish from his imagination forever. His brushstrokes just won't go fast enough, but he needs to take his time.

Twenty minutes later, the painting doesn't look quite right. Haru is depicted in the picture of perfection and elegance, but there is no depth or emotional resonance exuding from the portrait. He stops to stare at what he deems a waste of his precious time. The emotion which Yusuke was favoring has drastically changed to sadness because he can sense it in her eyes. Wasn't she happy when she modeled for him? Now that he's snapped out of his painter's trance, it's hard to be sure. The girl on the canvas appears to be more like a lonely princess imprisoned in a castle's tower, craving for freedom.

"It's no good..." he groans, clearly disappointed in himself.

Isn't this how she used to feel back when her father had often treated her like a stepping-stone and kept her locked up in the confinements of home? If he presented this to Haru, she might come to the same conclusion and would want this painting destroyed. Acting on frustrated impulse, he prepared to grab his brush and slash a big black X across this worthless excuse for a painting when a strange jingle reached his ears.

It only took him a second to realize it was just his phone. Imagine Yusuke's surprise when he saw the identity of the caller was none other than Akio Kawanabe. He presses the call button to answer, wondering why the art dealer wants to contact him. "Hello, Mr. Kawanabe?"

"Good evening, Kitagawa-kun. It's been a while. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, thank you." He didn't dare tell him of his artist's block or of his recent failure. "Is there a reason you wished to speak with me?"

"Yes, I have a proposition for you. My foundation is holding an exhibition for artists, close to your age or older, from around the nation, and I'd like to have some of your work on display. I was very impressed with Desire and Hope in the summer, and I'd like to welcome the opportunity to see more of your skills."

Yusuke's eyes widen, stunned. "D-display my w-work...?" He sputters like a broken record. "Surely, there are others more talented than me."

"Nonsense. You're a very talented young man who has shown promise. I'd like to see more of your work. How does five or six paintings sound?"

"W-What...?" Yusuke's jaw drops. Five or six paintings put on display? Goodness gracious.

"Well, the artists who are going to display their work at the exhibition shall consist of either five, six, seven or eight pieces. I can guarantee you a section of the gallery. The exhibition is a spotlight on contemporary artists with promise, so I believe you would fit in quite well. But don't put too much pressure on yourself if you do this. It doesn't hurt to ask for help if you need it. You'd have two weeks to prepare."

This would be the first time Yusuke's own name will be published to his artwork that will be on display for the public eye to feast on. It had been his dream to share his work to the world, and now his chance is approaching. In the past, how infuriating it had been for Madarame to plagiarize his work, isolate him from his own work and the praising feedback thrown at Madarame's feet, keeping Yusuke at a darkened distance from gaining credit. It's an impossible task, but Yusuke's fiery passion for art fuels his determination. There is no turning back now.

"Are you up to the challenge, Kitagawa-kun? I'd be very pleased if you participated."

Without hesitation, Yusuke responds with strong confidence. "I'll do it!"

Haru texted the blue-haired painter the next morning because she needed his opinion on something. Yusuke was glad to offer his assistance. She replied back she'd like the opportunity to bring her most recent harvest to Sojiro. Seeing this as his chance to deepen his bond with Haru, and in the hopes of asking her to be his muse because he truly needed help if he's going to create fix or six paintings for Kawanabe's exhibition, he eagerly agreed.

The two of them had met up at Leblanc where Haru had prepared a delightful, colorful vegetable dish for Sojiro to taste test. It's like she's an artist herself when she cooks and prepares the food on a plate as though it were paint on a canvas. Yusuke was a little green with envy at not being asked to taste test the food instead. But Haru needed an honest opinion from a culinary professional and Sojiro is the best option, so the bluenette didn't complain.

According to Sojiro, the taste and appearance of the food are the opposite of what he refers to as market-grade. Nonetheless, he was very impressed that she managed to grow it on Shujin's rooftop. Haru explained she first came across the plant in her house, an experimental breed created for use at Okumura Foods.

Sitting at a booth with the young heiress, Yusuke decided to try the food himself. The taste was exactly how Sojiro described. "These sun-bathed vegetables have a bitterness to them, but also exude a strong energy. I feel less tired after eating them. Just like Boss said, it's if you feel better when taking bitter medicine. Perhaps this can be useful to our group during Palace or Mementos forays."

"I agree!" Haru was happy and relieved to hear this. "I didn't expect this hobby of mine to provide value to the Phantom Thieves. This is actually the only thing I can honestly say I'm good at."

"Growing vegetables must be hard work. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Thank you for worrying about me, Yusuke, but I find the work relaxing. Hey, um..." She shyly looks at him before speaking once more. "...do you think you could help me out again sometime? Like you did today. I can teach you how to grow flowers or vegetables if you want to help. If there are any vegetables you'd like in particular, just let me know. I certainly have plenty of seeds, so if you have a preference, I'll prioritize growing those first."

Growing vegetables or flowers with Haru sounds like an intriguing idea for Yusuke. It could help expand his horizon. Not only that, but she is the perfect choice to be his muse. She will be the perfect subject to perform divine, unconventional, pure beauty. "You know, when I came here, I wanted to ask for your help in my time of need..." he explained the details of Kawanabe's offer, although he purposely left out the part of how his previous work last night became an utter failure, not wishing to upset her. "So let us barter. I shall provide you my assistance if, and only if, you agree to be my model."

"A public exhibition for artists? That sounds like fun!" Haru smiles excitedly. "And yes! I will be your model."

"Wonderful! Thank you, Haru." Yusuke feels a little more enthusiastic now. He reaches forward to shake her hand, sealing the deal. Haru's touch left a trail of warmth and gentleness, unlike Junko's touch, which was hot and vice-like.

Part of his skin was slightly exposed when his hand stretched out of the sleeve a bit, revealing some dark spots on his wrist. One of those wretched barbarians had grabbed him there to pin him against the lockers where they had beaten him days ago. Their fingerprints are still there, reminding him of their cruel deed. Even if he did say anything, the boys' threats of going after Naoya left the young painter dreadfully worried if those bastards target Haru for defending him as well.

Yusuke hoped she wouldn't notice as he gives her hand a quick shake before withdrawing swiftly. The sudden gesture left Haru confused. She wanted to say something, but he hurriedly changes the subject. "Still, Boss is correct on one thing. The taste of your vegetables leaves much to be desired. But I have no doubt that, with a little more practice, you will succeed in perfecting your work." He speaks to her, like one fellow artist to another.

Haru's face glows a small shade of pink, smiling bashfully at his compliment. "Thank you. And thanks for having me. Your feedback on the vegetables was a big help. And I promise you, I'll do my best from now on to help you create five or six paintings before two weeks are up."

"Excellent! I look forward to it."

"I won't let you down." As she said goodbye when they had gone their separate ways, Haru couldn't stop thinking about those strange marks on Yusuke's wrist, the ones he determined to keep hidden. It wasn't any of her business to ask him, but the fear in his eyes when he had so suddenly withdrawn his hand from hers and changed the subject to focus on her dish raised a red flag.

Someone had gotten physical with Yusuke. It reminded her of how Sugimura had often grabbed her wrists in attempts to force her into submission. Haru was determined to not let this go and find out what's going on with Yusuke.