Wednesday, June 16th
This is going to suck ass.
An immaculate amount of ass that even the most well-respected of ass-eaters will be shocked and jealous of.
I will be the most powerful ass-wielder in all of time and spac—
"Futaba? Can you just…open the door? We've been through this a multitude of times, so there's no need to be scared…plus Sojiro's breathing down my neck. I think you know how annoying that is."
I've actually forgotten, so ha!
Futaba: I promise I'm fine, you don't have anything to worry about Ms. Takemi.
Takemi spoke from beyond the door, "But…Sojiro said you had nightmares…that you were screaming in the middle of the night…?"
Futaba: Pffttt, that old man mistook my gaming session last night as that? I'm sorry he wasted your time…
Futaba heard Tae's sigh slip from her lips, her voice taking on a rare hint of sincerity, "Futaba…these nightmares…I know your mother's anniversary is coming up…is that wh—"
Please stop.
Almost as if her prayers were answered, Takemi suddenly stopped as faint vibrations could be heard, the young doctor picking up the phone, "Hello? Sakamoto? What's—Akira's what?" Takemi's footsteps could be heard descending as she reunited with Sojiro at the base of the stairs.
Not long after, Futaba heard Sojiro's voice, "Futaba! I'll be back okay? I promise it won't be too long, I…I just have important business to deal with!" She soon heard the door slam shut as the house fell back into silence.
Allowing her mind to fall into overdrive.
What kind of important business is enough to make Sojiro go into the hellhole that is traffic right now…wasn't there a train crash?
Wait…
Takemi said Akira?
Right…he does have contact with her…
And Ryuji…? Aren't they beefing or something?
I should really check Ryuji's phone to see what that's about—
Futaba had mindlessly checked Akira's feed from his phone, unable to see anything but there was a clear audio feed.
Distressed screams were all she could hear.
Sojiro quickly grabbed his spare card key and opened the apartment door, allowing Takemi to immediately get to work as she sped past the teenagers that were crowding around Akira's crumbled body on the floor. Takemi crouched, coddling his head as she examined him, trying her best to ignore the endless twitching that seemed to control Akira's body.
The first thing Takemi noticed was his rolled-back eyes, along with the sweat that seemed to slick his sickly pale face.
Though, that wasn't the captivating draw of Akira's situation, as her eyes were quickly drawn to something else.
Something infinitely more terrifying in its implications.
There was a liquid dripping from his nose and mouth—of course, the physician's first thought was blood until a few more seconds of gazing betrayed that idea.
It was black, like ink.
And it wasn't stopping.
Takemi snapped from her flurry of thoughts as her eyes went to the right of her, Sojiro at her side—his eyes faintly widening as his mind must've thought the same as hers.
There's time for that later.
For now, a patient is seemingly having a seizure…and I need to stabilize him.
Takemi furrowed her brow as she looked around, stopping on Ann as she called out to the blonde, "Your jacket, take it off."
For a moment, Ann seemed confused but nevertheless heeded Takemi's request—after all, she was the professional who quite literally had one of her closest friends' life in her hands.
Takemi folded the jacket and placed it underneath his head as she removed his glasses, adjusting his body to the side as she fished into her bag, grabbing a syringe as she turned to Ryuji, "How long has Akira been like this?"
He stammered, "I–I…I don't know, me and Ann got here after it started…"
Yusuke quickly spoke up, checking the logs on his phone, "I called the hospital fifteen minutes ago…"
Takemi faltered for a bit as she turned back to the convulsing teenager, electing to roll up Akira's sleeve while cleaning it before plunging the needle into it.
After a few miserable seconds, Akira stopped moving and went still, a sign of relief for her as she sighed. Though it wasn't all relief as the black blood kept running.
Ann was the first to speak, "What did you do?"
Takemi focused on Sojiro first as she looped Akira's arm around her shoulder, "Get the other hand, we'll use your car to take him to the hospital." After Sojiro answered her request, she fixated on Ann's question, "I just injected him with a sedative. Having this many seizures continuously within this time period? It's incredibly worrisome, and something that might be out of my ballpark. Which is why we're going to take him to the hos—"
Akira's legs suddenly had force behind them as they stopped the two adults from walking any further, both of his hands gripping their shoulders. Sojiro gazed down at the boy, utterly perplexed at him having any form of lucidity after the sedative. His face was still laced with sweat and pale as if he was a corpse, almost as if every single iota of his body was screaming in pain, drained from the ordeal of the day and begging to be released from the waking realm—but his eyes.
His eyes were piercing deep in his soul. Brimming with determination.
With rebellion.
Akira's voice came out strained, another example of his effort to stay conscious for however long, "N-No…hospital. N…no. Please, S-Sojiro…" Akira's voice and his return to the realm of the conscious trailed off as his body went limp, his head rolling over his shoulders as it hung back.
Sojiro gazed at Akira's form, taking note of how the black blood seemingly stopped before his eyes refocused on Takemi gazing at him, worry all over her face, "Sojiro—"
"Let's…let's take him to his room."
She faltered, opening her mouth to fight against the idea, but bit her tongue.
She always listened to her patients' requests. That included their guardians.
Even if they were stupid.
Soon enough, they placed Akira on his bed, and—most importantly—they were alone in his room, with no prying ears to hear.
Sojiro lingered over Akira's body as Tae stopped at the door, her hand on the handle. The aging musician didn't gaze at her to know something was clearly wrong, "Takemi—"
Takemi pivoted, her unrelenting gaze on Sojiro as she strained her voice, unsure of if the walls were thin, "You're his guardian, correct?" He nodded, "He's the nephew of your best friend? The one who helped you through so much tragedy? So much pain? The one you know owe ten times over?"
"Tae–"
"And you understand and remember what happened the last time you saw these symptoms in a person? The last time I saw this? How dangerous this is?" Sojiro clenched his jaw as he broke their gaze, but Takemi only pushed further, "All that pain! All that suffering you and Futaba felt when Wakaba started dying? You'd wish the same upon your best friend!? Without even trying?!
Sojiro snapped his head, getting into her face as he restrained his anger to the best of his ability, "I-If these symptoms are the same thing, you think I want to put the kid in the same situation as Wakaba?! Do you even remember how she kept begging to not go? How she was there for months and they didn't do anything for her?" He pointed to Akira on the bed, "You think I want the same thing to happen to the kid? The same pain to be felt by Hotaru and Haruki? By every one of his little friends out there?"
"So why won't you just take him?!"
"Because you people didn't know what the hell to do! All you bastards did was poke and prod at her while she was miserable! I'm sure as hell not gonna let the kid go through that!"
"So you'd rather have him go through seizures? Nosebleeds? Near-death every goddamn time he has one of those visions!? When is enough is enough? When he disappears for a month like Wakaba did?!"
He faltered, unable to move past the mention of visions, "Wha…h-he's had visions?"
She stared before sighing, moving closer to Sojiro as heaviness filled her entire being, "He only told me on Sunday and I just thought…they were a byproduct of stress. He was just having nosebleeds and a headache. The most he told me was that they related to Haru Okumura. Much more simple in regards to Wakaba's, plus…what was the point in panicking over something that—at the time—bared no relation to the one time I've seen this illness before?"
Sojiro fell silent as he turned to Akira's resting form, pushing his glasses up as he pinched the bridge of his nose, eventually sitting in Akira's chair.
He was extremely frustrated, something that Tae knew wasn't entirely related to Akira's current condition.
She got down on one knee, placing a kind hand on his shoulder.
Sure, she was still angry at the irrationality of his actions…but Sojiro was still a dear friend to her at the end of the day…and that came first.
"Sojiro…what's wrong?"
He was slow to reply as a shaky breath came from his lips, "Wakaba."
"What about her specifically? Is this just reminding you too much of her or—"
"No…it's just…I remember that night when Wakaba disappeared from the hospital, when we were running around examining every square inch, there was this old guy who stopped me in the hallway. He was real hunched over, a nose longer than any I'd ever scene—almost as if he was a caricature, especially with those bulging eyes that never seemed to miss anything." Sojiro readjusted himself, "He started speaking to me randomly, that I needed to calm down and that Wakaba would be found, that I needed to be patient and there for Futaba."
He caught Takemi's perplexed gaze, "How did he—"
For once, Sojiro grimly chuckled, "I had the same look on my face. Before I could say anything though…he said one more thing…something about me having a choice to let the arias of the soul be renewed or be permanently snuffed out when the black runs true…"
Tae froze on the words for a moment, her mind geling them together with ease, a dry chuckle coming from her lips, "There's no way you're hinging Akira's goddamn life off of a shitty phrase from an old man that was probably drugged out of his mind."
Sojiro struggled with his words, "Tae, it's not just that it's—" He clenched his jaw as he held his words back.
It wasn't time.
Not yet.
Takemi sighed as she stood up, "Do you think this has something to do with Futaba's nightmares as well…?"
Sojiro stared at her for a moment, "I…I just want you to trust me, okay? I just…if these things are connected, if this truly is the same thing that took Wakaba away from me and Futaba…I don't want to make the same mistakes." His voice softened as his gaze went to Akira, " I wouldn't want anyone to endure the same pain."
Takemi gazed at his slouched form before retreating to the door once again, "I think I get it. But…as a doctor, there's going to be a point where I have to intervene, Sojiro. Whether you let me willingly or not…is your choice. You can't be passive forever, Sojiro."
Tae sighed as she left the bedroom, deciding to let herself become a friendly acquaintance to the pantry.
She sighed as she grabbed a bottle of water, "I really should've brought my flask…" She turned her eyes to the kids on the couch, anxiously sitting in anticipation.
Kids.
"You guys do know sitting there with the most depressing faces in existence isn't going to do anything for Akira? Stop being miserable and try to do something to get him off your mind. Trust me, you'll thank me later."
Yusuke was the first to speak, "Takemi-san…what exactly is wrong with Akira…? Was that a seizure—"
Takemi took another sip, debating on how much she should let the kids know and…if she actually wanted to adhere to Sojiro's wishes for the moment, "It's…something complicated. That's all I can say."
Everyone had a sense of collective confusion at her words, Ryuji was finally the one to speak up, "Doc, if that's the case why don't you just take him to the damn hospital? How much better can he be just sleeping in his bed!?"
Takemi opened her mouth to respond, a rebuttal instantly forming in her brain when Akira's room door opened again, Sojiro appearing at the back of the sofa, "Because I want him to be safe and sound when he wakes up. Somewhere familiar and calming, not confusing and disorienting." He gazed at Ryuji briefly, "Surprising to see you up in arms about Akira, Ryuji."
Ryuji opened his mouth to speak, but bit his tongue as he refocused on Takemi, who was fishing through her dufflebag, brandishing a couple of her medicine vials, "In any case…giving him this should help. I gave Akira some before, but this is of a higher dosage." She placed them in Sojiro's hands, "I'm not sure where the younger one is, but if you or him can make sure Akira's constantly drinking these, we should see an improvement in his condition."
The two lingered in each other's eyes before Tae returned to the countertop, grabbing her bag as she went to the door, "I'll try to swing back by…but if I can't, Akira knows where to find me when he's well enough to do so…and…you kids did decent to make sure your friend didn't die today. Feel good about that instead of wallowing in despair, please."
Besides the door, the apartment became soaked in silence as everyone took a moment to digest the weight of the previous hour.
Soon enough, Sojiro—unknowingly sitting in the same chair Akira was in before his incident—finally breathed sound into the room as he exerted a bit of energy shuffling his body to free his back pocket, making his pack of cigarettes easier to access.
With a couple of flicks of his lighter and a faint frown, his cancer stick was lit ablaze, causing Ann to speak, "Um...isn't that banned in this building?"
Sojiro paused, gazing at his cigarette before taking the drag, eventually chuckling as a pulm of smoke slipped from his lips, "Yes, butI'm special. I turned off the smoke detector. It was a…favor I decided to cash in on."
Ann frowned but decided against brushing the issue. It seemed like Sojiro needed it—and besides, was it truly important at the moment?
The room soon fell back into silence beside the cigarette itself, the wrapping writhing and crumpling as the embers ate away.
Sojiro took another drag before taking it from his mouth, addressing the group at large, "So…any of you kids mind telling me what exactly happened to Akira?"
He flicked his eyes around, initially starting on Ryuji. It made the most sense, especially considering how frigid his relationship with Akira seemed recently.
But Ryuji's eyes evaded him, going in the direction of Tora, something that Ann and Yusuke did as well.
So, Sojiro shuffled around in his chair, his unflinching gaze beaming on the former Vice-President, "Well?"
"I came by…just to talk to Akira, I wanted to check up on him as well, and from the beginning of our conversation, it seemed as if he was perfectly fine. Until halfway through it…he just started having his seizure." Tora paused as he held his temple, sighing as the images kept replaying, "It was terrifying…one minute he was fine, and another he was just…on the floor."
Sojiro's gaze softened.
He knew that sentiment all too well.
It sucks, kid.
He took another drag as he pointed to the blondes, "How did you two get here? Akira wanted to meet? Finally hash out the funk between you two?"
Ryuji faintly frowned, "No…Ann was the reason I came. Wanted me to try and talk to him…guess that was a bad idea." The room briefly returned to silence before he spoke again, "But Boss…have you called Mona yet? His parents?"
Sojiro's eyebrows bounced, "You…guys haven't called him?"
Ann shook her head, "I don't think we saw him when we left Shujin…"
These kids are going to be the death of me.
"To answer your question Ryuji, I…did. I called his dad when I stepped into the room."
On some level, Ryuji seemed to ease up as he slouched into the couch.
"So…how did Kitagawa-kun get here then?"
Yusuke seemed to have life breathed into him upon hearing his name, "Me? Oh, Akira didn't tell you, Sakura-san? I…I live here."
Sojiro opened his mouth but nothing came out as he decided to take another drag.
If Akira turned out to be lucid enough, he would surely chew the kid out until he lost his voice.
Sojiro turned to Ann, "Did you tell the Okumura girl about this or?"
Ann froze for a moment before sighing, "No, it wouldn't make much sense either, Haru's has some family affair, she told me before practice started, and besides, with the train incident…who knows how long it would take her to get here."
Sojiro grunted, "Fair…but I think she would want to know if her boyfriend is okay or not."
Ryuji, Tora, and Yusuke choked on their spit while Ann had an exasperated look on her face, causing the aging director to shrug, "My bad, I guess that isn't common knowledge, huh?"
Makoto made it back to her apartment with the moon beaming in the sky, a reminder that the train delays were the worst part of her day at the moment…if she was just going by usual standards.
Despite her future hanging in the balance, her behavior as of late, and the fact she a concrete pattern—at least partially—all she wanted at the moment was the serenity of sleeping in her room with her Buchimaru plush at her side.
It was a shame she wasn't going to get it—as Sae sat in a chair in front of the apartment door.
She was waiting, and she did not look pleased.
Makoto froze for a moment before her eyes lingered to the counter.
Sae's flask was there.
"Where have you been?"
"I was at school, I just lost track of time, and then the dela—"
"I know that isn't true, Makoto. I called the school...since I was left a lengthy message from Kobayakawa detailing what you've been up to for the last couple of days."
Makoto winced, but she wasn't surprised.
Kobayakawa's trying to make sure I'm still bound by a leash no matter what…
"Sis, I can explain—"
"How exactly do you explain disturbing people? Making a mockery of yourself and disobeying what your principal asks of you?"
"Sis–"
Sae's voice took on an almost overbearing edge as it rose, a level of anger Makoto hadn't seen before, "Just stay quiet! You know, I've been really…really patient with you. I've given you help, I've been nice, I've given you space, I let you stay here instead of moving around all the time with me because I know how you hated it when dad did it. I've done everything right. I've done everything a sister—no, a parent is supposed to do since ours just decided to croak whenever things got hard! And this is how you repay me? By being a little brat who can't even go to school and mind herself and her own? Can you even imagine if your little adventures get out? How that'll reflect on me and—"
Makoto wasn't quite sure what it was.
Maybe it was the dogpiling she kept enduring encountering during this one singular Wednesday.
A Wednesday that had no business being this long.
Everything felt like it was crumbling down…and she had no room to move.
It felt like she was in a chokehold where she had to submit, no matter what.
And she was tired.
Makoto's voice slipped out—no, it exploded from her lips. "How dare you talk about mom like that?! And how do you think that's fair?! That I have to live my life dictated by yours?!"
The two sisters faltered, both equally surprised by Makoto's display. Sae stared at her for a moment before she rose from her seat, getting closer, "Don't raise your voice at me again. I don't know where you—"
Makoto glared at her, her eyes riddled with freshly minted tears that were aching to spill over the surface. She knew she should stop. She should shut up.
But…but she didn't want to.
She didn't care to anymore.
The suffocation was too much.
"What do you know, Sis? Huh? Like you said, you're never home. Yet, you're okay with that. You've alwaysbeen okay with that even before mom died! You have left me alone consistently ever since—"
Sae pushed forward, getting in her face, her voice booming as if she was the personification of thunder, "AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MOM?! WHAT? ALL KEIKO WAS JUST A WOMAN WHO WAS TOO STUPID, TOO WEAK, AND TOO LAZY TO ACTUALLY BEG SADAUJI TO BE WITH US! A WOMAN THAT FLED TO HER BOTTLE EACH AND EVERY TIME HE CANCELED ON HER—ON US! A WOMAN THAT GAVE UP ON US AND JUST WITHERED AWAY AND LEFT US WITH HIM!"
Their emotions were getting the better of them—something Makoto hated since she felt as if she was going to throw up, but she didn't care.
Sae was wrong.
Right?
"AT LEAST SHE LOVED US! SHE STAYED! SHE TRIED! SHE WASN'T OUT SLEEPING AROUND, SLOWLY CRAWLING TO A MISERABLE DEATH AT THE END OF A BOTTLE LIKE DAD! LIKE YOU! OR IS THE DIFFERENCE ONLY BECAUSE IT'S SOJIRO SAK—"
Makoto wasn't sure what happened.
The only thing she knew was that in one moment she was glaring at her sister in the face—and the other her back banged against the door, she was on the floor, and her cheek was burning.
Sae glared at her but it quickly faded away, turning into a much-subdued face of shock.
Sis slapped me.
She—
Sae gazed at her hands, shaking as the horror of what she did dawned more and more upon her—the subdued shock turning into regret that was etched on her face.
Somehow she was able to conjure a voice as Makoto shakily stood, gazing wide-eyed as she cupped her wounded cheek, "Ma–Makoto I…"
In any other situation, perhaps she would've stayed and heard whatever Sae would've funneled out—perpetrating the cycle that was above even them but…no.
For once, Makoto didn't want to hear her excuses and brushed past her, B-lining straight for her room and slamming the door in another form of defiance, the sound echoing through the apartment and making the weight of Sae's actions weigh on her more and more.
Sae knew every square inch of the apartment, every single minute detail there was to know. Makoto's door was nothing special. It was much like any other bedroom door inside of Leblanc, being only 2 inches thick with simple wood and a locking mechanism. Any time she stayed, the door was right across the hall, being among the first things she saw in the morning. Just a couple of footsteps away.
And yet...it felt as though the two of them were thousands of miles apart.
And she couldn't close that distance anytime soon.
Sae clenched her jaw, to the point it felt as if she was going to crack teeth, and swallowed what she did.
She couldn't just bask and writhe in self-pity and waste away—she needed to do something.
To do something worthwhile.
So, she grabbed her key and left.
Sojiro wasn't sure how much time had passed when he woke up, a few streaks of drool slipping from his lips as he lifted his head from the cool countertop. Though, it immediately became clear he wasn't the only one who decided to make a quick trip to slumber central.
Ann, Yusuke, and Tora were all asleep—except for Ryuji since he wasn't anywhere to be found.
At first, the thought of him slipping out while they were passed out crossed his mind, but it faded once he saw Akira's door was ajar.
Carefully making his way, Sojiro saw the young manufactured blonde at Akira's side.
Ryuji must've been exhausted since he didn't even notice Sojiro's presence until he cleared his throat, "Oh, Boss…I didn't hear you."
Sojiro didn't reply as he stood by Ryuji, taking a quick glance at Akira.
He seemed peaceful.
A fact that Sojiro wished was partially true—not only for him—but for the entirety of the group.
The kid is only sixteen…he doesn't deserve this.
His friends don't deserve to worry themselves to death over this…
Neither does his family…
I'm saying all of this and yet…I'm worrying myself to death.
"I've been in here for an hour or so I think. Durin' all this time, I just couldn't help but think…he finally looks peaceful, free or somethin', y'know?"
Sojiro elected to not reply, giving the kid a chance to simply let his feelings flow unmared.
"And it just…keeps makin' me feel like I'm a piece of shit." Ryuji sighed as he leaned back into the chair, his head hanging over the back as he stared at the ceiling, eventually raising his scarred hand into his vision as he stared at it, " Maybe I am still a coward."
There was a beat of silence—until Sojiro spoke, "That's something you have to find out for yourself, Ryuji. You have to try."
There was another beat of silence until the blonde sat up, making his way to the door, pausing briefly, "Maybe this'll be somethin' I'll regret."
Not long after, he heard the front door close gently.
Sojiro sighed as he took Ryuji's seat, his weary gaze still lingering over Akira. Eventually taking his hand into his own…and gripping.
At least someone's here for you.
Sojiro felt his pocket vibrate.
Kawakami-san: Hey…Sakura-san? I heard about Akira…is he okay?
Sojiro: I think.
Sojiro: He's sleeping at the moment, something I should do as well.
Kawakami-san: I hope he gets better…and you deserve rest after this stressful day. Good night.
Sojiro: Thank you.
So, Sojiro finally gave into the grasp of sleep once again as he rested his head on the edge of the bed.
Sure, his back was probably going to ache in 50 new ways but…who cares?
Sojiro was stirred to wake by Yusuke, the room bathed in darkness, "Sakura-san? I made sure everyone else left…I didn't know if you wanted to sleep here or be woken up considering your job so…"
Sojiro drowsily looked at Akira, still peacefully resting as a yawn slipped from his lips, "R-Right…good job, Kitagawa-kun. I appreciate it…but I'll just go back to…"
Wait…
FUTABA.
A second wind energized Sojiro as he shot from the chair, "Crap…you're right…can you—"
"Course. But…just so you know, Morgana never came home…you don't think he got mixed up in the accident with the trains?"
Sojiro faintly frowned but shook his head, "Nah. With what Ann and Ryuji said, the timeline would be weird for him to get mixed up in that mess."
The two bowed before the elder left.
Getting back home was swift and easy, though…there was a surprise at his doorstep.
Sae Niijima was sitting, smoking a cigarette as she stared off at the faint stars in the sky.
Eventually, she caught wind of Sojiro's presence, a faint smirk forming on her face as she moved the cigarette in his direction, "Want a hit?"
Thursday, June 17th
As Makoto gazed into the mirror, she was sure of one thing.
Sae's slap was going to bruise.
"Crap…"
Language, Makoto.
Makoto fished underneath the cabinet, rediscovering the Buchimaru patterned bandages, and pasted one on her cheek.
It looked silly.
Of course it does.
Is that so surprising, Makoto?
She pondered at her reflection more, spotting the prominent bags underneath her eyes.
Makoto practically didn't get a lick of sleep as she kept rethinking everything that led up to now, all of the pieces of evidence she acquired, what she could piece together, what naturally fit together.
Or if she was actually pursuing something that was real and wasn't just her grasping at straws.
Stop that.
There's too much stuff that can't just be sheer chance.
Something is happening at Shujin and if no one else wants to help, I'll just do it myself…that's nothing new.
The only way forward…is just to figure out who Bael is.
Makoto sighed, losing a bit of her vigor.
I can't ask Kamoshida again…Hifumi already sees through me and there is a chance he would just lie and send me on a wild goose chase.
If he isn't already doing that already.
I already searched every square inch of his old office, I doubt I missed anything…and I can't investigate the band room. My key doesn't work there and Sakura-san gets there too early on school days.
Waiting until Sunday is too risky given the deadline by Kobayakawa.
A thought crossed her mind.
One she hadn't thought about in a long time, and for very good reason.
Perhaps, Kurusu-kun knows something?
…I doubt it…it seemed he didn't find anything at the shack relating to Bael.
He lies and keeps secrets though, perhaps he did find something…but in the same vein, he could just lie to me as well.
Makoto looked at her weary reflection once more as she exited the bathroom, returning to her room and grabbing her bag.
Besides, it wouldn't be a good idea for me to align myself with him in any capacity considering what Monday will bring.
I can only imagine how Shujin is going to twist this.
Will I be involved in the wheel somehow?
Or will I be spared somehow?
Ha.
As she quickly packed a lunch for school, Makoto noticed something about the countertop. Another thing that kept her up throughout the night.
The lack of Sae's keys.
Sis still isn't back.
I see.
Sojiro opened his eyes, feeling an unfamiliar level of warmth covering him.
It took him a moment, but his mind remembered how the previous night ended and how Sae Niijima was tightly holding onto him in her sleep.
From the previous…entanglement they had, Sae wasn't this physical. In fact, the last time he remembered her even exuding this level of basic humanity was…
Huh.
I don't know.
Sojiro gently repositioned himself, reaching for his phone on the nightstand to gauge the time since the sun wasn't out just yet.
Crap.
I gotta get to work.
Plus…I think it would be a good idea to swing by and check on the kid.
Can I even afford that time…?
Quietly, Sojiro sighed, something that didn't go unnoticed by Sae. Her hand touched his cheek, guiding his sight to her own, "What's with the sigh? Disappointed to see me in your bed?"
He snorted, "What's with the smoking on my doorstep? Missed me that much?"
"Ha. Ha." She sat up in the bed, making her way to the bathroom.
Sojiro, likewise, started to go through his closet to find his outfit for the day, "Seriously though, are you okay?"
"I suppose I could say the same thing with you, considering how…rare it is for you to do a midnight adventure. You holding out on me, Soji?"
Sojiro faltered for a moment before a faint chuckle came from his lips, "Far from it. Just got caught up in some worrying stuff."
Sae poked her head from the doorway, a spare toothbrush in hand as she contemplated, "Well…it's the same for me. Don't think this is going to be normal, though."
"Wouldn't want it to be. Mind letting the owner use the bathroom or is that going to be a pissing contest?"
With a grumble here and there, the two continued their usual morning routines, with Sojiro checking the time and eventually coming to the miserable conclusion that he wouldn't be able to check on Akira.
God…damn it.
I should've asked for Yusuke's number last night…
This is a hail mary but…
Sojiro: Hey, did you get home safe last night?
Morgana Kurusu: Yup
Sojiro: Did you check on your brother?
Morgana Kurusu: Yeah? He's just sleeping. Something supposed to be wrong?
I thought Yusuke would've told him everything that happened…?
Plus…wouldn't he know something is wrong with Akira anyway from the passing out from yesterday?
Sojiro shook his head and replied once more.
Sojiro: That reminds me, don't ever stay out that late again, okay? With the train crash yesterday…when your brother gets better I'll tell him the same thing, but I don't want either of you exploring Tokyo late at night. Who knows what the hell is going on nowadays and it's still my job to protect you guys, even if we stay in different places.
Morgana Kurusu: Lol
Morgana Kurusu: Okay
Sojiro: Also, tell Yusuke to make sure Akira drinks his medicine.
Sojiro: And despite what he may say, make sure Akira STAYS HOME.
For the first time in over twelve hours, Akira opened his eyes.
Every part of his body ached and his head felt as if it was going to split in two. The beaming sunlight leaking through the windows didn't do him any favors either.
Everything felt…off.
He felt off.
In fact, for a moment he couldn't even remember where he was…or how he ended up in a bed.
Did I go back to sleep after I wrote up some plans for Monday?
Wait…
No, no that's not what happened right?
Akira clutched his head as he sat upright on the bed, trying to wrack his disoriented brain for answers…some slowly forming.
My phone…Tora…right, Tora said he wanted to come over.
He came over, right?
Yeah…I remember…
What did we talk about…
What was it…
Come on Akira…come on…
A girl…
Who…
Niijima-senpai?
But why—
His eyes widened as he pulled his covers from his body, collapsing to the floor as his legs gave out. It seemed they weren't accustomed to walking again just yet.
After a few seconds of sheer mental willpower, Akira was able to pull himself up and grab his phone off his bed-side desk, powering it on and checking the time.
"It's 10AM?! You have got to be shitting me!" Akira grabbed his glasses and started scrounging through his wardrobe, unable to find his uniform.
Where—
Fuck.
The nosebleed yesterday, it was probably the worst one I've had…I wouldn't be surprised if it stained the uni—
Akira heard his door open, he turned around to see Yusuke at the entrance. There were bags underneath his eyes but a sense of relief at Akira's willingness to move around, "Are you okay, Akira?"
Akira shrugged a non-verbal yes as he looked deeper into his wardrobe, "Do you know where my uniform is?"
Perplexion started to spread across the young musician's face, "What do you mean, Akira? You aren't thinking of returning to soon this early are you?"
He waved off Yusuke's concern, "So what, I had a nosebleed and passed out, not the first time that happened, and I was fine enough to walk around afterwards."
"So I've heard…but yesterday was different, Akira. You…your blood started turning black and it was like…"
He paused upon hearing the black blood.
That's…that's new.
He turned to meet Yusuke's apprehension, "Like what?"
"It was almost as if you died. Your eyes rolled to the back of your skull, almost like a seizure and then you just…stopped breathing."
Akira faltered, his eyes gently widening as he envisioned it.
Oh…so, I'm getting worse it seems?
…shit.
Yusuke sighed before walking to Akira's bed and taking a seat, "It was scary…Tora-san, Ann, and I didn't know what to do. Luckily, it was Ryuji that made the call to Takemi-san and Sakura-san so she could come to your aid."
Akira's eyebrows gently bounced at the mention of Ryuji's name, "Ryuji was here?"
"Yes…they showed up at the best time. I can't imagine what would've happened to you if you didn't…with all that being said, I don't think it would be a good idea for you to return to Shujin…Sakura-san asked me and Morgana to make sure you drank your medicine and for you to rest. No school or anything stressful until you've recuperated."
I remember I did think I was going to die for a second…
…Is this why I'm not around when everything happens on Monday?
Akira gritted his teeth, it wasn't every day a teenager was able to grapple with the possibility of their death arriving in the form of episodes in a few days, "I'm sorry Yusuke, but I have to leave. I do appreciate the heart-warming effort by Sojiro, maybe he'll win that guardian of the year award I've heard so much about."
Crap…
I don't even remember where I put that other spare uniform…
Screw it, I just need to talk to Niijima-senpai, as long as I have my ID they'll let me in.
I just have to make sure Morgana, Kawakami, Ryuji, Ann, and Sojiro don't see me at all while I make my brief visit.
Going straight to the Student Council Office should be best.
Akira swiftly moved around the room, grabbing a pair of jeans and a white shirt as he hastly put them on, a sigh coming from Yusuke as he realized how futile he efforts were.
As Akira sought for the door, Yusuke called out to him once more, "Can you at least take the medicine with you? Just to be safe?"
"Yeah, yeah." He left, entering the elevator when his phone buzzed.
Alibaba: Visions, huh?
It's Alibaba, I'm not surprised man.
Akira: If you're going to make fun of me and call me insane, just get it over with please, I've been telling myself that for the past day…
Alibaba: Nah, we're twins lol.
Huh?
Alibaba: So, what are you seeing? Your lack of bitches leading you to death?
Akira: Oh kiss my ass.
Akira: God, if you're gonna make jokes Alibaba I'll throw my phone away.
Alibaba: No need to get your panties in a bunch. But seriously, tell me. It's for my dick measuring contest.
What the fuck is his problem?
Akira: Okay…apparently a friend of mine is going to die on the 21st…by someone named Bael.
Alibaba: So you saw the death of that Niijima girl you like. Nasty work.
Alibaba: Must've really killed your boner.
Akira: I just rolled my eyes into the back of my skull.
Akira: Are you happy now? Think you could be useful instead of making me waste time?
Alibaba: I can try…butttttt….I like doing things until the last moment.
Akira: Alibaba! Come on this is someone's life we're talking about!
Alibaba: Yeah, yeah, seems like a fun challenge I can't lie. I'll try to see what I can dig up…
Akira: Thank you.
Alibaba: But remember…this is the future we're talking about Akira, if you can't get any more visions…and I'm unable to find anything…then we're shit out of luck.
Akira gripped his phone tighter as the doors opened, releasing him to the base floor of Leblanc.
I know.
Makoto was doing one of the most horrible things known to man; dozing off in class.
The bell had run and yet her face was still glued to the desk—but luckily Haru nudged her to wake, "Makoto? Are you okay? Class is over."
Makoto rose, looking around bewildered as the classroom slowly became empty from the students pouring out, "Wha…"
"You fell asleep. Sensei decided to give you a pass, surprisingly. But…you almost never sleep in class…is everything alright?"
Makoto froze for a moment as she stared into Haru's eyes, it was clear she was concerned—not only about the sleeping but about her overall appearance. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a rowdy night I had…studying."
I'm not good at lying, am I?
Haru continued her stare, skepticism clearly etched in her face but she decided to not push any further, respecting her space, "It's lunch, do you want to eat—"
Makoto grabbed her bag, bowing as she broke away from Haru, "I'm sorry, Okumura-san, I…have something important to do."
Haru gazed at her fading form as a faint frown formed on her face.
She would have to do the one thing she didn't want to do today—be alone with her thoughts.
Despite her earlier dalliance with sleep, Makoto effortlessly slipped into her Student Council mode, starting her duties for the day while Shiro diligently worked on his duties.
Unsurprisingly, Saya was nowhere to be found…and once again, Makoto didn't care at all.
There was a palpable silence in the room as the two respectively worked on their hassles for the day, almost as if there was a silent understanding—mainly on Makoto's part—to not be bothered.
Until Shiro broke it.
"Niijima-san…has Tora talked to you in the last day?"
Makoto stopped typing away on her school laptop, her shoulders scrunching up in annoyance at the mention of her former Vice President, "No. Is there supposed to be a reason?"
Shiro mulled around with his fingers, almost nervous to push forward, "W-Well…it's just that with what I heard yesterday about Kamoshida…I…asked for his help to talk to you." Finally he faced her unflinching stare, "We're worried about you, Niijima-san."
She snorted.
It was another example of being going behind her back for the sake of "worry," doing everything possible to avoid her breaking out of the little box she kept being stuffed into recently—no, her whole life.
It was tiring.
And after the event with Sae, she wasn't seeking on taking anything laying down.
"You were worried about me…but you decided to seek someone else out to talk to me? Telling them business they have no hands in? Someone I actively removed from this council due to their…conflicting nature? Does that sound smart to you, Nishikawa-san?"
Shiro stuttered, "I-I just thought—"
"You just thought that I couldn't handle myself? I'm a grown woman, Nishikawa-san. I don't need someone to try and talk me down because they think I can't handle myself or an insecure boy jutting himself into my problems as if I'm a damsel-in-distress."
There was an uncomfortable silence in the air before Shiro reluctantly nodded, reading the room and understanding that exiting would be best, "Just…be safe. That's all I want."
Makoto sighed after the door shut, pinching the bridge of her nose.
All she wanted…was just a break.
Things to go easy.
People to let her breathe.
At every angle, it felt as if she was being snuffed out…and this all started with Akira's appearance at Shujin.
For a split second, it felt evil of Makoto to place the ills of her life on Kurusu but…ever since they first spoke on April 12th…things became harder.
Things weren't easy.
Things weren't simple anymore…and she hated that.
She wanted everything to be back to normal again.
Perhaps Kobayakawa was correct in that regard.
Her phone buzzed, the screen lighting up to reveal it was Ohya.
Ohya-kun: I'm not doing this.
Ohya-kun: I don't…care what might happen to me, but it's not enough to warrant exposing everything about a guy who seems to be decent.
Ohya-kun: I've made a lot of mistakes lately, one of the biggest letting things get this far when it came to Kayo and wanting answers.
Ohya-kun: But this isn't going to be one of them.
Ohya-kun: Besides, you don't have the gall to say anything about the Kamoshida incident since you're just as involved.
Ohya-kun: Goodbye, Niijima-senpai, I hope we never have to work together again.
For a few agonizing minutes, there wasn't a single thought in Makoto's head.
Until it all came rushing within an instant.
Her only hope of salvation slipped between her fingers…and with it, her future—her dreams were fading away from the realm of possibility.
All because of Akira Kurusu.
N-No.
No…
There was a part of Makoto that wanted to cry, to wither up into a ball and bathe within the bleakness that seemingly awaited her future—that felt inevitable, a fate she couldn't avoid.
A sob almost slipped from her lips until she held it within the confines of her throat as she struggled to take a breath.
She choked it back down.
This wasn't the time for her to cry.
She couldn't cry.
She didn't need to waste her time on something so pointless—she needed to become proactive.
There had to be something she could do to turn Ohya around—a trigger that could work…she just needed to wrack her brain for one. And wrack her brain she did—until it finally manifested, spurring her to break from her misery and reach for the door.
Akira Kurusu was on the other side of the door, reaching for the handle himself until she wrenched it open.
She would've rather seen Kamoshida instead of the source of her current dilemma.
Though, for all intents and purposes, he looked horrible. Pale, sickly, and bags galore underneath her eyes. Though they were trained on her bandage, a slight tint of worry shading his eyes.
It seemed like it was taking everything for him to even stand at the door as a few beads of sweat ran down his face, but he still spoke with his usual confident tone—even if it was slightly strained, "N-Niijima-senpai, can we—"
She pushed past him, intending to make it to the computer lab on the third floor of the practice building, utilizing the walkway connecting the two buildings.
Unfortunately, Kurusu was still behind her, "Niijima-senpai, can you please just stop? I need to talk to you!"
Kurusu still hobbled behind her as she opened the door, coming face to face with a bundle of students talking and eating their food on the walkway—making her stop long enough for the delinquent to catch up with her and gently grab her wrist, almost commanding her attention as she whirled around, "Let go of me."
Akira faltered underneath her gaze but quickly regained a glare of his own, one she hadn't seen in months, "I can't…I won't Niijima-senpai."
"You do know this is liable for me to report you as harassing me, right?"
He shook his head, "I could care less. You… you're investigating Bael, right?"
She hesitated before wrenching her hand away, his gaze becoming harsher and harsher as her mind pieced bits together.
Tora must've told him…just like before…
"That is none of your business, Kurusu-kun."
She tried to walk away but Akira pushed forward, "You can't. I…know this sounds weird coming from me, but you can't. It's not—"
She snapped back at him, partially causing him to jump, 'It's not what? Safe? That I don't know what I'm doing?! That I suddenly need your help because I'm a stupid little girl who can't do anything on her own?"
It was happening again…this was unbecoming of her, letting her emotions spew out of her like a cracked dam, but…she didn't care.
Once again, one simple phrase kept reforming in her head.
She was tired.
She got closer to Akira, her face contorting with the unresolved anger of not only the last twenty-four hours but for the last two months as she jabbed a finger in his direction, "You…you think you know everything, don't you? That you're a good person?" Her finger smacked against his chest, "All you are is a miserable, hypocritical man-child who can't stand to be wrong. A pathetic selfish child who will go to any length, no matter how morally bankrupt, to protect his precious ego. A control freak. An arrogant idiotic robot who can't see how he's ruining everything around him! A-And you think I need yourhelp when you can't even keep your friendships together? You can't even maintain any relationship without lies forming!" She chuckled, finally coming to the end of her rant, "You're alone…and you don't have a single person to blame but yourself."
There was a fire of untempered passion in Makoto's eyes as she glared into his—until she snapped out of it.
For a moment, she genuinely forgot where she was, allowing her to explode as she did—and that was her mistake.
She was still at Shujin Academy.
Still in the last remaining minutes of the lunch hour.
Still the emotionless and collected Student Council President who always stayed strong like an anchor for the school.
And she wasn't.
She looked around in every direction, finally noticing the peering eyes that made up the circle around them.
She had finally broken the facade that had been forced upon her for years.
And she hated that.
Akira, who seemed to be stunned, regained his voice and reached out for her, his voice maintaining a surprising level of serenity despite her rant, "Niijiima-senpai—-"
It didn't matter though, since Makoto simply turned around and made her way toward the computer lab.
It took a few seconds, but eventually, the circle of students had life breathed into them again, of course discussing their president and the implications of her statement.
Whether she meant to or not, Makoto was now a part of the Shujin rumor wheel.
Akira sighed as he turned around, electing to make his appearance to Shujin just be that—an appearance as he still wasn't wearing the school's uniform, but a familiar voice called out for him, "Akira?"
Akira turned around, his weary eyes meeting Maruki's, "Maruki? What are you doing on the third floor…?"
He shrugged as he took a sip from his juice box, "No real reason. You okay? Yesterday was kind of…"
"Crazy." Akira breathed out a wry chuckle, "I'm okay though, just a little…stressed."
Understatement of the year.
Maruki's eyebrows bounced with curiosity as he placed a gentle hand on Akira's shoulder, "Would you like to talk about it? To be frank…I think you deserve it. I don't know if you know…but you look awful."
Akira snorted, "I didn't know at all."
"So…do you know why you had your little event yesterday?"
Akira took a seat while Maruki closed the door behind them, making his way to his rolling chair, "Uh…maybe?"
Maruki quirked an eyebrow as he shifted the bowl of candy to Akira, the teenager swiftly rejecting them, "Maybe? I know it doesn't fully apply here, but remember we don't do unknowns here."
Akira sighed as he rubbed his nape, his nerves still a little jumbled, "Well…it could be due to stress."
Maruki nodded, figuring out where to move the conversation next, "Okay…what's the source? Or sources if it's that bad, which…it probably is."
"Perceptive doctor indeed. Well…starting off, my best friend and I…we're…kinda going through a rough patch."
"Hm. Ryuji Sakamoto, right?" Akira nodded, "Why is that?"
Akira shrugged, "I'm not too sure, actually. I want to try and talk to him but…kinda hard when he seems to avoid you no matter what you do or say."
Maruki hummed a sound of understanding, a little smirk on his face, "If you want, I could just get the answers out of him if he came to therapy."
A faint snort came out of Akira, "Ryuji in therapy is something I'd spend an enormous amount of money on, but he isn't that type. He's a tough nut to crack, and I think you'd even have trouble, doc."
Maruki faintly chuckled at the idea before a little smile formed, "I think you'd be surprised with my results. I have an inviting presence, after all. You know it all too well."
"Well, I have a thing for calming and peaceful personalities…I think."
"That's heartwarming…but let's get back to the matter at hand. Is that all that's stressing you?"
"No…but…I don't know how…to really say it."
Maruki tilted his head, curiosity forming once again, "What do you mean?"
"I just–" Akira caught himself before sighing, eventually slouching on the sofa, "Nothing, I promise its nothing."
Maruki narrowed his eyes before reaching out, placing a hand on Akira shoulder for the sake of sincerity once again, "Remember what I said before, whatever you say in here…it's between me and you and I'll always take what you say as real. As the truth. You just need to let me in, remember?"
Akira lingered in his eyes for a moment, struggling to push himself to that point…until another sigh came out, surrendering himself to vulnerability, "Okay…well…last month, Ryuji and I went to this bar called Crossroads. Don't worry, we weren't doing anything bad, his girlfriend works there. But while we were on the way…we came across this little vendor in one of the dead-end alleyways of Shinjuku. She was a fortune-teller, and I was skeptical…but she already knew my name. Ryuji didn't want to do anything with her since he encountered her before, but…I let my curiosity get the best of me. It's a part of my charm after all." Akira paused, worrying once more about the nature of how his story sounded. If it was even remotely believable to anyone outside of himself and—strangely enough—Alibaba.
"She sat me down and told me some predictions…four in total. One has already been completed…and the other two…at this point I'm not too sure. But the last one she brought up…it…it scares me."
"How so?"
He sighed, "It says that death is closing in on me. She didn't say who…or when, but just the fact that soon enough, death will be around me."
"Oh…do you think that's the cause behind your episode yesterday?"
"That's the thing, Maruki…I think my episodes have something to do with the prediction itself."
Maruki paused, "What do you mean?"
Akira played with his hands for a moment, ducking the question before he took a hearty inhale, leaning in closer to Maruki, "You promise that no matter what…this won't get out to anyone? That you'll take me seriously?"
Maruki nodded sternly, "As I said, this is a safe space Akira. That wasn't a joke."
Akira shakily breathed out, "Okay…yesterday wasn't the first time. It was just the first time I blacked out. I haven't been able to get a full set of sleep in over a week, and I wasn't surprised. I thought it was an effect of a…recent development with a friend of mine. Or well, someone I've had to take responsibility for. But Sunday morning…I started having these crushing headaches and these nosebleeds…and that was the first time I had a vision." he paused, wanting to give Maruki some time to digest his words, "I called my doctor and she summed it up to what I thought, just a form of stress manifesting in the worst possible way—a hallucination. She told me to take some of the medicine she had gifted me before and I did…and everything was fine…until Tuesday, when I had another headache and nosebleed in class that was slightly worse."
"I kept a cool head and went to her clinic, where she told me perhaps I needed to confront what was bothering me. So, later on that night, I did. I thought everything was fine—"
"Until yesterday at lunchtime." Maruki was invested, clearly as he hung onto Akira's every word.
The teenager nodded, "Correct. As I said, it was the first time I passed out. And…in the vision I got, it was something to make me think these weren't just hallucinations." A shaky breath came from his lips, "These were all one vision, of…someone I know getting stabbed and bleeding out. I went back to the vendor and she even said the prediction has gotten worse, something she's never heard before. So…"
"You're trying to prevent the death of a friend if these visions can be trusted?"
Akira nodded, "Yes. I…I don't know what I can do, but I know I have to try. It's all I can do."
Maruki gazed into his eyes, catching all the determination that laid within before sighing, placing his notebook down, and standing to place a hand on Akira's shoulder, "Say that this is fate. That this is the truth. Do you think you can fight against fate? That it'll be swayed? That you won't just give yourself more pain thinking you can try?"
"I…" Akira's eyes became glossy as Maruki kept his concentration, his gaze never wavering.
"Wouldn't it just be easier for you to forget? Putting this in the past so you can just…live happily?"
"I…"
Maruki's hand tightened on Akira's shoulder, darkness filling his face as he spoke once more, determination at the root of his voice, "You deserve to be happy, Akira. Just…forget these…lies."
Akira's eyes filled with color as he shook his head, "I can't forget, Maruki. I can't stand aside…not again."
Maruki's contact broke as Akira rose, his face rife with confusion as the teenager stumbled to the door—he held his head as he reached the door frame, "I…I'm not feeling too good, Maruki…I uh…I gotta go home."
Akira closed the door behind him, leaving the counselor confused.
Although Akira didn't see it immediately, Alibaba texted his phone.
Alibaba: I don't like that guy.
The sun was setting across Tokyo, with the waning sunlight spilling into the Student Council Room.
At this point, Shujin was empty, with the exception of a few staff…which meant Makoto would be unable to avoid her worries for much longer.
Quite honestly, she just wanted to roll up into a ball and fade away. She didn't know how she could do it, but Makoto was sure if she put her mind to it, she could.
Before she could delude herself further with idiotic ideas, Haru let herself in and greeted Makoto with a smile, "Makoto? Are you busy?"
Makoto looked at her, her gaze exhausted as she shook her head, "No. Why ask?"
Her smile didn't waver as she moved to Makoto's side, grabbing her hand and pulling her along, "There's something I want to show you, mind coming with me?"
Makoto was too tired to protest, and being honest, she didn't mind the idea of a break, so she nodded.
Using Haru's family chauffeur, they were in Kabuichiro, in front of a towering building that looked over everything in the district, the heiress begged Makoto to keep quiet and not ask any questions until they made it to their destination.
Their destination?
The roof.
It was a beautiful sight, overlooking all of Tokyo for as far as the eye could see.
Though Makoto sighed as Haru hopped over the railing, sitting atop the ledge as she peered at the horizon, "What are we doing up here, Haru?"
Haru waved for the President to join her, with an apprehensive Makoto eventually joining her, "You've looked stressed. You never sleep in class, and you usually…don't yell at students in the middle of the school." Makoto faintly winced, leading Haru to continue, "I thought you could use a break. A break that didn't include gardening and something else I find just as peaceful—getting away from your stress. My father owns this building, apparently, it was built before the turn of the century."
The two sat in their created solitude, a gentle breeze flowing through the air as the sun finally slipped beneath the horizon, launching Makoto's question, "Haru…if I may ask, why have you been…around me so much recently?"
Haru paused for a moment, pondering how–and where–to start, before the words came to her, "For as long as I can remember, everyone around me has been wearing masks. I've never been too sure if people are actually around me for, well, me or…my name. Most of the time, it's for that great big Okumura bonus. I can never really call people out for it either, it's expected of me to be the calm and softspoken heiress, the one who doesn't cause problems for her father."
"A mask of your own."
She nodded, "Living a life like this, where everything is chosen for you—from friends, schools, social life, and…even my love life, it's draining. It's why I garden. It's the one thing in my life that…loves me for me. It's not bought…or fake, or a byproduct of my last name. I have to earn it. Earn the love from my plants, and hash out so many hours to get a perfect garden. Something I can declare to the world asmine. Haru Okumura's. Something like that can help as a coping mechanism…" Not long after a chuckle came from her, she paused, "But…it can only help so much, especially when things get harder. It starts to lose its charm and allure, and before you know it you feel suffocated…things start to feel the same, and you aren't too sure of where to go next as if you're losing a handle on everything…until a friend decides to reach out and reassure you."
Haru turned to Makoto, placing a hand over hers with a beaming smile blessing her face, "I'm not too sure what's bothering you, but considering your family legacy…I can imagine you're in a similar position to me, and I know for a fact you don't have a hobby despite your claims, which leads to today and your recent behavior. I want to be that friend for you, Mako-chan. Any time you need help or someone to talk to? I'm a simple phone call away, okay? You don't have to do anything alone."
Makoto lingered in her eyes for a bit, unsure of how to respond as she brandished a faint smile while she nodded her head.
Maruki found Chihaya's table, though it seemed the fortune teller was packing up for the night, "Are you the fortune teller that Akira Kurusu saw?"
Chihaya paused, meeting his gaze with an intriguing stare, "...yes? Who exactly are you, if you don't mind me asking?"
Maruki grinned as he nervously chuckled, "Oh, I'm just Akira's counselor, Takuto Maruki. He told me about those…visions he's been having during our session today."
Chihaya's mood instantly soured as she dryly responded, "Right…" She continued to gather her things as if she wanted to put the conversation to an end.
Maruki cleared his throat, "I…I was just wondering if you could tell me more about them? He was being…rather vague—"
Chihaya briefly chuckled as she moved from the table, almost making Maruki lose sight of her in the ever-moving crowd as he luckily kept up, "That's…not going to happen. I keep my client's confidentiality very important. Besides…it wouldn't mean anything to you. Probably a lot of nonsensical rambling, Maruki-san."
For a moment, Maruki was almost content with her words…but why would he?
He wanted to help Akira, no matter what.
Especially if he was…special in the same regard.
Maruki pushed closer, grabbing her wrist and turning her around, peering into her eyes as he focused—pouring every little bit of his gift into her, "I'm sorry but…please, once again, what hasn't Akira told me? Who is the friend that's going to be killed?"
Chihaya blankly stared, her eyes glossed over as she immediately spat out an answer, "M…Makoto…Niijima…"
Maruki paused, "Ah…so that's why he was talking to her beforehand…I should've pieced that together…" He focused on her again, "What else?"
"The heiress…Haru Okumura will be there. Their fates will catch up to each other on M…Monday evening…"
Hm…Haru Okumura and Makoto Niijima…
I should be able to do something, right?
Maruki opened his mouth to ask another question when she cut him off, her glossy eyes trained solely on him, "You're not going to help anyone. The most you'll ever amount to is a measly newspaper and death. Rumi was a fluke."
He simply stared at her, unsure of what to say or do as his grip slipped, almost instantly returning her autonomy. For a moment, she seemed confused, but brushed it off as she shook her head, "Like I said Maruki-san, I can't divulge any information about Kurusu-kun." She bowed before leaving, "I'm sorry."
Maruki didn't reply as he stood in Shinjuku's busy crowd, reflecting on the meaning of her words.
"What is…" Makoto's voice trailed off as she noticed an envelope at the base of her apartment door. She quickly scooped it up, examining it as she quickly came to notice that it was blank.
No names, no address, nothing at all.
She rolled her eyes as she slipped inside, the apartment untouched from her departure—a surefire sign that Sae hadn't returned at all.
Which was a good thing for once.
Makoto threw the envelope on the countertop as she went inside her room, quickly changing into her Buchimaru pajama set and returning to the unopened mystery.
Is this one of Kurusu-kun's tricks?
A bit of revenge after today…? Another humiliation?
Makoto shook her head, What would even be the point? I humiliated myself enough.
In the overhearing silence, she stared at it, her curiosity like usual starting to creep more and more.
Until it spilled over the edge.
With a groan, she grabbed the letter opener from Sae's room and wrenched the envelope to finally reveal its contents.
Quickly, her eyes sped over the words within, but…confusion started to fill her face slowly.
Is…is this a love letter?
Not to me, thankfully but…to sis?
Love, Junya Kaneshiro…
Ew…
Makoto threw the letter back on the counter, feeling both disgusted and embarrassed for reading something so…intimate to her sister without her consent.
Not that I'd want it either way…
Bleh.
Though she paused as she walked to her room.
Kaneshiro…
Kaneshiro…
Her eyes faintly widened as she went back to the countertop, pulling Bael's card from the back of her phone case and flipping it to the castle side.
"Kaneshiro…castle of gold…" Makoto gritted her teeth, "How could I have been so…goddamn stupid…of course it wasn't literal."
I got lucky…I didn't even figure this out myself…
…but I can still solve this myself.
This might even be enough to get Kobayakawa-sensei off my tail…
Makoto paused for a bit before grabbing her phone.
Makoto: Okumura-san? Do you think I could…maybe ask for a favor?
Futaba paused, leaning back in her chair as she slowly started to piece things together, "She is kinda smart…I guess I can see why an idiot like Akira would fall in love."
But…if she knows who Bael is at this point, why does everything happen on Monday?
Shit, I shouldn't complain, Akira has enough time. I think.
Futaba grimaced as a Makoto sent a text to Haru Okumura, I hope.
Haru Okumura: Sure! I wasn't joking earlier, Mako-chan!
Makoto: Do…you think you could see if your father could set up a meeting between me and Junya Kaneshiro? I thought about what you said and I…want to try to do something of my own will.
Makoto: That wouldn't be a problem, right?
Haru Okumura: Hmm…asking my father would be a problem…
Makoto: Oh…but couldn't you try?
Haru Okumura: Perhaps? I've never really tried to…and I don't think I've ever met Kaneshiro-san either…
Haru Okumura: B-But I'll try!
Makoto: Thank you!
Oh crap.
Is this a part of the timeline we have?
I gotta tell Aki—
Futaba's vision started to blur, little whisks of black and red popping in and out of her vision as her head felt as if it was going to split into two.
She gripped her temple as she felt something leak from her nose, though that wasn't her main worry at all.
No, it was the fact she couldn't hear anything else—including the overwhelming screams she was currently letting leak from her mouth.
She could only hear one thing and it was nigh deafening.
Her mother calling her name.
"Futaba! Futaba! FUTA-BA! FUTA–BA! ! ! ! Come and see me some time!"
N-Not now…
N…Not…
N…
It didn't matter since Futaba fell from her chair and hit the floor with a nasty thud.
