Akira stares.

Akechi looks the same as he always had. He's dressed in his familiar blue sweater vest, though instead of his usual suitcase, he has a plain black duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

Again, Morgana meows from it.

"Shh, Morgana," Ann says, frowning at him. "I don't think this guy means any harm."

She looks back at Akira, but Akira keeps his eyes on Akechi. Akechi watches him, hand at his chin as he curiously tilts his head a bit. His eyes had a brightness to them, a sparkle. One that Akira couldn't say he knew too well.

"Oi, if you don't need anything, we gotta get going," Ryuji says, looking at his phone. "Movie starts in ten minutes."

"You look confused," Makoto says, brow slightly furrowed. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," Akira manages, his gaze still on Akechi. "I'm fine. I'm just - uh, I'm lost."

"Where are you trying to go?" Haru asks.

"Uh…" Akira rubs the back of his neck, glancing at her. "The station."

Haru smiles at him. "The station's right there," she says, pointing at the stairwell off to the side. "Have you been here before?"

"We gotta go, guys," Ryuji calls loudly, taking the front of the group. "C'mon."

"Good luck," Ann says, turning and joining the others as they walk along down toward the theater. Haru offers him another smile before joining her.

Akechi is the last to turn away, giving Akira a smile and a wave before he goes.

Akira stands in the street, people walking around him, until the backs of his friends disappear into the theater.

Slowly, Akira steps to the side of the street.

Staying calm, no matter the situation, was something that came naturally to him. It was easy for him to clear his mind, focus, and calmly assess a situation.

But right now, his heart pounds so hard against his chest it hurts.

He takes a deep breath.

There was too little available information to go on to make any judgments. Was this a dream? It felt too real. He grabs his hand and squeezes, hard, until he feels pain.

He hadn't gone back in time - too many things simply contradicted that outright.

Curiously, he takes his phone out from his pocket to confirm the date -

March 19

4:14PM

No service

He blinks and swipes to his messages.

Nothing. Not even old ones - his inbox is completely empty.

He swipes to his contacts.

Blank.

Quickly, he switches to the page where the Metaverse Navigator app used to be.

Nothing.

He sighs and pockets his phone again, before glancing down the alleyway where the Velvet Room door had been. It remains empty.

He leans against the wall and brings his hand to his chin.

He could wait for their movie to get out and press them again… but he doubts he'll get anywhere with that. Worst case, they would think he was some kind of stalker.

For now, he just needs some information. None of his friends seemed to know him - was it just them? Or everyone he had come to know over the last year?

He checks his other pocket, taking out his wallet - which, thankfully, still has his money and train pass.

Quickly, he makes his way over the station entrance, and hurries down the stairs.

"Next stop, Yongen-Jaya. Next stop, Yongen-Jaya."

After a painfully long wait for a train and what seemed like a much longer ride than usual, Akira is leaving the platform.

The backstreets of Yongen-Jaya were always quiet, but now, in the dwindling sunlight of the afternoon, things only got quieter. It made it peaceful and tranquil, even during a time when crowds were at their peak elsewhere. Akira always felt at peace here.

Though right now, even the quietude of this place does little to assuage the uneasy feeling creeping through his body.

He takes a deep breath as he opens the café door.

The bell gives a soft chime. Inside, all appears to be the same - but so had everywhere else he had been.

Sojiro stands behind the counter, attention vaguely on the TV. Only when Akira takes another step in does Sojiro turn to him.

"Welcome. What can I get you?"

Akira's step doesn't falter.

"A house blend," he says, taking a seat at the counter.

"Coming right up."

Sojiro gets to work and Akira's eyes start to wander about the café more thoroughly. Indeed, everything seems to be as it was in the Leblanc Akira had left only just a while ago. The one - quite striking - difference was the absence of the Sayuri on the wall.

"So you new here?" Sojiro asks, busying himself with the coffeemaker. "I usually get just locals and regulars in a place like this, but I can't say I've seen you around."

"Yeah," Akira says. "I'm moving here for school."

"Well, welcome to Yongen-Jaya."

"Thank you."

Sojiro places the cup of coffee in front of him. "Let me know if you want a refill, or anything else."

Akira nods and brings the hot cup close to himself. The scent that drifts upwards is familiar, and even if only had a cup just a few hours ago, it feels nostalgic.

"Do you know Shujin at all?" Akira asks. "It's the school I'm transferring to, and I haven't gotten the chance to visit."

Sojiro brings a hand to his chin. "A bit. I don't have any kids myself. Oh, don't know if you've heard about it, but there was a bit of a scandal last year." Akira tilts his head, and Sojiro continues, "Well, one of the teachers was apparently a real bastard. Harassing girls on the sports team and whatnot. Anyway, some students gathered evidence against him before anything too terrible happened, apparently, so he got the boot. People still bring it up time to time though."

"That's awfully noble of them."

Sojiro nods slowly, before turning his attention down to the crossword puzzle laying on the counter. "Yep. World would certainly be a better place if everyone was like those kids."

Akira takes a long sip of the coffee, before propping his elbows up on the counter, fingers laced together. "And it was just regular students that did this?"

"That's what I heard."

"Nobody else was involved? No… sort of group, or anything?"

Sojiro looks back up at him, an eyebrow raised. "Like what?"

"Just… seems impressive that a group of ordinary high schoolers could accomplish something like that. Was that really all they were?"

Sojiro almost laughs, now, as he crosses one leg over the other at the ankle. "What else would they be? Are you doing some kind of detective work or something?"

Akira stops mid-sip of of drink, but for just a split second. "Not really," he says. "Just curious."

A quiet falls between them, and Akira finishes his coffee. Perhaps there was another way he could approach this. Perhaps he should go back and try to meet with the others -

…No. That would get him nowhere.

Every rational thought yells that at him. There was nothing to be gained from probing them right now. …But it would be another chance to -

"I'll have another," he says, pushing his cup forward before he's done speaking.

"Sure thing."

Akira's eyes drift back down to the counter as Sojiro takes his cup. Maybe it wouldn't be a waste of time. After all, Akechi's presence was the single greatest anomaly -

…Anomaly. Like it was wrong for him to be here.

That wasn't the right way to think about it.

His next cup comes and he brings it close to his body, staring down at his own dark reflection. It hadn't been long since he passed through that door in the Velvet Room. It was presumptuous to focus on Akechi alone.

…No, it wasn't.

Akechi was the reason Akira was here, and he knew that. Yet some part of him tells him to explore other ideas, to look for other inconsistencies. Perhaps it's the part of him that likes to think things through rationally. Or perhaps it's the part of him that doesn't want to know the truth.

Why wouldn't he, though?

Akechi - was dead. Whatever this all was - an illusion, a dream, a vision of someplace else - that fact could not be changed. There was no sense dwelling or mourning over this. That time had passed.

He realizes his own reflection isn't looking back up at him anymore; that somewhere along in this thoughts he had finished his coffee again.

Well, good. He could go back, and worse case scenario, tail Akechi and get to the bottom of this.

He doesn't move.

He can recall, vividly, the way Akechi had looked at him back at Central Street. A twinkle in his eyes and a warmth that seemed to radiate from within him.

Despite the fact that it wasn't anything at all intimidating, Akira's heart pounds against his chest.

He wonders if Akechi would look like that coming out of the theater. He wonders what kind of movie they went to go see.

What sort of movies did Akechi even like?

Akira had never gotten to ask.

…Maybe he could, now. Maybe - before this was all over - he could ask things, he could learn things -

He bites his tongue.

There was no point.

Taking a deep breath, he closes his eyes. Once he was ready - for what, he wasn't even sure - all he had to do was go back to Shibuya, and -

"I'm back!"

The bell rings with a chime somehow more airy than the voice it accompanies. Akira's head turns so fast his hair bounces.

Akechi meets his gaze and blinks, but his smile stays in place. "Oh, it's you."

"You know him?" Sojiro asks, hand on the back of his hip.

"We crossed paths while I was out with everyone," Akechi says, walking by Akira. He places his bag next to the attic stairs. "Go on, Morgana," he says, and the cat jumps out and hurries upwards.

"Well," Sojiro says, taking off his apron and hanging it up, "he'll be be taking over. I've got some shopping to do. Have a good night."

Without looking back, he's out the door.

"So," Akechi says, quickly tying an apron around his back, "what can I get you?"

For a moment Akira just stares at him. Akechi returns his gaze with a small smile as he slides a hair tie off his wrist and deftly pulls the back of his hair into a low ponytail.

"Just a refill," Akira says, pushing the empty cup toward him. "Of the house blend."

"Certainly." Akechi takes his cup and brings it over to the coffeemakers.

Akira watches him. The smile doesn't fade from Akechi's face, and he pours and handles the coffee with a sense of familiarity. "Here you are," he says, placing the cup back in front of Akira.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure."

The smile he gives Akira is warmer than the cup in between his hands.

Akechi turns, and starts to shift some things on the shelves, placing containers and bags in proper places. "So," he says, "did you get where you needed to be?"

"I did," Akira says. He hadn't quite thought his lie that far ahead - yet - so he leaves it at that. He watches Akechi go about his work - he notes the way his hair sashays when he moves, and the way Akechi had tied his apron in a neat, perfect bow.

He can really only be called cute.

There are answers Akira wants - needs - and so many questions he could ask. But he simply continues to follow Akechi's smooth movements, occasionally taking a sip from his drink. Akira lets out a small, quiet sigh, a tiredness settling into his body - or perhaps he's just now realizing it's there, as he lets his body relax for the first time in the day.

"So you just moved here, I take it?" Akechi says as he turns around, leaning forward with his hands against the counter and looking at Akira intently.

"Yeah," Akira says, nodding. "I'm transferring to Shujin this year."

"Oh, I'm just finishing my third year there," Akechi says, smile widening. "That's a shame. I would've gladly shown you around."

Akira raises his eyebrows a bit. "Oh?"

"Well, of course. I can understand that it might be overwhelming to transfer to a new school."

"No," Akira says, shaking his head, "I mean, you really go to Shujin?"

Akechi laughs, just something little, like the chime of a bell. "Is that strange?"

Akira takes a sip of coffee. "I guess not," he says eventually. "Just… a coincidence."

Leaning forward a bit more, Akechi props an elbow on the counter, and rests his head on his hand. "Perhaps. But meeting you before, and now here again, and then finding out that you're transferring to Shujin… rather than coincidence, it feels more like -"

"Fate?"

Akira, for the first time since Akechi's walked in, has his eyes down at his drink. He only sees Akechi cast his gaze down in his peripheral.

"Yes," Akechi says slowly. "I believe… that fate brings people together."

Akira looks up, and finds that Akechi has, too. Their eyes meet.

"I think so, too."

Akechi's smile returns - softer, though.

"I don't believe I heard your name," he says.

"…Akira Kurusu."

"Akira… Kurusu?"

Akechi repeats it, his brow furrowing slightly as he stands back upright, a hand on his chin.

"Is something wrong?" Akira asks.

Slowly, Akechi shakes his head once. "No… no. That was rude of me… my apologies." He smiles again - this time one that Akira finds familiar. "I'm Goro Akechi. Nice to meet you."

Akira manages to fight the twinge in his heartstrings enough to smile lightly. "You too."

The clock ticks loudly, indicating a new hour.

"Ah… I do have to close this place up now," Akechi says. "Though, you're free to stay and finish your drink."

Akira, already starting to take another sip, makes it a long one and then puts down his empty cup. "Thank you, but I'm all set."

Akechi smiles at him and takes his cup, bringing it over to the sink.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, Akira looks down at it - and then sighs lightly. Still no service.

"So, where did you move to?" Akechi says, walking back over to the counter.

Akira looks up at him. "Oh," he says after a moment, rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh. Just a little place. I forget the exact address. It's - complicated, actually. My parents are coming separately with our stuff and they got really held up, so I can't go there yet."

"I see… that's unfortunate," Akechi says. "So do you have a place to stay for the night?"

"I… not exactly," Akira says, now realizing this himself. "But I have enough find someplace to stay for the night."

Akechi places a hand on his hip, his lips nearly forming a pout. "That's not good." He closes his eyes, hand on his chin. "Well, if you're okay with it, would you like to stay here overnight?"

Akira blinks. "I mean - I'm okay with it, I'm just… surprised you're offering. …We just met."

"…That's true," Akechi says slowly. Akira watches him - he watches him look downward, as if he's not speaking to Akira at all. He watches strands of hair fall and frame Akechi's face, half-masking the way his long eyelashes hood his eyes. "But you said you believe in fate, don't you?"

Akira feels his lips barely curve into a small smile. "That's true."

Akechi nearly beams at him.

"Well then, let me finish up here," Akechi says, walking over to the door and flipping the sign. "Just so you know, it's really just an attic upstairs, but I hope you'll be comfortable enough."

"My old room wasn't so different," Akira says.

Akechi gives a soft laugh as he heads to the sink and quickly washes out Akira's cup. "I've tried to make it a nice space. I actually don't live here usually, but it's easier to get to Shujin from here than from my apartment. So I help out down here when I can, too."

Akira stands, leaving some money on the counter as he does so. "Oh? So do you have some kind of relation to - the guy who runs this place?"

"Not by blood, no," Akechi says, wringing his hands dry. He unties his apron quickly and hangs it up, before looking back at Akira. "Now then, let's go."

He grabs his bag and heads up the stairs, and Akira follows a few steps behind him. This was a perfect opportunity - an entire evening alone with Akechi. Perfect for gathering information, of course.

The attic is both familiar and strikingly foreign. But mostly familiar - the bed rests in the same place, as does the tall shelf, the desk, the table, the couch, and even the potted plant. However it's much tidier than Akira generally kept it - not that he was a slob, but everything of Akechi's seems to be organized in a proper place, clothes folded and packed tightly into boxes in the corner shelf, and not a speck of dust floating in the air. Standing out from this order was the large table in the center of the room - the same one Akira would pull out for the Thieves' meetings - which still had several chairs placed around it, and a few empty bottles and snack wrappers sitting on top.

"Sorry for the mess," Akechi says, pushing in some of the chairs. "My friends and I were here before we went to the movies."

"It's really not," Akira says. "You should see my room."

"Oh, I hope you don't mind cats," Akechi says, as an all too familiar one jumps up onto the table. "This is Morgana."

Akira smiles, reaching out his hand. "I don't. I like them a lot, actually."

Morgana sniffs Akira's hand for a moment, before rubbing his head into it. Akira scratches behind his ear.

"Well, he seems to like you quite enough," Akechi says, letting out a soft giggle. "Please feel free to sit down."

Akira takes a seat on the couch. "So were those friends from school?"

"Some of them," Akechi says as he sets his bag down on the desk. "Are you going to be a third year? A couple of my friends are too, so I'm sure they'll be willing to help you out with anything."

"Yeah. That'd be nice."

Akechi smiles at him, sitting on the bed as he pulls the hair tie from his hair and takes his phone out of his pocket.

The silence they fall into is comfortable.

Akira continues to pet Morgana, running his hand down his back in a steady rhythm. His mind went through several things he could ask Akechi - any details having to do with the last few months would probably be of the most help, though.

His eyes move around the table. Even now, he can vividly see the group of them gathered around it, planning their next heist. At this particular table, of course, what stands out the most are their trips into Sae Niijima's Palace. Every time Akira would sit in the same chair - his eyes glance over to it - and Akechi would stand next to him. Akechi seemed to always be at his side when they were together - whether it was during these strategy meetings or as the only one who seemed to be able to keep up with Akira's pace in the Metaverse.

In this place, this illusion or dream or whatever it may be - was it Akechi who sat in that seat? Did someone else stand at his side?

How had things even come to play like this, keeping the Thieves in such low profile that even Sojiro hadn't heard of them?

Perhaps asking Akechi directly would be best. Or even asking about one of the more well-known cases, such as Medjed or Okumura…

Akira looks up at him, and is immediately met with Akechi's gaze.

Akechi quickly turns away, brushing his hair over his shoulder and looking down at his phone. His posture is lax - leaning back on a hand, one leg swung over the other. It reminds Akira of how Akechi usually carried himself in Leblanc, except now Akechi has a small, content smile on his face as he quickly swipes his thumb across his phone screen.

"So," Akira says, "what movie did you go see?"

…Maybe that wasn't the best information gathering question, but Akira would get there, of course.

Akechi meets his gaze, smile widening a bit. "Oh, it was that new mystery thriller. It was quite good."

"Yeah?" Akira leans forward a little. "You like those sort of movies, too?"

Akechi nods, putting his phone down. "I'm not an expert or anything, but they're my favorite types of movies, definitely."

"Me too," Akira says, feeling a small smile play at his lips. "They're not movies, but over the summer I actually rented some seasons of that X-Folders show. I wish I had gotten to see more, it was really good."

"Oh!" Akechi says, smilingly brightly, "I've been watching that! Renting them from the DVD place myself, actually."

"How far are you?" Akira asks.

"Only at the start of season three," Akechi says, leaning back on both of his hands. "I took a break in the middle of season two, just because -"

"Of the weird romance subplot?"

"Yes," Akechi says, smile widening.

Akira laughs a little. "Yeah, it's not written that well. I only got to the middle of season three, but it seems like they drop it, at least."

Akechi nods, before standing up and walking to the shelf next to the stairs. "Since it's not that late yet, we could watch some to pass the time, if you wanted? We could pick up from where you left off."

"That sounds fun, but really, let's start from the beginning of three. I don't mind rewatching some, it's been a while."

Akechi gives him a light smile as he takes a DVD off of the shelf. "If you're sure. Oh, here," he adds, heading over to the table. "I'll move these things so we can turn the couch." He picks up one of the chairs, bringing it to the side of the room.

Wordlessly, Akira gets up, and carries a different chair off to a corner.

"Thank you," Akechi says, picking up another. "You're quite helpful."

Akira rubs the back of his neck, before grabbing the last one. "Nah. This sort of stuff just gets tedious by yourself, that's all."

Akechi gives what can only be called a giggle, covering his mouth with his hand. "That's true. You sound like you have personal experience."

"You could say that," Akira says as he walks to the opposite end of the table as Akechi. Together they left it up, bringing it off to the other side of the room.

"I like them quite a lot, but I do wish they'd clean up after themselves a bit more," Akechi says with a small sigh, glancing at the empty bottles and wrappers on the table.

"I guess… maybe they kind of see you as a leader?" Akira says, looking up at Akechi past the upper frames of his glasses.

He sees Akechi's flicker to him and then back away. Pushing a lock of hair behind his ear, he gives a short laugh. "Perhaps so."

Without further ado, Akechi walks back to the couch, pulling one end of it out until it fully faces the TV. "Oh, are you hungry?" He asks as turns on the DVD player and inserts the disc. "It's not much, but there's some leftover curry in the fridge I made."

Akira shakes his head once as he heads over to the couch and sits. "Thanks, but I'm okay."

"Well, let me know if you want anything to eat or drink," Akechi says, turning on the television. The familiar CRT set blinks to life in a way Akira knows too well, and with a series of loud clicks on the buttons of the DVD player, Akechi starts an episode. He then switches off the lights and sits on the side of the couch opposite Akira.

Not a moment later, Morgana jumps up from the floor onto the backside of the couch, laying with his legs tucked under himself as he stares at the TV. Akechi giggles, scratching under Morgana's chin.

Akira watches them - the tender smile on Akechi's face, the gentle and slow way his fingers rub against Morgana. Lit only by the TV and the growing moonlight, the image painted is one of the softest Akira has seen.

Akechi meets his gaze and Akira clears his throat, shifting himself so that his back leans against the arm of the couch as he swings his legs up and rests his feet in the middle cushion. "Oh, this is a good one," he says quietly as the title comes on.

"No spoilers," Akechi says, teasing smile on his face as he turns himself, mirroring Akira with his back against the couch's side and his feet in the middle, though his knees rest close to his chest.

They're quiet, mostly, during the episode. At times they talk about the events, and on two occasions Akechi goes into rather great detail about about the various cinematography techniques and visuals at work. Both times he seems to realize suddenly how long he had been going on, clearing his throat and apologizing, and both times Akira just smiles at him fondly and tells him he doesn't mind.

The episode ends and goes into another, which goes into another. Though the time spent is much longer than two episodes' worth, as each time one ends Akira and Akechi get into a rather lengthy conversation regarding the events.

Akechi picks up on a lot of things Akira misses, honestly, so it's a fruitful discussion; one that would probably be even moreso if Akira would give him his full attention. But it's hard to focus solely on his words when it's easy to get lost in the animated way Akechi talks, the way his eyes shine with a carefree sparkle so pretty Akira couldn't help but smile, yet so foreign to him that it made his heartstrings twinge.

It's in the middle of their second post-episode discussion when Akira notes just how much Akechi has let his body relax, legs having slumped down far enough that his feet mingle against Akira's. They're warm.

Some time into the third episode, Akira finds his eyelids becoming distinctly heavy. The sounds of the show start to sound further and further away and become harder to understand. Slowly, he shifts his gaze over to Akechi.

Their eyes meet and Akechi looks away, quickly bringing his hand to his temple.

"Are you okay?" Akira says, trying to mask the sleepiness in his voice.

"Oh, yes," Akechi says, and though the smile is clearly forced, Akira doesn't press it further. "Though I - I'm going to head to the restroom, I'll be right back."

He doesn't wait for a response and he doesn't pause the episode before heading downstairs with brisk steps.

Akira looks over at the DVD player - he should pause it, and he wants to, but it's not within arm's reach without getting up, and his heavy body feels all but glued to the couch…

Somehow, even though it feels like it's only been a minute, the credits start to roll. Akechi had been gone a while. Or had they been that close to the end?

Akira has no idea.

He does realize, though, that he hadn't learned a single thing that whole time.

Well, that wasn't true. He learned that Akechi liked mystery and thriller and a bit of sci-fi, he learned that Akechi could ramble on and on without realizing it, he learned that Akechi had a sparkle in his eyes when he talked about something that interested him, he learned that Akechi's genuine, carefree giggle was much cuter than the one he used on TV…

…Tomorrow, Akira tells himself as the last glimpses of the dark attic blur into nothingness and he falls asleep.

Akechi regrets turning on the bathroom light the moment he heads in, as the seemingly blinding shine is like daggers in his already throbbing head. He twists the handle of the sink and lets cool water fills his palms, leaning down and splashing it onto his face. After doing it once more, he slowly looks up into the mirror.

His reflection stares back at him, same as always. The same Goro Akechi that was graduating from Shujin. The same Goro Akechi who had gone to the movies with his friends today. The same Goro Akechi that -

A dull wave of pain washes over his brain again and he takes in a shaky breath, legs feeling a bit like jelly. He steps over to the wall and takes his phone out of his pocket.

His home screen greets him - a picture of him, Ann, Ryuji, and Yusuke - as he checks the time. Surely, he could afford another minute or two here to get his bearings…

Hands shaking a bit, he goes to lock his phone again - only to gasp sharply as it falls from his grasp, hitting the floor with what sounds like the force of an earthquake.

He quickly leans over and picks it up, sighing deeply when he's met with a crack in his screen. It's thin but prominent, running from the corner, right down through where he stood in the group photo.

His insides twist a bit.

Steadily, he sinks to the floor, back against the wall and knees up to his chest. He stares at his phone, his friends smiling back at him. At him. At Goro Akechi.

His eyes wander to each of them individually, recalling what they had talked about earlier that day, the time they spent together -

- He didn't pause the show, did he? He doubts Kurusu had either, with his half-lidded eyes and head leaned against the couch's back, hair already somehow tousling further -

Akechi shuts his eyes tightly, pain creeping through his head again.

As it fades, he swipes to his messaging app, and types to the group chat the top of his contact:

"Anyone else still awake?"