"Should I be here? I feel like I'm gonna be the third wheel." Akira shoved his hands into his pockets, grinning knowingly at me.
"No, you shouldn't be here because you are third-wheeling." I bumped my shoulder against his arm and smirked back at him.
"You're so mean, Homura."
"That's part of my charm."
Akira shook his head and leaned against the building. We were waiting in front of the Shibuya movie theatre for Goro.
The Phantom Thieves were taking a few days off to recuperate.
As much as we all wanted to tackle the Palace and steal the treasure, it was a feat that would require us to improve ourselves. Not to mention our injuries needed time to heal.
Poor Ryuji was stuck home nursing his whipped back. Akira was supposed to be on bed rest as well for his tender ribs, but he was fed up with sitting at home with nothing to do but homework and crafting infiltration tools.
"Homura, Akira!" Goro called happily as he approached us.
"Lookin' fancy as ever, Goro. I hardly recognize you without your favorite Featherman t-shirt." My brother clapped his friend on the back with a mighty slap.
Goro laughed nervously. "But these are my casual clothes…and I've outgrown that shirt."
The detective was dressed in a blue checkered sweater over a white dress-shirt and khakis. The outfit was a bit more formal than Akira's black coat, faded shirt, and jeans. I was dressed semi-formal in a burgundy cardigan, poka-dot blouse and cream skirt.
"Buddy, that's not casual. But I forgive you for making me look grungy. You and Homura both have that weird sense of fashion that compels you two to dress like eccentric adults."
"Hey, hey, hey! IF we're gonna take shots at each other about fashion, then let's talk about those phony glasses you're sporting, Akira." I jeered, poking my brother in the chest.
"What about my glasses?" He adjusted the specs defensively.
"You don't need them so why are you wearing them? You phony!"
"Because they're in style and they make me look unassuming."
"Please, that's stupid." I snorted at his attempt to look innocent and turned to Goro. "Don't you think so?"
He raised his hands and laughed uneasily. "Ah, please don't include me in your squabbles, it never ends well..."
"And he never picks a side." Akira and I unintentionally grumbled at the same time. "Don't copy me." We pointed at the other and shouted. "Stop it!"
"Oh my, what have I started?" Goro pushed Akira and I apart, putting an end to us tugging at each other's cheeks. "Come now, this isn't the time for fighting. We came here to have fun, right?"
Akira was the first to cool down.
"Yeah, you're right. No more bickering from me." He massaged his cheek and stared expectantly at me. I rolled my eyes before nodding in agreement. "Good, then let's head inside. What snacks should we get?"
"Candy is a must. I rarely get the chance to indulge in it." The detective suggested, following Akira.
"I vote chips." I added, looping my arms through the boys' elbows and matching my stride with theirs.
"So, no one wants to share popcorn?" Akira muttered disappointedly.
Goro and I shared an amused smile.
We both didn't fancy the buttery item. Popcorn was too cheesy for me and too salty for Goro. Sadly, Akira's little fantasy of sharing a large tub of popcorn wasn't happening anytime soon.
After we got our snacks from the stand, we went into the viewing room.
Goro claimed a seat first.
The heated glare I sent Akira made him rethink his plan of acting like the overprotective brother and sitting next to my crush. My brother stood back and let me take the middle seat and he sat next to me.
Akira leaned close enough to whisper near my ear.
"Don't try anything funny. I'm watching you, Homura." He poked my cheek.
"Why are you saying that to me and not Goro? He's the boy here, not me." I complained.
"Because he's trustworthy. You're the deviant that might try something for giggles."
I stuck my tongue out at my brother before facing the screen.
Stupid Akira.
I wasn't a deviant! I was just a teensy bit more bold in my actions than most girls. Nothing ventured, nothing gained kind of thing.
The lights dimmed as the movie started.
I snuggled comfortably into the seat and glued my eyes to the screen. I'd been waiting months to see this action-packed movie. Lucky for me, I had a brother and best friend that liked superhero movies as much as I did and were more than happy to accompany me.
Before I knew it, the movie was over and people were chatting about the plot as they exited the room.
"You must have really enjoyed the movie, Homura."
I tilted my head in question at Goro. "How could you tell?"
"You latched on to my hand in the middle of the movie and haven't let go since. Every time something exciting happened you squeezed my hand pretty hard." He chuckled and fondly stared at our clasped hands.
"Oh, I didn't realize…" I made no move to release him.
"This is exactly what I meant." Akira grouched.
I cackled and tugged Goro out his seat, bypassing my brother and ignoring his protest. We ended up in front of the arcade section of the movies.
"Using me to taunt your brother isn't a good idea. What if Akira loses his temper? I'd be obligated to take his punch for participating in your games."
"Then just hit him back. It's not like you two haven't gotten into brawls before. If anyone's scary when they're mad, it's you." I caught Goro's expression slipping into something dark before his easy smile returned.
"I've learned to keep a level head in situations."
"You mean you've become more methodical."
Goro sighed deeply. "That's such a cold thing to say…"
"I'm sorry." I reached for him and he blushed from my hands coming into contact with his sides.
"W-What you doing, Homura?"
"Hugging you." I nonchalantly pulled back and held my hands behind my back. "And stealing your wallet."
"What?!" Goro dug into his pockets, only to come up empty and blankly stare at the object I was waving in front of him. "I didn't know you'd taken up pickpocketing."
"I'm not stealing it, just borrowing it. Let's play a game." I pointed at the coin machine behind us and handed the wallet back to him.
"Asking would have sufficed…" He pulled out the necessary bills for the tokens.
"But I would've missed out on your awkward blushing."
Goro stiffened at the reminder. "You shouldn't taunt people so much, Homura."
The tokens were dropped into my eager hands.
"But that's my life mission. I'd be so bored if I was nice all the time." I inserted the tokens into a racing game and sat in the seat, gripping the wheel with anticipation.
The detective joined at my urging.
"I'm going to kick your butt for once." My car swerved and knocked out one of the computer drivers.
Goro was still in the lead, but not for long.
"You say that all the time and still end up losing. Face it, you aren't meant to beat me, Homura." He was smug as his car sped past mine and crossed the finish line. "Case closed."
The brunette flashed me his award-winning smile.
My eye twitched.
Two parts of me were having an internal clash, one part was annoyed that I'd lost to him for the millionth time, the other part didn't care because he looked so charming and light-hearted.
"You win again oh mighty, Detective Prince." I bowed theatrically to the winner. "That catch phrase was a nice addition too."
Goro flushed in embarrassment.
"I took some of your advice. Adding a catchphrase doesn't seem too unusual. I'm sure my fans will love it when they hear it."
"Good, good. You're thinking big now. I daresay if you ever quit the force, you could be a potential rival for me."
"And how could Goro be a rival for you, sis? I don't think he'll ever be donning a costume and getting up on stage." Akira joined the conversation by leaning over our seats. "Thanks for ditching me by the way. I really enjoyed being dragged along with the crowd."
He pointedly scowled at me.
I waved off Akira's irritation with a playful smirk. "Well, the stage is out of the cards for me right now. Maybe tv is my next big shot, which means Goro's my rival."
Before the arrest, I had a potential internship at the local theatre in our hometown. That would have been my ticket to stardom, but my record made it impossible for the director to hire me or give a recommendation.
No theatre would give me the time of day with prostitution attached to my files. If I wanted to pursue my dream of performing for an audience, then I needed to find an new avenue of opportunity. The big screen was my only option.
"Television is entirely different from theatre…still, a lot of famous actors and actresses started out in theatre and worked their way into film. Is that what you want, Homura?" Goro asked, giving me his full attention as did Akira.
"Yes." I said firmly before striking a pose with my hand on my hip and brushing my curls off my shoulder. "So get your autographs and pictures now while they're free, gentleman."
Akira busted out laughing. "I-I've already got some humiliating baby pictures of you so I guess those are gonna be worth a lot when you become famous."
I cringed and grabbed ahold of my brother's shirt, frantically shaking him. "If those ever surface I'll make your life a living hell, Akira Kurusu!"
He continued laughing, disregarding my threat as empty. Akira then wrapped his arms around me to stop the assault. I struggled in his overbearing hug.
"Big brother wouldn't do that, he loves you, Homura. Even if you're a sadistic, little imp." Akira cooed, nuzzling his face into mine.
His ridiculous actions snuffed the fight out of me.
"You two are so close, it makes me a little envious." Goro stated with a melancholic smile.
"You're more than welcome to take Akira's place." I encouraged.
"U-Umm…" He sputtered.
"Save me, Goro!" I pleaded, pushing against Akira, who hugged me tighter at the suggestion of swapping places.
Akira guffawed like a villain. "I'll never release the princess."
Goro's face became a myriad of mortified, amused, and resigned.
"I see. Then I suppose I have no choice but to vanquish you to save Princess Homura." He picked up one of the plastic guns attached to a shooting game and aimed at my brother.
Akira gasped dramatically and after a few shots from Goro, he let me go. My brother fell against a game station, acting like he had been defeated.
"Curse you, Prince Goro…" Akira cried weakly, clutching at his chest.
"Thank you for saving me, my prince." I curtsied.
"Of course. It was my pleasure, fair maiden." Goro smiled, bowing with a hand over his heart.
My benign smile became wicked. "Shall I give you kiss as a reward?"
Goro went completely still and he deliberately avoided my approach while staring at Akira.
What was the big deal? I was kidding.
"Hey, you kids are making quite the fuss. I'm going to have to ask you all to leave." One of the employees informed us.
Goro and Akira apologized for the inconvenience while I glared at the retreating employee's back. I stomped out the movies with the boys trailing behind me.
"That's the first time I've been kicked out of an establishment."
"That's a round-about way of saying sis and I are bad influences, Goro." Akira shoved his hands back into his pockets. "But you had fun right? So everything works out."
"Well…" He drawled and mockingly held his chin in thought.
"And we're still your favorite twins." I latched on to his side. He flinched, but didn't push me away.
"Yes, I suppose you two are." A small smile graced his lips.
"So you reject my hug, but you're all over Goro, huh? I see how it is." Akira deadpanned.
I cutely stuck my tongue out at him.
Goro's phone started ringing and he needed to step away to take it. With great reluctance, I let him go to take the call.
"Despite your best efforts, I don't really feel like a third-wheel. In fact, this really feels like we're kids again, doesn't it? Funny how time has changed us, but not our bonds." Akira slung his arm over my shoulder.
"It does feel nostalgic, except Goro's a lot more serious now. I'm surprised he even played along with our silly game."
"He did have to grow up faster than us."
Unlike us, Goro never really had a stable home-life that allowed him to enjoy his time as child. Out of the three of us, he was the one always insisting on acting older than he was.
That sweet little boy was determined to speed through his golden years to get rid of the pain and loneliness he felt on a daily basis.
"He shouldn't have had to…" I stated, suddenly dispirited.
"But he did."
"I really can't stand it when you get pensive."
"But sissssss." Akira droned, laying his head on top of mine. "You promised to hear me out whenever I needed."
I sighed.
Goro's expression became more and more agitated as the person on the other line continued talking. I wondered who could get under his skin?
Was it his boss? Or maybe his adoptive family?
"Ann just texted me. Morgana and her found something that'll help her train." Akira interrupted my train of thought. "At least one of us is getting some training done."
"You mean at least the clumsiest member is stepping their game up, right? I thought I was a mess, but Ann is way worse." I rubbed a tender spot on my arm. A welt was there underneath my clothes.
Once Ann became acquainted with her weapon, strikes from her would leave the Shadows whimpering in pain.
"It's our first mission, it'd be unrealistic if the group didn't suck."
"This isn't a video game, nerd." I reminded him.
"Video games? Were both of you planning to head to the arcade?" Goro re-entered the conversation.
All traces of his previous irritation were gone.
"Maybe somewhere else. Factor in me and Goro's competitive natures and Homura's obsession with Dance Revolution, and we'd be in the arcade the rest of the day." Akira shot the idea down and provided another. "Why don't we relax at the cafe instead? That is, if you don't have to be somewhere, Goro?"
"It's fine, I already put aside this day for you two. My employer was simply calling to remind me of a case I'm working on. He's anxious to have the matter resolved."
"Ohh! Are you getting ready to bust some big criminal?" I pushed for an answer.
Goro chuckled at my enthusiasm. "Sorry, but that's confidential."
"But you can tell me. I can keep a secret." I shuffled closer to him, turning up the charm to get what I wanted. I even held my hand by my ear for him to whisper in.
He indulged me, bending to whisper in my ear. "Nice try, princess."
Pink dusted my cheeks from the tickle of his breath on my ear and the sweet endearment from when were younger.
"I can't share details of police matters with civilians. Not even if those civilians are my childhood friends."
"So much for having an in with law enforcement." Akira exaggerated his groan. He turned for the cafe.
"Are you coming, Homura?" Goro called when I didn't move.
I snapped out of my stupor and nodded, not trusting myself with speech at the moment. Goro's red eyes twinkled knowingly, but he chose not comment on my instance of bashfulness.
The three of us sat at a table with Akira and I taking up one side and Goro on the other. A waitress took our orders and we settled into an easy discussion of trivial things, like the many dishes Goro had learned to cook and Akira's new appreciation for coffee and curry. From there the boys went from topic to topic with me adding a few comments here and there.
My brother really had a way with people. He could hold a conversation with just about anyone.
Even though I had two new friends, conversations with them could turn awkward at a moments notice due to my lack of common sense.
I completely shut Ryuji down when he tried talking to me about sports during a free period. I had no interest in the subject and wasn't able to contribute to the discussion.
Both of us ended up frustrated by the time free period was over.
Ann had sent me a text message about the latest fashion trends and a bunch of photos, but all the rules and guidelines she tried to impart on me about looking good didn't stick. While some of my clothing could be considered novel, I wasn't trying to set trends or garner attention like Ann was with her clothing.
Her career as a model made her more adventurous than me.
Even Morgana seemed exasperated with me when he tried to guide me through making a lock pick. I did better with the smoke bombs though…
Why was interacting with others such a struggle for me?! Akira made it look so easy.
"Homura, what's wrong? You've been strangely quiet. Are we boring you?" Goro set his cup down and worriedly glanced at me.
I snapped to attention and quickly responded with a random question. "Do you think I'd make a better villain or hero?"
Goro was dumbfounded by the abrupt subject change. Akira laughed and ruffled my hair.
"Playing the villain is your guilty pleasure, sis." He flippantly answered. "Remember all the times she insisted on being the dragon and we had to be the dragon-slaying knights, Goro?"
An unintentional snort escaped from him that led to full-blown laughter that he tried to control by covering his mouth. Akira's laughter joined soon after.
"It's not that funny. I just got really into character back then…" I mumbled, pouting childishly.
They took one look at my face and broke out laughing again.
"It is quite amusing to remember. You were much too cute to ever be taken seriously as villain in our games, no matter how much you growled or laughed evilly." I blushed from being called cute by Goro. "I can't imagine you as a diabolical character, not when I know you so well."
His chuckles died down and he drank the rest of his beverage. "Ah, I haven't laughed this hard in so long. I truly have missed the both of you."
"Well, you've got us for an entire year, make use of it." I teased, bumping my foot against his leg as payback for making me blush.
Goro jumped in his seat.
"Ahaha, believe me, I plan to."
Take your time
"All right you rookies. Today is all about training. Work your bodies to the bone!" Morgana cheered from within Akira's bag.
His blue eyes looked into each of ours, transferring his determination to us.
Our group of Phantom Thieves had gathered together at the local gym in Shibuya at the team mascot's instance. With Ryuji's back recovered, the group was back on its feet.
"Man, that's easy for you to say since you'll be chillin' in Akira's bag the whole time." Ryuji groaned, standing up to rotate his arm.
"This might be the only time I'm jealous of Morgana. He doesn't have to work out and get sweaty." I whined.
Gyms in general were off-putting to me. It was a male dominated place where body-building freaks gathered to show off. The disgusting smell and thick atmosphere was the worst part.
"It is pretty crowded and there aren't many girls here. The guys are eyeing us a little too much." Ann zipped up her jacket.
I felt as uncomfortable as she did and made sure my shirt covered my bottom from prying eyes. Maybe I should've worn loose-fitting clothes like Ann.
"Don't worry, they won't try anything. Ryuji and I have been here before and didn't have any problems." Akira assured us with one of his calm smiles.
"And don't forget about me. I'll claw out their eyes if any of these fiends dare lay a hand on Lady Ann!" Morgana purred, gazing adoringly at her.
"What about me, Morgana?" I deadpanned.
The cat startled and sheepishly pawed at his cheek.
"Sorry. I'd defend your honor too, Lady Homura." He tried to appease me.
"Too late, kiss-up." I shoved him back into the bag and zipped it up.
The bag wiggled violently from Morgana's struggles. Ryuji snickered at my actions while Akira frowned reproachfully.
We spilt into groups, Akira and Ryuji immediately went for the weights while Ann and I hit the treadmill.
The boys took turns spotting each other. Akira appeared to be having a harder time than Ryuji. When I pointed that out to Ann, she casually stated that Ryuji had always been a muscle-head, that was what made him so good at sports and kept him in good shape.
Her remarks were almost complimentary and she blushed furiously after I pointed that out to her.
In her insistence to prove that she didn't care about Ryuji's muscles, Ann ended up tripping over her own feet and falling off the treadmill. I couldn't contain my laughter at Ann's predicament.
The boys rushed over to check on us. Ann ended up sprinting off to practice with the ribbon she bought for her rythmic gymnastics glass after Ryuji poked fun at her.
We all worked out for another two hours before calling it quits and hitting the showers.
"Wow! Homura, your hair is actually curly and not frizzy." Ann hovered behind me, dragging her fingers through my wet hair. "It's so soft too!"
"Did you think I was lying about my hair?" I sighed pleasantly and leaned back on the bench, basking in the feeling someone combing my hair.
Mom gave up on my doing my hair pretty early on and forced me to deal with it since she couldn't tame the curls I'd inherited from Dad. It was funny how much Akira and I took after Mom in appearance with the exception of our curls.
I thought the connection would have made me and her closer, but for some reason it just annoyed Mom that I looked so much like her, but acted nothing like her.
"Sorta, I guess. Your hair just looks so messy all the time. I assumed you and Akira were going for the just-got-out-of-bed look."
"We're not. I just haven't learned how to manage my hair." I fiddled with the ends of my hair. My black locks were so long they reached the middle of my back. "Most the time I just clip it back to save myself the hassle."
"If you want, we can hit the mall again? I can show you the store where I get my hair supplies. Maybe the employees could give you some recommendations on which products to use to make your hair more manageable." Ann squeezed my shoulder and gave a wide smile. "You've got pretty hair, Homura. You should take care of it. Japanese girls typically don't have curly hair, that makes you special."
I returned her smile with my own, ruffling my bangs out of my eyes.
Maybe there was a chance I could be considered beautiful like Ann Takamaki one day.
"Do you use a lot of stuff in your hair, Ann?" I asked while slipping on my coat and stuffing the dirty clothes into my gym bag.
"You have no idea, Homura! It takes me FOREVER to look this good. Make-up and hair alone takes two hours and don't get me started on the internal debates I have about what I should wear and the accessories to go with the outfit."
"Geez…being pretty sounds like a full-time job. I thought throwing on a cute shirt and skirt was all it took…how wrong I've been."
"Don't worry. I'll show you the ropes. You'll be even more of a bombshell in no time, Homura!" Ann excitedly promised.
We exited the girl's locker room and met with the boys outside.
"Why's it always take girls so goddam long? I'm dying for a beef bowl!" Ryuji grouched, scowling at Ann and I.
"Shut up, Ryuji!" Ann snapped.
"Yeah, Ryuji. That's no way to speak to a lady." Morgana poked his head out the bag.
"What the hell?! Don't gang up on me! I was voicing a valid concern."
"Well your 'valid concern' isn't appreciated. Some of us make sure to take our time when cleaning up so we don't smell." Ann covered her nose and made a face at Ryuji.
He blushed and sniffed at his clothes.
"You're lying, I smell fine!"
"Could've fooled me with that foul body wash you used. Reminds me of fish."
"It's supposed to smell like the ocean and it doesn't stink! Why are you inhaling my scent so much if it bothers you, Ann?!"
At this point, Ryuji and Ann were arguing up close and personal. A little push and their faces would smash together in an impromptu kiss.
The scene made me think of something I'd seen in a manga where two boys were arguing and ended up lip-locking.
"You guys argue like an old, married couple. Is there really nothing going on between you two?" I bluntly questioned to their and my brother's embarrassment.
"We're just old friends!" They managed to deny at the same time.
After realizing they spoke in unison, Ann huffed and turned her back on Ryuji.
"Believe me, we get on each other's nerves too much to be anything more than friends." She maintained. "I've been butting heads with Ryuji since we were kids. If it weren't for Shiho, I think we would've been mortal enemies."
"That's an understatement. Suzui literally stopped us from beating the shit out of the other." Ryuji snorted, grinning from his memory.
"So, I still have a shot. Not that this amateur could pose a threat." Morgana whispered conspiratorially.
Akira shushed him.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Morg. Ryuji still has a huge advantage over you…" I paused for dramatic effect. "He's a human."
Morgana choked on air. "He won't have that advantage for long!"
"We are so off track at this point." Akira fiddled with his glasses.
"My man's right. Th beef bowls are callin'!" Ryuji pumped his fist in the air.
"I'm sure brother will enjoy your culinary expertise again, Ryuji." Akira shot me a nasty look as he recalled the outrageous amount of ginger he was forced to digest the last time we had eaten out with the blonde delinquent.
"Those bowls were pretty good. Maybe I should become a chef."
Akira went white.
"I don't know which is worse, Ryuji or Homura's taste." He grumbled.
We entered the restaurant and our group settled at a secluded table.
The boys went up to the counter to order the food. I set Aira's bag down on an open chair and unzipped it for Morgana. He hissed at me in retaliation.
I figured he was still sore about the manhandling.
"I'm sorry for shoving you into the bag, Morg. Will you forgive me?" I smiled cutely at the miffed cat. "Pretty please?" I added after he continued glaring.
"I'll accept the apology since you're a lady." Morgana conceded. His tail wove around languidly. "Who knew you were the easily jealous type…"
My eye twitched and I quelled the urge to pull on Morgana's cheeks in retaliation. That would make me look bad.
"Jealous? Homura's got nothing to be envious of. She's a babe, well, a cute babe." Ann grinned, resting her chin on the palm of her hand.
I felt slightly shy in the face of another person referring to me as cute. When it came to female matters, I wasn't an expert. If Ann thought I was attractive then I had to be.
Did Goro think that about me now, too?
"R-Really?" I murmured, avoiding eye contact with the prettier specimen sitting next to me.
Ann bobbed her head passionately. "You're adorable and get along with guys like it's nothing, you probably had loads of guys asking you out all the time. As your new friend you're obligated to tell me if you had a boyfriend."
I scooted back from Ann, re-establishing our previous space. She just moved her chair closer and demanded I spill since I was being so evasive and that was a sure sign of guilt.
My actions weren't from Ann's assumption, but rather her uncomfortable proximity to my face.
"Uh, are you guys playin' some kind of game?" Ryuji skeptically looked at Ann and I, holding one of the trays of food.
Akira set the other one on the table.
I scooted further from Ann and took my soda, slurping loudly to escape from further conversations about boyfriends. From the way Ann reacted to the news of her being my first friend that was a girl, I didn't expect her to calmly accept that I'd never had a boyfriend.
I had pinned after a certain boy for years though.
"Ack! This is too hot!" Morgana whimpered, pawing at his scorched tongue.
"Shh, don't be too loud." Akira gently chided him, taking the small cup of soup from his bag and blowing on the liquid. "There you go."
He placed the cooled liquid back in the bag.
"Aren't you just a spoiled cat? Don't go getting fat on us with all that special treatment." Ryuji said in between slurps of his noodles. Some of it got on his face.
"Be quiet, Ryuji. There's nothing wrong with showing the appropriate appreciation to a valued team member." He retorted.
"If you think this is spoiled then you should see the dishes Sojiro makes for him. I swear Morgana eats better than we do. If I have to eat curry for breakfast and dinner one more time, I'm going to cry."
For a second, the meat I consumed distinctly tasted like curry. I drank a good portion of my drink to overpower the memory.
"Sojiro is the owner of the cafe you guys stay at, right? Does he really only feed you both coffee and curry? That doesn't sound healthy at all. No wonder Akira attacks the school bread at lunch." Ann sent my brother and I pitiful looks.
"It's not as bad as Homura makes it out to be." Akira's fingers trailed through his locks as he fought off a blush. "Really, we should show more appreciation to Sojiro since he takes time out of his busy day to feed us."
His biting statement was aimed at me.
I shrugged. It wasn't like Sojiro was doing any of that out of the kindness of his heart. The man was being paid to take care of us by Dad.
Plus, the old man was always so gruff and rude to us, like our presence was genuinely inconveniencing him. He shouldn't have agreed to take us in if he didn't want to deal with two teenagers.
My patience with the old-timer was wearing thin.
"I could have my maid prepare lunches for you two. She already makes mine everyday, it'd be no trouble for her to make some extra sets."
I stared at Ann in wonder.
Why did she have a maid? Was she super rich?
"A-Ah, no that won't be necessary. Thank you for the offer though." Akira politely turned her down. Ann was disappointed, but let it go. "May I ask why you have a maid, Ann?"
"I pretty much live alone since my parents' jobs take them all over. They're a big deal in the fashion world."
"Hey, is your maid still the same one that brought you to school all the time?" A silly grin worked its way onto Ryuji's face.
"Yeah, why?" Ann pointed to her cheek to remind Ryuji that he had food all over his face.
He wiped it off with a napkin.
"Cause she was smokin' hot! What was her name? Aya, Ai, Akari…"
"Aoi, Ryuji." She answered flatly. "I can't believe you even remembered her."
"Hard not to when she showed up with you every day."
"So Ann's parents are fashion gurus. What about your parents, Ryuji?" I blurted out.
His face scrunched up and I wondered if I had overstepped my bounds.
I wasn't polite about it like my brother was when questioning Ann. But I had to know.
Did our group consist of broken teenagers?
"My Pop's in prison now and Ma works her butt off at this fancy company as a secretary." Ryuji scratched his head, waiting for the scathing remarks about his home-life.
"Our parents are pretty boring. Mom doesn't work and Dad owns a construction company. He used to do magic shows for birthday parties on the side when we were younger though." I shared to alleviate the heavy atmosphere.
My gambit worked and three pairs of eyes stared at me.
"Your dad did magic shows? Did he make you and Akira his assistants?" Ryuji sputtered, barely containing his mirth.
Ann was bitting her lip and her cheeks were red from holding in her amusement.
"He did." I smiled smugly.
I suppose I lied a little, Dad was a pretty cool guy.
"Where do you think Akira got those knife skills from? Or my dramatic flare?"
"Sis, why would you tell them that? That's not something you share or brag about!" Akira hung his head.
His hair covered his face, but I could see that his ears were a bright red.
"Woah, the twins had such a unique upbringing! I didn't think human parents would be okay with their offspring playing with knives." Morgana proclaimed with gleaming eyes.
"Hey, is that a cat I hear?!" An employee marched over to our table.
"Morgana!" We all whispered harshly.
"Sorry, sorry!" He slunk back into the bag as the employee reached our group and inquired about the noise.
We ended up being asked to leave since we were finished eating and the manager didn't want our noisy group loitering in the establishment.
"We're getting kicked out of places a little too much. I don't like being treated like this." I whined.
"We're outcasts wherever we go, sis. Might as well get used to it." Akira replied in a rare instance of pessimism.
He abruptly came to a stop in front of an alleyway. Ryuji and Ann kept walking, oblivious to our stop.
"What's wrong?"
Akira didn't answer me. He stepped into the alley and I followed him.
"Igor told me I could return whenever I wished…" My brother mumbled to himself.
I reached for his shoulder to get clarification, but my hand fell to my side as I noticed the glowing blue door in the alley and the wardens guarding it.
"Hey, Inmates!" Caroline greeted in her usual brusque manner.
"W-What? Why is there a door here?! And who are they?!" Morgana screeched from over Akira's shoulder.
So this stuff wasn't just in our heads.
Justine spared a glance for Morgana, but chose to ignore him in favor of Akira. "Our master awaits. Please come this way."
The door opened.
"Will someone tell me what's going on?!" Morgana urged.
"Apparently, these summonings have to do with Akira's wild card ability." I said, crossing my arms.
A tiny, ugly part of me felt jealous of Akira. It was like I was no longer deemed useful by the Velvet Room attendants.
"Look after Morgana, will you?" Akira stood before me, holding his bag out to me. He didn't wait for an answer and dropped the bag into my arms.
"Quit wasting time!" Caroline snarled and ended up kicking Akira through the door. She angrily ambled after her charge.
Justine remained in place.
"What? Have something to say to me?"
Her gold eyes probed my grey ones. "I do not understand our master's interest in you. You posses none of the qualities of our usual guests."
"Akira's not the first?"
Justine didn't respond. She turned her back on me and sternly announced. "You'd best not disappoint our master. The punishment for failure will be severe."
The little warden left and the door closed.
"Like I care what your 'master' wants."
Take your time
"Hey you kids got a second? Somethin' I wanna ask." Sojiro finished wiping down the counter. "C'mere, let's have a chat."
I made myself comfortable on one of the stools while Akira hovered behind me.
"You two have been unusually well-behaved…how's school? Not causing any trouble?" He looked at us suspiciously, though his gaze mainly lingered on me.
"I'm not."
"I might be."
The old man rubbed his neck in agitation, trying to distinguish our answers. "Don't talk at the same time."
"Sorry." We chimed.
Sojiro grunted. "I've gotta report to the probation officer twice a month. It's already a pain in the ass as is, so please don't make me have to write even more crap."
"Yeah, cause there's so much to write about." I mumbled scathingly.
Akira pinched me pretty hard and I elbowed him equally as hard.
"Got that?" Sojiro raised his voice to get his point across. "This society is kept in check by laws and authority figures. You both can go and get yourselves killed if you want, but don't go dragging other people into your mess. The last thing we need is more idiots like you brats roaming around."
My shoulders tensed at the unwarranted verbal beat-down we were receiving.
We just couldn't get a break, could we?
Sojiro's rant was interrupted by his phone ringing. He stepped away to answer the call. "Hm, what's wrong?"
"You think he's got a secret girlfriend?" I whispered to Akira.
"Maybe…he does come off as a flirt with some of the things he says."
"Yeah, I'm heading out now. Sorry about that." Sojiro started taking his apron off while juggling the phone to his ear. "I know. The usual, right? Okay. I'll see you later."
A softness had become apparent in his countenance.
"Leaving so soon, Sojiro? No more words of wisdom for us?"
"Cut back on the cheek, kid." He scolded me. "As you both can see, I'm pretty damn busy both at work and in my private life. If you two could lend a hand, it'd really be a great help…"
I bit down on my lip to smother my snort.
How typical of an adult. They beat you down and then ask for your favors like nothing's wrong.
What a sick cycle.
"I'd be glad to." Akira easily agreed.
"Now we're talking. And what about you?" Sojiro's eyebrows rose expectantly.
"Sure, but I doubt I'll be much help."
"What do you mean? You're not obnoxiously clumsy, are you?"
"That's not it…"
"Then what is it?"
Akira placed his hand on top of my head sympathetically. "Sis, has zero skills in the kitchen. And I mean that in the literal sense."
"That's it? She can't be that bad." Sojiro chuckled. He stopped chuckling at our serious expressions. "Good grief, that bad? I guess I'll have you man the front then."
I felt another bout of depression hit me. Akira ruffled my hair.
"I won't ask either of you to work for free. If you both agree to help me, then…I'll teach you two how to make the perfect cup of coffee. Not a bad trade, eh?"
"Sounds interesting." Akira was more excited than me.
"This isn't going to end well for me…"
"I'm sure you can learn to at least make coffee, kid." Sojiro smirked.
"I doubt it."
"We'll shelve that for another time. For now, we've got ourselves a deal."
My eyes widened as I saw the blue butterfly fluttering near Akira's shoulder and heard that mysterious voice speak of a new vow. My brother's grey eyes found mine as he heard my sharp intake. He inclined his head to tell me he'd experienced the strange occurrence too.
"I'll be counting on you kids' help." Sojiro came around the counter and waved goodbye to us as he went home.
"He has no idea of the catastrophe he's inviting into his cafe."
"Shut up!" I trudged upstairs and tossed my bag on the floor.
I needed to channel my moodiness into something productive.
"What are you doing, Homura?" Morgana hopped onto my bed.
"Just writing some lyrics. I've had these melodies stuck in my head for some time now." I patted my lap in invitation for him.
He rejected the opportunity with a barbed explanation of propriety. I dropped the notebook in front of the cat so he'd cut his lecture short.
"Beneath the mask?" Morgana touched the page.
I started lightly singing what I'd written. "Where have you been? Been searching all along. Came facing twilight on and on. Without a clue, without a sign, without grasping yet. The real question to be asked. Where have I been?" I took a deep breath after finishing.
Akira clapped enthusiastically.
"Lady Homura, that was beautiful! I can't believe a girl like you has the voice of an angel." Morgana meowed happily.
I let his back-handed compliment slide.
"What brought that song on?" Akira fell onto his bed.
"You, me, our situation…everything's so turbulent. This notebook is gonna be my saving grace."
"You're giving up on the diary so soon?" He reached into his bag and waved the object around.
I scoffed in response. Adding doodles and snarky remarks were my only contribution to our shared diary.
"Homura, you have to sing me to sleep from now on. I'm sure I'll have pleasant dreams every night then." Morgana meowed again and looked at me hopefully.
I picked him up and held him in front of my face. "Aw, does that mean you'll sleep next to me tonight, Morg?"
"No, no, no! That's completely improper. I can't sleep in a lady's bed, especially not with said lady next to me!" He squirmed in my hold.
"I bet you'd do it if Ann offered!"
"N-No I wouldn't!"
"You hesitated which means you would. I can see how undervalued I am to you, Morgana. You can have him back, bro." I held the cat out to Akira. "Morgana likes sleeping with boys instead."
"H-Hey, I don't like the insinuation you're making!"
"It's perfectly fine. I won't judge you for your choice." I dropped him onto Akira's stomach after he refused to the pick the cat up out of fear of Morgana's claws. "I've got Teddie to snuggle with anyway."
The blue and red bear smiled dopily from its spot on my bed. The toy was still unbearably creepy, but it ultimately reminded me of Goro and his vulnerable smile.
I still couldn't believe he got the thing for me because he thought I was weird. I wasn't that abnormal!