-THIS ONE GOT A LOT LONGER THAN EXPECTED SO ITS BEEN SPLIT INTO TWO CHAPTERS! THE SECOND HALF WILL BE POSTED LATER!-
The gathering made him almost impatient. He wanted to figure out what in the hell he was meant to do, if anything. He needed to formulate his own plans. It was tough to do that here.
He scowled slightly as Makoto - that was her, right? She fit the description - approached the group, radiating an energy of power. He hadn't really paid much attention to the conversation, doing his best to zone out and try to think, until she showed up.
"What do you want?" Ann huffed.
"Nothing in particular. I just, saw you all together here," she hummed.
Ryuji scoffed, spitting a defensive, "That so?"
Curious eyes drifted to Kennith. "I don't recognize you." She was blunt. He hated that already. He only half-noticed the way Akira shifted, as if guarding him.
"Kennith. Nice t'meet you, I s'pose," he said, forcing himself to keep a courteous tone.
"He's new in the area," Akira added, "so you don't need to involve him." Kennith wanted to object, but that protective, caring tone stopped him. He couldn't go scaring him like that. Makoto rolled her eyes, seeming exasperated.
"In any case," she continued, "it just seemed like you were all having a bit of trouble."
"Oh, so you're here to check up on us?" Ann's tone was laced with venom. "You may be student council president, but when it comes to what we do, you're useless."
Makoto's calm face broke for a moment, giving way to a kind of hurt that hit too close to home. "Useless..?"
"To be frank, yes." Yusuke's cold acceptance of it hurt, and he wasn't even on the receiving end.
"Hey," Kennith piped up, "c'mon, chill." He was annoyed by the girl already, sure, but he hated throwing around the u-word. Ann only huffed, leaning back against the railing, aloof.
"Just stay on your high horse and watch," she continued, almost seeming to ignore him. "Or do you wanna eavesdrop, since you're so good at it?" A twinge of guilt flickered in his chest at that. Another thing he wouldn't be able to tell them. (Unless he was found out. He didn't want to think about that.)
Makoto looked away silently, taking a shaky breath, before regaining her steely composure and looking Akira in the eyes. "So, you wish to get in contact with Kaneshiro." It was a statement more than it was a question of confirmation, almost accusing. "That is what you were just discussing, weren't you? It seemed you just needed to find out where he is." Kennith wondered briefly how much else she had heard.
Akira was silent for a moment. "Something like that." Kennith reached for his hand, wanting to give a comforting squeeze, but hesitated and let his own hand fall to his side.
"Hey, y-you don't gotta answer her honestly!" Kennith thumped Ryuji on the back, both to comfort, and signal he should be quiet.
"Kinda does, bucko - if I recall, not bein' honest is what dragged y'all into this situation anyway." The only response he was given was a pout.
Makoto had seemed to curl in on herself slightly, a hand over her mouth. Kennith could barely make out a mumbled, "I'm not..." The rest was unintelligible.
"...Whhhat was that?" Ryuji asked, and Kennith thumped him again, this time in the back of the head. Ryuji stifled a yelp.
"Fine. I'll help you meet Kaneshiro," Makoto continued. Her voice was tense, as if she was forcing it out. Before anyone could question her, she was walking away, her heels clicking menacingly.
"What exactly is she planning on doing?" Yusuke mused.
"She had a dead-serious look in her eyes..." Ryuji's wording worried him a bit.
"Don't say dead," Kennith said, voice slightly trembling. "We're talkin' about a mafia boss or whatever, I don't want any of us to jinx it."
"You are correct," Yusuke continued, "which is why I'm confused about her storming off that way. Does this mean she has an idea as to where Kaneshiro may be?"
"I highly doubt that," Ann sighed.
"And I don't," Kennith interjected, shifting nervously. "If it's so easy to get swept up in all this, I wouldn't doubt she's got some leads."
Ann paused for a brief moment, before running off in the same direction Makoto had gone, letting out a noise of frustration. "What is up with her?!" The others rushed after her, though Kennith groaned to himself softly.
"God dammit, why running, I hate running," he whined to no one in particular, before hurrying off after them. He was barely paying attention to where they were going, only stopping when he bumped into Akira's back, panting. "I hate this, and I hate you for making me run, I have my binder on for fuck's sake," he wheezed, his forehead resting between Akira's shoulder blades.
There was a distressed meow, followed by Ryuji crying out, "We're never gonna find her!" Kennith managed to mumble "Oh, we're looking for her?" though he seemed to be the only one who heard. It was right at that moment that Akira's phone rang.
Over the line, he heard, albeit barely, "Hello? It's me...Makoto Niijima. Just stay on the phone and listen. Make sure you record the call, as well."
With a wheezing breath, Kennith managed to say, loudly, "Fuck you!" before returning to catching his breath.
He heard Ann's shoes click softly, followed by her chiming, "Huh? Who is it?"
"S'the bitch who made us run all the way out here, that's who," Kennith grumbled, finally moving to stand on his own again.
Makoto's voice rang out again, louder this time. "Do you guys know Kaneshiro?" Kennith's eyes widened. He thumped himself on the chest and coughed into his elbow, preparing himself to get running again. It made the breathing a little easier. He only picked up on the details from what others said - Central Street. Oh boy.
He was grateful for the adrenaline as they got running again, though he was half tempted to just head into a near building and get out of his binder beforehand. All this running couldn't be good for his ribs.
"What is she thinkin'?!" cried Ryuji. Kennith was surprised that they'd fallen into step with each other, until he noticed how the others were further ahead.
"My guess is she's- she's never had- had a run-in with organized crime," Kennith panted. "That's the thing, she's not- not thinkin' at all!"
"Oh yeah?" Ryuji's tone was somewhat snide. "You say that like you have had run-ins!"
"Honey, if there's one thing you gotta learn, s'that people ain't always what they seem!" was the least incriminating response he could give.
He stumbled to a stop with the others in front of an alleyway. After a moment of tripping over his own feet, he backtracked, astonished that he wasn't half-dead from that run. More a third-dead, he thought, as he placed his hands on his knees. He barely registered the sound of an engine revving away.
"Hey, wasn't that-" Ryuji was interrupted by a meow. Kennith groaned.
"Jesus H. Christ, s'like I'm not even here," he mumbled to himself, standing up with a sway and rubbing his temples.
"She still on?" Ann's voice was filled with some mix of anger and worry. He didn't bother listening, up until Ann continued, "We gotta go after her!" Kennith let out a loud, weary groan, before setting off again. He kept a hand linked to Akira's shirt hem. He didn't register when they stopped, leading to another small collision, but he couldn't help being relieved when he realized what was happening. They were calling a cab. He wearily glanced to Yusuke, who seemed to be drawing. (Not exactly a good time, but sure, why not?)
"Okay, I've got their license plate." (Or not.) "My sketching skills have come in handy."
Kennith stared wide-eyed. He barely even noticed what Ryuji was doing, up until he heard tires screech. He moved his astonished gaze to Ryuji, and barked out a sharp and very amused, "Ha!" He moved to slide into the taxi before Ryuji could encourage the others, grateful for the chance to finally sit down.
As the taxi sped along, the realization struck him. They were about to meet Kaneshiro. This was, possibly, going to be his chance to figure out how in the hell he was meant to get inside that Palace. The thought almost made him angry. This opportunity was just falling into his lap. He wanted to appreciate it, but at the same time...he wanted to do it himself.
The rush into Kaneshiro's hiding spot was mostly a blur. He wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion making him lose his focus, or if he was just too selfish to pay attention to anything but what Kaneshiro was doing. Akira gently set a hand on his shoulder after a moment, knocking him out of his daze, at least somewhat.
"What is that supposed to mean?" He wondered vaguely what Yusuke was referring to.
Dammit, now is not the time to be spacing out! he internally yelled. Focus, focus, you might still have a chance.
He was brought out of his thoughts once again by the flash of a camera. "C'mon, you all look so tense," Kaneshiro chirped, his tone disgustingly friendly, yet dripping with condescension. "I think I'll call it... 'Debauchery of Minors at a Club.' So, can I send this to your school?"
"Hey fuck you, buddy, I'm eighteen," Kennith snapped. He was met with a laugh from Kaneshiro, though it was more mocking than genuine laughter.
"Oh, damn, I got booze and cigs in the shot! Maybe some drugs too?" Kennith wasn't nearly as disturbed as the others seemed to be. He rubbed his arms unconsciously. "Ahh...this is so hilarious," Kaneshiro droned, leaning back in his seat. When he spoke again, his tone was low and sharp, his eyes on Makoto. "I feed on dumbshits like you. ...Understand, pretty little student council president?" His eyes drifted up again lazily, as if this were a routine for him. "Now listen up. Run your mouth to the police, and I'll break all of you, starting with your families."
Kennith let out another sharp, single-syllable laugh, which earned him confused and worried looks from the others. "You can go ahead with mine whether or not we do what you want, I got contact info." He hoped his smile and tone made him seem like he was joking.
Kaneshiro only rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Like I was saying...I want to give you the usual month, but well, you've got such a large group here..." A wicked grin broke out across his face. "Three weeks. Bring three million yen by then. No less. Summer bonuses are around the corner, you know? It'll be easy if you beg your mommies and daddies." His cohorts snickered, though Kennith felt they seemed unamused. "Now get out of my sight. I'm about to have some fun."
Kennith and Ryuji angrily piped up at the same time, taking a step forward in unison, only to be gently ushered back by Akira. A soft mew escaped from his bag, which told Kennith, 'wait for the others to react'. Before he could ignore that, however, the man holding Makoto to the ground released her and stood, allowing her to do the same. Kennith stepped forward to help her, calmly ignoring the group's frantic whispered protests. He kept an arm around her until they were outside again, shooting glares and making an "I'm watching you" sign towards Kaneshiro and his goons. He almost hated how calm he was in this situation. He was almost jealous that the others hadn't yet seen worse than this.
He hoped he wouldn't be counted as "worse."