A/N This chapter is also brought to you by a lack of a functioning laptop, lack of Microsoft word, the annoyance that is autocorrect, my two tablets that I bought for the sake of playing KHUX, Google docs, and my PS4's YouTube app!
I'm seriously not kidding around when I say I wrote this entire chapter using only my thumbs. Again, I went through hell writing this chapter, because fucking autocorrect won't get off my ass and this touch screen keyboard is VERY annoying at times.
Please appreciate the effort that I put in for this chapter… Other that, read on!
Also, do be warned—this chapter is where Jun's compensating dating rumor rears its head quite nastily, so do watch out for some unsavory comments. (Credit goes to kurobook for helping me out with that)
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"What's taking her so long?!" Kawakami taps her fingers impatiently on her desk. Lunchtime is nearly over and the transfer student has yet to show up, even though she's been told that she had arrived. "Is she avoiding me?"
Kawakami wouldn't be surprised, considering the trouble that Kimura Jun is in for being so late on her first day of school. She sighs loudly in exasperation and takes a moment to look over her nails. She's managed to do a decent job applying the fake nails, though a part of her still worries that it isn't enough.
"Whatever…" She runs her fingers through her messy hair.
"Umm…excuse me!" a soft voice calls out.
Kawakami turns her attention to the faculty office entrance. Standing in the middle of the opened doorway is a fluffy-haired girl with light, auburn hair and brown eyes. Kawakami instantly straightens her back and smooths down her shirt. "Okumura-san! What brings you here?"
Haru smiles nervously as she clasps her hands over her chest. "Umm…I'd like to apologize for causing you any inconveniences, but I couldn't let her go to you on an empty stomach!"
"Her?" Kawakami arches her brow.
Haru laughs as she moves to the side to show that Jun was standing right behind her this entire time. Kawakami's eyes widen as she nearly stands up from her seat.
"Kimura-kun!" Kawakami can't believe her luck. "Wait…you were with Okumura-san just now?"
Jun nervously averts her gaze as she plays with a lock of her hair. "I got lost and she offered me food."
"It's why she didn't show up immediately to the faculty office," Haru explains. "Again, I apologize. I take full responsibility for this."
"N-No—it's fine!" Kawakami quickly says. "What matters is that she showed up, so you can go now."
"Very well!" Haru smiles at Jun. "I'll see you around, Jun-chan—I hope the rest of your day goes well."
Haru takes her leave after that, making sure to give Jun a gentle nudge into the faculty office before closing the door behind her. Jun fidgets nervously in her spot now that Kawakami's eyes are on her.
"Come here," she firmly says. She keeps a close eye on Jun as she hesitantly walks over to her desk. "You're unbelievable, you know that? Half a day late on your first day…care to explain yourself?"
"I was in a castle." The words leave Jun's mouth before she can even think twice about it.
Kawakami looks sternly at Jun. "You can't be serious…"
Jun nervously plays with a lock of her hair. She's at a loss for words…
"Will you pull yourself together?" Kawakami's tone is harsh and admonishing. "You were given fair warning yesterday. More importantly…I heard that you were caught along with that Sakamoto-kun?"
Jun furrows her brow. "'That' Sakamoto…?"
Kawakami sighs and shakes her head. "Don't get involved with him, okay? He's nothing but trouble. You're better off taking your chances with a third-year like Okumura-san…does she know?"
Jun bites her lip and says nothing.
"Look, I know it's going to be hard making friends, but you're new here—no one knows much about you, so take advantage of that." Kawakami's expression softens somewhat. "Just stay away from Sakamoto-kun. He wasn't like that when he was devoting his time to track and field…but things change and so do people."
Jun frowns, not understanding anything Kawakami has told her.
"Anyway—break's almost over!" Kawakami quickly says. "Classes will end after fifth period today because of the subway accident. I'll have you introduce yourself when class resumes. Follow me."
Jun wordlessly follows Kawakami out of the faculty office. She keeps her distance from the teacher and continues averting her gaze when students walk by them. Kawakami stops in front of red lockers lined up against the wall across from the classrooms. She looks at Jun with a frown.
"By the way, when you introduce yourself…" She pauses for a moment. "Be serious about it even if you're lying to the class, okay? Do NOT say anything unnecessary."
Jun simply nods her head and continues following after Kawakami into a classroom. Going relatively unnoticed are two female students who have just walked past Jun and Kawakami. The two stop to look at each other, having managed to listen in on their conversation.
"…You think that's her?" the light-haired female student asks her short-haired companion, to which she responds with, "You mean the one in the rumors?"
…
…
It is to Jun's complete misfortune that her classmates are talking about her right as she stands at the front of the class. She looks at Kawakami, who only shrugs at her.
"Being super late on her first day?" A quiet male student looks to the female student sitting at the desk right next to his.
"She was probably with a client." She sounds rather disgusted.
"She looks so plain, ya know? Like…y'know." Another male student speaks out and gestures at his chest.
"I'm sure there are a ton of men out there with a fetish for glasses and flat-chested girls." A nearby female student smirks as she looks over Jun.
"Those cat tights sure are something…think she's trying to make a statement?" A different male student playfully jabs his elbow into his neighbor's side, to which he just laughs off.
Jun exhales shakily as she starts to play with her hair. "I'm right here…"
"Settle down," Kawakami says. She looks sternly at her students and waits for them to all stop talking before turning her attention to Jun. "I'd like to introduce a transfer student: Kimura Jun. Today we…had her attend from the afternoon on since she wasn't feeling well. All right—please say something to the class."
"I'm Kimura Jun," Jun quietly says, not knowing what else she could say to the class.
A prim female student notices Jun's timid behavior. "She seems so shy…but I bet that all changes behind closed doors."
A brown-haired student nods her head in agreement and adds, "She was arrested for assault, so I'm sure she's just as capable of losing her temper, too."
Kawakami makes a face as she looks over the classroom for an empty desk. She really wasn't expecting for things to turn out this way… "Uhh, so…your seat will be… Hmm…over there! The one that's open."
Kawakami directs Jun to an empty desk by the window. Jun adjusts her glasses, stopping only when she catches sight of a familiar shade of ash-blonde hair. Her heart skips a beat when she sees Takamaki Ann sitting at the desk in front of hers.
"Sorry, but can the people nearby please share your textbooks with her for today?" Kawakami looks pleadingly at the students sitting by the windows. She sighs in dismay when she hears them complain. "You can sit down now…"
Jun promptly makes her way over to her seat. She ignores the way her classmates avoid looking her way as she walks by them. Only Ann seems to be willing to look directly at her. She holds a textbook out for Jun to grab and gives her a reassuring smile.
"Hang in there," she whispers.
Jun smiles back at Ann, feeling quite relieved to see that she's fine. She takes the textbooks and then sits down at her desk. Ann passes her notebook back to her, telling her to feel free to copy from her.
"Something must've come up after we met, so I won't ask…" Ann can tell Jun has it rough as is with how their classmates keep gossiping about her. "Sorry if my notes aren't the best."
"It's fine." Jun's just glad to see Ann again like this.
"Did you catch that?" The brown-haired girl sitting in the desk next to Jun turns to the prim girl sitting right behind her. They're the same two girls who were just talking about Jun. "Those two seem to know each other."
"Girls like them tend to stick together," the prim girl says as a matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't be surprised if Kimura decides to introduce Takamaki to her clients. I'm sure that'll make business boom."
The brown-haired girl nods her head. "That makes sense. Hey—isn't the transfer student is also mixed like Takamaki?"
"I think so—she's basically an exotic hooker!" The prim girl's comment manages to cross a line that causes Ann to snap.
BAM!
Ann slams her hand on top of her desk. The noise is loud enough to startle the two girls into silence. They avoid looking at either Ann or Jun, deciding that they've said enough for the time being.
Kawakami pretends that she didn't see that happen. She appreciates the silence that ensues as a result of Ann's actions and quickly changes the subject. "Oh, right! The volleyball rally's in two days…Everyone's just changed classes, so make sure you use that time to get to know each other. Well then, let's get class started. Who's on duty today?"
A boy with short blue hair stands up from his seat and, very wearily, says, "Everyone, please rise."
…
The rest of class goes by without many issues, though a few times, Ann finds herself throwing balls of rolled up paper at her classmates when their whispering gets too loud. She's used to being the subject of rumor, but when it comes to Jun…she just can't stand by and let it happen.
"I won't let them…" She tightens her grasp on her pencil.
Jun returns Ann's notebook as soon as Kawakami dismisses class for the day. She smiles widely at Ann, thanking her for her assistance.
"It's nothing," Ann says with a small smile. "See you tomorrow?"
Jun nods her head. "Yeah!"
The two go their separate ways after that. There's not much for Jun to pack up, unlike Ann, so she leaves the classroom first. When she enters the hallway, she sees a brief image of an extravagant hallway that matches the interior of the castle from earlier. The image quickly fades from her vision as she feels a sharp pain in her head. She reaches up to hold her head and waits for the pain to pass.
That's how Kawakami finds her after leaving the classroom. "What's wrong?"
"Is this…a castle?" Jun asks.
Kawakami sighs. "Are you sure you're okay? Also…it seems like people are already talking about you, but I'm not the one who told them."
"Then who?" Jun winces.
"I can't even catch a break…" Kawakami pinches the bridge of her nose. "Why do I have to deal with this? Hey…you should head straight home without stopping by anywhere. Sakura-san sounded pretty angry…and remember—don't get involved with Sakamoto-kun."
And just as she mentions his name, Ryuuji walks up to Jun. He gives her a few reassuring pats to the head, having heard the rumors about her—which he thinks are absolute bullshit.
"Speak of the devil…" Kawakami crosses her arms over her chest and looks suspiciously at Ryuuji. "What do you want? I heard the police caught you cutting class today."
Ryuuji scowls. "Ugh…it was nothin'."
"And you haven't dyed your hair back to black either…" Kawakami places a hand on her hip.
"Sorry 'bout that." Ryuuji doesn't mean it and Kawakami knows it, but doesn't say anything. He leans closer to Jun and quickly whispers to her, "I'll be waitin' on the rooftop."
He walks off after that, leaving Jun behind with Kawakami. Kawakami watches him with a disapproving look on her face. She sighs wearily and turns to Jun, who still seems so perplexed.
"See? That's why I don't want you getting involved." Kawakami can only imagine how bad the rumors will get if Jun is seen hanging out with Ryuuji… "Understood?"
"Not really…" Jun can't understand why someone like Ryuuji could have such a bad reputation. She refrains from asking any questions, deciding that it would be best if Kawakami thinks that she's going to listen to her.
Kawakami smiles a bit, feeling somewhat satisfied that at least one thing is going her way. She tucks her hair behind her ear and then leaves Jun's side. As soon as she is out of sight, having turned a corner, Jun allows herself a chance to finally relax. She's not as tense as before, though that quickly changes when Principal Kobayakawa makes his way into the second floor with an unpleasantly familiar teacher at his side.
Jun freezes still as she watches Kobayakawa and Kamoshida stop in front of the stairs to talk to each other. They're not that far away from her, so she can hear what it is they're saying. She doesn't mean to eavesdrop on their conversation, but she just can't bring herself to move—not with Kamoshida blocking her way from the stairs.
"Why did you allow a student like her to transfer here?" Kamoshida asks Kobayakawa, not knowing that the student he is referring to is standing nearby. "She's already started associating with Sakamoto. A student with a criminal record, and the culprit of an assault case—at this rate, it'd be pointless how much I contribute to the school."
Jun bites her lip and lowers her head. She tries to ignore the bile rising in the back of her throat out of disgust. She just hates the way Kamoshida can say stuff like that.
"Now, don't be like that…" Kobayakawa tries to reassure him. "The school counts on you, Kamoshida-kun. You are our star."
It really pisses her off with how easily two adults can talk about stuff like that in the open. Jun holds her schoolbag closer to her chest.
"Still, a steady build-up is necessary behind such brilliance as well," Kobayakawa quickly adds.
"…Your troubles never seem to end, do they, Principal Kobayakawa?" A wide grin crosses Kamoshida's face. "All right, I understand. I'll continue to do my best to answer your expectations of me."
They go their separate ways after that, never once noticing that Jun had heard everything. She prefers to keep it that way, since the last thing she wants is any attention from either of them. She exhales shakily and adjusts her glasses.
"I should head to the rooftop…" It wouldn't be fair if she keeps Ryuuji waiting, though… "What's up with him?"
Standing across from the stairs is a male student with blue hair and brown eyes. He wears the male uniform without the blazer with his shirt's sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his suspenders hanging from his hips. Jun recognizes him as one of her classmates. He seems so weary and almost…broken. She can't help but look at him as she moves closer to the stairs. The way his face is covered in bruises and bandaids has her concerned.
"Huh…?! I-Is there something you want from me?" He notices that she's staring at him and shifts uncomfortably under her gaze.
Jun feels her cheeks heat up. She didn't mean to make him feel so anxious… "Umm…where is the rooftop?"
His eyes widen slightly. "But nobody's allowed up there… I mean, uh…just go up those stairs and you'll get there."
He averts his gaze completely when she thanks him. She frowns, but decides not to think too much about it. She adjusts her glasses and continues making her way to the rooftop. She walks up the stairs and enters the third floor just in time to hear some first-year students gossiping about her.
"I guess I should get used to this, then…" She sighs wearily and continues moving upwards until she arrives at a door with an off-limits sign posted on it. She stares at it for a moment, but soon notices that the door is unlocked. She goes through it and finds Ryuuji leaning back in a chair by a row of messily arranged desks.
He waves at her and calls her over, being a small distance away from her.
"There you are," he says to her once she's close enough. "Sorry for callin' you up here like this."
"I don't mind," Jun says, because she honestly doesn't.
Ryuuji huffs. "I bet Kawakami already told you stuff like 'don't get involved with him,' huh?"
Jun bites her lip. "She…she said you're trouble."
Why, though, she doesn't know…and frankly, she doesn't care.
"Heh, we're pretty much in the same boat." Ryuuji smiles wryly. "I heard you got a criminal record and…somethin' about compensated dating? I dunno, it's all everyone's talkin' about in the hallways and classrooms."
"That's right…" Jun looks down at her feet.
"O-Oi—I ain't gonna judge!" Ryuuji frowns, feeling rather bad for making Jun look so sad. "I'm just sayin'—it's no wonder why you were so gutsy."
Jun laughs half-heartedly, but says nothing. She supposes she'll let Ryuuji think that way about her if he's not going to judge her… Deciding that she's done enough standing for one day, Jun sits herself down on top of a desk.
"So what was all that that happened?" Ryuuji asks. "You know, how we almost got killed at a castle…it wasn't a dream, right? You remember it too, yeah?"
Jun furrows her brow. "Unfortunately…"
"Right…that happened." Ryuuji makes a face. "Sorry that I wasn't able to do much."
"It's fine," Jun insists, even though it isn't.
"Bullshit!" Ryuuji snaps. "You know it isn't and even if you did that compensated dating crap, that still doesn't mean you deserve that shit!"
"I…yeah, you're right—thank you." Jun gives Ryuuji a small smile.
He smiles back at her. "There we go—you look better when you smile, y'know? But that's enough about that—I should be the one thankin' you."
Jun blinks. "Hmm?"
"You really saved me from that shithead." Ryuuji's smile widens and shows off his sharp teeth. "Thanks, Jun."
His face heats up with a visible blush when he realizes that he hasn't asked Jun if he could call her by her first name. He waits anxiously for her response, his blush only darkening when she beams at him with a dazzling smile that exposes her cat-like fangs.
"You're welcome, Ryuuji!" She says his first name so casually without any honorifics that he soon finds himself covering his face with his hand. "I can call you that, right?"
"Yeah…" he replies rather meekly. He laughs nervously as he scratches the back of his head. He's not used to such familiarity… "Feels nice…"
The two sit in silence together, just taking the time to enjoy each other's presence after going through the day feeling relatively unwanted. It lasts for only a few minutes before Ryuuji cautiously mentions Kamoshida's name to Jun.
"Sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but you need to know about him." It wouldn't be right if he'd left her in the dark about Kamoshida—especially since she's new to Shujin. "There are some rumors about him, but…no one says anything against him."
Ryuuji grits his teeth when he looks at his right leg. His temper flares up, but he manages to keep it somewhat under control.
"Why not?" she asks.
"It's 'cause he's some medalist who took the volleyball club to nationals." Ryuuji's tone is full of contempt towards Kamoshida. "The way Kamoshida was king of that castle felt crazy real 'cause of that…"
"That's…comforting." Jun purses her lips.
Ryuuji frowns. "Sorry to drag you out here like this. I just wanted to warn you—that's all. And, uh…if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me for help, okay?"
"Okay." Jun smiles again, feeling somewhat better.
Ryuuji stands up from his chair and walks over to her. He smiles at her before reaching out to playfully ruffle her hair. "You know, we might be pretty similar. I feel like we're gonna get along just fine as 'troublemakers.'"
Jun only laughs at his comment. "I'm sure we will…"
"I'll come talk if I see you around." Ryuuji rubs the back of his neck. "Uhh…don't ignore me, alright?"
Jun nods her head. "I won't."
"Seeya." Ryuuji waves at her and then goes on his way.
She stays where she is, just letting everything sink in. It's been a long day, but…she made a friend.
"Two, actually." Jun remembers how friendly Okumura Haru was to her. She frowns when she realizes that might change when Haru hears the rumors about her. "I guess it was nice while it lasted…"
"Oh, it's you again!" Speak of the devil—there's Haru. She stands under the doorway, holding a green watering can in her hands. She's no longer wearing her school uniform and is dressed in a red jersey with white patterns on the sides. It fits her arms, legs, and hips rather loosely, making her appear smaller than she actually is. "I didn't think there'd be anyone up here…"
"Don't worry, I was just leaving." Jun knows when she's not wanted…
"I'm not saying you should leave." Or not…? "You can stay if you wish, I'm just here to check up on my sprouts."
"Sprouts?" Jun tilts her head to the side.
"Umm—they're right behind you in those white planters." Haru motions at Jun to look back
There are three white, rectangular-shaped planters set on the table right by the mess of desks. There are another two on the floor, set side to side by the table. Each of them has three sprouting plants growing out of the soil, adding up to a total of fifteen green sprouts.
"Ahh…" Jun almost forgot that they were there… She was too busy talking to Ryuuji to pay any attention to the sprouts.
"You won't be much of a bother if you decide to stay." Haru walks over to the planters. A warm smile crosses her face as she looks closely at the sprouts. "Although, if you need to leave, then that's fine. I just want to ensure that there aren't any misunderstandings between us, okay?"
Jun is at a loss for words over how nice Haru is to her. Didn't she hear the rumors? Or have they not reached the third-years yet? "Does it really matter?"
It's only a matter of time before she finds out…
"Are you leaving?" Haru asks Jun after she hops off the desk. She receives only a nod as a response from Jun, presumably out of shyness. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
Jun stares at Haru for a moment before a sharp bark of laughter escapes from her mouth. "Yeah, I guess so."
Haru smiles as she watches Jun walk away. When she reaches the door, Haru suddenly shouts at her, saying, "Try not to skip out on lunch again!"
Jun stops walking. She stays still for a few seconds before looking over her shoulder to flash a smile at Haru. "I won't!"
She leaves after that, leaving Haru all on her own. The third-year laughs to herself as she turns her attention back on her sprouts. She looks fondly at the smallest of the bunch and gently caresses its leaves.
"She's a lot like you…" she says to the sprout. "So small and underestimated…but there's more to appearances than meets the eye."
Laughter bubbles in her throat when she finds a flowering bud hidden under a leaf. She recalls being told that the sprout was the reject out of a shipment of violets, with how weak and frail it was in comparison to the others. And yet, here it is—flowering long before any of its lively-looking counterparts.
"There has to be more to her than what those nasty rumors say…" Haru has actually heard about them from her classmates, but she refuses to let herself be swayed by what others say about the transfer student. She figures it's why Jun was so shy around her just now—she was likely waiting to be rejected… "Poor girl…"
It'll likely take her some time to earn Jun's trust, but Haru is a patient girl. And she'll do whatever it takes to ensure that her new friend knows that she won't ever be rejected by her.
"Oh, I shouldn't be calling her a friend just yet…" Maybe someday, but for now…Haru is content just being Jun's senpai.
…
…
Jun has little to no issue taking the train back to Yongen-Jaya. She doesn't get lost on her way to Leblanc, though she does get told not to stay out too late by the police officer in the area. She says nothing to him and just goes on her way.
It's sometime in the evening when she arrives at Leblanc. Sōjirō is working behind the counter, paying Jun no attention until the door closes behind her. It is then that he looks at her as he dries a cup in his hands, his expression turning stern.
"Hey, I got an interesting call from your school today," he tells her. "It's only your first day and you're already showing up hours late?"
Jun looks down, feeling rather ashamed. "I'm sorry…"
"And here I thought you got up and left on time this morning." Sōjirō huffs in anger, feeling rather annoyed with today's turn of events. And yet, when he hears Jun muttering a nearly inaudible apology, he decides that she's likely heard enough for today. Knowing that homeroom teacher of hers, Jun already got an earful from her. "Look, just behave yourself. Your life's forfeit if anything happens. You understand the meaning of probation,right?"
"I do." It's not like she's completely clueless about these things… It's just taking her some time to get used to her situation.
"Okay, then." Sōjirō puts away the cup he's finished drying. He's about ready to ask Jun if she's eaten when his cellphone starts ringing. He answers it immediately, no longer sounding so annoyed. "Hey, what's up?"
And just like yesterday, Sōjirō's demeanor changes entirely with one phone call. Jun can only assume it's the same person from yesterday—whoever that is. She's not going to ask…
"Yeah, I just closed up shop," Sōjirō says. "I'll be there in half an hour…"
He notices Jun staring and holds the phone away from his face. He makes sure to cover his phone's microphone so that the person on the other side of the call doesn't hear him.
"Hey, what're you standing around for?" Sōjirō doesn't like that Jun is just staring at him like that. It's almost unnerving—almost. "Go hurry on up to bed—or are you hungry? Is that why you're just staring at me?"
"N-No…I'm sorry…" Jun didn't mean to stare, she was just— "Ulp!"
She gags so suddenly, that it completely catches Sōjirō by surprise. He stares at her with wide eyes, nearly flinching when Jun retches loudly again.
"Hey—if you're going to throw up, do it in the toilet!" Sōjirō watches Jun as she makes a mad dash for the restroom. He grimaces when he hears her emptying the contents of her stomach. "And you couldn't bother to close the door…"
He sighs and goes back to talking on his phone. He does his best to ignore the unpleasant noises in the background.
"She sure sounds like she's having a good time…" He'll check up on her after this call. "No, I just hired a part-timer. I'll be on my way, I just need to talk to her first. Don't worry—it won't take too long."
He hangs up after that, sighing wearily as he rubs the back of his head. He turns his head when he hears a toilet flushing and sees Jun leaving the restroom to rinse her mouth in the sink.
"Having fun?" Sōjirō's comment earns him a glare from Jun. He huffs out a laugh and slides his phone back into his pocket. "You'll live."
He'd be more worried if she didn't react that way. From the looks of it, it's nothing too serious. It's likely that Jun is still adjusting to her new surroundings.
"It's probably just stress." He wouldn't be surprised if her sheltered upbringing left her sensitive to sudden changes in her environment. "Go get some sleep."
Jun wipes her mouth on the back of her sleeve after turning off the tap. Her head is throbbing and her stomach is still churning, so she sees no reason to ignore Sōjirō. Of course, when she heads upstairs, she doesn't go to bed right away after changing out of her clothes. Instead, she decides to write an entry in her diary.
"So tired…" She stops every so often to yawn. It really doesn't hit her until now, but she is exhausted. "It's probably because of all that weird stuff that's been happening to me…"
She's certainly had quite the adventure today, for her first day of school.
"Could be worse…" She could have gone through that entire ordeal without Ryuuji…but she didn't. "I'm glad he was there…"
She finishes her entry, feeling satisfied with what she's written. Though, rather than put away her diary and call it a night, she decides to draw a bit on a blank page. It's nothing too complex—just a simple sketch.
"Is that supposed to be me?" Arsène's voice echoes in the back of her head.
Jun pauses for a moment and smiles. "Yeah…you like it?"
"I'm flattered that you've picked me as your muse." He laughs rather jovially—a stark difference from his usually mischievous tone. It's a pleasant sound, though it soon stops as Arsène asks Jun a rather serious question. "Although, are you truly at ease? Or are you still troubled by that lecherous scum?"
Jun freezes still, her eyes going wide in shock. "Ahh…"
"I am thou, and thou art I," Arsène repeats himself. "I know of everything that you hide from others in your attempts to appear calm. It's commendable…but all acts must eventually come to an end."
She's tried her best to ignore it, but her anxiety does a good job at reminding her that she almost died. And just like that, an intense wave of emotions hit her like a ton of bricks. Panic swells in her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe. Her diary falls onto the floor, out of her trembling hands. She's shaking so hard as tears stream down her cheeks.
She curls up in a fetal position on her bed, taking small comfort in the softness of her sheets and pillow. She starts looking for something—anything—that she can focus on. It's hard, because it's so fucking quiet in this place she barely even knows.
"Home, home, home, home!" She wants to go home so badly, but she can't. She wants to call home, but she's worried how her family might react. She doesn't want them getting into any trouble because of her… "Not again!"
She gasps and gasps and gasps, until finally…
"I am thou, and thou art I." Arsène's voice reaches out to her. "I'll say it however many times I have to until you understand."
And so he does. It's such a distinct phrase he repeats—such an odd, peculiar phrase. And yet, it's what helps Jun stay grounded long enough for her to regain control of her breathing. Eventually, she calms down and Arsène stops repeating himself.
"Do you understand now?" he asks.
"I…yes." It's taken her some time, but now she realizes that she is no longer alone. She has Arsène—and Ryuuji, too. She has Ann and Haru—two girls who barely know her, but gave her a chance despite the rumors about her. Though, right now, it's just her and Arsène…and he's not going anywhere without her. "I am thou, huh?"
"I'm glad you finally understand." He laughs again—it's a sound that brings Jun a lot of comfort.
Jun sits up and exhales shakily. She wipes away the tears in her eyes, taking the moment to remove her glasses. She clambers out of bed to make her way over to the light switch. As soon as the lights are off, she goes back to bed and pulls the blankets over herself.
"Arsène?" She sniffs as she rubs at her eye. "Is it okay if I—"
"You may," he responds.
After a long day of holding it in, Jun finally allows herself to cry.
…
…
Monday, April 11th, 20XX
Today was my first day at Shujin High and…I was late. Something happened on the way there, something…serious. I rather forget, even though I can't.
I almost died today…but I'm still here. And I think that's okay.
I'm…okay.
…
I made a friend today—his name is Sakamoto Ryuuji. He's a rather vulgar boy, but he's nice. His teeth remind me of Eomma's…I hope she's okay.
I met a girl today—she's mixed, like me. Takamaki Ann is a quarter-American girl with pretty blue eyes. I like her hair—very fluffy-looking. She's in my class, too!
She…she helped me when everyone else was talking behind my back. I hope that we can become great friends some day.
I also met Okumura Haru. She shared her lunch with me and took me to the faculty office when I was lost. She's a very pretty third-year—I like her a lot.
She seems to have an interest in gardening. Shiba would like her…maybe I should ask her for advice.
…
…
…
How did everyone find out about me? Only the school faculty was supposed to know… Why is everyone talking about me like that?
I've never participated in compensated dating. Why would I even? I don't need the extra money, nor do I want to associate with anyone who's willing to pay school girls for their…services.
I've heard about them from Shibi. It gets really serious pretty fast—it's scary.
And that man—it was his own damn fault that he got hurt. His drunk ass fell—that's how he got hurt.
It's not my fault…
Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my fault. Not my faultnotmyfaultnotmyfault.
NOT MY FAULT—IT'S NOT MY FUCKING FAULT.
It's…just not.
…
…
I made another friend today.
His name is Arsène Lupin…and I think we're going to get along just fine.
…
…
When Jun opens her eyes, she is greeted to the familiar sight of velvet blue walls and chains. She sits up almost instantly in her bed, making a face when she sees the cuffs around her wrists. They're still as cold and heavy as ever…
"These clothes again…" It surprises her how quickly she's adjusted to the black-and-white prisoner uniform. Although, after all that's happened in that castle…she supposes a lot stranger has already happened. Still, she doesn't particularly like how worn out it is… "Is that a stain?!"
Now that's just gross!
"…About time you've come to." Jun turns to see those strange twins again, standing on the other side of her cell's bars. It is Caroline who speaks to her, in such an irritated tone. "On your feet, Inmate!"
Jun simply stares at Caroline, daring to stick her tongue out at the girl when told to hurry up. She remains unfazed when Caroline slams her baton against the bars, not even blinking an eye when electricity begins to crackle visibly from the baton.
"How dare you show such insubordination!" Caroline growls, golden eyes gleaming with anger.
Justine acts quickly and reaches out to grab Caroline's baton. Her gloved hand wraps tightly around the baton, even though Caroline still has it activated. And yet, despite it all, Justine never flinches, not even when the electricity crackles intensely around her hand. There's a serious look in her eyes that Caroline notices when her twin looks her way. She furrows her brow and, with great reluctance, deactivates her baton.
Justine simply shakes her hand a few times and then clears her throat. There's something about her that Jun finds unnerving. Despite her appearance, it's clear that there's something eerily inhuman about Justine that she likely shares with Caroline.
"Our master wishes to speak with you," she calmly tells Jun. "It's for your own sake that you take his words to heart."
Jun sighs and makes her way over to the bars. She notices Caroline glaring at her, but pays not much attention to it. She looks ahead at Igor, who still sits at his desk.
"First off, let us celebrate our reunion." Igor's smile never wavers, his voice still deep and gruff as Jun last remembers it. "Oh…? You've awakened to your powers. And special ones at that. Your rehabilitation can finally begin."
Jun tilts her head to the side. "My powers?"
Is he talking about Arsène?
"There is no need to understand it all for the time being," Igor says. "You will be training the power of Persona, which you have awakened to."
There's that word again—the one she's heard from Morgana. Isn't that what Arsène is?
"My head hurts…" All she wants to do is sleep, but it seems that's currently out of the question.
"Personas are, in other words, a 'mask'—an armor of the heart when confronting world matters," Igor explains. "I have high expectations of you."
"What do you mean?" Jun's not sure if she even feels comfortable hearing that from a strange man talking to her in her dreams.
"There is no need to worry," he reassures her, though all he does is raise even more questions she has regarding him and everything else in this strange prison he calls the Velvet Room. "You will learn when the time comes."
"And when will that be?" Jun sighs inwardly in exasperation.
"By the by…have you come to appreciate the Metaverse Navigator?" he asks her. "Using it will allow you to come and go between reality and Palaces."
"Metaverse Navigator…?" she repeats questioningly.
"I bestowed it to you as a means to train you as a thief," he says it as though it's something so simple.
"The Metaverse Navigator is a gift from our master!" Caroline sharply interjects. "You better take care in using it, Inmate!"
Jun merely gives Caroline a look of disinterest. She'll use however the hell she wants…whatever the Metaverse Navigator is.
"Devote yourself to your training so that you may become a fine thief." Justine looks almost expectantly at Jun.
"It must be disheartening to make use of the Metaverse Navigator alone," Igor suddenly says, almost as an afterthought. "Should there be others who would prove beneficial to you, I will grant it to them as well. This is all for you to grow as a most excellent thief…"
Jun has no idea what to make of these expectations. "A thief?"
She's already in trouble for a crime she didn't commit, the last thing she wants to do now is actually commit one out of her own free will.
The loud ringing of an alarm snaps Jun out of her thoughts. It's just like last time—and she still doesn't know where that alarm is.
"Hmph, it's time." Caroline sounds almost annoyed. "Go back and enjoy whatever rest you might have…"
For a second time, Jun's consciousness starts to fade. And just like last time, Justine's voice is the last thing she hears.
"Goodnight, Inmate," she repeats herself for a second time.
…
…
Jun wakes up the next morning with a pounding headache. This time, she wakes up to her alarm. However, it's still set up to go off at such an early hour because she forgot to change it.
"I knew I was forgetting something…" Well, at least she doesn't have to worry about being late at all. "Ugh, I had another strange dream…Fate and awakening…?"
It's too damn early for her to be thinking about that. Besides, she needs to get ready for school. She can't afford to be late two times in a row…
This time, she pays attention to which tights she pulls out of the cardboard box. She's not making the same mistake again like yesterday. She wears a different turtleneck shirt this time, one that has two black chevrons on the neck instead of a black bow. She yawns loudly as she looks for her spare blazer.
"Hey kid—I know you're awake!" Sōjirō calls out to her from downstairs. "I'm setting your breakfast down on the counter. Make sure you eat it while it's hot."
Growl.
"Ugh, forget it…" She'll just wear the same blazer again. "I'll worry about looking for my other blazer later…"
For now, she'll just go downstairs to eat breakfast. It's curry again and it's just as good as yesterday. She eats happily with a smile on her face as Sōjirō watches her. He gives her a strange look, his nose crinkling a bit at a smell that doesn't sit too well with him.
"Hey, when you're done, go to the public bath—you're starting to smell." As usual, Sōjirō never fails to pull his punches. He huffs a laugh when Jun sends a glare in his direction. "Geez, they're more alike than I thought…"
When Jun finishes her curry, Sōjirō sends her to the public bath across from the café. It's still early in the morning, so she's somewhat surprised to see that the public bath is open. Of course, only the washing stations are available to customers at this hour, from what she's been told by the person at the bandai.
She guesses it's makes a lot of sense, since there's not enough time for someone like her to relax in the tub. A part of her still wishes that she had enough time to prepare, so she didn't have to buy her own towels and conditioner. She's fortunate enough that shampoo and soap are provided already at the washing stations. What's more, the scents that they have aren't that bad either.
It's not that she doesn't have the money to pay for such stuff, it's that she knows she has them already in her room. And with how close the public bath is to Leblanc…it almost annoys her that Sōjirō didn't give her some time to get her things.
She eventually lets it go by the time she's finished bathing. She enters the changing room, smelling strongly like a flower. It's almost distracting, but she supposes it could be worse. She likes the smell at the very least…
As soon as she finishes drying off and changing into her school uniform, she drops by Leblanc to leave her things in her room. She decides to forego her blazer—just for today. She has no time to look around for her spare blazer and the last thing she needs is for Sōjirō to ask her if that's the same one from yesterday. And honestly, it wouldn't feel right to wear the same blazer four days in a row with clean clothes…in her opinion, at least.
Sōjirō still stops her on her way out of the café, although it's so he can hand her an umbrella.
"I'm not sure if you have one already, so I'm lending you mine for the day," he tells her.
"It's raining?" Jun makes a face.
"It started pouring not long after you went upstairs to leave your things," he replies. "You better hope you did a good job drying your hair. It's not my fault if you get sick."
Jun responds to Sōjirō's comment by sticking out her tongue. He huffs a laugh and calls her a brat. It's the last thing he says to her before she leaves Leblanc.
…
She has better luck today following after a fellow student from Shujin High on the way to school. The train is still as packed as ever, that she can't help but listen in on the conversation going on between a lighthearted student and his mellow friend. They talk about the accident from a few days back, saying that the conductor totally lost it. What's disturbing to Jun is how often it's been happening.
"Just what is going on?" She sighs and starts playing with her hair. She sighs again when she notices that her hair is still damp. "Maybe I should've blow dried my hair…"
Well, it's too late for her to do anything about it. Besides…she's already reached her stop. Like yesterday, there are students loitering around, passing away the spare time they have to talk to each other. However, it quickly comes to her attention that they're talking about her.
Jun tries to keep a straight face when she hears them whispering to each other, as though she can't hear them (even though she can). She stops walking when she finds out that they're talking about her online.
"Am I…am I actually online?" She feels her stomach churn unpleasantly at the thought. From the looks of it, it's how everyone learned all about her in such a short amount of time. "How, though?"
She just doesn't know…
…
Jun arrives to her classroom with time to spare. Unsurprisingly, her classmates are gossiping to each other about her. She hears a male classmate of hers commenting on her scent—saying that it's nice. A female classmate jealously brushes it off as perfume that she's bought to attract clients.
Jun almost wants to correct them, but refrains from doing so. She decides to let them talk—they won't believe her anyways. A smile crosses her face when Ann greets her as she walks over to her desk.
"New perfume?" she innocently asks.
"I just took a shower—that's all," Jun simply says.
"Is that so?" Ann reaches out to touch Jun's hair. She frowns when she finds that it's still damp. "Come here—you're gonna get sick at this rate."
Ann opens her schoolbag and dumps the contents onto her desk. She grabs a small red towel out of the mess and uses it to dry Jun's damp hair. She does a very thorough job, leaving Jun's hair in an even fluffier and unruly state when she finishes.
"You're lucky that I take a small towel with me on rainy days," Ann says, laughing afterwards when she sees the results of her work on Jun's hair. It's a cute look, she thinks, though she wonders… "You have a brush?"
"No…" Jun doesn't really bother with that.
Ann blinks a few times and sighs. "Looks like my work is far from done…come closer, Kimura-san—I'm gonna brush your hair."
Jun is a lot more compliant than usual when it comes to Ann, but it's only because she reminds her of her uncles. They're always trying to get her to brush her hair, but really, she can't be bothered unless she wants to. She sighs contently when she feels the brush run through her hair so easily.
Ann is absolutely baffled at how the brush just glides through Jun's hair. "What the hell?!"
It's such an unruly mess and yet…it's a lot softer and tangle-free than it appears. It almost annoys Ann, if only for the amount of effort she puts in every morning when she gets ready for school. But then she gets an idea and pulls out a few hair ties. A wide smile crosses her face when Jun asks her what she's doing.
"You'll see!" she says.
Less than ten minutes later, Ann pulls out a compact mirror and holds it in front of Jun's face so she can see her own reflection. Jun blinks and tentatively touches one of the twin braids draped over her shoulders. Her hair looks a lot neater now…
"What do you think?" Ann smiles widely. "I thought it'd give you a bookish look to match with your glasses!"
Jun just stares at her reflection for a minute…then she walks behind Ann and reaches up to grab one of her ponytails. Ann stops smiling then, wondering what it is that Jun is trying to do. She says nothing when Jun removes the hair tie on her ponytail. Very carefully, she begins to braid her blonde, wavy hair.
"So that's what she's doing…" Ann laughs softly. She decides to let Jun do as she pleases—the glasses-wearing girl isn't causing her any harm. "She's probably returning the favor…"
Ann can respect that…what she can't respect is their gossiping neighbors…
"You think she's teaching her?" The prim girl twirls a lock of her hair around her finger.
"Who's teaching who, though?" Her brown-haired companion asks.
"Working together?" the prim girl suggests. "I wonder if they do that gross lesbian stuff—OW!"
"Shut up, Naoka!" Ann snaps, having just flicked a hair tie at Naoka's forehead. "Look, I don't really care about what people say about me—especially when it's coming from you and Megumi. But leave Kimura-san out of this…and I don't want to ever hear you saying shit like that so casually…do you understand?"
There's an awkward silence that ensues after that, from how scarily quiet Ann's voice had gotten. A small bead of sweat rolls down the side of Naoka's face. She almost seems like she wants to say something, but is too stunned to do so. Even Megumi is at a loss for words.
Jun doesn't say anything either, though it's mostly because she has nothing she wants to say. Words cannot describe her appreciation for Ann's actions. She can't help but smile as she wraps a hair tie around the end of the braid in her hands. She stops for a moment to admire her work, feeling satisfied with how neatly she's braided Ann's hair. She then removes the hair tie from Ann's other ponytail and quickly gets to work on braiding the other half of her blonde hair.
Ann notices this, but pays no particular attention to it. She's still fuming over what Naoka said about her and Jun. Anger flares in her eyes when she hears Megumi whisper to Naoka.
"We better stop—otherwise, we're gonna get in trouble with Kamoshida-sensei," she says.
It pisses Ann off that this is what gets Naoka and Megumi to finally shut up, but she decides not to say anything about it. There's just no point…and even if she did do something, she doubts it'll make a difference.
Sighing, Ann lazily holds up her compact mirror to check on her reflection. Her eyes widen when she sees that Jun has finished braiding her hair and the outcome…looks a lot better than she expected from a girl with unruly hair.
"Wow…nice work, Kimura-san!" Ann looks over shoulder and flashes a smile at Jun.
Jun blinks a few times, her cheeks heating up with a blush. She laughs awkwardly and shyly mutters a "thank you" to Ann. She's happy to hear that Ann likes what she did to her hair, because she wasn't so sure what she would think.
The school bell rings just then, notifying everyone that class has just begun. Jun promptly takes her seat behind Ann and pulls out her notebook from her schoolbag. Within minutes, a middle-aged glasses-wearing man enters the classroom. He looks around the room with a serious expression on his face. He crosses his arms over his chest and starts to speak.
"I'm the social studies teacher, Ushimaru-sensei," he says. "I'll be teaching you the rules of society this year."
Ushimaru takes another look around the classroom. He arches his brow and then uncrosses his arms.
"Hmph…you all look like you've been spoiled growing up." His comment catches Jun by surprise—it's not anything she was expecting. "Before we learn society's rules, maybe I should start with the rules of being a decent human being."
A small bead of sweat rolls down the side of Jun's face when Ushimaru's gaze suddenly falls on her. "Uh-oh…"
"Hey, new kid," he says. "The Greek philosopher Plato divided the human soul into three parts. A soul is composed of appetite, spirit, and what else?"
"It's…" Jun feels her blood run cold. "It's…"
Her mind is completely blank. None of this makes any sense to her. She doesn't know the answer, even though she knows that she should. A part of her wants to admit it so that Ushimaru can ask someone else, but now everyone's staring at her. They're just waiting—waiting for her to screw up.
"We haven't got all day, Kimura—do you know the answer or not?" Ushimaru narrows his eyes.
Jun can feel her eyes stinging with hot tears. "I know I heard that name before—but where?"
It takes her almost a minute, but she manages to come up with something before Ushimaru can call on someone else.
"Logic…?" She sounds somewhat uncertain—likely because she just said the first thing that popped into her head. Of course, Ushimaru doesn't seem to care about that because Jun…
Clap! Clap!
"Correct." Jun got it right, earning herself a couple of claps from Ushimaru as praise. "So you knew that, huh?"
There's this look on Ushimaru's face that shows he wasn't expecting a correct answer from Jun. It almost pisses her off—almost. Instead, she's just relieved and quickly jots down a few notes so that she doesn't forget.
"Plato's teacher, Socrates, said that evil is born from ignorance," Ushimaru continues. "People who've been babied, taught that evil is due to individuality, can only become society's scum."
Astonished whispers and murmurs soon fill the room. Jun is not at all surprised to hear her name being dropped. Her classmates aren't even bothering to hide their shock over how she answered Ushimaru's question correctly. It makes her feel rather awkward, considering that she just guessed.
Then again…guess or not, it still doesn't the fact that she learned something from this. And it's not like anyone knows, either, so she might as well make the most of it. A smile crosses her face as she places a hand behind her head and rolls her neck.
"Bizarre incidents have been occurring frequently," Ushimaru says. "Those are but the actions of such scum. We don't need crude people like that in this school, understand?"
Jun averts her eyes and pretends that Ushimaru wasn't directing that comment at her. She writes it off as a coincidence and goes back to taking notes as Ushimaru continues his lesson.
…
…
The rest of school goes by without any issues. Jun doesn't have much luck finding Ryuuji during lunchtime, so she's hoping to see him after school. She walks out of the classroom once she's packed her things.
"Hey there, Takamaki." That's when she hears him.
Jun holds her bag closely to her chest, her body going still at the mere sight of Kamoshida. She swallows hard and hopes he doesn't see her…but then she notices that he's talking to Ann.
"What the hell?!" She doesn't like this…she doesn't like this at all.
"You looking for a ride home?" he asks her with a smile on his face. "Things have been pretty dangerous lately with all those accidents."
Ann averts her gaze, a frown soon forming on her lips. "Sorry, I have a photoshoot today. It's for the summer issue, so I can't afford to miss it…"
"Hey, now…" Kamoshida frowns. "Being a model's fine and dandy, but don't work your pretty little self to the bone."
Jun feels her stomach churning uncomfortably. There's just something so off about that comment from Kamoshida.
"You mentioned you weren't feeling well, right?" Kamoshida places his hands on his hips. "Something about appendicitis?"
"Yes…" Ann sighs. "I keep planning to go to the hospital, but I've been too busy…sorry to worry you."
"You must be lonely too," Kamoshida suddenly says. "I feel bad for keeping your best friend at practice so often."
Ann goes still as a small bead of sweat rolls down the side of her face. She tries not to seem so shocked, even though she's certain he's noticed.
"That's why I asked you out in the first place," he says. "Oh, and…be careful around that transfer student."
Jun feels her blood run cold. Does he…does he know she's there?
"She's got a criminal record, after all," Kamoshida explains. "And the less said about her compensated dating record, the better…"
"I appreciate the thought, but I can handle myself just fine." Ann bites her lip and starts stroking the ends of one of her braids. She doesn't want to seem so annoyed, even though she is. It just pisses her off that Kamoshida can say that so easily. "…Thanks anyways."
Kamoshida only nods his head. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask—are you trying out a new hairstyle?"
"Ahh!" Ann's eyes go wide.
He reaches out to touch one of Ann's braids. A smile crosses his face as he looks at Ann and says, "It looks good…"
Ann coughs a few times into her hand before batting away Kamoshida's hand. "Please excuse me…but I need to leave."
Ann walks off after that and as soon as she's out of earshot, Kamoshida clicks his tongue and scowls.
"Tch…" He sounds especially angry that Jun tries to back away into her classroom for safety…except she ends up bumping into her blue-haired classmate in the process.
"Hyeeek!" a shriek leaves her mouth before she can stop herself.
And just like that, Kamoshida has his eyes on her. He stares at her for a moment and then clicks tongue again. "Causing trouble, Kimura?"
"S-S-Sorry…" Jun struggles to keep her voice steady. "I didn't mean to…"
"And those braids…" Kamoshida considers it strange that the transfer student has her hair also in braids like Ann… "Did you do them yourself?"
"Takamaki-san actually did them…" the boy behind Jun suddenly says. "Sorry for interrupting, Kamoshida-sensei…"
Kamoshida shakes his head and waves his hand. "You're fine, Mishima—now get going. Remember that the volleyball rally is tomorrow, so you better put in a lot of effort today."
"Yes, sir…" Mishima exhales shakily. "Excuse me…"
Jun moves out of the way to let Mishima walk by. It takes her a moment to realize that with Mishima gone, it's just her and Kamoshida. She bites her lip and tries to pretend that her stomach isn't twisting and turning so uncomfortably.
"So Takamaki did your hair…" A smile tugs at the corner of Kamoshida's mouth as he looks at Jun. "You aren't giving her any trouble, are you?"
"No…" Jun shakes her head. "I would never—not after what's she's done for me."
"Is that so…?" Kamoshida crosses his arms over his chest. "Say…would you be interested in joining the volleyball club? I'm sure it'll do a troublesome student like you some good if you learn some discipline."
Th-Thump!
"N-No thank you." Jun avoids making eye contact with Kamoshida. Something within her head screams at her to get away. It urges her to run, to the point she feels she can't stay around the gym teacher any longer. "I…I gotta go!"
She bolts down the stairs, never once looking back as she makes her way out of Shujin. She's not sure if Kamoshida has tried calling out to her, nor does she care. She just needs to get away. She stops running only once she's made it outside. She stops to catch her breath for a minute and then slowly makes her way down the steps. There, at the gate, she finds Ryuuji waiting for her.
"Yo." He waves his hand at her.
She blinks a few times and then grins. "You waiting to ambush me?"
She's trying to make a joke, but it fails spectacularly when Ryuuji takes her seriously.
"Ambush…?" Right now, Ryuuji reminds Jun of a kicked puppy—in that it makes her feel really bad to see him look so hurt. "C'mon, don't say shit like that."
"I'm sorry…" she says. "I didn't mean it—I was just trying to be funny."
Ryuuji shakes his head. He understands—it was honestly a matter of time before this shit happened. "It's fine—sometimes things like that go over my head, so don't worry about it. Anyways…I wanna talk about that castle from yesterday."
Jun frowns when she recalls yesterday's events. Ryuuji notices this and is quick to give her a few reassuring pats on the head.
"I know it's difficult for you to even think about it, but…we can't just pretend it didn't happen—not when it's all connected to that bastard Kamoshida." Ryuuji will do anything to make that scumbag pay for what he did to them…
Jun exhales shakily. As much as she doesn't want to admit it…Ryuuji is right. It wouldn't do either of them any good to pretend that nothing happened in that castle. It'll just make things worse for the two of them.
"I wanna find out what's up with that place, no matter what." Ryuuji rubs the back of his head awkwardly. "And just so y'know…you're the only person I can rely on for this stuff."
He averts his gaze as a blush tinges his cheeks red. He's not one to say shit like this so casually. It's embarrassing, but…he really meant what he said.
"Are you in, Jun?" he asks.
Jun stares at Ryuuji for a moment before nodding her head. "Sure. What next?"
"Okay!" Ryuuji grins widely as he moves his right arm in a circular motion. "So, uh…I think we should just try and retrace our steps from yesterday. In the meantime…you were headed towards the station, right? Let's go together. Lemme know if you notice any other weird buildings on the way."
…
…
…
A/N Hey everyone, it's been a while and I still don't have a functioning laptop! Also, I lost one of my cats last month, so I've been in a bit of a slump (and the less said about the issues I have with my toxic older sister, the better).
But as of recently, thanks to my laptop still being able to function long enough for me to stream (I don't trust it long enough to write anything on it), I've started up Persona (PSP) and been dragged back into Persona! And if that wasn't enough, then there's the confirmed Persona 5 anime AND THE FUCKING THREE GAMES THAT WERE ANNOUNCED JUST YESTERDAY!
How about that Dancing Star Night and Moon Night? Although, now I have to finish Persona Q because of Q2…ugh, here's to the Inaba Pride Parade owning my ass over and over again. Also, ouch, my wallet—I start school in a few weeks, so if I suddenly like…just stop for a while, then it's because I'm trying harder this time. I have a class I'm retaking because I failed it last year and I'm not too proud about it, but what can you do after you've lost one of your friends partway through the semester and have to deal with a tax training class?
Not much…it's just extremely stressful. Hopefully, this time, things go differently! So have this long chapter on me and let me just say…it would've been longer, but I decided to split it because I was breaking 15k+ words. Anyone who's kept up with the Fanfiction Run has gotten a sneak peek of this chapter out of gratitude, for the support they've given me these past few weeks.
So I like to give a shout-out out to my regulars who were there for the preview (in which my screams could be heard in the background, because I was going through the hell bank with like an hour and a half of progress riding on my back without a safe room in sight): YuukiLilith, gooseoverlord, MitsukiOfNight, Benven99, tibs, ShirakiNagi, Zacheria10, and CraftSpider!
I apologize if I'm missing anyone, but I'd also like to give a special mention to kanji the dragonslayer, HawthornShadow, and again, everyone again for the amount of ideas that were spawned during the stream!
Anyways, this chapter is brought to you by kurobook's quadruple braids comment on Skype and my love for Haru and her sprouts (I did not shut up about them during the Fanfiction Run). Jun is prone to panic attacks, thanks to her anxiety, and she has some PTSD in regards to Kamoshida (I wouldn't blame her).
And as you can see, Ann is a lot more protective of Jun-likely because they have to deal with similar rumors. There's also the fact that they're both mixed, so Ann is especially touchy about anyone making any negative comments about it. There's also the fact that Kamoshida has taken an interest in both of them, though that's only just starting to show through. (Be afraid…be very afraid.)
Anyways, time for some shout-outs!
Reviewer #40: WolfFuryFangFist6
Reviewer #44: droffatsstafford (also, yikes, hope you're feeling better after having those wisdom teeth removed)
Honorable mentions: caitlin . monterroso, SallyStar, Little Shiro-kun, Anonymous Reviewer Lord Kirkleton, Recovery-one, and KageNoYoko
We're almost at 50 reviews now! I can't believe we're almost there so early into the fic! Thank you all so much for taking the time to review!
Oh, and a heads-up—I haven't mentioned it yet as I have on Tumblr, AO3, and the Fanfiction Run, but this is a Polythieves fic! So yeah, expect that to be a thing…eventually. It's gonna take a while, I mean Chie and Yukiko had a lot of build up in Façade in the 50 chapters that used to be there and still haven't had them confirmed just yet outside of that hella gay one-shot I wrote a few moments back. (They were the only ship out of many others in that fic that was on its way of setting sail.)
So I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Please do feel free to leave a review, I do crave feedback and it would really help if you guys would point put any mistakes I might've missed while typing this chapter out on my tablet. So until next time, everyone! KD out! XD