After storming Zenkichi's house, the group made themselves comfortable and at home, and a few of them were making dinner with Akane. "Akane-chan, could you please pass the potatoes?"
"Oh, of course..." Akane was a little thrown off with the company in her home. It wasn't off putting, but she just wasn't used to this.
"Ahaha, you don't have to be formal with us! We can keep it real!" Ann said with a bright smile.
"Keep it...real? Okay, thanks." Akane smiled in turn. She could feel the friendliness coming off of Ann and felt less awkward and nervous.
"Hehe..." Hifumi was watching from the living room with a smile. Ann's way of getting people to open up even a little bit was amazing to her. She wouldn't be sitting here right now if not for that.
"Akane, would you mind helping me cut the carrots?" Yusuke asked.
"Okay, sure." Akane nodded and began to assist Yusuke.
"Here, let me help out too, Akane-chan." Sumire said with a friendly smile, moving to slice the carrots with Yusuke and Akane.
"It looks like they're all getting along in there." Haru said with a smile.
"I guess she's warmin' up to us, huh?" Ryuji had a grin while watching Akane socialize with Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, and Sumire. " I seriously didn't think that could happen when we met her."
"These things take time." Hifumi said while looking over at Ryuji. "The only reason I was able to open up at all was because of Ann. When you're a little lonely, all you really want is some company. At least, that's how I felt at the time. I do not think it was so different for her."
"She's a good kid, too." Ren added.
Sophia then chimed in from Ren's phone, since Sumire was busy cooking. "I can no longer sit idly by. I want to help too! Oh, I've got it! I'll look up an award winning recipe and...!"
"Chill your circuits, Sophia." Futaba said with a small laugh. "The curry always tastes good when you make it together with someone. We're totally gonna blow her mind with the taste of this stuff!"
"Is that so?" Sophia pondered.
Meanwhile, Zenkichi was grumbling about the situation. "I can't believe you've all raided my house like this! You guys have some serious nerve...!"
"It was always going to end this way." Akechi remarked quietly.
"Although...I can't remember the last time this place felt so alive." While he was annoyed at the audacity of these damned kids, the fact his house felt so...lively was not something he disliked. It was nice. Zenkichi couldn't help but smile a little bit.
There was a question on Ryuji's mind. One he couldn't exactly leave alone, so he turned to Zenkichi curiously. "Hey, uh Gramps? You don't gotta answer if you don't want to, but...what happened with Akane's mom?"
Zenkichi let out a small noise. It seemed like he wasn't going to answer at first... "Vehicular manslaughter. A hit and run."
The air was silent for a moment, but Akane's words and actions did make a lot of sense with that context. "So that's what she meant...she said something about the killer too, right? They ever get caught?" Ryuji asked.
"No case was ever pursued. Any suspect is way out of my reach." Zenkichi's expression turned bitter and sour.
"...Out of your reach?" The phrasing did click with Hifumi. She knew hit and run incidents could often be difficult to track, but it sounded like Zenkichi's eyes were on someone...but the only thing he could do was look helplessly.
"..." Akechi was just silent while looking on his phone. But he was listening in on the conversation and his prior experiences allowed him to piece together the picture.
"It's none of your concern." Zenkichi said firmly, putting a pin in the conversation then and there.
"Sure, but..." Ryuji felt bad leaving it like that.
"It's okay, Ryuji. We should leave it alone." Hifumi said with a small smile.
"Hey, Ren," Makoto called from the kitchen. "Would you help put the finishing touches on this?"
Hearing the call, he had to answer. "No problem." Ren stood up and went over to help the others.
"Off to work! It better be worth the hassle of you invading my house." Zenkichi also appreciated this shift in conversation topic.
Just a bit later and dinner was finished and served. Everyone took their seats and dined on the delicious curry. "Mmm, it's so good, ugh!" Ann was already in heaven. "The vegetables from Kyoto make curry amazing!"
"Oh, lemme try, lemme try!" Futaba said excitedly while having a bit. Her eyes widened from the taste. While nothing would be Sojiro's curry in her eyes, this new taste was an eye opening experience. "Hmmm!? I'll have to report this back to Sojiro!"
"How is it?" Ren turned to Akechi curiously, since he was quiet the whole time.
"I can't say it's bad." Akechi replied.
"Would a little honesty kill you?" Hifumi tilted her head, spoon in her mouth.
"If only." Akechi replied dryly.
"..." Yusuke said nothing. But his eyes were watering, presumably because of the taste.
"Yeah, I knew he'd lose it." Ryuji saw this coming.
"He was already crying when we put the vegetables in." Sumire pointed out.
"Curry that moves diners to tears? I wish I could try it..." Sophia chimed in, feeling a little left out due to her incorporeal state.
"How would that even work...?" Ryuji asked.
"I want some too, but it's still too hot..." Morgana sighed. The sensitive tongue of a feline would fare terribly with hot curry.
"Don't worry, Morgana, we'll save some for you too." Makoto reassured the cat.
"I'm quite jealous of you, Meowgana." Sophia said.
"Mewogana!?" Morgana groaned.
All Akane could hear was a voice, and the cat they brought along making a lot of noise for some reason. Naturally, due to being out of the loop, she was very confused about this. "Who are you talking to...?" Everyone's eyes widened at the stark reminder.
"M-Myself!" Makoto hastily replied, laughing nervously as she tried to move the subject along. "Anyway, how's our curry, Akane-chan? Do you like it?"
Akane took a bite of the curry since she had yet to. Zenkichi was watching with bated breath... "Is it good, Akane...?"
After that single bite, Akane's eyes widened. "...! Ish Delicoush!" She smiled while eating a little more and more.
"Good! I'm glad...!" Zenkichi was relieved. He couldn't remember the last time he saw Akane enjoying a meal. So now, he could eat to. It was good. These kids knew their stuff.
"We better keep our mouths shut, Sophia..." Morgana said.
"Aw, man..." Sophia pouted.
Dinner went by without a hitch. Everyone enjoyed the meal and most of them were satisfied after one plate. Yusuke and Futaba were quickly heading toward the kitchen to get another helping. "Oh man, this stuff is the best! I could eat this all day!"
"Not today, Futaba!" Yusuke objected with his heart and soul. "I'm getting another helping first!" That sting from a few days ago remained with Yusuke, and he wasn't going to allow Futaba to rob him of a second helping a second time!
"Come on, you guys..." Hifumi let out a small sigh.
"All right, break it up. There's still more than enough to go around." Makoto shook her head at the bickering.
"It really is good. Do you think I could make it by myself?" Akane spoke with hopeful eyes. This was the first real meal she's had in quite some time and...she really liked it.
"Yeah, I think you can pretty easily." Ren said.
"I agree, you're very quick to learn." Makoto added. "You'll be a curry master in no time."
"Thanks! I'll do my best!" Akane was beaming.
"...Everyone this group touches gets addicted to curry..." Akechi rolled his eyes. It was like an infection.
"Oh, I've got an idea!" Ann beamed. "Wanna take a bath later, Akane-chan?"
"Huh? A bath?" Akane looked at Ann, confused. A bath...with other girls?
"That's the best way for us girls to get to know each other better! I can teach you all the super-secret model secrets to glowing skin!" Ann had a friendly tone.
"Really?! That'd be great!" Akane was into the idea now. Glowing skin? She'd take it!
"I'd like to learn too! May I join you?" Haru spoke up.
"That does sound nice..." Sumire also said.
Zenkichi had to say something. More than one person already felt like pushing it! "C'mon, how big do you think the bathroom is in here!?" Big enough, honestly. But the assumptions they were making about it bothered him. Regardless, Ann, Haru, Sumire, and Akane went to go take a bath together. So the others just stayed back in the living room. "You guys really saved my ass back there. The place may be cramped, but its yours for the night."
"I'm glad it all worked out...we're having a good time too." Ren said with a smile.
"Who the hell'd ever guess the Phantom Thieves are a buncha softies..." Zenkichi could hardly believe it himself. Did this make his job any easier? Not exactly. These kids...they were good kids. Part of him hoped they wouldn't be; that would make the failsafe of this current case much easier.
"If someone is suffering, it's only right to provide aid when possible." Yusuke said.
"Yeah, we know what we gotta do." Ryuji added.
"Help the weak and crush the strong! that's the Phantom Thieves way, and always will be!" Morgana said with pride.
"Sometimes we are the only one who can help." Hifumi said, hands in her lap. "I don't want anyone to deal with unnecessary hardships if I can help it."
"And we never forget when someone provides us with food. Or a roof." Yusuke said.
"...I believe that is just you." Hifumi said while shaking her head.
"It is just him." Akechi said.
"Oh really?" Zenkichi quirked a brow. "At any rate, I still wanted to thank you guys properly. It's been a long time since I've seen Akane so happy."
"..." Ryuji had an awkward question on his mind. "So, Gramps...about what we were sayin' earlier..."
Zenkichi yawned. "Ah...wow...long day of driving catchin' up to me. You were sayin' Sakamoto?"
Ryuji could take the hint. Either Zenkichi was intentionally doing this, or it was just a poorly timed coincidence. Regardless, he could see that there was no point pursuing his question. "Ah, it's nothin'."
"Sorry, but I gotta hit the hay. Would you guys mind handing out with Akane in her room for a little bit? I, uh...I think all of you can fit in there." Zenkichi was doing a mental headcount for those currently not present. "She's into some online thing lately. Something to do with a show about her faves...? Clearly, I don't know anything about it, but I'm sure she'd be happy to share it with you."
"Copy that!" Futaba nodded. "Hear that, Ren? We've accepted a mission!"
.
Once the girls were out of the bath, they all went to Akane's room. Akechi had to be dragged along since he couldn't afford to be the odd man out. But when they arrived at Akane's room, the sight before them was utterly shocking. "W-W-What...!?" Futaba's eyes were wide.
"Good God!" Yusuke couldn't help but exclaim.
"What in the..." Even Akechi was at a loss for words.
Akane's room was covered in Phantom Thief merchandise. From posters, to figures, to various other bits of merch. Her room was even tailored to the color pallete of the Phantom Thieves; red and black! Akane was a little nervous showing her room to other people, let alone a group this large. "So, this is my room, and...yeah..."
"Is this all Phantom Thieves merch...?" Ann's jaw dropped.
"I-I know they had costumes, but somehow...all of this is more surprising..." Hifumi was a little quiet, trying not to embarass Akane.
"i didn't even know they made this much stuff, though!" Ryuji said.
"Well, uh, they are real famous, ya know!" Futaba was speaking quickly. "I'm pretty sure some of these were only posted on super-obscure websites, too...!"
"There are even some handmade ones..." Haru was surprised, but also impressed.
Akane expected this reaction. "I know...it's lame, isn't it?"
"N-No, that's not it, Akane-chan!" Makoto was quick to shake her head. "You're into the Phantom Thieves, yeah?"
"Huh? Well, uh...yeah..." Akane said sheepishly. At that moment, Makoto turned and gave veryone a charged expression. There was only one answer going forward.
"How neat...! It looks like we're all the same...!" Haru said.
Akane's eyes widened. "HUH!? You mean...you're...!"
"Uh, yuuuuup!" Ryuji said with a somewhat nervous smile. "We're huge Phantom Thieves fans!"
"T-That is right! We are super fans!" Sumire hastily said.
"Right, right!" Ann said while taking Hifumi's hand and lifting it into the air, laughing nervously. "We looooooove the Phantom Thieves! Go, go, Phantom Thieves! Change their hearts and all that stuff!"
"Y-Yes! We are always rooting for the Phantom Thieves!" Hifumi said with a sheepish and nervous smile.
Haru then nudged Akechi with her elbow, practically jabbing him with it in the side. She knew he'd be the only one not to say anything and she wouldn't allow that. "Ngh...! Go...go...Phantom Thieves..." It killed him on the inside to say it like this. But he read the room; he knew saying nothing or anything else was the wrong option.
"Phantom Thieves for life." Ren said with an excited nod.
"I'm so glad to hear you're all fans of them!" Akane felt very validated in this moment. "I'm into the Phantom Thieves because they seem like the only ones changing this crappy world for the better. They're not just fighting with their lives to save people in trouble - they inspire people to be stronger, too! They've got about ten or eleven members, but their identities are still a mystery...from the footage gathered online, they all seem so cool! I can't help but wonder who they really are! Even that Phan-Site has been active again since they resurfaced!"
"She certainly knows her stuff..." Sumire was pretty shocked that Akane was such a superfan of the Phantom Thieves. Sure, she learned and experienced that the Phantom Thieves wanted to help those who couldn't help themselves, but to think their message reached out this far to someone like her.
"I thought Mishima-kun got rid of that site..." Makoto mumbled.
"Oh, no...he's been blowing my phone up every time we made a move..." Ren whispered with a sweat drop. "Obliviously, I haven't said anything..."
Akane turned to her figures. "Especially the one in the middle...I think he's the leader - that's what everyone says online. He's so mysterious...and dreamy..." Was she swooning?
"Ah-" Ren coughed a few times, caught off guard by that comment. "I-Is that so?"
"Eh!?" Sumire blinked several times.
"Oh-? Oh..." Ryuji caught on instantly.
"..." Akechi said nothing, but he was definitely biting back a sarcastic remark. "...I don't think all of them are actually Phantom Thieves..." Was instead the very quiet comment he decided to say instead.
"You are a big fan of the Phantom Thieves, aren't you?" Hifumi had a soft smile on her lips. "Me too. They even helped me once!"
"Really? That's so cool!" Akane looked to Hifumi with shining eyes, and then immediately felt embarrassed because she realized she had been rambling. "Ah, sorry! I didn't mean to ramble like that..." She got so carried away and that's never happened before!
Haru giggled in response. "It's no problem at all. I'd love to hear more about the Phantom Thieves."
"Great!" Akane's expression lit up. "Oh you know...hahaha, your hair styles sorta do remind me of the Phantom Thieves, too! And your numbers match..." Everyone stiffened up, briefly, but that was as far as it went. "Oh! You know...maybe I could let you in on the show..."
"Hmm? What show?" Ann tilted her head.
"It's a live stream that's sort of...all about the Phantom Thieves." Akane said sheepishly.
"Oh, how interesting...!" Makoto said.
"Y-Yep! Sounds like a great show!" Haru nodded quickly, even if she wasn't entirely sure what Akane was referring to.
"Okay, just give me a second! It's almost time!" Akane said excitedly.
"Give her a second...?" Sumire looked to the others. They weren't sure what Akane meant, but they all decided to take a seat and get comfortable.
After a few minutes, Akane got everything situated. She grabbed the Joker figure and sat in front of her laptop, the stream now beginning. After clearing her throat, she began. "Hmph! It's been some time since we last met, fellow Phantom Phreaks! Let us enjoy our time together tonight, Phantom Thieves superfans across the world! Hmph!" That tone...
"She mentioned a stream, but I didn't know she was the streamer!" Ann whispered to the others.
"Whaaa...it's like a totally different personality!" Futaba was stunned.
"So THIS is the online thing she's into!?" Ryuji was shocked.
"Seems like it. Although..." Akechi furrowed his brows a bit. Akane's tone of voice...it reminded him of...
"I think she's doing the voice for that action figure...?" Haru tilted her head.
"Is she...copying you...?" Morgana was withholding a snicker.
"Hmph!" Ren said, bringing his Joker tone into the question. He had to give Akane's imitation a comparison!
"...She's very good with that." Sumire said.
"Whoa, pretty close!" Futaba said.
"Dude...he IS him..." Ryuji rolled his eyes.
"Hmph!" Akane continued. "It is time to express our gratitude for the Phantom Thieves from the bottom of our hearts!"
Yusuke's eyes wandered to Akane's subscriber count, and the amount caught him by surprise. "Her account has over 50,000 subscribers!?"
"That's easily a mid-tier account. I'd be she's pulling in a decent income from this." Futaba stated.
"Is this how she makes money for herself...?!" Hifumi was floored. Talk about being independent.
"I think she might be the biggest fan of the Phantom Thieves we've ever come across..." Ann whispered. It was pretty cute...and a stark reminder of what they were doing to people.
"Let us welcome the return of the Phantom Thieves with open arms! Hahahaha!" Akane's laugh was infectious as well.
"She really acts the part..." Yusuke watched with awe.
"Maybe she's just in an extra good mood? Her dad did come home today." Ann mentioned.
"She does remind me a lot of myself when my dad came home." Makoto said with a nostalgic smile.
"Really, you streamed like this, too?" Ryuji turned to Makoto. "What'd you call it? Fist of the Phantom Channel?"
Makoto narrowed her eyes at Ryuji. "Do you really want to find out?"
Successfully intimidated, Ryuji shook his head. "No, no, no. no! Sorry, sorry!"
After a little while, Akane's stream wrapped up and she turned to the others. "So...that's basically what an episode's like."
"That was great!" Haru said while clasping her hands together. "You're an excellent showrunner. Spectators seemed really into it, too."
"Oh, thanks..." Akane said with a bashful smile. "I've been doing this since the Phantom Thieves first popped up last year..."
"Kids these days are so impressive." Ann said with wide eyes.
"Okay, Grandma." Futaba rolled her eyes.
"What does that make me, then?" Hifumi blinked. If Ann was a Grandma...!?
"I admit my grades are kind of slipping. I should probably scale back the live streams for a bit..." Akane admitted. "Especially with high school entrance exams coming up soon."
"In that case, would you like some help studying?" Makoto offered.
"R-Really?" Akane looked to Makoto hopefully.
"Of course! Would anyone mind?" Makoto looked to the others.
"It's not as if we're in a rush." Akechi shrugged.
.
Everyone returned to the living room. Makoto and Hifumi were sitting at the table near the kitchen, helping Akane with her math work. The others were sitting in the living room, chatting and watching. "Thank goodness they offered to do this. I don't think we would've been any help..."
"They weren't exactly falling over themselves to ask us either..." Ryuji mumbled.
"I don't mean to be rude, Ryuji-senpai, but you and Ann-senpai haven't set good academic examples..." Sumire scratched her cheek sheepishly. They flunked their exams after all.
"...Fair..." Ryuji couldn't argue that. Ann accepted this fact already.
"Thank you so much for doing this for me." Akane had to express her gratitude for all the help and just the fun time as well.
"Oh, it's the least we could do." Makoto replied. "To make up for the last minute intrusion and all."
"I know it was probably very sudden..." Hifumi gave a soft smile.
"I'm glad you did." Akane admitted. "It's been a long time since I hung out with someone..."
"What about your friends?" Makoto asked.
"Well...I grew up in Tokyo, so I don't really have any friends here." Akane's gaze lowered a bit.
"Hm...?" Hifumi tilted her head. "I thought Hasegawa-san was apart of the Kyoto police?"
"After mom's accident, he transferred here from Tokto." Akane explained. "He said it's because my gandparents live here."
"He seems like a good dad." Makoto said gently. "He probably just didn't want you to feel alone."
"Yeah, that's not it." Akane's tone was sharp. "He just wants to blow me off and go get drunk every night. Now just that. Mom was murdered, and he won't...!" She caught herself. The air got tense and she glanced off to the side, ashamed of her own outburst. She didn't want to burden her new friends with this information.
"It's alright...you've been through so much, Akane-chan..." Makoto said with a reassuring smile.
"It's just...I've been so depressed since Mom died..." Akane frowned as she spoke. "I wasn't having fun with stuff like I used to. Before I even knew it, all my friends had ditched me. But nowadays, I'm doing a lot better thanks to me subscribers! But...when I'm not streaming, I still...I still get really lonely."
"..." Hifumi was silent. The pain of losing a parent was one she knew too well. It was still a fresh wound for her as well, but Akane was so much younger than her as well.
"I lost my mother when I was young too..." Makoto said, and Akane looked at her in surprise. "My father was a police officer as well. He would always be home so late, if at all. But one day, he was struck by a vehicle and lost his life. I had so many regrets at that point. I especially wished I'd shared more time with my father. He had worked so our family and the public, and I never thanked him at all for it. Just thought over and over 'there's so much I wish I could say'. I know it's not my place to speak on your father and your relationship, but even still, I wish you could find a way to not blame your father for his work." Makoto was still a little lucky compared to Akane. In the end, Makoto had Sae, and even though their relationship had a rough patch during those years, they still had each other. Akane...didn't have anyone...
"But he...!" Akane objected. "...S-Sorry, it's nothing."
"You can tell us, Akane-chan..." Hifumi said warmly.
"...I saw him." Akane said after some lingering silence. "I saw the man that ran Mom over." When she said this, everyone's eyes widened. "But they never arrested him. His secretary left behind some suicide note. Appearently it said 'I'm the one who ran over that woman'."
"Secretary...?" Akechi tilted his head.
"That doesn't...! If the police had an eye witness, they'd never make such a huge error on their investigation." Makoto shook her head. How could someone escape the law like that-!?
"...I doubt it was an error." Akechi said quietly. He'd seen this before. The police refusing to go after someone who clearly had an eye witness to their crime? There was only one situation that called for that...
"That's what he said, at first. Eventually, he gave up on it too." Akane was fighting back some tears. The frustration of not being heard despite seeing it... "Him and the rest of the police - none of them lisened to me. And I told them so many times! Why!? Because I'm just some kid!? The guy who killed my mom is still out there! He doesn't care about Mom anymore. He doesn't care about me! I know he's just trying to find the next woman so he can get on with his lie. I know he thinks I'm just in the way. I wish anyone but him was my father!"
"That's enough." Hifumi placed her hands on the table and stood up a bit. She felt for Akane, she truly did. But she couldn't listen as she spoke so badly of her own father. There were reasons, yes...but... "I know you're hurting...I know you're lonely...I know exactly how you feel. I lost my father...very recently."
"Ah...?" Akane blinked. Hifumi had a tone she wasn't expecting from such a soft spoken person! It startled her a little.
"Fumi..." Ann frowned. This was the first time Hifumi ever brought it up since it happened.
"For a long time, even before then...I was hurting and I was lonely. It still hurts, even." Hifumi said. "Like Makoto said, there's more I wish I could have said or done, but most importantly...you cannot take him for granted! I don't know what he's thinking all the time, but I can tell he cares so much about you. If something happened to him, would you really be able to say these same things? That you don't want him as your father? That you think you're just in the way? I know it may seem like he doesn't care, but I can assure you, absolutely nobody wants to lose someone they love and cherish so dearly."
"W-Well, that's..." Akane wasn't sure how to respond to that.
Hifumi stared at Akane for a bit before sitting back down, ashamed of her outburst. It was still a fresh wound for her... "I...I'm sorry, Akane-chan, I didn't mean to say things like that. I just...I remember someone telling me something once. She said...don't leave things unsaid. He's your father...and I can tell that he is a good man at the end of the day. He helped a lost boy reunite with his mother, and he has been a big help to us as well. I know it may be presumptuous of me, and I hope you can forgive me for it...but do not push him away. You won't feel better. You'll miss him." She rubbed her arm, sheepishly glancing away. She let her emotions get the best of her there. Akane was just young and she was valid in her emotions, but Hifumi did not want someone so young to experience such pain and hardship. She knew Makoto felt the same way...that's why they wanted to talk to her together.
"...Don't...leave things unsaid...?" Akane repeated, looking up to Hifumi. "What if I have nothing nice to say...?" She sniffled.
"If you tell him everything, he will listen. Because that's what father's do. They always listen, even if you aren't saying anything..." Hifumi said with a soft smile. Akane's sniffling soon turned into sobbing and crying. "A-Ah...! I went too far, didn't I? I apologize...!"
"W-We just wanted to help...!" Makoto panicked.
"N-No, that's not it...!" Akane shook her head while crying. "M-My mo- my mom, she...!"
"We...didn't mean to do this to you..." Hifumi felt bad, but at the same time, she hoped their words got through to Akane. They had to stand up for Zenkichi. Even if they didn't know the truth behind the whole situation concerning the deceased wife and mother, they saw for their own eyes what kind of person he was. Zenkichi was a good man. Akane was a lonely, sad child still grieving. She just...needed someone to talk to.
"You can talk to us at any time if you need us, okay?" Makoto said quietly.
"O-Okay..." Akane nodded while rubbing at her eyes.
"..." Ryuji let out a sigh.
"..." Futaba sniffled.
"...Why is Akane crying...? Is she in pain...?" Sophia asked. She didn't understand the situation, she could only sense that the mood was heavy.
"It's...hard to explain..." Sumire bit her lip, feeling the tears well up.
"...You'll get it one day..." Ren answered. It was the best answer he could give.
"Okay...I've got it." Sophia didn't understand. But she would, one day...
"Akane-chan..." Haru frowned.
"Thank goodness those two were here..." Morgana said.
"That poor girl..." Yusuke glanced down.
"Oh, Fumi...I know it still hurt, huh..." Ann glanced at Hifumi. She always had the suspicion that Hifumi was still in pain from her father's passing months ago. It was no wonder she looked so tense whenever Akane badmouthed Zenkichi...
"Both Akane and Gramps are really torn up inside." Ryuji sighed.
"...We ought to get to bed. We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow." Morgana said.
"Yeah...my heart's all warm and fuzzy after that! I'm gonna sleep like a baby!" Futaba said with a soft smile.
"...I know it isn't any of my business...but the truth behind that accident. I wonder..." Akechi was going to be stuck thinking about this for a while. He could already tell the real culprit was high on the proverbial food chain, but...
Zenkichi wasn't asleep. He heard everything...but the conversation was not one he expected. All he could do was quietly sigh about it all. Only he knew the truth, but even then... "...Those kids..."
