Disclaimer:

I do not own the story and the concepts represented in the fiction written. This fiction and all Persona-related fictions belong to Atlus, the fantastic company that created the games.

Author's Note:

Hey guys, many apologies for posting this chapter much later than usual. My job sent me to leadership school which was its own set of ordeals. I don't think I've ever been so stressed - ok, maybe I can - and I juggle school and work. Seriously, I have gray hairs now. Anyways, this chapter continues off chapter (5) and is in the present. It's more of a cool-down before things begin to progress. As always please favorite, follow, and review. Also, any feedback is highly appreciated.

Comments to Reviews:

9698674: I apologize for the late post. Don't worry; it is my personal goal to complete this story. Ideally, by the end of the year but no promises there. Thank you for your review and support.

rebfan90: Thank you! I love Haru too, aka the best girl!

Prince of underbrush: I know right! I wish I joined a club that took me out to eat and the movies; especially if someone like Haru was hosting it.

KingPlotBunny: Honestly, if I met a girl who enjoyed carnage like Haru, I don't know if I'd find it cute or scary. Also, thanks for noticing the quirks in Akira's personality. The balancing act of his personas is a significant story element. Lastly, yes! If I were Akira, I'd make everyone get a job!

Erelia: I'm glad you enjoyed the interactions between Akira and Haru. My goal is for their relationship to be realistic given their circumstances. Also, yes, I tend to overthink and overstress about various things - story included. It's a work in progress, learning to - as my friends have put it - cruise instead of a sprint. Thank you for your kind words and support.

After

11/26

His mind worked at a feverous pace, conjuring excuses and explanations. Walking down the roof with Haru felt more like marching to his execution than a walk with his friends. And Morgana, acting as their guide, was reminiscent of the guard leading them to their ultimate demise.

Well, Akira thought, sparing a glance at Haru. At least I can say my final moments weren't too bad.

Haru caught his glance and smiled nervously in return, no doubt still reeling from their brazen act on the roof. Their hands touched, and they maintained physical contact to relish each other's warmth.

Once reaching the school entrance, where Ryuji and Ann were waiting, Akira and Haru's hands returned to their respective sides.

"Finally," Ann proclaimed. "Haru, where have you been?"

"Yeah!" Ryuji chimed. "We looked everywhere for you and Akira. Y'know, after he went AWOL and all."

"Oh, that too!" Ann pointed a manicured finger at Akira. "What the heck was with your disappearing act?"

Akira's mind went blank, faced with his friends' wrath. Thankfully, Haru handled their inquiries.

"I'm sorry," she said, bowing slightly. "Akira found me sleeping on the school roof. I haven't been sleeping well, so it was hard for him to wake me."

Concern immediately came over Ann's face. "You haven't? Why? Is the bed at my place not comfy?"

"No, no," Haru affirmed. "The sleeping accommodations are excellent…it's just…reasons."

"Wha – oh."

A somber air fell upon the group at Haru's lie.

Wait, Akira thought. Was it a lie?

Glancing at Haru from the corner of his eyes, Akira realized that he couldn't tell.

"Well, I'm glad you're ok," Ann said. She pulled out her smartphone and began pressing away while keeping her concerned gaze on Haru. "Makoto's on a manhunt for you guys. I'm telling herwe found you, so she'll be here soon."

"Good," Akira acknowledged.

"So," Ryuji piped up, "what do you say about going to that bastard's palace and doin' some work!"

"Hey, not so loud," Ann hissed. "But, yeah, he's right. I don't have anything to do today, so I'm ok with it."

"I think that's a great idea," Haru agreed, clapping her hands together. "The cruise ship did appear exceptionally large. Making headway early on is sure to benefit us."

Akira rolled his eyes in Haru's direction, maintaining his calm façade while keeping his confusion and worry hidden. Was she up to the task, considering everything that was going on in her life? Sure, Akira was no stranger to juggling bothersome life complications and his duties to the team. Still, his worries felt like pebbles compared to the mountain Haru was shouldering.

Still, if Haru seemed able – after today's nuttiness –he couldn't disagree.

"Sure," he began. "Today, let's –"

"Sushi," inputted Morgana.

Akira stared at the cat. The cat stared back with an evil twinkle in his eyes. Akira glanced at Haru, frozen as if under a spotlight.

"Sushi," Akira said with a sigh. "Today, let's take a break and get some sushi."

Akira refused to meet anyone's gaze or secretly acknowledged that his roommate of a cat was blackmailing him.

O

Though it took some convincing, mostly swaying Makoto to the idea, everyone was on the sushi train. Yusuke did voice his confusion over the matter on the phone but agreed to meet everyone at the establishment. Futaba agreed – as long as someone escorted her from Leblanc. And Morgana, Akira's favorite cat of late, volunteered him because why not?

The train to Yongen-Jay was packed, but Akira found an open seat, secluded from others.

Morgana popped his head from Akira's bag. "Akira, start talking."

"Hmm?"

"Don't hmm me. Talk, explain! My innocent eyes have been distorted. I wouldn't be surprised if a palace popped out of them from this!"

A palace sounds more tolerable than another interrogation, Akira thought.

"Where do I begin?"

"At the beginning, of course! Like when you and Haru get close enough to do that! On the rooftop of all places! Haven't I taught you better as a gentleman? Is this my fault?"

To anyone else, Akira wondered if Morgana's frantic talking sounded like agitated meows. Focusing on Morgana, however, Akira said, "I don't know."

Morgana narrowed his eyes. "Explain."

Akira sighed. "One day, she came over to Leblanc when it was raining. After hours, Sojiro was gone, and you were sleeping upstairs."

"Oh, sweet Zorro, don't tell me you did something downstairs where people eat."

"What? No!" Akira hissed. "Stop assuming and listen. She was upset that day and didn't want to talk about it. I went upstairs to get her some towels because she was dripping wet, but then she followed me up, and…things escalated."

Morgana stared at Akira impassively, processing the information. "Things…escalated?"

Akira nodded.

"Upstairs?"

Akira nodded again, albeit slowly.

"Where I was sleeping!?"

"I-if it makes you feel better, I moved you off the bed and onto the couch."

"IT DOESN'T!"

This time Akira was confident that Morgana's meows were heard throughout the train. Luckily it was his stop, and he speedily exited the train onto Yongen-Jay. Akira glanced at Morgana and saw murder in the cat's eye.

"How long have you and Haru done this for!"

Akira whined at Morgana's yelling. "A few months, I guess."

"You guess, YOU GUESS! Argh! I don't know what's more disturbing. The fact no one noticed until now or that you and your girlfriend have done this where I sleep!"

Akira stopped mid-step after Morgana's rant. Girlfriend, he thought. He and Haru didn't have that sort of relationship. They were closer than friends. He didn't express that level of affection to anyone else. Otherwise, he'd be intimate with all of his female confidants, a truly frightening thought. But he and Haru weren't romantically involved, at least not in the traditional sense.

That begged the question that Akira had considered but never given enough thought to. What were they to one another?

It felt as if they had tippy-toed around that particular train of thought. The realization was as distressing as it was saddening.

"Akira."

A hand flashed across Akira's vision. Brown eyes behind thin-rimmed glasses stared at him in concern: Futaba.

"Hey, you ok? I could hear kitty all the way from outside the café. What's wrong?"

Akira shallowed, swapped his current persona to Koumokuten, and smiled as convincingly as he could. "Nothing, we were talking about who's paying for sushi tonight."

"What that isn't –"

"After some convincing," Akira continued, interrupting Morgana, "I decided that it should be my treat, right Morgana."

Said feline grumbled a little, then reluctantly agreed. "Yep, that's it exactly. I think we deserve something special from our honest, trusting, bed-hogging leader."

Damn it, Morgana, Akira thought.

Thankfully for the raven-haired youth, Futaba shook her head at them and didn't press the issue. "You guys are acting weird, But whatever. Free sushi, let's go!"

O

Everyone was seated by the time Akira, Morgana, and Futaba arrived. The gang had chosen booths to the back instead of their usual spots by the entrance – no doubt, Akira's current status as a fugitive was why. They sat separately in two booths. The girls shared the one furthest away, with Makoto and Haru sitting across from Ann. The guys were in the closer of the two, Ryuji and Yusuke sitting across from each other.

As Akira approached, alongside Morgana and Futaba, he eyed the small hallway behind the girl's booth that led to the bathrooms and the emergency exit. The chances were low that they'd need such a means of escape, but the team's foresight pleased him immensely. They were as cautious in reality as they were in the Metaverse.

"Hey, guys! We've been waiting forever," Ryuji hollered.

Akira quickly amended his previous thoughts on the team's cautiousness to exclude the blond youth. Ryuji was more of the muscle of the group, alongside Makoto, of course.

"Hey, don't lump me with these guys," Futaba grumbled, sliding in next to Ann and completing the odd rift between the sexes.

Akira sat beside Yusuke, placing his school bag with Morgana under the table. "Anything…happen while we were away."

"Nah," Ryuji said, leaning back to stretch. "Girls just got sensitive cuz –"

A fist impacted the base of his head before he could finish. The fist belonged to a furious Ann.

"Sensitive! You don't know when to shut up." Ann's angry gaze turned toward Akira. "Listen to this. While waiting for our drinks, Yusuke starts talking about his art. Y'know, like he always does. The problem is that he starts talking in too much detail about his latest passion: naked people!"

"But Ann-san, even you cannot deny the beauty of the human form laid bare!"

"Zip it! Anyway, what does Ryuji do? He keeps egging the guy on, asking him for details to piss me off!"

"It got old really fast," Makoto said, her brownish-red eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Yes," Haru added. "Even I couldn't tolerate the vulgarity of the conversation."

How can she say that after some of the things we've done? Akira thought in dismay.

Akira felt his throat constrict from the memories of him and Haru on the rooftop flooding his mind, and he coughed uncontrollably. Tears began to pool at the corners of his eyes from his coughing fit. It became so distressing that Yusuke smacked the back of his head. Akira imagined that Yusuke meant to slap his back as mothers do to their children. Still, he appreciated the gesture all the same.

"Dude, you alright?"

It was Ryuji who asked him. Akira realized that everyone's eyes were trained on him in alarm, including Morgana underneath the table. Akira met their faces but stopped before Haru's. For some reason, it was difficult to meet her eyes.

"I'm alright," Akira said. "My mouth's dry. Probably…choked on my spit or something."

"Don't forget to hydrate," Makoto scolded. "I'll share my water when the waitress returns."

"Hey, when is that waitress coming back anyway?" Futaba grumbled. "I want a Green Earl."

Ann gave the bespectacled girl a warily look. "Ew, that stuff is so bitter."

"Well, not everyone can do a hundred percent sugar diet like you!"

"Akira-san, if you have another one of these fits, I will gladly assist you as I have," said Yusuke.

"Dude," Ryuji said, face-palming, "You're supposed to tap his back, not the back of his head. Heck, you smacked his head!"

And so, the bickering and nonsense commenced, and the group's typical shenanigans ensured. Nothing out of the ordinary, but – casting a wary glance at the Empress – Akira wondered if something dark lurked underneath the moment of peace.