3/31, Thurs

After School - Kosei Academy

"Kitagawa-Kun?"

"Oh, Sensei, how may I help you?"

Smiling lightly as he turned to face his homeroom teacher, Yusuke bowed lightly as he acknowledged his presence, and all the while, the older man smiled lightly before responding.

By all accounts, Yusuke wasn't even supposed to be here; two days prior, Akatsuki and Haru had sent him a letter of medical leave that more or less exempted him from normal classes for about half a week to allow him to recover, physically and emotionally, but even so, Kitagawa, as per usual, could not help himself, and he had come to the Art Studio to do some painting to pass his time. Technically speaking, the Art Studios in Kosei were always open to those in the school's art division, and as such, the young painter could come and go from it whenever he pleased, even outside of classes, so the medical leave didn't do much to stop him from being here.

Bless these absurd loopholes.

Either way, Yusuke, who was initially painting a simple sketch by his lonesome, turned to spot his homeroom teacher walking up to him, and after a quick greeting, he spoke to his student in an awkward tone of voice.

"There seem to be two individuals looking for you by the gates. I believe they are going by the names of Okumura and Mixta? The former has me somewhat worried… you did not find yourself in any trouble with the Okumuras, r-right?" stated the teacher, and to this, Yusuke perked up a little. Akatsuki and Haru… here? In Kosei? Huh… it sounded like heaven, and with a smile, he nodded his head at this.

"Trouble…? Oh, goodness no, Sensei! Please, let them in. They are my friends!" responded Yusuke, with him clasping his hands together as he spoke. To this, the homeroom teacher blinked in surprise. He didn't mean this in a bad way, but he was just bemused to know that his student had made a friend or two… both from Shujin no less, but even so, he ended up nodding at this as Kitagawa moved to greet his pals by the gates, and by the time he got there, the two were already on school grounds, with Akatsuki looking about Kosei's courtyard whilst Haru stood by, holding a bento box all the while.

Upon spotting them, Yusuke picked up his pace, with him breaking into a light jog as he closed the distance between himself and his friends, and when she saw him, Haru lightly elbowed Akatsuki, prompting him to turn and spot their shared friend all the while, eliciting a grin from him in the process.

"Akatsuki-Kun, Haru-Chan! It is nice to see the two of you, though it is a surprise to me, how you chose to show up unannounced," greeted Yusuke, with him smiling as he stopped in front of his friends, and in response to this, Haru giggled as she glanced up at Akatsuki.

"We apologize, Yusuke-Kun, but we have been rather busy yesterday. Akatsuki-Kun had been making a few calls to his friends to try and help you out of your situation, and I was doing my best to help him. We actually came today to give you some good news, but perhaps that can wait for now?" mused Haru, with her holding up the bento box as she spoke. Yusuke's stomach growled hungrily at the sight of it, more or less answering for him, as he blushed lightly whilst his friends snickered at his expense.

"Yes, perhaps it can… come, let us go. Would my dorm room be adequate for this discussion?" asked Yusuke, to which Akatsuki grinned.

"It's not like we're discussing anything top secret. It'll do, Yusuke," assured Akatsuki, and with that, Yusuke nodded and led them to his aforementioned room, with his pals tailing him closely all the while.

Along the way, however, Yusuke did garner a bit of attention thanks to how he was escorting two Shujin academy students to his dorm room, but still, he did not care for them as he smiled and lightly conversed with his friends.

It felt nice to do that, honestly…

After School - Yusuke's Kosei dorm room

Yusuke's dorm room was, in short, eccentric. It was decently sized, perhaps just as large as his art studio in Madarame's Artlier, albeit a little more cramped. That being said, he still had a private shower in the place alongside a decently comfortable looking bed and a table to boot.

The room itself was crammed mostly with art canvases, both painted and unpainted, hanging by the walls or stuck on the shelves, with some even being on the floor! Akatsuki almost stepped on a single canvas as he entered, though he was able to veer away from it at the last second. Yusuke himself seemed somewhat embarrassed by this, as he swiftly set the bento box onto his table and moved to clear the floor of his mess.

"I hope you don't mind the mess. I find it difficult at times to keep my artistic passion in check, even after my classes have ended," apologised Yusuke after he had cleaned up his mess (crammed all the canvases under his bed and closet), snapping the two out of their focus on the clothed painting, and to this, the Shujin duo chuckled lightly before their friend gestured for them to make themselves at home. Akatsuki had moved to lean against the wall closest to their friend's table whilst Haru had brushed her skirt down a little before sitting atop her friend's bed, and Yusuke himself sat atop the chair in front of his table before smiling.

"Well, canvases aside, this place certainly is… homey, I suppose," smiled Akatsuki, to which Yusuke nodded.

"Indeed. The Kosei Academy dormitories are made to provide as much practicality to its students in spite of its crammed appearance. Of course, I have seen fit to give it a personal touch or two of my own," mused Yusuke, with him smiling lightly all the while. Whilst saying this, the young artist opened up the bento box that Haru had offered him, and upon doing so, his nose was assaulted by the aroma of meat, vegetables and sticky rice seasoned with some of the finest sauces and herbs that yen could get you in Japan. "My word…!"

"Ah… I apologise if I went a little overboard, Yusuke-Kun… I've been working on my culinary skills recently, and this is the result of my latest experiment! I had some help from the servants, of course, but the vegetables were harvested and prepared by my own two hands!" smiled Haru, with her clapping her hands together as she spoke. "I hope-"

"NOM NOM NOM-"

"Eh?!

A sharp, amused exhale escaped Akatsuki's nostrils as he and Haru watched Yusuke demolish the bento that the girl had made for him in record time. Three minutes was all it took for him to clear house with the food offered to him, and an extra thirty seconds was used to pick off the final few grains of rice stuck to his bowl, and whilst Okumura watched on in amazement, Augus shook his head and spoke up.

"Are you really surprised that he inhaled that so quickly, Haru-Chan?" mused Akatsuki, and to this, Haru had to pause briefly before she shook her head in defeat, earning herself a cackle from her friend all the while. Yusuke himself seemed a little embarrassed at his somewhat uncouth eating habits, but still, he regathered himself and bowed lightly at Haru as thanks.

"Thank you once again, Haru-Chan. Your culinary skills are impeccable," smiled Yusuke, earning himself a blush from Haru as she waved him off. He then burped, causing himself to blush as he hid his mouth behind his hands, and this time, Akatsuki laughed as he shook his head. "Oof, pardon me."

"Pardon accepted, but either way, Yusuke-Kun, this visit wasn't just to make sure you were being properly fed," stated Akatsuki, with him pushing himself off the wall as he approached Yusuke with a steady stride. "We did say that we're here to give you some good news, but before that, I think it's prudent that I… reintroduce myself beforehand."

"Reintroduce yourself? Whatever do you mean by that?" asked Yusuke, and to this, Akatsuki smiled awkwardly as he ran a hand through his hair, with his flustered nature being a little weird for Kitagawa to experience firsthand. The guy had always seemed so confident, so to see him acting rather unsure was rather jarring, though by the wayside, Haru couldn't help but smile at this rarely seen side of her friend.

"Well, for a start, Mixta Akatsuki isn't exactly my real name, or at least it isn't my full name. My true name is Augus 'Mixta' Akatsuki…" recited Akatsuki, with his cheeks reddening slightly when he saw Yusuke's eyes widen a little. He seemed to recognise the boy's proper family name quite well, if his reaction was anything to go by, and by all means, he didn't exactly seem wary; perhaps a little… curious…

"Augus 'Mixta' Akatsuki… hahahah… hahahahaha! I see! The son of Augus Mikazuki and Mixta Atra, and adopted son of Aina Bernstein Kudelia, founder of Hanatsu!" proclaimed Yusuke excitedly, with him shooting up to his feet and seizing one of his friend's hands in both of his own as he spoke. Akatsuki flinched lightly at this, though he didn't stop him from grasping his hands either way.

"You know my father?" asked Akatsuki awkwardly, and to this, Yusuke shook his head.

"Not personally, few can claim to have the privilege of meeting an individual like himself in person, but I am aware of his exploits. I am only truly ashamed that I did not recognise the connection sooner, especially in the physical department!" laughed Yusuke, with him stepping back a little as he spoke. It seemed as though Akatsuki had not been expecting this reaction, especially after Kitagawa had claimed to recognise his father's name, though it wasn't exactly a bad thing, he surmised, especially when Haru giggled a little at the exchange.

"Well, that's a surprise, my old man was a member of a once notorious Yakuza group… and I find it… weird to think that anyone would see him in a positive light," mused Akatsuki, with a smile, inwardly grateful that someone actually knew about Mikazuki for a change, and at that, Yusuke chuckled.

"I find the exploits of an individual to be far more noteworthy than their occupation, Akatsuki-Kun. There is no doubt that your father has done much in his life, both good and bad, but I like to believe that the fact that you grew into who you are today shows him to be more so the former," smiled Yusuke, and to this, Akatsuki smiled lightly, with him appreciating the kind words spoken in regards to his late father's duties. It wasn't much, but to him, it meant more than Yusuke would ever know.

"Thank you Yusuke-Kun. If dad were still here… he'd be touched by your words," thanked Akatsuki in earnest, with Yusuke smiling at that notion before he shook his head and changed the topic back to what it was supposed to be.

"Hmhmm~… but that aside, and putting aside how I now wish to meet more of your… extended family, Akatsuki-Kun, I believe that you did not reveal this to me for no reason," mused Yusuke, and in response to this, the pink haired boy nodded stiffly. Glancing over at Haru, the oldest person present watched as she nodded, effectively giving him the go ahead, and at that, he exhaled softly.

"You're not wrong there, Yusuke-Kun. I'm going to be blunt with you here; what Madarame has done to you is complete and utter bullshit, and we can all agree on that," stated Akatsuki coldly. "But considering his reputation, we can't just shoot him down without expecting consequences; Hanatsu, for as large of a corporation as it is, can't target someone as well known as Madarame without facing severe backlash."

"I see… so is there no way for us to bring Madarame to justice for all that he's done…?" asked Yusuke uncertainly, and to this, Akatsuki shook his head whilst Haru took over for him.

"Not quite, Yusuke-Kun! On the contrary, there is one way for us to do so!" smiled Haru encouragingly, and as she did so, she bounced up and down in mild excitement as she spoke. "Although we cannot do anything to him publicly… it is very much possible for us to do some damage to him privately."

"... meaning?" asked Yusuke, sounding genuinely confused by this statement as he raised a brow, and thereafter, Akatsuki translated.

"Meaning that we intend on conducting a handful of private investigations into Madarame on the down low," reiterated Akatsuki as he moved to lean against a wall. This in itself surprised Yusuke, as he hadn't considered the possibility of a private investigation prior to Akatsuki telling him this… though then again, he hadn't even considered going up against Madarame whatsoever prior to now…

"A private investigation… headed by both Hanatsu and Okumura Foods?" asked Yusuke, with him jumping to conclusions rather quickly as he spoke, and in response to this, Akatsuki shook his head whilst Haru kicked at the ground awkwardly.

"W-Well… not quite…" admitted Haru as she fidgeted around awkwardly, and to this, she mustered her courage before continuing. "Although this plagiarism issue is very much a concern for us… unfortunately, I doubt that my father would care to look into it all that much. The Okumura Family motto was to Overcome Failure At Any Cost, Even If It Means Betraying Others, and my father follows it incredibly strictly. By all means, if Madarame remains a good potential business partner to him, then my father would no doubt be willing to overlook all of his transgressions in favour of becoming a potential business partner with him."

"I… I see…" muttered Yusuke, with his shoulders slouching as he heard this. Somewhat awkwardly, Haru, having assumed that she had disappointed her friend in some way, began to blurt out assurances that her father was a good person, though Kitagawa was quick to assure her that it was fine. "I understand where your father is coming from, sadly. I am no expert when it comes to these sorts of things, but even I know that, at times, it is best to turn a blind eye to the wrongdoings of others if you wish to succeed."

'Wrongdoings… just like Sugimura's entire existence,' thought Akatsuki with a snort, though he didn't dwell too much on that little mistake in Kunikazu's plan as he cleared his throat.

"Whilst Okumura-San might have his qualms in regards to looking into this, though, Hanatsu does not share that same problem," said Akatsuki, with him stepping forwards as he spoke. With a grin, he clapped his hands together before exhaling sharply and continuing. "Although most of the investigation team is off working on something else-"

Yusuke and Haru vaguely knew about the situation they were working on; something to do with a subdivision of their company leeching funds for their higher up's benefit. The news had reported on it half a month ago, though it was mostly kept silent from most social media outlets and news stations.

"-I was able to get a small team together to look into Madarame," continued Akatsuki, with him fidgeting awkwardly as he said this. "I… mother doesn't know, but it's for the best. She wouldn't… approve of what I doing."

"Your mother… I presume you mean Aina Bernstein-San?" asked Yusuke for clarification, and when Akatsuki nodded, he found himself raising a brow. "Why would this be the case? I heard that Aina Bernstein-San is an individual who looks out for those beneath her, be they a part of her company or not. Was I wrong on that front?"

"No! N-No… mother does love to help those who need it, but still… even she has to put her foot down from time to time. The investigatory team is always on standby; seeing as how Hanatsu is a massive company," a bit of an understatement, that was, "scandals and false lawsuits hit them a lot, so the investigatory team needs to be deployed very frequently to combat all that," defended Akatsuki, with him twiddling his fingers together as he said this. "Usually, most of the shit they have to deal with requires all of them to work together to bury, so for me to steal away four of the team, regardless of their skill… is a pretty big gambit on my part."

"I… I see… then… is it truly wise for you to divert your attention for my wellbeing?" asked Yusuke warily, and to this, Akatsuki and Haru raised their brows at him, prompting him to explain himself. "It isn't as if I don't want Madarame to be brought to justice… but all the same… if it affects you to such a degree…"

"Don't worry about it, Yusuke-Kun. This whole situation won't affect us too much. I doubt mother will notice either way, seeing as how she's usually too busy with her own work regardless," stated Akatsuki, with there being some… sadness hidden in his voice as he said this, though he didn't let it shine through all too much as he continued. Yusuke, for his part, seemed very surprised that his friend would go to such lengths to help him… prompting him to ask a somewhat awkward question.

"But… would it really be worth it, in the end? To make use of your assets and gain nothing in return? Madarame's secrets are all well hidden… and even with your full team on hand, I doubt that you would be able to uncover them before he takes notice," stated Yusuke, with him trying to not sound ungrateful as he spoke, and in response to this, Haru frowned deeply as she responded to his inquiry.

"The price of justice is usually high, but we can afford to pay for it, regardless of our success," stated Haru firmly. "And even if we couldn't… both Akatsuki-Kun and I would be more than willing to do this for you, Yusuke-Kun, regardless of the price."

And to say that Yusuke's face had grown thermonuclear at that point… would've been an understatement, but even so, he found himself very much appreciating the words of his friends as he bowed deeply to them as thanks.

They were quick to tell him that was not necessary.

But either way, after that whole issue was spoken of, the trio simply sat by idly and spoke to one another, with them sharing a few stories of their own whilst regaling one another with their presence. Akatsuki himself shared how his mother was a practitioner of martial arts, with her having been able to put one of the top bodyguards of Hanatsu onto his back with minimal effort in spite of his superior muscle mass.

"Akihiro took a while to recover from that hit," reminisced Akatsuki fondly, to which Yusuke winced.

"Had your mother struck him that hard?" asked Yusuke worriedly, only for the pink haired boy to grin.

"Oh no, he took a few minutes to physically recover from that takedown. Mentally, it took him three days."

That aside, Haru also shared some things regarding high society, things that neither Yusuke nor, surprisingly enough, Akatsuki could relate to.

"You mean to tell me that, even as the son of the founder of Hanatsu, you were never one to make public appearances at the parties she hosted?" asked Yusuke, surprised, only for Akatsuki to grin.

"Why should I? Mother never made it compulsory for me to attend, and it's not like I've got anything to prove regardless," stated Akatsuki stiffly, with him nudging Haru lightly as he spoke. He urged her to speak her mind, and after some consideration…

"Yes… most events hosted by my father are… uh…" began Haru, with her unable to find the right word to use, prompting Akatsuki to give her a hand.

"Dickwaving, basically. He's dickwaving his success," posited Akatsuki with a crude grin, prompting Haru to blush at his vulgar language whilst Yusuke seemed to be unsure of what that even meant, the poor summer child.

"A-Akatsuki! Language!" squeaked Haru, mortified at that language, but even so… "But… although his language is very much incorrect… Akatsuki-Kun is correct. My father's parties are made to show off the wealth his has garnered more so than anything whilst also making business partners in the process."

"Does Hanatsu not do the same, though?" asked Yusuke curiously, to which Akatsuki snorted.

"They don't need to," smirked Akatsuki, with him picking a pen up from Yusuke's desk and twirling it absentmindedly between his fingers as he spoke. "Usually, business deals come to Hanatsu, not vice versa, and whenever mother wishes to extend an olive branch to a company, she'll do it on the down low. No need to make a showing on who they're partnering with… or who they're marrying their daughter off to."

Haru had not caught onto that last part of Akatsuki's comment, but even so, Yusuke did, with him frowning deeply as he vaguely recalled there being a segment on the news relating to how Okumura Foods and Sugimura Enterprises had been partnered up in more recent times. After hearing about the finer details about the whole mess, however… Kitagawa couldn't help but feel his stomach churn in disgust at those words.

They… quickly moved on after that, though…

"Is there… anything you can tell us about the other pupils Madarame once had?" tried Haru at one point, and to this, Yusuke hesitated briefly before answering.

"Well… Awase-Senpai was talented with mechanical design, though he left rather early to pursue a career as a mechanical designer for an animation company… Kodai-Senpai drew frequently, though her artwork was described more as fanart. She was always into the Tokusatsu genre, I believe. Kaibara-Senpai had a knack for scenic portraits; when he was still around, he would frequently paint in the comfort of nature, with him departing early into the morning and returning late into the night. And then there was…"

To say that Yusuke's admiration of his former Senpais was strong would be an understatement; the boy certainly still looked up to them. His tone made it apparent that he had been treated well by them in the past, and he most certainly missed them greatly.

"Have you… attempted to open up a line of communication between yourself and the other students?" asked Haru curiously, with her admittedly wishing to meet a few of these other pupils as she spoke, and to this, Yusuke shook his head.

"No… I have not heard from them in quite some time, actually. Even Nakanohara-San, the most recent pupil of Madarame outside of myself, remained out of contact with me ever since he left," lamented Yusuke, and when asked about when he had left, he responded accordingly. "Around summer of last year."

"Summer of last year… hmh… something fishy's going on here," mumbled Akatsuki as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, but even so, he kept that thought in the back of his mind as he sighed and continued on with their conversation, with him shifting it back to a more positive side all the while.

Thanks to their talking, time flew by in what seemed to be a flash. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes to hours and before they knew it, the bell rang, signifying that the gates to Kosei were about to be closed soon. Hearing this, the Shujin duo stood up, seeming reluctant to leave, but even so, they knew they had to, and without much pushback, they allowed Yusuke to escort them to the school gates with a smile.

Before they left completely, however, Akatsuki did pull Yusuke to one side to speak to him in private.

"Yusuke-Kun… I just wanted to talk to you about something before we left. It'll be quick," stated Akatsuki, and once they were out of Haru's earshot, he spoke his piece. "Alright, so… regardless of how this investigation goes, Madarame will eventually stop supporting you when it comes to your Kosei scholarship. Even if he doesn't find out about all this, he'll eventually grow suspicious over how you're not helping him with his portraits any longer… and I have a feeling he'll respond poorly to that."

"An unfortunate outcome, but if bringing him to justice means losing my scholarship, I am more than willing to pay that price," stated Yusuke firmly, and as he said this, Akatsuki flinched. His friend didn't seem to understand the depth of just how fucked he was if that were to happen, so he had to reiterate that to him.

"I'm glad your sense of justice is impeccable, but even so… if that happens, you'll more than likely be kicked out of Kosei, seeing as how you'll have no way to pay for your time here. You won't have anywhere to stay when that happens," stated Akatsuki, with him shifting around awkwardly as he said this. Yusuke blanched slightly at that notion, but all the same, his pink haired friend continued. "Though… there is a workaround for this."

"And… that would be?" asked Yusuke, to which Akatsuki grinned.

"You recall Norba Shino, yeah?" mused Akatsuki, and when Yusuke nodded, he continued. "Well, I told him about you over the phone, and he… expressed some interest in you. Nothing like Madarame has, just so you know; he just thinks what you paint is cool and digs your passion. If you'll allow him, Shino's more than willing to pay for your scholarship in place of Madarame."

"I-Is that so…?" muttered Yusuke in surprise, and to this, Akatsuki nodded.

"Aye. Shino knows how it feels to be stuck in a bad spot; we all do, and he wouldn't wish it upon anyone, artist or not. He'll be more than willing to help you… with your explicit consent, that is," smiled Akatsuki. Left unsaid was how Haru and himself could theoretically pay for Yusuke's scholarship with their own cash… they didn't wish to make it look like they were flexing their wealth on their friend.

"I… I see… I… may I have some time to consider this prospect, Akatsuki-Kun? It is a big offer to make, after all… a-and…" began Yusuke, only to trail off as he felt some unease build in his system, and to this, Akatsuki held a hand up to stay him.

He didn't need to hear the rest of what he had to say to understand the boy's hesitation; Yusuke had been exploited by someone he saw as both his foster father and his sensei for years on end. He was someone that he respected and trusted, and he had twisted both to suit himself in a perverse way. It would take Kitagawa quite some time before he could fully trust someone of authority once more, much less someone whose occupation was so similar to Madarame's in the first place…

"You don't need to continue, Yusuke-Kun. I understand your hesitation… just, consider it, perhaps?" hummed Akatsuki kindly, and to this, Yusuke nodded, and with one final farewell, and with what Akatsuki described to be a fistbump, the group parted ways, with Haru and Akatsuki waving to Yusuke as they headed off all the while.

And as they left, the bluenette found himself feeling just a bit lighter than he had in years.

4/2, Sat

Morning - Kosei Academy

"Once again, I thank you, both of you, for your help."

"Think nothing of it, Yusuke-Kun. We're always willing to help you."

"S'what friends are for, after all."

A grin from Akatsuki and a curt smile from Haru had made Yusuke's cheeks redden in appreciation, but even so, he didn't let his appreciation show all that much as he led his friends into his Kosei dorm once more. Currently, the three of them were dragging along whatever supplies they could carry from Madarame's Artlier, with Akatsuki himself rolling a trolley that held some of the heftier art supplies that were there, namely most of Yusuke's canvases alongside all the replica weapons they had gotten from Untouchable, wrapped in newspaper of course.

Yusuke had chosen Saturday to do this as Madarame was not around; the man was preparing for his upcoming Art Show and the boy himself was still not ready to face his former Sensei just yet, and Akatsuki and Haru agreed to this, with them assisting him in hauling his gear to Kosei. Sasha had helped, of course, what with him making use of another vehicle…

"Oh, this minivan dealy? I call it the J-Roader!"

… to help them get the stuff here. The minivan was very helpful, to say the least, though Akatsuki himself wondered if he had named it after a Super Robot Support Vehicle.

Either way, after they had gotten the stuff into Kosei, with them requiring a few trips back to the J-Roader to do so, Yusuke sighed in satisfaction.

"It is unfortunate, how students are not allowed to have personal Art Studios in Kosei, but even so, this is better than nothing, and once more-"

"If you say thank you again, Yusuke-Kun, I will staple your lips shut."

Akatsuki's threat was made out of sarcasm, but Yusuke recoiled from that before doing as he was told, and after a quick, awkward giggle from Haru, the trio moved to arrange Kitagawa's equipment in an orderly manner. His canvases were slid into a corner whilst his paints were set onto his desk, and after it was all said and done, Yusuke couldn't help but smile at how organised everything seemed. His friends just hoped that it could stay this way for longer than a few days.

"It is regrettable, how I am unable to bring all of my equipment here," lamented Yusuke, with him recalling how he had to forfeit over half of his palettes and brushes when moving his stuff from the Artlier to his dorm. It was an unfortunate side-effect of Madarame still not knowing of his remaining pupil's rebellion; they needed to act as though the status quo was still being maintained, and to this end, they had to at least pretend that Yusuke was still living in the Artlier from time to time to do so.

It wasn't as though the guy would check in on him all that much, of course. According to Yusuke, Madarame only really checked up on him every few days, with more than a few of said days being when Kitagawa was not present and accounted for in the Artlier. It made the boy question his worth to his former Sensei as he shook his head to dispel those thoughts from his mind.

Best to not dwell on those thoughts now, he supposed…

"If you want, I could help you get a few new paints, Yusuke-Kun," offered Haru, with her smiling kindly as she spoke, and to this, the boy chuckled lightheartedly.

"No need, Haru-Chan. Although saddening, to work with less should not be seen as a detriment, but rather; a challenge. I shall hone my craft with this apparent limitation of mine," assured Yusuke confidently, eliciting a somewhat dejected, but still understanding nod from Haru all the while.

"Limiting oneself is usually a good way to develop your skills, but do remember to not force development. That must come naturally," advised Haru, and to this, Yusuke chuckled.

"I understand, Haru-Chan," assured Yusuke, and at that, he turned to face Akatsuki. "And Akatsuki-Kun, may you please refrain from playing card-towers with my canvases?"

"Huh? I… don't know what you're talking about!" smiled Akatsuki as he tried (keyword: tried) to hide the sizable tower he had made out of stacking up Yusuke's canvases. It… was a less than commendable job, as it still peered out from behind him every which way, but it was the effort that counted, one would suppose.

And then the card/canvas tower fell to the ground, causing Yusuke to form a tick-mark on his forehead at the potential damages done to his canvases.

Still though, the issue was quickly resolved, with Akatsuki apologising awkwardly before the two left in the afternoon, with them having plans for the evening, much to Yusuke's sadness. The boy had to stay in Kosei to properly arrange his newly transferred equipment, so he was unable to follow, sadly.

Either way, he did not dwell too much on this misfortune as he bid his friends farewell, and with them gone, the boy returned to his dorm room and sat atop his bed briefly. He didn't do anything for a bit as he just sat in content silence, though after some time had passed, he reached below his bed and pulled out a covered canvas to stare at it in silence.

"..." unwrapping the canvas, Yusuke stared at the almost finished piece laid before him; the piece that Akatsuki and Haru had modelled for. It felt weird to think that something as simple as him approaching them for a modelling gig would lead to the events of the past few weeks, but still… he supposed that nothing was impossible, and with a smile, he brought the canvas up to the single easel he had in his dorm room and set it on there with a smile.

Madarame Ichiryusai was known for many things, many of which Yusuke were beginning to doubt were his own to begin with… but at the same time, he knew that the Sayuri, his maiden work, was legitimate. Madarame had made a name for himself with that piece, and it had shot him up into stardom across Japan… and by all accounts, Kitagawa hoped that, if he were destined for the same level of reach as his former Sensei was, this would be his maiden work.

'It would require a name, though…' thought Yusuke as he observed the nearly complete painting closely, and moments later, he smiled.

'Rebellion's Allure…'

4/4, Mon

Afternoon - Shibuya Clothes Store

Yusuke seemed a little down in the dumps, and by all means, Akatsuki felt worried for him as he lightly nudged his elbow, gaining his attention all the while. Haru wasn't present at the moment, she was trying out a dress that had caught her eye, leaving the boys alone to wait for her all the while.

They had originally come here to get some clothes for Yusuke after he had lamented about his limited choice of wardrobe (Haru had suggested a fancier location to shop at, but Yusuke declined, with him ever the discount seeker, even if his friends assured him that they'd foot the bill), though it had ultimately ended in a full clothes trip for all of them, with Akatsuki having bought a new sweater whilst Haru tried out a new dress. Yusuke still had no idea what he wanted, though, much to his chagrin.

"Something on your mind, Yusuke-Kun?" asked Akatsuki as his friend blinked and sighed softly. Nothing ever got past this guy, huh? Well, considering who his old man was, that wasn't particularly surprising…

"Yes… there is something on my mind, sadly," confirmed Yusuke, with him fidgeting slightly as he knew better than to lie to Akatsuki. The guy was a living lie detector, according to Haru, and sniffing out the truth wasn't too difficult for him. Upon hearing his admission, the older but shorter boy waited for an explanation, one that was given in due time. "I… I was contacted by Madarame yesterday…"

"Does he suspect anything? If he's threatening you, Haru-Chan and I can take legal action against him immediately," asked Akatsuki, with his demeanor growing defensive when he heard this, though much to his relief (and admitted sadness when he realized he couldn't sue Madarame just yet), his friend shook his head.

"N-No… he simply asked where I was, and when I told him that I was moving my work into the Kosei dorms, he told me to hasten my progress. I believe that he is growing anxious over the looming deadline for his Art Show," said Yusuke, and to this, Akatsuki flinched.

"What a jerk… you don't have to do what he says anymore, you know?" stated Akatsuki with a small, reassuring smile, and to this, Yusuke nodded.

"I know, but when he told me this, my body… I found that it could not respond properly. I responded positively to him, even though I did not wish to, and I was left distraught because of this," lamented Yusuke, with him beating himself up over not being able to defy Madarame's demands, though in response to this, Akatsuki lightly set his hand atop his friend's shoulder.

"That's understandable. Even if you see him for who he truly is now, your heart still sees Madarame as your foster father. In some small way, you do still love him, and even if you didn't mean to do so, the response you gave him was one made on reflex," stated Akatsuki, with him gently squeezing his friend's shoulder as he spoke. Yusuke could tell that he spoke from a place of experience, directly or not, and with a small nod, he acknowledged his words before exhaling softly.

"I must wonder, though… when did Madarame grow to become such a person? I have fond memories of my Sensei painting his own work, teaching myself and the other students what he knew and, above all else, genuinely wishing to preserve beauty on a canvas," reminisced Yusuke, with him smiling fondly at those memories, though moments later, his grin faltered. "How could he have grown into someone so… so parasitic? Someone that would leech off the skills of others to boost his own notoriety?"

Opening his mouth, Akatsuki felt keen on giving some of his insight into the situation, though before he could do so…

"Money and fame tend to warp an individual's perspective on life," lamented the familiar voice of Haru, coming from behind the two present, prompting them to turn and spot the aforementioned girl standing behind them. The shirt she had tried out remained slung over her shoulder, all but forgotten by now as she shook her head sadly. "I have seen good men and women over the years be influenced by both, many of whom used to be just as you describe Madarame to be. They used to wish to pursue their passions without harming others, but materialistic desires twisted their passions, distorting them and causing them to think only for themselves and to achieve their goals, even at the expense of those around them."

Haru's words had caused Yusuke to flinch as he looked down sadly, with him finding some truth behind her words whilst also finding it… difficult to believe it. Still though, he found himself nodding as he rubbed his upper arm uncomfortably, and moments later, he exhaled softly.

"These twisted desires of my former Sensei… I can only imagine when they had surfaced. It is… difficult for me to actually recall when he began to walk such a path, the path that shames the good name of art, but at the same time, I believe his descent into such deprived means of achieving fame was gradual," bemoaned Yusuke. "And as such… it is difficult to even comprehend when he had begun his habit of plagiarism."

"It doesn't matter when it started, Yusuke-Kun. What matters is that he hasn't stopped doing it, and considering how he's treated you, I doubt he's going to stop unless someone intervenes," stated Akatsuki sternly, and to this, Yusuke nodded, seeing some sense in his friend's words as he exhaled softly.

"Such is true. Thank you for speaking with me… it feels nice, to be able to vent out my frustrations with a friend," smiled Yusuke in earnest, with his shoulders lifting a little as he said this. "I still find it difficult to comprehend that my former Sensei could stoop this low."

"People tend to stoop down low if it means they get to live an easier life. I can't say that I like it, but it's just how things are," lamented Akatsuki. Yusuke flinched at his words, though he made no move to correct him, and likewise, Haru shuddered lightly at the truth behind what he had just said… but all the same, they were quick to move on from that conversation and onto something more… lighthearted.

"Perhaps, but maybe we should focus on shopping for now, yes? Yusuke-Kun, you still need a new pair of clothes, no?"

And at the end of the day, the duo bought a grey blazer for Yusuke, with him finding it very much agreeable with his current wardrobe, alongside a pair of black pants. They costed him a pretty penny, though thankfully enough, his friends were more than willing to foot the bill.

4/5, Tues

Evening

Akatsuki: school starts tomorrow

Akatsuki: i would say im excited but really im not

Yusuke: I find myself rather elated for the school year.

Haru: Likewise!

Haru: I hope to learn as much as I can in my last year at Shujin before I go hunting for a College to attend!

Akatsuki: im more worried about yusuke kun's case tbh. if were in school, well have less time to look into it

Yusuke: I appreciate your concern for me, Akatsuki-Kun, but is the investigation not being ran by competent people from Hanatsu? Perhaps some faith could be put into them?

Akatsuki: probs, but its just three people out of almost fourty. and not being kept up to date on their progress doesnt sit well with me, and i dont want them slacking off on this. the one in charge has a knack for doing that.

Yusuke: Again, I appreciate your efforts, but please, my situation is not all too dire. You can afford to let it rest for a while.

Haru: I too am concerned for Yusuke-Kun, but even so, we must prioritize our education as well, Akatsuki-Kun. It is for our future.

Haru: I am also confident that Yusuke-Kun is more than capable of fending for himself if Madarame is to confront him.

Yusuke: Indeed. I find myself growing more and more upset at my former Sensei's actions, and though some respect still remains, I cannot bring myself to see him as a good person, not after all that he's done to me and the other pupils.

Akatsuki: …

Akatsuki: fine, ill hold you to that i guess

Akatsuki: just stay safe, kk?

Yusuke: Very well.

Yusuke: By the way, Akatsuki-Kun, this is irrelevant to the matter at hand, but I was wondering; why do you type like that?

Akatsuki: like that?

Yusuke: Without proper grammar. I find it somewhat uncouth.

Akatsuki: does it bother you?

Yusuke: Quite a bit. What do you think of it, Haru-Chan?

Haru: …

Haru: I must agree, it is… distracting

Akatsuki: Ok fine I'll type properly.

Akatsuki: Happy?

Yusuke: Quite.

Haru: Mmhm! Thank you, Akatsuki-Kun!