Chapter 30
Aftermath
Tuesday, October 11th, 2016
"You want me to go back to Port Island?!"
"Amada-" Mitsuru-san began.
"Don't 'Amada' me, Mitsuru-san!" Ken retorted, his hands clenching into fists. "You saw what happened to Haru's father! How can you ask me to leave after all of that?!"
"That's exactly why I want you to!" Mitsuru-san snapped, anger suddenly flushing her cheeks. "Shido clearly set this up so to discredit the Phantom Thieves! And who knows what he'll do next?!" She then took in a shuddering breath. It was… mind boggling to see her so unnerved, if Ken was being honest. "Sending you to Tokyo was obviously a mistake. I need to rectify that… at once. You and Shinjiro are returning to Port Island as soon as I can arrange it."
The word mistake was like a stab to the heart. It wasn't a mistake. Coming here to Tokyo… befriending everyone… it was the opposite of a mistake.
He had to change her mind… He couldn't go back to Port Island. Not like this.
"But-" Ken began to protest, only to be cut off.
"Stop fighting me on this!" Mitsuru-san abruptly snapped out, the force in her voice making him flinch.
He had never been the direct subject of her ire.
"Don't—" Her voice suddenly cracked, before she closed her eyes and bowed her head. "…I can't bury another person I care about…" she said lowly, slowly raising her head up. There was a glimmer of tears in her wine red eyes. "…Someone who died too young. I can't."
Ken bit his lip. He… He could understand Mitsuru-san's viewpoint but… it was still wrong. So wrong… "Mitsuru-san, please," he pleaded, his voice suddenly cracking. "Don't make me come back to Port Island. I can't. Not like this. I helped create this mess… D-Don't make me leave."
"Amada…" Mitsuru-san's face crumpled for a moment, before her expression steeled. "No," she said firmly. "This is for your own protection."
"How is this any better than Takadera-san trying to forcibly disband SEES after your father's death?" Ken argued. "You're doing the exact same thing!"
"Don't you dare compare that situation to this," Mitsuru-san snapped. "I'm not drugging you and forcibly keeping you under house arrest! Aren't you listening to me?! This is for your own good!"
"And are you listening to me?" Ken returned, his fingernails digging into his palms. "I'm part of the Phantom Thieves… It's only right that I stay and help figure out what to do about this. How is it fair if I get to flee, while Shido has his eye on everyone else?!"
"Fair?" Mitsuru-san questioned fiercely, staring him down. "If things were fair, Minato wouldn't have died. Father wouldn't have died that night either because of Ikutsuki's delusions. Shido would've been rightfully punished a long time ago if things were fair!"
"Knock it off, both of you," Shinjiro interjected, speaking for the first time since Mitsuru-san had made her call. "You're both exhausted by everything today. You're jumping the gun, Mitsuru. We'll talk again when your head's clearer." And without another word, he shut Ken's laptop, effectively cutting off the video call.
Ken knew that Mitsuru-san was most likely furious at that. But he'd worry about that another time.
Ken slumped in his chair, pressing both hands against his face. As if he didn't feel awful enough already. He could feel Shinjiro-san's eyes on him. He sighed, dropping his hands. "Go ahead and yell at me," he mumbled out.
"I'm not gonna yell at you, Ken." Shinjiro-san pulled up a chair, sitting across from him.
Ken eyed his guardian. "I'm hearing a 'but' in that."
Shinjiro-san snorted. "I can see where Mitsuru is coming from." He rubbed his face. "You were baited into targeting Okumura. I have no idea what Shido's next move is, but he's clearly looking to take you down." He looked Ken right in the eye. "…You can't deny that, can you?"
"…No," Ken admitted. "But-"
"Wasn't done yet," Shinjiro-san cut him off, holding up a hand. "And I can see your point too, Ken. You're right. It wouldn't be fair for you to slip out and the others have to deal with this shit." He sighed, rubbing his forehead this time. "…Not to mention that Okumura is prolly gonna lose her old man. He was pretty shitty to her, but she loved 'im, didn't he? That may help to convince Mitsuru. Remind her that there's a girl that's going through what she went through."
Ken's heart clenched at that. Haru… would be devastated if Okumura died…
…Ha. Of course Okumura would die. The dead can't talk. Shido wanted to silence Okumura… And it hurt just thinking about it… He knew exactly what it was like to lose a parent so suddenly. And Haru had talked about how she had yearned to repair her relationship with her father… The closest she got was her father's Shadow apologizing to her… telling her that he didn't deserve her.
But Okumura would die, most likely tonight. Haru would never get the chance she wanted so badly.
But he… He didn't get it. He knew that Shinjiro-san wasn't a fan of this plan to begin with… getting involved with the Shadow Operatives again.
"…What's with that look?" Shinjiro-san looked irritated.
"I don't understand," Ken said quietly. "I thought that you would be siding with Mitsuru-san… I-I thought you'd be glad to leave Tokyo and come back to Port Island…"
Shinjiro-san exhaled. "I'm still not thrilled with all of this," he said flatly. "But… this is important to you. And I know that you've connected to your friends in ways that you haven't been able to connect to others before. I don't wanna take that away from you."
Shinjiro-san… he really was observant. He hadn't even realized that Shinjiro-san had picked up on that.
"…And stop giving me that sappy as fuck look," Shinjiro-san said dryly, before rising to his feet. He then passed by Ken, only to pause and touch his shoulder. "…Get some rest, Ken. It's been a long day for you, and you need sleep."
A long day, huh…? And he could only imagine that it'd be so much worse for Haru…
Wednesday, October 12th, 2016
Today had been nothing but shitty. Constant talk about Okumura's death… speculation about the Phantom Thieves killed him… It really made Ren feel great.
And nobody was able to get ahold of Haru. All of their texts were left unread. She wouldn't answer their calls. He was worried about her… she lost her father so suddenly. She… She couldn't be okay.
And… And it was all his fault.
He was an awful leader. He was a pathetic Wild Card… He bet that none of the past Wild Cards had screwed up the way he had…
"…Ren?" Morgana said hesitantly. "You… You've been really quiet today."
Ren looked at his friend sadly. He couldn't muster the energy to act confident. Not today… He really felt that all of their work was absolutely meaningless.
They… They've done good, haven't they? They had stopped Kamoshida, saving Anne from being raped by him… not to mention everyone he had been physically abusing. Madarame was committing fraud while taking advantage of his students. Kaneshiro was exhorting countless of people… destroying people's lives.
He sighed, looking down at Morgana who looked back with expectant eyes. "Sorry, Morgana… I just… I can't help that I'm a screwup." He let out a bitter laugh. "…Maybe Sojiro was right. Should've just kept my nose outta trouble…"
"Don't you dare say that!" Morgana said sharply. "Ren, I know that Okumura died… but don't you dare try and take back what we've done over the past few months! You're not a screwup because of this. You've done so many good things, Ren…" His blue eyes swam with sadness. "…Can't you see that?" he said softly.
Ren pulled off his glasses so he could rub at his face. "…Sorry. I just…"
"I know, Ren," Morgana mumbled out. "…Believe me, I know…"
Ren rubbed the top of Morgana's head. "But… thanks, Morgana. I needed that, I think."
"It's no problem, Ren."
They then jumped a little when Ren's phone went off. Ren reached into his pocket, eyebrow raising as he read the messages.
Group: The Phantom Thieves of Hearts
[Ken]: We… We really need to meet today. It's urgent
[Anne]: Urgent? What do you mean, Ken?
[Ken]: …It's better to say it in person…
[Yusuke]: …?
[Ryuji]: your place as usual, yeah?
[Ken]: No
[Futaba]: What do you mean no?!
[Ken]: It's… complicated. Can we meet in LeBlanc's attic?
[Makoto]: Ken…?
Ren frowned, before he stowed away his phone. Just what was going on? What did Ken want to tell them?
Ren's blood ran cold as a thought suddenly struck him. What if Kirijo had forbidden Ken to keep working with them? Would Ken listen to her demand?
Dammit…
"Ren," Morgana murmured, shifting so he could reach out and bat at Ren's arm. "Let's get to LeBlanc."
Ren sighed for what felt like the millionth time today. Today officially sucked. A lot. "Yeah… Let's try and catch the train before it pulls out."
And to think, just a few days ago, he had felt on top of the world. He had a group of great, loyal friends, a girlfriend that he absolutely adored, and he felt like he was accomplishing something. Not to mention that the public seemed to actually approve of him. Of their work.
Was that where they went wrong? They let the public's opinion affect them…
Thankfully they were able to catch the train. Ren wished he had some earbuds or headphones so he could block out the gossip, though… Everyone kept speculating about Okumura's death. Someone shoot him now…
Ren inhaled the scent of coffee as he stepped inside of LeBlanc. Anne was sitting at the booth, but she perked up when she saw it was him. She hopped off her seat and went over to him, taking his hand. She gave a light squeeze, giving him a sad smile.
He wasn't the only one being affected by this… He really had to pull himself together. For everyone else's sake. He was the leader, after all…
"You're back early." Sojiro's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked over to see Sojiro shaking his head. "…It's been really crazy. Everyone has been freaking out over Okumura's death."
…Dammit. Sojiro didn't know but it just… rubbed the salt in his wounds.
"U-Um, we're doing a study group today!" Anne quickly lied. "Exams are starting on the seventeenth!"
"Oh?" Sojiro raised an eyebrow. "You'll probably do well. You made it to the top ten last time, if I remember correctly."
"Yeah." Ren forced a smile. "Just gotta throw myself into it. Wouldn't be surprised if Futaba popped in, though. She'd be mad if there's a group get together and she's not included."
Sojiro laughed. "Can't argue with that. I'm glad that you've been spending time with her."
"It's nothing, Boss," Anne said with a wave of her hand. She then took Ren's hand, tugging him towards the attic. "See you later!"
Ren sank onto his bed once they were alone in the attic. Dammit… Everything seemed to just fall apart within a blink of an eye.
"Ren, please…" Anne's plea made him look back to her. She cupped his cheek with one hand, her eyes filling with sadness as she gazed at him. "Don't blame yourself for this. We did the same with Okumura as we did with Kamoshida, Madarame, and Kaneshiro. Ken's theory has a chance of being like… ninety-five percent correct."
"But Haru…" Ren began.
"We've known Haru for a month now," Anne said gently. "Do you really think that she would blame you for this…?" She bit her lip. "I… I still remember the look on her face when Okumura's Shadow apologized to her. Maybe it wasn't quite forgiveness but she could empathize with her dad. If she can do that, she won't blame you for this, Ren…"
Morgana jumped out of Ren's bag. "Lady Anne's correct," he said. "Haru is such a kind hearted girl."
"If you're not a Shadow, that is," Ren muttered.
"Stop!" Anne smacked his shoulder. "The thing is… that Haru won't blame you… or us. I know you're our leader, Ren, but we all had a part in this. We all messed up…"
"But I…" Ren hung his head. "I feel like such a failure. There was talk on the news about how countless people have lost their jobs… and they have no other ends. I bet that no other Wild Card screwed up like I did…"
"Stop comparing yourself!" Anne latched onto his shoulders. "Ren, please stop," she begged. "Beating yourself up about this won't help you. You're only human. You shouldn't push all these expectations onto yourself."
Ren sighed heavily. "I just… I just feel so lost."
"We all do, Ren…" Morgana said quietly. "But blaming yourself for this… something that was out of your control… That won't help."
"We'll figure it out the way we always do then," Anne said gently. "Together." She took one of his hands in both of hers. Then she looked at him right in the eye. "Hell or high water, remember?"
Ren's lips twitched into a smile. "…Thanks. Both of you… for knocking some sense into me."
"Well, if that didn't work, I would've had Morgana bring out the claws."
"And he'd probably listen to you too," Ren said.
"I'm right here!" Morgana grumbled.
"…Are we interrupting something?" Ryuji, Futaba, and Yusuke had arrived together.
"No," Anne answered as Ren stood up. "We were just… talking."
They pulled up chairs and sat at the table together.
"Has anyone been able to get ahold of Haru?" Yusuke asked. "I'm… concerned for her."
Futaba pulled out her phone. "I hacked into her phone, just to check up on her… She's been in meetings all day."
"It makes sense," Anne murmured, a sad, sympathetic smile on her face. "She has to make arrangements for her dad's funeral, and there's the whole thing with Okumura Foods…"
"She just lost her old man." Ryuji rubbed his face for a moment. "And she's getting thrown in with all this crap. I hope she'll be okay."
"I was thinking of visiting her tomorrow," Yusuke said. "Would anyone like to accompany me?"
"…I would," Futaba said shakily.
…Futaba would really understand, wouldn't she?
"I would what?" Makoto had arrived as well.
"Ah…" Yusuke winced. "Tomorrow I was thinking of visiting Haru. I know that she's most likely busy but… I'm concerned after the radio silence today."
"I see." Makoto wrapped her arms around herself for a moment. "…May I come as well?"
Yusuke just smiled, before he nodded. "Of course. You're more than welcome."
"Um…" Futaba fidgeted for a moment, watching Makoto seat herself. "Do you have any idea why Ken called this meeting?"
Makoto just let out a soft sigh. "…Your guess is as good as mine," she said quietly. "He's been withdrawn, but… after what happened last night…"
Ren sighed as well, looking down at the table. Didn't that sum up all of them? Besides him, Anne took his hand from under the table and gave a light squeeze. Ren squeezed back.
"Sorry for being late."
"Ken, what's the matter?" Yusuke didn't mince his words, locking his eyes with Ken's. "You didn't say much but from what I can garner… it sounded serious."
Ken bit his lip, chewing it for a moment. "There… There's no easy way to say this…" he mumbled out, running his fingers through his hair. He then inhaled. "…Mitsuru-san called last night after I got home. She… She says that she wants me to return to Port Island."
Ren felt his heart sank. Of course his gut feeling was right… There was no way that the Shadow Operatives would trust them after this mess-up.
And now Ken was going to leave. Why did he have to mess up so badly?
"ARE YOU FOR REAL?!" Ryuji burst out. "You can't leave!"
Futaba nodded vigorously, her hands clenched into fists. "R-Ryuji's right! She can't seriously be asking this!"
"This is preposterous," Yusuke protested as well. "After all of this time… she's recalling you back to Port Island?"
"I-It's not in her hands," Makoto added, her voice suddenly shaky. Her eyes were wide with panic. "She's not your guardian. Shinjiro-san is!"
Ken just looked at them all wearily. "Mitsuru-san is paying for my tuition at Shujin Academy. She gave us lodging. It's… It's not in my hands. Or Shinjiro-san's." He then squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. "I pleaded with her to reconsider… I don't want to go back to Port Island… I don't want to leave all of you…"
Anne's eyes filled with sympathy and sadness. "Ken…" she said softly.
"What does Shinjiro-san think about all of this, though?" Morgana asked.
Ken rubbed his face. "Well… Shinjiro-san wasn't thrilled with the whole idea. Back when Minako-san proposed the idea, he actually got a little mad at her…"
"Wait a sec…" Ryuji's face scrunched up at that. "…Why would he be pissed 'bout that?"
"It's… It's complicated." Ken sighed. "Shinjiro-san got involved with SEES to begin with because he thought Akihiko-san joining them in the first place was reckless. He rejoined SEES because of me… And the last time he fought with his Persona, it was because Mitsuru-san, Aigis-san, Akihiko-san, and Minako-san had gotten kidnapped."
"So it's always been a personal reason," Makoto summarized.
"That's… kinda…" Ren trailed off, not knowing how to phrase it. He knew that Ken viewed Shinjiro-san highly.
"Shinjiro-san has his reasons," Ken said. "Especially with how he nearly died back in 2009."
Yusuke let out a thoughtful hum. "But where are you going with this, Ken?" he inquired.
"Right." Ken winced. "Shinjiro-san kinda… cut the conversation short. He told her that she was jumping the gun before shutting my laptop close."
"Shinjiro-san really doesn't give a crap, huh?" Ryuji commented.
Ken's lips twitched into a near smile at the remark. "No, he doesn't." Then he quickly grew somber. "But after all of that… we had a conversation, as well," Ken explained. "He told me that while he understood Mitsuru-san's fears… he can understand my side of things."
"Oh, that is good news!" Anne perked up at that, hope glimmering in her eyes.
"Why don't we talk to her then?" Futaba piped up. "Mitsuru-san."
"Wha…?" Ken's eyes widened at that. "I don't know about that…"
"Ken, pleaseeee!" Futaba wheedled, clasping her hands in front of her. Her eyes went huge. "Maybe if we tried to talk to her… she'd understand where you're coming from more!"
"I… I…" Ken then sighed. "…All right," he relented, running his fingers through his hair. "I'll see if I can video call her tomorrow-"
"Actually…" Yusuke began, "…not tomorrow."
"No?" Ken frowned, tilting his head slightly.
"We were talking about seeing Haru tomorrow," Makoto said softly. "Just to see how she's holding up, with her not responding to our messages."
"…I see," was Ken's quiet response. "Um…" He bit his lip. "Do you think I could come too?"
Oh… of course he'd want to come too. He lost a parent suddenly due to Shadow activity too…
Yusuke nodded firmly. "Of course."
"Is there anyone else who wants to come?" Makoto asked.
Ren shook his head. "No… It's probably for the better," he said quietly. "We don't want to overwhelm Haru with too many visitors."
Yusuke nodded. "I think Ren's right," he said quietly. "Not to mention everything she's been dealing with."
"So… we're all good for today, yeah?" Ryuji asked uncertainly.
"It appears so," Yusuke said. "I'll see all of you on Friday, then."
"If we can even convince Mitsuru-san," Ken mumbled. "She's awfully stubborn when she wants to. She'll probably dig in her heels…"
"Then we'll just have to out-stubborn her." Anne gave him a reassuring smile. "I mean, Ryuji alone could probably get the job done."
"HEY!"
"Mwehehe, you can't deny the truth," Futaba snickered at Ryuji. She then turned to Ren. "I'll be heading back, okay? I'll say bye to Sojiro for you!"
"Futaba, wait," Morgana called out to her. "Um… I was wondering if you could…" He trailed off for a moment.
"Could…?" Futaba asked.
"I-I'll explain on the way, okay?" Morgana huffed. Then he bowed his head. "Please," he pleaded softly.
"Morgana…?" Yusuke questioned.
"I-It's nothing bad, okay?" Morgana grumbled. "Please, Futaba."
"Wellll, kitty is saying please…" Futaba mused, before nodding her head firmly. "Okay. I'll accept your quest!"
"Must you always inject such odd jargon when you speak?" Yusuke sighed.
"You're one to talk, Inari!" Futaba retorted, hands on her hips.
Still bickering, the two of them—along with Morgana in Futaba's arms—descended the stairs. Ryuji glanced over to Ren, but Ren made a shooing gesture. He tried to force a smile to reassure his best friend. Ryuji bit his lip, before calling out to Yusuke to wait up.
Makoto looked at Ken, and she opened her mouth for a moment. But then she wavered, hastily shutting her mouth close.
Ken rubbed his face. He looked so… tired. "…I'll walk you home, Makoto," he muttered.
So they left together, leaving Ren alone with his girlfriend. Ren heaved out a sigh before standing up. He walked over to his bed.
"Do you… want to talk about it?" Anne asked softly, rising to her feet.
"Ken… could leave," Ren said numbly, sinking onto his bed.
"Ren…" Anne sat next to him, turning to face him. She pulled him into a tight hug. He started to shake in her arms. "Shh…" she crooned, running her fingers through his hair. "This isn't your fault, okay?"
He was used to being the leader. The one with the plan. The confident one.
But now… it felt like he had nothing. And he was going to lose one of his friends.
"We'll take it one step at a time," Anne said softly. "Just breathe, Ren. Breathe."
"How can you be so confident?" Ren mumbled out.
Anne just smiled at him before leaning forward to kiss him on the forehead. "…Because I'm with you."
"And you say I pull out lines without even batting an eye."
Anne giggled. "I guess you're rubbing off on me."
Ren hugged her close, his arms wrapping around her waist. "Anne… can you… stay with me tonight?" he murmured, looking into her eyes.
Anne's smile turned gentle as she looked at him. "…Of course."
She wants me to return to Port Island.
Those seven words kept echoing in Makoto's head.
If Ken left Tokyo… would she ever see him again? Even if they resolved everything with Shido… Makoto wasn't sure if the Shadow Operatives would ever want to come near them again. She… She hated that she was so unsure about it.
And if Ken left for good… without her telling him how she felt…
She didn't know if she could bear it. But at the same time, what if Ken didn't return her feelings and he ended up staying in Tokyo…? She didn't want to ruin things…
"Ah, Makoto… we're at your apartment complex."
Makoto snapped to attention, and she looked at Ken. "Ah… right."
Ken smiled halfheartedly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly.
"Ken, wait!" Makoto blurted, grabbing one of his hands. Ken froze, his eyes growing as big as golf balls. "I… I…" she stammered out.
What… What was she doing? She couldn't just dump this on him now. Especially with how he must be feeling…
Makoto licked her lips for a moment, before forcing herself to smile. "We… We'll figure something out," she said trying sound more confident than how she felt. "We'll convince Kirijo-san that you need to stay here."
Ken's lips formed a sad smile, before his fingers curled around hers. "…I hope you're right, Makoto."
"I mean… Mitsuru-san is just looking out for your safety…" Makoto bit her lip.
Her knowledge of Mitsuru Kirijo came from the media. She was supposed to be a beautiful woman. Fierce and unwilling to back down from a challenge.
"I know…" Ken sighed, before he rubbed his face with his free hand. Oh… He hadn't let go of her hand. "…I just wish that she had listened to what I said…"
"We'll make sure that she listens to us, then." Makoto gently squeezed his hand. "Ken, I… I don't want you to leave," she admitted in a small voice.
"Makoto…" Ken looked at her. "…I don't either. I never expected to befriend any of you… but now I have a hard time imagining my life without you." He heaved out another sigh. "…I hope you're right. Because without Mitsuru-san's support, we can't stay in Tokyo."
Makoto bit her lip. She had to pray that they could convince her then. "Like… Anne said… we'll have to out stubborn her."
"It… It could be worse," Ken admitted. "Shinjiro-san could be agreeing with her. He… He's not a fan of Tokyo."
"He's not?" Makoto tilted her head at that.
"He says it's too frantic. Some people are too much in a rush and would 'bulldoze people over to get where they're going', in his words."
Makoto couldn't help laugh a little at that. To say Shinjiro-san was colorful was putting it lightly. "And he puts up with it… because he was worried about you going to Tokyo alone?" Makoto guessed.
"Pretty much," Ken agreed, a fond smile touching his lips. "But speaking of Shinjiro-san…" He looked towards the elevator. "…I probably should get going." His hand slid out of Makoto's. "I'll see you tomorrow, Makoto."
Makoto watched him leave, biting her lip as he disappeared out of her sight.
She tried to act confident, but… she was scared that Mitsuru-san wouldn't be convinced. And that would mean Ken would leave Tokyo… Should she… tell him of her feelings? She almost did earlier. She might regret it if she didn't…
Makoto shook her head, pinching herself to snap her out of her thoughts. She had to think positively. If she was convinced that they'd fail, then they would have lost the battle already. She then let out a soft sigh as a wave of exhaustion hit her.
What a day… She knew that today was going to be rough, with what happened last night but… She had no idea just how rough it'd be. She should just get inside and heat the leftovers from a couple nights ago… She fished out her keys from her schoolbag, before unlocking the door.
"Do you always come home this late?"
Makoto let out a surprised squeak, gaping at her sister. Sae was sitting at the couch, her eyes on her laptop. "SIS?!" she gasped. "W-What are you doing here?"
Sae stopped typing, looking up to raise an eyebrow at Makoto. "Are you really asking me that, Makoto?"
"Nono, it's not like that!" Makoto said hastily, waving her hands for a moment. "It's just…" She trailed off for a moment. "…You've been so busy lately, Sis." She bit her lip. "It… It feels like you've been living at your office lately…" she added quietly.
Sae pursed her lips. "Yes, but it's not like the Phantom Thieves have been giving me a break," she said darkly. Then she tucked her hair behind her ear. "…However, they are giving me a chance of a promotion, so I suppose I can't complain all that much."
Makoto blinked at her. "A… A promotion?" she echoed.
Sae nodded firmly, a proud smile on her face. "Yes, the SIU director called me into his office earlier today. He said that I'm now being put in charge of the investigation of the Phantom Thieves. If I'm successful…" excitement started to brim from her voice, "I'll be promoted. So, I've started with speaking to Haru Okumura. You've become friends with her lately, haven't you?"
"I… I see." Makoto forced a smile as she stepped closer to her sister. "…Congratulations, Sis," she added softly. "You've always been a hard worker… you deserve it." She then bit her lip. "But… how is Haru?" she asked tentatively. "I tried messaging her today, but after what happened to her father…"
Sae's expression grew serious. "She's… not well," she admitted. "Very quiet and withdrawn. She seemed to draw into herself even further when her fiancé came to see her."
Sugimura… Makoto's hand clenched into a fist. Of course. Okumura didn't have time to break the engagement. Poor Haru… That must have been like salt rubbed into the wound.
"…I see," Makoto said slowly. "I… I feel so awful for Haru."
"It is odd though… Akechi-kun pointed out that Okumura is a bit of a step down from Medjed," Sae mused, stroking her chin. She then shook her head, pursing her lips together. "Excuse me, I'm just talking aloud…"
"I-It's okay, Sis." Makoto forced another smile, even as she lied in between her teeth. "It's your job after all." She then slid her bag off her shoulder, setting it on the loveseat. "I'll get dinner started, though. It shouldn't take too long."
Between Haru's situation and Ken possibly moving back… they had a lot on their hands. She… She would have to come clean about Sae having a Palace to everyone… wouldn't she?
Thursday, October 13th, 2016
There was no denying the opulence of the Okumura residence. The architecture was a work of art. Modern furniture. Paintings with superb technique.
And yet… it was so cold. He couldn't help but compare it to LeBlanc. Warmth was infused in the very air, with LeBlanc. Even though returning to the atelier brought on… mixed feelings to Yusuke, he still had fond memories of Madarame teaching him how to draw, how to paint…
He couldn't help but wonder if Haru had any happy memories in her home like Yusuke had with the atelier. She had said that her father was once kind… and found joy in creating food, but…
He just couldn't imagine Haru growing up in such a place. Despite her upbringing, Haru was kind and gentle, never failing to have a warm smile on her face. Yusuke could only wonder how this was the case.
They were told to sit by the servant who ushered them inside. But Yusuke couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. How was Haru holding up? Was she… upset at them?
They had succeeded every time until now. But… her father ended up getting killed.
"Guys!"
They turned their heads to see that Morgana was in Haru's arms.
"Morgana?" Makoto's eyes went wide. "What are you doing here?!"
"Mona-chan showed up last night," Haru explained, seating herself at the loveseat. Her grip loosened on Morgana, presumably so Morgana could wander away if he so wished. But Morgana remained firmly planted in Haru's lap.
Yusuke felt his heart sink as he took a good look at her face. Dark circles under her eyes, highlighted by how pale her skin was. A redness to her eyes that hinted that she had been crying. Her smile was wobbly.
Of course she wasn't holding up well. She had just lost her father and she had expressed a wish to reconcile with him… She wanted to make amends so badly…
Morgana lowered his head. "…I was worried," he mumbled out.
"So that's what you were asking Futaba yesterday, then?" Yusuke inquired.
Morgana nodded. "Ren was taking everything really hard so… I felt that he should be resting. I didn't want to bother him about this."
"Ren-kun…" Haru said softly, her eyes filling with concern. "…Is he okay?"
"S-Shouldn't we be asking you that?" Futaba asked, her eyes wide at Haru. "I-I mean-!" Then her mouth snapped shut and she shrunk into herself. "N-Never mind…"
Haru winced. "I… I'm o-" Then she stopped short, her hands clenching around Morgana for a moment. "…I'm holding up," she said finally.
"Haru…" Yusuke said quietly. "I… I…"
The words were heavy on his tongue. What could he say to her? He had no memories of his mother, and he had no idea of the whereabouts of his father. Whether he was alive or dead… Yusuke couldn't say.
The Sayuri was the closest tie he had to his mother. But he never would have known the personal tie he had to the Sayuri, if it wasn't for them confronting Madarame's Shadow. He knew that his mother loved him, pouring such emotion in the Sayuri, knowing that she was slowly dying. But that couldn't replace actual memories.
"…They said they did their best to sedate Father." Haru forced a smile, a smile that was too brittle to belong on Haru's face. "P-Please don't blame yourselves."
…Had she been worrying about them too? Perhaps… it came to her mind, because Morgana got Futaba to take him to Haru's home last night.
"Haru… there's something you need to know," Makoto said slowly. "A-About your father. I-I know the official excuse is that it's a sudden heart attack but…"
"…Mitsuru-san's father's death was credited to a sudden illness," Ken suddenly said. "Ikutsuki shot him. A bullet right to the chest." He looked down at his hands. "…It's never the truth," he added bitterly.
Sometimes… he forgot that Ken had been dealt a harsh hand of cards as well. He was surrounded by a group of people who cared and doted on him as a younger brother. But… he lost his mother at a young age and he had been hurt by authority… people meant to help him.
"B-But anyhow…" Makoto cleared her throat. "…We repeated the process of stealing someone's Treasure, but… we think the reason why your father's Shadow was killed by the black masked Persona-user." She bowed her head. "I-I'm sorry, Haru… None of us considered the idea that he might be lurking in the Palace… Maybe if we had, we could've…!"
"Mako-chan, please don't blame yourself!" Haru exclaimed, holding up her hands. Then she looked to everyone else. "…Please don't blame yourselves. You've expressed your wish to help me so many times… So… don't blame yourself, please. L-Losing Father was…" her lip trembled for a moment, but then she closed her eyes and the tremors ceased, "…unfortunate, but I know that this was not your intention."
…She was just trying to maintain a stiff upper lip, wasn't she… Even when suffering through this loss… she was trying to uplift them.
"B-But… at least your engagement has been broken, right?" Futaba asked.
Haru's face crumpled at that. "…No." Her voice suddenly cracked as she opened her eyes. Yusuke's hands clenched into fists at the glimmer of tears in her eyes. "Father had been so unwell s-since we took his Treasure… he wasn't able to meet with the Sugimuras. I-In fact… the board is pushing for the marriage, to salvage the company. To them… Sugimura is their savior."
"WHAT?!" Yusuke was on his feet. "How dare they?! And how dare Sugimura take advantage of the situation?!"
"Haru…" Ken's voice snapped Yusuke out of his rage, and he looked to see that Ken's hands were gripping his knees tightly, "I can speak to Mitsuru-san. Maybe she can offer aid to Okumura Foods. The board shouldn't be forcing you to marry Sugimura."
"…No. I-It's okay…" Haru looked to him. "I… I appreciate the concern and your offer, but… you have enough on your plate, Ken-kun," she said gently. "You're on thin enough ice with Kirijo-san. I… I can't ask that of you."
"Haru… I… I'm so sorry," Yusuke said. "We… We've failed you."
"I… I'm sorry too," Futaba whimpered out. "I… I didn't want anyone to go through what I did before…" She squeezed her eyes shut, but a couple tears leaked out. "N-Nobody should have died like Mom…"
"Please, stop blaming yourselves!" Haru pleaded, suddenly blinking rapidly. "You had good intentions…" She then bowed her head. "I-I'm sorry, but I really can't spare much time. The board is pushing for a funeral as soon as possible and we've set it on Sunday. I've been caught up with the arrangements, which is why I was silent for the past few days…"
Except… was that truly the case? Yusuke had felt incredible with the reaction to Medjed… Had they… been swept up in their success?
"So soon…" Makoto murmured, pulling Yusuke out of his ruminations. Makoto was only fifteen when her father had died… Yusuke assumed that her elder sister had taken care of those arrangements.
"The sooner the better I suppose…" Haru forced yet another smile. "I-I'm sorry, but please excuse me…"
"…Haru, wait." Ken's quiet voice halted Haru in her tracks. She looked at him with wide eyes. "…You don't have to bear the burden all on your shoulders. That's what we're here for… as your friends."
Haru ducked her head, possibly to hide her tears. "…I understand, Ken-kun," she whispered. "Thank you."
…Something told him that Haru would not heed Ken's words… At least not yet. Haru's emotions must be a turbulence.
And yet, whose fault is that? a voice whispered to Yusuke. You should have taken a step back. You should've seen that it was all too perfect…
"…Yusuke?" Makoto's voice snapped him out of his reverie. "W-We should go."
"…My apologies," Yusuke mumbled out, before rising to his feet.
Futaba collected Morgana in her arms, before they all set outside.
"…Yusuke…" Ken said slowly, "what's wrong?"
"What's wrong?" Yusuke parroted back, before letting out a short, mirthless laugh. "You were there, were you not?"
"Yusuke…" Morgana began.
"Morgana, do not try and placate me," Yusuke cut him off, before sweeping his arm towards the Okumura residence. A residence where Haru was all alone. "You saw the toll this is taking on Haru!"
"Stop it," Futaba mumbled out.
"I will not!" Yusuke snapped. "What… What has become of us…? What has become of me? I savored the good opinion of the people, the fame that we had earned! I… I…" Yusuke looked down on the ground. Then his head shot up, his gaze sweeping between his friends. "I'm no better than Madarame!"
"I said STOP IT, YUSUKE! SHUT UP!" Futaba suddenly shrieked out, the screech making the rest of them wince. She was shaking so hard that her hair was trembling. "You… Stop talking yourself down," she ground out. "Yeah, we got caught up in the fame! But are you abusive?! Are you a cheat?" She shook her head vigorously. "No! You're the opposite of that! You're many things, which include annoying, having one track mind, and…" She trailed off, shaking her head again. "But anyways! You're a good person, okay? You've been worried about Haru this whole time. Madarame was willing to squeeze every last drop out of his students, as long as he had cash to burn."
Yusuke just stared at Futaba. To speak frankly, Futaba pushed his buttons so easily. But he… he had never thought that she thought of him in that way.
"Yusuke…" Makoto said softly, "Futaba's right, you know. We made a mistake… and Haru suffered from it. And I wish desperately that we could take it back."
"We were careless," Ken said quietly. "We thought that this would answer our problems. But Haru's right in a way… We can't keep beating ourselves up for this.
"I…" Yusuke bowed his head. "…You're right. I just got so caught up after seeing Haru that I…" He shook his head. "But this is a bitter lesson. We… no I… will never be caught up in the wave of fame again."
He wasn't Madarame. But this experience had taught him… that humility always had to be on the forefront of his mind.
"We mustn't forget why the Phantom Thieves were founded in the first place," Morgana said.
"Yes…" Yusuke bowed his head. "It will not happen again. I swear it."
Thou art I… and I am thou. Thine resolve hast transformed me… and hast given me a new form. I am…
" Kamu…Susano-o…" Yusuke breathed out.
"Huh?" Futaba looked at him in confusion. "What are you mumbling about, Inari?"
"My Persona… it has changed," Yusuke announced. "Goemon… has given rise to Kamu Susano-o."
"Oh, that's incredible, Yusuke!" Makoto complimented, smiling warmly at him. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you, Makoto."
He was not like Madarame. He was going to fight for what was right… not because it gave him fame. He'd never lose sight of what was right again.
Friday, October 14th, 2016
Makoto watched with growing trepidation as Ken and Futaba fussed with his laptop and the webcam that Futaba had brought with her. This would project the video call onto the admittedly high end television set.
"Annnd here we go!" Futaba crowed, flashing a victory sign. "You just gotta call her now, Ken!"
"Simple, right?" Ken said dryly, before he smiled at Futaba. "…But thanks, Futaba."
"I can't believe that we're actually talking to Mitsuru Kirijo though!" Anne exclaimed.
"I mean, we've met the rest of the celebrities Ken knows," Ren quipped. "Maybe it was only a matter of time."
Ken rolled his eyes in Ren's direction, before he started the call. He set his laptop aside, before joining them on the large couch. They watched with bated breath as the call connected.
"Hello?"
Makoto's breath caught.
She had heard from the media that Mitsuru Kirijo was a beautiful woman. Incredibly beautiful, the media proclaimed. But she hadn't expected it to be the truth.
Her wine red hair was swept up into an elegant bun, while her bangs curled down to nearly her chin. Her eyes matched the shade of her hair wore a black jacket that cinched at the waist, fastened with a gold circular clasp. A surprisingly simple necklace hung around her neck. She was elegant, with an air of authority to her.
She was… somewhat like Sae.
But then shock filled her eyes. "W-What…?"
Ken just ran his hand through his hair, smiling weakly at her. "Um, hi, Mitsuru-san."
"Amada…" She narrowed her eyes at him. "What's the meaning of this?"
"We're sorry for this huge mess!" Ryuji shouted.
"Please don't drag Ken back to Port Island!" Anne pleaded, clasping her hands in front of her, while Futaba shouted, "You can't make him go back! You can't!"
Kirijo-san's only answer was to blink several times. In honesty, she looked… flabbergasted at the whole thing. But then again, she was being screamed at…
Ken's response on the other hand, was just to introduce his hand to his face. "You guys…"
"…I suppose Shinjiro was not exaggerating when he claimed that you were a…" she paused, seemingly pondering over something, "…colorful group." But then her eyes locked onto Futaba, regret suddenly filling them. "…And you must be Isshiki's daughter, Futaba."
The fire suddenly died in Futaba's eyes and she tried to shrink into herself. "Um, that's me," she squeaked out.
"…I…" Kirijo-san closed her eyes for a moment. "I… beg for your forgiveness," she said. "I pursued the truth of your mother's death but… I drew back when Shido made his threat. I didn't know of your wellbeing… and it turned out that was a mistake." A sad smile pulled at her lips. "…You truly do resemble your mother." Then a pause, as she frowned. She looked puzzled for some reason. "…Well, save for your hair. I'm surprised that you chose such a vivid hair color to dye your hair."
"Wait… wait… wait…" Ryuji turned shocked eyes onto Futaba, before his jaw dropped. "You dye your hair?!"
"Um, duh," Futaba said flatly, looking unimpressed with Ryuji. "My hair's bright orange. You seriously thought this—" she seized a chunk of her hair, waving it at Ryuji, "—is natural?!"
"So?! Yusuke's hair is blue!" Ryuji cried out. "And Fuuka-san has practically green hair!"
"Do not drag me into this, Ryuji," Yusuke said flatly. "And I believe we're veering off topic."
"That's putting it lightly," Ken grumbled out.
"But um…" Futaba adjusted her glasses for a moment. "I-It turned out for the best!" she stammered out. "I-I mean, I wouldn't have met everyone if it wasn't for what happened…" Then she clasped her hands together. "P-Please don't make Ken go back to Port Island!" she begged all while her lips trembled. "He… He's the one who told me that I couldn't keep hiding from the world."
"I…" Kirijo-san looked taken aback by that. "…I knew Amada was deeply concerned about you but… I…"
"I'm sorry," Ren suddenly interrupted. Ren's stance was usually relaxed… fluid. Almost cat-like. But now… he was so… rigid.
"I… beg your pardon…" Kirijo-san then tilted her head. "…Ah, you're Amamiya, are you not?"
"That's me." Ren audibly swallowed. "I'm so, so sorry for what happened."
"C-C'mon, Ren, you can't keep blaming yourself-" Morgana began.
"…I'm not really blaming myself, Morgana," Ren said. Kirijo-san flicked her eyes towards Morgana, curiosity filling them. Oh, right… she couldn't understand Morgana. "Not anymore. However… I know that you trusted us enough to give us information… information we might not have uncovered for a long time. And… we blew it. Haru's dad is dead, and we didn't think of the black masked Persona user until it was too late. We thought we were just doing what we've been doing…"
"…The fame went to our heads," Yusuke added. "We were overconfident… we thought we would be able to continue freely. We did not think of the consequences…" He bowed his head, sorrow clinging to him like a cloak. "…And now Okumura is dead."
"…Mm." A considering light entered Kirijo-san's eyes. "This is all well and good but… this is just convincing me that it's better to recall Amada to Port Island… It's become too dangerous."
"No…" Anne whimpered out, her eyes filling with tears. "Please don't…"
Makoto felt her heart sink as she watched Ken's face crumple. Kirijo-san wasn't convinced…
"This is just running away!" Ryuji snapped out. "You're lookin' away from the real problem here!"
Makoto inhaled sharply at Ryuji's words. Running away…
"…Will it help if you look away?" Makoto said lowly. "What would it resolve?"
"I… beg your pardon?" Kirijo-san's eyes widened at that. "Just… what are you alluding to?"
"Makoto…?" Ken questioned.
"Makoto, wait—" Ryuji began. "You don't hafta-"
But she cut him off, shaking her head. "…Yes, I do." She then inhaled. "Ken has mentioned to you that I'm the student council president of Shujin, correct?" Kirijo-san just raised an eyebrow at that, but she slowly nodded. "…I had suspicions of Kamoshida's actions but I turned a blind eye to it all. And because of it… so many people got hurt…" her eyes drifted over to Ryuji and Anne for a moment, before she looked back to Kirijo-san, "because Kamoshida thought he could do anything and he'd still be worshipped by the school. I utterly failed in my duty as the student council president."
"Makoto…" Anne said softly. "I… It's not your fault-"
"Oh, but it is," Makoto interrupted, holding up a hand to stop Anne. "I did not think to look further into it. I looked away, and as a result… so many people were hurt. Suzui-san nearly killed herself because of Kamoshida. It was only by a stroke of good fortune that she managed to live." She then inhaled shakily. "B-But my point is… what good will it do if Ken goes back to Port Island?"
Kirijo-san's eyes widened at that. She had… struck a nerve, hadn't she?
"Y-You just said that you felt bad because you couldn't do more after Mom died…" Futaba said slowly. "But…" She bit her lip, before her eyes met Kirijo-san's. "…Is this much different?"
"I…"
"Give it up already, Mitsuru."
Futaba yelped, slipping out of her seat and landing on the floor. "J-Jeez!" she sputtered out. "Did you down like three stealth potions or what?!"
"Futaba!" Makoto exclaimed. "Are you okay?!"
Futaba winced, before she rubbed her bottom. "I'll live," she said.
"Hello to you too, Shinjiro," Kirijo-san greeted dryly. Then she looked back at them, before she heaved out a sigh. "…You're really adamant on this, aren't you, Amada?" she said quietly.
But before Ken could even open his mouth, Shinjiro-san beat him to the punch. "You should've figured that out when Ken actually argued with you when you called," Shinjiro-san snorted.
Mitsuru-san looked irritated at that—somehow Makoto did not expect Shinjiro-san to have this kind of relationship with Kirijo-san, but in hindsight it did make sense… "And if you thought so, then why did you insist on dropping the subject until midterms were done with? You forcibly cut off the call!"
"It appears that Shinjiro-san… as Ryuji would put it…" Yusuke began, "…does not give a shit."
"Yusuke!" Makoto gasped, before she glared at Ryuji. "Ryuji, what are you doing, teaching Yusuke that kind of language?!"
"What?!" Ryuji demanded. "C'mon, Makoto, Yusuke ain't a baby! Hell, I bet Futaba's seen worse with her surfing the web so much! And she's the youngest!"
"Hey, don't drag me into this!" Futaba retorted.
"I don't know why you're surprised, Makoto," Ken said dryly.
"…Heh." The soft chuckle had them looking back at Kirijo-san. "I see that what Shinjiro has been telling me hasn't been a stretch."
"And may I ask what exactly you've been saying?" Ren asked.
"Tch." Shinjiro-san huffed, pointedly looking away. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"I think we're growing on him," Ren stage whispered to Futaba.
"And I think you need to mind your own business, Amamiya," Shinjiro-san retorted. "'Sides, it'd be a complete pain in the ass to transfer Ken back to Gekkoukan after all of this."
"Um…" Futaba fidgeted for a moment, smiling awkwardly at Kirijo-san. "S-Sorry about bring up Mom earlier…"
"Mitsuru's stubborn as a mule," Shinjiro-san dismissed. "Besides she deals with ass kissers all the damn time. I bet someone laying the truth out to her like that was a breath of fresh air."
Kirijo-san just glowered at him through the screen. "Must you always be so crude, Shinjiro?" she practically growled out.
"Am I wrong?" he shot back with a smirk. (Something told her that Shinjiro-san liked irritating Kirijo-san…)
Kirijo-san just exhaled, before shooting Shinjiro-san a look. "You're impossible." Then she looked to Futaba. "…And don't worry about it, Sakura. I… I honestly deserved that."
"Yeah, yeah," Shinjiro-san waved her off.
Makoto found herself looking back and forth between the two of them. Kirijo-san just seemed so… poised. And yet Shinjiro-san tore that down without even blinking. Then she happened to glance over to Ken. He wasn't even batting an eye at the arguing pair.
"…Is this normal?" Makoto whispered, leaning closer to him.
"Hmm?" Ken turned to her. "Oh, this?" He waved a hand. "It's nothing really. You should see Shinjiro-san when he's with Akihiko-san…"
"I'm glad that this has been resolved!" Anne said gleefully, clasping her hands together. But then she faltered. "Oh, but Haru…" She bit her lip. "You went and saw her yesterday, didn't you?"
"Oh, yeah, how is she?" Ryuji asked.
Morgana sighed. "…Not good," he mumbled out. "Not good at all."
"Haru…" Yusuke sighed. "She put on a brave face and yet…"
"…I see," Ren said. "Maybe she needs some time but…"
"The fact that she still hasn't been replying to our messages…" Ken said slowly, "…speaks volumes."
Makoto winced. She had sent Haru text messages… saying that she would always be happy to listen to Haru, should she need it… But still, nothing. But on the other hand, when Dad died… Makoto could barely bring herself to speak to anyone. The pitying whispers and looks… she had despised it all.
"You're speaking of Okumura's daughter, correct?" Kirijo-san inquired.
"Yeah…" Ren ran a hand through his hair. "She's drawing into herself… She'll barely talk to us."
Something flashed in Kirijo-san's eyes. Was that… understanding? Then again, Ken did mention something about her father's death just yesterday. "…I see," she said softly. Then she looked at Ken. "Amada, tell me, when is Okumura's funeral?"
Ken blinked at that. "Um… It's… Sunday, wasn't it?" He looked uncertainly at them. "I can find out and let you know, Mitsuru-san."
"Please do." Then Kirijo-san smiled at all of them. "I wasn't expecting this," she admitted. "But… I must say, it is a pleasure to meet you." Then back to Ken. "…You'll look out for him, won't you?"
"Mitsuru-san!" Ken complained. "Stop treating me like a child!"
"Oh, you're really helping your case there, Ken," Shinjiro-san snarked, and Ken glowered at him in response.
But Kirijo-san just laughed good-naturedly, smiling warmly at Ken. "It's purely out of worry, Amada." Then she gave a little wave. "Again, it was nice to meet you. I hope that one day, we'll be able to speak… in person."
Then she cut off the connection.
And then… it sunk in. Ken wasn't going back to Port Island. He was going to stay here in Tokyo…!
Makoto felt tears fill her eyes. This was just… such a relief…
"…She's nice," Ren said after a moment of silence. With everyone turning their heads towards their leader, Makoto took the moment to wipe at her eyes. "Nicer than I thought she'd be."
"Just wait until she gets execution mad," Shinjiro-san grumbled out. "Then you'll be runnin' for the hills."
…Execution? Had Kirijo-san… killed people?
"Who cares 'bout that?!" Ryuji suddenly flung an arm around Ken's shoulders, and Makoto jumped as in his enthusiasm, Ryuji accidentally smacked Makoto. "We should count this as a small victory!"
"Ooh, let's go out and eat somewhere together!" Anne suggested.
"Oden!" Futaba shouted gleefully.
"If we're gonna go that route, ramen all the way!" Ryuji retorted.
Shinjiro-san groaned. "If you want food to celebrate, I can cook for you," he said, doing his best to sound nonchalant. "No sense in eating that sodium loaded crap…" He then tapped Ken on the shoulder. "Oi, help me out here. Cooking for about nine people."
"Oh, I can help you cook then," Makoto offered. "If you're cooking for so many, it's only right that we try and help out."
…For some reason, Shinjiro-san swallowed hard. He looked… wary.
"Oh, relax." Ken rolled his eyes at his guardian. "Makoto cooks for herself all the time."
Was she… missing something? Maybe it was an inside joke?
"Hmm." Shinjiro-san then snorted, before walking towards the kitchen. "Suit yourself then."
Makoto went to follow him, but Ken gently grasped her hand to stop her. "Makoto…" he said softly, "…thank you. It's what you said that changed Mitsuru-san's mind."
Makoto felt her face warm at Ken's smile. "A-Anything for you," she managed to spit out. "I-I'm so glad that you're allowed to stay."
Light pink flushed Ken's cheeks, before he coughed. "U-Um… we should go join Shinjiro-san or he'll chew us out."
Makoto managed a smile. "We can't have that, can we?"
She… needed to tell him how she felt. Maybe not today or tomorrow but… soon. This experience taught her that she… couldn't keep waiting forever for a sign.
Sunday, October 16th, 2016
Ever since she was a girl, Haru had hated staring. At first, it had been marveling over what a pretty little child she was. But then as Okumura Foods grew… the staring morphed into Okumura's daughter.
But this… this had to be the worst.
The speeches were insincere. And she could feel people glancing in her direction. Haru stared ahead at the tomb.
The funeral dragged on and on… She had to force a smile, accepting the condolences from strangers. To make it worse, Sugimura was by her side, always keeping a hand on her arm. His touch just made her skin crawl, even though her blouse covered her down to her wrists.
It should have been a reprieve to return home. No… the house. A home was filled with love and good memories. This lacked both.
Haru collapsed onto her bed, grasping her pillow and hugging it to her chest. Tears filled her eyes but she blinked furiously to push them back. It didn't matter. Father was still dead. Sugimura was still demanding to marry her… On top of that, there was someone after the Phantom Thieves.
It was all so hopeless.
A light knock on the door. "Lady Haru?" the maidservant, Keiko, said gently. Haru forced herself to sit up.
"What is it, Keiko?" she called.
"One of your school friends is here to see you…" Keiko trailed off for a moment. "Should I turn him away?"
"N-No, it's fine." Haru tried to swallow down the lump in her throat. "Show him to the parlor, please. I will come down in a moment."
"Understood, Lady Haru," Keiko said dutifully.
Haru heaved herself up, smoothing out the rumples in her clothes. She took a moment to check her appearance in the mirror to make sure that she looked composed.
She then stepped out, and made her way to the parlor. It was… Ken.
"Hello, Ken-kun," she greeted, doing her best to smile at him. "What can I do for you?"
"Oh, well…" Ken reached into his phone and unlocked it, holding it out to her. Haru just looked at her friend, feeling utterly confused. "I… We… spoke to Mitsuru-san the other day," he said gently. "She told me that she would like to speak to you, and I didn't feel comfortable with giving her your number without your permission so she… she suggested this."
Haru stared down at it. Speaking to Mitsuru Kirijo, someone she deeply admired… It should've been a dream. But with her… feeling so jumbled up… She'd probably sound like a fool.
"…Haru." Ken's voice was still gentle. "…Mitsuru-san would understand your situation better than anyone. Please. Talk to her. You don't have to do it here… You can go back to your room."
"A-All right," she relented, before taking Ken's phone. She went into his contacts, scrolling through it. She found the number and pressed call.
She looked at him uncertainly, but Ken just gave her an encouraging smile.
She then headed for her bedroom, sitting down on the edge of her bed just as the call connected.
"Hello?"
Haru inhaled. "H-Hello," she stammered out. "Um… I'm Haru Okumura."
"It's a pleasure, Okumura-san," Kirijo-san said, her voice surprisingly warm for a woman with an ice queen reputation. Then she was quiet for several seconds. "First of all… I wish to extend my condolences about your loss of your father."
Haru squeezed her eyes shut. "T-Thank you," she croaked out. "It was all so sudden and I…"
"…It's never easy losing your parent," she said gently. Then another silence. "May I… recount the tale of how my father died?"
Ken had said… Mitsuru-san would understand your situation better than anyone. Just what did he mean by that? Well, there was only one way to find out…
"You may."
"Thank you. As you know, my family, the Kirijos… have some dark secrets. My grandfather had been completely consumed in his goal. However… my father, his son, was deeply ashamed by all he had done… hurting so many people. He wished to atone for all of our family's sins. The reason why I became a Persona-user was fueled by my desire to aid my father. However… the night after we slain the twelfth Full Moon Shadow… we were betrayed by our advisor, Ikutsuki… and when my father confronted him… the confrontation ended with both of them losing their lives. I remember hopelessly trying to staunch the blood flow, but… I failed."
Haru pressed a hand to her mouth. That was just… horrible.
"I was completely consumed in my grief. I couldn't help but think that if only I could have acted faster… if I hadn't trusted Ikutsuki so blindly… then I'd still have my father." Then there was a sound that sounded oddly like a sniffle. "I felt so lost. I was just… numb. I felt that I had lost all drive to do anything."
"What… What snapped you out of it?" Haru asked.
"…Well. I was reminded of what I had to do by a dear friend… No, my best friend," she quickly corrected. "Lean on your friends, Okumura-san. They'll be more than happy to let you lean on them."
Her friends…
Haru closed her eyes.
Morgana showing up just a few days ago. His whispered: You don't have to talk now. But I wanted to be there for you. And so he had, curling up with Haru in her bed that night. His soft purrs had lulled Haru to sleep…
She reached for her own phone, opening it to various messages from her friends.
Hey, Haru, I'm here if you want to talk! Text me, okay? – Anne
Haru… I'm so sorry about your dad… But I've been told that I'm a pretty good listener. Hit me up if you need it – Ren
Chin up, Haru! Don't let 'em get to ya! If you need some ass kicking to be done, I'm your guy – Ryuji
Futaba… Makoto… and Ken… they had visited her. They understood what it was like to lose a parent so suddenly.
And Yusuke… he was always so kind to her. Her eyes drifted over to where his sketch of Noir was pinned to the wall. He helped inspire her when she was so unsure of facing Father…
"He wasn't the best father, Kirijo-san," Haru choked out. "He's been slowly neglecting me as a daughter over the past few years… But I…! I miss the father who cared and loved for me…!" She then began to sob, tears dripping down her cheeks. "Why…? Why did the chance to make amends have to be snatched away?!"
Mitsuru-san comforted her, her voice a gentle balm.
"…But you're right," Haru said softly. "I… I have wonderful friends… Loyal and caring… I… I'm not alone…" She then wiped at her eyes. "…Thank you, Kirijo-san. I needed that reminder. And thank you… for reaching out to me. I needed this. All of this…"
"It's nothing, Okumura-san." Haru could hear the smile in her voice. "No one can stand on their own. You need to lean on others… I learned that several years ago, and I'm all the better for it."
She looked down at her phone, looking over the messages again.
She still wasn't done grieving for her father… But she knew that she could always count on her friends to be there for her. She didn't have to suffer through this alone.
I think I misled some of you. I meant that I would be putting the fic on hold until I'm done with Shuann Week! (Though, I'll admit I thought I'd be updating after Shuann Week, not the last day of…)
But anyways! You didn't think I'd actually let Ken go back to Port Island, did you? This works out especially nicely, since the PTs were due a conversation with Mitsuru. Ultimax alludes to the drama CDs New Moon & Full Moon, so I thought I'd continue it here. I thought it'd tie in nicely.
Next chapter should be a good one! It's the school festival chapter and hopefully will be posted for the anniversary of the fic! It's really been nearly a year since I've posted Ace in the Hole. Again, I want to thank you for all the support especially since we've hit 200 reviews!