Chapter 33

The Plan

Monday, October 31st, 2016

"They suspect nothing, Shido-san."

Shido eyed Goro carefully. "So they're really fooled, aren't they?"

Goro nodded firmly. "Yes. They've let me join their ranks without much resistance."

Shido scoffed in response to Goro's answer. "They truly are children, aren't they?" he asked, twirling a pen in between his fingers. "What a bunch of gullible fools." Then he met Goro's gaze. "…So tell me about the leader."

"His name is Ren Amamiya," Goro answered, pausing at Shido's… perplexed expression. "A second year attending Shujin Academy. He is under the custody of Sojiro Sakura, and is on probation. For how long, I'm not sure… But it appears he must've committed a serious crime to be put on probation."

"Or just your typical delinquent," Shido scoffed, unimpressed. "Is there any other standouts?"

"Well…" Goro hesitated for a moment. He hadn't missed the way Amada looked at him suspiciously during his story. "There's… Ken Amada."

Shido stilled for a moment, but then he narrowed his eyes at Goro. "Don't just stand there and gawk," he said acidly. "Tell me about him."

"Well… he's a transfer student from what I've garnered," Goro explained. "From Port Island especially…"

"Port Island…" Shido repeated, his hand closing around the pen he had been toying with before he hissed out, "Kirijo. This is her doing."

Goro frowned. "The incident from 2009? Surely he wasn't involved… We were both children then."

Goro had done his best to look into his information, but it was frustratingly veiled. The most he had been able to dig up was that he had been under the guardianship of a man named Shinjiro Aragaki since 2012.

"Don't let him fool you, Akechi," Shido said silkily. "Kirijo was a mere child of eight when she awakened to her power, according to my sources. It's possible that he may have been involved then. Kirijo despises me." He then scoffed, not bothering to hide his disdain. "That woman should just stick to what women do best."

"Of course, Shido-san." Goro plastered on a pleasant smile even though what he really wanted to do was take the gun in his pocket and shoot him in the face. But he couldn't… he needed his revenge.

And of course Shido would think that. He wouldn't have tossed his mother like yesterday's trash if he didn't think otherwise.

"But anyhow, keep tabs on Amada," Shido continued. "We have no concrete proof yet… but I want that to change."

Goro bowed his head. "I will, sir."

There was something about him that… nagged at Goro anyways.

"Now then…" Shido steepled his fingers, looking straight into Goro's eyes. "Let's talk about how we're going to cripple those thieves once and for all."

Tuesday, November 1st, 2016

Futaba had called for a meeting. Ren couldn't help but be surprised that she found something that fast. It had been what… three… four days since she planted the bug? Ren knew that Futaba was good but... damn.

"How bad is it?" Ren looked towards Futaba.

Futaba swallowed hard, before pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "…Just listen," she said. She then fiddled with her laptop for a moment before a recording began to play.

"So you're sure that you have their trust?"

Ren froze at that voice. It tugged at his memory. But… why?

Anne gently touched his wrist, snapping him back to reality. Right. He had to focus…

"I fed them a sob story about being wronged by authority, just like them," Akechi scoffed. "They fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. They don't suspect a thing."

"Maybe we should've named him Rat, instead of Crow," Ryuji hissed, only to be quickly hushed by Makoto.

"So the plan will go as planned," Shido said. "The Phantom Thieves will follow their usual routine. But instead of them escaping to safety… we'll ambush them."

"Indeed," Akechi agreed. "I'll make up something… so they'll confront Sae-san on the nineteenth. And your men will be mobilized, so we can corner them."

"Once we eliminate the leader… the Phantom Thieves will be easy pickings."

…Well, shit. He'd knew that Akechi was up to something but… Akechi and Shido wanted to kill him.

"…Eliminate?" Haru whispered, her voice faint. "I… I thought it was bad but…!"

Anne's hand slid down to take Ren's hand, her grip tight. Ren quickly squeezed back, to reassure his girlfriend that he was still here.

"So how will you do it?"

Akechi hummed. "Let me see… how about we say that he stole the guard's gun and committed suicide? Too prideful to remain in captivity… So better die with some pride before he's properly interrogated."

"He's one to talk about pride," Yusuke said lowly.

"Very well. Do not fail me, Akechi."

"Do not worry, Shido-san. I have a particular room I've got in mind. The incredibly small interrogation room. Public security questioning will occur on the first day… and with that room, my task will be simple."

"And what about the guard stationed there? There will be questions for him. Questions he might not be able to answer without arousing suspicion. Is he on our payroll?"

"Yes, the guard will be one of ours. I'll take him out, do not fret. And thus, the dangerous criminal responsible for the mass mental shutdowns shall end his own life. When he does, you will become a great hero who saved Japan from evil. As will I, of course."

"You worry about sealing the deal for now instead of fantasizing of being seen as a hero. Don't you dare screw this up or you'll suffer the consequences."

"Don't you worry, Shido-san. This plan is foolproof."

Then the recording went dead.

Ren just stared. He should have known that there was a catch. Akechi's deal… it was too convenient. Not to mention his fishy behavior.

There were too many things that added up. He was the culprit.

"I want him… to pay for this," Ren growled out. "He's scum! Utterly despicable!" He drew his hand out of Anne's so he could ball both into fists.

"You're not the only one…" Futaba said flatly. "If he's the culprit… he killed Mom. I… I…" She squeezed her eyes shut. "I want him to pay for everything he's done," she hissed out.

"And he killed Father's Shadow, right after we defeated him," Haru added. She squeezed her eyes shut, her shoulders trembling. "He… He took away the chance I had to fix things with Father…" She then opened her eyes, revealing them to be devoid of Haru's usual warmth. "I won't forgive him for this."

"Futaba, Haru, you both need to calm down," Ken warned. "We can't be impulsive with this."

The unspoken words hung in the air: We can't afford to this time.

"I… I'm sorry, Ken-kun, but I…!" Haru then stopped short, before she bowed her head. "…You're right. We… We need to focus on how to save Ren-kun."

"Just how are we going to fool Akechi." Yusuke then swallowed hard. "Not to mention Shido…"

"Okay, we need to look at the facts," Makoto said slowly. "It seems that Akechi is going to ambush us… which means he'll bring in a police force from reality."

"…Is that even possible though?" Anne asked tentatively.

"Non-Persona users have been brought into the Metaverse countless times," Morgana stated. "Of course, all of you awakened, but there's no rule that you have the… what's the word…"

"We always called it the potential," Ken said.

"Right, the potential," Morgana said with a nod. "You don't necessarily need the potential. But anyhow, the bottom line is that Akechi and Shido are looking to corner us."

"He's a disgrace to the Detective Prince name," Yusuke said, his bottom lip curling in disgust. "Not to mention how he's been working with Makoto's older sister and yet he's…"

"A crazy murderous maniac?" Ryuji offered.

"Aptly put, Ryuji," Yusuke chuckled out, but it was… halfhearted.

"But we need a way to get both Akechi and Shido off of our backs," Anne said, before she crossed her legs. "Or else they'll keep coming after us…" She then gulped. "…But Ren especially."

Ren swallowed hard. He tried to joke around, to put his friends at ease. But this time? He had nothing. Death… seemed to be staring at him, right in the face. And it was terrifying.

Holy hell, how did Minato-san accept that he was dying so easily? He didn't want to die. Murdered by Akechi, of all ways to go… Not to mention Shido said that they were going to target everyone else… Panic was welling up inside of him. He had nothing—what were they going to do?!

Hifumi still easily trumped him at shogi. He was no chessmaster. He… He was doomed, wasn't he?

"The police station…" Futaba murmured.

"…What?" Morgana asked.

"The police station is part of Makoto's sister's Palace," Futaba said, a spark suddenly lighting up in her eyes. "Remember how Yusuke pointed out that there were different buildings aside from the casino, that looked completely ordinary. And Makoto confirmed it."

"Okay, but how does that help us?" Ryuji asked impatiently. "Breaking Ren out is totally doable for us, but that doesn't help us with Shido breathin' down our necks!"

Futaba scowled at him, hopping to her feet and jabbing her index finger in Ryuji's face. "Let me finish!" She then began pacing back and forth. "Just think about it…" she said. "Makoto brought up cognitive selves that her sister conjured up. What if… we tricked Akechi into shooting a cognitive Ren?"

"A… A cognitive Ren-kun?" Haru echoed.

"We need to figure out what interrogation room Akechi is talking about," Makoto said. "And… plant the cognitive Ren, so to speak?"

Futaba nodded furiously, her purple eyes growing bright with excitement. "Yeah! Akechi will think he's killed Ren, but it's really the cognitive self!"

"Wait, wait, wait, back up, Futaba," Ken interjected. "They'll be dragging Ren to the real world for this."

"You underestimate me, Ken!" Futaba made a face at him. She then pulled her phone out of her parka's pocket. "Look, I can activate the Nav remotely. Been experimenting a bit—"

"Of course you have," Yusuke sighed.

"Shush, Inari!" Futaba grumbled out. "And then I just… need some kind of signal so I know when to drag Akechi to the Metaverse!"

"Maybe…" Ken pursed his lips, doubt written all over his face.

"I think it's a good plan," Haru said.

"…We would need Makoto's sister to show Ren's phone," Yusuke said. "Furthermore, if this is to work, we can't steal her Treasure. But we need to fool Akechi in that we are…"

"Okay, so we gotta make a decoy then," Ryuji said. "Makoto, you think you can make somethin' like that?"

Makoto bit her lip. "I think… I have an idea on what would work," she said. "A briefcase… with something inside."

"…But there is a catch with this, isn't it?" Morgana asked.

Futaba winced. "Ren… you know already, don't you?"

"I need to be captured by the police… don't I?" Ren said quietly.

"Ren, NO!" Anne leapt to her feet, her blue eyes wide with panic. "You… You can't be serious…!"

Ren then looked between all of his friends, before he looked to Anne. "It won't be easy," he admitted. "This plan… is crazily risky. But if we can pull this off, then this may be just what we need to pull the wool over Shido's eyes. It'll protect not just me… but all of you." He then drew a deep breath. "…I'm in."

Anne looked like she wanted to protest some more, but she just plopped back down into her seat, her eyes becoming listless.

"Okay, we need to determine the interrogation room, then," Futaba said. "Should we all just go in tomorrow then?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Haru answered. "Shido may have eyes everywhere. If we continue to meet together like this… Shido may think it suspicious."

"So a small group, then," Ren said.

"I can check," Makoto said quietly. "Who wants to join me?"

"I can," Ken answered.

"Me too!" Haru chimed in.

"So the senpai, huh?" Ryuji tried to crack a smile, but it was too bright. "What do ya think, RenRen?"

Ren nodded. "That sounds good to me too. Makoto, Ken, Haru—just report your findings over the group chat. That sound good, everyone?"

His answer were several solemn nods.

Ren then stood up. "Good. Dismissed, everyone."

Everyone slowly trickled out. Even Morgana, after Anne murmured something to him. Morgana then ran down the stairs, calling for Futaba to wait for him.

But Anne remained seated, her rosebud lips puckered in a melancholy frown.

Ren winced, before walking up to stand behind Anne. He brushed one pigtail out of the way, caressing her shoulder. He hoped that it could comfort her, even just a little.

"Look, Anne, I—"

"I don't like this plan, Ren," Anne said. "The idea of it failing terrifies me." She then abruptly stood up to face him, tears sparkling in her eyes. She then suddenly latched onto him, burying her face against his shoulder. "I can't lose you," she sobbed out. "I can't. You mean so much to me…"

Ren's hands slid to her waist, hugging her close. "Anne, I'm sorry," he murmured, taking a moment to inhale her sweet scent. "I'm sorry that I can't guarantee anything." He then tilted her chin up before kissing her. "But I'm gonna do my best when my part comes. I want to come back to you. I don't want to leave you and everyone."

"Ren…" Anne choked out, only for her expression to suddenly steel. She then pushed herself up to her toes, kissing him fiercely.

Ren held her close, kissing her just as fiercely. All of his senses drunk in Anne. Somewhere along the way, they stumbled over to his bed. Anne straddled his hips, tugging down his turtleneck's collar so his throat was exposed.

"Anne." Ren grabbed onto her wrist. "Wait—we may… uh… go a bit too far…"

Anne's eyes then softened, and she slid away from him. She tucked her legs underneath her. "Ren… I'm ready," she said seriously. "We've been dating for nearly three months… I love you. And… this kinda was a wake-up call. I want to experience everything with you…"

"Are you sure?" Ren pressed. "I don't want to rush you into anything."

Anne shook her head fiercely. "You're not." Then she looked at him pleadingly. "Ren… please," she whispered. "I know we haven't really talked about it but… I really want this." She then bit her lip. "I… I want you."

Ren then scooted closer to her, leaning in for a kiss. His teeth grazed against her bottom lip, drawing a breathy little moan from her.

"I hope you're ready then, my lady," he murmured, silently thanking Ken for buying condoms for him. Ken had been adamant that Ren take them, before emphasizing that he had no excuse for unprotected sex now.

"I am," Anne murmured back, desire burning blue fire in her eyes.

So Ren kissed her again, pulling her close against him. Then he eased her onto the bed. She gazed up at him, her eyes dark. Desire, want, and need melded together perfectly that Ren couldn't tell where one began or ended.

"I love you," Ren breathed, pressing his hand against her cheek. "I'm going to do my best to make sure that I come out of this alive."

Then Anne smiled that breathtaking smile of hers. "Thank you, Ren," she whispered. "Now, come here."

His hands grazed her hips, and judging by the way Anne's breath hitched… it definitely left an effect on her.

Anne slid her fingers through his hair, before whispering. "Hi."

"Hey," Ren whispered to her in a what was supposed to be a sultry voice.

Anne then giggled, before pulling him down right on top of her.

"This idea is rather risky."

Shinjiro huffed at her, giving Mitsuru his almost trademark flat-eyed stare. "You don't have to tell me twice, Mitsuru," he retorted.

Mitsuru stifled the urge to roll her eyes at him, before she lounged against the back of her chair. She crossed her legs, before brushing a stubborn strand of hair out of her eyes. "…So, I assume that you asked Amada that you'd be the one to tell me because you have an idea to… tackle this issue."

Shinjiro just gave a little smirk in response. "This was what I was thinking… the biggest part that bugs me is how they're relying on Niijima to accept the phone from Amamiya. And Sakura would then use the phone to drag Akechi into the Metaverse. And I dunno if they can really rely on her."

"You speak as if you're well acquainted with Sae Niijima," Mitsuru remarked, arching an eyebrow at him.

Shinjiro just scoffed. "Just the couple times I've talked with her are enough," he groused, folding his arms over his chest. "She's a real piece of work." Then a smirk formed on his face. "Reminds me a little bit of how you were a total prissy princess when we first met."

Mitsuru felt her face flush. "I may not have held myself with as much decorum as I should've… but you're one to talk," she retorted. "You were picking fights with Akihiko left and right!" She then inhaled, to try and calm herself down. Shinjiro truly had a talent in knowing which buttons to press. "…So, what's this idea of yours?"

"I thought… why not have someone else drag Akechi into the Metaverse?" Shinjiro said simply.

Mitsuru's eyes narrowed. "…And who would that be that someone?"

Shinjiro just snorted. "We know a couple Persona-users in the force," he said nonchalantly—well, as nonchalantly as Shinjiro could pull off. "Take your pick."

Mitsuru pursed her lips. Akihiko or Satonaka… "Well, we have until the twentieth," she said finally. "I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with asking Akihiko, though. Minako would only be weeks away from her due date." She then tapped her chin. "…Well, I suppose I could bring the idea to Akihiko and Minako. No promises on that…" She then exhaled. "…Though there's Satonaka as well. I can pull some strings, so Satonaka will be able to slip away." But then she frowned. "…Though I wish there was a way for us to monitor this," she muttered out.

"There is," Shinjiro said.

"Oh?"

"Kujikawa's having a concert on the eighteenth," he stated. "Thanks to Sakura's hacking, we know that Shido and Akechi are planning on springing the trap on the nineteenth. That means Amamiya will be taken into custody on that day. We can hide Kujikawa in a more secluded area, and she can be mission control from a distance."

Well… colored her impressed. "You've certainly put some thought into it."

Shinjiro just responded with a shrug. "Kinda have to, with the stakes we're dealin' with."

…She wished that he was wrong. That he could afford to be wrong… But they couldn't be complacent. They had to stay involved. Not with the lives of the Phantom Thieves at stake.

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016

Haru wasn't quite sure what she was expecting but the police station was just so… plain. Gray walls. Identical doors…

"What do you think, Queen?" Haru asked, turning to face her friend. "You've mentioned that you visited your sister here before…"

Makoto just gave a little nod, before folding her arms over her chest. "It definitely looks exactly the same to me…" she trailed off for a moment, before she shook her head. "…I remember getting rather lost, when I brought Sis a bento lunch." She then grimaced. "…She has a bad habit of forgetting to eat lunch. If you let her, she'll eat a granola bar for her lunch. So, I would make lunch for her so she would get the proper nutrition."

It was Ken's turn to grimace. "…She sound like Shinjiro-san's anti-thesis," he muttered, absentmindedly fiddling with one of his gloves. "We still need to track down that interrogation room."

"It'd be in a dead end, wouldn't it?" Haru asked.

Makoto just pursed her lips. "…I assume so," she said with a little frown. "But I think we should check every room, just in case. We don't want to loop around, because of an assumption."

"Let's split up, then," Ken suggested. "We can cover more ground that way."

Makoto nodded. "That sounds like a good plan."

They all chose a nearby room. The room Haru chose was an office. It was all very… bureaucratic. Very standard. A desk, files neatly stacked on top… A bookcase, filled with law books. Not even a framed picture to hint who this office belonged to.

That was one off the list, at least…

Haru then stepped out of the room, just in time to see Ken disappear into the room Makoto went into. Haru couldn't help but frown. Maybe he was checking up on Makoto?

Would it be… awkward to enter the room? Should she wait for them?

"…this is definitely Sis's office." Makoto's voice floated from inside.

"I see," Haru heard Ken say.

"There's one difference, though…" Makoto said. "There… There's a picture of us with Dad here…"

Panic spiked inside of Haru. She shouldn't be eavesdropping! It was wrong! Haru wrung her hands for a moment, before she took a deep breath. She quickly knocked on the door. "Um, Queen?" she called, before turning the doorknob. "Ace? I'm coming in…"

She then pushed the door open, only to see Ken take a hasty step away from Makoto. They had been… standing awfully close to each other… Haru quickly shook her head. She was… imagining things. She turned her attention to Makoto, who was clutching a picture frame so tightly that her knuckles were nearly white.

"Queen?" she asked.

Makoto pursed her lips together. "…This is my sister's office," she said quietly, before she stared down at the picture frame in her hands. "But… I found one difference."

Wordlessly, she extended her hand. A silent invitation for Haru to take it. So she gently took it, looking down at the wooden picture frame.

To the left, stood Niijima-san. She looked like she was in her early twenties. Her silver hair was tied up in a high ponytail. Her smile was reserved, but her eyes… they told a different story. They shone with pride and accomplishment. Haru had noticed that there was almost an air of… exhaustion to the real life Niijima-san.

In the center was a man with Makoto's dark brown hair, cut neatly. His eyes were brown—which made Haru unsure where Niijima-san had inherited her reddish brown eyes. But then again, genetics could be strange sometimes… He beamed at the camera, pride radiating from him.

And to his right was Makoto. She was… fourteen? Fifteen? Definitely in junior high. Her hair was slightly longer back then, a dark blue headband pushing her bangs out of her face. She looked more… lighthearted. Haru had to wonder what exactly happened to cause Makoto to change in demeanor.

"…This was during Sis's graduation from law school," Makoto said softly. "Just a few months before… before Dad died."

Haru bit her lip. "…I'm sorry," she said quietly.

Makoto squeezed her eyes shut. "I just want her back." Her voice suddenly broke, and she seemed like on the verge of tears. "I… I'm s-sorry. It's one little thing and I just had to be set off…"

"Don't degrade yourself." Ken suddenly grasped Makoto's wrist, his gaze gentle as he looked at her. Haru couldn't help but fidget a little bit. "There's nothing wrong with feeling upset over this."

Why didn't they just… do something about it? At least she had a reason for not speaking up about her crush. Ren was happy with Anne… and sometimes it was hard to see Ren casually flirting with Anne. But they were happy together… and that was the important part.

But Ken and Makoto did not have that excuse. Maybe she should take a leaf out of the movies' books… Haru wasn't a big fan of romance movies (it had no substance), but locking a couple in a room should work, right?

"…But why is it here?" Makoto asked quietly. "I visited Sis right before the Sunday before the festival, to ask Akechi-kun if he could come be the guest speaker. Sis doesn't have this picture in her office in reality…"

"Maybe…" Haru began tentatively, "…it's on her mind then."

"What do you mean by that?" Makoto asked.

Haru traced the frame with her index finger. "Your father was a police officer, right?" At Makoto's nod, she continued. "He strongly believed in justice… Maybe your sister knows, deep in her heart, that she shouldn't be doing this. Abusing and twisting the law… manipulating the evidence, so it's in her favor. Maybe she still remembers what she wanted, when she became a prosecutor in the first place."

Makoto pressed her lips together until it formed a thin line. "I… I hope you're right."

But that was when footsteps sounded. Haru's heart thudded hard as she exchanged panicked expressions with her friends. Just who was here?!

Then the person appeared in the doorway. It… It was Goro Akechi.

"Akechi-kun?!" Makoto gasped out. "Wh… What are you doing here?"

There was something… off. Akechi-kun was wearing his tan peacoat. He wasn't Crow.

"Oh, Niijima-san." His smile wasn't his usual charismatic smile. It seemed more… genuine. "I didn't know you were visiting. Are you here to bring Sae-san a bento lunch today?"

"Yes!" Makoto blurted out, enthusiastically nodding. "H-Have you seen Sis? I er… haven't seen her anywhere."

"Unfortunately, no," he answered, shaking his head. (Akechi-kun seriously couldn't be this gullible…) "I was hoping that she would be here but…" He heaved out a sigh, a small frown forming on his face. "…Sae-san has been in and out so much. She's really been running herself ragged."

"It's the Phantom Thieves case," Ken stated. "She really is keen on finding them."

"It's not that simple, Amada-kun," Akechi-kun stated. "I'm not privy to everything but… I get the feeling that Sae-san must succeed… or there will be consequences."

"Consequences…?" Haru asked.

Akechi shook his head. "Again, I don't know everything. But I can't help but worry…" Then he flashed Makoto a charming smile. "At least she has a kind sister to look after her."

…Huh? Where did this come from?

"I… ah… thank you…?" Makoto asked slowly. She looked almost… bewildered by his words. "It's nothing, really…"

Makoto's discomfort was… palpable. Haru couldn't help but feel uncomfortable herself. Haru quickly averted her eyes, before her eyes landed on Ken. Her friend had his arms folded over his chest as he scowled rather darkly at Akechi-kun.

"Oh, please don't downgrade it, Niijima-san," he said. "I'm especially envious when Sae-san receives a bento lunch from you. I would love to receive a handmade lunch from you."

Was… Ken's eye twitching? She wasn't imagining it, was she? Though Haru couldn't help but feel a bit… unsettled by what Akechi-kun was implying. Because well… usually a family memberwould do that…

"It's nothing special, really," Makoto protested. Her stance was completely rigid. "I know that I could improve my cooking so much…"

"It still would be nice to receive it from you," Akechi-kun said, flashing Makoto yet another smile. He then took Makoto's hand, even though she was still rather stiff. "Though perhaps I could settle for a d-"

"You keep your hands off her!"

There was a flash of black, and the next thing Haru knew, Akechi-kun was lying flat on the ground, out cold. There was a growing welt on his face where Ken had punched him.

Without another word, Ken then stormed off, his cape almost swishing angrily behind him. Haru looked down at the unconscious Akechi-kun. At least that solved one thing… Though er… that didn't answer a whole lot…

"Queen… what was that about?" Haru ventured.

"His behavior…" Makoto frowned. "I think… he must be Sis's cognition of Akechi-kun."

Haru's eyes widened. "She truly views Akechi-kun as that…?"

Makoto then sighed, closing her eyes. "Well… sometimes I think that Sis prefers his company to mine. I can't tell you how many times she's called me, saying that I should just eat by myself. Because Akechi-kun wants sushi for dinner or the case was too important and she and Akechi-kun really needed to look over this."

"Mako-chan…" Haru said quietly.

Though his behavior towards Makoto… did Niijima-san hope that they would end up together?

"It's fine. I'm more concerned about what he said, regarding about Sis's worry of there being a consequence for failure…" Makoto then bit her lip, before shaking her head. "…I'm going to check up on Ace," she said.

"Oh, let me come with you, then—" Haru began.

"Just let me talk to him first," Makoto said. "It's okay… It'll be quick."

Without another word, she then left to go find Ken. Haru frowned. No… it didn't feel right. She had to check up on them… Especially since she was pretty sure that Ken had punched the cognitive Akechi-kun for getting too comfortable with Makoto out of jealousy.

So she left the room, searching for wherever Ken had went. Her search took her down another corridor. She found that the door was left slightly ajar, so she quietly pushed it open to see that Ken and Makoto were in a room that was definitely not an office.

"I'm fine," Ken said tersely.

"You're not," Makoto insisted, grabbing him by the shoulder. "You… You…." She trailed off for a moment. "…Wait a minute. Are you jealous?"

…Huh? The way Makoto was talking, it was like…

Ken stiffened at that. "I'm not…" he mumbled out. Makoto then narrowed her eyes, before punching him in the shoulder. The force was strong enough to send him stumbling a few steps. "Ow!" He massaged his shoulder for a moment. "What was that for?!"

"You think I'd ever go for Akechi-kun?" The distaste was clear in Makoto's voice. "He's degrading, rude behind a mask of politeness, not to mention arrogant." She then stepped closer to Ken. "How do you think I feel about the girls?" she added quietly.

"…You know I don't like the girls' attention."

Makoto gave a small huff, folding her arms over her chest. "And I wouldn't like something similar from Akechi-kun." Then she lowered her arms. "Make me forget the way he touched me."

Ken then looked to her, before he pushed up Makoto's mask so it rested on her forehead. Then he lowered his head to kiss her. Makoto's fingers slid through his hair as he drew her closer, hands on her waist. What… How long has this been going on?!

Then a strangled sound reached her ears. It took Haru a moment that it came from her. She immediately clamped a hand over her mouth, but… it was too late.

They instantly yanked apart, both of their heads whipping towards her direction.

"I… um," Haru stammered out, before she stepped closer to the two of them, "I know you said not to follow—and are you really together?!"

That was when they blushed, their sheepish smiles being the only answer Haru needed.

Haru beamed at them before catching them both in a hug. "I'm so happy for the both of you," she said, before she smiled knowingly at Makoto. "So much for just being friends, hmm?"

"That… That was before I realized it!" Makoto's blush deepened at that

Haru giggled for a moment, before she frowned at them. "…But why the secret?"

They exchanged a look, before Ken rubbed the back of his neck. "Well…" he said slowly, "it's not like we intended to keep it a secret forever… Just until things calmed down with Akechi."

"Oh," Haru said quietly. "So how long have you been together, then?"

"Um, a week," Makoto answered.

"That's not as long as I thought," Haru admitted. "Though…"

"Though…?" Ken repeated warily.

"After we find the interrogation room, I'm calling a meeting," she announced. "You're telling everyone else!"

They both immediately paled at that.

"S-So soon…?" Makoto stammered out.

"Yes." Haru folded her arms over her chest, raising an eyebrow. "Is that a problem?"

"…Of course not, Noir."

"So… what's this meeting for?" Ryuji asked. "I thought you were just gonna confirm if we're all good over text? Right, Ren?" He turned his head to see Ren was absentmindedly playing with Anne's hair. Ryuji groaned. "Helloooo? Are you back on Earth yet?"

"Huh?" Ren snapped to attention. "You say something, Ryuji?"

Futaba just burst out laughing at the chagrined expression on Ryuji's face.

…Sometimes he swore that he needed a spray bottle for the two of them.

"Sorry, buddy, it's just been… a long day, you know?" Ren shrugged weakly. "Hearing the gossip about us…"

"At least our class doesn't join in on the gossip," Anne offered.

"Uh huh, that's why you were getting all cuddly in front of us!" Ryuji retorted.

"Ahem!" Haru cleared her throat, before looking pointedly at both Ken and Makoto. "Ken-kun and Mako-chan have something to tell you, though."

Ken coughed into his hand. "It's just… well—"

"Ken and I… have been dating for about a week," Makoto blurted out.

There was a silence. For about ten seconds. And then—

"HA!" Futaba crowed, jumping to her feet. There was a victorious grin on her face as she held out her hand expectantly. "I win! Pay up, suckers! So much for me losing, right?!"

Somehow, Ken was not surprised. His girlfriend, on the other hand…

"You… You bet on us?" Her face skipped turning pink, jumping right to bright crimson. "This… This is just unbelievable!"

"I'm not," Ken deadpanned.

"WHAT?!" Makoto whipped around to face him, incredulity written all over her face. "They… They bet on us, Ken!"

Ken just shrugged. "Maybe I've been desensitized, then. Junpei-san and Minako-san would bet over everything under the sun…" He then grimaced for a moment. "They even bet over whether or not I would find a girlfriend by the time I graduated from junior high. Junpei-san was sure that he'd win…"

Now that had been embarrassing.

"Good thing that he lost that bet, huh, Makoto?" Ren called out, his typical smirk on his face.

"Did… Did you really see it all coming?" Makoto asked.

"Uh, duh," Futaba said flatly. "You were always giving Ken heart eyes. Ken was just too dumb to see it."

"Hey!" Ken protested.

"Well… Ken-kun… you have to admit that you were rather dense about Mako-chan's affections," Haru said delicately. "It wasn't like she was subtle about it."

"Haru!" Makoto gasped.

"Well, it's not like Haru's lying…" Anne trailed off.

"You all are horrible," Makoto grumbled out.

Ryuji snickered. "Well, I may be three thousand yen poorer—"

"You bet three thousand yen over this?!"

Ken made a mental note to never tell Makoto about some of the crazy bets Minako-san and Junpei has made over the years. Makoto would probably get a stroke.

"—but I'm happy for ya!" Ryuji said hastily, before flashing them a thumbs up. "It's 'bout time!"

"A fine match," Yusuke declared. "But I must ask that I—"

"No," he and Makoto chorused, their voices firm.

"What?!" Yusuke sputtered. "But you didn't even hear me out!"

"We don't have to," Ken said flatly. "You wanted to paint us like Adam or Eve, didn't you?"

"That's—" Yusuke's jaw dropped, before his eyes seemed to bug out of his head, "—how did you know?!"

"It's not like you're subtle about this kind of thing, Yusuke," Morgana grumbled out.

That was when the door opened, and Shinjiro-san stepped inside. "Sheesh, you're making a huge ruckus," he grumbled out. "What's going on?"

His friends called out various greetings, before Anne said, "Ken and Makoto were just telling us that they're dating now. Did you know yet?"

Shinjiro-san just snorted. "Didn't have to be told," he grumbled out. "Walked in on them suckin' face already. Twice."

"Twice?!" Ryuji burst out laughing. "In just a week?!"

"Oh my…" Haru started to giggle, though at least she had the grace to try and muffle her giggles by holding a hand to her mouth.

"Great… there are two now," Morgana grumbled out.

"Can't keep your hands to yourself, huh?" Ren smirked. "Wouldn't have pegged you two to be like that."

"You… You of all people can not say that!" Makoto protested.

"Shinjiro-saaaaan…" Ken groaned out, dragging his hands down his now burning face. "Why."

Shinjiro-san's only response was to smirk. "Payback's a bitch, Ken."

Sunday, November 20th, 2016

Amamiya was getting close to wrapping up his story. Sae wasn't sure if she believed his fantastical story. Amamiya may be drugged and he seemed utterly convinced in his story… but it was just so… so bizarre. Sae still struggled with wrapping her mind around it. And the idea that there were other groups of "Persona-users" was even more ludicrous. Especially the fact that Mitsuru Kirijo supposedly led a secret government unit staffed by these so-called Persona users.

But then Amamiya seemed to space out, his dark eyes glazing over. Sae snapped her fingers in front of his face, making him flinch. "Hey… are you still with me?" she asked, before crossing her arms. "You entered my Palace. What happened after that?"

Amamiya blinked slowly. He pressed his forehead. "…Don't remember why…" he slurred out. Once again, Sae cursed the fact that those fools drugged him. It wasn't enough to just inject him once. No, they injected him five bloody times. "…But we had a meeting on the second."

"What was it about?" Sae pressed.

"Haru was… excited," Ren said. "She caught Makoto and Ken… making out. They finally got their crap together."

It took Sae a moment to digest what exactly Amamiya had said.

Makoto and that Amada boy… they were what?! Makoto was far too young for that kind of relationship! And Aragaki… he-

Wait. That was months ago. And according to Amamiya, Amada and Aragaki had moved out to Tokyo in June. She had met Amada in August. And since then, three months would have passed… sufficient time for Makoto to develop feelings for the boy. Had she really been so neglectful that she wouldn't notice her little sister having romantic feelings for someone?

Sae gritted her teeth for a moment, before she clutched at the edge of the table. "Tell me everything you know," she demanded. "How long have they been together?!"

Amamiya just blinked at her, as if he didn't comprehend. "Er… A few weeks? I did just say that this happened on the second…"

A few weeks… so Makoto hasn't been sneaking around her for months at least. But still…! How could Makoto not tell her?

"Would you have cared?" Amamiya's eyes suddenly focused on her. "If she came to you and told you about this?"

"I…" Sae's voice suddenly caught in her throat.

Why couldn't she answer? Of course, she would have! Makoto was her little sister, her flesh and blood. Her only remaining family. She remembered holding Makoto as a newborn. Their mother had been sleeping, completely spent from labor. But their father had crouched in front of Sae, before he said something.

"You're a big sister now. You'll always look out for her, won't you?"

Sae swallowed hard. Except… she hadn't. She didn't realize that Makoto had been a Phantom Thief for months. Five months. Nearly half a year. And now… she apparently was in a romantic relationship with someone for weeks.

…Though she wasn't sure what kind of person this boy was, especially with that rude guardian of his…

"I… need answers." Sae stood up. She had to speak to Makoto about this, she needed a confirmation—

"…Aren't you forgetting something?" Amamiya asked, tilting his head. "What happened to interrogating me?"

Sae gritted her teeth. Blast it… he was right. Especially since the clock was ticking. She forced herself to sit. She'd deal with this new… tidbit later.

"…Fine. Continue with your story."

Thursday, November 3rd, 2016

"More and more paperwork…" Ken grumbled out, before running his fingers through his hair. "I swear the faculty just loves to dump their work on you."

Makoto just laughed softly, giving her boyfriend an amused look. "You didn't have to accompany me today, you know. You could have gone home after school."

Ken shrugged. "Between schoolwork and our… extracurricular activities… I should take the time I can get with you."

Makoto couldn't help but blush. While there was no denying how charismatic Ren was, she couldn't help but prefer Ken's thoughtfulness. It was just… sweet.

"…Flatterer," she managed to mumble out, turning her head away so Ken wouldn't see her blushing like a lovestruck schoolgirl.

"Just speaking the truth," Ken said, almost nonchalantly, before he turned her face back to look at him. Then he leaned in for a short, yet sweet kiss.

But then Makoto pulled him in for another kiss. Every time Ken kissed her… she felt so warm. He seemed to wait for her to set the pace. Though she couldn't help but wonder it would be like to sit in his lap while kissing him-

Then two piercing sounds interrupted their session. Oh, for the love of…

"I thought Ren said that we're not going to the Palace today," Ken grumbled out, reaching into his pocket to pull out his phone. "I asked him earlier this morning, when I ran into him at the train station…"

"Well, you know Ren," Makoto sighed. "He usually takes at least a week before we go into a Palace…"

And while she understood why Ren did that, she couldn't help but feel especially antsy this time. They had over two weeks to tackle Sae's Palace…

But she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she read the text message, which happened to be from Ryuji. "It's Ryuji… He says that we shouldn't be sitting on our hands?" She shook her head, chuckling quietly. "…Somehow, I feel that those aren't Ryuji's words."

"Most likely Morgana," Ken summarized, before he reached for his bag. "We're pretty much done here, aren't we? We better get going before we get bombarded with text messages."

After Makoto slipped the finished paperwork into a folder and slipped it in her bag—she'd take care of the last bit at home tonight—she stood up. Then Ken took her hand.

Makoto's fingers curled around Ken's palm as they walked out of the school. Holding Ken's hand felt… nice. She remembered that it had felt… awkward holding Ren's hand, during their stint of fake dating. But it was completely different when she held Ken's hand.

She then let out a soft sigh, looking up at her boyfriend. "This is nice," she said softly. "Things have been really crazy since well…" She heaved out a sigh. "…Akechi-kun joined us."

Ken's grip just tightened at that. The plan… she couldn't help but second guess it. Was it good enough? It had to. Ren would die if they failed…

"But then again…" Ken said suddenly, "…things are always crazy for us."

"…Can't argue against that." But Makoto's lips quirked up in a smile. She appreciated him trying to change the subject a bit. She needed to have faith. If she didn't believe in the plan, they would be doomed to fail. "Sometimes I can't believe the reason you moved out here was because you wanted to keep tabs on the Phantom Thieves."

Ken rolled his eyes at her, giving a small huff. "Look at who's talking. You weren't exactly on good terms with everyone when I first moved out here."

Makoto just looked at him with an embarrassed blush on her cheeks. He just had to remind her. She knew that he said it all jest, but still…! "You…"

"Are absolutely correct?" Ken asked, raising an eyebrow. She didn't know if she wanted to smack it off or shut him up with a kiss. "Why yes, yes I am." Makoto let go of his hand, before socking his shoulder lightly. "Ow." Ken rubbed his shoulder, but Makoto knew perfectly well that it didn't hurt him.

"Ren's really a bad influence on you," she grumbled with a shake of her head. "And don't even pretend that hurt. I barely hit you."

"I've seen what you can do when you're trying." Ken gave her an amused smile. "Even when you're not trying, you hit hard."

It was Makoto's turn to huff. "Oh hush."

But they fell into a companionable silence. Makoto didn't mind though. His company was enough. Though Ken pulled out his phone, texting someone—Shinjiro-san, she presumed.

"Texting Shinjiro-san?" she asked. They were meeting up, after all.

Ken let out an affirmative hum before giving a small nod. Then he pocketed his phone. "He wants to know if you want to come over for dinner tonight."

"Oh…" Makoto's eyes widened for a moment. "I'd love to."

"I'll let him know," Ken said with a smile. But then his brow suddenly furrowed, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Makoto couldn't help but frown. Was something wrong?

"…Hey, Makoto?" he asked.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing's wrong." He gave her a small smile. "I just…" he trailed off for a moment. "I was wondering if Ren doesn't call us to go into the Palace on Sunday… do you want to do something together? Just the two of us?"

"Oh!" Makoto's eyes widened. That made perfect sense now that she thought about it… "Ohhh…" Then she blushed, before fingering the hem of her skirt. Their first date…! That was exciting to think about, even though Makoto couldn't help but feel a little nervous at the same time… "I'd love to…" She smiled at him shyly. "But what were you thinking…? Like, dinner and a movie?"

"Ah…" Ken's eyebrows furrowed together.

Makoto couldn't help but feel a spike of panic. That was the typical date set-up, wasn't it? Or maybe it was just… too boring? She should've suggested something more interesting-

"That sounds nice but…" Ken said slowly. "I was thinking… Seaside Park."

Makoto blinked at him. "Seaside Park…" she repeated.

Did he remember their discussion at Destinyland? That was awfully sweet of him.

Ken frowned. "W-Well, if you don't feel up to it, your suggestion is-"

"Nonono!" Makoto blurted out, waving her hands back and forth for a moment. "F-Forget I said dinner and a movie! I don't even know what's even airing right now!" She then coughed, all while blushing furiously. There were people staring at them… She was practically shouting, after all. "I-I mean, that sounds great."

Ken smiled gently at her. "I'm glad."

Makoto then cleared her throat, an embarrassed flush still in her cheeks, before looking towards the train station, which was in sight. "We should probably get going… see what exactly Morgana has in mind for us."

What a long day… Makoto didn't know why she felt so spent. She even ended up sleeping on the train.

"Makoto, this is our stop." Ken was shaking her awake.

Makoto blinked her eyes open. "I… I'm awake."

"I can see that," Ken chuckled, before taking her hand. His grip then tightened on her hand as they squeezed their way out so they wouldn't get separated.

"Sorry for being so tired," Makoto stifled a yawn. "I just… This bout in Mementos was so… exhausting."

"Don't feel bad," Ken reassured. "Mementos is tiring. Though spending so much time in Tartarus sometimes made you sick. At least Mementos doesn't have that."

Makoto wrinkled her nose. "Tartarus really seems rough."

"Oh, you don't have to tell me," Ken said. "It had nearly three hundred floors."

Makoto cringed. "I hope Mementos doesn't have nearly as many floors."

Ken huffed out a laugh. "You don't have to tell me twice."

They then entered the lobby. It took a couple of minutes for the elevator to reach the bottom floor. Once they were inside, Makoto leaned her head against Ken's shoulder. He ran his fingers through her hair, the sensation drawing out a pleased hum from Makoto.

The elevator eventually pulled to a stop, before the doors slid open. Makoto straightened up once they did, following her boyfriend to the door. Ken opened the door after a moment of fishing through his bag for the key.

"Shinjiro-san, I'm home," he called out, before he toed off his shoes. Makoto slipped off her boots, neatly setting them by the door.

"Hey," Shinjiro-san called back, though his attention was on the stove. "Good timing. Dinner will be done in a few."

"I'll make tea, then," Ken said.

Again, Makoto was struck with the domesticity. Last time she was over for dinner, Shinjiro-san had dragged Ken into helping him with dinner. They bickered, Shinjiro-san griped about how he caught them in the hallway, and yet Makoto could sense the affection underlining his gruff attitude.

Makoto couldn't remember the last time she had gotten a home cooked meal by someone else, before she had met Ken. Dad did his best, but he could only manage the most basic meals.

Makoto then shook her head. She was a guest. She should try and offer some help…

"Should I set the table, then?" she offered, stepping closer to the kitchen.

"If you wanna." Shinjiro-san then pointed to a drawer. "Plates are in the cabinet above. If you're not feeling up for tea, we've got juice in the fridge."

"No, tea's fine," Makoto answered.

And as Shinjiro-san promised, dinner was served within a few minutes. Just smelling it made Makoto's stomach rumble. She had no idea what Shinjiro-san did to make his food taste and smell so good. He really was capable of magic in the kitchen.

"So…" Shinjiro-san looked between them. "…You two look like crap. Was it that bad today?"

"Thanks, Shinjiro-san," Ken huffed out before rolling his eyes at his guardian. Then Ken blew at his tea, before taking a careful sip. "Mementos is Mementos, I suppose. It's tiring. It felt like we stayed there for the longest time."

Makoto nodded. "It was just… rough today." She then lifted a morsel of food to her lips. "Though I suppose it's a relief to handle that cheating Shadow…"

It was… odd, speaking of fighting Shadows with someone else aside from her friends. While Sojiro now knew of Ren and Futaba being Phantom Thieves, she doubted that either of her friends brought it up and discussed it with him.

Shinjiro-san snorted. "Fighting Shadows will always kick your ass. Dunno why Mitsuru and Minako wanna do it as part of their job."

Makoto's brow furrowed together for a moment. Ken had explained what the Shadow Operatives were, but she was still confused about some things…

Ken then paused in eating, looking at her. "…Is something the matter, Makoto?"

"Oh no, it's nothing wrong!" Makoto waved her hand. "It's just… well, the way Shinjiro-san's talking makes it soun like he's not a Shadow Operative."

"I'm not," Shinjiro-san answered. "Outta all of us, only Minako and Aigis are full timers. Mitsuru's got the Kirijo Group to worry about, so she usually defers leadership to Minako. Aki, Takeba, and Iori are part of the reserve team, since they rather focus on their jobs and in Takeba's case, her kids. I guess Ken could be considered a reserve too with this mission."

Makoto blinked. "…Not you and Fuuka-san?"

"Fuuka-san still helps out," Ken said. "She's the reason why we knew of the Shadow activity in the first place."

Shinjiro-san nodded. "Yeah, Mitsuru asked her to do scans, after Kamoshida confessed."

Fuuka-san… sounded really powerful, regarding her scanning capabilities. Tokyo was rather far away from Port Island. She couldn't help but wonder how Futaba compared to her two older counterparts.

"But what about you, Shinjiro-san?" Makoto couldn't help but ask.

Shinjiro was about to take a bite of food, but he put down his chopsticks at Makoto's question. "I'll help out if I'm needed, but I don't go chasing after that kind of life. Feels more like an old part of my life."

Would… she ever feel that way about being a Phantom Thief? Would she look at it as a closed chapter when she was older? The thought… unsettled her. She just… loved being a Phantom Thief. It brought her freedom.

"…But anyways, enough on that." Shinjiro-san looked straight at Makoto. "…Ken's mentioned to me that you wanna be a cop."

Makoto gave a little nod. "That's right… I was thinking about how corrupt the system is. And I… I want to change that. I don't want to live in a society where it's the norm for the police force to look away."

Shinjiro-san's expression then… shifted. It was more neutral before but now… he almost looked… impressed?

"Well, color me impressed… You really wanna change things, huh?" Then his expression darkened. "…Unlike a certain someone I can name."

"Shinjiro-san…" Ken began, exasperation edging in his voice.

Makoto winced. "…Sis really hasn't left a good impression, has she?" she asked quietly.

Shinjiro-san just grunted. "You can say that again," he deadpanned. "Has Ken told you that Aki's a police officer too?"

Makoto blinked before turning to Ken. "That's Akihiko-san, right?"

Ken nodded. "Yeah, that's Akihiko-san."

Shinjiro-san then snorted. "Though sometimes it's weird thinkin' about it… He used to tussle with punks all the time for…" He wavered for a moment. "…For bullyin' someone who didn't deserve it."

"And like you didn't jump into said fights," Ken said wryly.

Makoto found herself relaxing, listening to Ken banter with Shinjiro-san. She learned things that Ken had never spoke of, like how Shinjiro-san and Akihiko-san had grown up together in the same orphanage. Or how Akihiko-san traveled the world for two years after graduating from high school. Makoto was almost sorry to have to go back to her apartment. While Shinjiro-san still referred her by her surname, Makoto couldn't help but notice he wasn't as surly as before.

Maybe one day… she and Sae would be able to have a family dinner like this.

Shinji and Mitsuru are hatching their own plan, just in case Ren is not able to convince Sae. I promise that there will be a good reason for the extra players to be present on the nineteenth.

And yes... Ren and Anne had their first time in this chapter. I kept it T here, but if you want a slightly more explicit sex scene, check the AO3 version. It's not full out porn but it's definitely... spicier.

Some of you may recognize the scene with Ken and Makoto on November 3rd. That is indeed the scene in the PQ2 fic's prologue. I felt I needed to acknowledge it at least.

And the moment where Ken gets jealous of cognitive!Akechi hitting on Makoto is inspired by the ahem… argument between Akihiko and Ken if you romance both as Minako. While I don't approve of the cheating route or dating Ken, it IS rather funny and I wanted to give a little shoutout to it.