Chapter 4 / Failure and Consequence
Thursday / April 14th, 2016 / Shujin Academy / After School
Ichihara Tadashi
Another day was finally over. Ryuji had messaged me through most of the day about possibly getting Takamaki to give us some information that might be able to help us. Still… What exactly were we going to do anyway? It looked like all our options were useless. Adults were just fucking useless. The parents knew about it, but likely they were blinded by the success of their children. Even if they were being abused, they were getting tangible results.. something that may not have happened before. To an adult, maybe the suffering now only seemed to be temporary if their child could benefit in the long run. Fuck every parent that thinks that way. Do they really not remember how hard it was for them as teenagers? I guess they likely blocked out those memories.
Well whatever, fuck them. I came to the courtyard entrance and stopped when I realized someone was blocking my path. Oh right, I had seen her before. What was her name? I swear I heard it before… Suzui Shiho. Yeah that's what it was. She was… in bad shape. She didn't have the school blazer on, just the white long sleeve top with a high collar. The insignia on the neck indicated she was a second year student. Her right leg had a long black leg brace on it. More than that she had a very noticeable bruise over her left eye that was slightly swollen. She was on the girls volleyball team. I think I remember her and Takamaki talking just the other day. Just imagining that brute of a man Kamoshida touching this girl was enough to make me want to snap.
After a long moment she noticed me and looked up at her phone to me, "What is it?" She blinked and then realized she had been blocking the path. "Oh, I'm in the way, aren't I? Sorry."
"Please, don't worry about it. I know what it's like. I tend to get lost in thought myself at times," I smiled and tried to ease her slight panic. She seemed to relax quickly enough.
"I really am sorry though. I must have spaced out," she insisted and then took a closer look at me. She tilted her head a bit as she thought. "You don't look familiar. Could you be that transfer student from Class D?"
I'm not surprised, rumors had been spread in the school about me before I had even shown up. "The one and only. Well, it seems like I'm the only transfer student anyway."
"You are," a hint of a smile played on her lips before it fell again. "Um, this might not be any of my business, but don't let the rumors get to you, okay?"
I'm surprised. Even with the situation that this girl was in she was concerned over someone else. That just made whatever shit that Kamoshida was doing that much more despicable. Fuck, we really need to figure something out for this situation. "Don't worry about it. I've heard worse from my parents, so these rumors don't really bother me. What about you? Do you believe the rumors?"
She shook her head, "No, I don't believe anything I don't see for myself. I'm glad to hear you aren't being affected by all that crap. My best friend is often misunderstood too, all because of her looks."
"Takamaki, right?" I ask.
"Yeah she's in your class right?" Shiho seemed to brighten up a bit when talking about her best friend.
"She sits in front of me actually," I smile.
"Well I hope you can get along with her. She's a great friend to have. Sorry, I didn't mean to drag on like that," Shiho looked at her phone. "That time already? I have to head to practice. I'll see you around." She went to move past me but I reflexively took her arm and she looked back at me confused.
"I'm Ichihara Tadashi, by the way," I let go of her hand and she widened her eyes.
"Oh right! I'm just not collected at all today. I'm Suzui Shiho," she gave a quick bow. "I'll talk to you again." She then turned and walked off. I couldn't help but notice her grabbing the spot I had grabbed as she left.
I had barely put any strength into that grip. Kamoshida, you fucking filth. If I find you so much as put a hand on that girl I will make you pay for it ten fold.
I finally stepped out into the courtyard and made my way to where I was meeting Ryuji. The moment I approached Ryuji seemed to be pissed.
"Dammit. What the hell," Ryuji then kicked the vending machine.
"So does this mean you have good news or bad news? Or nothing?" I asked him somewhat dryly, though my mind was still somewhat on Shiho from before.
"All of 'em kept sayin' the same shit Mishima was talkin' about. Kamoshida had to have told 'em something. At this rate... it looks like we'll have to go to him directly," Ryuji shook his head. He already knew how pointless that was going to be.
"How about we just write up a full confession and just have him sign it while we are at it?" I rolled my eyes.
"I know it's effin' stupid," Ryuji sighed. "But seriously, isn't there something we can do? No way I'm gonna give in like this. Can you think of anything?"
"Nothing substantial. Unless you think telling the cops about a castle in a place called the Metaverse would work… which sounds ridiculous and we've actually been there a couple times now," I shook my head. We had to be able to figure something out though. If we didn't… who knows what would continue to happen. I could see Shiho in the back of my mind. The thought that she might be sexually abused made my blood boil. "We could just go to that castle and beat the shit out of that Shadow Kamoshida. It might not get us anywhere but I'd feel a whole lot fucking better."
"You mean that other world's Kamoshida? I didn't think of that but is there any meaning to doing something like that?" Ryuji scratched his head.
"I finally found you," a new voice entered and I looked around but.. I didn't see anyone, just some sort of… cat?
"You say something?" Ryuji looked at me and I shook my head.
"Don't think you can get away with not paying me back for helping you," the voice was clearly coming from the cat and it decided to jump on top of a table and turned to look at us.
I sighed. Really?
"That voice... Is that you, Morgana?" Ryuji's eyes widened. I was beginning to realize that Ryuji had no filter from his brain to his mouth. He just literally says what he is thinking. There was something refreshing about having a friend like that.
Friend? Well with what we had seen together, yeah we were friends. And that honesty and bluntness of his made him way better than any 'friend' I ever had before. Now, Morgana on the other hand was a whole different kind of can of worms. Or cats. Who the fuck knows.
"How dare you, up and leaving me the other day," Morgana glared at us. But yeah… he was definitely a cat.
"The cat's talkin'!?" Ryuji was having a hard time processing this.
"I am NOT a cat! This is just what happened when I came to this world," Morgana was very defensive about it. "It was a lot of trouble finding you two."
I sighed more heavily this time. Do we really have time for shit like this?
"Wait... You came to our world? Does that mean you have a phone?" Ryuji was trying to get an answer for at least that part of this situation.
"You don't need one when you're at my level. I did get pretty lost making my escape though," Morgana sounded like he had a bit of complications making it this far. Impressive either way.
"That aside, why can you talk!? You're a cat!" Ryuji was pretty flustered.
"How should I know!?" Morgana didn't know either.
"Will you two, calm the fuck down? Yelling at each other isn't going to get us anywhere," I shook my head. "I have no doubts this is really Morgana so let's leave the how's and why's and move on okay?"
"You guys are having a rough time with this, hm? I heard you mention something about witnesses," Morgana was the first to move back to our previous conversation. "You know, I could tell you a thing or two about what to do about Kamoshida. Actually, Tadashi was pretty close to it just a moment ago."
"What I said before?" I thought back for a moment. What had I said? Was it about going after the Shadow in the Metaverse? That was more of a joke though.
"We really have to be looking for a cat in a busy time like this?" a voice of an older individual...I think it was a teacher.
"I just heard a meow somewhere near here. Didn't you hear it?" another voice, but younger said.
"Make sure you check every nook and cranny around," the older individual sighed.
"Meow?" Ryuji noticed it too. "Does that mean only us two can understand what you're sayin'?"
"I would wager anyone that has a Persona," I added.
"Looks like it," Morgana nodded.
"What the hell's goin' on?" Ryuji shook his head.
"Honestly, does any of this shit surprise you anymore? Get it together, Sakamoto," I comment.
"Yeah, you're right," Ryuji looked back at Morgana. "Anyways, what you were talkin' about earlier. Is it for real?"
"You're quite the skeptic for being an idiot," Morgana looked at him.
"Hey, tell us more. Then again, this probably ain't the best place," Ryuji said as we watched a group of students moving close by. "Hey, got room in your bag for him? It wouldn't be good for Morgana to get caught here."
"I presume you have no room in your bag then?" I eyed him for a moment. I pulled my bag off and placed it onto the table. "Come on, Morgana. You'll have to put up with it for the moment."
"Tch, alright. It isn't a horrible idea," Morgana grumbled.
"Let's head up to the rooftop," Ryuji said and took off.
With Morgana safely hidden in my school bag I took a look around and then made my way back to the school building and then up the stairs until reaching the door to the roof. The sign did have a forbidden entry on it but we ignored it and stepped outside. Along with all the air conditioner units there was also a bunch of desks for some reason. But there was also a line of planters too. What the hell was that all about? Well I let Morgana back out and let him stretch on the ground as I moved over and casually sat on one of the desks.
"You said you know how we can do something about Kamoshida, right?" Ryuji started right to the core of the matter.
"It has to do with what Tadashi mentioned earlier. You'll need to attack his castle," Morgana answered.
"Hell, I just wanted to do it because I could do that and he wouldn't remember it. But what exactly does attacking his castle gain us?" I asked.
"That castle is how Kamoshida views this school," Morgana continued. "He doesn't realize what happens in there, but it's deeply connected to the depths of his heart. Thus, if the castle disappears it would naturally impact the real Kamoshida."
"What'd happen?" Ryuji crossed his arms.
"A Palace is a manifestation of a person's distorted desires. So, if that castle were no more... Any guess, Tadashi?" Morgana looked at me.
Well...I had been thinking about it, "Well, goodbye desires I would imagine."
"Precisely. You sure pick up things fast," Morgana seemed impressed.
"For real? H-He's gonna turn good?" Ryuji blinked.
"I doubt it is something that simple. Alright, Morgana, what's the catch to this scenario?" I looked at the cat. You know… if I hadn't seen the castle or Persona before this… I definitely would have believed I had gone insane. And yet here I am on a rooftop talking to a damn cat that was suggesting something to do with a person's distorted desires.
"Erasing the Palace essentially means forcing the owner to have a change of heart. However, even though their warped wants disappear, the crimes they committed remain. Kamoshida will become unable to bear the weight of those crimes, and he'll confess them himself," Morgana gave a further explanation. That still sounded way too easy.
"You for real? That's possible?" Ryuji was excited that the possibility was there.
"And since the Palace will no longer exist, he'll forget what we did there as well. Not only will we be able to bring Kamoshida down, but there won't even be a trace of our involvement," Morgana continued to give only the good side to this whole thing. I felt a twitch of annoyance.
"So? How do we get rid of the Palace?" Ryuji jumped in.
"By stealing the Treasure held within," Morgana presented.
"Stealing?" Ryuji raised an eyebrow.
"Wait, hold the fuck up. We have to steal something?" I shook my head. I was starting to get pissed off about this whole thing.
"I'll tell you more once you agree to go ahead with this. It's my most valuable, secret plan, after all. If you want to help me out, I'll gladly teach you. What's your call?" Morgana asked the pair of us.
Ryuji looked at me, "Our luck's runnin' dry lookin' for witnesses. Goin' along with this might be our only choice."
I glared at Morgana, "How about you get to the part where you tell us the catch to this situation. I'm not agreeing to anything otherwise."
Morgana looked at me and after a moment finally spoke, "If we erase a Palace, there is no doubt that the person's distorted desires will be erased as well. But desires are what we all need in order to survive. The will to sleep, eat, fall in love-those sorts of things."
"I fucking knew it," I shook my head.
"I don't get it. What're you gettin' at?" Ryuji was a bit concerned, probably because of my own reaction.
"If all of those yearnings were to vanish, they'd be no different than someone who has shut down entirely. They may even die if they're not given proper care. So..." Morgana said but Ryuji was quick to cut in.
"They might die!?" Ryuji at least understands what I had been worried about now.
"Will you listen to everything I have to say first?" Morgana sighed.
"Would their death be our fault?" Ryuji looked at me.
"Of course it would be our fault. It would be because of our actions," I said looking at Morgana.
"Aren't you determined enough to face those kinds of risks?" Morgana asked.
Ryuji looked at me, "What do you think?"
"Given all the shit that Kamoshida has done. I don't fucking know. Killing someone? We'd just be vigilantes and there would be no point if he isn't around to actually take the punishment for the crimes he's committed. I'm neither a thief or a Goddamn killer," I said looking back at Morgana.
"I come all this way, and this is what I get. It's not like anyone will ever find out," Morgana said.
"Fuck you, Morgana. We would know," I glared at him.
"That's right. If we just go around secretly doin' whatever we want, we'd be no better than that effin' Kamoshida," Ryuji backed me up on this.
"Isn't this your only option?" Morgana then turned around. "I'll come back later. Make sure you've made your decision by then." Then Morgana ran off.
"Man, we're gettin' all worked up for nothing... Dammit!" Ryuji and I both shook our heads.
"Like we would be okay killing someone," I couldn't even fathom when that would ever be an acceptable option. "Fuck!"
"I'll try and see if I can figure out another way," Ryuji said after a moment.
Ryuji left the roof and I looked up into the sky. What the fuck was Morgana thinking? He talked as if the death of someone wouldn't matter because we couldn't be caught. And what was it about stealing distorted desires? Was this what all of it was about? Was that why Igor had insisted on calling me a thief? Was this actually what I needed to do?
I moved to the side of the roof. Life wasn't fair at all. Suzui Shiho...was she at practice right now? If Kamoshida was hurting her...or any other girls could I really just not do anything? If the adults in the world were allowing this to happen...and the members of the volleyball team were too scared to stand up for themselves... would I really just stand by and do nothing? If I have the power to save them...even if it meant ending someone's life...could I do it? Could I take a life...to save a life? Ugh! Fuck you, Morgana!
Thursday / April 14th, 2016 / Station Square / After School
Ichihara Tadashi
I made my way up the stairs and turned the corner and stopped for a moment. This is just stupid. Am I really in this position? The Metaverse showed an individual's distorted desires in a very tangible form. You could see how they really thought of the people around them. How they treated them. As we found out, it was no different in reality. The players were all abused...male and female alike. And the parents knew about it, and said fucking nothing. What would it take? They were all fine with it because of the results. My blood was already boiling over when I heard someone nearby.
"Will you please give it a rest? I told you, I'm not feeling up to it," the voice was familiar. Who was it coming from? "Wait, what...!? That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher!?"
I was able to use her voice to see her. It was Takamaki. She was close by.
"This has nothing to do with Shiho!" Takamaki yelled into her phone. But then she pulled her phone away from her ear and looked at it.
Dammit, was that fucker Kamoshida threatening her and Suzui?
Takamaki then paid no attention to her surroundings and squatted down to the ground, hugging her legs. I wasn't going to ignore this so I moved closer. I could hear her. "Shiho's starting position..."
I was standing next to her. She looked up at me before her eyes widened and got back to her feet. "Takamaki..."
She shook her head, "Wait... Were you listening?" She took a step away from me.
"That wasn't my intention," I tried to be calm but I could tell she was about to make a mad dash away from me.
"Haven't you heard of privacy?" Takamaki takes another step back. Then seeing my face she stops. "No, I was out of line. Sorry." Takamaki is close to losing her composure, she quickly wipes away a tear that has escaped from her cheek and tries to calm herself by talking to me. "So how much did you hear?"
"Who is it that is threatening you and Suzui?" I was about as direct as I could be.
She glances away, "I don't know what you are saying. It's nothing at all. Nothing..."
However, more tears escaped her eyes, I can tell I might have pushed her too far. Takamaki instead turns and makes a mad dash away from me.
Fucking moron. Great job, Tadashi. Don't lose her now! I took off after her. I manage to see her slip down the stairs towards the Underground Walkway of Shibuya Station. Her red tights just made it easy to spot her. Though her twin tails were rather distinct as well. I manage to keep her in sight even through the crowd. I'm not even sure she has checked to see if I'm following her. I get down another level before I realize she's stopped. She's leaning against a pillar and not moving.
I walk up next to her, and casually lean up on the pillar. "Why are you running?" I asked in a neutral tone.
"Stop following me. Just leave me alone," Takamaki doesn't even look at me.
"I can't do that," I said after a moment.
"Why?" She finally looked at me, tears in her eyes. She didn't want me to see, but now she knows I'm not going to relent. "Why do you keep worrying about me?"
I blinked. That question threw me off. Is it really that surprising that someone could be worrying about her? Before I could say anything, I noticed that Takamaki was crying. She can't stop herself now. She was vulnerable and didn't want anyone to see. But I already had, might as well offer her something in return, "Come on. Let's get out of here. How about dinner? It's on me."
She looked up at me and the expression was one of confusion. "I really don't get you… but… okay."
I think I remember a place not being too far from here. It would have to do for now. We walked in relative silence until we got to a diner. It was called Natsu Diner. We went inside and thankfully got put in a booth in the corner and out of the way. Takamaki sat on the cushioned seat while I sat across from her. She used the silence to get her bearings again before she spoke again. She looked up at me and then away before she finally had a look of resolve on her face when her eyes met mine once again.
"I don't have anything to talk about with you," she said definitively. She averts her eyes, "It was just an argument."
"With Kamoshida," I say with a neutral tone. The way her eyes snapped back to me confirmed it without her having to say anything.
She looks down at her glass of water that the server had given us, "You've heard the rumors haven't you? About Kamoshida-sensei. Everyone says we're getting it on; but that's so not true. That was him on the other line. I avoided giving him my number for the longest time. He told me to go to his place after this. You know what it means. If I turn him down he told me he'll take my friend off as a starter. I've been telling myself this is all for Shiho's sake. But I can't take it anymore." Takamaki was looking down at her lap now. She no longer hid the fact that tears were falling from her eyes. "I've had enough of this. I hate him. But still, Shiho is my best friend. She's all I have left in that sorry excuse for a school." She looked up at me. Desperate tear filled eyes looked at me. "Tell me, what should I do?"
I did my best to keep my composure, but under the table I was digging my fingers into my knees. What was I supposed to say or do at this point? She was asking for help. Finally, someone in this situation was making sense and wanted help and what the fuck was I doing? Being silent like a Goddamn idiot. Fuck! Isn't there anything I can do?
She wiped her tears away, "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked you that. It's not your problem." She shook her head. "What... am I saying...? I've barely even talked to you before..."
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. She didn't need me to be angry, she needed some comfort. A reminder that there were still people that she could talk to, "Sometimes what you need is different. For you, I'm someone new. Someone that isn't part of the equation. Because we haven't talked, you feel that you could."
She gave a slight smile, "You might be right." She absently ran her hand through her hair and took hold of the glass of water in front of her. "You're so weird. Usually everyone just ignores me. Are you really a bad person as the rumor says...? You just don't seem like it."
"Who knows, I don't even know what the rumors say about me," I shrugged and felt that at the very least things had lightened up.
"Really? They say you assaulted someone. That you almost killed them," Takamaki said, a bit uneasy about the subject.
"I didn't even touch the guy," I let out a sigh, not wanting to go into it. "It's a bit complicated but I would never do something like that. At least, not without good reason."
She nodded, "I kinda had a feeling they were all just exaggerations. You seemed lonely-almost like you didn't belong anywhere. We're the same in that regard. Maybe that's why it was so easy for me to talk to you."
Lonely? She's lonely? Yeah, she did just tell me that Shiho was the only thing she had at school. And right now...I knew that Takamaki was really opening her heart to me. It was because she needed it. She deserves someone better to talk to though.
"Is there really no way for me to help Shiho?" Takamaki looked away. "I wish he'd just change his mind. Like, forget about me, and everything. As if something like that would ever happen."
Morgana's words came back into my head. For Shiho… would Takamaki be willing to kill him? To save her best friend… would she hesitate? No, I don't think she would. But was that the best option? Was it the only option available? If things remain as they are… then what would happen? People would continue to suffer. But somewhere along the line, something was going to snap. Something was going to change. So could I afford to hesitate with an answer? But what gave me the right to take someone else's ability to choose away? Kamoshida was scum. He had already shown how much he thinks his way is the only way. If I waited… would something serious happen in between?
"Was your previous decision a mistake then?" the words of my Persona Arsène came to my mind.
That's what this was about? That was the truth behind that power. It was why Igor had called me that… why Arsène had said what he did. That's right, it was the words of my contract with Arsene. He lent me his power knowing I would have to come to this decision. What was justice to me?
"Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name, and release thy rage!" Arsène had given me that power based on that vow. That I would do whatever I could for what I believed to be right. Become a thief; steal the distorted desires of those that cause people to suffer. What did I care for more? What the world allows to happen even knowing its wrong, or true justice. People being punished for the things that I knew were wrong.
The people suffering under Kamoshida may not realize the real damage happening to them under that physical and psychological abuse. It could be years or decades before any of them could break free of what they've allowed themselves to be subjected to. No, I couldn't let that happen. No matter the outcome. Well, I guess that settles that then. The answer to my personal dilemma had been more simplistic than I realized. Thank you, Takamaki.
I looked at her, "That would be way too convenient if that could happen."
She smiled, although her eyes were distant, "I wasn't asking for a serious response. But I do feel a bit better now. I'm gonna head home." She picked up her bag and got up.
"You don't want dinner? I did offer to pay, you know," I told her after a moment.
Still smiling she shook her head, "I'm gonna take a rain check on that. Please, don't tell anyone what I told you, okay? I'll try and think of a way to persuade Kamoshida. Well... thanks." Then Takamaki walked away and left me alone.
I sighed and picked up the menu from the table. At the very least I came to a consensus in my head on what I wanted to do. Still, if I was going to become a thief… I was never going to be caught. And I was only going to do it if I felt it was right. Only for the right reasons. The right reasons to become a thief and a goddamn criminal? Give me a fucking break. Kamoshida was more than worthy of being targeted that was for fucking sure. I flipped the menu over. I wish she would have stayed for dinner. Now I feel like I just got dumped.
Now I'd just be eating… alone in a diner. What did I want to do with this situation? Could I really just sit on my hands and look away. I'd be no better than every other piece of shit person that pretends not to see something wrong happening in front of them. What a shitty ass world we live in.
A girl with brown hair in a waitress outfit that had the logo of Natsu Diner approached and noted Takamaki's exit, "Everything alright?"
I suppose it would look curious to an outsider about the events that just happened. It might have looked like I had just been dumped. But I actually felt an odd sense of clarity now. "Better, actually. She's going through a rough patch and I think I just figured out how I can really help her."
The waitress smiled, "Good to hear. Usually when I see a scene like that it's obvious what happened. At any rate, I'm Shiori and I'll be your waitress. Can I get you something to drink or do you know what you want?"
"Yeah, what is your most balanced meal?" I asked her.
"Hmm, how about a nostalgia steak with a salad?" Shiori proposed.
I nodded, "Sounds good. Oh and just water for me."
"You got it," Shiori gave me a playful wink as she wrote down my order on her notepad before turning and walking away.
Better make sure I'm paying attention to my diet and exercising again like I did on the baseball team. I'll need to make sure I'm in top shape for this. Who knows what we would face moving forward. But I made my decision.
Friday / April 15th, 2016 / Shujin Academy - Class 2-D / Morning
Ichihara Tadashi
This morning felt no different than any other. At the very least, Takamaki said a minor hello and acknowledged my existence. Other than that, it was just the same as always. There were dark clouds lingering outside though. I leaned forward on the desk and mindlessly looked to the gray mass out of the windows of the classroom.
Sometimes you could be jealous of the weather. It never cared what anyone thought. And it reserved the right to change its mind whenever it felt like. The weather man might predict rain but then suddenly a wind gust blows the clouds away and brings about sunny skies. And naturally the reverse could happen just as quickly. Anyone that can predict the weather must have some sort of insider information or just control the weather themselves. Considering the existence of the Metaverse; I really wouldn't put anything out of the realm of possibility.
"So, I assume all of you know about the separation of powers? There are three branches in our government. The National Diet is legislative, the Cabinet is executive, and the Supreme Court is judiciary. This division of power provides checks and balances, which ensures no one branch becomes unstoppable," Ushimaru-sensei was going on with his lecture as always.
Seriously, how far behind were these guys? I felt like I had covered all of this stuff in my first year of High School. Then again I had been on a fast track system since they were so determined to continue my claim to fame. I was a star baseball player and the top student of my class. How fun that the rumors cared very little about what I had done prior to those assault charges. I know there had been news of my school and our sudden appearance of contendership for the koshien had gotten some coverage. Then again, this school was primarily about its education, not sports. It was known as a college prep school, after all.
That was until Kamoshida had come to this school and put their volleyball team on the map. And the school was likely surprised with the attention and also increased revenue that it brought. It wasn't surprising, money was always what would be important for a school. No school was ever cheap to run. It explains why so many people were willing to overlook Kamoshida's behavior. A little abuse and you can use Kamoshida to get ahead in life… just let him do what he wants. Such bullshit. Fuck those parents that think that way, or even the students that are okay with it.
"Have you made up your mind?" a voice came from below me. I sat back… and saw Morgana's head slightly sticking out of my desk. "No matter how much thinking you do, there's only one option. You'd be better off just listening to me."
I stared at him. "Someone is full of themselves. The world isn't that simple. Why are you at my desk?"
"Hm? Did I just hear a cat just now?" Ushimaru-sensei's voice made Morgana retreat back into my desk. "Could that rumored cat be somewhere nearby?"
Rumored cat? Does anybody do anything fucking else but spread rumors around? Jesus Christ. The rest of the class started whispering a bit louder. Somehow no one behind me noticed that I had a cat poking its head out from my desk. Goddammit, Morgana. You may be good at sneaking around, but be a bit more mindful as to where and when you are.
"Settle down! We're in the middle of an important lecture," Ushimaru-sensei was irritated at the rise in volume. And then… my phone buzzed in my pocket.
Can't I just be bored through lectures in peace? I groan and pull out my phone and look at it under my desk. It just so happened to be in a spot that Morgana could see it.
Ryuji: It's no use... I can't think of any other way...
Yeah, I get it. It certainly wasn't an easy subject to broach. Thanks to my time with Takamaki yesterday I had come to my own decision. Why would I expect Ryuji to do the same?
Tadashi: Are you cutting class?
Ryuji: I can't deal with that shit right now. I mean, what're we gonna do about Kamoshida?
I raise an eyebrow at the reply. He has no sense of priority does he? Or even care what it might look like. Then again Ryuji was pretty straight forward with his emotions and opinions.
Ryuji: Do we just gotta go along with what that cat says?
Ryuji: Urgh, that damn furball...
I turn off the screen to my phone and shove it back in my pocket. He can wait till class is over.
"If he only knew I'm reading this too..." Morgana commented unnecessarily.
Can't we just get this morning over with? I don't need comments from the new cat living space from inside my desk either.
My gaze is suddenly moving when I notice a guy by the hall window standing up, "Hey... What's that...!?"
"Enough! This is a classroom!" Ushimaru-sensei is really losing his patience.
However the girl behind that guy suddenly changes the situation with what she says next, "Wait... She's going to jump!"
Mishima stands up from his seat looking out, "Suzui?"
Takamaki immediately stands up, "Shiho?"
"Hey! Stay in your seats! Do not step foot outside of this room!" Ushimaru-sensei was losing control of this situation. Takamaki was on her feet already rushing out of the room. I got up, forgetting all about Morgana and followed behind her into the hallway. Ensuring that no one followed that close behind her. My reputation was useful for something at least.
There she was… as clear as could be. Suzui Shiho was standing on the roof… outside of the fence, looking to the courtyard. I couldn't see her face clearly but that body language only said one thing. Without a word… she jumped. The halls erupted in screams and Takamaki put her hands to her face.
"No... Why...?" Takamaki could barely put words together. "Shiho...!" Takamaki then turned right into me. I steadied her and then moved so she could get by, allowing her to run past me. Not even stopping to say anything to me, or the fact that I had touched her.
I stepped to the window and looked outside while many other students were looking away. Objectively speaking, the roof of the school was not that high up. If Suzui was looking to kill herself… then she would pretty much have to land on her head. I could see her from here. She was still moving. She was still alive. Not without injury though. If I had to guess… something about it was off. Takamaki… I needed to get to her. I turned and found Ryuji standing there.
"H-Hey! What's goin' on?" Ryuji asked as I moved past him towards the stairs.
"Suzui Shiho jumped off of the roof," I said as I made my way down to the first floor. Everyone was clogging the way out to the courtyard though. "We need to get to the courtyard."
"Right, this way! We'll cut over to the Practice Building," Ryuji took the lead and pushed a line through the hall as we made it to the Practice Building. I ignored the conversations in the hall and followed Ryuji as we made our way to the courtyard. It didn't take long and before long we had pushed our way through to be able to see what was going on.
"Class is still in session," a teacher was wasting his time telling students this.
"Shiho," Takamaki was in front of us.
I heard the snapping of a photo from next to me. I reached over and grabbed the guy's phone.
"Hey, what the hell?" the guy looked at me. And I gave him the most pissed off glare I had probably ever given an individual. "Hey, you're that transfer student right?" He was instantly leery of me. Who would have thought the rumors would be useful for something.
I quickly deleted the pictures of Shiho on his phone and then shoved it into his hand. "Take another picture and I'll break your fucking hands." Then he and several other students turned and ran off.
"What the hell's wrong with these people?" Ryuji was pissed too.
"We need someone to go with her... Are there any teachers around?" The paramedic was looking for someone in charge. The teachers were too busy trying to get their students to go back to class and pretend this wasn't happening.
I stepped forward, "She'll go with her. She'll have all the contact information you need for Suzui's parents." I was indicating Takamaki. She looked at me. "Go. You don't want to be here right now."
She nodded and moved forward. The Paramedic allowed Takamaki to go to Shiho's side.
"Shiho... Why?" I could hear Takamaki ask.
"Ann? I'm sorry. I... I can't take this... anymore..." Shiho spoke weakly. I could only hear it because I had moved closer to speak with the paramedic. But whatever she said next I couldn't hear… but I could see the effect on Takamaki's face.
"Kamoshida?" Takamaki must have been repeating what Shiho had said. My blood started to boil when I heard that name.
I pleaded with the paramedic, "Sir, please. Get them out of here. I assure you that Takamaki Ann will be able to answer any and all questions about Suzui Shiho."
"We'll take care of them. Thanks, young man," the paramedic seemed to appreciate that I had taken charge as the teachers seemed unwilling to do so. He then turned and with the help of another paramedic, loaded Shiho into the back of the ambulance. Takamaki, who was now holding Shiho's hand, was with her. A few moments later, the ambulance was gone, and now it was just the dull roar of the students.
How many of these assholes had pictures of Shiho in such a state? I had half a mind to start throwing punches.
I was going to lose my cool if I didn't watch it. "Mother Fucker," I slammed my fist into my palm. A release of some tension would help me a little but I just wanted to find Kamoshida and knock the everloving shit out of him. Especially if he had ever touched Suzui Shiho. Considering the events leading to this, there would be no other explanation.
"Ah... Ah..."
I heard from close by. I turned to see Mishima in the crowd but he was running away.
"That guy..." Ryuji noticed him too. "Hey, wasn't Mishima acting weird?"
"Now that I think about it...he knew right away with only a glance who it was that was on the roof. He knows something about this. Why would Suzui do this? He's going to give some answers." I shared a glance with Ryuji.
"We're gonna make him talk this time," Ryuji said as we both chased off after him only a few beats behind him. Mishima was having a rough time getting around people. Fortunately Ryuji and I have a bad reputation. People move out of our way. So we were able to make up ground rather quickly.
Ryuji sprinted ahead and we easily trapped Mishima and blocked his escape. When Mishima tried to get by, I instead placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him against the lockers on the wall. I was surprised how little resistance he had against it. I thought that he would be somewhat strong from being on the volleyball team.
"That hurts," Mishima says reflexively.
"Why'd you run like that? Huh!?" Ryuji asks. I think we were both past the point of being subtle. Someone was going to give us some fucking straight answers today. Especially after what we just saw.
"I didn't run..." Mishima looked away.
Ryuji slammed his fist on the locker, "She jumped and tried to kill herself!"
"L-Leave me alone..." Mishima tried to back away from us.
"You want to tell us that you don't fucking know anything? Do you not even care about Suzui-san? Don't you understand that we want to help? Just tell us what is going on!" I did my best to keep myself under control. "Mishima! A girl just tried to kill herself!"
"He's right! We ain't tryin' to get you busted. We won't say you talked either..." Ryuji calmed himself down and tried to reason with him.
"Suzui..." Mishima then grabbed his head. "She was called out by Kamoshida-sensei."
"Wait, what!?" Ryuji was shocked.
I had formed a fist, my temper making my fingernails dig into my own skin.. Please tell me I'm wrong. Don't let this be fucking true.
"I was called by him a number of times too... to the teacher's room," Mishima spoke after a moment. "It wasn't just me or Suzui either. He'd nominate someone when he was in a bad mood... and hit them."
That mother fucker.
"So the physical punishment thing was for real..." Ryuji was making a fist as well.
"But yesterday, he called Suzui out of the blue. She didn't make any mistakes or anything..." Mishima was hanging his head. "Kamoshida-sensei seemed really irritated that day, so it must've been... worse than usual..."
No… Takamaki... He couldn't get what he wanted out of her… so he took the next best thing. Takamaki's best friend. To satisfy his urges and get back at someone who didn't bend to his whims. There was no winner or best case scenario this time. It was a lose lose. If Takamaki had done what Kamoshida wanted then… she would have been sexually abused, no worse. Raped. Because of that… Suzui was made to be the victim. The target of Kamoshida's rage for him not getting what he wants.
"He didn't...!" Ryuji turned. "That son of a bitch...!" Ryuji took off down the hall in a sprint.
Mishima's eyes widened. I took off to follow Ryuji. I didn't have to guess where he was going. He was off to find Kamoshida. And a part of me really wanted to be right there with him. I followed Ryuji up the stairs and I noticed him making a straight line for the end of the hall. I didn't even realize that Mishima was still with me when I entered the office.
Kamoshida was sitting at his desk, as if nothing in the school was happening. This was likely not a good scenario for us. However, I was too pissed off to simply walk away.
"You bastard! The hell did you do to that girl!?" Ryuji really doesn't have a filter. He might be a fool at times, but I was damn proud to have someone so earnest as my friend.
"What are you talking about?" Kamoshida waved us off as if we were just a nuisance.
"Don't play dumb with me!" Ryuji kicked over a nearby chair to extenuate his point.
Kamoshida turned, "That is enough!"
"What you did... wasn't coaching," Mishima spoke. I blinked and looked at him. Was he really going to stand up to his teacher now? Better late than never, I suppose. Even Ryuji looked at Mishima in surprise.
"What did you say?" Kamoshida was daring Mishima now. This was the moment that decided how it would go for Mishima. If he backed down now...Kamoshida would likely let him go without anything negative. Well, any more than the punishment he already got.
Mishima didn't back down, "You... You ordered me to call Suzui here... I can only imagine what you did to her...!"
Kamoshida got to his feet, his demeanor changing slightly. "You're going on and on about things you have no proof of... Basically, you're simply making these claims because you can't be a regular on the team, right?"
"That's not what this is about...!" Mishima was getting more confident as this continued.
"Even if it is exactly as you imagine it to be, hypothetically speaking... What can you do? We just received a call from the hospital. Suzui's in a coma, and her chances of recovery are slim... How would someone like that make a statement?" Kamoshida feigned as if he actually cared about her. "There's no chance of her getting better, I hear... The poor girl."
I didn't believe anything he said. However, it was no bluff that he was not concerned about the situation. No matter what we might say...we were still the ones at a disadvantage. His word over ours...and our word meant nothing compared to an Olympic Medalist and teacher that had significant accomplishments on his resume. Even if Shiho testified after regaining consciousness… Kamoshida was more likely to be believed than her.
"No... That can't be..." Mishima shook his head.
"You goddamn...!" Ryuji's anger was basically rolling off of him like an aura. As angry as I had been before this moment, I realized that this was no longer the way we got at him. This wasn't how we fought him. This was only how things got worse.
"This, again...? Does this mean we need to have yet another case of 'self-defense'?" Kamoshida was taunting Ryuji. Hold on… Kamoshida had injured Ryuji? I mean I knew that something had happened to clearly make Ryuji hate him… but Kamoshida had directly hurt him?
"You shut your mouth, you son of a bitch," Ryuji was ready to punch him but I stepped forward and grabbed Ryuji by his wrist. He looked at me, "Why're you stoppin' me?"
"Calm down. This isn't how we do this," I say after a moment.
"But still!" Ryuji was still angry but at least he listened to me.
"Oh? You're stopping him? What a surprise," Kamoshida gleefully taunted us. "There's no need to hold back. Why not attack me? Ohhh, you can't. Hahaha, but of course you can't."
"Think whatever you want fuckface," I said with little emotion, focusing on what I needed to do, pushing out how much I wanted to fucking kill this man. That wouldn't help Takamaki or Suzui. I needed to be someplace I could actually help.
"Everyone present right now... will be expelled. I'm reporting to all of you at the next board meeting," Kamoshida went back to his desk and sat down.
Expulsion huh? Fun times. Done that already. And what do you know, I'll get expelled without even hitting someone or doing anything wrong, again. Nope, just me kicking over a hornet's nest that just belongs to the guy with the stupidest fucking hair and gets his jollies by torturing his players. And lets not forget the sexual abuse or possibly rape that causes a girl to try and commit suicide. Not just any asshole, but a fucking prick and pedophile. If there was ever someone deserving of getting a complete fucking beatdown it was him. But that would be pointless and in the end accomplish nothing.
"You can't make a decision like that...!" Mishima stood forward.
Kamoshida turned in his chair, "Who would seriously consider what scum like you say? You threatened me too, Mishima, so you're just as responsible."
"Huh?" Mishima's eyes widened.
"To think you didn't know why I kept someone as talent-less as you on the team. You act like you're a victim, but you leaked his criminal records, didn't you? It's all over the internet, correct? How terrible." Kamoshida was trying to provoke me or make me angry at Mishima, right? What is he a fucking kindergärtner?
"He told me to do it. I had no choice," Mishima fell to his knees. Did he think I was going to get mad or something? Honestly, it didn't matter to me if the whole world knew.
Kamoshida was laughing like an idiot, "Now, are we finished here? You're all expelled! You're done for; your futures are mine to take. Now get out of my sight."
"I can't believe this asshole's gettin' away with this," Ryuji looked at me.
"He hasn't gotten away with anything yet," I met his gaze.
It took him before he realized what I meant. "Oh right. We have that!" Oh, Ryuji, as blunt and oblivious as always.
"Huh? Have you lost your minds? I don't understand what garbage like you are thinking, but go ahead and try. All you can do is wait for your disposal though..." Kamoshida was smug. We helped Mishima out and left the PE faculty office.
Mishima had lost all semblance of strength and was like a ghost as he went back to the classroom.
"We'll meet up after school," I said as I started to head back. "At least try to go to your afternoon classes okay?"
"How can you focus after all that shit?" Ryuji calls out to me.
I didn't reply and just kept walking. Life used to be a simple affair. Get up, go to morning practice, go to class, get lunch, go to afternoon class, go to after school practice, go home, do homework, study, head to bed, rinse and repeat. Nothing bad ever happened in my life. Everything just worked out. That was ruined by one man. I was thrown into a new city, a new life. Now, another shitty ass adult was going to ruin my life simply for getting in their way. But if there was a way to flip this on its head... Then Kamoshida was going to learn just how much of a bitch karma could be. And I was going to be there when it happened.
Friday / April 15th, 2016 / Shibuya - Outside Natsu Diner / After School
Okumura Haru
I felt numb, as if the events of the day couldn't have been real. And yet, there was no denying that one of my underclassmen had tried to kill herself. And the prevailing rumor all revolved around the volleyball team and their coach, Kamoshida. I was fortunate that the only time I had to interact with that man was during my PE class, which thankfully wasn't that long and for the most part never said much to me. None of that could change what had happened today though.
Suzui Shiho was her name that had jumped from the roof. And she had lived through it. She likely broke her legs, maybe an arm? How many injuries would someone sustain from that kind of fall? I shouldn't think about it… it… it just makes me angry.
How could something like this happen in my school?
"Haru?" a familiar voice made me look up.
"Oh, Shiori-chan. Hi," I said, my thoughts clearly not focused.
"You okay? You were spacing out," she stepped towards me.
I shake my head, "Sorry, something happened at school today. It's hard for me to fathom."
"What happened?" it wasn't Shiori, but Naozumi who asked me this as he appeared from behind his sister. I found myself looking into his hazel eyes and for some reason a part of me was able to calm down.
"A girl jumped off the roof of the school today," I spoke honestly. Their reaction was immediate.
"Oh my God," Shiori gasped.
"Yeah…" I hung my head. It wasn't like I knew the girl but… I was frustrated at the situation. That I could go to a school where someone could feel so powerless that the solution was to throw themselves off the roof. How could anyone just be okay with that? How could anyone talk bad about the girl? Don't they realize that there was a bigger issue they should be concerned with? In all likelihood, the majority of the students didn't care. And that hurt me more than anything else.
"Come on. Let's go inside," Naozumi said as he motioned for us to step inside of Natsu Diner.
I follow him in and we move up to the bar. Naozumi sits in one of the seats, and I take the one next to him. I place my bag on the empty seat next to me. Just a day or so ago I had been so energetic when I came here to see Naozumi but today just wasn't that kind of day.
"Did you know her?" Naozumi asked.
I shook my head, "No, I don't, but I know she is on the volleyball team. What was upsetting was how a lot of the other students acted. Some were even taking pictures of her! Fortunately, there was a guy that snagged his phone and probably deleted those pictures, scaring a bunch of the other students too. Nao-chan, why do people do that?"
"More often than not, it is actually because they don't know how to react to the situation. A girl just tried to commit suicide, and so they do what they can to actually avoid that fact. It doesn't excuse their behavior but sometimes in the face of something like this, people tend to try and brush it off as if it is nothing," Naozumi gave me a serious answer. Yeah, I knew that… I just wished I had been wrong. So many people want to deny what they were seeing in front of them. What kind of horrible place was I going to school at? I felt so alone at that moment.
"Should we go visit her?" Shiori asked.
"I know what you are thinking, Shiori. And that is a double edged sword. Getting visitors can definitely make someone feel better. At the same time, she doesn't know us and she might get a different idea from the situation and misinterpret why we are there. She'll want to see family and friends, not a bunch of people she doesn't know," Naozumi said and looked at me. "That being said, I don't think it would be completely out of place for us to check on her well being from time to time. And after a few weeks, I think she'll be more susceptible to seeing other people that are concerned for her."
"So you're saying we should wait?" Shiori sighed as she pulled out cups from behind the bar and put them in front of us. "You should have just said that from the beginning, Onii-chan."
"I simply wanted to impress upon you that there is a level of tact you need for a situation like this. You may have good intentions, but there is no doubt a lot that this girl has gone through. She did try to take her own life after all. She lived through that, and now she'll have to deal with the people that will no doubt judge her for that action. In this situation the last thing she needs is people she doesn't know coming in. I doubt she would believe anything we have to say. She needs time, and the people that care about her," Naozumi said it so easily but I could feel the pain in his words. I could feel it in myself.
I know why it affected me so… Because I know that on a rare occasion I've had a passing thought that I don't want to admit. But now it came under focus. Would anyone care if I was gone? Would the world move on if I were to die? Such a stupid line of thought that had on occasion made its way into my mind. Naozumi would never forgive me… neither would Shiori. Even still, I'm sure Suzui Shiho had close friends too that were bound to wonder why she would attempt suicide. Probably because of things she was keeping to herself… things she couldn't tell even those close to her.
Was I any better?
"Here you go, Haru-chan!" Shiori put a glass that was filled. I took a drink from it without much thought.
"Mm… root beer! Thanks, Shiori-chan!" I smile as the taste hits my tongue. Maybe a little silly but something like this was different than what I had at home. Things just tasted better when I was with Naozumi and his family. "Sorry about bringing the mood down."
Naozumi shook his head, "Considering what had happened, it would be unlike you to just ignore it."
"I know but I came here to help talk about advertising ideas for the diner," I did feel bad about it, but I also did feel a lot better after talking about it with them. Like Naozumi had said though… there wasn't much I could do for Suzui Shiho directly. But considering the people involved, I'm not sure I could do anything to change things at the school either. I shook my head, trying to shake off those thoughts for now. "How have the flyers been working out?"
Naozumi glanced at me, probably considering if I really wanted to drop the previous topic but then he went with it. He shrugged, "Well enough, I suppose. We have seen some increase in customers but nothing significant that will turn the month around. Also I did look into our advertising and as Shiori thought… our advertising hasn't been showing up. They assured me that there wasn't an issue and that clients should be getting it, but I had a bad feeling about the arrangement so I canceled the contract with them."
"You think that…" I stopped. The immediate thought that came to my mind was that my Father was the one pressuring the advertising company to ensure that Natsu Diner would not get its ads out into the wild. Considering what my Father had done to buy up his competition, I wouldn't put it past him. Though he assured me it was all due to the wishes of the board of directors for the company. Even still, my Father was the majority shareholder, he would have been able to stop it if he wanted. The fact that the deal had occurred was not something I could forget. I didn't understand my Father's intentions so I could not offer anything in this regard. "Nao-chan, do you think going with a different company would work?"
He shook his head, "Unlikely. I've looked into doing so ourselves. Our website is easy to maintain but it doesn't help if it doesn't show up when people are using search engines to look for nearby restaurants. Having a better social media presence could help though."
"I could handle that," Shiori spoke up. "Onii-chan is pretty bad with social media."
I couldn't help but giggle… there was no way anything Naozumi posted would ever trend on social media. He was too… elegant, or proper in anything he did. I mean it was always good to be professional, but for marketing it was more important to be relatable. "Should definitely leave this to Shiori-chan."
"I feel I should be insulted that I couldn't handle something like that but I admit that Shiori is much more adept at those things than I am. The only ones I am in constant contact with on my phone or anything else are the two of you to begin with," he shrugged. "In that case how about I leave it to the two of you? We can run that deal we were talking about as a means to draw in customers."
"Leave it to me, Onii-chan!" Shiori gave a mock salute. "But that can't be it, right?"
"There is only so much I can do. Without any hard numbers I'm not sure what deals we can offer without just losing more money. Right now though… an increase in customers is enough to be okay with a loss in profit. We need an emphasis on all four locations on customer service. I know we called it out previously in other meetings but customer retention is very important right now," Naozumi was definitely thinking hard about this issue. And although he had recently started college for business, he knew very little about practical application.
"How about adding a new menu item? Maybe something seasonal?" I suggested.
"That would be a good point to advertise… but is there anything in April that would be a seasonal food?" Naozumi considered my suggestion.
"Some places do have a spring themed menu. Not necessarily anything new," Shiroi pointed out.
"Oo, something pink because cherry blossoms are blooming. A desert maybe? I vote for a strawberry sundae," I said with an overemphasized nod.
"You just want another desert on the menu," Naozumi looked at me. He knew me so well, it made me smile.
"It's a good idea," Shiori chimed in. "It could be part of a spring menu."
"Fresh menus and spring oriented designs… alright. Okay, both of those work. I'll see if I can't get a new design for the menu that would be easy to implement from a friend of mine. And we'll talk with the chefs to get their ideas on how they can decorate or theme some of the meals," Naozumi nodded as he was writing a bunch on a notepad he had grabbed from the other side of the bar.
I couldn't help but smile as I watched Naozumi writing. As usual he had a serious look on his face as he did so, losing himself to his thoughts. He had been this way for as long as I've known him. He could lose himself in whatever he was doing. Something about it made me feel so at ease. As if his focus eased the worry in my heart I had felt before arriving here. And maybe… just for a little while, the world wouldn't feel like such a horrible place.
A/N:
There is a lot of things that go through my mind when I remember this particular part in Persona 5. When Shiho jumps off the roof. Of all the villains in the game, this is probably one of the most poignant reasons that would drive someone to action. Especially for Tadashi who is resistant to it. It is also something I greatly relate to, as I am diagnosed with chronic depression. Something that went undiagnosed for a long time. So those feelings of helplessness that comes with that kind of abuse and manipulation are experience that I resonate with. And maybe why I really hated Kamoshida.
Personal feelings aside, what seemed odd to me was also how little they utilized Shiho any further. Relegating it to behind Ann's confidant instead. Either way that is something to explore further down the line.
We end the chapter with some side from Haru. Who was also aware of these events but like most of the game, we really don't get much on how she takes in these events. Naozumi being her childhood friend, and his sister at the diner just made it feel better to me. Haru wasn't directly involved but these events would have been felt in all places in the school. Having Haru have a chance to also distract herself with the problems Naozumi is having with the diner also helps her.
I hope you could enjoy this chapter and I'll see you next month!