Chapter 3 The Choices We Make
April 15th, Friday.
Waking up to an unfamilar ceiling is never a good sign. That was my immediate thought when I opened my eyes to see a painfully white ceiling that did not belong to my appartment, nor Shujin Academy. It was completely unfamilar to me. I was in a new place. That didn't bring me any comfort.
I slowly moved my head around and realized I must be in a hospital room of some kind. There was all the equipment in the room and everything, though I wasn't hooked up to any of it. The only difference that related to me was how there was now a cast around my right arm and hand. Oh yeah. Kamoshida broke them. After I walked in on him as he was about to… about to…
I didn't want to think more about that. I was still just tired. Tired of everything. I still didn't even have the energy to care. I just wanted it to end.
Too bad life didn't seem to agree, as the door to my room opened right after I had that thought.
"Oh. Good. You're awake, Ainsworth-kun." Makoto said with a small smile as she came in, closing the door behind her as she did before taking a seat next to my bed.
"Niijima-san?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes with my left hand.
"I came to see if you were okay. I thought that someone should, since you don't have any family here in Japan."
"Right…" I gave a slow nod. "What happened?"
"You don't remember?"
"No, I remember. Just not the part after I passed out." I told her in a blank tone. She didn't seem to take offense to it though as she gave a small nod.
"Of course. Well, after you bumped into me and I saw you had all those injuries, I obviously called an ambulience and had you taken to the hospital. They managed to get your arm and hand in a cast quickly, and you slept through the rest of the day. It's now Thursday, an hour or so before classes start, though you don't have to come if you don't feel up for it."
School. The word made me grimace as I held back a retch. All because of the one person who would be waiting for me there at the academy. How pathetic was that? I was intimidated by the man. Scared, even. How lame…
"What's going to happen?" I asked her while shifting my gaze to my broken arm. "What's going to happen…to me?"
Makoto frowned at the question, but still resolved herself to answer anyway.
"I… I must prefrence this by saying that I do not know what exactly happened that day between you and Kamoshida. I don't know all the details, and I am willing to listen to your side of the story to try to get the full picture." She then sighed before continuing. "However, there are already rumors spreading. Mostly online, but I don't know how there can already be rumors about what happened."
An answer immediately came to mind. Mishima. Kamoshida forced him to spread rumors about me like he did with Joker. No. Amamiya, if I recall the name Kamoshida used while addressing him.
"What are the rumors?" I dared to ask.
"They're all over the internet and social media. They're all about…how you tried to…force yourself onto another student yesterday. A girl named Suzui. And how Mr. Kamoshida had to stop you from violating her." Makoto then bit her lower lip as she looked straight into my eyes. "I…really hate to have to ask this, but-"
"I didn't do anything to her. I wasn't the one trying to violate her." I answered immediately, the question already leaving a bad taste in my mouth.
"I thought as much. I had a hard time believing it when I first saw the rumor, but I felt like I had to ask anyway. You didn't strike me as the type who would so something so…awful." Makoto replied with a sigh of relief. That surprised me.
"Why?" I asked her. "We've only spoken twice before now if I'm not mistaken. Why did you have faith that I wasn't that sort of person just from that?"
"I'm not quite sure myself. I just didn't get that impression from you." She told me. "And that conversation we had during the rally stuck with me. Despite what you said, you seemed to agonize over what might happen to another person, even when you said it wasn't your problem. Isn't that why you brought up the topic to me that day?"
I couldn't find an answer to that question, so I just stayed quiet. She then fronwed a little as she moved her gaze became much more serious. Her red eyes were sharp. I had always known that from the moment I met her, but it was still intimidating for me. She wasn't the student council president for nothing. She had all the prescence and ability for it, no doubt about it.
"That tragic event you were talking about… Was this it?" Makoto asked.
I knew I shouldn't have told anyone about this. Now I was in another uncomfortable position. One where I had to answer, or things would get worse.
"Not exactly like this." I told her, preparing my slight lie as I spoke. "In truth, I expected something like this to happen to another girl. You might have heard of her. She's the blonde girl who looks a bit like a foreigner, like myself. I think her name is Ann Takamaki."
"Yes, I know of Takamaki-san. There are…various rumors about her surrounding her relation with Mr. Kamoshida." Makoto frowned. "And you thought she might end up in the position Suzui-san was in?"
"It made sense to me. I always saw Kamoshida trying to be casual with her. Too casual. Far too casual." I repeated the last part as my voice grew softer with an undertone of loathing for the man in question. "Takamaki-san looked so uncomfortable. So…scared of him, despite her trying to still be cordial. I had a feeling it was only a matter of time before Kamoshida had enough of dancing around what he wanted and tried to do something with her against her wishes. Imagine my shock when I found Kamoshida trying to do that very thing not with Takamaki-san, but with Suzui-san, someone I've seen speak with Takamaki-san like a friend."
"So you tried to stop him, I assume?"
"Yes. I'll be honest, I didn't want to get involved. The whole day yesterday, I tried to stay away from it all. Yet I somehow found myself outside his office at the very moment Kamoshida tried to pull this shit." I placed a hand on my tired face as I groaned. "I was so stupid. I don't know why, but the moment I heard Suzui from the hall, my body moved on its own towards his office. I threw the door open, and the moment I saw that vile scene, I couldn't stop myself. All those doubts and reservations went out the window."
"Heh heh, look what good that did. Now I'm apparently a person who tried to rape a girl and got his arm broken by the PE teacher who just so happened to be there to save the day. I really shouldn't have gotten involved. I knew something like this would happen, so I have no one to blame but myself, I guess."
"Don't say something like that!" Makoto shouted, taking me aback a bit by her tone. "You did nothing wrong! You saved that girl, didn't you? Do you truly regret taking action when no one else could?"
"No." My answer was quick and with no hesitation. So much so, I nearly surprised myself. But I knew that conviction was real. There was no doubt in my mind about that. "I don't regret what I did. If I were to find myself in the same situation, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from taking action again."
"That's why I tried to stay away, though I failed miserably in that regard. I just regret thinking I could actually make a difference. I actually thought I could stop him. All I did was boost his already great reputation. Now his head is going to get bigger, and he'll try it again. There's really nothing anyone can do."
"That's…" Makoto began before looking away in shame. "I want to say that isn't true, but it is, isn't it?" Her voice was shaky as she spoke, and it almost looked like she was trembling a little as well.
"I knew there was something wrong with the school. All the rumors, and how all the members of the volleyball team were always so beat up. Even if no one spoke of it, I still noticed how none of it seemed normal. I tried speaking to Principal Kobayakawa about it when the issue first presented itself to me, but he told me it was nothing to concern myself with. He just told me to keep up my studies and other duties as the student council president. Back then, I thought that meant there really wasn't a problem, but that wasn't true. I was just doing as I was told. I…let it happen."
"Makoto…" I tried to stop her from this downward spiral, but I didn't know what to say.
These were feelings she was harboring for a while now. I saw them spill out during the Kaneshiro arc, after all. But that happened months from now. It was surprisng to see her feeling like that at this point in time, but it made sense when I thought about it.
How long had Kamoshida been doing this? Probably far longer than one might assume just by playing the story. This most likely became an issue soon after Kamoshida became a teacher at Shujin, if not the moment he become part of the staff. I have no idea how long this had been an issue, but it was probably for a while.
Kamoshida ruined Ryuji's life sometime before now, and he was a second year now. That at least gives Kamoshida a year for his reign of terror. And it's possible for him to have been a teacher even before then if he was here when Makoto was a first year, and maybe even before that.
Who knows how long Kamoshida had been doing as he pleased here in Shujin, and that's plenty of time for someone as diligent as Makoto, who had such a strong sense of justice, responsibility, and duty, that would eat away at her if she did nothing the entire time to stop it.
It only grew worse after the fact when Kamoshida confessed and people decided to place the blame with her for not doing anything to stop him earlier, even though she couldn't have possibly have done anything anyway.
"Makoto… It's not your fault. There wasn't anything you could do. No one could have done anything when most of the teachers and even the principal himself are covering up everything. Even the students themselves, and even their parents, are partially at fault for not doing anything either. You did try, but were shut done by the principal. You shouldn't blame yourself for any of this. It's all Kamoshida's fault anyway."
"Even if that's true, what am I supposed to do now? What are any of us are supposed to do?" She asked. "Mr. Kamoshida is going to get away with this. Again. Just like when he went too far and broke Sakamoto-kun's leg. Even if he claimed it was self defense, he went too far with it, but the school didn't do anything. This is the same thing. He broke your arm and hand, and now there are rumors painting you as a monster and him as a hero, even when you only tried to stop him from being the monster. This might even ruin your entire life!"
"Makoto…why do you even care?" I found myself asking the question again. "We haven't really spoken much before this. I don't even think we can be considered friends. By all rights, you shouldn't have believed my story so easily. I could be lying about what happened, yet you trust me. So why? Why believe me? Why do you seem so invested in this now?"
"I…don't know." She replied. "I just don't want to keep doing nothing. Not after what happened yesterday."
"Yesterday?"
"I found you horribly injured and you passed out right in front of me. Even if we aren't friends, seeing a fellow student with his arm and hand broken like that and in so much pain he fainted was horrifying to me. There wasn't even anyone who could go to the hospital with you, so I had to come."
"The whole time, I was scared. I knew you would be fine afterwards, but I was still scared about what had happened. How something like that could happen at the school I went to. And knowing that the school would probably do nothing about it since you said Mr. Kamoshida had done that to you. I'm just…tired of feeling useless when I'm the one who should be doing something."
I was left speechless at her words. I was truly blown away by her, and after a few seconds of taking it all in, I found myself letting out a small, mirthful chuckle.
"You really are a good person. So much so, I sort of feel jealous." I said softly. "If people like you do something, I'm sure it'll all turn out fine."
And that was the truth, wasn't it? People like Makoto would do something about it. Even if she couldn't do something, Amamiya, Ryuji, and Ann would do something. They'd team up with Morgana and form the Phantom Thieves of Heart and steal Kamoshida's desires. Then everything would be fine. They'll save everyone.
Everyone…?
Wait…
I shot up from my bed. It was so sudden, it startled Makoto to the point she nearly fell out of the chair she was sitting in.
"What happened with Suzui-san?" I asked her, my tone deadly serious.
"Suzui-san? I tried to get in contact with her yesterday, but she didn't answer her phone. I tried to speak with Takamaki-san as well, but she couldn't get in touch with her either. I figured she was just startled by what had happened, so I thought I would speak to her sometime at school if I had the chance. Maybe Takamaki-san got in contact with her? I would be surprised if Suzui-san didn't tell her closest friend about what happened to her."
A pit formed in my stomach at her response. No… There's no way, right? I managed to stop Kamoshida from going too far. There's no way she would want to still jump.
But the problem isn't just from what didn't happen. It's about what could have happened. What might happen again, and when it happened again, there might not be someone to save her.
I didn't change anything, did it? Saving her from Kamoshida wouldn't fix the root of the problem. The fact that Kamoshida could try again and get away with it, whether he succeeded or not. That was the problem. And he would try again. He was just that sort of person, and Shiho knew that better than most.
Nothing I did yesterday amounted to anything.
"I need to get to the school." I found myself saying. I didn't even think about it. It just came out.
Fear had gripped my heart, and I knew why. Because I knew what would happen in just an hour or two. That tragic event that I couldn't prevent, whether I got involved or not. Looking back now, was there anything I could have done anyway?
Hindsight is a funny thing, and I couldn't help but want to laugh out in despair at how pointless everything seemed now. There was nothing I could have done to prevent Shiho from wanting to jump. No matter what I did, nothing would have changed if Kamoshida didn't change. The problem would still remain, and fester until it became too much for the poor girl who had already suffered more than a teenager should have to endure.
This was just one of those moments that seemed like it was fated to happen.
But I'll be damned if I'll still let her jump. I've already gotten this far involved, so I refuse to let it be for nothing! I got my arm and hand broken for her! I'm not going to let her try to kill herself now! I payed in blood and pain to stop that from happening, and that'll will mean something goddamn it!
"Ainsworth-kun, what's wrong?" Makoto asked me as I essentially leapt out of bed.
I was still wearing my school uniform. That was good. I didn't have to waste anytime getting out of a hospital gown. I could just leave. And that's what I did. I ran out of the room, leaving Makoto behind me in a confused panic.
"Ainsworth-kun!" She shouted as she followed after me. I didn't stop for her though. There was too much at stake now.
All the hospital staff seemed to be confused as to why I was running through the halls towards the nearest exit, but I paied them no mind. The only person I was thinking of was Shiho. I eventually made it outside and looked around. Taking the train would take too long. Classes start in less than an hour now, and I needed to get there as soon as possible.
"A-Ainsworth-kun…!" Makoto cried out in a pant as she caught up to me. "What's going on? Why are you in such a panic?"
"Not now, Niijima-san." I told her as I moved quickly to the edge of the side walk and tried to wave down a taxi I saw. "Hey! Stop!" I yelled, but the car just sped by. "Damn it!" I cussed as I looked back down the street and saw another taxi.
Oh no you don't! I leapt out into the street without a care for my own well being as I screamed again.
"I SAID STOP!" That seemed to be enough to get the car to slam to a stop before hitting me.
"Ainsworth-kun!?" Makoto yelled in terror, but I ignored her as I moved to get into the cab.
"Get in!" I told her. Luckily, she didn't argue with me as she got in the car with me. "Take us to Shujin! As fast as you can!" I told the driver, but when he just stared at me in shock and what might have been terror, I lost any semblance of self control that I had left in me. "I SAID GO! NOW!"
That got the driver to do as I said. He drove off as fast as he could, but that didn't help make the dread that sat in my gut vanish.
"Please, tell me what's going on? Why do you need to get to the school so badly?" Makoto asked me, worry very clearly fueling her tone. I turned to her and grimaced as I thought about what was to come.
"When I found Suzui-san yesterday during that situation, I saw two things in her eyes." I began. "The first one was the most obvious. Her eyes cried out for help. But looking back, there was another emotion I saw. Another desire." I swallowed before I continued. "The look in her eyes at that moment, the moment before I punched Kamoshida away from her… I've only seen that look in people who wanted everything to…well…end, if you catch my drift."
"End…?" Makoto repeated as her face when deathly pale. "You don't think… Are you saying that Suzui-san might try to end her own life!?"
"What else is she supposed to do in this shitty situation?" I asked with a snarl, not at Makoto, but for having to think about what Shiho must have gone through. "Saving her from that shitbag Kamoshida doesn't do anything for her other than delay the inevitable. Kamoshida is still the same piece of shit as he was before."
"She's been suffering under him for who knows how long. That would eat away at anyone, and what happened yesterday could easily be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Even if I did manage to save her, who's to say Kamoshida won't succeed with her one day? So yes. I do believe Suzui-san is in very real danger of succumbing to suicidal thoughts."
The way Makoto's expression dropped from terror to absolute, full on panic made my heart break. The way she looked so torn at what I told her and the thought of what might happen made me want to cry with her.
But now wasn't the time for tears. Now was the time for action. And judging from the new found level of determination I could see in Makoto's eyes, despite the torrent of emotions and panic she must be feeling, I could tell she thought the same.
At least I had one ally with me in this. Lord knows I'm grossly unqualified to be talking someone down from attempting suicide. This is way above my pay grade.
The moment the taxi stopped in front of Shujin Academy, Makoto and I literally leapt out of the car, with me throwing whatever amount of money I had into the car that was enough to cover the drive. I was practically rich in this world (thank you Lavenza or whoever brought me here), and even if I wasn't as rich as Haru, I still had more than enough to just throw money away and focus on getting to the rooftop as soon as possible.
That taxi made good time, too. Classes should have just started by now. That gave a small window until the moment of truth.
Or so I thought. After we had entered the school, we were about to head up towards the roof, but that's when a few classroom doors opened, and multiple students rushed out and looked out the window. They were all clammering about what they were seeing, and freaking out over how 'she was gonna jump'.
Too late. We were too late. Shiho was already on the roof.
"Shit!" I hissed before sprinting over to the stairs. "Makoto, get a teacher that actually cares like Kawakami! Or Ann! Call for an ambuliance just in case! I'm getting Shiho!"
I didn't wait for a response from the council president as I ran faster than I had ever ran before. I sprinted up the stairs, ignoring all the students that were standing around watching what was about to unfold.
Damn ignorant NPCs! You could at least pretend to care about a fellow student! Have some basic human decency!
I pushed those thoughts down as I finally made it to the top of the stairs and practically broke the door down to get to the roof. Adrenaline is one hell of a drug, let me tell ya.
As I caught my breath, I looked up with wide eyes. There, across from where I was standing, was Shiho Suzui. The gate that blocked the roof's edge had been opened, and on the other side, standing at the very edge, was the girl in question.
She turned around after I slammed into the door to open it, her wide eyes reflecting shock, but her sorrow and pain never left her gaze. I felt my heart weap at the very sight. It hurt just to look her in the eye right now, her pain was so great.
"Ainsworth-senpai?" Shiho muttered in confusion. Good. I've got her distracted. Now time to reel her back in.
"Shiho, please. Come back over here." I pleaded in a soft voice as I reached out my hand to her like an olive branch and took slow, small steps towards her. "Think about what you're about to do for just a moment."
Shiho just frowned at that as she looked back towards the ground. The ground she was to hit should she jump.
"I have thought about this, senpai. I've thought about this for a long time. It's only now that I've found the resolve to go through with it."
She then turned back to me, and I swear, I saw the most broken eyes to have ever existed. She look so worn down. So done with it all. So…damaged. Like her spirit had been yanked out of her body and ripped to shreds.
"I just…can't do this anymore!" She yelled in aguish. "All the pain! The suffering! The humiliation! And the violation! I can't take it anymore! I tried enduring it. I tried to wait until something happened that would make it all stop. But nothing happened. Nothing will ever happen. It's hopeless. And if this is what I will have to go through until I graduate, then I'm done. It's over."
"Shiho…" I trailed off as my mouth dried up.
What could I possibily say to her? What could someone like me, who has lived such a privilaged life before all this help someone who has suffered as much as Shiho? What right do I have trying to stop her after all she's been forced to go through?
Those thoughts echoes in my head, but then I caught another glimpse at the sorrow and pain in this young teenage girl's eyes, and I couldn't help but feel sickened by myself.
What? Was everything you've done just an act? Were all your words a lie? Is the resolve you've finally found after all this time truly so worthless?! It doesn't matter what kind of person you are. Not anymore! In this moment, all that matters is the person right in front of you! Right now, you are Fumihito Ainsworth, this girl's Senpai! So no matter what, you need to be that reliable senpai for her now more than ever!
Yes, that's right. All that matters is the girl in front of me and seeing her safely away from the ledge of this roof. I might not be able to relate to her pain, and I might not have any right to disway her, but that's what I want. So, as her senpai, I'll do as I said I would before and give my precious Kohai some more comforting words.
"Listen to me. You can't go through with this!" I pleaded as I inched closer and closer. "You're in pain. More pain than anyone has any right being in. I get it! I haven't gone through a fraction of what you have, but I get it! I understand why you want to end it all, but please, think about what will happen if you do jump. What about your family? Your friends? Aren't there people who love you that will be heart-broken if you die? Would you really curse them with this kind of pain and grief?"
That got Shiho to flinch. She probably thought about Ann because of what I said. Good. If there's one person who can stop Shiho from jumping, it's Ann, even if she isn't here in person right now.
"B-But…I…I can't…" She forced out in such a pained voice I felt as though my heart was breaking just hearing her.
"Are you really going to just give up like this?" I asked desperately, causing Shiho to pause once more. "I told you before, thinking about yourself isn't giving up, but this is! Right now, you're not caring for yourself at all! Is throwing it all away really what you want?!"
"No! But what choice do I have?!" She yelled back frantically as she clutched her chest tightly, like her heart was ready to burst from how much distress she was in.
"You always have a choice! I know it may not seem like it, but there's still plenty of things you could do to fix your situation! For yourself at least! You could transfer schools or start being home schooled! You could even quit Shujin's volleyball team. None of that is giving up! Did you even try to ask for help from any of your friends who actually care about you!? I told you I would always be read to lend my precious Kohai an ear, didn't I? I would have done everything I could have to help you!"
"But look at you now! This is what happened to you after you helped me!" Shiho screamed as she pointed to my arm. "I don't want to get anyone else involved in my problems!"
"So you're just going to jump? That's way worse for those who care about you!" I yelled back, inching closer and closer as I did. This was good. I was distracting her. Just a bit more, and maybe someone else will come to help. Just gotta keep her focus on me and not on jumping. "Please. I know it all seems hopeless. I know this place is trying to crush you down into dust, but you are so, so, so much stronger than this place. You're so much stronger than me! You are better than this, and you deserve far better than this."
"Let's go back." I told her with a weak smile. "People are worried about you. So stop what you're doing, and come back over here. I promise you that everything will be okay. I will make sure nothing like this will ever happen again. And before you say anything, trust me when I say there's no way Kamoshida is gonna get away with this shit after today. He will pay, whether by the school's hand or someone else's. I can't tell you how I'll do it, but I will. I will fix everything. I swear it! So please just come back over here where it's safe. Please."
Shiho looked at my hands, and for a moment, I thought I saw hope. Trust. For just a single moment, I thought I saw eyes that showed a girl who wanted so desperately to believe me, even if I was essentially a stranger, and take my hand. But it was just for a moment, for in the very next one, her eyes darkened again, reflecting pain and sorrow once more.
"I did try, you know…" She spoke in barely a whisper. "Yesterday, after I was called to Kamoshida's office…I tried to quit. I tried to take your advice, Senpai. I tried to think of myself: what was best for me and what was right for me; but then…then…"
I felt my heart drop at her words. Wait…does that mean…I put her in that situation? Was all of this…my fault?
Just as my resolve wavered for just that fraction of a second, Shiho took advantage of that opening.
"I'm sorry, Senpai, but I don't think there's anything either of us can do to fix this anymore. It's all broken. I'm broken."
That was all Shiho said before taking a step back off the edge of the roof.
Everything was a blur after that. I moved. I didn't have to think to get my body moving. I might have also shouted something, but all of my brain's proccessing power was geared toward just moving as fast as I could. And after I moved, I reached out and grabbed.
Pain shot through my right arm, and I had to grit my teeth to stop myself from screaming.
"Damn it…!" I growled as I tightened my hold on Shiho's arm with my left hand, while doing my best not to let the fingers on my right hand, which weren't stuck in the cast, from slipping off the gate I was using to keep us both from falling. "Why do you gotta give me so much trouble…?"
"Ainsworth-senpai…" Shiho spoke in a small voice as she hung from my grip.
She was dangling off the roof. I had only just barely caught her, but now I was at risk of falling myself. I could feel my fingers screaming in pain as they slowly, but most certainly, began to slip. If I had my hand, this wouldn't be as big of a problem. Kamoshida just had to be an absoulte bastard, didn't he?
"H-Hang on! I'm gonna make sure you don't fall, no matter what!" I told her with a pained shout. All the while, I was desperately pleading with my fingers.
Please, for the love of God and all that is good in the world, don't let go!
"Why…?" I heard Shiho ask. "Why are you doing this for me? We don't even know each other."
Ha…isn't that funny. I just asked Makoto the same thing just an hour or so ago, didn't I?
Even funnier, I think the answer is much the same, too.
"I just couldn't do nothing when there was someone clearly in need of help in front of me. It looked like you were crying out for help." I answered honestly before flashing a bright, though slightly scared, smile. "Besides, I got my right arm and hand broken for you. Call me selfish, but I want to make sure that actually meant something. Letting you jump sorta makes my own suffering pointless, doesn't it?"
I then looked her straight in the eyes, and in that moment, I felt all my weakness disappear. The whole world didn't seem to matter or even exist as I stared at the hurt girl I held in my arms.
"I just told you just now, didn't I? I will fix everything. I'm someone who always tries to keep his promises." I told her matter-of-factly. "You said that you're too broken, but I don't care! Whether you like it or not, I want to save you, so I will! No matter what, I am going to save you." I then felt my smile widened as I added one last thing. "That's just the kind of selfish person that I am. I'm selfish, and all I want right now is to do that, so that's what I'm gonna do."
Shiho just stared at me with a dumbfounded expression. She looked so confused. So bewildered as to why I was doing this, even with my explanation. She looked like that for a few seconds. And then she started to cry.
I don't even know if she realized it, but tears began to fall from her eyes as she continued to stare at me. They kept falling in falling, slowly picking up speed before her face scruntched up and she forced herself to look down. And then she started to laugh. It was just a small chuckle, but there was something there that her voice lacked before.
Life.
"-Erk!" I yelped as I felt my fingers slip more, causing pain to shoot through my arm like a electric current.
I looked back over to my arm, and I knew I wouldn't be able to keep holding on for long. I racked my brain for any possible action I could take, but I was at a loss. There was nothing I could do to stop Shiho from falling.
If I let go, I might be able to save myself, but that isn't an opinion. I refuse to let it be an opinion. That meant we both were going to fall. And with that thought, a solution came to mind. Not a perfect one, but one I could be satisfied with if I managed to pull it off.
"So bad news. I'm not going to be able to hold on for much longer with this damaged hand of mine. My fingers are slipping." I told Shiho. "So the moment I slip, just hold onto me tightly. I'm gonna try to angle us so that you land on me. That should at least prevent you from hurting yourself too much."
"But if you do that, you'll-!"
"I really don't care." I cut her off. "Did you not hear me before? I told you that I would save you. My hand and arm are broken because of that, and now I'm going to fall off a roof because of that. There is no way in hell that I'm going to go through all that and still end up with you dead. I'm going to make sure the choices I made have some fucking meaning!"
I felt my fingers slip once more, and I braced myself mentally for what was going to happen.
"It's gonna happen any moment now. Get ready." I warned Shiho as I closed my eyes tightly.
I took a deep breath. So this was it. I might die from this, especially if I let Shiho use me as a cushion for her fall.
Somehow, that kind of ending for me didn't seem so bad.
I hope…that maybe if I die here, I'll just wake back up in my room, like this was all just a dream. An awful dream, but one I think I could walk away from feeling somewhat proud in the end.
And that's when my fingers slipped off the gate, and the two of us began to fall.
But before I could pull Shiho to me and move my body towards the ground with her on top of me, our momentum was suddenly stopped. My body came to a resounding halt, causing me to jerk from the sudden action. I looked back up and nearly gasped at what I saw.
"H-Hang on!" Makoto shouted as she held onto my arm. "I'm not gonna let either of you fall!"
Even through the cast, I could feel just how tightly she was holding onto me. And that look in her eyes. I think that was the exact look I had when I told Shiho I wasn't going to let her fall. Makoto wasn't going to let either of us fall.
"Heh…" I couldn't help it. I couldn't help but start laughing at what was happening. "Hahahahaha! That's our prez, for ya! Always so reliable!"
I could have cried from how relieved and happy I was that this was happening. That Makoto was trying to save not just Shiho, but me. I probably would have cried if it weren't for the fact that I was only just barely not falling to my doom and how I was dangling a little off the edge of a rooftop.
"Can you stop talking for a second, you idiot!" Makoto shouted at me as she gritted her teeth. "Okumura-san! Help me pull them up!"
"Okumura?" I repeated with wide eyes before I heard another voice.
"On it!" That's when I saw Haru's head pop over the edge of the roof as she reached over and grabbed my arm like Makoto, and the two of them began to slowly, but surely, pull Shiho and me back up. "Don't worry, Fumi-kun! We'll bring you back up!"
"Haru…"
I couldn't believe this. What was this? Some anime where the power of friendship was real? This was so unbelievable. What was next? Were the other Phantom Thieves going to burst onto the scene and help too?
"Shiho!" I heard a girl cry as the door to the roof burst open again. I groaned in my head. That was clearly Ann. I just had to say something, didn't I?
"Let us help!" A boy who I knew had to be Ryuji shouted before I saw him lean over the rooftop and grab my arm. "Ren! Help me out here!"
"On it." Another male voice called out, though this one was more reserved and soft spoken then Ryuji's, but it also had a sort of strength in it that I couldn't quite place. So this was Joker, huh?
I didn't get a good look at him or Ann, but I saw more arms reach out and grab Ryuji's and Makoto's as everyone started to pull. Now Shiho and I were really moving.
Slowly, we began to move up, until I was able to get a foot hold on the roof again. From there, I helped the others pull up Shiho, and by the time we pulled her back up, we all stumbled backwards and fell onto the roof in a large pile.
I don't know how long I stayed there lying on my back staring off into the sky after they pulled me up. But as the others picked themselves back up, I found myself laughing again. It started off small, but soon grew louder and louder, until I had to hold my sides from the pain my laughter was causing me.
It wasn't that I thought what just happened was funny. Quite the opposite. I was so glad. So glad I was still alive and didn't have to hurt myself irrepairably. No one got hurt. My actions meant something. I helped save someone in need. That feeling just made me laugh with joy. I couldn't stop it even if I wanted too.
I must not have been the only one who felt like that, since after I started laughing, I heard a few more chuckles coming from the others. The first was Makoto, surprisingly enough, but soon, nearly everyone was laughing. Ryuji's was the loudest by far, but it surprised me how even Haru, Ann, and Shiho were almost giggling as well. Even Joker-er, Ren. Ren Amamiya, right? Even Ren was laughing, though in a much softer way than the rest of us.
When our laughter finally died down, I was the first to speak.
"Man… That was an experience." I let out a deep breath. "Let's never do that again, please."
"Agreed. I nearly had a heartattack from all of this." Makoto let out a sigh of relief.
"That was a bit too much excitement for one day." Haru added as she gathered herself again.
"You said it. Maaaaan, that could have gone to shit so fast…" Ryuji groaned.
"Are you alright?"
I suddenly found a hand in front of me. I looked over and saw Ren standing over me, offering me a hand and giving me an expression of slight concern.
It was funny, really. When I first saw him, I wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. I wanted to avoid the plot no matter what it took. Yet here we are. I'm smack dab in the middle of it, and the protagonist himself is worried about me, despite us never speaking before now.
Hindsight. It's definitely a thing.
"Just exhausted." I groaned as I took his hand and let him pull me up. "I think I'm ready to sleep the week away after that."
"Yeah." Ren gave a small chuckle at that. I turned to him and gave him a small smile. You know, this didn't seem as bad as I thought it would be.
"Thanks for the save. All of you." I told everyone. "Not gonna lie. I wasn't looking forward to dying or being in a coma because of this, so I appricate it."
"Of course. The two of us are friends, after all." Haru told me with a bright smile. "I'm just glad all of us were able to get here in time and help."
"And I should be the one thanking you." Ann added right after. "You helped save Shiho. So thank you. I can't tell you how much it means to me."
"Heh. Don't mention it. I just did what I wanted, so you really don't have to thank me." I gave her a nod.
Ann flashed me a smile, but it vanished as she spun her head around to Shiho, who immediately flinched under her gaze.
"Speaking of which, I have something to say to you too, Shiho." Ann said in a cold tone.
"A-Ann…" Shiho stuttered as she failed to fine the right words to say. "I… I'm so-"
Smack!
My eyes widened a little as I felt myself wince at what just happened. Everyone seemed to feel the same, as I saw them have the same reaction as well. Shiho's head just turned to the side, now sporting a new red hand print on her cheek, curtosy of Ann. Damn, that looked like it hurt.
"H-Hey…" Ryuji tried to speak, but Ann ignored him as she began to scream.
"You IDIOT!" She began before lunging at Shiho and pulling her into a tight hug, one that looked like Ann never wanted to end as she began weeping into Shiho's shoulder. "I was so worried about you! Do you have any idea how I felt when someone said they saw you on the roof and how you were about to jump!? How terrified I was thinking that you were about to kill yourself!? How much panic I felt when you stepped off the roof and fell, only to be saved by some guy who looked like he was going to fall to if he didn't get help!? I ran up here in a blind panic after that! All I could think about was saving you! So why? Why did you try to kill yourself!? Why did you try to do that!?"
"Ann…" Shiho couldn't do anything but say her friend's name as the weight of what she had just attempted seemed to hit her like a freight train. The moment it seemed to click in her mind, she slowly wrapped her arms around Ann and began crying as well. "Ann… I'm so sorry! Please forgive me for being selfish…and so stupid…"
The two girls continued to cry, I suddenly felt very out of place. Like I was watching something that was most certainly not meant for eyes other than those belonging to those two girls. I learned one thing from this, though. Something I already knew.
Girls are weird. Very weird.
And because I was more uncomfortable now than I was back in Kamoshida's office, I decided it was high time to leave.
"Let's give those two some space." I told the others quietly.
Thankfully, it seemed they all felt the same way, as they just nodded and followed me back inside the building. I couldn't help but notice a strange blue-eyed, black cat following right behind us. I kind of wanted to point Morgana out, but I figured it was best to have him along for the ride.
Besides, I like Morgana. He's a cool cat.
"So what was that all about anyway?" Ryuji asked no one inparticular as we made our way back down to the third floor. "I mean, Suzui is alright now and stuff, but why did she try to jump in the first place? Any of you know?"
I couldn't stop the frown that appeared on my face when I heard the question. Makoto seemed to give a slight grimace as well as she shot me a glance.
But before we could explain, I felt my right arm be brought up by someone. When I turned to look at who was holding my arm, I was met with Haru's very stern expression that seemed to pierce through my eyes.
"And what is this? Yesterday, you were perfectly healthy, but now you have a broken limb! What could have possibly happened to you that caused this, Fumi-kun? It wasn't because of the garden work, was it?"
"No, nothing like that." I told her immediately.
The last thing I needed was for her to worry that helping her got me seriously injuried. Then I'd feel terrible for making her feel like that.
Urgh…friendship. It sucked sometimes.
"All of this happened because of Kamoshida." I hissed as the name of the most despicable man left my lips, and Haru, along with Ryuji and Ren, seemed to be left in utter shock by what I just said.
"What? Kamoshida? For real!?" Ryuji asked with wide eyes. I sighed as I turned to face all of them.
"I'm going to be honest. I really don't want to talk about it. Even just thinking about what happened makes my sick to my stomach." I grimaced, but I shook my head away from those thoughts. "But if you want answers, then follow me. I'm going to get some."
"Answers?" Ren asked with a raised eyebrow. "From who?"
"Kamoshida's errand boy, Yuuki Mishima, for a start." I growled out the name.
"Mishima?" Ryuji repeated the name, obviously remembering the face of who I was talking about.
"Before I get to the root of the problem, I'd like to know more about the rumors spreading about how I'm the one who did this to Suzui-san." I spat out venomously as I stomped off to find the timid boy who I was most certainly going to scare the death out of.
"Wait, what!?"
I heard Ryuji give an alarmed shout, but I ignored him as I stomped my way through the academy halls. The moment I reached the third floor, I could already see some students still outside their classrooms, talking about what just happened.
However, some of them turned and saw me, and a few of those student, the moment they saw my cast, took a few steps away from me and gave me looks. Looks a disgust, mostly, but some were a mixture of that and confusion, considering that I was the one the rumors spoke of, but I was the one who just tried to help Shiho.
It must have been confusing for them, but I could hardly care enough to focus on them. I just kept walking until I made my way to the second floor.
I scanned the floor quickly, and immediately I was able to pin point Mishima's blue hair and white shirt that he wore without the academy blazer.
"Mishima!" I gave out a bellowing shout, one that made many students stop what they were doing and turn to face me. Mishima was one of them, and the moment he locked eyes with me, his face paled, and he started to run away through the crowds. "Oh no you don't!" I shouted as I gave chase.
I pushed my away through the swam of students, not bothering to apologise for pushing them to the side as I kept my eyes focused on Mishima. Honestly, I knew this was stupid. I knew Mishima wasn't truly at fault for what happened, and that he must feel incredibly guilty for following Kamoshida's orders, even if it was only to avoid getting punished by Kamoshida.
That didn't stop me from feeling angry with him though. These rumors might ruin my life in this world, and he's the one who told Shiho to go to Kamoshida's office. He needs to get involved in what happens. I won't let him stay hidden on the sidelines.
Eventually, I managed to corner him. He looked so scared as to what I might do to him, but I didn't care. I just wanted to make sure he knew he was a part of this, whether he was a willing participant or not.
"Found you, Mishima. That's your name, isn't it?" I asked him, knowing full well who he was already.
"P-Please, don't hurt me." He cried out.
"That implies you did something wrong, you know." I told him in a steady voice.
I was getting a handle on my anger again, finally. And it was hard to stay made at this kid. I liked Mishima, after all. I like his character, and I liked his involvement in the story. I knew he was a good person stuck in a terrible situation. That's why it was so easy to forgive him, I guess.
"Look, I know your Kamoshida's errand boy. I've seen how he treats you. He tells you to bring someone to his office, you do it. He tells you to deliever something for him, you do it. You can't say no to him. I get that." I told him. That seemed to calm him down a little, but not enough to look relaxed. He was still on edge, which was fine by me. He still did something bad, after all. "Just tell me one thing. Did you or did you not spread those rumors about Suzui-san and I?"
The look on his face the moment I asked that question was more than enough for me. The way his face shifted to guilt so quickly was more damning than any words he could have given me.
"H-He told me to do it. I didn't want to, but he told me to." Mishima cried out softly.
"I know. I know." I replied with a small sigh before walking over and puting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But you were still the one to spread those rumors. I hope you understand what exactly you've done to me."
"I…I do." He nodded shamefully.
"Then you know what you need to do then, right?"
"N-No…"
"You need to atone." I stated matter-of-factly.
"A-Atone?" Mishima repeated, terror returning to his voice as it hitched a little.
Before I could explain it to him, I heard a rush of footsteps behind me. I turned around and saw Ryuji, Ren, and even Makoto. And of course, a black cat soon jumped onto some nearby lockers and sat down with a curious gaze directed right at me. Good. They're finally here. Now we can delve into the exposition.
"H-Hey, man. Niijima gave us the scope on what was happening." Ryuji began, his eyes darting between Mishima and me. "Mishima. Did you really spread fake rumors about this guy trying to force himself on Suzui?"
"I…I…" Mishima tried to speak, but he trailed off, unsure as to what to say.
"If you want to atone, then the best place to start is to tell us everything." I told him.
"H-Huh?"
"I don't want to hurt you, and I don't want revenge against you. What I want is to find out exactly what happened so I can figure out what I have to do to fix this, and to make Kamoshida pay. He won't get away with this. You can bet on that." I said, staring Mishima right in the eye.
That seemed to resonate with him, as he seemed to calm down, and a bit of confidence came into his eyes.
"...He told me to do it." Mishima spoke. "Not just the rumors about Ainsworth. He also told me to spread rumors of Amamiya too."
"Me?" Ren asked, his eyes now wide as he was brought up.
"H-He told me to do it! I didn't have a choice." Mishima shouted. "If we don't do as he says, he'll take us to his office and hit us. Hard. Sometimes enough to get us to bleed."
I stole a glance at Ren after that. He seemed conflicted. On one hand, he seemed angry. Upset at how Mishima was the one who spread news of his criminal record and blew it out of proportion, preventing him from effectively starting over at this school.
But at the same time, he seemed to understand. I could see pity and sympathy in his eyes as he stared at Mishima, who nevertheless looked ashame at what he had to do.
"And what about Suzui-san?" Makoto asked. "Do you know what happened to her?"
"L-Like I said, whenever we do something wrong, Mr. Kamoshida usually calls us to his office to hit us. He usually has me be the one to bring them to him." Mishima said, disgust at himself and Kamoshida lacing his voice. "The same was true of Suzui. Whenever she made a mistake during practice, he would call her to his office and hit her, just like the rest of us."
"That bastard…" Ryuji growled. "So the physical punishment thing was for real."
"B-But…yesterday, he called Suzui out of the blue! She didn't make any mistakes or anything! But Mr. Kamoshida… He seemed especially upset yesterday, so it was probably…worse than usual."
"You can say that again." I scoffed. "She told me that after she was called to his office that she tried to quit the team to get away from the abuse. He was probably already really pissed thanks to…other things, so after hearing that, he probably hit her a few times. I don't know for sure though, since I couldn't see anything from how dark the office was."
"You were there?" Ren asked me. I sighed, knowing I was going to have to explain things, even the stuff I'd rather not talk about because of how disgusting it all is.
"I heard noises coming from Kamoshida's office as I was putting away some gardening supplies. I was worried, so I threw the door open and saw what was happening." I closed my eyes tightly before continuing. "All I know is that he had Suzui-san pinned against his desk with her arms above her head as he held her down." I then took a shaky breath. "...Her shirt was pulled up, and he looked like he was about to pull her bra off."
It was deathly quiet once I said that, but everyone's reactions were louder than words. Makoto just shut her eyes tightly in a mixture of disgust and what was probably disappointment, placed both on the school and herself for not doing anything to stop it.
Mishima was gaping, his eyes popping out of his head as his mouth hung open. He looked sick, like he might throw up at any moment. All because he knew that he was the one who brought Shiho right to Kamoshida. He knew he allowed and even helped cause that, and it was mortifying to him.
Even Morgana, the cat that was watching this as an observer, looked deeply troubled by what I had just said. I guess even a cat can show feelings of disgust like that with their limited amount of expression.
Ren's reaction was the most surprisng. Normally, he was blank faced throughout the game due to how his character was in the game. I don't think I ever saw any other expression coming from him during my play through.
His expression was not that blank face right now. The way his face shifted from shock, to disgust, and then settling on a mixture of that with rage was something I had not expected from the quiet boy, and I felt a chill when I saw how tightly he was clenching his fists.
I didn't know why he had such a volitile reaction, but then I recalled his backstory. How he tried to help a woman get away from a man trying to force himself onto her, only to have that ruin his life when the man sued him and gave him a criminal record. He must feel like this situation was uncomfortably similar to his case, especially with how I'm being framed for Kamoshida's crime just because I tried to stop him. If so, his reaction was understandable.
And then there was Ryuji. His reaction was clear as day and expected, unlike Ren's. His face morphed to complete surprise, and he had to take a step back, like I had just punched him in the gut.
"No…! Would he really…?" Ryuji muttered to himself, but that only made way for anger. His shock quickly transformed into pure rage and hatred as he punched the wall to his side. "That son of a bitch!" He shouted before turning around and running off in a sprint.
"Sakamato-kun!" Makoto shouted.
"That idiot!" I spat out as I ran after him. "I get he's angry, and rightfully so, but still–! Come on! We need to follow him and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid!"
"Right!" Ren nodded.
"I bet Sakamoto's going to find Mr. Kamoshida." Mishima added. "Mr. Kamoshida is probably in the PE faculty office on the second floor."
"Of course he is." I spat out as I ran after Ryuji. We all ran after the ex-track runner, and as we did, I moved next to Makoto and gave her a questioning look. "So where's Haru?"
"Okumura-san? I asked her stay near the roof in case Takamaki-san and Suzui-san needed help with anything." Makoto told me.
"Good." I nodded. "I'd rather Haru not get involved in any of this anyway."
"Why? Aren't you two friends?" Makoto asked me with a raised eyebrow.
"It's because we're friends that I don't want her anywhere near Kamoshida." I explained before another thought hit me. "Umm… Don't take this the wrong way, but do you really think you should-?"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence. I don't care what he might try with me. I won't stand by any longer." Makoto shot me a dirty look. I nodded and left it at that. I had a feeling I wasn't going to be winning any kind of argument with an angry Makoto.
We kept running until we made it to the second floor of the practice building, where we saw Ryuji run into the PE faculty office. I held back a sigh as we followed him inside, where Kamoshida was sitting at his desk like nothing was wrong outside his office.
"Huh?" He made a confused sound as he turned around and saw not only Ryuji, but Ren, Mishima, Makoto, and I all standing at his doorway.
"You bastard! The hell did you do to that girl!?" Ryuji shouted angrily.
"What are you talking about?" Kamoshida frowned.
What made it worse was the fact that I couldn't tell if he was trying to deflect, or if he honestly had no idea what had just happened outside. I would have thought news would have made its way to his office, but maybe not. Or maybe he really didn't care enough to pay attention to one of his students attempting suicide. Ryuji seemed to find it equally disgusting as he kicked over a nearby chair in his rage.
"Don't play dumb with me!"
"That is enough!" Kamoshida shouted back, his face now showing anger.
"Do you honestly not know what happened?" Ren asked with narrow eyes.
"Shiho Suzui just attempted suicide." Makoto clarified. It looked like she was holding back a snarl to me as she spoke. "Do you have nothing to say in the matter?"
"Why would I?" Kamoshida asked as he… Wait… Did he seriously just roll his eyes?!
"You're an absolute monster!" I hissed. "After everything you've done… After what you almost did…! Do you truly not care what happens to her!?"
"Hmph. I suppose that arm of yours hasn't done anything for your attitude, Ainsworth." Kamoshida growled as he glared at me.
"What you did…wasn't coaching…!" Mishima said.
"What did you say?" Kamoshida asked, turning his attention to the normally nervous student.
"You… You ordered me to call Suzui here…" Mishima began as he trembled in place. "And then… you… You tried to do that to her…!"
Kamoshida huffed as he finally got out of his seat.
"You're going on and on about things you have no proof of…" Kamoshida began. "I thought I made it clear what happened. Ainsworth was the one who tried to have his way with Suzui, and I put an end to that. The proof for that is his arm. He got a bit violent with me, so I had to use some self defense against him."
"Self defense…" Ryuji hissed as he stole a glance at my arm, no doubt remembering his own case of Kamoshida's 'self defense'.
As for myself, I couldn't stop my other arm from briefly touching the cast on my right arm, a dull pang now in my arm as the memory of what happened was brought back into my mind.
"Basically, you're simply making these claims because you can't be a regular on the team, right?" Kamoshida continued as he stared condescending at Mishima.
"That's not what this is about…!" Mishima shouted with much more confidence than before.
"Even if it is exactly as you imagine it to be, hypothetically speaking… What can you do?" Kamoshida asked as he crossed his arms. "The school as already acknowledged my account on what happened, and Ainsworth will be punished accordingly. I'm fairly sure most of the student body have already heard what has happened. And even if Suzui tried to speak out in his defense, everyone would just assume she was being threatened by Ainsworth into defending him."
"You… You planned for all of this, didn't you?" Makoto asked, disbelief in her tone at how much worse Kamoshida was now appearing to be than his usual public image.
"You goddamn…!" Ryuji snarled and shook with anger before Kamoshida continued.
"This, again…? Does this mean we need to have yet another case of 'self-defense'?"
"You shut your mouth, you son of a bitch!" Ryuji yelled as he lunged at Kamoshida, pulling back his fist for a massive punch, only to be stopped when Ren grabbed his hand. "Why're you stoppin' me…!?"
"Calm down." Ren stated calmly. "Don't let him get to you."
"But still!" Ryuji yelled as he pulled his hand out of Ren's grip.
"Oh? You're stopping him? What a surprise." Kamoshida said. "There's no need to hold back. Why not attack me?" He then laughed. "Ohhh, you caaaan't. Hahaha, but of course you can't!" Kamoshida then turned around and sat back down at his desk. "Everyone present right now will be expelled. I'm reporting all of you at the next board meeting."
That got everyone's attention as everyone else's faces dropped in shock. Everyone's except mine, anyway. I knew this was coming, but it didn't stop the seething look of pure hatred I was shooting Kamoshida.
"Wha-?" Ryuji look like he had been hit again, stumbling back from the shock.
"You're going to expel us!? Just for this!?" Makoto shouted.
"You can't make a decision like that…!" Mishima added.
"Who would seriously consider what scum like you say?" Kamoshida asked as his eyes fell on us all. "Look at you all. The kid with a criminal record of assult, the punk delinquent, the cowardly mess who spread rumors and gossip about his fellow students, the foreign boy accused of trying to rape a girl, and the council president who did nothing to prevent or stop any of it."
"You lying sack of shit!" I shouted.
"Say what you will. This was caused by your own foolishness." Kamoshida replied before shooting Mishima a glare. "You threatened me too, Mishima, so you're just as responsible. Same with Niijima." Kamoshida then clicked his tongue in disgust. "To think you didn't know why I kept someone as talentless as you on the team. It was only because you could spread those rumors about Ainsworth and Amamiya so easily, along with anyone else should I need it."
"You…!" Mishima began with wide eyes, mortified by what he was hearing.
Kamoshida than laughed again, but this wasn't a normal laugh. It was almost like a satire on cartoon villains. That's how it sounded to me. That over the top evil laugh those villains always did, and yet hearing it now just made my stomach churn.
"Now, are we finished here? You're all expelled!" Kamoshida told us. "You're done for; your futures are mine to take. Now get out of my sight."
All of us were just left standing there, unsure of what to say anymore. Not even I knew what to do, and I knew this would end up happening. Seeing it is one thing. Experiencing it in person is another.
It was hard to fathom just how much of a monster Kamoshida really was, and how he willing he was to stomp out anyone willing to so much as talk back to him. It was kind of impressive in the same way a person is left speechless at the remains of a warzone. The same sort of sickening feeling of powerlessness at witnessing what the worse of humanity could bring.
And this same feeling was being caused by a single man right now. It rendered me completely speechless just how callus, uncaring, cruel, and down right mean spirited this one man could be. And against children at that.
"I can't believe this asshole's gettin' away with this…!" Ryuji grimace with a shout as he shook more with rage.
"We can't give up now, Ryuji." Ren said as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "He'll eat his words." It took a moment for Ryuji to realize what Ren meant, but the moment he met his eyes, Ryuji's own eyes widened.
"Oh right. We have that!" He whispered, but not in a way that stopped anyone else from hearing him.
"That?" Makoto questioned.
"Huh? Have you lost your minds?" Kamoshida spat out as he shot a dirty look to Ryuji. "You worthless kids aren't making any sense, but sure, go ahead and try. After all, you'll have plenty of time to kill until expulsion."
"Tch…!" I shook my head in revulsion. "Let's go, guys. I don't want to stay here any longer than necessary."
With that, I walked out of the office and was followed by everyone else. We found ourselves simply standing around out in the courtyard, as the entire school was still in disarray at Shiho's attempted suicide and subsuquent saving. The teachers had the impossible job of trying to control the students, and it was clear to see they won't be succeeding with that for at least another hour or so.
So considering this had become essentially a free hour for the students, we just stood around thinking about what had just happened. All the while, Ryuji and Ren were shooting each other knowing looks, and they kept stealing glances at Morgana, who was still with us, but still remaining hidden. Of course, I saw how Morgana caught me staring at him, but I honestly didn't care. Not like he could ever know that I knew what and who he was.
After a few minutes of us just standing around awkwardly, I cleared my throat before looking over to everyone.
"Soooo," I began while forming a small smile. "I'm Fumihito Ainsworth, sexual assulter extrodinaire apparently. It's nice to meet you all."
That made Ryuji snort a little as he gave me a nod.
"Ryuji Sakamoto." He introduced himself.
"I'm Ren Amamiya." Ren added while adjusting his glasses.
"Sakamoto-kun and Amamiya-kun then." I said. "Well then, at least I can leave Shujin knowing the names of my fellow fallen comrades."
"Comrades… Right." Mishima sighed weakly.
"Well, that's not exactly what we are, but we're all in the same boat unless something happens, right? I'd say that gives us something in common, something I can't really say about many other people here. It's a small comfort, but nice all the same."
"I suppose so." Ren said while giving me a curious look. I held back a chuckle when I saw it.
Caught your eye, have I, Mister Phantom Thief? Too late to back away now, though.
"Welp, this has been fun and all, but I think I'll be heading back home now. I don't think I'll be welcomed here thanks to Kamoshida and his damn rumors, and I want some rest after overexerting myself with Suzui-san. That stunt I pulled did not help my poor arm, let me tell ya." I said as I moved my right arm around. "What about you guys? What're your plans?"
"I don't know. I guess just wait until we get expelled." Mishima sighed. "I think I'll be heading back to class. Not like there's anything else I can do."
"Keep your chin up. Who knows? Maybe someone will play hero and save us." I tried to reassure him, though I think my words fell on deaf ears as he walked away. "And you, prez?"
"...I suppose my first course of action is making sure Suzui-san gets home safely. I think Suzui-san should take a few days off from school, at least until the drama calms down. Miss Kawakami already called the emergency number just in case, so they should be able to help when they arrive."
"Good idea. I'm sure Takamaki-san would agree to that plan." I told her before looking over to Ryuji and Ren. "And if I'm understanding what you said earlier correctly, you both have a plan on dealing with Kamoshida?"
"Nothing like that." Ren said before Ryuji had the chance to reply. "Just a hope and a prayer."
"Right." I smirked, knowing he was just laying down the foundation for a future cover story. The least who know the better, after all. "Well, I won't dig any deeper than that. Doing that is what broke my arm in the first place anyway."
"You shouldn't be joking about that." Makoto told me.
"Yeah, I really shouldn't." I agreed with her, but made no attempt at comfirming that I would stop. "Welp, give Haru and the others my regards. I'm heading off. I got my own plan I need to work on."
"Oh yeah? And what is it that you're planning?" Ren asked me.
"Me?" I smiled as I turned back to him. "I just need to dig up some dirt. Once I find something, I'll sue."
Once again, my words brought about an air of befuddled silence. Then, Ren of all people snorted.
"S-Sorry. Just…It's nothing." He said as he composed him. "Do you think it'll work?"
"I don't know. Probably not. After all, I'd need evidence to even attempt it, and the school isn't gonna let any ounce of the truth get out. Unless I can keep irrefutable evidence of wrongdoing from Kamoshida or the school in regard of what happened and our eventual expulsion, I doubt much will come from trying to build a case." I admitted before letting out a forced laugh.
"I'm not sure if it's part of whatever it is you're gonna do, but if it involves getting evidence, let me know. I don't care how it happens or what you manage to get your hands on. I'll pull the trigger on the bastard. I just need someone to load the gun and cock it."
"Is that so…" Ren hummed. "Can't promise you anything, but if we do find something you can use, we'll be sure to let you know."
"I'll keep you to that." I nodded before turning back around. "Well, I'm off. See ya."
"Later, man." Ryuji gave me a curt wave as I walked off, one I returned before continuing on my way.
I didn't necessarily lie when I told them my plan for dealing with Kamoshida and the school. I did plan on suing once all was said and done. I was pretty much rich, so I could afford a lawsuit. The problem was the logistics of doing it all, which I could sort out later.
But before that, I planned on dragging a confession out of the bastard. One way or another.
I ignored all the stares and whispers arround me as I walked through the school and made my way outside. Once I was outside the building, I quickly took a look around me, doing my best to stay subtle as I did. Good. No people around that were paying any attention to me, and no black cats following me around on a hunch. Perfect.
With all that in mind, I quickly made my way around a corner and took out my phone. I then swiped the screen until I was looking at a familiar red icon that I had previously refused to touch or look at, let alone use.
Welp, if I was already failing at not getting involved with the main cast and the plot, I might as well break another promise I made to myself.
Without any reservations, I activated the Metaverse Navigator app and held it close to my face.
"Suguru Kamoshida. Shujin Academy. Castle. Pervert." I spoke the keywords quickly and precisely.
Yes. The keywords. The Person, Location, Distorion, and Desire/Crime. All of them necessary for what I wanted to do, and all of them so easy for me to know. And it took all of one second for the nav to work its magic.
"Results found. Destination: Suguru Kamoshida's Palace unlocked. Begin navigation?"
"Not yet." I muttered as I put my phone away. "I'll need some gear first, but the moment I'm ready, I'm heading in."
I then began my walk to the train station, but not before turning around and shooting one last dirty look at the school.
"I'm coming for you Kamoshida. Whether the Phantom Thieves get involved or not doesn't matter to me anymore. This is personal now. I'm gonna make you pay."
And with that last declaration, I walked off, a new fire now shining in my eyes.
Real question: Why doesn't anyone sue the school and/or Kamoshida after Kamoshida confesses? Like, I get why, but also...why?