Chapter Text
“I wish I could see them just one more time.”
It’s a simple thought that everyone who had lost someone dear to them had at least once. Wishing to say all the things left unsaid, to make up, to not have regrets, to do better – so many wishes always came to mind.
That’s why Haru found it ironic that just at this very moment, her mind was blank. Haru Okumura stared at her father who… who was gone, but right in front of her. Her father, Kunikazu Okumura, was talking to her in the flesh and for the first time Haru was not listening.
“F-Father,” she finally stuttered out in pure awe, tears in her eyes. Her father looked down at her with a frown and a familiar feeling settled in her stomach. “This is Father before his change of heart,” she realised. And she had just cut him off.
“A daughter of Okumura should not interrupt her father,” he lectured her coldly, so impersonal as if she was nothing more than a tool for his success and without thinking familiar words fell out of her mouth: “Yes, Father.”
“Good, you need to understand what it means to carry the Okumura name,” he reminded her and some other reminder would have surely followed had his phone not rung that very moment. Her father took a look at the caller ID before he turned back to her, “we will continue this when you get back from your trip to Hawaii.”
“Yes, Father,” she answered again, dazed. Hawaii? But that was… she took out her phone: Five o’clock in the evening on 7th September.
Haru nearly dropped her phone. This couldn’t be…! She sprinted to the TV and turned it on to the news, nothing about Shido’s landslide win and the news lady mentioned todays date: 7th September. Next she checked the newspaper on the table: September 7th. With trembling hands, she looked at her phone again and looked up the current date on the internet: 7th September. The words didn’t make any sense to her. Had everything been just a dream? … No. It had felt too real. She could never have dreamed that up, the feeling of losing her own father, the joy of belonging with her first true friends… and of slowly disappearing. It had to be real.
And she could prove it! …probably, she thought and looked at her phone that seemed to actually hold all the answers. Taking a deep breath, she looked for a familiar icon.
The eye icon of the Metaverse Navigation App was staring back at her.
It was real. Everything was real. It was…!
“Haru-sama…?” A sudden voice asked uncertainly. Surprised, she nearly dropped her phone, but managed to grab it again -she held it close to her heart as her own little lifeline – and turned around. It was the Okumura family driver. “Are you feeling ill, Haru-sama?,” the man asked.
Haru flushed. She had been talking out loud! “N-no, thank you,” she quickly answered and with one last look at the navigation app, she pocketed her phone carefully.
“Very well, may I inquire about your luggage for your trip, Haru-sama? Okumaru-sama has tasked me with driving you to the airport,” the driver informed her.
Had she packed already? She couldn’t remember, everything was so confusing. If only Akira-kun was here, he would have made a funny comment, but still kept a level head. Or Mako-chan, she would have quickly analysed the situation.
“Oh! Mako-chan…!” she gasped out loud happily as she remembered: there was a meeting at the airport for all the third years that went on the school trip and Mako-chan would be there!
“Haru-sama?” the still waiting driver asked again, Haru had forgotten that he was there. How rude of her, but she couldn’t be angry and smiled at him instead, “I am alright, I just remembered that I need to see a friend from school. Please, let us leave as soon as possible.”
The driver agreed and she was on her way to the airport far too early. Only Akira-kun’s homeroom teacher, Kawakami-sensei, was already there. She was trying to read something in the busy airport, at first Haru thought that the woman looked relaxed like this, but as she came closer she could hear Kawakami-sensei murmuring to herself how annoying it was to have to be here so early.
“Kawakami-sensei?”
“Woah…!” the teacher nearly fell out of her chair. With wide eyes, she turned to Haru. “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you, Kawakami-sensei.”
“Huh? Uh, right, no worries. You’re Okumura-san, right? You are really early,” the teacher greeted.
“Ah, yes, I was hoping to talk to another third year before the meeting,” she confessed as she sat down. She started playing with the end of her purple blouse.
What was she going to say? Surely Mako-chan would remember her… but what if she didn’t? She hadn’t really thought this through and just came rushing in. What if it had all been a very vivid dream after all? She checked her phone again – the app was still there. Now what if this was a dream or an illusion of some kind? How would she be able to tell? Both her memories and this seemed real. Haru pinched herself. The pain certainly felt real.
“Um, are you alright, Okumura-san?” Kawakami-sensei was looking at her concerned. Haru looked up, startled again and lied to the older woman, “…yes, I’m fine.” Kawakami’s look told her that she didn’t believe a word the student had just said. “If you’re sure, it’s just that -how do I say this? - you seem on edge.” The teacher looked down and following her gaze, Haru found that she was still twisting her blouse in knots and realising them again – endlessly like her mind seem to be going around and around. Just when she thought that she could catch a clear thought, it escaped her again and she remained confused and lost.
“I won’t push after this, but if you want, you can talk to me. You may not be in my class, but you are still my student, you know?” Kawakami-sensei continued. The kindness of her words touched Haru’s heart. “Thank you, Sensei,” she said once she had made up her mind, “I’m just… scared. I am meeting a dear friend again, but I am not sure, if she still remembers me. If any of my friends remember me, to be honest.”
“I see,” the teacher seemed deep in thought, “I can’t say much since I don’t know your whole situation, but facing them is better than running away – I mean you do want to see them, right? And if they don’t remember you right away and if you want to, you can always start over. It doesn’t matter when you start over, just that you do.“
The young heiress couldn’t stop herself, she just had to giggle at Kawakami-sensei’s passionate speech. “Ohshoot…!” the teacher cursed so fast it sounded like one word, “I said too much, didn’t I? …but that doesn’t mean that I take anything back. It’s never too late to start over, that’s something I learned recently.”
“Please, I’m sorry, I wasn’t laughing at you. I was just reminded of myself, my friend actually taught me the very same thing. He is incredible. Everyone of my friends is, they are all truly kind people. Thank you for reminding me of that, Kawakami-sensei.”
How could Haru have forgotten that? It was as if with her disappearance all she had learned from and with her friends had vanished as well. Taking a deep breath, she remembered that she had already betrayed her old self and looked at the airport again. The world already looked different, brighter.
In the distance she saw Mako-chan enter the airport. Early as usual, her back straight, head held high and her steps sure of herself. Haru listened to the familiar steps for a moment, imagining herself running next to Queen and Joker as Noir. She could do this, one step at a time. With her head held high, she took her first one towards Mako-chan.
--
“Hello,” Haru greeted with a kind smile. Mako-chan blinked in surprise at her as she came to a sudden stop because of the unexpected greeting. “Hello,” the student council president greeted back, pushing a strand of dark brown hair back behind her ear, “we are in the same year, aren’t we? I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name.”
Oh.
Mako-chan really didn’t remember her after all. Or maybe she was just pretending not to know her? But there would be no reason for her to do that, right? So the others most likely didn’t remember her either… But she didn’t know that for sure, she was not going to lose her courage and hope!
“I’m Haru Okumura, Ma-,” Haru quickly caught herself, “Nijima-san, it’s nice to meet you.”
„Likewise, Okumura-san,” Mako-chan’s voice was like steel, the sharp business tone she had when dealing with cognitions or shadows. The usual warmth she held during meetings was absent. Haru missed it terribly.
“I actually wanted to ask you something weird,” Haru pushed forward, “do you remember me at all?”
“Huh?” the brunette let slip genuinely surprised. She took her time to study Haru in more detail. A bit of the sharp business look in her eyes softened for a moment before it was back.
It hurt to see it and hear the accompanying words: “I’m sorry I can’t seem to remember you, Haru-san. Perhaps if you tell me when and where we met, I might remember.”
Haru bit her lip. Obviously, there was no such meeting and she didn’t want to make up a story and lie to Mako-chan. Just the thought of lying to her friends who she trusted with everything broke Haru’s heart a little.
Wordlessly, Haru shook her head. No lie would pass her lips and poison her friendship, the bond with her true family. She wanted to doubt herself and say “No, it’s nothing” but it would be just another lie, turning away from the truth she knew in her heart, her reality.
Her mind was made up, though her heart was beating loudly that she nearly couldn’t hear her own words. “I know you, I know about the Phantom Thieves, Mako-chan,” it seemed to be the only thing she knew right now as she reached inside her pocket to pull out her phone. She held the nav app out for Mako-chan to see.
The student council president’s eyes first widened in shock but strong-willed Mako-chan quickly caught herself and her business face was on again. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about, Okumura-san.”
“I wish to talk,” Haru pushed on as if she hadn’t heard the other girl, maybe she hadn’t, not clearly at least, “to everyone. I need to warn you and ...there’s so much I need to tell you. Please, Mako-chan.”
--
Makoto Nijima was at a loss for words. Her mind was racing, metaphorical alarm bells were ringing in her head ...but it was weird, her heart was beating fast and her belly was light. She had a hunch. A hunch to trust Okumura-san -no, Haru. Okumura-san just sounded wrong somehow.
A schoolmate Makoto shouldn’t know with an app she shouldn’t have. And with a warning for the Phantom Thieves that she shouldn’t know about.
Finally, Makoto’s own hunch. “Trust your hunches, they are what make someone good at solving cases,” her father had told her and she would.
“Alright, I’ll see what I can do,” she finally promised. Haru’s sincere thank you and open smile, somehow they squeezed her heart.
She felt like she was forgetting something.
--
Akira Kurusu was silently watching people at the airport.
Ann was complaining and wondering about where her favourite partner for verbal teasing was.
Morgana, Futaba and Yusuke couldn’t be here at the airport. And Ryuji was late, as always, even the promise of a school trip to Hawaii (and bikini babes, as Ryuji had insisted that they were the best about the trip) couldn’t change that. So there wasn’t much to see there.
All that was normal, so the only one that was different was Makoto. She was quiet and kept glancing over to a big group of students. Akira couldn’t pinpoint who was making his teammate this nervous but when he looked over there ...in his mind Hariti sang a soft lullaby to her child.
The Empress. Akira didn’t have a confidant for this arcana yet but he would meet this person soon. His personae also knew his confidants before him. The accompanying headache was there as well.
Just then loud footsteps ran towards them, it was Ryuji who came to a stop just before them. He looked ready to collapse: “Urg, I wasn’t expectin’ to make a mad dash like this...”
“Coming late even on a day like this?” Ann immediately asked. Ryuji just sighed loudly, muttering something about it not being his fault. But Ann wasn’t finished yet, “and is that all you’re bringing?”
“It’s only four nights, right? Ain’t it enough?” the blond boy answered without hesitation.
“It’s not!” Ann protested and turned to the only other girl for support, “right Makoto?”
“...huh?” Makoto blinked at her. She had not even noticed the blonde duo’s usual bickering. Now even the last person would know that something was up. “Sorry, I was thinking ...actually, there -oh!”
Makoto cut herself off as she saw Mishima approaching their group. “Hey, guys, they want us to gather near the boarding gate soon,” the blue haired boy informed them before he went off just as fast as he had appeared to tell the other students as well.
“Right,” Ann filled the short pause left by Mishima, “so, what is it Makoto?” The student in question looked around them and pushed a strand of hair back in thought before she smiled at them. “Now is not the best time, we should actually be going.”
Akira looked at Makoto, the crowded airport and soon the airplane would be bad places to talk, and nodded at her. “Alright,” he acknowledged shortly.
Ann and Ryuji immediately followed his lead and become excited again. “Alright! How about we take a group shot before we take off?”
Said and done. ...and Futaba reviled that she had bugged his phone. She could certainly do more then see through his camera. Eh, that might come in handy someday.
Akira looked at the photo again. It was a good picture but too many people missing, when they were back they would have to make another one with Morgana, Yusuke, Futaba and ...and who? Sojiro maybe? No, not Sojiro.
“...Akira, are you coming?” Makoto called him. It was time to board. What had he been thinking about again?
--
9/8 – Thursday
This trip sucked, Ryuji decided on the first day. There was no difference to Japan, really. They went to the beach, just like they had been just some time ago in Japan. They looked up stuff online, like in Japan. Got food together, just like in Japan!
Even their group was the same! No hot bikini babes for him, nope. Just the same old group, man, they were just missing four more people and Ryuji wouldn’t believe that he had even left the country.
The only cool thing was that he heard people talking about the Phantom Thieves from time to time. Even people in Hawaii knew them, how cool was that?!
The Phan-Site was getting more and more famous, too! Damn, the ratings were rising like crazy. Right now some guy called Okumura was at the top of their poll for the next change of heart, again. Okumura, that sounded familiar. And he had a bad feeling when reading the name.
Arg, this made no sense. He didn’t know the guy, so no point thinking about it and ruining the mood. They had made their international debut! Now was the time to act, damn it! Maybe the bad feeling was just jetlag or somethin’ like that.
--
9/9 – Friday
Okumura Foods. Haru Okumura.
Makoto was ashamed that she only made the connection two days later when they ate at Big Bang Burger and Ryuji informed them that the CEO of Okumura Foods, Kunikazu Okumura, was the most wanted person for a change of heart. And there were those rumours about the company as well.
This couldn’t be a coincidence. It seemed like she had to evaluate the situation anew. There was no time to try and enjoy the school trip, she had to talk to the others.
“What is the matter?” Yusuke, who had arrived at Hawaii just today in what seemed to be a weird twist of fate, asked her just this moment. Perfect.
“I actually need to talk to all of you, I think it would be best to call a meeting,” she looked at their leader, “if that is alright, of course.” Akira’s eyes pierced though her, he had only waited for her, she realised. “Let’s contact the others,” he agreed calmly, nothing ever seemed to surprise him.
“Huh? I don’t get it, are we having our target meeting here?” Ryuji asked Ann behind them. “Donno, but it seems important,” the other blond shrugged.
“Ah, a meeting in a foreign country, I wonder how it will differ from our usual ones. Perhaps the atmosphere will give birth to new ideas,” Yusuke was talking excitedly but mostly to himself.
“Dude, it’s just gonna be same as always.”
--
It was evening by the time they had managed to drag Futaba away from her research. As always the redhead did everything tech related in leaps and bounds and she told them that she had hit the jackpot but didn’t want to spoiler them just yet.
They had gathered in Akira’s hotel room -Ryuji was quick to kick Mishima out- around a laptop that they had borrowed from a teacher with the help of a lie, Makoto’s status as student council president and a good word from Kawakami (which meant that she wouldn’t forgive him, if the laptop was not returned in pristine condition). After a bit of hacking, the screen showed Futaba and a grim looking Morgana next to her.
“What’s the situation?” the cat-like thief asked first.
--
“Dude, this sucks,” Ryuji complained for the dozens time as loud as possible. On cue a “Stop complaining, Ryuji!” followed from Ann.
“Like you’re one to talk, you’re sleeping on a bed!” Ryuji even made the same gesture at the bed as he had before.
“I’m sharing with Makoto, you know!”
“Yes, we all know...” came Makoto’s tired reply, “please give it a rest you two.” She was also holding her ear as Ann had shouted directly next to it.
“I agree with Makoto,” Yusuke added from the other bed, “you should appreciate the change of perspective sleeping on the floor is giving you more. I myself have slept on the floor quite a number of times when I was working on a project and I always woke up with new inspiration.”
“That’s not exactly what I meant...,” Makoto mumbled, she was at her wits end from her lack of sleep the last days – thinking about what to do about Haru paired with her busy schedule had taken a lot out of her. Ryuji’s angry shout easily drowned out her words: “Then switch with me and sleep on the floor yourself, if you like it so much!”
“No, thank you, I am content where I am,” the artist answered completely unaffected. Ryuji just growled in frustration. Silence returned but they were all waiting for the other shoe to drop and start the conversation again. Silently, Ann swore to herself that next time she would slap Ryuji, even if it meant leaving the bed.
This time Yusuke’s voice could be heard softly, “it’s been a while since I had a sleepover like this. ...when there were still other students living with Sensei -with Madarame, we sometimes all slept together on the floor of the atelier. But as more and more students left, we stopped.”
“Yusuke...” Ann whispered sadly but the boy said up in bed and shook his head with a smile. “It’s funny how I had forgotten about this, even though I still treasure those moments. I will treasure this night of bonding with all of you as well.”
“Dude, that’s way too formal! And mushy!” Ryuji complained again, this time teasingly lightening the mood.
Yusuke was fast to counter as he started looking through his bag: “I disagree, in my experience every good sleepover involves bonding though discussion of art and honesty.” He pulled something out of his bag, it was cracking loudly with every movement, “also, snacks are a must.”
A loud and excited “oooh!” came from Ann as she too sat up, well, more like jumped into a sitting position with a lot of sudden energy, “I say we skip the discussion about art and get right to the honesty part, so time to came clean, guys: what kind of people do you like?”
“Huh?” was the surprised reaction of both Makoto and Ryuji while Yusuke apparently agreed to this kind of conversation as a means of bonding. Ryuji was Ann’s first target and he said something about a good personality but the blond girl quickly asked a question about deciding between two girls with equally good personalities. Ryuji decided on the “one with the hotter bod’” and Ann smiled in victory that she got him to admit the truth. “That ain’t fair!” Ryuji protested and turned to Yusuke, “what about you, Yusuke? I bet it has to someone who looks beautiful!”
“In a sense, yes, I wish for someone with a beautiful aura of passion and sincerity. Someone strong yet gently, someone I wish to draw for the rest of my life.”
“Wow, that sounds deep, I guess we should have expected Yusuke to be a romantic!” Ann grinned happily and turned to her next victim, “Stop pretending to be asleep, Akira, and spill the beans. What kind of girl is your type?”
“I don’t have a girl type,” Akira spoke up for the first time since they had laid down. Makoto made a small noise of surprise but again Ryuji was always the fastest to react: “You totally dodged the question! -Well, whatever, we answered honestly. It’s your turn next. So, what kind of guys do you girls like?”
“Sure!” Ann grinned happily, “so, Makoto, you’re up first!” The brunette was suddenly glad that it was dark as her face burned, she was surely blushing. “M-me?” she even stuttered out. “Uh-huh,” Ann nodded happily and Ryuji made an excited noise.
Makoto took a calming breath, “S-someone I can trust, I suppose. Someone I can be myself around and learn new things with.” Suddenly, Ann was far too close to her, she looked ready to jump up and down. “You’re talking about someone, I can tell,” she tried to whisper but it was clearly far too loud, “you’ve got to tell me when these guys aren’t around!”
“What?! No fair, now we wanna know!”
“I agree with Ryuji, leaving such a question unanswered would be most cruel. Though I have to admit that a certain kind of mystery is quite nice.”
“So you wanna know or not? Make up your mind! -right, Akira? Say something!”
“Something.”
As if on cue everyone groaned loudly. “We should have expected that,” Ann was the one that put all their thoughts into words. Perhaps the worst part was how they could all imagine their leader answering with a completely straight face.
On the couch Akira smirked to himself as his friends fell silent.
“...urg, this is still the worst, why am I the only one stuck on the floor?” Ryuji signed in defeat as he was trying to get comfortable on the hard floor. On the bed by the window, Yusuke could be heard putting away his snacks and shifting around a lot. He stood up.
...and very specifically positioned his blanket on the ground before laying down. Ryuji was stunned into silence as Akira too stood up and threw his pillow down. “You better shut up now and let us sleep,” Ann warned as she gave up her spot on the bed. Makoto just smiled as she gathered her things, “I suppose it can’t be helped.”
Together the odd group laid on the ground. Ryuji wanted to complain that it was crowded now but it was kinda nice ...and Ann would slap h:im. This was still a total waste of the beds, though, his friends were totally weird. Ryuji quickly drifted off to sleep.
“That was certainly fast,” whispered Makoto into the silence, her eyes were growing heavy as well. Ann seemed to have fallen asleep, too. “...you know, I’ve been wondering what happened to your roommate, Akira,” she asked but as she turned around, he was already sleeping soundly. Well, Mishima would be fine.
--
Mishima was, in fact, not fine ...but...