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Akira Kurusu was an anomaly Makoto found herself more and more fascinated by the longer she followed him around. Admittedly, she had started because the principal requested she investigate the Phantom Thieves. Makoto was convinced he had something to do with them, but what exactly she didn’t know. Hence the following. First just at school, then to the train station, then into the city…
Even she had to admit she might have been going too far, but that day she saw him leave school carrying a large black canvas bag. The sight was a little too suspicious for her liking. Given Shujin’s current problem with students getting roped into scams, it had sent an alarm ringing in her mind. She paid for a magazine at the train station and followed him from a distance as he looked down at his phone, confusion on his face, and occasionally saying something to his pet cat (why did he talk to his cat?). He then walked down the route he had decided on. Makoto followed him to the terminal and realized right away he was heading to Kichijoji.
If Makoto remembered right, this would be the third time he had gone to Kichijoji in under two weeks. What business could he have there? It wasn’t exactly a place most students would go on a weekday. Sure it had a lot of fashion, but the cost was usually out of the average high schooler’s pocket. Makoto snapped out of her thoughts just as she saw Akira turn around the corner. She paid the fare at her terminal and hurried down the walkway to not lose sight of him.
To her relief, he didn’t notice her when she stepped on the train, and she didn’t lose sight of him when she got off. Kichijoji looked as extravagant and lively as she expected, with the crowds of people around the stores being a distraction. She kept herself close to the wall, magazine half covering her face as she watched Kurusu stop at one store and step inside. She looked up at the sign.
It was a thrift store.
A thrift store…
Makoto stared at the sign, dumbfounded, before hiding near the entrance, against the wall, and poked her head in. She could hear the shop owner speaking to Kurusu.
“These clothes are fantastic! The material and quality isn’t anything I’ve seen come in here.”
Makoto blinked as she processed the scene. Akira Kurusu was selling… clothes.
“Ah, well, I found them in my dad’s attic and-”
Makoto was positive that part was a lie. Far as she could tell, Kurusu didn’t live with his parents. Then again, it could have been clothes he had brought with him from his hometown. She continued to watch as he pulled the strange-looking outfits out of the bag - definitely not something an ordinary family would have - then backed away from the window when she saw him turn around. She turned a corner and hoped she hadn’t seen him.
So that was it? He sold some clothes at a thrift store and got a few items in exchange. It wasn’t Phantom Thief like business. Or at least not that she could see at a glance. She waited for a while against the building, and ducked back into her hiding place, head in her magazine when Kurusu finally exited with a smaller bag in his hand. She then heard a meow and the head of a cat pop out of his school bag.
Kurusu brought a cat to school?!
“Okay, fine, we’ll look now.”
And he was talking to it. Was that normal? She had heard stories of how pet owners would sometimes talk to their pets. But there was also the fact that the cat was in his school bag. Had he been taking it to school? He knew doing so was against school rules, right?
Makoto snapped herself out of her thoughts. She needed to focus. She watched as he opened the small bag for his cat to see, then walked down the street. Makoto stepped out of her hiding place and followed.
The street was congested, but she watched Kurusu turn left down a street. She followed and immediately felt someone’s elbow smack into her shoulder. “Hey watch it!”
“S-sorry.” She stammered, quickening her pace, only to bump into another older gentleman. “Sorry. Sorry…”
She quickened her pace and hurried out of the street, taking the chance to catch her breath. She straightened and looked around, and her heart sank. She lost him. No sign of a Shujin uniform, let alone one on a teenager with hair that looked like he had just gotten out of bed. She sighed and turned around, only to bump into another person. “I’m so sorry, I…”
She stopped when she saw the familiar white polo shirt and glanced up to see the familiar face of Akira Kurusu staring at her. “Kurusu-san.” She said, her composure faltering for a moment before trying to regain herself. “Well, uh, this is quite the coincidence.”
“Yeah. Looks like it.” Kurusu said. Something of a smirk crossed his face as his eyes fell onto her hand. “New magazine?”
“Oh uh,” Makoto looked down at the magazine, her face flushing red. “Yes, it’s uh… a very engaging read.”
“What’s it about?”
“Uh…” Makoto held the magazine in both her hands and glanced over the contents of the cover. “Just a few previews of some Shojo manga. Nothing too serious.”
“Really?” She watched his face, seeing his eyebrows shoot up a little.
“... you sound surprised.”
“You don’t seem like the type to like Shojo.”
Makoto pouted before she could stop herself. She wasn’t sure if she should be insulted or not. “And what brings you to Kichijoji, Kurusu-san?”
He shrugged. “Running some errands.” His answer was brief, which Makoto expected. If he was up to anything questionable, he wouldn’t just divulge that information.
“I see…” Makoto sighed, “Well, I won’t keep you. I have some things I need to take care of.”
“Errands?”
Makoto’s hand twitched, trying to keep a straight face and not make it obvious the only reason she had been in Kichijoji was to spy on him. What did this area of Tokyo have again? Stores, the temple, jazz club, sports bar. Sports bar. Darts. Billiards.
“I was actually going to the sports bar to practice some pool.” She lied, keeping a smile on her face, “It’s been a long time since I played, I thought it might be nice to take a trip down memory.”
“You know how to play pool?”
“A little.” It wasn’t a complete lie. Her father had taught her and her sister the basics, but neither of them had played since his passing. The thought made her chest hurt a little, but she kept her expression as neutral as possible. She studied Kurusu’s face. If there was one thing she noticed about him, it was that he was difficult to read. His expression was usually solemn, and he kept his eyes hidden behind his hair and glasses. But there was a bit of a spark in those eyes when she mentioned pool. He seemed interested.
At the risk of something going wrong, she asked, “Do you want to join me?”
She a meow and saw and Akira cat pop his (hear?) head out of the schoolbag. Akira looked at the cat then turned back to her. “Sure.” The cat yowled in protest and Makoto watched as Akira reached his hand up and casually pushed the cat’s head back down into the bag. “We going?”
Makoto snapped back to attention. “Oh, uh, sure. Let’s go.”
Despite saying she would pay, Kurusu had slipped his debit card into the cashier’s hand before she could even pull hers out of her wallet. 800 yen per person wasn’t expensive, it bought them an hour together. The drinks weren’t covered under the entry fee and Kurusu insisted on buying those too.
“I’ll just have some water.” She had said. Kurusu got her a bottle of water and himself a soda and put them on their designated table. “Thank you.”
She was sure she heard Kurusu’s cat meow from the bag and him looking right at it confirmed that suspicion. She saw him shake his head and hold a hand up like waving off a concern before joining her at one of the billiard tables. He picked up the cue sticks while she set up the balls. “So, have you ever played before?” She asked. Kurusu shrugged.
“Once or twice.” He said. His tone didn’t exude much confidence. “This one is… highs and lows, right?”
Makoto nodded, she had to admit it impressed her he knew the name, but his understanding of the rules was shakier. She gave him a quick overview and at his okay took the first turn so he had an idea how to play. She put the cue ball in place, aimed her shot and fired. The ball slammed into the set of sixteen, breaking the formation and scattering them across the table.
The first ball to fall into a pocket was a solid red. “So solids are my balls and yours are stripes. You need to knock all your balls in the pockets first, then you can try to win the 8-Ball.” She explained.
Kurusu nodded and took his turn. Makoto watched his stance, seeing how awkwardly he held the cue stick, and how it slide out of place when he made his shot, causing the ball to miss its target by several inches. She looked at him. “You sure you’ve played before?”
“Yeah.” He tried to spin the cue stick around, only for it to slip and smack him in the head. Makoto shook her head.
“Come here, I’ll let you have another shot.” She motioned for him to try again and watched his stance. “Stop. No.” She walked over. “May I?”
She waited as Kurusu looked at her through the corner of his eyes and nodded. With some hesitation, she put her hands on his arms. “Like this. And your hand.” She reached down and touched his hands and stopped. His hands were cold. And she doubted it was because of the room.
“What’s wrong?” He asked, getting her attention.
“It’s nothing. Here put your fingers like this. This will help you aim…” She moved his hand appropriately, feeling him resist a little before letting instruct him. “I find it hard to believe you’ve played before.”
“I said once or twice.” He pointed out. Makoto gave him a glare, which he recoiled too. “Okay, never. But I’m not the only one lying today.”
“Is that so?”
“You didn’t come here to play pool.” He said. Makoto froze, her hand squeezing his. “O-ow, hey!”
She jumped and let go of his hand. “S-sorry.” She sighed, her face flushing a little. Kurusu shook his hand out and then focused back on the game.
“You know, as annoying as it is, I could kinda understand why at school.” He said as he aimed his shot. “Delinquent, criminal record, rumors among the students. You’d want to keep an eye on someone labeled a troublemaker. But the train station, and here?”
He fired his shot. The striped ball rolled into the pocket. Makoto watched and as he straightened and stretched his shoulder. “Your turn.” He said motioning for her to take her turn. Makoto did so, taking aim and firing. Another perfect shot. Kurusu went next. He aimed and knocked one ball into another to put it into pocket.
“You catch on quick.” Makoto asked. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised you noticed.”
“For someone so smart, you aren’t subtle.” Kurusu said, “And I don’t appreciate being followed everywhere I go after school.”
“I’m not following you everywhere.”
“You followed me here.” He pointed out, “And Central Street, the Underground Mall, Ryuji and I to the Ramen Shop, Inokashira Park-”
“That last one was a coincidence!” She blurted it out before she could stop herself and covered her mouth with her hand. She had gone to the park to jog only to find him there with Ann. Though being fair, she didn’t have to hide in the bushes and listen in on them…
Kurusu just stared at her, discomfort clear on his face, and shook his head. “Just stop it already. I don’t know what you’re hoping to get, but you aren’t going to get it following me around.”
Makoto thought for a moment, then saw him motion for her to take her turn. “Well, if you must know, I’m hoping to get information.” She shot the cue ball over one of his and it hit one of her balls, knocking it into the pocket.
“Information?”
“Yes.”
“By following me.”
“Is there any other way too?”
Kurusu rolled her eyes, “Maybe ask?” The cat meowed in the corner getting their attention. Akira sighed. “Ignore him.”
“Do you bring that cat to school with you?” Makoto asked. He nodded. “Why?”
“He’s a support animal.” He answered. Makoto thought his answer through. She had heard of emotional support animals but nothing in his file stated he was registered to have one. And only dogs could be support animals in Japan. Not cats.
She decided not to call him out on it, just to be on the safe side.
“How do I know if I ask you something, you’ll tell the truth?” She asked.
Kurusu stepped up to take his turn. “Guess you wouldn’t.”
“Not without a guarantee of your honesty.”
He took his shot and then stepped out of the way for her to take hers. She studied the table and took her place, aiming for her shot. She looked up at him for one moment and noticed a serious but uneasy expression hidden behind his hair and glasses. She turned back to her game, eyes on the ball in front of her. “Perhaps we could make a deal.”
She hit the ball with her stick and looked back at him. She saw him blink. “A deal?”
“I ask you a few questions. You answer them honestly-”
“I don’t-”
“And I’ll not only stop following you. I won’t report your activities to the principal either.” She waited for his answer, eyes moving to his cat before back to him, “You know bringing pets to school is grounds for suspension, and in your case…”
She didn’t have to finish her sentence. “Three.” He said.
Three questions. She would have liked a little more, but she had a feeling haggling wouldn’t go well for her. It wasn’t a terrible deal.
“Provided I believe your answers are honest.”
He nodded. She stepped aside so he could take his turn. “I suppose my first question will be simple. Were you involved with Kamoshida?”
“Yes.”
His answer was to the point, just like his shot. The ball fell in the pocket. Makoto knew he was telling the truth. It had not been a hard question. He knew Sakamoto and Takamaki, and they already had a history with Kamoshida. Him being dragged in was only natural and if he was there friend, he would want to help them.
She thought her next question over as her turn and then his passed. She looked at him as he nodded, pleased with his shot. Looking over the table, there were only a few balls left, along with their magic 9-Ball. Their game would be over soon and she doubted either of them would be interested in another round. What should she ask? She had a feeling he might try to dodge a direct question. But it was also possible he knew what she wanted to ask and was just waiting for her too.
His grip on his cue stick looked a little tighter than it had been earlier. She finished her turn.
“Okay, next question…” She started. She contemplated how she would say it and he waited. “If you had the chance to change someone’s heart, like the Phantom Thieves changed Kamoshida’s, would you do it?”
She resisted the urge to add on ‘and why?’. Three questions. She doubted follow-ups were excluded from that number. She waited as Kurusu took his turn, seeming to hesitate for a moment before launching the ball. “If I could change someone’s heart…” He muttered, straightening and looking up at the ceiling. “Yeah, I would.”
Who? Why? Makoto stopped herself from asking. She looked down at the pool table. Only a few more turns left. She looked back at him. Even with his glasses covering his face, it was clear he was in deep thought. She wondered for a moment if she had touched some kind of nerve.
“Niijima.” He said turning to her. “It’s your move.”
Her turn. Her next and last question. She considered what she could say. She could easily just ask him if he was a phantom thief but… “If I asked you to change someone’s heart, what would you say?”
She waited for his answer. He stood in place, holding the cue stick, his expression turning serious. After a long silence he looked at her. “Depends who it is.”
“That was a pretty good game.” Makoto said as she and Kurusu walked from the main street of Kichijoji back to the train station. “You’re not bad for someone who’s never played before.”
“I had a wonderful teacher.” He said. Makoto noted the slight sarcasm in his voice. His back was slung over his shoulder, hands in his pockets. His cat was poking his head out of the bag and Makoto was positive it looked annoyed. “So, our deal?”
“No more following. No reporting to the principal.” She stopped and looked at him, “I’ll have the information you want tomorrow.”
“The school roof.” He said. She nodded and saw Kurusu sigh, “I’ll let the others know. You probably know who they are.”
She smiled, “You’re right. I do.” She noticed the cat grumble from Kurusu’s bag. “I’m going to be honest, I’m surprised you haven’t been caught with that cat yet.”
“He’s normally quiet during school.”
“I see…” That would make sense. “What’s his name?“
“Huh?“
“Your cat.” She told him. Kurusu took in a breath and sighed.
“His name is Morgana.” He said. Makoto blinked, “Yes, I know it’s a girl's name but… he likes it.“
Makoto nodded at the answer and smiled. “Well, they say some pets pick their own names.” As she said it, she saw the corners of Kurusu’s mouth twitch, like he was trying to keep himself from smiling. “Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow Kurusu-san.”
The two returned to the train station and, once in Shibuya, parted ways. However, Makoto stopped and turned around to see Kurusu looking down at his phone, his meowing incessantly. All of which Kurusu responded to.
Akira Kurusu was an anomaly. And Makoto had to admit, she would not have been against getting to know him a little better.