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“No, you can’t go out,” Sensei says. “You’ve been running off too much lately.”
Yusuke’s stomach drops. He needs to meet Joker and the others to discuss the calling card, but Sensei is blocking his path outside.
“Whatever do you mean?” Yusuke tries. He's certainly not acting suspicious, it's normal for him to run off in pursuit of inspiration, and normally Sensei wouldn’t think much of it.
“We haven’t had time to discuss what happened in the basement.”
Yusuke’s blood runs cold. “I can’t apologize enough for that. That girl had agreed to model for me, but she kept wandering around. After she left I informed her if she was seen around here again, then it would be considered trespassing and I would call the police.”
Hopefully that’s enough to placate him, convince him that whatever Yusuke’s reaction had been, he would put his Sensei above all, like always.
“She’s already trespassed,” Sensei says. “What’s her name, I'd like to report her.”
“I did invite her in in the first place,” Yusuke says. “She wasn’t trespassing, there's no need to waste anyone’s time.”
“She wasn’t allowed in the basement!” Madarame says. “And neither were you. Give me her name.”
“No,” Yusuke says.
“No?”
Yusuke’s fought countless monsters in the last few days, but this makes him feel small. “S-sensei, I just think–”
“I didn’t ask what you think. Since when do you know more than me?”
“I thought you wouldn’t want the attention.”
“The only source of unwanted attention has been you, Yusuke. Constantly causing a scene everywhere you go.”
“Then I’ll be quieter from now on,” Yusuke insists.
“Then give me the girl’s name.”
Yusuke bites his lip. What does he do? He can’t give up Ann and the others.
The silence lasts a beat too long, and Madarame turns livid. He shoots his arm out and grabs Yusuke’s wrist, squeezing tightly.
He’s deceptively strong for on old man (or perhaps Yusuke’s just weak outside the Metaverse).
“Sensei, you’re hurting me,” Yusuke says.
“Your phone.”
Yusuke takes his phone out of his pocket and hands it to Sensei. The old man seems satisfied, and Yusuke hopes he’ll be able to get out of this situation, but Madarame drags him down the hall and throws him into his room, locking the door.
“Sensei!” Yusuke yells, banging on the door. “Sensei let me out, please!”
“Perhaps I will in the morning,” Madarame says. “If you remember your place.”
Footsteps continue down the hall, and soon disappear completely.
Yusuke takes a deep breath. He changed his phone password at Morgana’s suggestion immediately, so Sensei won’t immediately be able to find his chats and everyone’s information, but still, he has to warn his friends.
He takes stock. The room is sparse, but it does have a small window Yusuke can wiggle through.
The unfortunate part is he can’t use sheets or anything to climb out, and he’s on the second floor.
Still, the atelier is old and its wooden walls are uneven. If he’s very careful he might be able to climb down.
Yusuke swallows. He’s a Phantom Thief now, he has no time to be scared.
The old window takes a bit of effort to pry open, but Yusuke sucks in his stomach and squeezes out, then starts climbing down.
At first he goes slowly, sticking his fingers into the wood and holding on for dear life.
Then, when he’s about halfway down, he starts picking up. He can do this, he can–
Suddenly a rotten piece of wood gives way under his foot, and Yusuke comes crashing down to the ground.
He can’t breathe for a second, but forces himself into his feet and starts limping away from the shack.
No matter what, he has to warn his friends.