Chapter Text
"Keep your head down." The parting words Akira's parents gave to him loomed in his mind as he fought to keep his balance on the busy train to Shibuya. And Akira did just that. Eyes locked onto the train carriage floor, studiously watching the colours flit in and out of view. Freckles of red through to violet which danced across the floor.
At least, he tried to keep his head down. Until a large, gangly cicada caught his eye. The cicada bravely peeked out from under the train car seats and scuttered across the floor to enjoy the warmth from Akira's puddles of light. The wings had been torn somehow obviously unable to fly anymore. The cicada spent their time gently humming, basking in the spring morning sun, just as Akira was.
Akira wasn't bothered by the cicada personally. He wasn't afraid of many things at all. Akira was the kid who bravely fought the things that would scare his friends. The dark, the bullies at school, and the "monster" hiding under the bed. Which turned out to be just a dragonfly that dared to join their "boys-only" sleepover (obviously that means "no-bugs").
So a little cicada who could not even fly was no issue to Akira.
But it certainly was an issue to the rosy cheeked toddler who was sharing the carriage with them. The child wailed at the sight of the cicada and slapped their sticky paws onto their their parent, trying desperately to get their crocs off the floor and into their parents arms, far far away from the wretched beast... sized a billion times smaller than this kid.
He met the childs puffy eyes as they scrambled to safety on their parents shoulders, and Akira looked quickly back down at the cicada. He was being ridiculous, and he knew it but the cicada seemed to stare directly at him, their glistening red eyes finding him amongst the crowd in a silent plea to be the voice they do not have.
But between him and the cicada were a murder of people who shared a look that Akira knew all too well for the creature. A mixture of distain, disgust and a little fear.
The right thing to do would be to scoop the cicada up and let it out the train door at the next stop.
A month prior, this would have been like breathing.
But things had happened between then and now. And as Akira tried to utter a word, he felt an immense pressure begin to well in his throat as he could only watch the scene ahead unfold. Domino, by domino the pieces began to fall as he noticed the man in the suit become increasingly more disgruntled by the noisy cries preventing him from reading his newspaper.
Akira's mind darted to find a gap in the cage he found himself in. The train was argubly no different, but in Akira's mind it hurtled down the Shibuya line as people stepped in time to the shaking. Absent mindedly closing him further into the corner of the carriage. Fighting with his will and the lump in his throat. To speak, to move, to save.
But with only a "tch" to warn him. Akira's gaze was jostled with the train as he fought to keep the cicada in sight. As he could only watch in slow motion as the cicada was mercilessly trampled beneath a polished shoe.
Gone.
Without as much of a cry from the animal, all he could hear was the rough drag and scratch against the train floor as the cicada’s mangled blood, guts and broken wings were scraped across their rainbow lights.
Distantly he was aware that the toddler was let down to the floor, along with their sighs of relief. However muffled his ears heard them. Akira couldn't move, nor as the toddlers crocs tapped the floor splashing across the light reflections. Akira did not move even as the reflected light from the kids shoe charms flickered across Akira’s lifeless, unblinking eyes.
No. Instead, the twitching of the cicada’s shattered wing was all the encouragement Akira needed to decide the best place for his eyes was to push his head down further and study the stitching of his new uniform.
"Keep my head down" Akira's thoughts obediently repeated back to him.
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Shibuya was lively to say the least. His mind felt uncooperative after the long train ride, and having to transfer at possibly the busiest place in Tokyo was not helping one bit.
If the train ride made him feel small, packed up and backed into a corner. The station was worse, shrinking further in an undertow of bodies who all had places to be and all he could do was be carried by them.
He could not say for how long he wandered around the underpass, trying to find his transfer to Yogen and prayed he wouldn't have to wait long while his mind wandered off. Just an an app that he couldn't get rid of, that distracted him from his map and suddenly his mind plagued him with daydreams about demons engulfed by blue fire.
...Perhaps he wasn't handling this whole "convicted criminal" thing very well after all.
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In comparison to Shibuya, Yongen felt more familiar to him. Quiet enough, but less of the run-down-but-still-somehow-functioning Inaba charm and more graffiti.
What was surprising though, was the surplus of cats he passed. Were these all strays? Or do the owners of Yogen feel comfortable letting their cats wander about?
As he passed by a small store, a snowy white cat came out to greet him, and decided that at least the cats themselves feel comfortable with this arrangement.
He petted their fur for a moment as he studied the maze of the backstreets. With white fur included he was beginning to feel like Alice lost in wonderland.
Well. He won't find answers by fussing over this cat, no matter how darling they are.
Though. When he's more settled and has a bit of spending money he should invest in some cat treats.
Nevertheless, down the rabbit hole he goes.
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From finding Sakura's house, to his business this wild goose chase was getting ridiculous. Akira was beginning to think that surely, even Yogen was just too big, even if it was part of the city. But before he even saw Sakura's cafe, the air surrounding it seemed different to the rest of Yogen. A waft of warm spices and coffee beans decorated the building, they snuck inbetween his joints, eased his tension, and invited him in with the promise of warm food and drink.
The shop itself was easy on the eyes. European looking? He thinks. Red and white, sitting demurely between the grey rabbit hutch buildings. He nosied around the front of the store at Sakura's cosy decor: A neatly written chalk board, the dust still fresh and plants surrounding the shop.
Akira never had the space at home to keep one, and his parents insisted he'd get soil into the tatami anyway. So he was never allowed one. Maybe he could take up watering them as a way to return the favour to Mr. Sakura for his lodging.
Yes it was a legal requirement, but it was better to be courteous anyway.
"And down is... the name of a shellfish used in farming." Akira heard a voice softly mumble as the door jingled shut behind him. The man, he assumed might be his caretaker seemed pleasant. However, his daydreams were burst when Sakura realised he was there, and was quick to bring Akira back into his harsh new reality, under a sudden nasty glare.
His brain switched off on auto. He was aware Mr. Sakura said some harsh words that Akira barely processed. Something about that he doesn't care if Akira died? Harsh.
Eventually he was ushered up to his "room", upstairs. Which, in reality was the cafe's attic space.
Well, one things for sure, for living in the city, it's incredibly spacious.
Albeit, currently very messy.
So, this is where he'll be living for the next year?
A bit of space and not having an adult breathing down his neck all the time? This was nice. Not perfect, for sure, but nice.
Better than a jail cell.
Akira put his bags away and made an effort to tidy things away, at least enough so for when Sojiro returned back and saw how much space he made. Good.
Good. Setting up a good first impression. His chest let him breathe out the air he didn't realise he had been holding in and his brain allowed him to tune back in to hear he was being told to go to bed.
The past few nights have left him with little sleep, but the long train journey he was glad to drift off into his dreams.
Though, naturally, his brain could not let him rest.
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He was coming home late that night which was exciting for a 16 year old. It was the start of spring break between his first and second year of high school. He had a fun group of friends. Most he knew from middle school, but they all liked him! He was the joker of their friendship group, he was quick and could quietly utter one word which would have his friends clutching their sides in laughter. It was a good night, that night. They played this new party game, and the time had gotten away from him. His parents had scoulded him over text for staying out past their agreed time, but, he said sorry and he'll come home now. He'll make sure he was being safe, he said. But really? Akira had no remorse as he left out the door, that time was precious to him. He wouldn't have left earlier even if he had remembered the hour.
He was making a quick jog back home, passing the backside of Shiroku pub to make a quick shortcut (he lied about being safe on the way home, but it was fine!). He didn't love this way home after dark, it was too quiet for the country side. You could normally hear the grasshoppers and cicadas as you ran by the fields, but, this backstreet was silent. Only a dog barking to keep him company.
The only ones watching him were the old "mom and pop" shops sitting empty. Dark, empty windows reflecting his lone silhouette as he ran past.
He wasn't too far from home at all, jogging back near the main road again when he heard that woman cry out.
He didn't stop.
He saw what was going on, and there was only one thing to do in his mind.
He did not stop.
He'd been in this scene night after night and still he did not stop.
He didn't mean to be so harsh in pulling the man off, he was expecting some pushback. He expected resistance. But Akira being just 16 he did not know and could not account for what being drunk does to your balance.
The man fell ungracefully and Akira didn't expect much at first- he was preoccupied with protecting the woman, he was ready for him to get back up.
But after he saw the trickle of red on the mans forehead, and that look in his eye Akira froze. He was meant to get scared, get in his car and leave. He wasn't supposed to get actually injured.
He remembered the police car pulling up and he would have told the officers everything, but they didn't care for what a teenager out late at night had to say, just what the man in the suit wanted to say.
This isn't how this is supposed to go.
He saved her. He did the right thing.
Knowing what lies next in his future, Akira's dream self was expecting to feel the grip of the police officers on his arm ready to make the arrest. Feel the cool metal slap his wrists together.
When instead, Akira felt cold, sharp chains wrap around his arm. Yanking the links tightly to pinch his bare arms.
"found you!" A pair of voices ring.
The chains dragged him away.
----------------------------
Shit.
He forgot to text his parents that he arrived at Mr. Sakura's okay.
Akira lurched for his phone where it lay charging.
There remained his parents last message to him about leaving the lights on again.
Looks like they hadn't checked in on him at all.
"I got to Sakura's safely. All packed away." He smiles down at his phone quietly, it means they trusted him enough to assume he wasn't going to get lost and kidnapped in Tokyo, right? He was 16 now. That's almost an adult. He definitely would be one in other countries!
Right?
Well, that damn app was back again. Decidedly not a part of his demon daydream, just an annoying bug.
But with that deleted again, he gets himself changed just in time, as Mr. Sakura announces that he's coming up the stairs just as he's getting his socks over his toes.
He says something about going to the school to get... papers all done? Why can't he do that on monday?
Maybe there's been some rough kids who just didn't hand the paperwork over to their guardians.
Maybe it's adult business.
While Akira was deep in thought they'd already arrived and the headmaster was blabbing at him something about that he's lucky he got to be there.
And with that registered he gladly shuts off his thinking brain and lets autopilot do it's job.
Just nod your head at appropriate intervals to look like you're paying attention. Pick up this. Sign this. Walk here.
In Akira's mind, he's back at home playing videogames with his friends before any of this had happened. Each of them with ice lollies in their mouths and getting their fingers sticky with the sugary water. Cheeks a rosy colour from the summer sun. The gentle buzz of the cicada's outside reminding him that he’s home. He can clearly see all of their faces and his mind nags at him to check in on them too. With court, and the move he's been... sort of ignoring the group chat. He just wasn't really in the mood to be cracking jokes like they'd want him to.
He'll do that when he gets back to the cafe.
Right now Mr Sakura is talking at him now. He should probably pay attention to his guardian. Something about how he plans to spend his school life. "I'll work hard." is all he gives. It's the answer that Mr. Sakura wants to hear, after all.
People say that there are no "right" answers to conversations with others, but that was only true back when the questions were "do you want your juice in a red or blue cup?" or "do you like cats or dogs better?", as Akira got older, questions became more and more complex.
People act on the surface like they're interested in what you have to say. But, you're not supposed to talk for too long.
You especially can't talk too long about your interests, and your responses when being scolded should not include a "but.".
When answering a question, always be aware that there is an answer which will make your friend happy. There is an answer where they won't get mad at you. And an answer will make you wish you could just power off and reboot that interaction all together.
Adults, while decidedly un-fun are generally easy. They want a confirmation that you won't cause them trouble. From a teenager, they want someone they can brag about for their achievements and casually mention any socially acceptable interests. But past that, they're too busy for your fascinations.
And that's just how things are.
It's easier to just tell them the right answer when they ask the first time and zone out.
If anything, he's glad Sakura is the same as his parents. It makes him predictable.
It makes it easier to slip out from under him when the time came for Akira to start making a few of his own decisions.
When Akira was back in his room he was ready to get into his pajamas and spend an hour talking with his friends, catch up on their lives, maybe live vicariously through them a bit.
But Sakura dragged him back into reality again, tossing a notebook on a desk with a small thonking noise. Signaling that Sakura knew he wasn't really paying attention.
Even if all he wanted to do was curl up on that box of crates and go to sleep already, he made sure to nod his head and stood patiently as Sakura barked his orders and invaded his space. Sakura mentioned he was meant to keep a diary for his probation officers, just to keep an eye on his activities.
That's fine. It'll be boring though. School, maybe a part time job, text his friends.
Speaking of, now that Sakura was making his way out, Akira could finally whip out his phone from his pocket and open up his messenger app.
For the first time since he arrived, his eyes light up with the screen. Excited to joke about his new studio apartment space to them.
Huh?
Akira scrolled up and down the page. There must be an lag. Right? A bug?
Where were his friends, Where was the gamer chat?
His old class chat?
Where were his DM's?
His friends?
Where were his friends?
Akira opened and closed the messenger app waiting for it to load properly. His eyes slowly glazing over.
Open.
Close.
Open.
Close.
Open.
The lights in his head all quietly shutting down. Feeling lighter, fuzzier, number.
Akira is somewhat aware he's lieing on the bed.
He listens quietly for the creaky floorboards and the gentle shuffling of the blanket Sakura lent him. Focus on the small things. Steady the breathing. Slow the heart rate. Don't ruminate over things he can't change.
Don't think about it.
Don’t think about it.
Don’t think about it.
His eyes burnt and desperately fought back a flood of tears.
If he cried now after all that he's been through. He fears he may never stop.
He's actually,
really,
on his own now.
----------------------------------
It was a difficult night.
The lingering dust left in the room mocking him and keeping him awake with an occasional itch and the urge to wiggle his nose, that he had to open his window again.
But when the window was open, the air wasn't quite past that bite of winter to be comfortable and the occasional gust of wind kept him wide awake. Akira opted to eventually sit and stare at the rooves of Yogen as they reminded him with every discoloured tile that he was so so far from home.
With the sounds of the city, every passing car would push him just back into consciousness again, make him check and wait for the police sirens to scream at him, grab at him and take him somewhere else he didn't know again.
He felt like he only closed his eyes for a second when his alarm urged him to get up for school. Sakura greeted him as he came down and was clearly surprised that he had gotten himself up and ready at all.
He was prepared to go in early to make sure he doesn't get lost in the train system, but the promise of breakfast made by Sojiro, was too good to refuse.
Akira couldn't remember the last time his mum had made him breakfast. Maybe in the spring break before middle school?
Of course it's surprising to have a dinner meal for breakfast. But, he was starving. Practically wrapping his arm around that plate, looking as polite as one could when scarfing it down. He said his thanks and left for the train.
Imagine that, taking the train to school.
In any other circumstances, Akira might have found the courage to enjoy himself.
For city life to boast about having so much right at your doorstep, it sure took a few trains to get where you wanted to go.
As the train left from Shibuya, rolling across the tracks, slowly gaining speed. It flickered across the collumns of the platform, his eyes trailed over the scene. Listening for the chug of the rails.
As his eyes refocused on the new section of the platform, Akira stopped.
Red. Nothing but red.
The platform's lights had blown. It should be darker, really. But the red seemed to permeate the air.
But what was perhaps most surprising, that for that moment. Akira swore, that despite it being early morning rush: there wasn't a single person on the platform.
He blinks. Just to see if it's real. As his vision adjusts, he makes locks eyes with the bluest eyes he’s ever seen. Belonging to a small creature on the platform. Cat-like, walking on its hind legs. Strange.
And just like that, the train moved past a column and the people and the noise returned.
Akira puts it down to stress and not sleeping well.
He might've been zoned out but he knew the way to Shujin academy well enough after he steps out of the station. His nose caught the dampness in the air before the water hit his skin.
His umbrella was back in his belongings he shoved under the shelving unit.
He might've thought to pluck it out yesterday but they got back so late from the traffic and... well, he didn't really feel like doing much cleaning after he got settled.
Maybe this was a good thing. Better to show his class he was a hardened convict who didn't care about a little drizzle than be late and make the adults mad at him.
Of course, he's not a big scary criminal.
He's a scared little boy in a world he doesn't know. And the second any of them find that out, they'll tear him limb from limb.
But they don't need to know that.
Still, he debates heading under a store awning.
He didn't much like rain, really.
It was cold and it made his clothes stick uncomfortably to his skin.
But ultimately decides he doesn't deserve the luxury and continues walking through the downpour.
It was a good thing he did, he ultimately decides. As he hears shouting happen behind him. A car pulled up next to the awning behind him and a blond kid yelling at it? A family dispute maybe? None of his business, and he should avoid commotions like that.
Keep your head down Akira. He reminds himself quietly.
The rain begins to lighten up eventually as he trudges on, but still he can't help but envy the students who got cars in to school as a shiver creeps up his spine.
He absent mindedly listens into a gentle conversation happening in the car next to him as he waits at an intersection. Something about how the train crashes will disrupt the attendance of an event? A gallery?
Sounds about right for a place like Tokyo.
He's starting to find that keeping his head down is hard.
The car drives off and he's left to his own devices again lazily drifting his eyes across the city as he walks straight down the path. It didn't seem that long when he was driving with Sakura...
His eyes landed onto the two girls walking next to him. "I'm sorry about your club space, though" She sounded a bit stiff. Not much fun to listen to.
The news on the tv next to the station wasn't any more intriguing either, something about the hacker organisation: Medjed. Meh.
Technology wasn't really his thing either, back to the girls it is.
"So as long as I can have a key? I can keep the garden going." Garden? Where? It's the city. Do cities have gardens?
He zones back in just in time to not get bumped by the students that had gathered behind him. Getting used to being more aware of his surroundings as Tokyo demands you take up as little space as possible was going to be a bit of a challenge for country boy Akira.
He can see the Shujin gates in the distance and stares up at its impressive height thoughtfully when his shoulder is brushed by a gloved hand and a briefcase hits his leg. Briefly his heart roars to life inside his chest, but it's soon eased with a gentle voice "please excuse me." it floats past him. He turns around to see a boy with the briefcase rush through the Shujin crowd. He stops to watch the boy hurry as some Shujin kids let him through and turn to mumble to each other. "Where did he go...?" A whine passes him by. Maybe a popular guy? Amongst the crowd, he looks like some kind of strong fish going against the current. He's brought sharply back into reality when Akira is almost swept up by the mob of students beginning to usher past him. His glasses slip down to the tip of his nose.
He manages to break free from the crowd and pushes his glasses back up his nose to make eye contact with a girl with red hair. She looked like a doll. She puts up her umbrella as she blinks in surprise at him. Or likely, his sopping wet state.
He goes to walk on toward the school "You're soaked, do you want to come under?" stops him in his tracks.
A beat passes to allow a raindrop to slide off the tips of his curly hair.
In the pause, someone in the crowd had a second to snigger, something about her hitting on the first guy she sees at school.
He didn't want to risk this girls popularity
He politely declines and heads for the Shujin gates.
However the kind girl replied, was completely lost on Akira.
At his school back home he would've rushed to the radiator in his classroom and laid across the top until the teacher came in. City schools would have a radiator right? Though, maybe he should save his clownish behaviour for when he wasn't the new kid..
As soon as he enters the doors it's as if he could feel the eyes burning into him. Perhaps he doesn't need that radiator after all.
Keep your head down.
He makes his way to the staff room with an uncomfortable lump in his throat and looks across the office for his teacher. He met her yesterday. He's pretty sure he can recognise her.
"What are you doing, dripping all over the floor?"
He jitters looking up at the square shouldered man who appeared out of nowhere, perhaps twice his height. Who is this guy, an olypmian?
Adults don't want an explanation, he reminds himself. "I'm sorry."
There wasn't that much dripping honestly. Thankfully, before he's interrogated by this giant, his teacher... what was her name again? Spotted him.
She ushered him out of the office and into his classroom. There was something about an introduction which he kept short, and sat in his seat as fast as possible.
"That side of the room is totally awful." He wonders who the students were discussing when there was a slight "tch." from the girl sat infront of him.
"Don't listen to them." She mutters under her breath, the corner of her eye watching him, glistening pale blue in the morning light. "They're just bored and jumping on any rumour they hear." There's a bitterness to her voice that makes Akira tighten up and sit back.
She had a varsity style jacket over her uniform, and blonde hair. Lots of blonde hair. She didn't look japanese. She was beautiful. Breathtaking for a highschool student.
Most people his age struggling with acne, greasy hair, gangly limbs, but her?
Well.
Akira can say he's glad that she is sat infront of him, otherwise he might not be able to think of an excuse why he was just staring at her.
Still, she implied that the students were talking about him. He didn't need to know that, really. But, it can't be helped now.
His teacher begins homeroom. And Akira takes the oppurtunity to start his new notebook.
He curses at himself as he scrawls his name on the cover. He does have better handwriting than this, but, despite that he had long warmed up from the cold, he couldn't quite stop his hand from shaking.
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He's just packing up his things into his bag when the girl infront turns around to gather up her things as well.
Goodness.
Getting a glimpse earlier was just half of it.
She gives him a small smile. Comradery, he jots it down to, as they both leave the classroom. No words exchanged, none needed, really. They weren't friends, and Akira was still licking his wounds over the ones he had lost. He really liked his old ones and he didn't really feel like engaging in anything new.
While Akira was lost in his thoughts, he notices that only the sound of his own shoes followed him. He glances back to where his classmate had been stopped by a man with broad shoulders.
"I have a photo shoot-" Akira hears the tone of her voice moreso than the content, she's... smaller, quieter than she was before. Lost that bitter edge he heard from the classroom. As if the fire inside had been reduced to a candle flame.
"With your appendicities?" he chides back. "Ann, don't go breaking yourself now?" He gently scoulds the classmate apparently called Ann. But, Akira can't help but notice the pushyness to it. "With me keeping Shiho for practice, I can understand it might get quite lonely for you." Ah. Well. That's odd... For a teacher to say. His eyes dart between the two a bit concerned.
But Ann jumps in before he can reach a conclusion to his thoughts.
"Thank you, but I'm fine. But- I really so have to be going for my shoot today so..." she smiles awkwardly with a little wave and heads right past Akira, down the stairs.
Akira trails off after her, "hey-" he utters, before he can shove the words back down his throat. She looks back at him, hair bouncing as she comes to a stop, she looks beautiful in the setting sun at the bottom of the quietening stairs of shujin.
It feels like last time.
He feels like he's going to turn around and a police officer will be there with cuffs.
He slowly walks down the stairs to catch up with her, back up against the wall. "Is everything alright?" he starts quietly, "You looked... uncomfortable."
She opens her mouth to speak for a moment before she closes it, eyes darting to the top of the stairs. Looking through him, more so then at him "Yeah! Fine! Gotta go though!". She smiles and runs off, leaving Akira to fend for himself in the Shujin crowds. He doesn't believe her. That was a terrible act, but being no more than a drop within the ocean of students he was unable to catch up to her.
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Akira is stood at the train station looking at the timetables for when the next one back to Yogen would be, when the umbrella girl comes over.
"You!" she perks up, walking over "from this morning."
"Me from this morning." he hums in return.
"I wanted to apologise for those other students." She holds her hands infront of her bowing her head a little "I'm sorry if you've had any trouble because of your association with me."
He shakes his head but doesn't get a chance to explain that really, he was the issue- when from the corner of his eye, every train goes red.
The board blacking out.
Huh?
"We are sorry to announce that a disruption on the line is causing some cancellations for our scheduled times."
There's a beat.
Yoshizawa and Akira meet eyes. Pupils pinpointed. They quickly turn to their respective phones and find their dad's number.
Well.
Akira had to stop there over the call button because Mr. Sakura was not his dad. His dad was all the way back in the Inaba. Probably finishing off some dull printing work around this time.
Mr. Sakura barely tolerated him, he fed him breakfast, but, Akira is pretty sure that is a legal requirement for him to do.
...Which is close enough for him. Call him.
"Senpai? Where do you live?"
Akira stops before he hits the call button, perking up, "Yogen." He hopes thats familiar enough.
She relaxes a little turning her attention back to the voice on the phone, nodding along to whatever her parent said, then "Dad said he'll drop us off." She says her pleasantries to her father and turns her attention back to Akira. "We'll just have to make it to the TV station and he'll drive us from there."
She smiles tilting her head "shall we?"
Akira nods dumbly, following her out of the station, when his normal graceful walk falters for a moment "..TV station?"
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Apparently, this girl was quite affluent. She waves to the security guards on site as if she knew them personally, to which they return the gesture. Though, their gaze stills on Akira, to which he only keeps his head down, following behind Yoshizawa. He can't help but look behind him to make sure they're not being followed.
They walk up some of the floors and take a seat outside of a meeting room where they'd have to wait for Yoshizawa's father to finish up his work, but hey, they were dry, warm and apparently there's a staffs snack table that nobody notices Yoshizawa-not-staff sneaking some.
"Ah. I've been rumbled, have I?" A playful voice swims through the air.
The man awaiting at the snack table was effeminate. Brown hair that drifted across his shoulders. And had these beautiful dark copper eyes- He looked oddly familiar.
Yoshizawa perks up, "Akechi!" she heads over to greet him.
Nope. Doesn't recognise that name. He stays a bit behind her, keeping his hands in his pockets. He just came here for the ride home, who's this prissy kid?
"and.. perhaps, is this your boyfriend?" he somehow catches Akira's careful attempt to not make eye contact.
"No, no! We go to the same school and just got stuck at the station together is all." She waves her hand and the accusation away casually.
Goro seems to relish in her embarrassment and tilts his head at Akira awaiting his response. Akira simply nods in agreement with Yoshizawa.
Yoshizawa sensing the awkwardness, simply swishes her hair and adopts a polite stance "So, have you just finished filming?"
Akira thinks about asking wether this guy is some sort of actor. But thought, better of it and kept his mouth shut. He's pretty enough for some kind of boyfriend role, but if he's wrong, that might embarrass him. So Akira resigns to simply watching him awaiting his explanation.
"I have yes, but, as the filming took up most of my afternoon, I haven't eaten yet so..." Akechi smiles gesturing to his plate, stacked with pancakes and honey.
"We came for the same thing!" She smiles, "Are they any good?" She peers over at his plate "I could go for a little treat." she hums to herself curiously.
"I don’t know, I haven't tried them yet” Goro carefully hides the snide tone from his voice to yoshizawa and continues “-but, they look lovely." Yoshizawa was already loading up her plate, stacking her pancakes higher and higher. Could this girl really put all that away? If Akechi was taken aback by Yoshizawa's apetite, his face certainly didn't show it.
Then again, it's considered impolite to comment on womens eating habits, right?
Akira decided to copy Akechi's plate.
Akira leans on the wall about to take a bite, before Akechi leans up next to him "I believe you almost got away with not giving your name earlier?"
Akira looks up at him through his lashes, and his eyes crinkle at the corners at Akechis poor attempt at a joke "Akira Kurusu." he answers simply. "and you?"
Ah, that’s what "taken aback" looks like on him.
"Akechi Goro..." he answers slowly, curious. "I'm sorry, most of my followers tend to be around your age, so I assumed you might've known already."
A bit up his own ass, is he? You're not that famous. Akira doesn't reply with more of a shrug as he tucks into his pancakes- they were good.
"I'm a detective." he continues, despite Akira's disinterest.
"...fictional, or?" He glances over at him blankly.
Akechi briefly laughs, "A real one." His smile reaches his eyes for just a moment before he schools it back into a polite chuckle.
He was about to ask more when the three are interrupted from a conversation up ahead. Someone opened the door to the meeting office.
"Big bang burger aims to be the space station that engineers a production line of delicious items quickly from the kitchen to customer-"
Yoshizawa sighs a little "So they're still in discussion then..."
"Big bang burger" Akechi hums thoughtfully "owned by corporation Okumura foods, they have a branch in every high street with a steady tourist population.."
What is this guy, a search engine? He's about to take another bite of his pancake when there's a soft beep from his phone and his entire world turns upside down.
The lights go dark in the building.
Akechi and Yoshizawa see it too, Akechi dropping his plate of pancakes on the table without a bite taken into them at all. Abandoned in favour of his phone.
Akira can barely take the time to register that though as he's fixated on instead the red that permeates the air here.
Yoshizawa tries to be reasonable "I've never seen this happen but let's stay together and find my father."