Chapter Text
To hold onto hope is one of the greatest feats one can achieve, to see the darkness that can envelope entire landscapes and still believe there is good within it. For Akira it was something he bound to his everyday life, hope for the world and the people that inhabited it. And for the person he was still able to remember the faint pine smell of. Sometimes he dreamt of the boy the way his hair fell down into chestnut pieces that just barely curled around his ears, the way his smile would make Akira’s heart skip a beat as if he was unable to breath, the softness of his eyes that people rarely ever got to see, and sometimes he stared at a tall wall that blocked any chance of savior knowing what was on the other side. He hated those dreams, he’d wake up and just sit on his bed in the dead of night waiting for his door to open. It never did.
Akira’s friends always dodged the subject of Akechi whenever they hung out, either from their own disheartenedness of him or the fact that it always left the room in silence for a few seconds. Whenever he visited Tokyo he could swear each time he’d see the uniform of Akechi’s school and he smiled but it was never him. The truth was it would never be him. No matter how hard Akira shut his eyes and prayed to a God he didn’t even believe in. Akechi wouldn’t even be in high school anymore, by now he would’ve been ending his first year in college. Probably majoring in criminal justice or law, he’d complain about stupid cases he’d have to act out and defend. He’d call Akira just to ask for opinions on another student in his class or just to take a break from his work. He’d be top of his class, stick to himself, finding it difficult to make friends, but Akira would be there for him. Everyone would be there for him. That wasn’t the Akechi he nor everyone knew though. It was just a thought to drift off into the depths of Akira’s mind.
A hand drew upon Akira’s shoulder a steady hold that brought him back to reality and for a split second he thought he heard the rub of leather. Akira turned around to find it was just Makoto, her eyebrows furrowed in a confused expression.
“Akira, you alright? It’s our turn to go,” she pointed to the white walk sign that was held on the other side of the street. Her hand slowly pulled away from his shoulder
Akira nodded, taking one look around to ground himself, “Yeah, yeah I’m okay,” he swallowed his spit, “The restaurant is just around the corner now right?”
“Yes. I’m sure it’ll be great considering Ann was the one who found it,” Makoto gave Akira a soft smile that almost felt a bit pitiful as they both crossed the road surrounded by other city goers.
The restaurant in question was in the nicer end of Shibuya surrounded by business offices. Everyone was on summer break from school so it just ‘made sense’ as Ann put it to travel down there to celebrate exams being over at least for the year. Also it seemed a good time to celebrate Futaba’s new app development finishing of which she won an award for at school. As soon as Makoto and Akira reached the restaurant they spotted a tuft of bleach blonde hair peaking around every few seconds as if waiting for someone. Turns out he was. His eyes lit up as he spotted the two waving loudly towards them.
“Aw man I thought you guys had died or something.” he pointed towards the doors of the restaurant, “they left me out here to make sure you two didn’t get lost.
Akira let out a light laugh, “Are you sure that’s the reason, Ryuji?”
Ryuji fake pouted, “Come on, you know you guys love me,” He then threw his arms around Akira and Makoto the two slowly swaying for a moment.
“Should we head in?” Makoto smiled, pulling herself out from under Ryuji who nodded and started walking, making sure the two followed closely behind him.
Soon enough they reached the loft where the rest of the group sat laughing about and as soon as Ann caught sight of them she jumped up and hugged Akira tightly.
“Ah! It’s so good to see you two,” Ann let go and went to wrap her arms lightly around Makoto, “We already ordered drinks and some bread for the table.”
“How kind of you Ann, thank you,” Makoto found her way to an empty seat next to Ann and Yusuke as she sat her purse down under her chair. Akira then found a seat in between Futaba and Ryuji.
Immediately the group went back to talking about anything, catching up on updates about school or asking Makoto about college and how her apprenticeship was going. Her face slightly dulled for a second as she seemed perplexed about something.
“Actually, there is something I must discuss with you all,” Everyone turned their heads even Futaba who had previously been on her phone. Makoto felt pressure on her to deliver, “Lately, as in the past two months, someone has been calling for Shido at the prison he’s staying in. Along with Shido sending and receiving letters about every month or so.”
The whole table went silent as they either eyed Makoto or found themselves looking at the table. Futaba let out a cough clearing her throat.
“You think he’s up to something again? You have insider knowledge right? We can bug it or I can hack into the system,” Futaba spoke softly leaning into the table as she suggested her ideas.
Haru nodded, “If he is trying to do something we have to stop it before it becomes anything serious. But, his heart changed all those months ago, right?” Haru rubbed her chin trying to figure out the situation.
“Well, he has been behaving in prison and even displaying charity towards others, there’s reports on that. It could be an act though,” Makoto reached down to grab her phone pulling up her photos app as letting everyone pass it around carefully. It was a photo of a computer desktop zoomed in just displaying an address.
Sumire let out a giggle as she looked at the photo immediately deciphering what had occurred, “I didn't take you for someone to take photos of your co-workers desktops.”
Makoto's face blushed, “ Well not my co-worker, but you underestimate me when it comes to this kind of stuff. However, back on the subject, that's where the letters have been arriving.”
“We just have to stalk this guy's mailbox until we find out who it is,” Ryuji set his fists down on the table softly looking at Akira determined, “It’s up to you though Akira.”
The table turned towards Akira who had been silent the whole time, Akira looked around at everyone weighing out his options, “How about we look up the address and for the time we’re all staying in Tokyo we just check by each day. Ask some people around.”
The whole group nodded as Makoto went to open up her maps app copy and pasting the address, “Oh. it’s the post office in Kichijoji, so it must be a P.O box,” she shrugged.
“That’s even more suspicious if you ask me, trying to keep it down low, not delivering it to a house or a living area,” Yusuke set his hands on his table, folding them as he tilted his head slightly to the side, “But it’s agreed we’re doing this?”
“Yes, I say we can even head there after lunch and ask the workers,” Akira leaned back in his chair.
The rest of lunch consisted of the group suggesting ideas of who it could be and then focusing back on the college lives of Haru and Makoto. It hadn’t been long after until half of the group including Akira, Makoto, and Haru walked into the post office whilst the rest scattered about looking for suspicious faces. Haru waltzed up to the front desk clearing her throat.
“Excuse me Miss, we’re a part of our school's investigative journalism program and we’re putting together a piece about the postage usage around Shibuya. Could you answer a few questions?”
As Haru went about her investigating Makoto and Akira sat in the waiting chairs Makoto typing on her phone letting out little sighs as she did so and Akira just fumbling with his fingers. The back door of the post office opened across the hall and out emerged someone that had Akira frozen, his face fell rubbing his eyes to see if what he was seeing was real. That it wasn't just an illusion of want. Akira stood up quickly, not daring to step an inch just in case it made the sight go away. Makoto looked up at Akira confused before she spotted it herself.
“Akechi?” Akira spoke softly just a word away from running towards him.