Chapter Text
This story is a work of fiction.
All similarities between characters or events to persons living or dead in your world are purely coincidental.
Only those who have agreed to the above have the privilege of partaking in this game.
21/11/20XX
Akemi Abe was a 15 year old girl, full of youthful curiosity, tentativeness and anxiety.
There have been murmurs of the so-called 'Phantom Thieves of Hearts' that started when they targeted a teacher, Suguru Kamoshida, at her school, Shujin academy. She wasn't sure she believed in them at first, but after the change of heart of Kaneshiro and Madarame, it became harder and harder to deny their existence, especially as some people debated their morality after the Okumura incident.
But at the end of the day, she couldn't spend too much time worrying about the Phantom Thieves, she had a busy life. Her journey from her home, a small room in Asakusa where she lives by herself at the generosity of the landlord after her father became a Jōhatsu (someone who vanishes without a trace on purpose) last year and her mother died in childbirth shortly before his disappearance, was a long one. She often came back home very late due to her work in Triple Seven, where she takes over the shift after the fluffy haired boy... Ren?... Akira?.... it seemed like his name was kind of made up.. ends his shift.
Her journey to Shujin, which starts at around 6.30am, which she did to beat the early cycling traffic with her death trap of a barely legal bike on the road (she couldn't afford the fines for riding on the pavement, even if she could stomach all the asking people to move), was rudely interrupted by the reminder of the fact that there was an election in a month, on her birthday too, 18/12.
When she got to Shujin, she noticed that fluffy haired boy looks exhausted as he walked by and waved at her... there were rumours about him being a dangerous criminal, but she couldn't see it, he seemed so nice... she waved back, she'll probably see him later at work, it’s probably just the stress of the final exams in a month that's making him look like like that.
She got to class, with a few minutes to spare, and sat down in her seat, pulling out a notebook with several stickers of various animes she watched, but mainly of Girls und Panzer, and a pen she got for free from a local jobs fair, it had some silly logo on it but she didn't care, it was free and that's all that matters.
Ms. Kawakami enters the class, the class rises, bows, and sits back down
Ms. Kawakami: "Class... Today we will be starting revision for Social Science, for the final exams next month, We will be starting with Sociology and in 2 weeks, we will be doing Japanese history, the week after, World history... we had a later start to these revision sessions due to the... incident towards the start of the year... so I will trust you to revise the rest by yourself"
"Before we start with Durkheim and Functionalism, do we have any questions"
The class remained silent
"... Alright, I will remind you all that on Wednesday, there will be no school due to Labor Thanksgiving Day so please use that time wisely"
Akemi knew that she would likely just be working for that day, and it would be a very busy day… all the holidays are
As the class went on... the 50 minutes seemed to always drag on... she diligently took notes, shaking her pen a few times to get the last of the ink.. she'll have to buy a new one soon.
The bell finally rang for lunch time on her 4th lesson and they all headed towards the vending machines in the yard
???: "Yo, Kemi!"
Before, Akemi could get 5 steps out of the class, she was ambushed by his big dorky smile and energy that could power Japan for years
Akemi: "heyo, Naoto-san"
Naoto: "I told you to drop that by now, we've been friends for years!" He ruffled Akemi's hair playfully
Akemi: "Yes yes.. Sorry"
Naoto: "God, don't start apologising.. Come on, let's get some food... I think the Triple Seven has just done a fresh batch, so hopefully we can get there before everyone else does"
Along their journey, after signing out, they noticed people putting up more posters for Shido (the person who was being hailed as the next to be prime minister) and Akemi couldn't help but hold up a low snarl, much to Naoto's amusement
Naoto: "You look like an small angry puppy with a pout like that"
Akemi: "I'm not that small?!... and I'm not pouting!" She said with her impressively short stature of 150cm, a little smaller than 5 ft
Naoto: "Girl, you are like a little puppy who thinks they're a big wolf with that scowl on your face" He said somewhat mockingly, but only in a way friends could get away with
Akemi: "Well look at him, he'll blind half of Shibuya if he's out in the sunlight with that glowing forehead..."
Naoto: "So that's why he has so many posters, to protect us from going blind if he ever stepped outside"
They both shared a small laugh whilst poking fun at Shido as they made their way to the nearby Triple Seven, it had already been ransacked by students and there was very little left, but they were able to squabble over the last bits with the salarymen and last scramble of students, making their way back with the spoils of their victory with Naoto's wallet feeling a good touch lighter
Naoto: "I call dibs on the egg sandwich"
Akemi groaned but admitted defeat, it was her favourite sandwich
Akemi: "Only if I get the chocolate"
Naoto: "I thought dogs weren't meant have chocolate... but still, best deal of my life, you know I got a savoury tooth anyway"
She elbowed him slightly for the dog comment, whilst chuckling
Akemi: "Good" She checked her watch "We got.... 25 minutes until class"
They signed back in, and sat in the field, eating their lunch
Naoto: “Mmm… They must have changed the recipe.. These eggs taste less salty”
Akemi: “Oh… do you want some salt..”
She took out some salt packets that she took from a canteen
Naoto: He giggled as he took a salt packet and put them over the eggs in the sandwich “Do you carry salt packets with you all the time?”
Akemi: “Whenever I know I'll be around you, just in case, I know you like salty things”
Naoto: “Well thank you Kemi, one day i’ll just take a shot of salt” He smirked, as he finished up his lunch
The bell rung shortly after and everyone in the field rose and marched back to class, they both rose a few seconds later and went inside
They both stopped by the stairs, Akemi groaning and despairing having to go back to class
Akemi: “already?! ugh… I’ll see you later Nao”
Naoto ruffled her hair, “See ya ‘Kemi”
They went up separate stairs to get to their different classrooms