(PROTIP: Yuuen lives alone with her dad in a small two-story house in Yongen-Jaya)
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The girl took a deep breath as she reached her trembling hand towards the doorknob.
'You have to do this Yuuen, it's the only way to save Akira.' She told herself as her hand finally fell onto the knob, twisting as the door creaked open.
"K-Kamoshida-sensei..." Her voice trembled as the man spun around in his chair to face her, a malicious smile present on his face.
"Morito-san! You came! I was beginning to think that you wouldn't show!" He smiled as Yuuen shut the door behind her leaving herself trapped inside the room.
Her shaky breaths and trembling hands were hard to conceal but she stood proudly unaffected by her uneasiness and overall fear.
"Yes, I had matters to take care of." She lied taking a hard gulp as she found it tough to swallow.
The truth is, she was so nervous she was tempted to not show up at all, and just decided to show up at the last minute.
"I see... well you are a member of the Student Council, it only makes sense." He stated although he seemed not entirely convinced.
"So, about that apology... what exactly do you want me to do?" Yuuen said trying her best to not stutter in fear as her teacher stood up and walked toward her.
She hadn't moved from the door, so she leaned back a little as Kamoshida leaned closer to her face.
"You're a generous girl, you know that right?" Kamoshida said with a malicious gleam in his eye. "Going through all this trouble just for that no-good delinquent..."
Yuuen trembled as she held her bag close to her chest.
She swore his eyes gleamed yellow as he leaned towards the side of her face and whispered in her ear, "All I need you to do is..." He whispered with an evil grin.
Yuuen's pupils dilated in fear as she immediately reared back to slap Kamoshida across the face, leaving some distance between the two of them.
She shuddered in fear as well as disgust as Kamoshida put a hand on his swollen cheek.
"Why...you...!" He hissed grabbing her wrists and pinning her against the door.
She gasped at his sudden actions as a vivid flashback erupted in her mind.
-=-
"W-What's wrong with you!" Yuuen yelled at the man who pinned her against the wall, his breath reeked of alcohol and he was clearly drunk out of his mind.
"What's wrong with me?! What's wrong with you, Ayako!?" Her father yelled spitting in her face.
'There he goes again... calling her by her late mother's name.' Yuuen noticed as she trembled in fear.
"You haven't said anything to me all day!? It's like you don't even love me anymore!" He screamed at Yuuen, as she pushed him off her.
"You're drunk out of your damn mind! I'm not Ayako! I'm your damn daughter, Yuuen!" She screamed running upstairs to her room.
-=-
Her glare hardened in hatred in fear as she smacked her head into Kamoshida's making him let go over her and hold his head in pain.
She then kicked him where he doesn't see the light and ran out the door.
"Y-you bitch!" He hissed standing in the doorway to his office leaning on the door in obvious pain.
Yuuen quickly realized that she had taken a left turn out of his office when the exit of the school was to the right.
'Damnit! Which way do I go?' Yuuen said as she approached her first turn, Kamoshida trailing her, still in pain.
She couldn't go to the Student Council Room, we had no meetings today which means it was likely Makoto had already gone home for the day.
She pondered for a moment when she remembered Akira.
'Where would he be right now?'
-=-
"Hey! Kurusu-kun! What are you doing after school today?" Yuuen asked cheerfully.
"O-oh! I'm sorry Yuuen, I'm meeting up with Ryuji on Tuesdays... I can't hang out after school." Akira apologized as he gave her a quick bow and turned away to head up the stairs.
"Hopefully, he doesn't get himself into trouble..." Yuuen mumbled worriedly.
-=-
'The rooftop!' Yuuen cheered lightly as panic began to set in.
There were barely any students or teachers in the hallways, so if he caught her now, there would be no witnesses to help her.
'Please be there!' Yuuen panicked as she approached the final steps, Kamoshida's footsteps fading away.
She reached the door and slammed it open, leaning against it to catch her breath.
She looked up to see the shocked faces of three individuals, along with an infamous cat.
"A-...Ak-Akira..." She mumbled out of breath and completely scared out of her mind.
"Y-Yuuen?!" He panicked at the state of the petrified girl immediately rushing over to help her.
"Morito-san?!" The other two students said walking over to help the scared girl.
"What's wrong?" Akira asked completely baffled by her weird behavior.
"What happened?!" Ryuji asked as Ann looked at the girl in concern.
"H-he's not following me, is he?" She asked trembling a bit, looking down the empty staircase.
"Who's following you?" Ryuji asked confused looking to see if anyone was walking up the stairs, but thankfully no one was.
"K-..." She stopped as the three individuals' eyes widened in fear, anger or overall hatred, "Kamoshida..." She muttered out as Akira's pupils shrunk in rage.
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"That bastard did what?!" Ryuji asked his voice filled with venom as he kicked an empty soda can over in rage.
"Morito-san..." Ann said rubbing the trembling girl's back.
The group had sat Yuuen down at one of the chairs, Ann sat next to her rubbing her back soothingly as Yuuen held her arms and shook in fear.
Although Yuuen was the biggest concern at the moment, Morgana couldn't help but notice the clenched fists of his black-haired friend.
Akira shook in rage as he listened to Yuuen tell her story, fear lacing her every breath.
"Morito-san... you didn't have to do that for us..." Ann said relating to the girl. Kamoshida was a scary man when he wants to be. Ann knew from personal experience, give into his games and he weaves a web almost impossible to escape from.
Ann just barely made it out by the skin of her teeth.
"I can't believe that bastard did that to you!" Ryuji hissed punching one of the vents on the roof in frustration. "This is exactly why we need to put that bastard in his place, to stop innocent people like you from getting hurt!"
"And Shiho..." Ann said sadly remembering her comatosed friend.
"Ugh! Just listening to this makes me want to go and punch that bastard square in the face." Ryuji hissed grabbing his hair in frustration.
Akira took a deep breath, relieving himself of some of his rage.
"And you can, but right now we need to focus on Yuuen..." He said walking over to squat in front of the trembling girl.
"Are you alright?" Akira asked gently as Yuuen looked up to him, her pupils still dilated in fear.
She bit her lip to reduce the trembling but she couldn't help the tears that began to build up in her eyes.
As embarrassing as it was, all she wanted was for someone to hug her and promise her she was safe, just like her mother used to do.
Without thinking she threw herself onto Akira and began to sob loudly clutching his shirt in fear.
Shocked for a few moments, he soon adjusted and wrapped his arms around the fragile girl, treating her as if she would shatter at just the slightest pressure.
Ryuji and Ann watched in sadness as the girl cried onto Akira's shirt, soaking it, as he muttered encouraging words such as "You're ok... You're safe... I'm right here... Everything's going to be ok..."
Eventually, her sobs quieted down as she was still being held in Akira's arms.
There was nothing the group could say or do to wash away the fear in her eyes, all they could do was sit there and watch as Akira soothingly rubbed her back.
She pressed her head against Akira's chest once more before standing up, wiping her puffy red eyes and turning to face the rest of the group.
"I'm sorry... for crying so much." She said emotionlessly, "And thank you Akira, I really needed that." She smiled a bit, but it was melancholy.
"I've realized, that I can't turn a blind eye to what's going on at school." She said seriously as Akira watched her in slight admiration.
"I don't really know what you guys are up to, but please, if there is anything, anything at all I can do to help you... then, please... I'll do everything in my power to do so." Yuuen said seriously facing the three students, as well as cat.
"I won't get involved in any fighting or stuff of that nature, but I have connections that other people don't have in this school. I'm talking about access to information, items, and other perks. If there is anything I can do to help you take down Kamoshida I'll do it." Yuuen said clenching her fists.
Her eyes were still puffy and her throat was dry from crying, but she had an expression on her face... one that meant business. She was determined to stop Kamoshida, no matter what the cost.
Ryuji looked back at Akira, who then looked at Ann and Morgana.
"Alright then, we'll see what we can have you help us with," Ryuji said reaching out his hand to shake.
She took it firmly and gave him a determined look.
"Although... she can't help us with the main objective..." Akira mentioned looking back at the team.
"Yeah, she doesn't know about the Metaverse, so we have to be careful with our wording." Morgana meowed earning a "Shh" from Ann.
"Idiot! You shouldn't say that in front of..." Ann looked over at Yuuen who just looked at her confusingly as why she was talking to the cat.
"Don't worry Lady Ann, she can't understand what I'm saying so it's fine." Morgana mewed licking his paw.
"We'll postpone going there for today..." Akira said looking back at the members of the group. "Let's just go home for today, and we'll meet here tomorrow to scout."
The other three members hummed in agreement.
"But what about Yuuen, should we just let her walk home on her own?" Ann questioned which made Yuuen shoot up a bit at the mention of her name.
Despite the fact she was independent, she didn't want to walk home after that experience. She realized looking anxiously at Ann and Akira.
"I'll walk her home, it's on the way anyways..." Akira said looking at Yuuen whose whole body just spoke "Relief".
"Ok then, we'll resume this tomorrow," Ryuji said confidently as the group headed out of the school, the three surrounding Yuuen and keeping an eye out for a specific teacher.
Although they all stood by her, blocking people's view of her, Akira stood dangerously close to her, to the point their hands brushed occasionally.
Yuuen just looked down in nervousness.
She felt embarrassed that they were surrounding her like they were, but it was better than being spotted by Kamoshida or walking home alone. And besides, it felt nice to have someone less than an arms-length away if anything were to happen.
"Alright, see you guys tomorrow." Ryuji waved as he walked off in his own direction, Ann soon following walking her own direction as well, leaving only Akira, Yuuen and Morgana.
"Thanks... for today." She said fumbling with the strap on her schoolbag. "I'll have to pay you back later..." She said as Akira shook his head.
"You don't have to pay me back for being a good friend, besides, you used to help me all the time when I got in trouble, I'm just returning the favor," Akira said earning a small smile from the girl.
It was silent for a bit, Yuuen looking away in slight sadness over the recent incidents and Akira just watching in silence.
"Poor Yuuen..." Morgana meowed from his bag. "I can't even begin to imagine what's going through her mind right now.
Akira hummed and adjusted his bag a bit.
"Let's go, we'll miss the train if we wait any longer," Akira said dully.
"O-oh...right." She said following Akira not taking her eyes off the ground.
Although he wasn't openly showing it, his eyes were locked on the sad girl, watching to see if she was really ok and wouldn't start crying at any given moment.
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"T-thanks... for today," Yuuen said sadly fumbling with her bag, a habit she's been doing for the past few hours.
Akira relaxed his stance and just stared at Yuuen.
"W-what is it?" She asked timidly noticing his stare, looking away awkwardly.
Akira placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into his eyes.
"Are you sure you'll be ok?" Akira questioned as he felt the girl physically shudder.
"Y-Yeah... I'll be ok." She said backing away from Akira.
Akira nodded unconvinced.
"If you need anything, you have my number. I'll be around." Akira said as Yuuen looked up.
Akira then turned around and headed out.
As much as he wanted to comfort Yuuen, he realized defeating Kamoshida became a prior issue.
The only thing he could do to help Yuuen now was to steal Kamoshida's heart as soon as possible.
"See you later..." Yuuen waved as Akira turned around with a nod.
He waved back before rushing off back to Leblanc, with only one thought occupying his mind.
'Yuuen... I'll save you, I sware.'
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(Ridiculously long chapter but it furthers the plot so I mean...)