About a month following the first research session, a mafia boss by the name of Junya Kaneshiro turned himself into the police on the accords of the Phantom Thieves. You stumbled upon one of the many calling cards posted around Shibuya on your way to your meeting with Maruki; when you proudly displayed it to him, he fully supported you enthusiasm. You didn't get much research done that night—instead, you discussed the Phantom Thieves, your experience with what came to be the Kaneshiro thug from the previous month, and ended the evening with a heated debate on what the best fruit was. Those types of sessions became commonplace as you grew more comfortable being around each other, much to your elated surprise. Maruki was not only a great listener, but an excellent conversationalist despite being something of a wallflower—he was wise beyond his years, often providing great insight to the many social grievances plaguing young people such as ourselves. An especially compelling dialogue ensued after you elected to walk around the streets of Shibuya over sitting inside Big Bang Burger, as you usually did. One night, you stumbled across a man giving a speech on these very social issues—apparently, he was known as 'No Good Tora' to many of the onlookers—but his speech captivated you both. The weight he carried behind him when he spoke seemed to inspire you regardless of his tarnished legacy; in several ways, his oratory skills reminded you of Amamiya's.
Your heart could hardly keep still around the bespectacled man. Maruki has, for all intents and purposes, captured you in ways no one else even came close to doing. Daydreams of him filled your imagination as he was all you could think about; it was a distraction in all facets of your life, much to the detriment of my schoolwork, but it was something you no longer had control over. You were wholeheartedly in love with Takuto Maruki, and you would keep my feelings under wraps for as long as you conceivably could. At the very least, however, you took solace in the fact Maruki considered you a close friend.
We're good friends, aren't we? He once asked you as cheerful as ever, our relationship doesn't have to be that of researcher and subject.
If only that were the case, Maruki.
In any case, you framed Kaneshiro's calling card next to Kamoshida's. They hung above your desk at home, serving as your treasured reminder of the Phantom Thieves' heroism. First, your mother; then, that Kaneshiro lackey Maruki saved you from...your fate seemed entwined with that of The Phantom Thieves.
· · ·
While a remarkably brutal heatwave tore across Tokyo, Maruki rang as you sought refuge in the many fans of your small Yongen apartment. Wiping off the sweat beads that formed on your forehead, you reached for your phone which buzzed on the table adjacent to you. Whenever he called you, you made sure to stare at his icon—the picture of him you snapped at Inokashira Park—for just a moment. Mainly it was because you never liked answering the phone the second it rang, but you also loved admiring his handsome features: his tender, slightly down-turned brown eyes, his long eyelashes, his scruffy hair, his stubble...you got lost in his eyes as he spoke to me more times than you'd like to admit.
"Hello, Maruki?" you softly started as you laid down on the floor, "Is everything alright?"
"Hey!" the man replied, "I'm glad you're doing well. Are you free tomorrow?"
Tomorrow was Sunday the 17th if you recalled correctly; you generally didn't have much on your schedule on Sundays thanks to your habitual studying at work and Leblanc. It was the only true day of the week you were freely available. "Um, yes, I should be. Did you want to reschedule our session on Monday to tomorrow instead?"
"Not at all, (L/N). Quite the opposite, in fact." It appeared as though Maruki had a surprise for you. "You see, I found out about a summer festival in Odaiba from one of the students today at lunchtime." You didn't know why, but you could hear him strain ever so slightly at the mention of Odaiba, "Would you be interested in going with me tomorrow? No research or anything—I'm interested in sampling the food there, but just didn't want to go alone!" A day out with Maruki, without the pretense of research or work or professionalism; more simply put, it was an outing with Maruki as your friend rather than as your 'researcher.' You were so elated your mind was completely scrambled, and anything you wanted to say wouldn't form in your throat. "Ah...are you still there?" the doctor spoke again, this time timidly as your face ran hot.
"Yes—yes, yes. Yes, I'm free tomorrow. Yes, I'd like to go." you managed to stammer.
"Oh..! Well, in that case, shall we meet up tomorrow morning at our usual spot? Big Bang?"
"Yes."
"Great! Sleep tight, (L/N)."
"Yes."
"Er...see you, then!" Maruki hung up a second later as you held your phone to your ear for a while longer. Sheepish about your reaction (or lack thereof), you brought your knees to your chest and buried your face away. Judging by his tone, he was definitely creeped out—but, then again, he was far too nice to hold it against you. There really wasn't an ounce of hostility in that man's heart.
Idiot. 'Yes' was all you, a reasonably educated adult, could bring yourself to say? What will he think of you now? If he was truly unsettled, you reasoned, he would've rescinded his invitation; in fact, he later texted you an exact time for your meetup. And yet, despite that reassurance, you still decided on the classic excuse (my apologies, I was tired) so it wouldn't seem like you were a total loon.
You already knew that night was going to be a restless one. How could you sleep in anticipation of your outing with Maruki tomorrow? As the hours ticked by, you sorted out various things: your outfit and your light breakfast, among others. You made sure to set a few alarms five minutes apart from one another. You searched for details of the festival on the Internet to inform yourself, checked the weather (hot, as expected), and watched countless cat videos to pass the time until you were sleepy. Your one comfort was that it wasn't going to be far too different from Mondays with Maruki (as you came to lovingly call them), especially considering your conversations as of late have been quite casual. Still, worrying over your outward appearance and how you carry yourself with Maruki has become something of a usual occurrence, even though you were largely comfortable being around him. A couple Maruki-related fantasies later, you were out-cold.
The next morning, you groggily dressed yourself into an outfit fitting for the sweltering heat and for breakfast, you had a thick slice of shokupan with a hearty spreading of fruit jam. Prior to leaving, you checked yourself in the mirror probably about twenty times: making sure you didn't have anything stuck in your teeth, making sure your clothes were proper and straight, making sure your hair was just right...it's a lot of work to look good for your crush!
You let Maruki know you were on my way by the time you stepped onto the train platform. Even now, you felt incredibly self-conscious of how you looked as you stared at your phone's home screen for his reply; a few minutes later, it came in:
Great! I'm about ten minutes away from Shibuya.
As your fingers tapped across the screen, you received another text:
Shall we meet by the Saikyō Line instead of Big Bang Burger?
You erased my previous response, quickly typing another one. At first, you were going to say 'Yes,' but given what happened last night... That sounds good with me. It's just a few more minutes on my end too.
Maruki arrived before you did, evident as you spotted him on a bench by the Saikyō Line's entrance. Even on a casual outing, his clothing was refined: a short-sleeve mint green button-up paired with his usual khakis and, of course, his iconic slides. He appeared to be lost in his own head when you approached him; from glancing at the display, there was a bit of time until the next train to Odaiba was due. His expression was more subdued and less calm than you were used to seeing him, but as soon as he spotted you, that troubled look on his face was hastily erased—he must have been tired. Takuto stood up and greeted you, tenderly saying your name; your chest grew heated as a result.
"I hope I didn't keep you waiting for too long, Maruki." you remarked, "And, um...I'm sorry about last night. I sounded like a broken record, didn't I?"
Maruki snickered in response, "Just a little bit—but don't worry at all. I didn't mind."
What a relief, you didn't even have to explain yourself away with that lame excuse. His low, gentle laugh was enough to get you to fry your circuits again, though. "Well, with that out of the way, are you ready to go? I've actually never been to Odaiba before, so I'll just follow you."
"Really? What a surprise!" again, there was something mildly somber about his tone, "I've been there a few times for work-related reasons."
You spoke together, hushed to not disturb the other passengers, all the way to the destination. It was a rather arduous walk from the station to the site: the sun's heat was merciless and you both commented on how nice a cold bottle of water would be at that moment. Even with all that, you thought it would be nicer to hold hands with him all day...
The smell of grilled meats and barbeque smoke was potent as you drew nearer, the smoke itself only making the environment hotter, unfortunately. Your stomach growled anyway—kebabs were always irresistible, regardless of the outside conditions. "Hey, Maruki..." you looked at him, your hands gripping the straps of your light drawstring bag, "We should save the meat dishes for now. Ice cream sounds way better, right?"
Maruki took off his glasses to wipe his forehead, slicking his hair back with his fingers; his hair seemed soft to the touch as it fell right back into place over his face. "Absolutely. It doesn't look too far away now, at least!" he exclaimed as he fanned his face.
There was a moment of awkward silence before you broke the air, the stalls of the festival being just within view, "You're not worried about being spotted by one of your students with me, Maruki? That's pretty bold of you, heh." Your face ran hot as you said it, but it could be easily explained away by the heat.
"O-oh! You know, I never thought of that!" you could spot the faintest blush on his cheeks, and you fully treasured that sight. "But I don't have any problem with it at all. I mean, we're close, aren't we? We've seen each other several times a week for the past few months, talk on the phone frequently, and I wanted to thank you for your help both with my snack-choosing and the research, so..." he paused, "I was actually going to let you know I wouldn't mind if you called me Takuto."
Takuto. Takuto, his first name, was a symbol of your advancing closeness. You said it aloud and it felt foreign to your tongue, and yet, it rolled off perfectly. You were sure it tasted sweeter than any ice cream you would be having today. In response, Maruki—no, Takuto—said your first name just as sweetly.
As expected, the lines for the cold treats were far longer than those for cooked foods. Namely, the kakigori stand we chose: we were lucky enough to make it in line before another large group of people gathered behind us. Takuto played a game (or games) of chopsticks with you as entertainment while the line was seemingly still at times. It was cute, how he was always one hit away from winning, but would make a clumsy mistake or wouldn't realize your strategy—he was also strangely competitive, so you let him have a few games. His triumphant smile made it all worth it.
"Hey, ain't that...?" you heard a rowdy voice call out from the stall next to you, "Oh shit, it is! Hey, Doc! Over here!"
Looking up from the game, you spotted three high-school-aged boys: a familiar kid with blonde hair, Amamiya, and a tall, lanky boy next to them both. Was your earlier premonition coming true? Amamiya knew Takuto, but the blonde did as well—the tall teenager, not so much, however. Moreover, the loudest of the bunch waved energetically at the doctor stood beside you which drew attention to you; you were standing so close, too! Did people think of the two of you as a couple? You and Takuto weren't dating, but...you hope it appeared as such at a glance.
"Ah, Sakamoto and Amamiya, you're here as well? And your friend, hello there!" Takuto spoke with ease, stuffing one hand in his pocket. "I'm Takuto Maruki, and this," he said to the blue-haired man, now gesturing to you, "is a friend of mine." With that prompting, you introduced myself.
"I am Yusuke Kitagawa, a student of the fine arts division at Kosei High." His voice was even lower than Amamiya—what are young people doing nowadays to have such deep, mature voices? "I have heard a lot about you, Doctor Maruki." He was, how to say it? Intimidating? Eccentric?
"Oh! Well, um...I'm flattered, haha!" Takuto sheepishly rubbed his neck, "But I'm really nothing too special!"
"Aw, there you go again, Yusuke." The blonde, Sakamoto, nudged at Kitagawa's side, to which he flinched; meanwhile, Amamiya was watching silently as he tended to do. "Goin' and bein' weird. Anyway, ain't these lines insane? Like, more insane than the heat?" he had a rather sizable grin on his face.
"Ugh, don't remind me." you playfully chided, "We'll be enjoying cold treats, though, so it won't be too bad if we wait just a bit longer..."
Takuto chuckled, "That is, if it's not all sold out by the time we get there."
"Please don't jinx it." you murmured, letting out a heavy sigh.
Amamiya finally spoke up, "Hm. Maybe I should get something sweet instead." He pondered, more-so thinking out loud.
Sakamoto held his head low, "C'mon, man—we're already in line for kebabs." His tone was markedly defeated; in fact, he was an expressive man in all his actions.
"Standing in this heat for so long is certainly trying..." Kitagawa remarked in a similarly dejected manner.
Exchanging glances with Takuto, it seemed you both had the same idea. "Hey, Amamiya," you decided to speak up, "Why don't you tell us what you want? It's on me." Takuto immediately said your name as if in protest, but you quickly waved him away. "Don't worry about it."
"You angel..!" Kitagawa interrupted Amamiya before he even had the chance to accept the offer, "Offering to buy a cold, sweet treat out of the kindness of your heart: you are undoubtedly benevolent! A saint with a beautiful heart!" he stepped away from his friends and closer to you.
"Uh, it's alright, Kitagawa, really!" you put my hands up to your chest, but you were having fun, "D-did you want something too?"
You could practically see the stars in his eyes, especially now as he was uncomfortably close to your face. "You would? Truly?" his snicker was strikingly mischievous, and his smirk was particularly startling, "Very well. I shall accept your gracious offer."
"That's great and all, but—" you tried to utter. As you stepped back from Kitagawa, you only got closer to Takuto: your back was to his chest and you feared catching the sight of his face. Would he be disgusted or pleased by your nearness? You'd rather not know at this point.
"Dude..." Sakamoto scratched his head, "You're outta the line."
"Good luck getting back in." Amamiya commented amusingly after you heard a distinct meow.
Kitagawa turned around; his grey eyes widened as he came to that realization while his mouth was slightly agape. "My word!" he attempted to stand behind his two friends, but those behind him pushed him back out. "I cannot believe this..."
"That's awful..." Takuto began. Now that Kitagawa moved away, you put some distance between you and Takuto again. "Ah, I know! You could go find somewhere to sit with your friends while they wait in line! Or you could get them drinks!'
"And don't feel too down," I spoke directly after you friend, "We'll be sure to get you both you and Amamiya something to eat."
At this notion, Kitagawa didn't seem too bothered anymore. In fact, there was a glint of inspiration in his eyes, clenched fists and all as he seemed more determined than ever—a far cry from his display from just a moment ago. "Very well then. I shall make it my duty to find the most beautiful muse in this festival!"
Sakamoto sighed, followed by another cat's meow. Were there strays here or something? "Do what you gotta do, man. Just don't get lost." Before anyone else could get a word in, Kitagawa was already off on some creative venture, and the line Takuto and you were in was finally moving. If you had to guess, there were only about ten people ahead of his—meanwhile, the line Sakamoto and Amamiya were in were still frozen.
"We'll be sure to get Amamiya's and Kitagawa's food to you before we leave this area." Takuto told the two boys, "Don't overheat, and remember to drink plenty of water, haha!" And with that, you bid each other a brief goodbye.
With the way Kitagawa grasped at the shaved ice you bought him, you would've thought he hasn't eaten in months, causing a twinge of guilt on your end. You should've bought a dessert more filling than kakigori, like a taiyaki parfait or something of that nature. Takuto, of course, reassured you: You did the right thing. You saw how grateful he was for your act of kindness, right? Yeah, maybe Kitagawa was a little too thankful. In fact, I'm more upset you completely refused my offer to pay for it, or at least half... you beamed inwardly. Takuto was a precious man.
"You have quite the eccentric students. I know Kitagawa doesn't go to Shujin, but he is friends with Sakamoto and Amamiya, after all." you pointed out to him after you found a spot in the shade to sit down. The shaded areas were far more crowded—you were fortunate enough to even find a seat—but they provided a special kind of asylum from the sun's glaring rays. Even better was the way the frozen delight slid down your throat and the way Takuto's tongue turned bright blue. You would end up teasing him for it later. "I can see why you love your job so much. You must never be bored around them."
Takuto smiled, and it was a wholehearted smile that exhibited the love and compassion he had for every single Shujin student. "I'm possibly the luckiest counselor out there." His warm eyes were completely welcomed, even in this weather. "Sakamoto's more driven than most people my age. And he's incredibly stubborn, but in a good way. He doesn't let people get to him, he's a great and loyal friend anyone would be lucky to have. I've already spoken plenty of Amamiya, but he's also one of a kind." you wanted to listen to him speak, so you continued to indulge in the ice. "He has the brightest eyes, full of hope—and I believe it's that hopeful spirit of his that gets him through all his obstacles unscathed. Now, I don't know Kitagawa, but it's easy to see his creativity is what propels him through any situation. They truly are amazing children with promising futures. I'll always support them." His words touched you heart. He was possibly the most genuine man you'd ever met.
"You're a good man, Takuto," was all you said in response.
"If I don't encourage them," he quickly replied, not one for praise, "who will?"
"I'll support them with you."
It became an unbreakable promise between you two.
The rest of the day with Takuto was spent sampling the many dishes the festival had to offer and, now with iced beverages (water for you, Ramune for him), the high temperature became something of a trivial matter. Takuto could be quite expressive, especially when it came to food: his face puckered when we tried the Ume Ame, and his cheeks flushed when he accidentally dipped the tender kebab meat into a spicy sauce. You spent so much of your time laughing together, without a care in the world.
"Hey, Takuto," I called for him as your bellies were full, "You any good at the games here? When I'd go to festivals with my friends back in high school, we always made it a tradition to play senbonhiki before we left. Honestly, though, it's more luck than anything..."
"Has it really been that long since you've attended a festival?" Takuto chuckled, "Sure, I don't have anywhere to be. There aren't as many people around anymore, either."
"Unfortunately," you chided back as we changed your course to the closest games stall, "it has been. Which is why I'm extra grateful you invited me today."
Takuto's eyes widened ever so slightly, as if he was taken aback by your comment. "O-oh, is that so? In truth, I haven't been to a festival in a few years as well. So, um, I'm grateful you accepted my invitation! I had a lot of fun with you today."
Your heart pounded in your chest; he had a way of instantly making your stomach knot in the best possible way. "I had fun with you too." You'll probably regret the amount of money you spent today, though...you should've asked that Amamiya kid for some cash, considering how loaded you suspected him of being. "Oh, look!" you pointed ahead, "It's a senbonhiki stand!"
Senbonhiki: it was like the lottery, but more fun. Tugging on the strings to feel for the heaviest (not always the best strategy—sometimes the prizes were rocks), pulling it up to see what you won, something about it is exhilarating. You still had all the rewards you earned from when you were young tucked somewhere in you childhood bedroom. "Why don't we give each other the presents we win?" you suggested as you both paid the small fare.
Takuto's concentration was mostly on the strings themselves as you judged their weights. "You mean like a memento?" he said softly.
"Yes. Exactly like a memento. And as a sign of our mutual gratitude." you gave a test-tug to one of the strings you felt satisfied with.
Takuto giggled, "You're always full of great ideas, aren't you?" he skipped the test-tug and jumped straight to pulling his choice up.
You won a candy bar. Takuto was luckier (in your mind, at least) with his Jack Frost doll.
"This is yours, hee-ho!" the man presented the doll to you with the most kindhearted smile he'd ever given you. You nearly fainted as you gleefully accepted it and handed him the candy bar in return.
"Hardly an equal exchange, ho." you spiritedly echoed, a faint pout on your face.
Takuto wasted no time in unwrapping the candy, "You seem to forget how much I love sweets. Look, it's even green-apple flavored!"
"Fine, fine." your lips curved and your heart fluttered. Jack Frost was supposed to be a symbol of winter, and yet, you could feel Takuto's warmth as you held the plushie close to your chest. You were a grown adult, but you were sure you'd be sleeping holding it close to you, unashamedly pretending it was the man you loved. "It's getting late, though. Did you want to walk around Odaiba before heading home? I heard they're building a stadium, and—"
"No." he abruptly said, his face having lost all semblance of Takuto's usual self for only a brief moment: warmth replaced with chilliness, a distressed expression taking place of his tender one. His smile reformed, but you wouldn't forget how distraught he looked at the mere mention of the stadium. "I mean—I'm sorry, I actually just thought of something I could use in my paper. I know I said no research, but I suddenly had a great idea and don't want to lose it."
"O-oh. Alright then." you murmured; your back slouched over.
"I'm sorry! Please, don't be offended! I really did have a great time with you." he bowed apologetically, "Be safe going home, okay? Text me when you get home."
Takuto was gone, and you were left alone next to children playing senbonhiki.
The memory of his expression instantly changing at the mention of Odaiba's stadium puzzled you to no end. He told you it was something about his paper, but there had to be more to it you didn't know about it. You reminded me there was still so much you didn't know about Takuto—what right did you have to call him your friend? Your crush? You didn't even have the courage to stop him when he left, to ask him what was wrong, or anything. Even now, far from the festival grounds, you haven't texted him. You had no power to console him; all you did was hold the part of Takuto that could never leave you. Truthfully, you didn't want to go home with the thoughts weighing heavily on you. Your mind wandered to the two boys you met today, along with Amamiya. Takuto sang such heavy praise of them—even of Kitagawa, the one he didn't know. You hoped he afforded you the same acclaim despite not being particularly remarkable.
You had subconsciously brought myself to the stadium. The construction had barely begun, it seemed. Your head empty, you stared at the sight of it all: the iron bars, the excavators, the bulldozers, the tower crane towering over the foundation...it all felt wrong to you. It was something you couldn't begin to describe—and if you tried, you'd probably be written off as crazy or superstitious—but just felt deep within the pits of your stomach. You were uncomfortable and agonized here.
You started for the train station, but nearly bumped into a girl. Her hair was the first thing that caught your eye: a vibrant shade of crimson—it was beautiful, really—and the bow holding her ponytail up was a cute touch. She was young but put together. "My apologies." you said under your breath.
"N-no, I'm sorry for getting in your way!" she stammered back. You recognized her as a Shujin student; you wondered if she knew you were her store clerk, too. Eventually, you arrived at the train station, where you blasted music the entire ride home. After being with Takuto all day, you hated being without him again.
Sometime later, you received a call from Takuto. Not caring about impressions, you picked it up after the first ring. "Hello...?"
"Hello! I'm glad I could get ahold of you. You didn't text me, so I was worried." There was obvious guilt laced within his voice.
"I'm sorry, it completely slipped my mind. I got home a while ago, though. I'm safe."
"That's a relief. So, I just wanted to explain myself." you had a feeling it wasn't going to be the explanation that you were truly looking for. "You see, with both you and Amamiya's help, my research has been going rather smoothly. I'm very proud of the progress I've made, but it was only thanks to you two."
You smiled.
"There was another reason I wanted to invite you out today: I'm going to be quite busy as I gather my thoughts together and consolidate my thesis, so I need to put our meetings on hold for about a month or so."
The smile faded.
"But that doesn't mean I don't want to see you again. When I finish this one section of my paper, I need to start studying another portion of it. Have you been to Book Town?"
"Book Town? Yes, I get a lot of my textbooks there." you replied downheartedly. You were still friends—Takuto even said it himself, he wants to see you again—but Mondays with Maruki was something you came to look forward to every week, the one routine you actually enjoyed!
There was a small pause; he probably heard how disappointed you sounded. You felt like a fool for making this man feel guilty. "I'd like you to accompany me again, if possible. I'll be looking for books on a certain obscure topic."
"If you think I'd be helpful, then yes. I'd love to come." No hesitation on your end; you'd never pass up an opportunity to hang out with Takuto.
"Great! We won't be seeing much of each other outside of your store, but let's keep in touch, okay? You have my number." He sounded cheerful again.
"I will, Takuto."
You said goodbye, good night, and hung up. That night, you clutched Jack Frost tightly, wondering just how you'll get through the month without Takuto's cognizance, his unique charm and hearing his soothing voice in person. It took a long time for you to fall asleep.
The emptiness of Takuto's absence would only be compounded by the rise of Medjed later that month. You were like everyone else, at first: terrified of the purge, but one thought and only thought alone comforted you:The Phantom Thieves would handle this.