Fandom *:・ﾟ✧ hidari uma

[Mothman]

> I can be there in just a bit. Lines for the subway are as big as always, but I'll be there.

She made a quick detour to a public restroom, trying to work with her hair with her hands and hopefully make herself look a bit more presentable. She wouldn't want a model of all people to see her looking like she did. Though, it was a little late to go home and take care of makeup related issues. While she had a bit of foundation on, it was far less than how she normally did her makeup. She only hoped Ann wouldn't realize how much of a mess she was...

It was as unpleasant of a train ride as it always was, but she was used to it. At least Ginza was nearby. Before long, she was at the park, and this time actually caught sight of Ann before she had to send her another text telling her to look left or something similar. She walked over, a bit surprised the girl had laid out an entire sort of picnic for them. She sat with a gentle wave, setting her bag at her side.

"I didn't expect an entire picnic set up like this, Takamaki-san. It's... Nice, though." She gave a gentle chuckle before looking at her phone for a minute, just to be sure her mother hadn't asked anything as she took the train.

"So, you said you needed help with math, is that right? I don't know if our cirriculums would be covering different things at the moment, but I'm happy to help you with whatever you need." It was more than obvious she had a lot on her mind, her voice lacking the graceful and almost chipper tone it held normally, not to mention her eyes were wandering much more than they did on average.​

 

[satanael]

"Upp, upp, upp! Food first, then studying. We need energy for our brains!" Ann handed off a box to Hifumi and then opened hers: The excitement on her face drained in an instant. No matter how much Ann poked at the slices of green stuff with her chopsticks, they refused to change color. "Um, I asked my friend to make us something healthy. I didn't realize it'd be this healthy."

Gingerly, she lifted a piece to her lips and took a tentative bite. Ann pursed her lips. The bitter melon was nuttier than she expected and the sharp tang of ginger dulled the pungent flavor. "Ugh. It's not bad, but I would never eat this normally." As much as she wanted to toss the contents of her bento, that'd be an absolute waste of food. Never mind the fact that she still owed Ren for the ingredients. Ann had to suck it up, dig her grave and lay in it.

Now that she no longer had yummy food as an excuse, Ann grabbed her textbook and laid it out in between herself and Hifumi. She flipped to a random page, turned around to check her syllabus, then found the right chapter. "Let's see... Oh! I remember this now. Yusuke was studying this a few weeks ago."

 

[Mothman]

"O-Oh, if you insist." Hifumi took the bento box with a smile and cracked it open, quickly looking up at Ann in confusion. She first assumed it was something she had just bought on her way there, but now that she looked at it, it seemed homemade. But, noting Ann's face, she was about to ask where she got the food. Though, as if she had read her mind, Ann elaborated quickly.

"I see. Well, it looks fine to me" With a smile, she took a bite of the food, before nodding in approval. "The taste is a bit sharp, but the aftertaste is delightful." After speaking, she realized that it might have just been due to her not having eaten as much as she should of in the recent days. It was how it was, she supposed...

"You know Kitagawa-kun?" Peering over her to look into her textbook, she was surprised to learn it. Her and Yusuke were acquainted, but they weren't horribly friendly or anything of the sort. Just the occasional hello and small talk in their homeroom. Regardless, Hifumi was happy to walk Ann through a few of the simpler problems to hopefully get her eased into it herself.

"Just before I overload you with too much info, does that make sense?" Every few minutes, she would pause and let Ann work out a problem, staring off into space and needing the girl to tap her on the shoulder or something to get her to snap out of it. Perhaps it was because she had already talked about it with Ann, but she couldn't keep her mother off of her mind.​

 

[satanael]

"Uh huh. He wanted me to model for him at one point." Ann pointedly left out the details about just how exactly Yusuke had wanted her to pose for him. "Him being an artist and all that." The students at Kosei were all in a league of their own. At first, she'd thought they'd all be as eccentric as Yusuke. Turns out that was all on him.

Studying with Hifumi wasn't all that different from working with Ren or Makoto. In fact, Hifumi was more thorough than either of them and Ann found herself working through the examples at a much quicker pace than the usual slog.

"And yeah, you're really good at teaching! I feel so lucky to have you for a friend." Ann jotted down a few more notes in the margins of her work, then set her pen down. Laid out flat upon her stomach, she kicked her legs back and forth and hummed at the gentle breeze whisking by them. Her eyes drifted up towards Hifumi. "--I get the feeling there's something you want to talk about."

 

[Mothman]

"I haven't talked to him much, but he seems... Interesting. I've given him some of my lunch a handful of times, he always seems hungry. I worry about him sometimes." She shrugged at the topic of the artist, not knowing exactly how close her and Yusuke were. "His art is beautiful, though. At least what I've seen of it."

"I'm glad I'm helpful to you. I don't really... Teach people things like this all that often. I suppose I've been teaching Ren a bit about Shogi." As Ann referred to her as a friend, a gentle blush crept onto her face as she smiled. She found herself at a loss for words, before she gave a half bow towards the girl as she laid down. "I appreciate it, really..."

As Ann touched on the elephant in the room, she let out a deep exhale, turning herself to face right towards Ann. "I mean... I don't want to bug you with any more of my issues. I've just been thinking about everything too much... I haven't been sleeping well, I'm sure you can tell... I look like a mess." She ran a hand through her hair, not happy with the rough, greasy texture. "It's just... I don't know what to do. I haven't played a game with Ren in days, I just can't find the motivation to play anymore..."​

 

[satanael]

Interesting was an incredibly apt euphemism for any and all things Yusuke-related. To say anything else would not do the man justice. He was like an onion; he had layers, many, many complicated layers. Ann had only ever brushed against the surface, but Ren had shared a fair amount about their mutual friend's eccentricities.

"Have you given looking for a new hobby any thought? You know, just as a distraction. Until your motivation comes back." It was only a stop-gap measure, not a proper way of addressing the greater problem. Ann tucked her chin upon her knuckles and mulled. "Or... How do you feel around groups? I know you mentioned that you don't socialize much, but do you think you could handle being around people?"

 

[Mothman]

"A new hobby...? I can't say I've considered it, but my talents are very few and far between. Not to mention how furious mother would be if I stopped competing..." She shook her head at the idea. While on paper it was a great one, she would have to somehow get it past her mother, which was much easier said than done. "If it comes back... I suppose something to distract me could be nice, though."

"I don't see myself being bad with groups, at least I don't think so. I'm around people a lot in my shogi competitions, or with these photoshoots recently... I'm not really that talkative, though, so I don't fit in to my groups."

She pause for a short moment after asking, meeting eyes with Ann for a short moment. "Why do you ask...?"​

 

[satanael]

"Well, my friends are all good people. You already know Yusuke and Ren. I figure, why not go ahead and just introduce you to all of them? That way, if you ever need someone to talk to, there's plenty of people you can reach out to!" She flashed her brightest smile, the sincerity of her words echoing with warmth. "That and I think it'd be a lot of fun to plan a party. What do you say?" Getting out the house when you were down and blue was one of the hardest things you could be asked to do. Ann knew, she'd been there so many times, but she also knew that every time she gave into Shiho's suggestion, she ended her days on a much happier note.

> stop spammin me with invites
> im done playin words w/ friends
> gonna uninstall

> It's for your own good, Ryuji.

> tf does 'angina' even mean
> disgustin

> ... that's chest pain.
> _Not_ what you're thinking of.

> You fought admirably, Akechi. As did you, Haru. I look forward to a rematch.

 

[Mothman]

"I mean... If that's what you think is best." The idea struck her as a bit out of left field, but she wasn't entirely against it. Even if the last thing she wanted to go was go out and try to socialize, she knew that Ann was right in the end. Staying cooped up inside wouldn't do her any good. "I'd hate to be a burden on your friends, though. Are you sure they'd be okay with my company...?"

She had finished her food a while ago, but still had the empty bento in her lap regardless. She took a moment to shut it again and set it off to the side. While she knew full well about the park here, it was the first time she'd spared any more than a passing glance at it.

> Git gud, Ryuji. I'm years younger than you and I know what 'angina' is, noob.

> Of course, Yusuke! I love this game!

> Anyone heard from Ann? Or is she busy again?

> I haven't heard anything. I hate to bring it up, but what're we going to do about Mitsuyo Togo being in the Nav? Maybe today's a good day to meet up and discuss it?

​

 

[satanael]

"Well, they'd better be," she teased, implying that a fate worse than death would befall upon any who denied her this party. "Lemme ask 'em right now."

But when she went to text the group, Ann caught sight of the reminder. She bit her tongue.

> hey um. i'm actually hanging out with togo-san rn. i was hoping we could do somethin fun for her, like a lil get-together at leblanc
> sorry, that sounds so silly now
> we should focus

> This actually might be a good opportunity to obtain more information about Mitsuyo Togo.

> I don't mind hosting in the attic.

 

[Mothman]

"Mmm." She nodded to the girl, pulling out her phone as she waited for an answer from Ann's group. As she flicked through her screen mindlessly, an app icon she didn't recognize caught her eye for a moment. Red and black, shaped like some sort of eye, it didn't have any sort of title under it. After tapping it and being directed to her GPS app, she assumed it was just a bug and left it alone.

> Agreed. I did a little more digging on the net, but I can't find much more without a bug on her phone.

> Maybe we should take it slow. I don't think she'll be eager to talk about her.

> I can see what I can get out of her at some point.

> It's a done deal, then. Ann, if Hifumi's down, we can meet up at LeBlanc. ​

 

[satanael]

Although it would be for the great good, Ann couldn't help the nagging feeling at the back of her mind. Getting together just for the sake of extracting information out of someone felt so disingenuous. She really wanted her friends to get along with Hifumi and not because of any ulterior motive.

Then again, if she didn't pursue this lead, Hifumi would have to endure her mother's antics that much longer.

"Uhh, so... They said they'd like to meet you! Do you have to let your mom know? I know Yongen-jaya's a bit far."

 

[Mothman]

"R-Really...?" It caught her a bit off guard that the others would be so willing to meet her, but she supposed she had no reason to complain. It'd be something to keep her mind off of things, at least.

"I'll get in touch with her on the way there. I don't have anything planned tonight in terms of photoshoots, interviews, or what-have-you, so as long as I'm home by a reasonable time, it should be fine." With that, she nodded and helped Ann clean things up before they headed out.

---

"Knock knock." The gentle tap of footsteps found its way up the stairs to the attic, following a gentle hello to Sojiro, busy at work. As he ascended the stairs, he was quick to find himself the first one to arrive. "I see I got here before Futaba as well." A small chuckle left his lips. "She lives just down the street, doesn't she? Must be finishing an episode or something of the sort." Rolling his eyes, he found himself a seat before looking to Ren and Morgana.

He set his suitcase at his side, a dull thud sounding out as it hit the faded floor of the attic. "How're things, both of you?" He asked posing the question to the pair, though Morgana seemed distracted by his own self grooming.​

 

[satanael]

At the sight of Morgana licking himself, Ren threw a jacket over him and snorted. "C'mon, we've got a guest over." He turned towards Akechi and glanced at the sorry state of his room. Aside from a shelf of mementos and knick-knacks, the attic was incredibly sparse. Ren had no sense of how to decorate his space and a conversation with his penpal had turned up no suggestions, other than to invest in a couple of origami books. (Long story).

"Should I be creeped out by the fact that you got here so fast?" Ren asked, light and teasing.

 

[Mothman]

"I hope not. I wasn't far, I was speaking with that Takemi woman who's been supplying us with medicine. I didn't mention you or any of the others, of course. I simply went to inquire her on a few things." It really wasn't more than a harmless chat, he simply asked how business was and what sort of treatments she offered. Ren spoke highly of her, so he saw potential in heading to her if he ever felt sick.

"Just out of curiosity, what do you think the others will say about Mitsuyo Togo's Palace? I've no issues with it, but I worry some of the others might." As far as he knew, the Thieves had never had much disagreement over a target.​

 

[satanael]

As peculiar as Takemi could be, Ren wondered if she was as taken by young TV celebrities as the next lady. He couldn't fathom the idea of her recognizing Akechi from one of those programs and treating him differently from all her other patients. There had to be some sort of code of ethics against that. And aside from her weird sense of humor, she didn't toe the line of professionalism... that much.

Okay, never mind, Ren was mildly concerned that Akechi had been in the same room as Takemi, alone.

"I was getting the impression that Futaba is really resistant to the idea. I mean, I get where she's coming from. We've taken down a crime lord. Targeting some socialite is kind of a step backwards."

Even so, he didn't like the idea of leaving Hifumi to her fate.

"I don't know, I don't really want to talk about work. Don't you get tired of that, too?"

 

[Mothman]

"That's what I think the dissenting opinion will be. Not to mention the public will think the Phantom Thieves are taking a step back if we end up writing a calling card for her. Mementos targets leave much less of an impression." He shrugged and agreed to his next words.

"I apologize. We can save that for when the others arrive." Waving his hand dismissively, he tried to move on to another topic.

"If that's the case, what do you want to talk about? Most of my life is work, so I'll admit I don't have a ton to bring up that isn't something you could hear on the nightly news."

Morgana didn't seem horribly interested in chatting with Akechi, still more than skeptical of the boy. Though, it was something he kept mostly to himself.​

 

[satanael]

"Normal stuff. Such as your hobbies." Ren kicked his legs up onto his table, then rocked back on his chair. One false move and he'd be on the ground in a tangled heap of limbs and a sore behind. "And no, people-watching doesn't count."

He crossed his arms, looking a touch too comfortable for a man in his position. And what a precarious position that was. "Don't think I can't tell when you're giving a canned response either."

 

[Mothman]

"Hah, then I can't say I'll have much to give you. I enjoy music, but it's more of something to help get me through my work as opposed to a hobby. I've tried to get into sports in the past, but I simply don't have that kind of time." He shrugged as Ren warned him not to give a fake response, and he gave it a second thought.

"Hobbies... I suppose it's not something I actively do now, but I used to enjoy nature. I used to live near a beautiful area of forest. Oh, and I used to swim quite a lot. Not many places to get out and enjoy the water around here in the city, though." Hoping that the answer would be at least good enough, he leaned forward and allowed Ren a moment to comment.​

 

[satanael]

He hung on Akechi's every word, enraptured by the content as much as the voice itself. Akechi always carried himself as if the world were watching and Ren was but one of many who inevitably stopped and stared.

Sensing that it was his turn to share, Ren wracked his brain for an answer, "Before coming to the city, I used to go hiking a lot. There isn't much else to do in the countryside. Sometimes, I'd go off the beaten path and venture out into the woods. My mom hated that. Said that one of these days, I'd get myself lost and then what would she do?"

He laughed, sheepish, like he'd just recounted an embarrassing childhood story. "I'll have to take you out camping sometime. Get some fresh mountain air."

 

[Mothman]

"You don't mention your parents that much, Ren. I suppose I wouldn't either, if I were in your shoes." He didn't mean for the comment to come off as rude, like he was dissing Ren's parents or something of the sort. It wasn't like he shared a great relationship with his father, anyways...

"If I ever find the time, I'd be happy to take you up on that." While, in truth, the Detective Prince felt he wouldn't find time to plan an excursion like that forever, he was happy to at least humor the idea.

"Mmm. That reminds me..." He glanced towards the stairs, a bit surprised that nobody else had arrived yet. "What does our fearless leader do in his spare time?"

​

 

[satanael]

Regardless of how Akechi did or didn't intend for that remark to come across, Ren stared at him in shock. In all the time that he'd known the detective, Ren always noticed the way Akechi treaded ever so lightly around sensitive subjects.

But as Akechi carried on like nothing had happened, the surprise ebbed away and Ren berated himself for getting shaken up in the first place. Languid as a cat perching upon a windowsill, he tucked his cheek against his knuckles, affecting a lackadaisical air.

"You mean, other than watch anime all day?" Ren ducked his head, chuckling to himself. "Sometimes I go to the batting cages. When I get paid, I usually head over to the arcade and spend a good hour or two blowing through my paycheck."

 

[Mothman]

"Ah, that came out wrong, didn't it?" Akechi awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, noting Ren's expression after his words left him. He took a breath before speaking again. "I didn't mean for it to come across that way. I'm on... Less than stellar terms with my parents. If they sent me out to a different city and made me live in an attic, I'd be far from thrilled with them." He tried to move past the talk of his parents quickly.

"At least you're using it to have fun." A short laugh got him back to his regular mood, before footsteps started to climb up to the attic. Ann and Hifumi emerged, empty bento boxes in hand and textbook stuffed bags over their shoulders. Hifumi gave a gentle wave as they walked up, letting out a sigh of relief as she realized they got there before most of the group. It'd give her a bit of time to simmer down and relax, at least she hoped.

"G-Goro Akechi...!?" Hifumi stayed a step behind Ann out of shyness, but upon seeing the detective, couldn't help but drop her jaw. "Ann-chan-" She cut herself off and cleared her throat after she informally referred to Ann. "Takamaki-san, you didn't mention you were friends with Goro Akechi, of all people...! Should I expect Rise Kujikawa and a bunch of other celebrities to come up here next?" While she certainly wasn't frustrated, it just caught her more than off guard to be face to face with the famous Detective Prince.

Akechi looked up towards the girl in confusion. While he knew a fair bit of Hifumi, both from the chats and the rumors, this was her first time seeing the girl face to face. "It's a pleasure, Togo-san."​

 

[satanael]

Ren fell over. The chair clattered unceremoniously across the room while he let out a groan in pain. Gingerly, he picked himself up and offered a weak wave to both Ann and Hifumi in greeting. "Afternoon, ladies."

"Wow, Ren, real smooth. You okay?" Ann asked in the flattest voice possible.

Other than a wounded pride, he was feeling just peachy. Ren settled onto his bed and grimaced as he felt a bruise forming on his backside. "Ahem. Yeah, Akechi is kind of a regular here. We struck up a friendship over our mutual love for coffee." Lying through his teeth should not have come so naturally to him. Yet it is what it is.

"Huh... Come to think of it, I think someone at my agency worked with Risette..." Ann mumbled, lost in her own little world. "Anyway, what have you two been up to?"

"We were just shooting the breeze. Akechi doesn't have a life."

 

[Mothman]

"Oh, come now, Ren, you paint it like I just waste away in my room all day." Akechi rolled his eyes at Ren's simple phrasing of the boy's spare time. "I'm just quite busy, is all. Most of my free time goes to-" While he about to mention the Phantom Thieves, he realized they had a non-thief in the room, catching himself. It was quite unlike him to slip like that. Though, with his ever proficient acting, his pause turned him to him pointing at Ren. "-him. I come over for one cup of coffee and he manages to get me stuck here for an hour."

It took a moment for her to find it in her, but she took a seat after listening to them chat for a bit, stealing a glance at Ann to make sure it was alright. For whatever reason, she felt she was intruding on some sort of more important discussion the others were meaning to have, but she didn't want to vocalize it.

"Regardless, Togo-san." Bored of poking fun at Ren, at least for now, he turned in his seat to look at Hifumi, putting a hand to a chin as he tried to get a read on her expression. A mix of nervousness and a separate anxiety, at least that's what it looked like to him. "I hear your shogi matches have been stellar, as of late. I managed to tune in for part of the broadcast of your most recent one, it was truly a treat."

"Oh, that match...? It was nothing, really..." It was just after the match Akechi was referring to that she learned her big matches were rigged. It was odd, the opponents must have been horribly good at throwing games, because even with her skill in the game, she had no clue.

"Not to mention the physical performance you put on. You're like a raging tide, Togo-san, you seem to get so into things. Posing and all the such while you play? I wish I could have heard what you were going on about, but the broadcast only featured commentary on the match, not direct audio."​