It was almost eleven at night.
The cold, damp night wind from Tokyo Bay blew from afar from the Kanda River, weaving through the narrow alleys, brushing past roadside billboards, carrying a slight chill of late spring and early summer. The high-rise city center shimmered with a cold, brilliant glow in the deep night, and the shadows of pedestrians fragmented in the hazy light, like swaying tree branches.
Kurusu Akira walked down the street carrying the unconscious Togawa Sakiko. Most of the shops on one side had already closed, with only one izakaya still lively with faint lights.
The cold wind vaguely carried the scent of beer and tobacco. From a distance, a bamboo curtain swayed, and a man, heavily drunk, stumbled onto the street, suddenly smashing his beer can to the ground and stomping on it, then putting on an indignant expression, pointing at a streetlamp and shouting loudly, as if scolding an invisible enemy in the starless, moonless night.
Closer, one realized he was merely grumbling about trivial matters of daily life.
His son's tuition, the imminent car and housing loan payments… wherever you go in society, you can't escape money. Being able to muster the courage to gnash your teeth and curse heaven and earth indicates that life, though tight, is still manageable.
When there's no energy left even for complaining or scolding, then perhaps "regret" and similar emotions will permeate life.
Kurusu Akira slowly walked along the night path towards Kasumigaseki in Kanda. The cherry trees by the roadside swayed in the evening breeze, making soft rustling sounds.
His phone in his pocket suddenly rang. He thought of Togawa Sakiko, who was unconscious from mental exhaustion, on his back, and temporarily gave up on answering the call.
After about half a minute, the call hung up on its own.
The surroundings once again fell into a quiet atmosphere.
Just as he was wondering who would call him at eleven at night, the phone rang again… This time it was from the other school uniform pocket, from Togawa Sakiko's phone, which he had found in the women's restroom.
As if summoned by some mysterious power, his own phone also started a new round of ringing.
Two phone ringtones played alternately in his pockets, making his head ache as if a group of Iseri Nina had surrounded him, asking questions all at once.
"What the hell."
Kurusu Akira looked up at the deep night sky and couldn't help but sigh.
He would rather go back to Mementos and fight ten more Persona users than endure such noise torture on a peaceful night—what truly tormented him was the stares of the pedestrians around him.
He had no choice but to rush out of the street with Togawa Sakiko on his back, running into a nearby park. Then he carefully placed the girl on a park bench, finally having the leisure to pull out two phones from his pockets.
The screen of the phone in his left hand displayed Sakura Sojiro and Hasegawa Zenkichi in sequence.
The screen of the phone in his right hand displayed Hasegawa Zenkichi, Nagasaki Sayo, and Wakaba Mutsumi in sequence.
It was clear that Togawa Sakiko had called the police, and after a long time had not arrived at the police station as scheduled, causing Hasegawa to worry, so he began to contact people she knew to inquire about the situation… No, he should contact her family first… What was the situation with these two women with different surnames?
Togawa Sakiko's half-sisters?
Thinking this, Kurusu Akira couldn't help but use a cheat.
Then he saw the Persona Dioscuri emerge from behind the Phantom Thief, and open a thin notebook with "CRYCHIC" written on its cover.
The notebook had only three pages. The first page listed a few names, and the second and third pages contained lyrics… They looked familiar. Relying on the Persona's ability to further delve into his memory, he remembered that it was "HaruhiKage," a song that had gained some influence online previously.
So that's it, they were Togawa Sakiko's classmates who played in a band together during middle school.
Kurusu Akira's phone timely entered the "call request" interface again.
The contact was noted as "Hasegawa Zenkichi."
He answered the phone. "Hello, this is Amamiya."
Police Inspector Hasegawa's voice was as calm and steady as ever. "Finally connected… Amamiya-san, have you communicated with Togawa-san tonight via social media, phone, or in person?"
Kurusu Akira glanced at Togawa Sakiko, who was leaning on the park bench with a peaceful sleeping face, and answered truthfully, "Yes."
"Do you know she was coming to the Police Department at ten o'clock tonight?"
"She's right beside me now."
"Oh… Would it be convenient for her to take the call?"
"No, it's not."
"Hm?"
"She's asleep."
"Huh??"
This was the first time Kurusu Akira had heard a subtle awkwardness and embarrassment in the voice of the capable Police Inspector.
A strangely silent atmosphere fell over the call.
After a brief silence, Hasegawa Zenkichi said hesitantly, "Am I disturbing you two?"
He did know that young people nowadays were quite open, but he hadn't expected it to develop to this extent… Feeling upset due to family conflicts, so she went to her boyfriend to vent her emotions… On second thought, it seemed quite reasonable, especially since many young female police officers had been deeply impressed by Kurusu Akira after he showed up at the police station once.
There was indeed a reason why the "host" profession could flourish.
Hasegawa Zenkichi, in his office, glanced at the clock on the wall and immediately scratched his head, troubled. Was it good or bad for young people to be obsessed with such things?
He asked Kurusu Akira, "So... are you still planning to come to the Police Department tonight?"
Kurusu Akira was about to answer the question and explain the misunderstanding caused by his deliberately vague wording when he saw Togawa Sakiko's phone also enter a call request state, which made him feel overwhelmed.
'You two called one after another, did you agree to prank me together?'
Fortunately, after he gave Hasegawa Zenkichi the answer, "might visit," and then explained, "if not by midnight, then come tomorrow," Togawa Sakiko woke up.
She only took about half an hour to recover from a coma caused by mental exhaustion.
Kurusu Akira couldn't tell at the moment whether this was because Togawa Sakiko's current total mental power was not much, so the cost of overdrawing was not severe, or because she had a unique innate talent as a Persona user.
When Togawa Sakiko opened her eyes, her phone screen was shoved into her face, and the contact on the screen was "Wakaba Mutsumi."
...
PM.11:34.
Police Inspector Hasegawa looked at the boy and girl standing in front of him, his expression a bit strange.
"Otherwise, maybe you two should come tomorrow?"
He asked tentatively, and while feeling angry at the two young people's "ignorance," a strange sense of guilt inexplicably arose in his heart.
Kurusu Akira glanced at Togawa Sakiko, who was constantly apologizing to Hasegawa Zenkichi beside him, and stopped himself from re-explaining his somewhat playful answers to Police Inspector Hasegawa... Some things, if not said in front of the person concerned, everyone can still be good friends, but if everything is thoroughly explained, that friendship might develop some cracks.
He understood quite well that these young girls in adolescence were always sensitive to such topics. If it was just vague joking, most of the time they wouldn't take it to heart, and might even secretly enjoy such ambiguous chat content, as it probably made them feel "popular." But if such a joke, once spoken, was to be explained clearly face-to-face, the nature of it would completely change.
No one could say what shape the "friendship" between a man and a woman would take after it was riddled with cracks and finally shattered—perhaps it would truly turn into a pile of debris, or perhaps it would be "unrecognizable" into some irreversible relationship.
In any case, Kurusu Akira felt that he was not so much of a scumbag that he could wantonly toy with a girl's feelings.
He would just have to find another opportunity to explain to Police Inspector Hasegawa privately later.
He silently backed away, preparing to leave the office and let Togawa Sakiko explain her family conflicts to the Police Inspector.
"Where are you going?" Hasegawa Zenkichi's eyes immediately became less amiable.
"To the restroom."
"Remember to come back quickly."
"Can I not listen?" Kurusu Akira didn't want to moonlight as a family relationship mediator.
Hasegawa Zenkichi nodded, then asked Togawa Sakiko, "Can he not listen?"
Togawa Sakiko looked at Kurusu Akira, her expression a bit conflicted, "He already knows about the conflict between my father and me."
'I don't know, and I don't want to know.'
The Phantom Thief almost exited the office.
In response, Hasegawa Zenkichi simply showed an "as I expected" expression, "Then I'll trouble Amamiya-san to stop by the next office on his way to the restroom and ask Ms. Inoue and Mr. Hamada, who are working overtime, to come here."
...
By the time Kurusu Akira and Togawa Sakiko left the Police Department and were driven back to Akabane Town in Tokyo's northern district by Police Inspector Hasegawa, it was almost two in the morning.
Incidentally, it was Kurusu Akira who proactively requested to be "dropped off at Akabane Town," which also served as a patch for the content of their recent phone call.
In the dimly lit streets, where it was hard to see the way.
The Phantom Thief walked ahead of Togawa Sakiko, feeling uncomfortable the whole way under her intensely warm gaze, and finally couldn't bear it any longer.
"Togawa... can we just say what's on our minds?"
"Mm." Togawa Sakiko stopped walking.
Out of politeness, Kurusu Akira also turned around, facing this recently awakened Persona user.
"First of all, I wasn't planning on going home with you."
"I know..." Togawa Sakiko's voice was very soft.
"And then, if it's 'thank you,' there's no need, after all, I was just passing by at the time."
"'A passing Kamen Rider'? I remember that's the protagonist's line from 'Kamen Rider Decade'."
"You actually watched 'Kadoya Tsukasa's Show-off Diary'."
"...I just learned a little bit about it when I overheard classmates and colleagues chatting."
Immediately after, Togawa Sakiko bowed deeply and solemnly to Kurusu Akira, "Regardless, I must thank you for saving me."
"I told you, there's no need for thanks, it was just a small favor." Kurusu Akira looked at the moon, completely obscured by clouds overhead, "If you really want to repay me, then join my Phantom Thieves of Hearts."
"Join the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?" Togawa Sakiko's expression was almost identical to Awa Subaru's at the time, a complex hesitation mixed with strong longing and self-doubt... Having only recently escaped her ordinary daily life, they both felt that they were far from the almost omnipotent image of a Phantom Thief.
"The 'Psychological Health Education Department' club's policy is to popularize the importance of psychological health education and to help people with unhealthy minds become psychologically healthy, so its alias is the 'Phantom Thieves of Hearts'." Kurusu Akira tried to explain to this Persona user in a light and cheerful tone.
Togawa Sakiko was stunned for a moment, "Meaning..."
"Your father, that man whose desires were twisted and committed various wrongdoings, we can make him repent by stealing the twisted desires in his heart."
"But we were just at the Police Department..."
"No impact, those who repent always pay a price." Kurusu Akira looked at Togawa Sakiko, "You don't have to worry about him going to jail, after all, he's your biological father. As long as you are willing to forgive him after he repents, then the case will ultimately end with Police Inspector Hasegawa giving him a verbal warning and a few days in a detention cell."
Togawa Sakiko's expression fell into an unprecedented state of wavering, "I still can't quite understand this."
"That's why I'm asking you to join the Phantom Thieves," Kurusu Akira looked into her eyes, "I'll teach you how to properly use this extraordinary power."
"No, I mean..." Togawa Sakiko was full of conflict, and at the same time, she appeared very flustered and uneasy.
"Is it because you feel like you've been unilaterally receiving my help, so you can't quite accept it?"
"...Yes," Togawa Sakiko practically had her feelings written all over her face.
"Then work hard to train yourself, become an excellent Persona user, and protect more people. That would be the best way to repay me."
Kurusu Akira approached, extending his right hand to her, "Phantom Thieves of Hearts, welcome."
In Togawa Sakiko's eyes, the boy in the school uniform before her completely overlapped with the image of the Phantom Thief from her various fantasies and dreams at that moment.
She reached out both hands and tightly grasped the Phantom Thief's hand, which was covered by a bright red glove.
And the Phantom Thief indeed responded to this trust and expectation, completely pulling her out of the abyss of her life.
But in reality, when their hands clasped, there was no expected sensation of fabric.
Only Kurusu Akira's body warmth rapidly spread from her palm throughout her body, hot and scalding like a flame, the burning flame soaring upwards, dyeing a faint blush on her fair cheeks, and then tears uncontrollably streamed down from the corners of her eyes, all of which were hard to discern in the darkness.
By the time the Phantom Thief belatedly realized what was happening, the girl had already thrown herself into his arms, sobbing loudly, as if all the grievances and embarrassments she had experienced since graduating junior high were being released at this moment.
Kurusu Akira hesitated for a moment, then gently embraced the crying girl in his arms, lightly placing his hand on her head, "You've been through a lot."
Togawa Sakiko hugged Kurusu Akira tightly, crying without any restraint. All her usual strength or calmness vanished at that moment.
When was the last time she tried to rely on someone like this?
She had long forgotten.
Coming home from hard work, she was greeted by her father's drunken ramblings.
Scholarships saved from diligent study and wages from hard work were also completely demanded away for various ridiculous reasons.
After graduating junior high, she experienced a dramatic family change; that once reliable man became utterly dejected and disappointingly terrible.
No matter how strong she was, or how much she pretended to be mature and rational, it was all just a disguise she forced herself to wear to cope with the heavy pressures of life.
Togawa Sakiko had always longed to be truly understood, to be able to rely on her parents like other girls her age, at least to gain a sense of security from them... though her wish was never granted.
Now, all these desires, longings, and aspirations were stolen by the boy in front of her.
Then, as if to fill the huge void in her heart, the cunning Phantom Thief filled it with his own image.
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