A/n: I will be extending chapters to 4,000+ words. I'll publish 3 new chapters at once instead of 5. I hope this decision doesn't make anyone mad, but it does allow me to add more things to the story I would've usually omitted. Besides that small little note, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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In the attic of Leblanc, Akira and Morgana were sitting at the workbench. The bespectacled boy got home from work half an hour ago and was working on lockpicks for the phantom thieves' next mission. His concentration was derailed when hearing a scream from downstairs.

Morgana's fur stood on end. "Wh-What the...?" He hopped down from the workbench and sauntered over to the stairs. Akira got to his feet, wondering who screamed and why. Walking downstairs, he saw customers and Sojiro gathered around the door. Wondering what had their attention, he meandered over. Peering past them, he looked down at the floor and his eyes widen in horror at Mikono. He pushed his way through the crowd to reach her. Once he did, he fell to his knees beside her and examined her wounds.

"I'm going to call an ambulance," Sojiro said. "You stay here with her." He stood up and used the yellow phone to call 119.

Akira's eyes never left Mikono for a second. He carefully took ahold of her and cradled her body in his arms. His eyes trailed over her face. Cuts and bruises littered her porcelain complexion. He then noticed the state her feet were in and wondered what could've possibly happened to her.

Morgana, who had also been curious, came downstairs a few minutes later. The cat weaves through the legs of the customers and gasped in horror when seeing Mikono. "Wh-What happened to Lady Mikono?!"

"I don't know, Morgana," Akira whispered to the animal.

A few minutes later, paramedics arrived at Leblanc. They placed the girl in the back of an ambulance. When one of the EMTs asked if someone would accompany them to the hospital, Akira didn't hesitate to step forward. He hopped into the back of the ambulance while Morgana snuck inside when the medical personnel weren't looking. The ambulance left Yongen-Jaya, speeding toward the hospital.

It took them only a few minutes to arrive at the nearest hospital. Akira tried to follow the nurses who wheeled his friend away, but he was told to wait in the waiting room. The boy watched helplessly as Mikono was transported down the hallway on a gurney. He tried to sit down and wait, but he couldn't. He paced back and forth, running his hands through his messy obsidian locks.

Morgana eventually made his way into the waiting room without being spotted. He hid under a chair, watching the boy who couldn't sit or stand still for a single second. He laid down on the cool tile, continuing to watch the boy pace. "You know, pacing isn't going to help. You should sit down."

"I can't wait," Akira said. "I need to know what happened to her and if she's okay."

"While you're waiting, you should contact the others. They should know what happened."

"Yeah." Akira took his phone out of his pocket and texted the others. It wasn't long before he heard back from all of them. He told them what hospital Mikono was taken to and all three of them dropped everything to head over.

Akira finally sat down after pacing for a few more minutes. He stared down the hallway his friend was carried down a short while ago, wondering when he'd be able to see her.

<———————————<<<<<

By the time Mikono woke up, the nurse had finished patching her up. She needed a few stitches for a deep cut on her left cheek, but none of her injuries were severe. The nurse who had stitched her up also told her she had passed out from exhaustion and wouldn't have to spend the night in the hospital. She went to leave, but stopped. "And before I forget, Dr. Suzuki has prescribed you some pain pills and cream for the swelling. The bruises will heal in about a week and your feet will be healed in a few days. Be careful with the shoes you choose to wear. We wouldn't want your feet to get worse. Besides that, you'll be fine. You can stay here until you regain your strength."

"Thank you," Mikono sighed. She adjusted her body so she was sitting on the edge of the bed with her legs hanging off the side. "Could I get some water?"

"Of course," the nurse smiled. "Before I do, there's a boy here to see you. Would you like to see him?"

"Uh, sure." Mikono watched as the nurse left the room. She returned a couple minutes later with a glass of water and her medication before departing again.

Remembering what the nurse said, she wondered who the boy was because she had no memory after hopping on the train to Yongen-Jaya. All she remembered was what Takahashi did to her and running for her life. She stared at the floor, curious as to how she got to the hospital. She didn't bother asking the nurse, but she should have to clear up her confusion.

"Mikono."

The girl lifted her head and saw Akira standing in the doorway. She was shocked but happy to see him. "Akira, how did...?"

"I guess you don't remember. I don't even know all the details myself." The boy walked over and stood in front of her. "What happened to you?"

"Takahashi happened." Mikono hung her head, remembering how the man punched and groped her. "He broke into my house and he...he..." Haunting images flashed through her mind. They were all of Takahashi and Kamoshida. Tears cascaded down her cheeks as her body shook. "A-All I could see was Kamoshida when he touched me. I-I could hear his laughter and feel his touch..." Then, she felt two hands cup her cheeks and tilt her face upward. Tears continued to fall as she gazed into Akira's obsidian eyes.

He took a few steps closer until there was little to no space left between them. He leaned down, placing his forehead against hers. He stared deeply into her glassy eyes, moving his hands from her cheeks and encasing them around hers. Their lips were only a few inches apart and if one of them moved, their lips would brush against one another's. Akira was tempted to kiss the girl and profess his love for her, especially seeing her in such a broken state. His heart ached and if he could take away all her pain, he would. If there was a way for him to take her injuries as his own, he wouldn't hesitate. "You're safe now, Mikono. I promise, I won't let this happen again."

Mikono freed her hands from Akira's and wrapped her arms around his torso, closing the minuscule distance that was left between them. She gripped the back of his school blazer, crumpling the fabric as she buried her face into his chest. "I was s-so scared. I-I thought I was going to die."

Akira wrapped his arms around her small, trembling frame. He placed his chin on top of her head as he held her in his arms. "You don't have to be scared anymore. I'm here for you and always will be." His hand ran up and down her back in a comforting manner. A small voice in the back of his head was nagging at him to confess now, but he wasn't sure if it was a good time. He played a mental game of tug-of-war before his attention was drawn to the sound of running coming from the hallway. Turning his head, he saw Ann, Ryuji, and Yusuke rush into the room.

Mikono lifted her head from Akira's chest, her tears shrinking in numbers. She stared at her friends in shock. "How did you guys find us?"

"Akira texted us," Ann said. She walked over to the two, who were still hugging each other. Her panicked gaze examined her friend's many wounds. "What happened, Mikono?"

"Takahashi broke into my house while I was cooking dinner," Mikono replied. "I managed to escape before he could have his way with me. I ran all the way to the train station and then...nothing. I don't remember what happened after I boarded the train. The next thing I remember is waking up here."

"You managed to make it to Leblanc. Boss called 119 and then you were taken here. You must've managed to make it all the way to Yongen-Jaya before passing out," Akira said.

Ryuji turned around, his shoulders shaking with rage. He punched the wall with gritted teeth. "That bastard is gonna pay!"

"He will," a deep voice resounded throughout the room. Everyone turned their heads and saw a man in a black suit with a striped tie and a police badge attached to his belt. His hair was spiky and he wore black-rimmed rectangle glasses. "Banri Takahashi is in police custody."

"Chief Goto," Mikono gasped, shocked to see the man in her hospital room. "What're you doing here?"

Chief Goto entered the room and stood at the foot of the bed. "Officer Harada contacted me after regaining consciousness. Apparently, Takahashi knocked him unconscious before he snuck into your house. Since you were missing, we had to follow a trail of bread crumbs or in this case; bloody footprints. Takahashi was apprehended at Shibuya Station by one of the officers on duty. After that, all we had to do was find you. It seems you made it to a small café named "Leblanc" before passing out. The owner of the café told me you were taken here by paramedics. And now, here I am."

"Sorry about all the blood, Chief Goto," Mikono apologized.

"Please, don't apologize. All you were trying to do was survive. You should see the other guy," he chortled.

"Why's that?" Ryuji asked.

The chief met the blonde's gaze. "Your friend here did a number on him. A few of his teeth were missing and his nose was broken. And to compliment all that, she gave him a black eye." He turned his attention back to Mikono. "I'm glad to see you're all right, Tsutsui-san. Is there anything I have to add to Takahashi's charges?"

Mikono fell silent. She released Akira, who in return unwound his arms from around her, and glanced down at the hospital gown she was dressed in.

Chief Goto knew why the girl was silent. He knew exactly what she wanted to say, but she couldn't. He adjusted his glasses with a sigh. "I see... So your torn shirt was evidence of attempted rape. It seems Takahashi will be in prison for quite a while."

Ann gasped in horror. "Torn...shirt?" She turned her wide eyes to Mikono. "He tried to...?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I ran all the way to the train station in only a bra and shorts."

"What a repulsive man," Yusuke hissed.

"This is all my fault," Ann melancholically said. "If only I hadn't been held up at the photo shoot, I would've been there with you and none of this would've happened. I should've contacted someone to stay with you."

"This is no one's fault," Chief Goto sternly stated. "Takahashi would've broken in regardless of who was or wasn't with Tsutsui-san. Worst case, one of you might be dead at this very moment."

"I could've pummeled his ass!" Ryuji growled.

"Not before he shot you," the chief of police retorts. "Tsutsui-san is a lucky girl to have only come out with bruises and cuts. I am surprised she has no bullet wounds. We found a pistol at the crime scene."

"I managed to disarm him while he was trying to have his way with me. I saw an opening and took it," Mikono explained.

"I'm impressed," Chief Goto smirked. "It's thanks to your quick wits and fighting skills you're still alive."

"You can thank my dad for teaching me self-defense. Although, I never would've imagined I would use it like that..."

"I hope you feel better soon, Tsutsui-san. Akechi-kun will receive your statement from today at a later date. For now, you should rest."

Mikono waved to the man as he left. "Bye, Chief Goto." Once he was gone, she looked over at Ann. "You wouldn't happen to have a spare shirt and a pair of shoes in your bag, would you?"

Ann smiled. She pulled out a shirt and sandals, handing them to her friend. She shooed the boys out so Mikono could change. As the inky-haired girl lifted the shirt over her head after taking off the hospital gown, she felt a tinge of pain in her bosom. She winced, her shoulders tensing as she slid the shirt on before putting on her now clean shorts curtesy of the nurse. Ann noticed the painful grimace she made when putting on the shirt. "Is everything okay, Mikono?"

"D-Don't tell the others, but...Takahashi groped me. He grabbed me so hard, I've bruises along my—"

The door flew open with a loud bang. "He did what?!" Ryuji and Akira shouted in unison as they barged into the room. Ann and Mikono glared at the two as they made their way over to the inky-haired girl.

"You two could wake the dead," Mikono grumbled.

Yusuke walked back into the room after hearing her comment. "Our apologies, Tsutsui-san. We were—"

Ryuji rushed over and clamped a hand over the artist's mouth. "Don't you dare!"

Mikono looked over at Akira, knowing she had a strange power over him. She crossed her arms, eyes narrowed as she glared at him. "Akira, what were you three doing?"

Akira swallowed nervously, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face. "We were, uh..." He sighed, slumping his shoulders forward. "We were eavesdropping."

"I swear..." Ann groaned.

"Thank you for telling me the truth," Mikono smiled at him for a split second before it vanished. "Didn't I tell you before eavesdropping is rude?"

"Yes..." Akira mumbled.

"Dude," Ryuji stared wide-eyed at him. "You gave in so easy! You didn't even try to hide it!"

"Before this turns into an argument, could we leave?" Mikono asked, grabbing her medication. "I could really use a bath right now."

"I don't think you'll be able to return home, Tsutsui-san," Yusuke said.

"Even if I could, I don't want to," she confessed. "I know Takahashi is in police custody, but I doubt I could sleep in my own house without having to relive those memories..."

Ann, who was standing beside Akira, nudged the boy forward with a bright smile. "Akira, why don't you let Mikono stay at Leblanc with you for a few days until her parents come home?"

"Wait, what?" Akira looked over at Ann.

The pigtailed girl's smile bloomed. "It would make for the perfect opportunity, right?"

Mikono's brows knitted together, showcasing her confused state of mind. "Perfect opportunity for what?"

"Don't worry about it," Akira swiftly replied. He knew exactly what Ann was planning and also thought the same thing, but he wasn't sure how comfortable Mikono would be staying in the attic with him. He did think about letting her sleep on the bed while he slept on the couch, wondering if that arrangement would be fine. "It's nothing fancy like you're used to and there's no shower, but there is a bathhouse not far from the café."

"That's okay. As long as it's not my house, I don't care where I spend the night."

Akira stared into her cerulean eyes. "Does that mean...?"

"If it's okay, I want to stay with you and Morgana at Leblanc. Of course, I'll have to make sure it's all right with Sakura-san too."

"We can talk to him once we get back," Akira said. "Are you ready?"

Mikono nodded, sliding on the slightly-too-big sandals Ann gave her. "Yeah. Let's go."

<———————————<<<<<

At Leblanc, Mikono was talking with Sojiro. She was grateful he gave her permission to stay until her parents returned from Italy. He asked her what happened, but his question was answered when the news came on. One of the stories they covered was the break-in at her house and Takahashi's arrest at the train station. There was a picture of her included, but it was an image taken months ago by a journalist.

Following that, there was a video of her in her zombie-like state as she sat on the floor of the train in nothing but a bra and shorts. The girl's eyes widen when she saw one of the passengers in the video place a jacket over her to cover her up.

After showing the video, the screen flipped to an image of Chief Goto. It was an interview with him and he informed the news network of her current battered state and refused to tell them what hospital she was taken to.

Mikono sighed, thanking the chief of police for keeping the journalists and newscasters away from her. She could already hear the entire school gossiping about her and was dreading heading to school tomorrow. She crossed her arms atop the counter and hung her head with a groan. "School is gonna suck tomorrow..."

Akira, who was behind the counter, made coffee for him and Mikono while Sojiro was washing dishes. The boy handed her a cup and placed another beside hers before walking around the counter and sitting beside her. "You'll have to go home to get clothes, won't you?"

"Yeah," she mumbled. "But for tonight, I'm not going anywhere near that house..."

After finishing their coffee, Akira and Mikono headed to the bathhouse down the street. Once inside the women's bath, Mikono scrubbed away the grime and dirt from her body and washed her hair before sitting in the warm bath. She sighed in relief, feeling her muscles relax. She wasn't the only one in the bath. There was an elderly woman, who was also enjoying the warm water.

Slowly, Mikono closed her eyes. The second her eyelids closed, images of Kamoshida and Takahashi flashed through her mind. Her eyes flew open as she gasped in fright. The water splashed around her when her body jolted in fear from the images. She looked around the room and noticed the old woman was no longer in the bath. She leaned her head back, staring up at the ceiling.

A few minutes passed and Mikono decided it was time to leave. She got out of the bath and headed to the changing room. She put on the shirt and sandals Ann gave her and slid on her shorts before walking out of the bathhouse.

As she waited for Akira, she combed her hands through her damp locks while humming a small tune. She took the ponytail holder around her wrist and tied her hair up into a ponytail. When she went to tug on her hair to make sure the ponytail holder was secured, two arms wrapped around her waist and startled her as she was pulled against someone's chest. The person held her close as they pressed their cheek against the side of her head. Mikono knew it could only be one person. "What're you doing, Akira?"

"There's something I have to tell you." He released her after squeezing her gently in his arms and took her hand in his. "Let's head back to Leblanc."

"Um, sure." Mikono was curious as to what Akira had to tell her. She let him drag her back to the café and up into the attic after locking up once seeing Sojiro was gone. He escorted her over to the sofa and released her hand before sitting down next to her.

Morgana, who had hung back at Leblanc while the two were at the bathhouse, trotted over. When he saw the look in Akira's eyes, he gasped in excitement. "You're finally going to tell her?!"

Akira frowned at the cat. "You're not making this any easier, Morgana."

"Don't mind me," he grinned. "Tell her!"

Mikono glances between the two. "Does this have to do with what Ann said in the hospital? Y'know, that whole "perfect opportunity" thing?"

"It does," Akira said. He inhaled deeply before exhaling, trying to calm his nerves and thundering heart. Reaching out, he took her hands in his. "I've never done this before so I might screw this up. It's taken me a while to just have the guts to say this."

"It sounds really important," Mikono said, squeezing his hands gently. "Whatever it is, I'm listening. You've my full attention."

Akira took a few more deep breaths before finally confessing his true feelings. "I really like you, Mikono, and I was hoping you'd go out with me."

Mikono blinked owlishly, shocked at the revelation. "L-Like a date?"

"Yes."

The girl's heartbeat raced a mile a minute. She never expected a confession from Akira. "Wait, so...the girl you were talking about at the diner was me?"

Akira nodded, his cheeks slightly red. "Y-Yeah."

She stared into his obsidian eyes with her cerulean ones. "I-I thought you had a crush on Ann!" She immediately looked away, her cheeks turning red in embarrassment. "To be honest, I was jealous. I wanted it to be me."

The boy's eyes glistened with hope. He moved one of his hands to her chin, cupping it gently and titling her face upward so he could gaze into her eyes. "Does this mean you'll go out with me?"

She smiled, her cheeks still red. "Yes."

He sighed in relief, dropping his hand from her chin. His body slumped forward as the tenseness left his muscles. "Thank goodness..."

Mikono giggled. "You were that nervous?"

"You've no idea how long it took me to build up the guts to ask such a simple question..."

Morgana hopped onto the couch and laid down beside the messy-haired teen. "It took some time, but you finally did it, Akira! And Lady Mikono said yes! Where do you plan on taking her for your first date?"

"I...haven't thought that far ahead," Akira confessed. He then looked toward Mikono. "Where would you like to go?"

"Anywhere's fine," she said. "This will be my first date."

He chuckled. "I guess we're both new at this."

"Ah, young love," Morgana sighed with a grin. "I hope one day I'll be able to take Lady Ann out."

"Aw," Mikono cooed, reaching over Akira to pick up the feline. "I'm sure you'll be able to ask her out. Don't lose hope, Morgana."

"H-Hey, don't—!" Mikono began scratching behind his ears, earning blissful purrs from him. "Ooh, that's the spot~!" He moaned with a smile.

Once checking the time and seeing how late it was, Akira and Mikono decided it was time to go to bed. The boy had a pillow and blanket ready on the sofa while the girl crawled on to the bed. After turning off the light, he laid down on the couch and got comfortable. As he was trying to fall asleep, he glanced over at Mikono. He saw she was already asleep. A smile graced his face as he turned his gaze to the ceiling before falling asleep.

<———————————<<<<<

At two in morning, Akira and Morgana were startled awake by a bloodcurdling scream. The two looked toward the source and saw Mikono gasping for air as she was curled up in the corner atop the bed. Beads of sweat were scattered across her forehead.

Akira tossed the blanket to the floor and got up from the couch. He made his way over to the hyperventilating girl and carefully reached out toward her. He placed a gentle hand against her cheek and stroked the skin just under her stitches. When her gaze darted upward and met his, he climbed onto the bed slowly. He could see the fear in her eyes and knew she had experienced a horrifying nightmare. He wasn't surprised, especially with what Takahashi did to her. "It's okay, Mikono. You're safe."

She leaned into his touch, placing her hand over his and squeezing it. "It felt so real. I-I couldn't move. Takahashi and Kamoshida... They... They...!" Unable to hold them back any longer, tears poured down her cheeks. The salty liquid irritated some of her cuts, but she ignored the stinging sensation.

"Lady Mikono..." Morgana murmured sorrowfully.

"They can't hurt you anymore," Akira softly said. He went to pull away but stopped when Mikono wouldn't let go of his hand.

"P-Please, Akira, don't leave," she whimpered.

Akira stared into her teary eyes. His heart ached and he couldn't bear seeing her in so much pain. "I'm not going anywhere." He gingerly pulled her toward him before laying down on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her as she laid down beside him. She buried her face into his chest before closing her eyes. Akira combed his hand through her silky locks, soothing and lulling her into a peaceful slumber.

*****
Confidant: Mikono Tsutsui
Arcana: The Puppeteer
Rank: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*****