A/n: Okay, so I realized I haven't been adding the confidant rank to the bottom of the chapters and went back to check. My idiotic self put one too many stars. The rank is actually 6, not 7. I apologize for my stupidity. That's what I get for miscounting😅 Anyway, I"ll try to remember to add the correct ranking to the bottom of this chapter and later ones. Hope you all enjoy! Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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|| 6/22 Wednesday ||
|| After School ||

Mikono packed up her school supplies into her bag. As she did, she said farewell to Akira, Ann, and Morgana. While putting her stuff away, she heard something buzzing. It was coming from Akira's desk. Searching for the source of the sound, she found his phone in the small cubby underneath. "Uh-oh..." She checked the time and became frantic. "I'm gonna be late for my shift!"

Rushing out of the school, she ran all the way to the train station and managed to board the train to Shibuya at the last minute. She managed to procure a seat and relax until the train arrived at her destination. She exited the train and ran all the way to the museum, excusing herself as she weaves in and out of the crowd.

Five minutes before her shift begins, she bursted through the entrance of the museum. She received a confused glance from Amano as she bent over and tried to catch her breath.

"Is everything all right, Tsutsui-chan?" Daisuke asked.

"Y-Yeah... Perfectly fine..." Mikono panted. Once she was able to calm her heart, she sighed. "I was nearly late for my shift."

The security guard checked his watch. "You still have ten minutes until it starts."

"Ten minutes early is on time. On time is late. Late is unacceptable. You've heard that before, right, Amano-kun?"

He chuckled. "I live by it."

"Well then," Mikono straightened out her slightly disheveled school uniform. "I better man the front desk. We wouldn't want our guests wandering aimlessly around and wind up somewhere they shouldn't."

"You could let a few wander. It's make my job more interesting."

Mikono couldn't help but chortle. "I'll think about it."

She sat down at the front desk, placing her school bag underneath. She placed Akira's phone on the desk next to hers, wondering if she should wait to return it tomorrow or do it after her shift. In the end, she made the decision to head to Leblanc after she was finished with work.

During her ten minute break, Mikono heard someone enter the museum. She decided to end her break early to help the person. She offered the person a kind smile. "Welcome to... Akechi?"

"Hello, Tsutsui-chan." Goro offered her a kind smile in return. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"You're not. This is one of the slowest days of the week for the museum."

Goro places his briefcase gently down. "There was something I wish to discuss with you."

She titled her head in bewilderment. "If you needed to talk, you could've called instead of going out of your way to visit."

"Yes, but I find talking to someone is more enjoyable in person than over the phone," he confessed.

"In that case..." Mikono grabbed the spare swivel chair and placed it beside her. "Have a seat."

"Much appreciated." Goro walked behind the desk and sat down in the chair. He examined her appearance and noticed the necklace she was wearing. He easily deduced it was a gift from Akira based on the timing and how he hadn't seen her wear the necklace until now. Crossing his legs, he kept his temper in check and spoke up. "I was hoping to ask you a couple of questions."

Her brows furrowed together. "Is this an interrogation?"

He smiled faintly at her question. "No, it's not. I simply wish to know your opinion on the recent events."

"Recent events as in...?"

"The Phantom Thieves, of course. What is your opinion of them?"

Remaining cool and calm, Mikono cupped her chin with her index finger and thumb. She pretended to delve into deep thought. "The Phantom Thieves, huh? Those are the guys who've taken over the media recently, right? To be honest, I don't really have an opinion."

Goro was slightly taken aback, unable to see through her act. "You truly do not possess an opinion of them...?"

"Yeah. That...probably wasn't what you wanted to hear, was it? I'm sorry, Akechi-kun."

"Please, don't apologize. I am more flabbergasted than anything. Most of the people I talk to have strong opinions of the Phantom Thieves. It is quite a breath of fresh air to find someone who does not posses an opinion on the matter."

"That's weird, isn't it? It's totally weird..." Mikono muttered.

Goro shook his head. "Not at all."

Just then, Ichika wandered past the front desk. She froze for a few seconds before backtracking. "Akechi-kun! What brings you here?"

"Ah, Dr. Tsutsui. It's a pleasure to see you again," Goro replied, standing up. "I came to speak with your daughter."

Ichika grinned at Mikono. "Well, look at you, sweetheart! You're popular with the boys after all!"

"Mom!" Mikono gasped in shock, flying out of the chair. "Don't say weird stuff like that!"

The woman giggled. "I'm just kidding. These past two years have been difficult for you and I'm so happy you've finally found some friends." She cleared her throat and bowed her head. "Where are my manners? I've rudely interrupted your conversation. Please, don't mind me." She wandered off into the museum, leaving the two behind.

Goro couldn't help but question what Ichika meant. "What did Dr. Tsutsui mean when she mentioned the past two years?" That's when he realized his mistake. "My apologies, Tsutsui-chan. That was insensitive of me. I hope you can forgive me."

"It's fine." Mikono returned to her seat. "How much do you know about me, Akechi-kun?"

"To be honest, not much. I only know your name, where you go to school, where you work, and who your parents are. If you are referring to private information, I know nothing," he said, sitting back down.

"For me to explain, you'll need to know a few things about me," she began. "I was born in Alexandria, Egypt. For fourteen years, that was home and I never made any friends. We moved to Japan two years ago and that's when things started to go awry. Because of my heritage and where I was born, I was shunned by many and even some nasty rumors started to spread. I was so desperate to make friends that I tried to use money to gain people's friendship. That only caused even more issues. But after some time, I met Ryuji. I thought life was going to get better after I made a real friend, but then...Kamoshida. He... He tried..."

Goro, without thinking, reached out and placed his hand over Mikono's. "You do not need to speak of him if it is this painful."

A shaky sigh escaped the girl. "I know I should be over it. The stuff that happened with Kamoshida and Banri still haunt me. I've been able to surpress most of the memories, but some break free from time to time and plague my mind..."

"That is understandable. What you've been through is horrifying. I would be surprised if you had gotten over those memories."

Mikono wipes the single tear that threatened to fall. "Sorry for getting emotional."

A faint smile appeared on Goro's face. "You apologize for the oddest things, Tsutsui-chan."

All of a sudden, the girl's phone buzzed. She looked down and saw it was the end of her shift. "It's already this late?" That's when she remembered Akira's phone. "That's right! I have to give this to Akira." She placed her phone and his in her school bag.

"You've business elsewhere?" Goro questioned, standing up and grabbing his briefcase.

"It's not really business, but Akira left his phone at school today. I was planning on returning it to him once my shift ended."

Unconsciously, the shaggy-haired boy tightened his grip on the briefcase. "May I escort you to the station?"

"I'd appreciate it. Thank you, Akechi-kun."

When they arrived at the train station, Goro waited with Mikono for the train to Yongen-Jaya arrive. He remained at her side until she stepped onto the train. As the doors slid shut, he muttered, "Why did it have to be him...?"

Unbeknownst to the detective, the inky-haired girl heard him. With a puzzled expression, she stared at Goro's back as he vanished into the crowd before the train took off.

|| 6/22 Wednesday ||
|| Evening ||

Mikono arrived at Yongen-Jaya Station and hopped off the train. She left the station and headed to Leblanc. Opening the door, the small bell announced her arrival. Walking inside, she greeted the man behind the counter. "Good evening, Sojiro-san. How are you?"

The older man smiled at her kind, gentle tone. "I'm doing well. What brings you here at this late hour?"

"Akira left his phone at school today and I came to return it."

"Sweet as always. No wonder that kid hasn't gotten into trouble," his smile widened. "Go on up. Make sure you enjoy a cup of tea before you leave."

"Will do!"

Mikono wandered up the stairwell but stopped halfway when she heard a familiar voice. Confused, she continued her trek up the steps. At the top, she froze when seeing what was happening. Akira was enjoying a cup of instant noodles with a maid. Her eyes nearly popped out of her skull when she recognized the voice that came from the maid. "No way..."

Akira and the maid heard her and turned their heads in her direction. The boy's expression matched that of his girlfriend's while the maid grimaced. Akira flew to his feet and took a step toward Mikono, believing she had the wrong idea. "M-Mikono, it's not what it looks like!"

Said girl backed away when Akira tried to approach. She bowed her head and shouted, "I-I am so sorry for disturbing you!" before dashing out of the café.

"Lady Mikono, wait!" Morgana hollered.

Without hesitating, Akira took chase. He stormed out of Leblanc in search of the girl, but he didn't need to look far. She was pacing back and forth in front of the café. He closed the distance between them and grabbed her hands to prevent her from scurrying off. He stared into her cerulean eyes, squeezing her hands. "Listen, I promise I'm not cheating on you. I'd never do that to you. You have to believe me!"

"Wait... What?" Mikono mumbled. "I-I didn't run away thinking you were cheating on me. I ran away because of who I saw. Th-That maid...is our homeroom teacher! What's going on here?! Why is Kawakami sensei dressed like that?!"

Morgana, who had followed Akira out of Leblanc, answered her questions. "Kawakami sensei works part-time as a maid. Akira hires her from time to time to clean the attic."

"O-Oh..." Mikono felt her confusion vanish. "Never in my entire life did I think I would see one of my teachers dressed up as a maid."

"You have to promise not to tell anyone," Akira said. "It's because of this secret that I'm able to slack off in class on occasion to make spare infiltration tools."

"No need to worry. My lips are sealed."

He sighed in relief. "Thank you..."

"Putting Kawakami sensei's secret aside, I came here to give you your phone. You left it at school." Mikono, once Akira freed her hands, searched through her bag for his phone. When she found it, she pulled it out and handed it over.

Akira took the device. "I thought I would've had to buy a new phone when I couldn't find this anywhere. Thanks for returning it, Mikono."

"You're welcome," she smiled. "By the way, you should answer all those text messages from everyone. You're a popular guy."

He turned on his phone and winced when seeing how many missed messages he had. "Damn..."

"Anyway..." Mikono kicked a small pebble by her foot. "I should get home."

"Wait." Akira took her hand in his, entwining their fingers. "Could you stay a little longer?"

"I don't know..." That's when the girl's stomach growled, giving away her hunger. She laughed nervously at the obnoxious sound. "I-I haven't had dinner yet."

He smiled, tugging her back towards Leblanc. "Perfect."

"What's perfect?"

"I'll make you something. You do it for me all the time. I've gotta catch up."

"We are not having a competition on who can make the other the most meals!"

"Consider it an apology for making you come all this way just to return my phone," he said.

"I don't think that counts considering you didn't make me come here..."

"Then why didn't you wait 'til tomorrow?" He grinned. "You wanted to see me so badly that you couldn't wait to give me my phone back tomorrow?"

"You know what? I did," she confidently replied. "I came all the way here not just to give you your phone, but I also wanted to see you."

Akira was hoping to make her blush, but in the end, he was the one with red cheeks. He couldn't believe how honest she was. "U-Uhhh... Um..."

"Now then," Mikono was now the one in control. "Food does sound great right now. I also promised Sojiro-san I would enjoy a cup of tea before leaving. Let's go!" She dragged him back into Leblanc and released him so he could walk behind the counter.

Sojiro noticed the boy's red face as he tied an apron around his waist. He glanced back at Mikono when she claimed one of the seats at the counter. "Is everything all right between you two?"

The girl smiled from ear to ear. "Peachy!"

Sojiro was convinced and got to work on preparing a fresh cup of tea. Akira busied himself in the small kitchen, preparing a dish for Mikono.

After Sojiro made the cup of tea for the girl, he placed it in front of her and received a gentle "thank you" from her. Seeing how late it was, he untied his apron and readied himself to leave. As usual, he told Akira to lock up after he left. Grabbing his hat, he casted one last smile toward Mikono before leaving the café.

Akira emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of takoyaki. He placed it on the counter in front of Mikono before removing the apron and sitting beside her.

Mikono took a bite of the takoyaki, a smile blooming on her face when the delicious flavor spread across her tastebuds. "Oh, wow! This is amazing!"

Akira's own smile came forth. "Glad you like it." After a few seconds of silent, he spoke up. "Hey, about our date..."

Mikono placed her cup of tea down, her smile vanishing. "Do we need to reschedule?"

"No," he replied. "I just wanted to ask if there's something I could bring."

Her smile returned tenfold. "Don't worry about bringing anything. I've got everything covered." Suddenly, she remembered something and changed the subject. "Wait, what happened with Kawakami sensei?"

Akira's eyes widen in realization. He hopped off the stool and charged upstairs. Morgana, who'd been peacefully sleeping at one of the booths, woke up at the sound of the boy running past him. He made his way over to Mikono and crawled into the seat once occupied by her boyfriend. Seeing the feline was awake, she offered him one of the takoyaki. He accepted her offer and scarfed one down.

A few minutes later, Akira walks down the stairs with Kawakami close behind. Mikono watched as her homeroom teacher left Leblanc. She couldn't help but stare. When the door closed, she pinched her arm. "This is some weird dream, right?"

"Still can't believe, huh?" Morgana asked. "It took Akira a while to get used to seeing Kawakami in a maid outfit."

"I'm still not used to it," Akira confessed. "But thanks to the deal I've made with Kawakami sensei, I've been able to double our infiltration tools. I've even squeezed in some more time to study."

"Sounds like you're already preparing for the exams next month. Ryuji should look into studying, as well..." Mikono finished her tea and takoyaki. Checking the time, she saw how late it was. "I should get going. Thank you for the takoyaki, Akira."

"You should come around more often," he said.

"Maybe I will once we've dealt with Kaneshiro. Sojiro-san's tea is the best." She took her dishes and placed them in the sink before grabbing her bag.

"I'll walk you to the station."

She giggled. "I am surrounded by gentlemen today."

Akira wasn't sure what she meant. "What're you talking about?"

"Akechi-kun came by the museum today during my shift. We had a brief chat about the Phantom Thieves and he walked me to the train station after my shift was over."

"Did he ask anything weird?" The boy pried.

She shook her head. "No. He just asked me what my thoughts were on the Phantom Thieves. By his expression, I think he was convinced of my answer." She combed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Anyway, let's head to the train station. I'd hate to miss the last train of the night."

The couple left Leblanc and headed to the train station. They waited for the train to Shibuya to arrive. When it did, Mikono sent a warm smile Akira's way as she boarded. The train departed the station a couple minutes later and he returned to Leblanc. He locked up the café and headed up to the attic with Morgana, calling it a night.

|| 6/23 Thursday ||
|| After School ||

The moment school was out, the group rendezvoused at the hideout before departing for the Metaverse. They returned to the safe room in the underground vault. They exited the room and searched for a way forward. The only thing they could find was a terminal where they could input a code.

Sphinx pulled out the journal she found in front of the elevator and flipped to the one page that remained. She wondered if it had anything to do with the PIN the machine was requesting.

"Hold on," Skull spoke up. "Where'd you get that?"

That was the moment the girl realized she failed to mention what she found during their last visit to the palace. "Oh, sorry. It must've slipped my mind. I found this journal after our battle with those powerful Shadows. It looks like Kaneshiro dropped it while trying to make a quick escape. There was a strange code written on the only page inside and I was wondering if it could help us." She examines the terminal and saw the word "RICH" above the keypad. Her gaze falls back to the journal and her eyes widen in realization. She opened the journal to the part of the page she found the strange letters and numbers on. "Joker, enter the code 0102."

The boy entered the code and green letters spelling "CORRECT" flashed on the digital display. The first wall of the vault turned and provided a path to the next one.

"What the?!" Skull cried out in shock. "The whole vault moved?!"

Sphinx grinned as she met Queen's gaze. The short-haired girl was almost a hundred percent convinced of their theory. "So our deduction may be correct after all."

All of a sudden, they heard Kaneshiro's voice echo around them. "Money... I need more money... I must grow richer! As long as I'm rich, anything will be possible..."

Panther looked around the vault in search of the mauve-skinned man. "That voice... It's Kaneshiro! Is he watching us?!"

"That doesn't seem to be the case," Mona said. "It sounds more like the voice of his heart. I guess all he really thinks about is money, after all."

"So he blackmails people outta their savings and that's still not enough? What a douche..." Skull murmured.

"More importantly, the message in the journal was the PIN code!" Panther smiled.

"Yes, it seems so," Fox said. "But I doubt it will be that easy from this point forward. The rest of the pages were torn out of the journal. Who knows what they may hold."

"Well, let's not get pessimistic. We should look around and try to find some other clues," Mona said. "Time to head further in and find those PINs!"

"I'll keep the journal with me. It still might be useful," Sphinx stated.

The Phantom Thieves focused on the next wall of the vault. First, they needed to locate the terminal where they could input the PIN code. They walked down a flight of stairs and through a smaller vault door. While scouring the area, they found a large golden pig statue. Joker became curious and wondered if it opened. He pressed the snout, grinning when he revealed the statue was hollow on the inside. He wondered what was hidden inside and found a page.

Queen caught a glimpse of the note. "It says "E=9 A=3"."

"The edge is frayed. Given this paper quality, I would say it is part of that journal from earlier," Fox said.

"Oh, so it's the continuation of the code we found in there! This should be useful!" Mona chimed in.

"I'll give this to you," Joker said, handing the piece of paper to Sphinx. "You're pretty much our puzzle solver."

"All right." She took the paper and placed it in the journal. "Now then, let's find that terminal."

Continuing through the vault, the group fought against more Shadows as they searched for the terminal. They turned corner after corner, traversed up and down stairwells until they discovered the terminal tucked into a corner on the balcony. This time, the word was "REAP". Sphinx pulled out the journal and flipped between the two pages a couple times. "The PIN should be 0931."

Joker types in the code. He trusted the girl's puzzle-solving abilities and wasn't surprised when it was the correct PIN. He gazed into her cerulean eyes with a smile. "Well done."

She smiled back. "Glad I could help."

After hearing the vault above shift, they heard Kaneshiro's voice a second time. "Tch... This isn't anywhere near your quota for this month. Don't gimme your excuses. Just go reap every last penny!"

Fox looked around. "This voice again..."

"I'll make you understand if you don't get it. People who can't earn money are worthless to me!"

"He's completely distorted..." Panther sighed.

"It looks like he really believes money is more important than human life... What a pitiful man," Queen spat.

"To be honest, I'm not surprised," Sphinx commented. "He is a member of the mafia, after all."

"Yeah," Skull sighed. "Let's finish this quick. The door's prolly opened up, so we should head back and check it out."

"Then let's not waste any time. Let's go," Joker said.

The Phantom Thieves returned to the underground vault to see another pathway was open. Skull screeched in excitement as they continued to draw closer to the center of the room. Moving on to the third wall, they entered another level below the underground vault. Without thinking, Joker wandered around the corner and failed to the spot the cameras.

Luckily, Sphinx spotted them and grabbed the back of his trench coat. She yanked him back the moment before he was spotted by one of the cameras. Joker lost his balance but regained it before he could fall. Then he finally noticed the cameras above. Looking over his shoulder, he locked eyes with his girlfriend. "That was close."

She pointed to the end of the hall. "There's the control box. Let's disable the cameras."

"Yeah." Joker used third-eye to detect the range of the cameras' sights. Once he knew how and where to move, he made his way down the hallway and smashed the control box with his foot.

"That was waaay too close," Skull said.

"I was careless," their leader confessed. "There could be more security measures ahead."

"Only one way to find out." Sphinx wandered down the hallway and came across another cylindrical door. She pressed the red button in the center and opened the door. Her mouth fell agape when seeing all the electrical barriers inside the room. The others were in just as much shock as her. "Oh, my..."

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