A/n: I've had this idea in my head for a while now. Here's the rundown: Mikono never becomes a Persona user, but she still winds up making friends with everyone and becomes Akira's girlfriend. Being close friends, they don't hide the fact they're the Phantom Thieves from her and decide to keep her in the loop like Mishima. However, she loses her father in a tragic accident while he was overseas in Greece on an archaeological dig. Her own Palace manifests and the group does everything in their power to bring back her smile and erase the Palace. Hope you all enjoy! Love you all!!!

FYI-There's no Haru, Goro, or Futaba due to what part of the game the real story is currently in.
~✨Celestial✨~
••••••••••••••••••••

Akira's gaze had been glued to his phone ever since school ended. He and the others were gathered at the hideout in Shibuya, discussing what they should do next. He eagerly awaited Mikono to text or call him back, but he received nothing from her. He leaned against the railing with a melancholic sigh, placing his phone back in his school bag.

"Guessin' you haven't heard from Mikky yet," Ryuji deduced from the boy's dejected sigh.

"How long has it been since any of us have seen her?" Ann asked.

"Two weeks," Makoto answered with a sorrowful tone. "She hasn't been at school and she won't respond to any of us. I hope she's all right."

"I tried visiting yesterday," Akira confessed.

"What did Dr. Tsutsui have to say?" Yusuke asked.

"Mikono refuses to see anyone and has locked herself inside her room. She won't even eat," he stated sorrowfully.

"Lady Mikono was really close with her dad. It's only natural to be this heartbroken when you lose someone you really hold dearly," Morgana said.

"She still could reach out to us," Ryuji stated. "What's the point in locking herself up in her room? That's not gonna bring him back..."

"Ryuji," Ann hissed. "You really are insensitive most of the time."

"Well ain't it the truth?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Mikky usually bounces back quick and knows when what she's doing ain't gonna do shit. Okay, yeah, she lost her dad, but this ain't healthy!"

"Do you think she's blaming herself for his death?" Yusuke asked.

"There's no way, right?" Ann glanced around at the others. "It was completely out of her control. It was out of anyone's control!"

"Dr. Blackwell knew the risks," Akira said. "But no one can predict a cave-in. Knowing Mikono, she tries to shoulder everything by herself and rarely asks for help. I wouldn't be surprised if she was blaming herself for his death."

"What should we do?" Makoto asked.

"I wonder..." Morgana's voice trailed off.

"What is it, Morgana?" The messy-haired boy pried.

"Activate the Meta Nav."

Ryuji's eyes widen. "Whoa, you're not thinkin' Mikky has a Palace, are you? There's no way she does!"

"Corrupt adults aren't the only ones who can have Palaces. If Lady Mikono truly does believe her father's death is her fault, her negative emotions could've possibly manifested a Palace," the feline responded.

Akira activated the Meta Nav app, but he was hesitant. He wondered if his girlfriend really did have a Palace. Inhaling deeply, he exhaled before registering Mikono's name into the app via voice recognition.

Candidate Found

His eyes widened in horror. His breath hitches in his throat as he nearly dropped his phone from shock.

"No way..." Ryuji muttered in disbelief.

"I-I can't believe it," Makoto gasped.

"Mikono really does have a Palace," Ann whispered melancholically.

"Not for long," Akira proclaimed. He pushed himself off the railing and grabbed his bag. "I think I know where we need to go."

The others followed their leader through the streets of Shibuya until they arrived at the museum owned by Mikono's parents. Because of Isaac's passing, the museum was temporarily closed.

"We must figure out the keywords," Yusuke said. "Any suggestions?"

"One has to be the museum," Akira said. The Meta Nav detected his voice and blipped, confirming his suspicions.

"Okay, now all we need to figure out is what Lady Mikono thinks the museum is," Morgana spoke up, glancing between Akira and Ryuji. "You two know more about her than the rest of us. What do you think is the distortion she would create?"

"Dude, I have no effin' clue!" The blonde screeched.

"Think!" The cat hissed. "Lady Mikono needs our help!"

"Do you think it has to do with Alexandria?" Akira proposed, eyeing Ryuji.

"What, you mean that place in Egypt she was born? I don't have any clue what's there..."

"Mikono's parents are archaeologists. Try to think of historical sites," Ann suggested. "Like, um... Oh! The pyramids!"

Akira glances down at his phone, but there was no response. "Nothing..." He sighed. "What about the Sphinx or Valley of the Kings?"

Ryuji glances at his friend's phone and realized none of those were correct. "Damn..."

"What of Greece?" Yusuke asked. "It is where her father was killed. There are many historical sites that could serve as Mikono's distortion."

"You mean like a Greek temple?" Makoto wondered.

The Meta Nav beeped, confirming they had found all they needed to enter Mikono's Palace.

Akira glances around at his friends. "Is everyone ready?"

"Hell yeah!" Ryuji cheered.

"I'm right behind you. I want Mikono back," Ann said.

"I agree with Ann," Yusuke spoke up. "Let's bring Mikono back."

"I won't leave a friend behind," Makoto declared.

Morgana nodded in agreement. "Let's go!"

<---------------<<<<<

"Whoa..." Skull muttered in awe. "Look at this place."

The Phantom Thieves stood in front of a fountain spewing out a black, tar-like substance. Looking around, they saw they were standing in the center of what looked like a city. However, the buildings appeared to be a mix between ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian structures. The streets were paved with stones and some sections were covered in sand. The city was lifeless, not even shadows roamed the streets.

The sky above was covered in gray clouds. It looked as if it were about to start raining at any second. In the distance, they could hear the sound of beasts.

"Hey, look at that!" Panther jabbed a finger at a large structure on the opposite side of the town. In the distance loomed a grand temple.

"You think that's where Mikky is?" Skull asked.

"Only one way to find out," Joker replied. "Come on, let's get moving."

The Phantom Thieves cautiously trekked through the streets of the city and toward the temple. Keeping on their toes, they glanced down the side streets to locate any enemies but couldn't find any.

"It's eerily silent," Fox commented.

"Don't know 'bout you guys, but I've got goosebumps," Skull confessed.

"This place is really freaky even without the Shadows," Queen said. She then glanced down at her Phantom Thief attire. "But what confuses me is why does Mikono see us as a threat? We're her friends."

"I'm not sure," Joker replied. "But we'll make sure to bring her back."

Reaching the stairwell leading up to the temple, the Phantom Thieves froze when they heard what sounded like a horse neighing. Looking up, they saw an armored Pegasus flying toward the temple. The flying steed slowly started to descend and that's when the group was able to spot the person riding on its back. When it landed at the top of the steps, the figure dismounted the horse's back.

Joker's eyes widen when he recognized the person. "Mikono..." he whispered her name. She wore a white tunic that reached just above her knees with a matching white cape that flowed done her back. Golden bracelets adorned her arms and wrists. Her long inky locks were tied back in a loose Dutch braid with a golden laurel leaf crown on top of her head. She wore golden sandals and wielded a trident.

"Why are you here?" Mikono's Shadow demanded.

"We're here to help you, Mikono," Joker responded.

"I don't need your help," she spat. "Now leave before I do the unspeakable."

"We ain't leavin'!" Skull bellowed.

"I didn't want to hurt you, but you leave me no choice." She tapped the end of the trident against the ground. Two Shadows resembling Roman soldiers manifested beside her. "Take care of them."

"Yes, Archon Mikono," one Shadow replied.

Satisfied with its response, she turned around and headed to the temple with the Pegasus following right beside her.

"Wait!" Joker shouted. He sprinted up the steps as the Shadows revealed their true forms. Grabbing his dagger, he blocked their attacks and pushed past them. He chased after Mikono and was close on her heels, but he wasn't able to reach her before she entered the temple and the doors behind her slammed shut. Banging on the doors, he desperately cried out her name. Seeing as his cries fell on deaf ears, he gritted his teeth. "Dammit...!"

Fox, Mona, Skull, Queen, and Panther dealt with the Shadows before joining Joker at the entrance of the temple.

"How're we supposed to get in?" Panther asked.

"Let's check to see if there's another entrance," Joker answered.

"Hold a moment," Fox said, stopping their leader before he could sprint off. "Greek temples were designed with only a single entrance. Knowing Mikono and her vast knowledge, her own cognition would not stray from such."

"So you're sayin' this is the only entrance?" Queen deduced.

"Indeed."

"Then how do we open these doors?" Skull inquired.

"Don't tell me we have to break into Mikono's house and find some weird door like we had to do with Madarame," Panther groaned.

"Or maybe we simply have to find a way to get Mikono to come out," Queen proposed. "As much as I don't want to suggest this, I don't think we have another choice. We need to go back to the real world and steal something of hers that Dr. Blackwell gave her. It has to be something Mikono treasures and will notice its absence immediately."

"It's worth a try," Joker said. "I know exactly what to take."

<---------------<<<<<

The next day, Ann, Morgana, and Akira stood outside Mikono's house. The blonde eyed the mansion. "So...we're supposed to keep Dr. Tsutsui busy while Morgana sneaks into Mikono's room?"

"Exactly," Morgana replied.

"Uh, won't she be in her room?"

"I'll be in and out before she even knows I'm there." The feline turned to Akira. "You said the necklace was on her dresser, right?"

"Yeah. Be careful handling it," Akira warned.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" He scoffed. "Now, you two get going!"

"Why are we even here?" Ann mumbled.

"In case Morgana screws up," the obsidian-eyed boy retorts.

The cat ignored the two and hopped onto the top of the wall surrounding the mansion. He trotted to where Mikono's room was located and jumped up to her balcony. Seeing she had left the sliding glass door ajar, he sighed in relief.

Once he heard Akira and Ann were inside and chatting with Ichika, he slipped through the gap in the sliding glass door. He entered Mikono's room, eyes landing on the girl curled up on her bed with her back towards him. The room was dark and the only light present was the setting sun slipping through the gaps in the blinds and the light seeping under the door from the hallway.

Morgana watched where he stepped as he made his way over to the dresser. He carefully hopped onto the top of the dresser and located the heart necklace beside a thick photo album. He admired the small diamonds embedded around the top before snatching it up.

The feline's joy was short-lived when he took a step back and knocked over a bottle of perfume. His head darted over to Mikono, his fur standing on end. He feared he'd drawn her attention, but he only watched her curl up into a ball and pull a blanket over her. Making a quick retreat, he charged out of the room and ran all the way to the train station.

Rendezvousing with Ryuji, Yusuke, and Makoto, he handed the necklace to the blonde boy. Taking it, he examined it closely. "I totally feel like an asshole right now..."

"We will return the necklace once we've brought Mikono back," Yusuke stated.

"But still..." Makoto placed a hand over her aching heart. "I feel terrible stealing something she holds so dear."

"We all do," Morgana said. "But we have to do this in order to bring Lady Mikono back."

Akira and Ann soon regrouped with them. The messy-haired boy took the necklace from Ryuji and placed it into his pocket. "Let's heads back to Mikono's Palace to see if there's been a change."

Ryuji rolled up his sleeves with a determined expression. "This has to work! I'm ready to bring her back!"

<---------------<<<<<

Back inside the Metaverse, the Phantom Thieves arrived in the center of the city. Unlike yesterday, they could hear and see the Shadows patrolling the streets. The city was no longer desolate and Shadow Mikono would do everything in her power to get rid of unwanted visitors.

The Phantom Thieves snuck past the Shadows they could and fought the ones they couldn't avoid. By the time they reached the temple, the group was exhausted. However, the moment they saw the temple doors were wide open, they were overjoyed to see the fruits of their labor.

"We goin' in?" Skull asked his teammates.

"We made it this far. There's no way we're turning back now," Joker responded. "How's our supplies?"

"We've got plenty to last us for a little while longer," Queen informed the others.

"Good, then let's keep going."

Entering the temple, the Phantom Thieves were baffled at how large and complex the design was. From the outside, it looked much smaller.

"Okay, I might not know much about temples, but there's no way in hell they're this complex," Skull commented.

"You'd be correct," Fox stated. "This is far more elaborate than any temple ever constructed."

"We're totally going to get lost..." Panther murmured.

"Let's be wary," Mona warned. "Who knows what traps Lady Mikono has set. Let's locate the treasure as quick as possible and get out of here before it's too late."

Joker led the way through the convoluted temple. They entered and exited numerous of rooms and hallways in search of the treasure. They encountered myriads of Shadows and dead ends, causing them to get lost many times.

Eventually, the team came across a safe room and rested for a few minutes. Once they felt they were ready to move forward, they left the safe room and continued to navigate through the temple.

After an hour passes, the Phantom Thieves came across a hallway aligned with statues of Greek and Egyptian gods and goddesses.

"Why is Mikono's Palace a mix between ancient Egypt and ancient Greece?" Panther asked. "I thought it would've resembled more of Egypt since she was born there."

"Dr. Blackwell's death weighs heavily on her mind," Fox said. "His death occurred in Greece, which explains why her distortion is a fusion of both."

Joker was about to make his own comment, but his attention was drawn to a large marble statue located in the room at the end of the hall. His eyes widened at its size and how detailed it was. The man created from marble held out his left hand in a motion that suggested he was holding something, but his hand was empty. "Is that...?"

"It is indeed a sculpture of Dr. Blackwell," Fox responded, already knowing what he was going to ask. "It truly is a magnificent masterpiece."

Suddenly, Mona's eyes began glistening when he felt a strong aura emitting from the sculpture. "Is that treasure I sense?!" He bounded over to the statue and began pawing at the base. "I know it's here!"

The others approached the sculpture as the cat began scaling it. He searched every nook and cranny of the statue, but he couldn't find anything. Before he decided to throw in the towel, his eyes landed on the open hand of the sculpture. The excited gleam returned to his eyes when he saw the familiar distortion. "That's where the treasure is!" He jabbed a paw at the sculpture's empty left hand. Jumping down, he rejoined the others. "Now we know where Mikono's Shadow keeps the treasure. All we have to do now is head back to the real world and send the calling card."

"Will a calling card even work?" Panther asked. "Mikono knows we're the Phantom Thieves."

"All we have to do is convince Mikono's Shadow, not Mikono herself," Mona stated. "With the perfect calling card, her Shadow will think we're going to steal her most valuable treasure."

"I'll write the calling card," Joker said. "I know how to make the treasure manifest."

"Then it's settled," Fox stated. "Let's return for the time being before Mikono's Shadow realizes we've returned."

<---------------<<<<<

Two days later, Akira finally finished writing up the calling card. He headed to Mikono's house so he could deliver it to her. Morgana popped out of his bag when Ichika let them inside.

Akira chatted with the archaeologist for a short while before asking permission to see Mikono.

Ichika sighed, casting her sorrowful gaze toward the tea she prepared. "I don't even think you can save her from this despair, Akira. But by all means, you're free to see her. If you do manage to get her to open the door, make sure she gets her dinner."

"I will. Thank you, Dr. Tsutsui."

"Still as formal as always," she chortled, grabbing the cups and tea. "You remember where her room is, correct?"

He nodded. "Yes. Thank you again for the tea." He left the living room and headed up to the second floor. Reaching Mikono's room, he knocked on the door and called out her name. Receiving no response, he turned around and pressed his back against the door. Sinking down to the floor, he placed his school bag to the side. Morgana hopped out with the calling card in his mouth. He placed it in the boy's hand.

Akira read over what he wrote. He knew it would be perfect to achieve their goal, but he was afraid he may have gone a little too far. However, he couldn't spare anymore time due to his and his friends' desperation.

"I don't know if you're listening, Mikono, but I-we need you back. We haven't heard anything from you in nearly three weeks and can't stop worrying about you. What happened to your dad is tragic and I doubt anyone could bounce back from such a blow. We all miss you, especially me." Flipping the calling card over, he slid it under the door. He rested his head against the door and stared up at the ceiling. "No matter how long it takes, I'll do everything in my power to bring you back."

Akira grabbed his bag and stood up to leave. "We'll be waiting at Leblanc for you, Mikono." Before descending the stairs, he glanced at the door one last time.

Unbeknownst to the boy, Mikono had been intently listening to him. She'd been sitting on the floor with her back leaning against the door. Listening to Akira leave, she picked up the calling card and read what was written on the back.

*****
Mikono Tsutsui, one's heart who dwells within the depths of despair. You claim responsibility for the consequences of the unknown. No longer shall you drown yourself in sorrow for we shall claim the treasure within your sunken heart. Prepare yourself as you shall surface from disparity and return to the light.
-Phantom Thieves of Hearts-
*****

A stray tear trailed down Mikono's cheek. Although the message was short, she could feel just how much time Akira had put into writing it. She reread it a few times before a sorrowful smile manifested on her face. Lowering the card, she pulled her knees against her chest and hugged them. Burying her face in her knees, her body shook as she weakly muttered. "Idiot..." A sob wrenched out from her throat as more tears cascaded down her face. "I don't deserve someone like you..."

<---------------<<<<<

The moment school let out the next day, the teens headed to their hideout in Shibuya. Once everyone was present, they discussed the plan before entering the Metaverse. From the safe room, they headed back to the large room with the sculpture of Isaac. When they arrived, they saw the treasure had manifested.

"A scroll?" Mona muttered.

"A really big one at that," Skull said. "What're we waitin' for? Let's grab it!"

"Hold on," Joker grabbed the boy's arm before he could try to claim the treasure. "We're not alone." His eyes traveled to the base of the sculpture when he heard someone approaching them.

Mikono's Shadow emerged from her hiding spot behind the marble sculpture. She glowered at them as she slowly closed the distance between them. "You truly are hardheaded, aren't you?" She focused her attention on Joker. "How dare you think you can get away with what you've done!"

Joker remained calm as he replied. "Everything I've done-we've done," he gestured to his friends, "Was all for you, Mikono. We'll do anything to bring you back."

She slammed the end of the trident against the floor, cracking the tile. "I don't want to go back! I'll never see my dad again! What's the point in going back when there's nothing left for me?!"

"You have your mom and us. You're not alone. You never have been, Mikono."

She shook her head, denying his words. "No..." She tightened her grip on the trident. "If you won't leave peacefully, then I'll force you." Pointing the trident at the sculpture, a beam of light shot from the forked tips. When the beam made contact with the sculpture, its eyes illuminated a menacing crimson. Its gaze fell on the phantom thieves as the marble cracked.

As the sculpture came to life, shards of marble rained down to the floor. Beneath the marble was the body of a machine. The scroll in its grasp morphed into a sword as it stepped off the base.

"Wh-What the hell is that thing?!" Skull screeched.

"An automaton," Fox replied. "To put it simply, it is a mechanical imitation of a human being."

"We have to fight this?" Panther gulped. "It's huge!"

Joker grabbed his dagger and stood his ground as the automaton's bloody gaze fell upon him. The machine swung its sword at him, but the teen easily dodged and charged at it. He summoned Arséne and used eiha while focusing his dagger on one of the legs.

Fox and Skull summoned Captain Kidd and Goemon, following up Arsene's and Joker's attacks with their own. They targeted the same leg and managed to knock the automaton to a single knee. Panther used her whip to target its head and found its weakness.

Seeing this, Mona and Queen proceeded to attack the automaton's head with physical attacks. Joker, Fox, Panther, and Skull followed suit and delivered a critical hit.

Mikono's Shadow, who was standing behind the machine, gritted her teeth when seeing her creation was losing. Unable to stand the sight, she aimed her trident at the machine and infused more of her power into it.

The automaton swung its blade around its body, knocking back the Phantom Thieves. As it became infused with immense power, its body began transforming. Losing its human aspect, the machine no longer resembled Isaac as it took the appearance of a mechanized Cerberus. The three-headed dog growled before releasing a howl.

Grinning, Mikono's Shadow watched as the Phantom Thieves struggled against the newly transformed automaton. Her smirk festered whenever her creation knocked one of the teens down and push them back. Whenever she saw a crack forming in the machine's exterior, she'd use her power to heal it.

Joker, having witnessed the Shadow's ability to heal her ally, knew what he had to do. Sheathing his dagger, he set his sights on Mikono. "Cover me," he said before dashing toward the girl.

"What the hell're you doin'?!" Skull shrieked as he and Captain Kidd prevented the mechanical mutt from pouncing on their leader.

Joker circled around the automaton. He pushed himself to run as fast as he could, but he was forced to defend himself when Mikono spotted him and used her powers against him. He dodged her attacks, but one grazed his arm. Wincing, he fought through the pain and grabbed his dagger. "I really hope you'll forgive me for this..." He murmured under his breath before tossing the blade.

The dagger pierced Mikono's hand, forcing her to drop the trident. She cried out in pain and immediately ripped the blade out of her hand. Tossing it aside, she immediately went to pick up her weapon. Before she could pick it up, she was tackled to the floor by Joker. She fought against him, using the skills her father taught her to kick him off. Once she was free, she desperately searched for her trident. She located it, but she didn't make it one step before Joker tackled her once again. "Get off of me!" She hissed.

Unlike before, Joker straddled her waist and pinned Mikono's wrists on each side of her head. Using his weight, he was able to keep her from escaping. "Sorry, but I can't let this go on any longer. You're hurting your friends, Mikono."

"I don't care!" She bellowed, glaring up at him. "You nor the others have any idea how I feel!"

"Of course, we don't. Help us understand so we can help you. We can't help you if you shut us out."

"I don't need help," she seethed. "No one can help me."

"You're wrong," Joker remarked. "Why do you think we're here?"

"To steal what's precious to me! What else would thieves do?!"

"You won't lose what's precious to you," he declared.

In the distance, Skull, Fox, Panther, Queen, and Mona were able to annihilate the automaton. Its body shattered into pieces before evaporating into nothingness. All that was left behind was the treasure.

Mikono tore her gaze away from Joker when hearing the downfall of her creation. Tears came to her eyes when seeing the imitation of her father was destroyed and the other thieves claimed her treasure. Joker unconsciously loosened his grip, which was just enough for Mikono to escape. She pushed him aside and scurried over to the others. She reclaimed her treasure from Panther and held it close to her chest, backing away from them. "You've already taken my father from me! Isn't that enough?!" Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hugged the scroll flush against her chest. Slowly, the scroll transformed. She sniffled, falling to her knees in defeat. "Please, don't take my memories of him too."

Mona's eyes widen when he recognizes the object in her grasp. "Hey, that's the scrapbook I saw in Lady Mikono's room."

Seeing his best friend crying, Skull frowned sorrowfully. "We don't have to steal it, do we...?"

"Then how are we supposed to help Mikono?" Queen questioned.

Panther shook her head. "I-I don't have the heart to steal it..."

Joker walked over to Mikono and kneeled down in front of her. Slowly, he reached out and placed his hand on top of her head. "We won't take your memories, Mikono. We'd never take the memories of your father."

She lifted her head, her teary eyes locking with his. "Th-Then why...?"

"Although you're not the real Mikono, you're her Shadow. This was the only way we could reach her. We were hoping if we could talk to you, we could somehow see her again. All of us miss her."

"Some more than others..." Mona snickered under his breath, eyeing their leader.

The Shadow loosened her grip on the scrapbook as she was hit with a wave of realization. "This... All of this was because of me. I-I drowned myself in my own sorrow, blaming myself for my father's death. But it wasn't my fault, was it?"

Joker shook his head. "No. What happened to Dr. Blackwell was out of your control. No one could've predicted what happened."

She hung her head in shame, placing the scrapbook aside. "Because of this, I pushed you and so many others that care for me away. I am so sorry."

He took her hands in his gloved ones and pulled her to her feet as he stood up. "You don't have to apologize. All we want is to see you again."

Mikono ceased crying and nodded. "Okay. I'll return to the real Mikono and make sure she knows."

Joker smiled before leaning forward and placing his forehead against hers. He gazed lovingly into her cerulean eyes. "You know where to find us."

She smiled back. "I'll see you soon, Akira."

The Phantom Thieves watched as the Shadow's body vanished. They were relieved it was all over, but it was short-lived when the ground began shaking.

"We gotta get out of here!" Mona screeched.

The group ran out of the temple and back to the middle of the city before the world around them could disappear under their feet. They exited the Metaverse and headed straight for Leblanc.

<------------<<<<<

Ryuji impatiently paced back and forth in the small café with his hands shoved in his pockets. "Where the hell is she?!"

"Calm yourself, Ryuji," Yusuke spoke up. "We have only been waiting for ten minutes."

"Yeah," Ann said. "You do realize it takes some time to get here from Shibuya, right?"

"You could learn a thing or two about patience," Morgana scoffed.

"How 'bout I learn a thing or two 'bout kickin' your ass?!" Ryuji snarled.

"Loud and vulgar as usual," Makoto mumbled.

"Indeed..." Yusuke agreed with a sigh.

Akira, who was stationed behind the counter, decided to make some drinks for his friends. He even made a cup of Mikono's favorite blend of tea. He served his friends and wound up having to drag Ryuji into one of the booths to stop him from pacing.

Suddenly, the sound of the bell grabbed everyone's attention. Their eyes fell on the entrance of Leblanc and spotted the person they'd been eagerly awaiting.

The moment Mikono saw her friends, what she had planned to say to them vanished from her mind. She nervously took a step forward and mumbled, "U-Um..."

Ann was the first to react. She sprung up from her seat and rushed over to her, crushing her in a tight hug. "We've missed you so much!"

Mikono reciprocates the embrace and wrapped her arms around Ann. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Ann."

"Don't apologize! I'm just glad you're okay." Once Ann released her, Makoto was the next person to give her a hug followed by Yusuke and Ryuji. Morgana hopped into her arms and snuggled closely to her to show his affection.

Seeing Akira hasn't budged, Ann grabbed his arm and nudged him toward Mikono. "Don't just stand there!"

Akira stumbled forward. He almost lost his balance, but he was able to steady himself before he toppled over. Standing directly in front of Mikono, his onyx gaze locked with her cerulean one. Now that she was standing right in front of him, he wasn't sure what to say.

Ann, seeing Akira was struggling, decided to drag Yusuke and Ryuji out of the café to give the couple some alone time. Makoto grabbed Morgana and followed the others out of the door.

With the others gone, Akira was slightly relieved and managed to speak to Mikono. "How're you feeling?"

"A little better, but I know it'll take some more time to heal. I really am grateful for everyone's help. If you and the others hadn't done what you did, I'm not sure how deep I would've drowned in sorrow," she replied.

Akira's eyes widen slightly in realization. "I should give this back to you." He reaches into his pocket and pulled out a necklace. Receiving her permission, he clasped the chain around her neck. "Sorry for stealing it."

Mikono placed a hand over the heart charm dangling from the silver chain. "It's okay. I know you did it to help me. Thank you for giving it back."

Feeling the urge to touch her, he wound his arms around her and pulled her flush against him in a warm embrace. "I'm glad you're back, Mikono."

"Glad to be back," she smiled, wrapping her arms around his torso.

Akira combed one of his hands through her inky locks. As his fingers caressed her soft tresses, an image of Mikono's Shadow resurfaced in his mind. "Have you ever thought about braiding your hair?"

"Why do you ask?" She inquired.

"No reason..."