"Don't be so rough with me!" Morgana hissed as Ryuji yanked it out of Mikono's bag. It tried to claw the boy but was unable to reach him.

Haphazardly, Ryuji dropped the cat on the ground as he clicked his tongue in annoyance . "Enough of that! You said you know how we can do something about Kamoshida, right?"

Morgana wiggled its tail with a giddy grin and pointed its muzzle in Akira's direction. "It has to do with what this guy was talking about earlier. You'll need to attack his castle."

The bleach-blonde scratched the top of his head, clearly confused. "What do you mean?"

"That castle is how Kamoshida views the school," Morgana explained. "He doesn't realize what happens in there, but it's deeply connected to the depths of his heart. Thus, if the castle disappears, it would naturally impact the real Kamoshida."

"That...doesn't sound good," Mikono chimed in.

Ryuji crosses his arms and continued the interrogation. "What'd happen?"

"A Palace is a manifestation of a person's distorted desires. So, if that castle were no more..." Morgana said, his voice trailing off.

"His desires would go, too," Akira stated, finishing the cat's sentence.

"Precisely! You sure pick up things fast!"

Ryuji stared wide-eyed at Morgana. "For real?! H-He's gonna turn good?!" He calmed himself before continuing. "But...is that really gettin' back at him?"

"Erasing a Palace essentially means forcing the owner to have a change of heart. However, even though their warped wants disappear, the crimes they committed remain. Kamoshida will become unable to bear the weight of those crimes, and he'll confess them himself!"

"You for real?!" Ryuji squealed. "That's possible?!"

Morgana continued its explanation. "And since the Palace will no longer exist, he'll forget what we did there as well. Not only will we be able to bring Kamoshida down, but there won't even be a trace of our involvement."

"That's amazing!" He grinned. "You are one incredible cat!"

"True, except for the cat part!"

Unable to hide his exuberance, Ryuji pried further. "So? How do we get rid of the Palace?"

"By stealing the treasure held within," the feline simply responded.

"And how're we supposed to do that?" Mikono inquired.

Morgana turned its full attention to the girl. "I'll tell you more once you agree to go ahead with this. It's my most valuable, secret plan after all. If you want to help me out, I'll gladly teach you. What's your call?"

The three teens looked away from the cat and glanced at one another. Mikono was the first to express her doubts. "I don't know about this... What if I do manage to secure evidence of Kamoshida's abuse on the voice recorder?"

"We've gotta try all our options, Mikky. Our luck's runnin' dry lookin' for witnesses and it's not guarantee your voice recorder will catch anythin'," Ryuji said. "Guess we have no choice but to go along..."

"There's no other way..." Akira sighed, wishing they had other options to choose from.

Mikono crosses her arms, looking toward the setting sun. "You may be right, but I still want to see what my voice recorder can capture. I'll retrieve it tomorrow after school and see if I got anything to use against Kamoshida. I just hope all this ends soon..."

"Don't worry, Lady Mikono. We will succeed!" Morgana smiled up at her. "Oh, before I forget. There's one more thing I should tell you. If we erase a Palace, there is no doubt that the person's distorted desires will be erased as well. But desires are what we all need in order to survive. The will to sleep, eat, fall in love—those sorts of things."

"What?" Mikono gasped. "You should've mentioned that earlier, Morgana!"

"What's wrong, Mikky?" Ryuji questioned, eyebrows knitted together.

"To put it simply, there's a high possibility we might kill Kamoshida if we destroy the Palace. We'll be destroying a piece of his mind and heart that could potentially cause his entire being to shut down." Mikono glared down at the feline. "That really should've been the first thing you explained!"

"Please, Lady Mikono, aren't you determined enough to face those kinds of risks?" Morgana pondered.

"I hate Kamoshida with a burning passion, but I don't think he deserves to die. If he died, how would he atone for his sins? Death would be the easiest alternative for him! I want him to rot behind bars while he drowns in regret for what he's done!" She felt her blood boiling as anger consumed her. She dug her nails into her arms in an attempt to stave off her rage. Once she was able to calm herself down, she looked over at her friends. "What do you two think?"

Akira replayed Morgana's words and Mikono's declaration before gazing apologetically at his female friend. "I'm sorry, Tsutsui-chan, but...we'll have to risk it."

"Kurusu-kun..." She muttered, frowning at him.

"For real?!" Ryuji screeched, baffled at Akira's declaration.

"Sheesh..." Morgana groaned. "I come all this way, and this is what I get. It's not like anyone will ever find out."

"That's not the point!" Ryuji and Mikono shouted in unison.

"If we just go around secretly doin' whatever we want, we'd be no better than that effin' Kamoshida..." The blonde emphasized.

"That, and there's the possibility we might kill him," the inky-haired girl added. "I still think we should wait and see if the voice recorder will capture anything before trying anything too drastic."

Morgana glanced around at the group before saying, "I'll come back later. Make sure you've made your decision by then." The feline trotted away, leaving the trio behind.

The group fell silent for a few minutes before Ryuji spoke up. "Man, we're gettin' all worked up for nothing... Dammit!" He rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh. "Even if Mikky's plan fails, I'll still try and see if I can figure out another way..."

"I just hope if it does wind up coming down to the latter, we'll be able to keep Kamoshida from dying," Mikono said. "He doesn't deserve the easy way out."

"I hope we'll be able to prevent his death, too," Akira stated.

"C'mon," Ryuji heaved out a sigh. "Let's get outta here."

"This conversation really has worn me out..." The cerulean-eyed girl confesses.

"Let's head home for the day," the frizzy-haired boy commented.

The trio of friends left school and headed home for the day.

<——————<<<<<

Mikono and Akira arrived at Aoyama-itchōme Station after reading the slew of texts from Ryuji. They walked down the staircase, heading to the Ginza Line in order to catch their train. Just as they were passing through a crowd, they heard a familiar voice. "Will you please give it a rest?! I told you, I'm not feeling up to it..." The two friends looked to their right, spotting Takamaki only a few steps away. They continued to eavesdrop on her phone call, curious as to who had her feathers ruffled. "Wait, what...?! That's not what you promised! And you call yourself a teacher?! This has nothing to do with Shiho!"

Mikono knew exactly who was on the other end of the call once picking up on clue words. She watched closely as Takamaki lowered her phone with a gasp of horror. She squatted down, hugging her knees in disbelief. "Shiho's...starting position..."

Seeing the distraught girl, Mikono stepped forward and called out to her.  "Takamaki-chan, is everything all right?"

Ann shot up, returning to her full stature. She eyed Mikono and noticed Akira standing behind her. "Wait... Were you both listening?"

"Not on purpose," Akira stated.

"We were walking by when we heard your conversation. We're sorry for eavesdropping," the sable-haired girl lowered her head in shame.

Takamaki ignored the girl's apology and scoffed, "Haven't you heard of privacy?" When she saw Mikono's shoulder tense at her harsh tone, her expression softened. "...No, I was out of line. Sorry."

"I-It's okay," Mikono stuttered, bewildered at her classmate's apology.

Takamaki gripped the straps of her bag in concern. "So how much did you hear?"

"Something about a friend," Akira answered.

The blonde looked away with a frown. "Shiho..." She shook her head, erasing her worried expression. "It's nothing at all. Nothing..." She quickly spun on her heels, dashing away from them.

"T-Takamaki-chan...!" Mikono shouted.

"Let's chase after her," Akira suggested.

She nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I'm worried about her. Let's go, Kurusu-kun!"

The duo took chase, following Takamaki through the train station. They weave through the crowd, pushing past a few people in the process. The two nearly tripped rushing down the stairs but were able to keep their footing and prevent Takamaki from escaping their line of sight.

Eventually, Akira and Mikono caught up to Ann when she came to a stop to catch her breath. She saw the two from the corner of her eye and turned to glare at them. "Stop following me... Just leave me alone!"

"We can't," Akira answers between pants. "You're our classmate, Takamaki-san."

"Kurusu's right. We're worried about you," Mikono exclaimed.

"Why?" She demanded, her glare unwavering. "Why do you keep worrying about me?" Her scowl shattered and the corners of her eyes filled with tears as she sobbed lightly.

"Let's go somewhere safe," Akira suggested before looking toward Mikono. "Any suggestions, Tsutsui-chan?"

"There's a café nearby," she answered. "We can also get a few drinks to parch our thirst from all the running. How about it, Takamaki-chan?"

Said girl sighed. "What the heck? I really don't get you two..."

The three walked to a nearby café and ordered drinks before sitting down in a booth. Akira and Mikono sat on one side while Takamaki sat across from them. The blonde looked up at her female classmate, leaning back in the seat. "Um... Thank you for paying, Tsutsui-chan."

Mikono smiled sweetly at her. "You're welcome. It's the least I can do."

"I really do appreciate it, but..." The same glare from earlier returned to Takamaki's face. "I don't have anything to talk about with either of you. It was just an argument..."

"...With Kamoshida?" Akira questioned.

Takamaki looked away from them, cupping her cheek in her palm and placing her elbow on the table. "You two have heard the rumors...haven't you? About Mr. Kamoshida." She fiddled with the napkin in front of her, unable to meet her classmates' gazes. "Everyone says we're getting it on. But...that's so not true!"

"It wasn't difficult to guess who was on the other end of that call," Mikono stated. "No wonder you were so angry..."

Takamaki was taken aback at how she guessed correctly. "How did you...?"

"We may not talk to each other, but I see the way you look and act around Kamoshida. You hate him just as much as I do. Maybe even more."

She nodded. "I avoided giving him my number...for the longest time... He told me to go to his place after this..." Lashing out, she crumbled up the napkin in her hand. "You know what it means. If I turn him down, he said he'd take my friend off as a regular on the team... I've been telling myself this is all for Shiho's sake... I can't it anymore... I've had enough of this... I hate him! But still..." Takamaki lifted her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Shiho's my best friend. She's all I have left at that sorry excuse of a school!"

Mikono cupped her hands in her lap, staring down at the table. "I know exactly how you feel, Takamaki-chan. I made a deal with Kamoshida in order to protect Ryuji. When I saw how much pain Ryuji was in when Kamoshida broke his leg, I knew I had to do something. That day, I decided I would take Ryuji's punishments in his stead. He's my best friend and was the only person that mattered to me at Shujin until a few days." She lifted her head and smiled at the boy next to her. "That's when I met Kurusu-kun. Protecting the people you care about the most is difficult, but being able to see them smile makes it all worth it in the end."

More tears cascaded down Takamaki's cheeks. "Please, Tsutsui-chan... Tell me... What should I do?"

Once again, Mikono lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Takamaki-chan. I wish I had an answer for you. I don't even have my own questions answered..."

She wiped a tear from her cheek as she tried to cease crying. "Sorry... I shouldn't have asked. It's not your problem." Her tears dried up as she cleared her throat. "What...am I saying? I've barely even talked to either of you before..."

"It's fine," Akira chimed in. "We may not be friends, but we're glad you opened up to us a little bit."

"Exactly!" Mikono smiled childishly. "We're classmates. The least we could do is listen and provide a shoulder to cry on."

Takamaki shook her head with a heavy sigh. "You two are so weird. Usually everyone just ignores me." She then focuses her gaze on Akira. "Are you really a bad person as the rumor says? You just don't seem like it...especially since you're friends with Tsutsui-chan."

Akira crosses his arms with a playful smirk. "I'm bad to the bone."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" She asked.

"Those rumors are a bunch of nonsense," Mikono said. "Kurusu-kun's actually a very kind and sweet person. I never expected someone besides Ryuji to speak to me, but he proved me wrong. It's nice to finally meet someone else who sees me for who I am, not for my heritage. I'm sure you know the feeling all too well, Takamaki-chan."

"I kinda had a feeling they were all just exaggerations. You both seemed lonely—almost like neither of you don't belong anywhere even though you have each other. We're the same in that regard. Maybe that's why it was so easy for me to talk to you both." She then winced when she was reminded of her best friend. "Is there really no way for me to help Shiho...?"

"Don't give up, Takamaki-san. Kamoshida will pay for his actions soon enough," Akira proclaimed.

"You sound so certain. I just wish he'd change his mind... Like, forget about me, and everything. As if something like that would ever happen..."

"It could happen," Akira said optimistically, adjusting his glasses. "You never know what could happen in the future."

For the first time since they began chatting, Takamaki giggled. "I wasn't asking for a serious response. But I do feel a bit better now. I'm gonna head home." She grabbed her bag and stood up.

Before she could leave, Mikono stopped her. "If you ever want someone else to talk to or hang out with, you can come see me any time, Takamaki-chan. We could go out shopping or have some lunch together."

Takamaki met the girl's gaze with uncertainty. "I don't know, Tsutsui-chan..."

"That's okay," Mikono smiled at her. "Don't worry about my offer if it makes you uncomfortable."

"I-It's not that it makes me uncomfortable, but...never mind." She then glanced between her classmates. "Don't tell anyone what I told you, okay? I'll try and think of a way to persuade Kamoshida. Well...thanks." With that, she left the café.

Mikono sighed dejectedly once the blonde was gone. "I knew it... Takamaki-chan is with Kamoshida to protect her best friend. It seems we're more similar than I thought..." She glances down at the handprint surrounding her left wrist. "We're both just trying to protect someone we care about..."

Akira noticed what she was focused on and wondered if her wrist was aching. Before he could ask, she climbed out of the booth with her bag on her shoulder with a bead of sweat on her forehead. "It's almost 5 o'clock! I'm gonna be late for my shift!"

The boy grabbed his bag and exited the booth. "Then let's head back to the train."

"We've gotta hightail it! C'mon, Kurusu-kun!" Mikono grabbed his hand and took off out of the café and toward the Ginza Line, dragging Akira along. They managed to jump onto the train before it departed and traveled to Shibuya.

Arriving at Shibuya Station, Mikono parted ways with Akira and headed to the museum. Close to her destination, she received a message from her mother. It was a short text mentioning how she didn't have to work today and should head home. Doing as Ichika said, the young girl headed home without complaint.

The second she stepped through the front door, Mikono headed up the stairs and to the bathroom. She tossed her bag haphazardly in her room before entering the bathroom and closing the door behind her. She examined her wrist before deciding to run some hot water across the reddened skin. When she dried it, she felt a small tinge of pain and groaned. "Ryuji's right. This is definitely gonna leave a bruise..."

Mikono sighed and left the bathroom. She rummaged through the closet and pulled out a sweater. She switched out her school uniform for a pair of shorts and a long-sleeved sweater. She tugged the sleeves down past her wrists just as she heard her text tone. Wondering who it was, she fished her phone out of her bag and saw a barrage of texts from Ryuji and a few from Akira. She read through the group chat and noticed the two boys were discussing what Morgana had told them on the rooftop. She was happy to know neither one of them wanted to kill Kamoshida and were trying to find out another course of action that they could take to avoid risking the man's life.

After reading the group chat, Mikono received another message. This time, it was a private message from Akira.

Akira: How's your wrist?

Mikono couldn't help but smiling when seeing he was concerned about her. She promptly texted him back to stave off his worry.

Mikono: Hurts a little, but it'll be fine. It will definitely leave a bruise, though. I'll have to wear longer sleeves for a little while so my parents won't ask about it.

Akira: I should've went with you. Maybe I could've stopped him.

Mikono: If you had tagged along, Kamoshida would've reported you. Then you would've been taken away. I couldn't let that happen.

Akira: I wouldn't mind if it meant keeping you away from Kamoshida. If he does anything else, tell me. I want to help you in any way possible.

Mikono: Aw, you're too sweet, Kurusu-kun!

Mikono: Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow. I've got to prepare dinner. Good night!

Akira: Good night, Tsutsui-chan.