|| 5/4 Wednesday ||
|| Daytime ||

"Thanks for inviting me today, Mikono," Ann smiled. "I haven't been shopping in a while."

"I'm grateful you accepted my invitation," the sable-haired girl smiled back. "Honestly, this is my first time shopping with another girl. Ryuji was the only friend I had until I met Akira. Then things became crazy and now I've met you."

"I think we get along so well because we know how it feels to be treated differently. We're both treated like weirdos all because of our looks. But I think you have it worse than I do. To be honest, I...actually believed those rumors. I'm such a moron for not realizing the truth... I'm really sorry, Mikono."

Said girl's smile widened. "You don't have to apologize. It's not like you're the one who started the rumors. I would be more surprised if you didn't believe those rumors. But now, that's all in the past. We're friends, right?"

Ann nodded. "Yeah!"

The two girls walked down Central Street before coming to a halt in front of a clothing store. Ann wasn't familiar with the store, but Mikono was. It was her favorite place to shop for clothes.

"This...looks pretty expensive," Ann muttered as she stared at the mannequins dressed in beautiful outfits displayed in front of the shop. "I don't think I have enough money for this place."

"You paid for lunch. It's my turn to pay you back. Just pick out an outfit and I'll handle the costs," Mikono said.

"Really?" Ann sounded joyful but guilty at the same time. "I-I don't want to take your money."

"You're not taking my money. I've brought enough for two outfits-one for you and one for me. Think of it as a thank you gift, for giving me something so many others haven't-friendship."

"Mikono..." Ann muttered the girl's name with wide eyes.

"Now then, let's go shopping!" The inky-haired girl grabbed her friend's hand and dragged her into the shop.

It took Mikono a few more times to convince Ann to pick out an outfit. When the taller girl finally broke under her friend's kindness, she began looking through the store. The two girls went their separate ways, examining the clothing until meeting back up in front of the changing room with arms filled with outfits.

Ann went first, changing in and out of all the clothes she picked up. She would enter and exit the changing room to get Mikono's opinion on each outfit. After ten minutes of deciding which outfit she liked the best, she left the changing room and allowed her friend to try on her own clothes.

The cycle was repeated, but Mikono had a couple outfits less to try on than Ann. It wasn't until the very last one did the sable-haired girl truly adore the clothes. She stepped out of the changing room, adjusting the french beret on her head. "So, what do think?"

Ann's eyes widen before a smile manifests on her face. "You look amazing! I could never pull off such a look. And I'm loving the hat!"

"You're way prettier than me, Ann," Mikono stated. "You could pull this outfit off better than I could."

"That's not true!" She crosses her arms and legs, leaning back into the plush chair. "I've never been one for dresses, but they really do suit you."

"Thank you," Mikono smiled, blushing in embarrassment. "Lemme change back into my clothes and then we can head to the counter." She went back into the changing room, putting her own clothes back on. She left once she straightened up her appearance and returned the clothes she wasn't going to buy.

Ann and Mikono headed to the counter with their respected outfits. The sable-haired girl paid for the clothing as the cashier placed each outfit into separate bags. The woman behind the counter wished them farewell as the girls left the store.

"Now I know your secret to cute clothes," Ann giggled as they walked down the street. "I really wish that store was a little cheaper so I could shop there more often."

"It's my favorite store in all of Shibuya, minus the bookstore." Mikono held her bag with both hands, carrying it in front of her. "I had a really fun time with you, Ann. Hopefully, we can do this again soon."

Ann beamed jubilantly. "Me too. It's so nice not having boys around, either. Having a girls day really boosted my mood."

"We'll definitely have to-"

Mikono fell silent when she felt a familiar feeling she'd been experiencing on her way home for nearly a week. She built up the courage to turn around, but she saw no one behind them. Even though she couldn't see anyone watching them, the feeling never left.

"What's wrong?" Ann asked.

"Ever since last Thursday, I noticed someone's been following me home."

The blonde's eyes widen. "You too?"

Mikono turned back around. "Don't tell me... Is someone following you, too?"

"Y-Yeah. I felt the same feeling a few seconds ago, but I tried to ignore it. You don't think...?"

"There's no way we have the same stalker...right?"

"I don't know and I really don't want to find out. Let's see if we can lose them in the crowd." Ann grabbed Mikono's hand and tugged her into a bustling crowd. They weaved through people in a desperate attempt to evade the stalker. Once the eerie feeling of being watched was gone, they left Central Street.

Seeing they lost their pursuer, the two girls sighed in relief. They waited a few minutes to be sure before waving farewell to one another and going their separate ways.

On the way home, Mikono's relief vanished when the all-too-familiar sensation of being watched returned the second she entered her neighborhood. The echo of footsteps from behind her sent a shiver down her spine. Alongside the footsteps, she heard what sounded like keys jangling. She thought about contacting Akira, but she wasn't sure if he would answer. Even if he did, she wasn't sure how long it would take him to reach her.

Wondering what happened if she stopped, she froze in place and kept her back turned to the person following her. When the footsteps ceased and the jingling of keys was no more, she thought now would be the perfect time to see who had been stalking her. However, her confidence was shattered when the person decided to approach her. Without hesitating, she took off down the street. It wasn't long before she heard them chase after her.

As she ran, Mikono passed a few people. They stared at her in confusion as she sped by. She knew she should've stopped to ask someone for help, but she feared they wouldn't believe her and give her the cold shoulder.

Suddenly, someone grabbed and dragged her down a side street. She fought against the person as an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against their body. Before she could scream, a hand was clamped over her mouth. Her desperate cries were muffled as she was pulled into the shadows of one of the houses. She lifted her hands to claw at the person's hand, but she was stopped when a gentle, familiar voice whispered in her ear, "It's me, Mikono."

Her body slumped forward, legs weak from the fear she felt only seconds ago. If Akira's arm wasn't around her waist, she would've fallen to the ground. When he lowered his hand, she sighed in relief. "Y-You scared me!"

"Sorry," Akira apologized. His arm tightened around her waist. "Why didn't you call or text me?"

"I thought about it, but I wasn't sure if you would answer. Even if you did, I wasn't sure how long it would've taken you to get here," she confessed. "By the way... How're you here? Were you waiting for me?"

"Ann texted me. She mentioned the stalker and told me you were on your way home. Did you already forget what I told you?"

"N-No..." She glanced down at the arm secured around her waist. "Could you...let me go, Akira?"

He lowered his head, his warm breath grazing against the side of her neck as he whispered. "What if I don't want to?"

Mikono's body tensed at the feeling of his breath against her skin. Her cheeks were set ablaze. "A-Akira...!"

The boy chuckled at her cute reaction. "I'm just teasing you." He released her, taking a few steps back.

She pursed her lips. "W-Well, stop!" That was when she noticed someone was missing. "Where's Morgana?"

Now it was Akira's turn to blush. "I may have left Leblanc in such a hurry I forgot..."

The girl saw her chance to give the boy a taste of his own medicine. "Oh?" She took a few steps toward him, forcing him to back away. It wasn't long before his back came in contact with a wall, preventing him from moving any further. His obsidian eyes watched Mikono's every move as she stood directly in front of him, his cheeks a bright crimson. There were a few centimeters between them. His eyes didn't leave the short girl for second as she lifted her hand and placed it on his cheek. "You were so worried about me that you forgot Morgana?"

Akira tried to respond, but no words came out of his mouth. A lump had formed in his throat as his heart thumped rapidly in his chest.

Seeing how flustered Akira was, Mikono lowered her hand and bursted with laughter. Her sudden laughter shocked the boy. She wiped a stray tear that formed in her eye. "I can play that game too, Akira." She saw how petrified he was and decided to change the subject. "I think your quick thinking caused the stalker to lose sight of me. Let's head to my place."

Akira simply nodded, his mind still a wreck. The two left their hiding spot and headed to Mikono's house, where they spent some time together before parting ways.

|| 5/5 Thursday ||
|| Daytime ||

When lunchtime rolled around, Mikono met Akira, Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana at the entrance of the Wilton Hotel. She was dressed in the new outfit she bought yesterday. As she walked up, she noticed Ryuji and Akira were staring at her, their eyes wide open.

"What?" She asked, puzzled.

Morgana's eyes glistened as it peered over Akira's shoulder. "Me-wow!"

Ann smirked at the two boys. "Like her new outfit, you two?"

Akira was the first to speak up. He tried to keep his voice steady, but failed. "Y-Yeah."

"I-I, uh..." Words failed Ryuji as he forced himself to look away.

"Let's forget my outfit and enjoy a nice lunch," Mikono smiled.

The group entered the hotel and headed straight for the buffet. They paid before entering and sat down at a vacant table. Ann and Ryuji sat at opposite ends while Akira and Mikono sat across from one another with Morgana by the bespectacled boy's side. It wasn't long before the table was filled with desserts Ann picked out and a handful of meat dishes courtesy of Ryuji. Unlike the two, Akira and Mikono has a single plate filled with whatever striked their fancy. Morgana had a plate assorted with fish by the frizzy-haired teen.

Mikono picked at her tempura shrimp as she listened to Ryuji hum in satisfaction. "So good!"

"No wonder Lady Ann chose this place!" Morgana excitedly shouted as it nibbled on a piece of fish.

"Of course it's good," Ann smiled with a plate of cake in her grasp. "This is a famous hotel, after all."

Mikono didn't say a word as she moved away from the tempura and picked at a few grains of white rice on her plate, not bothering to eat anything. She cupped her chin in her palm as her elbow rested on the table.

"Oh yeah," Ann said after taking another bite from her cake. "I heard that the police are coming to interview some people at school."

"That's troublesome..." Morgana groaned.

Ryuji places his fork down, worried. "Our names are gonna come up for sure. People're spreadin' all sorts of rumors about us and Kamoshida." Then, he grinned. "But we got 'em pumped up! I keep hearin' stuff like, "The Phantom Thieves really stole his heart!" I think most people don't believe it, but some of them actually seem grateful."

While Ryuji was searching for his phone, Akira noticed Mikono's silence and the distant look in her eyes. She hadn't touched her food, only using her chopsticks to move it around her plate. "Hey," he called out to her, concerned. She lifted her head, meeting his gaze. "Is everything okay?"

Mikono blinked a few times before answering. "Everything's fine."

Ann also noticed her behavior. "Your parents left for Italy today, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. They left early this morning."

"Are you sure you'll be okay staying by yourself?"

"I'll be fine," Mikono smiled.

Akira kept his gaze on her as she looked back down at her plate to continue playing with her food.

Ryuji, who had tuned out their conversation due to his frantic search for his phone, finally found it. He tapped on the screen. "Look at this." He showed the screen to everyone else.

Ann places her cake down and leans closer to read what was on the screen. "The Phantom Aficionado Website?" Her eyes trailed down the screen to read more. ""Well done, Phantoms Thieves"... "Now I can keep going too"... "Thank you for giving us hope"..."

"Pretty cool, huh?" Ryuji grinned.

Ann beamed after reading the comments. "I was just desperate to deal with my own problems, but seeing people saying all this feels...strange."

"Yeah." The fake blonde directed his gaze toward Akira and Morgana. "Hey... What do we do now?"

"You planning on eating?" The messy-haired boy jabbed his fork toward the pile of meat on his friend's plate.

"Well of course I'm gonna eat, but..."

Ann gasped as she flew out of her seat. "This place has a time limit!"

The chocolate-eyed boy was the next one to jump to his feet. "Oh crap, we only got an hour to eat!"

"Just fifty minutes left!" The azure-eyed girl shrieked.

"I'm not gonna finish all the beef dishes at this pace!"

"I need to eat my way through the entire dessert menu!"

"Look after our stuff!" Ryuji shouted, glancing between Mikono, Akira, and Morgana. "We'll snag something for you guys too, don't worry!"

"W-Wait, Ryuji...!" Mikono shouted after hearing what he said. However, the boy, alongside Ann, was gone before she could stop him. "I swear, he better not bring me back a plate full of meat..."

"You haven't touched your food," Morgana observed.

"I'm not really hungry. I wish I was so I could enjoy the food, but..."

"It's your parents, isn't it?" Akira asked.

She nodded, frowning sorrowfully. "Yeah. This is the first time since we came to Japan that they've left for almost an entire month. I don't know why, but...I'm really worried about that stalker. If they learn I'm home alone, what will keep them from breaking in? Maybe I'm just overreacting..."

"It's normal to be scared, Lady Mikono," Morgana smiled at her. "Maybe one of us should stay with you while your parents are gone to make sure that doesn't happen."

"I'll only consider that option when I start feeling unsafe in my own home. I just hope this stalker learns to quit while they're ahead."

Ann and Ryuji returned a few seconds laters, their arms filled with plates. They filled the table with dishes before presenting what they picked out for Mikono. The girl had brought her back a slice of chocolate cake while Ryuji presented her a small cup of udon. She thanked the two as they sat down. A giggle slipped from her lips when she saw the plate the two made for Morgana.

Without hesitating, Ryuji scarfed down the various meats he had piled on his plate. "Aw man, it melts in my mouth!"

"Seriously? Only meat?" Morgana watched the boy munch down.

"Now, where should I start?" Ann pondered as she examined the multitude of dessert dishes she brought back.

"And she's all about the cake," the cat cringed. Mikono finally took a bite of the shrimp tempura, which grabbed the animal's attention. It sighed in relief. "At least someone here is eating like normal..."

"So happy..." Ann hummed as she took a bite from a slice of cake.

"Hey. Calories," Ryuji smirked.

"Shuddup!" She hissed. "How much do you think one of these costs?! I'll never get the chance to do this again!" She took another bite, her smile returning. "Mmm, the Wilton Hotel cake buffet... I'd heard rumors, but I never thought it'd be so amazing!"

"And...where's our share?" Morgana glances around and various dishes on the table.

"I didn't really know what you'd want..." Ryuji swallowed the food in his mouth. "So I just grabbed you some beans."

"B-Beans?"

"There were some pretty bizarre things there too, so we got you a variety of those. Fried bananas, preserved eggs, and...some kind of beans," Ann exclaimed.

Morgana's eyes widen even further. "M-More beans?"

"We put so much on the plate that it got all mixed up, but it should still taste good."

The feline eyed the plate piled high with a combination of foods, grimacing. "This is just plain grotesque... How did you screw it up for us but not for Lady Mikono?"

"Dude, I know what my best friend likes to eat. You're just a cat and I've no idea what Akira likes," Ryuji retorts.

"And no girl can deny a slice of chocolate cake," Ann added.

"Whatever..." Morgana groaned. "Let's go, Akira. These two just don't know what fine dining means! We'll show them!"

Akira nodded with a determined expression. "Leave it to me."

"That's reassuring!"

Mikono smirked in amusement. "You two make it sound like you're going on an important mission."

"It IS an important mission!" Morgana proclaimed before glancing between the three teens. "You guys watch over our things while we're gone! Wait patiently for our return!"

Alas, Ryuji and Ann were in their own little worlds as they enjoyed the food, tuning out Morgana's voice.

"Ahhh, it's like a meaty explosion in my mouth...!" Ryuji announces with a mouthful of meat.

"Ooh, this part's cream cheese!" Ann shrieked in delight.

"They're not even listening..." Morgana sighed.

"I'll watch over your things," Mikono said. "You two go ahead and explore the buffet."

"We can always count on you, Lady Mikono!"