Xiao Wen Ju
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“Internet friendship is not real”
Persona 5: Bad Day (Akira x Ann)
“It’s just a bad day…” Akira told himself.
In fact, it’s what he’s been telling himself for the past several days now.
He quietly walked towards the shop, not saying a word to Morgana who was in his schoolbag.
Morgana looked at Akira worriedly, but he didn’t notice, mostly due to Akira’s thoughts overwhelming him.
Ever since he was transferred to Shibuya thanks to the false charges laid against him, he was always treated as an outsider.
Until he formed the Phantom Thieves by chance.
They were one of the few people who accepted Akira, as the Thieves’ leader, but more importantly, their friend.
He recalls when he first arrived in the city, he was pretty much seen as some punk who was out of control.
Some asshole who didn’t care what consequences came to him when he committed his crimes.
Someone who didn’t feel like they did.
Akira told himself to bear with the comments people made, because they sure weren’t going to go away anytime soon, that’s for sure.
This entire week had been extremely rough for him, not just in his daily life.
He had just finished the heist of Okumura, Haru’s father. After stealing his heart, they were going to wait until he confessed his crime, which was going to be several weeks from now. However, it wasn’t the time constraint that had stressed him.
Constantly, he and his teammates faced near death, had it not been for his quick thinking, on several occasions during the infiltration of the Palace. The more perils his team faced, the more stress was put on him, almost making him break on some points when his teammates were taken hostage by shadows.
He was finally able to relax physically, but the school sure didn’t give him any breaks mentally.
The students’ comments became more vicious for some unknown reason. At first, everyone was just avoiding him, but now they seem to go out of their way just to berate him. Despite the fact he really hasn’t done anything at the school to give him his ‘criminal’ status, the stigma still carried around him when Kamoshida forced Mishima to release his info to them.
Even the teachers seemed to be a part of the group assaulting him verbally.
Throughout the week, his teammates began to notice Akira’s mental state drop greatly.
He was usually quiet, but he always seemed to smile talking to them, always willing to help out.
As of late though, they noticed several changes with him.
Ryuji noticed Akira not being as enthusiastic to train with him, and even eating at their favorite Ramen stand, he seemed to only saw a few words, staring into his bowl.
Yusuke would catch Akira staring at his paintings, as if he was lost in it like Yusuke was. Though, when he looked deeply into Akira’s eyes, it was missing passion. It felt…empty.
Makoto noticed him studying more and more now, despite the fact she usually never sees him in the school’s library. Each day, he would just sit in the farthest corner of the study booths, away from everyone. He only left to either use the bathroom, get snacks, or when most of everyone was gone.
Futaba was a bit airheaded sometimes, but she wasn’t dumb. Akira began buying a lot more games for her, but never offered to play them with her. That’s when she noticed that it was to keep her occupied and to ignore the fact that he refused to be around her with his state of mind.
Haru wasn’t in the group for long, but even she could tell that Akira wasn’t himself. The suave, sassy leader that she knew said not a word to anyone unless spoken to, which he would put on a dishonest smile in the hopes of fooling everyone to not worry about him. It obviously didn’t work.
Even Sojiro noticed the quick single-word answers Akira gave him whenever he walked back into Cafe Leblanc.
It was unlike Akira to give a half-assed answer to him.
Even in the beginning when Sojiro admitted that he was kind of a prick to Akira, he usually was respectful and gave honest answers.
Morgana got to see Akira’s mentality deteriorate the most, since he was pretty much glued to him. He even went to bed early in the most ungodly of hours, sometimes Akira went straight to bed after school, which even then was only 5 P.M.
The most concerned of the group however, was Ann.
She cared for Akira deeply, even more than a friend at times. It was the fact that he went out of his way to help her and Shiho when they were practically wrapped around Kamoshida’s finger.
She knew most of all that he wasn’t the delinquent the school made him out to be. He had nothing to gain from helping them, certainly not anyone’s admiration.
He wasn’t some criminal.
He was a goddamn hero.
Ann was one of the first people to notice Akira’s mood shift, so she got to work on trying to help. From having Akira go to her fashion shoots, getting him sweets and the such, and even helping him get new clothes to wear.
All of it was in vain however, because everytime he smiled, she could tell that his heart wasn’t in it. It was wallowing in itself, putting up a facade so that she could not worry.
Though at this point, it was painfully obvious that they all knew that. Except Akira of course.
Ann twirled one of her pigtails around, staring out the diner window. She didn’t know what to do, honestly.
She cared for Akira, but at the same time if he didn’t want to talk about it, she respected it and didn’t want to push him.
What could she do?
“Why not ease him into the question, Ann?” Shiho asked.
Ann snapped out of her thoughts, and looked at Shiho, who was sitting across holding a cup of coffee in her hands.
She took a sip, set it back down, and looked at Ann with a serious expression.
“He helped you out with your troubles, right? He was even here when I said I was leaving Shujin. I didn’t know him for long, but it’s obvious that the way people treated him weighs heavily on his mind. I want to help if we can!”
Ann sighed and replied.
“I know. I want to help Akira too but…I don’t want to intrude in his business. He deserves that much.”
Shiho shook her head.
“That’s how he helped us out to begin with! He butted in on us, and cared enough to actually do something right?”
Ann stopped for a moment and looked down.
“I…Yeah, you’re right.” sigh “You’re totally right.”
Ann got up from her seat and nodded firmly.
“I’m going to help him out!”
Shiho smiled and put up her plate.
“Thanks Shiho. You always give out the best advice, you know that?”
giggle “Good luck alright? As soon as he’s starting to feel better, you let me know, alright?”
“Um, shouldn’t it be IF I do?”
“Nah.”
Shiho replied, walking out the door of the diner.
“I know you will, Ann.”
She went out of the diner, leaving Ann alone.
She thought to herself, and opened up a chat room with just the Phantom Thief members without Akira.
(Ann) “Hey guys.”
(Ryuji) “wassup?”
(Futaba) “yo.”
(Haru) “Hm?”
(Yusuke) “Yes?”
(Makoto) “Is something up, Takamaki?”
(Ann) “Can you guys come to leblanc? I want to get Boss in this too.”
She first asked if anyone else noticed if Akira was acting strange, to which the reply was yes. She then began to explain that she wanted to help him feel better, but at the same time that she didn’t want him to feel like he was being interrogated by literally everyone at the same time.
Ann asked if Futaba could at least wiretap her phone to play what Akira was saying to downstairs so everyone could hear.
Though everyone felt dirty, they felt it was necessary to help out their leader.
He helped them out unconventionally too, after all.
Once the setup was done, Ann quietly went upstairs to Akira’s attic room, where he was sleeping and Morgana was staring at him, concern written all over his face.
“Lady Ann? What are you-”
“Shh…Head downstairs alright?”
Morgana nodded and headed downstairs, to which he was explained the plan. Though Sojiro was confused why they were talking to the cat and not just him about it, he didn’t want to question it.
Ann took a deep breath and sat on the bed, gently shaking Akira.
(Ann) “Hey, wake up. Come on, it’s a little early for sleep, don’tcha think?”
Akira’s eyes slowly opened up, almost jumping when he saw Ann was right next to him.
“A-Ann?! What are you doing up here?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you!”
Ann rubbed the back of her head.
“Um…I asked Boss if I could come up here. I just-Well I uh…”
She blushed for a moment before shaking her head.
This was no time for indecision.
“I came up here because I’m worried.”
Akira’s face didn’t change, but she noticed him straighten out his back, preparing for what Ann was going to ask.
“I’m just worried how you’re doing. A lot of the dickheads at school are giving you a rough time, and Okumura’s infiltration wasn’t pretty either. Through it all though you’re…not yourself.”
Ann moved closer to Akira as he readjusted himself, sitting next to her.
Everyone downstairs moved closer to Futaba’s phone, waiting for Akira’s response.
Ann looked at Akira and continued.
“For the past couple days, you look like you’ve been miserable. And honestly? I’d be surprised if you hadn’t been. If you need someone to talk to…We’re here for you, ya know. Like you were here for us.”
She moved closer to Akira, slowly putting a hand over his subconsciously.
“I’m here for you, Akira.”
He looked down before closing his eyes and sighing.
“I appreciate it Ann…Truth be told, it’s just a bad week. I’m sure it’ll be gone-”
“That’s what you say everytime, Akira. It’s not just a bad week if it’s eating you like this…It hurts to see you like this, you know?”
Akira remained silent.
“It hurts to see someone I care about hurt like this, and me not being able to do anything! I…I know I’m sounding unfair but…It’s better than bottling it up.”
Akira sighed and cupped his hands together.
“I guess a lot has been on my mind. Mostly it’s just…how everyone sees me. I’m the cool and collected leader right? I shouldn’t show fear lie this cause if I do, it’ll give the impression of something like “If even he’s afraid, then what hope do we have?” kinda thing… Not even that but, after all this time I’m still just the outcast.
No matter what I do, no matter how nice I’m still just…the criminal transfer student. I’m pretty sure if I die during a heist or something, no one would really care. Just that ‘the transfer student got what was coming’ kinda deal…I even remember something that Sojiro said to me when I first got here…’You can get yourself killed if you want, but don’t go dragging others into it’…I just…felt so lonely. No one would really care about me during my time at Shujin…that’s when I met all of you.”
Sojiro sighed sadly while everyone else listened closely. Some of them even had tears welling up in their eyes.
“I’m so grateful for all of you, and that I’m able to help you out. I’m just afraid that you all will see me like this. I know you guys won’t mind, I know it but…I’m just so afraid to show this side to anyone. When I was sentenced to my probation, the look in my parents’ eyes was just…betrayal. I thought even if my own parents didn’t trust my very words, then what hopes would I have with anyone else here? Would you guys see me lesser for this? I…I don’t know the answer.”
Akira’s eyes began tearing up, and streaming down his face.
“I’m sorry I kept this quiet from you guys…I. I didn’t know how to bring it up.”
“Akira, you idiot.”
Akira turned to Ann, who also had tears running down.
“We’d never think less of you for something as small as this. No matter what you do or feel, you’re still, and always will be Akira Kurusu to us. Nothing will ever change that. You’ve seen us at our very worst, and yet still stuck with us, believing in us when no one else would.”
Ann held his hand tightly, continuing her thoughts.
“We’ll be damned if we wouldn’t do the same for you. Sure you’re our cool-cat leader but…you’re our friend. Don’t forget we’re all outcasts too. You’re stuck with us whether you like it or not”
Akira and Ann chuckled for a moment before Ann decided to swallow her pride.
She cupped Akira’s face, and kissed his cheek, smiling through a couple tears.
“Whether it’s a bad day, bad week, bad whatever…We’ll be here for you. You’re special to us. To me, ya know?”
Akira smiled, and hugged Ann tightly.
She felt tears dropping onto the back of her shirt as Akira held her.
“…Thank you, Ann. I…Y-You’re…I want you to know you’re special to me too.”
Ann smiled and hugged him back.
“I know, dummy.”
After a tender moment, Akira let go and smiled at her.
“Thanks…I do feel better now that I said it.”
“See? I told you.”
Akira put the blanket over him as he looked up onto the ceiling.
“I don’t know when but…I promise I’ll tell everyone else how I feel too.”
“U-Um, yeah. Take your time Akira.”
He noticed her stutter, but he was too tired to actually acknowledge it.
“Thanks Ann…If you want we could do something later this week.”
She smiled and nodded.
“Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll see you later then.”
And just like that, Akira was out like a light again. She slowly walked downstairs while everyone turned to her.
Makoto Yusuke Morgana and Sojiro looked sad, yet happy at the same time while Haru Ryuji and Futaba were wiping their eyes with their sleeves.
“Well…plan successful,” Makoto said.
“Heh, always knew the kid was a little too soft,” Sojiro replied.
“S-Shit man…I-I’m just glad that he at least spoke to one of us.” Ryuji wiped his eyes.
Futaba decided to brighten the mood, and turned to Ann.
“So…got a new date?”
Ann looked confused before her entire face flushed tomato read, remembering that she had wiretapped her phone.
“Well-I Uh- Um…I-It was the heat of the moment!”
“Well, I’m happy for you two!” Haru said excitedly.
“Ugh, not you too Haru!” Ann angrily replied, trying to change the subject before remembering something.
“Hey guys, I gotta make a call to Shiho!”
“Whatever for? Yusuke asked.
“Well…I’m just gonna tell her she was right about something.”
Fin
“You just stopped caring. And just like that we went from soulmates to strangers.”
— Reluctance // Conee Berdera (via remanence-of-love)
“I don’t believe in Inktober cause I believe all art works should be treated special with time, care and love. Not rushed out to meet the day’s deadline.”
— Lennon Black
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