1Yuudachi [Sudden Evening Shower] (夕立ち)
7/18 - Fireworks Festival...Canceled due to rain. The Phantom Thieves take shelter at a nearby convenience store and wait for the rain to let up. To pass the time, two of them browse the merchandise and magazines while another wanders around and indulges in his habit of people watching. As for the remaining two people, although talking isn't their specialty, they decide to engage in conversation desiring to better understand each other.
Rain. On the day of the fireworks festival of all days. They had all jokingly blamed Yusuke for bringing the rain wherever he went - but still.
Makoto exhaled softly as she patted more water out of her hair.
"Here, use this." A towel entered her field of vision.
"Oh. Thank you, Akira."
He was also sopping wet from the rain. She offered him a small smile while she blotted some water from around her chin. "Your first fireworks festival in the big city and it rains."
"It happens. We didn't get to see the entire show but it was still fun to come with everyone. Also..." he trailed off. Her slender, white neck looked so exposed now. He could see the outline of her back and shoulders through the soaked fabric of her white yukata. Why did it have to be white?
Akira gulped.
He quickly arranged the towel around her shoulders. She blinked and looked at him in surprise. "Uh, you should dry your neck off. Don't wanna catch a cold."
"I'm fine. But thanks for your concern. What about you?"
"I'm okay."
Rain droplets dripped from the tips of his curly hair. His jeans and shirt clung to his skin in wet, uncomfortable patches. She wondered if the laundromat near Leblanc was open. She wondered if he had a spare change of clothes ready. She wondered if the attic in Leblanc was warm enough or how humid it got when it rained.
"What are you talking about? You're more soaked than am." Makoto swept the towel over his head. "Especially your hair. It looks like it's absorbed quite a lot of water."
She began toweling his hair dry. Akira took a step back and raised an arm before she realized what she was doing could be taken as coddling.
"Sorry, I just-"
"No, you're - you're fine."
"Um, do you need to-"
"Ah, no. I got it." He peeked out from under the towel. "I don't suppose you want it back?"
She shook her head and turned her attention to the rain-streaked windows. "Now we just have to wait for the rain to let up."
"Yeah." He joined her and peered out into the distance. "Looks like some people are calling a cab."
She glanced up at him. Once again, he was standing on her left, their shoulders nearly touching as they had during the fireworks festival.
He looks different without his glasses. His expression seems...sharper. I wonder if that's gotten him in trouble. Maybe that's why he wears them. I wonder if he'd tell me if I asked. Then again, I shouldn't pry into people's business...
"Something the matter?"
"Huh?" She started, shaking her head slightly. She didn't mean to stare.
"You have a question in your eyes."
"Oh! Um…"
His smile was friendly and inviting but the million questions that raced around in her mind decided right then to vanish, like Sootballs scattering in the presence of humans, leaving her to scramble for the first relevant topic she could think of to avoid the dreaded five second awkward pause.
"It's nothing really. I was just wondering about your um, yukata. I mean, not with you, but at your house - your home. Do you have a yukata back home?" She bit the side of her mouth, mentally berating herself for her stilted manner of speaking.
"I do. Actually, it's closest to this color." He pointed at the poppy's dark grey center on her sleeve. Makoto held still. If she turned her wrist up, his index finger would rest on her forearm.
"I didn't pack it with me 'cause, well." He shrugged. "Didn't think I'd come out to an event like this."
"There's always next year. You could wear it then."
"Yeah, and then we'd…" He withdrew his hand and rubbed the back of his neck. "...match."
"Oh." She smiled pleasantly at the idea.
"Wonder where it is," he mumbled to himself.
"I'd like that."
Akira suddenly wished for a time machine.
...
Ann lowered herself from the magazine shelves she had been leaning on. It was the second time she stood on tiptoe that day. Her feet were cold, her yutaka was ruined by the rain, and the sandal thongs from her geta dug into her toes. But the sight of her two friends acting shy around each other made her forget her discomfort momentarily. She dropped a magazine back into one of the magazine stands and nudged Ryuji, pointing a finger in their direction. "Hey, hey. Don't you think those two have a good vibe between them?"
"Huh? Who and who?" he asked absentmindedly. He was more focused on the summer lunch specials the convenience store had to offer.
Ann sighed and clicked her tongue. "This is why you'll never be popular." She walked down the aisle, shaking her head.
"Wait? What?" Ryuji called after her. "Who're you talkin' about? Tell meeee! Ann! Wait up!"
...
Akira cleared his throat. "S-so why poppies?"
"Poppies?" She tilted her head inquisitively.
"That's what they are right? The flowers on your yukata."
"Eh? Oh, yes." she replied, raising both sleeves. "No reason in particular. I just thought the pattern was pretty."
"Yeah. They really stand out against the white cloth. It's like a watercolor painting."
"How astute of you to notice, Leader. Refreshingly aesthetic, if I do say so myself." Yusuke waltzed in on their conversation, regarding Makoto like a model for a full-length portrait through his framed fingers.
"The white space serves as a simple yet elegant backdrop for the wide petals and leaves. The eye is thus drawn to the salmon pink poppy petals and dark grey leaves. Now! Juxtaposed with Ann's cerulean blue yukata, the colors are evocative of a bright and refreshing summer day. Placed side by side, both ladies provide a visual balance of contrasting colors that is the embodiment of a traditional Japanese beauty."
"Erm, thank you. That's very kind of you to say so." she responded politely.
"If I may be so bold to add, that if you look more closely," Here, Yusuke bent forward to better observe the poppy spread over the end of her sleeve. Makoto shifted backwards, inadvertently closer to Akira. "There's a hint of blue within the grey leaves which contrasts well with the darker pink petals. Yes, there appears to be more purple than red in this particular flower..."
"Thanks for the art lesson." Akira cut in, casually planting a foot between them. "Anyway, you sure seem to be in a good mood despite the rain."
The boy with the drooping eyes produced the fan tucked in his obi and flicked it open.
"Indeed. Though we may have been caught in this sudden evening shower, we shall not let that dampen our spirits. If you'll excuse me, there's an cover article on the Meiji Shrine calling my name."
And with that, Yusuke trotted off.
Makoto laughed politely. It seemed the thing to do to fill the silence. "I didn't expect the pattern on my yukata to garner so much attention. Then again, it is Yusuke we're talking about."
Akira laughed as they watched him strut around the store, fan folded out like a peacock. "He's not wrong though."
She looked up at him. He looked down at her and smiled. It was a smile that reached all the way to his eyes.
"They suit you."
"You think so? Thank you." Even as she responded out of propriety, she felt a certain warmth bloom in her chest that rose to her cheeks. This is the first time I've been told something like that.
Akira put a hand on his chin, trying to recall the language of flowers he learned from working at Rafflesia. Scarlet Rose he knew, as it was the most requested bouquet. Gold Gerbera he knew. Fluorescent Freesia he also knew. But poppies? They didn't seem to sell those though there probably were some in the back…
The Gecko Orchid came to mind. Give it to your precious one.
He shook his head and vigorously ruffled his hair. That made her laugh.
"Are you trying to get more water out of your hair?"
"Ahaha. Something like that."
"You still have that towel."
"Eh, it's fine. My hair's pretty much dry." he said, smoothing the top of his head.
Makoto adjusted the obi of her yukata as she watched raindrops spatter against the window panes. "It doesn't look like the rain will let up soon. I just hope it doesn't turn into a thunderstorm."
Akira noticed the way she clenched her sleeve as she said this. Is she scared of thunder...?
"You know, weather like this makes things different i-in the Metaverse too!"
"D-different how?" she gulped.
"I'm not...sure exactly. I haven't seen it myself but that's what I've been told." he said, glancing at his bag.
Morgana had picked a great time for a cat nap. Or was he only pretending to be asleep?!
Worry crossed her face. He held up one hand.
"But it's nothing bad! I think different Shadows show up and they drop rarer items."
"Rarer items? So they just drop better treasure?"
She sounded confused. Or disappointed. Or both.
He toyed with front of his bangs. "Sorry, you just sorta seemed worried about the rain so I thought I'd try to take your mind off of it..."
"Worried? Concerned would be a more accurate term. More so about the traffic than the rain." She nodded her head as if she was trying to half-convince herself. "So what were you saying?"
"Um, so you know how weather influences people's mood? Ergo, the structure of Mementos will change."
She nodded dumbfoundedly. Not because she didn't understand the concept but rather at Akira himself. It was almost hard to believe that this boy who was stumbling over his words was the same boy who could adjust his personality at the drop of a hat whenever he dealt with the mercurial needs of Shadows, successfully recruiting them to his cause.
"Oh, right! This was before you joined but one time during Pollen Season, all the Shadows we encountered were so sleepy. You ever hear a Jack Frost snore? Cutest thing ever."
Akira ducked his head. "Zzz-ho, zz-ho…"
Makoto covered her mouth and giggled, greatly amused by his impression of the little snow elf, the way each lock of hair curled and tumbled when he bobbed his head up and down, the way his eyes shone when she laughed at his joke, all to cheer her up - that's when she caught herself: She was staring again. She quickly shifted her gaze back to the window. "It's really coming down now, isn't it?"
"That reminds me... It was raining that day too." he mused quietly, as he stared out into the inky black sky. "My first day walking to school led me to a castle instead. Come to think of it, it was also raining in that world."
Her eyes widened with realization. "That's why you were late on your first day."
He nodded and jerked his head in Ryuji and Ann's direction. "Both me and…"
"I can't imagine what you two went through to escape. It must've been horrible."
"More than you know." He looked at her solemnly and she held his gaze. He was thankful Makoto was spared the depravity and the lechery of that mutated demon of lust.
"Were you scared?"
"Scared? No. I was angry." He glowered. "At my own weakness. At that perverted teacher who thought it was his prerogative to mistreat students, like they were his disposable toys. I got caught up in yet another situation where someone was in trouble but I could only watch helplessly. That's when I heard a voice in my head asking if I wanted power. Everything changed after that."
"Yes. That's what it was like for me." She placed a hand over her heart. "When I heard Johanna's voice, I knew I could accept her. I could accept myself. It felt like she was deep inside, waiting for that very moment to emerge. 'You have finally found your own justice... ' is what she told me."
"Justice, huh?" he said thoughtfully and made a fist. "I remember I was also asked to prove my own sense of justice in order to harness this power."
Even now, the gentleman thief's words thundered in his mind. Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!
He smirked then shook his head. "Though at the time, all I could think of was: I can't let my friend die. And I'm not dying here either. The choice I made back then wasn't a mistake."
She nodded at him, quietly musing over the similarities of their awakenings.
"And?"
She blinked.
"Yes?"
"Your sense of justice. What do you want to do with that?"
She pursed her lips and rested her chin on her hand. "For one thing… I want to stop being a pushover for the adults and I won't turn a blind eye to problems in the student body anymore. But as for the how, I haven't thought that far…"
Here she was fumbling with her words while Akira was being so patient. She bowed her head. "Sorry! I don't have a complete answer for you at the moment."
He raised both hands in apology. "N-no. Don't be sorry! I just curious and...yeah. My bad. Not exactly a question you can answer on the spot."
He sighed and tugged on his bangs. Good going, me. Shoulda just stuck to lighthearted topics.
The conversation trickled to a stop. They smiled awkwardly at each other and looked away. Makoto looked down and pretended she was adjusting the hem of her yukata. Akira sniffed and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. He glanced at her. She was shifting her weight and lifting one damp foot up then the other.
We've been standing around for more than forty minutes. She's gotta be tired. I wouldn't mind if she leaned on me. If I told her that, she'd probably just look at me weird. Maybe if I just "accidentally" leaned in her direction and suggested it...
Makoto wrinkled her nose. Her toes were starting to feel a little numb from the cold and the clammy feeling at the bottom of her soles was not helping. This is nothing. You're just a little wet from a light drizzle. Deal with it. Akira must be tired though. I wonder if he'd be okay leaning on me. Just for a little. Ahh! What am I thinking?
Her body shuddered involuntarily, causing them to bump shoulders.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" she squeaked.
"It's okay! You can uh, I mean - d'youwanna-"
Her heart shot up to her throat.
For an instant, he looked as though he was about to suggest the very idea they were both thinking, but that notion lapsed along with the momentary blush on his face. He coughed into his fist, probably embarrassed over the way his voice cracked. "How are you feeling right now? Okay?"
She nodded vigorously. "I'm fine! Actually, I'm a little tired. We all are, I'm sure. I'm going to go check on the others!"
"Makoto, wait!"
His outstretched hand brushed her shoulder when she turned back. They both twitched and jerked back a few centimeters.
"I didn't mean to spring that question on you like that but I remember you were frustrated because you were unable to help anyone during the Kamoshida incident. At the very least, you wanted to help Suzui-san. You said you even felt like an accomplice who helped the teachers cover up the abuse but if you ask me, you're different from them; you listened to your conscience."
He remembered that? Her mouth parted slightly.
"So basically," Akira continued, rubbing his neck. "Your conscience, your sense of justice led to your awakening. When that happened to me, I was presented with a choice: to face myself and act on my sense of justice or to live my life passively and let others decide for me. Now that I've chosen, I can't go back to the way I was before. Every day I'm making a conscious choice to live based on my own decisions. Otherwise, if I don't change myself first, how can I help others?"
She smiled at him admirably. "A conscious choice, huh? To choose not based on what others say but on your own convictions. I wonder if I'll be able to do that some day. Right now, my future seems to have been decided for me..."
"I think you can." He now looked at her with fresh confidence. "There's no turning back after finding your resolve. That's why I believe you don't just want to instigate change in the other world, you want to apply that power out here, right? Devising ways to effectively communicate with students, for instance."
She pursed her lips and put her hand under her chin. "You brought up a good point; my outlook on my situation was too narrow. If I want to change...I'll start with where I am currently and go from there. What can I improve on to better serve the student body? I'm going to need to process this some more. Will you hear me out when I'm ready?"
He settled back into that relaxed posture of his and slipped his hands into his pockets. "Of course."
"Hey." Ryuji came over, chewing on a popsicle stick. "Looks like the rain's stopped."
"So it has. I didn't even notice." Makoto exclaimed, casting a glance at Akira. Just when it felt like they were making headway with their conversation, it was time to leave. She hoped they would be able to continue their talk at a later date. When she was better prepared.
"We should probably head back for the evening." said Akira.
"I don't know about your guys but I'm taking a hot shower as soon as I get home." Ann plucked the hem of her yukata.
"I concur. We wouldn't want anyone to catch a cold." Makoto agreed. "Where's Yusuke?"
Ryuji looked around. "Still reading that same magazine. I'll go get him. The manager's not gonna like us loitering. Hey, Yusuke! We're leaving!"
They left the convenience store with some snacks in hand. Yusuke excused himself, struck with a mighty need for charcoal pencils and acrylic paint.
Ann stretched her arms. "Mmm! The air smells so nice after it rains! What time is it? Ryuji, lemme see your phone!"
"Why do I gotta lend it to you? Use your own!"
"It's fine, it's fine! It's in your pocket, right? And your passcode is-"
"WAAHHH! Okay, okay! Here! Yeesh!"
Akira and Makoto laughed at their friends bickering and playful nudges as they checked the train schedule.
"It'd be nice if we could come here again with everyone." Akira remarked, looking up at the clear night sky. Makoto followed his gaze, noting with quiet mirth that once again, he was by her side, on her left.
Akira was the type to look forward it seemed. It made her smile. "Yeah. It really would."
Once again, they were sharing a smile over a shared moment. As they did so, Akira clasped his hands behind his back, imagining that he was holding hers. And Makoto folded her hands in front of her, imagining that she was holding his.
