- 𝐅𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 -

Chapter 23

-

Remember the past? How stupid.

It wasn't pleasant, nor was it normal.
I would've done anything to not relive that. But well, everything to save the world, I guess. I don't even know how it was related!!!

The truth is, I was never 'normal', and that one incident didn't make it better. I don't know when it all started; it's all foggy in my head, but I remember this one day oh so clearly.

The day occurred just a few days before I was arrested for the first time. It was a cold day, and just the end of March, I think it was the 30th. Now, this story probably sounds quite boring, but if you only knew, oh dear.

My parents are the worst.

Maybe I should start with the basics of this town I was raised in. It's a small place, and everyone knows everyone, since well, there aren't any fun places. It's near mountains, and there are a lot of green areas, there's even the woods!

However, one slip up, and your reputation is ruined. You could guess, mine was already bad as hell.

Better watch your mouth if you want to survive.

But I was just different than everyone, and nobody really understood that. I was sick of getting told what to do. So I always tried running away from 'home', and well, hence I got into many arguments and fights.

And that day, in the woods... - You can't blame me! I didn't learn it any other way, okay?!

It isn't my fault, if someone got injured...

Or died.

- - - - -

"Oh, Akechi-kun, we've been waiting for you.", a masculine voice suddenly called, leading the detective into the office. The voice must've been Hasegawa's.

There were two people sitting there, they seemed like a married couple, but they didn't look like very nice people. Not like Akechi could judge them, though.

The woman, who seemed to be the man's wife, had slightly long dark brown hair, and she wore red glasses. The man, on the other hand was rather slim with messy black hair that looked strikingly similar to Akira's.

'Must be the parents', Goro thought to himself.

They looked so tired, but they also seemed annoyed. That pissed Akechi off, because it seemed like they didn't care at all about their son's sudden death. But they took the extra effort to come here, so they can't be all bad, right?

"Alright, Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu... I suppose you know why we wanted you to come here today?"

...

- -

Arriving at his apartment later on, Goro literally threw himself onto the bed after slamming the door closed aggressively. He just finished talking to Akira's relatives, and he found out multiple things.

- Firstly, those parents are HORRIBLE.
- Second, their son had a more complicated past than he previously figured.
- And lastly, they are definitely corrupted.

A thought entered the detective's mind, so he took out his phone. Surprisingly, although, the app that's normally used to enter the Metaverse...

was gone.

'... What the FUCK.
I need to call him.'

- - - - - - - - - -

Once the group arrived at the Cafe, they saw how a lot of it was still messed up. "W-what happened..."

"EAAA-!!!", a sudden shriek then rang out. Of course, it was Makoto who got so scared by a sudden sound. But apparently, there was also a shadow of a person.

"Geez... You kids, you scared the hell out of me..."

"...BOSS?!?"

All of them hugged the poor old man as if he had just came back from the dead. "Are you okay?!"

"Hey there- I should ask all of you that...", Sakura then looked around to see if everyone was there.

"What happened here...?"

"Sone men came to arrest me or something, but I got immediately released after the Prime Minister passed away. Geez, what a nuisance... And I couldn't clean this place up yet."

"My god... We'll help you-!", Kasumi offered, not hesitating a bit.

The barista sighed some and cleared his glasses "I'd appreciate that. Oh dear god, and we're going to celebrate Christmas in just four days..."

"... Without Akira."

...

- - - - - - - - -

"...Alright. Lavenza, I'll do it."

"I knew you would make the right choice, Trickster...

Please rely on my assistance."