You Were The Path I Chose | A Goro Akechi Romance

#The Point of no Return

... In which Akechi asks me to spend a last evening at the jazz club before facing Sae's Shadow and I have to confront what the alarming evidence we found about his true plans means for the two of us—regarding everything that's happened so far, and everything that's still to come.

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Thunk!

The baseball misses the target by a mile. It slams into the net with so much force that I worry it might tear. However, in that moment, I couldn't care less.

<< . . . Then, I'll guide the police into her Palace and have them catch the Phantom Thieves in the act. That would be the only way to arrest them, given their methods. I'll deal with them after that. >>

I shut my eyes, trying to focus. But it is as though my mind is a broken record, replaying not only the words but also the voice, the intonation, and the emotion I felt hearing it for the first time. It's been over a week, and I still can't get it to stop.

<< We could say she stole the guard's gun and committed suicide during her imprisonment . . . How about that? >>

I blow out a frustrated breath, despising how it all has burned itself into my brain like a hot iron seal. I don't know how many times I had to listen to the whole thing before it did.

<< Public security questioning will occur on the first day . . . and with that room, my task will be simple. >>

I grit my teeth and tighten my grip on the heavy bat, trying to focus on the target.

Thunk!

Still not even close. I've never been particularly good at the batting cages, although one would think spending every evening here for more than a week would get me the needed practice.

<< Yes, the guard will be one of ours. We'll have to eliminate him after, to destroy the evidence, though . . . >>

But I don't come here for practice. I come here because we've long secured the route to Sae's treasure and here is the only place besides the Metaverse where I can hit things with as much force as I want without breaking any rules or causing damage.

Thunk!

The bat flies out of my hand together with the ball this time. It lands on the floor and rolls off. I groan.

"Rin? Are you okay?" Morgana peeks out of the bag that I left on the floor. "You're not playing that well today . . . Maybe we should call it a day?"

I sigh, and after only a brief moment of hesitation, I nod. An icy hand closes around my heart at the thought of returning home and going to sleep, though. I don't want to go to sleep . . . because if I go to sleep and wake up in the morning, the deadline will be yet another day closer. The dead . . . line.

<< . . . And thus, the dangerous criminal responsible for the mass mental shutdowns shall end her own life. >>

The day I'm . . . supposed to die.

<< . . . When she does, you will become a great hero who saved Japan from evil. As will I, of course. >>

Reluctantly, I pick up the bat and turn to my bag. Stalling is pointless, I remind myself. I know what I have to do. My friends are counting on me—Morgana is counting on me. Sometimes I feel like every single soul I've decided to embrace and get close to is.

Dr. Takemi, Ohya-san, Yoshida-sensei, Chihaya-san, and Iwai-san . . . Dr. Maruki and Kawakami-sensei . . . Mishima, Hifumi, Kasumi, Shinya-chan . . . and Sojiro, although they don't even know what's going on . . . I still feel as though they're all counting on me. Not to mention Caroline, Justine, Igor . . . and my teammates. They don't even try to conceal their expectations.