Writing Playground

9. Friendly Interrogation

Fandom: Persona 5
Tag(s): spoilers 5th palace and traitor, angst, minor character death, implied murder

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"Ah, you must be Kunikazu Okumura's daughter?" Akechi asked instead of greeting the heiress.

The brunette blinked her unfocused eyes and turned to him, eyes widening ever so slightly. "Y-yes. I am Haru Okumura," she stuttered.

Akechi was sent to cross-examine Okumura's daughter, since he was the youngest and she most likely would open up to him easier due to both being high-schoolers. He was pleased with this, maybe he could make her slip up and say something crucial.

"I'm detective Goro Akechi, but I'm sure that you already know," he introduced himself in a light tone, a soft chuckle by the end of it. He then switched to a serious and professional demeanor. "If I may, I have some questions to ask you."

"Of course. Can we talk upstairs?"

He agreed and she gestured for him to follow her, and soon they were in her room. It was large, and European styled (French, if he had to guess) in decor. It fit her image, to say the least.

Akechi sat down on her cushioned chair by her desk, before he took out his phone. "Do you mind if I record our conversation?"

Her opinion hardly mattered, but she shook her head and he pretended to start recording at that moment before slipping it into his pocket. She didn't need go know that he had been recording for a while.

"So, how do you feel? Your father's death must've shaken you up quite a lot," he started off.

Okumura seemed to choose her words carefully, zoning out for three seconds. "It... hurts. I'm trying to not think about it too much, there are lots of things I must do as the heiress of Okumura foods."

Akechi nodded. "That only makes sense." He crossed his legs and tilted his head slightly to the side, in hope of making her loose her composure. "Where were you when he made his speech?"

"I was at Destinyland with my friends." It didn't work.

"Oh? Why was that?" he asked a little too quick, almost eager. He chided himself in his mind, and then tried to justify his behaviour by claiming interest in the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

"I... my father-, he booked it but, um, he decided he couldn't go, so I invited my friends instead of letting it go to waste."

"Was he double-booked?"

".... I don't know."

"Did your father's behavior change before this event? Did anything stand out from how he usually behaved?"

"He was a busy man. If it did, I haven't noticed."

"Not even when he received a calling card?"

The girl's eyes widened. "I-!" Weak spot.

"Were you aware of the things your father did in order to get this far?"

There was a short moment of silence, and she broke eye contact to stare on the door. Tears welled up and she took a deep breath.

"...yes." Her voice broke as she spoke. It was as if she wasn't even there.

Something about that made his heart clench, guilt and regret gnawing at the pit of his stomach. It was his fault, and he wished it wasn't. "Forgive me, I shouldn't have pushed the matter so far." He hesitantly reached out a hand to hold her own. "I understand that it is touchy subject to talk about."

"I-I'm fine," she said, voice barely above a whisper as she removed her tears, looking straight at him. "You can keep going."

"No, I think this is enough for today," He insisted. He snapped out of the guilt and rose his defences once again. "I should take my leave. Thank you for your participation."

He then left, hoping that she was unaware of how close she was in making him confess.

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