The Hidden Thief

Chapter Three: Is He Truly a Bad Guy?

The next few days have been slightly troubling for the Phantom Thieves. They haven't been able to figure out the two other keywords for Tristin's palace. He had been coming to LeBlanc more often and venting to Akira about troubles in his life, but he's never caught any hints of a location or what he believes the place around him is. Akira stands by the counter, and Futaba lays her head on the bar.

"Akiiirraaa, I hunger... Make me curry." Futaba groans. Akira chuckles and shakes his head.

"Did somebody say curry?" A familiar voices rings out from the doorway. It was Tristin. He walks inside and sits down at the bar. Instead of the brightly colored work uniform he usually wore, Tristin was wearing more casual clothing. He had a gray T-shirt and slightly torn sweatpants on, along with a small winter coat and a maroon scarf around his neck.

"I guess I've just been too tired to realize they served curry here, despite it always smelling like a variety of spices.." He looks at Akira with a small, soft smile on his face. "I'll try your best curry, and I'll have a small coffee to go with it, please." Akira returns the smile and nods.

"Coming right up.."

"Make me some too, Akira!" Futaba shouts happily. Akira smiles more and begins to prepare their meals.

"Akira.. That name sounds familiar.. Are you Kurusu-kun?" Tristin asks. Akira nods.

"Mmhmm.." A small chuckle escapes from Tristin.

"I thought so.. I heard Okumura-kun and Niijima-San talking about you sometimes.." Tristin says. He reaches his hand over the counter for a handshake.

"The name's Tristin Kuramoto, but I'm sure you already know that.. You can call me Tristin." Akira goes over and returns the handshake.

"Call me Akira.."

"And I'm Futaba Sakura!" Futaba shouts with a grin.

"I've seen you here before, but I didn't think you were Sakura-san's daughter.." Tristin smiles. Akira finishes cooking the curry and puts it on some plates, and the coffee in a small cup. He puts them onto the counter, and both Tristin and Futaba begin to dig in.

"Whoo, spicy!" Tristin says happily.

"Just how I like it!" Futaba smugishly grins. The two ate in a happy silence, until the cafe doors open.

"Hello.." Says a soft voice. Akira looks over. It was Goro Akechi, the young ace detective. Tristin glances over and his smile faded and his eyes narrowed. Akechi walks over and takes a seat next to him. "Sorry if I'm intruding on anything, I won't be long. I just need a coffee." Akira nods and prepares another cup. Akechi looks over at Tristin and gives him a friendly smile.

"Hello, Tristin.. Funny seeing you here." Tristin ignores him and keeps eating.

"You too know each other?" Futaba asks curiously, tilting her head.

"More or less.." Akechi looks back at Tristin. "I'm surprised you haven't left that alleyway and went back to your home.. Doesn't living like that treat you badly..?" Tristin's eyes seemed to widen a bit and he jerks his head towards him.

"Well if it wasn't for you and your little police buddies, I would have a home to go to..!" Tristin yells. "My own family doesn't accept me let alone even want to acknowledge my existence now that I'm known as a criminal!" Akechi's expression turned surprised.

"Oh my, I'm really sorry to hear that.." Tristin narrows his eyes and scoffs.

"Cut the crap, detective boy.." He says angrily. "I know you could care less about what happened to me.." Akechi's face flushed red for a second before replying back.

"But.. I do care about you!"

"Bullshit!!" Tristin screams, slamming his fist down onto the bar. Akechi jumps back a bit in his seat. Tristin slowly unfolds his his fist and stands up. He lets out an annoyed sigh and brushes himself off.

"I must be going now.." He says gruffly.

"Come back again, soon.." Akira says as he serves Akechi's coffee, feeling awkward. Tristin stuffs his hands into his coat pockets and walks out of the cafe.

"Well that was... Something." Futaba says before stuffing her face again with curry. Akechi sips his coffee and lets out a sigh.

"Tristin's been like this ever since we first encountered each other.." Akira raises an eyebrow, interested.

"What happened? Tell us everything.." Futaba says with a slightly mischievous grin.

"It was about a year and a half ago when his first 'crime' caught the police's attention. It was at a mall close to his home. I was told that it was a man who was stealing, vandalizing, and abusing other people, and heck, there was even a dead body in the area and they also claimed he was a murderer.."

"When they brought him in, it wasn't some crazy man with tattoos and scars on his face.. It was a boy about my age, beaten to a pulp with bruises and blood all over his body and tears running down his face.." Akechi takes another drink and looks away, his face turning a shade of pink.

"He was just a poor, cute, helpless boy who was all alone.. I tried to find evidence if he was truly the culprit, but they sent him off to juvi anyways.. He was out about seven or eight months later, and as soon as he was, he was pinned as a criminal.. Not just by strangers, but his friends and close relatives also stayed away from him.. I wasn't even aware that even his parents didn't even want anything to do with him.." Akechi goes quiet, indicating that he was finished.

"Wow.. That was a novel if I ever heard one." Futaba pipes up, leaning her head on her hand. "Seriously though, that sounds very depressing.." Akechi nods his head.

"It really is indeed.." He sets his cup aside and stands up from his seat. "Anyways, apologies for rambling about him. Don't tell him I told you this, he might not.. be too happy about it.." Akira nods his head, and Akechi heads out the door. Once he was gone, Akira looks over at Futaba, who had a sneaky smirk on her face.

"What's with the look, Futaba?" Akira asks. Futaba lets out her cheeky laugh and holds up her phone.

"I recorded the whole conversation, so when we have our next meeting, we can try and decipher this and find the two other keywords to get into the palace." A small smile appears on Akira's face.

"I'll schedule a meeting for tomorrow so we can discuss this.." Futaba giggles again, mischievously. Akira turns away and begins to wash the dirty dishes. At last, they had something to work with. If they could find remaining codewords, they would be able to access the palace of the mysterious chestnut-haired teen.