"Why are we going to the club room again during lunch break?"
Awa Subaru only reacted from the afterglow of her nap when they were almost at the club building.
Kurusu Akira casually flipped through a few pages of the exercise book in his hand and then placed it on the stack of books in Iseri Nina's arms, "I'm tutoring Iseri, you can just listen along."
"Eh? Tutoring?" Miss Awa Subaru from the performing arts academy showed a puzzled expression.
In her impression, tutoring usually referred to "cultural lesson cram classes" arranged by the school only near the end of the semester, which were mandatory for all students.
Iseri Nina looked at Kurusu Akira with great dissatisfaction, then, hugging the small mountain of test papers and exercise books, she swayed and protested, "You are a 'private tutor'!"
The "private tutor" here, of course, refers to a one-on-one private tutor.
Kurusu Akira is now employed by Iseri Nina, so in principle, there shouldn't be more students sitting in while he tutors her... although the agreed-upon tutoring fee hasn't been paid yet.
Noticing the subtle awkwardness in Iseri Nina's heart, Kurusu Akira tugged at his tie, looked at the sun-filled corridor, and skillfully began to coax her, "I will definitely keep my promises. I was just thinking of taking this opportunity to advertise myself... You know, I'm a bit tight on money. Since I'm starting to tutor part-time, I naturally want more clients."
Iseri Nina's eyes widened, glaring at him for a while before she pouted and turned her face away, "You're still not allowed to let anyone sit in."
One-on-one tutoring is a very private matter in every sense, because students often approach it with a desire to "confess," explaining their academic shortcomings and bad study habits to the teacher... If there are observers in such a setting, it can be quite embarrassing and awkward.
Kurusu Akira checked the time on his phone. Yoshizawa Kasumi should already be waiting in the clubroom with lunch. "Don't worry, Awa won't understand what we're saying later... literally won't understand."
Awa Subaru, walking beside him, twitched her lips, "Don't look down on people so much... My final grades were all A's!"
"Can the cultural courses at an arts school reach the level of a third-year junior high student at a college-preparatory school?"
Kurusu Akira's rhetorical question immediately killed all thoughts of rebuttal in Awa Subaru.
Awa Subaru had already deeply experienced how simple the exams at the arts academy were through Shujin's various subject assignments during this period—she couldn't even understand the questions, and could only beg the Phantom Thieves' leader in Line to mercifully send her the answers.
Kurusu Akira couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "Iseri, don't worry, a student like you who smoothly advanced to the second year of high school is already a completely different species compared to Awa, who is completely indulging in the inferior cultural courses of an arts school. Even if she forces herself to listen through the boredom and confusion during my tutoring, it would probably just illustrate the idiom 'playing the lute to a cow.'"
Awa Subaru crossed her arms, looking displeased and angry, but she couldn't even find a reason to be stubborn... "Just wait, starting today, I'm hiring you as my private tutor. Let's see what you, as the top student in your grade, can teach me."
Kurusu Akira smiled gently, "Rational consumption."
"What, are you very expensive?"
"In Tokyo, a private tutor of my caliber charges at least six thousand yen per hour."
"Eh? That expensive!" Iseri Nina exclaimed in surprise.
Awa Subaru also fell into an unprecedented state of shock.
Fortunately, her family background was quite affluent, and thanks to her qualifications from the arts academy and her excellent looks, she had appeared in many commercial advertisements, giving her ample disposable income and a much broader perspective than Iseri Nina... She forced herself to remain calm and asked Kurusu Akira, "You don't have a teaching license, such a fee is completely unreasonable."
Hearing this, Kurusu Akira quickly swept up his bangs, then removed his glasses, skillfully using them to hold his hair in place, and revealed an even brighter smile in the sunlight, "Is it reasonable now?"
If human charm were rated on a scale of '5' as the maximum, then Kurusu Akira happened to have a level five face. The Velvet Room, as a conscientious enterprise operating across world levels, did well in this regard: although Philemon promised each contractor a personal secretary, he also didn't want his diligent and loyal employees to suffer, so the criteria for selecting contractors were 'upright character,' 'excellent potential,' and 'outstanding appearance.'
Iseri Nina almost dropped the books in her arms, her voice trembling, "Narcissist!"
"Shameless." Awa Subaru awkwardly averted her gaze.
The two girls reacted quite strongly, almost in unison.
If Kurusu Akira were just an ordinary "Tokyo handsome guy," it would be unlikely to cause such an exaggerated effect... After all, it's the information age, and everyone has seen a lot of young idols of various styles in TV dramas.
But for Iseri Nina and Awa Subaru, he also had the identity of a Phantom Thief, and even the kindness of saving their lives, which had accumulated a considerable amount of goodwill.
Awa Subaru subtly rubbed her face with the back of her hand, and only after confirming it wasn't hot did she breathe a sigh of relief, "Amamiya-san, don't be too frivolous. Saying things like that can easily lead to misunderstandings."
"Exactly, exactly..." Iseri Nina quietly echoed.
Seeing their reactions, Kurusu Akira lost the desire to tease them, put his glasses back on, and lazily said, "Iseri's father is a professional teacher. He looked at my test papers and suggested a salary of three thousand yen per hour, with no limit on the number of lessons... Of course, the prerequisite is that I need to see significant improvement in her monthly test results before he officially hires me."
He glanced at Awa Subaru, "Your foundation is too poor, you might even have to start from the first grade. It's a long way to catch up with the current second-year curriculum, so you'll probably need a lot of tutoring."
Awa Subaru's movements also became more reserved, "I... I haven't decided if I want to go down the path of higher education yet. Principal Shinba said he could represent the school to contact idol agencies for me, so I can visit and learn, and continue to improve my acting skills."
Kurusu Akira walked ahead, hands in his pockets, looking backward at the girls in the hallway, "From your words, I can only feel a sense of annoyance and perfunctoriness towards the profession of 'actor.'"
Awa Subaru's expression became dejected, "You... you're really shameless."
Kurusu Akira held his right hand to his forehead, mimicking a gun, "According to my research in psychology, Awa, during your time studying in Tokyo, you should have been actively and proactively seeking changes in your life's trajectory, right?"
"How did 'psychology' even come into this?" Iseri Nina grumbled, hugging her books.
Kurusu Akira scanned the surroundings, seeing no pedestrians or cameras, then raised his right hand and waved it at her, "It's one of the compulsory courses for a Phantom Thief."
Awa Subaru stared nervously at Kurusu Akira, "I'm suddenly a little scared of you."
"Scared of your deepest secrets being seen through?"
"Scared of you becoming the King of Hosts in Shinjuku."
The Phantom Thief's backward steps halted.
Under the protection of her elders at home, Awa Subaru, who had been able to safely and frequently access the entertainment industry without disturbance, showed a sad look, "You're becoming more and more like a host, Amamiya-san."
Kurusu Akira stopped smiling, "So, Awa, what is your willingness to be tutored now?"
"I need a lot of lessons, please make it cheaper."
Kurusu Akira, whose sore spot had been hit, now had a ferocious expression like a vengeful spirit, "Think again?"
"My deepest apologies, I shouldn't have been stubborn and acted so superior..."
"If apologies worked, what would we need the police for?"
Awa Subaru's answer to Kurusu Akira was a ninety-degree bow and a credit card symbolizing a "premium client," "Please guide me from now on."
In Japan, minors aged 16-17 can apply for credit cards as long as they meet the bank's income and credit assessment requirements and have a guarantor.
Kurusu Akira looked at Awa Subaru, who had just turned 17 a few days ago, and then at the premium credit card in her hand; the raging flames of anger within him extinguished in an instant.
He tried hard to avert his gaze, feigning a casual demeanor, and then slowly pushed the bank card back, "Call me 'Master' from now on."
"Yes, 'Master'!"
"You go have lunch first... I'll inform you about the tutoring schedule on Line later."
"Yes!"
...
After a bland lunch break, there were two consecutive comprehensive science classes so boring that the entire classroom was drowsy.
Iseri Nina felt very angry.
Because Kurusu Akira was no longer sleeping, he was playing mobile games to pass the time while staring at Iseri Nina with an expression of disappointment.
As soon as Iseri Nina showed any sign of slacking off, an eraser would fly over at an extremely fast speed, like a ninja throwing a hidden weapon, hitting her head squarely.
In response, Iseri Nina dared not speak out in anger, and she even had to pick up the eraser and return it to him.
After a half-hour diagnostic test in various subjects in the club room, Kurusu Akira had a certain understanding of Iseri Nina's academic ability—
After all, she came from a family of teachers, so her cultural subject foundation was surprisingly solid, and her study habits were good. Unfortunately, she had neglected a lot of her studies in her first year of high school due to bullying, and needed to catch up on many courses.
More importantly, she was now somewhat averse to studying.
Perhaps forming a band with professional singers showed her a path beyond higher education, so she would zone out during classes every day, her mind wandering to stages surrounded by speakers and spotlights.
To earn enough money quickly, pay off debts, and move out of the attic, Kurusu Akira was also forcing himself to supervise Iseri Nina.
At least until the end of the monthly test, he had to ensure that the child maintained a diligent attitude towards studying.
Of course, Kurusu Akira was not a devil; he would not stop Iseri Nina from participating in band activities that were scheduled after school.
Three hours passed in a flash, and the sky outside the window gradually turned a faint crimson.
As the physics teacher on the podium finished assigning homework, the dismissal bell rang, demonstrating the rigorous academic integrity of the older generation of science students.
Line group chat:
[Mishima Yuki, the Spiking Sun (Mishima Yuki): Ah, today's classes were truly vicious. English and math took turns hypnotizing us, and then comprehensive science was arranged to finish us off. I almost fell asleep. Does everyone want to go eat on the steps of the gym after school? We can sneak a peek at the dance club girls training today.]
[Sakamoto Ryuji: Track and field practice will end in a while, I'm fine.]
[Mishima Yuki, the Spiking Sun: I really envy that your practice is scheduled for today... What about Amamiya?]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: No.]
[Mishima Yuki, the Spiking Sun: Why? It should be quick to pack a donburi from a restaurant near the school, right?]
[Sakamoto Ryuji: Don't worry about him. Since he had a cute underclassman bring him a bento for lunch, he's definitely going to exchange food with her, have dinner together, and be all lovey-dovey after school... Oh, you should know that underclassman, the first-year Yoshizawa, the one who does gymnastics, she's super cute.]
[Mishima Yuki, the Spiking Sun: Damn it!! Just explode, you normie!!!]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: That's not right.]
[Sakamoto Ryuji:?]
[Mishima Yuki: Do you have a club activity?]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: I'm in the club room right now, in a band with five beautiful girls.]
[The great cosmic being is so scary (uploaded a photo).]
[Sakamoto Ryuji: You can commit suicide.]
[Mishima Yuki: No wonder! Envious!!!]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: Envious?]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: What if I told you that after an hour and a half of practice, I also have to go to Awa's house to tutor her for two hours, and then go to Shibuya to work part-time with a girl from another school...]
[The great cosmic being is so scary: The above busy-as-a-dog schedule is my current situation. Are you still envious?]
Long silence.
In the chat group, as if time had paused, Sakamoto Ryuji's avatar lit up again.
[Sakamoto Ryuji: I hope to see news headlines about Amamiya Ren jumping off a building and committing suicide in an hour and a half.]
[Mishima Yuki: Agreed.]
...
The lingering glow of the sunset fell on the school benches, and warm golden light spots shone on the gray concrete ground, leaving mottled traces that snaked like Pacific garter snakes into the shadows of the buildings.
Iseri Nina and Ijichi Nijika walked side by side under the shade of the trees, deliberating over the band's name.
Kawaragi Momoka, who had been in a band before, generously handed over the naming rights to these girls full of aspirations and dreams... which was also a convenient excuse for an adult to be lazy. Then she sidled up to the bassist, who could barely be considered a "professional" musician, and mysteriously poked her shoulder.
"Ryo, look over there."
Yamada Ryo, who was listening to music, followed Kawaragi Momoka's finger. In the twilight's glow, the figures of the boy and girl whispering to each other were exceptionally harmonious.
"They are..."
"Hmm, I feel like there's something hidden."
Yamada Ryo rubbed her chin, revealing a triumphant "just as I expected" smile. "Rhythm guitarist and keyboardist dating? Not bad at all."
"I just don't know how they started talking, since they're not even from the same school."
"If you think about it, it's actually quite normal... After all, Amamiya and Sakiko-chan have some similar experiences, and they work part-time together every day, so they have a lot in common. It's expected that they would start dating."
"Ah, why did a band full of girls recruit such a handsome boy? I wonder if everyone will still have the heart to continue playing in the band in a few months. I always feel like this band is constantly on the verge of ending."
Yamada Ryo nodded, "I wonder which girl will be the next victim..."
Saying this, both of them simultaneously looked at Iseri Nina, who was intensely discussing band names with Ijichi Nijika.
This was the band's vocalist.
Yamada Ryo thought of how Iseri Nina and Kurusu Akira were practically inseparable every day, and exchanged a sorrowful glance with Kawaragi Momoka beside her, "We're doomed."
From the plastic track of the distant playground came the full-throated cheers of the track and field boys, followed by neat and powerful footsteps, accompanied by loud whistles lingering over the campus.
"Then we'll say goodbye here," Kurusu Akira saw off his bandmates one by one at the train station and bid them farewell. "This weekend is the street performance. Everyone can share suitable band names in the group chat if they think of any."
Yamada Ryo, who left last, stared suspiciously at Kurusu Akira and Togawa Sakiko standing side by side at the station entrance for a while, before stepping onto the escalator and waving goodbye to them, "See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow," Togawa Sakiko also waved back.
Then she turned her head to look at Kurusu Akira, who was replying to messages on his phone, and asked him somewhat nervously, "When do we start taking action next?"
"You go to work first. Even if your father repents, the family's debts won't disappear... By the way, I also have a part-time job to do now. We'll meet at 9 PM next to the hamburger shop on Shibuya Central Avenue."
"Okay," Togawa Sakiko nodded obediently.
"I almost forgot, you never seemed to mention your family's debt..." Kurusu Akira looked at Togawa Sakiko with some curiosity. "Could you roughly tell me the amount?"
Upon hearing such a question, even Togawa Sakiko, despite her trust and respect for the Phantom Thief, hesitated at this moment.
Seeing her expression, Kurusu Akira felt an inexplicable fear. "Is the number exaggerated?"
"K-kind of..."
"Eight digits?" Kurusu Akira asked tentatively. This number was already quite bold, a burden that normal families absolutely could not bear.
Togawa Sakiko shook her head.
"Nine digits?" Kurusu Akira felt a jolt in his heart.
"N-not really..."
The Phantom Thief dared not listen anymore and ran away. "I shouldn't have asked that question!"
Togawa Sakiko angrily grabbed Kurusu Akira's sleeve, not allowing him to escape. She had just mustered the courage to confess her family's difficulties to him, so how could he just flee in disarray?
Kurusu Akira didn't dare to struggle too much, lest he injure his hard-won Phantom Thieves member, so he sighed, "Forget it, I'm ready, tell me."
"Sixteen billion."
"H-how much?" Kurusu Akira's respiratory system instantly ceased functioning.
"Sixteen billion," Togawa Sakiko repeated the number softly.
The Phantom Thief recalled all the villains he had changed in his previous life. If he excluded those few magnates of the zaibatsu, perhaps all the others combined wouldn't be worth "sixteen billion."
He stared at the beautiful girl close by with a look of awe and terror, as if she were a vengeful spirit sent from hell to claim his life.
"Carrying such a debt... how will you get married in the future?"
Togawa Sakiko was somewhat unaccustomed to such an overly adult and realistic topic. "Actually, this debt won't fall on me..."
"Sounds complicated," the Phantom Thief retreated steadily, with Togawa Sakiko following along, still clutching his sleeve.
"Let go! Let me calm down!"
"You must hear me out!"
"Tonight, tonight I'll definitely listen to you!"
Kurusu Akira was drenched in sweat. He would bet that he hadn't felt any fear when fighting the true form of the evil god in his previous life.
But now he was truly so scared that his knees felt weak.
Sixteen billion. Even if he were granted permission to drop loot in the Mementos, if he fought shadows all day without eating or drinking, he could earn at most one million yen.
If this sixteen billion fell on him... while ensuring enough rest to recover the stamina consumed by using Persona, it would still take at least five hundred years to pay it off, wouldn't it?
Five hundred years. Sun Wukong would have been rescued by Tang Sanzang, completed all eighty-one tribulations, and returned from the West with the scriptures. A group of great demons would have resumed their roles as heavenly cattle and horses, and the Buddha's face would be beaming... By then, his ashes might be blown by the cold wind from his excavated grave, stubbornly floating onto the faces of his creditors' descendants, whispering in their ears, "Please, just one more year, and I will surely pay off the debt."
It was too terrifying; he couldn't even imagine it further.
Kurusu Akira, pale-faced, explained for a long time to Togawa Sakiko before finally getting a chance to leave for his part-time job.
----------------
7:24 PM.
Aoyama-Itchome, Fujiki Residence.
Awa Subaru held her newly bought third-year middle school math textbook, staring at Kurusu Akira sitting beside her, who had a look of lingering fear on his face.
"Although I know my foundation is much worse compared to you guys who go to advanced high schools... but there's no need to be so upset, right?"
"It has nothing to do with you; I just suddenly recalled some very frightening things."
Kurusu Akira sighed, "Let's continue. We just talked about the 'Triangle Properties' in 'Plane Geometry'."
Awa Subaru used a marker pen to outline the property summaries and application formulas on the page, then looked up at him somewhat reservedly. "It's really not because of me?"
"Don't worry, my tolerance is as deep as Lake Tazawa."
"Lake Tazawa?"
"Japan's deepest lake."
"Then you just..."
"The weight of past events is more than even Lake Tazawa can bear. It's like some financial black holes are as catastrophic as the sky falling, and perhaps only Nuwa from Chinese mythology could find a way to patch them up."
Kurusu Akira picked up his scratchpad, and Persona Dioscuri stood behind him, unrolling a dozens-of-meters-long exercise book. He was sifting through the test papers he had done in middle school, selecting suitable questions for Awa Subaru, and then hand-copying them onto the paper.
The living room was quiet, with only the occasional sound of the boy explaining knowledge points, the girl's docile responses, and the soft rustling of turning pages and moving pens.
After a while, after checking Awa Subaru's learning progress, Kurusu Akira stood up and let her rest for a bit.
He paced around the living room with his phone and suddenly noticed three large snake tanks, or reptile glass tanks, placed next to the TV, which were empty.
"Awa, do you have a habit of keeping snakes?"
"No."
"Lizards? Chameleons?"
"Can't you ask me about normal hobbies?"
"That's strange then. Were these glass tanks bought by the girls you live with?"
"Hmm... I think so."
"Why buy the containers before buying the pets?"
"Maybe they're already on their way via express delivery..." Awa Subaru's voice carried a hint of apprehension.
Without warning, the doorbell of Fujiki Residence rang.
Kurusu Akira raised his eyebrows, about to go see what was happening.
Immediately after, the door to the room at the end of the hallway opened.
A petite girl named Ebizuka Tomo, with a doll-like delicate face, quickly walked out, eyed Kurusu Akira warily for a moment, then tiptoed into the entryway and opened the door. "Hello, Gotou-san."
An unidentifiable pink creature outside the door stammered in reply, "Hello... Ebizuka-san, please... please take care of me."
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a girl in a pink tracksuit, forced to hunch her back slightly due to the large and heavy guitar case behind her, looking like some kind of snake-like creature that habitually bends and wriggles to avoid predator attention... very much like the "Tsuchinoko" from Shimokitazawa folklore.
Unlike her tense and annoyed attitude towards Kurusu Akira, Ebizuka Tomo was now very patiently inviting the girl with the guitar case into the apartment. Then, she stopped beside Kurusu Akira, looked at Awa Subaru by the dining table, and stared at him blankly, "Can you return our band's drummer? We need to start practice."
"A band?" The Phantom Thief was even more surprised.
But even as he spoke, Ebizuka Tomo had already pulled Awa Subaru by the hand towards her room without explanation.
Awa Subaru seemed accustomed to her assertiveness, so she apologetically held up her palm and waved it at Kurusu Akira.
Soon, only Kurusu Akira was left in the spacious living room.
Kurusu Akira looked down at the overlapping snake cages beside him. A few seconds later, a text message from Awa Subaru popped up on his phone.
[Sorry, Tomo-san is very wary of strangers, and we had a band rehearsal scheduled for today, so I was a bit rude just now... Anyway, let's continue the lesson tomorrow!]
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