Chapter 29: Found out! Oh, No!

(Marinette's pov)

I chuckled at the picture Ann sent on the group chat. In the photo, Ryuji was laughing at Akira. Akira's glasses were fogged up from the pot of steaming stew below him. Yusuke was serving himself some more food while I was by Akira's side, offering a handkerchief to clean his glasses with. The photo perfectly exhibited my friends' personalities. I'm going to have to print it out! I printed out the other picture, after all.

I looked over at the photo on my bedside table. It was a selfie Ryuji took during our trip to the expensive restaurant after Kamoshida's change of heart. Ann and I were eating cake in the background, Akira was sipping some coffee, and Morgana was eyeing some large pancakes. The picture was in a nice frame I had ordered online. I had accidentally bought multiple frames instead of one... now I have too many picture frames. Oh well~ at least I can frame this new picture!

I set a reminder to go print it at school later and started to get ready for bed. As I changed into a comfortable nightgown, my phone rang. I checked the caller I.D, it was Akira. I quickly answered the phone.

"Akira-kun! Hi! What's up?" I asked, slightly startled.

"Hey, Mari-san. I just wanted to check in with you..." He said.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah..." He said.

"Erm... how do you feel with Yusuke-kun living with you?" I asked.

"He's tolerable... but it's nice to have some company other than Morgana and Plagg." He said. I let out a little giggle at that.

"Speaking of which, how is Plagg?" I ask.

"He's doing good. Apparently, he likes to explore LeBlanc when he's bored and when Morgana and I are busy. He tells me about what he finds... he actually found a weird device last week. I have no idea how that got here or why it's here!" Akira told me.

"Maybe Misour Sojiro put it there?" I suggested.

"Maybe... but it's apparently harmless so, I don't care!" Akira quipped. I let out another laugh.

"Well, it was nice to talk to you, Akira-kun! おやすみ!" I said (Translation: Good night!).

"おやすみ, Mari-san!" Akira said. I then hung up and crawled under the covers. As I snuggled into the blankets, I vaguely wondered about what the future had in store for my friends and me. I smile, thinking about the adventures we had already. I have only been in Japan for a few months, and I've already made memories to last a lifetime. I fall asleep, thinking about the happy memories I have made so far.

(Time skip! Brought to you by Persona 5 Strikers! I want that game so badly!)

Monday, June 13th, after school at the Shibuya subway hall. Ann, Ryuji, Yusuke, and I were waiting for Akira to arrive.

"Why is he late?" Ann wondered.

"The teacher said Makoto-senpai needed him for something..." I said.

"What does she want with Akira?" Ryuji wondered.

A few minutes later, Yusuke noticed something.

"Oh..." He said.

"Hmm? He here?" Ryuji asked, looking up at Yusuke. At that, I looked around to see if I could find Akira. Sure enough, I saw him walking towards us with...

"Is that girl a friend of yours?" Yusuke asked, gesturing to Akira and Makoto. Ryuji and Ann looked up and were surprised to see Makoto walking with Akira. I was also surprised... what is she doing here?

"Wh-what the h***?!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"What is the meaning of this?" Ann asked.

"I had him lead me here," Makoto said.

"Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Marinette Cheng... And you're Kitagawa-kun, correct? Second-year at Kosei High and former pupil of Madarame?" Makoto listed... I don't like where this is going...

"I wanted to ask you about this..." Makoto said, holding up her phone and pressing play on a recording button. As soon as she pushed that button, Ryuji's voice was heard yelling about being a Phantom Thief. I felt my face pale.

When the recording was finished, Makoto put her phone away.

"An extremely similar technique was used for both Kamoshida and Madarame... While those affected by their acts were coincidentally meeting up. How could that not raise suspicion?" Makoto asked. My friends and I looked at each other.

"What do you intend to do?" Yusuke asked.

"Did you come to us just to say you're going to report us to the police? Makoto-senpai, what could you possibly gain from that?" I asked.

"I bet someone told you to find us. The school can't have ties to criminals, after all." Ann said in a mocking tone.

"And yet they turn a blind eye to suicide and s*xual harassment!" Ann continued. Wow, she loves to bring that point up to Makoto a lot... she has a point, though...

"Easy Ann... But, you have a point." I tell my blonde female friend. I then turn to Makoto.

"The adults of the school are just using you. I've experienced something similar back in Paris. I feel sorry for you, Makoto-senpai..." I said.

"W-what?" Makoto asked.

"Oh, yeah! Mari-san here was abandoned by the adults of her school back in Paris! She was bullied to no end there, and the adults did jack to help her! It was one of the reasons why she came to Japan, to begin with!" Ann said.

"I... I had no idea... but... you're right..." Makoto said. Everyone did a double-take.

"Huh?" Ann said.

"That's why I want to verify your justice! I'm the only one who knows about you. If you prove what you're doing is just, I'll erase this." Makoto offered.

"She wants to make a deal..." Morgana said from Akira's bag.

"There is someone whose heart I'd like you to change," Makoto said.

"Who?" Yusuke asked.

"So you're saying it's not impossible. However... I can not tell you that just yet. Let's continue our talk after school tomorrow, on the roof." Makoto said.

"Assuming you accept my offer, that is." She added before walking off.

"This is turning into a real pain..." Ryuji sighed after Makoto left. I was so scared. What do we do?

(A/N: I'm so tired!)