ONE YEAR AGO

"Failure…failure of a man."

Those were the last words Akira heard his father speak. His mother stayed quiet, and only continued to wear a face of immense disappointment. Akira didn't think his father meant for him to hear those words, but as he made to leave the home he grew up in... They would haunt him in the back of his mind.

PRESENT DAY: PRESENT TIME

Akira was pulled from that sad memory to the dreamy darkness that had once been the velvet room. He never thought to enter here again, but lavenza's voice could be heard just as clearly as the first time they met,

"Your rehabilitation is completed. Even though you may have earned your freedom, many more challenges still await you. Entering this new world, you will take care to make your first steps alone. You must outgrow what you are now, otherwise you will never be more than that. Remember, In order to grow, you must first destroy your old self. Ignore this advice at your own peril."

The Velvet room grew silent, and he fell back into consciousness.

It was a normal evening, and the van lumbered forward on peaceful country roads. Akira awoke inside surrounded by all his friends. Makoto, and Ann seemed to be making some small talk in the front. Yusuke, Haru, and Morgana were still taking in the sights and sounds outside. Futaba could be heard tapping away at her laptop behind him. Ryuji seemed out of it, just like Akira was mere moments ago.

Akira was happy to have all of them drive him back to his hometown. Their former phantom thieves now wanted to visit the home where he was born, and also meet his parents. Since coming to Tokyo, Akira himself had barely even gotten a postcard from them. He really had no idea what to expect.

Upon arriving at the outskirts of the town, Akira requested Makoto stop the van. He had wanted to stretch his legs a bit, and then show his friends around town. Akira made to get out of the van behind Yusuke, who had quickly got to framing everything in sight. Being back in his hometown quickly brought out a flood of emotions in Akira, feelings he had bottled up for long time. Akira put those aside; right now he was with people who cared about him. He was not going to let himself get hung up on what's now in the past. As everyone else still made their way out of the van; Akira remembered the words of the velvet room, "Alone…," Akira murmurs to himself, 'Maybe, she meant I had to face my homecoming alone, and in doing so outgrow my past self.'

He found himself making a split second choice; however, there was no way any of them would let him just do this on his own, especially after coming all this way, 'Speed would be my ally.'

Akira started making some very poor excuses explaining why he can't invite them home. While they still processed the shock of what he was saying, Akira already started hastily spitting out some goodbyes. Before anyone could react, or even say another word; Akira had already broken into a sprint. Trying his best to rush home before any of them could object or give chase. He didn't hold anything back: in case Ryuji ran after him.

Akira ran from this friends, from Tokyo, and everything else that happened for the last 2 years. Going home was always going to be rough; he knew that, but at that moment came the true realisation of just how many feelings he had been holding back till now. After some time at a steady pace… Akira finally arrived at his parent's house, and just in time to see his father pulling into the car port with their small, dark green, Nissan family compact. The engine stopped humming, the door opened, and a man as tall as Akira stepped out.

Mr. Kurusu was a respectable civil lawyer at the regional firm. He was always in a professional suit, and wore similar spectacles to Akira. He carried himself with a stern sense of duty for as long as Akira could remember. He was strict, but never overbearing. Of course all that changed after Akira's criminal arrest. Akira remembers that day when he saw him locked up in a jail cell, he looked at Akira with such finality. After hearing from the police, he made no attempt to defend Akira in court. He had to get by with a government appointed defender who never even took the time to take his statement.

Mr. Kurusu was still picking up various papers from the car, no doubt more case files. He had yet to notice his son standing at the end of the property. Akira wanted to say something, but whenever he opened his mouth, barely any words came to mind. Mr. Kurusu finally aware of Akira's presence, turned to face his son. The look he gave Akira took him all the way back to that jail cell. Nothing that's happened in the past year seems to have changed how his father felt about him.

With nothing else left to loose, Akira thought, 'may as well greet him.'

Taking a breath he spoke, "I..I'm back ...f-father."

Mr. Kurusu closes his eyes, letting out a long sigh, "...I can see that. Your mother must be waiting for you... you should go on inside and greet her."

Akira was flabbergasted, 'That's all he has to say to me after all this time. Even when I was sent to the youth detention centre he made no attempt to get in touch with me.'

Akira grit his teeth, and made for the front door. His father was still standing by the car and made no meaningful motion in reaction to this. Just as he was about to reach the front steps however, "I have a lot of boxes in the car... I could use an extra pair of hands bringing them inside," He spoke still looking out to where Akira had first stood. Akira only then noticed that the sunset had also been against his back, and his father now seemed to be taking his time viewing it, 'Was he lost in thought?'

He turned to Akira, asking once more, "You don't have to if you don't want, I should be fine to manage by myself... I just thought since you're here," Akira acceded to his father's request, "How many boxes?"

Mr. Kurusu opened the back door of the car revealing both its rear seats occupied by two file boxes each, "Just a couple each, if you don't mind." He reached in and pulled out two boxes in each arm. He gestures for Akira to take them. He took the other two boxes from the car, locking the door as he closed it. Akira lead the way to the front door, and with some struggling, managed to slide the door open even with both hands busy. Akira walks inside his home for 16 years, the smell brings with it his life time of memories, 'Almost like wearing another persona… It feels surreal to be back home.'

"You can set them down right there," gestured Akira's father. The spot already had a large stack of boxes, Akira places them down next to the stack. 'This is very strange, dad never had this kind of workload before.'

"That's a lot of stuff to bring home," he inquired. "I don't have a secretary, and underlings to take care of all the paper work anymore. Now that it's just me, I have to do all my own grunt work," replied Mr. Kurusu.

"Dad, did something happen at work?" asked a perplexed Akira

Mr. Kurusu seemed surprised at the question, "Hmmm, right you wouldn't know. I vacated my position at the firm... they asked me to resign. I now work from my own local practice. A step down all things considered, but work is work; so you don't have to worry about your old father being a burden that you need to take care of." Akira was shocked to learn such situations had come about without him having any idea.

"Akira!" a familiar voice stole his attention. With genuine smile Akira responded, "Mom, I-I'm home."

"Welcome home," She said returning a bright smile. Ms. Kurusu was an elegant woman with curly short black hair and dark grey eyes. Akira always considered them to be the perfect picture of the dignified husband and the graceful wife. She always dressed, and carried herself as a woman of her station. Akira always confided in her, and she was the only person who listened to his version of events after he was charged by the police. She was as warm to be around, as his father could be cold. It was only after his initial reflections that Akira noticed, she was wearing a business suit today. He had only ever seen his mother wear that once before: during his court date.

Akira then saw his dad just walk past her to head into the house without speaking a word. 'Being curt with me is one thing, but he always greeted mom after coming home; what the hell happened while I was gone?'

She asked him curiously, "Akira, don't you want to come inside?"

"Yes," Akira takes of his shoes, and walks up to his mother. She runs her fingers through his hair, while holding him place, "Stay still for a moment, a mother has a right to see how much her son has grown."

Genuinely somewhat flustered Akira protests, "Mommm... come on, it's embarrassing." She grins chuckling, and lets him be, "Come on, you must be hungry. Let's go into the kitchen, I bought us some food to celebrate your return."

Akira followed behind his mother through their modest home. It was not a particularly large house for being in the countryside, but his parents had managed to find a very cosy home that he'd always liked. Today it seemed more Spartan than he remembered, almost like there were things missing. In the kitchen, Akira saw his father already sitting down where he always sat, with food already served in front of him. 'Is he not going to change after work?'

His mother spoke, "Akira, take a seat right where you always sit, and I will get our food." Akira sat down, while his mother grabbed some plates, and started to fill them with seemed like takeaway food from one of the local takeaways. Mr. Kurusu however just sat there quietly, not looking at anyone, but maintaining the same stern expression.

He looks Akira in the eye for a moment. Akira felt like he wanted to tell him something but he looked away just as quickly. Before Akira has a chance to ask, his mother placed a very full plate in front of him; for someone who beat the big bang burger challenge: this was a scary amount of food. It felt like she was trying to make up for a whole year's worth of meals. As Akira collected the guts, knowledge, proficiency, and charm needed to overcome this meal. His mother surprised him again by sitting down next to him away from his father, 'Maybe she just missed me a lot more that I thought?'

She spoke with a welcoming smile on her face, "Go on eat as much as you want, I bought plenty more food if you need more." Considering the enormity of the challenge before him, he focused his mind, and set to work on the food before him. He hungrily ate his way through a mountain of food. His parents seemed very much stunned at his seemingly bottomless stomach.

Ms. Kurusu was laughing, "I didn't actually think you would eat all of it, but I guess my growing boy needs to eat all the food he can."

Even his father could not help but smile at him. "When you're a father yourself, you will understand the simple satisfaction of watching your children eat their fill."

His mom silently nods patting him on the head and running her hand through his curly messy hair. It may not be his mother's home cooked meal, but he felt really at peace right now; ready to start again. 'I was home.'

"I missed-no, we missed you," she said looking at my father for the first time. Like that the Kurusu household slowly passed their time from twilight to night with only a few words spoken between them.

She then turned to Akira with a nervous smile, "Akira, I am glad we could all do this together again one last time. I really wanted you to remember today, no matter what happens next."

Akira's face distorted to show his confusion at what his mother had just said. He looked from his mother to his father trying to find an answer. He tried to ask, "Last?-"

Before he could start his sentence; there was a loud knock on the door. Akira wondered for a moment if his comrades in crime hadn't finally tracked him down. "That must be them," said, Ms. Kurusu

'Them? was she expecting someone?' All he could do was stare in bewilderment as his mother got up, and headed for the main door down the hallway from where they sat. Akira looked to his father who had returned to his usual look, the smile he wore moments ago, that he so rarely got to see: completely gone. 'What the hell is going on?'

Akira heard chattering and whispers from the door: polite welcomes, and invitations to enter their home. Within moments his mother had re-joined him at the dinner table followed closely by another middle-aged well-dressed man in a suit, and an elderly lady who dressed in very traditional clothes, whom Akira felt a strange sense of familiarity towards.

"Please, make yourself at home," spoke Ms. Kurusu breaking Akira out of his bewildered state.

The elderly woman sat down next to Ms. Kurusu; while the well-dressed man, who had been carrying a bag, pulled out a stack of papers, and placed them on the table. He handed some to Mr. Kurusu, and them some to Ms. Kurusu. They both began looking them over.

Akira's mind was racing, 'None of this was making any sense.' He asks with trepidation, "Mom, dad what's going on? ...I'm... scared."

Akira's mother broke the tense silence that had set in on the room, "You don't have to be scared. I'm right here Akira... I will always be here." She continued after a small pause, "But there are laws, everything in this country has to be legal. So what we need to do is make some decisions. That's what Mr. Masayuki is here for."

Mr. Masayuki nodded with a gentle smile and finally spoke, "Many times these decisions are left up to the court, but that can be very expensive Akira... parents fighting over their children."

Ms. Kurusu cut in, "Nobody is fighting."

Akira looked around at the other people in the room, they all carried serious expressions,

"Look at me Akira," Akira turned to face his mother.

"Nobody is fighting," she said with all the sincerity she could muster.

"Dad, what's going on?" Akira turned to face him.

His father could only answer with the usual look on his face, but Akira noticed his eyes display a tiredness he had not seen in his father before now.

Akira's mother cut in, "You remember your grandmother, she arrived this morning from Okinawa. "

Akira looked at his grandmother who returned a familiar motherly smile, "Come now Fusa, Akira only saw me when he was a very small child. I doubt he would remember someone from way back then," she said in a distinct accent, before continuing, "Akira, your grandfather and I are looking forward to having you, and your mother join us at our home."

Akira's mother chimed in (still looking at the document), "We will be staying with her, and my father in Okinawa from now on."

"Okinawa?" Akira said with frustration, 'but that's so far away, and what the hell is going on?' The look on his face is now of increasing panic and confusion.

Ms. Kurusu spoke calmly, "Do you understand what we are saying to you Akira? ... Your father, and I are getting a divorce."

Mr. Kurusu then spoke for the first time in a calm tone, "Nothing is going to change, we are still going to see each other."

Ms. Kurusu cut him off immediately, "Stop it-please; don't interrupt."

Mr. Masayuki, who had been waiting; finally spoke again, and slid a document in front of Akira, "Look, you don't have to read all of this. Most of it is for your parents: boring adult business. This paragraph right here-this is important because this states who you are going to live with."

Akira started to read but was cut short by Mr. Masayuki, "After the divorce... whose custody you will be in? ...And there is a blank space-right here." After a pause he continued slowly, "I need you to go into the living room… sit at the table, and put a name down. You can take as long as you want, but when you come back into this room... I want to see a name on that line."

Mr. Kurusu spoke again with a practiced reassuring tone, he no doubt used for his clients, "Akira, just write down the name and this will all be over... It's going to be ok."

"Dad, what name?" Akira said with panic in his voice.

Mr. Masayuki chimed in again, speaking very softly, "Your mother or your father? ...just put the name there-it's as simple as that."

Mr. Masayuki still noticing Akira's visibly troubled face, sat down to look him in the eye before he spoke again, "And don't look so scared... it's not a test... there is no wrong answer."

Akira got up, and made his way into the living room. With a pen in hand, he stared at the piece of paper that awaited his choice. The penny had finally dropped with a deafening clang that he could no longer ignore. His parents were getting divorced, and his arrest was no doubt the root for all of this. He dropped the pen and paper where he stood. Making his way to the door, Akira slowly put on his shoes. He then ran as hard as he could; in fact harder than he ever thought he could.

He was a fool to think that once Masayohi Shido had confessed, and been sentenced in court; he might have actually had a chance to rebuild his life, and have everything that was taken from him returned. The world just does not work that way, try as hard as he might, and suffer as much as he could; nothing he can do now can take away the consequences of that night.

Akira ran until he couldn't, and only when he stopped to catch his breath did he notice that his phone had been ringing the entire time. His mother had been calling. She kept calling, and he could not handle the ringing anymore. As a train goes past behind him, he lets out a scream of frustration he had been holding onto for a really long time, "DDDAAAAMMMIIIITTTT!"

He threw the phone away as hard as he could. He was truly sick to his stomach, and his large dinner made its way back out as he was forced to his knees. Still shaken he starts a sprint after the train that had just passed him by. He arrived at a train station, only a few minutes behind the train that had gone past him. He ran up the counter with his lungs still screaming for air, "I want a ticket on that train for as far as it will go, and I don't care how much the ticket costs."

A very startled middle aged man behind the counter, operates his computer to print out a ticket. Meanwhile the train started to pull out of the station. Before he could tell him how much it costs, Akira grabbed the ticket leaving 10,000 yen on the counter. He took-of at speed to board the almost moving train; jumping aboard just as the doors close behind him.

Behind him, Akira could hear the ticket attendant screaming, "Young man wait-this is far too much!-Wait!"

Akira was too out of it to listen, let alone understand; right now, he did not want to process anything anymore. He simply collapsed into the nearest seat, and let exhaustion take him into sleep as the train moved on into the night.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks for reading, this was the first time I ever published anything i came up with. Feel free to give me some harsh feedback so I can get better.

After i finished the game I noticed that some parts of the community felt that the game did not have a happy ending since the protagonist had to return home. It made me want to tell a story about how life always had it's ups and downs. I didn't want our favourite characters to remain in stasis forever, so I decided to write a story about going forward.

That's kind of what gave me some starting direction. Not really sure if I stuck to that concept in the end though.

Will be using OC's for Akira's family and relatives.

EDIT 1: Thanks for all the feedback. Wow was my grammar, punctuation and verb tense atrocious; my genuine apologies for butchering the language so. I did some studying to try and get better; at the very least I think I fixed most of chapter 1. I think my verb tense could use some work but that's all I have time for today.

EDIT 2: Fixed character names, reworded sentences and more grammatical corrections.

EDIT 3: Ooops...turns out my last edit never saved properly.

EDIT 4: Formatting changes, and additional descriptors.