The school bell rings and students hustle out of their classrooms to attend their afterschool activities. A certain brunette packed her books and her pencil case inside her school bag and went straight to the Student Council Room.

Today, she had to continue to collect intel for her investigation of the Phantom Thieves. Since Madarame's case, the principal had pressured her to investigate whether these Thieves had any correlation to the student body.

She had no choice but to heed to his instructions. In return for finding suspects, he would write her a letter of recommendation to any college of her choice. Of course she couldn't refuse the offer. Her sister, Sae, had told her opportunities like this should be taken for her future.

Makoto Nijima opened the student council door and headed inside.

"Nijima-san, how can I help you today?" asked a student council member.

"Hey, I just would like to remind you guys that I'm not coming to the meeting for today." answered Makoto.

"Oh! Ok, I'll make sure to tell everyone later." He replied. "You're that busy huh, Nijima-san?"

"Yeah, with the investigation going on and students coming to tell me about the Mafia cases. I'm not sure if I can handle them both right now with college exams coming soon."

"It's fine. We'll let you know if there's any update on the Mafia case." The member stood up and bowed. "Thank you for your hard work."

"My pleasure." She returned the bow.

Soon, she went towards her next destination. Shibuya Station. Recently, she had gained some traction with the (almost) impossible Phantom Thieves case. A group which consists of a raven haired delinquent, a loudmouth and vulgar slacker, a blonde model and an art student who attends Kosei High.

These people, in some ways had connections with the victims. Both Ryuji Sakamoto and Ann Takamaki were acquainted with Kamoshida, while Yusuke Kitagawa was a pupil of former art master, Ichiyursai Madarame.

She finds it odd that these people were getting together as the chances of that happening were simply slim or impossible. No matter what, Makoto decided to follow her hunch even if it leads her to a dead end.

Makoto escaped from her thoughts when she heard the announcement that they had arrived at Shibuya. She stood up from her seat and left the train car. She headed for the escalator and went towards the underground mall.

She took out this week's Shonen Jump manga out of her bag and stood by one of the pillars near the cosmetic shop. Makoto covered her face with the book and began searching the crowd for her P.O.I.

The reason why she was here right now was because she had seen the group hanging out around here. Since talking to them was fruitless, she decided to stalk-no, tail one of them until she gained enough information to prosecute them.

The target, of course, was the raven haired delinquent, Akira Kurusu, the leader of the ragtag group of rebels that she was pursuing. She had picked him out of the others because he was the easiest she thought.

Ryuji Sakamoto and Ann Takamaki were more difficult to trace as they would usually disappear while on their way towards the station. However, for Yusuke Kitagawa, she needn't to say more.

Throughout her investigation, following Akira Kurusu had been simple. He would always follow a fixed path. After school ends, he would check his phone for messages and head straight outside the school gate.

After that, he goes to the station in Aoyama Ichtome and takes a train towards Shibuya. Afterwards, he would wander around the station until it was time to meet up with the others around the access way.

Makoto, of course, had thought her stalki-tailing skills had come in handy and wondered how oblivious Akira was not to notice her following him.

She had somewhat, unexpectedly, enjoyed this afterschool activity if it was counted as one. Watching those detective films with her late father had made her wonder how it felt like tailing a suspect. Apparently, it thrilled her and she felt that she wouldn't mind doing this again for future investigations.

Akira Kurusu left his train and went up the escalator. He had hoped that everything will go as planned and continued walking towards the mall.

Morgana popped out from his bag and signalled him to stop. Akira stood near the toilets and crouched down to let the cat out of the bag.

"Remember, just like we planned, if they want to tell me something important, tell them to limit messages on the phone or pass them on to you for later." Akira told him

"Yeah yeah, we've been through this over a thousand times." replied Morgana. He let out a sigh. "Anything else before I go?"

"Some fries would be nice."

"I can't believe that you still have time to be joking around before a mission. Well, see you soon, Joker." said the cat before they parted ways.

Akira then wandered around the mall, searching the crowd for his target, his eyes managed to locate a certain brunette in the sea of people. When she had noticed him, he turned around and walked towards the music store. Pretending to look at posters, he had to assure that she was following him from behind before continuing his next step in the plan.

Akira headed towards the confectionary shop beside the music shop and decided to act like a normal student buying sweets for himself. He can't help but grinned at the sight of the clueless girl following him.

He had noticed the girl following him since last week. It wasn't that hard to spot out a certain student council president in a crowd. She was clearly sticking out like a sore thumb for him to spot. He knew that she would clearly make a very bad detective one day because of her so called tailing skills but still, he found it adorable to see Makoto try her best at following him. She clearly looks cute when she covers the bottom part of her face with that manga. Her sharp crimson eyes piercing through his back, taking note of each step that the boy took.

Soon, he thought, that he would be doing such a big favour for Makoto Nijima.

Makoto continued to tail him after he left the confectionary and made sure the thick manga covered her face. So far, he doesn't look like he's heading towards the Line that goes to Yongen-jaya so that could mean that they're having one of their secret meetings here.

Akira then took the stairs up, heading towards the station access way. He readjusted his glasses and prepared himself mentally for the next step of his plan. He knew it wasn't going to be an easy task from the start but he remembered, no risk no reward.

He let out a breath of air and said to himself.

"It's showtime."

Makoto was slowly losing Akira in the crowd and he apparently disappeared from her sight. Dammit, she thought. Where had he possibly gone to? She made a 360 degree turn to check if he had slipped out of her sights by going back where he came from.

She briskly walk through the shops to see if there was a familiar raven haired delinquent loitering around but there was still no sight of him.

While searching for him, she unexpectedly bumped into someone. She felt on her bottom on the cold hard floor.

"Watch where you're going, kid!" said a man

Makoto hurriedly stood up and apologised profusely while bowing multiple times to show respect towards the man.

"Fucking kid. Get out of my sight." The man exclaimed and made his way to his train.

The student council president couldn't believe what just had happened. She was to engrossed in tailing her target that she forgot about the people around her. She wondered what her late father would say to her if he were still alive.

Makoto let out a sigh and flicked her wrist. She then noticed the missing item in her hands. The manga she was reading. She looked around to see if she dropped it somewhere during the collision with the salaryman just now. She retraced her steps and found no presence of the book.

She felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned.

"Here you go, senpai."

"Oh, thank y-" she let out a gasp.

Makoto felt as the world around her stopped, only she and the boy in front of her were the only ones moving, the others were just background noise.

She took the thick book in his hands, staring into his dark coloured pupils through his spectacles. He let out a small soft smile that would melt a girl's heart.

She tried to open her mouth but no words came out. Makoto was stunned, as if an enemy had precisely hit her weaknesses, she's been caught red handed by her target.

"What'cha doing around these parts, senpai?" asked Akira.

"Uh...I was just looking around the shops." She stuttered. "I heard from the others that the bakery here sold amazing melon pan, so I wanted to check what all the fuss was about." She continued.

"Well then, let me accompany you. I was just about to go there as well." Akira said.

"Um..ok, shall we?"

Both of them went towards the bakery shop, Germain, which was selling some promotional bread during the Summer. They stood in front of the shop, looking at the menu. When their minds were made up, they told the cashier what they wanted.

Makoto was feeling all anxious right now, she wasn't sure if Akira had caught her following him or if he was just playing dumb. She's dreading for what was to come and decided to compose herself so he wouldn't be able to see her fidget.

"That would be about 3500 yen, please." The cashier told them. Makoto took out her purse and tried to find some small change to pay for her share but she was beaten to the punch by Akira, who had given the cashier a 5000 yen note.

"Wait! Let me pay for my one." Said Makoto.

"Please, I insist. What type of gentleman would I be if I don't pay for the girl's food?" he wavered his hand.

"Here, let me at least give you the money for my bread." Makoto tried to hand him over the money but he still refused it.

"Like I said, it's fine. If you ever want to repay the favour, maybe next time you could pay for the food." Akira replied.

Makoto let out sigh. He wasn't going to budge anyway. But the way he said next time so casually, it struck a thought in her mind. Will there ever be a next time?

"Very well then, Kurusu-kun."

They took their own respectively bread and started eating it. The melon pan was quite delicious as they said. The soft taste of the bread, the melon flavour that melts in your mouth as you continue chewing it, and the sweet aroma that the bread accentuated made it worth the buy.

"How's the bread?" asked Akira.

"Quite nice actually, thanks. Do you want some?" She held the bread in his direction.

"Don't mind if I do." He took a piece of the bread and ate it. Akira let out a satisfying smile when he finished it, he looked at Makoto and said, "Thanks."

They continued walking along the accessway, passing through the sea of people and the numerous shop that were on their path. Akira decided now was the perfect time to commence his plan.

"Nijima-senpai? Mind if I ask you something that's been on my mind?" Akira restarted the conversation.

"Not at all, what is it?" she said without giving a single thought.

"Well, I don't how to put it but..." he paused. "I'm not sure if I'm too self conscious or a bit insane but..." another pause.

"Have you been stalking me lately?"

The last few words had hit Makoto like a train. Makoto choked on her bread and coughed, slowly composing herself and swallowing the piece of bread in her mouth. She stopped in her path and looked at Akira. She was stupefied, apparently he had noticed her all along.

Akira was smiling, no, grinning at her. She tried to think of an answer, she was sure lying was not a choice, then she spoke.

"The safe-being of the student body is an interest of the Student Council Committee. I was making sure that you had adapted to the lifestyle in Tokyo and at school since you're new and all." Makoto said it sincerely.

"But is following someone from school to station to station for a week necessary? I mean it's nice to see that you're dedicated but you've could just ask me about my condition to save the trouble." Akira replied.

Makoto shook and took one step back. 'A week?!' He had known for a week now that she was following him. Hadn't the manga at least blocked her face? What did she do wrong? She had taken all the steps before following him, turning off her phone, stayed quite a distance from him and even skipped some days from following him to reduce suspicion.

In his mind, Akira was cackling. He had got her.

"That wasn't the only reason I was following you, Kurusu-kun."

"Oh." Looks like she not going to give up easily. "The committee had caught wind about the rumours surrounding you and we decided to verify whether they were true or not."

"Is that true? I thought it was because of something else. Are sure it's not because..." he took a few steps toward her until she backed against the wall. He reconsidered the next few words he was about to say, the fallout could be disastrous but satisfying if it worked according to plan. Screw it, you only live once as they say. "you're infatuated with me?"

Makoto's face turned red as she blushed at the question. What the hell type of question was that? She knew, deep down inside his mind, Akira was enjoying this. That...that...asshole.

"That's preposterous! I don't even have time to think about romance for that matter." That was true, her school life had always been facing books, not boys. Even Sae discouraged her from getting a boyfriend and focus heavily on her education.

"Nijima-senpai, you're blushing as red as a tomato. I know you might have some feelings for me." He then put a finger on her chin. He brought his head close to her ear and said "Don't you find me at least attractive for you?"

To Makoto, she had at sometimes taught the raven haired delinquent was charming when she observed him from afar, but when she's talking with him right now, she assumes that he might be the devil in human skin.

"Well...yeah...but not in a romantic manner... Kurusu-kun, could you please put away your finger away?" Akira obliged because he felt that he made the girl too uncomfortable.

There was a pregnant pause. Makoto stopped thinking, all she wanted right now was to go home and collapse on her bed. She wondered which God cursed her so badly today.

"Let me rephrase my earlier question, senpai. Are you stalking me because you're in love with me or just plain obsessed following any attractive guys that catch you're attention?" Akira asked again.

Makoto had enough of this treatment and grit her teeth. She was tired of being oppressed by the dominant males who had treated her badly. She glared at Akira and spoke.

"Yes, I'm stalking you! Because I know, that you're hiding a big secret from the world! No matter how many times you try to hide it, I will find out about it. No matter what method I'll use, whether stalking you, interrogate you or break every bone in your body until you tell me what I would like to know. I will make your life a living hell if you provoke me! Got that, Kurusu-kun?"

Akira was stunned with her outburst. He didn't know whether to feel aroused or disturbed or just both at the same time. Maybe he liked it, like Ms. Kawakami had said before, he might be an extreme masochist.

Then, a smug appeared on his face. This, of course, confused Makoto. Should he at least feel like he was threatened or worried at the least?

Akira took out his from the pocket and slide his finger across his phone. What came next was unexpected for the student council president herself.

"Yes, I'm stalking you!" Makoto could hear her own voice. Again, she was on the sharp end of the sword. "I will make your a life a living hell if you provoke me! Got that, Kurusu-kun?"

"I wonder what the police would say when they'll hear this. A diligent student council president threatening a junior will surely make big news, wouldn't it?" he said it cunningly.

Akira then pressed the home button on his phone, he clicked his gallery icon which showed a plethora of pictures and videos of him and his friends. He scrolled down and found what he was looking for. He showed her a bunch of selfies that he took at Shibuya Station before but she knew the that the person in the images they were both focused on was not Akira Kurusu himself, but a certain brunette holding a manga in the background.

He slide to the next picture and there she was, hiding behind the aojiru stall. Another picture showed that she was looking at the posters by the music shop.

Makoto Nijima had truly been caught in the act.

She tried to confiscate his phone but he put it up high in the air, preventing her from taking it. She considered using brute force to take it but she wouldn't want to cause a scene in public.

"How about we strike a deal?" Akira asked.

"What do you want?" Makoto said with a hint of desperation and worriedness in her tone.

"Don't worry, it's nothing shady or embarrassing but you must agree to it before I tell you. Deal?"

"Of course not! I know you're planning on me doing something bad for you. I refuse to take part."

"That's a shame. I thought you were the type who would uphold their reputation no matter what, guess I was wrong then. This invasion of privacy will clearly will make a dent in your clean record."

"So stealing other people's hearts isn't?" she retorted

"Like yours?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Kurusu-kun."

"Last chance, Nijima-senpai."

Makoto didn't want to make a deal with the devil but she had to protect her reputation. Her reputation is also her sister's. If she were to fall, her sister will also be hit as well.

Akira then turned and tried to make his way towards the officer in charge before he felt a sudden and hard grip on his left wrist.

"Wait. I...I agree to your deal. What do you want me to do?"

He didn't expect her to turn back on her words. Akira didn't actually think he would made it this far, he wasn't even going to report to the authorities about Makoto's stalking either. All he wanted was to make sure she was threatened, so she would stop following him.

"Buy me a melon pan."

"Make dinner for me."

"Kiss me."

Akira had three options to pick from. His mind hovered to the second option but what came out from his mouth was neither the first or the second option.

Shit, he thought.

"Wh...what are you saying?" the student council flustered like before.

Akira wanted to punch himself badly later. How the hell did the third option even appear on his mind? What was he? A third grader?

He thought too long and Makoto thought his silence was that he was serious about it. Both stood there for a minute before Akira opened his mouth.

"It's fine that if you don't want to do it, it was a stupid idea anyway. See you, senpai." Akira turned towards to the direction of the escalator nearby. Before he could make his escape, he was pulled by a strong force and felt his lips crashed with something soft.

The kiss was of course clumsy, but Akira could sense passion from the brunette, so he kissed her back. He wasn't just going to lose easily.

After a minute, their lips separated as they needed a breath of air. She let him go and retraced a few steps. They stared into each others eyes and realised what just happened.

Well, this is awkward.

"Nijima-senpai, I'm sor-" before he could complete the sentence, she ran off and took the stairs going downstairs.

Akira's gentleman instincts told him to chase after her and apologise her for his actions. He decided not to and let her be because he wouldn't want to imagine what she would do to him had he followed her.

He decided that his plan was completed and regrouped with Morgana. Akira then went back to his peaceful sanctuary back in Yongenjaya.

Ryuji: How did it go, Akira?

Akira: Couldn't have been more better.

Yusuke: As expected of you, leader.

Akira: Thanks.

Ann: Is she still going to bother us?

Akira: I don't think we're going to see her for awhile but I doubt that'll be the last of her.

Ryuji: Looks like we have to find the next hotshot for the Phantom Thieves sooner or later.

Akira: Any candidates so far?

Ryuji: Just some small fry that could be taken down easily. So far, we don't got any big named bastards.

Yusuke: Let's sleep on it tonight. We should discuss again tomorrow.

Akira: Night, guys.

Akira decided that was enough of Phantom Thieves business for tonight and offed his phone. He closed his eyes and hoped for good sleep but there was something bothering him in the back of his neck. A certain brunette.

Akira didn't know what fate had in store for the both of them. But one day he would realise it, that they would change from being enemies to close allies. He then slept.