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Goro sighs and looks around in boredom.
This whole day at the TV station is a pain in the ass. It's long and tedious—why did he even listen to Ann and come along?
Oh. Right. "You should come at this (stupid) excursion with us, senpai. It'll help you to get a better reputation in school. Maybe even be rewarding? Teehee!" (Yes, that's exactly how she sounds.)
Bullshit.
"You know, after this we should go shopping. What do you think, Goro?"
He doesn't remember giving her permission to call him that. Goro rolls his eyes. Isn't he supposed to be the leader here? They should show a minimum of respect. And on top of that, he is their senpai. Goro scowls, already having enough of this trip.
Goro glances at the cat on his shoulder. Morgana stares at him. "Maybe we shouldn't linger. Simply having curry at Leblanc would do nicely."
Goro thanks the gods for giving him a cat that’s responsible unlike those two chaotic people in front of him.
"But there's Dome Town right next door, Morgana..." Ryuji crosses his arms. Goro doesn't care if he's sulking. He wants to go home already to catch the latest episode of Featherman in time. "There's an amusement park around the stadium," Ryuji smiles excitedly. "We can take a ride there, right, leader?"
Oh, and now it's suddenly up to him to make the decisions. Goro grumbles, but Ann and Ryuji ignore him. At least Yusuke usually has the decency to take him into consideration.
"It's a nice place too, right in the middle of the business district. And the roller coaster is great" Ryuji adds.
Goro scoffs. "I'd rather go home."
In that moment, Morgana decides to betray him, however. "A roller coaster? Nothing better to prove your courage!"
Goro already spent his day helping incompetent people, even though he's supposed to be a guest. He doesn't want to spend even one more second here.
He sighs. "That's not a proof of courage, that's stupid. Anyway, as a cat you wouldn't be able to get in anyways. You would end up puking in the bag."
"Who are you calling a cat?!" Goro grabs his paws before he scratches him. The two hiss at each other threateningly.
"Huh, I thought the guests were students from Shujin Academy. Not a cat."
A low, deep mumble interrupts them. Morgana immediately hides in the bag, even if it’s probably for naught already.
Goro turns around and looks at the new guest, a student around their age, wearing a different uniform with a beige blazer that has the school’s emblem shown proudly on the chest. He stands slightly slouched, as if not wanting to attract attention, holding a briefcase inscribed with a large K in one gloved hand.
"Oh, I’m sorry to interrupt." The stranger curls in on himself upon noticing them all looking at him. He seems out of his comfort zone—nervous and vulnerable.
He’s wearing dark glasses and together with his dark curly hair they hide part of his face. He's certainly not unpleasant to look at, but Goro can’t help but feel irritated, wondering what he would look like if he straightened up and showed off more proudly.
"Oh no, you're fine!" Ann, a kind soul as always, speaks up. "It wasn't important anyway." She smiles at him. "Who are you?"
The young man sighs and raises his head, revealing more of his face.
Oh. Oh no.
Goro stares in shock at his porcelain-like face, the fragility in his eyes, the gray pupils staring at them, the long eyelashes and the lips that are pressed together in a thin line. In the blink of an eye, he goes from imperceptible and unassuming to someone who should be on a magazine cover.
As if someone pressed a button, his position straightens, new confidence in his posture. "I'm Kurusu Akira. I'll be with you for filming tomorrow." He bows forward. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Kurusu...?" Ann tilts her head in thought.
"Uh, filming?" Ryuji raises an eyebrow. "What, you a celebrity or something?"
It wouldn't surprise him. Has Goro ever seen him anywhere? He rarely cares about what's on TV, but a face like his...
Kurusu gives a stilted laugh."You could say that. Let's just say I'm famous enough to be appearing on TV shows."
Ann looks at him in shock. Goro gives her a puzzled look—what did she realise?
"Oh!” she exclaims. ”You're the Detective Prince!"
Kurusu blinks before smiling nervously. "Yes, that's me. I'm not a detective though, just an intern. I merely help out during investigations..."
Goro sighs.
A detective prince, hm. It’s intriguing. Goro wants to know more about him.
"I just came by to say hello. So, if you'll excuse me..." He bows again, still very polite. "Enjoy your outing. And your curry too, of course." And he steps aside.
The group stares at each other in confusion. "...Who the heck was that dude?" Ryuji sighs. Ann hits him in retaliation and says something, but Goro doesn’t pay them any attention.
How did he know about the curry? No one mentioned anything-
... Oh.
Ann and Ryuji are still arguing. "You idiot. He’s a famous influencer! And the second coming of the Detective Prince! His videos are so funny, nothing better to bring you a smile when you feel down. I never thought he would be so shy… He always seems super friendly in front of the camera. And he solves cases with the police. Smart and funny. He's the perfect boyfriend. Too bad I'm not attracted to men ha."
Sadly, it's not Goro's case. He sighs.
Ryuji scoffs. "He works with the police huh. Sounds just like easy advertising for them."
So he’s a famous detective, hm?
Goro smiles to himself, his excitement probably visible on his face. So this so-called genius has heard Morgana just now...
"Dude, you look kinda creepy right now. Why so excited?"
Goro chuckles. "Nothing, Sakamoto. Don't worry about it."
"You can call me Ryuji, dude!"
Goro scoffs. He’s always so easy to provoke.
But oh, this Kurusu seems far more intriguing than he thought.
And Goro likes to solve a good mystery.
_ _ _
"And now, we are back on our hottest meet and greet!! Today we welcome the famous Detective Prince, Kurusu Akira!"
Akira waves shyly at the camera. A slight smile on his lips. He looks extremely uncomfortable. How does no one else notice it?
"After his last visit on our set, we decided to invite this gentleman back today."
Goro crosses arms as he watches the TV set with interest. There are many people whispering all around them—is he that popular? By now, Goro is as confused as Ryuji was before.
"It's an honor to be among you today."
Goro rolls his eyes. So polite.
"No, it's our honor to have you, Kurusu-kun! You must have a busy schedule with your growing popularity..."
Goro sees him playing with his hands nervously. He looks so vulnerable under the spotlight, as if he wants to run away and hide from everyone. Why is he pushing through it so hard though?
"I will admit that my popularity caught me a little off guard. I didn't really expect this much attention..."
The teenage girls in front of Goro practically melt at every word the detective says. Goro is embarrassed for them.
"It's normal to get so much attention as someone who provides such entertaining, yet intriguing and just videos."
Kurusu laughs nervously. "I just like sharing my hobbies. I'm merely just silly on these… It may not correspond to the image of a detective for the general public, haha. But I assure you, I take my job very seriously. My personal, real investigations are all supervised too." He crosses his legs.
Goro frowns. He should investigate more about this Kurusu.
"Speaking of investigations, we’ve heard you have another case on your hands right now. Can you tell us more about it?"
Kurusu sighs. "Oh. The Phantom Thieves..." Goro's eyes widen and for a brief moment their two gazes meet before he speaks again. "... And the scandal of the famous artist Madarame."
"There's an investigation on the Phantom Thieves?"
Goro glares at Ryuji—can't he be more subtle?
"Oh, did they get your attention too, Kurusu-kun? What do you think of this group of vigilantes?"
Kurusu uncrosses his legs, taking several seconds to answer the question. He raises his head and stares at Goro in the audience.
A shiver runs down Goro’s spine. Does he know? He can’t, right?
"Vigilante groups are often seen as heroic, and deep down, that's not completely wrong. But they can only really represent true justice in fiction."
"What do you mean? Do you think they don't exist?"
He knows. He knows and he’s openly provoking him right now.
"I think they do exist. Who doesn't deep down dream that something so ideal is real?" He smiles. "After all, everyone has an innocent side that hopes Santa Claus really does exist. Or am I the only one?"
The audience laughs. Goro doesn't.
"Of course I can't say for sure. These are all merely assumptions." He plays with his gloves, nervously, not looking at the camera. Goro chuckles when he sees Kurusu looking up quickly again, like he suddenly remembers he can't hide on a TV set.
"What would you do if these assumptions turned out to be correct, Kurusu-kun?"
A gleam appears in his eyes. A bit of malice, of determination, of amusement. Goro wants to see more of these raw emotions. It's burning inside his eyes and Goro wants to get closer even if he'll end up burning.
"I will stop them. I will bring them face to face with true justice." That statement makes these emotions even more strong. Goro smiles. He really seems to be more interesting than he thought at first. Finally someone going against their ideals with more reasons than just following the public’s opinion.
"Are you saying they are criminals, Kurusu-kun?"
Kurusu nods. "What Madarame did is unforgivable. But no one has the right to point out a criminal without having them go through the proper procedure. Laws exist for a reason. No group can claim to be justice itself with the threat they pose. It's an attack on something deeper. Changing someone's heart, however they do it, should never be acceptable."
Finally—a worthy opponent that lives up to Goro's expectations.
"I will confess that I am not in the best position to speak about these things, being only a rookie detective on internship myself." He smiles nervously but his determined, stern look returns just the next second. "However I can state that their so-called justice isn't anything else but a lie. No one can say they want to serve justice if they take it for granted and refuse to see every single side of a case. For that is what the Phantom Thieves do. They reveal false justice to the world."
"How eloquently spoken, Kurusu-kun!"
Kurusu blushes, looking away. "Oh. Please forgive me. I got a little carried away." He looks endearing, being so embarrassed easily.
"What the heck dude... we're saving people," Ryuji mumbles to himself. Ann immediately shushes him.
"Let's see if our audience is of the same mindset as you! First of all, press the button if you think Phantom Thieves exist!"
Ann and Ryuji rush in. Goro can't believe how suspicious they are. It wouldn't be surprising if Kurusu really already knows who they are.
"Let’s see… About 30% think the Phantom Thieves are real. What do you think, Kurusu-kun?"
"They have more influence than I thought." Kurusu puts his hand under his chin, then looks at the audience. "I'll be curious to hear your more definite opinion on the matter."
The presenter nods and stands up. Goro sighs.
All of a sudden, he sees a microphone in front of him.
"Well, let's hear this student's opinion then." She smiles at him. "Hypothetically, of course, what do you think about Phantom Thieves, if they even exist?"
Ann and Ryuji look at him with hope in their eyes. Fools. Goro can't help but appreciate their support though.
He leans forward into the mic and meets Kurusu’s eyes."They do more than society dares to do."
Kurusu looks at him in surprise, he surely wasn't expecting this. Goro neither, he hasn’t really anticipated having his opinion taken on live TV, but he doesn't mind.
"That's the complete opposite of what you claim, Kurusu-kun."
He merely nods, still in shock. "Indeed. It's quite bold to assert that with such confidence." Kurusu uncrosses his legs and stares hard at Goro, the glint of interest in his grey eyes. "If you don't mind me asking, I'd like to ask you another question... if someone close to you, such as your friend by your side, found themselves with their heart changed, would you blame the Phantom Thieves?"
"Isn't it a bit simplistic to think like that, Kurusu-san? Blaming the new group of criminals for everything that's going on?" Goro smirks. "What do you think?"
Kurusu stares at him in shock, Goro is proud to catch him off guard that easily. The other people around him don't approve however, looking at him with annoyance. Seeing the delinquent among them provoke their dear prince certainly doesn't not seem to please them.
But Goro stopped playing the role of the pleasant boy long ago. And he sees in Kurusu's eyes that he might not be that different from him.
"Are you returning the question to me? That's quite the way of dodging the subject." He smiles. "Our two opinions differ, it would seem."
He turns to the presenter to continue the interview, but Goro can see what hides in the quick glance he gives him. For Kurusu, their debate isn’t over.
And he too knows that this is just the beginning.
_ _ _
Goro, immediately freed, goes out to seek the detective. He ignores Ann and Ryuji behind him and feels Morgana's disapproving eyes rest on him.
He can't help it, though. He wants to learn more about him. Something is terribly tantalizing about the detective.
And there he is, all alone, looking down at his phone. He lifts his head once he hears Goro coming. "Oh. It's you!"
"I caught you, detective." Goro grins.
Kurusu chuckles. "I'm normally the one who does the catching here." He seems to hesitate before continuing. "I wanted to thank you for expressing your opinion like that. It really put things into a different perspective." He smiles at him, " À quoi bon chercher notre bonheur dans l’opinion d’autrui, si nous pouvons le trouver en nous-mêmes ?"
Goro blinks, not having grasped a word, only having realised that it was French. Kurusu smiles, "Oh. Sorry. That's from Jean-Jacques Rousseau." He pronounces this with ease too. "To be more clear, I meant that we couldn't find agreement in each other's opinion. Many people, however, just prefer to accept the other's opinion. You acted differently."
"I don't really fit into most categories."
Kurusu looks down, a bitter smile appearing on his lips, he seems tense. "I can see that. You wouldn't let someone control you, or blindly obey your elders like many do. That's admirable."
It almost sounds like he envies him about that. Goro frowns. Kurusu seems to be hiding a lot of problems.
His expression changes quickly, as if he realizes how he sounded. "Oh excuse me. I didn't mean to..." He sighs. "I just wanted to say you're quite different from others."
Goro looks at him, amused. He's kind of awkward, doesn't he? Goro could easily forget it's the same guy who can understand Morgana. "What's the point of being like everyone else?"
Kurusu chuckles.
"I understand where that support for the Phantom Thieves comes from. They go against monotony and habit after all. Many would disagree, a lot prefers security than danger."
"But isn't it exciting? Seeing something different?"
"Ah. Maybe." Kurusu puts his hands in his pockets. He's slouching again. "I wonder if you're actually right. Do they have genuinely good intentions...?"
"We can't ignore the fact that changing people's hearts is unethical." Goro always thought it was revolting. To take away someone's free will like that, to force them to feel things they don't feel. "But when society would rather hide crimes than reveal them, is there any other way?"
"You have a much more neutral opinion than I thought."
Goro can see the honest surprise on Kurusu’s face.
"Nothing is completely black and white after all." He shrugs.
Kurusu seems to be thinking. "What an interesting opinion you have. You would make an ideal debate partner," he murmurs.
"Is that a proposal? Rather spontaneous if I might add," Goro crosses his arms, smirking.
Kurusu blushes, then bursts out laughing. "You really are something, hm." He smiles. "Why not. It would be interesting to share our thoughts with each other like this another time."
Kurusu holds out his hand to him. Goro smiles and accepts it. "I'm curious to see where this will take us, Kurusu-san."
"The feeling is mutual."
Goro sees the amusement in his pupils, even if hidden behind his glasses.
Yes, this bond promises to be very interesting.