[ It's utterly bizarre, finally broaching this topic after avoiding it for half a year. Maruki can't help but feel like he's still dealing with lit matches and kerosene, but they don't have any other choice, do they?

His own journal is in his jacket pocket, as ever. It's nearly full up by now, covers all manner of people and topics, and yet there's not a single page dedicated to Akira. Not yet.

A deep breath, a slow exhale. He'll be nothing but honest with Akechi. ]

I knew he was a Phantom Thief when I started working at Shujin. It was just a hypothesis, but it was confirmed rather quickly. I'm only telling you that because it colored my perception of everything else.

[ It colored their relationship, too. A secret he kept perfectly hidden behind his back in every interaction they had. He's made an internal vow to be nothing but honest with Akira, too, but he isn't sure if he'll be able to cop to that any time soon. It's probably better if he doesn't. ]

There's no need to go over all of that. You and I both know the timeline of that group's activity better than anyone, I'd imagine.

[ It's funny. Hilarious, really. If only they'd known one another–

In some realities, they did. In at least one, they dogged the Phantom Thieves' every step together. Maruki's head swims, and he pauses for a moment to center himself again before asking: ]

You didn't know he wasn't really dead. Right?