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[ He's silent. Not sure how to respond at first, the tension rising quickly as he thinks about Kunikazu Okumura. He was a businessman. He wanted political power. Neither of these things were to result in a death sentence but -- here they were. He slowly exhales, finding himself staring at his fingers.

What could she possibly want to know? What could he tell her that wasn't already known?

He chews on his lip, trying his best not to sound defensive. ]

What do you want to know?

[ She finds herself back at Destinyland, celebrating with the other Thieves and having newfound fun she hasn't had in literal years. It was beyond freeing and rewarding; she felt like she was finally the person she was meant to be.

And there are then, watching the press conference with the CEO of Okumura Foods. Everything is running smoothly, her father, guilted by his abhorrent actions and attitudes, on the verge of revealing the truth.

A truth that would have taken Goro down as well.

Then all Haru can remember is watching her father's body begin to seizure, his eyes rolling back into his head and the painful cries loud enough for her to hear through their phones. It's sickening... the most horrifying thing she's ever witnessed in her entire life. Black ooze like blood running from his eyes and mouth, his lifeless staring into the camera before he collapses.

Haru remembers her heart plummeting into her stomach, like time had gone so still. None of it felt real at the time. ]

... he didn't suffer in the cognitive world, did he? Not like... [ What happened to him in the real world. ] Did he say anything before he...

[ He remembers watching the press conference, feeling smug, ready for the next step in taking down the Phantom Thieves to show his father that he was capable. He can never forget the violent nature of Kunikazu's demise on live television, the convulsing, the black ooze -- the final lifeless collapse on to the conference table. He couldn't sleep for a week after that. He shudders at the moment, covering his mouth for a moment to regain his thoughts. ]

No. [ He says quietly. ] He didn't suffer. He was shot twice. Once in the chest, once in the head and his shadow was dispatched.

[ He feels just as detached from it as he did when it happened and he hates himself for it. ]

His last words were "My Utopia". Nothing more.

[ He frowns, unable to lift his head to look at her. It was calculating, pulling the trigger, letting him die in his palace. And it was easy to do. Thinking he was doing the right thing by following Shido's plan so he can finally prove to the world what a piece of trash his father was.

He wishes things were different. ]

[ There's probably no other way this conversation could have gone the way Haru wanted. As Goro recounts the details of what transpired leading up to her father's death, she's absolutely floored by the realization that any answer from him would have still left her feeling as empty as she does now.

She stares back at him with heavy disbelief, initially unable to process those violent details. Her father didn't die peacefully at all as she had naively hoped; it was miserable and painful all the way until the end.

But that's not what guts her.

"My Utopia."

It repeats over and over in her head. It's like a sharp knife digging into an already open, searing wound. It leaves her body trembling a little, unable to look Goro in the eye. ]

Father didn't even...

[ She can't finish it. It's such a selfish thought, knowing that that was his cognitive self in the Palace, but...

God, it feels as if her chest might burst any second. ]

[ He doesn't know what to do or what to say. Her father lost sight of what mattered, put his ambitions before his daughter, his goals aligning only to make himself look better -- but he couldn't say that. The words die on his tongue when he finally looks up at her.

This was worse. The hallow feeling in his chest just knowing what sort of pain he's caused.

He always knew, but seeing it put his actions into perspective. ]

I know it's not enough, but I'm sorry.

[ With her thoughts racing back and forth in her mind, it's impossible for Haru to think clearly. There's a loud buzzing in her ears, too, drowning out anything else Goro says after his apology. The buzzing is deafening enough that she doesn't hear the shuffling of her own feet as she suddenly moves toward Goro.

There are too many emotions for her to process. Grief, anger, pain... each of them striking her sharply like lightning, each of them stirring a fury she hasn't felt in so long, not since Milady fully awakened, maybe.

The last time she felt this way was at Baphomet's concert, but that had wrought relief.

She doesn't feel anything like that now, just a righteous, hot fury.

Goro's apology is almost like another stab in the heart. It doesn't mean anything, not when he's said nothing to her up until now, not with her mind and heart elsewhere.

Haru doesn't know how she ended up on the other side of the counter in front of Goro, but once she's there, it's reactionary all the way out. She lifts her hand and aims for the side of his face, striking him in the heat of the moment. ]

[ It's exactly when sound returns, the echo of the slap pulling her back to reality, back to her senses.

Haru immediately backs up, covering her mouth in horror. Her face grows red with shame, staring wide-eyed at Goro. ]

I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!

H-haru?

[ He stares up at her, slowly lifting his hand to his face. She -- he's never seen her so angry before (even when he showed his hand he didn't see the same fire in her eyes). He doesn't know how to respond, confusion and understanding written on his face before he rubs his cheek. ]

Don't-

Don't be sorry. Why should you be sorry? My actions have caused you so much pain -- I can't imagine what you are going through.

[ He wonders if that would be a lie. He understands the pain on the surface level. He found his mother dead, after all -- but it's not the same. It's not the same pain. His mother never cared. At on point in time, her father did. ]

[ She backs away a few more steps, completely mortified by her own outburst. She didn't think she was capable of that, but...

It doesn't feel good at all. It doesn't feel like her at all. ]

I—I shouldn't have done that. [ There's never a reason to act out violently, she tells herself.

Despite Goro fully admitting how much he's hurt her.

She begins to tremble again, tears pricking the corner of her eyes. She raises her hand again, this time to wipe at them quickly. ] I'm sorry— I shouldn't have come here. This was a mistake.

I don't know what I was thinking.

[ He stands, keeping his distance, but he stands quickly. ]

It's fine.

[ He knows it's not fine. ]

You were looking for closure -- I can understand that. Let me-- [ He sighs. ]

Let me get your coat. I'm sorry I've made things worse.

[ This was going to eat him alive later. ]

I-It's fine, I can show myself out.

[ She needs the floor to open up and swallow her whole, feeling horrible for having pushed this in the first place.

What should she have expected?

Haru moves quickly, wrapping herself in her arms. ]

... I'm sorry. [ She keeps repeating, unable to look at Goro too long. ] Thank you for the... the coffee.

[ Which has now gone to waste. She winces at the thought and collects her coat, barely getting it on and her shoes before she hurries out the door. ]

Goodbye.

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