Disclaimer: I own neither the Persona series or Mob Psycho 100

Part 2

"Ah~! This really is wonderful coffee! You really know what you're doing, sir!"

"Happy to hear you like it…" Sojiro trailed off, his expression conflicted with thought. Leblanc was never a popular spot. Its location was poor and more often than not, people preferred more popular, mainstream brands of coffee that they could pick up on the way to work or home. But Sojiro never had a problem with that himself. Because he especially enjoyed the quiet. Also, at his age, he wasn't fond of doing too much work, even with Ren around to help out.

So part of him could only wonder why the past couple of weeks, he saw a strange amount of increase in his clientele.

"I'll be sure to come back. Have a good day!" One of Sojiro's newest customers said, waving to the barista as he took his leave.

"You've been busy," Ren said, his temporary foster kid washing dishes in the small kitchen.

"Yeah… but it feels strange." Sojiro admitted, taking off his glasses and rubbing his forehead on his arm. "I don't know why, either. It just… randomly started getting more popular around here."

"That's good." Ren shrugged in answer.

"I guess…" Sojiro huffed, leaning forward on the bar. "But it makes me miss the peace I used to get."

"What do you think started it?"

"Maybe a customer started spreading the word a bit more. Still, can't imagine who could get more people like this in." Sojiro sighed, leaning his face into the palm of his hand.

"Ah~, what a wonderful massage that was!" Reigen's latest customer swooned, their expression lost in bliss.

"Feel free to come back anytime!" Reigen grinned, giving a thumbs up. "Oh, and if you're feeling a bit thirsty for some coffee, be sure to drop by Leblanc nearby. Cozy little shop that should help you relax after that massage."

"A coffee shop?" The customer asked curiously.

"That's right. Try the house special with a side of curry. It may just surprise you," Reigen said, linking his fingers in front of him as he took a seat behind his desk. "Please enjoy your curse free day!"

"I will! And I might even check out that coffee shop, too!" The customer said, giving a small wave before walking out the door. Reigen rolled his neck, cracking it a bit.

"Hey, master?"

Reigen looked to his right, a young boy seated not so far away from his desk. He wore a black middle school uniform and wore a seemingly bored expression on his face. His eyes conveyed little emotion, topped off with a bowl haircut that added to his reclusive look. This was Shigeo Kageyama, or Mob, Reigen's 'student'.

"Hm? What's up, Mob?"

"Why do you keep suggesting that coffee shop to clients?" Mob asked, tilting his head in question.

"It's simple, Mob. The coffee there is good. I've been a few times myself now, and thought I'd show a little customer appreciation by tossing the name out there to some of our clients. Sometimes the best way to support a product or person can be simple word of mouth," Reigen explained, flailing his right hand before pointing his index finger up.

"This seems sketchy. What's in it for you?" A new voice huffed as a green blob came out from behind Mob's back. The floating, green blob had a small face with lips and round red blush spots on his face. This was Dimple, a spirit that hung around Mob and Reigen.

"I can keep getting coffee," Reigen shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Leblanc's a comfortable little shop, but it definitely wasn't a busy place. Best way to make sure it stays in business is to give it some business, don't you think?"

"I see. That's very kind of you, master," Mob said, giving a small smile.

"Well, you know, I can be a bit charitable sometimes," Reigen grinned in satisfaction, putting a hand under his chin.

"When you say stuff like that, people can't help but doubt your intentions…" Dimple muttered, a bead of ethereal sweat trailing down its head.

Their attention was pulled away when they heard the front door open. Reigen immediately sat back up, a business smile spreading across his lips. "Ah, welcome! How can I help you today?"

"H-Hi there…" The potential client forced out, her voice hesitant. She was a woman that Reigen judged to be in her late twenties, likely around his age. She wore a yellow striped shirt and a blue jean skirt. She had shoulder length messy brown hair and hazel brown eyes. Reigen immediately noted the tired bags under her eyelids and the drained expression on her face.

"Come, come! Have a seat!" Reigen offered, motioning to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "How can I help you today?"

"Well, I…" the woman hesitated, biting her bottom lip before sighing. "Oh, what am I even doing here..? I should-"

"Please, miss. There's obviously something troubling you. Perhaps something that the great Arataka Reigen can help you with," Reigen stood up from his chair, giving her a confident smile. "Don't be shy."

The woman looked at him skeptically, rubbing her neck. In the end, she relented as she slowly moved to one of the seats.

"Glad to have you with us. What's your name, miss?" Reigen asked, taking a seat behind his desk again.

"Kawakami. Sadayo Kawakami," she said, sparing a nervous glance at Mob. "Is he..?"

"Ah, that's my part-time employee. Don't mind him," Reigen waved a hand dismissively. "If it helps, pretend he isn't here and focus on the problem at hand. What's bothering you, Kawakami-san?"

Kawakami rubbed her right arm, casting her gaze away from the 'psychic'. "Well… normally I don't believe in things like psychics or the supernatural, but… with how things have been lately, I… I want to know. Am I cursed?" She gave a humorless laugh, her eyes conveying her exasperation.

"Cursed, you say?" Reigen held his chin, sparing a look at Mob and Dimple. The spirit and middle schooler gave him a quick shake of their heads, affirming that she wasn't. "What makes you think you're cursed, Kawakami-san?"

"Oh, just a lot of… things that've been going on in my life. Just one train wreck after another, you know?" Kawakami continued, a sardonic smile spread across her lips as she spoke. "First it started when I was… just trying to help a student. I'm a teacher, by the way. And one thing after another, that student ended up… passing away. All because of me…"

Reigen's professional smile fell for a moment, a bead of sweat trailing down his cheek. He spared a look at Mob and Dimple, the former becoming visibly uncomfortable as he swallowed a lump in his throat.

Reigen quickly snapped his eyes back to Kawakami, coughing into his hand. "I-I see. But you said it all started with this… it's only gotten worse?"

"Yep. His relatives of course blamed me for what happened and I… I can hardly blame them. But now, as payment for what happened to him, I have to pay them on a monthly, if sometimes biweekly, basis. Teachers aren't supposed to have two jobs, but to keep up with these payments, I have to moonlight as… erm…. Moonlight for a job after school hours." Kawakami coughed into her hand, obviously unable to admit to whatever that job might be.

Reigen felt his lips tighten into a frown, assessing all of the information that Kawakami had given him. Crap. This is a lot more than just some customer complaining about a stiff shoulder. This is a whole baggage of problems that I can't really help her with. Sure, I could call it a curse and give her a massage to send her on her way, but that would only be the short term solution for today. Heck, if she moonlights, maybe not even that long. I can't just cop it as a 'curse'.

Reigen sighed, relaxing his hands in front of him. "Kawakami-san… I'm sorry to say this, but you're not cursed. You're just… going through a rough time right now."

Kawakami's face visibly fell, becoming more dejected. "I see. That figures, huh?" She gave a humorless laugh, leaning forward on her knees. "It'd be too convenient to put all the blame on something like a 'curse' I guess…" She slowly stood up from her chair, giving a nod of appreciation. "Sorry to waste your time. I'll be going now."

Reigen gave a small nod back, watching her turn around before sparing a look at Mob. His student's eyes conveyed sympathy despite his expression, looking like they wanted to help. Releasing a sigh, Reigen stood up from his desk. I guess he's not the only one.

"Hey, wait just a moment, Kawakami-san!" Reigen called out, causing the teacher to hesitate and turn back. "It's true that I can't do much for you in regards to your rough time right now, but perhaps I can help cleanse your spirit?"

"'Cleanse my spirit'?" She repeated, raising a brow.

"Yes, yes. You've got a heavy burden on your shoulders, but maybe I can help make it a bit lighter on you. If I cleanse your spirit, you'll be able to tackle your problems with a newfound strength. How does that sound?" Reigen offered, giving her a kind smile.

"And… how will you do that?" Kawakami asked, her brow furrowed in suspicion as she walked back toward him. "You're not going to try anything…" She spared a look at Mob, the boy looking up at her with innocent eyes. "Well, I guess not…"

"I can assure you that the ritual is nothing scandalous. All you have to do is take a seat and relax," Reigen said, turning his attention to Mob. "Hey, can you put the table out?"

"Yes!" Mob quickly stood up, going to a corner of the office and pulling out a folding table. Kawakami watched him curiously before her eyes went back to Reigen.

"I'm not so sure about this…"

"I promise that it'll help. In fact, if I do anything that you think is sketchy, feel free to say so and I'll put a stop to it immediately," Reigen said, placing a hand on his chest to show his sincerity.

Kawakami looked back at Mob, watching him set the table up and smile at her. "It's ready."

"... Oh, alright. Why not?" She shrugged, moving toward the table.

"Ah, before that, take a seat. I need to find all the proper channels to access your body's chi flow," Reigen said, pointing to her previous seat. Kawakami raised a brow but did as he asked, sitting down in front of him and waiting patiently. "Thank you. Now don't be alarmed, but I'm going to touch your shoulders and back. I won't go anywhere else, I promise."

Kawakami remained hesitant but nodded. "Fine, just… be careful."

"Of course!" Reigen then began to gently grip her shoulders, immediately feeling the stiffness. Man, this lady is stressed out. Her entire back is tense. He began to gently massage her shoulders, digging his thumbs gently into her back to feel out the rest of the stiffness.

"H-Hey… if this is just a massage-"

"Don't move! I'm almost done finding the channels to work!" Reigen stopped her, suddenly becoming intense.

"Look, I've done some massages before, don't-" Kawakami tried to argue, only to be silenced when Reigen began to gently yet firmly chop at her shoulders and back with his hands. Kawakami let out a gasp, her hands tingling as he continued.

H-Holy crap, this feels great! What the heck is he actually doing?! She thought, immediately feeling some looseness in her back.

"Alright, I've loosened up the channels, Kawakami-san. If you'd move to the table, I can finish cleansing your spirit," Reigen said, pulling his hands away from her shoulders and pointing. Kawakami most likely would have been against the idea normally, but the relief she felt from that brief bit of massaging was enough to dissuade her.

"O-Okay…" She did as bidded, standing from her seat and laying stomach down on the table, her hands folded in front of her face. "Just… remember what you said…"

"Of course! Now, to complete the ritual!" Reigen inhaled a deep breath, waving his arms around like a martial artist. He immediately got to work, starting from Kawakami's lower back and working the membrane first.

Kawakami felt that same relief again, her body beginning to enter a state of bliss as Reigen worked on her back in what seemed like a violent manner, but was actually rather skilled as far as massages go.

"Sorcery Crush~!"

Reigen's hands dancing around as he found the stiffest part of her back and worked out the muscles. He was forced to put more strength into his moves, the knots in Kawakami's back unlike most he'd usually massage. This poor woman really does have a lot stressing her out. I can't take that away, but perhaps this will ease her burden for a bit.

"Finishing blow~!"

After over forty minutes of massaging her back, Reigen delivered a powerful strike to the last knot in her back, effectively loosening it up. Thankfully any complaints Kawakami now lay there lost in bliss, a soft smile on her face and her cheeks rosy. Reigen took a breath, wiping the sweat off his brow and flicking it off. "The ritual… is complete. You can get up, Kawakami-san."

"Hm..? O-Oh, right…" She finally said, slowly pushing up from the table and standing up. "S-Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Come on, and we'll handle today's fees." Reigen smiled, moving to the front desk where Mob stood waiting for them.

"Right, of course," Kawakami fished into her purse, quickly producing her wallet.

"You look relaxed, Kawakami-san. Good for you," Mob said, giving the teacher a smile before looking down at a piece of paper. "So, for the cleansing fee, it'll be-"

"Ah, Mob? Go ahead and waive that. We'll consider today a consultation fee instead," Reigen said, picking up a rag and wiping sweat off his forehead completely.

"Ah, okay." Mob seemed delighted to hear that, looking back down at the paper again. "For a consultation, that'll be eighteen hundred yen."

"W-Wait, really? That little?" Kawakami asked, looking at Reigen in disbelief.

"I wasn't really lifting any curses today and I made the offer to give you the spirit cleansing of my own volition," Reigen shrugged, standing close behind his student and stuffing his hands in his pockets. "We'll consider that as part of the consultation, today. Though if you want to come back for a cleansing, it will have to be full price."

"A-Alright. Thank you…" Kawakami smiled, pulling out two thousand yen bills, exchanging them with Mob who quickly gave her change in return. "I'll um… I may not be able to do a 'cleansing' for a while, but I'll remember to keep you in mind."

"Great to hear. And if you're feeling like some coffee, you should consider also stopping by Leblanc. It's close by and rather cheap, too." Reigen said, giving her a thumbs up.

"Oh, you've been there? I've been a couple times myself, though… not really for coffee," Kawakami's voice trailed off, causing Reigen to raise a brow. "A-Ah, nevermind that. Thank you again, that…. That really made me feel better. Even if only a bit."

"I'm happy to hear that. Feel free to come back whenever you feel like," Reigen said, walking out from behind the desk. "Oh, and Kawakami-san?" Reigen put a gentle hand on her shoulder, a kind smile on his lips.

"Whatever happened with that student, don't blame yourself for it. From the sound of things, you did everything you could for them." Kawakami's breath hitched, her eyes trembling as he spoke. "Things are tough for you now, but don't let that bring you too low. Keep being the good person that helped that boy before, with the wisdom you gained from the experience."

Kawakami's gaze fell to the floor, her eyes on the edge of shedding tears. "I… I don't know if I believe you completely, but… thank you." She mustered out, giving a genuinely grateful smile to Reigen. The 'psychic' gave a small nod, watching as she turned around and took her leave.

"The hell was all that about?" Dimple floated up, the green blob crossing two arms in front of it. "You normally would have told that lady it was a curse and say you 'removed' it. You didn't even charge her your usual fee. What gives?"

"She said herself that she's hurting for money. She has to pay some people an 'apology' fee and is forced to work two jobs to do it. Charging her full price would have probably taken away more money than she can spare," Reigen shrugged, turning around and heading back to his desk. "As for why I didn't call it a curse, that's just insurance. Her life isn't going to randomly get any better after a massage sadly, unless she gets real lucky. We'd be held liable if things still go wrong after supposedly 'removing a curse'."

"Huh. Makes sense when you put it that way…" Dimple hummed, seeing the logic.

"Even so, what you did for her was very kind, master," Mob said, causing Reigen to turn back to him and raise a brow. The boy was giving him a small smile and his eyes shined with what happiness they could convey. "She looked like she really needed to that."

Reigen couldn't stop a smile from spreading across his lips. "Yeah. I hope it helps her out a bit. I guess we'll find out if she ever comes back."

"Right."

Reigen rolled his neck, the satisfied look on Mob's face enough to make him feel even better about the way things went. "Man, that last massage really took it out of me. Let's call it a day and grab some ramen on the way home."

"Okay."

To be continued…

Ah, that was a fun chapter. I've had this idea imagined since close to around the same time as the first chapter, but I wasn't sure if I'd get to writing it out anytime soon. But writing for another story I'm working on is progressing well, so I thought I'd take the time to start this one. As it would turn out, I ended up completing this chapter much quicker than I expected XD

Well, that's another one of the Persona 5 ladies met, Kawakami seeming like a prime target to integrate into this story. I do hope you all enjoyed that little chapter, as it was pretty fun to write out. It was also nice to give Mob and Dimple a little cameo. I can say that you should expect to see more of them around in the future. Who knows, you might even have a little plot surrounding Mob and one of the P5 cast as well. Guess we'll see :)

Well, that's a wrap for this chapter. Be sure to leave a follow, a favorite and a review if you'd be so kind!