Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 or SMT.

A/N: This story sorta disregards the events of The Answer, as in it won't make much mention of either them or Aigis. Mostly because I sorta despise her. :)


It started with confessions.

She sighed softly as she eavesdropped.

She was a nurse with a name and face no one cared to recall. She'd got a job at Tatsumi Memorial Hospital straight out of college; she'd been there ever since. She was old, wise with age, she'd like to think, and just a little cynical.

Coma victims, they're a special kind of rotting patient. Death is not as omnipresent with them, there's that faint candlelight, that flickering hope that one day things will all end happily.

Her, in her old age, well, she likes to snort and scoff at these romantic notions. Usually these coma folk, they'd have one or two visitors, obligated by that damned family thing, or by some warped notion of one-sided matrimony to visit time and time again. She sighed. Normally with the poor coma kids the visits stopped, the friends lost interest, the lovers lost affection, the family lost hope.

With Minato Arisato, no one ever lost anything.

She sighed a final time and leaned back in her chair. She listened as the young man's visitors softly passed on their secrets. And, God be as witness, she felt the subtle kindling of her faith, she felt again the hope she'd lost after five years in a hospital, with death waiting eagerly around every corner. Like all his earnest friends, she too prayed that Minato Arisato would awaken.

But until then, it was all she could do to listen:

Confession 1: Junpei Iori

"'Sup dude?" Junpei shouldered the door open, walking slowly into the room. "I know, I know, it's been awhile. Believe it or not man, I've been busy." He sat down in the chair, his feet lounging easily on the edge of the gurney, the soles of his shoes scuffing dirt marks on the pristine white sheets. "I joined the kendo team." He barked a laugh. "I know man, commitment, it's a big deal." Junpei wrung his worn blue cap between his fingers, his eyes intent on the face of his friend.

"That Yuko chick was totally coming on to me, but I let her down easy." He leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head. "God, I still remember when you were dating her. S'not my place to move in on your goods." Junpei cracked a grin. "Or ex-goods. But whatever. Besides, I've got other reasons for not flirtin' with her." His teeth bared in a nearly feral, crooked grin. "I'll tell you about that later though."

He shifted forward, his feet moved down, he rested his elbows on his knees. He couldn't sit still. Silence stretched minute by minute. Finally, Junpei looked up at the boy's white face.

"So, uh, I've been thinking a lot. I mean, I'm a senior now, I've got my life to plan out, right?" His eyes were downcast, watching his hands for a long moment. "I wanna be more like you Minato. I mean, you were always damn good at everything, top in your class, amazing at sports, you got all the chicks. I guess... I'm trying to say..." He threw his hat at the unconscious boy. "God, I don't know what I'm trying to say. I'm trying to be like you I guess, I'm trying to take your place but it isn't working."

He reached out, with a long, gangly arm and picked his hat of Minato's chest. "I miss you. Dammit, you're supposed be with us! Yuka-tan's been crying her eyes out every other day, the senpai aren't around anymore, even the God damn dog misses you!" He ran his hands through what little hair he had. "Jesus, I sound like a friggen homo. But dude, I'm serious."

He stood suddenly, the chair screeching painfully against the tiled floor. He looked down at the young man in the bed. Minato's face was pale, his dark hair dishevelled, his eyes closed.

"Just," he paused, he swallowed the lump in his throat, he wondered what he was saying. "Just wake up soon Minato, okay?"

He turned and left, the door swinging gently closed behind him.

Confession 2: Yukari Takeba

"Sorry I'm late, Minato," she hurried in, a bouquet of flowers in her hands. She busied herself with setting the flowers in a vase by Minato's head, her gaze flitting over the unconscious boy, but not lingering. Finally, she sat, her hands nervously straightening her skirt, brushing at her blouse, pushing her hair out of her eyes. She looked frazzled and her eyes were puffy and red.

"Not much happened today," she began, her tone over-bright. "Junpei was late, as usual; Ekoda gave him heck for it. We've got another essay due for Composition; I'm probably going to need your help with it." She smiled, apologetically. "I used to always ask you for help, I don't get how you're so smart. I mean, where'd you find the time to study, what with the whole saving the world thing going on?" She laughed, and the sound echoed softly through the room. "Oh! And guess what? Fuuka made dinner today, and it was amazing. She's really come a long way; remember the first time she tried to make dinner for us? Here," she bent over, searching through her pink tote bag. "I brought you some of the dessert." She laid a small wrapped package on his bedside table.

"Oh, and we got a new kid in the dorm today. A girl, Kei Emmery, she's Japanese but she's been living in England, where her adoptive parents live. They're business partners with the Kirijo firm, Mitsuru brought her back. She's starting at Gekkoukan next week." She paused, a thoughtful expression on her face. "She reminds me of you, Minato. She's quiet, but friendly if you talk to her. I like her. She is very pretty though, short dark hair, glasses, dark eyes. I'm trying not to get jealous."

She smiled, and her torrent of words continued. Yukari thoughtlessly conveyed her every worry, she described in explicit detail each uneventful part of her day. Time passed, and eventually she lapsed into silence, simply content to watch Minato. She took solace in the steady rise and fall of his chest, and was comforted by the beat she'd know she'd hear if she pressed her ear over his heart. An errant glance out the window informed Yukari that the sun was setting and with a soft sigh she got to her feet.

"It's getting late." She bent over, and smoothed the boy's hair out of his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow, Minato."

She left, her shoulders slumped with the knowledge that she'd be back the next day, and the day after that, and every day until he woke up.

Confession 3: Ken Amada and Koromaru

Ken rested his chin on his folded arms, which were placed easily on the side of Minato's gurney. He blinked, his hazel eyes searching the older man's face.

"I brought Koro-chan." He confided in a whisper. "I told the nurse he was just an authentic stuff toy, you told me you did that once at the movies. I don't think she believed me, but she let me in anyway."

There was a soft whimper from the floor. The gurney sagged slightly, as Koromaru jumped on it. Ken watched as the dog sniffed at Minato's legs. He whimpered again, and curled up into a ball. Ken laughed.

"I think he might be sad that you're not petting him. But he solves his problems like most dogs do, he goes to sleep. Sometimes I wish I could do the same." Ken reached out to pet the dog lazily. "I miss your advice Minato-san. You never treated me like a kid, the way Yukari and Junpei do. You actually took me seriously."

"They moved me out of the dorm, y'know. But I visit pretty often. Yukari teases me about girls and Junpei tries to give me some ridiculous manly tips. Fuuka just makes me cookies and laughs at things I say. She says they're 'cute'." Ken smiled, but there was a wry, rueful edge to it. "To be honest, it's kinda annoying. I'm in junior high now, seriously, how old do I have to be before they'll stop? I wish you were around. You balance them out. You and me actually talk."

He sighed. "Don't get me wrong, Minato-san. I like them all very much. It's just different, with the senpai gone, and you... well... here." He reached over a scratched Koromaru behind the ears. The dog yipped playfully.

"Excuse me! Is that a dog in there?" A doctor's voice drifted in through the open door.

Ken jumped to his feet, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Oops! Gotta run Minato-san. I'll see you later." He scooped Koromaru up in his arms and darted out the door.