"Hello again, Kira-San." She spoke with a strange cadence to her words. She sat down on the long, soft grass. It hadn't been cut in a long time. She neglected to notice the tickle of the many blades up and down her thigh and legs where her skirt and socks couldn't cover her.
The breeze kissed her golden blonde hair in greeting.
"I brought something to eat… It's takoyaki. I know it's not your favorite… was it? I'm starting to forget.."
She grimaced. As if the haziness of her memory manifested itself as physical pain. But she laughed it off.
The boy however noticed nothing, and continued to be silent.
"You're always so quiet, Kira-San." She said, smiling. Her expression had shifted now, and in it, a beautiful sadness, deep, strong and blue as the ocean.
"But when it's just you and me, you always spoke quite a lot. Remember that one day? On the school rooftop. I was… pondering the purpose of my existence. I felt useless. And then," She blushed, "You grabbed me. Held me gently. It was so sudden!"
"'Your purpose is as clear as the sky we lay under. It's to live.' That's what you said to me, Kira-San." She maintained her smile, her chest heavy. And in between pained gasps she continued. "Then you said, 'I love you, Ai-Chan.'"
The wind had picked up again. Tears dried quickly, leaving Aigis' cheeks cold and damp.
She laughed. "Oh, but I couldn't say anything… I'm sorry! All I could do is shake you off and run away!"
She wiped the remaining tears with the sleeve of her blazer. "I'm sorry. I don't know why that keeps happening—the crying. But I'm smiling more. And laughing too. And it's thanks to you."
The boy watched the sky quietly.
"Kira-San…? Why won't you say anything? Are you cold?"
She looked through her burning eyes, blurry with tears at the grave.
"Aigis…" It was Yukari. She put her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Please let me stay a bit longer, Yukari-Chan." She replied. "I don't… want to leave him alone."
Yukari looked away, sad. She nodded, and returned to the rest of the group, standing over on a hill overlooking the grave.
"I will stay a bit longer, Kira-San." She laid sideways on the grass, her arm extended over the grave, as if to embrace it. She closed her eyes.
"I'll always be by your side. Always."
Author's note: My reaction to the ending of Persona 3. What a powerful ending. This game, and the characters in it will always have a special place in my heart.