Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 4 or any character by Atlus. I do own Arata Reiji, and any references to fiction or non-fiction characters are pure coincidence.
Chapter 1: Escaping
The serenity blanketed over the room, like a pull at the consciousness of the room's lone occupant. Dark shadows flickered across the walls as the television's image shifted; meaningless commercials flowed into one another as the figure's focus ebbed in and out. Soft music played through the tinny speakers. The figure shifted on the couch, a subtle movement as his hair shifted over an eyebrow. Eyes fluttering, he leaned down one last time to verify his memory: a single ticket sat on a wooden coffee table, with a few lines written: PASSENGER: Arata Reiji. DESINATION: Okina City. A large luggage bag and a small shoulder bag sat at the side of the couch, with the former partially opened as he leaned down and shifted the items inside while making a final mental list of them.
A last check brought a satisfied feeling to him, and the boy resumed his previous position before standing, picking up the ticket and luggage before walking towards the end of the hall, door open to a room with the barely visible edge of a futon.
"...we're back. Tonight, we bring you a reminder..."
The figure looked back down at the single train ticket, taking another mental note about the destination, remembering a route to the apartment he would move into, not to mention he needed to find the exact apartment number there.
"...reports of a large explosion taking place, with causes unknown. Sources say..."
His head tilted and eyes flicked back to the screen, curiosity slightly peaked as he stopped his walk towards the bedroom.
"Tell Arata work called us again. We got caught up again but we'll be back - "
" - at 7:14 P.M., shaking the ground as the surrounding area took massive collateral damage."
The figure shook his head, dispelling his thoughts from the ghosts. Ignoring them, he picked the bag back up and walked into the small bedroom. He quietly dropped the luggage bags next at the foot of the futon before placing the train ticket under the alarm clock on the wooden dresser. Satisfied, he moved back into the previous room as he reached to the television remote, intent on shutting it off.
"...Yamino scandal. Our new sources say..."
Click.
The television flicked off, leaving the once lit living room in a sea of darkness as he made his way back to the bedroom, closing the door and fell asleep.
"Didn't expect to see another person going to Yasogami." Arata looked up, finding himself staring at another person his age taking the seat across from him. He was somewhat unique, donning a silver bowl-cut and wearing a similar uniform as himself: a black with gray striped jacket and pants with a golden 'II' embroidered on the similar patterned collar, the Yasogami uniform for second years. He looked down at his own uniform for a second before looking back up at the silver-haired student opposite of him.
"The uniform, right?" He nodded, a subtle pull of his lips as if it was the most obvious thing on the train. It kind of is. Mentally sighing, he continued.
"Yeah, transferring from out of the city to there, though I'm going to live in Okina." He shrugged. "City to a city."
"I understand how that is. I'm moving out to just Inaba though. Oh right, my apologies. I'm Yu Narukami." He politely said, holding a hand out. "Since we're going to the same school, might as well be introduced as well." Arata slightly smiled before putting his hand out and grasping Yu's in a handshake.
"Arata Reiji." Despite the brief introduction, there was little more said past a brief talk of school before Yu looked back through his luggage on the seat next to him and settling into the corner to sleep. Arata simply turned and rested his head against the train wall, watching out the window at the scenery. The rolling hills slowly climbed along, with the sun starting its decent towards the horizon, and the view let his mind wander.
Inaba.
It was the first town that came to Arata when we looked at schools around Okina City. It was supposedly a school with plenty of bright students, a reputation that seemed to appear consistently when he looked through the nearby schools. The town wasn't huge, but big enough to draw a decent population. Okina City itself, where his apartment was located, was a frequent walking ground for the students there. Arata thought over and tried to remember the apartment: a decently sized apartment with a balcony overlooking the city. It was previously owned by his parents for work brought them to the city, and it was barely any time to get to Inaba and school from there.
As far as expenses, he wasn't bothered with them. With his inheritance, despite it being slightly expensive and he knew to not use too much of it at once, it was barely an impact.
Inheritance.
It was strange to him, to use a word associated with death so casually in his mind, but it no longer bothered him. He knew his parents were just trying to live their lives, something that he was trying to do just now by moving out to Okina. They had been scientists, working with private companies who contracted their work on various subjects. Most of them completely theoretical subjects, and some just thought as impossible. It was a field always intriguing to Arata, and he remembered the nights he spent staying up with his parents a few years ago and learning what they did: advanced mathematical problems, physics applications, theoretical limits...
Arata sighed, closing his eyes as he thought of this new city he was moving to. It was no use to him, he couldn't live in the past like that, no matter how much he wanted to.
"Does anyone else wish to say something?"
I didn't even look up. I didn't bother watching as the next person walked up the isle, didn't bother listening as they recited words from the heart or something like that, and didn't think as the process repeated again and again as the next person came and went.
There was a decent amount of people, or so I thought when I first walked in. I didn't pay attention then; they were irrelevant. People who probably knew them, or came to comfort me I guess. I didn't want it though, because I don't know them. I already decided what I wanted:to forget it all. Deny what happened.
But I couldn't. I had to sit through this damn thing, this torture reminding me constantly of why I was here.
After a while, the gathering had concluded and everyone filtered out, patting my shoulder as the occasional person walked past. When everyone had finally cleared, I could feel myself standing against my will and take a walk towards the end of the room. It was just conflicting: wanting to run away and pretend it didn't happen, and wanting to step up to accept the truth.
At first it was denial.
They couldn't have been dead, but I accepted that quickly. There was no denying it.
Anger.
Why did they have to work with something so unknown? Why did they have to...
..
To think that I could have been in their place, but...
..
I would never be over it. Knowing I would never be free from my past. Knowing I could never start over.
Another step.
I knew it was selfish. I wouldn't lie to myself for that. Yet for the moment, it was what I wanted to do. To just run from it all.
Clank.
"Where are you going Arata-kun?" I didn't pay attention to him. It was easier...
"Hey!"
Clank.
"...kina...n..een..."
Clank.
A small jolt shook the train, startling Arata from his sleep. Trying to calm his breathing as to not wake Yu, he realized that there was an announcement going off, which was repeating at the moment.
"Again, we are approaching Okina station in fifteen minutes. Please gather your things and prepare to disembark." Arata quietly sniffed, shaking sleep off as he shifted the weight of his bag against his shoulder. Arata pulled out his phone, checking the time as he shifted in his seat.
6:24 PM.
Arata sighed. Seeing as I wouldn't have much time to do anything except walk to my new place. And I couldn't get the dream out of my mind. He looked up at Yu. Realizing he should probably wake Yu, Arata stood up and lightly grasped his shoulder, lightly shaking him to wake him. His eye flew open before resting on Arata.
"Sorry, but the announcement went off. We'll be at Okina City in fifteen minutes." Arata let go and slumped back into his seat. "And you didn't say you where you were getting off, so..." Arata trailed off, and Yu yawned behind his hand before nodding.
"I'm getting off right at Inaba, but thanks anyway." As the train slowly approached Okina, the landscapes out the window slowly turned from the green hills to small buildings, with the final backdrop of the full city nearby. Yu had his phone out, clicking the keypad buttons as Arata gathered his things, giving everything a final look over as the train slowed and finally stopped at the station.
"Attention all passengers, we have arrived at Okina Station. Please gather your things and prepare to disembark." The overhead speakers echoed through the train car, and Arata picked up his two luggage bags before standing and looking over at the silver-haired student.
"Well, this is my stop, so I guess I'll see you at school tomorrow Narukami-san." He nodded once more at Arata.
"Alright, see you tomorrow Reiji-san." With that, Arata walked into the middle isle, standing in the queue of people waiting to get off. Once the train doors opened, he slowly followed the stream of people making their way out of the station. He walked out of the station and stopped outside the station exit, taking out a map before taking the quickest route to his apartment.
Along the way, he couldn't help the feeling of a new place: differing buildings lined the city streets, various sizes and shapes for the local populace. A large line seemed to snake out of a nearby cafe near the station exit, and Arata caught the name 'Cafe Chagall' as he walked past. Maneuvering between crowds, he found another large lit sign '30 FRAME' nearby and various movie posters plastered along the walls. Other large signs attracted other local citizens: clothing stores, grocery stores, and other large markets.
After a few minutes, he finally found himself at the ground floor entrance for his apartment block. He reached for the door and opened it, taking a cautious step inside while looking around the lobby. It was a new building, evidenced by the newer carpeting and walls. As Arata looked around, he failed to notice the nearby lobby attendant who seemed to be looking at him.
"Hello, is there something you need?" Arata slightly jumped, looking for the source of the voice and found the owner: a middle-aged woman standing in the right adjoining hallway. Her brown hair was held together in a neat bun, and her stance was professional as she held her hands in front of her.
"Uh, sorry. Was just checking out the building." He slightly bowed at her, returning the polite professionalism. He realized the bag almost slid off his shoulder and adjusted it. "It was a long time since I was here and just finding my way to my apartment."
"I see. I can help you find your apartment if you need." She walked over to the front desk, sitting down and typing on the keyboard.
"Ah, thanks. I had a key but there was never a number on it..." He trailed off, starting to realize the topic. "Arata Reiji. R-E-I-J-I." He spelled out for her, patiently waiting for a response as he lightly juggled the key in the air. After a few more moments, the attendant seemed to have found it.
"Here you are. Apartment '2B'. Second floor, second door on your left." She pointed at the hallway she previously occupied. "The stairs are right there. Is there anything else you need?" She asked.
Arata politely bowed once more. "No thanks, that was it." She nodded, and made his way through the hallway. Very quickly he found the quarter-spiral stairwell and walked up, finding himself on the second floor. He pulled the key out once more, flipping it through his hands as he walked through the hall. He quickly found his apartment due to a plaque '2B' next to the door and unlocked slowly unlocked it. He mentally prepared himself as he opened it, and what he found was much different than he thought.
A small opening hallway led into the living room, complete with a large television perched on a wooden table along the left wall. A three-seat couch sat opposite the television, separated by a small glass coffee table. Behind the set to the right was a kitchen behind a small island, stocked with various appliances. There was a glass wall opposite of him, with a sliding door leading onto a balcony.
Arata took a few more steps and found another small hall on the left, finding the bedroom door at the start of the hall and what he guessed as a bathroom at the end. He found the design fitting of the open area: light and dark woods contrasting the furniture, and a wooden floor along the entire apartment.
Taking a moment to lock the apartment door, he walked in the bedroom and dropped off his luggage, finding simple amenities such as a desk in the corner of the room, directly next to a window. He found a dark accented wooden dresser on the opposite wall, and a plastic shelving unit right next to it. While the entire setup wasn't extravagant, Arata found comfort in the simplicity as he turned and walked back into the living room.
It feels wrong, having all of this simply because my parents...
He sighed, finding himself standing on the balcony of the apartment. The sun was finally beginning to set, and the orange light illuminated the city. It was a sight that he rarely managed to see anymore, and he took a deep breath, relaxing for the moment.
Welcome to your new life.
A/N: I've been reading various fan-fictions, and I had an idea floating around so I figured to write it out into a story. I appreciate constructive criticism, so please let me know if something seems off.