Author's note: And my P3 love has revived yet again thanks to those new P3 movies. Man, it has been a while!
Enamored Memories
It's an ordinary and boring item, those hair pins. An accessory to keep her hair out of her eyes. They're always plain colors: grey, brown, black. Like her shoes, they slip in place, do their job, and when the day is done they come out. Nobody pays special attention to them because Minako wears them every day.
Shinjiro can't believe he picks up on this observation when one of those everyday pins is missing from her hair. He doesn't consciously pay attention, but without it Minako's appearance seems off.
He pretends not to notice. He doesn't want to fall.
In a cool afternoon, he is about to push his way into the dorms when he sees her meandering along the path away from the dorms, studying the ground. Clumsiness must have made Minako lose the clip, she informs him. It's going to be within the next three blocks, she remembers fiddling during between here and there.
Daylight will bleed to evening soon. What a waste of energy, searching for such a tiny thing in these huge walkways. The cold isn't doing Minako any favors by remaining outside.
Shinjiro voices his opinion. Minako is slightly taken aback by his blunt belief and he can tell she sees the logic in his statement. It's pointless to look for it. Get another one. It makes sense.
Minako continues scanning the ground, intent and determined.
Shinjiro turns away to return to the dorms. Whatever. Let her be. The streets aren't that long.
The click of her soles travels away half a block. Shinjiro realizes she will keep going until she locates what she lost.
She glances up in surprise when Shinjiro's boots meet her downward studies, not expecting him to care about such trivial matters.
He doesn't really. He doesn't put value on such irrelevant things, but he thinks of her resolve.
He tumbles into intrigue when Minako smiles in thanks.