AUTHOR'S NOTE: I tried as hard as I could to make this presentable, well written, and compelling. I just hope that those of you whom enjoyed the previous version of this story, will like this one. Please, feel free to review and point out any flaws you may see! Thank you so very much for spending your time, and reading this story.

My arrival wasn't as satisfying as I thought it would be. It was a cold and rainy day, drab and dark. It seemed foreboding, but what wasn't nowadays? After that incident eight years ago, we were always on edge. Is it going to happen again? Was anyone we cared about going to be dragged into it? Yeah, we were all paranoid, a bunch of kids who seemed in over their heads, but weren't. I wish we were though, just to be normal high school students, and to be on the outside of it. At least then, we wouldn't have been dragged into this at such vulnerable ages. As the train screeched to a halt in the Inaba station, I remembered this pact we had silently made; don't talk about the murders. Sure, if we were reminiscing about a good point, that was completely acceptable, but if you so much as mentioned Misuzu Hiragi or Konishi-San, the mood would dampen ever so greatly.

We were kids, regularly risking our lives and loved ones to save others... and I wouldn't take it back for anything. Especially since I got to meet her. As I departed the train, I searched the station for a blue hat, or, hell, anything remotely blue to signify her. Instead, I saw something I welcomed just as much.

"Well, you're getting to look like a real man." Ryotaro Dojima called from a few feet away. He was wearing a trench coat that dragged in the rain, a cigarette lazily hanging from his mouth. There was an umbrella over him, but he wasn't holding it. Standing beside him was a fourteen-year-old Nanako.

Taller, with shorter hair, and a look of maturity tinted with adoration sitting in her pupils, Nanako smiled at me. "Dad, on the contrary, I think that stubble makes him look like you." Dojima made a sound of joking offense.

"Hey there Nanako, Uncle Dojima. It's great to see you two again." I said with a soft smile. I approached them and pulled them both into a warm hug.

Uncle was the first to speak, laughing merrily as we separated. "You seem to have gotten even taller since last year! That's not really fair, I peaked at nineteen."

"Yeah? Well I think I've gotten as tall as I'll ever get! Let's see you get stuck at 5'4"! Come talk to me about 'fair' then, daddy!" Nanako giggled, which in turn, made me chuckle. Dojima was already laughing heartily, so, there we stood, three idiots standing in the middle of a train platform in pouring rain, falling all over the place.

We pulled into the driveway of the old residence, rain still falling in rhythmical patterns. We entered the house with smiles on our faces. I wanted to shout, or at least do a little dance of joy. I was finally with my family. Finally, after so long, I was with people. Before I got on the train, I hadn't eaten, spoken, nor even left the house, collecting recompense from the job I had acquired in Tatsumi port. My life was in shambles. As I sat down at the TV table, I stowed my legs inside of the kotatsu.

"It's odd outside, not cold enough for snow, but just enough to bring out the kotatsu." Uncle sat down opposite me, as Nanako hummed a tune and put away dishes. "Yu."

He looked at me expectantly. I sighed. "I'm okay, just... just shaken up."

Nanako walked over, setting three serving platters down. She quickly retreated back into the kitchen, as the tea kettle started to scream.

I looked pleadingly at Uncle, hopefully letting him know that I wasn't ready yet, but, as his fatherly instincts kicked in, he told me, "I know how it feels...", with a pained expression.

I... couldn't help myself. I tightened the fists I had made under the table. "Uncle..."

"Yeah?"

I shook my head, and looked down. He couldn't see me cry, he shouldn't. I was always the strong one, so I drew upon my courage and stymied my emotions. I couldn't help it though, as I asked him one question. "Does it ever stop...?"

In the most tender voice he could muster, he answered, "... I don't... I don't know..."

I felt a source of warmth wrap itself around my back. "Big bro..."

I noticed the look of pain across Uncle's face. "You know, she was my... Dammit..."

He stood now, and walked over to the front door. "I'm going to go have a smoke."

In the house now was just Nanako and I. Her expression was that of sorrow. She didn't, obviously, like to see me this way. "H-hey... big bro?"

Steeling myself, and hiding any signs of sorrow, I smiled and looked at her. "Yeah?"

"You remember the first time I met you?"

I nodded.

"W-well, I remember seeing you so clearly, and that was eight years ago. I remember you being there on those lonely days, when dad was working, and all I could do was watch TV... you made those days brighter. You and everybody else, you saved me. Now, big bro, it's my turn."

"Your turn to... what?"

"It's my turn to save you."

I was floored. That was the first time she'd ever said anything of the sort to me. As she finished that thought, it seemed she was going to say more, but gave up and hugged me once again. "I'm okay Nanako. Really."

"Okay." That was all she said as we sat there hugging for another minute.

Message received at 10:33 P.M.

Hey partner, it's Yosuke. I, uh, I heard you came back to town! Why didn't you tell anybody? We could've done something for you, you know, maybe have some kind of-... y'know Yu... uh, I worry about you man. It seems like you haven't been getting any of my e-mails... eh, if the rumors are true though, I'll see you tomorrow! Rest easy man.

...

...

Message erased.

The trip to Junes was made in silence and secrecy. I didn't need to start a scene while the guy was working, but a part of me secretly hoped he'd find me. I didn't make it far, the only disguise I'd kept was one of Uncle's long coats which barely disguised my neck, let alone face or hair. As I had expected, it didn't take long to hear, "Yu?"

I turned around, but saw someone I didn't expect. Kanji Tatsumi had kept to not bleaching his hair, and his glasses were firmly there to stay. He was towering over me, even then. "H-holy shit..." He stuttered a little bit. "Dude!" It was then that he picked me up like a teddy bear and squeezed the stuffing out of me.

"Geh-Khangee, y-yher chruching mee!" I wiggled around a bit to try and break his grasp.

"O-OH, shit, sorry man, s'my fault, I just can't believe it's you!" Kanji stated incredulously. "Man, you didn't even tell us you were comin' out here! S'gotten into ya, Senpai?"

I smiled, trying to find the right words. "Well, I uh... I had some... family... stuff to deal with."

Kanji frowned. "Yeah, alright. Look Senpai, I was born at night, but not last night. Tell me the truth man, you can trust me!"

Sighing, I pulled him over into the food court. We sat down, but before I could tell him anything, he walked over to one of the stalls. As he came back, he informed me that he'd bought me a steak croquette. "Don't tell Chie-Senpai, r'else she'll have my ass. 'You got steak without me, and you didn't tell us Yu was here?' Ugh, I can hear it now, er feel her boot in my ribs, anyways."

Kanji was right... why didn't I tell any of them? They wouldn't have known that... they wouldn't have known that anything had happened if I had reassured them, but I wasn't thinking like I should have been. As long as they didn't worry about me, I could keep being the strong, tactful leader they all knew. That's how things would go. That's how it should be, how it should stay.

"Well, Kanji... I..." My mind was telling me to continue, but my gut told me to stop. My courage was clouding my judgement, telling me that I could bear this burden by myself, as long as I was brave. As long as I was a diligent, intelligent, and understanding person, I didn't need to burden them with my problems.

"Yeah?"

"... I was busy, trying to find work out here... I'm moving out here for a little while."

Kanji's face lit up with sheer joy. "No freakin' way man! That's awesome! But, what about your parent's company?"

My stomach deflated.

Go on then, hide it from them.

I have to be brave for them, keep my courage...

You? Courageous?! How funny. You're just an empty vessel! A lifeless doll.

I... I'm not empty!

Of course you are! Doesn't it bother you? How you have so many personas?

Shut up...

Of so many Arcanas? Everybody has one. JUST one. One that represents THEM. You? You've got THOUSANDS.

SHUT UP!

Okay, fine, I'll see you soon anyways...

"Senpai? Ya alright over there?" Kanji waved his hand in front of my face. His expression was one of worry.

"Yeah, I-I'm ok..."

"Look man, I'm walkin' you home, and then I'm talkin' to yer uncle. Man, you're freaking me out right now, and I won't take no for an answer dammit." He'd laid out all of his guidelines there, and I couldn't say no to Kanji. He was going to do it one way or another.

Haha, you know where I am. WHO I am.

It all happened in a blur. As we arrived at the house, Kanji brazenly stormed in with me at his side. Unfortunately for him, neither of the Dojimas were home. He talked with me for a while about unimportant things before leaving, apologizing to me for not believing that I told him the truth.

As he left, I sat at the kitchen table with disdain in my eyes. I hated myself for feeling the way I felt. I wanted to make it stop.

Oh, misguided little Narukami. How unfortunate that you still can't accept it.

I can still protect them!

You can't protect anyone! You couldn't even protect our parents. And they died.

N-no...

THEY'RE DEAD. And we can't do ANYTHING about it.

I know!

...

...

...

It's all our fault.

Stop...

"Just stop it..." I fell asleep there, my face on the table. I would bear this burden alone... And I would protect everyone else. I was their leader, their foundation. I was not going to crumble.