Disclaimer: I do not and will never own P3P. I do have the game though.

She wondered why he was always with her.

Not to the extent that he would try to accompany her into the bathroom, but with his personality, it was rare for Minato to spend time with anyone or anything outside of his iPod and headphones. She once joked that he was practically married to the steel-colored gadget but he merely rolled his eyes at her.

Minato preferred to be by himself, and if he was given a choice to accept a million yen just to go to a social event or stay in his room and sleep all day, he would pick the latter.

Despite his less than savory laziness in life, Minato was actually very popular amidst the female population within Gekkoukan High. It was no wonder, with his good-looks and intelligence along with his laidback and devil-may-care attitude, girls from all the year levels swooned at the sight of him.

So it was a mystery why he hung out with Hamuko in the first place. Sure, they fought Shadows together and she was probably his closest female friend, but that still didn't answer the question of why he picked her of all people. She was the exact opposite of him, both in personality and appearance. He was an introvert while she thrived on attention. He was blue while she was obviously red. He had a few acquaintances while she was a member of different cliques.

In her curiosity, she had started to ask the others about it. Junpei just stared at her with wide eyes then gave her a shit-eating grin.

"If you don't know, Hamu-tan, you're still too young to know. Stay pure!"

"I'm clearly older than you by months, Stupei!" she exclaimed, adopting Yukari's nickname for him in her annoyance.

"H-Hey, I resent that!"

Hamuko had moved on to question Yukari when it was clear that Junpei wouldn't say anything. The pretty brunette sighed as Hamuko blinked up at her with innocent red eyes.

"You should try to open your eyes, Hamuko," Yukari said, patting her shoulder, "it's quite obvious why he hangs out with you."

"Why won't you guys tell me anything?" the auburn-haired girl whined childishly, even stomping her foot, "I just want to know why Minato-kun-"

"What about me?"

Both Hamuko and Yukari jumped up in surprise and they whirled around to see the subject of their conversation, his usual blank expression plastered on his face but his eyebrow was raised in curiosity. Yukari sheepishly laughed while inching away from them.

"Well now, I forgot I had archery practice this afternoon," she gave them a small wave, "See you back at the dorm!"

The duo watched as the popular brunette almost literally disappeared from where she stood, leaving behind a deadpan male and an awkwardly shifting female.

Noticing her nervous reaction to him, Minato glanced at her with a concerned look on his face.

"... Is something bothering you?" he quietly murmured making Hamuko shake her head with a small smile. It was nice hearing his soft voice.

"Oh it's nothing," she started but then paused for a bit. Reaching a decision, Hamuko looked up at him with a set expression, "Hey Minato-kun, why do you always hang out with me? You have other better things to do than keeping me company, right?"

Minato just looked at her for a moment before he let out a breath and leaned back on the wall, turning to watch the other students walk pass them in the hallway, "I don't."

"But you're bored with just me with you, right? I mean, seeing me all the time, it must suck," she nodded to herself, ignoring the sting her own words left her. Minato side-eyed her, a slight frown on his face.

"... Are you tired of me, Hamuko?" he asked in a tone that was rather foreign for him to use. The last time he used it, it was when he was panicking as Fuuka had prepared a batch of cupcakes for him to try.

Hamuko's eyes widened before she grabbed his arm with an apologetic look, "It's not like that, Minato-kun. I'm just wondering why you always accompany me. I really like it when you're here, but you must have other things to do than listen to me talk about pointless things, right?"

She was surprised when he gently took her hand after her distressed tirade, lacing her fingers with his. He tugged at her hand and she wordlessly followed him to where the Persimmon tree was. They stopped right underneath it and Minato released her hand. She cocked her head at him, waiting for him to say something.

After a few seconds when he didn't even make a sound, Hamuko opened her mouth.

"Mina-"

"I love you."

Hamuko immediately closed her mouth as he declared those words, her eyes almost bulging out of her head in shock. She was speechless but she could still feel the heat of a blush slowly forming on her cheeks.

"Wha-"

"I enjoy being with you," he continued, his gaze as intense as the pounding of her heart, "When I say I have nothing better to do, I mean it. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

Hamuko gaped at him, her whole body tense and stiff from his abrupt confession. Minato liked her? No, he said he loved her. Love was more serious than like. But, since when?

She held in her breath when his hand cupped her cheek. His face came nearer and nearer, her eyelids growing heavy as he slowly closed the distance between them. When his lips met her, Hamuko was sure that she melted.

It wasn't hot or wet like those romance novels said. It was chaste, just a light press against her lips, but it wasn't by means simple nor lacking in passion. She could feel his feelings through this gesture, his warm hands holding her to him, his scent mixing with hers. Hamuko found herself clinging to the front of his uniform and she stood on her tiptoes to reach him further.

It seemed like hours before they pulled back, their eyes glazed and breaths mingling together. Minato brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, his gaze affectionate.

"Do you..." he visibly gulped, "feel the same?"

She bit her lip, conflicted. What did she feel? She liked him, she liked him a lot. He was always there when she needed him, willing to lend his shoulder when she felt down. She could even say she loved him, but was she in love with him.

Sensing her indecisiveness, Minato pressed his forehead against hers with a small tilt of his lips, a genuine and sincere smile.

"I can wait."

With those words, Hamuko felt warmth flood through her body and tears welled up in the corners of her eyes. She threw herself into his arms and buried her face into his chest.

"Thank you, Minato-kun."

She knew. She just knew that she would, in time, fall in love with this wonderful man with all her heart.

First P3P fanfic posted! How I wish Minato was actually a romantic option for Hamuko/Minako/FeMC, but nooooo... So I will fulfill my fantasies with fanfiction! Oh, I might also make another one with this as the main pairing with FeMC/Others on the side. But my plan is quite raunchy with dubcon, so should I make it?

Anyway, please review! I accept constructive criticism and flames would be doused by your tears.