Today was a usual day, at least to Minato. Usual, simple but boring day, yet it's peaceful, without shadows lurking in the darkness waiting to strike. Usual and normal day.

Close your eyes

Imagine how to live

You must do it

I close my eyes

And determined

I'm pressed for choice

Just about a leave, far away

Ikirutame it's only one

We gotta choose it

So do we

Just about a leave, far away

Ikirumtame it's only one

Can you drive your destiny?

Be it

Soft wind brushed against the face, sending chilled air to the people down at Paulownia Mall, to the blue haired boy that was sitting on the bench. He was alone, listening to the song played in his headphone. 'Be', one of his favorite song recently, and it actually explained the feeling he had right now.

The end of the world…

He knew he had to be strong for his friends and comrades, as they're looking up on him. As a leader, he had to be strong no matter what's on the way. If he collapsed, the rest of them would fall as well.

He knew that.

But, he was a normal person, a normal high school boy that knew nothing about the truth of the world until he was dragged into these whole things, if he had not returned to this city. The weight of the world was too heavy—until he couldn't breathe—a burden in fact, onto his shoulder who was a high school boy.

Could he really stop Nyx, the maternal being that was undefeatable according to Ryoji? Could they stand against monster like that? To protect the world, to protect the humanity? Uncountable question kept lingering on his mind, until it became a kind of haunting to him.

Today was New Year Eve, the day they had to decide the fate of the world, either to kill Ryoji to protect humanity, or faced the Queen of Night to an unpredictable future. Either choice was desperate, seeing what the cost it might be.

He inhaled deeply, feeling slightly chilled. Despite the song that played in his mind, the noises people around gave out gave him a headache. He needed a quiet place to calm his over thinking mind, to have a rest. He wished to throw all the matter behind, just to earn a moment of peace.

People was excitedly celebrated the New Year. Yet they had no idea the end of the world would soon approach, not more than two months. The time they're left was too short—too short.

Standing up from the bench, Minato walked to the hidden alley where the Velvet Room was. That place was quiet enough to clear his mind. I think Igor will not mind…right?

Like usual, he grabbed the knob and opened it. Normally the one that greeted him would be the blue shining light—

Something is different…

To where it was different? He couldn't tell. Still the blue light that always blinded his sight, but strangely, without the song that always played as background music—the song of the soul, of that beautiful melody.

As he opened his eyes, he found neither Igor nor Elizabeth was there, nor the blue elevator he used to see. Instead, it was a completely different—a small garden would be suitable to describe it, though it was chilling, and snow was falling down from the sky ahead.

No other presence in this place, expect Minato alone. He wondered if he had entered a wrong place or through a wrong door. But…but that couldn't be. The doors that connected to Velvet Room were only the one located at Paulownia Mall and Tartarus. So there's no way he would make a mistake. More importantly, were there more strange places in this world like Velvet Room?

"Eh? Where am I?"

Voice sounded from behind and eventually caught his attention, since no one here. He was surprised to find another person in here, yet a hint of happiness flashed across his face. Who knew what this place was, and was it possible he could get out of here.

If the person could get in here, he or she might know how to get out of this place. Nah…but this place was perfect for him for a moment of peace.

"Oh great! There's someone here. It's scare me to think I'm the only one here." The one coming to his way was a girl, mostly around the same age as him.

The girl had auburn hair that currently tied into short pony tail, with hairpins marked as XXII on the left side. She's wearing an orange sweater with scarf circled her neck and high kneel boot with black legging. It matched her perfectly. However, the most striking one was her eyes—the burning sun of red.

The girl ran to him when he was still blinked at her appearance. She adjusted her scarf to keep herself from the cold. Meeting his gaze, she only shot him a bright smile—a smile that properly could melt an ice heart.

"Do you know what this place is?" The girl spoke while checking the place. "This is not the place I usually get in…"

Minato shrugged. "No idea."

She dropped her shoulder, but soon raised a big smile again.

"Anyway, I'm Tsukikage Hamuko! What's yours?"

"…Arisato Minato."

"Well, nice to meet you! Are you living in Iwatodai? Never see you before though." Hamuko stretched out her hand.

He grabbed it. "Likewise. Are you student of Gekkoukan High?"

"Whoa! How did you know?" She giggled, didn't seem to surprise. "It's weird but I guess that couldn't be help, right? Since there are so many students in our school."

He smiled. Strangely, she was noisy and talked a lot, but it didn't seem to piss him off. Instead, he felt something in her. Usually he couldn't stand girl like that, but…well, I think that will not hurt.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" He asked, just for a mere talk. It would be awkward to remain silence with the only two of them here.

"You know what? I just pick a lucky draw from the shrine, and it told me my lucky color for today is blue. So I came here to think if the old man will tell me something regarding the choices I have to make tonight. But…um. Well, it seems I get into a wrong place."

Strangely, Minato thought of Igor when she mentioned 'old man'. Besides, Velvet room was in blue color too. Was she talking about Velvet Room?

Is Velvet Room serves other guest as well? Minato thought inwardly.

"Hey, but you're in blue too! The hair." Beaming down, Hamuko giggled pointing his hair. Minato on the other hand, looking to his long bang on his right eye, smiled when their gazes met.

"You mean I'm the one lucky draw told you?"

"Maybe!" Giggling, they took a short walk under the snow. It was beautiful but too cold in Hamuko's opinion. "It's cold…come on, there's a bench. Let's have a sit!"

Immediately, leaving Minato behind, Hamuko went off ahead and sitting on the bench. Following behind her, Minato slowly walked to the bench and took the seat beside her. He exhaled, the air was visible through his breathe. It's truly cold, as if this was another dimension out of their world.

"…Hey, don't you think our world is strange?" Gazing the snow, Hamuko asked out of the blue.

"…"

"The time that doesn't exist, the truth of the world…the room lies beyond dream and reality…doesn't that weird?" Hamuko chuckled dryly. "What is our world's true face? Why we have to face the cruel where the others had no idea about it? I mean…we're only high school students. So why the burden drop on us instead the others? Why…we have to know all that?"

Minato remained silence, though he might have an idea what the girl was telling him. The girl was experiencing the same as him, perhaps. Though he had no idea why she knew all these, but even a place like this existed, he doubted what could be impossible.

He just remained silence, waiting fro the girl to finish.

"…Does we have to scarify someone to keep on living? If so, what's the point?" She sighed, falling into silence.

No more talking between them, only a peaceful silence surrounded them, with beautiful yet lonely snow. Snow, it's beautiful, but always symbolized sadness and loneliness.

Silence continued, until Hamuko broke it with bursting out a small laugh.

"Why don't you laugh? I was talking about weird stuff…you're weirdo." Her laugh turned to be soft chuckle. "You can laugh if you want."

Pausing a moment, Minato looked at her. "No, I won't laugh. It's not something I should laugh, anyway."

Slightly taken aback by the answer he told, Hamuko winked her crimson eyes before she could say anything.

At last, she let out a smile—a soft and gentle smile.

"…Thank you. You're so kind, aren't you?" Then she giggled again.

Ignoring the hint of tease of her, Minato leaned against the bench. He merely shrugged off the matter.

Hamuko rubbed her palms together for a little of warmth. Doing the same as Minato, she also rested her back against the bench.

"…It's cold." She exhaled deeply, seeing her breathe formed in front of her. "…It's in the same weather as that day…"

"That day?"

"The day my parents died…before that, it's snowing too." Her gaze dropped remembering the painful memories from the past. "That day, we're on the way back form our trip. But the car crushed, they died, leaving me alone. Everything changed since that moment."

Her past brought up his old memories of that fateful day, the day where he lost his parents and witnessed the battle between Aigis and Death, and became the vessel of the Death without realizing until he came back to this place again. Feeling heavy on what the memories brought to him; Minato lowered his head, not knowing what to say.

"I was forced to move from relatives to relatives, from orphanage to orphanage. I couldn't stay longer than a year in a same place. But still…I managed to get to know many friends. It's…so happy back then." Her voice was shaky. Minato realized she was trying her best to hold back her emotion. "I enjoyed the time to be with them. But in fact, I was hurting them, as much as I hurt myself. When the day I was leaving, they all cried because they lost a friend. I was…I realized that I'm scare to be alone…" Her voice died at last.

I hoped I'm coldhearted, so I can protect my friends from getting hurt by my selfishness…

Taking a deep breathe as Minato trying to stop the out flowing memories to consume him. It's not something good to remember as much as how he felt the same as Hamuko. He didn't know why Hamuko told him about her past, sharing that with a stranger. But then, a part of him told that he was the same as her: hoping an ear for his hidden part.

Because they didn't know each other, they could simply reveal the hidden feeling they were trying to hide all this time. Just because they didn't know each other.

Wiping off the remaining tears on her face, Hamuko forced a smile. She had no idea why she would talk about this saddest memories of her to someone she just knew. Perhaps the scene brought up the memories? Or perhaps…she was afraid?

Afraid of the unknown future? Afraid of the battle she would face soon?

No, she didn't know.

"…I'm sorta like you."

"Hmm?" His voice broke her pondering. Surprising, Hamuko stared at him with widened eyes.

"…That day was my birthday when we're on the way back to home. On the bridge, something happened, and my parents died on that incident. I was lucky enough to keep safe, but…more terrible things were followed behind. I lost my memories on what happened at that moment, until I came back to Iwatodai."

"You're…like me…?" Muttering softly under her breathe, Hamuko put both of her palms together near her chin. She would blow some warmth on them whenever she was chilled.

Ignoring her, Minato continued. "Like you, I was living with different relatives and orphanages. At the beginning, I was happy to get new friends, but after times passed, I realized I hurt them. From then on, whenever I transferred to a new place, I'd keep a distance with people around. It's my way to protect myself, as well as for them."

As times flew passed, I lost the enthusiasm to communicate with people around…

Now she knew the reason she would talk about her past to him. Not even she told any of her friends, only to him, to a stranger she just knew. It's because they're so much alike from what they've through.

"…I see. We're so much alike…" She chuckled, feeling glad that the boy understood her. "But you know? After I came back to Iwatodai, everything feels so whole to me. It makes me want to protect them, no matter what the cost it will be."

"…Same here." Lifting his head, Minato smiled watching the falling snow. "They melted the protection and the wall I set in between them."

"I don't care how the world will turn out to be. It doesn't matter me. But I will…I want to protect them, those important to me."

"…People will only become strong when they have someone to protect to. We don't want to sacrifice someone, not when that person is our friend."

"Yeah, I agree with you!" Hamuko stretched her hand to the air, but quickly put down when the cold stroke her again. "Hey, I feel so much better now. Thanks!"

"Me too. I was thinking if I should accept the offer he gave me…but now, I have made my decision."

Hamuko raised a smile—a smile that represented something, as if she knew it from the conversation they had. She didn't want to talk about it, as she knew the boy must be feeling the same as her.

It's no need to reveal. It's a secret between them, as this was fine.

The more was, she doubted the boy knew who she was the moment she mentioned 'old man'. She chuckled lightly.

"You're really my lucky blue!"

"I guess you're my lucky red, then?" He joked back, earning a soft chuckle from her.

Suddenly, the girl beamed down and gave Minato a shock, though he didn't show it on his face. She kept staring at him like examining his features. He raised his brows, wondered what's got into her.

"What is it on my face?"

"…Now I only found that…your eyes are silver color!" She exclaimed, as if she found something new. "I never see people with silver colored eyes…it's beautiful."

It gave Minato a faint blush on his face. There's someone told him his eyes were scary and rare, but no one really stated they're beautiful. Hamuko was the first.

"Um, Thanks for your commitment, I guess?"

She stood up, turning to Minato after checking the time on her watch.

"I should go back now. There's an important date I must attend to. I think…the same goes to you?"

"Yeah, you're right." Standing up, he shoved his hand into the pocket.

"Hey Arisato-kun…"

"Minato."

"Hmm?"

"Just call me Minato." He smiled looking at her dumb expression.

"Well then, Minato-kun. Call me Hamuko!" Again, her lips crooked into a big smile.

That suits her better…Minato thought.

"We'll see again…right?" She asked, sounded uncertain.

But then, he gave her a firmed answer, which lightened her up.

"Of course we will."

"Then I'll see you later!" She ran to the direction where she came in. Minato could see some light illuminated behind her, and it became brighter until it consumed the auburn haired girl. "Good bye for now!"

He waved her good bye. "See you." And then, the girl disappeared into the light. Perhaps she went back to her own world?

Shrugging, he turned back and walked to the way he came from—an opposite direction to where Hamuko came in.

Today was a normal day, yet it seemed not that normal, huh?

She knew she was not alone, no.

Holding the power from the bonds she created, Hamuko carefully pressed it onto her chest. The power of universe—the strongest power from all the bonds she created with the others.

He knew he was not alone, as he knew that somewhere in different dimension; an auburn haired girl was together with him, facing the same enemy.

The other half of him.

Withstanding the attack from Nyx, they stood up, not wanting to give up here.

It's not over yet.

"…You're there for me, right…Minato-kun?" She muttered softly, before she held up her arm.

"…Of course, Hamuko." Doing the same, Minato released the power of universe.

They smiled, before everything went blank.

Lying on Aigis's laps, Minato felt his eyes were almost closed up.

He didn't want to, not until his friends came. But he knew. His time was arrived.

"…after fighting alongside you and facing the world's end…I finally began to understand…what it means to live…"

Bright eyes that filled with water…how adorable. Yet he felt sorry for her, for what he would bring to her.

"Thinking for yourself…not running away…accepting the inevitable…"

Minato saw a pair of crimson eyes shining in front of him. The color of burning, the color of bright…

"And so, I made up my mind. I decided that I would continue to protect you. I want to be your strength."

Feeling the regard from her tone, Minato held up his hand and wiped the tears on Aigis's face. He hated his friend cried, though he knew what happened after he gone would bring even sadder to them.

He hoped they would understand him.

"Heyyy!"

Aigis lifted her head to the source of voice, seeing everyone running to them.

"They're here…!"

At last…he sighed, slowly closing his eyes.

His hand was up, searching for the crimson eyes and bright smile.

"Wait for me…I'm coming…"

The moment she opened her eyes, the first things she met was his silver eyes—the color that could calm her.

He only gave her a smile, like the first day they met.

"Hey, shouldn't you say something?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"At least 'it's been some time' or 'we meet again'…like that!"

"Do we need that?" He shut her up, efficiently.

She growled, shot him a glare.

"Yeah yeah, we don't need that kind of stuff." She crossed her arms, still a bit angry with him. A moment later, she heard no response from him. Feeling strange, she opened one eye and attempted a glance—

A hand in front of her eyes, strong and warmed hand.

"I'm waiting for you." He smiled. "Come on, shall we?"

Tears filled her eyes as warmth built inside her. She thought she would be alone in Sea of Souls, only as a seal of Nyx. But…

It's not like that. Sea of Souls was connected, no matter where they're from. This boy, Arisato Minato would always be here with her.

She is not alone. They're not alone.

Because she is with him.

Because he is with her.

Hello! This is my second one shot of Persona series.

I want to make a before story for my Persona 3 Portable: Restart, and this is what it comes out. You can treat it as a one shot, or if you have my story, this will be the before story where before the main story takes place. Yeah, they met before the story started.

So, that's it. Please drop a review no matter how you think about this story. Like it or dislike it? Let me know.