An Italian musical term that means "from the beginning". The term is a directive to repeat the previous part of music, often used to save space, and thus is an easier way of saying to repeat the music from the beginning.
Example sentence: Archer, darling, that's the third time you played your da capo incorrectly... Let's refocus and do it again, alright?
[author note]
post/123511522836/the-five-types-of-canon
this would fall under the category of heartcanon, im not even ashamed at my degeneracy
male mc = arisato minato
female mc = arisato minako
no honourifics will be used, all characters address each other with first names only regardless of how they address each other in canon, and last name first name scheme will be used
texts will be... normal text language im not from persona 5
starting w/ chp 3 the chps will be written mostly in a social link fashion, im not particularly trying to rewrite the story
Are you sure this is what you want?
Yes
No
Yes
You may begin the **** with — carried—. Do you wish—?
No
Understood. Then please, do kick back and enjoy the ****.
—April 6—
The world is cold and daunting, but it always has been. Today is nothing out of the norm, yet something is strange.
Her MP3 stopped working on her way to the dorm the same moment all streetlights turned off. But it's easily bright enough for Minako to keep on walking. When the lights went out, the moon seemed to grow and give off an eerie light, dousing the scenery around in a sinister green glow. Black coffins were erected on the ground here and there. Minako should be confused, if not scared, yet the scene in front of her seems familiar, if not comforting.
She recognizes what is going on, but has no idea what it could be.
Nonetheless, her instructions are simple: get to the dorm. The memories of her childhood are slightly muddled from lack of use, but it's easy enough to pick out a route to the dormitories she had often seen on her walks with Minato. The streets are mostly unchanged, with the only additions she could pick out being trees that are no longer saplings and a couple new stores here and there.
It almost feels like home.
Finally, Minako stops in front of the large double doors to the dorm and knocks. When no one answers, she tests the knob and, to her surprise, it turns and opens. The lights inside are also off, but the same green glow fills the room and after a couple blinks, her vision returns to see…
"Minato?"
Minato tilts his head in acknowledgement. Even though they haven't seen each other in years, Minato is still the same. Neither of them talk much, but Minato definitely claimed the award in that category.
"Weren't you on the train before mine? I thought you got here a while ago already."
"I did, but there's no one here."
"How rude!" an childish voice pipes up from behind the reception counter. "I'm here, aren't I?" The child wore a simple long sleeved shirt with horizontal black and white stripes, almost those that prisoners wore in movies.
"He's here," Minato says flatly.
Minako blinks, not knowing what to do. She then smiles at the child, "It's nice to meet you! What's your name?"
The child seems genuinely surprised at the question and thinks for a while, "Pharos… Yes, Pharos. That is my name. You may call me that if you wish. Now, if you would like to proceed, please sign this contract."
He pushes a clipboard over the counter. Minako looks at Minato, who shrugs. The contract read simple enough, just that they'll take responsibility for their actions. At the bottom, Minato had already signed his name and Minako follows suit.
Pharos picks up the clipboard and smiles again, "No one can escape time. It delivers us to the same end… even if you cover your eyes and plug your ears, you know? …It begins now." Shadows from all around the room seems to expand and shift to cover up the entirety of Pharos' body and when light returns, he's nowhere to be seen.
"He disappeared?" Minako frowns at the empty hall. "Also… didn't he sound kind of like you? …Exactly like you?"
Minato shrugs, "Kind of, I guess."
"Kirijou Mitsuru said she'd be here in her email… but…"
"No signs," Minato confirms.
Minako sighs, "Then we'll just have to wait. But hey, nice to see you again! It's been almost ten years, right? …You're exactly the same."
"Exactly?" a hint of exasperation creeps into his voice, but if you aren't straining to hear it, you won't be able to catch it.
"Hm, less cute?"
The look on Minato's face can guilt trip a mafia member. Minako laughs.
"Kidding, kidding. You look as adorable as ever, better?"
"Not really."
"Who's there?!" a shocked shout comes from deeper in the dorm. A girl in a pink sweater stands, beads of sweat dotting her face visible even in the dim light. "You— But at this time? Could it be?"
Minako detects a talent for monologuing, but that thought is quickly brushes away as the girl pulls out a gun from the holster at her leg and points it straight at Minako and Minato. They exchange looks of equal parts confusion and "what the fuck?". She quickly puts up a hand, hoping to calm the deranged girl and—
"Yukari, wait!" Another girl shows up with red hair that covered half her face. "They're transfer students. For the time being, they'll be living here, but as soon as spaces open up in the common dorms, they'll be moved over."
The lights flicker back on and Yukari reluctantly shoves the gun back into her holster. Minako side eyes Minato, who has the slightest expressions of concern still lingering.
"It's nice to meet you both," she bows. "I'm Arisato Minako and he's Arisato Minato."
"It's nice to meet you too. I'm Kirijou Mitsuru, one of the students living at this dorm," the red haired girl says. "This is Takeba Yukari, she is in the same grade as you."
"Um…" Yukari says awkwardly. Anyone would be awkward after a meeting like that, Minako reminds herself not to take it personally. "It's nice to meet you too. You two are siblings, then?"
Minato shakes his head, and confusion fills Yukari's expression. Before Yukari asks for clarification, Minako jumps in, "Lots of people think that, but we're not related at all. It's just a coincidence that we share the same last name… and very similar first names."
"Oh, I see. Do you two know each other fro—?"
"Yukari, it's getting late, they should get some rest before school," Mitsuru cuts in. "Yukari will show Minako to her room. Your things should already be there. Minato, follow me."
"Right," Minako says as Minato nods.
"The males' rooms are on the second floor," Mitsuru explains after leading the way up a flight of stairs. "The females' are on the third. Good night, Minako."
"Night."
Following Yukari up another set of stairs quietly, Minako can't help but to think back to Yukari's immediate actions. It might, however, be a little too personal to ask, so she waits for Yukari to speak.
"So, this is it," Yukari stops at the end of the hallway. "Your room. It's pretty easy to remember, right? Any questions?"
"Are you a gun enthusiast?"
"Not that kind of question! But, I mean, um, kinda. Yeah."
Minako laughs, "I'm just kidding. Are there anyone else in the dorm I should know about?"
"Well, not counting you and Minato… it's just Mitsuru and another third year called Sanada Akihiko. I'm sure you'll meet him soon. The bathrooms are on the first floor, beside the stairs we came up. We used to have a dorm mother, but she's no longer here, so if you don't want to live off convenience store food, there's a kitchen also on the first floor. That should be it, right?"
"Yup, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yup, good night!"
She walks into her room and looks around. There are already sheets and covers over the bed, and the large paper box she shipped from home sits in the centre of the room. It holds everything she owned. After the death of her parents ten years ago, moving became a second nature. It was impossible to find a family that willingly housed her for prolonged periods of time, so it just became easier to keep her possessions little. A phone, a laptop, MP3, headphones and some clothing are really all that one needed.
Minato is the same.
Memories of their parents' death is easy enough to recall. Excited chatters about the trip to come, warnings about not spilling the milkshake in the back of the rented van, recounts of both her parents' and Minato's parents' university days together… the exact sound of a cardboard box bursting before red spills from the bodies all around them. That night, they lost their parents, but they still have each other.
She pulls out some necessities from her box and changes into pyjamas. Climbing into bed and sinking into the soft mattress feels like heaven. She pulls out her phone.
hows your room, Minato's text reads.
its a room..? did mitsuru say anything about pharos?
no
yukari said theres only one other person living here
yeah
sketchy
yeah
night
…
…
…
I missed you.
Minako smiles at her screen before sending a same
—April 7—
Minato turns on the tap in his room the coldest it goes and watches as the water slowly fills the sink. He dunks his face straight in the water and can't help but feel jolted awake. It's morning, it's early, and it's time for him to go to school. Problem is, he wants nothing more than to climb back into the warm embrace of his covers, but it can't be helped.
Two sharps knocks come from the door and he pulls his face out of the sink, "Be right there!" he calls, dabbing at his dripping face with a towel. He wrenches open the door to see Yukari's expression fade into shock at his state.
"Good m— Wow, you look like a drowned cat. Are you alright? Actually, never mind. It's getting late and Mitsuru asked me to take you and Minako to school. Minako's already downstairs, so… I'll be waiting with her, try to hurry, alright?"
Minato nods.
He was already packed and dressed for school, so all there really is left is to look like not a drowned cat. With expert towelling and brushing, he soon grabs his bag and heads after Yukari. He nods at the two and Yukari leads them towards the monorail station. The ride is uneventful with Yukari gushing about the ride across the ocean to school. When they finally get to school, Yukari leaves them to find the faculty office.
"Let's go," Minako says, and heads towards the hall on the left. They enter the office and a teacher almost immediately notices them.
"Are you two the new transfer students? Arisato Minato and Minako, right?" the teacher says. "I'm Ms. Toriumi… let me just get your files… Wow, you've both lived in a lot of different places. Are you two related? Ten years ago— I'm so sorry, I haven't had the time to read through these. Both of you are in my class. Welcome to our school."
Ms. Toriumi is the kind of person that forgets to let the person they're talking to answer any of their two thousand questions, perhaps it comes with being a teacher.
"Thank you," Minako replies politely. "We're not related, but our parents were close friends."
"I see. The welcoming ceremony will be starting soon, follow me."
Minato suppresses a groan and follows. The ceremony is boring, with the principal babbling on that seemed to continue on to no end and without any direction. He wonders if he could brush his hair in front of his eyes at just the right angle and sneak a nap in without anyone noticing… except for Minako. She's giving him the look that says "I know exactly what you want to do", the supportive kind. They share nods of acknowledgement and just as Minato's about to drift off into the dream world, a psst directed at him turning around with a frown.
"Hey, you came to school with Yukari and the other transfer student, right? Do you know if Yukari has a boyfriend?"
"Um."
"He doesn't know," Minako turns around and says quietly.
"Oh, really? How about you? Wanna catch a date today?"
"No," Minako deadpans and turns back to look up at the principal as if her eyes never left the man. Before Minato can get in trouble, he shoots the guy behind him an apologetic look and turns back to the front. It seems like he wasn't fast enough, however, as a teacher from another class mutters something about students from Ms. Toriumi's class talking. How did he distinguish the students so easily? Is that another skill that comes with being a teacher?
Anyway, there is no longer anything, nor anyone that can stand between his nap and himself. Minato dozes off only to be woken up by a tap on the shoulder only moments later.
"The ceremony's over, Minato," Minako says with an amused smile. "Let's go."
How unfortunate.
Homeroom passes in a blitz. Minako can only recall bare mentions of responsibilities and duties after an awkward introduction at the front of the class and a lot of awkward "No, we're not related"s. Minato's seat is right beside hers, and he's been long passed out flat on his desk.
"Hey, Minato, school ended," Minako taps his shoulder. He slowly pushes himself off the table and squints at Minako, eyelids still heavy from sleep. "Did you sleep alright last night?"
Minato seems to consider the question, "Yeah, just not enough."
"Let's call it a day then. Get some rest. If you feel better tomorrow, we can go exploring."
"We've been everywhere though."
"Somethings have changed, right?" Minako shrugs. "But priorities are still priorities. You need some rest. Let's go."
A student with a goatee and a baseball cap stops in front of them, "What, you're already leaving? I'm Junpei Iori, nice to meet ya."
"What do you want?" Minako shoots back with an uncharacteristic edge to her voice that surprises even herself. But Minato needed rest… She wonders if she's being too overbearing. Minato is perfectly capable of handling himself, this she knows well, but…
She's not sure what's supposed to follow that but.
Junpei, for his part, ignores her question and turns to Minato, "Hey, you look really out of it… are you alright?"
Minato nods wearily, "I'm fine. What did you want?"
"Oh, nothing really, just wanted to say hey. I transferred here three years ago, so I know what's it's like being the new kid. If you have any questions, Junpei here's your man!" he says enthusiastically, throwing both hands around his head. "But you should probably go and get some rest, yeah? I'll catch the two of ya tomorrow."
The ride back is quiet, with Minato drifting off to sleep not soon after they sat down. His head rests naturally on her shoulder, causing some scattered mutters from the students around. But, well, it can't be helped. Making sure not to disturb him, Minako looks out the window at the sea. The waves roll into each other and peak with streaks of white foam. Where the sunlight catches the peaks just right, the water looks almost a deep emerald. In other spots, the light glints off and sparkles, briefly blinding Minako.
A flash of yellow followed by the sounds of explosions. Screams hide the quiet sobs that slowly fade into silence. The moon glows a deep green that casts a shadow over the entire scene.
"I'm… sorry…"
Minako wrenches herself out of the memory that seemed to hit her out of nowhere. She thought she remembered the event clearly, but it's her first time hearing someone apologize. She blinks. A familiar robotic voice announces their near arrival at the station.
"We're almost at our stop," she says, shaking Minato's shoulder. He groans quietly but slowly gets up.
They eventually make their way back to the dorm. After shoving Minato roughly into bed and throwing the covers over him, already fast asleep, Minako makes her way back to her own room. She picks up a book and decides to read for the rest of the day. It's near midnight when the realization finally hits her
The voice she remembered from the accident… it was robotic, almost like the announcer of the monorail.
But that just can't be, right?
—April 9—
Minato covers a yawn with a hand. A blue key stringed on a string around his neck bounces against his chest with each step he takes down the stairs. He stops, considers his options and slips the key under his uniform, shuddering when the cool metal meets his skin. He woke up with the key already around the neck, and while he's not completely sure where it came from, a feeling in the back of his mind says it has something to do with the dream he can't recall.
The day passes normally enough, with Minako looking more tired than usual. When Minato brings it up with her, she brushes it off with something about a strange dream.
"I had a weird dream last night too," Minato says. "I can't remember everything, but there was something about a blue room."
Recognition and shock slowly floods Minako's face, "Me too. I woke up with this key around my neck," she pulls out a blue key from under her uniform, hanging on the same string as Minato's. Minato pulls out his as well. The keys look almost the exact same, with intricate patterns carved in the blue metal. However, the grooves on the either of them were vastly different.
"Well… It's not like we know anything right now anyway… So…"
"Let's go home," Minato finishes.
"Yup," Minako answers, starting to pack up her notebooks and pencil case. Minato follows suit, but before the either of them can finish, Yukari stops by their tables.
"Hey, are you guys busy today? Want to go somewhere together?"
"I'm free, so that'd be great!" Minako says excitedly. "What about you?"
Minato tilts his head. After the rocky beginning with Junpei a couple days ago, they were able to make peace with relative ease yesterday during lunch. There really was no need for Minako to be so protective, but he supposes it's appreciated nonetheless. "I just remembered. Junpei said he wanted to walk home with me, so you go ahead."
"Alllll right! I'll get you a souvenir," Minako promises, leaving in a flash with Yukari in tow. "Today is a girls day out!"
"Okay! Okay! Slow down, Minako!" Yukari's screams are lost within the bustling after school activities. There's no real stopping Minako when she gets excited, so Minato offers up a pray for Yukari. When he finally finishes packing up, he heads off to the shoes lockers to meet up with Junpei.
"Hey dude, took you a while!" Junpei greets. "I was startin' to think you forgot about ol' Junpei here."
"I almost did," Minato says honestly.
"Whoa, harsh! Anyways, listen to this— actually wait, I'm not allowed to say anything about that. Well, let's get going. Do you wanna grab a beef bowl at the strip mall?"
He doesn't remember there being a beef bowl place at the strip mall, but it also has been ten years. It's no surprise somethings have changed. He nods, "Lead the way."
Minako jumps out of bed, pulse rising and breaths quickening at the sound of a loud crash downstairs. Her room is filled with the same green glow from when she arrived at the dorm on the first day. Deciding on checking out the commotion, she searches her room wildly for something, anything resembling a weapon. Her eyes slowly settle on the chair at her desk and she hoists it high in the air before going to open the door.
Yukari stands in the doorway, eyes wide and jumps back at the sight of Minako with a chair, "Whoa! It's just me, but hurry, we have to get out of here! And uhh, put that chair down, here," she hands over a long spear with a knife attached to one end. It looks like a naginata. In her other hand, she's holding a sword. "I don't know if you know how to use it, but I grabbed some stuff out of the storage and it's at least better than that chair. Let's go! We need to get Minato."
Minako drops the chair and takes the naginata, "What's going on?"
Between gasps for breath, Yukari manages to form a full sentence, "We're under attack, by these things called Shadows. Mitsuru and Akihiko are fighting them, but we need to get to safety."
They stop in front of Minato's door and Yukari starts banging on the door. It quickly opens, "What's going on?" Minato asks.
"Here," Yukari says, passing over a sword to a confused Minato. "We're under attack, anyway, we just need to get out of here for now. Come on!"
They rush down the stairs and stop at the lounge. She's had some experience with the naginata, and is surprised Yukari managed to get her hands on one so conveniently. But the naginata in Minako's hand is quite long, and she wonders if it'll be possible for her to use in actual combat. Yukari looks around frantically before finally letting out a breath.
"I think we'll be sa—"
A floating screen suddenly pops up with Mitsuru's panicked face and some static dotting the display, "Yukari! Do you read me?"
"Yes! I hear you!"
"There's more than one enemy! There should be one coming your way. Get somewhere safe!"
A bang hits the back door just ask Yukari yells, "But where?"
"The rooftop! I can't stay much longer bu—" the display cuts off with a fizz. The banging on the door resumes, each hit louder than the last.
"Yukari! Let's go!" Minako shouts, pulling the other two back up the stairs. They sprint and stop only after securely locking the door to the rooftop behind them. "Will the door hold them?"
"I don't know…" Yukari says worriedly. Nearly on cue, a growl comes from the edge of the roof.
A mask with the Roman numeral one edged at the top inches up, held onto by a black, slimy hand. The rest of the body slowly drags itself over the edge and nears the trio. More limbs attached to the blob brandish sword that cling against each other. Yukari's hand goes again to her thigh, just like she had on the first day, unbuckling her holster. Taking the gun in both hands, she turns the barrel towards her forehead and her fingers tighten— One of the shadow's limbs reaches out and slams the gun out of Yukari's hands and straight in front of Minato's feet. Gripping her naginata tighter, Minako runs towards Yukari and parries a sword before slashing off the offending limb. Both the limb and the sword dissipate into a black fog before fading away.
"Minato! Are you alright?" Minako calls out. When she wasn't paying attention, Minato had picked up the gun and is holding it to his temple. "Wait! What are you doing?!"
"Oh, there's no need to worry," a voice suddenly says beside her. It's Pharos, the child that asked her to sign a contract. Just like he disappeared that day, he appeared without a sound nor notice. "He can do it."
"Huh? That's a gun!" Minako slices off another limb sneaking up on them during their conversation. "There's no way—"
"Minako! There's another hand!" Yukari shouts, slowly pushing herself up from the ground. "Be careful!"
"On it!" she answers, twirling her naginata before bring it down again in an arc.
"Per… so… na," Minato's voice is quiet and almost lost under all the noise, but somehow, Minako hears it clearly as if it was blasted at full volume on double speakers, almost as if it came from inside herself. Minato stood with his feet apart and blue flames rising in a circle around him. Each spark seems to have a mind of its own and they twist, lifting broken chains from the ground and keep on rising… rising… and disappear, leaving a humanoid machine floating mid air holding a silver harp.
It's voice sounds almost ethereal, as if multiple voices were speaking at once and someone remixed those voices together, "Thou art I, and I am thou… From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I am Orpheus, master of strings… Now, take action and never again look back!"
"Orpheus!" Minato's voice is louder and stronger than Minako's ever heard it. A smile stretches across his face and his eyes blaze with resolve. "Attack!"
With a crack, Orpheus brings down its harp down on the shadow's mask. The shadow stops moving for a seconds… and swats away the creature with multiple limbs. Minato staggers, nearly losing his grip on the gun. Nonetheless, it doesn't look like Minato will be able to beat the shadow alone with Orpheus.
"Well, what are you going to do?" Pharos smiles.
In a stroke of brilliance, or pure idiocy, Minako may never know, she throws her naginata down and screams, "Minato! Throw it here!" And without a second wasted, Minato turns and tosses the gun to Minako. She takes it in her hand and directs it towards her own temple, the exact way Minato did…
"PERSONA!"
There is no pain from the gunshot, no heat from the blue flames, only the sound of a lock being broken that resounds within her skull. When she slowly opens her eyes again, a creature similar to Orpheus floats in front of her.
"Thou art I, and I am thou…" it says simply and continues to float, as if awaiting Minako's orders. She locks eyes with Minato and they nod. Minako would go in with the creature she summoned while Minato gets Orpheus off the ground, then they'd—
A pang shoots through her body and she's forced to the ground by sheer pain that crushed down on every part of her body. Minako is going to die. Nothing she has ever experienced can come anywhere near the agony that's tearing her apart. She turns her head to find Minato kneeling and clutching his head. She thinks Yukari's voice is saying something… but… she just… can't make it out.
Suddenly, her vision washes white… is this death?
A chuckle, and Pharos appears in front of her, but he looks almost transparent and his form shimmers. Minako frowns.
"Death comes for all that lives, Minako, but today is not your day. Both Minato and the other girl will be safe. You did your part so for now, get some rest," he says in Minato's exact voice from ten years ago. She can't help but to feel comforted.
She shuts her eyes and her consciousness fades.
Minato watches in horror as Minako's body goes limp, but at the same time, the pain fades from his body and he jumps up, rushing over to her side, "Minako! Wake up!"
"She'll be fine," Pharos says with a smile. Where did he come from? "She's just a little tired… but watch."
Pharos disappears and Minato searches around him to find his Orpheus and Minako's pressing their harps against each other. A bright light blinds Minato for seconds, and when he forces his eyes open again, neither of the creatures are to be found. Instead, a single creature surrounded by coffins screeches under the bright moon. It descends upon the shadow and begins to tear parts off, consuming each part in the process. When the shadow is completely gone, it screeches again before turning toward Minato. It seems to bow before bursting into a thousand black crystals, leaving his Orpheus again.
He picks up the gun from Minako and hands it back to Yukari. She's shaking, but accepts the gun gratefully.
"…Is it over?" she asks tentatively. Minato shrugs.
The green glow slowly fades from his surroundings and the moon seems to shrink to a normal size, "I guess." He's half a mind to go back to Minako but there's no strength left in him. Collapsing face first on the ground, he stretches out a hand towards her…
"…Don't leave me…"
Blue. Everything is blue and he's sitting in an elevator, rising up up and up. Minato blinks in confusion.
"I was…"
A man with a long nose sits behind a round table with his hands clasped… Igor is his name, Minato remembers from his dream, "Oh, it's nice to see you again. After awakening to your Personae, both you and Minako because unconscious in your world. But it's nothing to worry about, so please relax."
"Where's Minako?"
"We had a pleasant conversation before your arrival, I believe she is back in the real world." Minato lets go of a breath he's been holding. "Now, about your Persona, it is a manifestation of your psyche. It is a facet of your personality that surface when you react to an external stimuli. It acts like a mask, if you will, against the hardships you will endure. However, your ability to channel your inner strength to summon a Persona relies on your emotional ties with those around you— your Social Links. Please keep this in mind as you proceed. Is there anything you'd like for me to clarify?"
His mind races. Igor's words sound like fluffy make-believe, yet… Minato senses a certain truth behind them.
"Why does my Persona and Minako's look so similar?"
"Ah, you are correct. Orpheus answered her calling as well as yours, however, there are differences between your Personae. However, I am unable to reveal the reason for that as of now," Igor pauses. "It is time for you to return to your world. The next time we meet, it will be of your own accord. Until then… Farewell."
—April 18—
It's been two days since Minako woke up. She had a heart to heart talk with Yukari and accepted Ikutsuki's offer to join SEES, receiving an Evoker of her own in the process and somehow began the Fool Arcana Social Link. They'd extended the offer to Minato as well, but there's no way Minako could make a decision for Minato. It's annoying when people think either of them can stand in for the other… They're different people, not even related, but with all the similarities, it's not like Minako can blame them too much.
But even after all that, Minato still isn't awake,
After school, she speed-packs her bags and rushes to Minato's hospital room. When she enters, however, she finds him awake, putting away food at the speed of three hundred million metres per second.
"Slow down, you're going to choke," she chides. "But hey, at least you're awake now."
He tilts his head as she takes a seat beside his bed, "The nurse told me you did the exact same thing when you woke up."
"Well…"
"What happened? Fill me in?"
And so Minako recounts the events of the last two days, leaving out Yukari's confession, "They said they'll ask you to join too. Do you want to?"
"You joined, right?"
"Yeah."
"Count me in."
"…You don't have to do it just because I'm doing it," she looks at the ground, unable to hold her gaze. "It's not like we're the same person."
Those words feel like a punch in the chest, although she's not sure why.
"We're not the same person," Minato confirms. "But I want to do it because I want to save the people suffering from the Apathy Syndrome. It's my decision, Minako. There's no need to be so overprotective."
"I'm not being overprotective!" she flares up. "I just…"
"I know, I know."
A comfortable silences falls between them. It's always been like this, the feeling that they can understand each others' thoughts without needing to put a voice to them. When Minato returns to scarfing down the food, she grins.
"Hey, guess what?" Minato raises an eyebrow at this, his chopsticks barely resting. "We just missed more than a week's worth of school."
Minato groans.