Cheated
By Jackie Almasy
Touch me and then turn away
And put your hands into the flame
- Ellie Goulding, "Hanging On"
The last twenty four hours seemed like one continuous blur to the young high school junior. Minako Arisato could not remember the walk back from the hospital in the cold morning hours of Monday, October 5th. Officer Kurosawa had pulled the SEES leader to the side in the hospital waiting room. His usually scowl face had a deep sense of silent remorse for the teen girl.
His questioning had been brief and short. At some point during his writing down of statements, Minako had been entranced by the sound of the scribbling pen.
The sound of the clicking of the tip of the pen into place. Klack.
The scribbling of the utensil on the paper. Swish. The page of the notebook had been turned.
Minako felt lost. "What is going on?" She didn't realize that she had asked the question out loud.
The droning suddenly stopped, shattering her brief reverie that this was nothing but a dream. It was then for the first time that night that she let out the raging sea of her emotions.
The scream and tears that had followed made Kurosawa stop short. She could only vaguely remember Yukari and Mitsuru running to her side. The failed attempt on consoling from Fuuka and the look of sheer uncertainty in Junpei's eyes.
She didn't sleep that night and yet the following morning, Mitsuru and Yukari's face of sheer shock as Minako had walked down the stairs dressed for school emitted their worry for the leader.
Minako said nothing to others as they escorted her to school that morning. The collective atmosphere of uneasiness would have been enough to bother her under normal circumstances.
"Under normal circumstances huh?" Minako thought to herself.
The drive of hanging onto what little normalcy in her life was surprisingly controlling. Minako remembered opening her notebook and taking notes. She answered questions from the teachers and even remembered laughing once at lunchtime to a joke from Bebe.
However now, sitting in the lounge of the dorm, she was cornered and forced to face the subject of the one person in the world right now she did not trust herself around.
Mitsuru's questions to the group, Yukari's tone of concern, and Aigis's confirmation of the command given to her all seemed to drown together. Suddenly discourse took a hold of the conversation.
He was gone and Fuuka was calling out to him, to Ken.
It was then one sentence unleashed everything inside of her whether it was directed at her or not.
"You of all people should understand!" Fuuka's voice cried out.
"Understand? UNDERSTAND?!" Minako suddenly shouted as she stood up from the couch next to Yukari. Her bright red eyes flared to life for the first time in the last twenty four hours. It may have been more like her but it was darker version that not even she recognized.
"You understand nothing Fuuka! NOTHING OF WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH!" Minako rushed up to Fuuka's form. Her face was a canvas of fear and uncertainity.
"Arisato!" Mitsuru said, standing suddenly.
"Shinjiro-senpai is a coma and probably for the rest of his life! All because of a child's need for revenge!" Minako carried on as she raised her hand and pointed at the stairwell at the back of the room. "I cannot be a part of this! I cannot decide his fate! My heart is screaming for revenge on my own!"
Silence became the dominant force in the room. It was then Minako realized that she was shaking horribly. Her lips betrayed her angry composure as her voice shook and tears fell down her cheeks once again.
"I can't do this! I can't!" Minako shuddered as she admitted her deepest and more regretful secret. "All I want is to make Ken feel my pain! What kind of person am I to want to hurt a child?!"
Akihiko's voice softly broke his fellow SEES members shock. "Minako…"
Looking around her, Minako stared into the eyes of her uncofrunate victim of her verbal onslaught and instantly her eyes filled with regret. Clutching her hands closed, Minako suddenly turned and ran out the door of the main entrance.
"Mina-tan!" Junpei called after her. Standing up to follow, Akihiko called over him.
"Junpei!"
The young man looked back, confusion on his face.
Akihiko's gloomy but firm gaze met Junpei's.
"Let her go. She's right. We can't ask this of her…"
Mitsuru looked over to her longtime friend. "Why?"
Akihiko remained silent for a few seconds before taking a deep breath. "Shinji would not have wanted this."
Random one-shot inspired by second play through of Persona 3 Portable with a female lead. I am romancing Shinjiro this time through. It was an idea I had and was curious about writing out.
I hope you all enjoyed it and that the Ken-kun fans will not bash me to little pieces.
Till next time,
Jackie Almasy