A/N: Don't read unless you've finished the game. But then again if you haven't... why would you be here in the first place.
The sky was a crystal clear blue with only a few white clouds dotting the sky. Spring was already here and the trees regained their luscious green leaves and little flowery companions by their feet. At this time of day, the adults were at work while the children were at school. Gekkoukan High was passing another one of their days blissfully normal.
One classroom's window was creaked open enough for a gentle breeze to sneak in. It's dangerous touch could threaten any one of the students to sleep. Luckily though, the school bell chimed and all the merry teens' eyes shot open. Lunch time arrived, a short thirty minute break to recover one's spirit. The boys darted noisily down the hallways to beat the line. The girls rotated their desk towards their friends and ate their homemade bentos.
Minako was found in the corridor of the school leading to the sports club, sitting on a bench besides the brunette senpai. It was a cozy place and the permission tree belonging to the old couple still stands though rumors state that the school will be starting construction during summer break. The sounds of students' voices and bouncing balls in the gymnasium were faint. Nature was louder with the sound of whistling grass and chirping birds. Shinjiro was now fully clothed in Gekkoukan's school uniform and although he didn't look bad, Minako's laughter wouldn't cease.
"Will you quit laughing already," Shinjiro exclaimed but his attempts only furthered Minako's joy.
"But but but, you look so strange! Haha, why are you still wearing your hat too," Minako wiped an invisible tear from her eye while her other hand extended towards Shinjiro's beanie. The scowling brunette stopped her by grabbing her wrist which instantly shut her mouth and heart altogether.
"C'mon, we don't have much time, eat up," a wry smile crept on Shinjiro's face as he handed her the lunch he made. Minako returned the gesture with a smile; that was her weapon.
"Thank you, I get to eat Shinjiro-senpai's famous 5-star cooking again," her voice sang as a little bit of lingering heat radiated from the box to her fingers.
"You're exaggerating, it's nothing special," Shinjiro reacted by turning his face away and pulling on his beanie to conceal his face, this embarrassment was too much. The boy reflected on his past self who could hide his emotions so well, where did that composure go….
"Ah and this is for you," the girl's voice woke him from his thoughts and he gazed at her while Minako reached down for the three stack bento by her side
"What, I umm… t-thanks…" Shinjiro was thrown aback; he wasn't exactly sure how to respond. There was a kind of warmth that spread through his chest when an image of Minako cooking for him entered his mind. But there was another sense of dread he felt for his own stomach.
"You know I'm not Aki right?" he almost chuckled at remembering the old days Akihiko dragged him to restaurants and pushed his stomach to the limits. Shinjiro determined long ago that the albino was a cow in his past life, six stomachs. Minako froze and looked away which felt suspicious in his eyes. Her auburn bangs weren't long enough to cover her eyes and her hunched figure playing with her fingers was an obvious enough motion. It wasn't that Minako felt anything towards Akihiko but how could she mention that knowing she was cooking for Shinjiro, she couldn't stop. Cooking for love is a scary thing.
"Ahaha, let's eat" Minako decided to dodge the situation altogether and picked up her wooden chopsticks. She split the two open and clapped her hands together, "Itadakimasu."
Minako opened the lid and a delightful smell hit her face, tempting her hunger even more. She couldn't wait and dove right in; her expression scrunched up in happiness, "Delicious!"
Shinjiro couldn't win against that reaction. He just sighed with his lips curved upward, and waved away his twinge of jealousy he created himself by mentioning Akihiko in the first place. He tapped Minako's head softly with this back of his hand, "Don't think I'll forget that," and left that conversation behind.
Shinjiro choose to open his bento now, but what laid in there made his eyes narrow a bit in disbelief. How to react this time…..
"Is this lunchbox for Ken?" Shinjiro looked down at all the food with little faces on them.
"Eh? I thought Senpai liked cute things. Heheh, don't mind don't mind," Minako used her own chopsticks to pick up a piece of omelet and raised it to Shinjiro's mouth, "Ahhh." The radiance felt piecing to Shinjiro's heart.
"D-DON'T DO SUCH EMBARRASSING THINGS," Shinjiro swiped the chopsticks, grazing Minako's hand, and fed himself. He regrets his personality but Minako was unfazed. To her it was like Shinjiro just declared his love all over again. Honestly now, Shinjiro's face felt hotter than the food.
"Indirect kiss," Minako bluntly said with a soft laughter; Shinjiro coughed and hacked on his food in response. He used his sleeve to wipe of his mouth but really, he couldn't believe this girl. How can words like that flow out so easily from her mouth. His eyes glanced to the side to see Minako resuming to eat her lunch. There was a small hum in her throat obviously content with throwing Shinjiro for a loop.
"Geez," he mumbled as he was forced to continually use Minako's chopsticks since she already helped herself to his unused pair. But it wasn't long before Shinjiro calmed down from all Minako's teasing since she was so happy. Today was really a perfect day.
The rest of the food was finished in mostly silence. There were a few casual comments about the others, nothing deep. All their conversations up until now have been random and meaningless but the fact that they enjoy even the meaningless stuff was special. This time though, Minako forced Shinjiro to talk about himself like he did before with her but his personality didn't allow much words. When they finished putting the bentos aside, Minako stretched her body and fell sideways onto Shinjiro's lap.
"H-Hey!" Shinjiro's face reddened again but Minako's weak smile made him shudder, "There you go again, doing what you want." Shinjiro's voice was as soft as a whisper. His deep voice vibrated in Minako's ears.
"But you don't seem to mind," Minako replied cheerfully but in a voice more toned down than before. "What a good day today. I wonder what the others are doing right now."
Shinjiro's eyes darkened and his low self-esteem started to attack his mind. "Is it okay for you to be here? With me, at this school." With Minako lying on his lap, this scene looks so familiar. His heart was quivering and as if Minako sensed it, she raised her hand and caressed his cheek.
"I'm only here because it's you. Plus this setting, I've always wondered what it would have been like if you attended school again," Minako closed her eyes and Shinjiro did the same. He could feel her skin against his while gentle images flowed into his mind; images that never happened such as walking to school together, going to the mall, watching tv together. Shinjiro wasn't the type to enjoy a lot of things outside but he wouldn't mind if that's where Minako wanted to drag him to. Shinjiro's hand found Minako's, the one wearing the Leather Watch. His thumbs brush over the glass face which was cracked badly. The hands of the watch stopped ticking long ago.
Minako exhaled apologetically, "It broke. I'm sorry. It was such a precious gift from you."
"It's okay, I would've been more surprised if it was working after all that," Shinjiro's grip tightened and he raised her hand to bury his face in her fingers.
"Shit, 1 month is too short. 30 minutes is too short, even a lifetime would've been too short," Shinjiro's rough voice cracked a bit but Minako's smile didn't disappear. She promised him not to cry no matter what on that day. Maybe she should've made him promise the same.
"I'm sorry for going ahead of you. I'm sorry I can't go to where you're going even now. I'm still on a duty and I won't know how long it'll take..." Minako said.
"I'm sorry for hiding things from you. I'm sorry for making you cry. I'm sorry I couldn't live longer to help you," Shinjiro said.
"But…" Shinjiro and Minako gazed into each other's eyes and smiled, "thank you for everything, I love you."
Shinjiro's and Minako's final comment was spoken in unison as their bodies fade and they both disappear together into the air.
The class bell rung again to announce the end of lunch period. The students returned to their classrooms, unaware of the two presences that were there before. On the other side of town, at the hospital, team SEES were gathered around Shinjiro's body. All of them have aged 10 years, even Shinjiro, but he appeared to Minako the same as he did in his high school days. Even though everyone has moved on with their lives they still went out of their way to visit their old comrade. Their ears opened to listen to the heart monitor beeping regularly until it finally flatlined. The Strega drugs Shinjiro took to control his Persona long ago finally claimed him. But there were no more regrets since the only girl he loved in this life came back and said goodbye.
Comment: Wooow , I haven't written in yeaarsss so sorry for all the grammar mistakes and how do people write in present tense…. So hard. It's probably not as well descriptive as it should be but I'm just doing this for fun. I hope you enjoyed it~ If I got you crying then SUCCESS! ShinjiroxMinako will forever remain in my heart.