Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4, Persona 4 is the property of Altus.
Kanji Tatsumi was tall for a boy his age, 6'3 already at age 16. A fearsome boy indeed, he towered over most adults twice his age. His body was slender but muscular many people wondered if he worked out. Combined with his intimidating height and look he had a furious temperament to match. Often cracking his knuckles and asking "YOU WANT SOME!" He always had a badass reputation along with a bad boy complex.
It was lunch time and the three juniors Rise, Naoto and Kanji were eating together as always. The three always talked to each other more than the rest of the Investigation Team mostly because all three of them had similarities and differences that only they could understand in a deeper way. As the trio ate their lunch, Naoto looked at Kanji almost as if he was some rare specimen. Her eyes squinted as she asked. "Kanji-kun where did you obtain that scar? It looks practically nasty, did you bump your head on something and that made the scar or did you get cut?" Kanji stopped eating and looked at Naoto. Rise was quick to point out what Naoto said. "Hmmm that is a good question Naoto-kun. I wondered too, I mean it healed but it still visible how did you get such a big scar like that? "Rise questioned the nervous Kanji.
"I – I uh cut myself, yeah long time ago." He said nervously but Rise and Naoto saw through his paper thin lie. "Kanji–kun, your stuttering is an indication that your lying, you never lied to us about anything big or small so why now?" Kanji felt guilty for lying, he hesitated for a bit then looked at the girls and sighed.
"Ok I – uh got slashed alright! " Kanji shouted his face was red with embarrassment. Rise and Naoto looked at him wide eyed. "Seriously?" Naoto said. The two girls couldn't believe someone as intimidating and strong as Kanji had gotten slashed.
Yeah I was tryin' to save dis kitten from being killed by these bullies. A noble deed that gotten his ass kicked. "Didn't matter anyway I saved the kitten so it was safe."
"Aww can you tell us the story? Please?" Rise begged. "I wouldn't mind hearing it myself." Naoto said.
"Alright, fine! Damn never thought I would havfta tell this; don't tell anyone." Kanji said as the two girls nodded in agreement. "Ok."
Flashback…..
He felt tired, beating up idiots that wanted to pick on him. His mother had to pick him up from school again according to the boy it was Kanji that assaulted him but Kanji swore up and down that the boy and his friends where the bullies. No one liked Kanji and everyone wanted to cause him trouble. "This is your fifth suspension oh dear, oh dear your father wont like this at all." Sheer disappointment filled his mother's voice.
"I didn't mean to mom. It was THEM!" He quickly blamed the boy and his friends. "Kanji –chan; when are you going to learn to take responsibility for your actions. That raw anger and energy that you have isn't healthy or good. I know underneath you're a good boy with a good soul; prove me that you are, Kanji-chan."
Kanji felt bad for causing his mother trouble. "I'm sorry ma, I'll do betta."
It was twilight when they both arrived at the textile shop. "Go upstairs and wash for dinner you'll have dinner but no desert and your father and I will have a discussion about this." Whenever his father heard bad news it was time for a whooping. "Great…aka I'm gonna get It." Kanji went up stairs awaiting his father and his punishment from him. He was a mix of emotions sad; angry, scared and alone. He kept on remembering what his mother told him; "I know underneath you're a good boy with a good soul, prove me that you are, kanji chan." "Prove it. tsh, how am I goin' to prove dat?" He wondered.
"Bang!" A loud noise startled Kanji's thoughts, he looked down from the window. "It's dose punkasses!" But he also saw something in the corner of his eye. A small kitten scared and alone the bullies where cornering it.
"Oh hell no!" Kanji rushed down the stairs, into the alley where the bullies and the kitten was. "HEY!" The bullies looked back at kanji who looked more like a superhero with the streetlights behind him. "Hey look it's the queer! Hehe" One of the bullies grabbed the kitten. "Awww you want this you want this huh?" Kanji was searing. Beating up people and doing it without reason was one thing, but bulling poor defenseless baby animals that didn't do anything to them that was another story. "Leave da cat alone, its done nothin' to you!" Roared Kanji. "Leave the cat alone bla bla bla bla crybaby!" "What the fuck you're going to do idiot!" The bully pushed Kanji everyone laughed but Kanji wasn't. He picked up the trash can lid and smashed it against the bully's face, the bully collapsed his blood coming out of his nose. "Wow." The other bullies went on the full assault on Kanji, Kanji used the lid to hit the punks left and right left and right they were getting knocked. Kanji thought he had won the war and the battle. "Yeah! Dat will teach ya!" Unfortunely Kanji underestimated one of the punks he stood on his defeated comrades hiding a switchblade in his sleeve and then something out of a movie the punk went in and as soon as Kanji turned around the punk slashed his face above Kanji's eye blood searing out of his temple. "AHHHGGGHH!" Kanji held his head. "You bastard!" "Hehe, I never play fair." The punk suddenly appeared right in front of Kanji trying to slash other parts of him. Kanji held the lid for defense fisticuffs vs fisticuffs fine switchblades vs fisticuffs not so much of a fair fight. Kanji was getting tired he couldn't dodge the punks attacks forever. Kanji backed up into a corner. "You know life isn't fair, I guess I'll see you in He' AHHHHGGGH!" The punk's sight was blinded. He dropped the blade in shock. Kanji turned around it was his dad.
"What's going on here?" Kanji's father was a policeman; stern, serious and proud. Policeman Tatsumi picked up the young punk by his arm as if it was nothing. "You mess with my boy you deal with me." He said darkly. The punk that looked so intimidating was shaking like a leaf. "I will be calling your parents." He harshly let him go. "If I see you around here or messing with my son you're going to wish you were dead. Now get!" The cowardly punk ran.
Policeman Tatsumi looked at his son and firmly asked. "What in God's name were you doing son?" "I was protecting dis cat, they were gonna' to kill it." tears came out of his eyes. "Mew?" The kitten came out of its hiding place and looked at the two humans as if it was saying thank you. "Kitty!" Kanji beckoned it to him. The kitten jumped on his hands as Kanji petted it. "Come on lets go home." The father and son walked back to the textile shop. Mrs. Tatsumi was sitting down. "Ma." I" "You don't have to say anything I know Kanji-chan." A gentile smile came on her face. "Mew?" The kitten cried. "Yeah our son got into a tussle with some kids." "Saved this kitten." "mew." "I knew you had a good soul kanji chan. Thank you." Kanji and his mom understood each other no words needed to be spoken.
"That scar will leave a mark." His father pointed out. "Yeah but if I could save dis' kitten's life than it was worth it." "mew!" the kitten agreed happily. "I love ya ma and pa." "We love you too Kanji-chan." And all three of them hugged.
"And …dats da story. Nothin' special." The two girls were supporting each other; tears threatening to spill out of Naoto's eyes and Rise crying. "That was beautiful waaaa! " "I never would've thought that you had gotten that scar from saving a kitten from being killed. That was very noble of you Kanji-kun." Naoto smiled genuinely like she was proud of him. I'm –I'm proud of you Kanji-kun!" Rise ran to hug him, followed by Naoto. Kanji hugged the both of them as well. "Um the scar looks kind of cool on you." Rise admitted. Naoto agreed. "Yes it completes you now that we know the story behind it."
First story I made in a while um please review if you like what you read let me know. Tear it apart let me know how I can improve on this. Thank you. Also I'm writing Kanji the way how I think he sounds to me.