Just a short story I decided to write about Yosuke and Yukiko - two of my favourite characters who don't get a lot of screentime together. I don't know whether it will be romantic or not yet. I don't own Persona 4 or any of its characters, blah blah blah. Enjoy!
It was strange how little time Yukiko and Yosuke had spent together over the last few year - alone, at least. She barely gave him the time of day when he first arrived in Inaba and didn't hesitate in the slightest to turn down his initial advances. They spent a lot of time together last year; they were in the same class, had the same circle of friends and were often on the same team when they explored the TV World together. They had fought side by side and trusted each other with their lives, yet they hadn't ever been intimate. Chie or Yu had nearly always been there as a buffer so the two had never had to interact one on one much. They liked each other for sure, and had a great deal of respect for each other, but they were just too different to really connect.
Yukiko used to be so timid that she struggled to say hello or good morning to boys let alone hold a conversation with one. She had grown out of that now, but she just didn't have the patience for the awkward, quirky brunette boy. As for Yosuke, he had one major flaw, and that was his lack of tact. The intelligent yet reserved young woman was just too much for him to wrap his mind around.
Despite that, they did have a lot in common. The experiences they had inside the TV World and solving the murder case were enough to bring anyone together. They both had complicated yet powerful relationships with their best friends, that neither of them were going to let go of any time and soon. And they both had a lot of pressure in the work place - Yosuke as the prince of Junes and Yukiko as the future manager of the famed Amagi Inn. It just wasn't until their last year of high school that they had the chance to recognize these things. Yu had gone back home to his parents and Chie was on vacation with her family for a week, leaving Yukiko and Yosuke alone at school and giving their relationship the opportunity it needed to blossom.
Yosuke had his chair pushed back and his body sprawled out over his desk, his head resting on his arms. The week hadn't even started and he was already ready for it to be over. Yukiko, who usually sat with Chie at the desk in front of him, turned around and politely said his name to get his attention. He looked up at her, a bit startled, and waited to hear what she said.
'Would you like to sit with me this week while Chie is away?' she asked, 'it seems better than both of us sitting alone...'
Yosuke didn't have any other friends in the class so he sat by himself at the desk behind the two girls. He was surprised by Yukiko's assertiveness and noted how much she had changed since this time last year when she couldn't even look him in the eyes. Her friendship with Yu had helped her grow up a lot - something they both had in common. Yosuke knew that the two had feelings for each other and that they had been somewhat involved but he didn't know to what extent. They were both pretty private people and didn't like to get other people involved in stuff like that. Yosuke was not surprised that Yu was the first person to succeed at the Amagi Challenge - he was so charismatic he could bed pretty much any girl or guy he wanted. Even Yosuke himself had thought about it from time to time.
'Sure Yukiko-san,' Yosuke grinned, 'maybe you'll be able to help me pick up my grades!' he added, only half serious.
'It's going to be a long week. I could use the company,' she said with a smile.
Yosuke didn't need to be asked twice and quickly moved his things to the seat in front of him. Once he was settled he asked, 'Long week? You got a lot on at the moment?'
'Yeah, the inn is pretty busy at the moment and I've got to keep up my grades for universtity.' Yukiko had decided earlier that year to keep studying after high school while continuing her training at the inn. Before he left, she had spoken with Yu about the possibility of meeting up again at university next year. She was trying not to get her hopes up, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't miss him a great deal.
Neither of them got the chance to say more as the bell rang signalling the start of first period. At lunch time, Rise came to find Yukiko and the two went off to eat together. They offered an invitation to Yosuke to join them, but the idea of third-wheeling on a conversation about boys and clothes put him off, so he declined and spent the afternoon with Kou and Daisuke instead.
As he cycled home that day, Yosuke thought about Yu and how much he missed him. He was nearly always with him last year, and if he wasn't, he was with Teddie. As much as he hated to admit it, he missed that stupid bear too. He pissed him off all the time, but it was nice to always have somebody around. He was never alone back then - these days it seemed like he always was.
The next day, Yosuke sat with Yukiko again and this time they spent their lunch break together as well. They found a quiet place and sat down to eat.
'It's so weird without Chie,' Yukiko noted glumly, 'I know it's kind of pathetic to be moping about it, but I'm just not used to her not being around. I can't even remember the last time we spent so long apart...'
'It's not pathetic,' said Yosuke, 'I feel the same way about Yu... I feel like time's kind of stopped without him or something.'
Yukiko nodded, no doubt also missing the silver-haired young man.
'He's back at home living his life and I'm...' Yosuke trailed off as he got lost in thought.
'You're what?' Yukiko asked curiously.
'Like... He's making all these new friends and I haven't made any. He has a new girl and I'm still-' Yosuke cut himself off suddenly once he realized what he said. He had a stupid habit of saying the wrong things to the wrong people.
'Sorry,' he said, looking at Yukiko, 'I know you two were...' he didn't know what to say after that because he didn't know exactly what the couple was.
'No it's okay,' Yukiko responded calmly, 'I didn't expect him to stay single for long.'
She was being honest too. They hadn't been seriously involved as they were always aware that he would be returning to his hometown eventually. Still, it did sting a little. Just like Yosuke was saying, she wasn't even close to finding somebody else. It was hard to even imagine somebody that she could feel as suited to as him.
In a desperate attempt to change the subject, Yosuke asked Yukiko about her plans for university. Yosuke himself had decided not to continue studying after high school. It had been difficult enough to motivate himself through the last couple of years, he didn't think he could handle anymore. He hadn't quite decided what he wanted to do instead though, and he raised this concern with Yukiko to further the conversation.
'You're still young,' she said softly, 'I don't think many people our age know what they want to do with their lives.'
'It doesn't seem that way,' Yosuke responded gloomily, 'Rise's going back to showbiz, Naoto's already in her dream job, Chie's gonna start training to be a cop, and you and Kanji are already set.'
Yosuke noticed a tiny sneer from Yukiko when he said that last bit and he realized he had said the wrong thing again. Yukiko's entire shadow self had formed around the idea that she was 'set' when she didn't want to be. Even if she had decided to stay at the inn and continue her training, she hated the idea that she had no choice in the matter.
Thankfully, Yukiko ignored Yosuke's accidental slip and continued the coversation, 'Well have you considered staying on at Junes? Perhaps you could work your way to the top like your father.'
Yosuke shrugged, 'I don't know... Can you really see me as a manager? Giving orders and making decisions - that's not me.'
'Don't underestimate yourself. You're a lot more capable than you think - I've seen it myself,' Yukiko said with a sincerity that surprised Yosuke. He didn't think she had paid that much attention to him to be honest.
Truthfully, he did underestimate himself. Yosuke had gone through a hell of a lot more than most kids his age had. He not only faced the darkest parts of himself, but selflessly devoted himself to saving the others, including Yukiko herself. It's true that Yu always took charge in the TV world, but Yosuke had a keen mind, great teamwork skills and could be very diplomatic when he needed to be. He wasn't just Yu's right-hand man because they were best friends, but because Yu could count on him in any situation. Yukiko knew this, but it seemed Yosuke didn't.
'Yukiko-san...' Yosuke said quietly.
They sat in silence for a moment while thinking to themselves and then smiled at each other.
'Thank you,' he said and she nodded back as if to say 'you're welcome.'
They went back to class and finished the school day as normal, but things were different between them now. They had opened up to each other more in that one small conversation than they ever had before and they were a lot more comfortable together as a result.
In fact, even when they had separated after school and gone back to their respective houses, they couldn't stop thinking about each other.