Disclaimer: I do not own any assets or characters from the Persona series.

Chapter 2 – A Bargain

Fight fire with fire. Was that the way to do it? Maybe he could just barge in, grab the photo and retreat. A hit and run.

"Woah man! Wait up!" Tomi was straggling behind, panting slightly.

Coming to a halt at the elevators, Yu jabbed the button and stared at the number above the doors, slowly ticking its way up to number 64. Yu was shifting his weight to either side. He really has had enough of this day.

"You're really going to see her now? Can't it wait till tomorrow?" Tomi said, moving around the side of Yu.

"No."

Tomi held his stomach. "How about we grab something to eat? I can see the photo tomorrow, it's no big deal."

"It is to me," Yu said firmly.

Tomi glanced up at the number too, it was getting closer.

"Why do you want to see her so badly?"

Yu scrunched up his eyes, turning to Tomi. What did he say?!

"Wha—why—how on earth did you come to that conclusion?!"

Ding! The elevator doors opened.

Tomi smirked. "Well, she is the only girl to show any interest to you. You might get lucky if you keep doing these after-work rendezvous."

Yu opened his mouth like a fish. Was Tomi really suggesting that he was meeting Megumi of all people, for, well, that?!

He shook his head incredulously and stepped into the elevator before the doors closed. The last thing he saw before they shut was Tomi grinning stupidly back at him.

He had never come up this far before. The halls on this level were cladded in polished wood and the carpet actually bounced under his feet, unlike the shabby flooring in his workspace. It felt bright and breezy up here; maybe the skyscraper was designed with medieval castles in mind, where the powers ruled on top and the workers were slaving away in the rooms below.

Here he was, in the bosom of power and riches, just so he could get his tattered photo back. He recalled Tomi's grinning face. Yeah it did sound pretty ridiculous. But why are the ridiculous things in this world the most meaningful?

Yu took cautious steps along the hallway. 'What if Megumi's father is still in his office? I wonder if he looks like her…' Yu almost choked on his thoughts. He was walking towards the office of one of the wealthiest men of all of Tokyo and all he could think about was the President's dress sense. A wild image came to Yu's mind of a man in tight jeans and long dreadlocks bouncing along to a guitar solo like a rockstar, in the middle of a meeting room. As ludicrous as the thought was he couldn't imagine Megumi's parents any other way.

He had reached the office door. Breath. Just breath. Secret rockstar or not he was still the boss. Yu could make out a garbled version of himself in the polish and hastily tried to smooth down his scruffy hair. A strange foreboding feeling brewing inside, he knocked and turned the handle.

At first he thought he was in the wrong place. It looked like an entertaining room from one of those western style mansions. A plush antique sofa sat against one wall and a magnificent drinks cabinet on the other that held glass tumblers and a collection of different bourbon whiskeys. A large patterned rug covered most of the floor and he could make out a tall, built in wardrobe in the corner. The far end of the room was entirely glass that looked out onto the twinkling skyline of Tokyo.

But no one was here. He would just have to wrestle Megumi for the photo tomorrow. Cursing his luck, he made to retreat—

"Yu, you made it!"

Yu almost jumped out of his skin. Whipping his head to the sound of the noise, a pouting Megumi was curled up on the desk chair. No wonder he didn't notice her at first, her small frame was lost in the big armchair and she was camouflaged against the leather with her brown suit.

"Yes, I made it," Yu said, trying to not act perturbed at her appearance. "You know why I came don't you?"

Megumi smiled and put some of her rings back on. They were scattered about the desk; Yu tried sneaking a look to see if the photo was amongst them.

"We only meet when we want something from the other, don't we?" Megumi said. "So come on, ask me."

She then got up and walked slowly around the desk, trailing a hand over the surface, staring at Yu. She stopped in the middle, her other hand casually placed on her hip.

Yu gulped. Why him…?

"All I want is what you took from me, nothing else. For once can you just do something without making such a scene out of it?"

Megumi tucked a wispy bit of fringe behind her ear.

"But this is a big deal. You came all the way up here to see me, after hours too. What's a girl to expect?"

Yu inwardly groaned. Nothing Yu said or did would make Megumi see any differently. Telling her didn't work, pretending she wasn't there didn't work. It was like having a constant itch you couldn't get rid of.

"Ok Megumi—" Yu ignored her slight giggle as he said her name "—give me back the photo. I'm not in the mood." Yu took a couple steps towards her, hand outstretched. Megumi simply held her ground, resting against the desk.

"Tch, such a bore, always sucking the fun out of things. I remember when you first came here. You wasn't so quick to get away from me then."

"That was years ago!" Yu said, clenching his outstretched hand. "You should learn to move on. Everyone else seems to manage it."

Megumi's eyes went dreamlike, "But those times were great weren't they? Do you remember the party?"

Yu bit his lip slightly. "Well, yes I do but—"

"—Yeah, you got your new job here because of it, no doubt thanks to your father. He's quite well connected isn't he? You were full of ideas then, so confident. I wonder—"

"—Can you stop it now?" Yu cut across. "Sometimes I regret going to that stupid party…"

Yu looked to the floor. If he hadn't gone to that business party with his father, he wouldn't be stuck here. If he hadn't gone, then maybe he would be free of this girl.

Megumi got off the desk and leaned forward, tilting her head up at him, with her arms on her hips. She was scrutinizing him like a teacher would to their student.

"Tell me," she said. "You say you have regrets about the past. But here you are, wanting something that reminds you of it. Sounds kinda foolish if you ask me."

"It's not the same thing," Yu said simply.

Megumi came up closer to him. Her wheezing could be heard now.

"Well, maybe you're right, maybe you aren't. We could ask my father though, see what he thinks."

Yu looked up. "What do you mean?"

Megumi was playing with one of her rings, a sly look on her face. "He said he'll be back about now. Infact—" she moved back to the desk to look at a small screen "—yes, look, he's coming up to the door now."

Yu's insides froze. He dashed around to Megumi's side to see if she was lying. But sure enough, a figure could be seen approaching on the little CCTV screen. Yu tugged Megumi's jacket angrily.

"Megumi what the hell, why didn't you say anything before?"

Megumi laughed. "Oh isn't it wonderful? Now we can finally break our secret to him." She clutched onto Yu's arm, waiting for the door to open.

Yu cast his eyes about wildly, he would rather face one hundred shadows than let the company's president catch him like this with his daughter. His eyes landed on the tall wardrobe. Possible salvation? He dashed over to it and yanked the doors open, dragging a protesting Megumi with him.

"Ack!—Not so fast!"

The office door slowly creaked open…

With one big shove, he forced Megumi inside and he dived in afterwards. Yu managed to click the doors shut just in time, shrouding them in darkness.

"What's wrong with you?!" Megumi hissed.

"Shhh!"

Footsteps could be heard. The faint sound of liquid falling into a glass. Yu's heart pounded uncomfortably in his chest. What if he opened the wardrobe? This was a dumb idea. It was so uncomfortable, with shoes digging in his back and suit jackets hanging above them. It didn't help that he was scrunched up at a weird angle with Megumi practically on top of him. She didn't have to speak more than a whisper to be heard:

"Oh I get it. If you wanted some alone time, you needn't go through all this trouble…"

Yu jabbed her hard in the ribs to shut her up. He could just imagine the look on Tomi's face if he could see them now. Outside he could hear the dialling of a phone.

One phone call, then he leaves right? Or maybe not. He could be in here for hours. It seemed that Megumi's father was on a handheld phone as it sounded like he was talking, while pacing up and down.

"Oooh, imagine how angry he'll be when he catches us like this," Megumi whispered. Yu then felt her arms wrap around his neck, making Yu clench his jaw. The faint smell of alcohol and cigarettes floated up his nostrils which was weird, she never used to drink or smoke.

"Megumi!"

They both had a silent tussle as Yu tried to push her off while Megumi stubbornly clung on. Then, a deep voice sounded just outside the door.

"Yes, she was supposed here. Goodness knows where she went this time—"

Megumi seemed to tense up next to him. She had stopped moving altogether. Even her wheezing stopped—was she holding her breath?

"It's become more difficult to teach her anything lately. So unfocused, and all she does is stay locked up in her room. Such a lack of discipline…"

The voice moved further away, and Yu couldn't make out anymore of the conversation. Who was he talking to? Why talk about his daughter like that?

A little time passed and Megumi's father at last finished his phone call. Not much else could be heard from it, and relief washed over Yu as he finally heard the office door open and close again. Waiting a couple moments to make sure the coast was clear, he opened up the wardrobe and bumbled out. He clicked a couple joints before turning to look back at Megumi. He would have laughed—suit jackets had fallen on top of her making her look like a cat peeking out underneath the heap, but something was amiss. She had a sullen look in her eyes.

"Er, are you alright?" Yu said, crouching down in front of the wardrobe.

Megumi seemed dazed for a moment, and then tried to stand. Yu instinctively helped her up by her hand. She soon let go, brushed herself off and made her way across to the desk.

"Megumi?" Yu was a little put off, but he wasn't going to complain; the less she latched onto him the better.

"Oh, right, yes—I'm fine," said Megumi. She sat down in the big armchair, looking like she wanted nothing more than to be swallowed up in it.

"…Is it about what your father said? What was he talking about anyway?" Yu said, starting to pick up the suits that lay in a messy pile at the bottom of the wardrobe.

"No! Well…"

Yu looked up at her, she seemed to be debating on what to tell him.

"Have you ever felt forced into something?"

"Forced? Not really… We always have a choice," said Yu.

Megumi seemed to be fiddling with a particular large ring. "What if it was for the honour of the family?"

Yu finished putting the suits back (more creased than they went in) and shut the doors. But Megumi, talking about honour and integrity? He didn't think anything could surprise him anymore. He walked up to the desk, quickly flashing his eyes on the little screen again. He didn't want any more surprises.

"Well, I'm not really the one to ask about that."

Megumi simply looked at him, cocking her head slightly.

"It's kinda the same with my father… But I made a choice, and that was to come work in Tokyo. Sure, he set me up in this company, but no doubt he wanted me to take over the family business. We don't see eye-to-eye much."

Yu couldn't help put a hand on his forehead and let out a laugh. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation with Megumi. She seemed to ignore it however, casting her eyes downwards.

"So you've dishonoured your family name…"

Yu put his hands in his pockets. "Maybe in my father's eyes. But I like to think I redeemed myself."

A happy memory struck Yu; Uncle Dojima and Nanako both waving him off at the station, the youthful look back in his uncle's eyes and Nanako's beaming face.

"Redeemed…?" Megumi asked quietly.

Yu simply nodded. Maybe he understood Megumi a little more, because he couldn't help but give her a small smile.

Megumi seemed to rally herself. She jumped off the chair and playfully poked Yu's arm.

"Well, thanks for coming to see me Yu! This is yours right?" Megumi whipped out his photo from her suit pocket, holding it out to him. Yu quickly grabbed it and held it up towards the light, as if trying to detect a forgery. He brought it back down, looking at the faces once more.

"Yes, and the way it was too, thank goodness," Yu said.

"Who are they anyway?" Megumi said, turning to look at the photo herself. It didn't even bother him when she rested her head on his shoulder, he was just happy it hadn't got ripped or torn.

"These are my good friends from Inaba." He began pointing out everyone. "You've got Yosuke, Kanji, Yukiko, Rise—"

"—Rise Kujikawa?" Megumi said, astonished.

"Ha, yup, then there's Teddie, Naoto and…Chie." Yu paused after saying her name, his smile slowly vanishing.

"Er, Yu?"

Yu abruptly coughed and shook Megumi off as he realised he was holding the spot where Chie was on the photo a bit longer than necessary.

"Sorry, just a bit tired. So yeah—better get home." Still a little flustered, he made his way to the door.

"Hold on a moment," Megumi said, her commanding voice back again.

Yu turned back, a questioning look on his face.

"You will walk me home now. You live on the way, right?"

Yu sighed in irritation. "Alright, c'mon then."

Megumi was happily humming to herself as they made it towards the elevators. Yu kept her in the corner of his eye. He didn't know when she would suddenly pounce on him. With one hand on the photo (in his pocket this time), he suddenly thought of something.

"Hey, Megumi."

"Mmm?"

"I was just wondering… Do you reckon you could talk to my supervisor about holiday leave?"

The elevator doors sprang open and they both stepped inside. Megumi was looking for something in a yellow handbag that clashed horribly with her suit.

"What, why?" she asked, still looking in her bag.

Yu hit the 'ground floor' button. "Well, I'm only allowed the odd couple of days off. If you could speak with them so that I could have a week, I would be grateful."

Megumi looked up at him impishly. "Trying to run away from me?"

Yu coughed. "No. I just think it's time I saw my old friends again."

Megumi pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her bag. As they walked out of the elevator and into the foyer, she put one in her mouth. She didn't respond until they were outside in the chilly evening air.

"Well, you have to take me to the movies first." She lit the cigarette and took a drag.

Yu run his hands through his hair; it was like banging his head against a brick wall.

"C'mon, isn't walking you home enough?" said Yu desperately.

"No, that's for returning your photo back, remember?" She casually took another puff.

Yu just then noticed some businessmen loitering around outside, either waiting for transport or talking to colleagues. He gestured for Megumi to follow him; he didn't fancy them seeing him with the president's daughter or worse; reporting back to Megumi's father that she was here all along.

"Alright fine, have it your way," Yu said, shoving his hands back in his pockets.

"Then it's a deal."