Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Persona 4 and (500) Days of Summer. I don't intend to gain any profit from here. This is simply a fan work.

Note: It's his fifth day at Inaba but fourth day of Yukiko since he met her on the second day. Also, I'll use the plural 'personas' instead of personae, just because it was what they said on the anime. but I don't really care what's the proper plural form of the word.


Human behavior can be a fascinating subject. There are many human behaviors that at first glance, appear to be in contradictory of what a person feels. Being shy or aloof or rude perhaps. They all have distinction. But as for Yuu Narukami, he isn't really fascinated about digging deeper.

Well not until someone timid had caught his attention and jumbled his dispassion.

Some guys think that shy girls are absolutely adorable. Some guys that is…not Yuu. Because he rarely think of anything about any girl. On his recent transfer he had met someone that for the first time in his life, made him aware of the words cold and distant. Well he's a bit distant, but not to be a hypocrite, at least he knows he's not that cold.

A shy, cold girl is someone he'd rather not approach.

A shy, warm girl is someone he'd think twice off approaching.

A shy, warm girl that looks interesting is someone he may approach.

A shy, warm girl that looks interesting and is attractive surely…is a popstar. I mean, surely he'd approach if he really needs to (like helping run errands for the basketball team and all ;) ).

A shy, warm girl that looks interesting and is cute and shows some interest is very, very approachable that he may just be her seatmate if she'd offer.

But for Yuu Narukami, human behavior had slowly become fascinating that…

A shy, cold girl he claims to be nothing special and who doesn't even show interest is the very, very one he'd unconsciously start approaching.

There's a few bizarre things that happens during the first week of his transfer. And one of that is how in his inner thoughts, a shy girl becomes cute and friendly rather than disinterested and gloomy.

[004]

It had been the longest Friday so far in Yuu Narukami's whole existence. He walked his way home, on a rainy afternoon, carrying questions and bruises under his umbrella. There's already too much of incredibly strange things that had happened to him in this strange little town. And it's only his fifth day at that.

He snickered to himself, Personas huh. Shadows? Midnight channel? With all due honesty, Yuu still finds it hard to believe all of these TV supernatural occurrences. Even if he was the one to be eaten alive by the TV; even if he was the first one to summon a persona; even after being in the Mayonaka TV for the second time; and even after fighting his classmate Yosuke's shadow that nearly cost them both their lives. He's not sure what he lacks, or what last push he needs to stabilize his stance. Because for now, it still felt a bit video game-ish to him.

He shook his head, clearing all those thoughts for a while. His tired mind isn't conditioned to think of the heavy stuff again anyway. So he continued to walk cautiously, never mind if the day is already sinking into the night.

As Yuu reached the flood plain, there's a waiting shed a couple of meters away, and he could see someone arching her back to reach and clean her legs. See? This is exactly what I don't like about this. He thought about the rain and the troubles it causes to his precious feet. Such a good distraction for his feuding thoughts.

He looked at the girl sitting on the bench, all busy rubbing down the lower tail of her pink kimono. And when she looked up to reach for more tissue paper from beside her, they both accidentally locked eyes. As he walked nearer the shed, Yuu unconsciously kept staring at the girl—believing she's a bit familiar. And she did the same thing, locking her curious gaze to the boy who's about to pass by. Then he suddenly became conscious of his actions, and he immediately thought he's already being weird so he blinked and shook his head again. But to make it worse, his legs just stopped walking as soon as he was only a few feet away from the shed (It was like his body is forcing him to keep still and look at her). He adjusted his blurry eye sight and only then he realized that she's someone he knows. Thank the heavens it weren't a total stranger…or else he would've been the weirdest psycho in town.

Oh it's Yukiko. Hey Yukiko…! He'd been mentally giddy and for the third time he shook his head again, then bowed down in shame as he walked towards her. He cringed on his own inside monologue. It chilled to the bones, like it totally freaked himself out for sounding like a creeper.

As he got in the shed, he instantly thought how refreshing it was to see a woman in a kimono sitting on a bench and waiting for the still of rain. But this refreshing girl, Yukiko Amagi, only looked up from her sitting and gave Yuu a befuddled look while she hurriedly stopped doing her business.

Shoot. What the hell am I doing here? I could've just bowed and walked away.

"Hey", she said as she kept all her used tissue paper in her small trash bag, her fingers fumbling in rush and a few rolled sheets kept falling and falling. She must've been startled with the sudden company.

Uhm, you don't have to do that! Never mind me! Just do what you need to do and pretend I don't exist!

"Errr, uhm…so…" she mumbled when he failed to respond.

And since Yuu Narukami is ever so rude, he just kept staring at her, and he'd swear his mouth is slowly dropping open. He wanted to vanish right away for making her uncomfortable—Especially when she started rubbing off drizzles of water that sprinkled on her face…caused by nothing else than the umbrella he's still holding despite being under the shed.

I just brought rain inside her shade! Darn me.

"Uhmm…so you've gotten used to school yet? And the town? You know your way around, right?" She asked. Apprehensive and concerned.

She's nice. W-wai…what? Did she just think I was lost, that it took me until dawn just to get to this flood plain?

"I've never been out of this town so I wouldn't know how you feel."

Ah, she's modest too. Yuu could tell that her voice is trembling. He's already got the jest that she's a silent girl and only now that he realized how talking to others (especially to people being as strange like he is) must be so hard for her to do. What's terrible is, he haven't even said a word ever since he barged in!

I gotta at least be thankful of her effort and speak up.

"So..uhhm..H-how've you been with C-Chie then?" She stammered changing the subject. "You getting along with each other?" Yukiko asked again before Yuu could even keep up. A wind blew past them, sending chills that made the atmosphere between them colder than ever.

Then finally, "Y-yeah." Whew…he said something.

"Hmm." She smiled then looked away, eyes laid on the rippling river caused by the pattering rain. And it was a great idea focusing her gaze on a different horizon. It helped diminish the trembling of her soft voice, "Glad to hear that" she said.

"S-she's quite a handful though." Yuu added while he surveyed her with only his eyes subtly sliding to the corner, afraid that turning all of his head towards her would make her more anxious, thus make him seem a lot creepier.

"I-I see" she looked down. She doesn't sound disappointed though. Yuu could tell that there's a shy smile with her voice. "…but Chie's really a very trust worthy person. I always followed her and we hung out together and we were at the same class last year too" Yukiko mumbled details that Yuu have figured to be unnecessary. But nevertheless, he also figured that hearing a soft voice is better than his own, feuding inside his head about whether to believe something or not.

He remembered the note she accidentally handed him before and thought this would be a good chance (well not entirely good since it's already too late to read what's inside) to give it back. After all, 'Y.A.' for sure stands for Yukiko Amagi, right? So he reached for his pocket, shuffling the contents inside, trying to feel something that would resemble an envelope.

She looked back up to face him and must've realized that the creeper, Yuu Narukami, has been staring at her again OR maybe just realizing that she was already talking too much. Either way, it got her all the more flustered and uneasy. So without any more delay, she grasped for her umbrella, "I-it's raining really hard." She opened her pink and red Japanese parasol as she stood up from where she was sitting. "M-my mom got sick after the incident and all the media…I-I really should get going now."

She's taking care of her mom? Yukiko took a step away from him, then away from the shed, stepping down to the road. And as if to answer his unspoken question, she added "…the inn really needs me now". Swiftly, she bowed goodbye.

Wait! Your letter! He would've yelped but what the heck. She's already a couple of feet away now as she rushed out of sight, ruining her earlier efforts of rubbing of the spattering muddy water behind her kimono.

Yuu snickered to himself again, guess she doesn't care about her effort earlier. He kicked off one rolled sheet of used tissue paper, down to the wet ground.

He resumed heading home, but now with a totally different train of thought. Hmm…She actually 'talks' after all. Could it be that she's just awfully, painfully, terribly shy?

o~o~o~o~o~o

Yukiko Amagi is a blazing fire. Being hot is not the thing. That is, despite what Yuu Narukami once quoted: that there's nothing really that special about her at all (which he still thinks is valid), Yukiko seems to have the sun latching on her back, brightening any gloomy place she'd step on.

[012]

It was one afternoon at Junes Food Court, cloudy and dark, but still three second years from Yasogami High School is lounging on one of the big tables. Spreading notes and books, cramming for the up-coming exam.

Chie Satonaka is not the type who enjoys studying in groups. She splayed all her notes on the rectangular surface of the table, feeling ever so at home. She sipped on her soda, biting the straw every now and then and making up her mind what subject to study first. She has the most disorganized study routine that she really prefers to be alone whenever she does. But since cramming in a group of four (whith Yukiko's notes and maybe prying on how Narukami does studying) sounds fun, she accepted the invitation.

Yuu Narukami, the ever go-with-the-flow-guy that he is, didn't really care about hanging out or studying or whatever. He simply had nothing to do anyway, and an invitation came up, so why not? He sipped on his beverage, flipping his book over the page where he'd left off with the math problems.

And Yosuke Hanamara, the one who insisted to cram, is tuning in to his music and slurping his soda while flickering the empty pages of his notebook.

The three of them sat there in silence, trying to focus…but God knows where that focus is going. When all of Junes Food Court is having a leisurely afternoon, yeah sure, they'd be serious with studying. And by the way,Yosuke is already out of the game.

It wasn't really a noisy environment. Just a few groups of students, and maybe office workers and regular shoppers just bustling all over like they usually would. But it's nothing that could disrupt them from their cramming. Maybe not until a few students from their neighboring tables started fussing about…fawning over a person walking towards their proximity. And it was as if the gloom of the cloudy Junes atmosphere had dramatically dissipated with this arrival and even the regular shoppers, the kids and middle aged men had to look twice on who just passed by them.

"Sorry I'm late" Yukiko bowed slightly to greet her three cram-mates. She placed her notebooks on the table beside Chie's mass of papers. Good thing that Chie is facing Yosuke who only had one giant binder with him. But that also means that the empty seat will be facing Yuu Narukami. Well anyway, both of them looked like they don't care (But I guess we know better).

Yukiko saw that they have already started doing their thing, "You guys need anything? I'll just get myself soda…"

Chie beamed all of a sudden, "O-oh! Yukiko, better try their new-!"

"As long as it's not fatty, Chie…" The raven haired girl interjected, smiling sweetly to her friend as she clutched on her scarlet purse.

"I haven't even done suggesting yet! But yeah, it's something fatty. But why are you so concerned about it! You're not even fat." Her friend commented, slurping on her soda and nipping at the straw again. Chie nudged on Yosuke, just poking on his lazy fingers with her pen before the shaggy haired boy totally spaces out. "Right?" She prodded.

"Huh? Oh yeah…" Yosuke who was staring blankly at Yukiko's direction had snapped back to reality. He cleared his throat then added, "I've got to agree…"

Yukiko bowed her head meekly then brushed her fingertips on the edge of the table. Trying not to fidget. "Of course you're just saying that…"

"Of course we're not! Where's the fat in you? Is someone bullying you behind my back?!" Chie asked with her usual aggressive way.

"N-no! I-it's not like that…" Yukiko slightly shook her head, wiggling her shiny ebony tresses in perfection.

"Well…?" the shorter girl urged.

"Well… actually one tourist who comes by to the Onsen yearly told me I have gotten bigger."

"No way…"Chie was in awe, unbelieving how terribly a liar that rude tourist must be to drop ugly comments on her friend.

Well, while she was in shock, the boys on the other hand had simultaneously looked at each other for no reason...although both have shared that knowing look. Then Yosuke said, "That's probably a sick perv- I mean I barely even think you added an inch since the last time…"

Chie jabbed on Yosuke's elbow, causing his face to drop out of his hand. "What do you mean the last time?!"

"I mean the first time! The first time I've been here! Sheesh" He recovered his thinking (or spacing out) pose, propping his hand again to cup his pen and his chin. Yosuke sipped on his drink before looking at Yukiko again, "Say, was it a guy or a girl?"

"A guy…" She answered. Then Yukiko turned to her best friend again as if seeking byline "Chie, you know that photographer who comes by every summer?"

Yosuke snickered, "Sure enough. That pervert must've been checking you out." He wiggled his eyebrows then grinned while slurping on his soda. The three of them raised an eye on him. It takes one to know one after all. "What?! What else does he mean by you've gotten 'bigger'?" He searched for alliance in Yuu who was hypothetically on the same page as him. But the silver haired boy just turned to read his notes again, careful enough not to be as tactless at Yosuke had been.

Yukiko just felt awkward than ever and shied away from their table. "Well…I think I should get my drink now. Be right back." She smiled awkwardly then walked away. Wolfy howling from the boys on neighboring tables had started to tune up again. Up until the unknowing raven haired girl had reached to Counter, whispers had fumed all over the place.

"See what I mean?" Yosuke said a matter-of-fact-ly. He dropped his pen to raise both of his arms stretch. Then he slumped on his seat back again "Man, this sucks…"

"Why?" Chie asks while her eyes are still glued on the notebook she's now flipping.

"Because…it bums when a guy hang outs with a girl that every other guy on every corners are wolfing on. Right, Narukami?"

Yuu's eyes looked up as if to think it over, then nodded slowly in agreement.

Yosuke scooted nearer the light-brown haired girl's side of the table, snooping on what notes she's currently reading. "Chie…don't you get sick of these guys whispering about Yukiko all the time." He asked.

"Hmm" Chie paused flipping pages, and tilted her head up as if to think it over. "Well I guess after years I've fallen deaf to these jerks already. Although sometimes I know that's the reason why boys try to get friends with me at the first place…just to hit on Yukiko, you know." She glared at Yosuke whose face is merely a foot away from hers. Her stabbing eyes made him back out.

"HEY! Why are you looking at me like that?! For the record, she already denied me the chance way before I tried to be civil with you!" Yosuke complained, crossing his arms in front of him.

While there is truth on his claims, and besides she really had this boyish aura that increased the guys' affinity towards her, Chie still regarded him suspiciously. Darting him a sarcastic snickering stare saying yeah…sure…of course you don't have motives…

Then she giggled inwardly with her success as Yosuke is still wailing defensively. But both of them put a halt on it and at the same time, they turned their heads towards Yuu.

The silver-haired boy looked on his backside first, just making sure he was the one in question. Well he wasn't even sure if he was being wordlessly interrogated, but something tells him he needs to speak up to stop these two pairs of eyes in regarding him suspiciously. "Uhh…you made friends with me first?" He gave a shot of reasoning out.

"True." Chie agreed almost instantly.

Yosuke just scoffed and rolled his eyes on her before turning to his seatmate, "Whatever way…but, uhh…. So, are you up to the challenge?Yeah?"

Challenge?

o~o~o~o~o~o

[002]

It's not raining and the sunny bright sky makes Yuu Narukami more than just in a good mood walking to school without worrying about nasty puddle of rainwater splattering all over.

And just to accentuate his good mood, it's still eight-ten in the morning, which means he's actually 20 minutes early and he's already more than halfway towards the school. Yuu was tracing the streets he'd walked through going home with the girls yesterday, and there's already a couple of students aptly walking their way too.

Well, except for one who seems to be stuck in a trashcan for breakfast. Yuu usually thinks that the morning is just a bite of the whole cake of a day. And God forbid that he's right because his logic tells him that this person would be expecting a disaster.

He shouted for help and Yuu decided to pick him up. Just to sprinkle him a little bit of his good mood. Neh, why not?

And if his memory serves him correctly, as he helped the guy back on his feet…it appears to be the same guy who got trampled down yesterday by the Satonaka girl. Yuu wonders why he's almost not surprised this kid's hanging out in the garbage so early in the morning…the guy's been practically mirroring rotten luck since yesterday.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Thanks!" The guy fixed himself up, dusting his uniform back to at least a presentable level, then asked, "It's Narukami, right?"

Uhm. Yeah?

"Oh, sorry. I'm Hanamura, Yosuke. Nice to meet you." He reached his hand out for a brief handshake. Yuu took the offer. "Howdy, got used to this town yet?"

"Pretty much I think…" Aside from I don't have a choice, I really don't mind anyway since I'll be leaving next year.

Hanamura and he walked the way towards school, with his companion guiding his yellow bike along. As they neared the school, Yu saw the familiar girl in red sweater standing by the gate of the elevated school ground. Yukiko Amagi. She appears to be waiting for someone though.

"Thanks bud! You really helped me big time there" Hanamura started again.

"Sure. No problem." Yuu couldn't really focus on him right now though, his eyes had been flying out.

They were roughly twelve feet away from Amagi when he saw that lurker from yesterday approaching her. She looks apprehensive in dealing with the kid but soon enough, her short-haired friend ran dashing towards her. On the context of that, Yuu heard a couple of guys talking just in his background. They seem to have noticed the same thing that he did and went on their usual routine of gossiping. While completely ignoring Yosuke who seems to be talking about what this town is actually famous for.

"What school is that creep from?"

"Doesn't he know Yukiko is off limits?"

"Yeah. If he's going for Yukiko-san, he could've at least waited until she was alone to make a move, you know."

Well she was alone earlier when he approached. Yuu wanted to comment.

"You bet. Haven't you heard how difficult the Amagi challenge is?"

The 'Amagi Challenge'? Yuu felt his eyebrow raise just hearing the title.

"…and since you helped me out, what d'you think if you let me treat you some?" Oh yeah, Yosuke Hanamura. He exists. Yuu didn't really comprehend what Hanamura was talking about but obviously he's gonna make Yuu go with him somewhere for what it's worth.

"Uhh...no thanks." The silver haired boy casually declined. Not that I'm afraid you'd transmit sheer bad luck to me but to be frank, I'm not even sure what you're talking about, really.

"Come on! You don't actually have a particular somewhere you'd be after class right? Of course you don't! You're new here!" But Hanamura insisted.

The guys who were just talking behind them seemed to have walk past already. After all they are barely by the school gate this time.

"FINE!" Yuu heard the man grumble. "You bitch…."

What a foul mood. The strange guy who was just with Satonaka and Amagi stormed away. It was then they heard the first ring of the school bell. But before anything, both Hanamura and Narukami paused at where both the girls stood.

"What does he want from me?" Yukiko Amagi asked so befuddled, as if she didn't know. For Yuu Narukami, he wasn't really sure what business the girls had with the guy but the weirdo does seem awfully lot upset. And according to his accidental eavesdropping, the poor guy was probably asking her out. Or even maybe more.

"You seriously couldn't tell? He was asking you out on a date!" The short haired girl burst the bubble.

"Yo! Yukiko-san! Turned down another love-lorn fool?" Hanamura greeted Yukiko and Chie with a salute. "You got me the same way last year." He snickered.

"What? But I didn't! I don't remember I did that." Yukiko Amagi denied, more dazed than before.

"So, you wanna go out with me then?"

Man, that's smooth. Yuu could only imagine Yosuke Hanamura actually winking at her.

"Stupid!" Satonaka blew him such a resonant thud on his chest, then she turned to the silver haired boy. "Gooooood morning Narukami-san!"

"Good morning." Yuu bowed with his greeting both to her and to Amagi.

"So…." But unfortunately, Hanamura recovered without dropping the subject. He's obviously waiting for what Amagi has to say though and somehow, Yuu got a bit curious to what her answer is too.

"We'll be late for class. Let's hurry." She said.

Well. What an innocent but chilly response. With her reminder though, the four of them got on their feet again and rushed towards the school building.

"That oughta teach me to keep my hopes up." Hanamura didn't seem anything near upset at all. Good for him. One upset love-lorn-fool-storming-out-to-nowhere is already enough for this day.

I don't really get…what's with this Challenge thing anyway?

o~o~o~o~o~o

Well actually, how could one not tell?

Her hair was a rich shade of ebony. It flowed straightly, softly adorning her glowing, porcelain-like skin. Her almond eyes, framed by long lashes, were bright but dark at the same time, and it seemed to lighten the whole place. A straight nose, small plump lips—she seemed to be the picture of perfection. Had she walked in and the whole room lightens up. She swayed and the room felt like it's filled with magnets, moving in her ministrations. If she graced them with a smile then the flock of men would've fallen on their knees. If she chose to speak then her will is their command.

Any man would obviously fight a challenge for her.

It's almost a scientific fact.

Yukiko Amagi is obviously a beautiful girl, and what's more obvious is…she's too oblivious about it.


Author's Note:

Well…how do you like this short chapter? It's still kind of Yukiko-centric right? But well oh well, the Title is about her after all. Hope you got along with the flashbacks and such. I know you guys won't find it hard to tag along since you're fans anyway. But if you do, or if because I did a poor job of conveying time tables…then please let me know so I can work it out.

I know the shy, warm girls are kind of familiar but actually they're just hypothetical…for one, Chie was not shy. Well Rise was shy at first but she was actually more on the snobbish angle, and Ai was never shy (just plain snobby).

Thanks for reading. I'd appreciate your Reviews!