Okay, okay, okay- I KNOW I have a million other stories to update, but this idea wouldn't leave my head! …yes it'll contain fluff, but only a teeny bit.
I came up with this idea while talking with fellow-author, theIdiosocracy, after falling in love with her story "Hidden Affection". Thanks to her I was inspired with the concept of Makoto having a twin-sister (aka the Female-Protagonist). …I know more people have done this, but this author was the first to introduce me to the idea, so she gets the shout-out! (She also helped me come up with some ideas for the set-up, too, so that's another reason)
Also I never played the portable-version… but I want to soooo badly! …so if something seems amiss, I apologize.
I couldn't decide on a name for her either (didn't want to steal the one from theIdiosocracy), so I decided to give her the name 'Yuki Arisato'- based on Makoto's two last-names (he's either called Makoto Yuki or Minato Arisato… I chose Makoto Arisato for this little fic so we can have the best of both worlds XD)
I'm also including a recycled idea from Chapter 3 "Talk To Me"… You'll see it as the chapter goes on.
Read on, good readers!
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Setting: During various parts of the game, to the end.
Synopsis: Makoto receives a startling phone-call… and the cast is introduced to their new female protagonist.
Genre: Family/Friendship.
Disclaimer: All rights belong to Atlus.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"...Are you sure you'll be alright? I can stay if you need me too."
"This is a big opportunity, Makoto! Don't let me hold you back,"
"You're not holding me back- I just want to make sure you'll be okay without me. I wish you could have transferred, too…"
"Don't worry, I'll be fine! And I'll keep working hard so I can transfer to Gekkoukan High too. …Now, hurry and get on the train! You don't want to miss your audition for Persona 3. And let me know how it all goes- I want all the details!"
"Sure thing. I'll call you every weekend and tell you everything! Just… take care of yourself, okay? And… if they do anything to hurt you, tell me- I'll find a way to bring you to Iwatodai, transfer or not!"
"Ha ha, you worry too much, bro. I'm a tough girl, I can handle it! Now hurry up and go get famous!"
"Alright, alright… See ya, Yuki! I'll call you after I arrive!"
"Bye!"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*May*
"Hey, has anyone seen Makoto?" Yukari asked, as she walked into the lounge. "I haven't seen him since after rehearsal this afternoon,"
"Maybe he's going over lines for the next scene," Akihiko guessed.
"That's what I thought, but he wasn't in his room. Are you sure he didn't mention any plans?"
"Not to our knowledge. If he isn't in his room, he's probably hanging out with another friend, or attending a late after-school practice." Mitsuru answered.
"Yeah, but he normally lets us know…"
"Why are you so anxious about it, Yuka-tan?" Junpei asked, smirking as he did. "…Did you have plans of your own for him, before the next scene?"
Yukari blushed, giving Junpei a glare. "Ugh, don't be an idiot, Stupei… But he did say he wanted to go over our lines one more time before tonight. I'm just wondering what's taking him- it's already getting late,"
"Takeba is right," Mitsuru agreed, looking at her watch. "Our next rehearsal is less than an hour. Arisato is normally very punctual,"
"He's probably just killing time!" Junpei replied coolly, leaning back on the couch. "He'll be on the set by tonight, you'll see."
"Still… I get the feeling something is wrong," Yukari stated in concern.
"I get the feeling you worry too much, Yuka-tan. C'mon, we can start walking there now- we'll probably see him on the way,"
"Good idea. We can get some extra rehearsing in, too." Akihiko added.
Everyone began walking to the school, where the next scene was going to take place. Yukari kept her eyes peeled for any sign of their main-lead, Makoto Arisato, but saw no sign of him. He wasn't anywhere near Iwatodai Station, or hanging around the Strip Mall; no one saw him at Paulownia Mall; and he didn't seem to be in front of Gekkoukan High.
By this time, it was five minutes until the next scene, and the group was getting anxious. They saw Fuuka Yamagishi, their new co-star, sitting on a bench nearby, going over lines with a supporting character, Natsuki. "…and that's when I start apologizing to you." Natsuki was saying. "How does this sound? …*sob* Fuuka, I'm soooo sorry! So, so, SO sorry! Please forgive meee!"
"Um… maybe tone it down a little? Y-You don't want to overdo it too much," Fuuka shyly suggested.
"Yamagishi, have you've seen Arisato on the set, anywhere?" Mitsuru asked Fuuka. "We haven't seen him since this afternoon."
"I think I saw him walking around earlier. He was on his phone, so I didn't bother him,"
"He'd better not skip out. My parents won't let me miss cram-school twice!" Natsuki scoffed.
"I wonder what's keeping him?" Akihiko wondered. "You think he was hanging out at the Shrine with Maiko, again?"
"I doubt he'd hang out with her this late," Yukari stated, rubbing her arm- a nervous habit she had.
"Everyone, get to your places! Natsuki, head to the Dorm; Fuuka, start walking to the Tartarus set." Director Akitaya called. He then noticed the SEES cast. "Where's Makoto? I thought I told you all to be here at 11!"
"W-We don't know! I tried calling him, but the line was busy," Yukari told him. "We were hoping he'd be-"
"Here!" came a call, as Makoto came running around the corner. "I'm sorry I'm late…"
"Mako-man! What was keeping you, bud?" Junpei asked.
"Yeah, where were you?" Akihiko added.
"Sorry- I got a phone-call after our last scene. The reception was bad so I had to go up to the roof to hear anything." Makoto said.
"Must've been something important- you've been gone for hours!"
"Um, yeah sorry- I guess I lost track of time. I-I was going to be out here sooner, but I forgot which door was left unlocked…!"
"Who was it that called you?" Yukari asked.
"Save it for later, guys! We're on a tight schedule here!" Akitaya called. "Everyone to your places- and Junpei, if you botch up your lines one more time, I'm giving your role to the gofer!"
"…geez, accidentally cut a prop in half one time, and pay for it the rest of your life…" Junpei muttered under his breath.
Yukari rolled her eyes, walking into the building with Makoto, all the while wondering what kind of call nearly caused him to miss a rehearsal.
~Earlier~
"Are you serious?! W-Why didn't you go to the police?!"
"They wouldn't believe me. The bitch convinced them I wiped out on my bike, and wanted everyone to think she did it."
"…she just has an alibi for everything, doesn't she? …Yuki, just say the word, and I'll come home-"
"No way! You barely got started on the production. Besides, it's just a scratch- I'll just sign up for an after-school activity so I'm at home, less. …Speaking of which, tell me more about how you joined the Swim Team! And what's the new character like? What was her name, again?"
"Fuuka, and she's really nice- kind of shy, though. Swim Team is going good, too- Kazushi really knows how to push everyone to their fullest potential. He's more obsessed with training than Akihiko-senpai! …Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm FINE, bro. Tell me more about Iwatodai. I want all the details!"
"*sigh* Okay. …Well, Junpei cut a Shadow-prop's head off during practice, last week… The director's still pissed at him!"
"Ha ha, he's the class-clown you hang out with, right? He sounds like a riot! I hope I can meet him someday,"
"Ha ha, well be careful, he may try to ask you out on a date,"
"Very funny. …Speaking of which, how's things going with Yukari? Have you've asked her out yet, or still working on your charm?"
"Ha ha, I forgot how to laugh. We're just friends, sis. …Oh, shit! I forgot we were going to go over lines!"
"Well, don't just stand there, Casanova- go find her!"
"Watch the nicknames- Junpei already teases me about it enough. …I'll call you back next week, okay? And… stay at a friend's house or something, if you can. Just until you heal up,"
"Alright, if you say so, Mako-bro."
*click*
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*June*
Mitsuru was walking to the Student Council Room; even though it was Thursday, she felt she could catch up on some extra work and stay ahead of schedule, balancing schoolwork, rehearsals, and her valedictorian duties. She sighed- it was hard being the student-body president, sometimes.
She was about to unlock the door, when she realized it was already open. Someone was inside. Looking in, she noticed it was Makoto.
"I know, I know, you can handle it… but you shouldn't have to. …I know, exams are coming up- but you're my top priority. … What? …Of course I care about my friends. …Junpei? …Yeah, he's still pissed at me. …Ha ha, I'd love to see you chew him out- but it's alright. He just needs time to cool down-"
"Arisato." Mitsuru stated, entering the room.
"Gah! …Um, I'll call you back tonight, gotta go!" Makoto quickly hung up, turning to Mitsuru and giving a respectful bow. "I apologize for being here, Senpai. I received an important call and needed somewhere quiet to talk."
"…After school? You could have just exited the building and gone to the Dorm; or have gone to the rooftop- didn't you once say you get better reception there?"
"Yeah… but the reception was good here, too… Pardon my ignorance, Mitsuru-senpai."
"I would not call it ignorance… But I would like to know who you were speaking with, which involved you to have a quiet location."
Makoto rubbed the back of his neck- hiding something from Mitsuru was something that proved impossible. "A friend from my old hometown. She's been, um, having a tough time- mainly because of exams and finding work!"
Mitsuru eyed him, suspiciously; she had the feeling he wasn't giving her all the details…
Yet she decided not to get involved in his personal life, unless the situation was critical. "Very well. Next time, ask me first if you can use the Council room. …You can stay and help me with a few things, while you're here." The valedictorian stated. She then looked at him, sincere suspicion in her eyes. "And if you get another important call, I would like to be informed if it includes a critical situation- if someone you know is in trouble, you can be sure I'll find a way to help. …Do we have an understanding on that?"
Makoto nodded, bowing in respect again. "Yes, Senpai. Thank you."
Mitsuru smiled. "Good. …Now, you can help me prepare for our next meeting tomorrow. I would like to sort out a few things to discuss- did you ever find a lead on who was smoking in school? Odagiri has been questioning everyone about it."
"Not yet,"
Makoto helped Mitsuru work; as they did, Mitsuru would break out of her focus every couple minutes to look at the protagonist, wondering what was going through his mind. She turned back to her own work, deciding to leave it be.
For the time being.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*July*
Aigis sat on the beach with the others, relaxing after her first scene with the group. Fuuka sat beside her in a beach-chair, relaxing under the umbrella. "Yukeshima is so beautiful… I wish we could stay here for the whole summer," the shy-girl commented; she was still getting used to talking with everyone, mostly off-set.
"It is pretty relaxing… but I'm looking forward to going to Iwotodai." Aigis said, looking out at the ocean. "Yukeshima is a nice island, but it's so small and doesn't have much outside a beach and woods to walk in. When I heard they were looking for someone on the island to put in Persona 3, I signed up for auditions for a change of scenery, and to go to a better school. …I just hope everyone doesn't think I'm too weird, since I'll be acting like a robot most of the time!"
"Oh, don't worry, you'll fit in just fine…"
"…yes I took pictures. It's really beautiful here… I wish you were here, too…"
"Hm? …Did you hear that?" Fuuka looked around. "It sounds like someone talking…"
"It's coming from up the path. Let's see who it is," Aigis suggested, getting up and walking into the woods.
"W-Wait…!" Fuuka reluctantly followed, not exactly wanting to interrupt someone's conversation.
As they walked, the voice became more clear- and sounded familiar. "…We did a scene where Junpei, Akihiko and I had to hit on girls and try to score. …Ha ha, no he didn't get slapped. That would have been funny though. …Aki-senpai was actually nervous about it. …I'm serious! He had this stutter going on- I don't know whether it was an act or not. …Very funny, what do you think I am, a pervert? …Oh, like you'd be any different!"
"Makoto…?" Aigis guessed, as they went around the corner, seeing the protagonist walking up the path, talking on a cell-phone.
The main-lead hadn't noticed them. "We have a new character, too. …Aigis, she's playing a robot who hunts Shadows. …Geez, are you going to make that comment about EVERY girl who joins? Maybe I should ask them to let you join. …Summer camp, huh? Sounds fun. How long will you be there? …Good, that'll keep you away from them for a while… I'm sorry, I'm still getting used to not being there.…No, I didn't tell them anything, like I promised. I wish I could tell them about you… I'm sure they would understand. …Alright, but if you change your mind, let me know…"
"Who do you think he's talking to?" Aigis asked Fuuka in a whisper.
"Someone he doesn't want us to know about… W-We'd better not say anything," Fuuka replied. "C'mon, let's go back to the beach, before he notices us,"
"Alright," Sneaking off, the girls returned to the beach, though she overheard the last of the conversation.
"…my phone battery is about to die. I'll call you up next week. …Love you too," With that, Makoto hung up.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
*September*
"…right, I'll call you again. Just be careful- and if he tries it again, get on the next train here. …I'm serious, Yuki. If he lays a hand on you like that again, I want you to come to me. ...I don't care if she threatened him with a knife- that just makes me worry more. …Fine, but if anything happens again, I'm telling everyone. …Exams aren't important at the moment! …Okay, okay, I'll go study- but call me if anything happens!"
Makoto hung up the phone, sighing. It had been months, and he still couldn't stop worrying about Yuki. She was a strong girl, and managed to do well, especially since she was by herself at home most of the time… but once in a while, when a certain 'situation' came up, he wished he was back home…
"Who was that?"
"Gah!" Makoto jumped, turning around. Having been on the fifth floor, he didn't expect anyone to come up here… only to have forgotten the floor was Pharos' favorite hang-out. "Geez, Pharos, don't do that…"
"Sorry. I would have said something, but you were on the phone." Pharos gave him a concerned look. "…You look upset. Is there something wrong?"
"No... everything's fine." Makoto rubbed his eyes, sighing heavily. "I need to go study… Have you've been going over your lines?"
"Yes. …Who was that on the phone, though?"
"Just my- um, someone from my old hometown. We've been keeping in touch,"
"I see. …Are they in trouble? We could help, if you want,"
A lump formed in Makoto's throat. He wanted to tell everyone about Yuki- and how he wanted her to be with him in Iwatodai. But he couldn't- he had promised not to tell anyone of their predicament. She was independent and strong-willed- she didn't want anyone to worry… much less didn't want to hold him back from his chance at fame….An opportunity to get out of the hell-hole they lived in.
He just wished she was able to ace the auditions and get transferred to Gekkoukan High with him... but he was the only one who made it. She encouraged him to go, claiming she would find another way to get transferred.
Of course, Gekkoukan High was an exclusive High School. The only way someone could get in was if they had great grades, could afford the tuition… or earned a place in Persona 3, the director claiming he wanted to record everything at the school and make it feel as sincere as possible, with the characters attending it, taking classes, having exams- the works.
He wanted his sister to come to the school. Not just so she could have an escape as well… but also because it was a great place, full of great people.
But… she didn't want him to tell anyone about her. She wanted to make it there herself, not because someone was 'worried about her and wanted to save her'.
She was stubborn like that, sometimes…
"She's fine. It's nothing she can't handle," Makoto replied, feeling like he was lying through his teeth.
"Alright… if you say so," Pharos replied with a shrug, before walking off.
Makoto returned to his room to study… though found it hard, as he kept wondering how much longer Yuki could make it.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*October*
Shinji was walking with Ken and Aigis down the street. It was October 3rd, and they were supposed to rehearse for the next scene tomorrow night.
Only problem was Makoto failed to show up. The group went out to look for him, splitting up to search around the Dorm, Strip Mall, Paulownia Mall, and the Naganaki Shrine- four common places their friend always hung out at.
They had tried calling him, but the line was busy once again.
"Where do you think he is?" Ken asked. "Makoto barely misses a rehearsal!"
"He'd better have a good excuse, that's all I'm going to say." Shinji replied with a grunt.
They passed by the Shrine, and Aigis paused. "Listen," she said.
"…I'm glad you're doing alright. …Of course I'm worried- it's my job," It was Makoto. The others walked up the steps, seeing him sitting on a swing, talking on his phone.
"Makoto, there you are!" Ken exclaimed.
The protagonist gave a jolt. "I'll call you next week, I gotta go- bye!" he said hastily into his phone before hanging up. "…Um, hi guys. What's up?"
"You missed rehearsal- that's what's up, dipshit." Shinji sneered. "That phone-call better have been important!"
Makoto looked at his watch. "…Shit! I'm sorry guys- did everyone go home?"
"No, Akitaya-san sent us all to come look for you." Ken answered.
"Now let's get going! I don't want to be up all night pretending to die," Shinji sneered, walking off. Ken followed him.
Aigis walked beside Makoto, noticing his guilty expression. "Who were you talking to?" she asked in a whisper. "Was there an emergency?"
"N-no, just lost track of time," Makoto mumbled.
"Whoever you were talking to must be very close… Was it someone from your old hometown?"
Makoto gave her a look. "Let's just hurry to rehearsal, alright?" With that, he stormed ahead, passing Shinji and Ken.
"Whoa! What's his problem?" Ken asked, startled.
"Probably just pissed about being late." Shinji scoffed, nonchalant.
Aigis followed quietly, feeling as if she hit a nerve. She let out a sigh, mentally telling herself that Makoto would be fine.
But who was he talking to?
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*November*
Chidori sat up in the hospital bed, sighing heavily. Anytime the doctors wanted to say I could leave, that would be great. She thought, working on a sketch. She was beginning to grow tired of the blank walls, and the only source of color being some flowers that her friends brought in for her.
She looked up at the clock, seeing it read 3:20 PM. 3… 2... 1…
"Hey, Chidorica, how are you holding up today?"
Right on the dot. Chidori thought, looking over at her [frequent] visitor and co-star, Junpei. She gave him a small sneer. "Must you call me that every time you visit?" she scoffed, though had to smile.
He shrugged, taking a seat next to her bed. "Sorry, it's become a habit. …Anything new?"
"Nothing, as always. The doctors claim I won't be able to check out until sometime in December. My appendix is healed, but they still want me to do a bit of physical conditioning to make sure nothing else is ruptured,"
"Wow… they must really care about their patients at this hospital,"
Chidori shrugged. "Akitaya-san is paying them, and he DID claim he wants to make sure all the actors in the production are well. …Speaking of which, how is everyone? What's the new 'Ryoji' character like?"
Junpei laughed. "He's a real riot. …He hits on girls more than I do, though- Yukari actually stomped on his foot during one take. Funniest part is, it wasn't even in the script! Akitaya suggested they keep it in though, ha ha. …But other than that, he's pretty cool. Pharos sticks by him a lot, too."
"I did hear they were brothers. They must be close,"
"Meh, sort of- Ryoji sees his little bro as a pest, y'know like any older sibling would. He's been pretty fun on the set, and gets along with pretty much everyone- except the girls he flirts with, I think they're starting to catch on to his playboy nature."
Chidori smirked. "I guess he surpasses you on the 'pervert' scale, then."
"Hey… I'm not that perverted! …most of the time… *ahem* Anyway, I overheard something on my way here." He looked over his shoulder, as if making sure no one would come in.
"What was it?"
"Well… Makoto was talking on his cell-phone. I passed by the manga-shop at the Strip Mall, and saw him on a bench, chatting it up with someone. ...From what I could tell, it was a girl- and I think Makoto may like her. A LOT."
"What's so interesting about that? You didn't think Makoto would get a girlfriend?"
"No- I mean, I knew he could land one, I taught him everything I know! …But she lives out of town. I'm just wondering why he never told any of us he had a girl back home!"
Chidori shrugged. "Maybe she's not a girlfriend at all. Maybe she's really just a close relative, or an old friend." She continued to sketch. "Besides, I think he might already have a relationship with Yukari-san. They seemed to have grown close since production began."
"Yuka-tan? …geez, Mako-man really stepped up his A-Game…" he shook his head. "But, he's never really talked about his family, or old friends… and from the way he was talking to this chick, she sounded really important to him. Why hasn't he brought her up, yet?"
"Maybe it's never crossed his mind. With so many friends here, as well as so much to work on between school and rehearsal, he probably never considered it. …I wouldn't confront him about it, though."
Junpei looked at her- he was actually considering asking Makoto about this 'mystery girl'. "You wouldn't? Why?"
"Because it's none of my business. Plus, if Makoto found out you were spying on him, let alone bringing up a personal subject behind his back, it could put a strain on your friendship. I'm sure he'll bring it up in time- right now, there's a lot for all of you to focus on."
"What if I took a subtle approach? You know, get him talking about it without him realizing I overheard him?"
Chidori chuckled. "You're anything but subtle, Junpei."
Junpei stood up, giving her a look. "Hey, I'm good at keeping a low-profile…!" he turned to walk out-
*Clang!*
"OW!"
…bumping his knee on a metal stool in his path.
Chidori chuckled. "Yeah. Real smooth."
Junpei scowled. "...that has nothing to do with being subtle."
"I'm telling you, don't bring it up. Wait for him to say something,"
"*Sigh* Fine… But if he hasn't said anything by Christmas, I'm investigating!"
Chidori rolled her eyes. "Alright, he's your best-friend."
It was too bad Junpei would forget about the matter before Christmas.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*January*
Koromaru walked around the dorm, sniffing. It was late at night, and everyone was asleep. It was a routine for the Sheba Inu to patrol the Dorm, having developed such an attachment to the teenagers of the game that he deemed himself their official watchdog.
Normally he would just walk up and down the stairs, pausing to listen for any sounds of a disturbance, before returning to the lounge to sleep.
But when he sensed trouble, he would keep searching until he found the source of the problem and resolved it.
This was the case around 2 AM one night. Everyone had finished another scene, feeling exhausted as, since they were nearing the finale, there was a lot to work on- some scenes had to be done-over due to edits, lines had to be rehearsed to perfection, and the teens had to enhance their fighting-skills for when the time came for the final Boss scene with Nyx.
Yet someone seemed to be awake, still. A light was on in the room at the end of the hall on the second floor. Curious, Koromaru walked over; he sensed a bit of distress.
"No- this has gone too far… I never should have left you behind! …We're almost done with production. We're going to get February off, I'll come back then. …No, I'm not- what? …Really? But how? …When will you be here? …April? A-Are you sure you want to wait that long? I'm on pretty good terms with the producers, I could see if- huh? …*sigh* I don't want you staying there any longer, Yuki. I-It's a miracle you managed to last this long…"
Koromaru whimpered. Makoto sounded really upset. He scratched on the door, wanting to go in.
"H-hold on, sis… Koromaru's at the door. …Yeah, but he's a SMART dog- if I don't answer, he's going to carry on and wake up everyone. Of course, if you want me to tell everyone about you… I won't bring it up! I… I just really want to tell everyone about you, then you can meet them all when you come to Gekkoukan High. They'd be pissed if I didn't mention anything sooner… Okay, okay, we'll make it a surprise."
Koromaru scratched the door again. The door opened, and Makoto let him inside the room, still talking on the cell-phone.
"…Okay, sis. But this is the last time I'm telling you this- if either of them do anything, I'm coming and getting you myself. …Ha, you'd sing a different tune if I had Shinji and Mitsuru-senpai with me. …Ha ha, yeah right. …Love you too, night."
"Woof?" Koromaru yipped inquisitively, his head cocked to the side.
Makoto sat down on the bed, sighing. He then looked at the Sheba Inu, the pooch staring right at him- which was his way of getting answers… or table scraps. No one could resist the combat-canine's gaze of cuteness. Not even Shinji.
The protagonist looked around. It was after 2 in the morning; no one else was up, and he had been keeping his voice low enough so that no one (except the dog) could hear. He also wanted to get it off his chest, without breaking his promise to his sister- so talking to Koromaru was an ideal solution. The dog was a great listener, too.
"Promise to keep it between us?" Makoto asked Koromaru- he learned quick that the dog preferred to be spoken to as if he were another human, rather than hearing that cutesy 'baby talk' most people used on their pets.
"Arf," Koromaru responded, nodding his head.
Makoto took in a deep breath, letting it out as he sat on the bed. "I have a sister back in my old hometown. I've been calling her every week to tell her what's been going on, how I'm doing, and about all of you- but I also check up on her. You see… our parents are abusive. T-They don't beat us up ALL the time- just when they're really pissed about something, otherwise they just ignore us. …Yuki- my sister- came with me to audition for the game, so we could both transfer to Gekkoukan High and live at the Dorm. I was the only one who got the pass, and she insisted I take the chance- I told her that if anything happens, she can just say the word and I'd find a way to get her out of there, myself.
"She didn't want me to tell anyone about it- the cops never believed us whenever we reported the abuse, because our mom always made up some bullshit alibi. I guess she also didn't want any sympathy from others, either- she's pretty independent and strong, and she knows how to take care of herself; sometimes she'll stay with a friend just so she doesn't have to be at home. …She managed to save up enough money to transfer to Gekkoukan High in April- she's been working double-shifts and doing extra work. …I just wish she'd let me help. I mean, we get paid pretty good, right? I could have sent her the money so she could leave sooner!
"But… she didn't want to hold me back. She wanted to make it here on her own. I guess she was just tired of me always standing up for her- I always defended her when we were growing up… I ended up taking most of the hits and the trash-talk, just so she'd be spared. …I just think she's being stubborn, there's no reason for her to put up with our parents this long!"
Koromaru whimpered, resting his head on Makoto's lap. He wished he could protect Makoto's sister, too. If she didn't live so far away, he would run to their old house and guard her from their cruel parents.
Makoto rubbed his head. "…don't worry. Yuki is pretty strong- she doesn't want anyone to worry about her. …And look on the bright side, you'll be meeting her in April!"
The Sheba Inu's tail wagged. "Yip, yip!"
Makoto shushed him. "Remember, this is our little secret, okay? Don't tell anyone- it's going to be a surprise,"
"Woof," With a nod, Koromaru exited the room.
He made a plan in his mind- the day he'd meet Yuki, he would run up and lick her face as a way to show her comfort and a promise of protection.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*February*
It was the slowest month of the year- namely because the cast didn't have to return to the set until March, and were having a heck of a time getting used to a 'regular school' life.
It was lunch-time now; Mitsuru was in the Student Council room catching up on a few projects, while Akihiko went to have Hagakure with Shinji (who was skipping classes, per the norm). Fuuka, Yukari, Natsuki, Aigis, Yuko, and Chidori were sitting at the same table, talking about how they couldn't believe the production was almost over, and how much they were going to miss hanging out on the set.
"It feels so weird coming to school without having to worry about being caught on-camera," Fuuka stated, eating a rice-ball she had made in cooking-class; she grimaced a bit, finding it still had a bland-yet-sour taste- she would have to work on the recipe later.
"I find it to be a relief." Natsuki scoffed, eating some teriyaki she brought from home. "Now I know how celebrities feel about the paparazzi,"
"I know… I hope we won't have to deal with that," Yukari added, eating a sandwich. "But still… I'm going to miss it. I wonder if everyone will be allowed to keep attending Gekkoukan High after the production, though."
"I never thought of that…" Aigis considered, looking down at her food-tray, poking at some green gelatin. "I was hoping the studio would help fund the school's tuition, until we all graduated. …I don't want to return to Yukeshima so soon."
"Yeah… My folks had to transfer to a cheaper part of town- the only reason I was allowed to come back to finish this year was because I made enough money to pay for the final semester," Natsuki sighed.
"I wouldn't worry about it," Chidori replied, sipping a soda. She seemed the least concerned about the post-production.
"Oh yeah? Why not? You got in because of an art-scholarship and high grades… but your boyfriend only got in because he became a main-character. What are you going to do when Junpei has to go back to a regular school?"
"Natsuki-chan…!" Fuuka scolded in a whisper; she hated it when her friend tried to irk someone.
Chidori remained nonchalant to her remark, however. "He won't have to. He'll be attending Gekkoukan High again. …Everyone will, even our senpais."
"Huh?! W-What do you mean, Chidori?" Yukari asked, confused.
"I overheard Akitaya talking with the producers. …They plan on making a portable-version of the game. For that, they'll want all of us back on the set. The seniors won't have to attend school regularly since they're already graduating, they'll just be reenacting the scene,"
"But… why all the reenactment? Can't they just transfer all the data they've gained to the portable's cartridge?" Aigis questioned.
"I don't think so. …Especially since they want to add in a few changes."
"What kind of changes?" Fuuka asked.
"Yeah, Chi-san, fill us in!" Natsuki prodded.
*Riiiing!* went the bell, signaling the end of the lunch period.
"I'll tell you later," Chidori said, heading out.
Yukari shook her head. "She always has to act mysterious, doesn't she?" she commented.
"I wonder how she found out…" Fuuka stated as they walked down the hall.
"Maybe it's just a rumor- or she was just making it up," Natsuki scoffed.
Aigis rubbed her chin. "Perhaps we should ask Akitaya about it, later," she said. The girls agreed, and went off to their classrooms.
"…yeah, I'll call you next week. Bye," came a rushed voice, as Yukari saw Makoto walking down the stairs (from the roof, she could guess as he had his cell-phone). He pocketed his phone, barely avoiding missing her. "Oh, excuse me, Yukari."
Yukari walked beside him, giving him a look. This wasn't the first time she noticed him making a personal phone-call… and she was starting to get suspicious. "Who were you talking to?" she asked, keeping her tone more curious than wary.
"…Just a friend from my old hometown."
"I see. …You know, you never told me about your old hometown or any of your old friends. Why don't you tell me about this friend you've been calling?"
"Um… some other time. We have to get to class,"
"Okay- how about if we meet up after school, then?"
"I have Art Club, sorry."
"Tomorrow?"
"Meeting Akinari- look, I don't want to be late, Yukari. Let's go!" With that, Makoto hurried down the hall.
Yukari crossed her arms. Something was definitely up. She looked over, seeing Aigis was walking behind them, though quickly looked away. "Do YOU know anything about it, Aigis?" she asked- always being one to press for answers.
"I have seen him on the phone a lot… but it's none of our business, Yukari. If it were anything important, I'm sure Makoto would tell us." Aigis said.
"Yeah… unless it's another girl…" Yukari rubbed her arm. She had grown to like Makoto a bit since production started. If he secretly had another girlfriend…
"You think that's the case…?" Aigis asked; she was also unnerved by this, mainly because she felt close to Makoto as well. She shook her head. "M-Maybe we're overanalyzing this. For all we know, he could have been talking to more than one friend, or maybe a relative!"
"Still…" Yukari sighed. "I'll ask him about it when he's less stressed out. He's probably trying to catch up with a lot of schoolwork,"
Aigis nodded. She wanted to mention she tried talking to Makoto about it before while everyone had free-time, only to get the cold shoulder.
She took her seat in class, looking over at Makoto, who seemed to keep his eyes focused on his textbook. She looked at her own, wondering who her friend talked to every week that made him rack his nerves.
He'll tell us in time. I'm sure of it. Aigis assured herself.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
After school, Junpei, Akihiko, Ken, and Shinjiro were hanging out around the Naganaki Shrine, watching as Koromaru ran around. Apparently, the talk of a portable-release had spread like wildfire amongst the cast. "Man, can you believe it? We get to spend another year, here!" Junpei exclaimed.
"I know! I wonder what kind of changes they were talking about though. There's been a lot of gossip about it," Ken stated. "I heard we're going to be 'social-links' now. …I wonder why we weren't before?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Shinji scoffed, leaning against the jungle-gym. "They're going to include a new character-option… where the players can choose to be either Makoto's character- or a girl."
"Seriously?" Junpei exclaimed, then gave a grin. "So… I take it they'll have the option of dating one of US, right?"
"Not all of us- you won't be an option," Akihiko said.
"W-What?! Why not?!"
"Because you'll already have Chidori, dumbass. …I doubt your girlfriend would let you get away with cozying up to another woman, anyway." Shinji sneered.
"…oh, right. Ha ha, well I guess I'll have to be the heart-breaker for her, then."
"I just realized something. In the game, Ryoji's Shadow-character was sealed within Makoto's character, and afterwards Ryoji came to life." Ken stated, pondering aloud. "…does that mean that, if there's going to be a female protagonist, Ryoji's character will have to become a girl, too?"
"Pffftttt!" Junpei stifled a snicker, tipping over and leaning against a bench, trying not to keel-over in a fit of laughter. "Ha ha ah ha ha! Oh man…! I'm going to tell him you said that!"
"Calm down before you pop a lung," Akihiko chuckled.
Shinji only rolled his eyes. "You guys can keep cracking jokes. I'm heading back to the Dorm," he muttered, walking off.
"Arf, arf!" Koromaru barked, following him.
Junpei ceased his laughter, shaking his head. He patted Ken on the back. "You should tell that idea to Akitaya- that would be hilarious to see!" he said, holding back a chuckle.
"What's so funny about it? All I asked was if Ryoji's character would be a girl," Ken stated. Junpei chuckled again, and the youngest cast-member realized he worded that wrong. "…Wait! I mean, if he was going to be replaced by a girl, not become one!"
"…I think he'd drop out of the production if THAT were the case," Akihiko chuckled.
"Man… I can't wait to start the portable-scenes, now!" Junpei laughed. He then gave a jolt."Oh, shit- I forgot I was going to meet him at the manga-shop! See you dudes later!" he then took off.
Akihiko shrugged, and he, Ken, and Koromaru headed back to the Dorm. Up ahead, they saw Makoto walking out of the building, on his cell-phone. The boxing-champion paused, realizing there was a pattern. "Have you ever notice that Makoto always seems to go off in private, every week?" he whispered.
"Yeah… Pharos told me he was talking to a girl from his old hometown, once." Ken replied quietly. "I wonder who he keeps calling…"
"…For the last time, Kenji, I'm not being your wingman. …Because Elizabeth wouldn't be interested in dating a teenager!" Makoto was saying on his cell-phone. He sighed in irritation. "That wasn't a 'date'- the 'request' involved me showing her around the mall, nothing else! …I still don't think she'd go for you. …Look, I'm just being honest. …*sigh* Fine, you can try- but if you get slapped, don't say I didn't tell you. …You're more like Junpei than you realize. …Yes you are. …Oh, I have a whole list on how! One, you both are flirting with women. Two, you both lay on a lot of charm. Three…"
Akihiko rolled his eyes. "Never mind. I think we've been thinking about it too much," he stated with a chuckle.
"Woof," Koromaru responded, in a way that it would sound like, 'Sure, that's it!' in order to hide something.
Ken shrugged. "Oh well. It's his phone-call. If it were something important, I bet he'd tell us," he replied.
Koromaru held back a whimper. How he wished he could tell his friends how wrong they were…
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*March*
The day had come at last for the cast to begin the final scene.
They had spent the last week of February rehearsing it. It was difficult, as many of the teens felt emotional. During one rehearsal, Fuuka ended up crying, having to take five in order to calm down.
Hugs were exchanged, and several of the teens took pictures with one another- they had been doing so throughout the production. This time, they took one more photo- all the social-link characters, villain-leads, and main-characters standing in front of the school for one more group-portrait.
Once the take-cares had been exchanged, phone-numbers and emails swapped so everyone could keep in-touch until the next time, and everyone was able to say their lines without tears in their eyes (unless they were required), the camera-crews moved into the school's auditorium for Mitsuru's graduation speech, while another camera was set up on the roof for Makoto and Aigis' final scene.
Makoto lied on Aigis' lap… though he seemed a bit tense. Outside of feeling emotional about the final day on the set, something in the back of his mind was bothering him.
He had called his sister that morning, but received no answer. He left her a voice-mail, telling her to call back tonight… but he was worried. Over the past 44 weeks since he left, she had never- even once- missed one of his calls.
Aigis looked down at him, noticing he was tense. "Makoto… is something wrong?" she asked in a whisper, as their scene was going to start in under two minutes.
Makoto looked up at her. "I-I'm fine. Just spacing out…" he replied, giving her a reassuring smile.
He and Aigis had grown close since the production started. In a way, she reminded him of Yuki- though she seemed to look out for him, instead of vice-versa. Perhaps that's why they seemed to have bonded so well.
He really wished he could tell her- tell all his new friends- about his twin sister…
"Alright, time to wrap it up!" Akitaya exclaimed, then walked over to Aigis and Makoto. "Remember, you two- pretend this is really happening. I want raw emotions!"
"Yes, Akitaya-san." Aigis said with a nod, already wincing. She really didn't want to end the production so soon, already missing everyone.
Akitaya walked over to his chair. "Alright, cell-phones off people! Final scene, take one! ACTION!"
Aigis recited her lines, while Makoto lied there (being a 'blank slate' protagonist, he only had to do actions more than say lines); he only had to move to wipe tears away from her eyes, which made her giggle. The moment felt so real.
Then came the moment that would have every single player's heart aching- the moment he had to close his eyes, while the others came running up to the rooftop. Slowly, he shut his eyes…
*Pipipipipi! Pipipipipi! Pipipipipi!*
"CUT! Who left their cell-phone on?!" Akitaya shouted.
Makoto gasped, sitting up. He took out his cell-phone. "I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, while looking at the number. …A number he had listed in his phone ages ago, and he felt his heart stop. "Shit…" He then stood up and walked off.
"M-Makoto… we're in the middle of a scene!" Yukari called to him.
"I'm sorry- it's important!" After that, he ignored everyone, answering the phone. "...Yes? …W-What happened?!"
Everyone looked over at the protagonist as he stood still, listening to whoever was on the other line, very carefully. His eyes widened in shock and despair, a hint of anger in the mix. His eyes seemed to be misty, and he made a fist, which began to shake.
"Who is it…?" Fuuka asked Aigis, both of them recalling the incident back in Yukeshima.
"I don't like the looks of this…" Akihiko whispered, noticing his friend's distress.
Mitsuru tensed, having a feeling it was 'that' kind of phone call- the one she had told Makoto to inform her about. She noticed Yukari was tense as well. "Takeba… do you know who it is?" she asked in a whisper.
"I wish I did, Senpai…" Yukari replied, wishing she had been more assertive in getting answers from Makoto.
"…Y-yes, I'll be there as soon as I can! …Please do whatever you can to save her- I'll pay for the surgery and everything! …T-Thank you…" Makoto finished, holding in a choked sob. He hung up the phone… then slammed his fist on the side of the wall. "FUCK!"
"Makoto! What the hell is going on? Who WAS that?!" Akitaya demanded, more concerned about the protagonist than he was irritated that the scene had been interrupted.
"It was a nurse at the… the hospital in my old hometown. I-I'm sorry, Akitaya, but I have to go back home, immediately! It's an emergency!" Makoto rushed towards the stairs.
However, Mitsuru stepped in his way. "Not so fast. What's the emergency?" she demanded.
"Yeah, buddy, what happened?" Junpei asked. "Fill us in, already!"
"I… I can't tell you- there's no time, I have to hurry!" Makoto stammered, tears streaking down his eyes.
Everyone exchanged panicked glances. They had never seen Makoto so upset- especially for someone who could hide his emotions so well!
"Then… we will go with you." Aigis stated. "You can tell us everything on the way there,"
Makoto looked at his friends, his heart pounding. He didn't want to break his promise… but at the same time, he didn't want to hide anything from his friends, either. He looked over at the director, who gave a nod. "We'll all go," he stated, turning to the crew. "Postpone the scene, guys- save what we've gained so far, and we'll continue from here when we get back!"
The protagonist sniffled, then continued on- all his friends following.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Everyone got on the train that afternoon, heading to Makoto's old hometown. It was a four-hour trip, and the protagonist remained quiet, staring out the window. Aigis sat by him in support; Koromaru- as if sensing there had been something wrong the whole day- managed to meet them at the station, and was sitting on the other side of him.
He wasn't the only one who met everyone at the station. Shinji, Chidori, Ryoji, Pharos, and Ken heard about Makoto's breakdown, and got on the train as well. Takaya, Jin, and all of the Social-Link characters wanted to come too, but the train was already getting full, and a few of them didn't have enough money for tickets. They only gave their condolences, promising they would be waiting and praying for their friend.
The others were in another state-room; they decided not to press their friend for answers, until he had calmed down. "…okay. Has Makoto told ANY of you about someone in his hometown?" Junpei asked. Being the main-character's best-friend, he was a bit unnerved about being kept in the dark- especially when the subject caused Makoto such distress.
"Arf," Koromaru spoke up first… though unless someone could speak dog, his statement was ignored.
"I recall him talking on his cell-phone to someone, often." Pharos replied next, thinking back. "Sometimes he would be happy- joking and laughing with her… but one time I saw him concerned like something happened, but he claimed he was only stressed because of exams."
"Didn't you once bring up overhearing a conversation of his, Junpei?" Chidori recalled.
"Yeah… I must have forgotten…" Junpei muttered, hanging his head low.
Aigis and Fuuka exchanged glances, then the shy-girl cleared her throat. "Aigis and I remember hearing him talking to someone, too, back in Yukeshima- but it sounded personal, so we didn't bring it up either." She admitted.
"I knew he was talking to someone… I kept asking him who it could be, but he kept telling me he had stuff to do and ignored the subject," Yukari replied, wincing. "I wanted to press for answers, but I didn't want him to get mad at me for being so nosy,"
"…That's never stopped you before," Shinji commented, earning a glare from Yukari.
"Hey… that would explain why he would be late for rehearsal, some days!" Ken brought up. "Like he did back in October- he said he was talking to someone and lost track of time!"
"I recall him walking off after rehearsal, claiming he had to make a call," Akihiko added, considering this.
"But why the hell didn't he tell us anything?!" Junpei demanded, pissed-off that his best-friend was hiding something like this big from him."Who's in the hospital that's so important, and why didn't Makoto ever bring her up?!"
"I have a theory," Ryoji said, leaning back. "It's probably a girlfriend of his."
"A-A girlfriend?!" Yukari repeated, a bit stunned. "No way… H-He couldn't have a girlfriend! …Could he?"
"That wouldn't make any sense- why would he keep her secret?" Ken scoffed.
"Because he wanted to keep the relationship a secret- so secret, that he couldn't even tell his closest friends about the relationship." Ryoji theorized. "I've seen it before. Maybe this girl is in a lower social-class, and for the sake of nobility Makoto can't risk his parents finding out. ...Or, maybe she's a different age- younger or older enough that Makoto would get in major trouble if people found out! …Something along those lines,"
"I think he'd still tell us, Ryoji." Akihiko scoffed. "It has to be something more important…"
Junpei then stood up. "Well, I'm not going to sit around guessing. I'm getting answers!" he snapped, storming out of the stateroom.
"Hey, wait-!" Yukari called, but he was already rushing to Makoto's stateroom. She stood up, running after him before he could do anything to make the protagonist feel worse.
Makoto was still sitting quietly with Aigis and Koromaru, when Junpei charged in. "Junpei-san?" Aigis gasped.
Junpei took the vacant seat across from Makoto, locking eye-contact with him. "Who's in the hospital?" he asked, trying his best to keep his tone even, though it proved difficult. "And why didn't you tell us about her before?!"
"Junpei!" Yukari scolded, entering next before Makoto could respond. "Geez, can't you calm down before you confront someone?!"
"How can I stay calm?! How can ANY of you be calm?! This is fucking serious, Yukari-!"
"Which is why you need to chill out and think, first!"
"About WHAT?! Why my best friend has been hiding something from me- from ALL OF US- for the past year?!" he looked back at Makoto- at this point, Aigis was holding his hand tight, and Koromaru was growling softly as if scolding the class-clown. "Who is she?!"
The protagonist was quiet; his eyes were still misty. He opened his mouth, only to close it again, as if trying to figure out how to explain everything.
By this point, the others came over, standing in the doorway, though staying quiet. Aigis looked over at them, giving them a 'What should we do?!' type of look.
Koromaru looked up at Makoto. The protagonist looked down at the dog, remembering the secret confession he had with the dog some time ago.
Sighing, he looked at Junpei, who was still waiting for an answer, a stern look on his face.
"She's my sister, Yuki." Makoto finally confessed.
"Wow, I was WAY off!" Ryoji commented. Shinji elbowed him in the ribs to shut up. "Oof!"
The protagonist continued. "…Twin-sister, to be exact. We were really close growing up- namely because our parents barely took care of us." He told them the same story he had recited to Koromaru.
This time, he included details of the past year. Yuki managed to do well on her own- mostly just avoiding interaction with their parents altogether, getting a part-time job in order to save up money, working at a summer-camp, as well as working on increasing her academics- whatever she could to attend Gekkoukan High in their senior year.
Unfortunately, she wasn't able to avoid abuse all the time. Their mother would smack her across the face, claiming she was a disappointment, wishing she had left with Makoto so both parents wouldn't have to deal with such a burden; their father would snap at her for not doing enough housework, claiming she was an embarrassment to have as a daughter. She was lucky she only had to deal with this sort of thing every few weeks, Makoto commented.
But things got worse. It turned out their mother had become pregnant with another child, but suffered a miscarriage. Despite she never wanted any more kids, she felt depressed- the doctor's claimed it was a natural response. She wouldn't let her husband touch her…
…so he went after Yuki. At first the twin-sister believed that the tragedy made the man think twice about how he was treating his children and that he should cherish them, as he started acting kind to her and wanting to spend more time with her. It wasn't until he tried to molest her that Yuki realized what his true intentions were- their mother managed to stop him, threatening him with a knife… but not to defend her child. "The last thing we need is some pregnant teenager to deal with! If you're so damned horny, go find a hooker!" she had snarled, then kicked him out of the house for a week.
When he came back, he went back to smacking Yuki, claiming it was her fault their mother was so miserable. She started pulling double-shifts at work just so she wouldn't be at home so much.
Despite all this, Yuki held strong, assuring her brother she could handle herself, and sharing good news that she would soon be moving into the Dorm in April. Afterwards, she kept sharing good news with Makoto, throughout the month of February, growing more and more excited with each passing day, counting down until she saw him and met his friends…
That was last week.
This week, the hospital called.
Apparently, Yuki got into a fight with her mother, ending up pushed down the stairs and hitting her head. They lived out in the country, so no one heard the disturbance…
Thankfully, one of Yuki's teachers had come by, wishing to speak with her parents as they didn't show up for a parent-teacher conference, based on Yuki's transfer (as she never told them about it). When she saw her student lying unconscious at the bottom of the steps, she immediately called 911.
Police arrived with an ambulance. This time, the parents were taken in for questioning.
At the moment, Yuki was in the hospital, showing signs of a concussion, sprained arm, and a broken ribcage.
Makoto was crying by this point. "…I'm such an idiot…" he whispered, sobbing. "I wanted to tell you guys… but Yuki wouldn't let me… she didn't want to feel like she needed rescuing…"
"That's still a bad excuse, Arisato." Mitsuru stated, firmly. "In cases like these, when a victim claims they'll be alright, it's actually a cry for help. She was probably hoping you would tell us! We could have helped!"
"How?!" Makoto snapped- and no one had ever heard him raise his voice… especially to Mitsuru! "How would telling anyone help?! We went to the fucking police, but they didn't do shit! We told friends, we told teachers… but they kept telling us to go to the police or run away. We were on our own! We had no one to rely on except each other! …That's why I joined Persona 3- not just to get out, but also so I could make enough money so my sister and I could start a new life, away from them. I didn't… I didn't say anything because… in the back of my mind… I didn't think it would help,"
A hand gripped his shoulder, and he looked up at Akihiko. "WE would have helped. We would've found a way to bring Yuki here," Akihiko told him. "If my sister were in that position… you can bet your ass I would be rounding up everyone to bring her with me!"
"Yeah, Makoto… I mean, you've known us all for a year! You should've known we'd figure something out!" Yukari added.
Makoto wiped his eyes. "I know… I'm sorry… I just kept thinking about Yuki- she was so stubborn, wanting to make it on her own… She didn't want help from me at all- she kept saying it would just hold me back, and told me to stop worrying… but I couldn't- and at the same time, I didn't want to break the promise I made to her… we never broke each other's promises…" he put his face in his hands. "…I'm such a dumbass…"
"Yeah. You are." Junpei put, bluntly. "Dude, you could've just told us you had a sister back home- maybe we could've found a way for her to come visit, just to give her a break! Hell, Akitaya would've found a role for her once he learned she was your twin-sister!"
"More importantly- you should've told us you had a sister, PERIOD!" Ryoji exclaimed. "Seriously! I know the abuse is a major subject, and I'd be happy to kill the bastards for hurting both of you- but I can't get over the fact that you didn't tell us YOU HAD A SISTER! …Wait, you two don't look alike, do you?"
"Shut up, already!" Shinji snapped, smacking Ryoji upside the head- really hard, as the teen seemed to have swirls in his eyes.
Makoto sighed, hanging his head low. "I should've known something like this would happen…" he muttered, clenching his fists. "I should have gone back for her after the first month! ..now she's in the hospital."
"Well… you've learned your lesson, haven't you?" Pharos stated, walking over to Makoto. "I can understand Yuki's situation- I would want to be strong too, if my brother was always looking out for me, and would want him to have a good life and not worry about me. …but at the same time, I would also want him with me during tough times, and to keep telling people that something was wrong. I think your problem was, because so many people failed to help you, you lost hope in help from others- even from the closest of friends."
Makoto looked at him, then at the ground. The kid was wise for someone so young…
"But, it's okay now. We're all here for you, and we're going to make sure your sister comes home with us, once she gets better." Pharos gave him a smile. "I can't wait to meet her."
"M-Me too. Maybe we can buy her some presents once we arrive, to help her feel better!" Ken added.
"Yeah, Makoto- tell us more about her!" Fuuka added.
"It's better late than never," Mitsuru agreed.
Makoto sighed, but nodded. "Okay… Well, she's a little like- actually, a LOT like me. She likes to read a lot of manga, play videogames, and she signed up for the Track Team. She works part-time at a bookstore, and started moonlighting as a waitress at our favorite café. She loves to crack jokes too- she kept making remarks, calling me a 'ladies man' after I told her about meeting Mitsuru, Yukari, Fuuka, and Aigis… I told her all about you guys. She said she didn't want me telling you all about her, because she just wanted to surprise everyone and see a reaction- she's funny like that."
As Makoto went on, Junpei stood up, making more room so the others could come in. He stepped out into the hall after a few minutes, looking out the window.
Chidori followed, noticing he still had an irritated look on his face. "…You're still mad at him, aren't you?" she guessed.
"Of course I am! Who would hide something like this- especially when their sister is suffering?!" Junpei groused, clenching his fist. The Gothic-Lolita character rested a hand on his arm, which helped him to calm down. "…I just wish he trusted us more to tell us…"
"You have to understand his situation, though. Being abused by those who are supposed to love you, no one offering a hand to help, having to live independently since childhood… I think he's still learning to trust anyone." She looked out the window, seeing their reflections mixing in with a mountain-range. "That is one thing that is fragile in this world. When someone's trust is broken, it is hard to mend…"
"But he could trust us! We could have helped…"
She looked up at him. "You're all helping now. …A year, though it seems long, still goes by too fast for one broken-spirit to heal; but with friends like us- like you- I believe he has started to heal. …I think he's always trust you- only sharing a little of it at a time, in fear of being hurt again. In time, he will be able to rely on others, more than himself."
"Yeah… dammit, I should've asked him about that call, though!"
"You're not the only one who made that mistake…" came a voice, and they looked over and saw Aigis walking out. "When I first heard him talking to Yuki… something in my heart told me something was wrong, even though I barely knew him at the time. But he was so intent on keeping it a secret that Fuuka and I respected his privacy. …I tried again in October, but I didn't want to upset him, so I left it alone…"
"…I guess we all should have said something," Chidori realized. "No one ever asked him about his hometown, or about his family- we all pretty much bonded so well that nothing of the sort crossed our minds,"
"Yeah, well… I'm not making THAT mistake again. Next time I get the feeling ANY of my friends are hiding something, I'm going to find out what it is!" Junpei stated, then grinned. "…Besides, we're all friends- there should be no secrets between any of us!"
"Quite right… So, Chidori, what did you think about the scene we had at the hot-springs?" Aigis asked, changing the subject.
Chidori arched an eyebrow. "WHAT hot-springs scene?" she asked, while giving Junpei a look.
"U-Um, it's nothing! It was just a gag-scene Akitaya came up with…!" Junpei stammered, blushing; he turned to Aigis, lowering his voice to a whisper. "(I wasn't going to tell her about that part, Aigis!)"
"I thought you didn't want anyone keeping secrets, anymore." Aigis replied, innocently.
"I mean if the secrets are something serious- humiliating ones are different!"
Chidori smirked, looking at Aigis and walking off with her. "Tell me all about it, Aigis…" she insisted.
"Okay. Well, we took a field-tip to Kyoto, and we had to do this scene where Akihiko, Makoto, Ryoji, and Junpei ended up staying in the hot-springs, until the women's session started-"
"AIGIS, SHUT UP!" Junpei begged/shouted.
"What happened?" Chidori pressed, grinning as she watched her boyfriend's face go from pink to crimson.
"Well, two things happened- either the boys managed to hide and avoid trouble, or they got caught and would end up facing Mitsuru's wrath… it depends on how the player does. We were all nervous about it at first, since we only had to wear towels, but the tension lightened up after Junpei accidentally lost his-"
"OKAY, AIGIS, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Junpei stammered, clapping his hands over Aigis' mouth; he looked at Chidori, his face completely red. "Ah, ha ha ha… S-She's just joking, Chi! I-I guess my ad-libbing lessons paid off, eh heh…"
"Huh. …Well, it would explain the picture Ryoji posted on his Myspace page. I always thought it was photoshopped," Chidori stated, slyly.
Junpei's eyes widened in horror. "What picture?!"
The train then came to a slow halt, as everyone walked out. "Never mind. It's not important," Chidori walked off with a smirk.
"Wait a minute…! Chidori!" Junpei followed after her.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The group arrived at the hospital 20 minutes later… which was fortunate, as Ryoji needed to get his ribs and skull checked for fractures (courtesy of Shinji). Makoto asked which room Yuki was in, before a nurse showed him the way.
Everyone else waited in the hall, allowing the protagonist to visit his sister in private.
He felt his heart stop the moment he saw the condition she was in. Her head was bandaged as well as her ribcage, she had a large bruise on the side of her face, her lip was cut (having stitches) and her arm was in a sling. She had an IV tube attached to her good-arm, and was also on a respirator.
The quiet *beep, beep, beep* of a heart-monitor was the only sound in the room.
"Yuki…" Makoto whispered, his eyes filling with tears once more. "I'm so sorry… I should have done something…" he sat down beside the bed, resting his head on his arms and sobbing beside her. "I knew you were strong… I thought you would be alright… but I knew something was wrong- and I didn't do a damn thing!"
Yukari watched from the doorway, wincing. She was about to walk in and comfort him, when she noticed Yuki shift.
"Ugh… my head…" The twin-sister groaned, waking up; her vision adjusted, and once she realized she was in a hospital, she began to panic. "W-What happened…?! Where am I?!"
"Y-Yuki!" Makoto gasped, lifting his head and looking at her.
"M…Makoto?! W-What are you doing here?! What's going on…?!"
*beepbeepbeepbeep!* the heart-monitor was picking up speed.
Makoto held his sister's [good] hand. "Shh, it's alright, sis… I'm here now. Mom… she pushed you down the stairs." He explained. "H-How do you feel? The doctors said you might have a concussion…"
"Well, I'm in incredible pain, if that tells you anything… W-Why are you crying?"
"I… I'm so ashamed…" Makoto sobbed again, pouring out his feelings- how he was worried about her but kept everything secret; how guilty he felt for holding it back from his friends; and how he blames himself for her condition. "…I should have done something. Everyone… we all could have done something! But now… it's too late, and you ended up here…"
Yuki watched as her brother sobbed, before reaching up and rubbing his head. "Hey. I'm still alive. Sure, my head hurts like crazy, but I'll pull through. …I know you feel at-fault, but don't blame yourself. I was the one who told you to keep your mouth shut- I just didn't want to feel like you had to take care of me all the time. You had to protect me for years- taking most if not all the beatings, not getting to hang out with friends because you always walked home with me, and pretty much acting like my guardian more than my brother…
"I didn't want you telling anyone, so they wouldn't pressure you into coming back to me. Yeah, there were times I wanted you here- but just talking to you, learning you were making it big and living your life… it motivated me to stay strong and work harder to get out of this place, too! 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger', right?"
"Still… everyone was upset that I never mentioned you…"
"Everyone has their own personal secrets, bro. But, they know now, so things will be okay…" she looked down at her blankets, guiltily. "But, you have a point… From all you've told me, I bet they could've helped out- maybe finally landed those bastards in prison." She sighed. "I let my pride do this to me… I wanted to save myself- saving up money, working hard, doing all I could… but it was all in vain."
"What do you mean? D-Don't you have enough money saved…?"
"Yeah… that's how I ended up being sent down the stairs." She clenched her fist, her expression pissed. "I caught Mom rooting through my room, stealing all the cash I had stashed away; she claimed I had no use for it, claiming a 'tramp like me' wouldn't make it in the real world anyway. …We got in a fight, and she sent me down the stairs. …Chances are, she and Dad are using the money to buy plane-tickets to skip town."
"That's horrible!" Yukari snapped, entering the room. "You have to tell this to the police! We can help you convince them!"
Yuki looked at Yukari, surprised… then noticed the others out in the hall. "Whoa, bro- you didn't tell me you brought the whole cast!" she looked at her brother. "…So, are you going to introduce me, or are you going to keep pretending to be an only-child?"
Makoto motioned the others to come in. "Everyone, this is my sister, Yuki Arisato," he said, then turned to his sister. "Yuki, this is Mitsuru, Akihiko, Shinjiro, Junpei, Ken, Pharos, Chidori, Aigis, Fuuka… and you'll meet Ryoji once the doctors are done examining his head,"
"Woof woof!" Koromaru barked, bounding into the room; he ran up to the bed and licked Yuki's face.
"…Oh, yeah- and Koromaru, our favorite dog."
"Aww, he's so cute!" Yuki stated, rubbing Koromaru behind the ear.
"We can help with your situation, Arisato." Mitsuru spoke up, walking over to Yuki. "We can hire a lawyer to testify against your parents in court, and have them sent away for their abuse."
"And you can come stay at the Dorm with us!" Yukari added. "I know you want to handle it yourself, Yuki… but I'm willing to pitch in and help pay for your transfer!"
"You guys don't have to do that… well, except getting our parents thrown in jail. That will be a favor for both Makoto and I," Yuki replied.
"Just come with us… no one will shut up unless you accept, anyway." Shinji scoffed.
Makoto looked at his sister. "Please come, Yuki… Iwotadai is a great place- and I've started a savings account so we can move into an apartment after we graduate!"
"Always looking out for me, aren't you?" Yuki rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Fine… but only if I haven't found a new job and a place of my own by then! A lot can happen in a year,"
"Great to hear! And I think you'll have enough money to do so before then," came a voice, as Director Akitaya walked in. "That is, if you're willing to accept our offer,"
"What offer?" Makoto asked.
"We're making a portable version of the game- this time, the players will have the option of choosing a female character… On the way, I figured we could ask Yuki if she would like to accept the role- if she's anything like you, she would fit perfectly."
"Are you kidding?! …I accept!" Yuki exclaimed. She gave her brother a nudge. "Mako-bro is always going on about how fun it is on the set… now I can finally see what he's talking about."
"Yeah, and you'll get to hang out with all of us!" Ken exclaimed.
"Maybe even date one of us…" Junpei said with a smirk- until Chidori yanked him by the ear. "AH! Except me! Except me!"
"So, it's decided- Yuki will be coming back with us, and we'll start working on the portable-game scenes in April." Akitaya said. "That should give you enough time to settle in,"
There came a sound of rushed footsteps, and Ryoji stumbled into the room. "Did I hear right?! Yuki is coming with us- WOW!" he exclaimed (and everyone noticed the small bandage on his hand). His eyes widened when he looked at Yuki. "You look… SO unlike your brother! Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No," Yuki replied with a chuckle.
Ryoji moved closer. "…Would you like one?"
"Down boy," Junpei joked, tugging Ryoji back by the scarf.
Makoto rolled his eyes. "Yeah… with HIM around, I'll probably be watching out for you a LOT more," he commented, making his sister laugh.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Once visiting hours were over, everyone had to leave; Makoto wished his sister well, promising to visit her often until she was ready to check out. Akitaya also advised they could go to their old house and pack up her things to move into the Dorm immediately, as well as inform her teachers about her early transfer.
Makoto went with Shinjiro, Akihiko, and Junpei to help move her stuff. His parents weren't home- maybe the police finally caught on and they were already in jail. That's what he was hoping for, anyway.
Once Yuki's things were packed up and moved into a truck, he saw a car pull up. Out stepped his father, who looked around in shock and confusion, until he noticed his son standing there. "…Makoto." He said in greeting, awkwardly.
"Father." Makoto muttered. He approached him. "Where's mom?"
"…the courthouse. I assume you're here because of Yuki."
"That's right. …I'm taking her back to Iwatodai with me. She's going to live in the Dorm with all of us,"
"…I see."
"I told everyone about you and mom."
"So I've guessed… Yuki's teacher made a report. We're going to be on trial... I don't need to ask if you'll be testifying against us,"
"I will. And so will Yuki. …You both should have been sent to jail years ago," Makoto's fists clenched, though he managed to keep his tone and expression calm.
His father looked away. "I suppose it's too late to apologize. You're mother and I never wanted kids- it was too stressful for us,"
"…Then you should have just found us new parents. It's too late now… See you in court," With that, Makoto walked away with his friends, climbing into the car with them and driving away.
He looked out the back windshield, watching as his father- head-down- walked back into the house…
"Don't bother looking back," Shinji told him, sitting beside him. "There's nothing worth looking at,"
Makoto nodded, looking ahead.
As the car drove on, all he could think about were all the years of abuse, every day he was worried about his sister, how hard they both worked in order to escape…
Now, they were both free to start over.
He closed his eyes, resting in a way he never felt he would be able to. And he knew his sister would be able to do the same as well.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
~Some Time Later~
Makoto walked to the front of the school. He paused, overhearing a conversation by two girls.
"Did you hear? We've got a new student!" the first girl stated in excitement.
"Another one? …*gasp* You think Ryoji-kun transferred back?" the second guessed.
"No. This time it's a girl. …I heard she's related to one of the Persona 3 characters!"
"No. Way. …Hey! I heard they're going to be doing more scenes at school! You think we'll be included again?"
"I hope so! It would be cool if we got to be main-characters this time, instead of just 'gossiping girls',"
"Ugh, I know. …Why do you think they labeled us like that? It's not like we talk about everything!"
"Tell me about it!"
The first bell rang, and Makoto and the gossiping girls walked into the building. He entered the classroom…
Smiling when he saw Yuki standing in the front of the classroom, talking to some friends; her bruises had faded, she no longer wore bandages, and outside of a tiny scar on her lip (which was also began to fade) there were barely any signs of her abuse. She was talking to Yukari and a few other girls, telling them about herself.
She looked so happy. So calm. Laughing and smiling, knowing she could hang out with friends just for the sake of hanging out, not to hide from someone; there was peace in her eyes, as if she had been liberated from a dark prison.
Makoto knew the look well. He had it before when he first escaped… and felt greater peace, knowing his sister had made it, too.
He sat down in his seat as the teacher entered. "Everyone, we have a new student. (Go ahead and introduce yourself, dear)." The teacher stated.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Yuki Arisato," Yuki introduced with a small bow.
"I trust you'll be finishing your senior year with us, Yuki. I'm sure it will be quite memorable,"
"I know. …It will be the best year of my life," Yuki looked at Makoto as she said this, smiling.
Makoto smiled back.
Yuki didn't know how right she was.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
A/N: Well, I hope this didn't suck TOO much XD
I'll be including Yuki in a few other chapters, too. It'll be fun having TWO blank-characters to write for!
Makoto: Yuki.
Yuki: Yeah, bro?
Makoto: …Run.
Yuki: Um…
Makoto: *ushering his sister out* No questions, just run. RUN! *both of them run off*
…my reputation precedes me XD
ALSO (should've mentioned this earlier) if any of you have any pairings you want to see, just say so! I'll ship any guy with any girl! …Except Junpei. Chidori won't let me.
Also no slash-pairings. …I promised the characters. (but I'll include fluffy chapters ;) mwuahahaha…)
Shinji: …What was that, WG?
Uh, NOTHING! 0_0
Anyway, please review don't flame and I have to avoid suspicion! Bye! *runs*
