(As of posting this chapter, I've just learned about the P4 anime. I probably won't change Souji's name unless requested, and even then, probably not until I'm done with the entire fanfic. Technically, it's still manga canon, I suppose...)
You decided to stop by Rage's takoyaki stand on Wednesday. You hadn't been there in a while, and you owed him a visit. You munched on the fried octopus and listened to him ramble; he had a lot more to say than Zero did yesterday.
"… his attitude pissed me off, so I told him to call me that again to my face. And then Emi told me I needed to cool off for a bit. Man, sometimes I feel like I embarrass her a lot. Whaddya think?"
He had a temper; there was no way to sugarcoat it. But in his defense, it was perfectly normal for guys to pick fights. Even you used to yell at people, generally to defend your friends in Inaba. But there were times and places for fights, so you advised him to think more rather than to do everything on impulse. Even with the best intentions, violence could result in more trouble.
"Haa... even you? You know how to keep your cool most of the time, though. I can't see you flipping tables and stuff." You two laughed at the thought.
"I just get mad easily," he said. "I don't care what reputation my temper gets me, I just care if Emi's okay with it. After all this time, I think she likes me for who I am... but I've got to get on her nerves sometimes, even if she doesn't tell me.
"Yanno, she and her friends came all the way out here after I left Japan," he said nostalgically. "Nobody's ever done that for me. Nobody does that for anybody. I mean, on top of that, she's cute, nice, smart; I'm amazed a girl like her would like some delinquent like me."
He was one of the most loyal people you knew; what more could Emi want than that?
"Loyal, huh?" he asked. "I wanna be. I owe it to her."
He seemed stressed; was there something he wasn't telling you? That was all right; he'd already opened up so much throughout the day. You asked for another small order of takoyaki.
He smiled, dismissing his other thoughts. "Comin' right up."
You were able to get him to think more about his actions, and the bond between the two of you became stronger.
-.
Emi told you there was a park somewhere, vaguely on the way to Yuni's mansion. After talking with Rage, you decided to check it out in the evening.
The weather was beginning to cool down, but there were still a few people taking walks, couples on benches, and kids on a playground. You followed the sidewalk that seemed to wind through most of the park. The busy New York streets were so distant that you couldn't hear the noise of the cars.
You noticed someone was sleeping under a tree. Upon a closer look, it was Alice. Why was she sleeping there? Should you leave her alone or should you say something?
Truth be told, you didn't want to leave her. You got behind the tree and leaned against it while you pondered what to do. You thought it would be a fine idea to wait for her to wake up, but it was getting late, and she may have needed to be awake soon...
You moved to the other side of the tree and gently shook her shoulder. She mumbled softly and strained her eyes open. Her childlike sapphire eyes stared into yours for a moment before she averted her vision, much like she normally did.
"Souji? What's going on?" she asked sleepily.
You told her you found her, and that it was getting close to 6:00 P.M. She looked at her watch.
"Oh, I didn't think I'd be asleep for so long," she admitted. "Thanks for waking me up."
The two of you stood up and dusted the grass from your outfits. You noticed a piece of bark was sticking out of her hair. Silently, you reached and picked it out, letting the dark blue strands of hair slowly fall from your fingertips...
You didn't even realize what you were doing until afterward, when she gave you an uncomfortable look. You retracted your hand apologized; immediately, you told her about the little stick-like bark you pulled out, and showed it to her for proof.
She... seemed to understand. "I see," she said. "That was, um, nice of you."
You stood there for a moment; the two of you looked around the park, avoiding eye contact. The more you looked at Alice, the more you felt attached to her, and the more you wanted to feel her soft hair again...
No, she probably wouldn't let you do that again; the two of you had only minimally spoken for the few months you've been in New York. But from what you had seen, you didn't see a flaw in her. Sure, she had trouble talking to new people, but it was part of her charm. You couldn't help but fall for her a little at a time...
"I should get going," she mumbled. "See you Friday, okay?"
Unwilling to let her leave, you asked where she was going. You sort of blurted out the question; you didn't really mean to bother her.
"I have to get to the TV tower," she said. "Bye!"
She ran off rather quickly. Were you that creepy...? You hadn't struck out with a girl that badly for as long as you could've remembered...
-.
You thought it was funny enough to tell your roommates, but not that funny. After you got to the part about her stuttering, Aaron laughed at you.
"Here I was thinking you were some kinda stud with the ladies," he teased. "I mean, you get along with everybody, and then the one girl you try to hit on is turned off."
"Hey, cut him some slack," Steve said, though he was also chuckling in his words. "Guys don't get women. It's a proven scientific fact."
"What research have you been doing?" Robert joked. "Well," he continued, addressing you, "after what you've said about Alice, I'm not really surprised it ended like that."
"So when are you gonna try again?" Aaron asked, elbowing you.
Try again? You hadn't really thought about that; your first priority was to get her to forgive you for today...
"Sooner or later, she'll know you were trying to be nice," your tall friend encouraged. "And then she'll see what a guy you are and then you score with her!"
You hadn't heard that word in a while...
(I smell rain ahead. Post-rain smells like mold or something to me. :/ )
