Chapter 29: Nightmare

The walk back to the inn was quiet, but Yukiko wasn't sure how to feel about it. As they made their way through the fog, the adrenaline from her stand-off with Kanji-kun left her with each step. In its place, the exhaustion of telling her friends the truth and chasing after Sho-kun sank into her bones, heavy as lead.

But even if she wasn't tired, she would still be at a loss for words.

I pushed him to accept their help, she thought glumly, a twinge of guilt pulling at her heart. Sho-kun had been unable to find Minazuki on his own, but the slim hope of finding his friend had given him purpose. Now that her friends' efforts have produced the same results, Sho-kun must've been dejected.

But you've found him. He's with you now, and he's coming back.

Yukiko took an inward breath to collect herself. She wouldn't be able to forget her guilt later, but right now she had to focus on what was ahead of her now. She was calmer when they arrived at the TV entrance to the banquet room, where she assumed the others were waiting. When looked back at Sho-kun, she saw that he looked as tired as she felt.

"You must be exhausted. When we get back, you can go ahead to your room."

"What about you?"

"I'll be fine. After I say good-bye to everyone, it won't take me long to tidy up."

Hesitation flickered across his otherwise weary features. She thought he would welcome the opportunity to rest, but his eyes and words told her otherwise. "I'm not tired yet. But…if you want to be alone, I get it."

His statement surprised her, and it sounded more like an unspoken request: Is it okay if I stay with you? After everything that had happened tonight, she wanted him to try and get to sleep, but Sho-kun was capable of making his own decisions.

Besides, she couldn't deny that she wanted to spend time with him as well.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind the company."

Her answer produced a very visible effect. His shoulders relaxed, and his eyes mirrored his relief. Without another word, she turned from him to face the portal. Her hand went to the TV's screen, and rings of black and white rippled from under her fingertips. She went in headfirst, embracing the weightless sensation of falling as an unnatural wind whipped past her hair and clothes. When she landed on the other side, the first person she saw in the room was Chie.

"Welcome back," she greeted cheerfully. She was standing on one side of the banquet table with a half-full trash bag in her hands.

Yukiko got up, smoothing the creases in her kimono. "You're cleaning up?" She asked, looking at the trash bag.

"You didn't think we'd let you do this all by yourself?" Her best friend grinned. "We got here first, so we decided to start picking stuff up while we waited."

From the other side of the table was Rise-chan. Like Chie, she also had a garbage bag that she was stuffing with empty drink cups. "Welcome back, Senpai. Jeez, the guys made a mess, huh?"

Behind her, she heard Sho-kun tumble out of the TV. Her friends' expressions didn't change at his arrival, but Chie answered the question that Yukiko wanted to ask next. "Kanji-kun had to let off some steam. Naoto-kun and Yosuke went after him."

Following Chie's lead, Rise-chan kept her tone lighthearted. "You know what he's like, Yukiko-senpai. He just needs some time to cool off, and he'll be back to being our 'Moronji' again. It'll be okay."

Though the argument with Kanji-kun still weighed on Yukiko's mind, she was relieved to learn that he wasn't alone. He had his silly moments, but Yosuke was good at talking others down from their tempers, and Naoto-kun had an uncanny ability of getting through to Kanji-kun. As her anxiety slowly left her, Yukiko went to the table where the garbage bags were. As she pulled a bag out of the box, Sho-kun joined her side to take for himself. He went to where Chie had started, picking up napkins and plates piled with empty skewers.

Save for the rummaging of trash being put into their bags, silence fell over the room as they all cleaned. It wasn't nearly as tense as it had been in the TV World, but Yukiko sensed the awkwardness under it. It was like no one knew what to say to each other, but the answer to their collective prayers was soon delivered with Teddie's abrupt arrival. He practically smashed the door back into the railing, proudly beaming over the giant heap of snacks he carried in his arms.

"Fear not, ladies! Your Teddie has arrived with refreshment—" His greeting cut off when his eyes fell on Sho-kun, who had just finished clearing his corner of the table. Without warning, Teddie bounded over to where he was, and panic flashed across Sho-kun's face when he noticed the oncoming threat. His hand instinctively shot out and slammed against Teddie's forehead, preventing the smaller boy from advancing further.

"Oh, Sho-boy, I'm sorry! I'm so beary, BEARY SORRY!" His feet kept moving against the tatami, even though he wasn't moving an inch.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Sho-kun shouted over Teddie's cries, looking equal parts confused and annoyed.

In between sniffles, Teddie managed to speak coherently. "I'm sorry that we couldn't find your friend! You've been looking for him so long!" Teddie looked up at his unwilling target through his very real tears. "Rise-chan and I did our best, but we must've let you down!"

Sho-kun continued to keep Teddie at arm's length, looking conflicted by the unrestrained display of remorse. Although he most likely didn't want to talk about what had happened, a well-intentioned Teddie had forced the subject in an effort to cheer Sho-kun up. Yukiko's heart went out to him as the former Shadow held out all of his snacks to Sho-kun.

"Here, take as many as you want! Candy always make me happy, especially chocolate! I bet they'll make you feel better, too!"

After confirming that his personal space was safe for now, Sho-kun's hand fell back to its side. "I don't need your junk, idiot!" He eyed the offerings with a derisive stare, as if Teddie may as well be holding trash. Then, he rolled his eyes and scowled. "You guys didn't find anything I didn't expect…it's not a big deal."

His words sounded dismissive, but there wasn't a trace of animosity behind them. In his own blunt manner, he was telling Teddie and the rest of them that he would be okay. For everyone else in that room, that would've been enough to change the subject.

But unfortunately for Sho-kun, Teddie became even more enthusiastic in his attempts to comfort him. "Staying tough even in the face of adversity and loss…you're so COOL, Sho-boy!"

If he hadn't been so tired, Yukiko half-expected Sho to blush Teddie practically shoved cans of soda and heaps of candy bars into his reluctant arms. "Take them all! I'll use Yosuke's card to buy more!"

"I said I don't want any, damn it!" Sho-kun yelled. As he fought off Teddie's gifts, Chie and Rise snorted, holding back what was obviously laughter. Luckily Sho was too busy fending off an overzealous Teddie to hear them, and Yukiko took comfort in the fact that he had enough energy to lose his temper. But knowing that he was at his limits, she persuaded Teddie to ease up on his efforts.

Funnily enough, Teddie's arrival had dissipated the tension that had hung over the room. As they returned to cleaning, Yukiko was able to make small chat with Chie and Rise. They talked about the party, comparing the dishes they liked and speculating over how Kanji-kun had passed out. Yukiko's cheeks turned red when they brought up her bitter melon riceballs, and her friends must've noticed because they swiftly changed the subject to the ping-pong battle between herself and Sho-kun. When Rise-chan reenacted some of her commentary during the more intense moments of the match, Yukiko stole a glance at Sho-kun. While everyone else was distracted, he was unwrapping one of the candy bars that Teddie had forced on him.

Eventually they cleared the room of all the trash, and then they helped Yukiko carry the full bags to the kitchen. After they had thrown everything away, Yukiko overheard the wide yawn that escaped from Teddie. Realizing how late it was, she offered to prepare rooms for her friends but was politely declined.

"Nah, we can catch the last bus to town," Chie said. "I told Yosuke I'd see Teddie home."

"And I promised my grandma that I'd be home tonight." Rise added, covering her mouth as she yawned, having caught it from Teddie. "I'm helping her open the store early tomorrow. There's always a rush for tofu on New Year's Eve."

Yukiko nodded, leading her friends directly to the entrance as they reassured her that they had their cell phones. Sho-kun stayed behind in the front lobby, half-heartedly fighting off Teddie's overdramatic gestures of farewell.

When she stepped outside with her friends, the brisk rush of air made her teeth chatter. The snow was still falling, the light dusting having grown to a couple of inches over the last few hours.

"Hey, so you're coming to the shrine tomorrow night?" Rise asked, her eyes twinkling with an expectant sparkle. "And you can't say no, by the way. You have to be there, Senpai!"

"That's right, Yuki-chan!" Teddie joined in, a similar sparkle lighting up his own eyes. "It's practically our tradition to stand under the stars and count down to the New Year together!"

Chie laughed at their friends' display of enthusiasm. "It's not a tradition if we only did it once." She then turned to Yukiko, echoing Rise and Teddie's curiosity. "But you and Sho are coming, right?"

Yukiko had almost forgotten about the shrine. Someone had mentioned it during the party, she thought, but she didn't expect her friends to bring it up again. Although she wanted to be reassured by Chie's warm smile and the hopeful looks between Rise and Teddie, she couldn't ignore the guilt over what had happened tonight. "Rise-chan, I'm sorry about everything."

Rise's smile faltered, but only for a second before it grew. "You already apologized, Senpai. It's okay."

Naoto-kun and Kanji-kun weren't here to agree, but Yukiko was relieved by the idol's answer. She caught Rise's gaze going toward the inn's entrance, her voice filled with worry when she asked, "He'll be all right, won't he? He said he wasn't expecting much, but he and that Minazuki guy were close, weren't they?"

Her question carried the same concern that Yukiko had for Sho-kun, and a part of her was glad by this. "They were, but I think he'll be okay. Sho-kun is as strong as he looks."

Another smile broke over Rise's lips. "That much I could tell. He held his own against Kanji after all."

"Drag him out tomorrow if you have to!" Chie joked. "Don't let him sulk if you can help it."

"See you, Senpai!" Rise-chan said, starting to walk toward the road. "Thank you for having us. We'll see you and your boyfriend tomorrow!"

Yukiko's cheeks flushed at the light teasing. Teddie followed their idol friend, looking back and waving his arms in farewell. "Bye, Yuki-chan! Tell Sho-boy I'll have lots more treats tomorrow! That'll make him want to go!"

Chie was the last to leave, staying with Yukiko long enough to exchange a few quiet words. "I was joking, but if you want to stay back, the others would understand."

Yukiko appreciated her best friend's thoughtfulness, and smiled. "I don't think he'd want me to stay behind. He's stubborn like that."

Chie grinned, her eyes filled with understanding. "Well, just text me whenever you decide. Night, Yukiko!"

As her friends walked from the entrance, Yukiko waved, staying outside long enough to see them disappear over the slope of the road. After they were gone, she went back inside, closing the door behind her and brushing off the snow that had collected on her sleeves.

Sho-kun was still in the lobby. He didn't look at her when she stopped next to him, his eyes pinned on the buttons of the vending machine.

"Which one you want?"

Yukiko briefly thought about what she wanted, then answered. "Oolong, please."

He pressed the button, and her drink fumbled in the machine before landing unceremoniously in the bottom slot. Sho-kun picked it up and handed it to her. Noticing the unopened melon soda in his other hand, she guessed that he had bought it while she was outside.

"All those snacks, and he didn't include a drink," he said sarcastically. "You've got some rude friends."

"That's funny, coming from you," she teased lightly. "Maybe I should sign you and Teddie up for hospitality training."

Sho scoffed, the tab of his drink opening with a hiss as he pulled it back. "It'd be a waste, Princess. My manners are frickin' perfect." She laughed softly as he took a sip of his soda. Then, silence briefly settled between them before he asked, "Is Kujikawa right about Tatsumi? That he just needs to cool off?"

His question snapped her attention back from her thoughts, and she heard the doubt in his voice. "I want to think she is. Kanji-kun was angry, but at least he knows the truth now. That's something."

Yukiko had no way of reading Kanji-kun's mind, but she wanted to believe that he would accept everything in time. A part of her even hoped to see him tomorrow at the temple. "Everyone's going to the temple tomorrow. They've invited you."

Sho-kun frowned into his soda, walking over to the empty registration desk. "They actually think that's a good idea?"

"If they didn't, they wouldn't have asked," she gently insisted. She took a seat at the desk, relieved that the workers were gone and her parents were asleep upstairs. "It's really fun! The whole town gets together, and there's this energy buzzing in the air. The temple is decorated with candles, and the amazake they hand out warms you in the cold."

As he sat in the chair next to her, Yukiko half-expected him to say no. If he did, she wouldn't blame him for wanting some time alone. To surprise, he didn't outright decline. "If I stay back, you'd be worried and stuff, huh?"

She didn't say anything, both of them knowing the answer to his question. Sho's fingers were gripping the soda can now, and a dark look suddenly clouded over his eyes. "I hated the way Tatsumi yelled at you…I wanted to kick his ass for that."

At his admission, the hulking figure of Kanji-kun's Persona emerged from Yukiko's thoughts. During that fight, she had been so preoccupied with protecting Sho to notice that Kanji-kun appeared unhurt. "Why didn't you fight back?"

"You kidding? I probably cracked one of his ribs." He didn't look at her as he spoke, and soon his shoulders heaved with a heavy, almost defeated sigh. "I dunno…because he's your friend? I didn't think you'd want to see that idiot hurt."

He answered her so plainly, as if what he had done was just a fact and not a personal favor to her. Still, Yukiko sat in quiet awe at this change within Sho-kun. He once had told her that fighting was all he knew, but tonight he had obviously put another person's feelings–her feelings, to be specific–over his own physical safety. She wondered if he was aware of what he had done, but she decided against bringing it up.

Right now, she was too worried and sad for him.

He looked so conflicted, like there was more he wanted to say but he wasn't sure how to say it. His current mood was different from how he had initially reacted to the results of the search. He tried to hide his pain with laughter and cutting words, and when those weren't enough, he had run. Although he was done running, the pain was still there, and he was trying to acknowledge it. He could've gone back to his room, could've remained in the TV World if he wanted to, but he did neither of these things. At this moment, Sho-kun chose to be with her.

Without ever meeting him, she heard enough about Minazuki to know that he was important to Sho-kun. When they couldn't find even a single clue about his whereabouts, she felt as if she had lost one of her own friends in the fog. Being with Sho stirred those feelings of loss all over again, but she decided not to hide them. "I'm sorry that we couldn't find Minazuki-kun."

The pensive expression over his face never changed, but he shifted in his seat and his arms crossed over each other. When he spoke again, he sounded much older than he looked. "Remember when I said that he'd tell me anything? It was a lie."

What he said caught her off guard, and she noticed that his voice was tinged with a quiet sense of loss. "I did some more digging around in the Kirijo Group's archives. I learned that the lab I lived in was almost destroyed once. I don't remember how it happened, but I think Minazuki did it."

"Why would he do that?"

"Beats me. A while back, I found some old audio files that Ikutsuki had recorded. He talked about how much of a pain Minazuki was after he was born from that Plume-thingy in my chest. Looking back on it, he never liked taking orders from the old guy. So I put two and two together, and I figured that Minazuki tried to fight him."

Yukiko hesitated, but pressed on. "Are you mad at him?"

"No sense being mad at a missing guy." He said without anger. "Dad was a complete asshole during his experiments. If Minazuki wanted to do something as crazy as blow up the lab, he must've been desperate. And I don't know why, but my gut says he did it for me. Guess I won't know for sure now."

His arms uncrossed, and she saw his fingers curl up into fists against the wooden surface. If he had applied any more pressure, he might've pierced the grain. "Amagi, I…I don't want to think he's gone."

Without realizing it, her hand went to his. His skin was cool, but she felt his life pulsing beneath her fingertips. "Tonight's the most I've ever heard you talk about him," she softly said. "You must really miss Minazuki-kun."

He lifted his gaze to hers. His expression was solemn and she found sadness, unspoken but deep, in the blue depths of his eyes. When he turned away from her, she felt him respond with the soft pressure of his own grip around her hand.

"I never got to say good-bye. When I think about that, it sucks."

Unlike in the TV World, there wasn't a trace of anger or frustration in the way he talked about Minazuki. There was grief, yes, but she could hear his devotion for the person who had been both his friend and guardian. Yukiko couldn't find him or his Persona for Sho-kun, but maybe she could help him see that in a way, Minazuki was with him.

"He would've been impressed by the riceballs you made," she said, remembering when Sho had told her that he and Minazuki hadn't cooked often. "Much more complicated than ramen, don't you think?"

At first he seemed confused by what she said, but then a look of understanding fell over his face, and the corner of his mouth turned up in an amused grin. "Yeah…guess he would be."

The shift in his tone was small but significant. Encouraged, Yukiko gently pressed on. "Until last year, I would always celebrate New Year's Eve at the inn. Did you two do anything special?"

He was most likely aware of what she was doing, but he gave no indication that he was annoyed or resentful of her efforts. "Not really. We used to spy on the crowds when they celebrated, but after a while we'd just stay in and watch TV."

Yukiko pondered this. "But other than the countdown, was there much on?"

"We'd always find an old action flick or detective movie. You know, the ones filmed entirely in black and white? I always thought they were boring, but Minazuki liked them. He'd always solve the entire mystery before we got to the middle, but he never spoiled stuff for me."

They spent the next hour like that, with Sho-kun sharing more stories about the past he shared with Minazuki. Eventually he became more relaxed, and something resembling joy lit up the way he talked. As she listened, it was easy for Yukiko to form a picture of Minazuki in her mind, of who he was and how much he meant to the boy sitting next to her.


The bus lumbered on its wheels like a slow mechanical beast as it roamed the snow-dusted streets of Inaba. Its interior would've been empty save for the driver's seat and the back corner, which was occupied by three customers: Yosuke-senpai, Kanji-kun, and herself.

After his somewhat one-sided battle with Sho Minazuki, Naoto had followed Kanji-kun when he had walked away. Thankfully she had caught up in time to guide him to the banquet room, but she was still worried about his condition. Kanji-kun had left the TV World under a guise of calmness, but it was immediately put to the test when Yosuke-senpai had followed them to the bus stop.

"We didn't know how long he was staying. Yukiko and Souji never gave us an exact date." Yosuke said, taking care not to use Sho's real name. They were the only passengers here, but it never hurt to be cautious. Out of habit, Naoto's eyes darted toward the mirror that hung above the driver's seat. He looked straight ahead, paying them no mind.

Kanji-kun frowned, a sure enough sign that he hadn't completely forgiven their upperclassmen. Since he was sitting in the seat directly behind Yosuke, it was easy for him to level his glare at the older boy.

When the silent tension grew too much, Yosuke tried again. "Dude, it wasn't personal! It just wasn't our secret to tell."

"I'm GOOD at keeping secrets!" Kanji-kun insisted, crossing his arms defensively. "Why did Yukiko-senpai let you in on the guy's secret?"

Yosuke-senpai sighed in exasperation. "She didn't 'let us in', all right? We all kind of figured it out ourselves."

"You calling me a dumbass?"

Yosuke-senpai's eyes widened, realizing his mistake. His hand dragged down his face, pulling on his already weary features. "Don't put words in my mouth, Kanji."

Despite their upperclassmen's secrecy, Naoto felt sympathy for Yosuke. After all, she herself had discovered Sho Minazuki's true identity in a matter of days. But she remained silent, wanting to give Kanji-kun room to say his piece. Although she had come to terms with her senpais' actions, her classmate had every right to vent his frustrations.

"Doesn't matter. When it comes down to it, you all kept me in the dark." Kanji-kun said bitterly. "You didn't think I'd wanna know that the guy who tried to kill us was back?"

"If he still wanted to kill us? Yeah, you probably would." Yosuke said, his tone less patient. "But he doesn't, and that's not why he's here. Didn't you hear that much from Yukiko?"

Their senpai's words stunned Kanji-kun in silence, but his glare remained on Yosuke. Naoto was seated across from them, and it pained her to see the conflicting expression on Kanji-kun's face as he swallowed his pride. "Y-yeah…I did."

Yosuke-senpai took a more apologetic tone, most likely remorseful over snapping. "Look..you've got every right to be pissed at us, but we didn't mean anything by it, man. Honest."

She remembered Yukiko-senpai echoing the same sentiment back in the TV World. When it was clear that Kanji-kun had nothing else to say at the moment, Naoto-kun seized the opportunity to speak. "Despite the precautions you took, you had to have known that we'd eventually find about Yukiko-senpai's 'boyfriend'."

Yosuke's eyes went to her. When he didn't deny her theory, Naoto continued. "Furthermore, you must've expected that Rise-chan and I would run into Seta-san the longer he stayed in Inaba. You aren't that careless, Senpai. So why did you agree to keep his secret?"

The older boy regarded her with a calmness that seemed beyond his high school years. "Same reason why you suggested looking for Minazuki. Because we wanted to help Souji out."

Yosuke's awareness of her intentions threw her off guard, but she couldn't deny the truth of his claim. Remembering how Sho Minazuki had reacted to the failed search, guilt rippled through her conscience.

"You couldn't have known how it would turn out," Yosuke-senpai said to her softly, as if he could read her thoughts. "It was still a good thing to do."

She appreciated her senpai's sympathy, but a small detail lingered on the edge of her memory. "I noticed that the fog has returned in the TV World. Do you recall when it came back?"

Yosuke shook his head. "Not sure. Tonight's the first time I've gone back in a while. It's light though, and like Teddie said, he hasn't sensed any shadows."

Naoto lifted her hand, propping her chin between thumb and forefinger as she thought. Like her friends, she hadn't seen any enemies in the fog. Rise-chan hadn't picked up anything except the energy that Kanji-kun's Persona gave off, either.

"Oh, here's my stop." Yosuke-senpai reached for the wire above them and pulled it. He might've not been paying attention to their conversation, but the driver was attentive to the signal, and the bus began to slow down.

"If you guys wanna talk more, come by Junes around five. We'll have plenty of time before we meet up at temple." Then, his expression became serious. "I'm sorry that you found out like this. But you can see that what they've got is real, right?"

He didn't stay around for an answer. Yosuke-senpai turned away and walked down the aisle, paid his faire, and stepped off the bus. The doors closed behind him with a soft hiss, and the tires started moving again underneath the carriage.

Naoto mulled on what their senpai last said. Yosuke had said something similar to her last night in Junes. After she had picked up snacks for her grandfather, she and Yosuke-senpai had observed Yukiko and her boyfriend shopping together. That had been before her suspicions had fully formed, and her senpai had been smiling and laughing in Sho Minazuki's company. A silver necklace with a flower-shaped pendant had hung over her senpai's sweater. Naoto had never seen her wear it before, but even back then, she had a good idea of who had bought it.

"What do you think?"

Kanji-kun's gruff voice pulled her back, and she adjusted the brim of her cap out of habit. "Our senpai are honest when they said they wanted to help Seta-san. And while I think their secrecy was reckless, I also believe they didn't mean to hurt us."

He grunted a sound of approval. It was quick, but Naoto realized that Kanji-kun's hand was pressed against his side. "Are you injured?"

"Nothing I can't handle," he said, betraying nothing. "Gotta admit, Yukiko-senpai's boyfriend has a hell of a kick."

Though he was being brave, she couldn't ignore her concern for him. But before she could mention first aid, Kanji-kun spoke again. "I can't say that Yosuke-senpai's wrong. About how much they like each other, I mean. From the first time I saw Sh…I mean, Souji, with Yukiko-senpai, I could tell that he was sweet on her. They're always laughing and he's always looking out for her…I don't think any of that was fake."

The flower-shaped pendant gleaming in her mind, Naoto agreed. "I don't believe it was, either."

The irritation on Kanji-kun's face had given way to weary acceptance then, and his eyes looked out at nothing in particular as the bus entered the shopping district . She wished she knew what to say to him, but Naoto left him to his thoughts, believing that it would be best for now. She herself was distracted by the fog that had been swirling in the TV World, and though she didn't say it out loud, she needed to sort out the aftermath of her own prejudices against Sho Minazuki.

No matter what brought him to Inaba, she was certain of two things: one, the fugitive known as Sho Minazuki was not a danger to her friends or Inaba as far as she could tell, and two, he truly cared about Yukiko-senpai. Naoto couldn't turn back time to take back her accusations, but she could still try to do the right thing.

She had work to do when she got back home.


The sound of the man's bones breaking cracked off the alley walls, slick with grime and rain.

Sho kicked him once more, and after that the front tip of his sneaker struck between the man's ribs again and again. The metallic scent of blood mingled with air that tasted like rotting garbage and stale water. Behind him-yards or miles or light years away-someone was yelling, but he couldn't hear them over the frenzied voice in his own head that urged him on.

He stopped kicking the man, his foot having gone numb. His heart throbbing in his own ears, Sho knelt over him and pinned his right knee against his chest to hold him down. When he yanked him by the collar of his pinstriped shirt, Sho noticed that the blood didn't show up very well on his fancy black suit, but it was bright enough as it dribbled down on the guy's lips. The man looked up at him through eyes bleary with pain and fear, and they shut tight when Sho's fist came crashing across his cheek. Jawbone and teeth cracked loudly underneath his knuckles, and then Sho let his collar go. He let the man's head fell back on the cement with a hard thud before striking him again with his other fist. The tattoos on his arms moved as his body absorbed all the force that Sho was hitting him with. Soon he had a rhythm going, and with every punch, his own knuckles were getting redder. Sho didn't care if they ended up soaked.

Suddenly, a pair of small fists pounded against Sho's back. There was hardly any strength behind the blows, but they were repetitive enough to be annoying. Sho shook them off, and he drew his fist back to resume beating the man lying below him. But just when he was going to start again, a pair of hands caught his forearm, small nails digging into his skin. The small voice that Sho heard earlier became louder, little by little, until it boomed behind Sho like a clap of thunder in his ear.

"STOP IT! STOP IT, YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM!"

He ripped his eyes away from his prey, locking them with a face that was familiar to him at once. The brat's brown hair was plastered with sweat against his cheeks, his skin mottled with bruises that would take weeks to heal. Blood smeared one corner of his mouth, and from this close, Sho saw the deep indents of teeth marks on his cut lower lip. But although he looked like he had been beat to hell and back, the boy glared at Sho, his eyes glistening with distress and unshed tears.

"Why?" His strangled voice somewhere between a cry and a yell. "Why did you do it?!"

Sho stared back at him, indignant. Why did he do it? It was for the brat, of course! If Sho hadn't stepped in, the man in the suit would've kept kicking the shit out of him! The boy could've lost his life right here in this goddamned alley, and he would've been just one more dead kid without a name.

The brat opened his mouth again, but nothing came out. Though his face was dark and angry, no words came along with the look of betrayal in his wet eyes. As Sho tried to figure out what was happening, a small breath murmured below him. Distracted by the sudden sound, he looked down, expecting to see the man in the suit.

But when he saw him, Sho saw that the hair, the eyes, everything about the man was wrong. His jet-black hair was now bleached blonde and swept back, showing off a small scar that lined one side of his pale forehead. He was no longer wearing a fancy suit and tie, but a leather jacket lined with a straight zipper. The piercing that studded his nose was slick with blood, a steady trail running from a nostril and down his mouth and chin. When he breathed, it came out as a wet gurgle between his bloodied lips.

Horrified, Sho leapt to his feet and backed away from Kanji Tatsumi, his head racing with the impossibility of what he was seeing.

"No…no, NO, this didn't happen! I didn't do this!" He ranted, staring in wide-eyed panic at Tatsumi, lying and bleeding in the alley. Sho slowly raised his hands and saw the proof of his deed running down his fingers.

A flash of bright color appeared in the corner of his vision. His looked from his stained hands to a girl standing a few feet from himself and Tatsumi, and his breath caught in his throat when he recognized her. The kimono she wore looked out of place here, its pink fabric contrasting with the shadows and the trash that spilled from the overturned garbage cans. The hands that he liked to hold so much where raised to her lips, parted in silent disbelief as she took in the scene before her: the unmoving body of her friend sprawled at his feet, and the blood dripping down Sho's hands. Her fear was plain across her pale face, but he also saw pain in her glistening eyes as well, and that cut him deeper than any knife.

At that moment, he was afraid that he had lost her forever.

He knew in his heart that he hadn't done it, but the guilt from his supposed act of betrayal against Amagi tore at him. Before he could call out to her, wanting so desperately to convince her that he hadn't hurt Tatsumi, another impossible thing started to happen. The wall behind Amagi began to warp. What were supposed to be bricks smoothed out into a flat, mirror-like surface, and then a small light bloomed from its middle. A ring of white stretched and grew against the wall, followed by a ring of black and then more white. The repeating pattern threw an eerie glow over her, distorting her silhouette.

He had to get her away from there, even if she hated him. But just as he began to move toward her, two shapes rippled and broke through the black and white rings. The long stems of fingers eventually revealed a pair of hands. In the warped glow of the alley wall, they looked skeletal. If the hands were attached to someone, Sho couldn't see their face from behind Amagi's head. Like talons snatching up unknowing prey, they clamped over her shoulders. A stab of fear ran through his chest as Amagi began to fall back, and he opened his mouth to yell.

Then, Sho woke up.

He shot up from his futon, Amagi's name dying on his lips in the darkness of his room. Recognizing the clean scent of his laundered sheets and the outline of the surrounding furniture, he propped himself up on his elbows, noticing that the mattress beneath him was damp with cold sweat. He kicked off his blanket and grabbed his phone from its charger. The screen read that it was three in the morning on December 31st. He had been asleep for less than four hours.

Though the device reassured him of the time and place, Sho didn't put his phone back down. The nightmare was slow to fade from his thoughts, and a chill ran down his neck when he remembered the hands that had pulled Amagi into the alley wall. He flipped the lid of his phone screen and scrolled to the only contact that he had stored. As always, her number was listed under "Princess".

Sho wanted to send her a message, just to know that she was there, but it hit him that she would've been asleep by now. When he considered stopping by her room, he shot the idea down as a stupid one. In his nightmare-induced panic, he was letting his fear get the better of him. Cursing at himself, he tossed his phone back on the tatami and sat back down on his futon, bringing his legs up toward his chest. He propped his elbows on his bent knees, cradling his head between his hands.

"She's fine…she was never in that alley, and she never met the kid. I didn't beat Tatsumi up. No matter how much I wanted to, I didn't…"

His trembling forearms eventually steadied, but his heart continued to pound in his throat. His fingers pulled at his hair, forcing himself to focus on the quiet desperation of his own words. "I saw her just a few hours ago. She had tea and I had a soda, and we talked about Minazuki. She's okay…she's okay…"

Feeling his heartbeat slowing, Sho concentrated on the memory of having drinks with Amagi at the front desk. Normally, he avoided talking about Minazuki in a half-assed attempt to hide things he didn't want to acknowledge. But when Amagi had brought him up, Sho was surprised by how easily he was able to answer her questions. Sharing his memories of him was like reliving those moments all over again. In some way, that was what he needed after the search had been a bust.

He drew in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and exhaled. He pictured Amagi, sleeping off the exhaustion that the party and the search had undoubtedly brought on her. There was no need to check on her, he told himself. There was nowhere else she would be except in the safety of her futon. He knew that, and now all he had to do was believe it.

His head a little clearer, Sho dropped his hands to his sides. He readjusted his legs under his blanket, wanting to try to go back to sleep. But when he opened his eyes, his heart stopped and a cold sweat broke over his forehead.

Rings of white light rippled against the tatami and stretched slowly over his blanket. Sho watched as they moved over his covered legs like lazy waves crashing over rocks. When the light passed over him and onto the wall beside his futon, his eyes snapped from his blanket to the TV in the corner.

The screen was completely blank. He hadn't turned it on at any point today, and since the remote was on the stand, it was too far away for him to have accidentally rolled onto it. After a few minutes of silent apprehension, Sho noticed that the room was pitch black, and there were no signs that anything in here had given off light. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes, unsure if he had seen the rings of light at all. Outside the wind rose through the trees in the courtyard and howled passed the shingles of the inn's roof. He entertained the idea of a power surge, but he knew it was too cold for a storm. Whether he had seen them or not, those rings of black and white light had appeared across the alley wall from his dream.

And then he thought about the hands that had grabbed Amagi's shoulders.

He stared hard at the TV, daring the monitor to flicker again or for a creepy pair of hands to push through the screen. When nothing happened, anger rose on the back of his throat. He was too restless go back to sleep now. If he stayed here any longer, he'd only be spending his time staring at the ceiling.

He kicked off the blankets again and got out of his futon. Choosing to keep the lights off, he found his swords and carried them over to where his sneakers were. As he slipped them over his feet, he glanced over at the cell phone near his pillow. He thought of Amagi again, imagining the anxious look on her face when she found that he wasn't here in the morning.

I won't be gone for long. I just want to take a walk and train for a while.

Though his mind was made up, he hesitated leaving without so much as a note. Like all electronics, his cell phone wouldn't work in the TV World. It was some time past three now, but Sho had no way of telling time on the other side. Amagi always woke up early to do her chores. If she came by with breakfast and he wasn't back, she'd have no way of knowing for sure where he was. She could probably guess, but it wouldn't stop her from worrying. That possibility loomed over him like a dark cloud, and it became darker when he remembered how she had run after him during his fight with Tatsumi.

Jeez…what a pain, he thought without resentment. He went back to his futon and picked up his phone. This time when he pulled up Amagi's number, he didn't stop himself from writing a message:

Went inside to clear my head.

His finger hovered over the "Send" button, but it never pressed down. The letters glared at him from the screen, judging him. He thought a short message would be best, but now that he was re-reading it, he didn't like how it sounded.

The hell is wrong with me? Frustrated, he stared down at the buttons on his phone and he thought about when he saw her last. She was about to go upstairs to the residential wing, so the first floor staircase was where they had parted ways. Before she left, she had thanked him for helping out with the party. She had said "thank you" to him in the past, but something about that moment stood out to him. It might've been the way she had said it, or it might've been the fact that she had said it at all. Sho had been the reason why Tatsumi stomped off into the fog, and why Shirogane had crashed the party in the first place. Amagi had no reason to thank him, but she did.

He's felt this way before, but now more than ever, he wanted to tell her that he was grateful for everything she's done for him. Even if it was in just a few words.

Thanks for hanging out last night. See you later.

He immediately clicked on "Send" so that he wouldn't have time to second-guess himself. Then, he stared at the TV and walked towards with it with purpose.

The white light didn't appear again until he touched the screen.


"Can I please have two of those doriyaki, too?"

"Of course!" The employee took out the red bean-filled pastries that Yukiko pointed out from the display case. She carefully placed the desserts in a small package and slipped them in a bag next to the larger one that was already prepared. "Will that be all?"

"Yes, thank you," With a smile, Yukiko counted out her yen and handed it to the cashier.

"Thank you for your business, Miss. Please enjoy your New Year's!"

Yukiko took the bags and left the tea shop. When she turned around, a long line had formed behind her and more customers were crowded around the brightly-lit dessert stands. Careful not to bump into anyone, she made her way to the entrance and walked back onto the sidewalk that lined Okina's busy main street. The scent of freshly baked cakes and sugar lingered on her clothes as she walked passed last-minute shoppers and students who were enjoying their day off.

I've never seen it so busy like this. She thought, keeping the bags close to her so no one would accidentally knock into them. Inside, they carried the original reason why she came to Okina in the first place. As a treat for everyone at the inn, Kasai-san had ordered a specialty blend of green tea and a large batch of gourmet desserts from the shop that Yukiko had just left. Because this week at the inn had been busy with large parties of families or vacationing office workers, Kasai-san had forgotten about the order entirely until she received the call this morning. Yukiko had overheard her talking about her troubles with the chef when she went into the kitchen. When she noticed the slight anxiety in the older hostess's voice, she offered to go to Okina and pick up Kasai-san's order.

After several minutes of going back and forth with Kasai-san, she finally accepted Yukiko's offer. Even on a Sunday, the inn would be busy until after the dinner rush, and Kasai-san was scheduled to train some of the newer workers. After it had been decided, Yukiko went to Sho-kun's room with breakfast.

Because she had read his text shortly after she woke up, she wasn't surprised to find that he wasn't there.

Feeling the weight of her cell phone in the pocket of her coat, she wondered if he had returned. She had received his text sometime after three this morning, so he had already been gone for a few hours when she stopped by. She couldn't help but worry a little, but she was glad that he had sent her a message before he had left.

He probably has a lot to think about, she thought, reassuring herself that he would be back eventually. She hoped that he'd come with her to the temple later, but if he decided to stay back, they might have enough time to share the doriyaki she bought.

She glanced at a street clock that stood near the edge of the sidewalk. Above the heads of passing people, the thin hands read that it was almost noon. She looked down the crowded street and saw that the bookstore was nearby. I still have some time. Maybe they have some new things in…

Cheered by the idea of buying a new horror book, Yukiko picked up her pace as she went towards the store. The colorful signs plastered against the glass window boasted about an end-of-the year sale. The bell over the door chimed when she entered, and she made a beeline toward a nearby bin that was marked "BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE". As she browsed through the rows of neatly arranged books, she remembered how busy the store had been when she was last here. Sho-kun had been with her, and they had just eaten lunch together after watching a movie. That had been their first date together, and her heart raced a little even now as she remembered it.

"Ohhh! It's Featherman!"

A young voice broke her thoughts, and Yukiko saw a small boy running past her. He stopped at another bin right beside the store window. A large cutout figure of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R struck a proud pose behind the heap of discounted toys and comics. The boy smiled from ear to ear as his hands rummaged through the disorganized bin, searching through it like a small pirate searching for treasure.

Feeling sorry for whoever had to organize the inventory later, Yukiko began to look away from the boy. Then, her gaze caught a pair of lights that shone through the wide expanse of the store window. At first she thought nothing of it, but she realized that they were getting closer through the throng of people on the sidewalk. When the lights became brighter and the first cries of panic erupted outside, fear gripped her heart and pricked the back of her neck like cold needles. Her eyes found the boy again, standing on his toes to reach over the edge of the bin, oblivious to the chaos coming towards them.

Her heart beating in her ears, Yukiko raced toward the window. Without her telling them to, her hands shot out and shoved the boy away from the bin. She watched the shock unfold across his face as he fell backward, and for a moment his body was suspended in the space between the floor and the air.

Just when the boy's back hit the floor, brick and glass exploded behind Yukiko with a deafening crash, and the force of it knocked her off her feet. Something sharp dug into her side when she landed, and a flash of pain burst against her right temple. Smoke and dust surrounded her in a thick cloud, burning her eyes and throat. In the near distance, she heard people screaming, their voices fading away to echoes as the world around her slipped into darkness.


Writer's Note(s): Hi, everyone! Been a while. Sorry for the wait again, but if you're reading this, thank you for following along! I'm recovering from an injury, and doctor's appointments have been keeping me away for the past couple months. I'm glad I was able to finish this chapter up, and as always, I hope you enjoyed it.

Now for some rambling!

1) Slight Spoilers If You Didn't Finish The Persona 3 Branch Of Ultimax: There was this scene when Labrys told Sho that Minazuki had protected him once from Ikutsuki, and as a result, the lab was almost destroyed. This story is going off of the "True" ending of Ultimax, but I think that Sho would've eventually found out about what Minazuki did himself. Yay, unresolved issues with family and friends!

2) So Persona 5…I LOVE IT! No worries, I won't talk about it in a whole lot of detail (this being a Persona 4 fic and all), but I seriously love almost everything about this game. The combat, the music, THE MENUS. But somehow, it makes me miss Persona 4, and I'll probably replay it after I'm done with 5. Isn't that funny?

That's all, everyone. I hope you're enjoying spring break (if you can)! Take care!