A/N: We finally know his name, guys.

Chapter 32

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"I see…" Aigis looked up to see the school building. "This must be Tartarus during the daytime."

Minato nodded. "Tartarus is Gekkoukan High School during the nighttime."

"So they are the opposite of each other?"

Minato raised his eyebrows. No offense, but he didn't think an android could think like that. "They are both here though, and they are both buildings. They both exist."

Aigis tilted her head. "Everything has an opposite. Is it true?"

"Maybe. Maybe not," he said. "Yin and Yang are the opposite of each other. What if we mix them? It will turn gray. What is the opposite of grey?"

Aigis thought for a moment. "If we can choose to give a coin to someone, the opposite of giving is taking. Is that correct."

Minato nodded.

"What if we do nothing?"

"Neutral?" Minato shrugged "Well, some people say that lack of action is the opposite. Run or don't run, eat or don't eat. I don't know, really."

They walked into the main building. Aigis, who didn't have a locker yet, stood beside Minato and listened while he changed his shoes. "There's more to it, I think. Positive and negative numbers... They seem like an opposite but are on the same axis. What if there's another axis, like an imaginary number axis? What if there's another axis that makes this a three-dimensional shape?" Minato asked. "They seem like an opposite but are connected."

Minato recalled what the monk told him. "All things in this world are not singular. They're all smaller parts of a bigger picture. And yet, they're all different from each other. All things in this world are unique, yet they are not singular."

"Difference does not imply separation. Not being the same does not mean you are opposed," Aigis remarked. "I comprehend."

"Well said."

Minato and Aigis walked down the hall. Minato still was amazed. Is Aigis really an android? This kind of thing should be hard for machines to comprehend. Maybe he was underestimating her?

"Currently, I detect no Shadows in the vicinity. However, we must remain cautious at all times," Aigis said.

Minato heard... screaming and squeals. Is Aigis a beautiful person even to fangirls?

"Class, we have a new student who will be joining us," Toriumi said. "She just transferred here… Please introduce yourself."

The blonde who stood in front of the classroom spoke up, "My name is Aigis. I am pleased to meet you all."

"Aigis. What a strange name." Toriumi began looking through her records. "Anything else I should know? Hm… Humanoid tactical weapon...?"

Yukari gasped. Junpei glanced at Minato then at Yukari.

"Clearly, that's a mistake," the teacher said. "It just goes to show, you can't believe everything you read."

Junpei and Yukari sighed in relief, but not for long because the next thing Toriumi did was pointing at the empty seat to the left of Minato. "You can sit there."

"Toriumi-sensei?" Junpei raised his hand. "That spot's already taken. He's just playin' hookey."

"Which means he's not here. So, it's free to be used, right?"

Aigis walked to her seat and sat down. "This spot will be perfect…" She turned to look at Minato. "Because I wish to always be by his side."

Yukari stood up. "Aigis!"

Aigis tilted her head. "Is there a problem?"

Junpei chuckled.

Shinjiro adjusted his beanie while walking up the stairs of the strip mall. There were a lot people here than before. It's the first day after the school break, after all.

He considered asking Akihiko for a bowl of ramen, but he decided not to. Akihiko shouldn't be absent on the first day. He also insisted on treating him a lot lately and kept nagging him about his well being. That idiot.

Talking about health, Shinjiro adjusted his pea coat. It was summer and most people hated it due to the heat, but it was the time when Shinjiro felt relaxed and most at peace. It was warm and he could feel his body. He's forever grateful for the coat she had bought for him.

"Long time no see, Shinjiro."

He stopped walking and turned to look. In front of Hagakure, there was a redhead standing there, with a briefcase, his briefcase, in hand. She sent him a smile.

Shinjiro stared at her for a long time. "Mitsuru?"

…

Mitsuru didn't order ramen for herself. She pushed the bowl toward Shinjiro, so he ate.

"This belongs to you." Mitsuru laid the suitcase down on the table. Shinjiro kept eating without looking up. Expecting this, she continued, "We have a new enemy. They are Persona-users like us."

His hand stopped, but just for a moment. "Yeah, so what?"

"There is more."

That calm voice and the silence that followed would carry bad news. Shinjiro hoped he was wrong. He hated being right.

"Ken Amada has become a member SEES."

"What?" Shinjiro dropped the chopsticks. He snapped to her. "What the hell? How?"

Mitsuru looked down, her hand gripping her left arm. She didn't want this as much as him. Shinjiro knew and trusted, that no matter how much Mitsuru wanted human resource, she would never let a little kid do it because she understood…

Ikutsuki.

That damn bastard accepted a kid to the group.

Shinjiro had never said it, but he hated Ikutsuki. He hated everything about that Chairman. His lame jokes, his glasses, his grin, his attitude… No way he would say it out loud in front of his old friends. They both respected the chairman.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." Shinjiro groaned. Mitsuru wasn't kidding. She would never. "Let me ask you one thing. Was it his decision to join SEES?"

Mitsuru nodded. "He volunteered." Even she didn't seem happy about it. That damned Ikutsuki.

Shinjiro thought for a moment and straightened up. "I get it now… Count me in."

Mitsuru smiled. "Welcome back, Shinjiro."

"But," Shinjiro said. "Don't tell Aki why."

"I won't, but please think again." Mitsuru looked at him. "Soon, he will figure it out by himself. You cannot keep it from him forever."

"I know," Shinjiro said