Act I
Chapter 1: Amagi and Yagami
Monday, February 27, 2017, Afternoon, Yukiko's POV
They say you never get a second chance to get a first impression, so you have to make the most of your first and only opportunity. It's common sense, but I have mixed feelings about it.
I've learned though my experience that many people aren't quite who they seem at first glance. A seemingly gruff and rude individual might be kind but socially awkward at heart, while a charming and friendly person might be a sociopath who's mastered the art of fitting in. Even people I've known all my life can still surprise me in many ways, both good and bad.
While most of the candidates for the Assistant Manager position were strangers to us, my parents had been acquainted with Yagami-san for about five years, yet still saw fit to conduct an in-person interview, in addition to the phone interview. It wasn't hard to see why, as this was a test of Yagami-san's ability to practice good manners, hold a conversation and demonstrate her competence.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011, Early Morning
Today started out like any other day... for the most part.
After waking up and taking a morning shower, I got dressed in Yasogami High School's uniform- a dark sailor fuku with a yellow neckerchief. As a personal touch, I put on a red cardigan in lieu of the black outer top that went with the winter uniform. Some people commented on how I'd customized my uniform, but I never got in trouble.
I had a quick breakfast with Father. Ordinarily, Mother would be joining us, but she was not feeling well enough to get out of bed, much less go to work. This was a difficult time for our inn, as disgraced former announcer Mayumi Yamano was staying with us, so Mother was determined to not let anything stop her from doing her duty. As such, she ignored the fact that she was falling ill until she collapsed after hearing Yamano-san complain.
"How's Mother doing this morning?" I said.
"She's still fast asleep," Father said, "so it would be best not to disturb her. Come straight home after school; we'll need your help at the inn."
I nodded somberly and said, "Yes, Father."
Being the daughter of an inn owner required me to make many sacrifices. When I was young, I learned that pets weren't allowed in the inn, which was exceptionally hard on a dog lover who'd found a homeless dog. I had to keep my schedule open after school in case I had to help out, which resulted in my being unable to commit to a club or have many friends. Once I got older, I would be expected to inherit the inn, and marry someone my parents approved of.
As I grew up, my burdens increased, as did my awareness of them, but I was unable to think of any solutions. While I had been able to convince my best friend to adopt the dog, I learned two things from that incident- I could not disobey my parents, nor could I say anything that would convince them to change their minds. It was a well-known fact that Yasogami students were at a disadvantage compared to students from more prestigious schools in the big cities when it came to finding jobs and getting into college, so many students who grew up in Inaba settled down there and felt as trapped in their hometown as I did.
All this convinced me there was little to nothing I could do to change my own life, and my only hope lay in someone or something that could take me away from it all.
After finishing breakfast, I got my bookbag and headed outside, where my best friend, Chie Satonaka, was waiting. She had a somewhat boyish appearance, with short light brown hair in a bowl-shaped cut, and wore a green tracksuit jacket over her uniform.
"Morning, Yukiko!" Chie said.
"Good morning, Chie," I said.
My parents had drilled the value of good manners into my head from an early age, as they expected me to be polite when interacting with my peers, and even more polite when I interacted with my betters and guests at the inn. With Chie, however, I felt comfortable enough to speak casually with her and to let down my guard.
The two of us walked to school together, on the Samegawa flood plain. There were grassy gently sloping hills on one side and a riverbank on the other, and I sometimes stopped to take a break in the pavilion. The river was a popular fishing spot, and I sometimes saw people with rods standing at the shore.
"As glad as I am to be in the same class as you this year," I said, "it's a shame that we have Morooka-sensei as our homeroom teacher."
"Tell me about it," Chie said. "They call him King Moron for a reason."
I couldn't help but giggle. I was too polite to call him by that nickname, but I had to admit it was quite fitting.
"I appear to have attracted his ire already," I said, "on account of my absences due to working at the inn."
"Even though you're the top student in our grade?" Chie said. "Not only do you obviously know the material, you're missing class to help out at home, rather than just hanging out at Junes. He could at least cut you some slack."
The local Junes, one part of a national chain of department stores that had recently arrived in Inaba, was at the center of a controversy gripping our town. Many adults, especially business owners, were afraid that Junes would cause the town's local artisans to go under, thus robbing Inaba of everything unique about it. On the other hand, many of our generation enjoyed hanging out at Junes. I could see both sides of the issue, since I was the daughter of a business owner and many of my parents' friends felt threatened, but on the other hand, I often shopped at Junes and found things I couldn't get elsewhere.
"It can't be helped," I said, "and the same goes for the classmates who think I'm doing nothing. I guess people don't realize my life isn't all fun and games."
"And they probably never will," Chie said. "Don't pay too much attention to what they think."
"I won't," I said. "As always, I really appreciate your support, Chie."
"Don't mention it," Chie said. "This year will probably be tough, but I'm sure we'll get through it together."
Feeling a bit encouraged, and not realizing Chie had made the biggest understatement of her life, I continued to school.
Morning
As it turned out, we had a transfer student in our class. She was a girl with silver hair that reached her shoulders, and who wore the uniform properly, unlike Chie and I did. Morooka-sensei, an older man with buck teeth and an ugly purple suit with a yellow necktie, escorted her to the front of the class.
"We've got a transfer student today," Morooka-sensei said, "a loser from the city who just happened to drift into our lovely little town. Don't fall for it if she tries to come onto you, boys- she's a desperate tramp. Tell them your name, girl."
The transfer student didn't reply to Morooka-sensei's provocations, but instead looked straight ahead.
"My name is Shizuka Yagami," the transfer student said, bowing to the class. "It's a pleasure to meet you all."
Morooka-sensei then launched into a rant about today's youth, one that made me wonder why he was even a teacher to begin with. Perhaps the problem was that he was in the wrong line of work, and he felt he was too old for a career change. I could sympathize with him to an extent, as the thought of growing old as manager of the inn and realizing I'd wasted my life on something I didn't want to do was terrifying.
I thought about my name, which meant "snow girl." Evidently, Mother had chosen my name because I was born in December; she'd planned on naming me after the season of my birth, but since her own name already meant "winter beauty," she decided to go with snow instead. Her choice was unfortunate, since snow was only on the ground in the coldest season of the year, and melted when spring came. Similarly, I had no purpose in life apart from inheriting the inn, and would fade away once my purpose was done.
"Excuse me!" Chie said. "Is it OK if Yagami-san sits down next to me?"
"Sure, whatever," Morooka-sensei said, before turning to Yagami-san. "You heard her, Yagami; get your ass in your seat."
"Yes, sir," Yagami-san said, then sat down next to Chie.
Yagami-san struck me as the obedient type, whether because she'd been raised to respect authority figures or because she didn't see any point in defying them. Perhaps this was a facade, since many people put their more socially acceptable traits on display while hiding their more shameful ones, but not everyone was able or willing to even pretend to be that respectful to teachers. Besides, it was hard to tell to what extent people's obedience was feigned or genuine, or how much the difference mattered.
"Sorry you're stuck in his class with us," Chie said.
"I can handle it," Yagami-san said. "What's your name?"
"Oh, sorry, I'm forgetting my manners," Chie said. "I'm Chie Satonaka and this is my best friend, Yukiko Amagi."
"Nice to meet you, Yagami-san," I said.
"Likewise, Amagi-san, Satonaka-san," Yagami-san said.
Before long, Morooka-sensei started class, cutting our conversation short for the moment, but the new transfer student never completely left my mind. Perhaps if I'd been born to the Yagami family, my life would be like hers, but was she content or miserable? The only way to find out was to get to know her better.
After School, Shizuka's POV
Having switched schools so often, I'd gotten a lot of experience introducing myself. I usually provided my name, bowed gracefully and said all the right words. At the very least, I knew how not to give a first impression.
Morooka-sensei was one example. His comments about his students were extremely rude and unprofessional, and if he said those things so casually, it was a wonder he was still employed as a teacher at his age. I'd had all sorts of teachers over the years, but Morooka-sensei was, without a doubt, the worst of the lot.
Nevertheless, he was still a teacher, albeit a poor one. He rated a certain level of respect, above what I gave to most adults, and could make my life miserable if I got on his "shit list," so I chose not to antagonize him. As long as I showed up to class, studied hard and got good grades, being in his class would be tolerable.
My parents always believed in the value of discipline- following orders, controlling your impulses and putting your duty ahead of your desires- so it was only natural that they expected me to follow suit. They chose my name, which meant "quiet," for this reason, and were pleased when I remained silent while the adults talked at dinner, as well as when I accepted their decisions to move without complaint.
Eventually, school let out, but we got a bit of an unwelcome surprise just as we were about to be dismissed. The announcer called all teachers to the faculty room for a brief staff meeting and ordered students to stay in their classes.
I sat at my seat, listening to all the conversations around me. One boy claimed that he'd seen Mayumi Yamano, the announcer who was on last night's news, in the shopping district. Another boy asked Amagi-san if Yamano-san was staying at her inn, but Amagi-san declined to answer. Satonaka-san asked Amagi-san about whether she'd tried the trick Satonaka-san had told her about- looking at the TV on a rainy night would reveal her soulmate.
After what seemed like forever, the announcer told students to go straight home and contact their parents and guardians immediately- in my case, my uncle, Ryotaro Dojima. Since my young cousin Nanako Dojima had shown me the way to school, I felt confident I could make my way home by myself.
As I got up, Satonaka-san and Amagi-san approached me.
"Hey, Yagami-san," Satonaka-san said. "If you're heading home, why not come with us?"
"I'll do just that," I said. "Thank you, Satonaka-san."
As grateful as I was for the offer, I couldn't help but feel a bit like a third wheel in the group. Amagi-san and Satonaka-san were clearly long-time friends who just happened to be nice enough to include me. Coming into their life was a bit like reading a manga from the latest issue. If my life until now was any indication, I'd likely remain an acquaintance to them for the next year, never becoming close enough to be a true friend, and once I left, Inaba, we'd mostly forget about each other.
I quickly put that thought out of my head. Perhaps it would be true in the future, but for now, these two girls just wanted to get to know me, and it would be rude to rebuff that kindness. So I decided to gratefully accept, and hope we could become as close as we could in the following year.
Outside the school, a boy in a blazer-style uniform, who was obviously from another school, greeted Amagi-san, calling her by her first name and asking her out. Willfully oblivious to her obvious discomfort, he persisted until she refused, at which point he angrily stormed off. The entire confession had attracted a handful of spectators, so Amagi-san, Satonaka-san and I quickly left.
"Are you all right, Amagi-san?" I said.
"I am," Amagi-san said. "Thank you for your concern, Yagami-san."
"This happens to Yukiko a lot," Satonaka-san said. "She's turned down so many confessions that they call confessing to her 'the Amagi Challenge,' and practically all the boys in the school have taken a shot at it."
"What about the girls?" I said. "I've heard of a few popular girls at my old school who had some female admirers, as well as male ones."
Amagi-san practically turned the same shade of red as her cardigan.
"Um... that's..." Amagi-san said.
I knew from experience that it was possible to unwittingly offend people by talking about seemingly innocuous subjects. I tried my best to tread lightly, but since I was constantly meeting new people, and didn't have much of an idea about their personalities, I did occasionally end up putting my foot into my mouth.
"I'm sorry," I said. "Did I touch upon a sore subject?"
"Not really," Amagi-san said. "I don't really have many female friends besides Chie, let alone anyone who would have a crush on me."
"Yeah," Satonaka-san said. "Most of the girls are jealous of Yukiko for taking the guys' attention away from them."
"The attention of guys like the one we just encountered?" I said. "I doubt many girls would want anything to do with people as shallow as them... not that I know what they're thinking."
While my parents constantly moving around made my life difficult, I was still grateful to them for many things, among which the fact that they didn't put much pressure on me to find a boyfriend. Their main reason was that it wasn't fair for me to commit to a relationship when I was still moving around, not because of my gender preferences, but I was glad that I wouldn't have to deal with Mother and Father nagging me to get a boyfriend until college, at earliest.
"I can sort of get where they're coming from," Satonaka-san said. "After all..."
Satonaka-san shook her head, stopping herself short.
"Never mind," Satonaka-san said. "Anyway, Yukiko isn't just famous because she gets lots of male attention. Her family runs the historical Amagi Inn, the only thing that makes our backwater town special, and she's heiress to the inn."
"It's just an old inn," Amagi-san said.
"No need to be modest," Satonaka-san said. "All the magazines have it listed as a hidden treasure..."
We talked about the inn for a few minutes, but it was obvious to me that Satonaka-san was much more enthusiastic about the Amagi Inn than Amagi-san was.
Eventually, we arrived in the shopping district, and saw a police car parked near a crime scene, with nearby residents talking about the dead body they'd found. At the time, it seemed like an ordinary tragedy, the kind that happened all the time in the city, but it was actually the beginning of an incident that would change all our lives forever.
Monday, February 27, 2017, Afternoon, Yukiko's POV
Thinking back on it, I had plenty of reasons to reject all those boys who asked me out, since most of them were overly forward at best and lecherous at worst, but the main problem was that we knew next to nothing about each other. All they knew about me was that I was the beautiful heiress of the Amagi Inn, and all I knew about them was based on observing them during their confessions, which painted a less than flattering picture of them. As such, I certainly didn't believe in love at first sight.
Yagami-san was no exception. At the time I met her, it was Chie who'd taken the initiative, whether inviting her to sit next to her (of course, the seat next to me wasn't open) or inviting her to come home. Yagami-san herself was kind and polite, but a bit reserved, so while I hoped we would become friends, I doubted we'd become close friends.
It wasn't until a few days later that I truly got to know Yagami-san.
Friday, April 15, 2011, Shizuka's POV
Today had been a rather long day, to put it mildly.
At school, we attended an assembly in which the principal announced that Saki Konishi, a third-year, had died under mysterious circumstances, not unlike Mayumi Yamano. I'd only spoken to Konishi-senpai once a few days ago, but it was still rather unnerving when someone I knew, however briefly, met a sudden and presumably violent end. Konishi-senpai was only a year older than me, and it was heartbreaking to see someone like her pass away at such a young age.
My classmate Yosuke Hanamura, who had feelings for Konishi-senpai, saw the pattern between her death and Yamano-san's death, and suspected foul play. We ventured into the TV, in search of the truth, and got more than we bargained for.
Guided by a strange bear-like creature we called "Kuma," we found ourselves in a twisted version of the shopping district, outside Konishi Liquors, and were attacked by creatures known as Shadows. All seemed lost until I summoned my "other self," the Persona known as Izanagi.
Izanagi was a truly fearsome sight. She was a tall humanoid creature with a feminine body shape whose skin seemed to be made out of plate mail armor. She wore a black sailor fuku with a red neckerchief and a long skirt that reached her ankles; I knew of a couple girls who wore their skirts that way at my old schools, and they were notorious delinquents. She wielded what seemed like a large modern combat knife at the edge of a stick and could summon lightning bolts against her foes. I called out Izanagi's name and with a bright flash and deafening thunderclap, the attacking Shadows were reduced to ashes.
Inside Konishi Liquors, we heard many people's disembodied voices, as if they were coming over an announcement system. Some adults including Konishi-senpai's father, complained about Konishi-senpai working at Junes, accusing her of betraying her family and her community, reflecting things Konishi-senpai had probably heard before, and possibly many times. Finally, Konishi-senpai herself spoke, and confessed that she'd always hated Hanamura-kun, and had only pretended to be nice to him because his father was the manager of Junes.
Hanamura-kun took that revelation as poorly as I expected, and it only got worse when a doppelganger of Hanmura-kun appeared. It claimed to be his Shadow, and looked like Hanamura-kun, down to the headphones hung around his neck, but had glowing yellow eyes. Hanamura-kun's Shadow claimed to be the repressed part of Hanamura-kun- someone who used Konishi-senpai's murder as a pretext to embark on an adventure in search of thrills and the glory of being a hero. Hanamura-kun refused to believe this, and the Shadow transormed into a massive toad-like monster, which attacked me.
It was a difficult battle, but eventually, I stood victorious, forcing the Shadow to submit. I told Hanamura-kun that everyone had sides that they didn't want to acknowledge, and that regardless of his motives, finding the truth behind Yamano-san and Konishii-senpai's deaths was the right thing to do. He reluctantly agreed, and accepted his Shadow, which became the Persona Jiraiya.
There were so many unanswered questions left. Who was responsible for the murders? Why did a world exist inside the TV? Why did Hanamura-kun need to confront his Shadow to gain a Persona, while I did not? Nevertheless, I felt as though we were taking steps toward the truth. Today, the Investigation Team was born.
We emerged from the TV to find our classmate Chie Satonaka, waiting outside. Satonaka-san hadn't heard from us for a while, and feared the worst, so she broke down in tears. I had the impression she disliked Hanamura-kun, especially after she kicked him in the crotch for breaking her Trail of the Dragon DVD, but clearly, she cared for him in her own way.
So it was that I walked along the Samegawa Floodplains, with only an umbrella to shield me from the rain. The walk felt longer than it did over the past few days, and each step on the way home felt a bit more taxing than those I'd taken on the way to school. I could command the power of my Persona by barely moving at all, but it still draind my energy.
I then spotted Amagi-san sitting by herself, and she waved me over. I gratefully accepted the invitation, and approached.
"Good afternoon, Amagi-san," I said. "You look lovely in a kimono."
"Thank you, Yagami-san," Amagi-san said as I sat down beside her. "This is my work uniform, so I'm sort of used to wearing it."
"Ah," I said. "To tell the truth, I've never actually worn one before."
"Really?" Amagi-san said. "I'm sure you'd look great in one."
"I've worn a yukata a few times, but never a kimono," I said. "Perhaps someday, I'll find the occasion to do so."
I was used to dressing up for a variety of occasions, but never in a kimono. My parents expected me to look nice, so I generally wore a blouse and a skirt, or a casual dress, especially when we had company over. When we went out to dinner, or attended a family friend's wedding, I wore a nicer dress. When I attended my grandparents' funeral, I wore my school uniform- a charcoal gray blazer-style uniform with a white button-down shirt and a red-and-blue striped necktie. I was fairly sure I'd wear a dark skirt suit to work, since I expected to get an office job like my parents. If I were to get married- a rather remote possibility- I'd probably wear a white wedding dress, so I'd probably only wear a kimono on two occasions- university graduation and Coming of Age Day.
"By the way," Amagi-san said, "how are you getting used to living in this new town?"
"I'm starting to adjust," I said. "I move around a lot, so I'm used to having to pick up roots every few years. I've never lived in any one place long enough to become nostalgic for it- or get sick of it."
"I see," Amagi-san said. "As the only daughter of the inn's manager, I will start working at the inn full-time after I graduate high school and will eventually take over as manager. Once I do, my job will be to run the inn until my child is old enough to succeed me. If I live that long, the only thing left for me will be to retire and spend my remaining days advising my child and looking after my grandchildren."
"It sounds as though your whole life's planned out for you," I said.
"That's an apt way to put it," Amagi-san said, "simply because I was born an Amagi. To be honest, I sometimes envy those who often move around."
I shook my head.
"I don't have a say in my life, either," I said, "and neither do my parents, who go wherever their jobs take them. I'm not entirely sure what will happen once the school year ends and I go back to my parents next spring."
"So it seems we're the same in some ways," Amagi-san said. "Whether forced to stay in one place or forced to move around, our lives are dictated by our parents' jobs."
"That's about right," I said. "You know, this is the first time I've met someone who's like me in that regard, and I'm glad for that."
"As am I," Amagi-san said.
Amagi-san got up and opened her umbrella.
"I have to be going," Amagi-san said, "since the inn needs me."
"Then I'll let you get going," I said, trying to stifle a yawn.
"Are you all right?" Amagi-san said. "You seem tired."
"I'm fine," I said, "It's been a long day, but probably not as long as yours is. Hang in there."
"I will, thank you," Amagi-san said. "I hope I'll see you at school soon."
Amagi-san then waved goodbye and left, leaving me with much to think about. I wasn't an introvert by any stretch of the imagination, nor was I averse to making friends, but most of my friendships weren't deep enough for conversations like this one. When talking with my peers, I always chose more or less safe topics, barely more than small talk, since I didn't know what would offend people.
But now, Amagi-san had confessed some of her worries about the future, and earlier today, I'd seen a side of Hanamura-kun that he had never known himself. I hadn't even known them for a week, but already, my previous friendships felt shallow in comparison.
One thing was certain- this was not shaping up to be an ordinary year.
Saturday, April 16, 2011 Evening, Yukiko's POV
I returned to the inn for the evening. Things had only gotten worse since Yamano-san's death, a case that the police were struggling to solve. Apparently, she'd left her room on her own volition, but that didn't explain why her body had been found hanging upside-down from a telephone pole, as if she'd fallen from a great height and then landed on the telephone pole. Worse, still, no one could discern the cause of her death. The same applied to Konishi-senpai, so I wondered who was next.
Of course, I had more pressing concerns. My mother was still bedridden, and I still had to serve as a figurehead of the inn. My parents had always been extremely busy, so would my life be like theirs once I came of age and succeeded my mother as head of the inn? Or would something take me away from it all?
I heard the doorbell ring.
"Delivery for Amagi-sama," the deliveryman said.
"Coming," I said.
The last thing I clearly remember was going to get the door.
Shizuka's POV
That evening, I checked the Midnight Channel for the second time, and could barely believe what I saw. The idea of a TV that was turned off displaying an image and making sound was bizarre enough, but this time, the image and sound were clear.
Amagi-san was on the television, dressed in a pink Western princess dress that revealed her bosom and declaring that she would score herself an entire harem.
It didn't seem at all like the Amagi-san I knew, although there was a chance that she merely hid that aspect of herself. But there was a more relevant problem- considering the clarity of the image, Amagi-san was likely already inside the TV world, and if we didn't act soon, her body would be the next one that would hang from a telephone pole.
As callous as it sounded, I'd rarely felt anything when I heard about murders in the news, but this time, it was different. Once again, someone I knew, however briefly, was in danger, and this time, I had a chance to save the person in question.
The mission to save Amagi-san made our excursion to the facsimile of the shopping district look like a walk in the park. Not only did we have to defeat Amagi-san's Shadow, but we also had to defeat Satonaka-san's, and fight our way through dozens of lesser Shadows on the way to the top. Nevertheless, we couldn't afford to hesitate- Amagi-san's life was on the line, as was our only hope of solving the case.
Monday, February 27, 2017, Afternoon, Yukiko's POV
As traumatic as my abduction had been, I almost had to laugh at how things had played out. One version of the rumor said that you could see your soulmate on the Midnight Channel, and Yagami-san had seen me on it.
"Before we begin the interview proper, I'd like to know something," Mother said. "Do you have any convictions on your record?"
"No, ma'am," Yagami-san said. "I was briefly taken into custody after an incident at Junes, in which Hanamura-kun brandished bladed weapons in the food court, but was released soon afterwards. I was also taken in for questioning regarding the murders in November, but was not officially arrested."
"So no arrests or prior convictions," Mother said.
Yagami-san replied with another "No, ma'am," and Mother changed the subject. Mother would perhaps never know how indebted she was to Yagami-san and the others, but I owed them my life, and I would never forget that.
Monday, April 18, 2011, Yukiko's POV
The next few days were a blur, but one thing I remember distinctly is facing my own Shadow.
As my rescuers- Chie, Hanamura-kun, Yagami-san and a strange bear- burst in, my Shadow launched into a monologue about how she wanted a "prince" to take her away from Inaba. Apparently, Chie had counted once- emphasis on the past tense, but my Shadow decided she couldn't give me what I wanted.
I resented the suggestion that the Shadow spoke for me or reflected my "true" self, and lashed out, denying she was a part of me. That was the worst possible mistake I could have made, as she turned into a giant red bird monster with command over fire. The Shadow attacked my rescuers, who fought back using summoned phantasms that wielded elemental powers- Yagami-san wielded electricity, Hanamura-kun used wind, Chie used ice and the bear stayed back to direct the others.
As soon as my Shadow was vanquished, I expected the others to chastise me for making the situation worse, but did not receive judgment- only empathy. Chie, in particular, tearfully confessed to being jealous of me, having seen me as better than her in every regard and using my dependence on her to soothe her ego.
I had no desire to judge Chie. In fact, I bore some responsibility for failing to see her inner turmoil. But Chie, for all her insecurity and self-deprecation, had something that I lacked- courage. She'd accepted her flaws and put her life on the line to rescue me, so the least I could do was follow her example.
I then realized what I had to do. Perhaps this desire to run away was something I was ashamed of, but it was still a part of me, just like Chie's jealousy was a part of her. I then accepted my Shadow, which transformed into the Persona known as Konohana-Sakuya, a princess-like figure wearing pink. The incident was by no means over, but now I had the power to fight to save others who might be targeted.
There was no going back now that I'd accepted the truth about myself, and about Chie's relationship with me, but I didn't feel afraid. After all, it was up to me to make my own decisions now and take charge of my life.
Monday, February 27, 2017, Afternoon
That day had been a traumatic ordeal for me, but it was also a turning point in my life. Because of that, I was able to accept my repressed feelings and start making decisions for myself, rather than simply going along with what my parents and other adults told me to do. Chie and I were able to confront our deep-seated issues, and our friendship became even stronger as a result. Last, but not least, Yagami-san became a part of my life.
There were times when i wondered whether I made the right decision. Perhaps if I'd run away from Inaba, I would have been able to live together with Yagami-san, not caring how our parents felt about our relationship.
I quickly put those thoughts out of my head. I was here, behind this desk, as the heiress of the Amagi Inn, because I chose to be, and Yagami-san applied for the Assistant Manager job because she'd chosen to. The two of us had chosen paths that were difficult in their own way, and if Yagami-san did not regret her choices, neither would I.
There was only one thing left to do- trust Yagami-san.
Author's Notes
Thank you for the favorites and follows. Reviews are appreciated, as long as they're constructive and on-topic.
The fic will primarily focus on scenes that advance Shizuka's relationship with Yukiko, as well as new scenes I've added or modified versions of canon scenes. To speed things along, I focused on characters' inner thoughts for scenes like the first few Shadow battles.
The fic uses the modes of address used in the original Japanese version of Persona 4. For example, the second-years tend to use surnames on each other, with Chie and Yukiko being notable exceptions. Yu addresses Chie and Yukiko by their surnames without honorifics, but Shizuka, being more polite, would use "-san" on the girls and "-kun" on Yosuke.
I chose to refer to Teddie by his Japanese name to fit with the fic being styled after the original Japanese of Persona 4. However, I decided to use Morooka's English nickname, King Moron, rather than the Japanes nickname, Morokin, because the former is easier to understand.
Like with the Persona 3 female protagonist's Orpheus, I gender-swapped Izanagi, and based her design off of female Japanese delinquents.
I know that technically, the Investigation Team Social Link doesn't start until April 17, but I decided to mark the protagonist and Yosuke getting their Personas as when the group was established.
Edited to fix the dates.