Chapter Twenty-Three
Yume sniffs. Blankly stares at the television from under her nest of blankets. Sniffs again.
"Stupid child body," Yume gripes as another commercial break comes on. "Stupid immunity system, stupid feelings, stupid body."
The last time she was sick, she remembers this life's parents being there to hold her and help her get better. Now they aren't here, Ms. Eguchi is taking care of her granddaughter for the week, Sojiro has work, and Yume can't pay a long distance call to Akira. She debates phoning the Isshiki family, but she's not in the best frame to make up a story on why she's on her own. And that's if someone really is there to pick up the phone.
So she suffers a head cold all alone.
"Stupid Tuesday," Yume grumbles once again, turning to face the back of the couch. Maybe sleeping will get rid of her illness in time for dance. No time like the present to try.
;;;
Tetsuya sighs, leaning back in his chair to stare at the roof as he processes the information.
Sadayo growls and gets to her feet to pace. "We can't let that go on."
"Emotionally abusing her students," Tae mumbles, glancing at her medical textbook in thought. "It makes sense on how she's gotten away with it. Power harassment isn't uncommon. I am curious as to why she has a palace, and not a spot in Mementos."
"Don't say it so logically," Sadayo snaps, throwing her empty chair away in order to safely release her anger. "She implied that learning a style of dance for fun somehow makes barely-school-age children whores. How many of her previous students do you think grew up hearing that from her day after day? How dare she?"
"None of it would hold up in court," Daichi says, exasperated. He glares overtop of his law textbook, just as pissed off. "Word of mouth from a couple girls? Maybe if all of them stood up to defend against the woman, but right now there is nothing to stand on. And if anyone went in there, the woman would probably be on her best behaviour, just like the rest of the palace rulers."
"So we're stuck," Hiroki sighs. "This is going to be like with the café, isn't it?"
"This doesn't sound like a lust situation," says a man wearing lots and lots of colours. He sets a large medical book on the table beside Tae, and then tips his white top hat at the group. "She doesn't seem to want the power from her students becoming well known. And is there anything about 'private' lessons?"
"Not that I know of," Hitoshi replies, getting angry at the thought. "I'll talk with Yume some more, but she hasn't had the woman as an instructor yet."
"Kayo?" Tetsuya asks, making the budding reporter glance up. "Have you found anything?"
"I'm still trying to follow a theory," the woman sighs and sets her papers down. "A couple of the girls who went to the academy when Hiruma taught are now very well known in the play-acting community. Problem is, no one wants to talk about their time under her guidance."
"So we need more recon," Tetsuya decides with a nod. "While we finish preparing for the marine center, Hitoshi and Kayo will get whatever information they can. And Mary? If you see what the technology is like for the building, I'd appreciate a layout."
"You got it!" chirps Mary.
"Let's head to the Mementos," Sadayo growls, stalking lines across the floor. "I need to beat something up."
"Before you go, Ace," the man dressed in too many colours says. "Sofia found an answer to your question. She can explain it better, if you want to see her before you go."
"Thank you, Tristan," Tetsuya nods and shows his relief. He has no prior memory of a random girl on the street being important, but he also doesn't know what to expect in the ballet palace. It's definitely a shift from what he's used to – it's not a feeling of déjà vu or knowing when something is coming – but, since Tristan seems more excited than worried, Tetsuya isn't as concerned as he was before.
He still rushes over to the Librarian's desk as soon as he can.
;;;
Haru – sweet, beautiful, amazing, Haru – ducks out of her class and joins Yume's for the day.
"They won't come after me anyway," Haru shrugs. "No one wants to speak with father. They're too scared of him."
"I would hug you," Yume says thickly, nose still stuffed and throat a bit sore, "but I don't want you to get sick."
Haru gets up on her tiptoes and pats the girl's head. "There, there. Next time remember an umbrella."
"I will," Yume says sourly, shaking as she struggles to hold the required position. And oh boy will she ever remember an umbrella next time. Turns out there is something in the rain that increases chances for illness. A bacteria she can't remember the name of that, when a person is soaked in it, lowers their immunity to allergies, common colds and the flu. That's why almost everyone in this-world Tokyo uses umbrellas like they're going out of style. And her parents couldn't even be bothered to leave her one.
"You're going to start with Madam Himura tomorrow," Haru says nervously as they pack their bags. Yume thanks the world for small miracles, because she wouldn't have been able to handle a first meeting with the woman today. "I-if you stay out of her way, she shouldn't bother you. And practice! Don't give her reasons to critique you!"
"I will," Yume sniffs, smiling at the older girl. "Thank you."
Haru breathes out a relieved sigh. "Just be careful? I don't want to prank a teacher for making you cry."
Hearing that makes the sick girl's day. Yume's smile is blinding, and she can't stop the tears at the sudden mood shift. "Thank you, Haru."
Haru seems to make up her mind about something. "You're my best friend, you know? I'm not going to put up with people hurting you."
Yume's cheeks hurt at the smile. "Aw, I knew you cared!"
"Of course," Haru looks with wide eyes and smile.
"You're one of my best friends too," Yume says, heart panging at the thought that she doesn't know how to fix the problem of Mr. Okumura's dungeon. "So if anyone hurts you, you point me at them, alright?"
"Of course," Haru repeats. Her eyes sparkle as she takes Yume's hand and swinging their arms. "Have I told you about Ms. Hananoka's embarrassment in class yesterday?"
"No," Yume smiles cutely. "Do tell."
Yume's feeling slightly better – much less alone – when she finally makes her way home. She buys lozenges and an umbrella, the cashier smiling sympathetically at her. Her head is fuzzy and she's determined to sleep all night if she can. Hands shake trying to unwrap the lozenge, and just when she gets it, it slips from her fingers.
"Come on," Yume whines, picking it up and throwing it and the wrapper away. She pulls out another one, but her hands shake too bad to even risk it. She bows her head and slogs along. A sore cough echoes when she tries to clear the itch. If it is this bad tomorrow, she's sitting out.
Walking to the park. Can't let Ryuji down.
"Kid?" Yume stops at the familiar voice, blinking and forcing her eyes to focus on Sojiro. "Gees, Yume, you look terrible."
Yume tries for a mock pout but she has to cough and ruin everything. "That's – uck – not nice to say to a lady."
"At least you still have your sense of humor," Sojiro says, putting a hand on her back and guiding her. Yume sighs and leans into his warm palm. Since when was she cold? "You didn't go your class today, did you?"
She hums positive.
He lets out a loud groan, and she doesn't recognize the sound of the bell. Where are they? "Hey, doc, you've got something to help a cold?"
"Hmm?" Yume blinks blearily at the bespectacled man blinking at her from over the counter. "Ah, yes; is it a cold or flu?"
"Head cold," Yume mutters, trying to push off Sojiro as she realizes just what's going on. She doesn't need this. Sleep is less threatening to lifestyle than a doctor seeing her. "I'll be fine without medicine."
"No you won't," the doctor says simply. "This looks like a case of rain fever, and that takes a week of constant rest to get through without antibiotics."
"'M fine."
"How much?" Sojiro says sternly.
"No," Yume protests quietly under their exchange. She doesn't say anything else, barely able to stay awake and standing. Sojiro picks her up just as she's about to fall. "Sorry."
"Just don't get sick on me again, okay kiddo?" he grunts out, carrying her out of the clinic. "Where's your babysitter?"
"Not today," Yume says. She really didn't want to deal with this make-believe today.
"Then I'm calling your parents."
"Long distance charges," Yume mutters.
Sojiro swearing jolts her back to awareness. She blinks owlishly, not sure he's ever sworn around her before. Then it takes a moment to realize the swear was in English and that's why she even recognized it. "Kid, why is no one looking after you?"
"Tell you later," Yume sighs. "Put me down and I'll go home."
"Not a chance," he growls lowly, turning and marching to his house. She frowns. "Yume, you do realize you shouldn't be by yourself when you're sick, right?"
"I'll be fine," she tries to assure him.
"I know the mortality rate of rain fever for kids under five," he grunts out. "You won't be fine."
She leans back to give him a tired, curious look. "Why do you know that?"
"So Wakaba doesn't have to," he says quietly. "Futaba had rain fever for a few hours, once. She was able to sleep it off. You've exercised too much, and need to take the nasty medicine and sleep until you're back to normal."
"Alright," Yume nods. "You don't need to worry. I can go back to my ho-"
"I'm not letting you be by yourself," he snaps lowly. She quiets and he sighs, frustrated. "Just- just sleep in my spare room tonight. If you feel better tomorrow, you can go, but no dancing. Don't fight me on this, Yume."
"…Alright," Yume nods slowly. She really hopes Akira doesn't try to phone tonight, but she can't see a way out of here. She's scared, but isn't this what she wanted? It's too hard to think, she just wants to sleep. "Thank you, Sojiro. Can I sleep now?"
"Yes," he grunts, opening the door to his house easily.
"You won't tell anyone about this, right?" Yume begs, forcing her eyes open.
"I can't," he grunts, angry for a reason she can't pick up on. She almost doesn't hear his, "or I would have done it ages ago."
That's not as comforting as it should be. Still, she falls into a sleep filled with flashes of people she misses, and of the few people she can learn to lean on this lifetime.
The incoming morning is far away, yet always forefront as she dreams.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Any thoughts? (Sorry it was rather short)
Thank you, Avatar . NIX, for your review! Tiny Akira really needs a friend there with him; I honestly can't wait until they all start texting. I really hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for your review!
Thank you, Harukawa Ayame, for your review! Yah, she doesn't really have the drive to face demons and be like 'yes, I will defeat you'; maybe one day... Hope the bits of angst in this chapter didn't hurt too much. Thank you so much for your review, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thank you, Guest, for your review! A lot of Yume's information about the Persona world is second-hand. Pyro Jack/Jack O'Lantern wasn't one of the things her friends would rant about, and she's only seen some merchandise or fan items about him so his name didn't stick. Thank you for asking, and I hope that helped! I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reviewing!