A/N: Even more Social Link GO! Ahhh can't help it, that's how I'm doing it in my playthrough... and I'm using a guide to help me plan out more... welp, I'm already trash from the start. Aaaanyway, next chapter would probably have that summer festival. Maybe. :D
Creedpah
- An omake (had to search google cause I never heard of that word... so it means 'extra', so you're talking about extra content I think?), huh? I might or can try to implement it, but if it's in another person's POV I'll have to probably make another fanfic here for that since this story is kinda limited 3rd POV, so it focuses more on Yui than others. Though I'm not even sure if what I'm saying about this omake stuff is right... =w=||
- Well, I'll try to keep those interactions up with how I play the game! Because I'm trash for this rare pairing that people hardly ship, BL or non-BL... it's a challenge to write while thinking of so many other characters, but I hope I won't let you or the other readers down.
Since there wasn't much to do but just hang out and do work in town while waiting, Yu wandered around for a while the first day after Mitsuo was arrested. The second day, he met up with Yukiko in front of the bookstore and decided to hang out for the day. They went to the shrine for a small talk… but for some reason, he could see that she seemed embarrassed for some reason, her cheeks slightly red.
"Uh… umm. Do you remember Kasai-san, the waitress? She seems to have told everyone about you… now, they're saying I sh-should bring you home… adults are so quick to poke fun at me… it's such a hassle, isn't it…?" Yukiko told him in embarrassment. "B-But of course my family runs an inn, so guests come by all the time… maybe next time, you can just come in…"
Before Yu could say something, a middle-aged man dressed in a pale golden-coloured suit approached them. "Oh, Yuki-chan!"
Yukiko got up from where they sat on the steps, acting like her usual self again. "Oh, the deputy mayor."
"The people at the inn seemed very busy. Is something going on?"
"Huh…? Oh no! Today was the interview for the travel show!"
"On TV? That's great! You'll try and make Inaba look inviting, won't you?" The deputy mayor then left, leaving the two teenagers alone. Yukiko looked at the silver-haired boy and apologised. "I'm sorry, I have to go."
Admittedly, it's a little surprising after what happened the last time a TV crew came by… "An interview, huh?" Yu asked her.
The black-haired girl nodded. "Uh-huh. It's for a travel show. It looks like a serious show, and we agreed to it because my mother and I won't be filmed. But they need me to help clean, so I have to go now." She still looked apologetic…
"I understand," Yu told her, knowing the hassle of preparing a place before a TV crew arrived. It's always a huge rush of workers and cleaners, especially when an event was being held by the company to either reveal a new line of clothes or a celebration. Of course, he had to help out during those times as a manager of sorts if he couldn't use school work as an excuse. "Go ahead, we'll see each other next time?"
Yukiko nodded. "Of course. Goodb—" She was cut off by a familiar voice sounding from ahead of them both.
"There you are, Yuki-chan!" It was Kasai, and she seemed worried about something. The black-haired girl wondered why. "Kasai-san? What's wrong?"
"That TV crew came, but don't go to the inn! It was a trick! It's those people from that 'news of the weird' show! And I think they're looking for you! So stay put, you got that?"
Upon hearing that, Yu got up as he realised the seriousness of the situation. The whole TV interview was a trick then…
Yukiko slowly nodded, her eyes widened in shock. "Huh… o-okay, but…"
Before they could do anything, a man's voice spoke from ahead of them this time. "There you are." That man and his crew from the other day approached them, smirking at Yukiko. "No use in hiding, future manager of the cursed inn."
"C-Cursed inn…?"
"We know all about that murder case. Mayumi Yamano stayed at your place, right? And you guys've been hurting what with the drop in visitors, huh? So I came up with a great idea! 'The High-School Manager's Embarrassing Struggle: Renovating the Cursed Inn!' How's that grab you? The customers will be pouring in, I tell ya."
"…I don't understand what you…"
"I want you to be the star. When we introduce the hot springs, let us film a little bathing scene, eh? 'The Modest Manager's Steamy Service!' Our ratings will go through the roof!"
One of the TV crew members spoke up with a sleazy grin. "That sounds like a great idea!"
Bastard.
Yu narrowed his eyes at the man and his crew. What shitheads… there's always going to be a pack of reporters who had the same attitude and mindset as this shady guy. He's met a few, and actually beat up one of them back when they had the gall to record him as the so-called 'Silver Kingpin of Tokyo' for one of their stupid news coverages when he used to be a delinquent. He got lucky that he was wearing his face mask at the time, otherwise he wouldn't be here today. That being said, he knew another way to get rid of them by using the law, but he's not sure when to speak up.
Kasai tried to say something about the whole situation. "Listen, you…" However, she was halted by Yukiko who shook her head. The black-haired girl's gaze then turned serious towards the group. "Anyway, please leave. We are not interested in your coverage."
The man frowned at her. "You're refusing?" He sighed. "Look, kid… you don't know the power of television, do you? Well, I can't blame you, living in the countryside. We're trying to help you out here. I mean, do you WANT the patrons to dry up? If you're gonna be the next manager, I'm trusting you to make the right decision here."
"I… won't be… the next manager," Yukiko murmured, eyes downcast as she finally said it.
"Oh, really? Hmmm… that so? Well, you just say the word, and I can hook you up with a better gig than running this dump of an inn. You could call yourself the 'Former High-School Innkeeper'… heheheh, I'm already liking the sound of that! Why don't you hear me out?"
Kasai was growing infuriated at this man's words. "How dare you say that to Yuki-chan…!"
Yet, Yukiko merely shook her head again. "…It's okay. Let him say what he wants. He'll go home once he gets it all out."
The shady reporter raised an eyebrow. "What the shit…? You say your inn has been going for generations, but all that means is, it's crappy and run-down. Tradition is so last year. You'd be better off if you did close up shop. I've seen the stuff you serve… small portions, decent service, nothing that stands out. If you want customers, you can't just do the same old, same old. You guys don't get that, and that's why you suck. Your waitresses don't even give any extra service unless you tip 'em, huh?"
Then, an idea came to his mind. "Heyyyy… I know! Why don't you make all the waitresses young girls, and have 'em do all-day menus? Y'know, spread the futon out, then go straight in!" His cheeks were turning red at the idea… what scumbag, thinking of such perverted thoughts. "But anyways, I was saying… let's give your place a little TV-style publicity. Use your head, willya?"
This time, Kasai could only glare at the group.
Unbeknownst to them, Yukiko was also glaring the reporter and his crew. "…the hell up," she muttered at them, which made the man and the TV crew look at her with puzzlement over what she said. Suddenly, she began yelling at them. "Don't say another word about our inn! Who'd take your stupid ideas seriously!? From now on, we refuse ANY coverage from your station!"
The look of confusion on the reporter's face turned into disgust. "You… bitch! If that's how you wanna play it, I'll plaster those words all over prime time! See how that feels!"
"Go ahead, by all means. And we'll respond with an official complaint to your sponsors."
One of the TV crew members got worried at that threat. "Th-This isn't sounding good, sir," he told the reporter. The man gritted his teeth. "…Tch!" He left the two teenagers and the kimono-clad lady alone with a grumble, the TV crew following him from behind.
Yukiko watched them leave, left in a daze of what she just shouted to the guy. "I said some incredible things…" She was more amazed at herself, in fact.
Kasai smiled at her. "…Haha."
"Hahaha…" Yukiko laughed a little. Then, the two of them started laughing even harder, which lifted the sombre mood in the air. They calmed down quickly after a few moments.
"Oh, I should contact the inn. I'll see you later!" Kasai soon left, leaving Yu and Yukiko alone.
The black-haired girl looked at the boy who has been standing there this whole time. Her cheeks turned red in embarrassment as she remembered that Yu has been there, hearing the whole thing. "I just… kind of lost it when he was insulting everyone. W-Was I scary?" she asked nervously.
Yu just chuckled, shaking his head. "Are you kidding? That was cool, Yukiko. Heck, you should've said more." He didn't even need to intervene… he had a feeling that she would do well on her own if there was another encounter with those damn reporters.
"R-Really? Thank goodness…" Yukiko was relieved after hearing that, falling silent for a moment. "…There was a time not long ago when I thought, 'It'd be better off if it closed,' but it's like my home…" She lowered her gaze to the ground. "It's where everyone in my world is… I can't let it close…" Her words seemed to suggest that she might be starting to face her true feelings… and at the same time, their relationship has grown yet deeper with the Priestess Social Link.
Maybe this is what she truly wants… and she's finally realising it.
After a quiet moment passed, Yukiko looked at Yu with red dusting her cheeks as she smiled shyly at him. "Hey… can you stay here just a little longer…? My heart's still racing… please…"
"…Sure." The silver-haired boy smiled back hesitantly. He hoped that Yukiko wouldn't end up the same way Chie did, but it seems that it was happening all over again… he'll just have to see where this goes. So, he did stay with her for a while before walking her to the inn when it was getting late.
To reject another one of his friends is hard for him too.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
That night, Nanako wanted to talk with him so Yu spent his evening with her.
Nanako started off their talk. "Umm, you know the photo you found before? I gave it back to Dad. He looked happy and smiled at me. Big bro… I love my Dad," she told him. Yu smiled gently at her, glad that things were starting to clear up. "And he loves you, too."
The little girl smiled back cheerfully, nodding. "I think so too!" She then continued to tell her cousin what happened. "Dad didn't forget about how we used to pick flowers at Samegawa. He smiled at me and said, 'You remember, too?'. Dad loves Mom." She fell silent for a few seconds. "...I feel sorry for him, losing someone he loves."
"Well, he still has you."
"Yeah! I won't go anywhere!" Nanako smiled vigorously at Yu. "I'm glad to be Dad's daughter!" she said, giggling and smiling so happily. Through that smile, the silver-haired teenager could feel his relationship with his cousin grow even deeper… and with it, so did the Justice Social Link. When the whispers faded out, Yu noticed that Nanako was now looking at him with a curious smile. "...It's your turn to talk!" she said.
Taking a glance at the clock, Yu also realised that it was just about Nanako's bedtime… ah, screw it. She's just gotten much happier now, he's not going to dampen the cheery mood. "Alright then."
"Yay!" The little brunette looked happy at being able to talk a little longer, which they did until it got late. Yu then put Nanako to bed before going to his room to sleep for the night like usual.
The next day, Chie asked if he could train with her for the day, so he did. He still felt guilty after rejecting her feelings, even if he didn't say it outright… but it's there. Nonetheless, he did his best to act like he usually would around anyone – just a regular, friendly guy. Who somehow managed to also make a girl fall for him the more he hung out with her… and to make matters complicated, he had his own heart stolen weeks ago.
Dang it.
Either way, the two of them trained at the flood plains like always.
"Okay! I think that's enough for today!" Chie seemed more enthusiastic than usual today. "Yeah... I feel like I haven't been on-form in a while!" She then turned to face Yu, having something on her mind. "Hey, uh... there's something I want to tell you. Something I've been thinking about all this time."
"What is it…?"
"...I still don't have a clue what my good points are. But... I thought I could just keep on searching. I just want to protect people. And to do it, I'll stand up and fight. I'm going to fight alongside you till the very end. I mean... we'll always be friends!"
Yu could only smile at her. "Of course." That's the only solace he could give her – just being friends. If not lovers, then just that.
"Yeah!" Chie smiled back gently. She then took something out from her pocket. "From me to you." She gave it to the silver-haired boy, who took it curiously. On closer inspection, it was a wristband, mostly black with a few white accents…
"Thank you, Chie," Yu told her, accepting the gift with the smile still on his face.
"Oh, and it's new, so it's clean! It makes a matching pair with mine. Hahaha..." Chie laughed slightly with a reddish colour to her cheeks. She still liked him, even if she was rejected… "...I think this "power" of mine is what I wanted all along. The power to protect everyone... I understand now. I'm not supposed to use it to become more self-reliant... I'm supposed to use this power to protect people... Yukiko, my friends, my family, this town... and you." At those words, she felt something abruptly change within her… she looked up at the sky in surprise as a vision appeared before her eyes.
Her strong will that allowed her to accept and overcome her weakness has awakened her heart's true power... her Persona has been reborn – Tomoe soon transfigured into a new Persona, Suzuka Gongen. It looked a lot like Tomoe, except this time it had a black bodysuit and more armour on its form, plus silver white hair and a long, dual bladed spear. Once the vision faded out, a smile came to her lips. "My... new power..." She looked at the boy in front of her again, chuckling. "...I have you to thank for this. No matter how far apart we may be in the future, we'll be okay. This feeling won't ever change..."
Yu could sense her strong resolve… and their bond grew to its strongest potential with the Chariot Social Link. Whispers spoke again in his head of the formation of another genuine bond, and when they faded out, he was left with the new knowledge that he could fuse another new Persona – Futsunushi of the Chariot Arcana.
Chie grinned at him. "Alright then, my body and mind are all worn out! Let's go get some meat, and I mean the good stuff!"
So, they both went on a meat-eater's tour of Inaba until evening fell, just like best friends…
The first week of summer was slowly coming to an end as Friday came along. The ongoing clear skies over Inaba was calming with the continuous chirping of crickets and other bugs… for Yu, it was finally starting to sink in that things were over. He had nothing much to worry about now, other than maybe his life back in the city… but Inaba was a long while away from Tokyo as the rural town was further down south, so things here were surprisingly warm in the summer.
It was nice.
He ended up bumping into Rise on his way down to the shopping district, and after an exchange of words, decided to hang out with her that day. In a way, he felt like that whenever he went down to the shopping district, it always resulted in him hanging out with someone by the end of the day. Coincidence, maybe? He's not exactly sure. Either way, the two of them went to Okina City at the idol's request… which took a while, like usual. When they arrived, they rode the escalator down from the station to reach the sidewalk.
Rise sighed once they were on solid ground. "Whew, that was a long trip... it'll take time to get back, so let's walk around quick!" she told Yu with a smile.
The silver-haired boy noticed that she spoke like she knew the place well. "You come here often?"
"Yeah. You know there's not much of a selection where we live, right? Since I've got a mule with me today, I think it's time for a shopping spree!" The dark brunette looked like she's having fun… then she thought of something. "Oh, come to think of it, where does Kanji buy his clothes? You can't find pointy stuff like those at Junes, can you? Does he buy them online...?" Her eyebrows furrowed as she held her chin in thought. "Maybe he makes them...?"
"Who knows…" Yu never even thought of that… but from the looks of it, Rise was planning to buy some clothes. Their attention was soon taken by some suspicious guy approaching them. "U-Umm... a-aren't you Risette? I, I-I-I-I..." He stuttered so much, his words were barely comprehensible… before he could continue, Rise shook her head.
"No... I'm not. Let's go, Senpai." She walked away from the guy, with Yu following behind her.
This repeated over the course of the day, with many other people bearing the same question in mind as they approached the idol.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Eventually they stopped at a resting place to escape the never-ending crowd of curious people.
Rise was annoyed at the whole situation. "They just never learn!" But she quickly relaxed by letting out a sigh and smiled at Yu. "But I told them! I told them today, Senpai!" She giggled cheerfully. "'No, I'm not.', 'You're mistaken.', 'I'm not Risette!'… and it's true... I'm no longer 'Risette'... I'm just an ordinary girl... which is fine with me!" She looked around with a wistful smile after that. "I never thought I'd be out in public like this. I love Inaba, Senpai... you see the same faces every day, rumours spread fast, and there are times when it gets on my last nerve... and sometimes I feel I might be better off if I was in a big city full of strangers... but even then, I love that town."
She gazed at Yu with a cheery face. "You're there, Grandma's there... and above all, there's something I can do there. Let's keep at it, Senpai!" Her passion was like a strong fire, that much Yu could sense. In a way, he could understand her even better now… as a result, the Lovers Social Link grew stronger.
"I didn't see any one-pieces that clicked with me, so I guess we should go home," said Rise. "Let's go, Senpai."
Thus, they went back home to Inaba by train. Yu walked Rise to her house first before going back home, like he always did with almost everyone else he hung out with.
Saturday was a sudden change from the sunny skies, bringing grey clouds and heavy downpour with it. Yu had checked the weather forecast which said that tomorrow was going to be a clear day, so it was nothing much to worry about. Since it was raining, he was sure no one would be out today… so he decided to finish Margaret's request and also report to the fox about the ema request.
Going down to the shopping district with an umbrella over his head, he found the Velvet Room door at its usual spot and opened it, entering the place.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Upon entering the Velvet Room, Margaret noticing something about him.
"Ah…? It seems that you have completed over half of the Social Links… how wonderful for you! Well, then… please, take this. Your commitment to your Social Links will become your commitment to your 'world'… I look forward to seeing your 'world'." The platinum blonde lady gave Yu a small smile as she handed him a metal bat.
"Um… thank you." The silver-haired boy accepted it, although he wasn't sure what to do with the metal bat other than a weapon…
…Oh. It is a weapon.
Anyway, he recalled that Margaret's request this time was a Yatagarasu that knew Megido… it was a little harder to fuse one since not many Personas had that skill, but he managed to get it done. Margaret smiled at the sight of it. "Wonderful! This Yatagarasu has the Megido skill… you have successfully completed the request." She seemed to think about something for a few seconds. "…Riddle me this… what kind of Yatagarasu is a crow with three legs?"
Isn't that the answer already?
"…I accidentally told you the answer." The Velvet Room attendant realised that a moment later. "…I'm sorry I spoiled it… I wanted to give you a riddle that my master once told me. It was difficult, yet entertaining, and somewhat sad… since we've begun meeting this way, I've gained an interest in words. Anyway… thank you for showing me this exquisite card." She smiled gently at Yu as the Empress Social Link grew stronger with the completion of another request.
Where one was completed, another will take its place. Margaret's smile fell, her gaze turning serious again. "Well then… for my next request… I'd like a Yatsufusa that knows Mediarama… if anyone can do this for me, it's you. I eagerly await your return."
Nodding, the silver-haired teenager quietly left the Velvet Room after excusing himself. Time to go visit the fox… it'll definitely be happy to hear that the request was fulfilled.
Sunday was clear again, and after getting a new ema request from the fox – this time it was a request from a girl, possibly a high school student like him, wanting to be able to converse better – he went down to the flood plains to see if Hisano would be by the riverbank again. He was quite curious about her after the last time they met… sure enough, he found her just watching the sparkling river while dressed in the same mourning clothes again.
The old lady soon noticed him standing near. "My, Yu-chan. I'm happy to see you." She smiled gently at the silver-haired teenager who smiled back. "It's nice to see you too, ma'am. Would you like to talk with me for a while…?"
"I'd be happy to."
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The two of them sat on the grassy floor, watching the slow flow of water in front of them while talking.
"But still..." Hisano spoke slowly, melancholy in her eyes. Yu raised an eyebrow, wanting her to continue since he didn't know what she was going to say. The old lady then looked at him with a long, soft gaze. "The more I look at you, the more you remind me of him. His nose was just a little lower than yours, and his eyes a bit smaller, and his hair was shorter... haha, he was a handsome man."
"Um… if you don't mind, who are you talking about…?" Yu asked, still puzzled at the whole 'looking like him' thing.
"Haha... my husband. He was a kind man. Quite an attractive one, too..." Hisano smiled nostalgically at the thought. However, her smile fell as she lowered her gaze. "My husband passed away recently..."
"O-oh… I'm so sorry for your loss…" The silver-haired boy felt a pang of sorrow for the old lady sitting next to him. To lose someone you love is hard on the mind as well the body… he could only wonder how Hisano could still have the strength to smile at him with such gentleness before. Eventually he was brought out of his thoughts by Hisano's question that took him aback.
"Do I look like Death to you?"
"Huh…?" Yu blinked a few times, this time wondering if he heard that right. Is she asking if she looked like 'Death'? "…No, you don't."
"I see... you mustn't become Death." Hisano smiled sadly at him. Those words and that elegiac smile made the silver-haired teenager feel like he just brushed against a heavy weight the old woman was bearing… from that, the Death Social Link became stronger.
Hisano stared at him wistfully a little longer. "When I'm with you, I feel like he has forgiven me... that can't possibly be true, though... after all, I'm the one who..." She paused, falling silent for a moment. She then smiled at him like before. "...I'll see you later, Yu-chan."
"…Goodbye, ma'am." Yu bid goodbye, seeing that it was time for them to part… even if he was left with more questions about the old lady. He then left Hisano and began his walk back home…
Yu started the second week of August by working at the day care centre. After almost all the children were picked up, he noticed Eri finally arriving to pick Yuuta up, but the brunet child wouldn't look at her.
"Yuu-kun, let's go home... it's getting late..." Eri told her stepson in a soft voice. Yuuta still wouldn't budge when he saw a man call for his son who was standing nearby. That kid ran towards his father and left with him, which made Yuuta bite his lower lip as he looked down. He refused to look at his stepmother. "...When is he coming back?"
The question made the brunette woman slightly flustered. "Hmm? You mean your father...? Hmmmm... I don't know yet."
"...I'm going home with Ryu-kun." Yuuta then ran off, leaving Yu and his stepmother back at the resting hut. Eri could only sigh as she watched her stepson leave. "I guess he wants to see his father."
"Probably." Yu had a feeling that was the case.
"I mean... even if he goes home, he'll be alone with me, right? I'm just a stranger who barged into his life six months ago, so... I feel a bit sorry for him." Eri smiled wryly at that. "My husband kind of set me up... he only told me he had a child right before we got married... but I thought he was the one for me, so I figured the three of us would be able to work it all out. Then, right after we got married, he was sent to China on business. He keeps in contact with me, but... it doesn't change the fact that he's not here." She sighed again. "He's so inconsiderate..."
"…Do you love Yuuta?"
"Huh...? O-Of course I do..." Eri was taken off guard by the question. "But you know, there's no way a child can get along with a new mother, right? So it can't be helped…" Yet she answered that while looking the other way… "Maybe I rushed into marriage too quickly… when he told me I wouldn't have to work I thought it'd be a good idea, but..." Then she realised what she just told the silver-haired teenager, smiling at him with a small laugh. "Oh! Don't tell my husband, okay?"
…She's smiling, but Yu couldn't tell if it's a genuine one. Either way, he felt like he could understand the brunette woman a bit more… and so the Temperance Social Link grew stronger. Eri then looked past the silver-haired teenager, seeing that Yuuta was gone now. "I wonder if Yuuta's home by now... I'd better be going now, too."
"Alright, ma'am." Yu nodded and let her leave first before finishing up his work for the day…
On Tuesday, Rise had asked him if he could spend time with her at the Aiya Diner when he went down to the shopping district, so Yu guessed that he could do that for the day. The idol was ecstatic like before when hearing that he'll go with her, and thus they went to have a bite at the diner down the road.
Once they finished, the silver-haired boy walked her back home.
Rise was pretty happy at experiencing another new thing in town. "The flavour was a little strong, but it was good. My grandma's food is kind of bland. Though tofu is good for you, so..." She stopped talking as her eyes and Yu's fell on the sight of a suspicious man standing in front of her house. Worry gripped her heart at that moment. "Is that a reporter...? Or... a stalker?"
"I can call the police if you need me to…?" Yu asked her. The dark brunette nodded, seeming relieved at his words. "Y-Yeah, go ahead… but still... that guy... where have I...?" She slowly approached the man, taking a closer look at him. Yu followed from behind, noting how the man was dressed in a prim and proper suit, very much unlike a stalker or a reporter. It took Rise a moment, but soon her eyes widened as it hit her who this man was. "Inoue-san, is that you!?"
Upon hearing her voice, the man looked in the direction Rise and Yu were standing at and ran towards them. "Rise-chan!"
"Wh-Why are you here...? I already settled everything with the agency...!"
"I'm here because... personally, I can't accept that. I've watched over you this entire time as your manager..."
Rise glared at her former manager. "I'm no longer a 'personality'! My private time doesn't belong to a manager anymore! Go home. If you don't, I'll call the police."
"W-Wait! Could you just think it over? I strongly believe that no other actress can play that role better than Rise Kujikawa. Your fans were looking forward to the movie, too..."
"You still want me to act...!?"
"Huh...?"
"...Anyway, I'm through with it! I have nothing to do with showbiz and all that stuff now! I..." Rise glanced at Yu who stood next to her. At that moment, her decision was made up. "I-I've decided to marry this man once we graduate high school!" she announced to her former manager who was stupefied at the statement. The shock of her words got to Yu so badly that he wasn't able to react as well as he would, even when the idol got closer to him and wrapped an arm around his, much like a couple.
Rise continued on, desperation lacing her voice. "I said before it was only a hiatus, but I've changed my mind! There's no way I'm coming back! Yu sees the real me... he's so gentle...!"
Yu glanced at the dark brunette who held his arm tightly, panic almost taking his mind by the storm. He had a deep urge to deny the whole thing, but seeing Rise be this desperate to escape her life as Risette was making him think otherwise. If he denied the story now, Rise might lose her chance to truly escape the celebrity life… and he can't bear the thought of denying her that chance. Mentally groaning, he forced a smile onto his lips as he went along with her story, acting and speaking like her 'loving boyfriend'.
God, what is he getting himself into now?
Rise looked at him in surprise for a moment, then a smile also appeared on her lips. "S-See? I told you…" She was noticeably relieved that Yu went along with her story.
At her words, her former manager lowered his head, thinking for a good moment in silence. "…I understand. I'll go home... for today. B-But I..."
"Go away! Now!"
So, Inoue ran off.
The two teenagers stood there, watching as the man left them alone in a hurry. Rise eventually remembered that she was still holding Yu's arm and quickly let go, putting some distance between them as she stood with her back to him. "Oh... u-ummm... that was Inoue-san. He was... my manager. I'm his daughter's age, so he treated me like one of the family... but... he's a stranger now," she explained, still feeling embarrassed from her actions moments ago. She fell quiet for a few seconds before she turned around to face the silver-haired boy. "…S-Senpai, umm... I'm sorry... lying about marrying you and all..."
Holding in a sigh, Yu just gave her a reassuring smile. "I don't mind." He's lying, but he's doing it for her sake.
Rise smiled in relief upon hearing that. "Senpai... you're so mature... you really are a nice guy." A rosy hue then grew on her cheeks, her smile growing soft. "Th-This isn't good... I feel like I'm going to depend on you even more…" When she saw her senpai's hesitant act, she giggled. "...J-Just kidding!" Perhaps due to her relief, she was smiling sheepishly.
…The Lovers Social Link grew stronger with it.
The idol then went towards the entrance to the tofu shop. "I wish I could spend more time with you, but... I'll save it for next time. See you later, Senpai."
"Goodbye, Rise." Yu watched as Rise walk inside, then went back home while feeling tense. He's getting more tangled up in his friends' lives, and as far as he knew, the girls that he hung out with were falling for him gradually… even Rise, if that flush was anything to come by… but she could be joking with him, for all he knew.
Shaking his head, Yu sighed heavily and continued his way back to the neighbourhood the Dojima residence was in.
Come Wednesday, Yu was about to leave his room when he got a call from someone – it was Kou, asking if he wanted to hang out with him. Seeing that there was no other reason not to do so, he agreed to it. He just didn't expect to have Kou decide to come to his home with Daisuke… and now he had two other guys in his room. Somehow, he felt uneasy about it.
Kou looked around with a curious eye. "Your room's… kinda weird… not too spacious, and yet not too cramped… not too dark, either…" he commented.
Daisuke just shook his head, frowning at his best friend's words. "Hey, don't bitch about other people's rooms."
"Wh-What? I wasn't bitching…" Kou cleared his throat and looked at Yu with a casual smile. "…Anyway, looks like you're a little short on stuff to read. Why don't you take this?" He took out something from his bag… it was a book. "Tadaaa! 'The O-Cha Way'… want it?"
"…Sure." Yu wouldn't refuse the offer for free things, and he always did like reading books… except for the ones his grandfather would give.
"I'm sure you'll understand it. It's written to teach tea ceremony to foreigners… it was too complex for Daisuke, but that's not saying much. Haha." Kou gave him the book after telling him was it was about, which piqued Yu's curiosity. It's about the tea ceremony, but written in a way to teach foreigners about it. Well, this will be interesting.
"Thanks," Yu told him, smiling back.
"Ah, it's nothing. Daisuke gave it back to me like a day after he borrowed it… now I can finally stop lugging that stupid thing around."
Laughing a little at what Kou said, the three boys chatted some more until they heard knocking on the door, followed by a child's voice. "Do we have guests, big bro?" It was Nanako.
"Oh, is she your sister, Yu?" Kou asked. Yu sheepishly smiled at that. "We're cousins… but we're like siblings too."
"Ooh, okay. We should all play something."
Nanako then entered the room, prompting the dark blue-haired boy to ask her a question. "Don't you get lonely when your big brother doesn't play with you?"
The little girl put on a frown at him. "…No, I'm fine!"
At that response, Daisuke grinned cheekily. "Alright, then let's do your homework. Kou would LOVE to help you." His words made Kou look at him with shock.
"I would!?"
Everyone else laughed at his reaction. They all had an exciting day… the athletic duo soon left the house before it got dark, leaving Yu to do his own things for the night.
It began to rain the next day, and the forecast had shown that it'll continue tomorrow… of course, since the killer was already caught there was nothing much to worry about. Yu spent the day inside for once, reading up on a book he's been holding off for a while. When night fell, he went downstairs to check on Nanako.
"Oh, you came down." The little girl was somewhat surprised to see him come from upstairs than to see her cousin come inside the house.
Yu nodded, going over to sit at the table with her. "Mhm, stayed inside this time. Say… wanna talk tonight?"
"Yeah!" Nanako smiled at him.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They talked for a while until the house phone rang, to which Nanako got up and quickly answered. Yu got up as well to see who the caller was, having an idea when he saw the bright smile on his cousin's face.
"I got a phone call from Dad. He's coming home," Nanako told him. "Let's make dinner together, big bro! There's a lot to do today!" She giggled happily after that, seeming more cheerful than she usually was with her cheeks a soft red colour. "I bought a bunch of dishes, pickled radish, and veggies at Junes! Big bro, can you make a salad?"
"Sure thing, Nanako." Salad is pretty simple to make, even for Yu's standards. Just keep the hygiene of the vegetables well and you're off to a good start from there.
"Right, then. You can be the salad-maker! And I'll be the, umm... the eggs sunny-side-up-maker!" The little girl looked really happy at hearing that. "We have to start eating our vegetables from now on. A well-balanced diet is important!" She confidently repeated that as if she'd heard it from somewhere… eventually her gaze towards the silver-haired teenager turned serious. "...My teacher said that families help each other. After Mom died, Dad and me have both been lonely, but..." She soon smiled again. "But I have Dad! And I need to do my best so Dad doesn't feel lonely either! You're my family, too, so... let's work hard together!"
Yu smiled at her, both glad and proud at how well Nanako understood her family's situation now. "Let's do it," he said with a grin, and Nanako returned it with her own cute grin.
"Yeah!" The brunette then remembered something. "Oh, yeah... I'm giving this to you!" She took something out of her dress's pocket and approached her cousin to give it to him. Yu observed the item in his hands and noticed that it was a family picture… more specifically, one with Nanako and her parents.
"Nanako…" He lifted his gaze from the photograph to look at his cousin in surprise.
"Dad made extra copies. You're family too, so you should have a family picture. Let's get a picture of you and me and Dad all together one day!" Nanako explained to him with a smile. She giggled, her cheeks still a soft red colour. "I love you, big bro!"
Hearing those words made the silver-haired teenager feel all warm inside, and he smiled too. "I love you too, Nanako." He could feel a warm sense of love from his cousin… and the bond between them has tightened as the Justice Social Link reached its ultimate potential. Whispers spoke in his head once again of a genuine bond being formed… and now he could fuse a new Persona – Sraosha of the Justice Arcana.
Eventually Nanako realised that they shouldn't waste any more time. "We need to hurry or Dad'll be home before we're done!"
So, they both prepared dinner, just in time for Dojima to arrive home.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The sounds of the doors sliding open alerted the two to Dojima's arrival.
"I'm home." Dojima entered the house looking exhausted, seeing Yu and Nanako greet him.
"Dad! Welcome home!" The little girl greeted with such a big smile.
"Y-Yeah."
"I made dinner with big bro today! We made salad and, um, um, a bunch of other stuff!"
"I see... good work, Nanako." The detective smiled at his daughter. Nanako smiled back happily. "Go wash your hands! Hurry, sit down!" She went ahead to set the table as her father watched her with the smile still on his face.
"She's really cheerful," Dojima commented before looking at Yu with that same smile. "I'm sure it's thanks to you."
The silver-haired teenager could only smile back. He's doing his best to help his uncle and cousin, and now that he's fully helped the latter, he'll have to start helping Dojima this time. After all… they're the family he wished he could've had.
"Dad, big bro, hurry, hurry!" Nanako called them both. Dojima chuckled at her excited behaviour. "I got it, I got it. Let's eat, then." He and his nephew went to sit at the dining table to eat dinner, enjoying each other's company like a family…
Friday was still raining as expected. Yu spent all day indoors and watched the evening news with Nanako, which reported that the fog would settle in tonight. He still checked the Midnight Channel nonetheless, and that resulted in seeing no one on the screen. Though he wondered what happened to Mitsuo after the police took him away, he decided to shrug off the thought and went to sleep for the night. Whether or not will he find out is no big deal… besides, the guy's caught.
He then spent the next day with Rise who requested that they go to the hill overlooking town since she said she liked it there, so there they were, sitting at the resting hut while watching the scenery.
Rise smiled softly at the greenery covering the hill. "When I first got to town, I used to sit here and do nothing... I would just listen to the sound of the river, the sound of the birds, the sound of the rain... I felt I could forget 'Risette' and find myself that way... but..." Her smile fell as she became quiet for a moment. Then, she looked at Yu with a question in mind. "Senpai, have you ever thought that you're pushing yourself too far, or that you were just acting...?"
That question almost made the silver-haired boy flinch. Acting…? He's doing that right now… a girl crossdressing as a boy. He might as well have been acting his whole life, being someone he was not. Yet, he can't reveal that to her, or anyone else. "…Sometimes." He knew it wasn't good to lie to these people he's grown to appreciate as friends, but life has shown him that trust can only go so far.
He won't make that same mistake again.
"I see... but I guess that makes sense... no one can be their 'normal self' all the time, huh?" Rise smiled sadly at him. "I feel like I've been able to relax after coming to Inaba. Meeting all of you, laughing together... watching the store, reading comics, playing with the cat... when I was at my parents' house, I was on my best behaviour around them..." She fell silent again for a few seconds. "…Oh, but Grandma doesn't ask me anything. Y'know, like why I quit or what I'm thinking of doing next... she just talks about tofu. She says... I'm like tofu. I had to ask her what that meant."
She looked down solemnly as she recalled her grandmother's words. "The way she explained it... tofu looks weak and fragile, but it's actually pretty resilient. Even though it stands out because it's not like any other food, it can be mixed in with any recipe or flavour... tofu is incredible. I'm nothing like that..."
A short while passed between the two teenagers without a word, the only sound being the cries of cicadas and the gentle breeze of the wind…
Rise's hands gripped her shirt tightly, coming to a choice to tell the boy next to her what's been on her mind. "I... I was actually bullied at school before I made my debut... I wasn't good at talking, and always looked at my feet... I was alone the entire time... but I didn't have a problem with that. No one expected anything of me. And then... the application my relative sent without telling me passed the first audition. I wasn't interested in being an idol, but... I wanted the chance to change myself. And just by chance, I won."
Yu stared at her in stunned silence. So… she didn't become an idol on her own will…?
The dark brunette could only chuckle pitifully. "Haha... when it happened, I panicked, thinking maybe I should turn their offer down. Then I thought... if I appeared on TV, I could make friends... that was literally the only reason I went through with it... after a while... I realized something. The person everyone likes, the one they say 'hi' to on the street? That's not the real me. Risette is the one everyone likes... the fictional character they sold the public." She then looked at Yu with a wry smile. "...It's the same with you, isn't it? You don't have to deny it... I won't be mad. You're with me right now because I'm Risette, yeah?"
"…I don't know…" All this while, Yu did it out of obligation since they had a Social Link together, but he was starting to see an unexpected side of the idol he saw a few years ago – that image of confidence he watched dance on the stage, all of it was just an act for society to drool over and gobble up. He could see bits of himself in her, and despite what happened the last time they hung out… he might be willing to truly help Rise out.
Rise was surprised to hear that from him. "W-Wow, I'm kinda surprised... you project the image of strength, so I didn't expect you to say that... but I see... you're just a year older than me, huh? I never thought of that..." She smiled sheepishly at the silver-haired boy before looking away again. "When I got back to school after my debut, no one bullied me... I was happy at first, with people I didn't even know talking to me... but they weren't suddenly interested in Rise Kujikawa... they wanted to hang out with Risette. The bullying stopped, but... I felt like none of them saw the real me."
She sighed, shaking her head. "In my heart, I've always thought... 'This isn't the real me...'. Funny, huh? I was the one who wanted to change, and..." She stopped there, a smile coming to her lips once more as she gazed at Yu cheerfully. "But none of that matters now! I'm done being Risette! Now I have people who know the real me. Plus, I have power that can help everyone... I love that! This time, I'm going to change into a Rise that everyone can like! Keep an eye out for her, Senpai!"
"I suppose I will." Yu managed to smile back, feeling like he could understand her a lot better now. He could feel the Lovers Social Link grow stronger from it…
He soon walked her to her house as evening fell, then went back home.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
That night, Dojima came home with a big spread of sushi for dinner… oh, and his partner, Adachi.
Adachi was amazed at the sight of all the sushi on the table. "Wow, what a great spread! I've never seen so many pieces of fatty tuna!" he commented. For once, Dojima wasn't too cranky with his partner, even having a smile of his own on his face. "If you're gonna have a celebration, you can't do it halfway."
Nanako looked at her father curiously. "Celebration?"
"Ah, it's about this. Watch."
Just then, the TV was showing the news report about the murder case. It reported that Mitsuo Kubo confessed to the crime, but he's shown no remorse so far… and some have called for a mental examination to be carried out due to inconsistencies in his deposition. Until then, the police will be continuing their investigation to shed light on all prior incidents.
Well, that does explain the sudden celebration.
"It was actually really tough to make a case out of this," Adachi said with a proud smile. "All we had was the suspect's confession and some circumstantial evidence. But the lab found the perp's prints on the victim's clothes, so we made it stick after all. Man, isn't crime scene investigation something? Who would've thought you could get viable prints from cloth?"
"There's no more scary stuff to worry about. You're safe now," Dojima told his daughter. Nanako nodded with a happy smile. "Uh-huh!"
…However, Adachi couldn't stop talking about the case. "Man, that guy was twisted. A high schooler committing multiple murders and leaving the bodies like that… he was over the edge. Good thing we caught him! Now I can stop seeing suspects in every shadow! If the killer was still on the loose…"
It got to the point where Dojima had to tell him off. "Enough, Adachi! If you keep running your mouth, the sushi's gonna dry up!"
"Oh, you're right. Sorry!"
"C'mon everyone, eat up."
"Well, since you asked…" The younger detective was about to start eating like Yu and Dojima did when he noticed that Nanako wasn't eating. "Huh? You don't like sushi, Nanako-chan?"
The little girl stared at her sushi hesitantly. "There's wasabi in it…"
"Ahh, that's right. I forgot to tell them to hold the wasabi." Dojima readied his chopsticks. "Here, I'll take it off for you. Which one do you want? Hmm?"
Nanako smiled at him. "…Halibut!"
Adachi was surprised to hear her choice. "Excellent taste, Nanako-chan." He then eyed the tray of sushi. "As for me, I'll go for sea urchin…" As the younger detective reached to grab the sea urchin sushi, Dojima tried to stop him from doing so. "Hey, there's only one of those!"
"Too late! First come, first serve." Adachi then popped the sea urchin sushi into his mouth with a cheeky grin. How daring of him.
Anyway, the four of them continued to have a nice dinner while talking about other things. It's been a while since dinner has been this lively… but Yu was slightly bothered by what Adachi said. It's almost like he wasn't really sure they had the killer.
…It's probably a long shot.