Persona 5: Shots Through the Heart
Shot 7: My Kira
It's been a little over half a month since Shiho moved away. However, Ann hasn't been counting the days that she goes on without her best friend beside her. Instead, she tracks the days she gets to spend some sweet alone time with her man. Every school day that he sits behind her and eats lunch with her, every date they go on in the afternoon, rain or shine, every charge through Mementos that they power through, every single moment. She could never remember every single moment she spent with Shiho so accurately, so this relationship really meant the world to her.
Although as great as it is, it was missing something very important. It wasn't that she was afraid to ask for it. She just always thought the guy had to make the move. She's not in a rush to get it, but it was definitely something she would have to bring up sooner or later.
xxx
Today, Ann is taking part in a special magazine shoot at Seaside Park: "Up Close and Personal with Two Popular Models" starring her and her rival, Mika. She asked Akira to come with her, which he obviously agreed to. Mainly because he was worried about how catty Mika got last time.
When the two got to the park, they noticed an agency employee talking to Mika. What was off is that Mika was frowning while the employee looked irritated.
"And don't pull a stunt like that again, okay?" he demands. Mika nods.
"Okay… I won't," she says sounding apologetic.
"What's going on here?" Ann asks as the couple approached. The employee turns to Ann.
"Well… Oh right. You fell victim to it too. Is it okay if I tell them, Mika-chan?" Mika gives him the okay and he explains the situation.
The issue was with an ongoing problem of other models not showing up for their shoots. Turns out that Mika was posing as the agency, contacting other models, and telling them the shoots were cancelled so that she can sub in for them and boost her popularity. The couple quickly put the puzzle pieces together. Mika had used the same trick on Ann back when she was training with Akira and Ryuji at the gym. Mika responded by telling everyone she's sorry and that she'll work harder from now on, but Akira and Ann have seen her good girl act more than enough.
The employee tells Ann and Mika to get ready and leaves. The couple shoot narrow eyed looks at the manipulative minx.
"Wooow," Akira scoffs. "You're really something else, lady."
"You seriously did something that lame?" Ann asks. Mika gives Ann the usual stink eye.
"What are you calling lame?" she retorts. "The industry's overflowing with models. Without an in, your career will never even get off the ground. Chances don't come to those who wait. You have to make your own luck if want to succeed." Ann looks like she wants to say something, but she shakes her head and points to Akira.
"Know what? Nah, he already said it."
"It's your own fault for getting the boot," Mika lectures. "If you can't crawl your way back up, you might as well go home." Mika puts on her cocky smirk.
"And either way, it's not like I'm not talented. I just needed my shot, and now I'm selling like crazy." Akira crosses his arms in disapproval.
"Listening to you talk?" he says. "You sound almost like a criminal." Mika turns her stink eye at Akira.
"What was that?"
"You talk all big about being talented and needing an in, but it don't change the fact that they still found out about your little agency posing scheme." Mika glares at him.
"And who asked you, loser?" Ann taps Akira's shoulder.
"It's okay, Akira." Mika smirks again.
"So what if they found out? I was already prepared with a teensy apology. It would've been dumb to try and hide it forever. Now that I'm on top, there's nothing they can do about it anyway. And I'll keep getting more and more popular, even if people hate me for it." Ann stares at her rival, then starts giggling.
"You're just like the female villains I used to love when I was a kid!" she says. "Strong, beautiful… and wicked! Honestly, I just can't bring myself to hate you!" Mika frowns.
"Tch. Well, I have no problem hating you." Ann puts her hands on her hips and puts on a confident smile.
"Sorry Mika, but all your hard work is only gonna get you second place! I'm gonna be the number one model! You might be popular now, but I'll take that spot from you fair and square!" Mika looks at Ann like she doesn't know what she's talking about, then smirks again.
"Hm… Alright then. I won't pull any more tricks. I'll beat you with beauty… fair and square."
"Sounds good to me!" Mika turns her attention back to Akira.
"Y'know, I'm surprised Four-Eyes here wastes his time with you and doesn't even give me a second glance." Akira shrugs and smiles.
"What can I say?" he says with pride. "I'm more into devils who just be themselves than devils who put on an angel's face half the time." He hugs Ann from behind and brushes her cheek with his hand, to her surprise.
"And this little devil panther stole my heart a long time ago." Ann chuckles and blushes as she secures his right arm around her waist and his left hand on her cheek. Mika just sighs and walks away.
xxx
The shoot has begun and Ann and Mika are strutting their stuff in front of the camera while Akira watches on with the small crowd. Guys gawk at them, college girls look on in playful envy, and staff are mentioning how greatly Ann has improved. The joy in her face as she posed lured a quiet chuckle out of Akira's mouth. As a test to see if he can make her smile more, he calls out to her.
"You're gorgeous, Annie!" That outburst made Ann stop for a moment, which cameraman notices.
"Huh? Somethin' wrong Ann-chan?" Ann looks at the cameraman, then smiles at him with a new pose.
"Nope! Not at all!" she giggles. The cameraman's eyes light up at the sight of her pose: Her left hand on her hip, her right hand sliding down her leg as she bends over, and a cute smile amplified by the perfect shading of red in her cheeks. It was the pose she normally uses when summoning her Persona.
The sounds of the camera shutter ring out like bullets from a machine gun.
"Yeah! Oh, that's beautiful! Gimme more just like that!" Akira laughs as his girlfriend uses the happiness she got from his compliment to fuel her modeling.
xxx
The photoshoot manager calls for a break. Ann rushes over to Akira and laughs.
"Man, this is so much fun!" she exclaims. "Today's been really great so far! So… how was I?"
"I loved every second of it," Akira chuckles. "You really gave it your all out there." Ann nods and winks at him.
"Well, yeah. I had to work extra hard with my boyfriend watching." Ann puts her hands behind her back and bends over.
"By the way, you! That "Annie" pet name better not be a one-time deal!" Akira runs his fingers through his hair as he laughs nervously.
"Uh, well… I-I was also thinking of calling you "Ann-pan", but… I-I think that's a little too much." Ann gasps and lightly bounces on her feet.
"Ann-pan?! You mean like the sweet roll?! Oh my god, that is sooo cute! Okay! Not today, but mister?! You! Definitely! Have to start calling me that! Soon!" That just makes him laugh more.
Never pegged her for the type to be so into pet names, he thinks. Ann looks out towards the city and the sun beginning to descend onto the horizon.
"I know I said I want to be the number one model…" she says. "But I'm okay with that not happening just yet. For now, I just want to keep improving, one step at a time. Then someday down the line, I'll be able to look at myself with pride. Hopefully people will see that confidence and draw strength from it. I'm gonna be a ray of light for the people of this planet…" Ann gives Akira a sincere smile.
"Just like you and Shiho are for me…" At first, Ann wanted to give strength to people in need as the Phantom Thief, Panther. Now, she wants to do the same as Ann Takamaki, the #1 magazine model. Akira has never witnessed such a strong resolve in his life, and the fact that it was from the girl he loves made it all the more special.
"Well, you know I'll be there with you," he says as if he's making a vow.
"Mm hm! Forever, okay?" Ann closes her eyes for a moment, then slowly walks up to him, places both of her hands on his cheeks, and slides them to back of his neck to connect them.
"Hey, so... I actually looked up the word "Kira" on the internet," she says. "Did you know that it actually has other meanings in other languages besides "killer"?"
"Really? Like what?"
"Like... "leader of the people", "lord or ruler", "beloved", and my personal fav... "beam of light"... cuz that's what you are to me... so..." Ann looks straight into his eyes and gives him a sweet smile.
"You're… my "Kira"." Akira, happily accepting his pet name, responds by pressing his forehead against hers and placing his hands on her waist.
"And I will always shine your way." The moment lasted until the manager made the call to get back to work.
"All right, break time's over! Ann-chan, you're going to be the main focus of this session!"
"Okay!" Ann spot something in the distance.
"Hey, mind hanging out with me some more after the shoot's done?" she asks.
"With you? Course not!"
xxx
After the shoot was over and Ann got changed, she met Akira by the bench.
"So, where do you wanna go?" he asks. Ann looks back over to the massive Ferris Wheel she saw before and remembers a question Shiho asked her before: From anywhere in Tokyo, if you could choose where you would have your first kiss, where would it be?
Akira follows Ann's finger as she points towards her chosen place.
"See that big Ferris Wheel right there?" Akira smiles, takes her hand, and pulls her towards their destination without a second thought.
xxx
With almost no line for them to wait in, it seemed as though a higher power was pushing the couple onto the gondola.
Ann strokes her right twintail as the two are lifted slowly into the air.
"W-Wow. W-We got on here really quickly," she stutters. Akira just sits there staring at her. She goes quiet and looks down as she plays with her hands. It didn't take long for an anxious look to emerge on her face. Akira can understand why though, considering he felt the same way.
"It's… just the two of us up here, huh?" he says. "No one can bother us."
"Y-Yeah…" Ann bites her lip and takes a few nervous glances at him before speaking up.
"Y'know... back when I met Shiho, when she saved me…" she says. "I realized that personal relationships are something to be treasured…" Ann closes her eyes, takes a deep breath to calm herself down, and turns to her boyfriend.
"That's why… I won't run away anymore. I'll face myself head on. This time, it's my turn to help someone… But I'm still a little worried… Do you think you can help me?" Akira nods.
"Anything for you. You know that." Ann smiles.
"Mm hm! And you can lean on me too, if you need it." Akira pushes up his glasses.
"Don't bother asking me to do something I'm already doing." Ann giggles and looks down at their hands.
"Y'know… you've been the one helping me this whole time… but I feel like we finally see each other eye to eye." She slides her fingers between his and smiles at him.
"I know I said this before but… Akira? ... I'm so glad I met you." Akira chuckles and shakes his head.
"Not as glad as I am to have met you."
Suddenly, Ann hears her phone go off and pulls it out of her pocket.
"Huh? The Metanav?" The navigator voice rings out of her phone.
"Strengthened resolve within user detected. Conditions met. Now initiating Persona Evolution." The couple's eyes widen in shock.
"Evolution?!" Akira repeats. The phone screen displays Ann's fiery Persona, Carmen. In a blue ball of flame, the seductive dancer takes on a new wicked form, resembling a demon queen holding two hellhounds by chain leashes.
The two look on in awe of the new being that was transfigured from Carmen, its name being displayed below it.
"Hecate," Ann gasps, putting her hand over her heart. "The new power that's growing within me!" Akira chuckles as the Metanav turns itself off.
"Guess you ended up strengthening your heart after all," he says. Ann giggles and blushes as she looks down at their interlocked hands again.
"I didn't find it on my own though… You're the one who gave it to me. The strength of heart I wanted so badly… The strength that means the world to me." She moves closer to him.
"Hey… You have to stay with me forever…" she says. "Promise me that you'll always be with me… okay?" Akira shakes his head.
"C'mon. I should be asking you that." Ann giggles again.
"Awww, are you worried?"
"Well considering how every guy in Tokyo wants to sleep you, yeah! I still can't believe I actually managed to win your heart!"
"Then maybe it's more fitting for you to be chasing after me!" Ann shakes her head and lies her head on his shoulder.
"Kidding! I wouldn't be able to handle that… To be honest… lately it's felt lonely just waiting for the next time I'll get to see you…" Akira lightly tickles her under her chin.
"Awww, that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me." Ann bats his hand away.
"Stop it~!" As the two enjoy each other's teasing, the sound of the com cuts them off.
"Thank you for enjoying our Ferris Wheel experience. The gondola will arrive at the platform shortly." Ann's eyes widen as she lifts her head up.
"Huh? It's over already?!" Akira frowns.
"Daaamn, that was short," he sighs with discontent.
"Yeah… We went all the way around... but I didn't see any scenery…" Ann smiles at him, presses her forehead against his, and lets out a sweet whisper.
"... All I saw… was you…" All Akira does is chuckle. The less he said to avoid ruining the moment, the better.
Ann's attention is soon drawn to his lips, which are dangerously close to hers, as she remembers the reason she dragged him up here in the first place. She really wanted to, the mood is right, and their ride was almost over. If this was gonna happen, it had to be now.
Ann, with a bold red blossoming in her checks, pulls away from Akira and gulps before forcing the words out of her throat.
"U-Um… B-Before we get off… sh-should we at least do one thing… y-you know… t-that... couples do…?" Akira stares at her for a moment with no clue about what she's talking about, then he blushes and scratches his head when he finally gets the picture.
"Ohhh! That. Uhhh…" He looks down in deep thought. It's not that he didn't want to. That couldn't be further from the truth. He wanted to so badly, he would actually kill for it. He just didn't know how to go about doing it. Although, he knew it mostly involved him making the first move. Still, her straight up asking for it definitely made things simpler.
"W-Well… O-Okay… But… um..." He sneaks glances at her with wryly smile on his face.
"R-Really…? J-Just... one?" If they really were going to kiss, he wasn't going to settle for a little peck. He was in love with this gorgeous golden haired goddess reincarnation of a girl. One kiss for one moment wasn't gonna cut it. And considering all he's done for her, he believes he has the right to be a little greedy.
Ann starts fidgeting and her face grows even redder.
"... I-I'll… leave it to you…" she stuttered.
Both of them took a deep breath. No more hesitating. This is happening.
"I-I should… put my glasses away, huh?" Akira takes off his glasses and puts them in the case in his bag. They both turn to each other, but Ann glances away for a second, anxiously biting her lip.
"Sh-Should I… close my eyes?" The couple slide ever closer together and gaze into each other's eyes, Ann giving him the infamously innocent upward look pose. Akira's heart quickened as he gets lost in the sky blue eyes that petrified his soul on the first day they met. That eventful rainy day when his eyes beheld who he believes to be the most girl in the world. Now, she's his to hold. The greatest thing that came out of him being labeled a criminal.
Ann closes her eyes and slowly extends her chin, gesturing him to meet her. Akira's eyes are glued to her plump, glossy, rosy lips. The guy had been dreaming of spending a moment like this with her for months. Where they would be, how hard his heart would be pounding, how she would look, how soft her lips would feel on his, what they would taste like. However, none of those dreams mattered now. He was just happy the moment was here.
His eyes slowly close as he breathes deeply through the nose and places his left hand on her cheek. His blush lightens as he tilts his head and licks his lips. His heart calms as he leans in towards her. And finally, with all the love he has for her inside, he presses his lips on hers.
After the anticipated initial shock, Ann leans further in, placing her hands on his shoulders and gripping them tightly. Was it the soft feel of their kiss? Was it the setting sun shining into the gondola window? No matter what it was, that moment was simple magic and very tender, setting off a firework show in her head.
When they separate, Ann couldn't help but feel dissatisfied. The kiss was perfect. No doubt. But it's the length of it that bothered her. She wanted that warm feeling in her heart to last a little longer. She did give him the okay for more than one, after all. Therefore, asking for more shouldn't be that bad.
"H-Hey…" she stutters, a little smile sneaking onto her face. "Y-You can… y'know… d-do it again, if you wa-Mm." Apparently, Akira was thinking the exact same thing because cuts her off with another kiss. This time, he traps her face in both hands and one peck turns into a couple. There is so much more heat and passion in this one than the first, which she obviously loved.
They separate again. Once again, Ann feels like the glass is half empty.
"... One more time…" she whispers. Akira removes his hands and wraps his arms around her waist to pull her in. There was a sudden drop in the amount of air she was getting, but for some reason she really enjoyed it. It was probably because she knew he was squeezing her enough to compress her lungs.
She instinctively slides her hands over his shoulders to wrap her arms around his neck. He's not the only one who wanted to hold her lover tightly. They separated again, but this time Akira kisses her before she can speak again, gently pushing her until she was lying on her back and crawling on top of her. A bit suggestive, but the mutual magic of this moment cut off their ability to care.
Ann had a feeling that he knew what she would've said.
… One more…
In the middle of their seemingly non-stop passionate kissing…
"Ah! To be young and in love!" The couple abruptly stop and look to see the Ferris Wheel operator smiling at them at the open gondola door. Akira rushes to his feet and straightens himself out.
"OH! Sorry!" The operator shakes his head.
"No trouble at all. Hey, no one's waiting. You two want another round for 500 yen?" Akira turns to Ann, who stands up and takes his right hand.
"Nah. I think we're good," she says. The two step out of the gondola and the operator wishes them a good day as they walk off.
As they are leaving the park, Ann giggles as she suddenly clings onto Akira's waist with both arms. All Akira does in response is smile and wrap his arm around her shoulders. The couple are too caught up in clinging to their "kiras" to care who saw them. After all, lights do bring warmth…
And they are holding the warmest in each other's arms.
Target: Hit