Akira and Shiho walked along the sidewalk together. Akira's hands were in his pockets while Shiho held a paper in her hand.

"Chouko-san's working really hard to making the volleyball team a reality here." Akira looked over Shiho's shoulder to get a look at the paper. It was a poster with a picture of Shiho jumping in the air, ready to spike the ball. The picture of her had her short hair fluttering and her expression was full of determination. "It's kind of embarrassing to be used in a promotion for the team. But I don't hate it. I think it's a good photo."

"Mind if I have a copy?"

"I'll send it to you later." Shiho giggled. She looked at the picture again, before reaching up and touching her hair. It had grown to reach her shoulders. "I kind of miss my ponytail."

"Why'd you cut it?"

"Just me thinking I could escape my past. I'll definitely grow it back. Hey, which do you prefer?"

Akira gently reached up and softly touched her hair. "Longer."

"Wow, you actually do have a preference. I thought you'd be more cautious of your answer."

Akira snorted. "Ann and Ryuji gave me crap the last time I was."

"I can only imagine." Shiho chuckled and rolled the poster and stuck it in her bag. It was sticking out like a sore thumb, but she didn't seem to care.

"In all seriousness, it really doesn't matter to me. But I think I've seen you more with short hair so I'm more used to that I guess."

"First answer's superficial, second answer's real." Shiho mumbled. Akira raised a brow, recognizing the tactic.

"Did Ann teach you that one?"

"If the conversation ever goes to preferences, then you should use that tactic. She said she read it in a magazine, so I don't know how true it is, haha…"

"That reminds me… how are we going to tell Ann?"

"Ooh! That's going to be so much fun!" Shiho clapped her hands together. "We definitely shouldn't just text her."

Akira nodded. "That'd be boring."

"Calling would mean we wouldn't get to see her dumb face."

"True."

"But… telling her in person would be kind of embarrassing. What would I say? 'I'm dating your other best friend'?"

Akira rubbed his chin. "That could work. Or… we could show them?"

"Show…? Oh!" Shiho's hands raced to her lips. "I… don't know if I'm ready for that."

Akira quickly pulled her towards him, wrapping his arms around her. "Nothing that serious. It could be us holding hands, hugging, or even a small…" Akira pecked her forehead. "… If you're comfortable with that."

"Yes. That would work." Shiho nodded against him. "I think that would get the strongest reaction out of her."

"We should record it too."

"She'll kill us."

"You don't disagree."

"Of course not." The two laughed, and Shiho pulled herself away from Akira. "I would like to get better though. I know kissing is the next step. I just… I'm still not done patching things up yet."

Akira gave her a warm smile. "It's okay. We have all the time in the world now."

"You're right. Things are really turning around for me. And that's thanks to you."

"If my cheerleading tactics helped, then I'm glad."

"I hope to be your cheerleader in the future."

"Now that's a nice image… Although I think you already are."

"I'll need to prove it. If you need anything at all, you know how to contact me. We're in this together now, as a team."

"A team."

Shiho wrapped her arms around Akira, pulling him into another hug which Akira immediately returned.

AN:

Short Rank 10. Nothing else to say, really. I got a bit random through the middle of the story and I don't know if I conveyed everything I wanted to, but it's done.

Persona 5 has some of the greatest confession lines ever. I loved how ridiculous but different they were so I wanted to make sure I did something similar here.

I've wanted to do something like this for so long. I am aware that there are some JokerxShiho fics out there, but I never read them, except one. If there's any similarities, then it's pure coincidence.

Well, I hope you liked my self-indulgent fic! It's nice to have a completed story for once...