Fool: Makoto Itou & Kotonoha (The relationship meter), Rank 4
Magician: ?
Priestess: Kotonoha Katsura, UNLOCKED
Empress: ?
Emperor: ?
Hierophant: ?
Lovers: Sekai Saionji, UNLOCKED
Chariot: ?
Justice: Kokoro Katsura, UNLOCKED
Hermit: Sarujima, UNLOCKED
Fortune: ?
Strength: ?
Hanged Man: ?
Death: ?
Temperance: ?
Devil: ?
Tower: ?
Star: ?
Moon: ?
Sun: ?

Previously on The Power of Everything:

Makoto and Kotonoha promised to have a date again to search a bigger bag for Saru. Arriving at Sakakino town, Makoto and Kotonoha split up to find it. As Makoto went into the store across the road, he found a suitable bag which was best for Saru and himself. After that, Makoto returned to rendezvous point only to find that Kotonoha wasn't there. He searched for her and when he found her, Kotonoha was surrounded by 4 punks. There, the fight happened and Makoto's Persona caused fear to them and slashed all of them. They were reunited and thus, the two lovers joyfully embraced.

CHAPTER 15

THE CONFLICT

I hugged Kotonoha long enough to calm her down. This must be her first experience in dealing this situation. I want to be there for her. I want to protect her always. She's my only blue Angel. I don't want to lose her. I'd gladly sacrifice myself to protect her. I am thankful that I have this power.

"Makoto-kun," Kotonoha uttered softly.

I looked at her and gave her a relief look. I touched her cheek and I also wiped her tears. Then for a moment, a voice came not far from us. It wasn't so loud but Kotonoha and I could hear it loud enough.

"Ah!" a person startled who seemed to be a woman based on the high pitch voice.

Kotonoha and I turned around and looked at the voice's direction. I couldn't see that clearly. It was quite dark. However, I figured it must be a person near this town. Also, judging from the situation, she must have misunderstood this event. She must have thought that I had done terrible to these punks. Come to think of it, they were still alive, but barely. They were just unconscious due to extreme pain and blood gushing out. The situation just turned from bad to worse. Our main purpose was to avoid any ruckus. Thanks to these punks, our operation failed. I just hope that woman didn't see me using Persona.

"Makoto-kun, what should we do?" she asked me in such fear of being discovered.

"Let's run away fast," I said to her.

Kotonoha nodded. However, after taking few steps running, I turned around and looked at those punks. No matter how cruel they were, they were still human. Killing people is never a good thing. There must be always a reason of why they turned into this low.

"Kotonoha, wait. Please stand guard in case anyone passes this alley," I told her.

"Okay," she nodded and watched the alley.

I looked at 4 of them and I closed my eyes. If I remembered correctly, I have Persona that has healing ability although it wasn't unique. It was Sarasvati. She has skill "Mediarama" which can heal moderately to all allies. I changed Raphael to Sarasvati. I summoned her and she surfaced. She looked like Hindu goddess. She seems to be using one of the musical instrument. Oddly enough, since I put her as my main Persona, I know all about music and arts. This must be the unique ability of Sarasvati. Anyway, I commanded her to use Mediarama and the healing worked. It heals the wound that I inflicted badly earlier despite not all. Some of the wound are still easy to be spotted. This should be enough to give my service to them. The healing managed to make them conscious although they were still not waking up. They were just uttered the word in pain while their eyes were still closed. After doing that, Sarasvati vanished and I decided to move from the spot. Kotonoha looked at me from all those healing process and she was happy that I made the right thing to save them. I took Kotonoha's hand and the bag that I put it leaning on the wall before. We ran together until we reach to the train station.

At the train station, we took our breath slowly. I couldn't believe that this day became disaster after the first truck incident. However, we managed to purchase the bag. With this, we wouldn't need to go to Sakakino town for a while until the incident calmed down. Not for long, the train arrived. This moment, my apartment and Kotonoha's are in two opposite way so that means that we would take different train.

"Makoto-kun, thank you for today. I am so happy you are with me until now. I am okay now. I can go home straight," she told me.

At this time, it's almost night fall. I couldn't let her be alone after earlier incident. So, I held her hand and said something to make her safe.

"Kotonoha, please let me escort you until we reach your home. I want to protect you until you arrive safely at home," I looked at her and held her hand.

"Makoto-kun," she looked at me with teary eyes.

She nodded and she said that she wanted to walk with me longer. So, I boarded the train with her together and went to her area destination of her home. By the time we arrived at the destination, it's already night fall. We walked slowly until we went to her house. We talked about how we first met, how we got together thanks to Sekai, how I purchased the bag for Saru and everything until this moment. Honestly, I would like her to forget everything that happened earlier. If by being with her could make her forget, then I would be glad to be her side always. We laughed together and giggled. Unbeknownst to us, we arrived in front of her house gate. We didn't realize it. Kotonoha rang the bell and the gate was opened. There, Kokoro, Manami and Mr. Katsura were standing waiting for her sister and their daughter to come home.

"Big sister, welcome home. Big brother Makoto!" she came to us and hugged us.

Kokoro never changed. She's always happy and cheerful although her big sister is more solitude, introvert and quiet. I wondered how they can be this different. My face turned to Mr. Katsura suddenly. His face is even way angrier than our last meeting. I got panicked and quiet all sudden. He spoke something to his daughter.

"Kotonoha, where were you? Do you know that this is already late?" he scolded her with quite loud voice.

"Fa…. Father," she got trembled.

Kokoro released the hug and looked at her father in sad face.

"Dear, please don't be like that. She was just going on date with her boyfriend," Manami tried to calm her husband.

He looked at his wife and stared her quite sharp that it caused her to be quiet after all. He turned back on me and Kotonoha.

"It turns out that this kid only brings bad influence to you. I can't believe you even dare to come home late as you promise us to do what we want and be the expectation for us. Ever since you got him as your boyfriend, you have broken every rule that we have talked about since you were small," he scolded her quite loud.

"Father…..," she said to him.

"Not only that, this kid must have done something bad to you. He must have taken you somewhere that no high school girls would go, didn't he?" he kept ranting and blaming me.

"Fatherrrr…," she uttered again but this time her tears dropped again.

Manami and Kokoro could just watched in sadness. I could only look down and couldn't help but to understand his position as a father.

"You there, kid. Speak up! What have you done to my daughter? Where exactly did you take her to!?" he questioned me with such loud voice.

"I… um," I couldn't speak even if I wanted to.

Honestly, I didn't want to backtalk with Mr. Katsura. This is not in my list. I wanted to befriend with her family so I could get closer to Kotonoha and one day, I may get their blessings and permissions. I kept looking down and looked at Kotonoha.

"See? This proves that you bring bad influence to my daughter! From now on, you will…"

Before he could finish, a very loud voice that even dominant to Mr. Katsura stopped him from continuing.

"FATHERRRRRRRRR!" Kotonoha shouted while dropping her tears.

Manami, Kokoro and Mr. Katsura all looked at her as well as me. I could see that Kokoro was about to cry and Manami's even more sad than before. But, Mr. Katsura kept talking back to his daughter.

"Kotonoha! How dare you talk back to me! This proves even further that he is bad influence to you," he pointed at me and kept scolding her.

Normally, a person in my position should have backtalked and fought back. However, I didn't feel any anger at all. I could understand in his point of view though I didn't like him keep pointing finger at me and blaming me all the time as he didn't know the whole story.

"Father! You are the one who's so ignorant about everything. You are the one who's bad influence to me. Ever since of those rules you have been mentioning until now, I couldn't get any friends because I was too busy to be your expectation like playing piano. I couldn't bring myself to be friends to anyone at School because I was afraid and never learn to socialize. Saionji-san is my only friend because she came to me and introduced me to Makoto-kun and Makoto-kun is the only person who's willing to stay beside me, accept me no matter who I am, love me and protect me. Can't you even see that Makoto-kun is willing to escort me back to home!? Where were you when I need you the most!? I was almost raped by punks and if Makoto-kun didn't save me in time, I would have been their slave already!" she shouted to her father.

When they heard what their daughter said, they were shocked. Mr. Katsura became loss in speaking. Manami and Kokoro couldn't hold their shocking surprise when Kotonoha told them she was about to be raped. I kept looking down and then looked at them to clarify the truth.

"It's true, Mr. Katsura-san, Manami-san, Kokoro. Kotonoha was approached by 4 punks and they were about to rape her and make her as their servant. If I didn't come on time to save her, she might not be able to be the same person as I know. We split up on our date earlier to search this bag to save time. We promised to meet back to meeting point in 30 minutes. Kotonoha wasn't there so I searched for her. Then, that happens," I told them too.

"Father! I hate you!" Kotonoha screamed and then ran inside the house while crying.

I was left alone. Kotonoha ran inside the house and possibly to her bedroom. I wanted to chase her but looking at this situation, this is a bad idea. They looked briefly to Kotonoha and then looked at me. Mr. Katsura who was in deep anger earlier had calmed down. It seems that her daughter's words snapped him out. I could tell that he was feeling guilty as he was looking down. He couldn't say anything. I bet more than anything that he loves his daughter the most. It's usually father and daughter's love being the strongest and vice versa. I guess at this moment, it's not that same case. I just hope Kotonoha would be okay. But for now, I need to make sure that her parents are okay too.

TO BE CONTINUED