Hamuko woke up early than usual. Odd, huh? Even she couldn't believe she woke up without the help of the alarm clock. Since she couldn't fall back to sleep, she decided to make breakfasts for everyone in dorm.
She felt as usual, not a hint of exhaustion from yesterday exploration. Mitsuru told them their tiredness probably due to the environment of Tartarus. It caused people get fatigued easily, but she had faith that they will adapt it soon enough.
Haruka was the first got down from her room. Then Mitsuru and Akihiko, lastly were Yukari and Junpei. The two looked half dead from the way they walked, their eyes covered with dark eye circles.
"Good morning everyone!" Hamuko cheered.
"Morning…hey, you're up early." Akihiko noticed the breakfasts she prepared, joyous across his handsome face.
"Good morning Tsukikage. I thought you should as tired as them." Mitsuru pulled the chair and sat down. Yukari and Junpei were getting to their seats as well.
"…Coffee." Haruka took the coffee for them. She then set herself down on the chair as well.
"Thanks Haruka…" Yukari said while let out a yawn. "Yeah…I just hope today is a holiday…"
"Hey, are you monster? How come you are so energetic like usual…and made all these out?" Junpei almost yelled. His eye was dropping! Damn the hell he hoped he could get back to the bed and continued to sleep!
Hamuko shrugged. "I don't know." Tilted her head, she recalled. "…Well, I did try to figure out the reason. You know, I feel like…I kinda been there before…in Tartarus."
"What?" Junpei choked. The others also stopped their eating, sighted at her.
She gazed in void. "…I just feel familiar with the structure inside Tartarus, like I'd been there before." Closing her eye, she took a deep ponder. "There should be fifth blocks inside the tower…I don't know how to explain this…maybe I went there in my dream?"
"…How could that be possible?" Junpei bite the toast bread and said.
"Yeah, maybe you did go there in your dream." Yukari giggled. Looks like nobody took her words seriously.
The two seniors chuckled lightly before continued their breakfasts, leaving Hamuko alone scratched her head in embarrassment. With a chuckle, Hamuko took a sip of the coffee. At the corner of her eye, she caught Haruka in sight who kept staring at her without taking her meal.
"…Perhaps you did go there before…" She only let out this before she looked back to her meal.
The others stopped for a while, took a glance at the weird girl. All of them sink into the awkward silent. Mitsuru was the first break the silent, stated out that they will be late if they don't hurry.
After finished the meal, they went to school together. Mitsuru seemed a little awkward to the peoples that threw the group a glance, while the other two followed behind like they were going to pass out in no time.
On the way, Hamuko heard some girls' gossip about the club was recruiting new members.
She asked Haruka. "What club are you in?"
"…Music club."
"Oh oh, I'm interested! Are they recruiting now member?"
Haruka pondered before answered. "…I heard they are but I'm not sure, you can check it out in lunch time."
"One is decided…what else should I join then? Volley ball or tennis…?" She wondered between these two sports which one she preferred more. She knew these two quite well enough, she sure she could handle them. "…But yeah, I guess tennis will do…it's decided then."
While she thought about the sport club, they were already at Gekkoukan. Mitsuru and Akihiko went separate way to their own classroom. Hamuko caught Minato behind them.
"Good morning Arisato-kun!" She greeted him as they walked into the classroom.
"Good morning. You seem so happy." He sure saw that from her face. Hamuko raised another big grin.
"Yes of course! The clubs are recruiting new members; want to take a look at them?"
"Sure."
She was so excited about the clubs and all sort of this, again she dazed through the lessons until the lunch time approached. Don't judge her by that, at least she could answer the question Mr. Ekoda threw at her perfectly.
Minato suggested they should buy their lunch to avoid wasting time, and they could observe without starving. Minato sure was loving music like she did. The first club he suggested was the music club and wrote down his name without any observation needed. Seeing that, Hamuko quickly did the same since she was decided to join in the first hand. They both greeted by the club leader Keisuke Hiraga cheerfully, which was quite a surprise for Hamuko. Not only this, the most surprised her was Minato got along with Keisuke quite well like they have known each other for sometimes. It's quite jarring in her opinion, unknown the point to where this jarring feeling came from. She let them had their guy's talk; she alone went to tennis club to register.
Push opened the door; she walked into the hall tennis club usually used for practice. Behind the register counter was her ex-dorm mate Rio. With a slight joy, Hamuko ran to her and hugged her from behind, to which caused the girl gasped.
"Rio!"
"What the…Hamuko? Geez…you shocked me!" Rio grumbled but with a smile on her face, her hand was on her chest tried to ease her shock.
"Hehe!" Not a bit of shame Hamuko showed on her little face yet she chuckled happily. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm the club leader of tennis club, you come to register?"
"Yes I am!" She wrote her name down. "I'm so happy we're in the same club."
"Me too. The club is not running very well, I really hope to have some new members to light up the team…but well, guess I don't have to worry since you have joined us, huh?" It's her true feeling from heart; Rio hugged her on shoulder as a sigh of her joy.
"You can count on me!" The girls burst out into laugh. It's so much fun to meet her friend again.
Now she realized the jarring feeling she had a moment ago on Minato and Keisuke, like she had with Rio. No, not only Rio, but Saori too. That's it. She didn't know where she got this feeling from, or any other reason behind this, she was enjoying the relationship with them. That's enough for now.
Clang!
I am thou, and thou art I…
Thou hast reforge the bond…
Thou shalt be blessed when recreating Personas of Chariot Arcana…
Um? She has reforge the bond? She hadn't realized the last time the Fool Arcana forged; it said 'reforge' too. It's that meant she had forged these bond before, now she was going to reforge them? Was this what Igor meant the restart of her journey that everything was started all over again? If so, why a restart of her journey? And…when did she forge these bonds before?
"…muko? Hamuko?" Rio's voice caught her back. "Hamuko, you're spacing out."
"Eh?...Oh, I'm sorry Rio." Giggled, Hamuko scratched her head. She lost in thought again…suddenly; they both heard the bell rang. "Crap! Rio, let's get back to classroom! The lunch time is over!"
"Y-Yes, I don't realize the time…the next will be Mr. Ekoda's…!"
"Oh…that guy huh?"
They ran back to each other class in great buster yet a smile formed on their faces, like they were having fun in this. But yeah, they did have fun.
Finally the school was out for today, Hamuko waited Haruka in front of 2-E. Yukari almost bumped into her when she opened the door while Hamuko happened to be there. The brunette was pretty shocked as she almost tripped forward to Hamuko, only being saved by Minato that came nearby. Hamuko found red on Yukari's face and the fluster showed in her eye, Minato seemed noticed that too, considered how dumb his hand was putting on now.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh hhhhhhhhhhh!"
"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…"
Hamuko twisted her eyebrow. "…If you didn't mean anything, let go of your hand now Arisato-kun!"
Noticed his hand was still on the brunette's breast, Minato's face brushed up with tomato red, let go his hand quickly like he had held on something disgusted.
"YOU! How can you…!" Yukari said, revealed how shaky her voice was. Her face reddened than before, Hamuko had no idea this was caused by fury or embarrassment. Anyway, Yukari couldn't stand the pointing and gossiping from students started to gather around, she shot Minato a final dead glare before getting out from the scene.
Now only Hamuko and Minato were there, along with the gossiping from all the students that happened to witness the whole 'funny' part of the incident.
"…Pervert. Don't ever touch me." Shot a glare on his stunning hand, Hamuko evaded getting touch with Minato, leaving the poor guy dulled at his position.
"…That's not my fault…"
"What happened just now?" Said Haruka while put all her exercises into the bag, ready to leave.
Talked about the incident made Hamuko disgusted, she waved away the feeling, stopped from recalling the bad scene.
"No, nothing…don't talk about it. Come on, we're heading back."
"You can go back first. I need to go to somewhere else." The girls walked out from the classroom, meeting the still dulled Minato. "?" Haruka watched him, and then to Hamuko with question mark on top her head.
"Ignore him, come on." Grabbed her waist, Hamuko pulled Haruka away from Minato, avoided any possible chance of touching the poor guy.
…
Like Haruka told her in the classroom, she left without Hamuko, didn't leave a hint of where she was going. Shrugged, no friend around, and Hamuko didn't have any particular place to go as well, so why not headed back to dorm?
She changed her shoes and put into her shoes locker before she went. As she got out from the school, she heard some noises getting nearby, catching her attention focused on there.
"…Sanada-senpai?"
A man in red vest with silver hair was in the middle of a group of girls circling him, talking something to him but Hamuko heard yelling instead of any words they have spoken out.
They're insane? Hamuko was sick of those girls, not even Hamuko herself could stand them. Judging from Akihiko's expression, he was probably the same as her, annoying. If not Akihiko called her name, she definitely would ignore him to avoid any misunderstanding occurred with his fangirls. She groaned inwardly as she watched Akihiko walked to her while the fangirls all shot her a dead glare like they're going to swallow her lively.
"Tsukikage, it's good to see you here." A hint of relieve was in his tone as he spoke.
"Hai…S-Snanada-senpai…" Her smile must be fake enough as she felt her face was rigid, to warn the senior of the awkward position she currently in, and how much she wanted to get out of this place now.
Leave, leave, and please leave her alone! She prayed in her mind, endured those glares she received. However, Akihiko didn't aware her seethed emotion, or perhaps he did realized it yet pretended nothing, walked to her and grabbed her on shoulder.
Her jaw dropped and eye widened.
"S-Senpai?"
"Come on, let's go." Akihiko muttered beside her ear, ignored all the screams behind. "I need to take you to a place."
"Where?"
Akihiko raised a charming smile. "Come with me, I'll take you there."
Winked, Hamuko felt heat rose up to her cheek. She quickly turned away her head.
Paulownia Mall, police station.
"P-Police station?"
Akihiko chuckled by her reaction. "Don't worry. I'm not going lock you in here."
"B-But then…why brought me here?" Hamuko was taken aback.
"I'll introduce you someone. He will be a big help for us in future." Push opened the door, Akihiko gestured her to come along.
Out of their surprise, they found a cool police officer and…Haruka inside.
"Haruka? Why you are here?" Hamuko ran to her.
"I could ask you the same question…Sanada-senpai too." She took a glance at Akihiko that waving his hand to Kurosawa. "I'm here visit my uncle."
Hamuko and Akihiko both turn their head to Kurosawa officer. The cool man only nodded as a yes to them.
"Uncle? Wow I never knew that." Raising his eyebrow, Akihiko burst out a slight chuckle.
"…Kurosawa-san saved me from the incident ten years ago. He brought me back and handed me to his subordinate. He is my benefactor."
"…Don't mention it. I just did my job." Kurosawa said with his cold voice. His eye locked at Hamuko, and that made Hamuko stunned a bit as she felt chill climbed up to her back.
"I-Incident ten years ago?" Hamuko asked, having no idea what they're talking about.
"Don't you know? It's pretty shocking that time." Hamuko shook.
"…There's an explosion in the area near Gekkoukan High. The cause is still unknown, a lot of peoples died. I was found around Moonlight Bridge by Kurosawa-san…you don't know any of this?" Haruka explained to her, perplexed by Hamuko senseless about the incident.
"No, never heard about it." Hamuko answered her firmly, only earned a frown from Haruka.
Her head drooped, muttered softly not to let others heard however; Hamuko at least could read her lips. "…She even forgets about that?"
Her mutter puzzled Hamuko even more. What was meant by that? Come to think of it, she didn't have memories from the past since the first day she was here, not that she could remember now, but how could that be possible? A person that without memories…could she is called as a 'person' then?
The girls each had something worried them, anyhow the guys decided to close the topic after seeing their puzzlement.
"Tsukikage, this is Kurosawa officer. Like I said, he will be a big help for us in future." Akihiko pulled her closer, Hamuko however stunned again by the officer's hawk eye.
"N-Nice to meet you…I-I'm Tsukikage Hamuko." It couldn't help even she tried not to show any disrespect to the older police officer, her voice appeared to be shaky than she expected.
The police officer closed his eye with a sigh. "You don't have to be this scared. I'm not going to eat you."
"Err…I'm sorry."
Akihiko burst out a laugh at the two, immediately they shot him a glare.
"Sorry…okay. Kurosawa-san will provide us weapons so we can fight efficiently with them. Of course, you'll have to fund."
"Nothing in life is free. I'll make sure the price is reasonable."
Hamuko nodded. "Understood."
"Here, this is from Ikutsuki-san. It will not be much help though, spend it wisely." Akihiko handed her 5,000 Yen.
Her face twisted as she heard the money was from Ikutsuki however, money was money. It's stupid if she rejected it, though the amount was not large.
With that money, Hamuko bought Yukari a short bow, and Junpei a Kishido Blade, and the money was gone.
Before they're leaving the police station, Kurosawa once again reminded Haruka to be careful.
"I will. Don't worry uncle."
Then, the three of them decided to get back to the dorm. Akihiko suggested having a little practice since it's still early, Hamuko agreed with that. Haruka kept their bags with her, followed behind the two.
They took a short jogging up to Naganaki Shrine as Akihiko suggested. It's pretty enjoyable to wave the sweat under the sunlight once for a while with soft wind brushed against her face. Hamuko locked her sight on her senior's figure. He sure never take easy on training and practice, didn't he? From what Hamuko could remember, Akihiko always stayed back at school; stick around with boxing team even not the practice time. She wondered what brought him to train this hard.
"Senpai?"
When she caught back her mind, she noticed Akihiko stopped his jogging, eye locked up ahead of him. Haruka caught up with them as well.
"Look." He pointed ahead.
"Let go…! Please don't take this away!" A boy tried hard to hold the pendant as the middle aged man grabbed on it and pulled. "You can take my money if you want, but not this!"
"Shut up you little brat! Hurry up and give this to me!"
"No, I'm not giving this to you!"
"Damn you…!" The man pulled even harder, caused the boy's face twisted in pain. His hand tried to push the man away, failed only he realized how limited his strength had left for now.
"Senpai, let's help him!"
"Sure, come on…"
"Oww! Huuuugggrrr…" Barked, a white dog jumped out from the shrine pouncing on the man. The man screamed in shock, hand let go of the pendant and rolling on the street.
"What the…damn stupid dog!" He took out a small knife as he got up.
The white dog was indeed clever from Hamuko's point. The knife could not hit its target regardless how hard the man tried. The man got tired pretty soon, and the dog quickly pouncing on him, opened his mouth aimed on the man's arm.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrggg gghhhh!" The knife dropped down on the ground. The man screamed in high pitch, grabbing his wounded arm glared at the dog and the boy. With that wound, at last, he had no choice, giving up on the pendant and left.
"Hey, are you alright?" Hamuko, Akihiko and Haruka ran to the boy, checked if he was getting injured. "Can you stand?"
"Y-Yes…thank you. I'm fine." He accepted Hamuko's offer by grabbing her hand and got up from the ground.
"You should thank him, not her..." Haruka corrected him.
"Yeah…hey thanks a lot. If wasn't you, I'll not able to protect the pendant." He approached the white dig, patted his head gratefully, the dog waving his tail in respond.
"Oh you're a good boy!" Hamuko hugged the dog. The dog raising the speed of his tail, showing how enjoyed he was now.
"Is that pendant this important for you to risk your life?" Asked Akihiko, eye sighted on the silver color pendant.
"Because…this is from my mom. My mom died two years ago. This was the only thing she left to me." Talked about his mother, the boy lowered his head, face saddened. He held tight on the pendant, as if he was holding on his mother's hand.
"Oh…we're…sorry about that…" Hamuko covered her mouth after hearing that.
Akihiko fell silent for a while, later his eye widened as he figured something on the boy.
"…You're…you're not Ken Amada, are you?" His voice was shaky.
"Yes, I am…how do you know my name?" Kan Amada frowned at the guy, tried to remember if he knew him. "Wait…red vest, silver hair…don't tell me you're Akihiko Sanada?" Unlike Akihiko, his tone was full with surprise and excitement.
"Uhh…y-yes…" Akihiko seemed uneasy to deal with the sparkling eye of the boy, couldn't help but stepped back a little.
Hamuko wondered why Akihiko acted so unnaturally, and was he knew the boy?
"How did you know him?" Hamuko asked.
"Of course I know him, the popular boxing team leader! He never lost in any battle before!"
So he was his idol? "Sanada-senpai, you're great. Even a elementary boy also know your story."
"S-Stop making fun of me!" Akihiko blushed; his uneasiness had eased off by the laugh from Hamuko and Ken.
Ken sure was Akihiko's big fan. On the way they sent the boy back to his dorm, he never stopped from asking Akihiko about his skills, his practice, his secret of winning…all sort of these. Akihiko tired his best to answered him, yet Hamuko could see he was enjoying aw well, despite how strange he acted just now.
Since the incident of that day, it has become extremely awkward between Minato, Yukari and Hamuko. Well, Yukari indeed was mad with him, and he would evade her to avoid ignited the boom of the brunette. Hamuko away everything in touch with him for a whole week, but then she realized Minato was there to help her in the first place however, turning into top hit gossip in the school. It's part of her fault as well. With the guilt, she apologized with him. As for Yukari, she promised him she would try to talk to her.
And then, they went separate way to the sport club meeting. Hamuko joined tennis club, Minato went for kendo club. He showed great interest in kendo much than the others, as he stated he needed time for practice. As for what purpose of the practice, she didn't ask more than necessary.
Like Rio told her before, tennis club was not running well. She saw that in the few meetings she attended before. Other members refused to cooperate with Rio in the practice because Rio was taken too serious and sometimes and the leader was going too hard on them. On the other hand, Rio claimed that they only focused on shopping or boy or fashion, none of them took the practice seriously, not to mentioned the club adviser, Rio got even agitated upon mentioned it.
If Hamuko must say, both were right yet wrong at the same time. Again in today practice, Rio was quarreling wit the other members. Hamuko couldn't do anything in that case, only watched the whole thing like an outsider.
"…I'm sorry Hamuko. I acted like a crazy." Rio apologized while busy with the cleaning task.
"Don't say that Rio. We're friend." She could catch the bitterness in her tone, and that caused Hamuko feeling useless in this problem.
Rio raised a sad smile. "…Yeah, we're friend." Sighed, she stared down at the broom she was holding in her hand. "…Am I really wrong to push them this hard? Or I'm going too far? Hamuko, can you tell me?"
Hamuko stopped her works, turned to look at her friend.
"…Well Rio, yes I think you really push them too hard. We joined the club is not only for winning the competition…I'm no mean the practice is not important, but don't you think there's something more important than winning the competition?" She paused; hoping her words would not offend her friend. "Why don't you try seeing thing in different point? You may find things differently."
Rio remained silent, her eye shut in a hint of relieve. The next time she opened her eye, Hamuko found no more burden in them. Rio let out a slight chuckle, and then turned out to a laugh.
"W-What's wrong? Why laugh at me?" Now Hamuko was the one perplexed by her reaction. Perhaps she had said something funny, and the thought caused her face heated up in embarrassment. .
"No…it's just that…I never thought that way before…" Rio wiped off the tears around her eye, still smiling. "…I'm always wanted to do my best in everything. Guess I'm rally going too far…I don't know if I can do it Hamuko, until then will you be here for me?"
Winked, Hamuko raised a wide grin, gave Rio a big hug, Making her friend at a loss for a moment.
"Of course, I'm always here for you!"
"…Thanks Hamuko."
"Come on, hurry up and finish this! We're going to Hagakure then!"
"Hagakure again? The last time we'd been there too!" Rio exclaimed.
"The last meeting you left without me, remember? Today you're gonna treat me the special!" Today her stomach was available to fit the special treat.
"Fine, fine, fine!" Rio surrendered. "Talk about ramen…"
"What?"
"Kenji loves ramen like you do." She chuckled. Rio didn't forget to lock the door before Hamuko pulled her away. "Now it's your ramen time."
"Hooray! Here I come Hagakure!" Hamuko rushed to change her clothes, cheering like a little child drawing attention from peoples around.
"Hey don't yell in public! It's embarrassing!" With a laugh, Rio chased behind Hamuko.
Time marched on twelve, turning the whole city into a dead place. No sound, no human were fit in this dimension, only eerier green light and crawling creatures were found. Human was not allowed here, only few with potential could keep themselves normally on this space.
Hamuko rested on her bed, eye closed. She supposedly had fallen asleep. However, a weird chilling climbed up her body like piercing her spine, woke her up from her sweet dream.
"Hello my dearest. How are you doing?" An unexpectedly voice immediately made her jumped up from her bed.
"You! Why are you here?" She pointed at the uninvited guest's nose furiously, face reddened.
How the hell Pharos was in her room? Did he see her funny sleeping feature?
Pharos tilted his head innocently. "I'm always with you, that's it. Oh are you talking about the cute posture and the funny look you have when you're asleep?" He paused, raised an irritated grin…at least Hamuko thought so. "I'm use to it."
"You're sounding like a pervert! Get out of my room!" Her face even reddened, felt uneasy as she realized she has been watching all the times by this little pervert.
"Shhh…you don't want to wake the others, do you?" Pharos put his finger on his mouth, gestured her now was midnight. She shouldn't make such a noise. "I'm here to tell you something."
"…Get it finish and get out of here."
"One week from now, there's a trial waiting for you. Of course, I don't think there's any problem for you." Opened his hands, he formed a cheerful smile before he continued. "'She' will not make thing difficult for you both, consider how close you and her now."
Hamuko didn't omit the weird part in his sentence.
"Wait, who is 'she'? And why 'both'?"
"'She' is always with you, don't you realize yet?" Pharos raised another grin. Unlike the usual childish smile he had, Hamuko found darkness in that smile, somehow frightened her. "…I wish I can stay longer but I'm afraid I have limited time out here. Since you need a rest, I should leave now."
"Hey wait, explain it clearly!"
"…You will come to understand soon…before the end approached." Lastly, he melted into the darkness, disappeared in front of her like the first day they met.
"…What was that all about?" Hamuko grumbled. Without any clue, she slammed back to bed. However, no sweet dream waiting ahead of her, only restless emptiness.
She wouldn't know, Haruka lingered in front of her room by the time she having conversation with Pharos.
Thanks for those who favorite and follow this story. I never expect someone will like it. You know…my poor language and grammar use. Thanks a hundred times for you who is reading this story now!