Author's Note: I love the ending of the last chapter, although rushed. Hahaha… Thank you again, everyone, for the review. You guys are the greatest!

Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 and any of its characters. They belong to Atlus.

------------------------------

A P4 MC/Yukiko Fic
Ganga

----------------------------------------

We're all trapped in a maze of relationships

Life goes on with or without you

I swim in the sea of the unconscious

I search for your heart, pursuing my true self

Shihoko Hirata – Pursuing My True Self

--------------------------

Pi… pi… pi…

Souji reached into his pocket and flipped open his phone. Who called him this late of a night? … Yousuke?

"Hello?"

There was a brief silence before a low grunt was heard from the other side. Souji raised his eyebrows.

"Anything wrong, Yousuke?"

Another grunt was heard.

"Ouch! Er… no… but… uh…"

Yousuke seemed hesitated. There were a series of grunt and groan from the other side before he talked again.

"If a girl threw you with a half-filled can of TaP Soda until half of your nose is broken, what do you think that means?"

Duh?

"Er… well…uh… you're a jerk?"

"Ah."

"Yes."

"Oh."

XxX

"That idiot, that idiot… THAT IDIOT!!!!"

She could almost felt like throwing her cell phone to the goddamn wall and tear down her posters and threw her TV and kick her desk and did everything her healthy mind told her not to. She kicked her training sack so hard that the handle clattered then threw her self to the bed. Burning flames flared in her heart and it was just… painful… His words… and everything…

"You never think of me as a woman!"

"Of course not! I…"

He had never thought of her as a woman…

"You… YOU JEEEEEEERRRRKKKK!!!!!"

And she felt even more like a loser for crying from those words spoken by a man she called a jerk.

"I HATE YOU, HANAMURA YOUSUKE!!!"

XxX

The sun was shining brightly, almost too bright after yesterday's rain. Dew drops fell gently from the leaves as a small bird jumped between the branches. It was a perfect serenity and Yukiko loved watching such view in times of uncertainty. It gave her solace… and hope.

"Ah. You're awake already."

Yukiko turned around and soon found Satoshi came in, wearing his ryoukan kimono. She bowed down and said softly, "Good morning, Satoshi-kun."

"Morning, Yuki-san."

He stepped closer, watching her with gentle brown eyes as she looked up to him again. She was beautiful… and he almost couldn't believe how heaven let him be with her. She was the exact woman of his dream, someone he had been searching all his life. What captivated him the most was not only her beauty, but also her eyes. They were strong and clear… and at times innocent—like it had seen many worlds and endured many hardships… like a Priestess.

Satoshi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"You look beautiful, even in the morning."

Yukiko smiled at the remark and answered softly, "Thank you… You're too modest, Satoshi-kun."

"It's the truth, anyway," Satoshi laughed. He watched her as she cast a glance at the garden again then moved closer. "You see… Yuki…"

She turned, facing him directly as he stood so close to her that she could almost feel his body heat. His hand rose… and touched a strand of her hair.

"You really are… beautiful…"

Her eyes watched as he played with her hair. He brought the strand to his mouth, smiling as the soft fragrance enchanted him.

"S-Satoshi-kun…"

She said it too softly. It was dangerous.

"You're beautiful… Yuki."

She held a breath. Satoshi was too close, much too close… His brown eyes were in a haze as they were locked to hers… and the way he bent…

Her red lips were just too tempting for any man… He wondered if they would fit into his like they were meant to be…

She stepped back swiftly.

"I-I need to get going," Yukiko walked past him, didn't even take a second to look at him. Almost had no time to comprehend, Satoshi stood there, hand still on the air from touching her hair and he looked at her as she hurriedly went out of the room. She briefly turned, bowed, and said, "G-Good morning, Satoshi-kun."

The door slid closed.

Satoshi watched the paper door for sometime before turned to look at his hanging hand. He smiled sadly.

"You still don't accept me… do you, Yuki-san…?"

XxX

Samegawa Riverbed…

"She didn't answer my call at all."

Hanamura Yousuke rubbed his neck. A band aid 'fixed' his nose but it cannot hide the huge black and blue bruise on his face that… unfortunately for him, shaped like a can of soda. Souji couldn't hide his smile. He put his hands inside his pocket and turned to see the blue sparkling river before them.

"Well… I must admit that you were being a jerk that night, Yousuke," he chuckled. Yousuke groaned. "Hey, you must admit it! She has the right to hit you with that soda after your words."

The brunette groaned again. He rubbed his neck and grimaced.

"She's… really mad, isn't she?"

"And you still ask after that bruise?"

"Ouch, Dude."

Souji laughed. He punched Yousuke's shoulder gently. He grinned.

"She valued your words more than others'," he said with a smile. "She didn't get that angry when other man told her the same thing. That means something, Partner."

"W-wha…?" Yousuke's face turned blazing red. "H-Hey, don't start joking around like that, Man! It's not funny!"

Souji laughed again.

"In what part was I joking?" He grinned. "You can take my words here, Yousuke. That girl likes you."

A flare of red heated blood filled his best friend's face almost immediately.

"D-Don't joke like that, Man! H-Hell yeah, she is!!" A drop of blood fell from Yousuke's nose. He shrieked. "AWRGH!!! Now you make me bleeding again!!!"

"Go get yourself some towel, Dude," Souji shook him his handkerchief while stifling his laughter. Yousuke cursed, the blood now covered his whole face. "Seems like she hit you pretty bad there! Man, you're…"

He stopped, looking past Yousuke's back… right to the woman who stood by the river bank. Yousuke, grimacing, followed his friend's eyes then paused. A small smile crept up his face.

"I guess I really should get some towel," He said, grabbing Souji's handkerchief. Souji looked at him with emotionless eyes. The brunette grinned and punched him gently. "Good luck, Man."

"Che."

The gray haired man didn't say anything when Yousuke walked away, covering his nose with the handkerchief. He stopped for a while to the girl though then went away. After the brief greeting with the Hanamura boy, Amagi Yukiko turned to see the man across her, eyes unfathomable. She smiled then bowed down.

"Good morning, Souji-kun."

"Morning, Amagi."

She was some distance away from him, wearing her dark kimono and geta. He must admit, she looked gorgeous in traditional clothes. Yukiko titled her head at the direction where Yousuke went then asked, "What's wrong with his face?"

"Well… I believe Satonaka can give you more information than what I can tell you," Souji smirked. Yukiko raised her eyebrows in surprised. "Quite some hit he got last night, that's all."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, over some words," Souji smiled. "That's Yousuke for you."

Yukiko chuckled. She laughed.

"Hanamura-kun should really mind his words when he's around Chie," she said between her laughter. "He's a special case for Chie. I wonder why he still doesn't realize that."

"Well… that's how Yousuke is, right?"

They both laughed. It felt so natural… and felt so right—like old days of their sophomore came back in them and let them breathed in the scent of freedom they felt those days. It was a while before they stopped laughing and looked at the river flowing gently before them. They were still meters apart, distance felt nonexistence as they both enjoyed the company of each other. The nostalgic sound of the river, along with the breeze… it was always like this for both of them. These things… would never change...

Souji's eyes turned impenetrable once more and he took a step back.

"I should get going."

Yukiko didn't turn to see him.

"See you around, Amagi."

He walked to the opposite direction, drawing further away from her. She watched his back as he went further… and gripped her kimono tighter as agony pierced her.

"You're going to run away?"

He didn't stop his steps. It seemed as if he didn't hear her at all.

"You're going to pretend this isn't happening?"

He still didn't stop. His back… that broad back that she used to hug and follow… the back that she used to assist… even in the fog of deceive and lies she could still see him… and now she was going to lose him over a wall created by herself?

"You're going to forget everything?! Souji-kun!"

His steps stopped but he didn't turn around. His voice drifted, almost sank in the sound of the river.

"I cannot let myself wanting you anymore."

XxX

The view was not something that he expected. Kuroda Satoshi stood there by the riverbed, eyes widening when he saw the woman he knew so well and loved… and the man that walked away from her. She called that man… with such voice… With a voice she had never used to him…

"I thought… I've told you already… Souji-kun…"

Souji… kun…?

"I… have never lied to you…"

Her voice sounded so sincere… so loving and tender… and even though there were tears in her eyes, nothing could betray the affection she had in her every word…

"I will always love you… and I'll never forget you!"

XxX

Souji closed his eyes in pain. That was exactly why…

"That's why… that's why, Souji-kun…!" Her voice cracked as she shouted the words between her tears. "I… I won't run away! I… I'll always love you! I'll always remember you as I go through days! I'll remember the courage you've given me! Even though I stay here, I… I…"

"That is exactly why… I need to go away from you…"

She looked up and found Souji looking at her. His gray eyes were warm and tender, and the broken smile on his lips was something that made her heart stopped almost completely.

"I treasure you too much, Amagi… I can never let your memories go."

XxX

The next thing she did… was something that froze him completely. Yukiko ran to the young man's arms without a single pause and she hugged him like a lover would to his beloved man. They stayed there for minutes, close to each other without a word need to be said. And that view… that view… was just…

She never let him touched her, not even once… Even though they were engaged, she had never been in his arms for even once… Now he understood why… Now he understood why he could make any woman kneel except her. Now he understood why she would never look at him in the eye… why she had never been there whenever he wanted someone… Why she had never treated him more than a guest…

All along… she… had never seen him at all…

"I love you… "

Not a single second…

"Souji-kun…"

XxX

"Ooooooww!!!"

Yousuke wiped off the remaining of blood from his face and grimaced as the water cooled his bruise. The nearest tap was by the front of Daidara's. It wasn't a good spot but he really had no choice—Souji's handkerchief was almost completely red when he arrived. He gently wiped his can-shaped bruise with a newly-bought towel and winced when the move hurt him. Irritated, he gave a long audible sigh.

"Damn, that girl!" He groaned, not caring how others who passed by looked at him with pitiful eyes. "She really did me! That must've been a critical move…"

"That girl really likes you."

Bof! Hot blood ran up to his face almost immediately and he shrieked when he saw blood spurred from his nose again.

"AAAAAAWWWWRGH!!!"

Even only her thought could make him bled.

"SATONAKAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"

XxX

"Aww… Senpai, that sounds kind of hurt."

Chie snorted. Rise's voice didn't sound worried anyway.

"Huh! It's just a can! Anyway, he deserved it alright!"

"Ahahaha… you're right. Girl rules~~!"

Chie laughed cheerfully.

"No kidding! Girl rules!"

Women could be really mean sometimes.

-----------------------------------------

To be Continued

-------------------------------------

Author's Note: Poor Yousuke… XDDDD