Disclaimer: P3P is owned by ATLUS.

A/N: I know I promised that I would update sooner but, AGAIN, I encountered the log in error. What should I do about it? I've already reported it but it still comes up, most of the time. I was just lucky today that there was no Image Verification at the log in page.

To my reviewers:

namine23: Thank you for reviewing again, really, you are my most faithful reviewer and I'm so happy every time I see that you reviewed my story.

Nemo: I DID PLAY P3P, I guess you just haven't read the note I wrote from the beginning of this fic. I suggest that you also read the notes so you wouldn't be confused or disgruntled by the timeline of the story. Then again, it might also be my error in not mentioning it again that I changed the timeline because I wanted to use the remaining two months, which is January and February. Anyways, thanks for your review.

Saki: Thank you for the review. I'm glad you liked it.

MissFortune-Hime: I've never thought of that FF VII connection but now that you've mentioned it, it does feel like that. The sorrow and love intertwined together...But anyways, it's really great that the story has affected you so much. It's a wonderful achievement for a writer. Thank you for your review!

Bluumberry: I have altered the dates for the use of this fic. Thanks for the review.

Oblivious-Dimension24: So formal your way of speaking, I mean, writing. But beautiful, really. Thank you for the time you have bestowed upon reviewing my story. Till next time!

glass0ghost: I too am glad that Akihiko isn't out of character. Thank you very much for appreciating my writing and for loving this fic, it made my heart swell. My hard work has paid off finally. And also, thank you for reviewing, it meant a lot to me.

Reminder: THE TIMELINE IS CHANGED for this fic to work and fit.

A/N: There's a glitch in this story, which would not go well with the previous chapter. I wonder if you'll find it. I thought of fixing it but, then again, it could still work if you try to imagine something happened in the time lapse in between...

This was written in FeMC's POV.

My eyes feel like they're bleeding

Is this what I ask for?

I hate myself when I'm away from you

I swear I'm sorry, Please don't hate me too

I don't suppose you heard me call your name

If you say louder, then I'll scream louder

Distance

-the amount of space separating two people, places, or things

You weren't exactly the one who left, actually, they left you behind.

January 1, 2010 / Morning / Dorm

You wake up with the natural light of the sun rising slowly, blanketing the whole city and creeping through the glass of the windows. Glancing to your side and feeling cold you become aware that you're in your room, lying on your bed, alone. Closing your eyes and listening to the endearing music of the morning, you take in a sharp breath and sigh. Gathering your strength and composure you move little by little, fighting over the soreness and fatigue straining your body.

As you successfully get up and look around, you realize that waking up alone feels lonesome, a sensation of emptiness washing over you. It makes you want to cry, giving you the sudden urge to crawl back to bed and curl up till every bit of longing and sorrow passes through. Despite this you resisted, knowing full well you had better use your time wisely than to wallow over your weakness and loss. And you understand that this is just completely the consequence of what you've done, you may have managed to save the world and everyone you cared for, but not yourself. You will remain as the only living proof of The Fall, the lone survivor carrying the burden of truth.

Your phone suddenly resonates, and your heart skips a beat as you hope for it to be from a certain silver-haired boy. However, when you check it out you see that it's from your friend Yukari. A feeling of disappointment bubbling up inside you even though you actually expected that it couldn't possibly be him.

Yukari's text message indicated that she's inviting you to go to the shrine with her, with an added explanation that Fuuka won't be able to come along because she's meeting up with Natsuki. A small smile works its way into your lips, happy that at least your friendship is still intact. You send a quick message to Junpei, hopefully is still your best friend, to tag along, because you know that both the Yukari before and now, how much different they may be, would never have the initiative to ask Junpei over. You put your phone back to the table by the head of your bed, which makes an ornately wooden music box catch your attention. You run your fingers atop its lid nostalgically, wishing that somehow he remembers even just a fragment.

Dressing up you choose a humble pair of apparel, after all being flashy isn't your style; a cream-colored blouse underneath your red winter coat, checkered orange skirt, peach leggings, along with your red scarf. You adjust your pins in your hair, stalling. The phone beeps twice and you almost dive for it, wishfully thinking for the message to come from a certain someone. You see that the first message is from Junpei acknowledging that he will indeed come along, but then, again, your hopes were crushed when you see that the name of the sender of the second message is Mitsuru Kirijo. She wishes for you a prosperous new year, saying she is visiting her father's grave and meeting with the elder Kirijo family members, and also apologizing for the fact that she isn't able to greet you personally. You reply, wishing for the good things to come to her as well. You are surprised though, that to the Mitsuru Kirijo you are still a confidante, considering you as someone more than a dorm mate. The mere fact gives you a little more possibility to cling to.

You consider sending him a message, maybe just a greeting of a happy new year to be safe, but decide against it. You don't even know how much he knows about you, so you settle on just waiting it out.

You find the lounge quite deserted, except for Koromaru, who bounces towards you as soon as he sees you. He lets out an excited bark, and then nuzzles his head to your leg. And you grant him the pleasure of brushing the back of his ear.

You felt the presence rather than heard the footfalls.

You look up and you see that he is there observing you, standing less than five feet away, and you feel that he's never been so far before until now. And it makes you want to cross the distance between the two of you, makes you want to embrace him and feel his warmth against you, and to kiss him more than you had ever wanted to do so. However, you plant yourself on that spot on the floor, hands curling into fists. Your mouth opens to form his name, the way he loved how you call him, but you stop yourself and bite your lip. Instead, you settle for a sincere smile.

You notice there is something different in his eyes, in the way that he looks at you. His forehead scrunches up for a second then evens out, as if he's sizing you up for a good measure. He smiles back.

"Happy New Year, Arisato."

Arisato Arisato Arisato

He called you Arisato. It repeats in your head, over and over, like a broken record. All too sudden, your throat burns. Your eyes hurt. And the hollow emptiness creeps back. You swallow hard to prevent yourself from choking and avert your gaze. You blink twice, too quickly. Then you suck a shallow breath. Deconstructing and reforming facades. You look back up again.

"Happy New Year to you too, senpai." And you beam at him.

"Ah. Going somewhere?"

You don't know if he's asking out of courteousness or he's just genuinely curious but you indulge him.

"Yes. Yukari, Junpei, and I are going to the shrine. Maybe we'll even take Koro-chan along. How about you, senpai?"

"I'm going to visit Shinji...uh…you know Shinjiro, and my sister."

You nod, of course you know Shinjiro, you know him very well. And now that this boxing champ wouldn't be much busy as before, you wonder how you're going to visit the guy without being compromised.

"I'm thinking of going there too, but you see, I'm not really religious so…"

"Then come along with us." The fake cheerfulness in your voice drips like thick honey.

He scratches the back of his neck before he replies. "I guess…it'd be alright." And he offers you that smile you know so well, however, all it did now was make you hurt inside.

Yukari and Junpei come down shortly after, bickering, which is not at all surprising. You tell them that your senpai is coming along and if possible could you bring Koro-chan too. Both of them agree, and then you all leave for the shrine.

Naganaki Shrine

The shrine is littered with stalls of various merchandises; there's one selling takoyaki, one that offers fortune telling, some selling toys, antique, and many others that you didn't really pay attention to. You accounted your wish with brevity, keeping it precise, for the gods surely know what you yearn for. You glance around, scanning the area to see where your friends are. Yukari is still praying. Junpei is buying a takoyaki set with Koro-chan waiting by his feet patiently, and…

It occurs to you that you haven't seen Aigis around; after all it's rare to not see her fastening herself to you. You also start to wonder where Ken is, if maybe he is still asleep, which you think is good for a child like him.

But then you start feeling as if someone's watching you, your train of thought vanishes, and when you look to the side, you're surprised to see him looking intently at you. Startled because you returned his gaze he quickly turns away, preoccupying himself with a different subject altogether, so he would not have to look at you again. Avoiding awkwardness. Koromaru walks up to him, and he pats the dog's head.

You let your eyes linger on his form longer; taking in his whole countenance you try to find if something changed.

Ah, that is…

You smile to yourself, lips curling upwards.

A familiar warmth blossoms in your chest. You want him to call your name. You want him to look at you the way he used to, with all the passion and desire in his heart. You want him to offer you his sinful smile. You want him to envelope you in his arms and kiss you like a man quenching his thirst for the first time. You want him to want you with the intensity that shakes your entire being. You want him to long for you as much as you long for him now. You want to call him, say his name, the symbol of your possession over him. But you can't, you've lost that right.

Still, you couldn't help yourself. It's already at the tip of your tongue. So you permit yourself this simple gratification.

"Aki…"

You whisper to the wind.

Akihiko turns to you, face etched with inquiry. "Did you call me?"

You shake your head and smile.

It didn't escape you that he's wearing the gift you gave him for Christmas.

Later, everyone leaves with some sort of reason. Yukari saying she's got to go to spend the rest of the day with her mom. Junpei excusing himself for wanting to be alone. And of course, Akihiko who just went with you for a detour. And so you were left, having no other choice, with Koromaru. You sit at the bench you used to occupy with Akinari, being reminded of him you end up being more forlorn. After a few minutes of jostling your legs and tickling Koromaru you stand up. Suddenly deciding that maybe you should go feed the cat at the outskirts of Port Island Station.

After the Dark Hour / Akihiko's room

You bury yourself in the crook of Akihiko's neck and inhale his scent giving you comfort. He wraps his arms around you and lean his cheek unto your hair. You pull yourself closer to him than your bodies could ever allow, still you hold him tighter as if you're afraid to let go. You don't know when the aftermath of The Fall would start to occur but right now as you lay in Aki's arms, you only think of one thing, you want to stay there.

Its deceiving…

The song is Distance by Secondhand Serenade.

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