DISCLAIMER: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or the song.

Author's Note: Thank you for everyone who reviewed the previous chapter and for the support you're giving me into writing a sequel. I'm already excited to do it. Also, I extremely recommend that you listen at this track, Songs from Different Times by Jack Savoretti. It's very very good and it gives this chapter more gravity.

Pardon me for the shortness of this chapter.

'Cause Swans Don't Sing

Don't let the music die.
We're playing songs from different times.
I'll let you say goodbye
On another day,
But not today.
On another day,
But not today.

March 5, 2010

Gekkoukan High School

It's apparent that there's something wrong. He just isn't sure what. Even Mitsuru is a little out of sorts, somehow anxious, rechecking everything for every five minutes before she is called for the podium. He wrings his hands, clench and unclench them to relieve a bit of his nerves. Akihiko couldn't keep himself still; he feels a niggling and brushing something in the back of his mind like an inner voice but not really, there's a block lodged in his throat and his worry springs from his chest up to his ears. He looks around; trying to find a certain brunette with red eyes but all he sees is a heavy absence in the middle of Iori and Takeba. A striking pain shoots his temple and he closes his eyes. Then there's silence. Mitsuru stutters, falters, a mistake she never commits. Akihiko becomes lost in this sea of strangers. He feels nauseous but he stands up even so, straining to see that sunshine. He doesn't even understand himself.

And then he hears it.

The click of a gun…

"I…We…"

Polydeuces…

Caesar…

He barely sees and hears Mitsuru and the juniors reenact him as the memories flash in his eyes like dilapidated film.

So what type do you like, senpai?\Maybe you could make me something sweet sometime.\You're charming.\Deep down…I know why I don't want you to be fighting.\I'm happy to be with you.\This is love?\Aki…\Just close your eyes and let our bodies do the talking…

From now on, we have each other…

They all look at each other and run towards their sun together.

Shinjiro thanks whatever higher power there is that he is able to drag himself up Gekkoukan High's rooftop. It's quite a miracle really, despite his feeble state right now. His insides are a different story though. Shinjiro could feel his blood pumping so lively and loudly against his ears, his heart thumping in his chest with excitement and anxiousness. He feels so restless that his fingers are starting to tremble and he has no idea where it's coming from but he feels so alive than he had ever been.

Shinjiro huffs heavily as he opens the door to the rooftop and when he sees her everything settles that finally, finally, he's all right. The world's fine once again. Aigis is there with her and they're both smiling at him but all his attention is onto hers alone that he doesn't care if the robot sees him rush up to her and embrace her tightly.

"Minako…"

"I knew you'd come."

"Minako…"

He repeats her name since it's been so long that he's said it and the taste of it in his tongue is wondrously sweet in a perfect way that he knows the meaning behind it and not just a mere word he simply uttered in remorse.

"Shinji…" She snuggles closer to him inhaling his scent.

"I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" She mutters against his coat and he knows that there are tears in her eyes. He tries to soothe her, running his hand up and down her back. He missed being this near to her.

"Don't make a sick guy push himself so hard…It's pretty pathetic of me to forget the way I did…But even then, my feelings for you were the same as always."

He takes a long look at her face and brushes away a stray lock. She smiles at him warmly, once again, and it's like those in the memories he has recovered.

"Haha… I got one thick skull, huh? The girl I saw in my dreams… It was you… You were crying and laughing like usual…"

He kisses her in the forehead.

"Yeah… This ain't a dream… You're really here."

Faint footsteps and a familiar voice is drawing near, and he wants to freeze time if only he could make the moment not end.

"I'm glad I met you…"

The door bursts open as Akihiko pushes it harshly.

He sees Aigis suddenly looking at him because of the noise he's made. There's Shinji and Minako, staring at him warily with their hands held together. She smiles at him over her shoulder and the threatening feeling clouding him washes away. He runs up to her and takes her into his arms. Her hand falls from Shinji's grip and wounds up around him. He leans away a little to stare at her. It doesn't sit well with him that she looks so pale.

"Are you all right?" He gasps still winded from running up the stairs, his worry bubbling still in the recesses of his chest if only just a bit. She nods, her head bobbing carelessly and smiles.

"Thank God. I couldn't find you, and…I thought you might've gone off somewhere."

Minako caresses his face until her hand rests on his shoulder. "I'm here waiting for you, for everyone."

"I remember now," he takes her face in both of his hands, rubbing warm circles on her smooth cheek. " Everything that happened. The fighting, Tartarus, all of it…and how I fell in love with you…I'm sorry I forgot it all…"

Shinji watches them silently, his face unreadable. Aigis stands by the door, waiting for the others to arrive. Akihiko notices the solemnity in Minako's eyes looms over her like a cold hand that will tear her away, resignation written all over her sagging shoulders, crooked legs, and bent neck. She leans into him and slides down, her body dragging his to fall on the nearest bench. She is light as a feather but it seems she couldn't hold her weight on her own, her lithe body in repose against his chest and her head drooping near his collarbone. He couldn't think of a reason how could she be as tired as she is now. She meets his eyes and he furrows his brows, wordlessly telling her he is concerned. Minako reaches up to brush her fingers against his hair. Akihiko kisses her cheek.

"But everyone remembers now."

She mumbles something to him, something he isn't able to hear because everyone is suddenly there; joyfully exclaiming for remembering and reuniting, however…

"And starting now, we'll never be apart."

…it is short lived.

It isn't long before they realize, and for Akihiko to feel, that she isn't with them anymore.

Has it always been hard for you
Are you scared of the truth
Is it always just right for you
'Cause I'm losing my mind
Sitting here watching you cry

Author's Note: Just to clear things up because I don't want you getting confused, FeMC just died. She didn't disappear. When I read the last part over, the sentence seems like it implies she disappeared or something. So to be sure I'm explaining myself.

You didn't see the part about Shinji coming, did you? Did you guys think Shinjiro stole Akihiko's limelight there for a second? Well, since I'm a shipper of both I couldn't help but give Shinji some love but because this is Aki's story (sort of) I gave it back to the rightful owner.

About the sequel, as per request of Hime-chii I'll make it into a multi-chaptered story instead of my original plan of it being just a one-shot.

Please review. I want to know what you think.