Author's Notes: Long chapter despite not being an operation. That's mainly due to the Summer Festival... You know, I really liked how the movie portrayed it... Everyone was having so much fun as a family.

~7 AUGUST 2009~

Pharos smiled as he stood at the foot of Hamuko's bed. "Hi, how are you?" he greeted her as she slowly awoke. "I remembered something else… The end won't be brought about by anyone in particular… It's coming because there are many people who wish for it… as if it was destined from the start." Hamuko frowned at this. "But, doesn't that seem like a strange thing to wish for?" Pharos looked at her in confusion.

"I sure don't want it!" Hamuko shook her head.

"I see…" Pharos smiled. "So you don't want it… I wonder what your brother would think…"

The red-eyed girl thought about it, but realized she couldn't predict the older twin's thoughts as she well as she used to. "He wouldn't want it either," she frowned. "But I know he wouldn't think it was a strange wish…"

"Well, I suppose some people would choose death over suffering," Pharos nodded in understanding. "Otherwise, one might end up hating everything in this world…"

Hamuko shivered as she imagined her brother becoming like that. "I still believe that no one wants that," she said with determination.

"Are you certain?" the boy tilted his head to the side. "What about those who hope for an end to their suffering, who wish to find peace?" Pharos chuckled as he sat down on the bed. He crossed his arms and mimicked Minato. "But I suppose in the end, who cares? There's no sense in worrying about it at this point. After all, even I don't fully understand the coming of the end."

Hamuko blinked as Pharos was acting rather strangely. Has he been spending too much time seeing nii-san? "Pharos?"

The boy turned his glowing blue eyes towards her and smiled brightly. "Well, enough about that for now. There's something else I wanted to tell you today… Soon, the poisonous flowers will bloom… One in your own garden, and three in the garden opposite yours." He frowned. "I don't know whether or not this has anything to do with the end, but you should be careful." He nodded his head as a small smile found its way to his face again. "There would have been another flower, but I'm glad a decision has been made."

"I don't get it," Hamuko frowned. Is nii-san hiding something else from me?

"I just wanted you to know…" Pharos reassured her, "that I'm worried about you. I'll come again if I find out anything useful. That's what friends are for, right?" He gave her a carefree smile as he faded away. "Well then… Good night. My dearest…"

~8 AUGUST 2009~

After Minato received a call from Elizabeth regarding Tartarus, he was about to return to his investigation when he heard the familiar knock his sister would use on his door. "Come in," he called out, turning towards the girl. Hamuko entered his room with a worried frown on her face. "Hm? Hamuko, is something wrong?"

"I want an explanation," she said, taking a seat on his bed. "You're hiding things again. You promised me that you'd explain it all to me later."

Minato frowned as he remembered. "Where do you want me to start?"

"Pharos visited me last night. He told me something strange about some poisonous flowers that were going to bloom." She crossed her arms. "Specifically, there was one in my garden, three in the other. There would have been one more, but a decision was made that stopped it from blooming. His last visit before then, he told me you were in the middle of deciding something. Does it have to do with Strega's offer?"

Minato's blank expression immediately soured. "Yeah," he replied.

"That night you triggered King and I alone, you fought them," Hamuko guessed. "It wasn't a Shadow. You lied to me and Fuuka-chan." The girl angrily stared at her brother. "Why?"

"They gave me a choice," Minato calmly answered, keeping his gaze level with hers. "I could have either joined them or stayed with SEES. It was my decision. My decision, my own business. No one else's." He shook his head. "It didn't even matter in the end anyway. I'm still here, aren't I?"

"But you making a choice meant that you were considering leaving," the younger twin pointed out.

The older boy paused. He hadn't expected her to realize that much. He lowered his gaze. "They offered me a way that could probably get rid of the Reapers."

Hamuko noticed the light of fear shining behind her brother's eyes and her expression slightly softened. "R-really?" She felt a bit relieved as it wasn't because he doubted their friends. "Why didn't you accept then?"

"The method would have involved certain Death for me," Minato sighed. "Also… I can't leave SEES now. I've carried the team too far to just quit on it."

"You carried the team?" Hamuko lightly joked.

Minato wore a small smile. "No, we both did." He turned his body in his seat so that he was leaning forward over the back of his chair. "You know, there was another reason why I couldn't join Strega."

"What was it?" the younger twin curiously looked at her brother.

"Ikutsuki," he answered gravely.

"He's involved with them?" Hamuko's eyes widened.

"When I fought them, Jin had an Evoker," Minato told her. "Their Personas aren't exactly stable either." He frowned as he considered various theories, but none of them really had enough evidence on his part so he decided to leave the questions alone. "I wish I had more information, but only Ikutsuki would be able to explain things at this point."

"Then why not ask him?" Hamuko crossed her arms. "What have you got to lose?"

"A lot," Minato sighed. "I still don't know everything he's capable of. I could end up dying. Or I could end up losing myself to the Reapers. Even worse, I might lose you or…" he paused as he felt the panic beginning to take over. "I-I can't afford to lose anyone else at this point," he said shakily as his breaths became shallow.

"Nii-san!" Hamuko sharply called out to him. "We won't lose them!" She got up from the bed and stared into his eyes. In a hushed tone, she comforted him. "I know they're important to us, but we'll protect them this time. They'll protect us too. You're not alone, remember? Fuuka-chan promised to always watch over you."

The boy closed his eyes and tried to focus. "That's r-right," he said, exhaling slowly. "W-we'll be fine," he frowned, as if doubting that statement.

Hamuko shook her head at him. "Hey, stop that. Do you doubt the team?"

"More like myself," Minato blinked at her.

"But you decided to stay with SEES," the younger twin said.

The blue-haired boy thought their situation over. "I suppose I should place my trust in the others a bit more."

"You should," Hamuko crossed her arms and smirked. "You can't do everything by yourself. You're rushing ahead of us on your own again."

Minato lowered his gaze. "It's about time I slowed down, huh?"

"Yeah," the red-eyed girl nodded. "Have faith in us, nii-san. Things will be fine."

"Thanks, sis," the older boy sighed. He paused when he sensed someone in the hall. Someone knocked at his door and he heard Mitsuru clear her throat.

"It's me," she called out. "I'm sorry to bother you while you're resting, but can I have a word with you?"

Hamuko stood up and answered the door. "Coming…"

Mitsuru blinked as she noticed both twins were in the boy's room. "Oh, there you are, Arisato." The redhead entered the room and nodded to them urgently. "Good morning. There's something I need to tell everyone… but I think it would be best if you saw it for yourself. Come to the 4th floor meeting room when you get home tonight, okay? I'll see you then."

Minato blinked as she left his room. "Hrm… I wonder what came up."

Hamuko shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Everyone looked to each other in confusion as Mitsuru brought the meeting to order. Aigis stared at the Student Council President and tilted her head to the side. "Does this mean we have a new mission?"

Beside her, Junpei shrugged. "I dunno. But, the alarm's not ringin'…"

Some barking made everyone turn towards Mitsuru's seat. Yukari looked at the albino dog in confusion. "Huh!?"

Fuuka straightened up to get a better look. "Koro-chan!?" The dog happily barked as he looked up at Mitsuru. Fuuka got up and knelt by the dog, examining the strange collar he was now wearing. "Are you okay!? Where'd you get this collar?"

Mitsuru wore a proud smirk as she explained the situation to them. "That collar is designed to help control his Persona. In other words, it's an Evoker for dogs."

"Wait…" Yukari frowned. "Does that mean he'll be going into battle?"

"It was a surprise for me as well," Mitsuru nodded to the junior. "But according to the tests, it's quite possible. In fact, it was the Chairman's suggestion." Minato frowned at this. "We'll be looking after him here in the dorm."

"Is that okay with you, Koro-chan?" Fuuka smiled at the dog.

Koromaru barked and Aigis translated for him. "He said, 'I'll return the favor'."

"Man," Yukari smiled. "You're one loyal dog."

Hamuko laughed as Koromaru happily barked. "I'm your new owner, okay?" she teased, giving the dog a belly rub.

"I think your joke is wasted on a dog…" Yukari sighed. Koro tilted his head to the side, not quite understanding.

Junpei smiled at the thought of having a dorm pet. "Hey, make yourself at home… The more the merrier, right? Who cares if you're a dog?" He turned towards Mitsuru. "Alright, I'll take him for a walk. It's summer break after all!"

Mitsuru nodded. "Yes, it is. Enjoy your vacation while you can; summer classes start next week. I'll see to it that you graduate."

The capped junior chuckled. "H-hey… Good one, Senpai. You almost had me there."

The senior looked to him in confusion. "Oh, it's no joke. We'll be taking intensive courses. I've already applied for all of us. I know how difficult it's been balancing school and our late night excursions. You haven't had much time to study. I apologize for that. That's why the Chairman agrees that this is a good idea. I thought I told Takeba and Yamagishi."

"Are you serious!?" Junpei shook his head. "This is the first I've heard of it!"

Fuuka sheepishly smiled at him. "Um, sorry… I forgot to mention it."

"Aw, man!" Junpei sighed.

"Hey," Yukari smirked at him. "With your grades, you should be thanking her!"

"Yeah, right." He turned towards Minato with a sigh. "This sucks. Don't you think?"

"Whatever," the blue-haired boy shrugged. "It really makes no difference to me."

Junpei shook his head at the apathetic leader before looking towards Hamuko. "You've got to agree with me, right?"

"I wish I were dead…" Hamuko sighed, sad that the extra time she could have had teasing her brother was being cut short.

"Hey… Something tells me the class part isn't what's bothering you," Minato crossed his arms. "I seriously don't mind though," he looked to Junpei with a shrug.

Fuuka reassured the two depressed juniors. "W-well, it's only for a few weeks, so let's make the most of it…"

~11 AUGUST 2009~

The best thing about summer school was the fact that not many people signed up. All the lessons were supplementary and not many teachers made themselves available over the break anyways. Since complete classes were rather rare, it was easier to mix the students from various classes of the same grade into a standard class roster. Hence, Minato decided this was the perfect opportunity to spend as much time as he could with a particular girl not normally in Class 2-F.

"I wonder who's teaching today," the boy blinked as he took a seat next to Fuuka.

"I heard it's Mr. Edogawa," the teal-haired girl replied. She looked at the boy worriedly. "You're not going to fall asleep today, are you?"

"He does that all the time," Hamuko smiled, turning around to face them. "He and Junpei always get away with it too." She smirked at the capped boy sitting behind Fuuka.

Yukari sighed from behind Minato. "Why am I stuck sitting next to Stupei?"

Junpei glared at her. "Stop calling me that!" He smirked as he thought of something. "Hey, Yuka-tan! If I fall asleep, can I use your arm as a pillow like Minato did with Fuuka yesterday?"

"No!" Yukari glared at him.

Minato frowned at the pair behind him. "I didn't—"

"Yes, you did," Hamuko giggled while pulling out her camera phone. "I took a picture and everything!"

After seeing the evidence for himself, the blue-haired boy turned towards Fuuka and frowned. "Fuuka, you should have said something. I didn't mean to be a bother."

The teal-haired girl's face went pink. "N-no, you weren't a bother. I-it was fine. I didn't want to wake you since you seemed very comfortable."

Hamuko snickered at the two before she heard Edogawa enter class. She sensed Minato sit up behind her. Well, if Edogawa's teaching, of course he'll pay attention, she rolled her eyes.

The school nurse walked over to the podium and shook his head. "I know it's hot, everyone, but let's just try and get through class. Focus pocus!" He tried to cast a spell on the students to get them to pay attention. "You must all be very curious students to be taking this course over summer."

"Not really," Junpei muttered, resulting in Yukari elbowing him.

Edogawa didn't seem to care about the various students whispering as he shrugged before continuing. "I'm not really sure what to make of that." He suddenly chuckled and pushed up his glasses. "Well, let's talk about something interesting today. All you future magicians will want to pay close attentions…" Minato leaned forward as the man chuckled some more. "Today's subject is Tarot."

"Sweet," Minato whispered as he picked up his pencil.

"You seem to be enjoying this," Fuuka lightly giggled as she prepared to take notes too.

"That's right," Edogawa nodded as he continued with his lecture. "Those cards often used in fortune-telling. Originating in 15th century Europe as normal playing cards, tarot cards evolved into tools of divination. A variety of different versions of tarot card decks exist, including the Marseille and Rider decks… But today, in respect of the great magician Crowley, we will be using the Thoth deck."

Minato smiled to Fuuka. "That's the deck our Persona Arcana are based off of," he informed her.

"First, let's talk about the composition of the deck…" Edogawa turned around as he began writing on the board. "The modern 78-card tarot deck is divided into two parts. There are 22 Major Arcana—the face cards—and 56 Minor Arcana, or number cards… The Minor Arcana are also sometimes called pips. The Major Arcana feature a variety of illustrations on their faces. Beginning with 'The Fool' and ending with 'The World'… they tell a story in numerical order that is a metaphor of an individual's journey through life. Each Major Arcana represents a stage on that journey… an experience that the individual must incorporate to realize his oneness. They are all important, so let's take a look at each of the 22 cards, one by one."

Minato's eyes widened. So on that journey, one should theoretically pass through all of the stages of the Arcana…

"The first card, numbered 0, is The Fool. It represents the beginning and suggests infinite possibilities."

Hamuko turned back to share a smirk with her brother.

"The next card, The Magician, represents actions and initiative… but also immaturity."

The twins turned back toward Junpei as he triumphantly sat up, but faltered at the last part. "H-hey, I can be mature," the capped boy muttered.

"The Priestess represents contemplation and inner knowledge."

Minato gave Fuuka a soft smile as she blushed.

"The Empress represents motherhood and the life it brings forth."

"That sounds like Kirijo-senpai," Minato nodded.

"The Emperor is an opposing card," Edogawa paused to explain. "It represents fathering and relates to leadership and decision-making skills."

"Well, there's Akihiko-senpai," Yukari smirked.

"The Hierophant represents formality and knowledge, and stands for religion."

Hamuko smirked to herself. Shinjiro-san? Formality and knowledge? I wonder…

"The Lovers card represents choice. Here, the individual's consciousness has finally surfaced."

Junpei stared Yukari with wide eyes. The brunette glared at him as her face slightly became red. "What are you staring at!?" she whispered.

"The Chariot represents victory for the individual, but only a momentary one."

Minato tilted his head to the side. I don't really understand Aigis well enough to apply this to her, but I guess it fits? She must have fought a powerful Shadow before being put away for all those years. The boy winced as a memory momentarily tried to resurface.

"Justice represents the knowledge of what is right, and what is wrong."

Hamuko frowned. Ken-kun feels like he has this Arcana. I wonder why.

"The Hermit represents the individual's search for answers by looking inward, deep inside his heart."

With the way Jin looks to Takaya? No way, Minato thought.

"Fortune represents fate, and the opportunities that come with it."

Takaya… Minato scowled to himself. Whatever opportunity he tried to offer me… I'm glad I turned it down. The boy smirked to himself as he looked over to the girl beside him taking notes.

"Strength represents both passion and self-control. It is depicted as power with reason."

"Hey, that's Koromaru!" Junpei smirked.

"The Hanged Man reflects the individual's inability to take action."

Minato blinked as he remembered the red-haired girl wearing white. I've never seen that girl's Persona but I sensed the Hanged Man within her. Actually, is she really a part of Strega?

"Spiritual death awaits the individual with the 13th card, which is aptly named Death," Edogawa smirked to the class. "Death is considered a transitional card… The old ends, and the new begins."

"The old… ends?" Minato frowned at this. Isn't that what Pharos has been warning us about?

"Now, let us continue along the path, following the transition." Edogawa cleared half of the board as he continued. "Temperance is the balancing of opposites. Opening his eyes to the world allows the individual to grow…"

Minato felt something strange stir within him. Just where am I on this journey?

"And as the Devil represents, he then faces temptation…"

The blue-haired boy clenched his left hand into a fist as his other hand continued writing. I made my choice, Minato nodded in determination.

"At The Tower, his values collapse on him," Edogawa crossed his arms. "It seems as if he no longer has anything to believe in."

Minato's eyes grew wide. But… That can't be right. He frowned to himself. I won't falter… I just can't.

"But…" Edogawa smiled. "He then finds a glimmer of hope, represented by The Star; and he is suffused with a serene calm."

"Hey, nii-san," Hamuko leaned back with a smirk. "It's like how being around Fuuka-chan puts a silly smile on your face."

"This bliss makes him vulnerable to the illusions of The Moon," Edogawa sighed. "Fears arise, and he follows the dim path in his heart with trepidation…"

Minato blinked at his notes. So I'm caught somewhere around the Tower, the Star, and the Moon…

"But he is rewarded with a bright future," Edogawa pointed at the board, "represented by The Sun, which signifies true achievement."

So that's what I'm striving for, Minato smirked.

"Judgement awaits the individual at the end of his journey, as he looks back on the path he has traveled."

Minato glanced at the previous notes he had taken. "I chooseth this fate of mine own free will," he absently muttered.

"The final card is The World," Edogawa nodded, "which represents the individual's full awareness of his place in the world."

"The World…" Minato's eyes shone in awe. We haven't encountered a Persona like that yet… I wonder if we can…

"That is the growth of an individual as explained by the tarot cards," Edogawa concluded. "Perhaps all this talk about life doesn't hit home with you young folks just yet, hm?" Edogawa chuckled at them.

Fuuka noticed as Minato stared at his notebook blankly. "Minato-kun? Is something wrong?"

The blue-haired boy turned his head slightly towards her. He wore a frown that Fuuka knew he was contemplating something. "I don't quite know how to put it into words," he whispered to her. "But…" He trailed off as he noticed Edogawa continuing with the lecture. "N-never mind. I'll tell you some other time, Fuuka."

"Now, you can use all 78 cards to divine the future in detail… but most people only use the 22 Major Arcana." Edogawa went back to the podium as he picked up his example deck. "Okay. Next, let's talk about how to tell fortunes using the Major Arcana. First, you will need to shuffle the cards. If a card is reversed, its meaning will change, so it's important…"

Yukari sighed as the boy next to her fell asleep. "Figures…" She looked at the boy in front of her and noticed he was busy taking notes. "Huh, it's rare for you to be so focused in class," she whispered. The boy didn't respond so Yukari glanced at Fuuka.

Fuuka responded with a small smile. "Minato-kun is pretty deep in thought," she whispered.

Yukari heard Hamuko giggling from in front of Minato. "Nii-san is so silly sometimes."

"I'm right here, you know," the blue-haired boy sighed. He returned his attention to Edogawa as the man explained to them the nuances of tarot fortune-telling. Speaking of which… I should probably stop by Escapade today.

Den Mother smiled as Minato took a seat. "You have only one fortune today. Would you like to hear it?"

"Yes, please," the blue-haired boy nodded.

"Very well…" She looked into her ball as three blades surrounded a figure. "Three blades close in on you, tearing the shadow apart… A brave howl confronts them…" A dog wielding a knife in his mouth cut through the darkness. "Things seem to be stirring around you once again… There is more… In the depths of the abyss, another blade watches you closely…" Minato felt the strange eyes within the darkness focus on him. "Farewell, then… May your future be bright…"

Minato bowed before leaving. So Koromaru joined, but Strega is still watching us… No, it might not refer to Strega. It could be Ikutsuki… I need to be careful about how I interpret this. Things are getting a lot more complicated.

~16 AUGUST 2009~

Minato looked up from his book when he noticed his cell phone ringing. He checked the number and gladly closed the assigned novel. "Hello?"

"Hello, Minato-kun?" Fuuka's cheerful voice greeted him. "Hi, this is Fuuka."

"Hey, is something up?" Minato detected a strange mixture of happiness and shyness in the girl's tone.

"Um, the Summer Festival is taking place at the Naganaki Shrine today…" Fuuka's voice wavered. "So, I was wondering… If you're not busy, would you like to go with me?"

Minato threw his legs over the side of his bed and sat at the edge. "Sure."

"Oh, I'm so happy to hear that!" Fuuka sighed in relief.

"I'll meet you downstairs tonight then, okay?"

"A-alright!" Fuuka sounded extremely happy as she hung up.

Minato watched as everybody in the dorm left for the festival. He and Fuuka were the last to leave, but he didn't mind. The festival was going to be open all night and he didn't really want the others seeing the two of them leave together. He fixed the sleeves of his simple yukata before he heard the girl come down the stairs.

Fuuka paused when she saw him get up. "M-minato-kun," she said, staring at his dark blue yukata. It was a very simple design, as she noticed the thin vertical lines that decorated it, but the way it framed the boy's muscular body made her blush. Her blush intensified when she noticed the open neckline revealing his collarbones and a bit of his fire-marked chest. "You look very handsome," she complimented him.

Minato smiled as he bowed his head in thanks. "You look nice too," he said. "The sunflowers suit you." Fuuka felt her face burn up a little more. Minato noticed but he extended his hand towards her. "Shall we go?"

Fuuka giggled at him as she accepted his hand. They walked to the shrine and the girl looked around the lively festival. "Oh, I'm so glad there are other people wearing yukatas…" She became embarrassed and buried her face into Minato's sleeve. "Um, I don't stand out too much, do I?"

"What do you mean?" Minato asked her.

"I usually don't wear this kind of clothing, so I'm feeling a little uncomfortable…" she admitted.

"You look great," the boy reassured her. "You're always so cute, Fuuka."

"R-really?" Fuuka's blush was permanently stuck on her face. "Thank you." She and Minato stared at a few booths before continuing through the festival. "You know, wearing this has made me think… Yukatas are so light and airy… They're perfect for the humid summers we have here in Japan… In fact, sumo wrestlers wear yukatas all summer long…" She paused before giggling. "Oh, sorry… I guess that's not really what people talk about at a festival, huh…?"

"No, but I think it's fascinating," Minato tilted his head to the side. "I never really knew that about sumo wrestlers." His blue eyes glowed as he pointed to his own yukata. "Compared to everyone else's design, mine is pretty plain, isn't it? It's a more traditional color and style, but I like it. Hamuko says I should get a new one with a flashier design to match the times, but I can't help it if I look better in the more traditional scheme. Did you know that the patterned yukatas are actually very new? They were inspired by Western designs after they introduced black and deep green into Japanese fashion." The boy stopped talking and blushed. He chuckled to himself. "I'm rambling…"

Fuuka shook her head. "I think it's fascinating too, Minato-kun."

"I'm glad," Minato smiled. "These talks of ours are really fun and it would be strange for us to not ramble about random things." He paused when he heard his stomach growl.

"U-um…" Fuuka giggled at him before she felt that she was hungry too. "Oh, it's time for dinner…" She looked around at the booths around them. "Let's get something to eat from one of the food stalls." They lined up at the nearest booth and Fuuka smiled at the worker. "Excuse me. May I please have an order of takoyaki?"

"Sure you can!" the vendor smiled at the couple. "Here you go, one order of takoyaki! I threw in an extra one. I hope you and your boyfriend enjoy it!"

Fuuka looked at the vendor in surprise. "Um… Thank you…"

"B-boyfriend?" Minato pulled the girl away with him as they found a quiet place to enjoy the food.

"She gave us an extra piece of takoyaki…" Fuuka quietly said with a blush. She happily smiled to herself as she looked to Minato. "Let's eat, Minato-kun!" She took a bite of one but paused, eyes widening a bit.

"Fuuka, are you okay?" Minato looked to her in concern.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "It's a little too hot to eat right now, but I just can't help myself… It's so good!" The blue-haired boy smiled at her as he tried one for himself. "It tastes just like the takoyaki at Octopia, doesn't it?" Fuuka looked back at the vendor and frowned. "Oh, wait a minute… Do you think she's the same person…?"

Minato glanced up at the vendor. "Maybe?"

"Hmmm…" Fuuka tilted her head to the side. "Maybe they're twins…"

After they finished the takoyaki, Minato threw away the trash. Fuuka eagerly pulled him along beside her as they looked at the various stalls. Minato brightly laughed. "Fuuka, we have all night!" He paused when he noticed something catch her eye.

"Oh, look…" Her brown eyes brightened. "Masks!" She pointed at the various masks on display. "These ones look like animals. Hmm…" She studied the designs. "What's this? A cat? A dog?" She stared another in confusion. "An octopus?"

Minato chuckled. "I don't think that's quite it, Fuuka."

Fuuka frowned as she stared at it some more. A smile suddenly appeared as she recognized it. "Oh, it's a 'hyottoko' mask…" She lightly laughed. "His face is so funny… Look at how his eyes bulge!" She turned towards Minato. "These masks really set the mood for the festival, don't you think?"

Minato laughed alongside her as they walked towards another booth. "They look fun, but I think I have enough 'masks'."

"Oh, that's right," Fuuka nodded at him. "You have multiple Personas." She paused as she stared at him. "So you wear different masks to face different hardships. That sounds difficult, Minato-kun. I wonder which mask is the real you." She looked at him sadly.

"Fuuka, no matter what Persona I use or mask I wear, I'll always be me," Minato said. "I don't exactly know about a true self, but I'm me." He smiled as he lifted the girl's hand. "A part of being me is enjoying spending time with you." He pressed her hand against his lips and watched as the girl blushed at his actions. "How about you, Fuuka?"

"I like being with you too, Minato-kun," she honestly answered.

"This is my true self, right?" he asked as he lowered her hand.

"You're the same as always," Fuuka nodded. "Kind, considerate, smart, strong, and brave."

"H-hey, I didn't want you to go that far," Minato turned his head away, his face burning up. "I keep telling you that I'm not that great."

"You have a bad habit of doubting yourself and keeping your burdens to yourself, but that's a part of who you are too," Fuuka giggled. "Even if you're problematic at times, I like those parts too," she shyly said.

Minato paused as he stared at the teal-haired girl. "Fuuka…" A smile grew on his face but before he had a chance to say anything else, someone from a booth called them over.

"Hey! You two! Would you like to play Lucky Draw?"

Minato turned to glare at the man, but curious as ever, Fuuka pulled him towards the game booth. "W-what? Hey!" Minato frowned to himself but let the girl drag him along anyway.

"All you do is pick a ball! It's easy! And, everyone's a winner!" The game attendant smiled at them.

"Lucky Draw, huh…" Fuuka studied the container of lottery balls. "Let's give it a try!" She gave Minato a big smile. She paused as she considered something. "But, I'm not very lucky, so I think you should do it, Minato-kun…"

Seeing how the girl was giving him such a soft expectant look, Minato gave her a small smile. "Alright," he nodded. He reached into the box and frowned. How to deal with this? I'm not as lucky as Hamuko when it comes to these things… Ah, to hell with it. Minato forced his hand into the bottom of the container and picked the first ball he could get a good hold on. He pulled it out and handed it to the game attendant.

"Now, let's see what you—" the smile on the man's face disappeared. "Tch! You actually won!? How is that poss—I mean, congratulations!"

Minato knit his eyebrows together. So the game was rigged? Did I pull off some sort of miracle? The boy didn't question it too much though as the man took down a doll that was hanging in the back of the booth.

"Well, here's your prize… You won a Jack Frost Doll."

Minato accepted the doll and he stared at it in confusion. Wow… It looks exactly like Jack Frost…

Fuuka happily looked at him, eyes wide. "You won a prize!?" She giggled. "Wow! That's amazing, Minato-kun!"

Minato chuckled to himself. "You should have it, Fuuka."

"B-but…" She stared at the large doll he placed in her hands.

"Fuuka," the boy gave her a gentle smile. "Please accept it?"

His soft gaze made her warm inside. Minato-kun… She nodded and hugged the doll tightly. "Thank you!" She gave the boy a grateful smile before she noticed the sky was beginning to darken. "We've been here for quite some time. We should probably get going."

"Hm?" Minato looked up. "Wow, I didn't even notice the time passing."

Fuuka blushed as she smiled into the Jack Frost Doll. "This is the first time we've had a chance to spend time together like this…" Minato turned his head back towards her. "So thank you… I had a lot of fun."

The blue-haired boy nodded as he carefully took a hold of her arm as they walked back to the dorm. "I had fun too," he smiled. "Thanks for inviting me to come with you."

Hamuko blinked when Minato came down the stairs in a yukata. "Nii-san, you're actually going out tonight?"

The boy frowned at her. "Yes. Is there something wrong with that?"

Junpei smirked at the boy's outfit. "You on a date, man?"

"Who knows?" Minato shrugged.

Yukari stared at the blue-haired boy. "You actually look nice in that," she said. "I didn't think you'd be able to pull off that look."

"Nii-san is pretty traditional," Hamuko giggled. "Don't you have a yukata, Junpei?"

He smirked. "Nope. I'm more of the type of guy who knows how to appreciate a girl in a yukata." His smile grew as he came up with a thought. "Man, what if our school uniform was a yukata…?"

"You sound like a perv," Yukari sighed.

Junpei winked at the archer. "Come on. Don't give me that. You and Hamuko look pretty cute, Yuka-tan! Don't you think so, Ken?" He smirked at the young boy sitting in the lounge.

Ken smiled up at the juniors. "You both look very nice," he nodded before staring at Minato oddly. "Yuki-san, just why are you wearing a yukata?"

"I felt like it," Minato plainly answered before noticing Akihiko, Mitsuru, and Aigis coming down. "Oh, are you all going to the festival together?"

"Yes, we are," Aigis nodded as she carefully adjusted to moving around with a yukata on.

Hamuko's eyes widened at Mitsuru's yukata. "Senpai, you look amazing!"

"Thank you," Mitsuru smiled. She turned towards the two other juniors and Minato. "I must say, all of your yukatas suit you."

Akihiko frowned as he did a quick headcount of the dorm's members. "So is Fuuka not coming with us?"

"No," Yukari shook her head. "She said she's not very good with crowds."

"Minato's not coming with us either," Junpei smirked.

"I promised someone I'd go with them instead," the blue-haired boy shrugged.

"A date?" Akhiko asked. He crossed his arms. "Trying to impress a girl by wearing yukata of your own, huh?"

"Is it really that strange for me to be wearing a yukata to a summer festival?" Minato sighed. He straightened up to prevent wrinkles from forming on his clothes. "By the way, why is Aigis going?"

"I am curious as to what occurs during a summer festival," Aigis replied. "Junpei-san says it is the height of a summer romance."

"Too bad Junpei wouldn't know about romance considering he doesn't have a date," Yukari sighed.

"Hey, I resent that!" the capped boy said, but he sighed too. He smiled at Minato. "Well, have fun on your date, man."

"I never said I had a date," Minato shook his head.

"You never said you didn't," Hamuko pointed out with a smirk.

Akihiko shook his head. "We should all get going. You're leaving later, Minato?"

"Yeah," the blue-haired boy nodded.

Ken stood from his seat. "It's too bad Fuuka-san doesn't want to attend."

"I'm sure she'll have fun anyway," Minato shrugged. "I'll see you all later."

"You wear this so conservatively," Hamuko pouted before readjusting his yukata to show a little more of his chest. "There! I'm sure Fuuka-chan will like that much better," she quietly told her brother, causing him to blush. "Later, nii-san!" She smirked towards Koromaru. "You're coming with us, boy!" The dog happily barked as he followed after everyone else.

Yukari tilted her head to the side when Hamuko and Koromaru caught up to them. "Will they even let Koro into the festival?" she asked.

The dog yipped and Aigis nodded. "Koromaru says that the shrine allows him in the games area as well as the playground. However, he is not permitted to enter the booths where food is sold."

"Ah, that's too bad," Junpei smirked. "I'll sneak you some takoyaki and yakitori when we get there!" He winked at the dog, resulting in a happy bark.

Hamuko's eyes widened as they got closer to the shrine. "Wow! Everyone's so lively!"

Akihiko turned his head back to look at the excited junior. "Haven't you ever been to a festival before?"

"Nii-san and I go every year," Hamuko said. "Each city tends to throw in their own spin to the festival, but there's something different about this one." The brunette giggled as a few kids ran past them, wearing masks. "I guess that can be due to the location. The play structure must attract a lot of kids so families must come together."

Mitsuru smiled at the junior. "It's good to see you have fun. We have the entire night to look around, so I suggest we keep going." She spotted Aigis trying to break away from the team. "Aigis, you're not allowed to leave SEES on your own."

Aigis nodded. "I understand. I will remain by your side."

Akihiko's smile fell. "How about you stick with Ken? Or Koromaru? Or even Junpei?"

Junpei smirked at the blonde. "Ai-chan! Let's get some takoyaki!"

Yukari shook her head at the simple boy. "Hey! Be careful! It's crowded and we might get separated."

The capped boy paused as he noticed the seniors were gone. "I think it's too late for that, Yuka-tan."

Ken frowned as he searched for Hamuko. "Um, Hamuko-san and Koromaru disappeared too."

"Great, we got separated!?" Yukari sighed.

"Perhaps I should look for them?" Aigis prepared to leap into the air.

"N-no! Aigis!" Yukari grabbed the robot girl's arm. "You're sticking with us. Ken, come on. You're hungry too, right?"

Hamuko had been so distracted by the excitement that she didn't realize she had been separated from the team until she noticed only Koromaru was following her. She frowned at the dog. "I guess I got carried away, didn't I, boy?" The albino dog barked at her in response and she smiled. "Well, at least we still have each other! Let's go look around!"

The red-eyed girl passed many of the booths and smiled as many of the attendees recognized Koro. The dog happily accepted the pets and scratches. He would occasionally bark a few times before begging for some treats but when he was done, he would always return to Hamuko's side.

"You're quite the charmer, aren't you, Koro-chan?" Hamuko carefully knelt down and scratched behind his ear. "Well, it's not fair for you to be the only one eating, so I should get something too." She quickly got back up but had forgotten she was wearing a yukata. She lost her balance and fell into someone. "I'm sorry! I—" She looked up to see a pair of steel grey eyes staring into her.

"You oughta be more careful," the owner of grey eyes roughly told her as he helped her regain her balance.

"Shinjiro-san, thank you," Hamuko slightly bowed. "I didn't expect to see you here," she said, her face warming up.

"I'm helping out some of the food stalls," the brunet shrugged. "Gotta make cash somehow." He noticed the red-eyed dog staring at him expectantly. He knelt down and pet Koromaru. "So who's this?"

"Koromaru!" the girl happily replied. "We also call him Koro-chan!"

"You're a pretty smart dog," Shinjiro noticed. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tray of takoyaki. "Here, it's fresh."

Koromaru barked in thanks as he accepted the treat. Hamuko pouted at the older boy. "I'm hungry too…"

"Well, get in line then," Shinjiro rolled his eyes.

"Hey, Shinji!" the vendor called out to him. "You didn't tell me your girlfriend was coming to visit!"

The older boy pulled his beanie down over his eyes. "She ain't my girlfriend!" he called out.

"Don't be so bashful! Come on. I know you're busy going around all the booths to help with the cooking but if you take her along on your rounds and show her your skills, I'm sure she'll fall for you even more," the vendor laughed.

"Oh, you cook, Shinjiro-san?" Hamuko perked up. "I wanna see! Even more, I wanna try your cooking myself!"

"No way," Shinjiro shook his head as his face turned beet red. "You're just gonna get in my way while I work."

"Ah, that's no way for you to treat a lady, Shinji," the takoyaki vendor humorously smirked at the embarrassed older boy as she handed Hamuko a fresh order. "Here you go, on the house! I put in extra so be sure to enjoy it! Hey, Shinji, why don't you show her around? I'm pretty sure I can handle the customers myself."

"Thank you!" Hamuko smiled at the kind lady as the boy in the maroon coat reluctantly left his station. "Come on, Shinji-kun!" she teased.

"Like hell I'm lettin' you call me that," Shinjiro growled as he took her away from the bustling crowd.

Koromaru followed and barked up towards Hamuko. She raised an eyebrow at the dog. "Alright, I'll share with you too, but you're being very spoiled today, Koro-chan." She giggled though as she was having fun. She turned back to the older boy. "So are you really helping each stall with the cooking?" she asked him, unable to believe the tall brunette could actually do so.

"What? You really think I can't?" the older boy frowned as they passed the yakisoba stand. He paused though as he spotted the booth's vendor sloppily drop a handful of toppings over the fried noodles he had been cooking. "Don't throw the garnish on top of the noodles so casually!" he scolded the vendor as he couldn't stop himself from taking over. "You've got to evenly apply it! Or at least, stir it up a little!"

The vendor laughed as the tall boy quickly tried to fix up the dish. "Right, right. Sorry, Shinjiro!" He smiled at Hamuko. "Oh, so you do have a girlfriend." As Shinjiro finished up, the vendor quickly grabbed a plate and filled it to the brim with noodles before handing it to the red-eyed girl. "Here, it's on the house!"

The red-eyed girl accepted the food with a smile. "Thank you!"

"Enjoy it! Shinjiro, you should go on break too. You've been working all day and I'm sure you'd want to show your cute friend around. Heck, why not enjoy some of the game booths while you're at it?"

"Ooh," Hamuko's eyes widened. "Shinji-kun, let's go!"

"Tch, don't call me that!" Shinjiro sighed but he decided to pull the girl away from the food stalls before any of the other cooks at the vendors teased him about the brunette. He watched as the vendor told the booths around them that he was going on break. "Looks like I'm off for the night," he shook his head before glaring at the girl.

"What?" the junior frowned at him. "We're at a festival. You should be having fun too." Her smile finally returned. "Besides, I'm pretty sure you're still getting paid." She sampled some of the yakisoba Shinjiro had prepared. "They have to with how delicious this is!" she grinned with her mouth full.

"Don't talk with food in your mouth," the brunet sternly frowned as he took a seat at an empty bench. "Anyway, you ended up getting a free meal off me," he pointed out.

"Thanks for that, Senpai!" Hamuko smirked before really digging into the yakisoba.

"I ain't your senpai," Shinjiro shook his head. He watched as she tossed Koromaru another piece of takoyaki. "Hey, don't give him too much," he said with a frown. "It ain't good for him. And you should take it easy too. Too much festival food ain't healthy."

"But it's so good," the girl whined, putting a takoyaki ball into her mouth. Her eyes widened once she took a bite of it. "Hot!" She wanted to spit it out but she bore through the pain as she quickly chewed and swallowed. "Ow…"

"I told you to take it easy," Shinjiro smirked at her. He looked around the booths. "Here, I'll go get some shaved ice for you. It'll help cool your mouth."

"No, it's fine," Hamuko blushed as she pulled him back into his seat. "We can go together when we're done." She offered up the tray of takoyaki to him. "You want some more?"

The boy smiled as they both finished the takoyaki and yakisoba. "Heh, you've got a big appetite for a girl." He poked her stomach. "You should watch your weight."

"I'll be okay," Hamuko smirked at him. "Nii-san and I have amazing metabolisms. We don't really gain weight."

"Good," Shinjiro smirked. "I'm sure all of the food booths we pass will want to offer you something if they see you with me." He stood up, petting Koromaru as he did so. "So about that shaved ice…"

"Let's share one!" the girl suggested as she stood up after him. She lost her balance again but Shinjiro quickly caught her. "Sorry. I'm not used to wearing a yukata."

"You look cute in it though," the older brunet smiled at her. "The design suits you."

"Thank you," Hamuko blushed as they got in line for the shaved ice. They shared the cold dessert together as they wandered between the stalls. Her eyes widened as she spotted a few game booths. "Oh, Shinjiro-san! Let's play shoot the targets."

"Hey, stop pulling," the boy smiled as he followed after her. "Koro-chan, let's go." Koromaru tilted his head to the side before taking off towards the play structure where some children were gathering. "H-hey, Koromaru!?"

"It looks like it's just us then, Shinji-kun!" Hamuko laughed as she hugged his arm.

"Step right up! You look like a good challenger," the game attendant smirked at Shinjiro. "Gonna win a prize for your girl?" The man tensed up as the brunet glared at him. He lowered his gaze and smiled at Hamuko. "So you wanna try your luck?"

Hamuko lifted the gun and stared at the bottles. "Sure! This looks more suited for nii-san, but I guess I'll give it a shot!" she giggled at her pun while Shinjiro groaned. After a few seconds of staring at the targets without firing, she frowned as physics really wasn't her strong suit. She aimed the toy gun carefully, but Shinjiro shook his head when she faltered a bit.

"Hey, you should relax." He reached his arm around her and helped her steady her aim. "You see that dent in the can? Aim there and it should go down easy," he gently whispered. "It's like firin' an Evoker, right?"

The brunette felt her face burn as he was extremely close to her. She nodded her head and held her arm steady. The game attendant went to set up another customer but was surprised when the red-eyed girl fired the gun. The sound of the cans toppling made him turn. "Huh? You actually did it?"

"I did it!" Hamuko turned around and hugged Shinjiro. "Thanks for your help!"

The attendant smiled as he took down a Pyro Jack Doll. "Here you are, lucky little lady."

"Shinji-kun, it's so adorable!" Hamuko squealed as she hugged it tightly. She paused as Shinjiro held her hand and brought them away from the stall. "Um… I wouldn't have won it without your help, so I think you should have it."

Shinjiro smiled down to her. "Nah, you should keep it. It's not something I should keep in the back alleys."

"That's right," Hamuko's smile faltered a bit. "Then can I name him after you?" She lifted the large doll in front of her and brightly beamed at the pumpkin-headed doll. "Nice to meet you, Pyro Shinji."

The older boy stared at her before chuckling. "Do whatever you want," he tried to say seriously, but he couldn't hide how much fun he was having. He looked up at the sky and frowned as they would have to part soon. "I guess we should look for Koro-chan and get you back to the dorm."

Hamuko looked down in disappointment. "Yeah…"

Shinjiro studied her face and placed a hand on her head. "Hey, I had fun today," he said with a slight blush. "Your brother gave me your number so… I guess I'll give you a call whenever I'm free."

"Really?" The girl lifted her red eyes up to meet his grey ones.

Shit… When she looks at me like that… I don't think I can say no. He averted his gaze as his face felt even warmer than before. "Y-yeah… You're on break, right? Let's go eat out or somethin'."

"I'd like that," Hamuko smiled happily at him.

When Shinjiro noticed her expression he relaxed a bit. "Good," he sighed in relief. "I really like it when you smile like that," the boy smiled back at her and noticed her blush. "It really suits you."

Hamuko's smile grew as she hugged the taller boy. "Thank you, Shinjiro-san. I like it when you smile too. Please take care of yourself," she whispered into his chest.

"Y-yeah," Shinjiro sadly looked down at her. Shit… I shouldn't have let her get this close. Sorry, Minato… I don't think I can leave her alone. Some barking made him look up. "Hey, it's Koro-chan," he told the girl in front of him.

Hamuko slowly let go of his coat and nodded, wiping up the few tears that had formed. "Thanks for tonight, Shinjiro-san," she said as cheerfully as she could.

"I told you… You look a lot better when you smile," he repeated himself before he spotted a group of high school students following the dog towards them. "I should go," he sighed.

The girl nodded and watched as he slipped into the crowd. She turned to the rest of her friends and noticed they were only missing the seniors. "Sorry, you must have been worried about me," she chuckled at the team.

"Not really," Yukari shrugged. "I know you can handle yourself." She sighed as she pointed at the capped boy beside her. "But you did end up leaving me having to babysit Stupei."

"H-hey!" Junpei glared at her before he spotted the large doll Hamuko was hugging. "Oh, so you ended up having fun on your own anyway! That's good. Check this out!" The boy showed her his prize. "I got a kaleidoscope!" He chuckled as he pointed to the blonde girl beside him. "Aigis won something too."

"I received a water pistol," the robot said, holding up the toy weapon.

"Um, Aigis-san?" Ken frowned at the blonde. "Perhaps you would like to trade with my glass bead? I don't think Mitsuru-san would want you to have that."

"No, I wouldn't," the redhead said with a sigh as she arrived with Akihiko. She noticed the entire team was present and smiled. "I apologize for getting lost from the group. Akihiko and I tried looking for you all, but it seems there was no need to worry." Her arms were sternly crossed but Hamuko noticed the mask the senior was holding.

Akihiko smirked at the team, readjusting the matching mask hanging from the side of his head. "It looks like everyone had a good night. Let's get going then! Minato and Fuuka are waiting for us back at the dorm."

"Huh, Minato left early?" Junpei frowned. "Dude has no sense of fun at all. And he had a date too!"

"He never said he had a date," Hamuko tried to mimic her brother before laughing.

"Let's just go." Yukari shook her head as she smiled. She paused as she walked beside her friend. "Well, I hope you weren't too lonely spending the festival by yourself."

"No, I had fun," Hamuko wistfully smiled to herself, hugging Pyro Shinji tighter.

~B*O*N*U*S~S*C*E*N*E~

Mitsuru frowned as Akihiko quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the rest of SEES. When they were sufficiently lost in the crowd, Akihiko let go. "There. Now we can spend the rest of the festival alone," the boxer smiled.

"I appreciate your thoughts and wishes, Akihiko, but I'm worried about Aigis," the redhead said, trying to see if she could spot the juniors.

"They'll be fine," Akihiko shrugged. "Come on. Let's get some takoyaki!" He paid for an order and put one in his mouth. "HOT!" He shrugged off the pain though. "Wow, as juicy as always," he smirked. He offered the food to Mitsuru. "Want some?"

"So that's what that food is like," the heiress dubiously stared at it. "No, I'm fine."

"Come on," Akihiko's smirk grew. "Enjoy the festival."

"What a surprise seeing you both here together," a rough voice said.

Mitsuru blushed as she glared at their former colleague. "You're doing well, Aragaki."

"So you're here, too?" Akihiko nodded at Shinjiro.

"I'm workin'," the boy nodded back as he carefully took a fresh batch of takoyaki off the heat. "Someone's gotta make sure the food's got standards." He looked over to Mitsuru. "If you want somethin' more towards your tastes, I suggest the yakisoba."

"I'll keep your recommendation in mind," Mitsuru smiled at him and gave him a nod.

"Yeah, whatever. I gotta get back to work," the tall boy huffed. "Have fun on your lil date."

Both seniors blushed as the brunet returned to his rounds. Akihiko crossed his arms. "This isn't a date," he said before he became uncertain. "Is it?"

"No," Mitsuru shook her head, also denying what Shinjiro had just said. "We are merely here as close friends."

"That's right," Akihiko nodded, trying to regain his composure. "Like Minato is with… Fuuka?" He spotted the two juniors staring at the mask booth.

"So Yamagishi did attend," the redhead smiled.

They watched as the blue-haired junior kissed the back of Fuuka's hand. Akihiko let out a whistle. "Wow, he's smooth."

Mitsuru nodded in agreement before something caught her attention. "Oh, a booth selling masks."

Akihiko smiled as he looked at the prices. "500 yen, huh…? I can actually afford these now," he chuckled to himself as he shook his head. He frowned when he recalled his childhood. "Now I actually have the money…"

"Would you like to get one?" Mitsuru smiled at her friend, trying to make him feel better. She looked at the selection and noticed a kingly mask. "This one suits you."

Akihiko blushed as he noticed a beautiful icy blue queen's mask. "How about we get one for each other then?" he suggested as he picked it out for Mitsuru. "We can wear the masks so the others won't be able to recognize us."

"That's a good idea, Akihiko," the redhead blushed as they purchased the masks. After trading masks with him, she put the beautiful mask on and was glad the white-haired boy couldn't see how red her face was. She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him along to look at the other booths.

Final Notes: The flaw with Akihiko's logic is that I'm pretty sure people would recognize what they're wearing... but oh well... Also... I totally wish Hamuko had more options to attend the festival with... If Minato can choose between Yuko and Chihiro, why can't Hamuko pick to go with Hidetoshi? Actually... he never hangs out with either characters outside of school anyways, but I wish he did... At least Hamuko doesn't have an alone option like Minato does though... Poor guy... Also poor Shinjiro... I can't really make his story romantic sounding because he's really difficult to work with... But that's because he's not available when I want him to be! Also... fun fact: Shinjiro, Jin, and Officer Kurosawa have the same voice actor. Grant George might not be as as variable as a voice actor as Yuri Lowenthal, but there's something cool about listening to him speak... It doesn't trump my preference for Travis Willingham though...