Persona Q: The Wedding Files

Scenario 9: Shinjiro Aragaki

"Your destined partner is… lo and behold…" The mechanical voice soon finishes, and two spotlights lit up. One was shining on the Leader from Gekkoukan, or P3 Heroine. And the other was on Shinjiro Aragaki, a fellow SEES member.

"What!? Me!?" Shinjiro was taken back by surprise. He started scratching the back of his head, his face gradually glowing red. "No, there must be some mistake… It can't be me… It just can't…" Suddenly, the floor beneath him disappeared.

"Whoaaaa!?"

Group Date Café, The Big Day

"Nngh… That hurt, dammit…" Shinjiro cursed, getting up along with the Leader. He looked around. It was like something that could be described as a fantasy land for love. The place is a garden of colourful flowers complete with a dirt path that was obviously meant to be stepped on. Heart-shaped arches extended all the way through the dirt path. "…Huh? What is this place? It's not like where we just were…" Shinjiro turned around to ask the Leader… and noticing his hand interlocked with hers.

He stared at the hands for a while before he reacted. "…WHAT THE!?" Shinjiro shouted, alarmed. "We're holding hands!?" He shook their hands wildly for seconds. "What!? I can't let go!"

"It seems you have reached your destination."

"The hell!?" Shinjiro turned to the direction of the voice.

"This seems to be a path where lovers who met their destined partners discuss their love for each other." The mechanical voice says. "What could be waiting up ahead? You are free to step forth hand-in-hand, curiosity and fear in your hearts, or you can refrain."

"…What the shit?" Shinjiro said. "Hey, you've got one hell of a misunderstanding going here. Her and I am not destined partners. It can't be. 'cause I said so."

"You are free to step forth, or refrain from doing so." The mechanical voice ignores Shinjiro. "These are your apparent options. Now, step forth!"

Afterward, the mechanical voice went silent.

"At least do something about our hands!" Shinjiro shouted. He received no response. "Tch… It ain't listening… And…" He looked at their locked hands. "We're not going to be stuck like this forever, aren't we?"

"It's worrying…"

"You will protect me, right?"

"But we're destined partners, Senpai!"

"Yeah." Shinjiro nodded. "If we're stuck like this, then we'd have a lot of trouble facing any enemy. You can't hold your naginata one-handed. And I doubt that we'd know each other's movement and end up shitting the whole battle. And… erm…" Shinjiro looked away from the Leader, trying to hide a growing blush. "We'd all agree that it'd be a problem, right?"

"It's worrying…"

"You will protect me, right?"

"But we're destined partners, Senpai!"

"Well…" Shinjiro said. "Hypothetically, yes. I mean, of course I'll protect you since it's only the two of us. But… with our hands stuck like this… I'm not sure what I'm supposed to say now…"

"It's worrying…"

"You will protect me, right?"

"But we're destined partners, Senpai!"

"H-Hold on!" Shinjiro shouted. "This is no time to be talking about that shit! We've to get out of this place as soon as possible!"

"…I would have told you not to leave my side… But considering our hands… It'll sound really stupid." Shinjiro said. "C'mon, let's just go." The Leader and Shinjiro, with interlocked hands, followed the dirt path that apparently continued to expand as they took steps forward. Eventually, they reached an area where they could see a portrait resting on a stand, but they couldn't make out what it was from their location.

"Suddenly, all in attendance hear an announcement."

"You again?" Shinjiro grumbled. "What do you want now…?"

"Up ahead, they see a bride and groom's joyous commemorative photograph of love." The voice says. "They confer between them whether to look at it, or ignore it."

The voice falls silent once again.

"The hell's up with that?" Shinjiro said. "We ain't looking at shit." The Leader, however, dragged Shinjiro to look at the portrait. Shinjiro was taken by complete shock when he looked closely at the portrait.

"What-!? What the hell!?" Shinjiro shouted. "Is that… us in a wedding!? Hey! Stop looking at it!" But the Leader continued to look at the portrait. It depicted a lacy pinkish background filled with pink roses, a "Happy Wedding" written at above the base of the image, and two formally dressed groom and bride. The groom was carrying the bride and one of their hands connected with each other to form a heart-shaped spacing. Although… the faces of the bride and groom… they were the Leader's face and Shinjiro's face respectively. The faces looked like they were taken from another photo before it was torn off from that photo and is pasted on this portrait. Overall, it looked like a manipulated photo.

"We're in the portrait dressed in wedding attire…" Shinjiro carried a face of complete disbelief. "What kind of shit is this!?" He turned to the Leader. "You agree too, right?"

"Yeah. It's stupid."

"In what context…?"

"Let's get married!"

"Of course it is!" Shinjiro said. "The whole experience until now is trying to hint that we're going to get married, isn't it? Well, too bad! There're still some things that have to be done before either you or I get married to someone!"

"Yeah. It's stupid."

"In what context…?"

"Let's get married!"

"Haven't you been paying attention…?" Shinjiro rolled his eyes. "The master of this labyrinth is trying to force us to get married to one another!" He paused after a moment and groaned. "What am I saying…?"

"Yeah. It's stupid."

"In what context…?"

"Let's get married!"

"What-!?" Shinjiro stepped back. "Don't suggest something like that out of the blue!" He blushed as he looked away. "You, of all people… I'm impressed that nothing like this fazes you… Well, that's a leader for you."

"Okay, let's go. Right. Now." Shinjiro said.

…

Things feel a bit awkward right now…

They passed by the photo, noticing a large building far from where they were. They were quite surprised by its' sheer size, surprised that they didn't even notice it from where they landed. Halfway along the path, Shinjiro stopped walking. "I know it's none of my business to talk about something like this…" Shinjiro said. "But… what do you think about a wedding?" He blushed. "I-I mean, I'm not like someone who's oblivious to love… It's just that… hmm… well…"

"Senpai, don't worry about it."

Get onto Shinjiro like in the picture.

"…You're right." Shinjiro said. "It really was none of my business after all…" He turned away. "…I'm curious, though… One day, I will find a person I will be wed to… I think it'll probably be…" He blushed. "…I should just keep my thoughts to myself…"

"Senpai, don't worry about it."

Get onto Shinjiro like in the picture.

"…Wha!?" Shinjiro suddenly registered in his mind that the Leader was suddenly on his arms. He was sure that he wasn't the one who lifted her up. "Wh-What do you think you're doing, pulling a sudden stunt like that!?" he spoke, his face completely in a shade of red. "Err… well… I-I… I'm putting you down right n-now!"

Shinjiro put you down before you could even protest.

"Seriously…" Shinjiro said. "Don't do something like that ever again!"

Shinjiro's face is red…

"Let's just go on…" Shinjiro resumed walking on the path until they reached the doors of the large building. It looked like a church based on the designs.

"The long-awaited moment has come. The bride and groom are finally about to enter." The mechanical voice spoke suddenly. Akihiko was expecting that voice to talk at that moment. "The last moment of hesitation has arrived before you are to be wed."

"We…" Shinjiro said. "We aren't getting married."

"Through your own free will, you decide to vow eternal love to each other." The voice said.

"We said we aren't getting married!" Shinjiro shouted.

The voice continued to speak. "Now, open the door together!"

Shinjiro stared at the door. If he steps in, he would be married to the Leader. But there were things that had to be done for him, and marriage is not the thing that has to be done right now. The doors opened, however, and Shinjiro was completely startled to see that the Leader is the one who opened the doors.

"H-Hey, wait a minute!" Shinjiro gasped.

The Leader and Shinjiro, the latter rather forced, entered the church. Shinjiro's face is completely red. And for good reasons. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe that he was going to get married, and to the field Leader of SEES! Well, he didn't actually admit that he enjoyed her company whenever she spent time with him… but marriage is a huge step.

The doors behind them closes automatically, and the mechanical voice from the beginning speaks.

"You must vow your unwavering love for one another, in sickness and in health. Now, vow your love!" The voice declares.

"Y-You can't!" Fuuka's voice screamed.

The doors suddenly slammed open and Akihiko rushed in before the rest of the group followed behind him. "Shinji!" He shouted. At the same time, the Leader and Shinjiro's hands came unstuck.

"Aki…?" Shinjiro said.

"W-Well…" Akihiko mumbled. "Marriage is an important step forward for life… But hold on, Shinji! You can get married later after this is all over!"

…

It seems that the wedding has been called off…

If anyone asks about the ending this time, well… all I can say is… Ho Yay. And I'm CERTAIN that there're people in the universe who ship AkiShinji. I'm not that… complex, so… I just 'hinted' it. And… did anyone enjoy this chapter? Now that all of the SEES, (excluding the MCs) have their wedding scenes, it's time to move on to the P3 Velvet Room inhabitants, Theo and Elizabeth! Guess who I'm gonna do it with first!

By the way, love how he goes Tsundere over wearing the tuxedo attire.