Author's Note:

Ten more chapters to goo! Also, Lent starts today and I'm giving up meat and chips, in addition to writing nice letters to people every day. Hopefully I can make it through. Also also, this week is super busy and I just want it to be over so I can sleep in peace.

Twenty-Five Hours
a Persona 3/Portable (© ATLUS) fanfiction

The Fifteenth Hour

Opening Song: "Her Morning Elegance" - Oren Lavie

Akihiko didn't realize how pathetic he was until he acknowledged that he was jealous of a ten-year-old.

It could be argued that he brought this upon himself, but at the end of the day Akihiko was tired and just wanted to rest. The source of all of Minako's energy was still a mystery to him, and they'd been dating for months now. She was always active, always running around, always finding new friends and spending time with old ones. Most of the time he thought it was endearing, how peppy and friendly she was throughout the entire day, but he had to wonderif she had to spend every night out with Ken.

One evening, he saw her slipping on her shoes out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, where're you going off to?" he asked from his position on the couch. As if on cue, Ken popped out from behind the counter. Akihiko's eye twitched. "Are the two of you going somewhere together…?"

Minako bobbed her head enthusiastically, impervious to his glower. "Yup! We're gonna go to Wakatsu. Ken needs his veggies." Ken's cheeks went ablaze as he quietly protested her announcement, but all she did was giggle and pull him along. "See you later, Senpai. Bye, guys." She made sure to wave to everyone in the lounge before closing the door behind her.

As soon as she was gone, Junpei snickered. "What?" Akihiko snapped, throwing his glare in the underclassman's direction.

Junpei exchanged a look with Yukari and Fuuka, both of who were trying to conceal their own smiles. When it looked like Akihiko was actually going to destroy a piece of expensive furniture, Yukari spoke up. "You, uh, didn't look very… happy about Minako hanging out with Ken-kun."

"I suppose it's understandable since the two of you are in a relationship," said Fuuka, "but at the same time…"

"You're jealous of Ken!?" Junpei guffawed, slapping his knee.

Having it put out in the open was more humiliating than admitting it to himself. "I-I am not jealous of Ken," he protested, though without much success. Junpei was on the verge of falling off the chair he was laughing so hard, and even Yukari and Fuuka were starting to chuckle. Akihiko could feel his cheeks turn red from the embarrassment. "The two of them look like they're getting pretty close… Ken probably has a crush on her."

"Well, they've been going out to eat a lot," Yukari said. "A couple of my friends were at Wakatsu the other night and said they saw Minako and Ken; they said he looks like her little brother." That made him feel a little happier. "… But also that he'll probably be really cute when he gets older." That didn't.

Junpei gauged Akihiko's reactions carefully and with obvious amusement. "He's ten," Junpei said plainly.

"But Ken-kun is very mature for his age," said Fuuka. "I can also see how he would develop feelings for Minako-chan. She has a very kind and open demeanor, without worrying about what others think of her. Honestly, I think it's very sweet." After spotting the dismal expression on Akihiko's face, however, she quickly cleared her throat. "Ah, but it's just a crush, of course! Even if he is mature mentally, Ken-kun is just ten, like Junpei-kun said." For some reason, her reassurance did little to actually make him feel better.

"Wow, you're really down about this," Yukari observed. "Maybe we shouldn't look at this from Ken-kun's perspective. What about Minako? Do you think she'd go for someone as young as him?"

The fact that Akihiko even had to think about it had Junpei bursting out laughing again. "You seriously think Mina-tan would go after a ten-year-old?" Junpei asked, barely able to put together the words because he was chortling so hard. "Oh God, she's either gonna laugh or punch you…"

"W-wait! Don't tell her about this!" Akihiko pleaded, feeling his stomach drop. "She'll think I don't trust her!"

"Well if you can't trust her with a prepubescent kid…"

"Junpei…!"

Before Akihiko could put his fist into the capped teen's mouth, Fuuka tried to take control of the situation. "Perhaps you should just talk to her if it's bothering you that much," she advised.

"But how!?" he asked. Admitting to his girlfriend that he was jealous of a ten-year-old was horrible enough, but then he imagined everything that could go wrong. Relationships shouldn't have to be this difficult or humiliating.

Sensing his growing aggravation, Fuuka slowly got up and tried to ease out. "Ah, just… bring it up and… hope for the best?" She laughed sheepishly before darting up the stairs and towards the safety of her room.

Akihiko fell back onto the couch with a groan. Figuring that he needed some time alone, Yukari also slipped out, but not before yanking Junpei up by his ear. With the lounge to himself, Akihiko mulled over his apparent jealousy and how completely pathetic he felt. He didn't realize how long he'd been sitting there until the door open and in walked Minako and the subject of his current predicament.

"Oh, you're still up, Senpai?" she asked as she took a seat next to him. Her presence gave him a sense of elation — until Ken plopped down on the other side of her.

"Yeah," he said, trying to remain as cool as possible. "I couldn't sleep. … How was Wakatsu?"

"Good! Their vegetables came in fresh today, so the food was better than usual. How was your night?"

The conversation with Fuuka, Junpei, and Yukari replayed in his mind. "Uh… Productive," he answered lamely.

She grinned. "So you got a lot done? That's great." Minako shifted her attention to Ken, who looked like he was beginning to fade. "Hey, maybe you should head up to bed, Ken. It's getting really late and you have school in the morning, you know."

"So do you," Ken replied, his expression nonplussed.

"You're right," she acquiesced with a laugh. "I should probably get ready for bed since we have to get up early." She tussled Ken's hair affectionately and pressed a kiss against Akihiko's cheek; both males blushed bright red. "Goodnight!" She disappeared up the stairs.

"So. Have a good dinner?" Akihiko asked, semi-glaring at Ken out of the corner of his eye.

"It was good," Ken replied. Akihiko was positive the kid was leering at him. "We had a lot of fun."

"Yeah?"

"Yes."

The side-glaring contest went on for another ten minutes before Ken suddenly got up. "Well, I should go to sleep. You should too, Senpai, otherwise you'll upset Minako-san." Ken walked up the stairs with a small bounce in his step.

Ken - 1, Akihiko - 0.

Closing Song: "Fairytale" - Alexander Rybak

Ken is actually one of my least favorite characters in P3, but this was kind of fun to write. XD

xx, der kapitan