I'm going to stop the story here for a minute. Aki volunteered himself to tell the next part of this story because I was unconscious for most of it. He's that stupid brother I was telling you about? Yeah, that guy. He's supposed to be here soon.

October 3

"Take care of her. I know you can do it."

I was annoyed. It was October. The air was cold, and it was the perfect weather to be running. He was ruining my morning workout with a secret meeting at Port Island Station. To make matters worse, he was saying a bunch of shit I didn't understand.

"What are you trying to say, Shinji?"

"I'm saying what I'm saying. Can't you listen?"

I punched him. He either didn't see it coming, or he didn't care enough to duck because it hit him square in the mouth. He stumbled back a few steps, but he was still standing. He wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Listen. She looks strong, but she's going to need someone to protect her. I know you like her too."

I punched him again. He actually did fall this time, against a short brick wall. It was surrounding a rectangle of hydrangeas.

No one was supposed to know about my feelings for Minako. I thought I was hiding it pretty well. I talked to her in school, but only when we were alone or it was just those annoying girls who didn't know her. Shinji didn't even go to school. It was supposed to be a secret and he was just saying it out loud in the middle of the street. That was a really crappy morning. "Shut up! Just shut up! I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't have to hide it. I see the way you look at her. I get it. Trust me. I do."

It was weird, seeing Shinji like that. He's always been pretty serious, but not like this. I never thought I'd hear him talk about a girl. Especially not Minako. It was just plain weird. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just…Look out for her. Make sure she's eating right, sleeping enough, not pushing herself too hard in Tartarus. Make sure none of those weirdos she hangs out with tries anything funny."

"It sounds like you're asking me to be her boyfriend."

He looked angry at first, but then it moved up to being jealous. I started to laugh. He liked her too. I didn't know about them at the time. I thought was going to be okay. It was supposed to be a fair fight. An even fight for the girl of everyone's dreams between brothers. That's how I thought of him. He was a brother. I was wrong about things being fair.

"Do you want to be with her?"

That stopped my laughter immediately. My face was probably red. "M-Maybe. I don't know." It was his turn to start laughing, and he laughed hard. It probably looked strange. Two teenage boys laughing on the street at Port Island Station on a Saturday when we were supposed to be in school. I laughed with him. It felt good to do something like this.

It took a few minutes and some funny looks from bystanders before we stopped. "Shinji. I don't know what you're planning, but don't do it. She can take care of herself. I don't need anyone looking out for me. The only one who needs help here, is you. So let us help you." I knelt next to him, offering my hand. This was the moment of truth and I was already sure he wouldn't take my hand.

He picked himself up off the ground, dusting off his coat. "Take care of her." He walked away without another word.

Shinji was like that. When things got tricky, he would walk away. He could drop everything he cared about in a minute if he thought it was the right thing to do. He did that when there was the accident with Ken's mom. He left when the orphanage burned down and I offered to stay with him. He was walking away now, when everyone at SEES was just starting to think he was a pretty cool guy. It was almost like he was afraid to be happy.

October 4

I should've known from the beginning. That night started off badly. Ken and Shinji was missing before the operation. That should've been enough. That should've told me what was going to happen but I'd forgotten. October 4 was the night Shinji had accidentally killed Ken's mom.

There were two shadows that night: Strength and Fortune. It was a long fight, with games of roulette that made the whole thing even longer. It wasn't until after the fight that I realized how important that night was. By then it was already too late.

Ken had taken Shinji to the alleyway behind Port Island Station. That was where his house had been before we destroyed it. It was where he had probably planned to kill Shinji. I don't know why I didn't piece it all together sooner. I was too late. I'd failed again.

I was the first one to make it. Shinji had been shot twice in the chest. Once because Strega felt like it and the second time to save Ken.

"Shinji, hey! Hang in there!" He was dying. There was blood all over my hands. His blood. I was freaking out, not knowing what to do. Everyone was shouting. What could I do?

"Ken... Why the long face? Isn't this… what you wanted? It's alright…Give yourself time…Let your anger be your strength." It sounded like a will. Like he was leaving us his last wishes. "You're still just a kid, Ken… You got your whole life ahead of ya... So don't waste it… Make it your own… Okay?"

"No…No…No…" I thought it was Ken. But he hadn't said a word. He was just watching, his eyes wide and empty. Everyone else was screaming, but Minako's was the only voice I heard. I hadn't noticed her at all before then. She was kneeling over him. That face would've been enough to scare me but so many tears were falling from her eyes. Her hands shook.

"Don't cry…Minako…This is how… it should be…"

"No… No! Shinji! I won't let you die!" She fumbled for her evoker, pulling it to her forehead. She was calling her personas. "Diaraharn! Please... please wake up... Why... Why isn't it working... Shinji! Wake up! Samarecarm! Recarmdra!

I could see the magic and life spilling out of her. Her spells were draining her, but Shinji didn't move a muscle. Junpei grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms to her side. "Mina-chan! It's not working! It's not...working...Stop!"

"Let go! Let go!" She kicked her legs in the air, trying to hit anything in her perimeter. "Don't fucking touch me!" Everyone jumped back. Junpei let her go. She slumped noiselessly to the floor but she didn't move. No one had ever heard her screech like that before. It was alarming. It was almost enough to forget that Shinji was dying in my arms.

Fuuka recovered first. "The hospital…W-We need to get him to the hospital…"

"Y-Yes. Let's waste no time." Mitsuru had already pulled out her phone, but her fingers hovered over the number. "It's the Dark Hour…until it ends, the doctors won't be…"

"No…Then is he not going to make it?" Yukari.

Ken's screams rattled us all.

By the time we made it to the hospital, Shinji could no longer breathe on his own. The doctor's told us he was lucky to be alive. That there was almost no chance of him ever waking up. No one spoke a word that night. The next day, Minako was still smiling in class. I even heard her laugh.

October 5

I didn't stay for afternoon classes that day. The combination of everything that happened and seeing Minako laugh to her friends made me feel hollow. I don't know how she could do it. I went to go see him instead. He looked okay lying there. He seemed relaxed, almost like he was just sleeping.

"I had the usual for lunch. Ramen tastes a lot better when you're ditching class. Say something, will ya? Why are you always like that? You're so stubborn. You never let any of us help you. Put yourself in my shoes for a change..."

I thought I could hear him talking to me. It was so easy, imagining what he would say. Probably something like, You're the stubborn one. You never listen to anyone else.

"I guess you're right. I was too obsessed with getting stronger… Ever since I lost Miki, all I cared about was getting stronger. I thought if I was stronger, I could protect anyone. But I couldn't. I was wrong… And now look at you what am I supposed to do if I lose you too? You can't leave me."

I took a breath, collecting my thoughts. The tears were coming and I couldn't control it no matter how hard I tried.

"Wake up Shinji… Snap out of it. We need you here. I can't protect anyone. Not Miki. Not you. Not even Minako. You didn't see her yesterday. She cried for you. She screamed and tore herself apart trying to save you. That last spell she tried, I've never even heard of it. I don't know how she can keep laughing after everything that happened."

Stop being such a crybaby. It's not your fault.

I stood up to go. I did my fair share of crying. It was time to go. "I've got things to do. Crying won't do anything, right?"

Finish this fight for me. You can do it.

"Yeah, sounds like you. Watch from here, Shinji. I'll take care of everything."