Before Minako came to visit Makoto, Yukari, Akihiko and Junpei were visiting Chidori's grave. Akihiko and Yukari decided to give respect before giving Junpei some space.
"Hey Chidori." Junpei waved lightly. "It's been a long time, huh? I'm sorry I wasn't able to visit you more often. I've got a lot of things to do."
Junpei had so much to say, but since he came here with someone he decided to stop right there. He stood up and turned to his friends. "Well guys, le-" Yukari covered his mouth. She grabbed his arm and dragged him to hide behind the shrubs. The three of them kneeled down. Akihiko was peeking out through the bushes.
"What's happening?" He asked.
Yukari placed her index finger over her lips. "Keep it down," she whispered. She carefully lifted herself up before kneeling back down. "Arisato-san is here." Junpei pursed his lips and took a glimpse of the girl. It looks like she was feeling the wind, he thought.
"Makoto, guess what!" They heard the girl say. "All of us in the dorm are in the same class! Isn't that great!?" Junpei tried to make a hole through the leaves see the girl. The girls phone rang. He saw her answering the call and waving the phone after the call.
"Looks like she knows Makoto? Kinda close to him too." Junpei stated.
Yukari snorted. "Really? I didn't know," she said sarcastically.
"Quiet you two," Akihiko shushed. He turned to watch the girl again. She kept asking questions but no one answered. "Looks like we're not the only ones confused of what's happening. There something odd about her."
"Why do they have to forget me?" It was barely audible, but they heard it. They heard what she said. They tensed hearing those words. They observe her closely but all they saw was her pouting like a child. A closer look and they would've seen the deep sadness and longing in her eyes.
Minako stood suddenly, surprising the three. "Bye Mako-chan." She walked towards the shrine, but she stopped a few steps before the exit. "I'll wait for you guys by the playground," she said. "Go do what you came for now."
The three walked out from the bushes, flabbergasted. Minako glanced over her shoulder. She looks at them coolly. "You guys grew up so much too..." She muttered before she walked away.
"Her attitude seem different somehow," Yukari said as she watched the girl go further out. "Does she have some kind of alter ego?"
"I don't think that's it." Junpei walks over to Makoto's headstone. He placed the bouquet beside the old ones that he presumed came from Minako some time ago. "I think she was just acting."
"So does that mean her whole one-sided conversation with him was just as act?"
"I don't mean it that way..." Junpei turned to where the girl disappeared. "I feel like she's holding something back."
Akihiko nods. "I think you're right, Junpei."
Minako slouched on the bench. I should've stayed there and just ignored them, she thought. Then she remembered the curfew. She groaned and sank deeper into the bench. She pulled herself up and leaned her head on the bench's headrest.
After being stuck with people for the whole day, she decided to visit the the shrine. The dorm was not the ideal place for solitude. Not long ago, after using her persona to scan look for Ryoji, she found out that there were hidden cameras at the dorm. Also, Ryoji and Teddie are there; those two were always known for being loud when they decided to. The dorm was definitely out of the question. Anywhere else was too crowded, leaving her with only the shrine as her refuge.
"Even the shrine is not a good place..." Her phone rang again. She answered without checking who the caller was. "Hello?" she said lazily.
"Good evening, Master Minako."
"Theo?" Minako straightened. "How'd you get my number?"
"The same way I did before," Theodore said politely. "That aside, there is something you need to know,"
"What's that?" Minako tilted her head curiosly.
"There are ten people trapped inside the tower."
"What!? That many!?"
"I am afraid so." Theodore, from the other side, frowned.
"Okay then. Thank you, Theo." She was about to hang up when she remembers something. "By the way Theodore, there is something I want to ask you. Let's meet somewhere soon."
The way back to the dorm was awkwardly quiet. Minako walked beside Yukari. She examined the girl in pink thoroughly. She looks prettier now, Minako thought. She looked behind them, to Junpei and Akihko. They' grew even more taller. She frowned and walked faster. Her actions baffled the trio.
They've grown so much... And I wasn't there with them. Minako looked down, feeling disheartened. Akihiko saw this and thought that it might be because of what Junpei and Yukari said to her before.
"This is your chance," Akihiko whispered to his two juniors. "Apologize to her now."
Yukari and Junpei nodded. They were going to call the girl when they noticed that she was putting her headphones on. They took it as a sign that the girl didn't want to talk to anyone.
Junpei and Yukari learned from experience, after dealing a certain blue-haired boy, that it's useless to talk to some people once they start putting their phones on. Sometimes disturbing those kinds of people may lead to an unwanted situation. They'd only listen if it's urgent.
Their shoulders slumped in defeat: their apology wasn't urgent. Though they have a feeling that the girl won't turn hostile on them if they disturbed her, they still didn't dare to take the risk of being given an extremely cold glare.
"Guess we can't talk to her now," Yukari said. They decided to just listen to the girl as she hums a familiar tune.
"...I know how you feel... Beyond your words." Minako's voice was beautiful and soothing. But something about it was making their head and chest ache. Minako stopped humming when they reached the dorm, but pain they felt never left. She opened the door and removed her headphones. She smiled and yelled, "I'm home!"
Koromaru ran towards her. The crimson-eyed girl chuckled and kneeled to pet the dog's head. "Hey there, boy." The pain, the three felt grew. "We have visitors!" she said chirpily.
"Akihiko-san, Yukari-san, Junpei-san." Ken ran to them. As he got nearer, he noticed that their face was pale. "Are you okay? Please sit down." He led them to the sofa.
"I'm fine," Yukari said. She turned to her to companions - who both have their hand on their head. It surprised her to find out that she wasn't the only one with an aching head. "You guys okay?"
Akihiko nodded while rubbing his temple. Junpei took a while before answering that he was fine. He looked around and noticed that Minako was nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Arisato?" he asked Ken.
"I think she went upstairs," Ken said. Junpei stood and climbed the stairs as quietly as he can. Akihiko and Yukari followed suit. Ken watched them curiously before joining them.
"Ten!" They heard Ryoji whisper in a rather loud, panicky way. He, along with Minako and Shinjiro, were having a conversation by the vending machine. Akihiko and his juniors used the stair to hide themselves. They had to strain their ears to hear their conversation.
"What are we going to do?" They heard Minako say. "That's too much for us to handle on our own. Do you think we should ask them to join us? But I don't think they'll do what I say though."
"Don't worry." It was Shinjiro. "Ken, Aigis, Teddie and Labrys will listen to you. And besides, we're talkin about civilians here; it's impossible that they'll refuse to help."
"You do have a point," Minako murmured stoically. "But do you think they'll listen to me or even trust? Maybe, they will lto you because they hold nothing against you... Well maybe some questions, but still..."
No one spoke. The three visitors felt remorse after hearing her words.
"They don't hate you," Shinjiro finally said. "And even if they do, they have no choice but to listen to you now, given the situation."
"Really comforting," Minako said sarcastically. "But thanks."
"So what are we going to do know?" Ryoji looked confused.
"Count us in! That's what you're going to do!" The three of them flinched. Junpei, Yukari and Akihiko emerged from the stairs, followed by an apologetic Ken.
"So what did we signed up for?" Junpei asked eagerly.
Were you even listening, Yukari face-palmed
I'm not really happy about this and the previous chapter. Why? Well I think I messed up somehow. I'll just have to make up to it somehow on the next chapter. Anyway, thanks to all you guys for reading this fic.