A/N: Chapter 13 has arrived! This chapter went through a few revisions... so it is a bit like a hodgepodge of ideas. My grammar still needs to go through the wringer, but it is what it is... a giant weakness haha! Still, it seemed chronologically correct to proceed this way, instead of the original stuff I had. This chapter is mostly about Hamuko and her wanderings around Iwatodai. Minato is still going through the guilt trip phase and wondering how to act because he has no compass right now to decide what to do. I think I've settled on a pace and length for each chapter for now. It takes around a week for the stuff in my head to come together to materialize and then I go through a lot of shredded paper, before settling down and typing it out. Well, that's just a look into how I formulate my ideas. For better or for worse, my readers seem to enjoy whatever direction I have gone so far, which is good, but also worrying since I'm not sure what that direction is! Haha, but that doesn't make me any less enthusiastic about the project which is somehow over 1/2 a year old now. I'm still passionate about the story, but a bit sad it is still April in the story. Oh well, when I started I wanted to make sure to adhere to a singular story that tries to encompass as many points as possible and will stick to it. That's a pretty long author's note, but there you go. Cheers!

Thanks to rEpose for continuing to beta!

Inevitable Update Placeholder: Updated with a final version with my beta's edits.

Formatting Update: 7/6/14

Reader Reviews:

rydia3971: It's good to hear from you! Yes, the slight tension is on purpose of course, and I am glad that you enjoy it. I did contemplate Hamuko and Minato hitting it off right away, but where would the fun be in that? It's almost like a sibling rivalry, but has a lot of unexplored aspects to it because Hamuko is the only one that Minato has never met before in this time frame. Ah, the quips! Glad you like them. I try to sprinkle in Minato's thoughts because they can seem to offer a bit of perspective as to his motivations. He isn't completely comfortable in his own skin just yet. Whether it be because of the loss of power and control, no one really knowing him for who he is, or just figuring out who he really wants to be without the "masks of personalities" worn by the Wild Card when interacting with others. Yes, I do try to incorporate other team members because Persona 3 in my opinion suffers a bit in rounding out the reasons the side characters are fighting. It becomes clear later, but I think it is interesting to see things fit like a puzzle over time. And for your last point, it is a possibility that he will demonstrate his weapon prowess as the story progresses and he won't have to keep Inugami forever.

DeathChaos25: Thanks for answering my call! I definitely appreciate your comments and thoughts about the story. And doubly so, for finding a couple of awkward phrasing mistakes as well. Hamuko is just super energetic and can get in people's faces. I've always interpreted her as the polar opposite of Minato both in appearance and personality. Maybe, it's just Minato not being able to ignore how cute she is, or more likely unable to completely veil his mindset around her. Hamuko's ability to get along with everyone and support everyone except for herself is probably what is slowly endearing her to Minato. And of course, as you mentioned, it helps being the Wild Card. Minato doesn't have to study at all, so he's pretty free to contemplate things deeply. Which for him, caused him to realize that the women around him are a lot stronger than he is now haha. I can relate to the busy nature of university and having a job, so you have my sympathies for what that's worth. Like I said, it's good to see you again, and here's an earlier chapter in the day so you can get some sleep!

ChilledKitsune: Yes, he can see the door both in Tartarus and the alleyway in Paulownia Mall. The reason that he is hesitant to use the one in Tartarus is Hamuko would immediately seem him using it and he doesn't want to reveal his hand just yet. Chidori will play a significant role not in this chapter, but a bit down the line and oddly enough, closer to the end of the story if I remember correctly. Hmm, level 1 maybe but with stats maxed out in all the other categories (charm, academics, etc.). I don't think he will level up in the traditional sense that we saw in Persona 3, but don't take my word for it here. I am still figuring things out as we go along. Oh, and the evil glint was just him acting silly because he is a weapons nerd. Thanks for the review!

Chapter 13: Endearment

April 21st, Tuesday (Gekkoukan High, After School)

Minato P.O.V.

Normally, it would've been a rough turnaround to have school right after a trip to Tartarus, but Minato didn't really do anything, so he felt fine. The same couldn't be said of Hamuko, Junpei, and Yukari, who slept through Mitsuru's speech during the assembly to the dismay of Ms. Toriumi, who tried multiple times to keep them awake. Not that Minato could really blame his friends, because they hadn't adapted to the Dark Hour yet. That was just something they would learn over time and he wouldn't bother to help them along, as he had his own problems to deal with.

If there was one perk to being free of the Wild Card it was that Minato didn't need to watch what he said to everyone around him. Being a Wild Card granted power, but that came at a price in his opinion. Everything to everybody wearing whatever mask or act needed at the time. Minato had already intervened when he thought necessary, but it was due to his own free will, not because he worried about leveling up social links. He did worry from time to time whether Hamuko would be as successful as he was in building relationships, but he wasn't going to guide her at all, because that would be close to stalking her, in his opinion.

Akihiko P.O.V.

Akihiko felt happier than he had in a while, and S.E.E.S. having a successful initial expedition had a lot to do with it. He hadn't been sure what to expect from the group of rookies, but they acquitted themselves well in Tartarus' first couple of floors. Besides, they all had a lot of potential to grow into their powers, and he caught glimpses of what they could become down the line. He felt like a proud parent in a way, though that kind of thinking felt odd to him, since the new members weren't much younger than he was. If anything it was probably just good to have a larger group where everyone could hold each other accountable and have each other's backs.

Of course, there were mistakes during that first night in Tartarus, with Junpei being overeager and wildly swinging his katana everywhere. He lost his balance a couple of times and needed assistance from the rest of the group. On the other hand, Yukari seemed a bit tentative and not completely certain when summoning her Persona. That hesitancy could be the difference in a close battle, but Akihiko knew he had a difficult time keeping his boxing mania out of everything he thought about. Then there was Hamuko, who Akihiko had paid close attention to because she seemed confused before entering the first floor of Tartarus. Akihiko had no clue what happened before with that dazed look on her face, but her battle prowess wiped those concerns from his mind. She definitely needed practice, but the ability to switch Persona on the fly was an ability that would be quite useful.

Regardless, that still left Minato, and Akihiko really couldn't get a read on him as a person. It had been already decided he would sit out this round because of his injury, but something nagged at Akihiko. Minato always seemed to volunteer that he would only get in the way and not be helpful. Yet, he already had a Persona before he had even come to the dormitory, according to Mitsuru, and that wasn't even mentioning that he had saved Akihiko from getting blindsided by a Shadow. He definitely was someone who seemed rather aloof, but whose true self seemed impermeable except in certain moments. Ah well, he was probably thinking about the rookies too much.

"Akihiko-senpai!" Akihiko could barely breathe as a random bunch of girls seemed to materialize from thin air in front of him.

Akihiko craned his neck over the girls, wanting to see if he could find who he was looking for. Sure enough, Junpei came strolling around, looking enviously at Akihiko. Hamuko was nearby as well, laughing a bit at Junpei's expense, it seemed.

"Hey, are you guys free this afternoon?" Akihiko called out, above the commotion.

"Huh? Us two, senpai?" Junpei responded in surprise. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Sure, senpai. What're we all gonna do?" Hamuko added while taking a step behind Junpei, for some odd reason.

"I want the two of you to meet me at the police station in Paulownia Mall. You know where that is, right? And bring Minato too."

"We haven't seen him since class ended," Hamuko answered while looking at the ground uncomfortably.

"By the way, senpai, are your friends going to come along, too?" Junpei asked with a reddening face.

"Who? Oh, you mean these girls? I don't even know who they are, and they talk way too much."

Akihiko wondered if he had something inappropriate because Junpei had been blushing the whole time and Hamuko seemed to get more uncomfortable with each passing second. Akihiko had been good at reading people in the past in his own opinion, but felt clueless about what was going on here.

"Well, if you see him try to bring him along. I'll see you guys soon."

Junpei P.O.V.

"Man, this just isn't fair! Akihiko-senpai doesn't even seem to like girls at all, yet he's totally a chick magnet!" Junpei kicked a discarded soda can away from the sidewalk as he and Hamuko were walking on to get to the train. They had looked around for Minato a bit, but to no avail.

"Aww, Junpei, are you jealous of Akihiko-senpai? That's too cute," Hamuko said while readjusting the barrettes in her hair.

"You weren't your usual self either, Hamuko," he retorted, remembering how Hamuko seemed unable to look eye to eye with the gaggle of girls surrounding Akihiko.

"Yeah, well those girls looked like they wanted to harm me, you know!" Hamuko smiled sheepishly as they boarded the train, with Junpei sticking his foot in to prevent the door from closing as they rushed in.

"That sounds better than how my luck usually goes with girls," Junpei moaned.

"That sounds like a horror story, but also a slight exaggeration," Hamuko offered as they sat down next to each other.

"Well, I find women really hard to talk to, ya know as I always say. They always say one thing and mean another and I just can't figure out what they want. Then, they get angry and I still can't figure out what I did wrong in the first place. It's like a vicious cycle and I always end up with someone mad at me for something I didn't do."

Junpei glanced at Hamuko, and sure enough, she had a hard time not laughing at him. Though, that probably was part of what had made them such quick friends in the first place.

"That's a really honest thing to say, Junpei. Though, if that's true, why are you able to talk to me then? Am I not a girly girl?" Hamuko pretended to pout, just for kicks.

"Uh… well I guess you're a girl too, huh?" he said awkwardly. "Well, you laugh at my bad jokes and don't take things too seriously. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough," she replied. "I think people get hung up too much on gender these days. I mean, I'm not deaf, and I hear all the dumb rumors about us going out and whatnot. What's wrong with a guy and girl just being friends?"

"Yeah, just friends," Junpei mumbled, as he regretted that he had started this train of conversation at all.

(Port Island Station, After School)

Minato P.O.V.

Minato's primary reason for being here was to try to find leads on where to find Chidori. He really had no idea where to find her this early in the school year, though she wouldn't be hard to find in a crowd, considering the clothing she typically wore, but finding her alone without Takaya and Jin was another problem altogether. Junpei had always babbled about her liking flowers, so he decided that the florist would be a good place to start.

Minato walked up to a storefront labeled "Florist" in neat green font with an image of a yellow flower to the left of the signage. It was a quaint little store that seemed a bit out-of-place in the hustle and bustle of Port Island Station. He had been here a couple of times with Yukari in the past when she would try to buy different varieties and mysteriously always seem short on money. She would pester him until he produced his wallet.

The store owner lingered around the entrance, carefully examining some white flowers. Minato had met her a couple of times before in the past. She was an energetic and plain woman that was passionate about her craft. She peered up at Minato as he came across the threshold of the store and looked him over with a careful eye.

"Well, this is unusual! What would a male student such as you need from a flower shop?" she intoned.

"Err," Minato hadn't expected his feet to carry him here in the first place and just gaped at her, at a loss for words.

"Hmm, maybe you entered the wrong store then? Or maybe you would like to get some flowers for the girl in your life?"

Minato hadn't expected this, but wanted to save face.

"I'll take the white flowers that you were looking over."

"Oh, the white daffodils? So, I was right, then! You do know the meaning of a daffodil, don't you?"

"Not really," Minato said.

"A daffodil, or Narcissus, indicates that they are special and the only one for you," she explained.

"Oh, okay. I guess that's good to know. Thank you."

Minato left with a pot of daffodils, but he had explained to the storeowner that he didn't plan on giving these to anyone in particular. She seemed rather disappointed, but quickly began to lecture him on how to care for the flowers until he found someone to give them to. Minato had no idea how he had gotten into this situation, but one thing always remained the same when he came here; his wallet was empty.

Minato's original mission on finding Chidori was an abject disaster, and it wasn't much of a surprise, considering he had no idea where to really begin. He walked dejectedly back to the dorm in the twilight with flower-pot in hand.

Minato pushed the door open and saw that only Mitsuru was there, reading as usual.

"Welcome back," she murmured, giving him a quick glance in the process. She paused and then said, "I did not realize that you were the gardening type."

"Me neither, if I am being honest, senpai," Minato replied, which caused Mitsuru to raise an eyebrow questioningly. "Well, I'll be in my room if you need anything."

He trudged up the steps, eager to escape any more questioning, and opened the door to his room. After a while, he mused over what the woman at the florist had said and wondered how he ended up buying flowers in the first place.

April 22nd, Wednesday (Gekkoukan High, Morning)

Hamuko P.O.V.

Hamuko didn't really get why Junpei seemed annoyed at getting 5000 yen for free from Akihiko-senpai. After all, they found plenty of funds while exploring Tartarus from the Shadows and random chests strewn about. Though, it was rather curious that they found money in the tower at all. Why would Shadows have money in the first place? Maybe they ate people, she thought. They had gone the previous day as well to Tartarus, and it had been much easier than the first time they went. Everyone made fewer mistakes and Akihiko didn't have to babysit them as much. Plus, Hamuko enjoyed visiting the Velvet Room to fuse Personas and to see Igor and Elizabeth.

Hamuko tried to clear her on head and tried to think of what she would have for lunch today. It was still one of her goals to pack a giant bento for lunch one day, but between schoolwork and Tartarus that prospect was quite unlikely.

Hamuko flipped the page of her spiral notebook with a flourish and felt like she brought a bit of attention to herself. It was really from habit more than anything else and she didn't like having to jot down so many random dates.

She looked around at what her classmates were doing and noticed that no one seemed that interested in the history lesson they were going to. Hamuko felt that frequent forays into Tartarus would adversely impact her schoolwork. Junpei seemed to pay less attention than usual and Yukari was listless. The only person that acted normally was Minato, but he didn't count because he was some type of genius. Hamuko felt green with envy that he could seemingly not study at all, but know all the answers.

The topic of Minato brought Hamuko back to something she had only remembered this morning. After Junpei had thrown a hissy fit at receiving 5000 Yen, she had watched a movie at Screenshot Movie Theater for 1500 of that Yen and had her head buzzing with foreign languages from the movie marathon.

The bell rang, and before Hamuko could gather her things, Junpei tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey, wanna go somewhere, since class is finally over?" he asked casually. He didn't seem as sure of himself as usual.

"I actually have some errands I want to take care of," she replied without a hint of malice. Hamuko began to rapidly dump her belongings into her schoolbag while not paying attention to Junpei cringe a little.

"Uh, sorry if I was a bit off yesterday," he began. "I don't know what got over me after we met Akihiko-san at the police station."

"Its fine, Junpei," Hamuko replied while standing up. "I got to have some time for myself for a change and I have to go now. Let's hang out tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright, it's a promise though!" he said, regaining his usual demeanor.

Hamuko rolled her eyes a bit and headed toward the exit.

Her eyes scanned the hallway, and just turning the corner was a blue-haired teen with terrible posture. She briskly walked in his direction, eventually catching up with him near the vending machines.

"What is it? You don't want to go to Tartarus again tonight, do you?" were the first words he said when he noticed her.

"Hey! What kind of greeting is that, Minato?" Hamuko noticed a couple of people around them listening intently. "Well, I want to go the mall. Do you mind coming along?"

"What for? I'm broke," he muttered.

"Come on," she hissed. Her persistence seemed to pay off as Minato unwillingly dragged his feet, but still went with her.

They sat on the bench near the fountain with their school stuff forming a physical barrier between the two of them. The running water from the fountain provided a rhythmic splashing that broke up the chatter of the various people at Paulownia Mall.

"Hey, what do you think of all of this?" Hamuko said, looking at Minato in the eye while sitting on the edge of the bench. "I mean, the Shadows, Personas, Dark Hour. It all feels like a dream to me, what we're doing."

Minato considered her question and replied in a listless tone. "Of course, it feels like a dream. No one would believe us if we told them everything we know so far. Honestly, it's like a fairy tale where we're the good guys fighting the good fight."

"I didn't know you had such a childish imagination, Minato," Hamuko teased him, gently. Her attempt at gauging his mood went decently so far.

"You would as well with all the time I spend doing nothing, while you guys are fighting the actual battles." He sounded more than a little bitter this time and his face assumed a rather downcast expression.

Oh dear, I touched off on a raw nerve, she thought. What kind of comment would prop up his ego?

"You've already been in a couple of fights with Shadows before though, right? I mean you rescued me when we first met, and Akihiko-senpai too."

"Yeah, I suppose so. What's your point though?" he asked quizzically.

Hamuko felt like slapping her hand on her forehead.

"You don't need the battles as much as the rest of us do, Minato. You already know how to handle Shadows. Isn't that much obvious?" She waved her index finger in his face just to emphasize the point, but she had understood that he didn't really want to talk about it more at this point.

This exchange seemed to put Minato back in better spirits as his expression softened a bit.

"Say, how about we get some ice cream? My treat," Hamuko said. "What flavor do you like?"

"Strawberry," Minato replied without hesitation. "I'll watch our stuff while you go. It would be a hassle to carry everything there."

"Oh, alright. Have it your way party pooper," Hamuko said, springing up from her seat and taking her wallet with her. "See you in a few, sleepy head."

Minato P.O.V.

Just talking with Hamuko like this was an interesting reprieve of what Minato had expected so far. Maybe, it was because he had never met her beforehand and didn't really know what to expect. In a way, she was the opposite of everything that he was, but that didn't really bother him too much. She kept on trying to wrench the truth from him, but was that really something she could comprehend?

"Whoa, you feeling alright, Minato? You look a lot worse than when I left you," she said, in concern.

"It's nothing, I just have a lot on my mind," he said, taking a cone from her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, go for it," Hamuko replied looking curiously at him in between licks of her cone.

"How are you always so optimistic and full of energy?" Minato almost said this in a wistful manner like an old-timer reminiscing on life.

Hamuko scrunched her nose a bit in thought and said, "I think it's because my childhood was rough, if you know what I mean. Not that I reject it or anything like that, it's just part of who I am now. But at the same time, I don't let it really define me and drag it around like dead weight, and I would rather be full of optimism than mope around all day."

Hamuko had said all of this without stuttering and as serenely as if describing the weather. He had lost that innocence or perhaps it was something else altogether.

"But what if things got a lot worse? And I don't mean some silly stuff at school. Like, what if you had to leave everything behind that you knew?"

"What? You mean like moving to a new country or something? Be more specific, Minato!" She began munching on the cone, as she had almost finished it and fumbled with the paper napkins to make sure she didn't drop any on her clothes.

"Eh, forget I mentioned it. It's just a thought, I guess."

"There you go again, not saying what you really mean. Do you get an evil satisfaction, always leaving me wondering what you're trying to say? That's a really bad habit."

"You don't have to lecture me, you know," Minato replied.

"I know, it's just some advice from yours truly," she retorted. "Well, since I answered one of your questions, answer one of mine."

"Fine."

"What do you think of Yukari?" Hamuko seemed a bit perturbed as she said this.

"She isn't too bad. I mean, she is a bit neurotic if I am honest. But everyone has their own quirks. I don't want to be one to judge." Minato tried to sound as monotone as possible because he wanted to sound impartial.

"I definitely agree with the neurotic part," Hamuko nodded fervently. "She's really popular at school, but I think it's more for her looks than her personality."

Minato shrugged his shoulders. "Then are you saying you are popular for your bubbly personality and not your looks then?"

"Hey! I thought you just said you weren't the judgmental type." Hamuko gave him the best stink eye she could muster up.

"Sorry, you just walked right up into that one. Ah well, I'll admit that it was nice just spending some time with you, eating ice cream and talking in general. We should probably get back before Mitsuru lets the hounds loose on us." Minato checked the time on his phone.

"That's only because you didn't pay for it, but no worries, I forgive you," Hamuko said, while flashing a mischievous grin.

(Hamuko's Room, Night)

Hamuko P.O.V.

"NO! Leave me alone!" she wailed. A menacing figure chased after her as Hamuko ran for her life. Suddenly, the scene shifted, with a burning vehicle in the background and a figure cut in front of her with their arms spread out on the sides, protecting her. Yet, whoever attempted to protect her quickly crumbled to the ground in a heap. It was Minato, whose dark blue eyes stared vacantly back at her with a blank expression.

Hamuko woke up in a cold sweat, and wildly threw the blankets off her bed in a bit of hysteria. She stood up and quickly filled a glass of water with tap water from the sink, gulping it down greedily. It had been a long time since she had dreamt about that day from her childhood, as she had tried her best to repress the memory. She had lied to Minato about not letting the past affect her; it had always been a heavy yoke around her neck. Bouncing around from place to place made Hamuko feel that she as if under a curse since that fateful day.

But why did she see Minato as the one who tried to protect her? It didn't really make any sense that he would be there as the same age as he was now. She had already mulled over this before when they first met on the train, but it didn't make any more sense now. Still, it was a bit unsettling to start having this nightmare again and have Minato pop up in the middle of it.

April 23rd, Thursday (Gekkoukan High, Early Morning)

Hamuko P.O.V.

Hamuko saw Junpei approach her and figured it would be best to put on a front to appear cheery as usual. Besides, he had wanted to hang out with her the previous day, and it would be rude if she didn't look somewhat glad to see him.

"Hi, Junpei!" she bellowed, her voice ringing throughout the courtyard.

"Hey, Hamuko," he replied, his voice tinged with fatigue. "I don't know how you're always so energetic. Just coming to school is like a job in itself. Things are so busy now, all of a sudden, but I do feel a bit more satisfied too."

"We're just getting started," Hamuko answered, noting the dark circles under Junpei's eyes.

"You better not push yourself too hard, Hamuko. Don't go getting sick again!" Junpei countered, trying to look defiant.

"Don't be such a worry wart. You guys can depend on me," she said confidently.

After class, the two of them went to eat ramen as agreed upon the previous day. It was a challenge finding somewhere to sit in the chaos of a restaurant exploding beyond capacity. After some pushing and shoving, the pair found a location near the counter to sit.

"Whew, I didn't expect it to be this full, Junpei." Hamuko did like the aroma that wafted through the kitchen to where they sat.

"It'll be worth the wait. Two specials here, please!" he hollered to the waiter. The waiter brought them two bowls of steaming ramen on a wooden tray.

Junpei wouldn't allow Hamuko to pay for her portion of ramen, saying that he was the one that asked her to come here.

"It's the gentlemanly thing to do after all," he said, carefully stirring the contents of his bowl with his wooden chopsticks. Hamuko enjoyed digging into her noodles, and soon enough, she had reached the bottom of her bowl. Junpei still struggled with how hot the noodles were.

"Yow, that burns, but it definitely is delicious," he said.

"Could I get more noodles, please?" Hamuko asked the waiter.

"Sure, miss!" he replied.

"Glad you're enjoying the meal," Junpei teased her.

"Yeah, when I was here with Akihiko-senpai there weren't as many people, so the ramen wasn't as fresh," Hamuko recalled.

Junpei took a more serious look and said, "I heard that while you were out for a while, you were in the hospital. You're always full of energy at school, and that made me worry, because I wondered what could knock you out like that."

Hamuko wasn't sure what to make of Junpei's words, but had to sit because she wanted more noodles.

"Did you get into a fight with the you know whats?" he whispered in concern. "Actually, don't answer that. Just, don't push yourself too hard out there, okay?"

So, this is what Junpei's softer side is like, huh? Hamuko did appreciate the gesture and simply gave him an affirmative nod. She didn't give him much more than that because her second helping of noodles had finally arrived in front of her. In between, gulps she heard the disembodied refrain that she had established a new social link and saw a Magician Arcana card vanish. This social link thing wasn't too hard it seemed.

And then it was back to normal Junpei, as he put on a cheesy smile.

"But still… girls and guys living in the same dorm, huh? Only a floor apart too," he murmured. "I wonder how much stuff has already happened while I wasn't living there."

"Stop smirking like that," Hamuko replied, moving her bowl out-of-the-way and getting a toothpick.

"Aww, I can help it. I'm a guy! Still, I try to keep work and love separate, but that doesn't mean I might not fall for somebody at some point!" He said of all this in jest, but there was no denying that the dorm needed someone like him just for the mood.

On their way back to the dorm they saw someone who looked completely out of it. A middle-aged man seemed unable to stand with his own power and kept stumbling. Hamuko wondered if it was from intoxication, and Junpei seemed to think along the same lines. He gripped her shoulder firmly and led her in another direction, which would take longer to get to the dorm.

"Sorry," he said, letting go of her shoulder, as they resumed walking. "I just can't stand people who try to lose themselves by drinking their problems away."

"Did something happen to you, Junpei?" Hamuko inquired, not liking the strain that showed on his face.

"No," was his only remark.

"If you ever want to talk about something, you can tell it to me," she replied and started humming the tune to the quirky jingle they had heard at Hagakure.

Eventually, Junpei said, "Thanks, that's good to know," he said, and let out an audible sigh.

(Iwatodai Dorm, Night)

Hamuko P.O.V.

They entered the dorm and Mitsuru greeted them. Just as Hamuko prepared to take a load off and go up to her room, Mitsuru's voice called for her.

"Arisato-chan, would you speak with me for a moment?"

"You're in trouble now, Hamuko! See ya later," Junpei whispered to her, running away to the stairs.

"Hi, Mitsuru-senpai, what do you want to talk about?" Hamuko said, wondering if she had done anything wrong.

"Be at ease, I just wanted to inquire about your condition after visiting Tartarus multiple times," she assured her.

"Well, I think it's more mental than physical, senpai," Hamuko answered, putting on a thoughtful look. "Maybe it's because the Shadows so far haven't been that strong, but I feel more tired mentally, more than anything else."

"I see, it is imperative that you are aware of your limits to avoid being at a disadvantage. However, I must admit that you have handled the leadership responsibility with aplomb so far and wanted to praise you for it." Mitsuru's comment made Hamuko want to blush, since she did respect her opinion, and who didn't like being praised?

"I'll be sure to keep my condition and everyone else's in mind while we're exploring Tartarus, senpai," Hamuko answered. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"

"Yes, but I admit that I am a bit embarrassed to ask this of you," she said, while looking away from Hamuko and scanning the lobby for eavesdroppers. After being satisfied that there were none, Mitsuru said, "How do you manage to have conversations with anyone in the dormitory so easily?"

Hamuko had a fit trying not to burst out laughing at this question, but kept herself under control.

"It's odd that you mention it, senpai. Junpei asked me something similar while we were out eating today at Hagakure."

"What is a Hagakure, if I may ask?" Mitsuru questioned, unsure of what Hamuko meant.

"It's a small restaurant that specializes in ramen, but my point is there isn't really a specific answer. When I see someone from our dorm at school, I just mention something like how the milk tasted funny in the morning or that we should order pizza again." It felt really awkward that Mitsuru wanted to know what her thinking was on a day-to-day basis.

Hamuko felt she was going through a lot of hand waving, but continued on. "You just have to try to say something relatable that both sides can talk about." Hamuko peered over at her senior wondering why she would ask something like this.

"Something relatable, you say?" Mitsuru said, while lost in thought. "What if I comment on the weather?"

"Erm, try to think of something more concrete, senpai." It was almost adorable how naïve Mitsuru was, but Hamuko did not want to risk her wrath by saying anything remotely sarcastic.

"There is someone who I wish to speak to, but they seem hardly approachable. I will attempt to follow through on your advice, and thank you for speaking with me," she remarked, with a worried expression and pursing her lips.

"No problem, senpai," Hamuko learned just how sheltered her senpai's life had been up to this point.