A/N: So this chapter wasn't meant to be as long as it is but when the characters want to say and do certain things and refuse to yield, well, you can't really do anything other than go with their advice and let them have their way. This time round, I think it's been for the better as it primarily adds some more dynamics to Minato and Mitsuru's relationship.
In other news, college is starting once again so updates will still be pretty sporadic. Since there isn't too much material left before the end of the twelve Shadows arc, I'll be arranging the chapters so that it'll be the next full moon Shadow, followed by an interlude, and then the last full moon Shadow. I'm pretty eager to get these events done so that we can finally move on from it and head into something that will mark another turning point for the main couple, which, I hope, will be the highlight of the Fall arc.
Until then, enjoy this chapter, and I'll see you in the next update.
The hour was late when Ken finished studying for the night. He was surprised at how long it had taken him to finish up one of the questions and was annoyed that there wasn't any free time left to watch the latest episode of Phoenix Ranger Featherman R. Oh well, he thought, it's not like I'll be missing out on much. I'm sure it was just the usual. He shrugged and then quickly scanned his work to ensure he hadn't made any careless mistakes. Once done, he leaned back in his chair and stretched, feeling proud that he'd attempted the questions by himself and succeeded without any assistance. For hard questions, he'd normally go and ask Minato or Fuuka for guidance – when they weren't there, he would work up the courage and ask Mitsuru – but this time, he didn't want their help. In fact, outside of being greeted and asked random questions, he didn't want to speak with any of them at all. This change in behaviour was probably obvious to all his senpai and signalled that there was something wrong with him but even if he told them what he'd seen at Club Escapade, who would believe him? More importantly, what would be the point? They wouldn't understand and it'd lead to more unnecessary trouble.
It's better to leave everyone out of this. It's none of their business. In the end, it just has to be me and him.
Now all stretched out, Ken began packing up his study materials. As he finished placing his books into the small desk bookcase, his eyes hovered over the photo that stood beside his desk lamp. On impulse, he reached for it and brought it closer to his eyes. The picture was of him and the rest of S.E.E.S., taken shortly after the fireworks display during the summer festival at Naganaki Shrine. He still remembered how joyful that occasion was and how everyone had been in the best of moods; Junpei and Yukari seizing every opportunity to tease each other about how ugly they looked with those masks, only to be sent running when Fuuka scared them with the Hannya mask she was wearing; Akihiko and…him…getting into that takoyaki eating competition and ended up losing to Koromaru; Aigis almost blowing her cover by asking eyebrow raising questions; Minato and Mitsuru standing together closely as they watched the sky show, looking like a couple that would be on the cover of some gossip magazine.
Though it had happened only a month ago, it felt like a year had passed since then and Ken doubted that they would be as cheerful as that in the foreseeable future. The atmosphere of the dorm had shifted and whether that was solely because of the fact that Strega had been able to infiltrate the dorm so easily, Ken wasn't sure. He did know that the incident in the nightclub involving him played a big role though, and his disappearance had affected everyone in different ways.
But none of them would ever know how much he's affected me.
Ken laughed bitterly, thinking of how he had once thought of him as a role model. In hindsight, he saw how foolish he was…but was he a fool? After all, he had saved him from a potential Shadow attack, ran to his aid after the battle in the underground arena was over, and had even went to the summer festival with him despite his dislike for it. If that wasn't representative of a role model, then Ken didn't know what was.
Maybe I shouldn't be so mad, he thought as his lips curved into a small smile. He's been nothing but kind to me the whole time and has done so much for…wait a minute. Ken frowned. He may have gone out of his way to look after me but is everything he's done all just an excuse to make up for the fact that he killed my mother?
The very thought made his heart ache and he gripped the photo tighter. An urge to throw the photo across the room flowed through him and Ken almost gave in when he remembered why they had taken the photo in the first place. It was to commemorate their accomplishments as a team, to serve as a reminder of what they had been through. Everyone had a copy of that photo and while nobody usually came to visit him in his room, he couldn't risk someone coming in here and discovering that he'd destroyed his copy. What would they think of him then? A little boy who was having anger issues that were way past his age? Ken thought so.
So he put the photo back on his desk. This time however, he placed the photo so that it lay face down. That way he didn't have to see his face and if someone did ask, he'd say he accidentally knocked it over.
He felt satisfied enough that he'd solved that problem but was still unsettled and in no mood to sleep.
Too bad Fuuka-senpai is busy and we can't go to Tartarus. I could really use the practice for when the time comes. Speaking of which…
Ken got up, took a red marker from his pen holder and walked to the calendar that hung above his bed on the wall. He flipped up the page displaying September's dates to reveal October. He circled the fourth with his marker and as he did so, the Dark Hour arrived, turning the red ink into a circle of blood. Ken yelped, dropped his marker and tumbled off the bed. There was a thump as he hit the floor. He heard someone approaching, followed by the creak of his door opening. Ken looked up and saw Yukari. His mind panicked and he hoped that Yukari didn't look over at this desk.
"Are you alright?" she asked in that sweet tone she used whenever she spoke to him. It was similar to the way his mother used to speak and although Ken didn't like it when he was being addressed as if he were a young child, he made an exception for this. "I heard you crying out and then a bump."
"I'm okay Yukari-san," Ken said. "I just, uh, had a nightmare. There's nothing to worry about."
He couldn't see her face clearly but was sure she had just raised an eyebrow.
"If you say so," she said. "Take it easy okay?"
"I will."
She closed the door and Ken was left alone in the green darkness. He glanced up at the calendar and saw that the red circle around October fourth was just that. A circle of red ink. Not blood.
Did I just imagine it then?
Ken told himself he did.
But he believed otherwise.
Takaya watched Jin's screen.
He had seen how Ken had almost thrown the photo across his room before deciding to leave it face down on his desk, and was fascinated at the amount of distress the boy was displaying. He thought the sole explanation for this unusual behaviour had to have something to do with the latest full moon Shadow being destroyed and he'd be surprised if it wasn't the case. These operations they conducted had a habit of changing people and Takaya only needed to recall the events of Shirakawa Boulevard and the subsequent events that occurred to support his belief.
He heard Jin stifle a laugh that would have otherwise filled the room that served as their headquarters and he sighed. "What?"
"The brat fell over after writing something on his calendar," Jin said.
Takaya leaned forward to take a closer look and indeed, Ken had fallen to the floor on his behind. The boy then looked away from the camera as the door opened to reveal the Takeba girl. After a short conversation, the door closed and Ken was alone again. Takaya folded his arms. That had been the fourth or fifth time the Takeba girl had spoken with the boy since the last full moon operation and it surprised him that she would be this concerned – he'd have thought that their acquaintance would be the one showing more concern for the boy given his dedication in looking after him.
Perhaps the boy has had a falling out with him. It would certainly explain why he isn't hanging around them very much.
That thought filled Takaya with the image of seeing the two of them going all out at each other and sent tingles down his spine. Oh how exciting that would be to watch!
"…plan of yours is gonna make it so easy to get the drop on them," Jin was saying. "Heck, we could even finish them now and pick them off one by one."
Takaya only heard that last remark and he shook his head. "No. We're already disadvantaged in numbers so why should we overextend ourselves when we can sit back and watch them fight each other? I find it to be much more entertaining this way. Don't you?"
"Well yeah but…"
"Then let things run their course. We will have our chance again very soon." He heard Jin mumble something about the Takeba girl stopping his attack on the roof so effortlessly but decided to hold back from adding more wood to the fire. "It is a pity that Chidori isn't here to see your handiwork. You could have at least done a bit more to bring her back."
"You know that if I had tried to take her with me, we would've both ended up in their hands right?" Jin said.
Jin was right on that account. While the members of S.E.E.S. had been busy dealing with the full moon Shadow, Takaya had decided to let them have this one (there were still three more to go and he was sure that S.E.E.S. would be no more by the time the final Shadow appeared) and ordered Jin and Chidori to infiltrate their dorm. He hadn't expected the plan to be as successful as it was and he knew that the credit rested with Chidori. Without her seduction of Junpei over the last few weeks, it would've been impossible for Jin to enter the dorm and hack into all the security cameras.
"Of course," Takaya said. "I was just making a comment. Zoom up on the date the boy circled will you?"
Jin did as he was told. The image was a little pixelated but they could both see the date that was circled in red.
"October fourth?" Jin said, confused. "Does that mean anything to you?"
"Hardly. But what it means is irrelevant. All that matters is that the boy is planning something on that day. And I will be there to witness it."
"My name is Aigis. I am pleased to meet you all."
The response to her greeting was silence, followed by a few murmurs throughout the classroom. Minato waited to see if anyone would shout out a random question (like 'What kind of name is Aigis?' or 'Shouldn't you take your headphones off?') that would catch Aigis off guard. He and Yukari were ready to intervene with the fictitious story they had made up last night if that happened, although neither really wanted to be the one telling it because it involved saying that Aigis was an American exchange student of Greek heritage that spoke fluent Japanese. Minato had no idea as to how they were supposed to make that convincing so he was relieved when Toriumi began skimming through Aigis' profile.
That's one part down. Now the fun of watching her interact with others comes. Oh boy.
He still believed that sending Aigis to school was a bad idea no matter what the Chairman said about how it would benefit his observations of her in a high pressure social environment and increase her own experience of the world. He knew from his own experience that transfer students were picked on quite regularly and if that were to happen to Aigis, she would say something and her cover would be blown. Yukari and Fuuka had supported him on this. Mitsuru, Akihiko and the Chairman didn't. In the end, they had voted on it, the result being a tie that was rendered pointless when Aigis herself spoke up and said she wanted to go because it would allow her to synchronize her schedule with everyone else.
"Let's see…" Toriumi said as she went through the profile. "Is there anything to…huh? A humanoid tactical weapon?"
Minato stiffened at those words and immediately tried to think of something to say that would distract the class. Nothing came to mind because nothing ever came to mind when you were panicking and for a moment, he feared that Aigis' time as a student was already over.
"Um sensei!" Yukari cried, raising her hand. "I think you should assign Aigis her seat now!"
Toriumi looked at Yukari as if the latter had consumed too much caffeine and closed the folder containing Aigis' profile. "Sure. Aigis, you can sit–"
But Aigis had already left the front of the room and moved to sit at the desk beside Minato.
"I would like to have this seat," Aigis said.
Yukari shot a questioning glance at Minato, who shrugged, before rounding on Aigis. "You can't sit there Aigis. That belongs to someone else who just happens to be absent today."
"That's the same as not being here," Toriumi said. "So she may have the seat if she wants it."
"Thank you Toriumi-san. This spot is perfect because it allows me to always be next to Minato-san."
Minato's eyes widened and Yukari swivelled to face them, her eyes blazing.
"Aigis!" Yukari snapped.
"What is it?" Aigis responded.
Yukari couldn't believe how thick headed Aigis was being but after noticing that everyone was looking at her, she flushed, turned around and looked down at the surface of her desk to avoid eye contact.
"My, aren't we just full of drama today?" Toriumi said. "Takeba, do us all a favour and save it for after school alright?"
Yukari nodded but didn't look up.
"Thank you. Now then, let's get on with it shall we?"
Ten minutes after the final lesson of the day, Minato's phone rang. Upon taking it out and seeing whose number it was, he exited his home room and entered the room serving as the Student Council headquarters. With no events today, the room was empty.
Just as I expected, Minato thought, sliding the door shut before flipping his phone open and answering the call.
"Yes Mitsuru-senpai?" Minato said.
"Hi. Sorry to let you know on such short notice but I'll need you to be at the hospital in an hour," Mitsuru said.
"Again? I thought you said you were going to give it a break."
"I did but…" There was a pause. "The faster we can get the answers out of her, the better prepared we will be when we face Strega again. We've already let them catch us off guard twice and–"
You won't allow it to happen again. He sighed, walked to the back of the room and looked out through the windows at the trail of students heading towards Port Island station. He admired her persistence but after attending more than half of the multiple interrogation sessions and knowing that Chidori was adamant in keeping her mouth shut every time, Minato wondered if there was any point in continuing.
"–I won't allow it to happen again. So please?" Mitsuru said.
"Alright. I'll come. Is Akihiko-senpai already on his way?"
"He won't be coming today. Instead, I've asked Yamagishi to come along and see if she can sense anything in Chidori's mind."
"Okay. By the way…"
"Hmm?"
He paused, thinking of whether or not to speak his mind. He did believe that Takaya or Jin storming into the hospital to rescue Chidori while Mitsuru was interviewing her was a very possible scenario that could happen at any moment. And if Takaya had been watching them since the operation in Shirakawa Boulevard, and maybe even before that, Minato was sure that his adversary was also keeping a close eye on Chidori.
"…don't let her get the better of you this time."
Mitsuru chuckled. "Don't worry. If Yamagishi is unsuccessful, then I won't push my luck any further."
"You know, somehow I get the feeling that you'll still try to do it anyway."
"Yeah. But that's why I've asked you to come."
Minato felt his lips twitching into a smile. She'd cornered him again and in his mind, he could picture her smiling away with that mischievous look. "I'll see you soon then." He hung up and made his way to leave the room. When he slid the door open, he was startled to see Aigis standing in front of him.
"Aigis? What are you doing?" he asked.
"You left the classroom unannounced. I was concerned about your whereabouts so I decided to find you," she replied.
Minato looked up and down the hallway. There were a few students on both sides but they were all too busy chatting to take notice of them yet. Just to be sure that he didn't get caught being seen with a female student outside an empty room (because there was no doubt in Minato's mind that someone would get the wrong idea) he slid the door closed behind him and moved away from the Student Council room, gesturing for Aigis to follow him.
"Listen Aigis," he said as they walked back to their home room. "I know you may think that your uniform camouflages you, but that doesn't mean you can run off on your own. This isn't like Yakushima. There are plenty of people around here and most of them have a habit of jumping to the wrong conclusions very fast. So don't do anything suspicious. And don't say you need to be by my side unless I tell you to."
"I see. Shall I acknowledge you as a complete stranger in that case?"
Minato shook his head. "You don't have to go that far. Just…" He trailed off as he neared the entrance to their home room and heard a rather heated discussion going on inside.
"What's up with you today Takeba?" a girl asked.
"Yeah, you seem really pissed at that new student sitting next to Minato-kun," another girl added.
"I'm not pissed at her," Yukari said.
"Really? Then why were you telling her off?" the first girl asked.
"I think I know why. It's a case of a love triangle!" the second girl said.
There were several gasps at this.
"What?" Yukari said in a high-pitched voice. "No it's not!"
"Oh c'mon Yukari, there's no need to be shy," yet another girl spoke up. "We know you like Minato-kun."
Yukari scoffed. "Hey! It's nothing like that at all alright?! Besides, Minato-kun is already interested in somebody else and–"
There were even more gasps at this (some of them belonging to male students) and upon hearing that, Minato's heart sank. And I thought Aigis would be the one spilling the beans today. Knowing that walking into the home room now was like walking straight into enemy gunfire, he turned around and prepared to leave. There would be time to sort this out later (not that he wanted to flail around in this mess) and lie to his peers that probably wouldn't believe–
Aigis entered the home room.
Minato only realised it when he noticed she was no longer standing beside him and groaned. Now he would have to go in there or else there would be even more trouble.
Unfixable trouble.
Bracing himself for the onslaught of stares, Minato walked into the classroom. As expected, the room quieted down instantly and everyone turned to look at him. The very fact that he was the centre of attention again reminded him of the time Mitsuru had swung by his classroom and approached his desk all those months ago. He resisted a laugh. Things hadn't changed at all.
"M-Minato?!" Yukari said. Her cheeks were pink. "You d-didn't hear th-that did you?"
Minato glanced at Aigis, who had returned to her desk and appeared to be awaiting instructions, before meeting Yukari's gaze. He knew there were just two ways this could go – either pretend he hadn't heard it or come clean – and he knew which of the two Yukari preferred hearing. The decision seemed intuitive enough but there was something about going the predictable route that bothered him. Perhaps it was because doing so didn't solve the problem and all the blabbermouths would continue to speculate who he was interested in. And perhaps it was because the rumours that said blabbermouths would end up spreading were likely to find their way to those who believed that Mitsuru was out of his league. If that happened, it wouldn't be long before that idiot and his goons started hounding him again and possibly reveal the secret that would send the school into chaos.
"Actually I did hear that," Minato said, causing Yukari to put a hand over her mouth. "And to tell all you people the truth, it is a love triangle. Aigis has had her eye on me way back when we were both in our previous school and once I transferred, she just had to transfer as well because she can't stand not having me around. Right Aigis?" He gave her a look that he hoped signalled 'please say your usual line' and prayed that she would interpret it correctly.
"That is true," Aigis said with a nod. "My highest priority was and is to be with Minato-san."
"Thank you Aigis." Looking back at his bewildered and stupefied audience, Minato continued, "Now when I transferred here, I thought I would never get over Aigis. But with no knowledge of whether I'd see her again, I decided to start anew and sure enough, I found someone who caught my eye. And as I've told Aigis a few minutes ago, I believe I've caught hers. Otherwise why else would she be denying the truth?" He shifted his gaze to Yukari, who was blushing furiously, and gestured for her to follow him. "Yukari, may I speak with you outside please?"
All the other girls in the class squealed in excitement at this and the boys were watching Minato as if he were some master pickup artist. The girl that could tell Junpei off with a single stare on the other hand, couldn't find the words to answer and nodded slowly. She followed Minato out of the classroom and to the west end of the hallway where the stairs were located. When they got there, Yukari gave Minato a look that would've sent Junpei running for his life.
"Minato, what the hell do you–" she started.
"Before you go off and yell at me, hear me out first alright?" Minato interrupted.
Yukari pursed her lips. Oh how she wanted to give him a piece of her mind right now! "Fine. But make it quick."
"I only said what I said to shut them up. Okay? Can you imagine what would happen if I had let them speculate?"
Yukari blinked. That was it? Minato just wanted the students to shut up? It was a relief that his reasoning was so simple but Yukari couldn't help feeling a tad disappointed. She'd expected him to come up with some well-crafted story that was just as believable as the nonsense he'd told everyone in the classroom. "Well, it would've given you more trouble to deal with."
"Not only that, they could've end up spreading rumours about who I'm really interested in and one way or another, someone's going to bring up Mitsuru-senpai and– "
"–if all her admirers find out, they're gonna go crazy and start looking for you." Yukari nodded a few times, finally understanding his logic. Somewhat.
"Right. And I don't need that."
"Sure. Okay. But what do you plan on achieving by saying we like each other?"
Minato averted his gaze on her momentarily. Yukari caught the flicker in his eyes as he did so and gasped. "No. Don't tell me it's what I think it is."
"I'm afraid it is what you think it is."
Yukari sighed and there was silence between the two for a moment. Several students passed them to go down the stairs and already both of them could feel that they were being watched and critiqued.
"Have you even thought about how you're going to explain this to senpai?" Yukari asked.
"Honestly, no," Minato said. "But I'm sure she'll understand since it'll help keep the relationship a secret. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Well yeah, but I'm worried that with all the time you spend hanging around me, she might, I don't know, get a little jealous or something."
Minato folded his arms. While it was possible, he doubted Mitsuru would get jealous, especially if she knew beforehand what he and Yukari would be doing and why they would be doing it. "Don't worry about that. Besides, it's not like we have to do anything over the top. All we need is to emphasize our eye contact, say some clichéd love quotes from a movie and maybe be seen holding hands." When Yukari raised an eyebrow at this, he quickly added, "I'll run it by her tonight. If she doesn't like the idea, then I'll just let everyone know that you shot me down."
"You know, I get the feeling that you're gonna enjoy this a little too much." A small smile forced itself onto Yukari's lips. "But let's try it. It's kinda my fault that we're in this mess so I guess this is how I'll make up for my mistake."
Minato returned a smile.
"So now that we got that sorted, what was that phone call for?"
"It was Mitsuru-senpai. She needs me at the hospital."
"Again? I thought she said she was going to take a break."
"That's what I told her." Minato shook his head. "I don't know why she's so persistent. Chidori's refused to speak every time we try to ask her something and even with Fuuka coming along, I can't see that changing unless…" A sudden realization dawned on him. "Do you know where Junpei is?"
Yukari, surprised by the question, took a few moments to recall the last time she had seen Junpei. "He left the classroom when you were out taking that phone call. I think I saw Kenji and Kazushi with him, saying something about going to the karaoke bar."
"Karaoke huh?"
"Mhmm. I don't know if he took their offer though."
"Well I guess that's the best place to start looking for him." He turned to go down the stairs and was halfway down them when Yukari spoke.
"Hang on sec, what does Junpei have to do with Chidori?" she asked. "And why do you need to find him?"
Without looking at her, Minato answered: "Because he's the key in getting Chidori to speak."
Yukari had been right about Kenji and Kazushi accompanying Junpei but it was the arcade in Paulownia Mall (formerly known as Game Panic) that they were at instead of the karaoke bar. After his staged performance that cast a stunned silence on his classmates, the whimsical jingles of the claw machines and the constant loops of the phrase 'You are humanity's last hope' from a nearby shooter game came as something of a relief for Minato. Where most people would've found the incessant noise loud and annoying, Minato thought it was calming and actually quite pleasant. He wasn't sure why this was the case and as he ventured further into the arcade, passing air hockey tables and driving simulators, the thought of being an ordinary student who'd spend time here fighting virtual enemies with friends instead of in real life popped into his head. With countless hours spent in battle, the very prospect was foreign to him and Minato couldn't even imagine it.
What kind of person would spend most of their afternoons here?
The answer arrived when he saw Junpei watching Kazushi and Kenji duke it out on the arcade's copy of Dance Dance Revolution X. Minato sighed, wondering how he had not thought of them earlier, and made his way over.
Junpei saw him approach from the corner of his eye, turned and raised a hand in greeting. "Sup dude! Hey, since you're here, you wanna show these two idiots how it's done on the dance floor?"
"What are you talking about Junpei?" Kenji said. "You lost to both of us the last time you played."
"The hell I did!" Junpei said. "You guys are just butt hurt from missing your combos all the time."
Minato glanced at Kenji and Kazushi, who both looked beat, then at the game's screen, which was currently displaying their scores, and saw that their combo count was abysmal and the number of 'misses' were more than twice the total of the 'goods', 'greats' and 'perfects'. He wondered if Kenji and Kazushi were actually playing the game or just goofing around and dancing to the music before reminding himself what he was here for.
"So whaddya think man?" Junpei asked. "You up for it?"
"I might have to give it a pass," Minato said. "I've got to be at the hospital again."
At the mention of the word hospital, Junpei's face darkened. "Oh."
"Are you going to come along and visit her this time?"
Junpei looked at Kazushi and Kenji, told them to play another round, and motioned for Minato to follow him. They exited the arcade and walked to stand beside the central wishing fountain.
"Why would I want to do that?" Junpei asked.
"Because she's been asking to see you."
Junpei's eyes widened and Minato did his best to control his poker face. Telling the lie had been a risky move but Minato knew that it was the only way to get that reaction out of Junpei. No other answer would've sufficed. The effect didn't last long however, and Junpei regained his composure after a few seconds.
"She wouldn't ask that," he said, shaking his head. "And from what I've heard, she hasn't even spoken a word, let alone asked to see me. So you're bluffing."
"Even if I am, isn't it time you paid her a visit?" Minato countered. When Junpei didn't respond, he continued, "Although I'm working off an assumption here, I'm willing to bet one hundred percent that whatever problem you're going through will be solved by talking to her."
"Oh yeah? And what problem do I have Sherlock?"
Minato took a moment to collect his thoughts. He hadn't wanted to announce his suspicion that something was up between Junpei and Chidori so early but it was unlikely that he'd get another chance to do so. And I want…no…need him to start talking to her ASAP so we can find out what Jin was doing at the dorm.
"You might have told everyone at the debriefing that she was just a friend you met up with after school but from the way you've been acting these past few days, I think what she means to you is the same as what Mitsuru-senpai means to me. Or if not, something similar."
Junpei flinched at hearing this and Minato knew his words had hit home. He waited to see if his friend would say anything or launch into a state of denial, and as he switched his gaze over to the fountain where Elizabeth had dumped a million Yen, that was when Junpei chuckled.
"Heh. And here I thought I could hide it from you guys," Junpei said. He took his cap off, revealing his dark buzz cut hair, and sighed. "But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It's pretty hard to hide this kinda stuff isn't it?"
Minato, knowing firsthand about keeping your secrets hidden, agreed.
"You wanna know somethin' dude? When I first saw her, I really thought she could be someone special. Someone who'd give me a reason to keep going forward and to keep fighting even if Takaya is right and our powers are gonna disappear. Because even if that did happen, I'd still have her around."
"So? She can still be that special someone you know."
Junpei looked at Minato as if the latter had believed UFOs were real. "Are you shittin' me? She's with Strega! She's the enemy! Do you really think I would give her another chance or even trust her again after what she did to me?" His voice grew louder with each statement and several people in the vicinity looked at them. "Well I won't. And don't bother tellin' me otherwise." He put his cap back on, turned and prepared to march back into the arcade.
"That's it?" Minato asked. He was well aware that he'd be late in arriving at the hospital but he wasn't going to let the confrontation end like this. "You're just going to walk away from one of the best things that's ever happened to you?"
Junpei stopped and looked over his shoulder. "That's right. Because unlike you, dudes like me have luck that ain't worth shit. Instead of getting to date the person who lives in the same dorm as us, we either find them by chance or not at all. And even if we do find them, our luck is so shit that something always happens and screws it up. Of course, I doubt you'd understand since you have the luck to make just about everything in the world go your way."
Minato bit his lip in an attempt to stifle his retort. There was little point in trying to argue because Junpei was right. Minato would never fully understand what it would be like in his friend's shoes and that worked both ways.
"You know, you're probably right," he said. "I don't and won't understand and that's fine because that's what makes us who we are. But let me tell you this: relationships are hard work. You may think Mitsuru and I have it easy but it's a nightmare trying to find the time to go out with her. And once we do, we have to take precautions and plan where and how we'll meet so that we aren't suspected by those idiots at school. It's stressful, yes, but I keep doing it anyway because when you care about someone, you do everything you can to make it work and you don't stop. So if you still feel that Chidori means as much to you as Mitsuru means to me, then you should go do something about it."
Junpei opened his mouth and closed it, stunned at his friend's impromptu speech. He remained in that state for a few moments even after Minato had turned around and left for the hospital, and was brought back to reality when Kenji and Kazushi came out of the arcade.
"Hey dude, you alright?" Kazushi asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Junpei replied. "C'mon, let's get back to it."
The three of them returned to the arcade. Before stepping inside, Junpei glanced at where Minato was now going through the revolving doors and muttered to himself, "You just think you know everything."
Mitsuru paced the empty hallway outside Chidori's room in the hospital. It was all she could do to relieve some of the stress and anticipation while waiting for the doctors to finish their afternoon check-up on Chidori, and for Minato and Fuuka to arrive. Even though she left Gekkoukan an hour after the final bell rang, she didn't expect that she'd have to wait a good ten minutes before gaining an audience with Chidori. Nor did she expect to be the first one at the hospital. She supposed that both Minato and Fuuka had things to take care of before meeting although what those things could possibly be, Mitsuru could not guess because in the past week, her mind had been completely occupied.
First, there was learning of Akihiko's crisis with Shinjiro. Not long after the previous operation, he had told her about the Persona suppressant pills Shinjiro was taking and the potential side effects it had. Like Akihiko, she too had heard of these pills but also like Akihiko, she'd thought they were nothing more than an urban legend. So upon hearing this news, Mitsuru didn't know what to think. She knew Shinjiro loved keeping things to himself – a quality that she knew all too well – and if he had managed to keep this drug addiction a secret since the accident two years ago, even from Akihiko, then he obviously didn't want anyone finding out about it. While that was fine, it did raise the question of where Shinjiro was getting these pills from and neither Mitsuru nor Akihiko had been able to figure out the answer.
Normally, a loose end like that would have stolen her attention for a few days but despite her distress at the entire matter (which was nowhere near the level of Akihiko), Mitsuru knew it was more prudent to spend time trying to determine what Chidori and Jin had been doing at the dorm instead of helping the boxer research for any known cure for the pills' side effects. She was ashamed at feeling that this was more important. But it was the truth. As the leader of S.E.E.S., keeping everyone safe was her responsibility and she would ensure that the dorm would not be further compromised. She supposed she had failed to prevent Junpei from being apprehended but after hearing his confession at the debriefing and how he had already known Chidori for several weeks, it was easy to understand how and why Strega had decided to target him. The only question remaining was why they had done so in the first place and that was what brought her to the hospital on this sunny afternoon and the days preceding it.
Well actually there was another reason for her interest in questioning Chidori and speaking with Minato over the phone reminded her why she'd immersed herself in this. She had given what he said some thought – that she should take a break from interviewing – and although she agreed with his suggestion, she knew focusing her attention on this was the only thing that could take her mind off the growing problem of whether to tell him about her fiancé.
Or whether to tell my fiancé about Arisato, she thought and shivered.
The idea of telling either of them about the other frightened her but what was even more worrying were the doubts that came packaged with every date she went on with Minato. Although she always looked forward to going out with him on this culinary journey through Iwatodai and Tatsumi Port Island, Mitsuru couldn't help wondering if their relationship was just for the short term and would slowly dissolve like a piece of candy once she graduated. Because between her university studies and helping her father run the Kirijo Group, finding time to spend with Minato would be difficult. It would have been easy if she were someone like Yukari or Fuuka, who didn't have to bear the burden of being the future Chairwoman of the Kirijo Group, but that was not the case. Whether she liked it or not, she would be the future leader of the Group. And she would be married – if not to her current fiancé then to some other rich businessmen because that was life in corporate Japan. There was little to no room for women to hold a position of power and if her father had to step down for whatever reason, she knew the members of the board would plot and try to remove her from office unless she consorted with the marriage that they would propose. She stopped pacing, leaned against the wall and sighed.
Maybe choosing to go out with my fiancé is a better use of my spare time. Even if he is nothing more than a money obsessed freak, it will be easier for me in the long term. And who knows? We might even come to lo–
Mitsuru cut that thought off as she heard movement from her left. She looked in that direction and saw Minato and Fuuka approaching.
"Sorry we're late senpai," Fuuka said. "I had to stay back and help Natsuki out with a couple of things. And Minato…um…"
"Yes?" Mitsuru said, switching her gaze to him.
"Let's just say that I'm in a bit of predicament because of Yukari," Minato said with a slight chuckle. "I'll tell you later tonight."
Mitsuru was about to give him her 'what-wrong-thing-have-you-done-now' stare, a look she often gave Akihiko, when the door to Chidori's room slid open and two nurses and a doctor stepped out. The doctor regarded Minato and Fuuka briefly before turning to Mitsuru.
"Here again Miss Kirijo?" the doctor said.
"Unfortunately," Mitsuru said. "How is she doing today?"
"She has yet to speak if that's what you were asking. Exactly how long were you planning to keep her here again?"
Mitsuru took a moment before answering. She knew that Chidori couldn't stay here forever but releasing her was not an option either. The gothic girl would just waltz right back into the hands of Strega and whatever advantage gained from separating her from Takaya and Jin would be lost.
"Until she gives us the information we need," Mitsuru answered. "Only then will we decide what to do with her next."
"I see. Well then for both our sakes, I hope today is the day she starts talking. Not fully cooperating with people who are trying to help can really wear out your patience." The doctor then led his two nurses down the hallway to where the reception was.
Once they were out of sight, Fuuka said, "Um, we're still going to keep Chidori here right? Even after she's told us what we need to know?"
"There really isn't much of a choice," Mitsuru said. "If she was already allied with Strega before we met them for the first time, then it is likely that her powers are similar to yours Yamagishi."
"You really think so?"
"It's definitely plausible," Minato said. "It makes sense because there's no way Takaya and Jin would have located that Shadow underground. Both of their Personas are primarily combat-oriented."
Mitsuru nodded. "So if that is the case, then we cannot let Strega take her back. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. We need her to speak first."
With that, the three of them entered the room. Golden hues of afternoon sunlight shone through the windows, brightening and simultaneously casting shadows of Chidori and the various objects in the room – a square table with two chairs and a small TV that sat atop a cabinet. Chidori, who was dressed in a plain blue hospital gown, took no notice of them as they gathered around her bed and continued to stare at the wall, her eyes blank.
"Alright Chidori," Mitsuru said. "You're probably tired of hearing me ask you questions so today, I'll keep it brief." She glanced at Minato, who returned a reassuring smile, gazed into Chidori's eyes and asked, "What were you and your friend doing at the dorm?"
Chidori didn't answer.
Mitsuru waited a few seconds in case the gothic girl was thinking of a response. After a minute of silence, she turned to Fuuka. "Can you sense anything?"
"I'll try," Fuuka said. She concentrated, channeled her mental energy into probing Chidori's mind, and recoiled at once. "It's no use. She's blocked off any means of communicating with her mind. I'm sorry."
"That's quite alright Yamagishi." To Chidori, Mitsuru said, "For your information, we aren't keeping you here because we hate you. We're doing it because we want to avoid unnecessary confrontation. So you're not doing yourself any favours by refusing to speak. In fact, it means that you'll have to stay here longer."
Any response Mitsuru had hoped to obtain out of that comment was gone when Chidori gave her a blank stare. She sighed. "Well that settles it. There's no reasoning with her. Come on you two, let's go." She turned and headed for the door, Fuuka following suit.
"Hang on a minute," Minato said, causing both Mitsuru and Fuuka to stop. "I've got an idea."
Mitsuru watched him move toward Chidori, wondering what exactly he could do to make her speak that Mitsuru hadn't tried already.
"Chidori, you may not want to tell us about what you were doing and what Strega's plans are and that's fine," Minato said. "I don't expect you to and if I was in the same position, I wouldn't do it either. But if I told you Junpei is on his way here to see you, what would you say?"
Chidori's eyes widened. "He's…coming…here?"
Mitsuru felt her jaw drop. It was the first reaction they'd seen from Chidori in the past week that she had been at the hospital and while it was minor, it was enough for Mitsuru to beat herself over not thinking of the connection Junpei and Chidori had and how she could've weaved that into a question.
"He might be," Minato said. "I just wanted to give you a heads up in case he does. You have a good afternoon now." He turned and gestured for all of them to leave the room before either Mitsuru or Fuuka could say a word.
Once they were outside and Chidori's door was closed, Mitsuru pivoted and faced Minato.
"Why didn't you let me speak with her?" she asked in a stern voice as they moved down the hallway. She never thought she'd have to use such a tone on him but after spending the past week trying to get Chidori to speak and failing on every attempt, Mitsuru was a trifle frustrated that Minato had done it so easily.
"Because she wouldn't have said anything more," Minato responded. "Trust me when I say the only person that can speak to her is Junpei. We have to let him handle this."
Seeing the confidence in his eyes, Mitsuru backed down. From experience, she knew better than to go against his word or ignore it completely and one glance at Fuuka reminded her of what happened the last time she had done so. "Okay. If that's what you think will work then we'll try that. Still, how can you be so sure that Iori will come?"
Minato shrugged. "I said some things to him earlier. I don't know if it was enough to change his mind but all we can do is hope for the best."
Mitsuru nodded, though on the inside, she wished she could share his confidence.
Chidori watched the three of them leave. It was an automatic thing to do, albeit a necessary one in maintaining her stolidness while she pondered over Minato's claim that Junpei was coming to visit. It annoyed her that the mere mention of his name cracked her composure and forced her to speak – she had almost gone a week without talking to anyone – and she wished that Takaya hadn't forced her to continue meeting Junpei. Sure she did gain Junpei's trust and in doing so, accomplished what they had set out to do regarding the dorm but was that worth having these weird feelings float around in her chest? Chidori didn't think so.
Well I doubt he'll come, she thought. He probably doesn't want to have anything to do with me after what I've done. But even so, why do I want to see him?
It's because you like him, the irrational voice said in her mind. Can't you admit that to yourself?
No, I can't the rational voice said. I won't. What would Takaya think if I did?
That thought was the most frightening and angry with it all, she stomped on those feelings and reminded herself that her loyalty belonged to Strega. The moment she did, sharp stabs of pain attacked her head and chest. Groaning, Chidori closed her eyes and clasped her head.
No! Please Medea! Not now!
But her Persona wasn't going to adhere to any of her pleas and materialized with a red flash. Medea, a humanoid shaped being with the head of a ram, red limbs and a black feminine torso, grabbed Chidori's throat and squeezed it.
Chidori stretched her right arm towards a medical push trolley that was beside her bed but could not reach the small bottle that contained the solution to this problem. She tried to scream for help but all she could manage was a strangled cry that would go unnoticed from the outside. Her last thought before the world started fading to black was of Junpei and how much she wanted see him.
Junpei approached the hospital.
He had left the arcade not long after Minato did and as he moved through the streets, passing residential complexes, boutique shops and ramen bars, he could not stop thinking about what Minato had said earlier about doing something to reconnect with Chidori. As right as Minato was and as much as Junpei admitted that there were similarities between his own feelings for Chidori and Minato's feelings for Mitsuru, he still felt that it was wrong to try and resolve matters with a girl who not only faked her interest in him, but also betrayed him by being an ally with Strega. If all the movies in the world were a template of life, then Junpei knew that becoming allies with your enemy, especially those with whom you had a relationship with, was a recipe for creating your downfall.
So why am I taking his advice and coming here? Junpei thought, stopping in front of the hospital doors. A triple storeyed building, it was another asset that belonged to the Kirijo Group, housing state-of-the-art equipment and talented staff members. He may have difficulties in going out with her but he'll never understand the problem I have. Unless senpai pulls a fast one on us and declares she's with Strega too.
That thought made him chuckle and he shook his head. Something absurd like that would never happen. If it did, Minato would just find a way to make it work. And if it didn't, I'm sure he could look past that because the only thing that matters is being able to be with her.
It occurred to Junpei that that was his answer. No matter how many times he told himself he would sever their relationship, the certain warm feeling that blazed whenever he was around Chidori continued to endure because at the end of the day, he did want to see her. He did want to talk to her and hear her lovely voice.
Screw it. Not listening to Minato back then was a mistake and I'm not gonna make it again. If this is what it takes to maintain a relationship, then I'll go and see her.
Satisfied with his resolve, he entered the hospital. With dusk soon approaching, there were only a few people in the reception; the two ladies at the front desk, a young man with a cast on his left arm heading into the hallway with his doctor, and a janitor pushing a cleaning trolley. Junpei made his way to the front desk, asked for Chidori's room, and was instructed to go to room forty-one. Thanking the receptionist, he proceeded down the corridor that took him to the east wing.
Alright dude, don't lose your cool and let what she did to you get to your head he thought as he walked. If we're gonna make this right, then we hav–
He cut off his thought and froze.
Standing up ahead in front of a room he presumed to be Chidori's, was Minato, Mitsuru and Fuuka. None of them had seen him yet for they had their backs turned to him but it wouldn't be long before they started heading his way to leave. Not wanting to be seen, Junpei retreated to the room nearest to him, slid the door open and slipped inside.
The room was empty.
Relieved that he hadn't disturbed some sick or injured person, he waited for his friends to pass. It took a few minutes before he heard their footsteps echo outside and leaning against the door, Junpei could make out fragments of their conversation.
"…speak with her?" Mitsuru asked.
"Trust me …only…Junpei…handle this…" Minato said.
Junpei couldn't quite catch the rest of what they were saying but from what he heard, it seemed that Minato wanted him to speak with Chidori for another reason. He wondered if it had anything to do with why Chidori had used him to gain access to the dorm, then filed that thought away. His current priority was to patch things up with Chidori and if what she and Jin were doing at the dorm was one of the topics raised, then he'd investigate further.
Once the sound of his friends' footfalls began to diminish, Junpei slowly slid the door back open and looked down the hallway from which he had come from. He waited until his friends were truly out of sight before continuing onward to room forty-one. Upon reaching her room, Junpei straightened his cap and took a deep breath.
Alright. Here we go.
He entered the room.
And saw the red outline of an ethereal being strangling Chidori.
Junpei was stupefied but before he ran back down the hallway and yelled for help, he noticed Chidori clawing for a small bottle on a push trolley beside her bed. It was just out of her reach and realizing the danger, Junpei dashed forward. He grabbed the bottle, opened it and poured a single white pill out onto the trolley. The pill looked innocent enough but for a moment, Junpei hesitated. What if Chidori had been clawing at the wrong bottle (there were five other bottles on the trolley) and this pill didn't work? What if did more harm to her?
There's no time for that now dude! You saw her reach out for this bottle so this pill's gotta be the one that works!
With that, Junpei placed the pill into Chidori's open mouth. As soon as it came into contact with her tongue, the red glow flickered. Junpei watched as the Persona faded out of existence and when it was gone, he looked back at Chidori. She had swallowed the pill and was gasping for air.
Thank god the pill worked.
While waiting for her to recover, Junpei went to the small desk in the corner of the room, took the jug of water and filled a glass. He then went back to Chidori's side.
"Are you alright?" he asked, passing the glass over to her.
Chidori remained silent as she took the glass with shaky hands and drained it. Placing the glass on her lap, she gazed at Junpei, her expression neutral.
"It seems your friend was right about you coming," she said.
Friend? She must mean Minato. Again, he wondered what Minato was playing at in trying to get him and Chidori to talk.
"Really?" Junpei responded, a touch of anger in his voice. "Is that how you're gonna thank me for saving your life?"
"What are you talking about? I wasn't in any danger. Medea is my friend."
"Are you kiddin' me? That thing…no, your Persona was choking you! I thought you were going to die!"
Chidori fixed him a curious look. How she could remain as calm as…well as calm as Mitsuru would forever be a mystery to Junpei. "Why do you look so concerned? Death is nothing to be afraid of."
"What?"
"I said there is no reason to be afraid of death. Dying just means you don't open your eyes again. That's all."
Junpei wasn't sure if he was more speechless at walking in on her being strangled or hearing her interpretation of death. He did know however, that he wouldn't tolerate this behavior.
"Well I don't want you to die," he said. "You might not be afraid but that doesn't mean everyone else is. Besides, did you ever think about how that'd make the people close to you feel? Did you think about how it would make me feel?" He walked over to peer out the window, feeling Chidori's gaze on his back. "I'll admit that I didn't want to come here because of what you did to me. But now I'm willing to look past it." He turned around and saw that she was giggling.
"You're so weird Junpei."
Hearing that soft yet mischievous tone in her voice caused him to smile. It had been a while since she had last called him weird but like how some girls expressed their emotion by saying 'You're an idiot', Junpei took this as a good sign.
He just hoped it would last.
"So she responded when you mentioned Junpei's name?"
Minato and Mitsuru nodded at the Chairman. It had been a couple of hours since their visit to the hospital and as soon as they returned to the dorm, Ikutsuki had called for a small meeting to be held in the control room later that evening.
"I doubt I'll be able to gather everyone together," Mitsuru had said over the phone. "All the boys except Arisato aren't in the best state of mind at the moment and Yamagishi and Takeba say they have things they need to do."
"Oh you don't need to invite everybody," the Chairman had replied. "It's just you and Minato I want to speak with."
And that was true, because all Ikutsuki wanted was an update on how things were going with all the team issues they were facing.
"We didn't go any further than that however," Mitsuru said, "because Arisato and I came to an agreement that it would be best if we let Iori handle the matter. Of course, whether he's going to still remains to be seen but," she glanced at Minato, "Arisato thinks it's quite likely." She then went on to explain how before coming to the hospital, Minato had gone and suggested for Junpei to go and see Chidori in order to get over his moodiness.
When the story was done, Ikutsuki clapped his hands together and looked at Minato. "That was very clever of you. And I agree that Junpei will probably visit her."
"Do you think we ought to tell him what we want from her?" Mitsuru asked.
"I think we should let him patch things up with her first," Minato said. "There's no point telling him to start asking what she was doing at the dorm with Jin because she'll think we're using Junpei to get to her and may refuse to talk altogether."
Ikutsuki folded his arms. "While that may be true, it is important that we have that information as soon as possible because if anything happens to the dorm, I'll be personally liable and I don't think Takeharu would be impressed knowing that I've been careless and put you all in danger. Hmm. I suppose we'll play it by ear for now." A smirk crossed his lips. "That reminds me, Mitsuru, I think you should seriously consider getting Minato a position at the Kirijo Group for a future career. The company could certainly benefit by having someone as resourceful as him."
Both Minato and Mitsuru's eyes widened at this.
"What?" Mitsuru asked, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.
"Would she be able to even do something like that?" Minato asked.
"I don't see why not," the Chairman said, smiling. "Perhaps Mitsuru may not have the influence but Takeharu and I could certainly pull some strings if you're interested."
Minato didn't know what to say. With all his focus on passing exams and fighting Shadows, he hadn't given his future much thought. He supposed that working for the Kirijo Group was a good place as any to start but wondered if the Chairman spoke the truth or was just joking. He looked at Mitsuru, who seemed uncomfortable at the whole topic.
"What do you think about this?" he asked her.
"Well…it's true that my father is quite fond of you so I don't doubt it would be out of the question. But can we save this discussion for later and get back to the agenda?" Addressing the Chairman, she asked, "How goes your research on those suppressant pills Aragaki has been taking?"
Ikutsuki folded his arms. "I'm afraid there isn't much good news to share. Once a Persona-user starts the dosage, they must continue or else they will face death by their Persona. Ironically enough, continuous dosage will lead to fatal side effects. I'm sorry to say this but there is nothing we can do for Shinjiro."
"So there really is no way to save him." She looked down at her lap and clenched her fists, deciding whether to tell Akihiko of this. She had known of the side effects but wasn't expecting to learn that there was no cure. And while telling Akihiko would put him out of his misery, it could also make him even more dejected than he already was.
"You mustn't forget Mitsuru that it was Shinjiro's own choice to go down this path. So don't think that this is your fault." The Chairman stood up. "Anyway, I have an early meeting tomorrow so I must be going now. Goodnight to you both."
Once he left, Minato looked at Mitsuru, who seemed to be contemplating something in great detail. He could only imagine what she, Akihiko, and Ken were going through right now. Shinjiro had played a big part in shaping each of their lives and even Minato admitted it was hard to accept the prospect of his eventual death. Moving closer to Mitsuru, he placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to gaze at him with sombre eyes.
"The Chairman's right you know," Minato said before Mitsuru could open her mouth. "Don't blame yourself for this."
"I know. You don't need to remind me." She cleared her throat and got up. "So, what is this predicament you're in with Takeba?"
The sudden change in subject caught Minato by surprise and he chuckled as he stood up. "Right. I was going to tell you about that wasn't I?" Choosing his words carefully so that there wouldn't be any misunderstandings, Minato explained everything as they left the control room and went down the stairs. How Yukari had accidentally said that he was already interested in someone. How he had gone and announced that the person he was interested in was Yukari to avoid speculation and direct attention away from him and Mitsuru working together in the Student Council. And how he had negotiated with Yukari about pretending to be in a relationship so that the majority of the grade could see it was true and not think otherwise.
"Are you going to be okay with that?" Minato asked at the end of it. They were standing in front of his room.
Mitsuru remained silent for a few moments. Then she said, "I think I'll be fine. It if helps to provide more cover for us then by all means. Just," she moved closer and took his hand, "promise me that whatever you need to do to keep up the act is kept to a minimum. I know we're not in an official relationship or anything so I probably shouldn't tell you what you can and can't do but, it'll make me feel better knowing that you aren't…um…fooling around with her."
Minato considered this. It was a fair price to pay but he hadn't expected that she would actually feel a little jealous. Maybe Yukari and I should rethink how we'll present ourselves, he thought.
"I promise I won't allow anything to happen," he said, squeezing her hand. "And I'll let Yukari know as well."
"Thanks," Mitsuru said. The smile on her lips was a sad one and she sighed. "If only this didn't have to be so difficult. We would be able to freely go and do things together without scrutiny. I guess that's one thing my father didn't have to deal with."
"You mean your father never dated?"
She released his hand. "Oh no he did. It's just that none of them worked out and in the end, he got himself into an arranged marriage with my mother, the CEO of a company that we acquired."
"You know, maybe me getting something at the Kirijo Group would be a good idea. I know we probably won't work together but at least we'd be able to do things without having to be so secretive. Wouldn't you say so?"
This forced a small chuckle out of Mitsuru and Minato smiled. He hated it when Mitsuru was down and was glad to see her lighten up.
"The Chairman really motivated you didn't he?" she said. "Well I suppose it would make things easier. But is that what you really want to do after graduating? I mean, I will fully support you with whatever decision you make but I don't want to be the one holding you back from any ambition or plans you have for the future." She turned to leave but upon seeing Minato's thoughtful look, she added, "Anyway, it's just something to think about. I'll see you tomorrow."
She left and Minato watched her go, wondering if he should have given an answer.
He was still wondering about this when Pharos appeared during the Dark Hour that night. Lying on his bed, Minato didn't have to avert his eyes from the ceiling to know that the young boy with the striped pyjamas was sitting on his study chair. It had become the boy's favorite place in the room.
"Oh, you're already awake," Pharos said, looking at Minato curiously with his large blue eyes.
"You seem surprised," Minato said.
"Well when I come and visit, you're normally asleep. Sometimes you wake and we talk, sometimes you don't."
Minato glanced at Pharos, his thoughts on Mitsuru and Yukari coming to a temporary stop. "Are you saying you've been watching me sleep all this time?"
The boy evaded his question and threw one of his own. "Something's bothering you isn't it? You're…" the boy frowned as he searched for the right word, "afraid."
Minato flinched. Pharos had never said anything of the sort before; the boy's previous visits were reminders that another full moon was fast approaching.
"Afraid? What would I be afraid of?"
"You're afraid that you might lose the place you shine the brightest, the place that gave you the chance to meet and reunite with the people who're dear to you." He teleported and sat on the bed. "You're afraid that what you do will push her away."
"Mitsuru? That can't be right. The fact that she's concerned about what I'm doing means we're getting closer and becoming more than just good friends."
"Perhaps. I only want you to be careful. The poisonous flowers in the garden opposite yours have already bloomed and it won't be long before the one in your garden blooms as well."
Here we go again, another one of his cryptic messages, Minato thought. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't really know," Pharos said, looking at his feet. "It's something I remembered. Just like how I remember something about the coming of the end. It won't be brought about by anyone in particular, but because there are many people who wish for it as if it was destined from the start." He gazed at Minato. "It's quite a strange thing to wish for isn't it?"
"I think it's more troubling than strange. But why wait until now to tell me all of this?"
"As I said, I've only started to recall some of my memories. They've been slowly coming back to me over time but I couldn't make any sense of them until tonight. It's like how you can't remember much of your childhood. I'm sure once you do though, you'll want to let me know. Because that's what friends do right?"
He disappeared and Minato was left alone without being able to answer again.