PERSONA: PAPILLION HEARTS


Chapter 6: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad Reborn


Saturday, April 16th, 2039, Waning Gibbous Moon.


It was strange, having to get ready for school the following day, after everything that had happened.

I didn't really see the need in customizing the school uniform. The Gekkoukan uniform was pretty much the same as it was thirty years ago, when my parents attended the prestigious school. The only thing I added was my dad's headphones. After applying a little make-up, I was ready.

I stepped out of my room, heading for the bottom floor. Sora and Akio were already there, eating breakfast.

"Morning, Sonomin!" Akio greeted, cheerful as ever.

"Good morning," I said, taking a seat.

"Are you ready to go back to school?" Sora asked suddenly.

Akio grimaced. "Who wants to go to school?"

"Rui liked going to school," Sora commented idly, taking a sip of his tea.

I stiffened at the mention of my cousin. But it was true that she and Sora grew up together. They were only a few months apart and their parents have been friends since high school. And their parents had fought Shadows together and saved the world, as I now knew. I supposed if anything brought people together, it would be that.

"Oooh, is Rui your girlfriend? Boyfriend?" Akio asked, eyes twinkling with excitement as he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.

Sora choked, coughing violently. He wheezed for a moment, scrambling for a napkin to cough into. I shot him a glare; he should know better than to ask that. But he ignored me.

"Rui is just one of my best friends," Sora blurted out, his cheeks tinting pink. "Like Iruka and Akemi!"

"Those names mean nothing to me," Akio deadpanned.

"Why did you hone in on Rui then?!" Sora cried out.

"Hey, you're the one to randomly bring her up," Akio said, shrugging.

My hands clenched around my fork. Sora would never break the rules like that. He'd know especially with how his mother was such a celebrated idol. She even spent a few years as a professional singer after 'graduating' from being an idol. That was before Sora's older brother came along, anyway.

"Knock it off, Akio," I said before reaching for a piece of toast, already spread with butter and jam.

I wasn't in the mood for cereal today.

Sora looked unsure about what to say before looking towards the door. "Come on… we should go before we're late. I know Sonomi's brother is your homeroom teacher but he might discipline you anyways…"

"Damn, and not in the fun way," Akio sighed. "I guess it'll save me from Mom giving me hell for not respecting my teacher."

"That's not what I-" Sora sighed. "Ugh… whatever. Are you coming, Sonomi?"

I shrugged. "Might as well."

I took the piece of toast with me before grabbing my bookbag. We headed out of the dorm together.

The walk was shaping to be uneventful… until right before we reached the station.

We immediately stopped, taking in the sight. There were police officers everywhere, scouring what appeared to be a crime scene. Yellow tape blocked off the area where the florist stand usually was; it had moved. An ambulance was even here…

"Damn…" Akio breathed out.

I could see the medics pushing a gurney towards the ambulance, a white sheet covering the body they had placed on it.

"Please, there's nothing to see here—"

The owner of the voice stopped in their tracks.

"...Sora?"

"Rui!" Sora blurted out, his eyes wide with shock.

For a moment, my cousin and Sora just stared at each other.

Rui… had always been beautiful. She stood at about average height, her hair cascading to the small of her back. Her hair was pretty much the same shade as mine—deep blue—but silky smooth. Her bangs nearly fell into her gray eyes, swept to the side. And she was dressed professionally, in a dark violet coat dress, black tights, and black leather stiletto boots. She also wore a stylish beret the same color as her coat.

But that's when Rui's expression softened. "Sora… it's been so long."

"That's putting it lightly. But hey, you look great, Rui!" Sora laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I should've known they would ask you to help with the case. They'd be dumb not to! You always were such an amazing detective!"

Rui's eyes widened at that and her cheeks dusted pink. "Ah, thank you, Sora, but I still have a long way to go."

Akio leaned down closer to me. "Sounds like someone's got a crush…"

My gaze flickered up to him and I glowered. "Don't be ridiculous."

He gave a slight shrug. "He's not the only one with a crush."

"What's that supposed to-"

"I didn't know you were here in Port Island, though," Rui continued after a moment, before her eyes shifted to me and then Akio. "…With my cousin, no less… and the prime minister's son?"

"…Hello, Rui," I stated stiffly, only after glaring at Akio one more time.

Akio flashed a grin and gave a wave. "The one and only Akio Amamiya, at your service. Sora's told us all about ya."

"H-Hey!" Sora blushed. "I… It was only once or twice!"

Rui's gaze flickered over to him and then back to Akio. "I hope it was nothing… unpleasant."

Akio laughed. "Oh, 'course not! He's done nothing but spout your praises."

Sora's cheeks darkened further. "I-It wasn't that much!"

"…I see," Rui mused, but the corner of her lips quirked up ever so slightly. "Well, I am glad to hear it." She paused, looking back at the crime scene. "…Unfortunately, I do not have time to talk—nor do you, if you wish to arrive at school on time. However-" She reached into her pocket to retrieve a notepad. She took the pen attached to it off and flipped it open, quickly jotting down something. "-here is my number. Please do keep in touch this time, Sora."

She ripped the paper out of the notepad and held it out to him. His eyes widened for a moment, but he hastily accepted it.

"O-Of course, Rui!" Sora managed a smile. "It'd be nice to, uh… hang out again. Like old times."

Again, Akio leaned down towards me. "More like 'it'd be great to fuck you'…"

This time, I turned to face him, scowling. "Shut up!"

That caught Sora's and Rui's attention, but Akio simply raised his hands.

"Jeez, Sonomin, just speaking the truth." He lowered his hands. "Damn, you really don't like having competition, huh?"

I glared harder. "What the hell are you talking about?"

His nonchalant attitude seemed to fade away as he narrowed his eyes at me, shoving his hands into his pockets. He closed his eyes, let out a breath, and once again leaned down close to me, so only I could hear what he was about to say.

"…It's really obvious you have the hots for Sora, Sonomi."

I stared at him. I could feel the heat rising to my face, as the horrible realization settled down upon me. I shook my head at him, taking a step back.

"I-Impossible." I looked down at my feet. "I don't—I don't have feelings."

Akio sighed, standing up straight. "God, Sonomin, surely by now you've realized that's not fucking true." He looked down at me, some kind of emotion in his eyes, but I couldn't… read it. "If I've learned anything about you these past few days, it's that your heart is too big for your body and you can't handle it, so you shut yourself off. Feelings for others included."

My eyes widened. "I-"

"Um…" Sora cleared his throat. "Is everything okay?"

I couldn't even bring myself to answer his question. I turned away from Akio, wrapping my arm around myself. My heart gave a painful squeeze.

"What does it matter?" I asked quietly. "We're both idols. And he clearly likes someone else. My feelings—whatever they are—are pointless."

Pointless. Meaningless. No one cared about how I felt, so I tried to feel nothing at all. My difficulty with emoting simply made it easier. To everyone at Takura Productions, I was simply an ice queen, but an ice queen who was incredibly good at pretending to have a heart. The person the masses adored was not truly me. Did a true 'me' even exist?

How could anyone love someone like me?

Akio let out a sigh. "Sonomin… if no one cared about how you feel, you wouldn't have friends."

Friends, huh… I supposed… he was right.

But I turned away from him, facing Sora. "I'm… fine. I'm going to head to school. You… should too, so you aren't late."

Without another word, I headed on my way.


By the time that I reached the school, Akio and Sora had caught up to me.

Of course, other students noticed the three of us enter the school together. Sora parted ways shortly after, giving a wave and saying he'd see us after school. I decided to stop by my shoe locker. Akio lingered; I figured he didn't want to leave me alone after earlier. He leaned against the lockers since no one else was in my row, waiting for me to check mine. It helped keep people from crowding me, at least…

I unlocked the locker and opened it. It was full of… letters. I took one out and flipped it open. I expected the usual fan letter… but no. It… was wishing me to get well. I glanced down at the other letters inside. I wondered… were all these get well letters, then? I… hadn't expected that.

"Uh, Sonomi?"

I looked up at Akio, whose eyes were focused on the front door. I followed his gaze to see what had him bothered. Immediately a sharp pain pierced through my skull. I winced, pressing my hand against my temple.

"What's the fucking Vice CEO of Phlegethon doing here?" Akio muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

I recognized her. How could I not? Her name was Akatsuki Akai and she was considered the most beautiful woman in all of Japan.

She strode into the school like she owned the place, head held high and every step she took poised, with purpose. She stood tall for a Japanese woman—taller than Michiko, even. She had long, pin straight black hair, with bangs parted down the middle, framing her face. Half was pulled back in a neat bun, not a single strand out of place. Her skin was fair, almost like porcelain—the epitome of Japanese beauty. Her eyes were dark, dark brown. She had full, puckered lips, dark crimson with lipstick. She wore a loose blouse the same color as her lipstick, with long sleeves that bared one of her shoulders, high waisted flowing black pants, and a pair of black stilettos.

But she wasn't alone. Following after her were three teenagers—two boys and a girl. My eyes widened as I recognized Shion. He spotted me, his face lighting up, and he gave a short wave. And then they walked on by.

Akio narrowed his eyes. "…You know him?"

I glanced over at him. "I met him in the cemetery the other day. It's not a big deal."

"Don't worry, Sonomin," Akio drawled, though there was… a look in his eyes that did not match his tone. "I'm not a guy that gets easily jealous of you spending time with other men."

"Wh-Wha-" I sputtered, feeling my face burn. "I—I don't-"

He simply flashed that lopsided grin of his, making butterflies flutter in my stomach. I glared at him, before I pointedly turned my attention back to my shoe locker so I could lock it back up. Then I stepped away, still refusing to look at him.

"…We should get to class."

Akio didn't protest. He simply followed after me as I headed to our classroom. Whenever Akio was around, no one really bothered me. I supposed he intimidated them. Or perhaps there were rumors going around about him? I hadn't heard anything, but I also had missed a lot of days. Regardless, it was… nice to not be bombarded.

"Morning!" Hotaru greeted cheerfully as we both took our seats. "Glad to see you back, Sonomi. Mom said you burned yourself out again."

"…Well, that's one way to put it," I muttered.

Hotaru tilted her head. "Eh?"

"Aunt Minako didn't tell you the truth, then," I said, setting my pencil case down on my desk. "Midnight lasts so long these days, you know."

Hotaru's eyes widened, then narrowed. "…Oh, that. Yeah, she told me about that.

Akio leaned back in his seat, folding his arms behind his head. "Looks like we're all in the loop, then."

I looked up to see my brother enter the room, followed by… Shion?! Once again, he spotted me, his face lighting up and giving a wave. I just stared as MJ and Shion came to a halt in front of the class.

"…Well, what do you know," Akio muttered, now crossing his arms over his chest. "Shion Otsuki is going to school with the masses."

My eyes widened. "You know him?"

Akio shrugged. "Only in passing. He's the adoptive son of Shouichi Otsuki, the CEO of Phlegethon. He was there with his dad at some important event or whatever that my folks dragged me to a couple years back."

Hotaru stiffened. "He looks like-" She cut herself off and shook her head. "Never mind."

I frowned, wondering what she had been about to say. But I supposed it didn't matter. I returned my attention to the front of the class. My brother seemed to hesitate, before shaking his head and clearing his throat.

"Class, we have another transfer student," MJ announced. "Please introduce yourself."

Shion nodded and then faced the class with a polite smile. "My name is Shion Otsuki and it's a pleasure to meet you." He turned around to write his name on the chalkboard.

Shion… Otsuki… No, that wasn't-

A sharp pain pierced my skull. I winced, touching the side of my head. Why did this keep happening to me…

MJ nodded to the last available desk. "That will be your seat."

Shion nodded with a smile and headed over to the desk. It was at the front of the room, away from where I sat with Hotaru and Akio. For a moment, I watched him sit down and open his briefcase. Just what was the deal with this guy…

I supposed, in the end, it didn't really matter.


I was grateful that Saturdays were half days.

It felt like I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Whenever there was a spare moment, I was bombarded with questions, asking if I was okay, was I feeling better, and comments that they were happy to see me back at school and so on. I couldn't tell if my classmates were genuine or if it was all an act. It was exhausting.

I had more important things to do than satiate my classmates' curiosity.

Like planned, Akio and I met outside of the school. As usual, we got some looks and whispers. Was it always going to be like this?

"Sooo…" Akio shoved his hands into his pockets. "We're going to—what's the place again? Kirijo Tower?"

"Yes," I answered, adjusting my bag on my shoulder. "I want to talk to Mitsuru-san."

In order to reach Kirijo Tower—the headquarters of the Kirijo Group—we would have to take the train downtown. The area was known for its restaurants, but the ambiance was more… for couples. There were other businesses as well, but Kirijo Tower stood in the center of the district, standing thirty stories high.

I wanted to talk to her about Asphodel. As frustrated as I was about the adults hiding so much from me, I wanted to talk to Mitsuru to find out more. We still didn't have the complete picture… Surely something could be done about the Great Seal weakening… right?

"Well, lead the way, Sonomin," Akio said.

"...Right," I muttered.

Thankfully, Akio didn't pester me too much as we made our way downtown. He seemed more interested in taking in the sights, which… was fair, I supposed. As we rode the train, I looked out the window myself. That was when I noticed there was a second tower downtown, a couple of streets down from Kirijo Tower, standing even taller.

"Hey," I said, tapping Akio on the arm. "Do you know what that is?"

Akio glanced up from his phone, looking over to where I pointed. "That's not Kirijo Tower then, I take it?"

I shook my head.

"Well, according to the news and shit, Phlegethon's been building their own tower here, since they're basically taking over Port Island." He gave a shrug. "Maybe that's it?"

I stiffened. "Of course they are…"

I… didn't like how my hometown was changing. Change wasn't always a bad thing, yet… there was something about this that felt… I couldn't think of a word for it.

When I was little, Phlegethon had been a small, inconsequential company. How did it grow so large and powerful in ten years? How did it topple the Kirijo Group? The more I learned, the more uneasy I became.

The train arrived at our stop and we boarded off. I didn't want to waste any more time, so I immediately led the way to our destination.

Kirijo Tower had once been the tallest building on Port Island, but now… that wasn't the case anymore. Regardless, it loomed above us, thirty stories tall. Its windows gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting the light. Guards stood at the front entrance, but they let us pass without a fuss. Akio stayed close to me, looking around with his hands shoved in his pockets.

The main foyer was just like I remember—pristine and minimalistic. Everything was white, save for accents of red and black. The front desk was manned by a pretty woman in a business suit. To the left was a sitting area, with comfortable, plush chairs. A coffee table sat in the middle, with stacks of magazines neatly arranged on it. On the far wall in the back, was an elevator. It was quiet, save for a few people standing around, talking in low voices.

I hesitated, suddenly not sure what to do.

A woman was about to walk past us, her heels clicking on the linoleum. But when she noticed us, she stopped, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"What are you doing here? This is no place for children."

Oh, for crying out loud…

Akio scowled and opened his mouth, like he was about to say something—probably something rude—so I quickly shook my head at him and he stopped himself. Instead, he scowled harder at the woman, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We're here to see Mitsuru-san," I said, getting straight to the point.

The woman rolled her eyes, turning to face us fully, putting a hand on her hip. "I'm afraid that's not possible. Kirijo-san is currently in an extremely important meeting. And even if she wasn't…" She wrinkled her nose. "She most definitely would not have time to meet with… students such as yourselves."

Akio glared at her. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

Irritation flickered across her face. "And most definitely not students who speak such uncouth language!"

It was my turn to be irritated now. "My mother is a close friend of Mitsuru-san's. It's extremely important that we-"

"Absolutely not!" The woman crossed her arms over her chest. "Now you best leave the premises before I have security escort you off."

I opened my mouth to say something, hopefully before Akio went off again.

"...What's going on here?"

We all looked over… to see none other than Tetsuya Kirijo, Mitsuru's eldest and only son, along with Michiko.

The woman's eyes widened. "O-Oh! Mr. Kirijo, I didn't know you were on site! You see, these two teenagers-"

He lifted his hand and she cut herself off. She looked awfully pale now. Michiko gave us a timid wave.

Tetsuya Kirijo was twenty years old and a student at the local university. When we were young, I'd had a silly crush on him… He'd always been cute, but seeing him now after all these years—I could feel my face flush and my heart nearly leap out of my chest. Out of surprise, of course.

He stood tall, about the same height as Akio, with broad shoulders. His black suit fit him well, as well as the black dress shirt he wore, the first couple of buttons undone—enough to not be tight around the neck but still professional. He had the same dark crimson locks as his mother and sister, his bangs swept to the side, nearly getting into his red eyes. His hair reached down to his shoulders, pulled back into a low ponytail. He was the spitting image of his mother.

"That is unnecessary," Tetsuya said, his voice… much deeper than I remembered. "These two are friends of the Kirijo family. They can come and go as they please."

"Hi, Sonomi-senpai," Michiko greeted with a shy smile. "And, um, Amamiya-senpai."

The woman had gone as pale as a ghost. "O-Of course, as you say, sir!" She bowed hastily. "I will inform all staff immediately that…" Her voice trailed off, as she must have realized she didn't know our names.

"Sonomi Arisato and Akio Amamiya are to be granted access to the entire tower," Tetsuya informed her. "Yes, including the restricted sections."

Her eyes widened. She looked over at me and then back at him. "Yes, sir, as you wish. If you will excuse me…"

The woman scurried off, back to the elevator. Michiko looked up at her brother, and he gave her a nod. She immediately hurried up to us, a bright smile lighting up her face.

"Senpai! I didn't expect to see you here!"

"We came here to see Mitsuru-san," I told her.

"Mother is currently in a meeting… with Phlegethon." A look of distaste flickered over his face. "But never mind that. It's good to see you, Sonomi." His gaze shifted to Akio. "And a pleasure to meet you as well, Amamiya."

Akio shoved his hands into his pockets. "Just glad to have that harpy not screeching at us to leave anymore."

I frowned. "What business does Phlegethon have with the Kirijo Group?"

Michiko immediately winced, looking down and tugging at the sleeve of her uniform. Tetsuya's gaze flickered around, which made me look too. No one was nearby; every person in the lobby was far out of hearing distance.

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you."

I stiffened. I didn't like the sound of this.

"Otsuki is attempting to convince Mother to betroth Michiko to his son. We were supposed to join the meeting upon Mother's request, but…" His face flickered down to his sister, who refused to look anywhere but at the ground. "Frankly, I do not wish Michiko to be present for any such discussion."

Michiko tugged at her sleeve again. "I… I don't want to go anyway…"

"What is this, the shogun era?" Akio demanded incredulously. "Who the fuck does arranged marriages these days anyway?"

Tetsuya pursed his lips. "The rich and powerful. Unfortunately."

"That's insane," I retorted. "Surely Mitsuru-san would never agree to something like that."

"You're right," Tetsuya answered. "Mother doesn't believe in arranged marriage—Michiko is most definitely safe, as I have been. But that won't stop them from trying."

"For the most part, no one has, um…" Michiko seemed to wilt before my very eyes. "No one has been interested in me for a marriage alliance. Because I'm, um…" Her voice trailed off, but tears were welling up in her eyes.

I bristled, but Tetsuya reached out to place his hand gently on his sister's head. "It's all right, Michi."

She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Y-Yes, of course."

"The more I hear about 'em, the more I start to dislike this Phlegethon," Akio muttered.

Tetsuya lowered his hand. "But if you wish to speak with Mother… I can speak with you instead." He looked back down at his sister. "Michiko, you should head home."

Her eyes widened. "But-"

"There's nothing to worry about," he reassured her, smiling gently. "Besides, don't you have homework to do?"

Michiko made a face. "Yes…" She sighed. "All right, I'll head home…" She looked up at us and smiled sheepishly. "I'll see you later, Senpai."

I nodded and we watched her walk away, leaving the building.

"…Michiko does not know about Personas," Tetsuya said quietly, so only we could hear. "And we would like to keep it that way."

"Understandable," Akio said, giving a nod. "I wouldn't want my little sister involved in this shit either."

"…Wait." I turned back to face them. "You have a Persona, Tetsuya-san?"

He shook his head, smiling wryly. "Unfortunately, no. But as the heir to the Kirijo Group, my mother felt it necessary that I know the truth." His gaze flickered to the door, where his sister had left. "I don't have the potential. But Michiko does. And that is why we keep a close eye on her—to spare her from the burden."

Oh…

I pursed my lips. So even Tetsuya was told the truth before me… It was so hard not to get irritated over this. I could understand the desire to protect your loved ones. But… if they knew Michiko had the potential, wouldn't they have known I did as well? Did they not think I was at risk? I didn't understand…

When I didn't respond, Tetsuya turned towards the elevator. "We should take this conversation to more agreeable surrounds."

As soon as he was out of earshot, Akio leaned down towards me. "So, when were you gonna tell me that Michiko's big brother was hot?"

"H-Huh?" I looked up at him, feeling my cheeks burn. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Oh, so you don't deny it then." He smirked at me. "I'd let him boss me around and I don't let anyone do that. Would you like that too, Sonomin?"

I glared at him and stomped on his foot. Hard.

"Ow!" he yelped. "Aw, Sonomin, you really need to learn how to relax."

I scowled, crossing my arms over my chest. "Is this where you offer to help me 'relax'?"

He laughed. "I wasn't planning on it, but if this is you asking…"

My face burned hotter, my entire body flushing with heat. I opened my mouth to retort, but no words came out. I shut my mouth and then tried to say something again. Nothing. He… He—the audacity!

I abruptly turned away from him. "…Tetsuya-san is waiting for us."

Before he could say another word, I briskly walked away to catch up with Tetsuya, leaving Akio to follow after me.


When we entered the elevator, Tetsuya slotted in a key card and punched a code into the number pad. And then, instead of going up like I expected, the elevator began to descend. I looked over at Akio who gave a slight shrug.

"I didn't know Kirijo Tower has a basement," I commented.

"Officially? It doesn't." Tetsuya turned to face us. "The floors below ground serve as headquarters for the Shadow Operatives. Originally, they functioned as a storage facility for all records on Shadows. But when Mother established the Shadow Operatives, she repurposed the area."

"Oh."

"Makes sense," Akio commented. "Though, I gotta wonder why your mom is so intent on fighting Shadows. Ain't she busy enough as a CEO?"

Tetsuya's expression grew pensive. "Mother has her reasons. She has always felt the burden of her grandfather's dark legacy. It's… her own way to atone for it."

"She was a child when this happened," I spoke up. "It's not her fault that all this happened…"

Tetsuya just frowned. "It's… complicated. Mother has always said that being privy to the world of Personas and Shadows meant that in a way, you can't look away. And she's right—many veteran Persona-users are part of the Shadow Operatives."

"Are… all of our family friends Shadow Operatives?" I asked with a frown.

"Your mother is part of the auxiliary team," Tetsuya answered. "As are several other friends. But… there are a few of them who are major players."

"Well I know my folks are way too busy for that shit," Akio scoffed. "It's a miracle that Mom could make as much time as she could, with her jetting off to international events a loooot."

Tetsuya looked down at me. "Kenshin's father aided Mother in founding the Shadow Operatives."

My eyes widened. "Really?"

I had met Miyako's in-laws a few times. Her father-in-law Kei was… aloof, I suppose. I could see a lot of him in my brother-in-law. His wife, Eriko, was a fashion designer, cheerful and outgoing. Though she had her… moments. She sometimes got really into the horror novels Miyako wrote. They have always been kind to me. Eriko had even sent me free clothes from her fashion company to try out and I could keep whatever I liked.

"Yes, especially with how the Kirijo Group used to be a part of the Nanjo Group," Tetsuya said with a nod. But then he looked up as the elevator let out a chime, the doors sliding open. "Ah, here we are."

I walked out after Tetsuya, Akio just a step behind me.

He led us down a hallway. With the white walls and linoleum, it… almost reminded me of a hospital. And that made me feel… uneasy. At least it didn't smell… or sound like a hospital. I couldn't stand those smells. Or sounds. They were seared into my memory.

"Uh, where are you takin' us?" Akio interjected.

"A conference room," Tetsuya answered. "You wanted to discuss Asphodel, I presume?"

"How did you-" I started to ask.

Tetsuya sighed, shaking his head. "It was all too obvious. Besides… Amamiya's father has a penchant for looking for trouble."

He smiled wryly at that.

I raised an eyebrow, looking at Akio. Sure, Mom and Anne were friends… but I don't really remember what the Amamiyas were like. Though… I couldn't imagine that of Ren. He was super mild mannered when we talked at the meeting. I really don't know where Akio got his attitude from. For crying out loud, his father was the prime minister.

Akio raised his right index finger. "I'd defend Dad but… yeah."

Tetsuya stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall and opened it up, flicking on the light and gesturing for us to go inside. We did, and once he shut the door behind us, we all took a seat. Tetsuya sat across from me, while Akio chose the seat next to me. Of course he did.

"But anyways…" Tetsuya sighed, frowning. "Asphodel is still rather a… mystery. From what Fuuka-san can determine, only a few floors are accessible. But she can sense many floors above…"

"How does she sense it?" Akio asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Fuuka-san's Persona is different. Aside from some limited abilities in aiding in combat, she specializes in… analysis. She can determine Shadows' weaknesses, help guide explorations… There are only a few Persona-users who possess this power. Fuuka-san, Rise-san, Hotaru, and…" Tetsuya's eyes shifted to Akio, "...Futaba-san."

Akio's eyes widened. "Damn, I forgot that about Aunt Futaba."

Tetsuya nodded. "It's imperative that you have back-up support."

"So… you don't think it's a good idea?" I asked.

"...My opinion matters little," Tetsuya replied, giving a slight shrug. "Though, Mother often said that she didn't like sending groups of less than three in Shadow nests. It's too dangerous."

"We can do a test run, then," Akio suggested, leaning forward in his seat. "Just 'cause it's dangerous doesn't mean it's right to stand by and let shit happen. Or hell, maybe even ask Sanada for help. I betcha she's totally the type to jump into this kind of thing."

"Yes, she does take after Akihiko-san in certain ways," Tetsuya said with a slight grimace. "...Though, I can't imagine he or Minako-san would be happy to allow her to do so."

"Whataya mean?" Akio's brow furrowed as he frowned.

"My aunt and uncle are both orphans," I said flatly. "And my uncle lost his little sister when he was just eight. And… you know about my dad."

"But she's just gonna be analyzing shit, right?" Akio insisted. "It's less dangerous."

"But dangerous nonetheless," Tetsuya said, wincing. "Though… I suppose they will try to look at it more practically. They're more active in aiding the Shadow Operatives."

"So we would have Akio and me battling Shadows and Hotaru backing us," I stated. "It… could be worse."

"Aw, Sonomin, lighten up. You're too pretty to be frowning like that," Akio said, nudging me in the side.

I glared at him, elbowing his side back. "Stop that!"

"Wanna make me?" Akio teased, giving me that lopsided grin.

Butterflies started to flutter in my stomach again. Honestly, I was surprised my face hadn't self-combusted by now… I swear I hadn't blushed this much before in my life.

"Shut up!" I scowled at him.

Ugh! He was so… so…! I couldn't even think of a word to describe it. I just wished I had a bucket of water to dunk my hot face in.

"...Teenagers," Tetsuya sighed.

"W-What's that supposed to mean?" I protested.

"Oh, nothing," Tetsuya waved us off. "Now, I suppose you can speak to Hotaru later. But first… I want to show you two something else."

"Eh, it's not like it'll shock me." Akio shrugged before standing up.

I stood up as well, pushing my chair in. For some reason, the corner of Tetsuya's mouth twitched.

"Don't count on that, Amamiya," he said. "Follow me."

Without another word, he led us out of the conference room.

He brought us back to the elevator. Using his key card and code, he chose another destination for us. And then the elevator began to descend again… all the way to the final floor. That wasn't ominous or anything…

"Where are we?" I asked as we stepped outside.

"It's…" Tetsuya sighed. "It's better for you to see. Come."

"Whatever you say, boss," Akio drawled out, punctuating his sarcasm with a sweeping bow.

I rolled my eyes before hastening to follow Tetsuya. He had really long legs so I had to nearly jog to catch up to him.

His destination was at the end of the hall. This door… was locked up tight. Tetsuya had to swipe his card key again and enter a different code. The door slid open with a hiss.

The first thing I noticed was the quiet beeping of machinery. A glass wall separated the room from the door, a short little hallway between, as if to protect whoever was inside from the outside. Then my eyes were drawn to the man lying in a hospital bed. My knees buckled together for a moment.

"...Dad?"

He looked older and so… frail but it was unmistakable. MJ… really looked like him. His hair was that same, familiar shade of blue, now streaked with gray. He was hooked up to some machinery. Life support?

He seemed so peaceful… Like he was only sleeping. Like at any moment, he could wake up and… and everything would be okay. But that was only… wishful thinking. A dream that would never come true. A foolish hope of a naive little girl. But I wasn't that girl anymore.

"W-Wait… everyone said he died," Akio choked out. "Are they keeping his body for prosperity or some other shit?"

"No." Exasperation edged in Tetsuya's voice. "Mother has only told me a little but… they discovered the truth of Minato-san's death a few weeks after Graduation Day. Remember, the Great Seal is maintained by his soul… Mother, Sonomi's mother, and all their friends vowed to lessen his burden. And perhaps one day… people will stop wishing for the Fall, for death."

"...Is that even possible?" I mumbled. "How can people stop wishing for that?"

"It's what they vowed to do." Tetsuya spread his hands. "I don't know why Erebus stirs again. But perhaps… you can do your own part. Youth is not to be underestimated."

"...You sound like an old man," Akio said idly before shoving his hands in his pockets. "You're what—twenty-five?"

"...Tetsuya-san is twenty," I said flatly.

But still… Tetsuya's statement rattled in my head. If people stopped wishing for death… my dad could come back? My mom… could be happy again if he came back…

…I was just contributing to the problem, wasn't I?

A single tear leaked from my eye and I hastily wiped it away.

"C-Can I visit him?" I asked, looking up at Tetsuya.

Tetsuya sighed, pressing a finger against his temple. "I can't make any promises but I'll speak to Mother about it. I'm sure she would understand, given how she feels about Grandfather."

"All these years… Mitsuru-san kept Dad on life support?" I asked, my voice… soft.

Tetsuya sighed. "...Mother has always felt terrible about what happened to your family. She said it's the least she could do about it…"

"Your mom sure feels guilty about a lot of things," Akio commented. "I hope she at least gets massages to help alleviate stress."

"Minako-san sometimes has to drag Mother out of her office," Tetsuya said with a sigh. "She's… quite dedicated to her work."

Yeah… that sounded like Mitsuru.

"...Is that all you had to show us?" I asked quietly.

Tetsuya hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes. I'll take you back up to the ground floor now."

Even as he headed for the door, I couldn't help but stare at my dad's body. And yet, with all my rationalism, some part of me still wanted to believe that Dad could be brought back.

I didn't know if it was possible to get humanity to stop wishing for death. I couldn't stop wishing for it myself. But… the least I could do… was make sure that Erebus didn't come to kill us all. Maybe I wouldn't be able to bring Dad back. Maybe I'd never be able to make Mom happy again. But I… I could do that.

I didn't have many memories of my life before the incident. But despite that, something seemed to come back to me as I stood there, my gaze locked on my dad's body.

I recalled… asking my mom when Dad would come back to us. I recalled her telling me that he couldn't because he had a very important job in heaven. And I told her… I'd find the way to heaven so I could bring him home. Because I… didn't want to see Mom cry anymore. To think that had been her gentle way of telling me about the Great Seal…

I felt the tears welling up in my eyes, but I wiped them away with my sleeve.


After Tetsuya brought us back, we immediately went to my aunt and uncle's house. Thankfully, they were busy at work right now. The last thing we needed was for them to overhear our conversation and tell us we couldn't go. I didn't like going behind their backs, but it felt like we had no other choice.

"So… what do you two want?"

Hotaru had brought us to the living room and grabbed a couple of sodas for us, before plopping down on the couch. She gestured for us to sit down. Well, after Taro, their red sesame shiba inu, another one of Koromaru's descendants, went nuts over seeing me again.

The Sanadas' house was like a second home to me. I'd spent most of my childhood here, living with my aunt and uncle and their family, once Mom became too busy with work to look after me. It was comforting to see that nothing much had changed. The furniture looked a little worn, but everything was in the same place.

I sank into the plush loveseat, shifting to make myself comfortable. Akio just leaned onto the arm of the loveseat. Taro immediately came over, hopped onto the loveseat, and curled up next to me.

I eyed the soda. I liked sugary drinks but… maybe I ought to have iced tea.

"Sonomi, just drink the soda," Hotaru said, exasperated. I winced at the slight admonishment; Hotaru always seemed to know what was on my mind when we were kids. I guess that hadn't changed…

I fought the urge to sigh and gave Taro a scratch instead.

"...So you know about Asphodel, Sanada?" Akio interjected.

Hotaru narrowed her eyes. "How the fuck do you know about that, Amamiya?"

"Was told about it," Akio said, shrugging.

"By who?"

"My folks. Your folks. Just to name a few."

"Sonomi?" Hotaru's eyes swung over to me.

I popped open the soda, taking a sip. "Your parents told you what happened to me, right?"

"Yes…" Hotaru dragged out the word, looking a bit hesitant. "They said Amamiya came back to the dorm, all while carrying you before using your phone to call Aunt Yukari."

W-What? My face began to heat up. Akio carried me back to the dorm?!

"...Uhhh, did nobody tell you that?" Hotaru looked sheepish.

I gulped down some more soda. Maybe if I drank enough, it would cool down my face…

"It's not a big deal," Akio said, shrugging. "You were light, Sonomin."

Hotaru scowled, chucking a throw pillow right at Akio's face. "Will you quit hitting on her like that?! Don't think I won't kick your ass, Amamiya."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Akio sighed, shaking his head. "I can take you on, Sanada."

"Not if I break your kneecaps," Hotaru threatened.

"Oooh, feisty," Akio snickered. "I'm shaking in my boots."

"...You're not even wearing shoes," I grumbled.

I sighed before looking at my cousin. Hotaru was probably the closest thing I had to a best friend. She was more like a sister than a cousin to me.

I could do this. I could ask her to join us…

"But Hotaru… we want to explore Asphodel. But we can't do it alone. Will you join u—"

"Yes! YES!" Hotaru all but jumped to her feet, her eyes sparkling. "God, you didn't have to ask!" She then pumped her fist. "Hell yes! I've been waiting for this!"

"That bad, huh?" Akio asked.

Hotaru made a face. "It's really bad with Dad. He always gets like this with me and Aneki especially. But anyways!" She looked to me, clapping her hands once. "When are you going?! Do you have supplies? You'll probably need weapons and armor and medicine and-"

"...Sonomin, I think we've created a monster," Akio muttered.

I opened my mouth to respond, only for my phone to ring. I dug it out from my bag, barely glancing at the caller ID and registering that it was MJ calling.

"Hello-"

"Sonomi, you need to come to the hospital."

"Why?" I asked, confused. "The doctor gave me a clean bill—"

"Not for a check-up," MJ interrupted. "It's Miya. She's gone into labor."

I dropped my phone.

"Sono-chan?" Hotaru asked.

I swallowed. "It's Nee-san. She's gone into labor."

"...Poor Kenshin-san," Hotaru said after a moment.

"Who?" Akio asked.

"My sister's husband," I sighed, before reaching down to pick up my phone. "I'll be over right away with Hotaru." I paused to eye Akio. "…And probably Akio since he has to tag along for everything."

I could practically feel my brother's disapproval through the phone. "...All right. See you soon."

"Bye." I hung up and immediately turned to my cousin. "We have to go."

She nodded. "Let's go, I can call my folks on the way!"

I gave Taro a scratch behind the ears and stood up. "Sorry, Taro-chan, we have to go."

"Just be sure to visit him next time," Hotaru laughed as we headed to the door. "He's missed you, y'know!"

I managed a sheepish smile. "I'll be sure to do that."

And with that, we headed to the hospital… for a good reason, for once.