PERSONA: PAPILLION HEARTS


Chapter 2: Memories of the Dorm


Monday, April 11th, 2039, Waning Gibbous Moon.


I stood in front of the mirror, fixing my hair. I never particularly cared about my appearance, but I always tried to look presentable. As I was just being… myself, I had no need to dress all fancy or put on a lot of makeup. I wore my hair up in a high ponytail, tied with a black ribbon, the blue locks reaching down past my backside. My bangs were parted to the side, nearly falling into my electric blue eyes, some strands that didn't fit into the ponytail framing my face. I'd applied the minimum of makeup—just winged eyeliner and a soft pink lip gloss that was barely noticeable.

My hand dropped to fiddle with the crescent moon choker around my neck. It rested on top of my sleeveless black turtleneck. Over that, I wore a blue cardigan, with a black leather belt, a matching blue pleated skirt with a black lace slip underneath, thigh-high black socks, and black leather lace-up ankle boots. The choker had been a gift from my mom when I first left home.

I'd be busy today. I had to unpack. I needed everything settled before school started tomorrow.

I walked over to my bed to fetch my mp3 player and earphones from the dresser behind it. I hung the mp3 player around my neck and draped the silver earphones on my shoulders. They were really old—over 30 years. The mp3 player was a NW-S20x series from Sony, while the earphones were the clip-on kind, Audio-Technica ATH-EM700 SV. They once belonged to my father. My mom had given them to me when I was little, hoping it would help me feel more connected to the man I'd never met. Since then, I have never gone anywhere without them. I guess they were my security blankets. I had my own music on my phone, but I listened to my dad's too. With the earphones and mp3 on my person, I now felt comfortable enough to head downstairs.

As soon as I left my room and began to make my way down, I smelled the rich aroma of coffee. When I entered the kitchen, I found Sora and Amamiya, eating breakfast. Amamiya was nursing a cup of coffee, while Sora had a cup of tea. They both looked over when I stepped inside.

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty has arisen," Amamiya mused, smiling wryly. "Morning, Sonomi."

"...Don't use my first name." I walked over to the cupboards to see what cereal we had for breakfast.

"Ouch." Amamiya winced. "An icy dagger right through my heart. Sure we shouldn't call her an ice queen?"

Sora sighed. "Are you trying to piss her off?"

I found a box of my favorite cereal; Minako's doing, most likely. Unfortunately, it was on the top shelf. I reached up to fetch it, only for my hand to fall short. Also… most likely Minako's doing. I looked around the kitchen, hoping to find a stepping stool. There was none. Most definitely my aunt Minako's doing. God, she was trying to make me ask for help, wasn't she?

I fought the urge to sigh. Why did my aunt have to be so meddlesome…

"...I could use a hand," I admitted with extreme reluctance. "I… can't reach the top shelf."

Both boys looked back over at me. A moment of silence passed as they must have realized I was asking for help. And both of them began to stand up. But when Sora noticed Amamiya was also getting up, he sat back down. He let Amamiya be the one to walk over to where I was standing and effortlessly retrieve the box of cereal from the top shelf. With a theatrical bow, Amamiya held the cereal box out to me.

"One Lucky Charms for the lovely Sonomin," he said melodramatically.

I stared at him. "What did you just call me?"

"Oh?" He stood up straight, raising an eyebrow. "Sonomin? You did say not to call you by your first name… so a nickname it is!"

I've been trying very hard not to lose my temper here. Ever since the incident on Good Morning Japan, I'd found myself more testy than usual. But Amamiya… He was making it very, very difficult to not get angry. I squeezed my eyes shut, my lips pressing into a hard line as I forced myself to take a deep breath.

It was fine. It was totally fine. He was being extremely disrespectful, but I could just ignore it. I could totally ignore it. He was harmless. And if I was stuck living with him, I'd have to learn how to deal with it anyway.

"...Fine. Whatever."

I grabbed the box from him, fetched a bowl from another cupboard, and then went to the fridge to get the milk. He just grinned at me and shoved his hands into his pockets.

I couldn't believe I actually thought he was cute.

After pouring my cereal and milk into the bowl, I returned the carton to the fridge and then sat down to eat. Sora gave me an apologetic look as Amamiya sauntered back to the table and returned to his seat.

"I hope you slept well," Sora said. "Last night was kinda crazy, with the weird moon and all."

"I slept well enough," I answered. "Is there any tea left?"

"No, but I can put another kettle on," he offered.
"Or there's coffee," Amamiya suggested, leaning back in his seat and holding up his mug. "Gramps sent some of his best beans with me."

I wrinkled my nose. "I don't care for coffee."

He gasped, placing a hand over his heart. "You don't like coffee? Sacrilege!"

I looked over at him. "Is this the moment you say that we can't be friends because I don't like coffee?"

"Nah." Amamiya shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee. "How could I not be friends with Sonomin? Perish the thought."

…Dammit.

Sora smiled sheepishly. "I'll put the kettle on. It was a gift from Mom and Dad, so I want to get some use out of it."

I nodded. "Thank you, Senpai."

Sora pushed back his chair and stood up. I watched him walk over to the stove. And then I forced myself to focus on my cereal, before it could get soggy.

Today was going to be a long day.


Breakfast went by uneventfully, save for Amamiya being a nuisance. I was heading back upstairs to start unpacking when I heard a knock on the front doors. I went to see who it was. I unlocked the doors and opened one of them.

"Sonomi-chan!"

The next thing I knew, I was being squeezed to death by a heavily pregnant woman.

I heard a familiar exasperated sigh. "Oh, Airi, let her breathe, will you?"

With a big pout, my sister-in-law released me and stepped back. She put her hands on her hips and turned to her husband, my brother. "Oh, hush, you! I'm not gonna suffocate her!" She huffed indignantly and then faced me again, her bright smile returned. "Welcome home, Sonomi-chan! It's so good to see you!"

It would seem my older brother, MJ, and his wife Airi had come to see me. They even brought along their daughter, Chouko.

MJ's full name was Minato. He was named after our father. We called him 'MJ' because Aunt Minako suggested it as a nickname she learned from English, from Minato and 'Junior'. And MJ was the spitting image of his namesake. His hair was blue, like mine, and straight as silk, his bangs swept to the side. His eyes were the same blue as his hair. He was dressed in a dark blue blazer, a white turtleneck sweater, dark blue slacks, and black loafers. He held their daughter, Chouko, in one arm.

I was always struck by how gorgeous Airi was; she looked like she belonged on the big screen, not at home, as a housewife and artist. But that was her choice and she liked staying at home. She kept her straight red hair long, her bangs in a hime cut, with a black headband. Her eyes were amber-brown. She was especially fair, which stood out against the black and white gothic lolita fashion she favored. Today, she was wearing a loose fitting black dress that still hugged her heavily pregnant belly. If I recall correctly, she was seven or eight months along. She was about twenty-three years old.

Chouko was about a year and seven months old. She'd turn two in September. She was an adorable little toddler, with chubby cheeks and pouty lips. She had MJ's blue hair, soft and smooth, done in short pigtails tied with white bows, her bangs falling into her amber eyes, which she got from Airi. They'd dressed her up in a frilly white dress very reminiscent of Airi's fashion sense.

"It's good to see you too," I said.

Airi smiled. "Aunt Aigis wanted to visit too, but Mitsuru-san needed her for a job or something." Her smile turned into a wince. "Strange things have been happening on Port Island, after all."

"No need to worry about that right now," MJ said, shaking his head. "We're here to see how Sonomi is settling in, after all."

Airi looked up at him and smiled sheepishly. "I know, Minato. It's just hard not to worry sometimes." She returned her attention to me. "Let's go inside! I've never been in this old dorm."

I nodded and stepped aside, letting them enter. MJ gestured for his wife to step inside first, which she did, and then he followed suit, shutting the door behind him. Airi wandered further in, looking around the main lounge.

"Wow! This is so cute. Exactly how Papa described, with some modern additions!"

While she looked around, MJ lingered behind with me. He adjusted his hold on Chouko, who looked really indifferent about being here.

"There are some things I need to talk to you about," he said, getting straight to the point as usual. "But for now—it's good to see you doing better."

I nodded, not sure what else to say.

"Also," he continued. "Miyako will be moving out here soon, just for the year. She wanted to be closer to the whole family. Kenshin won't be able to stay all the time because of work obligations, but he'll be around when he can."

MJ and Miyako were my elder siblings, twins. They were born the September after our father's death. Long story short, our mom had been a teen mom. She found out she was pregnant after our father passed away, and chose to keep the pregnancy because of that loss. Our childhoods hadn't been easy because of that fact—because we were bastards. But MJ and Miyako… They had it far worse than I did. I didn't know to what extent. But yet, they rose above it all. They were both happily married and successful. Despite all the judgment and ridicule, they built the lives they wanted. My brother even recently got a new teaching job that paid better than his previous one.

I loved my brother and sister a lot. I wished… I wished I could be like them. But I wasn't… normal. I had enough self-awareness to know this.

"It'll be good to see her," I said. I tried to smile, but it probably came out forced.

MJ looked down at me, nodding and giving a smile of his own—his way of silently acknowledging that I had tried. "Indeed. Now let's catch up with Airi before she wanders off too far."

As if on cue, there was a loud gasp from the kitchen. "Oh my gosh! This kettle is so cute! Minato, you have to see this! We have to get one, it's so adorable!"

MJ closed his eyes and let out a soft sigh. "...Time to go see what tickled her fancy now. I should tell you some of the weird ass cravings she's had this pregnancy. It's been pretty wild."

Seeing my brother instantly relax at hearing his wife start her usual antics was enough to make me try to smile again—maybe not so forced this time. Whatever he had to talk to me about, I assumed it was serious because of his initial demeanor. Together, with my niece in tow, we walked to the kitchen.


A few minutes later, MJ handed Chouko over to Airi and then asked me to head upstairs with him. He took me to the second floor, where the boys' rooms were. He walked all the way down the hall, to the door at the end—the sealed door. When he stopped in front of the door, retrieving a key from his pocket, I found myself balking. I knew what room that was… and I had no idea why, after almost three decades, they wanted to open it back up.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

MJ looked over at me as the key clicked in the lock. "I thought it was time for this room to be unsealed. Mom agreed. We can't keep running from the past, no matter how painful it may be."

I…

The scar on my chest burned. My hand jerked up to rest on the painful spot over my heart. It would itch from time to time, sometimes hurting, even, but not as frequently as it had since I'd returned to Port Island… It was a peculiar scar, shaped like a butterfly—and I had no recollection of how I gained it.

MJ's gaze flickered down to my hand and then back to my face. There was a look in his eyes—something I could not read. But it vanished as soon as it came. He turned away from me, remaining silent as he then wrapped his fingers around the door knob and gave the door a solid push, breaking the seal and forcing it open. It popped open with a crack, dust exploding everywhere. I coughed, covering my nose with my hand.

This room had been my father's—Minato Arisato's.

My brother gestured for me to go inside first. I hesitated for a moment, but forced myself to walk through the doorway. My earphones and mp3 felt exceptionally heavy on my shoulders, my scar continued to ache. To make matters worse, MJ shut the door behind him, signaling that he wished to speak with me in private.

I didn't belong here. I didn't belong anywhere.

The dust was settling, floating in the air. I watched my brother walk over to the windows and push back the blue curtains, letting sunlight fill the room for probably the first time in almost thirty years. I lingered at the door, looking around. The furniture was arranged very similarly to my own room. Everything was covered in a layer of dust, smelling of age and neglect. I noticed, though, on the dresser behind the bed, sat an array of framed pictures. My curiosity piqued, I walked over to take a closer look.

I immediately saw that they were photographs—pictures of my dad with his friends and dormmates. There was one of my parents together, in what must have been a selfie he got printed out. It was weird seeing my mom so young, with such a bright smile on her face as she leaned against my dad in the photo. To think she'd been happy once.

There was another picture that caught my eye. I picked up the frame to take a closer look. It looked like a group photo, with my dad, mom, aunt, uncle, and their friends. Their dog was even there. However, there was a middle aged man with an eye patch that I didn't recognize. Something must have happened while they were taking the picture, because everyone was looking at Junpei in surprise as he fell backward, his hat flying. Ken was trying to control the shiba inu, who was barking at something. I noticed the dog had a red armband on… How odd.

"Why did you want to come here?" I asked, setting the picture back down and looking up at my brother.

MJ leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest, his gaze trailing around the room. "A lot is changing on Port Island. And with change, comes forgetting the past. Though we must carry on, we must never forget. If I learned anything growing up, it's that." His eyes landed on me. "Almost thirty years ago, there was the first epidemic of Apathy Syndrome, along with the rise of the Cult of Nyx. Port Island recovered from both, but now… they plague us once more."

The Apathy Syndrome epidemic was all over the news. But this was the first I'd heard of… of the Cult of Nyx.

Ice-hot pain shot through my scar. I winced, my hand reaching up to rest on my chest again.

"The… The Cult of…" I suddenly struggled to find words, like my lips did not want to speak that name.

"Yes." MJ's gaze remained on me, steady. "They've been quiet of late—but their presence can be seen, if you know what to look for. Oddly enough, the son of the Vice-CEO of Phlegethon seems to be involved with them."

Oh, Phlegethon… That was a common household name nowadays. Phlegethon was a company that rivaled the Kirijo Group in both finances and influence. They'd risen up out of nothing almost twenty years ago. They dabbled in pretty much everything.

"Hasn't Phlegethon been buying out Port Island?" I asked.

MJ made the subtlest of winces. "Yes. They completely own Paulownia Mall now. The Kirijo Group had no choice but to sell, as far as I know. You know the Kirijos aren't doing well. It'd be best not to mention it around Michiko."

I nodded. "Of course, I don't want to upset her."

"But if you hear anyone preaching that humanity is doomed and the only way to salvation is deliverance through the Fall…" MJ's eyes narrowed, darkness glinting in his irises. "Do not listen to them. Do not go near them. Avoid them at all costs. Do you understand?"

With my scar aching and the horrible way my gut twisted at the mere mention of a 'Cult of Nyx', I had a sinking feeling that there was something my brother wasn't telling me.

I nodded. "I understand."

"Good." This seemed to satisfy him, the visible tension in his shoulders loosening up. "But worse case scenario… you need to be able to protect yourself. Take this." He reached into his blazer and pulled out something—a gun. He held it out to me. "It belonged to Dad."

I stared at the gun in his hands, the metal gleaming in the sunlight. I noticed the letters S.E.E.S. engraved on the barrel… the very same letters I saw on the red brassard worn by old Koromaru. I… had no idea what was going on anymore. I accepted the gun from him. It felt light in my hand, lighter than any real gun should probably be. I turned it over in my hands once before looking at my brother.

"...What am I supposed to do with this?"

"You'll know when the time comes."

I… Okay. My brother wasn't exactly the cryptic type but… he had to have a reason for this secrecy.

"Trust me, Sonomi," MJ said, offering me a small but strained smile.

"...Okay."

"And onto the last matter of business," MJ said, crossing his arms again. "Your dormmates. You know Narukami. He's a bit flighty, but a good kid. You also met Amamiya when you were very young, but I imagine you don't remember that. But he is my concern."

Oh, good. He was my concern too.

"This needs to stay private, as he's the prime minister's son. But he was expelled from Shujin Academy in Tokyo for assault." MJ closed his eyes. "I don't know the full story, but Mom knows his parents and believes he hasn't done anything wrong. Regardless, be careful around him."

…I see.

"Understood."

MJ gave a small smile. For a moment he was quiet. He looked like he wanted to say something else, opening and closing his mouth several times before he finally spoke.

"But… try to have fun in Gekkoukan, okay? It might be good for you to get out more. School isn't all dreary, you know. You could join a sports club right away, I think. I think it depends on the culture club, though… I know that the club Miyako started is still going on."

I listened to my brother, giving nods to acknowledge what he was telling me.

I didn't know if I wanted to join a club though. I was really… indifferent to going back to school. I was okay with school, though I always struggled with math.

"But have you finished unpacking?" MJ asked.

I shook my head. "I haven't really gotten started. I was tired and had a late start."

"I can help you get started with that, then," MJ offered with a smile. "Come on."

He then headed for the door, opening the door. He turned to me expectantly.

So… I followed him out.


"Annnnd that's everything!"

It hadn't been long until Airi came looking for us and when she saw us unpacking, she quickly offered to help. Chouko was pretty well-behaved, sitting at my desk and sipping on a juice pouch that Airi had given her, watching us with those big amber eyes of hers.

"It wasn't much," I said.

"Still it must feel good to get it done," Airi said, cheerful as always. "Though, we should get you some decorations! You know, like a housewarming gift!"

"Aunt Minako and Uncle Akihiko gave me something already," I stated. "It's not necessary."

Airi puffed out her cheeks. "Well, that gives me more reason to do it! Oooh, maybe a record player with how much you love music? We would have to get some records with that, though… Or maybe I can paint you something! It'll really spruce up your bedroom wall! Or…"

"You'll have plenty of time to decide, Airi," MJ interrupted, as Chouko slid out of her chair. He looked down as she toddled up to him, latching onto his hand. He reached down, hoisting her up with a soft smile before glancing toward Airi. "I think Chouko could use some lunch, actually."

"Ooh, I think we could all use some lunch," Airi said with a smile. "How about we stop by Uncle Shinji's restaurant then? We can invite Sora-kun and Akio-kun?"

"Airi…"

Airi put her hands on her hips. "Uh-uh, Minato! Akio-kun might be in Sonomi-chan's class! You've got to let go of the whole 'any boy who comes near my sister sucks' attitude."

"I do… not have that attitude," MJ muttered. "I said Narukami was a good kid."

"And they're without their parents," Airi said. "So, I'm inviting them!"

Without another word, she marched out of my room.

"Narukami's been without his parents for years now," MJ grumbled almost petulantly.

"I heard that, Minato!"

MJ grumbled some more before adjusting his grip on Chouko and heading out of my room. I followed him out, going down the two flights of stairs.

"-really nice of you to offer but I don't want to intrude on a family thing," Sora was saying.

"Eh." Amamiya shrugged, resting his hands behind the back of his head. "Free food is always a plus. I'll tag along."

"Akio-kun has the right idea!" Airi exclaimed. "So let's go, Sora-kun!"

"H-Huh?!"

Without warning, my sister-in-law grabbed Sora by the arm and dragged him toward the door. It kind of looked ridiculous, given how tall Sora was.

"So he's the type of guy to be under a girl's thumb, huh?" Amamiya commented, folding his arms over his chest and cocking a brow. "Should've known he's a b-"

MJ coughed, shooting Amamiya a warning look. "Watch it. Especially around my sister."

Amamiya snorted. "Who died and made you queen?"

MJ's lips tightened, his jaw working. As if he wanted to retort, like how he and Miyako would banter back and forth. But he pursed his lips even tighter and brushed past Amamiya.

"Let's just go," he said curtly. "You wanted lunch, right?"

Without another word, MJ walked away. I turned to stare at Amamiya.

"What?"

"What did my brother do to you?" I asked.

"Nothing on him exactly." Amamiya shrugged. "Let's just say I don't exactly vibe with being told what to do."

I watched him leave, giving a small huff. Amamiya was just so... irritating. And I had to live with him? This was going to be a long year...


But Amamiya and I caught up with the others. Airi chattered away, pointing out stores and restaurants as we walked along. There were some new stores I wasn't familiar with, like the souvenir shop. I couldn't help but wonder… how much had my hometown changed in my absence?

"Oh, oh, and Bookworms is really fun if you need an afternoon to unwind! It's a little book cafe, though originally it was just a bookstore. Aunt Mina hired a really great cook who introduced some amazing desserts! Right, sweetie?" Airi directed her question to her daughter.

Chouko gave a nod. "The mooncakes are yummy."

"And you know the Pepper Pot, Sonomi-chan," Airi finished with a smile. She then turned to the boys. "The Pepper Pot's run by our parents' friend-"

"-Shinjiro Aragaki," Amamiya finished.

When Sora looked at him in surprise, Amamiya shrugged.

"I know he used to be Uncle Ken's guardian, is all. Though I really doubt his cooking is better than Gramps's."

"I'm sure it'll be great," Sora blurted out.

MJ shrugged. "Well, see for yourselves. Come on."

He stepped forward, opening the door. My stomach clenched as I noticed that the lights were shut off. I never liked the dark. I always felt something was going to jump out at me...

But I swallowed, pushing that thought aside. I'd be fine. I was with my brother and-

"SURPRISE!"

The lights flashed on and I heard a popping sound before confetti exploded.

A banner hung in the air with the words WELCOME HOME SONOMI written in it. I blinked, rubbing my eyes.

"Surprise!"

My cousin Hotaru suddenly was standing in front of me, hauling me into a tight hug.

"Agh—Hotaru..." I choked out.

"Sorry, but it's great to see you!" she said, her red eyes sparkling. "How you've been, Sonomi?"

Typical Hotaru. She always was... I guess you could say, brimming with energy. She didn't bother hiding how she felt.

I shrugged. "Okay. I guess."

I took a moment to glance over my cousin. She looked well. When we were kids, Hotaru's hair was silver like my uncle's and her older sister, Sayuri's. But over the years, it gradually lightened to white. Probably because she spent so much time outside; she always hated wearing hats. She had Aunt Minako's red eyes. Her hair was long and wavy, reaching down to the small of her back, mostly down but partially pulled back with a pale pink ribbon. She wore a white and hot pink varsity jacket, a white undershirt, black leggings with white markings, white sports socks, and hot pink sneakers. She also had on silver star earrings and a black leather heart choker. She stood taller than me now, though only slightly.

Hotaru opened her mouth to say something but I suddenly felt an arm wrap around my shoulders.

"Hey, hey, Sonocchi!" Ryo cheered. "Didja miss us?"

Hotaru scowled, putting her hands on her hips. "Of course she did! Don't be an idiot, Moryon!"

"Come on, guys, don't bicker," Toshi sighed.

Ryo and Toshi were two of my other childhood friends; Toshi was born a month after me, but due to… chronic health issues, he had to start school a year later. So he and Ryo were in the same year, along with Michiko, while Hotaru and I were a year above them. Ryo never bothered with honorifics though—he was kind of like his dad in that way.

Ryo was the younger of the two—and the shorter one, but only by a few centimeters. He still was the skinny kid I remembered, but it looked like sports were finally putting some muscle on his bones. He had slightly shaggy black hair, parted to the side, his bangs nearly falling into his amber-brown eyes. His black and yellow baseball cap sat backward on his head. He wore a white hoodie under a yellow and black flannel, jeans, and black and yellow sneakers.

Toshi had always looked sickly growing up, but today he was… vibrant. There was color in his skin, a stark contrast to how deathly pale he'd been before. His teal hair fell down into his gray eyes in waves. He wore an oversized dark teal sweater with a pale gray button-up shirt tucked underneath, the collar folded over the sweater's neckline and the shirttails sticking out below. His jeans were dark gray and black oxfords. His clothes hung loosely on his thin frame, but this was the healthiest I'd ever seen him.

Ryo just grinned, placing his hands behind his head. "Hey, it's like you never left, right, Sonocchi?"

"...I guess." Then a flash of white caught my eye. "Michiko, it's good to see you too."

"O-Oh, Sonomi-senpai!" Michiko gave a small wave, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "I-It's good to see you."

Most people were… surprised that Michiko was a Kirijo. She definitely took after Mitsuru, with her long, deep red hair and fair skin, but her demeanor was more… reserved. And her taste in fashion was… softer than what Mitsuru preferred wearing. Today she wore a white blouse with flowers embroidered at the collar and a red ribbon under a brown suspender skirt, which went down to her knees. She had on white tights and black doll shoes. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, fastened by a white ribbon.

I looked over to Hotaru and then to Michiko. Did they really remember our promise?

"You too," I murmured.

Then Ryo's gaze flickered over to Sora and Akio, his eyes widening. "Whoa-whoa-whoa, is that Sorata?!"

"Yeah, yeah, he's your celeb crush, big whoop." Hotaru rolled her eyes.

Ryo's cheeks went red. "Sh-Shut up! He ain't my celebrity crush! That's totally Hime!"

"Sure, sure." Hotaru scoffed, her tone all but screaming that she didn't believe him.

"And you're not surprised about Amamiya?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought that would be a bigger deal."

"Uh, well…" Toshi rubbed the back of his neck. "You know how Aunt Makoto's friends with his parents, right? She called to ask if my parents had space for him or his sister."

"Sister?" I asked.

"Yeah, she's a year under us," Ryo said, gesturing to himself, Toshi, and Michiko. "My folks had room, what with Aneki having moved out. So she's now in Aneki's old room."

That was weird… Why would they move out to Port Island like this?

"She has a name, Ry-chan," Toshi chided.

I looked over to Sora and Akio. There was a girl standing by Akio now. My friends had distracted me so much that I hadn't even noticed.

She looked a bit nervous, her shoulders hunched over. She glanced up; maybe she sensed that I was staring. She gave a timid wave.

"Okay, okay, jeez, enough with flapping your jaws." Shinjiro gestured to the food laid out on the tables. "You gonna eat or what?"

Toshi huffed, even as a smile played on his lips. "Typical Dad."

"Has your dad ever smiled, Toshi?" Ryo asked in a stage whisper.

"Don't think I didn't hear that," Shinjiro all but growled out.

Ryo let out a squeak, quickly darting behind Toshi. "Don't let your dad kill me, Toshi!"

"Idiot," Hotaru grumbled out.

"Aw, Shinjiro-senpai, don't be such a grump!" Junpei called out, a broad grin on his face. When Shinjiro glared harder, he gulped before nervously adjusting Chouko on his lap. "C-Come on, not in front of Chou-chan!"

"Papa, don't antagonize Uncle Shinji!" Airi chided, shooting Junpei an exasperated look.

Amamiya's sister looked uncertainly at him but he shrugged, walking over to the table. Taking a closer look at her, she… didn't look much like Amamiya. She had long voluminous dark hair which she tied back in two braided pigtails and bright blue-green eyes.

She quietly filled her plate, sitting down before taking a bite. Her face suddenly lit up, changing entirely.

"Wow, Shin was right! You're really a good cook, Aragaki-san!"

Shin, or Shinichi Amada, was Ken and Makoto's son; he was a couple of years younger than me. If she was a year below Toshi and the others, she was around Shin's age.

Fuuka smiled. "Please, eat your fill, Suzu-chan. Shinji made plenty."

"Mm, thank you!" she said, nodding. "I can see why Shin and Hana-chan always talk about your cooking so much! It's really, really good!"

Shinjiro simply huffed, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "W-Whatever… They exaggerate shit."

Fuuka smiled in amusement, leaning up to kiss his cheek. How she managed it with her being so short… I didn't know. But that just made Shinjiro's blush deepen.

We all decided to walk over and get our own plates before Shinjiro got on our cases for still standing around. I ended up sitting between Hotaru and Michiko. Ryo ended up on the other side of Michiko, while Toshi, Suzu, Amamiya, and Sora sat on the opposite side.

"It's nice to meet you in person, though," Toshi said, sitting by Suzu. "Shin talks a lot about you when he's visiting all of us in Port Island, you know."

Suzu tilted her head, blinking. "O-Oh, really? Well, he must talk about Keiko, Atsuko, and Atsushi too, then."

Toshi hesitated for a moment, an odd expression crossing his face. "...Sorta."

Amamiya took a bite of food. "I still say that Gramps's cooking is better."

Sora sighed. "Do we really have to make this a competition…?"

I'm pretty sure for Amamiya, the answer was yes.

"So uh… Narukami-san?" Ryo leaned forward, eagerness in his eyes.

"Sora or Senpai is fine," Sora said, shrugging. "Narukami-san makes me think of my dad."

"Are you really going to Gekkoukan with us?" Ryo blurted.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hotaru roll her eyes and mutter under her breath, "Not his celeb crush my ass."

"Yeah?" Sora smiled sheepishly. "It's really not a big deal. Just think of me as your senpai, like how Sonomi is your classmate. Besides, this party is for her." He looked over at me and smiled. "Give her your attention, not me."

My eyes widened and I felt my cheeks heat up. I looked away.

"It's not a big deal…"

"Of course it is," Ryo insisted. "We've missed ya! I just, uh, wasn't expecting to be surrounded by celebrities."

I looked up at him. "I'm a celebrity."

"You know what I mean!"

I felt compelled to glance over and my gaze landed on Amamiya. He was leaning back in his seat, arms crossed over his chest, watching the others quietly. And then his gaze flickered over to me. For a moment, our eyes met. We'd only known each other for a few hours, yet it felt like he saw right through me. A chill ran down my spine. I quickly looked away, reaching for my glass to take a drink of pink lemonade.

This… was my new life.