A/N: Here we go, the P4DAN arc is beginning and it won't last too long I hope. We're only covering the buildup and beginning of the event, then cut to the end. It isn't worth going through it all. But, the ramifications it has might make for some interesting drama; you'll see what I mean.

Chapter 17

07/29

What a week to remember. This is one Summer Vacation no one is capable of forgetting. The True Culprit from May has revealed themselves to be Sho Minazuki, Masato is now a part of the group trying to capture him with his new Persona, Amatsu Mikaboshi, and finally, the Investigation Team is now fully working with the Shadow Operatives, much to Mitsuru's initial disapproval of, the situation now leaves them no choice.

With that said, a few people were missing at Souji's departure. Rise, Masato, and the S.O. all left together two days ago, Naoto left yesterday for more work, and today, Souji is leaving for Tokyo as well. He has to honor his mother's promise after all.

"Well, this is it, man. I suppose we'll see you again during Winter Break?" Yosuke posed the question, already knowing what Souji's answer would be.

"Of course. Hopefully there will be less drama to deal with."

"Drama?" Dojima cut in, brow twitching up. "This High School drama again or is it tied to… that place."

"...A bit of both."

"Well, at least you're not lying this time." Dojima shrugs. "Still, be careful and all that; you've heard it a dozen times already."

"I know. Thanks, Uncle."

"Senpai, it was good to have ya here. Sucks you couldn't stick around for later. Woulda loved to have ya around for the Summer Festival."

"Yeah, it's unfortunate. But it was good to be here all the same." Kanji nods at his optimistic take.

"Souji-kun. About last time… we never got to have a proper word with my parents last time. I'm hoping next time will be more manageable."

"Yeah. Give them my apology for this. If we had more time…"

"They understand. What with that big VIP and all."

"Hey, you're gonna miss your train at this rate." Dojima reminds him, gesturing to his watch.

"Big Bro! I'll miss you!"

"And I'll miss you too, Nanako." He lowers himself to embrace the girl, hand against her hair before they break off. "Take care, everyone." Rising up, he heads back into the red train he was used to riding at this point, the door closing once again with seconds to spare. Turning, he sees everyone waving as the train is moving away from the station further and further. It was good to be home for now, but it was time to get ready for the next Semester at Kosei High, and to see if his Mother was truly committed to facing herself and her son.

In the late morning hours, a group was gathering within Kirijo HQ, in a very large meeting room normally reserved for members of the board, but this was for different people entirely. Inside, Mitsuru and Aigis were naturally the first to be here, Labrys would arrive with Masato, and Akihiko appears next with a smaller person… and a very fluffy companion in tow.

"Ah, Amada. You're here early."

"G'morning, Mitsuru-san. I brought Koromaru along as well, just in case." The white Shiba Inu would bark along.

"He says, 'It is good to see you all again.' Well, it's good to see you as well, Koromaru!" The dog barks at Aigis' greeting.

"That's more than half of the immediate members…." Mitsuru comments as someone else enters the door.

"Yamagishi, good morning."

"Good morning to you as well, Mitsuru-senpai. The others are coming. Rounding them up took more time than expected."

The next person to enter was a top heavy figured brunette, looking a bit groggy.

"This better be important. I so need to enjoy my day off after this." The brunette rotates her shoulder, as if it was stiff.

"Good morning to you too, Yukari. I can assure you this is well worth your time." As Mitsuru declares this, the last person enters behind Yukari, in a brighter blue outfit.

"Ta-dadada! I'm here! Mornin' guys!"

"Good morning, Iori. It's great to see you in such high spirits."

"Oh yeah, my team is on a four game winning streak going into the break! I'm so proud of them."

"Haha, it's good to see you all do well."

"They deserve more credit, haha. They're finally getting along now." He shrugs positively as he takes his seat at the farthest end of the table.

"Excellent to hear, Iori. Now… shall we begin the meeting?" Mitsuru, in a classy business suit, pulled up a box in one hand from the table, ready to open it as everyone nodded. In the other, a suitcase full of Evokers.

"Well, first and foremost…. Let's keep this as discreet as possible." The lid would be pulled off as she said that and a moment passes as the area quickly changes in atmosphere and color, the Dark Hour was recreated and now took over the entire room! "It seems certain branches are more wary of us. I hope none of this puts you on edge."

"No, not at all-Wait! Is that…?"

"Oh? Did Mitsuru-san not inform you? This is indeed Agent H-A0905, AKA, Masato Yoshida." Aigis confirms the identity of the outed Spy.

"Yo! It's you, man? Masato?"

"Surprised you didn't notice me sooner, Junpei! It's been a while, all of you."

"Oh, so now it's Masato-kun…"

"Yo, dude! So you got your mission finished? You were gone for a long time, I hear!"

"Iori, what this meeting entails involves that. Let me debrief you all and you'll understand why Agent Yoshida is now here with us."

Junpei leans back to his seat, way too casual looking for a room as stiff as this one.

"Now, about what happened in May. As you all know, Akihiko, Labrys, and Yamagishi had all gone to Yasoinaba to determine if our target was there. And the rest of you were with me. As you all know now, our target was in Inaba. Truth be told, it was a close call. Akihiko's team barely survived the ordeal."

"Whoa, forreal, Senpai? How bad was it?"

"So bad even an additional eight Persona users weren't enough."

"Oh yeah, I remember Mitsuru-senpai saying that you had to ask for their aid." Yukari comments.

"We had to get some other girl to come in and she just stomped the army of Shadows like it was child's play."

"Her power was up there. I've never seen such feats since… 2008."

"What!? How is that possible, Fuuka? Is she on our side?"

"She is. But more importantly, we learned who captured Labrys and set up everything."

"Yamagishi is correct. The true culprit is named Sho Minazuki. Labrys has a picture of him that we extracted from her memory banks." Mitsuru opens a folder that had been on the table that contained images of the Red-maned Menace; said looks were what got everyone's focus.

"Whoa! This guy is giving me the creeps." Ken comments as he stares at that maniacal expression.

"Dude looks like a nutjob! How did he control so many Shadows?"

"The Leader of the other Persona users named Souji Seta remarked that the one called Marie sensed something ominous about him. Power that reminds her of her own."

"Yo, if that chick was strong like Nyx… and this guy has power that reminds her of her own… that's not good news."

"Aptly put, Iori. And he has a fixation on some of us. Labrys, Seta, Kujikawa, and myself. We haven't deduced a true reason, but it's definitely problematic-"

"Wait, Kujikawa? You mean, like that popular Idol?"

"...Stupei, that's not likely."

"Actually, Junpei-san is correct. They have Rise Kujikawa AKA Risette as their Support."

"Whoa! That's so crazy!"

"In fact…" Masato noticed her glance towards him before looking back at everyone. "Masato-san here is friends with her! Good friends with her in fact!"

"Aigis-!"

"What!?" Junpei stood from his seat. "How are you friends with the Risette, man!? That ain't fair! I wish I was friends with some cool celebrity!"

"Oh yeah, sure; totally ignore the fact you're friends with the biggest CEO in Japan and a Featherman Ranger…" Yukari remarks aloud. Aigis was hoping Junpei would catch on to her romantic implication, but it seems Masato did at least, his flustered face was a giveaway. Mitsuru would cough loudly to get them all wrangled in. This was off topic, and they needed to discuss the threat now while they still had time.

"Honestly, you guys haven't changed that much at all." Mitsuru shakes her head, still with a smile on her face. "Anyway, this Sho Minazuki seems to be quite the dangerous adversary. His abilities that we know so far are to control people and their actions, to conceal his presence to the point where both Kujimawa and Yamagishi could not sense him until it was too late. And finally, he can amass and manipulate Shadows to do his bidding. But to what extent… we do not know."

"This guy seems tough. So what, how do we catch him?" Junpei asked, now more engaged with the situation.

"Before we left, he declared on this supernatural program called the Midnight Channel that he will make it clear when he wishes to challenge us on his terms. And that we mustn't ignore him, otherwise innocent lives will be in jeopardy. Just like that murder incident in the town last year."

"That's scary. So, what can we do, Mitsuru-senpai?"

"All we can do is train until he seeks us out, Yukari. And we have more users who are willing to aid us. All eight of those Persona users from Inaba will be joining our cause until he is captured."

"Oh, that's so cool! Wait, so they're basically part timers?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes. It seems some of them are already here."

"I can confirm Souji-san, Naoto-san, and Rise-san are in Tokyo. The rest are in Inaba."

"We'll call upon them when needed, although Shirogane may stop by here more frequently."

"Mitsuru-senpai, I do have one question, if you don't mind me asking."

"Go right ahead, Yukari."

"I just realized… Masato-kun has been here for the whole meeting. Usually he's only here for a moment and that's it. Is there something else he needs to tell us?"

"Oh, lay off him, man! It's been too long since he's been back!"

"You raise a fair point, Yukari. And I nearly forgot. Yoshida, please stand and show them." She closed her eyes with a confident smile.

"Of course, Lady Mitsuru." His chair pushes back as he stands tall and firm, extending his left hand out.

"What, is he gonna summon a Persona? That's not how you do it."

"Yeah, usually you need an evoker unless you're Aigis-san." Ken comments, seeing the case of Evokers remain together.

"Now, now… this method is new." She dismissed their concerns as Yoshida concentrated.

"Ooh, is this real…!?" Junpei comments as a blue aura surrounds Masato, a lone card now descending from the sky and stops before his hand.

"Persona!" His hand moves back a few inches before swiping at a downward angle, crushing the card as it went down. His mysteriously figured Persona now appears behind him. Everyone's eyes were on him, with many bearing surprised expressions.

"Whoa! No way! You actually got one at last!" Junpei jumped from his seat. "Ya freakin' animal! You're really one of us now! Congrats dude, you leveled up!"

"Thanks, Junpei. I'm glad to have one at long last!"

"Yoshida acquired his Persona differently than we did and thus, the method is different. In their area, one must face their Shadow to make it into their Persona, which includes facing sides of you that you do not wish to see."

"This is my Persona, Amatsu Mikaboshi. We can now fight together at long last! I hope we continue to get along as always!" His persona recedes back into him as he finishes his sentence.

"You get to use that thing in combat?"

"Not yet. I'm planning to train with Akihiko and anyone else willing."

"Then count me in! Ol' Trismegistus has been in need of a good workout!"

"I hope you all don't intend to start now. This room isn't exactly meant for sparring."

"Don't worry, Mitsuru-senpai! We'll train at the same place we always do it."

"Good. Now, I believe that's everything. Do not speak of Sho Minazuki's existence to anyone. I shall search for any info in the meanwhile."

"Mitsuru-senpai, I don't sense anyone who might spot us once we go back."

"Very well. Let's return to the real world." She wastes no effort in closing the box containing the ring shut. A minute passes and the world slowly returns back to normal with the lights coming back on alongside that wonderful air conditioning.

"Mitsuru-senpai, ya mind if we borrow Masato? I kinda wanna get some training in since I gotta return to my team tomorrow."

"I'll not object to that, Iori. You three run along, we shall finish up here."

"Let's go, Masato! I wanna see your Persona in action!"

"That makes two of us." Akihiko added while behind the grinning Junpei. "Let's head downstairs. We need to get into this right away! And then we can celebrate your new Persona properly! Beef bowls and all!"

The three would all quickly leave, although it felt like Masato was being dragged out there.

"Those boys never change." Yukari sighs. "So Mitsuru-senpai, when is he gonna drop that stuff?"

"You mean…? He's already taking steps to do so. At least, so I heard."

"You don't sound so sure. It's not good for him."

"I understand. Remember, it was his choice to help us and this is what he decided upon. But regardless, he is making the right choices for himself; of this, I am certain."

"If you say so, Mitsuru-senpai."

Inside Roppongi, Souji finally reached his door, unlocking it with his key and seeing the apartment still the same as when he left it. But his mother was much more quick to notice him.

"Ah, welcome back, Souji."

"I'm back, Mother."

"I trust all was well? And you did bring what I asked for, yes?" Once again, she craves the snacks from home.

"Of course."

"Excellent! Why don't you help me with Dinner today? You're still much better than me, and I'm not one for takeout."

"Hah, you're the opposite of your brother."

"He can't cook to save his life. At least I could boil water without starting a fire."

"Now that, I want to hear more about."

"Come. We can talk about it while we cook." Dinner promises to be entertaining, for once.

07/31

Inside Takura Productions' Tokyo HQ, the Idol prepping for her comeback had just exited a meeting room with her manager, a confident smile masking how afraid she was. It seems she got out of some kind of dramatic situation.

"Rise-chan, are you absolutely sure about this?" Inoue asked as they walked down the hallway.

"Mhm, I'm positive this is what I want." Rise nods with no doubt in her mind.

"Well, if you say so… but aren't they all scattered around? You'll have to convince them one at a time."

"Oh, that's no problem! I might have to step out to ask one or two of the people in person… if that's okay with you. The others I can round up easily!"

"Very well. I take it you're going to start now?"

"Yeah! Well, first I need to set up a time since this is kind of on short notice."

"Alright. Let me know when you plan to leave." The Manager nods as he takes a different turn at the point where the halls diverge to different sections of the building.

"Okay!" Rise skips to her dressing room, rummaging through her belongings to find her phone, quickly going to her messages to find a certain person's name. Well, two of them. But one she likely needed to see in person. Now, to call him up… no, he might be too busy. Best play it safe.

{Oh, Masato-kuuuun, you around?~} A couple of star emoticons are placed next to the message.

She rests her phone as she changes out of her finalized and adjusted outfit that she'll be wearing for the LMB Festival. She needed to wear something more… appropriate for hiding who she was a bit. Her name was starting to get thrown around in an effort to build up publicity. As she puts on her short shorts made of jean fabric, she hears her phone vibrate. Quickly grabbing, she checks to confirm if it is the man in question.

{Yeah, it's me. Something up? I just finished training for the day.}

{Can't you sound a bit more enthused? Anyway, can I borrow you for a bit? I have something important to ask you. I kind of need help.}

{Sure. When and where do you want to meet up?}

That was easy. She was expecting him to ask questions before agreeing. That left a smile on her face as she put on a somewhat loose black shirt over her exposed torso.

{Thanks, Masato-kun!~ I really love that about you~~ Can you meet me at Inokashira Park? I'll let you decide the time!} Her message was ended by a flirty, winking emoji blowing a kiss. Subtly is not her strong point. And that's by choice.

{How about in an hour or so? It's still a bit hot and I have something to discuss with Akihiko.}

{That's perfect! I need to do something real quick as well. Text me when you're free so I can catch the subway!}

{You got it.}

And just like that, she had her opportunity to go see him. She only had to talk to Inoue about the schedule for August now that she proposed such a drastic demand to the one who was running the event. The storm was barely reaching the shore. This was only the beginning of something that will make this already unforgettable Summer more memorable.

Within an alleyway on the West side of Inaba, a few delinquents were all squatting down together, clearly frustrated with something that seems to be bothering them for who knows how long.

"Man, we can't do anything anymore!"

"Yeah! It's all cuz of that stupid ass tomboy! First she gets in our way and then the cops lock us up in Juvvie for months! They almost fell for the rumor we set up too."

"Yeah. We baited the cops into thinking Tatsumi did it, but nah, that Mom of his and some kid got him out of it. It's fucking bullshit!"

"...Hey, so you hate that tomboy bitch too?" A fourth person merges from the corner of their eyes, hooded up with a ragged cloak.

"What's it to you, eh?" All three would rise and swarm the one who approached them, circling around the figure like they ran the place.

"Now now, fellas. That bitch and her posse screwed me up too. I just think the enemy of my enemy is a friend, ya dig? I got some… info you might like."

"Oh? Awright, then spit it out already!"

"Good. Let me tell you all about it…" With a wide grin, the guys all caught a glimpse of crimson red hair beneath his hood as something was changed within them! All they could see was red; red with rage, fury, and wrath! All three started to step back and seethe, dilating with pounding chests as something was being forcibly changed within them. Or rather… focused and expanded upon. "I got your attention now? Good, now listen carefully…"

Even in the lush Inokashira Park, the Summer heat was relentless. Thankfully the leaves of every tree provided nice natural shade against the harsh rays. Still, it was humid, albeit not as much as Inaba was. Rise finally arrived, wearing short shorts, a black shirt with a pink tank top over it, and a vanilla colored hat akin to Naoto's design, although it had a cute bow on one end. As she walked towards the center of the Park, passing through couples and other groups of people, she spotted him facing the water, just up against the low, wooden fence. A hushed giggle sneaks past her lips as she steps forward as silent as possible, tapping him on his left shoulder as she side-steps to his right, the Imposter now looking at her intended direction before continuing to see her waving at him playfully.

"Hi-hi! You look as stiff as ever, Masato-kun."

"Rise…" He shakes his head, his hand covering part of his face. "And you're still a little bratty, just like always."

"Hey!"

"I'm just messing with you. Are you doing alright with practice?"

"Mhm! I'm pretty much back into the swing of things! How about your Persona training?"

"It's… going well. My Persona isn't that strong yet, so I've got a long way to go."

"Oh, you'll be caught up in no time, Masato-kun! Don't worry about rushing yourself. No one starts out that strong from the start, anyway."

"Right. Akihiko has no qualms with training me, so that's good for me at least."

Rise and Masato walk towards an open bench to discuss matters with more comfort, the idol opting to open up about her problem quickly, lifting one of her legs to cross past the other.

"Hey, so… have you ever seen any of my dancing?"

"A couple of times. I saw your True Story music video out of curiosity. Is something bothering you about it?"

"Oh, well, not my own. I just need some help in a specific way."

"I'm not good with dancing, but… I can give you a fresh opinion if that's what you're looking for."

"Well, you see… I was wondering if you could, maybe be a backup dancer for me?"

"Y-What!? Backup dancer? Why!? Did yours get hurt or something?"

"No, no! I want all my friends to get involved with this. I'm going to ask Naoto-kun about it tonight and Souji-senpai tomorrow. If things go well, we can all get started in a few days."

"This is a bit sudden, you know that, right?"

"Mm, I know. I want you all there by my side. They've been there for me since I first came to Inaba, and you… well, I want this to be a way they could all bond with you."

"Rise…" She was considering his position, and now that the dust has settled, Masato wasn't too sure where he truly stood. Especially since he feels the need to earn their trust once again.

"Masato-kun, this doesn't bother you, does it?"

"N-No…! Of course not. I just… wonder if I can even do it."

"Of course you can! I'll coach you myself!"

"Really?"

"Mhm!" She pulls him down, nudging her body upward to whisper something into his ear. "You can even come to my place for some private lessons."

"W-Whoa! R-Rise-!?"

"Gotcha!" She winked with a giggling tone as she went back to her normal sitting position, "I bet your heart skipped a beat, huh?"

"Rise… you know that kind of thinking is…"

"Naughty? Forbidden? Yeah, you're right. But it's fun to tease you with!"

He sighs, not wanting to concede the fact that a small part of him found that interesting.

"...Alright then. But I'll be counting on you for your support."

"Really!? Yay!" She almost leaped from her seat, settling instead to cling on his arm for the moment in a playful manner. "Thanks, Masato-kun! This really means a lot to me!"

"It's no problem, Rise. I'll have to tell Akihiko that I may need to focus on this for a while, but… I'll do it for you."

"Thank you so much! …You know… maybe I should have invited you over." Her tone emanates a seductive vibe that chills him over.

"Rise… I'm not falling for that this time."

"Phooey! Maybe next time then!" She giggles, glad to have one on board. Soon, it'll be time to gather the others. Naoto is next on the list… but perhaps she'll spend a bit more time with him. Just to unwind a bit.

Coming into the Samegawa Flood Plain, Chie called up Yosuke to meet her there to discuss their problems from May. They needed to communicate their troubles instead of avoiding them.

Yosuke arrived first as Chie arrived minutes later, hurrying down the steps.

"Yosuke! Did I make you wait long?"

Yosuke was sorting out the mess in his mind about what to say and how to say it, but the sound of her voice stopped his efforts right in his tracks.

"Oh, nah, it's cool. How you feeling, Chie?"

"Good, I suppose. Still pretty hot today too."

"Yeah. Maybe we should duck under some shade?"

"Nah, here is fine. I feel more at ease with the sound of the river next to me."

"Suit yourself then." Yosuke was wearing khaki cargo shorts with a white tee while Chie was wearing a yellow tank top alongside some short shorts. Tennis shoes rounded out both their looks.

"So, uh… where do we begin?"

"Well… I feel like I should apologize to you, Chie. Sorry about all the times I acted pervy to you in the past. Before and after we got together. I'm being a dumb kid still, but I've been trying to put that stuff behind me now." Yosuke bowed in earnestness. "I… should have been more considerate to how you view yourself, so I'm sorry, Chie."

Chie was taken aback by how well rehearsed this sounded. And she wasn't going to doubt him. Why should she? His past actions were clear; he's been wanting to make this up with her since June.

"Yosuke… I don't know what to do. I'm… sorry too. I always snap at you, and I've mooched off you a few times too many, using any small excuse to pressure you." Her head drops, her energy leaving her as she confesses her own share of wrongdoing. "I… really was projecting a bit onto you."

"Chie…"

"I don't know what makes me special. Yukiko's got her natural feminine looks, Rise has so much charm and charisma, and Naoto's so cool and everyone likes her whether she looks androgynous or not. And then there's me… people just call me a Tomboy, or a Carnivore, or whatever… but I don't know what makes me… me in that regard. What are my traits that only I have?"

"H-Hey, Chie… I-"

"There you two are!" A loud voice echoes from the northern side of the river, as three silhouettes are spotted coming towards them. "You fuckers are going down!"

"W-What the-!? Who are they!?"

"You two are the reason we got put away for a while!" The three were quickly recognized by Chie, "We're gonna make you pay!"

"They're those bullies from last year!"

"Aw, crap! Guess it's fight time!" And this time, there was no one coming to help them out. No Souji, Kanji, or especially no Dojima. The three jump down into the lower end of the river. The one on the left goes for Yosuke, the Magician dodging his punch and tripping him outright. Chie timed a good kick to the stomach against the one on the right to send him launching into the slanted angle of grass. The middle member, the leader of the trio, had an open shot to her, winding up a punch.

"Chie!" Yosuke flung himself, grabbing onto his arm to restrain the delinquent.

"Wha-!? Get the fuck off of me!" Yosuke pulled the man to make him land on the ground. The first guy Yosuke hit took a chance to ram Yosuke into the dirt.

"Ah–Yosuke!" Chie's instincts kicked in; she charged and gave a hard roundhouse kick that hit him square in the face, knocking the second bully flat on said face into the dirt.

"You pieces of shit are going down!" Why were they so enraged? Like they knew they'd be here. Chie had no time to discern this. She set her sights and let out a kick.

It was caught in his hand!

"Not gonna work this time, bitch!"

"Agh!" She struggles to break free, but someone was coming up from his blind side.

"Let go of her, ya big ape!" Yosuke gets a curved punch straight into the thug's face, causing him to loosen his grip on Chie's foot and she is able to step away and regain her balance, the young man now stumbling to stand upright again.

"Chie!"

"Okay!" It was time for their own All-out attack! Yosuke and Chie aim for an attack at the same time, Yosuke striking with his left into the guys stomach, while Chie aimed higher for his chest with her high kick. The two launch him nearly all the way into the river, with him landing into the small rocks that made up the shore. All three were knocked out as the Adrenaline still flowed through them both. Chie, in a panic, grabbed Yosuke's wrist.

"Yosuke! C'mon! We gotta get outta here!"

"R-Right!" She tugged at him regardless, the two heading up and away; anywhere but here. Chie's instincts were all she relied on as they went back into the more building-filled sections of the town, the girl pulling him into an alleyway across from the bridge.

They both occupied one side, trying to catch their breath after the sprinting they took. Yosuke took a peak to see the direction they came from… no sign.

"Hah… I think we're all good now, Chie." Yosuke stepped back, only to see an emotional Chie.

"Yosuke… you… thanks."

"Yeah, right back at ya."

The two were still drained from that fight and the hardest running effort they put since Marie's Hollow Forest collapsed in on itself. Chie was used to this burn, but Yosuke? It's something he forgot about, given how peaceful things were up until now.

"Chie… can I… answer your question from… before?"

"Really, now you wanna say that?"

"C'mon… there's no better chance than now…!"

"Fine, dork… just say whatever it is you wanna say." She shook her head, ready to dismiss whatever generic answer he came up with.

"You're… reckless, like, bull levels of reckless…" What a tactful way of putting it. "But I respect it. It's proof you care for everyone around you. Sure, people go nuts for Yukiko's looks, or Naoto's cool factor, and Rise's a literal idol, but you got that fire. A Passion that can't be beat when the chips are down."

"Yosuke…"

"You've been wondering what you got going for you when it's been looking at you the whole time. You got confidence. In your actions and in how you feel. You just need to be confident in yourself at this point. You got all the things you need to be proud of yourself."

"Y-Yosuke…" He hit this one out of the park. No swing and miss to be found. He was standing straight and true as his message reached her ears. "I…"

"Nah, I need to apologize, Chie. I didn't do a great job at communicating with you. We had problems we should have addressed a while back. I didn't. And it led to this."

"B-But, Yosuke… I need to say I'm sorry too! I also slipped up, and I just don't know what we should do from here…!" Chie's eyes welled up with tears. What can they do? Break up? Just move on? No, something felt wrong with both those options. And Yosuke agreed… But what would his partner say here? No, he can't rely on him forever! He needed to think on his own for once. But if neither worked… then why not just create a new solution?

"What if… we just start over?"

"Huh? Start… over?"

"Yeah. We ain't ever been normal. So why should we settle this normally? Let's just start over and see where that goes. If it ends up with us sticking together or breaking off… we tried every option when it comes down to it by that point."

"I see…"

"It's up to you, Chie." The ball was in her court now. "This is a relationship. And I'd be disrespecting you if I made the choice for you. You need to have a say in this too."

He was way more mature than he let on. It's easy for many to see him as this dumb, pervy kid with some words he should definitely take back, especially in regards to Kanji; but that's just it, he's a kid. Even after just turning eighteen back in June, they still have growing up to do. He's becoming a Young man before her very own eyes. It isn't easy to go back on your own wrongdoings, but Yosuke was coming into his own in his own way.

"...I'd like that. I guess we still have a lot to learn if we're like this still." She wipes the tears from her eyes, looking to see a blurry image of her dumb, loveable dork of a boyfriend.

"Yeah, but we're still learning and ain't that the point? There ain't no such thing as a perfect couple."

"Haha, yeah. Knowing us, we're probably still gonna bicker a lot."

"Well, as long as it isn't something that can break us, maybe that's our own way of proving we care for each other. Always trying to keep the other on the right path."

"Yeah… I like the sound of that. Then… you need to eat more meat! Your punches looked sloppy and lacking!"

"Oh c'mon! Don't compare me to your 'Master'! Dude looks like he could be a Pro if he didn't join the Shadow Operatives! That ain't fair!"

"Haha… you're still easy to rile up."

"Well, since we're on the subject. You definitely need some experience in responsibility! How about I put ya to work for the summer again! And maybe during winter too! You definitely need to start making your own money."

"Don't bring that up!" She pouts, foot stomping into the floor. "Ugh!"

"Haha, now we're even." His head shakes from the humorous outcome of the situation. Looks like they were right. Their bickering isn't going away, but at least for now, it's more out of care than trying to truly one up the other.

"...Dweeb."

They definitely have a long way to go.

08/01

The Longest July ever has finally come to an end! And for Souji, a rainy week was in store for him. Low pressure brought rain to a good chunk of Japan, with Tokyo catching the tail end of it. Though that wasn't the only storm that was approaching. When Souji heard the home phone ring, with the caller being the front desk of their complex, he wasn't ready to learn the reason why they called up.

"Seta Residence."

"Ah, yes. It's Ito. You're Souji-san, yes?"

"That's right. Is something up?"

"Well, you have some people looking for you. And one claims to be a friend of yours. I… want to make sure just in case."

"Okay, what's their name?"

"Her name is Kujik–"

"...Senpai…!" Oh god. He knows damn well who that voice belongs to.

"...Yes, that's a friend. You can let her up."

"Splendid. She's been a bit of a handful. I'll send her up right away." A loud click signaled the end of their call. Likely Ito being relieved this wasn't going to be her problem anymore.

"Souji. Was that someone you know?"

"It was Ito-san… Mother, we're going to have guests. You might need to get something ready. Nothing caffeinated please." This isn't how he wanted to introduce his Mother to his friends… Before she had a change of heart, he wanted nothing to do with the idea of her meeting them, but it seems Rise had other plans in mind. All this time he was warning Masato to get ready for the Storm, yet he didn't even bother to board up his own windows.

A minute passes as the doorbell rings. Time to face this music. Souji sighed, not ready for what this was about to bring. Opening the door, he sees not just Rise, but two other people!

"Naoto? Inoue-san?"

"And 'Hello Rise'! Where's my greetings, Senpai?" Rise pouts, wearing a light jacket to repel the rain, while Naoto was still in her work clothes, her bust free this time. Perhaps she was off the clock?

"Ah, Souji-kun! Good afternoon. Sorry to drop in unannounced. It was Rise's idea."

"Inoue-san! Don't shift the blame on me!"

"Good afternoon, Senpai. May we come in?"

"Of course." Souji steps aside to let everyone enter, with Homare coming in from the kitchen to greet them as well.

"Ah, you must be our guests."

"Good afternoon, Ma'am. I assume you're Souji-kun's mother?"

"Yes. I'm Homare Seta. My husband is away for business, so it's just me and my son, I'm afraid."

"Ah, that is quite alright. It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Seta-san." His somewhat upbeat tone sounded more focused now, as if to conform to Homare's business-like demeanor. "I'm Minoru Inoue. I am Rise-chan's manager."

"I understand. She is Risette, if I'm not mistaken given the trends of last year... Now I have Tea being made. Would you care for some? I assume you are here for the subject of business."

"Ah, you're very sharp. I can see where your son inherited his wit. I would be honored to join you. We all have something to ask of you."

"Very well. Right this way." Homare escorted the group to the Dining Room, the two underclassmen looking around in awe of how pricey this place looked.

"The figures for this apartment… I cannot even fathom…"

"Geez, Senpai… this blows mine out of the water…!"

Everyone was seated in the dining area, the Household's mother bringing tea alongside her son for each of their guests.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure. Now please, tell me what this is all about. I'm rather curious as to what brings you here to our home."

"Ah, I see you are preferring to cut straight to the point. Very well… where do I begin…"

As Inoue gathered his points to present to one of the financial bigwigs of the Kirijo Group, Souji realized that this was actually better than how it could have been. His father could have been here to make this a whole lot worse. As things stood now, the two meeting his mother like this… was far from the worst thing that could happen.

"So, are you any bit familiar with the Idol Industry?"

"Hm, that's not something I pay any mind towards. If I recall, the Kirijo Group is a major sponsor to some parts of the Industry. Takura Productions has a stake of shares owned by the K.G., yes?"

"That's a very specific observation! But yes it is! We do have some ownership by the Kirijo Group. I'm surprised you know that."

"Ah, well, I manage the Finances of the entire company. I am one of the Major Treasurers who oversee the budget, gains, losses, etcetera of the company." The two underclassmen and Inoue have differing degrees of shock.

"Oh, my. I didn't realize I was talking to a sponsor's son this whole time!"

"Oh, it's no trouble. Now, I assume you two are friends with my son?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I'm Naoto Shirogane. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Shirogane… ah, if I recall… There's an estate just outside of Inaba. Are you perhaps related to that?" Her recollection of some of the unique things in Inaba didn't go past Homare's sharp mind.

"Yes. I'm a Detective."

"At your age? Considering you referred to Souji as Senpai, you must have been doing this line of work since you were young. Impressive. Most Impressive."

"Thank you, Ma'am. I'm just doing what I enjoy."

"I didn't realize Souji is friends with both a Prodigy Detective and an Idol. Son, I'm surprised you're never told me sooner."

Oh, how he wanted to point out that she never asked. But it seems Inoue could read the irritation on his face.

"Ah, well, I hope it's not rude to ask we return to the subject at hand."

"Of course. My apologies for that."

"Well, if I may… do you consider your son to be able to work well with a crowd?"

"Hm… In his first year in Kosei, we had events that involved public speaking. I can say he is capable, but I've yet to confirm it since then."

"Well, if you don't mind me asking, would you be interested in your son being a backup dancer to Rise-chan for the Love Meets Bonds Festival?"

"The what-!?" Souji is unable to comprehend if he heard him correctly.

"Senpai! Please…" Rise pleaded for his attention while his mother watched, wanting more details like these before making a decision. "I want all you guys to join me as I start my comeback. It wouldn't feel right without you all. I already got Masato-kun and Naoto-kun on board. Tomorrow I plan to go back home to ask everyone else.

"That will depend on my Mother here. I came back home so soon because I promised to. There's no way–"

"Sure. This could be fun."

"Mother!?" Souji could not believe she turned the corner on the subject just like that.

"You have such interesting friends, Souji. You didn't tell me they would be such a handful." Her head was resting on her hand, elbow planted on the table. She had an amused expression.

"Really? This feels… like you're enjoying this."

"Well, only a little bit. I'm just wondering how this will all play out. Is there any cost for this? Do I need to supply anything for him?" Now she began poking at him from every angle.

"Ah, well you see…"

"Senpai! Can we all go downstairs? Let's leave them to the stuffy details! Masato-kun is on his way here."

"That so? Well, I do want to see how you roped him in all this, so let's go then." He totally doesn't want to deal with the Front desk again.

Summer in Inaba may have come and gone for Souji, but Tokyo wasn't done heating up! And it seems Souji is now going to get roped into something again! Here's hoping it doesn't involve anything serious this time… apart from his face being on television. For now, he can just enjoy his time talking to his Kouhai and see how Masato is doing since he left to begin his training. Tomorrow onward looks to be hectic.

A/C: My irl situation hasn't gotten much better. I'm still trying to write, but I've been getting busier than before. I have to be. So I don't wanna say the fic is in danger right now, but... I can't say it's clearly out of the woods anytime soon. I don't wanna get into the situation yet, but if anything does change, I'll be sure to post it on my bio or in a future chapter update. Anyway, as for the chapter itself, we have Chie and Yosuke's relationship resolved. Really, they highlight a common issue in young relationships; the lack of communication. A lot of problems can be at least acknowledged if both people make the effort to try and speak up. Of course, easier said than done, but it's something that we all can relate to. And Sho is out here causing some trouble still? Hm, looks like he's a trickster. How far will his schemes go? This one seems petty, but the scale can always be tipped further. As for the end, I felt like I could have added on more, but I want to move on already into the next chapter. Plus it was nice to see Homare get a bit whimsical here. Almost like it's a piece of her old self that she discarded for her career.

Today's musical reference is "Monkey Wrench" by Foo Fighters. I had another song in mind, but this felt better considering Yosuke's secret weapon albeit he isn't going through a bad breakup.

I hope what's happening here won't impact my writing. To be honest, I'm feeling a bit unsure, but I need to keep going. I got the drive to keep writing and I fear if I lose it, who knows when I'll be back to finish the story. Next time, we got Rise asking everyone to join her for the LMB Festival, as well as a little secret about Masato coming out... well, you may be a bit too far away to hear it exactly.