Disclaimer:
I do not own the story and the concepts represented in this fiction. All Persona-related material belongs to Atlus, the fantastic company that created the games.
Author's Notes:
Happy Holidays everyone!~ It feels like I only update during the holidays or something! Anyways, I hope you guys are all having a great time and enjoying lots of food, drinks, and presents. Also, apologies in advance, as this chapter is just sad. From here on, I'll be honest - things will get mildly dark. So yeah, I look forward to that!
Comment to Reviews:
meatloverspizza: Hey, thanks pizza! Have I mentioned how many I think you're name is fantastic! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
maelstrom969": Hey, thank you so much for your review. Writing Akira's shifts in personality is one of my favorite things to write about, so I'm glad you enjoy it! Also, the P5 crew is sometimes a bit stiff in the games. Like, act like teenagers and be stupid sometimes!
codywhite162: Ask, and you shall receive. Though, I imagine this chapter might be more on the melancholy side.
Fronlor: You know, even I wonder if I can realistically write the duo curious enough to try something like that. But, I think Haru's too possessive, though. The girl has a mean side she isn't scared to show!
prince of underbrush: I 100% agree. Islands are always fantastic and magical.
Ganheim: Hey, thank you so much for the review and feedback. I completely agree with you about Morgana. I love the cat in the game, but damn, was he sometimes annoying. Our boy Akira slowly realizes he'll have to put his foot down. Also, I think how little screen time Haru has in P5 allows me a lot of creativity to fill in the blanks. She's a sweet, mature girl with a murderous itch who loves you. There's so much potential there!
Guest: Thank you so much! I hope I didn't make the wait too long!
After
11/30
Staring out the limousine window, Haru eyes the detention center in awe and apprehension. Despite the number of pictures she's seen on the net, the facility is much larger than expected. Strangely enough, it reminds her of Shujin, too.
The vehicle nears a checkpoint where an armed guard in uniform waves them forward. Sato-san, her driver for this endeavor, lowers the window to converse with the man. Hearing them exchange words, Haru is faintly aware of their talk's nuances but doesn't fully comprehend the conversation.
Even when the guard requests her identification and Haru presents it, she is not entirely focused. She feels empty and devoid of thought, like a balloon leaking air. Some part of her worries it's too late to turn back. Too late to call off this impromptu request and return to Ann's house, where she almost feels at home. Mr. Akiyoshi would undoubtedly understand, after all.
"Follow the road until you see a sign that will direct you to the visitor parking," says the guard to Sato-san.
"Understood," the stoic driver replies.
Their exchange snaps Haru out of her thoughts.
Dread.
It fills Haru's chest like a pop drink fizzling out of control.
Haru closes her eyes and steadies her breathing.
Besides the occasional speed bump, the drive to the parking lot is smooth under Mr. Sato's control. The silence and lack of external stimuli are enough to make Haru almost forget her destination until the vehicle comes to a stop.
"Madam, we have arrived." Sato-san looks over his shoulder as he says this.
Slowly, Haru opens her eyes. She gives the older man a smile she hopes is reassuring and not twisted from the turmoil brewing in her chest.
"Thank you," Haru says.
"Will you be needing me to accompany you?"
Haru mulls over the question before shaking her head. "I appreciate the gesture; however, I think I can manage. Mr. Akiyoshi will be waiting for me in the reception area."
Sato-san maintains his impassive stare before facing forward. "I will wait for you here until you finish your business."
Haru nods and faces the window to stare at the detention center once more. The facility is even more daunting from where they are parked, towering high in the sky and covering the sun.
Nervousness explodes within her, prickling her insides like sharp knives as she imagines how the meeting will go.
"I'll be going now," Haru announces, exiting the vehicle.
She doesn't wait for Mr. Sato to reply. She closes the door behind her and then begins her journey.
The route to the entrance is a straight path following white pavement lines. The parking lot is abuzz with activity as vehicles enter and exit and people walk towards the door.
She arrives at the end of the walkway, facing the enormity of the detention center, and waits alongside other citizens. A paved street separates her from the entrance, where an officer controls vehicle traffic at the center of the road.
Waiting patiently, Haru hones in on the people and conversations around her. To her left is an elderly woman supporting herself with a cane. A blue scarf hood alongside oversized sunglasses hides her face while protecting her from the sun.
"I'm almost to the reception area, and I can't wait to see him. He's been calling, so I finally decided to give in, you know?"
To Haru's right is another visitor speaking in an energetic tone. Practically the opposite of the calm, older woman, the younger female – perhaps in her early twenties – chatters happily into her phone.
The younger woman is visiting her ex-lover, a felon. Haru's eavesdropping ends when the traffic officer turns toward the group and gestures them forward with a wave.
Haru gulps and procceds.
Once more, she is reminded of how the detention center differs from her imagination. The entrance is a spacious, circular room designed with a minimalist interior.
Three guards and three metal detectors divide the room and act as barriers before further access into the facility. The guard closest to the entrance directs visitors to form two lines for each metal detector. The process is quick and efficient.
Passing the security checkpoint, Haru arrives at a square-shaped room. Blue chairs fixed to the floor litter the center, while blue sofas make a half-circle to the left, surrounding a flat-screen TV mounted to the wall. Further ahead is the reception desk behind a thick glass where workers sit and address visitor inquiries.
The room is abuzz with activity and chatter, which baffles the aburn-haired girl as she considers her next course of action. Fortunately, a familiar voice reaches her ear.
"Okumura-san!"
The relief she feels is immediate at the sight of her lawyer, Mr. Akiyoshi.
"Akiyoshi-san." Haru greets him with a slight bow.
Mr. Akiyoshi returns the gesture. "How are you? Did you find it difficult arriving here?"
"Not at all," Haru says. "Thank you for accommodating my selfish request."
"No thanks are necessary," refutes the older male. "While it's difficult to predict how it will affect your situation, having you here can result in something constructive."
"R-really? How so?"
"Well, let's sit to discuss this."
The two walk to the collection of sofas and situate themselves comfortably across from each other. As Mr. Akiyoshi reaches for the leather briefcase bag at his side, Haru fidgets in anticipation.
"Ok," Mr. Akiyoshi begins, "not too long ago, I mentioned the possibility of Ms. Akio upholding the full brunt of the incident…."
"Y-yes." Haru nods shakily. Her memory of the news and her reaction still weigh heavily in her mind.
"Further review of the incident now suggests that she might not have been as willing as the police reports originally suggested. This and other factors will likely reduce her involvement as an accessory to the incident."
"An accessory? That – that is much better, correct?"
"Yes, absolutely. Viewed as an accessory, we can expect significantly less severe charges."
A wave of emotion threatens to rise from Haru's chest and overwhelm her. Her chest experiences a tightness that develops in tandem with the burning she feels behind her eyelids. Only her formal upbringing and years of self-control prevent her from allowing the turbulent emotions to spill forth.
"So – so, she can be released soon?"
Mr. Akiyoshi's face falls. "Unfortunately, as an accessory, she still faces several possible repercussions. However, there are ways to improve her circumstances before the matter is further processed."
"What can be done!?" Haru asks feverishly.
Leaning forward, Mr. Akiyoshi rests his face on his interlocked fingers. His dark eyes stare into Haru's brown orbs before answering. "Since taken into custody, Ms. Akio has not responded to any questions about the event."
Haru blinked. "What?"
"Since taken into police custody on the night of November twenty-first, Ms. Akio Aiuchi has refused to talk about the incident. Even the legal representative acquired by the Okumura…er, your firm has yielded no results."
Haru stares at her legal advocate, speechless.
"As your legal representative, I cannot question Mr. Akio myself. However, her attorney and I have discussed the possibility of her becoming more cooperative if she were to discuss the matter with you. This is wholly unorthodox and not something we would normally try. However, the situation has left us frantic to take any steps to help….with your consent and cooperation, of course."
Haru gulps, forcing her hopefulness to settle. This is good, she tells herself. She arranged this meeting to see Akio. Akio-san would explain herself to Haru. After all, they care for one another. Haru can consider no one else but the maid as a family with her father gone.
At nine, her grandfather passed away, leaving the brunt of the growing company under her father's direction. Her mother left when she was young and then died shortly after. Since then, her father has never had much time for her. Then, the Okumura estate employed a new maid named Akio Aiuchi.
Akio-san always stayed while the estate's staff continuously changed. And, while the estate's personnel kept a respectable distance from the Okumura heir, Akio-san entertained her youthful whims.
Akio-san is all the family she has left. And Akio-san has no one either.
The head maid had told Haru herself that she had no parents, siblings, or other living relatives she could turn to. Just like Haru, she is alone.
So, undoubtedly, the head maid will talk to Haru. Then, everyone can see that Akio-san's involvement was a misunderstanding. Then, they can return to the estate. No, never the estate. Never again. Somewhere different, better, without the memories and reminders of that horrific experience.
"I'll do it," Haru says to Mr. Akiyoshi. "This was my request. I want to prove that Akio-san did nothing wrong."
Her attorney nods. He glances at his wristwatch, then stands up with his briefcase bag. "Ok. I've already signed us in. See that monitor in the corner over there."
Haru looks at the small TV, displaying the number one hundred and twenty-five.
"Our number is one hundred and thirty," Mr. Akiyoshi explains. "Once they call us, we will head to the front of the reception area and follow their instructions."
"Ok," Haru nods.
Mr. Akiyoshi excuses himself while Haru takes out her phone and tinkers with the device to pass the time. She stares blankly at the screen as she strolls through her contacts. Her gut reaction is to call Akira since he is the only one who knows her situation.
No one else on the team would understand. The enormity of the incident would, without a doubt, be too burdensome for others.
Haru's finger hovers over Akira's name. Burdening the young man further is much too cruel, given his troubling circumstances. Despite wanting to hear his voice, she decides against it and puts away her phone.
"Okumura-san," says Mr. Akiyoshi, startling her. "Our number is almost up. Are you ready?"
Yes.
No.
Nonetheless, she nods and follows the older male to the reception area. She eyes the number on the monitor. It reads one hundred and twenty-nine. Then, before her eyes, the number changes, and it's their turn.
Her chest undergoes a sudden irregular fluttering, the tension seeping her veins, causing her movements to feel mechanical and jittery. Fortunately, Mr. Akiyoshi instructs her on what to do. After presenting her identification once more, Mr. Akiyoshi provides a slip of paper to the officer behind the reception desk.
They are told to wait in line with the other visitors. Haru immediately recognizes the elderly female and the younger woman from earlier.
Mr. Akiyoshi explains, "An officer will lead us to a locker room where we must store personnel belongings before entering the visitation center. Once our belongings are secure, we go through another set of metal detectors and an iris scan. The security level of this facility is not too strict. Otherwise, the check-in process would take much longer."
The mention of security reminds Haru of the security levels in the Palaces. She can recall, with haunting accuracy, the times during her late father's Cognition when the team increased the Palace's security.
"What does a facility with a severe security level look like?"
Her attorney frowns, the look on his face contemplative. "Well, there would be more armed guards, for one."
As Mr. Akiyoshi explains, the group is led to a room with small lockers fixed to the right and left walls. Haru follows her attorney's example and secures her belongings inside. Next, they follow an officer to the screening room with more metal detectors and an iris scanner. The quick and efficient process almost reminds Haru of the standard security checks at airports. Everything except the iris scanner, of course.
"How are the conditions for, um, inmates?" Haru whispers to Mr. Akiyoshi.
"Reasonable," Mr. Akiyoshi replies after a moment. "I'm not too well versed on the particulars, but inmates receive good living areas, three meals – as is standard – and recreational time. This is actually a vast facility. Did you notice the structure of the building while you were outside? "
Haru nods in confusion at his question. "Yes, it is much larger than I ever imagined."
Mr. Akiyoshi chuckles. "Yes, well, this is one of the largest detention centers in Tokyo. When we leave later, you will notice that the building appears like two separate buildings merged together – the east and west wing. This center separates men and women. The east wing is for men, and the west is for women. A facility housing both sexes is very uncommon."
Mr. Akiyoshi pauses to give Haru a warm smile.
"What does all of that mean, then?" Haru asks.
"It means that for Miss Akio to be held here, her charges must not be seen as so severe. Of course, I am only speculating as her legal counsel cannot share that information. But I believe it is a good thing that she is here. I…hope that information helps you in any way."
Haru's face experiences various expressions before settling on a smile. "Thank you."
Once everyone in the group undergoes the security check, they are escorted further into the facility. Eying their surroundings, Haru is again reminded of her school and its similarities with the facility. If not for the officer leading them, she could imagine walking around Shuijin high.
Nearing the end of the hall, their guide stops at a set of clear double doors. A sign hanging to the right of the entrance reads Visit Centre.
The officer turns toward them. "Once inside, find the inmate you have requested for visitation. The duration of your visit will not exceed thirty minutes. However, you are free to end the visit at any time. Notify any of the guards in the room to request an escort back to the reception area. You will be notified at any time if your actions or the inmate's actions cause a disturbance. At that time, a guard will issue a warning. Failure to comply will result in termination of the visitation and immediate removal from the facility. Does everyone understand?"
The atmosphere is tense after the officer explains the instructions. It hits home to Haru then that Akio-san is so close, just beyond the clear doors. Along with everyone else, Haru voices her understanding of the officer's instructions.
The group is ushered inside.
There awaiting them is a long rectangular room with numerous square tables connected at its base to four circular seats. An inmate occupies each table.
The visitors begin to disband, quickly locating the reason for their visitation. Haru watches them go and then begins her search for Akio-san.
Haru's emotions are a mess. She recognizes this. Minutes ago, she felt dread and anxiety as if fire ants were crawling under her skin at the prospect of facing her mother figure. Mr. Akiyoshi's kind words and stoic demeanor helped alleviate some of her unease. But now, more unpleasant emotions begin to surface as she turns her head like a swivel to locate her mother.
Haru shallows her discomfort and unease as if it were a foreign object lodged in her throat.
"Um, ah..."
Haru spots officers in each corner of the room. She considers asking them for help like a lost child looking for their parent. Then, she berates herself for forgetting that Mr. Akiyoshi is at her side and surely could help her locate Akio-san.
"Akiyoshi-san," Haru says.
"Hm, yes," responds her lawyer.
"Um, I - I can't see Akio-san anywhere. Is she not here? Did they make a mistake? Maybe we're at -"
Akiyoshi-san holds up his hand to stop Haru. "Okumura-san...she's right next to us."
Haru snaps her head in every direction, ignoring how unsettled she must appear to everyone else. She eyes every inmate. They aren't hard to discern with the bright yellow outfits they wear.
Slowly, Haru's brisk, anxious thoughts start settling, and she notices something obvious.
Sitting across from every inmate is their respective visitor. That means, through simple deduction, Akio-san must be the only resident sitting by herself.
That means...
Slowly, Haru's head turns toward the only inmate sitting alone, merely three feet away. A woman with a weary look, messy black hair in a bun, and melancholy in her eyes. Eyes usually harboring a sharpness that conveyed to others their owner was no dunce.
"A-Akio-san...?"
Haru takes a step forward, hesitating in the hope she's wrong. The woman does not respond. Her eyes remain angled down at the center of the square table.
"Akio-san," Haru tries again.
The air shifts. Immediately, Haru can tell whatever is happening is different from the happy reunion she imagined. Mr. Akiyoshi takes the initiative and sits across from the woman.
"Ms. Aiuchi, Akio, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
He is silent for a moment and waits for the woman to respond. He receives a half-hearted shrug instead and a slight narrowing of her eyes.
Mr. Akiyoshi continues. "I am here on behalf of Ms. Okumura."
There!
Even Haru, in her haze, catches how the woman tenses at the mention of her name. Still, the woman does not look up from the table.
"Now, I am well aware of...your reluctance to discuss what occurred on the night of November twenty-first. I understand. However, that is not the reason for this visit."
The woman looks up at Mr. Akiyoshi with something akin to surprise and suspicion. At that moment, something in Haru's mind clicks, accepting that this woman is Akio-san. This woman, a far cry from the stunning, witty maid who guided her throughout her life, is her mother.
Mr. Akiyoshi suddenly leans close to Akio-san. He whispers a message into the woman's ear. Whatever he conveys is done too stealthfully for anyone else to hear but seems to have the intended effect.
Akio-san's eyes widened. She momentarily stares at Haru before looking away again.
"Well, I'll have a guard escort me back to the reception area," Mr. Akiyoshi says as he stands and turns to Haru. "I'll wait for you there."
Her lawyer approaches a guard without another word and is whisked out of the Visitor Centre. Haru observes this in a haze until her mind registers that she is alone - or as alone as she can be - with Akio-san.
She feels something heavy sink into the pit of her stomach. It is her old friend: numbness.
Haru inhales, then turns toward Akio-san. Then, the heavy substance in her stomach quickly begins to thaw. Anxiety crackles in her chest like small fireworks, but before it overwhelms her, Haru takes a seat.
"A-Akio-san...hello."
Akio-san does not respond, much less look at her. Haru nods and continues before she loses her nerve.
"H-how are the conditions here in this facility?"
Silence.
Haru gulps. "I - Mr. Akiyoshi informed me that they treat...everyone ok here. I-I hope that's true. Is it true?"
All around both women, the lively chatter from the other inmates and visitors fills their silence.
Haru shallows. "I, um, am doing...ah, not terrible. My friend Ann has let me stay at her residence. Um, her parents know about it, and they don't mind. They are actually away a lot. They, um, work in the movie industry...I think?"
Haru racks her head for information that should come effortlessly to her. She finds herself mirroring Akio-san and staring at the center of the table. "Ann's told me so many times. She's really proud of them...but she's lonely sometimes. Staying with someone my age, another girl, is fun. But...I miss the estate. I haven't returned since...um, Mr. Akiyoshi said the night of November twenty-first. I...think it's been taped off by the police..."
Haru looks up momentarily. To her disappointment, nothing about Akio-san's demeanor has changed.
Haru breathes in and exhales slowly. She can feel a burning behind her eyes that she tries to suppress. Gulping, she continues.
"I haven't been back to the estate since then, but I-I-I miss it."
Oh no, Haru thinks.
Her vision begins to swim. "I-I-I miss everyone at the estate. I-I-I miss father. I-I..."
Haru shuts her eyes as tears dribble uncontrollably. Desperately, she covers her face. "I miss you, Akio-san! I don't know what to do anymore! So much is going wrong. I-I try to keep it under control, but I can't handle what others expect of me for Okumura Foods. I try not to burden my friends, but Akira hurts so much. And I don't want to be a burden. I love him and my friends, but I'm becoming a burden. And, if I am, they'll leave me, and I'll be all alone."
All alone...
All...alone...
Saying those words out loud causes a secret fear she's harbored to surface at the forefront of her heart. Haru uncovers her face and desperately reaches for Akio-san like a child frantic for their parent's protection.
With eyes blurred by tears and her face marred by makeup, Haru cries, "Mo-mother, I'm so scared! I can't do this anymore. Please, talk to me! Please, come back to me!"
And, in response to her frantic pleas for love and reassurance, the woman Haru adores most stands.
She turns and then walks to the nearest guard. In her voice, the same elegant voice that would smooth Haru's worries, she asks to be returned to her quarters.
The blood in Haru's veins freezes.
O
The car rocks forward and back before coming to a complete stop.
"Madam," Mr. Sato says, "we've arrived at Central Street."
Haru raises her head to meet Mr. Sato's gaze. Whatever he sees must be unpleasant because the older male flinches.
"Madam," he says, voice hesitant, "while I understand you want to visit Central Street, might I suggest coming here another time? The sun has already set, and it is much chiller since we are nearing the holidays."
"I'm meeting friends," Haru replies before gathering her belongings.
Before Mr. Sato can respond, the young lady exits the vehicle and ventures aimlessly into the brightly-lit street.
Even in her winter outfit, the cold air chills her bones.
In some ways, she enjoys the discomfort it brings. It gives her something to focus on. Something tangible and real that is within her grasp of understanding.
The street is not as crowded as she would have imagined. Likely due to the time of day and cold weather. She offhandedly wonders who else is walking the street and for what reason.
Despite everything, Haru knows what she wants. She wants to find something no one will miss and hit it. She wants to march inside the gym and tear open a punching bag, so all the sand accumulates at her feet.
No, even better, she wants to march into Mementos and gauge the eyes of every miserable shadow in her path. Make them hurt like the aching, burning, sickening hurt in her chest.
Haru stifles a smile of excitement at the prospect.
Quickly, she turns toward the entrance of the subway.
She is determined in her objective. Never mind the disappointment her friends may feel. Never mind the team's rules of never venturing into the Metaverse alone.
Haru rushes forward and, in her haste, collides with someone.
"Mommy!"
Haru blinks into awareness. She sees a young woman, perhaps a few years older than her, on the floor. A little girl directs a glare at Haru and rushes to the young woman's side.
"Oh, wow..." the woman bemoans.
"Oh! I apologize," Haru says, rushing to the woman's aid.
"Hey, you pushed my mommy!"
"Nagi," the woman chastises. "Manners!"
"But, mommy..."
"No buts!"
Haru helps the woman to her feet and quickly checks that she is unscathed. "I apologize for bumping into you. I was too in my head."
"No worries, no worries," the woman says, rolling her shoulder. "Wow, though, I have to say that you are built differently. Felt like I collided with a wall. My husband would be asking for your work regime if he were here. He's a personal trainer."
"I-I see," Haru says, nodding.
"Mommy! Are you ok? You fell on your big butt!"
"Hey! Don't say that out loud! Your papa happens to love my big butt!"
And somehow, despite her blood-curling rage moments ago, Haru finds herself laughing with the stranger and her daughter.
When the trio settles, Haru once again asks, "Are you sure you're ok? I will take full responsibility if you're hurt."
"Hehe, you're a sweet girl, you know. But don't worry. I'm still young enough to take a fall."
"Mommy's clumsy."
"Hey!"
Haru giggles at the exchange. "Ok...well, if you're sure. Then, please accept my deepest apology."
"Oh, you are too cute. Hey, Nagi, make sure to grow up just as sweet as this lady, alright?"
The girl makes a face of annoyance in reply. After a few more assurances of her well-being, the woman leaves with her daughter. Haru watches them go with a smile and considers their meeting a strange but delightful experience.
The sight of the mother and daughter pair momentarily dulls the ache in her chest.
Haru continues to look in their direction even after they disappear. A longing builds in her chest, something warm and intangible that she can't put into words.
The foreign sensation spurs her into action.
Hurriedly, Haru reaches for her phone to make a call and walks toward the platform that will take her to Yongen-Jaya.
As the train screeches to stop, Haru is too immersed in this longing to see the train windows reflect the yellow glow beginning to pool in her brown eyes.