Chapter 1: The Complications Of A Golden Band
((Author's Note:Well look at that! It only took me five years and the announcement of a Persona 3 Remake to finally finish writing this darn thing! Now comes all the edits of the rough draft before posting, which hopefully won't take another five years. This story takes place in a vaguely Persona Arena timeframe, though I don't reference the events of that game very much; too busy making lore callbacks to the older games. At any rate, I hope that you enjoy reading!))
It was such a small, simple thing to be confused about. Just a metal ring, shining like sunlight under the office lights. It really had no business knocking Akihiko's mental feet out from under him… Or taking his physical balance as well, with how he wavered in place.
"You might want to sit down."
His head was reeling, and his knees weren't doing much better; when they decided to give up the fight, he found himself sitting down hard. It was a lucky thing Mitsuru kept her office well furnished, and he collapsed into a well stuffed armchair. Somehow, he managed to keep from dropping the ring while he followed Mitsuru's suggestion. The diamond embedded in the metal glimmered in the setting sun; Akihiko wasn't an expert at rocks, but he guessed a stone of that size was both more money than he'd seen, and barely a drop in the bucket for Mitsuru Kirijo.
But what he couldn't figure out was why she'd given it to HIM.
Mitsuru herself stayed seated at her desk. Her gaze hadn't wavered from when she'd pushed the small velvet box across the desk, and her hand was still outstretched; the carefully manicured nails barely touched the surface of the table. She held herself perfectly still, waiting for Akihiko's response.
But he couldn't really make sense of her words. Individually, they all made sense; arranged, marriage, Akihiko, and with me. It was just when strung together in a sentence that his mind gave up, and started spinning.
"Y-you want WHAT?" He finally managed. "You want me to do… What?"
Mitsuru frowned. Even on the best and most sensical of days, she didn't care for repeating herself. He watched her take a deep breath… And it almost seemed like she was steadying herself, before she spoke.
"I'd like an arrangement between us, Akihiko… Specifically, an arranged marriage. It would be of convenience, for both of us." Her eyes flickered to the ring he held. "The board of directors have been… Exerting pressure on me, to find a suitable partner."
Her voice was going more flat, and her gaze distant.
"Even in this day and age, marriage counts for a great deal among traditionalists. If I don't choose a fiancé at the very least, the company will look weak and vacillating. 'Allowing an unmarried girl to flirt about unattended,' as it was put to me."
Akihiko froze at that… And had to fight to keep his fists from balling up. The ring looked fragile, and he was half afraid he'd warp or crush it. But the thought of Mitsuru having to put up with that-
"That's a load of shit." He growled out.
"…To a degree, I concur. But I also can't change the minds of a dozen corporate men, who have years of experience over me. I also don't want this to impact my own investigations, and operations."
"That… Shadow Ops thing you were talking about?" THAT at least felt like a safe subject… At least as safe as investigating and fighting Shadows ever was. It was still something they were both familiar with.
"Precisely. The threats didn't end with the Dark Hour, and neither did the enigmas. It is my goal to investigate and confront both." The cold mask slipped for an instant, showing something more resolute and determined. Whatever else was happening, the politics and pressure hadn't broken Mitsuru down yet. Or changed her mind.
'…Is that such a good thing, though?' That she was still so determined to fight shadows? They were approaching college… And in a way, he was worried that she hadn't fully left their time in high school behind.
'If that's the case… You could say the same for yourself.' Because a part of him perked up, eager at the thought of facing down Shadows. Of having a new challenge… Even if that challenge came packaged with an engagement ring he still didn't know what to make of.
"So… You need to find a fiancé." And something about that pressed down on his chest, in a way that was almost painful. "But how do I enter into this? You'd want someone who's a more established businessman, or more rich, or more… Just MORE. Than me."
Never mind that each time he tried to imagine her with someone else, the pressure on his chest increased. It wasn't something that he liked to picture, with how he grimaced. Mitsuru seemed to falter for a moment, when she saw his look.
He glanced up when she stood from her desk, and strode over to him. She took a seat next to him, but didn't meet him eye to eye. Instead her gaze rested on her hands for a moment. Like she was trying to organize her thoughts as well.
"Because… Precisely because of who you are. I can trust you, Akihiko. To watch my back, to keep my best interests in mind… And perhaps even speak against me, when necessary. You won't try to take advantage of me, or see me as someone lesser. That alone makes me feel you're the best suited for this position."
'Position? What is this, a job interview?' That almost seemed to be how she was treating it. Like it was a partnership between two teammates. But usually when he imagined marriage, it was something more than a partnership; there were usually feelings of love-
He couldn't finish that thought without going pink in the face.
'Slow down there, Sanada…' Though that made him wonder if he was even going to be a Sanada for much longer. Was he really considering trading his surname away, for her sake?
Mitsuru breathed out slowly, risking the briefest glance at him. This close he could see the lace ruffles on her business suit and the scarf wound around her neck, and catch a brief smell of her perfume. It was a little unnerving, just how much she was taking up all his senses. "I understand it would be something of a sacrifice for you, of course. You'd need to give up some of your freedoms; perhaps apply yourself more towards a scholarship… So you don't need to feel pressured to answer right away."
'In other words, no more running off to the far side of the world. No more wandering around, picking whatever fights you want.'
"I…" She was holding up the velvet box as well, offering it in case he wanted to give the ring back. "I understand that this may be too sudden… So please, don't worry about a sudden answer. I wouldn't expect an answer for weeks at least."
There was a flash of something else in her eyes. Something almost vulnerable, with how she only risked a look at him in the corners of her eyes. She threaded her fingers together. Her shoulders slumped… And he didn't want to see her cold front come up again. Not around him.
'She trusts you. And…'
"H-hey. I don't need time to think about this. I already know what my answer is going to be."
"Akihiko," Mitsuru tried to stall him. "Don't rush into this. I don't want you to regret-"
"Why would I regret helping out a friend, and a teammate? If this is what it takes to get those suits off your back, and let you face things… Then of course I want to help." Besides, he wasn't about to sit back and watch her handle things alone. "And you even got the right ring size for me, too."
That didn't sound as reassuring as he'd hoped.
"Um… I'd like to hear more about this Shadow Operatives organization you're putting together, too."
That much hadn't changed; he still wanted to get stronger. But somehow, that goal felt like it was diminished, compared to what she was asking. Like Mitsuru had taken priority in a way, while still lining up with his own goals.
"Th-the point is, I'm not saying 'no' right away." He assured her, turning the ring in his fingers.
-o-o-o-
He was like a wound spring. And while Mitsuru kept herself breathing in and out, steadying herself… Beneath the mask she'd put on, she felt like a match. Her shoulders wouldn't relax, and the seat felt stiff underneath her.
There were countless ways this situation could all deteriorate. And she refused to focus on any of them, sticking instead to her plan and remembering the steps. He held that ring and a potential promise; now she needed to present the next item to him.
She rose from her seat, keeping her steps careful and measured. The last thing she needed was a stumble, a moment to give Akihiko any doubts about how well she'd planned this sequence. Thankfully her feet stayed obedient, taking her back to the desk.
Her fingers found the edges of a paper document, and she pushed the item across the desk and towards Akihiko. He gave it a confused look, as bewildered by the paper as he was by the ring. She could see the question in his face already, on what the document was.
"It… Might be beneficial to look at the details of this agreement. I took the liberty of drafting some documentation up ahead of time; granted they're subject to change, depending on your thoughts."
She'd already memorized most of those articles; that as her fiancé, he'd receive a stipend to help with his living expenses, and to better ease him into the Kirijo's way of living. That they were required to wear their engagement rings during public appearances, and they needed to be visible as a couple for a set number of days each month. Plus the scheduling of those dates and appearances, attending social functions. And-
"…W-wait, what?" And she knew he'd reached the points regarding intimacy.
"…As it says, certain degrees of intimacy are expected, at least during this initial engagement period. I'd prefer not to go beyond holding hands, or a chaste kiss on the cheek at maximum." She'd thought that would be enough to keep things from becoming awkward. Or at least anymore awkward than they already were. But the pink on Akihiko's cheeks showed she hadn't been quite as thorough, or conservative as she'd hoped.
"You… Really are okay with-?" He couldn't quite finish the sentence, and instead tapped his lips.
"For the sake of appearances, I am. Though I would not wish to rush you into that; hence, why I feel hand holding in public gatherings would be enough. It wouldn't cause much of a scandal, either."
"You've really thought this through…" He mumbled. "I guess it's just going to take a lot of getting used to."
She raised her eyebrows with how he'd phrased that, wondering at what he was implying.
"We'll work our way up, as needed." She said, instead of asking. "But are these terms acceptable?"
"Y-yeah. At least, I can learn how to work with them… But what about this last one?" He tapped his finger on the last line, and she followed to where he was pointing.
'Work with the Shadow Operatives will take priority over all other appointments.'
"That would be the main reason for this arrangement." It sounded colder than usual, saying it so bluntly. "Consider it an application of everything we learned at Gekkoukan and S.E.E.S. The world still has its share of supernatural threats… And I refuse to turn a blind eye to them."
Akihiko nodded at that. The tension in him changed, to something more electric; something more like anticipation.
"Tell me more about the Shadow Operatives?"
"Of course…" Mitsuru continued. "It's an offshoot of SEES, of sorts. A way to further look into the Shadow sightings. And there HAVE been sightings."
She picked up a folder from her desk, handing it to Akihiko to scan over. The papers within held more reports and records, this time from places beyond Iwatodai. She saw Akihiko mouth out the names; Inaba, Sumaru, and Mikage. His eyes widened, as he skimmed the reports. Mitsuru herself had browsed those reports often enough to have them memorized, and she could guess what he was looking over by the second. The timestamps and reports of strange creatures appearing, distortions that seemed to bend time and space… All things that pointed to trouble.
"We've no shortage of incidents to investigate. I have a few potential agents lined up… Though I also don't wish to burden Takeba- Yukari Takeba, Junpei Iori, or Ken Amada too much. Their lives are already busy, enough that I want them only to be in reserve."
"And you know that I've got too much free time, huh?" She canted her head at that, before realizing Akihiko was trying to make a joke. Somehow she couldn't bring herself to smile over it. Akihiko noticed it, and his half grin wilted away. "I… That's why you want me on the team, right?"
'That's one reason, among many.' Perhaps she should have printed out those reasons as well; because all but one had fled her mind as she watched him.
"I approached you because… I feel we have the best chance of solving this problem together. We know each other well at this point, given how long we've worked together. This would be an extension of that partnership, Sana-"
Her mouth clicked shut at that, before she blurted out his surname. That stumble was firmly NOT in her plans, and she berated herself for the slip. Akihiko blinked at his surname, hearing how her voice faltered, and gave her a long look. His lips moved, but no sound came out… And at last he broke eye contact, looking over the text instead.
-o-o-o-
Akihiko read over the documents again, considering the terms… and Mitsuru's choice of words.
'She almost went back to surnames.' He wondered, if all this time spent away from the others had forced her to put that cold mask back in place. If that time spent wandering had left her too isolated, with only business to throw herself into.
"Like we were saying, you wanted to keep the others in reserve… Compared to me, I'm guessing?" Akihiko flashed her a quick grin, desperate to show he was still joking. "I… I guess I was at a crossroads with figuring out what I wanted to do next, as it is. College might be good, if I could settle on what I'm supposed to major on."
"I'd be happy to provide advice. And Aigis will be on hand as well, to handle some investigations and missions. But as for us… Ideally the Kirijo Group will give us some breathing room, to better investigate these reports."
Akihiko nodded at that, browsing the paper again and trying to memorize the names and terms. One of them jumped out to him.
"…SEBEC?" His eyebrows scrunched together as he read. "Aren't they some sort of medical company?"
"Yes. They had a fall from grace several years ago; some sort of scandal and the loss of their chief CEO, but people have been remarkably tight lipped about the details. I want to look into them, if possible… Particularly since they seem to have been involved in both the Mikage and the Sumaru incidents. A substantial amount of company funds were directed into both cities."
"How'd you find all this out, anyway?"
"Yamagishi has only improved on her ability to uncover data." Mitsuru let a small touch of pride into her voice. "And remains a valuable, founding member. But there's also something in the family history as well."
"Is this another Kirijo thing?"
"Not… Precisely. All of this happened while the Kirijo Family were still part of a different organization. I trust you've also heard of the Nanjo Group?"
"That was who you separated from." He remembered that much when he was first introduced to the Kirijo family, and received the basic lessons. Amazing that he could still recount those old details. "But yeah, I'm familiar with them."
"I've reason to believe they had involvement with this as well, though they keep much of the information to themselves." She had a distant look in her eyes; one that Akihiko hadn't seen in decades. It was a look that warned him she was dwelling on the past, and was perhaps seconds away from withdrawing and becoming a little more cold and distant.
"And... If I agreed to this contract, that'd help you?" He asked, trying to get her focus back on the current matter. He was rewarded with a quick nod from Mitsuru.
"It would free up resources to look into the matter. And… It means I'd have another ally to help me with investigation."
He shouldn't have smiled over that, Akihiko knew. And yet he still felt his lips quirk up, as he thought over the prospect.
'Helping her.' That was something he could live with.
-o-o-o-
She wondered at that slight smile playing across his face. The look clashed with the hurts trying to reopen in her head. It made Mitsuru wonder if Akihiko was the only one of them who had grown up, all in all; because it was still easy for her mind and heart to go cold, if she thought too far back on her family business-
"So when should I sign?" It was a simple question, but did an elegant job of derailing all of her thoughts. To the point that all Mitsuru could manage was a blank stare at Akihiko.
"The… You know, the contract. When should I sign it?" He repeated, looking at the terms and fiddling with the ring. And finally it slammed into Mitsuru that he was agreeing to her offer. Not even taking a day or so to think over it, but instead rushing in.
She wasn't the only one to hold onto odd habits, it seemed.
"You… You're absolutely sure? Aren't you worried about-?" A part of her wondered at how she was trying to dissuade him; wasn't this what she wanted? To have a partner?
Akihiko simply rolled his shoulders.
"It'll take some getting used to. But yeah, I'm as sure as I can be. Besides… It sounds interesting." He gave her a quick smirk, a flash of competitiveness showing in his eyes. "I don't want to miss out on this."
"Akihiko…" She wanted to say that this wasn't a game. That he hadn't changed much since high school… And that something about his attitude, infuriating as it could be, also made her relax a little. When he gave that smile, the office felt a little less stifling. He slipped the ring over his finger, turning it this way and that before settling it in place.
As nonsensical as it was, a weight eased off her heart when she saw that, and her shoulders finally allowed themselves to relax.
'Don't be too sentimental.' She warned herself. 'This is for business, and a partnership. You phrased it as such, so that's all it will be.' Emotions didn't enter it; didn't NEED to enter into it. Even if a part of her was very relieved that he'd said yes. Or at least something almost like yes.
That would have to suffice, for now.