Today's the last free day before finals, the sun is shining bright and it's so warm the AC can't keep up. They're all going to be knee-deep in their books for days, things are supposed to be back to the comfortable "before" and he's worried about her, yesterday's news must have shaken her.
It's because they need their leader in peak shape. Of course, it's all it is. It's what any good senpai would worry about, the well-being of his fellow SEES members.
She seems so pensive that morning in the kitchen as everyone is buzzing around to fix themselves some breakfast. Minako keeps her eyes on him with a calculating expression, tea in hand, and slightly smiles his way. He finally must go upstairs to escape her scarlet gaze and the faint ringing that can't seem to leave his head whenever he wants to talk to her. Having everyone just crowding the space is too much, seems the exam chaos is already in preproduction.
If only they could be somewhere else right now, just the two of them. Anywhere except where Iori and Takeba share the same timezone, ideally.
By the time he comes downstairs again, everyone's gone out of the dorm already. Akihiko sighs, maybe Minato can be persuaded to give him her cellphone number.
The broth smells heavenly, it's been a good week since he had the time and appetite to step in the ramen shop and he's definitely looking forward to the culinary experience despite his longing for her company. He barely started dipping his chopsticks in when Aragaki sits down next to him, adjusting his beanie. Its blistering hot outside, yet he's still covered like he's about to go hike some mountain.
"Looks like you managed to stop screwing things up Aki. Imagine finding you here, not looking like the undead."
Akihiko sighs, his oldest friend seems intent on pushing his buttons today. He rolls his eyes, but then hails the server.
"Can you bring a second bowl for him? It's on me."
Shinji scoffs in mock outrage, but there's a certain joy in the uplift of his mouth.
"What am I, your date?"
"Nothing to do as usual, uh?"
It's like a game they've played for years, one-upping another with provocation. Akihiko can pretend he's annoyed all he wants, but any time spent with his adoptive brother is precious, no matter how insufferable he can be. He'll never tell him though and is trying his darndest to look bored.
Aragaki doesn't answer right away, there's some dismay dancing in his eyes at the quip back that he can't quite hide.
"Moron. Was gonna ask if you needed another beating, but it seems to have put your screws back in the first time."
"…Actually, it took another, yours was just the first round. You lose."
He chomps on some noodles as the second bowl is added to the counter. There's a certain comfort in being, for once, in a situation he can control and anticipate. No worries, no noise, no dorm chaos, just the banter, the gruff affection, the company. Just like old times.
One, two, three…
"Well fuck, I guess I owe her an homecooked meal or something then."
He even laughs. Akihiko turns on him, eyes confused. Shinji hates losing, to anyone, what's this? The eyes under the beanie looking back his way are definitely mocking him.
"Don't think I didn't figure it out. I'd pay good money to watch it live but I'm not going back there."
Akihiko keeps eating instead of chomping on the bait he's dangling, he really doesn't want to slip him any ammunition at this point. Might be best to change the subject instead.
"Speaking of back there… We found out how to get rid of Tartarus and the Dark Hour."
That definitely takes Aragaki by surprise.
"No shit?"
He nods. Shinji slurps loudly, turning all his attention to his meal, not speaking until the bowl is empty. Once he places his sticks down on the counter, he mumbles.
"…Erasing the Dark Hour is not gonna wipe what happened."
Shinjiro gets up and leave, hands in his pocket and head held low, running away from their promise yet again.
The exchange rattled him a bit, but he doesn't know what he expected. Shinji was perhaps never coming around, but at least they still had whatever it was they shared at this point in time. Solemn, he goes out of the ramen shop later, sun glaring so bright it's blinding him.
It was still too damn warm outside and Akihiko figures he might as well use the free time to run all his errands, there won't be much respite this week. Anything to keep him busy and distracted, training is not an option until the day cools down anyways.
Kurosawa is gone from the station, so Akihiko decides to wait for him and sits on one of the benches at the mall. They definitely need new weapons and he can handle the order and delivery, take something off her plate for once. The fountain is gurgling happily at his back, and the thick crowd of kids and teenagers undulates like a mirage, almost in sync with the blaring beaty music from the arcade.
It's that particular detail that makes him raise his gaze toward Game Panic and he sees her. She's playing one of those dancing challenges with the stepping pads, in tandem with Junpei. Her hairpins flare like shooting stars from the light of the screen scrolling arrows in zigzag at some decent clip.
Their song ends and they step down as she fishes for change in her pocket. She's looking at him with a smirk and an impish look in her eyes.
"Choose a song, and if I manage to get in the top 5 high scores you have to study tonight, no excuses. Your composition grades are terrible."
Iori narrows his eyes at her, dubious.
"It's a trap Mina-tan, I'm not that stupid."
"You drag me out of the dorm by force, when I was perfectly content to stay in the lounge all day, and now you're playing chicken? Okay then, how about no holding the bar, and extreme difficulty?"
Junpei whistles, pondering. He looks at the contraption, then the slip of a girl with her hands on her hips like she's scolding him into submission.
"And what do I get out of it?"
She scowls, contemplating the question.
"I don't know, is there anything you want?"
Now it's Iori's turn to smirk, thoroughly amused.
"I get to ask you three questions, and you can't lie."
"Deal."
"I can ask aaa-ny-thing, three questions, you sure?"
She nods, absolutely confident. Junpei laughs to himself with a dark tone, puts the change in the machine himself and starts scrolling the song selection. He punches some buttons in and with a flourish, invites her to step up, which she does with an impersonation of some opera diva.
Akihiko sees her face fall into a blank expression as she stays, motionless, in front of the game screen. She narrows her eyes and press start, adjusts her position in the center of the pad and lets loose.
He finally gets how she always knew how to move in combat: she's an amazing dancer. There are so many steps, and without the bar to hold on, she must adjust her footwork to keep herself balanced in quick succession. She's not just tapping her feet on the pad; her whole body is just lost in the rhythm, spinning this way and that, barely glancing at the screen.
Junpei realizes very quickly he's been duped; she knows this song by heart and can dance it with her eyes closed despite the difficulty. Akihiko almost chuckles when Iori groans and hangs his head; she's been holding back on him. Good for her; always keep your opponent guessing.
She hits the last notes and steps down with a pose. Not a perfect score, but close. She taps Junpei's shoulder with a pat like she's comforting a small kid.
"You are so catching up on composition tonight dude. Say your prayers now."
"And you're such a cheater! You never told me you could play at that difficulty; I can barely handle above normal. You've been holding back, goddamn!"
She sighs, looks away.
"Actually, you never asked. You should know by now. I might push the limits in Tartarus, but I don't do that to people."
Minako lowers her tone at his expression.
"Junpei, I didn't want to make your uncomfortable. I was just going to wait until you were ready, but you asked for it, so…"
Akihiko blinks, he's leaning on the side wall near the arcade, listening in. He's not quite proud of himself right now, but there's something rooting him in place.
"I know. Don't worry about it, a bet's a bet. Can we grab something at Chagall before you force me to walk the plank with studies?"
"Why not, I got my employee credit, should be a good deal. Let's go!"
He waits until they get inside the café, none the wiser about his hiding place, to make his way back to the police station. Concluding his business quickly, he takes the train back home, completely lost in thought, foot tapping and knuckles white from holding the strap above him.
…I was perfectly content to stay in the lounge all day…
Was she planning on waiting for everyone to leave? Was she waiting for him?
I didn't want to make your uncomfortable. I was just going to wait until you were ready…
Akihiko realizes it's not the first time she's done this. She might throw him some curveballs to shake him out of whatever's troubling him, but she's been very respectful of his frequent bouts of distress.
Until she wasn't, but she'd made her point clear that day and he can't keep running away. The sun is setting the port ablaze and all he wants is for finals to be over so he can act on it.