Friday, July 10, 2009, 12:41PM
Gekkoukan High School, Student Council Room
Exams were not a problem for her.
At least, not in a vacuum. In theory, for Mitsuru Kirijo, it was the smallest, most trifling concern she faced all year. She was wealthy, beautiful, popular, and finely educated. People came to her for advice on personal and academic issues. She was adored from up close and afar. There is no reason why anyone would think she had anything to worry about.
There was no reason to think she was sitting alone during lunch, nearly catatonic
Balancing the roles of leading SEES, preparing for college, and preparing for her future in her family's business were omnipresent concerns for Mitsuru Kirijo. No matter what day it was, those concerns were directly in front of her, or whispering in the back of her mind. Exams on top of that were just...another thing she had to worry about. A small concern, especially compared to everything else, but it was still another thing she had to account for.
Find time to study here. Reorient her carefully planned weekly schedule there. Push something back. Cancel something else.
Just another thing to be thrown on the pile, ready to collapse on top of her at a moment's notice.
At the very least it provided her with one, incredibly marginal but nonetheless appreciated, benefit. The student council, like other clubs, did not meet in the days preceding exams. Which meant the room was closed off. Which meant she could simply take her usual lunch, a simple but functional mélange of milk, stew, and fried bread, in solitude.
Half an hour had passed by. The closest she had come to touching her food was tapping her finger near the milk bottle. She sat there, slouched in her seat, blankly staring at the wall opposite of the chalkboard. There was a lot she could be doing, should be doing right now, but...
Mitsuru sighed.
There was no point in wallowing in her own misery, but the last few months had been difficult. The small cadre she had fought with up until now had ballooned to nearly thrice its original size. In many regards this took the burden off of her back, being able to send in a squad of rookies to explore Tartarus was one less concern.
But she was also now up to five new people she had to mind. Five more people with wildly different personalities and concerns. It was immediately clear that several of the new members neither trusted her nor respected her. Iori and Yamagishi were perfectly fine, capable of following instructions, gladly taking charge and retreating when need be. They had proven themselves perfectly functional team members. After a few months in the field, she could confidently say she had no real complaints.
Takeba meanwhile... was competent. Mitsuru didn't want to unfairly diminish her capabilities. But she had also been prone to mood swings, and held her in barely restrained contempt, for almost as long as the two had known each other. Mitsuru had managed to delay the inevitable confrontation back further and further, but their time was slowly approaching.
Shiomi had at first been a worthy second-in-command, at least when it came to leading her peers. Takeba had been more comfortable following the lead of her classmate, rather than Mitsuru herself, and so had the other juniors when they joined. She recognized the drive the younger girl had. Mitsuru could vividly remember those red eyes that, even when terrified of this new world she found herself in, glowed at the prospect of proving herself.
As time went on, she saw the younger girl blossom...while also proving herself to not be the leader Mitsuru wanted. The younger girl was too emotionally volatile. She was kind and exuberant, she obviously cared for her friends and comrades, but it was her heart that lead her brain, not the other way around.
Yuki was...odd. At first she figured him as the weak link of second years. Often he was too leisurely and unperturbed by events. Too submissive and lacking in any real ambition. Other times he would explode with rage on the battlefield, or ask a few too many uncomfortable questions regarding the Dark Hour. Not unreasonable or unwarranted questions, given his background, but uncomfortable for her nonetheless.
But as time went on, all of the juniors, especially Yuki, proved themselves just as willing, able, driven, and competent as their seniors. They had fought as well as them, overcome the manipulative machinations of Shadows the older members could not, and become more accustomed to their Personas.
Mitsuru scoffed. A decade with Penthesilea, and yet it was the ones who had awakened their Personas mere months ago that could now wield them with greater ease than she ever could have imagined. Yuki's had even managed to evolve to a level beyond.
She should be happy. She should take solace in the fact that there were people who were able and willing to fight alongside her. There was absolutely no reason for her not too.
"Pardon me, senpai." Mitsuru lazily turned her head to see a bespectacled girl with long brown hair, standing halfway in the room and halfway in the hall. "I hope I'm not bothering you." It took her a few seconds to remember who this tense and fidgeting girl was in front of her. Chihiro Fushimi, a second year and the treasurer of the student council.
Mitsuru let out a quiet sigh and composed herself, sitting up straight from her undignified slouch. "Not at all Fushimi. Come in." She said politely. "Is there anything I may help you with?"
Um, no it's not like that." She paused. "I was just hoping to know if Aragaki-senpai was doing OK. I overheard from Odagiri-san that him and Sanada-senpai were injured, again." Chihiro mumbled out.
Mitsuru tapped her finger on the table again. Akihiko, and especially Shinjiro, were mercifully brought back from the brink thanks to the collective healing power of SEES' newer members. She and Akihiko could heal, but they were unquestionably the least proficient at it. Cuts and bruises were about the most they could take care off. Shiomi was better than both of them at it. Takeba, for all of her issues, was better than all three combined. Even Yuki's new Persona could now pull double-duty as a healer.
Just another thing she ought to be content with.
"Is...everything alright with them?" The younger girl asked.
"They're fine." She said bluntly. The other girl flinched back. Maybe her tone was a bit too harsh. Maybe she spoke just a bit too loud. Maybe she should have concocted some kind of cover story for them in the first place instead of just vainly hoping no one would ask.
Just another thing to add to the pile. Another thing to worry about.
Mitsuru sighed. "Shinjiro and Akihiko are fine." She turned and forced herself to smile to the younger girl. "Both of them are...rather rowdy. Sometimes people take exception of high schoolers who do not show them proper deference. You know how dangerous this city has been these last few months."
Fushimi nodded. Another white lie, nothing she said was untrue, but it was just another deception she had to share with people. Another thing firmly segregating the world she lived in from the world they did.
"C-Could you please give him my regards?" Mitsuru nodded at the younger girl's request. She give a bow and left.
Mitsuru looked at the clock. Another five minutes until she had to leave for class. She looked at her untouched meal and shook her head. Just as well, the entire dorm was invited to out dinner by Shiomi. She might as well go in with an appetite.
"Yes sir, yes, of course sir." Jin rolled his eyes. "I understand, I just don't think it'll get the same traction give how niche it is. No, I have it done, I'll get it to you by Monday once I'm done putting the finishing touches, I'm just warning you ahead of time. Alright, yes, thank you sir, you too."
As he closed his phone, Jin sneered. Stupid old fucker. Who the hell does he get off on telling me how to run my website? Every goddamn day I have to deal with this shit. It's bad enough I have to deal with those dumbass cops trying to track Revenge Request 24/7, but now I have to deal wi-
He froze. Past a crowed of people, mingling just outside of the restaurant he was going to, he could see a girl with long red hair standing next to a boy with white hair.
"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me." Jin muttered under his breath. He'd never seen her before in person, but he could tell instantly who that woman was. Mitsuru Kirijo. Heir to the Kirijo Group, granddaughter of the late Kouetsu Kirijo, and leader of SEES.
He took a deep breath and walked forward, trying his damnedest to look natural and casual. Maybe they didn't know who he was. Maybe this was just a coincidence. It has to be, there's no way Kirijo and her cronies knew who I am. There was no way in hell they're looking for me specifically.
"They'll be here, don't worry." Jin overheard the white-haired boy say.
Kirijo crossed her arms. "I just feel as though it is common courtesy to show up early for a group dinner is all."
Group dinner? That must mean there's going to be more of them. This might be my chance to scout them out in person. Jin bit the inside of his lip as he got in line. No, I can't afford to let them see me and get suspicious. I just have to act smooth, cancel my reservation, and leave without making a scene.
"Pardon me miss." He said to the maître d' once he reached her "I have a reservation for three under Shirato. Unfortunately, the rest of my party canceled on me last second." He lied with the best smile he could muster.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry about that. Please, allow me to handle that." She said kindly.
He nodded and turned to leave. As he exited the door he passed by Shuji Ikutsuki, neither man sparing a glance at the other.
"You've got to be kidding me." Chidori said with a frown.
Jin rolled his eyes. "You think I like this either?"
"Well, where are we going to eat tonight?" Takaya asked. He dressed in a plain white T-shirt, with his hair tied up in a bun underneath a flat cap. "I'm starving."
Jin sighed. "Sorry, I dunno, I'll find us somewhere else to go."
"I really wanted barbecue." Chidori muttered. "I even dressed up in this stupid get-up for that stupid restaurant."
Jin bit his tongue, not wanting to point out how a black shirt and blue dress was substantially less gaudy than her usual outfit, and instead pointed behind them. "There should be some places down the Seaside Express that don't need reservations."
"Sounds fine by me." Takaya said, glancing towards Chidori. She shrugged and started walking.
"Maaaaan that was delish." Junpei boisterously announced as he finished another plate. Clockwise from him sat Yukari, Shinjiro, Akihiko, Mitsuru, Ikutsuki, Makoto, Kotone, and then Fuuka to right.
Yukari rolled her eyes. "Can you act with a little bit of grace?"
"Nope!" Half of the table laughed while the rest either ignored him or, in Yukari's case, rolled their eyes.
"Well I'm glad you guys enjoyed it." Kotone said, the emptied plates in front of her stacked taller than anyone else's on the table. "I definitely got my money's worth tonight with you guys."
"You know," Junpei said while scratching his head, "I still feel a lil' bit bad about this all coming out of Kotone's wallet."
Ikutsuki chuckled. "How do you think I feel? Being invited out to eat is nice, but making a student of mine pay for it feels morally decrepit."
"Eh." Kotone shrugged. "You win some, you lose some. Besides, I can always go back to Tartarus for more moolah."
Makoto turned to Mitsuru. "I call dibs on all money we find next expedition." Kotone narrowed her eyes and pointed her knife at him.
The red-haired girl chuckled. "We can discuss Tartarus after exams."
"Speaking of exams." Makoto turned back to Kotone. "Want to make another bet?"
"Don't agitate the girl with a knife, Makoto." She grumbled.
"Speaking of exams," Ikutsuki said to no one in particular, "how are you all doing with your studies?"
"I will probably do not have to go to summer school this year." Junpei declared confidently. "And that's good 'nuff for me."
"Nice to know you have your ambitions set sky high, Iori." Shinjiro drawled. "Don't go aiming for an actual good placement or anything."
Junpei crossed his arms. "And how 'bout you? Where'll you place?"
"Probably the square root of wherever you end up."
"Yeah, well," Junpei paused, "you're a square!"
"Great comeback there Iori, great comeback."
Random fact of the day: Persona 4 was my first Persona game (and my first Atlus game). So my initial exposure to Chihiro was via her cameo during the Investigation Team's excursion to Gekkoukan.