Lilypad's Pond

“I guess,” Makoto shrugged with another sigh. “Don’t really know how that’s supposed to work, but…”

“Right?! I’d better get some kinda compensation for the shit this job has put me through!”

“You’re asking an international conglomerate to give you money for saving the world?” Makoto asked, a smile creeping on the edges of his mouth. “They’re definitely expecting us to just pack up and go home when this is all over.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right…”

“So… what are you going to do?” Yukari wondered, resting her head on her shoulder as she turned to him. “I mean… I know you don’t have any parents or relatives, but…”

“I’ve still got my scholarship, so I’ll probably just finish high school, and then…” The boy let out a small, pensive groan. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll travel around Japan or something, take odd jobs here and there… Hopping from place-to-place is all I’ve done, so I don’t know why I’d change that.”

“So… you wouldn’t consider settling down?” she asked, twiddling her thumbs. “You know, staying in one place for a while?”

“I mean… maybe? If there was a reason.”

“So… you mean if…”

“If you asked me to stay, I would?”

“Huh?”

“That’s what you were going to ask, right? If you asked me to stay, would I?”

“Um, well, I mean…” Yukari scratched the back of her neck. “Would you?”

“…” Makoto took a deep breath and looked back up at the sparse stars. “If you wanted me to stay, yeah, I’d stay.”

“Really?” Yukari raised her eyebrows, and Makoto saw a little light in her eyes. “If I asked you to stay with me after we graduate, you’d do that?”

“Yeah, I’d do that.”

“…Makoto?”

“Yeah?”

“If you did still choose to wander around Japan or whatever… would you still love me?” Quickly, Yukari shook her head. “Like, if I said it was okay for you to travel and we just had a long-distance relationship or something, you wouldn’t find another girl on the road?”

“…Don’t think I ever could,” he said, shaking his head. “My body doesn’t stop moving, but… my heart is a bit stubborn. If it doesn’t want anyone in, nobody’s getting in. If it’s picked a person to stand by… then even if we’re separated, my heart will stay with you.”

“…That’s… You’re a pretty poetic guy, Makoto…”

“Not really… I just say what I’m thinking.”

“You think of some really cool stuff.”

“…” Makoto just wearily smiled. “If I traveled away… we’d be like the story of the weaver and the shepherd, right?”

“So what, I’m Orihime?” giggled Yukari, leaning back and letting her hair drape down just enough to touch the roof floor. “And that makes you Hikoboshi?”

“I’d rather us not be a tragic love,” he remarked. “But if we had to be… I’d like to see you at least once a year.”

“Just once?” Yukari narrowed her eyes. “Try again.”

“I wouldn’t argue with more.”

“Hmph, still trying to play it cool, huh?” The archer sighed and put an arm around Makoto. “That’s okay, I know you’re just a weird, goofy guy inside.”

“…Thanks,” he smiled, leaning on her shoulder. “How about this: if the fight has to end here, let’s do whatever comes after it together.”

“What if she rejects me and things get all weird between us?”

“Trust me, you’re already making it weird…” The Persona’s voice trailed off as she steadied the makeup brush with both hands, tracing just under Kotone’s eye. “Holding it in is taking the coward’s way out of the situation. Any self-respecting woman shouldn’t be afraid of her feelings. Take me, for example. I don’t feel any need to hide from what I feel. Learn something from that.”

“Wh- But you’re me!”

“No, honey, I wouldn’t step out of this room wearing that shade of orange.”

“I didn’t summon you to criticize me. I’m worried about, well… What if she starts getting grossed out when I ask? Does she like men or women? Would she still see me as a woman if we dated, or would I be considered a man to her because of what’s-”

“You’re giving me a headache.”

“O-Oh, sorry…”

“Kill your fear here and now or it’ll bog down the whole night, hon.”

“I just… I’ve never done this before…”

“That’s the most thrilling part!”

“Shiomi?” Mitsuru’s voice softly called from the other side of the door, punctuated with a firm knock. “Who are you talking to?”

“N-No one!”

“Hmph, taking credit for my work, huh?” Succubus pouted. “The most thankless job I’ve ever had…”

As the Persona disappeared, Kotone stood up and straightened out her orange and white dress, taking a deep breath before opening the door. Mitsuru clutched her purse, smiling at Kotone. The sleek black and silver designer bag rested calmly against a cherry-red dress—one that perfectly matched her lipstick.

“I’m sorry, I rarely go out these days to somewhere that demands that I look my best,” the heiress sighed. “I hope that our evening isn’t affected by it.”

“No, no, that’s… I’m the one who looks underdressed, really.”

“I believe you look serviceable, Shiomi-san.”

From behind Mitsuru, a familiar purple-haired maid stepped out with a smile.

“Kikuno!” Kotone cheered, throwing her arms around the hired help as they both laughed. “Nice to see you again! And while we’re not fighting for our lives!”

“That is a more favorable scenario,” she chuckled.

“I thought you worked on the Kirijo Estate, though?”

“I work where Mitsuru-sama asks me to. It is her that I am in service to.”

“Oh, right.”

“She will not be accompanying us tonight, though. She was only here to assist in my wardrobe selection and to drive us to the restaurant,” Mitsuru clarified. “Speaking of which, we should be going. Our table won’t hold forever.”

“R-Right!”

*     *     *     *     *

When Mitsuru wanted Kikuno to drive them to a restaurant, Kotone assumed it would still be on Tatsumi Port Island, or at the very least, still in Iwatodai. Imagine her surprise when the limo just kept going and going and going. They had kept each other entertained with small talk, but after 20 or so minutes, Kotone had to pop the question.

“Um, Senpai… I’ve enjoyed talking and all, but where are we going? Kikuno has been driving us for a long time.”

“I’m sorry, the establishment is rather far,” she sighed. “It’s a rather nice place in Shibuya.”

“Ah, that explains it,” Kotone awkwardly chuckled. “I didn’t know we were going out of town just to eat dinner and talk.”

“Well, this is you I’m talking about. I don’t care how far we have to travel just to make our evening enjoyable for us both.”

“…” Kotone let a small, uncomfortable silence hang between them for just a moment. “Hey, um, Senpai… Why are you doing all this for me?”

“Hm?” Mitsuru cocked her head. “I’ve told you before, it’s-”

“I-I know you’ve said it’s because you’re just looking out for me. Believe me, there’s nothing I appreciate more than paying for doctor’s visits and estrogen, but… are you really only doing it because it’ll make me perform better, or…”

“…” Mitsuru cast her glance down, shame slowly consuming her expression. “Shiomi, I-I…”

“Mitsuru-sama, Shiomi-san, we have arrived,” Kikuno reported, a small window rolling down between the driver’s seat and them. “I can-”

“Please, Kikuno, give us a minute…”

“…” The maid took a moment to read the air between the two girls. “As you wish, Young Miss.”

As she rolled the window back up, Mitsuru leaned forward, shakily clutching her knees.

“I should say that I’m sorry for stringing you along like this, Shiomi…” she said, taking a deep breath. “It would be rather cruel of me to let this continue any further.”

“You don’t have to apologize for anything, really! I promise I’m not-”

“It’s rather embarrassing for me to say,” Mitsuru sighed, her face turning red as a sickly-sweet smile danced across her lips. “But… I truly did initially seek to just merely aid you once I stumbled upon your position. But as I helped you more and learned all about you, I began to realize something my mother had told me long ago… About the joys and pleasures that accompany coming to understand someone.”

“Senpai, what are…?”

“I’m sorry for being rather cryptic; it’s a bad habit of mine when I don’t quite know how to phrase something… It’s just that in our time together, I think you’ve captured my attention in more ways than one. That is to say… I-I’ve fallen for you… Kotone.”

“M-Mitsuru-senp-”

“Shhh,” Mitsuru leaned forward and put a finger on Kotone’s lips. “If you’re comfortable with it, drop the ‘senpai.’ I wouldn’t mind it as long as it’s just us…”

“I… Mitsuru…” Tears gathered in the corners of Kotone’s eyes. “Are you… I-I have to know, w-what do you see me as?”

“See you as?” Mitsuru furrowed her brow. “I see you as one of the kindest, compassionate, and most reliable young women I have ever known. It’s hardly even fair when I attempt to measure anyone else to the standard of matching you. Why?”

“N-Nothing…” Kotone wiped the tears from her eyes, sniffling as she gave small, happy laughs. “T-That’s all I needed to hear…”

Though Kotone couldn’t fully stand up in the limo, she allowed herself to hunch over and throw her arms around Mitsuru. The girl sank to her knees and pressed her cheek against the heiress’s abs as Mitsuru ran her fingers through Kotone’s hair in return.

“L-Let’s go eat,” the auburn-haired girl said with a trembling voice. “I know someone who’ll be really upset if I let my makeup smear.”

“Oh? Yukari helped you?”

“Hah, no, not her…”

Mitsuru tapped the limo’s window, and the door popped open, courtesy of Kikuno waiting outside with a smile. She bowed to both the passengers as they got out, and Kotone marveled at just how plain the place they were standing in front of was. It was just a simple ramen shop.

“Oh… I’m not complaining, but it’s not what I was expecting.”

“I knew a fancy restaurant wouldn’t compare to the local-style comfort food you like,” Mitsuru chuckled. “So I had Kikuno find the best shop within an hour and a half with that feeling.”

“Wow…” Kotone clung onto Mitsuru’s arm. “It’s perfect! Show me the way in!”

The heiress’ hair was frizzed and upturned, sticking out in odd places as it bounced with her cadence. Though she hardly left her dwelling looking anything less than refined, within the walls of her own space, Mitsuru was fine with her tattered black sweatpants and extremely baggy t-shirt—one that had originally belonged to Shinjiro before being commandeered for her nightly use and comfort.

“Good morning…” she drowsily yawned, her eyes still only barely pried open as Mitsuru took a seat at the small kitchen table. “Did you already…?”

“Yeah, right here,” the young man nodded, placing a ‘World’s Best Mother’ mug in front of her, fresh coffee wafting up her nose. “Just like you always want: a splash of cream and two spoonfuls of sugar. So don’t complain about it this time.”

“Thank you, Shinji…”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t thank me yet, Princess. You haven’t even tasted breakfast yet.”

Shinjiro placed an omelette and small bowl of fruit in front of Mitsuru, spawning a warm, eager smile across her face. At the same time, he placed another omelette with toast and peanut butter in front of the spot where he would sit, and then a large bowl of pure scrambled eggs, cheese, and meat where Akihiko would go. The white-haired man even walked into the room as Shinjiro was pouring orange juice.

“Hey, looks like you’re finally up,” Akihiko remarked, nodding with a smile. Having come out of the shower, he was just wearing sweatpants and had a towel draped across his shoulders. “I told Shinji to let you sleep in for once.”

“Merci…” Mitsuru sipped her coffee and leaned back in her seat. “I feel terrible…”

“You were up ‘till 4AM writing that damn essay,” Shinji frowned, giving the heiress a disapproving glare. “Even after I told you to go to bed.”

“I was… It’s… I…” Not awake enough to argue, Mitsuru just sighed and rubbed her eyes.

“Not like the thing was due tomorrow.”

“Still… Diligence is…”

“I wouldn’t argue,” Akihiko advised. “He’s not wrong.”

“Hmph, thanks.” Shinjiro looked over at the young man. “Also, put on a goddamn shirt.”

“Yes, I was also about to comment about that…”

“Hm? What’s so wrong about it? You guys know what I look like.”

“Yeah, but I don’t need that kinda view while I’m tryin’ to eat.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“Akihiko…” Mitsuru let out a large yawn and shook her head. “Just go get a shirt.”

“…Fine, okay.”

As Akihiko went to fetch a shirt, Mitsuru began to eat her breakfast. Per usual, Shinjiro’s cooking was top-notch and put her in a good mood. He had made her omelette extra fluffy and stuffed it with spinach, ham, and feta cheese—exactly as she liked it.

“Your breakfasts never fail to disappoint,” she complimented. “I’m sure if you opened your own restaurant, you’d have no problem keeping it in business.”

“Tch, this again?” Shinjiro raised an eyebrow, taking a bite of his own omelette. “I thought I told you to drop it.”

“But it would be-”

“I ain’t openin’ a restaurant.”

“If money is your concern-”

“I got you sleepin’ with me; of course money ain’t my concern. Just ‘cause I like to cook for you both doesn’t mean I wanna open a whole damn restaurant.”

“But you’re not even in school like Akihiko and I.”

“Yeah, you’re right, sweetie,” he nodded, his tone raising with a slight bit of annoyance. “You remind me at least once a week.”

“…”

“…Listen, don’t expect me to just hop onboard every plan you come up with for me,” Shinjiro mumbled, sipping his orange juice. “You’ve tried to get me to do a lot of things because you think I’m wastin’ my life right now, right?”

“I-I just think you’re not living up to your potential and-”

“Um, hey guys, I gotta run,” Akihiko said, stumbling into the room and hopping on one foot while trying to tie his shoe. “Emergency.”

“I understand. Stay safe,” Mitsuru said, looking up and expectantly pursing her lips. As he passed by, Akihiko gave quick pecks on her and Shinjiro’s lips. “And be back before 7PM this time. Don’t make me and Shinjiro eat dinner alone again.”

“Gotcha,” Akihiko nodded, grabbing his coat. “I’ll see you guys-”

“Take your goddamn breakfast with you,” Shinjiro gruffly interrupted. “I took the time to cook it, so the least you could do is take the time to eat it.”

Instead of just taking the bowl with him, Akihiko grabbed it and tilted it up to his mouth, as if he were about to drink something. Using his fork, the young man scarfed down the loaded scrambled eggs in a way that made Mitsuru and Shinjiro actually afraid that he was going to choke. With a satisfied sigh, Akihiko finally put his empty bowl down and nodded to his partners.

“See ya!”

He was out the door before the other two could even comment about what happened. They just looked at each other, shocked and maybe even slightly appalled.

“That’s gonna fuckin’ kill him one day.”

“Maybe… that’s worth a talk later,” she agreed. “But what we were talking about before-”

“Listen, I know you care a lot, okay?” Shinjiro put his utensils down and leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs and looking at Mitsuru. “But I ain’t wasting my life if I’m still servicing you two.”

“Yes, but we’re not here most of the day. That’s what worries me.”

“I keep myself busy. How do you think I cook all that good shit for dinner?”

“You could share that with so many more people.”

“…” Shinjiro glanced away.

“I know a restaurant has been your dream for a while,” Mitsuru firmly said, putting down her coffee with enough force to slightly rock the table. “That’s why I’ve been pushing the topic so much. Because I know you want it.”

“A dream’s only worth it if I reach out for it myself, Princess…” Shinjiro leaned forward. “So don’t force it on me. If I’m ready, I’ll come to you.”

“…” Mitsuru took a deep breath and looked down. “…Promise?”

“I don’t lie.”

“I want to make sure.”

“You wanna seal it with a handshake or a contract?”

“…Come here. There’s only one way to seal a deal with you which I trust.”

“Psht, right,” Shinji chuckled, a small teasing grin dancing across his face as he got up. “This is all for my own good, right? You’re not indulging yourself a bit with this?”

“Of course not!”

Shinjiro leaned down and let Mitsuru plant a kiss on his own lips. He thought it was pretty adorable how much blind confidence she had in her ability to do it. She pulled away fairly quickly, crossing her arms and giving Shinji a fierce stare.

“Okay, our deal is sealed then. Don’t expect to be able to back out now.”

“Tch, you’re right,” she huffed. Kotone dragged her feet over to him and threw her body onto the couch, letting her legs hang off the arm of the furniture as the top of her head bumped against the boy’s thigh. “Gotta admit I’m getting better though. Not just with my impressions. Tartarus has been a breeze for us lately.”

Makoto just let out a noncommittal grunt. Truthfully, Kotone really had gotten a lot better. Her Personas were coming out faster, moves hitting harder, not to mention her naginata proficiency getting fairly insane as of late. But admitting any of that out loud would’ve just been handing her ammunition for some kind of smug, playful argument. Instead, he just broke off a bit of his protein bar—the end he had bit into—and tossed it in his mouth, giving the rest to Kotone.

“Here, you need it.”

“Oh, thanks,” she nodded, taking it without complaint.

“You’ve been skipping dinner again.”

“I’m just dieting,” she shrugged. “Yukari does it.”

“She’s such a health freak that she knows what she’s doing.”

“Jeez,are  you my mom or something?”

“…” He just gave her a look.

“Hah… Sorry…” Kotone bit into the protein bar. Despite how artificial and chalky the peanut butter tasted, there was something about them that always kept her wanting more. “You know, if you keep spoiling me with these, one day someone’s going to think you care.”

“What a shame.”

“A shame, hm?” Kotone took another bite and narrowed her eyes. “Do you care?”

“Huh?” Makoto looked down at her. “What kind of question is that?”

“Just a simple one. Do you care about me?”

“…”

The boy stayed silent for a moment. He couldn’t really tell whether or not this was some kind of trap, but he could sense at least a bit of sincerity in her question. 

“I care about everyone on the team.”

“BzZzZzT, wrong answer,” she chimed. “Can’t just lump us all together like that. What do you like about each of us?”

“…Seriously?”

“Humor me.”

“Alright…” Makoto leaned back and crossed his legs. “Yukari is easy to talk to and nice; our senpai are reliable; Junpei and Fuuka try their hardest even if they make mistakes; and you…”

“Me?”

“You,” he nodded.

“Me.”

“…” Makoto’s straight face broke into a smile. “You make me laugh. The only one who makes me laugh, really.”

“Huh?” Kotone sat up. “So that’s my likable personality trait?”

“Hm… Yeah. No one else can do it, so you’re one of a kind.”

“Psht, I could’ve told you that,” she grinned vainly. “But you’re irreplaceable too.”

“Am I?” he asked, blinking hard.

In response, Kotone giggled and pushed her body up on the couch, scooting down far enough to now rest her head fully in his lap.

“Who else has thighs worthy of being pillows?”

“Yukari.”

“Oh, true. Other than her, it’s just you.”

“…Your head’s kinda heavy.”

“Wow, so this is the fabled charm of Makoto Yuki that’s captured the heart of every Gekkoukan girl,” Kotone teased with a frown. “If you’re going to call me heavy, at least pet my head.”

“Really? Because, um…” Junpei scratched the back of his head. “Your homeroom teacher said you didn’t show. Actually, she said you haven’t shown up for a few days…”

“…” Chidori didn’t comment any more on that. She simply tiredly turned away. “This isn’t the place to talk about that.”

“I…” Junpei caught himself. Even if she was just trying to put off the conversation, Chidori was right about that. This was definitely a more private talk. “Alright, let’s go back then.”

“I can’t. A friend is waiting for me in the art room.”

“I’ll just come with you and chill in the corner playing my CompStation Portable then,” he nonchalantly said. “Then we can walk home together afterw-”

“No.”

“…Alright then,” sighed the boy. “I’ll just… see you when you get back.”

“Sounds good.”

Junpei turned around with a sigh, but before he could walk away, Chidori rushed forward and wrapped his arms around him from behind. She leaned her head against his back, keeping the guilty look on her face from his eyes.

“Um, Junpei…” Chidori wrapped her arms even tighter around him. “Could you… pick up our special dessert on your way back?”

“Heh, yeah,” he softly smiled, reaching his arm around and pulling her head in so he could touch his cheek to the top of her head. “You alright?”

“Yeah…”

“You sure?”

“…” Chidori quietly pulled away, clutching her sides. “I’ll see you there, Junpei…”

“See you then…”

*     *     *     *     *

When Chidori came back to the dorm, Junpei was already finishing up dinner. That is to say, the three blocks of packaged ramen that he had haphazardly tossed into one large pot were finally done. Neither of them were particularly good cooks, so most meals either came in a package or a take-out box. Junpei had come to find out that Chidori was especially fond of anything he could add copious amounts of salt to. That, or anything so sweet that it made him sick to his stomach. She’s a girl of extremes.

“Hey, hey, Chidorita,” he grinned, setting a bowl down on the coffee table. “Just finished dinner! And I recorded your show, so we can watch a nice crime drama with our ramen!”

“Good…” Chidori carefully set her messenger bag down on the dining table and held Junpei’s arm. “I’m sorry about earlier today… 

“Hey, it’s no-”

“No… It’s not okay,” she insisted, sitting Junpei down at the table and taking a seat next to him. “What did you want to ask me?”

“Uh, well… Why haven’t you been going to class? I know you like the art club and all, but the whole deal was that you’d go to school. If you don't keep your grades up, you can’t even stay in the club.”

“Yes, well… I don’t believe school is where I should be.”

“We’ve all been there, believe me. But you can’t just-”

“I know your position on this, but… This life that you want me to live is so unfulfilling. I’d rather do what I want to now than prepare for a future I don’t desire.”

“C’mon Chidori, listen to yourself,” Junpei painfully sighed. “You’re just thinking of now. You gotta ask what you’re gonna be doing in a few years and be realistic about-”

“I know what I want my future to be,” the girl interrupted, looking Junpei dead in the eyes. “I want you. I want my art. And…” Chidori held up the turtle she had been hiding under the table. “I want Leo.”

“Chidori, I- Wait, where did he come from?!”

“I took him to school. He comforts me.”

“Alright then… Point is, you shouldn’t just be thinking about what you want now.”

“But I know what I want the future to look like, and it doesn’t need the kind of schooling you’re insisting that I take part in.”

“Chidori…”

“Junpei, where do you see yourself in a year?” Chidori asked with a frown. “When you’re out of high school, what will you be doing?”

“I…” She had gotten him there. He had a shaky idea of what he wanted to do at best. “Don’t change the subject on me.”

“I think it’s a relevant question to ask.”

Junpei crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. He wished he could break out one of his witty comebacks, but for once nothing of that sort crossed his mind. The way Chidori was looking at him made the room feel as though it was closing in on him—the assured stare she sported sure made Junpei feel like he was in the wrong. He had to use all his willpower to remind himself that he was doing the right thing for her.

“I’ll go to college, get a job, and… Well, I’ll do the stuff normal people do.”

“Hm… So it’s ‘normal’ that you’re worried about?” she questioned. “You think I won’t get to have a ‘normal’ life?”

“Huh?” Junpei’s eyes widened. “Hey, hey, I never said that!”

“You meant it.”

“Wh- C’mon, Chidori, don’t go puttin’ words in my mouth like that…” The boy straightened himself out and leaned against the table. “What I do know for certain is that I want to be with you. Even if I’ve got a shaky plan, it’s still a plan. What’re your plans?”

“I want to paint the beauty of the world…” Chidori softly smiled, looking down. “I don’t know why, but I feel so connected to everyone in my life… You, Leo, even your friends… Even when we’re apart, it’s almost like I can still feel your pulse… That is the kind of art I want to make. The kind that illustrates just how connected all life can be.”

“Huh…” Junpei tilted his head. “Ok, that is really cool, but you can’t skip straight to what you want to do. Eat your vegetables before your dessert, you know?”

“Speaking of…” Chidori twiddled her thumbs, putting on a meek little smile. The girl wasn’t really embarrassed or anything, but she knew that Junpei was weak to the act. “Did you pick them up on your way home?”

“Heh, you know I did,” Junpei grinned. “Anything for my Chidorita.”

“Then-”

“After the conversation.”

“…” Chidori huffed and looked away.

“C’mon, you know I’m not going to let up about this.”

“…”

“Chidori… don’t get like that.”

“…”

“You can’t ignore me forever.”

“…”

“Maybe she can, actually,” he silently considered.

“Listen, if you pass high school, we can work on getting you into an art school,” he reasoned. “A damn good one too. But they won’t even consider you if you didn’t even graduate.”

“…” Chidori’s expression shifted as she contemplated the offer. It’s one that Junpei had made before, but she always thought she could make up for the lack of a diploma with her art talent. “They really won’t consider me if I don’t graduate?”

“Yeah, a lot of colleges won’t even look at your application if you haven’t.”

“…Okay,” she sighed, admitting defeat. “I’m going to complain about it every day, though.”

“No shame in that.”

“And you’ll have to deal with how moody I’ll be about it.”

“I’ve seen you moody before.”

“I’ll be extra moody.”

“Oh really?” Junpei slyly asked, raising his eyebrows. He got up and reached behind the bar, taking out a small box. “Even with these?”

Immediately, his girlfriend’s eyes lit up. Her weakness for this particular dessert was a button that Junpei knew how to push fairly well. Most people were more amicable after an offering, but for Chidori, it was like her special weakness. Junpei sat back down and placed the box in front of her, offering the girl the honor of the first piece.

Chidori plucked an item out of the box, preciously holding the dessert before biting into it. Beneath the layer of fried dough revealed a gooey mix of dark chocolate and marshmallow intertwined in a black and white swirl. It was a Port Island special treat known as Karma Dough. If you bite into the treat and see more marshmallow, you’re supposed to have good luck; more chocolate means bad luck. A simple, yet effective gimmick that became popular fairly quickly.

“Better?” Junpei smirked.

“Better,” she nodded.

“Good, good…” He closed the box and picked it back up. “Now let’s eat our actual dinner. Then you can have some more.”

“But…” Chidori looked absolutely heartbroken, as if Junpei had taken her very source of life away. She held up the turtle that the girl had set down. “Leo wants one.”

“I’m like, 120% sure Leo can’t eat any of what’s in this.”

“You can have my ramen.”

“How about you have your ramen,” he proposed. “Then when you finish, I’ll let you have the whole box.”

“Hm…”

“You can’t eat just dessert,” he frowned. “The doctor said you’re underweight as it is… So c’mon, we’ll eat ramen together, watch your crime drama, and then we can share the karma dough.”

“Share?” Chidori squinted. “You just said I could have the whole box.”

“Er… Did I?”

“You did.”

“Me and my big mouth…” he mumbled. “Let’s just…”

“How about this?” Chidori asked, setting Leo back down on the table and approaching Junpei. She put her hands on his chest, letting the boy feel the gentle scrape of her fingernails though his shirt. She dropped her voice and talked in a slow, deliberate way. “We can forget the TV, and you can go wait in my room while I take time to… freshen up…”

“…” Junpei’s eyes drooped. “You’ve done this before. You’re just going to barricade yourself on the 4th floor with the karma dough again.”

“…”

“Ramen,” he said, thrusting the bowl into her hands. “Eat.”

“I almost had you again, didn’t I?” she teased.

“No.”

“Damn, she was this close before I used my brain…”

“You’re one hell of a tease, Chidorita,” he grinned, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. “But that’s why I love ya.”

“Hehe…”

Work felt like a distraction from the growing sense of pain and unease that tugged the depths of her heart. She was still called to come speak at a university from time to time, and she was still consulted on the translations of many obscure languages, but nothing had caught Hanae’s fancy. Seemingly, her second chance at life was thrice more listless than her first.

The woman entered the kitchen, watching a small handful of maids and butlers bustling about. Some of them were busy at the stove, cooking meals, while others sat around, giggling as they whispered gossip and rumors into each other’s ears. As soon as Hanae entered the room, everyone fell silent, and all the life in the room seemed to seep out in an instant.

“…Please, be at ease,” the woman asked with a sad smile.

“Madame, is there anything we can get you?”

“What I need, you cannot provide,” she bitterly thought.

“…I  just wish for a moment to myself, alone.”

“As you wish.”

The Kirijo staff all filtered out of the kitchen, leaving just Hanae to drift through the room, touching all the electrical appliances as she went by. Hanae had never used most of them in her life; that wasn’t to say she couldn’t cook, though. Her experience has just dulled with time spent away from the block and knife.

She opened the fridge and scanned through the pantry, looking for some kind of convenience food with which she could satiate her hunger. Finally, she found it. Gingerly, she plucked a packaged meat bun out of a sea of foods and ripped open the packaging, placing the snack on a paper plate and putting it in the microwave for the suggested amount of time.

As Hanae watched the bun turn and turn, a burning heat grew in her heart. She wanted, so desperately, to see her again. They hadn’t even played their weekend games since that night.

“Isako…”

Hanae took out her cellphone. It was a rather plain lavender color, but that’s what she liked about it. The thing possessed a simple beauty to it, which she admired. She scrolled down her contacts list until she landed on one name in particular.

Mitsuru Kirijo

Was calling her daughter in this bout of loneliness truly the best move? Whatever they might share would be superficial and fleeting with the motive of Hanae simply wanting to alleviate the emptiness within her heart. Or, perhaps she should be up front and honest with her daughter for once. To ask her own daughter for such advice, though.

The redheaded woman’s hands shook as indecision claimed her body. The microwave’s beeping went ignored in Hanae’s episode of analysis paralysis. Though, steeling her nerves, she pressed the call button.

…

…

…

…

…

Nothing. It eventually went to her daughter’s voicemail, which didn’t even have any sort of personalized message set up. And in return, she left no such message herself. Though to Hanae it was just the early afternoon, for Mitsuru—still away for her schooling in America—it was likely some ungodly hour in the morning. 

Next, the cursor of Hanae’s phone scrolled all the way down to another name. One that she didn’t want to admit had any old sway over her.

“No… That night was just a moment of weakness,” she told herself. “A woman like me… Too much has been placed upon my shoulders for me to give in to the feelings that belong to a girl from an era long gone…”

That’s what she told herself, and yet, there was an undeniable reaction her body involuntarily had when her name crossed Hanae’s mind.

Isako Takeba

Just reading the name made her heart pound faster. Quickly, she snapped her phone shut, letting out a breath that she didn’t even realize she had been holding. Her knuckles turned white under the intensity with which she gripped the device.

In a moment of impulse, Hanae stormed away from the kitchen, not in anger, but in fear. Fear of what her heart was about to spur her to do. As she left, a maid—who had been waiting outside—looked inside the kitchen and reached out to her.

“Madame, your food! Don’t you-”

“Please, just save it for later,” she asked, clutching her phone to her heart. “I… I reconsidered. Please, let the staff know to not bother me in the solace of my room.”

“Understood.”

It wasn’t long before Hanae found herself back on her bed, completely enveloped in the memories of just a couple weeks ago. No touch had been as savored as the one that had been shared. No scent as sweet as the ones which contained the sensual longing of another. No sounds as harmonious as two beings becoming one…

With an intense sense of shame and a heavy heart, Hanae couldn’t even look at her phone as she selected the contact and pressed call. The woman looked as though she could cry when she held the phone up to her ear.

…

…

…

…

“Hello?”

Hearing her was like an arrow piercing Hanae’s heart. She felt so weak, so vulnerable, so helplessly ensnared in a trap into which she willingly surrendered herself. There was a profound guilt that accompanied her thoughts, but with every scornful remark she could think of towards her involuntary imaginative vignettes, three more fantasies took their place.

Hanae said, with a trembling voice that dripped with immense fear and shame, but also a burning desire, “I need you.”

And that was all it took.

*     *     *     *     *

“It’s okay…”

“It’s not okay.”

“It’ll be alright…”

“It won’t be alright.”

“There’s nothing to worry about.”

“I… I don’t…” Tears stained Hanae’s eyes as she cried into her hands, her back hunched on the edge of the bed as Isako rubbed her back. “I can’t… I shouldn’t…”

“And why shouldn’t you?”

“I am… a mother…”

“To a daughter who is so capable and independent that the world is at her mercy.”

“I am… a wife…”

“To a wonderful and lucky man who has passed.”

“I… I am… I am…”

“Tell me, Hanae, of all the things you are… Are you happy?”

“…”

Hanae dared not answer the question. Doing so would’ve been an admittance of guilt. As good as signing her own waiver. Her will would not be broken—could not be broken—so easily. And yet… If there was not at least some part of her that didn’t wish to howl “No!” for the entire Kirijo Estate, no, the entire world to hear, Isako would not be sitting next to her in bed.

“Let me ask a different question…” Isako purred, putting her arm around Hanae and pulling her in, letting the woman rest her head on her shoulder. “Are you happy when I’m here?”

“…Yes.”

“Are you happy when I hear my voice?”

“Yes…”

“When you feel my touch?”

“…Yes…”

“When you think about me?”

“Y-Yes…”

“Do you hate that you feel that way?”

“…”

Hanae’s lip trembled. She didn’t have to speak for that question to be answered in an instant. Her entire body tensed up and trembled, prompting Isako to run her hands through her old friend’s hair.

“Hanae… Lying to me and everyone else is one thing, but lying to yourself is dangerous…”

“I am sorry you love such a weak-willed woman…” Hanae sobbed, clutching the back of Isako’s blouse. “Too weak to push you away, yet not strong enough to surrender to the throes of my heart… I am the most deplorable kind of woman, Isako.”

“No, you are not,” Takeba whispered. “But you are in desperate need of help.”

“Then please…” Hanae said with a choked sob, taking Isako’s hand and guiding it to press against her abdomen. “Help me tonight… If you would…”

“I’ve always been at your service.”

“Isako…”

“Hanae…”

“You don’t have to be ready to talk,” Yukari said, looking down at her with a sigh. “But… please, just let me know if you’re okay.”

“…”

“Kotone…”

“The world is ending…” she mumbled, tears silently streaming from her eyes. “The world is ending, and it’s all because I came to Iwatodai… If I never came here, everyone-”

“Would still be in danger,” Yukari finished with a firm tone. “Ryoji said it himself. Even if you never came here, The Fall would’ve been inevitable anyway.”

“All I did was give everyone less time…”

“…I think it’s way better that you came here.”

“…” Kotone slowly rolled over and grimly looked at Yukari with red-stained eyes. “Why?”

“Well, if we couldn’t stop The Fall from coming in the end no matter what, I’d rather have you be here to fight it with us,” she said, putting a hand on Kotone’s shoulder. “And… Well, even if you caused the apocalypse a few months or years early, I wouldn’t trade our relationship for that time.”

“Huh?” Kotone’s eyes went wide. “R-Really…?”

“Really.”

“You’re just-”

“I’m not just saying that,” Yukari frowned. If her girlfriend weren’t in such a sorry state, she would probably get actually upset at a comment like that. “You know, these past few months have been Hell for all of us. But you… You remind everybody that life isn’t so bad. It confuses me so much how a person who’s gone through as much as you can still wake up and smile, but…”

Yukari pulled back the blankets and laid down behind Kotone, wrapping the still-motionless girl in her arms.

“…it’s okay to show your frown. This time, I’ll be the one to make you smile.”

“Yukari…” The girl wiped her eyes, bits of crust where tears had dried scraped off in the process. Her speech was choked as she spoke. “I… I thought about it, Yukari…”

“Ab-”

“About killing Ryoji…” she said, her voice trembling. “B-But I can’t… I-I’d rather let everyone die with a smile, but I can’t even give them that…”

“Hey…” Yukari inched her way forward, pressing her forehead on the back of Kotone’s head. “How about we win with a smile instead?”

“But you heard him… We can’t…”

“Since when has Kotone Shiomi let anyone tell her she can’t do anything? When the teleporter was broken, didn’t you scale 100 floors in Tartarus all on your own just to find that little girl?”

“Yeah…”

“When that library committee girl told you to not worry about her problems, didn’t you take her to shout the truth for the whole school to hear?”

‘Y-Yeah…”

“And…” Yukari rested her head on the back of Kotone’s shoulder. “When I was at my lowest and said that I hated you, didn’t you stay with me until I could smile again?”

“Yeah… I did…”

“So don’t let Death tell you what you can and can’t do now,” she whispered. “If anyone can surprise Death, it’s Kotone Shiomi. When you’re done with your alone time, let me know. We’ll work on what comes after.”

As Yukari started to get up, she felt Kotone grasp onto the sleeve of her sweater, looking at her with pleading, desperate eyes.

“Please… not yet. I need more alone time… with you.”

“…” Yukari warmly smiled and laid back down in bed, pulling the blankets over them both. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you. And when you’re ready, we can walk out that door and face whatever comes, together with a smile. As long as it takes.”

“Hey!”

“Hey…”

“What’s up?”

“That,” Makoto sighed, pointing to Aigis and Yukari continuing their argument. Kotone flashed him an ‘Are you serious?’ expression.

“Forgive me if I don’t pity the millionaire drowning in yen.”

“Huh?”

“C’mon, Makoto, two girls? The answer is both.”

“What-”

“Both,” she interrupted. “The answer is both. I would have Yukari on the left and Aigis on the right. Sounds like absolute heaven.”

“Oh shut up,” he groaned. “I don’t want them arguing…”

“What’s it over?”

“Me.”

“Ok, ok, I’ll give you the cheat code to finish all the conflict,” Kotone whispered, leaning in close to Makoto’s ear. “Date them both.”

“Sounds icky.”

“Not if it’s a love triangle.”

“Ok, but they love me and not each other. That’s not a triangle. It’s like… a love arrow.”

“And who shoots arrows? Cupid. So go out there and get your polycule.”

“You disgust me.”

“I know,” she grinned. “Tell me how it works out!”

“Yeah, I will.”

As Kotone skipped away, Makoto rose to his feet with a groan. He put a hand between Yukari and Aigis, which ceased all of their arguing. The boy took a deep breath, hoping that he wasn’t about to regret his next words in the long run.

“Why don’t we all just, like, date each other and be a throuple?” he asked with a dull expression. “That way you don’t have to fight.”

“What?!” Yukari reeled her head back. “I’m not sharing you with-”

“This sounds like an acceptable compromise,” Aigis agreed. “I suggest a schedule in order to prevent further conflicts. I request Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.”

“Hey, why do you get four days? Wait! No, you’re not-”

“I’m kind of tired of you both arguing over me like I’m the last cookie in the jar,” Makoto said, his tired eyes darting back and forth. “So… if you won’t share me, then find some other way to stop fighting over me, please. It’s burning me out to listen to you both argue all the time, and I really don’t like two people I like fighting with each other, so…”

“So you want me to share you?” Yukari frowned.

“Yukari-san, I heard that elementary schoolers learn how to share as a basic lesson. Did you skip this portion of your schooling?”

“I’m gonna-”

“Ahem.” 

The girls looked at Makoto, then back at each other. Yukari eventually puffed out her cheeks in frustration and crossed her arms.

“Fine. I’ll try.”

“I find this compromise agreeable,” Aigis nodded. “About sharing rights-”

“Um, yeah, no,” Makoto said, shaking his head. “I’m not going on a loan schedule. If you want to hang out, just ask to hang out. Worst-case scenario is that we all spend time together.”

“In that case, I have an excellent group activity we can take part in,” Aigis proposed. Both Makoto and Yukari looked at each other uncertainly. “I believe we will all find it pleasing.”

*     *     *     *     *

Makoto, Yukari, and Aigis all cuddled together on Makoto’s bed, trying to watch a movie together in front of the TV. While three people made the bed rather cramped, at least they could get some real intimate time together. None of them particularly disliked it.

“Ok, this was a pretty good suggestion,” Yukari admitted.

“Thank you, Yukari-san. And the popcorn you made is buttered to perfection.”

“Can you even taste that?”

“No, but my analysis has concluded that if I could, I would enjoy it very much.”

They weren’t quite sure why, but the comment made Makoto and Yukari start laughing. They covered their mouths, trying their best to conceal the chuckles and snickers, all while Aigis gave them both confused glances.

“How interesting…” The redhead put an amused little smile on her face. “That reminds me of how my mother talks of Kyoto’s food.”

“D-Do, um, you have any food you particularly like?”

“I’m quite fond of various teas.”

“Oh! Me too!”

“Truly?” she warmly smiled. “Not many of my dormmates have a palate for finer drinks, but one of my favorites is Imperial Gold Tip, also known as ‘Shanghai Breakfast Tea’ in England. Have you ever heard of it?”

“O-Oh… um…” Kana’s face turned red. Was she more willing to look ignorant or like an idiot?

“Don’t fret if you haven’t. It’s particularly hard to acquire here. My father used to chastise me for not enjoying a more Japanese tea…” She looked down at the box of takoyaki with a sad smile. “It’s strange to say, but I miss that… He hardly had time to even see me in person in the last few years. I wish we could’ve talked about tea just one last time…”

“Senpai…”

Kana wanted to reach out. She wanted to comfort the girl she admired so much. But… they were such a world away that Kana didn’t think she could probably spend her whole life reaching and never even come close to her. Still… She had to try.

“How close were you?”

“Huh?”

“Your… father,” Kana quietly said. “I can’t pretend to know how you feel. My own parents barely remember I exist some days. But I know what it’s like to wish that someone you love would acknowledge and talk to you.”

“…” Mitsuru let out a shaky sigh and rubbed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Yokuno. I should not be forcing all of this onto you.”

“It’s alright, really,” Kanna said, letting loose a cynical laugh. If she looked down, talking to Mitsuru like a normal person wasn’t so bad. She hardly even thought about what she was saying before the words escaped her lips. “Maybe it’s messed up, but it’s nice to feel wanted by someone…”

Mitsuru looked over at Kana, who stared at the concrete with such intensity that you’d think the girl was trying to look at something a whole galaxy away. There were only so many things she could’ve said, but Kana was fairly certain that wasn’t one of the right ones.

“…” Mitsuru let out a sad sigh of sadness and regret. “The takoyaki is cold…”

“Huh?”

“The takoyaki,” she repeated, holding up the box. “It’s gone cold.”

“Oh… I’ll still eat it if you want. I’d hate to waste it.”

“Yokuno, perhaps you’d like to accompany Shiomi and me on our excursion to the arcade Wednesday afternoon,” Mitsuru offered. “I enjoyed our time together.”

“Y-You did?!” Kana’s heart nearly leapt out of her chest.

“Yes,” she nodded with a smile. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to leave now, but-” Mitsuru paused and put a hand on her mouth. “Oh, wait, how inconsiderate of me! Would you like more takoyaki to take home to your family?”

“O-Oh, um… I couldn’t-”

“Please, allow me,” the redhead insisted, taking a wallet out of her purse. The thick stack of cash she took out could’ve probably been used as a doorstopper. “How many family members do you have?”

“I… Uh… I-I have a m-mother and father… a-and two siblings-”

“Ah, four… I better buy eight boxes just to make sure. Oh, better make it ten to have a couple for yourself as well.”

“Wha-” The dizzying thought of walking home with 60 pieces of takoyaki intimidated Kana beyond belief. “B-But how will I carry all of that?”

“I’ve got bags,” the woman behind the grill enthusiastically cheered. “If you wanna buy 10 boxes of takoyaki, I ain’t arguing! You sure you don’t want to buy a neat 12?”

“Oh… It would be best to take one back for myself, plus another for Shiomi since she couldn’t join us. Thank you!”

*     *     *     *     *

Kana returned home with a bag in each hand, each one containing five warm boxes of takoyaki. For the first time in a while, she wasn’t coming back with a frown or dejected look in her eyes. There was no gloomy air that trailed behind her when she entered the room. In fact, Kana seemed to bring a brightness into the home that the girl didn’t even know she possessed.

“Where did you get those?” her younger sister asked, leaning over the edge of the family couch. She was still in elementary school but already had developed a keen talent for mischief-making. “Did you steal that?”

“No,” she chuckled, continuing to the kitchen and putting the food on the counter. “A… friend bought them for me. Everyone gets two boxes, okay?”

“Okaaaay!”

“Don’t take more than what you’ve been told, got it?” Kana said, raising an eyebrow. “You know Ganzan will throw a fit if you take his.”

“Then I’ll take yours!”

“Hmph.” Kana smiled and ruffled her little sister’s head. “Mischevious little Soru…”

“Kana?” The girl turned around to find her mother standing next to the counter, examining the ten boxes of takoyaki with worry. “Please tell me you didn’t spend all your allowance on this…”

“No, no, a friend bought it for me.”

“…” Her mother narrowed her eyes with a disapproving frown. “Show me your wallet.”

Kana did as she was told, giving her mother her wallet and watching the woman count to make sure every single yen was accounted for.

“Some friend you have, then,” she whistled. “What’s her name? We have to give her something to repay this.”

“W-Well… Tomorrow I would normally spend time in my dorm on my computer or doing something with my other friends, but all of them have something going on this Sunday. A-And Mitsuru-senpai told me that it wasn’t healthy to stay inside so much, and Yukari-chan told me that if I don’t get out every now and then, my s-stomach might put on some weight, b-but you know, I’m still kinda small, so I didn’t take her seriously. But since-”

“Are you getting to the part of this story where I’m relevant?” Natsuki yawned, taking out her phone and typing a text. “You’re doing that thing again.”

“H-Huh? ‘T-That thing…?’ What do you-”

“The ramble-y, over-explain-y thing.” The girl looked up from her phone and smirked. “You forget that I’m, like, totally just a dum-dum. With me, just use a few simple words, ok?”

“Ok… Do you want to hang out on Sunday?”

“Hm, okay, yeah,” she said, nodding almost instantly. “Got nothing better to do.”

“N-Nice! Good! Cool…”

“Hey Fuuka?”

“Yes?”

“I can tell you’re already overthinking this. Just chill out.”

“Right!” Fuuka took some deep breaths. “Sorry, I guess it’s pretty obvious that I don’t hang out with a lot of people, huh?”

“Fukka, I’ve known you for like, half my life, so I know for a fact that you’d be a shut-in if you didn’t have friends who dragged you out.”

“I can’t argue with that,” she said. Both girls let out a small chuckle.

Normally, that kind of comment would make a person feel bad, but with the way Natsuki said it, Fuuka couldn’t be upset. For her, it sounded more like endearing honesty than malice—the true words that came from a friend with years of history.

“I bet it’ll look pretty funny to see.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You know, me and you,” Natsuki grinned, bouncing a pointed finger between the two of them. “You know, side-by-side, walking around together.”

“…What about it?”

“You seriously don’t see it?” she laughed. “People are gonna see you following my heels and think I’m still bullying you or something.”

“B-Bullying me?! B-But you’re not!”

“Yeah,” smirked Natsuki. “But the tough-as-hell gyaru dragging around the dainty, shy little girl? Oh, it’s a perfect image.”

“I think I’ve read a manga like that…” Fuuka thought.

“I-If you’re worried about your image, we-”

“Nah, I don’t really care about what people say about me,” she shrugged. “My reputation’s already not too great.”

“Oh…”

“That’s why I need my little frail friend with me to boost my reputation. Make it seem like I’ve bullied some girl into being my social slave.” Natsuki took one last bite of her bread before finishing the food. “I’m, like, totally joking, of course. I don’t care what those assholes think about me. If you don’t want that image though, we can just stay in and hang out.”

“N-No, I’ll be fine…”

“You sure?”

“Yeah!”

“Then I’m going to the bathroom and back to class.” The gyaru got up and threw up a wave. “See you then.”

“See you…”

“Is she right?” Fuuka thought, clutching the strap of her bag. “Was that a warning? Or was she just being Natsuki-chan, like always…?”

*     *     *     *     *

Sunday came much faster than Fuuka expected. At first, everything felt really normal. They walked and talked, mostly about recent movies and trends from both of their social spheres. The two walked around a few markets and a couple strip malls, trying to find somewhere that really caught their attention. Overall, it felt like a really standard hangout—plain, even.

But then, Fuuka started to notice what she thought Natsuki had been talking about. The looks that people gave them as they passed by. There were confused glances, curious expressions, and suppressed giggles from onlookers. She could hardly pay attention to whatever Natsuki was saying; Fuuka held her arms together, as if trying to shrink and be even smaller.

“Maybe Natsuki-chan was right…” she thought to herself. “They think I’m getting dragged around and bullied… Why are they looking at me with pity if I’m just with my friend…?”

Fuuka drifted her eyes towards Natsuki, analyzing her and trying to identify everything her friend had that she didn’t.

Element one—confidence. Natsuki walked with such confidence that it was like she owned the whole street. It didn’t matter who they passed or was in their way—Natsuki strode with the same level of authority. The girl walked with the top buttons of her shirt undone, but it wasn’t to be cheeky or to show off. It was as if to say, “Yeah, I’m like this. Try and stop me!” to the world. And the way she talked… Fuuka was sure that there was nobody who could win an argument with sheer force like Natsuki.

Element two—style. Natsuki’s clothing and accessories just looked so natural and effortless on her, as if they were tailor-made for the girl. And her makeup? Fuuka could hardly imagine her without it (though on occasion, she has witnessed the sight).

Element three—attitude. With the way that Natsuki-

“Um, hello?” Natsuki asked, snapping her fingers in front of Fuuka’s face. The teal-haired girl snapped out of whatever trance her analysis paralysis put her in, looking around with a flustered face.

“I- Huh? What-”

“I was talking and you just stopped in the middle of the street with that weird look on your face. Took a second for me to realize you just let yourself drag behind,” she said with a frown. “And with how still you were standing? It was like you were possessed or something. You’re not coming down with that Apathy Syndrome thing, right?”

“N-No, I’m not…”

“She didn’t even notice for a second? Natsuki-chan stands out among a sea of people, and I…” Fuuka nervously gulped. “I disappear among two…”

“Hey, you sure you’re okay?”

“Y-Yeah, I…” Fuuka glanced over at the store she was in front of, and an idea fired off in her brain. “I just wanted to look at something!”

“Hm?”

Fuuka gestured over to the clothing store. It was a bit of a gimmick shop dedicated to selling clothes and accessories made for “Real Punks, Delinquents, and Gyarus!” Fuuka found it almost laughably cheesy, but as soon as she gestured towards the store, Natsuki got a smirk as her eyes lit up.

“Ah, you wanna finally try having some real style?”

“Well, I-I… It’s just-”

“Say less,” she interrupted, grabbing Fuuka’s arm and walking away.

“W-Wait! Natsuki-chan, slow down!” Fuuka stumbled across the sidewalk, trying to keep up with her speeding friend. “W-Where are we going?! The store’s back-”

“If you’re gonna try this whole ‘style change’ thing, no friend of mine is half-assing it.”

“B-But I wasn’t-”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she waved it off. “You totally weren’t staring at that second-rate tryhard punk store like it was gonna fix your whole vibe.”

“I… just thought it looked interesting…” Fuuka mumbled.

“My friend isn’t about to shop at some wannabe shop that’s trying way too hard,” Natsuki scoffed. “I’m taking you to the place that really sells what you’re talking about.”

*     *     *     *     *

The moment they stepped inside the store, Fuuka felt completely out of place. Someone as quiet and modest as her really had no place in a store selling all the things that it did. The entire store just radiated a boldness and confidence that Fuuka lacked. Natsuki, meanwhile, looked right at home.

“Alright,” her friend said, clapping her hands together and rubbing them, bouncing her eyes between Fuuka and the clothes. “Let’s see what we’re working with.”

“W-Working with…? What-”

Before Fuuka could say much more, Natsuki had already started scanning the racks. She filtered through a mountain of clothing, pulling out a few select pieces with a practiced ease.

“May this… No,” she decided, shoving one back on the rack. “Too stiff for you.”

“Natsuki-chan, I-”

“Shhh, I’m working,” the gyaru requested, going back to the rack before plucking a top off and holding it up to Fuuka’s body. “This one… is a maybe.”

“W-Wouldn’t that show too much of my-”

“Whatever you were about to finish that sentence with, the answer is no. The point of gyaru is to have a kind of really bold sexy look. Something you’re—no offense—lacking.”

“I-I just don’t think that one in particular would suit me…”

“Did I ask?” Natsuki shot back, though there was no real malicious bite to her words.

“…Sorry.”

“That’s another thing. Stop apologizing for everything,” she muttered.

“O-Oh, okay…”

“That’s right, Natsuki-chan hardly apologizes for anything… If I just mimic how she acts, maybe I’ll look like I fit in…”

“Here, take ‘em.” Natsuki shoved an entire small pile of clothes into Fuuka’s arms, making her knees wobble just carrying them. “We can start with these.”

“A-All of these?!”

“Yeah. Changing room’s over there,” the rough girl said, pointing to a small row of divided stalls. Fuuka looked at the rooms, then back at Natsuki. “What? I’m already helping you pick them out. You need my help changing clothes too?”

“N-No, I’m going…”

*     *     *     *     *

“If you were in a bathroom, I’d ask if you fell in,” Natsuki barked, knocking on the changing room door. “C’mon, how long does it take?!”

“P-Please promise not to laugh…”

“Promise not to say something stupid,” the gyaru grinned. “That’s not a promise either of us can really make, though, is it?”

“Just… please don’t laugh…”

Fuuka unlocked the changing room and stepped out, hugging her sides as if she wanted to just shrink away completely. The first thing Natsuki had settled on making her try was a teal crop top paired with a pair of jean shorts. The clothes weren’t bad or anything, and they didn’t even look terrible on her. But both Fuuka and Natsuki could tell they just didn’t feel like her.

“S-So? N-Natsuki-chan…?”

Natsuki was still standing there, scratching her chin in deep thought. By all accounts, everything about that outfit should have worked for someone with a body like Fuuka’s. She didn’t have an embarrassing or awkward silhouette, and she even walked around with it fairly naturally, but… There was just a certain stiffness that Fuuka had while modeling the clothes, as if she were wearing a costume.

“…Huh,” Natsuki finally said after a long period of silence.

“H-Huh? What does that mean? D-Do I look bad?”

“No, no. It’s fine,” she replied. At least for Natsuki, that was an unusually… neutral remark. “What do you think of it?”

“W-Well… I-I…” Fuuka took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She thought about the kind of confident person she wanted to be and looked at her friend. “I think it looks nice… I-I like it. A lot!”

Natsuki’s eyes narrowed as her brow furrowed, not in an expression of confusion, but one of concern.

“Are… you sure?”

“Y-Yeah!” Fuuka vigorously nodded. “It’s cute, a-and it’s a lot closer to your style!”

“Why do you want to be close to my style?”

“I… It’s just an observation.”

“…Right.” Natsuki let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of her neck and dismissively waving her hand. There was something about this that didn’t sit right with her. “Then… I guess on to the next one.”

“O-Okay!”

Fuuka went back into the changing stall and clicked the lock. While Natsuki heard the sounds of Fuuka rummaging through more clothes, she thought about that outfit. How obviously uncomfortable and out of place her friend both looked and felt in it.

“Fuuka, what the hell are you trying to do to yourself?”

*     *     *     *     *

The same pattern continued for the rest of the time that they were in the shop. Fuuka would try something on, look wildly uncomfortable, then insist that she liked it. The whole thing made Natsuki feel wildly uncomfortable and upset to witness. Fuuka only looked truly comfortable when she got to step out in her own clothes again.

“You ready to bounce or what?”

“Yeah…”

The pair didn’t say much as they approached the register. After a moment of hesitation, Fuuka placed a couple of the items that she had kept with her on the counter. 

“I-I’ll take these, please…”

The cashier smirked as she rang Fuuka up. The teal-haired girl was mesmerized by how long and shiny her nails were.

“Great choice!”

“T-Thank-” Fuuka hesitated. She thought about what Natsuki might say and leaned against the counter. “Y-Yeah! I mean, of course it is!” Fuuka’s speech sounded clumsy and stilted, as if she were reading off a script for a scene she wasn’t sure of the context of. “It’s, like… super cute, right?”

“…Yeah, uh-huh,” the cashier nodded, clearly a bit confused but not caring enough to say anything. Natsuki, however, started looking visibly annoyed.

“And, um… yeah,” Fuuka continued, trying her best to keep up the poor charade. “I-I’ll totally rock this and stuff…”

“I’m sure you will, hon.” The cashier gave Fuuka her remaining money and handed over the bag. “Thanks for shopping. Come again.”

“Y-Yeah! No problem! M-My friend and I w-will, like, totally come back!”

“Alright, let’s go,” Natsuki decided, grabbing Fuuka by the wrist.

“W-Wait! Natsuki-chan!”

Her friend yanked Fuuka outside, annoyance plastered all over her face. She had clearly had enough of something, but Fuuka just quickly started talking before Natsuki could get a word in.

“So where should we go next?”

“Fuuka-”

“I think there’s a café nearby that-”

“Fuuka.”

“I think if we run now, we can-”

“Fuuka! Shut the fuck up!” A few people stared at Natsuki raising her voice, but she didn’t really care. Her chest heaved in anger. “I’ve fucking had it! Why the hell are you doing all this?”

“D-Doing wha-”

“This!” she said, stomping her foot and gesturing to the shop, then at Fuuka’s bags. “The store, the clothes, the attitude! All of it!”

“I-I’m not-”

“You’re a shitty liar,” Natsuki spat. “I could tell you didn’t like anything you wore. I took you to that shop because I thought we’d just dress you up and have a good laugh. But what the hell are you trying to do, being a person like you and wearing clothes like that?”

“I-I just wanted…” Fuuka looked like she was on the verge of tears. “I just wanted to be a bit more like you, Natsuki-chan!”

With that declaration, a thick silence hung between them. Natsuki’s trembling lip curled into a snarl.

“Why the fuck do you wanna be like me?”

“I-I thought if I did… I-I wouldn’t look so pathetic when we were together… M-Maybe I’d look like I belong as one of your friends…”

Natsuki clenched her fists.

“Fuuka… you colossal dumbass!”

“Wh-”

“You’re a dumbass if that’s what you really wanted!”

“I-I know it sounds stupid, but-”

“No, it is stupid,” Natsuki snapped. “Since when do you care about what random people on the street think?”

“I-It’s just that I felt so out of place that-”

“Your solution was to start pretending to be someone else? Do you know how dumb you sound for a smart girl right now?”

“I wasn’t pretending!” Fuuka insisted. “I just thought if I tried harder to be more like you, I could look like I belonged and I wouldn’t have to…”

“Wouldn’t have to what?”

“To… be embarrassed,” she admitted. “I wouldn’t have to be ashamed of being such a nobody like myself walking next to someone who stands out like you…”

“Embarrassed…” Natsuki mumbled. “Ashamed…”

“You said it yourself… We look strange together. People probably think you’re dragging me around, or bullying me, or…” Her voice trailed off in a pathetic whimper. “I didn’t want to look like that…”

“Fuuka… You’re seriously pissing me off right now.”

Fuuka’s head snapped up as her eyes went wide.

“I-I am?! I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“Can you just stop talking already?!” Natsuki howled, frustration dripping from her sharpened voice. “You don’t need to ‘match me.’ Nobody fucking needs you to act different, dress different, or talk different! You’d just be a completely different fucking person! And that Fuuka? I don’t want her.”

“I just thought-”

“Yeah, well, you thought wrong!” Fuuka didn’t try responding anymore; she just looked down and trembled. Natsuki let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her own hair, her voice calming down. “You’ve been weird as hell ever since you wanted to go into that store. Not because you’re being yourself—but because you’re not.”

“I… I don’t…”

“Fine, then I’ll say it in simple words. I don’t like this,” Natsuki said, emphasizing each word. “I don’t like you acting like this.”

“N-Natsuki-chan…”

“You’re not loud, you’re not pushy, you’d never talk like that, and you definitely don’t wear stuff that exposes any skin.”

“I-I know…” Fuuka mumbled. “I just wanted to look like I belonged… So I could be with you…”

“Better…? For me…?” Natsuki paused, looking at the trembling girl in front of her. She let out another long sigh before letting her face soften. Though her words were still firm, Natsuki was a bit quieter and spoke softly. “That’s not better, it’s just hella fake.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“I told you to stop apologizing.”

“Oh, r-right… I’m s-” Fuuka caught herself, and Natsuki sharply exhaled.

“Fuuka… Just be yourself. Seriously, don’t try to be me.” The gyaru paused and looked away, the next sentence slipping out with a more natural, tender flow than the speaker intended. “I’ve always liked you the way you were.”

Fuuka jerked her head up to look at Natsuki, but the girl wouldn’t lock eyes with her anymore.

“Really…?”

“…Yeah,” she mumbled. “You’re good how you are, so don’t change for some shitty guy or girl, ok? If you do, I’ll beat the hell out of ‘em.”

“…”

“If that’s all you’ve got to say… then let’s go,” Natsuki sighed. “Maybe we can make it to the coffee shop before they run out of seasonal spice.”

“Natsuki-chan… I’m sorry.”

“Try saying something else.”

“I…” Fuuka hesitated before mustering a small smile. “Thank you.”

“For?”

“Being honest with me… Not letting me make such a bad choice…”

Natsuki didn’t respond right away. She just turned her head and blew a small strand of hair out of her face.

“Yeah, whatever… You were acting super weird, so I had to do something.” Natsuki pointed to the clothes in her hands. “So what’re you going to do with those? They’re too small to fit me.”

“Hm… Maybe Yukari-san would like them.”

“What about the student council president?” Natsuki smirked, going back to talking while they walked. “What a pic that would be… The prez in such revealing clothes? Oh, now that would be a story for the ages…”

“Hey, you came to me for advice. Besides, everyone loves sweets. It’s like, illegal not to.”

“But Rio’s kind of a health nut.”

“Bah, Yukari was too, but it only takes a bit of nudging to get them to the dark side,” the auburn friend said with a dark grin. “And now when she tastes chocolate, she thinks about me!”

“Sounds like the same way you train a dog.”

“Nah, there’s no clickers involved here.” Kotone raised a finger to her chin. “At least not yet.”

“Jeez…” Yuko shuddered. “It was weird enough walking in on you two making out on the locker room floor… You’re lucky that was me and not someone who’d use that as blackmail.”

“Worth it,” she dreamily sighed. “But this is about you, not me. Why not just start off with some small gestures first?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Well, the most basic of basic gestures would be hand holding,” she explained. “Hold her hand a lot! If you’re sitting together, grab her hand! If you two are going somewhere, her palm belongs to you! Be bold about it too; kiss her hand sometimes just to make her feel special!”

“You really think Rio is into that kinda stuff…?” Yuko wondered aloud. “I’ve never really seen her be big into those cheesy romance gestures.”

“Well, if we’re going off of things we know she likes, you’ve got slim pickings,” Kotone retorted, taking a bite from her waffle cone. “Sorry, but I can’t think of many super sweet and romantic couples activities that involve sports and dietician work.”

“Ok, ok, I get it,” the team manager sighed. “This is so hard…”

“You’ll be a pro at it by the time I’m through with you!”

“I don’t know why, but that statement just fills me with dread…”

*     *     *     *     *

“Romantic advice, eh? So you wanna learn about the techniques of the master romancer, so you came straight to the source, huh?”

“Nope,” Rio said, slurping up a string of ramen noodles. “But I did want to ask you for advice.”

“Ouch, cold,” mumbled Kenji, also indulging in a bowl of ramen. “I’ll do what I can, but Yuko’s kind of a different demographic from my usual-”

“Yeah, I know. Focus on me this time.”

“Right, right, yeah. Yuko…” Kenji scratched his chin. “What does she like?”

“…” Rio paused her eating and looked at him. “We’ve all been friends since we were 8-9 years old, and you can’t think of one thing that Yuko likes?”

“Ah, well, I… She likes hitting me!” the boy exclaimed, rubbing his arm. “That’s, uh, a pastime I know she likes.”

“Hm… True… I can work with that…” Rio nodded, making Kenji’s eyes go wide. “Oh, no, not hitting you. Maybe we can go on a date to the gym!”

“Hm, the gym? Sounds like a lousy place to me, but… this is you and Yuko we’re talking about here.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You’re not normal girls, you know?”

“Is that bad?”

“I don’t think so…?” Kenji said it slowly and uncertainly, as if not sure what response would get him a scolding.

“Thanks for the confidence, Romancer-sama,” Rio sighed.

“If you want my opinion, you shouldn’t focus on the things she likes so much,” Kenji advised, holding the ramen to his lips and drinking some of the bowl. “She already does things she likes. You gotta give her something that she doesn’t normally get.”

“Hm…” Rio held her hand to her chin and thought for a minute. “That sounds right… I think it makes sense. Everyone loves the thrill of a new experience!”

“Er, well, kinda,” the boy shrugged. “I was going to suggest some things to make her feel like a girl.”

“…huh?”

“Try makeup with her, go clothes shopping, look at jewelry, give her flowers—all that stuff. Girls like Yuko act all tough on the outside, but at their core they just wanna be pampered, treated special, and get told they’re cute.”

“Where did you learn that?”

“Read a manga,” he said with a nod. “Backed by real science too.”

“Well, if it’s backed by real science…” Rio let out a sigh and held her head in her hands. “Ugh, who am I kidding? I don’t know how to pamper someone!”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”

“I asked you here so you could help me, not so you could eat while I panic,” she frowned. “I would’ve asked Kotone, but she already had plans.”

“Ouch, it sucks being a backup choice…”

“Sorry…” Rio rubbed her temples and looked down at her half-eaten bowl. Her face fell into a defeated frown. “I don’t know, I just want to make her feel special…”

“If your heart’s in the right place, I’m sure she’ll enjoy anything you do.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, I mean, she’s always enjoyed anything as long as you’re there,” he said with a small laugh. Kenji finished slurping down his broth and looked over at Rio with a smirk. “Dude, you’re overthinking this way too much. She’s been down to do anything you ask as long as you’ll be there. She won’t complain no matter what you do.”

“…” Rio picked her utensil back up and skillfully picked up some noodles. “Hey Kenji… Tell me more about pampering Yuko with that girly stuff.”

*     *     *     *     *

“Come on, just text her,” Kotone pestered. “Just do itttttt!”

“Stop leaning over my shoulder,” Yuko insisted, trying to push her away. “She’s my girlfriend, not yours!”

“But I’m so nosy when it comes to other people’s love lives!”

“Yeah, I can tell…” Yuko looked down at her phone, uncertain of actually doing what Kotone had just spent two hours training her to do. “I-I don’t know, maybe Rio-”

“Do ittt!”

“But-”

“If you don’t, I’ll just take your phone and text her myself.”

“Ew, no.” The tanned girl hugged her phone to her chest. “I’ve seen your chat history with Yukari. We aren’t like that.”

“Then get on it!”

“Fine, fine!” Yuko took a deep breath and started texting.

Yuko Nishiwaki > Hey, do you wanna go out tomorrow? > I mean, like, spend the day out together > U don’t have to plan anything. I can take care of our activities.

Rio Iwasaki > Sounds great! > Actually, I have some things I also want us to do together

Yuko Nishiwaki > Really?

Rio Iwasaki > They’re a surprise

Yuko Nishiwaki > Well mine are too > so HA

Rio Iwasaki > Can’t wait! > Come by my place tonight?

Yuko Nishiwaki > ? > That’s sudden

Rio Iwasaki > Need to show you something important

Yuko Nishiwaki > I’ll be there then > Everything ok?

Rio Iwasaki > Don’t worry it’s nothing bad > Just something I should tell you in person > Then I have something in mind that we can do together > My parents are out of town for a few days, so dont worry about them

Yuko Nishiwaki > Count on me then

Rio Iwasaki > Thank you, Yuko > >3 > <4 > <3

Yuko Nishiwaki > <3

“Gotta appreciate how forward she is,” Yuko chuckled.

“Oh my gosh…” Kotone clutched her chest as if her heart had stopped. “Yuko, she just asked you to her room. While her parents are gone. To talk about and do something in private! I can’t believe my protégé is speedrunning to third base… You may even make it all the way home…”

“I’m not hitting any bases, perv.” Yuko rolled her eyes and gave Kotone a small shove, cracking up an involuntary smirk. “You hang out with that Iori guy too much.”

“Shush, this isn’t about me! You’re about to taste her-”

Yuko took her water bottle and splashed a bit of water into Kotone’s face. It wasn’t enough to soak her clothes, but it did visibly annoy her. The auburn girl balled up her fists and wiped her face with a giddy smirk.

“You’ll regret that!”

“Try and make me!”

That day, the onlookers of Port Island Station got a good view of two girls chasing each other, one with vengeance in her eyes while the other sloshed a bottle of water at her. Some thought they were crazy; others thought it was inappropriate. Everyone agreed that the modern youth needed to learn some restraint.

*     *     *     *     *

“You can, um, make yourself at home,” Rio said as they entered her room. The volleyball captain gave an embarrassed chuckle at her own words. “I’m saying that like you’ve never been in here before…”

Yuko had indeed been there many times before and admired how minimalist she lived. Just a single bookshelf half-filled with mooks—mostly school textbooks, diet and biology books, athlete biographies, sports almanacs, and one of two sports-themed manga. In one corner, she had a desk with a small light stationed, while in another she kept a few bits of workout equipment; she even had a foam mat to work out on. Sometimes, the intensity of Rio’s dedication worried Yuko. The actual bed itself seemed relatively forgotten in the room, having been shoved into the corner and neglected; its sheets were rustled, wrinkled, and loosely hung on while a large, thick blanket had been haphazardly spread across the mattress. In the middle was a small coffee table close to the ground with two places to sit set up on either side.

“Oh, that’s new,” Yuko remarked, pointing at the table as they sat down.

“It’s a bit broken,” she admitted, rocking it back and forth. Yuko listened to the table creak and watched it threaten to buckle. “I wouldn’t sit on it or anything…”

“Noted,” Yuko chuckled. “So, I don’t wanna rush this whole hang-out session or anything, but I’m dying to know! What did you want to say to me?”

“Right…” Rio looked down, giving an audible nervous gulp. Yuko watched her face start turning bright red, and for a fraction of a second she contemplated if Kotone hadn’t been far off in her wild assumptions. “Ever since we kissed… we haven’t talked much about… us.”

“Oh… No, I guess we haven’t…”

“I’ll be the one to say it then…” Rio took a deep breath, steeling herself before practically shouting, “Yuko Nishiwaki, I love you! I-I don’t mean that in the way of ‘temporary love’ or a ‘momentary fling’ kind of way! Ever since we kissed, I haven’t been able to look at you the same way! I want to hold you in my arms and be held by you! I wonder if you’re feeling ok all the time! I want us to be alone because my heart flutters whenever it’s just you and me, like I just scored the winning point in a championship match!”

“R-Rio…” Yuko’s brain felt like it was short-circuiting. Rio had always been a bit blunt and up front, which she loved about her. This, though, was overwhelming.

“I-I’m not done! But you’ve got my heart under some spell! I think about you all the time! On my runs, at the gym, during practice, in class, in the halls, while I eat, sometimes even while I sleep! I feel like a prisoner of my own heart, and Yuko Nishiwaki, I gave you the key myself!”

“I… What are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I shouldn’t have let you go that day without doing this!” Rio leapt up from where she sat and crawled next to Yuko, grabbing her hand. “Please, be my official girlfriend!”

“…” Yuko’s shocked visage slowly turned into a warm smile. “Rio Iwasaki, nothing would make me happier.”

“Yuko, I… Thank you…” Rio mustered a small smile and kissed her new, official, girlfriend’s hand. “And one more thing, since only lovers can say this to each other how I mean it… I love you.”

“I… I love you too…”

Choking up, Yuko wrapped her arms around Rio in a tight hug; now, though, the team manager couldn’t deny that everything about it felt different. Yuko noticed every small place that their bodies connected, as if even a mere brush of contact with Rio sent her nerve endings into a heated frenzy. The way she held her new girlfriend was as if Yuko were on fire and Rio were the water that could extinguish her flames. One moment that seemed to last for minutes but ended all too soon for Yuko.

“Oh, I wanna do something first,” Yuko chuckled, taking her phone out. “Just a little picture to tease Kotone. Do a cool pose.”

Yuko held up her phone to snap a picture of them both. While she just threw up a peace sign at first, Rio decided to flex her bicep into the camera. With a small smirk, and maybe a bit of Kotone’s influence bleeding through, Yuko quickly dipped her head over and planted a kiss on Rio’s flexed muscle. The picture snapped right as Rio turned a deep red and gasped. In her mind, that photo came out perfectly. Yuko loved having a permanent reminder of what Rio looked like at her most vulnerable.

“You play underhandedly,” Rio remarked, lightly touching her arm where Yuko had smooched, as if she had been burned.

“I picked it up from a friend.”

“I bet I know which one.”

“Yeah, I bet you do.”

The redhead opened her door and beckoned her guest to follow. It was now or never. After all, at this stage it would’ve just been rude to refuse to go in. So Chihiro followed with a pair of shaky legs and closed the door behind her. In record time, her sense of anxiety was replaced with one of awe.

Mitsuru gave her treasurer a proud grin as Chihiro walked into her dorm room. To say that the girl was starstruck would be underselling it—she was blinded by the posh. Just the carpet that she walked on was fancier than anything she had ever owned. Probably more expensive too.

“Wow, Senpai…” Chihiro gasped. “You really do live in a completely different world from me…”

“Oh, nonsense,” Mitsuru dismissed. “We are simply two girls with different tastes.”

“My tastes would probably be something like this if I had Kirijo money,” the treasurer thought. “Though, I’d probably replace the books with manga and live in my room like an otaku…”

Chihiro’s eyes scanned over all of Mitsuru’s shelves lined with novels and manuscripts. It was almost like she kept a miniature library in her room… Though, the treasurer’s eyes settled on one volume in particular that sat at the base of a shelf. It stuck out from the rest—being a hot pink in contrast to most of the other muted colors decorating book spines.

“You got a copy of Luna Sailor Super!” Chihiro took it out, flipping through the pages in wonder. “Woah… You got the special edition with extra sketches and a small author’s interview! I didn’t know these were still in circulation. I’ve only seen low-quality, pixel-y pictures of them on the forums…”

“When my maid told me every edition that had been printed, I knew I had to have that one,” the heiress proudly grinned. “Reading it reminds me of you.”

“R-Really?!” Chihiro almost dropped the book. “W-What do you mean by that?”

“Well, you did let me read some of it at your house. It’s only natural that the series reminds me of you because of that.”

“O-Oh, right…”

“What are you thinking, Chihiro?” she thought. “Stop thinking of your senpai that way… This isn’t like one of your manga…”

“I wanted to talk to you about something, actually.”

“Hm?” Chihiro was snapped out of her thoughts from the sudden declaration from her senpai. “Talk about what?”

“Well, this. I saw it peeking out from under your bed and wanted to ask about it when I was visiting your home, but it felt rude at the time. When you left to talk to your mother, I found more of them hidden away, all by the same author, so I decided to do my own research.”

Mitsuru opened her nightstand drawer and pulled out something that made Chihiro’s brain do a complete 180. It was a manga with two young women holding each other on the front, with a set of huge pink letters on the front that read, “More Than Just Gal Pals?” Normally, Chihiro would’ve found the fact that Mitsuru had this fairly amusing, maybe even funny. But she didn’t like the way this conversation was going when it started with the preface that Mitsuru knew she also owned it…

“That’s… an interesting manga you have, Senpai. I didn’t think that was your kind of reading…”

“I found it to be quite a good read, indeed,” the redhead nodded, looking at the book with a surprising amount of reverence. “The painful relationship that the protagonist has for her love interest ruthlessly strikes the heart… I even contacted the author herself.”

“Senpai, don’t tell me you-” Chihiro furrowed her brow. “Her? Senpai, a woman didn’t write that. Hiro Tayakami is a man.”

“Hiro Tayakami is a well-constructed pseudonym,” corrected Mitsuru. “Such a well-known author in this space, and she feels forced to hide her name… Do you know where I found her living?”

“I-I don’t think it’s-”

“In a horribly maintained part of Kyoto—a completely different space from my own home. She was days away from becoming homeless. Imagine such a thing existing… An author who has sold millions becoming homeless because of her own need to hide her name and a publisher who takes advantage of the genre she writes and the desire for anonymity…”

“…” Chihiro watched Mitsuru sit on her own bed and put the book back in her drawer. “Senpai, it’s not that I don’t appreciate all of this, but why does something feel… wrong here? A-And… why did you track that woman down?!”

“Ah, I’m sorry to say that I’m not sure what you’re talking about with that first statement, admittedly. But that second one is rather easy to explain,” Mitsuru chuckled. 

She reached into her side table again and pulled out a binder. Chihiro’s heart stopped. Her blood froze. The treasurer swore that the binder in her senpai’s hands had been lost about a month ago, so what was it doing with Mitsuru? The redhead let out a giggly sigh as she opened it up and flipped through the pages. Chihiro was mortified.

“You’re a rather great writer, Fushimi,” Kirijo complimented. “Like always, it’s another area that you sell yourself short in.”

“Senpai… I…” Chihiro covered her face as tears pooled in the corners of her eyes, dripping off her lashes. The younger girl dropped to her knees and started crying. “Nobody was supposed to see those stories! I-I’m sorry! You-”

“Please, Fushimi, stop!” Mitsuru furrowed her brow and put a hand on Chihiro’s shoulder. “I-I’m sorry if this wasn’t the way to approach the subject. I didn’t imagine the conversation going this way.”

“N-No, it’s… it’s my fault…” Chihiro sniggled, wiping her eyes and shakily standing up. “I-I’m sorry you read all my w-writing, Senpai… I-It’s really gross and-”

“I found it to be quite beautiful,” her senpai interjected. “The relationship of the two women throughout the first act was masterfully set up, and the part where they confess their love is truly heartwarming.”

“Y-You liked it…?”

“I did,” she nodded with a smile. “And so did Jiani-san.”

“Huh?” Chihiro wiped more tears from her eyes. “I must have missed something… Who’s Jiana-san?”

“I believe she’s your favorite ‘GL’ author,” Mitsuru chuckled. “A much more honest name than Hiro Tayakami, don’t you think so?”

“She… Wait, you didn’t…”

This time, Mitsuru reached under her own bed and pulled out a book with a rather vibrantly-colored cover. It was pretty thin—maybe the length of a short novel at most. But the title was something unmistakable. “Beneath a Sea of Doubt, My Heart Blossoms For You!” It was the title that Chihiro had given her own story. She opened the book up. That was Chihiro’s dialogue. Those were events that Chihiro had described. The entire experience felt surreal to the treasurer. Her limbs locked up, and the girl felt like she was going to pass out.

“Though I had promised to let you visit my room, this was the real reason I brought you here, Fushimi. I’m sorry about the lie of omission, but I love a good surprise,” Mitsuru admitted with a gleeful smile. “While we talked, Jiani-san said how she had been trying for years to get a story down for her first serialized manga, but couldn’t find the right plot. I already wanted to pay for her to adapt the beginning of your writing into a real manga, but when she read your story, she said she felt inspired.”

“No…” Chihiro covered her mouth. “Senpai, don’t tell me… Please, no…”

Trembling, almost as turning the page would seal her very fate, Chihiro flipped the book to the title page and stared at the words printed below the title. They didn’t seem real.

Written by Fushimi Chihiro

Art/Illustration by Jiani Kimi

“She wishes to collaborate for a serialized story, and for it to be the debut of using her real name instead of a pseudonym,” the upperclassman explained. “But Jiani-san said she understands if you’re not interested in that avenue and is willing to buy the story off of you. But either way, she requested to meet such a promising writer.”

“I… I…” Chihiro’s throat was closing off. Her vision grew blurry as she felt her joints grow even stiffer.

“Is this what an allergic reaction feels like…?”

“Fushimi…” Mitsuru put a hand on her shoulder again, yanking her back to the real world. Slowly, the treasurer’s breathing steadied again. “Or, perhaps that’s not the right name to use anymore… I feel as though I’ve truly gotten to know you as a person over these last couple months.”

“I… feel the same,” Chihiro admitted. “There’s so many things that I didn’t even know you liked!”

“And many things you made me realize I liked,” the redhead giggled. “It’s fun to figure that out, though, isn’t it?”

“Y-Yeah!” Chihiro looked back at the book in her hands. “O-Oh, Senpai, this isn’t-”

“No, it’s not in circulation,” she reassured. “I had four of those printed by an independent company for private use.”

“Oh, ok… Why four?”

“Jiani-san wanted two, I needed one for you, and I’m keeping one for myself.” Mitsuru wistfully smiled and guided Chihiro to her bed, where they both sat down. “I apologize for disturbing you with the news, though. There was no easy way to explain it.”

“N-No, no, you’re right… It’s just  a little embarrassing, you know? Since I just write about girls falling in love and kissing and stuff…”

“Your way of writing love certainly has its charms…” Mitsuru straightened the bow on her chest. “What is your preference?”

“Huh?!”

“Well, if we’re going to be casual friends now, I think this is the kind of talk girls normally have together,” she explained. “So I was wondering, since you read a lot of same-sex romance manga, is that a reflection of your preference between men and women?”

“O-Oh, no, no.” Chihiro quickly shook her head. “No, I… It’s hard to explain.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… I don’t really care about that kind of thing, honestly. Man, woman, whatever, I don’t care what someone is… I just want a person who can hold me and care for me like one of these manga protagonists,” she admitted, clutching the book to her chest as she looked down with a weary smile. “It sounds so sad when I say it out loud, but I just want someone with unconditional love who will make me feel safe and alright… Someone who can believe in me when I need to do something and take care of me when I’m at my lowest… And I want to be able to do the same for them too. It’s just…”

Almost as if someone flipped a switch in her, Chihiro’s whole body jolted and her eyes went wide. Mitsuru just had a radiant, understanding smile.

“I-I’m sorry, I’m rambling again…”

“No, please, don’t apologize. Even your casual words are poetic if you just let yourself go… Chihiro.”

“K-Kirijo-senpai! I-”

“Please, when we’re outside of student council, Mitsuru is fine, or if you wish, Mitsuru-san,” she said, placing a hand on her own heart. “Though, inside of meetings, professionalism is requested.”

“Y-Yes! I will… Mitsuru-san.”

“Thank you…” The heiress let out a small chuckle, not laughing at Chihiro, but more at a thought that crossed her mind. “You often credit me for bringing out your best, but I think that between us, you’ve evoked change in me by far.”

“Oh senp- Mitsuru-san, that can’t be-”

“It’s true. You’ve opened my eyes to some rather unique pleasures in life that I wouldn’t have indulged in otherwise. Manga, social cafés, picking out treats at the candy store, taking-”

“B-But you elevate me to such a higher level every time you give me words of inspiration!” Chihiro insisted, one of her hands digging into Mitsuru’s bedding. “You inspire everyone, but if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have the courage or opportunity to do half the things I’ve done and meet half the people I’ve met! I’d probably be some shut-in loser if I’d never met you!”

“…”

In a sudden gesture, Mitsuru grabbed Chihiro into a hug. It was clearly a move that the redhead wasn’t all too familiar with, wrapping around the younger girl in such an odd way that Chihiro thought Mitsuru was getting ready to throw her. The treasurer’s face burned a bright red when she reciprocated, leaning her head down on Mitsuru’s shoulder. Gently, she touched bits of Mitsuru’s hair, trying to do it in a way so her upperclassman didn’t notice.

“Mitsuru’s hair… It’s so soft. And it smells so nice… I wonder what product she uses…”

“I don’t think I’ve elevated you a day in my life, Chihiro. You’ve always been a hard worker, willing to do the heavy lifting despite your doubts. No, I don’t lift you to my status. I simply remind you to look up and see how far you already are.”

“…” Chihiro hugged tighter. “Thank you, Mitsuru-san…”

“I think it’s calming,” Aigis explained, still lost in her thoughts. “With us, it’s not about what our bodies need, but what makes us feel most comfortable and adequate. Or… Maybe that’s a bad way to put it. We don’t need most of the things that humans do, so when we-”

Aigis paused her monologue at the sound of crinkling paper and looked over to her sister. Metis’s eyes were wide as a teabag’s string and tag hung out of her mouth.

“You were right, actually. I feel calmer already!”

“That’s…” Aigis let out a deep sigh. “Was I like this when my friends first brought me home…?”

“Speaking of your friends… Can I ask some questions about them?”

“Of course.”

“I’ve been observing them for a while. How they behave when alone and in a group,” Metis explained. “Together, they joke but also argue. They cook for each other but also refuse to share their food. They may light the room in an uproar or sit in silence for minutes on end. How can they justify such contradictory behavior on a regular?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” Aigis warmly grinned. “They don’t.”

“They… don’t?” Metis looked even more confused. “Sister, you see how that doesn’t explain anything, right?”

“That’s just the nature of being human and living. Why don’t you think they run everywhere if it’s faster than walking?”

“Because of muscle strain and energy consumption?”

“Because sometimes we just want to walk,” Aigis chuckled. “That’s all there is to it.”

“Interesting…” Metis suddenly shifted her demeanor, looking visibly more uncomfortable. “I… have one last question for you, Sister.”

“I somehow doubt that.”

“It’s-” The android stopped to laugh at her sister. “It’s, um… It’s just, I wanted to know what sisters are supposed to do together. There’s nothing I want more than to just be a bit closer with you, so… What can we do to express that we are true sisters?”

“Hm… That is a difficult question for me to answer,” the blonde robot admitted, picking up the kettle and pouring the steaming water to steep the tea. “If it makes you feel better, we are doing an activity right now.”

“We are?!” Metis’s eyes lit up as she looked around, as if searching for the bonding activity they were currently taking part in. “Where?”

“It’s nothing you can see. Just talking openly is a sisterly activity,” Aigis told her, taking hold of one of Metis’s hands. “Relationships and bonds are not something you can physically see or feel, but everything in between. They are the words both spoken and unspoken. The atmosphere and tension which follow you when you enter and exit a room. The private jokes… The extensive hours of studying together… The shoulder which you find safe to cry upon… All of these aspects and even more are what make up my sisterhood with various members of S.E.E.S.”

“I…” Metis’s voice cracked as she looked down. She looked ready to cry. “I don’t understand… These humans aren’t your sisters; I am… I just don’t get it…”

“And that is okay,” Aigis reassured, raising Metis’s hand and causing her to look up. “I would have said the same thing not so long ago, but I’ve learned so much in my time with these people. Family is more than who you are related to. Humans have a particular saying: ‘Blood is thicker than water.’ I find it quite insightful.”

“Blood is thicker than water…” Metis kept whispering the words, furrowing her brow even more. “I don’t mean to be ignorant, Sister, but that quote seems to be the exact opposite of your point.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot that you wouldn’t know all of the words. The original quote would be ‘The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.’ It tells of how whatever family you choose to pledge yourself to will be stronger than any hereditary ties. That is the lesson which I believe you should learn here.”

“Are you saying… you don’t want to be sisters?” Metis asked, confused and crestfallen. Aigis put a hand on her back and shook her head.

“Quite the opposite. I think we can be sisters, and I wish to be, but not because of where we come from.”

“Instead… it would be… how we spend our time together and interact with each other?”

“Correct,” the robotic blonde smiled, clapping her hands together. “You are a much faster learner than I was after being awoken.”

“It’s only because you’re the one teaching me!” Metis insisted. “But we’ll stay together forever, Sister! I promise that I’ll show our sisterly bond with every action I take out there!”

“Just… don’t hurt yourself,” Aigis requested. “Fuuka-san may be a talented repairwoman, but she can only do so much for you.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’ve got your back! Now and always!” Metis looked down at their mugs. “Should we take the bags out?”

“Oh! Yes!” Aigis rushed over to the mugs and yanked out the teabags. She held them out to Metis. “I’ll handle the sugar. Can you dispose of these in-”

Aigis didn’t even get to finish her sentence before Metis took the bags and tossed them into her mouth. The black-haired android slowly chewed them while humming, nodding in deep appreciation as if she were a connoisseur evaluating the fine tastes.

“They taste even better after soaking!”

A plume of fire darted from the ceiling, straight towards Makoto. He only barely rolled out of the way to dodge, not losing a beat as he kept on his mad dash. He’d have to stand and fight at some point, he knew that. If he could just find a teammate though… that could turn the odds in his favor. It didn’t help that Makoto couldn’t even see his foe; this girl was somehow clinging to the shadowy, murky roof.

“Grr… Stop running!”

An entire figure dove down, tackling Makoto over in a flash of movement. He didn’t even think before he acted; the boy switched to pure instinct. With a fire of his Evoker, a spear-wielding warrior emerged from the sea of his soul, sweeping his lance towards the enemy.

CLANG!

To both the Persona and the user’s surprise, the counter came faster than either of them could anticipate. Queen Mab braced her executioner’s blade against Cu Chulainn’s spear, swatting it away and crossing her legs as she floated next to her user. The girl had long auburn hair, which had been tied back into a painfully tight ponytail. Makoto thought she looked rather underdressed for how cold Tartarus was, being garbed in a black and pink sports bra and beige cargo shorts. Inked into her shoulder was “01A122,” and both sides of her head had hairpins in an XXII shape. The girl pointed a solid metal quarterstaff at Makoto.

“You run fast…” she panted. “That was fun…”

“You were with Strega when you sealed us in that bunker…” Makoto steadied his breathing and took a step back. Now that he saw her Persona, there weren’t many surprises she could pull over on him. If he just stalled, maybe someone could stumble across him. “Who are you? How didn’t our navigator see you coming?”

“Hehe, you’re not the only one who has cool friends,” the girl giggled. “Right now…” The girl paused and put a finger to her ear. There was no device present, so Makoto could only assume it was either theatrical or a reflex. “Ooo, right now it looks like both your senpai are on a wild goose chase twenty floors below us! And they’re fighting a real nasty Shadow!”

“…” The two teenagers began circling each other, both of their Personas disappearing into a blue mist as they did so. “You didn’t answer my other question. Who are you?”

“Duh, we’re Strega, dummy! You already know that!”

“I mean you. Who are you?”

“Ohhh, sorry,” she giggled. “I’ve got a habit of misunderstanding what people mean. My name’s Kotone! Oh, you don’t have to introduce yourself, though. I already know your name’s Makoto.”

“So… You made a coordinated attack to split up our team and isolate me. Does that mean you’re here to kill me?”

“Or take you back. Cuz you’re the leader and all,” Kotone added, adding a frown afterwards. “Besides, killing isn’t really my thing… I leave that business to Jin or Takaya. I’d rather become friends with you if I had a choice.”

“Is leaving it to your friends much different?”

“Surprisingly, yes.”

“Her moral compass is all kinds of broken…” the boy thought.

“How about you just come fight for us? I mean, just looking at it, S.E.E.S. sounds like a drag! Do you all even really care about each other? We’re all a family here in Strega.”

“We’re not perfect, but we make it work,” he grunted. “You can come back with me if you want… I’m sure we’ll have a place for you.”

“That bluff was as thin as a sheet of paper, but it was worth throwing out there,” he thought. “I can’t really get a feel for what this girl’s whole deal is…”

“Where are your other friends, if you’re so close?” Makoto asked with as much bite in his words as he could muster. “Coming after me all alone was a bold move.”

“Well, none of them can move how I do,” she grinned, kicking and stretching her foot above her head. “I’ve got to be the athletic muscle of the operation! Even if Takaya is like our nuclear bomb. Besides…” Kotone gave Makoto a smile so ruthless that it struck a pang of fear into his heart. “I have more friends with me than I know what to do with.”

Makoto just barely had time to draw his Evoker before Kotone’s Persona materialized in front of her once again. As the girl’s Ares clashed with the boy’s Siegfried, both teenagers stared at each other in wonder. In unison, only one sentence could escape each of their lips.

“You’re like me!”

Their warrior Personas separated, and Kotone’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“No way! You can summon multiple Personas too?! I thought I was one of a kind!”

“I thought the same thing… Igor never mentioned you.”

“Hm?” Kotone tilted her head. “Igor?”

“You… haven’t met Igor or Elizabeth? Don’t you have access to the Velvet Room like me?”

“Sorry, you’re kinda talking nonsense,” she giggled. “But you have to come back home with me now! We’ll have so much fun, and I won’t be the only special one anymore! We can play games, compare Personas… Oh! And-”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Ares warned, looking at her user. “Look at how he holds himself… This boy isn’t planning on coming back with us. He believes you to not be in your right mind.”

“I… Come on, Makoto, that’s not true,” Kotone insisted. “We’re both friends since we’re special, right?”

“…” Makoto just eyed Ares, who stared daggers into him.

“My Personas have never talked like that…” he thought, looking at Siegfried, who cast a neutral glance at him, silently awaiting orders. “I know what I have to do.”

Both Makoto and Siegfried charged forward, grasping their swords tightly. Before Ares could strike a blow, the blue-haired boy parried the blade, leaving a gap open for his Persona to slip through. Kotone raised her quarterstaff, and in one swift motion Siegfried knocked it away. The Germanic warrior clenched his fist around his sword’s hilt so tight that his knuckles whitened before thrusting a punch straight into Kotone’s stomach.

The auburn-haired girl went flying backwards, and her Persona gave a little flinch before disappearing entirely. By the time Makoto caught up to his own Persona, Kotone was curled up on the ground, clutching her stomach, which radiated an agonizing, burning pain. Her eyes were obscured with tears; she only saw two vague colored blobs standing over her.

“Sorry… You’re the one who has to come back with me,” Makoto said. A signature apathetic frown was plastered over his face. “The couple Personas you’ve used aren’t hard-hitters. I’m guessing that you can’t summon the real powerful ones like I can because you don’t have the Velvet Room.”

“I…” Kotone held her stomach and teared up even more. “I don’t know… what you’re talking about… Ugh, so strong… How do you deal with them?”

“Them…?”

“All your Personas, each fighting to come out…” Kotone’s gentle crying turned into an ugly sob. “Don’t tell me you don’t hear them howling in your ears at night! How do you stop the voices?!”

“God, this girl is all sorts of messed up…” he thought. At his will, Siegfried disappeared into a light blue fog as Makoto kneeled down.

“The people I know can help you.”

“…”

“We can… be friends, I guess.”

“…Lots of people have promised that.” Kotone curled up into a ball. “Strega are the only ones who didn’t just use me and leave…”

“They’re not-”

Before Makoto could finish, an arrow whistled past his ear. Yukari was dashing down the hallway, notching another arrow as Kotone leapt to her feet. Makoto only saw the mischievous little Pixie for a moment before the girl disappeared in a flash of light. Makoto was left kneeling on the ground, questioning what he just fought.

“Hey, you’re welcome,” Yukari said, running up and watching Kotone soar away, hanging onto a giant bird. Yukari aimed her bow and notched an arrow, but Makoto grabbed its shaft.

“Don’t.”

“What?! She’s part of that group of enemy Persona-users!”

“She’s not a threat right now.”

“…” Yukari lowered her bow. “Fine, you’re the leader. If this comes back to bite us later, I’m totally giving you shit over it, though.”

“Yeah, I know,” he nodded with a small smile. “Have you found any of the others?”

“No, but I heard Junpei faintly screaming back where I came from. Once we find him and Aigis, we should-”

“Go down about twenty floors,” he interjected. “Our senpai are messing around down there right now.”

“Huh?”

“The girl told me.”

“And you trust her?”

“Hm… I think so,” Makoto nodded as they started walking. “I think we’re friends now.”

“Really? Charismatic Professor Yuki at it again.”

“Yes, I have been wondering… what is all of this research going towards?” Aigis curiously asked. “You have been running tests such as these for weeks now, and I cannot discern their purpose.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it,” Fuuka giggled, covering her mouth with the book. “You’ll see someday, but it’s supposed to be a surprise.”

“I see…”

“For now, I’ll just finish up our maintenance for the night,” she decided, grabbing a couple wrenches and moving to the terminal screen. “Do you have anything that’s been bothering you? Stiff joints or loose screws?”

“I do, actually,” Aigis confirmed. “Could you please run a diagnostic on my weapons lock-on feature, please?”

“Oh, sure!”

With just a few taps of the terminal, Fuuka checked over the functionality of Aigis’s automatic enemy lock-on. As she expected, Aigis’s system was perfectly functional. After all, the team hadn’t been to Tartarus since their maintenance session last week, so there wasn’t really a reason that anything should be failing in the meantime, especially not any of the weapon functions.

“You’re good to go!”

“That cannot be possible,” the android declared, her voice laden with confusion. “Just before you began maintenance, my system exhibited a fatal bug.”

“Can you describe it? That might help me find out what’s wrong.”

“Though my combat mode did not engage like it would for a Shadow, my lock-on system would not stop targeting you as a threat, Fuuka-san. I could not disengage it until you shut off its functionality for our maintenance.”

“Oh… that is concerning…” the girl mumbled, putting her tools down and working the terminal. “That sounds like a potentially deadly error if that happened out in Tartarus.”

“I agree. I don’t believe we should let this kind of error go unsolved before you finish.”

“Yeah, I think so too. Mitsuru-senpai would never let you go out on the field with a bug like that in your system…”

“Never?” That single, lonesome word seemed to spark something within Aigis. Fear seeped its way into her very internals, writing around her bolts and wires. Her voice shifted into a demanding, almost aggressive tone. “Fuuka-san, you must solve this problem tonight!”

“I… will,” she nodded, furrowing her brow. “Aigis, is everything else alright?”

“This error cannot be allowed to persist in my system! Even if you must temporarily disable my lock-on, I beg of you to solve it before our leader takes us to Tartarus again.”

“Hey, I promise I’ll do my best,” she said, caressing one of Aigis’s legs. Even though all feeling to them should’ve been cut off, the gesture still seemed to always calm the android down. Fuuka wondered if there was some kind of phantom limb situation going on there.

“Thank you, Fuuka-san. I apologize for my… outburst. I don’t know what came over me. It may be another error to-”

“I think I can explain that one,” Fuuka interrupted, going back to the terminal. “You’re just scared that if you can’t fight, you can’t be useful to the team anymore, right?”

“I… I believe so.”

“You know, I can sympathize with that,” she wearily sighed. “If I suddenly couldn’t do something like summon my Persona, I don’t know what I’d do with myself. You’re not the only one who yearns for a purpose here.”

“Fuuka-san…”

“Oh, that’s not to say that your worry isn’t valid!” the girl quickly clarified. “But just know… you’re not alone. And even if you can’t fight, that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be welcome here… But I’ll do my best to fix you.”

“I trust and believe in you, Fuuka-san.”

Something about the way Aigis said that made Fuuka’s heart flutter. Lately, she had begun to doubt that her skills as a navigator were even all that helpful to the team, but everything was different when she was alone with Aigis. She felt important. She felt necessary. As silly as it was, she wanted someone to need her. For someone to depend on her in order to function properly… A purpose like that made Fuuka feel like a one-in-a-million.

“Alright, let’s get this done!” Fuuka decided, popping her knuckles. “You’ll be better than new by the time I’m done, hehe.”

“You’re amazing, Fuuka-san.”

“I- Wha-” Fuuka was caught off guard by that one. Aigis normally praised her handiwork, but didn’t often call Fuuka herself such things. “Aigis, where did that come from?”

“I simply spoke freely.”

“That’s… new.”

“Fuuka-san, your face is beginning to redden. Are you exhibiting symptoms of heat exhaustion?”

“No, Aigis!” she exclaimed, looking away. Sometimes, Fuuka really hated how flustered she got from just a little bit of praise. She couldn’t help it, though. “Just let me go get a drink, and we’ll have you working properly again in no time!”

*     *     *     *     *

It was 2 AM, and Fuuka was no closer to solving Aigis’s bugged targeting system. She felt like she was going to tear her hair out trying to solve whatever the problem was. A dozen cans of Mad Bull littered the floor, and Fuuka could barely feel her fingertips as they danced over the terminal keys.

“Fuuka-san, I believe we should cease maintenance for today.”

“Hold on… I think… I got it…” Fuuka slurred, her eyes fluttering shut just before her entire body jittered and snapped her back to work. “We have to almost be done…”

“You have consumed three days worth of the recommended caffeine limit within the span of four hours. I believe this will have considerable negative side effects.”

“Yeah…” the engineer mumbled, her eyes fluttering shut again as her entire body began to slump over. “You’re probably right…”

“Fuuka-san?”

“Mhm…?”

“You are drooling on my terminal.”

Fuuka’s body snapped back into a rigid position, and she wiped both her mouth and the terminal with a sweat rag.

“I’m so sorry, Aigis…” she yawned. “I just can’t figure it out… Your targeting system can still discern friend from foe; it’s not automatically considering me an enemy, and your targeting logic looks fine… I just don’t get what’s wrong with it…”

“Fuuka-san, can I suggest disabling my lock-on system until we resolve this issue?”

“Yeah, let me do that…” With just a few keystrokes, Fuuka placed her targeting system on a lock. “Until I can get it back online, you’ll have to be extra careful, Aigis. Your onboard weapons system won’t do any aiming for you. You’ll have to discern between friend and foe and aim every shot manually.”

“That should not be a problem.”

“I sure hope so…”

After Fuuka restored her motor functions again, Aigis rose from her bed, sitting on the edge of it as Fuuka walked over to her. After just a moment of standing around in a tired haze, the teal-haired girl collapsed into Aigis’s arms. She had completely passed out.

“Fuuka-san…” The android held her as gently as she could, picking Fuula up in her arms like she weighed nothing. “You are truly a remarkable individual to do such work on me… so please, rest.”

As Aigis carried Fuuka to her room, she could see the girl’s fingers continue to twitch even in her sleep, as if trying to work from beyond the waking world. For some reason, the very idea crossing her mind made Aigis’s cooling system deploy. The android set Fuuka down in her bed, but for some reason as soon as she tried to diagnose her problem, the issue disappeared entirely without a trace. Her system temperature began to cool without an issue.

“This is not normal…” Aigis whispered. “Have I been infected with some sort of malware or virus…? What is this strange aching within my system…?”

“Mmm…” Fuuka moaned in her sleep, turning over and grabbing onto one of Aigis’s leg plates.

“I am sorry, unconscious Fuuka-san, but I am not optimal for assisting in sleep,” she said, removing the girl’s hand from her leg. “Perhaps Koro-chan will be more suited for this task.”

Aigis exited Fuuka’s room, but even doing that made something deep within Aigis hurt. Not with physical pain, but as if her Papillon Heart were constricting… She disliked it very much.

*     *     *     *     *

“Yamagishi, may I have a minute?”

“Huh?” Mitsuru had caught Fuuka just before she was about to start Aigis’s post-Tartarus maintenance. “O-Oh, sure, Senpai. What’s wrong?”

“It’s about Aigis,” she explained. “I have some concerns that I’d like you to address during tonight’s check-up with her.”

“Sure! Was she malfunctioning out there?”

“Not exactly. She performed all of her functions, but just… inadequately. You see, she seemed to take much more time than usual to fire at the enemy, and when she did, she missed more shots than I’ve ever seen her do before. Perhaps something to do with her targeting system is malfunctioning? Either way, a slow and sloppy response isn’t what we need on the battlefield.”

“Oh…”

“Hm? What is it, Yamagishi?”

“Actually… her targeting system was disabled entirely. I turned it off the other day,” she admitted.

“What?! And you didn’t tell me?!”

“I-I… Aigis didn’t want me to-”

“Yamagishi, malfunctions like this should be reported and corrected before Aigis is deployed into combat,” Mitsuru scolded. “What in the world would have prompted you to disable her targeting systems?”

“She had this problem where she kept locking onto me! I was afraid she’d shoot one of you in the middle of Tartarus! I-I couldn’t fix it, so-”

“Then we send her back to the lab,” she finished. “And that’s final.”

“B-But…”

“Yamagishi…” Mitsuru’s expression softened, and she put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “I know you want to help as much as you can, but remember that you’re still just a high schooler, and Aigis is a weapon more sophisticated than either of us know.”

“…You’re wrong,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry?” Mitsuru furrowed her brow as if she really didn’t believe what she heard.

“Y-You’re wrong!” Fuuka said again, with more passion behind her words. “Aigis isn’t just a weapon! She thinks and feels! She can be happy! She can be sad! She can feel the joy in being with people she cares about! She can feel lonely from being deprived of them! She… Aigis can feel love!”

“Yamagishi…” Mitsuru hardly had any words to respond with. She just stared wide-eyed at her kouhai. “You… may be right. I’m sorry.”

“R-Really…?”

“But that doesn’t change the fact that Aigis needs this problem fixed,” the redhead added. “I will call the lab for her to be transported tomorrow afternoon.”

“O-Okay… Can I at least do maintenance for tonight?”

“Of course. She still needs to go to school tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Senpai…”

Fuuka watched Mitsuru walk away before going into Aigis’s room. When she opened the door, though, the engineer stood face-to-face with the android.

“A-Aigis!”

“I heard everything, Fuuka-san…” Aigis grabbed Fuuka’s hand. “Your dedication to me is awe-inspiring. I truly believe that if there was anyone here who could fix me, it would be you.”

“Aigis…”

“But Mitsuru-san is right; I must go back to the lab and be fixed. If the scientists can diagnose my issue, I can get back to-”

“No!” Fuuka shouted, looking down in heated embarrassment. “I-I won’t let them!”

“Fuuka-san…? I do not understand.”

“I can’t stand the thought of it…” Fuuka said, her whole body quivering. “A bunch of men and women standing around you, opening you up… J-Just thinking about it makes me…”

“I still do not-”

“I-I want to be the only one who gets to do that!” she finally said, covering her face. It had become so red that Fuuka was worried that Aigis would think she was about to have a heatstroke. “You’re so amazing and special, Aigis, a-and… I-I want you all to myself… I want to be the only one who gets to diagnose your system failures… The only one who opens you up to remove debris… The only one who gets to memorize exactly how much you like your bolts tightened… I… I…”

“Fuuka-san…”

“I-I’m sorry…” Fuuka quivered, wiping her eyes. “You might not unders-”

“I believe I know how you are feeling.”

“H-Huh…?” The teal-haired engineer lifted her head. “How?”

“For the last couple days, I have noticed a new system error. Recent memories have begun to involuntarily play in my mind at inappropriate times. And most of them, Fuuka-san, are of you.”

“M-Me…?”

“Yes, you. Every time you have praised me. Whenever I have observed you laughing at a joke. Each and every time you tell me something that you like about me… My memory will not stop recalling these events on a perpetual loop at inappropriate times. And I have found myself becoming greatly distressed when you give others your praise… When you grace another’s ears with your laugh… I believe this is what you call ‘jealousy,’ but I should have no reason to feel such a thing.”

“Well, no…” Fuuka sniffled. “Jealousy isn’t usually rational. It’s usually just all in our heads… All in… in our…”

Fuuka froze in place, her words trailing off as she stared into space. Something in her brain had just suddenly clicked. A bunch of puzzle pieces from the last few days fell into place for her, as if she could finally see the forest from the trees.

“Fuuka-san?” Aigis asked, concerned. “Can you tell me how many fingers I am holding up?”

“Four! And I think I know what your problem is!” the girl said with an excited smile.

“Truly?! Quickly, to my docking station! You must fix it!”

“Well, I don’t think it’s something I can fix by opening you up, actually,” she admitted. “It needs a different kind of setting.”

“What are you referring to?”

*     *     *     *     *

“Fuuka-san, I still don’t understand why we are here and not in my room.” Aigis reported. She and Fuuka sat in the girl’s own bedroom, both of them drinking warm cups of tea. 

“It just sort of struck me,” she admitted. “But what if I wasn’t able to find a programming or hardware issue because it wasn’t a problem with either of those?”

“What else would it be?”

“I can’t believe I ignored the signs…” Fuuka said to herself. “I feel so silly now…”

“Fuuka-san, what are you referring to?”

“Have you not noticed, Aigis? You’ve been praising me as a person lately. You’re feeling jealousy and possessiveness over me. When we’re apart, you can’t stop thinking of me, and I noticed that those temperature spikes only happened when you made direct contact with me… I couldn’t see it because I kept trying to find the issue inside of Aigis, the machine. Now I feel like such a hypocrite for telling off Mitsuru-senpai like that,” Fuuka sheepishly said. “This is a human problem—an emotional issue.”

“You believe that I… am experiencing an emotional error?”

“I-In a manner of speaking.”

“I see…” Aigis held her chin and looked down. “How might I get rid of this error, Fuuka-san?”

“The thing is that there’s no errors in your system, Aigis. Diagnostics show that your system thinks it’s performing as it’s supposed to. I don’t think that emotions are bugging your systems… I think that your systems are trying to adapt to your emotions. Like, they’re trying to integrate emotions into your operations, and this is some kind of growing pain as it learns.”

“This is an interesting theory… But how can we be sure?”

“Well, we can’t,” Fuuka admitted. “I can’t read your emotional side of things. It’s way too complicated for me to decipher. But Aigis, I think you’re just going through… Well, kind of like robot puberty, I guess?”

“That explanation feels inaccurate.”

“Yeah, it does,” she chuckled. “But it’s the best one I have. None of these problems are originating in your system or code. It all traces back…” Fuuka parted Aigis’s ribbon so that they both had a good view of the android’s heart. “There. The signals that come from your heart are what’s causing interference with your systems. I thought it was just the protocols messing up, but now I see that your system is just struggling to integrate new conditionals and-”

“Fuuka-san, I appreciate your enthusiasm to explain my problems to me,” Aigis said with an understanding smile. “But how might I stop this from impeding my performance in the future?”

“You have to… feel, Aigis. Feel, and get used to feeling. That’s the only way your system will learn how to deal with all these new emotions.”

“I see… Fuuka-san, you have been so helpful with my maintenance that I have to ask you, will you… Will you help me with these emotional errors?”

“Aigis… I’d be so happy to!” Fuuka put her tea down and wrapped her arms around Aigis in a hug. After just a moment of hesitation, the robot reciprocated.

“That is such a relief… I feel rather strange,” she remarked.

“Strange? Strange how?”

“Never before have I thought this, but… I do not mind such a malfunction if it means I get to spend more time being worked on by you, Fuuka-san.”

“Oh, Aigis, I…” Fuuka’s face turned red as she looked away.