So I recently finished Persona 5 and just wow.

For a long time, I didn't have such strong affection for a game and characters! one of my favorite characters wasn't much in the story except at the beginning and for giving Ann motivation and advancing the story.

So I decided to change it a bit and give her a shot.

This is the story of Shiho and Akira.

And no the Persona series does not belong to me... but one can only hope.

In any case, enjoy the story and do not forget to R&R.

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"Don't let these rumors get to you, it's just something silly that will pass just as it came," said Shiho to the new and mysterious boy. She honestly did not know how and where were all the rumors about him came from. It did not make sense that someone who only came to school to be this infamous, unless if he wanted it from the beginning, or that someone tried to ruin his reputation. She'd like to say he wasn't exactly like someone dangerous or vicious, but she knew very well not to trust anyone according to his appearance. She had a lot of experience with people who seemed nice at first but turned out as liars and monsters.

It's was just the end of the day with the ring of the bell that marked the end of the day and for everyone to go home or club in her case as for many of the students, she hated the sound of the bell. does Her suffering time and all the pain that came with it because of the training and the club.

Anyone who looked at her from the sideline would say the same thing, 'she's just weak ... she should just give it more effort ... if she just really try then everything will be different!', whether they were her classmates or parents the blame would always be on her.

It was her mistake no matter how hard she tried, or how much effort she give it would not change anything. Their coach made it personally obvious and the bruises and injuries on her body were evidence for it. The fresh blow above her eye was the newest and caused her eye to swell unnaturally. When her blond friend Ann asked about the injury she replied and said it was because she was not focused during training. But the truth was far more brutal, their coach Kamoshida was responsible for this like all the other injuries she had.

That bloody bastard! Each of the clubs members was scared of him and everyone came out of the training with bruises and marks after every workout. But it was different for her, it was not a ball or falling that caused her injuries. That was that man... no, that monster!.

He was always angry about something or someone, and there would always vent his frustration on her and Mishima. The blow over her eye was not any different, he hit her legs and hands to hide the signs but the at the last practice he was very angry and hit her with enough force to make her hit the floor while holding her face in pain.

The pain was still strong and fresh as it made it hard for her to smile or try to act normal, but the face of the innocence and gentle new student made her think otherwise.

"Thank you... It really was a bit difficult with all the rumors, I'm glad to hear that at least there is someone who doesn't believe the rumors before they try to talk to me," he concluded with a gentle and charming smile. "The name is Akira by the way, Akira Kurusu".

"No problem Akira-kun," she smiled back while the pain came back to remind her it was there. Although she did not trust the new student, she also wanted to give him the hope that with some time everything will be better for him here.

She prayed that the same thing will be true for her.

"I'm Shiho, Shiho Suzuki" The black haired responded to him. She was glad to stay to talk to him but she had to go to training. She would be happy to do anything other than going to her club. But she had no choice but to continue to hold out on the hope that the training will end soon.

A few hours later ...

Training was different today, Kamoshida was different. It would seem that their coach was angrier and showed no emotion other than frustration. She kept her distance from him as much as possible and tried to be as little as she could. If on a normal day he would hit her like he did in the last training, she did not want to think what would happen to her on a day like this.

Training came to an end faster than normal after one of the boys in the group dropped the ball during one of the exercises and made Kamoshida kick him hard in his lower back, he then shouted to everyone that they were done for today and went to his office without another word.

"Thank God it's over" thinking the dark-haired girl sighed with relief as she proceeded to exit the club. She could take comfort in the fact that her injuries from the last training could disappear and heal better, especially the one on her eye as it made her feel ashamed every time someone looked at her.

She always felt her classmate's eyes who looked at her when she wasn't looking and heard the whispering on the obvious signs that were on her face. Even her best friend Ann looked and behaved differently to her whenever she would see the marks. She was always smiling and trying to cheer her up, but she could see her friend barely looking in her eyes.

The only person that did not act differently was Akira the new transfer student, it just felt to her that he could see beyond her shell. It was nice that somebody treated her like that, 'maybe I will try to talk to him a little more tomorrow ...' A small smile crossed her face as she thought about it. It did not seem like a bad idea and she thought it would be something that encourages the black-haired boy even if just a little.

"Shiho-san!" Someone called the black haired girl and made her stop and turn to him. The one she saw was one of her club members, Mishima, he looked a little worried that he saw her.

"Mishima-san, what happened?" She asked.

"Ah ... K-Kamoshida... the coach wanted to see you in his office" was the only thing he said, looking at the floor.

'What does he wants? did I do something wrong? ' She began to think what would be the reason he wanted to see her in his office. She could not think of a reason and just decided to go and be done with this.

She began to walk toward the office of Kamoshida, She had a bad feeling about it, but not too much of a choice.

...

The next day ...

All the students were in their classrooms just like every day, no one thought it was going to be a special day and just wanted the day to end and go home.

Akira was one of those students, he was still thinking about the strange castle he and Ryuji had arrived to. While he tried to concentrate on his studies and to listen to what the teacher said and write simultaneously.

"What is that?" One of the students in the classroom said aloud, causing all the students and teacher to look out the window to the where he pointed.

Shiho was on the edge of the roof, she did not feel anything. Not the cold wind or any fear. She felt dead and lack every bit of power. Her body was moving on its own, she felt like someone was driving her body as she was only a passenger. She took a step forward and felt herself falling from the roof.

Only one thought went through her mind before she hit the floor and her world went black.

...

Her eyes opened slowly as she began to hear talking around her, she tried to understand what they said but felt weaker with every passing moment. Shiho tried to focus on someone who was in front of her, she was able to identify her blonde friend Ann who looked at her with a worried look and tears in her eyes.

"Ann..." she tried to say, but just a little whisper came from her as she spoke. She managed to whisper something to her friend before her world once again became black as she lost consciousness.

...

"I... don't... give up... you..." Someone said to her, 'Who is this?' She could not understand why anyone would say such a thing to her. 'Why should anyone care about someone like her?' it was weird to her.

"Who are you?" She wanted to ask but no voice came out, her mouth did not open and her eyes were still shut. The voice became quieter and quieter until it had completely disappeared. The only thing she could hear was the echo of the gentle voice that sounded so soothing. And so familiar for some reason.

...

Shiho's eyes opened again, she felt a little better and was able to identify the place she was in as her vision cleared. The room was unfamiliar to the dark-haired girl as tried to figure out where she was. Her memory came back to her and made her tremble with fear, why she was still here? or even alive?. She did not understand it, she wanted to finish and be done with everything. Just to disappears entirely but she guessed that even what to do with her own life was not her choice.

She realized from the machines around her and the white walls that she was in a hospital room or something like that. Before she tried to move the door opened and a nurse came into the room.

"Ah, I see you're awake, how are you feeling?" The woman asked with a calm voice and moved closer to Shiho's bed.

"I'm... what happened to me?" She asked, trying to show that she lost the memory of what happened. She was not sure it would work, but she just wanted to avoid hearing someone else tell her how wrong or useless she was... again.

"Well, you had an accident..." was all the nurse said before she tried to change the subject. "Your friends were very worried about you, they visited you every day just to see you" the nurse gave Shiho a kindly smile, "I'm sure they will be happy to hear you're awake," she finished checking some things and went out of the room after she told the black haired she will be back soon.

"My friends?..." she thought to herself if the nurse actually meant it or simply said it to make her feel better. 'It won't change anything' she thought before she remembered the voice she heard in her dream.

'I will not give up on you...' was what the voice told her, but who was it she could not understand.

The voice was familiar to her as she felt that the answer was on the tip of her tongue, she could not continue to reflect on it when the door to the room opened at that moment and interrupted her thought.

"Shiho! Are you okay?" Said the blonde girl who entered the room and raced straight to Shiho.

"A-Ann" the dark-haired girl began to say before she felt the hands of her friend who hugged her strongly.

"I'm so glad you're okay! I was so worried about you!" The blond freed her friend from her embrace and looked at her. "You didn't wake up for over a week! I didn't know what to think..." said Ann while shaking slightly.

'Over a week? so much time has passed since then?...' thought the dark-haired who managed to calm her friend and show her that she is fine. "You came to visit me while I was asleep?" Shiho finally asked hopefully try to understand what happened while she was unconscious for all the time.

"Of course I did! Even some of my friends came just to see how you are!" Answered in retune the blond girl.

'Your friends?' The black-haired girl thought of some of Ann's class mates and the blond Ryuji. These were the only people she could think who could come with Ann to see her. Just thinking about other students led her to think about the school and it made her remember that person who scared her to death. She shivered and hugged herself for a few seconds before she again felt the heat from her friend.

"Everything is fine Shiho, you don't need to be afraid any longer, I promise," whispered Ann to her.

'T-There is nothing to be afraid? what she's talking about?' Shiho thought in fear as she remembered the face of Kamoshida as he approached her more and more. Her fear grew when she thought of what the teacher made Ann do so he would leave her alone.

"A-Ann it doesn't matter what he wants from you! You can't-" she said before the friend began to smile to her.

"He will not bother anybody any more Shiho..." was all she said before the black haired could feel the fear vanish and made her head go dark again.

"Ah? Shiho?..." Ann called her friend but got no respond.

...

For Shiho it was quiet and dark again, she could not see anything or hear anything. She could not feel where she was, but she felt she wanted to get moving and get away from the place. She did not like or wanted to be alone, When she was alone she thought again about what had happened to her that made her want to die and bury herself.

"I don't want this... to be alone..." she tried to say, but no sound came out. "Please... someone...".

'It's okay...'.

"Eh?" She said when she heard a quiet and calm voice.

'You don't have to be afraid anymore... I will not let anybody hurt you again' the mysterious voice said.

She did not know who the voice was, but the tension and bad feeling just disappeared from her as soon as she heard him he was familiar to her, very much. But from where She did not know.