Author's Note:

Hi everybody! It's been a while since I've updated any of my stories or posted something new. It's because I've been quite busy and also ever since I started playing Persona 4 Golden, I've been rethinking on what to write next especially with this story. I recently bought several other of the Persona games such as the fighting games. I plan to play through the stories after finishing P4G and I plan to watch the Persona 3 movies to be familiarized with the characters there as well. This in turn will affect how I continue all my stories.

My initial plan was to finish this short story in the next chapter but now I'm thinking of continuing it. Well... we'll see. Haha. It's a shorter chapter than the previous ones but it was something I've been meaning to write ages ago. Anyway hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading!

Setting: A few hours after Ann and Haru saved Rise

In an alley quite far from Harajuku, three sharply dressed men were panting. Men in suits were chasing them the entire afternoon. Through the help of a small gap and jumping through several windows and buildings, and taking a train, they were finally able to elude them… for now.

"Man… Who was that girl?! She had some secret service type shit following her around…" said the first man.

"I swear… if I ever catch those girls again… they're going to pay…"

"I'm so pissed… I gotta let off some steam…"

At this point, the three of men were so angry about what transpired earlier that whoever seemed like an easy target next, they'd harass and have some "fun" with.

"Hey look. There's someone now."

As if right on cue, a girl in a school uniform that had a white shirt and plaid skirt, happened to pass by the alleyway. She turned towards their direction but it seemed like she made a mistake turning towards them. It looked like she was preoccupied with looking for something.

"Hey… she's quite pretty isn't she? Let's have fun."

The three men begin to approach her.

"Hey little lady… You lost?" the first man taunted.

"Sorry… I took a wrong turn. I was looking for something I dropped… it seems like it's not here…"

"Hey… let us help you… We're friends… right?" the second man said.

"No thank you… I must be on my way…"

"Hey kid… Come on. Let's have fun together…" The third man however grabbed the young woman's wrist.

"Let go of me NOW." the lady said.

"Or what…? What are you going to do about it?" said the third man.

Soon enough, the other two men began to circle around the girl as well…

About half an hour prior

Yu Narukami was excited that afternoon. Today, he set up a special surprise for his girlfriend Rise. Firstly, they were to meet up at a certain cafe at Yongen Jaya for their promised coffee and curry date. It sounded strange to other people but this was what the two of them have been craving for some time now.

Secondly, he planned a secret reunion with all their friends from the investigation team. He's contacted all of them to meet up with them later at the hotel he was staying at the moment. They were going to surprise her. It's been ages since they've all gotten together. After calling up one of them after the other, he's verified that they were all already in the Tokyo area.

"Yeah, Yosuke. That's the address. Is Teddie with you?"

"Yeah partner. Teddie and I just had to pass by a Junes branch for work. But we'll be there later."

"Great. Can't to wait to see you all later. Take care." Yu said. He ended the call and began getting his bearings.

Yu himself just finished his work that afternoon. But he's come to the realization… that he was a bit lost. He actually wasn't "lost" but he definitely wasn't familiar with the area he was in. He had his cellphone to help him navigate with his maps app but since he had extra time that afternoon, he wanted to explore a little and just ask for directions instead. He felt that he might find something interesting without a certain path laid out for him.

Yu began walking around the streets of Tokyo. He wasn't sure exactly what part but it was definitely crowded. The last landmark he noticed he passed by was a school. Shujin Academy. The name sounded very familiar. Maybe it was a famous school he's heard on the news lately. He starts reminiscing his youth and his time in Yasogami High. A much simpler school… but his memories there were irreplaceable. He also remembered his trip to Gekkoukan High School at Tatsumi Port Island. That place was state of the art. It's been ages since he's been there… but he's sure they're still blazing the trail with technology. Especially with Mitsuru at the helm of the Kirirjo group.

Shujin Academy neither looked old or cutting edge. It seemed like a standard high school. He noticed though the smiling faces of the students. For Yu, it wasn't a contest. For him, as long as you had good people with you, any school would be just fine. He noticed that the school seemed quite empty. It must have been a school holiday because there were only a few students around the area and it wasn't as busy as a school area should be.

"The students here now must be members of a club, sport or student government." Yu said. He was trying to think of the reason for the school to be so empty and yet, still have students come and go.

Yu continued to walk but he decided maybe it was time to ask for directions. He noticed a young woman, who was in a school uniform. The same school uniform he noticed students were wearing, coming out from Shujin Academy. He deduced she was from there too. She probably knew her way around the area.

"Excuse me miss?" Yu tried calling out to the girl.

The girl turned around and looked towards his direction. Yu in that split second took in her entire appearance and realised she was a very pretty young woman. She had red eyes, short brown hair, and had a cute frame. She had an aura of charm around her. It was similar to how he felt around Yukiko. A very graceful lady.

"Yes…may I help you?" the girl said.

"Ah sorry for bothering you… but can you help me with directions?" asked Yu.

"Oh sure… Where are you going sir…?"

"I'm looking for the train station. I'm heading to Yongen-Jaya. Wondering if I'm going to the right station with the right line."

The girl seemed a bit surprised for a moment. It was quickly brushed away as she begin explaining the directions he needed to take.

"Yes. That's right sir. Follow the directions, and you should be fine." The girl smiled. It was very cute.

Yu smiled back. This girl had power with that smile of hers. I'm sure there were at least several boys' hearts fluttering whenever she showed that smile. He imagined what would happen when she was older.

"Thanks for your help. Have a great day." Yu said. But before he can walk too far, the young woman stopped him.

"W-wait! Excuse me sir. Would you mind… helping me out too?"

Yu turned around to see the girl a bit flustered. She must have been embarrassed for asking for help.

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

The young woman smiled in relief as she began to ask Yu.

"Well… you see. I wouldn't really ask a stranger for help…but I lost something important to me. I've been outside wandering around, hoping to find where I might have dropped it."

"Okay. What did you drop?"

"It's… well…"

The young woman began fidgeting. Her cheeks began to turn a bit red. This increased her cute factor by a lot…

"It's a bit embarrassing… but… it's a pencil case… A buchimaru…pencil case."

"You mean…that panda-looking one…?"

The girl nodded.

"That's pretty cute of you to have…" Yu gave his signature-comforting smile. The smile that disarmed and relaxed a lot of girls' hearts without him realizing it. The one that Rise gets mad about when showing it to other girls.

The young woman was taken aback a bit. But she felt Yu wasn't teasing her in the slightest. Her cheeks turned a bit red for a whole different reason now.

"I haven't seen one walking on the way here but I'll help you out. No problem. If I find it on the way to the station, I'll head back and give it to you."

"R-really? I mean… I don't want to impose. I mean… I just realized you might have a tight schedule. I might be delaying you—"

"It's fine, miss. No worries."

The girl was surprised once again. She smiled.

"Thank you so much." She bowed a little before continuing to speak.

"You remind me of a friend of mine…another guy with a disarming smile—-"

The girl suddenly covered her mouth and her cheeks were red as she thought about a certain gentleman thief.

"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that last part… What did you say, miss?"

"Nothing. Sorry. But thanks again! I'll just be around here for a bit longer."

The girl begins to walk away. Yu himself begins to head towards the train station using the directions she mentioned. At the same time, he was being aware of his surroundings in case he finds the mentioned pencil case.

As he continues to walk towards the station, he looks around a few bins and corners. Finally, he notices something on the ground. It looked like it was brushed aside.

"Okay…"

Yu began walking towards the dropped item. He finally reaches it and picks it up. He checks the item and sees it not damaged. It looked a bit old and just a bit dirty from the floor most likely. Aside from that, the buchimaru pencil case itself looked well-taken care off.

"Just some wiping…and it should be fine." Yu said to himself.

He began walking back to find the girl.

After a few minutes of walking, he looks for the spot they met, and sees she's not there.

"She must have walked a bit farther down."

He strolls towards the area where Shujin Academy was. She doesn't seem to be walking around the area in front of the school. He begins to backtrack a bit further.

Finally, in the distance, he sees her walking around a corner. Yu begins going towards her direction. He follows her down another street, and notices her stop by an alley. He continues to walk towards her.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

She doesn't seem to hear him. He tries catching up but suddenly halts when he begins hearing other voices from the alley.

"Hey little lady… You lost?" A voice said.

Yu took a peak around the corner and saw 3 disheveled but well dressed men begin to circle around the girl.

"Sorry… I took a wrong turn. I was looking for something I dropped… it seems like it's not here…"

"Hey… let us help you… We're friends… right?" the second man said.

"No thank you… I must be on my way…"

Yu began sensing the danger the girl was in. He began thinking of how to progress further. How should he take on these 3 guys. He also had to make sure to get the girl out of harm's way.

"Hey kid… Come on. Let's have fun together…" The third man however grabbed the young woman's wrist.

"Let go of me NOW." the lady said.

"Or what…? What are you going to do about it?" said the third man.

Time was running out. Yu started to walk towards the group but before he could reach them…

"ARRRGHHHH!…MY ARM…"

The young woman twisted the man's arm then slammed him down on the ground. She began pinning the man to the floor by stepping on his back. Yu suddenly halted in place and began moving back a little in the cover around the corner.

"Woah." Yu said.

Yu watched as the girl who at first seemed graceful and calm like his friend Yukiko, apparently has some serious moves like his other friend Chie.

"Maybe… she's got it covered." Yu smiled. He noticed the suddenly large presence the girl had. He could only see her from the back but he could tell the fierceness which was probably emanating from her face. The other men suddenly looked like cowards from the surprise.

He once again thought that maybe she was like Yukiko too. She remembers how Yukiko would suddenly reveal a darker side just like that time they competed making omelettes. "I'll crush you with one strike." she said. He smiled at the cherished memory. He looks back down the alley and sees the other two guys look beyond frightened.

"I'll… jump in if needed." he said with a snicker.

*Elsewhere in another part of Tokyo*

After they befriended and met up with Rise, Ann and Haru, left and went shopping for the things they needed for their meet up with the rest of the Phantom Thieves. Ann suddenly thought about what happened that morning with those three thugs.

"Hey Haru, did your men ever catch those guys harassing Rise?"

"You mean those men from this morning?… I actually haven't heard anything. I'd rather not message my security unless it's an emergency. They might be busy too. But they'll update me later for sure." Haru smiled.

"Oh okay. Just wondering." Ann said.

She looked up in wonder as she thought of a possibility.

"But…you know… I wonder… What would have happened if Makoto was with us?" Ann asked.

"Oh… That might have gotten a lot worse…" said Haru.

"Yeah… for those men…" Ann said.

The two friends laughed a little.

"Mako-chan sure knows how to kick butt… especially when she's angry…" Haru said.

"You have a pretty good hook too, Haru." Ann said.

"You too, Ann. But… I'm sure we can agree that Mako-chan… can be… pretty fierce…." Haru giggled.

"She can be so cool… especially with all that Aikido.…" Ann said.

The two friends giggled as they thought about their good friend. All the while not knowing… that at the very moment… her wrath was being unleashed…

*Back at the alleyway near Shujin Academy*

Yu stayed at the sidelines as he watched the young lady demolish three men who were larger than her. Two were knocked out already on the floor as the other man began to panic.

The girl was distracted from the last guy she took down. She was checking if he was conscious. The man saw the opportunity and began running down the entrance of the alleyway. She finally noticed and tried to follow. Yu however was ready near the entrance and began to intercept.

"GAH!"

Yu stretched his arm out and hit the man with a clothesline maneuver.

The man fell down on his back, flat on the floor, and he seemed to be knocked out.

"Woah." the girl suddenly gasped a little from watching Yu handle the guy.

"Woah yourself." Yu said.

"Freeze!" a voice called out.

Out of nowhere, several men in suits begin swarming down the entrance of the alleyway. They held in Yu place and began walking towards the knocked men on the ground.

"H-hey! Wait! This is a misunderstanding!" said Yu as he was being held.

"Who are you?" asked one of the men in suits.

"He might be an accomplice. We should take him in for questioning." said another man.

"W-wait! I was trying to help!" Yu said as he struggled.

"Hey! Let him go! This man helped me!" the lady began to approach the guys holding Yu.

One of the men suddenly recognized who the girl was.

"Hold it. This girl. She's a friend of the boss." The men began looking at the girl and they nodded in agreement.

"The boss?" asked the girl.

"Oh. I mean Okumura-san."

"Haru?"

"Yes ma'am. We're part of her private security team. We've been chasing these guys all day ever since they tried harassing a friend of Ms. Okumura this morning."

"Oh my. I better ask Haru about that later. Anyway. Yes this man helped me out a while ago. These three men were planning to harass me but I was able to knock out two of them. This man over here took care of the last one."

Yu just looked at the people all around him. He seemed to be bit confused with the whole situation.

"I see… I'm sorry sir. We were mistaken." The man who seemed to be the leader nodded to the men holding down Yu and let him go. They all bowed in apology.

"I-It's alright. It was just a misunderstanding." Yu began fixing himself up a little. Tidying himself up.

"If you'll excuse us." The lead man said as the rest of his men began picking up the three thugs from earlier.

Their movements were so organized and quick. A mere moment later, the alley was empty again. The girl and Yu were left behind.

"That… was strange…" Yu blurted out.

"It… kinda was…" the girl said.

"You alright? Well… Actually… yeah. I guess you're fine. I saw what you did. Pretty badass."

The girl blushed again in embarrassment.

"It was nothing really. But I should thank you as well. You helped me out." the girl was rubbing her arm to relieve her stress.

"You helped me out with those men too. So I think we're even. But what was that about… who were those men in suits?" asked Yu.

"Well… I think they work for a friend… It's hard to explain…" the girl said.

"Maybe… I won't pry any further…" said Yu. The situation felt a little awkward but he remembered why he came looking for the girl in the first place.

"Oh. Right. Well… I found your pencil case." Yu brought out the buchimaru pencil case and handed it over to the girl.

"Oh my! You found it! Thank you! Thank you so much!" the young woman cradled it a little. The way she did so increased her cuteness level once again.

"It was no problem." said Yu. Seeing like he fulfilled his promise, he decided to head out.

"Anyway. I… should get going. Stay safe!" he said.

"Wait. May I know your name, sir?" asked the girl.

"Oh. It's Yu. Yu Narukami. But you can just call me Yu."

The girl approached Yu and brought out her hand for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you, Yu-kun. I'm Makoto Niijima. Makoto is just fine as well." she said. Yu reached out with his own hand and shook hers kindly.

"By the way. Since you've gone through all the trouble of finding this for me, if you'd like I can help take you to Yongen-Jaya."

Yu was surprised.

"Uhm. Isn't that a bit too much? Your directions were fine. Besides. Are you sure you'd like to accompany a stranger?"

"Well. You seem like a nice man. You did help me out…twice. Plus, I'm actually heading to Yongen Jaya myself." said Makoto.

"Oh…? Really? Wow. What a coincidence." Yu exclaimed. Maybe there was some sort of fate in play but Yu swept the thought aside.

He thought for a moment. Would he accept her as his guide? He didn't want to make it difficult or force the girl to do anything. But she was going to the same direction anyway… Plus… after what happened… maybe it's best they stick together for the mean time…"

"Hmm… Okay. I accept your kind offer, Makoto. Let's get going."

Makoto nodded as they started walking to the train station.

"So Yu-kun. Since you're not from nearby, are you perhaps visiting Tokyo too?"

"Yeah. That obvious huh? I'm familiar with the trains and the stations near my hotel but my work brought me here today."

"After going through here a few times, I'm sure you'll get used to it." Makoto said.

"Today is my last day here in Tokyo though, I'm not sure when's the next time I'll be back. But I hope soon." Yu said.

"Oh. Well. I hope you enjoyed your stay."

"I did. Tokyo is pretty great." said Yu. "So do you happen to live at Yongen Jaya? Is that why you're heading there?" asked Yu.

"No, I'm just meeting up with some friends. Two of them live there, so I'm pretty familiar with the area. How about you, Yu-san? What brings you to Yongen Jaya?"

"Oh. I have a date." Yu laughed a little.

"A date? Hmm… Where exactly? Maybe I know the place you're meeting up at."

"Oh. My girlfriend told me about this nice coffee shop. It's called LeBlanc. Have you heard of it?"

Makoto stopped walking for a moment. She looked even more surprised than earlier.

"What's wrong, Makoto?" Yu asked. Sounding a bit worried.

"Actually… I'm heading there too. That's where my friends are meeting up at." Makoto looked up in wonder as she thought about the situation.

"Perhaps… it was fate that we'd meet today…" she said.

Yu stood still for a moment as well. So many coincidences. Maybe their meeting was fate indeed.