A/N- Alright. Well, I got a mostly positive response from Awake which made me vewy happy XD. I've had a bit of block on my other story so I decided to pull another one shot. This is a request from zerouzumaki34 so I hope I don't screw this up :P.
Disclaimer- I do not own, in any way, shape, or form, Persona 3, nor do I have the rights to any game of the Shin Megami franchise. I am however completely and utterly obsessed with the games, and it is safe to say that I might have something vaguely resembling a "life" were it not for them.
It was cold, and mournfully so. Summer was finally edging its way into fall, bringing with it all the things of autumn. The leaves had begun to deck themselves in their most colorful apparel, as if to celebrate one last time before sinking into their deep white blankets, settling into a sleep that would hold them until they could once again explode into life in the spring. The seasons marched on, but they brought no joy to Takeba Yukari.
She had been depressed as of late, though the reason eluded her. Lying on her bed as she was, no plans in mind, she decided to find the answer. Maybe it was the inevitable end of the summer vacation and the impending monotony of the rekindling of the school year. No, that wasn't it. Yukari was a good student, one of the best, and unless exams were around the corner and she was spending every waking moment in the library she had fun at school. Then, it could be their lack of success in Tartarus. The tower seemed to thwart them at every turn, throwing challenge after challenge at them. Of course, as if that wasn't enough, the thought of the next full moon always loomed over them all, the certainty of battle hanging an like an ominous cloud. Still, that didn't seem to be the answer either. Though she was scared, she was also confident. She wouldn't be fighting alone. She had her friends, and they had her. That thought alone was enough to bring the slightest of smiles to her otherwise saddened visage. They would make it. The dark hour would be brought to its proverbial knees.
Her contemplation had proven fruitless, and she was beginning to grow tired of the confines of her room. Since it was a Sunday and she didn't have anything to do, Yukari decided on taking a walk. Though the air no longer held the warm embrace of summer it had not as of yet assumed the biting cold of late fall, so she was safe to venture out in light apparel. Donning a soft pink jacket and black jeans, she headed down the stairs.
"Going out?" the quiet voice of Fuuka drifted across the room. She had been working on her computer but was now looking at Yukari with a quizzical expression on her face. Yukari was really grateful that Fuuka had come to the dorm. If it weren't for her, she really wouldn't have any girls to talk to. Well, Mitsuru-sempai didn't count because she was just so… she didn't want to say stuck up. Distant then? Yes, that sounded right. Yukari just seemed to have trouble connecting with Mitsuru, though lately she had finally begun to bridge that gap. None the less, Fuuka's presence in the dorm was a constant comfort to Yukari, knowing that she could vent her frustrations and speak her mind without worry of being frowned upon.
"Yeah, I'm just gonna go on a walk. I'll be back a little later." As she pulled on her boots and moved towards the door, she turned back, remembering something she had been meaning to ask.
"Oh, are we still all going out tonight? I know we said a few days ago that we might head out for dinner, but is that still happening?" Junpei had been depressed about the closely approaching end of vacation and Akihiko had tried to console him, saying that they could all go out to dinner to celebrate the end of a well had summer. They idea had caught on, and they had decided to go tonight. It hadn't been mentioned since, so whether or not it was actually happening was still up in the air.
"Yes, we're still going. We want to leave at 6 o'clock, so be back before then." Mitsuru hadn't even looked up from her position on the couch. Apparently her book was more interesting than a certain pink clad Persona user. Sighing, Yukari waved goodbye to Fuuka and headed out the door.
It was breezy today, the wind pushing gently against anyone who had chosen to reside within its realm. Nature was shining today, radiant in all her glory. As she walked down the street, Yukari was entranced by the sunlight that danced through the leaves of the gently swaying trees, flitting lightly across the ground as if playing a joyous game of tag with the shadows strewn across the sidewalk. The air seemed sharp and crisp, refreshing her mind and body.
Shuddering with delight, Yukari strolled down the road past the shrine, not going anywhere specific, instead allowing her feet to carry her wherever they might. It had been a great idea to come out today. The beauty surrounding her was calming and it cleared her thoughts. Giving herself a mental pat on the back, she continued on her merry way, ambling slowly along and soaking in every last drop magnificence that flowed before and behind her.
She knew instantly that she had reached her destination when she first saw it. The sidewalk had been lined by trees on the outer end, stretching up high above her head. Suddenly, they broke away and a long, sloping hill unrolled itself before her. It was lined on either side by pine trees, whose branches seemed to grasp the very clouds themselves. Looking ahead of her, she had a breathtaking view of the horizon. Light blue mountains peaked through the far off clouds, standing silently against the radiant azure sky.
Breaking away from the street, she moved down the hill a ways until she came to a spot that, although much the same has most any other, looked good. Easing herself onto the ground, Yukari laid back and closed her eyes. The wind blew softly across her face, sending the grass into an elaborate waltz, swaying gently to a fro. Breathing deeply, Yukari began to turn the cogs of her mind, bringing her mind once again into operation. "Why?" She shifted through her thoughts, considering the probable and throwing aside the ridiculous. Not the weather. Not her cloths. Not her friends. Not her…
"Hey there." The soft voice floated down to her. Her reaction was instantaneous, and somewhere in the back of her mind she felt a soft click. Not literally of course, but figuratively. Hearing clicks inside your head was absolutely absurd anyway, and she wa-
"Um, hello?" Minato was getting worried. Mitsuru had sent him to find Yukari, as it was starting to get close to the time they were supposed to leave and she hadn't come back. He never complained about these kinds of things, but still, it was starting to get annoying that he seemed to always be running errands for people. It had taken him awhile to find her, but he had always had a way of finding Yukari whenever she ran off.
"What's up?" Yukari had managed to conclude her internal dialogue, though it had gotten her nowhere. Looking up at Minato, she noticed that it was starting to get dark. How long had she been out here? It can't have been too long, could it?
"It's time to go back. BBQ and all that. You coming anytime soon?" The humor in his voice was apparent, and it brought a slight smile to her lips. He turned back towards the road and began to walk away, a silent invitation for her to follow. As she was about to get up, she suddenly understood what that click was. She finally knew why she had been so sad lately: she missed him. School had always kept them together, as had their various excursions into Tartarus. But with school over for the time being and with a draught of Tartarus trips, they had become to drift apart. That wasn't to say they weren't still friends, but they just didn't talk as easily anymore. That had been what made her so sad.
"Hey," she called over to him, causing him to stop walking and look at her quizzically,"Would you mind waiting here with me for a bit? I mean, we must have a little bit of time and I want to talk to you." She propped herself up, patting the grass next to her as an invitation, smiling at him warmly when he moved to place himself beside her. The sun had begun it decent down from its zenith quite some time past, and it had started sending vibrant colors in brilliant bursts across the sky, lighting the slowly drifting clouds in shades of purple and pink.
Yukari glanced at her companion, taking in his features as if for the first time. He was studying the sky with an almost awed expression on his face and she couldn't really blame him. It was rare to see such a sight, the sun sinking slowly behind mountains capped in snow which seemed to sparkle with an inner light. His eyes, always that deep gray, were half closed in a sleepy fashion, though it was clear that it was not from dreariness but a quiet euphoria.
"So," he began slowly, his eyes never leaving the heavens, "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"I've been thinking a lot recently, about school, the Dark Hour, life in general. And I've noticed, it's just not so fun anymore. It took me awhile to figure out why but I know the answer now." She looked at him once more, only to find that he was looking at her, giving her his full attention. She continued on, a slight blush tingeing her cheeks that she hoped she could blame on the cold. "You were the first person my age that ever came to the dorm, and…you were also my first real friend. I was so happy when you showed up, because it meant that there was finally someone I could talk to more openly. Lately though, we haven't really talked at all and I mean really talked. I miss that. A lot."
"I guess I can fix that." Yukari turned her head to find Minato standing up and holding his hand out to her. She grasped it and he helped pull her up, their fingers lingering upon each other for the briefest of moments. "What are you doing tomorrow evening?" Yukari thought before answering, turning back towards the road as she did so.
"Nothing I can think of. Why?" She had made it back to the sidewalk and begun heading towards the dorm.
"Wanna come back here? Same time, same place. We could just talk, like we used to." He had fallen in step beside, though his attention was focused primarily on the girl next to him. Yukari smiled before replying, her voice seeming louder than normal in the calm, subdued darkness that had begun to fall upon the streets, unnoticed and unheard, though just as intoxicating as its counterpart.
"Sure. I'd like that a lot." He smiled at her acceptance and they continued the rest of the way back in a comfortable silence. However, just as they reached the dorm, something so unexpectedly wonderful happened that it would be etched into Yukari's mind for the rest of her days. Minato had gently reached over, cupped her cheek in his hand and as her eyes widened in surprise kissed her gently. It was light and fleeting, leaving almost as soon as it had come, but that sensation was greater than anything Yukari had ever felt.
Minato pulled away, whispering into her ear before moving inside, leaving Yukari stunned on the curb. As conscience thought finally began to return to her, Yukari touched her fingers to her lips, almost not believing what had just occurred. She started towards the door, though not before thinking one last thought.
"I can't wait until tomorrow."
A/N- that was FUN! I had a really great time writing that. I hope this lives up to your expectations zero, cause I'd feel bad if u were disappointed. anyway, REVIEW! PL0X! Oh, and have a nice day XD