Author's Note – I thought I posted this months ago before I left for Europe. Apparently, that was not the case. I am so, so sorry.

This one is a bit different, but it is an idea that I have been wanting to explore for quite some time now.

She knew it was unwise, destructive even, to draw lines in their mental landscape and to differentiate herself from her fellows, but sharing a life and a soul with three boys was not easy. She had been given a great chance, a way to live on as something more than a lost piece or a glorified lock and key, and she fully acknowledged the gifts that had been laid before her, but there were times when, out of the blue, she would be struck numb by the understanding that this was it – this was her life - for always, until the day they died.

She was grossly outnumbered. Her opinions were always taken into account, what with Ryoji's warm support and Souji's compulsion towards balance, but the truth was that their body was male and so were three-fourths of their thoughts. Sometimes it felt like everything, right down to society's norms, was working against her, and it grated. Constantly.

Her pride did not help, either. It wasn't like she was Yukari or something. She did not ask much. She liked music and video games, good food and good movies as much as the rest of them. Yes, she was socially conscious, but she was not obsessed or insecure. She was not trying to make them into something they weren't, but it was just…

She had been a leader, once.

She may not have led these three, but she had commanded attention and respect from her fellows. She had been acknowledged, absolutely, for who she was, not because she was a girl, or even in spite of it, but because she was Minako, a person worthy of recognition.

She had been in love before, too, and a smooth warmth burned at the back of her mind at the thought, accompanied by bored amusement and a pinch of worry. Ignoring the others, she continued to brood, dropping down further into her own mind. She had, though. Twice, and her mind reeled as she briefly considered just what was going to happen when they all stopped trying to keep people happy and at arms length and realized that, eventually, they were going to have a fight over this, and it would not be pretty.

And she would lose.

She could feel Ryoji lounging beside her, trying to pull her out of her cesspit of a mind and back toward the others, and she could feel his scrutiny, his contemplation, his offer…

It made her smile, but she shook him off, pushing him back up 'top' as she called it, close to where Souji sat, always monitoring and steadying, and she sent an apology up towards them. In the real world, she settled back, tapping their fingers against the desk and leaning into the warmed plastic of their seat.

"You okay, Partner?" Yosuke hissed from the row behind, his voice an overloud whisper in the quiet classroom.

"Yeah, fine," Souji said without her, smoothing the agitation out of his face and quirking his lips into a slightly put upon smile. "Just fine."

Minako eased away, giving Souji full control, but as she handed over the reins, Souji's continued worry scraped over her like sandpaper. Her first impulse was the rage back, to glare and spit, because she did not want his pity, but that urge was even more counterproductive than her earlier thoughts, so she pushed down on the restless, caged thing that was her temper and pulled back, retreating as far as she possibly could to the confines of her own mind.

She remained there for a long while. It was just school, anyway, and even though she did not know much about whatever they were currently studying, she knew either Minato or Souji would take notes, and she could look at them later. It was not until the dull drone of their professor's voice was replaced by familiar chatter that she straightened up, trying to join the conversation.

"-don't think I've ever seen you doze off like that during class, man," Yosuke said from where he sat perched upon his desk. "You were practically drooling."

"Sorry, I was just thinking," Souji replied, turning sideways in his desk so that he faced Yukiko and Chie as they began to pack up, and Minako wondered at the way his eyes silently tracked the girls.

"Sounds intense," Yosuke said flatly, but Souji did not turn to look at him, so Minako was not sure what expression the Magician was wearing.

"Yeah, intense," Souji said, distractedly, and he was still watching Yukiko and Chie like a hawk. Minako's stomach twisted, and she wondered whether the others could feel it, too.

"Hey, Yukiko, Chie," Souji said at last in the same preoccupied tone he had used to address Yosuke.

"Yeah? What's up?" Chie asked, her voice muffled around a pencil that she held loosely in her teeth.

"Are you two busy this weekend?"

Yosuke made a strangled, surprised noise, but the two girls just looked at each other, a strangely knowing expression passing between them as they silently communicated. After a moment, Chie pulled a face, frowning in an exaggerated manner before shrugging her shoulders and turning back to Souji.

"Actually, Yukiko and I were planning on taking a day trip to Okina sometime this weekend. It's almost spring, you know, and Yukiko wanted to find some new pretty things for the warm weather."

Yukiko pursed her lips. "That is not why we decided to go. We wouldn't have even thought of going to Okina if you hadn't needed some new track shorts," she said.

"Well, there's a certain amount of truth to that," Chie said, smiling cheekily at Souji. "I mean, I'm not sayin' you can't tag along and all, but I can't imagine you much want to stand around and carry our bags."

"Dude does it with that Ai chick all the friggin time," Yosuke supplied, helpfully. Souji shot his friend a look that only made him smile more broadly. "You do."

Souji cleared his throat. "Well, regardless of how often I do it with Ai," he said, earning himself a few giggles and another one of those strangled choking sounds from Yosuke, "I actually wouldn't mind tagging along, so long as you don't mind me running a few errands of my own while we're there."

Yukiko smiled. "I certainly would not mind. It's been a while since the three of us have spent much time together."

"Hey," Yosuke said, the beginnings of resentment clawing its way into his voice. "Are you guys planning on leaving me out of this? I wouldn't mind watching you guys shop."

Chie stared at him levelly. "No, I'm thinking this is going to be a girls and Souji trip. Sorry, Yosuke. You can be our pack mule next time."

Minako expected some token protest from Souji, or at least Minato, about being called a pack animal, but Souji just smiled gratefully. "Thanks," he said as he began to clean out his desk. "You're doing me a big favor."

Something about the way he said that clicked, and her temper rattled at its cages once more. Damn it, was he serious? He thought that her issue was going to be fixed because he was letting her go shopping? Oh, maybe then they could all paint their toenails and share their goddamn feelings-

Calm.

Frustration.

Worry.

She could feel them on all sides, and she was not sure who was sending her what message. She figured that Souji was probably the one preaching control, and she adored their front-man, but sometimes his reserve drove her crazy.

She responded with an irritated question. What's the point of worrying? What do you think you're doing?

She expected a more direct response, but instead received a strangely unanimous plea for her to wait, to give them a chance.

She sighed before realizing that she had wandered too close to the surface and that the people outside would see. She turned her head guiltily, glancing at Yukiko and Chie as they exchanged another one of their looks. Though Chie turned and smiled, neither of them said a word, and the four classmates packed up in silence. As Souji got up to leave, Minako pulled away, fading into the background without a further word.

Riding the escalator down from the top of Okina station felt like going home in a way Minako simply had not expected. Though only a few stops away from Inaba, Okina was sufficiently far out of the mountains that it lost that thick-aired, clammy-cool feeling that clung to Inaba like plaque. Instead, the air was washed out and salty thanks to the ocean that was too far away to see but close enough to taste, and Minako inhaled deeply, a small, happy smile spreading comfortably on Souji's face. Something warm and slightly painful pounded in her chest, and, as she neared the bottom of the escalator, she allowed herself a moment to pretend like she was actually, properly alone.

Her small smile spread into a grin, and she gripped the moving handrails, launching herself over the last four steps and landing gracefully on the pavement. She turned, backing away from the other pedestrians that were leaving the station and closed her eyes, letting herself breathe properly as she listened to the crowds. Their pounding feet reminded her wistfully of bass tracks, and she heard Souji's off-key humming respond to her reverie.

"Hey, Souji. Over here," said a familiar voice behind her, and Minako's careless smile turned wry. Well, that had been nice while it lasted, she thought to herself, relinquishing the reins so that Souji could take over and do whatever he had planned for the day.

Except, he was not there. She felt their body sag, leaderless.

Saying that Souji was absent was not quite accurate. She could feel him from where he had retreated to the back of their mind, and she could sense both how much he wanted to hover - and how much he was fighting that urge. She could feel Ryoji and Minato too, but they were farther back still, the lines between them blurred to obscurity as they retreated into unconsciousness.

And there she was, sat at the helm, and she suddenly realized that she'd been locked out – or locked in as the case may be. She pushed at Souji, urging him back up front, but he stayed firmly put, the light sense of unease that he felt smothered under his steadfast refusal to budge.

He was not going to take back over, and neither, clearly, were the others.

That just left her, but that was not right. It couldn't be right, because they did not do this. This went against their very defining principles. They were one thing. One unit. They had to be, even if it hurt…

"You ready to get started? We weren't sure where to head first, but I'm sure we can figure some sorta schedule out, right? What was it that you needed done, anyway?"

Minako rounded on Chie, her features as carefully schooled as she could make them, and smiled that smile of Souji's that always set everyone at ease.

"Just this and that," she said, Souji's warm baritone smooth despite its awkwardness in her mouth. In her mind, she sent a sharp barb towards Souji, asking what the hell he wanted, and was rewarded with the most vague suggestion of shirts that Minako had ever witnessed.

Oh, that's useful, she thought acerbically. What did he even mean by shirts? Dress shirts? Polos? Tees? Was there some occasion coming up that she had somehow not known about?

A bland, dazed stupor was all she got in response, and her lips twitched into a disbelieving sneer before she could stop them.

And, crap. She still hadn't responded to Chie.

"Shirts," she said, and, damn it, that had been too quick, too awkward to ever pass for Souji, but Chie nodded with a smile, rocking on the heels of her feet as she looked over towards Yukiko.

"Yeah, I think we can fit shirt shopping in somewhere. Where to first, Yukiko?"

Yukiko scanned the strip of stores thoughtfully for a moment before her eyes alighted on the privately owned boutique at the end of the left hand side. She smiled brightly, tilting her head towards the store questioningly.

"Yeah, okay," Chie said, crossing her arms over her chest. "What're you thinking, leader? You don't have to follow us in, if you don't want. There's an ice-cream shop over that'a way if you want to wait there-" Chie said, before edging closer to Souji and lowering her voice, "-but I'll let you in on a secret. Yukiko's totally helpless when it comes to shopping for herself, and she'll try on whatever you give her. Think of it as pay back for the school festival."

A bit startled by Chie's suggestion, Minako blinked, cocking her head to the side a bit to consider the short girl beside her. A more noble person – by which she meant Souji – would probably have politely declined, but Minako knew that she would not use this chance for evil. She had no personal urge to get back at Yukiko for her part in the cross-dressing debacle. Frankly, she had found the entire situation hilarious, and Yukiko had been nothing but considerate about the whole thing. That said…Minako eyed the models showcased in the front display, marveling at the way fashion had changed in only two years. That one red dress on the end was so cute…and if Yukiko was going to be a willing model…

It was a bit voyeuristic of her, Minako would admit, but then most of the pleasure in her current life was obtained by watching others be happy.

"Yeah, you know you want to," Chie said, grinning toothily. "I won't even tell anyone that you're being a Yosuke-level creep."

"Why exactly are you letting me do this?" Minako said, her face settling naturally into Souji's look of smooth doubt.

Chie simply looked smug. Twirling on her toes, she trotted over to Yukiko who had been waiting just outside of hearing range. Minako narrowed her eyes at the pair as Chie hooked her arm through the crook in Yukiko's elbow, still hopping from foot to foot in excitement.

"What'cha got your eyes on?" Chie asked as the two made their way over to the shop's entrance, Minako trailing along a few paces behind.

"Nothing in particular," Yukiko said, eyes sweeping the display case in interest, "I love this place, though. Remember last spring?"

"You wore their stuff practically every day."

"Ms Constance's designs actually fit me. I've got such small shoulders, and my legs are just the wrong length for normal sizes. I can never wear skirts from anyplace else, because they are always either unbearably short or awkwardly around my knees."

Minako could not help but chuckle. "That must be terrible," she said, and was not sure whether to thank or curse Souji's flat voice, because it made it very difficult to distinguish sarcasm from earnestness.

Yukiko took her words as the former, but she did not seem too put out by it. "I think that people should try to look their best, regardless of what their best is. Not trying does not do anyone any favors."

Yukiko and Chie turned back in unison, and Minako tried not to squirm under the unimpressed looks that they were giving Souji's blazer-tracksuit-turtleneck ensemble. Okay, she would admit, sometimes it felt like Souji closed his eyes and pointed around his room and whatever article of clothing his finger was aimed at when he opened his eyes was what he went with, but that was not her fault. Besides, Souji could pull off a neckhoody-hammerpants combo if he wanted.

Then again, she supposed that was sort of Yukiko's point. They could at least try.

"Does this place have clothing for guys too?" She asked, trying to peer through the window for a better look.

"Yup. This isn't the best example, but Naoto gets all of her pretty collared shirts here," Chie said.

Yukiko smiled. "Also, do you know Souta from third year?"

"You mean vest boy?" Minako asked, moving towards the door and pushing it open. "That kid who is always wearing vests?"

"Always!" Yukiko said, smiling.

"He's definitely got more than one for ever day of the week. Yukiko and I tried watchin' him for a while, but after he didn't repeat a single one for two weeks straight, we gave up," Chie said, following behind Minako as she moved into the shop. "Frankly, I don't want to know."

"So this is where vest boy gets his vests," Minako said, looking around the warmly lit shop. "Nice place."

The store was a fine piece of real estate, about twice the size of Be Blue V and all in warm tones with its chestnut tables, hard wood floors, paneled walls and low-hanging, golden light fixtures. The clothes racks were divided by color, and Yukiko zipped over to the reds, the metallic scrape of the hangers accompanying her light humming as she considered each garment.

Chie hung back in the door beside Minako, an indulgent smile on her face.

"Not your scene?" Minako asked quietly.

"Not even close," Chie responded, tilting sideways so that the two were crowded conspiratorially. "I don't know how she moves in this stuff. I mean, she does. She's figured out how. I just don't get it."

Minako hummed.

"But you," Chie said, "Are a different matter entirely, and if our leader needs new shirts, then we've gotta help him find them, right?"

Before Minako could nod or blink or do much of anything, Chie was off towards the strips of long, low tables covered with every color of shirt imaginable, and Minako was tickled to see that Chie naturally erred towards the greens and yellows.

Leaving Chie to do her thing, Minako walked slowly over to where Yukiko was standing, a small collection of flowing red things draped over her arm.

"Found something?" Minako asked.

"I'm not sure," Yukio said, pulling something off of the pile and holding it up to her torso. "How do you think this will look?"

Not great was Minako's private opinion. It was not bad, but it was not Yukiko, its folds and draping cords doing nothing to complement her friend's figure and personality. Minako clicked her tongue inside her mouth a few times before turning towards the racks herself, pulling down anything that she knew would work and a few extras added in for spice. On impulse, she went to the front of the store, adding the pretty, red dress to the pile with delicate fingers and then passed everything to Yukiko, keeping her affect flat.

She expected some sort of protest, especially knowing Yukiko's penchant for misinterpreting people's motives and jumping to conclusions, but Yukiko smiled cheerfully, her eyes thinning out of appreciation, rather than suspicion.

"Thank you, Souji," Yukiko said, putting aside the things she had collected and taking up Minako's acquisitions. "Oh, this is pretty. I'll be right back, okay?"

"Souji, over here," Chie called, grinning from ear to ear as she gripped a coat that simultaneously seemed to be a jacket and hoodie in her hands. "You have to try this on for me. Oh, and this one too!"

Stupid, frothy mirth roiled in Minako's stomach, its airiness making her almost giddly. You know what, she thought, all of Souji's rigid tension seeping out of her shoulders. Fuck it. If Souji was going to let her do whatever she wanted, he was going to have to live with the consequences.

Besides, a rogue thought whispered as she stared past Chie, catching Souji's reflection in a mirror hanging on the wall, there was something that she had always kind of wanted to do. She tilted her head, watching the mirrored version of Souji tilt his to match, and smiled, her eyes sparkling dangerously. She and Yukari had talked about it in the past, late at night in the lounge when everybody else had turned in and they were too tired to be making coherent sense. At some point in the conversation, one would mention Akihiko, and the other would giggle ruthlessly. It was a stupid daydream – not even a fantasy because no true desire drove it, only curiosity and the simple understanding that, as girls, they probably would never get the chance.

The short of it was, they had wanted to take Akihiko shopping. The guy had the type of frame that fashion designers dreamed would one day wear their clothes, and both she and Yukari had more than just a passing interest in fashion. After a year with Bebe, bent over a sewing machine and pricking herself with pins as she laid out her patterns, Minako's interest in clothes had turned academic, but she had been forced to stick to women's designs for lack of a willing male model. Akihiko had certainly not been willing, and going to Junpei was asking for trouble.

Minako brought a hand to her hair, carding her fingers through Souji's fringe until is spiked out and up. She fussed for a long moment, getting the thick strands to fall into place before surveying her work with a smirk. Without a word, she moved down the isle, grabbing anything with a color before snatching the strange jacket out of Chie's hands and moving to find a changing room.

Chie pumped her fist in pleasure as Minako disappeared behind the curtain, her entire countenance gleeful. Yukiko poked her head out of her own changing room and beamed.

It took longer than she would like to admit, but Minako did finally catch on to Yukiko and Chie's scheme. After leaving the boutique, two bags full of clothes in every color in the spectrum save gray in hand, the three began to make their way along the strip. They stopped at the ice-cream bar, the electronics mart, and a second clothes store before ending up outside of a place that sold sports wear.

"I'll just be a minute, 'kay?" Chie said with a grin, waving Yukiko and Minako down towards a bench just outside of the front entrance. "You two don't have to follow me in."

"We will see you soon, then," Yukiko said, brushing her long skirt out in front of her before she sat on the bench. She settled her bags around her feet, as Minako took the spot beside her, throwing Souji's long arms over the back of the bench and closing her eyes.

After a moment, she spoke. "I know that you two did not plan this with the boss," she said, letting her eyes dart sideways to gauge Yukiko's reaction. "So how?"

Yukiko did not even have the grace to look guilty. She smiled softly, clasping her hands in her lap. "Souji does not need to ask us for help in order for us to want to give it. We've all been worried about you."

Minako thought on that a minute, propping her ankle up on her knee as she considered Yukiko's words.

"You shouldn't be," she said at last, forcing an awkward grin on her face. She remembered belatedly that Souji would never smile in such a way, but she supposed the point was moot. "I'm not worth worrying over."

"I worry anyway, so it is not out of my way."

Minako's face fell into sad, resigned lines as she said, "We're never going to get better at this if people try to keep us separate."

Yukiko made a slight, uncertain sound, and Minako looked her way questioningly. Yukiko breathed heavily out of her nose, her lips thinning as she searched for the right words. "Better?" She said at last, looking disapproving. "I do not know what your definition of better is, so I guess I won't comment on it, but I do have an opinion on this, if you are willing to hear it."

Minako jerked her head in a nod, her jaw clenching with the first twists of anxiety.

"You and…and Minato…you – you fought your way back from the end of the Universe to be here," Yukiko said, her voice strained and louder than normal like she could not believe that she had to explain this. "And you! You did so from another timeline. I don't think either of you came this far only to fade into the background."

Minako knew better than to try to come up with a comeback for that, so she stayed silent, blinking owlishly.

"I know that this can't be easy," Yukiko continued. "There are plenty of people who won't put up with somebody changing personalities, and I'm certainly not saying that you should attempt to make everybody see the world through your eyes, but you can let loose with your friends, at least."

Minako was already shaking her head in denial. "I appreciate the sentiment, but not many people will agree with you on that."

Yukiko simply nodded. "Not even our whole friend group agrees. I doubt Yosuke and Rise will be willing to give Souji up for even a short amount of time for a while yet, but …"

Yukiko bit distractedly at her bottom lip, her brow knitting. "It…probably does not speak highly of me that I am advocating this…I realize that I am essentially banishing my friend for another's sake, but…"

Minako laid a gentle hand on Yukiko's shoulder, her words soft and earnest. "It speaks volumes, Yukiko, and every word is good."

Yukiko beamed at her.

"But why?" Minako had to ask. "Why do you care? Not to be rude, but you don't really know me."

With a shrug, Yukiko turned so that she was more fully facing Minako's direction. "This isn't the first time that we have talked," she said simply. "You think we don't notice, but we do. We aren't stupid."

Minako laughed at the hint of stubborn pride that bled into those words.

"As far as knowing you goes," Yukiko continued, "I actually know you as well as anyone, I think. Better than anyone, if I'm right about the number of times that we have talked."

The brutal truth of Yukiko's comment hit Minako harder than she could have expected. It was true, wasn't it? Her friends did not remember, and she honestly avoided interacting with them most of the time. The people she talked to most were…well, Yukiko and Chie, really. Shit.

"I'm sorry. That was blunt."

"No," Minako said, shaking her head. "It was sobering, but it needed to be said."

They sat together, side-by-side, for a minute longer before a mischievous grin stretched along Yukiko's face. "Then I guess-" she said suddenly before dropping of.

"Guess?" Minako prompted.

"I guess that I'm your best friend," Yukiko said, cocking her head playfully.

Minako snorted. "Yeah," she said, her voice dropping into Souji's deepest, wryest tones. "I guess you are."

Yukiko leaned back, trying to look casual, but her playful smile was turning predatory. Minako edged back, looking wary.

"So," Yukiko began, pursing her lips in an attempt to smother her grin. "You and Ryoji…?"

Minako groaned. "Oh, please. Don't."

"Come on!"

"He is listening," Minako said. "He's literally hovering over my shoulder." -and he was, stirring in the back of their mind even as he tried to remain hidden – "So don't."

"Does that matter?" Yukiko asked.

A thought occurred to Minako, and she rolled her eyes in exasperation. "This is about that bet, isn't it?"

Yukiko jarred back, trying to look affronted. "Of course not-"

"Just how much money did Yosuke put down on this?"

"I wouldn't-"

"Oh yes you would. How much are we talking? Enough to cover that dress?" Minako said, gesturing sharply toward one of Yukiko's bags.

Yukiko sighed, resigned. "Enough to cover that dress and take you out to dinner with what's left," she said, looking hopeful. "It keeps escalating."

A slow breath hissed out of Minako's nose as she considered. "You're going to give me a thirty percent cut-"

"I knew it!"

"-and you can't tell Akihiko." Minako tilted her head to the side as she pondered that. "Well. I guess he wouldn't care anymore, come to think of it, but…still."

"Did you date Akihiko at one point?" Yukiko asked, eyes glimmering.

"No, but I, uh….I dated his best friend."

Yukiko blinked. "Mitsuru?"

"What? No," Minako said with a forceful shake of her head. "His name was Shinjiro."

"I've never heard him mentioned."

Minako smiled bitterly. "You wouldn't have. Anyway, Akihiko did not quite approve of my decision to go out with Ryoji."

"Was Ryoji before or after, um, Shinjiro?"

"After."

Yukiko smirked. "How long after?"

Minako gave her a look that sent Yukiko into a peal of soft giggles, a strange twist of eyebrows accompanied by a half grimace that told the other girl all she needed to know.

"Oh, wow, I take it back," Yukiko said, breathing heavily around her snickers. "You all really are the same person, aren't you?"

Whatever tension had still remained in Minako's chest slackened all at once. She could feel the others in her mind again, at ease and approving, and everything seemed to settle all at once. As she listened to the other girl's peals of laughter, she admitted that Yukiko was right – she did not want to disappear. She was fine with their living situation, but having someone outside of her head acknowledge her existence was…it was good. It was needed.

And who knew, she thought as she saw Chie approach them from the side, a small black bag in hand and a toothy grin on her face. The experiments with trying to let Ryoji out were going pretty well, all things considered. Maybe one day…just for a day…