"Minato! Let's play!!"

A black frilly haired kid comes running to Arisato side. As soon as he holds onto his hand, he pulls him along running to the park. Though the boy refuses, the kid insists him. The boy is reluctant to decline as he receives a face of sadness, persuading him to join. It is hot, to be expected since it is summer and sweats are dampening the boy's shirt. The blue haired boy takes off his earphones despite the player is still on. It will seems rude not hearing what the kid is saying. The boy is familiar with him, but he have never seen him play with anyone other than himself, other than him. From a bench afar, he sits as he wears one of his earphones with the music to relax his fatigue body from the unbearable heat. He looks over to the kid playing with the monkey bars. He seems energetic, not that weird for kids around his age. As for Arisato, he just not into sport that much. He will try to avoid any form of action that requires too much energy, like playing.

He stays on the bench, amused as he looks how happy that kid is. Even playing on his own, he seems satisfied just having Arisato watches him from a distance. It has always been like this every summer vacation, every time he goes home to his hometown. He will always wait for him, calls out to him with that bright smile. He has made up his mind to protect that smile no matter what, if they had the chance to meet again.

As the sun sets, they both leave the park together holding hands. The kid tells all of his adventure to the blue haired boy, his mischief behaviour in kindergarten and spending time with his aunt. That is what he calls her, but the boy is sure that lady is not blood related to him. After all, she does not have any other family than herself. Arisato concludes that it must have been his caretaker while his parents are busy working. Knowing this, the boy is able to relate to the frilly haired kid. They are one and the same after all. It is as if their fate are tied. Then, the kid speaks up out of the blue.

"Minato, you won't leave me right? You'll play with me forever right? You'll be there to protect me when I'm in trouble, right?" The kid said with pleading eyes.

Summer vacation is ending, we both knows what it means. Even so, he has never been this sad to have me depart soon. He is usually looking forward to meet me next year. The blue haired boy replies with a reassuring smile.

"We'll be together. I promise."

After finishing their pinky promise ritual, they separate to their own home. Arisato's parents have planned to leave that night, too early to say goodbye to this hometown he has grown to love. His heart is attached to it because of him, because of that persistent kid. What happens next is something out of his prediction, out of his hope, and one of his inescapable fate.

His parents... The accident... The unavoidable death... The black figure of monster appears before his eyes... He lost memory of that time, and him...

After stabilizing himself in Iwatodai dorm, going along with his fighting comrades of SEES in exploring Tartarus, he has made his resolve to save them, to save those around him, to save that kid. A silhoutte of curly haired boy often appears in his dream, it feels somewhat nostalgic. However, no name comes into mind. He knows he has formed a bond with him yet he do not know his name. No matter what risk he has to take, and what consequences will be resulted, his safety is his priority. His smile is what he wants to protect. As he raised his hand, only one finger comes out of his palm, he faces Nyx with the support of his unbreakable bonds. Before he lost consciousness, a familiar voice can be heard calling out his name. No, there are two voices. Two familiar bond, two familiar voices, two familiar faces appear on Arisato's mind in his last moment.

"Minato! Fight hard!"

"Until we meet again, Minato."

Akira slowly opens his eyes as he rises on his bed. He shakes his head to regain a firm grip on his awakening. It feels like a dream, at a park, with a smiling figure he seems to forget. He tries to figure out who it could be, but his tired mind fails him. Not fully awaken yet, no idea comes to mind. Then, he hears footsteps coming from the stairs, a familiar figure appears as he ascends from the stairs. The smell of coffee reaches his nose as he spotted the person holding two coffee mugs, approaching him as he hands out one to him.

"Morning. You seem to have a rough sleep." Yu asked as he took a sip from his mug.

After taking the mug handed out to him, Akira took a sip as well. "It was a dream. A too real dream."

Yu giggled at his answer, "Too real? What kind of dream?"

"A dream about a person... But I can't figure out his name..." Akira held his head.

"I feel you. I had that kind of dream too. I've fought with that person, I've bonded with him, and we met by chance of fate. Though, it's strange how I never seem to meet him again." Yu wondered with Akira.

Shrugging the topic off, they spend their time talking over the coffee that Yu has made. There is no one who can answer their question and nowhere to find the answer, so it is best to look forward what is in front of them. After all, fate has never failed them.

"I still brew better than you." Akira taunted.

"At least I'm an early bird, unlike that person who wakes up to Sojiro's nagging." Yu answered back.

Author's note: A short and out of the blue fanfic. I just had the thought on the holy 3 protag(P3, P4, P5). Maybe at one time they have met each other but they never notice it, like walking beside each other without realizing it. After all, these three games seems to relate each other a lot rather than the first 2 games.