Hey there, persona fandom. Sorry for the lateness of this chapter, but after a while, i had no idea of how to incorporate some elements of the story organically. I put some chapters in a hurry, but after a while, i thought that maybe slowing it down a little might help and, like some reviewers has spoken, get to known some other characters a little. This is persona, after all. After some more wriring on my other stories and consideration, i think i get it now: So be aware: I'll try to write both confidants and plot hand by hand, and I hope this works, so if anything, leave a comment below like always to see if it worked. I love feedback! Now, onto the chapter!

DISCLAIMER: Persona and the SMT series belongs to atlus and its respective writers!

AFTER SCHOOL(Kagami High)

'Hey, Ichika, I know that we need to save Miss Prim'n'proper as soon as possible, but I think we should go slower now. That one last time almost broke me, so I don't feel all that hot.'

'How about I show you around Kagami High? I do owe you for saving me and, hey, I can still show you around while we talk about the Mirror World! What do you think? Are you in?'

…

Maybe I should hang out with Renji a bit. After all, he is right, thinking too much about the Mirror World is exhausting, and like Lily-san said, if we come there either physically or mentally unprepared, we can become easy targets for shadows. Besides, we need an excuse to hang around a lot and being in one place might be too suspicious…

I still have a lot to learn about Kagami High too, so that won't be an issue as long as we keep it down a bit. So yeah, I guess I can hang out with him. I turned to him and nodded;

"Yeah, sure. Let's hang out a bit."

"Sweet! We should be looking around for new places to… Y'know. I think Lily can also get there if it doesn't kill him or anything!"

"Sounds great."

"Ah, but wait! We should grab a bite before going around. The cafeteria closes not longer after the end of classes, anyway."

"Okay."

...

After buying a couple of Yakissoba breads, me and Renji walked around Kagami High for a bit, him showing all the good placemarks like the library on the student's second floor, the auditorium next to the sports field and the P.E. Building connected to the Student's building. All in all, aside from that, Kagami High is a pretty mellow and typical high-school institute…

"Oh, and this is where the Kendo club trains once in a while! They're all so pretty girls, too bad they're violent as they come." A yakisoba bread on the mouth and pointing to the small dojo next to the P.E. Building, Renji pointed to the training girls inside with starry eyes. I biting my own sandwich, took a quick glance inside and yes, the girls training are pretty and very athletic, yet there's something about them that only speaks death. "I was caught spying on them last year, and not only Fujitaka wrecked my shit, but he allowed the entire team to gang up on me. I'm not that kind of guy, so it kinda hurt! No more, that's for sure!"

"Uh-huh." I said, munching on my Yakisoba bread. What do you know, even Renji has an history around here besides with Fujitaka. Speaking of those things, I turned to him. "Say Renji, why didn't you join any clubs? I mean, I think some of them would accept freshmen, no problems…"

"Nah, clubs are not my cup of tea." He says nonchalantly, wrapping the papers of his sandwich and tossing it elsewhere on a trashbin. I arch an eyebrow for him. "I mean, maybe I could get to know a few more people and grow an interest or two in those, but I don't think I had the confidence or the interest in those things… Besides, now that I'm a Persona-user, I have my interests elsewhere, so to hell with clubs!"

"This isn't a game, y'know." I noted. He smiled sheepishly at me. I didn't want him to look bad or anything, but this reality check was important.

"I know, I know. I'm not bragging or anything. My bad." To my surprise, he was even more understandable that I thought he would be, and after a small awkward smile, he chuckled at me. I could feel his confidence and trust in me growing(🎶🎶). "I know this is not a game, but it's exciting nonetheless, eh? Like, we're discovering something so dangerous and cool, it's kinda impossible to not get excited, right? Right?"

"As long as you understand." I finished with a nod, and he just laughs to himself. Reality checks, those are always nice as mom… I mean, Ranko says, keep people grounded. I'm glad he understands that.

"So, you wanna go elsewhere and maybe pick something else? The cafeteria is closed, but the machines by it are still on, we can grab a few Mad Bulls for the trip!" He asks with a thumb up. I wonder what's his deal with Mad Bulls, if he doesn't slow down, he might literally grow wins like that. But I guess one drink won't hurt. I nod. "Great. Ah, but let's see if I still have some bucks left. Damn it, I hope I at least have some change…"

"Thinking ahead with your wallet upwards… You sure don't change, do you Akabane?"

"Eh…?"

"Hah…?" And cutting us from our little talk, someone else approaches the dojo on the P.E. building and comes closer to us, someone completely new but who Renji made an annoyed and tired face: he was a rather slender young man around our age and height with blond hair that was slicked back, hazel eyes behind thick and square-trimmed eyes and pale skin, a small mole decorating the lower side of his right eye. He was wearing Kagami High's uniform of checked pants, dark-blue blazer and white shirt but with a distinctive attire: a golden armband on his left arm with the words 'Discipline committee' written on it. Renji sighed a tired one as if he was barfing. "Oh hey there, Kiku-chan."

"That's 'Tachibana-san' for you, Akabane. Honestly, you should mind your words once in a while." That classmate of ours said in a stern yet somehow amicable tone as if he was lecturing Renji, whom could only roll his eyes and let out a small curse slip his lips. Wait, do they know each other or something? One, two seconds passed between us, and he adjusted the rim of his glasses. "That aside, I came here to inform you that some members of the Kendo club informed me that they saw two individuals walking around the dojo and thought they were peeping on them. Finding you, Akabane, I can only assume they were right."

"C'mon, Kiku. After last year's beatdown, I don't want to see a naked kendo master for a while." Shrugged Renji, while Tachibana-san frowned a little. I don't know if he's still on about the familiarity between him and Renji or the fact that he didn't believe the brunet's words at all, but he sounds upset. Renji nudged his head for me. "I was just taking Ichika here for a walk around Kagami High. He's a new transferred student, you see, so I want to show him around so he wouldn't bump into someone like you. Heheh…"

"Is that so?" ignoring Renji's taunt, Tachibana-san turned to me, softening his eyes to my direction, if just a little so he wouldn't intimidate me. I could only nod a little, since what he was saying was quite true. He didn't seem convinced though. "Katase-sensei talked to me about it. You're the new transferred student Ichika Amano, right? My name is Kiku Tachibana, and I'm a member of Kagami High's disciplinary committee. Tell me, is Renji really being helpful to you? I can literally find someone more qualified for this job than him on an instant if he's not being very useful to you."

"Asshole…" Renji cursed under his breath.

"Huuuuh~…?" Tachibana-san frowned while turning his head to Renji. Before they could argue, I called for his attention.

"Uh, yeah. Yes, Renji has been a lot of help for me around, Tachibana-san. He was… Just showing me the clubs I could be part later. It's not forbidden to do that, right?" I asked with a little wink, and Tachibana-san let out a small grunt while Renji gave me a thumb up again(🎶🎶). He blinked once, twice, and straightened his posture again so that he could look at both at us at the same time.

"I see. Very well, then." He says, putting his hands on his pockets and looking back at Renji to frown, colliding with Renji's mischievous tongue sticking out. Without saying a word for that, Tachibana-san turned to me one last time. "Just keep an eye on him, Amano. Make sure he doesn't get himself into trouble or anything. He's very prone of that."

"Hey…!" Renji interjected.

"Will do. Thank you, Tachibana-san…" I responded, and without further ado, Tachibana-san turned around and walked away from us, disappearing among the other students while slicking a few strings of his blond hair back. Renji spat somewhere and let out a 'tch' grunt looking at a fleeing Tachibana-san.

"Tch. Uptight bastard, that Kiku…" He pouted in a comic way, yet he didn't seem all that hurt or affected by those events, making me wonder more things. They do like they have some history together for such familiarity for Renji, although it seems it that is a thing with him regardless. Even so… I turned to him.

"Do you know him, Renji?" I asked. Renji turned his eyes to me, coughed a few times and scratched the back of his head as if he was thinking a little.

"Kinda. I mean, we do live right across the street and went to the same kindergarten. You can say we're sorta like childhood friends." He said, scratching his chin with a finger. Huh, I did wonder if they had some history, but it seems the rabbit hole is a lot deeper. I let out a small hum in curiosity and then continued. "He used to be such a meek and needy loser, I had to defend him from bullies back in the days before he had to transfer to other middle school because his parents' job. Then high school started and he became such an uptight asshole he became a member of the Disciplinary committee, so much we don't talk all that much anymore."

"That's sad." I noticed. So he lost a friendship right after high-school started, and since then he became the butt of the school for a while if him letting about his tales of perverted escapades are anything to go by. Even so, Renji shrugs, laughs to himself and pat me on the back.

"Meh, it happens." He smiles at me with another pat on my back. "But whatever, he can be as uptight as he wants now. Now, I have you to have my back on those trying times. I can trust my back to you, right?"

"…" I tilt my head a little to his declaration. He considers me a friend and someone trustworthy, despite the fact that we barely know each other at this point, it kinda warms my heart and makes me at ease. This guy… He's really something else, but above that, yes, he's my friend. I nod at him and we fist-bump. "of course."

"Awesome! I'm counting on you, Ichika!" He smiles, and I can only smile back.

I feel like my bond with Renji has grown a little…

*TING!*

…?

[THE MAGICIAN – ⋆⋆LEVEL UP!]

Huh… I wonder what's that all about…

"Eh, but I guess we'll have to meet in some other place, otherwise Kiku will butt in everywhere we go, and because of that, that might be dangerous…" Renji sighed, but I have no answers for that, it is dangerous to talk about the Mirror World with so many people around and apparently an eagle-eyed Tachibana-san around.

"Do you… Do you know any good places to talk?" I suggested. Renji thought with himself a little and snapped his fingers.

"Hey, I got a great idea: we can talk about it on my old man's shop!" He suggests me, as I tilt my head again. "My old man as a coffee shop right somewhere near the station, but it's always deserted. Maybe we can start talking about those things there."

"Sounds perfect." I smiled. Renji nodded.

"Alright! So that's settled!" He concludes. Honestly, I wish I was as confident and energetic as him, but then again, it's that kind of power that gives people strength.

He showed me around Kagami High a little more and then we parted ways after school closed.

"See yah!"

SOCIAL STATS – Ichika Amano:

-Knowledge: ⋆(Oblivious)

-Guts: (Milquetoast)

-Proficiency: (Bumbling)

-Kindness: (Inoffensive)

-Charm: ⋆(Existent)

CONFIDANTS:

0. Il Pazzo – Rescue Squad(⋆): A small group of persona-users, they vowed to rescue Miyu Ishigami from her Shadow in the Mirror World.

I. Il Mago – Renji Akabane(⋆⋆): A known prankster in Kagami High and ichika's classmate. Despite his personality, he's friendly and altruistic. Considers Ichika a friend.

VII. Il Carro – Lily(⋆): A mysterious being from the Mirror World. Little is known about him for now, but he trusts Ichika enough to consider him a disciple. The guide of the group.

What are your thoughts? :3

I hope the little breather chapter has appealed to at least the majority of the readers and it didn't end up very confusing all things considered. I mean, it is still a persona fanfic, so I'll try to incorporate as much as possible in that regard. If it sounds too clunky or maybe too awkward, please let me know so that i can fix/improve on that. But that aside, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and wait for the next one, which I promise it'll come soon enough! the plot resumes next chapter, so look foward to it!

BTW, This time, the Arcanas are in Italian instead of english or french. As you know, it's kind of a motif since ichika's persona is italian in nature. I think it's cute, pls don't judge. :3