Junes
04/18 Mon
After School
By the time they returned to the real world, it was nearly 5.00 PM on the clock. Yu asked his friends whether they can spare a bit more time, as they moved to sit in the food court area.
"So, what was it you said? We're going to have a reinforcement?" Yosuke asked.
Before Yu could answer the question, the phone in his pocket suddenly began to ring. The number displayed on the screen is still not registered on his phone book, but Yu can figure out who is calling.
"Hello."
"Good afternoon, is this Narukami-san speaking?"
"Yes, it's me"
"My name is Naruko Uzumaki, I believe Sanada-san has informed you of my arrival before." The person, who Yu identified as a female, replied over the phone. "I know this is late, but can we meet up right now? I'd like to discuss few things with you."
"Of course, my friends and I have been waiting for you. Do you want me to fetch you from the station?" Yu asked politely.
"It's alright, I'll be fine on my own. Can you tell me where you guys are now?"
Yu gave her a brief but detailed location on Junes. After that, he hung up the phone before turning to Yosuke and Chie.
"Sorry, I haven't told you guys yet," Yu said apologetically. "Do you remember when Sanada-san called me earlier? He told me his friend is coming here to Inaba. That was her just now on the phone"
"Her? You mean, it's a girl?" Yosuke asked.
"Hold it, you guys still haven't told me anything about this Sanada-san or what happened yesterday." Chie interrupted them.
"Basically, Sanada-san is a Persona user like us and an acquaintance of Namikaze-san, the guy we found on TV a few days ago," Yu explained to her.
"Does that mean the girl you were talking to on the phone just now is that backup you mentioned?"
"Yeah…" Yu nodded. "Sanada-san told me she would help us rescue Yukiko and solve the murder case."
"Another Persona user like us…" Chie murmured. "I wonder what kind of person she is"
"I guess we'll see. She should be here in any minute now."
"By the way…" Chie turned to the pondering brown-haired kid. "You've been awfully quiet these last few minutes. Aren't you happy we're going to get a girl as a new ally?"
Upon hearing his name, Yosuke raised his head and looked at his two friends.
"Huh? No, I'm glad about it. It's just that… I was thinking about something else…"
"What's on your mind?" Yu asked.
"This is just my opinion, but don't you think the timing is too good?" Yosuke looked at both of them with a serious expression. "The culprit is most likely a Persona user like us, so I can't help but feel cautious about this."
Yu was actually pondering over the same thing ever since Akihiko called him this afternoon. Even though he knows Akihiko was being sincere when they talked on the phone, he still doesn't know anything about them.
"Aren't you overthinking things too much?" Chie asked Yosuke. "Sure, she might be the culprit when you say it like that, but it's possible too that she is innocent"
"You may be right…" Yosuke murmured "But still, why would she help us?"
"Because it is my duty," said a certain person.
All of them were surprised by the sudden voice. They looked up to a figure standing behind Yu.
It was a girl around their age. She is wearing a light orange sweater, a red plaid skirt, black leggings, and a pair of red boots while also carrying a red handbag. Her hair is golden colored and is tied in a high double ponytail style, clipped with silver barrettes which form the Roman numeral XXII. She has a pair of glistening blue eyes and light pink lips which complemented her beautiful appearance.
"Uzumaki-san, we have been expecting you." Yu welcomed her. "I'm Yu Narukami and these are my friends, Yosuke Hanamura and Chie Satonaka."
"Hello, I'm Naruko Uzumaki. Thank you for having me." Naruko greeted them.
"Oh wow… She's beautiful…" Chie complements her.
"Why, thank you," Naruko answered with a smile on her lips.
She took a seat beside Yu and Yosuke before placing her handbag on her laps.
"Sorry, I overheard what you were saying," Naruko turned to Yosuke. "I understand your concern though, it must have been suspicious for a stranger to suddenly offer her help."
"Uzumaki-san, just now you said because it is your duty. Can you please elaborate on this?" Yu asked her.
"Of course," said Naruko. "It's a long story though, so I'll make it short. Sanada-san and I were parts of a group known as the Shadow Operatives, an organization dedicated to eliminate Shadow threats around the country"
"Wait, what? You mean there are Shadows everywhere?" Yosuke stared at her.
"Yes, normal people can't see them so it's up to us Persona users to deal with it. The Shadow Operatives, led by Mitsuru Kirijo of the Kirijo Group, have been working tirelessly to keep them at bay." She explained.
"I never imagined the Shadows were that large of a threat…" Yosuke sighed.
"Same here, I thought the Shadows were some kind of mysterious invaders or something…" Chie added.
"So you guys haven't realized it yet…" Naruko chuckled.
"What do you mean?"
"Personas and Shadows are the same thing. That is why you are able to fight them in the first place." Naruko's words surprised them.
"Of course, that makes sense. Both Yosuke and Chie's Shadows turn into a Persona after they accepted it." Yu commented.
"But then what about you? You can use your Persona without facing your Shadow, you can even wield more than one of them," said Yosuke.
"Do you know anything about it, Uzumaki-san?" Chie asked.
"… No, this is the first time I hear someone can wield more than one Persona," said Naruko.
Yu, however, can somewhat sense a faint trace of a lie in her words and decide to confront her about it later.
"I see, I guess Yu is a special exception… Well, at least now we know your reason for helping us," said Chie.
"Yes, at least a little part of it…" Naruko answered. "I'm here to see the person you guys found inside the TV. Sanada-san already told me about it."
"Namikaze-san? Why do you want to meet him?" Yosuke inquired her.
"It's a little personal…" Naruko smiled. "I don't think I'm ready to tell you the reason yet."
Yosuke looked at Yu, as if asking for his opinion on the matter.
"It's fine. Uzumaki-san has answered all our previous questions, it's only fair we granted her this simple request."
"If you say so, leader. Well then, please follow me."
"Thank you so much," Naruko bowed slightly to thank them.
They followed Yosuke from the food court to the grocery department, where he took them inside the storage room.
"Hey Yosuke, you know you can't just bring people in here. And who's that cute chick you brought with you?" A clerk, most likely a part-timer, asked him.
"Dude, not the time…" Yosuke sighed "Have you seen Namikaze-san? She needs to talk to him in private"
"Heh, of course it was Namikaze-san. I must be stupid to even think you're going out with her."
"Argh, you're pissing me off! Just get him already!"
"Alright, alright… Geez, you can't take a joke, can you?"
The clerk picked up a few boxes containing dairy products before leaving the storage room.
"Namikaze-san has nowhere to go, so I let him stay in my house for the time being," Yosuke explained. "My dad asked me to have him work in our store in return, though, I guess I should apologize for that…"
"It's alright. I'm grateful that you allowed him to stay with you."
For the next few minutes, everyone waited in heavy silence. Chie is leaning against the wall while Yosuke has his arms crossed on his chest and Yu continues to observe Naruko.
Until the door suddenly opened and the white-haired boy entered the room.
He is wearing a white shirt and red pants along with a cream colored apron similar to the ones used by the clerk earlier. He has a slim build with average height. His spiky white hair is unkempt, covering most of his right eye.
Overall, he looked just like she always remembered.
"Haruto… I…"
Naruko's words are stuck in her throat. There is no doubt that the one in front of her is Haruto. She is happy to see her beloved one is alive and well, but she is also sad because it is apparent Haruto does not remember her.
The boy himself looks perplexed when the girl mentioned his name just like a certain police officer did. Even though he couldn't recall ever meeting her, there is an unexplainable feeling of familiarity emanating from her. As if he had known the girl for a long time and thinks of her as someone precious to him.
Unable to bear seeing her depressed, Haruto did the only thing that came to his mind, something that no one in that room would expect.
He gently patted her on the head before ruffling her hair.
He has no idea why he does that. He just wanted to cheer her up, and that is the only thing he could think of.
Naruko, who is shocked by the sudden gesture, complied by holding the hand ruffling her hair and then enveloping it on her own.
"I'm fine now... Thank you…"
The brief yet blissful moment lasted for a while, until the storage room was suddenly opened by the clerk they met before.
"Namikaze, are you done yet?! I need you to— Uh, sorry… Did I interrupt something?"
"No, I'm done..." She said before letting him go. "Thank you for lending Namikaze-san to me for a moment."
Haruto looks at her with a concerned expression, but Naruko urges him to go with a smile. He nodded before leaving the room with the clerk.
"… It's getting late. All of you should go home and rest if you wish to save your friend tomorrow."
"Then, you're really going to help us find Yukiko?" Chie asked.
"Amagi-san is an acquaintance of mine as well," said Naruko. "I will do everything within my power to save her."