[P3] A Shred of Hope

[reaper_of_fortune]

[Well, it's winter again. This is the time of year Jun hates the most, partly because of the weather and partly because... well, while most people see snow as calming and pure, to her it just reminds her of solitude and loneliness.

In SEES, knowing the Shadows lurked, and after October... that's the last thing Jun wants. So that's why she's coming into the hospital today with the usual bag, barely getting a glance from the nurses who are already fairly familiar with her face. She easily finds the door she's gone through countless times since then, noticing one of the doctors have already pushed over a chair for her. Maybe it wasn't a good sign that the staff was so familiar with her by now, but... Jun doesn't really give a fuck, settling into the chair.]

Good morning, Shinji.

[It's become a habit to talk to his quiet face, even if she never gets any response.]

It's gotten really cold outside, you know? At least everyone's smart enough to bundle up. Even Akihiko-senpai! He and Haruka are doing really well, you know.

[She digs in her bag, coming out with a couple of folded cranes.]

Hope you're not getting tired of these. Yeah, it's probably childish to keep folding them, but I've got spare time between training and studying, so I thought it'd be nice.

[And up they go with their mates on the wall there. She lingers on them for a moment, sighing. She withdraws the third crane, her cheeriness falling aside as she crushes it in her hands absent-mindedly.]

I'm sorry it's been a little while. The Shadows are getting harder to fight and Minato-kun insists on keeping us in good condition. Plus Mitsuru-senpai is on all of us to study, and Akihiko-senpai seems to personally want to make sure I'm doing okay.

[Silence.]

...Please, come back soon. I miss you.

Comments

[fatalend]

Huh??

[this isn't the kind of news he was asking about! And since when is Aki bright enough to get a girlfriend?! ....But somehow, he resists the urge to go full on girl talk. I-It's not like that's so interesting or anything!!

Cough.]

No kidding... sounds like you've all got it taken care of.

[reaper_of_fortune]

[Well, maybe not that's what you asked, but that's kind of major and important! Gosh!]

Besides that, he's been eating the same and fighting as well as ever, but... we've still struggled against the Shadows.

[How much, she won't say, but one of her hands goes up to instinctively rub at her shoulder under her jacket.]

[fatalend]

[?]

Something wrong with your shoulder?

[reaper_of_fortune]

No, it's fine.

[You were never good at lying, Jun. Plan B, change the subject! Quick, before he asks further!]

How are you feeling? Besides the headache, I mean...

[Because being in a coma for months has gotta suck.]

[fatalend]

[Don't lie, now you're going to make him fret.]

I don't know. Maybe we oughta get the nurse.

[reaper_of_fortune]

[Ackkkk you know the nurse will probably throw her out, right? This is the first time you've been awake for months! ...But she can't really tell if you're just trying to get her to spill or actually mean that, so she'll go the safe route.]

I... can get her, if you need me to.

[fatalend]

... She doesn't know you're here, does she.

[reaper_of_fortune]

...No, not yet. No one's technically supposed to be here in your room anyway...

[fatalend]

Alright, relax. I'll be fine.

[reaper_of_fortune]

[She exhales a bit, smiling sheepishly. She is a little worried but, hell, if you say you're okay, then she trusts you! And that's not just because she might freak if she gets tossed out.

After a moment, Jun bites her lip, then pushes the sleeve up on her shoulder a bit to reveal some... fairly heavy bandaging. Not enough to suggest it was nearly ripped off or anything, but it probably doesn't look good under that slightly red-tinted-white.]

[fatalend]

[Ouch. Worse than he thought.]

I hope you're taking a break with that...

[reaper_of_fortune]

Of course.

[She pulls her sleeve back down and goes back to hold Shinji's hand with both of hers.]

They wouldn't let me come along even when I asked.

[fatalend]

[No wonder she had so much time to visit him. It must've been tough being left at the dorm alone.]

[reaper_of_fortune]

[If only you knew.]

...What do you want to do?

[It's... a selfish question, she knows, but she can't help but ask it.]

When you're well enough that they release you... are you going to come back?

[fatalend]

... To be honest, I don't know if I can.

[What about Ken? He thinks.]

[reaper_of_fortune]

Because of Ken-kun?

[She smiles now, if only a little.]

I don't think he'd mind it at all.

[fatalend]

Oh. Tch...

I guess a lot's changed while I was out.

[reaper_of_fortune]

It has. With... most of us.

We've all had time to think about things... or things to think about. It's changed a lot in us.

...I don't have Hilaeira anymore, for instance.

[fatalend]

What?

[So awkward, to be out of the loop.]

[reaper_of_fortune]

She evolved into Hephaestus.

Some of us had our Persona change like that. Ken-kun, Akihko-senpai...

[fatalend]

That can happen?

[reaper_of_fortune]

Yeah. It seems so.

[She'd summon Hephaestus to show you, but... yeah.]

[fatalend]

[ After a long time catching up with Shinjiro, a nurse eventually caught on and sent Jun home.]