Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter 1: Different 

If Yosuke Hanamura could describe his life in one word, that word would be adequate. After everything that happened in Inaba, Yosuke somehow managed to pull it together and graduate from high school with decent grades. Even at twenty-two, still working the same job he had in high school, he was earning quite a bit - At least enough for him to move out of his parent’s house. With Teddie being practically adopted into his family with no problems, it meant that his parents didn’t care all that much when Yosuke really did move out.

But he had a girlfriend.

Labrys was more than he could ever ask her, and she visited him every weekend. Yu Narukami, his best friend that was more like a brother, couldn't visit Chie or Yukiko more than once every two months and they were dating. Somehow, much to Yosuke’s dismay, the bastard - And Yosuke didn’t mean that literally - had managed to get two cute girls to date him. But Yosuke was more than happy with Labrys. 

This was why as she stood in his doorway, shattering his heart in a million pieces with a single line, Yosuke couldn’t help but feel like the world hated him for some weird reason.

“I wanna break up wit’ yuh, Yosuke.”

“Huh?! Why? Why?!” 

“ Your pull-out game is weak. Right? And yuh french kiss to often. Yuh got me so fahr?.. I love anudder man mawh than yuh,” Labrys explained, flicking her hair backwards. “Dat dick is small. Yuh got me so fahr? Like really small. Okay? Five inches ain't enough tuh satisfy me. Ya' dig?” 

“B-but five inches was enough to please Chie!!” Yosuke yelled at Labrys. Before Chie had confessed her feelings to Yu, she had been an item with Yosuke. While it stung when she said she didn’t like him anymore, at least she was happier with Yu. That was the only positive outcome from their relationship, even if Chie and Yosuke tried to avoid each other from then on out as much as they could.         

“That's de ting. Ya' dig? I'm an android. Ya' dig? I need mawh than five inches, and yuh aren't providin' de goods I seek. Ya' dig?”

“ STOP SAYING YA DIG!!!” Yosuke snapped at her. This wasn’t happening. Yosuke was convinced that he was in a dream as he pinched himself. But his reality remained the same, much to his disappointment. “Did I do something wrong? Labrys, we’ve dated for over two years - It’s nearly our fifth anniversary. Who’s the bastard you’ve decided you like more than me now?” 

“Yu Narukami.”

“Eh?” Yosuke blinked at Labrys, who was chewing gum as she blew a bubble and popped it right in front of his face. “Yu? But why would he… why would you… hold on, none of this makes any sense-,”

“Yu made me orgasm mawh than yuh evuh did. Yuh got me so fahr? D'ja know I faked all of my orgasms, or what? Also, I've been cheatin' on yuh since basically de start of our relationship, I can't believe yuh nevuh noticed dat. Remembuh when it was your birthday last year and I 'came'? It was ackshully Yu's semen from when he piped me in your toilet while everyone was singin' yuh happy birthday.” Labrys told him, shattering his mental state even further. 

“You-, you-,”

“I wanna marry Yu now. Bye, Yosuke.” 

And with that, Labrys walked out of his life. Yosuke could only stand at his doorway with a confused look on his face. Labrys was his… he closed his door as he went to sit down on his couch. Sitting on his living room table was a small box, one with a ring inside. Yosuke was going to propose to Labrys. Yosuke was going to invite her for a dinner and they’d watch a movie together, they’d then go for a walk near the Samegawa Flood Plain, and that’s where Yosuke was going to do it.

Yosuke had been saving up for this ring for months.

Hell, Yosuke had even called Rise for advice on what ring to get, and Rise was more than happy to take Yosuke ring shopping. 

“ I’m so glad for you, Yo-kun! You deserve happiness, and I can’t wait to attend your wedding! I’ll even sing a bunch of songs for you, as your friend of course! If only I could find a man…”

Yosuke’s lower lip quivered as he stared at his hands.

They were shaking.

Why was he crying?

Yosuke hadn’t cried in years.

Why did Yu betray him?

He had betrayed Yosuke again. First, it was Chie, now Labrys?

A corner of his mind called for the truth. It demanded Yosuke to get up and search for answers. He rushed to put his shoes on, grabbing the white jacket that he had used for years before he headed out of his apartment and made his way to Dojima’s place. It was only a ten-minute walk, yet those ten minutes were the longest ten minutes Yosuke had ever felt. With each step a myriad of thoughts rung through his mind.

What else has the bastard done to me?

Was he ever really my friend?

Does he hate me? 

Did I misread him hanging out with me as him being my friend?

Is he just another Saki-senpai?

Yu had seen Yosuke at his worst. His shadow. And yet they had fought together, bled together , and the two of them helped to save Inaba together. They conquered a God, they saved Marie and they defeated that bastard Sho Minazuki with everyone else from Tatsumi Port Island!! Was that all nothing? 

It didn’t take much for Ryotaro Dojima to open the door. Perhaps it was the fact that Yosuke had rang the bell more than fifty times, perhaps it was the pure rage on his face or perhaps it was the pure surprise when Ryotaro simply ushered him inside without a single word. Even as Yosuke took off his shoes, he could see that Yu’s uncle had begun to drink whisky early in the evening.

“I’m sorry , Yosuke.” 

“Huh?”

“Yu’s… He’s my nephew . What he did was wrong, and I hope he hasn’t influenced Nanako in that way. Ever since that funny business, he’s been different .  Yu’s not here right now, I think he went to Junes-,” Yosuke thanked the elder man, getting up from his seat as he rushed to the door. Yosuke needed an answer. “Wait! Hanamura! Don’t go there! You have other friends, you shouldn’t rush to him it’ll only cause a fight-,”

“A fight?! You’re damn right I want a fight!!” Yosuke screamed at the police detective. “He was-, he’s supposed to be my-, why him?! Not once, but fucking twice!! And you expect me to just take this and leave it?!” Yosuke watched as Ryotaro sighed, throwing his hands up in the air.

“You aren’t in the right frame of mind. But if you want to go, be my guest. My nephew deserves to learn a lesson, but who says you can be the one to deliver that? Yosuke, just take a look at you. A good honest look. Do you think you have the guts to stand up to a friend? To your best friend? ”

“I-,”

…

Without saying another word, Yosuke slipped his shoes back on and started to run to Junes as fast as his legs could take him. He couldn’t miss him. There was no way that Yosuke was going to miss him!! Even if it killed him, Yosuke Hanamura was going to get the answers that he deserved! He had dated Labrys for close to five years! This was a joke, that must be it!!

But even as Yosuke arrived at Junes, he watched as Yu smashed his lips against Labrys and all hope was lost. With Chie and Yukiko watching from the sidelines, both giggling as the worst of his fears was realised. Yosuke fell to the floor, ignoring the pain in his knees as he simply closed his eyes, waiting to be woken up. And yet nothing happened. No one helped him.

He was all alone.

“Yosuke? You good there, buddy?”

Yosuke opened his eyes to see Yu staring at him, the same unreadable expression on his face as always. Labrys was plain ignoring him, but Yukiko and Chie looked downright uncomfortable at the situation - That or they simply just didn’t want to look at Yosuke’s pitiful face. He couldn’t decide which of the two was worse, that his friends knew about this and didn’t tell him or that they decided to hide it from him and play along with it because him being unaware was funny to them.

“You steal my girlfriend from me and you ask if I’m good?!” Yosuke yelled at Yu, his ‘ best friend.’ It made him want to spit on the floor beneath his feet.

“I didn’t steal anything. She was never your girlfriend in the first place, she was mine.”

It was at that moment when Yosuke lost all control and flung himself at Yu, aiming for whatever he could try and punch and kick. And Yosuke failed, even with tears running down his face, Yosuke failed. Yu’s one and only punch to the face knocked him flat on his ass, gave him a bloody nose and was making his head spin. 

“ I thought we were friends!!”

“Friends? With you? Get a grip, Yosuke,” Yu dramatically turned around, wrapping his arms around all three girls and flashing him a grin. “You scare all the hoes away. As if I could ever be friends with a prick like you. Look at you. You couldn’t protect the woman the claimed to love. Do me a favour and scram, you’re an eyesore.” And with that, Yu started to walk away.

It infuriated Yosuke to no end, especially as he shakily got up and tried to go after him.

He wasn’t going to lose.

Yosuke Hanamura wasn’t going to-,

“Easy boy!” Two arms dragged him away from Yu before he could punch that smug bastard in the face. Yosuke turned around to see both Kanji and Naoto staring at him sadly. “Listen, you can’t beat Yu. Not with how you currently are.” Kanji told him, glaring at Yu in the process. “I get it, I want to smash his face in as well. But there is a time and a place, Yosuke-senpai!”

“I agree with Kanji’s judgement,” Naoto agreed. “Narukami’s actions are beyond unforgivable. I truly am sorry, Yosuke. Out of all of us, you deserved better. But please, as your friend, forget about him. Please.”

“H-how can I? How can I…” Yosuke tried to wipe away the tears, but they kept falling no matter what.” Why me? Why did it have to be me?” Kanji patted his back slowly, staring at the floor in anger as Naoto tried to wipe away his tears. “I loved her. Why’d she take him? Why’d Chie love him more than me? Why’d Labrys love him more than me? What did I do?”

“Nothing, Yosuke. Nothing. It’s not your fault.”

“I mean I know Chie doesn’t like sausage. We dated for a year, and there was no sex. So why the hell is she with Narukami? And even more than that, why on God’s name is the cardboard box-, Yukiko dating him?!” Yosuke watched as Naoto sighed, stepping to the side as Kanji smiled at him.

“Sorry Yosuke-senpai, but this is going to hurt.”

“What do you-,”

Whack.

Chapter 1.5 - Crime

“Huh?” Yosuke was shocked as he drank another can of beer. It was Italian. Peroni. Yosuke’s favourite beer to drink. “What do you mean Narukami tried to get with you? Like, sexually?” Naoto nodded at that, and Yosuke watched as Kanji squeezed her hand reassuringly. “Oh man, that’s fucked. I mean I get, he’s the protagonist and shit, but damn what a fucked thing to do to a friend.”

“It wasn’t just once…”

Yosuke took another big gulp out of his drink, slamming the can on his table loudly.

“ Izanami fucking damnit. And here I thought I was bad for making lewd jokes and getting kicked in the balls multiple times. You know, I shared a hotel room with him once. He just doesn’t stop having sex? Ever since we beat Izanami, he’s been acting like a douche. I wondered what Chie was like, with her obsession with meat I thought she’d have a meaty pussy but after this? I don’t even want to imagine she’s absolutely a closeted lesbian. It went on for hours. From like ten PM to five in the fucking morning. Over and over.” 

“Yosuke-senpai, I’m very sorry for what happened,” Kanji told him, drinking his own beer. “You and Labrys seemed so happy as well. Like you said, ever since we beat Izanami, it’s like Yu-, Narukami became a different person entirely. Maybe this was who he really was underneath all this.”

“Yeah… You know I first lost my virginity to Labrys in Narukami’s room? He was making food for us and I fucked her. He hi-fived me for that. And then it turns out he was fucking her all along in his room as well, as well as fucking her on my birthday so I guess we are even,” Yosuke sighed at that. “Man. Turns out I couldn’t protect anything. What a fucking cunt. Who knew after all these years? I suppose even if he has a Persona, he’s just the worst-sona.”

“That sounds like a stolen line.”

“There are no original ideas anymore, Naoto. I mean just look at your spin-off manga, but that’s beside the point!” Yosuke cleared his throat as he opened another can of Peroni. “It’s just. Sad. Rise already called me five-hundred times telling me to torch his house, but that’s arson I think.”

“It is arson.”

Yosuke stared at Naoto, who was sipping on her coke slowly.

“How many years do you get for arson?”

“If you aren’t caught… zero.”

“Ha. Hahahaha,” Yosuke found himself laughing, “That’s a good one Naoto. Please, as if I would ever commit arson?”

Chapter 2 - Punishment

“One account of the destruction of property, one account of vandalism, one account of disorderly conduct, multiple accounts of extreme negligence, reckless evading, indecent exposure, assault, third-degree manslaughter, parking illegally, second-degree manslaughter and evading your taxes,” The judge stared at Yosuke harshly. “Hanamura Yosuke, how do you plead?”

“Objection!!” Slamming her hands against their desk, Yosuke watched as Rise who was wearing a Gucci suit with glass high-heels and a tiara on her head pointed her index finger at the balding judge. “My client did none of those things. All he did was give a squirrel a cigarette, how can my client be blamed for that squirrel an hour later burning down the Dojima residence, as well as the local area? As I said before, Yo-kun here is innocent! Our justice system is a sham! I’ll tell you what, if you acquit him of all charges I’ll make my Only Fans free for the weekend!”

“Hanamura Yosuke, congratulations. You’re a free man.”

“H-hold on!” The jury tried protesting. Yosuke sighed as he glared at them, they were quite literally a bunch of NPCs. “He’s a pervert! And he’s made sexual jokes before! Don’t you think he should be punished for that?”

“Er,” The judge stroked his chin deep in thought. “Right. Hanamura Yosuke, for that I sentence you to one hundred hours of community service working at Junes!”

“FUUUUUUUUUUUCK-,”

Chapter 2.22 - I am [really] alone

Yosuke was bored.

To say that he wasn’t reading One Piece at work was a lie. Ever since Labrys had broken up with him and he had been sentenced to do community service at Junes, Yosuke had somehow become an otaku. Rise had thankfully given him a bunch of money for free, saying it was a gift, but that didn’t change the fact that Yosuke spent most of the money on rent, alcohol, One Piece manga volumes and dating simulators. 

Still, he was the only one working in Junes currently.

His parents had taken Teddie to America.

They never took him to America.

That was until the doors opened.

“Customers! Oh hey, Chie, how can I help you today-, Narukami,” Yosuke’s grin dropped right away as he saw his silver-haired ex-best friend wave at him awkwardly. “How can I help you today? Do you need a rope to hang yourself?”

“Uh… I think Yu needs new glasses. Maybe contacts would look good on him, what do you think?”

Yosuke nodded with that assessment.

“I agree. With his grey eyes, you can see how soulless he really is by railing my girlfriend for years! Maybe he should get red contact lenses, it would fit him since he’s devi’s reincarnate and all.”

Chie frowned at that.

“That’s mean.”

“Chie. If you don’t shut the fuck up and keep walking, I will do what Adachi did but way fucking worse.” He added an extra smile at the end of that sentence. The customer was always king, that was what his father said, and since every day was a great day at Junes he couldn’t let his customers down. 

“O…kay. I think we’ll come back another day.”

Yosuke waved goodbye to the two of them.

“Please, never come back.”

Chapter 3 - The Therapist

“Yosuke Hanamura. A pleasure to finally meet you, I’m Takuto Maruki. I’m only five years older than you, placing me at twenty-seven, but I assure you I’m a good therapist! Please, sit down.” In Yosuke’s eyes, Maruki looked like a little bitch. If he was being honest, he sort of saw this coming. Why wouldn’t Naoto, Kanji, Rise and Marie force him to go to therapy? Especially after all the attempted murder attempts on Narukami. 

And the one on Nanako.

Ha. I’ll be sure to tell Nanako that the window is a portal to Fortnite next time.

“Er, yeah. That’s me. Nice to meet you as well.”

Yosuke sat down in the man’s dingy office. It smelt of old papers, juice cartons and for some odd reason weed. 

“I see you’ve been waiting for this session for a few months, why’d it take you so long to come here?” Maruki asked him.

“I suppose it was because my crippling gambling addiction really did suck me dry. After my community service ended and my dad fired me, I turned to gambling to make money where I lost my apartment and now I’m living with my friend here in Tokyo since no place in Inaba wanted to take me. Something about convicted felons being a danger to society. Bullshit I tell you!”

Maruki nodded at that.

“Bullshit indeed. Well, I’m glad you could make it to our session today. Therapy is an important step in one’s journey to becoming their true self. You’ve started a new journey today, so you should be proud of yourself,” It was then that Maruki got a small bag filled with white powder out from under his desk and opened the packet before dumping the contents on his desk. Using his metal ruler he neatly divided the power into smaller portions and began snorting it. “Today’s lesson: The power of self-medication.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s-,”

“I’ll be prescribing you these medicines ,” Maruki passed Yosuke a handwritten note. “Weed to start your mornings off, cocaine as a lunchtime stimulant and ketamine to finish your day off. It’s highly effective, trust me. I have a girl named Sumire doped up on these to the point she’s convinced she’s her dead sister. It’s the funniest shit ever, honestly.” 

“Where would I even get these?” Yosuke asked, rubbing his temples anxiously. How was he going to explain this to Rise? The worst she did was pop pills and drink alcohol while on tour. 

“I know a guy. Anyways, don’t you think our life is fucked? Like so much bullshit happens to us for no reason. As humans, we can’t protect anything that we hold dear, that’s just the nature of life. Didn’t you say your girlfriend cheated on you?” Yosuke nodded at that. “That’s rough. My girlfriend forgot I existed. Dumb whore. I’m thinking of like changing the world for her, but I don’t know. I do like snorting cocaine a lot more.”

“Fair enough,” Yosuke told him. “I have a sensitive nose, so I think I’ll pass on the drugs.” 

“Pussy. It helps, but do you know what else helps?” Yosuke blinked in surprise as Maruki pulled out a pistol with a silencer attached to it on the end from his drawer. “Using a gun to alleviate your stress. Spanking your meat also works, but this is better.”

“Really?” Yosuke was very hopeful at that.

“What, want to give it a go?”

“Well, er, you see after my girlfriend…” Yosuke sighed as he stared at the floor in shame. “I can’t get it up. Apparently, trauma does that to you. Who knew .”

“Fuck, I didn’t know that either ,” Maruki said as he snorted another line of mysterious white powder. “How about this, you need a job and I’m looking to do some aggressive expansion . You work for me and maybe bag a couple of clients, and maybe you’ll get your dick hard again. In return, I’ll say to your friends that you don’t need therapy but that you’re a good therapist yourself. Maybe in the process, you’ll find other people you want to protect and love.”

“Don’t I need to be qualified to do that?”

“Nonsense lad, this magical powder right here is all the qualifications I need and I’m doing just fine.”

Chapter 3.69 - The first client

“Haru… Haru… What was your name again?” Yosuke found himself asking. He was wearing a white lab coat with his old glass from back when he entered the TV World along with beige cargo trousers, a Nami in her bikini t-shirt and white trainers. 

“Haru Okumura.”

“Right. Harry, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“It’s Haru.”

“I don’t give a flying fuck. I can’t believe your school hired Maruki and me, what fucking idiots. He’s high on the job practically every day and I stare at our clients with weird sexual fantasies of them in my head because I’m a lonely incel. Anyways, what brings you to our den of cheap drugs and alcohol?”

Haru stared at Yosuke with a shocked expression on her face, before a small smile started to grow.

“Drugs? I’ll have you know I can grow some good pot.”

Yosuke smiled brightly at that. Maybe Maruki would appreciate the early birthday present since Yosuke didn’t smoke.

“Haruka, I believe you do not need therapy anymore. I’d be glad to take some molly from your hands.”

“ It’s Haru.”

“You’re forgettable.”

Chapter 4 - The Cafe

“Oi! Old man, give me another whisky on the rocks!”

“Sir, this is a cafe-,”

“DO I CARE?!” Yosuke slurred out, slamming his glass on the counter. Leblanc was a tiny cafe in the middle of Tokyo, or somewhere in Tokyo. Yosuke was too drunk to remember where. “Phantom Thieves this, Phantom Thieves that. Who cares? You changed the heart of some discord-mod Olympic medalist who probably can afford the best lawyer known to man and is going to get Scott free. Scott. Who the fuck is Scott?”

“I cannot in good conscience give you more alcohol-,”

“Fuck off gramps!” Yosuke flipped off the man, who sighed as he prepared Yosuke another whisky on the rocks. Yosuke then turned around to face the black-haired boy with glasses that were sitting on the table behind him with two blondes and a cat. Was the cat speaking normally, or was Yosuke that drunk? “Hey. You go Shujin, right?”

“You’re Maruki’s associate.” The black-haired boy pointed out.

“For real?!” The blonde-haired boy pointed out.

“Yes. Don’t you recognise him? Yosuke Hanamura, right? I’m Ann.” The blonde-haired girl shook his hand. Her hand was soft. She was also very hot. But she was also a student, and unlike that bastard Narukami he wasn’t going to fuck an underage girl. Probably. Not that Narukami did that, but he seems like the bastard to do that.

“Yeah. You frequent this place often?”

“I’m Ren, and yeah, I live here.” 

“Ryuji. Ren’s my brother.”

“Really? Fuck . I had a brother once but he stole both of my girlfriends, got me arrested and now my best friend is a therapist whose addicted to hardcore drugs. Fuck . Life’s really shit.”

“Don’t you think life will change?” The cat asked him.

“Huh? Life won’t change.”

Why were the kids looking at him like he had grown a second head? He was just responding to a question. Eugh. “Oi! Old man! Where the fuck is my alcohol? I’m paying money here for this!” 

“Right away sir,” The old man passed him another whisky on the rocks, and Yosuke grinned as he felt the liquid enter his mouth. 

“Hits the spot. Is this Jack Daniels?”

“Of course.”

“Whey. Do you mind if I buy a round of shots for the kids?”

“They are underage-,”

“And I can summon my soul in a TV, hurry the fuck up or else I’ll sue this place or some shit. Rise’s a damn good lawyer .” Yosuke watched as the three teenagers each poured a small shot of vodka and drank it. Ren predictably wanted to vomit, while Ann actually did vomit. Ryuji was the only one who held his alcohol and smirked at his empty shot. He would likely be an alcoholic when he grew up.

He’s just like me.

“Ryuji! Tomorrow I want you to come and find me in school when you are free! Or just bunk your lessons, and I’ll write you a note! I have some interesting things to show you!” Yosuke yelled, finishing off his drink before paying his tab.

“For real?”

“Yep!”

Chapter 4.9999999 - Drunk on the job

“For real? Oh man, compared to our trips to the Metaverse you had a way worse experience. Facing your inner shadows? That’s friggin’ messed up.” Ryuji told Yosuke, sipping on some Captain Morgan’s Spiced GOLD rum served with coke. Yosuke had come to a realisation that their ‘therapy’ consisted of Maruki getting his students doped up on drugs or Yosuke getting drunk with the students.

And somehow it was working.

“Not as fucked as your teacher being a perv. I mean we had a weird teacher, but he was annoying more than a creep. Then he died. Le rip to King Moron. I miss that bastard,” Yosuke drank to the one teacher that was convinced Yosuke was going to end up a rapist like the rest of the ‘city boys.’ It was sorta fucked that Adachi killed King Moron. Yosuke thought that he’d at least go for someone that would make the headlines a little bit, but no.

It was King Moron.

Yosuke and the rest of his friends couldn’t protect everyone. But Yosuke was even worse off. He couldn’t protect Labrys from Narukami acting more and more like an asshole. Why did Labrys really go with him? Something wasn’t adding up, but Yosuke was too drunk to think about it any longer as he drank more alcohol.

“Damn. We couldn’t kill that bastard Kamoshida, but we don’t wanna kill anyone. That’s bad.” Ryuji told him.

“And illegal.”

Ryuji nodded to that.

“Very illegal. Anyways, Captain Kidd is a cool Persona. What did you say yours was again?”

“Takehaya Susano-o.”

“Damn. That’s a cool name.”

“Yeah. You want more alcohol?”

Ryuji’s smile could have melted even the coldest of hearts. 

“Sure.”

But before Yosuke could pour Ryuji some alcohol, Maruki rushed into the room with a frenzied look on his face as well as a joint stuck between his lips. Ryuji was surprised but welcomed the man. Yosuke had seen them smoke a joint together once, and it made Yosuke happy to see that the blonde-haired boy was slowly opening up and laughing more.

“Yosuke! Fuck! Have you seen my bag of coke?”

“No. Why?”

“Kawamommy is asking for some. And also to fuck. Yosuke, I can’t bottle this! You know how hot Kawamommy is! I’m not going to lose her to some snot-nosed brat called Ren ! Hurry the fuck up and help me find some drugs!” Yosuke nodded at that. Even he had to admit that Sadayo Kawakami was extremely fucking hot. Sadly, even if she nearly cured his erectile dysfunction, apparently Yosuke was too ‘young’ for her.

But a second-year student was game somehow .

Ryuji grinned at Maruki as he pulled out a bag of coke from his own jacket.

“Here ya’ go. I got it fresh, but you need it more than I do. Good luck, Maruki! Go balls deep, man!” 

“Ryuji, if you were a woman I would make love with you right now!” Maruki yelled excitedly as he grabbed the bag and ran out of the room with a stupid grin on his face. Yosuke gulped the rest of his alcohol bitterly.

“Fuck. When am I going to find a girlfriend again? It’s been five months since I left Inaba! And now apparently some cyber-terrorist organisation is going to crash the economy. Ey, Ryuji, do you know how long you have left until you change their hearts?”

“Oh, that? We finished it yesterday. But Ren and Ann are ‘out right now’ which means she’s getting creampied. I sorta had a crush on her. I’m happy for Ren, I really am, but Ann? Man, I’m sad now.”

“What about Makoto?”

“She’s into BDSM.”

“True. But, I have a lot of experiences with my best friend at the time taking the girls that I liked. Dude, just do it before you lose Makoto as well!” Ryuji hummed at that, and Yosuke could see that he was thinking about it. “And I know my predecessor had this same issue. Door-kun cucked Junpei as well. Hell, instead of saving Chidori, Door-kun decided to fuck Mitsuru in front of Shinji’s grave apparently. Maybe that’s why Junpei killed himself last year. Or maybe it was the meth . At least Door-kun left Yukari alone.”

“Meth kills you?” Ryuji asked in surprise.

“Oh yes . Apparently, Junpei was using the same needles that Aigis uses to pump herself with gasoline, that fucking retard.  Do you want to know what else kills you? Getting pushed in the TV. Please don’t let that happen to you or your friends.”

“I see,” Ryuji sighed as he stared at the door. “Want to watch Maruki and Kawamommy fuck?”

“Dude that’s so wrong. Want to fake film it and manipulate her into giving us a lap dance before telling her it was a joke?”

“Yosuke, that was the greatest idea I’ve ever fucking heard.”

Chapter 4.69/0 - Yosuke gets a boner again

“Oh Izanami, why the hell are you so hot?!”

“Mmmh, you like it?” Kawakami winked at Yosuke suggestively, taking off her lacey black bra to reveal her perfect perky breasts. “I thought you had ED. Why’s the bulge in your pants growing ?” Yosuke turned to look down and was surprised, it was the first time in months that it had worked properly. A grin started to form on Yosuke’s face as he turned to look at Kawakami who was looking at him with a suggestive look on her face.

“You want to fuck?”

“This will be a one-time thing, Yosuke. I’m going to start dating Ren next week after all. But since you introduced me to Maruki, give me free alcohol and help me out with my stress we’ll do it as friends. Oh, and after this, our debt is clear, alright?!” Kawakami smashed her lips to Yosuke, and for a second, he thought he had died and gone to heaven.

Yosuke was going to make her sing.

Chapter 5 - Rise Rise and Goro-kun

Yosuke watched as Rise Kujikawa crushed a bunch of pills and mixed them with her orange juice before drinking it all. While Maruki was arguably a close friend, maybe even best friend, Rise was the person he was the closest to. Kanji and Naoto still tried to keep up with him, but they didn’t live in Tokyo. The same could be said for Marie, although she was calling him more often. 

Rise was like Yosuke’s sister.

“Yo-kun, these pills were shit. Tell Maruki to give me a better supply or I’ll have his balls on a fucking plate served with his eyelids!!” Rise yelled angrily, throwing her empty mug across the room. “What the fuck are you even doing?!”

Yosuke grinned as he took out his Yorkshire puddings from the oven and fed it to his mug. It was a Homer Simpson with his mouth open to hold food. Yosuke giggled as his food was placed right below his whisky and coke. 

“Rise, I think I’m finally over Labrys. Maybe I couldn’t protect her, but I won’t lie to you, coming to Tokyo with you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I have more people I want to protect from assholes like Adachi and Narukami. Anyways, everyone I know is going to Hawaii for a few days. Fucking Ryuji making me take care of some cat,” Yosuke pointed to Mona who sat on their couch staring at them with a weird expression on their face. “You want some weed, pussycat? Cough up the fucking money. This Zaza ain’t cheap!” 

“Oh please, as if I’d do drugs. You’re pathetic , you know. I can’t believe there were other Persona users, but what’s even worse is that they are you.”

“Oi,” Yosuke defended himself as he rolled a joint for Rise. Getting to know Maruki made Yosuke very proficient in rolling it up, as well as using a grinder since Maruki couldn’t roll to save his life. “All Persona users are fucked up. We got off fine, well not me. SEES lost two of their members, Ken’s a teen with a massive porn addiction that Maruki and I are trying to treat by converting him into a femboy twink who fucks his dog, Akihiko’s a workaholic, Mitsuru loves to play hard to get, and Fuuka is somehow fine with fucking her Persona.”

“You forgot about Aigis and Yukari.”

Yosuke rolled his eyes at Rise.

“C’mon. Aigis is a prostitute on the side like her sister and Yukari is actually a really hot actor. No like seriously, do you think if I ask her out on a date she’ll accept?” Rise coughed at that.

“Do you think anyone would want to go out with a bozo like you? Yosuke, I live with you. I know all your disgusting habits. Who the fuck drinks alcohol as soon as they wake up? What are you, autistic?”

“Maruki said I’m a functioning alcoholic.”

“ That’s not any better.”

“Oh wait. Ryuji’s calling me,” Yosuke answered the phone. “Yo! Ryuji! What’s up, how’s Hawaii?!”

“Makoto started to peg me and I came instantly.” 

“ Wow.”

“Oh. She wants to start round two . Dude, thanks for your advice! You seriously rock! Yosuke, you are literally like the brother I never had!” Yosuke grinned at that, taking a bite from his Yorkshire puddings. 

“No problem. I had a little brother once but he died at birth or some shit. What a fucking weakling, as if I could be related to a bitch who died before reaching their first birthday. Oh and Teddie. But that piece of shit wankstain sided with Narukami!! Narukami… That was my other brother, what a bastard! And now my parents have basically disowned me, or maybe it’s because I avoid their calls, and made Teddie the family heir or some shit. I swear. Ryuji, at least you’re better than that fucking backstabbing cunt Narukami!”

“Heh, no problemo! Thanks, Yosuke!” Ryuji then hung up as Yosuke poured himself another glass of whisky. Ryuji was a reliable young guy. Yosuke was proud to have mentored him. 

“I can’t believe you’ve ruined Ryuji as well. ” Mona sighed.

“Your ‘leader’ is not only fucking Lady Ann right now - And best believe me she’s being filled like a jelly doughnut - But Kawamommy is probably recording it and fingering herself in excitement before Ren gets started on her. I’ve come to a realisation, getting a Persona just results in you becoming a bad person . I mean just look at Adachi for fucks sake!” Yosuke replied, and Rise agreed with him.

“So true. Then Narukami tried to sleep with not only Naoto but me as well! That bastard made me really uncomfortable just because he was fucking Yukiko and Chie at the same time! Rude. I’m not into the idea of a harem. Either we sleep around, get into a relationship or remain friends. There is no fourth option. But apparently, I’m the ‘hoe.’ That bitch.”

Yosuke watched as Mona choked on the air.

“Isn’t he your leader?”

“Was,” Yosuke corrected. “And if you want my advice, start thinking about ditching Ren soon. Just like how Door-kun was corrupted, and so was Narukami - Ren’s next. The curse of being a ‘protagonist’ with the wild card ability, you cuck everyone around you. Genuinely mate, you should go and find a nice girl then settle down with her. Have you seen Ted? If a talking teddy bear can get a girlfriend, so can you.”

For once, Mona didn’t argue back.

Ring. Ring.

“The doorbell! Pizza’s here!” Yosuke yelled excitedly.

“I’m going to kill this joint, so hurry up and answer the door,” Rise yelled at him. “And if you eat a slice of my pizza I will cut your dick and balls off!!”

“Alright, alright,” Yosuke got up from the couch and opened the door. But instead of the pizza man, it was a teenage boy in a grey suit and suitcase. “Who the fuck are you and why the fuck are you at my door?! And where in Chie’s meaty pussy is our fucking pizza?!”

The boy cleared his throat.

“Goro Akechi. A pleasure to meet you-,”

Yosuke slammed the door shut. 

Ring, ring.

Yosuke opened the door once more.

“Sorry, you’ve reached the life-size decoy of Yosuke Hanamura. He’s not currently at home right now-,”

“Your pizza’s here.”

Goro Akechi was holding two pizza boxes and Yosuke grinned at the boy.

“Come in, come in. Sorry about earlier, I thought you were a prostitute or something. Rise doesn’t like male escorts, apparently, they think they are better at sex than they actually are.” 

Akechi laughed nervously.

“I’m a detective.”

“Sweet. I know a detective as well. She’s also dating a six-foot-two guy who loves to knit,” Yosuke explained as he introduced Akechi to Mona and Rise, who had started to snort the lines of coke that Maruki had gotten her. “So, what do you want with us, detective?”

“I would like to know everything you know about the Phantom Thieves.”

“One of them is currently getting pegged by a girl.”

Akechi’s brow twitched.

“I meant names . I have an idea as to who they are which is why I’m coming to you, the Phantom Thieves are criminals you see. I would like to bring them to justice-,”

“Oi, bitch boy,” Rise interjected, throwing Akechi her bong. “Start inhaling or I’ll start stepping on your balls ‘till you piss out blood . Last time I met a detective that started with ‘A’ and ended with ‘achi’ they were a murderer! I don’t want to take any chances with you, so either you get high with us or you will get fucked by our cat and we’ll post the pictures online!” Mona looked scandalised at that, and even Akechi himself turned a little green.

“I see.” Akechi then took the biggest drag from the bong Yosuke had ever seen, and Yosuke found himself smiling as he opened up his pizza box. 

Olives and prosciutto.

Just the way he likes it.

“So, what do you want to really talk about? I’m a therapist you know?”

Akechi scoffed at him.

“Therapy doesn’t work.”

“Try me.”

Chapter 5.005 - Protection

“Maruki… what the fuck do you mean you managed to convince a girl in this school to become a prostitute?!” Kawakami, Ryuji, Akechi and Yosuke sighed as the therapist injected himself with some more heroin. 

“Well, it wasn’t my fault. I blame Mishima and his stupid Phan-site.”

“Why?!” Kawakami demanded, shaking her head. 

“Well after they were helped by the Thieves, they were feeling lonely. I offer them drugs, you know, as I usually do.” Maruki explained as Akechi snorted at the man. 

“Oh yes, because offering underage girls who attend the school you currently work at drugs is such good therapy,” Akechi cut in sarcastically. “Your treatment is revolutionary. I wonder why it isn’t adopted by the medical world at large.”

“Shut up, it worked on you!” Ryuji shouted at Akechi.

“No, it didn’t .”

“To be fair,” Yosuke cut in, ”Ryuji does have a point. You used to murder people to get close to your dad and take revenge on him. What a shit plan. Honestly why the hell are you so edgy? Anyways, you said therapy doesn’t work and now look at you!” Akechi bristled at that, but he didn’t reply as he drank his cup of alcohol in silence. “Anyways. Maruki. How the fuck did you manage to convince Sumire that she was not only Kasumi but also managed to convince her to abandon gymnastics and get pregnant with some random person’s child?!”

“In my defence, I was high .”

“When aren’t you high?! Dude, how the fuck are we going to clean this up?!”

Maruki hummed for a few seconds before his eyes lit up with another incredible idea. His fist met the palm of his hand as Maruki opened his mouth and explained his brand-new plan.

“A back alley abortion, then we fake her death and sell her for money.”

…

“That’s actually demented .” Yosuke sighed.

“For real?”

“I… how are you my colleague? I can’t believe you came inside me. Multiple times.”

“That’s highly illegal and sadistic. Even for me.” 

Maruki sighed, deflating in his seat.

“What do you want me to do then?”

“Do what your job description actually says you do,” Yosuke told Maruki as he drank more alcohol. “Give Kasumi some therapy. I know you like to do hardcore drugs because you can’t handle what happened to Rumi and the fact that your research has gone nowhere, but don’t fail your patients now! At least all my patients have been treated properly! I mean just look at Ryuji!”

Maruki raised his brow at that.

“You mean your protege who’s the bottom in his relationship and enjoys being pegged? Or Akechi, a revenge-obsessed teenage boy? Or should I even mention Haru?! She’s dating a cat. And she sells weed! ” 

“ And you’re patient is convinced she’s her dead sister and is now pregnant at sixteen!!”

“Alright, alright…” Maruki turned to Akechi. “How much would it take for you to kill her?”

Yosuke groaned.

This was going to take a while.

Chapter 6 - Parenthood

“Kasumi! Kasumi! You shouldn’t be drinking, you’re pregnant after all!” Yosuke warned the red-haired teenager. Maruki had managed to use actual therapy on her and admit she wasn’t her sister, but they couldn’t do anything about the baby - not without putting Kasumi at risk. But what was more surprising was the father of the child. Yosuke wasn’t going to lie, he had a big grin on his face when he saw Ren Amamiya, the teenage boy who had lost both Ann and Kawakami because of his impulsive decision-making, take responsibility for the child.

“Y-Yosuke! You’re right! I want Ren and I’s baby to be healthy and strong!”

Ren just glared at Kasumi.

“C’mon,” Yosuke elbowed the boy with a big shit-eating grin on his face. “This is your baby momma. You should treat her more kindly. Anyways, bitch boy, since I’m looking after her and your daughter while Maruki and Kawamommy are having fun together, I’m the adult here. I can’t believe Sojiro basically kicked you out when he found out you impregnated a girl younger than you by a year. Tsk tsk, you wild cards always think you are above the law until the consequences of your actions catch up to you.”

“ You told Sojiro.”

“Consequences of your actions!” Yosuke reminded the boy cheerfully. “Anyways how do you feel now that Ann’s ditched you for Mishima? Imagine your ex-girlfriend is getting fucked by that absolute wet wipe. His tiny penis has probably slipped out from her pussy and she’s put it back in, how do you feel knowing that he’s exploring her body while you’re exploring parenthood? How does it feel Narukami?!”

“I’m not Naru-,”

“ How does it feel for everyone to betray you, Narukami?! Huh? Do you like it now that every one of your friends has ditched you before you could ditch and hurt them, how do you feel knowing that I protected them, Narukami?! Karma’s a bitch, right Narukami?!”

Thwack.

“That’s Ren, dummy!” Kasumi stuck her tongue out at Yosuke. “Who the hell is Narukami?” 

“Probably some ex that ditched him for someone with a bigger dick.” Ren smugly replied, but Yosuke wasn’t going to have it from him of all people. Without hesitation, Yosuke kicked Ren off the couch and threw a pillow at him.

“Shut the fuck up, bitch! Your friends couldn’t give two shits about you anymore! The so-called Phantom Thieves were defeated by an out-of-control libido! You are my little bitch for the weekend while Maruki goes and snorts crack from Kawakami’s tight asshole! Anything Rise or I say you should to you will do it or else we’ll kick you and your ‘wife’ outta here!”

“I ain’t going to be your slave-,”

Crunch.

Yosuke watched as Kasumi stepped on Ren’s balls hard, all with a pleasant smile on her face. Ouch. Yosuke wasn’t going to feel sorry for the kid though, he should have known that you should never cheat on your partner/s. 

“ Dear, don’t act like this. You wouldn’t want our child to end up on the streets would you?”

Yosuke swore that Ren was crying.

“O-of course not.”

Chapter 6.01 - Persona-caption

“And even though the age of marriage in Japan is eighteen years old, I, Masayoshi Shido, temporarily raise it to fifteen for the next five minutes so that Kasumi and Ren can marry!” Shido declared as Akechi aimed a gun at the man’s forehead. Kasumi shrugged her shoulders, and Yosuke had to admit she looked decent in her wedding dress. Her parents had all but abandoned her once they found out she was contributing to the teenage pregnancy statistic.

Ren’s parents had abandoned him a while ago.

Speaking of Ren, he looked so uncomfortable in that suit. Or maybe it was the fact that Kawakami was giving Maruki a lap dance at his wedding, or the fact that Ann and Mishima were french kissing in front of him, or that Makoto had placed a vibrator in Ryuji and was controlling the tempo in public. What was worse was that everyone could hear how loud it was, even without Ryuji’s moans of pleasure. Haru and Mona were the only ones that looked happy for Ren. 

Rise was the Priest, or rather a nun in this case, and she was as high as a kite. She was also set to perform as Risette right after the ceremony as well. Kanji was ensuring that the wedding cake was complete while Naoto stood as a guard. 

Marie had gone as Yosuke’s plus-one, but it was purely platonic.

The other two members of the Phantom Thieves had decided to attend as well. Yorkie Kitagwa was staring at the ceremony dumbfounded, and Yosuke resisted the urge to ask if he was gay or European. Futaba Sakura was only allowed to come to the ceremony because she had snuck out, and also because Akechi had promised everyone that Shido’s torture and death were going to be the grand finale of their wedding.

Something about fireworks and explosions.

Yosuke clapped politely as Kasumi kissed Ren. 

Was the boy whimpering?

“Well, well, well. Who do we have here?” Opening the doors to the venue, Yu Narukami walked in wearing a Hawaiin shirt as well as his three girlfriends all holding hands behind him. “If we are celebrating a marriage, I might as well get married as well! What do you say, partner?” 

Bang.

Shido’s brain splattered against the wall, and even some bits went on Ren who started to freak out much to Kasumi’s sadistic pleasures. That girl had issues. Futaba cheered and Akechi emptied the entire clip inside Shido’s cold corpse, even pressing the trigger despite there being no more bullets. Akechi then reloaded the gun and jumped off the stage, ignoring Ren’s freakout, as he aimed the gun right at Narukami’s head. 

“Listen, you silver-haired cunt. I want three bottles of Bicardi, two bottles of Absolut Vodka and seven barrels of sake and a container large enough to fit a body by the end of the hour. Preferably with gasoline as well. If I don’t get what I want not only will I trigger a mental shutdown on you and your family, but I will sell your little girlfriends behind you into human trafficking, do you understand? ” Akechi threatened calmly.

“You dare? Do you know who I am?!” Narukami yelled loudly. 

“I do,” Akechi replied, pointing at Yosuke. “And that man there is a close friend of mine, more of an older brother that’s a really messed up role model. But he protects us from creeps like you. So shut the fuck up, asshole!!”

“ Wake up to reality!” Huh? “ Yosuke, wake the fuck up!”

Splash.

Instead of Narukami getting his brains blown out, Yosuke woke to Rise half naked holding an empty glass of water. 

“Rise? What do you want?”

“What the fuck are you doing in my bed naked?!”

Huh?

Yosuke looked down and saw that he was indeed in Rise’s bed, naked. 

“Why are there used condoms next to me?” Yosuke found himself asking as he ignored his headache. How much did he have to drink last night? “And why the hell are you half-naked? Not that I’m complaining, but seriously Rise. You might catch a cold.” Rise rolled her eyes at Yosuke.

“Because, you melon, we had sex.”

“Huh? As if I’d fuck a crazy bitch like you who does more drugs than freakin’ Maruki! Get real, Rise! You’re my best friend, more like a sister, not to mention I live with you! I know not to cross that boundary!”

“ Then why the hell did I wake up to your cock rubbing against my ass?!”

“We were probably drunk and had a sleepover. That’s all.”

“Used condoms!!”

“...I wank using condoms. So what?” Yosuke lied. 

This wasn’t happening.

“Yosuke… what if… what if I want you?”

Hard.

‘Little Yosuke’ went rock hard at that statement. 

“Y-you mean it?”

Rise nodded at that.

“ I want you. Now. Forever.”

“Huh? But you're like my sister? Rise, this is wrong-,"

Splash.

“Oi, idiot!” Maruki yelled in his ear loudly. Yosuke woke up to the familiar feeling of Shujin Academy’s walls closing in on him. That and the raging boner Yosuke had wasn’t helping him. Yosuke sighed as he turned to face Maruki who was chewing on gummies, but Yosuke knew exactly what type of ‘gummies’ they were. “You fell asleep and started to moan about Rise. Now I don’t talk about your love life all that much, but really? Her? You could do a lot better.”

“S-shut up!” Yosuke shouted, pouring himself some alcohol right away.

“She’s hot. But she’s also a raging alcoholic, addicted to drugs, a celebrity and a psycho that threatens to stamp on your balls as soon as you do something that upsets her - Which includes just staring at her food!” Yosuke conceded that Maruki was right. 

“I’m just horny .” Yosuke replied.

“Aren’t we all?” Maruki grinned at him. “Anyways, as your best friend, I got a proposal for you. Kawamommy’s getting a bit desperate. So how about this, we double-team her?” Yosuke blinked at him.

“No.”

Labrys. 

Yu. 

Flashes of his old relationship and best friend made him jolt up from the table, ignoring his mug of alcohol as he shook his head. “N-no I can’t. I don’t want to share a girl with anyone ever again. I… I can’t. Anyways, I thought you were dating Kawamommy?!”

Maruki shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s just casual sex. Nothing serious. After Rumi, I don’t think I could ever fall in love again. We were going to get married you know, me and her. Maybe even start a family . But life had to go fuck it up, as well as fuck me up. Both my mental health and my research - It all went down the drain . Here I am, a therapist in a school that does more drugs than helps students fucking a teacher who works here because I’m alone and desperate to feel something. But you - You can still find love. You have time , Yosuke. Don’t squander it.”

Yosuke snorted at that.

“Yeah right. Outside of Kawakami and Rise, every other female I know is either taken, not interested or underage,” Yosuke sighed. “I have trust issues . After everything with Adachi and Saki, and now Narukami, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to date ever again. Maybe that’s why I drink so often. To escape the life that I hate so much, to feel something other than my broken heart. I can’t protect anyone who I care about, not in Inaba at least. Not with Narukami still out there. We were close friends you know? Like brothers. Then he changed, almost as if he was a different person. ”

“Way to get sappy on me you bastard!” Maruki grinned at him, slapping his shoulders. “I haven’t even started on the meth yet! Listen. You’re my best friend. Basically a brother, and I just want to see you happy. I don’t know what happened between you and that Narukami guy you can’t seem to escape, but even if you find happiness here he can’t ruin it. I won’t allow it to happen, and Kawakami will help. Neither will Ryuji or Akechi, two kids that look up to you. Rise and your other old friends would actually murder him if that happened again.” 

“So what do I do now?” Yosuke asked Maruki.

“Take a break. From the alcohol. Hell, even from this city. Explore the country for a bit. Two weeks’ holiday, and if I’m being honest you look like you need it. Seriously dude. Rise?” Yosuke laughed at that.

Even if Narukami had broken his trust.

He had found new friends.

Bonds that were unbreakable. 

And he’d protect them.

Chapter 7 - A Way of Life

Yosuke’s vacation was nearing its end as he reached his last destination, Tatsumi Port Island. It was strange touring the country. It was 2016, nearly 2017, yet Yosuke was still stuck on a flip phone. Even his fashion sense was deeply rooted in the early period of his teenage years, his trusty white coat and orange v-neck shirt paired with black jeans, white trainers and his headphones that were currently blaring music as loudly as he could without disturbing those around him on the train.

City pop.

He hadn’t visited Tatsumi Port Island in years.

Even though Yosuke was a city boy at heart, his years spent in Inaba had made him grow accustomed to the countryside. In the countryside, while he was bored that was when he truly got into music as an art form. Arctic Monkeys and other great British bands were what occupied most of his early days in Inaba. But old city pop was something his mother had instilled in him at a young age.

Even if Yosuke didn’t speak much to his parents anymore, he could still appreciate a good city pop tune that he used to listen to in his youth. His parents were a sore subject for him. They hadn’t reached out not once since he moved to Tokyo after completing his community service at Junes. He didn’t blame them, not entirely. Yosuke had made their lives difficult when they first moved to Junes.

Teddie was an almost blank slate for them.

To build a perfect son.

High grades, a lot more social and way more of a hard worker. Someone that would achieve something in life, aiming way higher than just a manager at a Junes store in Inaba. It stung a little, but Yosuke had made his option. He had left Inaba, he had left them to escape Inaba - The one place that was poisoning him. In all fairness, Yosuke had moved from one circus to another. Maruki had no responsibilities apart from getting high.

Ryuji, a student under Yosuke’s care, had been turned into a functioning alcoholic despite not even being eighteen yet. Yosuke never claimed to be a good influence, but even in Tokyo somehow there were way worse adults than him. Maruki, Rise and Kawakami came to mind. Yet the Phantom Thieves, a group renowned for taking rid of the rotten adults in their world, had somehow been charmed by Yosuke and his craziness.

It was weird.

Yosuke thought he’d be at the top of any list for rotten adults, but he wasn’t. Perhaps it was his honesty and the fact that he cared, despite the way he acted. In that way, perhaps Yosuke wasn’t all that bad.

A bit lost.

But living nonetheless. 

Despite that, Yosuke couldn’t help but think about a girl from his youth. Saki Konishi. It had been years since she had died, and her voice - her smile - was slowly starting to fade away from Yosuke’s mind. He couldn’t even remember what the colour of her eyes was. Perhaps his time with Labrys had clouded his mind, but that didn’t change the fact that Labrys was also slowly fading away from his mind. 

Her betrayal still stung the most.

And why wouldn’t it? 

Yosuke was now twenty-three.

If they were still dating, they would have reached their fifth-year anniversary. 

Yet, Yosuke couldn’t deny the happiness he felt from being away from Labrys. The stupidity that inhabited Maruki’s head, the infectious laughter from Ryuji, Kawakami’s constant sexual urges that made her say funny things, Akechi’s thirst for revenge that reminds Yosuke of a little kid lashing out at the world - Not to mention that idiot Ren Amamiya who was slowly warming his way into Yosuke’s heart.

He was nothing like Naruakmi.

Ren wouldn’t have stolen a girl away from his best friend. Was Ren a horny kid that impregnated a girl at seventeen? Yes. He was a thundering dumbass, but he was also a kid that had been burnt by the world so many times that he was still trying to fight for the goodness of humanity. Trying to fight against the rotten adults in the world while trying to take responsibility for the relationship he had created with Sumire. Narukami would never have done that, and Yosuke knew that.

Adachi’s life and actions didn’t hurt them because he had hurt those close to them all - It was because each and every one of the Investigation Team’s members could have turned out like Adachi. Yosuke was bored of Inaba at first, and if he found himself with Adachi’s power before everything happened - If he knew about the TV world and what it could do… 

Who’s to say Yosuke wouldn’t have pushed someone in just to see what would happen?

Yosuke didn’t have an answer to that question.

Maybe that was a reason why he started to drink more heavily since moving to Tokyo. To occupy his mind with anything other than what he could do. All Yosuke wanted to do was protect, but what if Yosuke wanted to destroy? Yosuke had been burnt by the world, just like Adachi. He had given everything to their society only to be an outcast still, just like Adachi. And much like Adachi, he questioned the value of relationships if all it meant was that people like Narukami would get the chance to hurt Yosuke again. 

Yosuke knew that if Rise caught him thinking like this, she’d slap him five ways to Sunday. Maybe even Tuesday. Perhaps that was why Rise was his best friend. Maruki wouldn’t understand, and neither would Ryuji or anyone else in Tokyo. But Rise was there with him. Kanji and Naoto would also understand, even if they were wrapped up in their own little world - Which was great for them!

Yosuke was happy for his friends.

And Marie had apparently even found someone. Kou Ichijo had begun dating Maire which was a pleasant surprise, Yosuke wasn’t even aware that the two knew each other. He wondered if-,

“Ow!” 

Yosuke wasn’t looking properly as he let go of his bag and it landed on the feet of a random girl. She yelled out in pain as her red eyes met Yosuke’s own brown eyes. She wore an orange blouse, a similar shade to Yosuke’s own shirt, with a red denim jacket and white jeans with black boots. Her long auburn hair that went past her shoulders shined brightly in the sun, and Yosuke could honestly say that he was dumbfounded by how cute the girl actually looked.

“S-sorry about that. I wasn’t looking properly,” Yosuke apologised, pausing his music with a sly grin appearing on his face. “I want to say I was too mesmerised by your beauty, but I’d probably be kicked in the balls, right?” 

“Oh definitely. Eyes up. Unlike my other friends, I might not have the biggest boobs, but they are big enough to make any horn dog like you start barking up and down,” The girl replied, helping Yosuke pick his heavy bag up from off her feet. “Make sure you don’t drop it again, or else you really might break my feet this time.”

“Who says I wasn’t trying?” Yosuke joked.

“If you were, that was a horrible attempt. I’ve been in my fair share of fights to know the difference between people who actively want to kill me and people who want my number. I wonder what category you fall under?” 

“How about the category that asks for your name?” Yosuke asked confidently, strapping his back to his shoulders so it wouldn’t fall again. “Maybe I’ll be more inclined to buy you some food for all the trouble I’ve caused if I could put a name to your face. However good you may look, it’s an ugly personality that turns me away most of the time.”

The woman tilted her head to the right, and Yosuke could see her earphones were linked to a red MP3 played attached to her top. A tube . It must have come out around 2009, at least that’s what Yosuke thought. 

“Is that so? I’ll admit, I wouldn’t mind getting some food. It’s been a while since I’ve been to this city.”

“You a local?”

The woman shook her head.

“Not really. I moved away for a couple of years when I was young and came back to finish my final two years of high school back in 2009. Things happened and I… let’s say I moved away again, this time for good . Everyone I knew and ever loved was taken away from me and here I am, trying to start new. This train’s familiar. I remember when I first came back, I thought I was seeing things with how weird the sky looked.” The woman explained, her red eyes had a familiar look in them.

Nostalgia .

Yosuke recognised that feeling quite well.

“Yosuke Hanamura,” He offered his right hand and grinned at her. “Nice to meet you.”

The woman giggled as she shook his hand.

“ Kotone Shiomi. A pleasure to meet ya’. Are you still down to treat me to some smile burger?”

“Depends on what you are ordering.”

“Two cheeseburgers and some fries. One burger for me, and one for you . That is if you are still down,” Kotone teased him, her smile elating Yosuke to heights he had never really felt before. Not in Inaba. And not even with Saki. “Why come to Tatsumi Port Island? Let me take a guess, you come from some backwater town in the middle of nowhere?”

“Try Tokyo,” Yosuke replied, watching Kotone’s eyes narrow ever so slightly. “I’m a city boy through and through, although I did live in a town for a few years. But it holds a few bad memories for me, so I left it all behind.”

“I see. I understand. I love this city, I really do… but maybe coming here wasn’t such a good decision after all,” Yosuke could see the sadness in Kotone’s eyes. It was brief, and it vanished just as fast as it appeared - but it was there. “Still, I’ve never been to Tokyo. I think you’re one of the first people I’ve met that currently live in Tokyo. Congrats, Hanamura-chan.”

“Yosuke’s fine.” 

“Then you better call me Kotone, Yosuke ,  or else I’ll ditch you.”

“Heh. No problem, Kotone .”

Chapter 7.77 - I am [not] alone

“What?! No way! You do not think that Arctic Monkeys is better than Paramore!” Kotone gasped at him, even despite the fact that they were speaking on the phone. Yosuke had spent his entire time in Tatsumi Port Island with Kotone, and they had even exchanged numbers and hadn’t stopped texting and calling each other daily - Even after September had ended and October rolled around. 

“They are. What can I say? Kotone, your music taste is cool but you haven’t understood real music.”

“Say that again Yosuke and I’ll kick your ass, record the video and send it to your friends!” 

“Eh. Not the least embarrassing thing they’ve ever seen me do.” Yosuke replied as he held his phone to his ear using his shoulder, flipping through the list of students he was going to have to see by the end of today.

“ Oh? Do tell.” Kotone’s voice was amused.

“Well, there was this drag competition…” Yosuke trailed off as he heard Kotone giggle across the line, something that made him smile as he poured himself some orange juice for once. 

“You must have taken photos! Please! Yosuke I’ll do anything to see those photos!”

“Anything?”

“ Get your mind out of the gutter,” Kotone’s playful tone didn’t stop Yosuke from grinning and he knew that she knew that. “Alright! You know how I work at a CD shop, right? Well they want to open a branch in Tokyo. They want to send someone but no one’s volunteered yet. How about this? You promise to show me the pictures of you all dolled up, and I’ll come and stay with you for a week or two in Tokyo.”

“How does this benefit me exactly?” Yosuke replied, kicking his feet up on his desk. 

“You get to see me, your amazing friend!”

“Oh please. Anyone who likes Paramore more than the Arctic Monkeys could never be my friend. Listen up! You may like old city pop, and we both like hip-hop, but your rock tastes need some serious work!” Yosuke told her. “That being said, I don’t mind. If you can come you can stay at my place for however long you want. We got the room.”

“We?”

“Right. I live with my friend from high school. She’s cool.”

“Oh? Do you have a little crush on her?”

“Hell no. Rise’s like my sister. Don’t get me wrong, she’s hot, but she’s also crazy and not my type. Anyways, she’d probably love to have you over since it’s just us two and she always complains that it’s a sausage fest.”

“Alright then. I’ll apply right away. Hopefully, I’ll see you in Tokyo soon!”

“Yeah. Hopefully.”

“Alright Yosuke, I gotta go now. I’ll talk to you soon, yeah?”

“Of course. You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried, Kotone.”

“Good. Bye~!”

“See ya!” 

Yosuke closed his phone as he heard Maruki spin around on his chair to stare at him for what felt like more than an hour. 

“Kotone, huh?”

“She’s just a friend,” Yosuke replied. “Don’t read too much into it.”

“Whatever. Not like I care. Did you know Kawamommy can bend her back like no tomorrow in sex? It’s actually crazy.” Maruki said, passing Yosuke the grinder and papers Maruki kept locked in his drawer. 

“Actually, I can’t roll anymore,” Yosuke told him. “I got a bunch of patients today, and while I’d love to goof off with you, someone’s got to be responsible in this office.” 

“Oh. I see how it is. Kotone’s whipped you into shape!” Maruki teased, much to Yosuke’s embarrassment.

“What? Hell no! Dumbass !”

“Then why aren’t you drinking whisky anymore.”

“ Because while I was away, you drank all of my supply!”

Maruki scratched his head, before coughing.

“Oh. Right.”

Chapter 8 - Goodbye Shido and God(?)

“-and now reporting from the Diet building itself is Masayoshi Shido! Shido, what do you have to say to all the crimes that you’ve been accused of?” Yosuke had to hand it to the Phantom Thieves, they really did know how to do things in style.

“I did all of them,” Shido confessed. “I am a criminal.”

Akechi screamed cathartically in the corner of Leblanc. Yosuke watched as Ryuji and his now girlfriend, Makoto, cheered rather loudly. Ren hugged Sumire, who was visibly starting to look pregnant now. Sojiro shook his head. The old man had come around thanks to Futaba’s insistent, and once Ren had explained everything, the man had let him back in provided he started to work at Leblanc as much as he could - Which Ren responded to easily.

He had even dropped out of Shujin to start saving up money for himself and Sumire, as well as their child on the way. 

“We couldn’t have done it without you, Yosuke.” Ann told him. “You really saved our bacon.”

“Huh? Why?” 

“For real? Dude, you friggin’ saved us,” Ryuji shouted. “After Yaldobaoth was kicking our asses, you were the one that came in with your Persona and fought with us. The Ren did his cool shooty bullet thing.” 

“I concur,” Haru added politely. “If it wasn’t for you we likely would have lost.”

“You simply looked so serene fighting against God, it reminded me of art itself.” Yusuke added to the conversation.

“They’re right, man!” Futaba told him, pushing up her glasses. “You really showed that God how OP you really are! Sealing them away into a small cup and giving it to the man with the long nose? Sick!!” 

Mona nodded. Somehow, the cat had turned into a human. It reminded Yosuke of Teddie, it had been nearly a year since he had last seen him - Nearly a year of being out of Inaba. And finally, it was Akechi that stood up and clapped Yosuke’s back.

“My revenge is complete. And it’s thanks to you inviting me in all those months ago. I… I’ve made many mistakes. But you’ve shown me that my mistakes don’t have to define who I am, that there is a life past my revenge,” Yosuke watched as Akechi bowed his head down to him. “And for that, I owe my life to you. Thank you!! ” 

“J-jeez, no need to make such a big deal out of it,” Yosuke scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. “I was just helping out. Doing my good deed of the year and all. No need to make such a big fuss out of me showing up to tell you guys not to die. You know me and my group had to fight three Gods! You fought one and looked pathetic. I know a bunch of people that sealed away death itself or some shit.”

Ryuji grinned at that.

“But did they look as cool as we did?”

“Well done Ryuji, you’ve won the competition for aesthetics among Persona users. That doesn’t change the fact that I’d curb-stomp all of you with ease.” Yosuke joked.

“Oho?” Ren shook his head at that. “You wanna go?”

“Any time, any place. I’ll show you Phantom Thieves what a real Persona user is like. Hell, I’ll even take you to Inaba and-,” Inaba. Yosuke paused to think. He’d show them around Inaba? Why? Why would he even go back to Inaba? What was left for him there? Just bad memories. All his friends lived outside of Inaba. Kanji and Naoto had moved to a nice apartment together in Sendai. Marie was studying in Kobe, something to do with the science of weather, and Kou had followed her. Rise lived with him, and everyone else was in Tokyo.

Only Kotone was in Tatsumi Port Island, but even then that was about as far away from Inaba as you could get. 

So why would he go back?

“Yosuke? You still there?” Ryuji asked him.

“Yeah. I was just saying, if you want, we could all go to Inaba. See the place where the best Persona users used to live.” Yosuke told them. Inaba was just a place. This past year he had moved past everything. His strength had been found in new bonds, and he wasn’t a broken shell of a person unlike before. He had nothing to prove to anyone in Inaba. Not his parents, and definitely not Yu Narukami!!

“Going to Inaba, huh?” Ren hummed to himself. “Sounds like a nice way to relax. What do you think, Sumire?”

“ Darling, where are you going to get the money to pay for our tickets?” 

Sumire’s smile could melt snow.

“Don’t worry about it,” Yosuke waved off her concerns. “Knowing Rise, she’ll pay for all our expenses. She has excess money. And also knowing her that means a bunch of my old friends are going to come and say hi - other Persona users - so it’ll be a nice get-together.”

“And you can also invite Kotone !” Ryuji added with a smirk.

“And I can also invite Kotone-, Hey, fuck you, man!”

“Heh. Sorry. You didn’t deny it though.”

“Whatever,” Yosuke waved him off. “Just let me know when you want to set up the trip and we can go whenever. Hell, I could probably just say that this is a school trip for ‘mental health’ to the countryside for the students with worse mental health. God knows Maruki wants me out of the office so he can start fucking Kawakami on my desk.” Yosuke watched as the students cringed at that. “What? Don’t want to imagine your teacher getting fucked?”

“To be fair,” Ren started with a sly smirk on his face. “I did rail her-,”

Sumire’s smile shut Ren up right away.

“ I fucked Kawakami,” Yosuke told them proudly. “I can’t remember whose paper it was, but I’m pretty sure I made her cum all over it.”

“NO WONDER MY TEST PAPER WAS SO STICKY WHEN I GOT IT BACK!” Ren yelled accusingly. Yosuke chuckled at that.

“ Oops? ”

Chapter 9 - Hello world!

While Rise had taken everyone in her private limo to Inaba, Yosuke was stuck with going on the train with Kotone. Rise’s teasing was infectious, she was under the impression that they were dating which was as far from the truth as one could get. Still, it gave him more chances to speak with Kotone all alone before she met the crazy gang of people known as the Phantom Thieves and the remaining members of the Investigation Team that he actively spoke to.

Maruki was still in Tokyo, along with Kawakami.

Yosuke had received multiple pictures and videos from his friend.

He didn’t want to open them. 

One of them likely did include him snorting coke from her asshole on top of his desk, and he knew it would only cause Kotone to worry when he would inevitably snap his phone in half.

“Oh, Inaba?” Kotone hummed as her eyes lit up in recognition. “Ah. I went there once. Met a girl called Yukiko, she was two years younger than me. Maybe she was in your year at school?” Yosuke’s mouth went dry at that name.

“Yeah. I know her. Haven’t spoken to her in a while.”

“Fairs. Anyways, I’m excited! You never speak about your time in Inaba! I get it’s a place filled with bad memories, but I’m sure there are some good ones as well. And if anything bad happens - I’ll be here to shield you, got that?” Yosuke snorted at that.

“You’ll protect me?”

“I may be short, but so are you!”

“Oi. I’m five foot nine -,”

“With shoes. Without shoes, you are five foot eight. ”

“Tch. Whatever you say.”

“Aww, don’t be like that Hana-chan!”

Yosuke froze at that nickname. The last person to call him that was Saki. Kotone must have noticed the look on his face as his gaze softened and she rubbed circles on his hand. Yosuke had to admit, he liked being treated this way by Kotone. 

“It’s alright. Like I said, I’ll be there with you. After all, you helped me settle back into Tatsumi Port Island! I can definitely handle a small town like Inaba! You want to protect me, and that’s fine! But I’m going to protect you as well!! ” Kotone folded her arms, and Yosuke had to admit she looked really cute like that.

“Alright. Get your bags, we are here.” Yosuke told her as the familiar town he spent a few years in started to come into view. He hadn’t been back in Inaba in over a year, yet it looked exactly the same. 

“So, where are we going?” 

Yosuke shrugged his shoulders as the two of them got off the train. 

“No idea. I think a friend was supposed to meet us here, but who knows.” Yosuke sighed as he and Kotone waited outside the train station for a few minutes. It was empty, just as he expected. He had hoped Rise hadn’t gotten everyone drunk or high yet, that would certainly leave a bad first impression of them in Kotone’s mind. 

“Hello! Yosuke! Get in!” 

Driving in a silver sports car, Yosuke saw Marie open the doors to her car with a bright smile on her face. Marie looked exactly the same, and Yosuke was glad that she smiled more. 

She deserved it.

But it was Marie’s reaction to Kotone that interest him the most.

“You’re-,”

“ Yeah ,” Kotone nodded sadly. “Don’t worry. Everything is fine. Probably. He’s still holding it all together.”

“Huh? Kotone, you know Marie?”

Kotone giggled at that.

“Not really. But did you forget the first rule of having a Persona, dummy?” Kotone’s eyes were filled with mirth. “Persona users always attract other Persona users like magnets. Don’t you ever forget it!”

“Huh?! You’re from a different universe?!”

Kotone and Yosuke sat at a table all alone in Aiya’s. Everyone else had gone back to the inn, apart from Rise who had managed to convince her grandmother to let him and Kotone stay in their guest room. 

“ Sorta . I became the seal in my world, protecting everyone I ever cared about, but then I woke up here one day after I ‘died.’ No one recognised me or even knew me. So I did the best thing I could, I tried to live my life the best I could. Eventually, I went back to Tatsumi Port Island and that’s how I ran into you. Ever since then, you’ve been a close friend of mine, Yosuke. So thanks .”

“How the hell did we defeat Izanami then? If Gods can’t be defeated, what the hell did we do it? ” Yosuke asked. 

“I don’t know. Maybe your wild card’s stronger than me. But something is definitely up. From what you said, he started to act off only after Izanami was defeated, right? Maybe the truth broke him.”

Yosuke grunted at that.

“Anyway, how’d you know I was a Persona user?”

“The eyes reflect a person’s soul,” Kotone told him as she drank her Fanta Fruit Twist can. “A Persona user’s eyes are truly magnificent to look at. Yours shows the truth you managed to reach out and find, as well as the sadness and happiness that followed after it.”

“Right. And you didn’t say anything because…?”

“Why would I want to spoil the surprise?” Kotone giggled at him. Yosuke sighed, turning to look at Aika who had succeeded in running Aiya’s after her father had fallen seriously ill. 

“Bill please.”

“Nonsense,” Aika waved him off, “It’s been a while since I saw you here, Yosuke. You’re a friend. This one is on the house, but next time I’m doubling your price!” 

“ So I’m still paying for this meal?!” 

Kotone laughed in amusement beside him.

“I’ll pay.”

“Hell no.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” Yosuke pulled out his wallet with a smirk on his face. “A real man never lets a ridiculously cute girl pay for food ever. Not unless they are married.”

“Oh?” Kotone leaned in close, her lips almost touched his own. “And what if we get married? Then would you allow me to pay for our food?”

“M-m- maybe ,” Yosuke managed to stutter out. She smelt so nice. Like strawberries and cream. “But we are just friends. So I’m the one that’s paying.” Kotone seemed a bit disappointed by his answer, but she was still cheerful as the two of them walked the empty streets of Inaba’s shopping district together. At least until they reached Rise’s house. 

Sitting in front of her door, Rise was smoking a joint as she waved at the two of them.

“Yo! Come over here, you two crazy love birds!”

“Rise-san. I’d greatly appreciate it if you could stop smoking. It irritates my lungs you see,” Kotone said calmly. “And not to mention the health risks.”

“But Yo-kun was the one who rolled it for me!” Rise pouted at that.

Kotone turned to glare at Yosuke.

“Oi! I don’t smoke! I just roll joints for these idiots because they can’t do it to save their life!”

“I see,” Kotone’s smile returned. “That’s good. If you smoked I feared that I would have to beat you up until you stopped.”

Yosuke chuckled at that.

But he knew that she wasn’t kidding.

Chapter 9.85 - Live, Laugh, Legend

Inaba was the same static town as ever.

“Teddie! You little rapscallion, you’ve barely appeared in this story!” Yosuke yelled as he hugged the boy who was like his little brother. “How’s life been treating you? Has mum and dad been good?” 

“Uh-huh! They’ve been beary nice to me!” Yosuke groaned at the pun, but he couldn’t help but grin at the sight of Teddie working at Junes. Kotone was standing behind Yosuke, a small smile plastered on her face. “ Who’s the foxy lady behind you?”

“Kotone? She’s just a friend.”

“ She’s a stud-,” 

It was then that Yosuke found his knee buried in Teddie’s stomach. Somehow he must have lost it there. 

“So, what have you been up to?”

Teddie scratched his head. 

“Well, I work at Junes as much as I can. I go to school, where I get beary good grades! I’m beary popular and I even got a girlfriend! I want to be a banker when I finish school!” Yosuke smiled at his ambitions. “What about you, Yosuke? How’s Tokyo been?”

“Oh, you know. A little bit of this . A little bit of that .”

“C’mon son, you can do better than that,” Yosuke turned to the left in surprise. He didn’t expect his mum and dad to come and meet him in person. “It’s been a year since we last saw you, can’t you do a lot better than that?” 

“I could. But I’m with a friend you see,” Yosuke pointed at Kotone who shyly waved at his parents. “And a lot of my other friends are waiting for me at Rise’s place. I think we are going to go do karaoke or something. I work in a school if you really want to know. I’m a respected member of the staff there, I work as an assistant therapist - Although my ‘boss’ tells me he’s filing out some documents for me to become an actual practitioner. Something about me having enough experience on the job.”

Yosuke saw his dad grin at him.

He never did that.

“Really? That’s good. I always knew you were destined for great things. Better outside Inaba than stuck here wasting your life away.” Yosuke nodded at that. In that regard, his father was right. 

His parents had always pushed him to do better.

To leave Inaba

But it was his laziness and unwillingness to leave the town and his friends behind that led to his mediocrity. Not to say that he wasn’t an irresponsible person in Tokyo, but compared to a year ago there were definite improvements. 

“You’re always welcome to stay with us,” Yosuke’s mother added with a knowing smile. “Both you and your friend. Don’t worry the walls are thick, so we won’t hear a thing.” Yosuke flushed red at that and he wasn’t able to meet Kotone’s gaze since she had decided to stare at the floor rather intently after that comment. 

“M-mum! Please!”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Don’t be a stranger Yosuke. And please, call more . I know you’re busy but we do worry. We tried calling you so many times and you just ignored us. We do love you, even if you doubt it.” Yosuke nodded as he waved his family goodbye. He and Kotone started to make their way to Rise’s, and much to his embarrassment, Kotone wouldn’t stop teasing him.

“Prepare a bed for us? Quite bold, don’t you think? Is it double or single?”

“Kotone, please.”

“Ha, that’s what he said!” Kotone cheered, before putting Yosuke in a headlock. “C’mon. Say it. Who’s funnier, me or you?”

“Hell will freeze over when I admit that you’re funnier than me!” Yosuke replied, trying his hardest not to laugh Kotone began to tickle his armpits. They were close to their mid-twenties, and yet here they were goofing around like a bunch of high-school students in the middle of the street.

“ Ahem,” Kotone let Yosuke go as they both stared at the man in front of them. He looked the same as ever, with the same amusement in his eyes as the last time Yosuke had met the man when everything was still good. Ryotaro Dojima waved at the two of them. “Good to see you’re back, Yosuke. Inaba wasn’t the same without you. And I see you’ve brought a ‘friend’ with you as well.”

“D-Dojima! I see you’re still as strict as ever!”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Ryotaro shook his head. “In fact, Nanako says I’ve become softer lately. Peacetime in a town like this really means I get to go on more walks than normal, isn’t that a scary thought? Anyways, want to come for some tea? Just to catch up?”

Yosuke closed his eyes.

Narukami.

“Is he there?”

“Nope,” Ryotaro grinned as he extended his hand. “Just me and Nanako. You can invite your friend as well, I’m sure Nanako would love to speak to Ms…?”

“Kotone Shiomi. A pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“Please, just call me Ryotaro. Sir makes me feel like I’m interrogating a smart mouth, and you wouldn’t happen to be a smart mouth criminal, would you?” Kotone smiled innocently at the man. 

“Who, me? Never .”

“She’s a slippery one, Yosuke,” Ryotaro chuckled. “I assume you still know where our house is? Even after the fire, we didn’t move.”

“Fire?” Kotone asked in confusion.

“Yeah. A squirrel set fire to a bunch of houses.”

“ Somehow,” Ryotaro grumbled under his breath. “At least no one was hurt. And, because I’m off duty, I’m rather thankful for this squirrel. It gave my nephew a good kick up the ass. It also allowed me to use the funds I’ve been saving up to remodel our house a bit since Nanako’s growing. Hard to believe she’s nearly twelve in a few months. Feels like yesterday she was still a shy six-year-old, and now we are in 2017. Anyways, welcome to our humble abode!”

The Dojima residence was certainly bigger and more modern than Yosuke remembered.

“Dad! Is Yosuke here?!”

“Yep! And he brought a friend!” Ryotaro replied. 

“Yay!” Running down the stairs, Yosuke was surprised when Nanako hugged him tightly. “Yosuke-nii, you’re back! C’mon, you got to tell me all about Tokyo!” Nanako then tilted her head as she studied Kotone. “Who’s this? Your girlfriend?”

“I-, what-, you-, Ohoho ,” Yosuke shook his head as he refused to make eye contact with Kotone. “She’s just a friend.”

“She’s very pretty.” Nanako pointed out bluntly.

“A… very pretty friend.”

“I’m ‘very pretty’ now?” Kotone asked in amusement as she turned to hi-five Nanako. “I’m glad someone here understands how knock-out dead gorgeous I am. I’m Kotone, nice to meet you!”

Yosuke watched as Nanako and Kotone chatted excitedly and turned to Ryotaro with a grim look on his face.

“Nanako’s going to steal boys’ hearts when she’s older.”

“I know,” Ryotaro replied. “That’s why I’ll be ready .”

“...Dojima?”

“Yeah.”

“How’s…” Yosuke trailed off.

“He’s doing fine. Same as ever. He’s out right now, not to mention he moved out a while ago. I think it was your old place he moved into. I wish he could own up to his mistakes, maybe even salvage some sort of friendship with you, but that boy just won’t listen. Ever since that funny business all those years ago, he changed . Even Nanako’s gotten on his case, which is really funny I have to admit,” Yosuke chuckled at that. “Everyone’s standing with you, Yosuke. Yu may be blood-related - But you saved my daughter’s life. For that, you’re as good as family in my eyes. Both Nanako and I agree on that.”

“Thanks, Dojima.”

“Please, call me Ryotaro. And don’t mention it,” Yosuke then watched as a familiar grin formed on the man’s face. “Now, how close are you and Kotone? I gotta’ know, Nanako does want to be a bridesmaid at your wedding after all.”

For what seemed like the millionth time that day, Yosuke groaned.

Yosuke had to admit, Inaba at night was an entirely different atmosphere. 

Especially as he and Kotone walked together, enjoying each others’ company and the moonlight. Kotone was someone that Yosuke couldn’t help but think about constantly. Her smile, the way she teased him, the way they argued which music band was better and how their conversations seemed always to go off-track and they’d start to talk about random subjects. 

And yet, they enjoyed each other’s company.

It was strange.

The last person he felt this with was…

Labrys.

But even then, it was more subdued. Compared to how he felt when he was with Kotone, it was entirely different, it made him happier in every way conceivable. Sure, Yosuke still had his otaku habits - He still bought One Piece volumes with his money! But so did Kotone! They even played the same games! Yosuke played games more for the story and character whereas Kotone played games for their gameplay and game systems. But even then, they managed to have fun.

“Yosuke. I… I understand ,” Kotone said softly. “I had friends once as well. A lover as well. He was sweet if a bit thick-headed. But I lost them. I protected them, but I lost it all in the end. You still have your friends. And you have me. You still have the power to protect, and the will to do so. I know that Inaba brings up memories for you, but you still showed me around for all of today. Thanks.” 

Kotone leaned forwards and went on her toes, even if she wasn’t that much shorter than Yosuke.

And she pecked him on the cheek.

“You’re a sweet guy. This was the best date a girl like me could ask for. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And Yosuke watched as Kotone ran around the corner and met with Rise… and everyone else who was giggling excitedly. Were they all that interested in his love life? And why the hell was Ryuji taking pictures? Was he going to send them to Maruki?

But Yosuke could only stand in the middle of the street, rubbing his cheek where Kotone had kissed him. And yet… 

Labrys.

Yu Narukami.

Those were the only two people Yosuke could think about.

The anger and frustration, the pain and suffering - the feeling of hopelessness that he had felt seeing Labrys leave him. Seeing his best friend betray him. Feeling like he couldn’t protect anyone. It wasn’t fair for Yosuke to still hold on to those feelings, especially after a year. Especially with a girl like Kotone who he really did like. That was why Yosuke left Inaba. To escape all this - to escape from his emotions. 

To protect what he had left.

But he couldn’t escape.

No.

He had to fight them.

And he had to win .

Whether it was his determination, or perhaps it was the life he had lived up to now. But deep within his soul, Yosuke felt something change. He felt his Persona grow. He felt a closer bond with Tokyo, to everyone, than he ever did with Inaba. And he wanted to protect what he had built over this last year - From both his emotions and from Narukami. 

That was why he understood it now.

The burden that Yosuke Hanamura had to carry.

A will to protect his loved ones.

Not Takehaya Susano-o. 

Something greater.

The Azure Dragon. 

Someone entirely independent from their wild card, but someone with the will and strength to fight for their ideals and beliefs as well. That was why instead of going with everyone else, Yosuke knew exactly where he had to go. What he had to do. Yosuke was resolved to see this to the end. 

He turned the other way and ran to a familiar location.

Where he used to live.

His old apartment.

The door was still open, just as always, and as Yosuke walked in he saw a familiar sight. Yu Narukami was smiling as three girls fed him food. 

“Narukami. It ends here .”

“What ends here?” Yu asked him, amused. “I told you once, Yosuke. You will lose to me. I’m Yu Narukami-,”

“No, you aren’t ,” Yosuke interrupted. He finally understood. “We never really found out what happened between you and Izanami, did we? Because you never defeated Izanami. Just like how Kotone wasn’t able to completely stop Nyx. God’s are too powerful. But you managed to take over his body, didn’t you?”

Yukiko and Chie’s eyes widened in surprise and shock as they stared between Yu and Yosuke. 

“So you figured it out?” Yu replied calmly, getting up from the table. “You’re close. But a little off-target. I didn’t take control of his body, I merely took back what was mine. Izanagi’s mine you see. My husband. My lover . The boy is still there, fighting for control. But since he decided to try and ruin my relationship, I thought why not do the same to him? Did you know he cried in anguish after seeing me hurt you the way I did?” Izanami cackled at that.

“Yu? What the hell are you talking about?” Yukiko asked in confusion.

But Chie wasn’t so patient to ask questions as she confronted him right away.

“You! You were lying to us the entire time! You didn’t love us at all, did you? You were just using us for your own amusement-,” 

Smack.

Izanami smacked Chie with enough force to knock her out.

“Leave. Take her with you,” Izanami ordered Yukiko, who did as he said, not without glaring at him scornfully. “Labrys. I’m surprised you stayed.”

“I know why,” Yosuke said as he stared at his ex-lover. “Mitsuru gave you this mission, didn’t she? To observe why Narukami had a presence of a shadow within him? You never truly loved me, the same way you never truly loved Narukami either. This was just your mission, right?” 

Labrys nodded.

“That's right. Ya' dig? Dis was just a mission tuh see what was wrong wit' Narukami, but it seems like yuh found de truth befawh I did, Yosuke. Okay?” Labrys said, a small smile on her face. “But you're wrong about one ting, Yosuke. I did love yuh. That's why I took on dis mission, tuh brin' your friend back. If I knew how it would have turned out, I would nevuh have done it. Right? I nevuh wanted tuh hurtcha.”

Yosuke nodded at that.

He was expecting that answer.

It was the truth after all.

He had reached out for the truth in the end.

“Izanami, I’m going to fight you, right here and now!” Yosuke roared as he ripped his shirt away. Izanami did the same, a sick and twisted smirk taking over his face. Izanami was taller than Yosuke by a substantial margin, not only that but he had more muscles. But Yosuke wasn’t going to lose. 

On his back was something important.

The Azure Dragon.

He wasn’t going to lose.

Izanami grinned at him.

“The Azure Dragon, eh? Interesting. You know I have a Dragon of my own,” What was on Izanami’s back was like an ornate painting of a Golden Dragon . “You wish to protect the bonds you’ve forged, and here I am protecting what I’ve built up as well. Izanagi’s finally mine! I’m not going to let some boy stand in the way of my ambitions!!” He roared and Yosuke closed his eyes for just a few seconds.

Yu. 

I’m going to free you.

So just hang on a little longer… partner!!

Yosuke roared as loudly as he could, his right arm raised as he charged at Izanami, jumping on the table as he clocked his right arm back and punched Izanami right in the face. Izanami was sent flying through his apartment, and Yosuke tried to give him no time to rest. They both weren’t wearing any shirts, and both were proudly displaying the Dragons on their backs.

Their Persona’s.

The manifestation of their souls.

“ARGH!!!” Yosuke yelled as he hit Izanami in the face as hard as he could. His attack failed as Izanami blocked his bunch with his arm and roundhouse kicked Yosuke in the face, sending him flying backwards and through the wall onto the streets down below. Yosuke spat out some blood, gritting his teeth as he got up from the ground and prepared to fight once more.

He and Izanami traded blows.

Over and over. 

For every punch, Yosuke landed, Izanami would respond with his own punch. For every kick, Yosuke managed to get off Izanami, the same could be said in reverse. And Yosuke could see that Labrys was simply watching the fight from afar, after all, there wasn’t much she could do. 

Yosuke felt powerful.

More powerful than he had ever felt before.

They were evenly matched.

Even Izanami had a human body after all.

“Give!” Yosuke evaded a punch aimed at his temple, responding with a quick jab to the stomach, “Me!” Izanami gave Yosuke no time to breathe as he kneed him in the stomach. But Yosuke grinned at that as he grabbed Izanami’s leg. “My!” Using all the power in his body and his Persona, Yosuke screamed as he slammed Izanami to the ground. “Friend!” Yosuke took the opportunity to jump on Izanami and started to wail hits at him. 

“ BACK!! ”

Over and over.

Yosuke was going to protect those he cared about.

Not from Narukami.

From Izanami.

From whatever God tried their luck at him or those he cared about next.

A quick reversal of positions put Izanami back on top, and Yosuke was forced to block as Izanami kept on punching him with enough force to break his guard. Yosuke gritted his teeth as he yelled in fury, pushing Izanami off him and got back up from the ground. He was bloody and tired. But he was still going to fight. Yosuke wiped the blood away from his mouth and stared at Izanami, who glared at him hatefully.

“You dare human? Do you know who you are standing up to? You may have a mythological creature tied to your back - to your fate and soul itself - but do you think that gives you any right to stand up to me?! To my ambitions?! To my love?!” Izanami roared at him with enough force to tear the nearby houses’ foundations right away. 

But Yosuke stood there, firm and ready.

“Come give me a try, you bastard,” Yosuke replied. “There’s no way I’m going to lose to a pathetic human like you. My partner is one hundred times the man you are. And right now he’s still fighting to take back control! So how the hell can I give up when I’ve got such a great friend!!” Yosuke and Izanami ran at each other, their fists colliding as it send shockwaves throughout Inaba. 

But they didn’t falter. 

Both stood tall with their resolutions. 

And neither batted an eye when the signs on their backs glowed. 

A great Azure Dragon wrapped itself around Yosuke, while a long Golden Dragon flew above Izanami’s shoulders. 

“There can only be one dragon here,” Izanami said, his left eye completely shut. “This world isn’t big enough for the two of us. You ready, brat?” Yosuke didn’t reply as they both rushed each other. It was then that Yosuke could see Kotone, Rise, Kanji, Naoto, Chie, Yukiko, Labrys, Dojima, Nanako, Teddie, Marie, Ren, Sumire, Ryuji, Akechi, Ann, Yusuke Futaba, Makoto, Haru and Mona all cheering him on. 

Yosuke’s Azure Dragon wrapped itself around his right arm, and Izanami’s Golden Dragon did the same. 

This was it.

The grand finale.

Yosuke yelled at the top of his lungs, and Izanami did the same as they faced each other one final time. Their right fists extended, and both punched each other in the face at the same with using every ounce of strength in their body. The shockwave was immense, and Yosuke couldn’t even see anything anymore due to it. Pain flooded his body, and he wanted to keel over in pain. 

But he stood tall.

Yosuke didn’t fall.

Even as the dust cleared, both he and Izanami were standing proud. Yosuke grinned as he fell to one knee. He lost. Perhaps Yosuke wasn’t that strong. Yet Izanami’s face was one of acceptance. Especially as he collapsed to the floor, much to Yosuke’s surprise. 

“I…see…” Izanami whispered. “Your resolution to protect… is stronger than… my resolution of… love . Huh. There really is only one dragon. Humans are so… interesting… aren’t they… Philemon?” A lone blue butterfly stared at the two of them for a singular second before it vanished, almost as if it didn’t exist in the first place. Yosuke blinked as the Golden Dragon faded away from Yu’s body, and he found himself grinning at his friend.

“Yu…” Yosuke coughed up blood. “You’re back, right buddy? The two legends are back, right?” Yosuke blinked, allowing the darkness to take control of his body despite everyone’s screams.

Despite Kotone’s scream.

“ YOSUKE!!”

The Only Way Out

White.

All Yosuke could see for miles was white.

But in front of him was Yu.

The same grin on his face as before, his eyes widened as he looked at his friend. No, his brother in years. 

“Yu… you’re here!” Yosuke yelled excitedly. “It’s really you! Izanami’s gone, it’s over! We can go back now, we can go back to how things used to be. With everyone else, and a few of my new friends as well. It’s over.” And yet, Yu could only smile sadly as Yosuke.

“I’m sorry. I… I hurt you so much.”

“It wasn’t you! I get it, don’t worry! I’ve forgiven you! And so will everyone else! But let’s go!”

“I can’t,” Yu shook his head. “For as long as I live, as long as Izanagi is my Persona, Izanami will never die. She’ll always try and take over my body, to try and reunite with her husband.”

“What are you saying? Yu, I beat Izanami! It’s over!”

“Like how Kotone defeated Nyx? Yosuke… you can’t defeat Gods. Not as a human. And not even with the power of your bonds. We can seal them away, we can weaken them, but we can’t beat them. Izanami is going to try and take control of my body again, and then what happens? This time who will I hurt? We can’t keep on going on in a cycle Yosuke!!”

“So then what?!” Yosuke yelled at him. “Then what the hell do I do?!”

“ Kill me.”

“What?!”

Yosuke couldn’t comprehend what had just been asked of him. 

“I can’t kill you.”

“We’re partners, right?” Yu asked. “More like brothers if you ask me. I never had one you know. But coming to Inaba, and meeting you, was all I ever wanted . Please. Just do it. It’s the only way out.”

“I-, I-, ” Yosuke couldn’t help it as tears trailed down his cheeks. “I can’t man. What about everyone else? What about Yukiko? You love her? I know that!! Maybe Izanami stole Chie from me, but you love Yukiko! And she loves you! What about Dojima and Nanako? What about everyone else? Yu, what the hell are you asking me-,”

“I’m sorry, brother ,” Yu apologised. “It’s my fault you are being put through all this. Do me a favour, once you do it, don’t look back. Live your life freely, live like a dragon. Be happy. Protect everyone you want. Be the man I know you can be, Yosuke.”

“Yu-, I-, What-, ”

“ Man the fuck up already!!” Yu roared at him. “How the hell do you think you can protect anyone you care about if you’re crying like this?!” Yu threw Yosuke an object. Yu’s old sword. The same one he used back when they used to enter the TV world and save those that were targeted by Adachi. “Please. Yosuke. You’re the only one I trust to do this properly, you’re the one that deserves this the most. Brother, please.”

Slash.

Yu’s smile was one that always stuck with Yosuke, even throughout all the years of strife between them. It didn’t fit his usually stoic face, Yosuke thought it made him look silly. And it did. Someone as serious as Yu wearing a smile as carefree and childlike didn’t suit him, but it didn’t suit Yosuke either. 

This was why, unlike Saki, Yosuke was never going to forget his brother’s smile.

“Thank you… brother.”

Chapter 10 - A Carefree Tomorrow

“Ren…” 

Ren Amamiya looked at his wife. They had just gotten married just a month ago, and sitting in their two cribs (Somehow she had given birth to twins) were his son and daughter. Sora and Setsuna Amamiya. 

“Sumire, it isn’t what it looks like, I swear!”

Ren learnt pretty early on that his wife was scary.  

“ So you aren’t playing GTA in front of our children as you brutally commit domestic terrorism with a smile on your face?” Ren paused to consider his answer. 

“I’m… showing them examples of what not to do when they grow up.”

Sumire stared at him.

Ren stared back.

“All right. Love you! ” 

Ren sighed in relief as his wife closed his door, and he turned to his two children. 

“Your mum is scary.”

For Tokuto Maruki, there were only two things in life that gave him pleasure.

Doing hardcore drugs and going balls deep inside Sadayo Kawakami. She wasn’t Rumi. She was entirely different . And yet, Tokuto loved her all the same. He thought he couldn’t love anymore but that was a lie .

He snorted more cocaine as he turned to face his girlfriend, who was sitting on his office desk chair naked with only his tie tied loosely around her neck.

“What do you want?” She asked him seductively.

“For us to fuck until we pass out.”

“Hai, sensei!!”

“You kinky bitch.”

Ryuji Sakamoto had lived an all-right life.

But he was going to die.

He just didn’t realise he was going to die at a family meeting. Not his. No. His girlfriends. Makoto was the love of his life, but Sae’s piercing glares made Ryuji feel unsafe. It made him feel like death was around the corner.

What wasn’t helping was the vibrator currently in him making his ass shake violently.

Why did Makoto have to turn it on to the highest settings possible?!

“Dad.”

“Yes, Nanako?”

“I have a boyfriend.”

“The hell you do! Not in my house you don’t-,”

Rise woke up feeling like shit.

That was a common occurrence.

But usually, she didn’t wake up with someone else in the same bed as her. She was sorta anxious to see who would it be when she turned around. Thankfully their penis wasn’t poking her dick or else she would have ripped it off. As she turned around, the face surprised her.

“Ken?! What the hell are you doing here?”

“We fucked.”

Rise smiled.

“I think we’ll get along just fine!”

“What do you mean you’re going away for work?!” 

“Kanji, our wedding’s going to have to be postponed-,”

“THE HELL IT IS! NAOTO SHIROGANE, I DON’T CARE WHERE YOU ARE, I’LL MARRY YOU EVEN IN SPACE!!”

“...”

“...”

“Kanji. I’m going away for two days. We can do our wedding next Wednesday.”

“Chie!” 

“Yeah?”

“Do you have the flowers?”

“Of course. Do you think he’ll appreciate them?”

“He better or else I’ll find him wherever he is and kill him again.”

Here Lies Yu Narukami

Best friend, amazing cousin and wonderful nephew

“Let’s do this!”

“Haru?”

“Yes, Mona?”

“Why are you growing drugs?”

“Why to sell them of course?”

“But why? You are already rich?”

Haru paused to stare at him.

“Mona. Do you know how to use an axe?”

“N-no…?”

“ I do.”

Ann sighed.

“Just great. Everyone is out with their partners, and here I am single! What’s this bullshit? Where is my knight in shining armour?” She yelled in frustration. 

“Er. Hello.”

Ann turned to stare at a stranger.

He wasn’t that much taller than her, only by two or three inches, and he spoke in perfect English. Thankfully, English was Ann’s strong suit. He even was dark and handsome, and he even had a nice beard to go along with it. 

“Hello. You want to play a game?” Ann asked.

“Er… sure?”

“ If you take me out on a date and I like it enough, I’ll date you.”

“I’m sorry, I’m taken. I was just wondering if you could move out of the way. You’re obstructing the way.”

“YOU STUPID MOTHERFUCKER-,”

Yusuke and Futaba sat together, alone in Leblanc.

“So. How’s your art going?”

“Dragons are fascinating creatures.”

“Yeah. Tough bosses in RPGs.”

“Hm.”

“Hn.”

Goro Akechi smiled as he visited Masayoshi Shido in jail. 

“How is it like being locked up?”

“You!” Shido’s anger was all Akechi needed to hear.

“Me. You know, I’m free . Nothing tying me to you. You should have thought about your legacy - the children you brought into this world more. It was your downfall . But you see, I never gave up on my revenge. Not really. But I don’t need to kill you for my mother to be avenged. You’ll spend the rest of your life locked up in a cell with the worst prisoner in Japan. You’ll be treated to Tohru Adachi’s ugly mug 24/7 until you die. Father… enjoy. Because I certainly will.

Labrys was all alone, just as always.

“So the mission was successful.”

“Yes.”

“Labrys, you should take a break.”

“Mitsuru I’m fine. You should take a break.”

“I don’t need one.”

“Neither do I.”

“You lost the love of your life,” Mitsuru replied. “I know what’s that like. But at least in your case, he’s still alive, even if he’s happy with someone else.”

“I’m fine with that,” Labrys replied. “I completed the mission, even if it hurt him. His love is something I can live without.”

“I see you dropped the Brooklyn accent.”

Labrys smiled.

“We all have to change one day, Mitsuru. It appears I met one of these days.”

To say Yosuke wasn’t happy was a lie.

He was over the moon.

He wrapped his arms around Kotone, the girl he was dating and truly loved, as they danced slowly together. They were in Hawaii, Yosuke had never been, Kotone wanted to go and Rise offered to pay. It was a win-win situation. 

“Yosuke?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re amazing, you know that?”

“Nah. I’m not that good. I french kiss a lot.”

“Well, I like french kissing.”

“I see.”

Kotone smiled as she leaned forwards.

“Do you know what else I like?”

“Let me take a guess. It starts with f and ends with d.”

Kotone grinned as she pulled back, and for a second, Yosuke swore he saw love hearts in her eyes as she stared at the food in front of them. Rise wasn’t when she said this was an expensive trip.

Still, Yosuke was happy that he was sharing it with Kotone.

“Yosuke! Food! ”

“I can see it.”

“We’re eating it, right?”

“Yes.”

“Haha… sweet! ”

Yosuke smiled. 

For the first time in a while, he could say he was truly happy. 

“Yosuke?” Kotone stared into his eyes. “Don’t get a big head because you think you’re like a dragon. I can still kick your scrawny ass seven ways to London. Don’t think I ever need protection. Because I’m the only one who can protect you! From bastards like that Adachi person, you talk about a lot. From bastards like STREGA and other dumbasses who think they are in the right for hurting others. I’ll never allow anyone to hurt you again, got it?” 

Yosuke nodded at that.

“Sounds like you’re proposing to me.”

“Maybe I am,” Kotone replied slyly, wrapping her arms around him. “How about I give you fifty per cent of my life?”

“Why not one hundred?”

“Because then I’d die. Fool.”

“Nah,” Yosuke shook his head as he held Kotone close. “ You ain’t dying on my watch. Not until we’re old and wrinkly, got that? That’s a promise.”

“Alright. Thanks, Yosuke.”

Yosuke Hanamura nodded. 

This was right. 

“Don’t mention it. It’s just what I do.”

“Just shut up. Dork.”