Unwavering Commitment (Persona 3 Fanfic)

Stopped Time

“Arisato, Koro-cha-Koromaru, let go of me.” Aragaki tried to push us away but Koro-chan and I didn’t back down.

“Kids these days. Shameless.” People were talking loudly on purpose. I didn’t mind them since they don’t know my situation. They have no right to talk like that.

I suddenly heard footsteps toward us.

“Shinji!” Sanada shouted.

"Aki..." Aragaki stood tall, not moving or reacting.

Koro-chan and I released Aragaki and went to the side.

"Aragaki, seems like you have a lot of explaining to do. Come with us." Mitsuru walked towards Aragaki and Sanada.

I look at the three of them. It's awkward for sure. I just looked around the place. The people giving us stares, the white and puffy clouds, the road and to the ground where I'm standing..."Oh no, my feet are all bloody." I crouch down, looking at my blistered feet. I was too panicked to realize what happened.

Seriously, why am I an idiot. I've been getting more and more stupid lately. Getting nagged by older Ken and now...

This is gonna be bad. Mitsuru is also a huge nag. Aragaki is a huge worry wart. No doubt about it, I can already see myself pleading for mercy.

"Hah..." I sigh. I hate myself.

"Hey, the hell do you think you were doing?! You're bleeding inside out!!" Aragaki lifted me up in his arms.

"Senpai, I can walk!" I fluster around as the others arrive.

"Shut up, you're hurt. How irresponsible can you be?" he mutters as he starts to walk.

"P-put me down!" I demanded.

"The girl that I've loved and lost came back to me, how can I put her down?!" He shouts and everyone around us became quiet. Ken, Mitsuru, Sanada, Yukari, the passerbys, everyone.

Aragaki and I remained silent as he brought me back to my hospital bed followed by the others. He somehow convinced the others to stay outside so Aragaki and I can talk.

He took as chair set at the corner, placed it in front of me and sat down.

"Aragaki-senpa-"

"I'm sorry." he whispered and looked down,

I never noticed how he aged a bit. It wasn't really 'that' noticeable though. He grew a little taller, I guess? He's still wearing the coat and cap that he used to wear from before.

"I know what happened..." he muttered.

"What do you mean?" I look up at his face and he gives me a sorrowful look as he disinfects my feet with the first aid kit on the desk beside him.

"The last day of your graduation... Your last day alive. I woke up from my coma and you told me that you wanted to spend your last day with me. I didn't understand what you meant by that. I thought you meant that as your last day as a highschooler. Hours later, I came to look for you after you said that you needed to go to the bathroom. I saw you sleeping on Aegis's lap from a distance... Only to find out that you died." He murmured.

"How... How? I'm alive and well. I don't ever remember dying." I started to sweat.

"That's what I want to know. At that time, you told me to promise you to graduate... so I did. I was angry when I found out you died before me. You had a lot more to live for than me..." He dragged his cap down to cover his eyes. He's crying.

"Senpai..." I whisper and hug him. "I miss you... A lot. You grew older since I last saw you..."

"It was 3 years ago after all." His voice shook.