Persona Trinity Seal

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Waking up next to Shin was becoming a routine for Kotone, though it was one she didn't mind and thankfully Shin didn't seem to mind either. Though this time was a surprise as he was already up and gazing out into space with the tiny slip of paper in his hands. She frowns and takes her hand and slips it into his. He pauses and turns his head slightly to see her out of the corner of his eyes though it is a brief glance as he returns back to spacing out. She didn't blame him. It was quite a revelation that Ito had brought up and with so much still unknown there is only speculation, and it doesn't lead to the best thoughts or implications. The slip of paper contains names which correspond to people from Naginomori Gakuen that have disappeared, and it was found in Ryo's files. Not only that, but incidents like what happened at the karaoke club are happening often. She knows this can't be easy for Shin to process so all she can do now is give him comfort.

Shin moves off the bed taking his warmth with him, and she remains where she is watching his focus fall now to the door as he walks out without a word. She sighs. She knew yesterday couldn't last, that their still moment would eventually end. Seeing Shin like that hurts her, she hates when he seems so distant so gloomy with a smile as far from his face as possible. Even more so, she hates how the issue of personas is seemingly drawing apart a family. One that is already so broken.

She moves down the hall and finds the door to Ryo's room open. She decides to look in. She finds Shin leaning on the table holding a small flash drive close to him and not taking his gaze from the computer in front of him. He reaches towards the power button but stops immediately when a loud crash in the distance alerts both him and Kotone. Shin rushes past her motioning her to follow, which she does.

The two reach a shed just outside the house and find a bunch of dust kicked up into the air with Jun coughing while several items lay across the floor. Jun starts trying to pick up and re-stand some of the fallen objects but pauses when he notices the two.

"Good morning, Shin, good morning, Kotone" he says with a tone sounding all too casual for the situation at hand.

"Good morning?" Shin and Kotone both say, though it came off as more of a question.

"Well, since you two have been sleeping since noon" Jun says going back to his cleaning.

"What are you doing?" Shin asks while going to a window and opening it with a yawn.

Jun seems to have found something interesting and is quick to draw the two's attention to it. It looks to be a small statue of a person sitting back on the bottom plating. Kotone notices two things right away, one being the detail of the statue as well as the name written on it under the class and second being the look of shock on Shin's face.

"For an elementary student to do something like this..." Jun says while looking all over the statue in wonder.

It doesn't take Shin long to lift the statue up from Jun's hands and raise it high in the air, promptly denying it is his despite Jun pointing out the name written on it. This gets a smile out of Kotone, though she wonders why he would deny something so detailed and well crafted. Under his breath he grumbles a bit at how it was actually there.

Jun recovers by quickly finding and presenting a new item which looks like an old test but on the back is the drawing of a girl, though she looks familiar to Kotone. Jun seems to think so too.

"This sort of looks like Eiko-neechan"

Kotone does see it now and smiles. The thought then crosses her mind briefly on if Shin liked Eiko. Or does. She shakes her head, now isn't the time to think of that.

Jun playfully teases Shin about the importance of checking his answers after finishing his tests, only to result in Shin mercilessly attacking Jun by tickling his sides. Jun's laughter only grows more intense as he cries out, though Shin now has him trapped and continues tickling Jun who is laying on the floor unable to get free. Jun finally admits defeat and relinquishes the test paper. He lays on the floor with smile as Kotone who had watched the whole thing is unable to suppress her giggles. This immediately makes Shin turn away and rub the back of his head while Jun laughs lightly at Shin's embarrassment.