Chapter 66; Him Again

...10/09/2009 Thursday; Dusk...

The soft sound of footsteps echoed through the dormitory as Fuuka entered, carrying a shopping bag full of supplies.

Among the medicine for Minato and basic items for the medical kit, like bandages and sanitary pads, the weight felt more emotional than physical.

She stopped when she saw Yukari sitting on the couch.

The fashion magazine open on her lap displayed elegant outfits, but her distant, dejected expression was far from matching the glossy pages.

Fuuka lowered her gaze, and flashes of memory came like lightning.

She saw Yukari arguing with Mitsuru.

And in the middle of it, Hiro appeared, his furious voice echoing in Fuuka's mind.

"There's no 'but,' Yukari! What's happening here is that Mitsuru is trying to explain, and YOU'RE NOT LETTING HER!"

Shaking her head, Fuuka sighed and walked over to the counter, placing the bags down before approaching Yukari with a concerned look.

"Yukari-chan..." she began hesitantly, sitting down beside her friend. "I know Sanada-senpai asked everyone not to talk about the argument... but you—"

"No." Yukari interrupted, looking up with a forced smile. "I haven't talked to Kirijo-senpai... I don't have the courage to face her. Not after what I said..."

Those words made Fuuka place a hand over her chest, feeling the hidden pain behind Yukari's voice. "That's what I thought... But why did you get so angry like that?"

Yukari slowly closed the magazine, setting it beside her.

She rested her head against the back of the couch, her eyes staring at the ceiling as if searching for answers among the lights and shadows.

The memories returned.

The anger she felt toward Mitsuru.

The words she spat without thinking.

And in the middle of it all, Hiro's figure appeared, yelling at her.

"Yes, she took my Theurgy, but do you think she did it to screw us over? She's always been the one who cared the most about our safety!"

"I won't hide anything anymore!" Mitsuru's voice trembled, desperate.

Yukari averted her gaze to Fuuka, as if her memories were a silent confession. "I blamed her for everything... as if she were responsible for everything that's happening. I... I wanted to turn you all against her." She pressed her lips together, her eyes beginning to shine with the weight of regret. "But I didn't really want to fight with anyone. Not really."

Fuuka slowly nodded, taking in those words. "Yukari-chan... I know you were angry at Kirijo-senpai for hiding that she took Hiro's Theurgy... But please, try talking to her."

With a gentle gesture, Fuuka placed her hand on Yukari's shoulder, offering silent comfort.

"Hiding something from someone doesn't mean that person is doing something wrong. Sometimes, they're protecting the ones they love. Kirijo-senpai herself said she took Hiro's Theurgy to protect him."

Yukari remained silent, looking away. A memory of Minato surfaced in her mind.

He had told her not to blame Mitsuru for everything that was happening.

"You're right," Yukari finally murmured, a small smile forming on her lips. "I'll talk to her later. Thanks, Fuuka."

"No problem." Fuuka returned the smile, standing up. "By the way, have you seen Aigis?"

Yukari glanced toward the stairs. "I think she went out with Hiro and Koromaru. But she already finished editing the video, right?"

"I'll check." Fuuka headed toward the command room but stopped to look back. "Can you give Minato the medicine I bought?"

"Of course." Yukari stood up as well, curious. "But... do you want me to go with you to see if the video is ready?"

Fuuka smiled and shook her head. "No need, thanks. I can finish the editing. But when you give Minato his medicine... take the chance to talk to Kirijo-senpai."

"Got it," Yukari replied, watching Fuuka walk away.

Fuuka climbed the dormitory stairs with steady steps, but her gaze remained slightly concerned.

She held onto the railing, organizing her thoughts as she spoke to herself.

"Minato-kun has gotten much better," she murmured, trying to reassure herself. "He'll probably be able to go to Tartarus tomorrow."

Reaching the command room, she carefully opened the double doors and stepped inside, closing them behind her.

A sharp electronic beep cut through the silence as she approached the computer.

"Rendering complete. Video ready for playback," the machine announced.

Fuuka let out a relieved smile and sat down in the chair. "Good thing it's done. Let me see if I can find anything in that part of the document."

With a swift movement, she began typing and played the video, focusing on the mysterious figure accessing the flash drive.

The screen displayed the scene in sharp detail, but Fuuka didn't notice the shadow passing by the window behind her.

Outside, a figure climbed the fire escape, moving with calm and precision.

Dressed entirely in black, with a hat and a balaclava concealing his features, he adjusted his gloves as he reached the dormitory rooftop.

After a brief pause, he began walking toward the rooftop door.

Inside the command room, Fuuka paused the video exactly at the part where the mysterious document became visible.

She zoomed in, narrowing her eyes as she read.

"Project Akuma..." she whispered to herself. "Something capable of unleashing a Persona in a more aggressive way... Wait..."

Meanwhile, the intruder descended the stairs with calculated steps.

The silence was almost deafening, the calm carrying a suffocating tension.

Each step brought him closer to the command room, where Fuuka remained unaware of the danger.

Reaching the door, he adjusted his gloves once more, took a deep breath, and slowly turned the doorknob.

The door creaked softly as it opened, and he stepped inside without making a sound.

Fuuka, immersed in the video, didn't notice the shadow approaching behind her.

Her eyes remained fixed on the screen, analyzing the name "Herald of the Devil."

"I think I've heard that somewhere before..." she murmured, deep in thought. "But I don't remember where. Maybe I should tell Kirijo-senpai..."

That's when her body froze.

On the screen, the reflection of a figure standing behind her caught her attention.

Every muscle in her body locked as she slowly turned, her heart pounding in her chest.

There he was.

Dressed in black, the intruder stared at her with an unyielding, cold gaze.

Slowly, he raised his hand, waving in an elegant yet terrifying manner.

"A pleasure, Yamagishi," he said, his voice macabre and theatrical.

Fuuka acted on instinct, pressing a key on the keyboard.

A sending beep echoed in the room, signaling that the video had been sent somewhere.

But before she could do anything else, the man lunged.

With the same hand he had waved with, he clenched his fist and delivered a brutal punch to her face.

The impact was so strong that the sound of bones breaking reverberated through the room.

Fuuka's nose shattered.

She screamed, bringing her hands to her nose as blood poured between her fingers.

Without hesitation, he struck her again, this time in the stomach.

The pained groan that escaped Fuuka's lips was heartbreaking, and tears began to spill from her eyes.

"P-please... stop..." she tried to murmur, but her voice was choked by the pain.

Without mercy, the man grabbed her head and slammed it against the metallic part of the computer.

Fuuka collapsed to the ground, her mind clouding as pain pulsed in her head.

Lying on the floor, her eyes met the intruder's, who now bent into a theatrical bow, spinning his hand elegantly.

"I appreciate you taking care of the video, Yamagishi," he declared, his voice dripping with irony.

Before Fuuka lost consciousness completely, she saw the intruder tamper with the computer and heard the beep indicating the video had been deleted.

After that, the figure left the room, leaving only the chilling echo of his words and the fading sound of his footsteps.