Chapter Text
When he was rescued from that day at the Moonlight Bridge, he couldn’t remember… anything .
He just remembered a bright light, multiple of them, and then… nothing.
The moment he opened his eyes to the fluorescent artificial lighting he just… stared, a sense of deja vu washing over him. He felt the gauzes wrapped around various parts of his body, his head, his arms, his leg, the rough sheets under him, by his fingertips, the little warmth the thin blanket gives him. He could hear worried and relieved voices beside him, so glad that he woke up and asked if he was okay.
He has no answer to that. He doesn’t know if he’s okay, or what okay was even for him.
The people on his bedside looked at each other, eyebrows scrunched as they silently conversed with one another, a conversation he can’t hear nor comprehend. He didn’t mind though. Everything was far from his mind, pieces of memory and knowledge trying to slot itself in their places. Yet it seems like the pieces don't match enough to make it tangible to him.
Soon, a man with a long white coat went over to him. He stared at him blankly as the man looked over at him with a curious look for a long time. He could see the man’s thoughtful look, looking at the people on his bedside before going back to him.
“Do you remember who you are?” The man asked, voice gruff but trying to be kind.
He nods his head as much as he could without pain blooming through his body like hellfire. He feels so tired .
“Could you tell me your name?” The man asked.
His mouth opens to answer, he could feel the dryness of his throat, the hoarseness of not using it in a while. With a raspy voice he answered, “R-Ryoji…?”
Ryoji … Yeah, Ryoji. That’s his name.
The man nodded at his answer, satisfied before turning back to the people beside him, talking in almost hushed voices.
“Do you know what happened to you?” The man continued asking.
At that, Ryoji shook his head. He doesn't remember anything.
All he remembers is his name, and… nothing else.
The man seemed understanding of that though, and just once again nodded. The people beside him gasped at his answer, looking at each other worriedly.
“You don’t… remember anything at all?” The woman asked him, and at that Ryoji nodded in confirmation.
The man and the two people beside him looked at each other and began talking quietly, tones worried and confused.
Ryoji didn’t really mind them talking without him, he’s glad even, especially when his vision blurs, distorting the people and the room, and he’s once again off into the darkness.
He came to again in the same room with the same lights and the same people beside him looking at him worriedly. They look at him with such concerned looks that Ryoji doesn’t know why or what it meant. He has no clue on how long he was out but that was far away from his mind.
“Ryoji, honey, I’m… sorry.” The female apologizes, holding his small, frail hand in hers. Ryoji doesn’t feel anything at the touch, too weak to pull back. “Your… your family they didn’t make it…”
“You and your family were in a car crash, your family car was in flames… They said it exploded and…” The male explained, looking away, ashamed. “Your parents and twin didn’t make it…”
In the back of Ryoji’s mind, he knew he should be feeling something but… he doesn’t feel anything. Surely the death of one's parents and twin would be a life changing thing, one for the worse, but for Ryoji he’s just numb.
Indifferent.
The loss of someone who should be… important(?) to him was just… nothing.
How can he feel something about their deaths when he doesn’t even remember their faces?
Isn’t… death natural?
The woman must’ve taken his unresponsiveness as something because he is suddenly hugged tightly, arms around his small frame as the woman cried.
She cried and cried, while the male with her placed a hand on her shoulder in consolation. Ryoji let her cry on his shoulders, unable to move or speak. He doesn’t understand why she’s crying, Ryoji doesn’t even know her, or the man beside her, but still she’s crying because of the death of his family.
Ryoji found it curious. Because why would you mourn for someone else’s demise? Why mourn for someone else?
It was… interesting to Ryoji, how this woman who he doesn’t know nor remember cradle him like she knows him. How she whispers apologies and assurances to him even when he felt nothing for them.
Now that Ryoji thinks about it, this woman probably does know him if she knows his mother, he just didn’t know her .
He sees them every day in his room, always making sure that he’s alright and comfortable, always visiting him and talking with the people that check up on him.
Then they said he’s clear to be released.
“I hope you don’t mind staying with us for a while, at least until someone in your family claims you.”
The woman, who he was reintroduced to as Hikari, a friend of his mother, had an apologetic smile as she said those words, looking over at him in his hospital bed, still unable to comprehend much.
All he could do was make a small nod at that, not that he has a say on it, he thinks. He’s too young, that’s what he keeps hearing from the nurses (he learned they were called nurses after one introduced herself to him) passing by his room, and the doctor (who introduced himself as Doctor Hiragi) who frequently watches over his health and progress.
He’s too young . To lose his family. To be in this hospital. To be in that accident. To be alone .
Ryoji thinks otherwise. He feels… nothing. Nothing but the ache and hurt he feels with his injuries and nothing else.
The car ride home was… awkward, to say the least. The couple in front of him tried to talk with him, leaving openings for him to respond and join in on their conversation. But Ryoji just… didn’t. He kept looking out the window, watching buildings and trees pass by. It was still early in the morning, the skies were blue and only a few clouds were drifting above them, the sun blaring and bright and blinding Ryoji.
Hikari said that it was lovely weather today but Ryoji thinks otherwise.
It’s just a normal day. An ordinary day.
Hikari and her husband tried to get him “out of his shell”, constantly trying to talk with him, getting him out of the house and to the park to “get some sun”.
Ryoji just went with it, not refusing nor making a fuss out of it, but he never spoke, never showed interest in anything.
How could he when he feels nothing ?
Ryoji could tell that Hikari was getting worried based on how her eyebrow scrunches in worry every single attempt they made to get him to talk.
He won’t talk. He doesn’t want to. There’s no point.
Yet, they still tried. Ryoji doesn’t know if it’s because of stubbornness or it's because he’s the remaining son of their deceased friend.
When he went back to school, it was… fleeting for Ryoji.
He went through the motions, some kids walking up to him and trying to talk with him, asking why he was gone for a long time and so on and so forth. Ryoji didn’t answer them, just kept to himself.
It apparently got so worrying that his teachers called Hikari to talk about his behavior. He didn’t know what Hikari told them but he could hear hushed whispers from behind the door as he waited outside on a bench, playing with the hem of his shorts, ignoring the kids that passed by and whispering to each other.
“ Weird… ”
“ Creepy… ”
Ryoji ignored it all.
“Your relatives found this in your room, we thought that… maybe you’d want it.” Hikari held out a neatly folded yellow scarf, its hems black. It looked brand new, as if it was hiding for a perfect moment.
It… called out to Ryoji. It was… nice.
His hand reached to grab the bundle of fabric, feeling soft and warmth on his fingers.
“I think… your mom was planning on gifting it to you for Christmas.” Hikari hums, looking at him sadly. “There was a matching white one too, but… ah— someone lost it.”
Ryoji unfolded the scarf and wrapped it around his neck. Hikari lets out a small chuckle before helping him properly wear the scarf. It was long, too long for a child to wear, but with the added bundle around his neck he could feel comfort in it, a light but grounding weight around his shoulders.
Hikari smiled at him, her hands lingering at the edges of the scarf. “Your mother picked right, it suits you.”
It felt… right too.
The first time he noticed the green-lit night and the bright yellow moon was a few weeks after the incident, and to be fair he had been asleep through the night for the past weeks due to his injuries but now that he’s getting better (physically) there was no other excuse for his body to stay asleep during the night.
Ryoji was sleeping when he woke up in the middle of the night by a… feeling inside of him. His eyes opened to the glass of water in his nightstand, now colored red and tinged green, with the moon impossibly bigger and brighter and yellow, watching over him from his window.
It didn’t alarm Ryoji in the slightest, nor did it scare him. In fact it made him feel… welcomed .
He’s alone in his room he knows but he feels another presence with him. It didn’t feel entirely dangerous, nor anything concerning.
“... Hi.” Ryoji spoke for the first time since he arrived in this home, looking at his nightstand, at the clock that froze at twelve midnight.
The presence didn’t make itself known to Ryoji, but he could feel eyes on him. It made Ryoji curious that he sat up but found no one around.
“What’s your name…?” Ryoji asks, scanning the room and trying to pinpoint where the presence is.
The presence continued to not give Ryoji an answer, just… looking at him.
Before Ryoji could finally pinpoint where it was, the green was washed away along with the presence, giving way to the blue of the night and the white light of the moon.
Ryoji blinked at the sudden change, turning to his nightstand to see the water returning clear and the clock starting to tick again.
Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
Finding no more reason to stay up Ryoji laid back down on his bed and curled on his blanket, going back to sleep like nothing happened.
Ryoji didn’t tell Hikari about that green night when she noticed him more sluggish than usual, barely had any more sleep after he had awoken that night.
Ryoji noticed that these nights appeared just after midnight, the strike of twelve a signal before the world is colored green. It seemed like the green night lasts an hour. Ryoji counted the minutes as time drifts away without a tick of a clock.
The presence made itself known each time the green night— hour, arrived.
Ryoji didn’t tell anyone about the presence that seemed to appear every time the night gets washed in green, watching him, staring at him.
He tried to talk with the presence, tried to make it do something or anything. The presence intrigued him in ways he can’t understand. Ryoji knows that the presence won’t hurt him. It was almost like it really just likes watching him, maybe… protecting him?
Either way, Ryoji welcomes it. And he keeps talking to the presence.
With the presence he felt talkative, it’s odd since he didn’t have anything to say to Hikari, or anyone, but with this presence he just… talks . Random mundane things, random thoughts, random things he had read.
The presence listens, watches.
It became a presence that Ryoji welcomes during the green hour.
One day, Hikari received a phone call that a relative of his is willing to take him in. Ryoji could see Hikari be relieved yet also worried before arranging a date for them to pick him up.
Next week after that, just a day before the day his relatives would pick him up, Hikari received another phone call that made her fall to her knees and cry. Hikari’s husband was the one who ushered Ryoji to his room and explained the situation after calming down Hikari.
A relative of hers died unexpectedly. They didn’t know what was wrong but a death is a death and Hikari is distraught .
Ryoji just nodded at the information, indifferent.
It has nothing to do with him after all.
When the time came to say goodbye, there was still nothing. He doesn’t feel sad he’s leaving. He doesn’t feel for Hikari’s tear filled embrace. Nor did he feel anything getting on the train that will take him to his new home. Instead he just stared at the window of his seat, where Hikari and her husband were waving goodbye.
This relative was nice at first, his uncle with his wife and kid. But after a day of pleasantries, there was nothing more for Ryoji, he became strict at Ryoji.
He wants this in a particular way, they want him to do this and that to put in his work in the house. This and that and this and that.
Ryoji tried to do them all for the sake of pleasantries. Tried to live up to their expectations. He falls short sometimes but he’s decent enough, but not enough.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you mute?”
“Why aren’t you doing your homework? We don’t keep lazy kids here! Look at my daughter!”
He was often compared to their child, and their child seemed to preen at the attention she was getting. Not that Ryoji minded, he doesn’t feel anything with the obvious bias.
Living with them was something Ryoji could akin to a bird in a cage. Restricted, unyielding.
At least, he was still being fed. At least, he still feels free and welcomed during the green hour.
He still didn’t speak, didn’t reach out.
Ryoji was just drifting in and out.
But in the green hour he feels so alive . He learns during the green hour.
Ryoji was packing his belongings as he was once again being handed off to another relative.
The decision was easy. Especially when their daughter unexpectedly died from a collision on her way to school. She was just walking as usual in her usual route, there was no rhyme or reason for her death. Only his uncle had screamed and yelled at him.
“ Why didn’t you accompany her?! This is your fault! ”
Adding grief to the existing prejudice, it only took them a few calls to get someone to house him instead of them.
There were no goodbyes made when Ryoji boarded the car that will take him to the next relative that had pity on him.
It almost felt like death was following him.
After being handed over to another family member, in a few weeks a call comes to his guardians that someone had died, someone precious to them.
The grief would be unbearable and then he’s handed over to the next person. And the next. And the next.
New family, new death. Even though they don’t outright blame Ryoji for it, he's sure and knows they’re getting the pattern.
After a couple more switches, more relatives became more unwilling to take him in.
Until his relatives had enough and put him up for foster care.
Ryoji quickly realized that his family had abandoned him. For all his indifference and apathy and the pain he unknowingly brings.
Being in a foster home though, he realized something too.
People didn't like a brooding, sad child. People didn’t like an apathetic child.
He saw the children who are bright and bubbly get more recognition than him. Those who bully other kids get scolded. Those who don't even interact with other kids have some kids with them. Kids who feel and have emotion get more attention than him.
So Ryoji did what he could to fit in: he smiled .
He laughed at the jokes his foster families told him, smiled at the kids and adults who looked his way. Smiling, nodding, laughing. Be pleasant .
It didn’t stop the rumors from spreading though, when someone learned of his past, of why he’s in foster care in the first place, it didn’t take too long for rumors about him to spread.
“ He reeks of death. ” They’d whisper to one another.
“ I heard that wherever he goes, death follows .” Another whisper to another.
“ Death’s child. ”
“ Bad luck .”
“ Cursed child .”
He still smiles at them despite it, though perhaps it didn’t help him at all.
Some people would say his demeanor is uncanny, like it doesn’t fit him at all. His smile too… creepy as some kids tell him, even when he’s being friendly, thus ending up with him being alone in his peers and in school despite being something that they wanted.
Happy. Jolly. A child who didn’t really disobey.
Ryoji didn’t mind. He still kept up the act, if the kids didn’t like it at least the adults did, it kept him… protected? He can’t really say safe, but at least he’s in no threat of anything.
At the very least there’s one constant in his life. Well— three things.
His scarf, the green hour, and the presence that was always there during that green hour.
When a letter from Gekkoukan arrived at his current foster family addressed to him it was a no-brainer that he’ll attend there. Especially when it’s a scholarship, so his foster family didn’t need to pay for anything for him for school.
Ryoji could feel the relief they had at the news, there was no more freeloader that would mooch off of money they had and no more extra mouths to feed.
Even with Ryoji’s ( fake, fake ) jolly and positive energy, he knows that he’s more or less a burden to them, even though they just entered the foster family system for the benefits.
He didn’t mind though, it was not new.
So by April 3rd, with a bright jolly smile Ryoji waved goodbye to his last foster family, leaving them behind as he entered second year high school in the city that his extended family claims was his hometown.
Frankly he still doesn’t remember his childhood and he is okay with that, because there really was nothing to look at.
He still feels numb inside but he doesn’t have to make it known to anyone, they just wouldn’t understand. So he disarms them with his smiles and smooth talking, at least with that no one had worried about him.
Perhaps staying in the dorms would be a good thing for him, there won’t be a need to always be pleasant. That is unless he’s rooming with someone else, then being pleasant is still a need. Besides, the dorm he’s going to was just a temporary one until they could assign him to the school’s dorms.
His transportation was already paid for, thankfully, so all Ryoji had to do was get to the designated stations and walk some steps. Though that was easier said than done when he’s not that much familiar with the stations he needed to go to, needing to ask guards and shopkeepers directions to prevent himself from getting lost (more).
“Hello! Excuse me, sorry, but do you know how to get to…”
“Oh dear, you just passed it! You have to go to…”
Ryoji definitely missed some signs on the way, and he kind of knew this was how it would end for him, he didn’t let his mistake get to him though. It just wears on him that he has to be pleasant while talking with people while trying to get somewhere he hasn’t been to for ten years.
It honestly took him a while to get on the train to Iwatodai, where his temporary-dorm was situated. There was him getting lost and, as if the world was “helping” him, the moment he arrived at the station there was an announcement of a delayed arrival due to an accident that happened on the rails.
All Ryoji could do was sit on a bench and wait for his train, while looking at his phone once in a while. It’s gotten so late. If Ryoji’s estimation is correct then he’ll be able to arrive in Iwatodai very late.
His lost-escapades took way too long that it was a few hours to midnight. It got Ryoji to worry, hoping the train arrives at the station before it strikes twelve.
When the train finally arrived and Ryoji boarded in, he thankfully managed to get a seat for the train ride.Fingers played with the ends of his scarf by habit, watching people pass by the opened doors and scurrying off to wherever they needed to go. People are busy with lives of their own, Ryoji dwells on the thought of what those lives could be before promptly dismissing it as the train doors closed and the train moved.
The gentle rocking of the train and the scenery that passes by helps Ryoji pass the time, watching people come and go to their respective stops. There was always that apology for the delay every stop and it was honestly starting to get on Ryoji’s nerves, not because of the delay but because they kept repeating the accident over and over like once is not enough.
He knew accidents are bad but to rub it in was another thing. If only he could have something to block out the noise, but Ryoji supposes that he can find other audio distraction in the train, like the way the handlebars swing with the movement of the train, or the clash of metal as the train moves forward.
Ryoji’s eyes drift to the digital clock that is displayed on the screens in the train, watching the second hand tick and tick.
He hopes the train will arrive at Iwatodai soon.
The train stopped with a cheery announcement of arriving at Iwatodai.
Ryoji took his (few) belongings and adjusted his scarf before walking out of the train, looking around the new and unfamiliar place despite the area being his hometown. He took his time getting to the gate, tapping his card to exit the station.
He checked his phone and winced at the time. It’s so late. It was almost midnight and Ryoji doesn’t know if he’ll be able to enter the dorms at this time. It’d probably be locked by the time he arrived since people would probably be asleep by then.
But he has nowhere else to go, so he’ll still continue his journey towards it.
Ryoji watched his phone as the time ticked down, staying in place and just… waited.
Tick… tock… tick… tock… tick…
The world turned green, the familiar feeling of the green hour surrounding him. He’s not new to the coffins anymore, after many nights of experiencing the green hour it was almost like a silent friend to him, much like the presence.
Oddly enough, he can’t feel the presence anywhere around him. Ryoji looked around, trying to sense it but for the first time since he had experienced the green hour he didn’t feel his consistent friend.
It… almost saddens Ryoji but he brushed it off as something because of him being outside, the presence was always present when he’s in his room after all, maybe when he’s situated in his dorm room he’ll feel the presence again.
For now he’ll walk towards the dorm, unbothered by the coffins, unmoving cars, and the pools of red under him, letting the light from the yellow moon light his way.
The building almost looked ominous in the green hour. There was no light shining through ( of course, all electronics are dead during the green hour after all ) and there was just a sense of heaviness surrounding the place.
Ryoji hums as he takes his first steps to the building, surprised when he could open the door, and sees himself in.
It was dark inside, with only the light filtering from the windows lighting the area. The area looked… cozy. It seems like it’s the common room with the couches, T.V, a barrier that separates the dining area, and a reception booth by his left.
There was no one there, which Ryoji didn’t think was odd. He’s always alone during the green hour after all.
Ryoji walked forward, deeper into the place.
Then he felt it—
Turning his head, Ryoji came face to face with a child with blue hair and grey eyes, wearing striped pajamas and leaning at the counter.
“Hello there.” Ryoji greeted with a small smile and a wave.
The child continued to look at him, nodding at his greeting. Then Ryoji blinked and he’s not there anymore at the counter, but he could still feel his presence.
“... You’re late…” The boy mumbles, appearing a few feet away from him. “I’ve been… waiting…”
Ryoji opened his mouth to ask about his words when he vanished yet again, quickly reappearing back at the reception with an opened red folder on the counter.
“If you want to proceed, sign your name here. It’s a contract.” The boy explained, looking at the contract.
Ryoji moved towards the counter, eyes scanning the contract in question. It only had a few words in it, but one sentence caught his eyes.
‘I chooseth this fate of mine own free will .’
It sounds innocent enough.
Ryoji took the feather pen by the side and signed his name on the dotted line.
Arisato Ryoji .
His name even when he was pushed into the foster care system.
Ryoji took the contract, closed it, and gave it to the boy who took it carefully and cradled it in his chest, nodding.
“Time is something no one can escape.” The boy spoke, holding on the contract carefully. “It delivers us all to the same end.”
That is nothing new to Ryoji, admittedly.
The boy waved his hand and the contract vanished into thin air. “You can’t hide your face or turn away your eyes.”
The boy looked at him once again, those seemingly glowing grey eyes staring at his soul .
“ And so it begins… ”
And with a blink of his eyes the boy vanished once more, taking that presence along with him.
“... Who’s there?!”
Ryoji flinched at the new voice, looking up from the place where the boy was to see a female his age in a defensive stance, the bright pink cardigan and red armband a stark contrast to the green atmosphere.
“How are you here at this hour…?” She continued, wariness evident in her voice. “Don’t tell me…”
“I’m—” Ryoji couldn’t even get a sentence in when he saw her hand move to the hollister in her thigh, a clear sign of a gun about to be drawn. A threat to his life it seemed.
Distantly, Ryoji knows he should be afraid of it, but he could only think of one thing as he watch the girl move:
Oh… that scholarship is about to go to waste.
“Wait!”
The female jumped at the sound of the other voice, stopping her hand from pulling out the gun out of her hollister. Then the green around them washed away, giving way to the artificial lights the room had.
The green hour ended, huh .
“I didn’t think you’d arrive so late.” The new person, a female with red hair and an authoritative aura around her, walked up to Ryoji.
“That was my fault.” Ryoji excused, bowing slightly in apology. “I got lost on the way.”
“That’s alright.” The female waved him off with a small smile. “My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I’m one of the students who live in this dorm.”
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Arisato Ryoji.” Ryoji introduced himself with a small smile and wave.
He watched as the other girl moved closer to Kirijo and whispered something to her, out of his earshot.
“He’s a transfer student. It was a last-minute decision to assign him here. He’ll eventually be moved to a room in the boy’s dorm.” Kirijo explained.
“Is it okay for him to be here…?”
“We’ll see.”
Kirijo once again looked at him. “This is Takeba Yukari. She’ll be a second-year this spring, just like you.”
The other female, Takeba, turned to him. He could see that she’s uncertain of… something . “... Call me Takeba.”
Ryoji tilted his head. “Is… this the girl’s dorm…?”
… would the school even assign him to a girl’s dorm, even temporarily?
“A-Actually… why do you have a gun…?” Ryoji asked instead, careful with his words.
“H-Huh?” Takeba sputtered. Her eyes looked anywhere but his, trying and failing to think of a plausible explanation. “Well, uh, it’s sorta like… a hobby…? I mean, not a hobby, but…!”
“You know how it is these days. It’s for self-defense.” Kirijo explained in Takeba’s stead. “It’s not a real gun, of course.”
Ryoji can understand that. That’s fair. He nodded, accepting the excuse easily.
Kirijo hummed before telling him where his room is with his (few) things of his already there before Takeba offered to lead him to it, (“Let me take you there, you know … as an apology for scaring you.” She said sheepishly.). She explains the basics of this dorm on the way. The third floor is the girl’s floor while the second floor is the boy’s. They stop when they reached the end of the hall on the second floor. His room. Sounds easy to find enough, it helped that there were only a few rooms in the dorm.
Takeba made a joke about how easy it is to find his room and he wouldn’t have to worry about getting lost. Ryoji found her agreeable on that part.
“So… Do you have any questions?” Takeba asked him.
“Just one.” Ryoji nodded, smiling at Takeba. “Does that boy live here too?”
He wants to see him again. He had the same presence as the one that was always with him during the green hour.
“What boy?” Takeba repeated, confused at first before frowning. “What are you talking about? C’mon, that’s not funny!”
Huh, so Takeba doesn’t know… “Nothing, nothing. Must’ve been the fatigue.”
“Alright then but don’t joke about something like that again!”
Silence surrounded the two for a moment before Takeba spoke again.
“Can I ask you something?” Ryoji nods at Takeba’s request. “On your way here from the station, was everything… okay?”
“In what way exactly?” Ryoji tilts his head in confusion. Everything okay… how exactly? Everything was normal when he walked towards the dorm.
“You don’t know…?” Takeba’s brow was raised. She looked like she was about to elaborate before shaking her head.. “I guess that means you’re fine…”
Fine… how…?
“Don’t worry about it, then.” Takeba brushed off the question, giving him a small reassuring smile.
With that Takeba leaves him to get back to her room, promising to answer some of his questions in the morning before bidding him goodnight.
Finding no other reason to stay by the hallway, Ryoji entered his room.
It was a small room with a (proper) bed, shelves on his headboard where a clock and a lamp is placed, a closet, more shelves beside his closet, a calendar hanging beside the shelves, a desk, a T.V by the foot of his bed, the sheets and curtains a cool color blue and neatly arranged. If Ryoji was honest, this is more than what he had gotten from his foster families, who often made him room with other kids or made him sleep on just a mattress.
Ryoji placed his bag inside the closet, and decided to look around his room once more.
A mini-fridge, a sink with a mirror, and a familiar cardboard box that held his few items that didn’t fit his bag.
It feels… cozy.
This is where he’ll be staying for the meantime and Ryoji decides that this is better than nothing, this is more better than being in foster homes.
Ryoji looked at himself in the mirror. Black hair, green-blue eyes with a mole under his left eye, his scarf, and a tired face. He better get some rest, tomorrow is his first day of school after all.
Quickly changing out of his clothes, he changed into his sleepwear before folding his scarf neatly, placing it on his headboard. He was out like light before his head even hit the pillow.
Ryoji was arranging his scarf in front of the mirror when someone knocked on his door.
It’s Takeba.
Ryoji looked at himself one last time, stretching his facial muscles to practice a (genuine?) smile before he opened the door for his dormmate. Takeba informed him that she’ll be showing him the way to school. Since she was offering, Ryoji couldn’t really refuse and so off they went to the monorail to their school.
Ryoji watched as the sea of buildings quickly melted away to the view of the actual sea, the light from the sun reflecting on the waves. Takeba was talking about how it was a nice view and that the monorail leads them almost directly to school. Ryoji honestly tuned out a bit, already thinking of how to be pleasant to his new school.
Takeba left him to his devices when they arrived at the school lobby after making him promise to not talk about what happened last night and Ryoji didn’t mind. He looked over at the bulletin board to find his class assignment.It turns out that he and Takeba are going to be classmates, which felt like a coincidence.
Then knowing the familiar song and dance of a transfer student, he went to the faculty office to meet his homeroom teacher. At least he thinks she is, seeing as she has his file.
“Arisato Ryoji…” The teacher hummed, scanning through his file. “Wow, you’ve lived in a lot of different places.”
Usually, people would be happy that they’ve been to a lot of places, but Ryoji just felt the fleeting memories of those places. They were not bad times but they were not good times either.
“Let’s see…” The teacher scanned through his file more. “Ten years ago, your parents—”
Ah .
Ryoji saw the teacher winced and backed away slightly, looking back at him with an apologetic look. “I’m sorry… I’ve been so busy, I didn’t have time to read this beforehand.”
“Please don’t worry.” Ryoji assured her with a smile and a wave of his hand. “It’s quite alright.”
The teacher smiled back at him before clearing her throat. “A-Anyways, I’m Ms. Toriumi. I teach Composition. Welcome to our school.”
“Nice to meet you Ms. Toriumi!” Ryoji greeted back enthusiastically.
… that’s what people do, right?
It seemed like it when he saw Ms. Toriumi chuckle. “Wow, such enthusiasm!”
Ms. Toriumi asked if he saw the room assignments (in which he said yes) and confirmed that yes, she’ll be his homeroom teacher.
But first, they had to attend the welcoming ceremony in the auditorium.
The welcoming ceremony passed by Ryoji in a flash. The only notable thing he remembered there was that someone who saw him enter the school with Takeba asked if she has a boyfriend, to which he answered truthfully that no he doesn’t know.
After the welcoming ceremony, they are sent back to their classrooms and introductions are made, well, for him anyways.
“My name is Arisato Ryoji, I’m looking forward to being friends with you all.” He gave the class a grin and a wave.
Pleasant. Be Pleasant.
The ring of the bell signified the end of the school day. Ryoji could hear his classmate move along, glad that classes were over and plans to hang out somewhere.
“‘Sup, dude! How’s it goin’?”
Ryoji looked up from him putting his notebooks in his bag to see his classmate walking up to him with a friendly smile.
“Oh, hello.” Ryoji greeted him with a smile.
“Nice to meet’cha. Call me Junpei. Iori Junpei.” Junpei introduced himself, still keeping that friendly smile.
“Nice to meet you too, Junpei.” Pleasant. Smiling. “You already heard my name but I’ll say it again. My name’s Arisato Ryoji.”
“I transferred here when I was a second-year in middle school. It’s pretty tough bein’ the new kid at first, y’know?” Ryoji can’t really say that he shared the sentiment. Being the new kid was not any different from being an old kid in school for him. But for the sake of pleasantries, he nodded at Junpei’s words, silently urging him on to talk. “So I just wanted to say, “Hey!” See what a nice guy I am?”
To other people, perhaps. But to Ryoji, it was nothing. He doesn’t understand why Junpei approached him in the first place. Usually, the novelty of his transfer wore off by lunch.
Ryoji heard a sigh behind him, followed by footsteps approaching.
“Hey, it’s Yuka-tan!” Junpei chuckles, greeting Takeba. “Didn’t think we’d be in the same class again.”
“There you go again, acting like everybody’s best friend…” Takeba sighed, and that was all Ryoji needed to know that yeah, Junpei is friendly, perhaps a little bit too friendly. “Try not to make Arisato-kun uncomfortable, okay?”
“What? I was just bein’ friendly!” Junpei defended himself.
“He’s right, Takeba-san.” Ryoji nodded with a smile. “He’s doing nothing wrong.”
“If you say so.” Takeba shrugged looking at him, telling him who would’ve thought that they’ll be in the same homeroom and how surprised she is.
He probably should be surprised too. But truly he saw it as nothing but a mere coincidence.
Ryoji tugged the edge of his scarf as Junpei and Takeba talked, careful not to unravel his scarf from his shoulders, letting the two fill in the noise for him.
Should I go straight to the dorm or eat out… He has the money for it anyways.
“Hey…” Takeba tapped him on the shoulder, catching his attention. “You didn’t tell anyone about… you know what, did you?”
Asking that in front of another person? That’s a sure-way plan for anyone to know what happened, or get curious. Either way, Ryoji shook his head at that. No he didn’t tell anyone.
Who else could he tell it to anyways?
“Seriously… Don’t say anything about last night, okay?” Ryoji inwardly cringed at the reminder, side-eyeing Junpei who was looking at them curiously, already knowing that he heard it and is now curious.
Knew it.
“Last… night…?” Junpei repeated.
It sent Takeba into a frenzied explanation, revealing nothing and everything at the same time, and probably further making the misunderstanding more misunderstood. In the end, Takeba left for her club duties, lightly threatening them to not start any more rumors.
Not like Ryoji would. Rumors follow him .
“Death’s Child!”
“Ah, who cares? No one takes rumors seriously, anyway. She’s so paranoid…” Junpei shrugs.
“Maybe…” He would rather not talk about it.
“Damn though, it’s your first day here and people are already talkin’ about ya!” Ryoji could only smile at Junpei at that, hoping that it wasn’t that bad, or will result in something awful for him. “Believe it or not, she’s actually pretty popular. You da man!”
“We’re just dormmates, it’s nothing special.” Ryoji assured Junpei, waving his hand in dismissal.
“Uh-huh, deny all you want.” Junpei chuckles, nudging him with his shoulders. “Well, here’s to a fun school year, dude!”
Ryoji smiled at him and nodded. Another year.
(‘Who will it be this time?’)
He and Junpei went to the station together. Junpei took the role of a tour guide as he showed Ryoji the nooks and crannies of the school and station, all the while Junpei just continued talking with Ryoji adding small responses to the conversation. It seemed like Junpei didn’t mind though and Ryoji was alright with that.
He walked back to the dorm alone after he and Junpei parted ways, taking this time to look at things he didn’t properly see in the morning at the strip mall before returning to the dorms.
Ryoji wasn’t allowed to go out at night. He doesn’t mind that, not like he had anywhere to go. He was tired from school anyways. So, he immediately headed up to his room after greeting Kirijo and Takeba, who were hanging out in the lounge.
A busy day. That’s what Ryoji would say about today.
Ryoji unfurled his scarf around his neck and folded it neatly on his headboard before changing to his nightwear, going to sleep the moment he lays down the bed.
It was like any other day but for some reason, something unnerved him. No, not for some reason, he knows the reason why he’s so unnerved. It wasn’t normal by any means but to Ryoji, it is normal.
The presence he’s so used to during the green hour was gone. He couldn’t feel it watching over him, or feel its presence at all.
Ryoji misses it, almost. Ryoji misses the presence.
The green hour didn’t feel so welcoming and peaceful anymore after the presence vanished.
“He’s still stable. There’s no signs of disorientation nor the shadows feeding on him.”
“Oh look he’s awake!”
“... What is he doing?”
“It looks like he’s… looking for something?”
“... He went back to sleep.”
“Huh, weird…”
“He’s like that the other night too.”
The school day came and went.
Junpei seemed to be determined to be his ‘friend’ in school as he was constantly asking him stuff that Ryoji thinks only friends ask each other.
Ryoji can’t say it’s bad or nice, a little bit bothersome maybe, but it was just that: bothersome.
When he arrived back at the dorms, he saw someone who he hadn't seen before talking with Takeba in the lounge. A man with brown hair, glasses and a beige suit.
“Oh, he’s back.”
Ryoji tilts his head questioningly, pointing at himself.
“So, this is our new guest…” The man hums, smiling at him.
Ryoji doesn’t know why but he feels wary of this person.
The man greeted him and Ryoji greeted back to be polite, bowing his head slightly. The man introduced himself as Ikutsuki Shuji, the Chairman of the Board in Gekkoukan.
“Nice to meet you, Ik… Ikuski…-san?” Ryoji tried, finding his tongue tying on the chairman’s last name.
“Hard to say, isn’t it?” Ikutsuki chuckles, repeating his last name slowly for Ryoji. “That’s why I don’t like introducing myself. Even I get tongue-tied sometimes… Please, have a seat.”
Ryoji reluctantly did so, sitting on the sofa opposite of Takeba.
Ikutsuki apologizes for the confusion of his accommodations, telling him it might take a bit longer before he could get his actual room assignment. It was fine for Ryoji, not that it would change anything honestly. Then Ikutsuki asked if he had any questions.
If he’s merely staying temporarily then his questions about the dormitory would be unnecessary. But…
“I have just one.” Ryoji started, his fingers pinching the edge of his scarf trying to think of a way to ask his question without it sounding too far fetched or insane. “The other night. I saw something… strange.”
“You saw… something strange? Like what?” There was curiosity in Ikutsuki’s eyes, and Ryoji could see something more in it too. Ryoji didn’t like it one bit. But then the chairman shook his head with a chuckle, a hand dismissing his worries. “You were probably just tired. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
For his question to be easily brushed away like that, something didn’t feel right about that answer…
Ryoji won’t pry further though, it’s probably not his business then.
“If that’s your only question then I wish you a wonderful school year.” Ikutsuki smiled, suggesting he should get to bed early before he leaves with a joke that Ryoji understood but didn’t feel the need to laugh at.
It rubs on Ryoji the wrong way. He doesn’t know what to make of Ikutsuki. It looked like he was dissecting Ryoji with his stare. ( Like the caretakers of the orphanage )
But he took the chairman’s suggestion and went to bed early, feeling the after-school fatigue hit him, still missing the presence that he came to know as his friend.
Ryoji opened his eyes to a passing blinding light. It made him raise his hand to shield his eyes.
The sound of soothing piano welcomes his ears next, a tune simple but elegant in its own way, followed by the familiar sound of a ticking clock, albeit faster than normal.
Ryoji also noticed that he’s sitting down. Was he sitting down when he slept…?
Once his eyes are used to the brightness, he puts down his hand, blinking at the sight of two people in front of him. One, an old man with… abnormally long nose, dressed in a suit, sitting on a plush blue couch in front of a blue round table, and beside him a lady in blue with white hair and yellow eyes, holding a thick book in her arms.
“Welcome to the Velvet Room.” The old man greeted him. “Oh my, it seems like fate has given us something rather interesting.”
Ryoji tilted his head in confusion. What does he mean by that? The room is blue, not velvet.
“My name is Igor. I am delighted to make your acquaintance.” The old man, Igor, turned to the lady beside him. “This is Elizabeth. She’s a resident here, like myself.”
“Pleased to meet you.” The lady, Elizabeth, greeted him.
“This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter… Only those who have signed the contract can enter this place.”
With a small flicker of light, the contract he had signed appeared on the table, opening it to reveal its content.
“So… is that kid from here?” Ryoji dared to ask carefully.
Igor merely chuckled at his question. “From now on, you shall be welcome here as a guest in the Velvet Room. You are destined to hone your unique ability, and you will require my assistance to do so.”
“Unique ability? What unique ability?”
“I only ask one thing in return…” Igor kept going, ignoring Ryoji’s pile of questions. “Abide by your contract, and assume full responsibility for the choices you have made and will make.”
If he remembers correctly contracts are made to be binding, there will be consequences if he doesn't abide by it. So Ryoji has no choice but to just nod his agreement.
“Hold on to this.” A flicker of light dropped down in front of Ryoji, holding out his hand the light turned into a key and fell into his palms. It was cold, and solid.
“Until we meet again…”
Ryoji woke up to the birds chirping, the tick and tock of his clock above him, and his blanket bunched up around him. He blinked his eyes to get used to being awake, the remnants of the dream he had slipping away like sand on his hands.
What a weird dream… He didn’t even answer any of my questions. What the heck.
Another school day came and went. Meeting Junpei at the gate, heading to class together. Nothing changed if Ryoji was to ask anything about it.
And like his first day of class Junpei walked up to his seat once more and greeted him.
“‘Sup! How’s it goin’?”
“Hi Junpei!”
“Wanna stop somewhere on the way home?”
Oh? Ryoji blinked, processing the question. “... Where?”
“I dunno, maybe grab a bite to eat?” Junpei answered before realization dawned on him. “Oh. That’s right, you’re new around here.”
“Not entirely new.” Ryoji corrected Junpei with an apologetic smile. “Iwatodai’s my hometown but I haven’t been here ever since I was ten.”
“No worries, I’ll show ya. It’s just around the corner from here. Let’s go!”
The rest of the afternoon was spent with Junpei showing him Paulownia Mall and the things they could do after school there. Junpei tried to show off his skills at a crane game in the arcade which ended up… disappointing? But Junpei looked like he had a good time so Ryoji can’t say anything about it.
“I’ve been meaning to ask but what’s with the scarf?” Junpei suddenly asked him after a round of the crane game.
“Hm? What do you mean?” Ryoji asks, a hand tugging at the ends of said scarf.
“I mean… It’s not that cold to need a scarf but you still wear it. So… why the scarf? A fashion trend or somethin’?”
It was a hard question to answer, in Ryoji’s opinion. How can he tell Junpei that wearing the scarf just felt right to him? Sure it was given to him by his mom’s friend but this feeling of belonging was… different. It feels like it belonged to him? The moment he saw it he knew that it was his, and that he won’t let anyone take it away from him.
“It’s just something… sentimental to me.” Ryoji decided, brushing his hand along the soft fabric.
“Ohhh, so a comfort item? Or somethin’ like that?”
A comfort item. That’s not too far off actually if Ryoji has to think about it. “Yeah. Something like that.”
“Huh. A’ight then you do you.”
And that was the end of it. At least for now, Ryoji thinks.
After he and Junpei part ways again at the station, he heads back to the dorm. He was greeted by Kirijo and was slightly called out with how late he came back (which she assured that it was not her being overbearing, just worried) and got told to rest early since he looked tired.
And he does feel tired, but it’s the tiredness that was usual for him. Or… well… more than usual.
Nonetheless, he took Kirijo’s suggestion and went to his room to sleep early, trying not to drag his feet along the carpeted floors as he made his way up.
Ryoji sat on his bed and he knows he won’t have enough energy to get back up and change his clothing for sleeping. He lets himself fall down his bed, an arm over his head and hoping that his scarf won’t be wrinkled for tomorrow.
… That reminds him…
His hand went to his pocket, fishing out the key he saw in his dream, watching it shine under the lights of his room. It was just there when he was coherent enough to notice it, sitting in his pocket.
So it wasn’t a dream… Ryoji thought to himself, looking at the key. Igor, was it? Who is he…? And what was that “contract” all about…
Ryoji didn’t have time to ponder further, sleep pulling him in in their sweet embrace.
“ Come to me… ”
Ryoji gasps as he wakes up from his sleep, sitting up and clutching his chest tightly. It hurts a little, like a small mouse was trying to dig through his skin, struggling to get out, wanting to get out.
What…?
CRASH!
Ryoji’s head snapped up at the loud noise followed by the building rumbling . What’s happening?
BANG-BANG-BANG!
“Wake up!” Takeba’s voice screamed from behind the door.
“Takeba-san?” Ryoji immediately opened the door for her, seeing her frantic and nervous, almost not noticing that Ryoji opened the door for her.
“There’s no time to explain. We have to get out of here now!” said Takeba.
“W-What’s going on?” Ryoji couldn’t help but ask anyway.
“Hurry! To the first floor! We’ll leave through the back!” Takeba went to grab his arm before she noticed that both her hands were occupied by the weapons in her hands. “Oh, wait! Here take this, just in case.”
When he was given a shortsword it was… eerily familiar , it felt right , but he doesn’t know why it felt right or familiar.
There was no time to ponder about it though, not when Takeba’s urgency was palpable and the clawing feeling inside of him grew, almost as if something was wanting to claw out of his chest.
It hurts, but he doesn’t have the time to dwell on it when Takeba grabs his wrist and pulls him along downstairs to the backdoor. He has a feeling that whoever or whatever the source of the rumbling is, they’re not going to be safe anywhere .
And he was proven right when they hear Kirijo’s voice telling them of whatever is out there, it’s not alone, and the primary one is lurking around the dorm building. And just in time another rumble came through, this time coming from the backdoor.
The pull grew inside Ryoji’s chest, now absolutely wanting to claw out.
But it’s not safe there. Their safety comes first. If outside is dangerous, then there’s no other choice but to go further into the dorm.
Go up and up.
Until they arrived at the rooftop. Takeba locked the door to downstairs, essentially trapping them on the rooftop with nowhere to go.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Takeba-san.” Ryoji gasped, his free hand gripping his chest as he heaved oxygen to his lungs. He looked at the doorknob before looking at Takeba, who looked back at him.
“Then what else do you think we can do?!” Takeba huffed, her panic evident in her tone.
True, there’s no other option considering the threat was coming from the ground, but still Ryoji thinks it’s a bad move, considering they have nowhere else to go.
But then, he feels the hair at the back of his head tingle, the rumbling sounding nearer.
The moon is too bright today. Almost too bright.
And in the light of the moon a hand stretched and reached out to the edge of the rooftop.
It’s here .
The hand placed itself on the edge followed by… more . More hands than Ryoji could count, spanning the whole rooftop edge. Then a hand holding a mask appeared, looking around the rooftop until it set its sights on them.
More specifically him .
The hands pulled themselves upwards, revealing it to be a mass of hands with one hand holding the eerie mask up as a face. It started crawling towards them, slow and uncertain.
You… you… you…
Then it showed swords on its other hands, multiple hands with swords, before it lunged towards them. Takeba’s fear becomes even more palpable, her words shaky and scared as she explains what was in front of them.
A shadow. The one that attacked them that night.
Ryoji watched as Takeba pulled out the same gun he saw the other night, pointing it in between her eyes. It… fascinated him almost, a morbid curiosity he felt. As someone who was almost always surrounded by death, watching someone willingly point a gun to their head was something that intrigued him.
But Takeba couldn’t pull the trigger despite prepping herself up for it. She was slapped away by the monster in front of them before her fingers could move. It almost happened in slow motion for Ryoji. Yet face to face with this creature, he didn’t feel the same fear Takeba is feeling.
The monster stared at him for a moment, almost… respectfully, before it turned to Takeba’s prone figure, slowly, threateningly.
Ryoji knows he has to do something.
Looking down at his feet he sees the gun Takeba had, the emboss of S.E.E.S shining in the yellow moon.
It was calling him, like that shadow was calling to him. But this calling was less of a tug and more of a… hand reaching out to him.
His hand went to get the gun, the cold metal warming slightly under his touch. For such a small thing it felt heavy, but Ryoji supposed that the heaviness is not because of its actual weight.
The voice of the child on his first day in this dorm calls out to him gently, eerie gray eyes staring back at him and he nodded.
“ Go on .”
The weight of a life. The weight of his life .
The child curled his hand, mimicking a gun, pointing at his head. “ Can you do what it takes? ”
To risk his life, to protect others.
The gun felt natural on his hand, felt natural pointed on his head, slotting perfectly in his temple. And as perfectly as it is in his head, Ryoji took a deep breath, deep breaths .
And with a small smile gracing his lips, he mumbles out the words.
“ Persona .”
Pulling the trigger was a euphoric feeling, the sound of glass shattering and power pulling out of his body.
Behind him, he could feel something materialize, a voice that sounded his own echoed in his ears.
“ I am thou… Thou art I… From the sea of thy soul, I cometh. ”
A wave of melody surrounds him, a harp calling and leading. A calling.
“ I am Orpheus, master of strings… ”
… Orpheus…?
No… that’s… it doesn’t feel right — it feels… wrong .
It’s… not—
The monster turned its attention to him and the new power he awakened. It moved away from Takeba’s prone form and started to run to him with a deadly intent, only to be blocked by an explosion of fire, roar from Orpheus behind him protecting him. It starts to attack the monster, using its harp to bash into its defenses, using its harp to block out the slashing swords. Ryoji knows Orpheus could only scrape the monster. It’s too weak from just being awakened. He knew he couldn't win.
But… if—
If—
A throbbing headache appeared in his head, a loud static coating his brain, needles poking at all space in his head, a claw scratching from inside out. It hurts— it hurts—!
His hands went to his head, hoping to ease the pain. Ryoji could feel claws digging through his brain, into his consciousness . He barely heard Orpheus’ screams before he himself screamed at the pain of his head splitting open. A surge of power washed over him, greater than what he can withstand , wrapping around his head like a tight band, squeezing and squeezing .
With that surge of power came out a surge of something different .
“ AAHHHHHHHHHHH! ”
Brutal squelching echoed on his head, the crunch of something following. Orpheus brutally replaced by…
By…
A roar resonated out as the new creature loomed above Ryoji, a protective shadow over him. The roar was like a calling, a warning , a signal .
It’s powerful. Ryoji knows this. It will—
“ Ack—! ”
Ryoji could barely see as the figure behind him flew forward towards the mass of hands and brutally cleaved it with its sword. The row of coffins around him didn’t escape Ryoji’s sight, its body as black as night.
As black as…
The creature let out another roar, squishing a squirming hand on its own gloved hand before looking over at Ryoji. It has no eyes but he knows it’s looking at him, even with the light of the moon behind it he could see it looking .
It looks… familiar .
Familiar… and… right …
Ryoji watches as the creature looms over them, over the moon, before it fizzles out and Orpheus returns to its normal state, the tight band over his head easing as it returns.
However, with that ease came exhaustion, a heavy thing that Ryoji hadn’t felt before. In no time, he fell to his knees and went out like light, like that creature in the full moon. The last thing he saw was a glowing fluttering butterfly moving towards him.
“— ato-kun— wake— say—! ”