Eternal Promise

10 Jul, 2016

It's a late evening and the Phantom Thieves just dispersed after using the daytime to study together. Mina and Yusuke walked next to each other as the sun began to set. All is quiet. Walks between the two tend to be. They're both artists and like to admire the scenery around them. It was a mutual understanding.

However, tonight was different. Something had been weighting on Yusuke's mind. Earlier during their study session, when the group took a break to watch the tv segment surrounding Akechi Goro, Mina had quickly left the room. The young detective that declared the Phantom Thieves as criminals was a shared enemy amongst them. Yusuke knew it wasn't uncommon to see any of them be visibly upset or uncomfortable by the mention of him.

This was different. Yusuke has known Mina since the two of them were first years. They've gotten to know each other pretty well. And Yusuke is far more perceptive than one might initially assume. So he knew that there was something deeper going on between Mina and Akechi. He figured they must have some connection to get such reactions out of her.

"Hey.." Yusuke trailed off, not exactly sure how to bring it up. "Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but you know Akechi. Don't you?" he decided to just rip off the bandaid and ask. The black haired girl immediately stopped in her tracks. She clutched the strap of her bag just a bit tighter. "Wha- What are you talking about?" she slowly turned her head to look at him. Yusuke slowed in his steps too.

He took a deep breath before continuing, feeling a cool breeze sweep between the two of them. "I've noticed that every time Akechi is mentioned, you wear this pained expression. An expression that has a past." he pointed out. Her dark eyes look away. A moment passed before she begins to speak. "It's... true." she starts, her eyes trailing off to observe the night sky. "I do know him."

She finally admitted it and to do so in front of Yusuke feels relieving in a way. So she continues, "We were friends in middle school and we had gotten real close, but... then the next thing I knew, my mother was telling me that we were moving again." She paused to sigh. "And instead of being normal and asking to keep in touch, I just— I pushed him away. Just started to avoid him and an ignore him like an asshole."

Mina wasn't proud of it. In fact, the way she handled things had been haunting her for years. Akechi was true friend. Someone she had so dearly confided in and instead of cherishing it, she got scared and pushed him away. "I kept thinking that it wouldn't matter because we'd never see each other again. I kept telling myself that giving him the cold shoulder would make my departure for him easier. I just thought.. if he saw me as a shitty person, it'd lessen the blow." But now she realised how stupid it all was. Mina knew that she just ended up hurting him.

It hurt to admit that. So much so that she repressed memories of him. "It was so stupid... I was so stupid." she suddenly buried her face in the palms of her hands. "Life has such a shitty way of working out sometimes." she laughed dryly, feeling tears pool in her eyes. Meanwhile the male next to her drew close. "Forgive me, but why don't you communicate that with him?"

"What?" Her head shot up to look at him with glossy eyes. "N-No way! He definitely hates me now. Plus.. it's not like I have his contact info saved."

"You don't know that for sure though. Akira seems to have his contact info. So I'm sure he wouldn't mi—"

"Absolutely not! There's no way I can face him again after all these years. He probably wouldn't remember me anyway..."

"Now you are contradicting yourself. Don't you remember the conversation we had after about three weeks of knowing each other?" Yusuke's blue eyes stared into hers. Of course she remembered. She remembers it well. Mina made a vow that night. Mina begrudgingly nodded in response. "You made a promise to yourself to not run away from the things you enjoy and love anymore. You also said you'd be more willing to give people a chance, so shouldn't you extend the same to Akechi?"

Mina looked away, grabbing at her arm. He was right. She did make that promise. A promise to stop running and hiding from the things she cares about. "You should let him come to his own conclusions about you." Yet again. Yusuke was right. A part of her hated that, because it made her face the reality she was so afraid of. A reality she was so used to cowering in fear from. "You're right. I'm just scared I'll mess things up again. But.. I don't want to run away anymore..."

Talking to him after all these years would be undoubtedly scary, but she wanted to take a chance if it meant there was a possibility to apologise for how she handled things between them when they were kids. It's long overdue, but she still wanted to try.