March 6th, 20XX

Jumin sat himself nervously in the corner with his laptop, staring down at his lap, shaking. He had never sat alone, not without Isas at least. But he wouldn't be alone for long if the girls would just hurry up.

Finally, the girls sat down with their food trays and Suki with her notepads.

"T-took you long enough..." Jumin said, barely audible.

Kimi rolled her eyes. "Relax, no one was even staring at you!"

Jumin sighed and opened his laptop, opening the window he had earlier in the day.

"These are Isas' medical records. They haven't been updated once since he was admitted. It says the same thing it always says: illness: unknown, condition: unknown, possibly..."

Jumin took a breath before speaking again.

"Possibly...fatal...."

A lump formed in all their throats once the words left Jumin's lips. Jumin held back tears and gripped the edges of the table.

Suki rubbed his back a little to calm him down.

"I'll get you some water..." Kimi said, standing up without another word.

Suki continued to rub Jumin's back as he breathed in and out, calming himself down.

"Y'know...Isas used to do this, too." He said quietly.

"Calm you down?"

Jumin nodded. "I always ate lunch in the computer lab when I was younger because I hated going out and having to face..."him" and the bullies when I was younger..."

Suki tilted her head. " 'Him?' "

Jumin shook a little. "Guess I didn't tell you...huh? I guess I should now that it's out there..."

He swept back his large fringe of hair on the left side to reveal a large and purple bruise on the side of his head.

"I got this a few days before his arrest...he was an ex-boyfriend of my mom's before she met my dad. One day, he came up to me when I was five and he followed us home. Mom got a restraining order against him but that didn't stop him from coming around....he said he would hurt them...that he'd kill my parents and kill me too...so, everytime he came around, I'd fight him with everything I had. It didn't matter for shit how old I was-I fought him! ....He called me a dumbass everytime he'd beat me down. Said I couldn't read, see, or fight for shit...and that's what all the kids said when I started school....and they'd beat on me too..."

Jumin gripped his pants and gritted his teeth, a few tears falling down his face.

"I-I'd skip school a lot and be on my computer all the time...but then my parents stopped sending out fake sick notes a-and...I have dyslexia...I can't read as well as everyone else...and everyone else, teachers, tutors...they gave up on me...I gave up on me...but my parents did it.... Isas didn't...Isas helped me! He went through all my crap and helped me! He's my best friend and I-"

Jumin teared up even more, choking back sobs.

"I-I didn't help him...I-I S-should've known....i-I can't lose him, S-Soup...I can't..."

Suki sighed and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I know, Jumin...I know. I've...I've been down that road. But I promise you, you will not lose him. We can save him. We will save him, just like we'll save everyone else. Together."

Jumin looked down at Suki, a hopeful smile on his face through tearful eyes. Suki could feel a strong beacon of hope form inside Jumin.

I am thou...

Thou has created a new vow.

Thou has birthed new life and

Hermit Arcana: Rank 1

The voice faded out in Suki's head. Wow, three in only two days! She thought.

Jumin was now calm and wiped away the last of his tears. "T-thanks, Sou-I mean...Suki. S-sorry, I-it happens when I get..emotional and-"

"It's okay. I actually quite like the name." Suki joked, giggling a bit. Jumin chuckled.

"I'll use it more often~"

Suki blushed and continued giggling until Kimi returned with a cup of water.

"Well it seems you two are getting along nicely. Come up with a plan yet, Leader?" Kimi asked, turning her head to Suki.

"Not yet-wait, leader? Where did that come from?" Suki asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! You got your persona first, you're pretty straightforward and strategic when it comes to battle and coming up with things-well, except for right now." Kimi said.

Suki nodded, feeling a bit of pride in herself. Leader...I like that.

"So? What do we do for a plan?" Kimi asked.

The trio thought for a moment until Jumin remember something.

"I think I know who can help."

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Afternoon

"Why did you bring us to your house?" Kimi asked, puzzled as she and the other two stood outside of Jumin's small house.

"Uh...my dad may or may not be or has been a...persona user...heh." Jumin said hesitantly.

The girls eyes went wide in surprise. "WHAT?!" They shouted in unison.

"Y-yeah. And so is my mom."

"AND YOU'RE JUST TELLING US THIS NOW?!" Kimi shouted.

"I just remembered..." Jumin whispered.

Kimi sighed. "W-whatever. We need all the help we can get anyway."

"Trust me. My dad can help. He was the wild card-whatever that means."

He...was a wild card? He was the fool too? Suki thought.

Jumin unlocked the door to his house and they walked in.

"Ma! Dad! I'm home!" Jumin called.

"You don't have to yell, JuJu." His mother said, walking into the living room. Jumin blushed at the nickname while Kimi snickered.

"JuJu?"

"S-shut up!!!"

Giselle laughed and walked to her son.

"You just love to embarrass me in front of girls, don't you?"

Giselle smirked. "I'm your mom. It's my job." She said jokingly.

Jumin playfully rolled his eyes as his mother kissed his cheek as he introduced the girls.

"Mom, you know Kimi. And this is the new transfer, Suki Ichika."

Suki bowed before shaking her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Eko."

His mother smiled. "You can just call me Grey, hun."

Suki smiled.

"So, where's dad?" Jumin asked.

"He's in the garage. I'll go get him."

"Thanks Ma."

Grey smiled and went to the garage to retrieve her husband.

Meanwhile, Kimi and Suki broke off to invade the privacy that was Jumin's house.

They were both made their way to Jumin's room, covered in caution tape, when Jumin stopped them.

"Woah, woah, woah! What do you think you're doing?" He asked, blocking the door with his body.

"We wanna see your room!" Kimi said proudly.

"Please Jumin? We really wanna see!" Suki exclaimed.

Jumin sighed, relecuntly lower his guard and stepped out of the way.

"F-fine...just...don't touch anything that is not meant to be touched."

"Which is?"

"EVERYTHING."

He opened the door to his room and let the girls enter first.

Jumin's room was a mess of things. Many anime and game posters covered the walls. A pile of thankfully clean clothes and hoodies laid on top of his futon, which had one side being held up by books. One side on the room was entirely tech and wires in a tangled mess. Four outdated computer screens sat on his desk covered in notebooks and cake snack wrappers.

"Your room...is absolutely disgusting." Kimi said, laughing a bit.

"I-I didn't have time to clean! And I didn't exactly think girls were gonna come into my room..."

Kimi continued to laugh quietly.

The girls walked around the room, looking at Jumin's possessions. Suki spotted a small picture on his bedside table.

"Jumin~Kun, is this you?" She asked.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. This is when I was ten and visiting my aunts and uncles in my dad's hometown. Ma kinda caught me by surprise with picture." Jumin replied, chuckling.

"Where is your father from?" Kimi asked.

"Inaba. It's a four hour car ride there, so I guess it's pretty close."

"Close my ass..." Kimi muttered. She turned her head to the corner and saw a red wooden guitar.

"Hey, you play?" Kimi asked, turning her head to Jumin.

"Yeah...it used to be mom's. I'm gonna get my own and give it back to her..."

"She taught you how to play?"

Jumin nodded. "Yeah...Dad and Isas taught me how read regular stuff...mom taught me how to read music..."

"Then when and how did you learn to hack?"

"It just happened. The way my dyslexia works made it easy to just scrunch numbers and stuff. I don't really know a lot of the technical terms....but I can do it...generally okay!"

Kimi chuckled. Jumin's father walked in, leaning against the door frame.

"You called." He said.

"Oh, dad! We need to talk to you about...Y'know, the thing." Jumin said, shifting nervously.

"Son, if everyone else is aware of what you're talking about, you don't need to call it 'the thing'." His father said.

"S-sorry..." Jumin whispered sheepishly.

His father patted his back. "It's fine. Now, come into the living room because I cannot seriously talk to you in this room until it's clean."

"Fair enough."

Kimi and Jumin left the room first. Jumin's father was about to leave when Suki grabbed his hand.

"Um, I'm sorry to do this or ask this of you, Mr. Eko, but...Jumin said that you were the Wild card...is that true?"

He nodded. "Yeah. Still have my membership, too. I'm assuming you're the new one?"

Suki nodded, shaking his hand. "Yes. I'm Suki Ichika."

"Yu Narukami. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Um...I promise to protect your son! I'll make it my goal! And I'll save Isas too!" Suki declared.

Yu chuckled sadly, looking down. "You...don't have to do that. I know being the fool isn't the easiest job and...you can't really protect everyone. But I know you'll try. And my Jumin can protect himself, trust me. He's...."

Yu struggled with his words. "He's had a lot of hits...."

Suki nodded sadly. "I-I know...I just...I don't want to lose anyone...because of me..."

Yu sighed and looked back in the living room, watching his son converse with Kimi.

"Look, I can't ask you to make sure he comes back in one piece...he's gonna get hurt...I'll feel it when he does...and it'll hurt me too...but I can't blame you. Because you're still just a kid. A kid with big responsibilities that I think no kid should have...so if something does happen, know it isn't your fault, okay?"

Suki nodded. "Okay..."

Yu smiled. "Good. Glad we had an understanding."

"Yes...oh! One more thing, you said you could feel when he gets hurt...what do you mean by that?"

"That. Persona users who have strong bonds with each other can feel when they're injured. It's usually active in battle.".

Suki nodded in understanding.

Yu smiled at her and they left to the living room. Suki sat with the others on the couch while Yu sat on an arm chair in front of them.

"Alright, so what do you need help with?" Yu asked.

"It's about Isas. He has some kind of castle and his shadow...he doesn't want us in there. At all. He's probably heightened his security and everything." Jumin said.

"Easy, you scope out the area before you make any moves. Make sure you have somewhat of an easy escape and easy entrance."

"I-it's not just that." Kimi said hesitantly.

"Obviously."

"Isas...his state is critical. We don't know when he could possibly..."

Kimi could not finish. Instead, she bit her lip.

"How was it for you? When you needed to defeat someone's shadow?" Suki asked.

"For me, it was always before the fog rolled in. That's usually when the killer would strike so her wouldn't be caught." He replied.

"We don't have fog..."

The group thought for a moment when Jumin thought of something.

"W-what about He opted.

"What do you mean, Son?"

Jumin bit his lip, gripping his pants. "Uh...well, I don't know if it would be really...right or anything but...this Sunday...it marks the day we first met....if he wasn't busy, we were gonna go hang out and eat ramen and those fancy cake things in the park..."

The other three gave each other a look.

"That...that could actually work. " Yu said.

Jumin smiled proudly.

"But...that means we only have what? Three days until the deadline?" Kimi asked worriedly.

"Then you act fast. And you act smart. Everything you collected, everything you gather-use it. Use it to make a good plan. It doesn't have to be a great plan, it just has be-put together, to say the least."

The trio seemed to have a better understanding on what to do, thanks to Yu.

"Thanks for the help dad." Jumin said.

"Yeah, thanks Mr. Narukami!"

Yu smiled. "No problem, kids."

Kimi then stood up enthusiastically and energetic. "Alright! Now let's go to Jumin's room and get planning!"

"Wait-why does it have to be in my room?!"

"Because it'll be easier! Now let's go!"

Kimi pulled Suki off the couch and ran to Jumin's room. Jumin was about to chase after them, when Yu stopped him.

"Dad?"

"Jumin...could you please do, or at least try to do something for me?"

Jumin tilted his head a bit. "Uh...sure I guess. What is it?"

Yu exhaled deeply. "Please...try and stay safe? You are our only son....I care about you a lot, your mother cares about you a hell of a lot! And...I don't want to see you get seriously hurt....or...y'know."

Jumin nodded and hugged his father. "I-I know dad...I promise that I'll try not to die while in the

"Thank you son..." Yu said, pressing a kiss to his temple.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must retreat to my sanctuary before it is tarnished."

With that, Jumin sprinted off to his room, the door slamming close behind him.

Yu chuckled, but there was still a twinge of worry inside him. He only hoped that his son would stay clear of harm.

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"Isas, wanna play sandball?"

"What's sandball?"

"It's like snowballs but with sand!"

"...Okay!!"

"Jumin...."

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