Part 72: September 28 - September 30: Giving Notice

-The Path is Open-


The initial draft of Kanji Tatsumi's design. Since Kanji was initially established as a delinquent olderclassman, this design was considered for him at one point.
Alas, we'll never get to hear about Kanji's Stray Cats cover band.



-Specialist-


Mr. Kondo: ...Oh man, I'm sooo hungry. Did you all eat? I had a big meal, but I'm still hungry! I should have eaten an apple for dessert! No, two! No! THREE! While we're on the subject of apples, what part of the human body has an apple in it? Anybody know? Okay, Hanamura! Give me a wild guess! You might surprise yourself!


Hey, Sanzo...Do you know the answer?
Throat.
Mr. Kondo: Good on you, Hanamura! The "Adam's Apple," or laryngeal prominence, is part of the human throat. Isn't that a funny name? The term comes from the Biblical story of Adam, and how he got a piece of the infamous apple stuck in his throat. What a wimp! He couldn't even swallow the apple whole! Hahahahahahaha!
Wow, thanks, Sanzo. You were a great help!

-Like A Dream Come True-

> Yasogami High, rooftop...Ai yanked your arm all the way up here...


Th-Thank for that, last time...
You're welcome.
I was...you know, happy.

> Ai looks embarrassed...

I-I'm...I'm in a weird mood...
Every time I think about what happened, I can feel my heart beat faster, and I hardly sleep at night. Wh-What should I do...?
I...I think...What should I do? I think I'm...in love. It's funny, isn't it? Like...why now?
I just keep thinking back on that day...
It's Kou-kun...
D-Do you know if he has a girlfriend? Do you think maybe I'm his type? O-Or do you think he hates...people like me?
Have a little confidence.
Y-You're right!

> Ai nods seriously...

I-I'm not used to things like this. You're the only one I can turn to...

> Ai is looking at you with pleading eyes...


C'mon, please...You'll help me, right? All I need you to do is...ask him what's his type. That's it.
No problem.
Thank goodness...Um, y-you don't have to do it today or anything, but...p-please...

> You parted with Ai in silence and went home.





-Heartbeat, Heartbreak-


If you have some free time...wanna fight again? Just kidding! We don't have to do that anymore. You're still my best friend.

> You feel that the bond you have with Yosuke is something that can never be replaced...


It must be an assassin, sent because I know too much now that I go to school...If I live through this, I'd better stay away from school for a while...


...Hm? You look like you've got something you wanna ask me.

> You tell Kou that Ai Ebihara wants to know his type...

Huh? My type? Hm, what's all this about, anyway? You're puttin' me on the spot, here. Uhhhhh...well...a nice girl? Haha...

-Like A Dream Come True-

> The hill overlooking town...Kanji brought you here, saying he wanted to talk someplace quiet...


It's the first time I went on my own...Well, I had a lot to tell him.
How was it?
H-How was it...? Well, uhh, I felt like I could finally face him...A little late, though.

> Kanji is smiling sadly...

Dad told me somethin' right before he died: "If you're a man, you have to become strong." I felt like he was telling me I wasn't a real man. Pissed me off.
So, I changed my looks and pushed myself away from people...Fighting gangs, thinking I was protecting Mom...Tryin' to catch this killer...I thought alla that was how I was becoming strong. That I was really making up for all the trouble I caused...I was drunk off my "power"...
But...That wasn't it. That ain't what Dad meant...
I still don't really get what bein' "strong" means, but I'm gonna start by not lying to myself. No more being scared of everyone, hiding my hobbies, staying away from people...Anytime, anyplace, I'm gonna bust right through as my own self! That's the way to deal with that "other me" in the TV world. As long as there's someone like that snot-nosed kid to accept me, I ain't afraid of nothing!
Find more of them.
I should, huh? The more people who understand me, the better.

> Kanji is smiling sheepishly...You felt Kanji's firm resolve...


Oh yeah. We're gonna put those dolls of mine up for sale at the shop. They were a big hit with that kid and his mom. They called me just to say "thank you"...Heheh, I got a kick outta that. Oh, I gotta go buy supplies...I need to jet.

> You parted with Kanji and went home.

-Smile-

> Inaba Municipal Hospital, empty hospital room...Sayoko asked you to come here...


I wanted to say goodbye.
Goodbye?
...I'm leaving this hospital today.

> Sayoko looks straight into your eyes.

I grew to hate hospitals...All the life and death...In the end, everyone leaves, leaving me behind. I was lonely...
Then I remembered. I remembered that...I wanted to help. I became a nurse because I wanted to save people's lives. I couldn't see that it was as simple as that. No...I probably didn't want to see it.

> Sayoko smiles gently...

And to think that the one who would show me this is just some kid with a rag in his hand....I tend to go for older rich men, and I landed a child. So...I'm going. I'm going to find that path I gave up on. I thought I couldn't do it...But, I will walk that road.
I'm going to be my own guide. Thinking, walking, taking responsibility for myself...Once I've done all that, I think I can finally say that I've truly lived.
...Will you take this?

> Sayoko gave you Hospital ID.



> Sayoko looks at you gently...You feel a strong bond between yourself and Sayoko...



-The Path is Open-



The greatest strength lies in weakness overcome.



-Smile-

I'm going to say this. It's as much to myself as it is to you. What's right...What you should choose to do in life...The answers to those things lie within you. So long.

> Sayoko left, never looking back...You decided to go home.



-Like A Dream Come True-

> Central shopping district...You walked Rise home after a trip to Okina City.


Come with me next time when I go pick 'em up, Senpai. I had tons of fun today. Not many people tried to come up and talk...Maybe they already forgot who I am. Oh, yeah--Want some tofu to take home? I helped make them today. Wait right here.
Man's voice: Excuse me...Sanzo-san, is it?


Inoue: I'm Minoru Inoue, Rise Kujikawa's former manager. I'm sorry to bother you, but...Could you give this to her?

> Inoue handed you a letter...

Inoue: A fan letter came, you see...
Does she even need them?
Inoue: ...You may be right. But Rise always did look forward to this girl's letters...In today's cult of personality, being popular carries its own problems. Your schedule fits together, minute by minute, like a jigsaw puzzle...Every day you're squeezed utterly dry...But even knowing that, I still want her to come back. She was genuinely brilliant...Not only that, but she's strong enough to use her pain as a foundation. From what I could see...she's relying on you. So could you...?


Inoue-san!? Quit pestering me! Wait...What did you say to Senpai!?
Inoue: I-I'm sorry. I'm leaving now...Goodbye...


To think I trusted him...I feel betrayed!
He's worried about you.
No...He just wants Risette back. The "me" he created...

> Rise is biting her lip...

So...what did he come for?

> You told Rise why Inoue came and handed her the fan letter.

This letter...She wrote again. I see...But he came all the way out here for this...?
This girl is a middle school student. She writes to me all the time. I did this public service campaign once to stamp out bullying. She said it inspired her...She wrote that she wouldn't let bullies get her down, that she'd try to make friends...Ever since then, she wrote me letters. "This happened to me today," "I was able to say this," stuff like that. "Seeing Risette work hard encourages me," "It makes me feel like I can still hang in there"...Haha, she doesn't really know how it works, huh? But still, every time I read her letters, I felt like Risette actually meant something...So whenever things got tough, I would read them over and over...
Senpai...Do you still have some free time...?

-Smile-

> Tatsuhime Shrine...Rise seems to be deep in thought after reading the fan letter.


Officially, I'm taking a break due to illness, so...
Before I quit, there was talk about a part in a movie. She sounds like she was really looking forward to it..."Please get well soon and come back," she says...I'm so glad you were here. I was scared to read it alone...
I gave up on being Risette. I can't meet her expectations...
She'll understand.
Yeah. I hope someday...I can say, "Thank you." And "I'm sorry"...Sorry, huh? There's nothing to be depressed about. Haha...

> Rise's eyes seem to be watering...

Anyway, Risette doesn't exist anymore. It's not just this girl. I disappointed lots of other people...The president of the company told me that over and over, and I knew already...I knew this was the path I chose, but...
...Maybe I'll just inherit the tofu shop! I'm the shop's main attraction now. I bet I could make it thrive!...Senpai. Maybe we should really just do it...Y'know, what I was saying a while back. You could marry me once we graduate high school, and the two of us could work at the tofu shop together. Doesn't that sound fun? H-How about it? Haha...ha...
Sounds great.
...Senpai, you'll say that to just anyone, huh? It's dangerous to try to tell everyone what they want to hear...Too bad, though! Risette wasn't fooled.

> Rise is smiling...

Thank you, Senpai. For being with me all of today...I feel a bit better. Yeah...I'm fine. I can contribute something...And it looks like there are still plenty of things only I can do...

> You can sense Rise's quiet will...



Rise's Weakness Scan is now more precise. She'll reveal specific enemy weaknesses for teammates who can target them. For example, if I'm rolling with Kanji and I come across some Shadows with an electricity weakness I don't know about yet, then at the start of Kanji's turn, Rise will bring up the Analysis screen and point it out. This could also happen on Sanzo's turn if his active Persona has Zio attacks, or I switch him to one that does.

Sorry for dragging you around all day. I'll let you go now.

> You walked Rise to her house and went home.