Part 102: 3/20/12

> Together with them, you have overcome many ordeals, and the peace you've long waited for has returned…
> Though the extreme cold has eased somewhat, the winter weather in this region is still severe.
> But the days that you spend with your friends whom you have faced the truth with are always warm.
> And…
> Time has passed… and spring has come.
> It's the day before you must go back to the city…



3/20/12

I suppose I was sort of bothered even before the day really began. After all, this was my last day in Inaba. But I never would have imagined it all ending this way.



All done packing? Well… if you forget anything, I'll mail it to you.
Can I go answer the door?
Oh yeah… That's right.
Sure, go answer it. There's nothing to worry about anymore.
Seeing her so cheerful like that… Nothing makes me happier.
I already bought your train ticket for tomorrow. It leaves at nine o'clock in the morning from Yasoinaba Station.
Today's your last day here… Don't worry about Nanako. You can leave her to me.
Go see your friends. This might be your last chance to talk to them.
> This is the last day you will be spending in this town.
> You should wander around for a while…
Are you going out? Be careful!

The letter was for me, though I didn't really look at it. I just carried it along with me. Anyway, I started out down by the Samegawa. There was a big surprise waiting for me.



My, my! What a coincidence. We really are connected by fate. *chuckle *
Shall we talk like old times?
Sure.
Goodness, I'm so happy.
I just went to visit my husband's grave. Then I came to look at the river like I did last time…
Next thing I know, here you are. There's a surprise.
I live with one of my kids, and his family now. They're all so kind.
…I just realized that I almost never talked about my kids with you.
I probably distanced myself from the rest of my family…
I was afraid that if I didn't, I was going to depend on them…
……
They're living their own lives; I didn't want to be a burden on them.
So I wanted them to forget about me… to treat me as if I was dead.
But they welcomed me… and now we live together.
They take care of me, but I'm taking care of my grandson.
*chuckle * So there's a little bit of give-and-take there.
There really is a place in the world where I belong.
I'd just assumed that there wasn't one.
They're my children… my family. I regret that I didn't talk with them before.
My husband's death must have been sad for them, too. After all, they lost their father…

I'm glad she was able to find her family again.



Yes, very much so…
I'm so happy right now, but because of that, I feel sad every now and then.
I can't help but think, "He must have wanted to feel this happiness, too…"
So I've decided that the best thing I can do is live a long, happy life.
I'll make the rest of my life as great as it can be… And then I'll tell my husband about it when I see him again.
Then, we'll have all of eternity to be happy together.
I'm not afraid anymore. Just… a little lonely.
*chuckle * I'll also have to tell him everything that happened in town, too.
About this whole crazy year, those awful murders, and how the police solved the case.
I'll definitely have to tell him all about you, too.
……
I recently realized something.
Precious things remain precious, whether you're alive or dead…
Sorry for making you listen to my long-winded monologue.
You look like you still have things left to do.
You look like you've grown up a lot, Souji-chan. You're much more handsome now, too.
Not as handsome as my husband was, though. *chuckle *
Well then… Take care of yourself.
You still have a lot of life ahead of you.
> You feel a close bond between Hisano and yourself…
> HIsano left without looking back…

I remembered there was an early bus to the hospital so I decided to see if Sayoko was there today. I was pretty surprised by what I found.



Young Nurse: Have you heard about Uehara-san?
> They seem to be talking about Sayoko…
Young Nurse: She joined some volunteer organization and went to Africa.
Slim Nurse: Africa!? I never though she'd be he kind of person who would go there…
Young Nurse: Well, she seemed to be taking her job very seriously towards the end of her time here. She even studied during break.
Do you remember when we were talking about the rumors of the Midnight Channel? She wasn't interested at all.
Slim Nurse: Oh, I remember those rumors. Not that I know where they started…
But yeah, not that you mention it, Uehara-san was never around when we were chatting about them.
She was studying some foreign language, wasn't she?
Young Nurse: She was trying to learn English and some African languages. She read a lot of medical books, too.
Slim Nurse: I see… But, why Africa? Why'd she join a volunteer organization? What's the point?
I'd rather marry a guy, raise kids, and be an ordinary housewife.
Young Nurse: That's what I used to think too, but watching Uehara-san kinda made me feel different about it.
…She did seem to have a boyfriend, though. A very young one, too!
Slim Nurse: Oh, it must have been that kid who was working here part-time…
Young Nurse: I don't know the details, but he seemed to really mean something to her…
She one told me that she was trying to do her best to live up to him…
Slim Nurse: "Do her best," eh…?
…I feel I have to try harder, too…
Young Nurse: Yeah… I'm starting to see where she was coming from.
…Let's get back to work and do our best.
> It seems that Sayoko is working hard in a foreign country…
> Even though Sayoko is gone, her life here has changed people for the better.
> You feel a close bond between Sayoko and yourself…

Even though I might never see her again, I could feel how much we meant to each other. Anyway, I caught a bus down to the Amagi Inn from there, Yukiko had to work for a while today.



Souji-kun… That's right, you're leaving tomorrow.
Thanks for coming to see me before you leave…
…It means a lot to me.
I… I was thinking of spending today as just another day.
Helping with the housework, taking a long bath, and going to sleep…
So I can… I can say goodbye without crying…
*chuckle * But I failed miserably… I kept thinking about you…
And on top of that… Here you are, right in front of me. You're not helping at all.
…You're so mean.
That's it, I'm leaving town with you tomorrow!
*chuckle * Just kidding… for now.
You know… After I decided to stay here and become the manager, I realized how afraid I was…
Whether I can meet all the responsibilities…
Whether I'll be able to support the whole staff on my own…
I never thought of things like that…
But I've made my decision… Now I have to make an honest attempt at it.
I'll do my best to overcome the fear.
And you'll be in my heart while I do, Souji-kun…
We'll be together… even when we're apart.

I was happy that Yukiko was happy with her decision to stay.



I'm going to meet every challenge head-on, no matter how hard it seems…
…Remember what Ameno-sagiri said? "If mankind so wishes, I will return at any time…"
That's not what I wish for…
I'll face myself, no matter what happens.
Souji-kun… Thank you.
You'll forever be my precious friend.
> You feel a solid bond between you and Yukiko…
U-Um, well… I-I should get back to work!
I'll see you tomorrow…

I was already starting to notice something strange, but it hadn't quite started to bother me yet. Anyway, back in the shopping district I ran into Chie. Improbably, she was at the bookstore.



You caught me off guard, haha…
Oh, umm… I was just thinking of you, and you suddenly showed up, so…
> Chie is laughing, embarrassed…
…Tomorrow's the day, huh?
I thought a lot about you, and I… I decided to come here.
I was thinking, "What can I do for you?" And I figured crying or feeling sad about you leaving wasn't it…
So I made up my mind… I'm gonna show you what you've taught me.
I bought a book.
It's called… "How to Become a Police Officer!"
I told you I wanted to become strong so I could protect what matters most to me, right?
Well, I want to protect this town.
We all worked hard to win this peace… I wanna keep it this way.
You can't be certain that no incident like this will ever happen again, right?
……
This is where all my best friends are… It's where I met you.
…So I thought maybe I'd become a cop, and have Dojima-san put me through the wringer!
> Chie is smiling cheerfully…
So go home proud. We'll be fine here…
……
Come back anytime. We'll all be waiting for you.
> You feel a tight bond with Chie…
…You still have to say goodbye to everyone else, right?
Go ahead… Go.
> Chie is smiling sadly…

As I started walking down the road, I really couldn't help but notice someone who, um, stood out a bit. I have no idea if people noticed her standing there, but Margaret was just sort of chilling out by the entrance to the Velvet Room.



…You have come.
I was waiting for you.
I wanted to see you before you left.
Though, parting words aren't what I have for you…
Remember?
The heart is shaken more by a single action than by a thousand words…
Do you know what action will shake both of our hearts…?

You only live once, so they say.



*chuckle *
For us residents… I'm sure this is a sin.
Now… Close your eyes.
Why, you ask…?
So that you don't witness my sinfulness.
Mm…
> You feel a solid bond between you and Margaret…
Why did I steal a kiss…? Is that what you were going to ask? But it's you who was the thief.
*chuckle *
……
Will I ever see you again, I wonder…?
Well, then… Farewell.

That the door to the Velvet Room still remained seemed kind of strange, but I moved on. Rise was nearby, outside of Marukyu.



I came to see you.
Senpai… No… That's like you came to say goodbye…!
I'm not planning on letting this be the last time we meet!
…It does make me sad, though.
I told you before, right? I'm returning to showbiz, starting spring.
I went to voice training today to prepare myself for that. You see, I'm redebuting myself with a new album!
I'm writing all the lyrics myself! Well, I got a D in Composition, so they aren't exactly masterpieces…
…But you know, a lot of stuff's happened while I was on break…
I made friends… dear friends… Everyone was so nice to me…
I want to express that to everyone who will listen. My deepest feelings, in my own words.
Ahh, I'm scared! I'm scared of putting the real me out there for people to see…
But… I can't give in to that fear, right?
I'll work hard, for all my fans out there… I'm gonna make a huge comeback!
…So wish me luck!
Of course.
*giggle * Thank you, Senpai.
I know that you'll be watching me on the other side of the camera… I'll keep thinking that way as I work.
> You feel a close bond between yourself and Rise…
I look back at Junes now, and I feel all these good memories of us…
……

I still can't wait for this commercial.



Then you'll all remember the times we had every time you see it!
…But then, we'll all feel a bit lonely afterwards, huh…?
Senpai… I'll see you tomorrow. I'll say goodbye, and I won't cry…
…I'm so glad that fog's gone.
I mean, it's still foggy over in the other world, but it's a clear, blue sky over here.
We can see you off on a happy note… Well, see you later.

It'd been a while since I checked on the fox, so I headed down to the shrine.



> The shrine seems to be prospering, as some objects are shimmering with a golden sheen…
> You don't see the fox…
> Perhaps it left…
Old Man: Hm? What's a young man like you doing in an old place like this?
This place was bustling with visitors not too long ago, but these days, you see less and less.
I heard the town was considering tearing the place down because someone stole money from the offertory box.
Also heard some fox had taken up a home here and they were gonna haul it off to an animal shelter.
Too many rumors these days.
Remember that one about how the fog was making everyone sick?
Or that other one… What was it called? Midnight Radio…? That was popular with the kids, alright.
My grandson and his friends were all into it.
Funny, I remember something kinda like that happening when I was a kid, too. Wonder who starts these rumors…
…Oops, I almost forgot. I was supposed to pick up some juice for my grandson.
> You wonder if the fox was taken to an animal shelter, as that old man said…
> ……
> You decided to leave the shrine…
> You feel a presence watching you…

Things weren't as they seemed.



> The fox family seems to be welcoming you…
> They look like they're doing fine…
> The fox's happiness reminds you of the close bond you share with it…

I left the foxes, Kanji was by the textile shop so I decided to stop in and talk with him.



> Kanji seems to be panicking for some reason…
Kanji's Mother: Oh, hello Souji-kun.
I heard you're leaving tomorrow. You know, Kanji's been acting all say and lonely lately.
Sh-Shut up, you old bat!!
Kanji's Mother: I told you not to speak to me that way!
Anyway, have you told him about the handicraft class?
Thank you for being such a role model for my son, Souji-kun.
Come visit here sometime, all right? Goodbye now.
Y-You didn't hear what she said, did you…?
Handicraft class?
Ugh…
See, a buncha customers liked those knitted dolls we sold, and they asked me how to make 'em…
S-So… I-I'm gonna hold classes on how to do it…
……
L-Laught it up, why don't you!?

I didn't think it was funny at all.



…Senpai.
It was my decision, though.
If people wanna learn, and if I can teach 'em… Hell, why not, you know?
I-I'm still kinda embarrassed, though…
But, uhh…
It kinda feels good to do something for other people…
…Heh.
It's only 'cause of you that I could face up to who I am, Senpai.
…Thank you very much!!
> Kanji has a refreshing smile on his face…
> You feel a solid bond between you and Kanji…
Are you gonna say goodbye to the others later?
…Well, it ain't like this is the last time we'll see each other.
Our friendship ain't just on the surface… Funny how we got the murder case to thank for that.
…We put an end to that stuff, right?
Adachi's in the slammer, and the fog is all cleared up…
…It's all thanks to you, Senpai.
……
Yo, Senpai… When you go, don't turn back around, okay?
……
See ya.

I figured Yosuke and Teddie were working, so I headed down to Junes.



Sensei! I'm super-duper happy that you came to see me!
Going around saying goodbye, huh?
What'd you think of the sleepy, peaceful version of Inaba? It must seem weird to you…
Huh… I wonder why it began just as you arrived here…
I remember that first time. Sensei and Yosuke, braving the TV world alone…
Boy, I feel so nostalgic!
Yeah. Ever since then, it was just one surprise after another…
……
I can't imagine how it's gonna be like, living here without you.
A quiet, peaceful town, with no need to use our Personas anymore…
I can't imagine it either.
…That's right, we were right in the middle of the case when you came over to this side.
A lot of stuff's happened.
Facing my true self… And you and me got into a fight, too…
Y-Yosuke, did you smack Sensei!? Oooh, how reckless…
Of course, moron. Best friends gotta fight sometimes to be best friends.

Teddie always takes things too literally.



Sensei! Bring it on! Let's fight!
Don't hurt him, man. He's gotta get on that train tomorrow.
……
Sensei… You're really leaving, huh?
I'm glad I met you and Yosuke.
You two completely changed my life…
And Nana-chan, Yuki-chan and the others, too…
They all helped me… They gave life to me.
Life…? Come on, man.
You were the one who wanted to change. That's why you tried so hard to make it happen.
…Thank you so much, Sensei and Yosuke!
I love you.
"Love" is kinda strong…
I'll take off my outfit if you want!
L-Let's not…
> You feel a solid bond between you, Yosuke, and Teddie…
By the way, is it okay for you to chill here?
Don't you have somewhere to go?
Like… meeting someone?
Do you want Teddie to come with you?
No, I think Teddie has to work…

The school was open due to a few activities, so I wandered in for a bit. I thought I saw someone familiar in the drama room, and sure enough I was right.



I knew you'd come… Hehe.
I came here today to turn something in and… I felt this wave of nostalgia.
We used to be in this club together…
……
You're leaving tomorrow, right?
I have something to tell you.
I haven't really put my thoughts in order yet… But I want you to hear what I have to say.
Because you're the one who changed how I think, Souji-kun…
I'm thinking of joining the student council. I figured I should do something for my school.
I want to take part in some local politics, too. Heheh… The town is voting whether to keep the gas masks.
I understand why people wouldn't want to see them ever again… But what happens if the fog comes back, y'know?
Oh, and I've started working at Junes. I'm a cashier at the food court.
I'd like to try some more of the clubs at school, too. To be honest, I'd like to go back to the drama club.
……
I… I want to see and feel the world I live in.
So, I'm planning to try as many things as I can, as long as the opportunities are there.
I've been thinking about… what I'm supposed to do in my life.
That is, I want to find out what the significant meaning in my life is. Why my parents created me.
Though, if I do find that out, I can't be satisfied with that answer.

I can't believe how many incredible people I got to know here in Inaba.



I believe the goal of life is… to pass things on to as many people as you can.
It's not about inheriting blood, or continuing your genetic line. It's more like passing on your memories.
And since my father passed his down to me… I have to do the same for future generations.
…Maybe I should start off by getting a boyfriend.
I mean, I can't be with you, since you're leaving.
And, anyway, you ran away when I asked you in the first place!
…I doubt I'll ever find anyone as good as you, though, Souji-kun…
…I hope we can see each other again. Take care of yourself.
The fact that I care about you so much won't change, no matter how far we're apart.
We won't be alone… Bye.
> Yumi's eager smile cheers you up.
> You feel a close bond between yourself and Yumi…

I was starting to be bothered a bit now, though I wasn't sure by what. Ai was there for some extra class to make up for the days she'd missed, so we talked for a while.



I was gonna go see you later.
I came to see you.
Hahaha, really?
Then… are you free right now?

We headed up to the roof.



You stopped me when I was thinking about jumping off.
Thinking back on it, that was pretty dumb…
I really need to thank you, Souji.
You stopped me, and you listened. Thank you.
…I'm glad I was able to tell you that before you left.
I… I felt terrible after you rejected me…
But since you'll be going away, I had to find the courage to tell you…
…I'll always remember the time I spent with you fondly.
…Thank you.
I've been thinking about the future lately.
Not so much about college, or jobs, or anything like that…
But that I want to become a nicer person.
D-Does that sound like a weird goal?

I don't think that's a weird goal at all.



I knew you'd understand.
I'm… I'm glad I met you.
I don't know what I'd be like if I hadn't…
……
Maybe I'd be totally into that Midnight Channel. Oh, and spreading a bunch of rumors, too.
Ahaha, I could never see that happening to me now.
…I must have went through a pretty drastic change.
> Ai has a beaming smile on her face…
> You feel a close bond between Ai and yourself…
End of conversation!
It made me sooo nervous, saying all that. I've never done it before…
Why don't you go say goodbye to your other friends? I'm sure they're waiting for you.
I think I'll head home. My extra class is over.
……
No, I'm not gonna say goodbye! I'll see you later, Souji!

I was really getting bothered by something now, and how close I was to saying a goodbye I didn't want to wasn't helping. I wandered back by the house and saw Dojima and Nanako getting ready for a walk.



Did you see all your friends?
"Most of them…"
I see… Did they all cry?
…Let me see your face.

We headed down to the Samegawa.



We've only been together for about a year, but kids grow up surprisingly fast.
……
Nanako…
Do you remember what we promised?
……
Take care of yourself, big bro. Don't get sick.
You too, Nanako.
Yup…
Don't look so sad, Nanako.
We're all family, remember? It doesn't matter if we're apart.
We can go see him when I get a vacation.
Then we can talk about everything that's happened since we last saw each other, right?
…Yeah.
Will you remember me?

I mean how could I forget my little sister?



It's a promise…
Aaah… Come on, don't cry…
I'm not crying!
Oh well…
I guess all kids end up being pushed around by their parents. Same goes for you, Souji…
Souji… It wasn't all that long, all things considered, but I did enjoy your time here with us.
I really do think of you as part of my family.
I'm surprised m sister's kid would turn out to be such an upstanding young man… Haha…
……
Give Nanako a call sometime when you have a spare moment.
And… you're welcome to come visit us anytime. I'll leave your room just like it is.
This is your second home, you know.
> You feel a solid bond between Dojima, Nanako, and yourself…
When I grow up, I want to marry you, big bro…
Hahaha! You're a stud, Souji.
Sure, Nanako, if he's still available by the time you're an adult.
But that will be a long time, won't it, Souji? …Right?
> Dojima smiles, but he's looking straight into your eyes and doesn't seem to be joking…
By the way, have you said goodbye to everyone yet?
You still have a lot of time today. Why don't you go around Inaba and see everyone who'll miss you?
Besides, I don't thing you've really had the whole "peaceful small town" experience while you were here.
……

Dojima was the second one to mention something.



Basically, it all happened while you were here in Inaba… I guess it was just a quirk of fate.
……
Anyway, you should get going. We'll be going home, too.

I heard Daisuke and Kou from Aiya as I started the long walk back to where I'd seen Naoto earlier, so I dropped in.



…Haha, what a coincidence.
We were just talking about you. You should chill with us for a little.
W-Well…
You see, we started talking about whether or not all the crazy stuff that happened here was really over, and…
…We were consoling each other about Souji leaving tomorrow.
Why you gotta blurt that stuff out!? That's embarrassing, man!
To be honest, though… I did wanna see you one last time, but I figured you'd be too busy.
The next thing I know, you walk right in! It's like man, I was being thoughtful for nothing!
> You shared a joyful moment with Kou and Daisuke…
Oh yeah, at this rate, our team might actually have a shot at the summer tournament.
For real? You're talking about the nationals, right?
If we keep our pace up until then, that is.
That's still a huge improvement.
Heh, probably thanks to all that harsh training of yours. The first-years were all whining about it.
…Yeah, they don't take it seriously.
But seeing them slack off like that, I now understand why Kou got mad at me.
I mean, I can clearly tell when someone's not being serious, and it pisses me off a lot.
Hahaha! See?

I'm gonna miss these guys.



…'Course, it would be even better if Souji were sticking around.
…Oh well, nothing we can do about that. Time to suck it up.
Souji… I'll go over to your place sometime, so you better come back here and visit us, too.
……
Bahh! Enough of this sad crap! Let's be how we normally are and send him off with a smile!
So Souji, call me if you find a cute girl that's available, okay?
Huh? I thought you liked Chi-
Ahhh! Shut up! Enough said!!
Speaking of which, what happened to that promise of yours? You're the one who said we'll have another group date.
…You mean you were serious?
Of course.
…Then I got one thing to say: Stop wearing the same damn training clothes!
Souji, think you can give Daisuke a nice shirt and some pants as a farewell present?
Hey, I've got more clothes than this, ya know.
Yeah, I bet they're all sportswear!
……
……
You better come visit, Souji. I can't handle the dating scene with Daisuke alone.
The three of us should have a big ol' group date sometime soon!
> You feel a close bond between Daisuke, Kou, and yourself…
Well I'm sure you've got more goodbyes to say. We can see you tomorrow anyway.
Yeah, don't waste your time on us, man. Even if we're separated-
We'll always be friends.
…Why do you always get to say the good part…?

I found Naoto back at Yasogami.



Oh, that's right. You're leaving tomorrow… Saying goodbye to your teachers?
Not really.
Having a last look at the school, huh?
……
Can I come with you?

We went up to the roof.



Well… Not that I'm disappointed.
It's just that… for me to remain here, without you or a case to solve…
I feel somewhat… listless.
I know this sounds awkward, since we've already discussed it before and came to a satisfactory conclusion…
…that the reason for me being here has nothing to do with the case.
……
Perhaps it's just your departure that's making me lonely.
I'm sorry. I'm making trouble for you.
No, I should apologize.
Please, don't apologize.
It's not your fault for moving home.
…I'm sure this is hardly the last time I'll face a situation such as this in my life.
I'll remain here in Inaba, Senpai.
Of course, from time to time, my services will be required elsewhere…
But Inaba is my hometown now.
I want to treasure the precious time I've spent with you, solving the case together.
The Midnight Channel, Personas, Ameno-sagiri…
My duty is to stay here and get to the bottom of these mysteries…
…To be honest, the thought of it makes me a bit lonely.
……

If anyone could get to the bottom of mysteries like that, it would be Naoto.



…And don't forget about me.
Please remember the time we spent together… when I confessed my love for you… when you accepted me for who I was.
> You feel a solid bond between you and Naoto…
I'll be at the station tomorrow with the others…
So this is our last chance to talk, just the two of us…
…No, of course it won't be. I can to visit you anytime, and vice versa.
Senpai… don't you have other farewells to say?
Don't' worry about me… I'll be fine.
I'll see you tomorrow!

Well, I'd spoken to everyone, but I still felt like I had something else to do.



> It's time to go back home to prepare for tomorrow…

I still had to say goodbye to the food court one last time. Anything else just wouldn't be right.



> You have said goodbye to all the people you have formed close bonds with…
> You should return to your house to prepare for tomorrow…

Plus, I was increasingly bothered by something. Everyone had been talking about the case, even months after we solved it. It's like they were trying to tell me something…









And that's how my long day got even longer…

Next Time on Persona 4: An Invitation in the Rain