PERSONA 3 DEVIL'S HERALD

...31/07/2009 Friday; Morning...

After a few minutes, Hiro emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel while shaking it to rid himself of excess water.

Mitsuru was seated on one of the sofas, savoring a cup of tea.

When her eyes landed on Hiro, shirtless, she blushed slightly at the sight of his well-defined muscles but quickly shook her head to regain her composure.

"Hiro, would you like some tea?" Mitsuru offered, trying to keep her voice steady as she took another sip from her cup.

"Sure, let me just grab my shirt," Hiro replied, draping the towel around his neck as he walked toward the desk.

He picked up the shirt he had dropped earlier and slipped it on before making his way to the sofa on the other side of the room.

With an elegant motion, Mitsuru poured a cup of tea for Hiro, who settled into the sofa.

The tea's steam rose softly, filling the air with a comforting aroma.

Mitsuru gracefully poured the tea into the cup. "Hiro, have you tested the Theurgy cartridge by any chance?" she asked as the tea's fragrance enveloped the room.

Hiro carefully picked up the cup, appreciating its warmth. "That cartridge that gets stuck in our arm brace? No, I haven't tried it yet."

He took a sip of the tea and, to his surprise, found himself liking the taste more than he expected.

He gazed at the reflection in the liquid in his cup, mildly intrigued.

"Hmm, this is really good... and I'm not even a big tea fan," Hiro commented, his expression reflecting his pleasant surprise.

Mitsuru smiled softly at his remark, raising her cup to her lips before responding. "The cartridge hasn't been activated by any of us yet. According to President Shuji, it allows the Persona to unleash more power than usual, like a special attack."

Hiro, curious, drank more of the tea before reaching out for a cookie on the table.

"Really? But is it safe to amplify our Personas' power?" he asked, chewing the cookie with interest.

Mitsuru placed her cup back on the saucer with a smooth motion. "No, the cartridge has a temporary effect. If I recall correctly, the president mentioned the activation time is only forty seconds."

"Got it," Hiro replied thoughtfully before pausing. "By the way, I wanted to ask you about your fami..."

A sudden knock at the door interrupted their conversation. The door opened, revealing Yukari.

"Mitsuru-senpai, I wanted to talk to you about... Hiro?!"

Yukari stopped abruptly upon seeing Hiro, clearly surprised. Her eyes darted between him and Mitsuru, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Uh… am I interrupting something between you two?" Yukari asked, confused, her eyebrows furrowed.

Mitsuru smiled, noticing the misunderstanding. "It's not what you think. We're just talking," she replied calmly, her serene tone easing the tension in the air.

Yukari pointed at Hiro, still looking confused. "But… his hair is wet."

Hiro extended his cup toward Mitsuru, asking for more tea. "I came here to take a shower. Didn't the shower on the ground floor break?"

Yukari's expression softened as she realized the situation. "Oh… right. I forgot about that."

Mitsuru picked up the teapot and refilled Hiro's cup, then her own. "What did you want to talk about, Takeba?"

Remembering the purpose of her visit, Yukari refocused. "Right, I wanted to ask about the next Full Moon operation. It's in six days, isn't it?"

Hiro placed a hand on his chin, thinking. "August 6th. My first operation. You've already faced six Arcana Shadows. We might encounter two Shadows this time, or just one."

Mitsuru took a sip of her tea before responding. "Yes, if we follow the order of the Major Arcana from the tarot, our next targets would be…"

"The Justice Arcana," Yukari quickly added. "And if there are two Shadows, Justice and the Chariot Arcana."

Hiro looked at Yukari, surprised at her quick response.

Yukari smiled, giving a thumbs-up. "I looked up the Major Arcana online."

"Now that makes sense," Hiro commented, bringing the cup closer to his lips.

Mitsuru, her gaze fixed on Hiro, reminded him, "Don't forget one thing, Hiro. The Arcana Shadows are far more powerful than ordinary Shadows. Even stronger than the one at Naganaki Shrine."

Hiro finished his tea and placed the cup on the table. "I know. That's why we're going to Tartarus tonight, right?"

Yukari placed a hand on her chest, concerned. "Yeah, but are you okay now?"

Leaning back on the sofa, Hiro nodded. "I am. It was just my leg that got hurt. Now, as for Akihiko…"

Mitsuru interrupted, tying her hair into a bun with a band. "He's more injured, and the wound on his chest hasn't healed yet. But he's not setting foot on that teleporter—over my dead body."

Her comment made Hiro and Yukari laugh, easing the tension a bit.

Still smiling, Yukari turned to Hiro. "By the way, Hiro, are you good at untangling strings? The cord for my bow needs replacing, but all my spares are tangled up."

Hiro stood up with a nod. "I can try. And Mitsuru, if you ever want tea and need company, feel free to call me."

Mitsuru smiled softly, raising her cup once more. "Très bien. I'll remember that. A tea companion wouldn't hurt."

Hiro smiled back and followed Yukari out of the room.

As Mitsuru watched the door close, something caught her attention. On the sofa where Hiro had been sitting, there was a cellphone.

Picking it up, she noticed the device was slightly damaged, its edges chipped from numerous falls.

"It must be Hiro's," she thought, turning it on.

The screen displayed a picture: a woman with black hair and a warm smile, her face gentle and kind.

For some reason, the woman looked familiar.

Mitsuru narrowed her eyes, thoughtful. "This woman… she looks like Hiro in some way… could she be his mother?"

Just then, Hiro returned to the room, patting his pockets in search of something. "Mitsuru, have you seen my phone?"

Mitsuru extended the device to him. "Here. You left it on the sofa."

Hiro sighed in relief, taking the phone and slipping it into his pocket. "Thanks. I don't like being without it."

Mitsuru, curious, hesitated before asking, "Hiro…"

He looked at her, slightly confused. "Hmm? What is it?"

Mitsuru opened her mouth to ask about the woman in the photo, but something in her heart told her not to bring it up.

Perhaps it was a sensitive topic for Hiro.

"Never mind…" Mitsuru waved it off, changing her mind. "I was going to ask something, but forget it."

Hiro raised an eyebrow, curious, but nodded and left the room.

Alone again, Mitsuru placed a hand over her chest, feeling a growing concern though she didn't know why.

Something about Hiro seemed broken inside, but he hadn't told anyone.

"He… it feels like he's carrying something heavy," Mitsuru thought, looking at the closed door. "Why hasn't he told anyone? Hiro…"

...There's something wrong, he feels like he's broken inside. And pretending everything is fine....

...Like a wolf without his pack, he acts like a tough guy but inside he is suffering from irreparable pain.

I... need to know what's wrong with Hiro. He is a member of S.E.E.S, and it is my duty to ensure the best of everyone. Mainly his....

...Empress arcana; Mitsuru Kirijo...