Persona BLEACHED 3: Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Where the Snow Falls 
December 14, 2029 
Mt. Shirayuki. Near the winter resort and away from the Lovers' Lake sat a popular nightclub, frequented by casual hikers and tourists alike. 
As was to be expected of a Friday night at the start of winter break, local high schoolers were all about the surrounding shopping area. So, too, were their educators. 
"Ahh...nothing like the crisp mountain air during wintertime." Rin mused. She and Rose stood waiting in front of the nightclub. 
"You say much the same every time we come here." Rose replied. 
"I'll keep saying it until it stops being true. How long have we been coming here now?" 
"Our first visit together will have been ten years ago in nine days. How could I ever forget when it was the day of my first awkward-in-hindsight love confession." 
"It was only awkward since I was so oblivious and didn't get what you really meant. And thus began almost nine years of continuous awkwardness." 
"And now here we are, blissfully wedded...and still finding ways to make it awkward." 
"So very adorkably awkward~!" 
Rin could feel the hug coming as soon as the words were exclaimed. Tenko appeared behind her and unleashed a bear hug. 
"Nice to see you...nggh, too, Tenko..." Rin grumbled. 
"I can see someone is in a good mood." Rose said. 
"How can I not be?! It's a Friday night and my best mates wanna take me out for drinkies! If I was a pupper my tail'd be wagging nonstop right now!" Tenko replied. 
"Quite." 
"Um, Rosie? What's with the look?" 
"I'm waiting for it." 
"'It'? What's 'it'?" 
"This is usually the moment when your husband--" 
"--makes his presence felt?" Jin appeared next to Rose. 
"Gah! Is that really necessary?" 
"Yes." 
Tenko released Rin from her grip. "Ugh...so I take it Mimi has Rina-watching duties tonight?" Rin asked. 
"I'm amazed you didn't feel her eyes rolling from here." Jin replied. 
"We give that girl way too much on her already stacked plate. Any of your kiddos open for babysitting?" Tenko asked. 
"At present moment, no. Most of them are leaving for home tomorrow morning. It's part of why I wanted to do this tonight. I miss them when they leave. I know they have to return home sometime, and in a couple of years they'll be graduating and moving on, but still." Rin replied. 
"Oh, Rin-Rin. My beautiful, brainy bestie. You came to the right Valkyrie. I've got the perfect three step exercise for washing away all your troubles." 
"Step 1, order booze. Step 2, pour in a glass. Step 3, drink." Jin repeated. 
"It's like we're connected." 
"We literally share a bed." 
"Oh good, she's already over the moon and we haven't even gotten inside the place yet." Shūjo approached with Hiyoko. 
"Oh, put a sock in it, Majima." Tenko bit back. 
"Long as it ain't yours. Who knows how ripe and sweaty those puppies are?" 
"How 'bout I break one off on your face and you judge for yourself?" 
"Settle, people, please. We don't get many of these little reunions. No need to start off with an argument." Hiyoko intervened. 
"You're askin' too much of your hubby, milady." Jugo arrived. 
"Thought I smelled overcooked beef jerkey." Shūjo joked. 
"Deaf ears, all around." Hiyoko sighed. 
"ANY. Way. Now that we're all here and not at each others' throats, we should all head inside. Peacefully." Rin urged. 
"Whaddya talkin' about? Just havin' a dig at my old pal JoJo." Jugo replied. 
"Yeah, Red, we're just being friendly." Shūjo added. 
"I'm so happy to hear that. Now hurry up before we lose our table." Rin replied, and the group entered sans Shūjo and Jugo. 
"Eat shit and die, Officer Yankee Stankee." Shūjo uttered. 
"Yeah, fuck you, No-Beard the Scrawny." Jugo responded, and the two entered. 
The group took their seats at a longer booth. "Boy, doesn't this joint bring back memories?" Tenko questioned. 
"Such as somehow becoming inebriated after consuming non-alcoholic beverages." Rose replied. 
"I remember correctly, you were included in that, Rosie." Jugo said. 
"Anyone up for Round Three of the Kings' Game?" Rin asked. 
"Hell to the no. I'm not letting Jin anywhere near my lips again." Shūjo replied. 
Jin exuded a menacing aura. "I thought we agreed to never mention that again." 
"The night that ended with every girl taking turns on Rin's lap." Hiyoko said. 
"Y'know in hindsight, that should've been our first hint." Jugo replied. 
"It's really been almost ten years since that craziness, huh? Just thinking about how much has changed since then. Jobs, weddings, kids." Shūjo said. 
"Only thing that hasn't changed is our motley bunch sitting around shooting the breeze. I hope that part never changes." Tenko added. 
"You and me both. Speaking of kids, Hiyoko, who's taking care of Aura while you're here?" Rin asked. 
"Kaido was finally feeling like his old self again, so he volunteered." Hiyoko answered. 
"How has he been? Holding up alright?" Rose asked. 
"As well as can be expected, given the circumstances. He's showing signs of his old carefree self again, but he still feels terrible about what he did." 
"Poor sucker's lucky the other shopkeeps just wanted their stuff back and didn't press charges. Dunno if a guy in his state of mind could handle another stint in the slammer." Jugo said. 
"Not to interrupt, but I just noticed...isn't this table bigger than what we usually get?" Jin asked. 
"Oh, it is. I forgot to mention this, but I took the liberty of inviting a couple more guests for tonight." Rin replied. 
"Who's that, then? Your bro and your ma?" Jugo asked. 
"Hope I'm not interrupting the nostalgia fest." a familiar voice stated. 
"...are you serious?" Jin muttered. 
It was most definitely not Rin's brother and mother that arrived at the table. It was the bleach-blonde visage of one Ryōma Tsutsugo. "Y'all enjoy your remote locales, don't you?" 
"Says the man who spearheaded an invasion of the Moon." Rose replied. 
"Tsutsugo." Jin plainly said. 
"Mirai." Ryōma equally replied. 
"Beloved, if I may be so blunt...are you sure this is wise?" Rose whispered. 
"I thought a festive night could help with defrosting relations. He is our coworker, after all." Rin replied. 
Jin and Ryōma stared each other down. "We having a staring contest, boys? Ooh, hang on, I wanna test something." Tenko got closer to Jin's face, teasingly put her lips together, and slowly moved in on his cheek. Much to Ryōma's confusion, she proceeded to kiss Jin on the cheek for close to a minute, the latter remaining unblinking, yet turning redder by the moment. She finally let go, a satisfied look on her face. "Didn't even flinch. Heehee, oh, my stone-faced bubby~." 
"I'm gonna throw a bone and assume this is the missus, Mirai." Ryōma said. 
"Ace detective skills, Hero of Yomiuri. Or do you think I just kiss guys for the hell of it?" As Tenko spoke, she balled up a napkin and threw it at Shūjo. 
"Hey! The hell?! I didn't even say anything!" he griped. 
"You were thinking it." 
"Real enchanting bunch you surround yourself with, Kubo." Ryōma uttered. 
"They're magical. Did your company come with?" Rin asked. 
"She's on the phone with her sister. Ep, speak of the devil." 
"...okay, be a good boy for your aunt, little man. Mommy'll be back soon. Love yoooou." Junko hung up. "Ryo, you couldn't wait two more minutes? Oh, hi." She waved. 
"This right here's my good half, Junko." Ryōma introduced. 
"Hey...where've I seen you before?" Jugo asked. 
"Yeah, feels like I know ya from somewhere." Tenko added. 
"Oh, this'll probably help." Junko cleared her throat. "'Today's forecast is cloudy with a 35% chance of rain. Folks in the area stretching from Akihabara to Shinjuku should expect scattered instances of fog throughout the week. For Channel 5 News out of Ikebukuro, I'm Junko Kumori. Back to you, Takeshi~!'" Without breaking character, she vigorously raised a middle finger. "...you balding asshat." 
"Ain't she a peach?" Ryōma joked. 
"Holy crap, that's right! You're the weather girl! And she's got the sass! My kinda lady!" Tenko chimed. 
"A pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Kumori. You're half of what Ryōma talks about." Rin greeted. 
"Only half? You're slipping, Ryo." Junko jokingly chided. "And that cute red head of hair must make you Professor Kubo, right?" 
"The one and only. Please, have a seat." 
"Ready for a night of fun, 'bubby'?" Ryōma taunted. 
Jin let out a low growl. 
"It's only polite that I get the introductions started. The otherworldly beauty sitting next to me is Dr. Rosemary Wolfe, the school's therapist, as well as my wife." Rin began. 
"Greetings. Just Rose is fine." Rose added. 
"Otherworldly is right. Where are you from, Doctor?" Junko asked. 
"Canada." 
"Hunh. Does everyone in Canada have pale skin and golden eyes?" 
"Yes. Everyone. It comes with the cold...eh?" Rose sheepishly replied. 
"Not exactly the right context for that, but it's part of her charm." Rin responded. "Going down the line, the scruffy gentleman with the herding cap is Officer Shijūgō Oda." 
"Jugo's just fine, ma'am." he replied. 
"Or Officer Huckleberry. Either one works." Shūjo quipped. 
"Shithead." 
"And the charming fellow with the eyepatch is Shūjo Higashikata, fishing entrepreneur and--" Rin began. 
"Ex-kingpin, right?" Junko interrupted. "I might 'just' be the weather girl, but you hear everything at the studio. Your name comes up every now and again." 
"Wowie, I'm famous." Shūjo joked. 
"The glamorous lady next to him is his partner in everything, Hiyoko Kagetora." Rin said. 
"Kagetora? You mean like, the bigwig clan of lawyers and judges?" Junko asked. 
"The very same, yes." Hiyoko affirmed. 
"That name gets thrown around a bit, too. Especially that one that went off the grid a couple decades ago, what was his name..." 
"I'd rather not." 
"Sorry, is it a sore spot?" 
"I'd rather not." Hiyoko repeated. 
"Anyway..." Rin moved on. "The energetic lass there is...a fitness instructor, an Olympic gold medalist, and the best friend and neighbor a gal can ask for, Tenko Kitsunezaru." 
"Praise accepted, gorgeous~." Tenko chimed. 
"And lastly, the stone-faced wonder and game shop owner, her husband Jin Mirai." 
"Hrm." Jin grunted. 
"Oh me and ol' Mirai are pretty acquainted already. Been to Hell and back with this joker, ain't that right?" Ryōma jabbed Jin in the side. 
"Yeah, I'm starting to think I should've left you there." Jin grumbled. 
"You've got a pretty varied group of friends, Professor. How'd this gang of yours come together?" Junko asked. 
"We all went to the Academy together. I've been through the ringer with them. I couldn't ask for a better circle of friends, even if it's..." Rin answered. 
"Hey, Jinnie, think you can do the JoJo impression again? Without a robot voice this time?" Tenko asked. 
"'Eat well! Shit well!'" Jin repeated. 
Tenko cackled, Jugo started laughing while Hiyoko suppressed her own. "Ha ha ha, very hilarious." Shūjo griped. 
"...not exactly normal." Rin finished. 
"Hoookay! We getting those drinkies or what? I'm not leaving this joint until I've had sufficient alcohol intake!" Tenko exclaimed. 
"Your gal's got a taste for the drink, eh?" Ryōma asked. 
"Understatement of the millennium." Jin replied. 
"Probably should get the night started. Nice, friendly night...where nothing crazy will happen at all." Rin said unconvincingly.
The drinks arrived a short while later. "Mmm, okay, so. I'm really curious about how you two met." Rin took a drink. 
"Oh God, this story..." Ryōma groaned. 
"Oh, don't be cranky, Ryo, it's cute." Junko responded. "Okay, so before I was 'The Weather Girl', I was a sideline reporter in high school for our sports teams. One time, I was interviewing our baseball coach before a big playoff game. Meanwhile, our opponents were having batting practice in the background, and...oh, hold on, I actually have it saved." 
She took out her phone, pulled up a video and pressed play. True to her story, her teenaged self was interviewing an older man in a baseball uniform. "Thank you for your time, Coach Tadashi, good luck~! That's all for now, I'm Junko Kumori, signing off--" 
As she finished up, a player in a different uniform was practicing hitting in the background, and upon making contact with one ball, it came flying towards Junko. In an instant, another player in the same uniform leapt in front, grabbing the ball out of the air. He got up. "Dude, you can't wait two seconds?! You almost blasted her head off, the hell's wrong with you?!" 
He turned to Junko, revealing a fresh-faced, non-bleached-haired Ryōma. "Hey, I'm really sorry about that, you okay?" 
"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Thank you...that could've been bad." Junko replied. 
"Listen, I'm gonna give this clown a few words. Sorry again." Ryōma went to chastise his teammate. The video ended. 
"Ace reflexes, Tsutsugo." Jin said. 
"Hey, if they weren't, this wonderful lady would've left that ballpark with a concussion or worse." Ryōma replied. 
"The game ended with us losing, naturally when this guy was the one on the mound." Junko continued. 
"Wasn't even close to my best game." 
"But anyway, this dude runs over to me after the game and apologizes again, then asks if he can have my number. Guy just twirled a huge playoff win, and the first thing he does instead of celebrating is ask me out!" 
"Idiot who almost hit her struck out three times in that game, so a lot of good that practice session was." 
"Your reflexes were that good and you were an ace on the mound, how come you didn't go for a comeback once the madness ended?" Jugo asked. 
"Too many old wounds, man. I was at the top of the game after one season and then all it took was someone else's lie to send it all into the gutter. Couldn't even do a proper investigation. I got screwed over nothing." Ryōma took a drink. "'Sides, I've been out of practice for almost six years now. I lucked out that the Academy had positions open. Better to make the next Tsutsugo than try to drudge up the old one." 
"Whatever he's doing, I'm just glad to have my Ryo back. Little man would ask about his daddy all the time. Not to mention how tough it was at the studio while, bleh, 'the Pharoah' was in charge." Junko added. 
"You're talking about Shōta Kagami, aren't you?" Rin asked. 
"Yep. Guy was as smug and slimy as they come. I'm glad I reached out to those Artisan kids for help. You teach a good bunch, Professor." 
The rest of the group were surprised. "Ah...I don't know what you mean..." Rin uttered. 
"It's okay, Ryo told me everything. Couldn't really process 95% of it, but the gist of it is they do the right thing where nobody else can. They gave the arrogant SOB what was coming to him, so they're good in my book. Thank them for me next time you see them, alright?" 
"Well, of course, but...Ryōma, you can't just be spilling that secret." 
"She's the only one I told. Had to do it to explain, well, everything. I don't have a big mouth." Ryōma replied. 
"Please keep it that way. If their identities became public knowledge, the onslaught of attention would likely be overwhelming. This knowledge stays at this table." Rose dictated. 
"Alright, alright, I'll keep quiet." 
"Let's get away from touchy stuff. How did all your happy unions come about?" Junko asked. 
"I got peed on." Jin bluntly replied. 
Ryōma choked and coughed up what he'd been drinking. "You what? Oh, this I've gotta hear." 
"It's such an on-brand tale it's ridiculous." Tenko said. 
"Right, so, when I was around eight, my family moved from Sapporo to Hakodate. One day, my parents were telling me to stop spending so much time inside, so I grabbed my DS, hopped on my bike, and rode out to a remote part of town. I sit down next to a tree, right? A few minutes pass, and I happen to look up. There's this goofy-looking dog sitting there..." Jin explained. 
"Fudoooooo." 
"There's old Fudo sitting there, leash still attached, panting happy as can be. I don't even get a chance to react before he lifts his leg up and goes to town. I jump up and start freaking, and then here comes this scrappy looking girl, wearing overalls and with a bandage on her kneecap, yelling 'Bad dog! Bad dog!'" 
"I've always been at the apex of fashion." 
"She goes 'Sorry, sorry, he gets too excited when he sees people!' And I'm thinking to myself, 'This girl looks like she just ran out of a pile of hay. She's kinda cute, though. Definitely not what you'd call girly.'" 
"And I thought 'This kid looks like a dork, but not in a bad way, and my dog kinda just peed on him, so I'd better make it up to him'." 
"So she invites me over to her house, we get to talking, and I find out that once I start school up, I'm gonna be in the same class as her. We've been joined at the hip ever since." 
"And it's all cuz old Fudo picked the right tree to take a leak on~." 
"That dog could be an asshole, but I got a wife and kid out of it, so." Jin raised a glass. "Here's to an old asshole and his timely bathroom break." 
"As for JoJo and I, we also met when we were fairly young. Though the circumstances weren't nearly as humorous." Hiyoko said. 
"I was about nine years old, walking around the docks on the south side. This cargo ship's unloading their...well, cargo, and while the guys are preoccupied with what they're doing, I see this small box moving off of the ship. So I go to follow it, and when I lift it up, there's this girl underneath. I just remember her looking so skinny and hungry, and like she hadn't slept in days." Shūjo explained. 
"Was that you, Hiyoko?" Junko asked. 
"That was me, yes." Hiyoko affirmed. 
"But didn't you say you came from this up-there family of law people? What were you doing on a cargo ship?" Ryōma asked. 
"I was unaware of that fact until my teens. I was born out of wedlock to a religious fanatic who never disclosed my father's identity. I escaped from that horrid situation and stowed away on that cargo vessel, where I spent several days hidden beneath a crate, stealing away food wherever I could." 
"Wow. Looking at you now, I wouldn't have guessed any of that." Junko responded. 
"You flatter me. It was only thanks to the kindness of JoJo's family that I could enjoy the kind of life I do now. But the poor conditions I lived through only exacerbated the health problems I still contend with. They're why we had to go the adoption route. It's far too much of a risk for me to carry a child normally. But that path led me to the angel we have now, so I have no regrets." 
"It was the right place at the right time. It took me forever to admit how I felt, only cuz I wanted to keep her safe from the seedier parts of the clan's lifestyle. It's the main reason I left it." Shūjo said. 
"Speaking of things that took forever..." Tenko glanced in Rin and Rose's direction. 
"Ah, where to begin?" Rose mused. 
"Well, we met much the same way I met everyone else. My first year at the Academy, I ended up rooming with Tenko. But one day before class was going to begin, we get the bomb dropped on us that we were going to have another roommate." Rin began. 
"What we see when we open the door is this platinum-haired doll wearing this deep blue uniform. By the by, her wardrobe has never changed. It's always been that exact shade of blue." Tenko continued. 
"When I first arrived here, I was extremely curious about many a social custom. As odd as it may sound, I wanted someone to teach me about what 'love' really meant. The time I spent with Rin and the others helped me to better understand that. And through that research, my own heart began to change. I wanted to be with Rin always. It felt like...my purpose there was to be her companion. And so nearly a decade ago...I confessed my love." Rose dictated. 
"Which I immediately misunderstood as sisterly love and proceeded to spend the next nine years in oblivious denial." Rin confessed. 
"It was so damn obvious to everyone else, we were just countin' the days till Boss finally got the picture." Jugo said. 
Rin raised her right hand, displaying the ring on her finger. "And got the picture I did." 
"Everything was on this mountain. My confession, our engagement, our wedding. It's a special place for us." Rose added. 
"And then there's this single sap." Shūjo said. 
"I'm the odd man out. Don't mean I'm not twice the man you are." Jugo bit back. 
"Buddy, I've got more masculinity in my left pinkie than your drawl-having ass has in your entire body." 
"Partner, where I come from, them's fightin' words. You wanna take this to the pool table?" 
"You're on, ya bumpkin." The two men stormed over to the pool table. 
"Oh, dear. Here they go again." Rose uttered. 
"This oughta be a laugh. I'm gonna go see if it ends with them kissing. Coming with, Mirai?" Ryōma suggested. 
Jin gulped down the rest of his drink. "Sure. Now I'm prepared." The other men walked off. 
"This can only end in disaster. Wanna watch, ladies?" Tenko asked. 
"We'll pass. Too much testosterone in one place." Rin replied. 
"Let the boys have their fun. I'd love to hear more from you all." Junko said. 
"Aw, okay. Bartender! I've got a refill emergency!" Tenko exclaimed. 
"Hold back the urge, Ringo. Someone needs to be sober." Rin muttered.
"I've got an easy way to pass the time." Junko took her phone back out, then presented a picture of a little boy in a baseball uniform. "My little ace Ryōta." 
"Awww. See he takes after his old man with the wardrobe." Tenko said. 
"Don't even get me started. It's why we're looking into getting us a house, so he doesn't have to have 'batting practice' in our living room. Ryo's reflexes saved one vase from getting busted, but I'm not placing bets on him preserving every piece of decor." 
"Yeah, a lively boy like that needs a backyard to play in. Oh, this is..." Rin looked at one picture of the little boy wearing what appeared to be a theater mask. 
"Ryo brought that thing with him when he came back. Said he saw it at a curio shop and liked the look. Looks kind of freaky to me, but little man seems to like it." 
"A curio shop, yes...that certainly explains it..." Rose muttered. 
"Well if we're showing off our babies..." Hiyoko took her phone out and brought up a picture of Aura. "This is our snowy angel, Aura. We adopted her during the summer." 
"Oh, what a pretty thing! Is that albinism?" Junko asked. 
"Yes, it is. The poor thing loves being outside, but can't be for long without a hood or a hat. And she wouldn't wear any hooded jacket that wasn't sufficiently cute. Lucky for us, one of Rin's students makes the most wonderful clothing, and made her these adorable jackets." 
"They look so fluffy from here. Does she like birds?" 
"She can't go anywhere without her owl plush. 'Hoots the Owl' is what she calls him. She's had him since she was a baby, and the way she clutches him, she'll have him for a long while yet." 
"Ooh, ooh, my turn!" Tenko took out her phone. "My little munchkin Rina! I made her myself!" She showed a picture of herself holding up a baby with short brown hair, and a black shirt bearing the words "Future Nerd" on it. "Look at her, I took that pic yesterday. She turns 1 next month! She's already started trying to walk! My heart's nearly full to bursting every time I remember she's mine!" 
"Is she always this excitable around alcohol? Or just in general?" Junko asked. 
"Yes." Rose replied. 
"And I'm guessing the name similarity to a certain professor isn't an accident." 
"I was stunned when they came to me and asked if it was okay. I mean...how would you react to your neighbors saying they want to name their firstborn after you?" Rin replied. 
"Aww, you know how much we adore you, Rin-Rin. I told you we were expecting before I even told my folks. Who wouldn't want their child to have an Auntie that's the perfect blend of brains and beauty~?" 
Rin began to blush. "Ahehehe, oh, Tenko..." 
"Rin, would you like to take our turn?" Rose asked. 
"Oh, of course." Rin took out her phone. "This is Shizuka. Our joy. Sent to us by our guardian angel." 
"She's adorable. I take it she's a bug fanatic." Junko said. 
"That she is. She takes after her..." Rin paused. 
"Take your time, love." Hiyoko urged. 
Rose rubbed Rin's shoulder. "I can explain if it's too difficult." 
"Oh. I didn't mean to bring up something sensitive." Junko said. 
"No, no, it's fine. Talking about it...the good parts, at least...makes me happy." Rin took a sip of her drink. "Okay. Shizuka is the younger sister of a friend of ours. Her name was Miko. We met her in high school after she escaped from an abusive situation at home. We took her in not long after. She was...quirky, energetic, certainly not afraid to get dirty. She loved bugs." 
"Her room was covered completely with them. She had close to a novel of notes about bug facts. And she was so fearless handling them. She would have spiders and hornets as pets, and never once did they bite or sting her." Rose added. 
"Can't say the same about our cat." Rin joked. "The three of us lived together through the beginning of college. Then one day, she was having a hard time keeping water down. She was losing an alarming amount of weight. We...took her to the doctor, and..." The tears began to well up, and she took another drink. "I'm not an alcoholic, honest." 
"Honey, it's okay. We loved her, too. We get it." Tenko assured. 
"We know she was special to you." Hiyoko added. 
"I know. It's still impossible to think about. It hits me so badly because I talked her down from taking her life when we first met. I understood her better than anyone. And to watch her degrade the way that she did...until she passed in my arms. I carry it with me in more ways than one." Rin took her glasses off. "These were hers. I stopped wearing contacts after she died, just so I could have something of hers with me always. I've had my fair share of heartbreak, but I can't get my mind off of it." 
"I'm really sorry, Professor. If it's any comfort, I can see how much you loved her just from how you're acting. Hard as it is, you gave her a better chance than she ever would've had in a bad home. She passed surrounded by love." Junko replied. 
"It's very comforting, thank you." 
"So how did you end up adopting her sister?" 
"Well, last year, me and Rose were walking to the flower shop my family owns. When we get there, something's in front of the door, covered by a blanket. I'm thinking it might be an animal that was hit by a car, but when we lifted the cover, there was a little girl. Dirty, malnourished, hardly able to speak. And holding a post card that I'd sent to Miko in the brief time where she was still with her 'parents'. It had directions to our store. This four-year old girl, hungry and struggling to talk, made it from Karakura to Naruki. It was like...like Miko guided her to us. Protecting the sister she never got to meet." 
"And how'd the parents take it?" 
"Well, the woman that birthed them was an alleged doctor named Hachime Sakaki. The former director of Karakura General Hospital." Rose replied. 
"Oh damn, that's who you were dealing with? I heard about her crimes through the studio. Theft, extortion, even murder. And she was a bad mother on top of that. Her confession's what made the Ashen Artisans blow up in the first place. So it wasn't just a coincidence that they took her down?" 
"No. I asked them to do it. I couldn't let Shizuka go back to such a horrid environment. And if I kept her, I'd be arrested for kidnapping. Time was the enemy, and this would be my students' first major test. And they passed it brilliantly. That Christmas, very close to this bar, I took the two biggest steps of my life. I asked this beautiful, brilliant woman if she'd be mine forevermore. And I told Shizuka that we'd finished the process of adopting her. You see now why this is such a special place for us?" Rin asked. 
"It's pretty clear, yeah." 
In the midst of the conversation, a man in a suit stumbled past the table. "Blp...well, hey, hey, heyyyyy, ain't this a pretty looking table..." he slurred. 
"Oh dear God, no." Tenko uttered. 
Rose sighed. "It appears I must, as they say, 'get dirty'." She tightened her gloves, and got up. "Sir, I beg your pardon, but every one of us here is already spoken for. And even if we weren't, we would be taking a hard pass, even if you didn't smell like cheap whiskey and dried-up vomit." 
"The hell'd you say, bitch?! *burp* Think you can talk to me like--" 
Rose's hand took a flicking position. "I asked you politely." She flicked at the man, knocking him back. 
"Whoa. Is every Canadian doctor sneakily built?" Junko asked. 
"Just the uber-cute ones." Tenko replied. 
"Ugggh...you're gonna pay for that..." the man grogged. Before doing anything, the men of the party circled him. 
"Hey, douchebag. You messing with our ladies?" Shūjo demanded. 
"You stumbled to the wrong table, pal." Ryōma added. 
"Who do ya punks think ya are, *burp*, I'm gonna call the police!" the man slurred. 
Jugo pulled out his badge. "I am the police. Now scram. And if I spot you eyeing these ladies again, I'll haul ya down to lockup myself. Beat it." 
"Asshole...!" the man swung at Jugo. He caught the man's sluggish attempt, jabbed him twice in the gut, the knocked him out with an uppercut. 
"Yeah nah, taking a swing at me's not gonna do ya any better, man. Hey, barkeep, get the boys in blue up here." Jugo hauled the man up. "Gotta work even on my day off. Hope you're satisfied. Hey, you two watch him for me, make sure he don't mess with me wrecking his ass." 
"Hey, I don't gotta cheat to win! I'm two steps away from taking you out, anyway!" Shūjo retorted. 
"No, you really aren't." Jin bluntly replied. 
"Not in this galaxy." Ryōma added. 
"Action and suspense!" Tenko exclaimed. 
The lights in the club dimmed. "Ohhh, here comes the dance party." Junko said. 
The men approached the table. "Guess the pool game's taking a commercial break. May I have this dance, milady?" Shūjo asked. 
"Oh, yes you may." Hiyoko got up. 
"You gonna ask me to dance, big guy~?" Tenko asked. 
Jin finished off his drink. "Yeeeah." He abruptly picked Tenko up. 
"WOAH, DOWN BOY, I WASN'T PREPARED FOR THE PRINCESS CARRY!" 
"I'm seriously out of practice. Wanna attempt it anyway?" Ryōma asked. 
"I think we'll be okay, Mr. Reflexes." Junko responded. 
"Rose, I think it's only fair to warn you, I have two left feet." Rin said. 
"Don't fret. It's dark. No one will notice." Rose replied. 
"Well, nothing for it, I guess." Rin finished her drink. "Now I'm ready. Time to get crazy."
--- 
"See ya in the PM, boys. Get our new friend nice and cozy, yeah?" Jugo bid the patrol car farewell. "I hear the soundtrack from out here. Hope the gang hasn't gotten too nuts." He re-entered the club. 
He returned to a bizarre scene at the table. Everyone had returned to their seats, save for Tenko, who was standing over Jin, himself lying on the ground, panting. "What in tarnation...?" Jugo questioned. 
"Dude's the most stoic guy in any room, but put a little booze in him, and he turns into an animal!" Shūjo explained. 
"My Jinnie's got the stamina of a bear post-hibernation! You're the definition of a badass, huh, big guy?" Tenko chimed. 
"Murp...gonna puke..." Jin grumbled. 
"Um, we should get him up. You think they have ginger ale here?" Rin asked. 
"Might do good to look around the plaza. One-Eye, come along." Jugo said. 
"Ooh, an epic quest with Wild Bill. This oughta be a riot." Shūjo left with Jugo. 
"I'll go make sure there aren't any issues." Hiyoko followed them. 
"Ryo, it's about little man's bedtime, want to call up and say goodnight?" Junko asked. 
"Sounds like a plan." Ryōma patted Jin's back. "Just let it all out, my dude." 
"*burp* Asshole..." Jin let out. 
The ladies got Jin into his seat. Rose discreetly emanated a blue light from her hands as she rubbed his back. "That was quite a display, Jin. Enough to distract from whatever Rin was attempting." she teased. 
"Really not shy about it, are you?" Rin asked. 
"I'm nothing if not honest." 
"Think you went just a little overboard there, big guy?" Tenko asked. 
"Urf...nah...I could've gone for another hour..." Jin grunted. 
"Which is why you're currently being massaged by me." Rose plainly retorted. 
"Whatever...probably just ate too much before coming here...I can hold my liquor just fine. Like any manly guy." 
"Oh, no, I see what's happening here. You're comparing yourself to JoJo and Jugo again, aren't you?" Tenko asked. 
"Tch..." Jin grogged. 
"Don't try to hide it. I know you better than anyone. Dude, I already put the ring on my finger, you don't need to prove yourself around me. You don't gotta be an uber-tough guy to impress me or anything. I fell in love with a teddy bear. No need to pretend to be something else. 'Kay, bubby~?" 
"Never said I was...*burp*, oh, God, my stomach..." 
"Just breathe. And hey, JoJo makes me want to poke his other eye out every time I see him, so can you imagine if I was married to that?" 
"Tenko?" 
"Yeeeeeah?" 
"I'm gonna puke." 
"Here's a bucket." the bartender appeared suddenly. 
"Bless you, superstar." Tenko handed it to Jin, who almost immediately began tossing his lunch into it. 
"Oh boy. Maaaaybe we should call it a night." Rin responded. 
"Think you might be right there. This might be the first time Jin's ever outdrank me." Tenko continued massaging his back. "You hear that, big guy? I'm picking you over alcohol! If that doesn't prove my love, nothing ever will!" She winked. 
"Ugh...I'm never drinking again." Jin grogged. 
A little while later, the group reconvened outside the club. "Sorry to cut the night a bit short. Frankly, if it went on a little longer, we'd need to call a cab to get our plastered selves off of the mountain." Rin said. 
"Aw, it's no problem. It was nice meeting you all, and I never get to come around this part of town. We should do this again sometime. Maybe dinner tomorrow night?" Junko suggested. 
"Rose and I would love that." 
"Indeed. It'll be nice to entertain houseguests for a change." Rose added, somewhat sarcastically. 
"That'll be two nights in a row where I'm going out and doing things. Think I might've caught a bug or something." Ryōma responded. 
"It's called being sociable, Ryo. It doesn't hurt to be friendly." Junko replied. 
"Hopefully it can be a little more peaceful than tonight..." Rose looked over to the rest of the group, with Jin holding an ice pack to his head. 
"Are you alright to walk to the bottom yourself? We can call Kaido over to drive us down." Hiyoko asked. 
"Ugh...I don't want to be any trouble..." Jin grogged. 
"That would be a yes." Tenko overruled. 
A short while later, everyone had dispersed save for Rin and Rose. "Should we get going?" Rose asked. 
"There's one other place around here we need to see, don't we?" Rin replied. 
"Oh, yes, of course. I'd never forget about that. The place where life began." 
The two women walked to the entrance of the hiking trail, and took the path over to a secluded area, a single platform with nothing save for one bench. 
"It doesn't matter how much time passes. This place never changes." Rin said. "Shall we take our usual spots?" 
"Yes, let's." Rose replied, and the two went to sit on the bench. 
"....." Rose took in the starry view. "I still think of how moments like these are all miracles. I was born into a completely different eternity. Infinitesimal moments came and went where I could have been revived. And yet, this is where fate brought me. To this time and place, to these wonderful people. To you." 
Rin took her by the hand. "My one regret is that we couldn't have begun this life sooner. How many times could I have reciprocated your feelings? From 2019 to 2027, you never got to hear the words you wanted. Nine opportunities I completely overlooked." 
"You've more than made up for it since." 
"No no no. I'm taking the initiative now. I'm righting the wrong here and now." 
"What do you mean?" 
Rin looked Rose straight in the eyes. "I love you, Rose." Rin began to blush. "I love you, Rose. I love you, Rose." 
Rose started blushing herself. "Are you really going to--" 
"I love you, Rose. I love you, Rose. I love you, Rose. I love you, Rose. I love you, Rose." Rin moved in and the pair kissed. "...I love you, Rose." 
"So very, very awkward." Rose teased. "My eternity. My obsession. My deepest, dearest love." She got up, and held out her hand. "Well?" 
"Well...what?" 
"The night is still young. I've the time to teach you proper dance etiquette." 
"Well, okay. Hopefully Kat and Carrie don't find out and think we're copying them..." 
"That won't be a worry. For one, Ms. Kit and Ms. Blackthorne know how to dance." 
"Okay, fair enough. I'll follow your lead." 
"Oh my. Is it my turn to teach the professor something?" 
"You've taught me plenty." 
"As you, have I. For transparency's sake, I must confess that this is merely an excuse to be close to you." 
"I figured. Not that you need an excuse." 
"Not at all. Now take my hands. And never let go." 
And so, beneath that snowy, star-filled sky, the destined pair spent the minutes hand-in-hand, gazing ever so deeply into their partner's eyes. 
It was just them, and the stars above. As it always had been, that was more than enough.