Shin Megami Tensei Fan Fiction ❯ Dear Diary ❯ May 5th, 2009 ( Chapter 5 )

Author's Note: Thank you, thank you for the reviews! I'm glad people are liking the story thus far! Today's chapter was posted a bit later than normal… and it's also shorter… (boy, I really am alternating in length) but next chapter is going looking to be really fun to write. I'm starting to work on it now, so expect it in a few days!

 

Music Suggestion: www . youtube . com/watch?v=6jQxDA3ubLY

 

.~*~.

 

May 5th

 

Dear Diary,

 

That strange boy visited me in my dreams again- I`m beginning to worry about the full moon in a couple days… I don't know what's going to happen. Should I trust this child? Somehow he seems… familiar…

 

Oh, we went to visit Akihiko-senpai in the hospital the other day- Not that he's been staying there since he was hurt, but Junpei-kun had an errand to do, and Yukari-chan and I sort of tagged along. When we got to the hospital to meet up with him, this other guy was there instead- some tall, dark… angry guy. I didn't really catch his name.

 

Junpei invited me out again today…

 

.~*~.

.~*~.

 

Haruhi slid the door open from her classroom and stepped into the hall. She had picked through her lunch broodingly, not paying much attention to Yukari's conversation. Junpei had gotten up at the beginning of the lunch hour and left, not saying a word. He had been acting strange since their accidental Dark Hour excursion, still keeping up with his silly mannerisms, but always seeming a bit off. She couldn't put her finger on why exactly, but Haruhi felt like he was avoiding her when possible for some reason. She hadn't been able to get him on his own since that night, and she'd been meaning to talk to him about it.

 

With a heavy sigh, she turned to set off down the hall to wander for the remainder of the lunch hour… running smack into someone, face first. She clutched her nose after feeling it crunch against someone's sternum.

“Ahh! My nose!!” She moaned, her eyes watering.

 

She heard a familiar chuckle and blinked blearily up at Junpei, who was grinning down at her. He brought a hand up and ruffled her hair,

“You oughta watch where you're walkin', Haru-chan!”

 

She was so relieved to grab yet another chance to talk to him, that she didn't even bother to shake his hand away. She smiled, continuing to hold her nose,

“Maybe you should do the same… You could have dodged.”

 

“Ah ha… true.” He raised a finger with a smirk. She rubbed her nose gingerly, feeling the sting begin to ebb as she looked up at him. There was an awkward pause in which Haruhi began to muster up the courage to strike up her needed conversation, but Junpei cut her off as she opened her mouth.

 

“So, uh… It feels kind of weird running into you in the hall like this…” He scratched his head slightly, “You free after school today?”

 

“Uh…” She stammered, taken aback. “Yes…”

 

He grinned, poking her gently in the forehead,

“Y'wanna go see a movie?”

 

She blinked up at him,

“…A movie?”

 

“What, you're not into movies?” He leaned back slightly, slipping his hands into his pockets; “You should see one once in awhile.”

 

“Huh… I guess I just don't often get the chance to go… I don't think I've seen a movie in theaters for a couple years.” She shrugged; still wrapping her head around the idea of being asked out to the movies with a person she deemed to be avoiding her.

 

“Well, I guarantee this one'll be good!” Junpei smirked momentarily before scratching the back of his head, “…I haven't seen it myself though.”

 

Haruhi chuckled, shaking her head,

“Well… I suppose we can go.”

 

Junpei grinned down at her with a nod,

“Sweet. After school, then?”

 

“Sure.” She nodded with a smile.

 

.~*~.

.~*~.

 

They arrived at Tatsumi Port Island station and made their way to the movie theater where a large poster displaying a burly man holding a ridiculously large gun was erected outside. Junpei's eyes immediately lit up upon spotting it.

 

“This is it!” He exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the poster, “`Double-Barreled Justice!' I've been looking forward to this coming out!”

 

Haruhi blinked at it, raising an eyebrow- the poster looked completely absurd.

“What… kind of movie is it?” She asked tentatively.

 

He turned around to face her, not sobered by her hesitant tone,

“In a nutshell… It's about fighting for what's right in a world gone mad.” He smirked, “If I'm going to spend my cash to see a movie, I want it to kick major ass!”

 

She chuckled, shaking her head at him. He seemed to be back to his old self again, acting like an excited two year-old that one could really only find endearing at times.

“Well, we'd better go get some good seats.”

 

“Yeah!” He crowed, thrusting a fist into the air. He rushed forward to pay for their tickets, leading the way inside immediately afterward to seat them in the front row.

 

Overall, Haruhi decided that the movie was okay. Seeing the action scenes on the big screen front row, center was pretty overwhelming… but the story was surprisingly complex. After the credits rolled, they got up to leave with the rest of the crowd, Junpei looking somewhat disappointed.

 

“That was… kinda not what I was expecting.” He tilted his head to the side with a thoughtful tone, “The villain wasn't all that evil. It kinda killed it for me when he started talking about his tragic past… It isn't cool if you have to beat somebody who didn't want to be a bad guy.”

 

“Oh I don't know, I thought it made him less two-dimensional and more believable as a character.” Haruhi offered with a smile.

 

He chuckled, shaking his head,

“Huh uh. Bad guys should be evil all the way to the core. It's just more satisfying… Although…” He grinned impishly as he poked her in the forehead, causing her to wince, “I have to say, it was pretty satisfying seeing you tear up like that during his dying monologue. You were so cute, Haru-chan!”

 

She blushed, swatting his hand away.

“Oh come on… I'm not made of stone.”

 

He laughed at her reaction, slipping his hands into his pockets with a smile,

“Hey, you've still got time, right? Let's grab something to eat on the way back.”

 

She glanced up at him with a sheepish pout, hesitating on her answer. He chuckled, leaning forward with a singsong voice.

“My trea~t…”

 

.~*~.

.~*~.

 

Haruhi sat in a booth at Wild-duck Burger while Junpei carried a tray with their meals upon it from the counter at the front. He set the tray into the middle of the table as he slid into the booth, sitting opposite her with a frown on his face.

 

“Aw, crap… The guys at school might say some stuff if they see us together.” He glanced around for a few moments until his gaze rested upon Haruhi, who was staring at him questioningly.

 

“I mean, it looks like there's a lot of guys interested in you.” He explained, unwrapping his burger, “Plus, the famous Yuka-tan and Mitsuru-senpai live in the same dorm, too. There are a lot of dudes who envy me because of that…” He sighed, trailing off.

 

Haruhi blinked at him, unwrapping her own burger.

“I'm… sorry?”

 

Junpei stopped mid-bite, looking at her face full of confused remorse and burst into laughter.

“Yeah, it's your fault!”

 

He seemed to cheer up for the moment, taking a bite out of his burger before continuing,

“…Actually, you don't seem to be all that interested in guys.” He stated before swallowing the bit of food he'd been chewing. Haruhi simply stared at him, affronted. Did he just make a blatant guess at her sexuality? How rude! He seemed to understand the look she was giving him, causing him to chuckle nervously,

“I mean, you're not all excited and asking me who's saying all this stuff.” He lifted a finger, trying once again to get his point across. Haruhi began to glare at him. He tugged at his shirt collar, chuckling again,

“I mean… of course you aren't. No girl would be that desperate.”

 

Though Haruhi continued to seethe, taking a bite out of her burger, Junpei seemed pleased at this newly discovered fact and nodded triumphantly.

“Also,” He continued, picking up a fry, “I know you've probably got your hands full with your own stuff right now.” He paused momentarily, staring at the fry with a murmur, “Actually, the same goes for me, too…”

 

Haruhi watched his expression turn solemn, and her face contorted with a look of concern.

“Junpei…” She started, catching his attention again. His expression softened, looking at her.

 

“Hey, c'mon… What's that face for?” He smirked, popping the fry in his mouth.

 

“I've been meaning to get you alone to ask you something…” She trailed off, glancing down at the table to collect her thoughts.

 

Junpei grinned, leaning back in the booth with a smug look on his face,

“Ahhh… going to confess your love, Haru-chan? Is that why you're not chasing down other guys, because the one you want is seated right before you?” He drawled, amused with himself.

 

Haruhi's face lit up like a stoplight as she snapped, mortified at him,

“Wha-?! Where are you getting your delusions?!” Junpei howled with laughter, causing her to shout loudly over him, “Will you stop it?! I'm trying to ask you a serious question, here!!!”

 

The few other patrons in the restaurant stopped to turn and look at them, causing Haruhi to sink slightly in her seat. When a few of the others turned away, she scowled sheepishly up at Junpei again, who was grinning, beside himself with amusement.

 

“I wanted to ask if you were okay…” She spoke softly, but loud enough so that he could hear her. His smile slipped as she continued, “We haven't really spoken since that night… and I've been getting the feeling that you've been avoiding me…”

 

She averted her gaze, her cheeks still glowing bright red with embarrassment. He couldn't help but smile gently with a sigh, shaking his head,

“I'm fine Haru-chan. You don't have to worry about me.”

 

“But-” She started, but he cut her off, seeing that she wouldn't let him off that easily.

 

“I guess I just have issues with the low expectations given to me… But it's no big deal.”

 

Haruhi noted how he shifted uncomfortably in his seat and averted his gaze. She gave him her brightest and most encouraging smile in hopes that he would understand the faith that she placed in him since that night,

“Don't worry, Junpei-kun… I know you'll prove them wrong… I mean, I have faith in you!”

 

He scoffed slightly, covering it up with a chuckle and speaking in a tone that Haruhi couldn't really catch the sincerity of,

“Well, if our fearless leader believes in me, then we should be alright, huh?”

 

She frowned, feeling slightly hurt and confused by his unreadable if not sarcastic tone. He seemed to pick up on this and smiled at her, pushing his package of fries towards her.

“Well… let's forget about that stuff. Want some fries?” He grinned friendlily at her, “You don't mind sharing with me, right?”

 

She flushed slightly with a meek nod, not altogether convinced that he was being straight with her, but accepted some of the fries offered to her with a tiny smile.

“Uh… s-sure.”

 

Through the rest of their meal, she couldn't help but notice that something was terribly wrong… but he wasn't letting her in to help.

 

.~*~.

.~*~.

 

After returning to the dorm, Junpei immediately went up to his room. With a gloomy sigh, Haruhi found herself heading up to her own room, turning in early for the night. Some leader she was turning out to be…

 

.~*~.