The foregoing is how things could have been, in one possible reality. But... should I have chosen my words differently?

******************************************

> "You're the best friend I ever had, too."

"I want nothing more than to stay with you as well."

The moment the words have left my mouth, his face falls, and a wave of guilt hits me, even though I didn't technically do anything wrong.

"Oh... Oh! Well, yeah!" he stammers, clearly forcing the grin that looks less real than any of his previous ones. "That's exactly what I meant...!"

It's not—I know what he'd been trying to say, but hearing it made me realize that I don't feel that way about him. Ryuji is like a brother, and I don't think I could ever see him in any other way. Someone else appears in my thoughts and I almost smile.

"W... Well," he shifts uncomfortably, "anyway... As I was sayin,' wherever you decide to be, that's where you belong." He drags his fingers over the table, then looks up, oddly determined. "You're right, though. You are the best... friend I ever had, too. Y'know... back before I met you, I kept makin' excuses for why I couldn't fit in. It was always 'cause of someone else. Kamoshida, the track team... Hell, I even blamed my dad. I was such a freakin' loser..."

I have the urge to comfort him, but I'm not sure what to do. But then I realize that he honestly believes what he is saying, and that saying it is his way of coming to accept that part of himself... Finally.

"But I've realized now... as long as I'm bein' myself, I'll always have somewhere I can fit in. It ain't really the same place as before, but it's damn good. I'm just glad I found it."

> "I agree."

"Be more specific."

"And where is this place?"

I know he is right... and even if I can't return his feelings, I urgently hope he is happy with us. It's where he belongs—where we all belong. It makes me happier than I thought it would, to hear him say it aloud.

"Heh, don't worry, man. You ain't getting rid of me that easily! There's a place here for you too. Right next to me..." His hand twitches and his smile falls for a moment. "I mean—or... maybe ahead? Something like that."

I can't help but laugh a little. Don't ever change, Ryuji, I think again. I suddenly know that it isn't just him whom I never want to change. It's our relationship as well. This—what we have right now—is perfect the way it is.

I feel like my bond with Ryuji is growing deeper...

RANK UP!

CONFIDANT: Ryuji Sakamoto | CHARIOT ^ RANK 9

NEW ABILITY: Protect [Chance to shield Joker from an otherwise fatal attack.]

~

[You will now earn more EXP from Arcana Burst when fusing Personas of the Chariot arcana!]

"I ain't gonna stop trainin' though. I've still got a long way to go," he says, stretching—or is he actually flexing? "Someday, I'm gonna show you speed so lightnin' fast, you're not even gonna be able to see me."

I grin, and he grins back. Then he frowns. "Wait, but if you can't see me, am I really showin' you anything...? Eh, whatever."

I can't suppress the snort.

"I think we've been talking too long. We're all outta monja... Wanna try grillin' some toothpicks?"

I open my mouth to remind him he's just said he's stuffed, then I close it again. If we stop now, we'll have to go home, and I'm quite comfortable where I am.

***

I pick up the moment my phone rings, right outside Leblanc.

"Yo, get this!" Ryuji screams in my ear. "I just got a call from Nakaona and them earlier, tellin' me that the track team's officially gonna be restored. They're apparently keepin' Yamauchi as their advisor for now, but it's cool. Sounds like they got him under control."

I smile at the red 'open' sign before me. Through the café door, I can make out the shape of Sojiro behind the counter.

> "Congratulations."

"Got him under control, how?"

"Better watch out for them."

I don't really know what else to say. It's not like I'm the insider here—I've barely spoken to any of the track team. But I feel like it would be disrespectful to be a smartass about this.

"Thanks, man!" I hear the smile in Ryuji's voice. "I gotta pay you back—also for listening to me whine earlier. You can get some ramen, on me! And then let's top it off with some seafood soup! A toast to the success of the new track team!"

I feel yet another tiny sting of guilt—I know what he means by 'whine,' and I feel horrible for putting him through this, but I'm certain of how I feel about him. Maybe, in due time, he can feel about me that way too—and just that way.

"But yeah, we can let the track team handle the rest of their problems. They gotta do the runnin' from now on."

I highly doubt Ryuji will ever stop running, but I know what he means, so I don't feel the need to interrupt.

"Heh... I'm not gonna let my guard down now! I ain't about to lose to them!"

I smile. That's the Ryuji I know.

"'Kay," he chuckles, "I'm gonna go for another run. Keep on bonkin'! And—well, let's just forget everything else... I mean, not that there was anything—!"

He's not making it easy for me to forget what I did to him, but then again—I cannot deny I must have broken his heart. So maybe I've earned it. Maybe, I think as I stash away my phone again... Maybe just a little bit. But in the end, I don't think I would have chosen my words differently if I had the chance.