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That's The Best Part	By : Gestalten Category: +S through Z > Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (all) > Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (all) Views: 119 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: All characters are intellectual property of Atlus. I do not own their characters, nor do I make any money from this fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 1-Confidante's Confidante
- 2-The Hermit, Revisited
- 1
- 2
The Best Part
"We are all fools in love." (Jane Austen)
I must be out of my mind.
The Ichigaya Fisheries were quiet at this time of day, and I was thankful for that. Under most circumstances, fishing helped me clear my mind. However, the unique situation I now found myself in demanded more than the opportunity for relaxation that the hobby offered. I needed help. Expert help.
The problem was that I had almost no one else to turn to. The one person I could easily talk to about matters like this was also the source of the confusion. There was perhaps one other person, but it was a gamble. I wasn't entirely sure if she would arrive or not. She said she would, but-
"I am a man and you are a woman."
I shook my head as if to clear it of the intrusive thought. You do not want to go there, Sadayo. He's a young man on the cusp of adulthood. And you're his homeroom teacher…
"Excuse me. May I?" A woman's voice inquired.
The sudden intrusion interrupted my reverie. I almost did not bother to dignify that request with an answer. The last thing I wanted was an unwelcome stranger to barge into my private space.
"There's some space over there," I retorted, jabbing at another spot without looking at the speaker. "It's a public place."
"I know," the voice calmly responded. "However, I wanted a private conversation with Becky-san. Meow."
The mere mention of the pre-arranged codes word immediately changed my attitude. Oh, my gods, she's here! She kept her word!
I looked up to see a living legend standing before me. Toriumi-sensei looked the same way she did on television during her interview all those years ago. She wore her beige-pink teacher's jacket over a white top with matching slacks and black high heels. Perhaps the only difference is that her brown hair was slightly longer this time, and she wore a hat and dark glasses—a partial disguise, no doubt, to provide her with some semblance of anonymity. Only she could make that kind of outfit look so...distinguished. It was a far cry from my casual yellow shirt and denim skirt.
"Dr. Tori—I mean, 'Maya-sensei'?" I asked, incredulous, nearly slipping as I suddenly remembered our agreement to use code names. I set my fishing rod down, stood, and bowed respectfully.
"Hello, 'Becky'-san," she bowed back with all the patience of a veteran teacher assisting a difficult student. "And you do not have to be so formal. I came here as soon as I could when my agent told me about you." She pulled up a crate and sat on it. "Now, how may I help you?"
"I thank you for coming on such notice, Maya-senpai," I corrected. "And I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. However, like I mentioned, I am in dire need of your help and advice."
"Regarding?"
"Something related to your...expertise."
"I take it you're not referring to composition," she said.
"I meant your...your other expertise," I heaved a sigh and lowered my voice, glancing from side to side. "Student-teacher relationships of the uncommon kind. And please hold this in the strictest confidence."
Maya-sempai remained silent for a long time. She lowered her dark glasses and peered at me curiously. When she spoke, she matched my near whisper. "Of course. It's hardly my expertise, though,
considering..."
"You are the only other teacher I know of who has at least some experience in these matters and is willing to talk about it without condemning me for it."
She blinked. "I see. I will not ask you how you found out. At least, not now."
If I can figure out Amamiya-kun's link to the Phantom Thieves, I can do the same for you, Toriumi-sensei.
Maya-sempai continued, her voice unusually calm and composed. "You are right about not condemning you, though. For clarity's sake—and I mean no malice with this question—are you directly involved in one?"
"Yes…" I stammered, burying my face in my hands. "I mean, no...I mean, not yet. Oh, I don't know!"
"Ah." The way she uttered that one exclamation immediately set my mind and heart at ease. There was no judgment in her voice. Here was someone who knew what I was feeling and talking about and was willing to help. All she said next was, "Tell me more. Share only what you feel comfortable to share."
Maya-sempai listened quietly for the next hour or two as I poured my heart out regarding my experiences with Amamiya-kun. She asked clarifying questions a few times but otherwise did not interrupt. I didn't completely understand why. She and I hardly knew each other. We taught different subjects at different schools. And yet here I was, spilling my guts out to her like I had known her for years, very much unbecoming of my personality and the culture we both grew up in. She occasionally offered tissue paper, which I gladly accepted.
By her own admission in her book, she was likewise a hopeless romantic who once had her eye on a younger man. We were kindred spirits, she and I.
Maya-sempai held up a beverage can and a confection container. "Beer? Some cake, perhaps? Or would you prefer chamomile tea to soothe those frayed nerves?"
"No, thank you," I told her. Pause. "Aren't you going to call me out on questionable behavior?"
My senpai shook her head and took a sip of beer. "That would be hypocritical."
"What am I supposed to do?"
It was uncharacteristic of me to ask for help. I don't want to be anyone's burden. I was used to soldiering on solo. That changed when I met Amamiya-kun and let him help me. Here I was doing it again.
"I cannot tell you exactly what to do," she said, her tone shifting slightly to one of a compassionate mentor. "What I can do is to help you find clarity. Are you all right with me asking you a few more questions?"
"That sounds good, yes."
Maya-Sempai smiled a warm smile. "Just be completely honest with me and with yourself, all right? Now, first question: do you love him?"
"Yes," I said immediately. The sheer lack of hesitation in my response surprised even me.
"And does he love you?"
"He professes to, at least. His actions back up his words."
"How do you feel when you're around him?"
"Loved and cared for," I sighed audibly. "Free. Empowered. He reminds me of what it is to be a teacher and why I originally chose this profession. I like who I am when I'm around him." He's a romantic woman's dream.
Maya-sempai smiled thoughtfully at that. "That's more than good enough."
My heart leaped when she said that. I didn't want to feel too hopeful, but...
"Tell me," she said, taking a deep breath. She opened the lid of a beer can and took a long sip. "What is truly important to you right now? What do you really want? Not what others want or what society wants, mind you. What do you want."
I felt oddly giddy. Toriumi-sensei was one of only two people who chose to see and acknowledge me. "Besides clarity? I want to take better care of my students, of all of my students, including him. Especially him."
"And would being with him help you realize this intention?"
"I…" Pause. Deep breath. "In a manner of speaking. It would make me happy. A happier teacher would be a more effective teacher."
Maya-senpai pressed further. "If social norms were not a consideration, what would you do?"
I paused again. My senpai was treading on delicate ground and knew it. "I'd go for it...for him."
"Despite the potential consequences?"
Silence.
"If you were to do this, do you think you could find a way to avoid or mitigate those consequences?
I felt a glimmer of hope well up in my chest. "I think so, yes. I don't know exactly, but I can figure something out. We can probably figure something out. Still..."
Maya-sempai smiled and continued her questioning. "Would you at least like to tell him about your true feelings, regardless?"
"Heavens, yes." Another answer without hesitation. I could see where she was going with this, and I didn't want the process to stop.
"Would it make you happy to do so?"
"Very much." Saying that felt like someone had taken a great weight off my shoulders.
Maya-sempai took another sip. "One last question: What can you do to move your relationship with him forward if you didn't have to feel bad about it no matter how things worked out?"
What an odd question. "I…" I studied the ground and reflected on her every word, conviction rising in the pit of my stomach. "I would talk to him and explain the situation and the possible consequences. I would gauge his response, and offer him a chance to refuse." Although I'm hoping he doesn't. "And then…"
She nodded slightly. "And then? Supposing he doesn't?"
"And then I would take things from there. One day at a time, one step at a time within whatever boundaries I choose to set. Lead the way as an adult and adjust and recalibrate as often as necessary. That's what I would do."
I heaved a deep sigh of relief. Good god, that felt wonderful.
"There we go!" my companion exclaimed uncharacteristically, setting the beer can down so noisily that it startled the fish. Her eyes teared up. "Oh, I'm sorry." She took a wad of tissue paper and dabbed it at her eyes.
"Are you all right, Maya-Senpai?" Her expression had noticeably changed. She had been the epitome of calm mere moments ago. She was different now. It was as if she had experienced her own catharsis.
Sempai closed her eyes and nodded, the same way a grieving person would nod if someone asked them if they were all right. When she finally opened her teary eyes and spoke, her voice was firm, resolute. "Life has given you a remarkable opportunity to create your own happiness, Becky-san. You may want to seize it before it's too late, or you could choose the path that I did. Which will it be?"
"Oh." Realization dawned on me. At a loss for words, I bowed in gratitude. "Thank you for the advice, Senpai, and for your time and wisdom."
She shook her head. "All I did was guide you toward the wisdom in yourself. You weren't really looking for advice, now were you?"
I blinked at my words being reflected back to me. I told Amamiya-kun that he couldn't get the correct answers from someone else. He had to look for them within. And that is precisely what she just helped me do.
Finally, I smiled at that and straightened. "I guess not." Perhaps I was looking more for...permission, clarity, and unconditional acceptance. And I found that with her and with Amamiya-kun in spades.
"I think we're done here," she said, sensing what I was about to do. "Go to him. Talk to him. And if you're willing, let me know how it goes."
"For whatever it's worth, Maya-Senpai," I sniffled and bowed one final time before I turned to leave. "You would've made a great Phantom Thief."
I could feel a mixture of her smile and a look of confusion on my back. I raced out of Ichigaya, thankful for having two teachers to show me the way. I wasn't sure exactly how I was going to proceed. All I knew was I wanted to see and talk to him again, one step at a time.
Wait for me, Amamiya-kun!
To Be Continued...
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- 2
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That's The Best Part