That night, the Seekers of Truth were all gathered in the waiting area while Dojima and Nanako were inside talking to the doctors. One member of the group was on the verge of losing his mind, while the others tried to calm him down.

"This is a hospital, man! Cool it!" Yosuke snapped .

Yukiko added in a panicked voice, "Please, Kanji-kun, calm down!"

The bleached-blond high school senior shouted, "Calm down?! How the hell am I supposed to calm down?! That bastard nearly killed Senpai, and that's bad enough, but look what he tried to do to Naoto, dammit! I ain't gonna just let a guy go who tried to hurt her!"

Everyone went silent for a moment as Naoto looked down sadly. "Please, Kanji…" She said in a soft voice.

"I know what you're thinkin', Naoto. I ain't gonna mess around with Senpai's girl. But all of you are my best friends, and if any of you get hurt, I'm gonna take whoever did it down. Got that?!" Kanji took a deep breath and sat down. "I'm glad you're safe, Naoto, but… Dammit, why Senpai?!"

"I'm asking myself the same thing." Rise murmured. "Is it just because you two were close, or did he develop some kind of grudge against Senpai personally?" The idol had tears running down her face, ruining her makeup as she failed to notice.

Yukiko shook her head and said, "Whatever the reason, I can't forgive anything he did. Hurting Yu, attacking Naoto… Any of it."

Their conversation was interrupted when Nanako exited the room, her face soaked with tears. "Everyone… Big Bro…" She sobbed, unable to finish her sentence.

Yosuke placed a hand on Nanako's shoulder and said, "Take a deep breath. What happened to Yu?"

The small girl shook her head before letting it hang miserably. "Big Bro… died."

Everyone froze for a moment as the news sank in. Chie was the first to speak, asking, "He… died? Yu's dead?" Nanako nodded as Dojima came out and hugged her.

Naoto's eyes had already filled to the brim with tears as she asked, "Is it true, Dojima-san? Yu…" Her voice trembled with fear as she awaited her fellow detective's answer, dreading the words.

Dojima nodded, and everyone was surprised to see that he was crying as well. "It's true." He said as he tried to hold back tears. "The gas did a lot of damage, and that punk broke three ribs to boot. The doctors said that it isn't humanly possible to live through something like that." The man held his daughter tightly, sharing Nanako's sorrow.

Yosuke shook and bowed his head, saying, "No way? Yu's actually gone… I can't believe it. He was always the strongest out of all of us. Without him, none of us would be here right now. And you're telling me he's dead…?"

Tears squeezed out of Yukiko's eyes as she buried her face in her hands. "This can't be happening… It can't! Yu can't die!"

"S-Senpai…" Rise choked through her own tears, clinging to Kanji for support. "Why Senpai? Kanji, why?" The young man only shook his head, unable to say anything through his grief.

Naoto likewise said nothing, only sitting in her wheelchair and crying. Eventually Dojima put his hand on the young detective's shoulder and asked, "Naoto, will you stay with us for the night? I think it would help all of us if you were there."

She nodded and said, "Of course. I can't go back to the Shirogane estate now… It's far too painful." Looking to her friends, she asked, "I understand if they can't all stay overnight, but can the others come too? Tonight… I'd like us all to share our memories of Yu." Her voice was filled with expected sorrow, her silver eyes still dripping tears.

"Of course. Come on, everyone, let's go." And so they all left for the Dojima residence, no one wanting to go home alone.

Late that night, after her friends had left and Dojima and Nanako had gone to sleep, Naoto sat in her wheelchair after Dojima had hauled it up to Yu's room. "Yu…" She whispered as the rain fell outside and the wall clock ticked. "Why did this happen? Izanagi… You were his Persona, his guardian. How could you let this happen?" The clock struck midnight as Naoto gazed at the TV, hoping fleetingly that this magical time would give her something to help her through her grief. But nothing came.

Author's Note: And so this tragic tale of Misfortune ends. But just as Yu and Naoto's bond remains unsevered even after death, their saga has not ended. There is more to come.

~Tressimir