Ken could smell her before she even descended the third floor stairs. It wasn't that she wore too much perfume, he wasn't even sure if she wore any at all, it was just the scent of her. It was the scent of his mother baking chocolate chip cookies, the scent of concrete after it's just rained...it was the scent of all the things in life that made Ken glad he was alive, despite everything unhappy around him. She was sugar and rain, warmth and light. Ken didn't feel like a child when he was with her, he felt like a person. Like his age didn't matter, because he could say how he felt without being looked down upon. He wasn't stupid, he wasn't immature. He just wanted to be older, even if just in appearance . . . so people wouldn't treat him like he was any of those things. But she didn't care. She treated him the way he'd always longed to be treated, and in doing so, she became the only person that could hold Ken together when he felt like tearing himself to pieces.

"M-Minako-san! I thought I heard you...a-are you busy right now?"

She shot Ken her unmistakable smirk, eyes twinkling with laughter. "Not too busy for you, of course!" And there was her joking wink.

Ken's cheeks burned crimson, looking anywhere but at her. Shag carpet wasn't an easy distraction when something as mesmerizing as Minako Arisato stood before you. But it would have to do.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to maybe...go somewhere with me? I don't r-really care where! Just...yeah!" He glanced up to notice her staring intently at him with dancing eyes.

"I would love to! Hm, let's see...why don't we go to the park? It's a really nice day out. We could go on the swings!"

Ken's brow furrowed. "The swings? But aren't they for, you know...kids?"

"Swings are for EVERYONE! Fun isn't limited to one age group, dummy!"

She had a knack of reassuring him when he felt like everything he loved only made him seem younger. Swings sounded pretty nice.

"Well then, l-let's go!"

The sky was a deep shade of grey, no sun peeking out from behind a cloud. The air was crisp and cool, almost relaxing as it hugged Ken and Minako's frames as they walked. Ken watched as she sang quietly under her breath, the loose pink sweater she dawned falling off her shoulder slightly. Ken found it hard to think around her, he couldn't understand it. He had so much he wanted to say, to tell her how beautiful she was even if she didn't think so. He always saw her reading fashion magazines, telling Yukari and Fuuka about how she wished she could be as nice looking as the models in them. Ken wished he could find a way to tell her, even show her...that she was the most wonderful thing he had ever seen. But every time he thought he had found the words, he glanced up at her, their height difference silencing him as he realized he really was just a kid. Less than her, in build, in strength, in experience. He could tell her how beautiful she was, but what would it mean, coming from him? Just a simple, offhanded compliment, he was sure. But he meant it as much more, he meant it as the warm feeling that festered in his chest when he watched her laugh, when he watched her fight and scream and smile. But 'children' aren't capable of these feelings...apparently. No matter how much older Minako made Ken feel, his confidence didn't seem to age along with him. So he kept quiet.

Minako watched Ken as they walked, taking in every inch of his small frame. The way he wore his orange jacket bunched up around his neck, the way he walked a little pidgeon-toed and especially the way his brown eyes always looked slightly sad, even the rest of his features tried to tell you otherwise. She traced every contour of his face, every freckle, his jawline, and the bags beneath his doe-like eyes. She burned them into memory, closed her eyes just to be sure they were still there behind the lids. No one understood her the way Ken did. Usually when she spoke to people, her responses were limited and awkward...she always felt like she wasn't cut out for friendships and bonds. Sometimes she only reached out to people because the idea of strengthening her Personas pushed her to try.

But with Ken...

She could care less about anything but the sheer fact that he listened to her, and she actually had things she wanted to say to those open ears. So much of her wanted to protect him, and so much of her wanted to love him, irrevocably and madly. But she looked down, noting the fact that no matter how old he seemed to her, she was still six years older than him. It felt like nothing to her, but she knew it bothered him, being a 'child', to her he wasn't a child, nor was he an adult. He was simply Amada Ken. She wished he could be okay just being him. That was all she would ever need, at least.

"You said it was a nice day, but the sun isn't even out!" Ken remarked playfully, gesturing to the sky.

"Oh, but that's what makes it a nice day. You can look right up, and don't even have to squint. The sky seems so vast and endless and beautiful when it's grey. It makes me feel small, but I like that. I don't know, I don't think I'm making much sense, ignore me!" Minako smiled and laid back into the grass, absent-mindedly plucking strands out as she watched the swirling grey above her.

"Minako-san..." Ken didn't know what to say. She would always say these things, these outstanding things that seem so ordinary and offhand to her. They throw Ken for a loop and he's left with no words to say, as usual.

Minako turned on her side so she was facing Ken, their breathing and the chirping of birds the only sounds in the deserted park. She watched his eyes carefully, staring into them for some kind of words he couldn't speak.

"Ken, is something on your mind? Your eyes seem distant and sad and I just want you to know you can tell me anything...if you want. You always listen to me, and I need you to know that I'll listen to you to. You're someone very important to me." Her voice cracked as she reached the end of her sentence, feeling vulnerable and desperate.

A pale blush crept across his cheeks as he mulled over the word 'important'. He was someone important to her.

"My words don't come out right when I'm with you. It feels better just to listen to you; I never know exactly what to say..."

"Ken, you don't have to know what to say, just say what you feel. Sometimes that's more honest than knowing, and thinking about it."

"I just don't want to seem..."

"You'll never seem like more than who you are to me, okay? Who you are to me will never change."

Ken turned scarlet, his heart hammering in his chest. He had never felt so cared about in his life, so reassured...he didn't have to try to be anything else. She liked him how he was.

"And what am I? You know...t-to you?'" Ken had to fight to keep his eyes open, being somewhat afraid of the response her facial expression would give him.

"Ken. You are...someone very important to me." And with that, Minako bounced up, grabbed Ken's hand and pulled him to the swings.

AN: Thank you to anyone reading this! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, the second is almost complete! I have lots of ideas for this story, but feedback via reviews would be really helpful for me. I'd appreciate them!