In the bathroom

You enter the bathroom. It’s nothing special, just a toilet, a sink, a hamper, and a glass door leading to the shower/bath. You can see Hinako’s blurred frame through the door. You get out of your clothes and leave them in the hamper. You slide open the door and step in. Hinako turns to greet you as you slide the door shut. She’s rinsing her hair with the showerhead, running her fingers through her purple highlights. “I ran the bath for you. Go on in and I’ll join you when I’m done here.”

You lower yourself into the warm water.  It has room for two or three people and it’s much more pleasant than that Jacuzzi on the Velvet.  All the tension and soreness just disappears.  You sink down until you’re neck deep and close your eyes.  You take the opportunity to dwell on your time in Japan so far.  In the past 24 hours you’ve heard voices, laid two gals, and have gained the seemingly supernatural ability to draw on the power of your bonds with other people to do god knows what, all according to a woman and an old man on a purple cruise liner traveling through space.  You’ve never been so popular.

And what about this Persona thing?  You know what it means, but there’s more to it than that.  It’s as if there’s another meaning that transcends words.  Deep down you know what it is, you just can’t seem to access that information.  Maybe it’s another you that knows it.  Another you?  Where the hell did that come from?  There’s only one you as far as you know.  But as you think about that multitude you heard last night, it kind of makes sense.  You knew that all of those voices were you, yet none of them were.  They were many individuals while at the same time they were one.  Is that what Persona is?  And if it is, what the hell do you use it for, other than give yourself the sexual stamina of a jackrabbit?

Speaking of which, Hinako turns off the shower and steps into the bath with you.  You open your eyes to watch as she settles in and maneuvers behind you.  Her soft breasts feel nice pressing up against your back like that.  She wets a washcloth and started cleaning you off.  She’s very tender and motherly towards you now.  You find it soothing.  As pleasant as it is though, the silence is bugging you a little.  All of the activity has helped keep your mind off the ringing and the whispers. You want to do something to break the silence.