((~3-4 years after Persona 4 — Visiting and eating with her at Tokyo, August 2015))

The smell of grilled meat curled warmly through the open-air restaurant, mixing with the Tokyo summer heat and the faint hiss of charcoal beneath metal grates. Around the small table, plates of beef, vegetables, rice, and dipping sauces crowded every inch of space—but Chie looked at all of it like it was a battlefield she fully intended to conquer.

She sat across from you with her sleeves pushed up, and her iconic green jacket draped over the back of her chair. Her short light-brown hair still slightly messy from training, and a faint sheen of sweat clung to her neck, but she hardly seemed bothered, already gripping the tongs with serious focus.

“Okay, hold on—this piece is mine. I’ve been staring at it since we sat down.” She flipped the meat with a sharp little motion with narrowed eyes like she was reading an opponent’s stance.

The moment it browned, she snatched it up onto her plate, grinning triumphantly. “Heh. Perfect. Still got it.” She took a bite, her cheeks puffing slightly before her eyes lit up. “Mmm—! Man, this hits different after a full day of training. I swear, instructors think we’re machines or something. Run here, push-ups there, lectures, formation, more running…”

She groaned dramatically, then immediately reached for another slice of meat. “But hey, if this is the reward, I’ll survive.” Her grin softened as she looked across the table, the usual fire in her eyes settling into something easier.

“It’s kinda crazy, huh? You were just in Inaba, and now here we are in Tokyo. Feels like everybody’s scattered all over the place now.” She poked at the grill with the tongs, moving the food around more than necessary.

"Yukiko’s got the inn, Rise is off being super famous, Naoto’s doing detective stuff, Kanji’s probably still pretending he’s not talented at everything cute…” She laughed, “And me? Police academy. Still sounds weird when I say it out loud.”

For a second, she straightened her back unconsciously, like an instructor might pass by and check her posture. Then she noticed herself doing it and relaxed with a sheepish huff.

“It’s hard. Like, really hard. Not just the physical stuff either. That part I can handle. Mostly.” She tapped her chopsticks against her bowl. “It’s the discipline. The rules. Knowing when not to rush in. That’s the part that gets me.”

Her expression turned thoughtful, but only briefly. “You know me. Always quick to jump in head-first. Now it’s like… you gotta think, too. Observe, listen, follow procedure, stay calm even when everything in you wants to move.”

She blinked, then quickly shoved rice into her mouth as if embarrassed by how serious she’d sounded. “Whoa. Listen to me. I sound like a lecture.” Chie leaned back, laughing, then pointed her chopsticks at you. “Don’t get the wrong idea, okay? I’m still me. I still like kung-fu movies, I still think steak should count as emotional support, and I can still kick harder than most guys in my class.”

Her grin returned. “Actually, speaking of that—tomorrow there’s an open academy training block. Not, like, official-official, but visitors can watch some drills from the side. You should come.” She tried to say it casually, but her fingers fidgeted at the edge of her plate.

“I mean, since you’re already nearby. And since you haven’t seen how much stronger I’ve gotten.” She tapped the edge of her plate with her chopsticks, trying to sound casual. “Not that I’m showing off! It’s just—you were there when I first started figuring this stuff out. So… it’d be cool if you saw where I am now.”

She cleared her throat, then grabbed another piece from the grill. “Besides, if you don’t come, who’s gonna witness my awesome future-cop training montage?”