Kotoji

Kotoji is the het ship between Ryoji Mochizuki and Kotone Shiomi from the Persona fandom.

Canon
Kotone officially met Ryoji as a transfer student in her classroom on November 9th, 2009. At the same time, Ryoji’s Social Link starts when Junpei introduces Ryoji to her after school. Most of his social links activate automatically on certain days, and there are some that the player has chosen to spend time with since if the player misses a day, his social link will stop and cannot proceed further. Ryoji’s Social Link has to progress within a month and max out if Kotone chooses to spare his life in Good Ending, similar to Shinjiro’s Social Link.

On the first day of the Kyoto trip, Kotone has an option: flirt with Ryoji. During the hot spring, the player can expose Ryoji and the guys with the girls or let the guys go unknowingly.

On 12/02, Ryoji is confronted by Aigis during The Dark Hour, which triggers his memories and reveals who he truly is. His past form, the personification of Death, fought with Aigis 10 years before the story, as she served the role of an Anti-Shadow Weapon. Realizing Death cannot be defeated, she sealed him inside of young Kotone's body. As he got older, Ryoji manifested into the form of a child called Pharos, which only Kotone could see. Later, having defeated the twelve Shadows SEES was tasked initially with, Ryoji manifested into his current form. He explains how he is the appraiser of the goddess Nyx and is ultimately destined to be the harbinger of Death. However, he feels guilt over it, so he gives the members of SEES the offer to kill him instead of facing Nyx. He returns after a month to ask for their final decision and invites himself into Kotone's room in an attempt to further convince her to kill him. Ryoji explains that if he is killed, everyone's memories of The Dark Hour will be gone, and they will live the rest of their days in peace until the day Nyx arrives and destroys everything. If she doesn't do it, however, they will be in pain and suffering until the inevitable day. Ryoji goes as far as to show his actual form as Death to Kotone to make him choose the painless route. He begged her since he didn’t want to see her suffer (if he was lovers with her). If she still refuses to kill her, he will feel sadden, but he will respect her decisions.

Social Link
On 2nd rank automatically on 11/12 where, Kotone unexpectedly meet with Ryoji at the monorail on their way to school. Ryoji believes it was “destiny: they meet up. If she asks Ryoji, “Is school boring?” he replies it’s not, and he enjoys it because he can see her there. On 3rd rank (if a player skips on 11/13, his rank cannot proceed further), when Ryoji and Kotone leave school, Ryoji’s girls swarm around him. He is willing to go as far as to reject every girl to hang out with Kotone. He calls her “princess” before taking her hand and leaving, making several girls jealous and glaring at her. If Kotone asks him, “Why’d you do that…?” he apologizes to her since he feels he shouldn’t be saying things like this to her. He wants to be more sincere with her and has no idea why. At the end of 3rd rank, Kotone shows Ryoji around the city. On 4th rank (if she accepts Ryoji’s offer to hang out), they decide to hang out at Chagall Cafe. Kotone can tell him that the place is interesting, “It’s because I’m here with you,” which Ryoji makes happy, as he knew she would say. He will admit to her that he doesn’t mind if she is a guy or a girl. He will still like her. He had a feeling he knew her somehow. Ryoji explains that when he’s with her, he gets this feeling that he’ll find out how he knows her, and we’ll become closer for unknown reasons, making him want to cry since he has never shed any tears. He wants to spend more time with her alone like this. He asks her to hang out with him again during their upcoming Kyoto trip, and she accepts his offer. On 5th rank, automatic where she and Ryoji hang out at the bank of the Kamogawa River in Kyoto on 11/19. When Ryoji notices a bunch of couples hanging out, he asks her what kind of things lovers talk about, “Pointless topic” was chosen, and he responds that he bet anything is entertaining when she’s talking about the one closest to her. He seems to be having a good time with her. He invites her to hang out again once they return from the trip and reminds her the date is the 22nd on a Sunday since he likes to spend more time with her. If she accepts his offer, Ryoji expresses relief since he is anxious about his actions if she says no.

On 6th rank, Ryoji tells her many memorial memories he made in Kyoto, and he had a good time. At the end of the 6th rank, his conversation gets serious, and he mutters if she is the one he’s been waiting for all this time. He is confident he knows her since he feels he has known her for a long time. On 7th rank, Kotone hangs out with Ryoji on 11/27 in the same place as before. If Kotone informs him about what has been happening to Junpei and that he has lost someone precious, he will express in a severe tone that people die and that it is something she has to accept. He will admit that Junpei is an essential friend and worries for him. He tells himself he has a feeling he heard those words before, or it was something he said earlier. He thinks of saying something to someone very precious to him. On the 8th rank on 11/29, Ryoji invites her to hang out again (if she accepts). They sneaked into the school and went on the rooftop. He cheerfully asks her if they'll get in trouble if someone finds them. If the option "We'll just have not to be seen" is picked, he tells her she's interesting person. He tells her that when he's alone, he doesn't feel right, and he's scared. Thinking about her, it scares him the fact that tomorrow will come scares him, and he has no idea why. Kotone calms him down by telling him, "You're Ryoji." he expresses relief to hear his name on her lips. He confessed that he doesn't want to lose her because she's important to him, so he's scared. Ryoji admits that Kotone is the only one for him and wishes to stay with her. This is a crucial decision to make either remain as friends or as lovers.

Lover Route
Ryoji will be happy for her if she chooses to become his girlfriend. He tells her she's the most precious thing in the world for him, more precious than his own life. On 9th rank on 12/02, Kotone invites Ryoji to her room. He tells her that she has a kind heart and she shouldn’t give herself to him since he will probably make her sad. He describes their relationship as a “forbidden love”. He will ask her to touch him to make sure he actually exists which she did. He says her hand is so warm and it brings tears to his eyes and yet he doesn't know why. He also says it’s painful deep inside. The penultimate rank ends with them having implied sex. The final rank if Ryoji is spared, he will give his ring to Kotone as he will survive his heartbreak if she keeps it. He tells her he’s glad they met and confesses his love for her before meeting with the other and the day when Nyx ascended.

Weird Masquerade
Ryoji’s relationship with Kotone is platonic since they rarely spend time alone, unlike in the game. In Act 3, Ryoji mainly calls Kotone by her last name and does not flirt with her. In Act 4, Ryoji formally calls Kotone by her first name, except since he still addresses her as “Kotone-san.” When everyone is busy, Ryoji gives the puppy dog eyes and begs Kotone to spend time with him since he wants to hang out with her. She couldn't his innocent look, so she decided to hang out with him.

The Journey

 * On November 30th, 2009, he whispers to Kotone's ear before Ryoji leaves the dorm. As he walks past, he asks her if he can go to her room next time since he's looking forward to it. Fuuka will notice Kotone's face looks a little flushed. (If Ryoji becomes Kotone's lover).
 * On December 31st, 2009, before he leaves for good, he calls Kotone "his dearest" one last time, just like he said those words to her when he was Pharos if they become lovers in Good Ending.

Fanon
The ship's name came from mixing Kotone Shiomi and Ryoji Mochizuki. This ship is one of the reasonably popular fanships in the Persona 3 fanbase. It is less popular than its counterpart, RyoMina. Most fans found it frustrating that Ryoji's Social Link is the only one that must be completed immediately. This is considered the most tragic fanshipping as they can't be together since Kotone becomes the Great Seal and Ryoji, the Avatar of Nyx, is sealed away. There is fan art or fanfiction to portray them as happy living together or tragic lovers.

On A03, there are a total of 161 works.

Quotes
"You're... the only one there is for me. The only one I want... So please, stay with me."

- Ryoji, to Kotone on Rank 8th

"You're the most precious thing in the world to me... More precious than my own life."

- Ryoji, after Kotone accepts his love for her in 8th rank

"You're have such a kind heart... You shouldn't give so much of yourself to me. I'll probadly make you sad. It's just a feeling I get... Even though you're so precious to me... It's probadly wrong of me to feel this way... It's like... a forbidden love."

- Ryoji, confessed his feeling for Kotone, on 9th rank