Chapter 1
Naoto Shirogane had felt completely out of control since the moment she met him. His file at the Inaba Police Station did not prepare her for the punch straight to the gut that she felt when she first approached Kanji Tatsumi and looked him in the eye. She also wasn't prepared for all the blushing and stammering and obvious gentleness that came from the boy the entire police force had labeled a delinquent. It took every ounce of willpower she could muster to come across as the cool, confident, boy detective that she was accustomed to presenting herself as. And yet she couldn't keep herself from letting things slip. Things like the words "I'm interested in you." Naoto cringed as she thought about the conversation. Way to remain professional, Shirogane. The cringe melted into something entirely different when she thought about those light grey eyes, and how lost she could get in them if she allowed herself. Naoto's stomach flipped at the thought of staring into them. He had said he wanted to see her again when they parted, didn't he? Which made absolutely no sense as he had no idea she was female. Unless, maybe it doesn't matter?
She felt frantic when she realized he had turned up missing a few days later. She had asked around town, avoiding anyone who might find her inquiry suspicious. Unfortunately, it had gotten her nowhere. When the Seta kid approached her at Junes asking about Kanji, she was stunned… and felt compelled to help as much as possible. As embarrassing as it was to be a detective and unable to locate a missing boy, she was aware that this strange group of teens might be in the right position to find him. Perhaps she should have gone undercover as a high school student, as it would have allowed her access to this social circle and aided her investigation. The first murder victim had been found by the second, yet another student at Yasogami High School. She had also noted a case the police had marked unrelated that involved a missing girl, another Yaso High student whose family ran the inn that the first victim had been staying at prior to the murder. The girl had turned up a few days later, with no explanation of where she had been. And then Kanji.. He had been missing for a week when Seta approached her for information. A day later, he was back at home. Naoto considered setting another meeting with him, to question him about his whereabouts. Two more days passed before he returned to school. She wondered if he had been sick, or hurt. She fought the constant urge to see him again. Just to make sure he's alright… and gather information for the case.
In an attempt to behave like a professional, Naoto resisted. She couldn't, however, resist spying on his home from across the street. When he left for school that first morning he looked disheveled, but not unwell. And rather handsome… Oh, stop, Shirogane! You're a detective, not a schoolgirl! She had not been waiting for him to return from school, when she glimpsed him walking home by the river that afternoon. She had honestly gone there to think, not realizing he would take that route home. In the future, it would make for a convenient spot to "run into" him. She noted that Kanji was spending a lot of time with Seta and his gang of friends, which also included the formerly missing Amagi girl. It did not feel like a coincidence to Naoto.
A month later, another student was taken. This one happened to be a high profile celebrity who had moved back to her hometown recently. Within days of her arrival she mysteriously disappeared. She spotted Seta and friends, including Kanji, asking questions around town about the girl. How on earth are they involved with this? She learned that Seta was Detective Dojima's nephew, which was even more strange. Why would the nephew of the lead detective on the case be meddling with the investigation? When the girl magically resurfaced and immediately began spending time with Seta's group, Naoto confronted them. They of course refused to tell her anything. Was this some sort of a cult? What was Seta doing to make them follow him? Was he responsible for their disappearances to begin with somehow? She thought about approaching Kanji directly and asking. He had said he wanted to see her again, hadn't he? The first time she confronted Seta, he hadn't been there. The second time he had, and he seemed shocked by her presence. Uncomfortable. Maybe a little bit unhappy. Naoto frowned when she recalled the look on his face. It hadn't been what she was expecting, nor what she had been hoping for.
Naoto decided that it was time to reconsider her thoughts about going undercover as a student. She had not been in formal education since she had began assisting her grandfather with detective work. She was sure that he would like the idea of her attending school for awhile. All it took was one phone call. Grandpa had her enrolled at Yasogami High by the next morning. She would be in the same class as Kanji, and the idol, Rise Kujikawa. Perhaps it would be helpful to get close to them. What she wasn't sure of was whether she wanted to get closer to Kanji because of the case, or because she had not been able to stop thinking about him for months. Naoto purchased her school uniforms, the one the boys wore, of course, and went to bed early with the intention of finding out what it was that she wanted at school the next morning.
