"Bro! You listening to me?"
"Oh. Yeah. I am."
In the dark of his room, as Souji Seta received a phone call from an old friend, he slumped in to the corner of the floor and palmed his temple in frustration. Hearing a news that he never knew could bring out the deepest, and the darkest feelings of pain he'd kept for almost four years, he wallowed yet again, quivering in self-disgust.
"Yep she is! Well that's at least what Chie said when I got home yesterday…but whad'dyu say we go get Yukiko a gift?"
The light from the lamp post outside his apartment crept its way in through his window. It's the only thing that gave him fluorescence inside his pitch-black room. Despite the heavy rain pouring from the starless night sky and the whirlwind breeze that had been blowing since that afternoon, he's still sweating, mourning, and almost crying as he heard that name he have long gone tried to forget.
"So…Amagi…is getting married…"
He shut his eyes closed. Hearing himself say it just made him feel worse.
No, he never did forget her. He thought he tried but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He bumped the back of his head once to the wall he's been leaning. While he sat with one leg lying long and the other with arched knee that helped his weakened arm prop his phone to his ear, he knocked his head to the wall again: twice, thrice—just slowly, muffled, so that the other end of the line won't hear.
"It's been a long while since you've departed Inaba Bro…you should stop by since this would be an opportunity for a reunion!"
"W-well, you see…I…uh…"
Souji wanted to avoid it. He couldn't face her. Not after what happened between them four years ago. Not after it left him a memory of her: crying, pained and used.
He hated himself. Even though he said nothing about it. Even though he tried to live normally after that. And even though deep down inside he still had his feelings for her. Feelings that he knew he didn't have the right to feel. He hated himself just more.
"And by the way Bro, I saw Nanako-chan at Junes earlier this day and she was just rushing back to the hospital. Dojima-san seemed to have met one of those police-related accidents and Nanako-chan's been helping him recover. You should at least show yourself to your uncle, you know. Plus, you could give that cousin of yours a quick visit too…"
o~o~o~o~o
Four years in the past…
I've always loved her.
I love her smile, her chinked almond eyes, her shiny black hair, and her adorable chuckles before bursting in to a laugh and that cherry blush across her snow pale face.
I love making her blush.
And I love her name. The way it's so ironic with the fire and light of her Amaterasu.
I love her shy voice and the way she mutters sweet pleasant words in sentences that contains my name. It's one of the most pleasurable sensations I could ever feel in my existence.
I don't think I ever told her though—that I love her.
We're always together: after classes, on free weekends and of course during the meetings of our Investigation Team…but I never once gathered the courage to tell her those three little words that I deeply felt.
When we're alone, I get too hopeful. She's just the sweetest thing and I could almost feel the love that I've been dreaming of. But a lot of times, it's the total opposite. I thought that I annoy her or that she doesn't like me: Those times when Rise happens to stick so close to me or when Naoto and I have something to discuss…Yukiko suddenly acts so indifferent around me and busy herself with our other friends. It kinda hurt though. When she ignores me and enjoys the others' company, it kinda blows that way.
Because to be honest…I want her attention.
It never ever showed but deep inside I'm like a selfish child wanting (with no plans of sharing) her attention.
I know she must be confused, just as confused as I am.
One day she makes me feel her love but then she instantly takes it away, leaving me wondering what I've done wrong again. But of course I couldn't blame her. I have my share of 'girl' friends that are as well dear and I could feel her envy.
Damn I could only wish that she's jealous. Because I am—when she shows affection to other guys. I am jealous when she cares too much even if it's just Yosuke, Kanji or Teddie.
And I am desperate and infuriated when I learned, just three days before I depart from this town, that a childhood friend of hers is back to take on the Amagi Challenge and win my Queen's heart. Then I worried, what if the Fool could never out do the Emperor: Akihiko Sanada.
"Hey! Is everything ready? Are the decorations all set?" Just by the dining area of the Dojima's residence, Rise stood on her heels navigating the crew doing the party's preparation. "And senpai…! Why on earth are you here? Don't you have anywhere else to go?" She scooted her way to the sofa where Souji's been seated. She sat right beside him and leaned her head to his shoulder, tilting her gaze to see more of his face. Like an intimate lover playing sweet. "How'd you like me to keep you company?" she asked.
"Stop bossin' and start helpin' up will ya?!" Kanji snapped right at Rise as he sat untangling the cords in the back of the TV and DVD set. Both Yosuke and he are trying to patch up a livelier audio system, and the video games as well.
Chie and Yukiko are at the kitchen, trying to whip up something good for dessert. Which was weird because they've been working on the stove-top for hours already. Naoto did the favor of running for more ingredients and of course, a back-up cake, just in case (better yet, since) the home-made attempt of dessert will become a bum.
Teddie and Nanako glazed the interior with sash decorations and a few of their old Christmas lights just to pop more glowing ornamental colors for their dinner later.
"Should I go catch up with Naoto then?" Souji asked his delayed response to Rise's first question.
Rise just rolled her eyes on Kanji and stood up on her heel again to start helping the rest of them. She dragged herself back towards the dining area when Kanji caught what she's planning to do, "Hey! Dontcha dare helpin' at the kitchen!" Rise rolled her eyes once more, making sure she's widened it enough to make the gesture apparent. She turned towards Teddie and Nanako instead.
Yosuke snickered and laughingly added in his low voice, good enough that only Souji, Kanji and He could hear. "Don't make it any more worse than it is…the kitchen's already a bust!"
Yosuke continued laughing as he untangled a few more black, white and yellow cords. Until somebody breathed to his right ear. "Did I hear you say something?" Chie had silently crept behind Yosuke, startling him with her ghostly whisper.
"Holy crap!" He turned his face behind and came face to face with Chie who's wearing a messy apron and clutching a sharp meat knife on her hand. And darting that creepy stare of a serial killer that made Yosuke jump out of his skin. "N-nothing! I-I d-didn't say anything you psycho! Put that down! Geeze…"
Souji laughed inwardly and decided to just get on his feet and maybe run for a few things that the group would need. It seems like nobody wanted him there yet anyway. Everybody's busy prepping for his Farewell Dinner Party a good two and a half hours from now.
He walked to the door and was just about to slip in his shoes until Yukiko stopped him from the kitchen. "Wait! Souji-kun! Would you mind giving this a taste?"
He paused, thinking whether or not he'll be doing his life a favor. But since it was his precious Yukiko asking him about it, he might as well just eat the damn concoction.
Souji took Chie's spot beside Yukiko so the short-haired girl just did the slicing of strawberries at the dining table. He surveyed the kitchen area with a quick glance and was just mortified seeing a bottle of opened Soy Sauce, heavy cream, garlic cloves, corn kernels, squid seasoning, peaches, butter, plums and brown sugar all scattered from the sink up to the table. Yukiko scooped a little of the supposed-to-be-dessert from the boiling hot pan and blew its warmth away from the spoon before reaching it out for Souji to taste.
He gulped. Holding his breath to spare his nostrils from the entire predicament, he sampled the spoon that Yukiko held for him, avoiding the chance of surprise as he calmly prepped his tongue to expect the taste of sewage. He was ready to die on the spot. Ready to gag and vomit. But surprise, surprise…it tasted nothing but starchy. He rolled the velvety remains of the substance a couple of more times in his mouth trying to find the worst taste that's probably hiding somewhere in the corners of his palate…but nothing.
Assuming that Chie hasn't touched anything of this yet, Yukiko really has a major talent of making things tasteless. Souji nodded in approval. In contrary to what he'd expected, he actually thought and told her "It's good."
Yukiko smiled in delight. "It's the filling for our coconut pie."
"Dude, you're taste buds are already messed up." Yosuke commented over his shoulder, finally done matching the correct cords to their ports.
"Alright. I'm serving the tongue of a Junes kid for dessert." Chie stood up from her seat, already in rumble mode, as she darted a stabbing glare to Yosuke who was sitting at the sofa, manipulating the remote controls. While taking off her apron, Yosuke had already leaped out carefully towards the veranda, where she ran after him in circles.
Souji just shook his head, disregarding that pair's shenanigans—they're always like the parody of a married couple engaged in brutal loving. He drew his attention back to Yukiko instead.
"But there's no coconut." Souji pointed her out.
"I know!" Yukiko giggled. "That's why we tried to recreate it instead! I wanted to have more depth to the flavor so I'm planning to pour up the rest of the contents of the squid seasoning. I don't want it to be extra sweet because some of you, like Kanji and Yosuke don't eat sweet things. What do you think?" She asked inquisitively serious and sincere about her cooking.
"Uhh…forget the squid thing." Souji massaged his index finger to the corner of his temple. "This is already good. If this is dessert then maybe you could have cinnamon or nutmeg for that depth you're talking about? Dark chocolate might work as well…and uh…vanilla? They're not that sweet anyway." He supplied. Thinking of all the probable dessert seasonings that'd work. Just anything to keep that horrible taste of squid on his dessert plate. "…and don't cook the strawberries in here." He added pointing out from the table to the orangey concoction boiling on the stove-top.
Yukiko nodded. "Okay. I think that's a great idea." And started rummaging the cupboards.
Souji saved her the effort, "I think we only have the cinnamon, and vanilla." He tilted his head towards the top cabinet just too make sure he's right and reached his longer arms to get the ingredients for Yukiko. "If you want the dark chocolate or nutmeg, I can swing by the store for that." He offered after handing her the bottles of seasonings and turned his way towards the door again.
"Oh no you don't!" She stopped him, grasping both of her hands to his arm. "You just stay here and rest. I could text Naoto-chan for that."
"But it looks like I'm bothering you guys and you don't seem to want my help here anyway." Souji said a matter of fact-ly.
Yukiko pushed his arm to guide him away from the dining area and to the hallway, "Then you go rest at your room." She giggled. Just like a big sister reminding a kid to take an afternoon nap. Yukiko continued to push him, now her palms on his back, towards the stairs to his bedroom while Souji dragged his feet in subtle protest.
"Yeah! Get your sleepy head a rest senpai!" Rise cheered—almost fake and evidently jealous. She's obviously fighting the urge of doing the push-Souji-to-his-room by herself. But since she's the most flexible one among the three members of the decorating committee, she's stuck, hanging the colorful lighting on the corners of the ceiling, while Teddie and Nanako held the mount of chairs she's standing on.
Chie have just gotten hold of Yosuke who's now being suffocated by the purple zabuton. He managed to gasp out for air though, and called out for Yukiko, "Make sure he doesn't have so much fun with his treasures under his futon!" He wiggled his eyebrows up and down before being muffled by Chie's pillows again, out of repulsion from his pervy jokes. Kanji just toggled the remote control and tried to spur the appropriate audio effects for two wrestlers.
"Psshh." Souji shook his head again and chortled inwardly, dismissing his friend's accusations. Yukiko just giggled, although not getting Yosuke's joke, and innocently continued to shove Souji upstairs.
Despite the darkly lit hallway of the second floor and the nearly inaudible noises from downstairs, Yukiko still laughed over the whining complaints of a pained Yosuke. Souji on the other hand, tensed up, becoming aware of the change of atmosphere between Yukiko and him.
These are one of those times that the raven-haired girl is too oblivious about her effects to this certain silver-haired boy.
He opened his room and Yukiko gave him one last push to go inside. He held the door open though, looking at her with quizzical eyes, as if waiting for her. She's still laughing, hearing Yosuke and Chie banter with each other again despite Kanji's reprimands, then she realized that both of them are standing by the door for a moment now—him inside and her right by the line outside. "What?" she asked, giving him the same look. Traces of laughter still remained on her gentle lips. But Souji didn't respond. "You want me to check on your treasures?" she asked again, now with an amused smile, even though she didn't understand what she have just said.
She went in ahead of him then. Looking at his neatly folded futon, she did not snoop herself more to it and just told him, "But you don't even have a pot of gold there!" she giggled as if it were a joke and turned her heel to leave.
This time, he gripped her hand just right before she could exit the door. "What is it, Souji-kun?" her innocent eyes pierced his and he tensed up again. Yukiko on the other hand remained to suppress a laughing fit. He sighed looking at her innocence. Then he smiled, thinking she's being adorable. She totally has no clue that she's beautiful. And she totally doesn't know that he likes her.
He scratched the back of his head and searched for an answer in the depths of his mind. "W-well…uhh…I have something to show you."
Better yet…can you stay just for a while longer with me?
"Okay." She smiled and waited for him to move. Her eyes asked him the question 'where is it' and it made Souji fumble through his packed bag.
In desperate search of whatever it is to present, Souji grew out of choices so he pulled out an old book. There he kept a few pictures in between the pages and slowly plucked each one of it. He offered Yukiko to sit on the sofa before taking the space right beside her. "Here's a few places I've gone to." He sighed, rethinking whether it's the best thing to show her, then flipped the pictures slowly, tilting it towards Yukiko's view.
There's a picture or two of him in Kyoto, some in Nagoya, at a beach in Okinawa, a tourist shot with the Mount Fuji, a yearbook photo in middle school and few old shots of him playing or riding a kiddie bicycle right outside an apartment complex.
Yukiko have never gone out of Inaba. She had lamented about having to get stuck within this town, not to mention an overly protective father who needs a million of convincing before allowing her for an afternoon trip at Okina City and participate on school activity at Tatsumi Port Island.
She looked at each photo so fondly. Taking ample amount of minutes before moving on to the next. So amused about every fine detail of the photo and asking him every now and then what's this and that. Souji enjoyed answering back to her musings but what's more that he enjoyed is the image of her, laughing and smiling and having fun even at his expense. While he was not really a snotty kid, Souji also had his share of embarrassing candid photos and captures of him making faces. But it didn't bother him to show her, just as long as it makes her giggle.
Down to the last and the fourteenth photograph, which was a seven year old Souji in a costume party slumping on a corner and not so amused especially with his seatmate who dressed as big ass elephant, Yukiko burst in to the laughter she had tried so hard to suppress ever since she flipped over the sixth photo that had Souji doing the duck face. He laughed with her this time, not because of the memory of photo but because of the sound of her laughter, so contagious, tickling his brain.
Yukiko gasped for air, as if a fish out of water, marking the finale of her laughing fit. She drove her wrists up to her eyes just to wipe away welled-up happy tears. "That was a good laugh" she sighed, thankful her own seizure of laughter has finally come to stop.
"Yeah. You always have a good laugh." Souji snickered. He started placing back the pictures in between random pages of the old book.
Yukiko helped by passing on the photographs to him. "D-don't get me wrong! I wasn't making fun of you. It's just that you were too adorable. I've never seen you goofed up during your stay here." The threat of another laughing fit crept in her gut again, and to suppress it, Yukiko instead gave Souji a sunny smile.
But it faltered instantaneously, as she realized the bitterness of her last words. The sadness that is: Souji's time in Inaba is up. She passed him the last of the photographs, eyeing him so reminiscently.
Souji smiled at her, as if to console her and reassure her there's no need to feel sad about it. Without thinking, his fingers suddenly brushed her silken black hair, longingly, like he'll be missing his feel against it. Which was weird considering he never had the chance to touch her hair like that. His sudden actions right now surprised him himself. But what the heck, he thought. Since I'm already doing it, then might as well…His hand crept up to her crown, still ignoring the last photograph she's been holding out for him, and slid it down to glide the curtain of her shiny long hair. Doing it a couple more times, enjoying how smooth it is, untangled and free flowing, Souji smirked happily to himself.
Yukiko tilted her head to him, looking at him quizzically, then smiled on how he seems to have fun doing that with her hair. "Souji-kun…"she called, still smiling her bright sunny smile.
"Hmm?" He hummed asking, slowing the pace of his hand this time.
"D-do you mind if…" Yukiko looked down and blushed, unable to finish her request.
At the same time, Souji tried to finish her sentence inside his mind. He slowly retrieved his hand from her hair and gave his apologies. "Oh. I…I'm sorry. Your hair is…pretty nice."
"W-well, I didn't mean that." Yukiko shook her head gently and looked him sincerely in the eye attempting to clear his misconception. "I-I don't mind you doing that." She blushed cherry red across her nose, just right after the words left her mouth and the image of him doing that formed in her mind. She seemed to know her own reaction and just took advantage of it and maybe just push her feelings of embarrassment up to the limit. "I...I was just wondering…if you mind…that I ask to keep this photo?"
It's the picture of him in his middle school uniform.
The last photo that Yukiko supposedly handed to him but he failed to entertain.
Yukiko looked down, not being able to consume what just crawled up her nerves. She felt terribly abashed for asking such a thing to him. Now she looks like a needy little fan girl, totally pathetic. Exactly the type of girl she didn't want herself to be. The type of girl that makes her reprimand herself when she feels she's becoming close to one.
But before she could berate herself more, Souji pleasingly agreed almost instantly, "If you want to."
She chuckled humorlessly, "Gee, thanks! You kinda look great on this…" Her response was sheepish as she kept her grip on the photograph, then straightened up her skirt and stood up her heel. "I-I s-should get down and help them now. I need to make the crust of the pie and start skewering stuff to barbecue." She stammered her usual sputters of miscellaneous information during her moments of anxiety. The red streak of embarrassment is still evident across her nose.
Meanwhile, there he is again, frozen in his seat. Souji found himself doing the thing he's been so good at—and that's watching her walk away from him.
Every time Yukiko does something out of her way just to show him her affection, there he goes chicken himself out. He just stares and watch her deal with her embarrassment as she walks it away instead of being the man that everyone assumed he'd be—a man with a backbone. A man who's brave enough to admit to his love that she's the one for him.
He evaluated himself and realized that he does, in fact, have that back bone he's been doubtful of possessing. After all the lessons and hardships he learned over a year span, he definitely grew himself one. Only that when it's Yukiko Amagi being talked about that this back bone of his go off balance.
This must be why she hates me. His courage always fall short around her…can't even give her an appropriate response even after she does something out of her league.
He just wallows himself in misery. Then play neutral with the rest of the team and his other lady friends, even when knowing he might fall in to Yukiko's bad side…and when she does give him the cold treatment, he'd burry himself more in despair thinking, Oh god, she really hates me now. And this goes on and on, confusing not just him, but also her about what do they really feel for each other.
And all of that is because he's not man enough to tell her his feelings. He knows this. And he knows he's just afraid to ruin the friendship.
He can't risk confessing just because of his gut feel that she likes him. He could end up losing her either as a lover or a friend, if it doesn't turn out his way.
I need to know…do you like me, Yuikiko?
I need to know what you want. So I can work myself that way…
"H-hold on!" Souji called her out. Stopping her for the second time from leaving his room.
She turned back and gave him that inquisitive stare again and it pierced in right into his soul. He docked his head down and raised a hand to rub the back of his neck. "W-well...I kinda never showed anybody those pictures…so…"Damn it! Here I go again. Inside his mind, he's been kicking himself for his cold-feet routine during moments that are supposed to be appropriate.
"Oh I get it!" She smiled understandingly and waved his picture before pocketing it with her hand. "I won't show them…and I'll take care of this."
With no choice but to smile back, Souji's already convinced that he missed his chance again. "Yeah, sure."
o~o~o~o~o
Evening
The Dojima's residence served as a ground for exuberant clamor of music and fun games upheld by high-spirited teens, an easy going seven year old, and one cool adult supervision.
The hotdog and tofu barbecues turned out good, thanks to Tatsumi and Hanamura's interference, keeping Chie and Rise from burning the food and drowning it with spicy seasoning; Naoto's freshly bought strawberry shortcake was just enough sweet entertainment alongside with Yukiko's flavorless starchy pie after that heavy spread of a dinner brought home by Dojima himself (not to mention the ice cream he got with it, much for Nanako and Teddie's sweet teeth surprise).
For the clean-up, everybody resigned to their previous designations: Chie and Yukiko, trashed all the used paper cups and plates, leaving them with only the ice cream scoop to wash and the table to clean; Naoto took care of the empty boxes of cake and sushi and the used soft drink bottles to the recycling bins; Kanji and Yosuke dismantles the karaoke and interactive dancing games they've especially mounted for the night; Rise and Teddie swept off the confetti they've showered all over while Nanako held the trash bag for them; and Souji volunteered to manage all the trash once everyone was done. The man of the house decided to retire early, due to work responsibility early in next morning, but not before the youngsters expressed their warm thanks for letting them blow up his house for a party in between working days.
"I had so much fun." Rise exhaled as she dumped the last batch of confetti to the trash bag.
"Me too!" Nanako-chan giggled feigning no sign of exhaustion as she knotted the bag close while Teddie helped her out and exclaimed, "Me threeee!"
"And tomorrow, we'll continue the fun!" Rise flashed up a reminder.
"That seems to be the case." Naoto sighed, "But I have to wonder why the farewell party had gone in reverse…considering the plan of going to the movies is still for tomorrow." She commented with her usual serious notions, looking tuckered out when she leans by the kitchen counter and sipped the cold glass of water.
"Beee-cause…!" Chie raised her appeal. And though the group really didn't mind about the reverse order of the schedule, they're still all ears for what Chie has to explain. She noticed their sudden interest too, when actually she doesn't really have something important to say, so she just shrugged and tried to give them a justified answer. "…w-well, just because. And Dojima-san won't be available tomorrow dinner right? Nanako-chan said so herself…and she's having piano lessons on the afternoon too. Oh oh, and Yukiko will be occupied for tomorrow as well!" Chie gave a smug smile, thinking she had given a good enough reason.
Yukiko shifted her gaze down, shying away from the spotlight Chie put her on so suddenly. "Y-yeah. Seems like it." She squeaked nervously.
"Need to go helpin' at the inn, senpai?" Kanji asked. He slumped back down at the sofa and splayed his contracted arms while sparing his gaze towards the kitchen area.
"Somewhat like that." Yukiko lifted her head up for the answer.
"Aww! But it's a Saturday tomorrow! We ought to be out and having fun!" Rise whined while giving Yukiko her pleading version of puppy-dog eyes. "Can't we find anybody else to cover for you?"
Yukiko just shrugged and gave her a warm apologetic smile. Rise must have realized her exaggerated demands and tried to take it back, "S-sorry…I know you have to do something important for the inn." She smiled, understandingly this time.
"W-well actually…"Yukiko cringed at the word important. Truth be told, she doesn't have duties, professionally, at their inn tomorrow. Although she really want to hang out with them for the next day, there's a personal matter that's going to need her attention.
Chie already know what that is all about. In fact, it's supposed to include her as well. So she did the honor of finishing what Yukiko had to say. "Actually…she just had to entertain a certain guest tomorrow!" She uncharacteristically giggled, illuminating so much giddy excitement enough to put Risette in shame, and rose up from being seated at the dining table. She jumped to stand alongside Yukiko, butting Souji out who's supposed to be standing beside the raven-haired girl while getting hold of the trash bags. Then, she nudge an elbow on her best friend's ticklish side.
Yukiko jerked away from Chie's prodding. She almost bumped Naoto by the hip if she dodged it a bit more. She then rubbed her side, glaring at Chie bemusedly but with a hint of reprimand.
Her best friend just grinned as an apology. "Aki Nii-chan is coming back tomorrow right?!" She asked, smiling so wide like a fool while grabbing Yukiko's hand in between hers. "…and he's staying at the inn for a night?!"Now, Chie's jumping like a fan-girl and squeezed Yukiko's hand, the way she does when they talk about Kung-fu movies and martial artists.
Chie has already gotten lost inside whatever fantasy she had in her mind and everybody just regarded her strangely. Until Rise pulled her senpai out of her dreamland before the light brown-haired girl could even drool herself, "So, who's this guy…?" She raised an eyebrow, half amused, half appalled, half intrigued and half ashamed for being beaten down as the most capricious of them all. "…making Chie-senpai go flip all of a sudden."
"Yeah, scatterbrain." Yosuke couldn't help but interject as well. Either from being outraged by Chie's ridiculous girly-reaction or the fact that a guy had caused that to his tomboy-ish frienemy. "You sure looked demented for a second there." He snickered and gave an overacted role-play of Chie's whimsical pumping with Yukiko's palm.
Chie sure would've pumped Yosuke's neck instead, given that insult. Lucky him he's out of her grappling range as he sat a couple of feet away with Tatsumi at the sofa. Chie just settled with her deathly snarl and rolled her eyes on him before entertaining Rise's question. "Well he's a childhood friend of some sort! Actually he's my big brother's friend and sometimes Yukiko and I butt in with their games. Well it's me of course, then I just drag Yukiko along!" She giggled as she did a run down the memory lane. "He was more of a big brother than my own big brother!"
Yukiko nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Senpai seems to be nice in that way." She said as she conventionally referred to him as a senior rather than Chie's version of showing respect in intimate honorifics.
"Well, well… seems like he's gotten the little sis Chie here a bit too much doe-eyed." Yosuke taunted again, taking advantage of their distance. He zoomed his eyes like a caffeine-overdosed owl and continued, "…and it's creepy—disturbingly creepy" He added while his legs ready to jolt up just in case Chie comes thrashing her way towards him. And so she did. She rushed towards Yosuke to grab a hold of his neck, just enough for a playful wrestle.
Kanji just rolled his eyes over his two seniors, and sighed as he tried dodging their kicks and offensively wailing arms; Naoto sighed the same way, in disbelief on how the two of them still have overflowing energy; Rise just shook her head and tried to stop Teddie who's been showing interest of joining the two and go running to hug Chie's back; Nanako just bade them goodnight, wanting to doze her sleepyhead away; Yukiko noticed the little girl first so she gave her a bear hug before going to bed. Nanako gave the rest of the girls a hug too. One at a time: to Naoto, Rise (and Teddie joined, finally getting a hug), then last to Chie—finally ending her runaround with Yosuke.
All the while, beneath his smirked smile, Souji had that tightness, crawling in the pit of his gut, knowing that this raven-haired girl beside him won't be with them tomorrow—which is supposed to be their last hang out before he departs back to Tokyo. He sighed for the thought of it.
Soon after, Kanji started donning his sneakers by the doorway with Yosuke following suit. Naoto, Tedddie, Rise, Chie then lastly Yukiko, did the same until everybody's finally done and ready to go.
But before they could say their goodnights and see you tomorrows to their precious leader, Souji slipped himself in his shoes, earning a befuddled look from everyone.
"You're coming with us, Bro?" Yosuke asked half-jokingly. At this time of the night, it's logical that they all need some rest especially for tomorrow's second round of string along. But with the possibility of Souji's weird train of thought, Yosuke also didn't mind if ever the leader decides to pull the boys for their very own boy's night out.
"Just taking out the garbage." Souji responded quickly though, if not to ease their puzzled sleepy minds. In return he received their perceptive "Oh", "Awright", "I get it", "Come on out" and of course Rise's disappointed sigh. She surely hoped her senpai would come along and walk with them.
They all headed out, carrying along the stuff they brought with them for the party: DVDs, board games and the videogames, and emptied food container from Marukyu. But when Souji continued trailing them even after he's already dropped all the trash bags to the bin at the corner of their street, Yosuke turned his head back to his partner and smirked. "So you are coming along after all."
"Might as well." Souji responded, keeping up his pace to catch up with the rest.
Rise giggled happily at the thought of that. She tried to slow down her walking pace with Chie who was talking to her about the finer details of their Aki Nii-chan/-senpai: a caring big brother kind of figure who's three years ahead of them and also went to the same schools with her and Yukiko before he went to the University at the big city two years ago; and the rest of the frilly, fluttery, day-dreamy descriptions that Souji didn't really care of to hear more.
Before Rise could totally fall in love with that mystery boy as well, the group had already reached Chie's house, ending her sugar coated illustrations. And soon after her mother opened the door for her, they all waved hands and said goodnights. Chie's mother appears to appreciate the group's gesture of ushering the rowdy young lady home and smiled to them before locking their door.
Three more blocks and the group reached the old shopping district where they called a pause by the lamp-lit corner before bidding goodnight to Rise and Kanji. The idol teased the big man a bit by clinging to his arm as they walked away from the rest. They could hear Kanji growling "Why 'n hell are ya so clingy?!" while swatting away the idol as if she were a fly. Rise took that as an encouragement though as she just giggled, enjoying the mixture of annoyance, fluster and embarrassment on Kanji's look, and latches her grasp back to his toned bicep again—with mischievous laughter, just for the sake of pestering the big guy.
"So…" Yosuke took the initiative of bringing everybody's gaze back to the circle. "Bro, why don't you walk with Amagi-san. Teddie and I will take care of Shirogane from here." He suggested in attempts to reduce the expense of trouble.
While it's true that the Hanamura's and Shirogane's live just about one block away from each other, right at the upper-class residential side of the town, Naoto simply rolled her eyes, loathing the idea of being taken cared of like a little girl. But before the detective-prince could build her stance, Yosuke continued, "…door to door delivery". He wiggled his brows up and down while he tilted his body towards the street of the shopping district so everybody mimicked his move. Seeing Tatsumi scratching the back of his head in utter embarrassment but still waited outside the Marukyu Tofu Shop up until Rise could close the door, and only started to walk away when the idol finally switched off the lights of the first floor. Naoto knew then that there's no point wasting energy raising an appeal, knowing the boys will also do her the same, she just succumb to the friendly gesture. And to rub salt in to her wounds, Teddie announced, "That's right! Don't worry sensei! We'll handle this flower here delicately!" of which, Naoto could only roll her eyes and diffuse a silent growl as if forced to ill will.
The five of them said goodnight to one and another. Teddie hugging Yukiko and Souji, and Yukiko doing the same to Teddie and Naoto. Yosuke waved goodbye to the raven-haired girl and swung an arm around their leader's back—initiating that infamous bro hug. Souji, if nothing else, gladly returned the favor and said goodnight before the three started walking away from the corner.
And finally…they're alone again.
Much to Souji's delight.
Author's Note: I don't know if this chapter turned out good in terms of dissipating the gloom of the first part to an upbeat vibe with the Investigation Team.
The beginning is gloomy, really. Like, deep&dark kind of thing like this chapter is supposed to be. But I just can't incorporate a depressive aura in a party—with the I.T. nonetheless. But next chapter, we'll have not much of them.
And yeah, Souji is foolishly, helplessly in love with Yukiko…but both of them are running round in circles because Souji can't muster the words of affection to her. Just like any friend who's scared to lose the friendship if they confess but then rejected.
Lastly! The cross-over of Akihiko the cutie from Persona 3! Although I don't like cross-overs and stuff, I'm kinda being hypocritical when it comes to this fic. I just like to save the readers (and maybe myself) the effort of imagining a new guy...at least we already know how Akihiko looks (to those who haven't seen P3, google the guy!) so every reader ends with the same imagery! Right? And he's got such a cool character, also a charming guy…he's still from Persona anyway! (haha! My excuse as to not sound like a cross-over hypocrite)
Next Chapter: Will Souji finally bring out his courage during their walk to the Amagi Inn.
Meeting the other grey-haired guy in Yukiko's life.
Souji's unforgivable offense