The Simple Question
A/N: Just a short little one this time, a nice, little story idea that I've had ever since I first played through October in P4.
October 16th - Junes
"You know, it's really becoming a custom to meet up like this." Yosuke moaned, slumping down on the thin wooden Junes bench as the Investigation Team arrived at their "Secret Headquarters."
"Not a bad custom though." Yu offered, taking a seat opposite his friend.
Considering the usual nature of their group outings he had serious doubts as to how much study would actually get done, but that was fine, he was more than prepared for the rest of the exams already… Unfortunately, judging by the sour faces he could see, it didn't seem like the same could be said for at least half the team.
Both Yosuke and Chie had the same light of hope shining in their eyes, the forlorn yearning that someone here would hold the salvation from their terrible grades.
At catching his eye Rise quickly wiped the frustrated look off her face to shoot him a beaming smile. He guessed she was happy just getting to spend time with friends, using the time to put off any worries she held about pulling up her own mediocre grades.
The only calm ones Yu could see were Yukiko, who probably studied as much as he did. Naoto, who could likely answer most of this stuff years ago.
...And, bafflingly, Kanji.
He'd almost done a double take when their larger friend had caught up with him and Yosuke on their way to Junes. Having never shown any interest in either school or studying before, his presence had been completely unexpected.
Judging from the calm look on the former delinquents face, and the fact he hadn't produced a single book or notepad, it seemed Kanji was here for the company, he'd already reached the zen state of having given up on exams.
'Not that that's a bad thing really.' He supposed, he'd like it if he could help his delinquent friend pull his grades up, but more than anything else Yu knew Kanji just needed good friends around him.
"Well, that aside," Yosuke continued, continuing to look hopefully across the table "Can I borrow your notes?"
"Borrowing notes is getting to be a custom too..." Chie was the only one to take the bait, "Alright, let's get started. But first, I want a melon soda."
"W-Wait, is that your way of saying if I buy you a melon soda you'll let me borrow your notes?"
Yu blinked at the scene, the value of Chie's notes was a little dubious, but Yosuke was practically clinging to the chance like it was a single ray of hope 'Is he really that worried?' He hadn't thought Yosuke was quite that desperate.
"Hmmm," Chie played coy, "Could be."
"Hmhmm," Naoto chuckled, enjoying the show, "Yosuke-san and Chie-san seem to get along well."
"Yeah. They really do" Yu he nodded back to the detective, Yosuke and Chie's somewhat antagonistic friendship had been in place even before he'd arrived in Inaba and they'd only grown closer since. It'd taken some time to get used to, but it was one of the more enjoyable constants he'd found in the country town.
"Oh hey!" Rise cut in, her books forgotten as she practically bounced out of her seat, "Why don't you two date?"
"Never." Chie laughed, her answer coming almost before the words had left Rise's mouth.
"Ack." Yosuke slumped down to the table, the wind thoroughly knocked out of his sails, "That was quick..."
'Ouch.' Yu winced in sympathy with his partner, with everything around Saki-senpai he didn't know if Yosuke was even interested in their energetic friend…but getting shot down like that had to hurt no matter what.
"You too Naoto-kun!" Rise giggled, too caught up in playing matchmaker care about Yosuke's rejection "You could go out with Kanji!"
"Please," Naoto yelped, tugging at her cap in stark embarrassment as her eyes fell to the table, "Stop it!"
"Aww, how cute!" Rise had apparently having decided to interpret Naoto's discomfort as a sign of admission.
"Hey, Senpai..." She continued, not missing a beat as she turned her mischievous look towards Yu, "Wouldn't Kanji and Naoto-kun make a good couple?"
Rise's attempt to remove a possible rival was, as ever, about as subtle as a brick. Still, he knew she (mostly) meant well, she wouldn't have said anything if she didn't actually believe it.
"Ah, er-" He paused, it was hard enough to answer that question with the rest of the conversation drying up and all eyes turning to him, doing so while Kanji stared at him almost fearfully and while Naoto did her level best to disappear under her detective's cap quickly stole the worlds from his mouth.
'A good couple, huh?'
It wasn't like he was much of a relationship expert himself! Apart from a few short lived dalliances, he'd barely made a handful of tentative steps towards a relationship with any of the women he knew. Still…both Naoto and Kanji were good friends, they were important to him. Leaning back and crossing his arms, Yu considered it.
Kanji held an attraction towards the detective prince, there was no doubt about that... But, how much of that was due to Naoto's cross-dressing nature? Wasn't Kanji's attraction to Naoto just him looking for a "safe" outlet for his feelings? Hadn't he even said he wanted to "validate" his feelings, that he needed to justify his previous attraction to himself?
Perhaps that would be fine for now, but, Naoto had already accepted she was a girl!
'She does still dress and act like a boy though.' He argued internally, 'But then, who knows how long that'll last?' The road to change was long, but just like how Kanji was slowly accepting to be himself regardless of what people thought, Naoto was accepting that she didn't need to live up to some masculine ideal.
What would Kanji think when the androgynous woman he liked was not androgynous at all? Would he still be attracted towards a feminine Naoto?
'Does Kanji even like women?'
"I-"
He paused. He couldn't say that, couldn't mention anything of that. That was all Kanji's private business, his own struggle to work through, he liked the guy far too much to air those thoughts.
Sucking in a deep breath, and nodding to himself, he changed track. "What would they talk about?"
"A-Huh?" Naoto seemed embarrassed.
"S-Senpai!?" Kanji seemed stunned, Yu's stomach turned at the look of betrayal in his eyes.
"Senpai!" Rise echoed, reeling in shock "You shouldn't just say things like that! That's so unlike you!"
Even she couldn't deny it though.
Naoto was the brilliant Detective Prince, easily the sharpest mind in their group and someone with a tireless pursuit of challenges, puzzles and mental stimulation.
Kanji was...Kanji fell asleep during their conversations.
Despite Rise's protest, the rest of the investigation team fell silent as they looked from Naoto's mortified face to Kanji's open mouthed shock and slowly took in his reasoning. Aside from having absolutely nothing in common, it was hard to even imagine how a relationship between them would unfold, her interests would baffle him and his would bore her. What would they do on a date? What would they do for fun? What would they talk about?
"Well…they do say opposites attract?" Yosuke offered weakly.
"Ye-yeah, that's true." Yukiko added, equally noncommittally.
"I think," Yu spoke again, interrupting Kanji as the spluttering youth rose to try defend himself, "I think that Kanji and Chie would make a good couple actually."
"E-Eh?" Chie gaped as the gazes turned to her, "M-M-Me!? Me and Kanji?"
"Sure," Yu shrugged, "Why not? You're both active, physical people. It's really easy to imagine you getting along really well, hey, you even share a lot of the same hobbies." He quickly decided it was best not to mention that Kanji's so called "girl power" could compliment Chie's own stumbling with femininity.
Of course, there was still the issue of whether Kanji even liked girls, but then he did distinctly remember him getting a nose-bleed from seeing Chie and Yukiko in bikinis.
'Well...' He winced internally, 'Hopefully that wasn't just a reaction to seeing something cute.'
"Oh! That's right." Yukiko, snapped him from that thought, "I remember when we were younger, you said you'd only be able to marry a man who could keep up with your training. You could marry Kanji!"
"Y-Yes, but, that was- Wait, m-marry!?" Chie was not taking the sudden change in conversation topic well.
"Ohhhh!" Rise squealed excitedly, "And you like kung-fu movies don't you Kanji?"
"W-Well, yeah." Kanji answered hesitantly, it was a relief to see him grinning awkwardly, the look of betrayal having vanished, "But, I mean... Me and Chie-senpai?"
"C'mooon, why not ta-"
"Alright already!" Yosuke moaned, throwing his head back to emphasise his exasperation, "That's enough! Can we leave Kanji's love-life and get back to studying?"
"Yosuke-senpai is correct. Let us cease these distractions and return to the matter at hand." Naoto was quick to pounce on an opportunity to steer the conversation towards safer waters, lest it drift her way again.
"Phoey." Rise's interest in studying was even lower than before, but she held her tongue and slowly the discussion turned back towards the remainder of their exams.
October 22nd – Samegawa Flood Plains
Kanji's day was not going well.
He'd intended to go to school today…he really had! His record really couldn't stand anymore absent days, he knew he was pushing it to the limit already.
But he'd woken up late to begin with, it wasn't like he'd meant to stay up so long last night, damnit! He'd just been working on the stuffed toys for that kid and his friends.
And then, since he was already late, his morning classes were a wash anyway. He'd figured he might as well just finish those off and come in the afternoon.
He sighed, kicking the dirt as he walked along the flood plain.
And then, he'd lost track of time, before he'd known it school was already over.
"Gragh! This sucks damnit! They're all gonna' give it to me tomorrow!" Thinking about it only made him more frustrated, "I need'a blow off some steam! I'm gonn'a-Huh?"
"Hey," He noted, pausing in his ranting as a familiar sight caught his eye, "Isn't that Chie-senpai?"
Walking closer, he could clearly see the back of his tireless friend, jumping up and down, stretching and apparently getting ready for her training regime.
"A-Ah-Er."
Even at this distance, the sight of instantly brought back memories of the discussion from a few days ago, sending him stammering and blushing uncomfortably…
…A feeling that wasn't helped at all when she bent over, stretching out her hamstrings.
"Ah, gah!"
Chie, all that stuff everyone'd been saying 'bout him and her, Rise'd barely shut up about since the study session! God that was annoying! It was another thing he didn't want to think about, all this love and romance crap was just way too complicated for him, damnit!
But then…It wasn't like he didn't trust Yu-senpai and he was way better than him at all this kind'a stuff…
"Argh! I'm just gonna go crazy trying to think about this kind'a stuff!"
Shaking his head, he pushed his swirling thoughts away, instead just running over toward his friend.
"Yo! Chie-senpai! Hey, you wanna train together?"
Thinking about things like this was all bunk, he just needed to blow off some steam.
End.
A/N: And there we go, just a really short story this time, I think this probably the shortest I've ever done, probably shortest I'll ever do.
Regardless, I hope you found it interesting and more than that, I hope you enjoyed it.
Really it was just an excuse for me to do a bit of a character study and a little introspection, so I hope it doesn't come across as too heavy handed. It's funny though, I see so many people talking about Kanji/Naoto when I just cannot wrap my mind around that pairing, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone mention Kanji/Chie. Perhaps because she's most commonly shipped with Yosuke?
Personally, I think Kanji's gay and I think his character is a lot more interesting like that. Primarily because it means his issues cannot simply be solved by "Facing Himself", he accepted not to worry about other people's opinions, but still needs to struggle through his own sexuality.
But, it's all up to interpretation.