Understanding Me

As Souji blasted another shadow with Inzanagi into oblivion, he wheezed as he felt his spiritual energy deplete within himself. Shaking off the exhaustion he felt, he charged forward to block another oncoming Shadow that was about to blindside Chie.

"Chie! Watch out!" He shoved her out of the way and raised his guard at the attack but he wasn't quick enough and was spent sprawling across the ground as Chie watched, horrified. Naoto was the first to react as she stepped in front of the dazed Souji and fired at the enemy. Naoto's shots landed true and hit the Shadow in the sweet spot causing it to fall. She looked at Kanji expectantly, who only scoffed and looked away before taking up the stance for his most powerful attack.

"ARGH!" He leapt into air with greater velocity than usual and nailed his weapon into the ground, causing a floor-shattering earthquake, destroying all in the vicinity except for the last remaining Shadow, which was knocked off-balance by his attack. Knowing what time it was, he looked at his party.

"Are you guys…" He managed to lock eyes with Naoto who looked away from him. "…Ready?"

Chie answered gleefully. "GO GO GO!"

And with that the party rushed forward – minus Souji, who sat back and watched the last Shadow being blown apart by the team. The cloud cleared in time for him to see the Shadow explode.

"Senpai, are you ok?" he heard Rise ask. He only nodded slowly as he picked himself up off the floor.

"Yeah I'm fine, just a scratch…" Rise raised an eyebrow. The tone in his voice didn't seem to suggest that.

"Souji-Senpai… " Yukiko ran to the leader's side and started to inspect him. Yosuke was followed with Teddie as they watched Yukiko examine him.

"You alright there partner?" Souji just nodded again silently. Yukiko look up to see him disagree with what she'd just found and frowned deeply.

"No you're not; not only are you bleeding…" she pulled on the buttons on the shirt and forced it open, exposing a wound near his shoulder which made everyone watching cringe. "You're also bleeding Spiritual Energy, what's up with that? I can feel it going as we're talking and we're not in battle."

Souji looked at her raised eyebrow. "How long have you known?"

Yukiko kissed her teeth at Souji's ignorance. "Of all people to ask, you should know that I know."

Chie looked a little confused. "So Senpai is leaking energy?"

Yukiko nodded as she summoned her Persona to heal Souji's wounds. He let out a sigh of relaxation as his body started to regenerate thanks to the spell.

"It's going to leave a mark but you'll be ok." Souji bowed his head in appreciation.

"Thanks Yukiko, I needed that." She beamed back at him and blushed at his smile.

"I know you did…" She giggled before her face turned serious. "So, explain why you're leaking energy and why you're feeling so much weaker. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with you." Souji was about to reply before Naoto rushed to his side.

"I'm sorry I couldn't react fast enough there. I apologising for the fact that you got hurt…" Her words died in her throat as he took her hat up and ruffled her hair then fixed her hat back on her head. She flushed crimson at his actions and turned away in slight embarrassment; however she felt a little warmth from his hand disappearing as he pulled it back.

"It's fine, couldn't be helped." Yukiko coughed to break up the interaction between the two since she was still waiting for an answer. As nice and caring as Souji was, he was incredibly good at dodging questions.

"Well…?" Yukiko pressed. Souji's calm demeanour was disturbing at times.

"Ask those two." He pointed at both Kanji and Naoto who both look flabbergasted as he pointed them out.

"Huh?"

"What?"

Yosuke scratched his head in confusion. "What does it have to do with them?"

Souji shrugged and sighed, leaning against the nearest wall. "Whatever tension they have between them is interfering with my Wild Card ability and the social links I've built up between them."

Chie planted her hands on her hips and sighed. "So how does it affect you?"

Souji coughed slightly. "With broken social links, it's more straining to use high-level Personas and at times I'm even incapable of using them yet they still feed off my SP."

Yosuke then turned to the pair. "So what's going on between you two?"

Naoto only crossed her arms and huffed. "I have no idea what he's talking about."

Yosuke then turned to the punk. "And you, Kanji?"

Kanji hesitated for a moment, apparently conflicted about what to say, but Chie beat him to it.

"So there is?" With the focus all on him, Kanji's resolve gave in to the pressure.

"Yes, yes there is," he muttered. Yukiko looked back at Souji, who was still completely calm.

Yosuke decided to push this on; it was getting in the way of their time training. "So what's the problem?"

Kanji sighed before turning to Naoto. "Why couldn't it have been me?"

The heat quickly rose in Naoto's face. How did he know?

She played it off. "What do you mean?"

Kanji's temper rose a little. "You know what I mean!"

The volume in Naoto's voice matched his. "And what could that be?!"

Kanji's arms flailed in the air with distress.

"You and Senpai! Why couldn't it have been me instead?"

Yukiko looked at Souji as he was introduced back into the conversation; typical Souji, his facial expression still hadn't changed.

"What do you expect me to say to you, Kanji?"

He felt like ripping his hair out. "You knew how I felt yet you chose him and I didn't even get a word about it."

Naoto growled as she felt her anger rise a little more. "I'm sorry Kanji. The next time things happen in my life I'll relay them back to you." The statement was obviously sarcastic and everyone could feel the venom it was injected with.

"But why didn't you even give me a chance?"

Naoto's reply was almost instant. "You never gave me an offer."

Kanji then turned to the leader of their group who seemed completely unfazed by the discussion.

"You, Senpai, you're even worse; you saw and you knew how I felt – probably even more than Naoto did."

A small frown appeared on Souji's face at the accusation.

"I'm guessing that's an automatic no-go area knowing that, right?" His reply was deathly calm, almost frightening. Kanji, however, completely ignored this and concentrated on his words.

"Pretty much, yes."

Souji sighed. "I couldn't wait any longer."

Kanji almost exploded. "BULLSHIT!" he roared. He stormed up to Souji, shoving Naoto out of the way with enough power to almost knock her off her feet. Within seconds, Kanji and Souji were face-to-face; while Kanji's expression showed pure betrayal, Souji's was again amazingly calm, which unsettled Kanji a little.

"Why did you do it?" Kanji asked in a low voice, which would intimidate anyone put together with the fact that he was still quite a bit taller than Souji. However, Souji still sported the same frown as before.

"Because I'm not as emotionless as I seem." His words were confusing to the point that Kanji didn't completely understand.

"What are you on about?"

Souji pressed on with his frown increasing a little. "Do you think I want to be competing with you over another team member's feelings?"

Kanji scoffed. "Well of course, if you went and did something like that."

Souji could feel his frustration building, but he pushed it aside. "Well you're wrong there."

"What?" Souji ran his hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Look, I gave you a little over two months…"

Kanji was unmoved. "Two months?! That's great; I didn't know I was on a fucking deadline."

Souji's frown softened. "But I am."

Something suddenly clicked in Kanji's head."Wha-"

Souji shook his head.

"Look, Kanji, I know how you felt and all but you have to see it my way just this once…" Souji's stance changed into a slightly more relaxed one. "Look, I have a little less than half a year in this place. Unlike you guys, I won't be staying in Inaba after the end of this school year and from what I remember, I have a little under 4 months to stay with you guys…"

"But Senpai…"

Souji stayed firm. He called to the detective over Kanji's shoulder. "Naoto, how much longer are you gonna be in Inaba?"

Naoto blushed as the focus shifted to her, but she quickly shook it off and put her finger to her chin in thought.

"I'm here for another two years from what my Grandfather has told me."

Kanji's face seemed to shuffle between emotions, looking for the right one to pick. Before he could say anything, Yosuke piped up.

"Ah, I get it now. So in other words what you're trying to say is that if it got past Christmas your chance with Naoto would be completely."

Souji turned to him and smiled. "Someone understands."

"Makes sense."

Kanji's face almost showed defeat; only his stubbornness was holding it back. "Couldn't you choose anyone else, anyone but Naoto-kun?"

Souji shook his head. "That would have been inexcusable. It's not right to play with someone's feelings like that if my heart isn't in it one hundred percent."

Kanji sighed as his shoulders trembled. Souji took a hold of them, forcing to him to look him in the eye. "Kanji, I'm sorry; I'm sorry for all the distress I put you through, I'm sorry as a captain and I'm sorry as one of your best friends. I know you will probably be pissed off at me for a while to come but I always have your back. Whatever you do, don't blame Naoto; blame me, I made advances on her."

Kenji disengaged from his hands and faced away from him. "Just give me time, Senpai…" His shoulders relaxed. Souji smiled to himself at the fact he was able to get through to him and acknowledged that he had just dodged a major bullet.

"If it makes you feel better she hasn't even given me an answer, so yeah…"

Kanji looked back with a sad smile. "Don't get my hopes up, Senpai."

Souji let out a nervous laugh. "Just stating fact."

Kanji nodded then turned to Naoto. "Look, Naoto, I'm sorry for my outburst."

Naoto waved it off as a small smile appeared on her face.

"Don't worry about it Kanji-kun, at least it's sorted. Your temperament has improved; I'm really proud of you."

Kanji nodded before speaking again. "Naoto if things don't go well with-"

Naoto's finger to his lips silenced him instantly. "Don't, Kanji, just don't." With that she gave him a hug that took him by surprise. With the blood rushing to his face he nervously hugged her back.

"Ah isn't that sweet, they made up." Yukiko then turned to Souji. "You're an asshole, by the way." There was a hint of humour in her voice; Souji just shook his head and ran his hand across his face.

"I'm very well aware of that." He turned to Chie, hoping for some leeway, and didn't get any.

"Don't look at me for support; your punishment is the silent treatment." She then turned to Yukiko and Teddie. "Come on guys, let's continue training. We'll only speak to Souji if he's almost dead." With that Chie walked off, with Yukiko and Teddie following.

"Coming, Kanji?"

Kanji, who was still talking to Naoto, turned around at the call of his name. "Yeah, I am." With that he jogged back up, only stopping to ask if she was joining them.

"Yeah, give me a second; I just need to chastise Souji first."

Kanji smirked at the evil glare she gave him before turning to catch up with the others.

"Better you than me, partner." Yosuke patted his best friend on the shoulder before taking off to catch up with the main group and leaving him alone with Naoto. Just as Souji turned to face Naoto, his face was whipped in the other direction as he felt the cold hard metal of Naoto's revolver to his cheek. Feeling the pain throb, he slowly turned back to Naoto whose face was flushed with anger, her revolver aimed directly between his eyes.

"That's for pulling a stunt like that and getting away with it." Her expression didn't waver. Souji brought his hand to his cheek, rubbing it with a sheepish smile on his face.

"If I said sorry, I would be lying," he said simply.

Naoto twirled her gun around her finger before re-aiming back at his head and pulling back the safety trigger.

"I'm quite aware of that." She relaxed as she holstered her weapon and her expression softened. "Don't do that again," she said simply before turning to leave. She was stopped in her tracks to by Souji's hand on her shoulder.

For the first time since she had met Souji, his voice sounded nervous. "I hope this hasn't changed your decision." With that she turned around and leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek, her face heating up from the explicit show of affection.

"No, I've already made up my mind."

A small smile appeared on Souji's face. "So when will I get an answer?"

Naoto turned away and started to walk after the group.

"Tomorrow, for the simple fact you're on silent treatment." She laughed inwardly as she heard him groan behind her. She stopped for a brief second however. "I'm glad to see you're okay though, don't scare me like that."

Souji watched her go and started to walk at a leisurely pace to catch them up. At least he had his links back.

…

…

…