Summary: Naoto didn't come to Inaba to make friends. She came to gather information on the murder case and solve it. Everything else was secondary. Still, being in an unfamiliar place, having someone friendly around to talk to wasn't out of the question. An exploration into the idea of multiple meetings between Naoto and Souji before her involvement in the Investigation Team.
Tuesday, 7 June
Following Kanji's rescue from the Bathhouse from Hell a week back (Yosuke's heartfelt label), Souji found himself blissfully relieved at the return of the 'delinquent' to regular school life. It was sometimes difficult to remember that he was nothing more than an ordinary high school student, no matter how involved he and his friends were in the investigation. Probably nothing in his life would measure even close to the importance and responsibility they were taking on right now, and that thrilled him. Regardless, he was still grounded by schoolwork.
Since it was Tuesday, he was just getting off of Drama. He didn't think Yumi would take her disapproval with Nagai to a personal level, so he was just a bit stressed out. Souji wondered what to do in the meantime. Uncle Dojima wouldn't be home from work for another hour or two, but there was little to do in Inaba when it was raining. Receiving the promise of tranquility that he was warned about when first coming to this small town, Souji was finally bored.
Souji considered going to Aiya's, sitting down for some of their juicy, succulent meat bowls, conjuring the feeling of eventual satisfaction he'll feel for beating the Rainy Day Beef Bowl Challenge... He shook himself out of the meat daze. That was an option. And of course, he was always on the look out for any updates at the bookstore. And even though Kanji just joined them and it was late, they could go to Junes and-
Souji found himself slowing down on the path down the floodplain, spying the ever present gazebo on the side, the wood shining in the drizzle. He pursed his lips in thought, curious to see a familiar boy sitting by himself.
This is the fourth time I've seen him, but now he's completely by himself. I wonder what he's in town for? Souji scratched his head with his free hand. He looks more like an outsider than me.
The boy was obviously younger than him; by how much, Souji couldn't be sure. Despite his youthful appearance, however, the navy haired teen looked professional in his blue cardigan, plaid pants and now signature blue cap. Even acted the part, too. At first Souji thought he was weathering the rain, but the closed umbrella leaning against the table killed that theory.
Souji stopped walking to look at him. Should he head over and greet him? Start a conversation? The boy was in town for a specific reason, and Souji had an inkling it had something to do with the murder case. He wanted to chock up his fears to emboldened paranoia, but Souji found himself less and less able to do that lately. It's dangerous to blindly assume things to be mere coincidence, and coming into contact with Kanji Tatsumi a day before his kidnapping set off too many alarms in his head to ignore. Still, he seemed polite enough, Souji figured, and despite his formal disposition, or perhaps because of it, he didn't know anybody else here, as far as he could tell. He had time to kill.
Making up his mind, Souji began walking over. His shoes sank into the damp dirt, making an uncomfortable squishing sound. Thankfully, the rain masked it. "Excuse me." Souji raised his voice in the rain.
The distracted teen's head perked up, turning towards Souji. His face contorted in slight shock at seeing somebody out here, but immediately recognized the second year student. His body quickly relaxed, and the glazed look in his eyes from earlier vanished.
"Good afternoon," he greeted politely. He tilted his head. "I recognize you. You're the boy I met in the Junes lobby a week ago."
And the one you encountered at the textile shop with my friends, but you don't need to be reminded of that. Souji smiled courteously, nodding. He motioned if it was alright to sit down. The boy gestured to the other seat, mostly masking his surprise at the request.
Folding his umbrella and leaning it against the seat, Souji sat opposite of the boy. "That's right. I realize that I never introduced myself to you that day. I apologize for my rudeness, as I was in a hurry." He bowed his head slightly in apology.
"There is no need for apologies," the boy insisted, adjusting his cap. He took a glance over the hill, recollecting. "I quite understand the feeling of impatience when undergoing stress. Yours was as clear as day." Souji raised his eyebrow, intrigued, but didn't comment. "I was distracted as well, so allow me to begin introductions. My name is Naoto, and it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
He isn't interested in sharing his surname with me. Odd, but I guess it makes sense. We don't go to school together, and he isn't from Inaba, that's clear enough. I guess he wants to stay low-key, or as low-key as one can be in this town.
"It's nice to meet you, Naoto-san. My name is Souji."
"Souji..." Naoto looked him in the eyes for a moment, seemingly storing the mental image of him with his name. A moment later he nodded, gazing over the hill. "If you are wondering why I am out here, you've caught me familiarizing myself with the Inaba outskirts. This is the most relaxing spot I've found thus far."
Souji regarded him with a chuckle, also looking out over the horizon. The rain had naturally become a bad omen to Souji and his friends, pushing them to the tense edge of anticipation, whether that night would reveal a new victim. Fortunately, the rain wasn't expected to last into the evening, so he needn't worry just yet. They still needed to train Kanji with his new Persona, however; as tough and leering as their underclassman was, his scowl wasn't going to stop a lightning bolt to the face.
"I like it, too." Souji agreed. "It's a nice haunt for my friends and I after school, and it's got one of the most scenic views in town. Sorry that you got here with such dreary weather..."
Naoto waved his hand. "It is no bother to me. I actually enjoy the rain," he admitted, folding his hands back together. "I appreciate the gesture of offering me company, so is there something you need?" Naoto raised an eyebrow.
Souji frowned, considering the boy's angle. "Not particularly, no..." Naoto tilted his head, confused. "We met under awkward circumstances. I saw you sitting by yourself, and this looked like as good an opportunity as any to talk to you, one on one."
Naoto blinked, his expression unchanging. He awkwardly adjusted the rim of his cap, in a manner Souji considered to be almost uncomfortable.
"Well..." Naoto coughed. "That is, uh, a kind thing for you to say, albeit an unexpected one." He looked at Souji again, fidgeting with his cap once more. Souji felt a faint sense of deja vu watching the boy across from him. He was reminded of the day he arrived in Inaba, and the slow crawl it took before Nanako began to like him. That shyness was indicative of this situation as well, Naoto-san being so flustered. Naoto remained quiet.
Finally, about half a minute later, he reeled in his emotions. Naoto placed his hands in his lap. "Forgive my presumption, Souji-san. Most of the conversations I've had with people so far in Inaba have been more formal and inquiry than casual. Your response threw me off..." He dipped his head slightly, probably hiding a flushed face.
Souji laughed, prompting a curious glance from Naoto. "That keeps happening, for some reason." Naoto looked hopelessly confused. "Sorry, forget it, it's just a weird thing involving my friends. But, anyway," Souji coughed, becoming a little serious. "I was wondering something, actually."
Naoto's naturally calculative face appeared. He folded his hands. "Very well. Is your question related as to my purpose in town?"
Souji nodded. "That's right. Good guess." Did Naoto smirk? "I also kind of want to know why you wanted to talk to Kanji-kun. He didn't show up to school very often before, having a reputation and all that, so the other students started gossiping pretty heavily, especially seeing you two together after school."
And confusing Kanji, too. You don't need to know about that, either. Souji thought wryly.
Was he coming across too aggressively? Souji made note to cut back a bit. There was no need to be suspicious of the boy or anything, but there was something about him that, despite his politeness, was pretty damn sharp. Maybe even dangerous; how that related to him, he wasn't sure.
Thankfully, Naoto seemed prepared for the question. "Ah, so you saw us after school then? I didn't think we were causing a stir, but now some things that struck me about Kanji make sense." Naoto shook his head, satisfied with something. "Well, both questions' answers are related. To be blunt, I've become interested in Inaba after hearing about the double homicides that have occurred here. Obviously, I couldn't ask the police about the investigation, so I started with some of the other residents. I began to hear rumors about Tatsumi-san, such as his encounters with this town's local biker gang, and wondered if he had seen anything out of the ordinary, anything strange..."
"And he reacted poorly." Souji concluded, recalling what Naoto said to him at Junes. "The people here couldn't tell you much, huh?" Naoto shook his head, disappointed. "Don't beat yourself up over it. Hardly anybody knows about the killer's methods, so the best you'll find are half-baked theories."
Naoto narrowed his eyes slightly, then nodded his head. "I suppose you may be right... People out here conceive of many different theories to cope with the unknown. Any one of them could be right, and more than likely none are. Rumors are dangerous like that." He shrugged.
Souji smiled at Naoto. It was refreshing to see someone roughly his age, outside the Investigation Team, not fall sway to idle guesswork.
Naoto tilted his head. "So, I assume that you're fellow students spread inflated rumors like this frequently?"
Souji had to hold back a groan. Instead, he rolled his eyes. "If it's not that, it's about Kanji-kun and the supposed deal he cut with the police to go back to school, or else he'll be arrested. Yes, someone actually started that rumor." He confirmed, chuckling at Naoto's expression.
"I see." Naoto's shoulders loosened up, allowing himself to chuckle along. "So, that is how you cope with any boredom?"
Souji shrugged. "That's how the locals deal with it. I try to avoid getting involved." Naoto looked at him strangely for a moment, and it clicked. "Oh, right, I didn't tell you. I wasn't born in Inaba, I'm staying with my uncle for the year while my parents work overseas. I only moved here back in April."
"Ah, I see." Naoto nodded, leaning forward. He appeared fixated on something Souji said. A frown marred his face for a second, before returning to neutral. Souji raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. "Tell me," Naoto requested, a hint of an edge to his voice. "Do you know anything about the investigation? Besides the rumor mill, have you heard or seen anything strange for yourself?"
Okay... since when did this become an interrogation? Does he realize that he's putting me on the spot like this? Perhaps there is reason to be wary of Naoto-san after all.
Souji bore a mask of contemplation for a second before pursing his lips. "No, not really." He shook his head. "I've talked about it around town, even asked the housewives, but nobody outside the police force knows much, barring speculation. I didn't know that Ms. Yamano was staying at the Amagi Inn until a couple days after her murder. And Saki-Senpai, well, I only saw her once at Junes. I can't imagine how her family has coped..."
Souji made sure not to divert his stare from Naoto. He was partially lying to the sharp boy, but hopefully he told enough of the truth for him to back off. After a couple seconds of the two's wills pushing against each other, Naoto's eyes lost their sharpness, and he sat back.
"Hmm, alright then. Thank you for telling me what you know. Strange that nobody in this small town has more information..." Naoto turned his head away, stroking his chin. Souji could tell that he was frustrated, although it was hard to tell why. He doesn't hold a personal stake in the murder case, that was clear, so whatever interest he held seems to stem from something else. Whatever it was, Souji was curious of, but wasn't going to push.
A distant flash in the distance took Souji out of his thoughts, and so did Naoto in the corner of his eye. A few seconds later, a rumble, quite far from Inaba, shook the skies. It reminded him of the pattering rain falling around them.
Naoto lowered his head again before turning back to Souji. He chuckled nervously. "I, uh, put you on the spot there, didn't I...?" He didn't notice the flush covering his cheeks.
The realization of his 'interrogation' seemed to hit him, Souji realized. So far he knew that Naoto was a serious individual who became too focused when he became fixated on something. He wasn't a very sociable person either, which didn't surprise him, considering the reactions of everyone who's met him. The few times he'd seen him, Naoto expressed himself coolly, maintaining an admirable composure which rivaled Souji's own. It carried with it a sort of sternness that reminded him of Uncle Dojima, who kept to himself and his family. Who knew that behind the persona was a socially awkward boy who blushed easily?
Souji went with a simple smile. "It's alright. We all get a bit carried away in conversation."
Naoto shook his head. "I will refrain from letting that happen again. When you have so many serious conversations with people, it's hard to disengage yourself when trying to be casual..." Souji nodded, understanding. "Anyway, shall we change the subject to something lighter? I can see the rain letting up a bit, so it won't be long before it stops completely."
Sure enough, Souji noted, the noise of the pellets bombing the gazebo were beginning to let up. And despite the tense moments about the investigation, Souji felt himself relax around Naoto. He was pleasant company, despite his stiff temperament, and from what little he could tell, the blue haired teen seemed like an interesting intellectual. He was curious to see where this would go.
Souji nodded in agreement, deciding to probe a bit. "Fine by me. I need to be getting back home soon, but we have some time." He thought for a moment, opening his mouth slightly before deciding what to ask. He decided to go basic. "What grade are you in?"
Naoto laced his fingers together, somewhat cringing in embarrassment. "I don't attend high school..." Naoto admitted.
Souji drew an eyebrow, before understanding what he meant. He considered it for a moment, then grinned. "Really?" He asked with a hint of disbelief. "You look like the most mature junior high school student I've ever seen."
Naoto, he was beginning to discover, didn't possess a strong resilience to these things. He looked back at Souji with something akin to distress. "W-what?! No! That is not what I implied..." His voice cracked slightly, going unusually high. He paused for a moment, drumming his fingers against the board. "...Or, no wait. Did I imply that? I don't attend high school... Oh!" Metaphorical exclamation points seemed to hover over his head, trying to placate the situation. "Okay, first, no, I'm supposed to be in high school-not that I have failed a grade or any such thing. I study the necessary subjects in private. Second, to answer your question, I would be a first year student. I am not that young." Naoto took a breath, calming himself down. "There... Did that answer your question?" He asked hopefully.
More than necessary, but in an endearing way. Souji nodded, still maintaining the grin that threatened to break. "It did, thank you. Although, you don't have to be embarrassed by it." Souji reassured.
Naoto sighed audibly. "Would it be worthwhile to say that I am not embarrassed...?"
Souji chuckled openly, amused by Naoto's attempt at dry humor. This only seemed to annoy him more. "No, but even if it were so cringe worthy, I wouldn't judge." Souji shrugged one of his shoulders. "Much."
The rain's stopped. Souji idly noted. He instead focused on Naoto shaking his head, trying to put on a front of humility. "Your group of friends must possess an unusually thick tolerance to these things to keep you around." Naoto jokingly noted, warming up to Souji a little more.
Souji crossed his arm and shook his head at the sky. "On the contrary, sometimes I think it's me who has that tolerance."
Naoto raised a curious eyebrow, leaning forward. "Really? I'm not hearing from a biased source, am I?"
That's how they spent the next 15 or so minutes of time underneath the drying gazebo, talking of little things. The barrier of awkwardness was still erected between them, but it had loosened slightly, and it seemed that Naoto was opening up to their casual discussion. Souji himself found the experience, to the surprise of his prior expectations, really pleasant. Naoto had no ties to anybody in Inaba currently, so they could chat about a bunch of little things that the cap-wearing boy was interested in. It wasn't hard to tell that Naoto didn't like talking about himself, and although that left Souji slightly disappointed, he had to remember that this boy didn't know many people here.
So Souji talked about numerous topics concerning Inaba, Yasugami High School, and even touched on his friend group. Naoto was curious about the local delicacy of the countryside town, and his face when Souji told him it was grilled steak was too worthy of a portrait frame! Naoto proved curious about the notable figures at school, so people like Kou and Daisuke came up, the rebellious Ai, and the unsavory character of Kinshiro Mooroka (he laughed aloud when Naoto said he was then glad to not attend high school). Souji briefly wondered how Naoto would like his friends. He was quite different than them; insanely mature, arguably to a stiff degree, and likely would leave an unforgettable impression. Souji kind of hoped Naoto might meet his friends at some point; the meeting itself would be too memorable in his opinion to pass up.
"Oh!" Naoto exclaimed, drawing Souji's attention. "It stopped raining a while ago. Goodness, I should be returning home soon." He grabbed his umbrella from the side of the table and shook off any remaining water.
"You're right, Naoto-san," Souji concurred, also standing up. "I need to get home, otherwise my Uncle will give me a good scolding that dinner wasn't made in time." Souji shook his head lightly. "I don't need him getting suspicious of me."
In both the murder case, and the fact I'm hanging around a tourist my age who doesn't go to public school. Hmm... wonder which is worse? Souji thought sarcastically.
Naoto began down the path away from the floodplain, avoiding the wet ground. Souji followed in tow. "I have quite a distance to walk," he noted, turning his head under his umbrella to the silverette walking next to him. "I need to get home and fulfill some work that needs completing. I assume you have homework to finish? Finals approaching as well, yes?"
Souji shook his head. "No homework to fulfill tonight, and Finals won't begin rearing it's head until mid-July. I may either study or finish reading a book I started a few days ago."
Naoto's interest peaked, gazing at Souji with renewed interest. "You read? I've noticed a bookstore in the shopping district when passing by on occasion. You purchased them from there?" He asked. Souji nodded, and Naoto made a noise of approval as they continued walking together. The concrete path made way to asphalt as they left the Samegawa floodplain into town.
"I can show you the shop if you'd like me to. Obviously another day, but I wouldn't mind." Souji offered.
Naoto lowered his head in thought, frowning. "Would you do that, Souji-san? I'm still not entirely familiar with the area, and while I stay here it would be nice to pass the time turning the pages... As long as I don't impede on your time of course."
Souji waved a hand, catching Naoto's attention. "Nonsense, I'd be happy to show you around. You make pretty nice company, Naoto-san, and I wouldn't mind talking to you again." He grinned something mischievous. "As long as you don't mind the teasing."
Naoto dipped his head behind his cap again, worrying Souji that maybe he was coming on a little too strongly. His fear dissolved when Naoto looked at him again with a small smile, offering a cautious trust. "I've not known you for very long, Souji-san, but I have found your company quite welcome so far." His face bore his usual serious expression again. "I do have a bit of work in the foreseeable future. However, you will see me around. I would like to talk to you again."
Souji felt an unfamiliar sense of relief pass through him. Maybe it was because he had found someone intellectually and temperamentally similar to him in town, and the fact that he wasn't a permanent resident probably added to the intrigue. He noted that he didn't feel a particular bond form between them, which surprised him. Igor said that the bonds he formed through various social links were the source of his strength in the TV World, and metaphysically in the real world. Maybe it'd be a good idea to hang out with Naoto sometime to see if they could form a Social Link? It was worth a try, Souji felt.
They stopped at a point near the shopping district, various homes around them still carrying light inside. Down the road to the right is the path leading back to the Dojima residence- his home. Naoto sensed his gaze down that way and motioned to say something.
"Well," Naoto extended an open hand. "I enjoyed talking to you, Souji-san. I hope that we can do something similar to this again at some point, preferably without interfering in each other's schedules." Naoto closed his eyes and smiled awkwardly. "And, uh, thank you for stopping by. You didn't have to..."
Souji grasped his hand firmly. "Hey, no troubles. Glad to hang out together, Naoto-san." The clouds hanging over them cast their shadow over the ground, signifying the time. He offered the younger boy a cool smile and goodbye before walking down the trek home. Naoto doing the same.
I wonder if I'll have time to hang out with Naoto-san again. If he has his own schedule to worry about, we probably won't see each other too often. Souji stuffed his hands in his pockets, thinking towards the sky. A fellow bookworm, huh? Wonder if he likes sci-fi?
You know those spontaneous ideas that pop into your head on occasion that simply interest you? That's the premise of what this anomaly is turning out to be. The question popped into my head, "What would happen if Naoto and Souji spent time together around town long before her enrollment at Yasogami High?" More wish fulfillment trying to validate itself, I'll say. Still it is intriguing. The two of them are natural intellectuals who lead pretty interesting lives, so it's quite easy and fun to conjure up discussions between them!
Hopefully I kept Naoto as reasonably in-character as I could. Obviously she (he for now) doesn't know Souji or his friends yet, so there has to be some stiffness in their interaction, but overtime she should open up more and more, like during her social link. As the last few paragraphs imply, Souji can't establish a genuine social link with Naoto yet, since he isn't being entirely truthful with her, and they can't dedicate a lot of time together like true friends. And of course, Naoto absolutely won't be revealing her secrets to a random friendly individual, so that has to wait. For a social link to establish, both parties need to be willing to open up, at least, and Naoto isn't ready to do that. The story will act under the assumption that the two of them will eventually form a romantic relationship later on; however, that is not going to happen for some time. I love writing organic progression like this!
To be frank, this is a curiosity I want to use as a catalyst to explore certain ideas with the Persona cast and a naturally flowing relationship between these two. I have a few foggy ideas on what future meetings the two could realistically have, and perhaps some after she joins the Investigation Team as well, so give me some time to formulate them. I hope this incarnation was interesting, and perhaps you'll stick around for more in the future. Leave any thoughts or suggestions freely, since I don't know if I royally screwed up anything, or there's somewhere drastic to improve. Hope for more of this in the future!