It had been too long. 3 years, in fact, since he left Inaba after the hectic case. He came back during the holidays, yes, but that changed the moment he got a girlfriend. Or what she assumed herself to be.
Narukami Yu had gone to university, far away from Inaba, but not too far to prevent him from visiting. He had to stay in an apartment, make new friends, the usual. But he never expected someone to start clinging to him.
The girl's name was Miura Yuko, and she was his classmate. Yu did not take much notice; he had two marriage proposals in Inaba. One from Rise and the other from Nanako, both were preventing him from getting a proper girlfriend. He didn't mind it though. He didn't have the time to have a girlfriend. Sure, he had friends, but he didn't have time or money to take someone out for a movie or dinner. He was saving that up for an excursion to Junes or somewhere in Okina to treat his friends to.
He heard rumours about him dating Miura. He quickly dispelled the rumours, stating them as nothing but baseless gossip. His friends were doubtful, but were quickly convinced that he was not dating the happy-go-lucky, popular girl once they saw him exiting the school and going straight to work or home each day.
Yu never knew Miura well, but finally, nearing the holidays, he was confessed to by Miura. Miura begged him to give it a try, or at least, a month or so, before he decided. Yu gave in, not wanting to make her cry. Miura reminded him of Ai, although a more vulnerable one.
The next few days were hell. He was dragged from place to place, forced to spend his money, and even had to skip school to satisfy her. Yu saw her with even more friends now; and the girls seemed to stick to Miura more than usual now. They seemed as if they were worshipping her, and she looked smug. Each day, Miura would want something from him, be it a Prada bag or a Chanel perfume. He finally gave up, trying to meet her demands, and told her to break it off.
She threatened to commit suicide, and started to cry. Yu was not used to threats like that, and to make someone commit suicide would make him feel guilty. He couldn't bring himself to break off, and thus conceded with going out with her again.
Slowly, his grades dropped, and Yu was getting worried. He had to pass the exam in order not to be retained, and he also needed to get back to Inaba soon. He suggested to Miura that they could have a study date; her reply was to scream and run away. He decided not have a study date with Miura, and forced himself to pull all-nighters in order to finish his homework and keep his grades up, all while 'dating' Miura.
He passed the exam, still managing to get the top ten. Yu heaved a sigh of relief; he could go back to Inaba now. He thought about the fun times the previous holidays, felt his mind clear. He could finally go back.
Alas, having a girlfriend to clings to you and prevents you from going somewhere she doesn't want you to go proved to be a problem.
Just before the day before he was going to board the train to Inaba, Miura called him to meet near the shopping mall. Yu was a little surprised; perhaps she had finally given up on him? He hoped so. When he met her at the mall, he was dragged around as usual, using his money as usual, buying who knows how many presents for her as usual.
At the end, he was really tired. Yu turned to Miura, telling her that he was going to go on a trip soon; his usual trip to Inaba. He wouldn't be here in the city for the whole holidays, wouldn't want Miura to suicide while he was gone.
When Miura heard about it, she pouted, before her face twisted into an ugly scowl. She yelled at him, accusing him of wanting to leave her alone, and that she would suicide if he left. She would scrawl on the wall the person guilty of toying with her feelings, and she would also spread around in school about him being a no good cheater and a cold-hearted person who played around with a naïve girl. Yu was taken aback, watching her in silence, until she finished her rant, adding with a wink and the cutest face she could muster, "So don't go, okay?"
How could he say no? If he did, his reputation would go down, and the students might spread it to the teachers. Humans were easily swayed by such lies, as proven by Izanami, and he didn't want the teachers to be biased against him. He had to become a proper teacher in order to teach at Yasogami. He also didn't want to be attacked by the girls in school; they were a vicious bunch when angry. Yu would also be slammed by the guys for toying with Miura, and his items and papers would be stolen and destroyed to get him in trouble, all for revenge.
He gave in, informing the Investigation Team that he had to stay in his school for the holidays. His friends understood, and promised to stay with Nanako.
He told her that he would stay in the city for half the holiday, then he had to visit his uncle and cousin. Miura didn't want that though, and screamed some more. He told her only till then, was his final compromise. She didn't make a sound after that.
During the half of the holidays spent with Miura, Yu felt certain he had faced something worse than hell. Each night, he was tired out and collapsed in bed, only to be called up early in the morning to go out again. He was dragged everywhere, from the beach to the mall and back to the beach. He was treated so sickeningly loving that he felt like puking. He wished that Yosuke and the others would come over to help him out.
It was almost like Izanami had heard his wishes, and made the Investigation Team come over in a flash. He was called one night, unable to sleep, dreading the next morning. Picking up the phone, his eyes widened and he felt the heaviness in his heart disappear. The next morning, he got up before Miura could call him and shut off his phone. He rushed to the train station to wait for the Investigation Team. When they arrived, he welcomed them with open arms. He was tired, but he had enough energy to bring his uncle and his cousin as well as his friends over to his little apartment. They could stay till the end of the holidays. According to Naoto, the reason why they came to the city to visit him was because Teddie had complained that he wanted to go to the city so much, causing Yosuke and the others to start thinking about the city. Soon enough, even Rise wanted to come along to visit Yu.
Yu was so happy; he didn't care the reason why they wanted to come along. After getting them to dump their belongings in their rooms, they immediately set out for the beach. After all, "It isn't summer if you don't go to the beach!"
At the beach, Yu felt at peace. He was away from Miura, finally taking a break. He had to break it off soon, and he knew he needed his friends to support him. His university friends weren't as close to him as the Investigation Team. Watching the girls play, he leaned back on his hands, enjoying the blissed day.
Yosuke finally pulled him into the water, and Chie and Yukiko had begun to splash everyone with water, including Naoto, that it turned into an all-out water fight. Wet, laughing and playful, Yu turned around when he heard pattering on the sand. Thinking that it was Nanako, he turned around.
The person behind him was clearly angry and hurt, and she immediately walked over and slapped him. That person was Miura.
The Investigation Team stopped in their activities, shocked that someone had actually slapped their leader. Rise stormed over and yelled at Miura, "What's your problem?!"
Miura, her eyes flashing, turned onto Rise, telling her straight to her face that she was to leave Yu alone, or more technically, her boyfriend. Yu fell silent, not wanting to face Miura. Rise looked at Yu in horror, to confirm the truth, but one look at Yu's face made her stop her mouth. Yu clearly looked as if he didn't want the other girl around, and that he was at her mercy.
Yu turned around, with Miura introducing herself haughtily, adding the words "Yu's boyfriend" at the back. He nodded to Miura, and told her that he was going to send them off. He would talk to her later. With that, the Investigation Team packed up in silence.
Just at the exit of the beach, Rise turned around. "You don't want to be her boyfriend, do you?" Yu looked at her concerned face and nodded. He explained to them the situation, with the occasional gasps and head shakes from the Investigation Team. They could do nothing, but they promised all the same to help him out with shaking off this girlfriend of his.
Walking back, he returned to Miura. He was forced to listen to her lecture of shutting off his phone and 'cheating' on her yet again. Her words droned on, and he found his mind drifting away. He really didn't want to continue the relationship, and he was tired and sick.
After her lecture, Miura pulled him up, saying that Yu was to compensate her for the incident. He nodded silently, turning on his phone. Just as it was turned on, a call came. He frowned at it, looked at Miura, before accepting the call. It was from Naoto.
"S-senpai! Yosuke got into an accident! We were on the way back to your apartment and… and he just walked onto the road, and a car slammed into him. He's at the hospital right now, as we all are. Hurry!"
Yu froze, before clicking his phone shut. Yosuke was injured. He quickly got up and rushed towards the exit, only to be pulled back by Miura. She gripped his wrist, pulling him back.
Turning around, he shook his head. "My…friend was in an accident. I have to go see if he's alright."
Miura defiantly shook her head, asking, "Who's more important? Your girlfriend, a.k.a. me, or your friend? You know what happens if you leave me alone…" Her eyes glinted maliciously, and she glared at him.
It was only then when he realized why Miura wanted to date him so badly. He was a student with high reputation, and according to his friends in school, many girls wanted to date him. He was oblivious to the fact, only because he had not wanted to make any relationship in the school other than friends. Ever since Miura started dating him, more girls seem to worship her, and she was all the more popular. Miura didn't actually want him for a boyfriend. She wanted to date him in order to raise her social status in school, as well as prove that every boy wanted her. She wouldn't let him go even for his friends.
Anger roared, and Izanagi-no-Okami slashed the air furiously. He reared up, as if roaring, as with Yu, flicking his wrist out of Miura's grasp.
"Of course it is my friends, Miura. I don't care about you." Yu's eyes turned cold, and he stared at Miura. "We are calling this off. I'm sick and tired of this. You can suicide all you want, but does that really affect me?" Yu spat out. He was going to give Miura a piece of his mind. She prevented him from going back to Inaba, she was trying to prevent him from seeing his friends. He wasn't her puppet; not any more.
"Goodbye. Don't bother calling me anymore, you'll just be rejected." With that, he raised his phone to her eye level, showing her the screen, and deleted her contact on it right in front of her.
When she was stunned there in shock, he quickly turned around and ran straight for the hospital. His friends were far more important; what was he thinking? He shouldn't have given in to her in the first place. Had he just told her that to her face the first time, Yosuke wouldn't have been injured; no one would be so worried about him now.
As he rushed straight for the hospital, he felt his chains around him disappear, only to be replaced with a weight. He had to make sure that Yosuke was alright first. But then again, Yosuke would be alright. Once he was deemed alright, he was going to compensate for his absence. That was for sure.
As Yu burst into the hospital corridor, he swore not to let anyone stop him from seeing his friends now. Not now, not ever.