Autor Notes: Well, hi there. This is the first fan fiction I have ever written so, I don't really expect any reviews or whatever. Still, take your time to R&R if you can. I'm still trying to decide if this is a One-shot or a series, so I'm not marking it as "Complete", just in case I end up writing some more or something. Well, hope you like it!
Chapter 1: Memories of Inaba
Naoto, "the Detective Prince" as the media would call her so long ago, stared absently at some papers scattered all over the desk in her studio in the Shirogane State, unable to keep focused as her sight detoured itself once and again from the files decoring the wooden surface to a calendar hanging on the wall. "July 27th" was the actual date, and it had been circled with a red marker some time ago. This was not her doing, obviously, her grandfather's secretary's, who did not doubt of Naoto's capability when remembering dates, but of her ability to lose the sense of time when working. The only thing his act really achieved was a huge decrease of her productivity, as she would look at the calendar once and again, as if that would make the time go faster, and that would remind her of the incredible patience she used to have not so long ago.
It had been about three months since she left Inaba, forced by her job, as a detective never remains too long in the same place unless a case demands so, and she hadn't had one in the town since that of the serial murders. She could remember with ease the days she spent cogitating over the crimes: all the imaginable options had been considered in her mind, from a cult to a psychopath, passing through simple runaway cases, but, had the sleuth been asked, she would deny ever being able to even grasp the truth of the cases affecting Inaba, and she would have laughed at the solution hadn't she experienced it firsthand. That town truly held memories she would forever cherish, and friends –her first real friends- which she could never forget, no matter how big were the piles of folders containing sheets and more sheets filled with data about the next suspect she was investigating.
Her time there had, indeed, turned her life upside down, and the same happened with the life of so many others: "Some for good… And some for better." Or at least that's the only thing she could think every time she walked past Tatsumi Textiles and saw Kanji's dolls on display, or when she turned on the TV in the living room and Rise appeared on the screen, giving her best to be herself while she faked to be other person, making a soft smile appear on the bluenette's face, as she could relate to her friend and ex-classmate's aim. Yukiko Amagi had renewed her love for her heritage, and the detective had visited the inn from time to time, just to be surprised every time the girl with pitch black hair attended her with a dazzling smile, even after having had to deal with dozens of clients before, some with rather questionable manners, which surely should have tired her. And as for Chie and Yosuke… Well, the later had now a motorbike which allowed her to escape from a just as easily angered as ever Chie, who had been training with the same intensity as ever if not more, following her new dream: being a cop. So, disregarding the previous statement, some things just NEVER change.
From time to time during her last month in Inaba, all of them would meet to go to the TV world to check up on Teddie, who kept his everlasting glee, and still taunted the girls, asking them to score. Naoto sometimes questioned herself whether he understood his words at all, but then he would come up with some rather… Inappropriate commentary which would erase all her doubts, making her reach for her gun in a weird mixture of fury, shock and shame, in a way she thought only Yosuke could irritate anyone, which proved the bear was a worthy successor of the annoying "Junes boy". But, all in all, she had fun in those months she spent in the rural town, knowing all of it was thanks to someone in particular. Someone who made her heart speed up at mere sight and who could leave her wordless or completely flustered with a single phrase. Someone who finally treated her as an equal and gave her a reason to stay, all which she wanted, as her doppelganger would confess in her place back in September. The boy with silver hair who had gathered everyone in the Investigation Team together, the one who accepted her and taught her to accept herself and…
"Souji-kun" she muttered unconsciously as her sight lowered to her wrist, where a digital watch shone in the dim light that flooded her studio, which came from a small window right in front of her desk. Green LEDs which should inform of the time, formed instead the words "out of range", getting a nostalgic sigh in response. A particular message from a very special Christmas Eve flashed in the sleuth's mind, causing her to press her lips together forming a line and lower sharply the brim of her navy blue newsboy cap, trying to hide her embarrassment from an invisible enemy (otherwise known as Yakushiji-san, who seemed to be able to see through her even when the secretary wasn't in the room). Naoto shook her head softly, wanting to send these thoughts away, although the corner of her lips tugged upwards, forming a soft smile, which silently begged them to stay and last in her memory.
She took a quick glance at her mobile phone and gasped in disbelief upon noticing how late it was. She couldn't quite catch the exact time because as soon as she checked the device she practically jumped to her feet, almost throwing the chair to the ground, and not even bothering to put a bit of order in the long ignored sheets resting on the bureau as she put them back in their folder. She didn't like disorder, but she hated tardiness, overall when it was for such a crucial matter. As she ran downstairs she called for her secretary with a high pitched voice, being too nervous to keep her usual masquerade, demanding him to give her a lift to the train station ipso facto, her anxiety only increasing as she got no response from him. However, upon leaving the house, she found the car was already started, and it had been ready to depart for quite a while apparently, showed by the aforemented employee's bored expression. This left her torn between being surprised and annoyed, noticing how his prediction on what would happen on that very date and reason why a red ring disturbed the cleanliness of her timetable had become true. She felt, nonetheless, thankful to him, although she wouldn't let him know it as she rushed into the vehicle. She had too many things to worry about at the time.
Because today, it was the day she could see them all again…
And she wasn't the only one who was going back to Inaba.