Chapter 2: The Investigation Team & the Letter
April 2012 – Inaba: Junes
Have a taste of Junes' Fine Grilled Steak if you're hungry!" Yosuke was advertising their specialty dish to the customers.
"Urgh, why the hell do I have to work on a Sunday?" Yosuke groaned. It was his first weekend off since the new term started and he'd planned to go out with Chie and Kanji to go shopping today.
Instead, the three of them along with Teddie are now working at Junes for a "Grand School Opening" sale at the mega mart.
How stupid is that? Yosuke's dad had caught him early in the morning and told him they were short on staff, so he wanted Yosuke to work and call his friends over to help. That earned a death glare from Chie and Kanji.
"Stupid Senpais…" he muttered. Yosuke went inside Junes and looked over the electronics department to check on Kanji. Boy, does this place bring back memories. He remembered the first time he came here with his partner…
He stopped that thought as he saw Kanji struggling over something. He seemed to be having a hard time explaining the details of a HD TV to an old lady.
"Like I said gramps, this uhh…TV lets you, uhh…" he took out a piece of note that another attendant had written for him.
"Uhh…It lets you be one with the universe! Feel the outdoor wilderness and the sun on a tropical island as if you're there! The all new High Definition Television Set!" Kanji explained.
"Oh that's nice dear, so does it bake tofu?" the old lady asked.
"Wha- How the hell's a TV suppose ta' fry tofu?!!" exasperated Kanji.
Yosuke prayed that Kanji wouldn't tear the old dear apart as he went to check on Chie. She was in the clothes department helping out a customer choosing clothes for her young daughter.
"Yes, yes we do have her size, let me go take it for you" Chie smiled to the little girl and her mother. Yosuke smiled slightly. Chie seemed to be fine and he was glad of it.
Suddenly Yosuke heard a panicked voice calling his name. He turned and saw Teddie running towards him, the head of his bear costume on fire.
"Yosuke! Yosuke! My heads on fire! AAAHHH!!!" Teddie screamed as he ran around in circles.
"You stupid bear! I told you not to fall asleep in front of the grill!" Yosuke pushed Teddie down and rolled him on the floor.
The fire out, Yosuke sat on Teddie and sighed, "Uhuhuh, could this day get any worse?"
An hour later
"Whew, finally some time off!" Yosuke yawned, stretching his arms. He looked around the table, Chie was dozing off with her mouth slightly open and Kanji was ravenously biting chunks of Grilled Steak and swallowing it down.
"Man I can't thank you guys enough for helping me out here" Yosuke told them.
"Issoksenpai, schno fworries bout'it. Gulp" Kanji replied while still eating the steak.
"Ugh, at least swallow them first before talking!" Chie had woken up. "Ugh, I can't sleep with all these noises…Darn it Yosuke, why'd we have to do this when we could be having FUN somewhere else?" she snorted.
"Eh, hehehe, sorry Chie" Yosuke hung his head low.
"Well I don't really mind working here ya' know? But just don't put me in the electronics department next time Senpai…I beg you" Kanji recalled the old lady.
They started chatting about random stuffs when Teddie appeared. "Hey, hey Yosuke! You got mail!" Teddie was holding a letter in his hand.
"Hmm? Who's it from?" Yosuke took the letter from him. "Not just you! So does Chie-chan and Kanji! I got em' from your dad! He said it came from the mailman!" Teddie answered.
"Huh I can understand if it's for me, but how'd he know Chie and Kanji are here too?" Yosuke looked at the letter questioningly.
"Maybe the dude saw us here or sumthin', c'mon lets open it! Could be an animal cracker prize" Kanji opened his envelope excitedly.
"Ha, somehow I doubt that" Chie smiled and opened hers too.
Inside was a piece of paper. "Hmm? From our school?" All of them read the letter and they looked at each other. All of them had a puzzled look on their face.
"G-Guys…" Kanji's voice trailed off.
"What? What? Don't leave me out of it! I can't 'bear' the suspense!" Teddie looked around.
"You have no idea Ted. C'mon, let's go check on Yukiko and Naoto if they've got the same thing." Yosuke looked at the other two and they both nodded.
Inaba: Amagi Inn
"Thank you, could you put the textiles there Kasai-san?" Yukiko pointed to the storage room. The Amagi Inn was under renovation and Yukiko had offered her help to manage it. It was part of her training to become the next manager.
She went over a list of furniture they had ordered and wondered where to put the sofa when she heard a small cough behind her.
"You're working quite hard there Senpai." It was Naoto. She was standing at the entrance with her arms folded.
"Naoto-kun! I'm sorry, guess I didn't hear you come in." Yukiko apologized and welcomed her in. "Let's go to the guest room, and oh, would you like some tea as well? Don't worry I could make drinks quite well!" She added hastily after seeing the look on Naoto's face. They know how horrid their cooking skills were…
"Thank you Senpai but you look like you're quite busy right now. I could always come at another time…" She looked over the scene of the renovation.
"It's ok I'll make time for you" Yukiko smiled.
She guided Naoto to the guest room and went to the kitchen. Minutes later she came back holding a tray and a pot of tea for them. She sat down in front of her.
"So what brings you here Naoto-kun?" Yukiko inquired, it was pretty rare for Naoto to visit her without telling her first.
"Well actually I was in the neighborhood and I thought it'd be best to check up on you. It's only been the first week but you haven't been to school lately, Chie-Senpai said so." Naoto looked at Yukiko.
"Oh well…you know…I've been busy with the renovation lately and a lot of stuffs so…" Yukiko shifted uneasily. That's not it actually…
Naoto stared at her for a moment, and as if reading her mind, she sighed "Have you tried calling him Senpai? He'd be glad to hear from you too"
That was like an arrow piercing her heart. Yukiko blushed, but she wore a sad smile on her face. "No…I'd thought about it a thousand times but…I wouldn't know what to say to him and – what if he's forgotten about me?" Yukiko choked.
Yukiko held back her tears. She had liked him, Souji Seta. She didn't know why but she was drawn to him as if there was a magnet pulling her towards him. Of course it could've just been a normal friendship but somehow Yukiko felt that it was more than that.
The days they had spent together inside and outside the TV world seemed like a dream to her now. It's just been a month since Souji left but she felt as if there's an empty space in her heart now, never to be filled again… The same goes when she went to school, she couldn't bear going into class and never seeing that certain someone's familiar face smiling at her ever again…
"…I'm sorry Senpai…" Naoto apologized, clearly looked guilty for the lack of tack.
"No, it's ok… It's just that you know…it hurts…the thought of not being able to see him again and he's not here to help me out anymore or just be by my side...Sigh, I don't know what to think anymore, I'm so confused…" Yukiko pondered upon her feelings for Souji.
"B-But you're right Naoto-kun! I can call him anytime and catch up with him and t-talk about stuffs!" Yukiko's answer was a bit unconvincing.
Naoto sighed again; she might be an ace detective but… Matters of the heart are a different thing altogether…I wonder how it feels like to have someone to love… She closed her eyes for a second and an image of a boy came into mind. It was a familiar face and Naoto knew that boy.
"No! Definitely not!" Naoto shook her head vigorously, blushing like mad.
"H-Huh?" Yukiko looked at her, confused.
"I-It's nothing Senpai." Naoto took a deep breath.
"Well anyways, I'll be coming to class starting tomorrow so don't worry ok?" Yukiko added hastily.
"I won't push that matter further then. Actually Senpai going to class tomorrow might not be an option…" Naoto rummaged through her bag and handed Yukiko an envelope.
"What's this?" Yukiko took the envelope from her hand and opened it.
"I received one myself as it was delivered to the Shirogane household just this morning. There was a letter for you as well in your mailbox when I entered the Inn. I assume Yosuke-Senpai, Chie-Senpai, and Kanji-kun received one as well. I don't know if Souji-Senpai or Rise-san received the same offer, Souji-Senpai is in another school and Rise-san returned to her idol work shortly after Souji-Senpai left…" Naoto told her.
Yukiko remembered her little love rivalry with Rise and smiled to herself. Inside the envelope was a letter from Yasogami High. Yukiko recognized her school crest.
She read the letter carefully and gasped, "This is!..."
Naoto nodded. "Pack your bags Yukiko-Senpai, we're going to Tatsumi Port Island."
Hey guys! This is my first fan-fic ever. I wanted to do a little prologue to the story after Souji left Inaba then go to the main storyline! Reviews and critics are welcomed! Please, if anything jes critic me so I can get better at writing this story! Ouh and the pairings will get interesting after this ;) I'll add a love triangle to spice things up!
