A/N: Heads up for some of you, I've decided to change the protag's name from Yu to Souji, and will probably be sticking with it from now on - in case you didn't check back to the beginning chapter. That's all.
"You're Yuki, right? Y-You want to go hang out somewhere?"
Who is this guy?
On the way out of the school grounds with Satonaka and Amagi, we encountered this strange student. He wasn't from around here, judging by the uniform. If I had to guess, I would have suspected he's here for an important reason, given that the nearest school around here would have required a bus trip.
But apparently, all he came here for was a date.
Given my irrelevance to the situation at hand - not knowing what was going on - I took to observing the girls, hoping to get a hint. However, both of them looked even more confused than me. Satonaka particularly had a bit of some other emotion mixed in, judging by her tense brow.
"What...?" Amagi stammered. "Wh-Who are you?"
Some other students around us began to gather around the commotion, talking about it. One of them mentioned some Amagi Challenge. I can already make three guesses about what that is.
The stranger started getting nervous too, looking around. I wasn't sure, but I think I smelt something off about him. Some sort of cologne... lots of it. I appreciated his foresight, actually, but his approach needed work... seeing that Amagi was taking a half-step backwards at this point.
"Um... s-so, are you coming or not?" said the strange student, he broadened his shoulders and walked right up to Amagi. Satonaka stepped in, shielding Amagi with her outstretched arm.
"Hey, lay off, okay?" she said, trying to keep her voice down, but obviously still channelling her anger from that cracked DVD case from earlier. "If she doesn't want to, she doesn't want to!"
"Y-! Back off. This has nothing to do with you," the strange student hissed.
"It does now," she snapped back in a second. "Your deal with Yukiko is your deal with me."
In that moment, I noticed something a little off about Satonaka when she said the last part. Her brow furrowed. I knew what that was: uncertainty. She didn't believe what she said, though I didn't know why. I didn't try to bother, so I stayed as the silent watcher to see what would happen.
Amagi finally looked up, more or less, back at the strange student. She put her hand on Satonaka's shoulder.
The strange student looked at Amagi this time, and noticeably forced his voice to be gentler. "W-Well? Come on, Yuki!"
Amagi finally spoke up, her voice soft. "I-I'm not going..."
The guy's nose flared and his eyes widened something fierce. "F... Fine!" He turned and stormed off, and I was sure I could hear him spit out "D...Damn bitch!" as he went. Soon enough, he was out of sight.
The others calmed down, and Satonaka gave Amagi some space. Amagi turned to her. "Wh-What did he want from me...?" she said, more bewildered than afraid now. Glad she calmed down so unusually fast.
"What did he want?" Satonaka scoffed at where the strange student disappeared. "Obviously, he was asking you out on a date," she said, before quickly adding under her breath "But he sure flat-out failed on that one..."
"Huh? Really...?" Amagi said, in response to what she could hear, I suppose. Satonaka had her head turned towards me and away from her when she said the last part.
"You really had no clue?" Satonaka turned sharply to her friend. "Sheesh... But then again, that was way over the top. It was creepy how he called you 'Yuki' all of a sudden!"
And as if to emphasise, she threw her voice into a deep one, trying to imitate a boy, and went at Amagi making clawing motions like a bogeyman. "Yuki... Hey Yuki, go out on a date with me, will ya?"
"Ch-Chie...! Stop it!" Amagi said, trying to escape as Satonaka chased her in a circle, laughing. I couldn't help but smile at the sight too, glad the situation's sorted now. These two must be really good friends.
Satonaka threw her voice like that earlier, too. She was talking about some guy saying that announcer was his soulmate... something along those lines. Heard about that lady on the news last night on the day I moved in.
I was trying to take a rest at the time after that announcement instructed us to stay in class, mulling over that lousy dream that's been plaguing my thoughts. I kept trying not to think about it, but it kept trying to push in, preventing me from ignoring it - like it wanted me to think about this damn "contract" thing this Igor told me about.
Then, I heard the voice of a girl trying - and failing - to mimic a guy's voice. I opened my eyes, and it was Satonaka, trying to entertain her friend Amagi. I'd be lying if I didn't find it cute, how she was flailing her arms about.
I was pretty grateful for her at the time - she helped me get my mind off it. I wanted to at least communicate that gratitude by offering a smile, but she stopped when I looked at her, looking a bit awkward. I guess I must've put her off.
"Yo, Yukiko-san. Turned down another lovelorn fool, huh?"
The cycling student who totalled his bike and was totalled by Satonaka showed up with his bike - both of them seemingly intact. The guy himself seemed to have recovered gracefully, all things considered.
"Man, you're cruel... You got me the same way last year."
"I don't recall doing that," said Amagi, turning to him as he approached.
"Whoa, you serious?" He propped his bike up. "So then, you wanna hang out sometime?!"
"...I'd rather not," she said, apologetic, with her head down. She shook her head to emphasise.
"That'll teach me to get my hopes up..." he sighed. Satonaka just snickered in support. He got his bicycle moving again and made ready to bid us farewell. "Anyways, you two better not pick on the transfer student too much."
He got on his yellow bike and zoomed off like a flash of lightning before Satonaka could grab and/or throttle him, so she just stamped her foot in place. "We're just curious, is all!"
I appreciate your concern, cycling student. You escaping is indicative of otherwise, though. And besides, curious about what? All we city folk have more than you people are buildings, cars... and all the smoke and noise that comes with them.
...
That's not bad. Maybe I'll tell it to them on the way home when I get the chance.
"Ah... so you came here because of your parents' job."
That stupid Yosuke committed the crime of ruining my Trial of the Dragon, and he escaped on his bike too! I wasn't going to let him get away with it - that klutz was gonna buy me the fattest, juiciest steak he knows how to buy, and I'm gonna make him buy one for Yukiko and the new guy, too! Hey, it'll earn some brownie points with him, and I'll be doing Hanamura a favour by introducing the new guy to him too!
"That's right," replied the new guy, giving another of his trademark nods. The two of us and Yukiko were walking home together, and we took a turn into one of the neighbourhood lanes.
"Haha, I thought it was something way more serious."
I could've sworn I saw him give a sharp glance before his expression softened back again - it was just for a blink and I may have just been seeing things - but it shut me up right away.
"S-Sorry! I mean, it's tough, y'know? Me and Yukiko, we've been here all our lives, so there's no way we..."
The new guy shook his head. "It's fine." He smiled in response, but I could tell it probably wasn't real. Crap, I must've hit a raw nerve. Stupid! And wasn't his name Souji Seta? Quit calling him "new kid" already!
"Th-That's right," Yukiko chimed in for a much-welcomed save. "We hope you're not offended."
"Yeah! It's just that, we rarely get transfer students around here, let alone from the city!"
"Hm," the new gu- I mean, Seta said, thoughtful. "Well, it's not like we city people are aliens or anything."
"Well, of course I don't mean it that way," I replied, trying to laugh it off. Seta smiled back politely too. I relaxed, hoping he was fine now. Maybe he was always fine, and my eyes were playing tricks on me. My imagination tended to get over-active at times anyway... "But looking at our last city boy, Yosuke, I'd be gladder if he was one... I bet an alien has more courtesy than him, even those blood-sucking, movie ones!"
"Yosuke?" he asked.
"Oh, that's right! Yosuke's the one who, um..." I froze, remembering what I did to him earlier at class. Knowing Seta was watching made me feel pretty bad about it. Whether he did it or not, it may have been a little over in dispensing the justice... "The one who gave back my DVD?"
"Oh, him," he nodded, taking note. He looked forward and gave a mock cough, obviously trying to mask the discomfort I laid onto him. "Though, the way we left him, I think I'll be the only city boy in the class now."
"Ugh," I reeled. "That bad, huh..." Even Yukiko was nodding a little too vigorously at me from behind Seta, unable to see her.
Seta nodded too. "It was an interesting first impression you made..."
Oh man... I must look like a total monster to this guy now. But still, he did still end up walking with us, right?
I gulped. Yeah, he did end up following us. Out of fear of going back on our arrangement. He probably thinks I'll deck him too - cross me and you're dead. I feel like that mafia boss from one of those movies... You can't say no to him, or he'll make you regret it.
We ended up walking in silence for a while, but luckily it served to slowly dissipate the uncomfortable atmosphere as time went on... emphasis on "slowly". We arrived on a road, passing by some paddy fields. I gestured to the sight, hoping to showcase our little town to the new guy. I mean Seta...
"There really is nothing here, huh?" Seta turned his attention to the fields, which made me take a close look at them, too, taking in the scene. "But I guess... That's what makes it nice." I turned back to him. "But... there's nothing much here we can show to people from outside."
Seta's eyes lit up, and he shook his head. "There's no need to say it like that. All we city folk have more than you people are buildings, cars... and all the smoke and noise that comes with them."
I laughed a little, and Yukiko smiled a little too. I appreciated that he could find a little good in an old countryside like Inaba, since he'll be living here for some time and all. "Haha, if you put it that way... I guess both environments have their pros and cons too, huh?"
He nodded, looking pretty satisfied at my reaction. What, was he saving that little joke just for this or something?
I went on to talk to Seta about Mt. Yasogami and our pottery, hoping to prove to whoever that I knew something about my hometown. The history lessons coming soon might be a different story, though... "Oh wait, and there's the Amagi inn!" I gestured with both arms to Yukiko, who was sticking to herself on the far end, slightly behind us. "Yukiko's family runs it. It's the pride of Inaba!"
That seemed to have caught her attention, and she joined the conversation. "Huh? It's... just an old inn."
Nuh uh, I ain't gonna let you sell yourself short to the new guy. "No way! It's been in all sorts of magazines as a hidden treasure, and I suspect it's fame can only go up once Yukiko here takes over someday. It's pretty much what keeps this place going."
"...I don't think that's entirely true," Yukiko said in a flat tone. Come on, you weren't even embarrassed by that?! And don't say it so plainly like it's a fact! Maybe I should teach you a lesson...
Noting Seta's interest in the conversation, somehow absorbing all the facts I just told him, and now that the focus is on Yukiko now, I decided that now was my chance to strike.
"So, tell me. You think Yukiko's cute, huh?"
"Ch-Chie!" Yukiko sputtered, finally getting involved. Seta too was taken aback by this, his view tracing wildly in all directions except at Yukiko. Hook, line and sinker.
"Well?" I prodded in a melodic tone, but Seta just kept quiet.
"..."
"Come on!" I laughed, with Yukiko grabbing me with one arm and shaking me lightly, trying to make sure Seta doesn't see. "Chie...! Come on, don't start this again..."
"She's really popular at school, but she's never had a boyfriend before! Kinda weird, huh?"
"I wouldn't really say so..." was Seta's reply. Poor guy was even blushing a little bit.
"Oh...?"
"C-Come on, stop it." Yukiko barged in, turning to Seta. "Y-You shouldn't believe that, okay? It's not true that I'm popular or that I've never had a boyfriend." She then started waving her hand, as if to negate what she said. "Wait, n-no! What I meant to say is that, I don't need a boyfriend!" She finally gave up, hanging her head down. "Geez... Chie!"
I got myself laughing at the look on her face. Seta was shaking his head himself, looking pretty defeated, or deflated... maybe both. "Ahaha, sorry! I'm sorry!" I looked to Yukiko, who looked back at me with tired disapproval. "But this is our chance to talk to someone from the big city, and you barely said a word!"
Unexpectedly though, Seta stopped right in his tracks. Surprised, Yukiko and I stopped walking, too. He stood rooted in place, looking somewhat intently at Yukiko, brow furrowed.
"Um..." Yukiko squeaked, turning a shoulder to him. "What is it...?"
"Hold on a second, Satonaka," Seta suddenly said, his words quick. He held his arm out towards me, pointer finger raised.
Seta put both hands on his hips, eyes still locked onto Yukiko, which was when I got at what he was trying to imply. "Oh, I get it..." I laughed again, glad that Seta wasn't happy with me leaving it at that. "Are you... reconsidering your answer? You're welcome to!"
The last time we walked a new guy home and I asked him the same question about Yukiko being cute, he just gave a resounding "Oh, definitely!" That guy was Yosuke. Seta still was looking at Yukiko, and for some reason he started tapping his foot while stealing glances at me, like he was waiting for my response. I obliged him.
"Hey, how long are you gonna take to make a decision?"
"Sorry about that Amagi." Seta finally took his eyes off Yukiko and turned to me, and Yukiko's posture noticeably relaxed. I noticed that during the whole time, his gaze was only fixed on Yukiko's face, and didn't go any further down. It made me pretty relieved that we didn't have another pervert on our hands like Yosuke or that weirdo from earlier - just a guy who was innocently joking around. It made me smile a little wider.
This guy really isn't all too bad at all.
"Are you curious about my answer, Satonaka?" Seta finally said, expressing his desire to take a second shot at getting Yukiko's attention. I guess the first time threw him off, but now he was ready to say it straight. Smooth, has manners, doesn't go overboard... this guy's the polar opposite of Yosuke! Well okay, a polar opposite of Yosuke would've said "Ew, no!" to the question I asked, but given the chances of that happening...
Seta was smiling a bit, though, so I knew he was just playing around with us. I decided to play along too and gave a superhero stance, putting my hands on my hips and blocking the road we were walking on. Yukiko however was just kinda standing there helpless while the both of us were picking on her. Sorry, Yukiko! I smiled, "Of course! Alright, second chance! Do you think Yukiko's cute or not?"
Yukiko by now was panicking. "Wh-Why are you bringing this up again, Seta-kun...? Chie does this all the time. J-Just ignore her...! "
"Don't worry, Amagi, I know," said Seta, giving a reassuring smile to Yukiko. Hm...? What was he getting at?
"There's no need to be embarrassed," he said to Yukiko again. He took a step towards me instead, and looked pretty serious.
"Satonaka, you should know better."
"Huh?" I pointed to myself, bewildered. "Me...? What did I do?"
"You were trying to pull a quick one on both of us," was his curt reply. "Yosuke already told you not to pick on me."
A laugh just came out of me, feeling pretty incredulous about this. What was Seta trying to play at, here?
"Nah," I said, quick to gain the upper hand. "He said not to pick on you too much." I grinned, happy that I somehow managed to remember Yosuke's exact words.
Seta just gave a light chuckle. "To me, it is too much." He continued, shifting his shoulder to adjust his bag. The way he said it... it almost sounded like a light taunt - like I was gonna regret pulling a fast one on him. But obviously, he's got nothing on me, so I didn't feel threatened at all. He cleared his throat before proceeding with giving me his answer. "Anyway, to answer your question... I think so, yeah."
It got a good laugh outta me, and Yukiko almost face-palmed, resting the back of her finger against her forehead. "Was that all of this was for...?"
I crossed my arms, an unexpected but not-exactly-unwelcome feeling of victory filling me now that Seta admitted it. All the guys can't resist Yukiko, even him! I was pretty pleased, so I wanted to make sure Seta would hear an earful of it too. I took a breath and directed a big grin at him.
"A-ha! I knew it-"
Seta quickly held up a finger to stop me and opened his mouth. "Generally speaking, anyway."
Wait... generally speaking? What?
"Huh?" I blurted out. Even Yukiko looked at me, pretty confused at what he just said.
Yukiko took some steps towards Seta, so he could see her. She looked way more curious than flustered. "What do you mean by that, Seta-kun?"
"Well..." Seta trailed off into silence. However, instead of looking tongue-tied, he looked more like he was trying to remember something. "I saw a documentary yesterday about baby pandas. They were cute. You'd say that all baby pandas, generally speaking, are cute, wouldn't you, Satonaka?"
"Huh? Well, yeah, baby pandas are cute..." I said. That was a big enough truth that even I didn't feel girly agreeing with it. It helped that he was the one who pointed it out in the first place.
Looking like he's been completely satisfied, he started walking again as if nothing happened, taking advantage of my confusion to pass by me. Still, I managed to step backwards and stop him, spreading my arms out to block him.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? What does..."
Oh, I get it... Why did he have to beat around the bush so much, though? I gave him a sly smile. "Oh, so you mean Yukiko's objectively cute, no matter what? Why didn't you say so?" I wanted to see the look on Yukiko's face when he speedily cut in, shaking his head.
"That's not it, Satonaka."
"Hm, then what?"
"Don't misunderstand me," he tutted. "Amagi can't be every panda out there." He looked at me like I was supposed to know this, and so I pretended that I did.
"Um... sure! What do you mean, then?"
"I mean..." Seta took a step back, and then looked at Yukiko to make sure she was listening. "You yourself. You're just as much of a panda as Amagi is."
...Wait.
"Wha-huh?" was all I could say in response. "Wha-Wha do you..."
Yukiko however was beginning to smile, noting the pressure's getting off of her. "Ohhh..." she said, lifting a finger showing she's just figured it out.
Wait...
"What I'm saying is," Seta continued. "You shouldn't be tough on Amagi. You're just as cute as she is."
...
What-
"Don't you think so too, Amagi?" He beckoned to Yukiko, smiling. "What were your exact words again, Satonaka? Um..." He looked to Yukiko. "So, tell me. You think Satonaka's cute, huh?"
"Hey-"
Yukiko quickly walked up, tossing a knowing smile my way. "Why yes, I think she's very cute! Just adorable."
Glad to see you're happy it's on me now! My cheeks are heating up! Why does my face feel so hot? I-It must be the embarrassment from... from these two ganging up on me! And what's Seta doing with his eye-
"Hey! Don't think I didn't see you winking to Yukiko!" I yelled, pointing a finger straight at him like a mad, betrayed gunman.
"Of course not - that's why I let you see it." Seta winked at me now, and then he just kept smiling that... that smug smile. "Is something wrong? Amagi says you do this all the time."
"N-Not this way!" I stamped my foot, face burning. "Y-You're supposed to be calling Yukiko cute, not-!"
M...
Me?
Seta chuckled again, keeping his satisfied joy to himself. Yukiko was laughing a little, too.
What... what was...
He shrugged, looking way too satisfied. He started walking again, ready to pass by me. "I'm really sorry, Satonaka. But you set me up. And..." He froze mid-sentence for just a second - I caught it before he walked past. His voice was soft so only I could hear it, still chipper - but something about the tone... it wasn't the same kind of chipper as just now. He didn't look at me.
"...I don't like losing. Sorry again. No hard feelings?"
Those words caught me, but he kept walking past, stopping me from calling him. Yukiko walked past me, too, and took some time to rub it in.
"About time someone turned the tables on you," she said, smiling. "Every time we introduce a new male student to the town, you pull this trick on me."
It took me a few seconds to catch myself so that I could answer Yukiko. "Sorry..." I murmured. "Just a joke, that's all. Plus none of those 'male students' caught your eye so far anyway, and I wanted to keep trying." I tilted my head and looked at her with the best apologetic look I could make, hoping to get off the hook.
"Well you can keep trying, because it's never going to work with the method you're using," Yukiko jabbed back. Ouch, sorry...
She then looked confused for a second before hurriedly correcting herself. "Wait, I mean, stop trying!"
"I can't guarantee you, but... Oh, fine! Okay..." I finally gave in, having learnt my lesson. I smiled at her. "Since you don't like it."
"Good," Yukiko nodded, seemingly satisfied before she added something again. "I never did, by the way." was her correction, before she practically "hmphed" me.
We started walking again, and Yukiko lowered her voice, looking at Seta while he was walking further down the road. We were out of the paddy fields and were going into the neighbourhood again. She raised her eyebrows and gave me a smile. "Although..."
"Although what?" I asked, curious about what it was she still had to say. I already said I was sorry...! Have some mercy...
"It seems you've caught his eye," Yukiko finally said. She lightly elbowed me in the side as we caught up to Seta. "Hm? Hm?"
Heyyywaitaminute
"D...!" I hissed, lowering my voice. "Don't get the wrong idea! He wasn't interested in me - he was just trying to get back at me, that's all!"
Eager to defend my case, I jabbed Yukiko's side. "Besides, if anything, you're the one who caught his eye - why d'you think he came to your rescue, started getting chummy with you and everything?"
"If I caught his eye," Yukiko said. "He would've said so the first time."
"I-! Maybe...! Argh, forget it!"
I quickened my pace and left Yukiko behind, who was laughing a bit at my expense. I also didn't want her to see my face - I started walking faster the moment my cheeks was heating up again. What do I even look like right now?
Stupid transfer student. Are all city boys this insensitive? Figures. Now I have two jerks to deal with, one sitting behind me, and now one's right beside me!
Sheesh. I hope we don't get another.
A/N: Well... I certainly got carried away writing this chapter... Sheesh, longest single chapter of any fic I've written so far, too. I'd intended to have them at the police site, meet Dojima, and end at them parting ways, but now... this. I wanted to put in this part and make it work so badly that it got pretty long. Heh. It added some really weird things I didn't expect. Souji's now less quiet than I intended, the spark with Chie got started much earlier and less subtly than I intended or even liked, and... yeah. But I like it so much... that I'm letting it stay anyway.
I'm particularly glad that I managed to write more Yukiko into it and let her stand out a little through this. I was a little worried at first she wouldn't have the prominent presence I would've wanted, since it is a Chie POV fic after all, and they're best friends - nevermind Souji's Social Link with Yukiko afterward...
Anyway, that's enough author babbling for now. As before, I give you my thanks for reading so far. :)
