Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or any of the characters.
Chapter 9
A dark car pulls up in front of Tatsumi Textiles, splashing slush across the pavement. The driver gets out and opens the rear door for an elderly gentleman. He pulls his fur lined coat closer as he nods to his driver and walks up to the front of the store, and knocks loudly. After a moment Tatsumi-san cracks open the door. But before she can say anything the gentleman speaks up. "I am Shiragami-san. I am Naoto's Grandfather. I believe that she is here."
"Oh! Of course, come in." She says, opening the door wide and letting both men inside. "I don't think Naoto-kun was expecting you."
Shiragami-san nods. "Yes, I thought that we should see how the roads were for ourselves, but I didn't want to get her hopes up, or worry her about us driving."
Tatsumi-san leads the men though the dark and chilly house, into the warm and flickering light of the family room. "Naoto-kun, look who was at the front door."
Naoto and Kanji both look up from their tea. "Grandfather, what are you doing here?"
"I've come to pick you up. We thought we'd try out the roads, since the radio said it was clear in places."
Naoto nods. "I see." She stands and turns to face Tatsumi-san then gives her a small bow. "Thank you so much for your hospitality."
"Oh no trouble at all, it was our pleasure to have you over. Right Kanji?"
"Ah… oh… er… yeah it was great having you over."
"I would also like to thank you for letting Naoto stay the night." Shiragami-san says. "I really would have been worried sick if she had tried to make it home in that storm."
"Oh, yes I totally agree." Tatsumi-san says.
"Well do you have all your things?" Naoto's grandfather asks.
"Yes," Naoto says, reaching down to grab the bear from the table where Kanji and she were sitting. She pauses a moment near Kanji and open's her mouth for a moment, as if she is going to speak, yet she closes her mouth without saying anything. She walks out of the room with Kanji a few steps behind. As she gets to the doorway of the shop she turns to face Kanji. "I'll see you later, Kanji-kun."
"Yeah," He says waving weakly. "See ya around."
"Call me."
"Yeah, uh…. I will."
Naoto climbs into the car and the driver shuts the door then tips his hat to Kanji and his mother before climbing into the driver's seat and starting the car. Kanji isn't sure, but he thinks he sees Naoto give him another small wave from behind the tinted windows before the car drives off.
"Thank you for coming to pick me up." Naoto says, once the car starts.
"No trouble at all, my dear." Her grandfather replies, patting her hand. "The Tatsumis seem like a nice family."
"Yes they are very nice people."
"That is a very cute bear you have. Was it a Christmas gift?"
"Yes," Naoto says, rubbing its velvety soft fur. "In fact Kanji-kun made it for me."
"Did he now?" Her grandfather says, a knowing grin spreading across his face. "I think we should invite the Tatsumis over for dinner to thank them for their hospitality."
"If you think that is necessary." Naoto says not looking up from the bear.
"I do indeed. Hopefully the power will be back on soon, and we can have them over in a day or two."
The power came back on at Kanji's house mid-morning the next day. Kanji's mother sighs in relief since she had been debating if she should open the shop or not. Kanji climbs up to his room and was just starting to go through his fabric to see if he had enough to make another stuffed animal that someone had asked him to make. He absentmindedly answers his cell phone when it rings without bothering to see who had called.
"Hello," He says,his mind still on the pile of fabric.
"Hi Kanji-kun."
Kanji nearly drops the phone. "Uh… Naoto-kun!"
Kanji can hear the smile in Naoto's voice. "Yes, it's me. My grandfather wanted to invite you and your mother over for dinner tomorrow night. As a thank you for letting me stay over during the storm."
"Oh wow, that's really nice of him, but um… we didn't mind having you over."
"My grandfather insisted that we need to have you over. So if you and your mother are free tomorrow evening we'd like you to come over."
"I uh…. I think that should be ok." Kanji says, scratching the back of his head.
"Glad to hear it. Do you happen to have a car, or do you just use public transportation?"
"Uh…. We don't have a car….. we uh… just use the bus and whatnot."
"In that case I'll have Yakushiji-san pick you both up in our car. Will 6 o'clock be alright?"
"Yeah… um… fine."
"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah… uh… bye."
Kanji sighs and hangs up the phone. I sounded like a complete dumb ass. He thinks. I can't say two sentences without tripping over my tongue. Holy crap! I'm going over to Naoto-kun's house! I don't want her grandfather to think I am punk. Will this be a date? Kanji's mind races from one thing to the next as he digs through his clothes dresser, trying to find something that he can wear that will make him look more presentable to Naoto's grandfather.
The next day Kanji is pacing in his kitchen. He has on the best clothes that he owns, a black turtle neck and khaki pants. He checks his reflection in the microwave for the 20th time, and brushes some invisible lint off of his shirt. His mother comes in from closing the shop and smiled. "You look very nice, my dear."
"Do I?" He asked, running a hand through his hair. "I don't remember the last time I wore these pants. I spent all of yesterday trying to get an extra inch or so out of the length."
"They look fine." Tatsumi-san reassured her son.
"Are you sure? They don't feel quite right. I'm having to wear them lower on my waist than I like, so that my ankles don't show."
"Honey, if you don't feel comfortable in them, go up and change."
"Ma! I can't wear my normal clothes to Naoto-kun's house for dinner. She is like, way classy. Her family is rich. I uh… you know…. I just…."
"You could wear a yukata. I'm just going in my kimono."
Kanji looks over at his mother in her nice kimono, her gray hair done up in a bun held up with chopsticks. "Naw…" he says, shaking his head. "I wouldn't look right in a yukata, besides it is a bit cold for that."
"Well you better decide fast: jeans, or those khaki pants. Shiragami's driver will be here any moment to pick us up."
"But….. I ah…. Well…. I don't know!"
Just then a loud knock sounds from the shop door. Tatsumi-san grabs her coat and answers it. "Hello what can I do for you?"
"I am here to pick you and your son up ma'am."
"Wonderful, just a moment and I'll get my son." Tatsumi-san tells the man at the door. She walks into the kitchen. "Too late to change now. Just get your coat."
Kanji sighs and pulls on his fur-lined coat and follows his mother out to the waiting car.
Naoto stands in front of her full length mirror, switching between her cap and the blue headband that she had bought not long ago. No one had the opportunity to see her in the hair band other than Yukiko and Chie at the store. Her grandfather always insisted that she take off her hat during dinner, saying it was bad manners, so she wouldn't be able to hide behind her hat anyway. Naoto glances over to her dresser, where her hat is sitting next to the stuffed bear that Kanji had given to her. A small smile creeps onto her face as she looks at the bear.
After a moment she shakes her head and looks back at the mirror. She runs her hands down her shirt as if pressing out any wrinkles. Usually when she is at home she unbinds her chest. It is much more comfortable to have the bindings off. The pressure on her chest can be painful, and it makes it hard to eat much of anything. However, when anyone other than her grandfather is likely to see her, she always binds her breasts, even though it is common knowledge around Inaba that she is a woman.
She is holding her chest wrap in her hands, debating back and forth when there is a knock at her door. "Who is it?!" She calls
"It's me, sweetie!" Her grandfather calls through the door.
"Come in."
Her grandfather comes in, and smiles as he sees her standing in front of the mirror. "You look wonderful. That hair band looks good on you."
"Thank you" She says with a slight blush. "But I keep debating if I would rather bind my chest this evening or not."
"Do the Tatsumi's know you're a girl?"
"Yes."
"Then why would you go through the trouble. "
"I uh…"
"Naoto," he says, sitting down on the end of her bed. "I know and agree that when you are on a case it is a lot simpler for you to pretend to be a boy and you often get more respect from the locals. It is a sad but true fact. However, this is your home, you should be comfortable here. Kanji Tatsumi is your friend; you don't need to impress anyone."
Naoto sighs and sits down next to her grandfather. "You are correct. However I feel that though I may be more physically comfortable without the bindings, I believe that I will be more emotionally comfortable with them."
Her grandfather sighs, and reaches over to pull Naoto close, then places a kiss on the top of her head. "Do whatever you think is best. Just know that you are always safe to be yourself with those who care about you."
With that said, he stands up and walks out the door. Naoto looks back over to the mirror, before picking up her chest wrap. She bites her lower lip in thought before she unbuttons her shirt so that she can wrap her chest.
AN: what will happen at the dinner party? Well you'll just have to wait. I'm evil like that. I hope everyone is enjoying reading my fic, eventhough I take forever to write chapters. Remember comments make me smile, and motivate me to write faster.
