Chapter 9

The door flew open immediately, with an overly excited Teddie shouting at them happily. "Nao-chan, Kanji-chan, you're here!" Everyone started to pile up behind him to greet them, and that's exactly when he noticed their joined hands. "Oh my! Are you finally scoring with each other?!" Yukiko slapped him upside the head.

"I said, stop saying that!" she shouted.

"Ah, oh my god, you guys are soooooo cute!" exclaimed Rise. "I want to know every detail!" Her mischievous grin told Naoto she was in real trouble if Rise ever got her alone.

Yosuke smiled and raised his fist to bump Kanji's. "Nice," he said.

"You guys, leave them alone and let them come inside!" whined Chie. "It's time to get settled in for the movie!" Naoto silently thanked her.

When they finally got in past their crowd of ridiculous friends, they made it to the living room where Souji-senpai was sitting with his young cousin Nanako-chan.

"Welcome to our home!" Nanako said brightly. "Are you guys dating?!" she asked curiously.

"Yes," Naoto nodded. "It's so good to see you, Nanako-chan." She spoke warmly to the girl. She never minded when Nanako-chan asked questions, even when they were questions that tended to annoy her from her other friends.

"Does that mean you guys get to be all lovey dovey and kiss each other?" she asked.

"W-What?!" choked Kanji. He turned red, looked away, then looked back at sweet little Nanako-chan. "U-Uh, yeah." He figured being honest with her was best.

"That's so cool!" she exclaimed. "Oh hey, do you want to see the new doll I got? I think you'll both like her. She's a plush doll and a detective!" Nanako-chan was excited to share with them. Their eyes met over her head, and they smiled at each other. Maybe telling everyone wasn't such a bad thing after all. Still, she wasn't going near the kitchen where the other girls were at the moment.

After a while, everyone gathered in the living room to watch the movie. She was grateful that everyone else seemed to want to sit by Souji-senpai and Nanako-chan. Naoto sat a ways behind them, leaning back against Kanji. It was quite peaceful, except for the occasional look Rise-san turned around to throw at her. The look that said you're going to tell me everything the second I get you alone.

After a while it dawned on Naoto that there was another tension in the room, much closer to her. She had been preoccupied with everyone else, and then she finally realized that she was sitting in the dark next to Kanji. She felt him cover her hand with his. When she looked back at him, there was something new in his eyes. Longing? That's what it felt like to Naoto. It would seem that movie night wouldn't end soon enough for the both of them.

Two horribly boring kung fu movies later, and everyone else was ready to go home. Kanji and Naoto stayed behind to help clean up, mostly to avoid Rise-san on the walk home. Then they headed out so senpai could put Nanako-chan to bed. It was a late night for a 7 year old.

"Well, that was interesting," Kanji said softly when they were outside. That look of longing was back in his eyes.

"Indeed," she replied. "Do you… want to come back to my apartment for awhile?"

For once he held onto her gaze, not even tempted to look away, and not even close to blushing. "Yes," he said. "I would like that."

He was quiet when they went inside, they both were. He kissed her slowly, but strongly, expressing all of that longing through his lips.

"Stay," Naoto said. "Please just stay."

"Yes," he answered softly.