Author's Notes: I'd like to thank everyone for reading. I want to also shout out to those who are leaving comments as Anonymous or have disabled their PM. Thanks for the comments and Favs. It always makes me smile when I get a new comment or someone new favs my story. This is a shorter chapter, but the next one is going to be LONG. I hope everyone enjoys and keeps reading.

Chapter 11

When Kanji got home his mom heads straight into her workroom, while Kanji falls face first onto his futon with a grunt. Even though it's still early Kanji feels like he could just fall asleep now, mentally and emotionally exhausted from the visit with Naoto. Not to say that he had a 'bad' time, but tiring.

Kanji rolls over to his back and looks up at the celling, trying to think of what they could do for their second date. If you could call it that. Was today their first date even? Wherever they went Kanji was sure he didn't want to run into any one that might know them. Kanji didn't want to risk running into Yosuke or anyone else that might tease them or just give them grief about going out… So that practically ruled out all of Inaba. Maybe Okina City, that wasn't too far, but it made it less likely that they would run into anyone that they knew. Kanji heads down stairs to the computer. Maybe they could watch a movie together. Kanji has no clue what is even playing. He drums his fingers on the desk as the computer warms up, then types in the address of the movie theater. What first draws his attention is the bold letters "New Year's Special showing!"

"That's right," Kanji mutters. "New Years is in just a few days."

Kanji types and manages to get to the Okina City web page. The words "New Year's Eve Festival" are proclaimed in large bold letters. Booths, games, food, fortunes, New Year's charms; a smile spreads across Kanji's face.

On the morning of the 30th as Naoto is just finishing her breakfast her phone beeps saying that she has received a text.

To: Naoto Shirogane

From: Kanji Tatsumi

Would U want 2 go 2 the New Year's Eve festival in Okina w/ me?

"Who is that from?" Her grandfather asks, looking over his newspaper.

"It's from Kanji Tatsumi. He has invited me to the New Year's Eve Festival in Okina city." Naoto says, pocketing her phone.

"That sounds like fun." The old man says, returning to his paper.

"I suppose," Naoto shrugs.

"Will you go with him?"

"I guess so." Naoto says, pushing around that last bits of oatmeal in her bowl with her spoon.

Her grandfather folds his paper and sets it down next to his dirty dishes. "Tell me what's going through your mind."

Naoto sets down her spoon and leans back in her chair. "I've deduced that Kanji-kun likes me romantically."

Her grandfather nods. "I could tell."

"Having never had any kind of relationship before I told him that I would be willing to spend more time with him, and see if my feelings for him may develop into something more than just friendship. But somehow I think I may be leading him on. I'm just not sure what to do. I don't want to hurt his feelings, but I feel like I don't know him well enough to know if I could have feelings for him."

"Well, that is a bit of a pickle. So does he know that you currently don't have any romantic feelings for him?"

"I believe I stated it quite clearly to him."

"It sounds like to me that spending time with him wouldn't be a bad thing. Yet you should be aware of his feelings. If you feel that he is being overly affectionate, you need to let him know that you're not ready for that. You may have to be blunt; boys that age don't take hints well. I think no matter how this ends up it will be good for you."

Naoto looks up, one eyebrow raised, "Good for me, how so?"

"You haven't had much of a chance to socialize with kids your age. Part of that is my fault. Giving you private tutors and taking you along with me from place to place. I think it is a very good thing that you've found a place for yourself here. I think a little High school romance may help you connect more with the young people your age. Get you to understand and sympathize."

"What if I end up hurting his feelings?"

"That is always a risk. But after the pain and hurt feelings subside you both will be better for your experiences. Don't let your fear of getting hurt stop you from living your life. "

"Wise advice as always," Naoto says, with a shy smile. "I think I will go with Kanji-kun."

Her grandfather nods and smiles before he once again picking up his paper and begins to read.

Kanji has been pacing in his room ever since he sent the text inviting Naoto to the New Year's Festival. He hates sending texts. It takes forever to type one up, they can get lost, plus the endless waiting for a reply. Yet he didn't feel like he could trust himself to talk to Naoto. Would he stutter? Would he say something stupid? Would he babble? What if he was interrupting something? Would he even be able to talk? No for today texting was better. He just hated the waiting for a reply. What felt like a small eternity later, his phone beeped to let him know that he had a new text.

To: Kanji Tatsumi

From: Naoto Shirogane

I would be happy to come with you to the festival. When do you want to go?

Kanji stared at his phone for a moment before a grin spread across his face. He carefully typed out a reply text.

To: Naoto Shirogane

From: Kanji Tatsumi

Meet U train station 10 am 2morrow Ok w/U?

The reply back was a lot faster this time.

To: Kanji Tatsumi

From: Naoto Shirogane

I'll see you there.

Kanji barely resisted the urge to jump up and down with glee. He had a date with Naoto. A REAL date this time, without parents wanting to tell embarrassing stories the whole time. What would they talk about? They had the whole train ride to…. Talk…. Once they got there they would have things to do, to look at….. but the train ride.

Almost before Kanji knew what he was doing he found himself walking down the shopping district. He looks at the armor display in front of Daidara Metal Works. All Kanji knows about is sewing, and fighting. His gaze wanders over to the bookstore next door. Naoto did say she liked to read. Kanji looks around, seeing no one that he knows he enters the bookstore.

Kanji prows into the back of the store, before he starts looking around. The store is crammed full of bookshelves it is hard to even turn around. He at lasts comes to a shelf with a small sign at the end saying "Mystery/Horror." Kanji pulls out a few books at random and looks at their covers. One is covered with a picture of blood with a dagger. The next book Kanji pulls out has an outline of a person and a gun.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" A man asks from behind Kanji, making him jump.

"I uh…" Kanji says, rubbing the back of his head. "Well…. I um….. What would be considered…. Uh… classic mystery?"

The man's face brightens and he reaches past Kanji to pull a book off the shelf. "Sherlock Homes, is considered to be the best detective of all time. Most people consider his mysteries to be the best ever written."

Kanji looks down at the large book that the man put into his hands. It has the picture of a guy with a weird hat and a pipe on the cover. The Complete Works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. "Then who is this Conan Doyle guy?"

"Oh he is the author. Sherlock Homes is the character. "

"Oh ok…."

"Would you like to buy the book?"

"Uh….." Kanji lifted the heavy book and looked at the price on the back. "Maybe only one of his books."

The man smiles and pulls out a much smaller book and replaces the large one on the shelf. Kanji looks down at the smaller book titled Adventures of Sherlock Homes "Thanks."

The man sighs. "Would you like to purchase that book?"

"Uh…..yeah."

The man leads Kanji to the front where he rings up the book and hands it to Kanji in a small bag. "Come again."

Kanji looks at the ground as he exits the store, almost running over Yukiko. "Hey Kanji-kun!" She says. "What are you doing here?"

Kanji freezes. "Uh.. nothin'"

"So what book did you buy?" She asks, nodding toward the bag.

"I uh…." Kanji puts the bag behind his back. "Nothin'"

"Oookay. I'm getting a beginner's cookbook myself. I figured I could practice over winter break."

"Uh….yeah… good idea." Kanji starts to inch away from Yukiko. "Well I uh….. gotta go." He says before he turns around to sprint home. He has some reading to do before tomorrow.

Kanji would have gotten a lot farther into the book if he hadn't needed to stop every few lines to look up a word in the dictionary. Even then he couldn't understand half of what Sherlock was saying. After spending a whole afternoon reading Kanji only found out a few things.

One. Reading books with big words makes his head hurt. Two. Sherlock is an ass. He is way smart, but still an ass.

In the one chapter that Kanji managed to read he found that he was liking Watson a whole lot better than he was liking Sherlock. He had to wonder why Watson was even spending time with Sherlock in the first place. Kanji sighs as he puts out his futon for the night.

Sherlock was smart and noticed things that most people didn't, and found meaning behind small things. Watson seemed like an average guy, whom Sherlock had to stop and explain things to. Didn't hanging around Sherlock make Watson feel stupid? Yet Sherlock wanted Watson's help.

Kanji shook his head trying to get his mind to settle down so that he could go to sleep. He had a date in the morning.