I am happy to report... I'm not dead! Unfortunately, the doctors still don't know what on earth is wrong with me, but happily, it's slowly getting better. The current best guess is that I was suffering from a fairly severe pulmonary infection that's slowly starting to fade away. Happily, I can finally function again without suddenly feeling as if I'm going to fall over at any given moment. So that's nice. School is still very stressful since I have to struggle to make up for the semester in which I was suffering from what I often call "the plague" in a feeble attempt to make myself feel better about the entire issue.

Regardless, I'm finally starting to get better. That is the moral of this story. I offer my sincerest apologies once again for all the delays in updates. I'm trying as hard as I am able to balance this, schoolwork, and using tumblr. I'm still roleplaying Naoto Shirogane on tumblr (still the same name as this account), which is why I've been so distracted from this story-it's worked as a wonderful stress relief for me while being sick and I'm more than thankful for all the people I've met there and been able to roleplay with. I can almost always be contacted through there, and if anyone else roleplays Persona 4, I'd be more than happy to try and roleplay with you. It helps me keep the proper mindset.

Many thanks to Fiyerna and Chizuo for betaing this for me. It's helped a lot.

Chapter Thirteen: To Strengthen One's Bonds

As the final bell rang, Souji sighed and leaned back in his seat, staring up at the ceiling. School days were, at best, slowly growing more tedious. He had always been the studious type, and it had served him well the first time he'd lived in Inaba, but now that he was living through the year a second time and he was able to easily remember most of the topics covered. Learning them again, exactly as they had been before, was boring. When it came to school, there was only so much the silver-haired teen could change without coming off as the class-clown or earning the reputation of a cocky know-it-all. Granted, the knowledge provided him with the chance to have a little 'fun' every few days as he had in the beginning of the year, doing it too often would only backfire on him.

Maybe I should skip once in a while, he thought absently. I'm sure Ai would enjoy hearing that if she still remembered when she used to drag me off. She told me I was too stiff... It might be nice to get back to the city once in a while. As tempting as the idea was, Souji was unsure if pulling through with it would be safe. If he did it too often, he'd be caught. But there was also the risk of running into someone he knew outside of Yasogami while he was out, the least appealing of them all being his uncle, Adachi, or Naoto. While he prided himself for being good with words, Souji was doubtful he would have been able to save himself from the situation easily—if at all.

"Souji-kun?" The silverette craned his neck to look in the direction of the voice that called him, regarding Yukiko with a questioning look. The raven stood a few feet behind him, a hesitant look on her face as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, hands clasped behind her back.

"Yukiko?" he straightened himself and turned around in his char. "Do you need something?"

Yukiko's expression changed, a shy smile crossing her lips as she nodded and stepped forward, sitting down in Chie's seat. Her eyes briefly lingered on the top of the desk, a distant look dancing in her dark irises before she turned to Souji again and allowed her smile to become a little more natural. "I was wondering if you could help me with something again. I found a recipe I wanted to try in one of the cookbooks at the inn, but it had a few variations and I wasn't sure which ingredients would be best for it."

"Ingredients?" Souji repeated, "Do you have the recipe with you?"

"I do, but..." the inn-keeper hesitated for a second time and looked at her lap, wringing her fingers together. "I was... hoping we'd be able to go to Junes together. I don't have to help out at the inn today, and it'd be nice to have somewhere to go instead of straight home for once—unless you're busy, of course. Then..."

"I'm not busy," the silver-haired male cut Yukiko off. "I don't have anything to do until later tonight."

"Are you sure?" Yukiko asked in a concerned tone. "I'd hate to cut into your homework time."

"We don't have very much today," Souji said with a light shrug. "It's no trouble—besides, we might see Yosuke. I haven't tormented at him at work for a few days. I'm low on my quota."

The raven inn-keeper laughed softly and smiled. "I'm almost jealous," she admitted. "You and Yosuke seem to get along so well. He doesn't normally take to teasing very well, but you two joke together so often—it's like you've been friends for years."

"We're not that special," the male said with a small laugh. "I guess we just 'hit it off.' Wasn't it the same for you? Yosuke and I can't be much different than you and Chie. If anything, you two have to be closer because you've been friends for so long."

The effect of the words was almost immediate; Yukiko's shoulders slumped as her eyes became distant and she forced a weak smile. Just as quickly as the look had appeared, however, it disappeared as she began to speak, "Yeah... I suppose so."

Despite her efforts to hide it, the shift in demeanour didn't go unnoticed by Souji. Just as the silverette opened his mouth to speak, a figure brushed past him and stopped beside Yukiko, placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Hey, Yukiko! There you are. I'm glad I caught you."

"H-huh? Chie?" Yukiko stiffened as she looked up at her brunette friend, shock melting onto her features. "What are you still doing here? I thought you had plans with Yosuke today." To most, it likely sounded very normal, but there was something off in the way she said Yosuke's name. It was subtle, very subtle, so much so that the male of the small group barely caught it, yet the feeling of something almost resentful was there. He didn't like it at all. As far as he'd noticed, the 'new year' had been going so well, if conflict started now, he wouldn't know what to do.

"We were supposed to," Chie sighed in response, leaning against the desk Yukiko sat at. "The idiot got himself in trouble; he's got detention."

"...detention?" Souji repeated, shaking his head in disapproval. "What did he do this time?"

"King Moron caught him when he was sleeping earlier today. He sprinted down the hallway to catch me and Yosuke before we could leave. It was kinda scary... I didn't know he could move that quickly." There was a pregnant pause as a shiver ran down the spines of all three teens. "Anyway, he's got dragged off to the teacher's offices to serve his punishment or something... it bites."

Beside Chie, Yukiko shared Souji's displeased sigh. "Not again... He really should go to sleep sooner so this doesn't keep happening."

"No kidding," the brunette martial-artist agreed. "So, um..."

"Um...?"

"Would you guys... mind if I tagged along? I heard you talking about Junes on my way back up to grab something from my desk—and I really need to pick a few things up anyway—so..."

"I think that's a good idea," Souji said with a soft smile. "I wouldn't mind. What do you think, Yukiko?"

Yukiko's posture straightened as she looked up at her friend with a wide smile, "I don't mind at all," her tone sounded happier as well. It calmed Souji's nerves greatly. "Maybe we can cook something together? The camping trip is coming up soon! We should start practising."

"Oh man... that's right!" Chie grinned, "I almost forgot about that. We have to make our own food for that."

In the back of his mind, Souji was almost positive he heard several of his Personae let out a pained whimper at the mere idea of facing 'Mystery Food X' again. Of all the memories he'd gained back, that was one of the few he'd have been happier to face the year without.

"Oooh... Chie, come over here. Look at these vegetables; they're so colourful and fresh."

Souji watched quietly from behind as Yukiko beckoned her friend across the small produce section. While he was glad that the raven's mood seem to have increased dramatically since Chie had been welcomed to their small Junes trip, each time one of the girls picked something up, he couldn't hold back a small wince. The less-than-happy memories of the so-called 'lunch' the girls had made before was as fresh in his mind as it had been the day it was placed in front of him. His bravery was something that the silver-haired male had always taken pride in, but the valour was quickly being diminished by the ghost-like taste memory that lingered on his tongue.

Every few minutes, he would attempt to cut into the females conversation by suggesting the simplest meals he could think of in the vain hope that one of them might not turn out as disastrous as before, but each one was turned down. According to Yukiko's claim, the two of them wanted to make something 'special' since Souji—he noted an odd lack of Yosuke in that statement—had been so kind and helpful to them all this time. Unfortunately for him, his assurances that he didn't require anything special or elegant were also ignored.

"What about curry?" Chie suggested, glancing at Yukiko as she reached for a cucumber, oblivious to the horrified grimace Souji made behind her. "I know Yosuke really likes that, and it wouldn't be too complicated to make, right?"

"I—huh?" Yukiko jumped at the question and dropped the package of eggs that she'd been holding, causing several of them to pop out of the foam container and crack on the floor, just barely missing the inn-keeper's shoes.

"Whoa! Yukiko, are you okay?"

The dark-haired women gasped sharply as she stared at the newly created mess and bit her lower lip, kneeling down to pick up the fallen egg-carrier. "Oh, I... Um, yes. I'm sorry. I've been so klutzy lately, I don't know what's gotten into me."

"If... you say so." Chie frowned as she glanced over her shoulder at Souji, who was watching the raven with a frown of his own. Even if what she had said was the truth, there was just something... off. It didn't seem right. "So, uh... about the lunch?"

"Oh!" Yukiko laughed awkwardly and nodded, giving Chie a forced smile. "Right, what were you suggesting before?"

"Curry," the brunette female repeated. "It shouldn't be too hard to make and Yosuke-"

"I don't want to make something for him!" Yukiko shouted as she threw the eggs she'd just picked up back to the ground.

The sudden explosion from the young woman made both Souji and Chie jump violently. Souji winced and took a half-step forward, worried what was going to follow after. Yukiko, as kind and gentle as she was, had shown on several occasions that her temper could become violent when it appeared as suddenly as it had moments ago. Beside her, Chie had reeled backward in surprise.

"Y-Yukiko? What—h-hey! Wait a second!" Before the martial-artist could finish, Yukiko had already turned on her heel and sprinted for the stairs. For several seconds, Chie remained perfectly still, petrified with shock and fear. It wasn't until a hand clasped her shoulder gently that she was violently pulled from her daze. "H-huh!"

"Go on," Souji urged quietly, his tone unusually serious. "I'll take care of the mess, you go after her. She likely needs you much more than she'd need me right now."

"...Right," Chie nodded, flashing the silverette a grateful look. "Thanks, Souji-kun."

As he watched the brunette female sprint after her friend, Souji couldn't help but feel a small tug of guilt as he thought the situation over. Yosuke and Chie had gotten together because of the his prodding he had given them; he'd only meant to help. The previous year had been spent watching them dance around each other so often it drove him near-mad, especially when nothing had seemed to come of it, but this... this had been far from expected. Yukiko wasn't supposed to have suffered from this—no one was.

Sighing, Souji silently hoped for the best as he retrieved the cart Yukiko had been pushing earlier and located an employee to tell them about the mess before he made his way downstairs to the check-out.

"I'm sorry, Chie..." Souji heard Yukiko's voice floating through the lobby as he stepped off the elevator, freshly paid-for bags in hand. "I've been acting so childish lately... I really should be happy for you two." The silver-eyed male paused, stepping to the side as he allowed the small crowd behind him to exit the lift before he glanced to the western side of the lobby. It looked like Chie had been able to keep Yukiko from leaving after all.

"No, Yukiko, that's..." Chie struggled to form the right words as she kicked the linoleum floor with the toe of her show—a habit Souji learned long ago the martial-artist would compulsively repeat when nervous. "You don't have to apologise. I mean, I'm the one who needs to get her act together. I... I didn't even notice that I'd been blowing you off this while time. I just—ugh! I feel so... stupid! And after all we've been through these past few weeks inside that other world... I haven't held up my end of things at all. A-after everything I said after facing myself... and after you faced yours... I'm... so sorry, Yukiko."

"Chie..." the raven-haired inn-keeper stepped forward and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, a soft, but genuine smile gracing her lips. "Please don't apologise. I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I should have gone to you about it sooner. I was just... worried that you'd think I was being overly jealous or end up pulling you away from Yosuke completely and just—o-oh! Souji-kun, I didn't see you there."

Gasping softly, Chie turned abruptly and stared at at Souji with wide eyes, a look of shame crossing her features. "Souji-kun..." She winced with a sigh and looked off to the side, "Ahaha... How long have you been listening to us?"

"Not very..." he admitted with a light shrug. "I just got off the elevator and found you two. I'm glad you managed to catch each other."

"Yeah..." the brunette martial-artist sighed and turned to Yukiko again. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words would form and she shut it again, looking to the floor once more.

"Hey," Souji began softly, shifting his gaze between the two girls, "if there's anything I could do to help..."

"Um, well, actually," Yukiko began tentatively, glancing at Chie who was pointedly avoiding the raven's eyes. "As much as we appreciate the offer, Souji-kun, I think this is something the two of us should talk over on our own." Beside her, the brown-haired female looked up in surprise, relief melting onto her features shortly after.

"Oh?" Souji felt himself smiling as he replied "I'm glad to hear that. I'm sure it'll all go well then." Relief poured through the silverette as he offered Yukiko the plastic bags of food. There had been a number of times in which he'd feared his presence was bad for those around him. It wasn't that he was particularly confident with himself or that he believed he was better than anyone by any means, but the levels to which the others appeared to rely on him was alarming at times. It calmed him to know their bonds with each other were growing just as deep.

Yukiko took the offered bags with a confused expression and peered inside, a look of shock following shortly after. "Oh! Souji-kun, you didn't have to pay for these—here, let me get my wallet and..."

"There's no need for that," the silver-eyed male said with a wave of his hand. "As long as you two promise to talk and work things out, consider that thanks enough. I look forward to what the two of you put together for the camping trip."

"Souji-kun..." Chie looked up, guilt crossing her features. "Wait, that's not really not-"

"Forget it," Souji said with a firmer voice. "I already paid for it, after all. Besides, you can always get more if you're that worried about it. Maybe you could practice with that."

"Thank you," Yukiko smiled softly. "You really are a kind person, Souji-kun. That girl... she's a lucky one."

"Huh?" the martial-artist blinked and turned to her raven friend, curious. "What girl?"

"Oh, um... just a friend of his he mentioned before. I'm sorry, Chie. It's nothing. Why don't we go to the inn for now? We can talk in my room and I'll make us tea."

"...Wh—really?" Immediately, the brunette's face brightened. "Oh! Can you make that really good fruity-stuff you made the last time I came over?"

"Ahaha, of course. We still have the leaves. I saved them special just for your visits."

"Woohoo! Yukiko, you're the greatest...!"

Shaking his head as he watched the two females walk off, the silverette smiled and made his way toward the doors himself. He needed to hurry if he wanted to make it to work early today; he planned to go in early and depart a few hours before his usual. He still had to prepare "emergency provisions" for the trip.

Dragging his sleeve across his forehead, Souji grabbed the bottle of cleaner fluid sitting on the cleaning cart he left sitting in the middle of the floor and started toward the windows. Just as he began to spray the second of the two glass panels, an eerie creek sounded from somewhere behind him and he paused, worried for a moment that someone had entered the ward. His gaze was only met with the empty room and the male found himself shaking his head with a small smile. The first time he came to work there, the various noises and creaks he heard in the hospital had been enough to send chills down his spine and make the poker-face he prided himself on fall long enough to earn a gasp, or even a strangled gulp. Yet, hearing them again, it was almost nostalgic in a humorous way. Why he found them to be so frightening before was a mystery, but when compared to the Shadows found in the TV World, the noises seemed completely moot in comparison.

"Except for maybe Naoto," he mused to himself with a small laugh. There is nothing in this world more terrifying than her when she's angry... Fortunately for him, the silverette had only seem the sleuth's full-blown anger once when they were alone, just once, and it hadn't been directed at him. This was a fact he was very grateful for, as there was a point five minutes into the sleuth's rage that he'd started to fear for the safety of himself and the room around them once Naoto had taken to pointing her revolver at random objects in an attempt to calm herself down.

The silverette continued moving through the room diligently, switching off the cleaners as required until he finished and tossed his rag back onto the cart with a satisfied sigh, realizing he finished the last room for the day. A quick glance at the clock told him it was just a few minutes after nine in the evening. As long as he didn't take too much time getting home, he'd still be able to prepare the back-up lunch for Friday and put in a pre-order for a meal from Aiya to be delivered Saturday morning.

"I picked up the supplies yesterday," the silver-haired male murmured to himself as he grabbed his cart and pushed his way out into the hallway. "I should be able to get enough sleep as long as I don't mess around. Dojima's and Nanako's bentos for while I'm gone are finished..."

Moving on auto-pilot, the investigation squad leader dropped the cleaning supplies off in the janitors closet and locked the doors before he dropped off his keys and made his way toward the locker room. The trip would have been a simple one: get in, change, and get out... he hadn't expected complications, but as soon as he arrived, the silverette questioned why he bothered being surprised about it anymore.

"Hey there, handsome..." a smooth and feminine voice called from behind as a pair of arms slipped around his shoulders. "You're leaving early today. You didn't think you'd escape me so easily, did you?"

"...Hello, Sayoko." Souji responded, allowing his expression to melt into a well practised poker-face. "I didn't think I'd see you this evening. My shift just ended."

"I noticed," Sayoko's smooth voice pouted as the night-nurse slipped in front of the silverette, arms still wrapped around his neck. "Leaving without saying goodbye? After all we've been through? I'm hurt."

The silver-haired teen's eyebrow quirked upward in question as he raised his hands to gently grab her wrists, intending on removing the woman's arms from his neck. "It wasn't my intention to hurt you," he said, "I just promised my cousin I'd be home early tonight. Nanako, remember? I showed you her picture."

"Ouch," Sayoko gasped dramatically. "Not only am I being left without a goodbye, but for another woman? How many other women are there?"

Souji allowed himself a small chuckle as he shook his head. As carefree as the nurse forced herself to appear to be, he could remember well the much more serious, work-oriented and determined nurse he met toward the later half of his 'previous' year. Playing along with her little games was easy enough, and by doing so, it was his hope that he'd be able to see that side just a little more before she left the country again. "More? You give me too much credit, I only have one that I'm af-"

"Ahem." The unexpected addition of a third voice to their conversation made Souji jump as he whipped his head to the side and winced as the effects of whiplash caught up with him. No one had ever walked in on them before, not like this. He opened his mouth, prepared to offer a casual explanation for the position, but the voice that followed made his blood run cold. It had not been an employee who walked in on them. "...Seta-san? Am I interrupting something?"

"N-Naoto! I...!"

"Oh my..." Sayoko grinned as she leaned over Souji's shoulder to get a better look at the young detective in front of them. "This is unexpected. You're that little detective prince everyone is talking about recently. I've seen your picture in a few magazine articles." The brunette's eyes shifted back to the male she currently had trapped in her arms and the grin grew far too fox-like for Souji's tastes. "My, my... You're a sly dog. Looks like you really can capture just about any heart you want. And here I was worried that I was being out-done by another woman. Guess I joined the game just a little too late, hm?"

Without waiting for a response, the night-nurse pulled away from Souji and walked suavely over to Naoto and slipped an arm around the sleuth's shoulders, making her jump. "Don't get too jealous, handsome. I've never seen that boy so much as flinch before, and he's been our little doggy for a few weeks now. I'd say you've got him right in your pocket. Just look at that sparkle in his eyes. How cute." Laughing, she pulled away from a now very disgruntled Naoto and waved over her shoulder as she walked to the door. "You two have fun now. Try not to mess up any of the cots too badly—you just cleaned them after all."

Much to Naoto's relief, Souji had the decency to turn a rather interesting shade of red and attempted a failed, sputtered response. Though she was quite sure her face matched the colour of his perfectly. "...The friends you have managed to acquire are certainly unique," she commented dryly. "You truly do attract all types."

Shaking his head, the silvertte sighed softly and rubbed the back of his neck as he tried to calm himself down enough to talk evenly. "Sayoko is a good person," he assured. "She just... She flirts with others because it makes things easier—it's her way of coping with the stress of her job. Her heart is in the right place."

"Is that so?" Naoto asked, frowning. "She seemed to favour you quite a bit... I've seen her around the hospital before."

Souji shrugged lightly with a grin and inclined his head to the side, "Good listeners seem to be well-received, in my experience. She talks, I listen, then offer advice as best I can. But she likes to tease, I can't deny that. Still, she doesn't mean anything by..."

"By...?" Naoto repeated, frowning as the other suddenly began regarding her with a quizzical expression.

"Strange..."

"I don't believe you're in any position to be accusing another of being 'strange', Seta-san. Though I admit, I am curious. Please elaborate on this observation of yours."

The silver-haired male laughed lightly and shook his head, indicating he meant no offence. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way, but I think I'll point out the obvious question. Are you here for a social call, or did something happen?" A worried look crossed his features as he suddenly felt something in his chest constrict painfully. "You're not hurt, are you? You—no, wait... your grandfather isn't..."

Naoto tensed at the question and suddenly averted her gaze to the floor. She bit her lower lip, pulling it into her mouth slightly as a hand came to rest on her hip and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and adjusted her shoulders. She was trying to straighten herself; appear stronger, in-control, calm. Souji knew the gestures well. He also knew when they were being used to conceal fear or concern.

"To be honest," she began quietly, suddenly deflated as she raised her gaze and met the male's briefly. There was just something about those eyes that made it too difficult to lie properly. "I do not know at the current time. Grampa was experiencing some troubles with breathing and chest pain earlier this evening. I cannot recall a time this has happened before, nor had Yakushiji-san, thus we thought it best that he meet with a doctor as soon as possible."

"I see..." Souji mumbled and tried to mask the worry growing in his chest; Naoto didn't need that right now. The silverette had long-since grown accustomed to taking on the position of "support" for others without even thinking about it. It taught him to guard his emotions well, after all, a pillar couldn't have cracks, least it fall from baring too much weight. "I hope he's alright."

The sleuth could only nod in response as she shrunk back slightly, trying to make herself appear smaller under the careful gaze of the older male. She didn't like how he seemed to see past her barriers so easily, she didn't like that at all. Each time he looked at her, the dark-haired female had a mixed sensation of comfort and fear. It was as if she were the criminal in the interrogation room and Souji represented both the good cop and the bad one. Each lie she attempted to offer was immediately tossed right back at her feet, but the moment she felt uncomfortable the caring, comforting understanding was back and she was left feeling at ease again. "Yes... I hope so as well. I'm sure it is nothing of note, but..."

"Should we go check on him? I admit, I won't be able to get much sleep tonight if I don't find out for sure if he's okay or not. I never got the chance to meet him, but..."

Naoto's eyes snapped back up to Souji and she gulped, shaking her head slowly as she attempted to calm herself down. There was that damned comforting aura he emitted whenever she seemed to need it most. "No, there's no need for that. I believe I heard you speaking with the nurse just a few moments ago that you needed to return home in order to see your cousin. I'm sure he will be out soon, so-" the sleuth paused, surprise suddenly melting into her expression. "I beg your pardon? You... won't be able to sleep?"

"Well," Souji smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, "not just from worrying about him. Namely my concerns would fall around you, I know how much he means to you."

Naoto opened her mouth to respond, but found no words would form. She covered for the slip by clearing her throat and looking off to the side to hide the embarrassed look forming on her features. "There is not need for you to worry about me, I'd much rather your concerns were aimed at him."

The silver-eyed leader nodded once, but continued to look concerned. "If you're certain." His response was a nod from Naoto and he allowed himself to relax slightly, a smile suddenly gracing his features. "Before I forget... You have nothing to feel jealous about. I swore I could only love one person, and that won't be changing. Even if you... even if you don't remember it."

"Wh-wha..." The sleuth's cheeks coloured as she stared at Souji in a mix shock and flustered embarrassment. Her eyes looked at everything in the room but him, and she reached up with a slender hand, tugging her cap down by it's brim as she straightened her shoulders. "I most certainly was not jealous of that woman. Such emotions are both childish and unbecoming—nor do I have reason to be, for that matter."

"Ah," Souji winced, his eyes reflecting a hint of pain he struggled to conceal as he forced an uneasy laugh. "Why would you feel jealous if I was only an acquaintance?"

"E-exactly," Naoto stammered, feeling more heat rush to her cheeks as she tried desperately to force it away. "I've no need to be jealous of someone who is clearly much too old for you and hasn't a chance. You don't strike me as the type who would aim for a 'cougar.'"

The sudden change in tone and body language slipped by the silverette's radar only briefly. The pain which had previously been in his eyes disappeared almost immediately as it was replaced with pain and amusement. The hope that maybe, just maybe, he might regain the old bond with the dark-haired female was renewed once more. Maybe it wouldn't be as hard to befriend her without the assistance of her Shadow—he did know her best, after all. "No, you're right." He grinned, "I prefer someone close to my own age. Intelligent. Rather quiet, but not without the spirit to stand up for herself if she deems it necessary. A problem solver... and I wouldn't say no to an adorable blush."

"Is that so?" Naoto asked with a sceptical tone, the blush forgotten as her eyebrow arched upward. "You are the master of subtlety, Seta-san. You should consider taking it up as a profession."

Chuckling, the male shook his head, "I choose honesty over subtlety. Besides, how can I be subtle around you? It's never worked for me before. You're impossible to surprise."

"...You seem to have acquired the unfortunate talent for managing to pull that off," Naoto murmured, her lips prusing slightly in distaste. "It's concerning."

"Aha, hopefully it will eventually become more endearing and less frightening with time. But, ah..." Souji sighed and glanced at the clock. "Damn, I'm running late. I need to get home."

"Your cousin?" Naoto asked, following Souji out into the hallway. "Nanako-chan, yes? I believe I mentioned hearing you speaking of her earlier."

Souji nodded. "Yeah, that's her. I've become more of a 'big brother' to her recently though. I can't say I'm unhappy with the title." He smiled fondly at the thought.

The sleuth couldn't hold back a soft laugh as she regarded Souji with a small smile. "You seem the type. It suits you Should that be the case, do not allow me to keep you. If something comes up, I've your number. I will alert you of Grampa's condition once it is known to me. Hurry home, and take care to be safe."

"Thank you," Souji said, "Give him my best wishes, if you could. Goodnight, Naoto." Waving, the silverette turned away from the young detective and started down the hallway at a slow sprint. If he caught the bus, he'd make it to the Dojima residence only a few minutes after he promised Nanako that he'd be home. Walking would only waste time.

Something's going on with Naoto, he thought as he slipped out the front doors. Was she really jealous of Sayoko? We haven't known each other that long this time. Is something else at work, perhaps...? What could it be? Maybe... I've managed to gain her trust faster this time around? I did have proof we were close before, but... The sound of the bus pulling up in front of the hospital cut off Souji's thoughts before they could finish and he boarded. He could think about this later.

Back inside the hospital, Naoto had yet to move from her spot in the middle of the hallway where she'd watched Souji's retreating back. Her eyes were glazed over slightly, the detective lost in her own thoughts and completely oblivious to the presence of an elderly gentleman who had approached her from behind.

The man blinked curiously and glanced over Naoto's shoulder, following the young detective's glance to the silver-haired male who had just disappeared around the corner. As he shifted his gaze away from the other male to look at Naoto, a mischievous glint formed in his eyes. "Nao-chan," his tone was light and casual with a hint of humour in its undertone.

When Naoto didn't respond, the elder raised an eyebrow and fought back the urge to grin. "Nao-chan," he raised his voice slightly. "Is everything quite well?"

Gasping sharply, Naoto turned abruptly, nearly losing her footing as she stared at the other in shock. "G-Grampa! Ah, forgive me, it appears I lost myself in thought." The shock was quickly forgotten in favour of concern as she stepped forward and began to look the other up and down. "What... did the doctor say?"

The elder Shirogane smiled kindly and waved a hand through the air, shaking his head. "It appears I had some sort of minor allergic reaction. From what the test's results gathered, the delicious jam rolls Yakushiji obtained for us has a paltry amount of cherry extract in it."

"I see..." Naoto frowned, "We'll have to be more careful about that. I expect he's likely beating himself up over this." The sleuth looked at the floor, kicking at what appeared to me a small pebble that had fallen off the bottom of someone's shoe lightly. "We'll have to refrain from teasing him for a few days. How unfortunate... I was planning something rather entertaining for tomorrow evening."

It wasn't until the sleuth raised her gaze again that she noticed the all-too-happy smile on her Grampa's face.

"...What?"

"Who is that young man who just left?"

"I... w-what?" Naoto swallowed and took a half-step backward, feeling heat begin to prickle her cheeks. "I-I'm certain I've no idea what you're talking about."

"Not at all? Come now, don't think you can fool Grampa Misanori. I may be old, but foolish I am not," his smile only seemed to grow, making Naoto all the more uneasy. "I've not seen you so focused a male since your father told you he was going to teach you how to build a radio. Don't tell me you're becoming more comfortable with your gender after all this time...? That would be most wond-"

"I'm afraid I don't understand at all what you're implying, Grampa," the young detective cut the other off quickly. "What does my father have to do with this?"

Misanori chuckled softly; it was easy to tell that his granddaughter was (very poorly) avoiding the question. "Come now, I know that look. Tell me, what's on your mind?"

"I-I don't..." Naoto gulped as she took another step back. It didn't seem worth the effort of attempting to hide the flush growing on her cheeks anymore. Not in front of this man. He'd figure it out; he always did. "Nothing, really, I... You're imagining things. That man was just..."

"You needn't be so defensive, Nao-chan," the elderly man said as he looked toward the door again. "Strange, though. He looks vaguely familiar... I remember working with a detective during my short time here in Inaba long ago. A dashing young man, very enthusiastic about his work as well. I think he mentioned having a daughter the last time we spoke as well... What was the name...? It's on the tip of my tongue... Let's see now..."

Something in Naoto's stomach dropped as she regarded her grandfather with a faintly horrified look. The likelihood that the name which appeared in her mind was the same as the one Misanori was thinking of seemed unlikely, yet she couldn't stop herself from speaking, "...Ryotaro Dojima?"

Misanori suddenly snapped his fingers and began to nod, "Yes! That's right. Dojima. Clever man, he was, though a bit impulsive. I do hope he's managed to outgrow that... It'd only cause him pain later on. But I am rambling, forgive me, Nao-chan. We should probably take our leave before that pretty nurse Uehara-san thinks I'm contracting alzheimer's..."

"That... that was his nephew, Souji Seta, but..." Naoto trailed off, her lips curling in distaste at the name 'Uehara'; that was the name on the female nurse's badge from before. "Tch... Then allow us to leave quickly. That nurse is a danger to males around her." Without waiting for a response, the sleuth turned abruptly and began walking toward the doors.

Behind her, Misanori chuckled and followed her at a much slower place, the smile of amusement back on his face. "Hm... I'll need to call Ryotaro sooner than I planned, it seems. How interesting..."

"You'll never stop me! The man shouted as he took a step back, a wicked smile on his face. Give up, Loveline. There's no hope for you now. Your only choice is to surrender to me; you can't prove anything!" Souji said, his pale eyes focused on the book in his hands. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Nanako gripping the edge of her covers tightly, eyes wide as she listened to the story. "Want me to fill you with holes? Glass shouted as Loveline looked around for something that would help her escape the grasp of the evil villain before her..."

As he continued to read, the silver-haired male couldn't help but smile as he watched his cousin's reactions to the story; the slight widening of her eyes when the scenes grew intense or the soft gasps as the plot-twists sent her young

mind reeling with possibilities. As mature as she was, the fact that she was able to have such a strong childlike fascination with even the simplest of things was a comfort to him; the last thing he wanted was for Nanako to grow up as quickly as he had.

"Thank you for all your help, the chef of police smiled as he shook the hand of the young detective. We couldn't have done it without you."

"It's not a problem!" Nanako suddenly piped up happily, knowing the end of the book from memory. "Just leave the investigations to me! I'm the Magical Detective Loveline!"

Souji laughed as he closed the novel and set down beside Nanako's futon with a small nod. "Did you enjoy the story?"

"Yeah!" the young brunette beamed, eyes sparkling, "You did all the right voices too! Thank you, big bro! I didn't know a new book came out today."

"Neither did I," the silverette admitted, tucking the young girl's covers in around her. "Uncle called today and asked me to pick it up on the way home."

"Really?" Nanako gasped softly, "Dad bought it for me?"

Souji nodded, earning a squeal of delight from his young cousin that melted into a tired yawn. "I have to... thank him..."

"He'll be here when you wake up in the morning," he assured her softly and leaned down, placing a quick peck on her forehead. "For now, catch up on your rest."

"Thank you for reading to me, big bro..."

"It's no problem, Nanako. Sleep well... Goodnight."

The rattling of the front door broke the silence Dojima household, followed by a loud yawn. In the kitchen, Souji paused in the middle of flipping an omelette and looked toward the entryway, smiling faintly as his Ryotaro appeared a few moments later, a case of beer dangling loosely in his left hand.

"Welcome home, Uncle."

"Ah?" Dojima glanced into the kitchen as he leaned back, letting out a soft hum of approval at the soft 'pop' he heard. "You're still up, are you? I thought you had an early morning tomorrow, didn't expect to see you awake." Briefly, the older male's eyes danced over the various supplies littering the counter and he nodded toward them in question, "Or is this some last minute stuff you're fixing up?"

Flipping the omelette he'd just finished out of the pan, Souji watched as it landed nearly onto a waiting plate and shrugged lightly. "Last minute, but it's nor for the trip."

"You shouldn't spoil us so much, you know..." Dojima chuckled as he placed the case of beer in the fridge before moving to sit at the kitchen table with one of the bottles in hand. "I might decide on telling your mom that you're staying in Inaba rather than going home in March."

As he reached for a plate piled with sliced chicken which he'd already prepared for cooking, the silver-haired teen paused. His fingers hovered over the raw meat, the look in his eyes shifting as something crawled into his throat and expanded itself. He could only be grateful for the fact that it was his back to his uncle and not his face, as he was certain his expression had fallen long enough for it to have been noticed. It wasn't exactly a situation he'd try to escape from; the silverette would have been far too willing as a hostage. "Oh? Threatening to keep me hostage?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder with a carefully-placed grin. "Didn't think you were the type who 'doesn't play by the rules.' I'm shocked, detective."

With a light laugh, Dojima popped the top off of his beer and took a swig, "Depends on how the game changes. Sometimes you have to remember to keep an open mind and be a bit more... instinctive." The Detective shook his head with a small sigh and leaned back in his chair before regarding Souji with a curious look. "By the way... you haven't seen a kid going around town asking questions, have you?"

"Huh?" Souji blinked, a look of confusion crossing his features as he turned around to face the older male. In the back of his mind, he had a feeling he knew who was being spoken about, but regardless he forced a neutral expression on his face. The last thing he needed was to give his uncle a reason to ask unneeded questions. "Questions? What kind?"

"About the murders. It's nothing serious since you're not involved-" there was a brief pause as Dojima gave Souji a pointed look before continuing, "-but the kid's been going off on his own and opting not to work too closely with us." He shrugged and took another gulp of beer, turning the bottle in his hands thoughtfully, "Honestly, I think the superiors are intimidated by him... Anyway, the kid's got short hair and dresses in a classic detective's outfit. Goes by Naoto Shirogane. Have you heard of him?"

Clearing his throat, Souji turned back to the stove and suppressed the strong urge he had to grin. Various answers to the question shot through his mind as he tried to settle on what to say. The reactions from his uncle if he were honest—admitting that he was in love with the person in question—would have been comical, but given the circumstances of his situation, it was always better to tread lightly. Lying was out of the question, all Dojima would have to do in order to see if he was lying was ask Naoto herself, and he knew better than to think Naoto would take well to her existence being denied. He didn't think he had the heart to do it anyway.

"Naoto?" he repeated the name casually with a small nod and watched his uncle out of the corner of his eye, "I know him."

Ryotaro's response wasn't immediate. His rubbed his chin with the palm of his hand as he carefully looked over Souji's neutral demeanour. For several long minutes, the silver-haired male could feel the others gaze following every movement as the atmosphere slowly started to grow more tense, "How well?"

Better than anyone else, Souji thought immediately, the silence answer almost escaping past his lips. He silently chided himself for the near careless slip and shrugged lightly, keeping his voice as even as possible. "Well enough that he lets me use his first name, I guess." He offered his uncle a thoughtful look of his own, "We've had lunch together a few times, too."

Silence filled the kitchen once more as neither male spoke. For a moment, the investigation squad leader feared he'd given an answer that would get him in trouble, but much to his relief, Dojima nodded. The older male placed the glass bottle he'd been handling on the table before he began to speak. "I figured you and your friends were nosing around a bit..." he smiled wryly at the huff of protest Souji made and continued with a small wave of his hand, "but I feel better with you looking after the kid. There's not much I can do for him myself without getting on my superior's bad sides, so..."

The teen's jaw tightened as his pale eyes watched the chicken in the pan in front of him. Far too often he'd heard Naoto's bitter tone as she explained how the police force felt they needed to treat her. His hand tightened around the pair of chopsticks he'd been using to poke at the food and he silently urged himself to calm down. It wasn't a big deal. At least Dojima understood that what the other detectives were doing was wrong. That was nice to know. "Look after him, Uncle?"

"Yeah," Dojima mumbled as he reached up, loosening his tie, "He's... well, looked down on by the more experienced detectives on the force. It's good he has someone his own age he can talk to for a change. Besides," the dark-haired male paused and sipped at his beer, suddenly attempting to appear much more casual than before. "I promised a friend I'd look after him as best I can. If he's with you, I can rest easier."

"He's mentioned that a few times. His choice of words was... unique." Picking up the pan, Souji began carefully emptying the pieces of chicken into a container before reaching for a small cup with a mixed seasoning he'd made earlier for flavour. As he began to sprinkle it on carefully, he spoke again, unable to hide the curiosity in his voice, "A friend?"

"An... old friend," Ryotaro replied, eyeing Souji over his bottle.

Raising an eyebrow, Souji leaned against the counter and met his uncle's look with ease. Was this meant to be a test of some sort? His pale eyes took in his uncle's movements carefully, watching for any signs of suspicion. Answering the question wouldn't hurt, as he'd already told his uncle that he knew Naoto; logically that meant he'd know something about him as well. "Do you mean her Grampa, Misanori-san?"

Much to the teen's surprised, Dojima chuckled with a small nod. "He's told you about him, huh? Yeah..." he nodded again, a nostalgic smile on his face, "we go way back."

"He has a few times, yes..." Souji answered slowly, surprised with the new information. That was certainly something he'd not learned in his previous year. He turned back to the counter and began packing the food he'd made into bentos for each meal he wouldn't be there to help cook, once again unable to stop his curiosity. "How do you two know each other?"

"It's... a long story," the older male said, taking a final swig to empty his bottle of beer. "Short version, Shirogane-senpai got me my start. I had a lot of other senpais guiding me, but... Shirogane-san was the one who helped me the most."

"Is that so...?" The surprise he'd been attempting to conceal melted onto Souji's face as he finished packing the food and began placing the bentos on the fridge. In the back of his mind, he made a mental note to ask Naoto if she'd had any idea that their relatives knew one another on what sounded like a fairly personal level. "Heh, if Naoto is anything to go by, then he must be a good teacher." He paused, then added with a small smile, "...Though if it helps, we don't talk about the case much."

This time, it was Dojima who looked shocked. He stood and walked over to the rubbish bin, tossing it into the open lid before he turned to look at Souji. "That's... unexpected. He seems like he's all business, even outside of the office. Good to know the kid's able to relax once in a while. Anyway..." the rest of Dojima's sentence was drowned out by a yawn. Grunting, he rubbed his face again and sighed, glancing at his nephew with a tired smile. "Don't stay up too much later, or you'll pay for it in the morning."

"I won't, I just need to clean up." The silver-eyed teen nodded to the dishes and began gathering them in the sink, "Oh, and uncle?"

"Hm?"

"On the table there, see the black notebook?"

"Huh? Oh... yeah, I see it."

"There's instructions on how to heat all of this up right, and a few easy step-by-step meals in case you two need something more to eat. As long as you follow them, it'll be just fine. I'm sure Nanako would love to have a meal her father cooked for her."

For several minutes, Dojima didn't respond. His gave shifted between Souji and the notebook, taking them both in slowly before he smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah, alright. Thanks... I'll do my best," he laughed. "I'm sure you'll hear all about the results. I'll try not to make you come home to a burned kitchen."

Snorting, the younger male shook his head. "I'm sure you'll do fine. I tried not to involve the stove too much."

"Ahaha... That so? Good thinking. Probably for the best." Exiting the kitchen area, Dojima walked toward the hallway, pausing only to glance over his shoulder in the doorway, "'Night, Souji."

"Goodnight, Uncle. Sleep well."