Author's Notes: Friends! Romans! COUNTRYMEN! You have called and demanded and waited in patience and I, I have answered! I answer now as I did then, and present to you the newest addition to greatness! The most recent tribute to the muses is yours! YOURS for the TAKING!
Before such glory can be witnessed, recognition is to be given to the vocal, they who have commanded and praised the most! In honour of them, these are my responses!
MegaRizwan20: His past and previous girlfriends seemed like something that had to be covered at some point, and it was actually quite fun to write so I'm glad it came across well. As to the other arcs, well, we'll have to see, no? But Rise's in them, so they will be worth it.
darrelodin: Much obliged! I aim to be unforgettable in my presentation of all things writerly and to raise the bar with every chapter I post, after all. I'm glad that the almost-sex scene came across well, and the departure was actually really easy to write, so if that worked well then even better. Thanks for the review, and if you're curious about Rise and where Souji's life is going next, well, you'll just have to wait and see. Though the answers might be right around the bend.
Ziodyne967: You're very welcome! I try to give my readers what they want, and if I exceed their expectations, then even better. Thanks, and enjoy!
Frosty Wolf: …Interesting? Just interesting? That's… Yeah, them's fightin' words. Let's see how this chapter measures up, shall we? Thanks for the review!
Xoraan: Well this is a first. Can't say I've ever been blessed by someone before. Will that involve a trip to Mt. Kilimanjaro and being purified in a 400ft waterfall? Because that would be awesome. Anyway, I hate to blow my own horn, but I'm glad you liked the chapter given that it was an experience to write, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out myself. And since there's a lot to cover while they are at university, you can expect a fair bit more of the others doing what they do best, along with Souji and Yukiko, of course. Glad you're liking it, and enjoy what's to come!
Guest (James): Yep, they're in here. And I have a lot more ideas for them in the future. Thanks for the review, and enjoy!
Ulcaasi: Might be longer if I have more delays like this one, but I'll try hard to keep things nice and steady. And if it takes longer, well, I'll just make sure that it's well worth it. Seems like I made your day. Thanks again, and enjoy!
Tatsuma: It's a rare thing when hype is accurate (just look at the video games industry), but if you feel that I met expectations this time around, then I will certainly take it. Glad you like it, and I hope you're ready for more.
burgerkong: You're very welcome. Glad I could make your day. Things being tough between them is kinda the idea, since they do have some growing up to do still, but that also means that their reunions will be a lot of fun, no? Thanks for the review, and enjoy!
Ceetee: Oh I'm still working on it. I might take a while to get to the next chapter (longer than I should, but I plan to work on that), but I have too many ideas and wonderful fans to just ditch this story here.
Zelenal: Wow. Where to start? Well, first off, welcome to the story. I'm very glad that you are enjoying it this much, and some of your points are very flattering. I'll address them in no particular order. It's very interesting to see a comparison to Fate/Stay Night since I was introduced to the series a year or so ago, and burned through the first two routes in less than a week. I really loved Rin and pretty much every scene she was in, so being compared to Nasu is a high honour. Furthermore, I'm glad the scenes work well since I try to make everything feel organic, fluid and smooth when I write them. Something tossed in for fan service or titillation feels cheap when I see it in other places, so I try not to subject my readers to it. Plus, Enact would kill me if I added something watered down to this work, or Change of Engagement (which you should totally check out). The notes on Japanese culture, well, I certainly try to make it feel authentic, because otherwise things would feel 'Supposed to be Japanese, but totally American, but don't call it that.' And I think the source material deserves more respect than that. Glad you like it though. I had to look up the 'Will They or Won't They' trope when you mentioned it, and I don't think it ever occurred to me to go that route. I like progress to be steady and logical, but keeping a long, drawn-out pace on things feels too easy since everyone and their lobotomized monkey can write that way. You came here for depth and awesomeness, and that is what I aspire to deliver. Not to mention that that measure of drama feels disrespectful to the characters and readers alike. Finally, that's a good musical choice, but it almost feels like you think they won't be going back to Inaba. As I said last chapter, I have plenty more tricks up my sleeve. I hope you enjoy the show, and thanks for the review.
Myrrn: The greatest praise I can get is for someone to say that my work feels like it could be a genuine continuation of the source material, so thank you very much. I aim for characterization and quality, so it's encouraging to know that I am still getting it right. Much obliged, and enjoy the chapter.
jtesauro: A cliff-hanger of that variety would have been a bit cliché, not to mention cruel to my audience since they would have had to wait this long to get an answer. And I do take your point, that my subtlety needs work. Good experience though, and live and learn, right? Thanks for the review, and enjoy the chapter.
GoldenGlama: It seems that my specialty is in characterization, so I'm glad I haven't lost my edge. And I agree with you – I always find that strong characterization makes books and stories much more enjoyable. Your comment on the traumatic stress is an interesting one. Honestly, I was expecting to be taken to task for not playing it up more than I have, given how I introduced the concept with Souji and Yosuke. I understand why it might be off-putting given that it is new material. Also, I appreciate you pointing out the dialogue getting a bit wordy. I know I have a habit for that at times, so I will definitely keep that in mind. Thanks very much, and enjoy!
Vasuki: Most of the Persona-related action gets to stay in the game, at least in this case. I feel that another adventure would feel like an attempt to one-up the source material, and I respect it a fair bit so I'll leave it as it is. As to meeting P3 characters, I had considered it but at the moment I don't think so. Not because I couldn't fit them in, but because I think it would conflict with/give things away for my P3 fic, Change of Engagement. And I'd like to keep things as stable and fresh as I can. If you are itching for some action and Persona-related destruction, however, I would very much recommend it, and not just because it's my own work. Those are good questions, however. Thanks for the review!
beatlesfan931: That's an interesting point about Yukiko. I certainly hadn't intended for her to come across like that, but I do see what you mean – she was a bit too right, a little too perfect at times, and that would take away from her depth. Thanks for mentioning that – I'll definitely keep that in mind for the future. I'm glad that writing those two is still coming across well, since that is the point of the story, and I think you'll like where they go from this point on. And the others, of course, will have all sorts of trouble to get into. It is Rise, after all. And as to the corrections, thanks for bringing my attention to them. I wrote that section in one day, so it makes sense that I would miss things here and there. Also, I can't believe I missed the 'memento' vs. 'momento' bit. I can read and speak Spanish, so missing that feels like a slap. Thanks again for the review, and I hope that I can, at the very least, remain engaging and interesting.
Tracer28: That whole scene was a lot of fun to write, so I'm glad people like it. And as for Yukiko's PoV, well, you never know what I'll do. Hope you like the chapter.
dayabr: Thanks! I certainly plan to keep at it, regardless of how long it takes. I can promise that it will be completed.
Rick Crash Tracy: Glad you like it, and I appreciate the praise – knowing that I've progressed this much as a writer is quite encouraging. And if you are still interested in a copy when I get my work published, I'll certainly let you know when it comes out. My fans deserve nothing less, after all. Enjoy!
The time to partake in the fruits of the imagination is nigh! Go forth, revered and beloved, highest among the high, and take what is rightfully yours! Indulge and thrive in its wonders! Spread the word to others, to share in its pleasures and bounties! Speak to the creators of such treasures that they might provide you with more! And all hail the divine muses for their gifts, without which the world would be bland and stale and grey!
Onward, Children of Mars! Onward, and for Rome!
Chapter 25
"You're going to have to take that off before we can get in the pool, you know," Chie told her with a fond, exasperated smile. "Unless you want to wear it in, and I don't think you want to risk losing it."
Yukiko looked up in surprise and some embarrassment, pulling her thumb and middle finger away from twisting her ring for the fourth time that day. "Right. Sorry." Her words were repentant, but it was impossible for her to keep the smile off her face as she looked down again, eyes soft as she gazed at the ruby in the ring and sighed happily.
But when Chie gave a 'what can you do?' shrug and walked toward the change room, Yukiko pushed off the stone wall and followed her, clothes bag in hand as the humidity got stronger the further in she went.
With classes starting soon, the pair had been busy planning out their routines and exploring the Kyoto U campus. When they learned there was an exercise building with an enormous swimming pool near their dorm, they bought their passes the next day and went to the facility for some lane time.
"Kyoto U's known for their tradition and special management programs," Chie noted as they changed before locking up their clothes and possessions, rolling her eyes as Yukiko stared at her ring once more before carefully closing the locker and tugging on it to make sure it was secure. "But this place is pretty impressive." And it was. The change rooms and shower stalls were particularly spacious and there was a lot of natural lighting.
"A few years ago, Kyoto U and Tokyo University argued over who would have the funding for a new facility," Yukiko explained as they began to shower, soaping up and soaping off swiftly as they talked. "I heard it was so they could decide where they would hold the summer Olympics. The arrangements didn't work out, though, so they made it into an exercise and training center that's top of the line. The brochure said there are treadmills and weight rooms upstairs if you wanted to use them," Yukiko suggested.
Chie gave an unimpressed hum, running her hand through her dripping hair, her one-piece concealing the worst of her scars, though there were still jagged scratch marks along her left shoulder blade. Yukiko remembered her friend receiving those wounds, recalled her heart tripping over itself as she tried to focus past the noise and smoke and blood, tried to concentrate as her closest friend screamed in pain. "I'll give it a look," Chie told her with a shrug, heedless of the thoughts running through Yukiko's mind. "I'll take the pavement and trails over a machine, though."
Yukiko smiled knowingly and followed her friend as she headed to the pool deck. The roof was a massive skylight of aluminum and glass, filling the building with bright summer light while chlorine and laughter were heavy on the nose and the ears. The pools, because there were two of them, were full-sized and sported floaters for the lane lines while the deck was covered with people of all ages. Some students, some adults, some swimming while others relaxed. Several guys their own age, maybe a little older, were talking with the ladies in the lounge chairs nearby, evidently hitting on them with mixed results. When a few of the guys looked their way, interest and speculation clear in their eyes, Chie nodded to the water and made her way to the edge, leaping in with a long, graceful dive before kicking forward and stroking fast to the opposite end. Yukiko followed suit in her own lane, though didn't try racing against the martial artist. She didn't have a swimming cap, after all, and the weight of her hair would slow her down. Instead she found her stride, or stroke, as it were, and kept her pace steady while thrilling in the burn of her muscles. The water was just right for swimming, cool enough to keep her from overheating, and she would have been grinning the whole time if she didn't have to hold her breath.
Conversation was impossible as they swam for more than forty minutes, both breathing faster but not hard as they floated at the same end. "You've gotten better," Chie noted as she treaded water, sometimes fast enough to rise out of the water, other times barely moving at all, but never content to just float.
"I haven't been to a pool in years," Yukiko admitted, breathing deep and pushing her hair back from her face. And it was a shame that she hadn't. She'd loved swimming since childhood, starting off in the hot springs at the Inn and moving through the water like a fish when she'd been in lessons during school. It was something she'd put to the side as her responsibilities had grown, and she was realizing now how much she'd missed it.
"We'll be in Kyoto for a while," Chie pointed out, laughing and pulling herself onto the deck and sitting on the edge, followed by Yukiko. "Seems like a waste not to use it while we can, right?"
"Of course," Yukiko returned with a smile, twisting her hair to squeeze the water out.
The slapping of wet feet approached them, and neither looked up on account of not knowing anyone except for the odd person in their dorm. "Sorry to interrupt," a new woman told them from a few feet away, pulling their eyes upward, "but didn't you two just move into the dorm across the way?"
Yukiko glanced up to the speaker, only to lose her words the moment she did. The first thing she noticed was the daring two-piece swimsuit, red and orange and yellow splashed across her chest and pelvis in a way meant to draw attention instead of divert it. The second thing was the tattoo reaching up the woman's right side: rough-looking sakura branches with the buds about to flower, on which perched a real-as-life black and russet sparrow, its head tilted as it looked at a nearby cicada. It was hard to tell the woman's hair colour since it was soaked through, but two green eyes caught hers and narrowed playfully, a smile crossing her lips that said 'Ohh, do you like what you see?' Yukiko pulled back from the look, red in her cheeks.
"I remember you two," she continued, pointing at them in recognition. "You had a guy with white hair help you move your stuff in," the woman's eyes narrowed in obvious interest, hand on her hip without reservation. "And there was another guy with blue hair who looked like a runner helping him out, right? They were both pretty noticeable."
"That's us," Chie confirmed slowly, tacitly inviting the woman to introduce herself when she nodded in return. "Is there something you need?"
The woman checked a waterproof watch on a gold bracelet, her lips turning down when she saw the time, before she replied. "I live there too and thought you might want some help getting adjusted. But I have to go. I'll catch you later," she told them over her shoulder as she started walking briskly away, catching attention from the nearby guys who turned to watch her leave.
"She was… interesting," Yukiko remarked. Bright and vivacious, and coming over only to leave a moment later. "I didn't know we had people like that in the dorm."
"Takes all kinds," Chie replied, watching to woman leave before shaking her head. "Strange. But are you done with your registration? I have to double-check some things and get my books."
Yukiko nodded and followed her friend to the change rooms, nodding politely to the people around them as they went. The woman who'd greeted them was nowhere to be seen, and compared to the dark one-pieces or black and grey suits the other women in the change room wore, she would have stood out if she were. Yukiko checked her locker before they washed the chlorine off the make sure her ring was still there, her cheeks tightening with a smile again when she saw it winking back.
Once she rinsed the conditioner from her hair and towelled it dry, she pulled on her clothes and flexed her hands. The pull of her stretched muscles was a familiar comfort, and she was already looking for gaps in her weekly schedule to work in more swimming time. She'd have to find a swim cap before she did, however; she didn't want to ruin her hair.
They left the pool to look after Chie's errand, which took them to the campus administration and then to the bookstore where she found the last of her textbooks, eating up the rest of the morning and taking them into the afternoon. The pair picked out a bench in one of the university courtyards to take in the scenery and enjoy a quiet, store-bought lunch, the price of which reinforced Yukiko's determination to cook proper meals for her and Chie. She had Souji's cookbooks, after all, and she'd promised him that she would get better by the next time she saw him.
The sky was clear and bright, the wind carrying the scent of fresh-cut grass and cooked rice from the nearby cafeteria, and the girls relaxed in their seats to soak in the ambiance. "It's not Inaba," Chie commented after a few minutes of comfortable silence, "but this place is pretty nice."
"Souji and Kou-kun are probably in Fujisawa by now," Yukiko replied, not stopping her right hand from moving over to her ring, feeling the patterns in the gold against her fingertips. "He said Rise-chan would help them sort everything out when they got there."
Chie chuckled, reading between the lines without any effort. "He'll be fine. Souji grew up in the cities, and he's moved around more than both of us combined. I don't think there's anything Fujisawa can throw at him that he can't handle."
"He has Yosuke-kun and Kou-kun with him," Yukiko noted, looking distantly across the courtyard and through the traffic of passersby. "I wonder how he does it sometimes. He's used to it, I'm sure. When I went to Kofu, he seemed at home in the city, and even moving around a lot didn't seem to bother him. But I wonder if…"
"If what?" Chie inquired. When an answer wasn't forthcoming, she shrugged and leaned back, kicking a foot out and bouncing her heel on the grass. "You're probably worrying over nothing, you know. And he'll be back here before you know it."
"So will Kou-kun," Yukiko replied with a small smile, looking over to Chie. "You two have gotten close lately, haven't you?"
Chie blinked at her, then blushed a sudden red and cleared her throat. "Um, yeah, well he's…"
Yukiko waited for Chie to finished, but when the answer didn't come, she moved a bit closer on the bench. "He's what? Is everything okay?"
Chie cleared her throat and tried for something steady and level. "W-well, yeah. We're fine."
Yukiko looked at her, a bit puzzled. "I see," she said after a moment. "If you're sure, then that's good news. I'm glad things are going well between you."
Chie tried to control her reaction, but couldn't. Yukiko always managed to ask things in a way that made it hard to ignore, no matter how Chie wanted to at that moment. Things were going fine between her and Kou. Hard as she tried, much as she wanted to focus on the present, the words pulled her back to Inaba, and her face heated while her right hand closed in a loose fist like she was trying to hold onto something precious.
Flashback
Nothing beat Aiya. This was a universal truth alongside the colour of the sky and the direction that rain fell. Furthermore, nothing beat Aiya after a long day of packing and prioritizing what stuff she would be taking with her to Kyoto. First she'd thought she could take all her fighting gear and martial arts magazines, but Souji had trimmed down her list, reminding her that the fewer things she brought with her, the fewer bags she'd be carrying from the train station.
Still, there was a fair amount to pack up, and Kou had stopped by to help her and get in a last-minute study session. He'd come up to her room after he was done talking with her mom and making her laugh like only Chie's father had been able to up to that point. She'd packed her clothes into one bag and set about packing what was most important, him offering commentary on what she would be able to buy in Kyoto rather than carry with her. "You'll be coming back in a few years," he told her when she fretted about the stacks of her DVDs and karate documentaries that she'd be leaving behind. "And it'll all be here when you do."
"Are you taking much?" She asked.
"Just my books and clothes," he replied, looking at some of her favourite posters. "I can find everything else in Fujisawa. Or get someone to send me what I want after I get there."
Chie gave him a faux-sour look, flipping through her books and thinking of how to fit them in her last bag. "I'm down to four bags and I still think I'm going to break my back trying to carry all of it. Must be nice to be a light traveler."
"It is," was his answer, and he dodged back with a laugh when she threw one of those books at him. To make up for it, he'd taken her out to lunch, and her fretting and grumbling disappeared the moment the promise of Aiya's Triple Beef All-Meat Extra Protein Bowl was mentioned.
They took their seat at one of the tables and she dug in as soon as the food was cool enough to eat. Kou was more reserved, eating steadily for a few minutes before his face went sober, clearly lost in thought.
"I wanted to know if I could keep in touch with you after Souji, Yosuke-kun and I leave for Fujisawa," he told her after playing with his food for a short while.
She shrugged, finishing a few more mouthfuls before answering. "Sure. We can keep studying like we have been. Might be tricky over the phone or on emails, but we've done pretty good so far."
He set his chopsticks on top of his bowl and looked at her. "We have, and I was wondering if you'd mind me calling you for more than just homework and studying and ideas."
She stopped eating, mind and chopsticks held still from the serious look in his eyes. For the first time in a while, his easygoing smile was nowhere to be seen. "Did you have something in mind?"
"We're friends," he told her after a long breath. "But that's not all we can be." He saw her widening eyes and continued quickly. "Let me explain. I love the time we spend together. I've learned a lot, it's a blast when we're hanging out or working on something, and I don't want there to be a misunderstanding. I'm glad to be your friend, but I hope we can be more than that while we're in university, even at long distance. I want to try to make something like that work."
"I… I'm not sure w-what to say," she told him, going a bit pale and losing her appetite.
He nodded. "I know, and I don't expect you to say anything. It's probably a bad time to talk about it, with everything going on."
"I-it kinda is," was her reply as her mind raced, looking for an answer.
"But I wanted you to know how I felt before we leave Kyoto," he told her, his eyes not moving from hers. "There won't be much time to get together when we're four hundred klicks away from each other. I'd like to keep in touch and hook up when we can. See where this goes."
"So would I," she said softly when the words were clear in her mind, glancing to the table and then back to him. "I'd like to keep in touch too. But the other stuff? I'm not sure yet." His eyes clouded over and she rushed to her next words to keep him from misunderstanding. "Not yet. That doesn't mean forever. I need some time, but I won't blow you off, okay? It's just that this is pretty new for me."
"It is for me too," he admitted, his usual smile peeking at her through his nervousness and his playfulness sparking in his eyes like a match struck in the dark. "But in a while? You promise? Because I'll keep bugging you until I get an answer."
"Yeah. I promise," she told him with a shaky but sincere smile.
Then there was their time in Kyoto before he left.
"That's everything," she told him, wiping her forehead after tossing the duffel bag holding her clothes onto her bed. Even with her DVDs and martial arts posters, there was a lot less stuff in her new room than she was used to.
"That wasn't so bad," Kou noted, glancing out her window and checking his phone. "Do you have anything planned for the rest of the day?"
Chie double-checked her bags and belongings before looking up at him thoughtfully. "Hmmm… Nothing that can't wait, I guess. Why? Got a place in mind?"
He shrugged with his usual easygoing smile, the one that made her smile in return but left her wondering what he was hiding. Outgoing and simple as he seemed, he was surprisingly hard to pin down sometimes. "Souji took Yukiko-san out for breakfast, and it got me thinking of a place that you might be into."
"A place?" she asked, eyebrows raised as she gestured for him to continue.
"Yep. A place."
There was a long moment when he decided not to continue. "That's it? Not a restaurant or a park or a movie theatre?"
"If I told you, it'd give away the surprise. It's not too far, if you're in the mood for a walk."
She looked at him for a long moment, thinking of what he could be talking about before shrugging. She didn't mind Kou's ideas and surprises as much as she might've minded Yosuke's, after all. "Alright, I'll bite. When do we leave?"
Right then, it turned out. In no time they were going south, leaving the Kyoto U campus and mingling with the crowds on the street. It was easy to see why there were so many people – it was a beautiful day.
As they walked, Kou talked about the various places around Kyoto that he'd been to over the years on account of his parents' business interests. Museums, basketball stadiums, the oldest movie theatres in the city, and so on. She tried asking him where they were going, waiting until he seemed unprepared for a question before answering. It didn't work. Each time, he'd just keep going or nod down the street, his smile never changing no matter what she tried.
"This is it," he told her fifteen minutes later, holding his hand out to the entrance of a shrine grounds that reminded her of the fox's home back in Inaba. Just a lot bigger.
She looked at the well-tended trees and the clean walkways, the people in kimonos and business attire and street clothes mingling and passing through, but couldn't see what was special about the place. "You've got me," she told him after a few moments of looking around. "It's an old shrine, but is there something else here?"
"The shrine's from the Heian period," Kou explained, a pleased smile on his face as he kept walking. "One of the oldest places in the city." A few minutes later, he pointed to a well-kept pagoda, complete with archery ranges and people in kendo gi in front of a sign-in office. "This is the Budo Centre," he explained finally. "It's the oldest martial arts hall in the country that's still open for students."
"Built in 1899 and used by the government to train police officers," she continued before he could, the words immediately coming back from memory as she stood, stunned by the feeling of being there in person. "I didn't know it was open to the public."
"They have classes for everything here," he confirmed. "Archery, kendo and the naginata, and a few types of martial arts. Want to see?"
Chie blinked at him, still not believing what she was seeing and how simple it was for him to bring her here. "What do you mean? Do you know someone here?"
"No," he told her cheerfully. "But the classes are open for guests to watch so long as they don't interrupt, and there's one starting in ten minutes. Want to sit in?"
She was past him in a flash, excitedly asking the lady at the information booth where the classes were taking place.
Her memory was selective from that point on. She couldn't remember what the exterior of the buildings looked like as they moved through the complex, or even how she got to the dojo where the classes were being held. But she remembered the welcoming sensei and the way he moved, smooth and calm like she'd always wanted to. The class they'd attended was in kenpo, and she was riveted from start to finish. The way the students moved, even the amateurs, was burned into her eyes, and she felt like she could improve her own forms just based on what she'd seen. Every move and counter enthralled her, every lesson whetted her appetite, and it felt like they'd just started when the sensei dismissed the class. Disappointed as she was, she was on her feet and out the door before Kou could talk to her, and he had to hurry to keep up.
"Looks like you had a good time," Kou noted after she got all the literature she could find on class schedules and times.
"That was the best," she told him happily, almost shaking from the adrenaline of just watching the group and already imagining how her first classes would go.
He nodded and put a hand in his pocket, content to walk next to her and take in the scenery as they headed back to the dorm. It took a few minutes, but his polite distance caught her attention through the excitement. He wasn't pushing her or bringing up their talk in Inaba, but she knew he had to be thinking about it. It was a nice gesture, him bringing her here, but he hadn't asked for anything in return. He was content to let her set the pace of their relationship, giving her time to work things out. A scenario that left him waiting, and that wasn't fair to him. Sure, she didn't know what to call this thing between them, other than that he was pretty determined to make it work, but her hesitation was making him the only active part in this play. And Satonaka Chie was anything but a passive princess stuck in a tower. She was still nervous, could feel the butterflies fluttering around her ribs and quivering in her lungs, but she hadn't let that stop her in the TV world.
She moved all her literature to one hand and took hold of his wrist with the other. When he turned to look at her, she stepped forwards and leaned up, kissing him firmly on the cheek even as her own quickly began to burn. "Thanks for bringing me here," she told him, quiet and embarrassed but happy that she'd taken the step.
It took him a few seconds to process what had happened, but he smiled and nodded to her, moving his hand to hers and gently but firmly taking it as they walked. "Any time."
End Flashback
"Yeah," Chie told Yukiko as she came back to the present. "We're doing alright."
Yukiko nodded, smiling for her friend and the basketball captain who was sharing the road with her, in as roundabout way as she'd ever heard. The girls continued on their way, talking about nothing important and making note of the paths and walkways across campus. Their way home wasn't straight, however. They stumbled across the university's auditorium which was already full of drama students practicing monologues and arguing over set designs, and got lost on their way back to their dorm, ending up in the nursing and medical wing before they found their way back to their new home, just as the sun touched the horizon.
Comfortable on familiar ground, the two wanted to take to their rooms and relax for the evening. A familiar voice, however, interrupted those plans the moment they were made.
"There you are!" the woman from the pool called out, brushing past couples and groups to get to Chie and Yukiko, a welcoming smile on her lips. It was odd how easy it was to recognize her in clothes when she'd been in a swimsuit before, but her air mixed with those distinct green eyes made confusing her with someone else impossible.
"Hi," Chie replied politely. "We didn't get a chance for an introduction before."
"Sorry about that," the woman told them with a small shrug. "Had something to take care of that couldn't wait. But I'm glad that I ran into you here. I'm Amemiya Natsuki. Nice to meet you." She wore a close-fitting blouse with vibrant red and gold and indigo splashed across it, the top buttons undone, Yukiko was sure, because of the heat. A matching red skirt and indoor shoes set off the combination, and it all matched her lightly tanned skin. Like before, though, Yukiko looked to Natsuki's face. Smiling and open in a way that reminded her of Rise-chan, she wasn't lacking in jewelry. Her right ear sported two jeweled studs, one a dark garnet and the other a deep blue sapphire, and her left held an ankh on a short, thin chain. A slender gold necklace hung across her chest, but around her neck was a black silk choker with a closed silver lock in the middle. It seemed important to her, because the detail was distinct and it showed signs of having been polished.
"Nice to meet you too," Yukiko replied, not wanting to be caught staring again and giving Amemiya a polite bow, despite not knowing if her accessories were personal or not. "I'm Amagi Yukiko."
"Satonaka Chie," her friend told the newcomer, also bowing but clearly curious about the woman.
"The pleasure's mine," Natsuki assured them, brushing her hair back. The gesture caught Yukiko's eye, drawing it to a streak of deep yellow in Amemiya's otherwise wavy black tresses. "Just call me Natsuki though. We're in the same dorm, so we might as well get along, right?"
"Um, sure," Chie responded after a moment, resting a hand on her waist.
"Good girl," Natsuki complimented, then snapped her fingers lightly a moment later. "That's right, you were with the blue-haired guy before, right?" she queried, nodding toward the girls' rooms. "He's pretty good-looking."
"Thanks," Chie replied in a deadpan tone, eyes narrowing a bit from her words. Yukiko looked at her cautiously, hoping things didn't break down so soon after they'd arrived.
The shift in mood must have been obvious to Natsuki too, because she laughed and waved her hand dismissively. "No need to worry, sweetie. He's not my type. I just got a good vibe from him, like he's a decent guy who would look out for his girl." Natsuki's eyes glittered and her smile deepened into something like admiration as she looked at Chie. Yukiko blinked in confused recognition. She knew that look; Souji had looked at her like that when she was in his room before they left Inaba. "And he's got pretty good taste."
The silence between them went heavy in a snap, growing a bit uncomfortable as neither knew how to comment on that. Yukiko was about to ask if Natsuki meant what she seemed to when a long, disgusted sigh interrupted all three of them. "This is what you meant when you said 'welcoming the new girls'?"
Natsuki's eyes lit up and her smile turned impish when she heard the voice, turning to address the newcomer. Yukiko and Chie turned to the speaker, curious as to who they were going to meet now.
The woman who met their eyes, a few years older than Chie, was everything Natsuki wasn't. Tall and slim where Natsuki had curves and knew it, straight hair that brushed her shoulders instead of waves down her back, dressed in black slacks and a grey shirt that seemed positively austere to Natsuki's vibrant colours, and wearing a resigned and faintly annoyed look behind simple, utilitarian glasses, as she walked up to them. She wore no jewelry except for an ankh earring in her right ear. It looked like the matching twin, Yukiko noted, to Natsuki's.
Natsuki twisted around to look at the woman, moving to her side and giving a low hum. "We were just finishing our introductions, Mei. Nothing unusual."
The woman snorted and shook her head, turning to Yukiko and Chie with a look of patient resignation that was offset by the small upturn to her lips. "Sorry about her behaviour. I hope she didn't put you off," she told them, giving a smooth, professional bow. "I'm Kisaragi Raimei, second-year student. " The level look she gave Chie and Yukiko was friendly but calm, a wealth of intelligence in her hazel eyes. "It's been a while since we had out-of-towners move into the dorm, and it was unusual that those guys helped you out but aren't here now. Are they students too?"
"They're in Fujisawa," Yukiko replied after introducing herself. "Kisaragi Raimei? That's an interesting name."
A look of familiarity and resignation settled on Mei's face. "Everyone says that. Kisaragi will be fine, or 'Mei' if you want. It's a pleasure."
"The feeling's mutual," Chie told her, less on her guard than before, though she did give a careful look at Natsuki, who flashed her a smile. "We appreciate the welcome. Is it common for students here to meet up with the new girls?"
Natsuki chuckled as her lips peeled back in a grin. "Not always. You two are special cases though, since–"
She was cut off by a sharp kick to the shin from Mei, giving a hurt yelp and a pout which was ignored. "Keep it to yourself," Mei told her with a stare. "You two stood out," she told the curious pair. "The two guys who were helping you move in were pretty distinctive. More to the point, they had their heads on straight, and that's not too common. Most girls have boyfriends who drool over the other students, or come from money and act like it's going to buy them their grades. Natsuki says you're both down to earth, and that'll make for a nice change."
"I'm not sure if we can take credit for that," Chie admitted. "We're not doing anything special."
"Maybe. Maybe not," Mei told them with a friendly wave. "Anyway, we won't keep you. It's been a pleasure, and if you need anything, let me know. We've been here for a while, and there are a lot places that will gouge you if you don't know where to look."
"If you don't mind my asking," Yukiko began, thinking quickly, "what program are you taking? Are there many that last a long time?"
"Business," Mei told her with a grudging shake of her head. "Corporate financing, to be precise. Best way to stay afloat these days if I want to be more than a translator or a tour guide."
"Good to meet you," Natsuki told them with a wide smile and bright eyes.
"That will do," Mei told her shortly, wrapping an arm around Natsuki's and pulling as she walked. "You've bothered them enough already. Let's go."
Natsuki whined but didn't have much of a choice. Yukiko noted that, just before they turned the corner to their hallway, Natsuki's hand was slipping around Mei's waist, and the taller woman didn't reach down to remove it.
"Well," Chie began with a disbelieving tone and a chuckle in her voice as she shook her head, "those two were certainly interesting. I knew we'd meet new people here, but they really take the cake. Kisaragi seems like she has her head on straight, though."
"It was nice of her to offer her help," Yukiko replied before checking the nearby wall clock. "I should get to bed; I have a meeting tomorrow."
Chie nodded and fell in beside her when she headed toward their rooms. They moved past several groups of other students, talking or reading or on their phones, and none gave them a passing glance. "An early night won't kill me. My classes start in a few days."
The pair split to go to their respective rooms, which was a difference of eight feet since their rooms were next to each other, and made plans to go swimming the next day. Yukiko turned her desk light on and chuckled to herself as she thought of the eccentric pair and sat at her desk, looking out over the concrete landscape of night-time Kyoto. There were many more lights than she was used to in Inaba, with even midnight being as bright as morning. The roads and sidewalks were painted gold from the streetlights, and she felt like she could see for miles if it weren't for the buildings at the end of the street. She'd had enough trouble sleeping the first few nights in her new room that she'd set up a set of improvised curtains to keep the light out, planning on finding some proper drapes on the weekend.
Souji was probably used to this more than she was. It probably didn't even phase him.
The thought of his name brought a smile to her lips and a giddy flutter to her heart. She couldn't resist the urge to touch her ring one more time before reaching for her phone. She wanted to give him a call before she went to bed.
"Welcome to Fujisawa, Senpai!"
To Souji, stepping off the train and onto the platform like he'd done countless times before should have been like a long-drawn sigh. Stale grey concrete greeted him instead of the rich colours of trees and hills, car pollution tickled his throat in the place of clean air, and the tumbling current of people running by the station should have been tiring just by looking at them. It wasn't a sigh or a tired exhale that fell on him, however. It wasn't the thrilling fire of life he'd felt a few days prior; that was back in Kyoto with Yukiko. But his first steps in the new prefecture weren't weighed down or weary. Instead he felt content, ready to take on whatever came his way.
And the first person to do so was none other than the vibrant Kujikawa Rise in her pigtails and bright pull-over and capris, rushing up to hug him as soon as she was sure she wouldn't run into anyone. "Hey Rise," he returned, giving her a smile and a one-armed hug. "Did you move down here?"
She pulled away with a spectacular pout and her fists on her hips. "Hey, that's mean! Don't you want me around?"
"Of course I do. I'm just impressed that an idol has this much free time," Souji noted, adjusting his bags. "You helped Yukiko in Kofu and now here you are."
"We'll take it, though," Yosuke put in, stepping up to her with his trademark grin and a wink. "Beats not knowing anyone and having nothing to look forward to but classes and jobs."
Rise's 40,000 megawatt smile shone as she stepped forward to hug Yosuke. "It's wonderful to see you too, Yosuke-senpai."
"Back atcha," Yosuke replied with a small blush, returning the hug with one arm.
Souji kept his smile to himself. The exchange reminded him of Yosuke's enthusiasm when Rise moved to Inaba. It seemed some of those feelings were still there, and given how she filled out her clothes compared to when Souji last saw her, it was easy to see why.
Rise pulled back and looked over at Kou, who was getting his bags from the train's luggage compartment, and greeted him with a bow. "I'm glad to see you too, Ichijo-senpai."
Kou's typical smile began his reply. "You too, Kujikawa-san. Like Yosuke-san said, it'll be great to have some familiar company while we're here."
"I'll definitely be around," she promised with a smile and a tilt of her head.
Introductions taken care of, Souji had taken three steps down the train platform, mentally reciting the address of their shared apartment, when he saw two more familiar figures that stopped him in stride. He blinked, unsure if he was seeing them right, then shook his head with a laugh. "What are you two doing here?"
Toyama Yoshiro approached with Takenaka Megumi close behind, a wide grin and a welcoming smile on each respective face. "Risette found out we were in the area and invited us to welcome you," Yoshiro told him after they shook hands. "There was nothing else going on, so here we are."
That sounded like Rise. "I get that," Souji replied, scratching his cheek. "I mean what are you doing in Fujisawa?"
Yoshiro held a hand out to the side, indicating the city around them. "They have some good universities here. I got a full scholarship from Kofu, so here I am."
Souji chuckled in disbelief. What were the odds? "How about you, Megumi-san?" he asked the brunette, who was as striking as he remembered.
"Sports therapy," she told him, dry humour clear in her voice, before bowing. "It's good to see you again."
"You too," Souji returned. He hadn't made many friends in Kofu, but he was glad to see these two again, even if he'd never thought he'd get the chance to so soon after they'd graduated. "If you're into sports therapy, then you might be able to bounce some ideas off of Kou. He's the one with blue hair," he added, pointing back over his shoulder.
"He's into basketball?" Yoshiro asked, eyeing the ball balanced on Kou's bags.
Souji closed his eyes so they wouldn't see him rolling them. It was going to come out at some point. "He's the friend I talked about in Kofu," he explained. "The one who lived for it."
"Does he still play?" Yoshiro demanded, eyes lighting up with interest. Megumi gave him a suffering look and shook her head, but wore an indulgent smile.
"We got in some practice after the snow melted," Souji offered, imagining the two tearing up the court if left alone. The thought made his hands itch and left him thinking of ways the three of them could play when they had the time. "If you're up for it, we could probably get some hoops in once we get settled in."
"Love to," Yoshiro commented, moving a bit closer to where Rise was talking to Yosuke and Kou. "Nothing like practice to stay sharp, right?"
Souji turned to look at the others, ready to see his new living space, but Megumi made a puzzled sound and walked up to him, a look of curiosity on her face. "Souji-kun," she said slowly, eyes a bit narrow.
He wasn't sure he wanted to know why she was looking at him like that, but he answered anyway, aware of Rise and Yosuke looking over curiously while Yoshiro and Kou immediately hit it off. "Yes?"
"I'm a bit hurt that you didn't pass on the good news." When he looked at her curiously, she nodded down to his left hand. "When did you get married?"
The voices around him cut off so abruptly that he looked over to make sure that Yoshiro and Rise hadn't spontaneously disappeared. But they were still there, and looking at him with eyes the size of wonton soup bowls. Where Yosuke and Kou already knew about the ring on his hand, the others were appropriately floored.
"Married?" Yoshiro repeated, blinking owlishly.
"Engaged, actually," Souji corrected.
His left arm was seized by the small, vice-grip fingers of Rise a moment later. "Married!?" She demanded, her voice soaring as her face broke into an impossibly wide grin. "Senpai, when did this happen?! Why didn't you tell me!?"
"It was pretty recent, and–"
"You're wearing a ring!? Let me see letmesee!" She pulled his hand up and closely inspected the white band and the stone in the mount. "It's beautiful," she murmured, leaning closer and twisting his hand back and forth for a better look.
"That happens to be attached to me, you know," he told her, trying to pull away. All it got him was ten fingers digging deeper into his arm and wrist.
"He kept it a secret from us, too," Yosuke told them, looking at his friend with a grin. "First we heard about it was when Yukiko-san showed us her ring after they got back from a walk. Chie kept asking about it when she saw it too. That was the most girly she's ever been, I think."
"Why didn't you tell us, Senpai?" Rise demanded, turning her puppy-dog stare, perfected from hours of practice in front of a mirror and honed by the adulation of hundreds of fans, at him.
"It was a surprise for Yukiko," he explained, still trying to get his arm back. He would have had better luck if he'd gotten it caught in a bear trap. "And the best way to keep any secret is to not share it in the first place."
"That's unexpected," Yoshiro commented, looking at Souji's left hand with raised eyebrows. "It does explain why you kept to yourself in school, though. Who's the lucky girl? I don't think you've mentioned her."
"Is she the girl you sent the earrings to?" Megumi inquired, understanding clear on her face as she smiled.
Souji nodded and reached for his phone, trying in vain to shake his bubbly friend off his arm. "Here's a picture of– Rise, would you let go?! I'm not going to go anywhere!"
"How did you propose?" Rise demanded as he handed his phone over to Megumi. "Did you kneel or did she? No, it was definitely you. Where did you take her? What time of day was it? How did she react? Obviously she accepted, but give me the details!"
"Are you done yet?" He asked wearily, ignoring the how much Yosuke and Kou were laughing and trying to dismiss the curious stares they were attracting.
"You made a good choice. This is a good picture, by the way," Megumi commented, showing him his favourite photo among the dozens of her that he had on his phone. Yoshiro nodded and gave a low hum of agreement.
It was one he'd taken on New Year's Eve, after Dojima had picked them up from the shrine. Yukiko had been walking in front of him, looking at the decorations around the Inn entrance, and Souji had brought out his phone on a whim. He snapped the picture as she turned to look at him, hair and long crimson sleeves tugged by the cold wind that carried a scattering of snowflakes across her face. He hadn't expected how perfect the picture would be, but her soft smile and elegant stance filled the frame beneath the perfect lighting of the moon above and the lights behind her.
"I've never seen her in that kimono," Rise remarked as she saw the picture, lips pursed thoughtfully. "Was she wearing it when you proposed? When's the wedding?"
"Not until we graduate," Souji told her simply. "It's going to be hard enough to get through university as it is, and we have some things to work out in Inaba when we get back."
"Lots of time to plan, then," Megumi commented, scrolling through his other pictures. "I'm sure it'll be something special."
Souji rolled his eyes when Rise cheered and bounced at his side, surely imagining what dress she would wear for the event. "Please don't make this worse," he told Megumi quietly, taking back his phone.
"We can hear all the details as we walk," Kou suggested, shouldering his bags and nodding toward the stairs. "We're holding up the lines, and I think we have a ways to go. Don't we, Kujikawa-san?"
"It's not far," she assured them, walking toward the stairs with Souji's forearm securely squeezed in her hands. "I had Inoue ask around when Senpai told me what you were looking for. I'm sure you'll like it."
"Let's get going then," Souji replied, walking faster and trying to dislodge Rise from his arm. No such luck.
"Details," she sing-songed to him, holding his hand up and staring at the ring some more. "I want all the details, Senpai."
"Yosuke," he called behind him, trying to walk and manage his bags while Rise was latched on.
"Can't help you this time," his friend replied without a trace of shame or regret. "I don't know how you proposed to Yukiko-san, so there's nothing I can say here."
Souji groaned under his breath, checking the address he'd copied down with his phone. If she wanted to know this badly, he figured, there wasn't much harm in answering some of her questions. "Alright, what do you want to know?"
"Were you nervous? Most guys would be, in that case. Ohh, what words did you use?"
Except that one. "You don't need to know that."
"Of course I do! They could be the opening of my next song."
"Not a chance. Saying it once was bad enough."
"But Seeeennpaaaiiii," she wailed theatrically. "You're the first of the group to go this far. And this is important information. When a guy says he loves me, how am I supposed to know he's sincere? You're not going to abandon me like this, right?" Out came the wide puppy eyes and fluttered lashes, particularly fetching with her light make-up.
"I'd hope you'd know him well enough by then. As for the details, watch an afternoon soap opera," he suggested, largely unaffected, spurring more laughter from Megumi as she watched the pair's behaviour. "You probably know a few TV stars who do those, don't you?"
"That's not the same though," Rise insisted. "Those're just memorized lines that the producers agree on."
"How about I tell you where it happened?" he offered, noting how she perked up almost instantly. "And what we did before we got there? That would be a good build-up, right?"
"Let's hear it," she commanded, leaning forward with wide, intent eyes.
The others laughed at her enthusiasm, but Souji brought all the story-telling skills that had served him so well with Nanako and spun as detailed a yarn as he could for Rise. He went as far back as them completing their entrance exams, telling her about his meeting with Yukiko's parents, building up the tension of the time they spent together while knowing they would be going to school in different parts of the country. He talked about how he and Kou had helped Yukiko and Chie move into their dorm rooms at Kyoto U, and concluded with a sharply edited version of where and how he proposed to his new fiancé.
The discussion took them up to the block that their dorm was located on, and while Souji hadn't been especially romantic in his descriptions, Rise was dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief by the time he finished.
"That's really sweet," she murmured, looking like she was one mention of wedding plans from crying right there.
When Souji glanced over at Megumi, there was a watery quality to her smile as well, something he hadn't expected from the sharp, sarcastic brunette. "It was the best I could come up with," he admitted, carefully choosing words that he hoped wouldn't tip either of the ladies into a crying fit in the middle of the sidewalk.
After Rise blew her nose on her tissue and wiped at her eyes again, she shook her head insistently. "That's why it's so beautiful though. You meant it from the heart. I can't think of anything better than that."
Souji looked to the other guys, who were equally quiet and edgy around the sentimental ladies, so he cleared his throat and tried to bring the topic back to business. "This is it, right?" He pointed to a large apartment complex further down the block.
"Nope," Rise told them, less tears and more cheer in her voice now. "It's over here."
When Souji saw where she meant, he was floored. Rather than a simple set of nearby apartments, she'd pointed to a spacious, high-class condo with closely-trimmed lawns, recently-washed windows, and a tennis court on one side and a basketball court on the other. Next to him, Yosuke gave a low, impressed whistle.
"We were surprised too," Yoshiro commented. "When Risette said she'd help set up our accommodations, that she knew people, we weren't expecting this."
"I'm partly to blame for this, actually," Kou told them, not looking very apologetic. "My family insisted that I find a 'more suitable living space' when they heard where we were planning on staying, and they weren't taking 'no' for an answer."
"Are we going to be able to afford this?" Souji asked finally, looking at the spacious lawn and carefully shaped trees along the front walkway. "This seems way over our budget, and I wasn't planning on living off of someone else's generosity the whole time I'm here."
"The owner's a pretty big fan of mine," Rise explained, "so he was happy to lower the costs a bit when I asked. It has everything you'll need, and it's close to all the cool spots in town."
"Can't complain with that," Yosuke noted, a grin growing on his face. "Beats sharing a box with one window and no air conditioning."
Souji had been hoping for a modest three-bedroom apartment with a shared kitchen and quiet neighbours. As they entered and went up to their shared residence on the eighth floor, he found that his expectations weren't in the same hemisphere as the reality. A large, open living space with a couch-surrounded TV, bookshelves near a set of reading chairs, a kitchen twice the size of anything he'd cooked in before next to a large, dark dining table, and soft dark carpets that set off the stained mahogany floors all welcomed him to an away-from-home experience that was promising to be a lot less spartan than he'd originally expected. The lighting was low on account of the large windows and sliding doors letting in the sun and leading out to a sizable deck, complete with lounge chairs. The condo even had the smell of a new place, or at least newly cleaned, and he breathed in cedar, sandalwood, leather and the ocean.
"This," Yosuke said as he turned in place, looking everything over and sitting back in a couch that immediate gained his approval, "this I can live with."
"We won't have to worry about being cramped," Kou noted, slipping off his shoes and heading back to the rear of the condo where some of the bedrooms were located.
"We'll have to check the numbers when we have a chance," Souji told his friend, following him with his bags and belongings. "I imagine we're all going to have to work a fair bit if we're going to stay here, discount or not."
"I'll find out what the costs are," Kou promised, opening one of the three empty rooms. There was one at the end of the hall that had belongings already set inside, probably belonging to Yoshiro and Megumi. "I'm not going to complain if I can stay here, but I'm not taking a hand-out from my parents."
Souji nodded and opened the door across from his friend. "Agreed." He entered his new room and looked around. A large study desk was set against the wall, a reading couch covered in cushions next to a chair around a low table, dark curtains over a large window pouring afternoon sunlight through the spotless and streak-less glass, and a large Western-style bed that he knew was going to take some getting used to. A pair of closet doors opened up to more storage space than any two rooms he'd ever had before, and clothes hangers were waiting for his wardrobe when he knew that what he had wouldn't fill half of it.
It was spacious when he expected cramped, colourful when he would have been satisfied with grey and austere, and comfortable when he hadn't given luxury a second thought. But despite the unexpected change and the economic part of his mind that kept tallying up everything he saw, leaving him wondering if all of them working would cover just the rent, he had to admit as he tapped the walls and felt the thick insulation behind them, ideal for cutting out sound, that it wouldn't be a bad thing if they could stay here.
Unpacking was so familiar that he was three-quarters done before he noticed what he was doing, smiling at the thought of all the moves in his childhood coming in use for something. He went back to the living room to check on the others, noticing Kou talking to Megumi and Yoshiro.
"Ah, good timing," Yoshiro noted with a ready smile. "We were just talking about setting up a game outside. The basketball court is in pretty good shape, and there are a few guys from the fifth floor who're on one of the university teams. Ichijo and I were planning on inviting them down for a few quarters in the morning."
"What about you, Souji?" Kou asked. "Up for some hoops tomorrow?"
Souji shook his head. "Wish I could, but I have to look into something at the university first."
And despite the protests and invitations to hang around the dorm complex, that's what he did. He left the dorm the next morning dressed in his usual slacks and jacket, even though Fujisawa in the summer hardly warranted one, with a street map downloaded to his phone and lots of time for exploring, which led him to taking up one of his old habits. He circled the block where his new home sat, then circled it again in the opposite direction, looking at everything from different angles until he felt certain that he would recognize it. Then he made notes on the local stores and what they carried, acquainting himself with the shopkeepers and employees while eyeing the shelves for sales. There were more shops and vendors than he expected, and by the time he finished his late lunch that afternoon, his phone's notepad was full of names and addresses, complete with general descriptions of the employees and stores in question. That level of detail was probably unnecessary, especially with six fast-food restaurants a stone's throw away from their condo, but he always felt better when he knew where his next meal was coming from, and how much it was likely to cost.
After his explorations were complete, checked his map and headed to the Fujisawa campus of Keio University. Every block felt more and more opulent and important, the people on the streets were dressed sharply with business suits and sweater vests. Their mannerisms shifted as well, from normal people living their lives and trying to get somewhere to the puffed-up, self-important pomposity that surrounded most of the students even heavier than their cologne. As Souji made his way to the administration office, more than one person turned to look at him, wordlessly demanding that he explain his presence there. When his reply, every time, was to ignore them and keep going regardless of how close they were to impeding him, they eventually left him alone. Some snorted in disbelief, others glared, but none did more than that.
Souji shook his head at the childishness of it all, cringing when he entered the campus buildings where the history and prestige were married to the palpable sense of self-importance. "Like a reality marble," he murmured to himself, eager to conclude his business and leave as soon as he could. He knew that he'd be able to handle the classes when they started, but the fakeness and the rampant airs put on for perceived prestige, familiar as it was, would take some getting used to. As he approached the administrative desks, he twisted his ring back and forth, reminding himself why he was here.
"Can I help you?" one of the registrars asked with a smile when he approached.
"I hope so," he replied, returning the smile. "There seems to be a mix-up with my school records. I received confirmation of my registration a few months ago, but now your systems say that my fees haven't been processed and my place in my classes might be at risk."
The lady frowned thoughtfully and began rattling her fingers across her keyboard. "That's unusual. May I have your name?"
"Seta Souji."
Her eyebrows furrowed thoughtfully while she scanned the screen for a few seconds, then her eyes widened in surprise. "You'll have to speak to the admissions supervisor about that, Seta-san," the woman told him with one of those professional smiles that was as devoid of information as it was feeling. It reminded him of his parents' business partners, and did anything but make him feel better.
"Why is that?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that question. The supervisor would be the one to handle the matter. Do you need directions to his office?"
Protesting got him nowhere, and he ended up waiting for almost an hour for the supervisor in question. Explaining his situation a second time seemed to fall on deaf ears, and when he was directed to the class counsellors to check if his file had made it there, he gave up and returned to his new home, marvelling at how he was supposed to learn practical business lessons from an institution so in love with its internal bureaucracy that it lost its own students in the process.
"I wish I knew what was going on," he told Dojima later that evening, turning his coin through his fingers. "It seems like it's a clerical error, but they've had a week to sort it out and it's still going nowhere. And when I talked to their supervisors about it, I got shot down." He remembered the look on the man's face when he'd introduced himself. A flash of recognition that became open friendliness despite the complete lack of answers or any cooperation he got afterward.
"Sounds like you think it's more than just missing paperwork," the detective commented.
"From what I've told you, do you think I'm wrong?"
"It's hard to say with universities. Everyone takes their vacations at the same time and then acts like it's a surprise that nothing got done when they were gone, so it could be a backlog of stuff they have to work through. But as it is? No, especially if you sorted all this out before you left Inaba. It's not like them to make mistakes on something that should be in the system already. I don't know what the problem could be, though."
"Me neither," Souji sighed, leaning against the window frame near his bed. "But I put some calls in to people who might be able to help sort it out. We'll see when I hear back from them."
"Are you covered for everything else? Housing and food, at least?"
"Yeah, Rise's helped us with that angle. And I talked to Yosuke and Kou about the mix-up. I'm alright for now."
"That's good." There was a pause, then Dojima's voice turned humorous. "You know, you might not have had this problem if you hadn't bought those rings."
"Not up for discussion," Souji shot back, a smile spreading across his face as he stopped flipping his coin and rubbed the still-unfamiliar silver band with his little and middle finger, the stone flashing in the light of the room.
"How did she take it?"
The detective wasn't someone Souji considered interested in gossip or nosy when he wasn't on the clock, but it was impossible to miss the interest in his voice. The thought of how the man probably looked while asking inspired a small smile, and Souji kept his tone intentionally bland. "Pretty well."
Dojima waited for a moment, clearly expecting more. When Souji didn't continue, he scoffed hard on the line. "That's it? Pretty well?"
The teen shrugged and chuckled, stepping away from the wall. "That's about it, yeah. I took her out for breakfast, then we found a nice forest trail near the university. I asked, she said 'yes,' and we spent the rest of the day at the Kyoto National Museum."
"You're full of it," Dojima told him with a gruff laugh. There was a scraping of chair legs followed by a grunt as he sat down, evidently at the kitchen table where they'd shared their late-night discussions. "But I'm glad that she accepted. I'd hate to think you worked yourself into that much of a panic just to be shot down."
"Well, we're saving the wedding plans until we get back to Inaba, so there's lots of time before things get serious."
"You know, Nanako's still wondering about what you got Amagi," Dojima mentioned, smile obvious in his voice. "She won't stop asking about it, and she's driving Tatsumi and Shirogane up the wall whenever she sees them."
"You haven't told her?" Souji inquired, glancing out the window at the familiar streetlight-lit roads and sidewalks before pulling the curtain closed and returning to his desk chair, leaning back with a creak and flipping his coin some more. "It wouldn't be that big of a deal if you did."
He got a dusty, humour-filled chuckle in response. "I don't think that's the kind of thing she wants to hear from me," the detective replied. "She'd want it to be from you or Amagi. It would be more real, I think, in that case, and I'm sure she wants details. Chisato was exactly the same way."
"I'll tell her next time I talk to her," Souji promised. "Or get Yukiko to do it, since I'm sure they talk a lot."
"Well, it'll have to wait until later," Dojima told him. "She's got a school play to practice for, and she's been working on her lines since the roles were announced."
Souji laughed to himself as he thought of his cousin in a tiara and a too-big dress of pink lace while she sang the Junes tunes in front of her entire school. But his uncle's proud tone brought something to mind. Something he'd forgotten to ask while he was still in Inaba. "Hey, Dojima."
"Yeah? What's up?"
"I was wondering about something, and I'd understand if you told me it's none of my business, but I'm still curious about it."
The older of the two was quiet for a few seconds before replying, his voice sober. "Okay, what is it?"
Souji inhaled before letting out a measured breath. "Have you ever thought of getting remarried?"
There was a sharp hiss of breath, then the line was silent for a few long, heavy moments. "Why do you ask?" Dojima responded, his voice toneless.
"I was wondering if you'd thought about it. And I wonder if Nanako ever wants a woman around to talk to."
"She's never brought it up," he informed Souji.
"I know she hasn't, but that doesn't mean she doesn't want one," Souji pointed out while running his thumb along the sharp groove crossing the coin. "I'm not trying to push it. It's definitely more your business than it is mine. I just got to thinking before that Nanako might want a feminine presence in her life. One that's around most of the time."
There was another long pause, and Souji knew his welcome with the topic was wearing thin. "What brought this on?" Dojima asked instead, his tone unchanging. "You proposing to Amagi?"
"I've had it on my mind for a while. Nanako loves Yukiko and the rest of the girls, but I just wonder if she needs a mother-figure in her life."
"We haven't discussed it, but no, I don't plan on remarrying," was Dojima's firm response. "Chisato is Nanako's mother, and that's not changing."
Souji sighed as he sat back in his chair and tapped his coin on the desk. He knew he was hitting a brick wall here, and while he wanted to see his family happy, he also knew that this wasn't a topic to tread on lightly. And he couldn't see Dojima remarrying, or Nanako adopting another woman as her mother. "That's fair. I was just wondering if it ever came up."
"Thanks for the concern, but we'll manage as we are." Some of the tight tension had left the detective's voice, and it was clear that the topic was closed.
"Alright." There was a short beep on his phone, and Souji smiled to himself. He'd been waiting for her to call. "I have to go, Dojima. I have another call coming through."
"Alright. Take care, and keep me posted on your schooling situation."
"I will." Souji pulled his phone away to take the call, not looking at the screen first, and greeted her happily. "Hey you. How're you settling in?" There was a momentary pause before he heard anything.
"Souji."
The smile on his face and the levity in his heart disappeared as fast as the fall of a guillotine blade. The voice was deep, distinct, and definitely not Yukiko's.
"It's your father. I'd like to talk."