Chapter 25: Protect
Up to this point, many of Amagi's friends had stumbled on his true identity. The idea of running into Shirogane or Kujikawa wasn't so far-fetched, but his mind could only process this chance encounter in so many words:
ShitshitshitshitSHIT.
As the idol skipped over to him and Amagi, all smiles and excitedly waving her hand, his eyes shifted to the people who were walking at a more reasonable pace behind her. Tatsumi's height completely dwarfed Shirogane's, but the solemn look on the detective's face made her appear older than she was.
"Yukiko-senpai, it really IS you!" Kujikawa said, grabbing Amagi's hands together. "We thought we saw you back there!"
By the dazed way she answered, Sho could tell that Amagi was just as surprised by this ambush as he was. "R-Rise-chan? You're here? In Inaba?"
Kujukawa laughed, a noise that was just high-pitched enough that Sho could hear in his state of panic. "Naoto-kun and I are here for New Year's! Isn't that great? You're totally surprised, aren't you? I KNEW you'd be!"
He didn't know why the idol bothered to ask Amagi questions when she wasn't giving her a chance to answer them, but he bit his tongue. Whether it was unexpected or not, the arrival of her friends had forced him on the defensive with the added challenge of throwing off an actual detective.
After joining them, Shirogane tipped her cap to her surprised senpai. "Good evening, Senpai. I apologize if we startled you."
"Would've said something a while ago, but they wanted it to be a surprise!" Tatsumi said, grinning like a fool. "Looks like it is for you, Senpai."
"Oh, I guess it is, h-haha…" Amagi's voice trailed off in awkward silence. Sho would've found it funny if he wasn't trying to suppress his own anxiety.
So when Kujikawa's eyes flickered from Amagi to him, he restrained the impulse to flinch. "Who's THIS, Senpai?" The sing-song way she was asking implied that she had her own ideas of who Sho was. "Is he a friend of yours?"
Sho stood upright next to the black-haired girl, whose face was turning light pink from her friend's questions, and he noticed the slight tremor in her otherwise clear response. "Rise-chan, Naoto-kun, this is Souji Seta." Her cheeks turned were deep red now, illuminated even more under the diner's bright neon sign. "W-we're dating."
The pigtailed idol emitted a shrill sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a scream. "Haha, I knew it! I knew it because you two were standing so close together!"
She spoke so fast that Sho could barely register what she was saying. Without noticing the confusion on his part, Kujikawa bowed politely, a cheerful smile lighting up her face. "Nice to meet you, Souji-kun! I'm Rise Kujikawa!"
Sho bowed his head in response. Despite how uncomfortable this was, he had a part to play. "Nice to meet you."
Kujikawa motioned to her two friends behind her. "You already know Kanji-kun. He's told us a little about you!"
The hell does she mean by 'a little'? As he forced a smile, Sho gritted his teeth as Kujikawa went on with the introductions. "And this is Naoto-kun! Hey, say hi to Yukiko-senpai's boyfriend!"
"Calm down, Rise-san, I'm getting there." Naoto acknowledged Sho with a polite nod. "I'm Naoto Shirogane. Like Kanji-kun and Rise-san, I'm a second year."
Sho had to feign ignorance at the information he already knew. "You two go to Yasogami?"
"On paper we do, but our attendance is spotty." The idol answered. "Because of our jobs, we turn in our assignments and keep up with our lessons online. But enough about that, let's hear more about YOU!"
The fact that the streets were crowded stood out to Sho more than it ever did before this moment. It was dark, but kids were chasing each other underneath the brightly-lit storefronts, and their parents trailed wearily behind them. People in suits and ties also passed by, some alone, some in groups, and all looking like they wanted nothing more than to find a drink and a meal. There were too many ears and too many eyes, and their presence only added to his ever-increasing discomfort. The wig he had gotten used to was stifling him, and against every urge he had to rip it off, he kept his disguise intact.
Unlikely as it was, Tatsumi was the one who came to the rescue. "Geez, cut them a break, Rise. We're here for dinner, yeah? Let's go inside and talk over some grub."
The idol was beaming now. "Oh, that's a great idea!" With Amagi's hand in her grasp, Kujikawa dragged her inside. The girl looked like she was stunned, but he knew she was probably thinking of some way to avoid a potential disaster.
"Sorry 'bout Rise," Tatsumi's spoke behind Sho as he watched the idol pull Amagi into the diner. "She's just excited. But you don't have to answer anything you don't wanna."
Sho kept his eyes on the sliding doors to the diner, which opened when Kujikawa's steps triggered it. From the corner of his eye, he saw Shirogane stand next to him. Whether it was out of her own suspicions or just natural curiosity, she was observing Sho.
She was the first one to figure us out. Out of all of Narukami's friends, Minazuki considered her the biggest threat to his plans.
"Seta-san." Sho's pulse picked up at the detective's voice. "How long have you been in Inaba?"
He hoped against all odds that for at least tonight, the wig and the glasses would be enough to throw off any of the detective's misgivings. Despite the fact that his mouth was as dry as cotton, he forced out an answer, keeping the tone of his voice lower than its normal pitch. "Since fall."
"I see. Out of curiosity, did you go to Yasogami as well?"
He scrambled to recall all the details Hanamura provided to Tatsumi about "Souji Seta" before replying. "Yeah. I graduated a couple of years before your senpai."
Shirogane didn't follow up with another question, but Sho was sure that she would when they got into the diner.
"Can't wait to do the same," Tatsumi said. "Now, let's go in and save Yukiko-senpai."
The mention of her Amagi's name steeled Sho's resolve a little more, or at least enough for him to decide that he was staying. Leaving would've done nothing in his favor, but more important than that, he didn't want to leave Amagi to the mercy of Shirogane's questioning.
Maybe no one else is inside, he quietly hoped. If stuff's gonna go down, it'd be better if the place is empty.
He should've known better than to be hopeful. As soon as they stepped inside, he found that all the tables were overtaken with customers. Somehow, the little diner looked more crowded in here than the bustling streets outside. Amagi and Kujikawa were sitting at the counter, the hostess's lips fixed in a polite smile. When she saw him, the smile faltered a little, and Sho could see the helplessness in her eyes. Noticing that her friend was staring at something, the idol looked behind her and waved at all of them to come over.
"What an interesting turn of events."
He sounded like he was right next to him, but no one else but Tatsumi and Shirogane had walked in with Sho. Like a passing breeze, his whispers faded into nothingness as soon as they were uttered. Silently cursing at yet another unexpected visitor, Sho walked to the counter and sat in the empty stool beside Amagi. Tatsumi and Shirogane sat down in the stools next to Kujikawa, but the space between them and Sho wasn't comforting. As the idol continue to pepper Amagi with questions, Sho took a menu and feigned interest in it.
"You were always awful at being inconspicuous."
Without looking up, Sho was aware that Minazuki was looming over him from the cooking area. He stood over the stacks of clean bowls and bamboo baskets used for steaming food, but no one seemed to pay him any mind. The owner continued to take orders as he cooked, and another worker went back and forth to bring out the food on trays. Minazuki leaned over the counter that separated them, and the shadow that wasn't supposed to be there stretched over Sho, dark and menacing as the next words he spoke.
"I wonder, what will happen first: the idiots figuring out who you really are, or your 'Princess' breaking under pressure?"
Picturing the arrogant smirk on his face, Sho gripped the menu as he felt Minazuki's cold eyes piercing him, watching his every move as people carried on conversations around them, including Amagi and her idol friend.
"So, how'd you two meet?"
Amagi fidgeted a little in her seat, pushing back her hair over her shoulder. "We met when I was working."
The idol's persistence made it clear that Amagi's answer wasn't cutting it. "I already know that, Senpai. Details, please!"
"D-details?" Sho caught her stammer, knowing full well that Minazuki did, too.
"Yeah, like when, how, and why!"
Amagi's hands clung to the long skirt of her dress, wringing the red fabric as she she spoke. "It was fall, he booked a room at the inn, and he paid to have his meals brought to him?"
A low chuckle rose from Minazuki. "She's forgetting the part where you threatened her friends and family. How quaint."
Sho gripped the menu, trying to keep himself from standing and grabbing the other boy by the neck. When the menu began to shake in his hands from his efforts, he noticed immediately and bit the inside of his cheek to focus. He's not there. He's not there, he's not there…
"Oh, but I am," Minazuki coolly interrupted over Sho's thoughts. "I'm here, watching this magnificent spectacle unfold."
Caught between Minazuki's taunts and Amagi's attempts to answer her friend's questions, Sho was reminded of how much he hated feeling powerless. It was difficult to sit and listen, but he quickly found that taking part in a conversation with strangers was just as challenging.
"Seta-san." Shirogane called to him from where she sat. His eyes left the printed text of Aiya's menu to find the detective looking past her friends and right at him. "Kanji-kun told us you were a college student. If I may ask, what do you major in?"
Her tone was conversational enough, but Shirogane would be quick to pick up on anything that sounded off. Be anyone but you, he reminded himself, armed with the story he put together during the short trip from the entrance. "Computer science."
"That's a popular one these days," Shirogane said, her eyes giving away nothing. "If I remember correctly, you've been in Inaba since…fall? Does your university allow extended breaks?"
Amagi moved in her seat again, looking over the menu as distraction, most likely. Sho kept his guard up, hiding behind a fake shield of nonchalant politeness. "Heh, I'm a burnout. Back-to-back classes and city life in general were brutal, and I was debating switching my major. It was a lot to deal with, so I'm taking a break to figure stuff out."
"I can't imagine how hard all your classes must've been," Kujikawa said with what sounded like genuine sympathy. "Has your family been helping you out?"
The mention of that particular subject almost threw him off, and Sho's smile tightened a little more as a result. "They aren't really in the picture. Both work overseas."
To his relief, the white lie was enough to hold off any other questions Amagi's friend might've had. As he went back to looking over the menu and collecting his thoughts, Sho could barely hear Tatsumi rambling over Minazuki's ridicule, which he took up again with zeal.
"If I remember correctly, we attacked Naoto Shirogane after we rounded up Kirijo and her dogs." Dread twisted in the pit of Sho's stomach at that particular memory. Since she would've informed Narukami of their plans, knocking the detective out of the P-1 Climax had been a priority. If Kirijo's puppet hadn't shown up, Minazuki would've succeeded.
"Her deductions amused me at the time, but I would have cut her down if it meant granting your wish." Minazuki went on, his callous voice dripping venom. "I know that you understand my reasoning, but would Shirogane? Or Amagi, for that matter?"
As Minazuki's words bore into his skull, the familiar screech of static began to build somewhere or everywhere around Sho. His tormenter took full advantage of this, his shadow abruptly disappearing from view. Any hope that he was gone shattered when Sho felt the weight of Minazuki's hand on his shoulder.
"After she finds out who you really are, Shirogane will not be sympathetic to your plight. Neither will that girl when she knows that we would have killed her friend." Minazuki said in a low, cruel whisper, his fingers digging into Sho's sleeve. "Save yourself the trouble and run, Sho. Look for your chance to leave this wretched place behind."
Minazuki's biting words dug up many of Sho's old doubts and made space for new ones to take hold. For the first time in months, Sho questioned Amagi's willingness to stand up for him. Although Minazuki had been in control at the time, it was Sho's hand that had brought down the sword on Shirogane's back. Would the difference mean much to Amagi?
If she knew, would Amagi want anything to do with him?
"Find anything good to order?"
Through the paranoia that threatened to consume the last bit of his self-control, Amagi tugged him away from his one-sided conversation with Minazuki. Unexpectedly the other boy's hand released his shoulder and in its place, Amagi's hand clasped over Sho's, her warm fingers steadying his shaking ones. When he looked up at her, Amagi's dark eyes were searching his and in her question, he heard the one she didn't outright ask him: Are you all right?
Although her friends and the possibility that his cover would be blown were sitting behind her, it was reassuring that she still cared enough to look out for him.
Sho took a deep breath and exhaled, his muscles and limbs slowly relaxing as the screech of static gave way to the noise of the packed diner. In seconds, his conflicted thoughts sorted themselves out and pointed to the one single goal that he intended to achieve.
I'm not going to ditch her again.
"Yeah. I was thinking of ordering the tofu."
Yukiko let go of his hand, his uncharacteristically calm answer a small comfort to her. She was barely keeping it together under the endless barrage of Rise-chan's questions, but she couldn't imagine how Sho-kun was feeling right now. Up until now, his disguise as "Souji Seta" was enough to fool Kanji-kun, but running into Rise-chan and Naoto-kun must've surprised him to say the least.
It won't be a good surprise if they find out who he is, she thought, her panic ever-present under the front of politeness she hid behind. At least not here.
What scared her most wasn't her friends discovering Sho-kun's identity: it was the possibility that they would find out with so many people around them. Yukiko had no way to predict how her friends would react to the information. She would like to think that Naoto-kun would keep a cool head, but the other two were unpredictable. Rise-chan was excitable, and Kanji-kun wouldn't like finding out that he was kept in the dark for more than three months. If Sho-kun's real name were to be uttered now, it would most likely be heard by one of the many other customers in this diner.
If it were anywhere else, I may be able to tell them, but Sho-kun…
It didn't feel right to tell her friends about who Sho-kun was without asking him first. Imagining the unmitigated chaos that could unfold in public, Yukiko felt she had to try to hide his identity for at least one more night. She had been too flabbergasted by Rise's greeting to act preemptively, but now she would be very, very careful.
Okay, you've got this, Yukiko. You have to help Sho-er, Souji-kun! It's Souji-kun. Yes, his name is Souji-kun, please don't forget —
"What'll it be?"
Yukiko almost jumped at the monotone voice, her mind stalling from another unexpected encounter. With a pen and notepad in hand, Aika-san waited for Yukiko's answer.
"What do you…o-oh! Oh! You meant my order!" Yukiko said with a nervous laugh, she glanced down at the menu, her mind in a scramble. "That would make sense, wouldn't it? This is a restaurant, I came here for food, and that's what I need to decide!" When another laugh escaped her, Yukiko realized that all of her friends were looking at her now.
Concentrate! She tried to focus on the listed meal options before her, but her thoughts went into a tailspin. The words and the pictures didn't help the frantic beating of her heart, and the clamor of the busy restaurant droned in the background like an agitated wasp nest. This is bad…no, this is much worse than that! If I mess up, Naoto-kun and Rise-chan are going to learn who Sho-kun is in front of all these people!
A hand suddenly came between her line of sight and the menu, one long pale finger pointing to a dish that Yukiko recognized as the mabo tofu combo. "Weren't you going to get that, too?"
She looked up at Sho-kun, whose blue eyes reassured her from behind the plastic lenses of his glasses. "It's your favorite here, isn't it?"
Yukiko remembered then that the last time they had been here, she convinced Sho-kun to try some of her tofu. That particular memory soothed her rattled nerves, and her self-defeating thoughts slowly retreated to the back of her mind. When Yukiko answered, she did it without stammering or breaking into nervous laughter. "I'll have the mabo tofu, Aika-san, and please make our orders to go."
Aika scribbled on her notepad and moved onto the rest of the group. When the server left to relay their orders to her father, the idol didn't hesitate to share her disappointment with Yukiko. "You can't stay, Senpai? We just got here!"
Yukio smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, but I have to get back to the inn. We have a lot of people who checked in for New Year's."
"But then why didn't you order for delivery?" Naoto-kun asked. "Aika-san could've brought your food to you."
"If Aika could track down Chie-senpai in the middle of nowhere, delivering to the inn would be a piece of cake for her." Kanji said, crossing his arms over the counter.
A muscle in Yukiko's jaw slightly twitched at her friends' remarks. Neither of their tones were accusatory, but they brought up good points. As she thought about how to respond, Sho-kun answered from behind her. "Amagi spent all day running around the inn, so I asked her to take a walk with me. If I hadn't, she wouldn't have taken a break otherwise."
Sho-kun wasn't exactly lying: he had asked her to go to dinner, but for a slightly different reason. He had said it was to make up for Christmas Eve, and no matter how much she said that it wasn't necessary, he had been insistent.
Kanji-kun took a swig of his drink and put the glass back down. "That definitely sounds like Yukiko-senpai."
Naoto was silent but nodded, her reaction greatly contrasting from Rise's fit of giggles. "Hehe, you're really lucky, Senpai. Your boyfriend looks out for you!" She had spoken so sweetly that Yukiko was put off by the mischievous grin that appeared on her face. "Say, Souji-kun, what do you like best about our Senpai?"
Yukiko's cheeks burned at the question, the embarrassment almost enough for her to forget about how nervous she was. "You shouldn't ask something so personal, Rise-chan!"
When Rise's grin widened, Yukiko knew that she wasn't going to let up. "Aw, don't be like that! I'm just curious about what Souji-kun thinks!" The idol suddenly took her by the shoulders and spun Yukiko in her seat so that she was now facing Sho-kun, who stared back in confusion.
"It's obvious that she's a beauty, but I won't settle for that alone!" Rise said. If she knew how embarrassed Yukiko felt, her cheerfulness didn't show it. "So what do you say, Souji-kun?"
To Yukiko's great shock, Sho-kun spoke without hesitation. "I like her stubbornness."
The deadpan way he spoke made Yukiko unsure if he was complimenting or insulting her, and she could tell Rise-chan didn't know what to think of his answer either. "Um… her stubbornness?"
"Yeah." He swung his seat around to face the cooking area, but Yukiko thought he wasn't looking at anything in particular. "I used to lock myself in my room to study every day. I got so swept up in what I was doing that I sometimes forgot to eat. Amagi noticed that, and she would try to talk to me even when I didn't want to."
Sho was swapping the subject of his search for Minazuki with "studying", but hearing him talk about how they met uprooted some of Yukiko's own memories. Nostalgia began to well in her chest, its presence small but noticeable, and she was reminded of how everything that happened has led both Sho-kun and her to this point.
"She was pushy, but she looked out for me when I was doing a lousy job of it. She still does, too." When he turned his head to her, the shaggy black bangs and the plastic glasses couldn't hide how lucid his blue eyes were at that moment. "No matter what I said to her, she didn't give up. Eventually she just grew on me, and I always wanted to see her after that."
He was talking to Rise-chan, but Yukiko felt like he was talking to her, too. Even now, given the delicateness of their situation, Sho-kun could make her heart race.
"Heh, I guess I could get that." Kanji said, grinning.
Seemingly satisfied by Sho-kun's response, Rise let go of Yukiko's shoulders. When Yukiko turned around to look at her, she was all smiles. "Aww, what a sweet answer!" Rise looked back at the detective sitting behind her. "Was there anything else you wanted to ask, Naoto-kun?"
The girl shook her head, looking more amused than anything. From what she could tell, Yukiko couldn't find a hint of suspicion in her amused features. "I believe you have it covered."
"You make it sound like such a bad thing!" Rise said, and then her dazzling smile softened a little then, and she propped her elbows on the counter. "I wish we had more time to catch up, but it can't be helped that we're all busy."
At this detail, Sho-kun moved slightly in his seat, pretending to take interest in the cook's handiwork again. Out of her own curiosity, Yukiko asked, "I thought you said you were on break."
"We are, but we've got stuff to do," Rise explained, resting her chin on the steeple of her hands. "Tomorrow morning I'll be helping out Grandma with the tofu shop. She gets a lot of business this time of year. After that, I'm heading to Okina City to do a surprise gig."
Rise's excitement was obvious, and Yukiko was glad to see her friend passionate about work after making her comeback. She looked past Rise, this time addressing Naoto. "Are you working, too, Naoto-kun?"
"I'll be spending the bulk of tomorrow discussing some cold cases with my grandfather. It's not so much 'working' as it is training." With a shy smile, Naoto added, "It's also an opportunity to catch up. I haven't visited him for quite some time now."
"But we really want to meet up again!" Rise declared. "It's been too long since we've seen everyone!"
Although Yukiko's anxieties continued to hang over her like a suspended sword, she couldn't deny that she had missed seeing Rise and Naoto. Kanji cut in over the noise of sizzling vegetables and mingled conversations, looking over Naoto's hat in Yukiko's direction. "I told them about your party, Senpai. Couldn't we catch up and stuff on Sunday?"
The party…!
As if he could read her thoughts, Sho-kun's leg gently bumped against hers. His eyes were fixated on the chef's knifework, but he was listening. His silent encouragement was the push Yukiko needed, and she seized on the chance. "Of course! Rise-chan, Naoto-kun, you'll come, won't you?"
Unsurprisingly, Rise-chan was the first to answer. "You know it!"
She wasn't as exuberant as Rise, but Naoto-kun was smiling again. "I should be able to. We aren't intruding, Senpai?"
"Not at all," Yukiko politely waved off her concerns. "We should have plenty of food, and Chie and Yosuke-kun will be glad to see you."
"Ohhh, I can't wait!" Rise exclaimed, looking like she would break out into a song and dance in the middle of the diner. "If I have time, maybe I can whip up a snack to bring to the party!"
From behind Naoto, Yukiko noticed that Kanji-kun's face was drained of color. "Kanji-kun, are you all right?"
"Y-yeah." He meekly answered. "I, uh, just got a chill."
Before she could ask what was wrong, Aika-san reappeared and delivered their food to the counter.
"Guess that's your cue," Rise-chan said with a small smile. "Promise me that we'll talk more on Sunday. You, too, Souji-kun!"
Yukiko answered for both of them, wanting to take this opportunity to leave and discuss things with Sho. "The party starts at 7. See you all there!"
After she said her good-byes and Sho-kun paid for their meal, Yukiko had to force herself to walk at a normal pace as they left the store, knowing that running through the shopping district would earn her curious looks. Sho-kun was silent as he walked next to her, and he didn't speak until the lights of the stores and the main street were behind them.
"Want to go somewhere?"
It was a school night, but Yukiko liked his suggestion. Her mind and heart were racing too fast that being at the inn would've settled neither. She nodded, and without asking, she knew where he wanted to go.
The dark water moved slowly, its current hampered by the cold. Sho caught the small chunks of ice that dotted the surface as he sat on the riverbank. It wasn't snowing tonight, but white frost still tipped the blades of grass. Amagi was next to him, hugging her knees tight for warmth, and the bag with their food was at her other side.
Since the beginning of fall, letting his guard down had become natural for him whenever she was around. By now Amagi would've noticed that something was off, so he wasn't surprised when she spoke over the slow melody of the river's currents. "What's on your mind?"
Wanting to cut straight to the matter, Sho didn't waste any time answering her. "Back in May, Minazuki and I attacked Shirogane before the P-1 Climax started."
He could feel Amagi's eyes on him, but he couldn't look at her right now. Hanging steadfast onto what he wanted to say, he gripped the frost-tipped grass under his palm like it was an anchor. "He didn't want her ratting us out to Narukami or the rest of you. Minazuki was impressed that she almost had it all figured out, but he would've killed her if he had to. I know that he…that WE would've."
It was an odd feeling, telling her all this. Technically, Sho had fought almost all of Amagi's allies back in May, but talking about the attack on Shirogane made him uneasy. As Amagi sat next to him, silent and unmoving, he decided to tell her the rest. "Out of all your friends, she probably has the biggest beef with me. She'd rat me out to the cops or Public Safety as payback, and I couldn't blame her if she did. I'd be pissed about it, but I'd get why."
He remembered the boy with Minazuki's face taunting him, looking down at him back at the diner. Even if he wasn't who he wanted Sho to believe him to be, that guy had been right about Minazuki's intentions to kill Shirogane or anyone else had it come down to it. Now that Amagi knew that, Sho waited for an answer he didn't necessarily want to hear but felt he had to.
Why isn't she talking?
He forced himself to lift his head. Amagi was staring back at him, her lips parted and a sad, conflicting look in her eyes. He wished then that she was yelling at him or getting up to leave in anger: Sho could've made sense from either of those reactions. But she just sat there, staring at him with an expression he couldn't understand.
C'mon…yell at me, get mad. If it'd make you feel better, I can take it.
"Say something, will you?" He asked, his concern for her and need for answers eclipsing his fear of Amagi hating him. "Don't just stare at me like that. It's not like you're fine with me literally stabbing your friend in the back, right?"
His words were enough for her to break her silence, but the sad look in her eyes remained. "Of course not. I wished that you had never attacked Naoto-kun, but…"
Her voice left her, like she was struggling with what to say next. Sho watched her closely, wanting and needing to hear whatever reason she had for not turning her back on him. When she finally found her words, they muted everything else around him except for the erratic beating of his heart.
"The way you're speaking, and the way you look right now…it's like you're sad that you did it in the first place."
He thought he was just stating facts to Amagi, but what she said compelled him to make sense of her reaction and his own tangled mess of feelings. "It's not like I regret what we did. I just wanted to tell you because I didn't want to hide it."
He had meant that along with everything else he had told her, but a heavy weight remained over his chest. As he struggled with not knowing what else to say, Amagi spoke again. "I don't think Naoto-kun would turn you in. Not if she knew why you were really here."
"How can you be so sure?" He asked in disbelief. "Didn't you hear what I just said? She has every reason to!"
"That's for her to say, but I still don't think she would." Amagi insisted, her tone and gaze unwavering. "Naoto-kun is serious about her job, but she wouldn't act on something unless she had all the facts."
Back at the diner, Sho knew that Amagi wanted to tell her friends everything at the party. Wanting to get out of there as soon as possible, he had silently agreed to the plan, but he had so many doubts over what would happen tomorrow. "You really think your party's gonna change her mind? All it'd take is a phone call for her to get Public Safety–or hell, Kirijo–to rip apart this town to find me!"
"If that's what you really think, then why are you still here?"
She had asked it so plainly, without any trace of confusion or exasperation. Sho was almost taken aback by it, but he answered nonetheless, pointing out what he thought should've been obvious by now. "Because I'm not leaving you behind!" His own words rang in his ears, echoing in the space between him and the girl he'd grown to care for so much. "Even if I wanted to run, it wouldn't stop Shirogane from snooping around the inn, and I'm not gonna let her or anyone else gang up on you!"
He felt so burnt out by everything at that moment, and the gravity of unexpectedly meeting Shirogane and Kujikawa finally hit him at full force. Feeling more tired than he has in a while, Sho dropped his gaze from Amagi and turned toward the river again. He stared at the frost-tipped grass at his feet, the currents of the moving water filling the heavy silence.
Then, as he became lost to the lull of the river and exhaustion, Amagi's hand rested over his for the second time tonight. Her fingers gave off a comforting warmth that slowly seeped into his own skin, and her gentle voice found its way through his troubled thoughts. "I'll protect you."
He was stunned, but the hows and whys compelled him to counter her. "What do you mean?"
"What I just said." She said matter-of-factly. He rose his eyes to her again, and Amagi looked serious, like she was making a vow. "If anyone does come after you, I won't let them." Suddenly she smiled, and her dark eyes gleamed as if challenging him to prove her wrong. "I'm just as tough as you, Sho-kun. Remember?"
He knew she was talking about those couple of times they had fought. But no matter how well Amagi had held her own against him, she wouldn't be able to take Kirijo or the Public Safety Department by herself. And as unlikely as it was, if Satonaka, Hanamura, or the bear were pulled into it that battle, they wouldn't be able to win either.
Sho knew that, but he couldn't find it in him to argue with Amagi. Going against every reason to disagree with her, he remembered all the times she had been able to convince her friends to keep his identity a secret. Amagi had even be able to talk down Hanamura when he found out…if she could do that to Narukami's right-hand man, maybe Shirogane would listen to her. Slowly the dread began to lift from him, and he was able to smell the delicious scent of the food they had ordered, and feel how pleasantly brisk the cold night air was around them.
"What if Shirogane calls someone tomorrow?" He asked, not wanting to let optimism get a hold on him.
"She said she was going to work with her grandfather all day." Amagi said, her trust in her friends coming through every word she said. "Naoto-kun wouldn't lie about that."
From experience Sho could've told her that that detectives were particularly good at lying, but he didn't. Instead he squeezed Amagi's hand, and he didn't move when she leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder. She stayed like that for a while, and he enjoyed the comfort of feeling her so close to him.
"I'll protect you," she said quietly, repeating her promise from earlier, and this time Sho didn't challenge her. No matter what he said or how many questions he asked, he knew Amagi wouldn't change her mind.
She was stubborn, and that's what he liked most about her.
"Yosuke, don't forget to take inventory later!"
"Okay, Dad!" Yosuke yelled over his shoulder as he lifted a stack of totes and left the storage area through the double doors. After entering the main floor, he made his way to the grocery section, carefully weaving through the thick crowd of distracted shoppers. Normally he would've left this task to Teddie, but he had a habit of ending up in the snack aisle. Today was hectic enough with all the last-minute New Year's sales, so Yosuke assigned Teddie to the media section. A few unorganized DVDs were less troublesome than giving the little guy an opportunity to "sample" candy and cookies.
After getting to the snack aisle, Yosuke set down the totes and began stocking the nearly-empty potato chip racks. School kids must've raided this section earlier to prepare for the upcoming break. Should probably buy a couple, he thought as a little chill went down his spine. He was dreading the party tomorrow, and even the surprise from learning Naoto and Rise would be there didn't erase his deep-rooted fear of Yukiko's cooking.
Guess it was bound to happen, but now of all times? With Sho still at the inn? His thoughts went back to this morning at the school's rooftop, where Yukiko had asked him and Chie to meet her for lunch. That was where she had told them everything that had happened at Aiya. Yukiko had looked nervous then, but he felt that was because of him and Chie. Although her own desire to keep Sho's secret was crystal clear, she didn't outright ask them to lie to Rise or Naoto. Yosuke didn't think she could, given the kind of person Yukiko was.
Having finished one section of potato chips, Yosuke moved onto another. As his hands moved to restock the shelf, his mind remained back at the conversation with Yukiko. After she had asked if her friend was "sure about it", Chie agreed to help, and it didn't take long for Yosuke to do the same. When he had first learned that Sho was in Inaba, he ultimately decided against calling Yu. He hadn't gone back on his word since then, and he wasn't going to now, but he still had doubts. Even before she knew about the TV World, Naoto put together pieces of the murder case last year. It wouldn't take much for her to find out about Sho, no matter how convincing his act was. Yosuke himself learned who Sho was when the red-haired boy had lost his temper with Teddie. Another outburst like that–or worse, one of the awful jokes he loved to tell–would only make it easier for Naoto to see through his disguise.
Yukiko's right, though…Naoto wouldn't do something drastic unless she was absolutely sure about it. As long as Sho or Yukiko didn't give her a reason to be suspicious, it should all work out.
Just as he started emptying the rest of the tote, he caught a glimpse of a familiar couple in the produce aisle: a girl with long black hair shopping with a tall guy with glasses. They had their backs to him, standing in front of rows stacked with cabbage. Yosuke paused in his work, watching Yukiko pick out a cabbage and put it in their cart. As they moved down the aisle, nothing stood out to him until they stopped in front of the root vegetables. There, Sho picked up two handfuls of thick brown-green stems, which Yosuke immediately recognized as fresh wasabi.
Why the hell would they need that many? The question hung in his mind, and already, the putrid scent of Mystery Food X slowly drifted from the darkest depths of his subconscious. Compelled by survival instinct and his growing morbid curiosity, Yosuke abandoned his post and carefully trailed behind the couple, hiding behind the aisles of dried foods that ran parallel to Sho and Yukiko. During this espionage mission, Yosuke watched them fill their cart with other ingredients that, while fine on their own, would be questionable when combined altogether: shiitake mushrooms, bitter melon, okra, sweet potatoes, onions, bananas, and a pineapple.
Holy crap…they really ARE perfect together. Wondering if food-related sadism was a hobby the two bonded over, Yosuke's nerves were strung tight by the time Yukiko and Sho stopped at a small pyramid of neatly stacked packages of natto. Because they had so much of it, his dad had marked the natto half-off as a promotional item, hoping to get rid of some extra inventory. Although he was sure that his own family would never purposely hurt him, the knowledge didn't comfort Yosuke. As Yukiko exchanged some words with Sho, the slimy, gritty aftertaste of the curry that was "Mystery Food X" rose against the back of Yosuke's throat, and his will to live kicked into full gear. That's IT! I have to stop them from killing us!
"Good evening, Yosuke-senpai."
His heart nearly leapt from his throat at the calm, familiar voice that greeted him. Yosuke whirled around to find Naoto standing behind him, looking composed as ever.
"Geez, Naoto! Warn a guy next time!" He snapped, feeling anxious for other reasons unrelated to Sho and Yukiko's grocery shopping.
For as on edge as Yosuke felt, Naoto was unruffled by his small outburst. "My apologies. I thought you would've heard me walking up to you."
Yosuke tried to calm down, becoming all too aware of who was in the produce aisle. C'mon, don't let Naoto notice them. The less she talks to Sho, the less suspicious she'll be. "Hah, sorry. I'm just so focused on all the stuff I've got to do for our big sale! Can I help you look for anything?"
"I've already found it." Naoto answered, holding up a wrapped box of black sesame seed mochi from the basket that hung over her arm. "Grandfather is fond of these particular sweets. Since I needed to purchase a couple of things myself, I thought I would buy these for him."
"That's nice of you. Thanks for supporting your local Junes!" Yosuke said with a grin and a wink, hoping by now Sho and Yukiko would be gone from the produce aisle.
I think I bought them enough time. Even if it means eating natto and mushrooms together, Sho's safe for another day—
"Ah, is that Yukiko-senpai and her boyfriend?"
CRAP!
Forcing himself to keep smiling, Yosuke turned around. To his ever-growing anxiety and disbelief, the couple were still there, standing in front of the same damn stack of natto. Are you KIDDING me? How hard is it to pick out one single package?!
"Their cart is rather full." Naoto observed out loud, hints of unease creeping into her words.
His heart pounding louder than any thunderstorm, Yosuke tried to act natural under the pressure and the guilt that gnawed at him. "H-hah, yeah. I think it's all for tomorrow. Lucky us, huh?"
They both knew the answer to that, so Naoto didn't follow up with an immediate response. As she stood quietly behind him, Yosuke was relieved that Sho and Yukiko's backs were still facing them. Having finally decided, Yukiko picked up a package of natto to inspect it. Sho watched her, his fake bangs hanging over his glasses as he lowered his mouth to Yukiko's ear.
"You're not going to greet them, Senpai?"
Naoto was being polite, but he knew she was really asking if he was going to stop whatever diabolical plan the couple had to poison everyone tomorrow. Against every urge to run over and swat the natto out of Yukiko's hand, Yosuke stayed where he was. "Nah. They're too busy enjoying themselves."
Sho said something to Yukiko at that moment, and immediately she burst into a full-on belly laugh that echoed throughout the grocery section and most likely the entire store. As other customers either stared or walked around the laughing girl, Sho stood by her side, a pleased grin tugging the corner of his lips. It was rare, but for once he actually didn't look smug.
Sho just looked happy to see Yukiko laugh.
As Yukiko's high-pitched laughs slowly subsided, Naoto asked another question from behind him. "Do you know when Seta-san began staying at the Amagi Inn?"
Why would she ask that? Yosuke thought, carefully putting together a believable answer. "I'm not sure. I think September, or maybe October? Why?"
"No particular reason. Kanji-kun wasn't sure, either, and I was wondering how long Yukiko-senpai has been with Seta-san." Naoto stepped next to Yosuke, her dark grey eyes observing the couple with mild interest. "He seems to make her happy."
Her remark was stated plainly, like Naoto was presenting a simple fact. Hearing it cut through the worst of Yosuke's concerns, and he decided to make one thing explicitly clear to Naoto. "I think she does the same for him."
After she wiped the tears from her eyes, Yukiko placed the package of natto in their already full cart and they were on their way again. As the couple headed off into the direction of the seafood department, Naoto turned to face Yosuke and he continued. "They haven't been together long, but I think they're more serious about each other than they realize." Having remembered all the times he had seen Sho and Yukiko together, he felt confident speaking to Naoto for the first time this evening. "They hang out at and outside the inn, and Souji makes her laugh a lot. I have no idea how long he'll be in Inaba, but I know that they'll keep looking out for each other 'til then."
When Naoto's solemn face broke into a smile, Yosuke knew he had succeeded in one small way. "You speak like such a romantic, Senpai. You and Rise-chan must watch the same movies."
He scratched the back of his head and grinned. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for a good love story." After that, he attempted to change the subject in a way that was natural. "If you're done, I can tag along with you to the cash register and get you a discount."
The detective nodded in thanks. "If it isn't any trouble, I'd appreciate that."
As they walked over to checkout, Yosuke was relieved at how far the seafood section was from the registers. He felt bad for misleading Naoto and Rise and Kanji by proxy, but he had averted a very public crisis much like Yukiko had done last night. Naoto would eventually discover who Sho really was, but ideally it would happen within the sanctuary of the Amagi Inn. If the detective or either of his other friends wanted to yell at him then, Yosuke wouldn't stop them.
But although he wasn't sure what would happen tomorrow, he meant everything he said about Sho and Yukiko. Hopefully Naoto would remember it when she found out Souji Seta's true name.
Writer's Notes: This chapter proved WAY harder to write than I thought, but the in-between stuff is just as important as the more exciting moments. Sorry for the delay and thank you so much for waiting. I have a long way to go, but writing is an outlet that makes me happy when it's sometimes hard to be. If my stories do that for anyone, even for a little bit, then that makes me happier. Either way, thank you for everything!
1) Just a friendly reminder: by the end of this chapter, it is December 29th.
2) I thought it was neat how Naoto's story played separate but kind of parallel to the Investigation Team and the P3 cast in Arena and Ultimax. It's no surprise that Minazuki admired her detective skills, but when it comes down to it, I think he'd be willing to kill Naoto, Yukiko, or anyone else if they were a threat to Sho. He DID try to destroy the world for him, soooo…
3) I can't in good conscience recommend that anyone ever cook all the stuff that Sho and Yukiko picked out in one single dish. Natto is legendary for being an "acquired" taste, and bitter melon is the most bitter thing you'll probably ever eat. Also, I realized that "natto" is close to "Naoto". This is just a coincidence, I swear! XD
4) And E3 is winding to a close. After that Persona 5 trailer, I know I'll probably be a shut-in for a good few months. Until then, I'm going to try and keep myself in the dark about the game (even when it comes out in September for Japan). I want to go in without knowing too much!
…but still…FEBRUARY, WHY YOU SO FAR AWAY? T_T
That's it for now. Thank you again, and take care!