A/N: Oh god, I owe everyone who's been reading this story and waiting for an update an apology... because life and interests got in the way of writing! Plus, I got addicted to something else in the meanwhile (JOOOJOOOOOO!) and kinda lost interest in Persona for a while? But I'm not giving up on this story, nah. It's just a matter of setting priorities, haha!
This chapter's a lot more of social links again, and my writing style might be weird since it's been a while, so please forgive any spelling, grammar, or even style mistakes it may have.
Kinda sad that a few of my regular reviewers aren't around now... I miss replying them in author notes like these.
JAF - Thank you for the compliment! I mean, I didn't want to make things look all joyful and happy when there's the fact that Yui's only in Inaba for a year still flying around... hopefully you'll enjoy this one too? ;w;
Waking up early for school again was a damn chore.
Somehow, Yu managed to force himself up and get dressed in time to walk to school, almost forgetting his way there given that it's been a whole month since he was last at the school. Before he got to the school gates, he heard two familiar voices greeting from behind him which made him turn around to see Chie and Yukiko standing there, friendly smiles on their faces. He inwardly grimaced, remembering how he had rejected them… nonetheless, he greeted them back.
Chie then sighed, looking wistful. "Summer vacation's over already."
The silver-haired boy could only chuckle in response until his attention went to another known face, who just happened to be Yosuke. The brunet grinned sheepishly when he caught up with the trio. "Yo, guys. I got lost on my way here."
Yukiko had a thought at those words. "The vacation was pretty long."
"Not THAT long. Sheesh…" Chie sighed after commenting on her best friend's opinion.
After that exchange, they started walking towards the gates again to enter the school together, but they halted in their steps at the sight of a blue-haired boy standing there, a sharp gaze in his eyes. He kept a stoic expression as he greeted them. "Good morning."
"Y-You…!? You're that, uh… pint-size detective!" Yosuke's exclaimed, his eyes widening in surprise.
Said detective glared at the brunet. "I beg your pardon!? My name is Naoto. Please, don't give people bizarre nicknames you make up on the spot."
"Um… you know this is a high school, right?" Yukiko asked him, wondering why a detective would be here in the first place. Heck, this boy… Naoto… is dressed fully in the school's summer uniform, now that they noticed.
To the black-haired girl's question, Naoto merely let his gaze fall. "My cooperation with the police has come to an end. However, there are aspects of the case with which I remain unconvinced. There are some family-related issues as well, so I've decided to stay here for the present." He then looked up at the four older teenagers. "From today forth, I'll be a first-year at your high school."
Those words left the group stunned into silence.
A first-year? Of all people to move into this school… this guy just adds the cherry on top.
Naoto turned around to leave, though he did look back at them again after taking a few steps forward with a small smile on his face. "And I felt that I should at least introduce myself to you all. I trust our relations will be cordial, Senpai." He continued on his way after that, leaving Yu and the others still in a stupor. Naoto's an underclassman?
"Senpai…?" Chie murmured, her eyes wide with shock. "That detective boy's… our underclassman?"
Took the words right out of their minds.
Still, Naoto's words worried Yu a small bit – is this case really over like they thought it is…?
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that afternoon, they met up again in the shoe locker area to talk about a few things when Yukiko suggested they invite Naoto to go with them to Junes, and although Yosuke was hesitant at first, he realised that Naoto was just an ordinary guy now, which makes him a transfer student like him and Yu. Thinking about it, Naoto is kind of a unique guy – not only is he a detective, he's actually a real detective at his age… which is a feat itself. With that in mind, they walked into the hallways – and Rise had joined them while they were talking - to notice said boy currently talking to a pair of first year girls.
It didn't go very well, for the blue-haired boy bluntly said that he wasn't interested in hanging out with them, nor was he interested in them… which only caused the two girls to get furious at him.
So much for first impressions.
Yosuke then went to greet Naoto, stopping the girls from doing anything to the detective… and the pair left in a hurry when Kanji met up with the group. The blond appeared somewhat nervous when his gaze met a certain silver-haired boy's own eyes, but even so, not much words were passed between them as Chie asked Naoto if he would like to join them if he had nothing to do at the moment. However, Naoto had to refuse since he had promised his 'gramps' that he will go straight home today… which is a shame.
Maybe another time, then.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Everyone in the Investigation Team shortly gathered at the food court at Junes to talk about Naoto, though that place wasn't really their 'special headquarters' anymore nor were they the 'Investigation Team' now given that the case was closed...
Chie eventually suggested they talk about something else, so Yosuke brought up the topic of the upcoming class trip which Yukiko said would be at Tatsumi Port Island. Yu recalled hearing about a strange disease outbreak occurring there about two years ago, though he wasn't so sure on the details. He did visit it maybe once or twice on a trip to get data on what clothes and attires people there liked wearing, but due to the outbreak, his trips there stopped entirely.
Though, apparently the trip will be a boring one… all because of King Moron. Way to ruin lives from beyond the grave, huh?
It's still a while away, so maybe he'll do other things in the meantime…
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
That evening, Yu went to work part-time at the hospital again, having not seen Sayoko since days ago.
What startled him this time was what sounded like a woman yelling coming from somewhere – it was muffled though, so he couldn't tell what were the exact words… he decided to ignore the noise and continue cleaning until a pair of footsteps entered the room. He turned around to see Sayoko with a small frown on her face. Was she in a bad mood?
"Oh... you're here," The nurse said as she noticed Yu there. She then got a few steps closer to the teenager, a question on her mind. "...Did you hear that commotion? That was the first time anyone ever called me a 'slutty bitch' to my face..."
That's no way to call someone, even if she did act a little out of line with him before… either way, the silver-haired teenager only raised an eyebrow in response. Why would someone call her a 'bitch'? Then again, it wasn't his place to ask. "It sounded like a soap opera."
A wry smile came to Sayoko's lips as she lowered her gaze to the floor for a moment. "Seriously. When I laughed at her feeble attempt at an insult, she scratched at me. Who's the bitch now...?" She then lifted her head up to look at Yu. "At the previous hospital I worked at... I had a relationship with one of the doctors. But... he had a wife." At that reveal, she turned her head away from the teenager whose eyes widened in surprise. She had been unknowingly made a mistress by this doctor…?
"She found out, I was forced to quit... then I started working here. Not too long after, it seems he began flirting again, this time with a different nurse at the hospital. I don't know what happened, but I got dragged back into it. His wife came all the way here to bitch at me." Sayoko sighed, a sombre look on her face. "The other nurses were just watching, with these stupid smirks on their faces."
That's just how the world works.
"That can't be helped, I suppose…" Yu commented, having an idea on how the whole experience felt to the nurse. To be shouted and berated at, all while a crowd watched on with amusement seeing as there was possibly nothing else that's interesting in their lives other than watching others suffer.
At his response, Sayoko only smiled wryly again. "Haha... you're right. I'd probably do the same, in their place... strangers are strangers..." However, the look on her face soon fell as she walked towards the windows at the other end of the room, staring out at the starry sky through them. She sighed quietly, the sound breaking the silence in the air. "Everything's just a pain. It wasn't like this at first... when I first thought about becoming a nurse. What am I working for...? What am I living for...?"
…Those thoughts are too familiar.
To begin doubting one's self, wondering if what you're doing is all there is to your life… it has crossed Yu's mind many times before. Still does, when he's left to brood alone in his room. With a fate of becoming his grandfather's successor, it's like there's nothing else for him to do but prepare for the dull life ahead of him. The only thing he wanted during those times was just… comfort. For someone to understand, to know what he's going through. The desire usually disappears when he's reminded of the fact that he can't let anyone know of his deepest secrets.
Nevertheless, Sayoko needed comfort. That much was obvious to him.
"It's alright to feel that way, Miss Sayoko." Yu spoke up, lowering his face mask to expose his mouth so his voice wasn't muffled by it. "Everyone goes through that phase at one point in their lives… mine included. I understand how you feel."
Sayoko didn't say anything for a few seconds, yet when she turned around, a happy smile was on her lips. "Oh... I'm sorry, I was just grumbling to myself… thank you. You're a kind boy."
In a way, Yu felt like he could understand the nurse better now… as a result, the Devil Social Link grew in strength.
"I'd better go. I'm sure that bitch is gone by now. Be careful going home," Sayoko told him before exiting the room in silence, leaving Yu to finish up on his work and return home later.
The second day of school was a rainy day, so Yu decided to call up everyone in the team to go into the TV world – if their past experiences served them right, there should be a strong Shadow in the place where Mitsuo's Shadow was… and as expected, Rise had alerted them that there was one in that place now. Thus, began the trek up the many floors of that dungeon to the top… to reveal that the Shadow looked like one of those giant robots in the cartoons on television.
It's surprisingly fitting, considering that the place was a lot like a game.
The Shadow wasn't too hard to beat, considering that the most dangerous spell it had was a Mudoon, and when it failed, it just resorted to using physical attacks over and over that Yu could've sworn that this was one of the easiest Shadows they've beaten before. After the whole battle was over, he spotted a pile of skeletons nearby and was curious enough to check it out, though nothing really happened when he did… "Hm?" Oh, there's something on the ground.
…A sword of some sort, and it looks quite powerful too.
He'll keep it.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Before returning to the real world for the day, Yu decided that he was strong enough – not to mention rich enough, hah - to try summoning Personas in his attempt to fulfil Margaret's request, which he recalled this time was for a Yatsufusa that knew how to cast Mediarama. After summoning the necessary Personas and doing a pentagon fusion, using all five of them, he finally got the required Persona which the Velvet Room attendant noticed with a small smile.
"This Yatsufusa has Mediarama… you have successfully completed the quest." Margaret then paused for a moment. "…I can feel your heart. Words can express nothing. The only way to convey meaning is through the communication between hearts." She stared at the silver-haired boy with a wistful look. "Yui Narukami and Margaret… what do those names have in common…?" Then, she fell silent, still staring at him. "…Oh no, there's nothing in common."
Yu merely raised an eyebrow.
"…I was testing your generosity. Good job… you passed the test." Margaret seemed a little embarrassed as the Empress Social Link became stronger, though she recovered after a few instants as her face became serious once more. "Well then… for my next request… what I'd like is a Ganesha with the Tetrakarn ability. If anyone can do this for me, it's you."
For sure.
Yu only repeated the process of summoning and fusing Personas until he got the one he needed, presenting the results to Margaret with a bit of a cheeky smile on his lips.
Margaret eyed the card with interest, smiling again as she noted that the silver-haired boy completed her request again. "Your Ganesha knows Tetrakarn… you have successfully completed the quest. Hmhm, what a long nose…" She then looked at Yu with a curious glint in her amber yellow eyes. "…By the way, have you heard this song about a long nose? 'What happens in the Velvet Room nobody knows, but the master has a very long nose…'" She sang the tune with a melancholic smile, her eyes lidded. "…Hmhm, how nostalgic. I used to sing this song with my younger sister… how I miss those days…"
…The Empress Social Link grew stronger once more.
As quickly as her smile appeared, the Velvet Room attendant's gaze turned serious yet again. "Well then… for my next request… bring me a Trumpeter with the Mind Charge skill… if anyone can do this for me, it's you. I eagerly await your return."
This time, Yu wasn't capable enough to summon a Persona that strong… so he excused himself and left the Velvet Room.
He'll just have to train with the others in the TV world another time.
Saturday was a clear day, and it was expected to stay that way for the next few days according to the weather report.
"Wonder if I can find the person who wrote the ema request now…?" Yu murmured to himself, going up the stairs to the school's roof – he put the task off for a while after it became obvious to him that the person who made the request wasn't in town wherever he searched, so he deduced that it was probably a student. Since it was finally the start of the second school semester, and it was a clear day, he might find out who the writer is. True to his ideas, there was a girl who wasn't usually there before, including before the summer break.
He then approached her, lifting a hand to tap her shoulder. "Excuse me…"
"Gyaa! Wh-What, don't just walk up to me and talk to me all of a sudden! Don't you know that's rude!?" The girl suddenly yelled at him, her eyes wide with shock as she looked in his direction. The silver-haired boy flinched at her reaction, having not expected to be shouted at all of a sudden.
After a moment of silence, the expression on the girl's face softened. "Oh… umm… s-sorry for blowing up like that. It's fine. I'm not in a hurry to go anywhere or anything. So…" She was mumbling and obviously flustered… perhaps she's the mystery writer of the ema request.
If memory served him right, she wanted to improve her conversational abilities…
"What do you want? S-Stop staring at my face!" The awkward girl yelled at him again, her words bearing a sting to them. However, Yu just kept a cool demeanour despite the cold response, knowing that she's just someone who has trouble talking with others. This resulted in a surprised look appearing on the girl's face. "Wh-What…? Normal people would have left by now, yelling something at me." She narrowed her eyes at him. "…You're weird."
Harr harr. Isn't that the truth?
"…Wh-What are you standing there for? Say something to me, you got that!?"
…The awkward girl then ran away.
If she's going to keep running off like that, how is the whole 'helping' thing going to work…? Hopefully she'll be here again next Monday...
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Later that afternoon, Yu hung out with Rise who had invited him to go shopping with her in Okina City.
"Today, we're buying for you! I'll put together the best outfit for you, so be prepared," Rise told him with a small smile. "I've already checked out most of the stores. First is... over there..." She trailed off as she noticed something in the distance, her smile falling. "That ad... I see... so Kanami is the new poster girl..."
When she fell silent, Yu looked in the direction she was staring at, noticing a girl on a store's sign. Raising an eyebrow, he gave Rise a confused look.
"Oh, uhh… that store's sign has a girl who was at the agency with me. Kanami Mashita… she was my junior…" The dark brunette explained to him. "…She was cute, so I figured she would sell."
"That's good, isn't it?"
"...Huh? Oh, yeah. If some other girl takes off, I'm sure the agency will leave me alone." Rise smiled to herself, just as a pair of teenage boys walked by – they were talking loudly enough for both Yu and Rise to hear. One of them talked about how cute 'Kanamin' was, liking the fact that she's not so fake, like Risette. Rise glanced at the two, hearing the rest of the conversation as the other teenager commented that Kanamin was plain and honest before they were too far for her and Yu to hear their voices.
The dark brunette was quiet for a few moments, her face showing irritation as she kept her head down. "…Yeah, yeah, I'm 'fake'. That's the role I played... it was all an act... everything..." She then abruptly lifted her head and glared at the backs of the two teenagers, yelling angrily at them… to no avail, as they didn't hear her. "...Hey! All that stuff about Kanami is an act, too!" After that outburst, she stared at her feet with a crestfallen look in silence.
Yu wasn't sure of what to say.
"…Let's go home, Senpai."
Worry was in his silver-grey eyes.
"I don't want to be here."
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They went back to Inaba, the bus dropping them off near the flood plains… yet Rise dragged Yu there, troubled by something.
Rise turned around to face him, a distraught look on her face now. "…Senpai, are you... happy right now? Do you like being with me... like this, the way we are now? You like having such a cute underclassman, right? I'm an ex-idol, after all…" she then asked him in a quiet voice, her eyes glistening in the evening glow of the sun.
Yu stared at her for a moment before his eyebrows furrowed. Why would she be asking him that? "That part doesn't matter."
"Y-Yeah, of course not... what am I saying?" The dark brunette lowered her head, gazing at the road beneath her shoes. "You see me as Rise, huh...? The real me..." She seemed anxious for some reason, one that Yu couldn't figure out what. She eventually looked up at the silver-haired boy, an apologetic look in her eyes. "...I'm sorry. I was just irritated... I dragged you all the way to Okina, then just came back without doing anything... I'm really sorry..."
Before Yu could say something, a familiar voice called out from ahead of them.
"Oh, big bro and Rise-chan!"
It was Nanako who ran up to them, Rise turning back around to face the little girl this time. "Oh, Nanako-chan... y-you going home?"
"Yep!" Nanako nodded with a bright smile on her face. Rise then thought of something, deciding to ask the little girl about it. "Oh, I know... h-hey, Nanako-chan, umm... well... do you know who Kanami Mashita is...?"
"Ummm... Kanami... Mashita..." A confused look appeared on Nanako's small face. Soon she realised who the idol meant. "…Oh, you mean Kanamin? Yeah, I know her. Some of my friends like her." She smiled again as she said, "I tell them, 'Rise-chan's way better!'"
This flustered Rise, who stuttered as she spoke. "Y-You do, huh? Hahaha, thanks... b-but I'm totally different from how I am on TV... you must be disappointed..."
"Nope." Nanako shook her head, smiling again. "I like you."
At those words, Rise's eyes widened in surprise. "Huh? Oh... thanks. But that means... you like the 'me' over here, huh..."
"The... 'me'...? Aren't you just Rise-chan? I like you, that's all."
"Oh, er... ummmm..." The idol looked down at her feet, taking a moment of silence to let Nanako's words sink in. Eventually, she lifted her head up and smiled at the little girl. "...Thanks, Nanako-chan. I like you too."
"Yay!" Nanako giggled happily with a rosy hue on her cheeks. She then noticed how late it was getting, her expression turning into one of shock. "Oh, the show's about to start! I'm going home now! Bye!" She ran off in a hurry, leaving her cousin and Rise standing there as the latter watched her leave with a small smile.
"'You're just Rise-chan,' huh...?" Rise murmured to herself, glancing at Yu. Her smile slowly fell. "Wh-What was I thinking, asking all that to Nanako-chan...?" She sighed deeply and looked away from the silver-haired boy. "Risette... I quit so I wouldn't have to think about stuff like this…" Then, she looked at Yu with a determined face. "...I have no regrets about showbiz. I wouldn't want to go back. Why would I sacrifice my real self!? I just want to become a Rise who's needed by the ones who see the real me. Like you, Senpai. That's the 'me' I want to be. It's the truth."
Rise's passionate will could be felt in waves… this whole experience made Yu feel like he could understand her even more now.
With that knowledge, the Lovers Social Link grew stronger.
"I... got a little upset today when I heard those kids talk about Kanami," Rise admitted, looking down in embarrassment. She seemed helpless. "...I'm sure I'll forget it by tomorrow."
Yu just smiled at her and laughed a little, wondering why an 'ex-idol' like Rise Kujikawa would get upset about some other idol. Sure, what those two teenagers said was uncalled for, but compared to what has happened to her before, this is merely simple envy. "This is nothing, Rise. Why are you so agitated about it?"
"H-Hey! That's mean! I'm serious here. You're making me look stupid." Rise pouted at her senior's laugh, but after giving herself a moment to think, she soon started to smile, giggling in the end. "I see... maybe I am kind of stupid. Thank you, Senpai... I feel a little better." Now she appeared relieved. "I'm sorry for being so selfish today."
"It's alright… considering what you've gone through before, you needed it."
The dark brunette was quiet after that, averting her gaze from the boy that stood in front of her. She then spoke up in a quiet voice. "…When I was working, I met lots of people, but at the cost of free time to meet people outside of work. I had no free time at all... so when I was alone, I was truly alone. Whatever I was thinking about... I had to keep it to myself. So..." She looked up at Yu with a pensive gaze. "Right now... I don't want to be alone..." She got closer to the silver-haired boy, smiling softly at him as her cheeks flushed a rosy red. "Stay with me... just a little longer..."
"…Of course."
Yu now questioned whether it was a good idea to get so close to the girls he knew… because he could see Rise making the same mistake Chie and Yukiko did.
He can't handle a third confession at this rate.
Sunday was a free day like usual, though Yu hadn't expected to receive a phone call early in the morning… from Yukiko, nonetheless.
"Hello? This is Yukiko. U-Umm, can I meet you today if you have some free time? H-how's that sound?"
The silver-haired boy hesitated for a moment, remembering exactly how he had rejected her at the shrine, even if he didn't say it outright… but then again, he's forced to go with the tides of fate and spend time with those he had a Social Link with until those links have reached their strongest. Mentally sighing, he decided to agree to her request. "Sure… I don't mind, Yukiko."
"Okay. I'll see you in a bit."
He hoped that she wasn't too upset.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They met up at the flood plains, sitting at the resting hut together… and Yu found himself with another lunch box on his lap, the food inside looking delicious. But if his past experiences have taught him, it's that appearances can be deceiving.
"Don't worry, it's good!" Yukiko told him, urging him to try it with a small smile.
Nervously smiling back, the silver-haired boy decided to take his chances and shut his eyes before shoving a spoonful of the lunch into his mouth, bracing himself for something that shouldn't be there… and yet, what shocked him was the fact that it was delicious this time! He opened his eyes and stared at the boxed lunch in genuine surprise before looking at Yukiko who sat to his right. "…It's quite delicious," he told her truthfully. While he did feel proud that Yukiko improved her cooking, he couldn't help but feel like that there's something he's not knowing…
"Really? Thank goodness… er, well of course it is…"
"…Is there something wrong?"
Yukiko looked down at her hands for a moment, then she smiled sheepishly at the silver-haired boy beside her. "Half the cooking was done by the head chef… he took over again. But he told me it's gotten a lot better!"
There it is.
"Oh. Well, at least you did improve." Yu set the boxed lunch aside so he could talk comfortably with her.
"I'm also thinking of continuing my studies for a job license. I don't plan to leave anymore, but I thought I might as well. I'm glad I realized sooner… if I'd struck out on my own, I know I would have regretted it. I wanted to become completely self-sufficient. But I think I was being presumptuous." Yukiko seemed to have realised what she would be leaving behind if she moved away. "I have the inn, I have my family, I have the waitresses and chefs… I am who I am now because I was raised by such a kind group…"
She then looked ahead of her, at the sight of the sparkling river that flowed by the riverbed a little further downhill. "When I think of it that way, my problems aren't just my own. That's why… I'm going to say here. By my own will."
"…That's good." Yu gave her an encouraging smile. At last, she's found her place.
Yukiko managed to smile back at him when she abruptly felt something change within her - her strong will that allowed her to accept and overcome her weakness has awakened her heart's true power... her Persona Konohana Sakuya has been reborn, transfiguring into a Persona that bore a figure of white, its body adorned in a cape made of feather-like blades - Amaterasu. She was left staring into the distance for a moment, stunned at what just happened.
"This is... my new power...? The power you've shown to me..." She slowly began to smile. "...Power I will treasure."
The two of them then got up from where they sat, now facing each other.
"I want you to have this. It's a charm from that shrine... to protect you." Yukiko then gave Yu a shrine charm, the silver-haired boy observing the charm with intrigue.
He looked up at her with a grateful smile. "Thank you. Relying on the gods now, are we…?"
"It's the thought that counts!" Yukiko told him with a gentle smile, chuckling lightly. "I think of you as an irreplaceable friend. No matter how far apart we are, even if we never meet again, that feeling will never change. You're dear to me." Her pure, simple emotion could be clearly felt by the silver-haired boy… alongside it, the Priestess Social Link reached its fullest potential, causing whispers in his head to speak about the formation of a genuine bond, just like the last few times this happened.
…He could now fuse a whole new Persona – Scathach, of the Priestess Arcana.
Yukiko then laughed, smiling brightly at Yu. "I've never known any boys who I could call close friends. I'm very happy… let's talk, shall we?"
"Of course."
So, they spent a long while talking with each other as Yu ate the boxed lunch Yukiko somewhat made…
Come next day, Yu went to look for the awkward girl who wrote the ema request on the roof again after school ended, finding her standing by the wire fence. He tried to be a little softer in his greeting, and this time, he didn't get yelled at.
"…Oh, you. I was wai—I mean, what are you doing here again? No one asked you to come." She crossed her arms at him, waiting for a response. "W-well? I'm busy, so wh-what's on your mind!?"
The silver-haired boy decided to just be blunt. "Do you need help speaking?"
"Wha…! Wh-Where'd you hear that!?" The awkward girl then paused for a moment. The way she's speaking was already proving his point. "…Oh. I-It's not like I'm worried about it! L-Leave me alone!" And yet, she's evidently quite worried about her speech and defensive about it, as well… disregarding her words, Yu then offered to teach her – give her conversation lessons, in a sense.
"C-Conversation lessons!? I-I don't need them! Leave me alone!" The girl pouted and turned her head away from him… however, she glanced at him when he still stood there. "…But if you really want to teach someone, then maybe I'll listen to you for a while, just to be nice."
"Alright then." Yu inwardly smiled to himself – finally, he can start helping her.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They spent a few minutes talking, Yu giving her some tips on how to converse with other people.
The awkward girl was starting to get the hang of it, though she'll need some time to get used to speaking like how he showed her. "Y-You should've told me this earlier! Oh… um… that's not right. 'It would have been most desirable if you would have imparted this wisdom at a much earlier occasion.'" The girl paused for a moment, seeing the smile on Yu's face as he nodded in approval. "…Like that? Um… th-thank you." She was quiet again, nervously shifting her feet. "I hope… you can teach me again sometime. B-Bye!"
Then she ran away.
Hopefully she'll be here again tomorrow so they could continue the lessons… wait, wasn't it raining tomorrow?
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Soon after leaving the roof, Yu went to band practice with Ayane – he still hasn't forgotten how to play the trumpet thankfully, and Ayane has improved tremendously in playing the trombone. After practice ended, Ayane brought him to the riverbank at the flood plains…
"Wow, the rain has almost let up!" Ayane commented, looking up at the sky with a smile. She then turned around so she could call Yu over to where she was standing. "Senpai, over here!"
Once the silver-haired boy was next to her, she gave him a bright smile as she giggled. "This is where I usually practice. There's never anyone around, so I can relax while I play." Her smile then fell as she looked apologetically at Yu. "Sorry for dragging you out here on such short notice. But I thought it would be easier for me to tell you something here..." She bit her lip nervously, but spoke out what was on her mind eventually. "…I think I need to start being more selfish."
"Hm?" Yu raised an eyebrow, a little surprised at her words. A little more selfish…?
Ayane then lowered her head, fidgeting with her fingers. "For as long as I can remember, I've never expressed my opinions. I've let them just build up inside me." She shook her head slowly, still averting her gaze from the older boy in front of her. "I was trying to protect myself from conflicts by just avoiding them. But sometimes arguing about something and talking through it is what makes a relationship stronger, I think. I'm finally starting to see that." She then became quiet for a moment.
"…Well, no, that's not true. I've known that all along. But I was too scared to admit it... I was afraid of speaking my mind and getting shot down. I didn't want anyone to hate me. That's why I thought I could avoid getting hurt by just going with the flow... it was the easiest way out." Ayane sadly looked up at Yu. "But... then you came along... and made me realize I was just pretending not to see what I was doing. I've been keeping a lot of... unpleasant emotions buried inside. In fact, the real me can be pretty selfish. I want people to notice me, but I never make the first move. Selfish, right?"
She placed a hand on her chest. "...That's me."
"Ayane…" In a way, Yu could understand how she felt. It was a common feeling, to want to speak up, yet not wanting to get hurt in the aftermath.
Wasn't that like himself?
With his lies, the facades he's built up with the people he called friends… he did feel like revealing it all, to get rid of the burden on his shoulders… but he can't predict how they'll react and expect to not get hurt somehow. So he bottled it up, kept them away under lock and key, to never be found out. He's lived as Yu Narukami for years, and Yui Narukami since never. It'll probably stay that way as he's powerless to go against his grandfather's word… he is that man's puppet, after all.
Not that he's happy about it, but what could he do?
"That's why when I think about the other day, and how I threw away everything you did for me, I feel guilty…" Ayane then admitted, staring down at her shoes in shame. However, after a few seconds of silence, she lifted her head up with a cheerful smile, red tinting her cheeks. "...But you helped me do a lot of things I couldn't have done on my own. I pushed myself past my limits, and on top of that, I got to hang out with someone I really care about. But most importantly, you made me look myself in the eye. I never could have done that alone. You helped me hear my own voice."
Ah, there's the Ayane he'll grow to be proud of.
The small girl nodded to herself, a determined look on her face now. "So, from now on, I'm not gonna pretend that I don't care what happens anymore! I'll express my opinion, say what I think, and if that gets me on someone's bad side, then that's that. If I wanna get what I want in life, I've gotta speak my mind!" She stopped after that, her cheeks flushing again as she smiled optimistically once more at Yu. "I owe it all to you, Yu-senpai... thank you!"
…Seems like he was able to help guide her through her problems.
The Sun Social Link became stronger.
Then, Ayane's smile fell as she timidly looked down at her feet yet again. "Um... that being said, um... there's something... else." She fell silent as she blushed shyly. "Um... Senpai, I-I..." From the way she was acting, it seemed like she was about to confess…
…Fuck.
That's the third time he's gotten a girl to fall for him! And Rise's already showing signs of doing that too! He's practically leaving a trail of heartbroken teenage girls at this point… and he himself is no better with his own feelings. Ugh. It was time to man up and steel his nerves – Yu didn't want to do this, but it's for their own good… thus, with a forced smile on his lips, he changed the subject to relieve the tension in the air. "Hey, Ayane… it's starting to get late. We should go back."
He hoped his voice wasn't revealing his own anxiousness.
"…Oh, uhhh... n-never mind." Ayane stuttered as she spoke, her face breaking into a friendly smile. "...W-Well, I-I better get home! S-So, g-goodbye!"
They parted ways right there, leaving the two teenagers with heavy hearts.
Wednesday was a rainy day, but Yu didn't go to band practice this time because he felt bad about Ayane, and since the awkward girl who made the ema request wouldn't be up on the roof, he spent the afternoon catching up on his studies and the night folding paper cranes, which he was getting the hang of now. Luckily, the following day was clear with bright sunny skies overhead… and while on the way to school, Kanji and Yosuke caught up with him, the former which he smiled happily at.
He'll accept the fact that he's in love… he just can't admit it to the recipient of those feelings.
Kanji was notably surprised to receive such a warm smile from the silver-haired boy, though he quickly looked away to hide the red on his face that rose up without warning. Knowing that he bore feelings for his senior of the same gender only made things worse – he can't ruin Yu's reputation… despite those thoughts, he tried to greet him in a casual manner. "M-Mornin', Senpai."
Yosuke seemed to have not noticed the blond's stutter, greeting Yu in a similar manner as well. "Yo. So are you ready for the trip yet? This guy won't shut up about it," he then asked his best friend, only to be cut off by Kanji.
The blond retorted, "Yosuke-senpai hasn't even started packing. He's all like, 'Was that tomorrow?'. 'Sup with that?"
"You are way too excited about this. I mean, you're even worried about how many boxes of animal crackers to bring. We're only gonna be there for two nights, dude! Besides, I'm pretty sure they have convenience stores on Port Island."
This shocked Kanji. "For serious!? I've never really left this place, so…" The shock soon left his system, though. "Huh… I wonder if the murders here got as much play over there, too." Upon getting confused looks from his seniors, he explained further. "Like that Mitsuo Kubo dude. They're still showing him on TV here. Every time I switch on the tube, the news is showing like, what he wrote in his yearbook. Pisses me off, man. The frickin' media's slapping together anything they can find to make the dude look like a born criminal. People think they can say anythin' they want about a guy who's been branded a criminal… 's just not right."
Yu sighed, though admittedly, it has been getting out of hand. "I agree…"
"I mean, I still hate the guy's guts. But… I dunno, after getting involved with all this, I started to realize how off-base most rumours are… it's so messed up…"
Yosuke could only shrug, crossing his arms as he did. "Well, I gotta admit, the news can be pretty out there." The sound of footsteps approaching them then got his attention, making him turn around to see who it was. "Hey, it's Naoto." He smiled casually at the blue-haired boy who got closer to the group. "Yo, how's it going?"
"Good morning." Naoto addressed Yosuke with a formal tone.
After an exchange of words, they all started walking to school together.
Kanji discreetly took a glance at Naoto, wondering where things had changed – when he first saw him, he had felt… something… for this detective. Then, when the whole TV world thing happened, Yu Narukami and the Investigation Team entered his life, saved him in the process and became his friends too, albeit now he wasn't as close to the others as he was with the silver-haired boy. The more they spent time together, the more he felt his feelings change… and on the night of the summer festival, he realised…
…He had completely fallen for his Senpai. Hopelessly and fully in love with him, the leader of the Investigation Team.
A wry smile came to his lips.
Man, he's screwed.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
That afternoon, Yu went up to talk to the awkward girl to give her more lessons on conversing, but when he got closer, he could see a worried look on her face... she's teary-eyed.
"Did something happen?" he asked her, concerned at the show of tears.
"Oh… your lesson didn't work! I just tried starting up a cheerful conversation with a girl in my class… b-but I got nervous all of a sudden… I said something I wasn't even thinking! 'Move aside, ugly; I'm comin' through!'. Wh-what should I do? She just started crying…" The awkward girl told him, now agonising over what she has done. The thing is… did she have to ask?
The answer was quite obvious: "Apologise to her, then."
Yu even gave her a speech about the social importance of have the courage to apologize for one's mistakes, and he wouldn't let her dismiss the idea until she finally agreed to it.
"Y-you're right… I'll apologise to her. Hurting others without apologising is selfish and cowardly… I'll go apologise. Maybe after I do, I can try and have a real conversation with her. I can't keep using my bad conversation skills as an excuse… I'll do my best." The awkward girl appeared to have broken through the fear that was stunting her social growth… "U-um… thank you."
"You're welcome."
He has accomplished the request.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Recalling that Ai had asked if he could spend some time with her during lunchtime, Yu decided to take up on her request and accepted, now currently at the rooftop, at the base of the water tower. Well, actually, he had followed her here. This place just ended up becoming the place for their talk today.
The blonde was currently leaning against the ladder attached to the water tower when she looked at Yu with an apologetic gaze. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to keep making you hang out with me…"
"I don't mind." Yu smiled reassuringly at her, standing nearby.
Ai then broke her stare at the silver-haired boy, looking down at her hands with a gentle smile. "Thank you, Yu… you really are a nice guy." It soon fell, turning into a serious expression. "…After I calmed down, I gave my life some serious thought. Why do I go on such crazy shopping sprees? Why do I feel the need to be so well dressed all the time? What makes me want to ditch class? Do I want to stand out so that I'll catch people's eyes?" She paused for a moment. "…And… why do I always find myself wanting to talk to you?"
She bit her lip, fiddling her thumbs as she continued to talk. "I always thought that if I couldn't be pretty, I'd be better off dead… nobody likes people who aren't pretty. They hate you. What's the point of life if everyone hates you…?" She then looked up at the auburn sky, a wistful gaze in her light brown eyes. "But lately I've been thinking, maybe I'm wrong… there's still a lot I don't know… I guess I shouldn't be jumping to any conclusions." Again, she looked down at her feet. "And before I realised it, I was crying. I've always made sure not to cry, too, because it makes my eyes swell… I pulled back my curtains, and the sun was just coming up… the stars were shining so dimly…"
Those words… what are they supposed to mean?
"And for some reason, it made me think of you… I wonder why…" Ai murmured, now staring at Yu with those same melancholic eyes. The silver-haired boy guessed that it could be because of a simple reason… he spoke up, answering her question. "…Because we're friends."
A happy smile graced Ai's lips upon hearing his response. "I have a lot of male acquaintances… but you're probably the first one I can call a real friend." Though after a few moments, she then looked at Yu strangely. "…You're a weird guy, Yu."
That's not… nice.
"I'm glad we met."
Ah.
Now that he looked past the words, Yu could feel genuine trust coming from the blonde… their relationship deepened as the Moon Social Link grew stronger.
They stood there, staring at each other for a moment before Ai got off from the ladder, still smiling at Yu. "Let's go home, huh? If they catch you with me, you'll probably get all the extra lectures too…"
"That wouldn't be nice." The silver-haired boy chuckled, though he did mentally grimace at the thought. The last thing he wanted at the moment was to hear hours and hours of advice and babbling from any sort of counsellor, not even the darn school counsellor. Hence, they parted ways for the day and returned to their own homes…
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
That night, Yu finished up on packing for his school trip tomorrow, now setting his bag downstairs so he didn't end up forgetting it the next morning. Nanako wasn't as distraught this time like when he first left the house on a trip since he had told her a few nights earlier that he'll be gone for about three days. Still, it was nice to see that bright smile on her face every time he returned home… he'll miss it dearly when he's at that island. He wondered if things would remain this calm for the rest of the year he's living in Inaba.
Hopefully so – he wanted to make good memories with everyone… though the heartbreak he's caused is a little bit of a stain on that.
Well, he can't do much about that.
Yeesh.