Chapter 38: The Secret's Out: The Girls

Sunday, July 29, 2012, Day Time, Yukiko's POV

After we stepped off the elevator and into Junes' lobby, Chie, Rise-chan, Naoto-kun, Marie-chan and I exited the building and walked to Aiya, initially in silence. After we were on the streets, out of earshot of the boys, Chie began our discussion.

"I've got to admit it, Yukiko," Chie said, "For the longest time, I never would have pegged you as the kind of girl who wanted a boyfriend."

I let off a soft sigh. When Chie came to save me from the TV World, facing and defeating my Shadow in the process, she and I learned a great deal about each other that we had never realized in the course of our long friendship. While there was more to us than the secrets we uncovered, it was also a bit of an adjustment to get used to learning everything that we did, and now, we would have to do so again.

"I'm sorry, Chie," I said. "I know that we shouldn't have secrets between each other, especially not after you saw my Shadow and I heard about yours, but I kept this secret from you and everyone else. I was afraid of how people would react, and how it might affect my relationship with Yu-kun, but I should've considered your feelings, too."

Chie smiled and shook her head.

"Well, not having secrets between each other doesn't necessarily mean we should pry into each other's lives," Chie said. "I had my suspicions about you and Yu-kun for a while, but wanted to wait for you to tell me, in case Yu-kun wasn't ready to be open about his relationship."

I nodded. Part of the reason I was glad that Yu-kun was willing to come forward with me was because we, as a couple, had to be able to talk through and make important decisions together. While Mother was the manager of the inn, she always consulted Father about decisions, since the inn belonged to the Amagi family, not to her, and I would do the same if I married Yu-kun.

"Besides," Chie said, "you started going out with Yu-kun in July, right?" I nodded. "I thought so- that actually wasn't long after he rejected me."

"Ah, right," I said, remembering the time Chie had told me about it.

"Could you please explain for our benefit, senpai?" Naoto-kun said. "Not all of us were there at the time."

"Yeah," Rise-chan said. "That was before I started seeing you guys on a regular basis."

I couldn't help but wince as Rise-chan reminded us of her timing. She'd been interested in Yu-kun for as long as we'd known her, but for that same time, he'd been out of her reach. Still, I put that thought out of my mind for the moment as Chie began telling her story.

"All right," Chie said. "It was near the end of June, just after we saved Rise-chan, when Yu-kun and I had our second encounter with the gang of bullies. One of them was robbing a kid and threatened to hurt Yukiko if I intervened, so I told them to hit me instead. That threw them for a loop, and they left the kid alone."

"I'd call that quite reckless, Chie-senpai," Naoto-kun said, "but I'm hardly one to criticize you for that. As such, I'll settle for saying that it's a good thing that you, that child, Yu-senpai and Yukiko-senpai all emerged unharmed."

"Yu-kun said something like that," Chie said, "since he seemed to understand why I wanted to protect the innocent, my friends, and especially him. He also recognized the sentiment behind the latter... he just didn't feel the same way."

"Chie told me this a few days after the incident," I said, and my mind went back to what Chie had said to me that day, while we were walking home.

Thursday, June 30, 2011, After School.

After retrieving my shoes from my locker and finishing up my work with the school bulletin board, I met up with Chie, who was waiting for me at the gates of the school. She had insisted on walking me home for at least a few days, as a safety precaution against bullies who might target me as revenge against her, but she let me go alone when I went to Tatsuhime Shrine with Yu-kun.

We walked through the town, taking the relatively well-traveled streets home, so that if anyone attacked us, there would likely be a third party nearby to witness it. As we passed through the shopping district, on the way to my home, I turned to Chie.

"I appreciate your doing this, Chie," I said, "but even without my Persona, I can take care of myself, at least better than a little boy can."

"Yeah, Yu-kun said as much," Chie said. "He also insisted on stepping up in order to protect me, not because I'm weak, but because I'm his friend, so you should think of this the same way."

It was clear that Chie, having recently become aware of her subconscious desire for me to be dependent on her, was also struggling with the fine line between helping someone for selfless reasons and doing it with selfish ulterior motives. As always, though, her heart was in the right place, and while our relationship had previously become codependent, helping one another was an essential part of friendship. Perhaps Chie had once struggled with the knowledge that a part of her had wanted me to depend on her so she'd feel better about herself, but for me, it was much simpler. Chie was my oldest and closest friend, so I appreciated her kind gestures, and wanted to return them.

"I know, and I'm grateful for that," I said, "I'll be counting on you."

Chie sighed.

"Yeah, Yu-kun said the exact same thing when I made him that offer," Chie said, disheartened.

An awkward silence ensued for a few seconds.

"Is something the matter, Chie?" I said. "You sound disappointed. a bit like you do when the Souzai Daigaku is out of ingredients for the special croquette."

"You could say that," Chie said. "I...kind of asked Yu-kun out, and he... kind of said no."

"Kind of?" I said, trying not to sound hopeful at the prospect of Yu-kun rejecting Chie. The idea of Chie and Yu-kun getting together had always struck me as a possibility, since she was the first girl he'd truly gotten to know at Yasogami. They seemed like they would make a good couple, but if Yu-kun had refused her, there was a chance he would choose me instead... or perhaps neither of us.

"You know me," Chie said with a chuckle. "I couldn't come out and ask him, so like I said, I gave him a short speech about wanting to protect you, him and everyone I care about. After that, he just said, 'I'm counting on you.' I think he knew what I was getting at, and didn't want to go there. I'd heard what I needed to, and it probably would've hurt a lot more if he had to spell it out."

Chie seemed to blink back tears for a moment, and I placed a hand on her shoulder. I knew that at some point sooner or later, I would have to find out how Yu-kun felt about me, so I decided to comfort her now, knowing she'd return the favor if his answer was the same.

"I'm sorry to hear this, Chie," I said. "I might not have experienced anything like this, but I know what it feels like to be emotionally invested in someone, summon all your courage, and find out that this person doesn't feel the same way."

"Thanks, Yukiko," Chie said.

We changed the subject, but sobering thoughts continued to go through my head. I could only succeed at winning Yu-kun's heart because of Chie's failure, so a part of me worried that if I got together with Yu-kun, Chie would become jealous, and our friendship would be imperiled. With that fear in mind, I asked Yu-kun to keep the relationship under wraps for the time being, and he, evidently having had something similar in mind, readily agreed to it.

Of course, a part of me also knew that Chie and I had faced our own inner demons, and emerged as better friends for it. Perhaps someday, when we faced this issue as well, our friendship would be challenged, but would ultimately endure.

Sunday, July 29, 2012, Day Time

"Back then, I'd honestly thought that Chie and Yu-kun would make a good couple if he didn't get together with me," I said, "so I was honestly sad to hear that he'd implicitly turned her down."

"I know," Chie said, "but not even that knowledge made it much easier."

"Do you mean...?" I said, and Chie nodded, before turning to the other girls

"For a long time, I was jealous of the attention Yukiko got from guys," Chie said, "not because I'd wanted any of those pervy-sounding dudes to lust after me, but because I was afraid that when I met 'Mr. Right,' he'd go for Yukiko instead. It also doesn't help that some people hang out with me just to get close to Yukiko."

I had too many suitors to remember with any degree of accuracy, but Chie had a point. Mitsuo Kubo ended up killing Mr. Morooka to get attention, even if he wasn't responsible for the other two murders or three kidnappings until that point, and he was apparently a deeply troubled and misanthropic individual, judging by Chie and Rise-chan's accounts about him. Yosuke-kun and Teddie were good people at heart, but could be somewhat perverted and obnoxious at times, which is part of the reason why I honestly believed Yosuke-kun meant "private lessons" as a double entendre. Kanji-kun seemed interested in me at first, but I'd had my eyes on Yu-kun by that point, and before long, he became interested in Naoto-kun.

It was also depressing to think that just as many people confessed to me without any knowledge of or interest in the person I was beneath the facade of a school idol and model student, there were more than a few others who saw Chie as a means to an end to get to me, rather than a potential friend or lover. I knew her well enough to know that she was a kind person and true friend, which she'd proven by helping look after a dog as a favor to someone she'd just met, so it was sad that many people would interact with Chie somewhat regularly without ever realizing this.

"Again, I'm sorry, Chie," I said, "sorry that so many people overlook you, in favor of a 'me' that doesn't actually exist."

"There's no need to apologize, Yukiko" Chie said in a reassuring tone. "Like I said, if those guys don't treat you like an individual, they're not worth my time. The fact that Yu-kun was nice to you was part of the reason I became interested in him over time, although I eventually realized he was in love with you. It was his decision, of course, but I find it hard to fault him for that, since I had some idea that you two were an item.."

"What do you mean?" I said.

"Over the rest of the summer and the fall, I noticed that the two of you acted differently around each other," Chie said, "from when Yu-kun was most interested in seeing you in a swimsuit to when he let slip that you and he went to the festival together the day after we went at Christmas. I only got my first definite hint at Christmas, though."

Saturday, December 24, 2011, After School, Chie's POV

A little over two weeks after we defeated Adachi and Ameno-sagiri, life had gone back to normal in Inaba. With the fog having vanished in the space of an afternoon, everyone kept their gas masks around, but no one was selling any. People were coming to school on a regular basis, and teachers could teach their lessons. With the case apparently over, we stopped being a team of amateur detectives, and continued being a group of ordinary teenagers, high schoolers and friends.

On Christmas Eve, after school let out, I saw Yukiko walking in the shopping district, still wearing her winter uniform. The fog had gone away, but it wasn't quite cold enough for an overcoat, nor was it snowing, so it didn't quite seem like Christmas weather. She was carrying a package, trying to keep it out of sight while also avoiding anything that would make it too obvious that she was trying to conceal it.

"Hi, Yukiko," I said.

"Oh, Chie," Yukiko said, slightly sheepishly. "What brings you out here?"

"I'm just heading home," I said. "Do you have any plans tonight? Oh, wait, you probably have work, don't you?"

Yukiko shook her head. Her kimono was her standard attire for helping out at the inn, but if she was running an errand on the way back from school, it was perfectly fine for her to wear her school uniform. Even though she'd gone straight home after school, saying she needed to help out at the inn, there wouldn't have been enough time for her to change out of the uniform and run into me out here. My guess wasn't a bad one, but it wasn't quite on the mark.

"For some reason, my parents don't want me to help out," Yukiko said, "and don't even want me around tonight. I told my mother I would stay over at your place, but I'm actually heading to the Dojima house to spend Christmas with Yu-kun, since he's probably lonely."

It certainly wasn't like Yukiko to lie to her parents about where she was going, especially considering the circumstances. A girl only a year older than her had been murdered a little over eight months ago, causing parents to be really on-edge about where their kids were at any given time- and this went double for parents whose kids had been kidnapped. Besides, all of us had been extra nice to Yu-kun after his uncle and cousin had been hospitalized, so I didn't think anyone would find it odd that Yukiko would spend the night with him.

Still, it seemed to work out in a sense, or at least that was what I told myself. If Yukiko had to leave her house for the night, and Yu-kun had no one else at home, they'd enjoy each other's company, as I'd seen Yu-kun in the shopping district at night more than a few times while Dojima-san and Nanako-chan were hospitalized. The rest of us had families to which we could go home.

"I've got to get going," I said. "Merry Christmas, Yukiko."

"You too, Chie," Yukiko said as she walked to the Dojima house and I walked home.

Evening

I then got home and ate dinner with my family, before going up to my room and watching Trial of the Dragon again. Christmas had never been all that big for the Satonaka family, and even when Mom and Dad were dating, they'd kept their Christmas Eve celebrations fairly small.

Before long, Mom opened my door, carrying the house's cordless phone.

"Chie, there's a telephone call for you," Mom said. "It's Mrs. Amagi."

I paused the television as the movie was about to reach the climactic battle, and took the phone from my mom.

"Hello, Mrs. Amagi, this is Chie," I said as Mom walked out of the room to give me privacy.

"Hello, Chie-chan, it has been a while since we spoke like this," Mrs. Amagi said. "Your mother said that Yukiko wasn't at your house. Did Yukiko tell you where she was going?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said. While I'm not quite as up on my manners as Yukiko is, I know enough to be polite to my best friend's mom. "She said she was heading to the Dojima house."

"Aren't Detective Dojima and Nanako-chan currently in the hospital?" Mrs. Amagi said. "Oh, wait, Detective Dojima's nephew is staying at that house, too, isn't he?"

"He is," I said. "Yukiko was worried about Yu-kun being lonely on Christmas, so she decided to head over and spend the evening with him."

I heard laughter on the other end of the phone. It wasn't as loud or uncontrollable as Yukiko's laughing fits, but Mrs. Amagi wasn't the serious and reserved family matriarch I'd pictured her as when I first came over all those years ago.

"So unless I'm mistaken," Mrs. Amagi said, "you're saying that a teenage girl goes home to the home of a boy who's home alone on Christmas Eve, just to make sure he's not lonely. You have a great deal to learn about the world, Chie-chan."

"So does Yukiko, Mrs. Amagi," I said. "Since she doesn't even know when most boys are asking her out, she wouldn't think anything's odd about spending tim with a guy on Christmas, either."

"Maybe not," Mrs. Amagi said. "I must admit that I taught Yukiko fairly little about teen romance, and she hasn't had many friends besides you, but that doesn't mean she's entirely ignorant."

A pause followed as I considered this. I hadn't realized that Yukiko was desperate to get out of Inaba and away from her family's inn, so it was possible I had misjudged her again by assuming that she still had no interest in romance. In any case, what her mother was saying made too much sense for me to dismiss it as a wild guess or a mere fantasy.

"I have to get back to work," Mrs. Amagi said. "Merry Christmas, Chie-chan, and please tell Yukiko that she doesn't have to lie to me about this."

"You too, Mrs. Amagi," I said. "I'll talk to you later."

After handing the phone back to my mom, I pressed play, but the only thing on my mind was the mixed feelings I had. I was obviously a bit jealous about this, but also happy for Yukiko, for finding a good guy she could end up with. Of course, good or not, Yu-kun was going back to where he had lived before in less than three months, and Chie had resolved to stay and inherit the inn, likely living here for the rest of her life. Yukiko knew this as well as all of us did, but as smart as she and Yu-kun were, would they be able to find a solution to this?

Since thinking things through like this was never my strong suit, I simply contented myself with "I hope so," as my answer, and got back to watching my movie. While I did so, I fired off a text to Yukiko.

ur mom knows where u r. btw merry xmas, u 2!

Sunday, July 29, 2012, Yukiko's POV

By now, we'd gotten to Aiya, and had sat down at at table and placed our orders. Chie sat next to me, and Rise-chan, Naoto-kun and Marie-chan sat on the other side of the table. Once we had, Chie resumed the conversation.

"Now where were we?" I said.

"I think I remember," Chie said. "We'd finished talking about Christmas, and I was about to say that I was actually glad when you and Yu-kun came out to all of us today, since it meant that your relationship with Yu-kun had survived this long."

I nodded appreciatively, and said, "Thank you, Chie." Perhaps we had a long way to go and many trials to overcome as a couple, but the fact that we'd lasted this long gave me a great deal of confidence in myself, in Yu-kun, and the connection between us.

"On another note, it's as I thought," I said. "Mother knew about my plans to spend Christmas Eve with Yu-kun all along."

"Yeah, and in hindsight, I realized, even back then, that she had a point," Chie said. "There were all sorts of small cues that started making sense when I thought about them, such as Yu-kun's off hand remark about it being different to go to the summer festival with someone else. Then there's the incident in the storage shed on the ski trip..."

"I-I told you we just got lost and wanted to check out the TV!" I said, blushing fiercely as I struggled to maintain some semblance of composure.

"I know," Chie said. "Of course, the entire thing happened because you and Yu-kun decided to ski together, even though he wasn't able to keep up with you. By the time Valentine's Day rolled around, I all but knew you and Yu-kun were going out."

"What gave you that idea?" Marie-chan said. "I didn't come to school that day... or any other day, really."

I blushed as I realized Chie was about to tell the others something very embarrassing. I was prepared to answer many difficult questions when Yu-kun and I told everyone else about our going out, but hadn't counted on her bringing that up.

"Yukiko, who's pretty polite most of the time, slammed a bag full of chocolate on the desk and practically ordered everyone to take their candy and go home," Chie said. "Of course, Yu-kun was the only one whose chocolate wasn't in there, so she asked him to come get his."

Rise-chan smiled and giggled pleasantly, in a way that indicated that she wasn't having a laugh at my expense.

"Oh, so Yukiko-senpai tried something like what I did," Rise-chan said. "She gave out her chocolates to everyone she knew, in a way that didn't allow anyone to argue. If you got chocolate, great. If not, don't take it personally. Of course, it also probably works out better if there isn't a certain someone getting lovers chocolate."

For a moment, I'd been afraid that Rise-chan would come on to Yu-kun and give him some lovers chocolate, but Yu-kun simply showed me a small package of chocolate- the same size and type that I, a girl, had gotten from her- and I was greatly relieved. Of course, back then, I couldn't quite calm down given how nervous I was, which led to that display when I handed everyone else their chocolate.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012, Yukiko's POV

On my way out of the school, Chie caught up to me as quickly as her legs could carry her. She had always been a fast runner, so I only reached my shoe locker before she overtook me.

"Oh, Chie," I said. "Did you hand out your chocolate that quickly, or did you do what I did?"

"The latter," Chie said. "But I noticed you were acting oddly, and I wanted to see what was up."

"It's my first time handing out friendship chocolate to boys," I said. "Considering... how popular... I am at school, I wanted to make sure there weren't any hard feelings."

That remark was a half-truth, but Chie knew well enough that it was based in fact. Unlike Chie, I had hardly any guy friends, so there was no one I wanted to give friendship chocolates to at school. I simply got some store-bought chocolates for the male employees at the inn, as well as a bit of chocolate for Chie. While most would think this a perfunctory gesture, the chefs were touched, and, if nothing else, were grateful I wasn't making the chocolate myself.

"I get that," Chie said. "But did you think I didn't notice the 'That means you' bit as you looked directly at Yu-kun?"

"N-no," I said. "I wasn't sure how to say it to Yu-kun with so may people present. I just... forgot his chocolates, and realized after I got to school!"

My face must have completely changed expressions every few words as I thought up a lie on the spur of the moment.

"Right..." Chie said. "You know, Yukiko, if you have something to say to me, you can trust me with pretty much anything."

"I... don't know what you're talking about, Chie," I said.

As Chie rolled her eyes at me, Yu-kun then arrived.

"Oh, there's Yu-kun," I said. "Sorry, Chie, but I've got to go somewhere with him."

Yu-kun and I quickly walked off before Chie could say anything. Luckily, Yu-kun didn't ask too many questions, either, even as he accompanied me on the long scooter ride to Shichiri Beach. Perhaps the day would come when I'd have to tell my friends, but we'd have to face the questions of whether our relationship could survive the long term, particularly months of separation once Yu left Inaba in about five weeks.

For the moment, though, as we sat on the Shichiri Beach together, sharing the chocolate the chefs had helped me make, I couldn't help but think of the future with hope in my heart, imagining a time when our relationship and the Amagi inn survived long enough for us to inherit and run it together. Yu-kun, someone who'd gained the courage to blaze his own trail and refuse to let his circumstances dictate the course his life had took, had taught me not to fear what came next, so for his sake, I chose to keep hope alive even as I prepared for the challenges ahead.

July 29, 2012, Day Time, Yukiko's POV

"That was when I essentially became sure that you and Yu-kun were an item," Chie said. "And then, during the last battle with Izanami, you were the first to save Yu-kun from being dragged into the void."

"Everyone else who was actively fighting did, too, Chie-senpai," Rise-chan said, "since not only is Yu-senpai our friend, but he was also our best hope for defeating Izanami. Having expended most of my power, I could only watch, and sigh with relief as you all emerged from the dark void unharmed after Izanami's defeat."

My memory was a blank after the shadows had engulfed me. Yu-kun said he heard my voice, along with those of his other friends in Inaba, when he'd been pulled in himself. I didn't remember doing so, but for all I knew, he was right.

"So, as you can see, I've had a long time to think things over and come to terms with Yu-kun choosing you over me," Chie said. "It still hurts a bit to think about it, but now that I've actually gotten all that off my chest, it's easier to bear."

I nodded.

"Yet again, I'm sorry, Chie," I said, knowing that I was apologizing many times today, "sorry that you couldn't talk with me about this and work through your feelings earlier."

Chie let off an awkward chuckle.

"Ok, that's enough apologies," Chie said, "especially since I mostly got over that a long time ago. Besides, it's easier knowing that I'm not alone in this. Isn't that right, you three?"

Rise-chan, Naoto-kun and Marie-chan all nodded.

"I think the moment came in September," Rise-chan said, "the day I broke down crying after hearing that my manager had moved on to manage Kanamin, and that he had actually seen my talent all along. Yu-senpai stood there with me as I cried, but didn't hug me or do anything of the sort. I think that nicely sums it up- he's always there for me as a friend, but never anything more than that."

"That never stopped you from trying to get your hooks in him, huh, Rise-chan?" Chie said.

"That's because I didn't know he was already taken, Chie-senpai," Rise-chan said. "Of course, while the part of me that's a maiden in love liked the idea of getting together with Senpai, the more practical part of me believed that it was possibly for the best if we didn't, especially now that I'm relaunching my idol career."

"How so?" Chie said.

"See that girl behind you, checking her cell phone?" Rise-chan said, pointing across the table. Chie and I quickly and discreetly turned around, spotting her while she was still engrossed in it. "On her cell phone is a camera, and if I were here with a boyfriend she could, if she so desired, take a picture and post it on her blog. With enough savvy and momentum, she could start a gossip story that would potentially go viral and ruin my reputation."

I nodded. One of the things that had changed since Mother was my age was the advent of the Internet. The Amagi Inn still was- and always would be- a purely local business, but to adjust with the times, we would need to fully utilize the internet. That was one of many skills I would need to learn to manage the inn, and Mother would need to learn it as well so that there would be an inn for me to inherit.

"Wouldn't it be more profitable to sell it to the tabloids or use it for blackmail?" Naoto-kun said. "By posting that online, she would essentially be giving that information away for free, but with a good enough photo and some talent at negotiation, she could command quite a price."

"Yeah, there are people like that, too," Rise-chan said, "but others value traffic to their blogs and websites, or maybe just the chance to spread the latest gossip and smear me more than money. In any case, 'Risette' has to be super careful about her public image in ways that 'Rise' doesn't have to be. One wrong move, possibly something that wouldn't seem like a mistake to girls like you, and I become the laughingstock of the entertainment world."

I'd heard that showbiz was ruthlessly competitive, especially in the idol industry. As such, I couldn't help but worry about Rise-chan, particularly that her comeback might be as ephemeral as any relationship she might have had.

"Y'know, I'm actually kind of glad I'm not all that popular," Chie said. "I never knew celebrities had to deal with stuff like that."

"It's kind of an open secret, Chie-senpai," Rise-chan said. "It's the ugly side of the business that people don't like to talk about, but they know it's out there. I don't regret getting back into showbiz, even knowing I'll have to take the bad with the good, but is it fair to drag anyone else into it?"

"It's not dragging in if they have a choice, Rise-chan," I said. "Yu-kun's perfectly capable of making his own decisions, as well as sacrifices for the sake of a relationship."

"I know, Yukiko-senpai," Rise-chan said. "You may be right, and Yu-senpai probably would have been willing to deal with all that if he'd chosen me. It's just..."

"Just what?" Chie said.

Rise-chan opened her mouth a little, but then closed it and shook her head.

"Never mind," Rise-chan said.

To me, it was obvious that Rise-chan was hiding something, but I decided not to press her now. There were others who had yet to speak, and perhaps other opportunities to talk with Rise-chan about it.

"As for me," Naoto-kun said, "from what you have told me, Yu-senpai admitted his feelings to you before finding out that I was a girl... not that it mattered to him. I was honestly glad to hear that, but knew that it meant he only would ever see me as a friend."

"I see," I said. "And what about you? Were you fine with that?"

Naoto-kun shrugged.

"Back then, I was completely uninterested in love," I said. "Yu-senpai was respectful of my keeping would-be suitors at a distance, if a bit critical of how bluntly I turned them away. I appreciated his supportive but still honest approach, but at times, felt a small stirring in my heart, a stirring that has since died down."

"It's called having a crush, Naoto-kun," Rise-chan said. "There's really no shame in liking a guy, even if he doesn't return the feeling, or if you can't admit it. If he feels the same way, that's great. If not... I guess there's other fish in the sea."

Rise-chan clearly believed what she was saying, but she also sounded like she was trying to convince herself, too. Some people say it's hypocritical to advise people to make choices that are more difficult for you to do yourself, but it's simply easier to be dispassionate with someone else's problems than it is with your own, which is why advice from a knowledgeable and trusted source is as valuable as it is.

"Maybe not," Naoto-kun said. "Of course, his relationship with Yukiko-senpai aside, I have to wonder if my coldly dismissing the advances of suitors while acting above it all turned him off and gave him the impression I wasn't interested."

"I don't know," Rise-chan said. "It's called 'playing hard-to-get,' you know? Some guys get turned off, but others get even more turned on."

"Well, Yukiko turned down a lot of guys before meeting Yu-kun, including Yosuke," Chie said. "Then again, ever since Yu-kun left, she's become more assertive about that, which was one of the signs that helped me conclude that she was in a relationship."

Marie-chan had been unusually quiet this entire time. It was clear that since she hadn't spent all this time around us, and had only first met me during the summer, she'd missed some of the more romantic moments Yu-kun and I shared. Upon taking a closer look, though, it was a bit like Chie was when she was in the middle of a class she didn't understand.

"Yeesh, all this sounds really complicated," Marie-chan said. "And I thought friendship was tough to understand."

"Well, what's so hard to get, Marie-chan?" Rise-chan said. "Just like you know when you become friends with someone, you'll know when you fall in love, won't you?"

"The idea of romantic love being something that you can only give to- and get from- one person," Marie-chan said. "I mean, we're all friends with each other, and everything's fine, but if you, Green, the Detective Prince or I make a move on Black's boyfriend, there's going to be hell to pay, right?"

I hesitantly nodded. Part of the reason why Yu-kun and I were coming forward with our relationship was to ensure that no one would erroneously assume either of us was still available- like Rise-chan and Sakura-san did with Yu-kun and many boys did with me- but it was difficult for her to comprehend without the fundamental assumptions about romance and relationships.

"I'm not sure how to explain this to you, Marie-chan," I said. "When you're in love with someone, you see the other person as special, in a way that is far stronger than most other people, and you feel for only a handful of people in your life. It's only natural you'd want them to feel the same way about you, and only you, right?"

"I... suppose I get it," Marie-chan said. "Still, you're talking to someone who didn't get what friends were until a couple months ago. Can't you make it a bit easier?"

I shook my head.

"Well, I suppose it's not something that you can talk about very easily," I said. "It's probably one of those things that take time to fully understand."

"You might be right," Marie-chan said. "When Yu told me that he saw me as a friend, it was simple and easy to understand, since I'd come to realize that all the things we did together- hanging out, getting acquainted, helping each other- are what friends do."

"That aside, there's still the most important thing," Chie said, "we've all established that we're all good with Yukiko going out with Yu-kun, right?"

"Correct," Naoto-kun said.

"Yeah," Marie-chan said, faintly blushing the same way she did when she said something nice.

"...Right," Rise-chan said, more hesitantly than we'd expect of her usually exuberant personality.

"Thank you, everyone," I said. "There's still many people Yu-kun and I need to talk with about this, but for now, I appreciate your understanding."

"That's great," Chie said. "After we finish eating, let's check on the guys."

For the rest of lunch, we talked about the various experiences I had with Yu-kun, leaving no doubt in the other girls' minds that he had chosen me. Perhaps it was best that we waited this long, allowing the others time to come to terms with their rejection. Yu was not in love with them, not solely because he loved me, but he cherished them as friends, so I was glad that they could accept that, as I might have had to in another time, another place. The only question that remained was whether the boys would accept that I had chosen Yu, rather than any of them.

Author's Notes

Thank you for the reviews.

It can be tempting to make the rejected girls irrationally jealous, but it isn't in character for them to act that way. Rise isn't fully at ease with this, and her feelings will be explored in a later chapter, but the essential truth is that she wants to be happy for Yu and Yukiko, since she knows that they're a good match for each other.

Next up is the guys' chapter, as well as the two groups meeting up.

I also put up a poll about Rise flirting with Yu on my profile.