Rise sat with Yu on the grassy slope at the Samegawa Riverbank. She had asked him to spend some time alone with her now that his welcome back party was over. There had been no opportunity for such a thing back during Golden Week, so Rise was extra determined to get her chance now. Yu had had to agree to some one-to-one time with everyone else to catch up as well, of course, but Rise held the coveted first slot and nothing could have made her happier. Well, almost nothing, but that other thing was completely out of her reach.

"Is this all you wanted to do, Rise?" Yu asked after the two had sat in silence for a while. "Just sit here and watch the river?"

"Oh, no. I've just been trying to pluck up the courage to ask what I want to ask. A-And don't worry, I'm not about to ask you out or anything. I know you're not interested in that."

"It's okay. Take your time."

"Thanks." Rise took a deep breath and said what had been on her mind for a while now. "Senpai, do you... God, this is gonna sound so dumb. Do you find my shows of affection... I dunno, annoying?"

"Huh? Why would you think I would?"

"It's just, I've always been kinda... overzealous, I think is the word... in showing you how much I love you. But you don't feel the same way - which is fine, I totally get it - but do I come across like I'm too clingy, or like I'm trying too hard?"

"What brought all this on?"

"Well, the other day, I was looking over the script for a TV drama I'm up for. And part of the story is that my character is kinda like the school idol - I guess like Yukiko-senpai? You know, the girl every guy has a crush on, and who can't open her shoe locker without a flood of love letters tumbling out."

"I always figured you'd get that too, to be honest," Yu chuckled.

"Hehe, well, I did for a while. Yukiko-senpai still does though. A-Anyway, one of the other characters is a creepy guy who won't take no for an answer and eventually takes drastic action."

"He sounds like Kubo. One of my first memories of Yukiko is her rejecting him at the school gate soon after I arrived in Inaba. He really didn't take it well."

"So, you do see what I'm getting at, right? I started to wonder if I come across like this character, or I guess like Kubo now, to other people. Or to you."

"Not at all. You and Kubo are nothing alike."

"That's not-"

"No, it is. Kubo didn't know Yukiko. He liked her solely because of her looks and maybe for her family's profitable business. I don't recall you being all over me when Yosuke, Kanji and I came to the tofu shop to warn you about the kidnappings. It was only after we saved you and you got to see me leading the team that you started to show your attraction toward me. It's easy to imagine how someone leading a group of people with actual superpowers coming to rescue you would win your affections."

"Right!? You were so cool, telling everyone how to fight and making sure I was safe from my and Teddie's Shadows the whole time. Anyone would fall for you after that. I bet Yukiko-senpai and Naoto-kun did as well."

"I don't know about all that..."

"I do. You're really cool, Senpai. And really sweet. You might even have been the first person in this town to talk to me as Rise instead of Risette. That's a big part of why I love you."

"...I'm sorry I don't feel the same way, Rise. But I want you to know that, even if I can't return your feelings, I do appreciate them. Whenever we hit a roadblock in the case and I started to feel like we were just a bunch of dumb kids playing make-believe detectives, you being there and showing your appreciation reminded me that we were making a difference. By the time you joined us, we'd saved three people; more than, as far as we knew back then, the killer had succeeded in killing. While you can be a little overbearing at times, I can't deny that you really helped inspire me to keep going."

"Senpai... I had no idea. I always thought you were totally level-headed and always full of determination."

"Oh, no, not at all. I had to pretend that was the case to keep the rest of you feeling confident. If the leader hasn't got it together, how can he expect everyone else to?"

"I never realised you were going through so much trouble just for us."

"Don't worry about it. You more than made up for it by being invaluable to the investigation and Shadow fights. And, again, you kept my spirits up with your unending positivity and affection, even if you knew I didn't return it. Heh. I must sound pretty awful, huh?"

"Well... maybe a little," she said coyly. "You sound like the kinda guy who'd date multiple girls at once, purely for the benefits of it."

"That bad, huh?"

"Yep!" Rise leaned her head on Yu's shoulder and closed her eyes with a big smile on her face. "But I know you wouldn't. I'm sure you could, if you wanted, but you're too good a guy to do that. That's why I love you, Senpai. And why I always will. I'll ease off if you ever start dating, of course. But until then, you may continue to bask in Risette's affection. Who knows? Maybe one day, I'll actually get through to you and earn your affection."

Rise sat up straight suddenly, concerning Yu. "What is it, Rise?"

"Your Affection... That sounds like an awesome song name! I need to write this down!"

Yu let out a hearty laugh as Rise fumbled with her phone to make a note.

"That's mean, Senpai. Just for that, I'm officially rescinding my affections. You may have them back once you've thought about what you've done."

"I'll just wait to hear about them in the song."

Rise's face turned bright red. Once she realised this, she buried her face in her hands. "That wasn't even a good line! Why am I like this!?"

"Because 'Your Affection' is too strong for even you to handle."

"Stop!"