Persona Chaos Butterfly

by Sea of Soul

Co-written with Ohta-Suzuke. P3FES/P3P and P4/P4G x-over. After a personal tragedy, Souji's life is turned upside down when he meets up with two long lost friends and the Dark Hour returns. Now, together with the other Wild Cards, SEES and the Investigation Team, they must get to the bottom of this mystery. Feedback is appreciatted. It's tough work, ya know.

10. Chapter 10: Girl Talk Guy Talk

Hey, guys. College's been giving me quite a run for my money, but I still managed to get to work on this. Thanks for keeping up with us. ^^

Now to answer your questions:

KO: I'm sure you are wondering about how Pharos and Ryoji both exist, huh? Let's say they're like Aigis and Metis: two sides of the same coin, yet completely different people. That's all I can say for now.

grandshadowseal: We'll be seeing Pharos, Ryoji along with Marie in the upcoming chapters. They won't fully show themselves to the gang until they feel the time is right.

Guest: Please ask about later chapters on DA, not here.

A few warnings: (Yes, I put those before every chapter to avoid issues)

-There will be spoilers for all games! You've been warned.
-The Main characters from each game in this fanfic are called Minato Arisato (P3:FES), Minako Arisato (P3P) and Souji Seta (P4)
-There'll be some cursing. (Anyone that played any persona games knows that some characters on it curse quite a bit.) as well as some heavy subjects.
-Main Pairings in this fanfic: MinatoxYukari, ShinjiroxMinako, SoujixYukiko, KanjixNaoto, AkihikoxMitsuru, YosukexChie.
-Hinted Pairings(in later chapters): JunpeixChidori. (Hinted because Chidori doesn't appear much on this story) KenxNanako (Ya know those little girl's crushes on older boys? It'll be along those lines) FuukaxKeisuke (Other than Minato and Junpei, Fuuka only displayed some sort of close relationship with Keisuke the club president. I found it kinda cute.) TeddiexRise (Just for giggles. They are after all the two hyperactive cuties of the team X3)

Have fun ya guys. On with the show!

---

Chapter 10: Girl Talk. Guy Talk.

Minako hummed to the music of her MP3 player as she walked Koromaru to the shrine. He was whining about it earlier and the adorable look he gave her made her cave in. 'Maybe I'll stop by Aiya's later to get some food for Aniki, or maybe steak skewers? Mou~ why are all the food in this place so tasty?' she grumbled in her mind, trying to focus on the walk.

Koromaru shot up to the shrine the moment they arrived at the stairs. Minako sighed and followed him. When they reached the top, someone else beat them to it.

"Kanji-kun, what are you doing here?" she smiled at the sight of the former delinquent.

"Huh…what?" Kanji said dumbly, a bit startled. It seemed that he didn't notice their presence and was staring out at nothing. He looked troubled.

Minako sat beside him in front of the offertory box. "You seem to have a lot on your mind. Care to share?"

Koromaru was sniffing around the shrine, getting used to the place. He barked a few times and ran around the area. The Fox and her cubs heard his barking and came out of their hiding place. Soon enough, the little ones were chasing Koromaru in a game of tag, under the watchful eye of their mother.

Kanji smiled at the scene before answering Minako's question. "Just thinking about some stuff. Nothin' important."

"You know…" Minako started, looking at the clouds. "The summer festival is just a few days away. I'm excited to see what the countryside has to offer for the festivities. It's been a long time since I've been to one after all."

"Well, it used to be a lot of fun. Last year the murder cases freaked everybody out so it wasn't that exciting."

"Really? Then I hope this year's will be a blast!" Minako beamed excitedly. "So tell me, who are you going with? It's an unspoken rule among SEES that nobody else but Yukari-chan is going with Aniki, and Junpei-kun will spend some time with Chidori before she leaves."

Kanji's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "None of your business," he mumbled, looking away.

Minako's devious mind had an idea of who he was thinking about. She decided to ask one seemingly harmless question before dropping the bomb. "Hey, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Yeah, sure. What is it?" he said absentmindedly, not really paying attention to her.

"I need you to help me with Shinjiro-senpai's yukata. He hates these kinds of things so I was wondering if you can help me talk him into it, since you're a guy and all, and you do make pretty cute outfits…"

"Eh, that's it?" Kanji asked, raising a thin, pierced eyebrow. "You just want me to make Senpai a yukata for the festival?"

"Yeah, if it's not too much trouble." Wait for it… "Then you can ask him for some advice on how to ask Naoto-chan out!"

Kanji choked on his own spit. His face exploded with different types of colors, embarrassed that he had been found out.

Taking pity on the junior, Minako slapped his back rather harshly to help him clear out his airway. "Oh come on, Kanji-kun. There's no need to be embarrassed. You were kinda easy to read," she said amusingly.

"B-but…what if she rejects me?" he stuttered, face still red.

"You worry too much. Why don't you just man up and ask her first?"

"I c-can't…"

"Kanji-kun, as cute and endearing as I find your shyness towards her, you can't stay like this forever," Minako said, patting his back softly. "You better ask her soon before somebody else does." She then stood up and walked to the stairs. "I'm heading to Souzai Daigaku for a snack. Can you watch over Koro-chan for a while? Thanks!" She skipped off without waiting for a reply.

The junior continued to wallow in self-pity. Minako wasn't the first one to tell him that. Souji-senpai had already told him the same thing.

…Flashback…

Kanji dejectedly walked down the school hallway after school. Lately, he had been hearing rumors about Naoto and Souji. Many of the students had seen them talking and spending time together after classes. At first, Kanji thought nothing of it. Naoto just joined the team recently, so Souji was probably trying to befriend her so she would be more comfortable in the team, just like he had done for Kanji when he joined them.

However, as the rumors escalated, Kanji started to notice how much Souji and Naoto had in common: both were really intelligent, quick witted and loved to read books. It was no wonder they clicked so well and the thought of that only made Kanji depressed. There was no way in hell he could compete with Senpai; Souji was the most popular guy in school and girls flocked around him like ants around a lump of sugar. While him… he was feared and people gave him odd looks about his doll crafting abilities.

"Kanji?" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Startled, Kanji spun around and was face-to-face with the last person he wanted to see at that moment. "Yo… Senpai…" Kanji forced a smile.

"You look troubled… Something's bothering you?" Souji asked.

"'S no big deal…" Kanji lied. Part of him wanted to confront Souji about the rumors. Other part wanted to just get away as much as possible.

Souji, however, was unconvinced. "You're a poor liar." He crossed his arms. "Let's go to the riverbed. We can talk there without being bothered."

Kanji sighed in defeat. When Souji used that tone of voice, he knew no one was going to convince him otherwise.

---

They walked along the riverbed in silence. The tall freshman was avoiding Souji's gaze, so the silverette decided to make the first move. "You heard the rumors, didn't you?"

Kanji stopped dead for a moment before looking away. "S'bout you and Naoto?"

Souji sighed. "You start hanging out with a girl and people are already saying you two have something going on… Same thing happened after I became friends with Chie, Yukiko, Rise, Yumi, Ayane… And don't even get me started with Ai…" He sounded rather annoyed. "How immature can people get?"

Kanji felt kinda bad for his Senpai. 'Guess being a popular dude is not all fun and games…' he thought. 'I mean, he became pretty much target of all of school's rumors…'

"And no. I'm not interested in Naoto in the sense of pursing a relationship with her if that's what you're wondering. Yes, we do have a lot in common, but I see her more as a dear friend, as a sister if you will." Souji continued. "I was just trying to get to know her a little, get to learn a bit about the new member of the team, to make her feel like she belongs here… Next thing I know I got involved in another case she's working on."

"Another case?"

"Naoto was challenged by someone called 'The Phantom Thief.' He stole something from the Shirogane Estate and challenged her to recover it. He had someone deliver the first letter to me so I'd deliver it to her." Souji explained. "She didn't want to involve the others on this, but since I knew about it, I decided to aid her as it was a good way to know her better. She won't be happy if she finds out I told you this, so please Kanji, don't speak a word of this to her."

"Uh… Sure, Senpai. I can do that." Kanji said. "But, why are ya telling me all this?"

Souji placed a hand on his shoulder. "Kanji, I'm telling you this because… because out of everyone else you deserve to know the most. You've liked Naoto even when you thought she was a guy." He rubbed the back of his head. "And I didn't want to hurt your feelings because of some petty school rumors…"

"He was afraid we'd stop bein' friends for good because of that…" Kanji could feel a huge weight being lifted from his shoulders. He was so glad Souji had the trouble to come clean with him. A huge grin was plastered on his face, but at the same time he started blushing as Souji brought up the topic of his feelings towards the detective prince. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Jeez, Senpai… I mean, I know we're good friends and all, but I didn't think you cared about me that much..."

"Kanji, you have no idea just how important all of you are to me. I couldn't handle losing even one of you." Souji said. "Ever since I've arrived in Inaba, I made friendships I'll treasure for my entire life, something I haven't felt in a long time… And I'm not gonna let some stupid rumor ruin any of that."

Kanji nodded. His respect for Souji had just increased ten, no, a millionfold, but now, but he still was curious. "So… I-If Naoto ain't your type… D-Does that mean you're dating someone?"

Souji blinked at the question. Kanji could've sworn that for a fraction of a second, his senpai's cheeks turned pink. "Well... Yes." he finally admitted. "But I promised her I would keep our relationship secret until she was ready. She felt it could interfere with the team if we announced it too early."

'So it's one of the girls from the team!' "Well, gotta respect that..." Kanji said.

"Thanks…" Souji was relieved that Kanji wouldn't question him further. "So… while we're still on the topic, you plan to ask her out anytime soon?"

He froze. Kanji's last experience with girls had been traumatic; not only he was knocked out cold by Chie in the camping trip, Hanako, who was sharing a tent with Yukiko and Chie back then, unconsciously, cuddled him tightly. He got no sleep that night and was embarrassed as hell having ended up being smooshed between Hanako's breasts. It didn't make him feel any better when Hanako walked up to Kanji the following day, seemingly embarrassed, and the others came to the conclusion the she was going to confess her feelings to him and hid behind a tree. Then she ended up telling Kanji that he wasn't her type, apologized, and then left, flat out rejecting him.

As if he was reading his mind, Souji gave his kouhai a sympathetic smile. "It's not like what happened on the camping trip will happen again…"

A depressed aura began to materialize around Kanji. "I can't… and it's my own damn fault anyway…" His fists clenched. "Being as blunt as I am I shoulda been able to tell it to her face..." He let out a bitter laugh. "Kinda funny how I can fight things that'd make guys in the military shit their pants with no problem but I can't talk to one girl…"

"You'll never know if you don't try," Souji said. "And if you wait too long, someone else will ask her out in your place."

"Easy for you to say… Ya ain't afraid of anything. And ya manage to keep your cool through every damn thing that happens to ya." Kanji sighed. "Dammit Senpai, how am I supposed to be like you?"

"Don't be like me. Be like yourself."

The answer his friend gave him made Kanji feel somewhat better. "Ah, I get it. Do it my way, eh Senpai? Well, that takes some pressure off, but…I still don't really know what I'm doing."

"You're overthinking it," Souji stated.

"Heh, I might be." Kanji smiled wryly.

"Take it slow. Get to know her better. Be honest with yourself and think on how she'd feel if you weren't being honest with her." Souji patted his back. "That's the best advice I can give you."

"Thanks, Senpai. I'll try my best!"

"You're welcome. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling like having a Topsicle. How about we grab one on the way home?"

"Hell yeah!" Kanji's eyes brightened up. "Let's go!"

The two friends headed out to Madam Shiroku's store for some tasty treats.

Two days later, Kanji and the others caught Souji and Yukiko kissing after training on the TV world. While it was awkward and Souji scared the heck out everybody for spying on them, the former delinquent was truly happy for his senpais and relieved that he did have a chance with Naoto. That is, if he ever managed to get over his shyness towards her.

…End Flashback…

"Do it my way, huh…?" Kanji muttered to Koromaru, who was licking his hand. "Well, might as well give it a try…"

---

Northern Shopping District…

Kanji felt lucky as he bumped into the beanie-wearing senior when he went to Aiya's for a late snack, despite his mother's warning that it will ruin his appetite for dinner. They decided to sit at a table together and chat while waiting for their order.

"This place isn't bad," Shinjiro commented. "I can see why a lot of people enjoy eating here."

"The old man's a friendly guy. It's good for business," Kanji chuckled. He continued to talk to Shinjiro about the special menus and his current school life. Shinjiro didn't have a lot to add since his life wasn't that interesting.

They ate in silence after their food arrived. Kanji enthusiastically dug into his chicken leek stir fry and beef ramen, but his brain was furiously thinking up a plan on how to bring up the dreaded topic of the summer yukata. After finishing their food, they had some tea.

Kanji cleared his throat. "Say…I bumped into Minako-senpai earlier when she was out walking Koro-chan," he started. "She asked me for a favor regarding the summer festival."

Shinjiro 'hmmm'ed in response, sipping his tea.

"And she said she wanted me to make you a yukata to wear to the festival."

With that sentence finished, Shinjiro did a spit take, some of the tea dribbled down his chin and onto his maroon pea coat. "Say what?!" he spluttered, grabbing a napkin to wipe his mouth. "She wants me to wear what?!"

"Dude, don't ask me. It was just a favor."

"Like hell I'm gonna wear something like that," Shinjiro retorted in distaste. "The weird outfits she made me wear in Tartarus was torture enough."

Kanji quirked a brow at the older teen. 'She must have him totally whipped to be able to make him take off that damn coat,' he thought. 'But then again, she is pretty scary…almost as scary as Chie-senpai, Yukiko-senpai and Rise's cooking combined.' Suddenly, a sneer made its way to the corner of his mouth.

Shinjiro's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What the hell is so funny?"

"You might not want to piss her off by passing this up," Kanji said, shrugging. "Face it, your girlfriend is scary shit compared to any Shadow I've ever fought." He watched with silent amusement when Shinjiro stared at him as he pondered over his statement, and let out a heavy, depressed sigh.

'Yup, totally whipped.'

And that was how both of them ended up in Tatsumi Textiles.

Kanji was holding a measuring tape in his hands and a pencil wedged at the back of his ear. He measured Shinjiro's arms, legs, chest circumference, the length of his back and a few other places, pausing in between to write them down in a small notebook on a nearby table. Shinjiro just stood still with a scowl on his face. He wasn't pleased when Kanji made him take off his coat either. Earlier, Mrs. Tatsumi suggested for her son to take Shinjiro to the back because he was scaring the other customers.

"So…uh…how do like our small town?" Kanji said, attempting to start a conversation as he slipped the tape around Shinjiro's neck.

"It's nice, lots of fresh air," he grunted in response.

Silence fell between them after that. 'Screw it! I better ask him now before I lose my chance,' Kanji groaned internally. "H-hey…I was wondering…how did you manage to ask Minako-senpai out…three years ago was it?" he said slowly, trying not to offend the older teen.

The blush on Shinjiro's face intensified. "Th-that's a private question, moron! Besides, it's none of your damn business!"

"Hey, Minako-senpai said that I can ask you for advice so I'm asking, asshole!"

"She said what?! I don't give advice!"

The two of them started to swear at each other, all that was missing were the punches and kicks. Both were harshly reprimanded by Mrs. Tatsumi who then whacked their heads with a cloth-measuring ruler. They were saved when a customer in front called for her.

"Why would she tell you to ask me in the first place?" Shinjiro groaned, rubbing his sore head. "I'm not good at this kind of shit."

Kanji sighed miserably. "I want Naoto to go to the festival with me, but I'm too scared to ask her," he said, looking at the floor. "When I ran into Minako-senpai earlier, she said you can help me. That's why I want to know how you managed to ask her out in the first place, and maybe get some pointers. Face it, guys like us don't have any luck with girls."

The older teen gave him a look of sympathy. "I didn't ask Minako out. The little runt wouldn't stop pestering me the moment I rejoined SEES, so I finally gave in and took her to Hagakure. Most of the time, she practically dragged me to go out and eat," Shinjiro ranted, but his voice got softer as he continued. "After that, we just spent more time with each other. I guess I started to realize my feelings for her when she managed to persuade me to cook a feast for the entire dorm. Of all the people who could talk me into it, it had to be her. It just happened, okay? The only dates we ever gone to was walking Koro to the shrine or eating ramen together."

Kanji listened in silence.

"The first place I took her to of my own free will was the alley behind Port Island Station, the place where I got shot. Not exactly romantic, is it?" Shinjiro laughed bitterly. "I didn't want to become someone important in her life at first, but before I knew it she became a part of mine. She was the one who confessed to me, not the other way around. Sometimes I still wonder what a great girl like her sees in a guy like me."

A lump formed in Kanji's throat. "Then what should I do?"

"Just be yourself. I'm pretty sure Shirogane knows when you're being dishonest with her," Shinjiro answered, placing a hand on the bleach-blonde's shoulder. "Remove all the petty thoughts from your mind and focus on the important stuff, not the 'what ifs' and you'll do fine. I learned that the hard way." He touched his chest, the place where Takaya's bullets went through him.

A ghost of a smile formed on Kanji's lips. "Th-thanks, Shinjiro-senpai. I sort of needed to hear that."

"Good. Then let's get this thing done and over with."

After Kanji was done measuring, he took Shinjiro to the front to pick out the fabric for his custom-made yukata. Rise came in just in time when the two were starting to bicker over what color the garment should be.

"What are you two fighting about?" the teen idol asked, cocking her head to one side in a curious manner.

"Rise, what are you doing here?" Kanji grumbled.

"I came to bring some silken tofu for your mom. Grandma made it especially for her." Rise shoved a small package under Kanji's nose. "Now answer my question already!"

"Urgh…fine! Minako-senpai wants me to make a yukata for her boyfriend here. Happy now?"

"Then why were you two fighting?" she repeated her question, hands on her hips.

Kanji was in the right mind to strangle Rise if she wasn't his friend. Shinjiro glared at her in annoyance, but the girl simply brushed it off.

"I asked him what color he wanted his yukata to be. Idiot here says he doesn't care, which makes my job a hell of a lot harder," Kanji said, jerking a thumb at Shinjiro.

"Watch it, dickhead!"

Before the two of them went for each other's throats, Rise interrupted them. "Let me help. I am good at this kind of thing after all." She eyed Shinjiro from top to bottom, and circled around him twice, even as far as to order him to remove his beanie. She looked at Kanji after she was done. "I'd go with dark blue, almost black color for the yukata, and silver for the obi. Keep it plain and simple, clean-cut, and he'll do just fine."

Rise helped Kanji look for the right fabric, and after ten minutes they were done. All Kanji had to do now was sew the entire outfit together. Rise stayed for a while to give Mrs. Tatsumi her silken tofu before heading home.

The sun was starting to set when they finally finished. "It's late. I'll try and finish this before the day of the festival. You should head back to the inn," Kanji said. "And thanks for earlier…about…you know…"

"Whatever," Shinjiro replied, walking out from the shop. Not before glaring hard at Kanji. "And don't you dare mention this to anyone, got it?"

---

Same time at Amagi Inn…

It was a beautiful summer evening. The Arisato twins were hanging out at the inn's Japanese garden by the koi pond, chatting about the recent events.

"I'm still kinda curious why he's back. From what Banchou-kun told us not even he knows how that happened, but he seems determined to help," Minako said.

"I know… it's a mystery alright" her brother said, recalling the conversation they had with Souji while still in the hospital, before they were informed of Junpei and Yosuke's recklessness.

"Yes, I wonder what he's trying to do." Minako closed her eyes in thought. In her hands was a ring. "There's so much we don't know about. What's really going on…?"

Minato smiled softly at his twin and patted her head. "There, there, sis… We'll figure things out soon enough," he said. "So far, the Dark Hour hadn't manifested itself lately, so things might stay calm for a while. The Summer Festival is just around the corner. We should enjoy it."

Minako smiled back at her brother and started playing with the hem of her skirt after she pocketed the ring. "You're right, Aniki. I can't wait for it! I even got Kanji-kun to make a yukata for Shinjiro-senpai!"

"You gonna make him wear one? Jeez…" Minato chuckled at the thought.

Minako glared playfully at him when she had an idea. "Hey, since me and the girls are gonna wear yukatas, why don't you and Banchou-kun wear one too? For old times' sake?" She giggled. "Yukari-chan and Yukiko-chan would love that for sure. Oh! Oh! Even better! Why don't all the guys wear yukatas?"

Minato blinked at the suggestion, blushing faintly. "Well, that'd be nice for a change…but…how am I supposed to convince them?"

"You're very convincing and so is Banchou-kun, Aniki. You'll think of something. Just like you convinced the girls to wear maid outfits in Tartarus."

"Why don't you convince them? You managed to make them wear those butler outfits more times than I can count!"

"No can do. The girls and I are going shopping at Okina tomorrow. We're even taking Nanako-chan with us." Minako smiled. "Wasn't Banchou-kun taking you guys to go fishing tomorrow? That should do the trick just nicely."

Minato sighed in defeat. There was no arguing with his sister. He knew one thing for sure; he and the guys are sure to have a field day.

---

The next morning, the SEES girls headed off to Yasoinaba Station and waited for the rest of the Investigation Team girls. Yukiko and Chie went to pick up Nanako and they were off. Teddie was stalking them earlier but his plans were foiled by Souji who dragged him along with Yosuke and Koromaru for their planned fishing trip.

Nanako was enjoying the view from the window while the older girls chatted.

"Really, that bear has some nerve to follow us like that!" Chie huffed, crossing her arms against her chest. "What part of 'girls only' does he not understand?"

"Just like the time we went to the school trip, he followed us all the way to Port Island," Rise told Fuuka. "Senpai almost got in trouble because he refused to leave us. I think he has some sort of obsession with him back then."

"That's just creepy," Yukari said, shivering a little. "But then again, Aigis was no different with the twins."

"That was before I gained a heart," Aigis answered. "It was, and still is, my duty to protect them."

"I agree, Sister," Metis added, smiling at Aigis. Yukari only sweatdropped.

"Enough about that," Minako beamed. "Let's focus on our shopping trip! I can't wait to see what sort of stuff that's available there."

From there, the girls discussed about what to buy; dresses, skirts, blouses and accessories that will match with their outfits. Even Mitsuru, whom usually depend on her personal stylists to choose her clothes for her, added some of her opinion. Chie seemed a bit uncomfortable, but joined in. The only one squirming was Naoto.

Rise noticed this and decided to pull her into the conversation. "Naoto-kun, what's wrong? You've been quiet all morning."

Naoto fidgeted in her seat. "Err…I just feel out of place…among the others. Why do I have to come along again?"

"C'mon Naoto-chan, don't be such a spoil sport!" Minako patted her back. "It's always fun to try on clothes, especially ones you'd never wear in public. Just to see how you'd look in them."

"And because you don't have any girly clothes," Rise answered simply. "You wanted to borrow some of mine but they don't fit, remember?"

…Flashback…

Naoto was in Rise's room, with the latter's invitation. She insisted that Naoto tried something feminine in order to win the heart of a certain 'white-haired punk' or something along those lines. Needless to say, the young detective blushed, confirming the teen idol's suspicion. Which is why Naoto was browsing through Rise's wardrobe, and Rise was watching over her with a smirk on her face.

"We'll start with something simple," Rise started. She pulled out an aquamarine summer dress with a white ribbon around the waistline. "Try this one on for size."

"Sh-should I really wear this?" Naoto stuttered slightly, eyeing the garment. The question was more of an excuse to delay the inevitable.

"Naoto-kun, this is what girls usually wear during the summer. Stop wasting your breath talking and put it on already."

Knowing Rise's stubbornness when she doesn't get what she wants, Naoto sighed heavily and took the shirt from Rise's hands. She wasn't comfortable stripping in front of other people so she went to change in the bathroom.

Rise waited patiently, but Naoto was taking too much time. 'Jeez… how long does it take to get changed into a summer dress?' she thought irritably. Not one for respecting personal space, she pushed open the bathroom door to find her friend already dressed in the blue outfit. "What's taking so long? Do you need any help?" she demanded.

"Rise…I can't breathe," Naoto said, her voice a little strained and her face red. "Are your clothes always this tight?"

"Huh, what are you talking about? Aren't we about the same…size…?" It didn't take long for Rise to understand Naoto's predicament. The way her breasts were stretching the fabric was pretty obvious to answer the question. In addition to that, there were bandages in the sink, confirming what Rise saw on their health examination results last year was neither a fluke nor a misprint.

…End flashback…

They finally arrived at Okina. Rise wasted no time dragging the others to her favorite shops. The SEES girls couldn't believe the bargains that could be found here, and squealed excitedly when one of them found something they particularly liked. They had a blast choosing clothes from the racks and trying them on in the changing rooms.

"Yukari-chan, how do I look?" Minako asked, twirling around as she stepped out of the booth. She was trying on a denim skirt which flattered her long legs and an orange halter top with a big red heart in the middle. On her feet was a pair of purple ballerina flats she found moments ago.

"Aneki, you look really pretty!" Nanako said, clapping her hands.

"Something seems to be missing…" Yukari mused. She wasn't about to tell her best friend that she was showing off too much skin, and was pretty sure that if Shinjiro saw his girlfriend wearing that in public he would give her one long, ear-bleeding lecture. Not wanting to deal with that consequence, Yukari grabbed a short green jacket to cover her shoulders. It went surprisingly well together. "Wow, this combination suits you, Minako. The skirt looks especially nice on you!"

In another booth, Rise was trying to persuade Naoto to come out of the dressing room she was in. "Naoto, I'm going to count to three before I ask one of the sales girls to force the door open!" she threatened.

Naoto timidly opened the door and revealed herself. Rise had chosen a female version of her detective outfit; a dark blue school skirt paired with a turquoise collared t-shirt with rolled-up sleeves, and black boots. A short red necktie added color to the attire, making Naoto look more feminine but not losing any of her crime-solving appeal.

Yukiko and Chie were speechless; they had never seen Naoto in a skirt before (her school uniform didn't count). Mitsuru nodded her approval and Nanako clapped some more. Unbeknownst to Naoto, Rise took out her phone and snapped a picture. 'Kanji-kun is going to have a major nosebleed when he sees this ~' she smirked evilly.

Aigis and Metis tried every combination they could find; jeans, skirts, blouse and dresses, you name it. Minako insisted that Mitsuru tried something out of her comfort zone like jeans, miniskirts and tube tops. The girls got a bit jealous when she pulled off every single garment she tried on to perfection.

Yukari and Rise made it their mission to give every girl in their group a makeover. Even little Nanako wasn't spared. After trying out clothes, they went window shopping. They went a bit over their budget when they found a store that sold the cutest hairpins, rings and necklaces in every shape and color you can imagine.

"Hey, girls, what do you think of this?" Chie asked, pointing to a fake flower that was pinned above her right ear.

Naoto studied a bit. "It is simple, yet feminine."

"Quite charming, Chie-chan." Yukari smiled.

"Thanks… I like it." Chie said with a small smile. "It's not too girly and it's cute. I'll wear it for the festival."

"Hey Naoto-kun, do you ever do anything with your hair?" Yukiko asked.

The detective shook her head. "No, not really."

"Try this," Yukiko suggested, pulling off Naoto's hat and putting a headband in its place. She held up a small mirror and Naoto stood transfixed by her reflection. The headband was dark blue with a small bow to one side. It wasn't overly girly or frilly, yet it transformed Naoto from looking like a boy to a girl. 'Amazing…who would have thought such a slight change could make such the difference,'she thought.

"Do you like it?" Rise asked.

"Uh…oh yeah… I think I do."

"You know, you can be feminine without the frills, lace and makeup," Yukiko said. "Sometimes subtle is better."

"Yeah…I think I can see that now," Naoto said, removing the headband and putting her hat back.

"Good!" Yukari said with a grin. "You just have to take it one step at a time."

Once the other girls were busy browsing again, Naoto took another look at the headband. 'One step at a time…I can do that.' She ran the pad of her fingers along the smooth satin covering the hard frame.

Minako bought Nanako a Featherman R hairpin and a bead bracelet with colors of the rainbow. "Anything for my little sister," she said, ruffling Nanako's hair. This earned her a hug from the little girl. After another hour of looking at shoes, they stopped for lunch at an outdoor café.

"I'm so exhausted…" Chie complained, slamming her head on the table. "My feet are killing me, and I don't think I can look at another pair of new shoes without wanting to punch somebody…"

"This is why I don't shop," Naoto said sourly, glaring at her drink. "I can't wrap my mind around the whole concept of looking through things, trying them on and not buying them in the end. It's ridiculous!"

"Oh please. You guys had as much fun as the rest of us," Rise chided, sucking on the straw in her tall glass of fruit juice. "Isn't that right, Nanako-chan? It's important to spend some quality time with girls only."

Nanako giggled. "Yeah!"

"Please let us go home after this," Chie grumbled.

"That would not be possible at the moment," Aigis cut in. "I still haven't had the chance to purchase a summer yukata for my sister."

"That reminds me, I wanted to get one for Ken-kun as well," Fuuka said. "He'd look so cute in one, don't you think?"

"Fuuka, aren't you going to get one for Hiiraga-senpai too?" Yukari teased. "Don't think I don't know about your relationship with him. Minato-kun has had his suspicions for a long time you know." She grinned widely when Minako stared at her with disbelief.

Fuuka blushed at Yukari's words, and hid her face behind her hands. It was against her nature to think violent thoughts, but when she gets back at the inn she was going to have to talk to (punish) their blue-haired leader and his big mouth. "Nanako-chan, do you want to help me find a yukata for Ken-kun?" she asked a bit too quickly, trying to change the subject.

"I don't mind," Nanako said. "It's gonna be a lot of fun!"

"I can't believe Aniki never told me that Fuuka is dating the president of the Photography Club!" Minako whined. "Well, I'm not against it. Keisuke-senpai is a decent guy. He helped me and Junpei-kun with that secret photo business, so I support your relationship with him. You should get him a souvenir."

"Speaking of relationships…" Yukiko interjected. "Chie and Yosuke-kun became an official couple as of yesterday. Souji-kun was right all along, they do belong together."

Chie went bright red. "Don't rub it in my face, Yukiko. You're the one who had the hots for Souji in the beginning but you were just too shy to admit it."

"What's so special about Yosuke-senpai anyway?" Rise asked. "All Chie-senpai does is kick him whenever he does something stupid. He's isn't that smart or good-looking, and clumsy but in a funny way…and she's hot-tempered, impatient and violent. They argue all the time. How is that gonna work?"

Mitsuru just smiled. "Just because they seem like opposites doesn't mean they're not compatible, Kujikawa. My parents were brought together by an arranged marriage, but they somehow made it work. Those two will figure it out, as long as they feel strongly for each other."

Chie's blush got deeper, but she couldn't help herself from admiring the red-head's words.

"Junpei and Hanamura-san have a lot in common," Chidori said. "But that's what I love about Junpei. He's always patient with me, and cheers me up when I'm sad. Just because he isn't book smart only means that his strengths lies elsewhere. I guess what I'm saying is that he sees me differently than other people, and that makes me feel special." She scratched her cheek shyly, her cheeks a healthy pink.

"You changed him too, Chidori. Now we don't have to worry about him being a total pervert anymore," Minako added, earning laughs from the other girls. She then turned to Yukari. "So what made you choose my brother, Yukari-chan?"

"W-well…I was kind of attracted to him when you guys first joined SEES," Yukari stammered, playing with her fingers. "My first impression of him was the mysterious, loner type, but we had a lot in common because of our pasts. I guess my feelings for him grew after the trip to Yakushima. When I yelled at him for no reason, he was nothing but understanding, and I thought my heart would burst when he hugged me on the beach. After that I would get jealous when he spends time with other girls from the clubs, since it wasn't just me who found him to be charming…" She stole a quick glance at Mitsuru and Fuuka. "I was so happy when he asked me out on Christmas Eve."

"I feel the same way with Souji-kun," Yukiko admitted. "He always listens to me, even though I know I'm boring him. I always feel inadequate next to him when he first asked me out. He just seems so…perfect. Excellent grades, good looks, and charming personality. But soon I realized that he's not perfect at all. He always put others before himself, ignoring his health sometimes. And he's a bit of a hothead, but I guess that runs in the family. He...he just has a big heart, never able to turn down anyone who needs his help. And he can be such a sentimental sap too. He still keeps the swords he used in our previous battles under his futon."

"Big Bro snores sometimes when he sleeps," Nanako supplied. Then she covered her mouth as if she just blurted out top secret information.

Yukiko chuckled. "Yeah, I kind of figured that out during last year's camping trip," she said, patting her on the head. "Besides, girl talk isn't fun without digging the little secrets about our boyfriends, right?"

"What about you, Minako-chan? Don't you have anything to say about Shinjiro-senpai?" Yukari questioned. "When he rejoined SEES, I had my doubts about him. He was always withdrawn and doesn't hang out with us much. I mean, everyone in the dorm was practically scared of him except for you and Akihiko-senpai. Oh, and Koro-chan too."

"I must say I was surprised when you managed to persuade him to cook for the entire dorm," Mitsuru said, looking pleased. "Shinjiro is well-known for his stubbornness and foul mouth, so something like that was quite out of character for him."

Minako looked at the ground and fiddled with her thumbs. "I…I asked him out to dinner that night because he seemed…lonely, I guess. But despite his gruff exterior, I felt that he was hiding a lot of pain. We got talking, and little by little I was falling for him. He has a soft spot for animals, and often feeds the strays living in the alleyways. Even though he gives a bad first impression, he really does care about us, in his own way. Being by his side, I feel safe and warm. He's just that kind of guy." A big, goofy smile adorned her face as she caressed the leather watch on her wrist.

The older girls sighed dreamily. Nanako giggled at their antics, but is glad that her Aneki is happy.

"Uh…umm…I sort of have a confession to make," Mitsuru said shyly a moment later, fidgeting in her seat. "Since we're all talking about relationships, I don't want to be left behind." She doesn't normally participate in such activities, but after befriending Yukari, things changed. The other girls snapped out of their reveries to pay attention to the young heiress. "The truth is…Akihiko and I have been seeing other each since high school and made it official after we graduated. It was my decision to keep it a secret from you all."

Silence.

"She finally admits it!" Minako cheered, jumping up from her seat.

Fuuka and Yukari looked at each other sheepishly. "We kind of knew about that for a long time, Senpai," the latter admitted. "It was difficult to ignore the looks you two gave each other at the dorm."

"I knew Akihiko-senpai had a thing for you, but he probably didn't confess earlier because he's too shy," Fuuka added. "It would have made his life in high school a lot easier though. No girl in school had the guts to go against the Student Council President."

"The sexual tension between you two was difficult to ignore," Aigis said. "My sensors would pick up an increase in body heat and high concentration of pheromones whenever the both of you are close to each other."

"I noticed that too," Metis said.

"Aigis, do you mind?!" Minako hissed, covering Nanako's ears. The little girl looked confused as she tried to understand what the others were talking about.

Mitsuru's mouth hung open slightly, a bright blush staining her cheeks. She couldn't believe what she was hearing!

"You two were pretty obvious," Rise supplied. "He looks at you differently compared to other girls."

"Your body language indicates that the two of you have mutual attraction for each other," Naoto said. "I am happy for the both of you."

"We didn't say anything should we offend you. I'm sorry," Yukiko apologized.

"Every tough guy has a soft side," Chie smirked. "Speaking of tough guys…how's your progress with Kanji, Naoto-kun? Surely something about that guy attracts you in a way."

The Detective Prince choked on her drink. She coughed out the remains of liquid from her lungs before answering the question with another question. "What are you insinuating, Chie-senpai?"

"You guys have been hanging out a lot lately, and I often see you hanging out at his mother's shop after school. Rise tells me you sometime stay for dinner when your gramps is out of town."

Naoto gave Rise the stink-eye, which she pretended to ignore. "That was only one time!" Naoto protested. "I just want to know him better! Kanji-kun is a lot smarter than what you guys take him for."

Now Rise was interested. "Please tell, Naoto-kun. We would love to hear from you how smart Kanji-kun is," she smiled sweetly, her voice saccharine.

Seeing all the girls looking at her, Naoto knew she didn't have a choice. "K-Kanji-kun… He has something… How did he call it once…? Ah, yes, an eye for detail," she started, her cheeks getting warmer by the second. "And no, I'm not referring to the elaborate dolls that he crafts or the detailed dress he once made. He may not be the most intelligent as well as rather impulsive, but he usually notices that something is not right before everybody else." She pulled her hat down, trying to disguise her increasing blush. "For example…before Minako-senpai joined us, Kanji-kun mentioned how lonely she seemed and how worried she sounded about not being remembered by her friends. He was also adamant on keeping his word to her when questioned about her identity after the Shadows' ambush. His loyalty and devotion to the ones he cares about is quite remarkable."

Naoto sunk her head lower, pulling her hat down trying not to face the others girls who fell silent. That was definitely not the reaction Naoto expected. She expected them to giggle at her or tease her.

Minako was the first to break the silence. "Wow, now that you mentioned it, you're right. He was really nice to me that time." She smiled softly. "You really like him, huh Naoto-chan?"

Naoto's eyes widened, her entire face was red. "S-Senpai?!"

"Perhaps you yourself don't realize it, but the way you talk about Kanji-kun and the look in your eyes… they all express that you have feelings for him," Minako explained. "You're probably confused about it, because you never gave much thought about it." Her smile grew wider, eyes looking distant. "He's just like Shinji-kun. Rough on the outside, but warm and kind and caring on the inside."

The SEES girls took a sharp intake of breath. Minako snapped out of her little daydream and looked at them, confused. "Eh...what is it?"

"You called Senpai 'Shinji-kun'," Yukari smirked coyly. "So you got to the next base in your relationship, huh?"

"Only Akihiko-senpai is allowed to call him that, because they were childhood friends," Fuuka explained to the other girls. And then she smiled. "Congratulations, Minako-chan!"

Rise smirked devilishly. "Speaking of Shinjiro-senpai, I saw him arguing with Kanji-kun at his mother's shop yesterday. They looked like two dogs about to fight over a piece of meat. Turns out, they were arguing over what color the fabric of his custom-made yukata should be, by orders of Minako-senpai."

"Let me guess," Chie said, rolling her eyes. "You interfered and helped."

"Of course I did. His mother told me they scared away the customers earlier because both were cussing like sailors." The others sweatdropped at this. "Anyway, I helped pick out the color. I'm sure you're gonna like the results." Rise winked at Minako.

Mitsuru's jaw hung open in disbelief. 'First the dorm feast, and now a yukata,' she thought. 'Shinjiro, just how smitten are you?' She made a mental note to bring a camera to capture this soon-to-be precious moment.

"Oh don't worry about Shinji-kun, guys. He's not the only guy wearing a yukata to the festival," Minako said. "I convinced Aniki and Souji-kun to wear one too. For old time's sake."

Yukiko and Yukari blushed. They were already imagining their boyfriends in the garment, and the image wasn't disappointing.

"If that's the case, then I shall purchase one for Akihiko as well," Mitsuru stated. "Why don't you help me choose the color, Kujikawa?"

"I'd love to," Rise said. "Fashion is my expertise after all."

"Count me in!" Chidori laughed.

Soon, their food arrived. The girls happily gossip and talk about recent events as they ate. Naoto ate quietly reflecting what Minako had told her. 'What if I do have feelings for Kanji-kun? And Kanji-kun? Does he feel anything for me…? What should I do?'

After their meal, the girls continued their shopping. They arrived at a shop specializing in yukatas, and it looks like business was booming because the festive season was near. Discounts were abundant, and they were having a blast choosing what patterns and colors that would suit their beloveds. Metis felt a bit more independent as she chose a yukata for herself, with a little help from her sister.

As Fuuka was busy choosing one for Ken, her cellphone rang. She flipped it open and smiled to herself; her best friend Natsuki Moriyama just sent her a text message. It said: "Wishing you a great summer. Have a great time at the festival, and don't forget to enjoy yourself 3"

Rise noticed her fellow scanner's smile. Curious, she went over to ask her about it. "What have you got there, Fuuka-senpai?"

"Oh, my friend Natsuki just wished me a great time at the Summer Festival," she answered. "She moved away in our junior year, but we try our best to keep in touch with each other."

"That's nice," Rise said.

"Want to see her picture?" Fuuka pressed a few more buttons on her phone and a picture of Fuuka and Natsuki standing beside the persimmon tree at Gekkoukan High came on screen. Both were smiling. Rise looked intently at Natsuki's picture before she burst out laughing. Fuuka was confused at her reaction. "Is there something wrong, Rise-chan?" she asked worriedly.

"S-sorry about that Fuuka-senpai," Rise said, taking a big breath before calming down. "Nothing is wrong with her. It's just that her clothes reminded me of what Yosuke-senpai wore during the cross-dressing pageant at our school's culture festival."

"Why on earth did he do that?" Minako interrupted as she walked towards the two, Yukari following her.

Rise gave her a sly smile and took out her own cellphone. She pulled out the secret pictures she took when they were posing on stage and displayed them on her screen. "Yosuke-senpai and Teddie were the idiots who started it all. Teddie begged him to sign us up for last year's beauty pageant," she explained, "when we found out about it, we took revenge by signing them up for the cross-dressing pageant. I took their pictures for future blackmail in case they try to do anything stupid."

Minako and Yukari sweatdropped at her bluntness.

Minako took Rise's phone and scanned the pictures one by one. She had to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of it all, and Yukari was right there with her: Kanji and Yosuke looked…interesting…to say the least. Teddie was much too pretty for his own good, although Minako thought that her Persona Alice was much cuter.

Thanks to the small commotion, the other girls surrounded them, curious to know what's going on. They had the same reaction when Rise explained it to them again.

"I don't think Tatsumi did Marilyn Monroe any justice," Mitsuru commented as she looked at the pictures. Rise pouted at that, since she was the one who dressed him.

"But I must say my baby bro looks cute in that getup," Minako giggled. "It suits him…in a way. I wonder who helped him get dressed."

Yukiko blushed. "That would be me." She sighed dreamily. "He was even so brave to admit that he was only doing that for the girl he liked… It was so sweet…"

"You did an awesome job! The wooden sword was a nice touch," Minako praised her. "Although I don't think he'll be happy that we know all this."

"Don't worry about it," Yukari scoffed. "If they're embarrassed, we can always tell them about the outfits you and Minato-kun made our guys wear in Tartarus."

Minako's eyes brightened at that. "Including the one of Shinji with the butler outfit and Ken-kun with the Shirt of Chivalry?!" At Yukari's nod, Minato barely held back a squeal. "Yay! I can't wait to tell you guys about it!"

"Tell them about what?" Nanako asked as she approached them. In her hands was a red boy's yukata with minimal black and yellow geometrical prints.

"Oh, it's about their yukata!" Minako said hastily. She didn't want Nanako to blow their secret to her cousin. "Yukiko and I were thinking about what color might suit Souji-kun. I see you have picked one for Ken-kun." She pointed to the outfit Nanako was holding. "That pattern suits him."

"Thanks! It reminded me of Red Hawk from Phoenix Ranger Featherman R."

"He'll like that. Ken-kun might not admit it out loud, but he's a huge fan of the series," Minako told her. "You two should go to the festival together."

"That sounds fun!" Nanako said.

"Should I remind everyone what time it is?" Naoto said in an impatient tone. "We promised Dojima-san that we would be back with Nanako-chan by four. We have another hour left."

Rise pouted again. "But I don't see you pick out anything for Kanji-kun, Naoto-kun."

Naoto held up a bag. "I already have. You were too busy to help me."

Wasting no time, Rise pounced on it. "Ooh…a sleeveless black yukata with a white obi. It's plain yet punkish at the same time."

"What does that even mean?" Naoto asked exasperated. She snatched the outfit from Rise and put it back inside her bag. "You should all hurry or else we'll miss the train and break curfew."

At that statement, the girls rushed around the store. Mitsuru found the perfect one for Akihiko; a light sand-colored yukata paired with a red obi, his trademark color. Yosuke's was a dark army green with an orange obi. Chie chose it because it matched his Persona. Rise picked blue yukata with red trimmings accompanied by a white obi for Teddie. Yukari went traditional and chose midnight blue for Minato. Yukiko thought the same thing, but chose an obi that matched Souji's hair color. Chidori wasn't sure what to get for Junpei, but with Rise's help she picked out a metallic grey paired with a golden obi. It reminded her of Hermes.

Mitsuru offered to pay for all of them before they hurried off to the train station.

---

Samegawa Riverbed…

It was warm, but not unbearably hot, at Samegawa floodplain, making it a perfect day for fishing. Souji had managed to borrow some extra fishing rods and baits from the old man that had taught him how to fish so his friends could join him.

"It's pretty easy actually. Just set the bait on the hook, aim and throw it in the water. Wait for it and when you feel the fish bite the bait, reel it in." Souji explained. "Oh, but don't reel it too fast or too hard or else the line will snap and the fish will get away."

"Heh, sounds pretty easy," Junpei said, trying his luck. Five minutes later, he grew impatient. "Gah! What's taking it so long?!"

Akihiko smacked him on the head, annoyed. "Pipe down, Junpei. Things like these take patience."

Suddenly there was a tug Junpei's the line. "Oh yeah! I've got one!" he shouted excitedly as he reeled it in. "And it's huge!"

After a brief struggle, Junpei finally brought his 'catch' out of the water; an empty crushed soda can. "… Ya gotta be kidding me…" Junpei hung his head in disappointment while the other guys laughed.

"Don't worry, Junpei-san. That often happens on the first tries," Souji reassured him.

There was a tug on another lure. "Hey, I think I've got something!" Ken said pulling his fishing rod. "Ngh…! I think it got stuck between the rocks!"

"Wait, Ken, let me help you with that." Minato went to help the youngest member of the team. "Here goes nothing!"

Both tugged really hard and a huge Inaba Trout splashed out of the water. "Wow, that's a big one!" Yosuke exclaimed.

"Teddie's got it!" the blonde yelled, trying to catch the fish with a net as it was falling down. However, he tripped over a sleeping Kanji causing the fish to hit the delinquent on the face and it bounced back into the river.

"Huh?! What gives?!" Kanji shouted startled before he shoved Teddie off him. "The hell…Teddie, get off me!"

"Aww…it got away…" Teddie pouted not listening to Kanji's complaints, who grumbled some more and continued his nap.

"It's okay, Teddie-san," Ken said. "I still can't believe I've almost caught a fish that big!"

"You did even better than me when I first tried fishing, Ken," Souji said. "The girls will be impressed for sure."

"Really?" Ken said rather embarrassed. "Thanks, Souji-san."

Silence fell once again as the guys waited for another bite. "So Souji, aside from fishing what else do you do on your free time?" Junpei asked, becoming restless with the silence.

"Well, I really like to read. I've got several books I bought during my first stay here on Inaba. Like 'The Man's Life' series and 'The Timid Teacher' series. Those are my favorites."

"They sound really interesting, Souji-san," Ken said.

Souji looked at Ken. "They really are. If any of you guys are interested, I can lend them to you."

Junpei laughed loudly. "Dude, you're such a nerd!"

"Should I remind you of your grades, Junpei?" Minato interjected with a smirk. Junpei answered by giving him a dirty look while the other guys laughed. "If you paid more attention in class I wouldn't have to whisper the answers to you all the time."

Souji covered his mouth to stifle another laugh. "What?!" Junpei shouted, cheeks reddening in embarrassment.

"Aniki, you kinda remind me of Kou. When I first met him and Daisuke, he told me that he was responsible for Daisuke's grades since they were eight."

Minato chuckled. "Those two are that close? They must be fun to hang around with."

"Who are they?" Ken asked.

"Kou is the captain of Yasogami High basketball team, and Daisuke is the captain for the soccer team. We get along pretty well, and so does Yosuke," Souji answered. "I'll introduce you guys sometime, and maybe challenge you to a match."

Akihiko smirked. "Sounds like my kind of thing. What else do you do around here?"

"I also did some part time jobs," Souji continued. "Like working at the daycare or tutoring. I find folding paper cranes to be really fun as well."

"Folding paper cranes?" Akihiko looked at him oddly.

"It started out as a charity work, but it sorta grew on me." Souji sighed and closed his eyes. "There's an old belief that if one folds a thousand paper cranes, their greatest wish will come true…"

The guys exchanged curious glances. 'I wonder what Banchou-kun's wish is?' Minato thought.

"Man, ya got no life…" Junpei sweatdropped.

"Hey, that's my life. Of course, that's when I'm not hanging out with my friends," Souji said. "I also like to build model robots when I have some spare time. Aniki and Shinjiro-san probably saw two of them on the shelf in my room."

"You did that?" Shinjiro raised an eyebrow. "That looks like it takes a lot of work."

"Not really. It's all about patience. I'm looking for a Phoenix Ranger Featherman R model to work on this summer," Souji said. "I heard those are really challenging with lots of pieces."

"Maybe there's some at Junes. Some new models arrived this week," Yosuke said.

"They have the new Phoenix Ranger Featherman R figures?!" Ken nearly shouted. One could see his eyes gleaming with excitement. Realizing his outburst, he blushed. "Uh… I-I mean…"

The guys chuckled, making Ken blush harder. Minato ruffled his hair. "It's okay, Ken. No need to be embarrassed," he said with a gentle smile. "We still like Phoenix Ranger Featherman R, right guys?"

The others grinned sheepishly at that. "Classics never get old," Junpei finally said.

"R-really?"

"Sure, things like that are enjoyed by people regardless their age. Nanako likes to watch it, too." Souji said when he had an idea. "When I get the model, why don't you and Koromaru come over to my place to help me work with it? Nanako would love to have you two over."

Koromaru barked happily. Ken nodded, his face still showing a faint blush. "S-Sure, Souji-san. Thank you."

Souji smiled at the young boy. Ken shared several similarities with Nanako: both were mature and responsible despite their young age, but also a bit lonely at times. They also lost their mothers early in life too.

"So, I told you guys about my hobbies and we all can see that Ken here likes to watch Phoenix Ranger Featherman R as well as collecting action figures and mangas. You guys' turn now," Souji said, attempting to draw attention away from him and Ken.

Minato rubbed the back of his head. "It's no secret to any of you that I really enjoy music," he said, pointing to his MP3 player. "I also like taking photos, one of the reasons I joined the Photography Club in school. Part time jobs are always amusing, and once in a while I try my hands at cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. But the thing I really like is video games. RPGs, fighting games, racing, you name it."

"Tell me about it, dude. You'd always beat me and Kenji whenever we went to the Arcade." Junpei said. "And I thought I was hooked on those."

"Years of practice." Minato shrugged. "Minako and I didn't have many friends other than Souji-kun, and after we moved away, we only had each other to play with so we'd spend a lot of time playing video games. Honestly, she's my best rival yet."

"Well, that explains why Mina-tan owned me most of the times…" Junpei sighed. "There goes my manliness for losing to a girl."

The blunette chuckled. "Yes, my sister is almost as bad as me when it comes to games. So, while we're still on topic, your turn now, Junpei."

"I really dig video games, but baseball is my true passion," Junpei grinned. "I even got a college scholarship after making it into my college baseball team." He sighed. "Too bad that means I gotta be really careful with my grades now."

"But you've made this far didn't you? You can pull it off, Junpei-senpai," Yosuke said.

"Thanks, Yosuke." Junpei said. "You're up."

"Huh? Me?" Yosuke blinked. "Well, like Minato-san, I really like games and music." He pointed to the headphones around his neck. "But I really love riding my bike. The wind in my face whenever I ride feels great. Makes me feel free, and here in Inaba you can get pretty much anywhere with a bike."

"When you don't crash it into trash cans, that is ~" Teddie said in an annoying singing tune, making the guys snort with laughter.

"Shut up, Ted! I only crashed because you panicked and covered my eyes!" Yosuke growled, but calmed down soon enough. "And well, you guys will probably find it weird, but I also like to break dance."

"Break dance? Why that?" Shinjiro asked as he threw his lure into the water.

"After we started fighting Shadows, I figured I'd need something else to make myself more useful in battle. Since my Persona specializes in speed and I always listen to quick-paced music, I decided to try break dancing to improve my agility and next thing I know, I'm enjoying it."

Akihiko was impressed. "You found a way to train yourself by dancing… No wonder you're so fast and able dodge so many attacks. That's pretty amazing if you ask me."

"Wow, thanks Akihiko-san…" Yosuke rubbed the back of his head, a bit surprised at the compliment. "So, what are your hobbies?"

"Me? Physical training is what I like do in my free time from college. Boxing, jogging, working out…that sort of stuff," Akihiko said proudly, ignoring Shinjiro rolling his eyes. "Of course, if you wanna train your body you gotta train your mind too, so I like to do some reading every now and then. In fact, I think I'm gonna take up on your offer to read some of those Man's Life books, Souji."

"Sure, Akihiko-san, I'll lend them to you," Souji said. "I can guarantee that you'll like them."

"If they can make him take a break from all that protein shakes crap he takes, I'd be really surprised," Shinjiro mumbled.

"Shut up, Shinji!"

"Honestly, Aki, I don't know why you take those in the first place. They taste like crap." Shinjiro scrunched up his face in distaste. "Besides, with all the beef bowls you eat, you get more than enough protein. I mean, it wouldn't kill you if you threw some more vegetables into the mix every once in a while."

Junpei snickered at that. "If you got something to say, Iori, say it to my face!" Shinjiro glared at him. "And, just for the record, you should really lay off the instant ramen."

The cap-wearing teen just shrugged his shoulders and turned his focus on fishing, pissing Shinjiro off in the process.

Yosuke and Teddie could only blink in confusion while Minato, Ken and Souji laughed.

"Shinjiro-senpai is into cooking, guys. And he worries about everybody's eating habits," Minato explained. "You might call him the team's nutritionist."

"And he's a great cook too," Souji added. "I think he cooks way better than I do."

Yosuke and Teddie's eyes widened in disbelief. Souji's cooking skills are considered legendary among the Investigation Team. To know that there was someone who Souji acknowledged to have superior skills than him felt impossible to them.

"Tch…" Shinjiro scoffed, trying to focus on fishing and hoping that the guys don't suggest anything stupid like having a cooking competition or anything like that.

Koromaru started whining, trying to get the guys' attention. "What is it, Koro?" Ken asked.

Koromaru lied on the ground with his belly up. Shinjiro smirked a bit, knowing what he wanted. "Okay boy, you win," he said, putting his rod aside before giving Koromaru a nice belly rub.

Koromaru panted in pleasure, enjoying the affection. "As you can see, Shinjiro-senpai is also quite good with animals," Minato chuckled. "Koro-chan really enjoys those belly rubs. He especially likes it when Minako brushes his fur."

"Almost as much as he likes it when people take him to walks to the shrine," Shinjiro grinned while scratching Koromaru behind his ears.

"Teddie's turn now!" the blonde crowed, startling the group, effectively catching their attention. "Let's see… I like eating Topsicles! They're so yummy! Oh, and playing with Nana-chan and giving balloons to the kids at Junes! It's so much fun!"

"Well, those are mostly harmless hobbies…" Minato said, smiling at Teddie's antics.

"And my most favorite thing in the world is to be a hot stud and score with the ladies!" Teddie continued shamelessly. In fact, he actually seemed proud of that.

The guys sweatdropped. 'Dear god, please don't tell me I'm dealing with another Ryoji here…' Minato mentally face-palmed.

"Please, whatever you guys do, don't give him any flirting tips," Yosuke said rather exasperated. "He's already as bad as it is now."

Souji took a deep breath. "Teddie, buddy, can you please do me a favor?"

Teddie smiled. "Sure, Sensei! Anything for you!"

Souji smiled back at him, but a rather menacing aura was radiating from his body. "Please, do nottry to score with Aneki or her friends, okay?" he said in a serious tone. "For you own safety."

Teddie gulped. Souji wasn't fooling around. Even the older guys felt a bit intimidated by that. "Y-y-yes, Sensei! I'll be a good bear! I promise!"

"Good." Souji patted him satisfied, and continued fishing.

"So that only leaves Kanji," Yosuke motioned to the former delinquent. "Your turn, Kanji."

Kanji didn't reply, making everybody raise an eyebrow.

"Kanji?" Yosuke examined at the bleached blonde. He was asleep. "For crying out loud, he's been sleeping the whole time?!"

"Kanji-san does look tired," Ken pointed out. "I wonder if he was up all night or something."

Souji gently shook Kanji's shoulder. "Kanji? C'mon, Kanji, wake up!"

No answer. Souji shook him harder. "Kanji, wake up!" he said, a bit louder this time.

Kanji's eyes started to flutter open, he was still rather drowsy. "Huh?! Ma, leave me alone!" he grunted, then turned to his other side. "Can't ya see I'm busy finishing Shinjiro-senpai's yukata for the festival…" An audible snore was heard moments later.

The guys' eyes widened at that, especially Shinjiro's. He couldn't believe that the younger student had spilled their secret so carelessly. Without thinking, he gave Kanji a hard punch on the shoulder. "Dumbass! You had to go and spill it out, didn't you!?"

"What's the big idea?!" Kanji, now fully awake because of the pain, glared at Shinjiro. "It ain't my fault your girlfriend asked me to do it, dickhead!"

Both were now in each other's faces, growling like two mad beasts. They looked more intimidating because of their towering height, with Kanji being slightly taller. Before things got nasty, Minato and Souji interfered and pulled them away from each other.

"Okay, you two, no fighting and, most importantly, no swearing!" Minato warned, using his leader tone.

"You heard Aniki. Cut it out, both of you!" Souji demanded.

The two eventually cooled down, much to the others' relief. Both Kanji and Shinjiro were known for their short temper and brute force so a fight between the two of them was the last thing they wanted to happen.

"Dude, I can't believe this! Tough guy Shinjiro-senpai is gonna wear a yukata for the festival!?" Junpei burst into laughter. "All because Mina-tan asked him to! Man, you're totally whipped!"

Akihiko tried not to laugh like Junpei, but even he found that funny. "So much for your badass reputation, Shinji," he snickered.

"Shut up, you morons…" Shinjiro looked away embarrassed.

Feeling sympathy for their upperclassman, Souji and Minato exchanged glances and nodded. "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you guys…" Minato started.

"Oh, yeah? Why not?" Junpei questioned.

"Because Aniki and I are gonna wear yukatas for the festival as well," Souji answered, much to the other guys' surprise. "It was Aneki's idea. We agreed it'd be a great way to honor the times we had when we were kids and to create more memories together."

"And…" Minato smirked a bit. "Minako said she'd convince the girls to get yukatas for all of you. You don't want to go against their will now, do you?"

The guys exchanged nervous glances and, except for Ken, Shinjiro and Kanji, hung their heads in defeat. There was simply no way to win against the girls. Kanji and Shinjiro exchanged evil smirks at that.

"Well…that doesn't seem so bad," Yosuke forced a laugh. It sounded rather dry. "At least it won't be like the school festival last year…"

"Ya had to bring that up? That was you's and Teddie's fault, Yosuke-senpai..." Kanji said, shuddering at the memory.

Teddie started drooling. "Oh, but it was so fun! And we got to see the girls in swimsuits!" His eyes had a glassy, faraway look in them. "Well, except for Nao-chan, but still, it was great!"

"I still hold the two of you responsible." Souji crossed his arms. "You shouldn't have signed them for that beauty pageant without their permission. Thanks to you idiots, we had to do 'that'!"

Thee SEES guys got curious. Minato recalled Souji mentioning an incident he and the guys had gone through during the cultural festival, but he was too embarrassed to give details.

"I admit it was almost worth all the trouble," Yosuke sighed. "Just remind me to never cross-dress again." He gasped and covered his mouth. "Oh, damnit!"

"Yosuke!" Souji hissed.

"Cross-dressing?!" the SEES guys said in unison.

"Don't remind me of that, man!" Kanji growled. "That's enough to get a guy scarred for life…"

Yosuke sighed. "I'm sorry!" The next second he was on the ground on all fours, a dark depressed aura surrounding him. "My innocence...is ruined for life..."

"Look on the bright side, guys. At least no one took photos…" Souji said, trying to cheer them up.

"Rise-chan did!" Teddie chimed. "I saw it on her cellphone. She said she was saving them for something called 'blackmail' or whatever."

Yosuke grabbed Teddie by the collar of his shirt. "She did?! And why the hell you didn't erase them!?" he yelled, shaking the blonde Shadow.

"R-Rise-chan paid me t-two Topsicles to keep it secret!" Teddie said dizzily as Yosuke shook him. Soon enough there were swirlies in his eyes.

Kanji groaned in disappointment. "Just two Topsicles? That's pretty damn pathetic of you, Ted."

"And I thought I could leave that behind…" Souji sighed, depressed.

Minato patted Souji on the back, trying to comfort his younger brother. Akihiko and Shinjiro had the decency not to laugh at the Inaba boys' predicament. Ken also tried not to laugh, but he had to cover his mouth with his hands, in respect for Souji and his friends.

Junpei, on the other hand, was laughing so hard that tears were coming out of his eyes. "You guys are a real piece of work! I bet you weren't even that good looking!"

"Teddie was! I got first place!" the blonde stated proudly. "And I get to be Judge in the Beauty Pageant!"

"Why else did you think the girls had to wear swimsuits in the contest?" Yosuke said shaking his head. "That was probably the only good thing that came out of it."

"Oh yeah… Seeing the girls in swimsuits is a once in a lifetime opportunity…" Junpei said, recalling how beautiful the girls were during the trip to Yakushima and daydreaming about Chidori wearing a bikini.

"Junpei..." Minato growled warningly.

"And there he goes again…" Akihiko shook his head. "Well, yukatas aren't a bad idea. I guess we can handle that, no problem. None of us really want to upset the girls…"

"Speaking of girls, a little birdie told me that you and Chie finally hooked up together, Yosuke." Junpei grinned at his fellow Magician. "About time!"

Yosuke nearly choked on the soda he was drinking, so Minato gave him a few pats on the back. "W-What?! Who told you that?!" Yosuke spluttered out.

"Souji here." Junpei jerked a thumb to the silverette. "He and Yukiko knew it all along."

"Souji, ya damn matchmaker! If Chie finds out everybody knows about us, she'll Galactic Punt me to hell!" Yosuke shouted, not angry but embarrassed before punching Souji on the shoulder. He gasped when his best friend winced in pain since he was hit on his injured arm. "Oh crap! Sorry about that, partner!"

"It's okay. Just don't do it again," Souji reassured him as he rubbed his shoulder. "But really, everybody knew you and Chie would get together eventually, Yosuke. Yukiko and I just gave you a little push. You have to admit it's good for both of you."

Yosuke looked down. "That's true…" he whispered, blushing a bit. "If you and Yukiko hadn't encouraged me and Chie to hang out together when the gang was busy we would've probably missed each other."

"From what I can see, Satonaka isn't the demure, ladylike type," Akihiko said. "What made you like her in the first place?"

"Chie is a tomboy, I won't deny that. But she manages to stay feminine," Yosuke answered. "She may have a short temper and one hell of a kick, but her upbeat and bright personality always cheers me up without even trying. And even when her guesses seemed wild during the investigation, she hit the nail right on the head. Her intuition is quite sharp."

"A handy trait to have, especially if she wants to join the police force after graduation," Souji added.

"She makes you feel special. Like a winner," Junpei smiled. "Kinda like Chidori. Despite everything that's happened and me being a complete goofball, she's still understanding and compassionate towards me. She's so mature sometimes I have to wonder what she sees in me."

"I guess that's what people call 'oppositives attract' Junpei-san," Ken said. "You changed her for the better and she in turn did the same for you."

"Heh, that's true, Ken." Junpei ruffled the kid's hair with a grin. "So, you got a crush on someone? Like Nanako-chan?" He waggled his eyebrows.

Ken almost dropped his fishing rod in surprise. "H-huh? W-What are you talking about?!" His cheeks were turning pink.

"C'mon, buddy, don't think I didn't notice how hard you were trying to protect her when the Shadows attacked that day, or how worried you were when she, Souji and her dad were taken in that witness protection program because of that A-hole Adachi." Junpei started to nudge Ken playfully.

The other guys sweatdropped at Junpei's teasing, but at the same time, had to agree that he had a point. Ken tried his best to protect Nanako during the fight, and he was worried about her well-being, as well as Souji and Dojima's during the ordeal.

"W-Well… I… I just wanted to make sure Nanako-chan would be okay..." Ken mumbled, blushing harder. "From what Yosuke-san and the others told us, she had gone through a lot of hardships. Losing a parent, being lonely, growing up before time… I can relate to that." He turned his gaze to the river. "Maybe… Maybe I'm being overprotective because I know how she feels…"

Akihiko and Shinjiro frowned at that. As mature as Ken was, he's still a kid. Without thinking both put a hand on Ken's shoulders. He glanced at them and nodded with a small smile. "Don't worry about me, guys. I'm fine...really!"

The mood was spiraling downwards, but Souji had an idea. "Ken, why don't you and Koromaru go to the festival with Nanako?" he suggested. "Get to know each other better. Have fun and be a kid for once. You might even meet some other kids as well. I know two who can be good friends with you."

Koromaru barked twice, excited at the prospect. Ken stared at the silver-haired student in disbelief. "A-are you sure about that, Souji-san?"

"There's only one condition!" Teddie interrupted, looking serious for once, before he smiled. "Take good care of Nana-chan and have lots and lots of fun with her, okay?"

Ken couldn't help but smile. "Of course, Teddie-san." He turned to Souji. "Thank you."

Souji nodded with a smile. Shinjiro and Akihiko exchanged smirks of approval. Yosuke and Kanji looked at their leader in disbelief; they knew how overprotective he was of Nanako ever since she got out of the hospital. Now he's giving his blessings for Ken to take Nanako out on a...date? It sure sounded that way, and Ken was pretty good-looking for a kid. Shaking their heads, they tried not to think too much about it.

"Yeah, better enjoy while she's still a kid. I just hope that when Nanako-chan grows up she doesn't get a temper like Yuka-tan." Junpei said without thinking. This earned him a whack on the head from Minato. "Ouch! What was that for?!"

"For being a loudmouth. That's basically the only reason Yukari gets angry at you," Minato replied sounding rather annoyed. "She may have her mood swings, but she's got a good heart and cares deeply for all her friends."

"Dude, chill out. I was just joking. No need to get all offended," Junpei grumbled, rubbing his head.

"S-sorry…" Minato ran a hand through his blue hair and sighed. "I think I'm still a little jumpy at what that ass Adachi said about her …"

"It's cool, dude. In your place I'd be pissed at what that bastard said too," Junpei grinned understanding. "Anyway, Minato, it never occurred to me but how did you two start dating?"

"At first, it was her beauty and cheery disposition that drew my attention, pretty much like the other guys in school. Before the trip to Yakushima, we didn't hang out much. It was during that trip that I started understanding her better, her feelings, what she was going through..." Minato said, recalling how he had embraced her and comforted her under the moonlight. It took all of his courage to do that, but it paid off. He looked at his MP3 player, the strap she had given to him was there. "During the typhoon I came down with the flu, she looked after me when Shinjiro-senpai was busy taking care of Minako. She was really caring and attentive, a side that she doesn't show other guys, a side only I know about. That sort of sealed the deal," he grinned.

"I can relate to that," Souji said, closing his eyes and smiled while holding the charm Yukiko had gave him inside his pocket. "Yukiko has both beauty and smarts, but she doesn't let it get to her head. She's kind, caring and very determined. When she sets her mind on something, she doesn't give up easily. She used to be quite reserved before her kidnapping, but after we rescued her she became much livelier. Her laughing fits are unusual at first, but over time I came to find them quite endearing."

"Heh ~ nice!" Junpei grinned before turning to Akihiko. "So, Akihiko-san, what do you have to say about Mitsuru-senpai?"

Akihiko's face turned as red as his shirt. "W-what?!" He was totally speechless. He turned to glare at Shinjiro, as if blaming him for the spilled secret. His best friend just rolled his eyes and ignored him.

"You and Senpai tried so hard to keep your relationship secret, but it turned out kinda obvious," Minato said nonchalantly. "Besides, my sister and I always thought you two would end up together."

"We also noticed how you tried to comfort Mitsuru-san when we ventured into Yoshino-san's dungeon," Souji said while his friends nodded. "The connection you two shared was pretty evident back then."

Akihiko sighed in defeat while Shinjiro snickered. He couldn't believe he and Mitsuru had been discovered so easily. "Fine, I admit it. We've been going out since the end of high school," he started, blushing a bit. "Mitsuru…she's really beautiful, intelligent and strong. Not only in battle, but on the inside as well. She tried her hardest to shoulder the burden of her family's mistakes alone…and picked herself up and emerged stronger than ever after what happened to her father." He smiled at Minato. "I guess I have to thank you, as well as Minako and Yukari, for being there for her and helping her open up."

"Always glad to help, Senpai." Minato then turned to Shinjiro. "So Senpai, how did you fall for my sister?"

Shinjiro grunted, but he knew he wouldn't be able to avoid that topic forever. "I'm not really sure who fell for who first. Minako can be quite a handful when you're not around. Too damn bossy, not to mention stubborn as hell. But she was the first girl to ever try to get to really know me…when I used to think she chose me as the favorite target for her to pester. As I got to know her better, she wasn't what I expected: kind and compassionate, always greeting everyone with a warm smile, trying to help others, no matter what problems they may have. And she...she's the one who understands me the most..." He stared at his silver pocket watch, recalling how Minako had found it for him. "Plus, she is pretty damn cute…" he said that in a whisper, but Akihiko heard him anyway and snickered, earning a scowl from Shinjiro.

The guys smiled. Souji noticed Kanji has been quiet for a while. "Kanji? You okay?"

He sighed. "Yeah…just thinking…"

"About Naoto?" Yosuke teased.

Kanji glared at Yosuke. "Damn right! You guys kept talking 'bout your girlfriends and it just makes me wonder…why do I like Naoto? Sure, she's really smart, she's got guts, and she's pretty tough, but at the same time she's so small and cute, especially when she's wearing the school uniform…" He gazed at his hand and clenched it tightly. "When Naoto first approached me and tried to talk to me, she didn't let rumors or crap about me bother her or scare her… even if it was only because of her detective work. It felt nice, talking to someone my age for once…"

"If you really like her that much then stop being a wuss and talk to her already," Shinjiro pointed out, crossing his arms.

"Or are you still in doubt that you liked her because you thought she was a guy?" Yosuke mocked before laughing.

"Yosuke, knock it off!" Souji scolded him. "We all agreed that kind of joke isn't funny anymore."

Kanji blushed and growled. He was really pissed. "This is your damn fault!" He threw a punch towards Yosuke, whose reflexes were quicker and he managed to duck just in time. Instead the punch landed on Shinjiro.

Now Shinjiro lost his cool. "Okay, asshole, you asked for it!" he roared, lunging at Kanji. In no time both guys were exchanging punches and kicks.

"Oh shit…" Yosuke whispered, backing away from the raging males. Teddie hid behind Souji.

Souji sighed. As usual, Yosuke had to make the wrong comment and worsen the situation. "Where is Chie when you need her?" he groaned.

Back to the fighting teens, they were still exchanging blows.

Shinjiro sent an uppercut aiming for Kanji's jaw. Being an experienced street-fighter, Kanji evaded it with ease. He put up a defensive stance as both of them circled each other.

"Hmph! Not bad for a cowardly pussy," Shinjiro mocked. He was a bit surprised at the younger teen's strength and dexterity. That punch earlier hurt, damnit!

"I've been beating up a bunch of leathered-up pansies since middle school," Kanji huffed. "What makes you any different?"

"Says the guy who can't confess to a girl."

"Says the guy who had to be confessed to. Who's the coward now?"

Shinjiro snapped and charged at Kanji again. This time, his fist made contact with Kanji's gut, the latter groaning in pain. Kanji retaliated in turn, sending swift kicks to the older teen. Both of them did not notice that they were inching closer and closer to the water.

Akihiko watched in amazement at the two fighting. It was quite rare to see someone go head-to-head with his childhood friend, apart from himself. The junior was rough around the edges, but Akihiko could see that he had tremendous potential as a fighter.

"Senpai, don't just stand there. We have to stop them!" Minato cried, his fishing pole forgotten.

"Kanji, stop this at once!" Souji shouted. Seeing that his underclassman was too preoccupied to listen, he had no choice but to jump in. "Yosuke, since you started this, you're going to help me whether you like it or not."

"I know, I know..." Yosuke sighed. He wished that he had kept his big mouth shut.

Minato and Akihiko waited for an opening before trying to subdue the fighting guys. If they were lucky, none of them should end up in the hospital.

When Shinjiro landed a hit on Kanji's face, causing the junior to back away, Minato and Akihiko took the opportunity to grab each of Shinjiro's arms to hold him back. Souji and Yosuke did the same with Kanji.

Even with the human restraints, both males were in the heat of the fight to care. They tried to pry themselves away from their captors.

"Aki, let go damn it!" Shinjiro shouted, his fists itching to hit Kanji one last time.

"Let me at 'im, Senpai!" Kanji growled. He unconsciously dragged his senpais as he stepped towards Shinjiro.

Junpei knew he would regret this later, and stepped forward to help Minato hold Shinjiro's arm. His sudden intervention caused Minato to lose his footing in the struggle and slam his body against Shinjiro, causing the senior to lose his balance. Akihiko and Junpei also went down because Shinjiro grabbed their shirt collars as he teetered backwards. A loud splash could be heard as the four of them fell into the river.

The same domino effect happened to the other struggling group when Teddie jumped into the fray and latched himself on Kanji's legs, making it the second loud splash to be heard in a day.

"Oh, great! Just great!" Minato groaned as his wet blue bangs covered his eyes.

"Damn, it's cold!" Junpei complained.

"It's the camping trip all over again…! Damnit…" Yosuke swore under his breath.

Souji sneezed. "Just my luck…."

"Way to go, Shinji…" Akihiko said in a sarcastic tone. "Now we're all soaked!"

"Teddie's all cold!" Teddie whined, shivering.

Shinjiro and Kanji were still glaring daggers at each other when they heard someone else sneeze. "Huh?"

The sudden sneeze also caught the others' attention. Ken and Koromaru were still standing at their fishing spot, but both were soaked. Even though they didn't interfere with the fight, they had gotten wet because of the splashes.

"… You scared the fish away…" Ken muttered before sneezing again. There was a mix of disappointment and annoyance in his voice.

Koromaru whined, upset because of his sudden bath as well as the boys' quarrel.

"…" Kanji and Shinjiro looked at the kid and dog and then at themselves. They were feeling pretty stupid right now.

The other guys exchanged worried glances. Just when they thought things couldn't get any worse…

"Aniki! Souji-kun!" Minako's voice echoed across the plain. And it was getting closer.

'Oh, shi…!'Both male Wild Cards turned to their friends. "Quick! Get out of the water! Now!" they said in unison.

The teenagers hurried to get to the shore, the same time the girls, lead by Minako, approached them. They were chatting happily carrying several shopping bags.

"Hey, guys!" Yukari greeted them with a smile. Then she noticed something was off. "Huh? What happened here?"

"Um… Why are you all wet?" Fuuka asked.

"And why do Kanji and Shinjiro-senpai have bruises on their faces?" Rise asked curiously. Knowing their hot-headed personalities, it wasn't really rocket science.

"And most importantly, why do Ken-kun and Koro-chan look so sad?" Minako asked before glaring at the guys.

"Were you fighting?" Nanako asked softly, upset by the whole thing.

Seeing Nanako frown, the girls glared dangerously at the boys. "Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?!" Chie tapped her foot, demanding an explanation.

'Oh, crap! Oh, crap! Oh, crap!'the guys thought, close to panicking. Making two kids and a dog sad was bad, but pissing off a group of girls was even worse, because it also came with physical pain!

Before Souji or Minato could come up with an excuse, Shinjiro stepped up. "It was my fault," he said calmly, surprising everybody. "Tatsumi and I… we were having a friendly spar. I got carried away with it... and sort of knocked Aki and the guys into the water."

Seeing Shinjiro boldly taking the blame for himself, Kanji decided to do the same. "Yeah, I got a little too excited too… I'm as much to blame as Senpai here…" He turned to Ken and Koromaru. "So… uh… Sorry 'bout ruining the fishing trip, guys… 'Specially for you two, Ken, Koro-chan…"

"I'm sorry too." Shinjiro admitted. "We'll make it up to you two and Nanako-chan. Promise."

Koromaru barked and shook the water off his fur, spraying some of it on the girls. "He's saying he doesn't like to take a bath so suddenly, but he forgives you both," Metis translated.

Despite being upset and shivering, Ken smiled at the two and nodded. "Apologies accepted," he said before sneezing again.

Nanako's face brightened at seeing Ken smiling again. "Bless, you, Ken-kun!" she said, offering him a handkerchief.

"Thanks, Nanako-chan." Ken smiled, taking the handkerchief. Their hands touched by accident, causing both blush for a second.

"Okay, I'll let it slide this time, but I'm holding onto your word to make it up to Ken-kun, Koro-chan and Nanako-chan!" Minako crossed her arms and glared at the Kanji and Shinjiro, sending shivers down their spines. After a few seconds, her expression softened and she made her way to Ken and Koromaru. "C'mon, Ken-kun. Let's get you and Koro-chan dried before you catch a cold."

In no time the girls were surrounding Ken, asking him if he was feeling well and if he'd like to drink something warm or take a hot bath once they returned to the inn. 'I guess at times like these, being a kid is not that bad at all...'Ken thought with a small smile. He was enjoying the attention.

The guys just watched, feeling rather jealous. "But what about us?!" Junpei whined. "We got soaked too! And it wasn't even our fault!"

"Don't complain, Junpei," Minato muttered. "It could've been a lot worse. At least the girls aren't beating us up."

"Which reminds me…" Souji smacked Yosuke behind his head. "This is your fault!"

"I know! I know! Don't remind me!" Yosuke sighed, rubbing his head. "Jeez…"

Minako suddenly turned to the guys, startling them. "By the way…" She smiled. "We got some yukatas for you! I'm sure you'll like them but they'll probably need some adjustments."

"I can handle that, Minako-senpai," Kanji offered. "Just bring them over to Ma's store tomorrow and I'll have them done by lunchtime."

"Are you sure about that, Kanji-kun?" Minako asked. "You already did a lot for me. I don't wanna give you any more work."

"It'll be a piece of cake. No need to worry and no charge for that at all!" Kanji said confidently, but in his mind he knew he had bitten more than he could chew. 'I really got my work cut out for me this time…'

"That's really thoughtful of you, Tatsumi. But I must insist on paying you for your services," Mitsuru said. "Including Shinjiro's yukata, of course."

Kanji couldn't say no to that. The money would really help his mother's business. "Thanks a lot, Mitsuru-senpai!" he said, giving her a deep bow.

"Well, if that's how things are gonna be, I'll help you," Minato grinned. "After all, I didn't join Fashion Club in high school for nothing."

"Great idea, Aniki! I'll help too!" Minako smiled. "Oh that brings back so many memories!"

Kanji was amazed. "Wow, you two know how to sew too?"

"We learned it from Bebe, a foreign exchange student from France we met during high school," Minato explained. "He's a cheery, kind fellow who loves fashion design and everything about the Japanese culture."

"It was so fun helping him make a kimono. Bebe-kun is such a sweet friend," Minako said, recalling the friendly student. "I should ask Rio-chan for his e-mail the next time I call her."

Shinjiro snorted lightly and looked away, feeling a bit jealous of the guy. Seeing that, Minako giggled. 'You look so cute when you're jealous, Shinji-kun.'

"C'mon guys," Souji said. "We had quite a day today. We better head back before any of us catch a cold."

The others agreed and the group went back together. It was rather awkward seeing the guys dripping wet as they walked.

Naoto and Kanji were at the back of the group. The young detective found herself staring a Kanji while reflecting on what had happened today. 'I must figure this out… About me... About Kanji-kun… About us…'

Kanji took a quick glimpse at Naoto. 'She looks prettier than usual…' he complimented in his mind. 'The day after tomorrow...during the festival I'll finally confess to her what I really feel for her. I ain't gonna be a wuss anymore!'

Love, fun, laughter and joy. That was the atmosphere surrounding the group. At this pace, the Summer Festival is going to be a success!

---

So yes, taking a break from all the fight and focusing on couples and characters interactions, but do not fret. Action scenes will be plenty in the future!

If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask.

Don't forget to Read, Review and Enjoy!