Author's Notes: (Sigh) Well, for every chapter that comes out earlier and easier, there's one that just gets stubborn and refuses to come out at all. Had planned on this being a Christmas present to all my beautiful readers and fans, but, well, that didn't work. But it is a New Year's gift to you all, so that's a close second.
New OC in this chapter, and credit and compliments regarding him go to my beta reader, Enact. And, per usual, the mistakes are probably mine.
Hope you all had a great Christmas, and that New Year's is treating you well, whether it's celebrating a great year or hoping for one because 2012 was crap (at least the world didn't end, right?), I hope you're all enjoying it.
Read, enjoy, review if it strikes you, and hope you all have a great start to 2013.
Chapter 19
December 17, 7:12am
Much as Shirogane Naoto loved and spoke about her family, namely her grandfather, it was a rare occasion when she invited others to the Shirogane residence. It certainly wasn't because her family disliked company; her grandfather had regularly told her that he would entertain any guests she felt like having over. And she couldn't be more proud of him and her own accomplishments, so it wasn't shame that stayed her hand. Instead it was because there was little she could offer her guests besides her own company, and she knew there would be days where that wouldn't suffice. And just the thought of bringing her friends over only to have them keep themselves company was rather discourteous. The last resort in that scenario would have been to take them to her room, and that would have felt strange. It wasn't even that she kept many private objects or memorabilia in her room, but rather it was just someplace that was hers, and she had yet to find anyone she felt comfortable enough around to go that far.
Her room was perhaps what others might have expected of her, right down to the desk overflowing with scratch pads and snapped pencils and file folders. Or the bookshelves that were home to literature and sundries on all manner of subjects, overflowing to the point of being messy. Or the geometric-designed throw rug covering a dark hardwood floor, set to line up the seams perfectly, and both fastidiously tidy and free of dust.
What might have caught others off guard, had she ever invited anyone to her room before, was the large desk by one of the windows that she'd adapted for her wide variety of pet projects. A large swivel-arm magnifying glass was bolted to one side, peering over the desk that was home to several tool cases and small wrench sets along with a pile of metal gears and mechanical parts, all polished and set in their proper place. Clean though her work space was, it always smelled faintly of gear oil and metal polish. Stacked and folded neatly in a pile on one corner were blueprints for a variety of devices, including an old black-and-white camera, namely an H7128 35mm Ansco Memo model, circa 1929, and a miniature Corliss steam engine. She'd cut her teeth on the antique devices when she'd started helping her grandfather with his case files, and simply never stopped. The schematics of her most recent project, a wind-up 1884 Hanhard pocket watch, rested in the middle of the desk while others were tacked to the wall.
Across the room was an occupied futon with a nightstand sitting beside it. The occupant of the futon twitched and rustled in her sleep, pulling from her usual dreamless slumber and soaking in the warmth of her quilts. There was a faint click next to her, and her hand shot out from cover to shut off the alarm. Pale lips pursed and smacked, cobalt eyes fluttered open, and her other slender hand reached up to ruffle messy bangs from her face. Her eyes adjusted to the sight of the alarm clock, and she permitted herself a small smile – two minutes before her alarm. Right on time. It was the weekend, and normally she would have allowed herself the luxury of sleeping in, but today was special.
She stretched in place before pushing herself to her feet, donning a morning robe in addition to her still-warm pajamas before she glanced out the window and noted the needle on her outdoor thermometer with a slight grimace. Her winter clothes and under layers would be necessary for the morning's little sojourn, but the idea both weighed on her shoulders with resignation and sparked a small curl of satisfaction. Much as she tried to play it down around her Grampa, she couldn't ignore the tight pull across her back and shoulders that her clothes caused these days. She'd need to go on a shopping trip soon, or acquire the services of a tailor, but the cause was the same regardless – she was outgrowing her clothes. Perhaps Yukiko-senpai would be available to assist her.
Naoto shucked her pajamas and pulled on her usual dress shirt and slacks, grimacing at the trim fit before brushing her hair back with a small frown. Perhaps a trip to the barber's was also in order. Her officer's cap fit on like it always had, that at least wouldn't require a resizing, and her winter attire was more than sufficient to keep her warm. She took a moment to check her appearance in the full-length mirror before heading to her Grampa's office to say her good mornings and inform him of her itinerary. He offered her a ride to wherever she was going, but she declined – this was something she wanted to do herself. And so, almost an hour after waking up and two bus rides later, she found herself on the outdoor patio of Junes, swept clean of snow by the workers and the wind.
She nodded at several of the employees she'd become acquainted with during her time as part of the team, offered her greetings to a harried Teddie, and resisted the urge to look over the Junes menu at the outdoor food stand – she'd be meeting her grandfather for a morning brunch later. Instead she strode over to the covered table where she'd met the others so many times that her body remembered the steps perfectly. 37 paces from the elevator to the outside doors, 46 across the outdoor patio, 23 to the table. 31 if she stopped for refreshments with a 10% margin on either side in case there were people in her way. She smiled a little at the view, took her usual seat near the end and looked to the head of the table, letting the memories come to the surface.
A year had already passed. Sometimes it felt like winter would never come, and other times she was so busy that all it took was a few cases to eat up an entire month. But here it was, expected or not: their one-year anniversary of the day they'd defeated Adachi and Ameno-Sagiri. And it wouldn't do to not observe the day and reflect a little.
She leaned back on the bench and let the Junes jangle and the constant murmur of the crowds pull her mind beyond the present. This was where it all began. This was their 'secret headquarters', where their efforts continued no matter what stood in their way. It was here that they'd met and planned their strategies, discovered the nature of the mystery that had kept her stumped for weeks. She had to give them credit: for a group of students with no deductive background, they'd made remarkable progress on their own. To be fair, the idea of throwing people into the TV so their repressed feelings would manifest to kill them was simply too ludicrous to entertain, even when Rise-san and Yukiko-senpai had drunkenly revealed as much and Yosuke-senpai had been painfully obvious in his denials. Still, it irked her detective intuitions to be left out of the loop.
It also irked the part of her that tried to be a friend to them, to Senpai and Nanako-chan and the others. She was trying, and she knew she'd made progress, and yet she still felt that her social graces were woefully inadequate. And every time she thought about where the distance came from, she always concluded that it was because of how late she joined their group and how little of them she'd experienced before the end. They'd seen each other's Shadows, fought beside their friends for a common goal, and while they'd accepted her more easily than she could have imagined, there were days where she felt awkward, trying to integrate into a group already stable and bound together. They'd seen each other grow, and perhaps that was where she'd fallen behind – how could she measure her progress against those who'd already accomplished what she set out to achieve?
And had she progressed? She believed she had. No matter her occasional doubts, she kept in regular contact with Senpai and the others. She'd worked to be more open with the people around her, professionally and personally. She was trying, and Senpai had told her that sometimes taking that step was an accomplishment by itself. Like refusing to step back when events conspired against her, showing progress in the face of adversity rather than bowing in submission or changing her course because what awaited her would be difficult.
She pulled back from the memories and opened her eyes, staring at the inside of the canopy over the table pensively. She still had a ways to go, but she could admit that to herself now. She'd come a long way since those first days in Inaba, and even before when she saw activities like sneaking out to dance clubs and being absent from class for the sake of food as pointless frivolities. She'd keep going until she got to where she wanted to be, she thought with a smile, and then she'd probably find something else to reach for and pursue that as well, no matter what got in the way. Naoto nodded to herself, ignoring the tight pull of her too-small clothes and letting that resolution settle in her heart.
She owed it to them keep going, and to herself to see where it all led.
We didn't get this far by doubting ourselves and giving up, did we Senpai?
December 17, 8:39am
Everyone had a different version of Hell. Other people, no other people, noise, school, a little sister's birthday, that party where all the hot girls were already taken and all the desperate ones were single, or, his own close second, being around Chie when she was on a steak-tasting marathon.
But what topped Hanamura Yosuke's personal list was working in retail during the week leading into Christmas. Even back home hadn't been this busy. And he was positive Inaba didn't have so many fussy shoppers during the other 49 weeks of the year, but the Christmas decorations and his uniform were a red flag and a bulls eye for them. And he had to be there, without fail. No excuses would do, not a lack of sleep from a nightmare-fuelled evening or even trying to curry favour with his mother and offering to help her with the seasonal baking. So, here he was, hiding outside in the patio food court after a morning of dodging customers and directing workers and rushing orders like it was the last day on Earth. He stripped off his apron and rested against the wall, cooling off and working to keep his headache from getting any worse.
Of all days to be called in, why today? Would've been nice to give Souji a call, see when he was coming back, hook up and invade Aiya with Nanako-chan and Ichijo, but no. Not for the son of the manager. He grumbled under his breath at the thought. He wasn't like Yukiko-san; Junes wasn't his to inherit or look after, and he wasn't carrying on some proud family tradition. So why did he have to sacrifice his holidays for the sake of the store?
He broke off his grousing when a familiar dark blue shape made itself known at the edge of his vision. He glanced over curiously, making sure he wasn't about to be ambushed by another determined customer or anxious co-worker, and chuckled in disbelief when he saw Naoto sitting at the table they'd occupied when it was raining or snowing, back when the investigation was still open. He'd been in such a rush to get away from the grocery section that he hadn't noticed he was heading toward where he and the others had regularly gathered for close to a year. And seeing Naoto there hit him with a familiar sense of nostalgia that he hadn't felt in months.
His feet were moving before he knew it, but he went along with it – she looked pretty small, smaller than usual, sitting there all alone, and even the manager's son needed a break from the job now and then. Teddie could pick up the slack for a while.
"Hey," he cajoled with a smile as he sat across from her. "How's life?"
"Good morning, Yosuke-senpai," she returned calmly, but with more than a trace of a smile. "I thought I might meet you here. Are you occupied?"
Yosuke shrugged good-naturedly. "Nah. I'm on my break. I've been here since 6:30, so they'll manage without me for a while."
"I see." Her eyes went out of focus for a moment, then she turned in her seat to face him more directly. "Were you planning on marking today? Or will you have that much time to yourself?"
His smile faded a little as an echo of hissing wild red light, crazed laughter and gunshots rang in his ears, but he pushed them away. "I've given it some thought, yeah. What about you?"
"That is why I am here."
"Deep thoughts?"
She cocked her head to the side for a moment, then shook it. "I wouldn't call them 'deep,' per se. Rather, I've been thinking of you and Senpai and the group. How you all seem to have become stronger because of what you experienced together."
Yosuke picked up on her tone and gave her his trademark smile and wink. "It's not like you're not part of us, you know. And you've come a long way from hanging out with Kanji after school."
Much as he wanted to see her squirm or deny any association with the delinquent, Naoto just closed her eyes and smiled back. "Perhaps. Maybe the problem is that it doesn't feel real yet."
"It was like that for some of us too," Yosuke offered. "For me, it felt real after the first murders, but I know it took some of the others a while to really find their groove."
She looked at him appraisingly. "If it felt that real, then it must have been difficult to cope in the beginning. You mentioned someone important to you being a factor in the investigation."
Now his smile withered completely, and Naoto's gaze turned to the side as red dusted her cheeks, realizing how her question must have come across.
Saki-senpai. Yosuke hadn't thought of her since the day after they'd beaten that bastard, when he'd gone to her grave with a handful of tulips and put her to rest. He wouldn't call himself 'at peace' with her death – it still hurt when he thought about it. But he'd accepted what had happened and done everything he could to strike a balance, to make it up to Saki-senpai's family for what happened. Unlike what his Shadow said, he wasn't trying to act tough and be the hero – he'd done what he could and was moving on. What else could he do?
"She was," he replied finally with a forced smile. "She was important to me. But Souji helped me make sense of all that. And I can't let it keep me down forever, you know?"
Her blush had nothing to do with the cold, and she looked up with contrition written across her fine-boned features. "I'm sorry. That was crass of me."
"It's alright. It's what it is, right?" He gave a sigh and gestured around them. "There's more to me than what happened back then. I mean, it's not like I'm staying here forever. Life goes on, no matter how big that stuff with Adachi and Izanami was."
His words seemed to pique her interest. Or maybe she just wanted a reason to change the subject. "Do you plan on moving out of Inaba then? I was of the impression you and Senpai were comfortable here."
"I am, and this place has grown on me." He leaned back for a stretch, collecting his words and dismissing the dour mood that Saki-senpai's name had brought up as best he could. "But I kinda want to see what else is out there, you know? Travel, go to university, hit the cities again, that sort of thing." He chuckled and shot her another devil-may-care grin. "So long as there's a Junes nearby, I won't be hurting for a job, right?"
"Do you have a university in mind?"
"A few," Yosuke admitted, "but we'll see what the entrance exams look like. Anyway, enough of the past and school. You hungry?" It was an offer he'd never have made if Chie was in the same part of town as him, but Naoto probably couldn't eat that much.
"Another time I would, but I'm meeting my Grampa for breakfast soon. Perhaps on some other occasion?"
"Works for me. See you around."
She nodded and rose from the table before making her way toward the elevators. Yosuke leaned back and went over the conversation in his mind before smiling to himself. He'd never say it to her a second time, but she really had come a long way from the sleuth they'd met outside Tatsumi Textiles all those months ago. In a way, it was sort of encouraging; they were all making good on their promises to change.
He was soaking in the calm when saw several approaching workers, and gave a short sigh before grabbing his apron again. No rest for the wicked.
December 17, 9:07am
Exertion was therapy. Some people listened to music, others painted or did puzzles or banzai, and others still screamed into a pillow until they got their stress out. For Satonaka Chie, the road to less stress and a clear mind was in pushing her body and reveling in the pull and burn of her muscles.
She pulled to a stop, breathing hard in the winter air and steaming from the sweat that covered her. The mountain trails around Inaba didn't belong to anyone, and didn't even have a name like the big-city parks, but she'd taken to them like Kanji to his needlework and used them almost religiously. Walking, running like she had been, shadow sparring, she'd tried it all and it never got old. Rain or shine, spring or winter, this was her haunt. Brushing her face with the towel draped around her neck, she checked her watch and decided to take a break - she'd been going for close to an hour already.
It wasn't out of the ordinary for her to figure things out as she ran. She'd thought once that she might have been running from her problems, in more ways than one, but dismissed the idea when Yukiko pointed out that she ran as a way of solving her problems, not to escape them. And while her problems since the fight with Izanami were pretty minor by comparison, she still indulged in the strain of muscle and a good adrenaline rush.
She leaned back to look skyward, wincing at the bright December sun through the leafless canopy and crisp, cloudless sky. "Why do you fight?" she asked herself, voicing the thought to the trees and snow-covered trails. She'd heard the phrase in one of her martial arts movies, and it sounded like something Souji-kun would ask if she'd ever discussed the idea with him. Normally thinking about stuff like that and looking back on her life took a back seat to school and her next steak dinner, but she felt it was appropriate that, today, she give the thoughts some time.
She'd asked Souji-kun once if he thought that her motivation staying unchanged from her first time in the TV world to the present was strange. "No," he'd told her. "You know what you want and you like what you're doing, and there's nothing wrong with that staying the same." And it hadn't changed – her desire to protect the team might have started with Yukiko and grown to include the others (even Yosuke, but only sometimes), but the desire itself never really changed. And she was happy with that, especially since it set her on the path of a place within the Inaba PD. With a clear goal and the chance to get there, how hard could it be?
Of course, protecting the others wasn't always that easy. At first she'd been worried for Yukiko. No matter what they'd seen in the TV or how much Chie patched things up with her almost-sister, there was still that impulse to protect the Amagi heiress from whatever problems came up. Shadows, problems at home, guys who got too pushy, she'd wanted to guard her friend from everything, no matter what reason her Shadow came up with. Same as she'd wanted to protect Souji-kun, no matter how little he needed protecting, or Nanako-chan from Namatame. She even wanted to protect Yosuke from his stupid ideas and big mouth, but, and she chuckled at the thought, he could suffer for it after all the crap she put up with. There had to be something else he owed her for, something she could hold over him for a steak lunch…
Same with the others. Rise-chan and Naoto-kun, they had needed protecting, either from the Shadows or from the problems they'd all been facing as the investigation went on, and, as their senpai, looking out for them was her job. And she'd taken up the role with the same enthusiasm she adopted with every challenge she faced. Except for studying and tests. And cooking. And wearing dresses or skirts or heels, and trying on makeup, and… She shook her head with a frustrated growl. Well, never mind. The point was, she'd always wanted to protect Yukiko and the others, so joining the Inaba PD was the best way to build on that desire.
Because they didn't need protecting now. They'd grown in their own ways and made their own decisions, whether they'd stayed in Inaba or gone abroad. She didn't have to look after them anymore. She still would, of course – she was still Yukiko's friend and Rise-chan's senpai, and she'd look after them however she could for as long as she was able. But Yukiko was stronger now, forging her own path, and Rise-chan had always dealt with her own problems with that same zest and energy that she used for everything in her life. Naoto-kun had her own guardian angel, if only she'd open her eyes to his efforts. They were moving on. It would have been easy to mope and feel spurned or left behind, but those emotions never came up. Chie was glad for her friends and wished them the best. She'd always be there for them, and that was all there was to it. Maybe, she thought, it was just part of growing up.
That was enough soft thinking though. Rested and feeling her second wind kick in, she continued her run up the mountain trail. The Inaba PD wouldn't accept her if she wasn't in top shape, and she'd be damned if she didn't give it 110%.
December 17, 2:36 pm
Six dolls, four plush toys, seven repairs and more than a dozen cell phone and key chain ornaments in the last week alone. He'd expected to be busy in the holiday season, but not like this. The orders had started at the beginning of the month, and he still had more than a week until Christmas. He was putting full days into the shop, working from breakfast to dinner and right through lunch sometimes.
Thing was, he couldn't think of anything he'd rather be doing. Hanging out with Senpai and kicking ass in the TV, sure, but this felt pretty good. Even better than taking down those pansy-assed bikers. So there he was, hunched over his work desk and working his magic on bolts of cloth and strings of beads better than even his parents could have. Just a few more orders to go, and then he could take a break.
"Kanji, are you nearly done?" his mother called as she turned the corner to his work space. Every roll of fabric, every bag of beads, every needle and roll of thread had its place, and he'd never hear the end of it if he left the room in a mess.
"Hey Ma," he grunted as he rose, stretching and popping his joints. Didn't help much with the soreness in his knuckles and neck, but it was a start. "Yeah, for now I guess." Her finely-lined features shifted into a kind but expectant smile, and he sighed. "Something you needed?"
"A package has arrived at the post office, and I'm expecting a customer soon."
He could read between the lines well enough to catch her meaning. He stretched again and let his breath out in a rush. "Yeah, alright. Anything else?"
"We'll need something for dinner. Please buy something while you're out, if you don't mind." She handed him a small roll of bills and the package card for the post office, both which he palmed and slipped into his pockets.
"Alright Ma, I'll be back soon."
Two more stretches and a string of half a dozen cracks later, he grabbed his winter coat and boots before heading into the sharp winter air. After being cooped up for so long, the chill and the clean smell was a change worth enjoying for a while, and even more as he started walking down the street. He'd just gotten out of the business district when he heard someone approach him from behind. He was half turned to meet them when the person spoke. "Excuse me. You're Tatsumi Kanji, right?"
The guy looked like a student, around Kanji's own age, and standing close enough to hold a conversation, but far enough back not to crowd him. Pretty average height, long dark hair poking out from under a grey tuque and hazel eyes staring from behind thin wire-rim glasses. He was almost swallowed up by the thick grey coat wrapped around him, and was shifting his weight from foot to foot. First glance made Kanji figure he was another scrawny nerd from Yasogami, but his face and hair didn't have the thinness of someone who was always two meals short. Wiry instead of thin. And the three earrings he wore in each ear were hard to miss too.
"Depends on who's asking. Who're you supposed to be?"
"Kirigaya Tatsuya," the student replied with a bow.
Kanji's eyes narrowed suspiciously. What did the VP of the Yasogami manga club want with him? "Okay, so what? There something you want?"
"We're kind of going in the same direction, so I wanted to know if I could ask you something, from one artist to another." Kirigaya shirked a little under Kanji's stare, but didn't crack or leave. "I mean, people say you're pretty handy with a needle and thread, and that's pretty impressive. I wouldn't have guessed it, you know? You don't look the part, if you ask me."
"I didn't ask," Kanji snapped. "And everyone knows I sew. Big deal."
Kanji wasn't really in the mood to deal with someone who wasn't part of their little group. People never seemed to change when it came to him, just seeing his bleached hair and leather jacket. Even after all the crap the team had gone through, he still heard the gossip from different corners of the school about his sewing. Other students just weren't worth the effort.
But maybe that's what Senpai had meant when he'd said to lower his guard and let people see him for who he was. Being around his senpai was easy enough, though Yosuke still pissed him off sometimes, and trash talking the cops came as a second nature now – they never believed he wasn't up to no good, so he could be whoever he wanted around them. But students were still a tough sell. Too many people still saw him as weird, and while he had no problem 'correcting their mistakes' when they shot their mouths off, he still wasn't about to shout his talents from the school roof.
"T-that's not what I meant. I know I called myself an artist, but I'm really just good at drawing. So it's not like I can judge you," Kirigaya continued, not seeming to notice the taller teen's silence. "I can't really say drawing manga's more manly than needlework, can I?"
"Wouldn't be the first to try," Kanji grunted. "But I don't give a shit if you judge me or not. You still haven't said what you want with me or why I oughta care."
"Ah, right, well, I guess that would help. You're friends with Seta Souji, right?"
Kanji cocked his head to the side. "Senpai? Why do you care?"
"I-I don't– I mean, I do, but not like that. He knew Ebihara Ai, didn't he? The school's full of rumours about him, and some of them… well, do you know how well he got along with her?"
Ebihara? Oh, her. "You mean that blond chick hanging around the basketball team?"
"Well, yeah. Her."
Kanji shrugged. "Dunno. Senpai gets along with a lot of people, and none of us could do that. If you're gonna go after her, then don't worry about him. He's got a girlfriend, and it ain't her."
He tried to not look too relieved, but he didn't pull it off too well. "Ah, good. I mean, good that Seta-san has a girlfriend, he seems like a stand-up kind of guy."
Kanji checked his watch and grimaced; he was going to be late. "Yeah, whatever. I gotta go." He turned and continued toward the post office.
"So, can I join you?"
Kanji stopped and glanced back over his shoulder, putting a little more glare in his glower. "You wanna hang out with a guy you just met? Why? I got things to do, you know. And you already got your answer on your girl."
"Still, I'd like to talk to you. Just for a while, I won't take up too much of your time."
Kanji just shrugged. "Do whatever you like. If you're gonna hang around me though, you're gonna carry some of the weight."
"Weight?"
"Yeah. Got some parcels and food to pick up."
That would work. It always did. Kirigaya didn't have a reason to tag along after that. "Sure!" he replied instead, throwing Kanji off balance. "There's a crafts store near the post office, and I need some more pencils and brush pens. We can talk about Seta-san and Ebihara-san, if you don't mind."
Kanji shook his head with a measure of finality. "Look, whatever, alright? Let's just go."
The trip to the post office felt only half as long as usual, probably because the kid didn't stop talking the whole way there. And Kanji wasn't so into other people making that much noise that he was normally cool with it. But it was strange to hear someone talking about drawing as much as Kirigaya did. He sorta looked the part of a manga nerd, but sorta didn't. There was more to him than a blind fascination with drawing half-naked girls and action scenes – he really sounded like he understood drawing and characters. And Kanji understood and respected that.
"…I mean, you could say that Hirano Kohta's designs and detail make the story, not to mention his weird sense of humour, and Araki Kirohiko's focus on detail and anatomy are half the point of buying his stuff in the first place, and you'd probably be right, but you need direction and immersion to really get into a good story, you know? Araki has some pretty crazy ideas, and they're all pretty awesome, don't get me wrong, but for story immersion, Oda Eichiro pulls that off perfectly. So does Yuki Kaori, and her stuff's become a lot more accessible to the Western market lately. Probably not a coincidence. You hear how she got into drawing manga in the first place? Really inspirational stuff, way deeper than those guys in Tokyo who…"
Of course, Kanji's respect for the guy didn't change the fact that once he started talking manga-nese, he didn't shut up.
"So're you any good?" Kanji asked finally as they approached the post office, thumbing the card in his pocket.
"… and that's why her attention to the Samurai class is so– Sorry, what?"
"You've been talking about artists and drawing almost non-stop since we left downtown. Sounds like you're into it. But are you any good?"
"I… well, I like to think so. I've been drawing and reading for a lot of my life."
Kanji shook his head. "And after all that, you 'like to think' you're good?"
Kirigaya scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's just manga, right?"
Just manga. Just sewing and crafts. "So what if it is sewing, Kanji? That's not a skill to run away from." "Like hell it is," Kanji snapped, turning to face his tag-along. "You start thinkin' that, you'll never get anywhere. So what if it's manga? If you want it to be something bad enough, then make it go somewhere and do something with it."
"That… that's pretty deep, Tatsumi-san," Kirigaya said finally. But there was a small glimmer in his eyes, the spark of something that hadn't been there before. "I mean, you think so?"
The way Kirigaya was looking at him, with that much respect, was starting to creep him out. "Hell if I know," was the reply as Kanji turned on his heel and kept walking. "I mean, I just mend clothes and sew stuff, right?"
Kirigaya seemed able to read between the lines, so he nodded as he walked beside the taller teen. "Right. Pretty amazing stuff, from what I hear."
Kanji just gave a shrug and a chuckle, and Kirigaya went back to his chatter about manga artists. But there was a bit more spring in his step now.
Of course, that spring didn't last long when Kanji handed him three of the six packages on the way out of the post office. And Kanji was carrying the heavier of the parcels without a step out of place. Still, boxes of cloth and beads and paper weren't as light as they sounded. "Isn't this a little bit much?" Kirigaya puffed after a few blocks.
"I need to grab something for tonight, so I'll need a hand free," Kanji told him while shouldering his packages. Kirigaya groaned under the weight but said nothing else, even when Kanji came back out of the supermarket with his purchase, and when they stopped at the crafts store for the manga supplies. Once the money was spent and they were on their way back to the Tatsumi residence, Kanji spoke up. "Yeah, all I know about Ebihara is that she was there to see Senpai off when he went back home in March. They seemed like good friends, but that's all I know about it."
Kirigaya nodded while working to keep everything in his arms. "That's a good start. Thanks."
They stopped at the intersection near the shrine, where Kirigaya gently set down the heavier items with a relieved groan. "Well, thanks for the information, Tatsumi-san. Will you be around if, you know, you want to talk again?"
"You were the one with all the questions," Kanji pointed out. "But yeah, I'll be around. I live above the sewing shop. You can usually find me there."
"Cool, cool. Well," he held out his hand, earning a strange look from Kanji who eventually reached out and shook it, "thanks again. And see you later, okay?" Without waiting for an answer, he pulled his coat closer around himself and headed down the street.
Weird guy. Nice enough, and he talked way too much. But at least he stood up for himself.
Kanji leaned back and played their conversation through his mind. Kirigaya seemed like he was on the level, and actually sounded interested in crafts. Being into manga would do that, maybe. Still, he respected the guy a little for being honest.
He looked down and could almost see Senpai by the shrine steps, pale hair and dark uniform and everything. He could hear him, too. "You've got gifts to be proud of, Kanji. Gods know I can't sew to save my life. There's nothing wrong with working with that, is there? It's not like you're the only person out there who's good at something that isn't mainstream."
Senpai was right. He always was. And this guy, Kirigaya, maybe he could learn a few things from him. Yeah, maybe branching out wouldn't be so bad. He could give it a try, and ditch the guy if it started getting weird.
He collected the packages with a satisfied smile and headed back in the house. For a trip to the post office and playing pack horse, it wasn't a bad day.
December 17, 5:58pm
"You seem to be in good spirits, Yukiko," Amagi Ryoko observed from where she was writing in the Inn's finance ledger. "Looking forward to Christmas?"
The Inn heiress blushed a little and nodded happily, breaking off from her reading. "Souji-kun said he'd be coming back soon, and I think his train arrives tonight."
Ryoko's smile widened, just a little, and she let out a soft chuckle. "Ahh, I see. Then at least this year won't be dull – he seems quite good at causing waves whenever he's in the area."
Katsushiro grunted and looked up, breaking away from organizing the room arrangements. "You should find someone else to focus your attentions on. He's nothing but trouble."
Yukiko sighed. Not this again. "He's been very diligent about keeping in touch, Daddy, and he's working hard to make something of himself. He wants to get somewhere with his life, so he can't be here all the time."
Her father shook his head and stared at her sharply from across the room. "Why do you believe that? Because that's what he told you when you went to Kofu? He's playing you for a fool, you know, just like the other students at school."
She stared back at him without flinching, flushing a little in indignation. "He's not like them. Not even close." No, Souji really was nothing like the boys at school, especially not the student who tried hitting on her last week.
It was the last stretch of classes before she'd taken her exams. She was just packing up her books when several students came up to her, stopping along each side of the desk aisle. One, a boy with long brown hair that was less tidy than Yosuke-kun's, stepped up and talked to her directly. "Hey Amagi. Got a minute?"
"One minute, maybe. What is it?"
"We were just wondering what you had planned, you know? Word on the grapevine is that you're single again. Doesn't seem fair." His eyes ran down the length and breadth of her, and she narrowed her eyes when he was done looking. "You available this weekend?"
"I'm busy, I'm afraid. And your information's wrong – I'm not single. Excuse me."
She tried to move past them, but they moved between her and the door. "Whoa there. You mean Seta? He's not here now, and you can do better than him." She stopped trying to pass them by, feeling a spark of indignation rise in her chest. He continued despite her level stare. "Besides, seems he's into Risette now, just like he was when she was here. Not like you can trust those guys from the city, right? And you can't have too many friends these days. I mean, you're beautiful and rich, right? We wouldn't want to leave you hanging."
"Souji-kun isn't seeing Rise," she replied shortly, feeling her features set coldly at their mention of her family's wealth. "And those magazines blew the picture out of proportion."
"Ahh, but are you sure? He's on the other side of the country and living it up with the Tokyo chicks. He's not the sort to stick with one thing, you know? You know how those city guys are, so wouldn't it be better to take a sure thing when you can?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Your timing is a little convenient, isn't it? Did you wait until Souji-kun was gone and Chie was busy to raise these question? Or was it just luck?"
"Damn, she's cold," one of the others muttered.
"She was better before Seta showed up," the other commented under his breath. She probably wasn't supposed to hear that, but she cut them off with a sharp glare that dared him to say more. He stayed silent.
"Neither," the original speaker replied, trying for a semblance of control. "We just figure now's a good time that you move on from some has-been city guy, you know?"
"I don't know if it would be wise to let Kanji-kun hear you say that," she told him, letting a measure of concern enter her voice while she suppressed a smile at their sudden unease. "He looks up to Souji-kun as his senpai, so him hearing someone call Souji-kun a liar or careless with his friends might put him in a bad mood. Even more so if someone said he would cheat on his girlfriend." She made no particular emphasis on the last word, but from the way all their eyes shot to hers when she said it, they got the idea. "And Souji-kun's one of Chie's closest friends, so she'd take it personally if someone were spreading rumours about him. She's taking the test for the Inaba Police Department, you see," she informed the others helpfully, "and she's been practicing her fighting a lot lately."
"I ain't afraid of Tatsumi," the boy assured her far too quickly to be genuine. "He's a year behind us, and he's got nothin' on us. And Satonaka's just a girl."
"I think Ichijo and Nagase on the basketball team were good friends of his too," Yukiko continued easily. "They hung out at Aiya all the time, so do you suppose they were wrong about him too?"
"Who's talking about me?" a calm voice called from behind her, smooth as polished ivory. Ichijo Kou passed through the back doors of the class with his books still close at hand and strode over to Yukiko and the boys, all of whom were looking less and less sure of themselves.
"They were raising some doubts about Souji-kun," Yukiko informed him before they could reply. "They seemed to think the pictures of him and Rise-chan were genuine."
"Souji's one of a kind," Kou assured them with a raised eyebrow. "No two ways around it. If he said those pictures were a misunderstanding, odds are good that's exactly what they were. Was that what you were wondering?"
"Uh… Something like– No, nevermind. It's nothing." They left without looking back, and there were several angry mutters between them before they reached the door.
"Figures they wouldn't stay away forever," Kou murmured to himself. "Guess even Souji can't win them all over. Still, you'd think they'd be a little less tacky."
She nodded, leaning back against a nearby desk before turning to thank him. The books under Kou's arm struck her as larger than their standard textbooks, and Yukiko couldn't help glancing at the titles on the spines. "Kinesiology?" she asked in surprise. "That's an interesting subject."
"Hm?" Kou looked at her in a flash, then down at the books himself. "Ah. Yeah, just some light reading. Figure it'd help me on the court, right? Can't know too much."
"Souji says the same thing."
Kou chuckled good-naturedly and gave her a wide smile. "And that's why he's as good as he is. I'm looking forward to seeing him again. Is he coming back soon?"
She nodded, collecting her books and bags again. "In about a week."
He took the hint and hitched his own load closer. "I'm looking forward to it then. See you later, Yukiko-san."
"You too, Kou-kun," she answered with a small bow. "Thank you." He gave her a friendly wave and left the same way he arrived, and she made her way home.
No, Souji wasn't anything like those jerks. And all of his friends were good people too, so how could he be that bad? "He was a perfect gentleman in Kofu, Daddy, and he promised he'd be coming back to Inaba soon."
Amagi Katsushiro looked anything but convinced. "For how long this time? As long as it takes to get what he wants, and then he'll disappear again, won't he?"
She thought her father's words over before answering. "If his dedication is what you're concerned about, would it help if you spoke to one of his relatives?"
His eyes narrowed. "You said he was from Tokyo. Would they come out here on his behalf?"
"Dojima-san from the police department is his uncle, and the two are very close. I'm sure he'd vouch for Souji if it was needed."
"Would he have the time to visit?"
"I'm sure he'd find the time, Daddy. Would that help?"
"Invite Dojima-san over when he has the time, Yukiko," her mother told her, giving a sideways look to her husband. "It certainly can't hurt."
She bowed to them both before heading off to complete her duties for the evening, eager to get away from the discussion she was sure would follow. The night would be easier to get through if she didn't have to explain things again, and listen to Daddy doubt Souji.
She loved her parents, there was never a doubt of that, but her father's over protectiveness was starting to chafe a little. She wasn't a child who needed her knees bandages when she fell. She'd gone through her share of challenges in the TV world and had never flinched, and she wouldn't let doubt get in the way of what she wanted.
That was what today meant to her. That was what she'd fought for, what she'd worked toward since that battle with Adachi, and she was getting closer. They were getting closer.
Just a little longer.
December 17, 6:51pm
A year already. Sure, the days usually flew by when she was on stage or in meetings, being carted and flown from one end of the country to the other, but those times hadn't felt this significant. Well, maybe they had when they were happening, but, looking back, she couldn't bring herself to see auditions or the paparazzi as the same problem they were before she'd gone to Inaba. She'd met her dearest friends, met Senpai, and been part of something that both thrilled her and terrified her to the core, and while the nightmares still bothered her sometimes, she was moving past them. She'd gotten over Senpai hooking up with Yukiko-senpai, so a few restless nights were nothing to worry about. And while that still stung a little, it wasn't in a bad way. She could think of Souji as her benchmark for other guys she met now – he was her new golden standard.
Rise shivered under her thick coat, scarf and bandana. Winter was the same in Kofu as it was back west, and she far preferred the summer months to being cold all the time. And she was always cold, almost unfairly so, no matter how many layers she put on. The park was well traveled enough that she didn't feel out of place, and the trees around her, stripped of their leaves, were enough of a windbreak to keep the stiff breeze off her, for the most part. And despite there being barely a breeze tonight, she could still feel it right down to the bones. Stupid snow and cold, she grumbled while burrowing into her coat as much as she could. She modelled for swimsuits, not parkas.
Her silent rumblings were interrupted by footsteps approaching from behind her. Her eyes raised expectantly as the other young lady spoke.
"Sorry I'm late," mentioned Takenaka Megumi, bundled up in a classy, double-breasted winter coat of the same dark hue as her hair with a matching scarf tied around her neck. She was, Rise noted with a trace of disgust, largely unaffected by the cold.
"No worries. I just got here myself." And it was the truth. Even if she had invited the girl out, there was no way she was freezing for the sake of being early.
"I expected Souji-kun to be with you," Megumi commented after looking around and stepping closer. "I take it he's gone back to Inaba?"
"He left this afternoon," Rise replied, gesturing toward the cold railing in invitation. "I think Yukiko-senpai's visit sped up his plans."
Megumi chuckled, turning in place as she approached and leaning back against the railing calmly. "That makes sense. If anything could push him to change his plans, it would be a girl like that."
"Senpai's always full of surprises," Rise told her confidently. "And it's so easy to forget how much he keeps to himself. Yukiko-senpai doesn't let him get away with it though."
"I'm glad," Megumi said finally. "It's good that he has someone like that, and she sounds like a good match for him. Hearing him talk, I get the feeling he's in it for the long haul with her. And all the better. It certainly beats him having to follow what his family sets out for him."
"He's talked to you about them?" Rise inquired, turning to the girl inquisitively. "He's usually pretty quiet about his family, even around us."
Megumi eyed the starlet cautiously, her eyes, normally dancing with laughter, more still and calm than the frozen river they were overlooking as she turned something over in her mind. "I suppose I can talk about it around you," she said finally. "It would have been awkward talking around Souji-kun."
Rise tilted her head to the side. This was interesting – Takenaka Megumi was even harder to pin down than Senpai when it came to the small details. "Is there something you don't want him knowing?"
"Not really," Megumi hedged noncommittally. "Not like it's a dark secret or anything. More like whenever he talks about his upbringing, I can sympathize with how he feels. And understand how much it sucks to be born to those kinds of people."
The older girl's flat and apathetic tone caught Rise off guard and sent the gears of her mind turning, trying to pinpoint what the comment might be indicating. But whatever it was, she couldn't figure it out. "Your parents are in corporate business too?" she inquired finally.
There was an odd change in Megumi's eyes. They softened, and then her face hardened into a cold scowl, then went still into the mask she was wearing before, all within a few seconds. "More or less. It's… hard to talk about. Not really something I'm proud of."
"I don't want to pry," Rise told her, prepared to change the subject.
"No. I don't talk about it enough, I think, and it's not like it can hurt me now." She sighed and curled into herself, looking smaller than Rise had ever seen the confident and capable girl. Despite seeming vulnerable, however, there was a set to her face that made her look like Souji-senpai when they'd faced off against Izanami – hard, detached, and ready for anything. "His father and mine know each other," Megumi began flatly. "They're business associates, and have worked together a few times. I've never met his father, but from the sounds of it, Seta Yuuma and my father could have been separated at birth for how much they value their family and children."
That made Rise perk up, but the information raised a few questions. "That sounds like something Senpai would want to know about. Why hide it?"
"My father-" the way she said the word could have frozen standing alcohol, "-and I don't share the same last name, no matter how much he insists. And he's not above trying for an arranged marriage to advance himself at work. I doubt he'd try it with me now, but he's impossible to figure out. I haven't spoken to him in more than six months, and haven't had a discussion that didn't end in a screaming match in years. So I don't doubt Souji-kun would put the pieces together if I told him about my parents, but there's no point in raising the matter until he does."
Rise took her time to take in the new information before responding. "Then you don't talk about your family for the same reason Senpai doesn't? Because it's not happy, and not something you can get away from?"
Megumi shrugged. "In a sense, I guess. But my parents bear a lot of the blame there. My mother used to be in corporate finance, and was very good at it. She graduated in the top 5% of her class, had good commendations and references, and a great career, the way she tells it." Megumi snorted, eyes narrowing harshly. "But that changed when she met my father. She balanced work and her life well enough, but then she got pregnant with me and took maternity leave. That wouldn't have been a problem if he'd been available, but he'd lied to her up to that point: she found out around that time that he was already married, and wouldn't leave his wife for her. She refused to have an abortion, and while her taste in men wasn't much to speak of, she was very smart with her money." Megumi didn't move as she told her tale, barely blinked against the sharp winter wind. "She did well enough until I was born, but she'd lost her chances to advance and had to live with the stigma of being a single mother. In a corporate world where image is everything, that's as good as a pink slip."
Rise kept silent as the words sank in. "It doesn't sound like this ended well," she offered, unsure of what to say.
"She never worked in that sector again," Megumi replied flatly. "She'd lost too much time and too many connections while I was growing up to jump back into where she was before. It might have been different if she'd said who my father was, perhaps used him to get back on her feet, but she refused to." Megumi's frigid voice turned positively caustic. "It was like she loved the man, even after it cost her everything she'd worked for. And he refused to help us after he saw me – I was supposed to be a boy."
"Are you serious?"
"His wife gave him two girls, and the son he did have died in a car crash when he was 14. He wants a son to carry on his name and stature, but won't have anything to do with me unless it benefits him. No birthday gifts, no visits, nothing beyond what's required so he can keep his life on the course it's on now."
To be seen as a faceless asset by the people who were supposed to love you the most… Rise didn't know what to say. Perhaps because there wasn't anything she could say. Her parents were selective about their visits because they were busy, but they never wavered in encouraging her to follow her dreams, no matter where they took her. Every Christmas, every birthday and holiday, she tried to work in a visit with them, and sent out holiday cards to them if she couldn't. Much as she'd die of embarrassment if anyone else heard her father's sappy nickname for her, his 'darling little sugar plum,' she never wished he'd stop. Especially now. She made another resolution right then and there – she was calling him tomorrow and getting him the biggest box of Swiss chocolate she could find for Christmas.
"My mother never really recovered," Megumi continued grimly. "She's a loan officer at the bank now because of him. She's stopped trying to use her talents and advance where she knows she could get somewhere because she lost hope and can't get out of the mess her life's become. It's impossible to talk to her about anything now." She chuckled, a dead sound that Rise felt she had no business making. "It's ironic that I was named 'Megumi' when my parents saw me as anything but a blessing. Truth is, I'm not sure what I'd do with their approval even if they did give it to me."
"That's not your fault," Rise told her immediately, leaning closer to catch the girl's eyes. "They made their decisions and lived their lives how they wanted to, but that doesn't mean you're not a good person just because of them."
Megumi looked at the starlet for a long moment, gauging her words and expression, then chuckled. "I know, and you're right. Sorry if this is getting depressing – the memories are always closer to the surface when it gets cold."
"I don't mind listening. I was actually thinking of the past when you got here, so it's not like you changed the mood very much."
"Is that so?" Megumi cocked her head to the side, looking intrigued and frowning thoughtfully. "Why now? Kind of early for reflections and resolutions, isn't it?"
"It's sort of a tradition for me," Rise replied awkwardly. It wasn't like she could tell the girl about what the anniversary she was celebrating was about. "Kind of like an early New Year's. Looking back on things that've happened, where I'm going in life, stuff like that."
"Come up with anything?"
Rise let out a short giggle, smiling to the girl and leaning close conspiratorially. "Since you told me a secret of yours, I'll tell you a secret of mine – I used to have the biggest crush on Souji-senpai."
Megumi laughed, erasing the grim lines and sombre set to her face. "That's understandable – he has that effect on a lot of girls, and I saw the magazine covers of you and him."
"Yep. So he's my resolution," Rise declared proudly. "He's got Yukiko-senpai, and I won't get in the way of that, so I'm moving on and finding someone to hook up with. Someone who'll give me something like what he has with Yukiko-senpai, or what you have with Toyama-kun."
Megumi's eyes went distant at the mention of her boyfriend. "He's been a godsend in my life," she murmured before looking at her friend knowingly. "So you're looking for something serious?"
Rise shrugged with a laugh. "Why not? Never know what I can get if I don't try, right?"
Megumi shook her head, finally smiling past her heavy confessions. "Well, at least you're honest."
"Yep. So do you know any smart, honest, caring, good-looking guys?"
"I'll pass them onto you if I do."
"Thanks!" Rise stepped back from the railing and nodded down the wind-cleared path that led out of the park. "Now, enough soul searching. I'm in the mood for something sweet and crunchy. Care to join me?"
December 17, 9:38 pm
No matter how much he tried to plan before embarking on long-distance train rides, he never got as much rest in transit as he wanted. Or needed as little sleep as he hoped. And he was always leery about dozing off during the last legs of the trip: Inaba was usually bypassed in favour of Okina City, and he had no interest in missing his stop.
Still, standing on the train platform again, he couldn't help the sense of nostalgia and amusement that crept in around his fatigue. There was still as little to greet him as there had been 20 months ago – less now, actually, since Nanako and Dojima were nowhere to be seen. But it was comforting in its familiarity, no matter what the view offered. And the change in seasons made the view novel and even more welcoming than usual. Fresh snow that gave the taste of sharp, clean ice, the chill in the air that prickled at his face and heavy coat, street lights that cast an almost otherworldly light on the frosty roads and falling flakes before him. He took a few moments to stand and look at it, saturated in the serenity and committing it to memory as he let the silence envelope him.
"Was it worth it?"
He jerked around in place, almost lost his balance on the snow. His breath sucked in so fast that his teeth stung as he looked for the owner of the voice. Then the words and the voice sank in, and he caught himself before he looked any more like a fool. Her voice hadn't changed, still smooth and even with a trace of whimsy that he remembered all too well. "It's been a while, Margaret," he replied as he turned around and found the Velvet Room attendant standing next to one of the bike racks, her compendium still close at hand. Same curled hair, same blue dress despite the chill, same fine features. And Souji couldn't help but notice that the snow and lamp lights gave her a faint glow, and, unlike his own, her breath wasn't clouding from the cold. "I thought you'd have moved on by now."
"I am where I feel I am needed, visitor," came her reply. Formal though it was, the small upturn of her lips gave away her pleasure at his recognition. "You seemed to be deep in thought about something. Reflections? Regrets?"
"I don't think I've slept more than four hours in the last thirty-six," Souji replied through a yawn shielded by his upraised hand. "I wasn't thinking much of anything, really."
"Not at all? Today is rather important to you, isn't it?"
Souji sighed, releasing a heavy puff of air in the cold night and rolling his right shoulder a little under his travel bags – it was starting to ache now. Now that he thought about it, several parts of him ached. "You had to bring that up, didn't you?" He tried not to sound bitter or curt, but he didn't succeed.
She didn't flinch at his tone. "It's important to see the past in perspective, and your actions changed you, altered your course in life. Doesn't that bear some value to you?"
Much as he'd tried running from the memories, they wouldn't leave him alone. He had been thinking about what today signified, long before he boarded the train for Inaba with his effects. He hadn't slept well the night before either; Adachi and the backdrop of fractured red and rock awaited him when he closed his eyes, regardless of the clear night sky. And Margaret's initial question was one he'd asked himself more than once.
For everything he'd found during his time in Inaba, everything that was worth hanging onto, there was something else that had scared him or scarred him in ways he'd probably carry for the rest of his life. Even as their adventures grew more serious, as it became more apparent that the dangers they faced were very real, he'd never thought he could lose anything until Nanako had been taken. To say it had opened his eyes was an understatement, and it had been hard to stand being in that hospital weeks ago when all he could think about was Nanako's life-support monitor flat lining. Just the thought of the memory was enough to rouse those feelings of failure and loss, the icy chill of a fist crushing his heart while he could stand by and do nothing.
Was it worth it?
Nanako set against Adachi. The team against Izanami. Yukiko against the scars that were aching in the cold. All the good memories he's collected at the cost of nightmares triggered by rainfall. One counterbalanced with the other.
Despite how easy it would have been to focus on his failures, and he had failed in his time as their leader, he refused to let that drag him down. If he'd learned anything from his time in the hospital and the breakdown that put him there, it was that Megumi had the right idea: he'd never stop beating himself up if he couldn't let go of the things he couldn't change. And while the nightmares still waited eagerly every time the rain started, he had to be better than that. He promised himself that he would, and he'd never forgive himself if he dragged Yukiko or Nanako into his own depression because he couldn't let go of the past. They deserved far better than that, and he wanted to be there to give that 'better' to them, whatever form it took.
Regrets? Sure, he had his share. He'd probably have those nightmares for a good long time too. But the scars were fading, and the good memories were fast outnumbering the bad. For whatever Adachi had done, Souji still had Nanako, and he could build on that any time he wanted. He'd fought Izanami and emerged the victor, even after those long, horrible moments when he lost his team, the people who'd become his second family. And if he ever had to do it again to secure their future, he'd take those steps without a second thought. Then there was Yukiko, and just the thought of her name made all the trials he'd faced worth it. It sounded cliché in his mind, and he had no doubt that the team would roll their eyes at him if they ever heard him say it, but he couldn't think of anything, not all the monsters he'd fought or the demons his friends had conjured, that he wouldn't face for her sake.
"Yes," he told Margaret, eyes unwavering. Their future was worth it. Yukiko was worth it. "It was worth it. No matter what I had to go through to get here, no matter the mistakes and the failures, It was all worth it."
She leaned back with a nod and a mysterious little smile. "Then I hope that doesn't change, no matter what challenges you face in the future."
"I don't suppose you know what any of those are, do you?"
His question earned him a sidelong smile and a small chuckle. "The affairs of gods are simple enough matters to determine. The hearts of people are anything but. You have done admirably up to now, however, and I believe you will continue to perform as well in the future."
Souji chuckled, shaking his head. It figured that the Velvet Room inhabitants would give the most enigmatic advice. That said, he probably wouldn't have listened if they'd told him that his future involved making amends with his father and following in the man's footsteps. That was the point of today, after all: they'd fought for the chances to make their own decisions and experience the outcomes for themselves, good or bad, right or wrong. He didn't need someone telling him his fortune like it was destined. Not anymore.
"Thanks, Margaret. Merry Christmas." As he hoisted his bags and started off toward the Dojima residence, he heard her speak one last time, and didn't bother turning to look because he knew she would be gone by the time he did.
"Thank you, traveler, and welcome home."