Continuance

by Vocarin

They say that there are no endings, but only new beginnings. Something finishes, something else starts. Souji Seta is no stranger to new beginnings, but now it's time to make his own.

30. Chapter 30

Author's Note: And now, for something no one expected, a new chapter! Released on Valentine's Day because of some adorable sap, but also being released on Single's Awareness Day because that also works! First, some replies to my awesome reviewers, and then right into the show. Enjoy!

Kyral: Honestly, people telling me that they can personally relate to my work, either in a situation or a character, is the highest praise I can get, so thank you very much for the comment. I hope that I can maintain the same quality of the scenes, or even raise the bar (always my end goal) with every encounter, so I'd love it if you could let me know, yeah? Interactions among the crew are always a lot of fun, not the least because they are all so fleshed out from the game. Having the OCs and the team mix and mingle brings out a lot in both, and that's always a lot of fun. As to Yosuke, I agree that that's very him to be watching out for his people, and I guess that comes from "second in command is still pretty damn important." And as to Chie and Kou, well, I have some things planned for them for next chapter. I hope they continue to impress. For Yukiko, yeah, she's got an iron will that's not to be screwed with on the best of days, and seeing that come out both against Souji and in his favour was a fair bit of fun to write. Whether Yuuma will be on the receiving end of that or not, we will see, but either way she's a force to be reckoned with. And as for Izumi, there's still a lot of work to be done there, I agree. Good thing she had that meeting with Megumi's mother or people might not buy her change. Pretty fortuitous timing right there. But in all seriousness, that's going to be a long, hard road since both Souji and his mother have valid grievances, but also valid reasons for doing what they did, so we'll have to see where they take us from this point on. Glad you're liking the story!

Zelenal: Then perhaps this chapter will get back to the things you liked about the story in the first place. Only one way to find out, right?

The13thHero: Thanks for your comments, and even more, thanks for your questions. As to Personas and fights, this fic is leaning much more heavily on the human/slice of life aspects of the characters instead of the supernatural side of things, so I don't expect to have any "TV World Redux" chapters. If that's a thing for you, however, I recommend my Persona 3 fic, Change of Engagement, because there's a lot of fights and Personas in that one. As for Chie and Kou, they will have their own struggles and issues to overcome, given that Kou is the only significant other in the group to not know what happened to the crew in the events of the game, so that is going to cause some friction. As to Rise and Yosuke, they do seem to be the darling couple after Souji and Yukiko. I won't say if they will hook up or not, but I will say that other people have inquired about it and have stated the virtues of them getting together, and their reasons make good sense as presented. Will that go further? Will I know how to make them work instead of fumbling the ball? No way to know until we get there. As to it being an unusual pairing, I think that most people are less concerned about who gets shipped with who compared to how well it is done. I've seen weird ships work amazing because of their presentation, and I've seen plenty of pairings that are commonplace lose their lustre because, again, the writer didn't know how to make them work. If you have a good approach and strong reasons for a ship, people are far more likely to at least give you the chance to see what happens, or that has been my experience. Either way, thanks for the interest and I hope that you like the chapter.

Anime obsessed fan: The timing was pretty well done, wasn't it? A stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. Modest genius, of course, but genius nonetheless. Souji and his parents are going to take a good long while, I agree, and the theme of the game is central to the characters and their struggles. You're right in that it will take time and effort to make things change, but that makes those things worth the effort in the end, I feel, so let's see where they go, yes? Where Rise and Yosuke are concerned, you make some very good points. Yosuke was often used as comic relief, which I felt was unfair, and there's a lot more to him than is readily apparent, something I like bringing out when I can. But do the two of them belong together? Who know? Maybe that's where they'll wind up, maybe not. Only one way to find out, right? Enjoy!

shadowrallen: Very glad you liked it. Hope that you also like what's to come!

Shinigami Miroku: Thanks! That part for Rise came to me a fair ways before I wrote the chapter, so I had time to work out the details, mine the quotes, and polish the effects. I'm glad that it stood out to people as I'm rather proud of it. I have a lot more in store for her, but I won't spoil any surprises, so I'll just say thank you again and I hope that you enjoy the show.

EmD23: I admit that I haven't played Dancing All Night or Dungeon Q, but the chemistry Yosuke and Rise show in them, from the sounds of it, is rather charming. If I were going to pair them together, I might look them up on those and see what's what. As to Izumi and Yuuma, well, who can say? We'll probably see in the later chapters though, so stay tuned!

Dark-Syaoran: Rise does seem to get the short end of the stick in the fandom, and that's a shame because she has a lot to offer for anyone creative enough to utilize what's there. I'm striving to give everyone their appropriate endings, and she's too much fun and too much of a sweetheart to neglect. But to answer your question, yes, that is depressing. But also quite flattering as it seems to be something else I'm getting right. Enjoy!

Ulcaasi: I agree, typos are bad. But I did go through the chapter and change a few things, just for you, so I hope that it all reads better now. I'll definitely be on the lookout for that from now on so that your corrections section will indeed be empty. As to the rest, glad you liked it. Yukiko's tiff with Souji was both interesting and hard to write given the emotions at play. Amazing how close they get when I make them that happy. As to the looming heartbreak on the horizon would you mind expanding on that? Are you expecting me to pull the carpet out and have something horrible happen? Or is it more a sense of things not working out because of something no one has anticipated yet?

kungfootitan: Your support, same as the support of all my readers, means a lot to me, so I hope that my further chapters won't disappoint. There's lots more to see of Izumi and Souji, Izumi especially in this chapter, so I hope that you like it.

Ziodyne967: Well you need wait no longer! Enjoy!

gman391: I think I know what you mean, but I chalk that up to the novelty of the situation, given that this is the first time they have really confronted his demons head on, and the first time they have ever had to deal with them in the first place. First time for everything is going to be strange, but we can expect to see more growth from them. Hope you like the story.

jack the writer: Yukiko's well worth making a release schedule around, so dropping a chapter in her honour was an easy decision to make. Always in the cards, you might say. I'm not sure if "best one yet" is quite fitting, but I will certainly take it. Until we get to some of the further chapters that I have in mind, then we might have to make a "best chapters" list, what do you say? I do think that Akane meeting Nanako would probably break the internet, you're right. I don't know if I can make it happen given the logistics, but I will keep it in mind in case anyone needs a massive sugar rush. Souji's co-workers were fun to write and appropriate given his circumstances, so I expect we will be seeing more of them in later chapters as well. "Not just any lemon," indeed. It wasn't easy to write, but nor would I say that it was difficult. It seemed the most appropriate for them given how I see them, so in that respect it sort of wrote itself and I was just the one managing the writing time alongside work and food and sleep. You know, the unimportant things in life. Izumi and Souji have a long way to go, and it's a rocky start indeed. But it is a start, and all things worthwhile take time and steps to accomplish, so we'll see where they end up. Thank you for your kind words, and thank you for reading. It's a pleasure to be here.

Thunderbird013: Very glad you are enjoying the fic thus far, and thank you for the kind words. Characters are something of a special interest of mine, since my writing tends to be character heavy. People can relate to people, after all, so the approach you describe, a couple of character traits and that's it, usually doesn't cut it for me and I'd like to give the same to my readers. Balance in everything is ideal, so it is good to hear that I am accomplishing that. As for the rest, well, there's lots more to see now, so I hope that you enjoy!

Binbix: Glad you like their meeting. I can only promise so much where Kanji and Naoto are concerned, but I do have plans for them, for all the pairings, so no worries there. And as to Yosuke and Rise, well, we'll see when we get there, right? Thanks for the review, and enjoy!

Chapter 30

Izumi stretched as the train pulled to a stop in Inaba. Contrary to the sleek rail line that had taken her from Kofu to Kyoto, the service out to Inaba was comfortable but strictly functional. She hadn't needed to reserve a seat because the number of people on her train car was so few, even with the holidays fast approaching, that she had the whole row to herself. Was Inaba this rarely travelled to? Or was she just lucky?

She stepped out of the rail car once she got her bags, one of which held Nanako's Christmas present. The train platform had been swept clear of any snow, but when she looked around to take in Inaba, the only words that came to her mind and lips were, "There's... nothing here." The lights and spires of Kyoto and Tokyo were replaced with aged trees and a mountain in the distance, and she couldn't see any buildings that were more than two storeys high. The usual noise of traffic was replaced by a persistent quiet that was interrupted occasionally by a distant vehicle, and it took her a moment to realize how almost nothing around her was moving. A few people walked about their business, some turning to wave in greeting, but other than that it felt like the very pace of life had been dialled back from the breakneck pace she was used to. How did anyone under sixty live here? Had it been like this when she'd visited back before Souji was born? If so, had she forgotten what it was like? Was forgetting this sort of placidity even possible? It felt like this should be a retirement community, or a centre for museums and preserved artifacts.

She shook her head with a rueful smile. No, it wouldn't do to think like that. Placid or not, this place had Ryo and Nanako. It had housed Souji for a year, and Amagi Yukiko was originally from here as well. There was clearly more for her to see than what was at the train platform, even if she wryly wondered just how much more there could be since the forests didn't look all that far away. Even if the town was small, that said nothing about the people residing in it. She heard a vehicle pull to a stop nearby and turned to see two people exit. She smiled when she saw her brother approach the platform. "Thank you for coming to pick me up," she told him when he was close enough. "I'm sure you had other things to do today."

Ryo shrugged, brushing her concern off with a wave of a hand. "Family's worth a bit of inconvenience. Welcome to Inaba. How was the trip?"

"Quieter than I expected," Izumi reported. "But that's not such a bad thing at this time of year." She looked at the girl who had just stepped up next to Ryo and smiled. Given how much the girl looked like Chisato, there was no doubting who she was. "Hello Nanako. How are you?"

The girl beamed and came up to her, bowing politely. "I'm really good, Aunt Izumi. It's really nice to see you. Can I help you with your bags?"

Izumi was a bit taken aback by the girl's offer, but it only made her smile more. "I wouldn't want to impose on you like that, Nanako. I can handle them."

Nanako puffed herself up a bit, smiling. "It's not an impos- impossi- Ahem. It's not a problem, Auntie. I can carry one of the lighter bags for you."

"And you can give me the heavier ones," Ryo offered, stepping up next to his daughter. "You're on vacation, so let us help out."

Izumi gave in when she saw the sincerity in Nanako's eyes, handing her the lightest bag and offering the others to Ryo. "Thank you. I appreciate it."

"No problem, Auntie!" Nanako declared, shouldering the bag and carrying it easily.

"Like Nanako said. If you want, we can go home now," Ryo informed her, nodding to where his jeep was parked.

Izumi nodded. "Gladly."

"You can have the front seat, Auntie," Nanako offered as they put her bags in the back of the vehicle. "Guests always get the front seat."

Izumi laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. The girl was a gem, her maturity showing in spite of her age, and she resembled her mother more and more. Chisato had always believed in generosity and propriety, and while Izumi hadn't always seen eye to eye with her sister-in-law, it was clear that her strongest traits had made it to her daughter. "Actually, I have an idea," Izumi replied. "How about we both sit in the back? I haven't been here in a very long time, so maybe you could be my tour guide and tell me about Inaba and what's been going on."

Ryo gave a smiling, suffering sigh while Nanako lit up even more. "Sure!" the girl agreed immediately. "That would be a lot of fun! Does that mean you'll tell me about where you and Big Bro come from?"

Izumi blinked. Who was that? "Big Bro?"

"She means Souji," Ryo supplied. "It seems being cousins wasn't enough, so they're brother and sister now. It only took him about a month to make it happen."

"I see," Izumi replied before nodding. "Then yes, I'll tell you a few stories, and we can talk about him and how he's doing."

Nanako nodded and courteously opened the door for her aunt before scampering to the other side of the jeep, leaping into her seat and buckling in before Ryo had opened his door. Even before the vehicle started moving, she immediately began talking about how Souji had become her older brother, about his friends, and about the things they had done together. Some of the people Nanako mentioned sounded like an interesting sort. "Teddie" was a particularly curious name. "Who are you referring to when you mean your "Big Sis," Nanako?" Izumi asked as they turned the corner onto a residential street sporting almost no traffic.

"Big Sis Yukiko," Nanako supplied. "She told me that her and Big Bro are going to get married!"

Izumi chuckled, a bit in disbelief and a lot in warmth. Amagi had seemed like a wonderful person from what little she'd been able to see in Kyoto, and Nanako gave only glowing reviews of the woman, even compared to all of Souji's other friends. That was encouraging. "They sound like amazing people."

"Yep, they are! Teddie, Kanji-san and Naoto-san are still here, and Chie-san, Yosuke-san and Big Sis all went to Kyoto. Naoto-san said we could meet up and go shopping before Christmas, too!"

"Maybe you could introduce some of them to your aunt, Nanako," Ryo suggested as he glanced in the rear-view mirror. "I'm sure they'd love to meet her too."

"Oh, me too! Good idea, Dad!"

Izumi didn't have time to question the specifics of that before Ryo pulled the jeep into a driveway and announced, "we're here." The house they were parked in front of was familiar enough for her to know she'd been here before, but none of the details on the interior came to mind, which was a bit unusual for her. Ryo and Nanako helped her with her bags and led her into the house, Nanako still talking about the various friends she had at school. "Let's get your aunt settled in upstairs, Nanako," Ryo suggested after they took their shoes off. "Then we'll start thinking about dinner."

They led Izumi up a set of broad stairs and opened the door at the top for her. "This was Big Bro's room," Nanako supplied. "But we thought he wouldn't mind if you used it while you were here."

Izumi's breath caught as she entered the room. It had all the signs of a thorough cleaning, but there was still the lingering sense of something here. Maybe it was a trace of his scent or the worn look to the couch in front of the TV, but somehow the room that felt like her son. And yet it didn't. When she'd gone into his room in Kofu or Tokyo or any of the other places they had lived, he'd left behind a certain feeling to them, like the smell of the new pages of a book or the shavings of a freshly sharpened pencil. This room felt different, familiar yet foreign, and she wasn't sure that she understood what those differences were, or if she could articulate them if she tried. "I appreciate it," she told them quietly.

"Do you need some time to set up and get changed?" Ryo asked, his eyes and voice still steady and guarded. In the car and in the house, his answers and comments had been rather short and functional. Izumi couldn't get much of a read on him or what was going through his mind, but she knew they were going to have to sit down and talk. There was a lot to be said, after all. "We can leave you alone if you need some time," he continued.

The offer was tempting, but she'd just spent hours sitting on a train. She wanted to be up and moving, even if it was just around the house. "That's fine. I'll be down in a minute."

Ryo nodded and nudged Nanako down along with him, leaving the door open. Izumi moved her bags into the corner and checked the closet for the futon, noticing some boxes stacked in the corner. In kanji that was a bit crooked, probably because it was Nanako's writing, she could make out the words "Big Bro's Stuff" written in marker on the side. Souji's things, it seemed. She would have to ask Ryo about that when she had the chance.

She closed the closet door with a sigh, looking at the work desk in the corner. What was she doing here? How was she going to make any of this work? What had started off as a trip to see her brother and niece again had become a pilgrimage to understand her son, the result of last-minute planning and an encounter of uncanny coincidence. When she'd been in Kyoto, seeing him dressed sharp with the young woman in red on his arm, she felt the need to prove him wrong about her intentions and her place in his life. She wanted to learn more about him and Amagi Yukiko. Coming to Inaba to accomplish those things while also reconnecting with Ryo and little Nanako had been the most logical course of action, but now that she was here, she realized she was out of her element. She didn't have any contacts here, no friends or associates to call on. She wasn't even sure what Souji's friends, all the people Nanako mentioned, knew about her. Had Souji talked about his family and parents much? Would they know her if they saw her? Or had he said nothing at all and made the most of his time here? She didn't know which option was more daunting.

The lack of direction brought some comfort to her, and she smiled as she looked out the window. She'd been here, in situations like this, before. She'd started her career in circumstances like this: out of options and no other way out, the only way to go was straight through. But this time she had more to go on than when she'd started at the job that would become her career. She knew what Yukiko's last name was, and Ryo was certain to know some things about Souji and the goings on of her son's life during his time here. All she had to do was get in touch with these people she didn't know, introduce herself without knowing what had been said about her before now, and try to learn more about her child, who probably wanted her to be anywhere else in the world right now. She also had to mend her bridges with a brother who hadn't seen her in years and get to know a niece who didn't know her at all in a town that was completely new to her. She chuckled in genuine good humour. Yes, not a problem at all.

She went downstairs to see Nanako and Ryo talking at the kitchen table. "I'd like to walk around Inaba, if Nanako has the time to show me around," she told them. "Were there some particular places that Souji liked to visit?"

Ryo gave her a long, analytical look, but Nanako jumped at the opportunity. "Sure!" she piped up. "I can show you around, Auntie."

"If you're going downtown, you can pick up something for dinner," her brother told them. "Packaged food will be fine, Nanako."

"But Auntie's here!" Nanako protested. "We should do something special for dinner. Big Bro showed me how to cook before he left, so I want to make something."

Izumi chuckled. She was beginning to doubt that there was anything Nanako wouldn't do for her now that she was here. She made a note to get the girl something else for Christmas while she was here. "I'm not that bad in the kitchen anymore, Ryo. I'll help Nanako with whatever she wants to make. It will be delicious, I promise."

He looked at them both a bit skeptically then shrugged with half a smile. "Then do whatever you want. I look forward to it."

Nanako nodded and turned to Izumi. "C'mon, Auntie, let's go!"

Izumi chuckled and went to get her shoes, following her little niece into Inaba. They opted to take the bus to the shopping district first. Nanako mentioned the chance to stop by the local Junes, and the way her face lit up made Izumi promise to add that to the list of destinations before the day was over. "Big Bro and the others always used to meet there," Nanako told her. "They'd do homework and study for tests and it was a lot of fun!"

Izumi smiled and looked out the window, thinking of how Souji must have adapted and changed to have made such good friends. Before coming here, she'd have thought that him being so far from the city would have driven him crazy. Now she was wondering if Inaba suited him better than she expected it would.

"Here we are, Auntie," Nanako informed her, getting up as the bus stopped. "Where do you want to go first?"

"I wouldn't know," Izumi replied gently. "I don't think I came to this part of town the last time I was here, and that was quite a long time ago."

"Have you been busy with work? Is that why you couldn't come out before now? Dad's like that sometimes, working hard and helping people, so sometimes he comes home late."

Izumi was about to reply, to tell Nanako that yes, she'd been busy with work. But the words stuck in her throat. After thinking of Souji and how little she'd seen him change until it was right in front of her, seeing Nanako for the first time that the girl could remember, blaming her absence on work felt like a hollow excuse. It made her think of Junko and the twisting spiral the poor woman was in, and how the first time she'd seen the woman in years was when things were at their worst. She sighed, but refused to make excuses. She'd worked out her words and contingencies on the train ride here, so it was time to make good on them. "It's not that simple," she said instead. "There's no good reason for not keeping in touch. But I'll be here for Christmas and New Year's, and I'm going to try and keep in touch more."

If Izumi was expecting skepticism, she would be disappointed. Nanako just beamed up at her, trust and affection clear as the sky above. "Okay, Auntie! Can I have your phone number so I don't forget?"

"Of course," Izumi replied, pulling her phone out and setting up the infrared to send the girl her number. Once she received Nanako's contact information, she took a few extra seconds to place it under the sparsely populated "Family" folder in her phone. She didn't want to lose the number amidst all of her business associates and normal contacts.

"Oh, hi Naoto-san!" Nanako called suddenly.

Izumi looked to where Nanako was waving to see a young woman in a blue winter coat and blue patchwork slacks approaching them. As she got closer, Izumi could see that her hair was a wavy cobalt colour, and she wore a police officer's cap of the same shade.

"Hello, Nanako-chan," Naoto-san greeted as she got closer. "What are you doing today?"

"I'm going shopping with Auntie Izumi!" Nanako proclaimed excitedly, looking up at the adult in question. "She's Big Bro's mom, and she just got here today."

Naoto-san's eyes widened a little as she met eyes with Izumi. "Senpai's mother? That's rather unexpected." Then a hospitable smile spread across her lips. "Welcome to Inaba, Seta-san," she said with a respectful bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You as well, Shirogane-san," Izumi replied, remembering Naoto-san's full name from Ryo and Nanako's recap of the company Souji had kept. The girl, or rather young woman, sounded quite smart. It was easy to imagine that she got along with Souji swimmingly.

"Please, just Naoto will be fine. Friends and family don't need to be so formal."

"Thank you for the courtesy, Naoto-san," Izumi replied. "In return, please call me Izumi."

She looked a bit hesitant at the request, but nodded after a moment. "If you're okay with it, then I'd be glad to, Izumi-san."

"Auntie," Nanako piped up, "did you know that Naoto-san's a famous detective? Her and Dad work together a lot!"

Naoto-san chuckled. "I doubt I could call myself famous, Nanako-chan. That's a bit of an exaggeration. I will say that I do work closely with the police department, and Doujima-san and myself have collaborated on several cases since I moved here."

Izumi smiled, liking her already. "I can respect that. I don't expect that a young woman doing detective work would blend in, but you've stuck with it. That's admirable. If I may, how do you like working so closely to Ryo?"

Naoto-san blinked for a second before clearing her throat. "Forgive me, it just occurred to me that you must be Doujima-san's sister to refer to him so familiarly. Hearing anyone call him that is a bit jarring. To tell the truth, it has been a novel and educational experience. Many within the police department resent my involvement in their cases, and Doujima-san was no different at first. But in recent months he has been much more accommodating. I suspect that Senpai had a hand in that, though I have no proof as of yet. Regardless, I have learned quite a lot from Doujima-san. He's a credit to the trade."

Izumi smiled. It was nice to hear that Ryo was connecting with people. Of anyone, she knew how stubborn, even intractable, her brother could be at times. It was odd that he'd choose to associate himself with teenagers, but if Souji had made friends and if Nanako consorted with them, then he wouldn't have had a choice. Perhaps the experience had been good for him. "To change the subject a bit, I get the impression that you knew Souji quite well. Is that an appropriate assumption?"

"I would never presume to say that I know someone well, Izumi-san," Naoto-san explained after a moment to consider her words. "Especially Senpai; he's always been a rather private person. But I believe that he and I have a strong rapport, the same as he had with all of us, and I consider him to be among my closest friends."

"When you talk about 'us,' you're referring to Amagi and Satonaka and the others?"

"That's correct. Our group was Hanamura Yosuke-senpai and Tatsumi Kanji and Kujikawa Rise-san and Teddie, along with myself and Yukiko-senpai and Chie-senpai."

Rise-san's name surprised Izumi a little. "You know Risette? Souji said that they were friends, and I think he mentioned having met her here in Inaba, but I wouldn't have guessed that she knew you and Amagi."

Naoto-san paused for a moment, hesitation coming over her features. "We know each other, yes. We keep in touch even now. We became acquainted through school and spent our time together after class," she said, a bit careful with her words. "It's no surprise that Rise-san would look for Senpai if they were in the same area. She thinks quite highly of him. If I may ask, Izumi-san, what brings you to Inaba? Are you visiting Nanako-chan and Doujima-san for the holidays?"

"That's a large part of it, yes," Izumi confirmed. "It's also been a long time since I was here, so I felt that it was time for a change of scenery, you might say."

"Of course. Well, I'm sure that Nanako-chan must be glad to see you."

Nanako grinned. "Yep!"

"Do you have business in this area, Naoto-san? If you have the time, could I ask you more about Souji and what he did while he was here?"

The young woman looked at her, curiosity in her eyes. "You want to know about Senpai? If that's the case, then wouldn't you be better off asking him directly? If you are curious about his experiences and the friends he made, then he's the only one who could give you that information."

Izumi smiled. As predicted, Naoto-san was quite sharp. It made sense why she was a detective. "I agree, but it's more that I'd like to have an idea of what he did here. He was very quiet about his friends and what he did while he was here, so his father and I assumed that he'd just spent his time going to school and reading like he always does. To learn that he's made so many friends and even has a fiancée now is a surprise. I'd like to hear about what he's been up to while I'm here."

There was a trace of understanding in Naoto-san's eyes and a sincere smile on her lips, but the look didn't match her sharp, analytical gaze. It was a few seconds before she answered. "I don't mind sharing some things with you, Seta-san. I respect Senpai and his privacy, however, so some things you will need to speak to him about directly."

"I understand. I appreciate anything you can tell me, and I want to thank you for your time. I hope we're not keeping you from anything."

"Not at all. As you inferred, I have business here and I can always make time for Senpai. Nanako-chan, could you come here for a moment?" Naoto-san knelt to straighten the girl's winter coat when she approached, leaning in close to say something too quiet to hear. Nanako sounded curious about whatever was being said, and Naoto-san finished with what sounded like, "don't want to worry her," before standing and holding her arm out to the shopping district. "Senpai knew a lot of people in the area. They still speak of him quite often, so I'm sure we'll see some people who could answer your questions. Shall we go?"

Whatever Naoto-san told Nanako hadn't changed the girl's disposition in the least. Izumi was curious what that had been about, but she wasn't going to push it. It was clear that Nanako was close to many of Souji's friends, and it only made sense that they would have things going on that had nothing to do with a recently arrived relative. Knowing that her little niece had such friends brought a smile to her face.

There were indeed quite a number of people in the shopping district, and when Naoto-san and Nanako referred to her as Souji's mother, even more appeared to greet her, offer their well-wishes to Souji, or pay their respects for the holidays. The people who spoke to her were especially eclectic, from housewives to handymen to hospital staff, but they all seemed to think the world of Souji. Naoto-san and Nanako answered what questions she couldn't and spoke for her when she was busy with others. For as many people as there were, she compiled as much of what was being said as she could. By the time they were finished and the people had gone on their way, she had a clearer idea of what he'd done while he was here, and she was again surprised. She'd expected him to keep to himself while he was here, but it was sounding like he'd become quite the social butterfly.

"Seta-san?" a young man with pale hair inquired, looking up from some paperwork he was looking over as he passed. "Are you Souji-senpai's mother?"

"I am," she replied. "You knew him as well?"

Izumi couldn't be sure, but she thought she heard Naoto-san take a sharp breath next to her. Was the girl not feeling well?

"I did," the young man confirmed. "I'm Konishi Naoki. I wish I had more time to talk, but if you could send my regards to Senpai, I'd appreciate it. I don't know if I'll have the time to get in touch with him, what with the holidays coming up."

"Of course, I'd be glad to. Konishi-kun, was it?"

"That's right. Please let him know that I'm still grateful for what he did for my sister."

Naoto-san's smile turned a bit guarded, but she said nothing. She just rested a hand on Nanako's shoulder while Konishi-kun looked a bit confused when he looked at her.

"How well did Souji know your sister?" Izumi inquired.

"I don't know if they met. She was murdered a little while after he came here."

Izumi couldn't breathe for a moment. Had she heard right? Murdered?

Konishi-kun continued, looking a bit sad as he continued but his smile was genuine. "Senpai helped me work through what happened to her, and I understand that he helped catch her killer. That means a lot to me and it helped my family more than I can say, so if you could tell him that I haven't forgotten that he helped me, I'd appreciate it."

Izumi had no idea what to say. A murder? And Souji helped this poor boy? How had he gotten involved in something like that? "Of... of course I'll pass that on."

"Thanks, and I apologize if that came from nowhere."

"No, not at all. Think nothing of it. If I don't see you before then, happy holidays."

He tipped his head in a nod and continued up the street, and Izumi watched as he left. He had to be younger than Souji, but he'd borne such a tragedy so early in life. Not only losing a sister, but her being murdered? How had he managed? And what had he meant when he said that Souji helped catch the culprit? "Naoto-san," she began, turning to look the young woman in the eye. "What did he mean by that? How was Souji involved in a murder investigation?"

Nanako scratched her cheek, not seeming to know what to say, while Naoto-san returned the look with a steady gaze. "I suspect that Konishi-kun meant exactly what he said. Inaba was stricken with several murders while Senpai was here. Three, if you want a specific number. The unusual nature of these deaths was such that the police weren't able to solve the case without help, which is why I got involved. Senpai was connected to the case because he saw the body of Konishi Saki, Konishi-kun's older sister, and because of Doujima-san's status as the case's lead detective."

Izumi felt sick at the thought of her son seeing a dead body, especially that of someone his own age. "He saw all that? Murders and a police investigation?"

"That is correct," Naoto-san continued in a dispassionate tone. "He and the others, myself included, were parties to the investigation."

"Why on earth would he get involved with that?"

"The circumstances were such that he didn't have a choice, I'm afraid. He got involved without being aware that he had. Doujima-san and I did all we could to keep him out of the case, but by then it was too late."

Why hadn't Souji mentioned any of this? Why hadn't Ryo? Why was she learning about this now instead of earlier? "Was he hurt or in danger?"

"I can't comment on that, I'm afraid," Naoto-san replied flatly. "You would have to speak to Doujima-san about that."

That sounded like an evasion. Naoto-san was answering like she knew the questions were coming and worded her answers accordingly. "You were involved, by your own admission, and you're right here. Why can't you tell me?"

"Because I wasn't here for all of it. What I've told you is mostly due to the reports I read when I came here. The murders happened months before I arrived, so I can't say what Senpai might have gone through in that time."

Izumi let out a shuddering breath. So much for this being a sleepy little town. Murders? A dead high school student? She wouldn't have guessed. "I'll have to speak to Ryo, in that case," she noted. "No one told me about this."

"Then I apologize," Naoto-san told her. "I had assumed that someone had apprised you of the situation, and such things aren't very novel for me as I'm sure you can imagine."

"It's not your fault. I'm sorry if I came across a bit strong. It's not every day that you hear about something like that."

"Of course, I understand."

Izumi looked down at Nanako, who was shifting from foot to foot, and felt bad. The poor girl must have thought they were arguing or that she was in trouble somehow. "Everything's fine," she told her niece with a smile. "Let's continue with what we were doing, all right? Was there anyone else you wanted to introduce me to?"

Nanako nodded and seemed like she was about to say something, but then turned and let out a startled, happy "Oh," before looking both ways to cross the street. "Kitsune-san! Hi!"

Izumi looked to where Nanako was waving, expecting someone else that the girl knew, but her heart tripped when she saw a full-grown fox wearing a bib cantering toward her. "Nanako!" Izumi called. "Stay away from it!"

"It's all right, Izumi-san," Naoto-san assured her, a hand out to slow her down as they went to where the girl was waving the animal over. "We know that one and it's quite friendly."

Izumi glanced between Naoto-san and Nanako, struggling with her impulses. On one hand, the fox was bedraggled and dirty and could have been carrying gods knew what diseases. Junko had been bitten by a fox on a camping trip when they'd been much younger, and she'd suffered an infection that had taken weeks to break. On the other hand, Nanako was smart enough to know to stay away from anything unsafe, and Naoto-san watched her like an older sister might. "If you're sure," Izumi replied after several seconds, letting out the breath she'd been holding as they followed her niece.

"I am. I apologize if that startled you. We've been around the fox for so long that we've become used to it."

Indeed, something that should have been dangerous became quite benign. The fox sat and yipped happily, kicking its hind leg as Nanako scratched it under the chin and behind the ear. "That's unusual, isn't it? Foxes aren't pets."

"Nor is this one," Naoto-san assured her, "but it seems quite familiar with people. Senpai talked to it like it understood what we were saying, and given how it responded, I'm convinced that it did. I promise you that it won't hurt Nanako-chan."

Izumi looked at the young woman in disbelief. "Souji played with a wild fox? And spoke to it like a person?"

Naoto-san chuckled. "It sounds rather strange when you say it like that, I agree. But after a while it became commonplace, and the fox knows all of us now."

"Kitsune-san's nice, Auntie," Nanako insisted. "Want to pet him?"

"I'm not sure if that's wise," Izumi hedged. A friendly wild animal was still a wild animal, after all. The fox, unaware of her reservations or uncaring of them, looked at her and trotted over, sniffing the air as it approached.

"He won't bite you," Naoto-san assured her, crouching to stroke the fox's fur.

The animal slowly stepped forward as Izumi cautiously crouched with the girls, hand outstretched the way Nanako instructed. The fox sniffed her fingers and palm, its cold nose making her flinch a little but otherwise she stayed still. Once the fox was satisfied, it walked up and unceremoniously plopped its head on her knee, looking up with intelligent eyes. Nanako giggled and clapped while Naoto-san chuckled behind an upraised hand. "It seems the fox approves of you," she told Izumi. "It acted like that around Senpai too. I don't think anyone else could get it to do that, and Teddie tried quite hard from what I hear, even trying to bribe it with food."

Going against her instincts, Izumi lowered a cautious hand to the canine's head, softly petting it and running her fingers along its ears. The fox's eyes closed halfway in response, and it moved its head closer to her hand as she continued. "Do I pass, Kitsune-san?" she asked, using Nanako's nickname for it.

The fox yipped twice before pulling away from her looking at each of them as it scampered up some nearby stone steps. Judging from the torii, it was living at or near a local shrine. "Bye, Kitsune-san!" Nanako called after it, waving.

"Souji made friends with a fox," Izumi said to herself in disbelief, smiling a little. "And everyone in town knows him by name. And he was involved with a murder investigation. I thought that him getting engaged without telling me was the strangest thing that could happen."

"He's had his share of experiences," Naoto-san commented. "Would you like to meet another of his friends? One of them lives just up the street here. He might have some time to spare if he's home."

Izumi nodded. She still had her questions, but they could wait until she spoke to Ryo. She still wanted to learn all she could about Souji while she had the chance. "I'd love to. Lead on. Nanako, could you tell me how you know Kitsune-san?"

The girl started talking about the fox and the various meetings she'd seen it attend with Souji nearby. Apparently the animal was seen as a guardian of the Tatsuhime Shrine and was even credited for granting wishes to those who prayed hard enough. Nanako admitted that she didn't know exactly how Souji first met the fox, though it seemed to be shortly after he'd arrived in Inaba.

"Here we are," Naoto-san told them, pointing at a building with the sign "Tatsumi Textiles" next to the door. "Excuse us!" she called as she opened the door and led them in.

Izumi was immediately struck by the vibrant colours of the shop. From the greens of the floor and walls to the many children's toys and cell phone ornaments sitting in rows on a tiered table, pinks and reds and blues all catching the eye. There were scarves and sashes and blouses all around her, hats and winter mitts on polished stands. There were even plush dolls of every size and shape as well, some of characters from the few TV shows she was familiar with. The expressions and dimensions were spot on and beyond what she was used to seeing even in Tokyo. Whoever made all these had an incredible eye for detail.

"Come in, come in," a grey-haired woman in a green kimono called from where she was adjusting some of the merchandise on display. "Ah, welcome Naoto-chan. You're as lovely as ever."

Naoto-san blushed a little, turning to the side while smiling at the compliment.

"And Nanako-chan," the woman continued with a doting smile. "It's always a joy to see you, dear. How are you?"

Nanako bowed politely, smiling as she held her hand out in introduction. "I'm really good, Tatsumi-san. My Auntie Izumi came to visit us so I'm showing her around the town."

Izumi bowed, looking the woman over. Despite her hair being grey, she didn't seem especially old. She stood straight, had a steady voice, and her eyes showed that there wasn't much that she missed. The look was familiar, reminding Izumi of the more successful secretaries and women in business she'd known over the years. The smile of a loving mother concealed both an eye and a mind made for catching the small details.

Tatsumi-san adjusted her wire-rim glasses, her smile turning understanding as she bowed in greeting. "Welcome to Tatsumi Textiles. Would you be Chisato-san's sister or Detective Doujima's?"

"Doujima Ryotarou is my brother," Izumi replied. She didn't expect to run into someone who knew Ryo and Chisato, or at least not so quickly in her trip. She'd have to make some time to talk to Tatsumi-san when she had the chance. "I'm Seta Izumi, Souji's mother. I'd heard that you knew him, and I'm curious about what he did while he was living here."

"I did. A very responsible and respectful young man, always helping his friends and family. You'd be hard pressed to find someone around here who doesn't know him, especially the young people. He had quite a few of the local girls chasing him, but only Yukiko-chan caught his eye." Tatsumi-san chuckled, a canny look on her face. "Such charming young love."

For some reason, Naoto-san cleared her throat and blushed even more.

"But while Souji-kun did spend some time here, I could only help you so much. If you are looking for someone who knew him well," Tatsumi-san continued, "then you would have to speak to my son, Kanji. They met shortly after Souji-kun moved here, and Kanji looks up to him as a friend and as a senpai."

"Does he help in making these?" Izumi asked, looking at the scarves and clothes arrayed around her. "If so, I could set up an appointment to come back later if that would be easier. I'm sure he must be busy this close to Christmas."

"I appreciate the sentiment," the older woman began, rising to her feet. "However, if Kanji learned that you'd come and left without anyone telling him, he'd be quite upset. It would be no trouble to call him out. It's time he took a break anyway."

"If you're certain..."

"I'm quite certain, dear. It's no problem."

"Then I will accept your offer," Izumi replied, nodding in gratitude. "Thank you for your time."

"Not at all," Tatsumi-san told her, giving a knowing smile to the blue-haired woman in the room. "He'd be willing to drop everything to come and see Naoto-chan as well, so it's no imposition."

"Tatsumi-san, please!" the young woman protested, still quite red and not meeting anyone's eyes.

"It's quite all right, dear. There's no shame in being in love."

"T-that might be, but we prefer to keep it to ourselves."

Tatsumi-san held up a hand and laughed, a clear sound that defied any sense of age or infirmity. "As I was saying, Seta-san: young love. Excuse me, I'll get Kanji."

"Of course," Izumi replied with a knowing smile as the woman left the storefront. "Are you and Tatsumi Kanji together, Naoto-san?"

She was still red, coughing into her hand while her eyes were a bit downcast. She sounded like she was smiling, however. "I-it's still a new development, Izumi-san."

"If I may say so, it's clear that you are happy."

Naoto-san's reply was a soft, "I... yes. I am."

"That's wonderful." Much as Izumi wanted to pry deeper, finding the girl's reactions very charming, she knew that it wasn't her place. She still wasn't sure where Naoto-san stood on the matter of Souji and his family, after all. Instead she looked around the store, marvelling at the designs and the beautiful fabric. Fashion catalogues and online shopping had nothing on the merchandise here. Even Nanako seemed taken with the displays, looking closely and being careful not to touch anything. "These are incredible. Does Tatsumi-san make all of these?"

"She makes some of them, though Kanji is doing more and more of the work these days." Naoto-san came up beside her, her smile softer and different from before. "He says it's because she's finding it difficult to work with her hands, but that's just an excuse. He's learned a lot ever since he took a more active hand in what they make here, and he's expanded on what they put out now. The dolls and children's toys are all his, and he's gotten quite good at making clothes too. This is one of his," she noted, running the back of her fingers along a vibrant scarf.

"And this one?" Izumi asked, pointing at a different scarf.

"Hmm... No, Tatsumi-san made this one. You can tell by the stitch patterns and the angle, and... Well, Kanji does it differently."

To be able to tell what her boyfriend had or hadn't made just by touching it and knowing how his mind worked. Izumi chuckled to herself. It was apparent why Tatsumi-san teased the girl when there was a chance to: she opened up in no time and looked genuinely happy when talking about her beau. "Of course. How long has Kanji-kun been doing this? Everything here is amazing."

"That one's sold," a deep male voice told them from behind. "But they're easy enough to make if you're interested."

Izumi turned to meet the eyes of the tallest teenager she'd seen in years, perhaps ever. He was taller than Souji, had defined shoulders and arms highlighted by a black t-shirt with a handmade screaming skull pattern on it, and sported ear piercings and bleached hair. His face was a bit angular and his eyes were sharp, his entire air projecting the image of "not to be screwed with." This was the young man who made these things in the shop? The thought boggled her mind

"Hi Kanji-kun!" Nanako greeted, bouncing over to the young man with even less hesitation than when she'd seen the fox outside.

He smiled at her, crouching a little to get closer to her height. The expression softened his features and made him look much closer to what Izumi expected of an artist. "Hey Nanako-chan," he replied amicably. "Ready for the holidays?"

"Yep!"

His face softened even more, a shy smile spreading across his lips when he looked at the blue-haired girl who barely came up to his shoulders. "Hiya, Naoto."

Her voice was just as soft, and Izumi could see the affection in her eyes as she nodded back. "Hello Kanji."

"Guess what, Kanji?" Nanako piped up, apparently unaware of how saccharine the moment was becoming as she stood next to Izumi and pointed. "Big Bro's mom came to visit us!"

The change that came over the young man's face was even more profound than when he'd caught sight of his sweetheart. He looked at Izumi in surprise, then in enormous respect. "Senpai's mom? That you, ma'am?"

"Ah, yes. I'm Seta Izumi, how do you –"

"It's an honour to meet you!" Kanji-kun told her directly, bowing far lower than a greeting to a stranger, or even a respected superior, would demand. "Any relative of Senpai's is more than welcome here."

Izumi blinked then cleared her throat and returned the bow, albeit only as deep as was polite even under the most liberal circumstances. "I... thank you. As I was saying, it's a pleasure, Tatsumi-kun."

"Just Kanji's fine." he told her, scratching the back of his head. "It's... wow, it's a surprise to meet you. I would've thought Senpai's parents were in Tokyo or somethin'."

"We do live in that area," Izumi replied, "but I came to visit my brother and my little niece for the holidays. We were in the area and ended up here."

Comprehension grew in Kanji-kun's eyes, and his enthusiasm dimmed. "Your broth... oh, you're Doujima-san's sister?"

"That's right. You know him?"

Naoto chuckled good-naturedly, hiding her smile behind her hand and turning away when Kanji-kun gave her a look. "Uh, yeah, that's a word for it. We met a few times, then got along better when Senpai moved in. It's kinda complicated."

Given the look of the young man and the nature of Ryo's work, Izumi could put the pieces together well enough. "I see. I hope there's nothing negative between you."

Kanji-kun shrugged. "No, nah, nothin' like that. Just didn't hit it off right away, y'know? How's Senpai doin'? Have you seen him lately?"

"He's doing well, last I saw him," Izumi told him, staving off her unease. The young man's admiration and respect for Souji was palpable, and as odd as it had initially seemed for this to be the sort of person that Souji would make friends with, Kanji-kun seemed like quite a good young man now that she was speaking to him. "He's in Kyoto for the holidays, visiting Amagi."

"Yeah, that sounds like him," Kanji-kun chuckled. "Those two're inseparable."

"I heard that you knew him while he lived here," Izumi began, catching the attention of all three young people. "Could I ask you a few things?"

"Uh, sure. How can I help?"

"Did Souji... talk about me and his father while he was here?"

Three different people gave her three different looks. Nanako looked confused, head tilted to the side and finger up at her mouth. Kanji-kun looked surprised and scratched the back of his head. Naoto-san, oddly enough, only looked inquisitive as her eyes narrowed. "Not really," Kanji-kun replied after a few seconds of thought. "I mean he might've said somethin' to Yukiko-senpai or Yosuke-senpai, they knew him before I did. But when we were hangin' around it didn't really come up. We had a lot of other stuff goin' on, so... I guess we never asked him? At least I never heard anyone bring it up, and Senpai's not the sort to talk much about himself. He was always helpin' us with our own problems."

Izumi smiled a little, not sure if she was saddened that he'd kept those details to himself, or glad because it meant that she would have fewer preconceptions to combat with. It did sound like Souji though, always dealing with the present instead of opening up about his problems. "I see. It sounds like he made some good friends while he was here."

"Senpai's good people. The best, in a lotta ways. I dunno if I can help with your questions, but I'll answer whatever I can."

"Thank you, I appreciate it. I won't take up too much of your time, I know you must be busy."

"That's not problem. I got time for Senpai's mom."

His clear sincerity and good manners made Izumi cover her smile with a hand. It was very clear now that as much as this young man looked like he could be an enforcer for the yakuza, he was actually very polite and well-intentioned. "Then if you don't mind my asking, how did you meet Souji? Did you go to the same school?"

Kanji-kun nodded. "We did, yeah. I grew up with Yukiko-senpai, and he met her an' Yosuke-senpai pretty soon after he moved here. Things happened and we ended up hanging out together. We did it long enough that we became friends."

The thought of Kanji-kun standing next to Yukiko-san presented a rather humorous mental image, enough so that it brought a smile to Izumi's face. "You know Yukiko-san well then?"

"Kinda. We grew up together but didn't stay really close after a while. Senpai moving here brought us back together. All of us, that is."

"In that case, could I ask you about her and her parents? I got to meet her for the first time in Kyoto, and it was a surprise to learn that she and Souji are engaged. I didn't have the time to learn as much about her as I wanted, as you might imagine."

"Oh. Sure, we can talk about that."

"I've also met them while attending some of our gatherings at her family's inn," Naoto-san told her. "I'll add my insight to Kanji's, if you feel like that would help. I'm also sure that Nanako-chan has some experiences with them as well."

"Yep!" the girl chirped. "They're really nice people."

"Anything you can give me would be appreciated," Izumi told them.

"Then let's go to the kitchen," Kanji-kun suggested. "We can talk there."

Izumi followed them down the hall and into a clean and colourful eating area, taking a seat and listening as they talked about the Amagi family. In the time that they spoke, Izumi got as much information as she could on the subject, but the regular divergences into Souji's behaviour and the time he spent with all three of them gave her something more than information. It was clear that Souji had done more than make friends while he was here. Nanako loved him as an older brother, Kanji-kun almost worshipped him, and Naoto-san seemed like a kindred spirit. While he might have come to Inaba to stay with his uncle and cousin as a contingency, he ended up meeting and making an entirely new family.

---

"So you met Tatsumi and Shirogane," Ryo commented later as she and Nanako were washing their hands and getting ready to make dinner.

"They seem like wonderful people," Izumi replied, pulling an apron on and tying the strings behind her back. Given the size of the apron, she wondered if it was Souji's or if it had been Chisato's. "Kanji-kun especially had a lot to say about Souji. He and Naoto-san are very cute together."

Ryo grunted, a grudging smile on his face. "He's come a long way. Used to be that you couldn't trust him not to do something crazy or get into trouble at the drop of a hat. Once he hooked up with Souji he seemed to mature a little. He helps Nanako with her summer projects for art class whenever he has the time."

"Yep!" Nanako put in, standing on a stool so she could overlook the vegetables on the counter. "Kanji-san's really nice, and everyone at school loves the dolls he makes. He looks scary sometimes, but I think he does it just to keep people away if he doesn't like them."

Izumi smiled, looking at what they were planning on making. Nanako had rifled through some of her things and come up with a recipe, protected by a plastic sleeve, for beef stir-fry and rice. Souji's familiar writing gave notes and instructions in the margins, and the thought of him teaching his little cousin how to cook brought a smile to Izumi's face. "You're probably right, Nanako. That seems like something he might do. Shall we get started?"

"Okay!"

The two of them worked while Ryo watched TV and rested on the couch. At first Izumi had to remember how to cut the vegetables, unused to handling a knife and angling the blade right for the right portion sizes. Nanako helped out with some gentle hints, however, and Souji's notes seemed to be as much for Nanako as for the recipe. Things like, "Remember to cook the hard veggies first and the mushrooms at the end," and, "Start the rice early so it has time to sit," spoke of them having made this dish together more than once. The tone of his notes had a sense of encouragement and pride when she read them, and she wondered what him cooking with Nanako looked like. Had Souji done everything himself and corrected Nanako's mistakes before they were done? Did he allow her to do her share of the work? Had Nanako insisted on helping her Big Bro and asked him to teach her to cook afterward? Izumi chuckled. She truly couldn't say which event was more likely, but they were all quite adorable to imagine.

Nanako was careful around the knives as she cut the vegetables with a look of concentration on her face. Once everything was prepared to her satisfaction, she started talking about the others as she mixed the sauces. "Big Sis always tried different things when she cooked," Nanako began. "She put bananas and coconut in the curry once when Big Bro wasn't looking. And the next morning, Chie-san tried making scrambled eggs in the oven with horseradish."

Izumi blinked, not quite believing what she was hearing.

"Big Bro told me to stick to the recipe and not add anything else," Nanako continued, "even though Rise-chan wanted to mix kimchi with saue... saour... sour kraut?"

"Sauerkraut," Ryo corrected from the couch.

"That's right, thanks Dad. She wanted to add that to apple pie once. She always had the funniest ingredients, but Big Bro and Naoto-san did a lot of the cooking when everyone came over here."

Izumi could only imagine how Souji would have felt about his friends concocting things like that in his kitchen. As little as Izumi could admit to knowing about food preparation and meals outside of the recipes, even she knew that those things wouldn't go together. "Sounds like Souji had his hands full during their parties," she commented to her brother.

"You wouldn't believe the half of it if I told you," he replied wryly. "If we let them cook, it would take days to get the smell out."

"Big Bro let me read some of his recipes before he left," Nanako continued. "He said to follow them to the letter for now, so that's what I do when I cook. Sometimes Dad helps too."

"That's good advice," Izumi told her niece, very glad that Souji had been around to teach her to cook properly. While she was glad that Souji's friends had bonded so well with Nanako, she could only imagine the problems that might have occurred if Nanako hadn't learned to cook properly and Ryo had been stuck with "food" like that if he didn't want to only eat something from the store. She would have been genuinely concerned for her brother's health in that case.

They talked until dinner was ready, following Souji's meticulous instructions and times with the sauce and the cooking heat. In almost no time, they had a wonderful and colourful dinner laid out on the table. While not a perfect recreation, Izumi recognized the flavours and sauces as Souji's cooking, and the tension seeped out as she felt like she was home. Conversation was normal, and she found the change in even the TV program, a trivia show instead of the news and the changes in the stock prices, a welcome change. She brought out the small servings of ice cream that she had purchased after they'd parted company with Naoto-san and Kanji-kun, smiling at Nanako's smiles as she indulged in the treat.

"Thanks Auntie!"

"You're welcome, Nanako." Izumi helped the girl clean up the dishes from dinner, noticing that Ryo had been rather quiet after eating, and even when he'd come to pick her up at the train station. She sighed a little, knowing her brother was waiting for a later chance, probably when Nanako had gone to bed, before they would talk. She couldn't blame him; she'd always tried to do the same thing with Souji when she and Yuuma argued in the past. It was just as well, however. She had some questions and points of her own that she wanted to bring up.

The day must have been draining for Nanako, or she knew her father well enough to guess that he was biding his time, because she began yawning and rubbing her eyes shortly after they finished their dessert. A few minutes later, Ryo had her brush her teeth before he tucked her in to bed. When he came back to the living room, he had an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Did you want to talk?" Izumi asked, ready to take the plunge and address the problem.

"About what?" His tone was steady, but there was an underlying current of tension in it.

"It's been years since we last saw each other. I'm sure we have things to talk about, like Souji."

Ryo's eyes remained unreadable, but he sighed and rubbed his face. "Not yet. Nanako takes a while to really get to sleep, and I don't want to wake her up."

"We can talk quietly," Izumi suggested.

"I can't promise it'll stay that way."

"So we have things to argue about."

He gave her a brittle smile. "It'll probably come to that, yes. I don't have the same problems with you that Souji might, but he became a part of this family, my family, when he was here. Some of the things he talked about need to be addressed."

"Then why don't we go outside and talk there? I have some questions of my own."

Ryo's eyes cracked a little, becoming readable and clear to her. She could see the anger mixing with the affection and stern happiness she'd always known her brother for. Nothing he was feeling and going through came out, though. He let out a long breath and the walls were up again. "We will. But not yet. I spoke to Amagi's parents, they said they'd be happy to meet you whenever you want."

That surprised Izumi. "You called them? Why?"

"They're going to be family at some point. There's no sense in keeping things from them. And besides, you deserve to have a good look at things if we're going to talk. Amagi is everything to Souji, and in case it wasn't obvious, Nanako loves her."

Izumi could see where he was coming from, and knew that his generosity was just a way of delaying the inevitable. Worse, it was his way of indicating that he had a lot to say and that he wanted to give her a fair shot at defending herself. As intimidating as Ryo could be, and as bad as his temper got sometimes, he was always fair in his dealings with people. He'd been like that for as long as she could remember, long before he joined the police. She nodded, knowing that to regret that things had come to this point was meaningless. The days where she could have returned his calls or talked to him more when Chisato died, times when she should have been more present in his life instead of just sending her son to him, those days were over. She was here, now, and she had to manage with what she had. "I appreciate the help. I'll meet with them as soon as I can. Before that happens though, I have a question of my own."

He shrugged dismissively. "Like I said, those can wait."

"This one can't," she informed him directly. "I won't be able to sleep if I don't ask it."

"What is it?"

"What was Souji's involvement with the murders that happened after he got here?"

Ryo was silent and stone-faced for a moment before he replied. "Who told you about that?"

"A young man we met downtown. Konishi Naoki. He wanted to pass on how grateful he was that Souji helped get justice for his dead sister."

Ryo sighed, tapping the table. "I should have expected that. Everyone knows everyone else around here, so it was only a matter of time."

"So there were murders here?"

"Yes." His toned turned emotionless and professional, like he was dictating a report. "Three. A woman who worked for a TV station, the student whose brother you met, and one of the teachers at the school."

"How did Souji get involved?"

"I don't know. He started talking to people, asked around, and before I knew it he was working on the murders with information that even I didn't have. He took it on himself to investigate the case and that brought him closer to what was really going on. What Konishi is saying when he's talking about his sister is that the culprit was a cop who'd been transferred here – Adachi – and Souji helped bring him in. Don't ask me how he did it, because I don't know. There was more going on with that case than even I understood."

The bad feeling in Izumi's stomach was assuaged a little, but more questions popped up with every answer. "What happened with this Adachi? Was Souji hurt?"

"Adachi was convicted of his crimes and is serving his sentence in prison. The case is closed and the loose ends are all tied up."

"Except there are things you don't know, like how Souji got involved and what his part in all of this was," Izumi pointed out.

Ryo shrugged again, as dismissive as before. "Right, there are. But I don't think I'll ever know those things and nothing's gone wrong from me not knowing. Unlike what they show on TV, real cases are like that: sometimes you don't get a complete answer to the problem before you move onto the next case."

"You haven't answered my other question," she pointed out. "Was Souji hurt in all this?"

"I don't know. He doesn't seem to be."

"You never asked?" Izumi asked, a bit incredulous.

"There was nothing to ask about," Ryo told her. "I don't even know what he was doing in the first place. There were no reports of him being hurt and ending up in the hospital, and he didn't mention it if he was. I'm not going to strip search him on a whim."

Izumi let out a breath, asking the question that had been on her mind since she'd spoken to Konishi-kun. "Why didn't I know about this?"

"I tried telling you for months," Ryo pointed out coldly. "You never returned my calls. By the time you did, it didn't seem like it mattered. Either Souji would have told you if he thought it was worth mentioning, or it wasn't important enough to address. Do you actually think he was injured or hurt? Or are you assuming that he was?"

"I'm asking if you know whether he was or he wasn't. You were looking after him while he was here, so don't you know?"

"If he was, he didn't tell me," Ryo told her with a tone of finality. "That's all there is to say about the murders where Souji's concerned. I'm going to bed. Anything else can wait until later."

"I have one last question," Izumi brought up, wanting to get a point in before the conversation ended.

"No," her brother told her flatly.

"Please?"

"I said no."

"I heard you. But I want to at least ask the question first."

Ryo's eyes narrowed, his annoyance showing quite clearly. "Are you going to be like this the entire time you're here?"

"Please, Ryo? I promise it will be my last question tonight."

He growled, but acquiesced. "Fine. What is it?"

"Souji's things are in the room upstairs. Do you think he'd mind if I looked at some of them? Or could you show me some of the things he had?"

"You'd be better off asking him that question," he told her.

"I know. And I'm asking you since this is your house."

Some of the anger came back to his eyes, this time it was enough to colour his voice. "This is where all your problems came from, you know." He looked like he had much, much more to say, but he visibly clenched his teeth instead.

"I don't deny that," she replied simply. "I want to talk to him, but not yet. I just saw him a few days ago and I'd rather know more before we speak again."

Ryo stared at her for several long seconds before shaking his head and turning. "I'll think about it."

"That's all I ask."

"Fine. Good luck tomorrow. I'm leaving early so I won't see you in the morning." He left without another word, the sound of a door opening and closing barely making it back to the living room.

Izumi let out a long breath and sat at the table, staring out the sliding door window in the gloom and examining everything she'd learned in the day, as well as preparing herself for the next morning. After all, she was meeting the parents of her son's fiancée, a girl she'd only met a few days before.

---

The next morning was surprisingly domestic. Izumi went through her tai chi movements to wake up and went downstairs to see Nanako busily making a breakfast of eggs and toast, another of Souji's recipes on the counter to guide her. "Good morning, Auntie!" Nanako greeted when she had the chance. She'd heard Izumi come down the stairs and waved initially, but didn't take her eyes off the food she was making. The look of serious concentration on her face was priceless. "Dad already left for work. I made you some eggs."

"That's wonderful, Nanako. Thank you. Do you need any help?"

"Nope! Big Bro taught me how to make breakfast when he came to visit us, and it's almost done."

Izumi looked at what was being prepared and was impressed by the girl's skills in the kitchen. Scrambled eggs and toast, a simple miso soup, and some fruit and vegetables cut into slices on the side of the plates. It was subtle, but she could see Souji's cooking in Nanako's presentation. Souji would put jagged cuts in the fruit to suggest animal shapes when he was younger, and he'd usually arrange the food like it was supposed to be eaten clockwise. She'd never mentioned it to him, finding it much cuter that he seemed to do it without knowing. "Then I look forward to eating it," Izumi said in encouragement.

"It's ready! Here you go, Auntie," Nanako chirped, handing her a plate before joining her at the table, food in hand.

Breakfast was relaxed. Izumi complimented Nanako on her cooking, and the girl blushed and credited Souji almost exclusively for her skills. It seemed that she'd been watching him every chance she got when he'd made the meals and had friends over, and the lessons he'd given her seemed to be very dear memories indeed. "Did you sleep well?" Izumi inquired when there was a lull in the conversation.

"Yep! I heard you and Dad talking, but it didn't bother me that much."

"We'll keep our conversations quieter, I promise."

Nanako shook her head quickly. "I didn't mind. You were so quiet that I couldn't hear very much."

"I see. What do you have planned for today, Nanako?"

"Mai-chan asked if I could come over, but then she said her family was coming to visit. I don't have anything else to do today except for the laundry."

Izumi raised her eyebrow before smiling. Ryo had always been rather hopeless when it came to housework, so it made sense that someone would have to look after the house and take care of the cleaning. He was lucky to have such a dutiful daughter taking care of him. "In that case, do you want some help? I have to meet with Yukiko-san's parents today, but I don't have anything else planned after that. We could stop by Junes and get something for dinner, if you like."

The girl perked up and cheered immediately, and Izumi laughed at the free, unrestrained innocence and vivacity that she had. She deeply hoped that whatever life threw at Nanako, she wouldn't lose that spark.

They finished their breakfast and cleaned the few dishes that were left. Nanako had apparently picked up on Souji's loathing of idleness as well; he always cleaned the dishes when he was done with them rather than leave them until the end. Once they'd gotten changed, Nanako led Izumi to the bus stop and gave some directions to the Amagi Inn since Ryo's directions had been rudimentary at best.

Nanako chattered happily as they rode the bus, and a few of the other passengers greeted her or smiled when they saw her. The girl was a treasure, it seemed, and everyone knew it. When they arrived at the Amagi Inn, Izumi stood outside for a moment to take everything in. The Inn was a beautiful, sprawling place that felt both solid and welcoming. The steps were clear of snow and she could see a well-trimmed zen garden off to the side. She wouldn't be surprised if there was a koi pond somewhere as well. She took a bracing breath, preparing as best she could for something she'd never done before. "Let's go in then," she told her niece as normally as she could, stepping up to the door and crossing the threshold.

"Welcome to the Amagi Inn," a woman in a functional yukata told them when they entered before her eyes lit up on seeing the young girl. "Ah, Nanako-chan. It's wonderful to see you again, dear."

Nanako showed her manners and bowed in return. "Hi Kasai-san. Happy holidays!"

"You as well, dear." The woman looked at Izumi, a measure of understanding in her eyes. "May I assume that you are Seta Izumi?"

"I am. I understand that my brother, Ryotaro Doujima, made an appointment for me."

"That's correct. I'll let Ryoko-san and Katsushiro-san know you are here." Kasai-san smiled at Nanako then. "They're probably going to have some adult conversations, Nanako-chan. Would you like to wait in the garden?"

"I could help out if you like," Nanako offered. "Big Sis told me about what she does here, so I could show guests around."

Izumi chuckled behind her hand while Kasai-san gave the girl a genuine smile. "Let's see what we can give you then. Please excuse me for a moment." Kasai-san went to the phone in the lobby and said something quiet after dialing a number. "They're ready for you, Seta-san. Please follow me. I'll find something for Nanako-chan to do until you're finished."

"I appreciate it," Izumi replied, not surprised that the girl had made friends among Yukiko-san's family and staff. Nanako talked about the Inn and the things she had done in the times when Yukiko-san had invited the others over for a night, and soon they stopped at a sliding door.

"Here you are, Seta-san," Kasai-san told her. "Ryoko-san will let me know when you're done, and I'll bring you to Nanako."

"Have fun," Izumi told her niece, waving as the girl left with the woman. Her talking hadn't stopped, and the woman seemed to be engaged with every word. Izumi took a bracing breath, clearing her mind and working through what she was going to say before knocking on the door.

"Come in," a man said from the other side.

Izumi slid the shoji open and stepped in, shoulders squared as she locked eyes with the pair sitting at the table in the middle of the room. The man had sharp features and dark hair, and the look he gave her suggested that she was keeping him from something important. The woman, classically beautiful in a fine kimono, smiled softly and gestured for her to approach them where they sat. "Welcome, Seta-san," she greeted. "I'm Amagi Ryoko, and this is my husband, Amagi Katsushiro. As I understand it, you've already met our daughter, Yukiko."

Izumi nodded as she took a seat across from them. It was easy to see the relation between child and parents. Yukiko-san had a mix of Katsushiro-san's black hair and steel attitude alongside Ryoko-san's beauty. Their smiles were quite similar, too. "I have. Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice."

Katsushiro-san grunted. "When Doujima-san makes a request, it's in one's best interest to listen to him."

"Regardless, I appreciate it. I'm sure you must be busy."

"It's no problem," Ryoko-san told her. "If I'm being honest, this isn't a meeting that we were expecting to have."

Izumi looked between them, feeling like she was at a disadvantage given Ryoko-san's smooth smile. It didn't take her long to guess what the woman meant. "Might I ask why you thought that? And who gave you that impression? Given that our children are as close as they are, wouldn't it make sense that we would meet at some point?"

"We assumed so," Katsushiro-san replied, "and we asked Souji-kun and Doujima-san about that very thing. We were concerned about Yukiko's future, as I'm sure you can imagine. But both of them said that you and your husband were unavailable, so this is a surprise for both of us."

Izumi's eyes narrowed, and she took a moment to form her response past her flickering anger. Souji saying that made sense, but for both her son and her brother to write her off like that got her hackles up. "I can see where they were coming from," she replied with as much poise as she could manage. "My coming here for the holidays was the result of a last-minute decision that probably surprised them, and it has been a long time since I have seen my brother. I also expect that they didn't think I would come this far west. My work usually keeps me busy around Tokyo."

Katsushiro-san grunted. "Pardon my bluntness, but this calls Doujima-san's judgment into question. Souji-kun's as well. We have asked them both about you, about what familial connections Yukiko will be making with this relationship of hers, and everyone we talked to said that you wouldn't be available. Now here you are, and on short notice. It makes me wonder if they are as reliable as we've been led to believe."

Izumi's eyes narrowed, and she switched gears. It seemed that the discussion was going to be blunt and to the point, and playing nice wouldn't get her anywhere. "You're a brave man, Katsushiro-san. You're suggesting that my brother's assessment of the situation, something as close to him as his own family, is flawed."

"This is how I see it, Seta-san," he replied with hard eyes. "We have Yukiko's best interests at heart, and seeing that Souji-kun's family is less aware of itself than we were told is not encouraging."

"My being here doesn't reflect on Souji or his devotion to your daughter," Izumi established firmly. "I've seen how close they are with my own eyes, and I'd appreciate it if you kept such suspicions within reason."

"Maybe. But neither of them seemed confident that we would meet with you. Doujima-san said as much a year ago, yet here you are."

Izumi straightened a bit. That was quite enough of that. "You are well within your rights to be suspicious, but let's not pretend that this is a great enough problem as to reflect poorly on Souji. If his reported absence of my presence was a deal-breaker, you wouldn't have let him get as far with Yukiko-san as he did. That you gave them your blessing tells me that any reservations you had weren't enough to stop them from being together."

Ryoko-san cleared her throat. "Could you explain why they might have said what they did, Seta-san? Their comments, as I'm sure you can see, gave us a certain impression that we have assumed was accurate until now. Now those impressions are being called into question. Perhaps we could hear your side of the story?"

Izumi sighed. "I suspect that they said what they did because they felt that I wouldn't have the time to become involved in his life if I knew what was happening. My husband and I work some strenuous hours. I'm sure you know what it's like."

"That's never stopped Yukiko from telling us what was going on," Katsushiro-san noted.

"Perhaps, but Yukiko-san isn't Souji or my brother."

"It does make me wonder what Souji-kun's family is like," Ryoko-san put in, her voice taking on a colder tone, "if he has so little faith in his own parents. I'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt, Seta-san, but Detective Doujima and Souji-kun aren't the sort to exaggerate or rely on hyperbole. The pictures they have painted don't suggest a strong connection between you, if I may be so bold, so for them to be wrong on this does raise some questions."

Izumi grit her teeth a little. She hadn't expected this meeting to be a flowery affair, but casting aspersions on her son and her brother was not something she was going to take. "That's going a bit far, Amagi-san."

"I apologize that it was necessary to say it then, Seta-san. But my question remains."

"You have nothing to worry about where Yukiko-san is concerned," Izumi stated. "I can promise you that. Souji loves her to distraction, and I have yet to meet a more charming and intelligent young woman than when I saw her a few days ago. Whatever Souji might have said and believed up to now, and whatever our own problems might be, you can be assured of two things: he cares for your daughter above anything else, and he and Yukiko-san have my full support from this point forward."

"You sound like you mean that, Seta-san," Ryoko-san noted.

"I do."

"It's clear that you feel strongly about this, and it's encouraging to hear that you support Souji-kun this much. Might I ask if this has always been the case? It sounds like you hadn't met Yukiko until very recently. Does this also mean that you didn't know about her until very recently?"

Izumi's polite smile went cold at the question. Ryoko-san had delivered it smoothly, but with a precision that spoke of intent. It wasn't a careless comment, and this woman wasn't nearly as innocent as she pretended. "What are you really asking?"

"Just what I said, Seta-san."

"Please don't insult my intelligence, Amagi-san. I came here on the assumption that we'd be having a sincere conversation. I've done just that, and I'd like to think that you would be above petty slander."

Katsushiro-san visibly bridled and Ryoko-san's eyes narrowed, but the woman's hand came out, gesturing for her husband to not interrupt. " Very well. How close are you and Souji-kun if he didn't mention Yukiko until now?"

"We've had some difficulties in the past," Izumi admitted plainly. "Not problems or fights, but Souji has grown up very quickly. His father and I have been focused on our own careers, perhaps too much so. I think you can fill in the rest of the details."

"If that's the case, then why get involved now?" Katsushiro-san asked. "What changed?"

"I want to be more involved with my son's life. This is a better time to start than never, no?"

"You do seem to care for him," Ryoko-san noted.

"Of course I do. He's my son."

Katsushiro-san grunted. "A son you apparently haven't been very close to until now."

"Pardon my bluntness, but that's not a conversation I'm having with you," Izumi shot back, done being nice. "My relationship with him is your business only insofar as it concerns Yukiko-san. The rest is my concern, and I'll thank you to remember that." The Amagis glared at her, but she refused to back down. She wasn't about to let strangers judge her for the decisions she'd made, no matter how connected they were to Souji. Their stand-off continued for several long, uncomfortable seconds before Katsushiro-san's expression changed a bit, a touch of respect in his eyes.

"Souji-kun comes by his stubbornness honestly enough," he remarked, not friendly but not caustic anymore.

Izumi glanced between them as Ryoko-san's smiled returned a little. "He's grown into a very mature and professional young man," Amagi Ryoko observed steadily, quite neutral compared to before. "He's also a bit intractable sometimes. Rather wilful, but he usually sees reason when it's shown to him."

Izumi's eyes narrowed, and for a long half-second, she wondered if that comment was what Ryoko-san thought, or if it was a message to Izumi herself. Was Ryoko-san giving her advice? And why had they backed off like that? Had their questions been a test? Was this some sort of audition for her? Regardless, it wouldn't hurt to be at least cordial with them. Souji would never forgive her if she ruined things with his future in-laws. "I've observed the same thing myself. Might I take this moment to say something?"

"Of course," Ryoko-san granted, keeping up at least the facsimile of grace and propriety. "What is it?"

Izumi knew business relations like she knew her own measurements. It was time to switch gears into something more productive. "Souji did a lot of growing up while he was here; that's clear from the friends he's made. I'd like to ask how much of that was due to his relationship with Yukiko-san. If she helped him become who he is now, then I owe her a debt of gratitude."

Katsushiro-san didn't conceal the flicker of a doting smile while Ryoko-san looked genuinely curious. "You feel like Yukiko helped him mature?"

"Given how close they are, I think it's very possible."

"I don't think that you're wrong," Ryoko-san conceded after a moment. "For all the effect Souji-kun had here, he grew the most when he was with the rest of his friends like Hanamura-kun and Kanji-kun. Yukiko would always talk about them, and the staff would tease her about wanting to learn to cook so that she could impress some boy she'd met at school. They wouldn't let her live it down, especially when he came to visit or when she'd disappear during her breaks so they could have some time together."

"Do you know how they met?"

Ryoko-san nodded, her smile more genuine now. "From what I understand, they were in the same class when he transferred here. Chie might have had a hand in it as well, given how close she is to Yukiko and how outgoing she can be, especially around new people. Yukiko was having a hard time of things, but she seemed happier shortly after he moved here." Ryoko-san's hands tightened on the table. "When I think about it, they seemed closer when the police brought her back home."

Izumi stiffened. Yukiko-san had been involved with the police? She hadn't heard this from anyone yet. "I'm not sure I understand. What do you mean by the police bringing her home?"

"How much do you know about Inaba and what went on here a few years ago, Seta-san?" Ryoko-san asked, her expression and voice a bit withdrawn.

"I know that there were some murders that happened around the time that Souji moved here. My brother and Shirogane Naoto worked on solving the case, apparently."

"That's correct, but that wasn't all that happened. Not only were there murders, but there were also some abductions."

Izumi felt a chill at the implications of what was about to be said.

"Shortly after Yamano-san and Konishi-san were killed, Yukiko was kidnapped," Katsushiro-san told her, the pain clear in his voice even though the event happened years ago. "She was gone for days before the police found her. We have no idea what happened or who did it, but it was shortly after she returned that she became closer to Souji-kun and to the rest of his friends. And she wasn't the only one who hung around with him. It seemed like there was someone new in his group every month or so."

"I'm so sorry," Izumi told them sincerely. Given how much they obviously loved their daughter, it was easy to imagine how hard that must have been for them. "I had no idea."

"We were terrified, as you can imagine," Ryoko-san told her, "but she seemed more herself when she got back. That's when she started spending time around Souji-kun, and things went on from there."

Izumi began to wonder just how many people had been affected by the murders. "If you don't mind my asking, do you know if Souji got involved in the investigation?"

"I couldn't say for certain," Ryoko-san replied after Katsushiro-san shrugged and shook his head. "It would seem strange if he did, being a student. Why do you ask?"

"I met someone the other day who suggested that Souji had played a part in bringing the suspect to justice. I'd like to know what that means, especially if he was hurt in any way."

Ryoko-san shook her head. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that. I've heard that some of his friends, the ones he spent the most time with, also went missing after Yukiko did. I suspect that it was just teenagers acting up, especially where Kanji-kun is concerned, but aside from that, you would have to speak to the authorities. It's also hard to imagine Souji-kun being hurt if he was involved. He's quite steady."

"The only time he might have had a hard time," Katsushiro-san added, "is when Nanako-chan was in the hospital."

Izumi looked at him sharply, her heart jumping. "What? When did this happen?"

"Before Christmas two years ago," the man told her. "She seemed to get sick suddenly and had to be hospitalized. I don't know what the problem was, you would have to speak to Doujima-san about that. Yukiko stayed with her as much as she could. Against our advice, given how crazy everyone was around that time."

"I didn't know about that," Izumi replied, beginning to wonder just how much she didn't know about what had gone on in Souji and Nanako's lives. And to think that she'd written Inaba off as a sleepy little town. It seemed like that assumption was getting further and further from the truth. "I'll have to ask my brother about that."

"That would be for the best," Katsushiro-san replied.

"On that note, if you speak to Yukiko-san in the near future, please pass on my gratitude. It seems she's been an important person in Nanako's life, and I appreciate all she's done for my family."

Both Amagis looked at her, probably looking for any facetiousness or subtlety, but Izumi said nothing else. "We will," Ryoko-san assured her, her smile a bit different, perhaps accepting, compared to before.

Feeling like she'd said all that she could, and wanting to end the meeting on a somewhat amiable note, Izumi nodded politely. "I should be going. Nanako's waited for me long enough and I'm sure you have other things planned for today. If I may, I'd like to meet with both of you again if we can arrange it. I'd love to hear more about Yukiko-san."

"Our schedule gets busy during the holidays, but we would love to see you again, Seta-san," Ryoko-san told her, rising and bowing. "This was a productive meeting, and I hope that we can continue our discussions in the future."

"I'd like that. Thank you again," she said as she bowed then turned and left the room. She collected Nanako, who had been carrying dish trays for the cooks and cleaning staff, and pried her away from the smiling men and women who'd been caught up in her enthusiasm. On their way home they stopped at Junes, where Nanako picked out what they'd be making for dinner. As they went through the aisles, Izumi thought about everything she'd learned at the Amagi Inn. Yukiko-san's parents were certainly interesting, and Izumi felt like she'd need a few more visits before she had a proper grasp on Ryoko-san. Contrary to the polite facade that woman put up, she was sharp.

On their way home from Junes, Nanako got a phone call from one of her friends. It seemed that Mai-chan, who'd cancelled on her before, was now available in the evening. After some quick talking and a text to Ryo, Nanako was trembling in joy at the chance for a sleepover with her friend. Izumi took her home to prepare for everything, including a simple dinner for herself and Ryo since Nanako would be gone the next day, and then she walked Nanako to her friend's house. On the way back to the Doujima residence, she spent some time sitting on a bench by the Samegawa river, leaning back to put her thoughts in order. With Nanako out for the evening, she and Ryo would have the chance to talk, and it probably wasn't going to be pretty; their fights rarely were.

It was dark by the time she got home, and she spent her time checking her emails and replying to texts, sending well-wishes to Junko and getting a bit cross that Yuuma hadn't contacted her yet. Surely he could have let her at least know what he was doing and whether there were any new developments on his end.

She was a bit surprised when Ryo came through the door at dinnertime, expecting him to have stayed longer at the office. Either he didn't have a lot of work to do, or he'd decided to come home early so they could have their argument. When she ran the odds through her head, she decided that the second option was far more likely.

"Nanako made it to her friend's house," she told him steadily.

"I know," he replied steadily. "She texted me when she got there."

"I hadn't heard that she was in the hospital while Souji was here," Izumi commented coolly. "Ryoko-san told me about it. I wish I'd known."

He shrugged. "There was nothing to say. She's my daughter, she's better now, and you weren't answering your phone. Case closed."

Izumi let out a breath, letting the layers fall away. Her brother wasn't the only stubborn one in their family. "I'm glad to hear it, though I would have answered a message if you'd told me."

"I didn't get through to you when I tried talking to you about Souji," he pointed out with heat rising in his voice. "There was no point in telling a machine about Nanako."

"Then let's have it," she said with a cold smile, ready for the fight to begin. "We only have tonight to say everything, after all."

Ryo nodded, his eyes as hard as when they'd clashed back when they were both headstrong teens. "Let's start with Souji. When were you going to talk to me about him? Why did it take sending you a picture of Amagi and threatening your secretary to get you to call me back?"

"You were out of line doing that," she pointed out. "Hitomi-chan didn't deserve being chewed out like that."

"Don't change the subject."

"I'm not. I'm just saying that you went too far. Regarding Souji, what do you want me to say? I talked to him when he got to Kofu. I asked him what happened when he was here. He made it sound like nothing unusual had happened and he chose to keep everything else to himself. I didn't know about the murders or his friends here and he never mentioned Yukiko-san. What would you have done in that situation?"

"I would have talked to someone who might have known something about the situation," Ryo snapped. "How many times did I fill up your inbox? Wasn't that an obvious enough clue? Didn't you think that I might have had something to say? But instead you blew me off."

"And I regret doing that," she replied. "If I could take it back, I would."

"We talked when he was here, you know. Before he left for university. I tried getting him to talk to you, or to a least tell me what the problem was. He made a big deal about us being a family when he moved here, but as soon as I tried to do the same to him he wouldn't even hear of it. He cut you out of his life, and he's barely an adult."

"I know he did," Izumi hissed. "I saw him in Kyoto and you wouldn't believe how hard I had to work to get him to meet me for dinner. That's when I find out that he's engaged. Engaged, when I didn't even know he had a girlfriend. Do you think I'm proud of that?"

Ryo snorted, crossing his arms. "I don't care if you are. You and Yuuma should never have let it come to that."

"I don't need you telling me that. I screwed up. I know that."

"This goes beyond screwing up, Izumi!" Ryo blew up. "You screw up with clients or your boss or your job, but Souji's your son for Christ's sake!"

"And what about you?!" Izumi exploded right back. "Nanako told me that you were busy with work until Souji came to live here. Chisato meant everything to you, but were you any better, leaving your own daughter alone here while you were buried in your work?"

"Don't you dare bring her into this," Ryo snapped. "Everything I did was to find the bastard who killed Chisato, and to make sure Nanako had a good life, a safe place to grow up. I let it go too far, but it was always about Nanako, and don't you ever say otherwise."

"The effect is the same," Izumi pointed out. "You loved her, but you still left her here alone, working through the night and neglecting her. What if Souji hadn't come here? Would you still be working those hours and missing out on her life? What would she be like if you hadn't changed?"

"My family always came first, even when I was making mistakes," he growled. "Souji was an afterthought for you, wasn't he? Stop making excuses!"

"I'm not! I'm telling you how it is! You're lucky that Nanako's still young and you're so close, but how do you think I feel? Do you think I planned every day of my career around neglecting my own son? I love him as much as you love your daughter. I wanted the best life I could afford for him, even if that meant not always being there for him." Izumi slumped a bit, and her voice losing some of its fire as the memories hit. "I still remember him when he was a baby in a crib, when he showed me the pictures he drew in his room and listened to me sing him to sleep. He was everything to me, and he still is, but they grow up so fast. In no time he was going to school, then he had girlfriends and played basketball. Now he's going to university, working on his own life, and I might have missed that too if things had gone differently."

"If what had gone differently?" Ryo asked dryly. "Why did you decide to come out here? It couldn't have been me harassing your secretary that made a difference."

Izumi let out a breath. She wasn't proud of her work situation, but she'd always been honest with her brother. She let it all out and told him, in detail, about her being stonewalled at work and how her upward progress was stalled indefinitely. She mentioned how Yuuma had gone north for work, how she'd spoken to Junko and seen the woman's ruined life, and how she'd had the extra time to think and catch up on everything.

She could hear Ryo's teeth grating by the time she was finished. "So even now, your work came first. You're here because someone gave you a bloody nose, and if they hadn't, you'd still be there, none the wiser."

Izumi glared at him, not about to take the kicks just because she was down. "And I could have spent Christmas and New Years in Hawaii without putting a dent in my holiday time. I'm here because I want to fix things. I thought I had time to connect with Souji and make it up to him. Hate me for that if you want, I know I made mistakes, but give me some credit."

Ryo growled, but rubbed his face instead of retorting.

That was a sign that he was slowing down, something Izumi recognized from their childhood, so she continued. "I asked Souji this, but I'll ask you as well. Do you think people can change?"

His hands clenched into fists, but his eyes took on a cautious, guarded look. Almost the same as how Souji looked when she'd asked that same question in Kyoto. "What kind of question is that?"

"One I want an answer to," Izumi replied directly. "I never thought I'd be where I am right now, seeing everything that's passed me by, but this is how things turned out. I'm here because I want to be part of Souji's life, and because I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry it's come to this. If I want anyone to take me seriously, then I need to change. Do you think that's possible? Or am I too late?"

Ryo was quiet for several long, uncomfortable moments before he shook his head and pointed at the kitchen table. "I need some coffee. Are you having any?"

Izumi blinked, then smiled. Her brother loved his caffeine fixes. "Please. Two cream, four sugars."

He made the same disgusted face that he always did when he heard that. He preferred his coffee strong and hard, so the thought of that much sugar in one drink probably drove him crazy. They stayed quiet while the water boiled and the coffee percolated, neither looking at each other. But the silence wasn't hostile. Instead it was familiar, a detente that was, again, part of how they'd fought since they were children. With the sharpest words said and both people still in the room, they could talk more constructively now. Ryo served them both and stared into his coffee before speaking. "Things were hard when Souji got here," he began. "You're right. I was in the office all the time, leaving Nanako here. I thought Souji would be a good playmate for her so that's why I took him in, but he was more than that. He made friends and involved her in everything they did, and she came out of her shell before I knew it. She fit in with them, started growing up because of him, and he didn't stop there. Once he saw that she was changing, he started working on me. We had some pretty bad arguments over that. I could tell we were family; it was like I was fighting with you again."

"He does come by it honestly," Izumi admitted.

"He showed me what I was doing wrong, how I was losing out on Nanako's life. He helped me get to the heart of the problem, and I haven't forgotten that. That's why it kills me to see him like this. You and Yuuma did the same thing to him that I did to Nanako, except no one called you on it. What do you think he went through? How do you think he coped with it?"

"I don't know," she admitted, "and don't think for a second that I haven't asked myself those very same questions. Everything I've focused on feels like it's gotten me nowhere, and the price was my connection with my own son. I want to try and fix things before I can't anymore."

"You might have hit that point already, you know," he noted. "Souji might not want you in his life."

"You could be right, but I'm going to try anyway. He deserves that much."

Ryo sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know if you can change. That's on you. It's hard for me to juggle work with the times when Nanako needs me, and I still don't know if I'm doing it right. But you? You've got a long way to go. Whether Souji loves you or hates you or doesn't care, the fact remains that he changed while he was here. He went through a lot with his friends between the murder investigation and Nanako ending up in the hospital. There're some things he won't tell me about, and a lot of things that I don't understand about it all. That doesn't matter though. After everything that's happened, I don't know if he'll let you in. Even if he does, there's a lot to learn where he's concerned."

"Can you help me?"

Ryo shook his head, looking at her with an analytical stare. "I don't know. You're both family to me, but I don't know how serious you are about this. When your job sorts itself out, will you go back to how things were before? What if Yuuma needs you? Will you find another job if you can't figure things out and go back to how you were? Connecting with Souji's not something you can do whenever it suits you."

"I know," she replied quietly. "And I can't answer those questions right now. I can't say what I'd do if I could have my job back the way it was. I love what I do and I'm good at it. But I want to be part of Souji's life again. He's so happy with Yukiko-san, you can tell they're made for each other. I never thought I'd see him like that, and I don't want to miss out on more of his life. What could I say to convince you or him?"

"Probably nothing," he told her candidly, taking a drink of his coffee. "Words don't mean a lot at this point. But if you're serious, then there's lots you can do to make things better; you have a lot to fix."

"I expected as much. So while I'm here, I want to try making those changes. I want to learn as much as I can and see what happens. If nothing else, I want to be more in touch with you and Nanako. I shouldn't have neglected you like I did, and even if I can't mend things with Souji, I want that much at least."

Ryo gave her the small smile that meant his mood wasn't as bad as he wanted people to believe. "I don't have a problem with that. Nanako's getting to be at an age where she's going to start asking about things I can't help her with. Girl things. Amagi's made the offer to help her with that, but more advice can't hurt. If you want to prove that you're serious about this, that's a place to start. And you can keep in touch and phone every now and again; I actually return my messages when someone calls."

Izumi smirked. She deserved that one so she'd let it slide. "All right. I'll try. Can I look at Souji's things now?"

Ryo rolled his eyes in exasperation. "You're still asking about that?"

"If I'm going to make any of this work, I need to understand him as best I can. That's a place to start, right? The sooner I do that, the sooner I'll know what I have to do."

He growled under his breath, giving her sharp, analytical look. "You're serious."

"Of course I am. It's my son we're talking about."

"He's also my nephew," Ryo pointed out, probably regretting that he'd given her any ground in the first place, "and this is a violation of his privacy."

"But I'm asking as your sister and as his mother. I promise I won't say anything about it. Please?"

He shook his head the exasperation clear on his face. "You're impossible, do you know that?"

Izumi smirked in triumph. "Of course I do."

"That's not helping." Ryo let out a heard breath. "I'll meet you halfway. One of the boxes has his books and models in it. You can look at that one, so long as you don't break anything. The other stuff is his. I don't know what's in it, but that's his. The only way you can open that one is if you ask him and he gives me the go-ahead."

"That's all I ask."

"At the rate you're going? Not likely. Give me a minute, I'll make sure there's nothing else in there."

"Covering up for his dirty magazines?"

Ryo blushed a bit and glared at her. "Don't go there, do you hear me?"

Her smirk deepened. "Souji's still a young man, Ryo. I know what boys are like." There was also the fact that he was in a good mood in Kyoto. As angry as he'd been to see her, both he and Yukiko-san had that 'just had great sex' glow about them that no one with functioning eyes would miss.

"I said drop it." With that, he went upstairs. Izumi could hear him shuffling around and moving things for a few minutes before he called down to her. "All right, come up."

Izumi went up the stairs, feeling strangely apprehensive with every step. She was excited at the chance to learn more about Souji, but that didn't stop an equal dose of fear from running through her, and every step made her heart race a little more. She'd talked about getting closer to Souji, but having the chance present itself so soon felt like it was leading her in a new, unknown direction from the road her life had been on.

Ryo was standing at the door, face stony and solemn with understanding showing through the cracks. He looked into the room, silently beckoning her closer. "I have to be up early tomorrow," he told her when she got close enough, his voice quiet like he was paying his respects at a shrine. "Nanako will get home after I leave. If you're serious about helping, look after her until I get back."

"Of course. It's no problem."

He looked at her, his suspicions and questions clear. "We'll see," he muttered, not needing to explain what he meant.

"Thank you for this. I mean it."

He nodded but said nothing as he went back down the stairs, balanced and quiet for a man of his size.

Izumi went into the room and closed the door, one light on and illuminating the things on the table in front of the couch like it was a stage on a set for a TV show. Like Ryo said, there were models and books galore, almost too many to fit where he'd piled them. Izumi's apprehension grew as she approached, and sitting on the couch and taking it all in before she reached over to pick up a well-worn book. It looked like it was used for translations from Japanese to Korean and back, and Souji's familiar writing filled the margins. There were even some loose sheets in the book that fell out when she turned the pages. Most of them were his own notes and comments, but some of the notes were dates and cash values. From what she could see, he had taken on work as a translator and had kept himself sharp with his languages even when he'd been so far from home.

She smiled to herself as she set the book down. Even in a town with a small economy, he'd found ways of making money and supporting himself. Smart as always.

The next thing she looked at was the models he'd made. There were four in total, and they looked like something out of a mecha TV show. When she compared two of them, she noticed that one of them had some light scuff marks at the knee joint where the other one didn't. When she brushed her thumb across it, she felt the texture of glue under the scuff marks. She thought it over for a second before realizing that he'd used too much glue and had tried to correct his mistake. When she looked at the others, she noticed that he'd avoided that very same mistake, and only one other model had any scuff marks at all. She hadn't known he'd had an interest in making models, though it didn't surprise her; he played basketball enough that some manual dexterity made sense.

She set the models down carefully on the table and picked up another book, also well worn. When she opened it, a photo slipped and would have fallen if she hadn't caught it. Her breath caught in her chest when she held it up to the light and saw it. There he was, with Yukiko-san and Naoto-san and the people who could only be his other friends. Nanako and Ryo were there, and it looked like they were in front of the Inaba train station. He wasn't just in the picture by accident like he'd seemed in some of their family pictures or in his school photos. Rather, his smile was genuine as he cocked a hand up in a half salute, looking as happy as the others who were posing for the picture.

The book lowered as she looked at that picture, the same feeling coming over her as when she saw the photo of him and Yukiko-san. This time, however, the sense of disconnect was weaker and the feeling she had in this room began to make sense. Ryo was right. Whatever the cause, Souji had grown up during his year in Inaba and even later when he'd stayed here before going to university. She could see now where he'd started shaping into the man he was working hard to become. The up-swell of emotion became too much and she smiled, almost tearing up as she said the only words that fit what she was feeling: "I'm so proud of you." Her words went unheard in the empty room, and she let the emotions flow through her, for how long she didn't know, until she pushed them down. There was no use for regret or shame now. Instead, she felt determined and set on her course. It had been the right choice to come here, and regardless of what else happened or where she ended up, she promised herself that she wouldn't forget this feeling. It was too important, and it meant far too much to let go of now.

She carefully put the photo back in the book and set everything back on the table, turning the light out. A large part of her wanted to keep going and investigate everything now that she had the chance, but she knew better than that. Ryo had said that Nanako would be home tomorrow and that he wouldn't be around. Izumi would get to look after her little niece again, and she wanted to be rested for that, so she rolled out the futon, changed into her pajamas, and closed her eyes with a last look at her son's things. When sleep came, her mind was still turning over all the opportunities she had. There was so much to take advantage of, and she didn't want to miss anything now.

Author's Note: So, what was your favourite part of the chapter? Izumi vs. the Amagis? Izumi vs. Doujima? Naoto and Kanji? Everything Nanako? Let me know in a review!