A frown spread across Kanji's face, not too amused by the work he had done. Ultimately deciding on a bright yellow dye for this particular pattern, he regretted his decision after looking over the results. It just looks borin' as hell. He took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. The upcoming Summer season was closer than he'd like to admit and he didn't feel prepared. There was always the possibility of just recreating what he had come up with for last Summer, but he knew that he'd get no sales from patrons and chastised for his lack of creativity, something that Kanji was particularly prideful on. Alas, patterns he was prototyping didn't come out the way he had imagined and his choice of color combinations didn't line up to bring out anything dazzling. With those two problems working hand-in-hand, it wouldn't surprise him if his business tanked.

Scratching at his chin as he continued to pour over his work, deciding what aspects he could simply improve on and what he would need to get rid of, he walked over and grabbed a small notepad off the table. A click of the pen and he was writing down pros and cons of this prototype in his very neat handwriting. One sigh and another click later, he dropped the notes back on the table and went to exit the room, closing the door behind him. It had been a long day and he was well past done with it. A few steps later and Kanji was back in his room. Not wanting to get anything from the dyeing process on any of his other possessions, the tailor stripped and went over his bathroom and started up his second shower of the day. He stood leaning up against the sink as he waited for the water to warm up to its normal scalding temperature. Thoughts of the past day went in and out as they pleased, reminding him of more and more things that he still needed to handle at some point. He looked up from his daze and saw steam coming from his bathtub, making its way to fill out the room. A few slow steps and some easing in later, his body was being pelted with a steady stream of boiling rain.

Goosebumps aside, the shower was certainly relaxing him. Which was good, because Kanji still had some annoying things to work out in his head. He needed more dye of all colors but he certainly didn't want to make the trip to buy them from the usual store just outside of Tokyo. But he also wasn't going to buy them from Junes. As much as he liked Yosuke, he didn't need to feed the parasite anymore than what they were already getting. I'll just order 'em online or somethin,' he settled. He needed to get more yarn and silk, maybe some wool for the weirdos who still wear that crap during the Summer. Not to mention there were several designs still in their conceptual stages that he needed to get back to the drawing board on. He resolved to begin working on those this evening after his shower was finished. And there were several people calling in and placing custom orders. Enough people, in fact, that he had to start turning away orders because he knew he just wouldn't get them done in a reasonable time frame. Kanji still made sure to take down their name and phone number if a spot opened up for them. The warm water was still pelting at him as each thought was coming and getting in line. Despite him being in a location that he typically would find so soothing, he could feel himself tensing up as he addressed each individual idea in his head. When had work become so backed up like this? He didn't want to sound cocky, but he knew the work he did was exquisite. That said, was it really enough for his shop to start gaining this kind of traction? He'd admit in a heartbeat that he was taking the necessary steps for his shop to expand. He had been learning to become much more fluent in English over the past three years so he could speak to most foreign customers and visitors. Kanji also had begun to advertise more aggressively. He had people like Yosuke and Yukiko telling him that he should get into national markets by getting a website set-up, but he didn't have the time nor the mental fortitude to get that going. If he couldn't even get his orders done for his Japanese customers, then how the hell was he going to do it on such a large scale? And even with how busy he was, it wasn't like he was turning over huge margins on anything he sold outside of the more complex and intricate designs. But he sold enough that those smaller margins had begun to add up and he was able to afford more and more.

God, and that's just my problems with the freakin' shop. I still gotta worry `bout… Kanji's mind trailed off. He hadn't contacted Naoto since the visit yesterday and she vice versa. He began to wonder if it was all a mirage; a figment of his imagination. If it was, he was gonna be pissed that he missed out on a whole day's worth of business because of some stupid illusion. He rubbed at his scalp, trying to comfort his poor brain that was beginning to have difficulties holding everything in. Kanji would be the first to confess that he was holding off on texting her because he was afraid. Of what, he wasn't sure, but he felt fear nonetheless. Ain't like she's the one for cruel jokes. She asked me cause she meant it, dammit! Kanji grabbed for his soap, squirting some into his hands, and then mixing it around onto his loofah. He wiped away at the day's work as he thought more and more about Naoto. Yeah, that's right, she asked me. I didn't ask her, she asked me. Feeling satisfied, he hung his loofah back up, opting to stay in the shower for a few more minutes. Problem is where the hell am I s'posed to take her? Or did she have somethin' in mind herself? Guess we should probably figure that out before I go suggestin' anything.

Kanji turned off the water, grabbed the towel that was hanging overhead on the shower rod, and stepped out of the bathtub. He felt overwhelmed by everything hitting him at once. Like he was in a cage match and it was him against five other fighters. Then it's a fair fight, huh? He joked to himself. The thought of a cage match—hell, any fight, actually—sounded very enticing to the tall, muscular man. The itch to throw himself back into that world of picking fights and coming out on top was something that reared its ugly head every now and then. And in this exact case, it would give him an outlet to vent his anger. But he knew that if dove back into that world, he would never hear the end of it from his friends because how the hell was he going to hide it whenever he got punched in the face and it left a bruise? Especially if this thing with Naoto worked out. Kanji would feel terrible getting dragged back into that lifestyle just as the ball got rolling with his crush.

Maybe I'll just become a fuckin' hermit or somethin', get away from all this crap. Kanji hung the towel back up and left the bathroom. As he put a fresh set of clothes on, he heard his phone vibrate on his desk. After getting on a pair of comfortable sweatpants, he walked over and picked it up, noting the time first. Already seven, eh? He shook his head, perhaps preemptively as he looked further down the screen and saw a text from Naoto had popped up.

So she pulled the trigger first, eh? Kanji unlocked his phone, inputting his very simple password of 1234, and read over the words on the screen.

(19:01) Naoto: ARE YOU STILL GOOD 4 FRIDAY Y/N

Kanji chuckled at the all caps. Rise hadn't lied when she told him a year back that Naoto was still trying to keep her old ways of being efficient up, even when the phone wouldn't let her.

(19:01) Kanji: Yeah I should be fine with it. Any plans on where we're going?

Kanji was about to slide his phone back into his pocket when he got another text.

(19:02) Naoto: CAN YOU CALL ME?

Kanji cocked his head to the side. Unwavering, he pressed the little phone symbol in the top right of the screen. After exactly one ring, the dialing was cut off.

"Hello? Kanji-kun?"

Although Kanji wished that she would stop being so formal (Shit, she already was sayin' my name normal yesterday), it was therapeutic for him to hear her voice on the other end of the line. "Hey Naoto, what's up?"

Naoto was a slightly sad to hear the exhaustion in Kanji's voice. "I was just reading a new novel when I felt it fit that I should confirm that we're still on a favorable track for our, um," Naoto cleared her throat. "Date this Friday."

"Ya didn't have to call." Kanji said perhaps too bluntly. "I mean, glad ya did, it's always nice talkin' to ya n' I missed hearin' yer voice after- crap, I mean, uh..." Kanji stumbled on his words.

Naoto smiled wide, glad that she was out of sight of anybody. "It's quite fine, Kanji-kun." She wouldn't tell him now, but that was also part of the reason she wanted a phone call instead of just texting. "So to answer your question earlier, I felt that we should go with somewhat of a staple in the dating world. I propose we start off with a movie and then some dinner, if there are no objections."

Cool and composed. What'd I give for an ounce of that. "Um, yeah, sounds great! Any spot you were thinkin' for dinner?"

"I was actually hoping that we could keep it casual and go to a bar, but I'm afraid I do not know of any of Inaba's local watering holes. Perhaps you can think of one? And I will pick the movie that we watch so we can keep our contributions equal?"

"Ya drink, Naoto?" Kanji raised his eyebrows. "That's...somethin'."

"I have partook of alcohol a few times in the past. Not frequently, but I have mostly enjoyed the times where I have." Aside from the one time of getting drunk with Rise, Naoto still did enjoy drinking. She had been invited out to bars with colleagues in different precincts in celebration for successfully wrapping up different cases. It relaxed her, but as she found out with Rise, sometimes it had the uncanny ability to relax her a little too much.

"Ya learn somethin' new..." Kanji trailed off. "Anyways, yeah, I know a couple of places. I'll keep thinkin' on it n' just let ya know which one we're gonna go to on Friday. That okay?"

"Perfectly fine, Kanji-kun." Naoto bit her lip, looking down at her book before inquiring further. "Are you doing alright, Kanji-kun? You sound tired."

"Do I?" Kanji said with a small and halfhearted chuckle. "Just work keepin' me busy. Got a lot of crap to get workin' on."

"Didn't you tell me that you were trying to lessen the amount of work you do for your own health?"

Apparently I'm tired enough to let that one slip out. Nice freakin' job, Tatsumi. "Sorry `bout that, it's just what I tell my friends whenever they ask about my work. Things are pickin' up pretty freakin' quick n' I dunno why. I'm turnin' away people cause I ain't got the time to do all the custom orders I'm gettin'. The shop's outgrowin' me, n' I got all this crap I gotta keep up on. It wasn't a lie when I told ya I try not to overwork myself, but the past couple of weeks have been hell for me, if I'm bein' honest." Kanji tried to put a cheery sound back in his voice before continuing. "But it ain't all bad! I ain't ever bored, n' the shop's doin' great cause of it!"

Naoto could easily tell how fake he sounded. "Kanji-kun, please don't put yourself through this. You need help."

I need...help? The thought had honestly never crossed his mind. "Like...like I need to hire someone?"

"Yes, Kanji-kun. You've said it yourself, the shop is outgrowing you. If you keep trying to continue on your current path, it'll all just cave in. The last thing I want to see you do is fail." Naoto had set her book on the small table beside her and stood up.

"Naoto, I don't think-"

"Please be quiet for a second and listen. I know that you believe that only you can deliver the quality of work that you want, but it isn't responsible for you to take everything on yourself. You need additional tailors, ones that at least come close to your level of work. You should also get a receptionist as well as an accountant to help manage your finances. With all of them there, you would also need to think about expanding your shop to have more-"

"Woah woah woah!" Kanji pleaded. "Just hold up for a sec! I ain't got that kinda money to hire that much help. At most I could squeeze in maybe two extra sets of hands."

"I apologize, I do suppose I got carried away." Naoto said sheepishly before regaining her composure. "But I still stand by this: you need at least one more tailor, and you need an accountant. Handling phone calls and taking orders isn't too much of a hassle, so a receptionist isn't necessary at this time. Once you are comfortable where you are, consider expanding your business and hiring on additional help as needed."

"Huh." Kanji stated rather lamely. He was in a state of disbelief. Forgetting the fact that he never once thought that his little shop would need this much thought put into it—he was advertising everywhere, but he didn't think he'd become so swamped—he was more amazed that Naoto had put together part of a solution for him in less than five minutes. "Y'know I'm gonna be super freakin' picky about the tailor I hire, right?"

"As you should be. Nobody wants shoddy work on something as essential as clothing." Naoto affirmed, simply glad that he was going to seek out potential employees.

"Thank god ya understand me." Kanji chuckled. "Anyways, sorry `bout that. Our date talk got a little derailed by my work."

"It's okay, Kanji." Naoto reassured while Kanji was glad that she finally dropped the 'kun.' "I was worried for your health, and I'm happy that you opened up to me about what was truly wrong. I was expecting a bit more of a struggle knowing how prideful you can be, so it was a nice surprise when you accepted the idea so quickly."

"Well I gotta admit, it's gonna take time gettin' used to other hands besides a Tatsumi's on the shop's handiwork, but I ain't `bout to doubt yer logic. Plus if they start doin' crappy work I'll just send 'em packin'." Kanji finished with the first genuine smile he had put on today. "Thanks for askin' though, Naoto." Kanji said while tangling with a yawn. "Crap, sorry, kinda tired now."

Naoto stifled what Kanji could only describe as a giggle. "Well, yes, you would be tired after working so much, it's only natural. I will go on and let you rest for the night. Should we plan to meet on Friday at the theater around four o'clock?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll text ya whenever I'm on my way, yeah?"

"Perfect, Kanji. I will see you on Friday, hm?"

"Alright. G'Night Naoto. L-" Kanji had to bite his tongue to stop himself, letting out a pained groan. "S-sorry, bit myself. Anyways, g'night."

Naoto, for all intents and purposes, seemed amused and didn't notice Kanji's almost fatal blunder. "Goodnight. Sleep well."

And with that, the call ended, and Kanji braced himself on his desk. "The fuck was that, Tatsumi? Ya don't go tryin' to say that shit when ya ain't even had a date with the chick yet!" He shook his head and slapped his face with both hands. "Alright, focus!" He sat down on the edge of his bed, determination in his eyes. "I'm gonna need an expert."

Scrolling down his contacts until he hit the very bottom, he finally found who he was looking for. He pressed down on the contact that read 'Yu Narukami' and brought up a conversation with him.

(19:22) Kanji: Yo Senpai, can you talk?

Within seconds, Kanji had received his answer.

(19:22) Yu: Of course I can. What's up?

Kanji pursed his lips and groaned. He was unsure how to go about describing his situation.

(19:23) Kanji: It's complicated. Stuff I haven't ever had to deal with.

Although he was being honest, Kanji did feel a bit humiliated that he would have to resort to asking his friends for help with girls.

(19:24) Yu: Is this about your date with Naoto? Rise had told me about that. What do you need to know?

Kanji read the text over and over again. What? He still couldn't believe it when he read it a sixth and seventh time. WHAT? Tons of thoughts ran through his head. He wondered how the hell Rise had found out already. If she knew, did the rest of the Investigation Team know? Did Naoto tell her? Did Naoto tell all of them? No, she wouldn't do that. Maybe she was doin' what I'm doin' but with Rise. But why the hell would she go to little Miss Idol for advice? Kanji decided that none of this thinking was getting him anywhere, and just kept the conversation with his Senpai rolling.

(19:26) Kanji: Yeah, figures she'd know about it already. Look, I'm going to be honest, I need to talk face-to-face. Can I take the train up there tomorrow and visit ya?

Kanji scrunched his face, not all too sure if what he was doing was correct. It was kind of out of nowhere, asking to visit a friend in a completely different city so late the day before. Still, he did receive an answer from Yu just moments later.

(19:27) Yu: Nonsense, I'll come down to you so you don't have to close your shop for the entire day. There's one scheduled to leave at noon, so I can plan to be in Inaba around one.

Kanji's fingers flew in a flurry to respond.

(19: 27) Kanji: But Senpai, isn't it going to be bad for your job?

(19:27) Yu: In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly the breadwinner in my relationship, so I can afford to take the day. Now, is me arriving at one going to be fine with you?

Kanji felt guilty, but he also really did need that extra time to get some work done, so he gave in.

(19:28) Kanji: Yeah, that's good. I'll head over on the bus to meet you at the station so you aren't coming and going alone.

(19:28) Yu: Alright, that's great. Get some rest, Kanji. I'll see you tomorrow.

(19:28) Kanji: See you tomorrow Senpai. Goodnight.

With that, Kanji, who was still feelings guilty about having his Senpai come out all this way, pocketed his phone and went to grab his design notepad. He hoped to get some of them done while watching television.

The tailor waited somewhat impatiently at the platform for his friend's train to arrive. Kanji knew that looking at the clock wasn't magically going to make the time go by quicker, but dammit he dealt with literal punching TV ghosts at one point so he was going to believe that the chance was there. His day was already off to a somewhat rough start. He had two canceled custom orders which he still needed to get replaced with any of the others that still might be on standby. There had, on top of that, only been three customers come in to look around that entire half-day he was open. And one of them was a kid who wanted a doll, so of course he wasn't going to make her pay! And as if that weren't enough, he fell asleep watching TV last night and didn't get jack done on his new designs.

I'd be less bothered by it if it I didn't feel like complete ass mornin'. Kanji thought to himself haggardly. Then he took another antsy glance at the clock, and just as he was, he heard the screeching of brakes as Yu's train pulled in. When the doors opened, it didn't take long for Kanji to spot his former team leader.

"Yo, Senpai!" Kanji greeted Yu as the silver-haired man walked up to him.

"Hey there, Kanji. And I thought I told you to stop calling me that." Yu said back to him with his charismatic smile.

"It ain't like it's a flip of a switch, Se- fuck," Kanji grumbled. "Yu...nope, no way, way too freakin' weird."

Yu chuckled. "You'll get used to it with time. Before we continue, let's get to the bus first, hm?" Yu pointed towards the exit of the platform.

"Yer right, we should get goin'. Didn't bring anything with ya, right?" Kanji asked while turning his back.

"Not at all. Should I have?" Yu questioned suggestively.

Kanji whirled back around immediately. "Wha- no, course not-"

"At least treat me to dinner first, Kanji."

"C'mon, we ain't in high-school! Knock that crap off!" Kanji defended himself before slumping his shoulders and once again facing the exit. "Y'know, at this point, I'm talkin' to a brick wall. So yeah, go on n' do your thing." He walked away with his upperclassman trailing him.

"Now that's no fun." Yu spoke in his usual deadpan tone. "At least fight back a little bit."

The bus ride home was largely uneventful. Kanji was prepared to answer any questions that Yu might be wanting to ask, but it seemed that his old Senpai was respectful of his friend's privacy. Either that or he was chomping at the bit to unravel Kanji's mind but couldn't do it properly in a public setting. In any case, Kanji was secretly dreading that the conversation was going to happen at all. It looked to be such a great idea at the time he suggested it.

Setting foot off the bus and now towards Tatsumi Textiles, Kanji noticed Yu looking around at the shopping district. "Somethin' on yer mind, Y-Yu?" He was able to stammer out the name.

"Nothing in particular." Yu replied. "I miss the little things about this place. Sure, we spent our time chasing after a psychopathic serial killer in a mystical TV world, but I'd like to think we still all had fun."

"Yer an adrenaline junky, ain't ya?"

"I did feel the most alive when we were deep into battle with Shadows. The possibility of death being an option did have its affects on me." Yu admitted nonchalantly.

Kanji reached for a set of keys to unlock the front door. "Ya coulda just said ya enjoy ridin' roller coasters or some shit." He grumbled to himself, eventually getting the door open. "C'mon in. Y'know the way to my room, just mind all the yarn n' shit. Didn't have many customers today so I was workin' on other crap."

"Ah, I see. At least you're keeping busy." Yu entered the building, taking off his shoes before stepping on any mats.

"That's an understatement." Kanji sighed, following Yu in and closing the door behind him. "Been workin' my ass off for awhile now. Just thought it was gonna be that surge of people that are preppin' for the Summer, but it ain't stopped." Kanji then turned to Yu who was already on his way to Kanji's room. "Just wait there a sec and I'll bring ya some tea. N' just a heads up, gonna be doin' some work while we're talkin' back there, alright?"

Yu crossed his arms. "Even now you still have to work? Are you that far behind?"

Kanji shifted his stance, turning to go to the kitchen. "It ain't so much that, just a lotta shit piled up outta nowhere."

"Have you considered hiring on-"

"Yeah yeah, I gotta hire people, I know! Yeesh, gonna be hearin' that from everyone I tell this crap to." Kanji then exited the conversation and found his way to the kitchen. He quickly got some water boiling on the stove-top. Leaning against the counter, his mind drifted for awhile. While he knew what he wanted to ask Yu, he wasn't all too sure how to say it. It bugged him that words evaded him so easily. Speaking was never one of his strong suits, but he had made an effort to try and reinforce that weak foundation of his and has already noticed decent results. He just hoped that when it came time to speak to Naoto on their date, he would be able to pull off the same feats he had been achieving. Before his thoughts let him linger, the screaming of the pot of now boiling water brought him to his sense. He swiftly grabbed two cups and prepared some tea for the two of them. With that, he lifted the plates that they were on, and went back to his room.

In there, he saw Yu looking at some dolls that Kanji had been working on at one point or another for a personal project, but had to stop because he couldn't find the time. Kanji had evidently stepped a little too loudly as Yu turned his head and shot Kanji a smile.

"These dolls are amazing, Kanji." He was holding one that looked curiously like a polar bear, but was missing it's lower half.

"I mean, they ain't finished, but thanks Yu." Still fuckin' weird. He set the two cups of tea down on the table and sat down in front of his own.

"May I ask what they're for?" Yu had walked over and taken a seat in front of his own cup of tea.

"Eh, just personal crap, really. They'd be done a lot earlier if I could manage it." Kanji shrugged.

"You really need to hire on more people." Yu shook his head disapprovingly. "Less work and less stress on you."

"You guys are really gonna keep tellin' me that til I do it, huh?" Kanji smiled. "Ya know it ain't an overnight thing. N' if I'm hirin' on more people then they're gonna have to meet my level of quality too!"

"I think you just set an impossible bar."

"Hey, I take pride in my work. I can be picky." Kanji planted his palms behind him and leaned back.

"Mhm. Sure." Yu closed his eyes and nodded. "That aside, I believe you called me down here for a reason? One having to do with a date with a detective prince of some sorts?"

"Yeah," Kanji said back slowly with a drawn out sigh. "I dunno how I'm s'posed to go `bout approachin' any of this, Yu. 'S all new to me."

"Yeah, you were never popular with women." Yu nodded once more with a hand on his chin.

"Ouch." Kanji said slightly annoyed.

"I thought you would prefer me sticking to the truth. If you want me to butter you up I can-"

"No, no, just..." Kanji took off his glasses and breathed in slowly. "Continue."

"I'm not too sure where to begin, Kanji." Yu took a sip of his tea, letting out a breath of satisfaction. "Perfect as always, by the way."

"Ain't lookin' for praise, I'm lookin' for answers." Kanji cocked and eyebrow and leaned forward, placing his left elbow on the table to support him.

"Right, sorry. I'm still trying tactics I used on Yosuke all those years ago." Yu admitted with a laugh.

"Oh, so it was you who got the two idiots together, huh?" Kanji accused.

"Guilty as charged. Do you really think he would've gone for Chie otherwise?" Yu put on a coy smile. "Dancing around each other is fun, but it's pointless if someone doesn't take the lead."

"Well I'm glad she did then, cause I sure as shit wasn't gonna. Least I don't think I was."

"Oh, Naoto asked you out? Huh, can't say I saw that one coming." Yu looked towards the floor underneath Kanji's bed, seeing even more sewing supplies strung about.

"Figured ya would've heard that one from Rise. Guess Naoto didn't tell her every detail." Kanji felt a little relieved.

"It probably had more to do with the fact that when she got home she kept gushing about how cute you two were, how cute your children would be, how you would take Naoto in your 'big beefy arms' and-"

Kanji stuck his arms out and waved them frantically, surprising Yu. "H-Hold on a sec, stop!" The tailor felt a bright shade of crimson around the back of his neck. He had always hated Rise's overactive imagination, especially when it came to the likes of him and Naoto. She always teased him about it back in high school—and according to Naoto, did the same to her—and no amount of yelling at her would ever make her stop it.

Kanji regained his composure. "I ain't even thought that far ahead yet." Ya fuckin' liar. Course ya have. Ya've done it at least three times today.

"Well, she certainly has. And I guess I can relay some information that she let me in on." Yu adjusted himself, sitting himself up with his back straight. "Naoto is just as nervous as you are, Kanji. She's afraid that she's going to screw this date up and that you guys will go back to not talking again. More than anything, from what I could glance of the info Rise gave, she wants her friend to be there again. The only difference this time is that she's willing to accept her feelings."

Kanji sat there staring at something. He wasn't all too sure what he was staring at, but he kept staring so he could focus harder on Yu's words. They were such weird words to hear: Naoto was just as nervous as him. Back in school, one of them usually was the calm one for the other whenever they freaked out. But this isn't high school anymore, and this isn't just them as friends; this was the duo as a potential romantic pair and they were both scared to hell and back.

"With that being said," Yu's words snapped Kanji's eyes back to his friend. "I have a question for you, if you don't mind."

"Uh, yeah, shoot." Although confused, Kanji was sure that Yu had a meaning behind it.

"What will you do if things don't work out?"

Of all the questions, Kanji hadn't expected that one to leave Yu's lips. Put on the spot, he didn't know how to answer it. He didn't even think that was a possibility. Upon realizing it, Kanji put on a small but confident smile.

"They'll work out." Kanji said plainly.

"Hm?"

"Things'll work out. If I didn't have the confidence to say that, then I'd be wastin' my time. And if there's one thing I ain't plannin' on doin' with this girl, it's wastin' each other's time." Kanji reached for his tea, slowly putting it up to his lips.

"That's not a very Kanji-like answer." Yu wore a wide smile on his face.

"Well, 's the right one, ain't it? Ya've told me before that I've already lost the fight if I'm goin' in expectin' to lose." Kanji shrugged and looked over to his notepad lying on his desk, taunting him that he hadn't drawn in it in almost three days.

Yu's grunt snapped Kanji's attention back to his friend. "Well, if that's the case Kanji, I don't really think there's anything else that I need to help you with."

Kanji planted both his hands on the table and leaned forward. "But just cause I got that part figured don't mean I ain't need yer help! Whatta `bout things to say? When to just shaddup and listen? Is it my job to go in for a kiss? Are we s'posed to even kiss on a first date?" As Kanji rambled off his list of questions, Yu only stared on with an inquisitive look resting firmly on his face. The tailor always had confused him a little, ever since he had joined the Investigation Team back all those years ago. As seen here, Yu noticed that he may be one to solve a huge problem blocking his path, but then turn right back around and spend time meticulously picking up each individual pebble of an issue just to make sure the path was always clear. Kanji always saw molehills laid out before him, but he was a mountain craftsman at heart.

"Okay, time-out." Yu stood up while his friend finally ceased his speaking. "Kanji, as much as I hate to tell you this, there isn't a fool-proof plan for a date. There isn't a guideline to follow and there isn't a coach there to tell you when to make a move. Not everyone does the same thing for their dates, it just varies from person to person. Some people call 'date night' just sitting at home, watching movies and drinking wine together. Others go out to clubs and party until they can't stand anymore." Yu leaned down and grabbed his tea, sipping some more on it. "The only wrong way you can approach this is if you're lacking confidence. Nothing else matters. Bottom line: just take things at a pace that you and Naoto are comfortable with. Other than that, I have no other advice I can give you, my friend."

Kanji sat in thought for a moment, mulling over his friend's words. He should've known that there wasn't a method to it, but he hoped deep down that maybe his Senpai would have a secret to toss his way. Accepting that that wasn't the case, he leaned back on both his arms and looked up at the ceiling. "Y'know, I was afraid the answer was gonna be somethin' that simple."

Yu chuckled. "A lot of life's most complicated questions tend to be that way."

"'S just so...surreal? Think that's the word, I dunno." Kanji rubbed his eyes with his right hand, still supporting himself with his left. "Didn't think I'd be gettin' a chance with my dream girl after all the crap that happened way back when."

"Live and learn, forgive and forget." Yu said with a solemn expression. "You're both different people than you were back in school together. Both of you have grown up and experienced life a little bit more. Whether it seems like it or not, you have both matured a great amount."

"Naoto's always been the mature one. I'm just playin' catch-up."

"Not true. Back when her and I spent time together in school, she was anything but. Sure, she was much more grounded than your average teenager, but she was almost desperate to make herself that way, circling back around to moments of emotional immaturity. I could tell she had some more growing up to do."

"Still," Kanji leaned forward and stood up to be on even ground as Yu. "Ya helped her through a lotta crap from what I hear. Hell, ya helped out all of us." Kanji paused for a few seconds before choosing to continue. "Hey Senpai, can I ask ya somethin' that's always been buggin' me?"

Yu's eyebrows raised. "Go ahead."

Kanji rubbed at his neck and broke eye contact. "It ain't no secret that you was popular with the chicks back then. All the girls had a thing for ya, even...even Naoto." He almost choked on her name. "So why'd ya not do nothin' til ya were already gone, n' hell, even graduated? Rise was always gonna say yes, so why'd ya wait?"

Yu stared longingly off into the distance, and Kanji swore he saw a tear swell in his eyes. "Well, my first love was and will always be the sea, Kanji. Her bountiful waves has brought me many a good haul, allowing me to-"

"Alright ya corny bastard, I get it, ya got a freaky fishin' fetish. Now tell me for real." Kanji furrowed his brows.

Yu looked back at Kanji. "Sorry, couldn't help myself. But as for what you asked, the simple answer is that I didn't have the time. I made it a priority to be able to see everyone that I made connections with during my time leading the Investigation Team. Thus, I knew I wasn't going to keep a relationship with anybody and give them a respectful amount of my time. And my time as a third year was dominated by studying for entrance exams. So I had to wait until I was already in university before I could make a move." Yu paused, thinking for a moment. "But I'm sure you're wondering more specifically why I didn't go for Naoto, huh?"

Kanji looked away shyly to the floor. "Busted, huh?"

"Don't worry, Kanji, I figured that would be the case." Yu said with a comforting smile. "Truth be told, she's not my type. She's strong and independent, both spectacular traits of hers. But Kanji, you know that I'm more of a damsel in distress kind of guy. And that's..."

"...somethin' that Rise sells to ya perfectly. Even if she ain't really like that. Got it." Kanji finished for Yu. "Didn't know it was gonna be somethin' that plain, Yu."

"What can I say, I'm a simple man. I enjoy fishing, beautiful women, drinking and dancing, and I work a nine to five." Yu said unabashedly. "Right now, I'm living a good life."

"We solved a freakin' serial killer case back in high school where we had to hop into TVs to get magic powers and ya want to call yerself simple?!"

"I never said my life was simple. What I enjoy is simple." Yu began walking towards the door. "Still, a part of me does miss the rush of it all. Maybe I'll quit my job and join the police like Chie did. Another thought for another day." When he was standing in the doorway, he turned back towards Kanji. "Well come on, let's go."

Kanji hurriedly grabbed his teacup off the table. "Where the hell we goin'?"

"Well," Yu began, looking down at his watch. "It's just a little past two o'clock now. I've got about four hours before I have to be on a bus back to the station, so we're going to go kill some time. Let's walk around Inaba for awhile. It's been awhile since I've had the opportunity to do so." With that, Yu exited and turned to walk down the hall.

Kanji followed in kind after his friend. "Alright, I'll treat ya to some food. I better not be seein' that wallet come out when we get to a freakin' restaurant, ya hear me?"

The two stood waiting for a bus at the nearest stop they could find. It was a mostly uneventful afternoon. They had walked around Inaba, visiting all the local spots they used to frequent back in school. They had ran into Teddie on the street and got caught up talking to him for awhile. Unfortunately the boy couldn't tag along as he had to go and get ready for his evening shift at Junes. Kanji had asked Yu at one point if he wanted to go and visit the Dojima residence, but Yu politely declined, saying that he wouldn't want to intrude on them without proper warning. The last thing they did was walk up to Aiya's. Rise's grandmother was so happy to see Yu and they spent a better part of their time just chatting with her. Once they ordered and received their food, they sat down to quickly devour it as Yu noted the time. Finished and full, they found themselves where they stood now, where Yu had made the decision that he would just go back to the station by himself.

"Y'know, I'm glad ya got to come down, but I was expectin' my crap to take up more time. Sorry if I wasted a day for ya." Kanji apologized.

Yu, of course, wasn't having it. "Don't be sorry. You obviously were uncomfortable with your date plans and just needed someone to talk to. And between you and me, I knew I was the best option that you had."

Kanji snorted. "Yer a hell of a confident guy, Yu."

"Confidence is key. You have to own everything you do and be unwavering in your actions." Kanji noticed that Yu wasn't exactly speaking to him, but just putting it out there for the world to hear. "If you're able to approach every single situation with the same amount of confidence as the last, then you'll be golden for the rest of your life."

"Yer a weird guy." Kanji just shook his head.

"But I'm a confident weird guy."

"So 'keep it simple and be confident,' huh? 'S what I should be takin' away from today?" Kanji asked.

"Mhm." Yu nodded and turned his head towards the taller man. "She'll notice if you're trying too hard. Just keep it simple and be confident."

"Simple and confident." Kanji repeated.

"Simple and confident." Yu took his turn.

The bus pulled up and Yu took a few steps forward. Kanji said his goodbye with Yu returning it. As the doors swung open, Yu turned backed around.

"Hey Kanji."

"Huh?"

"Simple and confident." Yu said with a smirk.

Kanji beamed back at him and nodded. "Simple and confident."

With that, Yu got on the bus and took his seat. Kanji looked up towards the window and as the bus began to depart, he shot a hand up and waved at his Senpai. Yu did the same. And after just a few moments, the bus was gone, and Kanji was by himself once more.

"Simple and confident, eh?" Kanji scratched at his head as he began walking back towards his shop. "I think I can do that."

Well this one took a bit longer than it probably should've. I was dragging my feet on it, adding just a little bit each day. Hopefully it was worth the wait! Again, thanks everyone for reading and, although I should have been saying this from the beginning, any constructive criticism is welcome. Chapter 4 is already in the works (about 2k words in), so expect that...sometime? I dunno, it'll be out when it's out.

Til next time!