Supporting Sae was easier than Naoto had thought it would be - Sae was tall, but she was helping walk herself, and Naoto was stronger than she looked. After getting kidnapped so easily (even though she'd been planning on it), she'd started self-defense classes and physical conditioning to make sure that next time, there was much more a fight.
Said classes had been coincidentally fruitful for the P-1 Grand Prix incident.
They arrived at Sae's apartment, and Naoto rapped a few times on the door with her knuckles, praying that Makoto would be home so she wouldn't have to root around inside Sae's briefcase for her keys. Sae herself was semi-lucid, mumbling incoherently to herself. "I'm...sorry…" was the one clear thing she said.
"It's okay, Sae-san," Naoto grunted, shifting her and Sae's weight. Nope, not right. She shifted her again, then grimaced. Sure, Naoto was strong, but Sae still put them off balance, and their rather vast height difference didn't help.
Where could Makoto be? Is she asleep? It was, admittedly, closer to tomorrow than Naoto would've liked, and no high school student should be up this late. Still...
She knocked again, louder this time. The door refused to open, and she heard no footsteps or gentle thumps to indicate Makoto's presence. With a heavy sigh, Naoto gently set Sae down to a sitting position by her door, then flicked open Sae's briefcase. Inside was an organized jumble of papers, pencils, her laptop, and sitting attached to a small fabric loop, her keys.
When Naoto managed to get the door opened, the sight of a dark, empty, and quiet apartment greeted her. The landing made a T-shaped intersection with a hallway about two meters down, and Naoto called into the darkness. "Makoto-san? It's Naoto-san. I need your help."
Silence.
Grumbling, Naoto went back to Sae, crouched down, and slipped her arm over her shoulder, standing up and getting Sae to do so as well - with difficulty. They stumbled as they stepped across the threshold of the door, and when Naoto reached back with a foot to close the door, it was enough to knock them off-kilter. They both tumbled down, landing on the carpet with two heavy thuds, then two more as their briefcases landed as well.
Panting from both the exertion her annoyance, Naoto decided to just lie there for a second and contemplate how she got into this position. It was a long train of events, but the largest contributor to this was that she was a sucker for beautiful women, and Sae Niijima was too damn gorgeous, and Naoto Shirogane was too damn weak.
She made a token motion to get up, but it went nowhere (as did she). Not moving felt like the best thing in the world, and she was pretty sure she could and likely would have fallen asleep right there if not for the fact that Sae was still on the floor. Naoto was not the kind of person that let their drunken friends sleep on the floor when they had perfectly good beds.
With an excessive amount of grunting, she pushed herself up onto her feet and fumbled for her lightswitch on the wall, flicking it. A small dome light in the ceiling turned on, revealing a sparsely decorated landing with a wall mirror and a small table with a little basket on it. To the right, the place opened up into a larger living room, while to the left was a hallway with a few doors leading off of it - likely the bed and bathrooms.
Sae's gentle snores brought Naoto's attention back to her sleeping crush. With another heavy sigh, Naoto pushed off the wall and stumbled down the hallway, flicking on the lights of each room. The closest bedroom was open and dark - the bed was made, and numerous posters for action movies decorated the walls. A Buchimaru-kun pillow sat adorably on the bed.
Makoto, it seemed, was not home. Of course Sae would get drunk on the weekend of a class trip.
The farthest bedroom was larger and less decorated - it looked to be more Sae's style. Returning to Sae, Naoto hooked her arms under Sae's and lifted her torso off the floor, gently dragging Sae to her bedroom. She bumped open the door with her rear and kicked off her own shoes before stepping onto the bed, resting Sae's torso on the bed with a heavy grunt.
We're going to laugh about this in a week or two. 'Hey Sae remember the time I dragged your drunk ass home from the bar, literally? Good times.'
She slipped off the bed and back around to the side closest to Sae and hoisted Sae's dangling legs onto the bed as well, loosely positioning her on her pillows and in some kind of comfortable sleeping state. She pulled off Sae's shoes and went back to get her briefcase, placing it next to the shoes at the side of the bed.
With one last look and a gentle smile, Naoto flicked off the lights, grabbed her own shoes, and closed the door to Sae's room. Now, she just had herself to worry about.
For a moment, she thought about taking the train home. She was feeling sober enough to walk back to the station, but the longer she leaned against Sae's door, the more she realized that her legs would not hold out that long.
Surely Sae wouldn't mind if Naoto made use of the couch.
She grabbed two pillows and a blanket from Makoto's bed, silently apologizing for messing up the wonderful bed-making job Makoto had done. The couch looked comfortable enough, and long enough, for Naoto to sleep on. She plopped the pillows down onto it, pulled off her tie, draped her suit jacket on the nearby table, and collapsed onto her impromptu bed.
Sleep came to her seconds later.
Naoto awoke to a silent apartment.
Two things were immediately apparent: first, she had a headache, and second, she was not in her own apartment.
The moment of disorientation passed as the events of the previous night flooded into her mind. The bar, the shouting, the trip home...
Sae.
She sat up and immediately regretted it as her body ached in response to the sudden movement, limbs protesting their use and headache flaring. With a pained grunt, she slowly leaned back, resuming her horizontal position on the couch, only now, she was staring at the ceiling.
She's fine. She was okay last night. She'll be okay this morning.
She took in a deep breath, taking the calming moment for what it was and using it to recenter herself. She replayed the conversations from last night in her head, analyzing what she could remember, putting together what pieces there were.
It was obvious that Sae was troubled. Naoto didn't need to be a detective to figure that out. Sae had always been a little short tempered and taciturn for as long as Naoto had known her, and both traits had intensified. At least, at work - when they were away from it, having dinner or the rare lunch together, Sae was different. Warm. Amicable. Soft, on occasion.
And then the next day came, and she was back to business.
The case was weighing more upon her than anyone else. Naoto had heard rumors of how hard Hiroshi was pushing Sae to find the Thieves, and Naoto had personally seen the work Sae was putting in - that, plus her normal caseload, was enough to overwhelm anybody.
Plus, she hated her father...or some part of her father.
And she resented her sister...or, some part of her sister.
I wonder if I can convince her to talk to a therapist. Knowing Sae, she'd just brush it off and say that once the Phantom Thieves case was done, she'd be fine.
...least I can do is make her breakfast.
She sat up, slower this time, and checked her phone, sitting on the glass table next to her. 8:17 AM - a late morning by Naoto's usual standards. No missed calls or messages. Good.
Looking around, the apartment was a little cramped for four, but it looked a good size for two. There was a nice modern theme to it, with sharp lines and muted but attractive colors and various shades of gray. The wall ahead of Naoto was taken up by cabinets, cubbyholes, and a big flat-screen TV. Books, photos, and a few decorative art pieces filled said cabinets and cubbyholes. Behind her was the small kitchen and a dining room table with four chairs, all currently pushed in. To her right was the hallway that lead to the bedrooms, bathrooms, and exit. Next to her was the coffee table, topped with a few leather coasters and her jacket and tie. The whole place was very tidy, bordering on spotless, which was undoubtedly due to Makoto.
Her stomach rumbled, reminding her of what she'd decided to do in spite of her protesting muscles. Grunting, Naoto turned herself around and gently set her feet onto the cool floor, slowly pushing herself up onto her feet. Balance established, she raised her arms above her head, balled up her fists, arched her back, and stretched one of the most satisfying stretches she'd ever had - and then she went light-headed, causing her to plop back down onto the couch.
Dammit.
Her second attempt at standing was much more successful, and she she moved towards the kitchen, she wiggled her fingers and toes to work the kinks out.
The kitchen itself was U-shaped, with the fridge, oven, microwave, and stovetop to the left. To her right, the sink, with an espresso machine and a small water dispenser. A black speckled granite countertop ran the length of the kitchen, which was impressive given that she was in an apartment. White cabinets and drawers contrasted the countertops and appliances nicely, and a small potted plant at the right edge finished off the look.
I want to live here. And for more than just the kitchen.
Another stomach rumble drew her out of the admiration, and she glanced over to the refrigerator.
No time to be jealous. Time to get to work.
A quick scan of the kitchen her it was well stocked, and that whoever didthe groceries (likely Makoto) was health conscious - lots of fruits and veggies (both frozen and fresh), nuts and whole wheat crackers, whole grains, a freezer full of meat, and plenty of staples and spices. The only moderately unhealthy thing Naoto found in the whole kitchen was a pint of salted caramel flavored ice cream.
What would she like…?
Naoto had gotten a few cooking lessons from master chef Yu when he was in town - lessons that Naoto was now infinitely grateful for, because she knew that cooking was the number one way to get someone to fall in love with you.
Also because, she'd slept on Sae's couch - it was only fair that she cook something for her crush.
Friend.
Friend.
She went through the mental list of recipes in her head, looking for something that wasn't too complicated and was suitable for breakfast. Something with eggs seemed fitting.
When her eyes fell upon the rice maker, she smiled and got to work.
The next half an hour or so resulted in a series of delicious smells and delightful sounds filling the apartment. Naoto contributed to the latter by humming as she worked, looking forward to the delightful expression on Sae's face as she took the first bite of her expertly prepared omurice. Yu had even told her of his secret spices to add to the eggs to give them that extra little kick, and Naoto had tested it enough on Rise to know that it worked amazingly well.
A flash of movement caught her attention, and she glanced over to spot Sae peering blearily at her from around the corner. It was all Naoto could do to stifle her laughter - her friend looked utterly bedraggled. Tangled and mussed up hair, smeared makeup, a still-visible line on her cheek where she'd slept on some kind of fold. She was still dressed in suit pants and her shirt, which was showing off more cleavage than she likely intended.
I guess she's up. Maybe a little too early.
For a moment, the only noise was that of the omelette sizzling on the stove. Naoto could see the the different parts of Sae's brain slowly waking up and putting the pieces together, recognizing that it was in fact Naoto cooking breakfast.
Slowly, Sae withdrew from the corner. Naoto went back to the almost-done omelette, checking the progress. She glanced back at the corner to find that Sae had returned, rubbing her eyes, staring at Naoto in disbelief. She sniffed the air a few times, as if hoping that the scents would confirm what her eyes were telling her.
"Good morning," Naoto said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"
Sae let out a groan, leaning against the corner for support. "...am I dreaming?" Her voice was throaty, sore, mystified.
It suits her.
"No, though given how odd this may seem, I can understand why you would think so." She folded up the omelette and set it on a plate to the side, then got to work on the second one. Sae continued to lean against the corner, still in the act of waking up. "Take a seat. Breakfast is ready."
Sae stumbled over to the table and sunk into a chair, sitting semi-properly in it for a second before slumping over to lay her head face-down on the table, hands pressed against her head. She groaned, prompting a giggle from Naoto as she set down the omelette in front of her with utensils. "Eat up. You'll feel better."
"My head is...exploding," Sae mumbled, reaching out blindly for the plate. She found it and pulled it a little bit closer to her, but refused to lift her head. "I need some water."
She reluctantly began to rise, but Naoto put some pressure on her back shoulders, causing Sae to look quizzically up. "I've got it," Naoto said as she gently patted Sae's back, then turned away to make sure Sae couldn't see her giggling smile. She looked more unkempt than Naoto had ever seen her.
Naoto returned with the water and set it down by Sae, who was now up and slowly working her way up to eating. The second omelette was well into cooking, and Naoto let the ambience of the kitchen fill the silence between them. She felt no pressing need to talk, especially because Sae was still seemingly waking up.
When her own breakfast was done cooking, she set it onto a plate, got herself some juice, and sat down across from Sae, who was a few bites into her and staring down at the table, maybe intentionally. All the things she said last night ran through Naoto's head, and Naoto wondered just how much of it she remembered saying. Was everything crystal clear? Did she know how open and vulnerable she got?
"This is delicious. Thank you, Shirogane-san."
The comment brought Naoto out of her head, and she gave Sae a smile as she cut into her own. "Thank you, Sae-san. Cooking did not come naturally to me, but it did to a good friend of mine. I think you'd like him." A beat, then, "Are you feeling better?"
She nodded, chewing a bite. Her pace had increased since Naoto got to the table - it seemed as though her complement on the food, delivered through muddled words and tired lips, was sincere. "Yes, thank you. I...apologize for my lack of hospitality."
The complement had been sincere, but Sae's tone was clipped and terse. The more Naoto looked at her, the more she saw how clearly uncomfortable Sae was - tense shoulders, hunched over, refusal to maintain eye contact.
...maybe she's not a morning person?
"It's all right. I slept in your house without asking, it's only fair I cook you breakfast. When we got home last night, we were both in bad states."
Sae tensed up at 'last night'. So it bothers her.
"I cannot recall anything from last night," Sae said, short and precise. "Not since we left dinner."
Naoto waved her hand in the air, casual. "We went to a bar. We had some drinks. We both had...a little too much."
That's putting it mildly. Naoto didn't want to be rude, though, and she wasn't sure if Sae was the kind of person who liked to have reminders of her bad nights thrown back into her face.
Let's hope she doesn't look into a mirror anytime soon.
"I see," was the reply. Non-committal. An acceptance, nothing more. "Thank you, then, for assisting me home."
"Of course," replied Naoto, flashing Sae a small smile. "It's what friends do."
As opposed to calming her, Naoto's words seemed to be having the opposite effect on Sae. The air in the room was different, far removed from the normal relaxed, lazy air of two friends having breakfast. Naoto still couldn't place what might have been bothering Sae, who was getting more off the more awake she got.
...what is she nervous about? Is she scared of me? Does she remember what happened?
Naoto decided to press a little.
"Are you sure you're all right, Sae-san?"
"Quite fine, thank you," Sae said, unconvincingly. She finished up her omelette and water, then stood with the bare plate and empty class and moved to take them to the sink. "Thank you again for breakfast."
"Glad you enjoyed it. I'll do the dishes and then be on my way."
"Don't worry about it." Sae flicked on the faucet, washing off the dishware. "I can handle it."
Naoto cleared her own now-empty plate, feeling full. This had been a good omelette - Makoto bought high-quality ingredients. She'd have to pay her back later. "Nonsense, I can't dirty up your kitchen and then not clean it, it'd b-"
"Please," Sae blurted out, dropping the silverware into the sink with a loud clatter. Naoto looked over to find Sae leaning against the counter, hands balled into fists, determinedly facing away. "I insist."
Naoto gaped for a moment, processing, running over everything that had happened. "A-"
Sae stiffened up the moment Naoto began to speak again. Naoto let her words falter, then she hurried over to the couch to grab her briefcase and discarded outerwear. Hoisting it over her shoulder, she glanced back at Sae, who was still facing away from her, head bowed, breathing deeply.
"I'll see you on Monday."
There was nothing more to be said. Naoto left, closing the door behind her, doing her best to not look as hurt as she felt.
As Naoto went about the rest of her day, her every spare thought was devoted to analyzing that conversation.
Her trip to the grocery store made a muddle of her shopping list, and her distracted mind forgot nearly a quarter of it. She'd stared at a milk jug for five minutes before realized that she'd been holding on the door the entire time. Her number of mid-aisle near-misses was well above average as other people had to swerve to avoid her cart.
She couldn't remember the trip home from the store. She couldn't remember putting away the groceries. Her carpet had visible trails from her pacing when dinner time rolled around, and she still had no true idea of what Sae was so angry about. If she didn't remember what she said, then wh-
What if she did?
Well, that changed everything.
...think about her.
Sae was a private person. She didn't talk much about herself, her feelings, her past - at least, not initially, and even then not much to Naoto. Even their nightly dinners had not revealed too much of Sae, despite her relaxed nature - their conversations tended towards current events or little tidbits about their childhoods, favorite shows or games, specific memories. Naoto was much more open.
Last night, Sae had opened up more to her than Naoto had ever expected, but why would that be a reason to suddenly be so closed and angry? Their dinner trips had revealed plenty to Sae from Sae herself coming forward and talking about her. Was it that Sae had spilled too much too fast?
But if so...why would she care so much about that? What did she have to lose?
In the end, Naoto swept the thoughts of Sae and her actions aside. It would do her no good to dwell on it. It would get her nowhere. And maybe on Monday, things would be like they always were.
When the email from Sae arrived late Sunday night, Naoto was excited. Reading it quickly sucked that excitement away, leaving nothing but a distant feeling of dread.
Principal Kobayakawa is dead. Be in early tomorrow.