With the increased amount of reviews, i've been inspired to update a lot faster. Hopefully it'll stay this way for a while...

- Disclaimer: Persona 4 Golden characters do not belong to me.

- Notice: May contain spoilers. Original characters may be added. Storyline may deviate from original video game/anime.

- Warning: May contain alcohol reference, blood, language, partial nudity, sexual themes, and violence.

Rise sat down on her bed, notes scattered haphazardly as she crammed to finish her homework. She was only one third through the stack of assignments, unable to truly focus due to the events beforehand. To think that Naoto was that kind of guy. "Argh!" She bent down and buried her head into her pink pillow, her cry muffled so as not to disturb her grandmother.

It was so frustrating to finally know Naoto's secret. "I'm so stupid!" Rise balled her fists and pounded her hand onto the mattress. Of course. Why did she not see it? Naoto Shirogane was just as popular as her. He could get any girl he would've wanted if he tried hard enough.

Come to think of it, she never asked if he had a girlfriend. Asking about having a crush was a whole different thing, but after all their moments together, she thought that she would've at least had the right to know. Days passed since their last encounter and day by day, Rise's tears subsided. She wanted to forget about him, forget the Detective Prince and the memories they shared, the kisses they exchanged.

Rise closed her eyes and felt her troublesome heartache resurface. Why did she feel this way? Why couldn't she just forget about him, start over. "Why do I still love you?" She questioned herself quietly on her bed.

It was midday when Naoto walked around the Shirogane manor, his eyes downcast and tired. His blue hair was tousled and uncombed, void of the usual suave look he usually donned. He stopped to check his cell phone for any messages from Rise, but as expected, there were none.

Just how many times would he have to call to get one response? He had tried visiting her at Marukyu Tofu, but her grandmother always replied with the classic, 'she's not here.'

She was avoiding him and he understood why. It was an unfortunate misunderstanding and Naoto only hoped to fix it as soon as possible. If things would proceed at this rate, he would end up hurting Rise even more.

But then again, was it right for him to repair what they had? He was never one to treasure such futile relationships, so why was it so important now? Maybe everything happened for a reason and the fates were merely warning Rise to keep her distance.

"...What am I thinking?" Naoto mumbled to himself absentmindedly and slumped down on the living room's sofa, the same spot where Rise sat when she invited him to the beach. His head began to throb and he didn't feel too well. It seemed like his troubles were getting the best of him. "At this rate I'm going to get sick."

A minute passed before there was an incessant knock on the double framed door. Naoto turned to find his butler walking calmly to open it, but since he was only several strides away, the Detective Prince offered to do it himself. He hoped that at the other end of the door would be Rise, but the chances were quite slim given the situation. Nonetheless, he turned the knob and found Touko at his doorstep.

"Naoto!" She smiled happily and pulled him into a tight hug. He kept silent but formed a faint grin while he wrapped his hands around her slender frame. "I missed you so much!"

"I...missed you too."

Touko was always sensible to Naoto's feelings and by the sound of his tone, she knew he wasn't quite right. "Something's bugging you and you're going to tell me what it is." Her hand slipped into his as they walked into the Shirogane with Naoto trailing behind. "But first," Touko spun around, leaning close to his face. "You're going to feed me because I skipped lunch on my way here."

He smirked at her playfulness and rolled his eyes. "Then let's get you some food." Naoto brushed past her, taking her hand into his once more as they skipped over to the kitchen.

It was a nice, warm, sunny Summer day when Yu and Yosuke took a leisurely stroll along Inaba's shopping district. With the town being so small, there wasn't much to do. The most they ever did was watch their usual neighbors walking around, making small talk with the vendors down the street.

"Did you finish your homework yet?" Yosuke broke the silence as they loitered close to Marukyu Tofu. He was thinking about checking up on Rise after the whole beach trip.

"I've finished most of it." Yu replied.

"Already? I'm not even close with mine." He checked his phone to examine the built in calender, estimating how many days were left before the end of Summer vacation. "Seriously, I don't understand why they have to assign us homework during break."

Yu kept his hands in his pocket, ever so silent as he watched Inaba's citizens picking up books by the nearby shop. With the case finally closed, the town was sure to return to its peaceful days.

"C'mon, we should ask for Rise and see how she's doing." Yosuke marched into Marukyu Tofu and stood by the counter, patiently waiting for her grandmother or herself to show up.

Yu examined the variety of tofu showcased neatly beyond the glass, wondering if he should by something to snack on. It was nearing 3 o' clock and he was slowly growing hungry.

While Yosuke leaned on the counter, he opened his mouth to speak. "I knew that Naoto guy was trouble."

Yu focused on his friend who was sure to rant about all the flaws he saw in the Detective Prince.

"I just had a feeling that he was, ever since we first met him. I knew he was uptight, but I mean c'mon, he made Rise cry. That's pretty low." Yosuke began to drum his fingers impatiently.

Yu gave it some thought. Naoto Shirogane did look like he had...social issues, always distancing himself from others. Of course, Rise never told the group why she decided to leave early during the beach trip, nor did she feel like discussing what happened between Naoto an her. Well, at least not to Yu and the other guys. He didn't seem like a bad kid and Yu didn't feel like bad mouthing him. He felt like they knew too little about Naoto to judge him.

"Oh, hi Yosuke senpai." Rise wiped a stray tear from her cheek and fastened her working apron. She was clearly distraught and it began to upset the brown haired boy.

"Are you okay?" He offered with a gentle but understanding smile.

"I've been better." Rise sniffed lightly and composed herself, she couldn't look like this in front of her customers.

"You want to talk about it?" Yosuke leaned back.

"Not really." Rise didn't feel like sharing her story. What would they think of her? She was duped by the boy that she thought would be perfec for her. Her heart began to ache and she decided to change the topic. "Did you guys need anything?"

"No, we just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I hope you feel better." Yu did his best to comfort the girl.

"Thanks senpai." She attempted her best smile, her eyes dropping when she thought about Naoto.

"Well, if you need to talk or anything, just let us know." Yosuke began to step back realizing that he still had to work at Junes.

"I will, thanks for dropping by." Rise watched the two boys exit the shop and she returned to work on her homework.

"Yukiko, do you get this problem?" Chie whined in her seat as they sat outside Junes' tables, the usual spot where they rendezvoused before entering the TV world.

"Yes, actually you just..." Yukiko leaned closer and helped her friend with the math question, knowing full well that she had trouble with the subject.

Chie watched Yukiko work on the problem busily, she really didn't feel like studying, doing homework, or pretty much doing anything. It wasn't that hot outside but she felt like her brain was melting. Sometimes she asked Yukiko to help her when she was super lazy to solve it herself and it usually worked.

"There, do you get it now?" Yukiko moved back and studied Chie's face, who sat purely confused and dropped her head against the table. "Chie!"

"I'm so tired. Can we not do homework right now?" Chie complained and rested her head.

"But we have less than a week left until school starts. We have to do it now or we'll never finish."

"Okay, fine. Then I'm going to take my break now. Let's talk about something else, something interesting."

"Like what?"

"Like what happened to Rise a few days ago. Why did she leave so suddenly and in tears?" This time around, Chie rested her chin on the table. "Do you think it has something to do with Naoto?"

"Maybe. I did hear from Kanji that they got into a fight."

"A fight? Over what?"

"Kanji didn't really know. By the time he heard them, Rise was already upset." Yukiko rested her hands on her lap. What would they ever argue about?

"Do you think it was Naoto's fault? I mean he's a little dense and difficult to get along with." Chie slouched over with her hands on the table.

"I...don't really know. Chie, I don't want to assume who was at fault."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She decided to drop the subject entirely and watched the people walking by.

"Oh, I didn't know you guys were here." Chie looked up to find Yosuke standing beside Yu.

"Yosuke, what are you doing here?" Chie piped up.

"What do you mean what am I doing here? I've got work today." Yosuke's smile slipped into a frown.

"Oh, that's right." Chie straightened herself as the boys walked closer.

"Doing homework?" Yu bent over to read the questions on the paper.

"Yeah. It's such a drag." Chie whined and rested her head onto Yukiko's shoulder.

"Yu's almost finished with his." Yosuke slapped the back of Yu's back.

"You are!? Lucky!" Chie opened her mouth, emphasizing how greatly she was struggling.

"Don't worry Chie, if we continue at this rate we'll be finished soon too." Yukiko smiled and flipped her notebook over.

"Anyways, I gotta go. My shift starts in a few minutes." Yosuke waved to the others before stepping into Junes.

"Hey, while you're here Yu, maybe you can help me with these math problems." Chie pushed the set of papers in his direction. He took his time to study them before breaking into a grin. It was going to be a piece of cake.

"Mmm, Naoto that was so good!" Touko sighed and fell back on her chair. "You got a lot better at cooking."

"Thanks, but was it really necessary for you to make all those noises?" Naoto tried to keep a straight face, but his cheeks were stained bright red. "We're lucky my Grandfather's out in town."

"Geez, I was only making those noises because it was that good. I think I should just take you home with me. You can make me lunch everyday." Touko smiled happily and pursed her lips. "Isn't the case solved anyways? There's no reason for you to stay here any longer."

"You're right. It is, according to my superiors, but I feel as though there's more to it than just that." Naoto propped his elbows on the dining table, slipping into deep thought. "I know I'm missing something, something important. I just don't know what it is yet."

Touko wiped her mouth with her napkin and took the plate in her hand, walked over to the kitchen, and set it down in the sink. "You're giving it too much thought. If this Mitsuo Kubo guy already confessed to the murders, it has to be him, right?"

"Hmm..." Naoto knit his eyebrows together.

"Hey, stop thinking too much!" Naoto hadn't paid much attention to Touko and soon enough she had him locked in her arm. "We should be having fun, catching up, not dwelling on some case that's supposedly solved." She ruffled up his hair with her free hand while he did very little to shake her off. "Or better yet...you can just tell me who's been on your mind lately." Touko formed a mischievous grin before Naoto successfully released himself from her hold.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He turned away in his seat, averting her eyes and the subject.

"Naoto, I know you better than anyone else. You know you can't lie to me."

It was uncomfortable thinking about it and it pained him even more if he would open up, especially to Touko.

"Is it a her? Or is it a him?"

"Huh?" The color on Naoto's face blew up as he felt his whole body grow hot.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"W-Why should I tell you anyways?" Naoto countered. He really didn't want to open up to her.

"Aww, don't be that way." Touko formed a pout and straightened up. There was no use, she had to try a different approach. Her eyes scanned the room before she found something that might entice Naoto. "I've got an idea." She walked over to the living room as Naoto shifted his seat to watch her from afar. "If you can beat me in one game of chess, you won't have to tell me. But if I win..." She placed the chest and equipment onto the table. "Well, you know how it goes."

Naoto sighed in his seat. He was never one to turn tail when he was challenged. His fatal flaw was his pride, which was highly unfortunate.

Touko smiled and took her seat as she watched Naoto walk towards her direction.

After spending many hours switching between homework and tending to the shop, Rise was pretty pooped. She shut the door to her room and jumped on her mattress, eyes closed as she lazily reached out for her phone.

There were at least 10 or more messages that cluttered her mobile screen, all that came from Naoto Shirogane. It was a long day and Rise didn't feel like reading his lame excuses. She began deleting every single one of them, hoping that he would just stop and get the message.

She clicked several buttons on her phone and stumbled upon a single voice mail. Her fingered hovered over the delete key, prepared to trash the message until she suddenly gave in and played it reluctantly.

- Rise it's me, Naoto. I know you're mad at me. You haven't been picking up your phone or texting back. I just want to talk to you.

What you read earlier, back at the beach, it wasn't what you thought it was. -

"It's exactly what it was Naoto, I don't want you to lie to me."

- you probably think I'm lying, but I'm not. Touko...is just a friend. We've been best friends for as long as I remember. -

"Liar..." Rise tightened her grip on her phone.

- I like you Rise. I really do. And I would never do anything to hurt you. -

"But you did."

- I've never felt this way towards anyone, until I met you. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I hope we can talk it over soon. I'm sorry Rise. -

The message ended and her room was eerily quiet. She wanted to believe his words, but a part of her reasoned out that she shouldn't. Rise had never felt so conflicted in all her life. She turned her head to check the time. It was already 5 o' clock. Maybe she would take a stroll around the neighborhood later to clear her head.

Naoto blinked at the pieces of the board, staring intently at the outcome of their match. He had a really good winning streak against Touko, but today, the odds were not in his favor.

"Check mate" She announced and fell back on the leather chair.

Naoto studied his remaining pawns, there was no way out. It was game.

"And no, you can't have a rematch." She added quickly.

Naoto brushed his hair through his hands. He was never one to chicken out from a bet and he always did keep his word. Touko waited patiently in her seat as Naoto chose his words carefully. "Her name is Rise Kujikawa."

Sunset, the first time Naoto and Rise talked intimately was approximately when the clouds were changing into a hue of yellow orange. The pigtailed brunette walked over to the hill where they found the wheat fields sparkling in gold, peaceful, serene, and completely captivating.

It was also about time for Yu to head back home, and so he did, walking along the paved path before him. After helping Chie with her homework, he was more than ready to aid Nanoko's with her own. With hands inside his pockets, he continued onwards until Rise called out to him.

"Yu senpai!"

He stopped in his tracks and awaited her descent. She seemed to be doing a lot better compared to earlier.

"I was hoping I'd run into you." Rise held her hands behind her back. "I wanted to talk to you."

Yu could only wonder what she wanted to converse about.

"I have a question." She started to look a little nervous, but she shook it off knowing that she needed someone's opinion. Someone who she could trust, who was neutral, and understanding.

"Yes?"

"At the beach, Naoto and I got into a fight. Well, it was more like an argument. I got mad at him, and I still am." She bit her lip and continued. "I really like him and I thought he was perfect, until I read a message on his phone."

Yu stayed quiet, intrigued by Rise's story.

"It was from someone, a girl." Her eyes shot down and the ground. "And I think she's...his girlfriend."

So Naoto was already romantically involved with someone? Yu tilted his head to the side as Rise pressed on.

"I...we already kissed several times." A light blush played along her cheeks. It was somewhat embarrassing to share this information with Yu. "But that was because I thought he wasn't in a relationship. And now that I know that he is..."

It was odd that Naoto never shared the information with Rise. With her story, Yu questioned the possibility of a misunderstanding. He knew the two of them were growing closer, having seen their interactions from afar. Naoto didn't look like the type to hurt anyone, or at least not intentionally. "What did the message say?"

"It said that his friend Touko was going to visit him since she had a day off." Rise looked off to the side.

"Is it possible they could just be friends?" Yu reasoned out.

"I thought about that, but the message was sent with the word 'love' so I know they're a lot closer than just friends."

"Have you tried talking to him about it?"

"I...don't want to. The message was pretty clear."

"But what if it was a misunderstanding? What if she's just a friend to him." Yu crossed his arms. "Ask him personally. There are always two sides to the story."

Yu's words began to sink in and she knew he was right. "Okay"

The sun was still shining beyond the horizon and Yu really needed to get back home. "Do you need me to walk you back home?" They lived fairly close to each other and it was sure to grow dark soon.

"No, it's okay. I'm going to stay for a little longer, but thanks for the offer." Rise smiled gently, genuinely, assuring Yu that she would be fine on her own.

"Alright, I'll see you later." He gave her a short, brief hug. "And if you ever need to talk, I'll always be here."

Rise watched him leave and returned to the top of the hill overlooking Inaba. She caught sight of the Shirogane manor and watched the clouds from above. "I should talk to him about it, today."

By the time Naoto had finished his story, Touko and him were sitting on the mattress of his bed, alone in the room as the sky shifted to a mix between purple and blue. He didn't feel too comfortable sharing everything with her, but he had no choice. Now, all he waited for was her opinion. What would she think?

Touko knit her eyebrows together, looking serious before puffing her cheeks and breaking into laughter. "Pfft...haha" She had to hold her stomach to control herself, but it did very little help as she toppled over and landed on Naoto's lap.

"What's so funny?" Naoto scratched the back of his ear nervously. "I-I don't get you at all. It wasn't meant to be funny."

"I...I'm so sorry." She giggled lightly and rolled over to a better position. "It's just, I never expected this from you, Naoto."

He leaned back on the head of his bed, the wood unusually cold for the Summer weather.

"Is she pretty?" Touko looked up at Naoto, who seemed to be upside down from he perspective.

"Yes, I guess..." He clenched his jaw to bite back his true opinion. Rise wasn't just pretty, she was beautiful.

"Prettier than me?" Touko batted her eyelashes playfully.

"I don't think I should answer that question. You would probably just beat me up if I say yes." Naoto cracked into a grin.

"Aww, you know me so well." She reached up and pinched his cheek, stretching it out until he removed her hand. "It's too bad she hates you right now."

"It was an unfortunate misunderstanding. After all, you and I are just friends. I already told her that." Naoto watched the horizon beyond the window.

"But Naoto, we're not just friends..." Touko held his hand, slowly intertwining their hands together.

He forced himself to look her in the eye. She was hinting something else, something more.

"We're..." Touko felt her heart begin to race. "Best friends" she softened into a smile, amused that Naoto looked worried for a split second. "You should've seen your face." With one hand, she covered her mouth and began to laugh again.

"Oh, shut up."

Rise stood in front of the double framed doors, unsure if this was the right thing to do. She was having second thoughts. Was she ready to face Naoto? "Snap out of it Rise, you have to do this." She steeled herself and knocked gently.

The doors opened and she found an old man to greet her. She could only assume that it was Naoto's grandfather.

"H-Hello, ." Rise bowed respectfully. "Is Naoto-kun home?"

"Ah, you're a friend of Naoto?" He smiled at Rise and gestured her to come in. "Come in, he should be in his room." Hesitantly, she stepped in as he closed the door. "His room is the third on your left on the second floor."

Rise looked back to find Naoto's Grandfather still smiling. Out of courtesy, she smiled back and studied the flight of stairs. 'It's now or never.'

"You really like her don't you?" Touko questioned Naoto as she lay on her side, eyes trained on the boy who was lying on his back.

"In a way, yes."

"Are you...in love with her?" Touko snuggled up to Naoto, resting her head onto his extended right arm.

"I...don't know."

Touko pulled herself closer to him and placed her ear right above his chest. "Do you love her?"

"I..." Naoto closed his eyes. He knew the answer, he just didn't want to admit it.

He didn't have to say it, his heart already held the answer. She felt a hint of jealousy stirring up, but she tried to push it away. If it made Naoto happy, she should be happy too, right? And yet, she couldn't because the fact that Naoto was in love meant that things would change between them. Touko buried her head onto his chest, scolding herself silently for thinking so selfishly.

"Hey, are you okay? You've grown quiet." Naoto placed his hand on top of her hair, slowly stroking her brown locks.

She wanted to say thay she wasn't. Touko was never the type to lie, so she swallowed hard and replied. "Not really."

"What's wrong? You were so happy a minute ago and now you're suddenly sad." Naoto rested his chin onto her head. "You could be so weird sometimes, you know that."

'Damn it Naoto, why do you have to be so dense!' Touko fisted his shirt beneath, wrinkling the fabric slightly. Once she released her breath, she pushed off of him, face hovering over Naoto's.

He blinked lazily, narrowing his eyes at Touko, unafraid of what she might do next. It was always like this; she would corner him, tease him, and he'd have to stand it for a whole week.

She allowed her instincts to guide her while she lowered herself, solely concentrating on what felt right. Once her lips were centimeters away, she managed to restrain her desire, knowing full well of the consequences that came with her actions.

"Uh...Touko?" Naoto asked nervously.

"I knew it." Rise opened the door, not completely surprised to find the two in a compromising position.

Naoto turned to his side, eyes widening to find Rise outside his door. 'Crap'

"You're such a liar!" She yelled out and rushed out, tears swelling up in her eyes.

"Wait, Rise!" Naoto stumbled on his knees to catch his footing and sprinted towards her direction. She was about to the exit the door when Naoto pushed it shut from behind. "Listen, I can explain."

Rise was fuming with frustration and anger that she responded without thinking. Her hand connected with Naoto's face, slapping him rather hard. "I don't want to hear it, just leave me alone!"

There was a sharp sting, but Naoto accepted it all and presumed to close the door. "It wasn't what it looked like Rise."

"I came here thinking that maybe it was just a misunderstanding, that maybe she was just a friend." Rise's voice sounded fragile, as if it would break any moment. "I wanted to believe you Naoto."

"And you can-"

"No, I can't." She felt like she was suffocating being around him. "Not after what I saw."

It was no use. Her mind was made up and he'd have to let her go. Naoto would have to make it up to her some other time. "Please, just listen to me..."

"I...I can't talk to you anymore." The moment Naoto stepped back, Rise took the opportunity to take her leave, slamming the door shut.

The Shirogane manor fell into silence as Touko stood by the door. She heard everything and she felt so guilty for placing Naoto in such a terrible position.

Naoto steadied himself onto the door and balled his hand into a fist. 'Why do I always end up hurting you, Rise?'

... To be continued

So if you enjoyed this chapter, remember to fave, follow and/or review.

-Replies:

Miwokgirl101: I did think about incorporating the 'is this mystery a game' confrontation, but felt that doing so would be redundant in a way, since most readers have already read the Idol and Prince by Hitokun. The story will revolve around the other characters and their view points. I merely wanted to take the liberty of using Naoto and Rise's perspectives to speed up any character development. As always, thanks for your continued reviews.

ValiantLirael: Thanks for the timeline and walk through. I've been shifting between actually playing through the game while writing to check some details that might be important for later chapters. It's great to hear that you're the story so far. Thanks for your support.

Jazz: I've noticed that as well. Great to hear that you're enjoying the story. Thanks for your review and support.

Unknown Reader: It's really great to hear from you as well. Glad you are still on the sight and reviewing the story. Thanks for your continued support.

Guest: will do!

p4sn25: Thanks, it means a lot. I'm sorry about that. Before writing up this story I read the Idol and Prince which happened to have Naoto taller than Rise. It seems that it was inaccurate and I sincerely apologize for the mistake.

Thanks for reading