This update took longer than I had expected. I was hoping to post this by late November, but delayed it due to thinking things over. As one of my insightful reviewers noted, I made a miscalculation with Naoto's height. In canon, he is shorter than Rise. However, in the story, he is taller.
I think a month was about enough time for me to find the appropriate route to proceed with the story, so without further ado, here's the next chapter.
- 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.
Summer vacation ended sooner than everyone had expected. With the hot, scorching sun beating from above, it was so easy to slip into a sleepy state; the default setting one kept during Summer break. Students walked lazily into Yasogami High's entrance, bags slung over their shoulders to begin another semester.
Naoto followed the boys and girls as he walked on the path, donning his signature cap. It wasn't the ideal weather to wear one, but he couldn't bring himself to take it off. The blue cap was what identified him as a respectable detective.
Once he approached the set of shoe lockers, he set down his bag and buttoned his dress shirt accordingly. Several girls walked past him and sized him up, giggling as they took a quick glance at the marveled Detective Prince. 'Some things never change.' He sighed and recollected his brown satchel before heading for his homeroom on the first floor.
"Hey Naoto!" Kanji greeted him from across the room. He looked a little nervous and his cheeks were slightly pink. Was he sick?
"Oh, good morning Kanji." He softened his eyes, but only for a brief moment.
"Umm...so, how was your Summer break?" The two walked over to Naoto's desk, which was conveniently located at the back of the room.
"It was...alright." To be honest, it was terrible, what with all the misunderstandings between Rise and him.
"Oh, uh yeah. I guess mine was alright too." Kanji scratched the back of his head. There was an awkward silence between them.
"Anyways, class should be starting soon. You should take your seat before the teacher comes in." Naoto added, slightly uncomfortable with Kanji's presence.
"Yeah." Kanji looked a little disappointed, seeing as to how short lived their conversation was. "Talk to you later then." He walked away leaving Naoto in his seat.
Rise really didn't want to go to school since she'd have to see Naoto again. The last they spoke was back at his manor, when all hell broke loose and she slapped him without hesitation. She didn't mean to, it just...happened. Rise stopped at the door, knowing full well that Naoto would be on the other end, waiting for her so that they would talk.
"Ms. Kujikawa , are you okay?"
Rise turned around to find her teacher with a manila folder in her hand standing from behind. "Oh, yes I'm fine." She moved aside as her teacher stepped in. Rise trailed her slowly, taking in the sight of her classmates and locating Naoto who was busily looking out the window. She took this as the perfect opportunity to take her seat. Hopefully he wouldn't bug her, but she knew that he would do just that.
Naoto tapped his fingers onto the wooden desk while he tried to find an opening statement for Rise. What could he possibly say? 'I'm so sorry you had to see that. I swear it wasn't what you thought it was.' Naoto felt his head grow hot just thinking about it.
Rise took her seat in front of Naoto, her shoulders tense as she felt his hand touch her gently.
"Hey, can we please talk?" Naoto made sure to keep his voice low to avoid any attention.
"I don't want to talk to you right now Naoto." Rise gripped the handle of her bag. She would hit him with it if he didn't stop.
"Please? I'm begging you." His voice sounded desperate. If he could just share his side of the story...
"No Naoto, I don't want to hear it." Rise raised her voice attracting some suspicious stares from her peers. She turned to face the board, hoping that their teacher would begin class.
"If you can just give me a chance, that's all I ask of you."
The school bell rang, echoing through the hall as the class took their seats and the teacher faced the students. Naoto receded in his chair and attentively listened to the teacher. When she felt Naoto retract his hand, Rise finally slung her bag by the desk's side, deeming it safe and unnecessary for her to hit him.
"Welcome back, I hope you all had a wonderful Summer break." The class whined softly as the teacher pressed on. "I've got some important information. This month we're having a school trip to Gekkoukan High School."
Naoto listened carefully as he remembered reading up on it a few years ago. According to the reports, there were some strange activities, several witnesses stating that as students enrolled into the academy, many of them disappeared with reasons unknown.
"It's conveniently located on Tatsumi Port Island, near several shops by the city..." The teacher droned on about how big the school was and what they would expect to do on the class trip.
Rise looked out the window, tuning out the idle chatter from her classmates. They seemed to be completely interested as others leaned forward, sharing stories and ideas of what they would intend to do.
"The trip will take place between the eighth and tenth of this month." The teacher flipped through the papers and began handing them to each row.
"Oh wow, three days? We could do so much within that time!" One of the girls in the class commented beside her friend.
Once all the papers were passed out, the teacher returned to the podium and addressed the class one last time. "To make things interesting, I decided to pair each of you with an assigned partner while you tour Gekkoukan's exquisite campus. I believe it would give you a chance to grow closer as classmates and friends. I've taken the liberty of doing this beforehand so as to avoid any biases."
The class broke into a wave of complains and whines but settled down over time.
'A partner?' Naoto propped his elbow and rested his head onto his hand, eyes focused on Rise. He hoped they would be paired up, this was the perfect chance for them to talk.
'Oh no.' Rise crossed her fingers, hoping that Naoto wouldn't be her partner. She really didn't want to spend three whole days with him.
The teacher proceeded to name the assigned partners, taking her sweet time until she reached the final four students. "Rise Kujikawa and..." She trailed the list and paused, giving it a dramatic effect. The students sat quietly, waiting for the verdict.
'Anybody but Naoto, please." Rise closed her eyes, hoping with all her luck that she would avoid the Detective Prince.
"Naoto Shirogane" The teacher announced and finished the last pair, which was Kanji and some other girl.
The blue haired detective couldn't help but smile faintly. He could sense the uneasiness radiating from Rise who was sitting in front of him. If the fates were working in his favor, he was sure to right all his wrongs during the class trip.
Chie and Yukiko sat at the rooftop, their boxed lunches resting in their laps as they exchanged looks.
"I can't believe I was paired up with him, out of all the other boys, why did it have to be Naoto?" Rise huffed in discontent and crossed her arms.
It had been like this for quite some time now, with Rise venting out her frustration at both girls.
"What's wrong with Naoto? I thought you'd be more than happy to be partnered with him..." Chie took a bite from her lunch slowly.
"Chie, remember what happened at the beach." Yukiko whispered into her best friend's ear.
"Yeah, but we don't even know what really happened." Chie whined. "Did you and Naoto get into a fight a few weeks back Rise?"
She turned around, unable to face her senpais. The only person she told was Yu, whose advice didn't really help since her suspicions were right all along. "You can say that..."
"Well whatever it was, I'm sure he was sorry." Yukiko tried to appease Rise.
If they only knew how bad their argument was. Rise sighed and gripped her arms protectively. "Well, he wasn't."
"And I thought you two were getting along so well." Chie set her food by her side.
"We were, until..." Rise's eyes drifted to the side. It was so painful just thinking about it.
"Until?" Chie widened her eyes curiously.
"...Nevermind. I don't want to talk about it anymore." Rise walked back to the two girls and say in between them.
"Whatever it was about, I hope you two can find compromise." Yukiko placed her hand onto Rise's shoulder.
"I sure hope you do." Chie watched the clouds floating aimlessly across the blue sky. "Because you're going to be stuck with him for three days and two nights."
Right after school, Naoto rushed back to his house, unable to stay around the campus for too long. Whenever he passed by Rise's group, he could feel the intense stare from Yosuke, who was not too happy with him making Rise cry. Did she tell them what happened? Even Naoto didn't know. Maybe she did, or maybe she didn't.
He placed his blue cap by his bedside table and fell onto his mattress face first. Naoto often did this when he was frustrated or completely burnt out. He lay still in silence until his phone vibrated in his pocket signalling a call.
"Hello?" He answered lazily into the device.
"Naoto-kun, are you okay?" Touko asked worriedly.
"I've been better." He replied solemnly.
"Look, Naoto-kun, about what happened during Summer break. I'm sorry."
The Detective Prince kept his silence. She knew she was sincerely sorry. "I know you are and it wasn't your fault. You were just playing around, like you always do."
'But what if I wasn't?' Touko bit her lip to refrain from speaking her mind. Naoto already had enough on his plate, she couldn't afford to burden him even more.
"Don't worry about it." Naoto attempted to reassure Touko. "It'll be alright. There's this school trip to Gekkoukan High which will take three days. It just so happens that I was partnered with Rise."
"Oh, really?" Touko sounded slightly pained.
"Yeah. I want to explain everything to her, that it was just a misunderstanding."
"But Naoto, I have to ask, are you ever going to tell her the truth?" Touko rested her head on her mattress.
Naoto's enthusiasm died down. He did consider it, but what would Rise think? It made him wonder why he was going through all this trouble, only to break her heart with his deepest, darkest secret.
"You know you have to tell her. Or she'll find out sooner or later."
"You're right." Naoto agreed. He would have to tell her someday.
"Anyways, I'm sure you're busy being back at school. I should leave you to do your homework." Touko smiled faintly on the other side. "I'll call you soon. Hopefully by then you can tell me what becomes of you and Rise Kujikawa."
"Right." Naoto shifted onto his back, hearing Touko's voice one last time before she would hang up.
"Naoto, I love you. So please, be careful."
"I will, thanks Touko." And with a faint grin, he flipped his phone into his pocket once more, closing his eyes before falling into a deep slumber.
- The school trip -
Most of the train ride to Tatsumi Port Island was spent in silence. Rise made sure to keep her distance from Naoto until they were forced to pair up. She did, however, glance at him once in a while to see how he was doing on the other end of the train cart. As expected, he sat quietly, occasionally flipping through his phone to look occupied.
Naoto noticed Rise peeking from his peripheral view and oddly enough, it comforted him. It was crystal clear that there was tension between them, but it was nothing Naoto couldn't fix; or at least he thought so. The students chattered about noisily and the Detective Prince took his stand once their stop was announced. Rise walked over to the exit, bag in hand as they met halfway. They looked into each others eyes, Naoto's softening at Rise's as if to apologize silently for the millionth time. She broke their gaze, unable to continue any further because her cheeks threatened to blush.
The train was still moving at full speed, braking abruptly as Rise stumbled and lost her footing. She would've have fallen onto one of her classmates had it not been for Naoto's lightning fast reflexes. With one hand gripped firmly onto the steel handle bar, he pulled her close, other hand holding the dip of her waist as he shifted his center of gravity to keep them standing. He only held on to Rise until the train completely stopped, releasing his hold when he deemed it safe. Once the doors opened, the students busily exited the train and walked up the stairs to find what awaited them on the other end.
Naoto took his time walking alongside Rise who could no longer contain the blush she so desperately tried to hide. Before he could approach the first step, she tugged lightly on his black school jacket, her head lowered to mask her embarrassment.
"Thanks, for earlier." Rise choked out.
Naoto stared at her intensely with nothing but the sound of moving trains to echo along the station. "You're welcome, Rise."
She couldn't help but look at him once he spoke her name. He addressed her gently, as though they were still close friends, perhaps even lovers. Rise felt her heart twitch, with what she would've guessed was happiness, but reality brought her back as painful memories resurfaced. Naoto was a charmer, and a good one at that. If he were going to fool her twice, she wasn't going to fall for it again. Without another word, she rushed up the stairs leaving Naoto in her dust.
"Woah, what's up with this place? This school's way too big!" Yosuke announced. The line of second years had arrived much earlier on the campus, giving them an ample amount of time to breathe in the fresh air and marvelous architecture of Gekkoukan High. "Wait...if we can't beat 'em on size, we're totally sunk."
Chie, Yukiko and Yu stood beside Yosuke, their eyes wandering around the campus while the principal continued his speech.
Chie yawned and covered her mouth. "Is this principal in love with his own voice or what?" She whispered into Yukiko's ear.
"Chie, he'll hear you!" Yukiko replied.
"Ah-hem" the Principal cleared his throat and for a brief second, Chie thought she was in trouble. "Our school is closed today, but, because of this rare opportunity for cultural exchange some of our students will walk you through these halls. First, a student body representative will say a few words."
"Thank you Principal," a girl stepped forward to address the classes. "Welcome to Gekkoukan High School. I'm Chihiro Fushimi a third year here at Gekkoukan High School and student body president."
"Holy crap, that girl's unbelievable." Yosuke nearly dropped his jaw while he checked her out. She wore the standard black uniform with a jacket and skirt. Her brown long hair was parted and combed neatly in place as she sported a pair of red framed glasses.
"You're right. She is cute." Kanji added as he suddenly stood beside Yosuke.
"She's the most bewitching, beautiful bespectacled girl I've ever...beheld!" Yosuke exclaimed.
Chie rolled her eyes as the boys continued to ogle Chihiro Fushimi, the student body president. "You guys...stop overreacting!"
"This is the first time we've invited another student body into our school. To learn about others is to learn about oneself, and is the first step on the road to self-betterment...This I believe." Rise and Naoto stood apart among their group as both listened attentively to Chihiro's speech. Once she finished, the students clapped and broke into chatter once more.
"...She beat me in every category..." Chie frowned as Yukiko placed a hand on her shoulder for support.
"Alright, everyone get into groups with your classmates!" Ms. Kashiwagi announced. The second years broke out into their assigned groups as Yosuke, Yu, Chie, and Yukiko looked around. Chihiro Fushimi handed out their class schedule which she forgot to hand out at the end of her speech.
"Let's see, our first class is on the second floor. It's being taught by someone named Mr. Edogawa, the lecture's about Qaballah..." Yukiko stepped back to check for the right building.
"Kabawhat?" Chie widened her eyes and leaned forward to examine their schedule.
"So when's our free period?" Yosuke asked Yu who was holding the paper.
"Uhh...we don't get one." Chie re-read the schedule to make sure. "We have classes all through the today. Tonight and tomorrow, we'll be staying at a hotel..." This time, Yosuke leaned in to read beside Chie. "We'll have free time tomorrow and the day after, until we leave at noon."
"You got to be kidding me!" Yosuke whined and scrunched his face into a scowl.
"Come on guys! Let's focus on our studies for now, so we can enjoy our free time later!" Yukiko sounded optimistic as she looked around. Their classmates were already headed towards the first class.
Meanwhile, back on the first floor, Naoto and Rise sat side by side as the teacher droned on about philosophical studies. Gekkoukan's classrooms were painted in a pristine, white color and all the classes held about 30 desks, just like Yasogami High's. Naoto and Rise sat beside each other, the silence between the two highly uncomfortable, more so with the latter. She shifted her position every minute, making Naoto a little worried.
- Are you okay? - He scribbled onto the piece of paper and placed it onto her desk.
No, how could she? Ever since the train incident, she couldn't stop thinking about him, especially with the way he held her.
Naoto waited for a response, knowing that there was a chance he would be ignored. He looked up at the teacher who then began to write on the whiteboard. Genuinely worried, Naoto leaned into Rise's ear to whisper a few words. "Are you okay?"
His whisper sent a chill down her spine as she tried to refrain from jumping up. Rise turned her head towards Naoto, her eyes wide as she stared into his grey stormy eyes. He wanted an answer and he was going to pester her until he got one. "No," She responded quietly.
Naoto didn't know what to say. He moved back to his side until Rise touched his hand.
"Why didn't you tell me, about...her?"
Naoto glanced at the teacher who was still writing on the whiteboard while his classmates passed notes behind his back. "About Touko? Because she's just a friend."
'Just a friend?' Rise's shoulders tensed. "She didn't look like your ordinary friend Naoto."
"What do you mean?" Naoto scrunched his eyebrows together.
"She looked like your lover. Naoto, when I walked in, she was going to kiss you."
"Huh?" That couldn't be possible. Touko and him were just friends, or at least that's what he thought. They were just playing around, right?
Rise turned to find Naoto red faced. It didn't look like he was aware of the situation. Was he truly this dense to not sense Touko's intentions? Then maybe Naoto was right all along, that they were just friends.
"Touko has been my closest friend since the death of my parents." Naoto focused on the teacher's written words. "They were killed while investigating a case and were very close to solving it." He twisted his pencil into his hand as Rise listened attentively. "When they died, Touko was the one who stood by me through it all. She had parents who were detectives as well. We knew each others pain, since her father died in the line of duty too."
Rise lowered her eyes at the pencil in his hand, which he now dropped. She didn't know his parents died from an investigation. "I'm sorry..." She apologized for digging up past memories, some that may have hurt Naoto.
"It's alright. It doesn't bug me anymore. My parents were respectable detectives..." He smiled faintly at his desk. "They're the reason why I try to do my best in solving every case."
"I'm sure they're very proud of you Naoto." Rise attempted to comfort him.
"Thank you," Naoto smiled and crossed his hands on the desk. "Look, Rise. I'm sorry for hurting you. I didn't think Touko felt that way towards me."
Rise slipped her hand into his.
"Does this mean we're friends again?" Naoto asked eagerly.
Rise rolled her eyes and released his hand. "What do you think?"
The teacher turned back at the class and continued his mono-toned lecture. "I'll take that as a yes." Naoto grinned and returned his attention to the lecture.
The students managed to endure the whole day filled with lectures and all were exhausted to even think about the following events for tomorrow. Ms. Kashiwagi led the group along a dark, dimly lit street stopping abruptly when they reached their destination. "Alrighty, here we are. The Seaside Clamshell Inn. We'll be staying here tonight."
"Is this really a regular hotel...?" One of the female students asked. A wave of agitation seemed to be spreading through the group.
"It just opened not too long ago. It's got that modern look-and the price was right! Personally, I think it was the right choice."
"We're staying here?" The students were growing doubtful as a couple pushed past them and entered the hotel. It certainly wasn't your ordinary Inn. Sure the architecture was beautiful, and the walls were bricked with red, but something about it raidated with a strange aura.
"It opened recently...? Dude, this is totally looks like a lov-"
Ms. Kashiwagi spotted the boy and directed her finger towards him. "You there! Don't just stand there! Keep marching in!"
"Isn't there something funny about this place?" Yosuke knit his eyebrows together.
"Is there? We don't have these modern hotels in Inaba, so I can't tell." Chie leaned sides to side curiously.
Naoto and Rise walked to their group of friends as she piped up to share some useful information. "Um...this area is called Shirakawa Boulevard, and it's-"
"That's all right, Rise. I don't think I wanna know..." Yosuke massaged the bridge of his nose. He noticed Naoto beside her, realizing that they were standing fairly close to each other. Did they make up?
Naoto studied the boulevard come alive with neon lights. Bright, blaring signs stretched the entire length of the large, wide avenue. He deduced that it was a red light district once the smell of alcohol reached his sense of smell.
Rise blushed and turned to Naoto who was now equally pink. She could only imagine what it would be like if they spent one night in a love hotel.
"I-I'm going inside now. I'll see you tomorrow." Naoto stuffed a hand into his pocket. "Goodnight Rise" he tipped his cap and marched into the hotel while she watched the sliding doors close shut.
"Goodnight Naoto..." She mumbled to herself as her senpais continued conversing.
Luckily for him, Naoto had the room all to himself. It was spacious, had a decent bathroom, and was completely pink. "So this is what a love hotel looks like?" He removed his blue cap, setting it gently onto the table. The mattress was dressed in magenta bed sheets, a color he was not fond of. Nonetheless, he took his seat and unbuttoned his black school jacket, discarding it at the edge of the bed. He continued on his white dress-shirt but paused once he felt the familiar bandage that wrapped around his chest.
What was this all for? Rise would find out sooner or later, and what then? He felt the resentment building up within him. "If only things were different."
After jumping up and down on the mattress, Yukiko, Chie and Rise fell back as they giggled with excitement. It felt nice to let loose after a long, tiring day of class lectures.
"So it looks like you two made up after all." Chie turned to her side.
"Yeah, we did." Rise replied with a grin.
"Well, it's good that you patched it up early. It means that this trip should be a lot more fun." Chie smiled and winked at Rise, who felt her cheeks grow hot.
"I see it more as a...window of opportunity." Rise tried to sound innocent, but her intentions were far from it.
"Huh?" Chie started to look confused as Yukiko quickly got the memo.
"We are in a love hotel after all, and I've got bigger, bolder plans for me and Naoto."
"W-W-What kind of plans?" Chie asked nervously.
"Don't worry about it." Rise laughed it off. "I was just joking."
"O-Oh, okay..." Chie slumped back onto the waterbed. She wasn't really sure if Rise was joking.
"Anyways, about tomorrow. We already agreed that we'd go around Tatsumi Port Island in a group during our free time. Maybe we should invite Naoto." Yukiko suggested.
"That would be great, but I have to ask him about it first." Rise sat on the water bed and looked around for a clock. "What time is it?"
"It's...only 8 o' clock." Chie checked the time on the digital alarm.
"Then I should tell him now. Hopefully he's still awake." Rise slipped her feet into her shoes and ran towards the door.
The halls was eerily quiet, something Naoto was grateful for as he stepped out of his room and walked towards the ice machine. He pressed the button and held out his bucket, patiently waiting for the ice to fill it up.
"There you are!" Someone called out as he leaned back and found Rise strutting in his direction. "I was looking all over for you."
"You...were?" Naoto watched her intensely and noticed that no one was around. The third floor was specifically allocated to only first year boys. If they found Rise lingering around, they might have the wrong idea.
"Yes, I was. I need to talk to you about something." Rise stepped closer and Naoto could feel her breath dangerously close to his.
"Let's talk in my room." It was a lot safer and frankly, Naoto wasn't too happy about getting into trouble in the middle of the night. He took the bucket of ice and held her hand, releasing it as he swiped the card and ushered her in.
"You...have the room all to yourself?" Rise scanned the sides of the wall which were usually packed with bags from two other students. She found herself grinning mischievously as she heard the door shut.
"Yes, I do." Naoto locked the door behind him and marched forward to set the ice onto the table. "You wanted to tell me something?"
"Oh, yeah. Well, Yu senpai and the others are going around Tatsumi Port Island to survey the area during our free time. Since I already know this place, I was thinking about showing them around for shopping and stuff." Rise sat on the water bed while Naoto leaned on the table. He wasn't wearing his cap and seeing his hair naturally out was a rare sight. "I was wondering if you wanted to join us."
"I'm not really into shopping." Naoto said gingerly.
"We don't have to go shopping the whole day. And I know a great place we can hit later on." Naoto smiled coyly and scratched his head. "Don't tell me you're just going to stick with the factory tour. Geez Naoto, you're more boring than I thought."
"Well I didn't say I wasn't boring." Naoto joked around and sat on the opposite side of the bed.
"You're such a party pooper, you know that." Rise whined as Naoto turned away.
"I said yes last time, when you invited me to the beach."
"That doesn't count." Rise fell back and relaxed into the water bed. It bounced once upon impact. She closed her eyes to see what his reaction would be.
"If I say yes, will you get off my bed?"
"Hmm...maybe." Rise turned to the side and began to nap.
With every passing second, Naoto was beginning to grow worried. What if his teacher found out about this? It was almost time for the nightly rounds. Carefully, he shook her shoulder. "I think you should leave now." Naoto glanced at the door which was evidently locked.
"But I think I want to sleep here, with you Naoto-kun." She grinned and removed one of her pigtails, allowing her brown hair to cascade down her neck.
"I'm being serious, Rise. What if my teacher makes his rounds. The closet's not big enough for you to hide in."
"He won't bug you if you're already asleep. Just turn off the light and pretend." Rise chuckled.
"Rise, I'm serious." He turned her around so that they were facing each other. Maybe this was what she wanted, to get under his skin.
"I'm serious too." Rise's eyes narrowed, her tone dropping with a hint of seduction. She had trouble removing her other pigtail, but with Naoto's help, it was undone within mere seconds. He hid it well - his desire towards her, but ultimately, he was like any normal raging boy with needs.
It happened so fast, and before Naoto knew it, they were kissing, drawn to each other like pins to a magnet. His hands found it natural to bury his fingers into her brown, loose curls, bringing the back of her head forward to deepen their lip-lock. He hovered over her slim figure, hands supporting himself, slowly bending down onto Rise.
"Mmm..." Rise moaned as she felt his fingers slither down her back, tracing the outline of her bra underneath her school uniform. The lights were too bright for the mood so she blindly searched for the control on the bed, placing it on a low setting. She wrapped her hands around his neck as he worked diligently on adoring her with small kisses. She moaned louder and that's when Naoto stopped himself.
"I'm so sorry." Naoto pushed away after a few minutes. He was always able to control his desire, with today being the first exception. "I don't know what came over me."
It didn't take long for Rise to catch her breath since they didn't make out for too long. "It's okay, but I wish you didn't stop."
He didn't want to, but he needed to. Who knew how thin the walls were, it would be potentially problematic if word got out. "I don't want you to get in trouble."
Rise sat beside Naoto before leaning in and to kiss him. It was brief, sweet, and gentle. "So about tomorrow..." She rested her head on his shoulder.
"It's still a no, but maybe we can meet up later?" Naoto already had other plans.
"I guess I can't really complain." Rise closed her eyes while Naoto rested his chin atop her head. They stayed like this for a moment before she broke away and began tying her shoes.
Naoto walked Rise back to her room, conveniently located on the second floor. There were a few students, some who stopped to watch as the two stood across from each other. "Goodnight, Naoto-kun" Rise spoke up first.
"Goodnight, Rise" he held their gaze, unwanting to let go.
The door behind Rise burst open, interrupting their moment as Chie yawned loudly. "Oh, you guys are here?"
"I'll take my leave now." Naoto smiled at Rise and rushed up the stairs. She watched him disappear without another word, wishing that he would have kissed her again and bid her sweet dreams.
-The next day -
As planned, Naoto spent his free time wandering the city alone. He researched the area beforehand to catch a glimpse of the best places to visit. Port Island was completely different from the rural town of Inaba. Everything was so modernized that it looked a bit futuristic.
He spotted a vacant bench and took a seat overlooking the pool of water surrounding Gekkoukan High. The breeze picked up quickly and Naoto fisted the small plastic bag in his hand, which carried a few souvenirs for his Grandpa and Touko.
Did Touko really have feelings towards him? That was what Rise suggested if he recalled correctly. He sent his childhood friend a message earlier, but there was no response, not a single message in his inbox. What if Rise was right, what if something was there, a development that Naoto failed to recognize. What would he do about her? He sank into deep thought while his blue hair fluttered with the wind.
He sat quietly, marveling at the view in front of him. By 6 o' clock, some of the students began to head back to the hotel as night was approaching. And soon, Naoto found himself doing the same thing. He walked down the various streets before stopping at an important commercial area. Certain spots only livened up during the evenings and Naoto stepped into Paulownia mall to explore what it had to offer.
Amongst the shops was Club Escapade, a night scene filled with blaring music and strobing lights. Naoto wrapped the small plastic bag into his pocket and hovered over the bar. A bartender came shortly, expecting the Detective Prince to request his drink. "Do you have anything that's non-alcoholic?"
"Do we?" The young man raised his eyebrow. When he found Naoto stern-faced and a little annoyed, he cracked into a grin and pulled out a glass to fill. "That's all we ever serve nowadays."
"Hm, I see." Naoto took his seat as the man began mixing up a drink that he assumed would be his.
"You look new here."
"I'm just visiting on a school trip." Naoto replied as the music coursed into his body.
"Ah, well if that's the case, the first one's on the house." The man placed the orange colored drink onto the bar with a sincere smile.
"Woah! So this is a club!" Kanji exclaimed as they stepped into Club Escapade. The floor was glowing with a blue hue as teenagers shuffled about, dancing together at the center of the floor.
"Whoo! I'm totally ready for this!" Chie jumped up with excitement.
The group turned to the bar and found the Detective Prince alone, sitting quietly with an orange drink in hand. Rise marched up to him first with Yu and the others trailing behind her. "Hey, Naoto-kun, I didn't think you'd be here."
"Rise..." Naoto set the glass down and directed himself to the others. "Yes, well I was walking along and happened to drop by. The clientele here seems to be above board, so I don't expect there'll be any problems." Naoto pushed back the empty glass and thanked the bartender for the drink, he then turned to Rise's group. "I...should head back now."
"Wait, you're leaving?" Chie asked as Naoto pushed his way through Yu and Yosuke.
"Why don't you hang out with us?" Yukiko offered happily. Naoto stopped in his tracks.
"Are you...asking me to stay?" He asked, wide eyed.
"Uh-huh, we didn't get to chat much last time." Yukiko stepped forward while Naoto moved back.
"Yeah, and you're free now right?" Rise smiled and immediately took Naoto's hand. "How about it?"
"Hmm, very well if you insist." Naoto blushed completely, even with the lighting the others could tell quite clearly.
"Huh? What's up? You look a little red." Yosuke smiled.
"Th-That's not true!" He studied Rise's hand and pulled away. She simply grinned and skipped between Yu and Yosuke.
"Wait here. I'll go reserve the area upstairs for us." Rise crossed her arms behind her back in search of the club's manager.
Naoto down beside Rise who raised her glass for a toast. There was plenty of food to go around throughout the night, and Chie wasted no time in consuming as much as she could. She paused and looked up at Rise who took another sip from her glass."Are you sure this is okay? Isn't it expensive?"
"No worries." Rise set her glass down onto the table. "Two years ago I had a secret show here, the power went out in the middle of it, and the gig was canceled. They still owe me from then, so they're willing to put this one on the house."
"Well in that case, I'm going to order some more." Chie raised her drink and the other toasted once more.
"Whooooo! I'm not gonna hold back either!" Teddie began swaying back and forh between Yukiko and Kanji.
"Dude...You sound even weirder today..." Kanji pushed Teddie away gently.
"Aww, you're so cold Kanji!" Teddie began moving closer to the notorious blonde delinquent. "Hmm..Kanji, Kanji, I Kanj-ecture that shomething's up! Heeheehee!" Teddie broke out into sudden laughter.
"Man, you're already in high gear?" Yosuke face palmed himself.
"Kanj-ecture...Snrk...Bwahahaha!" Yukiko leaned on Chie's shoulder as she laughed uncontrollably.
"Hey, wait a sec! Are these liquor!?" Yosuke held out his drink as if to study it closely.
"I-I told 'em to give us soft drinks! They're non-alcoholic!" Rise whined and burst into red. "I told them. Really, I did! Really!"
"Aw sheesh...I as wondering why it's so hot..." Chie tugged at the short of her school uniform.
"Is this seriously booze? But the smell's-" Kanji sniffed his drink, there was no particular smell that screamed liquor. Naoto shook his head irritably but remained silent.
"King's gaaaame!" Rise jumped up, startling Youske and Naoto. "Time's like this, adults play the King's game. It's the law...hic" the whole group winced at Rise's drunkenness. "What's their problem? They make me act like a ditz, call me Risette and stuff, and they say I'm a kid...It's so obvious those wrap parties get a lot funner after I go home." Rise stomped her foot angrily. "Moroons! I'm gonna play King's game now and ain't no one gonna stop me!"
"Yet another side of Rise exposed. I wonder if she knows what she's saying." Yosuke scratched the side of his head.
"Kanjiii!" Rise pointed a dainty finger at the bleach blonde boy. "Get the chopsticks ready!"
"Wha-!? Why me?"
"The King's word is law! Chop-chop!" Rise clapped her hands.
It took a couple of minutes for Kanji to set them up and meanwhile, Naoto shook the ice in his cup. He was sure there was no trace of alcohol in their beverages, yet Rise, Teddie and Yukiko acted as if there were. The Detective Prince sighed as Rise munched on some chocolate crackers. He was growing hot and suddenly felt the need to unbutton his dress-shirt. Yukiko explained to Chie the rules of the game, stating that they would all choose a chopstick with various numbers and one with a red mark. The red mark, indicating a King, would pick a number and say what that person would do, but everyone's numbers would stay a secret until the King gives the order.
"C'mon, everyone draw!" Rise commanded as they all took a single stick."So who's the King?"
"I, the King, command thee to smooch the Kig without delay!" Teddie held up his stuck proudly with the red print. "Smooooch!"
"S-S-Smooch!?" Chie clarified shakily.
"Number one!" Teddie announced. Yu stood up immediately. "I meant number 2!"
"No take backs!" Yosuke argued.
"Smooch! Smooch!" Yukiko chanted happily.
"True love needs a sacrifice just for you Sensei!" Teddie puckered his lips in front of Yu.
"Don't worry senpai, I'll save you!" Kanji jumped in front of Yu as Teddie and him wrestled on the ground. "Ngh!"
Rise stood from her seat and watched the two struggle on the floor. "Ohoo...Only the first round, and two contestants have dropped out already."
"Huh? Is it that kind of game?" Chie asked nervously.
"On to round two!" They mixed the sticks and each drew one again. "Who's the King?" Yu raised his hand and showed the red mark.
"If the last King demanded a smooch, then the next order's gotta be more extreme." Yukiko took a sip from her glass.
Yu nodded and unbuttoned his shirt. Across from the table, on the other side of the wall was a pinwheel for throwing darts. He took one of them and poised himself before shaking his head side to side. The others sat in their seat as they watched him shoot a bulls-eye. "Number 2 sits on my lap!"
"Huh? N-Number 2?" Chie rechecked her stick.
"The King's order is absolute!" Yukiko clapped happily.
Chie looked around for help, but found none. She swallowed her pride and stood in front of Yu, who as usual, kept a straight face. Chie lowered herself slowly onto his lap.
"C'mon, you gotta sit closer up!" Yukiko teased from the other side of the sofa.
"Y-Yukiko! Quiet!" Chie cringed with embarrassment. She waited for a few seconds and returned to her seat.
"Me next, I'm the King!" Rise raised her empty glass.
"But you didn't even draw..." Yosuke complained.
"Shush!" Rise silence him with a single finger. "I want someone to dance with me." She stood up slowly and studied the others carefully. Naoto watched the ice in his cup melt into water, swishing in the glass. "I choose you Naoto!"
"W-What?" He looked very annoyed, but Rise held his hand and pulled him up.
"C'mon, I love this song!" Naoto followed after her and managed to set his glass on the table as they rushed to down the stairs.
"Hey Chie, let's go dance too!" Yukiko smiled and directed herself towards her best friend. They left the boys upstairs as they disappeared into the sea of people below.
Once Rise found a good spot, she twirled and pushed herself up against Naoto. He didn't move at all, which was rather odd. "What's wrong?"
"I don't dance." He replied blandly.
"Naoto-kun, don't be such a party pooper!" Rise whined immaturely. He rolled his eyes in response but grinned slightly. "Hey, you're lying!"
"Okay, I did, once." He admitted shyly.
"Then what are you waiting for!" Rise's eyes glowed brightly as rays of colorful light flashed above. She raised her hands above her head and shook her head, allowing her brown curls to sway all over. He glanced nervously between the other people, not really knowing what to do. "Naoto-kun..." Rise dropped her eyes and whispered into his ear. "Don't think about what the others are doing."
"But-"
"No. Just concentrate...on me." Rise's cheeks brushed against Naoto's before she spun around with her back against his chest. The heavenly scent of her hair enveloped his sense of smell as she swayed from side to side.
"R-Rise?" He felt her drop lower, moving down sensually and rising up while her hands trailed his legs.
"Hmm?" She cocked her head to the side as their eyes met amidst the ray of colorful lights. Naoto opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. His heart was racing so fast he could hear it through his ears. "Hey, Naoto-kun" Rise turned to face him directly while he lowered his head.
"Y-Yes?" He had to press his ear to her lips to hear her clearly.
"I want to do something with you, can we go back to the hotel?" He looked around for his senpais. It would be best to tell them first. From a distance, he found Chie and Yukiko dancing and decided to approach them. "Wait," She took his arm and looked a little worried. "I'll just call them later, it's not a big deal."
Naoto watched the two girls dancing from afar. "Alright."
The halls were quiet as Naoto deduced that most of the students were still out exploring the city. He stopped at Rise's room, but she walked up the stairs leading to Naoto's. "Wait, Rise, where are we going?"
"I don't want to bug Yukiko and Chie senpai when they get back, so can we hang out in your room instead?"
Naoto wasn't too sure about it, but he followed her up the stairs and opened the door to his room as Rise walked in casually. He checked outside for any witnesses and retreated when he found a man and woman walking up in his direction. Naoto closed the door shut a little too fast as he suddenly felt a brief moment of vertigo. He shook his head and noticed that the lights were already dimmed. "Rise?" Naoto hesitantly stepped forward and heard the familiar sound of clothing drop to the ground.
Standing from a distance, Rise's silhouette was the only thing he could make out while his eyes adjusted to the lighting. He looked down and took note of her school uniform on the carpet floor. "W-What are you doing?"
"It's what you think it is." Rise took a few strides and snaked her hands around Naoto, pulling him close for a kiss. She tasted sweet, like the orange flavored soft drinks they drank back at the club.
With his eyes closed, he could tell she was dressed in only her undergarments, the thin fabric protecting the small portions of her fair skin. He wanted to pull away and ask why she was acting so strange, but every time he did, Rise's advances grew more aggressive.
"Naoto-kun, I want you...to be my first."
"F-First?" He swallowed hard.
"We're in a love hotel after all and I didn't want this opportunity to go to waste."
"R-Rise, what are you talking about?"
"Do you love me Naoto-kun?" Rise nestled her head at the crook of his neck.
It took a few seconds for him to reply. "Y-Yes, of course I do."
"Then show me." She brought him in and pushed him back against the bed until he toppled over. "I don't want to think that your words are empty. If you really love me, then show me."
"It's not that I don't want to. I-I just can't." Panic sank in faster than he had thought. If Rise continued any further, his secret would be exposed.
"I don't believe you." Rise sat on his chest and took Naoto's hand, slipping it under her bra. "How could you possibly say no to this?"
Naoto's eyes widened in surprise. Rise was being so forward that he admitted he was getting scared. She pushed his hand upwards, cupping her breast effectively.
"Haa!" Rise moaned aloud and Naoto took back his hand.
"I-I don't want to do this Rise." Naoto pushed himself up and crawled back to the end of the water bed. It was difficult since it bounced up and down.
"Don't be so shy about it Naoto-kun!" Rise jumped on his back and bit down on his neck.
"Ah!" He yelled out in surprise and pain. There were goosebumps running all throughout his body now.
"You know, if you're going to be an adult, this is going to be a step in your life that you'll have to take sooner or later." Rise whispered into his ear. Naoto blindly reached out to the array of switches and pressed one, which made the bed spin. With Rise's grip loosening, he rolled off the bed and landed on the floor with a loud thud. "Naoto-kun?"
Naoto groaned and began to pick himself up when Rise suddenly jumped on his back. They both fell to the ground once more.
"Sorry..." Rise winced and sat down. The bed was still spinning and the room dimly lit.
Naoto remained quiet and stood up from the floor. He dusted himself off and didn't bother facing Rise. It looked like he was mad for her previous actions.
"Naoto, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't know what I was thinking." He didn't respond and there was nothing else but the bed's spinning noise to envelope the room. Rise approached him with caution so as not to upset him any further. "A-Are you mad at me?"
"No." Naoto's response was barely audible and Rise would've missed it if she hadn't rested her head behind his back.
"Y-You aren't?"
"No, Rise I'm not mad at you." In truth, he was frustrated with himself. He turned around so that they would be talking face to face. "Rise, you know I love you but-"
"I'm sorry for putting you in that position! I just-I wanted to be close to you." Rise hugged him tightly. "When we were fighting and argueing for weeks, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I was so mad, but when we made up, I became so happy and all I wanted to do was kiss you, hold you, maybe even do more..."
Naoto blinked repeatedly, absorbing the words that sank into his heart. He lifted her chin so that their eyes connected, there was a sudden urge to kiss her, to do just as she had wished.
"I think I'm in love with you." Rise smiled at Naoto, the conviction in her words sounding stronger than ever before.
Mixed with worry and happiness, Naoto felt conflicted. Rise had grown on him over the time he had spent in Inaba, and perhaps, he loved her just as much, but it was only a matter of time before he would be exposed as the liar and cheat that he truly was. Would she still love him then?
"If it's not too much to ask, can I stay with you for a little longer?" Rise burrowed her head onto his chest.
Naoto's ear perked up as a horde of students rustled about from outside. It was about time for curfew, and the first year boys would have returned to retire for the night. "I don't think we have a choice, but you'll have to stay here for the night." His eyes were glued onto the door, it was going to be a long night.
... To be continued
So if you enjoyed this chapter, remember to fave, follow and/or review.
-Replies:
Jazz: after much thought, I think I will keep Naoto's height taller than Rise's.
ValiantLirael: Thanks for you continued support, I hope to keep you and the others on their toes for the duration of the story!
JustAnotherFan: thanks!
PandaCute: i've been wondering about that as well. Thanks for you support!
BEAST-B2ST: I can see Rise reacting that way, haha
Unknown Reader: thanks!
Starpower: Glad you came across the story. Thanks!
Thanks for reading