I spent so much time on this, weaving in and out for the past two months or so. I apologize for the delayed update.

- 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 rolled over to her side and took a deep breath. There was a painful, jarring sensation that rattled her brain as she opened her eyes. Was she dreaming? Slowly, she reached out to the boy in front of her who was breathing quietly, face to face with herself. When her finger connected with his cheek, she was so close to screaming out loud that she had to bite her lip to stay quiet. So he was real after all!

Naoto scrunched his eyebrows together, but didn't wake up. He mumbled in his sleep and burrowed his head onto the soft, plush pillow.

Rise tried to recall what had happened last night, but everything was a complete blur. She closed her eyes and thought long and hard. 'Think' She remembered spending yesterday with Yu and her senpais touring Tatsumi Port Island. The last thing that came to her was when she entered Club Escapade.

But why was she there? 'Wait, did we? Did I-' She flipped the pink bed sheets back, thankful that her clothes were still on, though they were loose, showing some of her skin. There was no way to confirm what really happened, but she looked underneath to find Naoto still dressed in his school uniform, complete with his shirt and pants.

She would be sure to ask him once he was awake, but for now Rise studied Naoto's still figure. He looked so peaceful and relaxed. To think that the Detective Prince had this side to him was new. She crept closer, resting her head onto the pillow. For a boy, Naoto had awfully long lashes and pink, subtle lips. It was almost as if he had a hint of feminine charm. Rise's eyes drifted down to his neck, his shirt unbuttoned down to his collarbone. Aside from his fair skin, there was a glimpse of fabric that seemed to be wrapped around his chest. She swallowed hard and set her hand on his neck, trailing downwards to uncover why it was there. Her fingers ghosted over the last button, her curiousity rising at its peak.

"Umm..." Naoto started off, his eyes full of worry and concern. "W-What are you doing?"

"Oh," Rise retracted her hand immediately. She was so focused on her task that she failed to notice he was already awake. "I-I didn't know you were already up!"

"Y-Yeah" Naoto pulled up his shirt, if he had woken a second later, perhaps Rise would've uncovered the truth.

"So anyways..." Rise set a hair strand of her hair behind her ear. "About last night, what happened exactly? And why am I in your room?"

Naoto brushed his blue hair back. "You don't remember? W-Well, it was eventful, to say the least." He owed her the truth, there was no point in hiding it. Naoto sat up, the hairs on the back of his head unruly as ever.

"What do you mean 'eventful'?"

Should he tell her that he was openly assaulted? That Rise threw herself at him after they had spent the night playing games at Club Escapade? "Last night, you...didn't act like yourself." Naoto covered his mouth with his hand to conceal his blush.

"Did I do...something with you?" Rise's heart began to race. Her hand gripped the bed sheets with anticipation.

"S-Sort of. You...uh...kind of threw yourself onto me." Naoto's ear began to burn. There was no easy way to explain last night's events. "When we were in Club Escapade, you were high from the atmosphere and-"

"O-Oh, really?" Rise felt so embarassed she didn't know what else to say or how to respond. The headache resurfaced and she winced in pain. Naoto tended to her immediately and held her protectively.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just woke up having this terrible headache." She knit her eyebrows together and closed her eyes, shutting out as much of the pain as she could.

"I should have some medicine in my bag." Naoto suggested and began to scoot away from Rise. "Let me get it."

"I don't think it's that serious, so for now, could you just stay by my side?" Rise's hand was intertwined with Naoto, her grip loosening as she felt her body grow weak. Naoto sighed and returned to her side. "If what you said is true, about last night, that I wasn't acting like myself, then I want you to know that I'm really sorry." Rise dropped her head. "I feel so humiliated - what could I possibly do to make it up to you?"

The Detective Prince sat in silence, breathing quietly as he tried to find the right way for her to compensate him. "You can tell me one thing."

"And that would be?"

"Rise Kujikawa, a straight answer please. What is your involvement with the case?"

She looked up at Naoto who was completely serious about his question. "You want the truth." Rise knew it was a long shot, but she decided to give it a try. "We go rescuing people who've been kidnapped by jumping into a TV." Naoto raised an eyebrow. "And then we do stuff like persona and beat up these things called shadows."

"Are you making fun of me?" Naoto sighed with disappointment, that was not the answer he had hoped to receive.

"No, it's true Naoto-kun!" Rise shook his arm. "We say stuff like persona!"

"...I see now that you have no intention of telling me the truth." Naoto turned away, he hoped that by questioning Rise, he would've made some progress with his investigation.

"You don't believe me?"

"How could I? Do you even hear yourself?" Naoto pulled away abruptly. "I've already told you about my history, a glimpse of my personal life. This isn't a game to me Rise!"

"I'm not saying it is, Naoto-"

"Enough!" He raised his voice unexpectedly and clenched his hands into fists. "I'm sorry, but I just can't listen to anymore of your excuses. If you didn't want to tell me the truth, you should've said so." Naoto slipped into his shoes and opened his bag, setting out the medicine that would remedy Rise's headache. "It's still early out, so if you are feeling better please take the medicine and leave." Naoto turned the knob and slammed the door shut leaving Rise alone on his bed.

Naoto trudged into the hallway, his hand patting his hair to find the absence of cap. He muttered a few words and leaned back against one of the walls. What was he expecting from Rise anyways? The anger and frustration built up rather quickly and Naoto spun to throw a fist at the wall. "Aggghh!" His knees grew weak and he groaned in pain while his hand began to swell.

The door beside him burst open and Kanji looked around until he found the culprit. "What the hell? Who did that-"

The Detective Prince whimpered quietly on the ground, shaking his injured hand to dispel an ounce of the searing pain.

"N-Naoto?" Kanji frowned to mask his indignant blush. "What are you doing outside in the hall? And why are you on the ground?"

Hearing Kanji's voice brought him back to reality. Hitting the wall was one the stupidest things he had ever done in his life and he regretted doing it as his knuckes radiated with pain. "I was just walking around." He lied through his teeth.

"And you conveniently decided to punch my room's wall..." Kanji crossed his arms and observed Naoto's injury. "Seriously man, what got you so worked up to do something so stupid?"

"It was nothing, I wasn't thinking straight." Naoto looked away, thinking that perhaps Rise had already left his room.

"Well you sure as hell weren't!" Kanji marched up to him and immediately took Naoto's hand. Apparently, after getting into numerous fights, he knew exactly what to do to with such injuries. "It's going to swell and it's going to sting. You need to ice it down."

"Thank you, Kanji. Really, I appreciate it." Naoto managed a weak but sincere smile.

Kanjo blinked twice as he accepted Naoto's words. He held onto the boy's hand longer than he expected.

"Anyways, this isn't going to be a big deal. I've had worse." Naoto gently removed his hand and flexed it, opening it slowly.

"Y-You have?"

"Yes." Naoto leaned on his side. "The career as a Detective isn't an easy one. Sometimes, when things get out of hand, there are injuries sustained - some ranging from minor to fatal wounds."

"Oh, I see." Kanji's eyes dropped to the floor. He never thought that Naoto was involved with such a dangerous job.

Naoto nodded in agreement. "Yes. Well, I think it best for me to tend to my hand now." He stepped back and set his sight on Kanji. "I apologize if my actions had woken you up so early."

"I-It's no trouble, I was already awake." Kanji waved his hand back and forth. "Just make sure you get your hand fixed."

"I will." Naoto grinned and walked back to his room. He slid his card over the door, opening the door to his room. Rise stood across from him at an arm's distance.

"Look, Naoto, about earlier..." Rise shifted from side to side. "About what I said-"

"Perhaps you were still inebriated from last night. Although, I don't understand how you could've possibly been that way since I had confirmed there was no alcohol in our beverages." Naoto massaged his forehead, feeling a migraine surfacing.

"Can we just forget about it?" Rise sounded frantic to put it all behind her. "I don't want us to fight again."

Naoto sighed and scratched the back of his ear. He didn't want to fight about it either, there were other matters that were far more important. "Very well, consider it forgotten."

Rise's eyes lit up and she walked up to Naoto. "Listen, I've wanted to ask you something for a while now..."

Naoto hoped it wasn't going to be a repeat of last night's events. His shoulders tensed, but he waited patiently for her to continue.

"Naoto, I like you a lot and I want us to be more than friends." Rise took a deep breath and pressed on. "I think I've already made it pretty obvious." She grinned and studied her shoes intently. "But I want to take the next step with you - as my..." Rise's voice dropped dramatically, the last of her words lost as Naoto tried to comprehend the rest on his own.

"I'm sorry, as your what?"

"As my lover." Rise pressed her hands together, clenching them as tight as she could while waiting for Naoto's response.

"L-L-Lover?" The Detective Prince stuttered in surprise. "You mean like your boyfriend?" Naoto swallowed hard, his heart racing as fast as a bullet train running at full speed.

"Yes, if that's okay with you." Rise finally looked up to find Naoto blinking wildly, his face startled and cheeks ablaze. "I'm only considering this since we've been through so much together. But if you don't want too..."

It was aparrent that they were more than just friends. If Naoto were to refuse, it would look as though he was only in it for the physical aspects. That wasn't what he wanted, especially since his feelings towards Rise were growing stronger every day. He cared about her and she made him feel...different, the pleasant kind. "Rise, I have my answer."

"You do?" She crossed her fingers, hoping hard that he would accept willingly.

"I came into Inaba thinking that there was more to the mystery - that there was something I had to do about it. But everything ended much quicker than I had expected and I was prepared to head back to the city and resume life to how it was. Had it not been for my Grandfather's suggestion, I would not have entered school at Yasogami High. " The pain from Naoto's hand resurfaced, but he kept a straight face for Rise's sake. "And then I met you, one of the most stubborn, clingy-"

Naoto continued on with harsh insults, causing Rise to slowly puff her cheeks with anger. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself when the Detective Prince paused and grinned. This was exactly what he intended to do!

"To sum it all up, you're quite the handful." Naoto closed his eyes, he could sense Rise's frustration and frightening aura, if he didn't continue sooner, there would probably be blood. "Then over time, I knew there was more to you than just that. You're kind, sweet, caring. Rise, when I'm with you, I feel as though I can do anything."

Naoto's words struck a chord in Rise's heart. Did he really mean them? She gazed up at him, the sincerity in his eyes absolute.

"I think that I may be in love with you, Rise Kujikawa." Naoto ran a finger along her cheek, his forehead resting against hers.

"So is that a yes?" Rise asked expectantly and Naoto nodded in agreement. She happily hugged him, squeezing him as tight as she could. "You don't know how happy I am right now." Naoto wrapped his hands around her waist. "...But just for the record, can you say it again?"

He brushed their noses together, the air between them growing scarce with every passing second. "I love you, Rise Kujikawa."

"And I love you too, Naoto Shirogane." Rise desperately captured his lips, seizing the perfect moment she had wished for all along - his confession. Cupping her face with a gentle hand, he deepened their kiss, his soul burning with a passion that he just couldn't control.

Was this what love truly felt like? With Rise's back against the wall and Naoto's breath lingering along the slope of her neck, he believed that hidden beneath all those lies, there was some truth - that he did love Rise, with his whole heart.

Beyond Naoto's door stood Kanji, his hand hovering over the wooden frame. He had heard every single word, realizing that Naoto was not alone. His hand held the bag of ice along with some bandages that he had intended to give the boy. Slowly, he backed away, walking back to his room with the heavy burden of his broken heart.

With the school trip coming to an end, the group decided to have lunch at the Shopping District close to Iwatodai Station at Hawakagure Ramen.

"This place serves the best ramen in town." Rise explained to her senpais who were busily chowing down the food. "When we were filming, a lot of time I came here instead of eating boxed lunches." She looked over at Yukiko who hadn't picked up her utensils at all. "What's wrong? You're not hungry?"

"Um...What happened last night? I don't remember much." Yukiko's bowl of ramen remained untouched and Naoto looked at Rise.

"I'm not quite sure either but I heard it got pretty wild." Rise noticed Naoto eyeing her and they both looked away in embarrassment.

"I see...but I don't remember at all..." Yukiko replied sadly. She had hoped to have saved some memories of their school trip.

"Oh, don't worry about it too much Yukiko." Chie rubbed her back for assurance. "Nothing special happened anyways...hehe...he." It was a good thing she lost her memory. There was no way she could live out the King's Game and last night's events.

"I love how the flavor never changes. I couldn't come here too often because it's high in carbohydrates, so being able to eat as much as I want is like a dream!" Rise shared with Yukiko who now took a bite of her food.

"Oh...This is delicious! It has an interesing taste that makes you hungry for more!" Yukiko happily agreed.

Kanji wiped his mouth and looked over at Naoto and Rise who were sitting side by side. They seemed to be happy together, chatting and laughing in between bites of their food. 'So now they're officially dating.' He blinked several times until Yu noticed Kanji's awkward silence.

"Something on your mind?"

"O-Oh, me?" Yu nodded and Kanji set his chopsticks down. "Yeah I guess you can say that. S-Senpai, just between you and me, what does it feel like, being in a relationship?"

Yu looked over his shoulder at glanced at Naoto and Rise who were having a great time together. "Well it's-" He shared his experiences with Kanji who began to grow pink. When he'd had enough of Yu's sappy love stories, he returned to finishing his bowl of ramen.

"Another bowl please! And keep the noodles hard!" Teddie announced aloud.

"Is it okay for you to be out in the open like this?" Yosuke lifted his chopsticks, directing them at Rise.

"It's fine. See those signing boards? My autograph's up there too, but the cook doesn't give me a second glance. That's just how it is here. Plus, I'm barely wearing any makeup." Rise shrugged and took a sip from her half eaten bowl. She was eating it quicker compared to Naoto. He relealized that she really loved her ramen.

"You know what I think? The reason they didn't notice you is 'cause this bear sticks out like a soar thumb." Chie pointed our Teddie who was scarfing down his ramen.

Yosuke silently nodded while Yu and Kanji stopped to watch their unusual friend. "Huh? Where's my bowl?" Yukiko asked openly. Teddie stopped and dropped his chopsticks. "You didn't eat it...did you?"

"Y-You didn't finish, so...ahaha" Teddie laughed nervously.

"But I was going to!" Yukiko yelled out in protest.

"Oh, Yukiko, you can have some of mine." Chie pushed her remnants toward her direction.

"How many have you eaten? Wait- Gimme the check! Let's see here..." Yosuke studied the number intently. "One, two...T-Ten bowls?"

"Yuki-chan makes it eleven!" Teddie rocked back and forth in his seat before belching.

"But I was going to finish mine..." Yukiko was close to tears.

Naoto wiped his mouth with a napkin and checked the time on his phone. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but it's close to the meeting time.

"Aww, already?" Chie whined. "I thought this trip was gonna be a bore...But now that it's over, I actually had a good time. Hey, I just thought about it, but we should get Nanako-chan a souvenir."

The others agreed, there was a small shop nearby. "Then we should get going now, c'mon Teddie." Yosuke paid his bill and the group did as well. They were at the door when they noticed Teddie hadn't left his seat.

"Dude, don't make me rub your fur the wrong way-" Kanji managed a fist and grumpily walked over to the blue bear. When he tugged and grasped a fistful of his fur, there was no reaction. "D-Dude, he's not moving. Is this normal? Is he hibernating?"

"A-Are you serious?" Rise started to look panicked.

"My tummy's heavy." Teddie complained in his seat.

"Leave him here!" Yukiko suggested angrily, she was still upset over her stolen bowl of ramen.

"I ate too much...Can't move. Someone carry me!" Teddie wiggled his arms slowly.

"I musn't be late for our rendezvous. So if you would excuse me." Naoto began walking away and Yukiko was quick to follow.

"Ah, wait for me!" Chie caught up the two with a sprint.

"H-Hey, I really can't move! And I don't have the money for a return ticket." Teddie panicked in his seat.

Yu, Yosuke, Kanji and Rise circled the unfortunate bear. "Farewell, Teddie we shall leave you here with, along with our memories of youth." They clapped their hands together and bowed in respect before leaving the ramen shop.

"H-Hey wait! You guys...You can't be serious! Hehe...he...Guys?!"

The train ride home was quite long and somewhere along the trip, Naoto had fallen asleep beside Rise. His head lolled to the side until it landed on her shoulder. They were in the same cart with Yukiko and Chie who were both eyeing them with smiles plastered on their faces.

"Well you guys seem to be really close again." Chie grinned at the two. "I'm glad you were able to fix things quickly."

"Yeah..." Rise stroked Naoto's hair slowly. Was he tired? Maybe he didn't get any sleep last night. She froze, recalling Naoto's words. Things were out of control, but just how crazy did she get?

"A-Anyways, why didn't you return to the room last night?" Chie whispered into Rise's ear. "I was worried, you didn't message me at all. The last I saw you was at the club. I would've gone out looking for you, but I was stuck taking care of Yukiko."

"I...I don't remember." Rise was still having trouble recalling the events. "I'm sorry for making you worry."

"Ah, I guess it's okay. I'm just glad you're alright. But where did you sleep? You never returned to our room. Did you lose your card key?" Yukiko toppled over onto her shoulder, she had fallen asleep as well. It must've been because she didn't have a proper meal, no thanks to Teddie. Chie positioned Yukiko into a more comfortable position.

"Actually, I think I spent the night with Naoto." Rise kept her voice low, she didn't want to make a scene or start any rumors. "And no, I didn't lose my card key."

"Y-You what?!" Yukiko slumped down and Chie had to pick her up quickly. "S-So what does that mean?"

"That's the thing, I don't know." Naoto was still fast asleep on Rise's shoulder. "I don't remember any of it. I remember being at the club, and then the next thing I was in his room."

Chie was blushing so hard she turned tomato red. "And here I thought you were just joking about what you said the day before...I never expected you to be so bold Rise."

"I asked Naoto what happened and he said that I lost control, but I don't think he took advantage of the situation. He's not that kind of guy." The Detective Prince shifted his head and remained fast asleep. "I don't know why, but I sense that he's different from the other boys."

Chie didn't know what Rise was implying, but she was right, Naoto did have a different aura. He was reserved and softspoken, but when the ocassion presented himself he was confident in his words and his actions. "It's hard to think that he's the hardboiled detective we know when he's peacefully asleep." Chie cracked into a grin.

"I thought the same exact thing this morning." Rise and Chie exchanged smiles. "He also has some feminine characteristics too."

"What?!" Chie leaned closer noticing the characteristics that Rise pointed out. "Wow, you're right." Yukiko stirred in her sleep and Chie repositioned her best friend. "So are you two dating yet?"

"He confessed to me today and I accepted." Rise giggled lightly. "Well, actually we both did."

"R-Really? That's sweet."

"I just hope it stays this way because I don't just like him, I love him."

"You're really serious about this, aren't you." Chie watched Naoto's eyes flutter and open. He lifted his head from Rise's shoulder and blinked drowsily. Their little conversation concerning Naoto was practically over. He asked where they were and adjusted to his seat. The cummulative stares from a few students staring at the development between Rise and him didn't bother him anymore, or at least not as much.

"We're almost there, you sort of knocked out a few minutes into the ride." Rise intertwined their fingers together.

"I see. My apologies if I troubled you Rise. I didn't seem to get any sleep last night."

"It's no problem at all, silly." Rise chuckled and the two began yet another interesting conversation.

'It must be nice to be in love.' Chie wondered as Yukiko took a deep breath on her shoulder and she closed her eyes for a short nap.

After escorting Rise safely to her home, she invited him to stay a bit longer. Her Grandmother was still out and she hoped to do more things with Naoto now that their relationship was rekindled.

"But aren't you tired?" The Detective Prince asked. They stood outside of Marukyu Tofu, the sun slowly setting onto the village.

"Not really. Believe me, I've had much rougher days." Rise winked at Naoto happily and took his hand, leading him up the flight of stairs and into her room.

Before he could even protest, Rise opened the door and pulled him in. Her room was small with enough space to accomodate the two of them. The walls were painted pink, the color that reflected Rise's charming personality. Scattered atop her desktop were some books and papers that would've been school related material. Other than that, her room was tidy and neat.

"Come to think of it, this is the first time you've been here." Rise kicked off her shoes and sat on the bed.

"Yes, it is." Naoto shifted from side to side, standing by the door as if he didn't feel entirely welcome.

"What are you doing all the way there?" Rise fell back against the mattress and rolled to her side giggling. "Come over here." She waved her hand towards him, beckoning the Detective Prince to come closer.

"I don't think I should-"

"Naoto-kun!" Rise whined over and over.

It was always like this. Naoto sighed and closed the door behind him. "You really are a handful, Rise Kujikawa." He crossed his arms and took a seat on her bed.

"Look who's talking!" Rise sat up and puffed her cheeks at the Detective Prince. Naoto simply rolled his eyes at Rise, a smirk forming along his lips from enjoyment. "Naoto-kun!"

"What-" Rise tackled him on her bed, her head resting above his chest. For a brief moment, Naoto felt worried being so close to Rise, but then she released a laugh that echoed within the confines of her room.

"You're heart is racing really fast." Rise smiled at herself. "I wonder if it's because of me."

"What if your Grandmother walks in?" Naoto looked up at the ceiling, calculating a series of worst case scenarios in his mind. "What will she think about...this?"

"You know, you really need to relax." Rise lifted her head and directed her words towards Naoto. "My Grandmother's with a few of her friends right now. She won't be back for a while."

"I see..." Naoto wasn't entirely convinced, but he decided to trust Rise for now. It wasn't like he was planning to stay for long anyways.

"Can you sleep over for tonight?" Rise whispered into his ear. "I hate that I can't remember what happened when you did back at Tatsumi Port Island."

"That's not a good idea." Naoto scrunched his eyebrows together. "Besides, my Grandpa would be worried sick if I didn't return right away."

"Fine." Rise grinned onto his neck. "I hate how you're always right."

"That's not true, not all the time." Naoto defended himself as Rise cupped both of his cheeks in her hands.

"But you know, at least I'm right about one thing."

"And what might that be?"

"You!" Rise smiled happily at Naoto, which may have been her biggest and most joyous one yet. The Detective Prince blinked repeatedly, his eyes softening just before she kissed him on his cheek.

With the house growing eerily quiet, he could hear the faint sounds of bugs cricketing from outside, as well as the rhythm of his heart. It was only a matter of time before it would change its pace and beat rapidly, like how it always did when he was around Rise. Her lips stayed at his cheek, tempting him to make the next move.

Growing nervous with evey passing second, Naoto unknowingly pulled her into an embrace.

Rise caressed the back of his ears with her fingers then shifted her weight before initiating a kiss. What surprised Naoto was not the warmth of her lips, but rather the unexpected force of her tongue. He mumbled some muffled words and tightened his grip on her blouse. It was different from past experiences, as though Rise discarded all her restraint and poured all her energy into this soul searing kiss.

With eyes clenched shut, Rise pressed on until Naoto slowly began to return her kiss with equal fervor. She didn't think he would respond so quickly. Pleased and thoroughly amused, she broke away and set her tongue onto Naoto's neck.

The Detective Prince released an uncharacteristic whimper as his whole body turned rigid. She trailed her tongue upwards and bit his ear cheekily.

Naoto's shoulders tensed as his breath quickened. He tucked his head onto Rise's neck before turning the tables and he hovered above her. His heart was racing so fast that his mind was becoming a blur, his thoughts slowing to a halt despite knowing the current situation. The logical response would've been to stop and walk away, but he couldn't bring himself to do that - not when he felt the strong need to reciprocate Rise's former actions. He continued where they left off, his lips ever so quick to capture Rise's own while his hands roamed freely over her body.

"Naoto-" She took a fistful of his hair while he adored her skin with an array of kisses. It was a sweet and enjoyable sensation that had her toes curling from pleasure.

Soon, he felt Rise fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, her fingers moving skillfully to remove them as quick as she could. That's when Naoto caught himself and eased away slowly. He didn't want to stop, but he knew he had to.

Rise felt guilty. Was she moving too fast? Naoto ran a hand through his hair, the discomfort in his eyes refelecting clearly. "I'm sorry Naoto-kun. I always end up losing myself when I'm with you."

Naoto sat down and leaned forward. "There's no need to apologize. I feel the same way too." Rise wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her chest as close to his back. He looked around her room until his eyes were fixed on one particular piece of furniture - the t.v. Suddenly, it dawned on him that the answer he'd been searching for was right there all along, under his nose. He sat still until Rise set her head next to his.

"Are you okay? You got quiet all of a sudden." Rise tightened her grip around Naoto.

"Huh? Yes, I'm alright." As carefully as he could, the Detective Prince removed Rise's hands and stood up. "I just remembered that there's something I need to take care of right away." He bent down to retrieve his blue cap and dusted it off.

"Oh," Rise masked her disappointment as best as she could.

"I wish I could stay longer, but it's really important." Naoto checked the time on his phone and began heading towards the doorway.

"Wait!" Rise held his hand, her grip tightening as she kissed him one more time. She opened her eyes but didn't release Naoto's hand. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

The Detective Prince blinked twice before responding. "Of course."

Not wanting to release Naoto, Rise wrapped her hands around his neck pulling him close once more. She didn't want him to leave so soon. He embraced her back, stroking her brown curls slowly. "Goodnight Rise." Naoto gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before they parted and she reluctantly watched him descend the flight of stairs.

After walking a safe distance from Marukyu Tofu, Naoto opened his cellphone and dialed a certain number. He stood underneath the lamp post and patiently waited for his call to be answered. "Hello, Inaba TV Station. How can I help you?"

"Goodevening, this is Detective Naoto Shirogane of the Yaso Inaba PD." He looked around the empty street, focusing on the faint light emitting from Rise Kujikawa's bedroom. "I'd like to take up your producer's offer on the interview regarding my involvement with the series of cases."

... To be continued

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