A/N: Did I say that this chapter would have the summer festival? Ehhhhh maybe. But nope, this is a chapter I wrote to kinda build some things up for the future event I'm planning... the chapter name should be hinting as to what's happening, no? Enjoy! /manitwashardtowritethistbh
Also, seems like Malaysia did block this website... wow. I wonder what else can my gov ruin. Anyway, I'm able to bypass the block by using Google's DNS, but who knows how long that'll last? Just in case one day I can't access this site anymore, just know that this fanfic will still be posted on AO3! Check that one if this fanfic doesn't have an update in a long while (which I'll usually tell you guys why... but check if there's no news from me!).
Creedpah
- Welp, I might do some omakes when this story is either finished or I'm suddenly down with writer's block (which I hope wouldn't happen because I brainstorm for ideas whenever I'm bored lol)
- Alright, the slash incident theory is correct, but the reason why it happened in the first place has nothing to do with her family... you've only scratched the surface :3
- The other theory... it's not really accurate? But I'll just put in what you got right and correct a few things!
~ She does hate (hate is a strong word... I think it's a little milder than hate) her grandfather and is burdened with having to inherit the company, and she was able to continue being a delinquent due to her parents' neglect (but they do eventually learn that she's one), but the slashing incident was not done to damage her reputation. It did 'backfire', and the end result was that she's now haunted by her deliquent days and her grandfather's company.
- I hope you enjoy this chapter then! It's a change from Yui's days in Inaba... :D
The next morning, Yui got a call from Chie who told her that Yosuke was in a bind due to having not enough employees working at Junes, and that he might ask her to 'rescue him'. The brunette was going to help the guy out, but Yui – or rather, Yu was welcome to help out as well. The call ended there, leaving her wondering if she should go and help him out tomorrow… before she could reach a conclusion, her cell rang again. Raising an eyebrow, she answered the call. "Hello?"
"Yui? It's me, your grandfather's secretary."
"Mr. Tadashi?" Yui tensed up as she recognised that voice on the other end of the line. "…What is it this time?"
"Well… it's a bit of a problem."
Taking a deep breath, the silver-haired girl's grip on her cell phone tightened. This isn't like the last few times where he called her before. "Go on."
"You recall that your father is the CEO of the company, yes? And this year, the designing team has created a new fashion line for this year's autumn…"
"And he isn't here… so you want me to be his substitute? I hope that is not what you're suggesting."
"…I'm sorry. It's under your grandfather's orders."
There it is.
"Why can't he be the one to do it? He's the chairman, he's the one who's above my own father in the company..."
"You know I can't answer that…"
"Of course not. You're not him." Frustration was evident in Yui's voice as she spoke. "Inaba is hours away from Tokyo, and he wants me to go there for an event he can easily do for himself. I have my own responsibilities here, and I can't just leave without a word… hell, why should I go?"
"Don't use that word with me, Yui. I understand why you'd feel that way, but you are still a Narukami. This company was built by your grandfather's hands – you have the responsibility to keep it alive aside from what you have now."
The urge to just end the call there was tempting, but when she thought back to her time as a delinquent, especially that one day in an abandoned factory… she couldn't bear the thought of destroying what she had left of her grandmother's words in her. "…Fine… when are you coming?"
"Tomorrow, I'll pick you up around eight in the morning. The event is the day after tomorrow, and you'll be allowed to go back the next day after that. He only wants you to lead the event, and that's all. You don't need to bring much – just bring the suit you wore the other day, and everything else will be supplied to you from the mansion in the city suburbs."
"Alright… can you do a favour for me in return?" Yui didn't want Yosuke to end up being short a guy that could help him out of his predicament at Junes. She knew that there should be a few workers at the company that would be willing to travel to Inaba just to help out in return for a raise or something of similar value.
"What do you need?"
"A few workers that can come to Inaba to help out at a store for a few days, starting tomorrow. Will that be possible?"
"That shouldn't be too hard… but it won't be easy either. What does the company get in return?"
"I'll talk with someone at the place on what they can do. Please get a small group ready by tonight for the trip there."
"…Yes, Yui. I'll see you soon."
"Goodbye, Mr. Tadashi." Yui ended the call, shaking her head while she stared at her phone. Substituting her father at an announcement for a new fashion line… she's only watched him do the work, but she never did it herself. She'll literally be facing dozens of guests, VIPs and reporters - she might even have to introduce herself as her grandfather's grandson. Sighing heavily, she could only get herself ready to go out and finish what she had to do today, including informing Yosuke that she won't be available to help.
That'll be difficult to do without telling why.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Yu's attempts to call Yosuke wouldn't connect for some reason – was the brunet that busy working at Junes? This brought a huge wrench in his plans… he might have to do it on the spot tomorrow which is terrible enough, but it'll have to do. In the meanwhile, he was on the way to Junes when he spotted Hisano by the riverbank again. The old lady had a wistful gaze again while she observed the shine of the flowing river, and the silver-haired teenager felt a pang of sorrow hit him in the chest at the sight of it. She reminded him of his late grandmother…
Eventually, he gave in to his memories… and he quietly approached her. "Hisano, ma'am…?"
Hisano turned her head to look at him, seeming surprised to see him there. "Oh, Yu-chan…"
"I was… just wondering if you'd like to talk today."
"…Yes, I would like to talk." The old lady looked like she had regained her composure since the last time they talked.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The two of them sat down by the riverside like last time, the sounds of the river drowning out the noise by the cicadas.
"You frightened me there... I thought you were my husband..." Hisano admitted to the teenager sitting next to her. "Watching the river here with you, like this, brings back memories..."
"Of what, may I ask…?" Yu asked her, curious of what she meant.
"Of when I was still young, before I became this wrinkled old lady." Hisano smiled at the memory. "I met my husband here in this town. I was born and raised here, and he was part of a travelling company of actors. They'd come to town once a year... when I was small, my family took me to see the play... that's when I met my husband, who was a child actor. He had clear, pale skin, and he spoke completely differently from the other children... he was my first love."
She stared up at the sky, recalling her younger days. "Every year, he would come... and every year, I would watch... I gathered all the courage I had and talked to him. By some miracle, he fell in love with me, too... we would just talk behind the stage. One date every year." She then lowered her gaze to look at Yu with that same, gentle smile. "Haha... I thought he was just flirting with me, but I thought that was okay... but do you know what he did? He quit the company and said he would live here, and marry me! He did fieldwork, though he didn't know how... he would come home and show me his blisters. He was so proud..."
She stared at her lap after that. "...I was happy back then."
Yu could only smile at that. "I'm jealous." To love someone and find that their feelings were reciprocated is one of the greatest joys he wished he could have, but his feelings towards the boy who held them now might as well be buried under countless lies. He can never have that joy, not as long as his façade still stands.
"I'm sure the day will come where you'll be so happy you could just cry out of happiness. No, there are many people who are in the midst of happiness... they just don't realize it. If you don't know what you should hold dear, then your life is just a journey without a destination." The old lady smiled back at him, though it soon fell. "Right now... all I want to do is be by his side… but I know I never will. He went to Heaven... and I will surely go to Hell."
Those words sent a shiver down Yu's spine. "That's not true..." She was so sweet – what could she have ever done in the past that will condemn her to a place like Hell…?
Hisano merely smiled sadly at him. "…You're so kind."
…With it, the Death Social Link grew in strength.
"I must be going now. It gets cold here, down by the river," Hisano told him after a moment of silence passed between them. "...I'll see you later, Yu-chan."
"Goodbye, ma'am."
They parted ways that evening.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Upon arriving home, Yu noticed that Dojima was sitting at the dining table, staring intently at something in a book of some sorts… it looked like data about cars. "Uncle?"
"Hey, Yu." The detective lifted his head to look at his nephew. "I heard you got top marks on that last exam. Keeping up your studies while taking care of Nanako, too…? You're one hard working, aren't you?"
"Ah, it's not much…"
"No, really." The man smiled at the silver-haired boy. "I need to act like an uncle every so often and give you some spending money. Here you go… a big tip. But don't spend it all in… nah, you can use it however you like."
He gave Yu a lot of money… forty thousand yen, in fact. It almost made the teenager panic at the huge sum he just got. T-thank you…" Guess he could use this for… wait. The killer had already been caught… he didn't have much use for this money now, other than buying some things from the shopping district…
…He'll just keep it since his uncle gave it to him anyway. Plus, he had to tell him that he'll be away for a while too. "Um, I also won't be at home for a few days before the summer festival…"
"Why is that?" Dojima raised an eyebrow at that.
"Family business."
"…Oh." The detective had expected that much. "When will you be going?"
"Tomorrow, in the morning. I might be back by Wednesday or Thursday…"
"Alright. Be careful out there, Yu." With that, Dojima went back to looking at the book with his full attention. Yu stared at him for a moment, wondering if he should do something. "…Want some coffee?" The silver-haired boy offered, knowing how to at least make a cup of coffee. Not as good as Dojima's, but it could pass for an average cup of joe.
His offer only made the man smile wryly at him. "...That's my job. Don't worry about it." He looked away for a moment before gazing at Yu again. "Oh yeah. I was thinking about this when talking with Nanako just now, but... I feel like she's changed a bit lately. I don't know how to put it... she's stronger... I feel like I'm being left behind..." He seemed troubled by that… he then glanced around the house, a smile coming to his lips. "Ever since you came, this house has become, well... home-y. A house isn't just a big box. It's a place for a family to live together. Laughing, crying, fighting... spending most of your lives together... a warm place."
Dojima's smile fell, a regretful frown taking its place. "I forgot what that was like... I wanted to get that back more than anything... and yet, I feel like I've been dodging it the whole time." He stared at his nephew with a sharp look in his eyes. "Do you understand why?"
Yes, he did.
"Because you're a coward," Yu answered without hesitation, staring back at his uncle. He was familiar with those feelings, and it still lives within him in a different form. It's been in all kinds of forms… and he'll keep it if it meant he could still retain what he had now.
Dojima was somewhat astonished that the teenager who stood in front of him clearly stated the true cause of his actions. He chuckled, nodding at that answer. "Hah! You punk. You nailed it. That's it exactly..." He smiled peacefully, hearing the exact answer he wanted to hear. "We've been in the same place, but we weren't connected. You brought the two of us together." His face then turned serious as he looked down at the book in front of him. "The rest... is my problem. Where do I draw the line with this...?"
His quiet determination could be felt from his voice… and so the Hierophant Social Link became stronger.
After a few moments, Dojima shook his head with a carefree grin. "Ahhh, screw this! I'm drinking tonight!" He then looked at his nephew with that same grin. "Yu, you're drinking with me. Alcohol-free, of course. You pass out before me, and you're under arrest, got it!? Alright!"
Yu wasn't even able to say a word at that, stuttering in surprise. "O-Okay…?" Shame that he's getting alcohol-free drinks, but it'll have to do – better to deal with the urge than relapsing into his addiction. Besides, he's going to be busy tomorrow… and getting drunk is out of the question when it involved the company. So in the end, his uncle passed out on the sofa after they drank for a while. The silver-haired boy grabbed a blanket and draped it over the detective's body, then went upstairs to his room…
The next morning, Yu got up early to get ready for his trip back to the city, washing up and dressing in his casual clothes that he's been wearing since the start of summer. He also packed his formal suit and other necessities in a small bag which he brought with him as he went downstairs, seeing that Nanako was making breakfast for them all. Dojima was reading his newspaper at the dining table, taking a bite or two of his breakfast every few moments while Nanako was preparing another plate… though she did notice her cousin going down the stairs.
"Oh, good morning big bro!" The little girl smiled at Yu who went over to the dining table and took a seat there.
"Good morning, Nanako." Yu smiled back, setting his bag down. He still had some time before he had to go out… having breakfast would be enough. Nanako soon got two more plates of breakfast for herself and her cousin, placing them on the table before taking a seat at the table too. Having a meal together was something the silver-haired boy wasn't familiar with, but doing it with his uncle and cousin made him felt much more at home than his parents ever did.
Going back to the city now felt like a burden.
Shaking his head to get rid of that thought, he started to eat his breakfast while having a conversation with Nanako whenever she wanted to talk.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
It was hard to say goodbye by the time his grandfather's secretary arrived, especially to Nanako who was saddened at hearing that her big bro would be leaving for a few days.
"Don't worry, Nanako. I'll be gone for just a few days – I'll come back as quickly as I can!" Yu told her, giving her a reassuring smile. He knelt down to give Nanako a hug, and he could feel small arms hugging him back tightly.
"I'll miss you, big bro…" Nanako murmured, strong enough to not cry.
"I'll miss you too," The silver-haired boy replied softly. They eventually broke the hug, letting Yu stand up to his full height.
Dojima felt like he was seeing his son – or should it be daughter…? – off, even though the teenager standing in front of him was merely his nephew. "Don't forget to take care of yourself, Yu."
"I won't, uncle." Yu nodded at the detective. "Well, I'm off."
He exited the house as he waved goodbye at the two, feeling wistful for having to leave them temporarily because of his other life in the city.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Mr. Tadashi was waiting in front of the house when Yu came out of it, a sleek and luxurious black car waiting a few feet away from the place. A little further away from it was a black van… it probably had the group of workers Yu had asked for yesterday.
"Good morning, sir. Shall we go?" The secretary asked after greeting him, dressed in his typical suit and tie outfit.
Yu held up a hand first, looking at the van for a moment. "Before that, did you bring the workers I asked for?" he questioned him. Mr. Tadashi nodded once as he answered him. "A group of four, all willing work temporarily according to the terms you specified yesterday. They're inside the van, waiting for further orders from you."
"Thank you, Mr. Tadashi." Yu was about to tell his grandfather's secretary on why he asked for a group of workers when his cell rang. "Excuse me for a moment…" He took it out to answer the call, soon hearing the voice of the guy he's been trying to call yesterday to no avail on the other end. "Yosuke?"
"Yeah, it's me. Sorry for dropping this on you all of a sudden, but I need a big favour. Can you work at Junes from today 'til Friday? We're short on staff! I'll pay you more than we usually pay our workers! I'll buy you lunch every day at work too, I promise! Please, I'm begging you!"
Yosuke sounded desperate… but Yu had much more pressing matters to deal with. "I'm sorry, but I can't…"
"H-Hey, come on! You're my only hope! Super please!"
Somehow, those words and that tone made the silver-haired boy imagine his best friend's helpless face over the phone… then again, Chie did ask him to help the guy out, which was why he got the workers in the first place. Sighing quietly, he decided that he'll have to explain it to Yosuke face to face. "…I'll be there quick, but I need to tell you something first when I arrive."
"Sweet! No problem, tell me what you need! Oh, and you're awesome, buddy! A real lifesaver! I'll be waiting for you at Junes, so I'll see ya soon!"
Yosuke then hung up, sounding relieved before he did. With a calm expression, Yu put his phone back into his pocket as he looked at Mr. Tadashi again. "Mr. Tadashi, we'll need to go somewhere for a short moment. Do you recall the famous Junes department store? It has a branch here in Inaba."
The secretary thought for a moment. "Junes…? Ah, yes. What business do you have to do there?"
"A friend of mine's father handles the branch here as its manager… it's why I asked you to bring a few workers here. This friend works there too, and he's in a bind since there's not enough workers there, from what I've heard. He needs workers there until Friday."
"So, these people will be working in a convenience store?"
"That's right. As for what the company gets in return… I'll talk that out with him. First, we need to get there – I'll show you the way. Oh, and don't forget to tell the workers to follow."
"Affirmative, sir." Mr. Tadashi then opened the car door for the passenger seats. "Please get in the car, Yu."
The silver-haired teenager entered the vehicle wordlessly, letting the man shut the door first before alerting to the workers in the van to follow. The secretary then went to the driver's seat of the car to start driving the car in the direction where the Junes department store was…
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
As the car pulled over by the entrance of Junes, Yu spotted Yosuke waiting nervously by one of the pairs of glass sliding doors through the car window. Poor guy – he must be really desperate to look like a wreck.
Breaking his gaze away from the sight, he looked at his grandfather's secretary with a serious expression. "Wait here. I'll call you when it's time," he told him. Mr. Tadashi nodded and unlocked the doors, letting the silver-haired boy exit the car from the side that was facing away from the department store.
When he walked around the vehicle, Yosuke noticed him as his face broke into a smile. "Partner! You're here!"
"Yeah, I'm here." The shorter boy approached the brunet, seeming strangely tense for some reason.
Yosuke was too much in a hurry to notice, however. "C'mon, I'll bring you to the changing rooms." He turned around to let his best friend follow, but after he took a few steps forward, he noticed that Yu wasn't following him. "…Hey, what's the hold up?" he asked, seeing a conflicted look on the silver-haired boy's face.
"…Remember that I said I have something I needed to tell you?" Yu asked him.
"Uh, yeah…? What about it?"
Yu glanced at the black car behind him, then looked back at Yosuke. "I can't help you. I have family business to do back in the city, so I have to be gone for a few days."
"What?" The brunet stared at him in shock. "You're going away?"
"Just for a small while. But I'll be back before the summer festival!"
"S-still…!" It was a painful reminder to Yosuke that his best friend, the guy who he thought was equal to him and understood him best was merely here for a year… and having him gone for a few days would be a taste of how that separation felt.
"Don't worry. I'm not leaving that early, Yosuke." Yu gave him a reassuring smile. "But since I won't be able to help you during the time I'm away, I got some people that'll help you out during that time period." He turned to face the black van and did a calling motion, which the workers took as a sign for them to come out. The small group came out of the van, all of them young adults like most workers in the city would look like.
Yosuke stared at the group in confusion. "…Wait, these guys will be helping out?"
"Yes." Yu turned back towards the brunet, quickly thinking of an explanation. "I heard that they wanted some extra cash before the summer festival, so I called them here since you needed some help."
"Oh, nice timing then." Yosuke smiled, now understanding why the group of workers were here. "Let me call my dad real quick – I'm gonna go up and help out at the food court, so I'll see you later, Yu!" He waved goodbye at his best friend as he ran inside, leaving the silver-haired boy with the group of workers.
Yu looked at the four adults once the brunet was gone, a grateful smile on his lips. "Thank you for coming here. I'll make sure your hard work here won't go without reward."
"Of course, sir," The workers said in unison as they nodded, somewhat nervous that they were being thanked by the second heir of the company they worked for. This was no ordinary occurrence, after all.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
They waited by the entrance a little while longer until a man with dark brown hair came out of the store. Yu assumed that this was Yosuke's father as evident of the same shade of brown for the man's hair and the style of his outfit which was similar to that of store managers.
"I assume that you're Yu-kun?" The man asked, a curious look in his eyes when he saw the silver-haired teenager. Yu nodded, bowing once in respect. "Yes, I am, sir. Are you Yosuke's father, if I may ask?"
The man smiled at him. "That's right. I'm the manager of this place… but I'm sure Yosuke has told you that, seeing that he talks a lot about you sometimes." He chuckled upon seeing the stunned look on the boy's face. "It's true. He thinks of you as someone amazing who's good in everything he tries. I'm glad that you're his friend; he's been doing much better since he started meeting you, y'know?"
"Is… that so?" Yu coughed a little to get rid of the awkwardness he felt. "Well, I'm happy that he's doing better."
Mr. Hanamura then looked at the small group standing nearby. "Are you the part-time workers?"
The small group nodded, one of them speaking up. "We'll be working at the food court until Friday, if that's fine."
"It's alright. More workers are always nice to have, especially with the lack of young people willing to work here…" The brunet man started calculating how much pay to give these four young men in his head. As that happened, Yu glanced back at the car where his grandfather's secretary waited and nodded discreetly at it, signalling to him that it was time. With that, Mr. Tadashi exited the car and approached them to stand next to the silver-haired teenager. "Excuse me."
"Hm?" The brunet man turned his head to see where the voice came from, only to notice that a formally dressed man was now standing next to Yu.
Mr. Tadashi took out a small business card, holding it out for Mr. Hanamura to take. "I am Tadashi Nakayama from Miyabi Jo Apparels, secretary to Asuka Narukami, chairman of Miyabi Jo Apparels. I have a few things to talk to you about, if you wouldn't mind." He let the man take the card in bewilderment.
"Miyabi Jo Apparels? That famous clothes company back in Tokyo?" Yosuke's father stared at Tadashi for a moment before glancing at Yu. A thought then came to his mind, which made him wonder if his son's best friend was not as he seemed to be. "Is he…?"
"…Yes, he is. I would recommend that you do not tell this to your son – he does not want anyone to know of his life in the city."
"A-alright…"
The man dressed in a suit and tie glanced at the teenager standing next to him. "Sir, wait for me in the car."
Yu nodded, bowing again as he excused himself from the two adults. He knew that Mr. Tadashi was going to talk to Mr. Hanamura about what the company would be getting upon knowing that the group of young people were actually workers from the company… hopefully that wouldn't put the manager off. He went back to the car and entered, only being able to guess how the conversation went by watching the brunet man's reactions through the windows.
At first, he saw shock on the manager's face. Then it turned to what seemed like frustration, but it was quickly replaced by an intrigued look. Soon, both men were in some kind of agreement as they shook hands, and they both parted ways with Tadashi heading towards the car while Yosuke's father entered the department store with the group of workers following from behind.
The sound of the car door leading to the driver's seat alerted Yu to his grandfather's secretary entering the car. "…What kind of deal did you strike with him?" he questioned without breaking sight of his best friend's father finally going up the elevators with the workers. Mr. Tadashi didn't answer for a moment as he started driving the car away from the store.
"Well?"
A hum of thought came from the black-haired man. "Let's just say that the store will be selling clothes from the company's newest autumn fashion line that you'll be announcing tomorrow night."
"…Oh."
Silence then fell between them as the long journey back to the city began.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
Somewhere along the way, Yu fell into the world of slumber as the rocking of the car lulled him to sleep. Yet, there was an odd weightlessness in his body. As he soon felt a growing pull on his mind, the musky darkness in front of his eyes shifted into a deep blue, and eventually he found himself in the extravagant place that was the Velvet Room. Igor and Margaret sat at their usual spots with knowing looks on their faces as the silver-haired boy was finally aware of where he was.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room." Igor flashed him a grin he had worn on his face the many times they met before. "Do not be alarmed. You are fast asleep in the real world - I have summoned you within your dreams."
So, this was a dream… but why was he called here again?
"You've done well in progressing your Social Links despite the hardships and obstacles you've encountered in the past. However, the future remains uncertain, only affected by your choices when the time comes…" Igor intertwined his fingers in intrigue, placing his elbows on the blue table in front of him. "I wonder how will you fare with the troubles ahead?"
"Troubles…?" Yu raised an eyebrow at that. Was there more to this mystery than it seemed?
Margaret then spoke up. "The surest way to move forward through the fog is with clear purpose and understanding. You've learnt about trying to understand the struggles and desires of others. But now I ponder on one question… after being with those close to you in these few months, what have you learned so far about understanding yourself?"
"Huh?" The silver-haired boy blinked a few times. Understanding himself… he should know himself best, right? What kind of question is that?
The Velvet Room attendant merely gave him a shrewd smile. "Before you leave, answer me this: When you discard the masks you wear, and you let your defences fall… what strikes your heart most with fear?" she questioned him. Her gaze was sharp and intense as she watched the teenager, awaiting an answer from him. Yu felt the air grow cold under her stare, feeling as if he couldn't lie even if he tried.
Margaret would see the truth either way… so Yui Narukami rose to the surface, and the teenager shut her eyes to let her mind wander in an attempt to find the answer.
She held her own mix of fears over her sixteen years of life, many caused by the experiences she went through both in school and her private life. She used to be scared of being alone, especially when she was young. Her parents were barely around, her grandfather was the last person she wanted to be with, but her grandmother… she was the one Yui was closest to. Every free day she had was always spent with her grandmother, the only person in her family that didn't mind that she was a girl and even loved her because of it.
But all good things didn't last forever.
When her grandmother passed away, her young mind at the time didn't understand the concept. She just thought that grandmother had gone away for a while, supported by the lies her parents gave so she didn't falter in her studies. The first year that passed since then, she grew angry, thinking that her grandmother had abandoned her like so many others… but the second year that came, the truth finally hit her.
It hurt so much, everything felt numb for weeks. That led to her downward spiral, until she entered junior high…
…However, that wasn't exactly her biggest fear.
The time she spent with everyone she knew, including her friends at school, made her feel worried about when the day of her departure from Inaba would finally arrive. Once the days pass from that fateful day in March, will she begin to fade away from everyone's minds? Will they forget her, just like the people she used to know in all her previous schools? It pained her to imagine being forgotten by the friends she had gained since she moved to Inaba for the year… and she wasn't sure if it's worth the temporary joy.
Still, there's something worse than that.
Yes, she was scared of being alone. Being forgotten was also another fear of hers. There's still one more fear she held that made itself prominent on her wandering thoughts.
Yui thought back to her current state, her emotions and feelings towards those she knew and cherished… especially towards the one boy she somehow fell for. Just… if one day, she dared to reveal to her friends and acquaintances who she really was… how would they think, realising that she, the guy who 'had nothing to hide', has actually been lying to them from day one? There's was a glimmer of hope in her mind that they wouldn't mind… but it was overshadowed by what she saw before in the city schools.
Liars were not treated well. In fact, one will be ridiculed for it. Never trusted again, either by the teachers or the students.
Who's to say that schools like her current one wouldn't have that?
"Be prim and proper. Never let your emotions get to you. Do as you are ordered, and be a wise man."
Even more…
"The moment you let your guard down, you might as well be a lamb in the eyes of those wolves."
"You're a Narukami – perfection is a must. Don't make a single mistake, lest you wish to become a fool in everyone's eyes."
She sometimes wondered if her grandfather was right.
"The outside world doesn't treat women too kindly."
"Everyone will not respect you if they know you're a mere girl."
Maybe he is.
"…I fear being rejected the most."
That was her answer.
Yu Narukami returned, and he opened his eyes the moment those words left his lips.
"Is that so?" Interest was evident in Margaret's eyes as she heard Yu's answer. "Interesting. The struggle to communicate your hopes and fears to others stems from the deepest - and sometimes darkest - parts of your heart. Expressing those thoughts leaves you utterly exposed… and if the reactions you receive are not what you expect it can lead to extraordinary pain." She looked away for but a moment, then gazed back at the silver-haired teenager with a sharp stare. "I wonder... if you opened your heart, would you endure that pain with no regrets? Or would you choose to protect yourself instead?"
Before Yu could answer, the place around him began to swirl, mixing tones of blue into colours he could barely recall.
"…Tread carefully..."
Darkness poured into his sight, blurring everything until shapes were a mere memory.
"…When the time comes... will you truly face it, or will you let your facades get the better of you…?"
Soon, everything was nothing.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
"…Sir…?"
His senses were all muddled.
"...Sir, we've arrived."
Slowly opening his eyes, Yu felt liked he woke up from a long dream… a dream that felt like an eternity. Straightening himself, he grimaced a little at the ache in his back from napping against the back of the seat while he took in his surroundings – he recognized the modern-like surroundings with concrete walls and metal fences in the near distance, plus the slight greenery in the area. It didn't take him long to see that they were in front of the grand gates that served as the entrance to the mansion his parents owned in Tokyo.
He's really home. Sure, it was only for a time, but it felt… not really like home.
"So we have," The silver-haired boy murmured, glancing at the giant structure that stood in the middle of the slightly elevated land. There was the mansion that served as a place to stay whenever his parents had work in Tokyo or the surrounding districts, and even those times were rare. It wasn't actually much like the mansions in the western countries, but it was big enough to be thought as one. He shifted a little so he could exit the car, now growing aware of how late into the evening it was.
The skies were now an ebony black, and the sun was nowhere to be found as did the twinkling orbs he would see in the night sky of Inaba. The surrounding street lights drowned them out, and now he could see nothing.
It's so different.
"Welcome home, Yu." Mr. Tadashi welcomed him, opening the gates to the path leading up to the sumptuous structure. Yu only nodded, entering the place with a heavy feeling on his shoulders. He could still recall Margaret's words and questions from his dream… doing so made him feel nervous.
…He wasn't sure if he could answer those questions truthfully.
That previous night, Yu didn't bother to eat dinner or wash up properly. He only washed his face and feet before sluggishly lugging his exhausted body to his old room, falling asleep instantly on the bed. The next morning thereafter was an orderly start.
To start it off, he was woken up by a maid in the house who informed him that breakfast was ready. Although he felt like he could sleep another few hours, he knew that skipping breakfast wouldn't be good since he already skipped dinner last night. So, he lugged himself off the bed – he had to admit, it was comfier than his futon back in Inaba – and went downstairs to eat at the dining table alone while the few maids and butlers that have been hired to watch over the mansion in the owners' absence continued to do their work.
He was really starting to remember the days of loneliness and silence he spent in this place.
Once he finished, the next thing Yu did was actually wash up and change into his outfit for the event tonight which was his suit and tie, though Mr. Tadashi seemed to have other ideas when he noticed the outfit the silver-haired boy wore. "Hm… I think we need to get you a new tie."
"…What, you want to change this?" The tie Yu was wearing was a simple black tie, fit for most occasions.
"Well, it's just that this is an event to announce a new fashion line, and your outfit is a little…"
"Outdated?" The silver-haired boy crossed his arms with an amused smile. "I'm surprised that you have an eye for fashion too, Mr. Tadashi."
His words made the secretary slightly flustered. "I-it's my job to ensure the best for you and your grandfather…" He cleared his throat and averted his gaze for a few seconds, hearing a small chuckle from the teenager standing in front of him.
"It's alright. Maybe it's time I got a new suit…" Yu felt the fabric of the suit he wore, now aware of how outdated it seemed. He got this suit when he left the delinquent life... it's probably time for a new one. "Think we can get one from the company's selections…?"
Mr. Tadashi nodded, a calm smile on his lips. "Of course. There should be one that'll be just right for you, Yu."
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
After Mr. Tadashi called some people from Yu's grandfather's company to bring some of the most recent suits and ties released, it only took within an hour for the people to arrive. Before Yu even knew it, he was suddenly the centre of attention as his grandfather's secretary, the maids and the butlers in the mansion assisted the man in seeing how the outfits would look on the silver-haired boy. There must've been more than five of both articles of clothing, because it took quite a while.
In the end, they settled for a suit that consisted of a suit jacket that would be left unbuttoned, a fashion vest that had a chain on the middle button that extended to the pocket on the left side of it, and a pair of formal slacks that were in the same tone of black as the previous two. Alongside the three was a white long-sleeved button-up shirt with silver grey cufflinks that would be worn underneath the jacket and the vest. As for the tie, they went for a silver grey one with a small checkered pattern – a pin bearing the company's logo was attached to it as well.
When Yu then dressed up in the outfit they chose, everyone was in awe at how well it fit his complexion, including the silver white colour of his hair. It was perfect.
"It's perfect! Just the right style for the event." Mr. Tadashi had a satisfied smile at the sight of the boy dressed in the new suit.
"Is it?" Yu asked as looked down at himself, feeling odd since he was now in a new attire that was a lot fashionable and better than his last one. His question got a few words and nods of approval from the maids and butlers who were smiling.
…Are they genuine, though?
Eventually the secretary clapped his hands once to gain everyone's attention. "Now, let's go to a salon to prep you up."
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The next place they brought Yu to was one of the famous salons in Tokyo to do his hairstyle and makeup. He could see the salon workers thinking deeply on how they could fix his appearance – being in the warm and damp atmosphere of Inaba has made him look more like a person from a rural town than the city. He didn't mind the change, but these people obviously thought otherwise. So, he went through the whole process of them fixing his hair and adding some makeup to his face… he just rehearsed his speech for the event while the workers did their thing.
It took a few hours, but the end result was worth the wait as he now looked like a whole new person.
Mr. Tadashi smiled again as he observed Yu's new look in the mirror. The teenager's hair has been cut a little shorter, and his front bangs were swept up and slicked back with the rest of his hair using some gel to give it a shine and a sense of formality. His skin also seemed to be of a lighter tone and was visibly moister. It would've been better if he was prettied up the way girls would be, but he's still bound by his grandfather's words to be someone he's not. The secretary felt sorry for him, yet there's not much he could do either.
By then, there was only a while left before the event.
Time to go.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
The announcement party would be held a luxurious hotel that had a spacious rentable hall for any kinds of events.
Yu hadn't expected that the front of the building would be full of reporters, a crowd of men and women eager to get a scoop for their respective papers or news reports. He could only watch as his grandfather's secretary got out of the car to open the passenger door, revealing himself to the crowd. Then again, he should get used to this. Putting on a calm smile for the sake of it, he got out of the vehicle sophisticatedly and tried to ignore the reporters that got to work with asking him so many questions.
To avoid them from crowding around him, a few guards blocked them from approaching him yet their shouting was loud to make up for that. He could hear their words, asking about the event and the fashion line, and some asked about who he was and where Shou Narukami was.
…That name belonged to his father.
It was overwhelming to be surrounded by such loud voices even as Yu finally entered the lobby of the hotel with his grandfather's secretary, but none was as dreadful as seeing his grandfather waiting for him by the elevators with a stoic expression. A man still in his middle sixties, he was the one who built the Miyabi Jo Apparels company from ground up, and the one who trained his granddaughter to be the second heir of this company through strictness. Yu noted that his grandfather was dressed in a long montsuki kimono with a montsuki haori and hakama, the most formal traditional attire a man could wear to an event.
He had expected that he'd wear that.
"…Good evening, grandfather."
His voice echoed through the lobby, everything in place illuminated in a golden shine from the chandelier above their heads.
The old man turned his head to see his grandson standing there, dressed to his best. He merely nodded once in greeting, glancing at his secretary that stood behind the silver-haired boy. Mr. Tadashi took that as a signal for him to call the elevator so the two can go up to the floor the event hall was at. The moments before the elevator arrived felt like a lifetime, a tense silence growing between the two family members. It didn't fade when the elevator did arrive, only intensifying as the three entered the cramped space.
Still no words were spoken.
Only the hum of the machinery became their companion.
~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~
As the elevator was about to reach the floor the venue was on, a deep voice spoke out from Yu's grandfather. "…Have you been keeping your attitude and studies up, Yu?"
The usual question.
"Yes, grandfather." Yu nodded slowly, still keeping his gaze towards the metal doors in front of them, the metallic sheen reflecting the sight in front of it – a young man and an old man standing side by side, both of the same family yet neither close to each other. He's learned to not ponder too much about it, to not wonder why he wasn't as close to his grandfather as he was with his grandmother. He's gotten his answer long ago… it's because he's not a boy. Shame.
"Did you prepare for tonight?"
"Of course, grandfather." It'll be foolish of the teenager to not prepare for the event. He'll look like an idiot if he didn't.
"Good. Be on your best behaviour, child."
Yu shut his eyes, hearing the chime of the elevator. He was already on his best behaviour, desperately trying to make up for his mistakes.
"Unless you wish repeat what happened two years ago."
However, his family won't forget it, won't they?
…The doors opened.
Showtime.