A/N: Holy hell, I procrastinated A LOT. I was so lazy to write this chapter after a whole month and few days of not writing anything (still hoping my exam went well, won't be getting results until next year's March), then I ended up playing an old childhood MMO of mine (Toontown Rewritten, anyone?) so much I grew interested in the bosses in that game... if you saw the new fanfic I posted, erh, that's the result of it.

This chapter was tough to write, mostly because I had forgotten what alternative terms I used for the characters. I almost forgot to write about the gifts Yui got for the gang and added that in a while ago. There's also my strange addiction for robots... welp, I'm a strange one.

Anyway, time for replies...

Ryoji Mochizuki - I will, but the exam's over now, heh. Thanks for your support anyway!

Creedpah - I hope for that too. Thanks for your support for both the story and me! XD

JAF (Guest) - Thank you! I hope this chapter is enough for the wait.

Vangran - That's gonna be a small while later, but I'll assure you that once Naoto joins the team, things will start getting interesting! Also, thanks for your support during my exam times =w=

CureCaligraphy - He can't hear ya!~

RaiaYuki - I suppose in a sense, yes. But one can't always be too sure...

Either way, thank you for all of your support for both this story and me! Enjoy this chapter (and its possible mistakes), it's been long overdue. My writing style may look a little weird... sorry about that. I plan to change the line breaks too - FF's version of this story is a little messy.

Oh... and I'll be away for another three weeks starting 18th December on a trip to visit my grandmother, which would be the first time visiting her ever since my grandfather passed on sometime during August this year, bless his soul. Sorry about that, but I know I'm gonna be seeing some fire and pitchforks among you readers... ;w;

The morning after the first day of the festival left Yui feeling… absentminded, in a sense.

That night was the closest she ever got to dressing up in feminine clothes, even if it was only a yukata and haori. The passing minutes she spent with Kanji would replay in her mind over and over, and a smile would slowly appear on her lips each time she reminisced it. The spell was eventually broken by the ringing of her cell in her pocket, so with a heavy sigh, she answered the call and put her phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hello? It's me."

Ai Ebihara again? She's been calling her quite a lot for the last few days lately…

"You got time today? I heard there's a festival going on at the shrine."

The silver-haired girl blinked once. What about it?

"…Do you get it? I'm inviting you to come with me."

Oh. She could've just said that.

Well, there wasn't anything much Yui wanted to do today other than rest up. Wearing layers of traditional clothing was no easy feat, even if it looked simple. She could probably take up on Ai's offer. "Sure, I got time. Let's go tonight, then."

"Okay. I'll see you in a bit."

The call ended there.

Seems like she had plans tonight.

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

As they had planned earlier that day, Yu and Ai met up at the Tatsuhime Shrine at night.

The same mobile stalls from yesterday were lined up by the sides of the stone pathway, a few people trying out what they offered. The blonde looked around for a moment, taking in the sight. "This place looks pretty dead. I thought there'd be more to do… oh well." She then looked at the boy in front of her with a small smile. "Why don't we start off with… candied apples!" She then glanced at the stall that sold candied apples, which Yu noticed after following her gaze.

With a nod in response, Yu went with her to that stall. Before that however, Ai then realised something. "Oh wait, before we do that, we should make a wish at the shrine."

The silver-haired boy only raised an eyebrow.

"…Why are you making that face? It's common sense."

Might as well.

The two teenagers then approached the shrine, which was still somewhat rundown after a long age of being unused. Ai turned her head to look at Yu curiously, a question on her mind. "So, what are you gonna wish for?" she asked him.

Admittedly, there's a lot one could wish for. They could wish for good grades, money, or even to be closer to a certain person. But he had no such desires – he has been doing well in his studies, and money is no big trouble if he was careful with it. As for the last one… he would rather not say that out loud. Thus, with a mental sigh, he resorted to the first choice. All of that fighting in the TV world might have taken some of his free time with it. "Just good grades."

Ai gave him a look. "…I see. You're such a go-getter." It then fell into a casual smile. "Alright, let's make these wishes."

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

After making their wishes, which Yu noted that he felt rather smarter after he finished making his, they went back to the stall selling candied apples. The man handling the stall greeted them. "Hello there! I've got the best candy apples in town!" Then the guy noticed Ai standing next to Yu. "Hm? What a beautiful lady you have there. You must be lucky! I'll add a lottery ticket for each time you buy!"

This got the blonde's attention. "Huh?"

"You'll get a chance to draw a lottery at the torii when you buy something from the stands there. The prizes range from cheap trinkets to fabulous, magnificent items!"

There was a small silence that remained between the three as those words sank in, until Ai moved a lock of her blonde hair out of her face. If anything, Yu could almost sense an excitement in her. "…Alright, I'll give it a try!" she said. "Gimme ten candied apples."

Yu stared at her with a startled expression. Is she serious?

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

…She was serious.

Ai ended up buying ten orders of okonomiyaki and played the goldfish scooping game thirty times. While that was overdoing it, Yu supposed that it was good for the community at least. They went to the man handling the lottery at the torii, bringing the tickets they got from the blonde's buying spree. When the man counted the tickets, he was genuinely surprised. "Hm… you've got… whoa, fifty tickets?!" He smiled thankfully at the pair. "Thanks for your support. I'll go get the lottery box."

As the man left, Ai looked at Yu next to her. "No way I'm wasting my time doing fifty draws… how 'bout you do it for me? Make sure you get the grand prize, though!"

The silver-haired boy merely smiled nervously. "…I'll try."

After a few moments, the man returned while holding a box. "Close your eyes and draw your prize."

With a wordless nod, Yu did as he was told and drew fifty tickets. It wasn't until the very last ticket did he heard a cheer from the man holding the box, making him open his eyes to see a bright smile on the guy's face. "Congratulations! You've drawn the grand prize!" The man congratulated the two.

A smile graced Ai's lips upon hearing those words. "Yes! What is it?"

"The grand prize is… a bale of rice."

"…A bale of rice?" The blonde frowned and shook her head. "I don't want it. Too heavy."

"Wh-What? It may be heavy, but rice is a nutritious part of a balanced meal! Well… h-here, how 'bout this instead?" The man took out something from his pocket, giving it to Ai. "It's a coupon you can use at the Inaba Shopping District."

Now a smile appeared on Ai's face. "…Better than a bale of rice. Thanks." She then held something out at Yu. "I'll give the other prize to you. Here ya go." It was a book of some sort, with a title called 'The Divine Way'.

Yu stared at it for a moment, wondering if it was written by the people at the shrine. The title was too relatable to spiritual things… nonetheless, he took it with a say of thanks.

After all that, Ai decided that they should head back. "Well, we better get home."

"I suppose. It's gotten quite late." Yu nodded in agreement, looking up at the same half-moon in the sky. He glanced at the blonde by his side who still smiled.

"I had a blast today. See ya later."

"Goodbye, then."

They finally parted for the night.

Monday was mostly uneventful other than Yu going to the day care centre to work and also spending some time to talk with Eri Minami. As for Tuesday, he didn't do much during the day other than eat at the Aiya Diner, but at night, Nanako asked him for some help. Although the end of summer was fast approaching, his cousin still had some homework left to do. According to her, there's a huge pile of homework… the objective of her homework was to tighten the bond between family members by doing homework together.

…Undoubtedly, it's too much for Nanako to finish all by herself. There's no way he's letting her do it on her own.

Hearing that he'll help her out, Nanako's face broke out into a big smile. "Really!? Thank you, big bro! Umm… then I'll start working on spelling practice." She started working on her homework, doing her best to practice her spelling. She seemed to be doing well, but Yu decided to double-check her work anyway. All the better to help his cousin with improvements.

After Nanako finished her spelling, he put her to bed and returned to his room for the night.

Come Wednesday, Yu recalled something very important – he had homework too.

"…Damn it." He had totally forgotten, and it took Nanako asking for help with her own homework to remember it. At least it'll only take him a few days to do it… maybe he could do it during the daytime since he had promised Nanako that he'll help her with homework every night. In the meantime, he was in no mood to do it today so he ditched the books and went out to town. While walking down the path of the shopping district, he noticed a familiar blond standing by the textile shop.

Smiling slightly, he approached him and greeted the guy casually. "Hey, Kanji."

"Gyah!" Kanji flinched slightly at the greeting, turning around to face his school senior in surprise. His face seemed a little reddish… maybe he's been out in the sun for too long. "S-Senpai! I, uh, didn't see ya there!"

"It's okay, Kanji." The silver-haired boy chuckled slightly. "I was just wandering around town for something to do when I saw you, so I'm just here to say hello."

"Right." The younger boy stood around awkwardly, averting his eyes away from the person in front of him. He seemed to be contemplating something for a few moments before he straightened himself. "Senpai… got some time to spend?"

"Huh? Oh, sure, I don't have much to do today."

"…Sweet!"

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

They went down to the Samegawa riverbank at Kanji's request.

"I can't get this place outta my head," Kanji admitted, staring at the sparkling river. "I keep wonderin' if that rabbit the kid tossed out mighta washed ashore around here... if he finds it now, he'll just feel bad." Then he turned his gaze away from the river, shaking the thought out of his head. "...Not that I'm wading in today or anything."

Yu was about to say something in response when a childish voice called out from afar.

"Hey, Mister!"

Well, there's the kid himself. He ran over to the two teenagers, smiling gleefully at the younger one of the pair. "There you are! Sana-chan was really happy! I've been looking for you ever since!"

Kanji sighed at being called 'mister' again. "Look, kid, quit callin'... ah, forget it."

"Can you make some more, Mister? My mom really wants one! Sana-chan's mom does too! They said they'll pay you!"

"Pay me!?" The blonde teenager's eyes widened in shock. "I don't need that... i-it ain't like I'm a pro at this."

"My mom wants a cat, and Sana-chan's mom wants a dog. And my teacher wants a pink alligator."

Kanji scratched the back of his head for a moment, looking unsure. "A pink alligator? Ohh, like the one in that storybook, huh...? F-Fine, then... I'll get around to it sometime."

"Yay! Thank you! Remember, you promised!"

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

The kid then left, leaving Yu and Kanji alone again. The latter still wouldn't let his eyes meet his school senior's own. "Strange situation I got myself into, ain't it?"

"Well… I think it's good for you," Yu said his opinion, smiling cheerfully at the blond.

Kanji could only tilt his head with a slight flush to his face, not expecting such a bright smile from someone who he just realised his affection for. "G-good…? I don't really know," he muttered, looking away again. "When I was in elementary school, I fixed a classmate's bag this one time. Thinking back... I guess I liked her."

Yu tried to hold in his grimace. He should not let his emotions play its course now.

So, he kept quiet and listened on.

"I only did it to make her happy, but... the next day, all the girls were makin' fun of her… she cried. I didn't understand why, but y'know... I thought I'd done something wrong. So I never thought... I'd be thanked for doing this stuff." A small smile slowly managed to make its way onto Kanji's lips. "Haha, it feels good. Hearin' 'thank you'... I like it!" He laughed sheepishly at the experience, to which Yu managed to smile at as well despite the memory that was just told.

With it, the Emperor Social Link grew ever stronger.

After he stopped laughing, Kanji then noticed the time. "Oh... well, I gotta jet."

"Hm? But it's still quite early, though…" Yu told him, glancing at his watch. They would usually talk for much longer than this. When he looked up at the blond again, he saw the reddish hue on Kanji's face grow slight darker.

"I have to go to Okina Station. To the, uh... f-fabric shop. I'm outta material, so... l-later!" Kanji then ran off, leaving the silver-haired boy to chuckle slightly at his antics. It must not be easy to admit yet that he needed to buy fabrics after a long while of acting as the 'tough guy'.

However, he wouldn't ever know that a small part of the blond's reason for leaving so early was also because of how he felt…

Yu spent last night helping Nanako out with her homework as promised, although he hadn't expected to get a visitor at that time of night. Make that two, because said visitors were Teddie and Yosuke who also helped his cousin out with her summer homework which involved writing three proverbs this time.

Thursday came with a heavy downpour, so he spent the day doing his summer homework. Nothing too hard, it mostly just reviewing topics from the last semester.

When night fell, he once again helped Nanako with her homework when someone came by to the house. It was Yukiko and Chie, the latter who he was kind of awkward to see after he had indirectly rejected her feelings the second last time they hung out. Despite all that, the two girls helped his cousin out with her homework like Yosuke and Teddie did, this time about writing an essay about something Nanako remembered. They suggested to write about the night they went to the festival, and Nanako had happily chosen to write about it.

He didn't forget to give Yukiko his gift to her, which made the black-haired girl giggle excitedly when she saw the weird pair of glasses. She'll definitely cherish it… how though, he wasn't going to imagine it.

Well, if only things could be this nice back at home.

Friday was clear of the dark and heavy clouds that brought the downpour.

It was too nice of a day to spend inside, hence Yu decided to go and work at the day care centre. Like before, he was tugged by the kids from all directions, yet he hadn't forgotten to see what Yuuta was doing every once in a while. After almost all of the children were taken back home by their parents, Eri then arrived to bring Yuuta back too, though the boy wouldn't look at her. "Yuu-kun, I'm here. Let's go home."

She got no response from her stepson.

With a small yet nervous laugh, Eri suggested something else with a bright smile on her lips. "Where do you want to eat dinner? We can go somewhere expensive if you want."

"...I'm not hungry. I'm gonna play more!" Yuuta replied before running off.

The brunette woman could only watch her stepson run off, her smile falling. "...I'll come later next time. I even left in the middle of a show just to be on time... I'm getting fed up with this treatment." She sighed, making the silver-haired teenager look at her quietly. She continued on with a sombre voice. "I should have known better than to try. We're not related, so there's nothing I can do about it..."

Yu then spoke up. "So, you can't love Yuuta?"

He only got silence from her, albeit for a moment.

"They say when a woman starts breast-feeding, her maternal instincts awaken," Eri said, which made the teenager standing in front of her raise an eyebrow. She still kept a solemn look on her face. "...It's true, I saw it on television. So, my maternal instinct towards him is shut away, especially since I've only known him for six months. There's nothing I can do... fate has determined that we will be forever distant." After saying those words, she stared back at Yu. "Speaking of fate, have you heard this? Your entire life is determined from before you were even born."

That got Yu's attention. Fate, huh?

"We're just little robots following the program our creator made for us. So, whenever anything happens, there's nothing you can do about it... it was already decided for you." Eri smiled at that thought. "Doesn't that make you feel better? Isn't that a wonderful idea?"

Well, in a way, it did. If he was fated to be the heir of his grandfather's company despite what he has done to avoid it, he could probably give it all up with a sound mind since he had at least tried to escape it. He only nodded, speaking quietly in agreement. "You're right…"

"Amazing, isn't it? I saw it on TV. I was so intrigued, I went to see a lecture by that speaker, too. I was moved to tears... I was so relieved to know that there's a higher power!" Eri's eyes were glittering while she said that, laughing happily. It didn't last long however, and her smile fell again. "There really isn't much to do when you live this far away from the city... all I have is TV and the internet. You can buy things over the net now! It's much more convenient. In fact, I'm having trouble staying in shape. Honestly, though... I just want to go back to the city."

There's no use in regretting past decisions.

"Just let it go," Yu told her, a soft look on his face. Eri smiled wryly at him. "Yeah... I gave up on that a long time ago."

Another silence fell between the two for a few seconds, which was only broken when Eri gazed at the silver-haired teenager with a worried look. "...I really tell you a lot of personal things. Please, don't tell Yuu-kun... or the other mothers."

"…Why would I?" Yu knew when to keep a secret. This is one of them.

"...Thank you, Mister Yu." A relieved look appeared on the brunette woman's face. She seemed to be opening up to him out of deep loneliness… one that Yu could relate to in a sense, since his life in the city was mostly without any social interaction.

The Temperance Social Link grew in strength with that awareness.

Eri then glanced at her watch, realising the time. "...Oh my, look at the time! I'm sorry, Mister Yu. I'll take Yuu-kun home now."

"Ah, alright. Goodbye, then."

The mother and son pair left awkwardly and abruptly, and Yu decided to go home after getting his pay. He hoped that he could help them out further…

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

That night, Nanako's homework involved writing a book report about a book she had already read, so she just needed to write it at that point. She put a lot of effort into it, murmuring what she was about to write as she did. Yu looked over her writing and spelling, just to make sure she didn't make any mistakes.

"Um, big bro?"

The silver-haired teenager snapped out of his focus when he heard his cousin call for him. "Yes?"

"Do you feel happy when you're alone?"

…That's a hard question to answer.

It depends, really. He would desire to be alone after getting a scolding from his parents or grandfather, or even after getting involved in something during school. But loneliness would always rear its ugly head when he stayed alone for too long, even more so now that he had actual friends. Considering his options, he went with the better answer. "No, I don't."

Nanako smiled happily at him. "Oh, good. Neither do I! Hahaha!"

Once she finished her report, Yu put her to bed and returned to his room to sleep for the night.

Saturday was another rainy day, so he spent it doing the rest of his homework. He still had a few more questions to do by the time evening fell, but he decided to leave it since it was time he helped Nanako again with her homework. This time, it was an art homework… his cousin had to make something out of stuff she found in the house. All she found was a milk carton, a paper towel tube, some knitting wool and origami paper… she wasn't even sure if that was all they had.

Before they could think more about it, the doorbell rang.

Apparently, Kanji and Rise came by to visit just like the other four in their group did.

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

As everyone took a seat at the table except for Rise who sat at the sofa, Yu and Kanji kept their gazes away from each other while the dark brunette behind them spoke.

If only they knew.

"Senpai said that Nanako-chan was doing her summer homework. You should've told me!" Rise said, frowning a little at not being told about Nanako's homework. It soon fell though, now looking like she regretted something. "…But, it looks like I picked the wrong day to come. I can't do any of this art stuff."

That explains it.

"Me neither…" Nanako murmured, staring at the materials on the table sadly. Even Yu had no idea what to make with all those things - he's trained in the art of fabrics and business, not to make things with them! The only thing he knew how to make were paper cranes, just a little hobby he picked up after seeing the charity work on the town bulletin board one day. Still, it didn't help.

Kanji then glanced at the materials on the table. "Huh… let me see what you've got."

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

Everyone watched in awe and surprise as Kanji carefully crafted something with incredible detail… and created something that no elementary student could make.

"Wow, Kanji… this is amazing," Yu admitted with a sheepish smile. "You're really good at this."

"Huh? Oh, er, thanks…" Kanji's face appeared to have turned a shade of red, though he kept his eyes focused on the little craft he made so his school senior wouldn't notice the colour on his face. Thankfully, he calmed down by the time he finished, enjoying the bright smile Nanako gave him.

It was enough for him as a 'thank you' for his help.

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

Eventually it was time Nanako went to bed, so Yu put his cousin to bed first before going back downstairs to bid his two friends goodbye. As he did so, he quickly grabbed the last two gifts for Rise and Kanji from his room, hiding them behind him as he led the two to the door. "Thanks for coming over, guys. Before you go, I got some things for you." He revealed the gifts, which the two younger teenagers were surprised to see.

"Wow, thank you, senpai!" Rise received her gift with such a huge smile, excited at getting one from someone like Yu Narukami. As for Kanji, he was stunned to receive a gift in the first place, what else from his own crush. "T-thanks, senpai."

Yu just chuckled at their reactions, a friendly smile on his lips. "It's nothing much, but I tried to get what I think you guys would like anyway. Thanks again for coming."

The three teenagers then bid their goodbyes.

Sunday was another clear day.

By the time he got ready to go out to town, Yu had gotten a call from Rise who asked if he wanted to spend the day with her. He had nothing much to do, so he agreed to her offer and spent the day with her. He was genuinely surprised to see her wearing the one-piece dress he got for her, which was a blue flowing dress with a water-like design. It fit her just right.

After a few hours, they were now returning home after a trip to Okina City.

Rise giggled as she walked down the road with Yu. "I placed lots of special orders. Come with me next time when I go pick 'em up, Senpai." She soon stopped walking to face him, a cheerful smile on her face. "I had tons of fun today. Not many people tried to come up and talk... maybe they already forgot who I am." A thought then came to her mind. "Oh, yeah. Want some tofu to take home? I helped make them today. Wait right here." She ran off, leaving Yu standing there as he waited for her.

At that moment, someone called him.

"Excuse me... Yu-san, is it?"

That voice sounded familiar.

Turning around, Yu found himself facing Rise's manager from the other day. "Oh… it's you."

"Ummm... sorry about the other day... I'm Minoru Inoue, Rise Kujikawa's former manager," The man introduced himself, wearing the same blue suit he had been wearing before. "I'm sorry to bother you, but... could you give this to her?" He gave the silver-haired teenager a letter. "A fan letter came, you see..."

"Why not give it to her yourself?"

"I don't think she'd take it from me... and Rise always did look forward to this girl's letters... in today's cult of personality, being popular carries its own problems. Your schedule fits together, minute by minute, like a jigsaw puzzle... every day you're squeezed utterly dry... but even knowing that, I still want her to come back... she was genuinely brilliant... not only that, but she's strong enough to use her pain as a foundation," Inoue explained to him. "From what I could see... she's relying on you. So could you...?"

Before the man could finish, Rise's voice could be heard from afar. "Sorry, Senpai, but we're all sold out..."

…Then she arrived. Her eyes fell onto her old manager, and her smile turned into a look of frustration. "Inoue-san!? Quit pestering me! Wait... what did you say to Senpai!?" She began to shoo the man away, making Inoue flustered.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm leaving now... goodbye..."

Rise's former manager then ran off, leaving Rise and Yu alone. The former was still annoyed at the intrusion, huffing slightly. "Hounding me even after I quit... he's practically a stalker! To think I trusted him... I feel betrayed!"

After hearing Inoue's words, Yu had one question in mind that he just had to ask. "You're really quitting?"

The dark brunette looked at him in shock, though it was quickly replaced with a furious expression. "Senpai... why are you asking me that all of a sudden? Inoue did say something to you, didn't he!?" She remained that way for a few instants until that furiousness slowly faded away. Then she asked about Inoue's intentions for approaching him, a solemn frown on her lips. "So... what did he come for?"

Yu told her why Inoue came and handed her the fan letter.

Rise gazed at it sorrowfully. "This letter... she wrote again... I see... but he came all the way out here for this...?" She became quiet for a few seconds, that sorrowful look in her eyes turning melancholic. "This girl is a middle school student. She writes to me all the time. I did this public service campaign once to stamp out bullying... she said it inspired her... she wrote that she wouldn't let bullies get her down, that she'd try to make friends... ever since then, she wrote me letters... 'This happened to me today', 'I was able to say this', stuff like that."

She smiled sadly at the silver-haired boy. "'Seeing Risette work hard encourages me', 'It makes me feel like I can still hang in there...'. Haha, she doesn't really know how it works, huh? But still, every time I read her letters, I felt like Risette actually meant something... so whenever things got tough, I would read them over and over..." She let her gaze fall back to the letter once more, sadly staring at it for another moment. Then she spoke up in a quiet voice. "Senpai... do you still have some free time...?"

He's got the whole day.

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

They went to the shrine, sitting at the steps in silence as Rise seemed to be deep in thought after reading the fan letter.

"...She's worried about me. Officially, I'm taking a break due to illness, so..." Rise told the silver-haired boy sitting next to her before trailing off, staring at the stone pathway in front of them. She became quiet for a while, the only sounds filling the silence being the chirping of birds and noise from cicadas.

Yu didn't say a word during this period, letting the dark brunette say her words when she felt like it. Eventually he heard her voice again, albeit in a quiet tone.

"Before I quit, there was talk about a part in a movie... she sounds like she was really looking forward to it... 'Please get well soon and come back', she says..."

Another silence.

The older teenager of the two soon found a thankful smile gracing Rise's lips.

"I'm so glad you were here. I was scared to read it alone... I gave up on being Risette. I can't meet her expectations..."

Yu could only give her a reassuring smile. "…She'll understand."

"Yeah... I hope someday... I can say, 'Thank you'. And 'I'm sorry'." Rise then averted her gaze, looking down at the stone pathway again. Her eyes seem to be watering. "Sorry, huh...? …There's nothing to be depressed about. Haha..." She quickly wiped her eyes of the tears, managing to keep strong despite the turmoil in her heart. "Anyway, Risette doesn't exist anymore. It's not just this girl. I disappointed lots of other people... the president of the company told me that over and over, and I knew already... I knew this was the path I chose, but..." She fell quiet yet again.

"…Rise?" This was starting to sound worrying.

To Yu's surprise, he watched as Rise smiled brightly at him after being distressed just moments ago.

"Maybe I'll just inherit the tofu shop! I'm the shop's main attraction now. I bet I could make it thrive!" Rise said, getting up to stand in front of her school senior. "...Senpai. Maybe we should really do it... y'know, what I was saying a while back. You could marry me once we graduate high school, and the two of us could work at the tofu shop together. Doesn't that sound fun? H-How about it? Haha...ha..."

The silver-haired boy blinked once, taken aback at the suggestion. Marry her after they graduated high school? That's impossible considering his situation! But he can't just blatantly refuse her either… maybe he could just… play it safe. "…If you're serious…" he replied softly, trying his hardest not to break under the lie he has made for himself.

"If I'm serious...? I think I'm pretty serious..." Rise seemed confused at his words. "You're always so calm. But... I like that." She smiled sheepishly at him, a soft pinkish colour on her cheeks. "Thank you, Senpai. For being with me all of today... I feel a bit better. Yeah... I'm fine. I can contribute something... and it looks like there are still plenty of things only I can do..."

Yu could sense the dark brunette's quiet will… today's events made him understand her a little better despite the matter of marriage suddenly coming into play a while ago.

As a result, the Lovers Social Link became stronger.

"Sorry for dragging you around all day," Rise told him, smiling apologetically. "I'll let you go now."

Yu got up with a nod. "Alright. I'll walk you home, then." It's the least he could do for her.

…How will things go from here…?

Monday came along with the rain all over again, and since it was too risky to delay doing the rest of his homework, Yu finished it all during the day time.

He helped Nanako with her homework last night which involved writing a paper about her favourite animal, so she chose to write about platypuses when she recalled the picture on the shirt her father bought for her. As for tonight, Nanako only needed to write a picture diary. With that, her summer homework was finally finished.

He's going to need a break from words.

Tuesday was cloudy for a change, but it was better to go out than stay cooped up inside.

Yu ended up meeting Yukiko at her usual spot by the bookstore, to which he decided to spend his day with after a small suggestion from her. They went to the shrine since the black-haired girl wanted to pay her respects. Yukiko looked at him curiously once they were in front of the shrine. "Are you going to wish for something too?"

"Well…" Yu wasn't a person to fully believe in superstitious things, but he'll do it just for the sake of it. Maybe a wish for himself – God knows he needs it for the coming future. "For me..."

This made Yukiko grow concerned. "Worried about something? I-If it's all right with you, I don't mind helping!"

"It's okay, really. Just something that'll come to pass." The silver-haired boy gave her a reassuring smile. Yukiko managed to smile back before she focused back on the shrine. "I'm wishing for everyone's health. For Chie, for you, for the others... and everyone at the inn, too. And... I'm wishing to become a woman worthy of you... Yu-kun."

…What?

Yukiko missed the shocked expression on Yu's face as she continued on. "Finally, I wish for everyone to be able to smile together..." When she finally gazed at him, he held a calm look instead. She didn't suspect anything off. "...Let's begin our prayer."

The silver-haired boy nodded, and they both held their hands together in front of them to start praying for their wishes.

After a while of silence passed, Yukiko spoke up. "I've decided not to leave Inaba. I never really objected to being the inn's manager per se... I just didn't like the fact that it wasn't up to me... I felt that my life was on rails. And I thought running away was the only choice for me... but no longer. I want to protect the family inn. After all, it's near to my heart..." She smiled gently at Yu. "…Thank you. Yu-kun. I think it's because of you that I realised this. Because you were always by my side..."

Her determination seemed to make her look more mature.

…The Priestess Social Link grew stronger.

Yu watched as Yukiko eventually turned her head away from him, her face turning a shade of red. "U-Umm, I wanted to ask you this before..."

Oh boy. Here it comes.

"Wh-Why... why are you always with me...?" Yukiko was blushing heavily once she asked that. "I-Is it okay... for me to ask...?"

Nope.

Yu was mentally panicking even though he seemed calm on the outside. Not another confession… it was hard enough rejecting Chie in the first place, and now Yukiko has gone and fallen for him too. He'll just have to say the obvious thing and hope for the best. Again. "Because… you're my friend." He was holding in the urge to cringe at the pitiful situation they both were in now. He waited with bated breath as he watched the black-haired girl take in his words.

"I see…" Yukiko fell silent for a moment, then quickly looked away from the silver-haired boy in front of her. "Y-Yes, precisely! Oh, I just remembered... I have an errand to run! I'll be going now..." She hurriedly ran off, leaving Yu feeling guilty at having broken a friend's heart for the second time in a whole year.

He quietly went back home, feeling downcast the whole journey there.

The final day of summer came with clear, bright skies.

Yu didn't feel any more cheerful after yesterday, though.

He went downstairs to see Nanako sitting at the sofa, up earlier than him like usual. "Oh, you finally came down." She smiled at him cheerfully. "Um, I got a call from Dad… he said someone gave him a watermelon. It's too big for us to eat, so he said you should call your friends over. Do you think Teddie and your other friends can come?"

"A watermelon?" The silver-haired teenager was surprised his uncle could get one in the first place. Well, he'll probably start off with Yosuke. Taking out his phone, he dialled up his best friend's number and waited for an answer. Soon he heard the click of the call being answered. "Hey Yosuke, it's Yu. Wanna come over for some watermelon? Nanako's asking if you and the others can come too."

"Watermelon? Whoa, definitely! I haven't had any yet this year. I'm gonna call up the others, so you better not smack it open before we get there!"

"Of course." Yu chuckled and ended the call there with a goodbye.

Now, it's just the waiting game.

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

Luckily, everyone was able to come over. Nanako might have been a factor in their decision as well… either way, it was kind of hard to cram everyone in the living room, but they managed. Yu noticed that Yukiko was better after what happened yesterday, which he didn't bring up. He wasn't dumb enough to do so.

Nanako was currently explaining why they were called over. "Um, Dad got a watermelon from someone, so he said we should call everyone."

"Man, a watermelon! 'Cause of all the stuff that's gone down this summer, I completely missed out." Kanji was quite excited at the idea of enjoying some watermelon during this hot summer. "So where is it? The fridge?"

His attitude made Rise frown at him. "Gee, Kanji. They invited us over… at least show some manners."

"We gotta smack it open first," Yosuke then said, grinning cheekily. Chie looked at him in shock. "Huh? Are we seriously gonna do that? We can't eat it if it gets all crushed."

Yukiko seemed interested in it though. "But, but, doesn't it sound like fun?"

"I wanna do it too!" Nanako agreed with her, smiling joyfully.

Teddie was determined to do it, saying out one of his weird commercial lines too. "I'll swing at it with everything I've got! The splattering fruit juice! Bursts of joy! One night of love… the bitter sweetness of those days is the essence of youth!"

Yosuke just stared at the bear who is now a light blond with a discerning look. "That makes no sense at all… and dude, will you cut out those commercial lines of yours!?"

Nanako only giggled, repeating Teddie's words. "That's the essence of youth!"

Just then, the sound of the doors sliding open alerted them all to someone arriving at the house. It was Yu's uncle, who sounded quite surprised. "I'm home- whoa, that's a lot of shoes. How many people are here?"

"Welcome home!" Nanako ran over to her father to greet him. "Um, let's split the watermelon open!"

"Say what!? …Uh, well, you see…"

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

Turns out Dojima had already cut the watermelon so he could share it with the neighbours.

Nanako pouted, a watermelon slice in her hands. At least there was enough for everyone to eat a slice, not that it made her any happier for not being able to split the watermelon open. Dojima tried to cheer her up, but it just wasn't working. "C'mon Nanako, don't pout. Everyone came here to hang out, right?" When he got no response from her, he sighed. "…I'm really sorry. It never occurred to me that you'd want to do that…"

"Hey, Nanako-chan. Let's do it again sometime. Next time, we'll do it right - at the beach!" Chie, who sat next to the little girl, suggested. Rise nodded, agreeing with the idea. She sat next to Yu who sat beside Nanako. "Seconded!"

Yosuke perked up at the mention of a beach. He was eating his watermelon slice inside the house with Yukiko and Teddie at the table in the living room. "Whoa… does that mean we get to see you guys in swimsuits!? Oh… but there probably aren't enough days left. We'll have to do it next year…"

Nanako just seemed to become sadder at that realisation. "Next year…" She looked up at her cousin and Chie, a sadness in her eyes. "Will you play with me next year too?"

Chie was still smiling as she nodded. "Of course we will!"

Kanji and Yukiko added their words to assure Nanako too. "You betcha!"

Dojima smiled at his daughter. "Did you hear that, Nanako?"

Finally, a smile appeared on Nanako's face as well. "Yep! Thank you!"

~*~*~*~*~*~…~*~*~*~*~*~

The fun time had passed slowly… eventually, everyone went home. Even Nanako was already asleep in her room by the time it was only her, Yu and Dojima left in the house. The latter two had a moment to talk, the evening sun seeping into the living room as it bathed the place in a gentle, reddish orange glow.

Dojima sat tiredly on the sofa, but he was still smiling as he looked at his nephew. "Thanks for everything today, Yu. It's been a while since I last saw Nanako in high spirits like that."

"It's nothing, uncle." Yu smiled back. If his cousin was happy, then he was happy too.

"The case is finally solved… now for all the—" The detective paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Eh, never mind. Save it for some other time. You know… you really made some great friends."

"I'm aware." The silver-haired boy glanced at the glass sliding doors that led to the backyard. "They're one of the best things to happen in my life."

It's the truth.
One that was bittersweet.

…He'll miss them.