[Summary: Yosuke asks about Souji's Shadow]

Day 15 - Shadows

Yosuke was spending a lazy summer afternoon with his best friend. They were just chilling at Souzai Daigaku after having eaten their fill of croquettes. The day had been slow and peaceful, so Yosuke felt safe enough to broach a topic that had been on his mind for a while now.

"Partner," he said. "You ever wonder what your Shadow might say?"

Souji's eyes unfocused for a moment while he thought about it. "No," he said a moment later.

"No?" Yosuke leaned forward in his seat at the bench. "Not even a little? You've got to be hiding something."

"Is it really about what you're hiding?" Souji was frowning in contemplation.

"You're always so guarded," Yosuke said. "I bet you're hiding something really weird."

"Maybe I'm not hiding anything," Souji said mildly, "and that's why I don't have a Shadow."

Yosuke thought about it briefly before shaking his head. "I don't buy that for a second. Knowing you, it's going to be something nobody would ever expect. Like you're really a government spy."

"...If that was true," Souji said, "now that you've guessed it, I'd have to take you out."

"Just don't give Teddie all my things!" Yosuke laughed, then quieted down, still grinning playfully at his friend. "Alternatively, your Shadow would just yell at you for not being top of the class."

"I was in the top 10," Souji protested. "That's good enough."

"Is it, partner? Is it?" Yosuke teased. "Oh, or maybe your Shadow is mad at Dojima-san."

"Wh-why?" Souji asked, eyes wide.

"For not letting you adopt that cat outside!"

Souji was scowling at him now. "Her name is Princess."

"You named her? That sounds like trouble."

"N-Nanako named her," Souji said.

"You brought her into it? You're really asking for trouble. Oh, maybe that's what your Shadow is about. How you secretly want to be a delinquent! Defying your uncle at every opportunity."

"...I did eat his pickle," Souji admitted.

"Please tell me you didn't blame that on Nanako-chan!"

"No," Souji said, his cheeks pink with shame.

"Good, I was about to say—"

"That pickle was good, though."

"That doesn't make it right!"

They both laughed, and then enjoyed a companionable silence afterward. Yosuke ran out of joke reasons for Souji's Shadow to appear, so his mind wandered to other avenues, like what it might look like instead. Surely it would have a bowl cut.

"Actually," Souji said, "I know what my Shadow might want to say."

"Oh?" Yosuke's attention snapped right to his friend. "I have to know this!"

"Maybe..." Souji said doubtfully.

"Aww, don't be like that." Yosuke leaned further over the table, closer to his friend. "Tell me!"

Souji hummed, looking past him at nothing in the distance.

Then, slowly and deliberately, he kissed Yosuke.

Yosuke fell back, spluttering.