New Beginnings

Love was a brother to Truth, and two simple truths were this. Love is something powerful. It can move the immovable, change the fates, damned the holy and saved the damned.

Silence. She just stared at him with such a look in her eye. Emotions clashed within those sapphire gems. Shock. Surprise. Confusion. Maybe even a bit of anger? Yu wasn't sure how to describe the emotional storm hidden behind her irises. He wasn't even sure about his own feelings. Anxiety sat in the pit of his stomach, worry plagued his mind, and the foundation of all of it was anger. Anger at himself, and at the residents of the Velvet Room.

"My... friend is outside. I want her to see this place."

"I apologize, but the Velvet Room is only accessible to those chosen, not to those who choose it. I am unable to fulfill your request at this time."

Yu's calm demeanor cracked and he crossed his arms. "... Why the hell not?" He motioned behind him as the occupants of the mysterious Velvet Room sat idly by, calm and unperturbed by his outburst. "Do you have any idea who is outside that door? Her name is Naoto Shirogane, and she's the smartest damn person I've ever met! Hell, she should have been your pick for this 'Chosen One' bullshit! Not me!"

"I apologize, but this game is yours to play, not hers."

"Well, why the hell is that?! Seriously, why the hell did you pick me?! Do you know anything about me?! I'm an awful person! I should never have been your 'Wild Card!' I lie, I cheat, and I fucking hurt people!"

"You were chosen for a reason, one that will come to light in due time."

"Due time? I've been playing this 'game' for months! I like to think I'm not crazy for wanting some God damn answers! Like, who are you? How do you know all this shit? What's really going on?!" With each question, Yu stomped his way closer and closer to the sitting, long nosed man. He reached down to grab Igor's collar, only to have his own arm seized and squeezed.

"I am the proprietor of the Velvet Room, and the ally of the Wild Card. I am here to help and assist you in any way that I can, but I reserve the right to withhold information until a more timely moment has made itself known." The sheer power behind his grip was staggering, and Yu had to fight to keep the growing fear and pain from being seen in his eyes. Igor released the boy's hand, allowing him to rub the nearly bruised skin. "I apologize for your frustrations, but these are the rules you agreed upon when you signed the contract. As for your friend, at this time, we are unable to accept her in. I apologize."

"Yeah... I bet."

He had told the truth. Now it was time to deal with the consequences. The two sat on the bench, quietly waiting for the other to speak up. When it became clear the silver haired youth that Naoto was at a lost for words, he chose to raise his voice. "So... Yeah. Magic room. Limitless Personas for me cause I'm a Wild Card, represented by the Fool or something. It's been my own dirty, little secret for a while. Since I came to Inaba, in fact."

"But... why? Why you? Why here?" Naoto asked. Yu wasn't offended by the second question. He just smiled as he shrugged.

"I asked. They didn't give me much of an answer."

"There's so much about all of this we don't understand. The other world, the murderer's intent, and now this 'Velvet Room.' None of the novels I read had anything so impossible," she sighed. She tipped her hat, shielding her eyes from the light of the rising sun as Yu chuckled.

"We'll figure it out. I know we will. You're on the team now, and with your brains, and my natural charisma, I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this." Yu gently punched the petite girl's shoulder, his smile morphing that Narukami smirk he used so well. Her eyes glanced towards him, and he felt his confidence melt away under her gaze.

M-man, she's like... scary hot. Come on, Yu. Stay cool, the boy thought, refusing to look away. Before he could say anything, to his shock, Naoto's lips formed into a coy smile.

"Perhaps you are right, Narukami. You seem rather confident of our victory, don't you?"

"I am nothing, if not confident," Yu retorted with a chuckle. "Got to put up a strong front, y'know?"

"Yes... I think I can understand that. Facades and 'masks' were something I hid behind as well," she reminisced. Yu blinked, before glancing at the detective. She was hiding under her hat, staring towards the concrete floor beneath them. She had a faint scarlet coat on her cheeks. "I am confident that we will find the answers we seek at the end of this long road."

"Yeah... It'd be nice," muttered the taller boy. And it'd be nice if you fell for me, but that somehow seems less likely than us solving this case and stopping the killer.

The other truth, was simply this. Yu Narukami loved Naoto Shirogane.

Naoto stared at the young man. Her relationship with Narukami had certainly changed since her first meeting with the silver philanderer. She had not expected them to become allies, how could she have? Yet, here she was, sitting at the Investigation Team's so-called 'special headquarters,' going over the facts of the case with those she had previously suspected.

She recounted the story of her kidnapping, going over every detail she had memorized at the time, and offering her own theories. The others listened, only speaking up to comment or inquire upon certain facts and assumptions. As the topic shifted itself from her kidnapping to information regarding Mitsuo Kubo, her eyes glanced at Narukami.

She had seen and heard him around the others before, but this was the first time she truly analyzed his facade. The mask he wore around the others was an intriguing one. She could see why so many bought the self-proclaimed act. His smile wasn't the smirk she associated with him, instead it was a practiced smile that radiated gentleness and compassion. By his own admission, this was a lie. She stared at it longer than she would have liked, scrutinizing it under her gaze.

She picked at it, analyzing it, and dissected it. His mask came apart in her mind, and she began to see the more honest feelings hidden behind it. She could see a crack form on the mask, for only an instant, and she saw his brow twitch in anger. She wanted to ponder why the change, but her attention was directed away.

"Naoto? You okay?" Hanamura-senpai inquired, raising his brow.

"H-huh? I apologize, what were you saying?" Naoto turned her head to face the boy, tearing her eyes off of the Investigation Team's leader.

"I said, how come you got caught so easily? I mean, you're a detective..." Naoto felt her body stiffen at the question. A blush, formed by shame and embarrassment formed on her face as she tried to compose an answer. Before she could though, Amagi-senpai answered for her.

"Yosuke-kun, it can't be helped," she gently re primed. "None of us were able to resist him when he came for us, not even Kanji-kun. Besides, Naoto's younger than us, and a girl." Naoto fought the sigh creeping up her throat. She averted in her eyes in passive acceptance at the comment, silently lamenting how her gender had affected how others saw her again.

"To be fair, neither of those are as debilitating as any of us may think. She's the same age as Kanji, who is one of our strongest," Yu explained, speaking with the charisma the other members came to expect. His voice held an almost fatherly authority over the others, without coming off as aggressive or accusatory. "The only fact that matters is that she was able to gain vital information regarding the killer's identity. Nothing more."

"Oh! I-I didn't mean anything mean by that! I-I'm sorry, Naoto-kun!" Amagi-san apologized, bowing her head quickly.

"I-it's quite alright, Amagi-senpai."

"Oh, you don't have to call me that. Just Yukiko is fine, Naoto. We're all friends here."

"Friends...? Y-yes, of course. I will do my best to keep that in mind, Yukiko-senpai..."

When the meeting came to a close, everyone began to say their goodbyes. Naoto spied Narukami speaking to Yukiko-senpai, but she couldn't hear the conversation. Her attention was focused on Kanji Tatsumi, who was approaching her with an uncharacteristic blush on his cheeks. "May I help you, Tatsumi-san?"

"Uh... Y-you can just call me Kanji, y'know..."

"Oh. A-as you wish. May I help you, Kanji-kun?" Naoto repeated, correcting her previous error. There was a slight flush to her cheeks as she spoke to the young man in such a way. She supposed she'd have to adjust, considering the social circle she found herself flung into. The young man scratched the back of his head as he hesitated to answer.

"Um... I was wondering if you could help me study? Exams are coming up, and... I... Uh..."

Ah. That explains his flustered attitude. Kanji-kun is embarrassed to ask for help. Naoto nodded her head, believing she understood Kanji's intentions. "I see. If you don't mind, I would be happy to tutor you in a subject of your choice."

For some reason, the blush on Kanji's face only seemed to intensify. She considered inquiring about his health, but decided against it when the boy nodded his head. "T-thanks. Um. I-I'll see you later, after class sometime, maybe?" Naoto gave a simple nod as confirmation, before an uneasy silence was placed between them.

"Will... will that be all, Kanji-kun? Do you require anything else of me?"

"Uh, n-nah. I mean, n-no. I'm good. I'm just-uh... S-see ya, Naoto!" To Naoto's confusion, the young man decided to suddenly end the conversation. He turned, walking away from the dark haired detective with his cheeks growing more flushed with every step. He was one of the last to leave the meeting, she realized, finding herself alone with Narukami, who was approaching her with a curious brow.

"What was that about?"

"Kanji-kun was asking if I would tutor him in some subjects he was struggling with. I agreed."

"Hm." Narukami's head faced the vanishing figure of their mutual friend. The color in his eyes, the tiny social cues Naoto had studied gave her only fleeting hints at what the silverette was thinking. Before she could voice her own inquires, the older boy turned to her with his facade cast aside. The change was truly jarring, but she was slowly gaining an understanding of his masquerade. "So, gorgeous, what's the plan for our first play date?"

The Narukami that she knew, and the one the Investigation Team knew, or was it more accurate to say, the true Narukami and the charade he put on for others? Where did one begin and the other end? Why did he insist upon the deception? Was it truly a mere show of arrogance, or perhaps the side effect of something else? These had been the questions plaguing Naoto's mind since Narukami's admittance of guilt.

The two found themselves in different, though equally unexplored, territory. She had never been one to foster relationships with others. A professional respect between coworkers was as deep a bond as she was willing to nurture before coming to this small town. Now she found herself a member of a band of misfit teenagers, ones who joked and spoke informally and without censor. Narukami was unaccustomed to the truth, preferring to hide away behind deceit. Now he was striving to find his true self beyond his self made prison of lies. As strange a choice as she believed it to be, he requested her help in his search.

"I ask that you refrain from such terminology if you expect us to spend time together in future confidential meetings."

"Right. Sorry. Secret play date," the light haired boy retorted, chuckling lightheartedly at his own humor. Naoto closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh, already finding the boy's jokes to be getting on her nerves. When she opened her cobalt eyes, though, she found him staring at her without his smirk. He looked uncomfortable for a moment, before he mirrored her actions and released his own sigh. "Sorry. Humor's a self defense mechanism. I think I use humor to hide my insecurities? Or because I just like getting on people's nerves... I'll try to cut back on it."

This was not the first apology Narukami had given her. Since their new beginning with one another, every time she displayed any level of discomfort towards his actions or what he said, he apologized. It was strange to see someone she once thought so lowly of acting so polite and apologetic. If what he implied was true, than she was the catalyst to his new behavior, a fact that left her rather flushed for some reason.

"Yes, well... Ahem. I understand some habits do die hard. Just try to refrain with referring to me in such a way."

"I'll keep that in mind, beautiful," he grinned. He chuckled once more, shaking his head. "Sorry. That one was on purpose. It is way too easy making you blush." His demeanor calmed and he looked at her a relaxed, though inquisitive expression. "So, what now?"

"If it is alright with you, I was hoping we could simply... talk?" Naoto tried to disregard the obvious elation on Narukami's face, but he made it very difficult.

"Talk? Hell yeah, let's talk! If there's anything I know how to do, it's talk."

"Trust me. I've realized."

"Hey, was that a joke I just heard? From the Detective Prince? Glad to see I'm rubbing off on you." Again, Naoto felt her cheeks turn warm at his teasing. A single glare silenced him, and he simply shrugged away any future teasing, for the moment at least. "So, shall we go to Aiya's and talk things out?"

"Hm. I would rather avoid Aiya's. Too many witnesses and if one of the other members of our team show up, we would have to justify our appearance there, not to mention why we're together."

"Ah. Okay. Sounds fair."

"I would prefer a less crowded area for our discussion."

"Hm... I think I have a place."

Naoto felt uneasy in her current setting. It was just that simple. She sat at a table, inside of a residence that was not her own, invited by a slightly older boy. She couldn't help but feel a slight embarrassment at the events. As nice and homely as the Dojima Residence was, she could not help but feel like she was intruding on the peaceful atmosphere. Narukami glanced at her sitting form from the kitchen, his face plastered with a smile.

A reflex? Perhaps it is involuntary?

"Uncomfortable, Naoto-kun?"

"Is it... that obvious?" sighed the detective.

"I'd say so." Narukami closed the distance between them, sitting at the opposite end of the table. Naoto felt a slight twinge of deja vu as he looked at her. "The food's almost done. Shall we talk?"

"Will it not be awkward if Dojima or your cousin return and I am here?" Naoto wondered aloud.

"My dear uncle spends more time at work than here, honestly. As for the tyke, she's at a friend's house or something. So it's just you and me," Narukami answered. "Does that make you uncomfortable?"

His tone lacked the teasing edge to it, leading to Naoto to wonder if he was genuinely concerned for her comfort. The suspicion was impolite, but warranted with Narukami's past. "Would it matter to you?" she asked, her voice heavy with curiosity rather than any malice.

"I mean, yeah. I care," he shrugged. The blue-haired detective took his answer as simply as he gave it.

"I wish to understand you, Narukami. You are... intriguing." The young man was silent at the statement, silently motioning her to go on with his ever present smile. "You are different. Your actions and desire to find redemption pique my own curiosity, and perhaps I find even a kindred spirit in your struggles to find yourself. Normally, I would stow away my own curiosity and focus on the case at hand, but seeing as you're the leader of the Investigation Team..."

"You don't have to justify it to me. I'm just glad we're talking," he mused. "Anyways, please. Ask away. I'm an open book for you, Naoto. No lies."

Naoto stared at Narukami again, analyzing the features on his face as she spoke. "Why do you act the way you do? The arrogance. The exaggerated friendliness. The... offbeat humor. You seem to always be putting on some form of act, even now."

The question was not one he prepared himself for, it seemed. He blinked in surprise, his eyes open to reveal the full surprise hidden in his silver orbs. He pondered the question over for a moment, before answering. "I don't know how to be honest," he admitted. "I've lied since I knew how to talk. My parents taught me the art since I was young."

"Your parents?" Naoto gawked at him, eyes wide in surprise. "Your parents supported you lying?"

"My mom's a lawyer. Lying is her trade, though my dad's pretty good at lying too for a relations consultant." Yu shrugged his shoulders at the simple facts, but Naoto saw his demeanor shift. He seemed faraway, distant to their conversation.

"Please. Tell me more about your parents? I wish to understand you."

"Not much else to say. Mom's a good liar and has a habit of acting kind of haughty. Dad's... kind of the same."

"Did they..." Naoto wished she could have asked the question with more tact. While skilled at questioning individuals, speaking to them about a subject so personal was beyond her. She tipped her hat to hide her eyes as she voiced the question, speaking bluntly, not wanting to mince words. "Were they abusive?"

"Never laid a hand on me." Narukami tried to smile, but it was as fake and artificial as the one he gave Yosuke or Yukiko.

"You're lying."

"I'm not. They never laid a hand on me." Narukami's smile slipped away and she could feel his eyes on her. She tried to meet them, despite the tension in the air. She squirmed in her seat slightly, and he did the same. Neither were able to get comfortable as the conversation went on. "I used to pride myself on never laying a hand on someone. I never hit anyone before coming to Inaba, besides a few boxing instructors my parents hired. Doubt they count... I never punched anyone. Never punched a girl, or kicked a guy, or anything. Despite that, I know I hurt people. Maybe my parents were similar..."

"You don't know?"

"They never laid a hand on me," he repeated. "So I guess that means they were good enough."

"That doesn't mean they didn't hurt you. Not all scars are physical."

"Didn't think I was being psychoanalyzed," he tried to joke, but his chuckle quickly died. He rose up to check the food as Naoto continued.

"You are being analyzed, though I am no expert. I simply wish to understand." Narukami didn't say anything. He was closing himself off, but he did not push her away. He quietly turned off the stove and examined the food sitting in the pots and pans above it. She sighed, and recited what she knew. "I have read that when you live with abuse, physical or mental, you don't truly realize it. You just think that's the way things are." Narukami's features didn't move at the fact.

"Wow. You sure know me," he mocked. "Mommy and daddy didn't love me enough, and that's why I cheated on three different girls, and two boys, back a couple of years. What wonders modern psychology can bring."

"You also use humor to avoid problems and cover up your insecurities." She heard the young man sigh as he kept his back to her. "Narukami, your parents... it seems they had a hand in your behavior."

"Can we please change the subject?" He sounded almost begging. They fell upon her tin ears.

"Why do you not wish to discuss this? Are you not in pursuit of your true self? Do you not think this will lead to that?"

"Because I hate that you make it sound like it's an excuse!" Narukami growled, turning to face her with infuriated eyes. "Quit the therapist bullshit! Quit trying to act like whatever the fuck they did, or didn't do, is some kind of Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card! I'm me, and I'm the only one in control of my actions! Me!" He advanced closer, every step heavy with outrage and frustration. "I didn't pull all that shit because mommy and daddy never hugged me enough. I pulled that shit cause I chose to."

"N-Narukami, I never meant-"

"I know. I just..." He cut her off, the anger in his eyes didn't vanish, but it faded just enough for him to stop walking. He let out another sigh, this one heavier than the last, heavy with his own resentment, she imagined. "How about a break, detective?"

"Very well..."

Narukami served her food, a delicious meal of curry and rice. It was relatively simple, though no less enjoyable Naoto realized. For all his flaws, he truly was a stunning cook. Narukami munched away at his own dish, quietly chewing the meal with a faraway gaze. His silver eyes rolled to stare at her. She returned the stare, both waiting for the other to topple under the iron gaze. Naoto wondered if she have apologized. She opened her mouth to do so, but in classic Narukami fashion, he interrupted her.

"What were yours like?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You asked me about mine. My parents made me who I was, you say. So what about you, Detective Prince? What were your parents like?"

"Ah. I see..."

"Do you not want to talk about it?"

"No. I mean, no, it is alright. I can speak about them. I suppose that is only fair." Naoto cleaned her lip with an offered napkin and she pushed her plate away from her. She placed her elbows on the table and lifted her hands up, interlocking them in front of her face. "I interrogated and analyzed you, you deserve the same." Despite her cool demeanor, there was a shakiness to her voice. A quiver that she attempted to suppress with her next line. "You wish to understand what they were like? I suppose the simplest way to describe would be to help you understand something. My parents were both detectives out of choice."

Narukami devoted his attention to her now, and she took that as a compliment, not as something to be feared. "They became detectives to help others. My father desired to help others through solving mysterious. My mother desired the same. My father felt the weight of my family's legacy upon his shoulders, but he embraced it. My mother faced the stigma of her gender being used against her, but my father and grandfather helped her..." Sadly, grandfather lacks the same weight to his name to help me the same, and even if he could, would I want it? I do not want special treatment because of my gender... Naoto bottled the thought and buried it in the forest of her mind.

"I sadly do not recall much of my parents' time with me. They both perished when I was young." Immediately, the words seemed to shatter Narukami's stoicism. He placed his eating utensil down and began to apologize once more.

"S-shit. Sorry. I mean... S-sorry for bringing it up."

"It is quite alright. I've made my peace with their passing long ago," she swore. "What I do remember is that they were both exemplary detectives. My father treated his work as more of an art than a science. He often sought out the emotional motivation and expected the dramatic finale. He had a sense of it, as odd it may be to say, and he would often say that I had inherited his intuition. My mother was more focused, analyzing and scrutinizing every detail until she found the truth. She struggled to trust others, but my father... he helped her, and she helped him, and they helped me become who I am today..."

"But what were they like as parents?"

"I'm sorry?" Naoto's composure cracked, and she placed her hands on the table as he pushed his own plate away. Neither of them seemed hungry all of a sudden.

"What were they like as parents? I mean, they could have been the greatest detectives ever, but still be rude or something. Did they take you out to eat a lot? Did they cook? Did they read bedtime stories?" Narukami shrugged, his silver eyes unnaturally listless. "Sorry. I was just curious..."

"No, I understand. My parents..." Naoto's voice trailed off as she struggled to find the words to say. When it came to discussing logic and facts, she had the infallible mannerism of the detectives she often revered, but when it came to conversations focused on more personal matters, she stumbled. He was questioning her about memories that she had long buried deep within herself. All the same, she had asked him questions and he answered truthfully, or so it seemed. Perhaps he deserved the same.

"They were good. Kind. Loving. What parents should be, I suppose. When I told them I wanted to follow in their footsteps, they have their reservations. My father feared for my life, knowing the dangers of the role. My mother feared for my heart, knowing the hardships my gender held. In the end, though, they were both supportive..."

The detective's fingers stroked the rim of her hat in aimless thought. "This hat... it belonged to my father. He gave it to me as part of my detective wear," she explained.

"It has sentimental value," he noted, nodding his head. He opened his mouth, before scratching the back of his head. "I... I'm sorry about what happened to them. I really am." Naoto merely nodded her head, quietly putting her near empty plate away in the sink.

The food was gone, and they were all alone. Naoto watched Narukami with a curious stare. The young man was cleaning the dishes, washing them and putting them away on his own. He seemed rather at peace with the role. "Narukami, may I ask you a question?" she inquired.

"Sure. It's your turn anyways," the silverette retorted.

"Did you lie to me today?"

"Wow. Blunt," he chuckled as he wiped his hands with a nearby papertowel.

"I apologize for lacking tact on the subject, but-"

"Don't be. I always like that about you. No bullshit. Just Naoto," he comforted, approaching her at the table. The blue haired sleuth felt the urge to hide her warm cheeks, and she averted her face when he sat across from her. "I hate dealing with other people's crap. Anyways, go ahead. What's up?"

"Did you lie to me today?"

Narukami was once again left silent by what she said. He contemplated the question, not appearing surprised by it, but still unsure of his own response. She patiently awaited his response, finally lifting her head up to peek at him from under the rim of her hat. He looked at her with a soft curve to his lips. "I don't think I did."

"You don't think you did?"

"Yeah. I'm trying to be honest."

"Hm. You understand my hesitation and caution, yes?"

"Of course. Hell, I want you to be cautious. The distrust is actually kind of a nice change," he chuckled.

The sleuth nodded in response. "You are a strange one, Narukami."

"When are you gonna call me Yu?" he wondered, though it like the question wasn't aimed at her, more of a thought he spoke aloud. Still, the question brought another scarlet hue to her features. "Calm down, Naoto. I ain't gonna make you do anything you don't want to. Just wondering."

"Hm. Yes. Of course." Her cobalt eyes glanced to her clock, before returning to him. "It is getting late. I should probably return home."

"Want me to walk you home?" he grinned.

"That will not be necessary."

"Poo." They stood up and walked towards the door, inspecting the falling sun when he opened it for her. "So, did you learn a little bit about me?" he teased, winking at her flirtatiously.

"I have. I will need time to mull over my thoughts about you and..." Naoto's blush returned, and she covered her face with the rim of her hat, using it as a shield from his laughing eyes. "You know what I meant."

"Yeah, yeah." She was glad she did not see the smirk on his face. She had no doubt that it would have been infuriating. "See you at school tomorrow?"

"Yes. Actually, I was wondering if you can assist me in a manner. I wish for us to visit the local hospital after school tomorrow."

"Huh?" A silver brow vanished under his equally silver locks. "Why? We feel fine."

"Perhaps, but we still understand little, both about Teddie, and the other world itself. We have no way of knowing if there are any side effects regarding it. It is very possible that we may have some sort of pathogen and not know it."

"S-shit! Wow... Um... that's grim," he laughed, a smile on his face despite what he said. "I'll tell the others. Smart move, Naoto." He was beaming at her, a sense of pride flowing from his features. "I'm glad I have you," he muttered under his breath.

Naoto gasped at the statement, and she quickly threw her stare to the ground. Narukami seemed to realize what he had said was heard by the sleuth, and he immediately backtracked. "W-we! I meant we! I as in we! The investigation Team!"

"Y-yes. Of course. I should go. Goodbye, Yu!" Naoto quickly waved her arm, walking out with as much composure as she could muster. Her face was brimming with crimson now as her mind scolded herself. W-what did... Why did you refer to him like that?! Ahh... Stupid girl. How could she have allowed herself to slip like that?! How could she have allowed what he mumbled to affect her in such a manner? She was tripping over herself, acting like one of her unwanted fangirls, not the detective she prided herself in being.

Why did part of her... like what she heard? Naoto discarded the thoughts as they bubbled to the surface of her mind. No. Focus. You're imagining things. What had before... what he had said and did... it was an act, by his own admission. There's nothing here, nothing more than a professional relationship between two colleagues. Just... just friends.

Yu closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. He was blushing. Why was he blushing...?

"Wow..."

END

We're back, baby! Kinda. I think so, at least. I still have a job, so update won't be easy, but I wanted to deliver this chapter to you. Told from Naoto's perspective, too! Here are some quick notes before I go see Captain America: Civil War.

1. I wanted to tell this story primarily through Naoto's perspective because she is the one learning about Yu for the most part. She's the one who has to see through his lies and what he hides away. Much like her, I wanted the reader to hear Yu talk and go 'Are you telling the truth? I hope you are... Don't lie to me.' That kind of thing.

2. Here's a pet peeve of mine, and this chapter touched on it. I HATE when people act like a tragic backstory can excuse bad behavior. I'm fine with villains having sad backstories, or anti-heroes having sad backstories. I get WHY or HOW the person ended up the way they did, and that's all well and good, but I hate it when people act like it is an excuse. It isn't. There is no excuse for cruelty. You are responsible for your own choices.

3. In the Delinquent-Verse, Yu's parents are abusive. They never smacked Yu, but they did mess with him mentally and emotionally. More on that in TALES OF A DELINQUENT.

4. Here's a little thing I made when I was bored. Not sure how accurate it is. You tell me.

Delinquent Narukami Stats

Understanding - Basic

Knowledge - Professor

Courage - Brave

Expression - Enthralling

Diligence - Persuasive

5. Have a great day. Please, leave a review if you can. Enjoy your day and take care! If you feel like this chapter wasn't too great, or I got stuff wrong, do tell. I'll admit, I struggled, but I'm working in an uncharted sea right here. Most Yu X Naoto stories aren't like this. I'm doing my best, and I hope you understand. Bye!