Honest Talk
Yu was never a fan of hospitals. Besides the chemically sterile atmosphere and the poking and prodding of the doctors and nurses, they were filled with people crying over the death of someone close, or worrying about the possible death of someone close. This was never really a problem for him before, since he never had anyone really close to him before, yet the atmosphere was no less depressing. There was a lingering in the air that made Yu queasy and off balance, it felt.
God. How many poor saps ended up kicking the bucket here? Even as a child, someone's death never really affected him. He remembered being informed of the death of his aunt, Chisato Dojima, and feeling utterly unaffected by the news. Why would he care? Why should he care about the death of some lady he hardly knew?
As his eyes briefly glided over the hall, struggling to find a distraction from the solemn atmosphere, his eyes fell on Kanji Tatsumi. The younger boy (or would man be a better term?) leaned against a wall, quietly waiting for the last members of their team to return to them. Yu remembered hearing that Kanji's father had passed away in a hospital. He briefly wondered what it was like to actually care about one's father...
A quiet sigh slipped out of Yu's lips and he tried to clear his mind of new, bubbling emotions. Sympathy for Kanji. Discomfort within the hospital's walls. Guilt over disregarding Chisato's death. When that didn't work, he made a different attempt, slowly pushing himself to accept the new feelings.
"Guilt's good, guilt means I give a-"
"Is something wrong, Narukami?"
"What?" Yu made a mental note to stop spacing out around the team as he looked at the speaker, finding Yukiko standing beside him. The rest of the team were preoccupied with their own conversations or thoughts; Yukiko's attention was on him, and him alone. He masked his face with that classic smile, and replied with an air of thankfulness. "I'm alright. Just going over a problem from school today. Thank you for the concern, Amagi-san." Just as he predicted, the raven-haired girl smiled at his words.
"You're always so formal, Narukami," she commented. "You don't have to refer to me like that."
"My mistake," he replied, giving a faux chuckle to accent his kind and sweet exterior. "Perhaps you can refer to me as Yu then? Or even Yu-kun?" he suggested, instigating a blush on Yukiko's fair features.
"O-oh, well... I mean, I could try, I suppose, but... Um... Uh... Oh! They're back."
Yeesh, these girls are too easy, the silver-haired boy laughed. He turned his head to the blue-haired detective he had fallen for, and blonde enigma known as Teddie. He crossed his arms, pretending to be the calm and collected leader as he leaned in slightly, curious about what information they had gathered.
"I'm very sorry for the wait," apologized Naoto.
Oh, Naoto. Always so polite... You're so cute!
"I'm bear-y sorry for the wait!"
Shut up, Teddie.
"So did they find anything out about Teddie?" Yosuke asked.
"They did indeed," she began, causing Yu to lean a bit more forward, curiosity baiting him closer. "They found out that they can't tell anything about him."
Did she just make a joke? Man, I don't know if I'm impressed or annoyed, Yu thought, ignorant of his lips curling into a more natural, upright crescent shape.
If Naoto noticed his little smile, she didn't pay it any mind. "I even had them take an X-Ray, but nothing came up on it. No matter how many times they tried, it would always be too blurry to read. A visual examination and standard palpations indicated that he seems perfectly normal. Since the machine could be malfunctioning, they told me to try another hospital if we're still worried about him." The sleuth let out a heavy sigh, her fingers tightening into fists as she scolded herself. "I felt bad for making them go through all this..."
"Hey. You don't have to-" The others turned to their leader, and Yu suddenly felt himself tripping over his tongue, his lips stuttering as he scrambled to speak. "Um... W-what I mean is, I'm sure the doctors are okay. I mean, they're still okay. They're fine. J-just fine. Uh... Sorry." Yu's eyes fell to the tiled floor as he was left quiet and embarrassed, a sight none of the members of the team were accustomed to.
"Dude, are you okay? I've never seen you stutter," Yosuke observed.
"Yeah. I'm okay."
Yu's silver orbs lifted up, and he noticed the looks he was being given. Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, and Teddie all shared a similar expression incertitude. They looked at one another for answers, assuming everyone in the group shared their confused thoughts. On the contrary, Rise was behind them, and trying to hide the bemused smile on her rosy lips. Kanji looked at him with a mix of envy and distaste. The younger boy eventually just scoffed and looked away, leaning against the wall as he waited for the conversation to get back on track. Yu saw his rival's blue eyes glance towards Naoto, who was in the middle of trying to hide her flushed cheeks under her hat.
Yu found himself, surprising as it sounded, unsure of what to say next. He scratched the back of his silver locks, shrugging at the team's gaze. "At least we've learned something, I mean. That Teddie's... odd?" Damn it. I sound so freakin' stupid...! My 'True Self' is a stuttering moron!
"Heh, like we needed a doctor's opinion to know that," joked Yosuke.
"Oh my, what should I do? They took a look at everything inside me!" Teddie dramatically lamented, motioning to himself with his hands.
"She just said they couldn't see anything on the X-Ray, you dork," corrected Chie, rolling her eyes at the bear's showmanship.
Suddenly, the blonde boy snapped his fingers, grinning as he spoke. "There's some things we do know, though. Heehee! I got a bunch of awesome data with me. It's rather em-bear-assing that I'm the only one who had personal details revealed, so... TADA!" To everyone's shock, Teddie produced several sheets of white, information filled papers from behind his back. It didn't take a Naoto to figure out what the papers were.
Naoto's cerulean-steel eyes widened as she gave a voice to everyone's thoughts. "Is that-?"
"I have the results of everyone's physical exams!"
Teddie, you glorious bastard. Or should I say, bear-astard. Ha... Don't say anything like that in front of Naoto, she'll think you're stupid.
"What?!"
"Huh?!"
"Are you ready?! I have some major reveals!" he declared, brandishing the stack of papers with beaming look of glee on his face.
"Oh, no you don't!" Chie hissed, chasing after the boy, who dodged and evaded the ferocious martial artists. The two ran around their friends, who watched with a mix of excitement, curiosity, and dread. The girls seemed especially anxious about the details of the exam, that is, save for one of them.
"Sure, go ahead," shrugged Rise, who smiled pleasantly. "My profile's been public knowledge for ages. Oh, but my bust size is two centimeters smaller than they print. My agency insisted," she noted, earning a quick glance from her silver-haired senpai. He glanced towards her covered breasts, before looking back to the scene at hand.
I knew it...!
"Nice! Teddie, you can start by telling us what all the girls' measurements are!" Yosuke cheered.
"Damn you, Yosuke! You stinkin' pervert!"
"I'm kind of curious too," admitted Rise. As Teddie struggled to keep the results out of Chie's grabby hands, she plucked the papers from him and straightened them out, reading from the first on the list. "Let's see! Oooh, Naoto-kun's up first! Let's see what we got..."
"W-wait, please, don't-"
"Huh?" The wide-eyed look on Rise's features was not what Yu was expecting. The girl swiveled her head to look at the Detective Prince, before returning her eyes to to the papers, then back again to Naoto. The blue-haired sleuth seemed to shrink with every disbelieving glance.
"Is something wrong?" Yu asked, his mask of stoicism cracking momentarily.
"Naoto... This says you're stacked."
Yu's mind felt like it had been hit by a bullet train when he heard those words. Naoto's rosy cheeks and quick act of snatching the papers back seemed to only confirm the earthshaking revelation. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Yu noticed Kanji staring at Naoto with a similar fire in his eyes, with no doubt similar thoughts, but the younger boy's fantasies paled in comparison to his senpai's.
Yu Narukami was handsome, smart, and he knew how to fake being charming. This led to many people wanting to be with him physically, and coincidentally, it led to him discovering his bisexuality. Boys, girls, he flirted with both and had made a past of breaking hearts of both genders, though he was trying to break that habit. Anyways, his experience with both genders had taught him that beauty came in many shapes and sizes.
So the idea of big, bouncy, breasts and all the dirty fantasies thoughts like that brought along with them, they were nothing new to the young man. He had lived many fantasies, really. Making out behind the benches, getting people to strip for them, even a few lap dances. There was even a favorite memory of his where he had two girls at once, thanks to some lying and their air-headed minds.
Despite that, he felt like a novice before the news he was given. He felt like all of his experiences in pleasure and erotica meant nothing compared to the news that Naoto had big... she had. She was... physically gifted. It was like he was an inexperienced choir boy just given his first porn magazine!
Except Yu had seen read many porn mags, and he'd even seen girls and boys naked before, on and off a computer screen. So why was just the idea of Naoto with large.. gifts so mind-blowing to him? Why did it make him feel so... titillated?
It was like he was a mere boy who had discovered that the internet was full of images of naked, beautiful people. A magical revelation that left Yu hungry to learn more, and scared of the uncharted oceans before him. His mind wandered for a moment, visualizing the voluptuous curves and dips that Naoto's body hid. He saw her, like a goddess, one with such flawless skin, such perfect, soft skin, such large, gravity defying-
"A-anyways!" Yu's fantasy shattered before it could get to the good part, forcing his attention back to the real world, where the lovely sleuth spoke, papers now in hand. "The important thing is that according to the examination results, nothing's wrong with our health! So we won't be needing these anymore!" The flushed, panicking detective wrinkled the papers in her crushing grip. "I'm going to go shred them..." And just like that, Naoto was speeding down the hall, away from the others. An awkward silence filled the air in her absence.
"Uhhh... Well, thank goodness everyone's healthy," declared Yosuke.
"Y-You're right! Let's go home!" agreed Chie.
Yu was left like a statue as the other members of the group began to exit the hospital. He felt someone shake his arm, pulling him out of his returning fantasies. He looked at Rise with a mix of appreciation and annoyance, nodding at her as she smiled, coyly. He also noticed the glare Kanji gave the two, but did his best to ignore it. The younger boy and girl left the hallway, vanishing aronud the corner, leaving Yu with the boy of the hour...
"You okay, Teddie?" Yu inquired, noticing the blonde boy hadn't left his spot in the tiled hallway.
"Sensei..." The young boy lifted his head, staring up from the floor to look at Yu with his shimmering eyes. He looked scared, terrified even. "After all that, they found out nothing about me... I wonder what I really am..."
Yu silently cursed the introspective bear, and he even cursed himself as he approached him. He did what he imagined was expected out of him. He placed a fatherly hand on Teddie's shoulder and smiled a plastic, pristine grin. "We'll find out together, Teddie. Don't worry. You've got me, and everyone else, right by your side."
"Yeah... Thanks, Sensei!" Teddie beamed, gazing at the silverette with eyes overflowing with gratitude.
In the past, seeing the desperate boy look at him with such admiration made him feel great. He was king to the stupid bear, infallible and perfect. Now, though, Yu felt his body fraught with an unpleasant pulsing in his chest. He flinched at the sensation, but maintained his strong facade. "No problem, Teddie."
The unpleasant pulsing grew stronger, like a cold sweat over his body. He rolled his shoulder, trying to shrug the sensation off of him, his mask nearly cracking as the strange toxin churned in his gut. It didn't hurt, exactly. It just felt wrong. Like he was being submerged in an oily substance from head to toe.
"Heeeey! If you guys don't hurry, we're gonna leave you guys behind!"
And just like that, it was gone. Like a weight thrown off his shoulders, Yu felt near instant relief. Teddie, ignorant to his sensei's pain, just shouted back to Yosuke.
"Coming, Yosuke! Ready to go, Sensei?"
Teddie looked at his mentor with an elated grin on his face as Yu took in a slow breath and straightened out his body. He glanced down the opposite side of the hall and saw no traces of Naoto. He glanced back to the shorter boy and quickly said, "I'll be right behind you, Ted. I'm going to go check on Naoto."
The delighted smile shift, turning sly and knowing as Teddie winked and gently elbowed the tall silverette. "Ooh, I get cha! Gonna put the Sensei Style on her, huh? Heehee! Good luck, Sensei! Nao-chan won't know what hit her!" The boy gave his friend a thumbs up, before skipping off, leaving Yu alone in the hall.
He released a quiet sigh as soon as Teddie was gone, and he rubbed his forehead. "Dumb bear," he muttered under his breath, before running down the hall, following Naoto's path.
He followed the sounds of a paper being shredded, soon finding the young girl standing alone in a small office-styled room. She had just forced the last of the papers into the machine and she watched in silent contemplation as the information was devoured. Yu stood in the doorway, savoring the sight of the beautiful detective for a moment, analyzing her short stature, yet pristine physique.
She's so cute... and pretty... and beautiful... The thought of what he had recently learned about Naoto popped into his fantasy, and his mind's eyes added two substantial additions to the vision. And really, really fucking sexy...
"How long do you intend on standing there, gawking at me, Narukami?"
Man, I have really got to stop spacing out today, Yu thought, shaking his head and quickly composing himself. He smirked at Naoto, in contrast to the scowl on her fair features. "Sorry, babe. Just reeling over this recent revelation. I mean-"
"Shut up." The older boy fell silent as Naoto's cobalt eyes glared daggers into him. Whatever he was about to say next crashed inside of his throat, creating a pileup of words and jokes to form inside him. He was rendered speechless as she spoke, walking towards him. Yu tried to speak up again, only to be pushed aside by the smaller girl, who marched past him. "Goodbye, Narukami," she grumbled.
What the hell...? Naoto... The cerulean-haired girl came to a stop as she felt someone grab hold of her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. She swiveled her head to the side, glaring at Narukami with a single eye.
"I'm not in the mood for your antics, Narukami."
"I can tell," mumbled Yu. "What's up, beautiful? Normally I need to flirt with you three times before you get this mad at me." He tried to defuse the situation with a comedic grin and a joke. He even added a wink for that extra, personal touch, yet Naoto seemed to only grow angrier.
"Enough!" She pulled away, turning away from him as she spoke, her voice passionate and hot with rage. "I do not have time for your idiocy! I'm leaving." She stepped towards the door, only to watch it close, trapping her within the small office. She stood in front of the shut door, glancing at the older boy with accusatory eyes. The guilty party just stared back, his smirk fading away into a amiable smile.
"Naoto, come on. Talk to me."
"..."
"We're friends, right? This is what friends do. I assume. My friend experience is kind of limited to you and Ri-"
"Why did you follow me, Narukami?" she sighed, looking away from the silverette and glaring at the closed, white door.
"Huh?" The boy shrugged, gently placing his hands on her shoulders to turn her towards him. She fought against him, shrugging his hands off. He shook his head in annoyance, holding back a sigh as he answered. "To make sure you were okay? Like I said, I heard that's what friends do..." Don't lie. Be honest. It's not your fault you honestly are a scumbag... okay, it is. Note to self: Work on fixing scumbag nature.
Yu's lips curled downward, into a guilty pout. "And I wanted to ask you about your breasts..." He expected anger and yelling from his blue-haired crush, but instead, he saw Naoto's shoulders rise and fall as she sighed. For some reason, the depressed acceptance was worth more than her loudly rebutting him. "Naoto...? Is that what this is about? You're upset you have big breasts?"
"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Narukami. Now, unless you have more questions to pester me with, I will take my-" The door fell shut once more, Yu's hand pressed against the top of it, keeping it sealed. Naoto released the doorknob and sighed again. "Why are you doing this?"
"Cause you're hurting, and I'm trying to be a better person... And because I do, genuinely give a shit about you, Naoto." His voice lacked any trace of his previous teasing, not a hint of arrogance or humor. He was being serious, speaking softly and kindly and meaning it. "So... You hate the fact puberty was generous with you? Why?"
She said nothing for what felt like the longest time. Yu didn't say a word though. He wanted answers, he wanted to be the comforting friend, for once in his life, he wanted to actually be there for someone else. He had no ulterior motives, at least, he hoped he didn't. Please, just let me be her friend. Let me actually help her. No lies. No faking it. The real me, actually comforting someone I actually care about...
"I remember my parents' funeral. It was a small gathering, as they had wanted. Close friends, respected colleagues... what remained of the Shirogane family." Yu nodded his head, silent, not daring to ruin the moment or betray Naoto's trust with a stupid joke. "I remember my grandfather speaking to a friend of my mother's. A young woman? An announcer, I believe. She spoke to my grandfather, offering her condolences and offering monetary charities to the estate. Their funeral was years ago, yet her words have sat with me since then, even now."
"She said, 'That's their daughter, Naoto Shirogane, isn't it?' My back was to her and grandfather, but I could clearly hear her, and my grandfather's affirmation. 'Is it true that she wanted to follow her parents' legacy? The poor dear... She has to do it all alone. At least Yumi-san had her husband and you to help her, Norio-sama. It's such a shame that she's a girl.' A shame.. The superfluous pieces of flesh you wished to learn about? They're nothing more than reminders of my disability. If I was a boy, I would have been able to pursue my dream without that handicap."
She crushed her hands into trembling fists as she spoke, her back to the older boy. It didn't matter that she wasn't facing him though. He could hear the grinding of her teeth, the harsh breaths as she cursed to herself. It was almost as if she had forgotten about his presence. All she could feel was her own resentment, her self-imposed guilt. "If I was a boy, I'd be a better successor to my parents' legacy... I could give their name the honor it deserves, not disgrace it. I-"
"I'm going to stop you right there," Yu interjected. Naoto opened her mouth to argue, only to feel his fingers blanket over hers, squeezing them. The sudden touch, her cold hand meeting his warm digits sent a hot flush towards the detective's cheeks. Had she turned around to face Yu, she'd find his own was similarly colored. "Naoto, I... There's something I need to tell you. Something you need to know and really need to hear.."
Yu swallowed up spit, and took a deep breath. He ignored the fire on his face as he stroked Naoto's hand. He felt every indent, every curve to the petite hand. He offered it warmth, comfort, and kinship to her. He offered genuine companionship, not because he wanted to trick Naoto, but because he cared. It was a strange feeling that he was unaccustomed to, but he felt that maybe, he really was following his heart on this one. Being honest with himself and her...
I want Naoto to stop hating herself...
"I'm glad you're a girl."
He felt Naoto shiver at the statement, or perhaps it was a flinch. She turned her body to gawk at the older, flushed boy. Yu prayed he was strong enough to hide the blush as he winced under her gaze. The blue-haired girl looked at him, mouth agape as she struggled to form an answer, but only succeeding in making a flustered mess out of herself.
"W-what are you saying?! There's nothing good about it!"
"Obviously, you're wrong. You're a girl, and you're easily the smartest person in Japan. I mean, you saw through my bullshit. Hell, you were able to figure out a bunch of things about the case, and you didn't even know about the other world. You're easily the best detective in this entire town, and probably all of Japan." Naoto opened her mouth again, but Yu was quick to silence her. He pulled his hand away from hers, and placed it firmly on her shoulder. "I believe that there are three types of people in the world."
"Huh?"
"The first type are the most common. They're the types of people that are only going to succeed by riding on the coattails of winners. People like my uncle's assistant, or..." Yosuke? Kanji? "Or like all the people who looked down on you because of your age or gender. The losers of the world, and unfortunately, that's most people." Judging by her risen brow and the stare in her eyes, Naoto wasn't really following the older boy's speech. Despite that, he kept trying.
"Then there's the second type. People like me." At that, her expression changed, now more curious about what he was about to say. "People like me... We're a lot like the the first type." The Detective Prince seemed surprised by his confession, and listened with a perplexed stare. "I used to think I was better than other people, and in some ways, I am. I mean, I'm smart and cool, but that's just an act... The second type... They're liars. Fakers. I can fake being amazing and be rewarded, but at the end of the day, I'm still a type one. Maybe even lower than a type one..."
Yu took in a steady breath, before releasing it. He felt a similar unpleasant sensation to the one he felt around Teddie, but he tried shrugging it off. "Narukami..." He raised his eyes, lifting them from the white, tiled floor, and saw Naoto's sympathetic, cobalt irises staring at him. They washed over him, catching the ugly feeling and sweeping it away. Her eyes, her voice, her presence, comforted him.
"And then there's you."
"Me?"
"You're part of the rare few. You actually know what you're doing. You're smart. Brave. Cool. You're amazing." Naoto's composure fell against the brunt of compliments, a fact Yu was thankful for as his own cheeks were mirroring her tinted ones. "You know what you want to be, and you'll succeed, cause you have all the qualities. You have the talent. You being a girl? That won't stop you. It hasn't stopped you yet. Even if you're hiding that fact from the police, you're still here. Still trying to solve mysteries. That's amazing. You are amazing..."
"Naoto, there's nothing wrong about being a girl. There's nothing wrong with you."
An awkward silence floated in the air as Yu ended his speech to the young girl. Neither party could meet the other's eyes, both waiting for the other to speak up. As Naoto mulled over the words spoken to her, Yu had an internal discussion with himself.
Stupid! Don't mess this up! You're coming too strong. You're gonna look like a total idiot! Damn it! "Um... Was that okay? I'm still not very good at this whole, being honest thing and-"
"Narukami." Naoto had finally composed herself, and she lifted her head to stare at the silverette. "I... I think I understand what you mean, though I do not agree with everything you have said."
"You do? I mean... Huh?"
"You truly do believe that I am a worthy successor to my family's name, and for that, I thank you." Naoto bowed her head, her lips curving into a crescent shape, an accepting smile on her features. "You respect me, despite your antics sometimes implying otherwise, and for that, I am genuinely thankful." She paused to take in a breath, before continuing. "But I disagree with your belief about the first two types. If I truly am a member of the third type, as you say, I believe you are as well. Everyone is. You have the potential to succeed, same as I do."
"Right now, all I care about is succeeding at making you feel better," admitted Yu.
"Then take this to heart. You have succeeded."
"I... I have?" And the world suddenly seemed brighter, and the overwhelming, lifeless atmosphere of the hospital vanished. "Whoo!" Yu threw a fist to the air as a wide, toothy grin shined on his face. "I rock! Yu Narukami, great friend and emotional pillar! Ha! YES!"
"Please, calm down. This hardly warrants such festivities," muttered the detective, tipping her hat to avoid staring at the exuberant young man.
"I beg to differ. I... Shit, the others." Yu's mood deflated as he smacked his forehead. "They're probably wondering where the hell we are. Come on, babe. We got to go!"
"Where the hell are they?" groaned Yosuke.
Rise's eyes darted to and fro, silently chewing on her bottom lip as anxiety plagued her mind. Her eyes were on Kanji, noticing the boy's uneasy attitude. His hands were balled into fists as he rapidly tapped the heel of his shoe against the ground. She knew the boy's feelings for Naoto, and the feeling of betrayal and distrust that had shattered his bond with Senpai. She watched him stand in place, getting more and more frustrated as the minutes passed.
"I told you! Sensei went to go put his Sensei Styled Smooth Seductions on Naoto! He's so cool," giggled Teddie. "They're so cool together!"
"I doubt Yu-kun would be trying to seduce anyone, Teddie. He's too much of a gentleman," commented Yukiko.
But for Kanji, Teddie's words were the final nails in a coffin. Kanji's patience was gone. "I'm going to go in after them," grumbled the boy.
"K-Kanji," Rise stuttered, calling out to the boy, but he was already too far, stomping towards the hospital's entrance.
The blonde-haired boy reached for the handle, only for it to open without his touch, and the leader of their team to nearly collide into his rival.
"Oh. Hey, Kanji..." Yu's silver eyes were wide with surprise, much like Kanji's own aquamarine eyes.
"..." The younger boy glanced behind his senpai, peering inside the hospital to find the blue-haired detective behind him. The leather clad teenager's face twitched at the sight of them together, before he sighed. "Hey." He had a moment of contemplation, before his eyes stayed on the Detective Prince. His cyan eyes met her cobalt ones, and out of the corner of his sight, he saw Yu-senpai shift, his gaze turning sharp with jealousy. "I'll see you later, Naoto."
"Oh. Goodbye, Kanji-kun." Naoto nodded her head, bidding the boy farewell as Yu silently observed them.
Kanji and Yu's eyes met again, and the tension turned dark and heavy. They both felt the rivalry between the two, and the broken remains of their link. Yu felt a familiar pain writhe in the pit of his gut, and Kanji felt a crushing pressure on his mind. He shrugged the unpleasantness off as Yu's sharp, metallic glare turned soft. The older boy tried to smile at him, but the delinquent paid him no mind. Kanji let out another quiet sigh as he turned and walked away.
"I'm heading home. I'll see you guys later," he grumbled.
"Huh? What's with him?" Yosuke wondered.
"No idea," shrugged Chie.
"Yu-kun, are you and Naoto-kun okay?" Yukiko inquired as the pair returned to the rest of the group.
"Yep, we're cool," answered Yu, only to notice the odd looks the others gave him. Rise and Naoto had hints of knowing in their eyes as he coughed a bit. "We are quite alright, Yukiko-san. Thank you."
"Well, alright then," Yosuke smiled. "Since we all have a clean bill of health, guess we should be heading home."
"Probably. It's getting late," nodded Yukiko.
"Agreed. We'll reconvene tomorrow. Everyone, get some rest," commanded their leader.
The others all nodded in response as they began to separate, bidding their goodbyes, only for Teddie to step forward and grab Naoto's hands, holding them up, between the two. Yu's face twitched, his stoic expression briefly turning into a faint scowl as the pale-skinned boy spoke.
"Thanks again, Nao-chan! Thank you bear-y much, from the bear-tom of my heart!"
"I-it's quite alright, Teddie," muttered Naoto, a red hue covering her features.
"You're so nice! You're like the Team Mom!"
"T-Team Mom?! I beg your pardon?!"
"And that makes Sensei the Team Dad! Right? Right?!" beamed the boy, practically jumping in place. Naoto had to hide her tomato-like face, and Yu had to summon up all of his willpower to hide his pride.
Both were so distracted by the boy's titles for them, neither noticed Rise running after Kanji, leaving the group behind nor did they notice Yukiko's warm, beautiful gaze turning harsh and envious...
END
I have to go soon, so let's keep this short. This chapter was originally going to be longer, but I decided to cut it in half. I'll go into more detail in that chapter, just know, I'm setting stuff up.
Oh, and this chapter shows Yu really trying to be a nicer person. True he still sounded a bit mean and rude, but he's trying. More Nice Delinquent Yu Narukami next chapter!
Have a good day! Sorry I've been so busy! Love you guys! Take care!