Broken Spirits
Yu walked towards school with a scowl on his face and eyes that shot from left to right. He examined the river of students traveling towards the school, and his frown grew with every face he saw. None of them were who he was looking for. He couldn't help the slight clench in his jaw as he bit the inside of his cheek. Where is she?
"Hey, dude! What's up?" He turned his head to find a familiar group walking up behind him. Yosuke was leading Chie, Yukiko, Rise, and Kanji up the hill with a smile on his face and his arm raised to wave at their leader.
"Oh. Hello, Yosuke," greeted Yu, nodding at the brunette. "Morning, everyone."
They all offered their own little greetings as the group practically absorbed Yu into their posse. He fell back towards the rear of the group and walked beside Rise, actually moving away and avoiding Yosuke trying to throw his arm over his shoulder. He noticed the slight frown on Yosuke's lips, but resolved to deal with it later. The silver-haired boy was not in the best of moods today, and his so-called partner's presence didn't help.
"You okay, Narukami?" asked Chie. "You seem kind of out of it."
"Rough night sleep."
"That sucks, dude," commented Yosuke. It seemed obvious there was more on the boy's mind, but Yu decided to ignore him.
The silverette sighed and glanced to the side, his feet dragging as his eyes scanned through the river of students again. Still, no sign of her. He fell into the back of the group, only to feel something brush against his arm. "What's wrong?" a voice asked. There was Rise, walking by his side, smiling at him. Yu was ready to brush her away, only to feel someone else bump into him from the other side. Kanji walked beside the older boy, sandwiching him between him and Rise.
"Come on, man. What's got you so bummed?"
"I'm fine..."
"Come on, Senpai. We're your friends. We know when something's wrong."
"Yeah, man! We're here for you. So what the hell is wrong?"
Yu tried to ignore the two, but the sight of even Yukiko approaching him was enough to make him reconsider. Her dark eyes still held a glimmer of sadness and resentment, yet her voice carried a genuine concern. "Narukami-san, you shouldn't keep your problems to yourself. You have people who will listen, you know... You don't need to lie anymore."
Yu blinked once, and then twice, before he finally tore his eyes away from the raven-haired girl. "Heh."
"What is it?" inquired Rise.
"Just laughing at the irony. All of you trying to help me. It's funny." Despite his own amusement, the three failed to share his opinion. They stared at him with confusion in their eyes as Kanji voiced their thoughts.
"Ya got a weird sense of humor, man."
"So? What happened?" Rise poked Yu's shoulder, forcing him to return to the question at hand.
"To be totally honest, I don't know. Naoto was spending the night at my home-"
"Wait, what? I thought-"
"Oh, yeah. I lied. She and I were there disguised as Phoenix Rangers and dancing together."
"Senpai!"
"Scold me about lying later, Rise," he chuckled, placing a hand on the frowning idol's head. He played with her hair like she was Nanako, laughing as she bat his hand away."It was all in good fun. Naoto and I had a great time. I even invited her back to my place."
"You did what?" Yukiko placed her hands over her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. "D-d-did you two...?"
"What? No. Stop interrupting and listen. I gave her my futon to sleep on, I slept on the couch, when I woke up she was already gone. It's just... weird. I would have thought she'd say goodbye..." Yu felt his smile fade away into a deep frown as the memory played over and over again in his mind. He woke up to find his room empty and the front door left unlocked... Nanako and Dojima were still asleep as he was left to wonder where his friend had gone. He shook his head, shooing the flashback away as he looked at the others. "It doesn't matter. I'll figure it out."
"Anything we can do to help? Maybe Rise and I can talk to her for you?" offered Kanji.
"I'd appreciate that... Thanks, guys." He nodded in appreciation, his scowl vanishing just like his smile had. He wasn't sure what to think of the night before or the morning after, but he was happy he wasn't alone against the problem. "Come on, we should probably stop lagging behind Chie and Yosuke."
Yu Narukami walked towards Yasogami High surrounded by friends. Rise, Kanji, even Yukiko saw the true him and rather than turn away in disgust, they also saw the man he strove to be. But the two brunettes in front of them did not see that. All they saw was a puzzle.
Yosuke hid his scowl with a fake smile plastered onto his face. He disguised his sigh of frustration with a laugh. Chie tried to do the same, ignoring the questions that pestered and prodded their minds.
Naoto's finger tapped against her desk like a jackhammer. The constant, unending symphony of tapping was grating to even her, but it was just the kind of distraction she needed. She took a deep breath and counted a dozen taps, before sighing. She wished the teacher would release them soon. She could hardly stand being here, it was as if everyone knew what she did...
What Narukami wrote in that accursed book of his.
Her face turned crimson just from the mere thought of it. She could still see the drawings in her eyes, seared into her brain as some kind of sick torture. She could see the illustrations Narukami had made of her. They were intricate drawings that looked as though they had been taken out of reality itself. His ability to capture the shading and frame the moment was uncanny, but why did he waste it on images of her?
Because he lied.
Much like Alice following the rabbit, Naoto delved deeper and deeper into that accursed book. Her cheeks turned hot and her throat felt squeezed as she recalled the sketches that laid beyond the first few pages. She delved into the sketchbook and found more drawings of her laying within. Some of the drawings were of her passionately speaking, others captured her in the middle of a rare smile, and others were more... provocative.
She had no recollection of Narukami watching her with a sketchbook in hand, so all of those drawings must have been recreated from his memory and imagination... Imagination... She shuddered at the thought and squirmed in her seat, trying to dissuade her wandering mind. She failed. Narukami thought of her in position of... of lust. No, more than that, he thought of her in positions of romance.
Late night dinners together, picnics, even a drawing where her her lead-created counterpart wore a distinct ring upon her finger.
He lied. He doesn't just want to ask you out, a voice teased, almost giddy with excitement. He wants-
"Naoto? Earth to Naoto?"
The sleuth blinked, shaking herself from her stupor to find Rise Kujikawa and Kanji Tatsumi staring at her. Both stared at her curiously. "Oh. Hello, Rise-san... May I help you?"
"Are you okay, Naoto? I mean, class is over and you haven't even moved." A brief glance around the classroom proved the woman right. The teacher, as well as most of the students had already filtered out of the room. No doubt they were attempting to leave the school's premise, while she had simply sat on her seat, staring blankly at the wall like a dunce.
"Oh. Of course," sighed Naoto. She rose up from her seat and reached for her bag, only for Rise to pluck it from her own hands. "Rise-san, please give me back my bag."
"What's wrong? And don't say nothing, because we know something is," the idol declared, crossing her arms incredulously.
"I... It doesn't concern you, Rise-san..."
"Oh? Does it concern Yu-senpai?" Naoto felt her eyes widen and her cheeks flush as Rise smiled victoriously. "Ah-ha! It does. Spill it, missy."
"There is nothing to 'spill,' Rise. Our relationship is purely professional. There is nothing beyond that to tell!"
"We know that's not true." Both girls were silenced by the third voice, firm, yet heated. Kanji's face was unreadable as Naoto and Rise turned to look at him. They saw anger brimming below the surface, yet a serenity that suppressed and held it back. It was like watching a waterfall crash upon an inferno, leaving only a misty steam to be seen through his eyes, clouding his soul. "So why the hell do you keep saying that?" There was no malice in his voice, no accusation. It was a simple question.
"Kanji...?"
"T-Tatsumi-san?" Naoto felt her fingers curl into fists as she let out a sigh. "My relationship between Narukami and I is of no concern to either of you." Her hand shot forward, catching the strap of her bag and pulling it free from Rise's hand. "It does not matter. We have more important matters to concern ourselves. It will rain soon and we need to focus on identifying and securing the next victim. If we can keep them properly safe, we will be able to prevent another kidnapping and hopefully arrest the killer."
She pushed her way between the two and stomped her way to the exit of the classroom. "We have no time for juvenile gossip, so I suggest both of you cease pestering me about the matter. It doesn't matter."
"You and Yu are our friends. How you guys feel is important to both of us, Naoto," corrected Rise. She sighed, watching Naoto pull open the door. It slammed against the frame, but Naoto could still clearly hear Rise's claim. It made the detective tremble for just a moment, hesitating in the middle of the door. "And falling in love isn't juvenile."
"Goodbye, Rise-san. Goodbye, Tatsumi-san." She stepped out onto the hall and left the two to their own matters.
"Well, that didn't work," grumbled Rise. Her lips twisted into an annoyed scowl as the two stared at the open door. They were all alone now, and nowhere closer to finding out what was on Naoto's mind. Her arms crossed over her chest as she looked to her partner. Her frown only deepened as she saw the lost and forlorn spark hidden in the boy's steely, blue eyes.
"I don't think she's going to talk to us..."
"Yeah... I wonder what happened between her and Senpai?" Kanji shrugged in response as Rise stepped closer to her. She lifted her hand to touch his cheek, but hesitated. You're his friend, Rise. Not his girlfriend... "Hey." The blonde turned his head to look at the girl, raising his brow as the lack of distance between them. "You okay?" Her land fell to his shoulder, gently squeezing it as a sign of platonic intimacy.
"Yeah. I'm alright," he muttered. Rise saw clear through the lie and rolled her eyes. Suddenly Kanji felt himself being pulled down as Rise embraced him. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and her head was rested on his shoulder as she pulled him down to her level.
"I'm here for you," she whispered into his ear. Rise could feel his cheek turn hot against her as she quietly enjoyed the moment. Memories of their dance on Halloween night bubbled to the surface of her mind as she held him. The two had danced together, his hand in hers and their steps in near perfect sync. She felt her lips curl into a smile as his arms wrapped around her small body, embracing her.
"Y-yeah. I know... Y-you can let go now."
"I would, but your arms are still around me."
"O-oh. Right."
The days passed as Yu and Naoto's relationship did little to improve. She barely spoke a word to him, and when they were together, they were never alone. The only times he had a chance to talk to her was when the group was in a meeting, and even then she hardly spared him a glance. The group spoke about the latest victim to appear on the Midnight Channel, but Narukami's mind was hardly in the proper place to offer ideas or suggestions.
He returned home with a frown on his face and a sigh on his lips, and to make matters worse, the kotatsu was broken. He let out a low grumble as he cooked dinner for himself and Naoto, pushing the young girl's food onto her plate from the frying pan.
"The deliveryman came today and he asked me how I was and he was super nice, big bro! He told me a funny joke and-"
"Mhm." Yu hardly listened to his cousin's story. He forced a smile onto his lips as he stroked her head, placing her food onto the table in front of the TV for her.
"Hey, big bro?"
"Hm?"
"Is a girl making you sad?"
He nearly spilled the stew he had made, his eyes widening in shock. "W-wait, huh?"
"I was watching Detective Loveline and she was helping a man find his missing girlfriend. She had ran away cause she was mad at him, but he wanted to tell her he was sorry so he called on Detective Loveline to help her! Is that what's happening to you?"
Yu gaped at Nanako with wide pools of silver. He tried to answer the question, but found a surprising amount of difficulty in the action. "Er... Well, I guess? I mean, I'm just trying to make a girl happy right now, but she won't talk to me, so..."
"Did you do something to make her upset?" inquired the girl, innocently.
"I don't know... I guess I must have, but I don't know what." He sighed for what felt like the millionth time. He glanced towards the ceiling as he quietly wondered what to do, only to feel a pair of arms around his waist. He turned his head down to stare at Nanako, who had embraced him in a hug.
"I'm sure she'll come around, big bro! No one can stay mad at you!" Her tiny arms squeezed him a little tighter, earning a chuckle from the young man.
"Heh. I appreciate the confidence, kiddo," he replied. His hand played with her hazel locks as the sound of a door opening caught both of their attention. "Sounds like your dad's home."
"Yay!" Nanako pulled her arms from her brother and ran to the front entrance, grinning as her father walked in. "Welcome home! Dad, that kotatsu's broken! Can me and big bro get a new one at Junes tomorrow?"
"Kotatsu? Huh. It's already that time of year? Alright, you two can go get a new one. I'll leave what kind up to you," he smiled, patting Nanako's head with a smile. Yu returned to serving the food, grabbing another plate from a drawer as Dojima walked up to him.
"Hey, you got a letter marked for you, but..."
"Huh?" Yu placed the plate down and glanced at his uncle, seeing the small envelope in his hand. He took it when offered to him and pried it open with his fingers. Without even thinking about it or understanding the sense of deja vu that plagued his mind, he took the paper out and mumbled it to himself. "'If you don't stop this time...'" His eyes widened as the rest of the message became clear.
"What's it say?" His uncle stepped forward to catch a glimpse of the letter. Yu flinched and he attempted to hide the letter, but the resistance only made Dojima scowl. He snatched the letter from his nephew and read it to himself. Yu could see his eyes widen as he finished the short message, before reading it again to himself, as if in disbelief. "'If you don't stop this time, someone close will be put in and killed?!'" The paper was slammed onto the counter as Dojima stepped forward, trapping his nephew against the wall. "What the hell is this?!"
Yu opened his mouth to try and fabricate some lie, only for Dojima's glare to silence him. "You're involved with the case, aren't you?!"
"Uncle, i-it's just a joke. Some stupid joke Yosuke made up!"
"No. It's not," the older man growled. "I knew something was wrong, but I didn't want to believe it... I treated you like family and even kept other people off your back, but that was a mistake." Yu had never seen the detective so infuriated. The older man's brow twitched as he took in a deep, long breath. "I should have done something sooner because I care about you."
"D-daddy?"
"You're coming with me to the station. Give me your phone. You're not going anywhere, and you're not talking to any of your friends until I know what's going on." Yu felt his entire world flip upside down as he tried to muster up some kind of argument. He opened his mouth again, but his uncle refused to let him even speak. "Don't you dare say a word. You've lied to me enough. It's time I finally got the truth from you."
Yu bit the inside of his mouth, trying to think of some way he could get out of this, but nothing seemed possible. His eyes drifted to the soft whimper plaguing the air and he saw Nanako staring at the two men, pools of tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
"P-please. Stop fighting..."
"We're not fighting," Dojima replied, but the stress and fatigue was clear in his voice. "We're just going to be gone for a little bit... We'll be back soon, okay?"
She tried to speak, but all she could do was let out a sobbing cry. She gasped for air as Yu pushed Dojima aside and fell to his knee in front of the girl. He brushed her tears away as a hand held her shoulder. "Nanako... Nanako, please. I need you to listen." His voice was firm, unyielding now. "I've never been the best role model to you, even if you didn't know it... But I want you to know that-"
I'm not a bad guy...?
No.
"I need you to know that this isn't your fault, and that you are a lot stronger than you think you are." He pulled her into a brief embrace, holding her trembling body in his arms. "Everything's going to be okay, Nanako. I promise." He held her quivering body in his arms until her sobbing turned into a light whimper. He pulled away from her and he smiled into her almond eyes. "You be good, okay?"
"O-okay..."
He gave her one last smile and hoped she couldn't see how fake it was. Without another word he stood up and followed her father out of the house.
The walls of the impromptu interrogation room were a mix of white and grey. It felt like a fittingly sterile and empty place for Yu to be yelled at. He stared at the metal table he was seated at as Dojima shouted at him, angrily berating the boy for his every lie and mistake. The young silverette should have known that telling him the truth was foolish, but what was he supposed to do? Try as he might, he couldn't think of a lie that could explain all that had happened.
So instead of fighting it, he quietly sat in his seat and took the verbal beating Dojima gave him as his uncle's assistant watched with terrified eyes.
"Do you expect me to believe that?" Dojima growled. "Any of that?! It sounds like complete garbage!"
"Look, I know how crazy it sounds, but watch the Midnight Channel! Look at the pattern! Even if you don't believe the other world stuff, that's something!"
"You want me to believe in magic? And ghosts?!"
"No ghosts, Shadows! Look, uncle-"
"Enough!" His hand fell on the metal table, making it shudder as Yu fell silent. "That's enough. I thought you'd finally tell me what's going on here, but I see you still don't trust me after all this time, so I certainly can't trust you. You're staying here for the night while I work out what to do with you... I'll have to give your friends' parents a call. See what they know..."
"Uncle, please... Leave them out of this," Yu pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears. Damn it, this is all my fault... They're going to suffer because of me.
"Enough, Yu. I'm done listening to your lies. Either tell me the truth or nothing at all." Dojima rose up from his seat, the screech of the metal chair on stone echoed through the small room. "I trusted you, and more than that, Nanako trusted you. She's going to be heartbroken when I have to tell her about this." Yu felt a twisting pain in the pit of his stomach. He lifted his head to look at his uncle, and he saw that even Dojima seemed sick to his stomach. The detective opened his mouth to say something, only to let out an exasperated sigh. He walked out of the room without another word.
"D-Dojima-san? Wait!" The assistant was ignored, and fell silent as his shoulders slumped. "Man, I've never seen him so ticked." He turned his head to Yu, who had his elbows on the table and rested his face in his hands. "Um... Y-you okay?" He didn't get a response. "R-right. Dumb question. Sorry." Silence filled the room again as the assistant tried to think of something to say. "Hey, look... Dojima really cares about you. You're like another kid to him."
Yu lifted his head to look at the raven-haired man, raising his brow in confusion. "You're joking. You heard him."
"Yeah, he sounded like every dad mad at his kid," he laughed. "Look, I want to believe you, and I know Dojima wants to believe you too! So don't worry, he'll come around. Until then, maybe you should consider doing the same? I mean, all this talk about magic and stuff... It's straight out of an anime." The man walked around the table and gently patted the silverette's back. "Get some rest, okay, kid? I'll talk to Dojima about letting you out."
Yu was honestly floored by the man's kindness. He glanced at him and saw only a sense of compassion from his dark eyes, and the smile on his face was almost childish in its' simplicity. "T-thank you. I'd appreciate that... Adachi, right?"
"Yep! That's me."
Kanji quietly glanced at Rise as the two sat in her room. The young girl had offered to help the boy with studying for their next test, and he was happy to take the offer, but things just felt... weird right now. He scratched at his brain, trying to decipher the code that seemed to bounce around in his skull.
He and Rise had hung out plenty of times before when she was helping him win Naoto over, so being alone with her wasn't too strange. Even after the Culture Festival, Rise stuck by his side. They were friends, so when she invited him over, he didn't think much of it. That's what friends did.
His oceanic eyes glanced to the side, staring at the stuffed animals that sat on her bed. They were the classic kind of stuffed animals he imagined most girls have. A teddy bear, a dog with droopy ears, a penguin... The three were alright, but he could already imagine making a better stuffed animal for her. She'd probably love it.
Not that he cared. Er, not that he cared for any reason beyond friendship. Friends give each other stuffed animals, right? His gaze fell upon Rise as he tried to ignore the warmth that tickled his cheeks. The idol was sitting on the bed, her back against the wall and her face deep in a book, scanning over the words and illustrations that filled the textbook. Kanji had honestly given up a while ago, but Rise was still at it. If memory served, while she was no genius, the young woman was able to maintain a B average in her classes.
Really, what was he supposed to do when they studied together? Most of the time she was helping him, and he'd just mutter a thanks as he tried to follow along. Yet Rise kept inviting him over and saying they should study together. Why the hell does she even want me here?
"You've been staring at me for the last few minutes, Kanji-kun," commented Rise. Her eyes peeked out from behind the book and glancing at him.
"H-huh? What?" His cheeks burned like a fire as he scrambled to lift his book to his face. "N-no, I wasn't!" He quickly brought the book to his face, only to hear Rise laughing at him. "W-what?"
"The book's upside down."
"Oh. Uh..." Kanji quietly returned the book to the proper position, before looking away. "My bad."
"It's okay," she giggled, a finger tapping her glistening, pink lips. Kanji's eyes darted back down to the dull schoolwork, desperate to get his mind off of her.
"H-hey, have you heard from Senpai?"
"Huh?" Rise's hazel eyes widened, before blinking as she thought. "No, I haven't... He seemed really upset at today's meeting." Her finger tapped at her chin as her brow began to furrow. She noticed the quizzical look Kanji was giving her, electing an explanation. "He was quiet. He's always quiet when he's upset."
"Oh. You know him pretty well," commented the blond. For some reason, the words left a bad taste in his mouth. "You two must be really close."
"Heh. He's like the big brother I never knew I needed," she explained. "Hm... Maybe we should call to make sure he's okay. He's probably brooding in his room or something, knowing him."
But the idea fell on deaf ears. "Huh? Brother...?" Kanji repeated the word once more in his mind, not understanding why the word made him feel so... weird. Happy, he guessed? Rise reached for her phone, but the young man was stuck in his own thoughts. He mentally scolded his brain for jumping to conclusions that Rise was still interested in Senpai 'like that.' What was wrong with him? More importantly, why was he so happy Rise only saw Senpai as a brother?
"Huh. That's weird."
"What is it?"
"He's not picking up."
"Maybe he's not home?" he thought aloud.
"Maybe... But then that means Nanako is home alone," pouted Rise. "Here, I'll call the home line." Kanji watched the copper-haired woman press a few buttons, before hitting speaker. Rise moved herself closer to the boy and held the phone between them as it rang once, twice...
"Hello...?" Kanji could pick up the slight hoarse tone the girl's voice had. She sounded like she had been crying or something recently.
"Hey, Nanako-chan! Is your brother home?" Rise asked, peppering her voice with exaggerated joy. Her eyes told Kanji she picked up on the tremble in Nanako's voice, but she tried to whisk it away with a smile. It didn't work.
"No... He got a weird letter and Dad saw it and got angry. He took big bro to the police station," the girl whimpered.
"W-what?!" Her voice nearly cracked as Kanji's eyes widened. The two stared at one another with wide eyes as they connected the thoughts between one another. "N-Nanako, are you okay?!"
"Y-yeah... I'm home alone, though... I-is big brother okay? Do you know? C-can I see him again?"
"Don't worry, Nanako-chan! We'll get your brother!" Kanji swore, stealing the phone from Rise. "Just you wait, okay? You'll see him again in no time!"
"Okay..." Kanji hung up the phone without another word, too terrified to say a proper goodbye as he and Rise gaped at one another.
"Another letter?! D-do you think it was from the killer?"
"Had to have been! Why else would his old man drag him to the station?! Damn it!" Kanji threw the phone onto the bed, where it bounce harmlessly and landed with a muffled thud. "We gotta go help him! We gotta do something!"
"R-right. I'll call the others. Come on, we gotta get to the station!" Rise grabbed her phone and threw Kanji's jacket onto her friend, before the two made a dash for the door. They said a rushed and barely understood goodbye to Rise's grandmother as the two ran out of the tofu shop.
Yu paced the small room for the fifteenth time. At least, it felt like the fifteenth. He really had no idea how many times he had walked along the walls of the room, nor did he know how long he had been in this damn room. His skin crawled as his mind raced, imagining what could happen next. Was he and his team finished? Would Dojima keep them out of the case? How many people would die because they weren't there to help?
"Damn it," he grunted, kicking the chair he had sat on. It banged against the table as he struggled to calm down his breathing. His skin felt itchy and clammy, his hands shook and his head felt clouded with anger, but he knew that he had to try calming down. He took a deep breath and exhaled, only for a familiar sound to catch his attention.
The room had a small TV in it, and said TV had flickered to life seemingly on its' own. It's midnight... Yu glanced towards the only entrance into the room, before walking towards the static screen. It happened like it had so many times before. A figure appeared, seemingly basked in shadows within a foggy room. His eyes traced the figure, quietly catching all the little details.
They're small... A child? A lot younger than any of us, that's for sure. Two pigtails imply a young gi- He felt his heart rise into his throat, his eyes widened as realization dawned on him. Nanako? It was more than just the basic shape of the character, it was the way the silhouette seemed to laugh and smile at him with ebony eyes. The figure looked and acted so much like her, it was almost taunting him now. He felt his hands curl into fists as he realized the danger the poor girl was in.
"Dojima! Dojima!" Yu dashed towards the door and slammed his foot against it. "I need to talk to my uncle!" He roared at the door, struggling to catch the attention of any who would listen. "Are you listening to me?! I need to talk to my uncle! His daughter's in danger!"
Naoto fought against the falling rain, refusing to slow down for even a moment. She ran through the rain, the screaming ache in her heart and growing fatigue in her body. She ran against the storm, desperate to save Nanako.
Please, I-I can't slow down... I have to hurry! The rain pelted her, her coat clung to her soaking, wet skin and the cold air battered her body, but she pushed through it. She had been in such a rush that she had forgotten to grab an umbrella. She practically shot out of her apartment and made a beeline to Narukami's home. Why hasn't he been answering my calls? Surely he saw the Midnight Channel... If the killer comes for Nanako, he'll no doubt try to protect her...
Waking nightmares of Narukami's body terrorized her mind. She shuddered at the thought more than she did against the cold. If anything were to happen to Nanako or Narukami, it would be my fault... She damned herself for being so foolish. How could she have not seen this coming?! Her nails dug into the palms of her hands, bringing a numb pain that she used to push herself onward.
The others respected her for her intelligence and deduction skills, and now Nanako and Narukami would suffer because she failed to consider a possibility. She cursed herself once more as the barrage of icy rainwater fell upon her. Her hands were trembling now as she lost feeling in them, but she pressed on. She refused to give up. She refused to let her body stop for even a moment.
There! The Dojima Residence was within sight, and she felt her body revitalized as she dashed towards the front door. Her blood ran as cold as her drenched skin as she saw the door had been left open. "Nanako!" She reached into her holster and took out her revolver, moving forward with twitching fingers. She ran into the light of the home, her soaking wet boots stomping against the ground.
Her body was tired, and trembling, but she forced it forward. She had to, because she saw a figure looming over Nanako's unconscious body. Her mind raced as she saw the man's uniform, but she reeled it back. She needed to focus on the matter at hand, she couldn't be distracted by the perpetrator's identity. Despite that, her eyes still widened at the sight of the man's scowling face.
She had studied every detail about the case before she had arrived at Inaba. She knew of the first and second victim, she understood who was suspected, she knew who was ruled out as being unable to have committed the act. Even with the recent discovery of the other world and Shadows, she had never thought to consider that one of the suspects she had written off could share their abilities. Yet she stared at living proof of it, it seemed.
Taro Namatame, husband to Misuzu Hiiragi and the politician that had an affair with Miyumi Yamano, held the slumbering body of Nanako against him.
"Stay back!" he commanded, eyes widening as he stared at Naoto.
"It's... it's over!" Her voice was panting, and her mind was racing. She bit the inside of her mouth, using the pain to focus. "It's over!" she repeated, trying to hide how weak her body felt. She held the gun up, aiming at the older man with shaking hands. It swayed back and forth, before she straightened her aim. "You're not leaving with her!"
"I have to! You won't have her!" he screamed, pulling the unconscious girl closer against him. She let out a quiet whimper, unaware of the danger she now laid in. Namatame breathed in through his teeth as his eyes darted to the table beside him.
"There's no escape!" Naoto declared. "Give yourself up now!"
"No! No, I can't give up! I won't give up!" He pushed Nanako behind him, and picked up a plate that laid on the table. Naoto fired, a bullet whizzing past the man's shoulder. He threw the plate at her and she ducked her head down, shielding it with her arms as the plate shattered. The porcelain broke against the stone wall, and bits of it fell upon her as she stumbled.
If she had been in a better condition, perhaps she would have been able to save Nanako, but her body was tired, her heart still beat like a drum, her body was cold and shaking, her vision blurry... She felt herself being slammed into the wall behind her, Namatame's shoulder lodged into her chest, just below her neck. Her body ached as she slid to the ground, only to be lifted up by her collar.
"You won't stop me. You can't..." Naoto felt a blistering shock of pain as his fist connected with her cheek. She fell to the ground with a loud thud. She struggled to stand back up, but her body refused to listen.
"N-Nanako..." Her head felt like it was being split apart. Her numb fingers clawed at the ground, but it felt like a weight had been placed on her body and it only grew with every moment of fighting it. Narukami... I'm sorry...
Everything went black.
Yu had been banging on and yelling at the door until his hand burned and his voice choked. After what seemed like an eternity, his calls were finally answered. The door swung open and he was met with the sight of Kanji and Rise standing beside Dojima and Adachi.
"Senpai!" Rise lunged forward to hug the silverette. "Thank god, you're okay..."
"We came as soon as we heard what happened, man... You okay?"
Yu couldn't answer the question as his eyes fell on his uncle's furrowed and scowling face. "Nanako," Dojima uttered. "Is she in danger?" His voice was firm and his eyes sharp as he glared at his nephew.
"She is! The killer's going after her!"
"The killer has her..." Yu turned his head to the entrance of the room. Adachi was escorting the rest of their friends into the room, but what caught his attention was Naoto. She was being helped forward by Yosuke and Chie, who had their arms on hers as she entered the room. She was shaking.
"N-Naoto?"Her cheek was discolored from the usual moonlight pale it typically was. Her skin was tinged purple, an unhealthy, unnatural violet that polluted her fair skin. The flesh was swollen, even puffing up the skin around her cobalt eye. "What happened?" he whispered.
"Namatame. Taro Namatame. He is the murderer. He kidnapped Nanako! I-I tried to stop him, but..." Her eyes refused to meet his as her teeth ground against one another. She took in a slow, gasping breath as she trembled. She looked so small in front of him. She looked so terrified. "I'm sorry," she whimpered.
It was the second time he had ever heard her so broken...
"D-Dojima-san! Where are you going?!" Yu couldn't take his eyes off of her.
"I'm going to Namatame's house! I have to save Nanako!'
"B-but sir-"
"Adachi, call the traffic department! Tell them there's been a kidnapping!"
"But sir-!"
Dojima stormed out of the room. The others looked to one another, some of them speaking, but Yu couldn't bring himself to answer. He stared at the bruise on Naoto's cheek. It meant she had failed, and Nanako was in the hands of a psychopath. It meant this psycho had laid his hand on the woman he loved. It meant that Nanako could die if they didn't hurry.
He felt his blood run cold as Naoto grabbed his shoulder.
"We have to find her. Narukami, do you hear me? We have to look for Namatame's truck." He nodded his head as Naoto looked to the others. "Quickly, we have to hurry everyone!"
"What about him?" Kanji asked, motioning to Adachi.
The young detective just held up his hands. "Hey, I'm not going to stop you. If anything, I want to come along." Adachi walked forward and gently placed his hand on Yu's shoulder, squeezing it as an expression of friendship. "We're all on the same side to catch this guy, right?" Yu couldn't turn his head to meet Adachi's smile, his lips couldn't even form a wry grin. The young man just nodded his head as Naoto took charge of the team.
"Thank you, Adachi-san." She bowed her head, before looking to the others. "Quickly everyone, we have to hurry!"
Rise kept glancing at Yu with worry clear in her eyes. She could tell he was hurting, it'd be impossible for him not to be, honestly. Her hazel eyes met Yukiko's ebony orbs and the two shared a silent conversation. Yukiko's eyes darted back and forth between Rise and Yu, who ran in front of them by Naoto's side. The raven-haired woman could see the pain Yu was drowning in, but she didn't know how to help.
Honestly, Rise didn't either. The only thing that could lift Yu from his own depression would be Nanako's safe return, and the idol wasn't sure if they could save her in time. At least with Naoto by his side, he seemed able to focus on the matter at hand. Still, he was disturbingly quiet, a fact that didn't escape any of his friends.
Her fears only doubled at the sound of crashing metal and broken steel. Smoke rose over the stores around them as the group froze in shock and terror.
"What the...?! I-is that smoke?!" Kanji gasped, staring at the rising column.
"An accident?" Rise could see the way Naoto trembled, before she launched herself forward. The others followed. Despite whatever hope they clung to, they all knew what kind of sight they would find.
It didn't make it any easier to find Dojima's car crashed into the wall of an empty store, or the truck that laid beside it. Both cars were smoking as black marks showed they had swerved out of control. Adachi ran to Dojima's car, gasping as he found the man inside of it, unconscious and bleeding from his head. Rise turned her head away, unable to watch as the kind man she had met was dragged out of the smoking car.
"W-where's Nanako...?"
"D-Dojima-san? Oh, thank god! You're alive!"
Naoto was on the phone, no doubt calling for an ambulance as Chie and Yosuke walked around the truck. Rise felt her blood turn to frost as her eyes look over the truck. She recognized it. She had seen that truck go by her house a dozen times and never thought about it. The memory of her kidnapping came back to her, and she trembled in fright as the memories. Her fingers grabbed onto the closest thing to her out of reflex, and that just so happened to be Kanji's arm.
She looked up at him with wide eyes and she opened her mouth to apologize, but his hand fell on hers. His touch felt cold from the night, yet warm to her. Her small fingers locked with his as he nodded his head. She could see the fear in his eyes, but he tried not to let it out. He fought to be brave for her, for all of them, when Chie shouted out to the others.
"There's a TV in the back of the car! Guys!" Chie motioned the others over as Yosuke examined the driver's seat.
"Hey, I think I see a book in here!"
"Hey! G-get away from there! You guys can't investigate a crime scene!" Adachi scolded, only for Naoto to step in front of him. She was already pulling gloves out of her pockets to put on her hands.
"Then allow me. If it rains again while we wait, the information we need will be lost regardless," she explained. The older detective stared at her, before sighing and nodding his head. Naoto walked past Rise and Kanji, offering them a brief glance as she whispered to them. "Please, keep an eye on Narukami." The two nodded their heads and quickly left to check up on the silverette, who was staring at Dojima's unconscious body, Yukiko by his side.
"Yu...?" The raven-haired woman placed a hand on his shoulder, but he didn't even seem to notice her.
"Senpai, it's going to be okay," promised Rise. She didn't let anyone see that deep in her heart, she feared she was lying.
"We'll get this guy, man. Nanako, Dojima, they're going to be okay," Kanji added, but there was fear underlying his every word.
"I found what looks to be a journal," Naoto announced, stepping out from the car with gloves on her hands. She was already in the midst of reading it, her eyes widening as she reread the contents aloud. "'Yukiko Amagi, Kanji Tatsumi...' This book contains all of the addresses and names of the victims, even the ones who survived and were never released to the public are written here!"
"Whoa... That settles it then," Adachi realized, nodding his head in agreement.
"The last page makes note of Nanako's name and address. He captured her like he did all of his victims."
"Damn it! Why didn't we figure it out sooner?!" Yosuke growled. "We've got to save her!"
And it seemed Yu Narukami was already on the move to. He pulled away from Rise and the others and walked towards the truck, climbing into it and walking towards the large TV that laid within.
"Senpai!"
"D-dude, wait!"
He didn't listen to them, but an unlikely voice called out to him, grabbing his hand and pulling it away from the screen. "Sensei, wait!" Teddie's hands were on Yu's wrists as the young boy stood between him Sensei and the TV. "We don't know where this TV will send us! It could be somewhere dangerous!" Everyone's eyes seemed to fall on Teddie as the small blond tried to talk to his teacher. "It isn't foggy tonight. We should go in tomorrow, the same way as usual."
"Don't you care about saving her?" Yu's words cut like a cold knife as his glare fell upon Teddie. "You're supposed to be her friend, Teddie... Act like it," his voice was harsh and unsympathetic, and his glare showed only fury. His hands grabbed onto the blond's collar, squeezing it as the boy trembled in fear.
"S-Sensei...?"
"He's right, Narukami." Naoto climbed into the truck and placed her hand on the silverette's shoulder. Rise watched as Yu slowly released Teddie. The young boy stepped away as Rise listened to the two talk. "I know you are angry. You have every right to be..." Naoto swallowed her own fears down, forcing her voice to remain even and stoic. "But we can't lose sight of what's right... Please, just wait for another day. We will reconvene tomorrow and save Nanako together."
She was begging him to listen to reason. Rise found herself silently pleading for the same. Kanji, Yukiko, Yosuke, and Chie all silently watched the two, waiting for him to say something.
"Alright." He nodded his head and Naoto returned the motion. She pulled away from him and walked back to the others, gently stepping down onto the ground.
She looked at the others and spoke to them, making no sign of hiding what she was saying. "I would like it if someone could stay with Narukami until we regroup tomorrow."
"I think you should, Naoto." Yukiko was the first to speak up, and her words shocked the sleuth. "He'll listen to you, and right now he needs the person closest to him."
Rise could catch Chie's hushed whisper. "Y-Yukiko, are you sure?" She glanced towards the navy-haired detective, and Rise could only imagine how odd this must have been for Yosuke, Chie, and Teddie. It almost felt like the group was split, with over half being close to Narukami and knowing the true him, and the others seemingly one step behind at all times.
"I'm sure. Yu needs Naoto more than any of us," repeated the older woman, but the Detective Prince did not seem so quick to agree.
"N-no. I'm sorry, but I feel as though I am the last person he needs." Naoto shook her head, sighing as the others stared at her. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I just... I can't.
"I'll do it." Everyone's eyes fell on Teddie. The blue-eyed boy fixed his collar as his eyes fell upon the ground. "I'll watch over Sensei. Yosuke, can you make sure your parents don't worry about me?
"Y-yeah, sure, dude... You sure about this?"
Teddie's eyes held such sadness, Rise wanted to take his place, but he just nodded his head. "Yeah. Don't worry, I'll make sure Sensei's okay for tomorrow!" He grinned at everyone, giving a thumbs up as his voice sparked with glee. Rise had faked a smile enough times to know when someone else was doing it.
Before anything else could have been said, a loud crash shattered the silence. Their heads turned to the inside of the truck where Yu stood over the fallen TV. He glared at the cold plastic, before lifting his foot and stomping on it. He dug the sole of his foot against the black material, listening to the quiet crunch of glass shards break under the pressure. His face was a furious scowl, brimming with rage and seething with scorn. He lifted his foot off of the TV and walked towards the others, quietly landing on the ground beside them.
He only said one thing, but it was enough to make Rise's blood turn cold again. His eyes showed no deceit, no hesitation, only hatred. "When we find him, I'm going to kill him."
END
Let me offer a piece of advice to anyone who wants to do a novelization of a game, movie, or show. It's probably the biggest thing for writing an adaptation, and it always sits with me when I'm writing Delinquent.
Do not be afraid to change things. No one wants to read the story they already know. This story wouldn't be nearly as popular if not for you amazing readers, but also because this story is different. Emphasis on different characters, different relationships, and a very different main hero. Delinquent is the story of Persona 4, but it is meant to be different and something unique.
For this chapter, I needed to justify Yu being pissed off like crazy. So Dojima got hospitalized, Naoto got smacked, and Nanako got kidnapped. Hopefully that's enough to justify him being angry. He's going to be angry for a couple chapters. His character development isn't gone, but it is buried under all the hate and rage. But on the bright side, Rise and Kanji are getting closer. Whoo.
I also like to think Yu doesn't think much of Adachi for most of this game's story. After all, why would he? He's just some nobody assistant to his uncle... Ha.
Sorry for the wait, folks. I hope this chapter hit your expectations. Have a wonderful day, take care, and leave a review if possible. I'd love to know what you guys think about all the differences this chapter has with the game's events.