What's Right

Namatame struggled to speak, but his every breath came out haggard and choked. Yu's hands squeezed tighter around his neck, ripping the life out of Namatame's eyes with every passing moment. The older man gasped for air and futilely tried to pry Yu's hands off of his neck, but he couldn't match the boy's strength. Namatame's eyes widened and his pupils shrank into tiny, dark dots in seas of white. Yu just held his throat tighter, some part of him reveling in the throes of death Namatame gave.

"Narukami, stop!" Hands latched onto his, trying to pull him away. It was only after his hands were forced away did he realize Rise and Chie were holding onto his arms. He stared at them, and neither saw hatred in his eyes. Only a void. An endless, bottomless pit that sought to fill itself with vengeance.

"You have your life, and now you want your freedom too?!" Yosuke's fingers dug into the collar of Namatame's hospital gown, forcing the man up and practically throwing him towards his bed

"It's your fault Nanako's dead!" Yukiko accused. "How could...? How could you?!" There were tears pooling below her eyes as she glared at the man.

"N-no, please," the killer whimpered. "Please, stop. I-I was just scared and I-"

"You were scared? You were scared?! A little girl is dead! Because of you! Because you kidnapped her! Do you think she was scared?! Did you think, even for a second, what you were doing?!" Yosuke snarled.

"Y-Yosuke," Chie released Yu's arm and approached her friend, only to gasp as light filled the room.

The TV came to life, and on it was the face of Taro Namatame, his eyes a sickly, putrid yellow

"It's midnight," Rise realized with a hushed, shocked whisper.

"I didn't save her. I failed, because of you!" The twisted visage of Namatame smiled a crooked, broken grin as he stared at the Investigation Team. His eyes danced from one member to another, silently mocking at them. "The law can't touch me... I'm invincible! I'll keep 'saving' people until the streets are filled with their bodies!"

"Is that his Shadow?" Yosuke wondered.

"You son of a bitch... You're not crazy! You knew what you were doing the whole time!" Kanji bellowed, picking Namatame up by his collar and throttled him, shaking him back and forth as the Shadow laughed.

"You must hate me for what I did to that child," the reflection mocked. "So small, so innocent, but it's okay... I 'saved,' her!"

"You monster!" Yukiko cried, stepping forward with sharp, infuriated eyes.

"Please, no! I don't-" Yu tore Namatame from Kanji's grip. Despite the Shadow's confession, there was no anger in the young man's eyes. No joy. Nothingness. An emptiness in his eyes that made him seem more like a corpse than an actual person. Yu's fist connected into Namatame's stomach, making him gasp for air as his other self continued.

"Killing! Saving! It all means the same to me! But you're all different, aren't you?! You don't have it in you to 'save' me. So I'll keep 'saving' people. After all, it's my mission..." The warped reflection departed the screen with a mocking laughter, eyes widening as his mouth stretched inhumanly wide. He laughed at them as the TV abruptly turned off and the light vanished from the room.

Yu and Namatame stared at one another. Dark-hazel specks reflected against grey pools. Namatame's eyes shimmered with pooling tears as his hands hung limply at his side. The void in Yu's eyes finally revealed his core to the disgraced politician. Yu's eyes revealed the monster he had tried to hide away. He wanted Namatame dead, and the man trembled as he felt Yu's murderous intent.

"I was just trying to save her! P-please! I did it for Mayumi!"

Yu's fist connected with his stomach again, making him cry out in pain, before he wrapped his fingers around the fallen politician's neck once more. Namatame clawed at his hands as he gasped for air. "Mayumi is dead because of you." His silver eyes could see the pain his words caused Namatame. Like a knife straight through skin and bone, he twisted the blade with a growing grin. He didn't care about morality or the reason why. He just wanted to see Namatame hurt.

"Why do you even care about her? You killed her! She's dead because of you, you sicko!" he spat. He slammed his knee into Namatame's stomach, making the older man let out a choking gasp. "You deserve to die for what you did. You deserve to suffer for it." Yu threw him against the wall, finally releasing Namatame's throat. He was smiling when he said that. Grinning manically at the idea of torturing Namatame.

"Mayumi... Mayumi, I'm sorry," the man cried, tears flowing down his face.

"Yu, stop!" Chie pleaded, grabbing his hand. She had never seen the silver-haired boy this mad. Even his fury at Kubo, or his rage in Heaven paled compared to the 'thing' he was now. "That's enough..."

"No. He's right." Chie saw a flame in Yosuke's eyes as he glared past her. His eyes were on Namatame, jaws clenched as he spoke. "This bastard killed Mayumi, Saki, and now Nanako! It has to stop..."

"Yosuke, w-what are you saying?"

"He's saying what we're all thinking," Yu growled. "That Namatame doesn't deserve to walk free. He doesn't deserve to live after all the lives he's taken!" He looked at the others, and his silver eyes sparked with vengeful fury. His voice resonated within each of them as the parasitic tendrils he had woven within their hearts, intentional or not, did their work. "How many more people are going to die while this freak lives?!"

"Yeah... Hell yeah," Kanji snarled, glaring at the trembling politician. "Senpai's right! We can't just let this bastard kill again!"

"Kanji...?" Rise felt her blood turned cold as the blond stood over Namatame's quivering body.

The older man whimpered in fear, sobbing as he tried to crawl away from the group. Namatame came to an empty corner of the room where he trembled, hugging his knees to his chest as he sobbed, repeating his lover's name. Rise tried to argue, but her voice felt trapped. Her body began to shake as she felt like a prisoner within her own body, as if all she could do was watch as Namatame was put to death.

Was it because some part of her saw Narukami and Kanji as right? They Namatame had to die to prevent anymore death? Or was it because some part of Rise just wanted to see the man suffer? After all, Namatame had killed Nanako, the sweetest, kindest girl Rise had ever met. She could only watch with shimmering, wide eyes as the others argued.

"Guys! You can't be serious..." Chie seemed to be the only one able to speak up. She sounded horrified, like she couldn't even begin to comprehend what was running through her friends' minds. Her legs were trembling as the atmosphere in the room turned colder and more oppressive, like ink clinging to her bare skin.

"C-Chie... Maybe he's right," Yukiko whispered, standing behind the girl.

"Yukiko...? Come on, you guys, y-you can't be serious!" Chie looked around the room, trying to find someone to speak up against this. In the end, the only one she saw fighting this decree was her own reflection...

Yu was Namatame executioner, walking with slow, deliberate footsteps towards the murderer; savoring the desperation in Namatame's cries.

"Please! Y-you have it all wrong! I-Ack!" Yu's hands found their way around Namatame's bruised, scarlet throat. He tried futilely to pry the hands off of him as he stared into Yu's apathetic eyes. Even as the familiar sensation of a lack of oxygen overcame him, Namatame pleaded for mercy. "I'm sorry...!"

"Yu, stop!" Chie pleaded, only for Yosuke to step in her way.

"Chie, you don't have to be a part of this if you don't want to," he whispered, and his voice quivered with a trace of compassion and guilt. She looked at his eyes, and she could see the turmoil his heart was caught in. His hazel eyes steeled and hardened, and he spoke louder, his tone now harsh. "But this is happening. He needs to die."

"Have you guys lost it?! W-we can't-!"

"You can't tell me you're fine with things ending like this!" Yosuke growled, motioning to the cowering murderer.

"Who said I was fine with it?! I think it sucks, but we can't do this!" argued the girl.

"Narukami." Naoto's voice cracked through the air like a whip. Almost everyone looked to the girl. Her very presence demanded attention, but Yu did not bother to turn his head.

His hands relaxed around Namatame's throat as he spoke through grinding teeth. "You can't be serious, Naoto. Even now? After everything he's done?! You're going to defend him!?"

"No. I'm not." He hadn't realized how cold her voice was. How the passion and wisdom he had come to expect seemed lost, leaving a hollowness in her throat. "I'm saying this is impractical." He finally turned to her and something in her made him freeze. It was her eyes. Her eyes were normally a brilliant, navy shimmer, but now they were paler, almost like ice. She stared right through Yu, glaring at Namatame with something writhing in her eyes.

"If you choke him to death, what happens next? His body is found, along with your fingerprints around his neck? No, what we need is something more efficient. Something that can't be traced back to us, but will ensure Namatame's demise." Her voice carried an almost mocking portrayal of her usual serenity. She was usually so calm, but what was once comforting now turned chilling.

"It's not our fault if he happens to escape into the other world," she mused, glancing at the large TV in the room. "If he did, he might find there is no other way out. He'd walk, aimlessly, through a hellscape made by his own twisted god complex and obsessions. Eventually, the Shadows will kill him and his body would be propped up atop a building just like his victims. There would be no way to trace it back to us."

"N-Naoto, you can't be serious," Chie shivered. "We wouldn't... We'd never..."

"She's got a point," Yosuke muttered. He looked at Namatame with the same cold, twisted indifference that afflicted Naoto's eyes. "Chie, if you want to leave, then leave, but this is happening. Namatame dies tonight."

"We're the only ones who can pass judgement on him," Kanji decreed, fingers twisting as he slowly walked towards Namatame.

Yu stood over the cowering man, but he hadn't moved since Naoto had spoken. His eyes had never left the Detective Prince as something in his mind snapped. Snapped back into place, or out, he wasn't sure.

He just couldn't get Naoto's eyes out of his mind. They were burned into his vision, almost growing larger before him. He tried to close his eyes and shake the hallucination away, but it just... there was something in him that couldn't look away. His mind wandered and fought with itself as he became an unintended wall between Kanji and Yosuke.

"Senpai, move!"

Naoto...?

This is good, right?! She just gave me the all clear! I can finally kill this bastard!

"What are you doing, man? Get out of the way!"

What was it she said...? "We will find a way. I do not know how, but we will."

We couldn't. There is no other way.

"Yu, move!" Yosuke's hand grabbed his shoulder, but Yu was like a statue where he stood.

But Naoto believed there was.

The memories of her warm, compassionate eyes, and the reality of her unfeeling, chilling gaze became a battle within his mind. They conflicted against one another as he tried to move his shaking body. This is what I wanted, but it isn't what Naoto wanted... It's what she wants now! But is it what she really wants...? His nails dug into Namatame's neck, before suddenly releasing him.

Namatame fell to the ground, laying there as he gasped for what, coughing violently. Namatame deserves to die, but what if we're wrong? Is there a chance we could be wrong...?

His mind picked at the case, his train of thought miles away from the hospital. Kanji's arm tried to push him, but Yu smacked the boy's hand away from him. We saw his Shadow, but what he said didn't make sense. It wasn't the same Namatame we saw in the other world. Yu knew all about the lying game. He knew how to lie, he had lied for most of his life, but there was just something off about Namatame now.

Like he was telling the truth...

"Move!" Yosuke ordered.

"Hold on a second!" Yu commanded, pushing Kanji and Yosuke back. He stood between the others and Namatame as his brow wrinkled and his eyes stared past them.

"Narukami, what are you doing?!" Naoto growled. "We don't have time for this!"

Could I live with killing an innocent man? Could Yu live with the knowledge that he had killed an innocent man in cold blood? Yu closed his eyes and he searched the inner depths of his soul. He asked him the question again and again, and the truth sickened him. He could deal with the guilt. What was another innocent life ruined by Yu Narukami?

It disgusted himself to admit it, but Yu knew he could live with himself for killing an innocent man. He'd happily accept that burden if it meant Yu would get his revenge, but another question made him his blood turn cold. What about Naoto?

Her entire family had devoted themselves to law enforcement. Her family of detectives and sleuths that she was so proud of... The legacy she was a part of. Would this moment change everything for her? Would it destroy the faith her parents had instilled in her? If Namatame was innocent, she would never forgive herself...

What's wrong with me?! he screamed at himself. This is all I've wanted since this case began! Just kill him! But something plagued his mind, writhing within his skull as he ground his teeth. Yosuke finally shoved him aside and Yu's back hit the wall as Kanji and Yosuke approached Namatame.

"Wait a second...!" Yu' voice surprised even him. His eyes widened as he tried to see through the fog of his own mind. Rage, lost, his own parasitic ego, they all clouded his thought, but he tried to peer through the veil

"Wait?! For what?! The cops will be here any minute! We need to do this now," growled Yosuke. He reached for Namatame, but Yu's hand caught his wrist. "What the hell are you doing...?" Yosuke's voice barely held back his fury and outrage.

"We're... I-" Yu strained to find the words, his own impulses fighting against him as something in him urged him to speak up. Calm down, he ordered himself. What are you trying to say? What's the point in saving this piece of shit?! Yu's eyes squeezed shut as his teeth ground tighter against each other. He was shaking as he released Yosuke's hand and stood between the two boys and the murderer.

"What are you trying to say?!"

What am I trying to say...?

"Narukami." Naoto stepped forward, her eyes stabbing through him and glaring at his conflicted soul. "This isn't the time for jokes. You were right. Namatame has to die."

"Please! I'm sorry! They were going to kill her!" Namatame sobbed, tears falling down his face as he tried to bury himself deeper into the corner of the room. "I just wanted to save her! L-let me go! Please!"

Naoto's eyes fell upon the deranged man. There was no kindness in her eyes, just utter revulsion, as though Namatame was an insect. "Don't beg. It's pathetic," she hissed.

Naoto...? Yu stared at his best friend with unblinking eyes, trying to comprehend their situations. The role reversal they had gone through was almost funny, were it not so frustrating. "We can't kill him," he declared, his voice commanding respect and obedience.

"What do you mean we can't?! Why not?!" growled Yosuke.

Yu stared at Yosuke, putting up a mask of bravery as his mind tried to conjure an answer. He looked at Namatame, before turning his head back to Yosuke. "Because we don't know the whole story yet."

"The whole story?! Don't give me that crap! You were willing to kill Chie just to catch the guy, but you won't even think about killing him?! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

A lot, but that's beside the point, groaned Yu. "Look, I know I haven't been the most moral person in the world, but even I see bullshit when it's right in front of me! Can't all of you?! There's something wrong here. Things aren't adding up! There's more to this case, and if we just kill Namatame all we're doing is bullshitting ourselves!" Yu looked to the other members of the team, urging them to listen. "A wise person once told me, 'We can't lose sight of what's right.'"

He saw Naoto's eyes widen, and he prayed he was getting through to her. He looked at the others, from Rise to Yukiko, before stopping at Chie's stunned face. She was as silent as the others, but she nodded her head, silently supporting the silver-haired boy.

"At first, I didn't really get just what that statement meant. Not giving up? Not being killers? No, it means remembering why we did this in the first place. Not for revenge, not even for justice, it was to find out the truth. To solve this mystery! If we just kill Namatame, we're just lying to ourselves and accepting utter crap!"

"He's right," Naoto agreed. Her voice was slow, as if she was still recovering from waking out of a dream. "He's right. We can't do this. Not without finding the truth." Her navy eyes, once lost to flame and rage, were like glass as she stared at Namatame. She struggled to calm her mind as she spoke again. "It occurs to me that we haven't heard Namatame's side of the story."

Yu could see hesitation and doubt forming in the eyes of his friends. Their anger was being tempered by Naoto's words, and he sighed in relief. One by one, his friends began to calm down. Rise and Kanji shared a glance at one another, Yukiko closed her eyes and struggled to breathe, and Naoto just stared at the ground in quiet contemplation. Yosuke was the only one to hold onto his hate, glaring at the others.

"How the hell are we supposed to believe anything this bastard has to say?! He thinks killing and saving people are the same damn thing!" Yosuke argued.

"Yosuke." Chie walked forward and touched the boy's arm. "I get it. I don't know if Namatame's innocent, but I think there's definitely more going on. We should at least try to figure out what's really happening, and fighting each other isn't going to help."

"I..." Yu could practically hear Yosuke's teeth cracking from the way he was clenching his jaw. "Fine. But if the cops come, and we're no closer to figuring this out... Just know that I'll do whatever I have to to protect this town..."

"I understand." Yu nodded his head.

"Let's keep racking our brains until we figure this out," Rise agreed, nodding her head. Her hand fell into Kanji's, and both naturally squeezed the other's hand. She took a deep breath and sighed, her mind and body freed from the shackles of vengeance.

"I guess if we do anything else, we'd just be lying to ourselves," sighed Kanji. "Ain't no point in doing something if we don't do it right."

"Yeah," uttered Yukiko. Her eyes widened and she shivered in fright as the full weight of their actions came crashing down on her. "I can't believe we almost... I actually wanted..."

"Hey." Everyone's eyes turned to Yu, and the silverette found himself in the awkward position of comforting his friends. He scratched at the back of his neck as he contemplated what to say, before sighing. "Look, I spent years of my life being a dumb, asshole. If I can overcome being stupid my whole life, you guys can overcome being stupid for ten minutes." He walked forward to Yukiko in particular and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He smiled at her, and she stepped forward to rest her head on his chest for a moment.

"That's reassuring," sighed Yosuke.

"He's scared." Yukiko's voice caught the others' attention as she stepped out of her respite and away from Yu. The others followed her ebony eyes to the man on the ground. Namatame was shaking with fear as he hid under his arms, quietly sobbing. "We terrified him... I-I don't know how we'll get him to open up to us about his side of the story..."

"Let me try," Yu offered.

"Senpai, are you sure?" Rise asked, looking at the young man.

"Rise, I'm me. I can do anything." Yu's eyes glanced at Naoto, and he flashed that arrogant smirk of his. She did more than see it, though. She saw right through it.

Yu was scared. The confident braggart was terrified. She could see the guilt in his eyes. She felt a connection to him, a link that whispered his fears into her mind. It was almost fantastical, but part of her realized it was simply the bond the two shared. Their closeness let her see all the little emotions in Yu's eyes. He was tried to hide the tremble in his voice, but she could feel the dread carried on his every breath.

Narukami...?

Yu was ignorant of Naoto's own worries for him, and he turned to Namatame. He approached the older man and sat down in front of him. His arrogance vanished as soon as no one could see his face and silver eyes peered at the terrified man with utter frustration.

He murdered Nanako, he told himself. You could have just destroyed your only chance for revenge. Hate was like a toxin coursing through his body, making his arms shake as he stared at the worthless man in front of him. Yu reminded himself of Naoto, and it tempered the sickness within him. He had to figure this out, or his actions would have been all for nothing.

Yu Narukami was an insightful, intelligent young man who could read people with ease. It's what made them so easy to control. He always knew just what to say to make a girl take her clothes off, always knew what threat to make to collar an enraged boy, he knew how to lie to adults so they'd turn a blind eye to his cruelty, and he knew how to pry at people's insecurities to take advantage of them.

But now, he had to use that gift to help someone, rather than control them.

Yu stared at Namatame for about half a minute, but his mind made it feel like an eternity. His eyes picked apart the disgraced politician, recalling the things he had said and the crimes he had committed. He tried to understand Namatame, tried to see what had led the once promising man into being a criminal.

"Mayumi Yamano." Namatame trembled at the very name. "Did you love her?" Silence. "I know what all the reports say. You used her as a side bitch." Namatame's fingers twitched, digging nails into his elbows. "A mistress for the stuff your wife couldn't do." Namatame lifted his head up, and Yu could see hazel eyes glaring at him. "A one night stand blown out of proportions?"

"Don't talk about her like that!" Namatame screamed, slamming a fist on the ground as he glared at Yu through the pooling tears on his face. "I loved her!"

"Why? How does a politician fall for some reporter? Especially a married politician," wondered Yu. "Can you tell me that, Namatame? Can you tell me why you fell for her?"

"I..." Namatame wrapped his arms around his legs, squeezing them against his chest as he stared at the tiled floor. "P-people expect certain things out of politicians. Out of leaders. Smile and wave, become a leader, word endlessly, but have a human side. A fun side. Be a good husband, marry a beautiful or talented woman," he muttered. "Misuzu was all of that and more, but... but she never cared about who I was beyond my career." He scoffed, and his lips twisted into a crooked, parody of a smile.

Yu knew there was something wrong about the man when he first saw him. He hadn't realized how utterly broken he was until now, as he wiped falling tears from his face.

"She fell for what she saw, not who I was... It was so stupid, but-but Mayumi saw the real me."

"She saw through your mask..." Yu whispered the worlds, unable to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't realized it at first, but the comparison was impossible not to make. Namatame was like him.

A liar who had fallen in love...

"Mayumi was a TV announcer, but she was so much more than that," Namatame reminisced. He hardly seemed to even see Yu. The older man was lost in a fog of memories and better times, walking aimlessly as his face was paralyzed in a heartbroken smile. "She was smart. Strong. Brave. She didn't care what people thought of her, she knew who she wanted to be... She was so hot-headed. So damn proud of herself," he gasped.

Strong. Brave. Smart... Stubborn. Yu closed his eyes and nodded his head. "She wasn't like anyone you'd ever seen before."

"She saw right through my smile. Behind the scenes, she'd ask me real questions, try to know the real me... It had been so long since anyone wanted to know the real me," he confessed. "God... The way her eyes lit up when she figured something out. She wanted to be a reporter, you know..." He wiped his eyes once more, and Yu opened his own. Hazel eyes met silver pools as the two men stared at one another. "Expose the truth. Shock the world. Make sure the truth got out there... She was one of a kind."

Namatame stared at Yu's hand, flinching as he expected to be smacked or shoved. Instead Yu just placed a hand on Namatame's shoulder, silently urging him to go on. "What happened next, Taro? It's important you tell me."

"We started seeing each other out of work. One thing led to another, and I... We fell in love," he croaked. "Those were some of the best days of my life. My career rose, but Mayumi... She was everything I wanted out of life. I thought about divorcing Misuzu, and marrying Mayumi. I thought about all the wonderful things we could experience together, but... it wasn't meant to be." His fingers twitched as Yu's hand squeezed his shoulder in silent understanding. "We were found out, I lost my job, and Mayumi lost... everything she had worked for."

"The scandal destroyed you both," Yu summarized. "But did your feelings for her ever wane?"

"No! I-I loved her! I thought she would hate me, but... but she told me she loved me still." Yu stood up, and he stretched a hand down to Namatame. The older man stared at it with wide, quivering eyes, before he took it. Yu lifted the man up and the two shared a look.

"I'm sorry. Losing her must have hurt."

"It felt like I was dying. Like I've been dying ever since," he whispered. Namatame looked at the others in the room, his broken mind slowly working to match the words to his feelings. His eyes widened as he stuttered. "T-the girl... S-she's...?" Taro nearly fell onto the ground, stopped only by Yu's hands. "No! I-I was supposed to save her! I didn't want her to die!"

Yu wanted to speak up, but a sound cut through the air and caught everyone's attention. Footsteps, slowly approaching the room. Kanji quickly moved to the door and glanced through the open space.

"Shit. Guys, cops...!"

"Taro." Yu began to walk forward, pulling the older man along. When Namatame stumbled, Yu caught him, helping him stagger towards his bed. "I need you to listen to me. What happened in the other world, why you kidnapped my friends, you need to explain it to us next time we see you."

"N-next time? Y-you're not gonna kill me?" Yu and Taro pushed through the group, and the silverette helped the terrified man sit onto his bed.

"No. I... I'm sorry for what I said to you. And nearly killing you. Look, we don't have time to explain, but you need to tell us everything you know next time we meet. You entered the other world through a TV, right? So did we. Remember? That's where we first saw each other." Yu's words had an affect on the broken man, making him pause to consider the words. "You entered another world, just like us..."

"Y-yes... I remember. I-I used that world to save people, but it wasn't... it wasn't the paradise I thought. It wasn't safe. It was torture. H-Hell," muttered Namatame, before looking at Yu. "Y-you're like me?"

"More than you know," sighed Yu. He looked down as Taro's hand caught his wrist, pulling the younger man closer.

"You have to find them." Taro's fingers tightened around Yu's wrist, but the young man just stared. "The one who killed Mayumi, a-and the other girl. You have to stop them, before they kill again. P-please."

Yu's hand caught Taro's wrist, but rather than pry his hand off, the silverette nodded his head. "I promise. We'll find them."

The door opened and Namatame's hand fell from Yu's wrist. The older man fell onto his bed with closed eyes as Dojima's assistant and another officer, Namatame's guard, burst inside.

"H-hey! What are you guys doing in here?! You can't be here!"

"Oh, crap," Chie swore.

"W-we were keeping an eye on the prisoner," Naoto lied, thinking quickly. "If he had escaped, the police's reputation would been tarnished, as well as their trust in you, Adachi-san."

"O-oh. I see, well in that case, can you please step out? I won't tell anyone you were in here, if you won't tell anyone I wasn't around, okay...?" The raven-haired man motioned the group to leave, and one by one, they obeyed.

Yu was the last to leave. He stared at Namatame, and what he saw chilled him to his bone. It wasn't the man himself, but rather the sense of familiarity. Yu felt like he knew Namatame better with a single conversation, than months of time with Yukiko, Yosuke, or Chie. He saw a mirror in Namatame, a reflection of what could have been.

When Yu lost Nanako, he was ready to execute a possibly innocent man. Justice was second to the thirst of vengeance burning inside his gut. When he thought he had lost Naoto, he was ready to kill himself in a vain attempt to make things right. If he had lost her, what would he have become? A broken man, desperate for purpose? Had the days been reversed, the order changed, would Yu be the one sobbing on a hospital bed, broken and driven mad by lost?

"I'm sorry," Yu whispered, and he hoped Namatame heard it.

"Hey! Yu! Come on, you got to get out of here," Dojima's assistant ordered.

"Right."

The group walked out of the hospital room and away from any prying eyes. They stood outside the building with heavy hearts and racing minds. Yu scratched his neck, his worry and anxiety rising with every passing step. He looked at the others and sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"Huh? The hell are you sorry for, man?" Kanji asked.

"I know I have no right lecturing any of you about justice or morals. You all know who I am, and-" Yu paused and glanced at the others, his brow furrowing as he came to a realization. "Where the hell's Teddie?"

"Huh? Hey, he's right!" Chie realized, looking around. "Where is he? He wasn't in Namatame's room with us!"

"Maybe he ran off back home? I mean, he and Nanako were close and..." Yosuke couldn't seem to finish the sentence, and the others were thankful for it. The memories still burned in their minds. No one wanted to think about what had just transpired.

"Yeah, maybe," muttered Yu. "A-anyways, let's come back here tomorrow," he suggested. "We can find a way to talk to Namatame and get his side of the story then, but I think it's clear there's a lot more going on than we thought."

"Narukami is right," agreed Naoto. "We should all get some rest. This case is far from over, it seems."

"Yeah," Yosuke sighed. He blinked as he felt something cold and wet fall on his head, before looking up to find bits of snow falling down on the group. "Seriously? Are you kidding me?"

"Gah!" Rise shivered as the cold nipped at her naked neck. "Man, it's freezing..."

"Here," Kanji offered, taking off his jacket from his shoulders. He carefully placed it onto the girl's back, before glancing away. "S-so we're meeting up here tomorrow?" He quivered in place, both from embarrassment and the harsh, cool breeze.

"Yeah," nodded the silverette. He glanced at Rise's blushing face, before looking at the similar rosy glow on Kanji's. He smiled at the two, thankful for them adding a bit of levity to the night. "Yosuke, keep us posted if you find Teddie, okay?"

"Yeah." Yosuke nodded his head, but Yu could tell he wasn't really looking at him. "Well, I'll see you guys tomorrow..." He waved goodbye, and began to walk away from the others with heavy steps. Yu watched him leave, before looking at Chie.

"Chie?"

"Huh? Yeah?"

"Thanks. You were the one who wanted us to stop. Even when all of us were against you, you stood up for what you believed in. Thank you for that." Yu meant every word he said, and the brunette smiled weakly at the kind words.

"Yeah, well... It just didn't sit right with me."

"I'm glad it didn't." Yu glanced at Yosuke's shrinking figure, before looking at Chie again. "If you could, maybe try talking to Yosuke? I don't think he'll listen to me, and I know he's still angry with me. I don't blame him, but..."

"I get it," she nodded. "I'll try... See you guys later. You coming, Yukiko?" The hazel-eyed girl looked to her friend, who was staring at the stone sidewalk below her feet.

"Y-yeah. I'm coming, Chie."

"Yukiko?" Yu's voice stopped the raven-haired girl. She looked to the young man and she saw the smile he had on his face. Weak, but earnest. "You're not a bad person. You were angry. It happens to the best of us."

Her smile was a reflection of his own. Weak, exhausted, but it was real. She seemed to have appreciated his words as she followed Chie back to their homes. Yu and the others waved goodbye to the two, before looking at one another.

"You two okay?" Yu inquired Rise and Kanji. "Rosy cheeks and raging hormones aside."

"We're fine, Senpai," Rise muttered. She couldn't bring herself to glare at him for his teasing. She was too tired from the day's adventure, too exhausted to even muster a clever retort. She looked at Yu with sympathetic eyes as she asked, "How about you? I-I mean..."

"I'll be fine, Rise," Yu replied, and no one believed him. "You two should get going."

"Right. See you later, Senpai." Kanji bowed his head slightly, before turning. "Come on, Rise."

"We're here for you, Senpai. If you need anything," swore Rise. She followed her blond friend down the path, leaving Naoto and Yu alone.

"Well," Yu sighed, brushing some melted snow from his hair. "I-I guess I'll see you later, Naoto."

"Narukami, wait." A familiar hand caught his, stopping the young man in his tracks. He stared at their linked hands, before looking at the detective. She was staring at the ground, her hat hiding her features. "I'd like to ask you something."

"Sure. Shoot." Their hands fell to their sides as Yu watched Naoto with curious, tired eyes.

"What... What was going through your head in there? I saw you choking Namatame to death, yet you were the one who realized what we were missing. I-I'm not upset at that fact, I just wish to understand what was going through your head."

"Oh." Yu took a deep breath into his nose as he looked up at the cloudy, dark sky. "It's not going to be a very good answer. You might not like it."

"I'm sorry? Why would I not like it...?"

Yu released the breath he took as a hot sigh, watching his breath enter the cool, night breeze. "The thought that Namatame could have been innocent, or something, did pass through my head. I didn't care, though." Yu moved his hand under Naoto's chin and he lifted her up so they could look into one another's eyes. It wasn't meant to be a romantic gesture. He just wanted her to see the truth in her eyes. He stared into her wide, navy eyes as he confessed his sin. "I didn't care if I was going to kill an innocent man. It was worth it to me."

"Then why did you stop...?"

"Because it wouldn't have been worth it to you, Naoto." He could hear her gasp, and the sound made him smile, even if his words stabbed his own heart. "It would have hurt you to kill a man who might have been innocent. You would have seen yourself as a disgrace, you would have hated yourself. I couldn't let that happen. So my actions tonight weren't out of kindness or compassion. They were a little selfish, honestly. If Namatame was the killer, I could have just ruined everything because I didn't want you to be sad."

"Yu." The sound of the woman he loved whispering his name made him fall silent. "I... T-thank you."

"Huh? For what?"

"You believed your actions were selfish, but in truth, I believe they were compassionate. You were a hero tonight, Narukami, and I'm proud of you." Her words shocked the young man, and he experienced a rare moment in his life. He had stunned silent as he stared at the girl, a slight tiny of scarlet on his cheeks.

"O-oh. Thanks, Naoto." Yu smiled at her words, and the two found themselves gazing into one another's eyes. Naoto watched his silver eyes gleam like treasure, while he saw her sapphire pools glistened like a cave of gemstones.

Only the voice of an approaching nurse broke the two and drove them apart. "Excuse me? Are you Nanako-chan's family member?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I am," Yu nodded. He silently cursed the woman that stepped out of the hospital, both for ruining his moment with Naoto and bringing up the recent memory. Still, he forced a smile on his face and tried to appear strong as the older woman spoke.

"Thank goodness, I was so worried I wouldn't find you. I just wanted to inform you that Nanako has, well... It's difficult to explain, but-"

"She's what?" Yu asked, his voice barely concealing his sharp tone. "What happened?!"

"She's awake. We're not sure how, but she's come back to life, and everything seems normal." The nurse seemed to hardly believe the words she was relaying to them, but her tone was clear. Neither could believe the news as their jaws fell open and their eyes widened.

"S-she's awake?" gasped Naoto.

"What?!" Yu stepped forward, and the Detective Prince followed him. "Is she okay? Can we see her?!"

"I-I'm sorry, but no. The doctor's need to keep a close eye on her. I just wanted to inform you of the good news. She wanted me to make sure her 'big bro' knew. It's a miracle honestly. I-I've never seen such a thing happen," the woman confessed. Her wrinkled and aged features did nothing to hide the warm smile on her face. "You're very lucky, young man."

"Nanako... She's okay," he laughed in shocked disbelief. "T-thank you for telling me." The older woman nodded her head, before bidding the two farewell. Naoto was about to speak regarding their good fortune, only to be plucked off of the ground by Narukami. He clung to her, arms wrapped around her back and pressing her against his, just below his head. She was lifted off of the ground in a tight embrace and spun around several times as the silver-haired boy cheered. "She's okay! She's alive! I can't believe it, she's alive!"

"Um... Y-Yu?" Naoto's voice caused the man to pause. He realized just what he was doing as he felt Naoto's suppressed breasts against his chest. Despite the sarashi wrapped around them, he could still feel the mounds of flesh through her shirt. "I understand you're happy, but please put me down."

"R-right! Sorry." Yu gently placed Naoto onto the ground with a sheepish grin and crimson cheeks. "Sorry."

"It's quite alright," she replied, avoiding his eyes. "You have every right to celebrate. This is wonderful news," she smiled, fixing her hat. She tried desperately to cool her heated cheeks and neck. "I'm happy for you, Narukami."

"Narukami? What happened to Yu?" he teased, chuckling at the younger girl. She merely muttered something as she looked away, glaring at a nearby tree as he embarrassed her. There was a moment of silence as the snow gently fell upon them, broken by a simple question. "Naoto? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Well, with Teddie missing, and Nanako and Dojima in the hospital, um... I'm home alone." Naoto's face turned a vibrant red as she began to piece together where this conversation was going. "I really don't want to be alone right now, so I was just wondering if you'd be willing to stay at my place again. Without looking at my sketchbooks this time, I mean," he chuckled nervously. There was a subtle rosy hue to his own cheeks as he rubbed at the nape of his neck.

Come on, man! You're Yu Narukami! You've seduced girls out of their clothing before! Try to come off a little cooler than this, he scolded himself. "If you want, I mean. I just... I don't want to be alone right now."

The night had been one of the most exhausting, tiring, and terrible nights in Naoto's life. Yet it would be engraved in her mind as one of the most amazing nights of her life. Not only had Yu Narukami saved her from making a terrible mistake and disgracing the Shirogane name, Nanako had somehow been revived!

And now... Now Narukami was inviting her back to his home. He was desperate for company, but rather than ask any of their friends, he asked her. Was it merely fortune that she was the last to leave?

No. It couldn't have been. He wanted her, and her alone.

Naoto stared at Narukami for what felt like eternity. She saw how weak the man was. Behind his arrogance and bravado, he was exhausted and cracked. His spirit waned in the cool, winter breeze. His silver eyes looked dull at times, before hiding behind a mask of strength. His smile was real, but it looked so easily shattered. He was tired. Yet he wanted Naoto.

The words were on his lips, read as clearly as a title to a book. "I need you, Naoto."

It was impossible for her to say no for so many reasons. She was needed by one of her closest friends, but more than that, she needed this too. She needed to do what she should have done when Nanako was taken in the first place. She needed to be by Yu's side, to comfort him when he was scared, to let him be real around her, to let him express the torment in his soul...

"I-I suppose I can. If it won't be too much trouble housing me again," she mumbled.

"Not at all," he promised. "Shall we get going, my dear detective? I'll text the others the good news on the way home."

Her lips curved upwards as she nodded her head. She really was his dear detective... Not his, like a possession, but his like they were simply meant to be each others' other half. She chuckled at the ridiculous notion as they walked down the sidewalk together, under the cover of the moon and the dark, grey clouds...

Naoto sighed in relief when they reached the Dojima residence. The winter's night was only getting colder, it seemed, and the two brushed snow off of them as they kicked their shoes off.

"You want anything to eat?" asked the older boy, walking to the fridge.

"No. I'm quite alright, thank you." He nodded his head and closed the fridge, now walking to the open living room.

"Suit yourself." Yu fell onto the sofa and let out a loud sigh. "I'm so exhausted."

"It has been a draining day," she agreed, sitting on the couch with her usual posture. She strained to keep herself upright as Yu glanced at her.

"Naoto, relax. It's just me. You don't have to look cool in front of me. I already know you're cool," he grinned, winking at her.

"Ahem... Noted." Naoto turned her head away from him, but her form did relax. She laid her back against the soft cushion as she released a fatigued groan. "Today has been rather harrowing."

"You can say that again," Yu muttered, opening his mouth to yawn.

"Sleepy?"

"Look who's talking," he retorted with a smirk on his face.

"I have no..." Naoto cursed her body as a yawn fought its' way out of her mouth. She could feel Yu's grinning face staring at her as she fixed her hat atop of her head. "Nevermind..."

The day's hindrances had left them both exhausted, and with no adrenaline to keep them awake or active, exhaustion began to truly take its toll on them. "Hopefully we will be well rested for tomorrow," Naoto said, closing her eyes.

"Mm."

Naoto found a relieving comfort from the cushion behind her head. She rested her neck on it, before muttering, "Thank you, Narukami..."

"Hmm?"

She chuckled at his half-muttered words. It was cute, even if the very thought of the word and Narukami made her blush. She opened her eyes to stare at him, and he was already falling into a deep slumber. She smiled at him regardless. "For thinking about me. Thank you for upholding the Shirogane name."

"Hm."

Naoto's eyes fluttered up and down, before she finally let them close. Just for a moment... I'll rest my eyes, she told herself. Her head slid down from the sofa and landed against something cold. Her head found its place on Yu's shoulder. The young man was already fast asleep, but his lips curved slightly at the warm presence beside him. Naoto pushed against the cold 'pillow,' and it slowly began to warm up as she nuzzled into his side.

Were the two more awake, they would have realized what was happening, but sleep kept them blissfully ignorant. They fell asleep beside one another, smiles on their face as their hearts warmed one another.

END

Chapter's done, and boy, was this hard. Scary to be posting this up, I've been thinking about this chapter for months! I thought long and hard about the execution, and I hope that it turned out okay.

I considered letting Yu not want to kill Namatame out of his own morals, but it didn't sync up with what he's done in the past. Instead, he does it out of love for Naoto. He isn't willing to risk Naoto in his path of vengeance.

And Namatame! Yeah, I changed him up a bit, but I tried working off of what was canon. He and Yu have a lot of similarities. They both hid behind masks to get close to other people, before meeting the one person who could see through them. They fell in love with that person, and they fell hard. If Yu lost Naoto, like Namatame lost Mayumi, Yu would be a broken man. I'm just trying to add little original bits to a story we all know! I wanted to show a similarity between Yu, Namatame, and the killer.

Next up, the group talks to Namatame and begins their search for the true killer! Who could it be?! I know! You know! It's freakin' 2017! Everyone knows! But tune in anyways to check it out.

Thanks for reading. Take care, stay safe, leave a review if you can, and know that you are loved. Bye.