Sorry I kept you waiting, it was Kanji's birthday, after all, and Enough Is Enough simply had to go up.
I'm back into DF, yay! Took me a while to shake off writing JCD, oh man. Meaning, we have our cold detective prince back. No more overt romance for a while, sorry, guys!
September 27th, 2011
There had not been another handoff that evening. Satonaka and Hanamura had stayed till the late evening. The conversation with them had been disappointing, and Naoto had wished that Narukami had not left so early. The feeling she got, was that he was the head of their little 'investigation team', as they loved calling themselves. Without him, the rest seemed rather useless.
She had gotten little to no direct information about their situation or the teens involvement in the case. Most of it was being deflected by her unwilling guests and by the time Hanamura left and Satonaka-senpai said that she'd get ready for the night on the couch. Naoto only felt deep irritation.
The shock of having lost the better part of two weeks had cleared the fog of self-loathing and confusion at least. While Satonaka read a manga Hanamura had brought along for her, Naoto withdrew into her bedroom with her case files and paper, writing down anything connected to her own vanishing and noting anything she could remember about the night. It wasn't much, but she had to hold on to it while she still could.
Her night had been restless, but she had not woken up to being cradled by Satonaka-senpai. She'd taken it as a sign that she was regaining control.
Control was important. She needed to take charge of what was happening here. If possible, she actually needed to take charge of this group and steer them into the right way of doing things. They wanted to be an investigation team? They should act like one.
She had asked Satonaka if she could reach out to Narukami to inquire if he could stop by that night to have a frank and open exchange on information. The older girl had hesitated, but after some more pressure conceded to pass along the message. Now all Naoto could do was wait.
Noon came and with it the older girl saying she would nip out to go grab some food. It took some convincing, but Naoto actually managed to have the girl agree to take money from her for the shopping. She wanted to make sure that she wasn't a burden any longer on the group, and she had the means to contribute fairly.
The young detective withdrew into her bedroom shortly after Satonaka had left, putting her scrambled thoughts from last night into order. Or tried to, and failing.
All of this lacks logic. If there was a clear pattern, or indeed any semblance of normality, this would have been solved already. Then again if this had any semblance of normality, it would not at all be what it is. She had endured her 'shadow', had seen, if through the muffled filter of exhaustion, the odd secret base she had been held in. And losing two weeks in what felt like a day at most …
The normality with which the other teens handled this baffled her, too.
How could anyone be this calm about entering a world different from the one that is reality to do combat? They hardly thought anything of it, indeed, Satonaka sounded excited whenever she spoke of it.
If anything, their blasé approach angered her. Any kind of combat needed to be taken seriously and with the care to not injure yourself or anyone near. Could we be certain that other world only held enemies? What if civilians were to be involved? On that note, they are civilians themselves.
She was not in her best of spirits by the time Satonaka returned. She accepted the takoyaki the other girl had brought and nibbled listlessly on one of the savory morsels.
"Hey, Naoto-kun?"
"Yes, Satona-"
"Chie. Please?"
"Satonaka-san. I do not know you, and indeed should be calling you senpai, seeing you are my upperclassman. What is it you wish?"
The girl sighed, licking her steak skewer and putting her take-out box down. "You're so stubborn." Oddly, she said it with a fondness that clashed with the rude comment in Naoto's ears. "So, I'll need to run out and do some errands soon, also need to pick up some school work from a classmate that Yuki didn't see today. I'll be nipping out in a few, and Yuki said she will head here right after school, so I think she'll be here in less than 30 minutes."
"Can I not at all convince you that I do not require babysitting? I have steadily improved over the past few days, have I not?"
"Sure, but that's not really the point. You've got no one looking after you, and if you have a bad spell, who would be here to take care of things? That's right," she said after a small pause and watching Naoto's face fall grim, "no one would notice in time. Please, Naoto-kun." She got up and went on her haunches before her. "Please let us do this for you. We care about you."
The Shirogane heir chewed on her next words for a few moments before she said lowly, "You do not even know me. You know nothing of me."
Satonaka's eyebrows rose and she leaned back, counter-balancing herself with her hands on her knees. "Well, then see it as your senpai feeling responsible for you over a matter that they know more of than you. Maybe your pride can allow that?"
Oddly, yes, it could. Naoto did not like it, indeed, she squeezed her eyes shut a moment and tried to find another solution, another answer than the obvious. But manners had been drilled into her deeply from a young age on and as such all she could say was, "Yes, Satonaka-senpai."
The sporty girl smiled, nodded pleased and jumped to her feet. "Yuki won't be long, so don't feel too lonesome! I'll be back to visit soon, you hear?"
"Yes. Thank you. Um, have a good day."
The second-year gave her a bright smile, then skipped out the door.
Naoto let herself flop onto her couch and sighed. Sadly, the older girl's logic was correct. She could have a relapse and need assistance. As much as she hated it, that relapse could be either physical or psychological, and being alone during either would be uncomfortable at best. She did not wish to ponder a worst-case scenario for this.
It indeed was only a few minutes before Amagi arrived and took over the run of the household, like she did in previous days. She cleaned up after her friend, who had left her box of take-out on the table; started up tea and chattered at Naoto in her friendly, quiet tone.
Sadly she, too, was not up to answering more questions she had about the case. After very few questions she suggested to talk to Narukami about 'all of that' and it was obvious, she would not be available for any further comment.
It did little for Naoto's mood. She had already lost two weeks. She needed answers in order to make any progress in this matter. And to make things worse, those around her who could possibly tell her more all submitted to a single person as line of contact.
In turn, she only had small talk to offer, none of which Naoto had any interest in. So instead, she withdrew into the confinement of her own thoughts, trying to arrange questions and find solutions for other pressing issues.
It was in the middle of this brooding that she heard a knock and saw Amagi rise as if it was normal for her to answer the doors of other people's homes. From along the hallways she heard the conversation.
"Rise-chan, Kanji-kun! Thank you for dropping by." The younger girl sighed. Of all things, she sounded like the manager at an inn welcoming guests.
"Uh... why're you..." At this voice she stopped and looked towards the hallway, not seeing who was there. But even not seeing him she knew it was Tatsumi. Not someone she needed to think about right now.
Amagi continued, answering the unspoken question. "Oh, I've been here an hour already. I came straight after school. Chie had to run an errand and I didn't want to leave Naoto-kun by herself."
The young detective scoffed. Yes, well, I am sure I do not need a monitoring bracelet just yet, either.
"So, I'm happy you're here. Very happy." And why does she sound annoyed? She is the one invading my home…
"No problem! We even brought food." That sounded like the resident idol, who then skipped through the door. "Hey, Naoto-kun!"
"Hello Ku-" she put her hands up at the same moment the other girl pointed at her, "yes, sorry, hello Rise-san."
She had used the more familiar first name before, she knew she would not win a tug-o-war with the personality the girl had. She also sorely regretted that she had let herself give in to that yesterday. As it stood, she would simply need to live with this. Well. Kujikawa was a fellow student. It should be manageable.
Still, she should not make any of them feel too welcome. She needed to wait for Narukami to make his social call and explain what was going on here. These visits, well-intended as they most certainly were, were just a distraction. Rest? She had no time for rest, she needed to push forward, work, and ensure that the case would not grow cold yet again. Frankly, they all should.
Somewhere in the back of her mind she noticed the others file in, but her thoughts on the matter of more teenagers invading her home were none she would need to share at this time.
After an undetermined amount of time, Rise-san seemed to have found a lull in her relentless chatter with their senpai and appeared from the kitchen, stuck to the arm of Kanji Tatsumi. "Kanji-kun wanted to see you too, Naoto-kun," the idol trilled, positively snuggling up to him. "He's sorry for not coming earlier." She flashed him a grin. "And he's really happy you're back." He, in turn, made a startled choking sound.
Naoto was still not entirely sure if the idol's relationship with Tatsumi was a romantic one or not, or if she simply tried to get close to any male, but she disapproved of the public displays of affection.
Still, out of all the other teens, Tatsumi had been the one she would consider closest to her, and their interactions had always been cordial. She compromised to giving him a crisp nod. That would have to do, it was more than she wanted, seeing right now all she wanted was to talk to Narukami.
Kujikawa chuckled, released the young man and skipped to hop on the couch.
Which is where she remained for the next hour or so, chatting up a storm with Amagi.
Naoto spent this time fruitlessly trying to come up with questions and directions for her investigation. Sadly, without her notes to compare and without the ability to add to her notes, she could not make a whole lot of progress in that regard. She attempted a few times to turn the conversation towards her interests, but gave up swiftly in the way the talk was directed all around her.
After what felt like an eternity, Kujikawa jumped to her feet and stretched, giving Naoto a sunshine-bright smile. "Okay, Naoto-kun, we'll be off, but I promise we will be back tomorrow!" Without waiting for a reply, she turned to the tall young man leaning where he had been for the entire time and grabbed his arm. "C'mon, Kanji-kun. Let's go. Chie-senpai's heading back here soon, she'll keep Yukiko-senpai and Naoto company."
Naoto did not need to see them out. Clearly, everyone in their little 'investigation team' considered themselves quite at home in her apartment already and they didn't need her permission or her fare-wells upon leaving.
It was not very long after they had left that Amagi and herself had settled into the very soothing silence that they had groomed and cultivated in the past few weeks. It must not have been for long after this that Satonaka-senpai walked in, carrying a large plastic bag.
"Hiya Yuki, hello Naoto-kun! Hey, I brought you something that should make you smile." She handed her the plastic bag – dropped it in her lap, really – and giggled.
The kohai looked at the short-haired girl, then into the plastic bag. Which was stuffed full with letters. A frown crept on her face and she let her hand rummage aimlessly into the bag and pulled out a hand full of colorful envelopes.
"See, the rumor is that the brilliant Detective Prince has come down very seriously ill. And your adoring fans are worried."
After flinching at that terrible nickname, Naoto started to look through each of the letters in more detail. They were sealed with kisses, heart-stickers, flowery professions of 'waiting for him' and other such drivel. One especially thick envelope stood out, it turned out to be a collection of professions from Megumi Enomoto, nonsense about missing her prince, how no other girl understood as much as her and how much she wished she knew where he was, so she could nurse him. The correct, if somewhat juvenile reaction to this would be: Blech.
"Thank you, Satonaka-senpai-"
"Chiiiii-eeeee…" the older girl sighed slowly.
"-but all of this is so much more paper to be recycled. I have no interest in this nonsense. Not from these foolish girls. Not that I would have time for it in my busy work schedule."
Amagi, who had been giggling to herself for a little while now, fought for a slightly more serious expression. "Did you ever, you know, make it clear that you are off-limits?"
"What use would that be? I have not encouraged any of this, from none of these … From none of them."
"Maybe not," Satonaka said softly, "but we're talking about girls who are crazy about you. Or, well, about … hrm."
"Quite. As you yourself just discovered: they do not even know me. They are infatuated with an idea. No amount of logic or proof could dissuade them from their fantasy."
"That… that sadly makes sense. Yeah. Got nothing. Sorry." She fidgeted with her hands for a moment, then gazed at the bag. "So, what do you do with these? Organize them somehow?"
Naoto sighed, getting up. "I do my part and recycle them. As you would do with paper that served its purpose. In this case, the purpose was to live a dream while being written on. They have already fulfilled their intended purpose."
"Wouldn't their purpose be for you to read them?" The raven-haired girl frowned.
"Amagi-san, the person who needs to read these does not exist!" Naoto leaned with one hand against the passage to the kitchen. "There is no Naoto Shirogane, Detective Prince! There is no he. There is no need to hold on to the professions of love towards a fictional character!"
The silence that followed her outburst was heavy and even uncomfortable to her own ears. She tried to escape it into her kitchen. After dropping the letters into the large waste paper box, Naoto sighed and folded up the plastic bag slowly. She turned to the stove and set up the kettle before returning to the living room.
Amagi and Satonaka sat together on the couch, speaking softly. They stopped as she walked in and gave her an almost worried look.
"I apologize. It seems I still have not yet fully recovered from my… experience." She seated herself before them, leaning against her coffee table. "I have never been very fond of the nickname. Detective Prince. While on one hand it gave me the freedom needed to act as I chose, it did shackle me into a role I did not wish to fulfill at our school. The attention I have garnered is… unpleasant."
"Really, don't worry about it, Naoto-kun," Satonaka replied, "and I am sorry if I was teasing. It's in my nature. I blame hanging out too much with Yosuke. We go back and forth all the time."
"Thank you. I've started up the kettle. Please, do not let me mood disturb our evening."
"Actually, Naoto-kun, Yuki just told me how uneasy you have been with us around. So," the two older girls shared a look, "maybe we should leave you be tonight? You have our numbers. If you promise you'll call if you need help and check in with us every now and again, I'll be okay with backing off. I'm not here to make you feel all anxious."
The logical response would have been a resounding 'Yes, please leave', after all, it was what she had been silently wishing for all evening long. But now that it was starting to grow dark outside, a strange uneasiness came over the cobalt-haired girl.
Still. Nothing she could not handle. "I greatly appreciate your understanding in that matter. I would indeed prefer to be able to stand on my own two feet again." Her senpai nodded and made to rise. "But… please, let me first share some tea with you. You only just arrived, Satonaka-san, I would not feel as an adequate host making you leave right away."
September 29th, 2011
In the last thirty-six hours, Naoto had spent most of her time in her bedroom, drifting between sleep and fitful bouts of work. Every time she was certain she had found a possible culprit to investigate, a few hours of sleep cleared her head and she found a flaw in her reasoning, overturning all her previous work.
There had been a very brief visit by Hanamura and Amagi the previous day, but both said they had an errand to run and only had come to check if she was hungry or needed anything. Thankfully, she had peace since then.
She wasn't sure at all what time it was, when she awoke to someone knocking sharply at her door. Yesterday had been blissfully quiet, with just a couple of phone calls. She had not expected anyone to show up today. Whoever it was would go away again. She curled back up.
After about half a minute, the pounding at her door repeated, louder, accompanied with a worried-sounding, "Naoto? You there?"
Ah. Tatsumi. And remembering the protective streak he has towards me, I believe him capable of breaking in my door to check on me. Naoto sighed and rolled out of her bed, making for her door. After peering through the door spy, she sighed fixed her glare in place, and cracking open the door just enough to glare out at him. "Tatsumi-san," she muttered. "Why are you here?"
"Visit," he choked out, nervously fiddling with a bouquet of flowers in one hand, a cooler at his feet and a canvas bag over his shoulder. Flowers? He gestured back down the hallway. "R-Rise, she was gonna come too, but she hadta-"
'Rise', again. "Then I'm sure you'll want to follow," the cobalt-haired girl muttered, pulling the door to shut it in his face. She did not get far, the door seemed to catch and would not close. She tugged at the handle, looked down slowly, saw his boot wedged in, paused and looked back up at her classmate. "Tatsumi-san. You will remove your foot from my door. Presently."
He pulled himself up, staring down at her. "Sure, if ya open it." Why does he have to be so tall?
Naoto closed her eyes. She was tired and had no energy to try and have an argument right now. Steeling herself, she flicked her eyes open to stare at him past her lowered brows. "There is no need for you or anyone else to be here. I am fine."
"Yeah. Sure." He let out a breath, running his free hand through his hair. "Look... I-I'm just bringin' stuff over, I'm not gonna sit on your sofa an' talk at you. Promise."
The girl stared up at him, fingers tightening then loosening around the edge of the door. She had managed to rid herself of her senpai, she should stick to her guns now. Letting anyone else back in could re-open the standing self-invites she had just seemed to break free of. Then again… this was Kanji Tatsumi. Based on his stance and bearing, he would refuse anything but an invitation inside.
With a quiet noise of frustration, she pulled the door open to face him properly. "I don't require babysitting," she muttered, tugging at her shirt collar. She should possibly have changed at least into her sleepwear. The starched stiffness itched along her neck.
"And I ain't here to baby-sit," Tatsumi growled, pointing to the bag slung over his shoulder. "Bringing you notes from school, thass all. You wanna fall behind?"
Naoto gave him a flat stare. She crossed her right hand to her left shoulder and leaned into the door frame. "And presumably the flowers are pens? Or does the cooler contain textbooks?"
The young man leaned forward and snarled, "The flowers are from Rise, alright? And the cooler, s'just some food, R-Rise said there's nothin' in your kitchen, that's why she keeps bringing crap over! And detectives don't know how to cook anyway!"
What?! Glowering, she tipped up her chin, squaring up. She grabbed the door in one hand, the frame in the other, ready to slam it shut again. "I am perfectly capable of consulting a recipe book."
"You don't have any."
How did he even know this? He seemed to not have paid attention to anything while he visited her two days ago, simply starting at the floor or ceiling. In any case, who needed cooking books? "I would check the internet."
"So what if y'did? When was the last time you cooked something?"
"I've had no reason to bother. Kujikawa-san has been providing ample food."
"Which y'tried once and never touched again, right?"
She had to admit, she walked into that. From the challenge in his voice, he had previously sampled her cooking and must have come to a similar conclusion as her: Rise Kujikawa seemed to use pure capsicum to lace her meals. Spicy was one thing, but her food was, well, possibly not fit for human consumption. But she would not admit to that. "It... wasn't that bad."
He did not hesitate. "Liar."
"There are processed meals!"
"Yeah, real nutritious. You gonna live off ramen all week?"
Naoto's hands returned to door and frame, knuckles went gripping. In part because she was getting more and more worked up; in part because her exhaustion started to call in owed debt.
Tatsumi-san did not seem too intent to back down, either, and unlike her, he had the stamina to possibly continue the argument out here in the hallways for the next hour or so.
Finally he leaned down to pick up the cooler, shifting the rather garish bouquet into his other hand. "So, you go think about the case or whatever and I'll do my thing. Alright?"
How could he read her so easily? And how could he have the gall to just assume she would do as he instructed? "Fine," she snapped, realizing seconds later that she was doing precisely as he had demanded and stalking back into the living room. She flopped on the couch, watching him turn into her kitchen and preparing to unpack from the cooler and tote bag.
As she watched him, her anger slowly changed. Naoto realized she was not angry at him, not as such. She was angry at herself. She was angry that as much as she hated to admit it, having him come to help her was comforting. A comfort she would not normally allow herself. A comfort she should, by all means, reject. I should not even have anyone be interested enough in my well-being to feel they should provide me with such...
The young Shirogane was used to being on her own, alone, self-sufficient. She knew how to run her modest needs in this small household. She knew the risks of trusting others to come to her aid and how slim her chances of such aid ever arriving was. In her recent years she had alienated others driven purely by her desire to never having to face separation or rejection.
And now in her kitchen stood a young man who barely knew her, indeed, who had mostly known her under her guise of being a young man, and he did not seem to mind.
She rose, walking towards him, stopping in the door frame. She gripped her left shoulder with her right hand and watched as he seemed to hesitate over the cooler. "What did you bring?"
He jumped, looking at her with something akin to wide-eyes panic. "S'just okonomiyaki," he mumbled, and pulled a spatula out the cooler and staring into it. Astute. He brought his own after seeing the contents of my kitchen two days ago. "You can heat it up."
She nodded, not that he could see it, and noticed the flowers once more. He had said, hastily, that they had been Rise-san's idea. Gods, now I am getting used to thinking of her with that name already. A small frown started to take over her brow. Why bring flowers? She wasn't sick. She just needed a little rest, that was all. "The flowers serve no purpose."
As if hit with an electric shock, he twitched. "Rise," Kanji blurted. "You got a vase somewhere?"
That was not something she generally had any need for. Who would buy her flowers? She only even took note of flowers if they were involved in a crime scene. Wordlessly, she shook her head, her right hand slowly rubbing her left shoulder.
"Don't matter," he muttered. "Figure somethin' out,"
She shifted her gaze from the sink to his back. Why is he here, really? Is Rise really coming? Is his visit some form of romantic gesture? No, nonsense. It would be as unfounded as the letters she had given to Satonaka-senpai to dump into the paper recycling two days ago. But then why? So far, only the other girls had visited her on their own.
He seemed to have lost focus for his work, as he stood, shoulders slightly hunched, staring blankly in front of him.
Admittedly she had not thought much about him, but she felt a moment of uneasy thankfulness. He had carried her home. Had taken her berating and insults and punches and kicks and carried her here. What did that mean? Did it mean anything? Would he have done this for any of the others?
What was his future role going to be? She had told Grampa that she hoped he would be an anchor point in her investigation and in her newly forged social network. Her gaze slowly sank to the floor. How does one create such a status? Will it happen naturally? How will him knowing the truth about me change his behaviour? Can I even still count on him?
But it appeared she could. He brought her food. Saw she needed sustenance and provided it. Is that normal behaviour for friendship? Rise-san and Satonaka-senpai both had brought her meals. Did either of them encourage it?
He whirled around, as if wanting to say something, but the bone-tiredness Naoto felt made her unable to look up to meet his gaze. He turned back around presently.
Okonomiyaki... "I don't recall trying it before," Naoto said quietly. "Okonomiyaki."
"S'good. Y-You got plates?"
She pointed at the correct cupboard hesitantly. Was he not pleased with simply leaving her the food? Why go ahead and prepare it now?
"S'posed to be resting, right?"
Ah, that's why. Stroked by the fires of pride, she pulled herself up, turning her head to glower at him. "I am fine," she snapped.
"Yeah, y'said. Go sit down, gonna bring you somethin' to eat."
"There's absolutely no need for-"
"I know, alright?" The young man rounded on her, fists clenched. "Shit, I'm just trying to-"
Both froze. Naoto looked up at him and realized she had poised to defend herself. Why? He has never made any threatening gesture towards me. She watched him closely, saw something small and gentle in his eyes under the bluster of his stance. I am upsetting him with my rejection…
This would not do. He was in her home. She folded her arms to show she was not moved by his antics, though after a moment, she could not make herself keep eye contact any longer. She gazed at the floor. "Very well. Do not make a mess." She stiffened, fearing this would be considered an invite to spend more time here. "And... you will leave afterwards."
With that, she vanished back into the living room. If it made him happy, he could stand in the kitchen all day for all she cared.
She snuggled into a corner of her couch, barely able to see him move about her kitchen here and there. For all she knew, Rise was supposed to come and somehow she had made him promise to take care of preparing food for…
She slid further into the couch. No, because he was rather abrasive about her culinary skills and I doubt she would have admitted to such.
Curling up smaller, she let her eyes slide shut. He can stay for now, but then he must leave.
She drifted off to the sounds of another person busily preparing food. For the first day in nearing three weeks she slept with a sense of comfort.