[now]
Moving through the lab, they don't even hit any Shadows. Naoto must be making it easy for them, Kanji decides, so they can come in and get her - meaning all that training was a waste of time. She's been in here for ages waiting for them and she doesn't take good care of herself and he should've just told Souji to shove it and come in alone. They could've talked. He doesn't think about the way this place is falling apart into black and white and empty spaces, just like he doesn't think about what Naoto said and the things she told them she did - because he's sure there's another explanation.
Yukiko's hand curls over his arm. "Kanji-kun. Are you going... will you be able to do this? Do you want to go back?"
Be stupid for him to do that, he almost snaps. Naoto'll need him. "No way. It'll be better this way. I'll talk to her."
"If...if you're certain."
Course he is, Kanji tells her. Then he swallows hard, ignoring the hot coils tightening in his stomach.
[then]
When they catch the killer, nobody's in the mood for celebrating. Nanako's still lying in a hospital bed and Namatame'll probably get off with a kidnapping charge. And Souji, poor bastard, he's still going home to an empty house every night; the team needs to do something for him.
The idea is that one or two of them will go to his house every evening to make sure he isn't alone. Naoto's the one to propose it, which surprises everyone. Perhaps they can cook for him, she says, looking at Kanji and actually smiling.
"Hey...that's a good idea," Yosuke says, then winks. "Guess you have 'em sometimes, Naoto-kun. Although won't Kanji get jealous if you're hanging out with Souji?"
Luckily, Souji isn't there. Naoto's cheeks turn red and Kanji thinks, well yeah, he might. And he does, because for some reason it's Naoto who visits Souji most. Kanji goes with her a few times and she's a different person: tries to make conversation, tries to listen, just makes a damn effort. Something she's never done with him. Figures; Souji's had every damn girl in town chasing him at some point, even though he always turns them down. But Naoto's supposed to be different.
"She's interesting," Souji tells him, one time when he's visiting alone.
Step off, Kanji thinks. Instead he nods.
Souji continues. "She's even hanging out with the other girls now, even if they have to badger her into it. Couple of weeks ago she barely spoke to them. Very sudden change."
"Y-yeah."
There's a long pause, before Souji's expression lightens. "Guess you're a good influence on her."
[now]
Sometimes they're almost walking on fog; just a thin, translucent white path under their feet. Their footsteps make no sound and the air's cold and still. Worlds reflect their owners, Kanji remembers, and stops thinking right there.
Chie shivers. "You sure Naoto-kun's here, Rise?"
Rise nods. "Himiko's tracking her. She's definitely nearby."
The weird thing about the fog - and Kanji's experienced this back in the real world, too - is the way you start to see things. Stare at it long enough and your head starts trying to put it all in order: shapes, objects, sometimes people. He's gotten used to it. Just seems like it happens more here. He hears Yukiko gasp at one point, then Teddie asking her if she's okay. Fine, she says, she just thought she saw something. Same thing happens with Rise a few minutes later. Yosuke's the next, cursing under his breath and staring firmly at the ground.
Kanji falls into line alongside Yukiko, matching her pace. "What'd you see?" he whispers.
"...Naoto-kun. She was jumping in a television. But it wasn't at the hospital. It...looked like the police station." Yukiko shakes her head and smiles tightly. "Silly, right?"
Probably. Everything's weird here. Kanji tries to focus on the fog, figuring that the harder you look, the more you remind your brain what it is, the less likely you are to see something.
Doesn't work. He focuses, focuses, sees Naoto. She's standing in front of something - no, someone, and they're even smaller than her but they're facing away. A room slowly forms around them: a low table, a sofa, a television on a stand, and they aren't just shapes in the fog. It's like he's there, watching some old film in monochrome. Within moments he recognize the place as Souji's house, realizes he knows the small figure standing opposite Naoto too - and all he does is watch as she darts forward, picks Nanako up and shoves her through the television screen.
It's over in an instant. Nanako barely even has time to cry out. Naoto just stands there for seconds afterward, palms still raised - before she finally takes two steps back from the television, turns, then walks slowly towards the front door.
After that, Kanji doesn't see anything else. He doesn't want to. Everything just dissolves back into grey - and when he turns around and sees the set of Souji's jaw and Rise's wide eyes, he knows he wasn't the only one watching.
[then]
They're running out of time, or at least Kubo is. The cops still believe he's guilty - even Dojima-san, going by what Naoto's said.
"Kubo killed Adachi. No-one else." She's been repeating this for months. It's the same statement every time and she won't even consider another theory. The conclusion makes sense and the cops definitely treated her like crap, but Kanji can understand why they got pissed at her.
"I know," he says, then grimaces. "But if we can't prove it soon, they'll close the book. It's the frickin' media. Did everything they could to make him look like a born killer." Then he smiles and offers her another animal cracker. "Treated you pretty well, though. Heartthrob Detective Prince, solving Inaba's mysteries."
Naoto's cheeks flush red, and she tugs at the brim of her cap. "Hardly." She hesitates. "My role in this case only became significant after Adachi's death."
It's a weird thing to say. The case was officially over soon as they brought Kubo back into Junes and the police picked him up. Naoto even came with them, and looked just as surprised as the other cops to see a group of kids capture a killer. After that the media went wild over her, the boy detective who solved the serial murders; even if it wasn't really true.
Naoto shakes her head suddenly - thinking too hard again, Kanji guesses - then takes a cracker from the box.
It should be raining this time of year. The drops would be hammering against the top of the pagoda right now and they'd be sitting here with snacks and hot drinks from the vending machine. Maybe even at the store instead; there's something really nice about sitting indoors, watching the rain. Instead it's just fog. Been like that for weeks. Maybe that's why everything's been so strange lately.
When he glances sideways, Naoto's twisted to one side and staring through the railings at the fog. She's got that blank look again, so he puts his hand over hers. She still spends a lot of time at Souji's house but just as much time with Kanji, who doesn't know what to think.
"Namatame isn't...we shouldn't be quick to judge him," she mutters. Her thumb strokes over his.
"He's a murderer," Kanji insists, with a shake of his head. "Worse than Kubo. And he tried to kill all of us, you too."
Naoto just keeps looking at the fog - so Kanji takes her chin in his hand and tilts her head towards him to kiss her. She returns it, but he still gets the feeling she isn't paying attention.
[now]
"She actually did it," Yosuke mutters. "We trusted her for all this time and she was just a--" Then Souji shoots him a glare and he falls silent - just in time to prevent Kanji from punching him in the face.
They keep walking. There's one more vision - Naoto doing the same thing to a larger figure, Mitsuo Kubo, except this time the room is darker and she trips him up rather than pushes him. Same empty expression afterward and same slow slow walk to the door. It isn't a surprise, not after the first one, but Kanji's stomach still twists.
He knows there's a good reason, that Naoto'll tell them when they reach her, that it's her world making these pictures so she must want the team to see them. But still.
Some time later - minutes, hours, he can't be certain - Chie breaks the silence. "Do you think Naoto-kun..." She hesitates, biting her lip. "I mean, Saki-senpai and--"
"Shut up!" Kanji snaps, his fists clenching on reflex. "Naoto wasn't in town then, couldn't have happened so don't even think it, alright?"
Yukiko gasps, Yosuke steps in front of Chie - and Chie herself just looks angry and hurt.
"She can't be blamed, Kanji."
The voice comes from behind him, smooth as ice and horribly familiar. Kanji swings round, hands still balled into fists - leaving him staring straight into Naoto's yellow eyes as she stands a few meters away.
[then]
Then, one night in December, Nanako's gone.
In the private hospital suite, Namatame folds in on himself, babbling and sobbing. The television's silent, his Shadow gone.
It was Naoto's idea, but Yosuke's been the one pushing everyone to take action. He's already made up his mind and Kanji agrees - but Souji still looks torn. It's grief, he isn't thinking straight, otherwise it'd be obvious what they have to do.
"Dammit, I've heard enough of this bullshit!" Yosuke snaps. "Give me a straight answer!"
Souji doesn't say a word. Just looks at him, then Kanji, then Namatame. And Kanji thinks, come on, how hard is it? They can't put things right, not now, but this is the closest they'll get to justice.
Yosuke's jaw tenses. "Fine. Kanji, help me throw this bastard in."
Rise shakes her head and grabs Naoto's arm. "No, this isn't right! Naoto, we have to..." But Naoto pulls away, gaze dropping to the tiled floor.
Kanji nods to Yosuke - and they both move either side of Namatame, each grabbing one of his arms and hauling him up. Then, as they start dragging him over the tiles, Souji snaps back to life. "All of you, calm the hell down!"
"Oh, now you've got something to say?" Yosuke's voice cracks with anger. "Come on, this bastard killed Saki and Nanako!"
Souji shakes his head. "No, no...there's something wrong about all this. I just...I can't tell what it is."
Kanji glances at Naoto - standing at the back, face impassive - then says, "We got no choice."
Yosuke's grip loosens; Namatame's weight slips. "Souji. This is our only chance."
"Yes, but...I don't know. There's..." He trails off, stares back at Namatame.
"Souji is correct." It's Naoto's voice, firm and clear as she steps forward. "We shouldn't act rashly."
Kanji doesn't get it. Naoto was the one to suggest this to start with and now she's getting cold feet? "This ain't rash! We're just--"
"Kanji. It would be murder." Her voice softens. "You're better than that."
"Naoto's right," Chie adds shakily. "You too, Yosuke."
"But we have to do this! The conviction'll never stick!"
Nobody speaks. It's the truth; it'll be a kidnapping sentence, not murder.
Finally, Naoto breaks the silence; her voice low and level. "All this rests on our trust in Namatame's Shadow and our belief that he murdered the first two victims. And," she adds, the words slow and deliberate, "our assumption that he kidnapped Nanako."
"But he did!" Yosuke snaps. "Dojima drove after his van!"
"And Nanako was never seen inside or in its vicinity. Ask yourself this: why would Namatame have kidnapped her? There was no chance to 'save' Kubo after seeing him on the Midnight Channel, yet he returned unharmed." She gestures towards Namatame, who's still curled between Yosuke and Kanji, whimpering and babbling under his breath. "His role as savior became unnecessary."
Souji's still their leader, even if he's choking - but when Kanji glances at him, ready to ask what he wants, he's wearing an expression that's impossible to decode.
"Naoto-kun's right," Yukiko says. "I...I know everyone's angry, I am too. But we haven't heard Namatame's side."
"Do we need to?" Yosuke snaps.
"Yes," Souji insists, looking Yosuke straight in the eye. "Put him down."
*
It takes them a while longer to hash things out. Yosuke's still pissed and Souji's distant and nobody's really sure what to do next. Naoto points out that the cops never found a motive for Namatame killing Mayumi Yamano, even after taking every angle they could, but other than that she's silent. Which just isn't like her; she's usually the one to organize things out loud, come up with theories, all that stuff.
Kanji doesn't understand any of it. Everything was so much simpler when they were just gonna throw the guy in. Now it's all uncertain again, and all he's ever been good for is smashing stuff.
Yosuke's just started up on another rant, when a nurse comes running up the corridor. "Seta-san, you need to come with me," she tells Souji breathlessly. "Nanako-chan came around!"
*
Later, they all roll home in small and happy groups. Yosuke's smiling for the first time that night, even though Chie's already squabbling with him, and Yukiko and Rise can't seem to make up their minds whether to laugh or cry or both. Nobody mentions what happened earlier, what they almost did, because now it isn't important.
The only people who aren't smiling are Souji and Naoto. Souji puts on an effort whenever Yosuke nudges him in the side and says everything's going to be fine, they'll figure things out - but it doesn't reach his eyes. Naoto, meanwhile, isn't saying or doing much of anything. Kanji turns to her as they walk side-by-side down the corridor. "Things went right, yeah?" he says. "S'amazing."
She nods. "Miracles do happen," she agrees - but when she smiles up at him, he can't help noticing it's just like Souji's.
[now]
"I haven't prepared a speech, I'm afraid, but I believe I owe you an explanation." Naoto tips down the brim of her cap - like she does when she's tired or shy or embarrassed - and a dull pain pounds in Kanji's chest.
"We've seen what you showed us," Souji tells her. The others flank him, a few steps behind, all standing in silence. "There's little to explain."
She nods. "Perhaps not. But you need to know, I didn't kill Yamano and Konishi."
"So who did?"
"Adachi."
Souji shakes his head. "Adachi's dead, Naoto. Kubo killed him."
"After the first two murders." Naoto wraps one arm around her side. "I know it was Adachi. The evidence all points to him. And I had a dream, the night after his body was found."
"Y-you're crazy." It comes out a stutter, like Kanji's mouth can't remember how to make the words. "C'mon, Naoto, you're a detective, you, you wouldn't believe in a dream!"
Naoto turns toward him. "If you'd seen it, Kanji, you would know." She shakes her head, then stares at the fog below her feet, yellow eyes hidden by her cap. "Yet the police were willing to accept Kubo's confession. I couldn't allow that. It wasn't the truth."
"...So you pushed him in to make us realize he wasn't the real killer."
Naoto lifts her head and gives a brief nod. "But you didn't understand." She rolls her eyes, lips twisting into a sneer. "Imbeciles. If Kubo was the killer, he'd have known full well people died in there."
"Shut up!" Yosuke snaps. "Don't judge us, not when you--"
But Souji cuts across him, though his voice is perfectly, almost terrifyingly calm. "And because everyone still thought he was guilty afterward, you jumped in yourself."
"Yes. There was no other option. I trusted you would rescue me and allow me to join your group."
Rise steps forward. "But Naoto-kun, we, we knew it wasn't Kubo after that," she says, voice high and strained. "Why Nanako? Why another person at all?"
For the first time, Naoto's expression shifts slightly - not placid, not cold. Something unfamiliar instead, and almost desperate. "I had to," she insists. "I didn't...there was no real choice, not by then." Then she looks at Kanji, keeps looking at him, till he has to turn his head away.
[then]
By mid-December, Naoto quits coming to school.
She won't answer her phone either and on the second day Kanji starts to panic, because she never said anything about going back to the estate or starting a new case or any reason she'd be skipping school. So he cuts class himself - it's only history, bunch of dust and dead people - and catches the bus to her apartment. Only an idiot surprises someone who carries a gun, so he keeps texting her on the way there. She doesn't reply.
Kanji walks up the narrow apartment stairwell then knocks quietly on the door. Naoto always keeps the door double-locked, always looks through the peephole before answering. Better to be cautious, she told him. Maybe she was right; something must've happened. Doesn't look like anyone broke in, but who knows, maybe she's hurt or even--
He knocks again, this time much harder - then again a few moments later. It's not until the fourth - when he's positive he's going to smash the damn door - that Naoto finally answers. She stands there, just looking up at him. "Kanji-kun."
He frowns. "You didn't come to school."
"I was busy."
"I was worried!"
She shrugs, then turns away and walks back inside. Kanji curses under his breath as he follows.
Her apartment always looked empty but now it's stripped bare. There are five cardboard boxes in the center of the room, each neatly labeled in black marker pen - and his stomach lurches, like he just jumped out the window on the far wall. He swallows. "You, uh...you going away?"
"Soon. I want to leave things in order."
His jaw tightens. "You didn't say."
"I didn't see the need."
Kanji chokes down the urge to grab her by the shoulders and shake her till she understands what she's doing. Instead, he says, "Should've. I-I figured you'd have a reason to stay, right?"
Naoto pauses. "No, I don't think so."