Author's Notes:

- I've noticed reviewers telling me that it's been a long time since an actual Souji x Naoto update. That's actually one of the reasons why I decided to write again – I don't what this ship to die. I really love it.

- This is my first time writing for a heterosexual couple.

Pairing(s):

- Souji x Naoto

- ? x Naoto

Warning(s):

- Huge possibilities of people being out of their characters

- Ratings may or may not go up

- -.-.-Page Break-.-.-

Disclaimer:
All rights are owned by Atlus. :)

Prior Engagements
Walls and Fortune's Smile

"Alright, we're heading home," Ryotaro regrettably told his nephew as he ventured his way out of the Amagi venue hall. The crowd's intoxicated noise had been thoroughly ignored. "Nanako, let's get going."

The sixteen years old brunette nodded at her father before hugging her cousin goodnight. "I would stay longer but it's a school night," Nanako giggled, bidding her farewells. "See you around, Big bro."

Souji shot her cousin's retreating back with broad smile. "Good luck with Kashiwagi." The silver male joked in remembrance of what an annoyance that – in his opinion – terribly horrid and horny chestnut haired woman was.

At that, Nanako turned her head and stuck out her tongue.

"I'll show her," The student frowned in determination. "Her boobs are no much for my brains—"

"Nanako!" The Dojima patriarch scolded implicitly with the tone of his voice, unhappy with where his daughter's thought was headed for. Consequently, it earned him a squeak from his child. "Sorry," The graying man looked at Souji with a chuckle. "We can't accommodate you for now."

The twenty-five year old shook his head in understanding. "This return was sudden, so…"

"I'll contact you as soon as it's possible for you to move back in."

"You're not staying with them, Senpai?" Naoto abruptly inquired, moving to stand beside the silver headed male.

To his surprise, Souji could only blink.

"See you, Big bro!" Nanako had suddenly winked whilst she pulled her father out the door and away from the crowd that – since earlier – drowned into their alcoholic drinks. They were, of course, of legal age. "Welcome back, Nao-chan!"

"Thank you, Nanako-chan." The blue haired twenty-four year old woman answered – forgetting that she had questioned a certain man beside her. "Ah, Dojima-san, I'll be seeing you at the station tomorrow then."

"Yeah – hey, Nanako! Slow down!"

Thus, the two Dojimas were gone, leaving Souji and Naoto standing a few feet away from both the doorway and the drunken crowd behind them. It – beyond anything else the silver eyed male could imagine – was awkward. And surely, the detective herself has taken note of the oddity in the atmosphere.

Seta Souji knew that the wall he had been determined to fully break nine years ago was rebuilt. Much to his chagrin.

"Uncle turned my room into a storage place." Finally, he spoke in hopes to answer the earlier question. "I have to stay here for the meantime."

"I – I see." Naoto coughed in acknowledging his attempt to converse with her. "Until when are you staying?"

"Hopefully for good – I, uh, applied as a teacher."

"Yasogami High?"

"Yeah."

Indeed, the wall was rebuilt… higher. It was a discovery that Souji never wanted to know. Or rather, it was a finding he would rather ignore. The silence in between the both of them, against his very liking, had been deafening to a degree. Not to mention suffocating as well.

"You've always been one who molds people, that's just like you," The younger lady smiled into her compliment. Her left hand – particularly – brushed few of the short strands of her hair behind her ear. "Souji-san."

Seta Souji's heart skipped a beat.

For the very first time in nine years.

"Nao-chan!" Out of the blue, Teddie created a gap between the two. His arms had hung heavily them. "Stop keeping Sensei to yourself!" The blond former shadow hiccupped due to his drunken state. "He's our leader too!"

"TEDDIE!" Kanji had followed up to supposed bear's hiccups. "WHERE ARE THE DAMN STICKS, YA' STUPID BEAR!"

"O – oh! Coming!" Teddie sang flirtatiously as he decided to let go of both Souji and Naoto. His steps, unstable during each landing, managed to successfully pull him away.

"Don't tell me—" The older of the sober ones assumed.

"—KING'S GAME!"Came Rise's familiar slur.

Silver and blue stared at each other.

-.-.-

Shirogane Naoto stood silently at one of the Amagi Inn's currently available balconies as she allowed herself to bask under the captivating moonlight. Her back, turned against Souji as he walked slowly to enter the vicinity they agreed to escape in. His eye basked in the view of what he decided was a masterpiece of the universe. The twenty-four year old, to the silver male, was indeed still as alluring as ever or even more.

She lost the cap, huh? Souji mentally noted, noticing that the detective had fully embraced her femininity. Or, at least, her gender – after all, it was noticeable that she had parted ways with the bandages that, for quite some time, wrapped around her chest. Furthermore, Naoto had perhaps become accustomed to less layered clothing as the coat, ties, and thin ribbons had not made themselves visible during the evening. There was only the white button-up collared shirt and the familiar black jeans that emphasized her slender body.

The short blue hair stayed, however.

Beautiful. His silver eyes traced every inch of the woman before them.

Yet, Souji – even at the moment of captivation – was in a state of discomfort. For he remembered the glimpse he had earlier caught before they stole themselves away from the frightful drinking game that was declared earlier on. Seta Souji remembered the quick view of a silver ring that wrapped around the detective's elegant finger.

"So what have you been doing?" Naoto's voice pulled the latter from his momentary trance. "We haven't gotten the time to properly talk; I realize I know next to nothing about your nine years away from Inaba."

It was a strange start.

"I could say the same about you, Naoto." Souji had managed to chuckle as he moved towards the empty spot beside the smaller of them. "We haven't talked since… then."

The rebuilt invisible wall between them was quite thick.

"Ah, you're right." The blue one released a sigh, resting her hands on the wooden ledge before her – allowing Souji a clearer view of the ring. "I could say nothing much, probably, as compared to you. But I've been in England for quite some time – I finished my studies on Forensics, you see."

"You've been well, I assume." He grinned – happy he did not hear the reason for the particular piece of jewelry yet. His hands rested on the ledge. His eyes looked towards the moon. "My uncle did say you come in and out of town from time to time."

"Y – yes, regrettably. Like you, I haven't been seeing Yosuke-san and the others as often as I should because of my line of work."

"You've gone a long way, Nao-chan." Souji playfully teased.

To which Naoto could only blush by a bit, resulting Souji's grin to widen. He could still get those reactions from her.

And then there was a slight crack – the wall was crumbling once more.

It was no longer strange.

"How about you, Senpai?" She forcefully fought through her embarrassment.

"Likewise, I finished my studies." The silver haired confessed, stealing a quick glance at the lady beside him. "I taught Anthropology at my university for couple of years… nothing big as yours."

"You praise me too much."

"Only because you're worthy of it."

The latter huffed, shaking her and closing her eyes in amusement, "Senpai."

"But you're still the same Shirogane Naoto I know, obvious femininity aside." He missed the simple conversations – those moments wherein they could share worlds to each other with very little care. Fortunately, those said moments returned. The twenty-five year old smiled upon such realization as he fully turned to face his companion. "You still like high places." Souji said, addressing how Naoto intently watched the nightlights of sleepy Inaba before her.

Yet those words held a beyond its surface.

Souji knew.

And, of course, Naoto knew.

However, all she could ever do was admit – "I'm engaged, Souji-san."

With that, the invisible wall was quickly mended – proving that Fortune was not smiling at Souji at that very instance.

To Be Continued