Author's Note: After a long break, I've finally pumped out another chapter. This chapter takes place at the same time as the last one. Some behind the scenes dealings will be revealed! As always, a kind word is appreciated in the review section. Chapter 13 is coming very soon by the way, it's 95% done already!

Hello, dear reader. I'm surprised to see you back. I loath surprises. The idea of being completely in the dark about what's coming disgusts me. The Idea that I'm not in control, I can't accept it. Even as a child, I hated that idea. I wonder how Yosuke will feel about surprises after today.

The anticipation is killing us both. Yosuke and myself, I mean. Look at him, fidgeting uncontrollably. His leg is twitching and he's wrapping his fingers on his desk. He can barely contain himself. He's waiting for the bell to ring so he can claim his report card.

What would he say if he found out that I changed his grades? He'd be mad, I know. But I'd talk to him, and he would understand in the end. It's for the greater good after all

When Kashiwagi finally calls his name he makes a scene, but manages to get his report card. He wears a huge smile on his face. This may be the last time he smiles like that for a long time.

When he open the envelope, he must feel like his world is spinning.

He tells Kashiwagi that she made a mistake, but she won't have any of that.

The truth begins to set in with Yosuke. He starts making odd sounds. I leap to my feet to assist him, and my friends follow suit.

Yosuke has gone completely limp. I snap my finders in front of his face but he doesn't respond at all.

Chie nudges him, but he's completely oblivious. She fires me a concerned look.

"I think he's gone catatonic! Maybe we should call the school nurse," she cries.

Yosuke babbles something, but I can't clearly make out what he's trying to say.

Before long, Kashiwagi is telling us all to scram. I wave Yukiko over and we lift Yosuke to his feet. We're forced to guide him out of the class and down the hallway toward the main doors. It's only when we step outside that any sort of awareness reappears in his eyes. Yukiko and I release his arms and are happy when he doesn't fall on his face.

He begins lumbering away like a zombie, swaying back and forth with each stride. Chie and Yukiko are in complete shock at what they are witnessing. Of course, I put on a surprised face to match. Appearances are important.

Chie cusps her hands over her mouth. Her eyes are wavering, and in them I recognize a truth that I hadn't before. It's a look of love. I should be able to use this to my advantage

"Should we, you know, go after him?" Chie asks.

"I think he wants to be alone right now. We should let him go." I respond.

"Poor Yosuke," Yukiko adds. "I can't believe he bombed Kashiwagi's class that hard. Where did he go wrong? He was so confident that he'd ace everything."

We all gaze at Yosuke as he gets smaller and smaller in the distance. The girls don't seem to know what more to say.

"Chie, I'm worried about him. I've never seen him like this before," I divulge solemnly.

"Me either. I'm worried too," she confides, her voice trembling with concern. "He's zoned right out. It might take some serious work to get him to snap out of this one."

"Got any ideas how we can do that?" I ask, firing Chie a suggestive look which she interprets with panic.

"Wh-what? Why are ya lookin' at me like that when you ask that?" she stutters, as if she's been caught in the middle of a crime.

"Well, you know, because he'll listen to you, because he likes you," I state, not mincing my words.

Chie becomes tight lipped and looks flustered.

"And I'm pretty sure you like him too, Chie. So maybe you can find some time to talk to him, you know, alone?" I continue.

Chie begins an obligatory protest, much to my expectations.

"Hey! What are you talking about! Are you suggesting that we're an item or something?! Just because we get along doesn't mean we're together or any of that stuff! You've got one wild imagination there pal!" she chirps.

I place my hands on my sides and sigh. "I didn't say any of that Chie. But, and I don't mean to eavesdrop, I did hear Yosuke more or less ask you out in class today."

Her entire body stiffens.

"And I'm pretty sure you happily accepted," I add.

"You….heard that?" she answers bashfully, casting her gaze toward her feet.

"Don't feel embarrassed about it Chie. To be honest, you two kind of deserve each other in my opinion. Yosuke's a great guy, and you're something special too," I explain.

"Well, thanks. But we're talking about one date at this point, so don't go thinking that we're ready to get hitched or something crazy!" she pleads, waving her hands to dismiss any delusions that might be forming in my head.

"Well, do you think there is anything you can say to him to help him through this? I feel bad for him. First those Friends of Inaba clowns, now cram school, not to mention all the investigation stuff. It's only a matter of time before something gives. He's got to find a way to relieve some of that stress," I comment.

"Yeah, those Friends of Inaba jerks couldn't have picked a worse time to appear," Chie comments. "Did you notice how he was watching over his shoulder during lunch? They're going to drive him crazy with paranoia at this rate."

I cross my arms and nod in agreement. "I feel a bit guilty about asking him to put up with those guys just to win this election," I confess.

Chie turns to face me, with a pensive look in her eyes.

"If he didn't have to deal with those shopping district jerks, I think he'd be way less stressed," she says. "I think I know how to help him. I'll talk to him about it later today."

Chie begins walking away slowly. Neither me or Yukiko say anything to her as she departs.

"So…..Chie and Yosuke? Is that going to be a thing now?" Yukiko asks, perplexed by what just unfolded.

"Looks like it," I chuckle. "But it's not really surprising, is it?"

"Not really," Yukiko affirms.

As Chie continues down the road to her house, it's time for me to make my next move. I need to have an important conversation with Yukiko. With Yosuke soon on his way to cram school, he'll be forced to withdraw from the campaign. With any luck, Chie will suggest he do so while they are out on their date. I tried to hint to Chie that she should ask him to do just that, and it looks like she just took the bait. It'll look like they came up with the idea themselves! With Yosuke out of the campaign, I'll have an empty spot on the roster, which I intend to fill with Yukiko. I'll be killing two birds with one stone.

With Yukiko, Chie and Rise on my team, this election is as good as over. I'll have the support of the two most sought after girls in school, as well as the reluctant hero of the Friends of Inaba, who control a significant portion of the student vote. Provided, of course, that I can get Yukiko to take Yosuke's place and abandon her own bid for President. I think I'll be able to manage. I know what sort of carrots to dangle in front of her to get her attention.

I turn toward Yukiko. "Well, those two are going to be busy today, so there go my plans. Do you feel like hanging out later? It feels like it's been a while since we did anything outside of school." I ask

"I'd love to," she answers without hesitation.

"Fantastic! I'm going to run home first and change. How about I come by your place in an hour or two and we can figure out something fun to do?"

"That sounds wonderful," she cheers, "I guess I better hurry home and get ready too. There are a few chores I've got to take care of, no doubt. Such is life at the Amagi Inn!"

Yukiko and I say goodbye and head in opposite directions. I'll spend the next few hours planning exactly what to say to her. However, before I make it past the school gates, someone grabs my arm from behind.

"Senpai!" someone calls jovially.

The voice alone tells me that it's Rise. Rather than struggle to escape, I accept that she's got me. I can't go brining bridges with her either. I need her continued support after all.

"Hey Rise, are you on your way home?" I question.

"Uh huh!" she cheers with a warm smile. When she smiles, it always strikes me as genuine. I admire that.

She tucks an arm underneath mine and draws herself close to me.

"Want to walk me home?" she asks.

"I'd be delighted to," I answer.

"Yay!" she beams, "You're so nice to me Senpai!"

"That's what friends are for," I remind her.

She pulls herself even closer to me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she whimpers as she snuggles into my shoulder. Before we step through the front gate, we are stopped yet again.

"Excuse me, Senpai," another female voice rings.

With Rise still clinging to me, I turn around and find Naoto.

"Hey, what's up Naoto," I greet.

She draws a long breath while her eyes shift left to right as if she's scanning the scene for something.

"I need to talk to you," she answers, her eyes still alert.

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" I respond.

"It's not something to discuss here. We should go somewhere private," she answers mysteriously.

Now Rise speaks up. "Ooo, Naoto, do you have the hots for Senpai? Are you trying to ask him out?" she teases.

"Wh-what? No! What are you talking about? Just….forget it. I'll call you about it later," Naoto stammers, before abruptly spinning around and walking away with her hands tucked into her pockets and her head lowered.

"Oooo, I think she likes you Senpai," Rise continues. I think Rise feels a little threatened, to be honest.

"I don't think that's what she wanted to talk about Rise," I inform.

"Well, that's good news for the rest of us ladies," she chirps happily. "That means you're still on the market, huh?"

I look her in the eye before answering. "Yeah," I assure with a smile.

She can't contain herself. A huge smile creeps across her face and she blushes a deep red. Her arm continues to tighten around mine.

The school fades into the distance and out of sight as we quietly walk arm in arm.

"So, what do you need help with anyway?" I ask after a few minutes.

"Hmm. Well, I've made a big decision. I'm looking for some advice to make sure it all works out," she replies cryptically.

"Big decision? Care to elaborate?" I ask.

"Well…I've been thinking about my career. The time off has been great and all, but there are some things that I miss about it. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of things that I still hate about it, but I've decided to take on a little project. It's only a small thing, just to see if I'm still interested in it," she answers, getting to the truth of the matter.

"What kind of project?" I inquire.

"It's just a little photo shoot, but I'm trying to run the whole thing myself. I don't want to deal with a bunch of managers and PR people telling me how things should be, and how I should act."

"I see," I reply.

"Yeah! I'm hoping you can help me pick out some looks before I contact the photographer. A second opinion from someone I trust will make me feel a whole bunch more confident about this thing,"

"I hope I can help, but I'm not really that knowledgeable about fashion Rise," I reply. I've got to be honest with her, after all.

She flashes an intense smile at my response. "I just need you to be honest….like you always are," she says tenderly.

We continue walking silently until we reach Rise's house.

"That, I can do," I answer. The hypocrisy of the statement is not lost on me.

When we arrive at Rise's house, the door is front door is locked. She fishes her key from her school uniform. It takes several jiggles before the door unlocks and swings open.

"Come on in," she says with an inviting wave of her hand.

We climb the stairs to the second floor, and I take note of the black and white photos on the walls. Most of the men in the photos are in military uniforms. This is Rise's grandmother's house after all. These are lost relative perhaps.

At the top of the staircase, we veer to the right and down a hallway. At the end of the hall is a sliding door, which Rise nudges open smoothly. We step inside her room, and it's much like I'd imagined it. It's cozy and warm much like she is, and there are endless arrays of clothing. A large walk in closet is home to row upon row of tops, with shoes adjourning the many shelves. Several long dressers line the walls. I suspect that each drawer is ready to burst. The room is a little cluttered, but not what I'd call messy.

"I shoulda cleaned up first," she giggles, "it's such a mess in here."

"Hey, this is cleaner than my room has ever been," I insist.

She giggles once more. "You always know what to say to make me laugh, Senpai,"

In the corner of the room stands a folding screen, with a pieces of clothing draped over the top. The panels are milky white, only lightly decorated in a floral theme along the bottom. Light shines faintly through the rectangle panels or the screen. I gather that this would allow the silhouette of anyone on the other side to dance on the screen.

"Wow, you've got so many outfits," I note. "Sometimes it feels as if I only own this one shirt."

"A lot of it I got from different movies and commercials and whatnot," Rise explains with a sigh. "Everyone always wanted to give me free stuff back then. Whenever I did a job, it felt like I was showered with products."

"That sounds like a pretty good deal to me," I confess.

"Sometimes, it was the last thing I needed. Sometimes, I just wanted someone to acknowledge me, and not reduce everything to materialism. You know, often I just needed someone to say 'Good job Rise, you knocked it out of the park' or 'I enjoyed working with you Rise.' Honestly, people rarely even acknowledged that I was a person. They'd get their shots, and then dumped all this promotional stuff on me. That part of it felt so hollow. I want to be a person, not a commercial."

I'm at a loss for words. Rise rarely opens up in this way.

"But don't worry Senpai! I'm not gonna ask you to watch me try on everything! I have a couple of outfits in mind," she explains.

"How many are we talking about?" I ask.

"I've got three that I'm hoping you can give me some feedback on. You can take a seat in that chair while I get ready. I won't be long," she explains.

I place myself in the seat that faces that screen as she instructs.

"Alright, whatever I can do to help," I announce.

"It's going to be a swimsuit shoot by the way, Senpai," she reveals slyly.

It takes a moment for those words to register, but when they do, I begin to comprehend the situation I just walked into.

Rise.

Swimsuits.

Alone.

Bedroom.

Those few words allow me to imagine endless permutations of where this situation may lead.

Rise steps behind the screen, and her shadowy silhouette appears on the panels. She pulls her shirt over head slowly, and then drapes it over the screen. I watch closely she reaches behind her back and unclasps her bra, which also ends up slung over the screen. It's pink. Go figure. By reflex alone, I squeeze the arms of the chair as tight as I can.

Still behind the screen and facing away from me, I watch her shadow intently as she bends over and slowly drags her underwear down her legs. When she steps out of them, she lets out a faint giggle. In response, I let out a grunt. I'm only human, after all.

She seems intent on taking her time, completely bare behind the screen. She's in no hurry to put on the first of the outfits. She motions back and forth for what feels like a lifetime, and even pirouettes once. Placing her hands on her hips, she runs them up the contours of her body. Her hands closely hug her sides and then trace the delicate outline of her neck. Finally, her hands come to her head and she lets her hair down in a single fluid motion. Her hair falls over her shoulders, and although I can only see her shadow dance across the screen, I have no trouble imagining how she looks.

Something just occurred to me, dear reader. This isn't an accident. She's spent a long time planning this. It's so intricately set up. The chair, the light, the choice of attire, the way the screen is arranged. This isn't a bed room, it's a stage. She's trying to lay claim to me. Rise's showing me a side I didn't know she had. It appears I'm not the only one with secrets. Surprise.

"Okay, first one," she announces playfully.

One of the garbs slung over the screen slips out of view. I force myself not to blink.

I watch her shadow closely as she wraps one piece around her waist. She places a second piece over her chest, and then strikes a pose with her hands on her side and her hip flared out.

"Alright, tell me what you think," she instructs as she steps into sight.

It's an unusual sort of swimsuit, if it can even be called that. The lower half is almost like an uneven mini-skirt, with the fabric on the right leg extending well past her knee. The pattern is orange and floral, giving it a tropical vibe. The curved shape reminds me of a tulip petal. The top is somewhat refined when compared to the exhibition I just witnessed. It hangs over her chest loosely, and doesn't reveal much of anything. I don't care for it at all.

"It looks good Rise," I critique, nodding the whole time in approval. "It's very unique! What do you think about it?"

"Aww, thanks sweetie," she says playfully. "I agree with you, it's unique. That's why I picked this one. It's not really very functional though. I wouldn't ever want to swim in this, that's for sure. I think I'll use this as one of the pieces in my shoot, all the same! Thanks!"

Without more conversation, she darts back behind the screen. Once again her shadow graces the white panels. My heart beats fast as she quickly removes the first swimsuit. She's standing back there with nothing on once again. She tosses the top over the screen and it lands at my feet. Suddenly, my collar isn't the only thing that's popped.

As she pulls the next outfit from its resting place atop the screen, I notice that it's a one piece bathing suit. She steps into it gracefully, as if she's done it a million times before. She slides it up her body, and even through the screen I can see how closely it hugs her skin. She pulls the straps over her shoulders and releases them, and it snaps loudly on her skin. She of course giggles at this.

"Alright! Here's number two Senpai," she announces as she reappears.

I was right about it being a tight fit. It's like a second skin. Her legs are totally bare up to her hips. The swimsuit hugs the curves of her torso and rises up to her chest. When my eyes settle there, I almost snort again. There is a lot of skin showing.

"My eyes are up here Senpai," she chirps.

I avert my gaze at lightning speed, and my eyes meet hers. She wears a devious smirk like I've never seen before. She's definitely having fun with me. She refuses to break eye contact, she simply continues to stare on with a hungry expression.

"This one is…umm…." I begin. "It's..um….very nice."

It's not like me to struggle over words, dear reader, but in this game, I've been caught totally of guard. This is why I hate surprises. I don't like to have the weaker hand. I play to win. It's time for me to formulate a game plan here. I can't show weakness.

"That is one of my favourites," she says as she steps behind the screen once more. "And I love to swim in it. I feel so free in it. Actually, it's the next best thing to skinny dipping."

"Is that so?" I reply.

"Uh huh! Have you ever been skinny dipping Senpai?" she inquires, her voice smooth as velvet.

"Um, no," I reply in monotone.

"Aww, why not? It's sooo invigorating, and it's so refreshing too!"

"I guess I don't know of any lakes or springs where I can be alone," I answer.

"And who said you need to do it alone," her voice echoes from behind the screen.

Hint taken.

I find no words to offer in reply, so I sit patently and wait for outfit number three to adorn her. Whatever is next, it's much smaller than the last. I can barely see anything in her hands, but she seems to be putting on a bottom and a top. It's definitely a two piece bikini. I brace myself.

"Are you ready Senpai?" she calls out.

"Yeah, whenever you are, Rise," I answer.

"Okay. This one is the grande finale, the crème de la crop, so let me know what you really think."

"Always," I reply

She emerges from her hideout, and I struggle to stay in my seat. This one is the most revealing by far. It's a two piece, as I deduced. The top must be a size or two too small, because it squeezes her chest tightly, making her bust appear huge. In fact, the top barely covers her chest at all. Tiny strings are tied around her neck to hold it in place. I wonder if those strings are going to be strong enough, because it looks like she's ready to pop out of it. With each step she takes, the bouncing seems to intensify. My hands tighten on the arms of my chair once again.

The bottom half is revealing in the same fashion as the top. Too little fabric, and only a tiny string holding it together. She spins around once and if she's on the catwalk, and only then do I realize that the bottom is actually a g-string. The image I behold as she spins will be ingrained in my memory and savoured forever.

"You look very…." I start," very…." I can't seem to choose the correct word.

"Sexy?" she asks slyly. Her eyes lock with mine and that familiar devious smirk reappears.

"Yeah…..sexy," I reply, my body glued to my chair.

She takes a step toward me and I feel every capillary in my body fill with blood. Almost instantly, I'm sweating. She takes another step toward me, and my heart rate instantaneously leaps ten-fold,

When she's nearly upon me, she extends her arm and places her hand on my head and runs her fingers through my hair.

"Yuu….it means a lot to me that you're willing to help," she says, barely above a whisper.

She runs her index finger down my neck and across my shoulder. She slowly traces her way down my arm. Her finger tracks its way past my forearm and reaches my hand, where her fingers brush my own. My arm lifts, and she seems to pull me from my seat through magnetism.

Now, I'm not normally one to blush, dear reader, but right now I must look flustered. Rise Kujikawa is standing three inches from me in what can barely be classified as clothing. I'm at a loss for words, and for the first time in a long time, at a loss for actions.

"Thank you," she says once more, her mouth mere centimeters from my ear. She wraps her arms around me in a warm embrace, and I do the same for her. My hands settle on her lower back, which is totally bare. I bite my lip fiercely. This is a most unexpected turn of events.

Her breath tickles my ear. I recognize the sound of deep seeded desire with each deep breath she takes.

When she takes a step back, I'm caught off guard. I was certain she was going to take things further in the other direction. She smiles gently, and grabs a white robe that was resting on her bed. She slips into it without turning away from me. Now dressed somewhat more modestly, she approaches me again.

"Thanks again," she says, giving me another hug She presses her lips gently against my cheek. Although simply a kiss on the cheek, it's passionate and warm. She draws her head back so we're face to face.

I stand at a crossroads, dear reader. She's been in control since I walked into this room, but now she's signalling that it's time for me to take the lead. Decisions, decisions. What would you do, dear reader?

"Rise," her name jumps from my lips as my hand gently grazes her cheek. Her eyes quiver wildly.

To my surprise, she seamlessly closes the gap between our lips and draws me into a loving kiss. We fall backward weightlessly, landing softly on her bed.

When I leave Rise's house, I literally hit the ground running. I had intended to spend the afternoon with Yukiko, but ended up spending a long time with Rise. I must sound selfish. That's not something that most people would complain about. Besides, what just transpired will help maintain Rise's support for my campaign, so it wasn't a waste of time. Yet, the real issue at hand it getting Yukiko to cooperate. I'm not late yet, but I've got to hurry or she's going to think I blew her off.

I arrive at my house and dart up the stairs. Dojima and Nanako are sitting in the kitchen, and Dojima pivots his head in surprise and annoyance as I roll in like thunder. I wave hello, but fly up the stairs before either of them can get a word in.

I basically rip my school uniform off in mid air and land in my regular clothes. I scoop up my scooter helmet and head back downstairs, cell phone in hand. I punch in Yukiko's number, and she answers just as I land on the seat of my scooter.

"Hello!," she answers cheerfully. I can't help but think she's been waiting by her phone all day for me to call.

"Hey, I'm about to come over. Are you ready to go?"

"Uh huh! I'll be waiting outside the Inn for you!" she answers enthusiastically.

Perfect, it looks like I'm not running behind schedule. I turn the keys and my scooter comes to life. I rev the engine and pick up speed on my way towards the Amagi Inn.

Yukiko is waiting for me as promised, with her helmet in her hand. I pull up to her and fire a smile. Her eyes glisten nervously.

"I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that my scooter has been acting up the last couple of days. If we're going to go into town, could I double with you?" she asks apologetically.

"Of course!" I insist.

"Thank you so much," she says with a petite bow of gratitude. "I'm sorry that I didn't mention it on the phone."

"It's not a problem. Besides, if we only take one scooter, we can call it our way to reduce global warming," I suggest dryly.

She giggles like a little girl.

"Hop on," I instruct, and slide forward in my seat to give her some extra room.

She skips toward me. Before mounting up, she puts on her helmet.

"Safety first!" she insists as she clasps the chin strap.

She carefully climbs on the scooter, placing a hand on my shoulder for support. When she's seated, she inadvertently slides down the uneven seat and presses warmly against my back.

"Hold on tight," I insist.

Her hands navigate from my shoulders and find their way around my waist. I can feel her trembling. I catch her face in my right mirror, and she's red as can be. I chuckle to myself.

When I apply the throttle we take off with a jolt. Yukiko almost falls backwards, which forces her to tighten her arms around me. When I told her to hang on tight, I meant it.

"So where should be go?" I ask once we're on the main road.

"Can we just drive around for a bit?" she asks.

"Sure thing," I answer.

"Oh, guess what!" she exclaims.

"What?" I reply

"Chie and Yosuke are on a date, right now!" she announces, giddy about breaking this news to me.

"Right now? How do you know?"

"Chie's been texting me. You know, live updates and all that stuff? She's becoming quite the social media butterfly!"

"So, what's the latest from the love birds?" I ask sarcastically.

After laughing for sometime at that remark, Yukiko responds.

"Well, they're going to Aiya for some food," she informs.

"They'll probably get a beef bowl," I reply with certainty.

"Probably," Yukiko concurs.

We come to a long hill that leads to the banks that overlook the town. As we drive up, I slow the scooter down. We both take the time to enjoy the view of Inaba as we climb.

"You can see everything from up here," Yukiko notices once we reach the crest of the hill.

"Yeah. I come up here when I need to put things into perspective." I insist.

"What do you mean?" she inquires.

"From up here, I can see everything that's important to me. See, there's Dojima's house, and over there is Yasogami High, the place where I met all of you," I explain while I point out each location.

"There's the shrine, and there's the flood plain, and even the world famous Amagi Inn. You can even see Aiya clearly. And we know that Chie and Yosuke are there right now. The way I see it, everyone and everything that's important to me…. it's all right here."

"I just got another message from Chie," Yukiko proclaims as she flips her phone open.

"Did they kiss yet?" I tease.

She snickers, but contains herself.

"Hmm. It looks like Yosuke is going withdraw from the election. It's going to be too much with cram school in the equation. Poor Yosuke," she laments.

Inside, I am dancing. My plan has gone off without a hitch thus far. The next step can now proceed unhindered.

"Damn, that could be bad for the rest of the student body. Don't get me wrong, I can't blame Yosuke for making the decision, it's probably the smart thing to do. But without him running for treasurer, the old student council might be able to win. And if they're still in control of how the council money is spent, we're not going to solve this problem."

"You care so much about everyone Yuu" Yukiko says tenderly, "That's why I love you…..NO!...I mean, that's what I love about you!"

Unabridged embarrassment appears on Yukiko's face as she tries to correct her words.

"I..um…did I just say that…" she mutters to herself, her hands trembling. By the looks of it, she's on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

I offer her an understanding smile

"Do you know what I love about you Yukiko?" I speak calmly

She seems to calm down in anticipation of what I will say next.

"….what?" she asks in a meek voice and eyes full of nervous anticipation.

"Everything," I answer.

With wide, unblinking eyes she stands silently. Her lower lip begins to tremble and she bites it in response. I think I caused a meltdown in her heart.

"Why don't we follow Chie and Yosuke's lead and call this a date?" I suggest.

"…A date? ….really?," she says meekly, but clearly enamoured with how things unfolded on this hill.

"Yeah! Why not! We like each other, right? We can go on a date to see if there's anything more, can't we?" I ask.

"Umm….yeah," she agrees. "Wait…so…..you like me?"

I nod several times.

"I…like you to..," she finally admits, not that it's news to me.

"So, now that it's a date, where should be go next?" I inquire.

"How about we just stay here for a little bit longer," she answers. "It's a nice place, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it really is," I agree.

"I never thought of the view from up here the way you do. But I think that's a beautiful way to look at it," she says as she gazes over Inaba.

She stares over the town while me eyes rest on her.

"You know, I'm worried that you might be right about the election," she says.

"What do you mean?"

"About the whole thing being futile if the old council wins the treasurers spot."

"Yeah, that won't be good, that's for sure."

"Hmmmm," she drones as she shifts her attention back to the town.

"Yosuke was a good fit for the position. With his management experience, and because his family is involved with a big company, he could legitimately claim that he had business experience and was qualified for the responsibility," I explain.

Yukiko licks her lips, and then she swivels her head and meet my eyes. "I have business experience too," she remarks.

I remain silent.

"At the inn, I do all kinds of things. A lot of the time I do the behind the scenes stuff like cleaning, but I tend to the guests as well. Sometimes I help take payments, and even help with the accounting too. I've got really diverse responsibilities, to be honest."

I tilt me head quizzically, but refrain from suggesting what's on her mind. I'll let her reach the conclusion herself.

"Yuu…maybe I should run in place of Yosuke. I mean, I do have the experience. And we can't afford to lose."

"But don't you want to run for President?" I question.

Yukiko seems to cower a bit, and rubs her left arm nervously with her opposite hand.

"I…I..only decided to take part at all because I …have a big crush on you and thought it might be a smart way for us to get closer," she admits, clearly having difficulty forcing the words out.

"But, I don't think I need to do it for that reason anymore. I'll run in the election in order to help the student body!" she announces triumphantly.

"So, starting tomorrow I'll run for Treasurer instead. With you, me and Chie working together, who will be able to stop us?"

"Nobody," I confirm.

"Nobody," she repeats.

We spend another hour on the hill, but don't spend any more time talking about the election. Dusk comes faster than we expected, so we decide to call it a day.

We speed off upon my scooter, and I give full throttle. Going downhill, I'm able to exceed normal speeds.

We zoom through town, and we're soon coming upon Aiya. In the blink of an eye, we rocket past, but I notice Chie and Yosuke exiting.

"I wonder if they had a good time," Yukiko screams over deafening wind.

"If there was meat involved, I know Chie had a good time," I joke.

Even after we've slowed down, Yukiko clings to me tightly. The nervous trembling that was there before is gone. She only wants to hold onto me.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier. It kind of just slipped out. It's so embarrassing," she apologizes, pushing her face into my back and pulling at my shirt.

"Don't be sorry. If you didn't put your foot in your mouth, maybe I would never felt brave enough to ask you to go on a date," I comfort her.

"It sounds weird to think that was a date," she says with her eyes to the ground.

I park out of sight from the inn so we can escape any prying eyes. We hop off the scooter and face each other.

Yukiko removes her helmet, and reveals that her hair is matted and tangled. She brushes a few strands away from her mouth.

"Gosh, talk about a bad hair day," she moans while attempting to straighten her hair.

I reach out to her and brush a few strands away from her eyes. I feel her temperature rise, She's on fire.

Ever so faintly, Yukiko puckers her lips. She peeks over her shoulder, and then turns back to me. Confident that nobody is watching, she takes one giant leap forward and plants a kiss on my lips.

"Thanks for a wonderful time," she says before skipping home without looking back.

As she rounds the corner to the inn, I consider how different Yukiko's lips taste from Rise's.

Author's Note: I hope this chapter wasn't too long. Another chapter is almost cooked up, so expect that in a few days. You might see some other characters get some screen time going forward. So, for or any fans of Kanji, Naoto and possibly Teddie, stay tuned!