A/N: Four days late. Bit of a breather episode? Thought it necessary, given the point we've reached in-game.
I sound like a broken record – but I genuinely appreciate everyone's comments and reviews. Scratch that – I'll also thank everyone who's regularly reading this story. Don't know how many of you there are, but I hope you're enjoying it. Individual thank-yous this time to Mizuno Rei-shi and Delirante, whose reviews I can't answer due to PM restrictions.
Story so far: As fog set in over Inaba, Naoto tried to make amends with Souji, while Kanji tried to solve his problems with his fists.
In this part: Teddie fails at handstands, Kanji can't see the point in logarithms, and Naoto makes a splash.
November 26th, 2011
Ma hadn't taken it well.
Kanji never expected kindness from adults, much less cops, but Kuroda had proved an exception. He'd made a detour on his drive home from work and dropped Kanji off at the store at around midnight - something Ma had still been awake to notice. Tired and still agitated, he hadn't come up with a good reason why he'd needed driving back to begin with and had wound up spilling the entire story. Ma hadn't yelled, hadn't even scolded him, but the way she'd looked at him had felt far worse.
Shame class let out at noon on Saturdays; the extra time might've been enough to work up the courage to walk inside the textile shop instead of staring at the front door. He shuffled his boots against the concrete, wondering if Ma could see him through the shop window. He hoped not. Facing her right now was impossible.
Screw it, he'd stay out this afternoon. Deal with it later. The problem was finding somewhere to go. Couldn't hang with the others - Souji, Naoto and Chie all knew what he'd pulled last night and by now the rest of the team would've found out too. What was he supposed to say? Hey, remember how you all used to think I was a thug? Guess what!
Chie had to get it, though. Naoto had already said she did. Even Souji had said he understood and Kanji preferred to believe him. But Yukiko would be disappointed, Rise and Teddie probably wouldn't see why Kanji had lost it to begin with, and given some of the jibes Yosuke had made in the past...
Maybe a walk would clear his head. Huddling into his coat against the cold, he struck out for the north end of the shopping district along a street still wreathed in fog. He could barely see five meters ahead, explaining why he was practically in front of the liquor store before he noticed Naoki sitting alone on the doorstep. "Yo. Why're you sittin' out here?"
Naoki looked up. "Oh, hey, Kanji-kun." He tipped his head toward the shop's darkened interior. "Just gets kinda claustrophobic in there, you know?"
"Yeah, I know that feeling."
"Really?" He hummed in thought, tapping his fingers against his knees. "I guess this weather doesn't help."
"No kidding. Aiya's gonna have to switch to foggy day specials."
It'd been meant as a dumb joke, but Naoki's expression turned anxious. "I, uh, overheard my dad talking just now. He said he'd heard from Otsuka-san that you…got in a fight last night."
Part of Kanji wondered how many times he'd have this conversation. Naoki was the first to ask outright; he wouldn't be the last. Another part wondered exactly how Naoki would react - or how badly.
But he hadn't judged Kanji when they were kids. Why would he start now? "Yeah. Some asshole had been sayin' a lot of stuff he shouldn't 'bout me. Naoto, too. He started again, an' I just - snapped."
Naoki studied him. "What sort of stuff?"
"Just. You know. Those rumours goin' round at school, shit like that."
"Oh." He had the decency to leave it at that; Kanji was grateful. "Hey, did you have lunch?"
"Nope. Why?"
"I promised my mom I'd sweep the shop floor before we get busy," Naoki said, in a tone that suggested he didn't believe it'd ever happen, "but that won't take long. We could go to Aiya afterwards."
"Not if Otsuka knows what happened." Old fart still harped on the biker gang fight. He'd known the Tatsumis way too long. "I'll get an earful."
"Okay, how about Souzai Daigaku?"
"Sure. I'll wait for you t'finish up."
Naoki shook his head. "I'd feel bad for you hanging around in this. Go on ahead, I'll be there in about ten minutes."
All of Souzai Daigaku's seating was outdoors. How sitting in fog there was any different to standing in it here, Kanji didn't know - but he still headed off to the south, cutting a path through the murky grey.
He hadn't been able to place why everything felt so off - why his stomach twisted in on itself whenever he stared too far into the fog - but as he walked past the boarded-up toy shop, realization hit. The district was silent. None of the usual voices and noises. Granted, nobody was spending much time outside these days, but even his footsteps sounded muffled. Rise had told him she was hearing things; Kanji could barely hear anything at all.
Thinking of Rise, he made sure to walk closer to the front steps of Marukyu Tofu, just to check on her. Even with the fog, Kujikawa-san had been leaving the front door open - it'll encourage customers, she'd insisted - and he peered inside as he passed. Rise was standing behind the counter of the empty shop, looking out at the fog, and didn't seem to notice him until he waved and the motion caught her eye. She waved back, even smiled - but something about it reminded him of June, and the first time he, Senpai and Yosuke had gone to the shop to meet her.
It wasn't a good feeling. Kanji shoved his hands in his pockets and kept walking.
Souzai Daigaku had to be hurting for business too. No lunchtime crowd, and nobody in line at the stand. Good thing their best customer wasn't spooked by the fog. Chie was sitting alone at one of the tables, tearing into a plate of steak skewers that, by now, were looking pretty light on steak.
Kanji raised a hand. "Yo, Chie-senpai."
She glanced up, still chewing - "Mreym, Khaji-kumph!" - then frowned and quickly swallowed. "…Oh, sorry, that was probably gross."
He slouched into the chair opposite her. "Ain't like it bothers me."
Chie picked up her final skewer and tore off half the meat in one bite. Either Souzai Daigaku was having one of its rare good days or the girl had a steel jaw. "So," she said after conquering the mouthful, "what time did the police let you go home?"
"Bout eleven-thirty. Thanks for tryin' to talk to them. And - for helping out in the fight." By rights, the cops should've arrested her too, but how you acted counted for a lot less than how you looked. "Would've had trouble without you."
"Honestly, I was too pissed off to back down," she admitted. "But when I saw Naoto-kun at the station, I figured she could help you more than I could, and probably without punting anyone. I phoned Souji-senpai just in case, though." She gave a weak smile. "I was kinda surprised he picked up."
"Pretty sure he's pissed at me."
"Could be worse," Chie said quietly. "He might not even care."
It took an effort not to wince. "Nah, it ain't like that. Everything's just weird right now."
"Hey, it's fine, Yukiko's got my scolding covered. She already gave me grief at school - this long spiel about how I could've gotten hurt, how I'm not as tough as I think I am, blah blah blah. I don't even know how she found out!" Chie groaned and shook her head. "Don't get me wrong, she totally means well, it's just…" She grimaced and, with one final frown at her skewer, bit off the last chunk of steak.
"We shouldn'ta let it get that far. I shouldn't." He drummed his fingers against the table's surface. Still muffled. "My shitty temper."
"Our shitty tempers. Besides, that guy, Sanada, he was a total jerk!"
"Sonoda. An' I hit him first."
Her lower lip jutting out, Chie considered this. "Well," she eventually said. "Sometimes that happens. But it's pretty clear who the bad guy was."
'Bad guy'. Kanji envied her clarity. Everything was easier when you saw stuff that way, the whole world cast in black and white - except nothing had ever really been that simple. Deep down, Chie probably knew that.
"And he'd been bullying Naoto-kun, right?" she continued. "As much as anybody could bully Naoto-kun."
"Yeah. He got started on me 'cause I stuck up for her. I don't get his issue with her."
"Really? I, um, thought it was kinda obvious." Chie looked down, tracing shapes on her plate with one of the bare skewers. "He said she'd fooled him. I mean, he - he must've thought…you know…"
Right before Chie trailed off, she shot Kanji a glance. He didn't like it one bit. "Know what?"
She hesitated. "Naoto-kun confused a bunch of people."
The one explanation Kanji hadn't considered was that Sonoda had gone through the same crap as him. But even if he had – even if he'd been nursing the same doubts – it was a damn stupid reason to hate someone. Kanji hated that Naoto still left him blushing and stammering, that he noticed her even when he didn't want to, that she'd made him desperate for every hint that she'd noticed him in return and in the way he wanted. He didn't hate that the boy he'd been twisting himself up over wasn't strictly a boy at all. Naoto had her reasons – and any questions she'd stirred up, Kanji had been dodging for years. If she'd never come to Inaba at all, his Shadow would've been no different.
Everything afterwards might've been easier, though.
Kanji leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs under the table. "She don't notice half of what she does to anyone."
Chie shrugged. "Who cares anyway? Sonoda said a bunch of stupid stuff. You're nobody's girlfriend, you probably don't make dolls," - and here, Kanji tried not to cringe - "and I'm definitely not mannish!"
He gave a lopsided smile. "'Course you ain't."
With a satisfied nod, she laid the skewer on her plate and pushed back her chair. "I better get going, Yukiko asked me to drop by after lunch. Probably so she can deliver The Great Amagi Dressing-Down, Part 2. Later, Kanji-kun."
"Later."
After one final smile, she walked away and vanished into the fog within seconds.
If, might, would – what was the point? Naoto had come to Inaba, and that was a good thing. Once Kanji found the balls to speak out, he might make it even better. Just needed better circumstances, that was all, a time when Nanako would be back at home and everyone would be getting along again.
His phone buzzed inside his coat. Might be Naoki explaining why he still hadn't shown. Kanji fished it out and flipped it open.
yo tatsumi u ok
Hanamura again?
Lately, he'd been contacting Kanji pretty often, and never for a casual chat. yeah why
souj said u got ina fight w/sum guy from school
Might as well be honest. Yosuke already had first-hand experience of Kanji's temper. idiot was picking on Naoto for ages. started on me & i got sick of it. end of story
yeah i kno souji told me
dont let assholes like that get to u dude ur better than that
The two messages came only moments apart. Wasn't the reaction he'd expected; maybe Souji hadn't let on exactly what Sonoda had said to make Kanji snap. He'd started tapping out a response when a third text arrived.
but if u do it again do NOT let chie get involvd ok
Like he could've stopped her. She'd have ignored Sonoda's gang and punted Kanji instead. wont be a problem
He was tempted to ask exactly why Yosuke cared, even if (and maybe because) the answer was obvious.
By the time Naoki showed, ten minutes later, no new messages had arrived. Hanamura must've gotten the answer he wanted. Kanji left his phone on the table and went to order lunch instead.
While they were waiting for their food, Naoki stayed pretty quiet. Didn't say much as they sat at the table, either – just ate his curried beef and occasionally shot Kanji an awkward smile. Kanji had demolished half a plate of croquettes before Naoki finally spoke.
"My dad heard that Souji-senpai broke you out of the police station. Just walked in and kicked down the door. I'm guessing that isn't true?"
Kanji gave him a flat stare. "What do you think?"
"Yeah, thought so. Pretty neat rumour, though. Better than the ones usually spreading through this town." Naoki's brow furrowed. "How's he doing?"
"…Not great."
"We haven't talked in a while. I - don't really know what to say." He looked aside, eyes distant and pained. "Out of everyone, you'd think I would."
"It ain't the same," Kanji mumbled.
Naoki's expression sharpened. "Why?"
Though Kanji couldn't explain it, there was a simple, crucial difference. Naoki could never have helped Saki, while Souji had been the only one able to save Nanako. That one change left Senpai facing a question Naoki had never needed to ask: what if he'd got there sooner?
Long moments passed. Kanji opened his mouth a few times around a half-formed answer that never made it past his lips, but it was Naoki who broke first. "You can say what you're thinking, Kanji-kun. Saki's gone and Souji-senpai's cousin isn't. Right?"
"I, uh - -" Kanji began - and his phone rattled against the table so suddenly that he almost elbowed it off the edge.
Saved by a text message. Yosuke probably wanted to backtrack on that last one, realized he couldn't have anyone thinking he actually cared about Satonaka. Kanji opened the phone, avoiding Naoki's gaze, and stared at the screen.
STUDY TOMORROW Y/N
Study? Why would he - -
He gulped. "Oh, shit. Finals."
"Yeah, next week," Naoki said. "Are you ready?"
"Ain't opened a single textbook." Hadn't been listening in class either, not lately. Holy crap, he was going to crash and burn. And, now the initial surprise had died away, he wasn't sure he cared.
The irritation in Naoki's voice had vanished. "You need help studying? I'm not great at exams, but I get by."
"Nah, s'fine, Naoto just offered," Kanji said offhandedly. The silence that followed gave him time to realize that wait, Naoto had just offered, why had she offered, it hadn't done much good last time and didn't she have better stuff to do? A straight-A student trying to help some brawling punk made no sense, even if they were friends - because they totally were, the last week had made him certain, and he had a (very hopeful) feeling that, by now, Naoto thought so too. Provided he didn't get arrested again.
The mental tirade might've gone on longer if not for Naoki. "Well, Shirogane's really smart."
"Damn right she is." Kanji couldn't help a grin. It didn't make much difference; Naoki had already turned his attention back to his meal.
November 27th, 2011
The food court looked deserted. It was only ten-thirty, so the place wouldn't normally be packed - but Kanji had been here on Sunday mornings before, and there'd always been a few parents and kids milling around the tables. Then again, maybe there were customers out there. Hard to tell through the fog. It pushed up against the store's glass doors like grimy cotton wool, obscuring almost everything beyond the refreshment stands.
Studying indoors would've been smarter. Studying indoors would have also meant him and Naoto either sitting in her apartment or Ma's living room, and both options had felt too awkward to suggest. And Naoto had been the one to suggest meeting at Junes, so she probably felt the same way, right?
Kanji let out a breath, ran his hand through his hair, and strode through the sliding doors.
"Psst! Kanji-chan! Over here!"
He glanced right. A suited Teddie peered over the counter of the drinks stand, beckoning with one round paw.
Kanji walked over. "They're makin' you work outside in this?"
"None of the humans want to do it. They think the fog will make them sick. However, Teddies are immune!" Ted might've been puffing out his chest, but the suit was too round to tell.
At least somebody wasn't afraid. Most people were hiding indoors instead, and the ones that weren't gave Kanji the creeps. Maybe Inaba needed a few more Teddies, he thought, and instantly regretted it. "They're all fussin' over nothing," he muttered. "S'just fog."
"I dunno, Kanji-chan. The fog inside the television makes humans feel really bad, that's why I had to make you all glasses. But out here…it's different, but still not right. I think people can tell." Ted shifted in place, squeaking from one shoe to the other. "Like the two who were hiding in the lobby earlier."
"They're still there. Saw a cop trying to haul them out." A girl and a guy, both in their twenties, wearing orange Junes uniforms and cowering by the shopping carts.
"Yosuke said he'd try to make them head home for some sleep. I guess they didn't want to go."
Hysteria. Too many people scaring each other with superstitious crap. Junes probably just drove those employees too hard trying to make up for the ones that were phoning in sick. By now, Kanji was glad Naoto wanted to meet outside - it proved that at least one other person still had a handle on their common sense.
He glanced at his phone. Ten-forty. "Hey, did Naoto come by here yet?"
"Yep! She's sleeping over there." Teddie pointed over Kanji's shoulder. Under the wooden shelter, Naoto was hunched over at one of the picnic tables with her head buried in her folded arms. A small stack of folders and textbooks sat on the surface beside her, her cap perched on top.
No way had Kanji gotten the meeting time wrong. He'd checked her last text three times over. "Dammit, how long's she been there?"
"Dunno," Teddie said. "Clocks are tricky. I just know when it's midnight."
"But she told me to be here at ten-thirty, we're s'posed to study."
"Study? Study what? Ooh, could she teach me too?"
"You don't go to school, dumbass."
"Details!" The head of the bear suit popped off to reveal Teddie's human form crouched inside, wearing his scarf and duffel coat. "I'll ask her now!"
He started to climb out of the suit, but Kanji grabbed his arm. "No! Let her wake up on her own, I got nowhere better to be."
If somebody was tired enough to crash out at a bench, waking them up was a dick move. Better to let Naoto rest, Kanji decided, as he quietly stepped closer to the table. Nobody out here to bother her. Definitely not him. He'd just check she was all right first.
…And maybe look at her. Only for a moment. With someone who spent half her waking hours looking as approachable as a brick, who'd blame him? He'd caught her sleeping once before (caught, not watched, watched would've been creepy) right after the team had pulled her out of the Secret Base and she'd been halfway through her second week of being deeply ungrateful. That'd been, what, only two months ago?
Two months. Lot of stuff was different now. Naoto included; Kanji remembered how she'd looked curled up on the sofa, her expression unguarded and the usual careful detachment gone. Now she seemed restless and taut even in her sleep. Her head wasn't tilted toward him enough to see her expression, but he'd already seen her arms twitch and her fingers clamp down tight on the sleeve of her coat.
Not like she'd sleep long out here, though. Too cold - which made it even weirder she'd fallen asleep to begin with. She was wearing her winter coat, but what if she was chilly and just too tired to notice? Or maybe she liked the cold, Naoto liked all kinds of weird and unpleasant things. Maybe he should drape his own coat over her anyway to make sure - except she'd probably shoot him in the kneecaps when she woke up and realized just whose coat it was, or at least snap at him, and why he couldn't he decide which of those options was worse?
Kanji stared at her, limbs frozen, mind spinning.
His dilemma was rapidly solved. Teddie bounded across the food court, arms stretched out, and threw himself onto Naoto's back. "Wake up, Nao-chan!"
The sound that Naoto let out was dangerously close to a shriek.
Disorientated, pinned against the table, and unable to see who'd jumped on her, her response was - to Kanji's mind - totally reasonable. As he took an elbow to the ribs and a fist to the face at almost the same time, Teddie squealed and clutched wildly at her shoulders. "Ow! Nao-chan, stop it!"
"Wh-wh-what'reyou - T-Teddie! Unhand me this instant!"
A couple more elbows and he'd probably oblige. To speed things up, Kanji grabbed the hood of his coat and yanked him away from the table. "C'mere, bear!"
"I was just trying to help!" Ted protested, rubbing his jaw. "I never knew wake-up hugs could be so painful."
"I-I - w-why did you…" Naoto straightened her back and took a deep breath. By the time she'd smoothed down her hair and tugged her cap back on, she was calm enough to speak. "Teddie, that was completely unnecessary."
"Of course it wasn't! This is no time to sleep, Kanji-chan needs your help studying." Teddie jabbed his thumb toward his chest. "I do too!"
Naoto narrowed her eyes. "…Studying what, exactly?"
'How to score hot studs' was Kanji's unhappy first answer, but Teddie's expression turned serious. "In the summer, Sensei started teaching me how to write," he said, sliding into the seat opposite Naoto, "but I'm not that great yet and he's, you know. Busy. I need more lessons and Nao-chan's super-smart, almost as smart as Sensei!"
"I'm just as sm-" Naoto started - then stopped, adjusted her coat collar, and pursed her lips. "For future reference, I do not render assistance to people who jump on me."
Elbows on the table, Teddie leaned forward. "How about if they smooch you?"
Naoto leaned equally far back. "Souji-senpai will have time after Nanako-chan's recovery. You can resume lessons then."
"But that's the problem! I need to learn before that!"
"What's the rush?" Kanji asked.
Teddie frowned down at his hands, his fingers splayed against the table. "I wanna write notes for Nana-chan for when she wakes up, so she'll know all the stuff I've been doing. I tell her every time I visit but she might not remember it all, and I'd hate missing out like that." He lifted his head. "I can't remember it all either. So I have to learn to write before I forget the rest."
Naoto and Kanji exchanged glances, and awkward expressions.
He looked at Teddie. "But ain't you s'posed to be working right now?"
Ted shrugged. "No customers. Except you and Nao-chan, but you can just tell me if you wanna buy anything."
"Very well. Kanji-kun and I will start on algebra." Naoto handed him a pen and pushed a sheet of lined paper across the table. "Begin your note, and once we've worked through this chapter's problem set, I'll help you with whatever you are unable to write."
Teddie beamed at her, bright and eager, then began scribbling.
In practice, 'starting on algebra' mostly meant Kanji poring over Naoto's neatly handwritten notes, while Naoto herself quickly finished half the textbook's example problems and moved on to trying to convince him that yes, he did know this material, the attendance records confirmed that he'd been present for all mathematics classes this semester. Kanji couldn't bring himself to point out that being in a class and getting any benefit out of it were two very different things - or to ask exactly how Naoto knew, and why she'd bothered to find out. Ted sat quietly beside him the whole time, chewing his borrowed pen and scrawling spidery jumbles that still made more sense than the mathematics notes.
"I hate this crap. Quadratics, x's, y's…" Kanji glowered at the textbook. Maybe if he glared hard enough, the stupid thing would catch fire. "The hell am I ever gonna need a logarithm for."
"Earthquakes," Naoto said.
"Earthquakes?"
"The moment magnitude scale. It's logarithmic." She leaned forward and pointed to one of his half-finished answers. "Remember to multiply both sides of the equation."
Teddie put down the pen and held out his sheet of paper. "Nao-chan, I'm thirsty. Can you look at this while I get a drink?"
Naoto took the sheet with an distracted nod and an unhappy frown at the teeth marks on the pen cap.
"Get me something too, man." Kanji pulled his wallet from his coat pocket and took out a thousand-yen note. "Don't care what. And, uh, wh-whatever Naoto wants as well."
She looked at him, then at Teddie. "I -"
"You gave me something to drink at the station, alright?" Seriously, it was just a damn soda, wasn't like he was offering to make her a freaking four-course dinner (and never mind that he totally would if he thought for one second she might say yes). "I'm just returning the favour!"
Naoto blinked. "…I was going to request something caffeinated."
"There's a crate of Mad Bull in the main stockroom, Yosuke keeps taking them when he's on break." Teddie snatched the money from Kanji's hand and bounded away from the table. "I'll fetch you one!"
"You needn't go to such -" Naoto tried to call after him, but he was already through the store's sliding doors. She let out a small sigh, then picked up one of her non-chewed pens and turned her attention to his note.
Even earthquakes couldn't make logarithms interesting. Naoto was a different matter. Kanji watched her roll her pen between her fingers, use it to push up the brim of her cap - then, the moment she glanced up at him, immediately stared at Teddie's note instead. After a full minute, he still couldn't decipher any of the scribbles, or even tell the paper was upside down. "Can you actually read any a'that?"
"No, but the drawings in the margin appear to convey the general idea. How are you doing with that problem set?"
"Uh…not bad," Kanji lied. "Thanks for helping me. I forgot we even had exams, to be honest."
"A joint study session benefits us both," she said, rapid but firm. "I am equally under-prepared."
Either she was trying to be kind or she had way too high an opinion of Kanji's academic abilities. Both ideas were unlikely, no matter how insistent she sounded. Didn't really matter. Naoto could show up drunk, asleep or both and still ace every subject. For Kanji, a passing grade was a wild dream.
"Well, thanks for the help anyway. Promised Souji-senpai months ago I'd try to get better scores." He hesitated. Naoto was focused on Teddie's note. "Hey, uh…on Friday night. You sort things out with him?"
"To an extent."
"Thass good."
"Yes, it is." She still hadn't looked up. Kanji went back to trying to ignite the textbook.
Though he'd never admit it out loud, part of him had been relieved when Souji had first started blanking her. The rest was still supremely pissed at himself for being so gutless - but that didn't stop it from being true.
He glanced up just in time to catch Naoto yawn, one hand covering her mouth - and, the moment she realized he was watching, quickly swallow it. This pissed him off more than was reasonable. "Look, I already know you're tired," he muttered. "You were crashed out when I got here. What time did y'leave the cop shop last night?"
"Police station, Kanji-kun. It was around four in the morning."
"Hell were you doing that took so long?" More importantly, what was the point? "The case is over, you don't hafta-"
"All that is 'over'," Naoto cut in, pen gripped tight between her fingers, "is our jumping into a television and fighting Shadows. Prosecuting Namatame will not be trivial."
"But he did it! He took Nanako-chan, everyone saw him."
"No, they didn't. We did, but only inside the television. Other than when we brought them both back, they were never seen together by anyone outside the team." As she spoke, she tipped back her cap and started kneading her left temple. "The evidence is circumstantial at best."
No fricking way. They'd pulled that murdering bastard out so he could face justice in the real world. They could've left him there, let the Shadows rip him apart, but instead they'd done the right thing and now he'd get sent down, because that was how it was supposed to work. "That ain't good enough!" Kanji slammed a fist against the table. "He's gotta pay for what he did!"
"I know."
Naoto's voice had turned hollow, and he couldn't swallow the surge of guilt.
Why was he counting on her to fix everything? Shit, they were both still in high school, even if one of them did have a smart job and act like she was forty. "Sorry. I-I'm not blaming you. You're doin' your best."
"Which will count for nothing if Namatame walks free."
"An' we're the only ones who know what he really deserves," Kanji muttered.
Naoto looked at him for a long moment, expression blank – then shook herself and gestured to the textbook. "Finish the problem set. We have a lot of material to cover."
December 1st, 2011
Predictably, exam week sucked. By Thursday, Kanji had given up – and, rather than spend the evening cramming, decided to head to the hospital with Rise. At least, that was the plan. Ten minutes had passed since the final bell and he was still waiting for her outside the main school building.
She'd hung around late yesterday, too. Kanji had been killing time while Kashiwagi bitched out Naoto in the faculty office, when he'd noticed Rise still standing by the window in classroom 1-2. He'd been on the verge of going in to talk with her - Kujikawa-san's words had been playing on his mind - but Naoto had slunk out of the office a moment later, muttering about how she'd already finished her biology final, why did it matter that she'd fallen asleep afterwards, and retreating to the library had seemed the better option.
They'd gone there every afternoon this week, at Naoto's prompting. Though he appreciated it, he still didn't understand why she bothered. Helping him to fail less hard than expected seemed a wasted effort. A dozen Naotos probably couldn't help him pass, he thought, and promptly got a lot more hung up on the image than he should've.
"Kanji-kun?"
Kanji jolted against the wall. Twelve imaginary mini-detectives had coalesced into a single very real one, standing to his left and looking up at him. "I-I wasn't doin' anything!"
"Precisely. Therefore, I thought you might wish to go to the library." She eyed him carefully. "Were you waiting for someone?"
"Y-Yeah. Rise."
"Oh." Naoto folded her arms. "Well. I'm sure she'll be out soon."
It sounded like the end of a conversation, and he expected her to walk away. She didn't. Kanji started to feel vaguely uncomfortable.
Say something, moron. Ideally something that wouldn't piss her off. "You, uh, wanna come with us?" he tried, and although Naoto's eyes narrowed, he kept going. "We're gonna go see Nanako-chan. You could tag along."
For some reason, the offer seemed to placate her. He probably should've asked sooner.
She nodded. "Yes, I -"
"Hey, you two!" Chie had just walked out of the building, Yukiko close behind her. "Still haven't left?"
"Waiting for Rise. We're heading to the hospital," Kanji said, without thinking.
Chie's smile faltered. She recovered an instant later, but it didn't look the same. "That's great."
The silence that followed was heavier than the fog.
"…So, how are your finals going?" Yukiko managed a smile too: stiff, thin, and about as convincing as Chie's.
"Don't ask," grumbled Kanji.
"No idea," Naoto said, and shrugged. "I find it difficult to care at present."
Chie gave a sympathetic nod. "Oh man, I know the feeling."
Next to her, Yukiko let out a soft sigh. "Chie, you never care about finals, except when you call me in a panic over not studying enough." She turned to Naoto before Chie could splutter out a response. "Souji's talking to you again, isn't he?"
Naoto hesitated. "…Yes."
Chie bit her lip. "What did you do?"
"I kept going to the hospital. And his house." At this, both Chie and Yukiko raised their eyebrows, and Naoto's cheeks flushed pink. "I-I didn't know what else to do," she said quietly.
"But you're both talking again," Yukiko repeated. "And he's forgiven you."
"…I don't know. He shouldn't."
"Quit saying that kinda crap," Kanji muttered, and ignored Naoto's razor-sharp glance. "You know it's not true."
"What's it matter anyway? At least you and him made up." Chie closed her eyes. "It was that stupid fight, I know it. And I didn't even mean - it wasn't our fault, why doesn't he get that?"
"I'm sure he does," Yukiko began, one hand on Chie's shoulder, "it's just -" The sentence stopped short; Souji and Yosuke had just left the main building, and were heading for the bicycle stands. Yukiko's gaze landed on them, then flickered to Naoto - and she squared her shoulders. "Oh, I've had enough of this," she muttered, already stepping after the two boys. "Souji, Yosuke, wait!"
After a quick exchange of worried glances, Naoto, Chie and Kanji all followed.
Souji either hadn't heard Yukiko or didn't want to, because he didn't stop walking. Yosuke did. He grabbed Senpai's arm and turned them both toward her.
"Hello." Yukiko nodded to them both. "Souji, can we talk?"
He tried to pull away. "Not now, I have to- -"
"No, wait a sec." Yosuke's grip didn't loosen. "This was going to happen sooner or later."
"Souji, I won't pretend to know what you're going through, but I'm – we're your friends," Yukiko said. "And I don't understand why you're pushing us away."
"Yukiko's right." Chie was shifting in place, arm folded, one foot tapping against the ground. "Look - you, you don't have to explain stuff if you don't want to – but I'm really, really sorry about what I did in that fight, and I wish I could back and change things but I can't, and I - " She took a deep breath. "I just want all of us to get along."
He looked away. "Yeah. Sorry. Guess I'm not being a very good leader."
"C'mon, that's not what we're saying!"
"None of us would have made it this far without you. We can work together to get through the rest." One hand slightly raised, Yukiko stepped forward, but apparently thought better of it. "Chie and I would both love to visit Nanako-chan."
"Why don't you come with us today?" Yosuke said, then turned to Souji. "That's okay, right?"
Another example of Hanamura's talent for asking questions that, for anyone who didn't want to feel like an asshole, only had one decent answer. Souji handled this one about as effectively as Kanji had his. "…Sure."
Chie's face went slack with relief, then broke into the first genuine smile Kanji had seen on her all week. "That's great! We should get Rise-chan, she'll wanna go too. Wanna come inside with us, Naoto-kun?"
"No, I - I will wait here."
Too eager to ask twice, Chie was already jogging back toward the main building. Yukiko stalled. "Thank you, Souji."
It was a restrained reaction, especially compared to Chie's, but somehow it carried more weight, and Kanji couldn't help noticing the extra moment Souji held her gaze.
Once she was out of earshot, Yosuke sighed. "Wouldn't hurt to crack a smile, partner."
Souji's voice was almost too low to hear. "It isn't that simple."
Months ago, Kanji would've disagreed. Too many times he'd been frustrated with Naoto, the way she'd always over-complicated everything - except maybe she hadn't. Maybe her and Souji had been in the right all along.
"I don't get it, dude. You're usually so…" - a pause, like Yosuke was trying to pluck the right word from the fog - "…nice. You make friends with the most random people, you've got half the girls at school throwing themselves at you, and- -"
"It never mattered before. I just needed everyone's- -" Souji closed his eyes. When he opened them again, his expression was as smooth as unbroken water. "It doesn't matter."
Yosuke looked taken aback. "What doesn't?"
"Nothing major." The delivery was too fluid to be reassuring. It felt more like the slamming of a door. "I'll be waiting by the gate."
Only when he'd disappeared into the fog did Naoto move to follow him. The glance she darted at Kanji on the way was almost too brief to catch, never mind decode.
"Gotta give Shirogane credit. She doesn't quit." Head tilted back, Yosuke stared up at the fog. "And it kinda worked."
"You made him stay an' talk," Kanji said.
"Somebody had to."
"Didn't expect it. Thought you were on his side."
Yosuke's eyes went wide. "Sides? You're kidding me, right? C'mon, Tatsumi, you seriously think that's how things are?"
"No." Having that confirmed would've felt good if Hanamura hadn't sounded so genuinely hurt. "Sorry, man. Just, you and him. You're close."
"Souji's the smartest, coolest guy I know, no question - but he's got it wrong this time. It's gonna be fine, though. I've got a plan."
Kanji frowned. "Last plan you had, we ended up wearin' dresses."
"Nah, this one'll work. Have faith in my genius!" Yosuke's grin looked genuinely earnest. "And don't count on studying tomorrow evening."
December 2nd, 2011
"I still say this is weird." Souji's gaze shifted from Yosuke to the hazy, placid surface of the Samegawa. "And we should be studying for tomorrow's finals."
"If we don't know it by now, we'll never know it," Yosuke said cheerfully. "And I never knew it at all."
Souji had a point, though. Not about the studying - to hell with that - but the strangeness of what amounted to a night-time riverside picnic in December. Though the fog had swallowed the breeze, the air still carried a bitter chill, and if they could barely see the water then what was the point in coming to the river at all? "I ain't sayin' this is a bad idea," Kanji began, "but-"
"Then don't say anything," Yosuke cut in.
Chie nodded. "Yosuke's right. This is team-bonding time, so no slacking off!"
Souji frowned at the fog in general. "Can't we bond indoors?"
Good question. Unfortunately, Yosuke was distracted by the plastic bags in Chie's hands. "Wait, what did you bring?"
"It's not a picnic without home-made snacks!" she said, in the easy manner of someone who refused to admit she'd forever fail at cooking. "I, um, kinda ended up with more than I expected, so make sure you eat plenty."
Souji paled, and Yosuke whispered, "Oh, crap."
"Don't worry, Senpai!" Rise smirked and lifted her wicker basket. "I made some too."
This tipped Yosuke over the edge into theatrics, which Rise ignored in favour of following Chie down the steps to the riverbank. While Yosuke raged about the unfairness of life, specifically every girl he knew repeatedly trying to poison him, Yukiko stepped closer to Kanji, her own bag clutched to her chest. "Please tell me you brought something, Kanji-kun."
"Yeah, we're good." The omelette cook-off had taught him a valuable lesson. One that made him warily eye Yukiko's bag. "So, uh, did you-"
"One of the chefs at the inn took care of it." She smiled. "We're good."
A one-in-two chance of food poisoning was better than three in four. Kanji gave her a thumbs-up and descended the steps to the bank.
If 'team-bonding' meant 'patching things up with Souji', the evening didn't start well. He wandered down the shoreline as soon as the first blanket was laid on the ground, and Yosuke soon followed. Still, the five left behind did the best they could. Yukiko and Kanji laid out more blankets, Rise and Chie unpacked the snacks and drinks, and everyone ignored Teddie pestering them for their phone numbers. Something about a cellphone Yosuke had given him, and how anyone who didn't reveal their number might miss out on a hot date. Fifteen minutes later, Naoto arrived - and, after dodging Ted's demands, went to stand on one of the flat stone outcroppings that stretched into the river. Kanji settled on a blanket and tried not to watch her.
It felt good to do stuff as a group that didn't involve kicking Shadow butt. Last time was the ryokan, and in that case he would've taken his chances with the Shadows. He'd expected this picnic to turn out even worse - all stiff silences and nobody saying what they really meant – but in practice, the atmosphere wasn't too awkward. Even Rise, who been worrying him more than Souji, seemed less edgy than he'd expected. Definitely better than she'd been at the hospital last night. She was even chatting a little with Chie and Yukiko, a conversation that somehow culminated in Chie showing off her cartwheels and back-flips along the shore.
"Wow, Chie-senpai." Rise sounded envious. "I used to be limber for dance routines, but not like that."
Chie waved her off. "Oh, anyone can do this, it just takes practice. Want me to show you? We can start with handstands."
"Uh, not in this outfit. Not all of us are wearing shorts, Senpai."
"Come on!" Chie looked crestfallen. "Honestly, you're as bad as Yukiko."
Both Rise and Yukiko glanced at each other - probably wondering who'd give in first - before Ted raised his hand. "I'll try!"
"Great! C'mon, we need a nice, level surface for this." Chie led him onto the same outcropping as Naoto, who looked a little annoyed at the interruption. "Right, watch first, then try to copy me."
She kicked up into a handstand in a single fluid motion. Beside her, Ted immediately tumbled forward into something that would've looked kind of like a handstand if not for the flailing legs.
"You were supposed to watch me!" Chie complained. "Naoto-kun, are his legs straight? I can't see from here."
Absently, Kanji noted that Naoto had stepped directly between Teddie and the edge of the rocks. It didn't seem important.
She glanced at Teddie, then frowned at the river behind her. "No, they aren't - but should you really be doing this so close to -"
"My arms hurt, Chie-chan!" They'd been trembling since Ted started the handstand. "And I don't know how to get down again!"
Chie tipped forward onto her feet, bracing her legs against the ground. "It's okay, just let yourself fall and- -"
Teddie did exactly as she said. Unfortunately, he did it in the wrong direction - and Naoto, preoccupied with the river, failed to notice.
Considering how light they both were and that the water was knee-high at most, they made a pretty loud splash. A sliver of Kanji's mind was impressed. The rest had launched his body forward as soon as Teddie began to tilt backwards, already knowing it wouldn't make a difference. Even Chie hadn't been close enough to help, and Yosuke and Souji had been too far away to see anything through the fog. They'd just heard the splash and Teddie's muffled yell, must've figured the two were a bad combination, and jogged back up the shore. Soon the whole team stood on the flat outcropping, staring at the two figures in the river below (except for Yukiko, who'd doubled over giggling instead.)
Ted was sitting in the shallow water, a hatless Naoto on her knees beside him. "Don't worry, Chie-chan! I figured out how to get down!"
"Jeez, Teddie! And Yukiko, you're not helping."
Naoto shot Teddie a dark glare, lifted her hand to where her cap would normally be - and realized it wasn't. She shot to her feet, wide eyes frantically scouring the water.
"Better move fast, Naoto, or the Guardian'll eat it!" Yosuke crowed, then winced at the elbow Souji jabbed into his ribs.
All of Ted's apologies to Naoto had fallen on deaf (and indignant) ears. He stood, and shivered. "Ow, it's cold."
"It's kind of my fault you fell in." Hand held out, Chie knelt down at the edge of the rocks. "C'mon, we'll pull you up and you can borrow my jacket."
Ted's face lit up. "Wow, wearing a beautiful girl's clothes! Just like the time I borrowed Nao-chan's-"
Naoto shoved him into the water again.
"Naoto-kun!" Chie scolded.
"Accident," Naoto said, and went back to hunting for her cap.
By the time she found it and fished it from the water, Yosuke and Chie had already hauled Teddie out and were trying to dry him off with a spare blanket. The instant refusal when Kanji offered to help her too wasn't surprising - but it only took two failed attempts at climbing onto the ledge before she grabbed his hand and let him pull her up. He figured this was progress.
Now recovered, Yukiko pulled off Teddie's soggy coat and draped it over a rock near the steps. Chie wrapped her green puffy jacket around his shoulders. "C'mon, put this on before you freeze."
Wait. Ted was cold. Naoto probably was too. Might explain why her face was so flushed. And if Chie was acting chivalrous for Teddie…
Kanji wriggled out of his coat and thrust it in Naoto's general direction. "H-Here."
Naoto stared at it as if it might bite, then shot exactly the same look at him. "Unneces-"
"Take his coat, Naoto-kun," Chie threatened cheerfully, "or I'll put it on you myself."
Much like Rise, Chie had a knack for making people do what she wanted – just for a totally different reason. Naoto snatched Kanji's coat from his hands. He tried to return her mumbled thanks with a nod, but she'd already started glaring holes in the ground instead.
"You're both drenched." Souji frowned at Teddie and Naoto in turn. "We should head back."
Putting on the coat would've been easier if Naoto wasn't still clutching her hat. So far, she'd only worked her way into one of the sleeves. "Senpai, it would be pointless to return so soon after arriving. I will be fine."
"Nao-chan's right," Teddie said. "Besides, Chie-chan, Rise-chan and Yuki-chan will surely share their body heat with Teddie!" He flopped down on a blanket between Chie and Yukiko, earning a yelp from both. "And Nao-chan's got Kanji-chan."
Chie squirmed away. "Ted, why do you make everything sound so awful?"
In all other situations, Kanji would second that - but holding Naoto could never sound awful. It was, however, an awful idea, especially if he was planning on speaking with her ever again.
"All right," Souji said, though he didn't look convinced. "But if either of you start feeling unwell, let the rest of us know and we'll head back."
"Here, Kanji-kun, please put this with Teddie's." Yukiko handed him Naoto's coat.
Damp wool needed proper drying, or it'd smell like a wet sheep a day later. Leaving the coat on a rock wouldn't cut it. Kanji put it down on one of Ted's discarded blankets first and tried to press as much water as possible out of the hem and sleeves. He lifted his head, wondering if there was some way to hang the thing up, and noticed Naoto watching him.
Dammit, why was she watching? Didn't she trust him with her stuff? He'd considered offering to dry her waterlogged hat too, but now he didn't dare. He stalked over to the steps, coat in hand, and laid it on the same rock as Ted's.
On their blanket, he could see Chie and Yukiko both swatting Teddie away. Naoto stood next to them, Kanji's coat down to her knees and dangling over her hands. Yosuke was sitting cross-legged on a neighbouring blanket and talking at Rise, while she fiddled with the plastic boxes in her basket and pretended not to watch Souji heading off down the shoreline again.
Shit, why didn't she just talk to him?
Everyone knew Rise had a thing for Souji, maybe including Senpai himself, yet as far as Kanji knew she'd never come close to fessing up. All the times she'd poked him into approaching Naoto, and they were both still sitting in the same boat. Kanji could only see two differences in their situation: that the rest of the team treated his crush as legitimate, and that Souji might actually have noticed Rise.
Kanji sat down midway up the steps and leaned back on his elbows - close enough to still see everyone through the fog, and far enough that he wouldn't have to talk with them. Nothing against the others. Just didn't feel very sociable anymore.
This made it all the more awkward when Naoto started walking toward him.
Soon as she was within hearing range, he pointed at the rock. "Your – your coat's fine. S'there next to Ted's."
"Yes, it is." She stopped at the base of the steps. "May I sit here?"
"Uh," said Kanji.
"Due to the loan of your coat, it would be expedient for us to remain proximate in case you should require me to return it." It was stilted, clipped, and very hard for him to follow. Naoto tried to fuss with her hair at the end, but only managed to flap a sleeve into her face.
Still looked cute. Way cuter than she should've. First time he'd seen a Naoto swamped in over-sized clothes, it'd zapped him in the head with a laser a few minutes later. Kanji looked at her for a moment – chin tipped up, fixing him with a stare that edged close to a glare – and swallowed. "Y-Yeah. Smart idea."
With a brief nod, she sat sideways on the step four down from his own and drew her knees up to her chest. "Are you and your mother on good terms again?" she asked.
"Been talking to me fine. S'just hard to talk back."
"She clearly cares for you a great deal."
"I know. That's why it's difficult."
Naoto didn't say anything to that. Since she was drowning in his coat, it was difficult to be certain, but it looked like she was shivering.
"Still cold?" he asked.
She hesitated. "Slightly."
…Sharing heat, Ted had said. Bear might've been on to something. Equally, Kanji might get shot just for considering said something.
Maybe he wouldn't bother wondering.
He pushed himself down the steps one at a time, both hands bearing his weight, until he was two steps above her. Naoto jolted. "Wh-What are you doing?"
"Shift 'round," he muttered.
Later that evening, he'd try and fail to decide what was more surprising: that he'd had the balls to ask, or that Naoto did what he said. It left her sitting with her back to him and her feet resting on a lower step. He moved down again so he was directly behind her, and stretched his legs out either side.
Naoto huddled into the borrowed coat. "Y-You don't - this isn't necessary."
Probably wasn't helpful either, since she'd hunched forward away from him. The whole thing felt kind of stupid - but to hell with it, she'd have to move before he would. Kanji placed both hands on her shoulders to hold his coat in place. "T-Ted's got people helpin' him to keep warm."
Admittedly, Ted had just thrown himself at everyone till they got tired of complaining, but he looked happy wedged between Chie and Yosuke. Yosuke seemed less content. Chie just looked nervous, and kept shooting glances at Ted that wound up focused on Hanamura instead.
Naoto watched them for a moment, then mumbled, "You're the one now lacking a coat. You would be in more need of warmth."
"Then this benefits us both. Right?"
No answer. And she still hadn't pulled away.
Hours passed. Or felt like they did. In reality, they'd been sitting in silence for only a few minutes - Kanji feeling sick and awkward and stoked all at the same time, how the hell was that possible - when he heard a rustling in the bushes near the top of the steps.
Startled, Naoto twisted to look even before he did, bracing herself against his right leg and peering around his side. "…Never mind. It's just a cat."
He glanced over his shoulder. "Hey, I know that one." Mostly white with a few random black splotches, like she'd splashed around in paint. "I helped Souji-senpai feed her a couple of times."
"Feed her?"
"Senpai's big into cats, 'specially strays. Told me he'd like help feeding two he met by the river, he already had five others waiting outside his door each night and his uncle was getting pissed."
The cat sat at the top of the steps for a few moments longer - probably wondering if Kanji had brought dinner - before trotting away along the path.
He looked down at Naoto. She'd settled back against him and was rubbing her hands together to warm them. Kanji was smart enough not to try to help. Didn't mean he didn't want to. He wasn't doing much better, though, with a sweater that was useless at keeping out the chill. Not that Naoto needed to know that.
"If those cats are amenable to humans, they are most likely abandoned rather than feral, explaining why they have trouble catching enough prey to feed on," she said. "You could likely adopt one as a pet."
"Nah, Ma wouldn't be happy. Fur all over the stock. My dad liked dogs but he used to say he'd never hear the end of it if he brought one home." He shifted against the step; Naoto leaned back. "You, uh, got any pets at your granddad's place?"
"There would be no point given the infrequency of my visits. He does keep Akitas as guard dogs, though - and my grandmother owned a cat while I lived with her," Naoto said. "A grey tabby."
"Thought your granddad took you in after - you know."
"After my parents died?" she filled in. "My grampa was the terminal point. Prior to that, I was placed with various relatives on a short term basis."
"They were trying to figure out who'd look after you?"
"Yes."
"How old were you?"
A pause. "Five. You?"
"Ten."
A silence curled around them - not unpleasant, but not quite comfortable. Given the topic, it was probably for the best. Unfortunately, it left Kanji with no distractions, a rapidly dwindling supply of courage, and a Naoto sitting considerably closer to him than she'd started out.
It didn't mean anything, just the difference between hunching forward and leaning back, but knowing that didn't stop his heart thudding against his ribs. His left foot had started tapping out a matching rhythm on one of the lower steps. If it bothered Naoto, she said nothing. Didn't move, either. The muscles in her shoulders had tensed beneath his hands, he could tell that even through the coat, but he couldn't feel them rise and fall with her breathing. Hell, maybe she'd stopped. Kanji was rapidly finding it a challenge.
He'd told Rise he wanted to try with Naoto, work up the guts to confess even though she'd shoot him down. Then November had happened, and nothing had felt right since. Waiting till things were back to normal was the only responsible choice. It was also a great excuse for stalling.
Kanji wished he could've said it didn't matter if she rejected him, that getting his feelings off his chest would be enough, and he'd thought it would - until last Friday, when he'd realized what he stood to lose. Whether by words or actions, only four people had ever convinced him they accepted who he was. Last thing he wanted was to cut that down to three.
Kanji squeezed Naoto's shoulders, just a little, and tried not to think too hard. He was a little startled when she spoke. "You're shivering."
Naoto had a knack for being observant whenever he didn't want her to be. "N-Nah! Just fine."
"Please don't take me for a fool, Kanji-kun." She stood and took off the coat, then bundled it in his lap. "Here. You clearly need it."
Kanji looked at her, then down at his temptingly warm-looking coat.
…Screw it. She had him sussed anyway. "Okay, fine," he said. "But you need it too - so we'll switch off, yeah? I take it for a while, then you."
"That would be acceptable." Her mouth quirked into an unexpected half-smile. Kanji managed a quick and bashful one in return.
"Hey, Nao-chan!"
Preoccupied with Naoto - like that was new - Kanji hadn't noticed Teddie walking up behind her. "Nao-chan, I want to ask you something."
Naoto glowered. "I refuse to share any form of heat with you."
"No, I'd ask Kanji-chan for that, he's bigger." Ted's expression turned determined. "Can I talk to you? In private."
Questions like that would usually make Kanji want to dump certain bears straight back in the river, but this time it sounded genuine. Naoto looked unconvinced. "Teddie," she began, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, "if this is some attempt to-"
"Please? It won't take long."
Sparkles had to be impending. Naoto gave in. "Very well."
They both walked a short distance along the beach in the same direction as Souji. Kanji shrugged his coat back on and told himself he wouldn't watch them - but his eyes were drawn by Ted's hand gestures, most of which seemed directed at Senpai. The longer the conversation went on, the more concerned Naoto looked, and the more glances she shot at Souji. Kanji's efforts to figure out why were interrupted by a hand waving in front of his face. "Kanji-kun, you're staring.'
"You've spent half the evening gawking at Souji-senpai," he muttered. "And you look miserable every time y'do it."
Rise leaned against the handrail that led up the steps. "Since when did you pay so much attention?"
"Wasn't doing handstands or falling in the river, so I had a lot of free time." He folded his arms. "So, what's up?"
"Just stuff." She chewed at her thumbnail. "I know Souji-senpai's dealing with a lot right now, but I just - I need to talk with him."
"Then why ain't you done it?"
"He was busy with Yosuke-senpai earlier."
"And now he's not."
Rise lifted her head, and her expression hurt to look at. "He's gonna – he'll think I'm nuts, Kanji-kun. Maybe I am. It's this fog." She closed her eyes. "I keep trying so hard not to listen."
"…Listen to what?"
"You wouldn't understand unless you heard it."
He frowned, not comprehending. "You mean like in the fight?"
"That was different. I thought about what you said – and I can deal with what I heard then, because I know we're all good people, we just have a few bad parts," she said, eyes still shut and voice increasingly unsteady. "The problem is what I'm hearing now."
Souji would know how to handle this. Kanji, on the other hand, was at a loss. He was still grasping for the right words when Rise latched onto his arm.
"It won't go away." Her eyes were wide open. "It's like scanning inside the television, but all the time, and I can hear everyone."
"Tell Senpai. He can tell alla'us how to fix it, he always does. Just ain't been himself lately."
Rise chuckled weakly, though Kanji wasn't sure why. "He's really good at acting, you know. Being what everyone wants. But he can't do it right now and I don't think anyone gets that."
Both her hands were still clutching his arm. Souji was still standing by the water.
Kanji eased out of her grip and looked down at her. "But maybe somebody could."
The hurt expression when he broke away lasted barely a moment. She blinked up at him, looked at Souji – then walked down to the river, steps nervous but quick.
When he realized where she was headed, Teddie's hand gestures and his conversation with Naoto both stopped dead. They both watched in silence – Ted looking surprised, Naoto's expression impossible to read – as Rise approached Souji, hands clasped in front of her, and started talking to him. Kanji couldn't hear her words and both of them were slightly hazy in the fog – but he still saw Souji nod, just once, and Rise take hold of his hand.
December 3rd, 2011
"So what price range are you looking at?" Yosuke asked.
Souji had checked two price tags so far and winced at both. This was the third. "No sales pitches, Yosuke."
"Hey, that's not fair! I'm getting you staff discount on this!"
Junes had caused little but trouble for Inaba's old stores and businesses, but Kanji could understand its popularity. The store had everything - and a lot of it. The furniture section was no exception: seven kotatsu models on display and, according to Yosuke, eight more available on special order. The largest one wouldn't have fit any living room Kanji had seen. Souji kept walking around the various models, looking at them in a way that suggested he wasn't actually seeing them.
Yosuke and Chie's tactic had been sound, going to Souji rather than waiting for him to come to them, and it seemed like he was trying – but it still hadn't fixed things. By now, Kanji wasn't sure what would.
Fifteen minutes later, Souji still hadn't decided. Even Yosuke seemed less enthusiastic, and Kanji was grateful when Rise, Naoto and Teddie appeared at the top of the escalator nearby.
Ted beamed at Souji and ran toward him, almost tripping into an old woman's shopping cart on the way. "Hey, Sensei! Did - sorry, lady! - did you pick a kotatsu for Nana-chan yet?"
"Nope. Find any good toys for her?"
"Is Nanako-chan too young for video games?" Naoto asked, looking hopeful.
If Yosuke had been standing on the other side of the shop floor, Kanji still would've seen his eyes light up. "Dude, that's an awesome idea! We could get a PS2 pretty cheap, couple of games, she'd love it!"
"Correction: you would. Let's stick to Loveline or toy animals for Nanako-chan." Souji quirked an eyebrow at Naoto. "Or my uncle's going to think you're a bad influence, Naoto-kun."
Surprisingly, this didn't get a rise out of her. Not a hint of indignation. She just went quiet instead.
No matter how exhausted she looked, Rise was still ready to pick up the slack. Kanji hadn't known a pout could look so irritated. "We checked out the stuffed bears too, Senpai. Every shelf I looked at had a mini-Risette at the front." She glared at Teddie. "'Bonus Bouncing Bikini' edition."
"Teddies and Rise-chans belong together," Ted said with a solemn nod.
Rise ignored him. "It's your job to keep an eye on him, Yosuke-senpai! Those dolls really aren't for kids, you know?"
"Then who are they - " Naoto's blush would've rivaled a stoplight. "Oh."
"Yep. Maybe I should get Souji-senpai one for his birthday."
"That's not till February," Souji pointed out.
Ted's face fell. "It isn't?"
"Why's it matter?" Kanji said. "Senpai's still gonna be in town."
"But I won't." Teddie frowned at the nearest kotatsu, flipping the price tag back and forth. "I don't wanna leave before Nanako-chan gets better...but you kept your promise to me. So I have to keep mine, too."
Rise gave a gentle tug on the drawstring of his coat's hood. "Don't be silly. Nanako-chan would be really sad if you weren't there when she wakes up."
"Dude, nobody said you had to go anywhere. You can stay as long as you want." Yosuke glanced at Souji. "Right, partner?"
"Of course."
Would've been nice if Souji had sounded like he really meant that. Kanji hoped he did, and just didn't have it in him to show it.
He tapped a fist against Ted's shoulder. "Anyway, man, you can't leave before you try out a kotatsu. Cold winter's day, snuggled up with your legs warm - there's nothin' like it."
Teddie turned to Naoto. "Nao-chan, will you snuggle with me?"
"No."
"Rise-ch-"
"Nope."
"You're both so cruel," he lamented, then looked up at Kanji. "How about you, Kanji-chan?"
Kanji's instinctive response was: are you gonna be in that fuzzy suit. Fortunately, he caught it on its way to his mouth and turned it into a growl instead. "Dammit, don't call me that!"
"Oh well." Teddie shrugged. "Hey, Chie-chan, Yuki-chan! Do you want to snuggle?" he called.
Several customers turned to stare. At the top of the escalator, Chie and Yukiko shot him equally mortified glares.
"Try to keep it down, Ted," Yosuke muttered, though he seemed more interested in Yukiko's shopping basket. Looking closely, Kanji could understand why. Crabmeat, maple syrup, pickled daikon, miso paste...did they have an actual recipe in mind, or were they just going to sling it all in a pot and take cover?
Yosuke eyed the basket like it might explode. "Tangerines, you said."
"Yes, we found them." Yukiko's expression turned sheepish. "And a few other things."
"I had a great idea for Nanako-chan's welcome-home meal," Chie said, and either missed or ignored Yosuke's wince. "So, we got ingredients for a test-run!"
"Which you're totally not gonna charge to me, right?"
She frowned. "Why would we do something like that?"
"Remember the clothes you got for Ted? I do!" Yosuke threw up his hands. "You have any idea how much overtime I had to work to pay that off?"
"Well, I can't help it if Junes overcharges for things," Chie shot back, arms folded. "Maybe you should write a letter to head office."
"Guess I can't blame you for getting over-excited. Not like you've ever had the chance to help a guy shop before!"
Yukiko, Kanji and Rise all winced.
"What did you just say?" roared Chie.
Teddie stepped in - arms spread magnanimously, voice honey-smooth. "C'mon, baby. Don't fight over-"
"Stay out of this!"
At least Chie and Yosuke could agree on something. Yukiko ushered Ted away. "Believe me, Teddie, it's not worth trying."
"Yeah, let's ride it out upstairs," Rise said. "I wanna go check out the girls' clothing."
Kanji blinked at her. "You like Junes stuff?"
"Not really, but I'm trying to talk Naoto-kun into wearing a dress and we've gotta start looking somewhere. C'mon, Senpai." Rise looped her arm through Souji's and gently tugged him toward the escalators, Teddie following close behind. Naoto kept her eyes on them as they left.
Kanji looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Y-You're gonna let her put you in a-"
"Not if I can help it," she interrupted, cheeks dusted light pink. "But Rise is - having certain difficulties at present, and the idea of me in a dress is inexplicably delightful to her."
"I think you'd look pretty," Yukiko offered hopefully. Naoto darkened from pink to red.
"Should probably go check 'em out with her," Kanji said, mostly to distract himself from blushing too. "Damage control."
Naoto glanced at her watch. "No, it's already eight-thirty. I need to leave for the police station."
"But exam week just finished," Yukiko said. "I'm sure nobody would mind if you took a break, right?"
"I neglected my casework during our finals, Yukiko-senpai. I need to catch up. I apologize." Naoto gave a quick bow, nodded to Kanji, then walked toward the downward escalator. On the way, she stopped beside Yosuke – now in the final throes of his quarrel with Chie - and handed him a small note-card. Chie glanced at it and said something Kanji didn't catch, before heading upstairs with Yukiko.
Finally, his curiosity won out, and he went to peer at the card over Yosuke's shoulder. It looked like a calendar. "Whassat?"
"The Shirogane Souji-schedule for the next two weeks." Yosuke pointed at the neat row of coloured names at the bottom. "And it's colour-coded. You realize you're crushing on a total dork?"
"Shut it. When's my shift?"
After studying the card for a second, he frowned. "…You don't have one. Weird. But Naoto's doing double duty. You should swap with her."
Should, not could. The difference wasn't lost on Kanji. He turned away. "C'mon, we gotta catch up with the others."
Upstairs, the Junes clothing department was a sprawling maze of garment racks and badly dressed mannequins. With the benefit of experience, Yosuke easily cut a path through to where the others were standing: Rise paging idly through a rack of pastel dresses, Yukiko holding up different coloured cardigans against Chie, and Souji already wilting with boredom.
"…Like a Sunday trip," Chie was saying. "We could go someplace where it isn't foggy all the time."
Rise glanced over her shoulder. "I'd really like that. Maybe Okina."
Teddie stuck his head through the rack of dresses; Rise squeaked. "What's in Okina, Rise-chan?"
"Shops, mostly. With tons of pretty dresses."
"Damn it, don't encourage him," Yosuke grumbled. "It's bad enough that he keeps trying to wear that stupid blue maid outfit at breakfast!"
Man, Naoto's weird dress. Ted could do so much better. "Weren't you gonna give that back to Naoto after the pageant?"
"Dude." The gleam in Yosuke's eyes would've lit up a baseball stadium. "That was Naoto's?"
…Oh, shit.
Five pairs of eyes turned on Kanji, and he fought the urge to run out the store. "Uh – I-I -"
"That's right!" Teddie said, and, before Kanji could throttle him, added, "Nao-chan bought the dress when she was helping me get ready for the pageant."
Everyone seemed cool with this explanation - except Yosuke, who cocked an eyebrow. "When did she have time to go shopping? And where'd she get it?"
"Dunno. But it took a while for her to get back, and that's why I was late going on stage."
"Yeah, I remember that. I thought you'd bailed out."
"Kind of a shame he didn't." Chie grinned. "Pretty little Hanamura-chan might've been Miss Yasogami!"
"With the crap you made me wear? I swear, Satonaka, you have no clue how girls dress!"
Another high-volume quarrel ignited. Kanji slunk behind a rack of Capri pants and tried to look inconspicuous.
Judging by the raised voices, Yukiko and Rise soon got involved in the argument too. Security would chuck them out at this rate, Yosuke included – but on the bright side, Naoto might let Kanji live. Flush with relief, and trying hard to ignore the racket, he didn't notice Teddie until he peered over the rack. "These pants won't suit you, Kanji-chan."
"Why the hell would I even pick'em up? Junes only sells crap," Kanji snapped, then realized he probably should've complained about the Capri part first. Ted didn't seem to mind. "Hey, how come you didn't fess up 'bout Naoto's dress?"
"Remember when we were going home from the river?" Ted whispered, and Kanji nodded. "Nao-chan walked next to me. She said that if I ever told anyone else about her dress, she'd lock me up in jail for a million years, then let me out, then throw me back in for a billion more."
"That's rough, man."
"I don't mind, though. I haven't seen any dresses here as nice as the one she gave me, and she said I could keep it!"
Ted had awful taste, but the gift was probably for the best. In his full pageant get-up, he'd almost made the dress look good. Trying to picture Naoto wearing it gave Kanji a headache. Didn't help that his imaginary dress-wearing Naoto was still in her cap and brandishing a pistol.
Someone's cellphone rang. He looked back at the others – the argument had petered out into banter – and noticed Souji step aside and flip open his phone. Senpai looked a little irritated at first, like he'd prefer not to talk to whoever was calling. Five seconds later, he turned white.
In the few long strides it took Kanji to reach him, he'd already hung up. Souji stared into space, opened his mouth, closed it again – and his gaze snapped to the others. "We – we have to go."
The banter stopped dead. Yosuke's eyes turned wary. "Go where? What's – "
"The hospital. Nanako-chan's..." Souji shoved through the group and headed for the escalators. "We have to go. Now."