Author Note: I don't even know how I can apologize for releasing this one so late. Yes, I can make the regular excuses of being busy and the like, but nine months is a bit much. I won't promise when my next chapter will be, as I am trying my hand at writing another story on the side right now. Three chapters left after this one, so I at least have a planned finish. Anyway, this time is the first time I tried writing from the perspective of a girl. Although it's Naoto, so it really wasn't too difficult from my normal style, I think. I can honestly say I enjoyed writing this chapter, and am about as proud of it as I could possibly be of any of my works. Feel free to tear my apart, though.

The Magician & The Fortune

For at least the seventh time that day, Naoto cursed her misfortune. Her target hadn't moved in the past half hour, even after he had finished his meal. Instead, the man just sat at the counter, glancing at his phone every few minutes before letting out a deep sigh. At least this action implied something, but after the adrenaline-filled events of the past few months, sitting and waiting was no longer one of her strong points.

Ducking her head back beneath the newspaper she was pretending to read, the detective took a second to wrap her thoughts around just what exactly she had to do. She recalled the events that landed her this case.

No. "Case" was the wrong word. This…job was a far cry from her usual cases. Sure, she may not be investigating murder or anything similar to that, but she had at least taken other, less violent cases before. Embezzlement, blackmail, theft. The list could go on, but this…this was humiliating. She could barely hide the embarrassment when she had confided in her friends several days ago.

"Huh? You're stalking someone?"

As always, Yosuke-senpai had been blunt with his words. Incidentally, he was in the city as part of his family's summer trip, but apparently, he had been shoehorned into helping out at another Junes.

"No, I am most certainly not!" she had had replied loudly, hiding her face beneath her hat. "The exact description of my current assignment is to 'Investigate the lifestyle of a certain man, noting any suspicious or unorthodox actions that could implicate him in any adulterous relationships'."

"Sorry Naoto, but Yosuke-senpai is right. That's pretty much the definition of stalking."

Rise, of course, saw the situation the same. She apparently had her comeback concert soon, so she was in town for preparations.

"Face it, Naoto-kun. You got suckered into a job of stalking some chick's boyfriend to make sure he isn't cheating. Who woulda thought that the great Detective Prince would be doing something so ridic-"

Well, that was all she wanted to recollect. What followed was only more teasing about her current assignment. Lowering her newspaper again, she noticed her mark finally getting up to leave, leaving a less-than-generous tip considering how long he had spent sitting without any ordering anything. No matter, at least he was finally moving.

Over the past week, Naoto had followed her orders with the effort of a professional. Though she questioned the ethics and the relevance of such an assignment, it was relatively simple compared to her usual cases. She was already used to investigating suspects for more dangerous cases; something as simple as this would be no problem at all. As she followed him from an inconspicuous distance, she again thought back to why she had chosen to accept such a ridiculous task…

"Yakushiji-san, are you sure she asked for me and not Grandfather?"

"Yes, Naoto-san. Kirijo personally called the estate requesting the assistance of the Shirogane detectives. When your grandfather offered his assistance, Kirijo declined, stating that she wanted a more youthful approach. As you're already in Iwatadoi City, your grandfather offered your expertise."

"Yes, I have just finished my most recent case…and an offer from the head of the Kirijo group is not one we can reject so lightly. I understand, send me the relevant case information or meeting times when they are available."

"Of course. She did state that this is a personal matter, so she was not very forward with any relevant details. I'm sure she'll be less secretive in person…"

….utterly ridiculous. "Personal matter". "Not very forward". Yes, she should have known it wouldn't be something as exciting as investigating a corporate enemy or personal rival. But this…this was almost insulting.

Already aware of her target's habits, she knew that he would either head towards the arcade or the station plaza. When he wasn't at one of his several part-time jobs, he always ended up there. As expected, he ended up moving towards the arcade. Today, however, observing him in this environment would be a problem. Naoto, from her observations, knew him to be the kind of person that was loud, obnoxious, and insensitive to things like personal space. With so few others there, he would clearly try to engage her in conversation if she entered.

…

…if he did, that would count as flirting with other women, right? At least that would be something to put on the report. Almost a week of investigation and the closest that man had gotten to an affair was an accidental mishap involve wet floors and women's dressing rooms. Just the recollection of the aftermath from that incident caused Naoto to cringe. She didn't think it possible for a man to be slapped by so many different women on a single occasion. How he actually managed to end up getting arrested from that was probably the biggest shock to her.

Sighing to herself, Naoto casually strolled into arcade, colloquially named "Game Panic", and found herself edging towards what appeared to be a train simulation game. While she herself held little interest, it was the closest she could get to her mark without drawing unnecessary attention. Unfortunately, he displayed behavior not unlike the any other time she observed him, merely exchanging loud greetings with the few other customers there.

That is, of course, until he turned his head and noticed her.

Immediately, a cold sweat ran down Naoto's back. It wouldn't do any good if she panicked and ran. Even pretending that she had not been staring could be suspicious, as it would be too obvious if she turned away too quickly.

'Just act casual,' Naoto thought to herself.

There was absolutely no need though. She couldn't even call it lucky that he didn't follow up when another person had clearly been staring at him. Maybe he mistook her gaze for someone else? Or maybe he didn't notice at all and was looking at something behind her? Regardless, Naoto silently thanked whatever god was watching and used this opportunity to slip away from her target's presence. It really was a mistake to enter that confined place.

Waiting outside, she again wondered how exactly she would make her report. After all, for over a week, nothing happened. At the very least, that woman would want a definitive 'yes' or 'no' as to whether or not he was faithful.

"What do you mean 'Kirijo isn't here'? I apologize, but I assumed that she arranged to meet me personally for a case she needed help with."

Before her sat a woman only several years her elder, dressed in very elaborate gothic clothes. Given their chosen meeting point, it really did make the both of them stand out.

"You mean she didn't tell you? Well, she would do something like that..."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well, the thing is, recently there have been...issues with me and my boyfriend. He's spending less time with me, always making excuses about a part-time job or some other thing like that. I asked one of his friends about it, and I guess she requested your expertise..."

Naoto wasn't sure if she had ever cursed how idiotic the entire world was. Maybe she had. But that was then and this was now. Of course, she had already spent all her time preparing for this meeting, booking a room at a nearby hotel and it would all go to waste if she just left now. Especially because Kirijo was apparently this person's support. There was probably nothing to lose at this point from taking on a request like this.

Except maybe her pride.

"So, Chidori Yoshino-san...tell me everything."

Well, at the very least, Naoto would be able to report that this Junpei Iori was at least not unfaithful. Not once had the man even attempted to flirt or display actual attraction to other women, despite his oftentimes comedic failures in conversation. Still, she hadn't been able to find out what exactly had caused the man's sudden disinterest in his own love life.

Perhaps he had just grown tired of Yoshino-san? Or maybe love, in general?

Pondering this, Naoto continued to trail Iori, who had finally left the arcade. Judging from his behavior over the last week, Naoto had already predicted that he was heading towards his next job at the station plaza. He definitely did juggle a lot of work in his spare time.

Maybe that was also the cause of his growing lethargy?

But why would he even be taking so many jobs in the first place? She had observed that, while he didn't live life too frugally, he also didn't seem to be lacking in expenses.

Deep in thought, Naoto didn't even realize that Iori had gone on a different path than usual until they had reached their destination. A place that he hadn't even been near over the past week, and one that she herself was quite uncomfortable familiar with.

A cemetery.

Her immediate thought was that such an open space would easily give her away. One look at him, though, and that thought vanished. That look in his eyes…it was usually something she only saw when people were so focused upon a single thing that they would ignore the world. In a way, it reminded her of Senpai. Securing herself behind a tree, she began to put her own focus onto Iori as he stopped in front of a lonesome tombstone and listened to that voice she had grown so accustomed to hearing.

"Hey. I hope you haven't forgotten your ol' buddy Junpei yet. Been a while since I last visited, hasn't it? I figured I would start cutting back on the visits. You know, to prove to you that I'm capable of living without you having my back. Doesn't help that I think I keep seeing you everywhere."

Sadness. Despite the carefree nature of his words, and the light tone of his voice, Naoto could hear the sadness behind this one-sided conversation.

"So I bet you're wondering why I came to visit then. Remember a few years ago, when all of that stuff happened? Heh, yeah, of course you do. I don't even know of a good way to say this, but you really helped me out back then. Now I know this is going to sound really lame, but…well…thanks.

It was tough back then, especially when Chidori...left. You were both the hero and the main character, and I felt like a side character in my own life. You helped me make something of myself back then. But now, I think I can finally step up to the plate and do it. Heh, you're the first person I'm telling this to, so keep it a secret, yeah?

I will marry Chidori Yoshino. Maybe not now, maybe not soon, but I will. I've already started planning for it, taking what jobs I can and just raising money for now. There's lots of stuff I still don't know, but you're gonna be watching my back from up there, so it'll be fine.

Thanks again man, but promise me you won't breathe a word of this to anyone. I don't think I could handle Yuka-tan lecturing me in 'Proposing 101'. Best buddies 'till the end, right? Bye, for now. I'll stop by again some other time."

And with that he left. And Naoto had absolutely no interest in following. After listening to a conversation she felt she had no right to hear, she silently pondered over the man she had studied over the past week. Junpei Iori. What a curious man. After the first day of investigation, she had thought she had the man figured out, but this…this surprised her.

As she stood up to leave, her thoughts once again settled onto what to include in her report. Walking past the grave that Junpei had been speaking to, Naoto froze when she heard a faint voice behind her.

Keep the promise for me, will you? I wouldn't want to be called a liar.