So, once again I have typed way to many words for a single chapter. And this felt like a very good stopping point to split it in half. But worry not, the conclusion for the Amagi Obsession is still on the way. As well as a nice little bonus I have in store. Please enjoy.
The Amagi Obsession
Chapter 17: Reunion
Life has a way of just stepping on the gas. Before you know it, time has flown by.
Don't ever stop looking back, so the road forward is ever clearer.
By early June, Chie had returned to Inaba.
Shortly after, Yu reunited with her so that they might prepare for their wedding. During that time Chie made a list of plans that included having Yukiko assist with the wedding preparations. One day they were picking out dresses, then the next it was finding a wedding cake, then afterwards they needed to find the perfect venue.
The last few weeks, Yukiko was kept so busy between running the inn and helping Chie, that she didn't realize just how fast time had gone by.
Before she knew it, the third week of June had rolled around, and rehearsal had arrived.
Though the decision had been a tough one, Chie made the choice to hold the ceremony in Okina City. It was a beautiful spot that most of the attendees were familiar with and had a fair number of amenities to make hosting the event much more convenient.
Yukiko left the inn in the care of her staff and made a trip down up to Okina City earlier in the day. To her relief, she had been the first to arrive. Being early meant she still had time to mentally prepare herself for when the rest of the guests arrived.
Yukiko looked at herself in the mirror and examined the dress.
It was a dazzling white silk with nice lace embroidery. Rhinestones were imbedded into the material that really made the dress pop. Chie had chosen well on their attire. She touched her hair and admired the sheen. Her long black locks were tied into a nice bun. To cap it all off, her eyes had minimum mascara to highlight her pale skin.
Since today would just be practice there would be no need to go all out, but Yukiko still felt the need to make an impression. It had been five years.
"Damn girl you look good." She heard Chie admire her from behind. The bride-to-be snapped a quick picture of her and winked.
Yukiko smiled. "Not as gorgeous as you'll look next week."
Chie's face flushed. Today, she wasn't in her wedding dress, but a comfortable yellow sundress and denim jacket. She and Yu had sworn off wearing their wedding outfits until the official ceremony. Secretly, Chie had been embarrassed to wear it in front of everyone. So, putting it on twice was out of the question.
Still, Yukiko thought it was very romantic.
Yukiko looked at the clock, it was nearly 4 PM and she could hear people beginning to shuffle outside of the changing room. The guests who were invited to take part in the ceremony were arriving and she could feel her heart sink. The rest of the team would be arriving soon if they weren't here already. Her nerves were beginning to flare, and chest tightening.
"Oh Chie… I don't think I can do this." Yukiko said, with worried eyes.
"I think I should be the one saying that. I'm the one getting married here!" Chie laughed. In a show of comfort, she touched her friend on the shoulder. "Hey, you got this. Just breathe in and relax. You have nothing to worry about I promise you."
Yukiko shook her head. "But how can you be so sure? I mean the last time I saw any of them they wouldn't even look at me, let alone speak to me. What makes you think they would even think about approaching me now?"
"Because time heals wounds Yukiko. Trust me, you have nothing to be afraid of. Yu has known about you coming from the very beginning. You know how chill he is. Yosuke and Teddie are still as goofy as they've ever been. Rise is like mega famous now, even more than before, but she's still our cute kouhai. Kanji has totally mellowed out over the years and if he isn't, Naoto usually keeps him in check."
"Kanji and Naoto…" Yukiko said, feeling her stomach twist. Of anyone today, they had to be the people she was most afraid of meeting. How would they even react to seeing her? She put Naoto through so much crap, she didn't want to imagine what the detective prince would say to her. And when it came to the former delinquent, she literally assaulted him!
"Ugh…" Yukiko massaged her eyes and looked up at Chie. "Did you even tell them I was going to be here?"
"Duh, of course I did. Seriously Yukiko, you've got to give me more credit than that." Chie walked over and leaned on her shoulder. "And I'll tell you a secret. They're just as nervous as you."
Yukiko opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, a knock came from the dressing room door.
"Chie, you in there?" It was the sound of Yu's voice.
Yukiko felt her heart do a 360°.
The inn keeper shot a glance at Chie and shook her head in reluctance. Even with all the motivational speeches her friend had given her, she was in no way mentally prepared for this.
Chie gave her a mischievous grin and shrugged. "It's now or never Yukiko."
Yukiko had the urge to pull out one of Chie's own moves and drop kick her across the room, but all she could muster was a face palm. Chie was enjoying this way too much.
This really was it.
"Yeah, I'm here!" Chie answered, then glanced at Yukiko. "Yukiko's here too!"
There was a pause before Yu continued speaking, making Yukiko even more nervous. "Are you both decent? Can I come in?"
"Mhm!" Chie hummed.
Yu took that as a sign to enter the room.
The former leader of the Investigation Team walked in and the sight of him almost made Yukiko faint.
Chie had shared couples pictures every now and then, but nothing could have prepared her for the genuine article. He was a bit taller than she remembered, with broad shoulders, and built arms. His hair neatly trimmed and gelled, they complimented his chiseled jaw nicely.
With the way her knees grew weak it took everything in her to not stagger back.
He was still hot.
Yukiko couldn't stop thinking about how Chie managed to win the lottery with this man. Yu Narukami, was the complete package. Still, the woman mentally composed herself. Admiring him was fine, but Yu belonged to Chie, and she refused to fall for the same man twice.
Especially with what happened last time.
"I- I- uhm, hello Narukami-san?" Yukiko clumsily greeted him.
"San?" Chie repeated with an amused look.
"Kun? San…? Ahem." Yukiko cleared her throat, looking embarrassed. She gave Chie an unamused look, noticing that she was trying not to burst out laughing at her utter failure. "It has been sometime; you look well and uhm- congratulations on your wedding."
"Thanks." Yu said, rubbing the back of his neck. He hadn't expected Yukiko to be dressed up when entering the room, so he didn't know where to look. "You look very nice as well?"
"Thank you…"
"…"
"….."
"Ugh, God, you two are killing me. Can you be any more awkward with each other?" Chie butted in between the two of them. "I get it, it's been years since you've seen each other. It'll take a while to adjust and all that, but come on, break the ice. I'm sure you two have something you want to say to each other."
Yu looked flustered at his fiancé's words. "Really you don't have to-"
Chie gave him the side eye and he quickly zipped it.
"Ri- right." Yukiko stammered, looking at the ground and gripping the seams of the dress.
Now that they were in front of one another, her heart wouldn't stop pounding for more reasons than one. She felt a great many things, but the one feeling that ached in her chest more than anything was regret. A deep seeded regret for her actions. Not only did she treat Chie horribly, but Yu as well. He was just as much of a victim to her irrational behavior.
Yukiko breathed in deeply. Inhaling, then exhaling before opening her mouth to speak. "Narukami-kun, I wanted to apologize for the way I treated you. Of course, Chie has already had to endure my insistent apologies for years, and I'm sure she's tired of hearing them. But… I want you to know that I have given a great deal of thought to how it affected you as well."
Yu stood still, listening intently.
Yukiko took a deep huff and did her best to not cry. Sympathy was the last thing she wanted.
"Back then, I did horrible things. I- I lied to you, made you believe things that weren't true, and tried to tear your relationship apart. I manipulated your feelings to my own advantage and caused you a great deal of mental torment. I know that I can never take any of it back. I wish that I could undo everything but… I can't. Even still, I- I wanted to apologize to you. To both of you. I was jealous. I was terrible… and I'm so sorry I hurt you."
"Oh Yukiko…" Chie whispered, touching her shoulder.
Yu closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Opening them, he stared at Yukiko and spoke. "To be honest, I wasn't sure if I ever wanted to see you again. Back then, I was so angry at you for what you did. I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, but it didn't make sense. No matter how much I wanted to forgive you then, I couldn't. Nothing in my mind could rationalize your actions. I felt used, manipulated, and betrayed."
Yukiko wanted to look down.
Yu's words cut deep, but she maintained a level head. His thoughts deserved to be heard, no matter how much it hurt to hear. She owed him that much.
"When Chie first told me that she intended to see you I wasn't sure how I felt. After everything we went through, I couldn't understand why she would just forgive you so easily. Though she wouldn't let anyone stop her, no matter how much we argued." Yu shifted his eyes to Chie. "Her capacity for forgiveness is something else. Another reason I love her so much. The more I saw you two talking, the more I wondered if things could ever go back to how they used to be. Over the years, Chie would keep me updated about you, even when I never asked. The therapy, the probation, the bullying, taking over the inn, all of it. You had to shoulder a lot, but you were never alone."
Yukiko felt her gaze organically shifting to Chie as well. Their eyes locked and Yukiko felt what Yu meant. Chie was special and more important than a stupid crush. The bond they shared was deeper than anyone could ever comprehend. She felt shallow for daring to test its waters.
"I was cautious when Chie told me she wanted you to attend the wedding. For more reasons than one. But hearing about all the progress you've made, everything you've done to try and move past that. It- Its very admirable." Yu looked back at Yukiko and gave her a gentle smile. "And I think that… maybe, its time I start putting things behind me to."
Yukiko looked up to Yu and choked on her words. She felt water beginning to well in her eyes, but quickly turned her back on him and walked back over to the wardrobe. If there was one thing Yukiko wouldn't do, she wouldn't allow anyone to see her cry.
Chie went over to check on her. She grabbed a nearby handkerchief and lent it to Yukiko. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine." she replied, wiping her eyes. "I just- I really didn't know what I'd expected. I thought he would go off on me…"
"You should know by now that Yu isn't like that-"
"After all the crap I put you two through. He has every right to be…" Yukiko said softly. "I thought he'd never forgive me."
"He was right about one thing. You have come a long way." Chie offered Yukiko a hug from behind.
"Are you two just going to stand there and whisper the whole time?" Yu chimed in startling both women. He towered over them with an empathetic smile. It was a nice sight to finally see all three of them together again. The leader pointed behind his back. "Don't worry we'll move past this together. But apologies aside, they're almost ready for the rehearsal, so we should get out there soon."
"Oh man, I lost track of time." Chie said in a panicked voice and glanced outside of the dressing room. "Wow, almost everyone's here."
"Yeah, everyone arrived early aside from Naoto and Kanji." Yu informed them. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the texts to show Chie. "Her bus is running late, so she won't arrive until the end of the rehearsal. And I haven't heard from Kanji in a few hours. I talked to the venue staff and tried to get them to delay, but they have another party booked to use the chamber right after we leave."
"Oh gezz, Naoto's one of my bridesmaids." Chie put a hand to her forehead and sighed. "Well, you can fill her in on what to do afterwards, right Yukiko?"
Yukiko looked surprised at Chie's sudden announcement. "What, m- me?"
"Yeah you! You're my maid of honor. That means the other bridesmaids will be following your example. We're all going to grab a bite to eat after this so just give her the rundown then and it should be alright. Shouldn't be too much trouble, Naoto's a quick learner."
"Well, I'm sure that Rise can just help her with-"
"One way or another, you're going to have to talk with everyone eventually Yukiko." Yu conveniently reminded her. "I'm sure you two will have a lot to catch up on. Might help to have something to break the ice.
"You both say that so casually." Yukiko muttered worriedly, twiddling her thumbs. Yu was right, as long as she would be attending the wedding, talking to the others was inevitable. Her heart pounded at the thought. Thinking about it now, the inn keeper had personally wronged more than half the members of the Investigation Team.
Speaking to each one would be a challenge in itself, but Naoto Shirogane was different.
Naoto was the woman who stopped at nothing to bring her to justice.
Yukiko had mixed feelings.
Reconciling with the Investigation Team was a task she always deemed impossible, but now that the opportunity had presented itself, she was getting cold feet.
How would Naoto even look at her?
How would anyone look at her for that matter?
"Talking to you is one thing Narukami-kun, I mean we had Chie to help smooth things over." Yukiko said frankly, making Chie look away with embarrassment. "But Naoto-kun is different. Me and her have a complicated history. And based on our final meeting, I don't think she will be so forthcoming about forgiveness…"
Chie sighed and got behind Yukiko.
"Well, it'll be up to you to make it happen!" The bride-to-be grunted, pushing her towards the door and out into the reception hall. "Seriously Yukiko, have more faith in yourself. Sure, you got some things to smooth over, but it's not like you're facing Adachi. These are our friends. Besides, Naoto's different now. She really isn't as uptight as she used to be."
"But I-"
"You'll figure it out, I'm sure." Yu said in a comforting voice. He wrapped his arm around Chie's shoulders. "You don't only have Chie to vouch for you anymore. If you need any help, don't be afraid to count on me. But for now, we have to go talk to the priest and sort a couple of things out. How about you go around and mingle with the others until we get started."
"If you say so…" Yukiko begrudgingly agreed.
The former leader's gaze, shifted over to the far side of the room. "I think I see- oh is that?"
Yukiko followed his gaze and trailed her glanced over to the end of the room. They instantly locked onto to the subjects of interest. Near the bar, she spotted their former navigator and famous idol, Rise Kujikawa. Next to her stood the familiar goofball and former vice leader, Yosuke Hanamura.
The two chatted it up, unaware that they were being watched by their former comrades.
"Opportunity presents itself." Chie's said with a mischievous smile. "Go over there and talk to them."
"No way." Yukiko said freezing in place. For one thing, she hadn't yet recovered from reconciling with Yu. There was no way she could just casually walk up to them as if nothing had ever happened. Not alone at least. Her heart wouldn't allow it. "I think I will just wait for you two to finish. Then together we can-"
"Oh, my stars! Do my button eyes deceive me!"
Yukiko squeaked at the sound of a sudden voice. Slowly, her head creaked around to look.
No fewer than a couple of feet away stood the Investigation Team's resident mascot Teddie. The bear hadn't changed much, he still had the same fanciful button up and iron pressed black slacks as always. His blond hair was slicked into a nice, curled combover.
"Chie-chan! Sensei! Congratulations on your big wedding!" Teddie shouted so the entire reception hall could hear. He jumped towards the couple and pulled them into an unsolicited group hug, squeezing them tightly.
"Yeah, yeah, okay Ted! Oww, oww. It's good to see you to." Chie grunted trying to pry herself free from his vice grip. "Mind letting me go now?"
"Oh, you two! It feels like it's been forever!" Teddie laughed with a cheesy grin, ignoring Chie's complaints. He continued cuddling them. "Why don't you call more? Why don't you visit more? Don't you know how boring it gets only hanging out with Yosuke all day?"
"I'm sure with you around things are far from boring." The former leader looked genuinely happy to see the familiar bear. Returning Teddie's affection, he lifted them and began to sway from side to side. It was an impressive display of strength. "Come on Chie, it's not every day we get to see Teddie."
"Yu, you can't be serious! Hey don't squeeze tighter!" Chie growled, until finally managing to wriggle free of both men. She gasped for air and glared daggers at Yukiko. "Yukiko! At least give me a little help. They almost suffocated me in their bro hug."
"S- sorry!" Yukiko couldn't help, but snicker at the sight. It had been so long since she had seen Teddie's antics that she had forgotten just how ridiculous they could be. All the nervousness she had felt about seeing Teddie had gone right out the window as Yukiko fell into one of her signature laughing fits.
Yukiko held her stomach tightly, she hadn't seen anything that cracked her up that bad in a while.
"Hey, it's not that funny!" Chie said not being able to hide her smile.
"Did I hear that right?" The bear ceased his embrace of Yu. Immediately his attention turned to the black haired woman. Teddie approached her with curious wide eyes. "Yuki-chan? I- is that really you?"
"I- I… yes it's me Teddie." Yukiko said, feeling the attention shift onto her.
Out the corner of her eye she noticed Yu and Chie taking advantage of the sudden reunion. The two slipped into the background and offered her encouraging thumbs ups before leaving to find the priest. She couldn't help, but mentally curse the two for leaving her in this precarious situation.
Yukiko returned her focus to Teddie. The bear looked as though he was about to bawl. Immediately she started to panic. "Oh, Teddie! You're crying! I'm so sorry. I- I hope me being here isn't a problem. If it is, I'll just talk with Chie and leave at once. The last thing I want to do is make you uncomfortable."
Yukiko bit her lip as her mind began to run rampant with negative thoughts.
"Oh? He hates me. Yeah, he definitely hates me!"
"I mean seriously! What did you expect, you tried to kill him!"
"I'll just say a quick farewell, go talk to Yu and Chie, then hop on the earliest train back to Inaba."
"Oh, Yuki-chan…" Before Yukiko could reply, Teddie walked up and embraced her in a tight hug.
Yukiko squeaked unexpectedly in surprise. The girl wasn't used to being grabbed so suddenly… and so tightly.
Without thinking twice, she wrapped her arms around Teddie and heard him whisper. "I've missed you."
Yukiko was confused.
How could he be so forgiving?
Had he forgotten what she had done?
All the pain she had caused.
Yukiko pulled back from the hug and looked into the innocent bear's eyes. She had to remind him. "B-but Teddie, after everything I did how can you just- I mean… I hurt you… I- I almost… killed you."
"Oh that? Water under the bridge." Teddie replied, simply brushing it off with a smile. There was no sarcasm in his voice at all. He meant every word sincerely, baffling Yukiko further. "We all make mistakes here and there. What good is it to dwell on them? How are we ever supposed to grow if we let the past drag us down. You all taught me that."
Yukiko stood there stunned. She would never have expected this level of intelligence from him when they were teenagers. He was no longer the idiot they once took him for. She couldn't help but wonder when had the lovable bear gotten so wise or… simple?
"Wow Teddie, that's actually very deep." She complimented him.
Teddie let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, Yuki-chan. I heard that from a movie Yosuke rented the other day. It was actually quite good. I could let you borrow it if you want. Oh, I know, we should all watch it together tonight! Have a big old watch party reunion!"
Yukiko's face turned stone as she fought the urge to facepalm. "N- no, that's fine really…"
As Teddie continued to blab, Yukiko watched him with amusement.
Teddie had always been easy to talk to and she was appreciative of it. In the back of her mind, she still felt the itching feeling of regret for what she put him through. She wanted to throw herself at his feet and apologize, but what Teddie said also rang true in her mind.
He was right.
After today Yukiko wouldn't let the past define her anymore. Slowly, she felt the anxiety in her heart beginning to fade away and eventually she joined in on the conversation.
She had learned that right after high school Yosuke had attended college in Okina City. This made him classmates once again with Chie, but it didn't last long. Soon after, he accepted a scholarship that sent him to Tokyo. Teddie was curious at the prospect of exploring the big city and joined him there.
Moving at such a young age wasn't easy, but thankfully Yosuke's father had connections with Junes' corporate. The two didn't go long without a job.
Teddie had been taken on at one of Junes' biggest locations in Tokyo.
For two years he worked in an assortment of departments and had recently been promoted to assistant manager in electronics. Yosuke on the other hand had decided to dip his toes into sales after graduating. That afforded him the opportunity to move all around the country and try to expand the brand.
Yukiko couldn't help but be impressed at how far the pair had come.
They had always seemed like laughable goofballs, but beneath the surface they were responsible all along. Still, it boggled her mind talking about careers. The subject always reminded her that they were working class adults now.
The adventures of finding Inaba's serial killer felt like yesterday.
"Time really waits for no one." She thought.
"Tokyo is a big city. How are you getting along when Yosuke isn't around?" Yukiko asked curiously.
"Oh, you know, it's not all that bad. There are so many people in the city, and I've made a bunch of friends at work. My boss told me I have an infectious personality, whatever that means." Teddie explained. "And, since we all live in Tokyo, every blue moon I get to hang out with sensei or Rise-chan!"
"You rang?" Came the voice of a familiar idol.
From behind Rise appeared waving to Teddie with the smile befitting a celebrity.
The idol was still as naturally stunning as Yukiko remembered.
The woman looked like a super model.
Rise's features had matured nicely. Accompanied by a pair of black high heels, her slim figure fit into a tight yellow tank top with chic blue skinny jeans. No longer did she have her hair in twin tails, but simply let her wavy auburn strands trail down her back fully. The styling only enhanced the beauty of her big brown eyes.
"Gezz, Teddie you're talking so loud we could hear you on the other side of the room." Rise scolded the bear.
"You're not bothering this lady, are you?" asked Yosuke, standing by Rise's side.
Yukiko examined Yosuke and couldn't deny she was impressed.
The man had grown quite tall these last few years and even had inches on Yu. She assumed he'd gotten lean since he filled out his blazer nicely. His brown hair had been trimmed to suit his line of work. He had really become a corporate professional. Still despite his appearance, he seemed about the same as ever.
"Seriously dude, you have to stop flirting with every girl you see. It just comes off as creepy." Yosuke chided Teddie. "I'm sorry about my friend ma'am, I hope he didn't offend you. Try not to mind him too much, he just lacks self-awareness."
As he addressed her, Yukiko felt her heart skip a beat. She stared at the newcomers, trying not to sweat.
Did they not recognize her?
Then again it had been a few years and she was dressed up more than they were used to seeing.
Yukiko held her head down and awkwardly shook it.
"I am not flirting with her!" Teddie retorted looking annoyed at Yosuke. "Besides your one to talk. Aren't you still single?"
"Sh- shut up!" Yosuke shot back, visibly embarrassed while Rise laughed at him. "That's by choice. I move around so much for work. So I can't really make time for a relationship right now. It's just off the cards for guys like me."
"Yeah, yeah, sure thing senpai." Rise giggled. "Now then Teddie, why don't you introduce us to your lovely friend? By the way, can I say that that dress looks absolutely gorgeous on you. The rhinestones are dazzling and really make the fabric pop. Your hair really highlights it too, it's so silky! And- oh, I'm sorry, we haven't really introduced ourselves yet. I'm Rise, Rise Kujikawa. This guy's my senpai."
"Yosuke Hanamura, nice to meet you…" Yosuke's voice trailed off as he introduced himself.
Yosuke suddenly took a step closer, startling Yukiko. He put his hand under his chin and examined her through squinted eyes. "Wait a second, you look very familiar. Almost like this girl we used to go to school with. Tell me have we met before?"
Out of seemingly nowhere, Teddie slapped Yosuke over the back of his head.
Yosuke staggered back and held his skull. He shot an irritated expression back at the bear and shouted. "Hey man! What the hell was that for?"
Teddie shook his head, disappointed with his friend. "Yosuke you idiot, don't you recognize an old friend when you see one. Of course, you know her, it's Yuki-chan!"
"Yukiko…" Yosuke repeated, turning his head back to the woman then shouted. "Like Yukiko Amagi!?"
"Huh!" Rise gasped, moving in closer to get a look. "Is that really-!"
The idol looked her up and down with wonder.
"Oh my gosh it is you! I'm so sorry, I barely recognized you senpai. I just thought Teddie was being a total doofus and harassing women like he normally does. But now that I get a closer look, it totally is you! Like, Chie-senpai told me you'd be coming a few weeks ago, but it totally slipped my mind!" Rise babbled as she took Yukiko's hands in her own. "This is so surreal, it's been years."
Yukiko winced at her touch, it was unexpected, but not unwanted.
The last time she had seen either Yosuke or Rise, they hadn't been on the best of terms with her. But for the idol at least, it seemed like the resentment towards her had all, but faded.
"Yeah, it has been…" Yosuke said his voice becoming a bit more anxious.
"It's been sometime. Hello Rise-chan and… uhm Yosuke-kun." Yukiko murmured, trying her best not to seem tense. Still, it was hard not to notice Yosuke's apprehension around her. Instinctively she pulled away from Rise's grasp. The last thing she wanted to do was make any of them uncomfortable. "Well, I should be going. I won't intrude any longer..."
Yukiko bowed to Rise and Yosuke, then turned her attention to Teddie. "It's been fun catching up with you Teddie. I'm glad you've been doing so well. I'll see you at the wedding, okay?"
"Oh, don't go Yuki-chan!" Teddie whined. "It's been so long since we've all been together. We should all catch up."
"Yeah, we should." Rise said, stopping her with a light touch on the shoulder. Immediately the idol turned her gaze to Yosuke and gave him a hard stare. "Don't you know how long it's been since we've seen Yukiko-senpai? Stop being weird Yosuke."
Yosuke took that jab personally. "H- hey! I'm not being weird. I'm just being cautious is all. Don't tell me you two forgot what happened?"
There was a pause between the group before Rise let out an exasperated sigh. "Seriously?"
Yukiko had been waiting for one of them to bring up the dirty laundry. It was a subject that need not be avoided. Yet, she wasn't surprised that the first to do so was Yosuke. He was fiercely loyal to the group and would always look out for their wellbeing.
Yukiko scratched her nails against the silks of the dress.
"Today was a bad idea. I shouldn't have come here."
Yukiko felt a swell of regret beginning to come full circle once more.
Of course, everyone wouldn't be so accepting of her. Through grit teeth, she prepared to take her leave until a comforting hand snapped her out of those thoughts. Her head swung back to see Teddie smiling at her. The bear had a comforting expression that thawed those doubts.
"Seriously what?" Yosuke retorted, crossing his arms.
"You know what I mean." Rise replied, placing her hands on her hips. "It's Chie-senpai's wedding and she invited Yukiko-senpai, so we should just'-"
"Look, I know it was a long time ago and maybe you've forgotten, but I haven't. What we all went through… That was some serious stuff… Yukiko-san, it was nice catching up and all, but we should really get-"
"Wait- please!" Yukiko said, cutting him off. Desperation filled her voice, Chie had given her this chance and she couldn't, wouldn't, waste it. If she ever wanted to make amends, she had to reach out for it.
"Rise-chan's right. I was invited here by Chie. She told me, that everyone would be here and that I should use this time to talk to you and… well… To do my best to make amends. I'm sorry… for what I did all of those years ago. Just like all of you… I've been doing a lot of growing these past few years and well-" Yukiko sighed and twiddled her thumbs. She was unsure if her approach would mean anything. "How are you both doing?"
Rise gave a surprised look at Yosuke and spoke. "Me, I'm doing great? Can't really say the same for senpai since he's in such a grumpy mood today. Maybe all that office work has him turning into an old man already. Don't know how to have fun anymore?"
"H- hey!" Yosuke shouted.
"Teddie told me you've been doing a lot of traveling around recently." Yukiko said with genuine interest. "Personally, I don't really get to move around as much since taking over the inn. Things have been very hectic lately. Still, I'd like to take a vacation soon."
"Oh, you should totally go to Nara next fall!" Rise said excitedly. "I shot a movie there last year and it's one of the most peaceful cities I've ever been to. The autumn leaves are absolutely gorgeous, and the food is to die for. And there's just so much traditional architecture. I really think it fits your aesthetic senpai."
Yukiko titled her head. "My aesthetic?"
"The traditional one of course!" Rise answered. "You always used to dress so modestly."
"She did wear kimono's pretty frequently." Yosuke added, surprising the inn keeper.
"And she always filled them out very nicely." Teddie said with a devious smile.
"Teddie!" Rise hissed, instinctively elbowing the bear in the gut. "You're never going to get a girlfriend with those types of comments."
"You'd be surprised…" Teddie groaned as he held his gut and wrenched on the floor.
Rise stared annoyed at the bear before eventually helping him back to his feet and continuing to scold him. The idol might have been thin, but she still had the strength worthy of a persona user.
Yukiko couldn't help, but laugh at the sight.
The friends were just as ridiculous as always. It was like nothing had changed.
…
The four spent a bit more time together, talking amongst each other.
And like before, Yukiko felt her uneasiness around the others beginning to fade.
Thankfully, Yosuke had seemed to lighten up rather quickly. She wasn't sure if he had accepted her apology or not, but he wasn't as anxious as before. Maybe it was thanks to Teddie and Rise lightening the mood.
During their discussion, Yukiko managed to learn a lot about Rise's career. Bit by bit, she was trying to leave the music industry behind. As they got older, female idols, weren't exactly treated well within the industry. And she was in no mood to deal with the politicking suits considering if she was still profitable enough or not. Rather than being replaced with someone younger, she decided to seek new horizons.
More recently she had gone all in on acting and managed to find moderate success in that market.
After learning so much about them, Yukiko felt obligated to fill them in on some of the happenings of her own life. She omitted a few details, but told them general information about herself. How she took over the inn, got her degree, and continues to work on her novel. She would leave the finer details of her life a secret until they got more familiar with one another.
"This is crazy…" Yukiko heard Yosuke murmur to himself. "What's the point in holding onto this feeling…"
"Did you say something?" she asked.
Yosuke crossed his arms and let out a hefty sigh. He looked up at her with a complicated expression. The apprehension faded from his eyes.
"Oh no its nothing it's just…" Yosuke answered. "All of us together like this. It kind of feels like old times again, you know?"
"Yeah, it does…" she murmured.
"Yukiko-san…" Yosuke looked down then back to her with level eyes. "Look, about what I said earlier… don't worry about it alright? I- I knew you were coming to. Yu told me. I had some reservations about it, but… what he said to me might be true. Maybe you really have changed. The only way to find out is to give you a chance. Besides, what sort of best man would I be if I held a grudge towards the maid of honor? Talk about awkward, am I right."
"Thank you, Yosuke-kun." She said her voice appreciative.
Yukiko blinked at him gratefully and gave an understanding nod. It would take time to earn back the trust of her former comrades, so she couldn't begrudge his initial apprehension towards her.
"That aside," Yosuke's voice lightened, and he decided to fully join in on their conversation. "So, you must have heard from Teddie that I'm sort of a big wig now."
"If by big wig, you mean you go around selling contracts then sure." Rise said sarcastically. "You might want to reconsider that title until you become the CEO of Junes."
"HA!" Teddie howled.
"Do you two always have to crap on everything I do!" Yosuke shouted scratching the back of his head.
"We only do that because we love you." Rise giggled, and tugged on Yosuke's cheek. Noticing his face reddening she squeezed harder. "I meant that platonically of course. Don't get any ideas."
"I knew that!" he muttered waving her hand off. "Besides, I'm way out of your league anyway."
"Oh, are you now?" Rise scoffed, taken aback. "If I remember correctly, a few years ago you were all about Risette! And I'll have you know that if they were in your place, any guy would have already thrown themselves at my feet."
"Yu sure didn't." Yosuke replied with a mocking smirk. "And you can add me to that list."
The remark made Rise's face turn hot red.
"Just where are you getting this confidence from!?" she yelled.
Yukiko watched the two bicker with intrigue.
The dynamic was very reminiscent of how Yosuke and Chie used to treat each other. Or maybe it was more like an old married couple. Something akin to what she encountered from budding pairs staying at the inn. Their familiarity with one another was much more comfortable now than it had ever been before.
Out of pure curiosity Yukiko asked. "Are you two actually dating?"
"WHAT!?" They shouted simultaneously. "ABSOLUTELY NOT!"
"Oh, I get it. You're flirting then?" Teddie joined in. "I did see you two mingling at the bar earlier. I'm a bear you see. I can sniff out secrets from a mile away and my nose is telling me that you two are hiding something you don't want us to know about."
"Teddie you might be onto something." Yukiko agreed.
Rise stared daggers at Teddie. "My sense is just as good, if not better than yours Teddie. And I can sense a special bear asking to get punished."
"I keep telling them they should just get together already." Chie said, suddenly appearing at the gathering. The bride-to-be smiled mischievously at the two. "I keep hearing from a little bird that you two have been hanging out a lot more recently."
"Th- that's not! Who told you that!" Yosuke gripped Chie by the shoulders as she shrugged nonchalantly.
"A little bird or a little bear!" Rise gripped Teddie and put him in a headlock.
Teddie wailed as he struggled from the idol's grasp. "Wahh, Ri- Rise-chan it wasn't me!"
Yukiko burst out laughing at the sight.
The Investigation Team really was as ridiculous as always. Looking at her friends she couldn't help, but felt like they were all just young teens again goofing off. Today had to be the happiest she felt in a long time. Her thoughts were cut off by the sudden sensation of Chie poking her hip.
"I knew you could do it." Chie said with a wide smile.
Yukiko couldn't help, but return it.
No matter how much she had faltered, Chie was always there to pick her back up. Her friend continued to prove that even now. Without a push, the inn keeper doubted any of this would have been possible.
"Thank you, Chie. Thank you for never giving up on me."
…
After their emotional reunion, time just seemed to zoom by.
The rehearsal proceeded as normal with everyone present aside for Naoto and Kanji. Yu had informed everyone that the latter would be running late as well. Leaving the groomsmen in the same position as the bridesmaids. Still, even with all the minor setbacks, the ceremony was lovely all the same.
The groomsmen, bridesmaids, and venue staff were present to walk through the presentation and expectations of their dedicated roles. Yukiko would be at the alter to present Chie with her flowers and offer emotional support. Her main role wouldn't come into play until afterwards when she hosted the reception party which the Amagi Inn would be catering.
When Yukiko saw Chie enter the grand hall and walk up to the altar, she almost cried at the sight. The couple exchanging vows stirred her heart. If it wasn't for the fact that nearly all the necessary guests were in casual clothes, she would have forgotten this was all just practice for next week.
Still seeing her childhood friend taking the next critical step in her life was an emotional experience.
The rehearsal lasted around two hours.
By the time they were finished everyone knew their order, pacing, when to walk, and where to be. It was a lot to remember and not so different from the traditional weddings she'd attended. Though Yukiko wasn't loathe to admit she still had a fond spot for the Shinto customs.
Afterwards everyone decided to meet outside to decide where to eat. Yukiko had been the only one to dress into her formal outfit for the rehearsal and had to change.
Inside the dressing room Yukiko carefully put her dress pack into its garment bag and slung it over her back. She was renting the entire ensemble, so she to be delicate with it. The inn keeper had changed back into her usual red cardigan over a wavy white sun dress. Lastly, Yukiko released her bun and let her silky black hair trail down her back. The summer had been scorching and the evening hardly let up.
She left to exit the room to find Chie leaning against the wall playing on her phone.
"Waiting for me?" Yukiko asked playfully, approaching her friend.
"Uh huh!" Chie chirped and the two headed to the exit together.
"Ugh, man that was long." Chie groaned flexing her back as they walked. She looked agitated and exhausted. "The more I think about it, the more I'm sure we should have just done a practice run on the actual day. Honestly, I'm just ready for the actual thing."
"Excited to finally be married?"
"Not that… well, I mean yes, I am, but it's more like, I'm ready for the scheduling, practicing, and worrying to be over. I feel like we only do the whole showcase of ceremonies for our families. If it were up to me, we would have just gotten eloped and called it a day." Chie grumbled. "I'm just ready to start our lives together is all."
"I hear you, but you're starting to sound more like a tired old wife already." Yukiko poked fun at her friend. "Don't worry, it'll all be over soon. If it's any consolation you aren't enduring the struggles of adulting alone. You have your fiancé and best friend to keep you company. So, take comfort in that. This'll be the last hurdle Chie Satonaka clears; in seven days you'll be Chie-"
"Narukami…" Chie ended the sentence with a smile. "I like the ring to that."
"It does roll off the tongue, doesn't it?"
Their talk seemed to raise Chie's spirits; she skipped ahead happily thinking of the future. Yukiko trailed behind her, looking at her own phone. The time was 6 PM.
"So, you're totally coming to grab food with everyone right?" Chie suddenly asked, turning around.
"I doubt I have much of a choice." Yukiko said in a flat tone.
"You don't! For one, I'm famished and I'm not eating without my best friend. Two, you haven't eaten with the team in a while. And three, " Chie replied in a melodic tone. "You still have two more people to reconcile with."
"Chie-" Yukiko sighed looking away.
"I'm not hearing it." Chie interrupted her again. This was becoming of bad habit today. "You're at the home stretch now. Just talk to Naoto and Kanji. Go ahead and bring it home."
"Naoto and Kanji." The names made Yukiko's heart skip a beat.
If there were two people in the Investigation Team that were the hardest to deal with it had to be them. And given the nature of how their friendships ended, Yukiko was sure there was no clear path to restore them to what they once were.
For one, she attacked Kanji, the boy she had known since childhood with a tire iron. The injury put him in the hospital with a concussion. The last time she tried to apologize was in sophomore year. Kanji cursed her out for the whole school to see.
Needless to say, he was a highly emotional individual, and justifiably so. Considering all of that, she was unsure if time had ever really changed his perception of her.
Naoto on the other hand would be the hardest to approach.
The detective prince had suspected Yukiko from the very beginning and had her back into a corner on multiple occasions. Yukiko, lied, manipulated, and used others around her to avoid the consequences, but alas she was unsuccessful. Naoto's justice had won and all of these years later Yukiko couldn't hate her for that. If her psychotic episode wasn't brought under heel, she was scared to think what would have happened.
Even still, her feelings towards her junior were complicated.
"Still sucks they couldn't make it to the rehearsal." Chie pondered aloud.
"Speaking of Kanji," Yukiko caught up to Chie and asked. "Why couldn't he make it to the rehearsal? Was his bus running late as well?"
"Oh no, nothing like that. He was worried about Naoto, so he doubled back and went to pick her up in his car. " Chie answered.
"Oh, that was very generous of him." Yukiko noted. "Kanji had always had a soft spot of Naoto."
"Yeah, Kanji was supposed to be here earlier to help set everything up, but you know how boys are. The first sign of trouble and they always come running. Always doting, always worrying even when they don't have to." Chie said with the wave of the hand.
"Doting?" Yukiko repeated.
Kanji Tatsumi may have secretly been a big softy, but she had never considered him the doting type before.
"Of course, ever since they got together, dude worries after her left and right." Chie answered nonchalantly.
As they approached the exit Yukiko stopped in her tracks.
Chie continued walking and glanced outside the door's transparent windows. The entire Investigation Team had gathered and was waiting for its two remaining members to assemble. A wide grin crossed her lips at the sight of the detective prince and her brash companion.
"Oh wow, speak of the devils! It looks like everyone's here Yukiko!" Chie said. "Yukiko?"
Yukiko, noting her silence snapped out of her thoughts and caught up to Chie.
"Sorry, I'm sorry. I got lost in my thoughts." The inn keeper apologized. She didn't have time to question Chie about the two further. The thought would still remain floating in the back of her mind.
Naoto Shirogane and Kanji Tatsumi were a thing.
The world worked in mysterious ways.
The women headed outside and found the rest of the members mingling amongst each other. Yu was off chatting with Yosuke about last minute changes to the ceremony, while Rise and Teddie were standing with the newest arrivals.
Yukiko's gaze instinctively veered in the direction of the two.
Kanji looked glad to see his friends. His lips were curled into a grin. He was a lot different from the last time Yukiko had seen him. For one, the old bleach blond haircut was no more, now replaced with a nicely trimmed black combover. Though his large scar was still visible. He wore nicely pressed jeans and a short white button up. Despite the modest wear, his arms gave a hint of his built physique underneath. Kanji Tatsumi was still as built as ever.
"Oh senpai, there you are!" his voice carried over.
Yukiko's inspection of Kanji immediately snapped when she noticed the attention of the group had turned onto them.
"Hey, hey!" Chie ran up to greet them. "Took you two long enough to get here."
Yukiko trailed behind nervously.
"Yeah, sorry about that." Kanji said stretching his arms. "You know how it is. The bus ran late, what could you do? Couldn't just leave Naoto hanging in the wind."
Naoto sighed. "You didn't have to do that. I could have waited."
"As if." Kanji replied. "You know I wouldn't leave you behind."
Naoto's eyes widen and face flushed, but she quickly cleared her throat. "Ahem. Yes, well… thank you all the same."
"Yeah, yeah." Chie waved her hand. "Enough with the mushy stuff you two. I'm just glad you're here."
"No, I want more. They're absolutely adorable." Rise chimed in. "Seriously Kanji, ever since you two shacked up. You've become a lot more tame and much more endearing. Has Naoto managed to whip you into shape?"
"Love will do that to a guy." Teddie said, joining in on the teasing.
"Would you two shut the hell up!" Kanji barked at her, visibly embarrassed.
The idol only took this as an opportunity to tease him more with Teddie tossing in more embarrassing jabs. As they goofed off Yukiko looked down at the street. She debated running off and avoiding the reunion all together. The sight of the couple made her heart pound hard.
Yukiko took a couple of deep breaths. "I owe it to Chie."
Mustering up all the courage she had left, she joined the group whilst Chie talked with Naoto. Standing a little off to the side, she did her best not to draw attention. That method proved ineffective. Within seconds Naoto was staring at her and Yukiko could do nothing, but hesitantly meet her silver gaze.
Now that Yukiko got a good look at her, Naoto, like the rest of them had changed. She wore a very stylish sleeveless button up, blue palazzo pants, and a cute pair of brown sandals. Her neck was adorned with a silver chain with a heart locket at the end. Her silver eyes dazzled with the addition of jewelry. Her hair was still short, but trailed down to her ears and neck.
Yukiko wasn't afraid to admit it, Naoto looked absolutely radiant.
"Yukiko Amagi." Naoto said looking at her with a puzzling expression. "It's been a long time."
…
