08/22 M
Clear
Nanako was really into that episode of Featherman... I can't say I expected clinical depression to be a subject covered by a kids' action show.
Yu wandered around a little before boarding the bus to the hill overlooking town, Genbu bringing him a little closer to Temperance...
"Stop it! Don't hit Misaki-chan!"
"That's not Misaki! That's Phoenix Ranger Featherman R's enemy in disguise!"
"Then I quit playing Phoenix Ranger Featherman R!"
Protecting a girl? I'm proud of you, Yuuta...! But which one's Misaki?
After work finished, Yu was talked into escorting Eri and Yuuta home partway. An unfamiliar young woman happened upon them on the walk...
"Oh... Minami-san. You're with Yuuta-kun?"
"I'm going to play by the river!"
And with that, a visibly upset Yuuta ran off...
"Nakamura-sensei... Oh, I-I apologize for the trouble Yuuta caused at school..."
So, this is Yuuta's teacher...?
Nakamura closed some of the space between herself and Eri...
"Yuuta-kun really is rambunctious. You can tell how he was raised..."
Wow. That was uncalled for.
Nakamura continued.
"Oh, who is this? He seems a bit young to be your husband."
"I'm just a daycare assistant."
"Oh. I see. Looking after Yuuta-kun's a tough job, isn't it? Even so, he's quite young. I guess people from the city are different from us country people. I guess it can't be helped that Yuuta-kun has turned out this way."
I hate that thought process- I just puts up stupid barriers for no reason.
Eri stared a little was off, not quite at the teacher...
"It's sooooo burdensome to make extra lesson copies for him. I have to use my private time for that, you know? Well, I suppose it's all a part of my job.
"I-I'm sorry..."
"If it was just his grades, that would be one thing, but then there's his slight violent streak, too. It's easy to laugh off now, but eventually it'll turn into bullying, which leads to delinquincy, which in turn leads one day into... Crime."
Just like how if a window is broken in an alleyway, within a week the whole city is filled with crime... Because.
Eri seemed speechless...
"Well, I must be on my way. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
And Nakamura with that, walked off...
"... All of the other mothers of children in Ms. Nakamura's class respect her as a good teacher... They all gossip about me because I'm a second wife, and an outsider...And you know how Yuuta is, right? So, it's impossible for me to make any friends here."
... I may have gotten a leg up with the murders and Personas and such, but if I could find a way in here, I think you could, too.
Eri stared off into the distance, past Yu...
"If only... If only he was a more studious child..."
"... I'm not sure it's his fault."
Eri suddenly shouted back-
"Then, what? It's all my fault!? I'm doing my best! And yet...!"
The young mother faced away from Yu and started crying...
"I'm fed up! I'm just sick of it all! Why does this always happen to me...!?"
... Oh, man... What do I do here...? -Huh?
"D-don't bully Mom!"
Yuuta had returned from the bank and punched Yu in the stomach.
Wha!
Yu got himself up... Yuuta hid behind Eri.
"A-are you alright!?"
Yuuta sighed...
"I just had something in my eye, Yuuta. Mister Yu wasn't bullying me..."
Yuuta remained silent. Eri chuckled awkwardly...
"I-I'm sorry. But... Thank you. I guess I'm... Happy."
Eri smiled through her tears and excused herself. As she and Yuuta walked away, an eighth Temperance card appeared before Yu...
... Yep, that's a bruise. Tiny one. But a bruise... I need some sleep.
Yu politely excused himself when he got home and promptly fell asleep...
"... How... You... You'll pay for this!"
Rise raised her gun to Yu's face and fired-
"... Gotcha."
Rise smiled and laughed a little, even as Yu felt the smoke flow from the bullet hole not an inch from his head...
Yu stared at the ceiling, flat on his futon.
... The hell was that.
Yu continued staring until a few traces of sunlight crawled across his face.
... Still nothing.
08/23 Tu
Clear
Late that morning, Yu found himself talking to Rise outside her family's tofu shop...
"Oh, hey, Senpai! You want to do something today?"
No holster. Good.
"I'd be happy to."
Yu gave a tiny but warm smile as Leanan Sidhe brought him a little closer to the Lovers...
Rise brought Yu to the hill overlooking town. The two of them sat peacefully under the pavilion and took in the sight of the town below...
"... When I first got to town, I used to sit here and do nothing... I would just listen to the sound of the river, the sound of the birds, the sound of the rain.... I felt I could forget Risette and find myself that way... But..."
Rise sighed, then turned to face Yu.
"Senpai, have you ever thought that your pushing yourself too far, or that you're just acting...?"
Acting, maybe not, but geez... This town is full of wonderful people who suddenly spring deep-seated issues just as I fell like it'd be cruel to ignore them. I get tired all the damn time.
"... Sometimes."
"I see... But I guess that makes sense... No one can be their 'normal self' all the time, huh?"
Rise smiled, but her eyes looked very watery...
Don't... You look like a lost puppy when you do that...
Rise seemed to recover quickly and continued.
"I feel like I've been able to relax after coming to Inaba. Meeting all of you, laughing together... Watching the store, reading comics, playing with the cat... When I was at my parents' house, I was on my best behavior around them... Oh, but Grandma doesn't ask me anything. Y'know, like why I quit or what I'm thinking of doing next..."
Huh... She seems to not be very keen on her folks... Does she see them anymore?... Are they even alive? She used past tense...
Rise continued.
"She just talks about tofu. She says... I'm like tofu. I had to ask her what that meant."
... I can see why.
"The way she explained it... Tofu looks pretty weak and fragile, but it's actually pretty resilient. And even though it stands out because it's not like any other food, it can be mixed in with any recipe or flavor... Tofu is incredible. I'm nothing like that."
... What do I say? That I think you're just like tofu? I'm trying to come up with a good way to phrase that.
Rise sighed and faced the ground away from Yu...
"I... I was actually bullied at school before I made my debut... I wasn't good at talking, and always looked at my feet..."
... What? I just can't imagine you like that. you're always so bubbly and nice when you're not getting down on yourself like this.
"I was alone the entire time. But I didn't have a problem with that. No one expected anything of me. And then... The application my relative sent without telling me passed the first audition. I wasn't interested in being an idol but... I wanted the chance to change myself. And just by chance, I won."
I... I know that feeling of being alone. At least I can see it as something we have in common, though I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Rise laughed a tiny bit...
"When it happened, I panicked, thinking maybe I should turn their offer down. Then I thought... If I appeared on TV, I could make friends... That was literally the only reason I went through with it..."
Rise sighed...
"After a while... I realized something. The person everyone likes, the one they say 'hi' to on the street? That's not the real me. Risette is the one everyone likes... The fictional character they sold to the public... It's the same with you, isn't it?"
What? Why would you-
"You don't have to deny it... I won't be mad. You're with me right now because I'm Risette, yeah?"
"No."
Rise looked a little surprised, but very relieved.
"... I'm sorry. That wasn't a fair question... But I'm happy you said so."
Rise smiled weakly...
"When I got back to school after my debut, no one bullied me... I was happy at first, with people I didn't even know talking to me... But they weren't suddenly interested in Rise Kujikawa... They wanted to hang out with Risette. The bullying stopped, but... I felt none of them saw the real me. In my heart, I've always thought... 'This isn't the real me'. Funny, huh? I was the one who wanted to change, and..."
... That's pretty sad, yeah...
Rise sat herself up a little taller.
"But none of that matters now! I'm done being Risette! Now I have people who know the real me. Plus, I have a power that can help everyone... I love that. This time, I'm going to change into a Rise that everyone can like! Keep an eye out for her, Senpai!"
Rise smiled warmly...
On the way back to her home, Rise ran a little ahead of Yu. After she left his field of vision, a fifth Lovers card appeared before Yu...
"Here you go, Senpai! Got us a box of cookies to share- I love getting to eat all the carbs I want!"
That night, Yu found Nanako working on her summer homework...
... Well, what kinda Big Bro would I be if I didn't help her out here?
"You want some help here?"
"Oh, thanks, Big Bro!"
Geez, this is a lot of work for a grade schooler... 'Bringing the family closer' is right- This is way too much for her to do herself.
"... You want me to help you out for the next few nights, too? I'd be happy to."
"Really!? Thank you, Big Bro. Umm... Then I'll start working on spelling practice."
Yu and Nanako worked together for the rest of the night, before Yu put Nanako to bed and went to sleep himself...
08/24 W
Clear
Man, Nanako sure had a pile of homework last night... Wait. Homework. I... I've got some of my own... Crap.
Yu sighed and sat at his desk...
Yu sat down with Nanako to help with her homework.
"I have to write three proverbs for my homework today. Oh, I know one! It's um... 'A rolling stone gathers no moss'. Dad always tells me that one."
Just then, the doorbell rang.
"Who can that be?"
Yu got the door-
Teddie and Yosuke?
After the standard greetings, Yosuke and Teddie walked into the living room. Yosuke had a sit on the couch before talking to Nanako-
"We had a little event going on at Junes today. Here's a souvenir for you, Nanako-chan!... Oh, are you doing your summer homework? I feel sorry for you."
Teddie's eyes seemed to glimmer a little...
"Alright! I'll help you, Nana-chan! Um... Proverbs... Ooh... Uh..."
... This isn't gonna end well.
"Oh, I have one! 'Cogito ergo sum'!"
... What.
Yosuke just shook his head.
"Where'd you pick that up...? 'Don't cast pearls before swine' is more like something you'd say."
The night wore on, with Yu, Yosuke and Teddie trying their best to help Nanako. Eventual, the pair from Junes left for their home, right as Yu decided it was time to put Nanako to bed...
08/25 Th
Rain
... A gray, wet, rainy day. What else is there to do but homework?
Yu took out his pen and began writing...
Yu once again sat down with Nanako to help her with her homework...
"I have to write an essay about something I remember. Hmm..."
Right as Nanako started puzzling herself, the doorbell rang...
"Is someone here today, too?"
Yu opened the door-
Chie and Yukiko today, huh?
The pair gave the polite greetings and walked into the Dojima family home, Chie sitting down at the table and Yukiko standing not far from it...
"I heard from Yosuke that Nanako-chan is doing her homework, so I'm here to help you."
Maybe writing is one of those courses Chie can handle... Well, the moral support is nice, anyway.
Chie continued-
"You're writing an essay? Have you decided on a topic, Nanako-chan?"
Nanako shook her head, but Yukiko gave a motherly sort of smile back.
"Not yet? Hmm, let's see... How about the time we went to the festival together?"
Nanako's eyes lit up.
"That's right! The ikayaki was sooo good, and I had so much fun!"
Nanako instantly got to work, scribbling out kana...
Yu, Chie and Yukiko all helped Nanako whenever she seemed stuck, until she finished. Chie and Yukiko left not long after, and Yu put a tired, but happy, Nanako to bed...
08/26 F
Cloudy/Clear
I'm not sure I can handle any more homework today...
*PI-PI-PI! PI-PI-PI!*
Chie... Nice save.
Yu answered his phone...
"Uh, hello? It's Chie. Do you mind hanging out with me today?"
"Sure."
"Great! see you soon!"
Yu closed up his phone and got ready for training...
A little exercise might do me some good after all this paperwork...
"Hiyaaa!"
Chie managed to roundhouse kick a fairly large rock to the waters near the opposite bank of the Samegawa...
... Yikes. I thought she was scary before, but this is just insane.
After training, Chie took Yu to Souzai Daigaku...
"Have you had the steak skewers? The meat is tender and delicious, mand they hardly cost anything!"
'Delicious', I might agree on, but 'tender' is wrong- It's like really good jerky.
Chie suddenly took on a dour expression..
"It might not even be cow meat.... Just kidding.... Whoa, thinking about it, that's kinda gross..."
Chie laughed awkwardly, before a police officer walked up near the restaurant...
"The police are here... Th-then is this place really serving fake meat...?"
The patrolman approached the pair...
"Excuse me."
"Y-yes? I haven't eaten any of the meat today, I swear!"
Smooth one, Chie.
The officer looked a little confused, but brushed off Chie's outburst.
"Lately, there's been several incidents with a group of teenagers bullying people around here."
"... Bullying?"
"Extortion, if you will. Have you seen anyone suspicious?"
Yu and Chie both shook their heads, Chie giving a slightly panicked response...
"N-no, no one in particular..."
"Hmmmm... I see. Well, you two be careful then."
And with that, the officer walked away...
Chie gave a sigh of relief...
"I'm glad it wasn't the meat... But still, bullying!? What cowards, ganging up on the weak like that!"
That's some righteous fury in her eyes... But then, it's not like I disagree.
"You're right. I'm a little disgusted, myself."
"It's so cruel! And stupid! We'll grab 'em and make 'em apologize! Right, Leader!"
Well, it wouldn't be the first time we played vigilante.
"Of course."
"I knew you'd say that!"
Chie took a slightly sturdier stance...
"Mowing down villains and saving the weak, a lone female fighter stands... To protect the town's peace, she throws herself to the battlefield, unbeknownst to all...!"
... Wow.
Chie seemed to be breathing in her words...
"... Ooh, yeah! That sounds cool! Yu-kun, leave it to me!"
The Chariot nodded firmly, then blushed...
"Though I'd feel better about it if you helped... And it'd make me feel... Kinda happy."
What do I say here...? Not every day I get propositioned to play hero... But then, it's not the first time, either.
"... Well, every hero needs a sidekick, right? I'd be happy to help."
Chie smiled wide.
"Alright! But first, let's eat! 'Don't think. Feel...', right? Actually, in this case, would it be 'Don't think. Eat'?"
... There's a kind of beauty to that thought, even if it does sound silly.
Chie bought a pair of steak skewers...
I don't even need to ask.
And Yu bought one for himself. The two of them walked partway home together, eating and chatting. When Chie rounded to corner where their paths split, a sixth Chariot card appeared before Yu...
That night, Yu continued helping Nanako with her homework.
"For today's homework... I have to write a book report. I already finished reading the book, so I just need to write about it. A king goes deep into the forest, and..."
Nanako continued muttering her summary of the book's plot as she wrote...
"He was all alone... So he wasn't angry or sad... The king said he was happy... but I feel sad for him..."
Nanako stopped for just a little bit...
"Um, Big Bro? Do you feel happy when you're alone?"
Sometimes, but never just because I'm alone... I guess my answer is-
"No, not really..."
"Oh, good. Neither do I!"
Nanako laughed a little, then returned to writing. After she had finished, Yu put her to bed and went to sleep himself soon after.
08/27 Sa
Rain/Cloudy
Another drab day... Well, it's a good thing I took a break with Chie, then.
Yu once again drew his pen and began working...
That night, Yu found himself with Nanako again...
"I'm doing my art homework today. I have to make something out of stuff I find in the house. A milk carton, a paper towel tube... Knitting wool, origami paper... What else do we have?"
Right then, the doorbell rang. Nanako seemed incredulous.
"Is someone here today, too?"
Yu opened the door...
Ah, the kohai finally arrived.
Rise and Kanji gave their standard greetings and walked in, Rise sitting on the couch, Kanji by the table. Rise's eyes seemed to shimmer a little...
"Chie-senpai said that Nanako-chan was doing her summer homework. You should've told me!.. But, it looks like I picked the wrong day to come. I can't do any of this art stuff."
Nanako seemed to deflate.
"Me neither..."
Looks like it's up to Kanji to save the day.
Right on cue, the Emperor spoke.
"Huh... Let me see what you've got."
And with that, the supplies were gathered up, and Kanji promptly crafted both a car and a soft rabbit...
... What the hell. Those're incredible. I'm stunned by what he ca make out random bits from the house...
Kanji continued to polish the finer details to Nanako's instruction, until it was her bedtime. Yu bid farewell to his friends and helped Nanako to her room...
08/28 Su
Cloudy
What to do today? Probably jus-
*PI-PI-PI! PI-PI-PI!*
Rise?
Yu answered his phone-
"Hell-o! This is Rise! Are you bored today, Senpai? Let's go somewhere!"
... Well.
"Alright then."
"Yay! I'll see you in a bit!"
Not like there's much homework left, anyway.
Yu met up with Rise. The two of them walked around the Shopping District after a trip to Okina City...
Geez, it's already getting on in the day... And Rise sure had to talk a lot with the clerks today...
Rise giggled a little.
"I placed lots of special orders. Come with me next time when I go to pick 'em up, Senpai. I had tons of fun today. Not many people tried to come up and talk.. Maybe they already forgot who I am."
Riser looked almost sad for half a second, before her eyes lit up.
"Oh, yeah. Want some tofu to take home? I helped make it today. Wait right here."
Rise ran off to her home. Suddenly, a man's voice sounded from behind Yu...
"Excuse me... Yu-san, is it?"
Hmm...? Oh, it's Rise's manager... Inoue, I think?
"... Yes?"
Yu turned to face the small man.
"Umm... Sorry about the other day... I'm Minoru Inoue, Rise Kujikawa's former manager. I'm sorry to bother you, but... Could you give this to her?"
Inoue handed Yu an envelope, sealed with a small heart sticker...
"A fan letter came, you see..."
This is getting rather... Unsavory-seeming.
"Why so interested in her?"
"I'm one of her fans myself. Her talent is captivating... Rise always looked forward to this girl's letters, so I... In today's cult of personality, being popular carries its own problems. Your schedule fits together, minute by minute, like a jigsaw puzzle... Every day you're squeezed utterly dry... But even knowing that, I still want her to come back. She was genuinely brilliant... Not only that, but she was strong enough to use her pain as a foundation. From what I could see that day... She's relying on you. So could you...?"
... Oh, man, those're tears welling in his eyes. Either he really cares, or he's such a good actor he might as well.
Rise's voice rang pout from behind Yu...
"Sorry, Senpai, but we're all sold... Out..."
Rise suddenly ran up next to Yu.
"Inoue-san!? Quit pestering me! Wait... What did you say to Senpai!?"
"I-I'm sorry. I'm leaving now. Goodbye..."
And with those words, Inoue ran off...
Rise gave an exasperated sigh...
"Hounding me even after I quit... He's practically a stalker!"
I've met one of your stalkers. They're much creepier.
Rise continued...
"To think I trusted him... I feel betrayed!"
... Rock, meet hard place. Hard place, rock. I'll be your moderator.
"... He sounded really worried about you."
"... No. He just wants Risette back. The ;me' he created..."
Rise bit her lip...
"So... What did he come for?"
Yu explained what had happened, and gave her the letter.
"He said you'd look forward to this girl's letters..."
"This... She wrote again... I see... But he came all the way out here for this...?"
Rise scanned the letter again...
"This girl is a middle school student. She writes to me all the time. I did this public service campaign once to stamp out bullying... She said it inspired her... She wrote that she wouldn't let bullies get her down, that she'd try to make friends..."
I'm not surprised- You've had to deal with it yourself. It'd ring hollow if you hadn't...
Rise continued explaining...
"Ever since then, she wrote me letters... 'This happened to me today', 'I was able to say this', stuff like that. 'Seeing Risette work hard encourages me', 'it makes me feel like I can still hang in there'..."
Rise gave an embarrassed laugh.
"... She doesn't really understand how it works, huh? But still, every time I read her letters, I felt like Risette actually meant something... So whenever things got tough, I would read them over and over..."
''... That's beautiful. That she'd be so inspired, that you'd be so thankful... I don't think I could say something that corny, though.''
"Senpai... Do you still have some free time...?"
"I don't need to be home until sundown."
"...Could you come with me...?"
Rise brought Yu to the Shrine in the Shopping District. Rise sat down on the stairs near the offering box, deep in thought. Yu sat next to her, a little worried himself...
"... She's worried about me. Officially, I'm taking a break due to illness, so..."
Rise was quiet for what seemed like a long time...
"Before I quit, there was talk about a part in a movie... She sounds like she was really looking forward to it... 'Please get well soon and come back', she says..."
Rise sat still for another while...
"... I'm so glad you were here. I was scared to read it alone... I gave up on being Risette. I can't meet her expectations..."
... Well, what to say...?
"... Having second thoughts?"
"... I have no regrets. At least.... I think not. I mean, it was such a relief to quit. to go back to being the real me..."
Rise gave a tiny, bitter laugh, then fell quiet, a lonely smile on her face...
"... Anyway, Risette doesn't exist anymore. It's not just this girl. I disappointed lots of other people... The president of the company told me over and over, and I knew already... I knew this was the path I chose, but..."
Another silence from the Lovers...
"... Maybe I'll just inherit the tofu shop! I'm the shop's main attraction now. I bet I could make it thrive!"
Rise got up and walked away from the Shrine a little, then jumped up and turned to face Yu...
"... Senpai. Maybe we should really just do it... Y'know what I was saying a while back. You could marry me once we graduate high school, and the two of us could work at the tofu shop together. Doesn't that sound like fun? H-how about it?"
Rise gave a hollow laugh...
... You regret it, don't you?... I'm worried about this...
"... If you're serious."
"If I'm serious...? I think I'm pretty serious... You're always so calm. But... I like that."
Rise smiled sheepishly...
Someone has to be. But I'm very concerned... Well, Rise isn't the type to do something drastic, so I guess I can drop it for now.
Rise faced Yu and smiled a little more honestly.
"Thank you, Senpai. For being with me all of today... I feel a bit better. Yeah... I'm fine. I can contribute something... And it looks like there are still plenty of things only I can do..."
Yu escorted Rise to her home. As he turned to head home himself, a sixth Lovers card appeared before him...
That night, Yu helped Nanako with her homework once again...
"I have to write a paper about my favorite animal. Hmm... Which one should I choose...? Oh, I know! There's a picture of it one that shirt that Dad bought... What's it called? A platypus? I'll write about platypuses!"
Nanako began flipping through her encyclopedia as she researched her new topic...
She seems to be doing fine on her own... But I should probably stick around and help her if she does need it.
"... The platypus lays eggs. And they have poisonous claws!... Question!"
Nanako wore a big smile on her face as she faced her Big Bro...
"Is it the male or female platypus that has the poison claws?"
"The male."
"Correct! You're smart, Big Bro!"
... Geez, now that I think about, platypuses make even less sense than I thought.
After Nanako finished her work, Yu put her to bed and went to sleep himself soon after...
08/29 M
Alright, better get to work on my own summer work- Can't put it off any longer.
Yu pulled out his desk chair and sat down...
Aaaaannnnd... Finished!
Once more, Yu helped Nanako with her homework...
"This is the last thing I have to do for my homework. I just need to write a picture diary. Umm... 'Big Bro... And Dad..."
Yu talked about what had happened each day with Nanako...
"Um, let's see... August 27th... Ah... I don't remember the weather... Um, Big bro? Did it rain the day that we worked on my art homework?"
"No, it stopped raining by then."
"Oh, that's right! Thank you!"
Nanako returned to her work, quietly saying everything she wrote...
"Big Bro... And his friends... Helped me... A lot... With my homework... They were so nice... I like them so much..."
... Nanako... How sweet.
"... No! Don't look!"
Yu made certain that Nanako finished her homework, then put her to bed and went to his room...
"... That's what it was like for me when I was younger. But if I made it, I know you can, too! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!"
... Rise... I can tell this one mattered a lot to you.
Yu closed his laptop and went to bed...
08/30 Tu
Clear
Yu wound up meeting with Kanji in the Shopping District...
"You wanna do somethin', Senpai?"
"Sure, Kanji."
"Sweet!"
Yu felt Oukuninushi slot into place, bringing him a little closer to the Emperor...
Kanji brought Yu to the Samegawa riverbed...
"I can't get this place outta my head. I keep wonderin' if that rabbit the kid tossed out mighta washed ashore around here...If he finds it now, he'll just feel bad... Not that I'm wading in today or anything."
Suddenly, the boys' voice called out-
"Hey, Mister!"
The child came running up to the high schoolers...
"There you are! Sana-chan was really happy! I've been looking for you ever since!"
"Look, kid, quit callin'... Ah, forget it."
"Can you make some more, Mister? My mom really wants one! Sana-chan's mom does too! They said they'd pay you!"
They should- Kanji's an artist.
"Pay me!? I don't need that... I-it ain't like I;m a pro at this."
"My mom wants a cat, and Sana0chan's mom wants a dog. And my teacher wants a pink alligator."
"A pink alligator? Ohh, like the one in that storybook, huh...? F-fine, then... I'll get around to it sometime."
Funny how popular that book got... It's awful sad for a children's story... But maybe that's why. And don't be so modest, Kanji- you're a genius at this stuff.
The boy cheered.
"Yay! Thank you! Remember, you promised!"
And with that, the boy ran off.
"Strange situation I got myself into, ain't it?"
"I think it's good for you."
"Good...? I don't really know."
Kanji seemed very conflicted...
"... When I was in elementary school I fixed a classmate's bag this one time. Thinking back... I guess I liked her. I only did it to make her happy, but... The next day, all the girls were makin' fun of us... She cried. I didn't understand why, but y'know... I thought I'd done something wrong. So I never thought... I'd be thanked for doing this stuff. Heh, it feels good. Hearin' 'Thank you'... I like it!"
Kanji laughed sheepishly...
Give yourself more credit. Once you put down the tough guy facade, you're a really great guy.
"Oh, uh... I gotta jet."
"Hmm?"
"I gotta go to Okina Station. To the, uh... F-fabric shop. I'm outta material, so... L-later!"
And with that, Kanji ran off. As he disappeared from sight, a sixth Emperor card appeared before Yu...
That night, Yu decided to work as a tutor. Yu felt Cu Chulainn slot into place, bringing him a little closer to the Tower...
"... And then subdivide by the square root of three."
"Huh... I see. Thanks!"
''Shu seems kinda tired... I'll pour him a mug of tea, but I don't think he wants to talk tonight...
08/31 W
Clear
The last day of summer break... No wonder I slept in so late...
Yu marched down the stairs, finding Nanako sitting on the couch.
"Oh, you finally came down. Um, I got a call from Dad! He said that someone gave him a watermelon. It's too big for us to eat, so he said you should call your friends over. Do you think Teddie and your other friends can come?"
How can I say no to a smile like that?
Yu pulled out his phone...
I'll give a call to Yosuke first. Second-in-command and all that.
Yu explained the situation to the Magician.
"Watermelon? Whoa, definitely! I haven't had any yet this year. I'm gonna cal up the others, so you better not smack it open before we get there!"
Yosuke hung up.
"... Yeah, they'll be here."
Within the hour, all of the Investigation Team made it over to Yu's home.
Why do I get the feeling they're all here just as much to play with Nanako as for the watermelon?
Nanako was talking with Rise-
"Um, Dad said he got a watermelon from someone, so he said we should call everyone."
Oh, right- She's a great kid. Best little sister I've ever had, at least.
Yu smiled a little as Kanji nearly jumped for joy.
"Man, watermelon! 'Cause of all the stuff that's gone down this summer, I completely missed out. So, where is it? The fridge?"
Rise glared a little at her fellow first-year.
"Gee, Kanji, they invited us over. At least show some manners."
"We gotta smack it open first."
Chie seemed a little surprised at Yosuke.
"Huh? Are we seriously gonna do that? We can't eat it if it's all crushed."
Yukiko barely held back a giggle.
"But, but doesn't it sound like fun?"
Nanako cheered-
"I wanna do it, too!"
"I'll swing at it with everything I've got! The splattering fruit juice! Bursts of joy! One night of love! The bitter sweetness of those days is the essence of youth!"
... Where did you learn to talk like that, Teddie?
Yosuke seemed to agree...
"That makes no sense at all. And dude, will you cut out those commercial lines of your!?"
"That's the essence of youth!"
... Huh. When Nanako does it, it's the cutest thing ever... Or maybe I'm just biased.
Right then, the front door opened.
"I'm home- Whoa, that's a lot of shoes. How many people are here?"
Nanako ran up to greet her father.
"Welcome home! Um, let's split the watermelon open!"
"Say wh-what!?... Uh, well, you see..."
Dojima explained that the watermelon had already been ct and shared with some of the neighbors...
Everyone had gotten a slice of watermelon and sat out on the back porch...
Geez, Kanji... We have salt here too, y'know.
Dojima sat next to his daughter...
"C'mon Nanako, don't pout. Everyone came here to hang out, right?... I'm really sorry." It never occurred to me you'd want to do that.."
Chie faced Nanako and tried to cheer her up as well.
"Hey, Nanako-chan. Let's do it again sometime. Next time, we'll do it right- At the beach!"
Rise threw her hand up.
"Seconded!"
"Whoa, does that mean we get to see you guys in swimsuits!?"
... When has that line of thinking ever done anything good for you, Yosuke?
Yosuke sighed...
"Oh, but there probably aren't enough days left. We'll have to do it next year..."
"Next year..."
Nanako processed the words aloud, then faced Yu...
"Will you play with me next year, too?"
Oh... Ohhhhhh...
Chie jumped in-
"Of course we will!"
"You betcha!"
Kanji...
"You betcha!"
Yukiko...
Dojima seemed elated.
"Did you hear that, Nanako?"
"Yep! Thank you!"
... Yeah. Next year.
Everyone had a wonderful, lazy summer day together. Eventually, everyone went home. Nanako fell asleep especially early that night. Dojima brought Yu into the living room to talk...
"Thanks for everything today, Yu... It's been a while since I last saw Nanako in high spirits like that. Hmm..."
Dojima seemed incredibly focused for a moment...
"The case is finally solved... Now for all the- Hmmmm... Eh, never mind. Save it for some other time. You know... You really made some great friends."
Yu nodded.
"Yeah."
The sun set peacefully...
09/01 Th
Clear
First day of second term... But sadly, summer uniform is still in effect for now. But I'll see you again soon enough, jacket.
As Yu walked to the school gates, he was stopped by Chie and Yukiko...
"Mornin'"
"Good Morning."
Chie sighed loudly...
"Summer vacation's over already."
Yosuke walked up from behind them...
"Yo, guys. I got lost on my way here."
"The vacation was pretty long."
"Not THAT long, Yukiko. Sheesh..."
The four second years walked onto the school grounds, where they were stopped by-
... Naoto!?
"Good morning."
Yosuke was flabbergasted.
"Y-you!? You're that, uh... Pint-sized detective!"
"I beg your pardon!? My name is Naoto. Please, don't give people bizarre nicknames you make up on the spot."
He's got a point, Yosuke.
Yukiko shuffled her feet a little before speaking up.
"Um... You know this is a high school, right?"
Naoto sighed.
"My cooperation with the police has come to an end. However, there are aspects of the case with which remain unconvinced."
... Wait, so I'm not the only one?
Naoto continued.
"There are some family-related issues, as well, so I've decided to stay here for the present. From today forth, I'll be a first-year at your high school.
What.
Naoto started walking away, but about faced for a moment-
"And I felt that I should introduce myself to you all. I trust our relations will be cordial, Senpai."
And with a satisfied smirk, he left.
What. What what.
Chie seemed equally shocked.
"Senpai...? That detective boy's.. Our underclassman?
"So they got the guy over summer break!... I was sad to know he was a student I once taught. You've gotta watch out for unjustified resentment, guys! I'm sure you know what I mean; You all watch gossip shows!"
No, we don't, Mr. Kondo.
"You never know who has a grudge against you. My advice? Train your body regularly, so you can fight back! Okay... Let's play soccer today! But first... Pop quiz! Yu! When was soccer first introduced in the Olympics?"
"... 1900?"
"You got it! It's an easy number to remember, so try not to forget it, alright!? Anyway, let's get kickin'! And don't hurt yourselves- Remember, the school trip is only a week away!"
The second-year Investigation Team members made their way out of the building together...
"Man, school's as dull as ever.With the case closed, the days feel so empty all of a sudden..."
Chie tried to cheer her friend up...
"C'mon, Yosuke, everything went back to normal! It's a good thing!"
"I didn't mean it that way. It's just..."
"Hey, we're stopping by Junes later, right? Why don't we ask Naoto-kun to join us?"
Everyone gave Yukiko a quizzical look.
"Oh... I just thought... Since he doesn't know anyone yet, he must feel lonely..."
"Didn't he say he came here to help out with the murder case? With the case closed, he's just an ordinary guy now."
"I guess that makes him a transfer student, too..."
Yu looked to Yosuke, who seemed to be in agreement.
Right then, Rise walked up...
"Hello, Senpai!"
"Maybe he transferred here out of plain stubbornness. 'Cause he doesn't seem like he's only in it for fun."
Rise seemed dumbfounded by the conversation-in-progress, which Yu tried to finish quickly...
"Alright, let's see if he'd be willing to hang out."
Chie motioned a little at Rise.
"A celebrity coming to school is already a surprise, but a detective is even rarer. I'm a little curious to see what his family's like, too."
"There's that. and the fact that he's a detective at his age."
Rise seemed to have caught on, and lead everyone down the first year hallway from the shoe lockers. Yosuke noticed him first-
"Oh, speak of the devil. There's the little guy."
Naoto was backed up against the wall by a pair of girls his age...
"You dunno the area yet, right? C'mon, we'll show you around."
"There's probably tons of places to hang out that only we'd know about."
Naoto shook his head.
"That won't be nessacary. I'm not interested in 'Hanging out', and neither am I interested in you two."
"Huh? Hey, what did you say!?"
"What's with that attitude!? We're just trying to be friendly!"
The girls closed in further on Naoto...
Yosuke sighed.
"Geez, way to make an impression."
The Magician walked up towards the scene...
"Yo, Naoto-kun. How's it going?"
One of the girls seemed surprised...
"Oh, um..."
Right then, Kanji came walking up from his classroom...
"H-Hey guys. 'Sup?"
"Uh... Well... We'll be going now."
And with that, the girls fled.
The Team in full finally approached the detective...
"So we meet again. May I help you?"
Chie smiled warmly.
"Hey, Naoto-kun. If you're not doing anything after school, wanna come hang out with us?"
"Come with... You mean me?... Perhaps another time. I have some things to mull over."
Rise seemed confused.
"'This to mull over'?"
"I must go straight home today. I promised my Grampa so."
Kanji cocked his head.
"'Grampa'...?"
"Oh well... That's that, then. Let's hang out some other time."
Naoto nodded to Chie's offer...
The Team went to the Food Court at Junes...
"Man, did you see Naoto's attitude...? He sure blew his debut at school... Is he gonna be okay at Yasogami...?"
There's something about his aloofness that doesn't seem genuine...
"He has this... Mysterious air about him that draws your attention."
"Whoa, Yukiko, I never knew... You like younger guys?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
You saw the same things I saw, Yosuke. I'm pretty sure both we know what kind of person Yukiko's interested in.
Kanji just seemed to breath heavily...
"Naoto-kun said he has 'things to mull over', but he's gotta be talking about the murder case."
Yosuke nodded to Chie.
"He's some Ace Detective, right? I bet he's not satisfied... Even though tyhe case is closed."
"That's true... But..."
Both of them sighed...
Chie tried to change topics...
"This place isn't our 'special headquarters' anymore... Eh, let's talk about something else."
Yu nodded.
"Hmm... Isn't the class trip coming up? Where are we going?"
Yukiko answered quickly-
"Tatsumi Port Island. I heard it's an artificial island that faces the ocean. It's a pretty big city."
Wait... I remember something about that place...
Rise cocked her head a little.
"Huh? Port Island? I did tons of shoots there. It's just beyond the Moonlight Bridge, yeah? Should be tons of places to hang out there."
"Uh, actually... We may not have any time to goof off during this trip."
"Huh?"
"I heard the school board is changing the trip's schedule this year. The idea is, we're gonna visit a private school there. Like to have local and urban students interact or something. It'll all be about studying and serious business... Yuck."
Private school... Wait, isn't this...
Rise was disappointed.
"Ugh... They're totally missing the point of a class trip."
Yosuke faced Chie.
"What kinda place is this private school?"
"I heard it's really good. They have nice buildings and everything. But it's closed the day we're going there, so they're going the extra mile to make this work. They want us to tour some factories on the second day, and then we're coming back on the third day."
"Wha- That's no different from a social studies field trip! Urgh... I really didn't want to know that..."
Kanji sighed.
"Can't expect much from a school-sponsored trip, I guess. Well, we'll be around, so if it starts to drag, we can ditch."
What?
Rise laughed a little.
"I'll show you guys around!"
Yosuke seemed confused...
"But we're in different years..."
"Oh, you didn't know? The excursion will be like the campout. They're going to combine the first and second years. Since student enrollment is down and they're low on funds, they've cut the excursion back to once every two years."
Kanji chuckled a little at Yukiko's explanation.
"Well, at least we won't be bored with you around, Senpai."
"Gosh, I'm, trying to remember the last time I went to Port Island and I wasn't working... This'll be great!"
Rise laughed a little.
Yosuke still seemed down...
"I wish I could be that positive about it... Doesn't this seem like a pain in the ass to anyone else?"
Chie nodded a tiny bit.
"Some people were against the proposition, but it's been decided. Oh, and guess whose idea it was? King Moron's. It's just the kind of thing he'd come up with..."
"Noo... King Moron...! Why must you haunt us from beyond the grave...!?"
"Noo... King Moron...!"
Teddie...
Kanji was the first to respond to the bear.
"You don't even know who that is."
"Hey, tell me more about this trip. Where is Port Island? What's there?"
"Get back to work, will ya?"
Chie decided to wrap the conversation up.
"Well, even though the class trip is coming up, it's still a ways away. What should I do until then...?"
"well, it's not like we got much to do here in the first place... Man is just an animal trying to figure out how to kill time through his days..."
Geez, Kanji. When'd you minor in philosophy?
Chie seemed to agree.
"Huh. You made that sound like you were being philosophical... Yet it made absolutely no sense."
Hence the 'minor'.
Kanji ducked his head.
"S-Sorry..."
"... Snrk."
... Oh boy. Here it comes.
There's something I remember about Port Island... What WAS it...?
That night, Yu found himself researching Tatsumi Port Island...
Cases of mass outbreaks of inexplicable clinical depression... A boy died of an unnamed disease in '09, and then a girl died on graduation day that same school year... The hospital somehow lost her body... What the hell... Were they just unlucky, or...
Yu found himself in study for much of the rest of the night, but somehow went to bed earlier than usual that night...
Yu's Level: 48
Current Personas
Oukuninushi
Succubus
Hokuto Seikun
Black Frost
Cu Chulainn
Dis
Dominion
Triglav
Parvati
Leanan Sidhe
Genbu
Hanuman
Social Links:
Fool: Rank 7
Magician: Rank 6
Priestess: Rank 6
Empress: Rank 6
Emperor: Rank 6
Hierophant: Rank 8
Lovers: Rank 6
Chariot: Rank 6
Justice: Rank 9
Hermit: Rank 6
Strength: Rank 6
Hanged Man: Rank 4
Death: Rank 5
Temperance: Rank 8
Devil: Rank 7
Tower: Rank 6
Star: Rank 4
Moon: Rank 6
Sun: Rank 7
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