Summer Dreams

Tangled Web

As Rise let go, Naoto did her best to suppress that uncomfortability, and felt a contagious smile arise to match Rise's 1000 watt grin. "My apologies, Rise. I...this is quite a surprise," the detective said, "Wh-what about the show, are you not still practicing?" As far as Naoto knew, Rise was in the final stages of preparing for her massive comeback show at the Love Meets Bonds festival later that month. She had gotten so busy lately that even texts were going unanswered.

Rise giggled as she trotted past Naoto into her room, hands clasped behind her back as if she didn't have a care in the world. "Of course! Buuuttt while they're setting up the stage and doing other boring planning stuff, I figured I could take a little break! I never used to take them before; I would always get so worn out, and I want this time to be different. Plus," she sighed, turning back to give a mournful look at Naoto still in the doorway, "I missed you. A lot . Everyone else, too!"

It seemed that even after a few weeks of being away, Rise hadn't lost her irresistible charm nor her natural ability to make Naoto feel like the luckiest person on the Earth to have her as a friend. "You are always missed," she said wistfully, joining Rise in the center of her room, "It feels like we haven't spent any time together since..." If Naoto was remembering correctly, it was that wretched last day of school when she and Rise had seen each other last. Her expression hardened, accordingly.

Rise must have sensed it, as she stepped a little closer to her friend. "I-I know. And believe me, I feel terrible about not being around since...well, everything. But I want to make it up to you!"

Naoto was again touched by the girl's sincerity, but wanted to make it clear that her being here now was all that mattered. "R-Rise, please, you don't have to do anything other than-"

"Which is why," Rise announced, overpowering Naoto's objections by just raising her voice, "I'm organizing the 2nd annual Investigation Team Beach Party! " she squealed, doing a little wiggle with her hips and gesticulating her fingers in a silent dance, earning a raised eyebrow from her companion.

The beach? Naoto couldn't remember the last time she had actually stepped onto an honest-to-goodness beach; it was another of those things one does as a child that had just never occurred to her. Even now, she felt no real pressing desire to sit in dirty sand amidst or frolic amidst likely polluted water, nor did she feel like going out in her...swimsuit, of sorts. Still, she had also been rather ambivalent towards the ski trip the team had taken at the beginning of the year, but ended up enjoying herself. It was the first time that she had really spent time with everyone without the pressure of having to solve a murder case, and it was such a great feeling. Perhaps this could match that high, although Naoto had her doubts, given recent happenings.

"Hmm...the beach, eh?" Naoto asked, mostly to herself, "I've never actually been, although I suppose there's a first time for everything..."

Rise's pink lips formed an almost perfect oval in shock. " What!? Never!? Th-that means..." The girl had clenched her fists and was holding them over her mouth, as if the next sentence was in danger of harming Naoto. Even then, a muffled squeal made its way out. Naoto wasn't sure what had got her so anxious, but this was usually never a good sign for the detective.

"It means..." Naoto groaned, preparing herself for whatever crackpot idea Rise was clearly cooking up.

" We get to buy you a bathing suiiiittt!" Rise shrieked, skidding up to Naoto and wrapping her arms around her in yet another celebratory, claustrophobic hug. "I'm so happy, you have no idea! Now, if you ask me, it's bikini or bust, and I have several reasons why-"

Naoto slowly pushed Rise off of her and held up a hand, already not thrilled with her plan. "I'm going to stop you right there," she insisted, trying not to be too hard on her friend's good-intentioned plan, "I have not even said whether or not I would like to go, for one, and as for your bathing suit plan..." Again, Naoto had to swallow a lump of disgust down her throat at the mere thought of having to wear a bikini, "That will not be happening," she stated firmly with her arms crossed.