Yosuke's POV:
Everything I say, Yu looks away.
He's still mad at me? And I thought I was one to be petty.
But as soon as someone else speaks, he acts all normal.
I furrow my eyebrows.
Lately, I just can't figure him out.
"Shouldn't we invite Rise-chan?" Chie asks.
My ears perk up.
"Ooh... Good idea," Teddie agrees.
"Why?" Yu scoffs, looking away.
"...She's involved, too, you know," Yukiko reminds him.
"She's not," he frowns. "She's not part of our group, okay?"
"...She could have more info, Senpai," Kanji says quietly.
What, is he afraid of Yu or something?
"I don't care," Yu snaps.
"...Yu," I mumble.
"What is your deal!?" Chie yells, standing up.
"What?" He looks to her.
"First of all, you kiss Yukiko. Second, you ghost us, and now you want nothing to do with the case. This was all your freaking idea!"
His nostrils flare. "It's none of your business."
"...Chie, just lay off... okay?" I say softly.
"S-Sensei..." Teddie whispers.
"Yu..." Kanji puts a hand on his shoulder, to which he quickly shakes off.
"What's the big deal, huh?" He snaps. "Maybe I like Yukiko. Maybe I don't like the rest of you. Maybe I'm sick of playing detective with a bunch of kids."
"Don't say that, man..." I sigh. "You don't like Yukiko. You like... her."
He bites his lip.
"Don't bring 'her' into this," Kanji snaps, turning on me.
"I- I was just saying..."
"And Sensei likes me and Kanji, right?" Teddie smiles. "And Yuki-chan, and Chie-chan, and... Uh... maybe Yosuke..."
"Teddie," I groan.
"I doubt that's true," Chie scoffs. "He only cares about himself and Kanji."
"So what?" He says.
"Is... something going on between you and Kanji-kun, Narukami...?" Yukiko asks slowly.
Yu's eyes widen. "Wh-what the fuck!?"
"He's the only one you still speak to," Chie frowns.
"Listen, there's nothing between Yu and Kanji, alright?" I pipe up.
"...Are you sure?" Yukiko mumbles.
"Yes," Yu grunts.
"Yu isn't... He isn't..."
"Isn't what?" Kanji mutters.
"W-well... You know..."
"Gay," Yu finishes.
I turn to look at him.
"I'm not gay. I just like Kanji more, 'cause... Well, he's the easiest to speak to."
"...I'm easy to talk to, too," I murmur.
He shakes his head. "Does that clear any suspicions up?"
"...Speak to about what?" Chie queries.
"I-it's really none of our business, Chie..." Yukiko says.
"She's right," Kanji says. "It ain't your business, Senpai."
"It obviously is," she frowns. "He's changed. He's... different."
"Sorry I'm not who you want me to be," Yu grunts.
"D-dude, she didn't mean it like that..." I say.
"We're all friends, and your should be able to speak to us freely," Yukiko smiles.
"Especially me," I say quietly. He turns to face me. "You... can talk to me. I always listen."
He rolls his eyes.
"I- I know I've said it before, but... I'm gonna keep saying it 'til you believe me," I sigh.
"Yosuke-" He grimaces.
"Rise-chan!" Teddie grins.
"Huh?" We each turn our heads.
"Hi..." Rise smiles as she makes her way toward us.
Talk about bad timing.
"Hey, Rise-chan," Chie says. "Sit down."
She giggles, taking a seat besides Yu. He noticeably tenses up.
"I thought I'd find you guys up here," she smiles.
"Wh-what's up?" I swallow hard, my eyes on Yu.
"Um... You guys are talking about the case, right?"
"Uh-huh," Yukiko nods.
"...I mean... I can't remember much of what happened, but I'd love to help."
"What a cutie pie!" Teddie chuckles.
"I've already said no," Yu grunts.
Her smile breaks as she turns to him. "Have... I upset you?"
He looks away. "You're not welcome."
"...Come on, Senpai," Kanji urges. "Don't do this..."
"I... don't understand... I... Thought I could help...?" She says sadly.
"We need her, Sensei!" Teddie rises to his feet. "She has a better nose than me!"
Yu still shakes his head.
"Stop being so stubborn, Narukami," Chie scoffs. "Don't take it personally, Rise-chan... He's been acting strange lately."
"Oh, it's alright," she forces a smile. "An idol like me can't be liked by everyone, right?"
"Yeah," Kanji shrugs. "And that dungeon of yours... Prolly creeped him out."
"Probably creeped you out," I mumble.
"The hell's that mean?" He snaps.
"Yosuke, shut the hell up," Yu grunts.
"D-dude, I didn't-" I begin.
"Please?" Rise tries again. "I promise I won't be a burden on you, Yu-san..."
"And you can shut up, too," he scoffs.
"Senpai..." Kanji mutters.
"I... I didn't...?" She frowns, with tears in her eyes.
"What is wrong with you!?" Chie snaps.
Yu quickly stands, grabbing Kanji's arm.
"H-hey!" I call after them, but Yu only leads them faster and further from the roof.
Fuck.
"Something's not right," Yukiko sighs.
"You're telling me," I murmur.
"Hm." Chie furrows her eyebrows.
"Why doesn't Sensei like Rise-chan?" Teddie asks.
"I... I don't know, you stupid bear!" I yell.
"...I'm sorry." Rise looks away.
"Don't be," I smile. "It's not your fault. Really, it's not."
"And I promise we'll get you on the team," Chie says. "Whether he likes it or not."
"I... I'm sorry for being such a bother." She puts her hands in her lap.
"Come now... You're no bother." Yukiko rubs her arm.
"...This all started when we saved Kanji, right?" I say aloud.
"Yeah," Chie says. "I think so."
"So... What has Kanji done?"
"You can't blame this all on Kanji-kun," Yukiko says worriedly.
"In the bathhouse... Yu was acting kinda weird..." I say.
"...You think so?" Chie frowns.
"And when we saved Kanji... Yu said something to him."
"...Did he?" Yukiko asks.
"He said something like... 'You don't have to be ashamed. You and I are alike'..."
"...What does that mean?" Rise asks.
"I... I don't..." My forehead creases, trying to figure it out.
"You think he has some secret?" Chie says.
"The guy is an open book," I scoff.
"...But he likes this one girl, right?" Yukiko nods slowly. "Maybe... This girl knows Kanji-kun?"
"That wouldn't explain why he's being so distant toward us," I sigh.
"...Maybe she's changed him."
"That... That can't be..." I whisper.
"...And Kanji's the only one who can get through to him?" Chie says slowly.
"And, of course... He doesn't wanna worry us," I groan. "See? I knew there was a simple explanation."
"This is... still just a theory, right?" Rise says. "Maybe we should confirm this before making any more assumptions."
"She's right," Teddie nods.
"...What kind of girl would this be, though?" Yukiko whispers, almost to herself.
"Well, she's gotta be some punk girl, right?" I say. "Considering Kanji's friends with her, and all..."
"Hm... Maybe..." Chie agrees.
"...But he always talks so fondly of her. She can't be that much of a bad person, right...?"
"We're never gonna know if we keep speculating," Rise sighs.
"Sooo... Stakeout?" Chie smirks.
"We are not spying on him," I groan.
"Oh, but it will be fun!" Yukiko giggles.
"Guys—"
"Stakeout! Stakeout! Stakeout!" Teddie cheers.
"He's gonna be pissed," I frown.
"Not if we help him," Chie chuckles. "Let's all meet here tomorrow after school, okay?"
"Got it," Yukiko nods.
"By the way... Have you been enrolled in school yet, Rise-chan?" Chie asks.
"Hm? Oh, yeah," she smiles. "I'm a first year at Yasogami."
"Then that makes us your senpai," I tease.
"G-got it, Senpai," she chuckles.
~~~
Yu's POV:
"S-Senpai, you can't..."
"Shut the hell up."
I shut the bathroom door behind us.
"C-come on... What if someone walks in?"
"They won't, Kanji."
"You don't know that."
"Nobody uses this bathroom, anyway."
"How do you know?"
"Just—"
I cut myself off, pushing him to the wall.
I can feel my whole body shaking.
But I still force my mouth onto his.
"F-fuck," he whispers. "I-it hurts..."
"Everything hurts," I mutter. "It always will."
I kiss him with everything. With fear; with anger; with embarrassment.
Yosuke doesn't understand. He'll never understand how I feel.
There's no point. All he does is string me along, 'til he finds some girl.
Maybe... If I were a girl... Things would be better.
He turns his head to the side, breaking the kiss.
"What?" I snap.
"S-sorry," he splutters, coughing.
"...Just hurry up," I grunt.
He quickly regains his breath before resuming position.
"...Mhm... Y-Yu...?" He muffles between kisses.
"What is it?" I groan.
"Do you... still imagine him when you kiss me?"
I pull away, wiping my mouth. "What?"
"I just... wanna know."
"Does it matter?"
"No, but—"
"Then, shut it."
I press myself into him again.
Do I think of Yosuke every time I kiss him? What kind of idiot does he think I am!?
Of course I don't.
I kiss Kanji, for god's sake. That'll never change.
My eyes flicker open as tears start to fall.
And, for an instant, I swear I see his auburn hair. His liquor stained eyes; his crooked nose.
I blink twice, my heart pounding.
...Fuck. He's right. Yosuke is the only one I can think of.
I move my mouth to Kanji's neck, biting it harshly.
"S-Senpai..." He breathes.
"Shhh," I coo.
~~~
Yosuke's POV:
"...So you guys better not ignore me at school," Rise giggles.
"As if we'd do that," Chie grins.
"Ooh! Can I go to school, too?" Teddie asks.
"No freaking way," I scoff.
"Aww," he frowns.
"I- I mean... maybe one day, right?" Yukiko smiles.
"You mean that, Yuki-chan?" He looks to her with those big bear eyes again.
"Uh-huh," she nods, patting his head.
"Sucks the meeting got cancelled, though..." Rise sighs, toying with a napkin.
"We'll get him back to normal," I shrug. "I promise."
"Uh... Yosuke-kun?"
"Hm?" I turn my head. "Ishioka-san? What's the matter?"
"We're gonna need you to clean up the men's bathroom on the second floor."
"Oh... Sure, I mean—"
"And quick. People have been avoiding it because of the stench. We're losing customers!"
"Alright, alright, I'll sort it," I mutter.
"...Stench?" Chie furrows a brow.
"That either means someone's puked up their guts, or had seriously bad diarrhoea."
"Eeww," Yukiko grimaces.
"Uh-huh," I nod. "I'll be back soon, guys."
"Feel free to order food, ladies," Teddie smiles. "It's all going on Yosuke's tab!"
~~~
...God dammit. Why me? I always get stuck on cleanup duty. It's not fair.
I sigh, grabbing the bucket and mop in my hands firmly.
Eh. Well, here goes nothing.
~~~
Yu's POV:
"Sh-shit..." Kanji whispers, his eyes widening as he pushes me back.
"What?" I frown, leaning back in.
He pushes me away again.
I furrow my eyebrows, unsure of what would make him want to stop so bad.
I slowly turn around, and I feel my whole body go limp.
"Y-Yu...?"
Yosuke...
He looks fucking mortified...
Oh, shit, oh, shit, oh, shit...
"...I..." I breathe, my voice croaky.
He blinks several times after dropping his mop and bucket to the ground. "This can't... No... No...!"
"Y-Yosuke, please... Let me—"
He shakes his head slowly, walking backwards. "This... This isn't real... This... This can't be happening."
"...Yosuke, I—"
But he turns and bolts out of the door.
I stand there, frozen, with Kanji at my side.
How... How much did he see? Oh my god...
~~~
thanks for reading:)
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