Yu's POV:
"Shit," I mutter, stopping in front of the station.
"What's the matter?" Kanji asks.
"If... My uncle is working tonight, I..." I sigh.
"Hey." Yosuke puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, man."
"I'll take him in," Kanji offers.
"...It's just gonna get you into trouble," I grunt. "Seeing you with the culprit... Damn, Kanji. I can't lay that on you."
"It'll be fine," Yosuke shrugs.
I turn to him. "What?"
"I mean... it's just Kanji, dude."
"Say that again, bastard," Kanji yells.
"Woah, woah, woah, what's the commotion out here?"
We turn to the back door, watching as Adachi-san comes out with a trash bag in his hand.
"Mind your own damn business." Yosuke crosses his arms.
"Holy shit... That's... Kubo..." Adachi mumbles, dropping the bag.
"Y-yeah..." I grunt, tightening my grip on him.
"Jesus, Narukami, what the hell are you doing!?" He snaps.
"I'm... It's not what it looks like," I grimace.
"Yeah," Yosuke says. "Ask Kanji."
"Wha—? Me!?" Kanji scoffs.
"I don't give a damn about Kubo right now," Adachi-san murmurs. "What the hell do you think Dojima-san is gonna say about this, huh!?"
I swallow hard. "I was hoping you wouldn't tell him."
"...Geez. He's in there right now, filling out paperwork," he grumbles, jerking a finger back to the building.
"...I just wanted to help."
"Listen," he sighs. "I won't breathe a word of this, okay?"
"You... You mean that?" I splutter.
Adachi-san grabs Kubo from me. "I'll... come up with an excuse."
"What's... gonna happen to him?" Yosuke asks.
Adachi-san shrugs. "The usual."
"...Are you sure he did it?"
"Damn, Dojima-san was right," he scoffs. "You are pretty nosy, huh, Hanamura?"
I feel my own rage rise now.
"I just don't think he did it," Yosuke grunts, trying to keep his composure.
"You... You said to me that he might not be the killer," I say slowly.
"That was supposed to stay between you and me," he frowns.
"But..." I breathe.
"Look... Just go home, okay? I won't ask how you found him. Just go check on Nanako-chan, got that? She's all alone."
"He's got a point," Kanji mutters. "I can come with you, if you want."
"Or I could go," Yosuke scoffs.
"I don't give a damn who goes where, but you three better scram before someone sees you," Adachi-san sighs.
"...Thank you for everything." I bow.
"...Ha, don't sweat it," he chuckles. "Now, you." He turns to Kubo. "Are gonna go away for good, got that? You're not escaping again..."
Adachi-san returns inside with Kubo in his hands.
I sigh, turning back to Yosuke and Kanji, who both appear to be staring at me.
"...What's the matter?" I ask.
"Yu," Yosuke says. "...Do... You and Nanako-chan want to stay at my place tonight?"
"The hell?" Kanji scoffs.
"If... Dojima-san's still at work.." He continues.
"It wouldn't be a good idea," Kanji says.
"I was taking to Yu."
"Tell him, Yu."
"Don't go around callin' him that."
"He's more than just my upperclassman."
"Oh, yeah, and we all know what that means, huh!?"
"Shut the hell up," I snap. "Both of you."
"...I'm sorry," Kanji sighs.
I turn to Yosuke.
"...What?" He mutters. "I'm not sorry. I didn't do anything wrong."
"I don't know why he's friends with a prick like you," Kanji shrugs.
"Like you're any better."
"Fuck both of you," I scoff. "...I'm going home."
"But, Senpai—"
"It's fine, Kanji," I sigh. "I'm just sick of everyone arguing."
"Yu," Yosuke sighs softly.
"See you, guys."
~~~
Yosuke's POV:
"You know it's been hard for him at home, too," I scoff.
"Don't turn this on me," Kanji yells. "Everything I do is wrong. Everything Teddie does is wrong. Everything Yu does is wrong."
"That's such bullshit," I snap. "Yu's done nothing wrong."
"You make him feel like he's done something wrong."
"You don't know anything," I say. "Jesus, Kanji. You're mad at me 'cause I don't approve of the way you live, yeah? But, shit, man. I haven't done anything to Yu, so don't turn this on me."
He shakes his head. "This isn't about me."
"I know you... have some sort of twisted feelings for him," I grunt.
"What are you—?"
"But he's not interested, okay?" I shrug. "So quit hanging off him."
He rolls his eyes. "You wanna talk about clingy? Go ask Rise."
"Rise's a girl."
"So?"
"She's allowed to hang off him."
"Do you have any idea how stupid you sound right now?"
"The fuck?" I scoff.
"Are you a girl?"
"...Eh?" I frown.
"Cause you hang off him, too."
I pull a face. "No, I don't."
"You do. You never leave his side."
"...I'm his best friend," I shrug. "That's different."
"You know how that looks, don't you?"
"Shut up," I snap. "I'm nothing like you."
He scoffs. "Whatever, man."
"...I'm just trying to protect him from you."
"...Because I'm the big bad wolf, right?"
"Because you think there's something special between the two of you."
"I don't think that," he groans.
"...What?"
"He's my friend, too. And he shouldn't have to feel so insecure around you."
"...But—"
"Yes, we kissed, alright?" He sighs. "But there's nothing to it, really. He's just a friend. I was the only one there for him."
"He's not gay," I yell.
"You don't know him."
"You're not more important to him than I am," I snap.
"You sound like you're obsessed with him."
I swallow hard. "He knows he can come to me."
"He can't when you're like this."
"Like what?"
"Always ready to start an argument. I mean, seriously. Do you really think that's the type of person he wants around?"
I bite my lip.
"You care about him," he says. "And he cares about you. And that's only gonna stay the same if you're open-minded about this sort of thing."
"He's confused," I scoff.
"He knows more about himself than you do."
I shake my head. "Stop... tryna get to me."
"I don't give a shit about you," he says. "And I really wish he didn't, either."
He turns around.
"Kanji..." I breathe.
He looks like he's going to say goodbye, but leaves before doing so.
~~~
I toss and turn, but all I can think of is King Moron.
His body, the smell... Everything.
Did... he know he was gonna die?
I swallow hard.
Part of me suspected that he was the killer...
He hated us all, and Saki, too, but... Jesus. I should have known. He's just a teacher. He was just a teacher.
...Now, he's gone.
I try to cast the image out of my mind, but it only gets replaced by Kanji.
What does he mean, Yu can't be himself around me? That he feels like he's done something wrong?
Kanji's an asshole. He thinks he knows Yu better than anyone.
I mean, seriously?
Yu knows I'm right by his side. He knows he can talk to me.
Maybe Kanji's just tryna piss me off. After all the shit I said to him, I wouldn't blame him.
But he can't force this on to Yu.
He doesn't like guys. That's that.
...I hate how Kanji is pressing it so hard. Because he doesn't want to be the only one, or something.
I mean, seriously... He's happy with Rise. She's not a guy, for crying out loud.
Kanji's just fucked up, honestly. It would have been better if we never saved him.
I swallow hard.
I don't mean that, of course. But... He infuriates me sometimes.
Dammit...
I wonder how Yu is.
I hope he's okay.
I hope that bastard of an uncle doesn't bother him.
...I hope he sleeps well.
He did great today. He deserves it.
I smile softly.
He's amazing.
~~~
Yu's POV:
"It's Narukami," I grunt, pressing the phone between my shoulder and my ear, trying to tie my laces.
"Hm? How'd you get my number?"
"Sorry," I mumble. "I found it from my uncle's files."
"You really shouldn't be telling his partner about that," Adachi chuckles.
"Probably not... But, I trust you," I say.
"...So, what do you want?" He asks. "It's eight in the morning, and I've got a call from my boss' nephew. It's kinda odd."
"...I just wanted to know what happened to Kubo," I say, putting my other shoe on.
"Oh, he's gonna be tried in court pretty soon."
"...Is he really the killer?"
"Sure."
I frown.
"Just don't worry about it, okay?" He says. "It's all over."
"But it's not," I scoff. "If he's not the killer, then you're going to arrest an innocent person."
"He's not innocent if he tried to escape."
"Even if he was wrongly imprisoned?"
"I..." He sighs. "Look. Promise me you won't stress about it, alright? I'll let you know if anything happens."
I nod. "Thank you."
"...Take care, Narukami."
"See you."
~~~
"...Is this really it?" Chie sighs, finally joining us on the food court.
"Maybe," Kanji shrugs.
Yosuke frowns. "We can't be sure of everything "
"He's right," Rise agrees. "We have to look over this one more time."
"It's not going to change anything," I sigh.
"...Huh?" Yosuke turns to face me. "What do you mean?"
"I mean... How the hell are they going to find evidence against a confession?" I scoff.
"...It can happen," Rise says.
"Unless he did do it," Yukiko says.
"He didn't," Yosuke says firmly.
"You don't know that," Kanji snaps.
"Shut up," he argues.
"Stop it," Chie groans. "Geez..."
Teddie heads over to us, tossing his apron to the side as he sits down.
"...What's the matter, Teddie?" I ask, noticing he's a lot paler than usual.
"...There's been another body."
"...What?" Yukiko blinks.
"Hey... It's alright..." I rub his back gently, waiting for him to elaborate.
"...It wasn't Kubo... was it?" Kanji whispers.
He shakes his head. "Teacher."
"...A teacher?" Rise frowns. "...Who—?"
"King Moron," Yosuke finishes.
They all turn to look at him.
Teddie nods.
"...How do you know?" Chie asks.
"I..." He looks away.
"Yosuke," she says firmly.
"I saw him, alright?" He mutters.
"...Saw him?" Rise says quietly.
"He was... dead," he breathes. "Just... laying on the ground. Fucking.... dead."
"It's alright..." Yukiko puts a hand to his shoulder.
I blink several times, biting my lip.
"...Why didn't you say anything?" Kanji sighs.
"He was in shock," I say.
"...You knew, too, Senpai?" He looks a little hurt.
I nod.
"...Did Kubo kill him?" Chie mumbles.
"We don't know," I say.
"He didn't," Yosuke frowns.
"Yosuke—"
"What relation could they have possibly had?" He snaps.
"Maybe they knew each other out of school," Kanji scoffs.
"What, a teenager and a middle-aged man?"
"They could be family," Yukiko suggests.
Yosuke shakes his head. "The police would have found that out by now."
"...So it really is possible he's not the killer?" Rise sighs.
"...We just have to wait and see."
I pulled out my cell beneath the table a couple of moments ago, refreshing my feed as we spoke.
I don't know what I'm looking for.
A new next from my father, maybe? Or Mother, at this point.
They've never called since I moved here in the Spring.
It... well, it stings, to be quite honest.
I've tired calling, but they never pick up. I try messaging them, but they never answer.
I just want to go home. Is that too much to ask for?
I guess I always could just start getting more shifts at the daycare center or as a tutor. That all adds up, doesn't it?
I can pack my bags, get a train ticket, and leave this shitty town behind.
But I guess there's one thing holding me back.
...The thought of Yosuke. The thought of leaving him like this... Of never seeing him again.
I know it would be for the best, but... I don't think I'm ready to let him go just yet. But this isn't about what I'm 'ready for'.
"You listening, man?" Yosuke says.
"Hm?" I lift my head up. "Yeah, of course..."
Chie sighs. "I'm starving. I'm gonna go order some food."
"Grab me something, too, Chie-chan!" Teddie grins.
"Why don't you just go with her?" Kanji scoffs.
"Fine!" He groans.
"I'll come, too," Yukiko smiles.
But I keep refreshing my feed.
"...You okay, Senpai?" Rise asks softly, putting a hand on my shoulder.
I nod, quickly standing up. "I just gotta go make a call real quick."
"...To who?" Yosuke asks.
"It... It doesn't matter."
"To Adachi-san?" He frowns.
"What?" I scoff.
"...I still think it's weird."
"What is?" Kanji shrugs.
"Being friends with Adachi-san?" Rise questions.
Yosuke nods. "It is a bit weird. He's a cop, and a middle-aged man."
"How many times?" I groan. "He's a family friend."
"...Yeah, but he's not your best friend, is he?"
"If you need to know," I sigh. "I'm not calling him."
"Oh," he says. "So... who are you—?"
"I'll be right back." I bite my tounge, cutting him off as I head downstairs.
~~~
"Sorry, but this person can't answer at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep."
I bite my tongue. "...Hey, Dad. I just, uh..." I squeeze my eyes shut, pressing my back against the wall. "I wanted to know if you could call me back when you get the chance. I... I just wanna come home. I'll do anything. ...I love you... Bye..."
I inhale sharply before turning off my cell.
I'll be lucky to get a response.
I'm not wanted here. Not by Yosuke. So, what's the point, right?
I just want to forget this town. I want to go home.
"...Senpai?"
I snap my head around, quickly pocketing my phone. "...Hey, Rise."
She furrows a brow. "Are... you alright?"
I nod.
She frowns. "Don't lie to me."
"Seriously, Rise, I'm—"
She steps closer to me before wrapping her arms around me, holding me close.
I hold my breath.
She's... so warm.
...I guess she's the only one who cares?
I try to blink back the tears.
I'm never going to be enough for Yosuke. I wish I was Rise. I wish I had wide hips and big breasts. I wish I was more 'pretty' than handsome. I wish my voice was higher.
I wish he liked me.
"Hey..." She coos, pulling back slightly to wipe my eyes.
"...I'm sorry," I grunt.
"Don't be," she smiles softly. "What's the matter?"
"...Nothing."
"Senpai," she sighs.
"I'm fine, honest."
"I won't tell Yosuke-senpai, if that's what you're worried about."
"What are you talking about?" I splutter.
"I know you feel like you have to... prove yourself to him," she shrugs. "But I won't judge you."
Shit. It's that obvious, huh?
"It's just my dad," I shrug.
"...Is he unwell?"
"No," I shake my head. "I'm just... worrying too much. He's not answering my calls. I don't think he wants to talk to me."
"That's not true," she frowns. "Why... Why do you want to call him in the first place?"
"I want to go home."
Her eyes widen. "...You mean, back to the city?"
I pocket my hands with a small nod.
"Senpai... Why?" She breathes.
"I have nothing here, Rise," I say. "The case is closed, and that's that."
"What about us?" She whispers.
"You guys'll be fine."
"That's not true," she scoffs. "We all need you, okay? Not just for the case, but... because you're an amazing friend, Senpai."
"Friend," I recite.
"Hm?"
"Nothing."
"...There's something more to this, isn't there?"
Give a girl a few years in showbiz, and she can read you like a book.
"Yeah."
"...A girl."
"Something like that."
Her face falls. "I guess there goes my shot, huh?"
"...Sorry."
"Don't worry," she smiles. "What is she like?"
I shake my head. "She doesn't like me."
"How do you know?"
"She told me so."
"Oh," she sighs.
"I really cared for her. I still do, Rise. It hurts seeing her, though."
"What, so you just wanna leave?"
I shrug. "Yeah."
"You can't let her control you like that," she frowns.
"It's not by choice," I scoff.
"You can be happy without her."
"She's always around."
"Who is she?"
I groan. "Nobody."
"Senpai—"
"It doesn't even matter anymore."
"...This isn't her fault," she says softly. "If you leave, she'll lose a good friend, too. Do you want her to lose you?"
"Would it matter?"
"To her."
I shake my head. "Bullshit."
"Girls can be surprisingly sensitive, Senpai," she giggles.
I smile softly. Hm.
"I still can't stay," I say.
She reaches for my hand. "I won't let you go until you face this."
I blink, staring at her as she pulls away.
"Ha... Sorry," she murmurs.
"It's alright."
"Truth is, Yosuke-senpai said you liked confident girls, so—"
"Yosuke?"
"...Yeah?"
That explains a lot. And it hurts like hell.
"I'll stop," she says. "If you let me help you get things back to normal."
"Rise—"
"Please, Senpai," she says. "I won't leave your side. I swear."
I nod slowly.
It's not like I want to do this. It's just until Dad calls me back. Then I'm gone. Nobody even has to know.
Just... let Rise do her thing, I suppose.
~~~
thanks for reading:)
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