Case Archive
Title: Aftermath
RP Partner: shieldofemperor
Status: Completed
Summary: After a night of King's Game, Kanji have to take care of a intoxicated Naoto. As they stumble through the city to a hotel, things start to get more complicated...
âHey Naoto, can you stand?â he said, facing the somewhat inebriated young detective.
Come to think of it, he felt slightly drunk himself, but that was impossible, right? There wasnât supposed to be alcohol on the side of the table where the underage participants in Kingâs Game were. But far be it for anyone to call out Club Escapade on their mistake â they would get in just as much trouble for underage drinking as they would for serving them. He knew for a fact that the last time there was a Kingâs Game, he didnât feel anything. But a combination of the atmosphere and some alcohol (Booze has no right tasting that innocent, he thought) had brought his feelings for Naoto to the surface. And though he was unskilled in such matters, he was all but certain her feelings for him were the same⌠maybe. Unless it was just the influence. Naoto was rather small and just one drink might put her over. Thankfully it was wearing off for him, but he was almost twice her weight after all.
âNaoto, you there?â Heâd never seen her this unfocused before.
Unfocused is the right word as Naoto only respond to being called twice was to turn her head vaguely in the direction of Kanji. Vaguely. Because she isnât sure how many of him there is suppose to be now but itâs definitely not one.
"Hiii~" She answered eventually, having no idea what she was answering to. Her body seems to heat up and her stomach feels weird, but not in any unpleasant way. And there is a sweet taste on her tongue. Also, sheâs very thirsty. "Say Kanji? Where are those sweeeet tasting drink gone? I could use moreeeeâŚ" Sheâs slurring some of her words, practically hanging off Kanji at this point.
A little breeze blew by and it tingles her legs. âAnd whyyy is everything breezyyy?â She asked, unaware sheâs not in her normal clothes after the event in the club.
âWhoa, you donât need any more of that, Nao,â he said, directing her to the closest water fountain he could find. She was once again grabbing onto him for support. He shouldnât read too much into that⌠should he? He was so confused. How long was he going to keep doing this to himself?
But then he recalled that, somewhat under the influence, they had shared that bottle of sweet tasting something and had just about admitted his feelings to her with a kiss on the cheek. Well, that he liked her a lot and didnât want to take advantage of her in that state. She hadnât given him an answer⌠but maybe she interpreted what he said wrong? It wasnât like her saying Iâm pretty meant anything, baka, he thought to himself. He couldnât kid anyone. No one had an interest in Kanji, the former delinquent, the bicurious butch fairy who made dolls. Least of all, one of the most popular yet mysterious students of Yasogami High. Right?
He wouldnât mention it again if she didnât. He was too afraid of any awkwardness that might occur.
At her second question, he noticed her skirt flying up slightly in the breeze, showing more leg than he was used to from her. Quickly, he tried to hold it down without actually touching her hips so any passersby didnât see. âCrap! We donât need any Marilyn Monroe moments here. Yeah so⌠you donât remember? You switched clothes with Minako, she just came back from work andâ never mind.â He rather liked the sight of her in a maidâs outfit. It was a bit loose, and itâs not like he had some fetish for women in servitude, but she rarely wore clothes that showed much of her slim figure. She had stopped binding some time ago, which made it look even better⌠but had to focus. âHere, drink water. You need to get that crap outta your system.â
"Ehhh⌠I remember Minako walking away with my keysss⌠and I get to wear your shirt and it was big and comfy!" She declared happily by his side.
Hanging on to him via a death grip on his coat, she stumbled over to the water fountain he lead her to. She changed her position from using Kanji as a walking stick to hanging onto the fountain sides. She reached over and pressed the button, water sprouting up and she stared at it with a frown. âThis doesnât look quite as nice as the other drinksâŚâ She mutters before leaning over and drink from it.
But as one might imagine with a drunk, she leans too far and practically have water splashing at her face. Which is just as well, as that seems to jolt her momentarily from her drunken stupor.
Gasping, she step back and shook her head, splashing water around for a moment and blinked, her eyes focusing a little more. âKanji?â She turned around slowly, face still red and water dripping from her hair and face to the maid outfit but she seems a little more awake. âUrgh⌠I shouldnât have drank so muchâŚâ Or at all, but her mind doesnât seems willing to be that logical yet. She looked around them, at the closed shops and dark sky with dully lit street lamps. It was quiet and cold, a sharp contrast to what happened mere hour beforehand.
Something nagged at the back of her mind. An important question that they should seek the answer for as soon as possible but she canât tell what. Deciding maybe more water would help, she turned back to the fountain, her arms gaining more strength or at least, more coordination, and took a long drink from it. She also took this chance to splash more water on her face, not caring how cold it is against her skin, heated from the alcohol that she can still taste in her mouth.
âAh-heh⌠technically I guess it was my shirt, but that was the Kanji from an alternate universe, remember?â He couldnât help but smile at the fact that wearing âhisâ things made her happy. Kanji never figured she liked him that much even as a friend, but she kept a pretty stoic exterior a lot of the time so it was near impossible to tell what she was thinking. âWeâll get your clothes and keys back soon, no worries.â
He couldnât help but chuckle a bit at her trying to drink the water. âYeah well⌠you surprised me. Didnât think youâd cut loose like that. You need to be careful next time. I mean, youâre kinda small so the alcohol works faster,â he tried in to say in a matter of fact way rather than scolding.
The thought just hit him. âCan you text your granddad? Gettinâ a train back to Inaba this lateâs gonna be like, impossible. We better just stay at a cheap motel or something. Thereâs gotta be something nearbyâŚâ He then took his phone out and sent a text:
Hey Ma, getting a motel here. Will take next train out in morning. Weâll be safe, no worries.
After letting Naoto get some more water, he escorted her outside and started looking around. He started a search on his phone for motels in the area. One of them sounded familiar⌠âNah, not that again. And peopleâd get the wrong idea.â He then located a more sensible place just a few blocks away. âBingo. Will you be okay walking?â he asked her.
Any further attempt at working the water fountain is mixed success. Water dripping from her face, she shook her head to splash it off only made her head spin. âWell, I like your shirtâŚâ She mumbles while battling the water.
Managing to get a few more mouthful of water, Naoto gave up on that endeavor and let go of the fountain, leaning against it unsteadily. âI didnât think it had that much alcohol in themâŚâ Actually, she was already down a slippery slope by the end of the first drink. The rest simply followed. âThe bright colours are also very deceivingâŚâ
But too late to complain now. Holding onto Kanji again, she was helped outside where the air was chilly and the maid outfit didnât do anything to help the matter. She shivers, raising her wet arms to try dry off her face at least. It worked as well as expected. âRight⌠grampa. Motel.â That sounds about right.
As Kanji searched for one on his phone, she pulled out hers (she was thankful she had the presence of mind to take out her phone and keys before the clothes swap, unfortunately the keys was chained to her belt though) and made a quick text to her grandfather. Or attempted to.
To: Grampa { OUT IN CITY WITH KJANJI. STAY IN HORTAL FOR THE NIGHT. WILL GET HOME TOMORROW MORNING. CALL WHEN I GET HOME. IS SAGE. }
She squinted at the bright screen, thought it seemed alright before sending.
Locking her phone and sliding it to the very small pocket of the outfit, Naoto looks up from Kanjiâs side, eyes still largely unfocused but at least sheâs more alert.
"Letâs get ourselves a room." She said with a tired, lazy smile.
Kanji tried to stop himself from chuckling some more when she was losing the battle with the water fountain. He blushed some more at what she said about his shirt. Maybe he could get one of her own if she liked it so much. He certainly did.
âBe surprised how much a kick that stuff has. Least thatâs what Naoki told me,â he recalled being told. The Konishi family had always been very knowledgeable about what they were selling, something Junes couldnât quite match in the spirits department.
Kanji waited as Naoto texted her grandfather, but noticed something amiss besides her intoxication. âWait, youâre shivering. Are you cold? Um, you already wore my shirt butâŚâ Now was the time for chivalry. He took off his leather jacket and went behind her, gently guiding her arms into the sleeves while making sure she was steady. âA tailor made fit,â he joked about the oversized garment on her, trying to lighten the mood a little.
âRoom. Right! Just this way.â Most of the night heâd been pretty passive. But now he decided it couldnât hurt to actually hold her back. As they walked in the direction of the motel, he shifted his hand to around her waist as she held on to him for stability. She was so warm⌠her skin felt soft through the fabric. But he was just helping her stand up, right? Of course, he knew he was lying to himself, but he had to test the waters. See if, once and for all, she felt for him as much as he felt for her.
The cold air outside did help in clearing her head a little, but did nothing for the fact a maidâs outfit is not made for cold temperature, especially one dripping water. She tried to wipe it off again, resulting in just spreading more droplets all over her face and down to her clothes.
At least Kanji is kind enough to lend her his jacket, because intoxicated or not, she would be too stubborn to ask for anything. The jacket was warm and blocked the wind, and smell like him, which makes her smile widen as she tuck her head lower into the jacket that drapes over her frame like a blanket. âItâs warmâŚâ She mumbles under it.
Feeling an arm on her back prompted her to do the same. Normally she would question it but⌠itâs Kanji. If she was to assign an attribute to every male member of the Team, Kanji would be âsafeâ. The second would be âgentleâ. Both heâs displaying excellently and Naoto finds herself leaning against his side, wrapping her arm to his back and clung on there, her other hand holding the jacket close in the front.
The streets was quiet as they walked, well pass the time for most people to venture out. The walk was slow, mainly because Naoto keep stumbling over her own feet and attempting to match Kanjiâs natural stride by widening hers has almost ended in her running into a lamppost. âI have my wallet, I can pay for our rooms tonight.â She suggest when they were getting closer to leaving the street behind.
Kanji had never seen her smile as much as she did tonight. âGlad you like itâŚâ
She began leaning on him. His heart was beating a mile a minute⌠yet this was the happiest heâd ever been around her.
Naoto was still a bit tipsy. She was clearly starting to regain control. It made him wonder why she was still being so close to him⌠âWhoa!â Kanji pulled her out of the way just in time. The lamppost came pretty close to creating a comedy movie moment. Okay⌠she still needed to sober up some more.
Her next suggestion caught him off guard. âOh. Are you sure?â He didnât totally mind of course. Her family certainly had more money. Though somehow he felt responsible for her.
Truthfully, Naoto isnât sure what she is doing herself. It seems any attempt on her part to be serious just keep failing immediately. Her head is still warm and woozy, and while sheâs starting to calm down, it isnât happening as quick as she had hoped.
It certainly isnât happening fast enough for inanimate objects to be considered dangerous. First the water fountain and now the lamppostâŚ
"Itâs okay." Naoto nodded, which just made everything a slight bit worse. "Just let me get my cardâŚ" She struggled against the long sleeve of the jacket and the unfamiliar outfit underneath to get her wallet. Once she does, she flipped through several cards before picking out one, handing that over to Kanji. "Use this one⌠itâs one of my disguise card though so it uses a different name and all." She explained quickly as they make their way inside the motel.
âOh⌠okayâŚâ He had a feeling why she was using one of her disguise cards.
âAh, welcome,â said the male clerk, putting down a magazine and still unfathomably chipper this late at night. Kanji figured they slept during the day or something. âYou two are in luck, you have the last room.â
Room. In the singular.
âRight⌠so whatâre the specs.â
âOne queen size bed. Iâm afraid the room isnât a honeymoon suite or anything, but it should be enough for you two lovebirds.â
⌠why did people assume they were a couple sometimes? Oh, right. Because she was still clinging onto him and wearing his jacket. In this situation, he had to admit it made sense.
âUhâŚâ
âAnything wrong, sir?â
âNo! Um, will that be okay for you, dear?â he asked, lookin towards Naoto. âSorry, long night for us and all.â
Busy scanning the lobby of their chosen motel, Naoto almost missed the entire conversation. Almost. She did notice the single bed despite her state. And the fact the receptionist believe they are together.
Any other time, Naoto would at least make a fumbled attempt to correct him, but with how much filtering is correctly missing in her mind, she accepted it in stride.
Turning up to glance at Kanji, she smiled widely. âOf course, honey~ Itâs perfect!â She answer, rivaling the receptionist in the department of âunholy hours to be chipperâ. âWeâll take it. All we need is a bed anyway.â Naoto have no qualm as to how that could be taken. Or maybe she did it intentionally, as she glanced at Kanjiâs face with a smirk that edges towards mischievous.
Kanji couldnât help but grin and deepen in colour at the sound of her calling him âhoneyâ. He flashed back to that rainy day where heâd refused to share an umbrella with her because he was over thinking things. Now, there was no avoiding being âpractically a coupleâ. Everyone at Club Escapade had whispered it. He was thinking it⌠was she?
âSure, weâll take it.â Heâd worry about the sleeping arrangements when it came time. âHere you go,â Kanji said, handing the card to the motel clerk, who in turn handed Kanji the usual forms to fill out.
He was terrified, yet thrilled at the prospect of dating her. Her! The Detective Prince! The newest generation of the Shirogane family, known widely as philanthropists and detectives. But even without the semi-celebrity status, she was stillâ
âSay⌠arenât you her? The Detective Princess or something, right?â the clerk said, looking Naotoâs way.
Oh, brother⌠Kanji thought, looking up from writing a moment.
Naoto had turned her weight to lean against the table of the reception, watching Kanji filling out the form when the reception asked her. Seems he was paying more attention than she gave him credit, at least.
She raised an eyebrow at him. âMe? You think a celebrity detective would be found tipsy in the city, well pass midnight and signing in a room with one bed for two people?â
"Nah, but I do get that a lot though. Iâm Naoko Matsunaga." She gave Kanji a look, hoping heâll catch on. "People seems to like to think of me otherwise and thatâs pretty flattering, donât you think?" Deceiving and being quick on your feet was one of the detective skills she had a little trouble with, although it seems alcohol helped with the first part. She make a note to remember that.
Wow, she was good, even under the influence.
âAh, well, sorry to embarrass you, Ms. Matsunaga. That Shirogane girl does usually dress a lot more butch. Yâknow, sheâd look fabulous inââ
âI like the way she dresses just fine,â Kanji blurted in a non-defensive, matter of fact tone. Whoops. âI mean⌠it suits her. Sheâs independent and cool and stuff. And sheâd look beautiful no matter what she wore,â he corrected himself as he looked over towards Naoto. Sheepishly, he handed back the forms to the clerk.
âHaha, yes sir. I suppose youâre right. Better watch out, miss, it sounds like youâve got competition for your boyfriend,â he winked, completely unaware of the irony. Handing back the card, he finalized their arrangements. âAlrighty, all of this looks good. Youâre in room 15, just down that way,â he added, pointing to the hallway and handing Kanji the keys.
âGreat! Well uh, letâs go, Naoâ Naoko.â
The conversation had turned into one thatâs amusing Naoto to no end. Here she is, listening a conversation about herself in third person. Itâs rather⌠insightful, she thinks. So Kanji thinks whatever she wears is beautiful, huh?
Lucky that her face was already red from drinking, it hides the fact the thought that Kanji finds her beautiful at all was making her blush and fluster.
"Oh, Iâm not worried about that~" Naoto answered the reception before giving him a little wave and once again lean on Kanji, letting him lead them away to their rooms.
Once safely out of hearing range from the receptionist and the general lobby area, Naoto turns back to Kanji. âSo Kanji-kun, do I have to worry about competition after all?â She asked playfully, despite her sobering up quite nicely now. Still, never a better chance to ask all these questions, she thinks, seeing as they were dropping the tension and asking questions about where they stand with one anotherâŚ
What. What does she mean by that? Sheâs not actually⌠is she?
âAh-heh⌠Naoto. Youâre full oâ jokes tonight. Yâknow, that thing about me beinâ pretty. Now this. Haha⌠hehâŚâ But the look on her face seems to say otherwise, even it was somewhat mischievous. âWell um. Itâs not like I havenât looked at other peoâ No I mean. Just. So, if we were dating for whatever reason. You wouldnât have to worry âcause⌠âcause anyone would have to be an idiot to give you up. I mean I almost thought you and Narukami were dating, but he said you two were just friends. But I guess heâs pretty good at talkinâ to anyoneâŚâ Unlike me, he finished in his head.
Before he knew it, they reached the door to the room.
âOkay, screw this. You know what? Iâm so tired of this shit. Beatinâ around the bush with you. Hiding it. Acting all nervous and crap around you. Been doing this for like two effinâ years now. NaotoâŚâ He steeled himself to say what needed to be said. âLetâs go inside. I think youâre sober enough to hear it. You really wanna know how I feel about us beinâ friends?â
Naoto remained silent as he stumbles over his words in an explanation. It was almost obvious to see where heâs going with his words, so much so Naoto wonders why she didnât catch it all before, having held it off as simply a suspicion. It was so much more obvious now, and she canât be sure if itâs because the alcohol removed the logical filter to her emotions, which in turn removed the self-doubts enough for her to be bold.
Nodding, Naoto agreed to the brief wait. She can do that. If Kanji had waited for two years, she can wait a minute or two until they are inside. Her face was red but her eyes was clear. A little duller than before, but clear enough to know she is sober and aware enough for this. Whether sheâs going to end up thanking the night or not, it all depends on how the next few minutes played out. She silently gulped as she stared at the door holding the number to their room.
Soon, everything is either going to get better or more awkward, but changes will definitely happen. She canât say she isnât ready to end this whole charade, but she truly wish to know what Kanji thinks, because he matters as much in this as much as she does.
Going into the room, they had little time to check it out.
âNaoto⌠IâŚâ
Just say it.
âI have really⌠deep feelings for you. Romantic, yâknow,â he was afraid of saying âloveâ because it might be too strong, even though thatâs what he felt. âFirst, it was just some crush. I almost hated you because you made me question my sexuality. Thinking that guys have no business being that pretty. But even after I knew that you werenât just⌠it didnât make a damn bit of difference. Felt the same, no more, no less. My feelings got even worse the more I got to know you. But also⌠I thought I never had a chance. You told Yu that you didnât really want romance and that it was a waste of time. Plus there were how many people, guy and girls, writinâ to you all the time? They probably offered more than I could and you just didnât bother with âem. But even if you did, Iâd be the last one youâd think of. That awkward dude in the group. It got worse when things like us tumblinâ on top of each other happened on the ski tripâŚâ
Kanji had never said so much to her at once. He took a moment to catch his breath.
âBasically, I donât blame you if you canât loâ feel that way about me back. I mean I hope you do, but. Just, my admiration for you increases all the time. Youâre so damn smart, you can be pretty witty when you want to, and your fightinâ style was just so frickinâ awesome in the arena. Plus youâre just totally beautiful in like every way. Your laugh and stuff. Your smile. And⌠yeah I said too much. HehâŚâ
Kanji wasnât sure if heâd scare her off or not at this point.
Naoto sat on the large bed as he talked. There isnât much she can say to him, not until heâs finish. She canât interrupt him, she feels he need to get this out of his system. As good a detective as she is, Naoto doesnât know when the feeling has started on his end, except that it had for a long while. Maybe it did start from their first meeting, when she was just working on a case without a personal stake, but she donât dare believe herself to be that goodâŚ
Once he finished, Naoto remain silent, letting everything he just said sink in. Itâs not that the influence is keeping the words out, rather, she wants to make sure she understood everything he had just said. A repeat is not an option.
Finally, she took in a deep breath and shook her head, chuckling lightly. Itâs now or never.
"Yu-senpai showed up quite a bit in your talk, so let me start by reassuring you that I donât like him in that way. We are just friends and any previous misassumption is only because he is really good at talking to everyone, and that lies a problem if such a relationship is pursued; heâs far too multi-facade. Too much guess work in something where guessing is not exactly a good thing.
That said, allow me to move on to my second point; you. You on the other hand, are honest with what you think and thatâs far more admirable than you believe. Give yourself a little more credit, Kanji-kun.â She smiled up at him before continuing. She need to have this out before the alcohol completely fade from her system and took away her pseudo bravery.
"Iâm⌠Yosuke-senpai say I have a tin-ear, and while I donât usually agree with what he says, I have to concur with that one observation. On hindsight, I must have appeared rather dense, huh? Wh-what Iâm trying to say is, I like you. More than platonic. While not as long buried as yours are in return, itâs there and I⌠donât know what else to say. Iâm not very good at these, so-"
She sighed and stood up from her seat. Sheâs still so much shorter than him but when she looks up, it didnât seems to matter. She got what she wanted to say out, partially at least and jumbled as it was, now they both stand evenly with each other.
Even if she have no idea what to say after all of that.
"So⌠Kanji Tatsumi, that means I like you too." She said conclusively and waited for his response, whatever it may be.
Kanji could hardly believe his ears. He had wanted to hear that since⌠forever. But now he was simply in shock because he had rationalized all night that her affections were merely brought on by the alcohol and a need to stay steady.
Naoto likes me the same way.
âYou werenât dense. I guess we just⌠didnât really let each other know, huh? And I thought youâd never feel the same. Youâre all smart and stuff. And Iâm just me soâŚâ he remembered what she said about giving himself more credit. Plus, if Naoto liked him the way he was, both as a friend and romantically, he wasnât too bad, right?
Naoto nodded, watching his expression carefully. It was almost comical. She can tell he was in shock, which is amusing considering she also knows he wanted this for quite some time. Then again, she can see why itâs a shock, since she herself donât know what to do with all of this now out in the open.
"Just you is just fine, Kanji-kun." She spoke as he trails off. "Youâre just fine as you are now. I like the you as you are." She answered, firmer, gaining a bit more confidence in her words.
Then it was silence. Taking a deep breath, because he still doesnât seems to be able to accept reality, she decide to do the work for them.
"So Kanji Tatsumi." A small nervous smile made itâs way across her lips. "Now that all of this is out in the open, I assume that means our relationship is about to changeâŚI mean⌠if you want it to?"
âThat⌠Jesus, Nao. Youâve got no idea what that means to me. Seriously. I really like you the way you are too. Itâs not even about âmasculineâ and âfeminineâ and crap. Youâre just like, the coolest person ever and you donât even have to try! So, you thinking that⌠Hah. I donât think Iâve been this happy since we locked away that Adachi creep and finally solved the rest of the case.â
He was grinning and blushing like mad.
âYeah, I do wanna take it a step further. I mean itâs not like we gotta get married and have kids right now or anything! Ahem. We just⌠ya know. Do what couples do? Go on dates and stuff. Maybe, um, cuddle a bit at each otherâs place and watch movies? I-if thatâs okay with you. I mean I really liked beinâ close to you tonight soâŚâ He still couldnât believe he had the courage to kiss her on the cheek like he did, but the deceptively cloying mystery drink gave him a bit of help in that department.
Naoto nodded. She still isnât sure what Kanjiâs Shadow had been about, but she have her guesses based on the Bathhouse itself with all the âmen onlyâ banner all over the walls. But whatever the exaggeration of the Shadow had made, it was obvious in his action that it revolves around his hobby and his âmasculinityâ or at least a portion of it does.
Which is why hearing him say that was in itself a testimony to how much he had grown as a person too.
"Of course itâs okay with me." Naoto answer with a nod. Her smile was big for her normal standard, but the feeling of joy that cruise through her veins dictates that as the minimum. "W-we can go out to a movie or just watch some TV. Anything you like." Mainly because Naoto have no idea how a couple really works. She had never been in this circumstances before. She suspect neither has Kanji, but together sheâs certain they can find a way to make it all work out for the best.
â⌠that sounds kickass. I canât wait.â Kanji sat there, starry-eyed, until he remembered what they were there for. âUh, âtil then, why donât we get some shuteye?â he asked, starting to take his shoes off. He then headed to the bathroom so he could remove his piercing jewelry⌠all but his nose stud. He was beginning to regret getting that one. If he had it out for more than a few hours it would hurt like hell to put back in. He couldnât take it out overnight or it might just close up entirely. Plus, he just wasnât sure if he liked the way it looked.
Thankfully, the motel had cheap toothbrushes and trial size toothpaste âjust in caseâ. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and came back out to main room. âAll yours,â he said, taking off his socks and getting settled into bed.
Bed.
With Naoto.
He tried not to freak out at the idea. Itâs not like they were doing anything dirty just because they confessed their feelings. But still, being close to herâŚ
The alcohol fading in her system, Naoto nodded while resisting to yawn. She rubbed her eyes as she stretched her body. She watched Kanji enter the bathroom before kicking off her own shoes. Then she paused and looked at her own attire for the night.
Now a little more awake, she stared at the maid outfit. The horror is not setting in, but a frown spread across her lips. It wasnât very comfortable to walk in, let alone sleep in. Still, itâs not as if she had much other choices in the matter.
Adjusting her outfit as best she could, she stood up and walked towards the bathroom once Kanji is done, missing his horror completely in her fidgeting. Likewise, she made use of the second set of cheap toothbrushes, still looking for possible ways to make herself comfortable.
It wasnât until sheâs out of the bathroom and stood before the single bed that she understood why Kanji paused in his steps. Oh. Right. One bed. Two people.
She, however, donât seems too bothered by the idea. Itâs Kanji after all. She trusts he wonât do anything, especially considering talking to him alone is enough to cause him to blush and stumble in his words. Gaining some courage in her trust, she went over to one side of the bed and lied down. And adjusted her outfit again. The zips are going to kill her back, she just knew.
Kanji watched as Naoto lay beside him. She appeared to be in pain. Oh⌠that maid outfit. Even slightly âlooseâ on her, it seemed to be one of those old fashioned uniforms meant more for looks than functionality. Most modern housekeepers wouldnât be wearing those. Just where DID Minako work?
He couldnât believe he was suggested thisâŚ
âLook, if youâre not comfortable in that⌠you can just wear my shirt. I-I wonât lookâŚâ
In a way, she is relieved to hear his suggestion. This outfit has too many zips and bits that dug into her skin, clung too tightly in several areas and restricting in movements. On the other hand, sheâs going to wear his shirt⌠Naoto quietly debated this option, until she rolled over and a zipper on the side dug uncomfortably into her side.
"P-please⌠it would be highly difficult to sleep in this outfit. I-I know you wonât lookâŚ" This is testing their already muddled relationship even more. So many things happening in just one night.
âOkayâŚâ He was a bit embarrassed to have his shirt off around Naoto. Even if he had been at the beach before, she wasnât part of the Investigation Team yet. He couldnât imagine wearing that âbasic blackâ Yosuke hated so much around her now.
Reluctantly, he took his shirt off, handing it to her and hiding his torso under the sheets so she wouldnât see how pale he was. It didnât make sense of course, but nothing did when it came to being around herâŚ
Naoto took the shirt gratefully, sparing a glance at Kanji, just one before heading towards the bathroom again to change. According to her memory, itâs not as if she havenât worn his shirt before although the two situation is vastly different. He did say she looks good with his shirt on, if her hazy memory is to be believed.
But that matters little now. She have accepted his offer and as she slowly remove the outfit, she briefly wondered how they are going home when sheâs in the maid outfit. Surely, the windmill of gossip will catch on fire if they appear like this. But thatâs a worry for tomorrow. Slipping on his shirt, she yawned as she gather the outfit in her arms.
Walking out, she dropped them on a nearby chair before making her way to her side of the bed and slip under the blanket, all the while, a hand never let go of the bottom of his shirt, pulling them as far down as possible. The shirt already drapes over her but it still feel odd in nothing but a large shirt.
She wriggle herself next to him and with a momentâs hesitation, leans forward just enough to maybe touch his arm with her forehead. Her body have already curled itself up into a ball as she blinked sleepily. âGoodnight⌠and thanks again. For the shirt.â she hope in the darkness of the room, he canât see just how red her face can become.
Naoto looked so good in his shirt. Was that weird? Maybe. But he couldnât help but notice her legs, just imagining the way they curved into her behind underneath the shirt hemâŚ
Kanji snapped back into focus as she lay beside him. Her breath was sweet, her face more beautiful than anyone he could think of. Hesitating, he felt her warm forehead against his arm as she curled up on her side. So she was a side sleeper. He wasnât usually, but he wouldnât mind doing it now.
"Youâre welcome. Goodnight, sweet prince," he replied, getting a glimpse of her gorgeous eyes one last time before she shut them. Did he really just use that line? It was from âHamletâ if he recalled right. William Shakespeare. Though he used it in a far less tragic context, it was clear he was getting better at studying for school. This also meant he would be able to catch up to her intellect at least a little bit easier, something that had always intimidated him about her.
This hardly felt real.
He was expecting to wake up next to his senpai any moment now. Or worse, back in his home. Totally alone again. But he wasnât.
"Hey Nao, you mind if I⌠cuddle up to you some more?" No answer. "Naoto?"
She was definitely asleep. Even her slow breaths seemed magical somehow.
He slowly turned on his side so he could face her, gazing upon her beauty as he slowly drifted to sleepâŚ










