LOVER.

          Kun. Is it her business to be so familiar with people? He’d had a retort, but it’s stopped by a notable new heat on his face. Damn it. The scolding in his throat comes out as a grunt and all attention is set to the window being opened. 

“Is that—”

          He coughs, clearing his throat. His voice is absolutely not supposed to be at that octave. Even for a moment. Try again. 

“Are you meant to be opening this? My gut is saying you’re taking me on a ride, Risette-san.”

’  i told you to call me rise! ’  she doesn’t mean for her voice to raise in volume,  nor in pitch.  alas,  it does,  partly hurt,  mostly saddened.  realization keeps hitting her over and over right in the face -- how no one sees her as anything but the person she pretends to be.  his words are ignored,  actions not halting until she’s stepped out onto the open spaced roof,  fresh air filling her lungs and a view over tokyo gracing her sight.  ’  you can stay there or join me.  up to you. ’

“Well, not that I can remember, I suppose.” He did chuckle from her light teasing, not minding the clearly over-exaggerated glare. “Guess I’ll just have to wait and see it for myself, then.”

Minato slid into the aisle seat beside her and smiled a bit at her question. “I do enjoy swimming from time to time, sure. What about you?” Turning the question back to her, he figured she probably enjoyed it to some degree, given how excited she seemed about this particular beach.

despite filming various commercials by the beach in swimsuits,  her swimming skills were rather lacking,  scarce,  nothing to be proud of or boast about.  extent.  fingers fiddled with the button of her jacket,  unsure how to admit a weakness.  ’  um,  well !!  you see,  i’m not the worst nor the best. ’  not exactly the truth,  but not a lie either.

it really had been worth it, just to see that spark in her eyes, that smile on her face.  hikaru’s rather glad he managed to get everything done for the most part before she came home, reaching for one of her hands and giving it a gentle squeeze.  “of course, it’s all for you–i don’t see anyone quite as beautiful as you here, now do i? i have dessert in the oven as well, i hope you like devil’s food cake–” 

‘ oh my god,  you know i’m a sucker for cake,  hikaru-kun !! ’   delighted squeal dons her words,  bright eyes taking in everything he’s set up for her once more,  each detail,  each flower.  she doesn’t ever recall someone going to this extent just for her,  can’t help but lean up,  leave a loving little kiss upon his lips.  ‘ thank you so much.  happy three months. ’  a whisper against soft tiers,  holding his hand tight.  ‘ you’ll get my present once i’ve tasted that cake! ’ 

god, he’s so goddamn blessed to have a girlfriend like rise. in truth, the teen had wanted to be gone before she had arrived–wanted to make a surprise out of their three month anniversary plans, but it looks like she had caught him right in the middle of setting things up, flowers–roses set in a colorful arrangements of pinks and yellows, with a dinner set up already right for the two of them.

“ i missed you too–” he wraps his arms around her, placing a kiss to the top of her head. 

she takes the kiss and the hug with a quiet hum,  a strand of sound that lasts until they part,  until she’s looking at hikaru; there’s little between them; just some space,  a step,  a pair of smiles,  a few layers of fabric.  but it’s the scent of roses and food that catch her attention,  have her glance around,  eyes widening,  sparklling.  ‘ wah ... this looks gorgeous.  and smells so good!  is this all for me? ’  she asks the obvious,  beams a radiant smile at him.

          …Why would he tell her things like that? But then, it’s not like he has much evidence to support the opposite either. All Yosuke could ever talk about was how cute Risette was, gushing about working with her, and then side-eyeing Yu for spending time with her. The girls alternate between petty comments and just generally looking at her like she’s a bit of a ditz. Even Teddie is prone to comments here and there, though Teddie… did that to all three of them, so he doesn’t think much of it. If it were just that, then it would be a matter of bringing the team together and telling them to back off. He’s sure they would listen to their leader if he did.

But… it’s Adachi-san’s involvement that troubles him more than anything. What kind of person just says things like that? Tries to crush their self-esteem? But really, the way she says it makes him feel like he knows what they do. How could he possibly knew the extent of their involvement in the case?

“I’m not,” he promises. Yu lets her pull him in close, lets his arms slide around her torso. “Does —— does he know? What we’re doing?”

‘ do you think i’m that dumb?  that i’d tell him what we’re doing? ’  disappointment evident in her voice,  appalled that yu would even dare to question her,  to even think of that.  one moment she feels whole with his lips against hers,  his arms around her,  with their bodies pressed so close and yet being so far –-- then the next it feels like she’s breaking into pieces,  fragments that only orbit near each other,   leave her with doubts about what kind of game yu may be playing with her.  it feels as if he doesn’t actually care about her feelings,  more about the investigation and the team than anything else.  it’s never been about her.