Letting Go

"Damn, thish ish good! Thanksh for the treat, shenpai!"

"Heh. Come on, Kanji. It's been eight years and you're still talking with your mouth full? You can't play the ex-delinquent excuse forever."

Kanji paused for a moment, giving off the look reminiscent of a surprised chipmunk. After quick gulp, which caused Souji to snerk briefly, he responded. "Damn Senpai, I'm already getting that from Ma. I don't need it from you, too," he said in a somewhat disappointed tone.

"Sorry, but if there's one thing I've learned over the years as a teacher it's that kids tend to ignore what their parents say until they hear the same thing from a source they trust."

"Hey! You sayin' I'm still a kid!" Kanji blurted, causing all heads in Aiya to turn to him.

"Honestly, Kanji, after seeing how some teachers act I'm starting to wonder if anyone truly grows up," Souji responded in an annoyed tone. Kanji could see that he was recalling some sour memories.

"Seriously?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. Remember Gekkoukan High?"

"The place we visited on the school trip?"

"That's the one. Honestly, I'm surprised you remember it."

"Well, the only thing I really remember 'bout the place was that old fart principal that really liked hearin' his own voice."

"Yeah, he's the worst of the bunch, but not the only one. Seriously, some of them are so bad they'd fit right in with some of the other quirky nuts we had back in our school."

"No kiddin?"

"Oh yeah. Remember Ms. Sofue?"

"You mean Ms. Pharao-head?" Kanji asked with a smirk.

"That's the one. Anyway, I met her brother."

"Seriously!"

"No joke, the guy walks around all day with a Sengoku-Era helm. All. Damn. Day."

"Ha! That's sounds like her brother, alright!"

"There was only one teacher I think I was really able to find some common ground with. Composition teacher. Ms. Toriumi I think. She used to spend a lot of time on the net, so she uses a lot of the lingo. Sometimes it even slips into her lectures."

"That so?"

"Yeah. Crazily enough, the most competent teacher out of all them is the school nurse who fills in classes for other teachers. His area of expertise? The history of Magic."

"No shit? The guy who gave us that bizarro lecture on the school trip?"

"Yeah, that's him. Mr. Edogawa."

"Sounds like you two should have some common ground with your mythology degree, right?"

"I guess, but the guy's creepy as hell," Souji shuddered.

"Ah well, let's not talk 'bout that, eh Senpai?" Kanji replied with a smile. "C'mon, it's been four months since ya got here and we've barely talked! We should be havin' a good time, right?"

Souji smirked. "Yeah, I guess so. But you know, you don't have to call me Senpai anymore. We're not in high school."

"Meh, force a' habit. 'Sides, you don't mind do ya?"

"I guess not."

"But ya know," Kanji began as he stuffed more noodles in his mouth, "I'm shurpised that ya called me out here to meet ya by myshelf. I thought you'd at leasht called shome of the other guysh."

Rather than reprimand him for talking with his mouth full again he cast his eyes down as a defeated and sorrowful look fell upon his face.

Kanji stopped dead for a moment before swallowing his noodles. A serious look came on his face.

"This is 'bout Naoto, isn't it?"

Souji's eyes shot open in shock as he looked back at Kanji. "H-How did you-?"

"Two years ago I-" Kanji began before cutting himself off. He drew in a sharp breath before starting again. "Two years ago I… I worked up the courage to ask her out. She told me that… well, you know."

"She told you, huh?" Souji stated, his expression and voice expressing extreme guilt.

"Yeah, well, it's my own fault anyway. Being as blunt as I am I shoulda been able to tell her to her face all those years ago. Kinda funny how I could fight things that'd make guys in the military shit their pants no problem but I couldn't talk to one girl."

"Kanji-"

"Forget it, Senpai. It's over. I know the whole deal already, so I've saved ya the trouble," Kanji forcefully insisted, shoveling more noodles into his mouth.

"Actually, there's more."

"Hm?"

"I'm… I'm gonna ask her to marry me."

In his shock Kanji choked on his noodles. Souji immediately shot up from his seat to help but Kanji waved him to stop. After a few gulps and some beating of his own chest, Kanji managed to clear his throat. After a few more gasps the two of them sat back down, neither one saying a word to the other.

After what felt like eons, Kanji spoke.

"Marriage, huh? Well, I guess if it's you I know you'll take care of her," he said plainly, looking away from his old friend.

"Kanji, I…" Souji attempted to start but soon cast his eyes down, unable to look him in the eye. "I'm sorry. I'm telling you this because… because of everyone else you deserve to know the most. You liked her even when you thought she was a he. I was just trying to get to know her a little, get to learn a bit about the new member of the team, and before I knew it I fell for her. It'd been the first time in ages since I'd really felt like that about someone. I know that isn't supposed to make this any better, but-"

"Damnit Senpai, I get it," Kanji interrupted in a harsh yet quiet tone. "You weren't tryin' ta hurt me. It just happened. I get it, okay?" He quickly drank the rest of his noodle bowl before getting up. "Senpai?"

"Y-Yeah?" Souji responded, finally turning to meet Kanji's eyes only to be confronted with a piercing glare.

"If ya hurt her, I swear it'll be the last thing ya ever do."

And with that Kanji quickly stomped out the door, only vaguely aware of the crowd around him that appeared to be too afraid to even look at him. The cool spring air did little to calm him and he strode back towards home.

"Kanji!"

The heir to Tatsumi Textiles froze mid step upon hearing his Senpai's voice. He felt his fist clench. He did not want to talk to him.

"Damnit, Senpai, what the hell do ya want?" Kanji seethed, keeping his back to him.

"Kanji, I… I-I need… Are we…" Souji stuttered before falling silent.

Kanji was done waiting. "Damnit, spit it out alread-!" he shouted while spinning around, only to lose his steam from seeing what was now before him.

Souji was shaking like a leaf, shaking in fear with his eyes cast downward. Kanji had never seen him like this before.

No, that's not true. I've seen him like this once. When Nanako was kidnapped.

Kanji remembered back then when they stood at the entrance to Heaven, ready to both go and rescue Nanako and stop Namatame. He remembered how Souji had begged them for their help to rescue his "little sis." He tried being as much their leader as he could be, trying his best to march on with the same calm determination that he had in the other dungeons. But when he heard Nanako's inner thoughts deeper inside, how she tried to convince herself that she wasn't lonely because she had her dad and "big bro", it was too much. He became frantic and if it weren't for everyone else calming him down he would've rushed ahead on a suicide run.

He'd never seen his Senpai look so weak before, and he never expected to again.

So why the hell is he is like this now?

"A-Are we… Are we still friends?" Souji asked in a weak voice barely above a whisper.

Kanji recoiled in shock. He knew he wasn't the smartest guy around, but even he was able to understand just what was going on.

He's afraid we'll stop bein' friends for good. That'll I'll want to even look at him again.

Kanji sighed and stepped forward, wrapping one arm around his friend. "Damnit, Senpai. Way to make me feel like an asshole."

"K-Kanji?"

"Damn, man. You really thought I'd ditch ya for good? Honestly I'm kinda pissed at ya for that."

Kanji felt the tension leave Souji's body as he returned the hug. "Sorry, Kanji. I didn't mean to make you feel like that."

The two released each other and smiled. Kanji rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Jeez, Senpai. I mean, I know we're good friends and all, but I didn't think you cared about me that much."

"Kanji, you have no idea just how import all of you are to me. I couldn't handle losing even one of you."

Kanji felt both shocked and embarrassed at that remark. "D-Damn, man. Now I feel like a real ass for threatening you. Sorry 'bout that."

"Don't be. Actually, could you make me a promise?"

"Huh? Y-Yeah, sure, whatever ya need."

Souji smirked. "If I ever do end up hurting her in any way, promise you'll give me a hard one across the face, ok?"

Kanji recoiled in shock for moment before a mischievous smile came upon his face. "Sure thing, Senpai! I'll hit ya so hard you won't be able to see straight!"

"Um, maybe not that hard, ok?" Souji asked nervously.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry, Senpai. Got a little to into it," Kanji replied embarrassed.

The two shared a chuckle before Souji's expression changed to one of genuine appreciation. "Thanks, Kanji. Really."

Kanji smiled sadly. "Take care of her Senpai. And yourself, too."

And with that he turned to walk away. He felt a slight feeling of defeat, not to the extent of a crushing weight but more a nagging afterthought. He had lost her, the girl he had loved since highschool, probably for good. Every time he'd see her he would think about what could've been. But somehow, he didn't feel as bad about that as he though he would.

This will be the last of my "prologues" or "prequels" before I finally get to the true story. Well, probably. I could involve some other characters and events, but I just don't think I'd be able to dedicate an entire one-shot to them.

Anyway, in P4 they really sort of make the throw the "Kanji loves Naoto" thing at the viewer pretty hard. So, despite his great friendship with his great friendship and admiration of his Senpai, there'd have to be some butting of heads between the two hopefully I resolved it in a fairly realistic way.