On My Line
“God Chie, why did you have to tell him I call you at night to tell you dirty jokes? That’s not even true! Well, okay, maybe a little…”
“Yosuke, did you seriously just call me to talk about looking bad in front of the transfer student?”
“Dude, really? You act like we don’t know him already. Sure, it hasn’t been long, but considering the circumstances…”
“Do you ever shut up? Is this all you called me for? Believe it or not, I’ve got better things to do than talk about your new crush.”
“What? God, I can’t even believe you. I don’t have a-“
Call ended.
---
“Where were you today?”
“Nice greeting, Yosuke.”
“No, really, I mean, it’s not like I mind hanging around Yu by myself but I felt pretty awkward just running my mouth as usual while he just sat there and nodded at me. Guy doesn’t really talk much.”
“Oh God, not this again. You’re completely obsessed with him.”
“No I’m not! You’ve got it all wrong! He’s just… new.”
“…Right.”
“No, I’m serious, just hear me out.”
“You’ve got… three minutes before I hang up on you and watch a movie.”
“Okay whatever, that’s plenty of time. Seriously, I’ve never really had a best friend before, you know? And on top of that I haven’t known him very long and I-“
“Okay, I lied. You’re boring. Next time you call, talk about something I actually care about, okay?”
“Hey, wait!”
Call ended.
---
“I swear to god, Yosuke, if this is about Yu again, I am going to throw my phone at your head the very next time I see you.”
“What? No, not everything is about Yu, jeez.”
“This outta be good. So what did you call for?”
“…Wanna go for steak tomorrow?”
“That’s what I thought.”
Call ended.
---
“So… that whole thing with Kanji… kind of… weird…”
“No weirder than you calling me at all hours of the night to talk about Yu all the damn time.”
“It’s not like that! Damn it, Chie, you know that.”
“That’s funny, from where I’m sitting, it looks a whole lot like that.”
“Whatever Chie! Why do I even call you?”
“I’ve been wondering that myself.”
Call ended.
---
“Look, I know you’re not busy, so just humor me for a few minutes.”
“How do you know I’m not busy?”
“I just know. Come on, Chie, just hear me out.”
“Fine. What’s on your mind, Yosuke?”
“Did you mean what you said?”
“I’m just going to assume the answer to that is yes. But go ahead, tell me what you’re talking about.”
“You know, when you said, well, implied, really, that, um, well…”
“Spit it out, Yosuke.”
“Me, for Yu, is it… like, like Kanji?”
“You’re lucky I understand idiot boy. And yes.”
“But how do you know?”
“Do I really have to spell it out for you? Figure it out, dumbass.”
“But Chie-“
Call ended.
---
“Chie.”
“My, someone sounds serious.”
“I think… I think you’re right.”
“Well, what girl doesn’t like to hear that? About what, exactly?”
“This feeling. It’s more than just friendship.”
“Well, what are you calling me for?”
“…Yeah. You’re right again.”
“About time you figured it out.”
“And Chie?”
“Hmm?”
“Thanks.”
“Yeah yeah, now go bother Yu.”
Call ended.
---
“Yu.”
“Since I am the one answering your call, I believe proper protocol dictates I speak first.”
“Ha ha.”
“Something on your mind, Yosuke?”
“God, could you be any more amused right now?”
“Probably.”
“Well, anyway, yeah.”
“Could you be more specific?”
“You.”
“Me.”
“Yeah.”
“I feel as if I’ve missed an important part of this conversation.”
“Augh, this is hard.”
“…Do you want me to let you go so you can take care of that?”
“Oh man, seriously? You’re really going to make this impossible for me, aren’t you?”
“Sorry.”
“Yeah, well, it’s cool. I just, it’s stupid. Nevermind.”
“I’m listening.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
“…You know, I can hear you smiling from here. It’s kind of endearing, partner.”
“I can’t help it.”
“I know you can’t. That’s why it’s endearing. And, uh, kind of related, I guess.”
“Oh?”
“It might be kinda…”
“I think I can handle it.”
“You say that now, but…”
“Relax, Yosuke. You can tell me anything. You know that.”
“Oh man, your seriousness just makes me more nervous.”
“Don’t be nervous, then.”
“Oh yeah, because it’s so easy to not be nervous when you’re about to tell your best friend that- uh, what I’m about to tell you.”
“Listen to yourself. I’m your best friend, and you’re mine. There’s nothing you should feel like you have to hide.”
“Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be feeling like this about my best friend.”
“Not that I would know, since you’re really the first real friend I’ve ever had, let alone my first best friend, but could you elaborate?”
“W-wait, really?”
“Yeah.”
“Your smile’s back.”
“So is yours.”
“I just, I don’t know, I’m honored or something.”
“Honored? I don’t know why.”
“Dude, you could have your pick of anyone on campus. Hell, probably anyone in Inaba.”
“But they aren’t you.”
“…”
“Yosuke? You still there?”
“Man, how can you deliver heart-stopping lines like that with such a nonchalant tone? It’s not fair.”
“It’s the truth. It’s nothing to get broken up about.”
“Did you just shrug? Wait, no, don’t bother answering that. I could totally hear you. You shrugged.”
“I think, somewhere along the way, we lost sight of your point.”
“No, no, we didn’t, not really. And hey, trying to rush me?”
“Never.”
“You act like you’d just let me go on forever here.”
“If you wanted to, why not? It’s not like I’d rather be doing anything else. I’m happy right where I am.”
“See, that right there. When you say shit like that, how do you expect me to do anything but fall for you?”
“And have you? Fallen? For. Me.”
“I… That is… uh. Yes. I think so. It’s weird, right? It totally is. You’re not supposed to fall for your best friend. Especially when your best friend is a guy. I understand if you’re totally creeped out or something, I don’t even know what I’m thinking, telling you this, oh man-“
“Yosuke.”
“I- what?”
“Relax.”
“How am I supposed to do that now?”
“Look, I don’t know if it’s normal to fall for your best friend, but it doesn’t really matter. I’ve never been normal.”
“…Partner? What are you saying?”
“I guess you could say I understand how you feel. That is, me too.”
“…Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“…Okay.”
“Yosuke?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re still a dork.”
“Heh, back at you.”
“As long as we’re clear.”
“Yeah, I think we finally are.”
Call to Yu Narukami: 15:02, 15:03, 15:04…
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