Chapter Text
"Come on, Naoto-kun! How much longer are you gonna take?" Rise knocked the door for what felt like the twentieth time that day. The beauty pageant was starting soon and she needed to check her makeup and hair in the bathroom. Rise doubts Naoto had been doing the same since they weren't the one who saw this as a chance to impress someone. Someone whose name may or may not be "Souji".
"Please understand!" they yell back in a tight tone. "Matters such as these do not come easy to me!"
Rise took a guess at Naoto's issue. "Is it the swimsuit part of the show? It won't be that bad, trust me! It's not like you're gonna be naked or something!"
"Th-that is not helpful in the slightest!" Naoto's voice cracks on the last word, and Rise can almost hear how flustered they are. "It's just...I'm going to be in front of so many people, I...I can't do this..."
"Do you think any of us wanna do this either?" Rise asks impatiently, leaning against the door.
A pause, followed by Naoto practically growling "No, of course not, but...damn that Yosuke-senpai..."
"I know what a pain he can be, but he really is a good guy. Pushing people's buttons is just kind of his way of making friends..." Rise shakes her head since the sentence was of no help to Naoto and certainly not doing Yosuke any favors. "Anyway, you better hurry up before Chie and Yukiko-senpai come and force you out." She decided to give Naoto another two minutes.
While Rise wasn't thrilled to be in the pageant, one side effect of her career was becoming accustomed to letting strangers gawk at her body for entertainment. Perhaps not the best lesson to take from the experience, but it gave her thicker skin at least. So the ordeal wasn't discomforting her to the degree it did her fellow classman.
Naoto may be something of an uptight killjoy, but she does understand why this was particularly unpleasant for them. They were far more sensitive than Rise. After all, it only took bringing up their measurements at the doctor's to freak them out and-
The memory from the other day makes Rise wince and groan "Oh no, not again," putting a palm to her face. Every time she had been alone with her thoughts, it kept worming its way into her head. It wasn't just the regret from violating Naoto's private documents. It was also the way they had looked at her since the incident.
No longer was it the careful, shy glance they would give their other friends. Or even their neutral gaze reserved for acquaintances or strangers. It was close to the look Naoto had while a suspicious outsider to the team. A cold, subtle one that said "I can't trust you". And Rise knew why. So having to force Naoto into a beauty pageant they absolutely did not want any part in was probably not the best way of earning their trust.
Maybe they're just overreacting. "After all, isn't it only fair that we all go through this together?" Rise tried reasoning through her senpai's words. ...Then again, isn't it unfair for Naoto so soon after the trial of facing their Shadow? And after what she did to them? This train of thought was only depressing her, so she puts it to a hold by checking on Naoto once more. "Hey, you finally done yet?"
No answer, so Rise turns and knocks again. "Naoto-kun, did you hear me?" Still nothing. She puts an ear to the door, making out some sort of grunting. "What are you doing...?" she questions uncertainly, and the grunting quiets down. It could only be Naoto, which makes her wonder just what is happening in the room. "...Okay, that's it. I'm coming in." Rise waits another silent moment for them to respond, and turns the knob.
She cracks the door open to give Naoto a chance to make themself decent if needed, then pushes her way inside. Her eyes first go to a blue cap sitting on the ground. A small gasp comes from above, and the minute Rise has to look up to meet Naoto's eyes, any question she has is replaced with a single new one; Why are they crouching on top of the bathroom stalls?
The two stare at one another. Rise was at a complete loss for words. Naoto, frozen and red from panic, was clearly trying to find an excuse for their position.
"Uh...I was...! I-I-I just...!" they stammer directionless. It isn't hard for Rise to put together what they were doing once she sees their hand gripping a ventilation grate.
Rise frowns at the sight. If the mere thought of this pageant was pushing Naoto to attempt an escape, the event itself truly would only add salt to their fresh wounds.
The absurdity of the sight hits her as well though, and Rise can no longer stop herself from cracking up. "Ohh, wow! You're-you're really that desperate to get out of this?" she manages to ask between a laugh.
"N-No!" Naoto lies. "That's not...y-you don't, er..." Their words continue to lead nowhere, like they ultimately know any explanation would be in vain.
Rise composes herself as best she can and glances to a lone tree standing outside the window. "Um, if you ask me...a better escape route might be through the window and down that tree," she offers and grins, still finding Naoto's dramatics hilarious. "Don't you think that would be a little easier than climbing through the ceiling?"
Naoto's blush deepens and they mumble "I...suppose in my distressed state, that more obvious solution...eluded me..." They try tipping the brim of their hat, but only grab the air near their bare head.
Rise giggles one last time at Naoto playing off their mistake. "Do you need some help? Y'know, getting down?"
"No, no, I can manage," they sigh and descend down into the stall with surprising agility. Rise was going to have to ask Naoto just how they did that later.
Knowing she couldn't let them suffer on her watch again, Rise rushes to the window and opens it without a second thought. Naoto can only do a double take at this when they walk out of the stall. "Quick, before the senpai get back," she hastens them.
Naoto stares, taking a breath as if to speak, but keeps silent and makes their way over. They begin their climb out, lowering one of their legs down in search of a branch to use as a foothold. Rise closes the door to make sure no one would catch them in the act. Naoto was still puzzled by the series of events. "Uh, Rise-san...?"
Rise shakes her head. "Hurry and focus on climbing, you don't have much time!"
Their confusion not alleviated, Naoto gives a nod and releases their grip from the ledge, going out of Rise's sight. She hears wood lurching soon after. Then Naoto audibly flailing, and then a snap shortly followed by a hard thump and yelp. Rise jolts and runs to the window, seeing a broken branch now lying in the grass next to Naoto rubbing their head in pain. "Are you okay?" she calls down.
"I'm-I'm fine!" they confirm as they stand to brush themself off. "I misjudged how strong the branch was and it failed to hold my weight, you can probably tell..."
Rise sees a few leaves caught in Naoto's hair from their fall and stifles another fit of laughter. "Oh, hold on a sec!" She pulls back into the bathroom to retrieve their hat. Upon grabbing it, she returns to the window and tosses it right into Naoto's face. "Almost forgot that!"
"Ah, th...thank you!" they call up once their initial bewilderment is replaced with relief. Naoto puts the cap on (the leaves still going unnoticed, much to Rise's continued amusement) and asks "Wait, what are you going to tell the others?"
"I've got you covered, no problem!" she assures them with a chipper grin and an O-K sign.
Naoto replies with their own smile, more timid than Rise's, though nonetheless grateful. This makes her beam even more, but their expression quietly changes. She can't quite place the look...Analytical is one word that comes to mind. This brings Rise back to reality and she yells "What are you standing around for? Get going!"
"R-Right!" Naoto snaps out of their thoughts and sprints off in a random direction.
"Hey, the school gate's that way!" Rise points out.
Naoto spins around, nearly tripping in the process, and runs toward the front of the school. "I knew that!"
"Smooth moves," Rise jokes as she watches Naoto make the rest of their getaway, then leaves to make up a believable lie for their disappearance. Yes, she hopes that this will change their mind about her for the better. But seeing them comfortably return a smile was enough to put Rise at ease for the time.