KanNao Story: Fixing The Hat

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Kanji slowly rolls out of his bed, planting his feet on the floor before standing. He picks up his phone. The screen lights up reading 'one new message'. Kanji clicks on the message, and tries to read it through tired eyes.

Mom: Had to run a few errands. Please open the shop while I'm gone

With a groan, he throws on some clothes and heads down the hall. The store is nice, and warm so at least sitting there isn't too much of a hassle. Shoji doors reflect light into the main room. Through the doors is the silhouette of someone standing right outside them. Early customers aren't new, but they are annoying. Kanji walks over, and slides the door open. He is greeted by the small stature of his friend.

"Hey Kanji," Rise says in a more bubbly manner than anyone should have before noon. "What's up?"

Kanji is no stranger to Rise popping over when she is bored, although he does sometimes wish she could constantly talk to someone else. He likes Rise, she's a close friend, but she is sometimes a little too much.

Rise pushes herself into the store. Kanji groans quietly before speaking, "Ma went to do some stuff so I gotta open the store."

"Don't sound so excited" Rise mocks

"Eh it's whatever. The biggest problem is just how boring it is."

"You just have to find a way to make it fun."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Rise sits down on the large step that leads to the raised back half of the store, "You can talk to me. I've got tons of fun stuff I can talk about."

Kanji groans, "C'mon, you are just gonna end up talking about senpai for an hour straight again. I can only hear 'he's so cool' so many times."

Rise looks huffy at his comments. 'Keep women happy' is what his mom would say here, but that's such a hassle. All Rise wants to talk about is romance stuff, and that makes Kanji feel out of place. He isn't good at answering any of her questions. Where is a good first date? How should you dress? When is the right moment to kiss? Just being a guy somehow makes him an expert on what guys want. Rise must not realize how different Narukami and Kanji are.

Rise gets attitude, "Fine then. How about we talk about girls you like?"

"W-Wait, what?" Kanji is shocked, she has never asked him that one before.

"Tell me about your love life. Since mine is so annoying for you."

"I......ummmm......well." Kanji stammers.

Rise smells blood in the water, "You seem flustered, someone in mind? Perhaps a certain detective you keep making googly eyes at."

Kanji looks away hiding his reddening face. As much as he would like to deny it, Rise is right. About someone in mind not the googly eyes part. Rise shouldn't even know about this, Kanji hasn't told anyone (Not even Senpai). The fact that she knows is definitely a problem because Rise has loose lips. If she gets confirmation he likes someone, especially if that someone is Naoto, it will only be a matter of time before the secret is out.

"Nah, no one comes to mind," Kanji lies without taking his eyes off the floor.

"You are a bad liar."

Kanji stomps his foot, "I ain't lying!"

"Kanji, you are beet red, and I bet if I brought up Naoto you'd only get redder."

Rise is right again. Just her bringing Naoto up makes him nervous. Her soft eyes, and calm demeanor mixed with her intense dedication and intelligence. Everything about the Detective Prince is tailor made to get Kanji's eye, and get his eye she does. Crush may be an understatement at this point.