Judging by the look on his face, I figure if it were anyone but Naoto-kun they'd start teasing me for being slow. Big dumb Kanji, mostly he's just fit for hittin' stuff.

But it's Naoto-kun, so I know he ain't gonna tease me, he'll just try to dumb it down for me a little.

Only instead he calls me cute.

My hands had gone for a project all of their own accord while we were talking, and the doll falls out of my hands with it's head only half sewn on, stuffing spilling out of it's neck.

I think my face is gonna burn off. Naoto hides his eyes and I look away, towards anything else, the wall, or my futon-

Fuck, no, not my futon.

The wall, then.

"Uh, n-no." His stammering ain't any worse than mine is. "I mean, there's a-always weird shit goin' on but n-nothing like that freaky guy." I try to keep the conversation going without addressing the cute comment.

Not that I ain't curious, but I can tell it made Naoto uncomfortable to say it and I ain't about to harp on it like some of our friends probably would.

"You don't think he was some kinda Shadow or somethin', do ya? Or maybe he was like, somethin' like what happened with that fuckin' cop? You don't think-" I pause and take a steadying breath, hoping enough time has passed to let the awkward go, 'cause I kinda gotta look at Naoto right now. "You don't think Izanami came back already, do ya?"

I pay attention sometimes. It ain't all just hittin' stuff.