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This was far from ideal.
The girls told Naoto that they would have a swimsuit in place. That turned up to be a fluke. There were two options- one revealing much more skin than the other on one part, the other revealing too much cleavage. It was no use.
I can't go out in either of these.
“Come on, Naoto-kun!” They heard from outside. Rise sounded as excited as usual. “Please make a choice! I know you'll look stunning in them!”
But both left a pit in the bluenette's stomach. There was no way they will walk out in… in them.
“Hey, Moronji!” They heard Rise from the distance. Oh no. Of all things she could do she better not-
“Can you check up on Naoto-kun in there? OkthanksBYEEEE~” they heard, before hearing some scuffing, a “WHAT THE-” and Kanji-s large, muscular body being jammed inside the small shack.
“H-HEY! RISE!” He yelled, pounding on the door. It was locked.
“I think you're the only one who will get through to her! GOOD LUCK!” they heard, muffled, from the other side. Naoto stiffened. Not that they were uncomfortable with Kanji's presence, far from it. But for him to see the Detective Prince don either of those ludicrous revealing swimsuits…
“H-hey. You okay?” He asked, sheepishly. Kanji leaned against the entrance door of the shack. Naoto shook their head.
“I… I can't wear these.” There was a pained voice.
“Why? Do they hu-hurt?”
… “No. But…”
Kanji didn’t say anything. He continued to look out the window. Not that Naoto noticed, they were locked on the other side of the stall after all.
“I feel… disgusting wearing these. They reveal too much of my skin. I feel like everyone's eyes will be on me. It feels objectifying, that I'm not simply wearing them out of comfort based on this occassion.”
He stiffened a bit, before stammering, trying to find something to say. Kanji slid down a bit, until brilliance hit him.
“Wanna just wear my shirt?”
The black tank top?!
“I uh- I mean, if ya just wanna wear the bottom of one of ‘em, or wear it with my tank above it. I don't think anyone's gonna care if you do.” He blushed harder at that, looking directly to the door to avoid hypothetical eye contact. Naoto felt as if brilliance struck the brunette.
“Actually… if you do not mind-”
“Uh- yeah. Sure.” Kanji stood up to his feet, and quickly discarded the garment from his torso. He then signaled that it was removed. Naoto cautiously opened the door and graciously took it.
They draped it over their figure, but it appeared to be at least a few sizes too large. Still, it covered a significant amount of skin. There was a new bout of confidence in the air.
Then… the idea of the rumors. The Investigation Team has always teased the both of them of potential romantic entanglement. This will give them all ammunition.
Additionally, it looked like Naoto was also wearing a large dress. Again, not ideal.
“... Kanji-kun?”
“Yeah?”
They held their arms out. “C-could you come in here?”
His eyes widened. Kanji slowly opened the door to the stall, his blush growing deeper as he spotted the blue-haired detective in his tank top. It felt like a dream. Then… Naoto turned around, looking confused.
“... I think I need your expertise here on how to make this look shorter.”
Kanji gulped, before bending downward to get a better look. They both were blushing idiots. He took a look at the bottom, and had his hands out.
“... ya'okay if I touch you? Gonna try to a-adjust it.”
Naoto nodded. His hands trickled to the fabric on their hips, then scrunched it, shifting it to the side to pull the tank to their right. He scrunched more up, then began to tie it into a ball.
“A-alright. I think I got it. Wanna take a look?”
He stood up, both their blushes in a deep hue. Naoto turned around, looking themselves up and down in the mirror. It was androgynous enough, which sent a wave of confidence coursing through their veins.
“Th… thank you, Kanji-kun.”
“Y-yeah. Anytime.” He opened the stall, extending his arm out.
Two years later
“HE-EYYYY!” Rise called from the water, while Chie and Yukiko passed a ball around, the former accidentally pushing some force where it smacked Teddie square in the face. He fell back into the water.
“ARE YOU TWO COMING IN YET?”
Naoto remained under the umbrella, having finished applying sunscreen to Kanji’s back. They shifted towards a book, pulling it up to their chest. They felt too snug in the tank top to go in the water.
“hard pass,” Kanji waved. “Wanna get my tan on!”
“Oh come on!” the idol pouted- “Naoto-kun! Just take the tank top off and then come on in!”
“Nope.” at that point, their gaze was into the book in front of them.
“You always act like you have to protect that tank top when you wear it!”
“Because it's soft!” They clapped back.
“Ya’in’t gonna change Nao’s mind, so just let it go already!” the brunette-haired man with the tattoo barked. The idol just huffed, before going back to her antics. He stretched.
“... Ah shit,” he swore, which made the detective raise a brow. Kanji stood up, his rear in their direction, indicating exactly what the problem was.
“... got a wedgie.”
They snickered, putting the book down for just a second. “may I recommend you wear less speedos and be more… covered up?” they blushed as they stood to their feet. Kanji just chuckled at that.
“And not beat my record of waterboardin’ Ted at the coast line for tryin’ to lift Rise’s top?”
“Waterboarding is a harsh way to put it,” Naoto corrected, their eyes straight to the wedgie, attempting to stifle a giggle. Meanwhile, Yu and Yosuke were just passing by, when the latter retched and began to panic.
“KANJI! WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DRESS CODE FOR YOU IF YOU KEEP WEARING THAT!”
Meanwhile Yu snickered, making his partner turn on him- “YOU THINK IT'S FUNNY? REMEMBER THE WARDROBE MALFUNCTION?”
Meanwhile, Kanji just side-eyed Naoto, who did the same. They had fixed the issue at that point. With a crooked smile, Kanji just started to pose.
“You're just jealous,” he snarkily said, with the most hip pose he could do. To make his point, Naoto pouted their lips, slapping his backside. That caused the silver-haired leader to break into laughter, while his ginger-haired partner amplified his outburst.
“Wh-why don’t you just put the damn tank back on? At least it’d cover you enough!”
Kanji snorted. “Cos Nao’s wearin’ it. Tradition.”
“As is tradition,” they sat back down onto the large beach towel, pulling out the book again. “It is a necessity that I wear the tank top.”
Yosuke scoffed, waving them down. “Yeah, yeah. Just bring a damn extra pair if you’re gonna show your cheeks, Kanji!”
“Okay, Manager, ” the brunette snorted, sitting back down to his partner. Yu gave a thumbs up as the pair left. When they were within a safe distance, Kanji winced, his eyes turning back to Naoto.
“You slapped me pretty damn hard, yaknow that?”