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Kanji was the first to come out, naturally. It's pretty hard to ignore the elephant in the room when 4 randos who were following you around the other week break into a palace of your own mind where a mostly naked version of yourself talks about how he loves boys. ESPECIALLY when that Yosuke guy kept asking if he would be safe in a tent with him. He couldn't help but to roll his eyes and scoff at that.
It was hard to figure out when and how to come out to everyone. Unfortunately for him, his entire friend group knows he likes boys. Again, elephant in the room. But he hasn't… ruled girls out? He'd date a girl if he found a nice girl to date, but…
Elephant in the room.
So he decided he'd just spit out his feelings on a random day at Junes.
The investigation team was sitting around their usual table when Kanji slams down on it, causing everyone else to jump.
“GAH!” Yosuke shouts. “Kanji, what's your deal?!”
Kanji takes a big breath in. “SO I WAS LOOKING UP THINGS ON THE COMPUTER ABOUT SEXUALITY AND STUFF BECAUSE I’M NOT GAY BUT I AM NOT STRAIGHT AT ALL BUT THAT WAS VERY CONFUSING SO WHEN I LOOKED INTO IT MORE-” he takes in another breath. “THAT’S CALLED BEING BISEXUAL SO I THINK THAT'S WHAT I AM BECAUSE I LIKE GUYS AND CHICKS-” he starts gasping, before finally lowering his voice. “So. That's what's been up with me. I think you kids would like knowing that.”
“Pfft, kids?” Yosuke scoffs. “You know we're older than you, right?”
“That's- agh, not the point!!!”
“Well-” Chie interrupts. “I think it's awesome he's learning about himself more!” Yukiko smiles in agreement with her.
Yu nods his head. “It's very good for you, Kanji.”
Kanji gets embarrassed, feeling himself blush. “Heh- well, it's nothing.” He can feel the piercing stare of Yosuke on him. “Hey! What's it to ya, punk?!”
Face unmoving, Yosuke deadpans. “So. Do you like chicks or dudes more.”
“Buh- WHA?!” Kanji stumbles back, completely flustered. The rest of the investigation team starts laughing hysterically. “What kinda question is THAT!?”
Despite the fact that it ended with everyone laughing, Kanji honestly thinks this is the best way it could've gone. And he's happy with that.
~
Rise technically didn't even come out, but the rest of the group found out about her identity shortly after she joined the party.
The investigation team was walking around the floodplain while the weather was still nice. Yukiko and Chie were in their own little world talking, while the boys (including Teddie now!) were all making fun of Yosuke. Rise overheard someone say “Chicks” and she just had to eavesdrop.
Yosuke was crossing his arms. “I swear, I'm great with the ladies!! I-”
Whatever he was about to say got drowned out by laughter from the rest of the boys. “YOU?! Come on, remember what happened when you first got your motorcycle?” Kanji punches him in the shoulder.
“Yeah, I bet you enjoyed being all up close and personal…” He grumbles.
“Either way, there's no way you’re better with the ladies than Sensei!” Teddie jumps. “Or Moi~” Yu chuckles slightly at this.
Kanji scoffs. “Even I can pick up chicks better than you.”
Rise walks up between Yu and Yosuke. They always stand next to each other, the pair. “Welllll, Yosuke-senpai, if you’re so good with the girls-” She points to a random lady, who's already talking with a boy. “Why don't you go pick up her?”
“Wh- HUH?!” Yosuke jumps back. “Buh- she's already talking to someone-!”
Rise shrugs. “Well then, I will!” With confidence, she walks towards the girl.
“You’re gonna WHAT?!??”
The conversation flows easily. The girl is CLEARLY far more interested in women (and cute), and Rise gets her number in a couple minutes. Ohohoho, she KNOWS what she'll be doing later!!
“See ya, cutie!” Waving away, Rise turns back to see everyone's jaws agape. INCLUDING Chie and Yukiko, who weren't even involved in the initial conversation. “...What?”
Yu slowly points at her. “That… you picked up a girl.”
Rise tilts her head to the side. “Yeah! So?” She can't believe that this topic has not come up before.
Chie gasps. “YOU LIKE GIRLS?!?! BUT- BUT YU- HE-”
“I'm bisexual!” She poses.
“YEAH!!!” Kanji cheers, pumping his fist. He puts his palm out, where Chie walks up and places some crumpled up money in his hand.
“Unfair…” She grumbles.
Teddie looks the most surprised of all. “...Girls can kiss girls..?”
“DUDE!” Kanji shouts at him. “Did you pay ANY attention to my shadow?!?!”
Rise (unfortunately) has no idea what he's talking about, but she has a gut feeling that when she does, she'll be able to make fun of Kanji even more.
~
Yukiko and Chie came out at the same time.
…After they were caught making out at the floodplain by who else but Yosuke and Teddie.
And obviously they had to tell everyone about it.
Investigation Team!!!:
Yosuke: so.
Kanji: What happened.
Yu: ?
Yosuke: CHI3 ChAN WAs kISzING YUKIKUO AT RHE REBJWDHBSSH
Yosuke: sorry teddie stole my phone
Rise: They were WHAT?!?!
Kanji: HA!
Kanji: Yosuke you gotta pay up.
Yu: sorry my uncle needed me
Yu: WHAT.
Yosuke: @Chie @Yukiko i hope you have an explanation
Chie: TAHT WAZ YOU?!?!
Yukiko: Babe, I told you that shouting was someone we knew.
Yosuke: BABE?!?!?!
Chie: yup!
Yukiko: We're sorry we didn't say anything sooner.
Kanji: Yosuke you still haven't responded to me.
Kanji: Pay up.
Yosuke: why are you saying it so threateningly???
Kanji: I don't get what you mean.
Kanji: Yall gotta stop dissing on using proper punctuation!
Kanji: Yukiko-senpai uses it!!!
Chie: yuki is cool!!!
Yu: so you’re dating?
Chie: mhm!!!1!
Yosuke: :OOOOOooOowjsJSJAJW
Yosuke: teddie
Yosuke: ANY-ways
Yukiko: Oh yeah. We're gay.
Yosuke: well duh
Rise: Woo-hoo!!!!
Yosuke: Letz goe lesbeans!11!2$:)&/$
Yosuke: TEDDIE WHO TAUGHT YOU THAT?!
Yosuke: AHYEEH HE TOOK MY EJEEIWA!2!:22(!(‘f
Yosuke: g
Yukiko: …Is he alright?
Yu: he'll be fine
Rise: So like…
Rise: Basically half of the people in this group are gay now!!
Kanji: Odd numbers suck.
Yosuke: HEHEHEBEEHE IM BAK
Chie: LMAO TEDDIE IS THAT YOU
Yosuke: yoSuKE JUN is sad becase
Yosuke: yuCi aN Vjienare Datingand HE Cnt dayvthem
Yukiko: I-!
Kanji: So I literally can't understand that.
Yosuke: i'm going to murder teddie.
Kanji: I understand that.
Rise: …
Yu: congrats yukiko and chie :D
Chie: yay!!!
Yukiko: Thank you.
Yosuke: HEHWHE IM BAK AGAN
Yosuke: OH GOD IT'S HIDKSHSJS
The chat goes quiet for a solid minute.
Rise: …I think he's dead?
Kanji: He still owes me 300 yen.
~
Naoto wanted to come out the second he came out of the tv and became stable. It's only logical, because that shadow of his was talking about how he's a girl, which, while he occasionally feels, is not remotely true. He's been trans as long as he can remember, and he isn't going to make any people think otherwise on his watch. And nothing will stop him from making it clear!
…
Besides his own doubts, of course. Which is why he waited… only a couple days after his recovery to say anything to the group.
When the group was spending a day off at Junes, Naoto decides it's time to make his strike. He takes a breath in, and-
And he trips on air and faceplants.
“NAOTO!!!!” Kanji borderline screeches, immediately doing down to help. “Uh- *ahem* do you- ahhhh-” With haste, he grabs Naoto’s hands, yanking him up before promptly letting go.
“Oooooo, Kanji-kun!!” Rise gawks.
“Trying your shot at chicks, huh?” Yosuke remarks.
"Shut up!!!!” Kanji turns his head away.
Naoto sighs. “Guys- I have something to- GAH!!!” He gets pushed to the side by Teddie barging through the group, with lots of snacks in hand.
“YOU LITTLE SHIT OF A BEAR!!!” Yosuke comes running not far behind. “YOU NEED TO PUT THOSE BACK- YOU-”
Yukiko starts giggling uncontrollably. Chie follows soon after.
Uncomfortable and slightly awkward, Naoto takes a big breath in. “Uh- well, if I may speak-”
“Yosuke! We should stop runni-” Yu slams straight into Kanji, presumably whilst chasing Yosuke.
“Gah! Watch yourself, man!” Kanji rubs his head.
Teddie runs back, with a bag of chips already opened. “You'll never take me alive!!”
Yosuke, who wasn't far behind, tackles him to the ground. “As long as those chips get paid for, I don't CARE if you're alive or dead!”
Naoto clears their throat. “Well-”
“AHHH!! SENSEI, HELP!!”
“If I may-”
“I am not getting myself more involved in this.”
“Uhm-”
“PARTNER!! TEDDIE IS STARTING TO BITE-”
Honestly, if it weren't for a certain tall bleach-blonde boy, Naoto probably wouldn't have gotten a single word in.
“EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Kanji shouts over the madness, successfully shutting everyone, pardon his language, ‘the fuck up.’ “Naoto here is trying to say something, and seeing as they're the only smart member of this team, we should probably listen!”
“...Uhm.” Naoto feels his face flush, but now's not the time to unpack that. “Thank you, Kanji-kun. Now, I have something to say to you all.”
Teddie’s eyes light up. “Am I finally allowed to score with you?!”
…Naoto couldn't look more unimpressed if he tried. “No. Actually, this might make you not want to… *ahem*. ‘Score’ with me.”
Teddie’s jaw drops. “But… but what would make me not want to score was a beautiful girl like you?!?!”
“I'm a man.” He deadpans.
Teddie drops the chip he was holding as Kanji buckles over in laughter, most likely at Teddie’s expense. “YES! Pay up, Ted!”
“Nooooo!! I don't even have any money!”
“HA! I knew it, Yukiko!!” Chie cheers.
Yukiko hands over 200 yen. “I can't believe you got me again!”
“Were… were you making bets on me?”
“We kinda had a feeling you were trans.” Chie pops in. “We just didn't wanna rush you into coming out.”
“Your shadow kinda did that for you anyways.” Yu adds.
Teddie takes money out of Yosuke’s back pocket without him noticing. “Kanji-kun bet that you wouldn't wanna score with me, even though I'm such a stud…”
Yosuke, who's body is completely under Teddie’s, simply gives a thumbs up. “Nice.” He snorts. “So Kanji, does that make you-”
“If you say what I think you're about to say I will kick you.”
“...Nevermind.”
Naoto chuckles. “Honestly, I didn't anticipate this going so well.”
“Most of us are queer anyways!” Chie smiles. “There's nothing that'll get us to not like you, unless you- like, killed a man.”
“I’ve killed someone.” Naoto deadpans.
The entire group goes silent.
“...That was a joke. Just trying it out. You know. Humor.” He gulps. “You may laugh now.”
Kanji breaks out into, presumably fake laughter. “HAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh Naoto! That- uh. Wow. Funny joke.” His face is flushed.
“...Kanji-kun, are you alright? You are… rather flushed.”
“B- whatttt? Ahahaha!” He looks away. “Haha! Ha!”
Yosuke snorts. “Yeah, you’re g-”
He gets cut off by Kanji slamming his body on top of him.
~
Teddie comes out the day after Naoto after doing some self reflection.
“Soooo, now do you wanna-”
“No.” Naoto cuts him off. “Absolutely not.”
Slowly, Teddie turns to Kanji, who's glaring daggers into him. “Ohhhh!! It's because Kanji-kun has already scored with him- AAAAAAA!!!”
That conversation didn't last long.
~
Yu came out on accident at, yet again, Junes.
“So Nanako just learned that I'm gay, and-” His breath hitches.
Did he just..?
Oh my god, he came out. And he didn't even mean to!!!
Everyone around the table is silent for a minute, before there's a unanimous sigh, before everyone (besides Yosuke) hands yen to Kanji.
“Heh. Nice.”
Yu doesn't even know how to react. “...What even was the bet this time?”
Chie groans into her hands. “It was if you would come out on purpose or by accident…”
“We all said you would come out once you started dating Yosuke-senpai.” Naoto tilts his hat over his eyes. “Everyone besides Kanji-kun, that is.”
“Still got it.”
Yosuke’s entire face is red. “Hey- what do you mean WHEN I start dating Yu?? I- I don't- come on, guys!!” He sputters.
Yu tilts his head to the side. “Partner, what's wrong?”
“NOTHING IS WRONG.” He stands up rapidly. “I AM GOING TO THE BATHROOM.” Yu doesn't even get a chance to say anything before he runs off.
There's a beat of silence before Kanji speaks up. “I bet 1000 yen he'll come out next month.”
“YOU’RE ON!!!” Chie slams her hand on the table.
Yukiko glares. “I will destroy you.”
Naoto sighs. “Guys, this can't be responsible-”
Kanji elbows Naoto (...that's probably the most physical contact he's ever made with his crush). “C’mon, man! You can bet with me! I never lose.”
“Well-”
“I'm putting 2000 yen on the table that he won't come out!!” Rise shouts.
Naoto huffs. “3000 yen in favor of Yosuke.”
“THAT'S my Naoto!” Kanji cheers. Naoto slightly blushes, chuckling.
Yu puts his head in his hands. He has no idea how things have gotten to this point.
“I'm putting it ALL on red!!”
“Teddie, that's not how it works-”
~
So. Yosuke did NOT mean to call Yu “love” in front of all of his friends (thank GOD his partners uncle wasn't home, he would cry). But with the course his life is going, he can't even be surprised.
“Hey, love?”
Yu turns his head back. “Yes?”
The Dojima house goes silent.
The loud silence gets shattered when Kanji starts whooping for himself. “YES!!! THAT COUNTS!!”
“No way, he didn't say it outright!” Chie shouts.
Yukiko’s head is in her hands. “No… that counts…”
“NOOOOOOOO!!!” Rise falls to her knees. “My… my yen…”
Teddie flops onto the ground. “I… can't believe this…”
Naoto tilts his hat down. “Outsmarted and outwitted.”
“I- guys, it's NOT what it looks like-” Yosuke's face and ears are completely red. “I- I'm not-”
“Partner.” Yu puts his hand on his shoulder (which is NOT HELPING!!!) “There's no point. They found out.”
“Ughhhhh! But-”
Naoto and Kanji are collecting their riches. “Kanji-kun! What do we do with the money?”
“I… I don't know! We could like- get… uh-”
“Hm… uh, I don't think we thought about this…”
Chie looks like she's seeing red. “You… have all this money… and you… DIDN’T EVEN HAVE A PLAN?!” She starts flailing her arms around. “I could've brought Yuki on a date!!!”
“Awwww, babe!”
Rise, who is still on the ground, raises her hand. “Naoto and Kanji-kun should go on a date then!!!”
“Buh- we're missing the point here-!” Naoto stammers. “Yosuke-kun and Yu-senpai are in a relationship!”
“Y-yeah!!”
Yosuke can't bear to make eye contact with anyone right now. “Again, I NEVER said-”
“We're dating.” Yu butts in.
Everyone cheers.
“FINALLY!!!” Teddie shouts. “Yosuke kept complaining and being all sad about how Sensei-”
“SHUT UP!!!” Yosuke runs towards the stupid evil bear.
“I mean, I guess we could go to that nice place in the city…” Kanji mutters under his breath.
“What are you talking about, Kanji-kun?”
“N-NOTHING!!!”
Rise suddenly jumps up. “Our next bet should be if Kanji ever goes on a date with Naoto!!”
“Hey-! It should NOT be that!!”
While everyone is shouting over each other, and Yosuke is still contemplating murdering Teddie, he can't help but smile to himself. This really is a good group of people.
Even if Kanji and Naoto made over 10000 yen by betting on if he would come out or not.