genuine-empathy

[genuine-empathy]

- // It has been, kind of forever... I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE! ; A; I won't get into reasons why I abandoned this blog, but-- alkdjalkjkjs. I'm back!! I’m not really sure who’s still around, so I’m going to go on an unfollowing spree soon, revamp this blog, and try to revive this guy’s muse.

[genuine-empathy]

After setting the napkin down, his gaze returned to her just in time to hear her speak, as well as noticing that her expression had changed completely. "...Ah...?" Well, at least Kana wasn't angry with him in any way - something he was glad about. Although, she did seem to react a bit... strangely? He'd seen those types of looks before... and they never failed to confuse him. However, now wasn't the time to be thinking about that.

"Oh, no... I didn't think there was anything sloppy about the way you ate." He admitted with a slight smile, and it's not like it was a lie. He couldn't care less about the way a person ate, or whether they were neat about it or not. Actually, seeing someone shovel food down actually made him a little bit pleased. Big appetites meant the person was healthy, and seeing them eat in such a way meant they were enjoying it. "But..." Aside from his former concern that she may have been eating a bit too fast, he continued to stare at her face, noticing the beads of sweat that had formed. It didn't really feel that hot in the building, did it?

He would have reached out to touch her forehead again, but with how many times he'd done it before, he didn't want to end up annoying her if nothing was wrong. So instead, he decided to ask a question, "Are... are you feeling alright, Kana-san...?" Even if he had asked that same question before, he couldn't help it. He was just hoping he wouldn't end up making her feel uncomfortable, despite all of her kind words with him thus far. Now, all of Naoya's attention was on her instead of the food... which could possibly make things either better or worse.

Closed RP || karismatickitty & genuine-empathy

While he was timidly eating, Kana held no shame in how she ate. Her fork and spoon had become nothing more than shovels that where shoving in the food in her mouth. Make no mistake, she was carefully chewing her food to make sure her body could easily digest it, but still she was rather fast. Every once and a while she would stop eating, only to breath and take a sip of the warm tea. She didn’t even think about making conversation with Noaya! She was hungry~ So, when she stopped her, she instantly froze in her place. She swallowed the mouthful of food she had in her cheeks. Her face grew hot, and she was sweating slightly. How embarrassing, but nothing could have prepared her for this. 

The next thing she knew, Noaya was brushing the left over rice on her face with a napkin like she was a child. Only, she didn’t feel childish. She felt different. She felt her heart racing slightly, and she gave a crooked smile towards him. “N-No, it’s alright! I mean… I mean I was being a bit of a slob… I’m just glad you didn’t leave it on my face…”

[genuine-empathy]

As the person he called out to turned around, Naoya was able to get a better-- clearer view, thus he was able to determine without a doubt that the girl he had called out to was in fact Nadeshiko. A part of him was glad about running into her, though another part of him felt almost guilty for calling out. However, she didn't seem angry or annoyed in any way about him stopping her; in fact, she almost seemed a little pleased?

"Ah, yes... the search didn't take me long, so I figured it was best to arrive earlier than later." He commented truthfully, even though most people would have probably called him out on being too early. And that was where his concerns lied.

Instead of explaining his findings, he decided to add in another comment before that, "I'm sorry, did I disturb you? There's still some time left, so if there are other things you'd like to do, or need to take care of, you're more than free to." Practical as ever. Even though Nadeshiko did mention that things were boring, he had to wonder if she was just saying that to be friendly. With how calm he was being about the entire thing, one might think he was stalling for him, which perhaps wasn't too far from the truth. Or perhaps it just didn't make a difference to him, whether he'd tell her his findings sooner or later.

+7 followers!

[genuine-empathy]

Hearing the response, Naoya wanted to protest, and he almost did but ultimately stopped himself. He was becoming more aware of Izumi's personality - she was a strong and independent woman, which he had already established before, though she also didn't seem like those girls he would often meet. It was actually quite rare - at least for him - to meet people with her personality. It wasn't something he would consider to be bad at all, although he did admit that it did take some getting used to.

At the same time, one could say that it was to be expected, because he did question before whether or not she was a normal person. Perhaps it was best not to dwell on it at the current time, however. The last thing he wanted to do was to offend her... maybe even more than he already has. "Eheh... very well," came his simple reply. With that, he began leading the way down in the direction he was looking in before. His eyes were raised, looking up at the signs that were hovering over each aisle, all while attempting to make some small talk in the process. "Thank you, Izumi-san. I just don't want to take up too much of your precious time. ...Is there a certain time you have to return home by?" He couldn't help but inquire. It was true that time was one of the most precious things a person could possibly have, from what he knew, at least.

Crisis Averted || Nase Izumi & Naoya Kirihara

She couldn’t help but notice his bashfulness at her compliment. Was it that the male just didn’t know how to accept such praises or rather…was it a rarity? The only thing that managed to break her thought process was a sudden jolt backwards as he retreated his hand. Ah, that was it. He probably just wasn’t used to being with a stranger for this long of time. Not that she could blame him. Had it been anyone else, Izumi probably would have left them by now.

"Of course! Why wouldn’t that be okay with me?"

His mannerisms were so interesting sometime. Surely he wouldn’t so worried as to ask her if it was alright that he got some food for himself. Seeing as though he tended to hurt himself cooking, it was probably best that he find food more suited for his ‘cooking style’ anyways. As he extends his hand out to help her, she merely shook her head and gave him a simple smile.

"I can hold it, dear sir. I may be a lady but I’m more than capable of holding my own bag of fruit."

[genuine-empathy]

It didn't seem like the 'forcefulness' of his previous message did any good. Business affairs, hmm? Well, that changed things. As curious as he was, he didn't think it would be any of his business to ask. The stranger was also apparently confident of being able to ward off a threat, which was good to know, at least...

Ah, I see.

After sending that message, he was just about to send another one, but footsteps caused him to look up to see that his brother had returned. He engaged in a brief conversation before the older of the two would leave again, and only after he stepped out was when Naoya returned his attention to his phone - approximately half an hour later.

There have just been some rumors lately about people disappearing. The majority has all been females. For some reason, there haven't been that many tourists in the area either, even though news of this occurrence shouldn't have reached other areas so quickly. So, just please just be careful on your arrival here.

   There it is, the next one. A warning, it would seem. But she’s never been one to listen to those. In the end, her work took priority, and it was likely this stranger had underestimated her, or so she thinks. A little bit of danger’s never daunted her.

   [Text]: I'm afraid that is not an option. It is a business trip I would rather not cancel. Besides, I'm quite capable of warding off a threat. But I must ask, what makes you say that?

   This sounded serious. Whatever it was, she was far too intrigued to turn back now. 

[genuine-empathy]

Hmm, it was quite obvious that Red didn't seem to be listening to him... and that was because he appeared to be concentrating on something else - healing the baby. There was no way Naoya could actually be angry over that fact, so he instead remained silent from there and just continued to watch the process. The silence was thick and every second added to the suspense. It was a little silly to think that the psychic himself was worried over the well-being of the infant, but perhaps it was something that he couldn't help. Quite clearly, Red was putting all his energy into that healing of his, to which Naoya mentally spurred him on.

The red aura, whereas would normally have intimidated the psychic, was actually somewhat soothing to look at. It wasn't long until the infant started moving again, which resulted in a small breath of relief to be exhaled. Naoya turned to watch as the other man moved to hug the baby. Seeing those joyful tears truly was a heartwarming sight... and the words the colorless man said didn't go unnoticed. Power of miracles, huh... that sounded almost too good to be true. Naoya watched quite contently as the same elder man made his way out the door, before he returned his expression back over to Red, who had shifted his position and was now lying on the floor. Perhaps using that ability of his must have taken quite a bit out of him... "A-are you alright?" He automatically asked.

And upon hearing the question, Naoya tilted his head to the side. "Healing soldier...?" Ah, yes, there was that same confusion again. But whatever wariness he was feeling before was now completely gone, and he felt that the redhead was someone that he could actually trust. Or at the very least, it didn't seem like he was exactly 'evil' in any way. "I don't believe I've ever had a healing soldier..." He began to speak, only to pause for a moment. He didn't have a healing soldier, though he did have similar healing abilities, if that counted? That would be the main reason why he didn't seem as surprised as he should have been.

Well, regardless, he didn't feel the need to give his own powers away, so he just decided to leave that little of information out and would continue from there, "...But that really is a remarkable ability you have." He said, allowing a small smile to spread across his lips for a split second before it vanished just as quickly. Red was clearly confident in his abilities, though that didn't stop him from being any less respectable. "These people here all seem like they rely on you quite a lot. You really do seem like an amazing person..." He concluded with none other than an absentminded compliment. Really, there was so much more he could have said - so much more he wanted to say, but he figured his words for now should suffice.

Eight entered the Kingdom

The red head did not hear anything that Naoya was asking of him. He couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the baby that was under his hand. His eyebrows furrowed as he put all his strength into trying to heal the baby. The problem lied with the fact that he could heal people, but bringing them back from the dead was a whole other thing entirely. If the girl had even died for a few mere minutes there was no way that he would be able to bring her back. No way at all. So all he got to hope for is that the father had brought the daughter to him in a close enough of a time slot. Red thought as he closed his eyes to put one more push into the healing process.

As Red did this he had then slowly pulled his fingers away as his red aura was slowly fading. To be honest, he was not the one that was giftes in the ways of healing as his previous saviors were. He had only gotten to the level that he was today was because of all the healing that he had to be constantly doing. He didn’t know if he was any powerful as his previous soldiers because of this.

As Red pulled away he stared at the child for a few moments. Was she alive? He wondered as he reached over to softly pat her head, and just as Red’s hands touched her-the baby’s chest started to go up and down. The male stared at her chest for a few seconds before grinning. Reaching over, he picked the child up to hand her off to her father who ran towards his baby to pull her into his chest. The man was smiling like an idiot while tears ran down his face.

"Thank you Red. Thank you." Red smiled and turned away from the man.

"Ah yeah you know. No problem. It was easy for a great soldier like me." Red bragged in a tone to try to deflect his praise. Waving towards the man with his hand as he continued to look away and proud. It wasn’t him being an asshole just trying to take the praise correctly. Yet as he did that he slowly turned back to the baby and father. The child’s hand waving towards her father. and making some happy noises.

"I am entirely greatful." The father said as he patted Red’s head and headed towards the door. Stopping only when he got to Naoya to look at him.

"That’s Red’s power. Miracles." He said as he left holding his baby since he knew that Red didn’t hear it when Naoya asked if he was healing her.

Red in fact did not hear him, and ended up talking the liberty to sit on the floor. Stuck there by him feeling so weak, and then he laid on then floor nonchalantly.

"So can your healing soldier do that?!" Red shouted with glee.

[genuine-empathy]

The officer listened to the female's words; there wasn't any way he could possibly allow two strangers to stay together, but being alone was dangerous. Still, there didn't seem to be much that could be done. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a card of his own and held it out to her. It was a simple white card with his name, profession, and number printed on it. Of course, the number was only the cellphone he carried for work as opposed to his personal one. "Officer Shido is my name. This is Officer Ken, my partner." He said as gestured to the other who gave a small nod in response. "If you decide to contact the police precint, my extension number is 4." He didn't bother mentioning the other two that were just about finished with the full examination or inspection of the body, mainly because they probably wouldn't be seeing them again after this, anyway.

"Contacting the actual hotel is not usually how we go about things. However, in this case, it seems we may not have a choice. You, there." Finally, Naoya's attention snapped back to reality as he looked toward the one that had addressed him. "If you refuse to give out your cellphone number, what is the name of the hotel you are staying at? We can contact you on their private hotline they have for each room." It really was not a bad idea, though Naoya still didn't really enjoy the idea of getting the hotel involved, even if they would be on a private hotline. "...The Rainbow Plaza hotel. But I'll give you my number, so it's fine... you don't have to contact them." The way he mumbled out that sentence, followed by the silent sigh, made it quite clear he wasn't happy about it, but it didn't seem like the other man was going to let him get away with not giving it out. After he gave it out, to which the officer's partner had to quickly write down again, the other two people that were observing the body apparently finished and walked back over. They whispered something in Shido's ear before he would nod.

"Understood," came the reply, before he glanced back at the two witnesses. "That is all. Thank you for your time and cooperation, but if the two of you have anymore questions for us, don't hold back." Now that all of them were together again, they would probably be able to provide the best answers. Although, before the officer would forget, he pulled out yet another card and held it out for Naoya to take this time, which he absentmindedly did.

"Would you perhaps have any spare shoes for her to wear?" He asked, even though he felt he knew the answer. He really didn't think walking without any shoes would have been comfortable, and if the female were to step on something that hurt her foot, the brunet would honestly feel terrible about it. As expected, the officer shook his head. "She volunteered to give these shoes as evidence on her own accord. However, we will be able to give you a ride back to your place." He offered. At that, Naoya would then take a glance back over at Laura, as if first waiting to hear what her answer would be.

She nodded at the officer’s explanation. ” I am staying a lone.” She lived on her own since she graduated. it became a normal for her to do most things on her own. She rarely relied on anyone nowadays. She liked being independent. it give her a sense of accomplishment. 

She understood the officer’s concern but she could have someone with her at all time. it wasn’t healthy to depend on someone as much.” Everything has a certain risk but I can always bring someone with me on my business trips.” it was natural for her to be alone of business trips. She had a busy life and didn’t want to drag anyone it, just to be safe.

” well, you can call Noaya on the hotel’s phone, right?” since Noaya didn’t want to give his personal number to the police. He could just give them the name of the hotel and they can contact him if anything happened. it was more reasonable than having them staying together. 

She pause for a second. ” can I have your number,officer? so I could contact you if anything happened.”She doubted that she would remember anything later on. The events were quite vivid in her mind. The scene of the mangled corpses and pool of blood surrounding it was burning in her memory. She even remembered the details like the places of the cuts and the shape of the empty eyes. It was a photographer’s habit. She shook her head to dismiss the unpleasant images.

[genuine-empathy]

It seemed Kana had returned to her 'usual' cheerful self, earning a tiny, slightly indiscernible smile from the male. She had chosen to pile her plate with an assortment of food, which allowed his facial features to become slightly more relaxed. Her big appetite meant she was probably healthy, so he shouldn't worry too much, right?

Since he himself wasn't much of a big eater, he simply chose a few things here and there, and it seemed he was mostly avoiding meat. When the two got back to the table, he chuckled lightly as Kana began to dig in. "I'm glad to see that you're enjoying yourself." Really, that was all that mattered. It wasn't long before he followed suit... however, his manner of eating was far more subtle, and perhaps even timid. After eating a piece of sushi that was on his plate, and while thinking of something to talk about in the process, he looked back up to see-- "Ah... please don't move..."

Grabbing the napkin that was on the table, he reached across and without putting any thought into it, brushed away a stray grain of rice that was on Kana's face. Only after doing that did he realize his 'error' and his eyes widened somewhat. "I-I'm sorry, I should have told you instead...!" He stammered out. Really, being alone with someone one on one like this wasn't something he was accustomed to at all, unless it was with his brother.

Closed RP || karismatickitty & genuine-empathy

Not only did Kana pick a complex sushi platter, she also grabbed another plate to fill it with warmer foods. Noodles, rice, chicken, and beef. Every type of meat and every side dish she could fit on a plate. She looked over to Naoya. "I know! You’re treating me like a child Noaya! Of course I’ll leave room for dessert~"

Kana pouted childishly, but it was obvious she wasn’t upset since she returned to her cheerful self right after. She escorted herself back to the table, setting down both the plates. It was hard to decide what to eat first, but she decided to go for the warmer food first since it would get cold if she ate the others first. There was certainly a pleased look radiating off her face as she prepared herself to eat.

"Itadakimasu!" Claps her hands together before grabbing her spoon and fork, since it was much easier to shovel down food, and began eating. She was using the spoon to scoop of the rice, inflated her cheeks in a chipmunk’s. These wear nomming sounds were coming from her as well as big gulps before a sigh of relief. "Mmm this is so good!"

[genuine-empathy]

Naoya continued to watch as people passed by, and every now and then he'd check the digital numbers displayed on his phone; there was still quite some time left until their scheduled meeting. It was pretty amazing how slowly time would pass by when one was just standing around with nothing to do, as opposed to when a person is being kept occupied and busy. Oh, speaking of which... the psychic flipped his phone open and went to his list of contacts. After saving Nadeshiko's number in his phone, he once again closed it before tucking it away again. And just as he looked up...

"Ah, Nadeshiko-san?" He didn't have the best eyesight, but he was pretty sure that the girl on the other side of the street was the person he was supposed to meet. "Nadeshi-- ...!" He stopped himself mid-way as he called to her. There was still a good hour and a half before they were supposed to meet up, so she was probably browsing around. However, at the same time, the expression she was wearing made it appear as if she was bored.

While he was worrying about interrupting her personal time to herself, it almost appeared as if she was trying to find something entertaining to do. Hmm... which brought about the final question. Should Naoya continue to just let her be until time was up, or should he let her know that he had finished his little search? He remained in place as he would contemplate his two options.

+7 followers!

[genuine-empathy]

Ah, should he be happy to be praised by Izumi? Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't exactly have cared much, or compliments would only serve to make him feel awkward, yet this time he did feel a little bit... happy? A low chuckle slipped past his lips, though his overall calm, slightly melancholic expression didn't seem to have changed much - at least not until her hand brushed against his, causing him to blink and quickly pull his hand away as if on instinct. Thankfully, Izumi was holding onto the bag, otherwise he was fairly certain that the bag would have fallen, along with all the oranges inside it. "O-oh, umm... alright then, if you say so." He stuttered out while raising a hand to rub the nape of his neck in a sheepish manner.

Only after he heard the question, did he regain his composure, his arm falling back to his side. "Mm... actually... I was thinking of getting some instant food, if that's alright with you?" He then asked,  looking past her and slightly tilting his head upward to look at the signs that were displayed in the shop. Let's see... which aisle was that in? These were one of the rare moments that he wished he had gone shopping more often. Well, either way, it probably wasn't that big of a deal. Returning his gaze to her, it wasn't long before he held his arm out to her, his palm open. "I could also carry that for you," he softly told her, talking about none other than the oranges.

Crisis Averted || Nase Izumi & Naoya Kirihara

Izumi, although not one to invest so much attention on people exactly, was able to tell from his expressions that he had a past. A secret. As if he shut out most of the information about himself out so that others weren’t able to..hurt him? Make fun of him? It was hard to say but the fact that he was able to go from quite joyful to sad reminded her, admittedly, a little of herself.

"Don’t worry, no need to apologize. I think you’re doing a wonderful job." Sure enough, the oranges in the bag were picked with care and even Izumi agreed that the ones he managed to inspect looked quite good. It would have been childish to say that he was a quick learner, but he did listen and implement what he was taught.

Izumi looked down at the bag upon realizing that their conversation took up most of their attention and by that time, he had almost reached the brim of the plastic bag with oranges. Giggling to herself in amusement, her hand grazes over his to take hold of the plastic and began to tie a knot to secure its contents. “I think this will be plenty, Naoya-kun. Do you need anything else?”

[genuine-empathy]

[EVERYOOOONE, I'M SO SORRY FOR BEING ACTIVE. ; A; I swear real life can be a pain... but I haven't forgotten any of you! I think I have most replies drafted, which I'll get to hopefully within the next few days...! Also, I gained some new followers while I was away, so if anyone would like to start a thread, don't hesitate to message me! <3 Love you all~~]

[genuine-empathy]

[genuine-empathy]

His name sounded like a language? He wasn't quite sure what to think of that. In his original world, that definitely shouldn't have been the case, but at the same time, it was a little interesting? And going by the man's words, the psychic did have a vague feeling that the one known as Red was attempting to cheer him up, which he appreciated. He remained silent, continuing to listen - his former unease was slowly starting to melt away when he noticed just how friendly Red was to him, with all those smiles and comforting words being tossed in his direction. Perhaps the guy wasn't as intimidating as the brunet first thought him to be.

Although, Naoya still had to admit that everything was still horribly confusing. He wasn't sure what 'soldiers' Red was talking about, and it probably showed on his expression as he would simply stare. "My... soldier or savior...?" The question sounded like it was being directed more to himself than anybody else. Well, it was at least confirmed that Red was in fact an important person, if this was the first time in years that he hadn't been recognized. "...But I-I see... thank you for that, then..." He managed to get in a few quick words of gratitude.To find a 'famous' person that wouldn't get angry over not being known was pretty relieving.

The current world Naoya was in, the one he soon came to know as 'Gradient' sounded like it was one that could be found in some type of video game or book. It was a world he didn't think even existed outside of fiction. Plus, the world's name itself was strange. It wasn't even a planet he's ever heard of. On top of that, Black, White, Red... those names were all colors - or gradients of color to be exact. Silently, he gazed off into the distance, as if contemplating something, at least until he remembered that he was asked a question.

"Oh, my planet's name is called-- ..." He was interrupted as the doorbell chimed, followed by stifled voices. Turning his head in the direction, he'd realize he couldn't quite understand what they were saying. Looking back over to Red, it seemed the other male had intended to ignore them for whatever reason and seemed to be waiting for him to continue, which he did, "My... my planet's name is called Earth. ...And, umm-- ..." Right then it sounded like he was wanting to ask a question or say something else, but he stopped when he was told to follow the other male. "Ah... okay..." And without any protest, quickly trotted after him, falling a few step behind.

Once they arrived at their destination, brown eyes widened, and a short, low gasp could be heard as he saw transparent people (if he could call them that) in front of the doorstep that he once stood at. "W-what...?" He shouldn't have been as surprised as he was, given that he was on a completely different world and people were bound to look a little... different... but it still threw him for a loop. Inching closer to the other male as if to hide behind him, he almost reached out to grab a hold of his shirt, but stopped himself. Considering they hardly knew each other, that might not have been the wisest decision. Besides, it didn't seem like those transparent individuals would do any harm. Naoya watched the scene play out before him in slight awe. "...Are you healing... her...?" He'd then ask after a brief moment of hesitation.

Eight entered the Kingdom

“Naoya?” Red repeated towards the other and then reached in to put his hands into his pockets. “That actually sounds like one of the languages that is spoken in the far north east. I…knew someone whose family was around that area. So if it does help, perhaps, this world isn’t that different than yours.” Red said in an attempt to try to cheer the guy up. Not that it was in his character, but it was difficult to just watch the guy be in turmoil over something like this. If it was him, he would have been ecstatic to be in a new place and to see new things. It wasn’t like he had much of a choice now, and to be somewhere different, even if it was worse, was something that he would at least want to experience.

“Ah it’s fine.” Red smiled at the other when Naoya apologized for not knowing him. “It was nice. I haven’t been not-recognized in years.” The red head had then saw how gloomy the other was becoming and he raised an eyebrow at him. Why was he getting so gloomy? Did the guy not realize that he could go back? Didn’t his planet have some kind of soldier that they could do that to? Perhaps pull him back in.

“Dude. Why are you sad? I’m pretty sure your soldier or savior or whatever you call them will come get you in no time.” The teenager then went to hit the other playfully in the soldier to try to cheer him up. He didn’t necessarily care about Naoya, but it bothered him to see him so sad. Even if his soldier that had the power of opening different dimensions wasn’t born he still had time to jump through. It just depended on if Naoya was lucky or not. Wait did everyone look like Naoya? Was he a soldier? Red thought as now he could see how gloomy Naoya could be with all these questions that needed to be answered. Even thinking of a new planet would be hard let alone being on one. Red thought to himself with a bit of swirls in his eyes from over thinking.

“Oh.” Red stopped at the question of his planet’s name. “It’s called Gradient. What’s your’s called?” The red head had questioned just as he had heard a doorbell ring that signaled him to go see who was at the door. He groaned in annoyance, but ignored it for the most part to concentrate on what Naoya was saying. Yet as he did this there started to be loud voices that was calling him to go to the main room in which most people entered. He stopped from listening for that one moment before looking over.

“Hey follow me. I think someone might be hurt.” He spoke as he had faintly heard those silent pleas before. It wasn’t that the voices were extremely loud, it was only the fact that he could hear them from all this time of getting used to it. The red head had then walked out of the library to go down the hallway to get back to the main room where he had met Naoya. As he walked in there, there were two people who were void of all colour. Transparent skin and bodies that was the normal for most. It was a father who was carrying a baby in his hands.

“Red. She’s stopped breathing. I got here as soon as I could. Can you please save her?” He spoke, but even as Red hurried over he had grabbed the baby before he could finish his last few sentences. Putting the baby gently on the ground he then placed his hands over the baby’s face. A bit of red fog started to glow around his fingertips, but only around his fingertips.  

[genuine-empathy]

It was strange... he's met plenty of kind before, but even with their kindness, he still awkward or out of place around them. It's not that he didn't think they were good people, but if someone were to question him about it, not even he'd be able to properly explain. There was just some type of humble sincerity to Izumi that made him feel comfortable, even when they hardly knew one another.

Funny... the psychic had actually experienced something similar once before. An experience he didn't really think he would get to experience a second time-- The image of a familiar-looking female surfaced in his mind and for a brief moment, he stopped what he was doing, his once calm and casual expression falling into a more somber one. All of his movements stopped and it seemed like he was deep in thought.

However, only a few seconds ticked by before he shook the thought away and after blinking, regained his normal disposition, proceeding on as if nothing happened. "Eh... I see...~" Placing the orange he was holding in his hand into the new bag he had grabbed, Naoya picked up another one and started to examine it, this time heeding her advice and making sure there weren't any signs of discoloration, and making sure it was firm enough. "You may have to forgive me for being silly. It seems as though I might not be cut out for this." A chuckle that followed was an indication that her words didn't actually hurt his feelings, though had to admit it was a little embarrassing that he was having so much trouble when it came to something that should've been so simple for others.

The question that was asked earlier didn't strike him as odd at all, either. In fact, he found it to be quite refreshing that it was one of the safer questions that he would be willing to answer as he continued his picks. "I usually eat food that's ordered out. Or instant foods. ...Which reminds me..." He should probably restock on that. Before he had any time to ponder too much into it, the two actually ended up collecting a decent number of oranges rather quickly. "Ah, do you believe eight of them be enough?" He inquired. Even if Izumi had stopped choosing, he continued on absentmindedly, until he found eight of them in the bag.

Crisis Averted || Nase Izumi & Naoya Kirihara

It was quite amusing to the woman that he was so innocent, so childlike with the way that he would go about simple tasks. As she had examined all of the apples, a look of wonder spread across his face as if mentally jotting down notes of how she picked the fruits that she did.

"You’ve never really had to go shopping before? Then how did you eat?" It was a serious question although she felt quite silly asking it. Honestly, she just hoped that she didn’t offend him for asking such a question that could have sounded a bit demeaning. But she wouldn’t dwell on it because the man was too much of a gentleman and suggested that she, too, should keep her immune system up.

"I think I’ll be perfectly fine for the moment, thank you. My main priority is the wellbeing of my brother and I think he has more than plenty now that you’re here." Since when had Izumi been so kind to someone? It was certainly out of her nature to do so but…something about him made her so calm, almost soothing, to the point that maybe she had grown comfortable around the individual. A thought that festered in her mind as they headed towards the crate of oranges, Naoya now examining the oranges as she did with the apples. She could stifle her laughter as she shook her head.

"You’re quite silly, do you know that? This one is just fine. Just make sure they’re not too mushy and the outside is discolored. That could pose for possible molding." She simply informed him as he continued to pick out the worthy oranges.

[genuine-empathy]

Ah, she didn't seem to bug him any further as to what he meant, or what he was about to say, which was something he was a little more than grateful for. Hearing her cheerful response, Naoya couldn't help but send a tiny smile her way. "Mm..." However, it was short-lived. "Eh... really...?" The weak smile, which he honestly didn't think suited her, didn't go unnoticed. Even though she claimed not to get along with her siblings, it seemed that she still did care for them. But for her to word that sentence in such a grim way-- "Did..." He wanted to ask a question, though wasn't sure if he should or not. For Kana to be separated from siblings, and not know what became of them, caused a dull ache in his chest.

After a few seconds of pondering, a cheerful voice sounded again, pulling him from his thoughts. "...Huh? Oh, right." He'd been so preoccupied, he didn't even realize the buffet area had cleared. Standing up, the brunet pushed his chair in before the two walked over to the counters. Grabbing a plate of his own and following after her, he noticed that she certainly did seem excited, a thought which was able to make a low chuckle escape from him.

"I suppose it would be quite the waste not to try everything now that you're already here, hmm?" He commented casually, picking a few california rolls and shrimp tempura rolls for himself - clearly trying to avoid any of the raw rolls. His mind was still lingering on that question, but he figured if she wanted to talk about it, she would've caught on and asked him about it. Plus, they would have plenty of time to talk while they were eating, so he left it for now. "I believe there's a dessert section over there as well, so... I'm sure you already know, but be sure to save room for dessert." If the young woman wasn't really in that high spirits before, he was hoping to make a comment that might make her feel better - even if only a little.

Closed RP || karismatickitty & genuine-empathy

His little pauses and cut-offs where very adorable. "I guess he’s a good onee-san like you said if he leaves you that speechless. I’m glad. I don’t have a very good relationship with my siblings. Especially Kenta, he’s the oldest one. He use to bully me when we were kittens because he was the biggest." She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling weakly down at the tea before taking another sip.

"I don’t know what’s become of them, but I hope they’re okay." Kana’s smile returned to her face, eager to learn more about his brother. "That’s cute! I can imagine him already!" Just as she said that, she noticed the buffet was clearing up. "Alright, hey let’s go get some food! I’m completely starving." She just pushed her seat back and stood from the table, waiting for him. ”Haha, what are you going to eat first? I think I’m going to do a whole sushi platter and taste everything! Then maybe get some fried rice, or noodles, chicken~” She was drooling at the thought.

She went along ahead of him, grabbing a plate and filling it up with an assortment of sushi at the sushi bar. Yellow tail, shrimp, crab, and her favorite, tuna!

[genuine-empathy]

The officer took the business card as it was handed to him and gave it a quick look-through; it was a regular business card for photography, there wasn't anything suspicious about it. With a nod, he'd soon tuck it away in his pocket. "Very well, then." He at least respected people's wishes, for now. Unless something drastic happened, he wouldn't be calling her workplace. It wasn't exactly a smart idea to get uninvolved people suddenly involved, anyway.

And as he heard her question, he would answer almost automatically, "It is not certain something will go wrong, but having your numbers is a type of insurance. With cases like these, you never know what can happen. Furthermore, the two of you may be too shaken to remember everything at the current time, but it might return to you later on in case we need more information about something. Understand?" With that taken care of, he'd continue, "Not trying to scare anyone, but you have to be extra careful from now on." He wouldn't be surprised if the killer was hiding somewhere, listening to their conversation as they spoke, or if they caught a glimpse of them. Even if they didnt see anything, one can never know what goes on in a criminal's mind. A thorough investigation of the park may have to be done soon.

The officer tapped a finger on his chin for a moment as he thought. Naoya had remained silent the entire time, but his eyes never left the officer, so he was able to catch all expressions and motions that were made, including the skeptical looks that would occasionally be thrown in their directions. "Are you also staying at a hotel?" He'd suddenly ask Naoya, who simply nodded silently in response. He didn't mention he was staying with his brother because he didn't really think it was necessary.

The officer found it a little strange that two people were staying in hotels, but he just shrugged it off as a possible coincidence, for now. After giving a quick look to his partner, who quickly jotted all the information down, he looked back to Laura seeing as how she was the more talkative of the two. "Are the two of you staying by yourselves? You should be aware that it is dangerous to stay alone, even more if you are staying in a hotel." Because anyone can easily enter hotels and other rooms, and do away with them.

"My original suggestion was having the two of you keep one another company, especially since this man right here obviously doesn't feel like giving his number. I thought if the two of you could always stick together, getting his number would not be necessary since it would be possible to contact him as well if he stayed with you. However, if the two of you just met today..." He stopped then and there in order to re-think his plan. He didn't think it was really a good idea to have complete strangers stick by each other 24/7. If he couldn't think of anything, then it seem like somehow getting the other's number was the only other option. Refusing to give it out was already suspicious enough already. By now, Naoya had looked away, occupied by his own thoughts. A part of him didn't even hear anything the officer said.

She sighed. She really didn’t want to pull to anything dangerous again. ”Laura Harrison.” she introduced herself and give the officer her business card.” my cellphone number and my work number are here but please don’t call my work number… my boss wouldn’t like it.. .’’ she did want to get in trouble. Having the police call you at work was never a good thing. ” I am staying at a small hotel downtown until the end of the year.” She only had two more months before her work is done here.

Laura was obvious to the officer’s suspicious glances. She didn’t do anything wrong and had nothing particular to hid.  Even if she told then her secret they are more likely to call her insane than to believe her.

She noted Naoya hesitation when the officer asked for his number. He didn’t seem to be comfortable giving it. She could understand why. Well. Maybe he is one of those people who dislike the police? Or he just doesn’t like giving his number to people. Her latter guess seemed more convincing for some reason.

She didn’t understand why they would need their numbers. They had absolute nothing further to add to their earlier statement and she doubted that she could help them. ” What do you mean by something going wrong?” she asked the officer with a concerned tone. What could go wrong more than that? It wasn’t like they saw the killer and he will come after them.

She blinked in confusion at the officer’s question. it was an odd question but she replied honestly anyway. ” No, we just met today.” She didn’t know much about Naoya but she already considered him a friend.

[genuine-empathy]

                              I didn’t mean for things                            to be   ѕ υ ¢ н   a d͕̬͙̯̺͢i͡s̨̖̲a̫͔̗̟̺͎͉͞ṣ̣̫͙̦̀t͕e̸͖̭̲r̡̯̙.

                                              -

                               I just wanted ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʟᴩ.                                      I just wanted                              ｔｏ   Ｍ Ａ Ｔ Ｔ Ｅ Ｒ.