justkeepingthisforoldtimessake

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

File #010 [The Missing Persons Incident || Open]

Well, this was a twist alright.

A fresh new face... seems like she was no worse for wear but man, this poor thing’d gone right from the frying pan into the fire. Did she even know about the whole ‘let’s kill your friends, it’ll be awesome’ part? He was guessing not. Lately he’d felt less and less charitable so the others could catch her up. Honestly they were probably still willing to deceive themselves with this friendship game. He had too, briefly, but that’d been nipped in the bud recently. All the better. He would look into mystery girl’s story later but for now he wasn’t in the mood to go through all the preliminary conversations. As soon as those were out of the way, he’d have time aplenty for her. He probably wanted to be alone, he knew that much, but wasting time with self-pity was... well, a useless past time, and one he’d mostly left in the past. So the least he could do was make himself useful. Sure, maybe the chickadee was the key to this mystery but until he questioned her more he wouldn’t know. So for now he’d keep a cool head and have a look elsewhere. The weather station seemed as good a better as any so to the grey sad looking building it was!

He pushes the doors open and winces a little at the musty decor. The grey clashed against the white that was not all around his feet. Hard to tell if the place had been touched recently but... one thing was for sure, it didn’t really fit in with the usual town’s fare. Which is why it was interesting, really.

Much like himself, really.

And perhaps much like his position among his peers.

The truth of it was returning, being alive as a whole, would only trouble people. It’d certainly ruin his family’s story of him being tragically killed in the riots... and the people he worked with? Hell, they’d either find another broker or cheer the demise of another lowlife. So where did that leave him? Well, it left him wanting his survival. For no one but himself, he supposed. Did that new girl have people waiting for her? He didn’t know her, didn’t even get the name, but she probably did. They all did, no doubt. So they might be fighting for their own life even harder, with a passion he couldn’t possibly empathise with. Quite the disadvantage.

‘A brave mask for a weak little man’, was it?

Weak was a stupid word for it, in his eyes. Sure, people can hurl their stones and call him this and that. It didn’t hurt. It wasn’t disappointing she thought that, either. He was simply being smart. It was fine like this. Their fault for thinking sticking around and being supportive meant something. It was as he told Hina. Those who want to believe you will. Even if all the evidence says otherwise. That’s what a bond should be. A best friend. A girlfriend. A parent. Two parents. A whole school. How many people would abandon him? People were the worst. He was just making use of them, like they made use of him so where was the harm in that? There was no way he could just stick around and believe in someone sincerely, not anymore. Bearing your heart or whatever, it was impossible. Hell, he wasn’t sure he had anything left in him to give, anyway.

At this point, Suishou just shrugs off the intrusive thoughts. They won’t help him. And help is what he needs about now if he wants out of here. The group is thinning and if he doesn’t want to be next he needs to hurry up and MacGyver something that either makes him useful or gets him out of here. Honestly, preferably the latter. He peeks into one of the file cabinets and flicks through some of the envelopes before hearing the door creak open once more. It’s a good thing it’s so loud. He regards the person with a look and then tilts his head almost shrugging before going back to his searching.

“Ah, if you’re here you can pretend I said something very clever or charming I’m sure. So-rry, too busy to really think of something good.“

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

shsl-wanderer:

She drops her arms, slowly, hands resting loosely beside her thighs. “I am so honoured,” she snaps, her voice quiet but smeared with pain and anger, “Mister Suishouryuu chose to trust only me, out of everyone else. I should be writing this down, so I can remember this forever. What do you think I am, a love interest in your story? Ar you the hero and I the secondary character?” She’s picking at the skin around her fingernails, an unconscious gesture. “I am a real person. I breathe. Sometimes I am not sure that I am real but the movements and sounds in my ribcage tell me that I am alive. And I am certainly not living for the purpose of providing you with character growth.”

She clenches and unclenches her fists. A spot of blood is welling on her right index finger. “I am not going to stab you in the back. I… you cannot trust my word but it is all I have to offer. But what do you want from me? Happiness and light? A warm embrace? I am hurt. You aren’t the only one wounded these last few days. I spent years building protecting myself and my defenses were torn down in a flash, so how did you think I would be feeling?”

She plunks herself down in the grass again, but instead of curling into a ball she sits cross-legged, a more open position, but her crossed arms are still on the defensive. (The position of her legs hikes up the hem of her dress above her knees, the edge of a scar visible on the outside of her thigh.) Kazae, at least, is not shutting Hotaru off completely. “You don’t have many friends, do you?” she asks, not looking at him, but rather the grass she’s just started to tear out of the lawn. “You do not know how people work. I am in pain. Forgive me if I would rather be angry and hurt instead of supportive of you.”

And now she looks up, a clump of mangled grass in her left fist. Kazae’s eyes are blue, bloodshot. “Face it, Mister Sumino. You do not know me. Despite your best efforts, you do not know what makes me tick. Do not pretend to know otherwise.”

He lets in sink in and finally, it really does sink in. People like him didn’t get to have close friends like that. For some reason, blinded by an optimism created from desperation perhaps, he had forgotten that. For what reason had he acted so controversially? It was to keep people at bay, keep them in line. To fully have no expectations. He was so stupid to have made such a basic mistake. Well, it was too late to double back now but he had some options still left at his disposal. His eyes pick up on the blood, he watches her very carefully. And then makes his move.

“Awww! Game over. Too bad, this was a pretty good opportunity for me. ‘You think this is easy for me’... I was proud of that line. You to-tally no-sold me."

Suishou shrugs, the grin expanding on his face.

“But, as expected, you’re just too smart for me, Fuu-san. Y’know, in a story this would’ve worked for sure. I mean, unlikely friendship meets a snag and becomes a life-long bond when the unpopular jerk character shows compassion? That’s a classic! But I guess real life’s a whole other kettle of fish, huh!”

She spent years? What about him? God, he was hit by shame all over again. He was so stupid. How could he have forgotten or skimmed over his usual rules? People were selfish. If a father wouldn’t care, a mother, a brother, a sister, a girlfriend... then why would this person care? People were selfish to their very core. That’s what made his business thrive.

“It was a long-shot but, still, you can’t blame a guy for trying. At least give me credit for some of the lines! That’s some heartwarming stuff. I should definitely be in the running for SHSL Actor!”

He waves her off with his good hand and feels some of his normal brashness come back. Now that he realized his folly, she didn’t matter. No, none of them did. Relationships were impossible. Both making them and keeping them. But breaking them? That was the fun part.

“People just love to blab when they’re upset, you know. I throw in a little sympathy and people just, well, they can’t stop themselves from spilling. But I guess that wouldn’t work on you, huh. I’m a bit disappointed but it’s fine -- I already have your real name. That’ll be enough for me to dig up the rest. Guess I win anyway.”

Maybe it’s enough to convince her but he isn’t convinced. Still, reversing this amount of damage is new and it’ll take some evidence. But she's nothing special. He’ll just keep it up. She’ll either drift away or hate him. He’s confident he can at least handle that much.

“Well then! I gave you your questioning period. As promised, I’ll be taking my leave now. Bye-bye, Fuu-tan. for real, yeah? It’s been fun, bambina.”

A cheery wave and then he steps away. That sentence revealed a bit too much but it’s fine. It’s a work in progress, he’s a work in progress. Even if some of that comes off as fake, he’ll break it more thoroughly later. It’s fine - this is the way it should be.

Now to find his way out! Hopefully it shouldn’t be too hard to find his way back. Sure, he’d come here in a bit of a rush but that didn’t mean he’d switched his mind off completely... hopefully.

vicious | open

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

What kind of scientist is that exactly, he wonders. It’s not like he’s met enough to form a basis for comparison. Despite everything, despite what she might think, it’s not like he dislikes her. In all honesty, he’s ambivalent. As far as he’s concerned, her true colours were revealed a little. A person who studies humans that much is bound to be a little unscrupulous. It’s nice to see it in the open. Sure, that doesn’t make them best friends and he’d be more than a fool to put any faith in her but it’s not any kind of dislike. If anything, he feels a bit satisfied. Proof that people were people. Greedy at their core.

“Oho? Well you’d know, I suppose. I don’t typically hang around with animals. Ooh, unless you wanna get edgy and say ‘we’re all animals’. Ah. Maybe they smell a liar. Oh, but if they did, I guess they’d be running from you too, miss Aberle. No?”

He laughs a fairly lighthearted laugh before hand-waving at her, as if fanning the comment he made away.

“It’s a joke. A joke. Don’t worry, you’re with good company there!”

‘Good company’, sure, that was one way to put it.

“Hey, don’t talk about my nose, I’m sensitive about that!”

He claps a hand over it. The usual jokey atmosphere dies a little as his hand goes to his side and his eyes narrow.

“Though... trouble you say... are you trying to imply you’re the trouble in question? ... Hmm! Maybe I’m just here for the same reason you are. You’re awful at trusting people, I’m a little hurt.”

Shark Tank - MMN Chapter 4 Open

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

shsl-wanderer:

Kazae sneers, drawing her upper lip back, exposing teeth. The expression is almost animalistic. Between that and the hair covering her face, the spirit medium looks like a spirit herself - and not a very nice one. “Don’t lie to me,” she snaps, “Hear you out? You just want to know the rest of the story. You want to know why I tried to hard to hide my name.”

She laughs. It’s an ugly sound. “You are unsatisfied, aren’t you?” She sounds like she can’t decide whether she wants to cry again or rip Hotaru’s face off. “Where’s the fun in letting the scarecrows tear my secrets from me? It isn’t enough for you. You want to pry something off for yourself, too.” She scoffs. “Good luck with that. I am telling you nothing.”

She scowls at him for a moment, but then starts to stand, shakily. Bare arms hang loosely at her sides, her shoulders are hunched, her hair’s a mess - that angry spirit look isn’t going away. She’s shivering, has been this whole time but suddenly it’s apparently. Kazae is thin, there’s not much to her and the air is cutting right through her.

“Why should I trust you, anyway?” she asks, “You want to know something about me? Fine. I have never trusted anyone and not been disappointed. Nobody is worth trusting. Why should I make an exception for you? You try so hard to keep everyone at arm’s length; you do not want us to trust you, no more than you can take our secrets and run. You told me once that you wanted to do that. To run away. So why don’t you do that? Why are you still here?”

She throws her arms out to the side, an action that flicks her hair, showing her face more clearly. Pale. Exhausted. “I am Kazae Yanai, the spirit medium. You have what you wanted now. Give me one good reason why I should trust you, or else leave.”

Or else leave?

Maybe he should. This is blow after blow. It’s not anger that rises but sort of... acceptance. Disappointment maybe. It’s not like a novel where two characters just ‘get’ each other and that’s that. But maybe, in some fashion, that’s what he’d hoped for. Part of him had always hoped for that. Was that so impossible? Was he really that bad a person? What a mess. Why should he care? Why did he care? It wasn’t fair he was the only one being yanked around like this.

“... So that’s what you think?”

That’s his only comeback. Well, what else was he supposed to say? Insist it wasn’t true? It didn’t matter. If people wanted to believe you, they would. If they cared enough, they’d believe you even if you didn’t have the evidence. Of course, he doesn’t expect that of someone like her, someone he still doesn’t know all too well but somehow the accusation strikes me as a bit much. Or maybe he’s just hurt.

He wanted to... what was it he wanted? Not this, certainly. Was this helping or not, he had no idea. But he sighs again, this time a sigh tinged with more frustration before speaking up once more.

“You’re not the only one with a false name. You ever consider I don’t trust people either? You think this is easy for me? ... Ahh... geez...”

The pain surprises him. Turns out he’s been gripping his hand, clenching it, this entire time. Bad habit, that. Even before he got it injured he had a tendency to do that.

“I was abandoned. Alright? I don’t like people. Ever person I’ve known’s stabbed me in the back. My family didn’t bother looking for me in the riots - they wrote me off as dead. ‘Hotaru Sumino’ is dead. And this,”

The smile he gives is anything but sincere as he waves around his bandaged hand.

“is the work of my ‘best friend’. The second my hand gave out everyone either pretended I didn’t exist or gave me hell for it. And this-- is stuff I don’t tell people. Information’s my thing, you know? I’m not really eager to share things, especially not for free. Besides, I figure everyone’s out for themselves - everyone lies. It’s not a big deal if I do too. That’s why I do what I do. But for some...”

A pause, as he tries to find the right word.

“wonderfully. Stupid. Reason... I thought to take a gamble on you. Because the thing I really need here in a life-or-death situation is someone I’m worried about.”

Sarcasm again but at this point he’s been pretty straight-up about everything. Having said that, he felt like he’d said enough. Sure, he might’ve been stupid for saying this much already, for caring in the first place, but he’s not so stupid he’s going to just beg her to believe him. If she did, well, she did. If she didn’t, then he wasn’t going to make it happen. 

“Look, I’ve said my piece. I’m not going to convince you to trust me. I couldn’t even if I tried, right? That’s the sort of person I am. You want me gone, right? If that’s that, I guess I better be off. I just figured I’d explain it first. Misunderstandings aren’t my thing. I’ll stick around if you have any other questions. I’ll be outta your hair after that. I think that’s fair enough."

He folds his arms. Honestly he should’ve said enough at this point - he really should leave. But his feelings are messy enough without the help; if that’s how she feels, he wants to confirm it before he moves on.

It’s so stupid. He has no idea what’s wrong with him. Sure, he paraded himself as a detestable person, but that was so people stayed away in the first place. Why come this far and turn back now? Just... why... was this happening at all?

vicious | open

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

shsl-wanderer:

She looks up, peering through her hair and her tear-flooded eyes. A blurry image of the person formerly known as Suishouryuu appears to her, approaching her. Had he followed her? The nerve. She doesn’t want to see him, doesn’t want him to see her like this. He’d tried so long to figure her out and, well, now he has, and here she is, and she hopes he’s happy.

Turns out he didn’t need a crowbar to uncover her secrets. The scarecrow did it for him just fine.

And his own name. Hotaru Sumino. Maybe he’s the only one who actually understands. Conflicted feelings there. Why did she have so much trouble remembering names, but his was burned into her? She can remember the exact rhythm of the scarecrow’s words as she heard it for the first time. It had taken her so long to learn Suishouryuu, so long to learn all of their names, to fight through the haze of her poor memory, but those two words, those two, had cut through. She had felt it. Pain. Almost (less than) the same pain she had felt when those other two words were spoken.

Kazae Yanai.

Those had hurt, hurt hard. She remembers the exact rhythms and tones of them too; she remembers that entire moment viscerally. It makes her heart thud against her ribs every time she thinks about it, brings that sickened terror and anger back up into her lungs and her throat.

She clutches her arms tighter, trying to swallow the taste of bile and copper. Chipped fingernails threaten to draw blood from the skin on her knees and shins. “What do you want?” she asks, her voice like damp and stretched rice paper barely holding together. She doesn’t care if he knows she’s suffering, doesn’t care about much at all right now. And she knows he can hear it, a storm in her rib cage barely held in check. She fixes him with eyes like the angry sky and demands explanation.

What do you want she says...

It’s an obvious question but somehow he’s caught off-guard. It sounds so... suspicious. Angry. Well, maybe it’s no wonder. He is who he is. You’d be stupid to trust him, even he’d admit that. But somehow the fact that she’s doing it stings a bit. Honestly there’s still... time to turn back. Make a joke and leave. Or, better yet, provoke her a bit more to glean more information. This timing was just right. When upset, people let all manners of things loose. But if he did that... she’d never forgive him. That scared him. Even if it didn’t, what was the point? Sure, he’d wanted to figure out her mystery, but, getting the answers wasn’t at all satisfying, especially like this. He hadn’t done anything. Getting an answer so easily was cheap, and honestly, he’d been sour about all the secrets that got out. A lack of investigation. No flair.

Irritating.

He’d lived his life with a selfish mantra, proudly declaring he was the only one that mattered. And he’d promised himself ever since he’d been left behind that he’d never do anything he’d regret. Well, time’s ticking and life goes on. If he let’s this go he probably will regret it. So, time for that leap of faith.

“Hm, what do you think I want?”

If she answer he might just get another kick to the ego so he smoothly carries on.

“I... was concerned. Maybe I know what it’s like to get publicly torn down like that. You’re not the only one with secrets bambina, no? And well, great minds think alike. Even at the worst of times.”

That wasn’t quite the right thing to say. No, what he wanted to say was... bigger than that but that made it all the trickier. He heaves a huge sigh and runs a hand through his hair before falling to a sort of lazy kneel. It was easier than standing since she wasn’t.

“That didn’t quite sound the way I hoped. Alright, let me level with you here. People are interesting. At times, useful. So I do what I can to remain impartial. How-ever...”

Another sigh.

“Look, I guess I got worried. Genuinely worried. Seems like I really did become fond of you. Honestly, what luck...”

Despite the words, his tone seems almost a little... irritated. Really, why wouldn’t he be irritated? This whole thing is a huge pain he could do without. Why did people even seek out friendship when it was hard? As a person who lived for control - confidence - perfection... entering into such an unpredictable situation was basically suicide in his own head.

“You can believe it, you can disbelieve it, certainly haven’t done much to prove it one way or the other. Won’t hold it against you if you think it’s all mind games. And hey, I don’t mind leaving right now if that’s what you want.”

He straightens back to his standing position. Just in case. Maybe it’s better if she does want him gone. His eyes wander from hedge to hedge, leaf to leaf, before he finally finishes his thought.

“But... hm. I guess... if you can trust me... if you do... well, I’m here. Misery loves company, right? I can at least hear you out. That’s probably what a friend’d do.”

That’s what comes out. It’s not nervous stuttering, not that he’s capable of that sort of thing, but it’s not as elegant as he’d hoped. It’s not so much he’s nervous or unsure about the words as he is unsure of how to actually be sincere to someone. If he’s sincere, he’s usually able to cloak it, coat it in humour somehow. Protect himself in some way. This time he hasn’t, or rather, can’t do that. It’s dangerous. And it goes against everything he usually preaches.

But hey.

I really am stupid, huh.

vicious | open

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

Had he been dethroned as the untrustworthiest person in this whole town? ... Well maybe he’d never gotten that particular award since Mr. Mayor was always around. But you know, if you took him out of the running then... well, point was, Rachel Aberle had shown herself to be a very suspect person herself. Hotaru had never liked her, really. Personality-wise, eh, she was fine. Hell, to even say he disliked her was an overstatement. He’d just been a bit wary of her from the start - something something about a person who studies other people. Sure, what he did was kind of similar but he kind of embraced the shadiness. And besides, he did it for a reason, not some sort of weird curiosity. People like information, he gets it, gets to piss of a few people (bonus!) and then gets paid. What she’s up to... eh, it’s something he doesn’t quite get.

Still, in some weird way, now that the cat’s out of the bag he feels she’s easier to figure out. ‘Not so high and mighty now’... or something. It’s hard to put into words. Still, if she keeps her nose clean and doesn’t try any stupid manipulation tactics, he’s fine with her. A sort of ‘if you don’t bother me, I won’t bother you’ peace. He wasn’t even looking for her when he ran into her. He was actually just taking in the aquarium... appreciating it, maybe. And here she was. The ginger imp herself.

It was surreal to see the girl so quiet. They weren’t close by any means but the Rachel he knew was a foul little gremlin who yelled out things most Japanese girls would blush at. Or cry. She seemed to be keeping a low profile. There’s always the option of leaving but why leave when a perfectly good conversation could reveal some interesting details?

Well, perhaps he’s not that cynical and thorough but he can’t help but feel it would be a waste not to talk to her. Rather than giving chase he just ambles around the aquarium, looking not at the small sharks as she was, but some neon tetra elsewhere. He lets the silence sink in for a bit before glancing back at that tank.

“You don’t think it’s a waste? Coming all this way only to hide?”

Shark Tank - MMN Chapter 4 Open

No one was supposed to know that. That fact had resounded in her head all through the night, all through the morning, and all during the train ride to the next area.  Rachel’s mind was in a haze- Like the part of a dream when you fall into waking yourself up. But this was a jarring awakeness that left her feeling beside herself.

She knew she had to at least try to scope out the newest area- While avoiding the small amount of people that were still here.  Her thoughts were still dizzy, but she still knew that she should be wary- The Mayor had revealed the target on her back that she could no longer hide.

“Everyone here had witnessed the previous despair event,” She was mumbling to herself in English as she walked through the aquarium. “And- except for Agatha, perhaps Sumino- The rioting brought by that left an emotional chip that strikes a deep chord with all of them. Not everyone left is prone to violent reactions- But. Tadao. Definitely. Agatha, possibly. However, everyone has a snapping point.”

She stopped, gazing up at a small cloud of angelfish as they flittered by in the glass across from her.

“It’d be best if I kept my distance from everyone,” She agreed to herself, before continuing on.

She became quiet then, wandering along until she came to a tank that stood in the middle of it’s room, a cylinder that housed a few small sharks. Rachel stopped here, following one that she picked at random with her eyes as it swam about. It was possibly the quietest she had ever been, watching the little hunter circling with it’s compatriots.

Rachel sensed movement, and tore her gaze to look through the tank at the other person who had just entered. She locked eyes with them for several seconds, before inhaling sharply and ducking down below the tank, pressing her back against the wall. Maybe they would leave. Maybe they wouldn’t.

The little shark would just have to wait.

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

He wasn’t quite sure if he was seeking out Fuu. Maybe it was subconscious, to try and find the person you felt the best with. Maybe it was genuine concern. Maybe it was just a coincidence. His head was a bit of a mess so he hadn’t exactly put much thought into it. He’d seen her drift into the hedge maze and, somewhat curious, somewhat in lost in thought, he’d stepped into it too. It was a bit like Alice in Wonderland. Every time he found a turn, he’d see her blue dress trail in a certain direction. It almost seemed like she knew where she was going.

After a bit, even he couldn’t stand just tailing someone so he speaks up.

“Hey, hey-- wait up.”

Ah. Perhaps he didn’t say that fast enough. She was gone again. Faster than expected. Or perhaps he just wasn’t paying attention. Damn. At this point perhaps it really had turned into some concern. He was a selfish guy, but... well... being concerned for someone a bit wouldn’t hurt too much, right?

When she finally stopped she looked... well, she’d seen better days. Right. His name is a different kettle of fish compared to hers, huh? From their conversations he’d figured she liked people knowing as little about her as possible. For him, it was similar but different. He was angry about it, sure, weakened, definitely, but he wasn’t taking it as badly as she was. Looking at her like this he realizes this... might be do or die time.

If he doesn’t care, if he doesn’t want to get close to someone, now’s the time to leave. They can talk on occasion but never cross paths in any serious fashion. If he risks upsetting her here, risks talking to her then...

Then he really does care, doesn’t he?

... Ahhh, damn it!

What a failure! The great Hotaru Sumino falls to mere emotions. What a disappointment. But looking at her like this, well, there was no way he could leave her alone. And that, unfortunately, meant something.

“Hey-ho. Spare a moment for the other guy who lost his name?”

She probably can’t see but he offers a wry smile. Hotaru makes sure to keep some distance away. Sure he’s bugging her by doing this but he’s not going to become some sort of ‘uwu uwu have a hug’ softie over night.

vicious | open

She’d nearly ripped her hair out after that trial. She’d run, not wanting to be in there and around people any longer than she actually had to. They knew. It was too much. They all knew and it was like their eyes were burning her, their presence was burning her. She just wanted to crawl into some dark cave and shut herself in, somewhere safe and secure. The social barriers she’d built had failed her, so she was going to need real barriers now.

Fuu- no, Kazae now. No, Fuu. Wanted to be Fuu. Who? Who. Fuu. Kazae. Whomever she was. Fuu was useless to her now. It had been stripped away from her, leaving Kazae raw and exposed. Names are powerful. Fuu was a lock and key and Kazae is a hurricane. 

Kazae- no, Fuu. She runs from them, spends the train ride over in tears, the only one on the train, huddled in her seat, knees against her chest, arms aching like she was trying to crush herself into a state of infinite nothingness.

Fuu- no, Kazae- finds herself in the hedge maze, wandering aimlessly through it, purposefully losing herself in the twists and turns of greenery until she’s good and disappeared. Just gone. She falls to the grass, curls up in a dead end corner, and stays there. Maybe she’ll just waste away. That sounds nice.

It was all unravelling. They knew; nobody was supposed to know. She couldn’t hear here; nobody was talking to her. It was scary. It was silent. The knowledge of the living and the absence of the dead. She imagines eyes, eyes everywhere, eyes peering through the leaves down at her, and she pulls herself tighter. Is she crying? Hard to say. So numb she can’t feel her own heartbeat.

Nobody can find her here. She’s sure of that. She’s in a secluded corner of the vast maze, alone, and she wants to stay alone. If anyone were to find her, they’d see her huddled at the end of a long corridor of leaves, disheveled hair falling in strands over her face, white knuckles clutching at her knees. But no one would find her. She’s sure of it.

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

File #009 [The Rock Star’s Incident || Open]

It was hard to put the feeling into words. Any word that came to mind seemed too strong for the sensation. Disappointment was so... expectant... sadness, way too gloomy, way too strong... maybe the word was just... tired.

If the positions had been switched, would Hokori Aoki given him the time of day? Most likely not. That’s what Suishouryuu figured. The mighty information broker now given a human, mortal name... well, he always had one, really, it just... he seemed less grandiose now, somewhat. It wasn’t just the name, it was the feelings he had to juggle. He hated those. He’d much rather everyone look at him with disdain and distrust. That he could deal with. It was predictable, effortless and easy to handle. You never had expectations with people and in riling them up you often got more information than even they’d realize. It was perfect. But these days it wasn’t so simple. If he pushed too hard in this climate, he was dead. Hell, he was half-sure some people still wanted him dead, people like Tadao Myojin. Others he was sure would be more ambivalent. Hina would probably cry but geez, that girl’d probably cry over literal spilled milk.

So where did that then leave him, the boy who loved to get people angry at him? Nowhere nice, that’s for sure. He found himself reaching for a non-existent pendant on the journey home, looking through the window in a clearly non-committed fashion. He had to regroup and figure out some good tactics here but more and more people were dying; faster than he’d expected, actually. He was smart, sure, fast too. But others could overpower him and hell, luck’s always a part of this.

Mr. Mayor hadn’t even done them the courtesy of informing them of the new area. Actually, after getting TKO’d he’d been rather quiet, something Hotaru took as rather negative rather than a boon. He was annoying but he provided some reference point. Him being quiet was probably a bad sign. It was a good thing he checked out the train sign. He hadn’t even checked out the housing accommodations. Honestly, he’d deal with that later. Right now he wanted to do something so going to this new area would have to do.

The cursory look gave him nothing, really, more of the greenery, more of the saccharine pleasantness. Same old, same old. His eyes guided him to the first building of superficial interest; the aquarium, in fact. Somehow being here does wonders for his mind. Maybe it’s a  good thing he wandered off here. Being surrounded by all this water, the teal-blue ambient... the lack of noise... it felt like time somehow stopped. Like no one’d really died. Good. Maybe this was the perfect place to regroup.

He falls back to lean on one of the walls as he takes in the scenery.

Hotaru Sumino, the failed former genius musician with the goddamn messed up hand. If he did get out, his family’d probably find some way to screw him over. After all, to them, their poor boy already died ‘tragically’. Good god. Well, he wanted to live, that much was enough. But did he want to do that on his own? ... That... should’ve been easier to answer than it was right now.

Whatever, it was fine. He needed to re-bandage his hand later and check on the housing situation. For now though... for now... he’ll just relax here. Or he would’ve, until he heard the footsteps. He lazily flicks one eye open to check on the situation and offers and half-hearted wave. If there’s one thing he has the energy to do, it’s talk. He has always has the energy for that.

“Small world, my friend, small world. Not sure about the usage but I can learn to appreciate this place.”

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

theshslseamstress:

“Well…I guess not…? Since I’m not their,um, daughter…then it makes sense.”

Which was just proving Suishouyuu’s point, really. But still liking someone was still liking someone even if it was obligation or whatever…right? You were still liked, so she couldn’t see the problem. That aside, Suishouryuu was now…pretending to cry? And wait a minute…

“U-Uh…I don’t know, I’ve never been…ah, anyway…I’m not really your sister so I’m…I don’t know if it even counts…”

She’d forgotten to address the whole “lying about being her brother” thing. Though she had felt slightly cross about him lying to her about it, the last thing she wanted was to confront him about it; if it sparked some huge fight or yelling or something else awful, she wouldn’t be able to handle it. And she’d gone and done it anyway by accident. Drat.

“N-Never mind that, uh…oh! You’re welcome? Ah…I guess so…”

More complex than it seemed…this seemed to count towards a lot of things nowadays. While it wasn’t bad per se, she found it hard to think about. She’d never really thought or even had to think that maybe things that were bad could also be good in some weird way. 

“Well…I mean I am thinking…I think? Or at least I’m trying to?”

Suishouryuu takes this moment to point at her and declare that she can’t say whether it is easier or harder than it really is because she’s never tried it. He does have a point since she didn’t know it was an option until just now but she’s not sure she wants to try it. Certainly not here, where new things often lead to sadness and death and other bad things. As for if she ever home, well…maybe then is when she could try it? It’s a scary thought-she wasn’t too optimistic about her parents approving of this new change-but it was better than trying it here. She can’t really respond to him, so she just nods at him. 

He gives a sort of shrugging gesture and a nod.

“You see? One should be liked on their own merits.”

Though he wasn’t quite sure she’d see his point he was content to at least have imparted that. Relying on expectation like that... it was troublesome. Hard to look at, really.

“Aww, I’m wounded Hina-tan. Shows how short-sighted you are. Now, what do you class as family; merely the blood-related? There are people with friends much closer than family. Perhaps I’m a brother in spirit?”

He waits for that to sink in for a bit before laughing it off, waving his hand dismissively.

“You say ‘never mind’ so easily, isn’t it upsetting to think so little of your own opinion? That’s so very unhealthy~”

For all the bullshit and lies he spewed that core principle did actually resonate. To listen to someone who valued their opinion so little irked him. Not quite in any anger more just as a strange anomaly that plagued his mind; why on earth would you want to be so submissive?

Still, she says she’ll think it over, well, in some capacity. Things said in that true non-committal Hina style were hard to confirm but it was enough.

“Aha. Are you now? Well then, points for you. Maybe you’ll discover something nice if you think it over enough, hmm?”

Who knows?

For him, thinking was natural - easy. The answers were tantalizing so he’d do his best to get them. Besides, for someone who was so widely disliked by 90% of the people he met it helped to think things over, to calculate, essentially. He had a lot of time to do so, too.

There’s a pause as Hina opts not to reply but to only nod. Whether that was out of nervousness or out of a simple blanking of the mind, who knows? But her silence did make conversation difficult.

“Well! Don’t let it bother you, bambina! I suppose the mind is better spent contemplating how not to die these days, hm?”

That old subject people didn’t want to talk about.

Backup File #005 [Cross(stitch) My Heart || Hina]

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

This has to count as some sort of development. On both their parts, maybe. Groundbreaking. Positively groundbreaking. Eita’s way of speaking, way of working as a whole perhaps might be diametrically opposed to his own - it was troublesome but he could make it work.

“Aha. Well. You’re not wrong. I suppose we in the business refer to that in particular as an educated guess.”

He taps at his nose. If he had glasses, he would tap those instead but well, they are resting somewhere, perhaps under the water somewhere. It was petulant, but part of him would never quite be over Tadao doing that.

“So I’m right.” Go figure comes to mind. He then takes one cautious step with his hands shown as if to show his good nature before opting to lean on one of the nearby chairs. “I’m surprised you’re so open about it. But it’s fine by me personally-- I have no desire to break those codes. The way they do things... it doesn’t agree with me.”

A forced smile. That’s an understatement. For someone who worked so closely with information the idea of getting it from a cheap mistake like this, sometimes by accident, left a bad taste in his mouth.

“Hey, how is that stupid exactly? If you like something, you’ll be disappointed it’s gone, right? Even in the barest terms.”

Well, there’s no point in debating that, mind you. It seemed like Eita was upset, despite protestations and the word ‘stupid’ rearing up once more so more than satisfying his curiosity, there was no need to push it. Hey, it’s not like he came here for a fight.

“Ah? ... No, no intention of that on my end. I don’t always go around making people miserable. Contrary to popular belief.”

Perhaps it makes that he’d think, though. Out of everyone here... it was possible Eita had the most legit reason to hate him. It had been a bit of a mutual thing, really. Ugly matter all the same.

“How’re you holding up, anyway? Can’t imagine that storm treated anyone all that kindly.”

it means the mission is in jeopardy! | open

It doesn’t really so much imply a code as broadcast it on afternoon radio just after an hour-long marathon of the greatest hits of The Bleeding Obvious. When Eita sees exactly who it is, their brow furrows a little more and the frown sets itself into their face. It’s the human that doesn’t like them. Also, the human that they don’t like. These two things are closely related. 

“You are not guessing that. You are hypothesizing based on available information. That is not doing guessing, which is stupid. That is doing logic, which is smart. But yes. Your not-guessing is correct. My code is that I should not be too close to humans, which is alright since I do not want to be near any stupid fragile humans anyway.” 

They glare at first when Suishou offers his condolences, suspicion and bare hostility obvious in their eyes, but their expression softens slightly to become their usual neutral stare, and their voice is quieter than usual. “… Thank you. For being sorry. Being upset because of humans dying is stupid so I will not say that I am upset. But if I was upset. Then you saying that you are sorry about it. Would help a little. So then I would thank you, a lot. And say that I appreciate it.” Real deceptive there, Eita. 

After a few seconds of silence, they add, in a monotone “Are you just going to say that, then, and not say anything stupid or mean or wrong?”

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

If this kid’s parents really do like her then why is she so damn passive about everything? Maybe she’s so spoiled by them she’s never had the need to stick up for herself before.

“Perhaps. Liking out of obligation isn’t quite the same as liking because you want to. Ask yourself this, Hina-tan, would your parents be as fond of you if you weren’t their’s? I mean, 3 out of 5 mothers, even the mothers of serial killers will likely say ‘my baby did nothing wrong’. It’s a software issue.”

He gently flicks at his head, more specifically his temple. Brains certainly did come with their software issues, didn’t they. He imagined there wasn’t a mind without them. But that kind of psychology is best saved for another day. Upon hearing her say ‘thank you’, he hides his eyes behind one sleeve.

“A thank you... little sister Hina-tan said a thank you instead of a sorry... I’m so proud... i-is this what a proud parent feels like?!”

After he’s finished his faux-crying antics he dips his sleeve down to reveal only his eyes, which narrow a little, not out of frustration or tiredness. More in a cryptic almost knowing fashion.

“Nice you say? Why thank you, bambina, that’s a rare compliment. I’ll put that in my mental treasure box. Hmm, although, ‘bad’ rarely is as simple as ‘bad’ sounds. Many layers, a lot of context, all that good stuff. Refusing to do something because other people told you not to is akin to blinding yourself. Awful troublesome, and those that guide you won’t take responsibility if and when it does ruin you. Thhhat’s why, complicated or not, one must think. Not too much, certainly, but shying away is just as poor a choice.”

There’s nothing really wrong with what Hina’s saying. It’s the logical answer, the go-to answer for most. But at the same time, he finds himself craving for something more interesting to bite into. Still, maybe he can get her to think a little more having said it. If that’s the case, well then, it’s hardly a waste of time now, is it?

“Well, I don’t mind people disagreeing. Or even judging me! But you--” he points to her. “cannot say that, I’m afraid. You can’t say how easy or hard it is because you have not tried it.”

Backup File #005 [Cross(stitch) My Heart || Hina]

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

He nods his approval. It’ll be awkward the second she says it to someone and gets the correct answer but until then, hey, it’s a small victory on the side of humour.

“I suppose you could say it does. It’s very often the easy answer though, no one broadens their horizons with blood only. Though I cannot claim to be an expert there.”

A dismissive gesture.

“Normally it wouldn’t be so bad. You couldn’t help, you say ‘sorry’. But! Hina-tan, you have an apology for every time of the day. The ‘sorry I was useless’ apology, ‘sorry I wasn’t listening’, ‘sorry I burdened you‘, ‘sorry I fell asleep’. You apologize so very often it gets hard keeping track, you know. Perhaps a ‘my bad’ or ‘thank you’ will suffice at times. The same message can have a nice envelope.”

My bad is definitely different from sorry but perhaps Hina wouldn’t quite get that or agree. She was... awkward, a bit of a literal person. And honestly she was so naive he could get away with lying to her face on multiple occasions.

“You don’t think so? Why not?”

Oh he fully intends to get Hina’s answer on the subject, he is curious about that matter but at the same time there’s a certain misconception he feels he needs to correct here.

“I feel like you’ve got the wrong end of the stick here, ah, no, no, I don’t blame you. It’s a common thing. You think of selfish as a bad thing, right? I can’t quite agree with that. For instance, when I talk, try to get along with you, it’s because I want to. If I help you, also selfish! It’s only done because I want to do it. At the same time, would you say I’m being mean or unfair to you?”

Well, maybe she would later when she finds out he’d lied to her again. If that happened, he’d find a way to get past it or burn off this bridge too. A simple little joke shouldn’t be too harmful.

“Just saying~! Only you can do the things you want to. It’s a terrible waste to not do what you want to! Ah, though, this is only one humble information broker’s opinion, of course!”

And a lot of people want to kick his face in so your mileage may vary.

Backup File #005 [Cross(stitch) My Heart || Hina]

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

Suishou didn’t have many friends. Possibly any. That wasn’t self-deprecation, it was just the truth. He wasn’t good at it; rubbed people the wrong way, sometimes intentionally, other times just due to one unfortunate thing or another. It was fine that way, really, it was. On days, it bothers him, sure, it’s not quite the friendship he’s after, some sort of bothersome personal connection, more just the idea that someone out there is alright with his presence. He is a social creature after all. Back then and now, nothing had changed.

Nothing until this town.

Before he could get along with someone without getting to know them and disappear the next day, no pressure. He didn’t have to do anything more than that. But in Tiramisu Town he felt if he remained too antagonistic, he was dead meat. He didn’t need friends, he couldn’t be that naive. But, allies would be useful. Fuu, he liked, that was a no brainer. As for the others... perhaps Chie here and Daiki. It was hard to tell who’d put up with him. Definitely not Hokori, that was as productive as setting oneself on fire. So here he was with Chie now. Part of him wondered how much more there was to her than the intelligence. Surely there was some other interest, something that made her happy. Still, trying to get along with her whilst simultaneously suspecting she dislikes him is, perhaps, a silly move.

If she does, who could blame her? The sort of person who wants to know everything about everyone else yet won’t give anything to others is hardly one that gets reached out to. Besides, he almost seemed to pride himself on his shadiness. It was an obvious conclusion.

“Haha, I can’t blame you there I guess. But still, never too late to start. Maybe it’s insensitive to enjoy yourself when things go to hell but I say you need to. Otherwise you lose it.”

To him that makes sense, but he’s not too invested in convincing her. For a while now he’s had the impression that Chie strongly disagrees but only does so every now and again in a verbal fashion. Perhaps he wasn’t the best one to listen to. But hey, he thought had a point. That had to account for something.

“You can say what you want, Chiiie-chan. Saying something is free, that’s why it’s so fun. Did you know? The more you speak, more you presume, the more you find out. If you’re wrong people, show their colours on the matter. If you’re right, it opens up new conversation branches.”

A pause.

“Ahaha~ or maybe I’m just messin’ with you and I really do jump to conclusions. I’ll let you decide. When I talk about people like that, I guess it seems simplistic -- insulting. Ah, it’s funny though, you apologize and all, but you strongly say what you mean, hm?”

Then he freezes. For a second, he’s a little worried, frazzled. Does she know about his injury? ... He’s being paranoid. Chie’s smart, but he’s been doing his best to keep that under wraps. Might as well play it cool and say nothing though his normal grin does strain a bit.

“Maybe you’re right. Still, if if I lived the way I had done before, I’d be dead. Hey, hey, don’t get me wrong, I’m not gonna dictate how you live, but isn’t it a waste letting good things pass you by because you’re afraid of grabbing at them? Because it’s unfamiliar? ... Well, anyway, interesting people are interesting. You don’t need to hope for something like that, just do you, no?”

Staying as he was, for instance. There was a time when he could’ve fit right back in. Been as popular and well-cared for as ever. But it was for the better; or at least, it felt better. That’s all that mattered.

Ah. The flower shop. As expected, it really wasn’t that far off. The bell chimes as he enters and he has a look around. There are some smashed pots on the floor and some puddles on the floor... some soil cakes the ground but the plants themselves seem fine. Just as Chie said.

“So you’ve been taking care of them? Hmm. I’m sure they’re thankful then, huh.”

One of the parts he loved about that house the most was probably that garden. Both he and Ageha shared that. He passes by one counter and runs a finger along the edge of one pot. A white camellia huh... he hasn’t been looking in her direction for a while now.

“Be honest with me; you don’t care for me much do you, Nojima-san? Ah-- don’t worry about my feelings, I’m hardy, you know!”

File #008 [The Hidden Incident || Open]

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

The way she says the words makes it almost seem... alien. Like the concept alone is alarming.

“Yes, bambina, lighten up. You always look so troubled, when’s the last time you had some fun?”

If it’s not so difficult then he wonders why she seems so unsure about her words, about her feelings. Well, perhaps that’s just his own thinking there. It’s bizarre to consider someone being that selfless but there really might be such people there. Still, it’s curious with her. She shows spirit and then drops it in the blink of an eye. It’s easy to miss, but he’s not the type to miss out on the little details. He would be terrible at gathering information otherwise.

“You think in data, Nojima-chan, believe me, with my talent I get it! You also overthink your actions but that’s not what I’m talking about either. I’m talking personal curiosity - goals, thinking for your own benefit. Hm. But I guess it is hard to explain, huh.”

The last part is more to himself than to her, admittedly. Then, she wrenches her hand out of his and her whole demeanor becomes rather awkward and sheepish. He blinks, frowning, as if in thought before grinning.

“... Well, well. See? It’s not really all that ‘fine’, is it? To not think of yourself.”

For a second, it’s possible to have confused his demeanor and tone with that of frustration or even bitterness. It’s just acting again, of course, he’s fine with it. While he didn’t expect Chie to go with the whole ‘it’s a date’ thing, he did expect her to feel at least a little uncomfortable.

“And so! I’m sorry about that! Forgive me, won’t you?”

He actually turns around to give her a bow. He’s a weird fellow, honestly. Everything he does seems rather suspect, his actions shady and yet he does his best to show some form of manners - to follow his own personal code to a tidy T.

“If I step out of line, just t-e-l-l me. At least in front of me you can put yourself first. I put myself first, you put yourself first. Everyone’s happier like that, no?”

A simple life philosophy. It doesn’t have to be deep to make sense.

Without really waiting for Chie and yet, walking at a gentle pace, Suishou begins trekking outside. When she essentially asks where to he’s tempted to make her choose before realizing that’s probably a bad idea. He’s trying to break her out of this shell after all. So what’s a place she’s likely not going to visit? He immediately thinks of the amusement park but he’ll save that for when he’s not reliving several times he almost died there. Awkward.

“How about the flower shop? It’s nearby and it’s pleasant enough, hm? Plus, I want to see how bad it got hit...”

The words trail off as he drifts into a thoughtful state of mind. He pauses in his steps and gives Chie another cheeky grin.

“Oh, and I’m not pitying you. Really, do I seem the type? Sorry to say I’m not that good-natured, though I appreciate the thought. I’m curious about you. I think you have a good head on your shoulders -- serious, but smart and that’s interesting to me. So! We’re hanging out~”

File #008 [The Hidden Incident || Open]

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

The question is, how far can he take this? Knowing his own smooth style of speaking and Hina’s outright pitiable naivety, probably the Great Wall of China far. Hoo boy. He almost felt bad for her.

“To renege is to break a promise. So to disrespectfully renege... goodness, that’s just the worst. You must always be careful not to TLDR, Hina-tan. It’d be terrible to make a bad impression and make others think you’re rude!”

Perhaps that question was too hard for Hina though. He honestly wanted her to have a think on it, though. The way she drifts through life without asking any questions, being content with how things are, not how they should be... it’s honestly a bit sad.

“I hate to be the one who breaks it to you there, bambola, but I’mmm not 100% sure that’s how you get liked. It’s how you get u-s-e-d. Haven’t you ever liked someone’s company and they enjoyed yours in turn?”

Looking at this sad small girl in her feathery cape and her awkward gestures, he really did doubt that. Why did he have to be the one to teach this kid about not getting pushing around by people? Honestly, it was concerning.

“See now, isn’t it sad you felt the need to apologize? Terribly sad! I could cry about that, Hina-tan. Am I so scary you feel the need to apologize?”

He ruffles her head with his good hand and then frowns for a second.

“Do you want Suishouryuu-sensei’s other important lesson for life? Never let yourself get used by others. If something’s on your mind, say it, if you want something, go get it. Only you can care about you. Got it? Now you, too, can earn yourself a cool nickname and a devil may care attitude! I’m so proud.“

Backup File #005 [Cross(stitch) My Heart || Hina]

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

... Oh dear.

Was this a challenge?

It seemed like Hokori didn’t believe him. This is why it was so very beneficial to be a liar. It meant, when your words truly did hold meaning and truly were, well, truthful, it meant that much more. He protests so much about Sung-min but that scene back in the haunted house was more than a little telling. He had no doubt that the rock star was Mr. Me First but that was some A-class jealousy if there ever was any,

“Oh ye of little faith. You know, I’m a little hurt. Everyone here keeps underestimating me.  I could cry.”

A pause.

“But I do know, Aoki-san. Shame for you, huh?”

Another pause, as his hands go behind his back. As long as the left hand doesn’t do anything it should be fine, right? His voice drops to not quite a whisper but something closer. This moment, after all, is important, and it’d be terrible to ruin it.

“... You should control your partying habits. When they’re so bad you end up going to the hospital, you know it’s something to worry about. It’s terrible to make your mother worry, right? ... Oh, I know, it sounds bad, but you can’t blame the nurses, they just love the gossip! Forgive them, yeah? Drugs, drama and distress... the perfect recipe to a break career, don’t you agree? My, you have even more to fear than I do. If that gets out, then you won’t have anything to come back, will you now?”

It’s been a while since he felt this power over people and he had to admit it; after all he’s been through, all the grief these people have given him... it feels damn good. The thing about power is not to misuse it. He hasn’t struck first. Really, you could call this a retaliation. Not a just retaliation, perhaps, but he wasn’t a champion of justice now, was he? And all’s fair in love and war, especially when this jackass came, threw a rock at him, broadcast his secret and took his pendant without a hint of apology. Hm, no perhaps... it is just, after all.

Just desserts.

His voice returns to normal and his pose returns to a more casual one.

“... So, sure, you definitely could hit me and get sent to jail. But it would be a very small victory. And I would rain hell down upon you for your trouble. Behind those bars, you would have no power to stop me. It wouldn’t take long, honestly, a few minutes tops, and your life would be ruined. It really is that simple. Your colourful life almost makes it too easy.”

A few of those words seem harsh and are spoken with a kind of strength that leaves little to doubt, even less to imagine. He’s a person who, when the moment comes, says what he means. With power. There’s only a glimmer of this serious Suishou before he returns to a sort of lazy posture and grin, practically shrugging after that display.

“I’m a reasonable guy though, you know. You want to let bygones be bygones? Works for me. Just give me back my pendant and we can forget this ever happened. We both win.”

File #008 [The Hidden Incident || Open]

A scoff. That’s all he can manage as he brings up Sung-min, pretending he knows anything about their situation. Yeah, he’d rather this… martyr, liar, whatever, keep that name out of his mouth, but the rock star isn’t going to pretend that he’s in a ride or die relationship with the rapper. Granted, it’s not hard to rouse Hokori’s jealousy, but the same could be said of his selfishness, and he’d turn tail and run from anyone here if it meant he could save his own life. The rock star looks around for a moment, willing to take the gamble that they’re alone all the way out here.

“Look, I don’t know what you think is goin’ on, but he’s just a… just a pretty face, ha. I don’t get out of bed for anybody in here, I ain’t about to compromise nothin’ for somebody I met what, two, three weeks ago? He ain’t my responsibility. Rock stars can’t afford to get tied down, you know.”

The truth in all of that is difficult to parse, although his confidence wanes at times. Regardless of his feelings for Sung-min, however, it’s true that he would throw him under the bus if necessary. If he has to, he’ll only look out for himself, and that’s what it seems to come to with that is said next. Gripping the jade pendant tighter as the color drops from his face, he narrows his eyes at the other, distrustful, but still wary, as evidenced by the catches in his voice.

“You can bluff all you want, man, but I know you ain’t snoopin’ in my business. And if you are, hey, maybe I will end up in jail, but it’d be worth it just to see that stupid smile get wiped off your face one more time. But, hey, you’re safe, aren'tcha? ‘Cause aaallll you’re good at is just lyin’ lyin’ lyin’. You don’t really know anything about me, do ya?”

[justkeepingthisforoldtimessake]

Okay, he assumed it was because of her code, but this was just getting silly now. She was clearly trying her best but watching her was causing some major secondhand embarrassment on his end. Maybe he should just turn around or something.

For a second, he’s content to just listen and take in her awkward mannerisms but eventually he can’t help but laugh a little.

“Chie-tan, Chie-tan. Shall I let you in on a secret?”

He tilts his head, as if trying to ascertain a reaction despite it being hard to see her face. Well, there’s no use in waiting on that for too long. Instead he gets right to the point.

“I made that story up. Don’t take it so seriously, hm? Sometimes it’s just good to take a moment to consider things. Take a deep breath and have a think, you know? You should lighten up, bambina.”

Another laugh before he relaxes a bit. Having his code to worry about all the time is messing up his flow but there’s not much he can do about it. Relax too much and he’ll forget about it - that simply won’t do.

“You don’t have to have. Sometimes some people are in the wrong place at the wrong time. That’s what happened to Ke--Onizuka-chan, after all. She ended up with Shizi’s blood on her hands... and it’d never been her intent. Tragedy has a way of following the selfless.”

And if you look at the killers... that’s certainly true. Toshishiro, worried and afraid, was trying to stop Kirihito in the end. There was perhaps some selfishness in the action but his intent was mostly good. Then, Ken, who’d only acted in alarmed self-defense. Neither of them deserved their fates. And yet, here they were.

“You should mind! How sad. To escape would be ideal? I would think it’d be more than that. Hm. That’s right, I’ve decided! We’re going to hang out, you and I~ no ifs, no ands, no buts. If you won’t think about yourself, then I’ll think about you and so~ here we are! Let’s go somewhere interesting! The groceries can surely wait!”

Chie’s constant stream of ‘it’s fine, it’s fine’ is upsetting. And finally, Suishou decides he’s had enough. Without warning her, he uses his left hand to grab one of hers and begins to stride on ahead. If he’s leading the way, she shouldn’t have to worry about her code.

... Not that she’s been subtle about it.

“What do you say, Nojima-san? Shall we go on a date?★”

File #008 [The Hidden Incident || Open]