#🌸 ~ Akira Kurusu (phantomuheist) ~ 🌸

[sylviareviar]

Easily missed - @phantomuheist

"Oh, it's okay, really. It's not unique to Japan. At least here, people are interested for a second before turning away. Honestly, it's been much better here than it has at home. People are fascinated that my manners are so bad, and then they lie and tell me my Japanese is great. It feels good to pretend I'm accepted as a member of society, even for just a year."

"I just don't wanna cause you any trouble, Senpai. Thank you." She didn't give him a proper answer about hanging out. She didn't know what rumors could possibly circulate around someone so good-looking and studious, but all she knew about him was that he was a year older than her (evidenced by the pin on his lapel), and that he had a few friends he hung out with in his own grade-- er, his own year. Two blondes (one dyed, she was pretty sure), plus a third-year too, right? The student council president? Either way, if she befriended him, she'd be interfering. That was something she learned early on in life.

Once kids made their cliques, there was no going back, and asking to be friends would be an invasion of their privacy and an insult to their self-respect. If she was good enough, she would've found friends herself a while ago, just like everyone else. But if she butted in now, she'd destroy their dynamic. He was only offering to be polite. That's how things often were in Japan, she found (and it wasn't unique to here, but it certainly felt amplified by a thousand).

Always be aware of the space you share with others. Put others above yourself. She had to be aware that this senpai didn't actually want to be friends with her; he was just offering to be polite.

"I appreciate the offer, Senpai, really I do. But I'm sure you're busy, and I wouldn't want to take up your precious time. Thank you, though. I will be alright."

[sylviareviar]

usually people just look the other way, but you actually care.

PROMPTS FOR PEOPLE WHO AREN'T USED TO KINDNESS

"Of course I care, Senpai," she said, her attention fully on him. "I don't want anything to happen to you. To anyone. If I see someone struggling, I just help. That's the natural thing to do."

It seemed as though Kurusu was struggling through some tough stuff right now. Here they were, in Inokashira Park, where it was quiet and peaceful and no one paid them any mind, and though it seemed odd to her, Kurusu actually seemed to be struggling a bit.

Something she didn't understand very well about boys was how they often pretended they were fine when they weren't; a pattern she only really picked up from her older brother, Jack. Today, Kurusu had been wandering around, lips pulled tightly into a line, but with otherwise no real indication of how he was doing. At first, Sylvia didn't think much of it. She'd simply approached him, hoping to brighten his mood. But then he sullenly said something about how his cat was missing and she suggested they go out looking for it. Kurusu was clearly worried about it.

It didn't matter that she'd been on her way to buy groceries. Groceries could always wait. If that cat got endangered somehow, and she could've done something to stop it-- especially if that cat meant so much to her schoolmate-- then she really did want to help.

"Mona-kun wanders often, but this is the first time he's actually run away like this, right?" Sylvia asked. "Animals tend to be very sensitive. I wonder if something set him off, like maybe he sensed danger or something and fled... Or maybe something happened. Have you tried contacting the police? Oh, wait, maybe that wouldn't be a great idea... I've heard rumors of that one guy who kept beating cats for fun, and how the police didn't do anything, so the Phantom Thieves had to... Hm..."