Idk if I wanna start talking to more people just to be suspicious of them lol.........
More like I just like talking to people! You know what I mean right?
[He's not sure how you could be an idol and not be the social type, and she'd always come off as outgoing enough, so he's pretty sure he's preaching to the choir there.]
But yeah when you put it that way. its probably safer if everyones got someone who knows them and would miss them......
That's not a REAL question is it? Of course I like talking to people!
[Now that people will talk to her without motivations of her being a famous idol...] But it's still a good idea. This place is just big enough that we aren't stepping all over each other, but small enough we can meet lots and lots of people.
Sometimes I think about throwing a party or something to get a bunch of people together to get to know each other. Is that strange?
[The caps lock of excitement that comes with mention of parties.]
Thatd be awesome! We dont do enough fun stuff here!! Its like this place is huge and its got everything but people dont just hang out enough! Were all in this together right? WE SHOULD DO IT
[Leon please stop being cute, it's too endearing.]
You think? I really want to! I have a few ideas...maybe a pool party or something, too! We have that water park here don't we? And a couple of other things, it could be totally great! I'd have to do some really big planning but that's not that hard. I never got to throw a birthday party for myself anyway, so I guess this can make up for that. Any special requests?
I hadnt been here very long I think......so it was probably back in like January or February. I wasnt really in a bikini mood so like you KNOW I was kinda depressed lol
That's a shame. I bet you'd look great in a bikini...
[It's not what he meant and she knows it, but she leaves that for a few moments anyway.]
Just kidding! But I get it. I want to do this to help people that feel like that now, you know? Maybe I should check out the pools myself first to make sure they'll be good enough.
Oh come on! (◍˃̶ᗜ˂̶◍)ﾉ” Would it really be so bad?
[But ooh. That's a good point.]
I would never say no to company! It's kind of boring to go places alone don't you think? And sometimes it's a little weird anyway. But maybe it should be a bikinis-optional sort of thing~?
[She's definitely feeling him out mostly, even if she's thinking of showing up in her normal clothing instead of a swimsuit.]
What do you say? We both wear whatever we want and we go check it out together? I'm taking the rest of the day off before I start going back to work tomorrow anyway.
He makes a real effort not to be late, not a consideration he always gives, but hey, it's Rise! He doesn't want to keep her waiting. And he doesn't have too much getting ready to do, though if he let himself, he could spend the entire half hour in front of the mirror trying to get his look just right. So he doesn't let himself; he spends ten minutes obsessing over his hair and stuff and then heads out.
It's really not hot enough in their climate-controlled dome that he needs to dress down for the summer, but he does anyway, because dammit, it's July and this is a water park! No mankini for him (she'll have to wait until the unfortunate intro log for that), but he shows up wearing a bit less than usual: shorts, a punk t-shirt, sneakers without socks.
He heads up to the entrance right on time, craning his neck around to see if she beat him there.]
[It sure does surprise her, but only because she'd expect it from someone like Kashuu and not Leon. It's not bad though. It's...sweet, actually.
Still! There are a few things she needs to take care of even if Rise's taking the day off because Rise doesn't actually know the meaning of the words "taking a break." It's for that reason she's running a tiny bit late, moving as fast as her platform sandals will let her go as the ruffles on both blouse and skirt billow a bit as she books it to the waterpark. It's July and the weather never changes but her hair is down and a matching pair of sunglasses rest on her head to hold it in place. Even if she was running late, she still had to try and look cute.]
Hey, sorry! [She manages to call out to him even before she approaches, coming to a stop without even seeming rushed or flustered. She pauses for the briefest of moments, allowing her eyes to examine him and the wardrobe change before there's a smile that seems to be approval.] Guess I shouldn't have been worried about you being late.
[He says it a bit questioningly, because he can think of ways in which that would be an insult, and it's an unfortunate habit of his to think of ways in which things might be insults. Is she saying I have no life? But she's not saying it like it's an insult; she's smiling in that cute, genuine way she has, the smile he's such a sucker for, and he can't bring himself to believe it's masking any ill intent.
So he shoves the thought aside, only briefly alluding to it:]
Hope that's a good thing, anyway! . . . You look sooo cute! I'd totally wait for hours for a girl like you, Kujikawa. A few minutes is nothin', don't worry about it!
[It's more that she's still fretting a bit about being late. She doesn't quite always know what Leon's thinking, but she's picked up some context clues that he's sometimes wary of her in strange ways. More than anything she's not into the idea of making him think she doesn't enjoy his company or anything.
But flattery still gets him somewhere and she smiles even more brightly than before, looking at her outfit briefly.]
You think so? [That's always a nice thing to hear.] I'd never make you wait for hours though, that just seems totally unfair. Besides, hours waiting means less hours we get to spend together. [And with that she gently pulls on his arm a bit and lets go as they head into the entrance to the water park.] It's been a really long time since I've been to a real water park. At least a couple of years. It's pretty exciting to think about isn't it?
[Hah, if he was worried before, that fades away immediately with her own flattery, too. Leon eases even more, grinning as he heads into the park with her, one hand still touching her arm; he could put an arm around her, but maybe later. When it's more crowded. That's always a good excuse for closeness.
He digs for his wallet and his card as they head up to the kiosk for tickets:]
It's on me this time, got it? I totally know how you feel! It's been—
[Someday he'll be able to say things like this without catching himself up. But he's not there yet. As he so often does, he opens his mouth to give some kind of timeframe or something, and then realizes halfway through the sentence that he doesn't know the answer. There are two years of his life missing from his head. Everything he remembers other than Hope's Peak happened two years longer ago than he thinks it did; everything he doesn't remember, well, he can't say anything about what he did then, can he?
At least he recovers gracefully. He still makes this mistake, and his halting in the middle of the sentence is still obvious, but it used to be that catching up on this wrecked his mood for a while. Now he's just slightly embarrassed at himself for looking awkward.]
—a while for me too! I don't even know how long! Heh . . . I guess technically I could come here whenever I wanted now, but it'd just be sad to go alone, right? This ain't the kinda thing you do by yourself on a whim when you're bored.
[When casual touching became normal for them she doesn't really know. But it's how she treats a lot of her friends, carting them around by the arm and not minding casual affection. As far as she's aware, Leon's firmly slotted himself somewhere in that same category and she has zero intention of taking it back. So sure, his hand can stay on her arm and she won't object even as they approach the kiosk.]
Aren't you a gentleman. [There's gratitude there, but she knows it's also just because she paid for them last time. That's apparently normal, too. Still, she can't help but turn her head to appraise him for a moment when he stalls even slightly. As an idol, actor, and…well, just Rise herself, she knows how to pick up on cues.
The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes she doesn't know much about Leon or what his world was like. It's never been at the forefront of her mind to ask (especially given the fact she witnessed an execution she was never meant to see), but she does have questions. What had happened to him? What was that school? What the fuck was with that bear?
But this isn't a time for sad conversations. It's a fun day and a relaxing day and so she lets him recover without saying anything.]
But definitely not. You wouldn't just go to the beach by yourself would you? [Once they're at the kiosk she's looking over the prices anyway.] I used to tell Yu-senpai that it was a little embarrassing to go places alone to make sure he'd spend time with me. It's a little silly, but even back then I was worried about people seeing me by myself or following me. [Which they did anyway, but you know.] I don't have to worry about that here, but I guess I never got used to being by myself after I made friends.
[…yikes. Did she really just allude to the fact she didn't always have friends? Backtrack, backtrack!] It's definitely good to know I've got somebody else to go places with and spend time with though.
[He beams at her and winks, taking his card back and tucking his wallet away, and then steering them towards the entrance proper.
Leon notices "after I made friends," which is definitely a surprising thought coming from a girl like Rise. Who wouldn't want to be her friend, right? She's so . . . friendly! But he hasn't forgotten last time, and their discussion about how busy she is all the time; maybe it's part of celebrity life? (That's a pretty rotten thought. What's the point of being famous if you don't have any friends? Who do you go to when you need someone?)
He never thought he'd feel bad for a celebrity, but he kinda does. For just a moment, he leans harder against her side, stealing another glance at her face.]
I'm kinda surprised you even have time for me . . . ah, what I mean is, even though you're crazy busy, you're always checking up on me and stuff. It's really sweet. Who wouldn't want a friend like that, right? So you're probably drowning in more friends than you can handle! And if you're not it's just 'cuz they don't know you yet! I guess I'm one of the lucky ones?
[He sure hopes he isn't friendzoning himself or anything there.
(But he means all of it, and if nothing more than this ever happened between them, he'd still be pretty damn happy and lucky to have a friend like her. Every time she reaches out to him is like taking a step back down away from some cliff he'd once been creeping along, until now, most days, he can't even see it anymore, thanks to Kujikawa and the others.)
There is one other thing staring him in the face, though, that he probably ought to get out of the way. After a slight pause, he decides now's . . . probably a relevant time.
[There's a lot of things she hasn't told him, but it's nice to know that she doesn't necessarily have to. Even if Leon doesn't know everything, he's a comforting sort of presence. But just like that she wipes it away with a smile even as she leans in and decides not to tread that territory just yet, playfully raising an eyebrow.]
Even with everything going on, I'll always make time for you. Okay? Don't forget that. [She's gracefully skipping past those other things because…well. Sometimes it's still something she wonders. She has friends here. She can only hope she's being a good friend for them.
And even so, there are different levels of friendship and she knows that. There are people she likes, people she really likes, and people she'd go to battle for. While it's hard to get to the level of the other members of the IT, she's made a lot of very special friends that she cares for deeply. So really? That's also nice to hear. But then Leon asks The Question and there's an awkward little pause before she smiles almost nostalgically.]
We're friends! [That was a little too direct.] …Yu-senpai's the one who really brought all of us together to form our team. He lead the others into the Midnight Channel to save me. Who wouldn't admire that kind of bravery? After that, I wanted to be a part of their team, too. I wanted to help people and solve the mystery of what was happening in Inaba.
[At this rate they're entering the water park and she's leaning a little closer but still talking.] Senpai's a great guy. He's helped me in a lot of ways and he's one of the people who really knows the real me. We're always going to be close no matter where we are. [A pause.] When the school year ended, all of us split up. Yu-senpai went back to the city, and Naoto-kun and I went back to work, too. We were all supposed to meet up in Inaba again for Golden Week really soon but I ended up here instead. [She can't remember if she's ever told him that.] I care about him a lot. I'm not sure what would have happened if I didn't have him here when I first showed up.
Just that? He can tell there's a little more than just that; if nothing else, the robot would have tipped him off big time. But they're not together. Leon has no idea why, though—that could mean anything! Maybe she just hasn't asked him yet!
And the rest? There's new information in there, some more pieces of the puzzle of her life that he doesn't yet understand. The Midnight Channel. Being saved, joining a team, that fake version of herself in the bikini. He barely even knows where to start with that. It's not that he doesn't want to know, but . . . how do you approach it?
In a way, they're in the same position there, and when she's done explaining, he nods slowly and starts there. Because not getting it doesn't mean he can't kinda relate.]
. . . It's different with people from home, huh? You know I've got a couple classmates here . . . I wouldn't say we were, y'know, close or anything, not that I remember anyway—
[That one was on purpose. He's a little nervous, but it's Rise. He feels safe with her about some of this, at least.]
—I really barely knew them until I met up with 'em here. But even though we weren't a team or anything like you guys, it's still like, they get stuff without me having to explain it. Like they know everything already . . . not just 'cuz they're both geniuses, heh.
[And it's not entirely true. They still don't understand everything, really, and it's not always a comforting feeling. But sometimes it is, and he's pretty sure Rise doesn't have the same—issues, with her team, as his classmates and him might have with one another after everything.
He shakes his head.]
What I'm saying is, I'm glad you've got people like that! I dunno what I'd do without 'em! . . . Y'know, it's not that I don't wanna know all this Midnight Channel stuff, 'cuz I do . . . it's always just a bad time. That's how that stuff works, huh?
[In fact, he's leading them leisurely down a path to the left in the direction of the water slides. Is this a good time? Probably not. He doesn't want to be Depressing Date Guy. But when is?]
[Part of her wonders if it even matters anymore. Yu's said his piece. He'd fallen for someone else, and while it still hurt even if Minato was no longer in the colony, she was getting better at accepting that. Did that mean she was over him? No, of course not. But that didn't mean she couldn't be a little more open-minded to things.
It's not a priority right now, she thinks. Dating. Solving things like that. It's easier not to think about defining it and simply going with it.
She's told very few people about her experiences in the Midnight Channel if only because it's such a hard thing to explain. It's hard to explain Personas and Shadows and what Izanami had done and Adachi and Namatame and…everything. So her shoulders drop in relief a bit when Leon takes over, though she's listening carefully.
It happens too fast for her to hide her surprise at hearing he doesn't remember things from back then. Amnesia? Or something else? There are plenty of questions but she doesn't miss the fact that not many people know this story either.]
Togami and Kirigiri, right? [She picks up the implication, but she's not making a big deal out of it.] I think I'm glad that you have them even if you aren't close. We all need people that understand without having to try too hard, you know? I should meet them sometime.
[Until she finds out Togami's the asshole who interrogated her about Kanzeon, but whatever. She's following with ease, more interested in Leon than where they're going even as she hears the sounds of people having a nice day at the water park, splashes from all sides and the smell of chlorine in the air.]
But our investigation team's made up of people who weren't really friends to start with either. Yu-senpai moved to town at the beginning of the school year and met Yosuke-senpai, Chie-senpai, and Yukiko-senpai. Yosuke-senpai had just moved to Inaba not long before Yu-senpai, but Chie-senpai and Yukiko-senpai grew up in Inaba. Kanji came next. He's my age, but people used to think he was a lot of trouble since he ended up going after this huge biker gang and beating the crap out of 'em and a bunch of other stuff. Teddie's…really complicated to explain. He's been helping the team since the beginning but didn't officially join us until I did. And Naoto-kun was the last one. She's my age but she's a well-renowned detective that was working with our police department before she joined us.
[She could talk about her friends forever. She doesn't though, and instead stops under a waterslide to watch a pair of aliens zip down the slides in a race against each other.]
If you're asking me if it's always a bad time to talk about bad things? I think it's only as bad as you want to think it is. Bad things happen, but they're only made better when you have other people to rely on.
[That is to say, it's not really about bad timing since she's willing to learn and talk about all parts of herself and Leon, the good and the bad. Maybe not on their pseudo-date. Maybe not even tomorrow. But someday whenever he feels ready to talk about it.] It's just like how the good things are made better when you have other people to share them with. [She points up as yet another pair slip their way down the slide overhead, shadows outlined in the plastic tubes and a little bit of water splashing over the sides and dripping on the two of them.]
[Ahhh. He watches, taking her point; she hit the nail on the head there, enough to bring a little color to Leon's cheeks. For a moment his chest and stomach feel tight, in a way that seems like it should be unpleasant, but somehow isn't.
Then he takes her wrist and squeezes it lightly (almost her hand!) and starts to move to the back of the line for the slide they've been meaningfully watching. He's not one to watch other people have fun!
The line's not long, but there's enough wait before it'll be their turn to climb the slide that, once they're in place, he picks up where they left off. That gave him a little bit of time to think about what to say, too.]
So you're gorgeous and smart, huh? I knew it! Heh . . . I mean, yeah, you're right. You're totally right! I'll keep that in mind! Maybe not right this second, but—I'm gonna take you up on that sometime, if you want.
[That'd been a whole lot of people she'd mentioned there . . . ]
Those people, your team, they ain't all here, right? Have I just not met 'em yet? Kirigiri's a famous detective too. Maybe she'd get along with that Naoto girl if they met! You'd probably like her too . . . she's pretty quiet, but I'm serious, she really is a genius. But not in a snobby way or anything like that. She's totally sweet under that icy exterior!
[Like shaved ice.
Is it really a smart idea to introduce two girls he wants to get with to each other? Hmm. Well, whatever, it's out now anyway.]
Buuuut Togami's a complete asshole. Just warnin' you! If you meet him you're gonna be like, dammit, Kuwata, I could've done without ever going through that . . . ahhh, but he's the only one who remembers—back then. He remembers going to school with me and all that. I think he's gotten a little more chill. Maybe that's why?
[It's pretty sad that he's gotten more chill and he's still "that asshole." But c'est la vie.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
More like I just like talking to people! You know what I mean right?
[He's not sure how you could be an idol and not be the social type, and she'd always come off as outgoing enough, so he's pretty sure he's preaching to the choir there.]
But yeah when you put it that way. its probably safer if everyones got someone who knows them and would miss them......
no subject
[Now that people will talk to her without motivations of her being a famous idol...] But it's still a good idea. This place is just big enough that we aren't stepping all over each other, but small enough we can meet lots and lots of people.
Sometimes I think about throwing a party or something to get a bunch of people together to get to know each other. Is that strange?
no subject
[The caps lock of excitement that comes with mention of parties.]
Thatd be awesome! We dont do enough fun stuff here!! Its like this place is huge and its got everything but people dont just hang out enough! Were all in this together right? WE SHOULD DO IT
no subject
You think? I really want to! I have a few ideas...maybe a pool party or something, too! We have that water park here don't we? And a couple of other things, it could be totally great! I'd have to do some really big planning but that's not that hard. I never got to throw a birthday party for myself anyway, so I guess this can make up for that. Any special requests?
no subject
I was gonna say its good weather for it but the weathers always the same here anyway......I forget that sometimes
but its still like going to the pool in summertime is just RIGHT like psychologically
Doesnt matter if you live in a dome lol
no subject
--there was a first pool party already?
no subject
I hadnt been here very long I think......so it was probably back in like January or February. I wasnt really in a bikini mood so like you KNOW I was kinda depressed lol
[Everything had been harder back then . . . ]
no subject
[It's not what he meant and she knows it, but she leaves that for a few moments anyway.]
Just kidding! But I get it. I want to do this to help people that feel like that now, you know? Maybe I should check out the pools myself first to make sure they'll be good enough.
no subject
you gonna go yourself yourself or you need some company
Like a belated birthday bikini date
(Im not the one in the bikini JUST SAYIN)
no subject
[But ooh. That's a good point.]
I would never say no to company! It's kind of boring to go places alone don't you think? And sometimes it's a little weird anyway. But maybe it should be a bikinis-optional sort of thing~?
[She's definitely feeling him out mostly, even if she's thinking of showing up in her normal clothing instead of a swimsuit.]
no subject
you can wear whatever!!
But its not even a little bit an option for ME
no subject
What do you say? We both wear whatever we want and we go check it out together? I'm taking the rest of the day off before I start going back to work tomorrow anyway.
no subject
no subject
no subject
[IS A HEART TOO MUCH? He hopes not.
He makes a real effort not to be late, not a consideration he always gives, but hey, it's Rise! He doesn't want to keep her waiting. And he doesn't have too much getting ready to do, though if he let himself, he could spend the entire half hour in front of the mirror trying to get his look just right. So he doesn't let himself; he spends ten minutes obsessing over his hair and stuff and then heads out.
It's really not hot enough in their climate-controlled dome that he needs to dress down for the summer, but he does anyway, because dammit, it's July and this is a water park! No mankini for him (she'll have to wait until the unfortunate intro log for that), but he shows up wearing a bit less than usual: shorts, a punk t-shirt, sneakers without socks.
He heads up to the entrance right on time, craning his neck around to see if she beat him there.]
no subject
Still! There are a few things she needs to take care of even if Rise's taking the day off because Rise doesn't actually know the meaning of the words "taking a break." It's for that reason she's running a tiny bit late, moving as fast as her platform sandals will let her go as the ruffles on both blouse and skirt billow a bit as she books it to the waterpark. It's July and the weather never changes but her hair is down and a matching pair of sunglasses rest on her head to hold it in place. Even if she was running late, she still had to try and look cute.]
Hey, sorry! [She manages to call out to him even before she approaches, coming to a stop without even seeming rushed or flustered. She pauses for the briefest of moments, allowing her eyes to examine him and the wardrobe change before there's a smile that seems to be approval.] Guess I shouldn't have been worried about you being late.
no subject
[He says it a bit questioningly, because he can think of ways in which that would be an insult, and it's an unfortunate habit of his to think of ways in which things might be insults. Is she saying I have no life? But she's not saying it like it's an insult; she's smiling in that cute, genuine way she has, the smile he's such a sucker for, and he can't bring himself to believe it's masking any ill intent.
So he shoves the thought aside, only briefly alluding to it:]
Hope that's a good thing, anyway! . . . You look sooo cute! I'd totally wait for hours for a girl like you, Kujikawa. A few minutes is nothin', don't worry about it!
no subject
But flattery still gets him somewhere and she smiles even more brightly than before, looking at her outfit briefly.]
You think so? [That's always a nice thing to hear.] I'd never make you wait for hours though, that just seems totally unfair. Besides, hours waiting means less hours we get to spend together. [And with that she gently pulls on his arm a bit and lets go as they head into the entrance to the water park.] It's been a really long time since I've been to a real water park. At least a couple of years. It's pretty exciting to think about isn't it?
no subject
He digs for his wallet and his card as they head up to the kiosk for tickets:]
It's on me this time, got it? I totally know how you feel! It's been—
[Someday he'll be able to say things like this without catching himself up. But he's not there yet. As he so often does, he opens his mouth to give some kind of timeframe or something, and then realizes halfway through the sentence that he doesn't know the answer. There are two years of his life missing from his head. Everything he remembers other than Hope's Peak happened two years longer ago than he thinks it did; everything he doesn't remember, well, he can't say anything about what he did then, can he?
At least he recovers gracefully. He still makes this mistake, and his halting in the middle of the sentence is still obvious, but it used to be that catching up on this wrecked his mood for a while. Now he's just slightly embarrassed at himself for looking awkward.]
—a while for me too! I don't even know how long! Heh . . . I guess technically I could come here whenever I wanted now, but it'd just be sad to go alone, right? This ain't the kinda thing you do by yourself on a whim when you're bored.
no subject
Aren't you a gentleman. [There's gratitude there, but she knows it's also just because she paid for them last time. That's apparently normal, too. Still, she can't help but turn her head to appraise him for a moment when he stalls even slightly. As an idol, actor, and…well, just Rise herself, she knows how to pick up on cues.
The more she thinks about it, the more she realizes she doesn't know much about Leon or what his world was like. It's never been at the forefront of her mind to ask (especially given the fact she witnessed an execution she was never meant to see), but she does have questions. What had happened to him? What was that school? What the fuck was with that bear?
But this isn't a time for sad conversations. It's a fun day and a relaxing day and so she lets him recover without saying anything.]
But definitely not. You wouldn't just go to the beach by yourself would you? [Once they're at the kiosk she's looking over the prices anyway.] I used to tell Yu-senpai that it was a little embarrassing to go places alone to make sure he'd spend time with me. It's a little silly, but even back then I was worried about people seeing me by myself or following me. [Which they did anyway, but you know.] I don't have to worry about that here, but I guess I never got used to being by myself after I made friends.
[…yikes. Did she really just allude to the fact she didn't always have friends? Backtrack, backtrack!] It's definitely good to know I've got somebody else to go places with and spend time with though.
no subject
[He beams at her and winks, taking his card back and tucking his wallet away, and then steering them towards the entrance proper.
Leon notices "after I made friends," which is definitely a surprising thought coming from a girl like Rise. Who wouldn't want to be her friend, right? She's so . . . friendly! But he hasn't forgotten last time, and their discussion about how busy she is all the time; maybe it's part of celebrity life? (That's a pretty rotten thought. What's the point of being famous if you don't have any friends? Who do you go to when you need someone?)
He never thought he'd feel bad for a celebrity, but he kinda does. For just a moment, he leans harder against her side, stealing another glance at her face.]
I'm kinda surprised you even have time for me . . . ah, what I mean is, even though you're crazy busy, you're always checking up on me and stuff. It's really sweet. Who wouldn't want a friend like that, right? So you're probably drowning in more friends than you can handle! And if you're not it's just 'cuz they don't know you yet! I guess I'm one of the lucky ones?
[He sure hopes he isn't friendzoning himself or anything there.
(But he means all of it, and if nothing more than this ever happened between them, he'd still be pretty damn happy and lucky to have a friend like her. Every time she reaches out to him is like taking a step back down away from some cliff he'd once been creeping along, until now, most days, he can't even see it anymore, thanks to Kujikawa and the others.)
There is one other thing staring him in the face, though, that he probably ought to get out of the way. After a slight pause, he decides now's . . . probably a relevant time.
Ahem.]
Sooooo, you and Narukami . . .
no subject
Even with everything going on, I'll always make time for you. Okay? Don't forget that. [She's gracefully skipping past those other things because…well. Sometimes it's still something she wonders. She has friends here. She can only hope she's being a good friend for them.
And even so, there are different levels of friendship and she knows that. There are people she likes, people she really likes, and people she'd go to battle for. While it's hard to get to the level of the other members of the IT, she's made a lot of very special friends that she cares for deeply. So really? That's also nice to hear. But then Leon asks The Question and there's an awkward little pause before she smiles almost nostalgically.]
We're friends! [That was a little too direct.] …Yu-senpai's the one who really brought all of us together to form our team. He lead the others into the Midnight Channel to save me. Who wouldn't admire that kind of bravery? After that, I wanted to be a part of their team, too. I wanted to help people and solve the mystery of what was happening in Inaba.
[At this rate they're entering the water park and she's leaning a little closer but still talking.] Senpai's a great guy. He's helped me in a lot of ways and he's one of the people who really knows the real me. We're always going to be close no matter where we are. [A pause.] When the school year ended, all of us split up. Yu-senpai went back to the city, and Naoto-kun and I went back to work, too. We were all supposed to meet up in Inaba again for Golden Week really soon but I ended up here instead. [She can't remember if she's ever told him that.] I care about him a lot. I'm not sure what would have happened if I didn't have him here when I first showed up.
no subject
Just that? He can tell there's a little more than just that; if nothing else, the robot would have tipped him off big time. But they're not together. Leon has no idea why, though—that could mean anything! Maybe she just hasn't asked him yet!
And the rest? There's new information in there, some more pieces of the puzzle of her life that he doesn't yet understand. The Midnight Channel. Being saved, joining a team, that fake version of herself in the bikini. He barely even knows where to start with that. It's not that he doesn't want to know, but . . . how do you approach it?
In a way, they're in the same position there, and when she's done explaining, he nods slowly and starts there. Because not getting it doesn't mean he can't kinda relate.]
. . . It's different with people from home, huh? You know I've got a couple classmates here . . . I wouldn't say we were, y'know, close or anything, not that I remember anyway—
[That one was on purpose. He's a little nervous, but it's Rise. He feels safe with her about some of this, at least.]
—I really barely knew them until I met up with 'em here. But even though we weren't a team or anything like you guys, it's still like, they get stuff without me having to explain it. Like they know everything already . . . not just 'cuz they're both geniuses, heh.
[And it's not entirely true. They still don't understand everything, really, and it's not always a comforting feeling. But sometimes it is, and he's pretty sure Rise doesn't have the same—issues, with her team, as his classmates and him might have with one another after everything.
He shakes his head.]
What I'm saying is, I'm glad you've got people like that! I dunno what I'd do without 'em! . . . Y'know, it's not that I don't wanna know all this Midnight Channel stuff, 'cuz I do . . . it's always just a bad time. That's how that stuff works, huh?
[In fact, he's leading them leisurely down a path to the left in the direction of the water slides. Is this a good time? Probably not. He doesn't want to be Depressing Date Guy. But when is?]
no subject
It's not a priority right now, she thinks. Dating. Solving things like that. It's easier not to think about defining it and simply going with it.
She's told very few people about her experiences in the Midnight Channel if only because it's such a hard thing to explain. It's hard to explain Personas and Shadows and what Izanami had done and Adachi and Namatame and…everything. So her shoulders drop in relief a bit when Leon takes over, though she's listening carefully.
It happens too fast for her to hide her surprise at hearing he doesn't remember things from back then. Amnesia? Or something else? There are plenty of questions but she doesn't miss the fact that not many people know this story either.]
Togami and Kirigiri, right? [She picks up the implication, but she's not making a big deal out of it.] I think I'm glad that you have them even if you aren't close. We all need people that understand without having to try too hard, you know? I should meet them sometime.
[Until she finds out Togami's the asshole who interrogated her about Kanzeon, but whatever. She's following with ease, more interested in Leon than where they're going even as she hears the sounds of people having a nice day at the water park, splashes from all sides and the smell of chlorine in the air.]
But our investigation team's made up of people who weren't really friends to start with either. Yu-senpai moved to town at the beginning of the school year and met Yosuke-senpai, Chie-senpai, and Yukiko-senpai. Yosuke-senpai had just moved to Inaba not long before Yu-senpai, but Chie-senpai and Yukiko-senpai grew up in Inaba. Kanji came next. He's my age, but people used to think he was a lot of trouble since he ended up going after this huge biker gang and beating the crap out of 'em and a bunch of other stuff. Teddie's…really complicated to explain. He's been helping the team since the beginning but didn't officially join us until I did. And Naoto-kun was the last one. She's my age but she's a well-renowned detective that was working with our police department before she joined us.
[She could talk about her friends forever. She doesn't though, and instead stops under a waterslide to watch a pair of aliens zip down the slides in a race against each other.]
If you're asking me if it's always a bad time to talk about bad things? I think it's only as bad as you want to think it is. Bad things happen, but they're only made better when you have other people to rely on.
[That is to say, it's not really about bad timing since she's willing to learn and talk about all parts of herself and Leon, the good and the bad. Maybe not on their pseudo-date. Maybe not even tomorrow. But someday whenever he feels ready to talk about it.] It's just like how the good things are made better when you have other people to share them with. [She points up as yet another pair slip their way down the slide overhead, shadows outlined in the plastic tubes and a little bit of water splashing over the sides and dripping on the two of them.]
no subject
Then he takes her wrist and squeezes it lightly (almost her hand!) and starts to move to the back of the line for the slide they've been meaningfully watching. He's not one to watch other people have fun!
The line's not long, but there's enough wait before it'll be their turn to climb the slide that, once they're in place, he picks up where they left off. That gave him a little bit of time to think about what to say, too.]
So you're gorgeous and smart, huh? I knew it! Heh . . . I mean, yeah, you're right. You're totally right! I'll keep that in mind! Maybe not right this second, but—I'm gonna take you up on that sometime, if you want.
[That'd been a whole lot of people she'd mentioned there . . . ]
Those people, your team, they ain't all here, right? Have I just not met 'em yet? Kirigiri's a famous detective too. Maybe she'd get along with that Naoto girl if they met! You'd probably like her too . . . she's pretty quiet, but I'm serious, she really is a genius. But not in a snobby way or anything like that. She's totally sweet under that icy exterior!
[Like shaved ice.
Is it really a smart idea to introduce two girls he wants to get with to each other? Hmm. Well, whatever, it's out now anyway.]
Buuuut Togami's a complete asshole. Just warnin' you! If you meet him you're gonna be like, dammit, Kuwata, I could've done without ever going through that . . . ahhh, but he's the only one who remembers—back then. He remembers going to school with me and all that. I think he's gotten a little more chill. Maybe that's why?
[It's pretty sad that he's gotten more chill and he's still "that asshole." But c'est la vie.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)