yogen | ( semi-open ) i've been six feet under

[ When the small creature tore through the seams of the flour sack, much to Hajun's shock, his initial response is as violent as the conclusion. However he hesitates, a piece of him that doesn't want to harm something just brought to life and searching for the affections of a parent -- his heart tugs in two directions, and before he recognizes what's happening the glasses slip past the bridge of his nose and it's aiming for his eyes. He didn't perceive that something so subtle would cause this.

His vision begins to blur, the edges of his world turning into darkness. He panics, blood rushing to and from his heart; beating against his ribcage in anxiety, feeling it flow through the shells of his ears. He almost thinks that he may go deaf, too, as all the sounds of everything and everyone else is shrouded by the adrenaline rush. A scream tears through his throat and he pulls the creature off of him, his world continuing to disappear with each blink of his eye as he uses all his strength to stomp down on it. Once, twice, and then over and over again until the disgusting, wet sound of bones snapping and blood pouring begin to intermix. It giggles and snarls, sobs, and soon Hajun cannot see anything at all.

The world is a blank sheet. He can't see anything in this void. And as he gropes the hallway walls to navigate himself, noticing subtle chips against the wall he never knew were there, going from one classroom to the next. He feels week and vulnerable, hating that he can hardly navigate familiar spaces without the sensation of being confined. Everything a little more suffocating, his voice just slightly smaller when he searches for a single person and calls out her name: ] Nene?

( almost immediately, nene's at his side, one hand on his shoulder and the other on his arm. even if the little... mothman baby had been a newborn, this sort of thing- it was too much. almost frantically, she looks for any sign of injury. )

Hajun-nii, I'm here. Are you okay?

( physically, she means. there's very little doubt in her mind that having to kill the creature was more than he expected... but she doesn't know if it's touch had burned, or done something worse, and she can't tell either. when nene does glance away, it's only to keep an eye on the other students' own flour sacks- the ones that had survived, anyways.

the babies all seem more focused on their parents- good. )

[ He flinches underneath her touch, shoulders tensing until he hears her voice. Confirming it's her; hoping it's her. ][ For the most part. He can feel that the mothman baby had began to claw at his fingers and palm of his hand, feeling small beads of blood seep out from the cut as he exhales. He turns his head to the sound of her voice, picking up on her concern. ]

I can't -- I can't see. I think that thing messed with my eyes. Don't let them touch you. You can't let them touch you.

( --excuse me? oh god. nene grips just a little harder, nodding to herself, looking at the other desks warily- someone loses their voice, there's little scratches everywhere, and only a few are able to kill the things before they get worse. )

O-okay. Okay... I won't let them near us. Should we go to the nurse...?

( because there's no way in hell she's going to let him try and traverse four flights of stairs on his own. )

[ He can only imagine what lies on the bottom of his shoe; remnants of what the creature used to be, gray matter and pieces of skull. His stomach doesn't twist, he doesn't feel disgusted, and it may be due to the fact that he had to handle Izumi's corpse last month.

It's definitely because he had to handle Izumi's corpse last month, but details. ]

Will she be able to help with blindness? [ He almost wants to laugh, his tone with a little more bite to it. ] I wouldn't be too surprised, however... so I suppose we can.

I don't know. ( she doubts it heavily, actually! but she speaks a little softer now, still keeping an eye out- ) But... we won't be in the same room as the surviving ones-

( they can't make it worse, or ambush her too. the teacher had the right idea getting out of dodge as soon as possible- ... oh he totally knew, didn't he. with a little sigh, she grabs one of hajun's hands in her own, ready to lead him out of the room. seeing eye nene... )

We're gonna get out of here. Okay?

[ That, at least, is a blessing in of itself. His anxiety attempts to calm itself, however Hajun grips onto Nene's hand just a tad tighter -- he can't trust any of this.

He feels weak. His entire world is dark.

He needs to forget this already before he starts sobbing like a child. ]

Okay. [ Hajun nods, his voice a little shaky. One hand searching for the wall beside them. ] Okay... Please, then, lead the way.

( as she carefully leads him past the few chairs and desks keeping them from the door, nene watches as the other babies coo and claw their way to people's eyes, their noses, their mouths- and get shoved away, but other classmates start screaming as more senses fade away.

what a powerless feeling, honestly. but hajun's depending on her. so she gets him out. )

... Hajun-nii? I really hate this place. I'm so glad I got to meet you? But this school sucks. ( it's mindless chatter, honestly, but. it helps keep her focused on some level, so maybe it's helping him too. ) At least there's the elevator, right...? I mean. It's super cursed, but stairs would be awful right now.

Who are you telling? [ He does his best to not sound bitter, but it's too evident in his voice now. Hajun wants to do something as an act of revenge; this school has to be doing this purposefully. ] It's bad enough that I'm stuck in high school all over again, but at least my school had nice food and working water from the very beginning.

[ Besides he could leave.

Deadass if he had met Nene outside of Yogen he wouldn't even give her a second glance -- so yes, this school is both a blessing and a curse. ]

So long as it doesn't break midway, yes.

[ Hopeful! ]

( he wouldn't have given her a second glance and she wouldn't have even considered anything beyond thinking his music group is nice. such is the way it goes.

if he does sound bitter- and he does, he super does- she doesn't say anything. it's been months of horrible thing after horrible thing and he's just been blinded. he's more than earned it- they all have on some level. but nene does squeeze his hand in hers lightly as they make their way to the elevator. she's so small compared to him. it's... comforting, in a way, but she couldn't possibly put why into words. )

No, it shouldn't. Just don't touch the big red button- oh, um. Hrm. Well, I'll be handling the buttons anyways, so.

~~( she swears to all that is holy if she has to see her own death AGAIN though. )~~

[ White snow. White paper. White.

Hajun's world still remains blank after the little monsters tore through the seams of the flour sacks. He's unable to see, needing the aid of others to ensure that he hadn't stepped on something suspicious or grabbed an expired bag of chips. It makes him feel considerably smaller, weaker, and his anxiety has met an all time high even if his expression remains the same -- albeit a little more conflicted, as there is some annoyance in knowing that he needs to depend on others. ]

Rika. [ He calls her name, casually and without the boyish tone he's known to carry. ] Is this expired... ?

[ In his hand he holds a can of black coffee, holding it out for her to look at. It's later in the night in the home ec room, the Robotics Club long having left, and the silence (with the exception with whatever she is doing) is welcomed. He's realized how much he hates crowded areas now that he can't see properly. ]

Umm, lemme see...

( she takes the can from him, peering at the expiration date.

honestly, the whole flour baby mess kind of went around her, as she... lost track of her own kid somewhere mid-month, letting meng yao take care of it until the end. she got the merit points for it, still, and a full score, which meant he did succeed in protecting it from others, but... whether that's a good or a bad thing, well...

she looks at hajun, and hums thoughtfully. )

If we were in 2021, as we should be, then yes. But otherwise no. ( it expires in 2002, supposedly, so... two and a half years from now, about? ) Don't spill it all over your shirt, 'kay?

( hands it back to him reluctantly... )

[ He still has to wonder if all of the blood had been cleaned off from the bottom of his shoe. He heard bones crack, assumes that a mass of brain matter and gore had stuck to it, and he's come to recognize the fact that he wouldn't be too disturbed in seeing it. ]

Thank you. [ On reflex, but rather than correcting himself or fidgeting he goes about his business normally. He gropes the air, finds her hand and curls his fingers around her knuckles; his touch surprisingly gentle. He finds the coldness of the can and holds it, bringing it back to his side.

His fingers glide across the top to find the ring, pulling it towards him and hearing it pop once opened. He holds it briefly, brings it up until he can feel it against his bottom lip and tilts it slightly. Fortunately he saves himself the embarrassment of it pouring onto his shirt, but his lips remain firm in a tight line. ]

I'm a bit hungry, too.

[ Hint, hint. ]

( semi-open ) i've been six feet under

( closed to nene | 7/3 )

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( closed to rika | 7/5 )

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