yogen | (closed) the rat died.

We have those family meetings, but... why would anyone listen to me?

( everyone already shows how they feel, and if they had it their way, they'd rather he not talk. it's true, he does pick and choose between the people he wants to talk to. then again, it's because he'd rather not trouble anyone, do it himself, and figure out if it was good enough to even let be out in the first place. )

The woods, the library, the halls... different locations between here and the outside world.

( he pauses, looking around as he's searching for something. ) I need a pencil and paper, I have my theories, but I couldn't recite it aloud.

( well—

fine, komaeda IS always sent straight to the crazy corner, so fine. who would listen to him? but, hmm... the art room isn't too far, so he'll leave without saying anything and return with a pencil and someone's forgotten sketchbook. they left it over break so it can't be that important. flipping to a new page, he gives both items to komaeda. )

There you GO.

( ...this is the only day he's indulging komaeda like this, because komaeda's indulging him. )

( he takes both the notebook and the pencil in hand, his lips purse into a straight line as he rummages through his brain to try and remember how it went. as he writes, there's a few areas where he scribbles a rectangles, and then rubs them with his finger as if he's hiding something. it doesn't take too long for him to finish, and the end result comes out like this:

the woods are off limits to all students. there will be no w▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓ed for ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓.
when the▓▓▓▓stle blows, line up quickly. those who tarry shal▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓hind.
running in the halls is prohibited.
students may not gather in groups of five or greater.
silence is enforced in the library unti▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓mplete. do not let it hear you.

he flips the notebook upside down, turning it towards natsume so that he can read it. )

I visited the void once... it was behind the school rules, but the paper was burnt... and that was all I had managed to parse.

( ...huh. natsume takes it back from him, reading the lines over and over. he can at least sort of figure out one of them, but that's not the one he's paying any attention to. "the woods are off limits to all students"...

well, there's another one he's paying attention to, too— )

...Forget the WOODS. Interesting that they're off-liMITS, though I can't fathom WHY... ( he taps the fourth one, smudging the granite a little. ) I like watching peoPLE, and I've noticed something—the students only ever travel in small GROUPS, when they're not with a teaCHER. They're never aLONE, and they're never in a group larger than FIVE.

( ........ )

But plenty of people run in the HALLS. ( he glances up, but... hmmm, wait. is that just them? he guesses he's never seen hiro or maya run, not that he can imagine either of them doing that, actually. ) They don't get penaLIZED.

( he's kind of stuck on this. unless— )

The rules will change depending on who's in poWER. ( softly said, and he checks the water—it's boiling because i say it is now, he'll fix up a cup of Courtyard Flower Tea for komaeda to start his ~~week-long poisoning~~ experiment with. ) The little wolf told me something similar to THAT. Those rules you saw were probably old ONES, or... maybe they're this year's—the ones she was actually talking aBOUT, rather than the ones that are actually on disPLAY.

It is interesting... we're unable to get to the woods, but something doesn't want us in, or they're keeping us out. Out of all of them, I managed to read that "when the whistle blows, line up quickly. those who tarry shall be left behind."

( makes one think what whistle? why would they get left behind? there was the moment where saihara was left outside, and was unable to get in unless komaeda stabbed himself, but... he wonders if the other heard a whistle at that time. the only whistling sound he's ever heard was the day he gained his first tally, the sound of a storm outside even though the trees hardly moved, there was barely any wind. )

Little wolf... ah, that's Arisu-san, right? I actually spoke to her about them... she was... curious about the meaning behind them, she actually rushed to the rules in this world.

( he's trying to recount the events, it was awhile ago. ) We took down the board they were posted on, and there was nothing behind... in the process of putting it back, she managed to cut her finger, and I was sent into the void world as soon as she bled. The only thing I could make note of is that her shadow went to the fourth floor, and I was unable to follow... coming back, she stood still in front of the rules board, frustrated with me.

( not fair, komaeda, seeing sides of maya he hasn't... )

...The fourth FLOOR... We're not allowed to go there YET. ( hmmm. ) But she invited me up to the rooftop at the beginning of the year when I wanted to talk to her in priVATE. It could be her shadow went that WAY, though why I can't SAY.

( maybe she just likes the roof, or maybe there's something about the fourth floor... ugh, he wishes they could get in right now. )

Was she mad that you spaced OUT? I assume that's what happens to us when we're in the VOID, considering we don't actually move anywhere physicalLY.

( ... wait until natsume hear he and her shared a bento, looks up. )

We don't understand the shadows properly, are they... afterthoughts of what they truly want to do? Do they have a mind of their own... once, I've heard someone call them ghosts that follow the paths before they died.

( that however sounds... actually useful, to speak with someone up at the rooftop, and he taps his chin in thought wondering if there's something special there. his hands settle against the surface of the table, looking towards natsume as he tries to figure out their little delimma. ) I asked was there anything different about me at the moment and she seemed confused, I admitted that I saw an uglier version of this world, and that her shadow went to a different floor...

( he pauses, thinking back, it's hard when you have dementia on the brain. )

She "thinks" I have the wrong eyes open, and didn't want to keep up her end of the deal to accompany me there.

( he has a picnic date in the future it's fine )

...The wrong eyes oPEN... ( natsume curls his hand around his chin, thinking. ) She probably considered it a waste of TIME. The little wolf's told me that the talk has to be worth the trek up THERE, so she didn't think you were worth IT.

( feels nice knowing he is tho ♡ )

This deserves some further looking inTO. Unfortunately ( a sigh as he gives him the tea ) it's summer BREAK, so that'll have to wait until school starts back UP.

( ...... )

Drink UP.

Oh, you misunderstand my intentions, Sakasaki-kun, I didn't want to talk to her at all.

( don't get on that high horse just yet, komaeda was only interested in what was up there, not a decent conversation between the two. )

I was curious as to what was up there, and taking her without explanation would have been a waste of time... even I understand that.

( but they further proves that something is going wrong up there, and with the drink offered to him, komaeda runs his finger around the rim in thought. )

Arisu-san is quite the side character, isn't she? After all my work, she took the place of my efforts... I like her, so I hope she has more to offer us.

( glug, glug! )

...I was only repeating what she SAID. She'd have even less incentive to go with you if you didn't even have a conversation topic to FLOAT.

( he watches him carefully. he hopes it's immediate. it isn't but he hopes it is. god he would love to see komaeda die in front of him. )

And she's... ( ...a side character, yeah, but it feels wrong to assign her that type of thing. he moves away again to clean up, carefully putting away what he hasn't used. ) Don't like her too MUCH. She hates that type of THING. I think she's allergic to affecTION.

Huh? Ah... scum like me wouldn't be worth it to her, I've done my job.

( taking out someone for the school's hope, thinking he could create a... hopeful future that they'd all be able to follow along easily, hand in hand with maya leading them. she opened a few doors for them, giving them a chance that makes everything even more interesting — does she know that? that people who play are to get draw in the most attention? )

...Hm? You must have tried to give her affection then, ouch... didn't work out too well?

( he sips the drink again, the burn tickling his throat as he stares at natsume like it's basic conversation. )

( .................oh my god he is Not girl talking with komaeda. )

I haven't, but Seki from the year above me tried asking her out ONCE, and... ( ... ) Well, he's in the hospital NOW.

Arisu-kun stabbed him, and that was pretty admirable... Buuuuut, she doesn't seem the type to send out her brother.

( she wants to protect him more than anything, keep him safe from harm, and her being allergic to affection and seki being stabbed doesn't seem like... it connects. )

Besides... that was planned, aha.

( it connects to him, but he's also the type who reacts a little violently to affection depending on the person giving it.

...but, well. )

What do you mean it was "PLANNED"?

Decide on and arrange in advance type of planned, do you want another definition?

( komaeda knows that's not what natsume means, but komaeda is a point and click. )

Cut the bullshit before I decide we don't need knife privileges in home economics that badLY.

( you know what he means. )

...I only know so much, I promised I'd catch up.

( it really isn't that much, but... )

If you trust me, give me a bit... especially if this interests you.

( he doesn't trust him at all.

but he is curious, so... )

Fine. ( :/ why doesn't hiro tell him this stuff... it's whatever it's okay they have nice lunch dates. ) But don't harass it out of HIM. Hiro-kun's sensiTIVE.

( and a friend. )

Now, now... I know my place, so don't worry... I don't stay around people much.

( he'll get what he needs and get out, and he'll play his part, which he's already getting up from the table. )

Is there any particular subjects I should stay away from, since it sounds like you know him... so... so well.

( ... )

You can recognize when someone's getting upSET. Pretend he's someone worthy of consideration to you and back off a little BIT. ( the one ounce of faith he has in komaeda to at least think for two seconds. ) Don't forget to stop by here every day for the rest of your TEA, Komaeda-san.

...I'm considerate to no one.

( he stares, though he keeps that cheer in his voice as he says that — rokkun has told komaeda that all the time, and maybe it's true. though, he shakes his head. )

For Arisu-kun however, I will. I want to... understand him. ( don't worry, he's going to take the cup with him as he brings it to his mouth to drink. it's fine, nothing he thinks would be bad to try every day as long as he can. )

What time, Sakasaki-kun?

...Eight'll be FINE. ( it misses the dinner rush and can be reasonably explained as making tea to help induce sleep. ) I'm looking forward to working with YOU, just this ONCE.

(closed) the rat died.

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