yogen | give your friends a surprise

Entry tags:

give your friends a surprise

Who: EVERYONE
What: FAMILY MEETING
When: 8/4, right after school closes.
Where: Student council room
Warnings: Eventually, probably.

["If my friends back home were acting like this, I would've already locked them in a room and forced them to figure out their feelings."

the job puts all of her considerable superspy skills to the test. she knows where every normal kid's locker is; it's easy enough to slip the note into each that morning. if it's someone who she knows would be unable to read the note, she tells them its contents, but keeps her own involvement out of it. lies of omission don't count.

the note reads:]

I have very important information about this place. Please come to the student council room after school ends today.

- Nao Sato

[and if the text looks just a bit girlier than you'd think she'd write, hey, you don't know her. she's got layers.

either way, it's a pretty interesting proposition: the student council room door is, for the first time in seemingly ever, wide open. anyone can walk inside - and, hopefully, most everyone should. because it's only when Stephanie thinks that she's got enough of them inside that she actually enters the room, shutting the door behind her.

click.

it locks. she grins, spins the key on her finger, and slips it into her pocket.

"How are you supposed to do that with grownups?"

the exact same way, she's decided.]

We haven't had any meetings since, um. Well. The last one. But, I'm pretty sure nobody has no more murders to report, so it shouldn't be too bad, and we can all just focus on the most important task: Getting along! All of us are on the same team, but most of us barely even know each other; some of us even hate some of the others! [SHE SAYS, LIKE SHE DOESN'T ACTIVELY DESPISE KOKICHI] So, I figured we could spend the evening fixing that problem. Play some games, talk about stuff we've discovered since the last time...

And, maybe, if everybody does a really good job, I'll unlock the door!

[smiles]

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Believe it or not, this is normally the time I go around doing what I want, but instead we're here.

( which means he's always walking around doing what he wants, there's never a day that he doesn't, but he sure is pleased from startling her just a bit. which comes to his next thought as he sits down beside her, hands in his lap as he leans back. don't mind the blood on his shoulder, it'll pass soon. )

...You must have new findings to offer to the group, that's why we're here, isn't it?

( since stephanie gave information about the tracks. )

Well, we didn't have a meeting last month... but we were also pretty busy in general. I'd thought maybe there was new information- a-and there is! But I wasn't expecting this, either.

( does she have new findings? well. yes. but like... ... hhhhhhhhhh- she doesn't want to talk about ghosts and the dead with komaeda... )

Do you? --AH. ( HOW DO PEOPLE KEEP GETTING INJURED WHILE SHE'S BUSY DISSOCIATING? ) You're hurt! Hold on, there's gotta be a first aid kit in here somewhere-

( she's gonna start RUMMAGING- )

Edited (I EVEN THOUGHT I NEEDED TO INCLUDE THIS AND I FORGOOOOT) 2021-08-05 05:52 (UTC)

Yep, I have tons of it.

( she asked so he'll answer accordingly, but the willingness to share is a different story. ) For quite awhile n —

( okay, her outburst makes his eyes widen a bit before they return to their casual... ominous expression. he blinks slow, trying to understand what she's doing, and then... )

It's fine, it's just a flesh wound! Ahaha... ( he's going to raise a hand to poke it a few times, causing more blood to surface. ) See?

Edited (CRYING) 2021-08-05 05:55 (UTC)

( BRUH. )

Stop that, let me help.

( luckily enough, it seems the student council is smart because she does find a roll of bandages and some disinfectant at the very least squirreled away. and it's not perfect, but she can use paper towels to clean it... something tells her she's going to need all of these on hand tonight... )

How does this even keep happening? Honestly... I need to be able to get to it, please.

( take off your jacket for a bit, komaeda. or she's gonna steal it again. )

...It was for the good of another person's hope.

( he'll glance over to where rika and amami are, and it is... a familiar view to see him fret over the female. )

I'd do anything to see someone shine...

( he plays nicely, slowly as he begins to unpeel his jacket from his stabbed shoulder. she'll find that it's gone through his shirt, a nice slit from the female's box cutter, but it doesn't burn when messed with... that's why komaeda keeps touching it. )

I'll be fine... I've been through worse, you know?

That doesn't make it better? ... You only have one life to live. Isn't it important to treat yourself kindly?

( with that soft question, nene quiets down however so she can work. despite appearances, nene manages well with blood- it's real gore and horror that gets her. she wants fake terror, safe fear. but she still watches live action scary movies and can handle it well. it's part of the fun, after all. it's only when she applies the disinfectant that she gives a small 'sorry' for the sting. )

Oh- you were saying something, weren't you...? And then I- Sorry. What was it?

...

( one life to live, is that how she sees it? when komaeda thinks about it, his life has never been worth living. he doesn't have those moments where he can live in bliss, enjoy what he has because it all slips through the cracks of his fingers. treating himself kindly is to take care of the ultimates, anything outside of that isn't a life worth living.

he smiles though, almost like he's ashamed he made her waste her breath. )

...Kawaii-san, and you too, Yashiro-san... ( he flinches from the sting as he drops his hands into his lap..) ...are relatively brighter; your hope is.

( that's said softly, almost like he's out of breath, but the regular komaeda way. )

( she gives him a 'are you fucking kidding me' sort of look, which must look terribly pouty and ineffective given her babyface. rika is self-destructing, nene's spent more time in the past month dissociating and being pulled around by hanako-kun than she has in her entire time at this hellish place, but sure komaeda. sure. )

If you say so.

( x to fucking doubt.

still, she's got a cut to wrap up. so she'll push his shirt sleeve out of the way and do just that, careful and slow and not too tight, just like shinobu's been teaching- )

Amazing... Can you not tell your wo— ww...ow...

( the hope meter wasn't like this at one point, but that's because the last time he saw her, she wasn't capable of anything. she kept her distance, and komaeda just didn't fool around with people who weren't worth his time, but he does know that being together makes things more than successful. also, his dementia kicked in, so don't ask him about the fundraiser, it makes him even more sick. now, here he is, having to work off stephanie's "get-along" ruse to ensure something is made out of it.

he flinches slightly as she moves it, he's... sensitive, or well his skin is, already being sickly it doesn't do good for him at all. it's nothing nene has to worry about though since he chuckles right after, but he continues: )

...I didn't expect you to play the healer role, but... thank you.

( nene gives him an odd look, because. wo...? huh? but otherwise she doesn't really say anything. he wrote her off, she avoided him, and she didn't want his attention- how she keeps getting it, she doesn't know. he wants hope? he can find it somewhere else. she's been doing more than he'll ever see, even with her grief.

naturally, the fates are conspiring against her because she is a shining star of faith, trust and optimism mixed with reckless naivety and barely any impulse control, and that's protagonist material right there, babey. )

It's easy to surpass expectations that aren't there. ( oh, that was surprisingly curt for her- ) ... But. You're welcome. You have to take care of yourself, though... if not for you, then for the people who love you. Because there are people who do.

Haha, you could tell, huh? You were pretty timid at the start, afraid of everything... but that's good.

( it's called progress, to see her be one thing, and now she's becoming a little bit of the other — sadly, he can't base everything off this one instance, but as long as her hope does what it's doing then... he can go from there. she doesn't have to know what he knows, and if she never asks, he doesn't have to explain. all he does is watch her tend to his arm in hopes to stop the bleeding, and once he feels like she's done more than enough. )

Enough about me, let's talk about you. ( a quick dodge, like she can avoid physically, he can do the same vocally — although, it's not like he's rejecting her words. there's a moment where he touches his stomach, a little troubled as he thinks about it. ) Make sure you visit me Monday, so I can distribute you your cans...

( he'll be helping senku, but he'll continue... ) Wouldn't want to eat anything the gardener has in his possession.

You aren't subtle in your opinions of others.

( he really isn't! and why would she want to spend time with people who think of her as nothing? #selfcare. once the bandage is nice and secure, she slides her chair back a bit however, letting him fix himself back up. )

... Oh, right, the food drive. ( yean she thinks she'll talk to senku instead. ) Okay. Did Kazuki-san tell you that?

Edited (cod e goo fe) 2021-08-05 19:40 (UTC)

...Now, now. It's good to be honest, isn't it? Lying to carry favor? That's just not me.

( they have to know how he feel so they can choose what to do with that information after, but at least he's willing to talk like a normal person. he waits for her to sit down before he stands up, and proceeds to put back on his clothes like normal — albeit slowly so that he doesn't mess up her hard work. )

Nope, I've never spoken to him. ( ... ) It's all from experience.

( he's been feeling a little off, and maybe that's just him being sick in general, but... ) Ishigami-kun has a specific number of cans for everyone to have... even if you don't come and see me — ( he just KNOWS. )

At least see him.

You can be so cruel in your honesty... it can chase people away, you know. What if they weren't what you thought, and then because of the way you were, they don't want to give you another chance? ( ... wow, she didn't mean to be so honest about what happened with them. ) And- I just... don't like hurting people in general. Words can do damage too- you know that, don't you?

( or... maybe he doesn't. maybe he can't. )

... He's kind enough. And I trust that he's honest with those who talk to him... but. He's still part of this, you know? A nice jailor is still a jailor.

( of course komadea knows- but then. isn't that a little funny? they first met when komaeda asked her for help with his arm, and she found him senku. now they're still on some level... connected. )

I will.

Cruel honesty or sweet lies... depending on the person, one works better than the other.

( he smiles, but he does listen, and it's not like he hasn't heard that before — well, said differently. hinata had claimed that depending on what's said, it's enough to motivate someone to live, to keep them going so that they don't give up. with what nene says, that komaeda's way of talking drives people away, but... he hums in thought. )

The things I say aren't meant to hurt anyone, that's never my intention. Hm... they take it pretty personally, but if it hurts them... that means it's something they have to grow out of, then it'll no longer be painful! ( clapping his hands together like he's right, slowly, he locks eyes with nene as he clears his throat, leaving no room for hesitation as he continues. ) I'll take upon our sins, and our burdens, the hatred; anything directed towards me to see you all trample despair.

( he leans back, blinking slightly about their jailor, and he thinks about it. )

You must speak with him often... ( he's trying to remember the name, wait... wait... ) Kazuaki-kun. ( wrong hatoful, komaeda.

in the end, hearing that she'll visit senku for her cans seems more than enough. in a way, he thinks he's helping even though he shouldn't. )

No one's asked you to do that. I don't think anyone even wants you to.

( it's an act of self-martyrdom that hurts everyone else around him in the backlash. and he'll take all arguments against it as good things too, all in the name of his hope.

... she doesn't want to have this conversation. but she just sighs and shrugs. )

No, he prefers Kazuki. And sometimes. But I do watch what he's doing a lot... after all, I'm the president of the gardening club! ( said with a smile! ) I should know how a professional tends to their own garden, right?

Are you sure about that... ( that no one has asked him? then again, saying something like that is probably a few red flags, but he shakes his head. ) I'll listen to what everyone has to say, however.

( progress? it's important to understand the problem his peers are having, even if he's one of the sources, besides... they could kill him if he gets too out of order. )

Oh, you watch him? ( amami told him a little on how to speak with kazuki, but komaeda's never gone that far to do so — well, considering he's been outside a few times already. ) He must keep himself busy, gardening is a pretty fun activity. ( he tends to everyone in this room like his plant, and snips the dead leaves when it's doing nothing to support them, or to help the group grow wonderfully. )

I like cleaning more, and that means you can see how much was put into making the plants grow... ( probably makes no sense, but basic conversation... sol? he doesn't know it. he just knows he likes to clean. )

( yeah it sure does raise some red flags, who hurt you? other than the universe, which cannot decide if it loves or hates komaeda at any given moment. have you ever seen a man with a more toxic relationship with existence itself?

but... if he's willing to listen. to truly, actually listen... maybe they can get through to him. )

He'll spend hours to tend to the courtyard, and spends the rest of the night resting by the tree. In the morning, he vanishes. ( why yes she does have a lot of sleepless nights, why do you ask? ) ...But it is, yes. I work with a big plot back home, we raise vegetables. But I don't think we'll be able to do that here.

( oh, but he... already knew that, huh? ... how? though she's almost distracted just to hear about something he likes that isn't related to anything else! )

Oh, I didn't know that. It can be pretty relaxing huh? Cleaning, I mean.

It almost sounds like your schedule is likened to his... he's not possessing you is he?

( let's be straight about this, the gardener isn't human, just like a few other people here — there's a lot of magical things happening in this school, some they don't understand, and that's a set they'll have to learn. sometimes being toxic with your existence allows you to understand things better as long as it isn't yourself. )

The dirt isn't safe... or well, we'll figure out why sooner or later. ( who is the "we'll", either way, komaeda does feel a little sick, but nothing too troublesome, or so he thinks. aside from that, he does know that the only tools she's good at is gardening, which... he'll mention, once again. )

Ahaha... your knowledge in tools has certainly become quite vast. You have grown from the first time I've met you. ( hmmmmm... ) Yeah... it helps get my mind off things, and the only hobby I can do well... other than that, I'm just a failure.

( but he's smiling, so that's fine. )

No. ... Even if he was capable of such a thing, Hanako-kun would annihilate him immediately.

( she knows!!! she knows. even if hanako-kun himself has done that to her, he'd destroy anything that tried it in a heartbeat. even if kazuki-san never had the opportunity...

nene listens quietly though, because sometimes... sometimes that's really all you can do when komaeda is doing komaeda things again. at least he's just talking. though... she can't help but frown a bit. 'we'? the dirt...? was he experimenting or something? the frown only deepens a bit at the mention of tools. with him, it was hard to tell if he meant actual tools... or people. )

... I'm sure you can do other things. But it's nice to have something to do. Ishimaru-kun was very excited about the idea of a chore chart the other month.

Hanako-kun really likes his knife, doesn't he?

( at the mention of the chore chart, he hums in thought trying to remember if he saw it, but if he remembers correctly, that was the meeting where both him and natsume were exposed, and everything else went into the void world. )

Ah, I remember! There was a rift between everyone, and I hated that, I liked it better when you all worked together to learn who the murderer was. Then, you were all brave, but then, everyone started to lack faith, pit against one another, and then an Ultimate was wounded. How despairing.

( it's nothing he'll linger on, because it's easy for him to drift from one topic to another, which happens to be the chart nene spoke about. )

So there was no way for me to notice that chart, maybe there'll be one next time. Then again, if I have to dirty my hands, I'll make sure to clean just as good as last time.

( he seems pretty pleased with himself, but with his hands settling into the seat of his lap. ) I'll make sure you all grow from that too, because if everyone's hope wavers... you're all good as dead. I'd rather not see that.

( he sure does like his knife, but then- then komaeda says that. and her hands curl up into tight fists, her nails dig into her palm and she doesn't know if this pit in her stomach is heartache or fury. )

It would have bridged itself naturally. People only reacted like that because they were hurt by you and Sakasaki-senpai's actions- what growth happens is in spite of what happened, not because of it. A foundation built on suffering is only going to lead to more suffering.

( nene's voice is soft but unwavering, even if she's not looking at him- she can't look at him, actually, because if she does she has to see that patronizing smile again and she's sick of it. )

Now, now. You can bridge the gap as long as you're capable.

( suffering is only met with suffering because they allow it, and things like feelings are easily ignored. no, not ignored, komaeda just feels like anyone can get through unfortunate events because he has himself, but he's lucky. not everyone has it like he does.

he notices the way her fingers dig into her hand, and he hums after. )

Ah, spite is something. My counselor — ( spite drives, and hope pulls is what he mentioned to komaeda. ) Said the same, ahaha! Things are falling together nicely. How interesting...

( he's thinking on her words, his words, everyone else's response. )

You're the one who decided we weren't before we even had the chance.

( she really is sick of boys deciding they know best for her and doing terrible things as a result- but at least hanako understood, when she told him. )

... You hurt a lot of people, you know. ( it's hard not to think about aiko okane, desperately begging for more time. but... she can't voice it to him. not yet. ) Just because they'll recover doesn't make it okay.

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i love how done nene gets with his ass honestly.

how he doesnt even notice

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