yogen | Kiss of Life

( he hears something, he's not sure what — a stumble? the footsteps pause and, alarmed, amami realizes he picked wrong, spins around to find—

that meng yao is only a couple feet away. the serious, cautious expression on his face flickers to surprise before relaxing into something that more closely resembles relief. because it is relief. jeez, wandering around at night feels risky without that directional hearing, huh... he'll have to keep that in mind. either way, he breathes out a little huff before smiling in the other's direction. )

Phew, it's just you, A-Yao... You should've said something.

( he speaks normally, like he's forgetting the rules of these hours for everyone else, but to his credit, at least he speaks with his hands — one pressed against his chest to express that feeling of catching his breath after being startled. he'll offer a little wave back too in a moment here, once he feels like his heart isn't gonna beat out of that chest. 'cause it's then that things will click enough to realize that, hey, maybe things happen for a reason. to motion absently in the direction of the hall he'd just been looking down, eyes expectant with a spark of interest in them. )

Do you have a minute? ( he'd kind of feel better having someone else with him after dark here, especially when he can still hear the faint sound of that "wind" outside. )

[ There is a certain disorientation to speaking at this late hour, and one Meng Yao has explicitly evaded in experiencing whenever he can. However...

The silence that surrounds him, in the absence of sound coming from Rantarou's words (instinctively going to try to read lips when he can't hear), is seemingly paradoxically deafening. But he blinks when it seems to come naturally for the other to speak, and a questioning expression comes over his face. Though the hand gesture does not go unnoticed either. ]

My apologies. This is a relatively unusual experience...conversing like this, that is.

[ He says, sounding a little awkward, out of sorts—it's strange to speak when even one's voice can't be heard. It doesn't help he's honestly half-asleep here, but his mind is more alert than his body is, which is why he catches the expectant emotion and interest quickly. ]

Yes, what can this one do to assist you?

[ Meng Yao will move to follow into step once the other makes a movement. ]

( conversing like... oh. amami looks pretty alarmed for a moment when it sets in, but he offers a grateful smile when meng yao agrees to come anyway. there's a moment's pause, but he'll lead the way — making his way to the front door, where he'd been planning to head to initially, before the sound of footsteps had distracted him. if it's cold out that is, unfortunately, also a meng yao problem, considering amami's got his climate-controlled body temperature going for him.

once they get outside though, he doesn't explain right away — he looks around with a troubled expression instead, like he's searching for something. looks at the trees, particularly the wisteria, for a long moment before turning back to meng yao, opening his mouth, and then catching himself.

with one hand, he makes a gesture almost like pinching at his forehead, then turns his hand straight, holding it out vertically like someone would for a handshake, but closer to himself. he pauses here, looking apologetic, and... hm... it'd probably be rough on the other if he continued with this, huh. as much as he'd like the practice, it'll take him a minute to think through, but he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone — all nice and modern, touchscreen, backlight, it's got the works compared to a pda. in any case, he'll type out a quick message before holding it out for meng yao. )

sorry, can't sleep, "wind" tonight is giving me the creeps
sounds like voices
do you remember the tree that you burned?
reminds me of that

[ Meng Yao's eyes follow Rantarou's gaze, scrutinizing in the direction they go as his lips curl into a concentrated frown, on the potential look out for something that may jump in and reveal itself as a threat. He doesn't even think about the nightly chill (he's dressed for bed but the robes do at least make him appear decent), used to ignoring such inconveniences. It does help his cultivation has gotten better since their travel to Lanling, but it is what it is.

After some ado about seemingly nothing, he turns his attention back to the other, shaking his head with a tiny smile in regards to the apology to indicate it's not necessary. Though his expression turns considering at the rest.

He doesn't have his PDA with him, but he produces a notebook, and after writing on it, he shows the page to Rantarou. If need-be, he can shine the light on the words. ]

I do recall that. This is the first incident of that happening? You hearing this "wind" like those 'voices', that is?

( it's a good question, and amami supposes he has sort of been keeping to himself about the whole ordeal. glancing over the note, he considers it a moment, and he'll take a step closer, turn so that he's shoulder to shoulder with meng yao. this way, the other can see what he writes out as he types it and, once he's done, he'll offer his phone to him again. just in case he'd like to take it, whether for reading or writing. )

nah
there's normally the sound of wind outside, like a storm
but tonight it sounds more like voices instead
like people screaming and crying
can't make out what they're saying though...

( which may be considered a small mercy, pointedly unlike the tree had been that one time. he vividly remembers how much they had begged and pleaded for different answers right up 'til the last, as little as he may actually want to. for the time being, he lifts one hand as if to tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. really, it's more like... trying to block off some of the sound — so loud that just being out here feels deafening. he's able to keep calm enough, sure, but this whole situation is... unsettling, to say the least. )

[ It's a testament how comfortable he is with Rantarou that he doesn't mind such proximity, and Meng Yao's eyes flicker down to the message that the other shows him, and his eyebrows furrow. It's too bad he can't do something to cancel out the sound...as there is no sound during this time. Except apparently the horrid noises that the other is hearing. Then, he carefully reaches over to take the offered phone, careful to enter in the message in return. ]

It sounds as if to me that the intensity of whatever the noise originally was has increased over time, unfortunately.
I do believe it has something to do with that tree we've seen before, so I wonder if there is either another, or that it's reverted to how it was before.
I suppose it might be best to approach Kazuki about it, which I can if you would like.
In the meanwhile, I wonder if there's something around here that can help block out some of the noise, at least.

[ Meng Yao looks up from the message to gaze upon Rantarou, though out of the corner of his eyes he has been taking notice of the small movements he's been doing even before then. ]

( oh, that's considerate of him, seeing as amami knows all too well how quiet it tends to be without a totem. he'll snag the phone back to type out his own message, offering a smile to go with it as some extra reassurance. )

i'll be fine
it's just the one ear, so
asking kazuki isn't a bad idea though
if he knows anything important, let me know, yeah?

( and leaving it to meng yao can be taken as amami's own offering of trust here, considering his independent nature. but... having someone you can rely on doesn't sound so bad, once in a while. it's actually kind of a relief that he can share this with someone he feels fairly confident in — like a weight off of his shoulders. but either way, he doubts that they're going to find an immediate solution out here tonight, so with one last cursory glance around them, he'll type out the last bit of his message, tilting his head slightly in the direction of the dorms. )

oh, but you can't hear it anyway, right?
why don't we head back inside

[ Meng Yao's smiling, feeling happy that the other feels he can rely on him. It's still something he finds himself having a hard time putting into words. So he opens his mouth to say something, and then pauses, before settling for nodding at the end of the first question instead since that's faster than even reaching over to send a message.

They have spoken about whatever they can at the moment, and there really is nothing that can be done about the issue now, even if he's sure it bothers the other a good amount. But he'll reach over carefully so he can type out one last reply, hoping the other doesn't mind if he is reaching to boldly take the phone. If he is allowed to do so, anyway. ]

Yes, kind words may warm for many winters, but I don't think we can apply the usual expectations to this place.

2962 0307 8
I'm not sure if Hajun gave these numbers to anyone else, but I imagine they're of some significance.
I'm not sure what, though.

[ Hajun is...no longer here, and as far as he knows, neither of them figured it out. But it is what it is, and he gives the other male a sheepish smile. Next he ensures the phone is back in Rantarou's hands, hoping he forgives him for extending this just a bit. But, he does make a movement to begin heading back to the dorms, rubbing his hands a bit. ]

( meng yao has an easy time of borrowing the phone back; as soon as amami notices what he's aiming for, he'll hand it over with a smile, waiting patiently for the message, and—

oh. that's interesting.

let him go on ahead and copy these numbers onto a different notepad than the one he's got them writing on — the same notepad, incidentally, that he's saved another code on. he'll copy that one onto his clipboard so he can paste it back into the one where they've been having their conversation. )

54.2N, 4

found that in a note left behind earlier this month
was thinking they might be half a set of coordinates or something
but it's hard to know what i'm supposed to look for if they are

( if they're trading anyway, right? but he'll keep tapping before he hands the phone back proper, even as they make their way back inside. it's not like it's that much warmer, but at least that breeze isn't blowing in here. )

as for yours, i've got no clue
maybe some kind of cipher? i saw some people using one on the forums
it could also be some kind of combination, maybe
for who might know how to figure it out...
you could try shin tsukimi-kun or sou hiyori-kun

( whichever name meng yao happens to know him by, since amami will purposefully leave out that they're the same person if that's not something he already knows. if he was able to solve one cipher though, maybe another one would be up his alley too. plus, out of the options for those who did respond in kind to that forum message, this one's probably amami's most preferred to work together with. )

[ ...Those sure are coordinates of some kind, yes. He can't help but feel he agrees, even if location coordinates aren't given like that back in his world. Either way, once he's read out what Rantarou has typed in return, he ensures to begin to enter his response in turn once the phone is back in his hands. ]

I assume this has to be someplace on the school grounds.
An obvious conclusion, and of course I assume it's somewhere 'north'.
It's a shame it's unlikely to be something like 'building 4' for the second half of that.

[ Regardless, Meng Yao keeps this in mind as well, and so he will be looking out for any other notes or something that can be construed as 'the remaining coordinates', so to speak. He also supposes that he now knows who else to approach with this possible 'cipher'. And so, he taps out the rest before handing the phone back once more. ]

I suppose I'll approach Hiyori-xiong, then.
Though as always, it bears mentioning that this one is grateful for your assistance.

( oh, yeah, it's kind of nice to be backed up on these things; there's some relief that maybe doesn't entirely make sense considering the context, but it washes over amami regardless, some tension leaving his shoulders. maybe also because there's now a door in-between them and that awful wailing coming from outside too, because that definitely helps. either way, his response only takes a moment to tap out this time. )

any time
we're on the same team, right?
and thanks for coming with, a-yao
walking around here at night's not the best feeling, but it could've been worse on my own

[ His own response via the phone is short and sweet. ]

This one is happy just knowing he can be there when you need it.
And if you ever need anything else, whatever the reason, please don't hesitate to make contact.

[ Meng Yao feels fully confident enough to state that to Rantarou. When it comes to it, they've been there for each other in various ways. And he feels like that is something that won't change. ]

Kiss of Life

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