adsum | npc contact.1

( the sudden desperation, the frantic fear and desire to live burns her heart, honestly. every day that gets closer seems terrifying even with hanako there with what she knows about herself- to have it suddenly catch you like that... )

Okane-san, it's- I know we were too late to save you. And I'm sorry. But is there anything we can do for you now?

[ He's seen it before. People who weren't done fighting... who wanted to live. Everyone is like that at the end, it seems -- it's difficult to let go of that last trace of hope, of the illusion that the situation might turn around. But in the end... they all accepted it, too. And in a way, Shuichi knows that's what Aiko's ghost must be struggling to do right now, no matter what form it takes. But in that state... he feels like he knows what she'll ask. ]

...You wanted us to find your killer, right? I understand that -- I don't want to give up on it either.

[ He's honest about that -- but there's something he's been meaning to say about this matter all along. ]

But is that really the kind of last thought you want? There are other people you'd rather think about, aren't there? People who'd also give anything if it meant they could see you again.

[ Why did she focus on her murderer first, and not on those? What kind of game... even skews someone's priorities like that? There might be a tinge of anger in his voice, but it isn't really aimed at Aiko. Maybe it's for his own powerlessness -- maybe he's even projecting his own issues onto her. But still-- ]

Don't you... have anything to say to them?

[ Is that what she wants? Vengeance is something so strong and personal it's the closest thing to grounding that she has, when everything surrounding her death and her life and the abruptness of the end had been thrown into turmoil. It's the only thing she has to cling to— to find her killer and then... then what? Make them pay? A whole lot of good that would do, when she won't be around to know. Besides, it's not like there was anybody else... Friends... classmates... In the end, she didn't have that sort of close relationship, but when it was somebody in this school who betrayed her. When, in the end, it was two strangers who were the ones to reach out to her.

What does she want them to do? What does she want to say? What can she say, when there is nobody to convey her final wishes besides the two around her? ]

...Put an end to all of this. Don't let anybody be alone. And... [ the light dims, the voice quiets, ] If you can... take me far away from this place. My body, my memory... whatever is left. I want to leave this school.

( her memory... that really is all they can take, isn't it? but with how much heart nene has in her little body, it's more than doable. it still doesn't feel like enough. clutched fists brought against her chest mark her anxiety and guilt alike- regrets, even. )

We will. I promise.

( and if she tries to see if there's anything of hers left later, that's her business, nene thinks. how much time do they have left? she's growing fainter- dang it. )

While you can- is there anything you know about this situation? There's so much we don't know.

[ He's gotten a little used to saying things like these, hasn't he? It's a realization that feels a little heavy to make. ]

...We promise. We might not know how to do it yet... but we won't give up. No matter what. And... we won't forget you.

[ This comes kind of in unison to the first half of Nene's, echoing her while they're both for the most part... still moved and intermittently silent with emotion. He can feel his voice trembling a little -- and he doesn't say anything to the other half, falling silent in full.

Something tells him... Aiko might not be there to respond anymore. She's said what she wanted to, after all. ]

[ I was going to reply to Nene's question, but Rina you're right, that would ruin the mood, so instead the light goes out, the stone damp except for a little circle on the very top where the coin had been placed. ]

( ori that is so incredibly valid and i would die for you.

ah- they were out of time then. she should have... no. thinking like that would only hurt her more. after a moment of silence, nene wipes her eyes with her wrist before giving shuichi a very sudden hug. )

...!?

[ It takes him by surprise. Shuichi would have stood there in silence with that dull sense of hollowness in his stomach, for probably a longer time if left by himself. It's never so easy to come to terms with the loss of a human life, after all. No matter who it is -- no matter how you knew them, or didn't.

With a quiet shuffle of uniform fabric, he wraps his own arms around Nene before he knows it. They don't need words for what she feels... he thinks he knows. ]

...Are you alright? If you need to cry... I don't mind.

Mm. You sounded hurt, too. So it's for both of us.

( few things can withstand the emotional honesty of one nene yashiro, and this is not one of them. instead, she stays like that for a bit, the two of them left only in the wake of aiko okane's final words, a moment between the two of them alone. and she heard his tremble, saw his shock over everything. )

Ah, well... you aren't wrong. I've never been that strong of a person, to begin with.

[ The only thing he has... is he's gotten used to this. To these things he thinks no one should have to get used to, like saying goodbye to people and hearing out what they had to say in their final moments. But he doesn't want to tell Nene that. ]

I think you're stronger than me, Yashiro-san.

There's different kinds of strength.

( she speaks softly, because raising her voice feels wrong after all that. even now, jus this feels like it's too much. and yet leaving so quickly feels... she doesn't know. she doesn't have the same experience with this sort of thing that her friends do. even with mitsuba-kun... )

Be kinder to yourself. Okay? You're the only you you have...

... I'm sorry I didn't ask that when we still had time.

[ ...She isn't wrong. It's just, things like those are the sort that are easier said than done -- and besides... it's not himself that Shuichi wants her to worry about right now. His hands still settled on her shoulders, he lets the tips of his fingers dig ever so softly into fabric despite his awkwardness, as if to reassure her he's there.

As for talking, it's easier to focus on the other, more practical topic. ]

Ask her...? You mean, about the things she might have known?

Yeah. I'm used to having more time...

( and no, she will not elaborate. go get menaced by kazuki first, shuichi. )

... Why does everyone expect us to know things about this place already?

[ It's a rhetorical question and not addressed to him... he understands, but Shuichi still finds himself answering anyway. ]

...I don't know. I don't know right now, but--

[ There's that note of resolve, so very rare in his voice. ]

As long as we're here... we can still find out. We promised Okane-san, right?

We did. So... we'll have to do our best. For her, and for us.

...Yeah.

[ He finally lets her go, or at least as soon as she's ready to since it seems like the moment ended. Casting a single last look at the gorinto after... ]

She told us something important, after all. She didn't... really want to be here, either.

[ Maybe no one does. That feels like a soothing distinction to make, in a way. ]

I don't think anyone does. It's just a matter... of resignation, or not.

( resignation...

this isn't the first time she's been told to accept something terrible, or do something worse to escape. and she broke through the first time. they'll do so again. )

If there's anything else, you know where to find me. I wish I could have helped more, though.

...No. You helped a lot.

[ It's difficult in the moment, maybe even awkward or out of place, but he tries a subtle smile. Which in the end is only a corner of his mouth turning slightly, trying not to go too far. But... he does want her to know. ]

I couldn't have done this without you. If something else happens... you can count on me too.

[ No matter how little he might be able to do. ]

( she's just going to smile too, even if the events have been sad. because letting it get to her won't help anyone, and she's just... glad to be able to help somehow. )

I know. ( she thinks he's very reliable! not sure what gave her that idea- i'm kidding i promise. ) ... I wonder if we'll be able to find more of those coins.

But, that seems like a thing for another day! I'm gonna go make something to eat. Swing by if you're hungry!

Ah...

[ As usual, he's taken aback by how quickly she changes gears. He knows bouncing back isn't easy, not from something like that -- but she makes it look pretty easy. Nene... you said there are different types of strength, but this is the kind that Shuichi meant when he mentioned what he did. ]

I-I'm alright. But... thank you. See you later, Yashiro-san.

[ And he lets her go because, you know, he has to do his thing and go touch that gorinto one more time. And then probably mope around the whole evening. ]

[ So... after he finishes talking to Nene, probably after they part ways too so he doesn't put her through anything else today, Shuichi comes back by himself and carefully touches the gorinto stones one more time.

Just to see if... the vision of Aiko's last moments is still there, or if it's gone with her. Which one is it? ]

[ nothing happens, they're just rock now, and unless he chooses to take them, the student council will retrieve the stones like they did after spring break ]

[ He doesn't take them... if there's nothing left of her, then there's no point to it, right? And he already has the armband as a memento, so he doesn't need something else for just that either. Watch there be regrets about this later. ]

[ Yeah ]

npc contact.1

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good end point?

yup! ♡

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