| Liminal Stage; [Chika] | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 16 2014, 07:43 PM (89 Views) | |
| Nonsequitur | Jul 16 2014, 07:43 PM Post #1 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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So, he got though the first day back without any major incidents? Great. So, he was just going to check for one thing in Kendo Club and then he was ready to leave with Suzu. Great, after that he could go home, nothing could have gone wrong. Improbably enough, Seiji was definitely taller than he was before winter break. He wasn't what anyone could describe as 'runty' but he was still recognizable as himself. It also didn't hurt that he still carried himself largely the same. He had somewhere to be, at all times. That was exactly how he was traversing the hallways at school. Head up, eyes forward. Yeah, nothing was going to go wrong that day at all. |
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| The One True Nobody | Jul 16 2014, 08:17 PM Post #2 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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He probably would have a chance to notice her coming. There was a Persona-user he happened to pass in the hall, just inside one of the classrooms. It would have registered as Izunome of the Tower Arcana if he bothered to analyze her directly... but she only stepped out as he was passing, too late for him to see her face or hair, and caught sight of him as he walked away. She froze when she saw him. Seiji. The boy who'd first tried to ask her out, before even this nerve-wracking triangle between herself, Naoya, and Nana. The boy who'd offered her friendship and help and who she had hurt in return. Her panic, her inability to control her emotions, had literally burned him. She gulped, and almost--almost--walked away. But then see stopped, her back to the boy as he walked, feeling her obligation like a magnetic pull. It took only a few seconds of indecision--without even a prompting word from her Persona--for Chika Nakadachi to turn around and march after Seiji Fujiwara. And as she neared him, she called out: "Seiji-san... can we talk? Please?" There was timidity in the question, timidity and more than a little obvious remorse. At the same time, though, she was surprised by how firm her voice sounded. It felt like it wanted to quiver, but she kept it from doing so. Somehow. |
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| Nonsequitur | Jul 16 2014, 08:43 PM Post #3 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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He was done bothering to scan around school. There was always new people here or there, and knowing was the first step to getting involved with them. No, he'd had about enough of that. It was better not to see than to deal with that. But thanks to that attitude, he was completely taken off guard by her voice. He would have just walked on by without ever realizing she was there, but she had to call out to him. He stopped in his tracks. He didn't turn back to face her, so she didn't see his face. He tried to look cold, and expressionless, but at the fringes it was obvious he wasn't happy: The way the corner of his lips pulled, the way his eyes narrowed. "What exactly is there to talk about?" |
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| The One True Nobody | Jul 16 2014, 09:37 PM Post #4 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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Chika held out a hand just a little bit, as if to reach for Seiji's shoulder, despite being too far away to do that in the first place. She lowered it almost immediately. Back turned to her as it was, he wouldn't have seen it; it was a useless, aborted gesture, much like she suspected this apology might turn out to be. But, she needed to do this. She owed him that. The red-haired girl returned her hand to her side, and answered in the most concise way she could. "I... hurt you. I hurt ya when you've been nothin' but good t' me, and when you were watchin' out for me. That's what there is t' talk about." She gulped a bit, swallowing a dry lump in her throat, and after a few more moments, she added something else. It came in a pleading tone, a quiet one. "...Is there... is there any way I can ever... make it up t' you?" she said. "I know there's no excuse for what I did, Seiji, but..." And she trailed off. What could she even say that could express her feelings without inviting some angry jeer, the one she knew must be coming, which would only hurt more if she said anything else? This already felt like a mistake, and for once Izunome was silent, offering no consolation, no calming words of reason. There was nothing for the Persona to offer, after all. Whatever happened here, Chika deserved it. |
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| Nonsequitur | Jul 16 2014, 10:03 PM Post #5 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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"If there are no excuses, why are you standing there trying to babble one out?" He cut right to the chase. Perhaps the whole thing would have been over sooner if he just cut to the chase. "You can save your breath, senpai. I'm done sticking my neck out for others, and only an idiot would rely on the same. I learned a lot then. In a way I should be thanking you." His words suggested gratitude, but it certainly wasn't in his eyes as halfway turned to look at her. "…that's it, right?" |
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| The One True Nobody | Jul 16 2014, 10:27 PM Post #6 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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"I'm not making any excuses!" Chika said immediately. Her voice rose in pitch. Part of her became very aware that they were having this conversation in the school hallway, and that several other students were turning to look now, but maybe this was just karma, karma for their first meeting, when he'd been the one asking for something and had been utterly rejected. The girl's hands clenched at her sides. For a moment, she couldn't bear to meet his eyes. Her own turned downward, and to the side. Her face was heating up, reddening, she could feel it. But she forced her eyes back up, back to his. "...I'm here, asking you..." she said slowly, "...not for an excuse, but for another chance. I don't want... I don't wanna lose your friendship, even though--" Her voice cracked a little, and her knees gave a small buckle. She couldn't stop a look of pain from crossing her face. "Even though... even though I know from the way you're actin' that I already have. And I deserve that. It's selfish, but... I'm askin' for a chance t' do right by you this time. Because I'm sorry. I'm so... s-so sorry." There came the burning in her eyes. She snapped them shut for a moment on reflex; no tears poured out, but she was close and there was a shine to her eyes that made that obvious, if the slight stammer hadn't been enough of a clue. And still, Izunome remained silent. Seiji's words played back in Chika's head, once and twice, and then again. He was done sticking his neck out for others, done relying on them. No, that was worse than hurting him. She had jaded him, too. Changed his way of thinking. That was the worst thing she could have done. She wanted to collapse in front of him and beg his forgiveness, kneeling on the floor with her head turned toward the ground. But they were in the middle of school. This was already pushing it. She could feel curious eyes on the back of her head, was she imagining them? She didn't break her focus on Seiji, but there were a few curious students on their way up the hall who caught sight of the pair. Chika wanted to run away. Why wasn't Izunome saying anything? Why? |
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| Nonsequitur | Jul 16 2014, 10:50 PM Post #7 |
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Yellow Bubblegum
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Tch. Of course it was making a scene. It had to be like that, of course. The last thing he wanted was to be added to the local rumor mill over this bullshit. "You know what? Name a time and a place. It's pointless to keep talking about this here. I'm kind of got other plans today so this can wait until later." Yeah, it was selfish. Everyone was selfish, so he was going to be selfish too and defer having to finish that conversation to a time and place more convenient for him. "Just…you know how to get in touch." He turned away from her and kept going. He just had to settle his business and get going. |
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| The One True Nobody | Jul 16 2014, 11:12 PM Post #8 |
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"...does this clockwork hand follow you... or guide you?"
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"I... alright." She took a breath, and let it out. Was it wrong of her to take this as a hope that she might be forgiven after all? Wasn't it more likely he just didn't want to throw out a chance to really lay into her about it? Chika gulped a bit and looked away. "I'll... I'll send ya a message later. We'll talk when it's less of a bother. Sorry. I shoulda done that in the first place." And so she watched him walk away. Eventually, she turned away herself, schooling her expression into something calm and uninteresting. That was a thing she'd gotten good at back home, and it was a skill she was rediscovering, lately... It didn't look like anyone had gotten close enough to really see that anything significant had happened. Seiji's standoffishness from a distance probably just made it look like a short, pointless hallway conversation, she figured. All the better. Still. Izunome... I thought I could count on your help, there... I have nothing to say. This situation is one for which you have only yourself to blame. Do not hate yourself for it, but I will not coddle you. "A little support would be nice, though," Chika whispered under her breath, picking up her pace. And though no one heard it, the hurt in her voice might almost have suggested she felt betrayed. |
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