ic contact;

[battering]

UNIT № 1 0 7
"Yo, this is Yata!
Make the message worth my time
an' I'll get back to ya!"

[ call | text | voicemail | action ]

Comments

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[battering]

[ He reaches out and bonks her head, and through the initial shock he manages his own sad smile. ]

That's the dumbest thing you've ever said. [ Dumber than let's play tag, dumber than her stalker tendencies, dumber than them trying to make soup. Yata's hand drops and moves to curl around one of hers. For once, he's not embarrassed by it, doesn't even think of it. ]

I'm really happy you're my friend, alright? This is dumb. We're dumb, talking about all this sad shit when we could be paying more attention to finishing your list and on making so many good memories that not even a different universe could make us forget 'em.

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[redsea]

[ Kougyoku wants to tell him he doesn't understand, Tatara is dead, Izumo is tired—Mikoto is dying, doesn't he know?—but after listening to what he has to say, it's almost as if none of that really matters. Almost. She'd be more than happy to make good memories with everyone, but what happens after? Yata will be all alone and she can't be there with him. That's what hurts the most. ]

You were always better than me at this sort of thing...

[ Thinking positively. She bursts into tears once again as she holds his hand, but the difference is she's crying for him. ]

We still have time. Let's make the most of it.

[ Knowing the future makes parting all the more painful, yet she smiles. He still has a point. ]

... Sorry for about your shirt. [ Because it's wet with her tears now. ]

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[battering]

It's alright, you made the shirt better.

[ Somehow? He laughs it off by giving her hand a squeeze, and this time it's Yata that leans forward and lets his forehead come down to press against Kougyoku's shoulder. ]

Haaaa... I feel like I need a nap after this. [ a beat. ] Hey, wanna make flower crowns to cheer up? It's on your list, right?

[ And less embarrassing than dancing. ]

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[redsea]

[ Kougyoku doesn't know where she finds the time to feel embarrassed about that. No comments about it, though. She doesn't want to ruin this. ]

Mm, but making flower crowns... it's not like you.

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[battering]

But you'd be happy, yeah? I'd be willing to try it out just once for that.

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[redsea]

...Yeah.

[ Sometimes, she wants to tell him to stop being so nice to her. It only keeps adding to her confusion. ]

But we need to find flowers first...

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[battering]

That shouldn't be too hard... I think there's some in the greenhouse.

[ Yata straightens back up and smiles at her, this time with no sadness attached to it. ]

Getting some fresh air's probably good too.

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[redsea]

[ Kougyoku keeps her eyes cast downward as she nods, but ironically, now she's the one feeling sick.

... No, that's not true. She knows what this is; she's felt it before. ]

Mm, let's go.

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[battering]

[ He stands and tugs Kougyoku to her feet, finally letting go of her hand even though he really didn't want to. ]

Did you want to make enough for everyone else? Heh, I bet Kusanagi-san would look great in a flower crown. [ and by great he means hilarious. ]

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[redsea]

[ So Yata is basically making Kougyoku Tumblr now. She claps her hands, amused at the idea. ]

Haha, it'd be funny! [ yeah that's what he meant by great kougyoku ] Okay, when we get there, I'll teach you how to make them.

[ And she begins walking the wrong direction on purpose to take the longer path. ]

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[battering]

[ One day he'll teach her about hash tags and different online slang terms. One day. ]

How'd you learn to make them? [ He notices her taking a different way, but he goes along with it just because it means they'll get to talk more. ]

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[redsea]

Alibaba taught me! [ Her face seems to light up whenever she talks about him. ] He's really good at it.

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[battering]

Aah, the famous Alibaba! Sometimes I think you've got a crush on him. [ He smirks at her, very much teasing. ]

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[redsea]

I do not! [ Stomp, stomp. Too easy. ] I don't! He's just a friend!

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[redsea]

...There's someone else I like.

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[battering]

--You do?! You said you'd tell me when you liked someone! Who is it?

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[redsea]

It's a secret.

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[battering]

I won't tell anyone else, promise.

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[redsea]

No.

... I'll tell you when I'm ready.

[ They're fighting a war and she still needs to sort her feelings out, gosh. ]

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[battering]

No fair, Totsuka-san said the same thing...

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[battering]

Is it him?!

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[redsea]

IT'S NOT!

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[battering]

Alright, alright! When you're ready, and... I'll tell you who I like at the same time.

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[redsea]

Really? ...Okay! Don't change your answer until then.

[ She has a hunch who it is, anyway. ]

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[battering]

[ It's Mikoto.

That was a strange response, but he figures it just has to do with it being Kougyoku. Luckily, the greenhouse wasn't too far off now, and he just nods in agreement. ]

Unrelated, but... what's your favorite flower? [ As if he knew a single thing about flowers. ]