battering | ic contact;

Kou... sensei. [ what does that mean ]

[ Oh, right. ] It's the word for teacher.

Oh. [ she's gonna turn into a weaboo one of these days ]

I like that. Maybe I should make you call me teacher from now on! [ hairflip ]

No way, you're either Kou-chan or bunnygirl. [ tugs on her bangs ]

[ she turns her head away from Yata after some delay. she looks upset, but she doesn't tell him to stop. ]

I'm not... A-anyway, pay attention! ... We need a place to sit. [ There aren't any benches, so she smooths her skirt before sitting on the ground. Are there better places to sit? Either way, she begins teaching him! ]

[ the ground is as good a place as any, and Yata sits across from her so he could watch her hands and follow along.

he didn't miss that look, though. ]

Did I say something bad before?

No. [ She's just shy. ] It's nothing.

[ Her hands stop working. It looks like her mind his preoccupied with another matter. ]

Um, but... What did you mean earlier? That Tatara said the same thing.

I asked him what was bothering him after you told me you were worried that he seemed distracted. He just suddenly hugged me and said he wasn't ready to tell me yet, it was kinda weird.

[ His focus is on his own work, trying to keep his flower crown going from from what he'd seen her do so far. ]

That's... [ That confirms it. Tatara definitely knows he isn't alive, or won't be. ] Maybe it's an adult thing?

[ But what she wants to say is, maybe you're not strong enough. She resumes working on her own crown, hoping it will distract her from her own thoughts. ]

Hey, I'm an adult too! [ He puffs his cheeks out, though he's not really upset. Yata leans in a little to see her work. ]

But yeah, I guess... it's fine, I trust him.

[ chuckle ] Yeah. Me too.

[ She trusted him too. ]

Here, I'll show you how to close it.

[ The crown she means. After she demonstrates, she places the crown on Yata's head. ]

And done!

[ Aah, he laughs. He felt ridiculous knowing there was a flower crown on his head. He closes his own and returns the gesture, placing the flowers on Kougyoku's head. ]

Heh, that wasn't so bad. Let's get the picture!

Yeah!

[ Are you really okay with getting photographic evidence of a flower crown on your head, Yata... Kougyoku takes her tablet out and holds it away from her as she sits next to her friend. She wants to take it this time! She even leans her head on Yata's—look, she just wants them to be in the frame together, okay. ]

Smile!

[ Shut up, it was about not forgetting any of these simple, silly moments. It's a little too much having her so close, but Yata pushes that out of his thoughts and smiles.

once she's taken it, ] I wanna see!

[ She looks at the picture, then laughs before showing it to him. ]

You look silly.

[ But with a picture like this, it's hard to believe she was crying moments ago. ]

You better keep it safe! You're the only person allowed to see it, alright?!

[ Because like hell did he want the other guys seeing embarrassing pictures of him. Totsuka having pictures of him in cat ears was bad enough. ]

[ She covers her mouth with the tablet to laugh. ]

I know. [ She's been keeping a lot of those lately, secrets. ]

Ah, do you want to make more? [ said as she picks more flowers. ] Additional crowns have a price, though.

Yeah? What's the price?

[ whatever it was, it looked like he was willing to pay it, given that he starts picking some of the surrounding flowers without having to get up. ]

[ She didn't expect him to say yes! She did have something up her sleeve, though.]

Oh, um... you must tell me more about you. Like your interests, family, school... You have been to school, right?

[ She asks because she knows Totsuka couldn't finish. ]

Of course I've been to school! I joined HOMRA when I was in middle school, so I just didn't bother with the next one.

[ Yata shrugs, eyes focused on his lap as he arranges some of the flowers. He cuts the stem on one and reaches over to tuck it behind Kougyoku's ear. ]

HOMRA's my family, but... I also have a little sister.

[ "Interests" was pretty vague, so he'll leave it unless she's specific. ]

[ Kougyoku wasn't ready for that, either. As soon as he places the flower in her hair, the color red makes its way across her face. Stop distracting her, she still hasn't started. ]

Oh, I never would have guessed.

[ The little sister. Actually, since he keeps mentioning it so often, she should ask this too. ]

Why did you join HOMRA?

Because Mikoto-san was cool.

[ That's awfully shallow?! No, it's okay, he was just (mostly) teasing. ]

Mm, we weren't doing much else, you know? HOMRA gave me a purpose... otherwise I probably would've wasted my life on something stupid.

[ She was about to say "THAT'S IT!?" but then... ]

So that's how it is. To tell you the truth, I never truly understood why you were so devoted to HOMRA. But I do now.

[ Because she was the same. Picking up the flowers she gathered, she begins working on her own crown. ]

That's why you have to become stronger.

I know.

[ I just wish you'd become stronger with me. No. Of course he can't say that. ]

Maybe someday I'll even be stronger than you, Kou-chan.

You think so? [ They're leagues apart. If he could become a King, then... maybe.

She wouldn't be there to see it. ] I'm looking forward to it.

But I don't just speak in terms of strength and skill, you know.

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