†

“And who said I was affected by what happened? What is done is done, we gotta move on with our lives. Even if you’ve had a sucky past, saying that it’s okay to be coward isn’t an excuse to hide in a corner when your friends need you!”

In other times, Samejima would have instantly punched Shinji for that comment, but after experiencing a day without manlines, he’d learned to be more tolerant towards those who have some difficulty acting in a manly manner.

“Now you say that’s healthy, but you don’t look that much full of health, you know? Why don’t you come with me, so I can fill you with some good ol’ dose of manliness?”

( w-who wouldn’t be affected? moving on is one thing ... but d-denying any reaction outright. b-being human is a-acknowledging fear ... it’s something that happens to e-everyone. a-and there will be things that a person j-just won’t be able to face. t-there isn’t ... any shame in that. )

          ❝If you’re sure, I’ll take your word for it. Though I am still sorry if I am not the me you would most prefer. I…can keep my distance if it makes you more comfortable.❞

“ Oh I would not really hand pricey tickets for just anyone either. But these were free of charge, you see?  Gods of fortune accompanied me in lottery raffle today… “

“ Now shall we go? Or will you wriggle some more? “

( o-oh ... that makes a lot more sense, y-yeah. still, would you rather not take a friend? i-i just don’t want to take up such a generous offer from a stranger unless ... your’e entirely sure. )

“That’s better. I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.”

          Seeing Shinji throws him off guard, getting asked that particular question makes the perpetual smile slowly slip from his face and turn into a barely there sort of frown. ❝No, I can’t say I do.❞ It’s concerning, he’s always had some recollection of all his lives. He would have remembered coming here in particular, but his mind draws a blank at the idea. ❝I’m sorry if it upsets you.❞

Shinji, does Samejima look like the type who’d even be interested in reading Sherlock Holmes?

“Ummmm, I see. Wonder if I could get a ‘M’ for Man on my back!” A scarlet letter isn’t a nice thing to have, dude.

“Ah, right, you must be new around here. There’s been a lot going on recently, but I just go on for going on? What, was I supposed to be crying over my own problems while my friends need me? Please, only a coward would do such a thing!”

( ah ... you’re not getting the point at all. )

antisocialing

“ Ah perfect… Excuse me for the disturbance. “

“ I am seeking for someone to accompany me to amusement park. You look like you could use a visit. “

( m-me?! a-ah ... but! )

antisocialing

“You look like you wanna say something.”

“Uhum. Many of them got hurt, both phisically and emotionally, at this whole mess. Those who haven’t achieved a state of proper manliness yet are quite sensitive to having dopplegangers of themselves defaming them and simply being jerks while wearing their faces. Good thing Dahlia kicked mine off before our conversation could evolve into something actually serious.”

“And as if I care about that! I dunno what a scarlet letter is, but if someone hurts my friends, they gotta pay for it!”

( a-a scarlet letter ... like the n-novel, a brand p-pointing out something that you’ve done, figuratively. i-in the book it was literal! a-a scarlet ‘a’ for a-adulterer ... like a target on your b-back. )

Send me a "♦" for the first word my muse thinks of when your muse is mentioned.

Send me a "♦" for the first word my muse thinks of when your muse is mentioned.

( r-ruukina-san! )

there was a problem, he realized, when the greater amount of memories he had of the princess were created in a shared workplace, in which both of them readily donned large amounts of frills. there was no easy way to say such a word to a woman who was supposedly a princess ... he wrung his hands and swallowed readily, keeping his eyes on his toes.

Send me a "♦" for the first word my muse thinks of when your muse is mentioned.

Send me a "♦" for the first word my muse thinks of when your muse is mentioned.