It was confusing, how life went on after the death and imprisonment of two people that is. Some mourned, some turned to others for comfort, but perhaps that was normal. Maybe he would have done that as well, if he’d known them and gotten involved in everything. But socialising was just as hard at it had been for the last few years, people were different here. Or was that just his excuse to shy away from people? He wasn’t sure, maybe over the years he’d just lost the ability and motivation to reach out to another person.
Despite being deep in thought a large majority of the time, Kazuo was never absentminded. He couldn’t allow himself to ‘let loose’ and forget for a small amount of time, memories always stuck to him like a bad quality sticker. You grab a corner and try to pull it off cleanly but it rips, leaving you with a second piece. You try to get rid of it over and over but it keeps ripping, maybe you manage to get the paper part off, but the glue stays. Ever present, never truly free of it.
The only real form of escapism he could ever indulge in was flying. Being alone up in the sky, that sense of freedom and… home was one of the very few things that kept him sane. But with that option taken away from him… the closest he could get in this new land was sitting in an empty room -or an empty house to be precise- staring out the window.
Kazuo sat on the window sill with the side of his head leaning against the window pane. It was dead silent, and dark for the most part. The only sound was of his breathing, the rhythm of which was deep and regular, but even that was almost silent.
Sunlight streamed out of a number of windows, but most notably this one because of its size. The sunlight illuminated his pale skin and light blonde hair, making it seem like he was almost sparkling. In all honesty this scene could have doubled as a painting, his back facing the door and dramatically gazing out the window with a regal air about him. But hey, here he is watching the clouds move across the sky at a slow pace, wishing he could have been one of them.
The door to the house is still unlocked from his arrival a number of hours ago, maybe he should have locked it if he truly wanted to be alone…
Solitude, as well, was becoming quite common lately for Airi.
Not that she particularly minded. While initially she had been as extroverted as ever, she had come to realize that time alone allowed her restless mind to relax. From what, it didn’t matter — the entire mutual killing game situation at hand, a conversation that went awry, her latest studies for her quest, her equally recent yet noticeably mending injuries.. the list went on and on. She typically sat in the chair of her desk, head lazily in her arms and on the desk as time ticked by and the silence enveloped her in its continuously comforting way.
Today, she was going to try something a tad bit different. Like before, she had preferred other methods to deal with the kidnapping of her and her classmates, which in truth felt like an eternity ago already as it was, and such a method included going outside instead. The park had been her go-to option, and it was pleasant in itself, if you ignored most of the cardboard cutouts dotted about.
But Airi had been to the park. She’d already visited most places and yet none at all, which was something she was going to fix today. Maybe a little solo exploring would do her some good.
It’s something she’s willing to try, and with an uncharacteristically tranquil determination, the small girl departs from the castle’s bedroom and sets out to explore what BeroBero Kingdom had in store for her.
Which, as it turns out, is not as much as she had hoped. Most doors to shacks and shops are locked or show signs of someone inside, the very thing she was trying to avoid. if they were as rough as Chihue or as hasty to kick her out like Caroline, then .. maybe she could visit another time.
She’s scouring each building on her watch, facial features illuminated with the faint glow of the hologram in front of her as she makes her way throughout the kingdom, making sure to be as careful as she can possibly be in order to not strain her healing injuries too much.
So the empty house with the slightly cracked open door comes as a sincere surprise to the young girl once she finally arrives, scarlet eyes widening somewhat in equal shock at there mere sight. From the looks of it, no one is around, so maybe this could be interesting.
Airi steps forward, lifting a bandaged hand to gently push open the door and head inside, though once again she’s taken aback by what she sees.
A boy. Quite a bit older than her, that much she can tell — but perhaps he had not noticed her yet, for his back was against her and absentminded gaze on something far beyond the window. Trim, sandy blond hair, chartreuse eyes, amiable posture and positively radiating elegance.. not to mention the lighting the room was giving to him. Specks of dust idled in the sunlight that streamed on him, as well, and for a moment Airi feels like maybe this is just a dream.
But it isn’t. She’s so utterly entranced for a moment that she hasn’t realized she’s just standing there, staring right at him with nothing to say for herself. The realization hits her like a brick, and she momentarily tenses before reminding herself that this was meant to be calming. In a way. Well, she hoped.
❝ .. Hello? ❞ she calls, careful to keep her voice at a gentle lull so as to not scare him. ❝ ‘Scuse me.. are you okay? ❞
