#rcdiohecd

          “I bought this,” he starts, looking at the book a bit like he’s afraid it might bite him before showing the cover to Alex. It’s Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood except, quite notably, in English. Norwegian Wood is something he’s read a couple of times in Japanese, but it’s a whole different beast in a second language. With a short sigh, Yu offers her a look that would be amused if it wasn’t so disappointed. 

          Wait. So, he’s ... dead? Even after stepping out into the bright sunshine, it isn’t really sinking in. It feels like ... he should remember how he died, or maybe remember less of his life. It seems too real to be a dream, and yet too fantastical to be reality. 

     “... Alexa?” 

hsm2 // acceping@rcdiohecd

hsm2 // accepting@rcdiohecd

“ yeah but… i dunno alex. r-h-b-w isn’t even really good enough to leave my mom’s garage, let alone make it all the way to seattle to play a show . ” he laughs as he stares up at the sickly green stars still stuck to the ceiling of his bedroom. six year old ren wu dreamed about going to space one day. twelve year old ren dreamed about making it to seattle. seventeen year old ren feels like he’ll be lucky if he makes it down the street.

Something had brought him here... but he wasn’t entirely sure what it was. A spirit? That would be the worst possible answer, and yet.. something about his journey here felt off or perhaps more accurately, guided by something he couldn’t see or feel until he had arrived. Actually, where was he exactly? It looked like a small town, but.. the air felt oppressing and thick. It was uncomfortable, to say the least. Yashiki makes note of what looks like a diner and approaches it tentatively. It was quiet and mostly empty (must be the time of night, were they close to closing?).

sentence and symbol starters – accepting

      Stunned into silence, it’s all Hamuko can do not to burst into immediate tears as she reaches for Alex’s hands across the table. ( which is not comfortable by any stretch of the imagination, by the way — these seemingly cozy Disney tables outside the restaurants are just a little too big. ) There’s so much that she wants to say, so many half-formed thoughts swept up amid a tide of raw emotion, and all of it building right in the center of her chest where she can feel her heart suddenly beating in double time. 

      The clearest thought: ‘I can’t lose you too.’ Not after Mitsuru, or Henry, or Kirigiri. Not with Narukami acting the way he is, and definitely not after all Alex has done to help her. ( Hamuko’s pretty sure that that discoloration on the inside of Alex’s jacket sleeve is from blood, and none of it Alex’s. ) They have to stick together. They have to survive. 

      But Alex knows that already. 

                                                               “ hey alex --- ”

voice is low , attention on the part of her screen that displays what the camera shows, making sure he remains out of shot . there’s a lot of things that could be said for his behavior, at the same time he’s taken so many precautions as to not be caught. “ you’ll either need to let everyone go , or tell me what you’d like to eat. ” he didn’t mind cooking in the slightest , and it was obvious he wanted to make sure the two of them were well-fed. 

They’re going to crash Club Penguin and regret nothing about it. And then just make new Penguins when those get banned for life.