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« goatsongs » TEXT ✧ AUDIO ✧ VIDEO ✧ ACTION NAKAHARA CHUUYA ✦ BUNGOU TO ALCHEMIST
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GEMBOND ✦ Amethyst

"Yo, it's Nakahara Chuuya. I'm way too busy to talk to you right now, so leave a message and I'll get back to you. Probably."

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[recry]

Ehh?!

[ That remark stops her cold. Solitary confinement? For a prank gone wrong? Who had told the teachers, though? It could have been anyone in her little group, she realizes--she had remarked that traps and pranks were Satoko's purview at least once. ]

I had no idea--we never saw each other because she was in the remedial class. I would never betray her that way, ever!

[ She feels deflated. Unhappy. Indignant. There's anger that of course, she has to be the one at fault here--that her good faith efforts don't count because of course Satoko is too childish and stubborn to be able to just accept Rika's hand when she offers it. There's also guilt. Loathing for herself. She could have done more. Could have made more of an effort. Could have been more upfront about defending her friend.

But she had assumed Satoko would always be there. Again. Ignored her. ]

I thought--

[ No. That was a different timeline, all of it blending together in her mind. Satoko hadn't learned to ask for help in the only loop that mattered. Her voice cracks a little with a tone of despair. ]

Oh, Satoko...

[goatsongs]

[Chuuya sighs, a heavy, tired thing. He's really not the right person to give advice, but as far as he knows Satoko doesn't have any other adults she's willing to open up to.]

She cares about you a lot, you know. If you both work on clearing things up and being better in the future, I'm sure you'll be able to fix what went wrong between you.

[recry]

I'll talk to her and see if I can make her understand.

[ It always has to be her. Resentment stirs, just a little. ]

Or to see if I can understand her.

Thank you, Nakahara-sensei. For being there for her and listening to her.

[goatsongs]

Don't worry about it. That's what adults are for.

[and he is, apparently, a responsible adult.]

[recry]

Perhaps I'll get a chance to meet you and thank you in person once I can correct the errors I've made. You deserve thanks in any case.

[ She laughs. ]

How funny, that I'm older than an adult. Though I'm not sure how to count your age when you lived and died so long before me...

[goatsongs]

I didn't experience those hundred years before I was summoned, so they don't count. Anyway, I don't feel that old.

[He's thirty and he'll be thirty forever, thanks.]

Good luck.

[recry]

I feel ancient and tired down to my bones some days. How funny.

[ Better than being eleven forever. ]

Thank you.

[goatsongs]

Understandable. At least living a hundred years doesn't come with arthritis for you.

[she could always feel more ancient and tired]

[recry]

I think I would prefer arthritis. At least then I'd actually be as old as I feel.

[ Ah, it's freeing to gripe a little. ]

In any case, I've probably taken up too much of your time already.

[goatsongs]

You'll get there someday. Don't feel any rush.

Take care, Rika.

[recry]

And you, Nakahara-sensei.