[VIDEO] ☾ first phrase: death-bros and introductions

[the_usual_stuff]

[ The video feed clicks on to display two boys, one a young child in black-and-white stripes with curly black locks of hair, and the other a teenager with a long yellow scarf wrapped smugly around his neck, suspenders and slicked back black hair. They share an identical small beauty mark under their left eye and they're both seated at a table in... Minato's apartment. (Blame Pharos for the location, okay.) Pharos is speaking, clear and modulated in his tone of voice; ]

—It's on, I think.

[ The transmission of the boardcast jars unpleasantly for a moment before stilling as Ryoji steadies the camera and beams down at it, not as cheerfully as he would have before attempting to end the world, but it's a start. It's probably right about here you notice they have the same blue eyes. A shade of blue so unnaturally bright it's almost creepy. The older teenager then starts talking, still grinning; ]

Anyway, it's working now, right? [ Why wouldn't it be, oh, wait, this is these guys we're talking about. Godly beings or not, it probably took them awhile to puzzle out all the tricks of the comp. Nevermind. Ryoji presses onward; ]

Good! Well, first things first. Hello, Hinoto-Ri, I'm Ryoji Mochizuki... And this is Pharos. [ He gestures at the small boy, who nods and waves cheerfully at the communication device, mouthing; Hello. ] He's my... Hmm, well, I guess you could say we're brothers, the two of us! We've been here for a couple days now and thought it would be a good idea to introduce ourselves on the network. I mean, that's what everyone normally does, right... ? Either way, it's a pleasure to meet you all!

... [ Pharos decides to offer his own public greetings to the city of Hinoto-Ri. The small ten year old was seated on a chair, his pale face barely level with the video feed and he totally doesn't have a creepy yet innocent smile at all, nope. ] I sincerely hope we'll be able to get along and be friends, everyone. This may be quite a strange world we've all been pulled to as Guests, but it's an interesting one, indeed.

[ There's a pause. Are they going to end the feed here? It sure looks like it— ]

Hey, by the way Minato-kun! [ Hahaha, you thought this transmission would end without Ryoji being a silly derp. He winks at the camera. ] Haha, I forgot to ask back when I first arrived; are there any cute gir—

[ Pharos is already reaching for the comp before Ryoji begins talking, unintentionally cutting off the end of the teenager's question. The feed ends. Sorry, bro. ]

Comments

[helenchanted]

H-haha I suppose so. [She then blinks and has the strangest flashback to when she was talking to the other Minato back in her world. They were preparing to team up after finding the sibling connection, and the way he treated her was much more disdain and trying to push her buttons. That sneer he had whenever she talked...She shakes her head to return her thoughts here, and watches this Minato for a few seconds, realizing just how he is nearly the exact opposite.

As her stay in Hinoto-Ri goes on, it is becoming much easier to see the differences and--man that was a lot of food on his plate. She looks down to her own tiny portion of seaweed salad before gazing back at him again.]

And here I thought Minami ate a lot...

[Maybe this healthy eating is a family trait?!]

...n-not that it's a bad thing either! A body's metabolism is different for each person, as my sensei tell me...

[fools_journey]

[ He pauses and looks down at what he's eating and realizes maybe he's taken kind of a lot, but he shrugs and swallows. ]

Um... I skipped breakfast.

[ Pause and glance at the food again. ]

... maybe it runs in the family.

[ Or maybe it's a result of fueling Death, extra persona power, The Seal, their endless social activities... A couple months ago, when he got here, he wouldn't have eaten quite this much, though, as he spent a good deal more time napping than he does now. ]

It tastes as good as it smells, though.

[helenchanted]

Maybe. But hey, you shouldn't skip breakfast you know. That's the most important meal of the day...

[Shinjiro pretty much drilled that into her. At least he's getting a pretty huge dose of healthy vegetables? She does smile at the compliment.]

Thank you.

[This suddenly reminds her to give a quick glance to the potatoes cooking and nope, everything seems fine in that corner. She ends up helping herself to some of the fried tofu. You know, she could start talking but...maybe it's best if they eat a bit first. Talking means the food gets cold.]

[fools_journey]

I was running late.

[ Literally running with Akihiko, and then after a shower and getting his stuff together, he'd had to rush to get a couple errands done before work. At work he had been able to eat a malformed pastry (sub-par bits and scraps were left in the break room for employees to have on break) and have a cup of coffee. But that was more mid-morning coffee than legit breakfast.

He smiles a little at her thanks, though he shakes his head (because no need to thank him! The food is thanks enough. Or something) before eating more. He's perfectly content to sit quietly with her and wait until she's ready to talk. Besides, eating is a good time to think. ]

[helenchanted]

That's not an excuse! [Siiigh.] S-sorry.

[She was a little condescending there. It was just the flurry of emotions in her bubbling up as she realizes she needs to talk about it. He came here for this, after all. The faster she let it out, she realized, the better it would be.

It didn't mean it wasn't hard.

Idly, she pokes at her salad with her chopsticks and puts them down, sighing again.]

Ryoji and I...dated...before...he regained his memories.

[She says those nine words in an extremely heavy tone. Now she just stares at her salad and can't look anywhere else, biting on her lips so hard she can feel a trickle of blood.]

[fools_journey]

[ He is unbothered by the condescension and simply shrugs and lets her have her space until she speaks again. Then he listens and is silent for a few moments, not eating. Just... observing her and gathering his thoughts.

He smiles just faintly. ]

Did he take you to Shirakawa Boulevard?

[ Just an attempt to lighten things a little, and then he shifts a bit in his seat, smile fading again. ]

But I see...

[ Despite the joke, he knows that must hurt terribly. Even if there's no way of knowing how lasting the relationship would have been in other circumstances, it still hurts when someone you care for doesn't recognize you. Doesn't have any idea who you are. But they're still them. And it stings.

Minato imagines it must be worse when romantic feelings are involved. An extra layer of hope and despair there, especially with the other party being Ryoji. ]

1/2

[helenchanted]

[That name hits her like a truck and she nearly slams her fist against the table, but wisely chooses not too. You'll have to forgive her; what with the memories of the Strega-Minato, part of her brain is still thinking he's teasing not to lighten up things, but to rile her up.]

W-what?! NO! Shut up we never--

[Thankfully, the other side of her brain catches up.]

[helenchanted]

[In the end she just sighs, utterly defeated.]

I thought I'd be over it. He was...he is the Nyx Avatar, right? I-it's not like I knew him for long either and...you probably know him more than me...

[She grins a little, but her gaze continues to be at the table.]

He's stupid, naive...tries to hit on all the girls around him. [Miki scoffs, sighing before resting a hand on her forehead. It's definitely not very polite, but she feels like her brain is spinning.]

I guess...I just...I just hoped it would be him. From my world. That he'd know me and apologize for leaving and fail about being romantic like he always is....trying to make up another excuse again...but....

[But...oh dammit, now her eyes feel moist. She doesn't move, however. She just continues.]

But when I think about it...Shinji and Aki are here. Minami before...you and Minako-senpai, both seals like the other Arisato I know...tch. Even Mitsuru and Yukari-senpai's fathers. It's only logical for Ryoji to show up...it was just not in the way I'd hoped.

[Idly, almost robotic, she grabs her collar. In the end, she hadn't removed the ring from the necklace, and now he clutches it with her right hand tightly.]

Maybe I'm just greedy?

[Maybe also because she's a sixteen year old teenager who had the strangest first crush and romance with literally an avatar of death. Something like that could easily fill books of philosophy and for a teenager, it's both devastating and heartbreaking.]

[fools_journey]

[ Minato listens to all she has to say, quickly shifting away from the mild teasing to a more serious demeanor. To some extent, he knows what she means. With so many others from their world here, even those who were only here a short while, it only makes sense for the rest to turn up at some point or another, Ryoji included. And Ryoji isn't the only one Minato, at least, would like to see. He remembers Minami's reaction when he wasn't the right Minato, too. Even when you're expecting it, it's still hard when someone is almost but not exactly who you're looking for. And he imagines it's harder still when it's someone you care deeply about.

So he thinks of nothing but giving Miki whatever support she needs or wants for the time being, especially because he does know Ryoji, and he knows this Ryoji in particular.

And so in the end, he shakes his head. ]

No... you're not greedy. Not for wanting to see the people you know and care about. I don't think wanting to be remembered is a greedy feeling.

Or... if it is, it's not an abnormal one.

[ Not that that makes being forgotten any easier. ]

... I'm sorry.

[ Nor does that. When people give sympathetic apologies for a loss or a hardship, it's so rarely helpful, in his experience, but... he means it and hopes maybe it does help Miki a little. ]