Futuristic Eradication

[Lucem]

As Emila stared into space, Vincent was growing even more impatient. He had finally decided on a course of action and she was stiff as a board, just daydreaming about whatever her brain was preoccupied by. If she kept this up, he would never find a way out of here.


Barely resisting the temptation to shout in her ear in order to wake Emilia from her little trance, Vincent was relieved when she finally returned to reality. If he wasn't careful with his actions, he would end up upsetting her. It wasn't as if he cared about her feelings, or her in general, but it would be troublesome if she became sad. If she was sad, it would be hard to find a way to escape in a preferable way.


For what seemed like the tenth time today, Emilia smiled once more. For whatever reason, she then began to adjust herself, posture and all. The smile would then turn into a grin, making Vincent more confused by the second. He just couldn't wrap his head around why someone would smile so much. 'Maybe it's not just the eyes. Maybe her brain has a mutation...'


When she mentioned that they were located in Sector B, Vincent began to draft an imaginary map in his head. He had been here before and for the most part, knew the layout by memory. Now that he knew the sector, he could devise part of his escape plan. Of course, it should've been easy to know which sector he was in by going over Emilia's last name. However, he hadn't paid attention during registration. He didn't really care what her name was, first or last.


Vincent took a break from trying to piece together an escape route when Emilia suddenly moved away. He had been wrapped up in his thoughts for awhile, so he had momentarily forgotten her presence, only paying attention to her voice. Noticing a light shade of red across the girl's face, Vincent began to wonder if she was feeling warm. Perhaps that was the reason for her suddenly moving away. Well, regardless of the reason, he was glad that she had moved. He'd rather not be close to her and maintain a distance at all times.


Ears perking a bit after picking up talk about a tour, Vincent saw a golden opportunity. 'This is my chance!' If she showed him around the house, he could easily find a way to escape. Since going off on his own would be too suspicious, this was the perfect opportunity.


Preoccupied with his thoughts of freedom, Vincent almost didn't catch her question about having a meal. He only truly focused on her when he saw her eyes widen. Why that would be her go-to facial expression when discussing food was beyond him.


Honestly, Vincent wasn't hungry at all. However, that didn't mean he was full either. Vincent was never full. When it came to eating, Vincent didn't care about feeding his body and disregarded the adverse effects that doing so could have. The only time he ate was when Colt would force him to do so.


"Sure." There wasn't very much vigor behind the response. Still trying to prevent himself from upsetting Emilia, Vincent would just reply with one word for now. He felt that if he rejected the offer for a meal, it would discourage her from continuing with the tour. For now, he would just let her decide what to take his response as.


@Darth Pai

 

[X07]

@Ebonysdagger


"Now? Well I guess we go somewhere where we can have a private conversation." he sad nonchalantly. If this woman was to be his wife, he needed to get as comfortable around her as he could, as soon as he could. The best way to do that for Xavier personally was to pretend as if he had known her for the longest time. "There's a small diner close to my apartment," he said "Most likely there's an empty booth, and I know the place well enough to tell you that we won't be interrupted in our conversation." Xavier started walking, trying to take charge of the situation, he didn't know Sandra very well, but she didn't seem the type to take charge and lead ahead. If anything she seemed more comfortable to be behind the scenes, letting things play out on their own. Hopefully he was wrong about that.


"It's not the cleanest place in the sector," Xavier went on, "But it passed the health standard, which is better than most places close to home." He began to realize that he was going off on a tangent on his own, not really giving Sandra a chance to speak. "So....Sandra. Tell me about yourself. I mean, we are legally married now after all. Couldn't hurt to know your spouse." He asked, hoping to learn more.

 

[Hanzax]

"I guess we have more in common than meets the eye." Hans said as a young newly-wed couple left the registration center and freed them a spot. "I'll save my story for when we back to my place. It's not something that need worrying about, anymore." Hans said with a smile, trying not to bring the mood down to rock bottom. The last thing that he wanted was for her to distance herself from him, afraid to hurt his feelings.


Besides his son, his home was the only thing that remained of his last soul mate. The two of them being put face to face at such a young age forced them to buy a new house of their own. They both lived under the protection of their parents until then. It wasn't much of a problem as she had more than enough money in her families name to buy them nearly any house they pleased. Even so they bought a fairly small home, the perfect size for just the two of them. There was no need for any form of servent to clean, cook or maintain their home.


He stepped up to the counter, an old familiar lady stood across from them. "Skye Yoona Park and Hans Grøngaard here to sign out." Hans said before she had the chance to speak. The rutine was simple and easy, something one could learn in the small time you're in the middle of it. She tapped the names into a computer and bent down to pick up the finger scanner that'd ensure there idenities were true. "Ladies first." He said as the apparatus was placed on the table.

 

[Ebonysdagger]

@X07


Sandra gulps at hearing about it not being the cleanest place but she can probably control herself well enough so long as it passed the health standards, she hopes.


"Well there is not much to say. I was born to a lower class family with loving parents. I went to school once I was old enough which is where I picked up what I'm sure is an obvious paranoia about disease thanks to the educational indoctrination there. Made it, by some small miracle, through high school successfully not getting sick with decent grades. From there I went onto a small college in my sector for about two years on what little money we could scrape together to afford it. After that I've been working on book keeping for several local businesses over the network so I don't have to leave my house. How about yourself, Xavier?" Sandra is aware her tale is a bit bland but she has luckily lead a life free of too much conflict beyond her own nerves and fears and as such has a rather mundane past to talk about.

 

[Sen Pai]

Sure? What did Vincent mean by sure? Did he say sure to the offer of a tour or to eat? Raising an eyebrow, Emilia pursed her lips as her mind raced with questions. Her mind was almost always racing with questions, Emilia’s curiosity usually got the better of her. She would jump from one thought to another until, finally, landing on a decision far from where she originally started or back at the beginning.


Nodding quickly, Emilia beamed at Vincent with child-like innocence. “Alrighty then,” Turning around, spinning on her heel, Emilia took the two empty mugs in her hands and hurried towards the white wooden door. “Shall we go?” Tilting her head off to the side as a questioning gesture, Emilia flashed Vincent a warm smile and used her elbow to open the door. You see, opening a door with your elbow is quite a difficult task. It’s much harder than it actually looks.


Sticking her foot in between the door and the wall to keep it from closing, Emilia pushed the door open and stood off to the side to keep it from closing. Letting Vincent go through the door first, Emilia quickly followed behind the young man when he went through the door and exited the bedroom with the lavender bed sheets.


“Well,” Emilia mumbled softly, gesturing towards the area around them with her hands. “This is the hallway.” Laughing softly, Emilia shook her head at her own little joke but quickly stopped knowing that it wasn’t that funny. Glancing over at Vincent, Emilia then gestured for him to follow her down the stairs.


“The third floor just has bedrooms.” Shrugging nonchalantly, Emilia hurried down the steps to the second floor and suddenly turned around at the bottom of the step. “The second floor, however, is much more entertaining.” Turning her back to Vincent, Emilia scrambled down the left corridor.

----------


(You can use your imagination.)

​

Setting the two mugs on the kitchen counter, Emilia thanked the woman who was doing the dishes and scuttered out the kitchen. Hurrying up behind Vincent, who she had left at the front door, Emilia side stepped and then leaned forward to look up at Vincent.


Grinning like a cheeky little boy who was about to show off his new treehouse to his friends, Emilia stepped forward and stood up straight. “Ready?” Taking a hold of the golden handles of the doors, Emilia pulled the double doors open and stepped outside on the stone pavement.


Considering Vincent was unconscious while they were arriving, Emilia decided that she should show him the outside of the house. As usual, everything was colour themed blue and white. The stone roundabout’s paving and the moulding of the fountain was coloured white while the inside of the fountain was an icy light blue. Opal marbles of different shades and colours were scattered around in the fountain, there were a few pieces of dirt floating in the water, but that was understandable considering it was out in the weather all day.


It was also a reminder not to drink the water from the fountain.


Pointing towards the sickingly pure white walls that surrounded the house, Emilia spoke quickly, wanting to get the next part of the tour over as quickly as possible. “Those walls go all around the residence,” Smiling with amusement, Emilia winked jokingly at Vincent and said, “Don’t try to climb over them and escape. You can’t.” Laughing softly, Emilia felt rather awkward considering Vincent would’ve probably tried to climb over the walls.


Glancing over at said Vincent, Emilia grinned sheepishly and ran her fingers through her hair. “No, really,” Trying to lighten up the mood, Emilia chuckled softly. “I’ve tried.” After those two words had been said, Emilia pursed her lips and found that the situation had gotten much more difficult for her to speak.


Coughing to “clear her throat”, Emilia folded her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth on her heels. “Anyway, let’s continue onto the next part of our little tour, shall we?” Giggling nervously, Emilia tilted her head down and then hurried off back inside the house.


@Lucem Tenebris

 

[Syrenrei]

Skye Yoona Park


She studied her 'fiance's' expression as he mentioned commonality- was he also a widow? Most of those in attendance here, waiting for a match, were younger- but quite a few were obviously in their twenties. It stood to reason she wasn't the only one that had lost her spouse and been subjected to the process a second time at a slightly older age. Despite all the warnings and rational knowledge that even healthy adults could call prey to the deadly virus (or another affliction), lack of experience bred arrogant feelings of invulnerability. When she was eighteen she assumed the twenty-fives to twenty-eights attending the Love Harvest were simply difficult to place. Immediately after James perished she still felt it was unnatural and should be a freak occurrence. Reality spoke to her now, chastising and reminding her that she was not nearly so special and unique. There was an untold number that had suffered the anguish of loss, forced into another match for the intentions of breeding and continuing the species.


What was more indifferent to their plight. their feelings, and their humanity? The supercomputer that treated them like livestock or the virus that slaughtered them mercilessly?


Skye was snapped out of her thoughts as she approached the reception desk and Hands eloquently stated their names for the records. A familiar device was produced on which to scan her fingerprint and the female gave slight pause. It was an unsettling sort of deja vu that enveloped her briefly, freezing her digit just above the scanner's capabilities. An apologetic smile was flashed to the uncaring attendant as she lowered it and made contact with the smooth surface. It was just a formality and Skye was one of dozens upon dozens that were going to be registered. Why had the cold efficacy of this program never bothered her before? Was she so indifferent and chilled to these matters before today? The answer was simple: she was rich and untroubled, breezing through life without questioning all her blessings. James was wonderful. His loss was tragic and fostered apathy to events transpiring- she was a dead woman only technically part of the living.


Now Hans was here. She was trapped into emotions, into change, into a dynamic situation. It seemed only natural to study her surroundings with more scrutiny for now she could be more thoroughly subjected. Her marriage would be over as soon as Hans registered his own fingerprint, but what if they had children? That possibility not blossomed and bloomed within her imagination, giving rise to fresh concerns. That was, after all, the entire point of the Love Harvest- progeny. It would be difficult to be an 'ice princess' with a son or daughter. When her soon-to-be-husband's back was turned, her lips flickered into a pensive frown. Times were changing quickly.


Regaining her composure and a placid smile, Skye waited for the process to be completed and the official to dismiss them as wed. Once she had done so, Skye took initiative to start towards the door with an entire day of work almost certainly ahead of her. A kinetic task would soothe the wild roaming thoughts that plagued her presently. "I can follow your car with my own if you like- we can probably cram most of your necessities in them unless the military gives you leave to create an expansive wardrobe." A flickered grin of amusement followed. If her analysis was correct, Hans was a gentle man yet pragmatic- not the sort to live excessively and flamboyantly. He did not seem ill at ease with the notion in living in the Upper Class district- perhaps he had been born into her social status before he joined the military? Or his deceased wife was a member?

 

[Lucem]

Walking through the door after Emilia had opened it for him, Vincent immediately began to look for any signs of escape. He would need to keep an eye out for the entire duration of the tour if he was to find something. This was the first time he had been anywhere in the house besides the previous room, even if it was just the hallway. If he didn't focus, he could easily miss something.


He took a short break from his observations when Emilia spoke up. It would take everything in his power to contain himself after that absolutely horrible joke. There wasn't exactly a lot of comedy in the Lower Class sectors, but that was just horrendous. Well, to be fair, Vincent didn't have a sense of humor in the first place.


As they continued, Vincent made a mental note about the third floor being comprised of only bedrooms. Maybe they would have windows that led outside, unlike the previous room. A third floor jump didn't exactly seem like the optimal means of escape, but he would take what he could get.


Vincent's interest had been slightly peaked when she had mentioned the second floor. He had no idea what was down there, but it had to be something relatively special. She had said it would be entertaining, but that didn't exactly give him a lot to go on. The first thing that came to mind was a library, but he couldn't make an actual guess. 'I'll just find out when we get there, I suppose.'


---------


As Emilia wandered off into the kitchen, Vincent waited by the door, head pressed against the white-colored wood. There was nothing "entertaining" about this house whatsoever. The absolute feeling of boredom was starting to take a toll on his mind. Well, as boring as this tour may have been, Vincent had managed to spot some areas of interest. He would make sure to revisit those if he was left unattended.


Hearing the sound of footsteps from behind, Vincent removed his forehead from the door and faced Emilia. He had stopped caring about her constant happy expression when he realized that it would never stop. However, that didn't mean he was okay with it, he just decided to stop making a fuss over it in his mind when he would see it every time he turned around.


Following the girl as she ran off to the doors, Vincent quickly found the floors of the large household to be replaced by stone. He hadn't known that they were going outdoors, but it quickly became apparent when looking around.


While observing, everything blended together with the same sky-like theme from indoors. The only thing that caught his attention was the large fountain that was positioned near the stone-paved intersection. It seemed very extravagant with its use of marble and various colors. However, Vincent wasn't impressed whatsoever. He could only think negatively towards the oversized object. 'What a waste.'


Back in his sector and the rest of those that fell under the Lower Class, they received the minimum of everything, including food and water. Looking at a valuable source of life that was in desperate need for the less fortunate being used as decoration seemed like such a pity. Even if it was tainted by the amount of filth that was currently invading, plenty of people would be gracious for the opportunity to take even a sip.


Turning away from the fountain, Vincent looked in the direction pointed out by Emilia's index finger. The sight of the walls made him feel a bit sick for two reasons. The first was on account of the color. Vincent disliked the color white for various reasons, which made being here and being at the Love Harvest earlier unpleasant. Second, Vincent hated walls, as they restricted freedom. Even now, they prevented his escape.


Vincent's small feeling of sickness wasn't getting better with Emilia assuring him that he was trapped. Disregarding the awkward wink, the reinforced knowledge that he couldn't escape made him even more uneasy. There hadn't been one moment today where he felt even slightly calm.


Vincent's uneasiness had dissappeared for a short time when she mentioned her own attempts at trying to escape. Normally, he wouldn't have thought anything of if, but the way she acted afterwards made him take notice. Her eagerness to go back inside made things even more suspicious.


As he was left alone, Vincent began to think to himself about her words. 'She's tried? What did she mean by that?' Fingers pressed to his chin in thought, Vincent tried to think of a reasonable explanation. However, the attempt didn't last long, as he brought his attention back to the walls. 'Well, it's not like it even matters. All that I care about is leaving. Whatever problems she has are none of my concern.'


Walking back towards the house, Vincent tucked his hands into his pockets as he approached the double doors leading back inside. 'She doesn't matter to me at all.'


@Darth Pai

 

[CommodoreOlaf]

(Collab #1 w/ Agent Nine)


Takeshi sat against the red leather seat of the booth, watching for Novi.


He got distracted and began playing with the salt haer. in mind, he had little trick he learned from middle school science class. Mrs. Fitz, a magically animated woman whose daily programs involved experimenting with nano bots and dressing up the class turtle in medieval armor, had shown them many a party trick.


This one involved pouring a pile of salt on a table, balancing the shaker among the grains, and then gradually blowing the particles out from underneath it, until it eventually was balanced on it's own. He was too absorbed in the first step to notice Novi come in the shop.


When he did finally see her, he considered calling her name and jumped up in surprise, almost knocking over the salt shaker. He caught it luckily but he made such a ruckus, several customers stared at him, puzzled.


Though the name of the place didn't suggest fancy tablecloths or stuffy waiters in suffocating bow-ties, Novi was a bit surprised at how casual everything was. At the same time, standing in that doorway was making her feel more and more awkward with each passing second; she was skimming heads to find Takeshi's, all the while keeping herself from coming all the way inside. Hell, if the guy wasn't here yet, she'd just go back outside and wait for him, there.


All of a sudden, there was a dull thud that came somewhere from her left. Novi turned her head to look, and was somewhat relieved to see Takeshi standing a short distance away, looking for all the world as though she'd snuck up on him and startled him out of his seat. As he went scrambling for the salt shaker, Novi snickered a little, then quieted herself before going ove


r to him. She slid into the seat across from his own, staring at the pile of salt for a moment with a curious expression on her face. "...Y'know, if you were honestly that hungry," She commented, shifting her gaze upwards to him. "You could have ordered food." Novi's teasings pretty much ended there, as the young woman immediately switched her attention over to a pair of menus that were sitting next to them. She took one for herself and started inspecting it, an eyebrow raised as her eyes scanned the many listed dishes and drinks that were offered.


"So, what kind of place is this, anyway? Just a regular old diner? Do they serve breakfast all day? I don't know about you, but I could really go for some bacon right about now..." Novi didn't once look up from her menu as she spoke, though the words were clearly meant for him, oddly casual as they were.


Takeshi sat down as Novi's bronze figure slid into the seat across from him. She was dressed casually, like him, and a sense of normalcy surrounded them. Novi had not exactly dressed to impress but she still managed to draw a couple eyes from the around the diner, including Takeshi's.As common as things like these went, he was startled by how comfortable she was, but soon, he began to mimic her openness.


"It's a good place to go to when you try something new. They've got all sorts of foods here. Especially bacon."Takeshi picked up a menu and looked at the section labeled: Today's Specials. Underneath was a black and white picture of a dish Takeshi couldn't recognize. It's name": Kyoom Chicken Tenders.


"So, Ms. Novi." Takeshi dipped his toe into the pool, testing the waters. "This how you pictured your honeymoon?"


Something new, something new...


"New" wasn't really Novi's thing, but she figured that she could stomach trying something she'd never tried before. As long as it at least sounded like something edible, or looked good to eat from the photos. Amber eyes narrowing in concentration, Novi scanned the menu, looking over each and every offered dish. About 80% of the things they'd listed were alien to her, the remaining 20% split between two categories; 10% of foods that she actually knew, and 10% of things that she wasn't even sure were foods. "...I'll just get an omelette," She muttered aloud. Today wouldn't be a day to try new things. Well...as far as the lunch department was concerned.


A portly woman walked by and left glasses of water on the table for them. Novi reached out and took hers, lifting the cup to her lips as her eyes wandered just in time to catch the server-woman glancing back at them as she walked. There was a knowing, almost amused look in her eyes that bothered Novi, but she didn't call her out on it. Instead, she simply stared until the other woman was forced to look away.


Takeshi's question, rhetorical or not, caught her off guard, and all at once it seemed as though her water had gone bad, the taste fouled. Yet the disturbance only lasted for a few seconds; Novi faltered a bit, then fearlessly met his eyes. "It all seems like more of a date to me," She replied. "Which I guess is a single step down from 'honeymoon'."


Silence. She was mulling over her thoughts, again; sorting things and rearranging other things.


Then, in a mildly-curious tone. "How about you, Mr. Takeshi? You seem a lot chippier about the whole situation, in general."


A date? ...Takeshi had not realized that they were on one. To him, it was just another outing with friends or in this case acquaintences..


"Me? I guess you could say I'm so new to this, I don't know what to feel." Takeshi flipped through the menu, looking at the items but not reading them. He felt like he was being interviewed, in some of the ways she spoke to him.


The waitress had placed two glasses of water on the table for them which he, inside, greatly appreciated for it gave him time to think of something else to say.


"There's always a first time for everything, right?"

 

[Agent Nine]

((Collab #2 w/Olaf))


"It doesn't have to be a date."


It had taken a moment, but Novi was suddenly adamant about correcting herself. She waited till Takeshi had said what he wanted to say, only to very nearly trip over her own words in an attempt to fix things. In this moment, the calm facade had vanished from her face, and in its place sat a defiant, almost desperate expression. A desperation that came with furiously trying to establish a certain thing.


Novi then lowered her gaze, choosing to stare at her water glass, instead. "I suppose that's what we're supposed to call it though, huh?" She continued, a ghost of a smirk forming as a corner of her lips twitched. "But we don't have to. We're at a food joint having lunch. That's that."


That's how it should stay, too.


Satisfied, she took another sip of her water.


"There's always a first time for everything, right?"


Still not looking at him, Novi said "True. And on that note, how many chances do you plan on taking with this menu?"


Finally, she looked up at him, again, tapping her menu with a finger. "Not to influence your choice or anything, but if I were you I'd stick with the meals I've had, before. Might as well play it safe."


"Supposed to.. I guess you're right.." He said, closing the menu. He fell quiet as his mind drifted to Kyoko and whatever she was up to. Here he was, out with a stranger, and for all he knew Kyoko could never come home. Perhaps one night, an officer would be waiting for him, to tell him the bad news.


Sir, my name's Detective _________. I'm here with some bad news.. Your sister, a Miss Kyoko Oshiro, she was involved in a situation and unfortunately...she passed away.. Takeshi almost anticipated such an event and that's what scared him the most.


What freedom do I have living the life the government has given me?


Gone. Just like that.


He stared at the space above Novi's head before he said,


"Maybe one day we'll be able to call this whatever we want."


Watching his face carefully, Novi frowned. She could practically see the guy floating out of his own body, his mind drifting along with it. He looked distracted, now. Troubled. For a moment, she felt an unfamiliar pang of guilt hit her; had what she said made him space out like this? What, did taking back the "date" comment mess something up?


Inwardly, Novi sighed. People were, essentially, sheets of thin ice, and talking to them was like trying to walk across it without screwing yourself over. You could never tell when the ice would start cracking, which words would make the cracks bigger, and it was impossible to realize that you'd said too much before you fell under, sucked down into a freezing, dark void.


Good thing she knew how to swim.


"Something's bothering you," Novi commented after a while, her eyes steadily on him, observing. "And I kinda doubt it's the Harvest. Then again, it could be. I'm bad at reading people. Either way, you can tell me. ...You should tell me."


And then the smirk returned, though faint and a bit more playful than it usually was.


"This is a relationship, now. Government-approved. Which means you're in my business and I'm in yours. Right?"


Takeshi smiled at her comment. "Government-approved, huh? What else was I signed up for?" Takeshi placed the menu in front of him just as their waitress began to walk over.


"Don't tell me I have to go on your shopping trips and carry all your bags."


The waitress arrived and took out a pad and pen.


"Ah, yes. Could I have the Kyoom Chicken Tenders, please? Yes. Crispy. Sauce on the side. Pardon? Oh, onion rings please. Yep. Thanks." Takeshi had ordered one of his favorites.


"And you ma'am?" The waitress asked.


"She'll have an omelette. With bacon." Takeshi filled in. He then half-whispered to the waitress, "She likes to be adventurous."


The waitress gave him a look, shook her head, and then continued writing on the pad.

​

 

[X07]

@Ebonysdagger


"Mostly the same really." Xavier explained as they continued along the road. "Lower class sector, both of my parents, a younger brother, and pretty much the same situation. Save the whole germ thing, of course. I guess it's just as bland if you really want to call it that, but I work with the local businesses myself actually. I run a small consulting firm, help out the local businesses with their permits and paperwork. I honestly did not think it would be that rewarding when I first started, but it's nice to know that I can help some people get through their problems. It's extra satisfying when you know that the government can't screw with them as much as they would like to." he explained with an unnaturally large smile.


The pair eventually reached the diner and Xavier, being the gentleman that he is, held the door open for Sandra. He would be lying if he told you that he did not take a look at her as she entered the building, he was only a human male after all. But he wasn't the type to act on his urges, and the way things look at the moment, he probably couldn't. "There were quite a few interesting people at the harvest this year," Xavier casually said as he looked for an empty booth, "quite a few really knew how to catch your attention."

 

[CommodoreOlaf]

( Collab #3 w/ none other then Nine c: )


"Shopping bores the hell out of me," Novi said, her tone flat though the remnants of a smirk still played out on her face.


When the waitress showed up with her pad and pen, Novi leaned back in her seat some and watched as he ordered food. Which then stemmed into him ordering her food for her, which she wasn't thrilled about, but she kept her mouth shut.


The woman left the table to go place their orders. Once she was gone, Novi shifted her gaze back to Takeshi. "Alright. The food's on its way. Now, back to what was bothering you before."


"It's less interesting than shopping." He said, looking away. "Besides, it's not that important."


"...Shopping isn't interesting."


Novi was watching him carefully, now, quietly deciphering his movements, noticing the way he was averting his eyes and acting genuinely uncomfortable. Had she not been interested in the whole thing, she probably wouldn't have pressed him any further, but curiosity had wriggled its way into her brain and was dictating her actions.


Would she tear information out of him? No. That'd probably traumatize the guy. She could just...coax it out of him, all smooth-like.


"Also," She continued, her tone becoming matter-of-factual. "You can't just say that something isn't 'that important' and expect me not to keep asking. If it bothers you so much, it'll make you mopey, and I'm not spending my day going around with a sad-sack."


He didn't seem to be relenting. Sighing, Novi leaned forward and crossed her arms on the table.


"Tell you what. If you tell me what it is, I'll tell you something personal. Equivalent exchange. Does that work for you?"


Suddenly, she was more curious than he was. Takeshi chuckled as he heard her proposal.


"Something tells me you often get your way."


"Always have, always will. Now, do we have a deal or don't we?"


It was true that she was curious. Incredibly so. But the whole "sad-sack" spiel hadn't been something she'd made up on the spot; the last thing the young woman wanted was to be weighed down by some ball and chain who sighed and moped all day because of something he refused to tell her. And she'd been serious about the exchange.


Takeshi sat up in his seat, coming out of the comfortable slouched position he had assumed during their conversation. He folded his hands and brought them to his mouth, elbows resting on the edge of the table.


"I have a little sister..and she's, let's say, not the best at getting along with people. Especially me. Me and her, we're different." He cleared his throat and continued, "She's independent, she gets all types of crazy, and it's kind of scary."


"...I get... concerned, but I'm sure it's just a phase." Takeshi considered for a moment before saying, "You guys share some qualities, maybe you and her would get along." It was all in jest of course.


Huh...that was it? That was what he'd been spacing out about? Novi blinked at him, a bit surprised (and disappointed) since she'd been expecting something more...dire and, in general, interesting.


She was prepared to respond to Takeshi's quip about her getting along with his sister with a blunt "I don't like kids," but decided against it, instead nodding a little.


"I'd give you advice, but I don't have any brothers or sisters, so it wouldn't be worth much," Novi said, taking another sip of her water. Then she pursed her lips, thinking. The no-siblings thing would have been her side of the exchange, if she hadn't treated it like it was nothing. It wasn't, but that was beside the point.


"No, I haven't forgotten about the deal. Give me a sec to remember something..." She said, throwing him a few weak, dismissive waves as if he was pestering her about it. Then she seemed to come up with an idea. Sitting up a little straighter, Novi pinched the left side of her jacket's collar and pulled it down over her shoulder, then rolled up her short sleeve. "Do you see this bruise, right here?" Novi said, tapping at the slight discoloration in the form of a faded patch on her otherwise unmarked skin. "When I was twelve, I went chasing after this cat and ran into the street. Stupid thing...anyway, a car was coming and I didn't see it until it was right on me. I thought I could jump over it, too, and I did, but the driver didn't brake until after his windshield had smacked my shoulder."


A waitress came walking by the table, her expression one of pure confusion as she glanced at them. Novi ignored her, rolling her sleeve back down and fixing her jacket collar. There. Deal was done. ...Now what?


"Sooo...you live with your sister? Anyone else, or is it just you two...?"


Takeshi saw her face twist a little as he mentioned his sister, prompting him to reevaluate his decision of telling her what he thought was sensitive information. Even more so, when she waved him away from talking so she could make room for her end of the deal. "Yeah, it;s just us two.."


It wasn't what she expected.


Despite this, he didn't react to it.


"I see...that's interesting, but..." Takeshi took his hands off the table to make room for the food,


"Tell me something personal." He stared at her, as if he was concentrating on sending her brainwaves. If she had been willing to exchange a secret for his, then her secret wasn't as valuable to her than she made it seem. Also supported by the fact, what she told him didn't appear to have affected her that much.

 

[Agent Nine]

((Collab #4 w/ Count Olaf))


Novi frowned. She'd just told him something personal; at least, it was personal to her. Personal things were incidents that one didn't like to recollect, or secrets that were secret for a good damned reason. That bruise had been pretty personal, considering the fact that what she'd done to get it was idiotic. And yet here Takeshi was, asking her for something else; he didn't need to say it out loud, but she knew that what he was trying to say was that what she'd told him hadn't been personal enough.


...Fine then. Leaning back in her seat, Novi stared at him for a moment, falling quiet.


A couple of minutes later, their waitress came by with plates of food in her hands, setting the chicken tenders and onion rings down in front of Takeshi, while Novi's omelette (and side of hash browns) was placed in front of her. She didn't touch it, and the waitress looked from her over to Takeshi, hesitating for a moment before the tension and discomfort willed her away.


Novi was a bit uncomfortable, herself, but her current expression was a hardened mask of indifference, her lips drawn in a tight, thin line.


"...I lost my mom when I was eight," She finally said, her voice steady, expression unchanged. "She was sick, and they wouldn't let me take care of her, so they took her. I wasn't allowed to visit her, wasn't allowed to talk to her...no one really ever told me how she was doing, so when she didn't come back I assumed that she'd died."


Takeshi felt a pang of guilt at her words. She had lost her mother. A flash of heat arced over his back as he realized he had more than likely hit a nerve. Was this why she acted the way she did?


"I'm sorry to hear that.." He managed to say.


He felt a similar pain twist in his heart as he reminisced of his father. Those disturbing images of the bombing on TV brought back nightmarish daydreams. The fire. The twisted metal. Takeshi pushed those thoughts away and said,


"We get stronger. Losing someone hurts, but... over time, we heal. You probably know that more than I do." Takeshi stabbed an onion ring with his fork, dipped it into a little dish of sauce and looked at Novi.


"I don't know."


He ate the ring and then wiped the corners of his mouth with a napkin.


Healing. Right. He wasn't wrong, but...


Novi stayed silent, keeping her eyes glued to her omelette as Takeshi started to dig into his own food. The mess of eggs, bacon, and gushing cheese looked pretty damned good, considering all she'd had for breakfast was that one banana...but, if she was being honest with herself, she wasn't feeling so hungry anymore. Did conversations with other people always make her lose her appetite?


Not all conversations. Just...this specific one.


Growing annoyed with herself, Novi frowned. So what if she wasn't used to talking about "personal" things outside of her own mind. So what if she'd never actually said a word about her mother to another living being before...well, right now. Today was a day full of odd, new things. Things that she'd probably need to get used to.


Willing away the unease that had made itself home in her stomach, Novi forced herself to start eating, stabbing at the omelette with her fork a few times. After a moment or so of playing with her food, the hunger seemed to come back, and she was all but stuffing her face in a matter of seconds. ...It was a good omelette.


Novi stopped about a quarter of the way in, taking a moment to swallow what was in her mouth before swiping her tongue over her lips and looking up at Takeshi.


"Sh** happens," She said, sounding for all the world as though she'd just answered a relatively simple math problem.


"You know my great-great-great-gandfather thought of that slogan, believe it or not. He met this guy who was a cross-country runner. I guess the runner took the term literally as he actually ran from coast to coast during the days." Takeshi said as convincingly as he could.


"No kiddin'?"


Having gone back to picking at her omelette, Novi didn't look up much as Takeshi spoke, but it was clear to her that he was trying to turn the conversation on a more positive path. Positive would help a lot right now, actually; anymore talk about this personal stuff, and the young woman was convinced that she wouldn't be able to finish her food. Food that she didn't need to pay for, for once.


...Or maybe she did. She had a few crumpled bills in one of her pockets, just in case. Novi didn't necessarily want to pay, given that she was with another person, now, but she didn't have any qualms about it if she needed to cover her own order. "It's a pretty useful phrase," She continued, wiping at her mouth with a napkin before finishing off the eggy, cheesy mess. "Applies to any and all situations. Simple, too."


Novi then paused for a moment. Her plate was empty, now, with only a few crumbs remaining from food that she'd demolished within minutes. "I brought money with me. I can pay for my food, and you can pay for yours," She said, though her words were more of a suggestion than a flat-out statement.


She could pay. That didn't mean that she would, or that she wanted to, but it was reasonable to put that out in the open.


"Agreed. Ces't la vie. Right?"


Takeshi had only eaten two chicken tenders but he wasn't planning on eating more. He would put it in the fridge and leave it, knowing by tomorrow morning, Kyoko would have disappeared with it. That was really the only way he could take care of her, while she was out.


"Did you know he also became the first man to ever live on the moon." Takeshi flashed a smile, seeing how far he could convince her,


"He didn't stay for long though. His food kept on floating off his plate and he would get so mad." At this point, Takeshi felt a laughter arise in his throat but he suppressed it.


As she brought up paying, Takeshi shook his head.


"Don't worry, I got this." He patted his pants pocket for several seconds, a puzzled look forming on his face, then a look of horror replaced it.


"Um, it seems I have forgotten my wallet." Takeshi felt his cheeks grow hot. He must've forgotten it when he had changed out of the Harvest clothes. Wow, man. Unbelievable.

​

 

[Ebonysdagger]

@X07


"Thank you." Sandra steps in through the door after Xavier holds it open for her. "Not a lot of people will do that now a days." She also looks for an empty and, perhaps more importantly to her, clean booth. "I noticed a few here and there while I was trying to distract myself. That one in the gas mask was odd even by my paranoid standards. I can understand wanting to have one but there is a limit. I'm surprised the guards didn't make him take it off."

 

[Agent Nine]

Novi swirled the ice around in her glass with a straw as she listened to him talk, managing to look attentive yet disinterested all at once. It was clear by the time he started talking about space that he was BS'ing. Instead of calling him out on it, though, she humored him, nodding her head and adding in an occasional "really?" and "wow" and "uh-huh."


Then she watched as he went scrambling around for money. Oh, good. He was going to cover it, like the thoughtful little gentleman their Almighty Overlords probably wanted him to be.


...At least, she thought that he would. The guy couldn't find his wallet. What a dope, Novi mused, blinking at him. Surprisingly, though, she wasn't mad. Just a little annoyed. She sighed, signaling for him to stop as she went digging into her pants pockets. "That's fine. I've got it," She said, pulling a few crumpled twenties out and smoothing them on the table. Waving an arm, she flagged down their waitress and handed the bills off.


As the woman went off to get change, Novi settled back into her seat. "So..." She began, letting her gaze drift to a nearby window. "That's done. Or it will be, once I get my money back. Anyway...what's the plan?"


@CommodoreOlaf

​

 

[CommodoreOlaf]

Stupid, stupid, stupid. Takeshi squeezed his eyes closed and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger, the universal sign of frustration.


"Look, I'm sorry. I should've remembered.. Especially since it was our first date-" He said his voice desperate.


"-or lunch run." Takeshi thought for a moment. "I'll pay you back." He promised as the waitress brought back the change. How embarrassing.


Trying his best to recover from the awkwardness, he replied,


"Well, what's required for Love Harvest newlyweds-" At this, Takeshi furtively observed her reaction to the word. "-is to expound on... who lives with who.." He brought his hand up to his mouth, and rested his chin on his palm, as if in deep thought.


@Agent Nine

 

[Agent Nine]

Novi only shook her head, snickering a little. "Like I said, it's fine. Nothing I'm not used to, anyway."


In all honesty, it would have felt weird not to pay. Manners or no manners, she didn't want people going around and paying for things she needed to pay for. Dammit, it was food that she'd ordered for herself. ...Sort of. Takeshi had ordered for her which, in retrospect, made the payment-situation weirder, but...


"...You do still owe me, though." She added after a few seconds, leaving her palm open as the waitress plopped change into her hand, then walked off.


As she stuffed the money into her pocket, her amber eyes stayed on him. True, the term "newlyweds" made her frown—and brought an uncomfortable, slight warmth to her cheeks, but no one could prove that—but otherwise she didn't comment. Real estate, huh? She'd forgotten all about that aspect of things. Seriously, though. Who'd been the genius in the government to come up with the idea of making Harvest couples immediately live together? Forceful bonding never worked, and if people needed any more reasons to rebel, well...there was one.


Novi let out a somewhat-forced sigh, putting a hand over her eyes. "Right. So what, is this a consensus sort of thing or...?"


Or...? She trailed off mid-sentence. "...Y'know what, let's just...go to your place first. Since we're playing realtors and all that. I don't know what it looks like, you don't know what my house looks like...but mine might not be empty..."


The last part she muttered to herself.


@CommodoreOlaf

​

 

[CommodoreOlaf]

"...Y'know what, let's just...go to your place first. Since we're playing realtors and all that. I don't know what it looks like, you don't know what my house looks like...


Takeshi's eyebrows rose in response, but he quickly got out of his seat and said,


"Sh-Sure. Um, it's not that far away.." He didn't know what had startled him. Perhaps he was half-expecting her to suggest going to her house first for some reason, but she proved different. Or maybe he was just being his nervous self. He opened the diner, holding it open like he had done at the Love Harvest, letting in a gust of cool air. As they left the diner, he clarified to himself that he wasn't nervous, that it was just left-over emotions from his fault as meal-payer only minutes ago. As they began to walk towards the Lower Class sectors, he attempted to imagine how things were gonna play out.


First, we'll look at the place. She'll say it's a nice little house, but there are better opportunities living a Middle Class life. We'll both agree and make plans for me to pack out and move in with her.


After all, his house, although offering sentimental value to him, was not a suitable place for them to live. If they were going to make a family, and at this point, Takeshi recognized that 'if' as synonymous with 'never' by the way she seemed to act, they'd live in her probably much larger home. Still, he was determined. For what, he didn't exactly know. To prove to her, he wasn't an entire klutz, maybe? That he wasn't as odd as he looked? Takeshi wasn't certain. He didn't become less nervous as they neared his home.


Stealing a glance at Novi, he felt his heart drop. She did not intimidate him to the point where peeing his pants could happen anywhere, but he wasn't comfortable around her. Even more so as she made it clear, she didn't exactly catch the newlywed fever, characterized by red cheeks, a giddy laugh, and a constant attachment to her partner by things like hugging or holding hands.. Takeshi reasoned he would've preferred Novi over any woman with the newlywed flu, but even then he couldn't admit she was what he expected. She was different and that scared him more than he would admit, but he could not find it in himself to walk away. He wouldn't walk away. He did admit that he had a perfect scenario in mind for when he would meet the wife he was assigned. But life seemingly ignored him by pairing him with Novi Yuille, an on-the-surface desensitized and outspoken woman, whose skin was a flawless bronze and eyes a beautifully darker shade. He did not recognize it right away, but now as they walked to his house, he was attracted to her in an odd counterintuitive way.


As the house came into view, he stopped and stared at its homely appearance. There were many smaller houses than his in the neighborhood but his seemed far more deteriorated. He looked at Novi and offered, "As you can see, it's in great condition." He then pushed open a small wooden gate (of which had no purpose because the rest of the fence was gone) and walked through.


He walked onto the porch, waiting for Novi to come up next to him.


@Agent Nine

 

[Agent Nine]

Novi was more worried than she would readily admit. About the whole housing situation, nonetheless.


As they made their way out of the diner and started on the path to Takeshi's house, with Novi falling in step beside him while letting him lead the way, the young woman's mind wandered. She wasn't really concerned about how his place would look; Lower Class neighborhoods were foreign to her, but she didn't fantasize dilapidated shacks with peeling paint or dirtied streets full of emaciated dogs, like other people seemed to like to imagine. It was simply a step down from Middle Class, so the houses couldn't look that different.


In the end, no matter what it looked like, Novi had a feeling that she'd like it more than the guy thought she would. At this point, she'd prefer virtually anything over her own home. Sure, she'd grown up in her reasonably-sized house near the man-made river, having spent her entire life within its walls. Her mother had raised her well there, and they'd played together and watched TV and read books together there. It was there that her mother had attempted to teach her how to cook, and there that she'd subsequently put the stove-top out before the flames could engulf the entire kitchen. It was there, within those walls, that Novi had taken care of herself as a less than concerned old woman had come into her life, merely acting as a spectator.


She loved her home. But her mother's spirit had long since left it, and there was nothing for her there, anymore, save for some bedsheets and clothes and maybe a trinket or two. Aurie could have the entire house to herself, now. She'd like that, no doubt; Novi could practically envision the old woman's smile when she'd tell her.


Novi couldn't help the occasional glance sent Takeshi's way. He seemed to be deep in thought as they walked, and Novi wondered, a bit selfishly, if they were thoughts about her. General ones. Was he reflecting on the day so far, his experiences? Was he reprimanding himself for being a forgetful klutz? ...Was he regretting things?


Was he...regretting her?


As soon as the thought entered her head, Novi scolded herself for being a paranoid mush. It doesn't matter what the hell he thinks of me, she reminded herself, frowning a little. At all. He can think what he wants, and so can I.


Only it did matter. A little bit. Just a teeny, tiny bit. Glancing at him again, Novi couldn't help but wonder if he was disappointed in the Harvest's decision. "Hate" seemed a bit too...intense for the moment, but she wondered if he disliked her. He probably did. She knew as well as anyone how unapproachable she could be, how unlikeable. And that was alright. Well, not alright, but...she was used to it.


Was she disappointed, too? In him. With him. With science's calculations and the government's decision.


...No. Not at all, really.


Suddenly they seemed to have reached their destination. Novi shook herself out of her train of thought and looked over at his home, putting her hands on her hips. "...Looks nice," She commented, tilting her head a little and feeling a bit awkward. What else was she supposed to say? They were only looking at the outside so far, after all. Letting her arms fall back at her sides, Novi walked over to where he'd opened the gate and went through. "How long have you lived here?" She asked as she went, sounding genuinely curious.


@CommodoreOlaf

​

 

[CommodoreOlaf]

Inserting the key, he turned a little and said, "Since I was 8. I lived in the Upper Class sectors of the Community before then.." He twisted the metal key and a door handle emerged from the metal door so he could turn it, a handy invention he had created as his one of his summer projects. When the door was locked, the handle would recede into the door until it's surface was flat and seamless.


Takeshi twisted the handle and pushed and was greeted by darkness. The lights came on very weakly, a couple of lights flickering before assuming their dimmed state. Some didn't come on at all. Before them was the living room where a family couch was placed to the right side and television hummed almost silently on the opposite wall. A shelf sat squarely on the wall next to them, cradling a large printed and framed picture of his mother. The room also had a bookshelf filled with many different novels and encyclopedias, published works considered relics of old times. To the left, you could see the kitchen and dining room.


"Welcome to my little shack. Make yourself at home." He said as he took off his jacket and hung it on the coat rack. "I'll be right back." He walked straight across the room into the hall. He walked to the end and then turned right into his room. Looking in the mirror, he prayed a silent prayer. My life changes today. Make me a good man. To whom he was praying to, he wasn't sure. In his mind, he would've liked his prayer to be carried away to God, but he in the midst of his experiences with loss, it was difficult.


Takeshi came back to the living room, holding his wallet. Opening it, he prepared himself for Novi's disapproval. The decline of a kind person. It was the polite thing to do: to decline repayment, but Takeshi didn't want to be in debt. For a long time, he had gotten used to his system of waking up, working, getting paid, paying bills, and sleeping. Rinse and repeat. He guessed he had just gotten used to it.


"Here." He dug into his wallet, emptying out two twenties. "Exchange. Then, we can talk about moving and stuff.."


@Agent Nine

 

[Agent Nine]

So, he lived with the Fat Cats until he was eight, then moved down here...I wonder why...


Novi's thoughts were interrupted with a small click. Looking down, she watched in wide-eyed wonder as the door handle appeared then disappeared with the simple turning of a key on Takeshi's part. She'd never seen doors do that, before...was it a Lower Class thing? Novi was about to ask, but the question faded from her tongue as he went to open the door, drawing her attention from the interesting mechanism to the surprising amount of darkness that lay ahead. With a faint bzzzt, and a bit of a delay, the lights came on, dispelling the dark and illuminating the space with a dim but comfortable glow.


Novi's eyes flicked over to Takeshi as he hung his jacket on the rack before walking off somewhere, telling her that he'd return. The young woman felt compelled to do the same and, after a moment of arguing with herself, did, slowly removing her smaller jacket and hanging it beside his own.


No sooner did he vanish from the living room did Novi wander over to the shelf that sat right on the wall next to her. It was practically calling to her, like a lighthouse to a boat; a beacon of interest. Novi went to stand in front of it, and blinked at the lone, framed photograph. It was one of a woman with a kind face and a pleasant smile. His mother...?


Novi stayed in her spot, staring at the picture, her expression blank.


She must be dead.


When Takeshi's approaching steps reached her ears, Novi whipped around and let her eyes wander elsewhere, as though she hadn't been doing anything. He held out the twenties, and her eyes fell on them for a moment before going to his mangled, tape-bound wallet that had produced them. She frowned. Guh...


Surprising even herself, Novi waved the bills away. "Nah, forget it. Consider it your first couple's deposit," She said, inwardly cringing at the phrase she'd pulled from her a**. Ah well. The point was that she didn't want his money, anymore.


A silence began to settle between the two, but Novi broke it by turning her head to look at the framed photo, again. "That's your mom, right? On that shelf. She's very pretty."


@CommodoreOlaf

​

 

[CommodoreOlaf]

Takeshi shook his head and pushed the bills to her. "You said it yourself, I still owe you." He insisted. His mother had always taught him to make things right with people, even if that meant swallowing your pride, or forgiving others, or paying them back what you owed. At her comment, he imagined his mother's kind face, the way she smiled so genuinely it was impossible to feel ill toward her.


"Thank you." was all he said about the subject.. "So, about this moving thing, I don't have a lot to bring so you don't have to worry about space..and whoever else lives in your house." He mentioned the transfer of residence which was their original topic but he still had his mind on his mother.


He wanted to tell her she was dead, that she was resting, and that she was up there with God now. The sad truth was that she laid motionless on a hospital bed, countless tubes and needles sticking out of her veins, her lips cracked and dry. A year, he had been paying for her life support, hoping the doctors would have found some sort of cure for cancer. Most of his paycheck went straight toward her bill, the rest he used to keep himself alive and fed. He cleared his throat, at the same time, his mind of his imaginings.


@Agent Nine

 

[Agent Nine]

Novi wasn't expecting the stubbornness, blinking as Takeshi pushed the bills back towards her, refusing to keep his money. Yeah, she'd said that, but...but now she'd changed her mind. Any normal person would've shrugged by now and shoved that money back into their own pockets. Right now, it seemed as though the two had worked themselves into a sort of Polite-Off, trying to see who'd back out of the other's offer, first.


Novi ended up being that person, sighing with an "Alright" as she took the bills and put them away. Then the guy changed the subject, switching immediately from his mother to their new housing situation. The young woman got the hint and didn't make any further comments; obviously, he didn't want to talk about her anymore. This, Novi could understand.


The woman had died. And an unpleasant death at that, if his avoidance of talking about it was telling her anything. The virus, perhaps...?


Still standing, Novi stared at him, her brows furrowing in slight confusion. "You're talking as if we've already decided that we'd be holing up in my house," She said, though the words were casual. "Yours is still on the 'market'—" She made air quotes at this, "—unless there's some reason you don't want to stay here, anymore. I mean, I don't have a whole lot to bring, either. And there's only...one other person who lives there with me, but..."


Man, this was complicated. Novi brushed a few strands of her out of her face, wondering how the other couples were doing with their living arrangements. Some of them had probably already made up their minds.


"...but I don't think she'd...mind, I guess," Novi continued, her tone laced with uncertainty. And discomfort. Then she crossed her arms. "Honestly, with all the money they've already spent on us, I don't get why those damned government officials don't just buy us houses."


@CommodoreOlaf

​

 

[CommodoreOlaf]

Takeshi was happy she accepted his money. He took seat on the couch and leaned forward until his elbows rested on his knees, his eyes peering upwards.


"Well, I'm from a lower class than yours and the house is pretty small. I didn't think you'd wanna live here." He shrugged. He had assumed because his house was on the far end of the luxurious spectrum Novi wouldn't have been thrilled with the idea of being stuck here. True, he considered his house his baby, where he had lived most of his life and had many experiences, both good and bad. Baby. The word was stuck in his head like a boulder had lodged itself onto the bridge of his mind where thought became words; and he fell silent. Could the house handle another living being? The idea of procreation was completely foreign to him. Even of intercourse. He had learned about the birds and the bees early on in life and confirmed the knowledge in junior high school. The concept terrified him, especially now, when he had been "married" by the government, and encouraged to make children. Novi was in a sense intimidating, and for now, he wanted to keep that subject out of conversations.


"Are you sure you'd wanna live here?" He asked.


@Agent Nine

 

[hoehang788]

cám ơn bạn nhé

 

[Agent Nine]

"Are you sure you'd wanna live here?"


Takeshi's question actually made Novi stop and think. She'd been convinced that she'd made the decision as soon as he had brought the issue up, only now that she thought about it, Novi could realize that up until this point she'd been against the idea of staying in her own house, anymore. Why, she wasn't exactly so sure. It had been an immediate decision, an impulsive reaction to the offer.


In truth, she doubted that Aurie would be that much of a bother. Whether or not the woman would decide to stay with them or find her own place was unknown, should they decide to move in there, but Novi wouldn't deny fearing the initial awkwardness. Perhaps it was that awkwardness, and her need to avoid it, that made her want to stay away. After all, it seemed as though it was only Takeshi and his sister living in this home...


...wait. His sister.


Novi could give less of a crap about being in a lower class home, in a lower class neighborhood. Personally, she liked his house with all of its imperfections and its cozy, small size. But she was leaving the guy's sister out of the equation as she mentally prattled on and on about her situation with Aurie being different. It wasn't.


"I don't imagine that you'd know where your sister is, right now," Novi ventured. "But I kinda...feel like she should be in on this. After all, wherever you go, she goes. I've got no problems with staying here, but if I did, I'd think you would let her know beforehand to avoid surprises. And if you moved in with me...well, neither of you have even seen my house, yet. So there's that. Am I right?"

​