Chapter 4: Cutting Algae Part One

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Texting was a pretty neat function. It was widely adopted by every teenager except the one he, Reigen, had so generously gifted a phone to do it with. Mob was diligent to a fault about picking up his calls, but texting? Still a work in progress. Mob was getting better, though. After all, how else was Reigen supposed to give him a heads up about big jobs before the end of the school day? Excepting the occasional friendly lunch break chat.

That was of course assuming the phone was still intact. After their chat last night, Reigen wasn't so sure. It wasn't like Mob made a habit of texting him first.

Reigen squinted at the clock on his second-hand laptop he'd just replaced the shattered one with. 12:05PM. He had found a decent deal on one in a flea market but there was something off about the graphics. Parts of the screen were always slightly out of frame and most of his day had been spent trying to uselessly dink with the display options until it was righted, but instead he just ended up with a resolution that was too small.

'Ugh. New laptop, and if we're really unlucky, a new phone? I'll just garnish it...' Reigen pulled out his phone and fired off a text to his pupil. You didn't get washed away, did you? Your phone's still working, right?

Comments

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob was waiting for Reigen to finish getting ready for their first trip to the castle. He hadn't had the chance yet to ask his master whether or not he had sensed anything strange from Asa, but if anything weird had happened, he was sure that he would have mentioned it.

As soon as Mob felt his phone vibrate, he tugged it out of his pocket. He'd probably used it more the last few weeks than he had the entire time since Reigen first gifted it to him.

Not yet. We're going to the castle soon and then we'll have dinner afterward. Send.

Oh, by the way, I saw a picture of you and your grandpa today. Send.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Huh?

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Yeah it was in a guestbook here.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Where??

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

At the inn we are staying at.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Seriously? Send.

( 〃．．) Send.

That's super embarrassing! Send.

I don't even remember taking one. Send.

Even if he had been three at the time...but still!

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Do you want me to take a picture of it?

[mp_simplyacommoner]

no no no no Send.

just forget you saw it Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Why?

[mp_simplyacommoner]

it's embarrassing (⸝⸝⸝ ≧ㅿ＼⸝⸝⸝)/ Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Really? I thought you looked cute.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

Teru nearly threw his phone across the bathroom to drown himself in the sink.

(∗∕ ∕•̥̥̥̥∕ω∕•̥̥̥̥∕) Send.

i mean Send.

if you really wanted to see something like that Send.

i want to be the one to show you Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Teru wasn't mad, was he? It was difficult for Mob to gauge how people were feeling in person. It was even harder to tell when texting. Even though Teru was very expressive with his emoticons.

I wasn't looking for it. Send.

It just happened to be there. Send.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

I know Send.

I just wasn't expecting that Send.

I haven't even seen my own childhood pictures since I was 10 Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

You don't have any?

[mp_simplyacommoner]

at my apartment? no

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

You don't want any?

[mp_simplyacommoner]

why would I? Send.

they'd probably just get damaged in an ambush Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

What about a copy?

[mp_simplyacommoner]

nah Send.

if I'm keeping pictures around Send.

I prefer selfies Send.

let's take some together Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

I don't really take selfies Send.

But I'd take one with you Send.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

you'd like it! Send.

you're so handsome! Send.

the camera would love you Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Handsome? No one had ever called Mob that before, except maybe his mom. Did Teru really think he was handsome? He didn't have any reason to distrust Teru, so...

Let's take a selfie the next time we see one another

He was sure his mom and brother would be shocked, but... maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. His mom seemed really happy that he had a good friend. Maybe she'd be happy he had a good friend he took selfies with, too.

Oh Send.

I just remembered something I wanted to ask you. Send.

What are your likes and dislikes? Send.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

✩⃛∗·⁽⁽◞(˃◟̵◞̵˂⁎=͟͟͞͞ ⁎˃◟̵◞̵˂)◟⁾⁾·∗✩⃛

like...in food? Send.

people? Send.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob was not sure what that emoticon meant, but hopefully with all of the stars it was something good.

Everything, I think