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]

Three things he liked?

"The things I like..." he mused aloud. "Probably... Tsubomi-chan, muscles, and looking at the sky."

As far as things he didn't like... "I don't like shiokara, speaking in front of the entire class, and violence."

[mp_npc]

Misaki nodded, her arms still folded. “Now, which felt more important to mention?”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"The things I dislike," Mob answered. "Because I really dislike anyone getting hurt more than anything."

[mp_npc]

Misaki quietly considered this. Usually when she asked this it was the other way around—people didn’t want to seem too negative to get along in society, after all. But Mob was being honest and the was the most important thing.

“You know, that’s why I always introduce myself with my name, what I do, and foods I like and dislike. I believe the things you dislike are as important as the things you like. This makes our guests feel comfortable in sharing that too…after all, how else could we provide an excellent personalized experience?”

Misaki was back to smiling but her tone was deadly serious.

“Kageyama-sama! Simply put, if you want to be someone who others share their burdens with, you need to be someone who’s willing to share their own burdens.”

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Share my burden with others..." Mob murmured. Misaki made it sound easy. It was probably because this was something that came naturally to her.

"I'm not sure I know how to do that."

[mp_npc]

"Oh, that's not true. You just opened up to me about your little brother, didn't you?"

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

"Yeah, but... it's different with Ritsu. I'm the big brother. I don't want to worry or burden him." Mob didn't want to worry or burden anyone, but especially not Ritsu.

[mp_npc]

Misaki promptly motioned for Mob to kneel where they stood.

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Mob wasn't sure why he was doing it, but he kneeled.

[mp_npc]

Misaki kneeled before him in kind. Despite her age and gender, they were about eye-to-eye.

"Kageyama-sama...maybe I don't understand the burdens of an older brother, but I can speak from the heart as a younger sister." Her fists balled in the beautiful fabric of her kimono. "Seeing my big sister so withdrawn...it's painful. Even when I try to get through and I can't...it's such a helpless feeling I want to cry."

[spiritsandsuchtrainee]

Oh. Did Ritsu feel the same way that Misaki did? Mob didn't want Ritsu to feel like that at all.

"I promise we'll figure out what's going on with your older sister. So don't worry."

[mp_npc]

Misaki nodded once. "Call it simple-minded, but anyone Suitopi takes to so quickly is worthy of my trust. So...I'm putting my faith in you, Kageyama-sama!"

[mp_npc]

Asa knew it was rude of her to impose on their guest with questions of her own, especially when their guest was gathering his belongings. But she had been fighting the compulsion to speak with him as soon as she saw him. She was drawn to him unlike anyone she had ever been drawn to before. Try as she might, she couldn't understand it. And she couldn't exactly broach the topic with her parents in the room.

So as soon as the sound of their footsteps faded down the hallway, Asa spoke.

"Excuse me. Can I have a moment of your time?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen peeled his eyes away from the castle in the distance to the young lady who was going to be kindly assisting him to his room--though from the way she opened it up, it was clear she had something else on her mind. It wasn't lost on him how she waited until her parents were safely out of earshot to start talking, but he was nothing if not discreet with the delicate matters of his customers.

"Of course."

[mp_npc]

"Do you..." This was rude and she knew it. It went against the spirit of otomenashi. But even so, Asa couldn't help herself. "...have anything you can't tell anyone else?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Eh?

That had certainly captured his full attention. Not only because of the suddenness of it but the awareness he was potentially venturing into a minefield.

"I suppose...it would be unnatural for someone not to have a few secrets, wouldn't it?" Not to leave things too open-ended, Reigen cocked his head to appear unassuming. "For the record, I may not be a priest, but I'm happy to listen to anything on your mind."

[mp_npc]

"I do." Asa swept a lock of hair behind her ear. "But I get the feeling that you have more that you're not saying than most people."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Ouch. Reigen hid a wince with a light laugh.

"That's a bit harsh, Asa-san. That's certainly not the impression I'm trying to give! I assure you I take professionalism very seriously."

[mp_npc]

Asa folded one arm in front of her and clasped the other arm that hung at her side.

"I never said it had anything to do with your work. If there was something fraudulent with your business, I would have gotten the same sense from your assistant, but I didn't."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen's smile tightened as Asa's dark eyes continued to fix on his. He suddenly, somehow, felt very strongly about not lying to her.

"I don't know how I could possibly grade myself on my number of secrets kept compared to other people, but even I can admit to having a few."

[mp_npc]

Asa shot Reigen an interested look, but didn't dwell on the topic any more than she had already.

"If you'd like, I can show you to your room now."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Sure. Please." Reigen was about to just roll with the punch, but it didn't feel right. It wasn't his ego talking either. "But before that..."

[mp_npc]

Asa was already on her way to open the sliding door when Reigen spoke up. "You need something before we leave?" she asked, stopping long enough to look over her shoulder.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen fixed her with a look. "Asa-san...You're surely not asking me such direct questions for the mere fun of it."

[mp_npc]

"I suppose I just find myself drawn to you," she answered, opening the sliding door.