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

[mp_npc]

"I'm serious, too." Asa waited for Reigen to pass the door's threshold before walking alongside him.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen closed his mouth and kept it closed as he walked beside the young woman to what would be his abode for the next three days. He only opened it again to thank her again for the tea and for being a diligent escort.

[mp_simplyacommoner]

~~

It was pretty muggy out during his post-school run--enough that Teru felt like he had to take an extra shower. As he was drying himself off and jacking up his AC, his thoughts went to Mob. It must have been the extra little space in his drawers from when he gifted Mob some of his pj's, or maybe it was because he wondered how the weather was where the other boy was on the coast. Either way, he knew he said he wouldn't bother Mob when he was on a job more than he had, but Mob totally knew he was free to reply on his own time!

Have you had dinner yet? Send.

Don't forget the pictures! Send.

[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.