codeoracle | IC Contact

Yes, they are friends from school, I believe?

[ Haru is not grasping what the issue is... yet. ]

I think she's the one that Utena told me about. They were close...

[And really that's a small part of all of this. She's just overwhelmed with all of this.]

Is that why you're hiding out in your room?
You don't need to worry about that, I think.

Part of it.

There's also...I've been here almost two years. And mom's anniversary is soon...

[ Oh, Futaba... ]

May I come into your room?

[ This is better face-to-face than over text. ]

The door is unlocked...

[That is the best and closest to an invitation as she's going to give.]

I will see you when I am home.

[ And as promised, as soon as Haru arrives home she heads straight to Futaba's room after taking her shoes off. Her coat is slung over her arm neatly, her free hand raised to knock lightly on the door. ]

Futaba-chan? Pardon the intrusion.

[She was used to people ~~the whole of the Phantom Thieves~~ taking an unlocked door as an opening invitation. She had forgotten that, on her own, Haru was much more polite. At the very least, this forced her out of her blanket cocoon she had made in the past few days--a plus.

She cracks the door open, peeking out at her friend before opening it wider to let her in.]

You...could have come in. It's why I leave the door unlocked now...[A pause.] But uhm, thank you. For thinking to knock anyway...

[ Back when her father was still alive, Haru's bedroom was one of the few places she could feel relatively safe in when she came home. Her father rarely intruded on her and Sugimura didn't dare step inside either. She recognizes the significance of having a place of privacy and would never want to disrespect that.

She steps inside, her eyes on Futaba the entire time. ]

Does Goro-kun know you've been hiding out in here this whole time?

He doesn't. [The mention of her brother has her bristle, shoulders tense. There were reasons not to tell him, a link in their past that was still too dark to touch.]

I didn't want to bother him...

[It was the easier explanation.]

[ As soon as she's asked Haru realizes why Futaba wouldn't bring the subject up to him. She simply nods, understanding Futaba's unease. ]

You have a lot on your mind, don't you, Futaba-chan? It's alright, you can talk about whatever you would like with me.

I wouldn't know where to start...

[She's back on her bed, knees drawn to her chest. At least she hasn't taken to burying herself under blankets again.]

...I want to do something for Mom, but I'm not sure what.

[ Haru meanders over to the bed and takes a seat, her own knees pressed together and hands laid on her lap all ladylike. She listens carefully to Futaba, observing how she's drawn into herself.

She knows the subject of her mother is an emotionally difficult one. Haru had only heard secondhand from the other Thieves here and there about how Futaba's Palace was a tomb and how much she had suffered over her mother's death. Haru only wishes she had joined the Thieves earlier so she could have helped Futaba then as she did in her father's Palace. ]

Something in memoriam? I see, I think that's a wonderful idea.

What kind of person was she?

Mhm. Something to remember her by since I'm...here.

[She may have done things back home with Sojiro, but it didn't feel right to not do something special for her mother here too.]

She was really smart. She figured out the whole Psience thing, after all. And Mom...she was nice, she wanted to make sure we were able to be happy...

Maybe... do you want to put something up for her at the Ted Kord Memorial Centre?

[ It seems the most obvious choice, but perhaps at this point a bit of a cliche considering how many other imPorts use it? Although that is the intended purpose, maybe Futaba wants to deviate from the norm. ]

It might help to have a place to visit...like the Memorial Centre.

But I want to do something special for her too. Sojiro and I...I guess we just did things to remember her. For awhile we spent the day trying to perfect her curry recipe. Or he'd take me to a restaurant Mom and I liked.

[Maybe part of the problem was her missing those aspects of home too. She couldn't just ask someone to replace Sojiro--no one really could.

It's up to you.

[ Haru beams at her, laying a hand gently on Futaba's shoulder. ]

But a place of your own to visit her... it may not be such a bad idea. Of course it doesn't have to be the only thing.

Hmm... did she have any hobbies? Or things she liked?

She loved her work...but we were going to take a trip when she was done.

[She shifts slightly, biting her lip as she thinks it over.]

Maybe we could take one...after we set up something at the memorial. Do you think...would it be okay to ask Goro to go?

If you are comfortable with him coming. I know with Goro-kun it's been...

[ Well, he had orphaned both her and Futaba. That kind of pain doesn't easily go away and one doesn't forgive as easily, even if she considers him a friend now and genuinely cares for him.

She can't blame Futaba for feeling strangely about it herself. ]

It's up to you. She was your mother, after all. But... you have new family now, so perhaps it isn't such a terrible idea to try and build on that relationship a little?

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