ic contact;

[condoner]

This is Tsunemori! I'm sorry, I'm not here right now, but please leave a message. I promise to get back to you once I'm able. Thank you very much! ( action → text → voice → video )

Comments

[zitteraal]

[ He'd laugh if that didn't feel like something strange to do in reference of someone trying to be rude to Akane.

But at the same time, he isn't terribly surprised. ]

Recently?

[ Because he'd beat them up but no, he's actually a little curious. ]

[condoner]

That's right.

[ she looks away, trying not to frown too much. but her eyes really have drooped even more that her sadness is obvious. ]

I've been tested.

[zitteraal]

...Tested?

[ He stops mid-motion in drinking his coffee to flick his gaze back towards Akane, mildly questioning. Somehow, this reminds him of when Akane told him that she doesn't have it in her to be unjust. ]

Back in your world?

[condoner]

[ quietly: ]

In an attempt to cloud my hue, one of my colleagues murdered my grandmother.

[zitteraal]

Cloud your—

[ That term doesn't really resonate, but that last bit does. ]

—They killed someone close to you, to bring you down to their level?

[condoner]

More or less.

[ a sip of her coffee, and she looks adolf directly in the eye. ]

When someone's hue gets clouded, where I'm from, it alerts the police and the person is asked to seek therapy. Someone's hue reflects one's mental stability and likelihood of committing a crime. If one's hue is still cloudy after therapy, then they're deemed as a latent criminal and are arrested.

[zitteraal]

[ Well, that sounds... impractical? He's not sure what to make of this, but it's easy enough to tell that Akane isn't lying by the way she locks her eyes on him, so Adolf doesn't do the disservice of looking away. ]

...That system doesn't sound too reliable. [ Briefly, he wonders if Akane sees people that way— clouded or unclouded. But he remains steady despite his mild trepidation. ] And you walked away from that without 'clouding'?

[condoner]

It was a challenge.

[ a beat. ]

But I did.

[zitteraal]

[ He's not sure whether to find this alarming or not, so he keeps himself carefully neutral, takes a sip of coffee while he thinks. ]

And that's fine with you?

[ What he wants to say is 'is anything bothering you', but, again. Too awkward for that. ]

[condoner]

I'm not going to break the law.

[ her tone is light, but firm at the same time. you can tell it's very important to her. ]

[zitteraal]

[ He knows that look, and he watches Akane for a careful second before breaking posture, settling back into his seat. ]

Enough people worry about the law. What about you.

...How do you feel.

[ That's such a hard question for him to ask... ugh... ]

[condoner]

[ she smiles softly as she looks down at her plate, poking her cake with her fork a bit. ]

I'm fine.

[ she really is. ]

[zitteraal]

...Is that right.

[ He says it more for his own benefit, and puts his cup back down on its saucer. ]

Then I won't say anything. [ as if he talks that much anyway... ] Have you done anything to unwind?

[condoner]

I've just been checking the network to see if there was anything important I missed.

[ she's not very good at unwinding anymore... workaholic alert. ]

[zitteraal]

That isn't what most people consider unwinding.

[ Akane...!! Not that he can talk, but he's a hypocrite at best. ]

[condoner]

I guess I'm pretty bad at unwinding, ha ha...

[ awkward laughter. ]

[zitteraal]

Yeah. You invited me in instead of doing more constructive things with your time. I'd call that 'bad at unwinding'.

[ Ah. But it's a joke, the kind of dry one that just sounds like an insult, but a joke.

He clears his plate, and then gets up to head towards the kitchen... clearly with the intention of doing his own dishes, what is even up with this guy. ]

[condoner]

[ she's stunned for a couple of moments before she gets up and rushes in front of him, attempting to take the plate. ]

What are you doing?

[zitteraal]

...?

[ And he holds the plate up out of reach, thanks height advantage. ]

Washing the dishes. Bring yours over when you're done.

[ This is perfectly normal?! ]

[condoner]

I can do them on my own, thank you.

[ yeah, she's going to tip toe and try to reach it...

why are they being like children? ]

[zitteraal]

You're the one that showed me hospitality. Sit down and let me do this much.

[ That verges on a command, even if he has no authority here, what a loser.

He's still holding this plate above her head, though... ]

[condoner]

[ she puffs her cheeks, hands on her hips. ]

As a guest, I simply won't allow it.

[zitteraal]

I asked if I could come, and you let me.

[ Not budging...! ]

You've done enough. Now sit down.

[condoner]

This is, by far, the strangest thing I've seen a guest do.

[ she is not going to sit down, though. but rather, she'll join him in the kitchen and watch him work. ]

[zitteraal]

...It isn't that strange. Do none of your friends offer to help with the cleaning?

[ He rolls up his sleeves a little, starts washing the dishes with strangely practiced ease, like he's done this a million times... which he has, being that he was completely whipped back at his home. ]