streetwalkers | (no subject)

[It's a rooftop across from Tokyu Hands. What a cliche setting. Rather, Aoba's kind of enjoying it. It's the same place the Black Rider was seen all this times. Well, one time, every time the same time or different. He used to only watch it on the news or youtube footage of people's cellphones, but lately he's taken to appearing in person to see the event. Though it doesn't always happen like that. So one can't say it's an entirely predictable occurrence each time the world resets.]

[Still it's the same rooftop. It's a fairly handy, unused place, where he can see anyone approaching and no one can casually listen in. So even if it is cliche, it's not just for show. It's been several timelines since he "woke up" and lately he's pretty sure Kida Masaomi has been kind of suspicious of him. Well that's alright, he's been suspicious of Kida for longer than he's been aware of the repeating time. It's really long overdue they had a chat. Especially when Kida's done rude things like kill him in middle school before. Not that it ever helped.]

[So he sits on the edge of the roof, heedless of the sheer drop, and swings his legs as he plays with his cell phone. And then when the person he's invited up here arrives, he looks up with a smile, all bright and admiring like he plays in school.]

Senpai! I'm really glad you could make it, I'm sorry it's such short notice.

[Its tempting just to kick him over the edge.

There's only one person Kida loathes more than Kuronuma Aoba, and that one isn't even worth mentioning. Not even the kid's piece of shit brother makes his blood boil the same way. But it's not fair to do something like that right now, and it would be too obvious.

Besides that, he'd really like to know what's going on. One timeline, no Kuronuma Aoba appeared at all. And since then, he's consistently arrived way before he should, proceeding to muck things up while Kida is usually in the easier, planning stages of the loop. It's frustrating, and he needs to know why, so instead of giving in to the urge to be nasty, he just smiles right back.]

It's no problem! Anything to help out a cute kouhai.

Ah~ That's the kind of cool response I'd expect from Kida-senpai.

[Aoba taps a few things on his phone and leans forward.]

Always trying to help out, it's really admirable. You set an example anyone should want to follow, I'm really glad I get to observe you as a role-model. Would you mind coaching me a little about something? There's a problem I think only Kida-senpai can solve.

If you're having problems with girls, I'm afraid my secret techniques might be too much for a little guy like you! You'll have to stick to your cutsie act to get close to bosoms for now.

Ah, Kida-senpai is really cruel. But actually I need advice about Ryuugamine-senpai.

Eh, really? I didn't know you were into him that way...

[Gets a sort of serious look.]

Mm, well you see it's more that I'm concerned, I think he has a stalker. So I was wondering if I should tell him directly or confront the person myself.

[snorts!]

Really? I'm not sure Mikado's the type to attract stalkers.

[but he does see where this is going...]

But if he did, I'd want to clear the air with the person in question before you smear their reputation!

You think so...? Ah, but he's the kind of scary guy who'd even kill kids to protect that person he's obsessed with. I'm not sure he's reasonable enough to clear the air with, it's kind of frightening.

[Ah-- He knew he was about to be accused of stalking, but...

He hadn't wanted to believe that kind of thing could happen. The thought that Aoba knew -- really knew had occurred to him, but he'd dismissed it as an impossibility, and he'd been spending all this time searching for an alternative to it. Any alternative.

It doesn't make sense. How would he even-- The questions are racing, and for the moment his composure has slipped. He just stands there, startled and tense.]

That's...

[He leans his head in his hand, watching Kida, phone still held casually in the other hand. He's not pretending to smile any more, just observing Kida without his own thoughts really being visible. He gets kind of a twisted pleasure from Kida's own shock, because he hates Kida. He knows what it's like to hate someone like Izaya, who's so like himself he can't stand him. And he knows what it's like not to feel anything in particular except superiority and smug disdain for other humans.]

[But when it comes to Kida it's a different kind of dislike. Mikado he can admire and be afraid of on a different level. But Kida he can only find both pitiful and scary, and the fact that he's worth finding scary pisses Aoba off most of all. That's why he's decided to throw away the parts of himself that are afraid of someone he can remember as his own murderer. After all, if they keep coming back like this, he can just become a scarier monster than Kida's made himself.]

[He doesn't have the pitiful motivation Kida does, so he thinks his reasoning of surpassing fear isn't so incorrect.]

Really frightening and unreasonable, right? That kind of obsession is sort of pitiful too. So I'm wondering how to tell Ryuugamine-senpai that there's a murderer in his life. I'm not sure how he'll react. That's why I wanted the advice of his best friend, in this matter.

I don't think he'd believe you.

[He hopes he wouldn't. But what would Mikado think of all the things he's done, really? If he knew everything...? That's why he's never told. It's something that can't be understood from the outside. And after all, the last thing Kida ever wants to see is a Mikado who truly realises how many other people's lives have been sacrificed for him -- because of his mistakes, or in the name of saving him -- and the fact that saving his life will, in itself, end at least one more.]

You could say he's the kind of optimistic naive senpai who wouldn't want to believe in bad things, that might be true. But I think it's even more naive to underestimate Ryuugamine-senpai's interest in the supernatural and unreal. At the very least I think he'd take me seriously if I approached him seriously.

Well, he wouldn't like it either, I'd feel like I was robbing him of a really nice delusion.

Leave him alone. It wouldn't get you anything to tell him.

Ah, I think it's really unreasonable to say things with that scary face Kida-senpai. You look like a villain.

You're the one making threats, aren't you? And how did you get involved, anyway? Did that bastard drag you in?

Weren't you the one who got me involved? Back before I knew what was going on even. You can't really blame other people for the crimes you've committed yourself.

It wouldn't have been a problem if you didn't keep dragging him into your games, and you know it. But I never did anything to make you remember.

You really misunderstand Ryuugamine-senpai a lot huh? I think it's okay to excuse myself for not understanding him every time I didn't remember, but you've been through this so many times I can only assume you're a hopeless case of someone who can't learn.

Shut up. It's only because the starting point is too advanced that it's such a pain. But even so, it'd be easier if manipulative little freaks like you didn't exist.

No matter how I look at it, it's really hard to figure out how Blue Square was ever threatened by a gang led by such an idiot.

Ah, well, that still leaves us with the matter of how you're going to convince me not to tell Ryuugamine-senpai about you. Of course, you could kill me, but that only works this time, and then you have to think about the next.

Or I could kill you and win this time.

[Just starts laughing.]

Shut up.

You should be a comedian, senpai!

Track Three: Splash Free! Sharks

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