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Yes! I was so nervous around you... [ He laughs softly at himself; it hasn't been that long ago and he's played the incident on repeat in his mind many times — the snowstorm, sitting snuggled up close with Kirie to keep one another warm.. so aware of the soft-spoken girl beside him. (And the little kiss she'd gifted him...) ]

I've always thought you were so pretty. Your eyes and your smile — your nose. [ He flushes again as he looks over her cute face, but Shinichi's always been an openly earnest boy, at times a contradiction to his shy introversion. Even if it's not easy to openly tell a girl these things, his heart always does the talking for him. ]

I think... you've seemed a bit sad since you moved here, [ he adds, more gently, eyes searching hers. He isn't oblivious to how the new girl's been and behaved since she transferred here, how she'd kept to herself, how people often stared at her as she walked down the halls, wondering what was up with her. And... Shinichi knows what that's like, to an extent. Since Migi happened, his demeanour at school has changed around those who've known him for years, around his friend group (who he's pretty much lost now.) He's been more distant, more melancholic, more strange. Maybe seeing that in somebody else is what truly pulled at his heart to begin with. ]

It made me want to know you even more and I'm really glad I did. Although... I probably would have been too shy to on my own, so it's a good thing we got stuck in that storm together, [ he half-jokes. ]

( to say she's left in shock by this revelation was under selling the overwhelming emotions she felt— this wasn't her first time dating someone, but to be spoken about in such a way left her speechless. the compliments right down to something as insignificant as her nose...well she was certainly starting to fall hard for him. it left her pale and almost color-less face with a growing blush. she felt alive for once, her entire body feeling as if it was awakening for the first time. the last time she felt anything like this was when she fell on top of those dead bodies, finally feeling like she could rest and accept death.

instead she had woken up being rescued and now she was here. alive again.

the grip on his hand tightened, and there was so much she wanted to say in turn, but of course the school bell had to ring. they had to go to class and put aside these feelings and while she seemed more on the invisible side when it came to being present in school, she actually did try to be on time to things. )

Shinichi...I...let's finish this discussion after class okay?

( and whether or not he answered her, she practically dragged him along to class, hand in hand.

it was going to be one long day, with her being desperate to be able to hold his hand and talk to him again. )

[ Seeing that adorable little blush spreading across the girl's face only makes his heart melt even more for her. There really is no hope for him at this point... his growing puppy crush on Kirie Goshima has fully taken on a life of its own, and Shinichi just kind of stares at her with a dopey look on his face, as though he could do so forever. Fortunately, time has other plans and he can't just stay standing there in the middle of the hallway gazing fully smitten at the girl.

He's jolted back into reality by the sound of the bell, blinking out of his haze as he perks up to attention. ]

Oh— class! [ That thing they have to get to, right! ] Yes, we can finish it then! [ He agrees, and he's all too happy to keep holding onto Kirie's hand as they move, grasping it back just as much. To think that he's here, holding onto a young woman's hand so freely, heart skipping so many pleasant beats...

The day passes by far too slowly, and each second that he's not sharing a class or break with Kirie feels like eternity. But finally, finally, the final bell rings and freedom comes, which means their little date can properly begin. Shinichi pays a visit to the boys' restroom before to freshen up just a little, check his hair (smoothing down that one stubborn part of his hair that always sticks up a little in the back), straighten out his clothing... When he's satisfied, he heads to meet Kirie out front of the school, perking up as soon as he sees her, like a dog with its tail wagging immediately. ]

Kirie! I'm here! Are you all ready to head out? I already told my parents I'd be home a bit later today.

( this was probably the most her heart has ever beat, its rapid thumping and pounding sensations filling her ears. the entire day was filled with small little blunders on her end, dropped papers, bumping into things, but it was clear she was starting to be affected by shinichi's words and sentiments towards her. little by little she was starting to become more human and the past pain and traumas she'd gone through looked so far in the distance.

could she truly deserve this kind of happiness?

for now she didn't put much weight on her guilt nor in this possible relationship. as much thrill as she felt over being found cute and being liked, she also had a small weight of uncertainty about the whole thing. nothing was ever guaranteed in the end and she knew this painfully well. it was best to just play things as they came and not build memories and expectations on things yet to come.

as the day came to an end and the bell rang, she made her out of her last class for the day and followed a similar ritual to shinichi. she walked into the bathroom and brushed her hair a bit, it having grown a bit more these days than when she had first arrived. she wasn't sure if she still felt confident enough to reach the full length she had before, but that wasn't something she was focused on. instead she pulled forth a simple cherry gloss and placed it on her lips, bringing some color to them. with a nervous little movement, she finally finished getting ready and bolted out to meet shinichi. )

I'm ready, thank you for waiting.

( 'I already told my parents I'd be home a bit later today.' his words reminded her of the demise of her own family, bringing a soft nostalgic feeling to her. still she brushed it off, grabbing his hand without really thinking much and walking forth. )

I don't...I don't really have a curfew so whatever you want to do is fine with me. ( a lot of implications there but surely shinichi was a good boy with no ill intent. )

[ Seeing Kirie (looking so cute all over again, good lord) keeps feeling like the first time, somehow. Each time Shinichi approaches her, he feels the nervous flip-flops in his stomach, not so much butterflies anymore as something much larger and hardier. It's more like frogs. It makes him pleasantly dizzy, a little light-headed. It's easy, in the moment, to forget about his own worries and concerns regarding this whole thing. Easy to slip into what it feels like to just be a normal teenage boy with a normal teenage crush blossoming and taking over everything else.

...The worse things are still there, he hasn't really forgotten. All of the secrets he carries, his own guilts, his own... strangeness. Migi. How in the world is Migi actually going to react to all of this? The parasite has remained strangely silent all day long, not even piping up to speak to him one single time. Surely he isn't sleeping all that time, is he...? Is he just... watching? Observing? It's always an uncomfortable thought, but even moreso now that Shinichi's planning to spend more direct time with Kirie.

Speaking of which— he blinks with delighted surprise when the girl reaches for his hand again, letting his own fingers curl snugly around hers as she mentions not having a curfew. There is maybe a fresh blush that dusts his cheeks — a lot of hormones are racing through him right now, okay... — but he shrugs it off easily enough and smiles brightly. ]

Maybe we can do something fun after our drinks. There's a park near my house.

[ ...He won't mention that he frequently gets picked on by bullies at that very park. Hopefully those guys won't be around today.

It's at that moment that he realises Kirie's holding his right hand — and there's a kneejerk little jolt in him, but he swallows that down and reminds himself that Migi wouldn't do anything; he wouldn't risk exposing himself. Shinichi retains full control over his right arm in the moment, so... everything's fine. With a little surge of boldness, the boy swings Kirie's arm gently forwards and back a little bit, looking over at her with a playful smile. ]

( her heart's beating fast, a similar rhythm and sensation to the various times she had to fight for her life. yet she wasn't in any danger at this time, nothing to fear, no endless spirals that twist and contort her fellow mankind into objects of torture and torment. instead all that stood by her side was a teenage boy who stirred feelings within her she didn't know she still had left—

with all of his simpleness and sweet, shy disposition, he made her feel human again. it was enough to truly drive her to tears, like a prisoner being released from an unjust situation. instead though she bit down on her lower lip and forced herself to push past any of her strong emotions. if she stopped to cry, she'd miss their date and she was far more excited for it than she had realized.

so much so, that she was guiding them both towards the drink shop with a spring in her step, cool wind picking up her hair in the breeze. each step seemed to draw forth a better version of herself, one that was slowly shedding that sickly weak girl she had appeared to be when she first joined his school. )

I like that idea, you have....really good ideas. Let's do it.

( she was still a bit serious in her tone, more direct and blunt than he was, yet there was a smile on her lips. fingers squeezing his in turn, her hand becoming as warm as her face was starting to look. each swing of their arms felt like a flutter to her heart, leaving the walk from their school to the shop feeling like a quick little trip.

soon enough they were at the shop, her mind finally being able to relax and not worry that there was something terrifying and horrid awaiting her for daring to feel any semblance of happiness again. she was shinichi, having survived being stuck in a cold locker room, afraid for her life, on a real date.

and soon they were in their seats, drink in hand. it was time for her to ask him things, right? )

Is this your first time on a date like this?

[ Shinichi doesn't at all mind the more serious disposition that Kirie has — she's calm, a presence that makes him feel calmer. He likes the subtle gestures she gives, the small smiles, the little doses of warmth in her eyes. It's more of a warm glow than a bright shine, and he likes it a lot. For the first time in... so long, he doesn't feel so alone. He has a friend, and also someone who makes his heart beat faster, makes him feel human again. Sometimes it's easy to forget what that's like, with so much of his life wrapped up in Migi and the alien parasites now. It's... consumed everything. But underneath all of that horror, he's still just a teenage boy. Kirie helps remind him of that.

Freshly flushed, he lets Kirie guide him along like she does, more than happy to eagerly keep up with a bounce in his own step. Her hand's so warm and human in his own grasp; he wishes he never had to let go.

Once inside, he orders his usual brown sugar tapioca tea (not being the most adventuresome of guys...) and settles in at a table with Kirie, folding his arms conversationally on its top while he leans in to listen to her, his attention remaining focused wholly on the girl. The world around them might as well not exist, just a background hum of noise and movement. ]

It is — I think. I've been out with someone a couple of times to get a treat, but it wasn't really a date. [ His mouth tugs to the side for a moment as he thinks about it, and for a moment he's a little mournful, frowning slightly. Satomi... another one of his friends he's fallen so out of touch with, ever since Migi happened. The little crush he'd had on the girl fizzled out over time, with them hardly even speaking anymore. ]

There was someone a few months ago I was um... starting to get to know? But we... fell out of touch with one another... What about you, Kirie? Have you been on a date before? Or had a boyfriend?

( in a way she should have anticipated this question coming up, it was only natural for people to be curious about the past others had; the baggage they carried. she had mourned and cared deeply for her first and last boyfriend shuichi. she’d also had done a great number of mistakes when it came to heading his warnings, writing him off as too paranoid, even when things became dire.

she was mature now— she’d lived a thousand lives in those moments and had become so ancient in that time. yet hearing shinichi talk about this other girl he might have fancied before her sparked an emotion she never felt before— jealousy. even back then when one of her so called friends had her fixations on her boyfriend at the time she couldn’t care too much really. so why were her hands under the table becoming tight?

yet as quickly as he told his story and it was her turn to speak, she couldn’t help but feel like a hypocrite. she’d be telling this poor boy the truth but withholding the painful end to her relationship.

she swallowed a bit, forcing a soft smile as she rose her hand up to fiddle with the straw of her drink. )

Back in my small hometown I…I dated this boy who went to a different high school than I did. We were together for some time but we never really did anything too uh well you know—

( intimate, she thought but she wasn’t quite sure why she felt the need to mention it. regardless, she went on to wrap up her admission quickly. there was no way she’d tell him about the darkness that haunted her, their painful send off.

at least not here. )

Anyways he was very introverted and it was hard to read his mind sometimes. I could never tell what he really thought about me. I guess it’s fine that things ended, it wasn’t something very serious anyways.

( there’s a hot sting in the back of her mind as she relegated him to being nothing more than a passing teenage experience knowing full well he did care about her enough to plead her to keep living for their sake but—

she didn’t want to hurt shinichi with her past. especially when it was dead and there was no bringing it back to life. so she took a sip of her drink, something fruity with low sugar, before smiling at shinichi. )

But I’ve never really been on a date with someone who made me feel so…..so special. You’re very sweet to me.

[ He listens attentively as the girl talks, open and curious to learn more about her life. There's still so much about Kirie that he doesn't know, and he's perking up as she mentions her hometown, focused on the words.

Truthfully it's not too surprising to him to learn that she'd had a boyfriend before; for one thing Kirie's so darling that he has a hard time imagining she wouldn't draw the attention of teenage boys. For another, most people their age have at least had some kind of romance, or at least... it can seem that way. Even before Migi happened, Shinichi was always a very shy, bookish young man — things like dating were difficult to even imagine, and admittedly he's felt a bit behind in comparison to his peers.

Which is in part why he feels a little flutter of his own anxiety at the thought of Kirie having dated someone in the past. Even when she alludes to the fact they hadn't gone... far romantically, he can't help a certain sinking feeling. What if he seems too... inexperienced? He'd never even been kissed before the sweet, chaste thing that Kirie gave him back during the snowstorm. Surely he seems a little pathetic, childish.

(Unbeknownst to him, Migi is listening to all of this with intensity, for human relationships are of utmost fascination to the alien entity. Especially the physical aspect to them.... Every once in a while, one of Shinichi's fingers gives a little twitch, but it's nothing that he even notices.) ]

Oh—

[ Shinichi blinks wider at the girl's words, blushing all over again. It immediately counters the coils of anxiety in his stomach, and he looks quickly down as though trying to hide the shy smile that tugs at the corners of his mouth. ]

I'm glad to hear that, Kirie. I know I'm not..... the coolest guy around. Truthfully it's still hard to believe someone like you would even look my way. [ He laughs, reaching up to adjust his glasses as he shyly makes eye contact with the girl again. ] But you are special. You make me feel so happy, and— and I'm really glad you're my friend, too. These past weeks... being with you at school and having you to talk with at night when things are a bit lonely... it's made me so happy. So I want to do anything I can to make you feel happy, too.

[ He smiles, soft but warmly. It truly was not that long ago that he felt completely and utterly alone. And now... Kirie's like a light in so much darkness. He looks forward to seeing her every single day, thinks about what she's doing, how she's feeling, wants to check in with her and talk for hours if he could. ]

Meeting you has been one of the best things to happen to me. I mean that.

( she wasn't quite sure how he'd take her words, hoping they didn't hurt him even if she had been careful with her phrasing. truthfully she did love shuichi for all his faults— he'd worked so hard to protect her and beg her to leave that town. if it weren't for her....

but she decided to set that aside. she'd mourned him, gotten over her love for him and had accepted she needed to live for both their sakes. what did surprise her though was shinichi's response, the way he immediately turned things back around to compliment her. she was left with a deep blush on her face, eyes wide as she simply took in everything he said about her. she was silent for a moment as he said those words, 'I mean that', before she thought back on what he said about his friend from earlier.

was she part of the reason he was like this? it almost made her sad to hear they weren't in touch anymore, a past jealousy coming and going as easily as it arrived. she didn't want to become like that with him, even if they could no longer be friends or lovers. so she held out her hand, pinky finger struck out firm and bold before his face. )

If you really feel that way then make me a promise! Promise that no matter what, even if you stop feeling that way about me....you'll always be my friend. Please.

( it was the first time she showed him such a bout of emotion, her face determined and voice filled with more energy than she'd ever shown before. she just couldn't handle the idea of losing him too, even if their relationship was just blooming into something new. before he could hook his own finger between hers though, she leaned in, a bright smile on her face as she spoke. )

By the way, you're the coolest person at our school in my eyes....and the cutest.

( a final declaration before they made their promise. )

[ The boy blinks widely when Kirie holds out her hand with her pinky finger up — listening to her words with a visible surprise in his features. It's the first time he's seen Kirie so outright impassioned in this particular sort of way and it has him falling into complete silence as he listens. Then......

Then comes those sweet words as the girl leans in, smiling at him like that, and Shinichi feels something within him melting into pieces. There's an almost comically stupefied look on his face for a moment, before he flushes more than he ever has, a dark red all the way to the tips of his ears. His head quickly dips down, eyes shyly sweeping from hers and to the table top, but he's smiling so big and so stupid that it almost hurts. The urge to hide shyly away is countered by the need to look back up and see Kirie's face, looking at him that way. To absorb all of those words fully, because... because they make him feel happier than he can remember feeling in so long.

He lifts his head again, smiling at her as he reaches his arm to meet her hand, his pinky finger lifting, joining it against the girl's and wrapping it securely around. There's a squeeze, even if his hand is trembling just a little bit with the surge of pleasant nerves and how shy she can leave him with just a few simple words and looks. ]

I promise! We'll always be friends. Nothing'll ever change that.

[ In the back of his mind, there's some aching little reminder that it could be out of his choice... right? What if Migi forbids him from seeing Kirie anymore? (But then again, if the parasite was going to do that, wouldn't he have already mentioned it? And all the people that Shinichi fell out of touch with were friends he had before Migi happened. People who knew the person he was before, and became aware of the changes in him now. Kirie... has only ever known him since he had Migi. She's met the boy who keeps to himself, who has some odd habits here and there. She doesn't miss who he used to be, but accepts who he is now.)

Of course, he still has that dark secret, and it's... a guilt in his stomach like a stone. He's doing something unfair, isn't he? If this kind girl knew how hideous and scary he actually was... the truth about him... But isn't it possible he can still have someone, outside of his dark parts? A friend? Even more? He's not the boy with an alien when he's with Kirie, he's just... a boy. And so no matter what, he will vow to stay friends with Kirie. He won't lose her.

So his smile softens and he slowly goes to uncurl his pinky so Kirie can have her hand back, but— his finger stays wrapped around hers. Shinichi looks down at his hand, realising it's his right. Migi's intrigued by this gesture between them, this symbol of promise, and seems to be observing it further. ]

Aahh- ahaha, [ Shinichi laughs nervously and instead of trying to keep pulling his hand away, gently pushes it further into Kirie's so that he's properly holding it instead. His fingers give hers a squeeze across the table, and fortunately the act snuffs out the parasite's exploration. ]

...Thank you. For always being my friend. And... for being my first date, [ he adds, biting his lower lip with another shy smile. ] You're the cutest date a guy could ever have.

( there is no judgement, no signs of being disturbed by his little show in regards to her words. instead her face settled on something soft and tender, observing him and his movements with a kindness she'd always had. if there was something that town and its curse could never rob her of was that— the kindness she showed to her previous boyfriend, the reporter who wandered into town and she helped take care of, and towards her small brother in that lighthouse. it all resulted in her paying for it one way or another, but it still didn't change who she was. it was the same now for the boy in front of her, who gave her so much love and affection without restraint.

she didn't say it, but it was there in her heart, a promise to protect him, them. )

Thank you.

( as their fingers wrapped against each other, she smiled at him directly now, but before she could pull away, he remained there holding her. his skin was warm to the touch, smooth and comforting. there was no resistance on her part to let go so when he gripped her hand, she bent it just a bit to bring their hands down to the table to rest. she held his own tightly, loose finger or two gently caressing against his skin as her gaze lowered down to look at their hands being connected. a soft blush of her own spread across her pale face, clearly enjoying this level of affection with shinichi.

soon though, after his sweet speech that drew an eye or two from other patrons, it was time to walk off and continue their date at the park he'd mentioned. )

Will you...will you push me on the swing?

( by now the bright blue sky outside had melted into something more romantic, sun being lulled to sleep by the end of the day. the purple and orange hues of the sky poured above them, leaving the view in a soft haze as she held his hand. they had made their way to the park after a rather confession filled date, not once breaking their touch.

once they arrived, she guided them towards one of the metal barriers and leaned against it, taking a brief break as her eyes looked onwards towards the swing set. there was some piles of wood on the floor, possibly from children having played with them before. otherwise the park was empty, just the two of them. )

It's so nice to be able to go out like this and not worry about anything.

( there's a soft breeze of wind, lifting up one a strand of her hair and as she looked towards shinichi, her eyes focused on his lips, thinking this was a perfect time to kiss him before they went on to play on the swings, as if they were much younger than what they really were.

unfortunately, the rustling in the distance seemed to indicate something was amiss. )

[ There's a fluttering in his heart when Kirie sinks into that gesture, her hand fitting into his effortlessly, both of their resting there on the table like that. It's equal parts relief and shy joy (with just a smidgen of nervousness regarding Migi still in there, but... he has to trust the parasite wouldn't make too crazy of an appearance, right now. Sure, Migi's done some embarrassing things in the past, but he's learned how to keep more low-key since then...)

The rest of the time at the coffee shop passes without any incident, at least, and Shinichi's happy to settle into some more comfortable chatter with Kirie as they finish off their drinks. By the time they're heading to the park, hands still clasped in one another's, he's truly let himself relax into the experience, and he's no longer feeling those pleasant nerves so severely, but rather comfortable enough to feel a bit more confident about everything.

He nods with a bright smile and moves with Kirie over towards those swings, soaking up the melting sun's lingering warmth and enjoying the beauty of the moment. It's so peaceful out here, and.... and it's been a very long time since he had some company at this park. These days, it's become a safe, quiet spot for him to spend some time discussing things with Migi, keeping far enough away from any other park-goers that no one notices the boy muttering quietly to his own hand. It's a bit lonely, being around people but not really around them. Close enough to see them, but not close enough to feel like one of them anymore.

But this afternoon, it's just him and Kirie, and he's no longer lonely at all.

He's looking back at the girl as he smiles and watches the warm orange glow of the sinking sun that washes over her. He almost doesn't hear it at first, his attention so fixed on Kirie. But then there's the sound of laughter that cut through the peaceful silence, and he's turning his head to watch as a small gang of teenage boys comes shuffling around the bushes along the sidewalk path, heading towards them.

They're big, mean-looking, laughing raucously and throwing rocks here and there. When they spot the young pair up ahead, the leader of the group gives a sharp smile, eyes lighting up. It's clear he recognises Shinichi, and the boy's giving Kirie's hand a sudden squeeze, alarmed as he turns towards the approaching group. It's clear that he recognises them, too. ]

Well, well, well, what do we have here? It's the loser and look — he's got himself a girlfriend!

[ The boys all start crooning about it, making lewd remarks and cackling. Shinichi scowls and takes a protective step in front of Kirie, surprisingly bold in the face of the group. ]

Leave us alone, you guys! We're not bothering you, so just keep walking!

Awwww, the dork's protective of his girlfriend, isn't he? That's so sweet. She must be real special. Tell you what, Four Eyes? This time we'll put you back in your favourite dumpster, but we won't make your girlfriend go in too. No, she can come with us. She'll have a much better time with us than with you.

[ The boys erupt into fresh laughter and Shinichi makes a fist with his other hand, taking another step forward, heart pounding. ]

You stay away from her!

And you shut up! How many times am I gonna have to make you be quiet? I've lost count now. Remember when I broke those stupid glasses of yours? Maybe I'll do that again.

[ The leader hones in on Shinichi, turning fully towards him. ]

( this day had been perfect; it was filled with new sights, emotions, and declarations that all began to warm her once cold, nearly dead heart. she felt safe with shinichi, began to allow herself to fantasize about their future together even if she still felt she didn't deserve to. how many had died back in that town for her to be the only person to be free like this?

and yet she selfishly chased that little dream, finding that the boy before her stimulated those feelings and allowed her to just be. nothing could truly come between them now—

and yet freedom always came with a price. )

D-Do you know these guys?

( she managed to whisper, before they began to encroach and it became clear what was happening. she moved behind shinichi, gauging the situation before she realized what was going on. it was one thing to deal with bullies but ones who were audacious enough to suggest physical violence to either of them left a pit in her stomach. the news reporter woman from so long ago came into town, stuck trying to chase the story of the spiral. she'd told kirie about so many cases around the country, including some bullying ones that led to horrific crime scenes.

she did not want this to end up like that, yet there was an overwhelming fear that came over her as they spoke, as the leader began to walk closer and closer like a predator hunting its prey.

now was the pinnacle moment for her to decide— would she give up her freedom here and now, to the hands of some homegrown punks who decided to take out their frustrations on shinichi, or did she stand up for what was right? she had the strength, a tremendous willpower to live and fight, something she knew from just how hard she fought to survive in that town. the scars, both physical and mental were evidence of that much. so as time swept past them slowly, the voices of these boys filling her ears with their nonsense, no better than spew from a swine, she reached for one of the wooden planks on the ground. no one was looking at her, all eyes on her brave prince—

but what good was it to finally have someone to love, someone who wasn't part of that darkness if she couldn't protect them? shuichi had taught her that much, with all of his awkwardness and almost cold behavior when it came to affection, he taught her that when you love someone you fight until the end to protect them. she couldn't protect him but she could protect this boy who had given her his heart, made her feel like life was worth living for again, and showed her there was love after death. she was allowed to love again, to have friends, a boyfriend, a partner. even if he hated her for what was to come, then it would be a parting gift to him. it was then that all of her fear evaporated away into the warm sky around them.

almost immediately time snapped back into forward motion in synchronicity to her slamming that wooden plank across the leader's face, bringing him crashing against the metal bars of swing set. with him knocked out cold now, a teeth or two rolling from his lips, she set forth towards the others, swinging down on their heads and attacking them like a mad woman. her thin and seemingly frail body was now moving in full force, a new strength filling her movements like a superhuman. the ones free from injury bolted almost immediately, leaving a few who tried to swing at her, hands grabbing at her hair before she whacked them once more, sending them on their tails.

the whole battle didn't take very long, leaving enough time for the leader to recover and spew out some curse words— 'you fucking bitch!', before running off with his tail between his legs. all that remained in the aftermath of this violence was a sky of orange, red trails blending in with the color and a few clouds here and there—

and kirie standing facing away from shinichi, breathing heavy as small droplets of blood trailed down the side of her face. her eyes were wide in horror, but she felt alive, she felt free. the price of freedom came with a heavy sacrifice but she'd already paid that toll many times and over, over and over with that damn curse of the spiral. she deserved to live a peaceful life now, and no one or thing was going to take that from her. she would fight tooth and nail for it. )

[ There's a part of Shinichi that reminds him that Migi would never let anything too serious happen to him —....but it's not really too much help in a situation like this one, since the parasite can't risk revealing himself to a gang of humans. These encounters with Shinichi's bullies typically involve him getting his ass kicked no matter what, with Migi observing it all quietly to make sure it's not going to get too dangerous. He'll pull himself out of a dumpster or off the ground, stumble back home with a bleeding lip or black eye. These guys just like to leave their mark every once in a while; the threat isn't deadly, so Migi has no true reason to have to step in.

But now... now there's another factor at play. It's not just him facing the brunt of these bastards; now there's Kirie. And he won't let them hurt her. Best case scenario: they take out their frustrations on him like usual and all the talk about Kirie is just that, talk. But Shinichi can't know that for sure. What if they do act on it? What if they do take her off with them? Hurt her? He can't stomach the thought at all, hands curling into fists, ready to fight as hard as he possibly can, even with the nauseating heavy stone in his stomach reminding him that he's outnumbered and can only do so much.

(He readies himself to beg Migi to help Kirie, whatever it takes. Would the parasite listen to him? Migi has no reason to protect what he would consider a 'random human girl', would he? But Shinichi's ready to beg him...)

Everything happens really fast. There's a blur of motion at his side, and Shinichi barely processes it at first. Then he hears the sound of the wooden board making contact with the leader's face with a horrible smash, sees the sharp red splatter of blood. He feels his right hand tense on its own, Migi stirred into sharper awareness by the close proximity to physical violence.

It's Kirie doing it. Shinichi stares, eyes wide and mouth open, as the girl attacks the boys — all of them taller, bigger than her, all of them just as stunned by what's happening. Some of them rush off, but others aren't so lucky. Even as they lunge for her, Kirie strikes them hard and fast, and then the leader's getting up, running off too, and Shinichi stands there listening to the pounding footsteps of the fleeing boys before they fade into complete silence.

It all feels like witnessing some weird dream. Shinichi doesn't move for a few seconds, barely processing what just happened, but then he realises he can hear Kirie breathing loudly and he moves towards her, both hands lifted. He sees a flash of gold at his right hand for a moment — Migi peeking at her before he fades out of sight, the parasite's attention locked fully onto the girl, seeming just as surprised by her sudden act of brutality as Shinichi is. But he ignores it, and slowly reaches his hands towards her shoulders. ]

Kirie....?

[ He moves slowly around her so that he can see her face, eyes saucer-wide as his fingertips gently make contact with her shoulders, carefully. His heart's pounding with adrenaline and concern for the girl. ]

It's okay. Hey— It's okay now. [ Beat, because even though the danger has passed, she's clearly not in a good state. His mind surges with memory of watching the frail-looking girl go wild on the boys, and he swallows, hard. ] Are you okay?

( there were many things that filled kirie with a wide range of emotions, and many things that held her paralyzed to the floor beneath her. her chest was rising up and down with heavy breaths, hands numb and almost painful to the touch. the droplets of blood that splattered against her smelled terrible like oxidized metallic rust, and her vision was blurred from the intensity of everything that happened. her mind though was secretly reveling in the fact that she had protected herself and her loved ones for the first time in her life instead of just running away, finding a way to survive by being defenseless. no— she'd taken the opposition here and acted based on her instinct. if there was one thing that town gave her, a parting gift, was the courage to finally stand up for herself.

now though as the screams of the boys she attacked wavered forth in the distance, and the sound of shinichi speaking slowly brought her back to, she found herself trembling a bit from the adrenaline. she wasn't sure what she would say to him or do but in the echo of her mind's eye—

'please promise me you'll stay friends with me.'

the memory came back to her, words still fresh on her tongue. how could she ask this of him now after what she did? the regret was starting to boil within her, leaving her to fall to her knees as she dropped the weapon. how could he ever want or love a girl like her who did something so brutal? who had seen so much brutality and death prior to meeting him? he was like a ray of sunshine— no the entire sun — and she was a cold moon wishing to soak up his kindness. how could she ever do that now? )

I'm sorry....

( it's the best she could mutter out as she placed her hands on the ground beneath her, fingers curling into the playground sand. he would hate her, she just knew it. the words toiled and repeated themselves— 'he'll hate you because you showed him who you really are, a monster from that town. the curse will follow you forever. )

[ The wood falls to the ground and Kirie drops down with it — Shinichi watching the girl on her hands and knees, the position so helpless to witness, along with the way her face looks as she apologises, the.... anguish in her.

He doesn't have to think at all about starting to crouch down closer to her, concern outweighing every single thing else, but there's an odd moment where his right arm pulls him back up before he can, and then his hand moves across his chest to latch onto his left arm, fingers curling into the material of his sweater. Startled, Shinichi looks down at himself, eyes wide and agitated; what the hell, Migi? ....And then he realises. The parasite thinks something might be wrong with Kirie, that she might turn that violence against Shinichi. It won't let something hurt its host.

But he's not even thinking about that happening. He doesn't care even if it did; Kirie's in some kind of... emotional pain, turmoil, something's happened to her, and the boy can't let her be alone through it. He snatches his left arm out of his right hand's grasp in one quick movement that actually seems to take Migi by surprise; he's not used to his host fighting against him. And before the parasite can make any kind of movement again, the boy's dropping down to his knees in the sand right next to Kirie, leaning in towards her. ]

Kirie, it's okay... it's okay. You don't have to be sorry. You.... saved me. Saved both of us.

[ Because it's true. Her action caused them both to walk away unscathed, and yes that was because of an unexpected and admittedly horrifying display of violence. (There's some part of Shinichi that can't help remembering how Migi's done much the same. Snapping like that, not hesitating to draw blood.)

...But Kirie's not like the alien. She's kind, and gentle, and sweet. She's crumbling to pieces after that brief but bloody encounter. ]

Are you all right?? Did you get hurt during all that?

[ He sees the remnants of blood and knows they belong to the bullies, but even so... he's slowly, carefully, reaching to brush the end of his sleeve against her cheek as he leans in, eyes looking her all over, fretfully. ]

( the atmosphere around them is unusually quiet— where crows would be flying over head, squawking away or perhaps the gentle rumblings of cicadas would fill the silence, there was nothing. truthfully the curse had ended the day she managed to escape that town, and while she had read about how it was always their destiny to end up like that, she believed that by being able to leave, she broke free of it. there was no curse following her, only the traumatic memories of all the death and horror she witnessed. it certainly did help her to grow, to become stronger but...

she was keeping secrets here. the once very quiet and sullen girl wasn't always like that, and while shinichi probably assumed she was just naturally withdrawn, she had become that way from so much intense fear and horror that filled her once normal life. it was time to come clean, for their sake.

taking a soft breath, she finally summoned the courage to look at him as he gently brushed away some of the blood from her face. she felt so ashamed, so unable to form the words to connect to him properly and explain that she really did feel terrified for both of them, that she was acting on a desire to no longer be a victim of anything or anyone. would he understand? could he still.....care for her and view her the same way he had before? the thought of him distancing himself, fearful and upset with her hurt her heart for some reason.

after a few moments of deliberation, she finally rose up from the ground and faced him fully. her expression softened, eyes widening as she swallowed down a painful lump and tightness that seemed to grip at her throat. )

No, I'm alright really....I just...

( she crossed her left arm over her chest, hands gripping her right shoulder as she looked down to the ground and thought about how to approach this. )

I have something to tell you. I'm so sorry Shinichi, I should have told you before, the reason why I can barely sleep why...I moved to this town in the middle of the school year....why I am the way that I am. You don't have to forgive me, you don't even have to....understand it. I just ask that you please listen to my story.

[ Shinichi can feel his heart pounding, not from fear of her but from that swell of adrenaline that hasn't quite gone down, mixed with his worries for Kirie. He's never seen someone so upset in such a way, losing it so quickly and so extremely. (And even when his mind flit to Migi's ability to attack and lash out so brutally, it's with a cold, unfeeling precision. Kirie's not like that. She's... upset, and it hurts so badly to see.)

This is horrible, whatever's happened to her. He doesn't know what to do, how to help. He just stays there with her as she stands, his own long legs moving to do to the same, keeping close. Then— he's listening to her words, eyes widening. He's certainly known that Kirie's had something going on ever since she moved here, the girl having been so withdrawn, quiet, flinching away from contact as though it hurt. Even now that he's been getting to know her and spending time with her, and seeing Kirie open up a bit more and more over time around him, those things haven't simply gone away. He knows she struggles being around people and crowds, struggles to get sleep; it's one of the ways they'd connected, texting each other over those long hours into the night.

His worry for Kirie has never gone away, but he's quietly hoped to let her warm up over time in the ways she can — and he knows he has his own ways of opening up to do. He never wanted to directly ask about her past or where she came from; asking about her old boyfriend was the first time he's ever approached the subject of her life before here, and it's been carefully. And now... now it seems that something's built up, and he watches her as she speaks, expression softening as his words come, gentle and reassuring. He won't leave her side. ]

Of course I'll listen, Kirie. Anything you need to say, I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere.

[ He nods, and gently reaches out (mindfully so with his left hand, not giving Migi any excuse to pull back away from her), resting just his fingertips at the girl's arm. But it's a way to maintain connection, to hold onto her, afraid to let her go. He looks to the swings they were planning to visit before the.... incident happened, and gently coaxes her that way. ]

Do you want to come sit down while we talk?

( there's a wetness against her eyebags, dripping down her face that she barely realized was there. his words came like a gentle breeze but almost deafening as she tried her best to stabilize her mind and body— her heart was beating so much, so hard, she could barely hear anything but that familiar yet terrifying pitter patter of that muscle. yet somewhere in the throws of despair, she found the strength to move forth and guide her body towards the swing-set. it was so much effort, mind screaming instructions to muscles that barely wanted to move and felt atrophied, but the gentle touch of his fingers pushed her along the way.

as soon as she sat down on the swing, her hands clamped down on the chains on each side of her, gripping and holding onto them for dear life. she looked forward, unable to really face the boy she had been serenading sweet words to only earlier— at least as best she could with the fears and trauma that still held her back. that reminded her of her place in the world. )

Yeah....here's fine.

( her voice is still so sweet, so soft spoken— clearly it was still kirie. no curse took over, no hair growing and spiraling into an insatiable force designed to pull attention to its self, and no hole ripped on the ground underneath them. all seemed normal, of course minus the fact that now there were a gang of bullies terrified of kirie. witch they'd yell, at least she thought so, not knowing this was enough to stun them into a silence, to never dare admit a girl of all people got the best of them.

as gentle breeze picked up, sweeping past them and giving the swing next to her a bit of a creak, she closed her eyes and thought back about the horrifying tale of kurouzu-chō and the spiral. )

It began a year ago, in my hometown of Kurouzu-chō when one day my boyfriend's father began to become obsessed with spirals. I had gone out of my way to see him before heading home, noticing that he seemed distressed. He began to talk about how one day his father became obsessed with strange things, with spirals....I laughed, I said it was nothing to worry about, we all have things we like right?

Well during that time I lived with my family, my mother, my father, my little father. My father was a potter and Shuichi's father began to commission him for some pieces focused on spirals. His obsession only became stronger, causing him to lash out at his family and one day, when I came to deliver these goods and it was only him, he began to act strange...his body began to twist and contort, eyes spiraling in circles and soon he told me he no longer needed to buy things with spirals on them. He could turn his body into one and he showed me. It was terrifying and yet back then, I thought nothing of it after he passed away shortly after. I did that a lot, I would....pretend nothing was wrong, not worry nor fear but not Shuichi. He begged me to leave that town, for us to run away because he felt something was coming.

( with a soft breath, she paused, leaning down and staring at her feet. she gently kicked them, kicking up a bit of sand. )

Things only got worse from there, every day it seemed that people were being driven to madness with their obsession for spirals including Shuichi's mother. The trauma of seeing her husband die in such a way made her terrified of spirals and she began to self-mutilate because of it. Eventually of course it led to her own death, discovering we all have spirals inside of us, in our ears.....

I won't tell you every nitty gritty detail about it Shinichi but please...let me explain why I'm....I'm so messed up now.

[ Shinichi moves with Kirie over to the swings, letting her ease onto one of the seats first before he takes the swing beside her, fingers wrapped around the chains. Even as Kirie looks forwards, not making eye contact with him, Shinichi's gaze stays on the girl, worried and intense as he waits. His mind spins while there's a heavy stone in his stomach, dread looming in. Whatever Kirie's about to tell him is clearly a lot for her and he can't imagine what it could possibly be, only that it's sure to be something horrible. As promised, he's right here to listen, but he's deeply worried about what must have happened to her.

And then her soft voice begins, and he's listening to everything she says, mind conjuring up mental images to go along with the scene Kirie paints of her old hometown, her family, her boyfriend Shuichi. It doesn't take long for the words to shift into something.... else, however. Something absolutely horrific.

Shinichi's eyes widen as he listens, as he imagines the terrible things Kirie's saying — a man who could twist his body into a spiral? He can hardly picture what that must... must look like, but what he is able to conjure up is so disturbing it makes his throat tight with anxiety, and he swallows hard.

Something coming, madness, obsession with spirals....? It all sounds like something out of a horror movie, except Shinichi knows better than to reduce such impossible things to that. He of all people knows. There's not an ounce of him that doesn't believe Kirie's tale so far, and so despite his own anxiety and horror, he nods and reaches over to give her arm a gentle touch, another little reminder that he's here, that he's not going anywhere. That he's listening. ]

Tell me everything you need to, Kirie. I want to know what happened to you. What happened with these.... spirals.

[ He's aware, again, of Migi shifting around here and there — listening to everything too. No doubt, the alien's attention is piqued hard by what Kirie's saying. This.... strange anomaly that happened to a town. But Shinichi can't address any of that with him right now, ignores it so he can keep listening. ]

( it didn't take kirie very long for her to come forth with the entirety of her story, each event that occurred to her told as if it were an epic saga of situations that seemed to occur specifically to her, her family, or both her and shuichi. she described how her hair had begun to grow at a rapid pace, twisting into spirals and driving her to the brink of death. of the boy so obsessed with her he'd jump out in front of a car and his body turned into a strange spiral-spring; of the girl who became obsessed with her boyfriend and how her head turned into a warped spiral. all of it went touched, brief details of suspense and mystery, all ending with her injured.

when she got to the lighthouse and how she suffered from serious burns, she stood up and pulled her shirt up, showing him the faded scars against her back. the skin was now far more white than the rest of her own, evidence that she at the very least did suffer from that. it went on about how a reporter from out of town forced her way in, only to end up trapped— her phone pulling up the news record as to how she was still missing to this day after she went out to report on a story. the town's name wasn't mentioned, but the dates seemed to at least line up with what kirie had describe.

then at the crux of it all, with her eyes dampened from having to relive those horrors, she finally mentioned how things fully fell apart. the entire town was now in shambles, living in spiraling government provided townhomes, people resorting to cannibalism and the like, and how in her journey to find an answer to all of this, only death awaited her.

she remained silent as she finally revealed how things ended for her then boyfriend, begging her with his last breath for her to live and escape and how for some cruel reason the town allowed only her to escape. it was all a lot for the girl, her face red, eyes wide in fear, chest rising and lowering as her breathing became heavier and painful. all she could do was stabilize herself—

but then it dawned on her. how could this boy, who was so positive and kind love a girl like her? sullen and tainted by unimaginable horror at best, at worst a lunatic making up things for attention. she was sure he wouldn't believe her, or if he did, he'd be stunned and no longer want to associate with her.

so she turned to him, observing and waiting for his reaction before speaking once more. )

I'm sorry, it's a lot to lay on you....it's too much I know.

( she felt so guilty, she thought she'd take this secret to the grave but no matter where she went, the horrors always seemed to jump out at her and remind her that she was always going to carry this burden. )

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⋯⋯⋯ 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐓

my best babies 🥹

truly 😭

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