/jp/ - Otaku Culture

Apparently it was all a… 'Misunderstanding'.

"But Keine, the letter was cursed! Cursed! What'd have happened if it got close to Aki or Mochi? And they wear Yukari's symbols!" I defend myself, restlessly rocking my leg up and down, holding Mochi mounted on my knee, wings following the moves. Keine's face was that of sheer disappointment, and it dug deep, the silence gnawing on my chest and littering my blood-flow with guilt. Gojo—or whatever was his name—gently patted a pissed Seija's hair on the opposite couch, coffee table between us sporting four cups of recently made tea and the uncovered basket of sweets and snacks. Keine's power erased the story and pain of them being closely burned alive, just as the memories of whoever watched… but I'd be pissed too if I were in their place.

"I understand, Mokou—and our guests will promptly explain that." Her authoritative voice straightens Gomo's back, Seija 'tsk'ing from the lack of hair brushing. Still, Keine makes a simple gesture of 'wait'. "But you shouldn't come to such hasty conclusions based on what surrounds someone. People are more than their jobs, words, and, most importantly, reputation."

… Ouch. Karmatic irony.

I look at Aki in her arms, my eyes narrowing, gulping down bitterness, hands holding tighter to Kuramochi—gently still—and sigh. Turning to Seija and Bozo, ignoring her smugness, I bow, Mochi trying to pick up my hair to eat it. "I'm sorry for burning you two—" the hound, lazily stretched on the carpet, whimpers. "—You three and coming to such conclusions. I was afraid you meant danger to my family." Keine hummed with my words, holding my hand; I felt immediately better. Seija snickered, ready to say something, but a hand grasping her shoulder stopped her—for her own good.

"It's okay, water under the bridge—I'd feel threatened too in your position… Also, beautiful children, Keine-sensei. I'm happy for you." The man says.

"Thanks~" She nestles Aki more, and I huff with just how happy she seems to have our children appreciated. "But, please, refrain from gossiping around. My situation is precarious already."

"But of course, sensei. I understand; we wouldn't want to make things any harder for you."

"Will we need an ultimate deal for this?" She jokingly asks. Huh?

“Nope, not this time, Sensei.” I raise an eyebrow as the man laughs. What the hell are they talking about?

Keine doesn't seem convinced. "Hm? I still remember you saying something similar to that 'paid education' endeavor—yet keeping it up anyway."

"Sensei, I still stand by that; paid education—even 10 yens per class—teaches the value money holds even in small quantities. It's saddening how many people disregard the little values."

"But what's better than a paid class? Free classes on personal economics that even the small child without 10 yen can properly understand and, thus, appreciate the next 10 yen they’d make." She giggles, the man scratching his nape with contained laughter. "Oh, still no argument against that? I'm grateful for our deal and the continuous victory of free didactics then~"

"Ah, to have the knowledge and debating power of the greatest minds in our history… That's cheating, Sensei."

Keine laughs. Aki giggles softly.

Seija yawns, drinking her tea and eating from the basket; I yawn too, hugging tighter Kuramochi, which seems mystified by the lazy dog, tiny wings softly going up and down… We glance at each other, and understanding—despite recent events—is shared: 'they'll be at that for hours, won't they?'

Better prevent that. "What was that letter, anyway?" Still rubs me the wrong way remembering what I felt in that thing. Yoro recomposes himself, the small joy fading as Keine also takes on a more analytical semblance, holding dear to Aki. Whatever he says flies above my head as, frowning, I stare at him. He sighs, mulling over how to say it in an easier way. The dumbed-down version still confuses me. Keine nudges my arm and, calmly, explains it to me. I understand this time… I guess. "That's a retarded idea."

Mochi giggles, Seija hides hers, munching on a cookie. Keine sighs. "Mokou, language," then turns to Zoro. "It's not a new idea, but it's still something that should be reserved for powerful people who know how to work with it, control it, and remedy the problems it'll create. If it falls into human hands and is comprehended, it would be implemented despite health concerns. I'll happily teach you the consequences of overusing lead in Outside Humanity's history for exemplification of consequences, Goro-kun. Just understand now that if this becomes popular, it WILL get out of your control eventually, and this much accumulated curses and grudges, even in small amounts, will build up considerably…" She softly kisses Aki's scalp, her wings flapping a bit with expressed love. "It could end catastrophically."

The man's expression is impossible for me to discern. Still, I make sure to bring that same rage from before to my eyes.

As a warning, of course.