[ Any familiarity with retreading this conversation with Akira all over again is offset by just how many ways things are so very different now. A new office, where they sit side by side as equals, allies, true friends rather than across from one another as counselor and student. He isn't pasting more half-truths over a previously told falsehood this time; his only lies have been by omission, and the story he tells now will be nothing but the honest truth.
Even if Akira hates him for it. ]
Rumi's family lived far out in the countryside. We were visiting them for her birthday, and so we could announce our engagement... I was so anxious about it, and she was as carefree as ever. That was one of her best qualities. She never got lost in her own head like I do.
[ His thumb rubs over the ridge of his knuckles, bump-bump-bump-bump, back and forth, not as soothing as it usually is. Maruki clears his throat, presses on. ]
While we were there, someone broke into their home. It was just... one of those completely random things. There was no reason to target them, no reason for any of it. But the robbery attempt went south, and... [ He shakes his head, messy fringe flopping across his glasses as his eyes stay trained on the floor. ] We saw what happened to them. The burglar attacked Rumi on his way out as well, and we were lucky her physical injuries weren't more severe, but...
[ His shoulders ache from how he's slowly hunched over through the story, and his spine cracks as he forces himself to sit up straight before leaning back against the couch and looking over at Akira.
One year and a whole reality ago, he guarded his expression, excised his own pain that he'd so deftly ignored and run from for so long. Here and now, though, there's no hiding the sorrow in his eyes. ]
She never recovered from that. What would you do if the person you love became a shell of themselves, Kurusu? What would you do if their mind trapped them in the worst day of their life?
cw murder..... ptsd...... here we go.............
[ Any familiarity with retreading this conversation with Akira all over again is offset by just how many ways things are so very different now. A new office, where they sit side by side as equals, allies, true friends rather than across from one another as counselor and student. He isn't pasting more half-truths over a previously told falsehood this time; his only lies have been by omission, and the story he tells now will be nothing but the honest truth.
Even if Akira hates him for it. ]
Rumi's family lived far out in the countryside. We were visiting them for her birthday, and so we could announce our engagement... I was so anxious about it, and she was as carefree as ever. That was one of her best qualities. She never got lost in her own head like I do.
[ His thumb rubs over the ridge of his knuckles, bump-bump-bump-bump, back and forth, not as soothing as it usually is. Maruki clears his throat, presses on. ]
While we were there, someone broke into their home. It was just... one of those completely random things. There was no reason to target them, no reason for any of it. But the robbery attempt went south, and... [ He shakes his head, messy fringe flopping across his glasses as his eyes stay trained on the floor. ] We saw what happened to them. The burglar attacked Rumi on his way out as well, and we were lucky her physical injuries weren't more severe, but...
[ His shoulders ache from how he's slowly hunched over through the story, and his spine cracks as he forces himself to sit up straight before leaning back against the couch and looking over at Akira.
One year and a whole reality ago, he guarded his expression, excised his own pain that he'd so deftly ignored and run from for so long. Here and now, though, there's no hiding the sorrow in his eyes. ]
She never recovered from that. What would you do if the person you love became a shell of themselves, Kurusu? What would you do if their mind trapped them in the worst day of their life?