That which remains

[star_of_sad]

[1]
Yes? H... hello there.

[Everyone who was out there knows what happened. Setsuko certainly does, after all she was the one who got beaten up and put in a hospital bed. She was the one who had to watch helplessly as Toby got killed.

And now, after patching up in the medbay - bandaged, but not bedridden, she tries to act like everything's fine. And failing.]

[2]
[A bit later, Setsuko looked around to make sure no one's around. She didn't do a very good job so it's easy to eavesdrop.]

Just... just this one time. Toby, Chief, I know I promised, but...


[Just this one time, Setsuko can't stop the tears from flowing.]

I'm sorry...

Asakim Dowen... you wanted me to hate you. I don't know why but.

Y... you succeeded...

Comments

[tiger_ken]

Which doesn't change a thing about how dangerous our lives already are! The big deal with Asakim is that he's deliberately out to get us, rather than us getting in the way like with most of the other bad guys. And you know what? I say bring it on.

[He clenches his fist with conviction.]

Because no one - I repeat, no one - even if they're the man who survives a black hole, gets to make you cry, and then get away with it.

[star_of_sad]

[Setsuko stares, her eyes wide in surprise - among other things.]

Ken-kun...

I...

I don't want to lose anyone else.

[tiger_ken]

...Neither do I. But that's kind of a risk we have to accept in this... line of work. Our lives are on the line, so that others don't have to be. Sometimes, things go wrong, and we've... gotta be able to move on.

[...Ken sighs, and then steps back.]

I mean... This may not be the best best thing to say, but... We lost Kanade. Yancy. Sara... and then she came back, only to have forsaken everything. That hurt, all of it. First and third especially because... Oh its stupid, but, I wanted to know both of them better. Kanade was one of my favourite singers, meeting her was like a dream come true. Sara actually held me as a baby, grew up in the legacy I never got a real exposure to. And when things went wrong, I just...

[He drifts off, before starting to speak again.]

And the only thought I had was 'get stronger'. You know, no-one else has to get hurt or die or anything if I could just bear the weight and... had Mizuki not beaten sense into me, and Yuuya - Yuuya - talking it in, I probably would have torn myself apart, almost literally, trying to achieve that. Letting my fears control me, and lead to excess, was more likely to make things worse, not better. A-And whilst I don't expect to see you in the gym anytime soon, tearing yourself apart emotionally, mentally... is just as bad, I'd say. All it'll do is bring you more pain.

...

Uh... S-Sorry, I guess I rambled a little...

1/2

[star_of_sad]

N-no... it's alright. Really.

I'll have to think. About things. I mean, I'll need to be alone for a bit.

But, Ken-kun...

2/2

[star_of_sad]

Thank you.

For... opening yourself, to me.

[Setsuko smiles very slightly. The smile is sad... but genuine.]

Re: 2/2

[tiger_ken]

...D-Don't mention it. I-I trust you, so...

J-Just don't tell Yuuya he was right about something, okay?

[star_of_sad]

Don't worry, I won't. Your secret is safe with me.

[tiger_ken]

G-Great!

...But if anything else happens though... are you need someone to talk to... just knock on my door, okay?

[star_of_sad]

[Nod.]