[ oh god late-ass vacation day 1??? backdated to the 3rd. ish. ]

[hasaringonit]

[ Hello, Zawame City, you have a tiny visitor in a cute pink coat and her super cute new boots all but hiding behind your enormous graperider and maybe also possibly she has a hand curled into the sleeve of his shirt ]

This is Kureshima-san's home?

Comments

[hasaringonit]

[ Not much more than a lady politely admiring the architecture, but if there's a light on she may come to investigate ]

Hello?

[doesntfallfar]

Miss Koyomi.

[inclining his head to.]

[hasaringonit]

[ That's an invitation, right? She'll step in, but only just inside the door ]

I apologize for the intrusion, Kureshima-san.

[doesntfallfar]

Any friend of Mitsuzane's is welcome here. Please make yourself comfortable.

[hasaringonit]

[ Well, if you insist. She'll take a seat in some chair a respectful distance away ]

Thank you. Is Kureshima-san unable to sleep? It is very late.

[doesntfallfar]

I had a lot of work to attend to. I'm usually up this late. What about you?

[Motioning a hand over]

[hasaringonit]

I'm--

[ a pause ]

I am unable to sleep.

[ This is safer phrasing than "I don't need to sleep" ]

[doesntfallfar]

If that is the case, you are welcome to sit here as long as you need to. I may have to go back to the office at any time.

[hasaringonit]

[ Oniisan, I'll be here all night if you say that. ]

It won't be any trouble?

[doesntfallfar]

[I am fine with that, non-threatening loli]

It's no trouble at all. Usually, it's just Mitsuzane and I here anyway.

[hasaringonit]

[ LBR even if you could see the sweet-ass dagger I keep in my bodice I'm still about as threatening as a paper bag ]

Kureshima-san has told me much about Kureshima-oniisan in the past. It is nice to finally make your acquaintance.

[doesntfallfar]

[I'm not even perturbed by the orange.]

Did he? I didn't think he'd speak about me so much.

[hasaringonit]

[ Nodding slowly ]

That he wishes to make amends. That he wanted to try to atone for his past mistakes. I do not know the full story, but he seems sincere.

[doesntfallfar]

That is something I'm sure he and I will discuss at a later time.

[It's not an easy subject, but that's also his little brother.]

[hasaringonit]

There are times it may seem to be so, but he has not yet lost hope.

[doesntfallfar]

You talk to him about ti a lot?

[An outside source might not be so bad. maybe.]

[hasaringonit]

I would not say as much. I understand he made mistakes in the past, and at the time believed he was doing the right thing. To what end, or what he did, I do not know, but he does feel remorse.

[doesntfallfar]

What he did hurt many people. There were a lot of lives and well-beings in the balance and he behaved selfishly.

However, he has been punishing himself more than anyone else could hope to. [If that memory was anything to go by]

[hasaringonit]

[ I saw that memory too. It was not pretty :( ]

He wants to take responsibility. He does, I believe the saying goes, have his heart in the right place. It's just that his methods were wrong, from what I understand.

[ Dropping her head a little and her voice is getting quieter ]

Kureshima-san has nightmares, sometimes. And sometimes, Kureshima-oniisan is there, too.

[doesntfallfar]

[He didn't know about the nightmares. Then again, the daymares also look pretty bad.]

They still happen?

[hasaringonit]

With less frequency, now. For that, I am glad.

[doesntfallfar]

That's good to hear.

I don't like placing my responsibilities on others, but I would like to ask you to look out for him.

[hasaringonit]

Kureshima-san has been kind to me, and has accepted me. And while he is a resident of my hotel, I will do what I am able to ensure his stay is an enjoyable one. After Haruto, I have become accustomed to caring for silly boys who sometimes take things too far.

[doesntfallfar]

You own a hotel? You've mentioned this 'Haruto' before.

[hasaringonit]

Would Kureshima-oniisan recall the encampment? I am the current manager of the largest of its inns. As for Haruto ... he was my caretaker. He considered himself to be my elder brother. Souma Haruto. The Ring Mage.