mineo

[dotcom]

Comments

[sengokus]

Satoru woke up with injuries that aren't his. A bunch of cuts and bruises, and something that says '100' with a heart next to it on his side. He said that he wants to preserve the evidence so he hasn't tried to heal, and I doubt he'll bother hiding it at trial tomorrow when it's more in his favor to come clean.

[a beat]

I've decided I don't think he did it - even with his complicated relationship with Mahito-san. So I need to use both of my votes tomorrow, and neither of them are going to Satoru.

[he still doesn't mind takeru telling him what to do or how to use his second vote - but apparently gojou specifically is off limits]

I just don't want to risk it - when he's come in second place a few times, and people voted for Amane-san even though she wasn't responsible for Eleanor-san. [because of her new phantom injuries]

[dotcom]

... people voted for Misa because the only reason she didn't kill Grace is because she was cursed not to. Don't act like she was actually innocent.

[ it's said coldly, but he'll move on. ]

But fine.

[sengokus]

I'm not saying that - I don't forgive Amane-san for putting Grace through that either. The injuries were just the primary lead we had and they weren't even real.

But I figure Satoru can just tell people this on his own tomorrow. I don't want to put too much suspicion on him when I don't think it's necessary.

[dotcom]

[ he looks like he still wants to argue, but he just focuses on the second topic instead. ]

He's going to have to eventually. It's not like we're going to skip strip check, so the longer he waits the worse he'll look.

[sengokus]

[they're going to butt heads forever but there's still some layer of annoyance on mineo's face before he also moves on]

I don't think he plans on waiting that long - I told him that it'd be easier if he just started with it like Yi-kun. We took pictures of the injuries fresh and then I helped him bandage them.

But I think that means there probably was a power to transfer injuries around and someone felt like making Satoru their target.

[dotcom]

He would be the most likely suspect for Mahito's case, right? So it would make sense that whoever killed him would try to frame him.

[sengokus]

Yeah. They even fought as recently as Tuesday in the tea room.

[he just

closes his eyes. he hates............. gojou satoru.]

But that also means whoever transferred their injuries could keep up against Mahito-san in a fight.... even if I also think taking the time to carve out numbers and a heart is.... weird.

[like. what. why are none of these murders fucking normal.]

[dotcom]

So, the main suspects would be the combatants, unless we also consider the potential use of powers.

Even if you're not super strong, if you handicapped him, it could still even things out.

[sengokus]

[he nods....]

I don't know what powers like that are in play - a bunch of our usual fighters don't have any geared toward affecting another person... unless they got one from an Avatar.

I can ask Endorsi if she knew what Mahito-san's power was but...

[ . . . ]

I think people are going to care more about finding Lenore-san and Aoi-chan's murders.

[glancing at takeru, at that]

[dotcom]

Yeah. Mahito isn't that high of a priority for me, other than just wanting to catch a killer in general.

[ he will flat out admit to that

and then does not really touch the. aoi thing. ]

[sengokus]

[ . . . . ]

Endorsi wants to catch his killer, and I figure she'll assume it's Satoru early. Just so you know.

[mineo is................ tired but is preparing for the worst.

but then he'll tilt his head at takeru]

.... how are you feeling? Are you okay?

[dotcom]

[ takeru also doesn't care about endorsi but he won't say that...... ]

Shouldn't I be asking that to you? Didn't Lenore just confess to you? And then there's the whole mess with Mahito.

[sengokus]

You're just trying to deflect.

[he'll point that out first but - ]

.... I'm gonna have a rough time any Friday, Takeru. At this point, I lose friends and people I care about every week. Lenore-san even asked to stay with me last night, but I was so freaked out about Endorsi, I told her that she could go with Satoru and I'd just make sure to stay with her next week. [and that.... that inspires a certain type of guilt to him.]

But I'm an idiot who cares too much about everybody. [it's a given that he's going to be in pain.]

I know you're more specific about who's worth your time.

[dotcom]

[ ... ]

I'll be fine. I just want to catch who did it, and then be done with it.

[sengokus]

... that just means you're not fine right now, doesn't it?

We can talk business if there's anything left to go over. [because they both know when to put work first] ... but I'm worried about you.

[dotcom]

There's nothing to be worried about.

People die all the time here. It just happened that it finally was someone who I speak to often.

[sengokus]

I think that is something to be worried about. [ . . . ] I know I can't really say much to make it better.

[he never really knows what to say to people who's lost someone - nothing really made him feel better after losing friends.]

But I can't ignore how this affects you either.

[dotcom]

... just focus on trying to solve what happened.

I don't want to talk about how it makes me feel. I just want to get results.

[sengokus]

Okay. I'll work hard.

[he reaches out to place a hand on takeru's shoulder]

... but I'm going to ask you again tomorrow, after we get results.

[just a fair warning]

[dotcom]

[ ugh ]

You should go check on your friends.

[sengokus]

I woke up with them, so now it's time to check on my partner.

[dotcom]

I'm pretty sure you have other friends?

[ but he's going to just start walking so that they're not just standing in front of the opium den. ]

[sengokus]

[he follows after

and he's quiet because he doesn't know how to tell takeru again that they're all gradually dying.]

I think you're just getting tired of me.

[so he'll just manage a lightly barbed response instead]

[dotcom]

[ he stops at the elevator. ]

I'm always tired of you.

[sengokus]

[he smiles - with a tinge of tiredness, but. well, it's an attempt.]

Too bad you're stuck with me then, huh?