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Sara hadn’t talked much to Asuka about what she’d been through. Asuka only knew she transferred in coming from one of the most traumatizing incidents she’d seen on the news, had a small circle of people she hung out with outside of school, and was quick to complain about how bland the uniforms were at Kuzuno high. Asuka would leave the hazy details of that death game to be discussed with her therapist, and instead invited the girl hang out in her group of friends, joking around, study sessions where she’d point out details they hadn’t noticed, and obsessing over cat videos together.
(Though for some reason she could never identify, she couldn’t stand clicking noises)
Quicker than Asuka imagined, friendship turned to crushes, and she asked Sara out on a one on one outing. She got a yes, and Asuka grinned, happy it went easy breezy.
Or so she thought.
“I didn’t expect your dad to be pulling us aside before we go out like this.” She told Sara as they walked down the halls of the apartment building.
“He’s a little overprotective. Considering the whole….….”
“Right…” That made all the sense in the world. “Well, at least I’m gonna meet your brother!”
“Oh yeah, just watch this.” Sara held back a snrk as she took out her lanyard opening the door “I’m hooooooome-“
“Big sis Sara!” A boy with a cat eared cloak dived for Sara like he’d been waiting for her at the door “I missed you so much meow!”
“Gin, I was just gone for school.” Sara laughed stroking his head “I do it every day.”
“Yeah and it’s the worst, woof!”
And suddenly, Asuka wished she was born an older sibling instead of vice versa. Her older sister could be a real jerk.
“Sara, you there? Let your friendly policeman come over.”
Asuka looked over at Sara “I thought you said your dad worked at an animal shelter.”
“He just calls himself that.” Sara rolled her eyes “Come in.”
Asuka stepped in, removing her shoes, and watched Gin bounce over to her.
“So you’re Big Sis Sara’s girlfriend? Does that mean you’ve kissed, meow?”
“Gin!”
Asuka felt her face warm up.
“Girlfriend is a… strong word. We’re just… trying things out.” Asuka tried to explain calmly.
Gin frowned.
“Well you should be her girlfriend. She deserves one. And you’re pretty.”
“Alright c’mere you.”
Sara started tickling Gin, and the boy collapsed into laughter. Asuka watched with general ease and calmness before she felt an unmistakable presence behind her. She turned to see a man with obnoxiously red- very obviously dyed and dyed poorly- hair, and an ugly hawaiian print shirt giving a devil may care grin down to her.
“So you’re the lucky gal.”
Asuka sort of felt… like she was already being interrogated. The mouth was smiling but those eyes were burning a hole into her. Sara had stopped playing with Gin to look up at this gaudy looking man, a hand on her hip.
“Anything we need to do Keiji?”
Keiji apparently, looked to Sara, his eyes softening up and his smile looking more genuine.
“You don’t have to do anything Sara. I just wanna talk to her in private and I’ll send you on your way.”
“Alright fine. Don’t be a cop about it though.”
“Wahahaha! Fair.” Keiji smiled “Asuka right? Come sit down in the kitchen. Sara you can hang out with Gin in your room.”
“I wanna talk to Asuka more woof…”
“But Gin, don’t you wanna have me to yourself more before I leave?”
“Mya?!” Gin perked up “Okay! Let’s go big sis Sara!”
Asuka’s eyes shifted to Sara and Gin entering a shared bedroom, then to Keiji, giving a suspicious glance.
“Take a seat Asuka.”
Oh shit. Asuka sat down at the counter, letting Keiji take the other side, leaning in with suspicion.
“So how’s Sara?”
“… Good?”
“How far have you gotten?” Keiji asked “Held hands?”
What the- was this dude some kind of Mormon?
“No….?”
“Alright, alright… but you do like her right?”
Asuka breathed out. The best way to approach this was with the not guilty approach. She had nothing to hide from this man, so she just had to act like it.
“I don’t fully understand the scope of what Sara has been through but I hope you know that I would do nothing to further that pain. Sara is an excellent person and if the time comes I’m willing to protect her.”
Something flashed in Keiji’s eyes, but it didn’t seem to be the approval Asuka was hoping for. It looked like… terror. Asuka backed up for a moment, wondering if she had said the wrong thing.
“Is… something wrong?”
Keiji had something like a mix of a glare and an attempt to remain calm on his face and then a sigh.
“No. You didn’t say anything wrong. Not fundamentally at least. It’s ah…” he rubbed his neck “Mind if I tell you a story from the death game? It’s a little scary, but…”
Asuka bit her lip. She usually avoided this topic. It was forbidden and almost like a nightmare that she didn’t want to see but…
“Okay.”
“There was a boy. Ranmaru Kageyama.” Keiji said “He got close to Sara. Was the same age as her even. And that boy really wanted to protect her. So when he got the opportunity, he knocked us both out and he hung one of our friends.”
Silence hung as Asuka couldn’t find the words. That sounded like twelve different traumas packed into one event. Just one slice of the death game she never heard about. How much had Sara been through? How much was hiding behind that smile?
“… She blames herself you know.” Keiji said “Says she ‘spurred him on’. I don’t know all the details, but I know she sure isn’t responsible for what he did. No matter how many times I gotta calm her down from another episode.”
“… I would never do that.”
“… I believe you.” Keiji said “Honestly I doubt even Ranmaru would’ve done that stuff if it weren’t for where we were. But we were there. And I’m gonna make sure it never happens again.”
“… Thank you for telling me.” Asuka said.
“… You’re welcome.” Keiji nodded “Now go on. Don’t want your place closing before your date ends.”
Asuka lit up. “Really?”
“Yeah. Have fun.”