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[SeriousConcentrate]

"You sound like an unrepentant douchebag, dude."

Mildred picked up a lunch tray absently and tested its' weight idly, not even looking at the new guy.

"You wanna know how I got that name?"

[Unlurking Sentinel]

"Hold yourself. You are on the school premises." Masaru, too, had a look of annoyance. Not because of Sugiura's demeanor, but because he was able to recognize a non-student and a previously one-member club president, but not him. Clearly, he needed to set a reputation.


"A pleasure to meet you. My name is Demura Masaru. Treasurer of Our Lady of Hermelin's Student Council, with the number-one highest exam score among first year students."


"I understand if you could not recognize me; my career is young, and I have yet to learn to become a legend. But I suggest you pay attention nonetheless, for my will is ahead of the inevitability of effort."

Of all of Demura Masaru's impeccable capabilities, one was more considerable than all the others: he was perhaps the only human being capable of being unironically proud for writing and giving this very speech.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Sakurajima Team
Kanna pauses for a few seconds, as if considering Mori's words.

Then she starts giggling.
"Is this what Ri-kun says I sound like to other people? You really remind me of Majima-senpai, you know."
"Granted, she'd be a lot more casual about it, you know? At least she was. She got good news, you know. Her disease, whatever it was....it went away. Maybe if I act more like her, some of her luck will rub off on me?"

Kanna laughs, a little bitterly.

"But....there's a reason I'm doing things the way I am. Otoya....he's had a hard life. He never asked for fame, he never asked for tragedy. I suppose that makes me so selfish, wanting to be in his life....but he made it worth living for me."
"I...I won't be responsible for letting him shed a tear on my behalf. I don't want him to worry about me. He deserves to smile, even a little. If I can make sure he smiles, for as long as I can, I'll make it happen. It's why I'll keep it a secret, as long as I can, until I can't anymore. I'll tell him then."
"You don't have to tell me to seize the day, Sawatari. When any day could be your last, it's what I think of doing every single day. Maybe Majima-senpai rubbed off on me a little; seeing someone in the same condition as me, still playing tournaments and going out, enjoying herself...I wish I could've been like her a lot earlier."

"You're right. You almost couldn't tell."

Tsukasa approaches the two.
"She was....absolutely ridiculous. Played stupid pranks. Did what she wanted. Approached someone like me and dragged me into it."
"Sakurajima's right. It....makes you almost wish you were a little more like her."
Tadano/Miyazono Team
Sugiura eyes the tray, raising his hands.
"Hey, hey, no need for violence, it was meant respectfully. I'm tight with Akutagawa. He can't stop talking about how cool you are, so I wanted to see for myself."
Then Masaru speaks.
"Ah, you're one of those rising stars kinda dudes. Keep it up, you'll get somewhere."

[Lucus Casius]

". . . what do you mean, why? It's tradition. We're a noble bloodline, I can trace my lineage back for centuries."

"Well, sure, but... Looking back that far, I'm pretty sure most of my ancestors were fishermen.  That doesn't mean I go out on a boat to hunt for tuna every day.  Things change, and what people were 'used to doing' might not be the 'thing to do' nowadays."

"Probably for the best.  I've never really liked fishing that much~"

"So I guess I don't really get worrying about ancient history. If I really wanted to honor my family, I'd probably just do what I was going to do anyway and sing about the sea."

"It's much more 'me,' y'know~?  I don't think things would mean as much if that wasn't true."

Aika paused, then waved her hands apologetically as if to dismiss what she'd just said, giving Shiro an embarrassed smile.

"Ah, but that's not to say you're wrong!  I might not really get the details, but maybe it feels different if you're from one of those old traditional families."

"And I guess I do understand the desire to keep a certain image.  Seems like branding is as important for ex-nobility as it is for corporations and idols, huh?  That's why I made sure to have input on what my image would be."

[Smoke Mirrors]

"Well, as I said, no judgement from me," Mori replied, his haughty air returning as if it had never left, "Though I'll add one thing. There is nothing quite as cold and painful in life as truth. Even death is only so terrible because it is the ultimate truth, 'all things, once born, shall die'. No matter when Miyazono learns the truth he will suffer. The only question is, will he have to suffer it alone, or have someone to bear it with him?"

Mori turned around, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. He then turned around, blinking and looking confused.


"Right, sorry, I think I zoned out for a few minutes." He said to Kanna, voice sounding entirely genuine, "Are we ready to work on the video?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"That sounds like such a sad way to look at things, isn't it? The truth doesn't have to be so sad. Sometimes it can be liberating. O-of course, not right NOW. I think...I need to find the right time for Otoya to know."
"Hmph. You just sound like Yui now, too."
"Aww. Are you falling in love, Kazami-sen~pai?"
"I already have two annoying girls in my life. I don't need a third one," he said wistfully.

Then the video.
"Didn't we just record it? Were you recording?"

[Smoke Mirrors]

Mori looked at the camera.


"Yes, it seems we did," he replied, "Well, pity I don’t remember any of it. I’m certain some of that information might have been very interesting."

He walked away from the camera and sat down on a nearby chair, pulling out his phone.

”Now then, why don’t you all get to the cooking work, I have some things to think on.”

[SirAston]

Yui calmly witnessed all of that unfolding before her eyes, albeit with held-back tears. A lot of it was like in those Shojo mangas, a dying confession, except, in a way, in reverse, to be received after the passing. It somehow made the entire situation even more sad for her, seeing Kanna spilling out her heart, yet not reaching out to him yet.

She didn't know how to express that though without ruining the mood, though. That is, until...

"That sounds like such a sad way to look at things, isn't it? The truth doesn't have to be so sad. Sometimes it can be liberating. O-of course, not right NOW. I think...I need to find the right time for Otoya to know."

"... Like while eating your homemade dinner together?"

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Eh? I can't cook that well, though..."

[Smoke Mirrors]

"Well, Kasuga and Aiuchi will teach you then as Kazami and I have a chat outside." Mori replied, getting up from his chair and sliding his phone into his pocket as he walked towards the door of the home economics room. He paused once his hand was on the handle, and turned to look Tsukasa directly in the eyes.


"I hope you'll be willing to join me outside. I've been having trouble with something for about a week now and I was hoping you'd be able to help me with it, given you are my senpai." He stated, "I thought perhaps to wait until I had a better idea for myself, but some new information has made the questions perhaps more pressing."

[SirAston]

"Well, as Sawatari-san said, we're here to help you cooking anyway, so why not teach you a thing or two along the way? It'll be fun, trust me!"

[Chevaleresse]

". . . if you want to call it 'branding,' then sure." Mishima might have gotten it, much to her chagrin, but she didn't think Aika understood at all. She was well-liked and had a career already that ensured she'd stay that way, and no crushing weight of tradition on her. "And it probably wouldn't feel like 'ancient history' if you were me. It was current when my family first became nobility, and it was current each time the reins were handed to the next generation. That means it'll be current when Renjirou takes over as the head of the family."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Sakurajima Team
"Eh? Well, why not. Maybe Otoya would stop giving me such a hard time about buying food if I could cook, huh?"

Tsukasa just stands up and follows Mori.
"If it's about Mishima, don't bother asking me."

[Smoke Mirrors]

"I can assure you, it's not" Mori replied as they both stepped outside the door.


"So, I'm going to ask you what could be a personal question," Mori continued, "Which you will refuse to answer. So then I'll remind you that in this situation, we're on the same side, and then ask again, and it will be up to you to answer or not. Let's skip ahead a bit to the reminder portion. True or False: We would both significantly prefer Sakurajima Kanna to live rather than die?"

Inside his mind, Mori started comparing Tsukasa’s voice and body language to Gawain’s.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"You're asking like I have any choice if she lives or dies."
The voice....maybe. It's a close match, for certain. The body language, however, completely off. Gawain stands tall, fierce, confident. Tsukasa looks and sounds reserved and calm. Maybe with a hint of awkwardness; if those rumours about him were true, he was the uncool kid before Yui and Kanade got their hands on him. There's still some of that in him, perhaps.