heritrix | Recolle

A few times, yeah. The Americans...

[Hrm.]

Well, it doesn't matter.

[Changed into her casual clothes, she opens the door again, tugging her hair out of its pigtails.]

The point is I've had the same problem. It seems most people have.

[She can only nod in distant agreement. There have been multiple complaints on the network alone, and--

-- And suddenly Sakura goes quieter than usual, eyes dropped to the floor, trying to keep the spike of worry from entering her face.

Really, she could just smack herself. Of all the details to forget until now, and it might be the most important one]

Nee-san... by any chance, have you heard of a network called Retrospec?

[A blink, and—]

Yes. You've heard of it?

[-- A huffed sigh. Whether it's relieved or something else remains to be seen.]

I was invited on it back in September, actually.

[Rin looks a cross between annoyed and disgruntled as she secures her bag over her shoulder, scooting over to a mirror she can look in to fix her hair.]

I only saw it on my phone at the beginning of the month. I can't deny what I seen with my own two eyes, so I gave up on denying it that same night, but it's still creepy running into other people who've heard of it.

Almost as much as the people who don't know what I'm talking about. It feels like I've stepped into an old episode of The Dayspring Zone.

[That pulls a smile out of Sakura at least, as she goes to step up near the mirror herself. She doesn't bother fussing over her own hair save to smooth it back behind her shoulders, but she does study her sister through the mirror]

You get used to it. After a while, you'll even start recognizing everyone on the network. We're a small group.

[Less than three hundred, last she'd discussed with Kyouko. That's pennies in a big city like Recollé]

... But everyone is telling the truth. About the strange visions, the weird things that happen-- [She gives a light shrug]

Or I suppose we could all be mass-hallucinating.

[Ah, yes. The perks of growing up with someone like Sakura, if you could call it a perk, is you get used to tendencies to spout off random creepy one-liners. Rin doesn't miss a beat.]

Yeah, well I'm trying not to let it interfere with my life too much. The most use I can think to get out of it right now is free advertising.

[Her father's daughter, through and through.

If a bit older looking than last they saw each other. It's been a year and a half, after all, and Rin is nearly 20. Her face is less round, and she's lost some of that baby fat... Actually, she looks thinner in general. Though maybe that's just the lighting; she's always been petite, after all.

With a bag on her shoulder, and sensible dress shirt and pants, her appearance is more womanly too. Business chic. She's wearing her hair differently as well, tying a small strip of hair into a simple but eye-catching side ponytail.]

Mm.

[The subtle changes aren't lost on Sakura. Her eyes have picked out the hair style in particular, as well as the pants she's unaccustomed to seeing on her sister. Honestly, it's a good look for her, like Rin's grown into the person she was always meant to be. Sakura just remains quiet throughout, mind tugged in two different directions as she keeps the mounting discontent hidden from view.

To be honest, she isn't sure what she expected. Panic? Rin hurriedly telling her about every "vision" she's experienced thus far? Meticulously drawing out all of Sakura's fears and worries like they're children again?

As if Rin would ever. The options get dumber and dumber until Sakura discards them all in her self-contempt, brushing more of her hair back (waist length now) like a nervous tic.]

Yes, there's not much use for it otherwise. [She pulls back from the mirror, ready to follow Rin wherever she plans to lead them] And not much strangeness happened this month besides the mistletoe bats.

Geez, those were annoying. I had to keep post-it notes on me at all times.

[Securing the hair tie in place, Rin turns partway towards the exit, eyes on Sakura rather than it.

She looks like she's doing well; despite how long her hair has gotten, it's well-groomed. Rather pretty, actually. They've always had different tastes in clothes, Sakura taking to a more feminine fashion, but it's starting to suit her more and more. Sweet, and deceptively demure.

And that coat and scarf... They look new, if she pressed herself to bet on it. Rin gives a little hum of approval, pleased to see her little sister has taken care of herself well in the last few months and is dressing warmly.

It has her a little mindful of her own clothes, particularly the old jacket she's had since she left Japan, but oh well. If she's asked, she can pass it off nicely.]

... Post-it notes?

[That earns a squint of confusion. Seeing as Sakura took the traditional route and just smooched everyone until the bats were satisfied, she never bothered to consider alternative methods for dealing with them.

Ah well, it's not really important. Whether or not Rin gives her an answer, she catches her sister looking at her and immediately glances down at her state of dress, like she expects to find a stain somewhere.]

Well, more importantly -- [straightening] where have you been all this time...? And how are your studies?

[Reaching into her pocket, Rin seems about ready to show Sakura what she means—little yellow post-it notes with KISS printed on each sheet. She flashes it at her sister while answering her second, more dreaded question.

At least it's one she expected. The obtuse answer slides easily off her tongue.]

About as well as they can be.

[Having to drop out leaves a low threshold like that!]

If you checked my apartment, I had to move out of my there for various reasons... So that's why you couldn't find me there. And I was too busy to check my phone until recently. Since I couldn't get through to mom and dad, I expected it would be the same for you.

[Unexpectedly, there's a pang and hurt in her heart with those words, and Rin glances back at the mirror, pretending to touch up her hair again.

Out of necessity, she'd been avoiding speaking to her family for so long, figuring sporadic calls here and there would be satisfactory. Over the holidays when co-workers would share stories of visiting their loved ones... Birthdays and anniversaries to show she was thinking of them... That sort of thing.

With the option suddenly gone, like a candle snuffed out, all she could feel was guilt. Worry. An inky loneliness too painful to admit to.

Her thoughts have been on that a lot lately.]

[That's not even a fraction of the real story, and Sakura knows it. Another day she might've pressed -- a bit of surprise, actually, that today isn't the one she's demanding answers for, stamping her feet until she gets them -- but the logic of the second half is enough to pacify her. Quietly disgruntled or no, Sakura can't say she would've done differently. ]

... I got ahold of Kaa-san back in October, before I stopped getting calls overseas. She knows we wouldn't make it back for Christmas.

[Hardly a reason to celebrate, but given how worried their parents will be regardless, it's a small measure of comfort. On their end, the radio silence isn't completely unwarranted. No reason to panic (maybe). Just very disappointing, how little their wayward daughters seem to care.]

-- But when we reach them again, we'll have to coordinate stories. [Forcibly perking herself up, emphasis placed on the inevitability. One of her hands fiddles with some of the hair tucked behind her ear] And probably get ready for them flying over to check on us, right?

Ugh. [Rin rolls her eyes, but she laughs quietly too.] If by "check on us", you mean stay for a month. After this, they'll be insistent.

[If only in wishful thinking. More realistically, it'd be talks of a two week vacation, which would be cut to one week. Sorry, girls, daddy has a business. We'll visit again soon, yeah?

There's no disappointment to be found in those sarcastic, jaded thoughts. No, instead of being sullen, Rin's chest is filled with a sense of longing.

A week? She'd be happy to see them—to talk to them—for just one day.]

Well, we can talk about that stuff later.

[Pushing away from the mirror, Rin serenely tucks her bag to the side and makes to leave the locker room... Only to pause after about six steps, and turn back to look at Sakura.

Paused with a puzzle in her eyes, she's the picture of someone confused and amused all at once. And then Rin smiles quietly and steps back towards her sister.]

Mm, sorry. I should have said it earlier. [Without warning, she pulls Sakura into a gentle hug.] It's nice to see you.

["Later" sounds like a promise, and given the radio silence of four months, Sakura is more than happy to take Rin up on the offer with an agreeable nod.

-- And the hug? That's a promise, too. Maybe a little bit of an apology. In that moment her chest aches into splinters, and Sakura wishes she could cry on Rin's shoulder like she did as a child, when things were simpler and she was free to be as selfish as she wanted. Just a girl and her older sister who'd always protected her.

... But she can't, of course, and Sakura's smile is watery, but secure, as she hugs Rin back.]

You too. [She's missed her] Though you owe me lunch for making me look so long to find you.

[Rin pictures the money in her purse; a pair of twenty dollar bills and spare change, wrinkled but untouched for months. The numbers in her bank account flash through her mind too.

But Sakura is holding her back tenderly, and has been alone in this city for four... maybe five months? She must have been worried.]

Sure. [Rin pats her shoulder as she pulls back, smile a little tighter, but she doesn't hesitate in her response.] What would you like? I have... A little bit of time.

[There's no quicker way to please Sakura than letting her get her way, and upon pulling back, claps her hands together in a moment of victory.]

There's a small deli nearby! I found it a couple weeks ago. Certain sandwiches are half-off, so I try to go there for lunch.

[It's okay, Rin... someone also learned how to be a penny-pincher while you were away]

[Hmm, no dollar menu. But she can still make this work. +_+]

Okay. [Oh wait.] Should we go now? I meet you in a mall, but I don't see many bags on you. Were you in the middle of shopping?

[Here, let's walk out of the locker room finally, though. Doot doot doot.]

Oh-- well.

[To be honest, Sakura completely forgot the reason she'd come to the mall at all, and seems almost confused upon leaving the locker room and returning to the mall proper.]

I was trying to get some last minute gifts, but that's okay. I'll come by later.

Oof, good luck with that. It's going to be crazy in here on the weekend. I saw someone break a guy's nose last year over a vacuum.

[Back out the way they came, then.]

It's okay. I can barely afford a duster.

[The point --> Here.

Sakura --> ???]

I was thinking something functional but low price... like maybe scarves? Mittens?

Mm, there will probably still be things like that around, though maybe not in the colors you'd like. The good things get snatched up quickly. But at least it's all one-size-fits-all for the most part, so it's not going to be a struggle like jackets and shirts would be.

Yes, that's what I was thinking! Plus everyone always needs more things like that.

[So it's okay if they're a bit scratchy and she finds them in the $1 bin... right? She is still a good friend??]

I thought of just making food for everyone, but we still can't taste half of anything.

Yeah.

[At least some tastes have come back, but she's still disappointed about her ice cream. :T]

Lunch is going to be a lot of fun... Though can we even call it lunch at this point? It's almost 6:30. Dinner might be better.

[Sakura feels this ice cream betrayal on an instinctive level. Bad End this route.]

Sure, as long as you don't mind sandwiches.

[...]

Nee-san, have you been dieting by chance?

[it hadn't come up before, but after multiple glances in her sister's direction, it is getting hard to ignore how much thinner her sister seems.]

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