[And she wasn't even around for last year's. Given the spot in the timeline she'd come from and when she'd gotten here, Mitsuru's last recollection of Ken on October 4th was that of a very different young man.
She doesn't think he's faking it. She's perhaps not the most perceptive person when it comes to emotions and the like, but that seems really far too genuine to be feigned. The smile she gives him is, frankly, somewhat relieved.] Of course.
[She bends down somewhat (not as much as she might have had to otherwise, she realizes... he's really growing) and wraps her arms around his chest in a slightly stiff hug. She's not a hug person, Ken. Forgive her some awkwardness.] I'm happy to see you doing so well.
[It is a little stiff, but Ken has had stiff hugs before. Minato, Kidou, even himself -- they all struggle with that, and it took Ken over a year to warm up to the gesture as much as he has now. He smiles as he stands on his tiptoes to make the height less of an issue for her, patting her back with a chortle.]
A lot happened. Thanks for worrying about me.
I got to talk to Aragaki-san about it last year. We-- we got through a lot. We're friends now, so.
She holds the hug for a few more seconds before she gently relaxes her arms and straightens up again.] Did you? That's wonderful.
Shinjiro... about what happened, he-- [She pauses, and shakes her head.] No, I'm sure he could have put his feelings into words to you better than I could on his behalf.
[Her smile remains, though it takes on a somewhat wistful tinge.] He would be very proud of you, seeing what you've become. Of that I'm sure.
[Ken simply grins up at her as he lowers his arms.]
I would've terrorized him. But I think it's fine. We did a lot of things together, and he taught me a lot. Even if we couldn't have that chance in Iwatodai, this world counts too.
[She pauses, trying to imagine what that would have been like. It's not difficult, mostly because...] I can't blame you in the slightest. I was-- you could say I was plenty disbelieving in my own right when I first arrived here, myself.
And that's even with all of you to help explain the situation. [She'd thought it was a trick, though.]
Well, I guess even with all that we had to go through this is still pretty bizarre in comparison. I adjusted, but the first few months I decided not to question anything and just go with it.
[It wasn't hard; he was incredibly apathetic towards everything.]
It really is strange. [She nods, crossing her arms over her chest.] Even by our standards.
It's actually quite interesting, how all of us here are accustomed to such different things. I spoke with a man who claimed to be an expert on temporal mechanics, but the idea of a twenty-fifth hour in the day seemed incomprehensible to him.
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She doesn't think he's faking it. She's perhaps not the most perceptive person when it comes to emotions and the like, but that seems really far too genuine to be feigned. The smile she gives him is, frankly, somewhat relieved.] Of course.
[She bends down somewhat (not as much as she might have had to otherwise, she realizes... he's really growing) and wraps her arms around his chest in a slightly stiff hug. She's not a hug person, Ken. Forgive her some awkwardness.] I'm happy to see you doing so well.
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A lot happened. Thanks for worrying about me.
I got to talk to Aragaki-san about it last year. We-- we got through a lot. We're friends now, so.
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She holds the hug for a few more seconds before she gently relaxes her arms and straightens up again.] Did you? That's wonderful.
Shinjiro... about what happened, he-- [She pauses, and shakes her head.] No, I'm sure he could have put his feelings into words to you better than I could on his behalf.
[Her smile remains, though it takes on a somewhat wistful tinge.] He would be very proud of you, seeing what you've become. Of that I'm sure.
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I would've terrorized him. But I think it's fine. We did a lot of things together, and he taught me a lot. Even if we couldn't have that chance in Iwatodai, this world counts too.
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...I admit, I didn't know what to make of it, at first. To see Shinjiro again. To see Arisato again.
Now I'm just happy I got a little more time with them.
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Even if the first time it happened I really thought I was going insane. Aragaki-san was the first person I met here. He fed me lunch with Sanada-san.
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And that's even with all of you to help explain the situation. [She'd thought it was a trick, though.]
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[It wasn't hard; he was incredibly apathetic towards everything.]
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It's actually quite interesting, how all of us here are accustomed to such different things. I spoke with a man who claimed to be an expert on temporal mechanics, but the idea of a twenty-fifth hour in the day seemed incomprehensible to him.
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How... ... What is temporal mechanics.
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He claimed to be a time traveler. So... in other words, that.