[Open] When darkness is upon your door

[burntviolet]

Who: Hanako (burntviolet) and you!
What: Lilly is gone. Hanako doesn't take it very well, and tries to cope with the loss by going to the places she likes.
When: Day 137
Where: There will be two options: Library, and the park.
Rating: PG.



[ A - Gefion Park ]

[ It was nothing short of a horrible week for Hanako, just like it was probably for most people. But what hurt her the most was the notice that her best friend Lilly was missing from her room. One morning she headed there as usual to help her get ready for breakfast, and all her things, along with her own person, were nowhere to be found. The "Contact Not Found" sign on her bracelet was the ultimate confirmation that Lilly was no longer in Asgard. It hit Hanako harder than it should have, considering that now she's sure her friend was safe from the danger that lies here. Her company, although short-living, did help her emotionally during the Darkness attacks. She would have possibly broken down otherwise.

She's going to spend most of the morning in the park, sitting on the grass by the lake. Nashi's been left in the House. Hanako wanted to be alone while brooding. It doesn't look like she had a great sleep lately, either, looking at the clear bags under her eyes. ]

[ B - Great Library ]

[ Towards the afternoon, Hanako can be found at the library, sitting on her usual beanbag and mindlessly flipping through the pages of a random book she picked up. She's not reading it, though... her mind is wandering to other, unpleasant places where it shouldn't be. Not even her most favourite hobby is helping her. ]

Comments

[burntviolet]

Ah... a novel.

[ She actually picked a book at a random, and hadn't looked at the cover either. It does show on sight, though. It reads The Time Keeper. ]

[saving_sound]

A novel...? Is it a good one?

[burntviolet]

It's... decent enough.

[ She's... bullshitting it, more like she didn't read a page yet. ]

[saving_sound]

What's it about?

[Totally oblivious over here.]

[burntviolet]

Uhm, it's... about a man who can go back and forth in time and manipulate events... s-something like that. [ Gosh she's making everything up on the spot... ]

[saving_sound]

Going back and forth in time...? That must be really interesting!

[She never even thought of that before! Writers are so creative.]

Maybe I should try reading it someday!

[burntviolet]

Yes... maybe... [ I hope you won't be disappointed if that turns out not to be true, Hibiki... ]

Well... um, so... how are you? You seem better. [ Since last time they talked, she was desperate... ]

[saving_sound]

[Her expression softens a bit here.]

Mm... Well, I couldn't keep crying forever. Shi-chan would probably get mad at me!

And... If she's at home, she really is safer than here, so I'm glad for that. I'll miss her a lot as long as I'm here, but... It's better this way.

[burntviolet]

Yes... that's right... well, I wish I felt the same way, even if it's right.

[ Her expression, on the other end, darkens again. ]

...

Lilly is gone.

[saving_sound]

[It takes her a second to register the words. Lilly... But that was Hanako's friend, wasn't it?

...]

She's... Gone?

[burntviolet]

[ Nodding sourly. ]

Yes. I checked on her yesterday, and all her things were gone... just like what happens when people are returned to their homes.

[saving_sound]

That's...

Ikezawa-san... I'm so sorry.

[burntviolet]

Don't be. It's not your fault.

[saving_sound]

I know, but...

It hurts. When you lose someone like that.

[burntviolet]

I know it does. They're not feelings you can control, and we can do nothing but deal with them until they become less painful... [ Because they do get less painful, she didn't often think of just stop living. ]

[saving_sound]

Do you... Do you want to do something, in the meantime? Or...?

[She'll do anything if it will help her friend to feel even a little bit better about all of this, just as Hanako helped her.]

[burntviolet]

What could we do?

[ She... has no clue. If even books aren't helping, what else would? ]

[saving_sound]

Er...

[That is a good question!]

Wh-what about tea? There was that one place we went to once...

[burntviolet]

... I had tea earlier with someone, but- I'd feel like having some more.

[ She had a tea party with Senji, you wouldn't believe it. u3u ]

[saving_sound]

Okay then! We can go right now, if you'd like!

[She puts her books in her bag as she speaks.]

[burntviolet]

Sure... I can read this later.

[ Or start reading it at all when she feels better... anyway, she stands up and tucks the book back into the shelf. ]

[saving_sound]

Have you been to the café at all recently? I think they were introducing some new flavors for, umm, c-coffee?

[burntviolet]

Coffee... I'm not much fond of it, but I do drink it as well... sometimes.

[saving_sound]

I never actually tried it. What is it like?

[burntviolet]

It's... a little bitter. People use it to keep themselves awake.