[video] forward dated to 9/13

[appraiser]

Ryoji Mochizuki shared a video.
09/13 near Apprassage

[ The video starts up, dark, silent. A bedroom, if an empty desk and neatly made bed and too many cardboard boxes count as a bedroom, and then the view flips over with a soft ] Oh. [ as the user finds the front-facing camera instead of the rear that he always uses on his phone. ]

Hi... It's been a while.

[ The bottom half of the screen blurs as Ryoji draws his knees to his chest where he sits on bare floorboards, phone in his hands. He doesn't introduce himself— doesn't need to, when his name is up there for people who don't know him, his face right here for people who do: the people he's recording this video for, whispers in an empty room. ]

I'm back. I know there are probably questions as to why, or how... and I can't really explain it well myself. But I'll answer the best I can, if you want to ask, texting or in person.

[ Ryoji sits up a little straighter now, looks a little more serious. This is what he meant to say: a confession. ]

But before that, I want to say that I'm glad to be back, however it happened... a second chance like this. I also want to be more upfront about myself, and there are things I want to say to a lot of people.

There was a time in the past where I was a monster: I'd hurt a lot of people, and I ran from all of that, hid myself away, and pretended it hadn't happened. The memories I've been experiencing, I kept the good ones close, the bad even closer, pretending they weren't real and that they have nothing to do with me. I thought... that it would be better to forget about all of that and return to a simpler time. Unconsciously, I think that's what I did. I went back to before everything happened, to start over, and do better this time. But I got it wrong. I made myself forget, but I wasn't forgotten...

[ He's rambling now, a little, so he turns his eyes away from the screen, staring off at something in the distance- it's the moon reflected in his eyes, only half. ]

There's somebody I still need to say goodbye to, but after that... I want to see so many of you. I owe a lot of "thank you"s and "I'm sorry"s and "I love you"s, and I want to be with people again. I don't want to leave this world or its people ever again.

So... I'll see you guys soon.




( ooc: forward dated to 9/13 to give myself a buffer. replies can be via text, or an in-person if you want to fast-forward to ryoji showing up at your character's house/class/chance meeting at some cafe/hi roommates/he'll be finding people around town somehow. for his cr, please assume he checked up on them, whether it's handwaved or not! )

Comments

[cattack]

Drawn to them... Meant to love them?

[She thinks.]

Is that... what family feels like?

[TALK ABOUT YOUR LOADED QUESTIONS, CLEO. But she doesn't know what that feels like. Or... What it feels like to be 'meant' to do anything. It's strange... And that worries her. Because does that mean she's not really family with Tatsuo?]

[appraiser]

It's what family feels like to me. But everybody's feelings about family are different; some of those relationships are strained... others are nonexistent. That doesn't change the fact that you're family, though.

[cattack]

It's an unsurprisingly complicated topic, isn't it...

[She sighs.]

[appraiser]

[ he laughs ]

Yeah. Love is an unsurprisingly complicated topic. It's something that just is, and doesn't need to be reasoned out and understood— just felt. I think that's enough.

[cattack]

No, I think I'd like to understand it.

[HELP HER]

[appraiser]

You just... [ gestures vaguely to Cleo, because she's sitting there right in front of him ] love. That's it.

[ never never NEVER ask Ryoji for love advice? he's the worst. bad idea. abort. ]

[cattack]

[why are you gesturing at her



wait.]

Wait- Me?!

[appraiser]

Yeah. I love you too.

[cattack]

[HELP

HELP HOW DOES SHE DEAL

SHE JUST. TAKES A MOMENT TO SPUTTER, TURNING VERY RED.]

I- I- Um- I- Th- Thank you?

[appraiser]

[ He shouldn't laugh at shortcircuiting her, but he does anyways. ]

You're welcome. I'm glad to finally be able to say it... There was a time before when people would advise me not to say such things so liberally, or people would get the wrong impression.

[ y eah... ]

[cattack]

I- I- I- Yes, I- I can see why-

[HELP HER SHE'S DYING]

I- I- I care about you, as well!

[she's trying to say it, okay.]

[appraiser]

[ Ryoji actually, literally, clutches his hands over his heart, he's so happy. ]

Really? I'm glad! You should tell me more often!

[ and also a menace ]

[cattack]

If you haven't noticed, I'm not good at talking about this sort of thing...

[YOU ARE A MENACE]

[appraiser]

[ one more tag before bed bc i need to ]

You can practice on me.

[cattack]

[WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS RYOJI]

It's- It's not that easy! If I could just come out and say things like that, then I would have already told-

[and then she realizes where she was going with that and promptly shuts the fuck up.]

[appraiser]

[ he chinhands ]

Told...? I've love to know who.

[cattack]

[ryoji why are you like this]

Why don't we go order drinks while we're here?

[appraiser]

Okay.

[ He gets up and stretches his legs, but that doesn't mean she's off the hook. ]

We can get coffee and cake and you can tell me all about this person you care about.

[cattack]

Or we could just get coffee and cake and talk about cats.

[HELP HER. but she's getting up and following...]

[appraiser]

[ Hazelnut for him, as is his usual, and then a simple pound cake with strawberry creme in between the two layers. ]

Would it be easier to practice on a cat? You can come over sometime, and talk to mine.

[cattack]

[she's getting a strawberry shortcake, with tea for herself.]

No, I don't need to-

[..... and then her ears stand straight up in interest.]

You have a cat?

[appraiser]

Her name is Katkat. Akira's cat is named Morrigan.

[ Two cats, Cleo. Now she's gotta come over. ]

[cattack]

[.... SHE REALLY WANTS TO NOW

but

talking about her stupid crush

BUT CATS

THE STRUGGLE

HELP HER, RYOJI

HELP HER]

That's cute... What kind are they?

[appraiser]

[ :)

The drinks and cakes get ordered to-go. ]

Katkat is... [ Actually, what kind of breed is she? Ryoji doesn't know; he'd gotten her because she was small and cute and liked biting at his ankles. ] a calico, and Morrigan is black and white.

[cattack]

Cute...

[SHE'S EXCITED NOW]

Wait, to go? We're going now?