(no subject)

[boxcut]

[if your name is Naoto Shirogane, there is someone knocking at your window, which is odd, given that the room is totally not on the first floor

WHO COULD IT BE]

Comments

[hardlyboy]

What precisely does it mean for you?

[boxcut]

...Do you know what it's like to be constantly hungry? Not just kinda hungry, but really fucking hungry all the fucking time to the point where it drives you nuts 'cause there's just like this deep, wide hole in the middle of you that can't be filled?

Like that. Except I can't eat normal food. Just... people.

[hardlyboy]

[silent for a moment.]

... I am sorry. I cannot imagine what that must be like.

[boxcut]

[sighs and stretches out]

When I don't eat, it gets really bad. I get sores and my hair starts falling out, and everything just starts falling apart. So sometimes I slip up.

[hardlyboy]

By 'slip up', you mean... what you did to Yousuke-senpai.

[boxcut]

[...sitting up]

I know you probably don't wanna hear whatever excuses I have for that, but he was being gross and I was new and scared. Anyway, he got better.

[hardlyboy]

I am simply trying to discern the particulars. How have you coped with your hunger since then?

[boxcut]

...I attacked someone else.

[hardlyboy]

Who?

[boxcut]

It doesn't matter. I failed and he killed me instead.

[hardlyboy]

Of course it matters! Jennifer-san, even if you haven't succeeded at eating another person since Yousuke-senpai, the fact remains that you made an attempt to do so!

[boxcut]

Don't yell at me.

[hardlyboy]

[breathes out deeply and rubs her forehead]

I realize this must be difficult for you to deal with, but I am sure there are ways you can control your hunger without resorting to violence.

[boxcut]

I can, now. I just thought I'd be honest and tell you about before. I figure that if you're some hot-shot detective, you'll look into it and then find out anyway, so I thought I'd beat you to the punch.

[hardlyboy]

... thank you for being upfront about it.

[boxcut]

...I really like you. I don't want you to hate me.

[hardlyboy]

Why do you...?

[boxcut]

Do you hate me?

[hardlyboy]

Just because I am upset with you does not mean that I hate you.

[boxcut]

I don't want you to be upset with me, either.

[hardlyboy]

There are worse fates, Jennifer-san.

[boxcut]

[puts a hand on Naoto's shoulder]

What can I do?

[hardlyboy]

[keeping an eye on that hand]

Continue to control your hunger in non-violent ways. I cannot say we will not be investigating you, and if we discover that you have been 'slipping up', there will be consequences. However, if you can maintain a peaceful lifestyle here then I will be able to trust you.

[boxcut]

I'm doing that already.

[hardlyboy]

Then it's quite likely that my investigation will be short.