Daybreak Academy | Inbox

[hippocarnival]

YUYA SAKAKI UN: FUNDIRECTION

STATUS: Student Grade 9

ACCOLADES: (Here is a list of leading roles Yuya's has in school theater performances over the past two years, plus a glowing review of his familiar Odd-Eyes)

BIO: Hello! You can call me Yuya. I'm from Sendai, Japan. This is my second year in Daybreak Academy. I'm a Tamer, and Odd-Eyes is my familiar. He's the big red dragon that hangs out in the courtyards. He's friendly but he tries to steal food sometimes. I speak Japanese and English but not very good French. I'm also in the theater club. I'm in Lumiere 203. Let's be friends!

© TESSISAMESS

Comments

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya, by this point, has gone on to reading a book in his lap and occasionally checking his phone. He looks up immediately when the door opens, and when Toki answers... he blinks slowly, not quite comprehending.]

You don't know?

[It's something that's always so clear to Yuya. He doesn't understand the uncertainty.]

[yokeye]

I don't know how I feel about Kano.

[He shrugs, thinking Yuya just didn't remember what he had asked.]

[hippocarnival]

Oh. [Uh--hm. He doesn't really need to follow up with that, and he's been careful not to meddle. He's not sure if one instance of a kid like Kano is really solid evidence that he's stalking Toki to the hospital or anything. But also, it's sad and he knows Kano's sad and he supposed deep down he just... really wants to know.]

It's okay, I was just really wondering, you know?

[yokeye]

It's complicated.

[He doesn't fully understand the feelings himself; mixing in suspicions and paranoia, that may or may not be true. Toki climbs up to his loft - he still doesn't remember writing "over you, so take care" on the ceiling. It's not his handwriting, but no one else would have done it.]

Yuya, did I tell you about the cat in New York? I know I told Maverick...

[hippocarnival]

There was a cat in New York? [It's the first time he's hearing about it, having missed that whole debacle except that Toki was hit by a car, and Yuya had fretted over that before he and Nana left to Japan for Spring Break.]

[yokeye]

[There's a lot less emotion in his voice; he still speaks fast, but not anxiously. This is just a retelling of facts. He's strangely detached from it.]

The cat that showed us that map was Kano. I've seen it before, the cat, in New York. I'm remembering more of it. After I left Minako's party, after everyone else had gone already, I was going to run away. When I got on the elevator, there was a cat. That same cat. Kano. It- he- followed me out of the hotel. I talked to him like he was a cat because I didn't know. I forgot what I asked the cat, but he was taking me somewhere down the sidewalk and then he darted out into the street. I didn't think, I just ran after him. I don't remember the impact, but I remember the lights. Why did he do that? Why would Kano want to hurt me if he's my friend?

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya stares in disbelief for a moment before he buries his face in his hands and shakes his head. He didn't--of course he didn't think, he just ran into traffic. Kano could have killed him. What reason would Kano even have to go into traffic?]

That idiot... [They're all stupid, reckless idiots, but really. Kano.] I don't know. But Kano always has a reason for doing things and... and he doesn't want to hurt his friends intentionally. [Yuya drags his hands down and looks up at Toki.] He just gets--sometimes his ideas are a lot worse than he thinks they are.

[It doesn't excuse the damage, in general, though Yuya's willing to be far more forgiving when it isn't intentional. He's been missing Toki, so Yuya's sure he didn't mean to hurt him that badly.]

[yokeye]

[He moves onto his side to stare at the wall, so Yuya can't see him cry. Toki does the same thing, in a way, only his logic is flawed at the core and he isn't deliberately engaging in destructive behavior on a conscious level, like Kano. But Kano still doesn't understand things; how things effect people. Toki's only now realizing it himself.]

Sh-should I ask him why?

[He just wants to know why. It could just be a mistake, but some part of him can't shake the feeling that Kano did exactly what he intended to. Kano is fake, like Toki, and he wonders if he ever knew the actual Kano at all.]

[hippocarnival]

... Only if you want to. [Yuya gets up, approaching Toki from behind to put a gentle hand on his shoulder. To offer at least that much comfort, because he felt similarly after he got out of that hellish place. Betrayal, pain, just--wanting to know why.]

And if you want me there if you ask, I'll come. [He's offer to ask for Toki, but honestly this is the kind of thing he should probably do himself. It doesn't have to be alone, though.]

[yokeye]

Not yet. I can't ask him yet.

[He's so close to breaking every day. Kano has to become an afterthought until he's ready; even if it hurts to leave this unresolved.]

[hippocarnival]

Okay. [He pauses, giving Toki's shoulder a squeeze. He can't do this for Toki, but maybe there's something else he can assure for him.]

Do you... want me to ask Kano if he's been disguising himself and talking to you? So you'll know for sure.

[And if it's just his paranoia, maybe it'll help him talk himself out of it.]

[yokeye]

[Toki shifts around to face Yuya.]

Would he tell you the truth? Do you trust him, Yuya?

[They can tell him he's paranoid and making it all up, but he hasn't been able to believe it yet.]

[hippocarnival]

Yeah. I trust him.

[Maybe more than he should, the way he says it without any hesitation. He trusts his heart to be in the right place, at least. To listen, this time, that it's hurting more than helping if it's true.]

[yokeye]

Then you can ask him.

[He's already dreading the answer, no matter what it is. Either Kano has been staking him, or he has to accept he's as bad off as they say.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yeah... it's kind of a lose-lose situation.

Yuya nods.] You're going through a lot, so... it's okay. But I think the help is helping?

[yokeye]

[He laugh a little at the phrasing.]

It is. It's just... hard. Yuya, I'm... I'm sorry that I hurt you, that you had to deal with everything...

[hippocarnival]

I think it's a lot worse for you. [Living like that... Yuya can't really imagine it. Not completely. He just sees the terrifying results.

Kuroko finally crawls out from under the desk, stretching before she hops into Toki's lap with a meow.]

[yokeye]

I'm used to it.

[That's what Ekkehardt said. He was used to it and didn't understand how much of a different world he lived in.]

Hey, Kuroko.

[He pets her gently, scratching behind her ears. She's warming up to him.]