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CHAT ROOM
[Joker]
Kuchiki-san lives in the apartment complex in Yongen-Jaya. Thought she was following me home lol.
[Skull]
So I'm not the only one who thinks she's weird?
[Panther]
Don't overthink it. We'll just keep her away from the Phantom shenanigans.
[Hime]
Oh, I like that term!
---
"Ren, if you're uncomfortable with her, you should just tell them," Morgana said.
Ren shook his head gently.
"It's not that I'm uncomfortable with her. I'm doubting myself because I don't want anything to go wrong. I'm trying to navigate my life algorithmically right now for some reason."
"Well, Ren, if you don't wanna tell something to the team but have doubts, you can count on me," Morgana said proudly.
---
The window of the loft above Leblanc was cracked open, a spring breeze rolling through the room.
The scent of curry spices drifted up from the café.
'Looks like Boss started the curry. Haaaaa. What should I do today?'
'Go with the flow, Hee Ho!' Jack Frost said.
'Wake up before you plan your day, mon ami,' Arsène chuckled.
---
---
CHAT LOG
[Dove]
Any word from Yusuke?
[Joker]
Unfortunately not. I was going to send him a message shortly asking if he's alright.
[Hime]
What exactly did you do?
[Joker]
Maybe I went about it the wrong way, but I asked someone to send him some information so he can't lie to himself anymore.
---
"I don't think we went about this the wrong way, Ren," Morgana said as Ren drank his morning coffee.
"Well, it's been a few days without a word from him. I'm starting to get concerned. Maybe we could have talked to him in a gentler way."
"I don't think it would have worked, Ren," Morgana said quietly.
BZZT.
Ren quickly picked up his phone and opened the new message.
"Looks like Yusuke wants to meet up to talk this afternoon," Ren trailed off. "Depending on what he talks about, we might have to bring him into the Palace today."
"Already?" Morgana asked with a furrowed brow as he walked down the stairs next to Ren into the café.
"He needs a bit of hope after all of the rough days he's had," Ren answered as he began to gently wash his red and black mug.
---
Yusuke was tired. Sensei hadn't come back yet, so he was still alone for at least another day. But his mind was beginning to settle. He realized he couldn't lie to himself anymore. But he didn't know where to go from here. He didn't really have anyone to fall back on. No family to turn to. So all he could do was swallow his fear and guilt over being a hassle and ask to talk to Ren.
Maybe Ren's ghosts and Shadows weren't too different after all. He knew what Ren had been trying to ask. And he appreciated that he had done so in the way he did. He just... wasn't ready for things to crash the way they did.
The longer he sat with it, trying to sort it out, the clearer it became.
He was being abused.
Maybe not physically. But emotionally and financially, he was. He was being neglected. He was a teenager. He should be able to handle it, but—
He shook his head.
'I'll talk to Ren later,' he thought before pulling out his sketchbook and zoning out.
---
Rukia Kuchiki was standing on a nearby roof, looking at Leblanc. The two contractors, if that's what they actually were, didn't say he could see ghosts or Shinigami, so she figured it might be okay for her to blatantly follow him in her soul form. But he could see Hollows.
'What is that power?' she thought as she hopped from roof to roof. Her modern clothing had been replaced by a set of black robes. She looked like she was out of a period drama, a graceful, delicate katana resting on her hip.
"I really hope their spiritual pressure is latent," she muttered as she began to follow after Ren.
---
On the train, Ren suddenly alerted Morgana.
"I feel like we're being watched again."
He had activated his Third Eye and was trying to sense for any abnormalities in the area.
"I feel it too," Morgana confirmed. It had felt like his skin was crawling since they left Leblanc.
"Let's keep an eye out."
---