- 032nd tide | | ripples -

[soulofocean]

[Voice]

[Right from the moment she starts speaking it's noticeable something's wrong with Umi: her voice isn't as self-assured as usual. She sounds more than a little drained and jaded, as if she just woke up from sleep.]

Sorry if I worried anyone. I couldn't be around yesterday. So tired...

[There's a pause.] It was... something, huh. Just the

Comments

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[holyinhell]

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[holyinhell]

I still can't wholly accept that. If I remove the guilt, I won't feel the pain of my own sins. No. I need to remember so it won't ever happen again.

private; 1/fff hsdghasgdhs

[soulofocean]

So it's you...

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[soulofocean]

Hikaru, she-!

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[soulofocean]

. . .

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[soulofocean]

Hikaru won't tell me...

I know she wouldn't like you to torment yourself over this. You shouldn't go against that wish.

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[holyinhell]

She's like no one I've ever met. Even after all that, she still wanted to be my friend. I've only seen that kind of kindness once before...

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[soulofocean]

She's like that to everyone.

Maybe it's hard to accept it for me, because I care so much about her. But she's right. That wasn't YOU, back then.

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[holyinhell]

I won't ask you to accept it. And she's wrong. It was me.

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[soulofocean]

I want to accept it because it's right. No one should be blamed for what happened. I'm not proud of what I did either.

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[holyinhell]

...it seems like your friends and mine are tied together now.

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[soulofocean]

Well... I... hope it's by friendship and not by guilt. Though a little of that can't be helped.

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[holyinhell]

Despite what it is, we...and I will be there to help. I know you'll say the same.

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[soulofocean]

Of course. There's not other way around it. But I don't want it to feel like a debt.

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[holyinhell]

I've made my decision. It isn't a debt but my own will.

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[soulofocean]

If it's your own will...

What's your name?