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[hierophantmoon]

[If anybody has been trying to reach Shinjiro, be it knocking on his door or dialing up his tablet, they've been unsuccessful. His tablet is in his room, but he himself is not

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[xxii_thefool]

[It's taken Minako longer than it should have to remember the date - after all, it was just October a few months ago as far as she's concerned. Once it occurs to her what day it is, though, it shouldn't come as any surprise that she comes looking for Shinjiro.

It takes her a while to find her way up to the roof - she's checked the rest of the dorm, short of actually barging uninvited into his room to look for him. The roof is her last stop before she ventures out into the rest of the Underworld... and here he is, and she realizes suddenly that she has no idea what, if anything, she was planning to say when she found him.

She hesitates for a little while before she starts across the roof towards Shinjiro and his lawn chair.]

...hey.

[hierophantmoon]

[Shinjiro looks over his shoulder at Minako. He half-expected Akihiko to find him before anyone else, but Minako is the most welcome face.]

We out of stuff to eat?

[xxii_thefool]

[She shakes her head, smiling faintly.]

Don't worry, nobody's starving yet.

[She picks her way over to sit down next to his chair, tucking her skirt around her legs, heedless of roof grit.]

I just wanted to see... how you were holding up. [And make sure he wasn't out doing anything self-destructive.]

[hierophantmoon]

[She shouldn't be sitting on the floor. He sits up and put the chair in its original position, and stands up to offer at hand to her.]

Just thinking.

[xxii_thefool]

[She blinks up at him when he stands, and looks faintly apologetic.]

You don't have to get up. I didn't mean to disturb you.

[But she reaches up for the hand he offers.]

[hierophantmoon]

Y'shouldn't be sitting on the ground.

[xxii_thefool]

[Once she's back on her feet, she absently dusts her skirt off, a little chagrined.]

I don't mind.

[hierophantmoon]

If anyone's sittin' on the ground, should be me.

[He maintains a gentle grasp of her hand, looking down at it as he speaks.]

[xxii_thefool]

Hey, a little roof dirt isn't going to hurt me. I didn't come up here to make you give up your seat.

[The quip comes out very mildly, and Minako seems content to let her hand stay clasped with his, making no move to pull it back.]

[hierophantmoon]

Been sitting long enough. Did Aki get you to come up here?

[xxii_thefool]

Mm-mm. [She shakes her head.] I just thought maybe you could do with some company.

[hierophantmoon]

[If there was anybody's presence he didn't mind, it was Minako's.]

Let's go somewhere else. Someplace we can both sit. [And hopefully not be bothered.]

[xxii_thefool]

[She smiles warmly up at him at the suggestion.]

All right. That sounds good.

[hierophantmoon]

[He offers her the start of a small grin. And they can keep holding hands if she wants. If anybody in the dorm gives them grief, screw them.]

Wouldn't be around if not for you.

[xxii_thefool]

[She takes that hint of a grin as a victory, or at least a good sign, and keeps hold of his hand as they go along.]

I don't know about that. [She's avoided thinking very much about all of the things that Minato's presence in place of her own might change. She doesn't want to think that it might make things worse, or better... but in Shinjiro's case, at least, she holds out the small hope that her brother might manage to handle the whole situation a little bit better. No one has told her otherwise, after all.]

...I'm just happy that you are. For a little while, I was afraid that you were just going to disappear, and I wouldn't get to see you again.

[hierophantmoon]

Don't have to be afraid anymore. I ain't gonna last forever, though.