[ She wants to tell him it's OK. For this, she doesn't blame him; she knows it was not his place to tell. The fact of it was though, that Kazuma held all of this inside him, and didn't feel like he could come to her.
She could blame it on her age, or her inexperience, but she still failed him as his assistant. ]
I know he doesn't want to. [ But he did. To Yujin. She should be glad for that. Should. ] For weeks I've thought about how I should broach the subject again, if at all, and... and now I can't. [ Not with him like this. ]
[It does leave Yujin wondering why Kazuma told him but not Susato. Perhaps he believed that he owed his adoptive father the truth, no matter how painful, out of sheer courtesy. Kazuma hadn't told him about the letter which had come from England back then, though, nor about his resolve to find the truth regarding Genshin. What made Hyde different?]
There will be more than enough time to discuss it with him in the future, once everything has calmed down a bit.
[He finally takes a bite from the sandwich, careful not to have it fall apart.]
. . . [ Distantly, she thinks she should probably eat more. Help Yujin finish the platter he'd prepared, perhaps. At least it would keep her occupied. ] Yes. You're right.
[ For a quiet moment, she doesn't say anything. She's just going through the motions, picking up something else to put in her mouth once she's swallowed the previous one. She still looks far away by the time she speaks again. ]
Before Lord van Zieks' trial, I made Gina a promise. That no matter what, if it came to light that Lord van Zieks had actually murdered Inspector Gregson--even he would see justice. Now I can't even say that I could make the same promise, with Kazuma-sama on the dock.
[The sentiment catches him off guard; not for the feelings contained within, but rather, the hypothetical nature of the scenario. He lowers his hands towards his lap, attempting to meet Susato's gaze even if she's looking elsewhere.]
Such situations can't possibly be compared. The extenuating circumstances involved with Kazuma's actions are... Well, they are from another world in a literal sense. I don't believe that as it stands, anyone would expect Kazuma to be faced with justice.
[ She sees him looking and obliges him, meeting his eyes, even if it feels difficult. ]
I know. Even with talks of this council, I don't know that there would ever be a case made against him. But I was taking notes while I was trying to figure him out, and... once I confirmed it, my first instinct was to throw them into the fire.
[ She must have been trying to hide it. She told him as much... didn't she? She remembers wanting to ease his worries. ]
I just wonder if it says something about me, is all. [ Does that make her a bad person now...? ]
[Yujin quite expects that a case would only ever be made against Kazuma if he were to commit some sort of crime now. And even then, noctaere corruption would need to be taken into account. It's the sort of ailment that could befall any one of them, and so, they could never hold it against him.
But that's not Susato's concern, is it?
He's silent for a few seconds, then clicks his tongue softly. If Susato's a bad person, then so is he.]
In the midst of that fateful autopsy, when Genshin's ring was found... Well, all sorts of thoughts shot through my mind. I knew at once that it was his, and I knew what it meant. I knew that it was my duty to pursue that truth. Even so, the impulse to make that ring disappear... It existed in the back of my mind. Such a thing is perfectly natural.
[ But he never acted on those impulses, did he? Perhaps he would have, Had Dr Wilson not intervened and forced the discovery forward. Susato absorbs his words, pondering her own graying morality with Kazuma's words from back then echoing in her head. Are you reconsidering because of a possibility you've come to realize? For my sake? ]
Well, it's awful.
[ There may have been a whine to her voice. Why did no one tell her that growing up sucks so bad???
That said, she doesn't think she should bother her father much longer. Clearly she's already brought up enough memories that he would've rather forgotten. ]
...I'm sorry. [ Again? ] I, I did not mean to make you relive that autopsy.
[Yujin nods his head just a bit at the first sentiment. It is awful. Those dang Asogi men, stretching the firmness of the Mikotoba virtues without even meaning to...!
The second sentiment, on the other hand, takes him aback.]
Ah? No, no, you needn't apologize for something like that. The memory is a bit difficult to bear, but one mustn't look away from the truth. Isn't that so?
It is... but there is a time and place, and I do believe I've troubled you enough for one evening. And we've certainly been dealing with enough.
[ She sighs, but manages a smile when she looks up from what's left of the snacks. ]
I should shower. Then... I don't know. Perhaps I'll see how he's getting on. [ There's another weary glance towards the room they gave to Kazuma. Maybe she'll at least make sure he has enough Dawn petals around, given that Yujin has likely been monitoring his healing. ]
[She's got a point there. Just because they need to accept the truth, it doesn't mean they need to fret over it every single moment. Life goes on. He nudges her arm with his elbow, smiling.]
That sounds like a feat of excellent planning. Go on, then. I'll tidy up here.
[ The nudge, small a gesture though it may be, actually does a lot to pull her out of her thoughts. It's not exactly in her nature to just leave all the tidying to her father, but before she can fight him on that, she stands, and Yujin definitely gets a hug from his daughter. ]
[Oh goodness. He was not expecting a hug to come out of that. He certainly won't complain, though. Instead, he wraps his arms around Susato's midriff, his eyes slipping shut.]
It's no problem at all. [He'd add that he's sorry he couldn't do more, but he knows she won't take it well. That doesn't change the existence of the sentiment, though.]
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no subject
She could blame it on her age, or her inexperience, but she still failed him as his assistant. ]
I know he doesn't want to. [ But he did. To Yujin. She should be glad for that. Should. ] For weeks I've thought about how I should broach the subject again, if at all, and... and now I can't. [ Not with him like this. ]
no subject
There will be more than enough time to discuss it with him in the future, once everything has calmed down a bit.
[He finally takes a bite from the sandwich, careful not to have it fall apart.]
1/2
no subject
Before Lord van Zieks' trial, I made Gina a promise. That no matter what, if it came to light that Lord van Zieks had actually murdered Inspector Gregson--even he would see justice. Now I can't even say that I could make the same promise, with Kazuma-sama on the dock.
no subject
[The sentiment catches him off guard; not for the feelings contained within, but rather, the hypothetical nature of the scenario. He lowers his hands towards his lap, attempting to meet Susato's gaze even if she's looking elsewhere.]
Such situations can't possibly be compared. The extenuating circumstances involved with Kazuma's actions are... Well, they are from another world in a literal sense. I don't believe that as it stands, anyone would expect Kazuma to be faced with justice.
no subject
I know. Even with talks of this council, I don't know that there would ever be a case made against him. But I was taking notes while I was trying to figure him out, and... once I confirmed it, my first instinct was to throw them into the fire.
[ She must have been trying to hide it. She told him as much... didn't she? She remembers wanting to ease his worries. ]
I just wonder if it says something about me, is all. [ Does that make her a bad person now...? ]
no subject
But that's not Susato's concern, is it?
He's silent for a few seconds, then clicks his tongue softly. If Susato's a bad person, then so is he.]
In the midst of that fateful autopsy, when Genshin's ring was found... Well, all sorts of thoughts shot through my mind. I knew at once that it was his, and I knew what it meant. I knew that it was my duty to pursue that truth. Even so, the impulse to make that ring disappear... It existed in the back of my mind. Such a thing is perfectly natural.
no subject
Well, it's awful.
[ There may have been a whine to her voice. Why did no one tell her that growing up sucks so bad???
That said, she doesn't think she should bother her father much longer. Clearly she's already brought up enough memories that he would've rather forgotten. ]
...I'm sorry. [ Again? ] I, I did not mean to make you relive that autopsy.
no subject
The second sentiment, on the other hand, takes him aback.]
Ah? No, no, you needn't apologize for something like that. The memory is a bit difficult to bear, but one mustn't look away from the truth. Isn't that so?
no subject
It is... but there is a time and place, and I do believe I've troubled you enough for one evening. And we've certainly been dealing with enough.
[ She sighs, but manages a smile when she looks up from what's left of the snacks. ]
I should shower. Then... I don't know. Perhaps I'll see how he's getting on. [ There's another weary glance towards the room they gave to Kazuma. Maybe she'll at least make sure he has enough Dawn petals around, given that Yujin has likely been monitoring his healing. ]
no subject
That sounds like a feat of excellent planning. Go on, then. I'll tidy up here.
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. . . Thank you. [ For everything. ]
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It's no problem at all. [He'd add that he's sorry he couldn't do more, but he knows she won't take it well. That doesn't change the existence of the sentiment, though.]