[Week 2, Sunday: Jae-Ha]

[doublecrows]

[Akechi still has that black eye Ann gave him, tbh. but it's fading a little bit, at the very least! he also seems a lot calmer, a lot more composed than he was at the end of last week's trial, so. . . win?]

[anyway, Jae-Ha you should bug Akechi while he's in the kitchen fixing himself something to drink. coffee today. because coffee superiority]

Comments

[alttitude]

[ . . . interesting.

Given that it's Sunday, Jae-ha's calmer than he was immediately following the end of trial. He wanders in and smells the aroma and - ]

I wouldn't suppose you might've made more than one cup?

[here he is, trying to piggyback off akechi's coffee smh]

[doublecrows]

[he pauses. he stares at Jae-Ha for a few seconds, almost bewildered]

Are you trying to mooch off of me?

[alttitude]

[Well.]

You don't care to share?

[THEY'RE ALL STUCK IN THIS CASTLE TOGETHER, AKECHI

can you believe jae-ha would just drink a murderer's coffee]

[doublecrows]

[I mean, Jae-Ha and everyone else literally trusted Akechi with a knife and fingerprint evidence yesterday, so. . .]

Don't count on my generosity every day.

[comes Akechi's reply, but. he's grabbing a second mug]

[alttitude]

[gaaaaaasp

Jae-ha's touched. His eyes sparkle.]

... you know, I really do think Eichi might be right about you.

[jae-ha's going to lose his coffee rights in record time]

[doublecrows]

[pours a cup of coffee for Jae-Ha]








[immediately dumps it out in the sink]

Hm? What has Ten-- . . . what has Eichi been saying about me?

[alttitude]

[WHAT THE FUCK]

My coffee?!

[doublecrows]

Oh, dear. My hand must have slipped! How clumsy of me.

[alttitude]

That's cruel. That's cruel and unusual punishment.

You should find a cuter way to express embarrassment.

[doublecrows]

This isn't an expression of embarrassment.

[it's an expression of ANNOYANCE]

I want to know what Eichi said about me; that's all.

[alttitude]

Why did you have to dump out my coffee for it.

[doublecrows]

[pours him another cup and slides it over :/ Jae-Ha you big baby]

[alttitude]

[Nice.

He's easily appeased.]

He says he admires you.

[INSTANT ANSWER.]

[doublecrows]

[what]

Why.

[WHY WOULD ANYONE ADMIRE A KILLER]

[alttitude]

[ . . . ]

Are you not familiar with people holding you in positive regard?

[doublecrows]

Of course I am. I'm a popular talk show detective at home; I have many fans.

[but none of those fans know his true nature. not like Eichi does]

[alttitude]

[what's a talk show]

How many would stick around after you've collapsed following a kinda creepy laugh?

[doublecrows]

[ouch]

[Akechi doesn't answer that, though he does give Jae-Ha a sharp look]

[alttitude]

[Valid.

But Jae-ha moves on, because he was mostly intent on making a point - ]

Ah, so they've only seen the face you want to put on for them.

I guess it makes sense why you're more surprised about Eichi still liking you - but he does. To the point that he got defensive the second I doubted you for even a moment.

[doublecrows]

[ugh, way to remind him that Eichi is loyal to a fault Jae-Ha! at least Akechi's expression softens at that, though he gives a resigned sigh]

He's strange. I don't fully understand him.

[. . .]

But I am. . . glad.

[alttitude]

[ . . . .

hmmmmm.]

That's a nice expression on you.

If that's what he gets to see, then I'm not surprised at all that he cares for you so much.

[doublecrows]

[turns away from Jae-Ha and takes a sip of his coffee!!]

Are you here to tease me?

[alttitude]

[and that gets jae-ha to laugh]

No.

I actually meant that sincerely - so I guess it really does confirm that you don't know what to do when people say nice things to you.

[doublecrows]

[. . . . . Akechi sighs. boy, is he growing soft]

Incidentally, one doesn't come across many people willing to say nice things about them when one grows up in the foster care system.

[alttitude]

[ . . . uh oh.]

Mm.... a bad living environment...?

[he doesn't know what that is

but he like

tried]

[doublecrows]

[fortunately, for as much as Akechi sucks, he is like, always chomping at the bit to tell people his tragic backstory. so]

My mother died when I was young. My father-- though living-- deserves to eat the dirt he is far beneath.

[wow, what bitterness]

You could say I was effectively an orphan.

[alttitude]

Ah.... [He nods and briefly - ] I'd never met mine either.

[Though it's just a quiet bit of understanding, he doesn't mean to pull the conversation away from Akechi. Hence why he moves on easily:]

And in your determination to be a detective, you didn't have time for much else?

[doublecrows]

[a bitter laugh]

Of course I didn't. I had no friends, no family, so I poured my focus into my studies. And after that, I poured my focus on getting revenge on my good-for-nothing sorry excuse of a father.

[so]

[he coped in a healthy way]

[not]

[alttitude]

... so that's how you survived.

[It's more an understanding response - it lacks any actual judgment, good or bad. He doesn't commend it, but he doesn't seem to feel derision either.]

I suppose it's one way to live, if that's what guides you forward.

... are you happy with your choices?

[doublecrows]

[yes, he says. why wouldn't he be? he completed his objective, gained a token for killing someone and getting away from it. he eliminated his rival back home, earned a satisfying victory over the one person keeping him from enacting his revenge]

[yes, I'm happy]

[. . .]

I wouldn't dare say I'm not. What else would I have, if everything I've done until now has been a waste?

[alttitude]

[The double-negative answer doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

But Jae-ha just hums at that - ]

It doesn't have to be a waste. I was just wondering... if you're happy, then that's a good thing. That means that your work would have been rewarded, right?

But if you're not - that wouldn't be surprising either. You're young. There's still a lot that life has to offer you, if you care to look. Your father isn't here, and neither are your studies or your career.... so you can finally see everything else, if that's what you want.

[doublecrows]

My work back home hasn't been rewarded yet. But it will be.

[he says that firmly, with confidence. it helps him forget that he's wavering]

[. . .]

[he doesn't answer the second part]

[alttitude]

[ . . . mm-hmm.]

And what about the rest of your time here, with all of us?

[doublecrows]

What about it?

[what are u getting at, Jae-Ha]

[alttitude]

Ah - shall I repeat myself? You don't have your studies here, or your father - there's only you, Goro Akechi, and whoever that might be without those other things and your own spite to drive you.

[ . . . ]

Have you found more to life?

[doublecrows]

[INTENSE BRISTLING]

Why the fuck are you asking me that kind of question?

[alttitude]

Oh, that's a scary face.

[But he doesn't seem bothered? Jae-ha seems to not consider the fact that Akechi killed a man.]

But you know, you have a very intense reaction to everyone who seems to wish for your happiness.

Which, by the way, is why I asked.

[doublecrows]

[JAE-HA PLEASE BE CONCERNED FOR YOUR LIFE]

Do you honestly think the world cares if someone like me is happy or not?

[alttitude]

The world doesn't care if anyone's happy or not.

[THE WORLD KIND OF SUCKS]

That doesn't mean you shouldn't try anyway. There are people who care about you here, as you are - it's not a bad thing to enjoy that.

[doublecrows]

[gck]

[. . .]

[Akechi's only response is to sigh and pick up his cup of coffee]

How is the drink?

[alttitude]

[that sure is changing the subject

but jae-ha just seems to manage an amused laugh, though it lacks any malice.]

It's good. I'd never had it before coming here.

Sandalphon was fond of it for some reason... I think I'm coming to understand why, slowly. It's nice to have a chat over.

[doublecrows]

[Dana they kissed]

[BUT THAT SURE IS CHANGING THE SUBJECT]

Ah, yes. It is. Casual conversations over cafe-brand coffee are common where I come from.

[alttitude]

[

now all of modchat knows what you've done for china grimm]

Is it your drink of choice? All I know is tea myself. Even living in a port town, I didn't see any of the traders bring this by.

[doublecrows]

[ILU DANA]

It's become my drink of choice as of late. Before, I used to enjoy primarily tea.

[this is Kurusu's fault]

[alttitude]

Oh? Why the change?

[jae-ha sure does like to ask questions about people]

Need the energy boost more than what tea can provide?

[doublecrows]

I started visiting a cafe that served the best coffee I've ever had.

[THIS IS KURUSU'S FAULT]

I decided it was time to try something knew.