AForestDark— Aspects Game

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Ends on 08/18/2016 at 10pm PST.

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Content warning references to child abuse and drug abuse. Will put more warnings up if they come up.

Comments

[inhibiting]

Are you his step-father?

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Unfortunately, though that's about as much claim as I'd lay on him.

[inhibiting]

You're the adult. So you should extend the hand of grace first.

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To him? Bah! He's not even worth the effort.

[inhibiting]

[ a slow deep breath ]

Everyone is worth the effort sometimes. If you'll excuse me, then.

[ time to go snooping in Sae's room I guess ]

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[ The man snorts, a little inelegantly, but lets her go. In the hallway, there are two additional rooms that Kennedy hasn't explored. The one that their father described as Sae's is the furthest down the hallway, the one with music coming out of it very faintly. ]

[inhibiting]

[ she goes for that one, first

opening it up ]

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[ The room is a simple but elegant one, tastefully decorated with a feminine touch. There's a window with a lovely view of the neighborhood— it's a pleasant-looking area, very higher-end middle class Japan. The source of the music seems to be an antique music box that is sitting on a desk near the window. Curiously, the music is playing even though the box is currently closed.

You don't see anyone in the room, but you can hear a young woman's voice humming along with the music from inside of a closet. ]

[inhibiting]

-- oh. I'm sorry -- excuse me?

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[ The humming from the closet stops, and a head peeks out from the closet. It's a young woman, about nineteen or twenty years old... She's clearly the girl from the family portrait, only older. ] Oh! Hello, I wasn't expecting any visitors.

[inhibiting]

I'm sorry — I didn't mean to come either. . .

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[ The girl smiles slightly. ] It's okay, I don't mind. Is there something you needed?

[inhibiting]

. . . would it be all right if we got to know each other? I — I'm not sure what I'm to do.

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That's fine by me... [ The girl leaves her closet and crosses over to the other side of her room. She fiddles with the old music box and it stops playing. ] Sorry, it's very old... Sometimes, it gets triggered like that. [ She turns back around to face Kennedy. ] I'm Katou Sae... Though I suppose that won't be true for long. I'm getting married, you see.

[inhibiting]

[ blinks ]

Oh — um. Are you happy?

— ah! And it's nice to meet you. . . I'm Kennedy.

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It's nice to meet you, Kennedy. [ The girl walks over to a small kotatsu and sits by it. She indicates a spot for Kennedy to sit if she wishes. ] As for if I'm happy... Mostly, though I suppose everyone has their regrets.

[inhibiting]

[ she sits after a moment of hesitation ]

. . your own? Or someone else's. . .?

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I wonder... I think it's both, though. My regrets and someone else's. They're related, you see.

[inhibiting]

If you don't mind. . . will you explain?

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I don't mind. [ Sae takes a moment, pausing to collect her thoughts. ] I have a little brother, you see. Yue. He... wasn't always a very good boy, though I don't suppose I can blame him. When you're unhappy, you'll lash out in any way you can. But still, he's my brother. So of course I loved him, regardless.

[inhibiting]

Family is very important. . .

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I think so, too... I tried to support Yuu-kun, but I think he resented me for it. Maybe he saw it as pity. After all, I'm the one who easily got everything he so desperately wanted... [ Sae sighs. ] I suppose in my own way, I contributed to his feelings. It's the things I didn't do or say in time that I regret most, I think.

[inhibiting]

It's never too late to try and repair things. . . [ unless they're dead but i mean ]

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I think he tried once. The last time we saw each other... There were a lot of misunderstandings. It didn't go well. [ Sae shudders a little. "It didn't go well" was an understatement. ]

[inhibiting]

. . . what happened?