[ Maruki scoffs quietly around a sip of his coffee; it's as good as ever. The brand that went on sale on Akechi's birthday back in their reality. ]
Fair enough. I await the day that you want to get away from me that badly.
[ Hasn't happened yet, so...
Maruki tips his head back to look up at the sky. Cloud cover coming in; summer is on its way out. They still might be able to get in a swim on a particularly warm day, but once autumn hits it won't be pleasant. Still, it'll be a nice place to come relax, away from everyone. ]
What did you do during your summer breaks? Before you were a celebrity, I mean.
I have a difficult time remembering, if I'm honest. Though my true work didn't end simply because I was on break. I recall staying home to study for the most part and spending a great deal of time at the library. Some evenings, I indulged in a game of billiards or darts.
[But that's no different from his celebrity life - small indulgences where he can. The only difference is that his days are spent in front of a camera instead of in a classroom.
He digs out a jagarico box and peels the top halfway off.]
I've never gone to the beach during it, if that's what you're wondering. I recall once as a child-
[Stops, abruptly, because he's suddenly acutely aware that it wasn't his mom that took him swimming. Was the man two feet from him.]
Well, I suppose that doesn't matter. My memory's too foggy to confirm it. It may as well have been a dream.
[ Maruki nods along, none the wiser. It's about what he expected; he remembers all too well how little relaxation actually happened during his own breaks during high school. He may not have been a top of the nation student, but he was singularly focused on being accepted into a prestigious program at a top university. Summers looked exactly like the rest of the year: Cram school, independent study, volunteer work, part-time jobs. Anything and everything to get him in the door. ]
It was mostly the same for me at your age. Home, studying, library.
[ A pause. A sip. A hesitation. He wants to share. Doesn't expect Akechi to care at all, but the desire is still there, so– ]
Although once I was in undergrad, Rumi forced me to lighten up a bit and occasionally enjoy a few days off during break. We went to a lot of interesting places. And I got very good at traveling on a budget!
[ He would have been perfectly content to stay home, but she always was an adventurous, roaming spirit. In some ways, he does have a type.
And then, so Akechi doesn't have to acknowledge his own sentimentality, he easily moves on. ]
[Man truly never changes. Without Rumi around to guide him like a pathetic little lapdog, forcing him do something other than work, he won't. Even without Eyn Sof, he's cooking for a company all morning, like it was ever his responsibility to keep it afloat. It should crash and burn because Eren didn't plan for a life beyond him.
Akechi hopes it does.
Opts to say nothing instead. Listens and follows along with the next comment, as he munches on salty jagarico sticks.]
I suppose I'll cut you off from future inquiries, if this is your train of thought.
I've never gone to a true onsen. My life has been somewhat dull, in that I've never visited areas outside of school or housing, no matter where I lived.
[He wasn't exactly welcome most places. Wasn't a long enough addition anywhere to go on rare family vacations that never fully included him.
Another stick crunches in his mouth. ]
It's why I hoped to travel in the future - not only the world, but across Japan as well.
[Oh well. ❤️]
Though I think my experience in this reality has provided enough excitement to satisfy me.
[ A bold statement, and one he clarifies immediately, hand held up to pause Akechi's retort as he takes another sip. ]
What I mean is that based on both of our experiences last month... When we do eventually return to our true reality, you could have time for one trip. Just one.
[ Maruki sets the half-full coffee can down in the sand and flops down to stretch out fully on the blanket, face turned toward the afternoon sun. ]
Find half a day off somewhere in there, and I'll show you someplace neat. That's a promise.
Find half a day off somewhere isn't impossible. It's simple. Nothing needs to be cancelled, only moved. Shido won't care if he wanders off for a few hours - won't even notice when he's so busy collecting debts in secret meetings in dark, quiet buildings with no name.
He takes a sip of his drink to mull over a decision already made. It's not for just anyone he would. A lie would roll easy off his lips. The truth is a little more difficult.]
You'll have your work cut out for you. I'm a difficult person to impress.
[The waves are moving up - another couple hours and they'll be pushed out of this spot.]
And when it's almost winter, no less. I can't fathom what you'll come up with.
[Many weeks ago, Akechi sat up on a cliffside and lied, like always.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Fair enough. I await the day that you want to get away from me that badly.
[ Hasn't happened yet, so...
Maruki tips his head back to look up at the sky. Cloud cover coming in; summer is on its way out. They still might be able to get in a swim on a particularly warm day, but once autumn hits it won't be pleasant. Still, it'll be a nice place to come relax, away from everyone. ]
What did you do during your summer breaks? Before you were a celebrity, I mean.
no subject
[But that's no different from his celebrity life - small indulgences where he can. The only difference is that his days are spent in front of a camera instead of in a classroom.
He digs out a jagarico box and peels the top halfway off.]
I've never gone to the beach during it, if that's what you're wondering. I recall once as a child-
[Stops, abruptly, because he's suddenly acutely aware that it wasn't his mom that took him swimming. Was the man two feet from him.]
Well, I suppose that doesn't matter. My memory's too foggy to confirm it. It may as well have been a dream.
no subject
It was mostly the same for me at your age. Home, studying, library.
[ A pause. A sip. A hesitation. He wants to share. Doesn't expect Akechi to care at all, but the desire is still there, so– ]
Although once I was in undergrad, Rumi forced me to lighten up a bit and occasionally enjoy a few days off during break. We went to a lot of interesting places. And I got very good at traveling on a budget!
[ He would have been perfectly content to stay home, but she always was an adventurous, roaming spirit. In some ways, he does have a type.
And then, so Akechi doesn't have to acknowledge his own sentimentality, he easily moves on. ]
What about... Did you ever go to a proper onsen?
no subject
Akechi hopes it does.
Opts to say nothing instead. Listens and follows along with the next comment, as he munches on salty jagarico sticks.]
I suppose I'll cut you off from future inquiries, if this is your train of thought.
I've never gone to a true onsen. My life has been somewhat dull, in that I've never visited areas outside of school or housing, no matter where I lived.
[He wasn't exactly welcome most places. Wasn't a long enough addition anywhere to go on rare family vacations that never fully included him.
Another stick crunches in his mouth. ]
It's why I hoped to travel in the future - not only the world, but across Japan as well.
[Oh well. ❤️]
Though I think my experience in this reality has provided enough excitement to satisfy me.
no subject
[ A bold statement, and one he clarifies immediately, hand held up to pause Akechi's retort as he takes another sip. ]
What I mean is that based on both of our experiences last month... When we do eventually return to our true reality, you could have time for one trip. Just one.
[ Maruki sets the half-full coffee can down in the sand and flops down to stretch out fully on the blanket, face turned toward the afternoon sun. ]
Find half a day off somewhere in there, and I'll show you someplace neat. That's a promise.
no subject
Shuts it when a hand is raised.
Find half a day off somewhere isn't impossible. It's simple. Nothing needs to be cancelled, only moved. Shido won't care if he wanders off for a few hours - won't even notice when he's so busy collecting debts in secret meetings in dark, quiet buildings with no name.
He takes a sip of his drink to mull over a decision already made. It's not for just anyone he would. A lie would roll easy off his lips. The truth is a little more difficult.]
You'll have your work cut out for you. I'm a difficult person to impress.
[The waves are moving up - another couple hours and they'll be pushed out of this spot.]
And when it's almost winter, no less. I can't fathom what you'll come up with.
[Many weeks ago, Akechi sat up on a cliffside and lied, like always.
Thought -
It wouldn't matter.
It still doesn't. It never will.]I'll look forward to it in November.