[Despite everything, he can't help but grin at Maizono's text. It's not like he really expected her to be all that angry about being stood up, but it's a relief to know that she's still eager to chat with him.]
yeah i'm free now you wanna meet at the usual place? i can be there in 20
sure thing! i'll be right out front :) see you there!
[Ah, a sense of normalcy in an otherwise weird and abnormal world. Sayaka can truly appreciate it, in a way; it's nice, even if she doesn't know how to live a normal life...
But Sayaka will be waiting in front of the establishment with a smile; when she sees him coming, Sayaka will flag him down with a wave and a grin.]
[He's on his way there as soon as he's sent the text, so Mondo's not even late by the time he gets there! He holds up a hand in greeting as well, grinning.]
Hey, Maizono. Told ya it wouldn't take that long.
[C'mon, let's go grab a table and get something to eat, we can talk over dinner.]
[Sayaka smiles; it's strange, really, just how...easy, this feels. If she were back home, back under her manager's thumb, she'd have all of the anxiety in the world. Wondering who could see, what everyone would say, and how to write herself out of a thousand loopholes that the media could exploit...
...It's nice, when it's less of a mess to navigate.]
Work's been treating me well! The customers haven't been bad today, at least; had a few rowdy kids, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle!
What about you? You must've been up to something pretty important, I take it...?
[Oh, somehow he didn't expect to get into it so soon, but... well, he came here with the goal of telling Sayaka, and putting it off isn't going to do any good. Mondo runs a hand back through the back of his hair and after a telling pause, he sort of nods.]
Yeah, I... Listen, Maizono, I've got somethin' important to tell you. But it's not pleasant, alright?
[He glances around them to make sure that they won't be easily overheard - thankfully, they've been seated away from everyone else, so even if Mondo gets a little too loud, they should be fine.]
It's... [He exhales slowly.] I was dragged back to that damn school. I dunno how or why, but I had to go through it again. This ain't the first time, either. So I... wanted to warn you. In case it happens.
[It's not easy to talk about. Hell, they've barely talked about Hope's Peak at all, of course it wouldn't be easy to discuss. But it's important that she knows, just in case. Maybe it won't hit her because she didn't actually kill anyone, and Mondo hopes to whatever god may or may not be listening that that's the case.]
Of all of the things Sayaka expected to hear, that. That's not--]
Wait, you too?
[It's blurted out before Sayaka can stop it, and her eyes go wide as she realizes what she's just managed to say. She chides herself, inwardly, but--you know. She hates to say it, but in a way it's almost relieving to know he's experiencing this too.
Kind of horrifying. But at least she's not alone.]
...Sorry. I. I probably shouldn't have said that. [...] But uh. That does explain a lot, at least. I...appreciate that you're willing to trust me with that much; it means a lot.
[Her words are. Awkward, but sincere.]
And I'm sorry you had to go through it again, too. That's...that's not a fate I'd wish on anyone. Are you...you know...?
[Okay? Want to talk about it? There's a multitude of directions this could go, really.]
[Mondo's eyes widen at that, but he thankfully manages to keep his mouth shut until Sayaka continues. He wants to throw something or yell or do something because that's not fair. Why the hell is Sayaka forced to endure this again as well? She didn't actually kill anyone! Though maybe that doesn't come into play at all, in whatever this cursed version of hell is.
Slowly the tension leaves him as he works through his thoughts on it. It's truly unfortunate that Sayaka's experiencing it too, but... at least he's not the only one. That thought sickens him and Mondo shakes his head.
...Then he realizes that looks like it was in response to her question and immediately backtracks.]
It's— Yeah, I'm... I'm fine.
[He's not sure he is, really. He hasn't processed it. Hell, of course he hasn't - he hasn't even come to terms with what happened to Fujisaki, let alone what happened recently. Though in some sick, twisted way, it's almost better that he killed Kuwata in self-defense. At least then he didn't black out and kill that poor kid just for being stronger than him—
No. If he starts thinking like that, he's going to lose himself again. Mondo takes a deep breath and shakes his head again as if to clear it.]
Sorry, it's just... a lot to take in, I guess. I'm really sorry you've been back there too, Maizono. Did you—
[He stops himself immediately after that's out there, wincing.]
Shit, sorry. I doubt you wanna talk about it any more than I do.
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no subject
yeah i'm free now
you wanna meet at the usual place? i can be there in 20
no subject
i'll be right out front :)
see you there!
[Ah, a sense of normalcy in an otherwise weird and abnormal world. Sayaka can truly appreciate it, in a way; it's nice, even if she doesn't know how to live a normal life...
But Sayaka will be waiting in front of the establishment with a smile; when she sees him coming, Sayaka will flag him down with a wave and a grin.]
Oowada-kun, hey! You made it!
no subject
Hey, Maizono. Told ya it wouldn't take that long.
[C'mon, let's go grab a table and get something to eat, we can talk over dinner.]
How've you been? Work still treatin' you alright?
no subject
...It's nice, when it's less of a mess to navigate.]
Work's been treating me well! The customers haven't been bad today, at least; had a few rowdy kids, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle!
What about you? You must've been up to something pretty important, I take it...?
no subject
Yeah, I... Listen, Maizono, I've got somethin' important to tell you. But it's not pleasant, alright?
[He glances around them to make sure that they won't be easily overheard - thankfully, they've been seated away from everyone else, so even if Mondo gets a little too loud, they should be fine.]
It's... [He exhales slowly.] I was dragged back to that damn school. I dunno how or why, but I had to go through it again. This ain't the first time, either. So I... wanted to warn you. In case it happens.
[It's not easy to talk about. Hell, they've barely talked about Hope's Peak at all, of course it wouldn't be easy to discuss. But it's important that she knows, just in case. Maybe it won't hit her because she didn't actually kill anyone, and Mondo hopes to whatever god may or may not be listening that that's the case.]
no subject
Of all of the things Sayaka expected to hear, that. That's not--]
Wait, you too?
[It's blurted out before Sayaka can stop it, and her eyes go wide as she realizes what she's just managed to say. She chides herself, inwardly, but--you know. She hates to say it, but in a way it's almost relieving to know he's experiencing this too.
Kind of horrifying. But at least she's not alone.]
...Sorry. I. I probably shouldn't have said that. [...] But uh. That does explain a lot, at least. I...appreciate that you're willing to trust me with that much; it means a lot.
[Her words are. Awkward, but sincere.]
And I'm sorry you had to go through it again, too. That's...that's not a fate I'd wish on anyone. Are you...you know...?
[Okay? Want to talk about it? There's a multitude of directions this could go, really.]
no subject
Slowly the tension leaves him as he works through his thoughts on it. It's truly unfortunate that Sayaka's experiencing it too, but... at least he's not the only one. That thought sickens him and Mondo shakes his head.
...Then he realizes that looks like it was in response to her question and immediately backtracks.]
It's— Yeah, I'm... I'm fine.
[He's not sure he is, really. He hasn't processed it. Hell, of course he hasn't - he hasn't even come to terms with what happened to Fujisaki, let alone what happened recently. Though in some sick, twisted way, it's almost better that he killed Kuwata in self-defense. At least then he didn't black out and kill that poor kid just for being stronger than him—
No. If he starts thinking like that, he's going to lose himself again. Mondo takes a deep breath and shakes his head again as if to clear it.]
Sorry, it's just... a lot to take in, I guess. I'm really sorry you've been back there too, Maizono. Did you—
[He stops himself immediately after that's out there, wincing.]
Shit, sorry. I doubt you wanna talk about it any more than I do.