logsville | Open Log | Beginning of February

Entry tags:

Open Log | Beginning of February

Who: Okuyasu and YOU
When: February 1-5
Where: Around town, Karloff Court
What: Okuyasu is dealing with the tail end of his level 5 tranquilization, then regaining his memories as Okuyasu Nijimura.
Warnings: Memory loss, possible discussions of past child abuse

February 1-3: Okuyasu O'Hara

[Perhaps you've met him earlier, perhaps you've heard about it, but Okuyasu Nijimura has no memory of Japan. He was born in California to Miguel and Wanda O'Hara and moved to Santa Rosita a few months ago. Sure, it's weird and terrifying, but at least he has his family.

...The thing is, people have been acting really weird around him lately. Mom and Dad are kind of...well, he doesn't know, but they're acting different. It's like one day he came home from the store and they stopped being themselves. Everyone has. He might be a bit of a birdbrain, but he knows when people are avoiding him.

Thankfully, his classmates are the same kind of weird. It's rotten how this is the one comfort he has. But that doesn't mean that he won't run into more people that just moved here as he does his errands at the drugstore or hang around the front of his house.]

February 4-5: Okuyasu Nijimura

[On the 4th, Okuyasu wakes up and remembers.

What the hell was that?! Why did he forget all about Japan?! How the fuck did he not realized something was wrong?

He turns over in his bed and yells into the pillow.

Until the luncheon, Okuyasu refuses to leave for school until he's dragged out by the neighbors. He refuses to leave the front step of his house when he gets back. He doesn't want to be inside. Nice suburban houses make him uncomfortable.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(He's at the drugstore, picking up some things for the house. You know, after being attacked by weird giant dolls earlier and hearing all of the warnings from others, it's probably for the best that they have some first aid supplies and such back at home. Just in case, you know?

He has a shopping basket with different supplies and he's going to swing by the snacks too while he's here. It's not like he's rolling in money since he's just borrowing a certain amount from Felix right now but he can spare a few nickels and dimes to grab something! It's probably around here that he runs into Okuyasu whom he recognizes as both the kid next door and someone who goes to school with him.)

... Didn't think I'd run into you here.

(This really isn't exactly a place he expects to run into other teens?)

[Okuyasu has a quick run for some kitchen and workshop supplies - nothing difficult for their teenage son. After all, this town is rather dangerous, and it's better than he return home soon.

Okuyasu stops by the counter holding the gum when he runs into a classmate of his.]

I'd say the same for you. You're also on errands?

Yeah.

(He holds up his shopping basket! Just regular ol' first aid supplies for now,)

Just getting some things for the house. I'd say it never hurts to be prepared but... I guess we're preparing for some hurt.

(Hah.)

Hopefully nothing too bad this month. January's been alright.

[Did they never talk about the supernatural stuff in the house ads? Why is all of this stuff even here?]

Unless you found something at school?

Alright, huh...

(Considering his experience at the movies and everything? Hm. Big doubt.)

Actually, I was thinking of picking up something after school. (This is all just small talk. He's been told to be careful about what he talks about and to who unless he's certain he can trust them.) What do you think about the teams?

(Basketball! Football! Ball!!)

Nothing trying to chase us down and eat us this time.

[A shrug.]

Oh, that? I was thinking baseball. I used to play Little League in my old neighborhood, but I haven't had the chance to sign up.

[Weird, he thinks. He should have done that right away when they moved to Santa Rosita. Maybe the stress of a new hometown erased that from his brain.]

Better late than never.

(What a normal conversation. His neighbor is so normal? By now, he's usually used to people warning him about... I dunno, balls that might explode or something. Everyone has a warning in this town it seems.)

That's the one where you hit the ball with a club and run around?

(There is no baseball in Fodlan.)

[Okuyasu looks at Claude with a confused expression. Is this guy an idiot?]

How do you not know what a baseball bat is? Everyone knows how it works! [Because they're all from 1961, obviously!]

Yeah?

(Oops, he hecked up but it's nothing he can't recover from,)

Maybe you can teach me then.

...Sure. [What a strange fella. Did he move in from someplace in the countryside?] We've got photos of baseball players at the library, for a start.

(They don't play baseball in Leicster, Massachusetts.)

Great! (It's easy to sound excited,) I don't know if we'll have much time today, though... gotta get home and help get ready for dinner, you know?

Oh. [But what can he do? That's life.] How about we meet up on Saturday?

[The 4th. He's going to recover his memories and forget to meet up with Claude at that point.]

(I can't believe Claude makes a friend just to get stood up wow.)

Saturday? (He hums, pretending to think about it. He's going through whatever imaginary calender is in his mind,) That's perfect. Morning?

(Claude is a morning person.)

[He's busy being angsty, let him live]

Can do! See you then.

[This isn't Sayori's street, but she's not lost (this time.) She's just trying to better familiarize herself with the neighborhood; the houses all look so samey that she's not sure she'll ever learn her way around entirely. Not without wandering a lot, anyway.

Which is what she's doing as she ambles along the sidewalk of Karloff Court. As she comes up on 542, she sees a boy sitting out on his front step. She thinks she's seen him at school, actually? And she makes to wave as she passes by, but he seems...pretty bummed out.

So she slows her pace until she's stopped on the walkway across from the front door, eyebrows furrowed in worry. After a moment, with soft concern:] Hey, are you okay? Did you get locked out?

[This is the only immediate explanation she can think of for why he's sitting in this particular spot, looking the way he's looking...]

[Okuyasu jerks his head up, but finds no neighbor with a broad smile. This is just a normal girl. A normal, regular girl from another time who was kidnapped.]

Huh? What? [Fuck he must look like an idiot. He rubs his cheek with the back of his hand as he glares at Sayori.] No. Can't I sit outside my own house when I feel like it?

[In windy and chilly weather apparently.]

[Completely normal circumstances under which to hang out outside your house!

Not terribly put off by the glare, Sayori tilts her head, a slight frown on her face.] Sure. But you look kind of upset, so I thought something bad happened.

[In retrospect, remembering the mannequins from that dream, it could be any number of bad things, couldn't it? But she's not really used to assuming the worst of this place yet.]

[He focuses his glare in the hopes to beam more of his annoyance directly at her.] When hasn't this place been shitty?

[He should've found someplace quieter to hang if people were going to bother him. Maybe the roof. Maybe he could have walked as far away from town as possible. Too late for that.]

Stupid town and its stupid people.

[Unfortunately, she is still undeterred by the concentrated annoyance. But her expression does become a little...sheepish? It's not quite embarrassed, but it's close.] Yeah, I guess you have a point, ahaha.

[IT'S FAIR... She's been trying to look on the bright side of everything, but whew.

She shifts her weight restlessly, scuffing her toe against the ground once before continuing.] I'm sorry about whatever happened. If you want somewhere to go for a while, there are some spots in the library you could try. I've totally fallen asleep trying to read there and no one bothered me. And it's not super cold!

[He seems like he doesn't want to talk, so this is her attempt at a less obtrusive consolation. A peace offering? Something. A way to help without bothering him, hopefully. It's not really her business, but she hates to see someone upset if there's anything she can do about it.]

[His hands join and clench while he refuses to back away from his threatening display. It's a tough choice. He's not much of a studying person, and the library is not what he considers to be the most relaxing place in the world. That's where nice sons, those perfect students with wide smiles, like to stay.

It's not where Okuyasu Nijimura likes to stay.

He braves to glaces downward.] Libraries are for- [nerds. But. Shit. Is he going to make a cute girl cry?] They're for smart people. I'm more of a back-of-the-convenience-store guy, but they don't have them here.

[She is right in that staying indoors isn't cold.] Whatever. Why do you care?

...

[She has no idea how to answer this question, because it's not something that would ever occur to her to explain. But the way he asks it does remind her of something. Or rather, someone. A Literature Club friend who was always on the defensive, always assuming she had to be ready to fight even when she was somewhere safe.

She tilts her head to rest her cheek in her hand, averting her eyes thoughtfully.] Well, because being upset is no fun. And someone being nice usually can't fix whatever made you upset, but I think it's worth it to be nice anyway! Sometimes it feels a little better just to hear someone say something, you know?

[You never know when a little kindness will be just what someone needs!]

[He rubs his hands together and crosses them over his chest, tucking them under his arms. She sounds way too nice to be real.

Then again, Josuke was nice to him for no reason other than he didn't like seeing anyone hurt. There were people out there who were just so damn empathetic like it was second nature, and maybe Sayori was one of those people.

Not that she hasn't done anything drastic yet to gain his full trust, but the alternatives are going inside or staying out here with her. He stands up.] Fine. But what're you gonna do at the library? Study?

[Her expression lifts as he stands up, the smile returning to her face.] Ahaha~ no way. I hate studying.

[She says this so cheerfully...] I usually find something to read or work on my poems. But if I sit somewhere nearby, I can make sure no one comes to bother you while you nap or something!

[She is a very effective distraction! As poor Okuyasu is probably learning right this very moment.]

[He grunts in approval. Nice to know she's not too much of a nerd.]

Just wake be up before the library closes. [He stands up slowly and sticks his hands into his pockets, hunched over.] Fuck, it's cold.

[The comment on the cold prompts her to adjust her coat a little, and she laughs good-naturedly.] Yeah, c'mon, let's head over there before our fingers get all frozen! Don't worry, I promise I won't let you sleep too long.

[Thankfully she knows the way to the library pretty well by now, so she's happy to lead the way.

Even hunched, he's a lot taller than her once he stands up, so she looks up at him as she speaks.] My name's Sayori. I live over on Loomis Drive, but I dunno how anyone can tell any of these houses apart.

[Probably just the address numbers. Oh, suburbia. The uniformity of the houses would almost be cute if it weren't so creepy!]

[He will not go inside to grab a scarf and gloves. He is too badass to admit that he should've bundled up. He sidles up to Sayori, though none of her body heat is being transferred to him.]

Okuyasu. I know a few people on Loomis Drive. [He's making a lot of friends over there. He should just loiter on that street the next time he's bored.] I'll figure out where you live eventually.

...

I mean! I'll ask! Not stalk you like some creep!

...

[After a beat of silence, a snort of laughter leaves her, like he's just told a really funny joke. She waves her hand helplessly in front of her, like she's trying to wave off the insinuation that he'd stalk her. Or wave off the giggles. Or maybe both.] There's no way you'd be as creepy as those mannequin monsters, anyway!

[Now those were some creepy stalkers.

She nudges her shoulder companionably against Okuyasu's arm as they walk, her laughter settled down to a grin.] It's house number 103! You can come by sometime if you ever want to hang out and not study, ehehe.

[They're friends now, she's decided.]

[If Sayori is laughing, then maybe he doesn't have to worry around her. Okuyasu chuckles with her, because really? Him being crazy like Yukako? As if!

He allows Sayori to bump into him. This means she trusts him. They could be friends.]

103. Easy enough to remember. And if I forget, I'll just head to this part of town and try each door! Someone will point me in the right direction.

[The sound of his laughter is reassuring; if he's laughing, that means he's probably been able to take his mind off of whatever was bothering him, at least for a moment. She knows that sometimes even just a moment of happiness can help a lot.

So her expression brightens, though it seems more like it's in response to his plan of action. She clenches her fist with determination.] Yeah! That's totally what I would do too! It seems like most of our close neighbors are other people like us, right? So you don't have to worry too much about knocking on a local's door!

[Yeah, sure, that's the only concern with knocking at random houses...]

It's better than being all spread out like random. [Don't say that, you'll jinx it.] At least we don't have to see the robots' ugly faces every day so long as we don't go too far from home.

[Unfortunately, there's school.]

So you also go to school? Which class are you in?

[Something about calling them robots doesn't sit well with Sayori, even though the townspeople he speaks of do act pretty robotic. It just sort of reminds her of her own situation, following her base programming until— until a lot of things happened. You could probably call her a robot too, in a way.

She chooses not to comment, simply grinning a little wider at his question and moving on from the topic of the locals.] Yeah! I'm a senior at the high school. I guess I'll be graduating in the summertime, ahaha~

What about you? I think I've seen you around school, but you're in a different grade, right? [They seem not to share any classes, so she figures he's probably younger than her.]

I'm a second-year student here, but I was a freshman back home. [The hardest thing to adjust to was how high school is 4 years. Having no uniforms is great, but he keeps messing up how old his classmates are supposed to be.] Least everyone thinks I'm confused just because I'm a transfer student.

[But a senior is a senior, regardless of where they are.]

So, how's it like, almost graduating?

Ahaha~ Yeah, it's weird to adjust to, isn't it? My old school was like that too.

[Or it was implied to be, anyway. She doesn't mention what year she was in back home, though, partially because she doesn't really know. She's eighteen, but the story implied that she was a second-year. It doesn't add up, but it also doesn't really matter now, or so she tells herself.

She gives an exaggerated hum as she mulls the question over.] It's a little weird, since I haven't been going to this school for very long! Plus, normally we'd be studying for exams if we wanted to go to college, right? But there's nowhere to go to college around here, so they act like they just want us to work in town when we graduate high school.

[It's a very weird environment for education, regardless of Sayori's already weird experience with school.]

Maybe they're weird people that don't want their kids going off to another town. [He's pretty sure everyone in America wanted boys to go get degrees. Judging by how people in Santa Rosita want girls to be housewives, he's not sure that they'd talk about entrance exams to his female classmates.] But if we could get to college, that means we could leave this place.

Besides, reaching out to, like, Harvard, is one way to find help.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Open Log | Beginning of February

February 1-3

no subject

dreamwidth give me my notifs please

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

february 4-5

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject