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Ah. [ Right. Perhaps she should have led with that rather than make him ask. ] My name is Susato Mikotoba. But just Susato is fine.

[ In response to his polite nod, Susato will go out of her way to bow. Just a short tip of her head as her hands come together at her center, and then she straightens herself. She looks at Alphen, and then her gaze seems wander towards the flowers they'd been collecting behind him, as if she's unsure how much she should pry.

In the end, though, Alphen clearly doesn't mind talking about it, so she presses forward. ]

Does she return your feelings, Alphen? ...When did you realize you were in love with her?

It's a pleasure to meet you, Susato.

[ Love at first sight at its finest. Such a cliche but it very much happened to him and he can feel that run deeply as he recalls the experience. ]

Probably...back when we first met. I'm certain of it. Yeah, I tell Shionne how much I love her everyday. She cares for me too and we spend a lot of time together. I'm happy to be with someone I care about.

Is the person you admire here in Reverein too?

[ ...So they're together together. She seems genuinely happy for him. Distantly she has to wonder if she says it enough, but a part of her keeps telling her she says it too much already. ]

He is. I... I work with him.

[ Sees him nearly every day, in fact. ]

But I've known him for far longer than that.

You work for him? Even here?

[That's some dedication. Alphen is also impressed by Susato's working ethic. ]

When did you two first meet?

[It sounds as if it's been a while. He can't say for certain but he can tell by the way that Susato talks they must be very close.]

[ Susato nods. Distantly she wonders if that's strange, to work when they don't have to. It was really just something to keep them busy, but she's quite certain she'd go mad without it by now. ]

We grew up together, actually, so I was very young. I was raised to be his assistant, but... I believe the appropriate phrase is, um, "life got in the way..."?

. . . To be honest, before waking up here, I wasn't sure when I would ever see him again.

I can understand that. Life gets so busy all the time and next thing you know everything's changed.

[He's experienced something similar before so he can relate.]

Really? I bet you might have some complicated feelings about it.

[There's a lot going on when it involves personal feelings and history.]

[ "The next thing you know, everything's changed." She nods, feeling like Alphen gets it, but that phrase resonates with her quite a bit. That sinking feeling, when Kazuma was discovered dead on the steamship, and again, when she had to tell him that she would be leaving him. ]

Mm. And yet sometimes I feel as though I make it more complicated than it is.

[ It's always been easier to say it to someone else. Maybe it's even easier to say it to a stranger who doesn't know who he is. By now, she's also said it to him multiple times, anyway. No use talking around in circles, is it? ]

I... love him.

You really care for him, don't you?

[ Alphen can tell it's probably some deeper emotion than simply caring for someone. Emotions can be more complicated than that. ]

It'd be nice if we can be in peace and stay with the ones we love. That would be ideal.

[ She automatically gives him a nod, answering him without so many words. ]

I would love nothing more. At times, Reverein has come close. Even now, with the moon gone, we're treated to flowers and games.

But Reverein also changes, perhaps even more than my home world does.

Life down here isn't all that bad. All the changes might be something new and interesting for us to experience.

[He's content enough to be here with his friends and people like Susato. Alphen hadn't known Susato for very long but he can tell that she's very kind.]

I never knew what it was like to live such a tranquil life before coming here either. All I ever saw war back in Dahna where I'm from.

[ She's prepared to agree, though there's that small issue of her favorite people turning into terrible nightmare monsters. Despite the tranquility, that's always going to nag at her at the back of her mind, whether the moon is missing or not.

Still, this isn't the first friend she's made from a war torn world. She gives Alphen a look of sympathy. ]

Oh, that's terrible. Were you a soldier?

Of course I was. Being a soldier in the army wasn't easy. That's where I learned how to wield a blade and why I'm so good at fighting in the first place.

[ Talking about things like fighting and violence could just be scaring her. Alphen can only hope it's not too off putting. ]

What do you know about combat, Susato?

[ ...He does have a samurai kind of vibe to him, now that she thinks about it. It's not too off-putting, but she hopes he hasn't given him the wrong impression. ]

Only what I have read in books, mostly. I know how to defend myself to an extent, but it is nothing as impressive as wielding a blade.

[ Vaguely she remembers wanting one at one point, so she could train with Kazuma. But at this point, she wonders if he even would. He seemed impressed when she told him he was able to make a sword of flame, but he also seemed to worry about her. ]

If you want we can learn how to fight together! As long as we start with some basic movements it's possible to grow from there.

[Exchanging ideas is a good way to be open-minded. Susato has some skills so Alphen is curious to see what they can do by teaming up.]

I think I might be able to learn a few things from you too. Why don't we at least try? Would that be okay?

Oh! [ Susato perks up at the offer. At first, she seems uncertain, because she would no doubt hold him back, and she doesn't have the benefit of being like family the way she does with Kazuma.

But he did mention basics, and in the end, it would be good for her to branch out.

... ]

I would love to try, actually. As long as it is okay with you?

But... let us enjoy the festival for now. I will help you make your gift for Shionne, and we can train together once it has passed!

That'd be more than fine!! A gift for Shionne would be wonderful.

[ Alphen's face is flushing with a hue of red and he's nervously sweating. What is he doing? Why is he burning up like this? ]

We don't get celebrations like this too often so we should enjoy ourselves while we can.

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