[center][h1][color=black]T[/color]OTSUKA [color=black]R[/color]YUSEI
[color=black]戸[/color]塚 [color=black]竜[/color]星[/h1][/center]
[hr][right][color=gray]he didn't say it. not even once during the whole thing.
why would they lie about it like that? when will it be morbin' time?[/color][/right][hr]

[indent]As he listened to Shiori recount her family life, he couldn't help but feel a little bit bad. He supposed it did make sense she would have it rough at home—most people who bore the label delinquent didn't exactly come from good situations. God only knew what kind of person he himself would have turned out to be if his folks had been there for him more often. Hell, by compare, his home life was probably more bearable than hers; coming home to an empty house day after day beat coming home to someone screaming in your face for something you didn't even do. Usually when he got torn down, he [i]definitely[/i] did something to deserve it. Regardless, her sad little tale managed to soften his expression just enough to render his scowl down to a melancholy frown.

[color=c0c0c0]"Sorry to hear that,"[/color] He offered, as if his meaningless platitudes would make up for it, [color=c0c0c0]"Sounds like it's pretty rough around there."[/color] 

At least she had managed to escape the situation, for however many fleeting months or years it would last. Her sudden confession of the future took him by surprise just a little. He couldn't honestly imagine the chain smoking, potty mouthed redhead being particularly nurturing, let alone being a nurse of all things. But he had already hit her pretty hard by bringing up her folks, and he didn't want to kick the poor girl while she was down. Plus, it wasn't like he had any plans at all, much less plans for an ill-fitting career. Luckily, she was quick to push them along to another topic. One which he had a positive spin to put on to boot.

[color=c0c0c0]"Yeah, I have. Used to go on day trips to Kagoshima with my grandparents, back when I'd come down here to visit. My grandma would make a habit of taking me to the aquarium whenever I came."[/color] He had to fight back the urge to smile while he reminisced. His grandmother had always made sure to make him comfortable during his little vacations, and growing up, the way she tried to make him feel special and wanted was something he sorely needed. Something he sorely missed even now—he could only wonder how much more tolerable her presence would make his current, lengthy stay in Utsubyo. But that trail of thought only led to wistfulness and gloom, and if there was one thing he didn't need more of, it was the fucking gloom.

[color=c0c0c0]"But enough about that. We aren't in Kagoshima, so waxing on about how fun it is there isn't gonna do us any damn good. What's there to do around here? It can't be all shitty conbinis and laundromats. What do you do for fun?"[/color][/indent]