Nothing Special

Day / Before

August 2007

"Satoru's really powerful now," Shoko murmured.

You hummed. "Hasn't he always been?"

"Yeah, you're right. But... he was showing Suguru and I what he's been working on and- it's unbelievable! He's going to be unstoppable at this rate. Might as well try out immortality too."

"It's sort of... I don't know, I get what he's trying to do. He's trying to be untouchable."

Shoko scoffed. "Literally."

"But... I don't know."

"You feel left behind?"

You nodded, resting your cheek in the palm of your hand. "You too?"

"We all do."

"Suguru too?"

"I think so. He's lost weight. He's just gotten quieter. Satoru's kinda isolated himself recently right? No time for Satoru to check up on Suguru either."

"And Suguru would never admit that he isn't feeling well," you agreed. "I'll drop by some food for him before my mission tomorrow. I don't think we'll be back for a while."

"Have fun with that." Shoko took out a cigarette. Mentioning missions tended to make her do that. "You know where you're going?"

"Okayama."

Shoko raised her eyebrows. "That's far. You planning on getting souvenirs?"

"If I'm awake enough. I'm so jealous of Satoru sometimes," you said, stretching. "I wish I could just appear at some place. It's like an 8 hour drive for us! Fun road trip I guess."

"I heard my name!" Shoko and you jumped at the same time as Satoru suddenly appeared next to you.

"What the fuck?!" Shoko screeched, throwing your pillow at him.

He caught it laughing, and placed it in his lap as he sat on the floor next to you. "My bad! What're you two talking about? I'm bored."

"Go find Suguru then," Shoko grunted, sitting up.

Satoru leaned down, resting his head on yours and closing his eyes. "I can't find him. He's never around when I'm free nowadays."

"Maybe that's 'cause you're never free," you commented.

Satoru flicked your forehead lightly.

"Plus with whatever free time you have, you spend it here, apparently."

Satoru threw the pillow back at Shoko.

"We were talking about the mission tomorrow," you explained. Satoru lifted his head up to listen properly. "Okayama. Some abandoned shrine. The basics, just far away."

"Yeah, I heard. I'm teleporting you guys there."

Shoko raised her eyebrows. "You can do that now too?"

You chuckled a little, as Satoru boasted. "What can't I do?" He looked back at you. "You planning on trying anything new on the curses?"

"I mean if you gave me some of your cursed energy maybe I could muster up a clone tomorrow," you joked.

"Hey, you could probably do it with the cursed energy you have now," Satoru reassured.

"I've been trying," you sighed, letting your head fall back on the wall. "I need more."

"You'll get the hang of it soon," Shoko added. "Keep trying during missions. The pressure might help out."

"I'll see, tomorrow," you nodded.

"So we catch your slack if you can't make a clone?" Nanami asked, once you'd told them what you planned on doing.

You frowned as you used your fingers to pat down his sheet mask. "I want you to have my back, yes. I'll be quick to recover. If I know it's not working, I'm not going to use up my cursed energy on trying."

"Don't worry about it!" Yu said, as he oiled the ends of his hair. "You can have multiple tries at it. Nanami and I can handle it. It's a grade 2 anyways."

"See," you sarcastically quipped to Nanami. "Yu has my back."

Nanami rolled his eyes, slapping your face lightly. "You know I do too. You'll do well."

You grinned. "Thanks. Oh, hey, Yu, remember to give Suguru his food tomorrow, alright?"

"Obviously. Alright, moving on, what movie are we watching today?"

"It's my turn to choose."

"You're banned from having turns Ken, you always choose the most boring thing possible!"

Suguru smiled as he passed by Yu's dorm that night. He missed being loud and annoying until midnight with Satoru. They'd never get to do that again.