Maidens of the Kaleidoscope
~Beyond the Border~ => Rumia's Party Games => Topic started by: Lt Colonel Summers on February 24, 2020, 10:12:13 AM
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//This is the continuation of the same CYOA that I left in a hiatus back in the old forum. You can check it out here (https://www.shrinemaiden.org/forum/index.php/topic,21536.0.html) (beware of the site's certificate error, though).
Let's continue from where we left off in the original forum...
>"No you hadn't! ...Did the tree survive?"
//LOL
>Nitori can't help but giggle at your stupid question.
>"No idea. She just said she tried to do that."
>Did she survive that at least?
>"She wouldn't have come here if she didn't."
>The end of the short break is then signalled by a car approaching the workshop.
>"Well, that was a short break. We haven't even have lunch yet. So let's deal with our next customer before we head for lunch. What do you say?"
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>"Yeah, we can bump lunch back so we don't leave this one waiting."
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>"Yeah, we can bump lunch back so we don't leave this one waiting."
>"Right. Lunch can wait for now."
>The car then pulls over right in front of the workshop.
>The driver side window opened, and out poked a lady with golden blonde hair and a pair of sunglasses.
>"Is this where cars get fixed?" The lady asked with a seemingly disinterested tone.
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>"Sure, bring it on it!"
>Go to open a garage door for her. Take care to keep out of the way so she can enter easily.
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>"Sure, bring it on it!"
>Go to open a garage door for her. Take care to keep out of the way so she can enter easily.
>The garage door is already open, but you and Nitori open it all the way, and then prop it up with a long pole just in case.
>The lady went back inside her car, and slowly drove it all the way into the workshop.
>The lady stepped out of her car after that is done. "It's got a faulty AC and radio. See if you can do something about it." She told the two of you. "Now if you excuse me, I have something else to do..."
>And she just left the workshop after that...
>Nitori waited for the lady to disappear from sight before remarking "Wow, she is rude."
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>Take note of her appearance, so we can see her coming before she returns.
>"Shame the sukeban don't rob her. They'd be local heroes."
>"So, what do we do about a faulty AC and Radio?"
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>Take note of her appearance, so we can see her coming before she returns.
>"Shame the sukeban don't rob her. They'd be local heroes."
>"So, what do we do about a faulty AC and Radio?"
>"We fix them, of course." Nitori tells you. "Even if that lady's a jerk." She said the last word very softly so as to ensure the lady doesn't hear it (even though she's no longer within earshot).
>You then take note of the lady's appearance.
>Somehow, you could sense an air of familiarity about that lady, despite the fact that nothing about her is recognizable to you...
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>"Well, yeah. But I meant how? What do you need me to do?"
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>"Well, yeah. But I meant how? What do you need me to do?"
>"To be honest, a broken radio isn't my expertise. I'll have to take it off the car and bring it to the electronics repair shop down the street, see if they can help me about it." Nitori tells you. "For now, let's focus on the AC..."
>Nitori then climbs into the car, and attempts to pry the dashboard open like she did with some of the cars earlier... with no success.
>"Okay, the dash in this one isn't snapped into place, and I'm not seeing any screws, so I guess it's glued in..." She remarked as she climbed out of the car. "Let's reach the AC from the other direction instead..."
>Nitori then walked to the front of the car, and popped the hood open.
>"Check that out..."
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>"Hm?"
>Go check that out.
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>"Hm?"
>Go check that out.
>You go check out what Nitori saw under the hood of the car.
>It's... a whole bunch of really fancy-looking stuff that your lack of knowledge in car mechanics prevented you from identifying beyond the obvious engine block.
>"I don't know how much the car itself cost, but everything in here must've cost that lady a fortune." Nitori remarked. "Which means it's going to be a challenge to not mess up anything else..."
>With that said, Nitori rolled her sleeves up, as she went to bring her toolbox over.
>"This one's going to need some delicate hands" The Kappa tells you. "so leave all the fixing to me, while you just shine the flashlight on where I tell you to."
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>Grab the flashlight!
>"You got it, Nitori!"
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>Grab the flashlight!
>"You got it, Nitori!"
>You do exactly as told.
x-x-x
>It took Nitori an hour just to uncouple that broken AC unit from its place, and then carefully get it out of there. All in order to avoid causing any unnecessary damages to the fancy parts that sat around the AC unit.
>"Whew. That took a while..." Nitori remarks as she set the broken AC unit on a nearby desk. "So much for lunchtime..."
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>"You'd think something so expensive would be designed well enough to be easy to repair..."
>"Anything I can do about this AC unit?"
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>"You'd think something so expensive would be designed well enough to be easy to repair..."
>"Anything I can do about this AC unit?"
>That's the funny thing about mechanical stuff: the fancier they are, the harder they are to fix." Nitori says.
>She then takes the flashlight off your hand and shines it around the insides and outside of the AC unit.
>She quickly spots the problem.
>"Huh. I guess whoever repaired that lady's car before me had a slip up..." Nitori remarks. "Well, that just means I have to fix their mess and finish their job... Stay here, Shion, I'll be right back..."
>With that, the Kappa took the AC unit with her and went to the storage shed at the back of the workshop.
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>Stay right there. Maybe look out the window idly until she gets back.
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>Stay right there. Maybe look out the window idly until she gets back.
>There's no window in the workshop, so you look out the garage door while you wait for Nitori.
>Nothing worthy of your attention at the moment. So far, so good...
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>Not much else to do til she gets back. Not like we're going to run off or start messing with her stuff.
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>Not much else to do til she gets back. Not like we're going to run off or start messing with her stuff.
>You keep on waiting...
x-x-x
>It was a pretty boring 10 minutes. You'd think that something interesting or exciting would've happened in the interim to spice up the dullness for at least a tiny bit. But no dice...
>Luckily, that is when Nitori finished what she is doing, as she exited the storage shed with the AC unit in her hands.
>Well, fixing it wasn't so hard..." Nitori says. "Now we just have to spend another hour putting it back where it was..."
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>"I'll get the flashlight..."
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>"I'll get the flashlight..."
>You go grab the flashlight.
>And so you are prepared to spend the next one hour giving Nitori some light as you watched her reinstall the AC unit.
x-x-x
>Actually, make that 15 minutes. Funny how taking the AC unit out took a whole hour while putting it back in took only 15 minutes...
>"Well, that went a whole lot faster than I thought it would." Nitori hung a figurative lampshade on that. "Funny how things turn out, huh? Almost like our lives are a text adventure where the gamemaster is cutting corners..."
//Yes, I did just lean on the 4th wall there.
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>"So what are we going to do about the radio?"
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>"So what are we going to do about the radio?"
>"I'll have to find out what's wrong with it first..."
>Nitori then goes to take a closer look at the radio. Unable to see from the outside what is wrong with it, she decided to remove it from the dash.
>Removing the radio turned out to be a lot easier than the AC unit. It is out of the dash in the blink of an eye.
>"I'm no electronics expert, but I can tell this one's beyond fixing..." Nitori says. "Good thing I know the model, and has a spare one lying around, so I can just replace it..."
>And so the Kappa went to the storage shed again...
>She came back out in less than a minute, with an identical second radio in hand.
>"Alright, once we're done with this, we can finally have our lunch break. You okay with that?" Nitori says to you.
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>Nod.
>"Think we can salvage that broke one for parts?"
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>Nod.
>"Think we can salvage that broke one for parts?"
>"Only the mechanic can answer that." Nitori answers your question.
>With that said, she then goes to put the replacement radio in, and is done in the blink of an eye.
>"Well, that's it. Job's done." Nitori says as she steps away from the car to sit down on a nearby chair.
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>Have a seat nearby.
>"So, any idea who that lady is? She seems kind of familiar."
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>Have a seat nearby.
>"So, any idea who that lady is? She seems kind of familiar."
>"Nope. Never seen her before..." Nitori answers.
>Well, speaks of the demon goddess*1. The lady has just returned. She came back with a briefcase that she doesn't have when she left...
>"You are done with fixing my car, no?" The lady asked with the same rude tone from before.
//*1That's Gensokyo's equivalent of "Speaks of the devil", which is simply a saying.
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>"It's ready to go!"
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>"It's ready to go!"
>The lady glanced at her car, eyeing it for a bit.
>Then, she gets into her car, starts up the engine, and tested the AC and radio.
>Both appliances work. She seems to be satisfied.
>"Thank you for your services." She says as she fished out a few bank notes and... rudely dropped them on the floor. "So long..."
>With that, the lady reversed her car out of the workshop, and left the scene.
>"I said it before, and I'll say it again: she's pretty rude..." Nitori remarks.
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>"Better have paid enough..."
>Quick! Memorize that license plate!
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>"Better have paid enough..."
>Quick! Memorize that license plate!
>You take a peek at the license plate and try to memorize it before the lady and her car goes completely out of sight.
>You manage to catch it. It says AOCF2018.
>Nitori scoops up the money the lady rudely dropped, and began counting them.
>"That's $100 more than required, so more than enough..." She says.
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>"...Are they real?"
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>"...Are they real?"
>Nitori grabbed a magnifying glass from a nearby desk, and used it to scrutinize the money.
>"Can't tell..." She says. "If this is fake, then it is really well made..."
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>"Here, let me see. And give me one to compare it to."
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>"Here, let me see. And give me one to compare it to."
>Nitori gives you the lady's payment, and then you compare it to the bank notes that the two of you received as payment from earlier customers.
>You find nothing that would suggest they are fake, so they're definitely real...
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>"Rich people sure are different... It'll cover some of the damage back at your place, though."
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>"Rich people sure are different... It'll cover some of the damage back at your place, though."
>"Not all of them, though. Subtracting the money we'll be spending on lunch later..."
>Speaking of lunch, wanna go grab some?"
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>"Like you wouldn't believe!"
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>"Like you wouldn't believe!"
//Did you have to say everything excitedly???
>"I know a sushi place nearby! Let's go!"
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Girl likes to eat!
>"Lead the way!"
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Girl likes to eat!
>"Lead the way!"
>"Then follow me!" Nitori tells you.
x-x-x
>The two of you arrive at a place called "Misty's Sushi & Sashimi". It's not a fancy restaurant, but not too shabby either. Certainly not the kind of establishment that rich people would blow their money on.
>Entering, you two find an empty seat immediately and take it.
>The waitress soon arrived to take your orders. Nitori took care of the orders, which seemed to consist of only the cheapest stuffs in the place...
>Nitori notice you staring at her. "We're rationing our money, just in case. Hope you don't mind." She tells you.
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>"It's fine, it's fine. I know all about that kind of thing."
>Get a few cheap things ourself. Water for drink.
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>"It's fine, it's fine. I know all about that kind of thing."
>Get a few cheap things ourself. Water for drink.
>You place your orders.
>With the order-taking complete, the waitress tells you to please wait warmly for the orders to arrive before leaving your table.
>"So, how was it?" Nitori decided to start a conversation with you. "The workshift, I mean."
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>You place your orders.
>With the order-taking complete, the waitress tells you to please wait warmly for the orders to arrive before leaving your table.
>"So, how was it?" Nitori decided to start a conversation with you. "The workshift, I mean."
> " It was pretty alright but I really feel I should turn the question back at you seeing how much you did with and how little I could help out ".
> Look and listen around a bit, while waiting and talking, if we catching anything or anyone interesting or odd.
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> " It was pretty alright but I really feel I should turn the question back at you seeing how much you did with and how little I could help out ".
> Look and listen around a bit, while waiting and talking, if we catching anything or anyone interesting or odd.
>"Well... um... I don't mean to sound rude, but with how little you know about machinery, there's only so much you can do to help me with the work." Nitori tells you. "Passing tools and stuff to me is also pretty helpful, though. So there's that."
>You take a look around the restaurant. You don't find anyone or anything notable or interesting. For now...
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>"Honestly, I didn't mind it. It's not something I'm, you know, good at. But it's good to help out a friend who's been so good to me."
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>"Honestly, I didn't mind it. It's not something I'm, you know, good at. But it's good to help out a friend who's been so good to me."
>Nitori pats you on the shoulder.
>"Don't fret. We as sentient beings all have something we're good at, and something we're bad at."
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>"I didn't mean it like that! Just, I know I don't do much around your shop other than hold things, but I'll hold them, dangit!"
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>"I didn't mean it like that! Just, I know I don't do much around your shop other than hold things, but I'll hold them, dangit!"
>Nitori seems spooked by your reaction.
>"Alright, alright. You did good. Just... don't take this personally, okay?"
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>Nod.
>"Of course, sorry, sorry."
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>Nod.
>"Of course, sorry, sorry."
>"It's alright. Maybe it was because you're both tired and starving..." Nitori says.
>At that moment, your orders have arrived at your table.
>"Enjoy your meal!" The waitress tells you after placing your orders on your table, and then leaves.
>"Well, speaking of starving..." Nitori says as she grabs two pairs of chopsticks and passes a pair to you. "Itadakimasu~"
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>"Itadakimasu!"
>Accept chopsticks, and begin to devour.
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>"Itadakimasu!"
>Accept chopsticks, and begin to devour.
>You accept the chopsticks, and begin devouring your meal.
>Of course, your "devouring" quickly drew attention from the restaurant's staff and other patrons...
>"Uh... you might want to work on your table manners a bit..." Nitori awkwardly informs you.
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>"...Sorry. Where I come from, you eat quick or not at all."
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>"...Sorry. Where I come from, you eat quick or not at all."
>"Culture clash, I suppose..." Nitori says. "But still, please don't draw too much attention to yourself. It's pretty awkward and embarassing."
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>It's their fault for staring, jerks... Just trying to eat our food over here. Ain't none of their business...
>"Right, right."
>Try to slow down.
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>It's their fault for staring, jerks... Just trying to eat our food over here. Ain't none of their business...
>"Right, right."
>Try to slow down.
>You eat your meal at a slower pace.
>The awkwardness dissipates, and everyone else goes back to minding their own business.
x-x-x
>The two of you finish your meals without any unwanted issues.
>"So, how was it?"
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>"One of the best I've had in a long time!"
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>"One of the best I've had in a long time!"
>"I'm glad to hear that." Nitori says.
>She then takes a look at the clock hung on one of the walls of the restaurant.
>"Too bad our lunch break is already over, and I have to get back to the workshop." She informed you. "If it wasn't for that repair work taking so much time, I think we'd still have an hour to do whatever we want..."
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>"Oh well. Nothing for it."
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>"Oh well. Nothing for it."
>"Well, this is the life of a blue collar worker." Nitori says as she whips out her wallet. "I'll pay for the lunch, then we'll go back to the workshop and continue working until it's time for dinner. Ok?"
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>Nod.
>"Yeah."
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>Nod.
>"Yeah."
>"Alright then..."
x-x-x
>After paying for the meal, the two of you make your way back to the car workshop...
>...To find that the garage door has been grafitti'd on, with something... um... crude... on it.
>"What the fu-" You hear Nitori curse under her breath upon seeing the vandalized door.
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>"You know. I promised I wasn't going to get into any more fights. But if they're not going to leave us alone, then it doesn't make any difference whether I do or don't..."
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>"You know. I promised I wasn't going to get into any more fights. But if they're not going to leave us alone, then it doesn't make any difference whether I do or don't..."
>You hear Nitori take a deep breath.
>"Alright, calm down. Calm down..." She says. "If they want to pick a fight with us, it's their choice. But let's not go pick a fight with them unless absolutely necessary..."
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>Nod.
>"We don't even know who it was. Right."
>Just head back in. We had lunch, our mood is good, dambit!
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>Nod.
>"We don't even know who it was. Right."
>Just head back in. We had lunch, our mood is good, dambit!
>The two of you head inside the workshop.
>Nitori then immediately heads into the storage room. She comes back out just a few seconds later, holding two cans of spray paint.
>"Good thing I have a solution to the graffiti problem." She said. "Want to give me a hand? This won't take long."
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>"I've never gotten to play with one of these before!"
>Hold hand out.
>"Happy to pitch in."
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>"I've never gotten to play with one of these before!"
>Hold hand out.
>"Happy to pitch in."
>"Here." Nitori gives you one of the cans of spray paint. "Nothing fancy. Let's just cover up this... inappropriate work, shall we?"
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>Give it a good shake, aim toward the graffiti, and get to spraying!
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>Give it a good shake, aim toward the graffiti, and get to spraying!
//My apologies for the slow activity lately. The quarantine has made me quite stir crazy and prone to being distracted. A mild case of ADHD, I'd say...
>You shake the spray can a bit, then start spraying over the crude graffiti alongside Nitori.
>The two of you are done within a minute. Now there's a big splotch of grey on the garage door that contrasted the rest of it, but at least it's a lot better than leaving that crude graffiti there.
>"There!" Nitori announces as she lowers her spray can. "Ready to start the next shift?"
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>"Let's get to work."
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>"Let's get to work."
>"Right then."
>Nitori goes to remove the "OUT FOR LUNCH" sign from the outside of the workshop...
x-x-x
>The two of you worked hard until the day's shift has truly ended at 6PM. Nothing interesting has happened during this time.
>"Whew. What a day." Nitori says. "Good thing we haven't run into any Sukeban today, huh?"
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>"Well, they tried earlier... Let's get home."
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>"Well, they tried earlier... Let's get home."
>"Yeah, let's get back home..." Nitori says. "With what the Sukeban has been doing in the past few days, I'd rather get back home as soon as possible..."
x-x-x
>The two of you get back home without a hitch.
>"I ordered take-outs." Nitori informs you as she puts the phone down. "It'll arrive in a short while. In the meantime, let's just rest..."
>The kappa then threw herself on the barely intact couch.
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>Plop down beside her.
>"After food, I'll do some cleaning up."
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>Plop down beside her.
>"After food, I'll do some cleaning up."
>You plop down beside her.
>"I don't want to look like I'm having you as a slave, though. But thanks anyway..." Nitori says.
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>"Don't worry about that, I'm doing it to help out after all you've done for me. Even after..."
>Gesture around at the damage that has been done.
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>"Don't worry about that, I'm doing it to help out after all you've done for me. Even after..."
>Gesture around at the damage that has been done.
//You actually still remember the damages done to Nitori's apartment...
>"Whatever you say..." Nitori answers you.
>Lots and lots of bullet holes on everything. Except the TV which was miraculously spared when the Yorigami Sukeban raided the apartment a few days ago. (The door was also shredded, but you and Nitori got around to replace it with a new one)
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>"No, it's not a 'whatever you say', Nitori. I'm honestly really grateful you've let me stay here these past couple days, given me actual food to eat, and just been my friend. I haven't had any of those things for a really long time, you know?"
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>"No, it's not a 'whatever you say', Nitori. I'm honestly really grateful you've let me stay here these past couple days, given me actual food to eat, and just been my friend. I haven't had any of those things for a really long time, you know?"
>Nitori blinked for a bit.
>Well, I've always complained about me being a blue collar worker doing the white collar people's dirty works... The feelings of people without proper lives, much less works, kind of slipped my mind..."
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>It's easy to not think about it if you aren't used to having it."