2023-09-13: A Boy I Don't Recognize
- Log: 2023-09-13- A Boy I Don't Recognize
- Cast: Sayla Mass, Akane Shinjo's friend Ramo Marusa, Yuta Hibiki
- Where: Tsutsujidai - Yumi Foundation Office
- OOC - IC Date: 0097-09-13
- Summary: Yuta Hibiki stops by the Yumi Foundation offices; Sayla and Marusan help him find a trajectory for recovering from his missing time.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Since the Fixer Beam, things have calmed down for the Yumi Foundation office in Tsutsujidai. Emergency relief is no longer the order of the day, and regular business is on the table. It's still largely 'interns'- the falsehood that allows the Tsutsujidai High School students to bypass the school rules on part time jobs- but there are a few full timers there to help manage the things they can't.
But it's not every day the founder is in, to check in on things. Really, she should be leaving this to someone way below her- but the Tsutsujidai office was something of a personal project.
The reception desk is currently manned, with a small waiting room, for anyone who happens to come in off the street.
Sayla steps out of the manager's office, and heads to the kitchen to prepare herself a coffee. She was hoping to meet with some of the staff before heading back, see how things are going for them. So, waiting for the office coffee machine to fini8shm Sayla leans on the counter, keeping an ear out for arrivals.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
Strictly speaking, this is the project of someone way below her, in the day-to-day. Marusan -- now past a year with the Yumi Foundation -- is also here, at the kitchen. She's managed to get herself out of the exhaustion spiral, a bit; the bags under her eyes are a fair bit smaller, and she seems in better spirits. Fixer Beam has been kind to her -- or, well, the time immediately after it has.
"Oh, are we still waiting on coffee?" she asks, glancing over to the machine. "And -- hi, Miss Mass." She has stubbornly neither updated to 'Dr.' nor 'Deikun,' here -- she still sees Sayla the same way. (She doesn't have an adult's concerns, despite her approaching adulthood.)
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Yuta promised he would do this.
Dressed in his school uniform, the young man lingers outside Tsutsujidai's Yumi Foundation branch. He's been here for a few minutes, frozen in place, just a few feet from the door. It's starting to get weird.
He promised he would go in this time. Talk to people. Find out how if there's anything they can do to help him.
...Yuta really, really doesn't want to. Shyness and feelings of unworthiness are powerful motivators. There are so many people who are worse off than he is. What is he doing asking for help? It's not like he's out of food or anything. He can make it a while longer with what the Neon Genesis Junior High Students left behind.
"Mmm..." Yuta grumbles, pretending to have gotten a VERTEX message in order to buy a few more seconds where he is not inside the building. As usual, his inbox is empty.
Desperately, he navigates out of the VERTEX app and into his phone's settings. Maybe he'll figure out how to change the lock screen Asciel gave him. So far it's stubbornly resisted any attempt at removal.
Tap. Tap.
...nope, no luck this time, either.
Yuta puts his phone away. He scuffs his feet on the sidewalk. He straightens his sweater vest.
"I can do this." Yuta mutters, squeezing his hands into fists. "I'll just go in, say hello, and leave. Then I won't have broken my promise."
Okay.
In three, two, one...
His feet don't move.
Just go already! With a herculean amount of effort, Yuta takes a step forward, then another. Soon, he's at the door, staring at the doorknob. With a deep breath, he squeezes his eyes closed and enters.
...
It's really not so bad. The decor is tasteful, and the air conditioning feels nice. Maybe they've got snacks. Yuta is a little tired of the stuff he's got at home. Gridman seemed to like any food that was the color red, so there's a lot of weird, random things in the fridge. Did the Giant of Light really live like that?
"Uh, excuse me." Yuta says, heart pounding, as he approaches the nearest person. "I'm... um. I'm here."
He glances around awkwardly. Wait, is that Marusan? Yuta vaguely knows of the girl from his own 'memories', as well as from the filtered bits of information he inherited from Gridman. Would it be weird to talk to her? It'd for sure be weird, right?
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
"Afraid so," Sayla says with a smile. "Such is the cost of a good drink." Ramo definitely looks a lot better these days, and it's heartening to see. "You seem to be doing well, Ramo. Managing everything okay?"
Pleasant smalltalk seems to be the order of the day, until Sayla hears the familiar voice coming from the waiting room. The receptionist, a young man in his mid-20s, looks up. "How can I help?" He asks, pleasantly-
But he doesn't get much time to answer. "Are you up to a client meeting?" She asks, seemingly fully intent on sitting in on this one herself.
Sayla heads out to the waiting room. "Mr Hibiki?" She asks- fully aware of who it is out there- and setting eyes on someone who she doesn't really know. "I'm Sayla. Please come on through, we can see you now."
Assuming Yuta assents, Sayla guides him to an office with a pair of couches, and gestures for him to sit. They're comfortable, at least, and the office is private. There's a carafe of water and some glasses on a table between the couches. Sayla sits opposite him, with room for Marusan to take a seat too. "Do you need anything before we get started?"
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"Mostly. I'm a little bored, but... maybe that's good." She does a few quick stretches, trying to work out an annoying feeling in her knee from dance practice. It's weird to be 'senpai' at this point, especially after how much she spent first and second year skipping...
... she doesn't have time to think about that right now, though. "Yeah, I'm up for it," she agrees.
"Yuta," she says, giving him a small nod, sticking close to Sayla. "Hi. I'm Marusan. We were in the same class first year, too?" She knows he had amnesia starting a couple years ago, and she's heard some of the basics of the situation from Akane... Maybe starting from their common ground before that is best.
She puts down a messenger bag, pulling out a laptop, and explains, "I can take notes for Miss Mass. Since we attend the same school, I'll probably also be available to help with other things, depending on how this meeting goes."
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
"O--oh, um--" Yuta replies to the friendly receptionist. He has no plan for this conversation, and stares at the man blankly.
Thankfully, Sayla saves the day. Yuta turns to look at her, and in a glance, perhaps, she can see the difference between Yuta Hibiki and Gridman. Where Gridman moved with confidence and enthusiasm, Yuta's body language is hesitant and shy. It's as though he's afraid to take up any space at all.
Of course, the most obvious change is his eye color. Gridman's yellow-gold eyes are practically a photo-negative from how shockingly blue Yuta's are. He blinks at Sayla's appearance -- just the once.
"Dr. Mass." Yuta says, automatically. Trust and respect flutter at the edge of his awareness. This is someone Gridman put his faith in. "Alright. I'm sorry for the trouble."
After he enters the room, Marusan greets him. Yuta gives her a little wave. It feels awkward even as he's doing it.
"H--hey! I kinda know you, from, um." A glance toward Sayla. Does Marusan know about Gridman? Is it okay to talk to her about it? "Thank you for the help, Marusan. I'm not sure I have anything really worth taking notes on, but, um.. Thanks."
Does he need anything?
Yuta looks at the nearby pitcher of water. "A glass of water would be nice. I can, um, get that." He pours himself a glass before settling on a couch, squished into the armrest. "I'm so sorry to take up your time like this. I'm really doing okay, I just --" He laughs nervously, looking down at his drink. "I promised some friends I'd come by. I'm not really in any trouble or anything though, so I really don't think I need anything."
By the way he fidgets as he says this... It's probably not true.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
The difference between Yuta and Gridman is easy to notice. Everything about him seems... different. The way he makes himself small, his caution and hesitance. Sayla just gives a reassuring smile. "It's no trouble at all. This is what we're here for."
Sayla nods to Marusan. "You can be open with both of us. Anything you tell us here will be in confidence, and won't leave this room without your permission." Setting that standard is probably a good start.
Sayla nods at Yuta's reasoning, even as she notes the disquiet. "I have some understanding of what your situation is," Sayla says, calm and controlled. "But I'd still like to hear how things are going from your perspective. We can handle things at your pace, we don't need to rush, alright?"
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
This... accords more with what Marusan remembers of Yuta Hibiki than 'Gridman' ever did; she just assumed amnesia had given him a fresh start and made him want to be stronger, but this... has made more sense. She taps away at something on her computer as Yuta says he promised friends he'd come by and doesn't need anything.
She purses her lips a bit as Yuta claims he's not in trouble and doesn't need anything. "... We don't have to talk about how things are going, if you don't want," she adds, as a counterweight to Sayla. "You can just tell us how your day went, or how school's going, or anything." She's in Yuta's classroom this year; Ako isn't. "I'm looking for someone to study with me and Ako for the entrance exam, if you know anyone who's looking for a study group?" She doesn't want to immediately put that burden on him directly -- it's important this feels like small talk.
... even if she is doing this to lower his guard.
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Sayla reassures him. Something in Yuta trusts her instinctively, and he nods. "Right. Okay. So, um. Gridman used me as a host for two years!" It sounds ridiculous, so Yuta decides to get it over with. "And it turns out my parents never existed."
It's a lot. He's said it a few times now, but it stings every time. Yuta finds himself frozen with anxiety. Taking a drink to buy time, he keeps listening to Sayla and Marusan. They both want to help. It feels genuine, and Gridman trusted them both... Not that Yuta's ready to use that as a metric for his own friendships.
Thankfully, Marusan changes the subject. Yuta looks to her gratefully.
"I'd really appreciate a study group. I've got a lot to catch up on... I remember bits and pieces, but not enough. I'm really lost." Yuta lowers his glass. It's easier to look down at it than to make eye contact. "School's... stressful. I know, um. He did his best to keep my grades up, but I've got a lot of work to do."
"It doesn't help that entrance exams are so close. Um, not that I know where I want to go or anything... It just is something you have to do, I guess." Yuta is quiet for a moment. "I've been thinking about clubs... I don't know. I'm not really good at anything, or really interested in anything..."
He takes another drink.
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
When put so plainly, it's a lot to take in. Sayla simply nods- she understood at least half that situation already, but adjusting to the fact that your life didn't exist as you understand is a lot.
As Marusan counterbalances Sayla's approach, Sayla backs off to let her take the lead. This casual approach seems to be cutting through effectively.
Instead of pushing further, Sayla listens. "That's a lot to have on your plate," Sayla says, gently, just affirming the situation. She casts a quick glance to Ramo, just to check that she's on board with leading- but most of her attention is focused on Yuta, assessing his state.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
It is, in fact, a lot to deal with -- and Marusan frowns a little. She types a few things, but mostly, she seems genuinely interested in this. "Okay. I think we're best-off focusing on the stuff that'll be on the U-FITS. Not that we can let contemporary social studies go or anything, but we can figure that out." Ako's going to have to try really hard, Marusan realizes, or find additional help... but that's okay. They'll deal.
She taps her chin for a few moments, letting Sayla affirm the situation; she glances back at Sayla, nodding. "Hmmm... clubs, huh. I get it if you don't wanna do Dance Club anymore, obviously. You could probably just not pick up with club stuff? I think people would get it. Medical emergency."
Backing down on the heavy stuff, she pitches another topic lazily: "How was lunch today? I had my lunch on the rooftop so I didn't..." She gestures vaguely. "Any favorites at the school store?"
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Sayla's gentle affirmation puts Yuta at ease. He settles into the couch a bit more comfortably, sighing. Despite this, the young man still has the air of someone strung so tightly that one more problem will break them. He's nervous, about seemingly everything in his life.
"That sounds smart, I think. Not like you have to hold yourselves back for me or anything? I don't want to mess things up." Yuta anxiously turns his glass in his hands. "It's a weird situation, I don't want to hurt your chances... You don't owe me anything."
Yuta half-shrugs at the talk of clubs. "Well, I kinda... Um. I want to find something I like. Something I'm good at. Something to... care about, I guess? Right now, it's like I'm in a factory or something. I do the same things every day. It'd be nice to have something to focus on besides grades."
"I don't know. If it's too much, it doesn't really matter... You guys probably, um. Know more about this than I do."
Lunch is the next topic, and Yuta has to think for a moment. "I ate with Utsumi. We didn't talk much, things are still a little awkward. I've been bringing food from home so far, I'm trying to save money."
"He -- uh. Gridman. Left me a decent amount, but I've got to make it last, or find a job. His friends told me they'll give me money if I want it, but." Yuta shifts in place. "I don't really want to take a gift that large from strangers. They already take care of my rent. Really, I need to get a job or something."
<Pose Tracker> Sayla Mass has posed.
Sayla drums her fingers on her opposite elbow. Yuta's instinct seems to be to put himself behind so as not to inconvenience anyone else.
Where has Sayla seen that before?
Sayla nods along, slowly. It's good that Utsumi's there, but the time that has passed is going to put strain on their relationship.
Still, right now, Yuta's ability to support himself in the situation, rather than rely on someone else seems to be important to him. How to approach this...
"We could offer you some assistance in that regard, while you work out how you want to approach things." Support, rather than solving the problem for him. "We have agreements to help provide food deliveries and the like for those in difficult situations." He can't accept big gifts, but maybe something small would be a start. "That could help you with saving money, and take care of a little of the mental load." If he's being that cautious. "We might be able to give you assistance in preparing a resume and with job hunting, if that's what you want to do." This is definitely the sort of thing the foundation is good at.
A pause... if he's being frugal, and only preparing his own food. Sayla nods. "One moment, I'll be right back." She gives a smile. "Please, don't stop talking on my account."
Sayla steps out of the room for maybe a minute or two, before returning with one of the snack baskets from the kitchen, and a bottle of apple juice, which she sets on the table in reach of Yuta. It's a small arrangement- some fruits, small chip packets... a mix of caloriemark bars, because the office always keeps a supply in case of emergencies.
With that done, she reaches to pour herself a glass of water, settling back in. There's no expectation that Yuta has to take anything, of course- it's just there for everyone who wants some.
<Pose Tracker> Akane Shinjo has posed.
"I mean, as far as I know, the school I'm looking at doesn't ask for the contemporary social studies exam, so it's not a big deal for me to let that skate," Marusan says, waving it off. "I think the one Ako is looking at does, but... well, we don't have to have every study session with the same group."
Yuta mentions what he really wants -- to find something he's good at -- and Marusan nods to him. "We can definitely help with that. I know there's -- we have, like, a partnership program with school clubs for this sort of thing. What we're doing right now with that is, uh." Marusan trails off, glancing to the side and asying, "Helping get the volleyball club started again, mostly? Kena-chan asked me to look into that... we have a grant program -- uh, sorry. That's too much to bog you down with anyway. Volleyball, though. Take a peek. It's mostly girls, but..."
She lets Sayla take point on the support side of things -- that's a bit beyond her, and it's not something she was already looking into, anyway. "We can talk more about job hunting after the entrance exam, maybe? No need to rush this stuff."
While Sayla's gone, Marusan offers Yuta a slightly conspiratorial, "If you want something under the table, I know a host club that just opened that's looking for a dedicated catch guy?" ... is Yuta even going to know what that is? Marusan isn't thinking about it until she's already thrown it out there.
She visibly straightens up when Sayla returns, taking a bag of chips for herself. (This, too, is calculated -- but she does also want chips and water.)
<Pose Tracker> Yuta Hibiki has posed.
Sayla offers assistance, and Yuta's brilliantly blue eyes turn a little wary. He listens carefully, though, not speaking up until she's finished.
"I think... that'd help a lot. If you're sure, um, it's not a burden, or taking help away from anyone else..." Yuta says, slowly. "It'd be a relief not to have to worry about food anymore. I could spare some money to get some clothes... It feels weird wearing the stuff he wore."
Briefly, Yuta wonders if 'served as a host to a Giant of Light' would fit on a resume. That'd open some doors, right? Asciel's words about all the groups who would love to snatch up a desperate person come back to his mind, and Yuta shudders. Maybe his time as a host is best kept secret.
"I'd be really grateful for help with a resume, too. I've never even thought about having a job before. I don't know, um, where to start." Yuta finishes his water, setting the glass down on the table.
Sayla steps out, but Marusan and Yuta continue talking. He's really starting to feel comfortable with her, too -- she keeps everything so casual and friendly, even in a fancy, powerful place like the Yumi Foundation.
"The volleyball club." Yuta's expression goes strained. That particular memory shines like a beacon in his mind. But... "Tonkawa and the others have always been really kind to me... I've never really tried volleyball, but it wouldn't hurt, right? Yeah, maybe I'll sit in on their practice this week..."
The sports clubs are pretty cool. It'd be nice to have a team, everyone on one always seems so close. Maybe it'd be a good way to make some new friends.
"Under the table..? Um." Yuta blinks widely. He doesn't look opposed, only confused. "What's a catch guy, Marusan?"
There's something... appealing about a shady gig like that. The thought of breaking some rules sends a little thrill through Yuta's heart. It'd be cool to have a secret double life, right? Exciting, dangerous... Yeah!
"I'm interested in hearing about it." Yuta says, looking a bit more engaged than he has in the rest of the conversation. "If it's okay."
Sayla returns with a snack basket. Yuta automatically reaches for the apple juice, though he just had a glass of water. It's a soothing, nostalgic taste, somehow. Marusan grabs a bag of chips, and Yuta mirrors her. They taste snacky and unhealthy. It's refreshing.
"Yeah, there's no need to rush..." Again, Yuta visibly relaxes. His smile looks a little more natural, and it's clear his guard is down. "I think I can do this. I really, um... Didn't expect anything when I came in here... Thank you." Yuta smiles to Marusan, then Sayla. "Thanks for listening, and... All this advice. I feel like I can actually face things now."