Tears for the Lost

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

{OOC: I still didn't make my Void event, but I'm going to write there what I wrote here. Also this thread shouldn't retrigger the disadvantage because of the minimum time}
Today earlier... He finally was able to meditate. It felt refreshing of sorts, but... Oh, he passed throughout such shame. Crying out in public this way. Hope no one who noticed vinculated it to him. He was able to finish the class, but leaving the dark room and seeing the bright sky made him feel melancholic again in a weird way.
He thought that he was over it already. That was clearly a misconception. And he couldn't even blame life for being unfair, because it was totally fine just this time.
Struggling to maintain face, he dashed to the barracks. Usually crying at night with those small attacks, but crying was hard when you slept surrounded by people, and there was even someone else at the shrine last night. He didn't feel shame for doing so, his father said that it shouldn't be done publicly only.
Sliding the shoji besides him and closing it up, Aiichirō began to search his bag, as desesperate as a raccoon looking for food on a trashcan, for something.

[Kakita Kazuko]

It seems like Kazuko had the same idea, as she too comes bolting in with a tear streaked face. She freezes as she hears someone rummaging in the Crab clan sleeping area. No, rummaging would be the wrong word; It's far too feverish for that. To be honest, it sounds a lot more like ransacking as items bounce off of the shoji and floor, some of them being thrown hard enough and close enough to make her flinch. She grabs the entirety of her travel pack, less afraid of her stuff getting stolen but moreso wanting to get out as soon as possible, hurriedly making her way out. However, the thought of someone ransacking her friends' stuff keeps nagging at her and so she goes back to the Crab clan sleeping area and raps on the wooden frame of the shoji and fails to feign a confidence she doesn't have, her voice quavering noticeably.

"...Ah, um, is someone there? Is everything alright? It- it sounds like you could use some help in there..."

She bites her lip, already regretting speaking out without calming herself first before being reminded of a piece of her mother's wisdom: "Never regret anything you do as living a life of regret won't change the past." Oh, how she wishes her mother was still here to help guide her.

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

The sound of his ransacking, the internal noise of his mind, both covered up the steps of the Kakita, and he only noticed her when she spoke. A bolt of cold passed through his spine and he froze for a moment. His emotions were overdrive and although his wish was very angrily screaming at anyone who came near, he took a deep breath, a sip from his bottle of water, and slided the shoji to the side to see a crying Kakita.
Still sat on the ground in front of his own bag, plenty of his stuff was thrown around — a small pillow book (so he was on that sort of thing, a frog origami apparently not thrown but delicatedly put at his side, same thing with the shoji board so pieces wouldn't spray all over, lots of paper and more.
He gripped on his hands so tightly it seemed he was defending the item from being grabbed away a wooden doll.
He looks at her crying face with a fiery expression that reminded anger, changing when he noticed it was a crying face to one almost of scare.
Trying to breath rapidly so he wouldn't start to cry in front of her.
"People will find you if you stay in the corridor." He says, voice less enthusiastic, lower and more blue than usual.

[Kakita Kazuko]

Kazuko wipes her face to allow her to temporarily see better but is still unable to collect herself fully as her voice alternates between betraying too much emotion and being forcedly neutral and tense.

"But... a man and a woman... should not be alone... It's indecent..."

Not only does she not want to enter because of Crane customs and traditions, but she's also slightly fearful of the way Aiichiro is acting. She's too drained from all the crying to really do anything else but stand there though, her plans to go find a secluded spot to let out her feelings looking more and more unlikely every second that passes. Right now, she just wants to lay down and take a nap...

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

"But we are just going to cry." Ending the phrase, he sobbed in a strange way whilst holding tears back, although the entire rest of his face said crying. "And we are already alone here." He says, kneeling and sticking his head outside the shoji to look to the side.
"You don't need to explain me anything and I won't need to explain you anything. So we just cry in silence if we like it more. If someone enters here anyway, it will be Ginkarasu-san. Yotsuo-san is never on the dojo at this time."
He started to very noticeably pretending to rub his eyes not to appear like he is crying, eventually giving up on his hand and using a part of his sleeve to do the trick instead.

[Kakita Kazuko]

"But we are just going to cry." Ending the phrase, he sobbed in a strange way whilst holding tears back, although the entire rest of his face said crying. "And we are already alone here." He says, kneeling and sticking his head outside the shoji to look to the side.
"You don't need to explain me anything and I won't need to explain you anything. So we just cry in silence if we like it more. If someone enters here anyway, it will be Ginkarasu-san. Yotsuo-san is never on the dojo at this time."
He started to very noticeably pretending to rub his eyes not to appear like he is crying, eventually giving up on his hand and using a part of his sleeve to do the trick instead.

"Well..."

Kazuko doesn't argue as it's nice to not be alone. Even if they are crying, at least they are together and she trusts Ginkarasu to not say anything should he happen to enter. She sits in the corner and quietly sobs into her arm, head between her knees. Every so often she attempts to control her emotions and quiet down only for them to return full force. This goes on for a short while until she's utterly spent and leans her head against the wall, closing her eyes. Maybe a short rest would be nice.... With her eyes closed, she would almost look like she peacefully fell asleep were it not for her cheeks still stained with tears. Perhaps she actually is asleep...

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

He remembers what his father says, try to apply and repeat. "You should not fight against it, but don't do it solely to enjoy the pain." He speaks in a difficult to understand, crying voice. Trying to be positive, at least a little, at least.
He takes sips from his water bottle several times, mostly the time being spent gazing directly at the wooden dool. He looked to Kazuko as an afraid cat, rolling to his futon and hugging the statuette. Then he looked up to Kazuko again and perceived that not only she wasn't paying attention to the sentimentalism — which was good — but also that she apparently took a nap. Understandable. Those things tire people out.
He threw his blanket over her.

[Kakita Kenji]

"Kazuko-san?" Kenji ran through the corridors worried, looking for her. He was worried that she had left so soon after practice, had something happened? With all the strange things going on around the dojo, you never know.

[Kakita Kazuko]

Zzzz... Kazuko is sound asleep in the corner still, although she'll wake up if you gently shake her or shout her name.

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

Kenji was looking for Kazuko and being together would be awkward. He tried to slide the shoji that lead to the sleeping room of the side — which happened to be Unicorn — and closed himself on this room, leaving a small gap to peek through. If he found her, that would be strange regardless.
Day 7 Monkey Tears for the Lost - Stealth/Agility: 2d10 11

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji reached the student barracks, something was different. The shoji were a bit mixed up and there were objects lying on the floor. He examined the area and saw Kazuko leaning against the wall, sleeping. It was strange that she was in the area of the crab clan. It was also strange that her eyes were a little swollen. Had she cried?

"Kazuko?" Kenji shook her slightly, worry, resonating in his voice.

[Kakita Kazuko]

Kenji reached the student barracks, something was different. The shoji were a bit mixed up and there were objects lying on the floor. He examined the area and saw Kazuko leaning against the wall, sleeping. It was strange that she was in the area of the crab clan. It was also strange that her eyes were a little swollen. Had she cried?

"Kazuko?" Kenji shook her slightly, worry, resonating in his voice.

Kazuko stirs, blearily rubbing the sleep and tears from her eyes.

"Mom? Is that you?" she blurts out at the shadowy figure in front of her before remembering where she is. "Oh, nevermind..."

She looks embarrassed at having been caught crying, especially in the Crab clan sleeping area of all places. Did Aiichiro put a blanket on her? Where was he now anyway? She takes a look around and a deep breath before addressing Kenji.

"Ah, apologies, I um... Bad dreams..."

She folds her arms over her knees and stares disinterestedly at the scattered belongings around the floor, still half asleep and unsure whether she wants to hold onto those memories or forget them.

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji sat down next to Kazuko. He didn't know what had happened, nor why she had cried, nor why of all places she was at this one. But he remembered something. "Friendship is truly tested when it comes to sharing the burden."

In the culture they grew up in, there was a big difference between etiquette and human decency. For Kenji, there was hardly anything that made his heart cramp more than seeing Kazuko like that. In his eyes she was this proud, funny, beautiful personality, but, just like Saburo, she had her own weaknesses, problems and fears.

Probably she was ashamed that he had found her that way, Kenji probably would have been too. But he liked Kazuko more than he would admit.

It was hard to find the right words, or the right action for the moment. But, somehow, he didn't care right now. His sisters would take him in their arms and sing a song when he had another seizure and was only crying from fear.

So he did the only thing he knew how to do in that situation. As quietly as possible, without drawing unnecessary attention to himself, he began to sing a song.

He would put his arm around her, comforting her, if she wanted him to.
---
D7 Monkey Perform:Singing/Awa: 3d10o10k2 12 Over TN 6 sooooooooo it's at least not shabby? <.<

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

Scrawned over the floor were some simple sheets of parchment, a very large sheet of paper he used to walk with everywhere before, a shoji set delicatedly put at an origami's frog side (which was also delicatedly put over the futon), a piece of coal broken in two from the impact, a paper lantern. A small book named Ghost-Eating Human was thrown headed down across the floor. A pair of eating sticks was near Kazuko's feet, and very far away was a piece of flint.

[Kakita Kazuko]

Kazuko leans into the hug as a fresh wave of tears silently slide down her face, deeply grateful for Kenji's company. She recognizes the song and it makes her a bit wistful but she appreciates it nonetheless. She smiles slightly as Kenji gets more into the song, joining in softly halfway through. As the song finishes, she whispers a quiet "Thank you." to Kenji and continues to lean against him, cherishing this moment for as long as possible.

---

D7 Monkey Perform: Singing/Awareness: 3d10k3 14

[Kakita Kenji]

When she thanked him Kenji strengthened his hug a little. He tried to give her the strength she needed.

He looked at the chaos before him. He hardly believed that Kazuko had been rooting around here.

But he could not recognize anyone else who was here.

---
D7 Monkey Investigation/Perception TN 11: 2d10o10k1 6

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

Things were getting... Strange. It was none of his business. He got up from his laying gap spot, not knowing if his shadow would appear even if vaguely on the shoji or not, walking towards the other one. He needed a way to leave this room... No, only this area, quickly now. The opposite session of the sleeping rooms would be perfect for that. Hope the Minor Clans won't mind. Aiichiro tried to slide the shoji in the opposite side as quietly, but was not as succesful.

[Kakita Kazuko]

Things were getting... Strange. It was none of his business. He got up from his laying gap spot, not knowing if his shadow would appear even if vaguely on the shoji or not, walking towards the other one. He needed a way to leave this room... No, only this area, quickly now. The opposite session of the sleeping rooms would be perfect for that. Hope the Minor Clans won't mind. Aiichiro tried to slide the shoji in the opposite side as quietly, but was not as succesful.

Kazuko hears a shoji being opened but pays no regard to it, continuing to cuddle with Kenji. She can't muster up the strength to leave him to check anyway.

[Kakita Kenji]

Kenji considered whether he should investigate the situation, but decided to stay.

Of course this didn't stop him from trying to guess who had just left.
They were in the crab sleeping compartment
There was game lying around.
Kazuko was here with a blanket.

Kenji looked at the things scattered on the floor from his seat.
There were many interesting things. The book, the origami, and the oversized piece of paper.

Kenji guessed who had been here. Aiichiro had also brought him a blanket when he was about to cry. Kenji smiled, Aiichiro really took care of others. He would talk to him another time, maybe, but at that moment, someone else was important.

[Kaiu Aiichiro]

Next room was Unicorn session. There were a lot of Unicorns, and thankfully no one sneaking a sleep time.
He remembered that the Moto had a cool lizard that was not around now, unfortunately, as much as he searched. Maybe it was inside the Moto's bag, but he would not violate privacy such. Slightly saddened, he opened stealthly the next shoji.
Minor Clans.
There were a lot of beds here. So they were all wrapped up in the same room, huh? Poor things. He imagined the snoring. If he slept next to Ginkarasu, imagine the unluckyness of those children. Did not see anything else than Kitsune and Mantis yet.
He lied down in one of the futons. It was too less comfortable. Life of Minor Clanners should be rough, now that he stopped to think about it. Still, this futon was good enough for his means.
Which were laying down and dwelving in thought, without crying and a blank expression, maybe shedding a tear when his mind travelled to somewhere touching. Like he usually did instead of crying.