“But… that sounds like most kids,” Kokichi objected. Not at Tenko’s claim, but at the idea that Tenko was any more of a handful than any other kid. “You’re really emotional, but that’s not a bad thing. There are good ways to learn how to cope with emotions, especially if you’re the type to have explosive emotions. When is the last time you talked to your parents…?”
He couldn’t help but to wonder how much of her memory was warped by her master, how much he denied her reality to create one for her. Were her parents really that shitty in that they would abandon their daughter like so? Especially if they wanted to have her ‘reform’ for her ‘explosive emotions.’ If they really did want Tenko’s master to teach her how to control her temper tantrums, wouldn’t they keep in touch to check on her progress…?
It was a bit too suspicious. Kokichi figured he might have to do some digging later.
Though he was distracted by Tenko thanking him for his honesty, and asking to be his friend, and a weird feeling started stirring in his chest. He couldn’t place it, but it felt like a mixture of anxiety and relief, all rolled into one contradicting emotional ball lodged in his throat. It took him a moment to even think of the words he wanted to say.
“You… really wanna be friends with someone like me?” He hummed. He didn’t doubt her, but even saying it out loud himself made it hard for him to believe.
Though soon, a warm smile took over his expression.
“Heh… you know what? Sure, why not. I’ll be your friend. So don’t be afraid to rely on me if you need help, okay?”
🌸 - Was it? She hadn’t met other kids her age when she was younger - and even after, it was mostly in the context of honing her Aikido skills. Tenko’s expression scrunched into a pensive gaze towards the floor. This was...far too much information to take in at once, if it were true.
But how could she know it was? She had no more reason to trust his words over her masters - and she still found herself fighting that voice in her head telling her she shouldn’t be pulled into a male’s web of sweet lies. It seemed too...coinvent, didn’t it? The idea that she’d done nothing wrong to deserve being separated from society? That she was never dangerous?
Ugh. This was making her head hurt. She wasn’t used to thinking this much.
“Uh- Thank you?” That was a compliment, right? Or had she just lost track of the conversation? What were they talking about again?
Oh yeah - her parents, right?
“Let me try and recall!” She took the mundane challange head on with full force, eager to concentrate her focus on something else than questioning reality “I...I’ve been told my training started when I was three years of age so...twelve years?”
Her intense concentration faltered, her attention rapidly switching to Koichi’s bewilderment of her last question. Having been holed up in her dojo most of the time, she hadn’t interacted much with the other students after her previous attempts had resulted in disasters. If there were any rumors of his reputation, she wouldn’t have known. That thought didn’t even cross her mind, however.
“Of course! I’ve got a good feeling about you- and from now on, I’m following my heart! Just - keep your distance, okay? I believe it might take me a while to work off the habit of throwing males across the room.”
Even she wasn’t naïve enough to think it would all be reworked within a day.
“Same to you, my new, now official, friend! I may be lacking in many skills but I can always defend you if you need it! There are few forces on earth more powerful than a Tenko scorned !”
