Two Birds

Nobody's Worried

   Someone new is moving about the cafeteria by the time Saihara arrives there the following day.  

   They're wearing a pale-blue floral sundress with a wide skirt that lifts slightly with each movement and dark blue sandals, ashy-green hair formed into a neatly shaped bob, complete with a bang trim as they wipe down a table with one hand, balancing a tray of food in the other. Behind her are two anxious-looking officials holding clipboards, barking orders at them, all of which she ignores.

   "Tojo-san, you don't need to be a maid anymore. Your talent was fake and implanted; it is not an obligation!"

   "You suffered a series of traumatic experiences; you should return to your room! You've only been up for four hours; you should be resting!"

   The girl shuts her eyes briefly, annoyed. "No, thank you, I am fine. I've been out of service for long enough, and I'll never be able to atone for my actions if I remain idle."

   "Tojo-san, please, you're weak, and you're going to collapse."

   She sets the tray down on the table and turns away, brushing past them before freezing in her tracks the second Saihara meets her gaze. They both stare at each other for a second before Saihara smiles tentatively. 

   "Tojo-san. . ," He moves forward, pulling the girl into a tight hug, surprising her, "I'm so relieved you're okay. . ."

   "Wh-. . .I-. . .Saihara-san, this is Tojo Kirumi. The murderer. What are you doing?!"

   "That's between you and Hoshi-kun, us, we. . .our troubles are different. . ," Saihara pulls back, scratching his arm and looking away awkwardly, "I basically condemned you to death-no, that's exactly what it was. But," His eyes sparkle as he looks back to Tojo, "Your determination and the way you tried to escape to your last breath-how admirable! What a splendid display from a talented Blackened!"

   Saihara stiffens as soon as he finishes speaking, taking a couple of steps back, covering his mouth in horror. For a second, he sounded like that crazy fanboy from that audition tape. . .He could only imagine what that version of him was really like.

   He waves his hands frantically. "Ah, that was not how I meant to phrase that. Let me try again. . .that was really courageous and I admire that. . .yeah. . ."

   Tojo, however, looks a tad bit uncomfortable as she listens to Saihara attempt to pull himself together. She nods respectively, offering him her thanks before moving on. 

   Saihara touches his head, frowning. What the actual hell was that?! He did not want to become that depressed fanboy Shirogane told about him from before. The so-little he knew about him from before had disturbed him greatly, leaving no desire to return to the way he was before.

   Where's Kaede. . .Kaede could help him.

   Perhaps it's a sign his old memories are already starting to come back. If this was how he was going to be, then he didn't want them back.

   "Nyeh? Tojo-san? Awake already?"

   ". . .Tojo-san?"

   Saihara whips his head around to find Harukawa and Yumeno standing in the doorway, sleep still in the redhead's eyes as she smooths down the hem of her skirt. Harukawa grabs one of the two French braids falling down her back, fiddling with it as she stares at Tojo. 

   The maid turns to them and smiles politely. "Good morning. Gokuhara and Keebo are awake as well, just recovering in their rooms-"

   "As you should be doing yourself for at least another couple hours, Tojo Kirumi-" One of the officials cut in.