#v. mainverse // post-og.

[certainwill]

Satoko has found herself feeling strange as of late.

It's not necessarily an unpleasant feeling. Sometimes, she feels like she's not really truly here, or like she's forgetting something important. It took her a while to come to identify those feelings for what they were, in fact, but even more than that - she's sure there's still something else she's feeling that she can't quite put her finger on.

And yes, it's frustrating. But at the same time, things are really better than ever at the moment. Rika has been happier than Satoko's ever seen her, and while Shion-san has been acting strangely, she seems to be in a cheerful mood, too... and when Satoko lets herself get swept away in their joy, it's such a wonderful feeling that she never wants it to end. But at other times, when she stops to reflect... that unidentifiable sensation comes back like it had never left.

Maybe she still hasn't quite processed everything that happened in June? The fight for Rika's life, and everything she learned back then...

"Rena-san, haven't you noticed it too?" Satoko finds herself asking Rena one day, in a spare moment under the heat of the sun. "Shion-san has been coming by so regularly, and she's always in such a strange mood! Honestly, I felt quite sure it couldn't be a coincidence, but she insists that there's nothing going on... she hasn't confided in you, has she?"

@schxdenfreude ( starter for rena! )

[certainwill]

"W-well... I don't know..."

Rena's kindness helps push Satoko to overcome her fears and speak up, but she still hesitates - though this time, it's more because she doesn't know how to put in words what she wants to say. ...Right now, she's distracted by what's on her mind, but later, she'll likely look back on this moment and realize how lucky she is to have a friend like Rena... if possible, Satoko wants to show her appreciation however she can.

But in this moment, she instead focuses on pulling her thoughts together into something more concrete. If Rena really doesn't mind, then it's probably okay to share her feelings, but how should she...?

"I feel as if there's something she doesn't want to tell me." Her words are slow and thoughtful, as she takes a first uncertain step forward. "It's... not something bad, I don't think... I just wonder why she won't ever tell me what she's thinking." Saying it aloud, it feels silly.

"I don't know. I may well be thinking too hard, and I'm aware it's rather selfish, too. Shion-san doesn't have to tell me everything on her mind." So why does it bother her? In the back of her mind, she's sure there's some deeper reason, but somehow, it almost scares her to touch upon it. She shouldn't have said anything...

"I just wonder why it bothers me so much... am I being ungrateful, Rena-san?"

" I don't think you're thinking too hard about things... Not at all. "

That's the last thing she wants Satoko to feel. Nobody deserves to feel that way about themselves. Believing that bringing up your own feelings will just cause trouble to others, becoming unable to discern reality from what exists in your own head... Rena knows that experience well. It's not something she wants Satoko, her precious friend, to go through.

" It's bothering you, isn't it? The fact that it's bothering you is reason to speak up on it's own. Don't worry about being illogical, don't worry about how things might sound... If you don't open up, things will never change, you know? "

So, Rena Ryuugu pushes forward under the assumption that Satoko Houjou is indeed troubled. It would be strange to think anything else, given their circumstances. And... Rena desperately wants to be of use to her. If she can support Satoko in any way, she'll be happy.

" .... If it's really troubling you, then please tell Rena what you're thinking right now. "