28th Link ▫ [Video]

[jivitadana]

[A line of glasses filled with varying levels of blue-colored water were arranged on the table in a tearoom. Off on the side and behind the curtain of blue liquid and transparent glass was a small blue velvet cake. The only reason one could tell it was blue velvet cake despite the white cream frosting around it was that a slice had been cut, and that piece was on its side on a nearby plate.

Minato had his fork in hand. Then there was a clink, clink, clinking sound, a short tune. After testing out the note and pitch each glass made when tapping it with the utensil, he was ready.

Soon he began to play this song on his makeshift instrument setup before thinking out loud to seemingly no one in particular.]

... I know. Home will always be there. It shouldn't matter then how long I stay?

Comments

[masukukunai]

It doesn't frustrate you? Make you angry?

[Such an ephemeral second chance?]

[jivitadana]

Should it?

[Just wondering.]

[masukukunai]

I dunno. It'd make me angry.

[jivitadana]

[But did that anger only stem because of the view that it was unfair? If it wasn't "unfair" then there might not be a reason to be upset. No matter how frustrated or angry he might've been, and Minato couldn't deny that perhaps he felt tinges of it before, things were already how they were.]

A lot of it makes me uncertain.

[If that makes any sense.]

[masukukunai]

Well, I'd be worried if you didn't at least feel something like that.

[He thinks about it for a moment.]

I'd probably do the same thing as you... If I didn't have time to think about it.

[jivitadana]

[Minato wondered just for a second how far gone he was in actually acting or being human, in actually feeling, as though he hadn't been programmed to feel or react in any appropriate way to something that others had seen as unfair.]

But I'm glad you do have time.

[masukukunai]

There really wasn't another way?

[jivitadana]

[Fair enough. Minato shook his head. Hadn't Minato asked that question of himself before?]

Not really.

[But perhaps he could share more.]

Sometimes I wish there were.

[masukukunai]

I don't know why. Izanami didn't ask anything like that of us... Not that what we had gone through already wasn't horrible already. But the proving was enough. There weren't any sacrifices.

[jivitadana]

[There were several sacrifices along his journey. Minato hadn't forgotten that.]

Isn't it better than there weren't?

[masukukunai]

It is.

[If something happened to Souji, he doesn't know what he'd do. Even before their time in the mansion..]

[jivitadana]

Then it's okay. Though on some level, there's always sacrifices to be made.

[masukukunai]

[This is depressing. Yousuke sighs.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato smiled a little.]

Sorry.

[masukukunai]

Nah, it's not...

[SIGH.]

If I remember all this, I'll have to try and find you.

[jivitadana]

[Minato blinked and then shook his head.]

Not if it endangers you in any way.

[masukukunai]

What, you aren't worth it?

[jivitadana]

You're asking the wrong person.

[masukukunai]

Then I'm the one who gets to decide.

[jivitadana]

[All right, all right. Minato had to give in to that.]

Thank you.

[Minato was entertaining the thought of being found and maybe even saved yet again. He really couldn't afford to do that, could he?]

If I asked you not to, would you still do it?

[masukukunai]

Probably. Why would you ask me not to?

[jivitadana]

For your sake.

Though if you find me, I wouldn't be able to stop you either way.

[masukukunai]

Hell no you won't.

[jivitadana]

[It is still so unfair, it was beyond calling it unfair. No one here was under any obligation to do anything for him.]

You really are too kind.