ic inbox

[handfast]

ok

nicknames

rafayel - scaredy cat
fiammetta - old lady
tokinaga - mr know it all

Comments

[paenitete]

Sure. For better or for worse.

What about Soo-won?

[handfast]

[ looks over ]

What about him?

[paenitete]

Yuma told me he was there in that maze too. Or you saw him, anyway. He was spectating some life-or-death board game.

[handfast]

Yeah.

[ that much he can answer. ]

He was always better at strategy than I was.

[paenitete]

He was the one who executed you then, right? Because Yuma lost.

[handfast]

.......Yeah. [ another long pause. ] But it was better that way.

[paenitete]

Better that he was the one to do it? Or that your other self was killed?

[handfast]

Better that I didn't kill him.

[paenitete]

So you would've had to do it if the commander lost.

[ makes sense. why would soo-won be the one to kill hak otherwise? ]

You didn't want to?

[handfast]

[ it's not something he's vocalized aloud very often but it has been on his mind more and more often lately. ]

I don't want to kill Soo-won.

[paenitete]

[ i know this is a profound moment for him. but. ]

I think that's obvious enough with how often I see you two around each other.

[ they are silly... ]

But I did talk to him this week. I understand your situation with him better now.

[handfast]

What, friends can't hang out with each other?

[ are they friends? whatever. he does look vaguely interested by this admission though. ]

What'd he say?

[paenitete]

If you're hanging out like friends, I think it's safe to assume you don't want to kill him. That's all.

[ she looks at the gardens again, trying to recall that night in the casino. i, nat, go back to the thread.... ]

We talked about everything he did and why he did it. It sounds like he really loves you and Yona.

[handfast]

[ you are so strong

unfortunately, hak cannot refute this. ]

He likes people. Soo-won. He always did. [ still does. ] He's more honest than I am.

[paenitete]

I don't think he'd feel as awful as he does if he didn't care about you two specifically.

I got a pretty good idea of how much he hates himself.

[handfast]

I don't need you to tell me that. [ quietly. ] I know.

[paenitete]

I'm not saying that to lecture you about it. [ a correction, but a gentle one. her gaze lowers. ] I'm only saying that I think I understand both of you a little better now.

[ ... ]

At one point, he said you told him not to say something. I was wondering what that was.

[handfast]

He doesn't have to listen to me.

[ even though he will, because that's the type of person soo-won is. ]

[paenitete]

He thinks he does.

[handfast]

He thinks too much.

[ it's a good thing and a bad thing. ]