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Act 1.1: Ennui
Your heart belongs to someone you've yet to meet
["Someday You Will Be Loved" Death Cab for Cutie]
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"Mum?" Marron called into her apartment, not really expecting an answer. She let her backpack slip off her button down shirt and stuck her hands into the pockets of her cords, wandering into the kitchen. Probably left a message…
'Marron, staying late for work. Mom'
She crumpled up the note. It was the same one from yesterday. Kusakabe Arashi was nothing but fiscal. She couldn't remember a time when her mother wasn't late, working.
She stared at the answering machine next.
Nothing.
Marron sighed softly, relieved.
Her father was away at France, as an architect overseeing a project. Silence was better than the alternative, where he would explain that there was still work to do or he had another job and would be flying directly there. No time to see them, not this time.
Not for the last four years.
Not that he wasn't delighted with every delay. When it came down to it, she should be too. The more he was away, the less her parents fought. And, well, Tokyo wasn't a cheap place to live.
Marron flopped onto her bed with a decisive thud.
Funny that the only way they could be together was if they were far apart.
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She awoke to pounding on her door, consistently loud. Lovely. She turned her head to the clock and winced. Its bright tick clicked off the time and the shadows raised themselves on the wall. It was late and the flat was still empty.
That would mean Miyako was here for dinner…
Marron quickly slap dashed her way to the front door, flinging it open.
Miyako glared at her. "Marron…"
She scratched the back of her head and laughed nervously, "Eh, Miyako-"
Miyako rolled her eyes, not missing the dark apartment behind her friend, but like every time before, ignored it. "Hurry up!" She called back as she dragged Marron across the hall by her free hand. Everyday, as far as she could remember, Marron had had dinner with them… and every time she was late.
On sudden inspiration, Miyako turned around and studied her hard.
Sweat dropping, Marron backed away, "Miyako, wha-"
"I thought so," she turned on her heel satisfied, "all that sleep doesn't make you a great beauty."
Marron flared, "Miyako!" She feigned left. "You should talk!"
"And what's that supposed to mean!?" She kicked Marron away, only to lunge at her.
"Just what it sounds like!" Marron danced away, and amidst shrieks and laughter, they both entered Miyako's apartment.
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It was nearly ten before Miyako had kicked her out. Well, at least her homework was done. And now she was free to do what she pleased until she passed out around one.
After all, if her mother wouldn't accommodate her, she was certainly willing to accommodate her mother.
"Marron, is that you?" her mother called absently.
"Yah. I was over Miyako's."
"I know. Sorry I couldn't make it for dinner. Give me a hand with this, will you?"
Marron took the other side of the box and helped swing it over onto the table with a sharp thud. The top flew open with the force and, like a volcano, spewed dust. "What's in here anyway?" Marron demanded, coughing and waving her arms desperately.
"Hmm? Oh, came in the mail. It's addressed to you actually," Her mother tossed her a sheepish grin, "I was going to open it if you didn't come home soon."
Marron gave her mother a pointed look. "You did open it."
Her mother wasn't exactly a model of restraint.
"No I didn't. All the bits are still in it," she pointed helpfully.
Marron sweat dropped. Kusakabe Arashi also had a fluid train of thought that she mistook for reality. Ignoring the issue entirely, Marron instead plunged into the box.
Mountains of packing material hid only one item, a simple rosary.
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"Would you stop playing with that!" Miyako finally snapped. The track meet was nearly over, and having finished their events, both girls sat sprawled on the sidelines.
"Eh? Oh. Sorry," Marron said without any real feeling, "I didn't realize I was." Marron stood up straighter before continuing, "All the return address said was France. Do you think…"
"What?"
Marron took a breath, feigning detachment, before quietly continuing, "That my father sent it…?"
Miyako squeezed her hand. "I think whoever did send it meant something by it. It obviously has some importance to it," she continued, switching to pseudo-detective.
"Oh, really? And how did you arrive upon this?" Marron prodded, amused.
"Well, it looks like an antique. It might be a heirloom or something. And if it came to you all the way from France, well someone obviously needed you to have it, and badly."
"And why is that?"
She shrugged. "A rosary's used in prayer, isn't it? Well, maybe someone's praying for you or wants you to pray. For some trial ahead of you? Like a warning…" Miyako mused.
"You got 'warning' out of 'prayer'?"
"Hey, I'm working here! Don't interrupt the process."
"Bull," Marron leaned back on her elbows, carelessly sunning herself "you've got nothing."
"Hey! I said I was working!!"
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A warning? She wasn't interesting enough to warrant a warning. It was almost laughable. She glanced at her watch before looking out again at the subway platform. Honestly, who would care enough to warn her?
"Watch it!"
A boy shoved hard into her shoulder, the momentum spinning her around into-
-into eyes that held sea in their depths.
"Ah… miss?"
She startled immediately, knocking over the bag he held toward her.
"You dropped this… again. You better fix your shirt, I can see your strap." He grinned at her, making no motion to move his line of sight.
"WHAT!? Give me my bag!!" She flushed immediately and made a grab for it.
He held it away from her easily and smiled that twice damned smile of his. "Feh, such a violent girl… You know you're pretty cute when you're angry, want to go out with me?"
"AH! Don't come near me pervert!!" she seized her bag as he sweat dropped.
"Oi, I don't think you want to scream those things in public…"
"Stop vile sex offender!" cried out two officers, fixing on their position.
"Now hold on…" The boy muttered. He heard the police force in this town was a little zealous but this was downright cowboy. He spotted Marron snaking away from the corner of his eye and quickly caught her hand, flourishing a wicked smile.
She froze.
He raised her hand to his lips, looking up at her through his bangs.
"Dream of me."
The shouting increased as the officers came closer. He looked over his shoulder and, tossing her a playful smile, started hightailing it.
"Ahh! He's getting away!"
"Come back fiend! Or feel the fist of justice!"
He darted through the crowd, taunting, as the policemen clumsily pursued.
Marron hardly noticed, too focused on the beat of her heart and the shiver on the back of her hand.
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She noted the name on the mailbox before exiting the building. Outside, the skies were dark.
Looks like a storm's coming.
It would arrive sooner than Finn expected.
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[Dreaming Omega]
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