holeful | AOI CATCHALL

Did you ask those people? Like you asked Aoi?

[He shakes his head.]

I didn't. Because I knew they wouldn't understand.

[ hm, bad! ]

Then that's no fair...

[Nodding.]

So you wouldn't want someone like me playing your route.

It's not supposed to be up to Aoi.

It should be. I want it to be.

[He's shifting, arm raising like he was going to try to reach through the bars for her, but he stops.]

You and I are both missing pieces. And I never felt like I had much control over the way things were, until I drilled the hole in my head. I want Aoi to have control over her life. There should still be a chance for you.

[ she might have stepped closer, on a different day. ]

Aoi is... Missing pieces...?

Aah. Since you only know how to act in situations that would come up in the sort of games you're normally in, right?

Aoi is learning...

[He smiles.]

Then I'm glad. That means Aoi will be alright. That way you can find what you want all on your own.

Aoi wants her friends to stop dying.

And for everyone to stop hurting each other. For everyone to have not already hurt each other...

Mm. Were you friends with Steven or Luca? I'm sorry we couldn't figure out who killed them...

No.

... Then, Mr Vlad?

No...

[Pointing to himself?????]

[ ... she nods... ]

Aoi thought... Because you wanted to spend time with Aoi, but didn't want to play Aoi's route...

... I did want to. I just knew I shouldn't.

[In any case.]

But thank you for indulging me as much as you did. I'm sure it's not really what you wanted to be doing.

It's Aoi's purpose. But you let Aoi choose.

[ ... ]

But you don't let other people choose?

Mm. I made a mistake. Miss Hondomachi, the detective who caught me, she showed me that. She showed me that I really wanted other people to make the decision themselves. To make the decision I did.

That's why I didn't want to do that to Aoi unless you wanted me to.

Then you learned your lesson.

So why do you have to get voted for?

[He laughs softly.]

There wasn't anyone better to pick. Even if I had a chance to explain that, I don't think people would have believed me.

Even if that's true, Aoi still hates it.

Aah. Me too.
[He admits, quietly.]

Maybe after I die, I'll wake up in a different game, as a different person. Someone worthy of playing Aoi's route.

[ it's too bad that her inability to read the mood and the slowly dawning realization that she isn't part of a game right now are intersecting in this way. ]

Aoi doesn't think that's how it'll work.

(no subject)

holeful - 2021-03-10 02:56 (UTC) - Expand