ic contact;

[psycholawgy]

You've reached Athena Cykes. I'm currently unavailable, but leave a message and I'll get back to you pronto. Danke! (voice/call → text → video → action)

Comments

[moribound]

[Because he's Minato, and he's sometimes a little unaware of the atmosphere. He finally pipes up when Athena jumps for the third time, head tilted so he's not blocking anyone.]

You're scared of aliens, Athena-san?

[psycholawgy]

Who're you calling scared?!

[ she may have said that a bit too loudly, though. a couple of people shush her and she sinks into her seat when they do. ]

Oops.

[moribound]

[This is something Minato finds funny, not that it'd be easy for Athena to tell with the dim lights and that poker face of his.]

Sorry about that. Want some popcorn?

[psycholawgy]

[ well, okay. she's already grabbing some popcorn. ]

Don't mind if I do.

[moribound]

[And as Minato is wont to do he says nothing about it, choosing instead to point at one of the actors trying desperately to escape from the aliens.]

Do you think he's going to make it? I'd say he won't, but who knows?

[psycholawgy]

That's what I think, too.

[ she looks at the screen, then at minato. ]

I hope his death doesn't get shown, tho— [ ah... there it is. gross. ]

[moribound]

[The sight of blood shouldn't have bothered Minato as much as it does now but he flinches regardless, looking away from both the screen and Athena almost by instinct.] ... [And he looks back at her seconds after.] Sorry about that.

[psycholawgy]

Movies are fine, but I'm not very good with blood in real life, too.

[ she freezes up and gets really tense if she sees blood. it's not fun at all. ]

[moribound]

I see. It can be scary to see a lot of blood at once, huh. [His tone is as deadpan as ever, but for some reason he doesn't say much until the movie's finally over and the lights are turned on.]

How did you find it, Athena-san?

[psycholawgy]

[ she puts up a smile. ]

It was kind of scary, but overall, it was a pretty good movie! Thanks for taking me, Minato.

[moribound]

You're welcome. [The smile is returned, and he looks happier than he did before this.] How about we go to the cafe after this? It's been some time since we talked.

[psycholawgy]

It's like you're asking me on a date with you, [ she giggles, rather flattered by the offer. ] I definitely won't say no, though! Shall we go?

[moribound]

Well, when you put it that way... [He's neither confirming nor denying whether this is a date, but then again it's Minato and a nod is what follows soon after he says that.] I know of a good place nearby, it's just around the corner.

[psycholawgy]

I hope it's not the cosplay cafe.

[ she loves her job, but she sure doesn't wanna go there right now. ]

[moribound]

It's not. [Taking a girl to her workplace for her birthday is a little...anyway, the cafe in question looks like this and Minato opens the door, indicating for Athena to go in.] ...Ladies first.

[psycholawgy]

[ in she goes! and she'll be calling dibs on the table by the window. ]

Do you mind if we sit here?

[moribound]

I don't mind. [Sometimes Minato wonders why do people ask if he minds anything, as he casually takes a seat.

His questions from earlier, on the other hand...after they're done placing their orders, he takes the chance to ask Athena a question.]

Do you get a lot of questions like the one I asked, Athena-san?

[psycholawgy]

[ athena gives him a warm smile before answering. ]

Not a lot; but they're legitimate questions, that's for sure.

[moribound]

I see. [Minato smiles back as well, and says nothing more until their drinks are served and he's taken a sip.]

Thanks for the advice, by the way. I appreciate it.

[psycholawgy]

Don't worry about it.

[ she takes a sip of her drink, as well. ]

You know, my boss helped me out once with my repressed memories.

[moribound]

Really? [Minato's intrigued enough to leave a single mouthful of his drink untouched, regarding Athena curiously.] I didn't know you had them...how did it turn out?

[psycholawgy]

It was painful, [ she says with a frown, but she quickly covers it up by smiling softly. ] but it was worth it.

Painful because I thought I discovered the truth to something, which was my mom's death. I thought I was the one who killed her. [ she pauses to sigh, but continues easily enough. ] I blocked the memory of her death from my conscious because it was so traumatising, but who knew that unveiling this memory and knowing the truth was so important to me.

[moribound]

So that's why you said to seek for the truth. [Minato reaches out for his cup and gulps down the last of his drink, looking thoughtful.]

But not all repressed memories are like that, are they? Someone might want to forget a painful memory that isn't important to them.

[psycholawgy]

Well...

[ she tilts her head to the side as she thinks. ]

If it's that kind of memory, then it's just something forgotten. It wouldn't be considered a repressed memory.

[moribound]

Hmm... [Minato mulls over what she said, wondering if she has a point. He hadn't remembered what happened immediately after his parents died until it had become important, and he already knows that he died. Could that be why nothing seems to be turning up?

It doesn't explain how he feels whenever something turns up that might remind him of it though, and Minato isn't even doing this for himself so much as not wanting it to intrude into his thoughts, affecting his ability to help others.]

You might be right, but I don't think this memory is just something forgotten. [Pause.] What if they try to avoid things that might be linked to what they forgot?