👑 video, un: redemperor

[glorifies]

Good day, everyone. I hope you are all in a better state now.

[ Much like his last post on the network, he waves at the camera when the transmission begins. He's seated on a sofa chair with a coffee table in front of him. A shogi set can be seen in the foreground. ]

I'm not sure just how big the Japanese populace is here, but I'd like to send an invitation to play shogi. I do have a certain friend whom I play with every week, but it would also be nice to get to know more people—both through conversation and through a game. I also have a chess set, for those who don't know how to play shogi, so please let me know if you're interested.

[ He keeps it a secret that he's never lost in a game of shogi... or chess... or anything else that isn't basketball, really. u_u ]

My other inquiry is a little far off from board games. I was wondering - if you were given the chance to forget something about yourself, would you take it? [ He lets out an amused chortle, a little obvious that he's hiding something. Akashi is not the best of liars. ] It's a thought I've considered more than once now... I was hoping to get an outsider's point of view.

Anyway, those are all my inquiries. Thank you for your time.

Comments

[doreimi]

...Have you ever had to be around someone, who forgot something important?

[It's an honest question, and she's careful to keep her voice from wobbling, but the words still come a little softer nevertheless.]

I have. I guess maybe that has a lot to do with the way I feel, too. Because...the thing that person forgot was me.

[glorifies]

No, I haven't.

[ At least, not that he knows of, but he's met a person who had forgotten some things in the past... ]

How did they forget about you?

[doreimi]

[And this is where she has to be careful, because too many of the particulars might give away too much, and this is a public network. Luckily, it's pretty easy to embrace the gist while still editing out the more eyebrow-worthy parts.]

When we were young, we were really close. You know, the sort of close where you see someone every day, and spend a lot of time together? Then we got separated, and when we met again years later, that person didn't even know who I was. I remembered them, but in their memories, I was just...gone.

["Separated" is a classy way of saying "after I got murdered" but you know, it's technically true.]

So I guess, when there's talk about forgetting something, I can't help but think about the other people who might be affected by something like that. When you're the person who remembers and someone else that you care about doesn't remember it at all...it's just really hard, you know? So maybe I'm just biased.

[glorifies]

[ Ah... He turns away to look at the floor. If he forgot his ex-girlfriend, and she arrived here and remembered him, then it would probably crush her.

He doesn't know what he would do in the first place if he saw her again, but he has a feeling that he wouldn't leave her alone. Intimacy wouldn't be there—he couldn't, he wouldn't do anything because he loves other people now, but he knows he still cares for her, worries about her...

He doesn't want to be so cold-hearted anymore to break her heart even though she tore him apart when she left. ]

I imagine it's difficult. I thought I was already decided, but now I'm a little lost.

[doreimi]

...I'm sorry. I guess you were probably asking to try to make your opinion easier, huh, and I just went and did the opposite.

[And she does feel bad about it. It isn't as though he didn't actively solicit people's varying points of view, but...maybe she'd made it too personal. Said too much. It's not likely that many people would wind up in circumstances like hers, would they...]

But...maybe forgetting something about yourself is different than forgetting about another person. Maybe it's not exactly the same.

[she's trying]

[glorifies]

Ah, please— [ He looks at the camera and puts on a small (charming) smile. ]

Please don't apologise. You shouldn't, especially if that's how you feel. I'm thankful to receive all kinds of opinions.

[doreimi]

I hope you manage to figure it out.

[That smile of his looks like one he's used to giving. The kind of smile that's supposed to reassure people, like pulling down a curtain to smooth over whatever all might be behind it.

She wonders if that's how it is for Akashi. But if she's right, then she knows what it means when the curtain comes down, too. It means you're not supposed to try to peek under it, not anymore.]

But you're a smart guy. I'm sure whatever decision you make, in the end it'll be the right one.

[glorifies]

A smart guy, huh?

[ Akashi is definitely intelligent, but even though he's a cut above the rest, he's... mostly humble. He does think about some of the decisions he's made lately and how he's made so many mistakes the past month. It hasn't been great, and it does make him feel dumb at times. ]

You're very kind to think that. Is that the first impression I've made to an online friend?

[ They're online friends now................. ]

[doreimi]

It's not the first impression, but it's definitely a lasting one.

[She grins a little, letting the humor naturally light up her face.]

If you're wondering, the first impression was that you're a nice guy. Smart came not long after.

[glorifies]

Well, thank you for thinking that. I do try to be nice.

[ Especially when he used to be a tyrant before. He's doing so much better now!! ]