recolle | open || the irreplaceable people in our hearts

WHO: Minako Arisato and YOU
WHERE: Peach Beach and elsewhere
WHEN: August 26th and into September
WHAT: Grieving over the loss of a best friend. A ceremonial cremation at Peach Beach forward-dated to August 30th.
WARNINGS: Death. Message me at

raynestorm if you'd like to work out a different scenario. Also a note: please feel free to create your own threads and/or threadjack for the cremation prompt, just write in the title if you'd prefer not to threadjack.

I. MISTIC
Gym, Utsuki Dojo, Hollingberry Field; August 26th to 29th

[The first thing Minako did after finding out Ryoji died was burst out of the hospital and beat up monsters with her bare hands. She's not quite as self-destructive now, but she's still pushing herself to the limits. You might encounter her either at: the gym, throwing her fists at a punching bag; the dojo, swinging a practice spear in shaky kata forms; or at Hollingberry Field, running on the track with sweat pouring down her face, but not stopping for a break at all.]

II. MEMORIES FROM 10 YEARS AGO
Expressive, Hollingberry Field, outside Minako's apartment; August 26th to 29th

[Otherwise...you might find her sitting at Expressive, nursing a cup of coffee, or at Hollingberry Field, sitting on the swing set. It's obvious that she's been crying, but it's in these moments, after she's physically exhausted her body, that she can truly start sorting through her thoughts and start the grieving process. Perhaps you'd like to join her. She wouldn't mind the company.

If you find her outside her apartment, she'll be sitting on the curb with her eyes closed, soaking up the sun with Koromaru beside her. An isopod plush is sitting in her lap, and if you're close enough, you might hear a quiet crinkle of paper beneath the sections of the isopod when she hugs it.]

III. KIMI NO KIOKU
Peach Beach; August 30th

[Minako has no idea how a real cremation is supposed to go, too young and traumatized at the time of her parents' death to remember. And honestly, she doesn't care. The ashes aren't from Ryoji's body anyways. That...will be for a later time. Today is instead her own personal good bye, and for anyone else coming. She's reserved one of the pits that's off to the side of the beach, relatively undisturbed by happy families spending one last summer day on the beach, and in it, she's burning a black kintsugi bowl. Its pair is sitting nearby.

Once the black bowl is completely burned, Minako scoops the ashes out and slides them into the white bowl before turning to the friends who have come to attend.]

There was a month a while back, when Retrospec was making our phones broadcast all of our deepest secrets and painful memories. Ryoji heard my secret that I...that I was afraid people don't like me unless I'm always smiling. That I hate burdening people with my thoughts for fear that they won't accept me anymore.

And what he did in answer...was to give me two bowls. In Japan, there's an art form of fixing broken pottery by fusing the pieces with gold-dusted lacquer. It's called kintsugi, and kintsugi pieces are considered to be more beautiful than the original, sometimes. He gave me them as a reminder that I...am perfect the way I am, broken pieces and all, because all of that, in the end, is still me. I am good enough. Me, simply being Minako Arisato, was enough for him.

[She's blinking rapidly now, tears forming and falling down her cheeks.]

I know now, seeing you all here, that he was right. That it's okay to rely on everyone else. Because everyone else is going through the same things I am. The same sadness and grief. I will-- [Her voice cracks, and she has to take a moment to collect herself.] I'll miss him so much. He was a part of me, and now that he's gone, I've become irreversibly broken again. But I'll be okay. He left me so many texts. [A watery laugh.] So many texts! And selfies, and notes, and little gifts. I won't ever be without reminders of him. But most of all, he left me the memories of his smiles and laughter. I'll use these to fuse myself together until I'm whole again.

I've burned the black bowl today...as my good bye to him. The two of us who were inseparable, now parted...but the friendship we shared can never be denied or forgotten.

[She turns to the ocean and walks to the edge, the tiny waves lapping at her sandaled feet. Scooping the ashes into her fingers, she gently blows them into the wind and whispers as they float away.]

Ryoji...are you listening? Thank you for putting me back together time and time again. Good bye.

[Anyone is free to come talk to her at any point after the ceremony. She is still nothing like the exuberant young woman she used to be, but she's more willing to respond now.]

IV. BECAUSE I WILL PROTECT YOU
Various; September onwards

[After the ceremonial cremation, Minako is...better. It's still so soon after Ryoji's passing, and there are many times where she'll suddenly hurry away, or hide her face as a bout of quiet crying starts. But she is Minako, and Minako wouldn't be herself if she wasn't helping others. She tells everyone at the cremation that she'll be available to talk to, if anyone else is seeking closure. Talking about her feelings has helped a lot in the past few days, and she wants to extend the same offer to others grieving.

She thinks...it's better to grieve together than alone.

So whether it's at her apartment, in a quiet bench at the park, or somewhere else-- if anyone asks, she'll come.

Or if you didn't want to ask...well. She made a note of who attended the cremation. She's going to check up on you eventually.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[One. Minako was certainly one of them. He had so many, and he was so loving and open with his affection that she wouldn't be surprised that he had multiple best friends. Not that she's jealous. No, that would've just been a sign of just how wonderfully beloved he was by many people. But to her, he was her best friend. The singular one who has seen her through so many life changes, all of the highs and all of the lows.

But she doesn't elaborate. All of that means nothing in the face of someone else who is grieving for him as well.]

Yes. I'm Minako Arisato.

[She tilts her head at him just a bit.]

Are you from Retrospec?

[ he could only assume the two of them were close, given that she was the one spearheading the gathering in the first place. maybe it wasn't his place to even bother her to begin with, but some stroke of chance brought him there, compelling him to have approached. too late to back out now.

he simply nodded, head still downcast. ]

Aaa. Keigo Higashino.

[ his lips curled into a stiff smile, something that turned into more of a grimace, honestly. ]

I ... didn't tell you when I saw your post, so... I saw you here and...

[ his sentences were coming out disjointed, aimless. he breathed deeply. ]

I'm sorry. [ for her loss, he meant. ]

[She has to think about it for a moment, but then there's a flicker of recognition in her eyes, and she nods. Right. The person who had that strong reaction on the network. She can't blame him at all, what with it being so sudden...she'd reacted badly upon finding out as well, after all.]

And. You too. I'm sorry that you lost him, too.

[She's not the only one.]

[ keigo exhaled softly through his nose, finally taking the chance to glance up at minako directly. ]

I ... [ he chuckled, eyes shifting to one side briefly before he returned his gaze on her. ] I met him on my birthday, y'know.

[ maybe it wasn't right to start babbling about this, but he ... just needed to tell someone. ]

April 1st. So... I guess we really haven't been friends that long, but... From the minute I met him, he was just so kind. I was drunk and alone... no one showed up to celebrate my birthday with me, and... he was just there.

[ keigo's fingers toyed with the edge of the cup's cap, fiddling with it as he continued. ]

He walked me home. He helped me when I didn't think anyone cared. It was ... a good birthday gift. Making a friend like him.

Edited 2017-09-05 07:14 (UTC)

[Minako has no qualms with listening. Everyone has been so attentive to her lately, waiting for her to open up about her feelings and wanting to lend an ear when she needs it, that talking has become a very tiring thing the past few days. It's...nice, to be able to hear someone else's story. A different perspective of how Ryoji touched the lives around him.

She gives Keigo a soft smile once he's done.]

Hearing that story...reminds me all over again of just how kind he was to everyone he came across. It didn't matter to him how long he'd known them, whether it was ten minutes or ten years. He shared his heart equally with so many people.

[Which means that many people will miss his light so, so much.]

Thank you for telling me.

[ this wasn't like keigo, really. he had always been the one to listen to others, to shoulder their grief and pain while his own was shoved down, bottled up, locked away to ferment and fester. to unload onto someone like this, especially someone who was likely in worlds more pain than he was, felt selfish and unfair. he wanted to shrink away, ashamed of how readily he started spewing things to a literal stranger.

but she smiled. keigo caught it briefly in between his uncomfortable shifting and nervous fidgeting. that... helped. he might not have known her at all, but he liked to think he could tell when someone was being disingenuous with him. she sounded relieved to him, or at the very least, appreciative. it was... odd.

but he smiled nonetheless. it wasn't a strong one, nor was it particularly confident. but it was genuine, at least. he nodded, breathing out a humorless chuckle. ]

He was... pretty great. I don't really make friends easily. Not... good ones, anyway. So...

[ he rubbed at his neck, nervous. ]

It. It really isn't...

[ he breathed in, then out. ]

I'm just glad I got to meet him. That he even considered me a friend at all. It meant so much more to me than I think he realized. And for that, I regret.

[She looks down into her lap, thinking over the words he's offered her. Regret is a heavy emotion that is sitting heavily with her as well. It's by no means a good way to keep Ryoji in their thoughts, but...it's the burden of the living, she supposes. Always wishing for something more.]

I think...I think Ryoji would've wanted you to know that he was happy to be your friend. That he was glad to meet you, too. And that being a part of your life made his own better for it. [She glances up, blinking slowly.] He would've smiled and said that becoming your friend was the easiest thing to do, because you can always find a good friend in anyone if only you reach out first.

That's how he found one in you, after all.

[ keigo was relatively silent as minako explained her view on the matter, his gaze settled somewhere in a middle distance towards the table. he felt weak for not being able to handle the situation in a confident manner, but what she said seemed to hit a note.

he blinked suddenly, not having realized the tears that started to well up in his eyes until he felt the sudden wetness on his face. with an awkward laugh, he quickly reached up and rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand. ]

I can see why he was friends with you...! [ he laughed again, softly. ] You're... really kind. Sorry.

But... I hope you're right. I hope that's how he felt. But you know him pretty well, right? So... [ he glanced up once he was confident enough to do so. ] I'll be glad to take your word for it. Thank you.

[There's a rueful little twist to her lips, but she nods all the same, only able to meet his eyes for a few moments before looking back down at her hands in her lap.]

Please don't apologize. Everyone has been so kind to me over the past few days...I want to help everyone in return too. It's been helping me just as much, thinking about these things and. You know. Sharing what parts of him are still with me that I can.

[ he absorbed her words, letting them sink in and take shape in his heart. minako was clearly a strong person, stronger than keigo could ever claim to be. he, too, looked down after a moment, shutting his eyes. ]

I guess that would help, huh... knowing the kinda impact he left on others...

I just wanna say, though, if there's anything I can do to help, I will. I don't know what I could really offer up, but he meant a lot... so I can't just sit around idly, y'know?

Yeah. He wasn't the kind of person who would sit around idly himself, so. He made you want to do something to change the world, even just a little bit.

[At least, that's what it was for her. She exhales.]

Maybe you could help me decide what cause the Mochizuki charity should be dedicated to?

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