[ He and Changsheng had shared a fond smile as he read Hiyori’s message aloud, before they’d sent their RSVP in short order, little suspecting Hiyori’s true motivations behind the invite.
Although they do laugh a little, when they see Hiyori’s new getup at the entrance to the Vale, albeit it’s more out of amusement than any kind of meanspiritedness.
Not that it stops them from teasing him a little— ]
It seems the young master has failed to inform us that this would be a formal affair.
And with such illustrious company, too! Well, Baizhu, it looks like he’s managed to outrank you!
Fufu, sorry! I wasn't trying to outrank anyone. This is actually a repeat outfit! I wore it on the third night of the gala, but I didn't get to show it off for very long, and I thought that was a shame. So, I brought it back out!
[He puffs out his chest proudly, as though this all makes perfect sense. (The reason he didn't get to wear the outfit for very long is because Loki undressed him with magic so they could have spur-of-the-moment sex after accidentally drinking spiked wine, but of course he doesn't say that.)]
It's not the easiest to move around in, but I figured that would be fine. Baizhu-san can use his magic to create that wooden platform thing, which means we don't have to climb the tree! Now, let's go~♪
[And off he heads in his high heels, apparently full of energy.]
[ His lips can’t help but quirk a little at the mention of the gala. Oh, there are any number of reasons why one wouldn’t have long to wear their costumes at the time, and Baizhu wisely decides not to say anything further about it. ]
Sounds like you’ve spoiled him a bit too much, Baizhu.
[ With a helpless shrug and a chuckle, Baizhu moves to follow Hiyori—and unlike Hiyori he’s not quite as energetic, so he’s huffing and puffing a bit once they reach the treehouse.
Eel doesn’t appear to be anywhere in sight this time. Then again, she’s probably off fighting Kleken’s other spawn.
To Hiyori: ]
Please brace yourself.
[ So he can grow a helpful tree from underneath their feet to carry them all the way to the top! ]
[He anchors his feet to the ground, preparing to be hoisted up into the air, which is exactly what happens. He smiles, the skirt of his outfit flaring as he turns and stares out at the moving scenery.
How many more times will he get to experience this with Baizhu? Is this the last time..? The idea tugs at his heartstrings. But that's exactly why he wants to treasure every last moment with the people he's met here. He hums softly and enjoys the ride.]
~♪
[Once inside the treehouse, Hina joins him immediately. Rather than perch on his head, however, she perches next to the fake white snake instead, nudging it curiously with her beak.]
That thing's not real, I'm afraid. But if you want to make friends with a wise old snake, Changsheng is right there! ♪
[Hopefully she's not offended at being called "old."
As for the treehouse, that has been decorated for the holiday. True to his word, Hiyori has hung Halloween-themed lights, little orange jack-o-lanterns. He's hung new bird feeders, also shaped like pumpkins, as well as little decorative ghosts dangling from the ceiling. But that's not all. Another big Halloween decoration is sitting out on the floor, one Hiyori introduces with a flourish.]
What do you think? [He gestures around them.] Look, it's all seasonal! And look at this fellow.
[He steps aside and unveils a funny purple octopus. Only Hiyori has made one addition to the foot-tall statuette. Using paperclips and construction paper, he was able to fashion a pair of wire-frame sunglasses, which he's placed over the octopus's eyes. And who is that, sitting on the octopus's head?
Hiro. That's who! He points his beak towards Baizhu and gives him a friendly squawk. "Howdy, Doc!"]
Isn't he festive? [He smiles at Baizhu expectantly.] I chose him for his cuteness! But I thought he might be missing a little something, so I added glasses! And then once I did that, Hiro-kun took a special interest in him...♪
He’s doing his best to maintain his usual beatific smile. At one point it had even been sincere, up until the sight of that octopus toy with the glasses had given him an involuntary shudder that not even a reminder of someone as exasperating as Rinne could cure.
…Absolutely horrifying. Kleken is the worst influence ever. ]
[He pauses dramatically, as though the identity of this "inspiration" wasn't already obvious, before he reveals:]
None other than Kleken-kun! ♪ The octopus's tentacles reminded me of him! But to bring out the resemblance, he needed glasses. I guess you could also say it also looks like Splat, since Splat wears those same shades. But it's Kleken-kun my birds have fond of, since he brought them quite a lot of birdseed. And that would explain perfectly why those two became fast friends.
[He looks beamingly at Hiro. Hiro squawks somewhat reproachfully, perhaps saying "Oi, I'm not that dumb." He knows the statue isn't Kleken and won't bring him any birdseed! But it does make a good perch, he's evidently decided.]
Funny, isn't it? But cute! ♪
[The strain in Baizhu's smile is going uncommented on...]
[ Changsheng stares up at the both of them curiously, having only known a little about Kleken and his various…escapades during her absence.
Baizhu however is going through like twelve stages of grief right now and is trying not to show it. ]
How…kind of him.
[ Granted, he does recall Hiyori having mentioned a previous errand regarding birdseed a while back, but to think Kleken had managed to buy the affections of Hiyori’s birds so easily…
Although what’s more horrifying is that Hiyori’s still friendly with the guy. Surely he’s smart enough to know that Kleken is bad news!
Meanwhile, Changsheng decides to chime in in a rather cheerful voice: ]
Hmm, it does have a strange kind of charm, even if it looks like it’s up to no good!
He isn't oblivious to Baizhu's feelings, though. So he continues, in a warm, understanding sort of tone:]
I was surprised, since I know he wasn't there to raise Eel in her early days. But people can change when given the chance. I know I wasn't always as sunny and generous as I am now. But thanks to people like my brother and Nagisa-kun believing in me, I was able to step up and become a better version of myself. So I thought, "Maybe I'll try believing in Kleken-kun, and the same will happen to him!"
[A rare bit of lore about himself, and his manipulative way of dealing with people. To keep things from getting too serious, though, he smiles and adds:]
Or something like that! I do hope it's not too awkward to hear about him, though. He sort of implied your relationship was on the rocks. But he's a self-professed liar, so I wasn't sure what to think.
[... yep. Now he's talking about Kleken and Baizhu's relationship. Right in front of Baizhu's snake!]
Oho, now that’s some juicy gossip! What did he say about their relationship, exactly?
[ Because Baizhu had been sparse on the particulars since Kleken’s frankly a very confusing man to deal with in general, but also he’s a bit speechless right now and needs time to recover. Hiyori…Hiyori, can you ever not be complicated too? ]
It’s…complicated.
[ He doesn’t know how to elaborate beyond punctuating that with a shrug and an apologetic smile, because the last thing he’d expected is to talk about Kleken in the first place, especially in the company of Hiyori’s delightful(?) birds, to say nothing of Hiyori himself. ]
That they're going through a rough patch, but plan to stick it out for the children's sake!
[He's not lying. That is what Kleken said. But he has no particular desire to torment the guy in front of his master, so seeing the consternated look on his face invokes pity. Time to throw the guy a bone!]
Yep, I don't doubt it. It's hard when the other person can never be honest.
[Said sympathetically and knowingly.]
But when dealing with those types, you learn to read between the lines, I've found. They might never speak their true feelings, but they'll show how they feel in other gestures. Buying birdseed is just one such example. Right, Hiro-kun? ♪
[He smiles over at the Rinne bird. The Rinne bird squawks in return, though it's probably more like "Hey, don't look at me" then "Right on!" Hiyori accepts either way, then turns back to Baizhu with a small shrug.]
Anyway, I don't want you to think I invited you here just to discuss that man. There's lots of other stuff we could discuss, too! Like Halloween plans, the gala, what our birds have been up to...
[He lists things off. And then, a bit less casually:]
Or there's one other thing I need to mention, but I was planning to save that for later.
[ He gives Hiyori a grateful look for the save, relieved that Changsheng seems to have relented for a moment as well.
It’s for the best that he doesn’t know what nonsense Kleken’s been spouting about their relationship, anyway. ]
Oh? Well, I wouldn’t want to ruin your surprise.
[ He’s pretty sure it’s some delightful surprise, since it’s Hiyori and everything! In the meantime, he’ll just take a seat a polite distance from Kleken 2.0 over there and let Changsheng slip off of him to discreetly explore the treehouse. ]
But Eel’s been behaving admirably so far. Changsheng is doing wonders with her etiquette training.
It helps that we can both talk in “snake,” after all!
But he won't reveal anything just yet, as they seem to be moving onto other topics!]
Why, that's absolutely wonderful.
[He smiles warmly at the news that Baizhu and Changsheng have made progress with Eel. Funny to think his initial reaction, upon meeting Changsheng, was to shriek and shrink away in fear. But people change, and Hiyori Tomoe was definitely changed by his time at the Golden Peacock. His time there, and the people (and snakes) he met.]
Being able to speak both languages must be useful. I know I'd love to be able to talk to my pets...
[Then he trails off as something new occurs to him, causing his eyes to bulge.]
That's it! [He gasps!] If Eel can speak snake and bird, and Changsheng can speak snake, we can translate what the birds are saying! All we need to do is have Eel explain what they're saying in snake language, and then Changsheng can explain in human speech!
[At Baizhu's pointed look, the Rinne bird humorously squawks. "Awww, you don't wanna hear what I have to say, Doc? I'm real hurt!"
Or at least that's what he might be saying. Hiyori can't know for sure without a translator, hence the whole silly discussion! He does nod in response to Baizhu's words—]
True! Sometimes you're better off not knowing.
[—but then he addresses Changsheng again.]
But it sounds as though you do have a price. So if that's the case, you might as well name it. If it's "feeding you live mice as a treat," I'd prefer not to pay that, but if it's something like "giving a private concert" or "sharing the latest gossip," I'd be happy to oblige~♪
Live mice? Blegh! Is that the sort of thing popular among youngsters these days? Hmm, there’s really no accounting for taste, is there?
[ All spoken in a jovial tone as she senses another opportunity to tease, but Hiyori needn’t have worried, since she’s not a terribly good snake even by snake standards. ]
I’m sure we’d both be satisfied with a concert—
In that case, why not both? First a concert, then gossip! ♪ Or maybe first gossip, then the concert? Let's see here...
[He taps his chin with a gloved hand as he thinks. He hasn't exactly been very in-tune with all the goings-on at the resort recently, especially since Jun disappeared. Some of his gossip may be dated.]
I do know two people who went from being low-ranks all the way to "King" status recently. But that's not very exciting, so I'll share some love gossip! First, there's this girl named Rin Tohsaka who's dating a cat! Second, there was someone I thought was dating her boss, but he turned out to be dating someone with dog ears. That's fine by me I suppose, since he didn't sound good enough for her anyway. For Topaz-san, that is.
[Another pause, as he thinks of some more "love gossip."]
Then I have two friends who I think might like each other, but I don't know that for sure. I don't suppose I'll ever confirm it, but I hope everything works out for them. Then I met this man named Matoba-san who's desperately in love with his roommate, apparently. His roommate tasked me with figuring out what's in his heart, but I'm afraid I have to forfeit that mission. Still, I wish them the best, too! And I wish you and Baizhu-san good luck with your loves and your lives~♪
[The last line is said teasingly. Maybe with any luck they'll focus on that, and not on why he has to forfeit or why he'll never confirm if his friends like each other or not.]
[ Both man and snake stare back at him as he lays all this out, Changsheng uncomprehending but happy to be there, while Baizhu’s ears prick up at the romantic foibles of certain acquaintances of his.
Of course, he knows better than to take idle gossip seriously, but still… ]
Heheh, who knew the young master had so many friends! Why don’t you have any interesting gossip for us, hmm?
I’m afraid patient confidentiality is still paramount, Changsheng, but I’m sure the young master will forgive me for that.
[ Even if not all of his friends are patients. But that’s not the point here! He can’t help but notice that Hiyori’s trying to zero in on his love life (or lack thereof, more like), and that manages to take his mind off of the more alarming parts of Hiyori’s words for now. ]
I appreciate the very…thorough report, Hiyori. I only wish I had something equally as interesting to say.
[Actually, not everyone he mentioned was a friend, and some of them he very much does not get along with... but since he's nearing the end of his time at the resort now, he's willing to let bygones and be bygones and wish them all the best with their love lives!!]
Don't worry about it. [First he addresses Baizhu.] There's nothing wrong with keeping things private. If you want to keep your love life a secret, that's perfectly fine. Not that I mind hearing about other topics, too, of course.
[From his perch, Hiro gives a squawk. Perhaps he's saying "Oi, c'mon Doc, spill the beans." Hiyori throws him a smile—he really will miss that little rascal—before dropping his gaze to Baizhu's shoulders and addressing Changsheng.]
If you like love topics, maybe you can carry out my mission. Finding out what's in Matoba-san's heart! He's about this tall, he's an exorcist, he has dark hair, and his room was on the bottom floor last time I checked. But the person you'll be reporting to is Rokurou-kun, the man he mooches off of! ♪
[He winks.]
Or I could tell you my own love story, but mine's rather uneventful compared to some people's.
Edited (sorry, my thumb slipped) 2026-02-13 12:30 (UTC)
[ He can’t help looking startled when Rokurou is mentioned, because he does guiltily harbor feelings about that man, and judging from Changsheng’s knowing look…
But then Baizhu shakes his head with a laugh, trying to play it off like it’s nothing, especially since Hiyori’s brought up something even more important.
“And that's why I need someone to promise they'll look after him. No matter what happens, I don't want him to do the same thing that other "me" did. I don't want him sacrificing himself.” ]
Oh, I’m not so sure about that. You’re quite the lively young man, after all, and I’m sure Jun appreciates that about you.
[Hm. He caught that look. Baizhu must know Rokurou, but not know he's Matoba's roommate! (Unless they've moved on from each other...? It has been a bit since Hiyori last spoke to Matoba.) Thankfully he won't pry or ask about any potential love triangle.
No, they're on the subject of his love life. Hiyori smiles warmly and agrees,]
True, he loves me lots and lots! ♪
["Loves," in present tense. Even though Jun's gone from the resort, Hiyori doesn't see him as dead. Their souls go back when they become statues: that's what he and Bakugo figured out (or so he thinks). And even when they're both home, and they've forgotten this place entirely or else only remember it as a vague dream, Hiyori is sure they'll still be drawn together. After all...
For him, it was love at first sight.]
So I guess I'll tell that story after all. It all started a few years ago. I was looking to wash my hands of some stuff, and I wanted a fresh start, so I was touring a school I thought I might transfer to. The place looked dreadful, to be honest. They were supposed to be training to be idols, but no one's eyes had any life in them. Until I saw a boy practicing through a window.
The whole school was divided into "special students" and "non-special students." I could tell from his clothes that he wasn't in the special class, so his chance of making it as an idol was absolutely dismal. But there he was, singing his heart out anyway. I thought it was beautiful, so I decided I'd live my life like that boy—and after joining the school after all, I made him my partner.
[He pauses, his gaze far-off and fond, before he clarifies:]
My stage partner, that is. Idols are supposed to be chaste, so we didn't have "that" sort of partnership. It was getting swept off to this place that gave us that push we needed there. I used to resent that. I kept thinking, "I don't want to give this horrible place any credit for my love life." But by now, I've accepted it, just as I accept all the wonderful friends I've made here.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Although they do laugh a little, when they see Hiyori’s new getup at the entrance to the Vale, albeit it’s more out of amusement than any kind of meanspiritedness.
Not that it stops them from teasing him a little— ]
It seems the young master has failed to inform us that this would be a formal affair.
And with such illustrious company, too! Well, Baizhu, it looks like he’s managed to outrank you!
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Fufu, sorry! I wasn't trying to outrank anyone. This is actually a repeat outfit! I wore it on the third night of the gala, but I didn't get to show it off for very long, and I thought that was a shame. So, I brought it back out!
[He puffs out his chest proudly, as though this all makes perfect sense. (The reason he didn't get to wear the outfit for very long is because Loki undressed him with magic so they could have spur-of-the-moment sex after accidentally drinking spiked wine, but of course he doesn't say that.)]
It's not the easiest to move around in, but I figured that would be fine. Baizhu-san can use his magic to create that wooden platform thing, which means we don't have to climb the tree! Now, let's go~♪
[And off he heads in his high heels, apparently full of energy.]
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Sounds like you’ve spoiled him a bit too much, Baizhu.
[ With a helpless shrug and a chuckle, Baizhu moves to follow Hiyori—and unlike Hiyori he’s not quite as energetic, so he’s huffing and puffing a bit once they reach the treehouse.
Eel doesn’t appear to be anywhere in sight this time. Then again, she’s probably off fighting Kleken’s other spawn.
To Hiyori: ]
Please brace yourself.
[ So he can grow a helpful tree from underneath their feet to carry them all the way to the top! ]
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[He anchors his feet to the ground, preparing to be hoisted up into the air, which is exactly what happens. He smiles, the skirt of his outfit flaring as he turns and stares out at the moving scenery.
How many more times will he get to experience this with Baizhu? Is this the last time..? The idea tugs at his heartstrings. But that's exactly why he wants to treasure every last moment with the people he's met here. He hums softly and enjoys the ride.]
~♪
[Once inside the treehouse, Hina joins him immediately. Rather than perch on his head, however, she perches next to the fake white snake instead, nudging it curiously with her beak.]
That thing's not real, I'm afraid. But if you want to make friends with a wise old snake, Changsheng is right there! ♪
[Hopefully she's not offended at being called "old."
As for the treehouse, that has been decorated for the holiday. True to his word, Hiyori has hung Halloween-themed lights, little orange jack-o-lanterns. He's hung new bird feeders, also shaped like pumpkins, as well as little decorative ghosts dangling from the ceiling. But that's not all. Another big Halloween decoration is sitting out on the floor, one Hiyori introduces with a flourish.]
What do you think? [He gestures around them.] Look, it's all seasonal! And look at this fellow.
[He steps aside and unveils a funny purple octopus. Only Hiyori has made one addition to the foot-tall statuette. Using paperclips and construction paper, he was able to fashion a pair of wire-frame sunglasses, which he's placed over the octopus's eyes. And who is that, sitting on the octopus's head?
Hiro. That's who! He points his beak towards Baizhu and gives him a friendly squawk. "Howdy, Doc!"]
Isn't he festive? [He smiles at Baizhu expectantly.] I chose him for his cuteness! But I thought he might be missing a little something, so I added glasses! And then once I did that, Hiro-kun took a special interest in him...♪
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[ Fortunately, Changsheng isn’t the least bit offended, and anyway she’s far more interested in the décor and the birds, even crawling toward one of the Jack-o-lantern displays with Baizhu’s help while Baizhu himself…
He’s doing his best to maintain his usual beatific smile. At one point it had even been sincere, up until the sight of that octopus toy with the glasses had given him an involuntary shudder that not even a reminder of someone as exasperating as Rinne could cure.
…Absolutely horrifying. Kleken is the worst influence ever. ]
Hiyori…
[ How to put this delicately… ]
Might I ask what, er, inspired this one?
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[He pauses dramatically, as though the identity of this "inspiration" wasn't already obvious, before he reveals:]
None other than Kleken-kun! ♪ The octopus's tentacles reminded me of him! But to bring out the resemblance, he needed glasses. I guess you could also say it also looks like Splat, since Splat wears those same shades. But it's Kleken-kun my birds have fond of, since he brought them quite a lot of birdseed. And that would explain perfectly why those two became fast friends.
[He looks beamingly at Hiro. Hiro squawks somewhat reproachfully, perhaps saying "Oi, I'm not that dumb." He knows the statue isn't Kleken and won't bring him any birdseed! But it does make a good perch, he's evidently decided.]
Funny, isn't it? But cute! ♪
[The strain in Baizhu's smile is going uncommented on...]
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Baizhu however is going through like twelve stages of grief right now and is trying not to show it. ]
How…kind of him.
[ Granted, he does recall Hiyori having mentioned a previous errand regarding birdseed a while back, but to think Kleken had managed to buy the affections of Hiyori’s birds so easily…
Although what’s more horrifying is that Hiyori’s still friendly with the guy. Surely he’s smart enough to know that Kleken is bad news!
Meanwhile, Changsheng decides to chime in in a rather cheerful voice: ]
Hmm, it does have a strange kind of charm, even if it looks like it’s up to no good!
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[Said after Changsheng pipes up.
He isn't oblivious to Baizhu's feelings, though. So he continues, in a warm, understanding sort of tone:]
I was surprised, since I know he wasn't there to raise Eel in her early days. But people can change when given the chance. I know I wasn't always as sunny and generous as I am now. But thanks to people like my brother and Nagisa-kun believing in me, I was able to step up and become a better version of myself. So I thought, "Maybe I'll try believing in Kleken-kun, and the same will happen to him!"
[A rare bit of lore about himself, and his manipulative way of dealing with people. To keep things from getting too serious, though, he smiles and adds:]
Or something like that! I do hope it's not too awkward to hear about him, though. He sort of implied your relationship was on the rocks. But he's a self-professed liar, so I wasn't sure what to think.
[... yep. Now he's talking about Kleken and Baizhu's relationship. Right in front of Baizhu's snake!]
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[ Because Baizhu had been sparse on the particulars since Kleken’s frankly a very confusing man to deal with in general, but also he’s a bit speechless right now and needs time to recover. Hiyori…Hiyori, can you ever not be complicated too? ]
It’s…complicated.
[ He doesn’t know how to elaborate beyond punctuating that with a shrug and an apologetic smile, because the last thing he’d expected is to talk about Kleken in the first place, especially in the company of Hiyori’s delightful(?) birds, to say nothing of Hiyori himself. ]
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[He's not lying. That is what Kleken said. But he has no particular desire to torment the guy in front of his master, so seeing the consternated look on his face invokes pity. Time to throw the guy a bone!]
Yep, I don't doubt it. It's hard when the other person can never be honest.
[Said sympathetically and knowingly.]
But when dealing with those types, you learn to read between the lines, I've found. They might never speak their true feelings, but they'll show how they feel in other gestures. Buying birdseed is just one such example. Right, Hiro-kun? ♪
[He smiles over at the Rinne bird. The Rinne bird squawks in return, though it's probably more like "Hey, don't look at me" then "Right on!" Hiyori accepts either way, then turns back to Baizhu with a small shrug.]
Anyway, I don't want you to think I invited you here just to discuss that man. There's lots of other stuff we could discuss, too! Like Halloween plans, the gala, what our birds have been up to...
[He lists things off. And then, a bit less casually:]
Or there's one other thing I need to mention, but I was planning to save that for later.
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It’s for the best that he doesn’t know what nonsense Kleken’s been spouting about their relationship, anyway. ]
Oh? Well, I wouldn’t want to ruin your surprise.
[ He’s pretty sure it’s some delightful surprise, since it’s Hiyori and everything! In the meantime, he’ll just take a seat a polite distance from Kleken 2.0 over there and let Changsheng slip off of him to discreetly explore the treehouse. ]
But Eel’s been behaving admirably so far. Changsheng is doing wonders with her etiquette training.
It helps that we can both talk in “snake,” after all!
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But he won't reveal anything just yet, as they seem to be moving onto other topics!]
Why, that's absolutely wonderful.
[He smiles warmly at the news that Baizhu and Changsheng have made progress with Eel. Funny to think his initial reaction, upon meeting Changsheng, was to shriek and shrink away in fear. But people change, and Hiyori Tomoe was definitely changed by his time at the Golden Peacock. His time there, and the people (and snakes) he met.]
Being able to speak both languages must be useful. I know I'd love to be able to talk to my pets...
[Then he trails off as something new occurs to him, causing his eyes to bulge.]
That's it! [He gasps!] If Eel can speak snake and bird, and Changsheng can speak snake, we can translate what the birds are saying! All we need to do is have Eel explain what they're saying in snake language, and then Changsheng can explain in human speech!
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[ She’s teasing, as even Baizhu is chuckling along. Translating the language of birds…honestly… ]
It’s a charming idea, though I’m not certain if it’s wise to find out what they’re truly saying.
[ He’s giving the most pointed Look at Rinne’s bird right now. ]
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Or at least that's what he might be saying. Hiyori can't know for sure without a translator, hence the whole silly discussion! He does nod in response to Baizhu's words—]
True! Sometimes you're better off not knowing.
[—but then he addresses Changsheng again.]
But it sounds as though you do have a price. So if that's the case, you might as well name it. If it's "feeding you live mice as a treat," I'd prefer not to pay that, but if it's something like "giving a private concert" or "sharing the latest gossip," I'd be happy to oblige~♪
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[ All spoken in a jovial tone as she senses another opportunity to tease, but Hiyori needn’t have worried, since she’s not a terribly good snake even by snake standards. ]
I’m sure we’d both be satisfied with a concert—
But, of course, we won’t object to any gossip!
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[He taps his chin with a gloved hand as he thinks. He hasn't exactly been very in-tune with all the goings-on at the resort recently, especially since Jun disappeared. Some of his gossip may be dated.]
I do know two people who went from being low-ranks all the way to "King" status recently. But that's not very exciting, so I'll share some love gossip! First, there's this girl named Rin Tohsaka who's dating a cat! Second, there was someone I thought was dating her boss, but he turned out to be dating someone with dog ears. That's fine by me I suppose, since he didn't sound good enough for her anyway. For Topaz-san, that is.
[Another pause, as he thinks of some more "love gossip."]
Then I have two friends who I think might like each other, but I don't know that for sure. I don't suppose I'll ever confirm it, but I hope everything works out for them. Then I met this man named Matoba-san who's desperately in love with his roommate, apparently. His roommate tasked me with figuring out what's in his heart, but I'm afraid I have to forfeit that mission. Still, I wish them the best, too! And I wish you and Baizhu-san good luck with your loves and your lives~♪
[The last line is said teasingly. Maybe with any luck they'll focus on that, and not on why he has to forfeit or why he'll never confirm if his friends like each other or not.]
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Of course, he knows better than to take idle gossip seriously, but still… ]
Heheh, who knew the young master had so many friends! Why don’t you have any interesting gossip for us, hmm?
I’m afraid patient confidentiality is still paramount, Changsheng, but I’m sure the young master will forgive me for that.
[ Even if not all of his friends are patients. But that’s not the point here! He can’t help but notice that Hiyori’s trying to zero in on his love life (or lack thereof, more like), and that manages to take his mind off of the more alarming parts of Hiyori’s words for now. ]
I appreciate the very…thorough report, Hiyori. I only wish I had something equally as interesting to say.
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Don't worry about it. [First he addresses Baizhu.] There's nothing wrong with keeping things private. If you want to keep your love life a secret, that's perfectly fine. Not that I mind hearing about other topics, too, of course.
[From his perch, Hiro gives a squawk. Perhaps he's saying "Oi, c'mon Doc, spill the beans." Hiyori throws him a smile—he really will miss that little rascal—before dropping his gaze to Baizhu's shoulders and addressing Changsheng.]
If you like love topics, maybe you can carry out my mission. Finding out what's in Matoba-san's heart! He's about this tall, he's an exorcist, he has dark hair, and his room was on the bottom floor last time I checked. But the person you'll be reporting to is Rokurou-kun, the man he mooches off of! ♪
[He winks.]
Or I could tell you my own love story, but mine's rather uneventful compared to some people's.
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But then Baizhu shakes his head with a laugh, trying to play it off like it’s nothing, especially since Hiyori’s brought up something even more important.
“And that's why I need someone to promise they'll look after him. No matter what happens, I don't want him to do the same thing that other "me" did. I don't want him sacrificing himself.” ]
Oh, I’m not so sure about that. You’re quite the lively young man, after all, and I’m sure Jun appreciates that about you.
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No, they're on the subject of his love life. Hiyori smiles warmly and agrees,]
True, he loves me lots and lots! ♪
["Loves," in present tense. Even though Jun's gone from the resort, Hiyori doesn't see him as dead. Their souls go back when they become statues: that's what he and Bakugo figured out (or so he thinks). And even when they're both home, and they've forgotten this place entirely or else only remember it as a vague dream, Hiyori is sure they'll still be drawn together. After all...
For him, it was love at first sight.]
So I guess I'll tell that story after all. It all started a few years ago. I was looking to wash my hands of some stuff, and I wanted a fresh start, so I was touring a school I thought I might transfer to. The place looked dreadful, to be honest. They were supposed to be training to be idols, but no one's eyes had any life in them. Until I saw a boy practicing through a window.
The whole school was divided into "special students" and "non-special students." I could tell from his clothes that he wasn't in the special class, so his chance of making it as an idol was absolutely dismal. But there he was, singing his heart out anyway. I thought it was beautiful, so I decided I'd live my life like that boy—and after joining the school after all, I made him my partner.
[He pauses, his gaze far-off and fond, before he clarifies:]
My stage partner, that is. Idols are supposed to be chaste, so we didn't have "that" sort of partnership. It was getting swept off to this place that gave us that push we needed there. I used to resent that. I kept thinking, "I don't want to give this horrible place any credit for my love life." But by now, I've accepted it, just as I accept all the wonderful friends I've made here.