FOREST COVERED: IC CONTACT

[standingonmyneck]

"If this is a prank call, then hang up and know that someone is always watching. For all other calls, remain on the line to spout out your word vomit. You have thirty seconds."

[Mail | Physical | Voice]

Comments

[be_acknowledged]

I... I know that! It's just so hard! I mean, every time I think I'm getting somewhere, I keep getting drawn in by --

[He wants to be a serious person, but he keeps getting nicknames.

He tries to make a life plan, but gets accused of rising.

He finally starts moving forward in life, only to get drawn back into the NEET life.

By

Kuzu.

Levant just tried to pull the thread... but Kuzu was the one who shredded the sweater.

No... no, it can't just be that, can it? That's not fair! They're all pieces of shit, why should it matter if Kuzu...]

By...

[He grows quiet. It makes sense when he thinks about it. No matter how hard he tries, it all circles back to the same source.

He grows quiet again.]

..."Maybe if we stay together, we'll always be like this."

[standingonmyneck]

[Did something happen? Riye looked down on the floor to make sure nothing was on it that looked like an orb or pieces of it. D-don't want to repeat that kind of thing. She didn't SEE anything so...good.

Figure something out?

[be_acknowledged]

Maybe.

But I'm not sure I'm happy that I did.

[His knuckles turn a bit white around that coffee cup.]

It's... it's not right to blame others for your own problems, right? That's what shitty people do, right?

[standingonmyneck]

That, I can't really answer.

[In case if you didn't notice, Levant, hopefully you do now as she passed the doughnut a little closer.

She really was trying here, actually.]

If there's some anger, something you want to resolve or get off your chest, you might need to confront that person. Or people.

But you just need to remind yourself that these are to help you figure out why these problems exist, wherever the source is. You might not like it, or you may still be scared-

-But I think you owe it to yourself. At the very least, you worked hard to really differentiate yourself. Move forward.

[be_acknowledged]

[He watches the donut slide to him. He picks it up, turning it around a bit.]

...Time. I need more time, I think. And... the person I'm thinking of needs to be on the same page first. Then maybe...

[Then maybe he can confront him -- and finally really tell Kuzu the things he hasn't been able to tell him ever since they started becoming more distant.]

Uh... thank you.

[It's hard to tell whether he's thanking her for listening or for the donut he's biting into.]

[standingonmyneck]

[There was a very small nod. It was approval in some way. After all, this obviously wasn't easy for him to do.

But did he feel better? Mhm, she was sure he still felt hurt and lost.

There had to be something else, she just couldn't leave it like this.]

That's fair.

For what it's worth, I think you're on the right path to coming to terms with a lot of the crap you'd been dealt. I can't vouch for what kind of people you knew other than your siblings, but not many people can understand this kind of situation without living it themselves.

You each seem to have your problems caused by it, and at least, you seem to be thinking about it in the right way.

[be_acknowledged]

D...do you think so? My brothers usually just accuse me of "rising" my self-awareness. It's not like I'm TRYING to...