ic contact;

[orangehoodie]

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION | ETC.

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[orangehoodie]

... He wasn't, right?

[pheromonecoffee]

[He's a smart kid. Matt grins before he continues casually.]

What year was Junpei Iori born?

[orangehoodie]

[That makes him stop completely.]

...

[Who is he-- wait--]

... What?

[pheromonecoffee]

[He blinks at him like he hasn't said anything weird.]

What?

[orangehoodie]

I-- [He knows that name. As of just this second. He knows, and this guy knows, and he thinks he knows how they know. It's because Matt said it. It's because he -- the other him -- knew the name Matt said. That means Matt knew the same guy, so he knew the other him too, and he must've known the other him if Matt recognized him.

Matt recognized him. And asked the question. Was it a test? Was he trying to make sure he had the right person? But why would he? Has he spoken to Matt before on the network then--?

What if he lied? Hid that he knew, because he doesn't know if this is a bad idea or not. What if getting more involved with the network would put his dad in danger? like more than whatever was going to happen to the city would? But if he lied, Matt would eventually find out.

... He didn't want Matt to dislike him for being a liar. Not yet.]

... I don't even know what year it was then. I don't know when he was born.

[pheromonecoffee]

[Matt looks very, very relieved.]

Oh, good. I was starting to think it was just a coincidence.

[orangehoodie]

[Ken grips his pencil tightly. It's leaving a dark mark on his paper. His other hand shakes a little so he puts it in his lap.

It doesn't feel good that someone might know something about him he doesn't know.]

Who are you?

[pheromonecoffee]

[Calm yourself down, Ken.]

Who I said I am. I'm Matt, and I have voices in my head telling me when I make friends and that some people I know are related to Tarot cards.

Your name came up in my head when I was talking about it. Your face, too... different hair, though.

[orangehoodie]

... My name.

He had the same name as me?

[pheromonecoffee]

Same name. Same face. So we must've known each other.

[orangehoodie]

...

[His voice is really small.]

... I don't -- I don't know if I want anything to do with that.

[pheromonecoffee]

[He considers this and nods.]

You don't have to be, I don't think.

But it helps to know somebody, right?

[orangehoodie]

... What if Ken Amada was a bad guy?

I don't really want to remember anything about him.

[pheromonecoffee]

[He eyes Ken again. He understands where that worry would come from.]

If he was a bad guy then, it doesn't change who Ken Amada was.

I don't hang around with people who hit on teachers, for the record.

[orangehoodie]

... That doesn't even make sense.

[He looks absolutely uncomfortable. He feels sort of tricked even if some part of him knows Matt didn't intend it that way at all. He's alone off the network with someone from the network, and it's someone from his past self's life and his past self has his name and his face and he bites his lip and drops his head.

[pheromonecoffee]

[Matt puts his pencil down.]

Hey. Sorry I asked like that. I just hear it's dangerous to let people know.

I wanted to know if I could trust you.

[orangehoodie]

[Then that must be worse because Ken doesn't see how he could possibly be a trustworthy person once Matt got to know him.]

No, it's-- sorry. It's okay. I'm sorry.

[pheromonecoffee]

Don't be. Just don't turn me in to the cops. Deal?

[orangehoodie]

I won't. I won't tell anyone. Just... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get upset--

[pheromonecoffee]

Most people would. I did trick you, after all.

[orangehoodie]

... [He puts down his own pencil and stuffs his hands into his stupidly orange jacket's pockets, hunching his shoulders.] What else do you know?

[pheromonecoffee]

That there was no time for vending machines in our old lives. That's really it.

[orangehoodie]

... Vending machines?

[pheromonecoffee]

Vending machines. That's all I've got.

[orangehoodie]

... Vending machines and arcana?