transmit: (pic#17655005)

[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-10 10:02 am (UTC)(link)
Just because I'm dating, I'm not allowed friends? [ ] She said the other day she wished I had more. Something about wanting to feel truly prioritised…

I get it. Someone who isn't really living a life can't exactly be called a person. But that's not entirely why I wanted to befriend you.
selfconcept: . (pic#14395164)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-10 10:09 am (UTC)(link)
[ Befriend? Him?? ??????

???????

Hien looks surprised. Huh?
]

Why?
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-10 10:10 am (UTC)(link)
Why not?

[ genuinely! why not! ]
selfconcept: (pic#15107728)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-10 10:12 am (UTC)(link)
[ Well. He can't argue with him there. ]

Don't you have a reputation to uphold? Being my friend would make it worse.
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-10 10:23 am (UTC)(link)
It can get worse than being known for dating a new person every week? News to me. I'm probably the most spoken about person on campus.

[ says this in a way that he's being objective about it and not trying to be obnoxious. that is, like

the lowest of the lows
]
selfconcept: (pic#15650893)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-10 02:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Elysium wouldn't be wrong. Now that Hien has been trying to pay attention to his surroundings more lately, he hears something about Elysium every day, whether he wants to or not. He sometimes wants to clock them in the face for saying something extremely derogatory about Elysium, but—again, he didn't want to cause trouble for Elysium. He finds that he can usually do whatever he wants as long as he's not connected to anyone else. He wouldn't want someone to suffer because of him—well, more people, at least.

...

This is the most thought he's ever put into someone that isn't included with absolute spite. It's a lot.
]

... If you're okay with that. I'd like to get to know you better and be friends.
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-10 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
I should have asked if you were okay with it, but I didn't. I'm even bribing you.

[ unfortunately, he's shameless like that, reaching out to boop hien's nose with his finger. there's part amusement, part mischief, like he's particularly pleased about something. in this case, he didn't misjudge hien's character. ]

No getting into any more fights, yeah?
selfconcept: (pic#17492272)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-10 07:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I can't be bribed.

[ He says that as if it's an absolute fact before getting his nose booped. His eyes almost go cross-eyed from following Elysium's finger. ]

... I can't promise not fighting though.
Edited 2026-01-10 19:07 (UTC)
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-10 07:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Can't you? For your super cute junior?

[ he lightly kicks his foot under the table. ]

The injury you got on your cheek looked like it hurt.
selfconcept: (pic#14355279)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-10 07:38 pm (UTC)(link)
No.

[ No bribing. Not fighting is not allowed. Why is he kicking him!! ]

It hurt, but it could have been worse.

[ Thankful! Sorta. He takes a sip of his lemonade. ]
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-10 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
No? Not even to commemorate our friendship?

[



droops
]

How abouuuut… for a month?
selfconcept: . (pic#14355297)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-10 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Oh no...



No, Hien must stay strong.
]

The reason why I can't promise that is because my reflexes get out of hand. If it was that easy, I would have stopped already. When I first met you, I was close to kicking you in the air.
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-10 08:55 pm (UTC)(link)
That doesn't make it any better…

[ ]

It made me sad to see.
selfconcept: . (pic#14395164)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-10 08:57 pm (UTC)(link)
About what? The bandaid?

[ ... ]

Why?
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-10 09:02 pm (UTC)(link)






There are better ways to get back at someone than violence.

[ says nothing else and goes back to finishing his croissant. ]

Eat up before it gets cold.
selfconcept: (pic#14475737)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-10 09:08 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Hien goes a lot quieter at that as he finishes up his sandwich. ]

... I know, but this is the only thing I can do. I'm not smart nor resourceful. I just have myself.
Edited 2026-01-10 21:58 (UTC)
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-11 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah? You can use me now, though. We're friends! It counts.

[ is this

what friends are for



sure
]
selfconcept: . (pic#15103290)

1/2

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-11 12:19 am (UTC)(link)
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-11 12:24 am (UTC)(link)
Should I fight with you then?
selfconcept: (pic#14259279)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-11 12:27 am (UTC)(link)
Don't do that... it's fine, really.

[ He looks exasperated about it. Please don't. ]

... It's just my stress relief when I need it.
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-11 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
If it's about getting physical, isn't that why people usually turn to sports?

[ he gives hien another curious cant of his head, assessing him from yet another angle. ]

You'd probably look cool doing Taekwondo. Or, what about jiu-jitsu?
selfconcept: (pic#17492265)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-11 05:23 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Those are good suggestions, Hien finds. He almost forgot that they existed. However, the memory of being kicked out of the gaming club isn't too far, because it literally happened a few hours ago. ]

I'm not good at working with other people...

[ He thinks about the presentation that Elysium must have seen back then. ]

... and that hasn't changed.
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[personal profile] transmit 2026-01-11 05:26 pm (UTC)(link)
See? It works out. Martial arts are an individual sport.

[ isn't he… a genius?

he looks at hien like he is…
]

If you need an in with a club in or out of school, I can get you one.
selfconcept: . (pic#18262512)

[personal profile] selfconcept 2026-01-11 05:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I should let you know... I just got kicked out of the gaming club for "antisocial behavior, tanking morale, being rude, and inability to cooperate" and I'm on academic probation. It might be difficult to vouch for those things.

[ They really needed a spot in the gaming club, but they weren't that desperate to keep Hien around. ]

... But if you can, then... maybe...

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