Voicemail

[nostabbing]

"This is a generic voicemail message. To record a personalized message, please press one and wait for the ton..."

Comments

[ardent]

Well, yes, of course it would, because people don't like being hit with things!

[nostabbing]

...Ohhh.

[Apparently a lightbulb just went off — not actually the "people don't like being hit with things" one, but the logical chain of how hitting someone with a butterfly net would in fact reduce you from romantic attentions down to friendship.

Aha.

And then, gradually, some other stuff starts to add up too.]

Did you make it? The chocolate and cake and stuff.

[ardent]

[...Well, it's more likely to reduce you from "romantic attentions" to "OH GOD WHAT THE HELL DID I DO WHAT'S GOTTEN INTO YOU" but yes, that would be why.]

Ah...no, unfortunately, I don't make things like that.

[nostabbing]

But you got it for me because I like chocolate.

[ardent]

Yes, of course!

[nostabbing]

[And there's her smile.]

That's the first time I've ever gotten chocolate from somebody on a White Day.

[ :|a ]

I think we like each other just the right amount.

[ardent]

I think so too!

[...]

...Aneki, please tell me you haven't hit anyone with a butterfly net recently.

[nostabbing]

Uh-uh. I didn't have one.

They have fishing rods at the store but I thought that's probably not close enough to be the same thing.

[ardent]

...Why do you want people to like you less, anyway?

[nostabbing]

Um. I accidentally...sent everybody boyfriend chocolate. Instead of obligation chocolate.

Chia— Nanami-kun said people might think I was trying to date everyone.

[ardent]

[..........]

Well, if they're not from Japan they probably won't know the difference, and if they are then they probably don't expect you to know the difference.

[nostabbing]

Did you know the difference?

[ardent]

[...uh.]

...You...do know I'm Japanese...?

[nostabbing]

No, I mean that I wasn't sending you boyfriend chocolate. Even though I had help from Creepy Eyes and she's Japanese.

[ardent]

[Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.]

Of course I knew - I didn't think you would!

[nostabbing]

I would've sent brother chocolate but I guess they don't have that.

[Hmmmmmmm.]

I still like you enough for boyfriend chocolate. I just don't want you to be my boyfriend.

[ardent]

That's fine - I'm not really wanting to date anyone, anyway.

[nostabbing]

Yeah. That makes sense.

[Nod nod.]

...Okay, well. I'm gonna go eat my chocolate. Is it...I dunno, can you share White Day chocolate? If it's okay I'll share it with you if you want some.

[ardent]

...I don't know, I've never had reason to give anyone any before. It's all right, though - you can have it!

[...Ah, also.]

We're going to need to talk later, though, if you have time - I want to finalize plans for dealing with that one shouty person with all the property damage.

[nostabbing]

[She thinks about that a minute, or seems to anyway, and then nods again.]

Yeah. I'm not doing anything later. We should talk.