shout out your love! now, hero!

[bilocation]

[It wasn't entirely for his sake that she did it. After all, she did have an image to upkeep, and any unwanted attention was bound to hurt both of them. 'Dating.' Right. That's not what this is.

Whatever it is.

After shaking off the last of her friends, B-ko rounded the corner and snapped open her cellphone.]

I told you I'd do it. You owe me for this one.

[The sky was darkening. She made up some excuse to her parents that she'd be out late, studying. She didn't feel like going home quite yet. Not until she shook him down on this.]

Comments

[unconfirmed]

[Of course, A-ya usually monitors rumours through a slower, more distant process but for this one, he positioned himself in such a way as to be sure he would hear it. After all, the rumour concerned him originally, so getting the counter-rumour to him would be exciting for anyone.

So A-ya taps out on his phone with a slightly amused expression, thinking how proud B-ko must be of herself right now.]

I heard it. At a most basic critique, it wasn't too bad for a first timer.

[bilocation]

[She is proud. Just a little. Maybe even more. Like him, rumors excited her--it was one of the few things she enjoyed with the gaggle of people she called her friends and it'd been fun to be the one to spread them this time. A small nudge here and a faked backtrack for modesty there... she thought they fell for it well enough. But it's like A-ya not to act impressed.]

'Not too bad?' I thought it was pretty good.

[unconfirmed]

Like any art form, even if you do well the first time, it doesn't compare to something carefully crafted and honed.

[Like his own.]

But I suppose it did well enough that I owe you.

[bilocation]

You always take these sorts of things so seriously... geez.

[It's distasteful. Like him. Still--]

Anyway, it's good that I don't have to remind you. [There's a strange, nervous sensation that suddenly grips her chest. She quickly shoves it aside as she types her next response.] You know where we're meeting up. Right?

[unconfirmed]

[A-ya's fingers hover over the keys. This 'thing' is very strange for him, for so many reasons, but whenever he gets this odd feeling, he remembers that this, too, is a fun distraction.]

Of course. I'll be there soon. I want to tell you a special rumour about that place that I heard in return as well.

[bilocation]

[A special rumor, huh? Her interest's perked.]

It better be a good one.

[unconfirmed]

[If he had to say, one of the things that he enjoys in B-ko is their similar love of rumours. Even if that's what their group is for, her interest - while sometimes unrefined - is passionate. It's not a bad trait.]

I wouldn't waste time on a boring one. I thought you might like it.

Well, you'll hear it when I get there. Ten minutes.

[bilocation]

All right. Don't be late.

[The old train station is abandoned at this time of day. To be honest, it gave B-ko a creepy feeling, as much as it thrilled her. Forgotten, lost things that people took pains to avoid... those tastes were what she picked up after joining that small group. As nervous as it made her, it was interesting. There were old flyers still plastered up the walls with some litter scattering the worn floor. She kicked them aside and stomped on some for good measure as she waited, eyes fixed on the light of her cellphone.

Darkness scared her a little bit still.]

[unconfirmed]

[One important part in creating and telling rumours is atmosphere. Without it, even a very good story would be lost. Naturally, places like these lent easily to a creepy feeling, putting someone on edge, but letting it seep in would give the right touch.

Anyway, it was fun, watching B-ko from the shadows and seeing her face illuminated in the artificial light of her phone. If she got scared, good. If he waited until she started to think she was all alone, that no one would be coming, then she would be even more shocked.

A-ya, good at keeping quiet and especially at going unnoticed, makes sure to let her sit until she's almost frustrated and scared enough to text him again before he sneaks out behind her.]

Lonely here, isn't it?

[bilocation]

[The minutes tick by. She checks her phone frequently, counting each time she does. Seven... eight... he should be here soon, shouldn't he? What's keeping him? It figured that, after she told him not to be late, he would go and take his sweet time in getting here. It's to spite her, isn't it?! The thought made B-ko grit her teeth.

Still, she'll wait. If she focuses on her irritation, she won't have to think about her surroundings. She'll give him five more minutes. If he doesn't come, then she'll just head home and it'll be his loss, anyway!

It's with these thoughts that she fidgeted impatiently with, staring intently at her phone until she hears that damn smug voice that makes her jump a mile out of her skin. Before she can help it, a high squeak escapes her.]

Y-You...!! [Furious, she leaps to her feet and tries to grab him, shouting to make up for her brief moment of terror.] What's wrong with you, you jerk?! I told you not to be late!

[unconfirmed]

[Like usual, he holds up his hands in a 'calm down' gesture but openly snickering still isn't doing well for his poker face.]

What's that? I wasn't late. I've been here for a while. You looked busy so I didn't want to bother you.

[bilocation]

[What a dick??? How dare he act so calm after pulling a move like that on her?!]

Don't try to blame it on me! You were trying to scare me on purpose!

[unconfirmed]

It was for your benefit. Mood is important. [But mostly because her face was really funny. And that sound, wow. Definitely worth it.] The setting does most of the work for me and your mind does the rest. I didn't have to do anything. You're already eager to hear that kind of rumour now, aren't you?

[bilocation]

That's a piss poor excuse. [She grumbles it. She knows him. He probably did it to store away as fuel for later use.] Maybe I won't listen after all.

[But she can't deny that she wants to know. She flops down on the bench again.] ... sit down and tell it like a regular person.

[unconfirmed]

You need better sense for weaving the right rumour.

[Sigh. Well, she'll appreciate it anyway, probably. A-ya sits beside her and tips his head up slightly. Telling this rumour like a normal person wouldn't work. The target is a single person. That single person is someone he knows well at this point, so it's both easy to understand what she might like but also difficult to think of a satisfying lie to twist for her.

B-ko, simply by staying around him more often, presents a unique challenge. Especially now, A-ya wants to provide something that will spark her interest. It's always so disappointing when he can't. Even if C-ta will gladly smile and take interest in his rumours, there's something to be said about a fickle audience.

So with that in mind, he speaks in a calm but quiet voice.]

...Supposedly, this station was abandoned because it no longer had any use. There are plenty of abandoned stations. That isn't so strange. This one closed due to a new station opening at a more convenient location, with up-to-date technology. That's right, people forgot the bizarre series of suicides here entirely. Couples with no history of problems would suddenly jump in front of the trains.

There was no reason. All of them had been in healthy, committed relationships for a while. Their parents all approved. Their friends spoke of their happiness and how jealous they made everyone feel. They were all the most unlikely types to do a lovers' suicide.

But, eye witnesses always spoke of a 'culprit'. They claimed there weren't suicides. I wonder if 'she' is listening right now...

[bilocation]

[Despite her complaints, A-ya is a masterful storyteller. There's something in the way he speaks that draws her in against her will, trapping her in the story. It's just a rumor, she knows that part. But the way it's presented before her is a promise that this frightening, though exciting fantasy, could be true if she placed a little bit of faith in it.

B-ko's fingers curl in her lap. Although she doesn't want to admit it, she's already caught up in it.]

... culprit? Are you talking about a ghost of some sort...?

[unconfirmed]

[Inside, he smiles. So this one is working so far. She's interested enough to question it. The next part might be tough. If he doesn't pull it off right, then the whole thing falls apart. Truthfully this isn't his type of rumour anyway but it's a reward for her hard work.]

Right. A ghost. Specifically, one of a young woman who would always be spotted standing in front of the lovers. Her lips would move and then the pair, no matter what they were doing before, would come to an agreement and jump.

Of course, no one ever heard what she said, nor did they see her after the pair were hit. The security cameras saw nothing strange.

[A-ya leans back and looks down the empty corridor.]

Well, this place was old anyway, so it didn't take much to convince them to build a new station. People who come here as a couple something report a whispering voice but they never say what they heard.

I wonder what sort of thing a person could say to convince someone happy and in love to die immediately. There probably can't be anything, though.

[bilocation]

That's such a morbid story... [Ah. She thinks she can hear something in the wind whistling through the station, but that's just her imagination. Isn't it? Still, it gives her the goosebumps. It's most likely a story A-ya grabbed from someone else, just a story to give a little excitement. And in any case, they'd have to be a...

... a couple for her to hear anything, that's what he said. She can relax. They're safe, if that's the case. They definitely are.]

You're the one who shared it first, though, so you should believe it. If that woman managed something like that, that means there's something terrible enough to make them jump.

[unconfirmed]

[A-ya props his head up in his hand. Good, she liked it. But more important, as always, are her thoughts, the way she interprets it. What does B-ko, unguarded in this moment, think?]

What sort of horrible thing could that be though? Isn't that the most chilling part? Anything imaginable probably isn't it. Maybe something only the dead can know that could throw people into despair...

[bilocation]

[At this moment, in the lull after the story, she doesn't have to focus on herself. A-ya doesn't want any fake reactions, a pleasant "you're right" or "that's interesting." What he wants--and what she rarely gives--are her own thoughts. She can speak as freely as she likes, even if he gives her that mean smirk in return.]

Something worse than death, even. [She speaks softly. The atmosphere almost seems to demand it.] What a spiteful ghost.

[unconfirmed]

Targeting happy lovers, it's obvious what sort of history she must have.

[Something surprising that he's been slowly confirming with these meetings is B-ko's 'soft' side. It's so normal that he should be disappointed. Instead, he wonders what type of person that actually makes her.]

[bilocation]

Who's she to judge who's happy or not, anyway? I bet she's the sort who picks on others who had similar relationships to her. [She huffs, as if that settles that.] It's petty.

[Though she would never admit to herself that what she does, ducking beneath these sorts of masks, would be on the same level of pettiness.]

[unconfirmed]

[He can't help smiling. Her reactions really are so much fun. Watching her mind jump to conclusions allows him to read her.]

So, you thought something like that, huh? What kind of relationship do you think she had?

[bilocation]

[She points a finger.] It's obvious, isn't it? It was probably something she thought was perfect at first. Or others thought it was, and it fell apart while they acted like it was great. That's the most common relationship.

[unconfirmed]

So the whole relationship was a lie from the start. I see. If she can't stand that lie, just seeing it hurts her. Or something like that. What a bitter outlook on relationships... not that I know about them.