PRIVATE MEETINGS

[andexecutioner]

If you'd like to have a private meeting with the Adjudicator, this is where you should go! The Adjudicator is available at almost all hours of the day; just knock and he'll answer.

Comments are screened for privacy; no eavesdropping, that's rude.

Comments

[fortunatedetective]

...if I weren't in this place I think I would have.

[There's a move in the chessboard left to finish the game, but Naoto is distracted with all this talk to actually go ahead and do it]

My memories...they show I have grown as a person, and for the first time in many, many years I feel happy with myself! It could be said I found my role in life and I'm ready for what may come.

But then this murder-each-other game started. It doesn't change who I am, but I feel I won't be satisfied until it's over and we're all out of here. I am a detective, the least I should be able to do is solve this all and help everyone.

[...]

It's hard to explain with words.

[andexecutioner]

[And that...that actually seems to get something to click in his head, weirdly enough.]

There's always something else, isn't there? You're happy, and then something changes your circumstances, and that changes you. Changes whether you're satisfied with your life or not.

[...]

It's kind of a mess, but it makes sense.

[fortunatedetective]

You're right about that.

[Finally, checkmate. The chess game is over]

I guess that's how life works. It's always a challenge.

[andexecutioner]

For some people, anyway.

[god, he's so bad at this game...]

Eh, this probably isn't the sort of conversation you were looking for when you came in here.

[fortunatedetective]

It's true I didn't come here expecting to talk about that, but in a way I'm glad it happened. It gives me a lot to think about.

Besides, I don't plan how these visits will go, beyond a couple questions.

‹small› [She likes visiting, if she had to be honest] ‹/small›

[andexecutioner]

[...]

You're...good to talk to.

[I mean, he can't make eye contact when he says it, but that is...probably the closest thing he's come to an actual compliment, good lord.]

[fortunatedetective]

[Did it hurt to say that, Juri? Hahaha! Oh well. The last thing Naoto expected was a compliment, even if it was minor. For a moment Naoto is silent, surprised, but then she does manage to smile a bit]

Back in the first week I had promised myself I'd come here for purely professional reasons, but...I don't know, at some point I started coming here because I felt kind of comfortable talking with you.

I'm not sure how it happened.

[andexecutioner]

[HE SUFFERS SO MUCH. okay not really but being nice to people is hard, no one understands, etc.]

Yeah, well. I don't know either.

[...]

Not like it's. Bad. Or anything. It's not, but...I don't know, I'm not really used to casual conversation with people.

[fortunatedetective]

There was a time not too long ago when I was rather inept at talking to people in a friendly manner. "I'm not interested in 'hanging out', nor I'm interested in you". Now I realize that was rather...blunt of me.

[Naoto is deep in thought]

I was working in a murder case back at home, and through it I got in contact with a group of people of my age. Somehow...we ended working together, and soon turned into friends. I remember feeling so lost and hesitant for so long, not knowing how to react to their attempts to be friendly...but then I got used to it.

[It's not meant to be a lecture of any sorts, or an attempt to tell Juri to change. Seems like she's just sharing her own experiences]

Getting used to it depends on how willing you are to let it happen, and you already said several times you don't want it. I sympathize with that more than you think.

[andexecutioner]

[He shrugs.]

Sometimes I talk to people, but they're not really anyone I'd consider friends. Just people I know. I kind of wonder why they bother sometimes.

[fortunatedetective]

I don't know either. Maybe they think that by reaching to you we'll have better chances to win the game? That'd be a flawed plan. These games aren't won with promises of friendship.

[When has a criminal changed their mind with such sappy ideas? Really.

Naoto stands up, taking the chessboard and the empty cups of coffee]

I'll be back next week, Juri-san. Take care.

[She won't]