Tao | please indulge me

[inlets]

[Pick your poison:

• A reputable high school, populated by students in white uniform. Are you perhaps a transfer student? A teacher? A new addition to the security guards?
  
• You're on a computer or some database or another when the screen behaves strangely. You are now being hacked.
  
• An electronics store. Tao is picking up a copious amount of parts, almost at what looks like random, and not bothering to be quiet about it.
  
• Your choice.

Mmhahahaha.]

Comments

[afflictive]

And whose fault is that right now!?

[inlets]

Hey! I've been trying this whole time to expedite the process.

[afflictive]

I just told you that I don't go around following strangers.

[inlets]

[IN THAT CASE – ]

I'm Tao.

[afflictive]

Telling me your name doesn't make you not a stranger!

[inlets]

Why not? If you look hard enough, you can trace all sorts of information about me.

[Except not. Tao is very careful.]

[afflictive]

... What?

[You don't just say that to a person, Tao.]

Do I look like some kinda stalker to you?

[inlets]

[Everybody is a critic . . . ]

Ah, I suppose not. But what I'm saying is, it'll be over in a second if I go with you.

[Not "if you go with me," note.]

[afflictive]

Why the hell are you so insistent on this?

[inlets]

Well, I've already offered this many times.

[afflictive]

That doesn't mean you need to keep offering!

[inlets]

It feels like the right thing to do.

[afflictive]

[He stares at Tao suspiciously for a while, before he finally lets out a sigh.]

Don't waste my time. Or try anything funny.

[inlets]

[EheheHEHE. Victory! Tao salutes.]

Nothing funny at all! Here, this way. What parts did you have in mind?

[afflictive]

[...]

I need [blah blah

you said to do this okay]

[inlets]

[They head straight for a sizable store, as Tao chatters on – ]

Ah, I know exactly where those are. Follow me!

[Down this aisle, doop doop, here and there.]

[afflictive]

[If you'd led him down an alleyway, Fujimaru would've ditched you immediately, so good job.]

... Tch. I guess you're not as shady as you seem.

[inlets]

[Please. An alleyway doesn't even have proper outlets.]

So, what do you think? Will these parts work for the power station? Of course, this isn't all of it. There's one more thing in another side of the store.

[afflictive]

I can find it myself, in that case.

[inlets]

Are you sure? This is a big place.

[afflictive]

I'll figure it out!

[inlets]

Then I'll just stick around, and you can find it by yourself. Let's go!

[afflictive]

Why do you need to stick around in the first place?

[inlets]

To make sure you don't get lost, of course.

[afflictive]

I'm not gonna get lost!