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[selfconcept]

Congratulations! You survived the first week of Personal Enrichment Class! Or at least, your body did if you feel like astral projecting. It's time to mingle with your fellow students after the Saturday lesson. Maybe get revenge. Or maybe you're going to your room right away. Either way, it's free time! Let loose. Go wild.

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wildcard

[exofractured]

[Phantom is tired, but you know what? Yes, he will absolutely linger for headpats. Even if they feel better when his hair isn't disgusting and crunchy.]

That went more uneventfully than anticipated.

[He can say that with dignity while being patted, right.]

[selfconcept]

I tried to make it as uneventful as possible.

[ Hien was quietly determined after being scolded by y'all. The headpats do continue though. ]

[exofractured]

Yes, well.

[How does say nice thing work. A small struggle is going on in Phantom's brain.]

...You did well.

[selfconcept]

Thanks. I like being recognized for what I do.

[ Only on some things.

Anyway. ]

You really saved us from my mistake, so thanks for that.

[exofractured]

It was nothing. I don't dislike such puzzles. Though I would have preferred them without the threats.

[But he looks a bit pleased too. He'll happily take some praise, as a treat.]

[selfconcept]

I'm not one for puzzles myself, but that was doable.

[ Hien is more of a "no thoughts, head empty" sort of guy. ]

I dunno if we're gonna be in different teams next week, but I hope you'll be able to keep the team going next week too, whoever they'll be.

[exofractured]

Ah.

[From the look on Phantom's face, it's just now occurring to Phantom that they might shuffle things around. Well... damn.]

...It would be too simple for their curriculum to keep groups that coordinated well, I suppose. I wonder how many weeks they intend to keep this up.

[selfconcept]

From what I've heard, this course is meant to last two months.

[ Plenty of time for them to get to know others. He notices the look on Phantom's face and smiles a little. ]

Don't be so sad. You'll get along with others just as well.

[exofractured]

I'm nothing of the sort. And I have no interest in "getting along" with any of them. As long as they complete the course and leave, that will be more than sufficient.

[HE'S NOT HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS-]

[selfconcept]

Well, you're getting along with me though.

[ He says even as he continues to pat Phantom's head. ]

[exofractured]

[...It would be difficult to deny that in the face of ongoing headpats. Phantom chooses to preserve his dignity(?) with an evasion.]

And who don't you get along with?

[selfconcept]

Hm... Define "not getting along". I have a lot of one-sided vendetta against me, but I don't care for it much.

[exofractured]

Precisely what I mean. I have no interest in starting a [another] vendetta.

...Does that refer to anyone here? [Was that thing with Owen getting along or not, he can't tell.]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien assumes that Phantom is talking about his little thing with Owen earlier. ]

I don't hate Owen, if you must know. I tease Marcus too.

[ If... Phantom hasn't heard all those innuendos pre-lessons from Hien. ]

I tease a lot of people and I make enemies, though I can't say that the feelings are mutual.

[exofractured]

Where other people are concerned, Marcus is all bluster. By all means, keep him occupied.

[Yeah, he heard that. He's very much in favor of people who Aren't Him and can get away with it making Marcus's life a little more annoying, actually.]

You should take a little more care with others. However immortal you're used to being, I assume it would be as unpleasant for you as for anyone if someone here were to stab you.

[Owen kind of seems like the type, but maybe Phantom is just sulking still over the threat to his hair.]

[selfconcept]

Yeah. I hate pain.

[ That was plain as day on his profile, but. ]

But sometimes, I can't be bothered when it's just one of those days when I don't feel like doing anything.

[ Depressed? Get stabbed. Shrug it off. Hien is the facetanker of consequences. ]

[exofractured]

And I thought Marcus was a troublesome partner.

[Phantom can't honestly say he doesn't understand. Luckily, he's a relatively skilled liar.]

Your logic eludes me. But I suppose I can grant you don't need warnings from someone my age.

[selfconcept]

I'll take advice and warnings from people of all ages. I'm not wiser nor smarter than everyone. Just because I'm old, doesn't mean that I'm better at everyone who isn't as old as I am.

[ Hm. ]

Wanna know a secret?

[exofractured]

Quite a magnanimous point of view.

[And because it's Hien, Phantom's voice isn't even sarcastic. The loaded question gives him a moment of pause before he tilts his head in a shallow nod.]

If you're not asking for one in return, then yes.

[selfconcept]

I won't.

[ Because he thinks it's a rather useless secret. ]

If it looks like I'm good at doing something, just know that it took an excessive amount of years for me to learn it.

[ He doesn't think he was good at doing anything that actually mattered, so he used his seemingly infinite time to obtain various skills, even if it took him an outrageous amount of time to learn it.

But the point of this was to tell Phantom that he really isn't better than the average person just because he knows how to do a lot of things. His learning progression was extremely slow. ]

[exofractured]

[Oh. That's... a surprisingly safe secret? And possibly even a kind one, although that thought is uncomfortable to Phantom. He looks a little taken aback for a moment.]

Anything worth learning takes a lifetime. If yours is longer, then it's... admirable of you to use it accordingly.

[That's as close as he can manage to saying outright that he respects Hien working hard on learning something if he's bad at it. He fidgets for a moment, and then before he can second-guess it:]

I'm clumsy. Particularly when I'm distracted with something.

[Is this even remotely a secret? Probably not to anyone with eyes, but it's still a concession.]

[selfconcept]

Yeah? That sounds pretty normal though.

[ Hien thinks that's absolutely normal... cue flashbacks of seeing people distracted and running into things. ]

[exofractured]

Yes, well. So is taking time to learn things you have no aptitude for.

[So they've each traded useless secrets, and all is equitable in the world. Never mind that it seems to have had some significance to Phantom.]

[selfconcept]

[ Hien catches that and is curious. ]

You seem pleased for some reason. What are you thinking about?

[exofractured]

[ACK. Caught in the act, and without an immediate lie. He can scramble for one quickly, though.]

Nothing of significance. I merely found it interesting. I can't claim familiarity with anything like an immortal from my own world.