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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.

Comments

[selfconcept]

What does he do that annoys you? What do you think annoys him about you?

[ He thinks they can start there. ]

[goodfaiths]

Um...well... Owen-san is just really cruel for no reason. I haven't done anything wrong, but he keeps pushing me away like I have?

[ That's just his take on it, anyway. The reverse, though, is harder to answer. ]

I really have no idea, Hien-san! Like I said, I don't think I did anything wrong!

[selfconcept]

Riku.

[ He puts a hand on top of Riku's head and starts gently petting him. He also tries to make it as soothing as possible. ]

It's alright. You didn't do anything wrong, like you said. Just keep in mind that everybody does things for a reason. It may be hard to understand the other person, but whether that be a small or a big reason, a reason is a reason.

[ He continues petting Riku's head. ]

So, in Owen's case, it's probably because he's not used to people being nice to him so that he doesn't know how to deal with it, so he does what he does best--say cruel things and such.

[ Hien has... seen many people like that, so he think he's pretty accurate on his read on Owen. ]

I'm not saying that you should stop being nice to him though. Just do it when he would least expect it, and watch the mood too. Do kind things in small ways--get him a cup of water, give him a small amount of food that he likes... that sort of thing.

[goodfaiths]

[ Hien is such a good person, Riku thinks. He really can't fathom what it's like to have people be so mean to someone that it makes that person this cruel as a result, but Hien seems to know a lot more about people than Riku does. That's no contest.

That advice, he can follow. Riku looks a little more hopeful now, and he nods once before he shifts to sit up a little more properly (despite his leg). ]

Mm. I can do those things. So... I think it's still worth it to try, if not to just keep us safer...

[selfconcept]

That's the spirit. Staying calm despite everything is a hard thing to do, and controlling your emotions is a very valuable skill.

[ Just don't do it his way where he essentially died on the inside in order to stay calm in the face of many things. ]

I know you can do it. You're a good kid, after all. You seem to be a hardworking person too, and full of sincerity.

[ He ruffles Riku's hair one more time before withdrawing his hands. ]

[goodfaiths]

Aha, you think so?

[ Riku likes praise, and it means a lot, coming from someone he met here. ]

Thank you, but I think Hien-san is a really good person, too. I'm really glad you talked some sense into me, otherwise I might've been moping all night.

[selfconcept]

Let's just say that I like giving people hope.

[ Hope that things will turn out okay or hope that they'll make it through to the end so that they'll keep going only to crush their hopes last minute and watch them suffer ]

You got a whole future ahead of you, so there's no time to mope excessively.