[... why does this feel like he's walking into a trap all of a sudden?? Maybe he was overthinking things too much, but Ai felt... maybe a little more indulgent to his antics than usual? Not that he particularly minded, and he was admittedly being a bit more clingy than he normally was too, but... something did feel a little off here. It felt suspiciously like the times as a kid where his parents would be extra sweet with him, extra attentive, before gently dropping a bomb on him-- more surgeries, longer hospital stays, cancelled trips on his behalf. After all, why would be Ai asking about his identity stuff now, after all this time?
Hopefully he was wrong... but he was going to tread lightly from here, not letting his suspicions show upon his face as he soaks in those headpats and hair ruffles like a contented cat.]
Well... sure. I don't want random strangers knowing who I am, either. I tell one person, they wind up telling other people involved in Dreamer circles, and it all goes south from there. After all, I'm your former trainee, and once people connect this handsome face with Dreamer Ai-Doll's prodigy student, I'd never get left alone!
[HANDSOME IS A BIT OF A STRETCH, HANAKO..... as well as most of what just came out of his mouth, really. Not that he was entirely serious about what he said, of course-- as far as he knew, their connection wasn't a widely advertised one, but he preferred it that way. If people started connecting the dots between the two of them and where he family lived, there would be an even greater secret at risk than just his identity.
His face goes blithely unreadable as he focuses on the floating island ahead of them, however, his genuine cheerfulness earlier replaced by the indifferently smiling mask he liked to fall back on when talking about anything remotely difficult.]
It's fine, though. I mean... it's not like I talk with a lot of people outside the Dream Sphere anyway, so it makes keeping quiet about it easier, at least. [And said so casually too........] Ah... though there have been a lot more Dreamers stopping by Camellia lately, which has been kinda annoying...
[Bad enough he has to dodge them while going about his daily life, but in his own home too??? THE WORST]
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Hopefully he was wrong... but he was going to tread lightly from here, not letting his suspicions show upon his face as he soaks in those headpats and hair ruffles like a contented cat.]
Well... sure. I don't want random strangers knowing who I am, either. I tell one person, they wind up telling other people involved in Dreamer circles, and it all goes south from there. After all, I'm your former trainee, and once people connect this handsome face with Dreamer Ai-Doll's prodigy student, I'd never get left alone!
[HANDSOME IS A BIT OF A STRETCH, HANAKO..... as well as most of what just came out of his mouth, really. Not that he was entirely serious about what he said, of course-- as far as he knew, their connection wasn't a widely advertised one, but he preferred it that way. If people started connecting the dots between the two of them and where he family lived, there would be an even greater secret at risk than just his identity.
His face goes blithely unreadable as he focuses on the floating island ahead of them, however, his genuine cheerfulness earlier replaced by the indifferently smiling mask he liked to fall back on when talking about anything remotely difficult.]
It's fine, though. I mean... it's not like I talk with a lot of people outside the Dream Sphere anyway, so it makes keeping quiet about it easier, at least. [And said so casually too........] Ah... though there have been a lot more Dreamers stopping by Camellia lately, which has been kinda annoying...
[Bad enough he has to dodge them while going about his daily life, but in his own home too??? THE WORST]