OH NO A PATIENT ALREADY SHE'S NOT PREPARED wait, no, you dumbass, that's Kang Jaeha, you idiot, you imbecile, you're making a fool of yourself in front of the, the, best psychic esper in the world, probably, not that any of them would ever consent to test themselves against each other considering, no stop freaking out SAY SOMETHING YOU FOOL.

"Yes," she agrees, after only a minimal pause, standing and bowing to him. "Kang Jaeha-sama. It is an honor to meet you."

Oh dear that was the wrong honorific, that was way, way, way too much, he's going to think she's an idiot otaku who watches too much anime or works too much in the service industry or or or or ACK HELP THERE IS NO UNDO BUTTON. STUPID STUPID STUPID.

"—haven't been called that before," he says, a bit taken aback. "You're making me embarrassed, there's no need for all that. And the honour is all mine; I'm a big fan of your work."

WHAT he's HEARD of her ACK it's probably ALL TERRIBLE she has only ever done - actually no she's pretty proud of her work even when she's being anxious but HE'S HEARD OF HER????? noooooooo she wishes to sink into the ground and be invisible and do nothing at all ever that would ever be perceived by anyone that could plausibly be painted as a hero of hers she's going to mess it up she's going to get it wrong, she's already gotten things wrong and they've shared like TWO SENTENCES.

"I - thank you. Um. I didn't know you spoke Japanese, I apologize. I was caught off guard."

WHY DID NO ONE TELL HER HE SPOKE JAPANESE. ... Admittedly she didn't, like, ask. Why didn't she ask if he could speak Japanese!!!!!!!

"I picked it up here and there over the years," he says with a bashful smile. "Sorry to just show up like this, I just overheard you talking to Yan Koch-san and got curious to see if it really was you. This is your first time with Nightmare, right?"

"Directly and while it is active, yes. But I have some experience with some of its rescued victims."

Oh good direct questions, she's good at answering those, those she can just answer and maybe not make too much of a fool of herself over.

"I can't imagine those cases are easy. I've heard of so many people I rescued who..." He shakes his head. "It's... tough."

"Yes," she agrees, and then she debates whether or not she should say that she thinks her assistance would help them a lot or if that would be too egotistical, but she does have some experience with other dungeons that aren't Nightmare but do go for the whole 'creation of fear' thing - no, too late, moment's gone, she'll just yet that 'Yes' hang awkwardly because she is so bad at this augh. Why! Is! She! Like! This!!!!

"Anyway, I'm really happy you're here now and I hope you'll be—no, I'm certain you'll be of help to these people."

Nod.

"I - yes. I hope so." Pause. She can't say she's exactly happy to be here - she is suppressing some thoughts about but what if Nightmare senses her backlash and decides she would be extra delicious and snatches her even while she's awake, can it even do that - but: "I'm glad to be here, too."

"I was also curious about—forgive me for eavesdropping, I did, ah, actually hear the tail end of that conversation—you can help the espers going in, too?"

"Yes. It's - um, it doesn't compare to your abilities," because Kang Jaeha is SO COOL and also the number one expert in dealing with Nightmare, "and I cannot perfectly guarantee length of time or prevent it from - grabbing hold of traumatic memories to work from - but." Nod. "Yes. I can make people not feel fear."

Herself included, actually, but in her experience squashing her own emotions is counterproductive to the extreme, and not even fully achievable. Her own anxiety and fear (and whatever else she wants) can be muffled, but her body's physical reactions still happen, and the high blood pressure and racing heart and shaking hands and everything else - well. That is still very real. She still causes damage and backlash to herself, and the debt will always come due at some point. Best to be very deliberate about what she incurs, and to have strict rules about not doing it trivially.

"That would be tremendously useful, especially if it keeps Nightmare from getting to them. Emotionally, that is. I can keep it from actually reaching people, supernaturally, but—the entire situation surrounding going in and rescuing people, that's harsh."

Nod nod.

"Then it's likely our powers will be leveraged in tandem." AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA she's going to make such a fool of herself and she started things off bad anyway and maybe Nightmare would find her backlash delicious enough to try to snatch her in particular even though she's an esper no those are bad thoughts, do not think those thoughts. "I look forward to working with you, Kang-shi."

Should she have gone with that honorific??? Was that too starchy?? It at least wasn't something as horrifically cringe as senpai, she thinks she would rather throw herself to Nightmare directly than literally ever say that out loud, especially after slipping and calling him sama, ack how could she have done that she is the worst.

(This is a much better anxiety spiral to be having. Carry on.)

He's not going to say anything about "Kang-shi". It's still definitely better than "Kang Jaeha-sama".

"Likewise, Fugimura-san."

"Ms. Fugimura Hana? —ah, and Mr. Kang Jaeha."

"Good morning, Ms. Xavier," he replies in English, extending a hand to shake hers.

"Ah - good morning," says Hana, in extremely accented English, who instead bows because she's very Japanese and is doing her best. "Yes?"

"I'm here to help you interface with others. I'll do my best to make sure you're comfortable! Would you be alright with starting now?"

Nod! "Yes." Please give her something useful to do, she feels useless and pathetic and like she's wasting everyone's time - what if she suddenly can't use her powers, that would be the worst - that is vanishingly unlikely to happen.

"I'll leave you to it, wouldn't want to cut in line. If you'll excuse me?"

Hana nods to him, then: yes, please, the job part of her job.

"Is the patient a victim, a rescue esper, or am I dealing with an outgoing team...?"

She has switched back to Japanese, because it's easier for her, and. She doesn't know all of the right things to say, in English. The translation software should make up the difference? Right? Please???

Yeah it works fine. 

"It's a victim. He lost his son to a suicide years ago, and Nightmare..."

She doesn't wince. She just nods.

"Estimation for how long he's been inside?"

"At least two hours, but he didn't keep track, and he's not talking very much."

"Okay. Then I'm ready to begin."

She asks the man firm, solid questions. Would he like to have his experience of Nightmare lessened, what is his ideal state of recollection of his experience inside the dungeon, does he consent to her using her esper powers on him in regards to minimizing his trauma. It's all said in an efficient little packet that she has actually recited many times. Well, not the Nightmare part itself, but the consent part. She will not be poking around in his brain without his permission or his knowledge, she is going to be very clear about what she is doing and where, and he is free to refuse if he'd like.