[IC] Shine City II: The Next Season

[Delta44]

@KoL

'Onee-sama...? Did she just...?'

Ryoki was surprised at hearing herself be called in such a way, that was for sure. She was much more acquianted with being called "Sensei", as Kaori had given her the title "Rhi-Sensei". Though to say the surprise was unpleasant would be lying to both poor Iruka and herself. How could one not find it heartwarming when being greeted so by someone so cu- 'Stop it.'

Hearing the poor girl stutter out an apology, Ryoki couldn't help but feel sad when she heard she wasn't treated well by her family. Family was the one thing Ryoki could depend on in life. Some had left her side, but they weren't immediate family, and even so they'd always been extremely helpful and kind - supportive. Especially Ryoki's grandmother, the former owner of the very scarf she wore, day after day. Her parents were always so understanding, and she couldn't ask for better twin siblings.

It was... somewhat unfair, in a way. She felt guilty, like she'd robbed this girl of a good life and family, somehow. It was just... wrong, for reasons inexplicable. But that was the way things were, and Ryoki knew; she also knew what to do next.

Ryoki took a step forward, and wraps her arms around the girl gently, hugging her with the same amount of gentleness a mother would to her baby. Though of course, Ryoki didn't feel like a motherly figure to Iruka. She said it herself - Ryoki was a lot like the big sister she (presumably) didn't have!

Therefore, Ryoki would take to that role without any complaints.

By now she was aware that Iruka wasn't a fan of being touched, so she pulled away and gave her the brightest smile she could give, radiating a newfound sense of warmth that seemed to light Ryoki up. "It's OK, Iru-chan! I'm actually rather flattered!" She then, surprisingly, bows toward Iruka. "Actually, I'm the one who needs to apologise. I haven't introduced myself yet, or at least, not whilst you're sober."

With a short chuckle, she stood up, still radiating with that positive smile and energy about her. "My name is Ryoki Mochizukki, but please, if onee-sama feels more natural, then by all means, go for it!"

Rebounding from her unseen, almost depressive state, Ryoki suddenly felt rather hungry. True, she'd just eaten with Kimasu, but, for whatever reason, she really needed something sweet right about now. 'Like peaches, or strawberries; something like Kaori... Aaaaaah...~!' She thought, almost letting her obsessive side show once again, though managing to keep herself collected for the time being. Well, aside from her apparent outburst in excitement, that is.

She reaches to grab Iruka's hand, though hesitates. She didn't like being touched - would this be taking things too far? 'Oh, screw it. She needs to face her fears one way or another! Hehehehe!' The laugh in her head was a lot more sinister for an act that was practically the polar opposite. Taking Iruka's hand, she starts pulling her along at a speed-walk-jog-run-thing-sort-of-speed, heading straight for the closest place they could get something to eat. As it would happen, this turns out to be the Shining Kettle.

Quickly finding a place to sit for the two of them, Ryoki takes a seat, urging Iruka to take a seat as well. Taking out her phone, she quickly sends a message to her brother regarding her whereabouts, as well as an apology for ditching him at the end of their "date." The text that comes after is filled with misery, though Ryoki knew that her poor little brother could recover his self-esteem faster than she could, simply by talking to someone pretty. With that order of business settled, she smiles at Iruka as they await a waiter or waitress.

"So, Iru-chan," she didn't seem like she was going to let that name go, regardless of if she were corrected or not, "mind telling me a little bit about yourself? Don't worry, I'm not trying to pry or anything, just curious! Here, I'll give myself as an example." Ryoki clears her throat in preparation for what would be a voice acted performance in the middle of Shining Kettle, though of course, she made sure not to make herself too loud.

She regards Iruka with a mischievous smirk as Ryoki got into character. "My name's Ryoki Mochizukki, hun~! But I'm fine with you calling me whatever you want...~" The Raven winks with that same level of natural talent as she had the previous night, delivering her flirtatious persona to a t. "I enjoy lots of things, like making music, voice acting, and..." She trails off and licks her lips, leaning in close as she whispers: "... doing the naughty...~! Teehee!"

As soon as she leans back, her character breaks immediately, as she beams a large grin. "Was that good? Ehehehe! Sorry. I probably caught you off guard a little with all that, huh? I was just demonstrating my -- ahem! -- voice acting skills." The following giggle that ensued was slightly perverted-sounding as well as a tad sinister, though she finally returns to a state of normalcy in order to listen to what Iruka has to say, as well as place her order, as the waitress/waiter had arrived immediately after doing so.

After giving their standard greeting and asking about their order, Ryoki contemplates to herself what she'll be having, before making an order for the sweetest slice of cake they had, if they actually served cake there, prioritising cheesecake above all else, shortly followed by pavlova. Should neither of those be served, then the closest she could get to something fruity or sweet, cake or not. Having placed her order, she patiently waits for Iruka to make hers, even going as far as helping her should she find herself struggling. With all that said and done, Ryoki continues the conversation with Iruka, should there be need to continue, asking about her choice of food and if she wanted more.

---

In the interest of time...

Ryoki had taken to her cake (or other sweet food) much like a hawk would to prey, eating it with incredible swiftness and not an awful lot of mannerisms, though thankfully she was courteous to use a spoon to gobble down the sweet contents. The faces she made as she swallowed the sweet, bundle of joy were simply those of delight, her face turning red out of joy as she let out a muffled squeal of happiness. Today was turning out to be a pretty good day for the crystal-eyed musician, though it certainly was a roller coaster of emotions.

However, that roller coaster would take a sudden and sharp drop soon. Whilst in the midst of savouring the sweetness of her goodness, Ryoki receives a text from none other than her favourite person in the world who wasn't family: Kaori. With a giddy, almost childish nature about her, Ryoki smiles to herself as she opens the text, though suddenly finds the joy fade from her being as she read the message through.

Dear Ryoki-sensei
I am sorry I can't make it to our lessons today. My brother ended up getting into an accident...
I am sure you will understand. I am so sorry for the inconvenience! Please don't be too mad?
~Kaori

"Kaori..." Ryoki couldn't help but frown. It was the one thing she looked forward to every week - teaching the young girl not only how to play the instruments of her dreams, but also how to become a woman. The unexpected cancelation left Ryoki breathless, however, reading it over and noticing her brother had gotten into an accident, she became rather concerned. She hadn't become acquainted with Kaori's brother, at least not very well, so she wasn't quite sure what had happened, but she still managed to reply.

Don't worry about the lessons, you fool! Look after yourself and your brother! :P He needs you right now, so be sure to take good care of him, OK? We'll just continue next Sunday, or whenever it's convenient for you. Stay safe!
~Ryoki

Despite the seemingly cheery message, Ryoki wasn't exactly feeling cheery. Of course she was worried for Kaori and her brother, but at the same time she felt pretty down about not being able to have their lessons today. It was a selfish train of thought, and Ryoki knew it, but she just couldn't help feeling that way, no matter how hard she tried shaking it off in her head. Perhaps now was a good time to leave...

Yellow and black rises from its seat as Ryoki stands, forcing a smile that wasn't as convincing as before, as her eyes gave way to an untold pain. "Sorry, Iru-chan, but I need to go. My friend's brother just got into an accident, so I'm going to pay her a visit to see if she and her brother are alright." She seems to grow less tense as she speaks of the situation, offering Iruka a sad smile as she scours her purse for the amount of money they owed for the meal, placing it on the table before her coworker. "My treat. Don't worry, I'm rich, so this is nothing." It wasn't quite a lie, but it wasn't exactly truth, either. Her family was rich, certainly. Ryoki's own earnings, however... well, it wasn't enough to consider her as 'rich', nor anywhere close to what a modern pop star would earn. Though of course, she left that little tidbit hidden.

With another smile, a little happier than the last, she gently pets Iruka once more, as a way of saying goodbye. "See ya at work!" Ryoki giggles and takes her leave, headed out to nowhere in particular. Despite what she told Iruka, she wasn't going to see Kaori. Ryoki couldn't bring herself to do that - it felt wrong. She kind of wanted to be alone, but wasn't quite ready to go home yet, and so her brain thought up a place where she could enjoy some solitude - a place nobody would think to go, what with the weather so terrible.

Shiny Park.

She knew the park well. It was a place she used to frequent as a kid, when her parents would take her out, and she continued to roam the park throughout her adult life, too. It was a nice place; it was a place where Ryoki felt she could always trust, even more-so than her apartment. Taking out her brand new umbrella, brought as a gift from Kimasu, Ryoki began to make her way to the park - her refuge; her safe haven.

The rain droplets continued to dance around her, and crash atop her umbrella, as the relaxing sound of an angel's tears crashing against an umbrella soothed her thoughts. She felt sorry for the unfortunate angel who wept this day - the prospect of snow was fairly high, given the current forecast. She could almost feel it coming, though it likely wouldn't come today. Tomorrow, maybe, or even tonight. Perhaps longer. Regardless, Ryoki soon arrives at her destination, taking the closest pathway entrance into the park and following it, watching the scenery pass by as she walks.

She was after a specific place in Shiny Park - a bench beneath a tree which she'd always sit by. It was towards the center of the park, near the childrens' playground. The bench and tree held no real value over Ryoki other than the fact she liked the spot. Despite being towards the center, it was usually pretty peaceful there, at least for Ryoki. For the occasional parent that accompanied her in sitting there, she could always share a word or piece of advice, or even just engage in casual small talk. It was a place where she felt the most relaxed - perhaps there was some kind of value, deep down, she had for that spot in particular that she wasn't yet aware of.

After all, it was the place where she met her first real friend, who had since passed away. It was... a terrible accident. The thought caused her mind to think of Kaori and her brother, as her stomach suddenly grew tight.

The memories tormented her, and Ryoki couldn't help but let a few tears fall with the rain as she sat at the bench, beneath the tree, umbrella catching the droplets and diverting them aside. 'Don't think about it, Ryoki... You promised her you wouldn't be sad...' The thought was gut-wrenching, like she'd taken a sudden blow to the stomach. She'd often ask herself why she was so fragile when alone, though honestly couldn't think up an appropriate answer. It was a horrible feeling, though... One she did her absolute best to push as far back in her mind as possible.

'Why does everyone leave me...?' The Raven asks as she wipes the tears that trailed down her cheeks. 'Why do they all go...? Just... why me...?'

The thoughts were enough to make her break down again, though this time she was more inclined to calm herself, inhaling sharp, cool breaths of air as she steadily began to regain control of herself. Things like these happened sometimes: sudden outbursts of sadness that were short, yet intense. Since they started, Ryoki had found that the only way to cure them was to wait for them to be over, and recompose herself once they'd finished. They were usually accompanied by a lowering in her self-worth, inspiring thoughts such as: 'There are people out there who have it way worse than I do,' and 'Stop complaining, you're fine. You should be more concerned about everyone else.' As expected, today was no different, as those very thoughts courses through her mind.

But the truth was, Ryoki was an incredibly hurt human being, who kept convincing herself and others that she was OK. She just wanted someone, anyone else, to stay with her through it all and not end up six feet under, though she didn't know it. She just wanted this lifelong nightmare filled with death to end, and to put an end to all her troubles and worrys. She wanted a saviour - a prince in shining armour to kill off her inner demons, and to recreate one of those fairy tales her brother was so fond of...

To put it simply, all Ryoki really wanted was a friend...

[Tokara]

Copen blinked for a moment, then frowned. Either he was translating things in his head as well as hearing them, or... She had just spoken Danish? This Japanese girl with pink hair had just spoken his mother tongue? To be honest, the idea of it very much surprised him. He had only encountered one Japanese man who had actually been able to speak a few words. The others had actually been from Denmark.

Well, he was basically sold.

He moved to join her at her table, unable to help a small amount of surprise and wonder creeping over his face at her order. That would be a lot of money. A whole night out's worth. But she looked interesting, and sometimes life was for meeting strange people. She was slender and small, and yet could consume so much... Copen doubted that even he could finish such a monstrous drink.

"I'm Copen. It's nice to meet you, Mitty," he replied politely, glancing to the side as their coffees arrived. His was a normal mug of black coffee, while hers... It was more of a cup of sugar, really. He chuckled at it, sitting back in his chair and raising his mug to his lips. He looked at her as he did so, blue eyes watching her with much amusement.

"Now." He set down his coffee, crossing his arms on the table and leaning forward slightly. "You need to tell me. Why do you speak Danish? I haven't met another girl from here that does," he commented, voice loud as always.

[Narcotic Dollie]

Nori had been doing an excellent job of keeping the tears at bay until she texted the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Clayburn, about the death of their prized tulip and read their quick reply. The couple was nothing but kind and understanding, saying that as long as she was okay it would be fine and that she didn’t have to worry about paying for the blossom. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back and the blonde broke down, covering her mouth to muffle the sound of a sob.

’I don’t have time for this right now, I have to get this place cleaned up so I can get out of here on time. You know, so I don’t get my face bashed in by a sledgehammer,’ the short girl reminded herself, scrubbing her hands angrily over her eyes to dry away the tears. Composure slightly regained, Nori grabbed the garbage can and dragged it to the back, crouching down to scoop up the sharp edges of the shattered clay pot.

The doorbell chimed as someone entered the store and Nori started to steel herself for an interesting interaction with a customer, but stopped short when she heard Kyle’s familiar voice calling her name. ’Just go away,’ Nori willed, wiping her face furiously again to hopefully clear any evidence that she had been crying. The blonde looked like a hideous, drowned raccoon, with her hair still dripping wet and her mascara smeared in every direction. She had stripped her flannel shirt off when she had first come in, but had at least had the foresight to put her coat back on and zip it closed, concealing the white tank top had become translucent and obscene from the rain. Nori heard Kyle’s footsteps as he drew closer and she screwed her eyes shut grinding her teeth in frustration. “Nori…,” the tall boy started and Nori cringed at how gently he said it, causing a shard of the ruined flower pot to slice one of her fingers. "Can we talk...please?"

“What Kyle, what do you want?” She hissed angrily before flicking her eyes up at him. He looked awful too, still soaking from the rain and his handsome face all cut up and swelling in some places. Nori began to feel the beginnings of guilt claw its way through her mind and she said again, softer this time. “What do you want, Kyle?”

@BeastofDestiny

[MyCatGinger]

@Delta44

"You'll catch a cold out here in the rain like this."

A soft, low voice came like a murmur in the sounds of the falling rain, and if the raven haired woman had any part of her sopping wet in the rain before, now no drops fell on her entirely. Hunched on the bench, the man with the striking silver hair stood above her, holding his deep indigo umbrella over hers, and ensuring no drops at all would touch her skin. Of course, said chivalrous act did not stop the rain from falling on him as he said not another word, letting a note of silence ring between the two of them. Droplets soon enough covered his glasses, though if she looked up, she'd be met with solemn brown eyes and at seeing her face, a small, concerned, if curt, smile.

As he was driving past, Shiny Park not being far from the Tiny Snowflake at all, he had seen a flash of yellow unmistakably familiar, and with the billowing black locks that accompanied it, he was certain he had seen this person before. What actually made him park the car into a bay and follow this woman was the fact that he noticed her running, as if trying to get away from something. Bad things happened in bad weather.

Bad things happened in bad weather.

Offering her his open gloved hand (what, and you thought Shou would let his fingers go cold and numb? Not when he had to drive!), he held it before her as if for her to take so he could pull her gently to her feet. The leather was as white as his now wet hair, progressively growing limp as more moisture collected, but made it shine.

Though he wasn't quite focused on that. The lady, solemn as she sat, and on the very verge of tears, had a melancholy beauty about her he couldn't place. So charmed was he that he allowed the moment to linger, just a little longer, before speaking again.
"Miss Mochizukki, I would be hard-pressed to forget a face as lovely as yours, even here in the misty rain. Forgive me; I happened to follow you here..." he let his voice trail off, tilting his head back and with curious brown eyes, finally observing the area they found themselves in, "...because I thought I recognised you, and wanted to apologise for my behaviour last night. I'm lucky to have bumped into you, perhaps more like made it so, today."

"And I noticed you seemed...melancholy. A muse in the pouring rain, sitting alone by the trees."
Shou Matsuoka, somewhere deep down, subconsciously still loved the rain. It made him more romantic, for sure. It reminded him of better times. It was a bittersweet memory to the man.

"And if there is anything at all that I can do to make your rainy day a little brighter..." he bowed a little here, though with a more noble air behind it, only just dropping the idea of kneeling before her on the grassy pathway when remembering that it was raining, and his knees would be soaking wet, "...I'm quite prepared to dedicate a portion of this Sunday to doing just that."
He paused, before adding with a little flush, "Ryoki."

...and, as if right out of any comic relief panel ever, as if on cue of a sadistic director who ran life itself, Shou's stomach let out a low grumble that made the unsuspecting man flinch.
Ah yes, hunger pangs...

"If you would allow me the pleasure, would some..." he checked his watch. Lunchtime. "...lunch at the Tiny Snowflake with me sound like a plan?"

[BeastofDestiny]

He winced at how curt her reply was, she was pissed at him and he knew it, but when she repeated the question again softer this time, Kyle exhaled softly; at least she was willing to hear him out. "To apologize..." he stated simply, her hair looked quite frazzled, matted down in some places from the water, make-up smears across her eyes, face and coat, if he didn't know any better, he'd say she had been crying and frankly...he couldn't blame her. A lot was on his mind now a lot he wanted to say, everything from the fight, to Nori scolding the two idiots, Nick, her face... but now that he was actually here, in front of this woman...where did he even start? He scratched his head and just...started talking.

"I wasn't the one to deal the first blow in that fight...but it was a fight I shouldn't have gotten into all the same, especially not here of all places and not in front of...you..." He felt his heart clench up, remembering that face of anger she had displayed, but even behind the anger, he saw the disappointment in her eyes too, "It was a petty fight, one with the potential to destroy livelihoods, and I don't want to be the one responsible for destroying yours," At this point Kyle dropped down to his knees and crouched down, his slightly swollen forehead reacting to the cold tile below, "From the bottom of my heart Nori Haywood, I am sorry and I hope that you can forgive me, and...if you can find room for more....please forgive Nick too..."

[Viciousmarrow]

So that's where he recognized Shizuka from. He was often in the Biology department himself, although probably more than he wanted to be. Biology was never his favorite subject, but knowing everything about oral microbiology and dental anatomy was a must for a future dentist. Alban waved her onwards, letting her go back to her duties since the café was starting to get crowded now. A curious girl with pink hair and strange glasses wandered in and sat herself at the table next to him. Maybe it was just him, but there was an air of vanity around her. The way she sat, just the way she held herself made her seem like she didn't belong her. Perhaps she was just a rich kid who was trying to imitate the middle class lifestyle?

Barely even a few minutes in, the lady was already being wooed by a blond haired man who was offering to buy her coffee. Alban wasn't sure of his accent, but it sounded kind of like German. He'd only visited Europe twice in his life time, and on both occasions, he'd spent the majority of his time in France and maybe a day or two in Germany. This definitely did not qualify him as an expert on European languages. He eavesdropped on their conversation for a little longer until he saw Shizuka bring out the girl's order: a massive goblet of some unholy concoction. Alban's blue eyes went wide with a mixed look of disgust and amazement on his face. Why in the world would anybody want that?

"Putain de merde..." [French: Holy shit...] he cursed under his breath.

Having had quite his fill of eavesdropping for one day, he turned his head to see what his little girl was doing. She had been with the waiter-turned-magician, Zac, but now... Alban had no idea where she had gone. The muffin that had been in front of her seat was now crumbs, so she couldn't have gotten too far. With a sigh, he got up from his chair to search for his mischievous rascal.

---

"Okay, Mr. Alien! You have a deal! But you had better give me moon rocks when I come back!" she said to Zac while clapping her hands together.

She scampered back into her seat, leaving the waiter able to do his job at last. Her blueberry muffin with a cute cherry on top awaited her, and like a flash of lightning, it was gone! Her daddy was transfixed on the couple next to their table, which caused the tiny girl to tilt her head in amusement. When he was really into things, he tended to narrow his eyes and breathe more slowly. She didn't dare interrupt him, so she began to look for things to do herself. It was only then that she realized that the lady that she saw outside with the bag had entered with another woman, sitting a few tables over. Fickle curiosity gripped the little girl, and she plopped back down to the ground again, determined to see what was in that bag! If the alien wouldn't help her, then she would do it on her own!

She crouched low and hid beneath the table right behind the younger looking woman, her own blue eyes gazing at the designer bag like a tiger eyes its next meal. While the lady was distracted in conversation, she crawled out from underneath the table and began to tug the bag towards her. After what seemed to be an eternity of slowly dragging the bag, Lucille finally had it! She sat back under the table and stuck her hand to reveal the enchanting surprise her catch had netted her. What came before her eyes was something she was not expecting at all: it was the most precious stuffed rabbit she had ever seen! In a fit of joy, she tried to rush back to her daddy with her new rabbit, but came up too fast and hit her head against the table. Dramatically, she flailed onto the floor.

Immediately, a loud whine emitted from Lucille. Escalating fast, the whine turned into a symphony of sobs as Lucille lay in a heap, clutching the stuffed animal to her form.

---

At the first sounds of his daughter's crying, Alban rushed over to the crumpled over girl.

"Honey, what did you do?!" he asked her, getting her back to her feet and doing his best to console his crying daughter.

"I hit my head on the mean tableeeee!" Lucille replied, tears bubbling in her eyes.

Sighing, Alban looked over at the table she had been hiding under and noticed the designer bag that had been left under there. He then noticed the rabbit she was holding. It didn't take a criminal detective to understand what Lucille had being while she was over here. He wasn't mad though since she was, after all, just a little girl and needed to learn right from wrong.

"I'm sorry that happened, but, Lucille, did you steal that rabbit while you were under there?"

As quickly as she started crying, she fell silent just as fast. The little girl sniffled and hung her head for a moment before nodding a yes to her father. She really didn't want to let it go though.

"See? Bad things happen when you commit bad actions. Why don't you go give that back to its rightful owner?" Alban told his daughter, kneeling down so he was on her level.

On her father's orders, Lucille marched back to the lady like a grief stricken widow, holding the stuffed animal outstretched. She still had her head bowed, her long blond hair obscuring her facial features. Moreover, it was quite apparent that the poor girl was quivering from sadness.

"I'm sorry I took Coco Rabbit from you. He's very nice and fluffy and I love him, but... You can have him back." Lucille apologized, finally raising her head, a sorrowful expression laced into her tear stricken eyes, to this new woman.

@lovely complex @KoL

[LovelyComplex]

@Chicogal @Stern Algorithm

Amie looked up at the quiet waitress gratefully, "Thank you, darling. You can expect a tip before I leave! You're doing great." As she scanned the waitress' appearance, ebony hair, red eyes, with a straight, formal posture, Amie recalled the waitress' conversation earlier with the other blonde male at the table beside her, who looked french, and might of cursed under his breath in french? She couldn't make out what he said... regardless, yes, Amity eavesdropped. The waitress was a student at the academy, and she was a teacher assistant for Dr.Matsuoka in Biology. Just like that, the information was filed into Amity's brain, from the girl's face to her personal data, for future use. One may never know when they may need information... At least Amie would know where to find this girl if she needed to know more about Shine City Academy. Granted, Renee was close friends with the Kocho Sensei, so entry into the school would be quite easy.

Bringing her attention back to Copen, she shrugged, "I believe if you're going to travel somewhere, learn the language too. And let me tell you, I've been to many places. The only place I've stayed for more than a year was America!" Amity took her time sipping her drink and began playing with the straw. Recalling past memories, she glowered, "I hate when people talk shit about me in other languages. Like. At the spa, for instance, the workers there don't think you know Chinese or Portuguese, or whatever, and so they start criticizing you right in front of your face. That's part of why I choose to learn languages, so I can tell people off in their native tongue." Her words did not fit the nerd look. The more and more she talked, the less nerdy she seemed. Amity wasn't in the mood to act, plus the only person really paying attention to her was this boy she just met. She doubted any of these other people were into pop culture, so she felt safe to be herself.

"Now what about you? Were you always from Japan?" she took a big swig of her frap and continued, "With how thick your accent is, I'd assume no. If I am correct, then tell me, what brought you here?" Before he answered, a loud wail resonated in the coffee shop. Amity looked toward the little girl crying on the floor. She watched the scene play out from the older brother...or father...but he was young...so brother checking to see if the child was okay, to the realization she stole the bunny, to him telling her to return the bunny, and ultimately for the little diva to march her way to the bunny's owner, apologizing. The owner looked quite sweet, long, brown hair, soft features, someone she could imagine having a similar voice of the girl, who left her a voicemail... of course, she shouldn't assume, but both the little girl and the owner of the bunny shared one thing in common, they were the epitome of cute.

Amity couldn't handle all the cuteness, so she returned to her drink and her conversation with Copen, "Where were we?"

[Tokara]

She was kind to the waitress. Copen noticed that. He wrapped his hands around the warm mug, long fingers overlapping eachother. He'd gotten a very wrong initial impression of this girl, when he'd seen her for the first time. It was a stereotype of glasses - quiet and intelligent. She certainly wasn't quiet, although he couldn't tell much about the intelligence yet. As Mitty chattered on, he listened to her every word. He was quite invested in her words; she was interesting. She'd done a lot of travel? To Denmark as well? He was quite impressed.

The blond nodded, smile fading slightly as she became more incensed. This girl had a lot of... fire, if anything. She'd probably talk the hind leg off a donkey. When the conversation finally came back to him, he shook his head, but paused as she was distracted. Copen glanced the way she was looking too, noticing a scene with a little girl. Huh. Not particularly interesting. He wasn't a big fan of children, although he thought he'd make a great uncle.

"No, but I learned Japanese at school and university back in Denmark," he explained. "I'd always been fascinated with Japanese culture, and had wanted to visit. It's the sort of thing that's hard to explain." Shrugging, he took another sip of his coffee. "I'm working as a waiter at the Danish restaurant down the street. It's the only one in town. Do you know it?" he asked. Something about her was slightly off. It didn't feel like she should be here, with him, in this middle-class cafe. She travelled and knew languages and looked ever so slightly... familiar.

@lovely complex

[Narcotic Dollie]

Nori stared at Kyle in shock as he apologized while bent over in a traditional bow on the floor. She watched him unblinkingly for a moment, clutching her bleeding finger to her chest as she tried to digest everything he'd just told her. Nick had started the fight? Why would he do something like that? It was hard to believe the bubble gum chewing radio host was capable of any violence, given the fact that he always seemed so laid back.

The guilt Nori felt for yelling at Kyle had increased five times now that she knew he hadn't started the fight, so she reached out with her uninjured hand and brought it down to ruffle his hair, just like he'd done that first time at the park. "Get up here, you big dork," she chuckled, pulling him up so that she could give him a quick hug.

"Just don't have any more fight clubs outside my work, alright?" Nori murmured as she buried her head in his neck. "I really like you, Kyle. I don't want something stupid like that to come between what ever is going on between us," the blonde admitted. "And I'm sorry for earlier, about what I said on the street. I could have been gentler," the florist admitted. "...I also probably shouldn't have sprayed you with the garden hose, but I'm not sorry about that one. It was pretty fun," Nori giggled, before pulling back to inspect the damage on Kyle's face.

"Jesus, he really did a number on you," she whispered, tracing her fingers over the fresh cuts that were scattered across his nose. "You should probably rinse those. There's a first aid kit in the bathroom, if you need to use it."

@BeastofDestiny

[Stern Algorithm]

Amie looked up at the quiet waitress gratefully, "Thank you, darling. You can expect a tip before I leave! You're doing great."

@lovely complex

@Dynamo Frokane

"Thank you for the compliment, a tip is always appreciated," Shizuka replied. Though Amity seemed rather gaudy despite her attempts to 'disguise' herself, Shizuka appreciated her generosity and didn't judge the way she dressed or behaved. If anything, Shizuka was rather impressed at Amity's self-expression in her personal style as well as her character and personality, what little of it Shizuka had seen anyways. It was the very fact that Shine City had so many colorful people that made the city so interesting, and also why she felt it was improbable that Nick would like someone like herself. There were so many more interesting and outgoing people, so many people far more attractive. Nick deserved better than someone so plain; Nick could attain better, being a radio host and such a colorful personality himself. Shizuka saw herself as an anachronism, an old lady trapped in a young woman's body, too old-fashioned and uninteresting perhaps for this city.

Taking Iruka's hand, Ryoki starts pulling her along at a speed-walk-jog-run-thing-sort-of-speed, heading straight for the closest place they could get something to eat. As it would happen, this turns out to be the Shining Kettle.

Quickly finding a place to sit for the two of them, Ryoki takes a seat, urging Iruka to take a seat as well.

"So, Iru-chan," she didn't seem like she was going to let that name go, regardless of if she were corrected or not, "mind telling me a little bit about yourself? Don't worry, I'm not trying to pry or anything, just curious! Here, I'll give myself as an example." Ryoki clears her throat in preparation for what would be a voice acted performance in the middle of Shining Kettle, though of course, she made sure not to make herself too loud.

She regards Iruka with a mischievous smirk as Ryoki got into character. "My name's Ryoki Mochizukki, hun~! But I'm fine with you calling me whatever you want...~" The Raven winks with that same level of natural talent as she had the previous night, delivering her flirtatious persona to a t. "I enjoy lots of things, like making music, voice acting, and..." She trails off and licks her lips, leaning in close as she whispers: "... doing the naughty...~! Teehee!"

As soon as she leans back, her character breaks immediately, as she beams a large grin. "Was that good? Ehehehe! Sorry. I probably caught you off guard a little with all that, huh? I was just demonstrating my -- ahem! -- voice acting skills." The following giggle that ensued was slightly perverted-sounding as well as a tad sinister, though she finally returns to a state of normalcy in order to listen to what Iruka has to say, as well as place her order, as the waitress/waiter had arrived immediately after doing so.

After giving their standard greeting and asking about their order, Ryoki contemplates to herself what she'll be having, before making an order for the sweetest slice of cake they had, if they actually served cake there, prioritising cheesecake above all else, shortly followed by pavlova. Should neither of those be served, then the closest she could get to something fruity or sweet, cake or not. Having placed her order, she patiently waits for Iruka to make hers, even going as far as helping her should she find herself struggling. With all that said and done, Ryoki continues the conversation with Iruka, should there be need to continue, asking about her choice of food and if she wanted more.

@Delta44

Shizuka took Ryoki and Iruka's order, though she was somewhat flushed. Ryoki's 'demonstration', while not loud, was rather immodest and made Shizuka rather embarrassed. She tried not to let her embarrassment show while she took their orders, and returned a while later with their food and drink. Women of this generation were so...bold. Here was a woman who could have any man she wanted by the power of her voice alone. Shine City truly was a beautiful city with beautiful people.

"Honey, what did you do?!" Alban asked her, getting her back to her feet and doing his best to console his crying daughter.

"I hit my head on the mean tableeeee!" Lucille replied, tears bubbling in her eyes.

@Viciousmarrow

At the first sign of crying, Shizuka quickly and safely put down whatever she happened to be holding and ran to the kitchen. Since a majority of all accident-related fatalities occurred in kitchens, the Shining Kettle kitchen was well-equipped to deal with bruises, cuts and burns. Shizuka rummaged in one of the freezers and took out an icy gel pack. She headed back to where Alban and Lucille were apologizing to Iruka. "Here, hold this to your 'ouchie'," Shizuka said, placing the gel pack to Lucille's head, "It should numb the pain and stop the swelling." Shizuka patted Lucille's head and ran her fingers through Lucille's hair before placing her hand on Lucille's shoulder, looking deep into her eyes. Seeing that Lucille had gotten most of her crying out, Shizuka smiled, "There's a strong girl," she praised her, and placed Lucille's own hand on the gel pack to let her keep it in place herself. Shizuka stood up and faced Alban, bowing deeply, "I'm so sorry your daughter got hurt, it should never have happened. I should have been more vigilant. I promise it won't happen again."

[Dolerman]

Nick was not expecting even MORE water, but out of nowhere, in the physical volcano which was him versus Kyle, a high pressure blast of freezing water hit him in the face, which could be seen as a timely save as he was kinda nearly getting his ass kicked, and was partly grateful the fight was being ended. Turning to the side he saw her, the cause of all of this heartache and insecurity. His emotions were mixed, he was still angry for being stood up by her all those months before, but even in her florist outfit she looked so good. Nick quickly remembered why he was so crazy about this girl in the first place. She scowled at him and Kyle and his eyes welled up with tears when she told them off for their behavior and implied Nick had little respect for her. This really hurt him, his emotions took control...

Is this what you left me for?

Kyle Parker!? is this your type now Nori?! You wouldn't stand him up on a date would you? Why did I deserve that?! *sniff* you look amazing though, I guess when someone is as Attractive and Interesting as you no one can get mad at you......not even me...I didn't mean to disrespect your workplace...y.you....you'll never have to see me again....

Nick Weston Signing Out.....

Nick turned on his heels and began walking to the nearest tram stop, fighting every urge not to jump off a bridge on the way there. He cried all the way to his destination. He was beaten up, soaking wet, and heartbroken.

He pulled out his phone and saw the text from shizuka, he felt even worse, she didn't feel the same way about him and deep down he knew that, but she was still being nice to him. Nick was able to see the truth and swallow it hard as he texted back.

Youve done nothing wrong Shizuka, I'm sorry I didn't get the message sooner, I really really really like you, but I think you deserve something better than this washed up DJ right now. Stay perfect Shiz.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

After he got on the Tram he was able to collect his thoughts enough to know he needed to cheer himself up, before he did something really stupid, the only thing that came to mind was a few games of Fighting Street 2 at the Lancom Arcade. So he got off at that stop and entered the venue, still dripping wet and looking like a zombie. A few of the gamers who knew nick didn't ask him anything as they were too shocked seeing the always cheerful DJ looking such a state. Nick will still holding back tears after sending his last text, so his vision was blurred as he looked for a Fighting Street machine to play at, he wound up sitting down next to a pretty girl with black hair and red eyes who seemed to be half-way thorugh taunting some Otakus in the arcade.

Nick spoke up softly, being careful not to choke on his tears.

H..Hey, you don't mind if I play you, do you? I'm a little rusty...I'm Nick Weston.

@ClocktowerEchos

[Yui]

As the pair stepped into the store, Tomoko was met with a question.

"So, what do you do when you're not busy making all the leader boards say 'Tomoko-sama?' Are you a student or do you work?"

"I'm a student, but I've been considering becoming a pro gamer as well. Seems like easy money." Once in the store, Tomoko made her way to the snack aisle. Convenience stores were a bit of a pain sometimes since they always seemed to move their items around, but more often than not, the stuff Tomoko wanted was in here...somewhere. Most of the time. However, it seemed this time wasn't the case. They'd moved the mints, the bastards. Now Tomoko had to figure out where those had gone. Luckily, it didn't take long to find them; they were by the counter now.

Tomoko got in line behind Yutaro; seemed he was just one step ahead. He was now effectively the only thing standing between Tomoko and her target.

"Yea that's...actually, I'll take these too." Yutaro had picked up a box of the very chocolate mints she had her eyes on. For a second, she thought perhaps he liked them too. If he did or not would remain a mystery, as he handed them off to her instead.

"You said chocolate mints, right? I hope you like that brand."

"Thank you." Once he paid, the two stepped out. Now then, the arcade, as the two had agreed on. Opening up the box of mints she'd been gifted with, Tomoko reached in and popped one into her mouth. Yummy.

---

Ah, the arcade. This was where Tomoko was at her best, save behind the screen of her own computer. Many games to play, and she did her best to top the leaderboards for all of them. However, today was not a leaderboard day. Today, she was here to compete with another player, live, right there standing next to her. She'd already played everything here and hit the number-one spot at least once in each game, so it wouldn't be fair for her to just pick a game at random. For all she knew, she'd pick something Yutaro would be bad at, and that just wasn't in good sportsmanship at all. She'd let him pick, she decided. A small extra thanks for buying her the mints.

"You can choose the game. Pick your poison."
@Takashi

[BeastofDestiny]

Kyle expected another verbal lashing, an ass kicking, or at the very least a 'Get out', but instead when he felt his hair being ruffled and his body pulled into hers for a hug he felt relieved; he thought he'd really fucked up big time. The DJ apologized too, not wanting whatever was going on between them to end over something so petty. When she brought her fingers over his fresh cuts, he felt the sting of them, but the girl's touch was gentle enough that he could tolerate it.

"Jesus, he really did a number on you, you should probably rinse those. There's a first aid kit in the bathroom, if you need to use it."

"I think between the rain and your hosing shenanigans my wounds are cleaned out well enough," he smirked at the girl before looking down to her hand clutching her shirt, he could just barely see it but the familiar red was there. "Let me see that," he asked, reaching for her hand, she let him and he examined the blood dripping from the finger, it was just beginning to coagulate so it was fairly fresh, "This we should definitely get cleaned up though, come on, you can lead the way."

The bathroom was just across the store and they passed by the entrance to get to it. For just a brief moment, Kyle looked out the window to see if Nick was still there, only to be filled with disappointment to find out that he wasn't, "Stupid bastard..." Maybe there was just something Kyle wasn't understanding as to why Nick didn't come in if he liked Nori so much...to at least apologize after she had apologized to him...maybe he'd meet the youth someday and be able to ask him, maybe not it didn't matter at this point. Once Nori had lead them to the bathroom she began to wash her hands in the sink while Kyle located the first aid kit in the room, pulling a couple of band aids, one for him, one for her. Once she had finished, Kyle had her sit down on the toilet and he knelt in front of her and carefully applied the bandage to her finger so as to cause as little discomfort as possible.

Still feeling somewhat guilty he said, "Sorry again...for all that...Are you going to be alright? I didn't get you fired did I?" He suddenly remembered that last bit from when she scolded him, he really didn't want to be the cause of destroying her livelihood.

@Narcotic Dollie

[Takashi]

As the two gamers entered the arcade, Tomoko decided to let Yutaro pick the game. It was a generous gesture, as games were often won or lost simply by the choice of rules; then again, this was a girl who considered pro gaming "easy money," so perhaps it was simply akin to granting him a last request. In terms of raw skill, Yutaro was best a retro games, however, he didn't feel as though standing and watching one another take turns racking up points was fitting for their first battle. No, a head-to-head battle where they played side by side at the same time was what he wanted... and then he got a devious idea. "How about Mecha Saints? You seemed to be pretty good at that. Let's say, best three out of five wins."

A famous phrase from Sun Tzu echoed in the back of his head as he made his suggestion: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. He had seen her play, he knew her main, he caught a glimpse of her style, and she even spelled out a bit of her strategy to him. All she knew was that he played the game. This would give him an early advantage and could even result in a victory as she acclimated to his style and habits. He led her over to the machine, chivalrously gesturing for her to take the player one position, but once he popped his money into the machine, the time for courtesy was over.

Yutaro knew exactly who Tomoko was going to pick, but even so he paused and pondered over the character select screen for a few seconds, building up the dramatic tension just a bit. He moved his selector down to the bottom, all the way to the right, past the joke tier character and over to the amorphous silver blob the the developers had put in as a gimmick to pad out the character roster. Each round, it would take on the shape and move set on one random character, changing every round. It had no moves of its own, but in cases like these, it gave the player a unique ability. The advantage in knowledge that Yutaro had would reset every time his move set changed. Yutaro had a fundamental grasp of the full roster in this game, and could clear arcade mode with all of them; with each, he had a different set of tactics, tricks, and habits. Tomoko only had one character, one optimal way to play.

Yutaro's advantage would be ever waning, and in the long run it would ultimately fail, but in a first to three scenario perhaps it would be enough. Yutaro didn't give any hint of this before the first fight began; he simply said, "Good luck," and put all his focus into the screen. He knew that without a tricky metagame tactic like this, he would be screwed even from what little he had seen of Tomoko's playing. However, Yutaro was blissfully ignorant of the full extent of Tomoko's power, nor was he aware that he was facing off against Kerokero Kyuukyoku. Perhaps his odds were not as good as he thought.

@JustYui

[Narcotic Dollie]

Nori, seated on the closed toilet seat, watched in amusement as Kyle fussed over the band-aid as if he was creating a master painting instead of patching up a small cut on her finger. The whole scene was made even funnier by the fact that Kyle was the one that looked like he had just gone five rounds for the UFC championship and yet here they were bandaging her boo-boo. “Am I gonna make it, doc?” Nori asked a little facetiously, flashing the American a small little half smile. With him kneeling in front of her they were finally the same size, which was a bit of a novelty, considering he was a giant and she was a dwarf.

"Sorry again...for all that...Are you going to be alright? I didn't get you fired did I?" Kyle asks, remorse easily heard in his voice. He was still holding the hand that he’d just doctored, so Nori gives it a little squeeze. After all, he’d already apologized, there was no need to make him feel bad about it again.

“Yeah, it’s okay. I was really worried about this stupid, crazy expensive tulip that we were cultivating for a buyer that I accidently butchered when I heard you guys fighting. I thought I was going to have to pay for it, but the owners were really sweet about it,” Nori explains, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I didn’t tell them about the fight, and I don’t plan to. They’re nice people, but I don’t want to push my luck,” she admits with a little shrug.

“…there is something else going on that you should know about,” Nori says in a more serious tone after a bit of a pause. “There might be…erm, what I mean to say is….I…um, there could be a mu-murderer stalking me,” the DJ finally spits out and it sounds ludicrous to even her. “When I came out this morning, the word, ‘Tomorrow’ was written across my door and it sort of looked like blood. And there’s a huge chunk of the wall that got bashed in by something, we’re not 100% sure what. I’ve got a picture, actually,” Nori pauses to fish her smart phone out of her coat pocket and unlocks the home screen to show Kyle said picture so he doesn’t think she’s a lunatic and run screaming for the hills.

“I called the police, but they didn’t take it very seriously. I had a bad feeling about it, so I looked up the private detective Nick mentioned on the radio yesterday. He seems to think that this might be the work of, don’t you dare laugh at me Kyle Parker, some guy called, 'The Weatherman'. He’s a serial killer who only kills on rainy days,” Nori elaborates, her face flushing at how outlandish it sounds now that she’s said it out loud. “Anyways, Detective Holland is gonna stay at my apartment tonight and try and ambush him. He told me I should let people that I’ve been hanging around with a lot know what’s up, so they can be prepared if something weird happens," she finally finishes, before quickly adding, "So, um, yeah, just don't die or anything, alright?"

---

@BeastofDestiny @Bozo

[BeastofDestiny]

Kyle felt a pang of guilt when she told him that because of the fight she ended up breaking some extremely valuable plant and had to lie to the owners about it. He tried to not let it show, but when the topic was changed, Kyle's followed the mood and looking at the photos that Nori showed him, he considered everything he'd just heard...very carefully.

Nori was the potential target of a serial killer and potentially anyone close to her was also a target. She went to the police, but they didn't help, instead a detective is working on it and he's staying in her apartment. Though he hadn't seen either a hole or writing (for obvious reasons) he had no reason to doubt her word or the photographic evidence. She was either playing the cruelest joke ever, or she really was dealing with a very real and dangerous person; the weatherman... Though he'd only heard the rumors, the name had been dropped often enough around Kyle that he at least knew of the person, and given that Nori used his full name, she was serious about who was after her too...

"So, um, yeah, just don't die or anything, alright?"

Still kneeling on the ground he wordlessly handed the phone back to Nori and brought his finger up to his mouth, his eyes were looking down and he went over his words in his head before speaking to Nori, his eyes still focused on the ground. "Ok..." he stated simply, "So...you have a possible killer after you and some guy named Detective Holland is doing a stake out in your apartment tonight to catch said killer...and I am also potentially in danger too..." His brow scrunched up in concentration, it certainly sounded far fetched, but you'd have to be a seriously messed up person to lie about something like that, and call it biased opinion or what have you, but Kyle didn't think this girl was THAT fucked up. A pressing question did pop in his mind though, "So if this Holland guy is gonna be up in your apartment, where are you going to be?"

It was probably a strange question to ask given everything she'd just said, but considering what she'd just said he'd be surprised if the guy who was trying to ambush her killer had her stay in the same apartment as her killer was most likely to go. Here was this girl telling him about someone trying to kill her and all he could think about was where she was going to sleep for the night, he mused. He finally looked up into her eyes, she probably had friends she could stay with, like Jenny, but he couldn't assume that, plus she'd been working since this morning, who knew if she even had time to find a place to crash...so what if he...?

Kyle blushed a bit, but he asked her a follow up question, "If...you don't have a place to spend the night...my door is open..."

@Narcotic Dollie

[Delta44]

@MyCatGinger

"You'll catch a cold out here in the rain like this."

Ryoki looks up at the man who had come before her: Shou Matsuoka. He stood in front of her, umbrella raised above her head, stopping the rain that had previously been trickling down the back of her head from reaching her at the expense of keeping himself out of the rain. It was like something straight out of an anime Ryoki once saw, though she couldn't quite place where from, exactly. All she knew was that the man who she'd sexually harassed the previous night had remarkably come to her aid - someone who may very well want nothing else to do with her was lending her his umbrella, holding it above her own, keeping her out of the rain completely.

It was through this act of kindness that Ryoki began to cry again...

... Though she certainly wasn't ready to hear what he had to say next...

"Miss Mochizukki, I would be hard-pressed to forget a face as lovely as yours, even here in the misty rain. Forgive me; I happened to follow you here... because I thought I recognised you, and wanted to apologise for my behaviour last night. I'm lucky to have bumped into you, perhaps more like made it so, today."

'W...what..?' She thought to herself. He... remembered her? And, more importantly, he was apologising? As he extended his hand out ot her, she was reluctant to take it. If she took his hand, what would happen? Would he end up yet another headline on the news for her to weep and cry over? Or would he persevere, and put an end to the curse she bore? An infinite number of thoughts encircle her mind as she hesitates in taking his hand.

'Breath, Ryoki... Just breath... and do what feels right...'

She took his hand and felt herself being pulled to her feet. He was gentle, making sure to give her quivering knees enough time to get their bearings and grow accustomed to standing. 'No...' She thought suddenly, expression turning dark for a moment. 'I-I've made a mistake... P-please, let go...! You need to let go...! Shou, you-'

"And I noticed you seemed...melancholy. A muse in the pouring rain, sitting alone by the trees."

She gasps. 'N-no... How... why is he so kind...? I don't deserve it - I don't deserve this!'

But Ryoki couldn't help but feel more inclined to seek help, even if it were undeserving in her mind. She was so hurt, she just needed something, anything to distract her from the feelings that stirred inside her. Thankfully, Shou's word proved to be an amazing distraction. "And if there is anything at all that I can do to make your rainy day a little brighter..." He bowed a little - something she hadn't expected in the least. "...I'm quite prepared to dedicate a portion of this Sunday to doing just that." His voice was like that of a master poet. She felt like she couldn't comprehend him at all, however...

"Ryoki."

... However, at the mention of her name, she seemingly understood what he meant. He wanted to help her. He wanted to be with her. He was willing to sacrifice some of his time to make her day just a little brighter.

And that, despite the tears, made Ryoki smile just a little.

"I-I'm OK," she answers, rubbing her hands together and breathing into them, "I'm OK... I'm just a bit shaken up, that's all... My friend's brother got into a crash today, s-so I'm a little shaken up. I'll be okay, I just need a moment..." Ryoki took several deep breaths and cleared her mind. "Th-thank you, S-Shou, for... t-talking with me. I-I think... I think I'm OK now..." Though she was still looking on the verge of tears, she was definitely better; she could recover on her own now... Though, it appears as though a new face was making his presence known, as he headed towards the two. Ryoki was still sad, but she wasn't a wreck now. She could keep herself out of the rain with her own umbrella, now. And as Shou's stomach rumbles, she pushes his umbrella back to him, keeping him out of the rain, giggling slightly.

"S-sorry, but I-I've already had lunch... I'm not very hungry..." She smiles up at him as she looks over at the man who was headed towards the two. "I-I think we've got company..." She says, before turning back to face Shou once more, staring into his eyes. "Thank you, Shou... Maybe tomorrow, when I'm n-not so depressing, and we can actually have some fun..."

She stuffs a note into his pocket.

"Contact details..." She smirks. Her eyes were filled with hope - she wanted him to play along. It was like she were pleading with him. "P-please, if you're free, gimme a call... If we did anything today, the mood would kill it, so..." She trails off, not quite sure what to say. "I'll see you tomorrow..."

She felt even more sad after saying that, but wasn't but to let it show, at least not for Shou. She wasn't about to ruin his day with this. After all, he'd done so much already, just by speaking to her. It was the least she could do.

'Thank you, Shou... Thank you so, so much...!'

[Viciousmarrow]

Alban watched as his little girl apologized to the woman, who gladly took her rabbit back and waived off the incident. Lucille sighed and started back towards her father, but, suddenly, Shizuka appeared with an icy gel pack and placed it upon his daughter's head. With soothing words, Al watched as this waitress perked the depressed girl up, and in moments, Lucille was back to smiling, beaming intensely at Shizuka while she kept the ice pack to her head. He was quite impressed with how she handled the situation. When Lucille got hurt or sad, it was often hard for her to get out of that state, yet the dark haired woman had done it with ease. Shizuka turned to him and bowed diligently, much to Al's surprise.

"I'm so sorry your daughter got hurt, it should never have happened. I should have been more vigilant. I promise it won't happen again." she apologized to him.

"Hey, it's not your fault. She's a scamp. Seriously though, thank you. You've been amazing today. It usually takes her an hour to stop moping around, but now she's all smiles." Alban responded to her, flashing the waitress a smile of his own.

"Daddy, you should do something for her! Take her out! I really, really like her!" Lucille immediately interjects.

A look of surprise flashes onto his face and a tinge of red splashes onto his cheeks. Awkwardly, he rubs the back of his head before looking down at his now happy girl and then at Shizuka, contemplating for a moment. He hadn't gone out with anyone other than his parents or daughter in a long time. Maybe it would be a nice change of pace?

"Well, if you're up for it, I suppose we can do something tonight. I mean, if you really want to."

Alban pulls out a pen and jots down his name and phone number on a nearby napkin. With a kind gaze, he turns to Shizuka and hands it to her.

"Here. I understand if you have plans or something tonight, and I know it's kind of short notice, but I would like to show my gratitude. Call me when you get off work, and maybe we can set something up? ..Oh, and I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Alban. You can call me Al, if you'd like." he voices, a hint of both excitement and nervousness in his voice.

While her father chats with the very beautiful lady, Lucy's eyes turn toward the pink haired woman sitting with a blonde man. A signal goes off in her head, and she immediately recognizes the woman. Her deep blue eyes widen, an expression of stupefaction scrawls onto her face, and all she can do is stare while disbelief wells inside her tiny body.

@Stern Algorithm @lovely complex

[LovelyComplex]

"No, but I learned Japanese at school and university back in Denmark," he explained. "I'd always been fascinated with Japanese culture, and had wanted to visit. It's the sort of thing that's hard to explain." Shrugging, he took another sip of his coffee. "I'm working as a waiter at the Danish restaurant down the street. It's the only one in town. Do you know it?"

@Chicogal

"If I said no, would that upset you?" Amity looked at Copen with curiosity and eagerness in her ice eyes. Though she always knew Kyle resided in this city, it was never a place she was scheduled to visit. She'd visit Tokyo, Yokohomo, Osaka, and other major cities of Japan, but never Shine City. Amity made it a priority to always send a postcard to her friend and add a little humor on the back of it. One of Amity's worries was losing the only true friend she's ever had, outside of her little family (ie. Liam, Luke, Renee). She knew she wasn't the best at making friends... though the young idol didn't know if it was because she pushed them away or that she hated a lot of people with a burning passion.

The young woman sighed with the thought of her lack of choice when it came to her career. She thought back at the pact she made with Kyle, promising him when she could, she would come and visit. And now here she was, at the Shining Kettle, in Shine City, talking to a handsome, random stranger.

Amity never breaks promises.

There was admiration building up in Amity for Copen's interests. If only she could tell him she too had a similar experience like him..."Oh yes, I went to Uni too! It was great!" she thought to herself.

The only time she truly went to actual school was in highschool. Before then, she was home schooled. Most of her childhood, the starlet took it upon herself to teach herself as many languages as she could and other fun subjects like Philosophy. This was only possible when she had spare time though.

"I'd like to try the food. Mind if I come by tomorrow for supper? Do you work tomorrow night?" She tilted her head, her smile never wavering. She didn't realize that she was also absentmindedly drinking her frap throughout this entire conversation, she was already way past halfway with her ungodly drink.

She continued, "Unfortunately I can't come tonight... I have..." Hesitant to tell him that she was going to be at the casino performing in place of her mother, her honey-coated voice said in a puzzling manner, "Engagements tonight." Glancing to the table over, she saw the other blonde man write his number on a napkin.

"Oh! I should do that too!" Amity exclaimed. With her pencil that was rested on the table, she quickly scribbled a number down, "This is my secondary phone. I have two phones for personal..."

Amity's voice trailed off when she noticed the same little girl, who caused a little scene, staring at her with an awe-struck expression. Narrowing her eyes, Amity decided to have a staring contest with this little girl... Amity was not going to lose to the little diva! A little, fun battle between two girls....refusing to blink or budge.

@Viciousmarrow

[Tokara]

Copen shrugged. "Not at all," he said good-naturedly, tilting his head slightly at her. It was a small restaurant, after all. He couldn't just expect everyone to know it, especially when he himself hadn't sampled every menu in Shine City. At her suggestion, his bright eyes widened slightly - before he nodded excitedly. "Of course! I work tomorrow, yeah." It would be a little weird, serving a girl that he'd set his sights on. At the least, it was an excuse to spend more time with her.

Her voice was extremely smooth, he noted. And her accent very light. Interesting. He was about to ask her what she did, when she threw in an excuse about tonight, and proceeded to quickly scrawl her number down on a serviette. Something about a personal and... There was something slightly funny about Mitty. He took her number with a quick, 'Thank you,' before noticing her gaze. Tracking it across, Copen found her to be staring at a little girl. Huh. Alright then.

"I look forward to seeing you," the Dane said honestly, taking up his cup again and finishing his coffee. Mmm. That was some good caffeine. What with her poor excuse for tonight though, he couldn't help wondering - was he to be a fling while she was away from her lover? In any case - he flicked his eyes down and up Mitty - he decided he didn't really care.