Yep, I am! Even found somewhere to practice. Can't get too rusty considering all the weird stuff that happens here. [ hey, she's not junpei. she is going to write that off as a one-time event and refrain from dwelling on that for the rest of the night. ]
Exactly! Our staff adviser used to say about the same thing. [ she puffs out her chest and says in a blustery tone, ] "You ladies are carrying on the proud tradition of the cleansing practices of your ancestors blah, blah, blah." [ she deflates with a laugh. ] Yeah, they were right, but it sounds so cheesy coming out of an adult's mouth.
[ then haru says that. yukari's cheeks turn a bright shade of red while her brain temporarily short-circuits. much too quickly, she blurts out, ] Oh, I don't know about a celebrity, I'm gonna go get our drinks berightback--
[ she dashes off toward the bar before another opportunity to embarrass herself further arises. when she returns with steaming cups of coffee in hand a few minutes later, only hints of her flush remain. she places one of the cups in front of haru. ] One medium roast, no sugar or cream, for your tasting pleasure.
[Oh. Had she said something embarrassing? Haru's surprised by the quick way in which Yukari excuses herself. Perhaps she'd been too complimentary?
It's a little worrisome, but she tries to ignore it. Maybe she's reading too much into things.
When Yukari returns, Haru takes the cup of steaming coffee in both hands, inhaling the fragrant liquid and letting it warm her.] Thank you so much, Yukari-chan. It smells wonderful.
I'm sorry if I offended you by calling you a celebrity! It's just... it seems to me that you are, aren't you? You're a hero to fans of your show.
Huh? Oh, you didn't offend me! It's just--ah, never mind. [ yukari shakes her head and starts to take a sip of coffee before deciding against it. ] Don't worry.
I suppose so, but honestly? It doesn't feel like it. I only got the job because of my archery skills. [ that's grossly underestimating her own abilities, but that's neither here nor there. ] Having someone know you, but not actually know you feels weird, you know?
[Haru enjoys the smell of the coffee for a little longer, blowing on the surface of the drink to cool it down as she listens to what Yukari says.] But they could have gone with any archer, couldn't they have? They didn't. They chose you.
I think you're selling yourself short a little.
[She sips her drink.] But I can certainly imagine that it does feel strange to be recognized, but not for being yourself.
[ yukari opens her mouth to refute haru, but closes it just as quickly. well, damn. it's hard to fight that level of frank sincerity. ]
That really means a lot, Haru-chan. Thanks.
Agencies don't prepare you for that kind of thing. Media training teaches you a lot, but once a host starts asking about your love life on live TV, you realize that people you'll never meet want to learn about your first crush and if they're your type. It's--
[ lonely.
suddenly self-conscious, she looks away and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. ] Sorry! First dates usually don't get this deep, promise. It's usually stuff like "what's your favorite movie" and lots of awkward pauses. You're just, [ she glances back to haru with a small blush, ] easy to talk to, I guess.
Oh, you're quite welcome! I think it's important to be honest with everyone... especially yourself. [There's something about Yukari's reaction-- and her blush-- that makes Haru squirm just slightly where she sits, her own cheeks turning warm. For some reason, it feels nice to make her blush.
Huh. That's interesting to think about.] And I promise, I don't mind! I truly enjoy talking with you, too. Haven't we already gotten much of that out of the way by now, anyway?
[Another sip of coffee as she considers Yukari's words.] Does it embarrass you, having people interested in you like that? It might feel... hm... what's the word, exposed, perhaps.
[She pauses.] W-would you like to ask me something personal in turn? It's only fair.
I guess we have. And without all the awkward pauses, thank God.
[ oh, right, coffee. the whole reason she invited haru out in the first place. yukari finally picks up her forgotten cup and takes a sip as she reflects on haru's question. ] Hm, "exposed" is a good word. Once you're on stage, you're under a microscope...how you walk, how you talk, everything. You can't get away with ignoring something that irritates you, especially the weird questions. You learn to how to talk around what they ask so they feel like they got a good answer, but you keep your secrets. It's a balancing act.
Still, I wouldn't give up acting for anything. [ she takes another sip. ] It's like a dream come true.
Hey, you don't have to share anything personal if you don't want to, Haru-chan, [ she adds, brows furrowed. ] I can, but don't feel like you have to because you owe me anything.
I can't say I've ever been on stage like you have, so I can only imagine that it's a unique experience... but I do know the feeling you're describing, I think.
[She holds the cup of coffee in her hands, letting it warm her, rather than drinking.] Whenever I would go to a social event with my father, or a company event, I was always very aware that anything I did would reflect on him, for good or for ill. So I think I understand what you mean-- you feel like you can't let your guard down, right?
[Her thoughtful expression turns into a smile, if perhaps a slightly bashful one.] And it isn't because I think I owe you anything! I just... thought it'd be some nice, um, give and take?
Right, exactly! Just makes the people in your life who let you be yourself that much more special.
[ oh, no, that's cute. concerns eased, she smiles back and gives the request a moment of consideration. she could always ask about the phantom thieves or more about her dad. those were safe topics.
ha, like yukari ever picked the safe option. ]
Well, you mentioned something about an arranged marriage and that'd you'd explain when we weren't talking over text a while back. Now seems like the perfect time.
You mentioned your dad was the head of your company and he was the one who set up the marriage. He was a...complicated guy. [ that's the understatement of the century, yukari supposes. ]
[Haru nods in response-- she remembers those conversations.] I suppose there's no harm in starting at the beginning, then.
My grandfather owned a cafe. It was small, but he loved it-- he believed in good homemade food and coffee, good service, community bonds, and all of that. [She inhales the fragrance of the coffee at the mention of it.] But as a businessman, he... was perhaps not the most successful. My father grew up in a rather poor household, saddled with his father's debts.
When he inherited the small company my grandfather had created, he was a much more successful businessman. He grew it to national prominence, and founded a very popular fast food chain-- I'm not sure if you've ever heard of Big Bang Burger?
[There's a pause, and Haru's expression as she looks down at her coffee is a smile, but it's a wistful one.] ...when I was young, I truly looked up to him. He was sometimes awkward, and sometimes too involved in his work, but he was a kind man.
I believe that initially, one of the things he cared most about in the world was ensuring that I would have the kind of luxurious childhood that he never got to have himself.
[Here, she trails off. Because there's an unspoken part that comes next.]
[ she leans in as haru shares her story. she can't help it; the cafe sounds so charming and idyllic that she can see why the heiress would want to open her own, and the description of her father reminds yukari of her father, who was (at first) always excited to talk about his research but could barely strike up a conversation with a stranger.
[A brief shake of her head; her curly hair bounces softly.] I'm not sure there was ever one specific thing that did that. But... he became successful, and wanted to be more so. Whatever success he'd had was no longer enough; he wanted more.
[It's presented as simple fact, but the tone of her voice is regretful if not quite sad.] Everything in his life became an asset he could use. His employees, his company... and me, as well. He wanted to go into politics, which meant he needed to forge some connections with proment political families.
[She shrugs, slightly, her expression turning awkward, because there's really no good way to talk about this.] Having a daughter of marriageable age was one way he could accomplish that.
[ there's stunned silence after that last tidbit of information. just the words "arranged marriage" set her teeth on edge, but to find out a person's whole future was just a part of some political scheme?
voice shaky with anger and louder than intended, she asks, ]
What?! How is that fair to you at all? You're not some tool, you're his daughter! And--
[ she clenches her jaw in an effort to reign in her anger. this was clearly a sensitive topic for a lot of complicated reasons. yukari didn't need to dig into any of them, period. she exhales deeply through her nose and continues, ]
Sorry. I don't mean to criticize, just.... You're your own person. Nobody has the right to say who you should date, much less marry.
[Haru tries to not reflexively look around the cafe to see if Yukari's little raise of voice drew any attention to them, her cheeks turning a little warm.
The support is welcome, of course-- it's always nice to hear someone else say those things.] No, it's perfectly fair to criticize him for these things. In recent years, he had become twisted. [It's why she'd wanted the Thieves to stop him.] To him, I was as much an asset as anything in his bank account.
He found a young man... a few years older than us, I believe, who was the heir to a very prominent family in Tokyo politics. His name was Sugimura. [And the way she says his name betrays that she has no love for the man.
Though, after a moment, there's a soft chuckle.] I'd been about to say that I think, on some level, he convinced himself that it would be good for me, too, marrying into a wealthy, prestigious, powerful family.
...I still want to defend him or excuse him, even after all of this.
That's understandable. Honestly, It would be more strange if you didn't want to stick up for him at all. Mistakes or not, your dad is still your dad. You'll always want to think the best of him.
But Sugimura...ugh. Even his name feels gross to say. [ yukari takes a long sip of her coffee as if to wash away the feel of his name on her tongue. ] I'm guessing he's who you meant when you said you didn't have good experiences with boys.
Yukari-chan, that's not nice. I'm sure there are many nice people named Sugimura. [It's a bit of a lame, half-hearted joke given the subject matter.]
...he, however, was not one of them. [She nods in response to Yukari's supposition.] He made it very clear that as his wife, I would be little more than his property. And as his fiancee, I was still his to do with as he saw fit.
[In every way.
Haru quickly adds:] --he didn't, though. But he made it very clear that he wanted to.
[ there's no small amount of relief on her face when haru mentions sugimura is out of the picture. he sounded positively vile. just the idea of someone hassling a friend of hers like that makes her feel sick to her stomach. ]
I hope you let him have it when you told him to get lost. Not that you should have ever had to deal with that, ever, but still....
[ yukari looks unsure for a brief moment before steeling her resolve and lightly placing a hand on haru's. ]
I'm sorry. Nobody deserves to be treated like they're a thing. And--sure, you offered, but you didn't have to answer my question. That means a lot so.... Thanks, Haru-chan.
[Her cheeks turn a little warm when Yukari's hand rests on hers; she slowly turns it so that they're palm on palm.]
Thank you, Yukari-chan. It's... nice to talk about it, to be honest. [She glances away.] I'm not sure if I told you or not, but growing up, I didn't have many friends. I was used to thinking that anyone who might approach me for friendship could be using me to try to influence my father. So I didn't have anyone I could truly confide in about... well, about any of it.
[She smiles up at her.] However, now I have lots of friends! And I know what it means to be supported.
[ it's amazing how that simple gesture transforms yukari from 'calm, collected young woman' to 'blushing nerd' in the blink of an eye. incredible. ]
I-I didn't have a lot of friends until I joined up with SEES, either. Guess that's one of the trade-offs of getting our power, right? You go through so much with your team that you know there's always people who'll support you. Plus, there's so many of us here that we can't help but stick together.
[ a beat before she slightly ducks her head, an embarrassed smile on her face. ] But I've--definitely always got your back.
[ it was very cute and yukari even worked up the nerve to hold haru's hand for the last two blocks of the walk back to her place. all in all, she'd call this a rousing success. ]
Guess this is it. [ she turns to face the other girl, unable to wipe the silly grin off her face. ] So what's the verdict? How was your very first romantic date, Haru-chan? Be honest! I promise can take it.
Not really. But it does make Haru blush the entire last stretch of the walk home, and as she walks into her apartment, closing the door behind the two of them, her cheeks are a little pink.] Well... I can certainly say that it was better than being engaged!
[She holds a semi-straight face for a few heartbeats and then can't anymore, her expression shifting into a shy smile.] I had a wonderful time, Yukari-chan. Thank you so much. You're very easy to talk to.
Would you like some... oh, we just had coffee, I probably shouldn't offer you any more. [There goes her first plan.] ...would you like tea?
[ yukari isn't in much better shape, the entirety of her face flushed deep red. she's never been much of a dating person so hearing haru say she had a fun time makes her feel like she's won the prismatica equivalent of the lottery. ]
I should be thanking you since you're the one who agreed to this. Still, I'm glad you had fun.... And that it was just a little bit better than Sugimura. [ she grins. kidding! ] But, really, you can always talk to me about whatever you like.
[ she feels warm all over and is fairly certain that if she has another hot drink she'll overheat, but if haru is offering then how can she say no? ]
Tea sounds great! Do you need me to help out? I wouldn't mind.
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Exactly! Our staff adviser used to say about the same thing. [ she puffs out her chest and says in a blustery tone, ] "You ladies are carrying on the proud tradition of the cleansing practices of your ancestors blah, blah, blah." [ she deflates with a laugh. ] Yeah, they were right, but it sounds so cheesy coming out of an adult's mouth.
[ then haru says that. yukari's cheeks turn a bright shade of red while her brain temporarily short-circuits. much too quickly, she blurts out, ] Oh, I don't know about a celebrity, I'm gonna go get our drinks berightback--
[ she dashes off toward the bar before another opportunity to embarrass herself further arises. when she returns with steaming cups of coffee in hand a few minutes later, only hints of her flush remain. she places one of the cups in front of haru. ] One medium roast, no sugar or cream, for your tasting pleasure.
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It's a little worrisome, but she tries to ignore it. Maybe she's reading too much into things.
When Yukari returns, Haru takes the cup of steaming coffee in both hands, inhaling the fragrant liquid and letting it warm her.] Thank you so much, Yukari-chan. It smells wonderful.
I'm sorry if I offended you by calling you a celebrity! It's just... it seems to me that you are, aren't you? You're a hero to fans of your show.
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I suppose so, but honestly? It doesn't feel like it. I only got the job because of my archery skills. [ that's grossly underestimating her own abilities, but that's neither here nor there. ] Having someone know you, but not actually know you feels weird, you know?
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I think you're selling yourself short a little.
[She sips her drink.] But I can certainly imagine that it does feel strange to be recognized, but not for being yourself.
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That really means a lot, Haru-chan. Thanks.
Agencies don't prepare you for that kind of thing. Media training teaches you a lot, but once a host starts asking about your love life on live TV, you realize that people you'll never meet want to learn about your first crush and if they're your type. It's--
[ lonely.
suddenly self-conscious, she looks away and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. ] Sorry! First dates usually don't get this deep, promise. It's usually stuff like "what's your favorite movie" and lots of awkward pauses. You're just, [ she glances back to haru with a small blush, ] easy to talk to, I guess.
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Huh. That's interesting to think about.] And I promise, I don't mind! I truly enjoy talking with you, too. Haven't we already gotten much of that out of the way by now, anyway?
[Another sip of coffee as she considers Yukari's words.] Does it embarrass you, having people interested in you like that? It might feel... hm... what's the word, exposed, perhaps.
[She pauses.] W-would you like to ask me something personal in turn? It's only fair.
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[ oh, right, coffee. the whole reason she invited haru out in the first place. yukari finally picks up her forgotten cup and takes a sip as she reflects on haru's question. ] Hm, "exposed" is a good word. Once you're on stage, you're under a microscope...how you walk, how you talk, everything. You can't get away with ignoring something that irritates you, especially the weird questions. You learn to how to talk around what they ask so they feel like they got a good answer, but you keep your secrets. It's a balancing act.
Still, I wouldn't give up acting for anything. [ she takes another sip. ] It's like a dream come true.
Hey, you don't have to share anything personal if you don't want to, Haru-chan, [ she adds, brows furrowed. ] I can, but don't feel like you have to because you owe me anything.
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[She holds the cup of coffee in her hands, letting it warm her, rather than drinking.] Whenever I would go to a social event with my father, or a company event, I was always very aware that anything I did would reflect on him, for good or for ill. So I think I understand what you mean-- you feel like you can't let your guard down, right?
[Her thoughtful expression turns into a smile, if perhaps a slightly bashful one.] And it isn't because I think I owe you anything! I just... thought it'd be some nice, um, give and take?
I've never done this before, so...
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[ oh, no, that's cute. concerns eased, she smiles back and gives the request a moment of consideration. she could always ask about the phantom thieves or more about her dad. those were safe topics.
ha, like yukari ever picked the safe option. ]
Well, you mentioned something about an arranged marriage and that'd you'd explain when we weren't talking over text a while back. Now seems like the perfect time.
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But she had told Yukari she'd tell her about it. The girl seems trustworthy.
She just sips her coffee again first.] ...yes, I suppose now is as good a time as any.
Um, Yukari-chan, can you remind me what I've told you thus far about my father? What he did, and who he was?
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That's about all you've told me, I think.
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My grandfather owned a cafe. It was small, but he loved it-- he believed in good homemade food and coffee, good service, community bonds, and all of that. [She inhales the fragrance of the coffee at the mention of it.] But as a businessman, he... was perhaps not the most successful. My father grew up in a rather poor household, saddled with his father's debts.
When he inherited the small company my grandfather had created, he was a much more successful businessman. He grew it to national prominence, and founded a very popular fast food chain-- I'm not sure if you've ever heard of Big Bang Burger?
[There's a pause, and Haru's expression as she looks down at her coffee is a smile, but it's a wistful one.] ...when I was young, I truly looked up to him. He was sometimes awkward, and sometimes too involved in his work, but he was a kind man.
I believe that initially, one of the things he cared most about in the world was ensuring that I would have the kind of luxurious childhood that he never got to have himself.
[Here, she trails off. Because there's an unspoken part that comes next.]
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which begs the question: ]
So what happened to make him change?
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[It's presented as simple fact, but the tone of her voice is regretful if not quite sad.] Everything in his life became an asset he could use. His employees, his company... and me, as well. He wanted to go into politics, which meant he needed to forge some connections with proment political families.
[She shrugs, slightly, her expression turning awkward, because there's really no good way to talk about this.] Having a daughter of marriageable age was one way he could accomplish that.
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voice shaky with anger and louder than intended, she asks, ]
What?! How is that fair to you at all? You're not some tool, you're his daughter! And--
[ she clenches her jaw in an effort to reign in her anger. this was clearly a sensitive topic for a lot of complicated reasons. yukari didn't need to dig into any of them, period. she exhales deeply through her nose and continues, ]
Sorry. I don't mean to criticize, just.... You're your own person. Nobody has the right to say who you should date, much less marry.
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The support is welcome, of course-- it's always nice to hear someone else say those things.] No, it's perfectly fair to criticize him for these things. In recent years, he had become twisted. [It's why she'd wanted the Thieves to stop him.] To him, I was as much an asset as anything in his bank account.
He found a young man... a few years older than us, I believe, who was the heir to a very prominent family in Tokyo politics. His name was Sugimura. [And the way she says his name betrays that she has no love for the man.
Though, after a moment, there's a soft chuckle.] I'd been about to say that I think, on some level, he convinced himself that it would be good for me, too, marrying into a wealthy, prestigious, powerful family.
...I still want to defend him or excuse him, even after all of this.
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But Sugimura...ugh. Even his name feels gross to say. [ yukari takes a long sip of her coffee as if to wash away the feel of his name on her tongue. ] I'm guessing he's who you meant when you said you didn't have good experiences with boys.
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...he, however, was not one of them. [She nods in response to Yukari's supposition.] He made it very clear that as his wife, I would be little more than his property. And as his fiancee, I was still his to do with as he saw fit.
[In every way.
Haru quickly adds:] --he didn't, though. But he made it very clear that he wanted to.
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I hope you let him have it when you told him to get lost. Not that you should have ever had to deal with that, ever, but still....
[ yukari looks unsure for a brief moment before steeling her resolve and lightly placing a hand on haru's. ]
I'm sorry. Nobody deserves to be treated like they're a thing. And--sure, you offered, but you didn't have to answer my question. That means a lot so.... Thanks, Haru-chan.
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Thank you, Yukari-chan. It's... nice to talk about it, to be honest. [She glances away.] I'm not sure if I told you or not, but growing up, I didn't have many friends. I was used to thinking that anyone who might approach me for friendship could be using me to try to influence my father. So I didn't have anyone I could truly confide in about... well, about any of it.
[She smiles up at her.] However, now I have lots of friends! And I know what it means to be supported.
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I-I didn't have a lot of friends until I joined up with SEES, either. Guess that's one of the trade-offs of getting our power, right? You go through so much with your team that you know there's always people who'll support you. Plus, there's so many of us here that we can't help but stick together.
[ a beat before she slightly ducks her head, an embarrassed smile on her face. ] But I've--definitely always got your back.
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[A soft squeeze of Yukari's hand in hers.] But thank you for saying that. And I should very much like to return the sentiment.
[Then they had a cute coffee date, and went back to Haru's apartment?]
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Guess this is it. [ she turns to face the other girl, unable to wipe the silly grin off her face. ] So what's the verdict? How was your very first romantic date, Haru-chan? Be honest! I promise can take it.
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Not really. But it does make Haru blush the entire last stretch of the walk home, and as she walks into her apartment, closing the door behind the two of them, her cheeks are a little pink.] Well... I can certainly say that it was better than being engaged!
[She holds a semi-straight face for a few heartbeats and then can't anymore, her expression shifting into a shy smile.] I had a wonderful time, Yukari-chan. Thank you so much. You're very easy to talk to.
Would you like some... oh, we just had coffee, I probably shouldn't offer you any more. [There goes her first plan.] ...would you like tea?
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I should be thanking you since you're the one who agreed to this. Still, I'm glad you had fun.... And that it was just a little bit better than Sugimura. [ she grins. kidding! ] But, really, you can always talk to me about whatever you like.
[ she feels warm all over and is fairly certain that if she has another hot drink she'll overheat, but if haru is offering then how can she say no? ]
Tea sounds great! Do you need me to help out? I wouldn't mind.
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