open post — tranquil waters.

[nagano]

Comments

[amorevolous]

What? You showed them to somebody else?
Kaito, you're horrible. 💕 When a girl sends you something like that, you're supposed to keep it private!

[ she's (probably) just teasing but really, only Lambda could make this sound like it's his fault huh ]

I just thought it would be a fun surprise for you! 🥺
So?
Were you surprised? ♪

[nagano]

[ He's not sure if dealing with her is more of a headache than the whimsical yokai...

Wait, yes she is. He can't use his empathy over text! ]

Ugh.

Yes, I was surprised. No, it WASN'T fun!!! Give me a warning next time you share something sensitive!!!










What were you doing, anyway? That fad's almost a year old.

@ribbonbon — tfln

[nagano]

Well, if you enjoyed the food then hopefully it was worth the trouble that followed.

I don't care if they take pictures of me. Weird, but no big deal.

...Maybe it's a big deal for them. High schoolers will find any reason they can to gossip. Feels like it was so long ago for me.

[ribbonbon]

totally worth it. some thirsty texts and a few rumors are a small price to pay >:)

aside from school work what else is there to do?? adults gossip at least a little bit, too, don't they???
it's kinda fun to keep secrets to myself too, though.

[(Anonymous)]

{Sitting atop the daily delivery of fresh vegetables is a single yellow rose. A small card is tied to the stem with twine, and the card reads: "Thank you" with a simple, winking smiley face underneath it. If the card is flipped over, the back of it reads "Mask still up"}

[nagano]

[ Six in the morning.

Souper Noodle doesn't open until noon. Kaito's always the first to arrive and start setting up. Their first vegetable shipment usually drops a few minutes after his arrival.

A vaguely familiar aura dances at the edge of his perception, but he can't immediately tell whose it is. When he opens the door to pick up the first crate, the blush of saffron against leeks and spring onions immediately catches his eye. Gloved fingers gingerly lift the rose, studying each petal. The card is next. ]

"Thank you," huh?

[ He has half a mind to touch the bloom bare-handed and cheat a peek at its sender, but it would probably just lead him to a florist on the phone. Instead, he flips the card over...

Ah. Lips curl in a fond smile.

He's quite knowledgeable in the language of flowers, after all. And if this delivery is truly from them, then he's fairly confident that it was not sent with its hidden message in mind.

And even if it was, he can still appreciate the sincerity in sending a flower at all.

With a skip in his step, Kaito hauls the crate in. A tall glass is pulled from a nearby rack, filled with water, and reassigned as the rose's new home before being planted on the restaurant's bartop. ]

You're welcome.

First Visit

[lotusdancer]

Continued from here!

[ How oddly quiet... if he were the kind of person to lure her to his apartment to murder her, no one would ever know! Maybe she's too trusting. . . no, she definitely is, but she also thought she was a fairly good judge of character?

It was a very nice apartment though, and she was momentarily distracted by Tango lounging around, crouching for a better look but giving kitty his space. So cuuuu-- oh. A little embarrassed, she stood up again. Remember why you're here, Nilou! ]

It wasn't troublesome at all. This is the first time I've been to this town, actually.

[ She set her bag down. ]

Oh, but I don't want to put you out either -

[ Wait, what was that last one? He said it a little quieter than the last two. ]

[nagano]

[ She's fortunate that he's not on his Bad End Route. Yet.

Tango hisses once. Kaito shoos him off. ]

Sorry, Tango is possessive. He warms up to some quicker than others. And really, it's no trouble. You're my guest. Have yourself a drink before you get to work. What'll it be?

[leeks]

[ ooc; continued from here. ]

( Having him half-suspended in her room is a bit strange, but it isn't the strangest thing she's ever seen — she is also quickly becoming accustomed to his antics (partial thanks to Spraybottle no Jutsu ). Even if he didn't have to travel far to make the delivery, she appreciates the gesture, and inviting him in is the least she can do.

While he disappears, she places the ramen on her desk before returning to her bed, plopping the straw into the milk tea and taking a long drink while being jostled when he plops down next to her.

The small compliment and praise about how hard she worked has her looking at him wide-eyed before looking away, her cheeks slightly pink. )

I don't think I work harder than anyone else.

( She nods. ) Yeah, I've been working here since my second year. That makes working there for seven-ish years.

How about you? How long have you worked at the Noodle?

[nagano]

[ Kaito casually pokes a gloved finger into one of those blushing cheeks. A cup has somehow found its way into his opposite hand. It definitely isn't one of hers.

Siiiip. ]

This isn't a competition about who works harder. You work hard, and you're going to get validated for it.

[ Pokepokepoke. A small smile follows. ]

Mmm... A few years? I've lost track. I found the place while I was in culinary school and they took me in right after I graduated. Six or seven years, maybe?

It used to be a real den of thieves back in the day. Souper Noodle was the watering hole for all the local delinquents and gangsters. Somehow, we've turned it around.

[ Specifically, he's turned it around. And with much resistance. No need to share all those details. ]

[amorevolous]

continued from here

[ urk... her own emojis thrown back at her... ]

It was just a teeny tiny little mixup is all!
It wasn't anything really bad.
Nobody's hurt or worse 😊
So it really isn't as bad as you might be imagining!
In fact, I'm sure I made it sound worse than it is.
So promise you're not mad? 💕

[nagano]

I don't make promises, and your case is becoming worse by the second. 🙂







I will do my best not to get mad. Tell me what's going on, Lambda.

https://i.imgur.com/KFE7KHI.gif

[vanikey]

[ at some point in the day when there is a lull in traffic at the local souper noodle, kaito's rare moment of peace will be effectively disturbed by the door to the shop opening with a tinkling of bells and the arrival of one, lucy heartfilia, wearing a ridiculous uniform. ]

Yoohoo, delivery~!

https://i.imgur.com/0mPchiE.gif

[nagano]

[ Kaito's behind the bar, near the front door, cleaning glasses...

And then she waltzes in. Effectively shooting her the 🗿 face, he grumbles: ]

...The mail came in an hour ago. What are you up to, weirdo?

@nenshi

[nagano]

(( continued from here ))

Then here's the address. End of the alley.
See you in a few hours.

[ Kaito never mentioned that this alley was one of Shibuya's seediest passages, but despite the dingy state of the crammed establishments on either side of the path and the fact that various hooligans and ne'er-do-wells were mulling about, nobody seemed interested in harassing the kunoichi as she made her way downtown, walking fast faces pa—

Sure enough, at the end of the alleyway is a gaudy orange sign reading SOUPER NOODLE. One of the O's is clearly cracked, but it looks like the sign is well-maintained otherwise. Through the open doorway is your typical hole-in-the-wall: small, cramped, and bustling with activity.

As Kaito mentioned earlier, most of the regulars seem to be delinquents, but there are several families crammed into booths and even a handful of foreigners enjoying their dinner. Behind a nearby bar counter is the man himself, wearing a bright orange apron over his clothes while doling out drinks. Sharp golds flit towards the entrance, catching sight of Yuzuriha.

Flashing a wave, the chef weaves his way over to her. ]

—Yo. Glad to see you didn't get lost. I hope you're hungry.

[nenshi]

[ She's honestly a little curious. She doesn't always get herself involved with other people - living for one's self is a full-time job, after all, even with some of the friends she's made in the past. She's not about to turn down free food, though! Or pass up a chance to say 'hi' to Kaito in person, for that matter.

She's settled on a little shirt and skirt combo because she thinks it's cute (also it's hot out and she is not gonna walk around in something that'll make her sweat too hard). Finding her way there is easy enough, although she takes a few minutes to scope the place out just to make sure there really isn't anything super dangerous about the place. And then she walks right in like she belongs. ]

Kaito~

[ She waggles her fingers as she slips through the crowd and perches onto one of the bar stools. ]

You weren't kidding about how busy this place is. It's impressive!

@lookslikepecs

[nagano]

(( continued from here ))

Contract partner, huh.

[ More squinting. Is she a familiar? A higher power entity? Maybe even a goddess herself? Experienced (or desensitized) as he is to these fantastical Bakerstreet-prompted circumstances, Kaito's imagination runs a little wild before he pulls himself together. ]

I see.
Normally I'd say that I don't take students, but my night job causes me to take on a number of occupations at any given time, so.
In short, sure. I can teach you.
Let's meet in... Thirty minutes, if that's not too soon?

---

[ Japan's summers are a real scorcher, even at dusk. Yet in front of the address Kaito mentioned, the empath casually stands in the middle of a small street decked out in layers and layers of thick black fabric.

The building he's loitering in front of has a large neon sign of a bowl full of lobsters with crowns snapping their claws. The text in glaring white at the bottom reads:
👑 SEAFOOD KING 👑

Nice.

It's a little strange, though. Despite the other venues on this street bustling with activity and having lines going out the door, this one almost looks like it's closed with how empty it is. ]

[lookslikepecs]

Nah, that's perfect! I'll see you then! [and she ends the call and puts the communication devise away without bothering to tell him that she isn't looking for a teacher for herself. She wants to see how he is in person before she decides on anything further down the line.]

-------------------------

Ah, there you are!

[Tomoe has switched from the skimpy clothes she'd been wearing before into her preferred outfit: dark hakama, decent but artfully patterned hakamashita, her trusty red scarf and a pair of swords at her side. In these clothes she isn't showing any skin besides her face and her hands, but it's cool and extra-comfy, which more than makes up for it in her mind.

She ignores the looks she's attracting as she saunters out of a back alley that should have been a dead end and looks around excitedly.]

Is this the place you wanted to show me?

@hastilude

[nagano]

(( continuing from tfln ))

[ Rather than just handing it over, Kaito produces a tall glass (From where? Behind his back???) and sets it in her hands. Then, with both of his, he double palms the bottle and gives it a twisty spin. A little tornado begins to twist within. Kaito flicks the bottlecap off its top before pouring her a serving close to the brim. ]

Ta da. Drink up. The performance is good manners, at least in Korea.

[hastilude]

[ His ✨totally tubular✨ showmanship is mostly wasted on a pleb like Alix, because every second spent doing radical kickflip party tricks is another second where she can't chug from the bottle like the barbarian she is. Still, she restricts herself to a raised eyebrow while inspecting the mystery booze he's poured for her. ]

Sounds pretty suspect to me. [ Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiip. ] Smoke and mirrors acts usually come with someone being poisoned by a political rival or something.

Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity.

[springremedy]

[ 'Mama, who's that weird lady talking to herself in front of the restaurant?'

'Shhh! Dear, it's rude to point. Just ignore her.' ]

The fucking nerve. . . [ Mumble, mumble, something, god, something. ] Do I have POOR written on my forehead?

[ It's possible, Haruhi. It's possible.


Tonight, we find our good doctor in quite a predicament.

Be it pride, fear, or something else, Haruhi is completely immobile. In fact, her feet could begin to take root at a moment's notice. Perhaps, if she's here long enough, the light bleeding from Souper Noodle's sign will have her blooming, too. All we're missing is the water.

Despite her better judgment, she is here, but she is not empty-handed. Resting lightly in her grasp is a medium-sized box, contents yet to be revealed. Possibly never to be revealed, should she turn heel and change her mind entirely. ]

[nagano]

[ By all means, Haruhi shouldn't be the one who sticks out the most right now. Souper Noodle is a veritable hole in the wall stuffed at the end of a dingy alleyway in downtown Shibuya. It's arguably one of the ward's seediest zones. Roughnecks and other ne'er-do-well looking types loiter about...

And yet, it's our good doctor who's garnering the most side eyes what with how she's planted herself directly in front of the establishment and muttering like a woman possessed by the spirit of spite.

Luckily (or unluckily), she won't have to stew for long. Double doors (that look brand new compared to the dilapidated state of the rest of the shops) fly open as a giant taller than the doorway and nearly as wide lumbers out and cranes his neck nearly ninety degrees in the direction of down to glower at Haruhi.

He opens his big mouth, ready to say something or another, but a black blur pops out from behind the behemoth, also craning his neck (but not to the same degree by any means). This one's Kaito, and he's got a bright orange apron on over his clothes. ]

Get back in there, Watanabe. She's a guest. [ Gouichirou 'BIG CHEEKS' Watanabe lumbers back into the restaurant after gruffly nodding in the chef's direction. Kaito folds his hands behind his head. ]

Hiya, Doc. I had to tell some of our customers not to call the cops and that there's no crazy lady talking to herself outside. Wanna come in?

@windsongs

[nagano]

(( continued from TFLN ))

[ A sigh of relief slips through parted lips when she takes his hands in hers. It's still a touchy topic, and he didn't want to force the issue.

So when she bridges the gap, he laces his fingers in hers and dips in to press a few kisses to her cheek. ]

BIG CHEEKS Watanabe had the closest bet on my side of things. He's gonna be happy to hear that our favorite singer finally went and said it.

[ Soft laughter rumbles in his chest as he lets the words sink in. ]

It's a good thing that you and I are going to be alive for a long, long time. We're going to have plenty more opportunities to be gross and cringe-worthy in front of all our friends.

[windsongs]

[ Her hand is still a very tender subject, and even if she would prefer to keep it hidden even from him, he'd figure out a way to break through that self-isolation. He always does.

Briefly glancing over at him, Hibiki tries not to laugh. ]

I mean, he is one of my biggest fans. Good thing he isn't one of those fans, he could probably snap you like a toothpick.

[ Tell her she's wrong, Kaito. Just try.

With both hands captured, she uses them to wrap his arms around her, sighing silently to herself. ]

Oh, so we're bypassing the whole will drag your sorry butt back into the world of the living thing, huh? Good. We both know I suck with negotiation. Plus, I don't think the whole "sorry, his soul belongs to me" angle would be a good idea.

Also, I'm never cringe, you should know that. [ Sure, okay Hibiki. ]

@drivethru

[nagano]

(( continued from here ))

[ Kaito hadn't been able to focus since ending the conversation with Saber. Saber Alter. Salter. Whatever. It reached the point that his boss chewed him out and sent him home after he poured broth and noodles directly onto the counter without having set a bowl.

So now, sky blue box in gloved hand, the empath unlocks his door and pushes his way into his apartment. ]

I'm home... [ he mutters, still mostly on auto-pilot. ]

[drivethru]

[ Kaito arrives home early... but his servant isn't there.

it's not until late into the night, well after those initial six hours have passed that Saber arrives back at his apartment. motorcycle keys jingling lightly as she deposits them into the bowl on the table by the front door. ]

@crisantemo

[nagano]

(( continued from tfln ))

Part of me is jealous.
The rest of me is embarrassed.

So?
Did that stop you and your date?

@butterflyeffecting

[nagano]

(( continued from here! ))

Not the first time, but now you know better.

[ Why can't they just flirt like normal people? ]

[butterflyeffecting]

So you just want to hold me responsible for your boner?

[ MINAKO PLEASE ]