2025-08-14: Catch Your Heart
- Log: Catch your Heart
- Cast: Myunghon Yeo, Yanagi Nagisa
- Where: Cardboard Dragon
- OOC Date: August 14, 2025
- IC Date: June 25, 2012
- Summary: Myunghon receives Yanagi at the Cardboard Dragon and the two secure a trade: a skill card, for... a Koala Chain!
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
The Cardboard Dragon is something of a minor enigma to those who don't stay in Hirasaka. It's ostensibly a book-slash-card game store, but finding it is somewhat convoluted: you have to go down an unmarked alley with the threatening energy of a place where yakuza could be fighting or dealing, and then up a set of stairs serving as a fire escape, and then... the fire escape door itself serves as the entrance, marked only by a piece of A4 paper, which is somewhat soggy from weather.
It's a Monday evening at the Cardboard Dragon and most people have gone home, at the tail end of opening hours; for Myunghon, though, this is still home. They've been out for the better part of today on a Mementos trip, and with their spoils securely stashed in their attache-case (the same one they brought to the Peacock Silk), there's a faint sigh of relief as they momentarily collapse onto the couch. There's a spot of red on their white shirt -- the only splash of colour on their entire person, which is otherwise monochrome in scheme, from their gray eyes, to their ashen-white hair, to the funerary nature of their black and white suit, and, of course, the bandages.
It doesn't take them long to unbutton their shirt down and start treating themself, with a first-aid kit. There's two large bottles of disinfectant around, and the telltale stench of pine tar and chlorine is in the air by the time a visitor to the Cardboard Dragon arrives in the midst of Myunghon dressing their wound!
"Ah-- welcome," Myunghon calls out as they hear the fire door open.
<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.
Stairs can be difficult for Yanagi. Fortunately, she gets regular massage treatments at Mr. Tomi's, whose miraculous Gold Finger can treat even muscular dystrophy! (Thanks to the power of Kotodama. Without that, that would never work.) After one of those, she can climb those stairs like a champ, with only minor assistance from her walking cane.
She lets herself in once she reaches the door, because it is a place of business and that's how they work. She looks around at the interior, which is frankly ugly, but it's here to sell books and card games and it is clearly displaying those goods well. There is a strong scent of pine tar and chlorine in the air...
"Oh, Myunghon!" Yanagi calls back cheerfully when she hears them call out. "Is now a bad time? I came to visit!"
She picks up a random book and flips through it. The page she lands on is in the middle of a short story called In a Grove, by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, with Masago weeping at the end of her confession... She shuts the book and slips it back on the shelf before moving on.
"Where do you keep your Skill Cards?" Yanagi calls again.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
There is an elevator at the front, supposedly, and it was even seen working once during the open day when Kaneshiro came to visit... but it just seems to be mysteriously so frequently out of order. It's Myunghon's paranoia -- forcing customers to go through the alleyway and out the back, making infiltration more difficult. Now that the Cardboard Dragon's become more of a community spot, however, they might have to reconsider.
"Ah-- Yanagi," Myunghon pauses. Then the nickname Tsumugi used came to mind. Sa-ya. nagiSA YAnagi, if Myunghon had to guess. The interior is, indeed, ugly -- once, it might've been an office where the money rolled in the 80s... but it died along with the economic bubble, and never received love once more. It doesn't look hazardous, at least -- just old.
Myunghon finishes the preliminary bandaging and sets a few pins and calls that good enough for now, before buttoning their shirt up. Their bandages aren't completely covering their torso, so between the binder and the incomplete bandaging, the scarred, mangled flesh underneath is briefly visible before they cover up.
There is a pause as they catch sight of the book Yanagi has decided to choose. It's a particularly pertinent and favoured book of theirs.
'Am I the only one who kills people? You, you don't use your swords. You kill people with your power, with your money. Sometimes you kill them on the pretext of working for their good. It's true they don't bleed. They are in the best of health, but all the same you've killed them. It's hard to say who's a greater sinner, you or me.'
The passage echoes in their mind, perhaps because of that moment with Shinjiro the other day; but Yanagi snaps them out of it. "Skill Cards," Myunghon repeats, before turning to the counter and taking an album hidden amidst the ones for traing card games.
"I must say, I hadn't expected you to come all the way out here. I visited the Peacock Silk again, but only Tsumugi was present on that day." Both Yanagi and Tsumugi are comfortable with yobisute, so why not in turn? "But, here you go. Here's what we have in stock at present."
The album itself carries Cognitive weight, the stored power within the cards evident and palpable before Myunghon even opens it. There's a variety of commons to rarer ones... the markings don't match the cards, though, perhaps because of opsec -- if someone unawakened browses through, they'll just see cards for a game they haven't heard of.
<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.
Myunghon's guess on the origin of Tsumugi's nickname for Yanagi is correct--Nagi-Nagi would also be a reasonable nickname for her, but Sa-ya is a bit more elegant. To say nothing of Cardboard Dragon itself, but it does match the vibe of the neighborhood it's in, and how pretty do books and card games need to be, really? As long as it isn't a danger to the shop-goers, that's fine. (Though maybe some shop-goers could have used some danger... But Yanagi isn't aware of Myunghon's trouble with Kaneshiro.)
She smiles at Myunghon when they emerge; she doesn't comment on the state of their body. She finds comments like that too tiresome 99% of the time to subject anyone else to the same. They seem to like the book she picked at random--perhaps think of a passage relevant to the aforementioned situation--but it was at random. Worthless as I am, I must have been forsaken even by the most merciful Kwannon... Is it really so difficult for a healthy woman to die? Yanagi wouldn't know. Away it goes.
"Yes," she replies, walking over to the counter to join them. Her gait is stronger and more even than it was when they met at Peacock Silk the other day; she carries her walking stick more than uses it, right now. Her legs are still extremely thin, though...
"Oh, I visit Hirasaka Ward quite a bit, so it's not out of the way for me," Yanagi tells them matter-of-fact. She brightens at the news of the visit. "Yes! Tsumugi mentioned it. I'm glad you're already enjoying our services! It's so fun to work together. What did you end up getting? I can fashion you a lovely accessory to go with it, if you like."
She doesn't mind the yobisute at all, of course, and doesn't bat an eyelash at Myunghon speaking of Tsumugi with such familiarity. After all, she just spoke of them the same way. When the album comes out, she leans forward in interest to get a better look. "Hmmm... You have such an interesting variety," she comments. "I'm interested in something of the Wind or Force elements--Water and Ice already come naturally to me--do you have anything like that in right now?"
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
The lack of comment puts Myunghon at ease -- they spend a lot of effort hiding the fact that their body is one leg in the grave, albeit in melodramatic fashion through bandages, though half a balaclava or a mask would probably be just as dramatic. No, there's probably no subtle way to hide a half-burnt face other than extensive surgery and makeup, and Myunghon is just simply too lazy for those.
"Oh, you do?" Myunghon finds that mildly surprising... if Yanagi were not a Persona-User. Hirasaka is a run-down Ward of Sumaru that's not particularly attractive to the normal eye, but to the supernaturally attuned, there's no end of things to do here -- the Air Raid Shelter alone in Kasugayama High keeps many Persona-Users busy. "Then it is well enough we are in the area, I suppose."
Myunghon has caught notice of the walking cane and the state of Yanagi's legs, but they don't draw attention to it -- they're not in the business of wanting to make note of medical issues unless Yanagi herself requests help, beacuse someone who lives with it knows much more than they would. They're somewhat in the same boat, after all, with the state of their body.
"My current predicament ended in a rather... close shave," Myunghon admits, though the scene itself will be tomorrow, "And my coat ended up in a sorry state. I brought some cognitive spoils to them, and had myself measured for a new one." Though it isn't done, with the coat on the rack still riddled with slash, burn and bullet holes. "But-- yes, actually, we did speak of how I had an interest in your work too, Yanagi. I had a desire to commission an item from you as well."
Yanagi requests Wind or Force elements -- and Myunghon turns the pages over until they sit at a variety of different Wind-elemental cards. There's the usual suspects, Garu, Zan... that's pretty basic at this point. "These are the basics, but I myself believe the basics are always of great use. They put very little strain on your mental energy, but strong gusts of wind have many uses even out of conflict with Shadows."
Another flip.
"But if you're looking for something a little rarer... I was able to Negotiate this one just the other day," Myunghon slips out a Killer Wind card. "Killer Wind. This one's more suited to direct combat, but it's difficult for even the most steadfast of oppponents to resist being battered by consecutive wind blasts."
<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.
"Yes!" Yanagi chirps in agreement. She doesn't offer an explanation to why, but Myunghon is correct: there's no lack of things to do here for a Persona User. (That's isn't why Yanagi comes here, but it's convenient that there are plenty of reasonable explanations that questioning it isn't necessary.)
"Oh? Oh, I see!" Yanagi's gaze travels to the cognitive coat in question, resting as it is on the rack, and it's clear that this is a coat in need of replacing. "Tsumugi will make you something good," she says with unshakeable confidence.
But with her own two-sheet white top raveled together at the throat and the waist that tucks into tight black leggings that end at the knee, with ruffles from that tucked shirt that spill out over her hips and backside, a black tube undershirt revealed by the long slits at either side of her top, neatly tied sneakers (good for walking!), and phoenix-shaped gold-and-garnet hair pins that tuck into her long, wavy, pale hair, it's easy for her to be confident in Peacock Silk's goods. The color on her is little but vibrant, particularly against her white-ish hair and dark gray eyes. She and Myunghon are... clearly not siblings, but they do have paleness in common. It's just as easy to see why she might have a good eye for color; it's a grand way to break up her own personal monochrome.
She brightens at the mention that Myunghon actually wants to commission her too. "Oh, how lovely! What did you have in mind?"
Garu and Zan... They are pretty basic. Yanagi could get those on her own. (Yanagi has gotten those on her own.) She hums noncommittally at them, but brightens anew at the Killer Wind. "Oooh! I admit, I'm not really suited to direct combat--but it's such a vicious-sounding attack, I can't help but be interested!" She smiles brightly. "Besides, it's good to be able to defend yourself in a pinch~!"
If that's a rare Skill Card that they only just Negotiated for recently, though-- "Would you be interested in a trade? That card for whatever you're interested in commissioning from me? Or would you prefer we do this more classically?"
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
It's all right. In a way, a myriad of people are in Hirasaka for a myriad of reasons, and one of the nice things about Hirasaka is that people are generally not *too* nosy, especially in the more run-down side of it that Myunghon is used to. People have tragic, difficult pasts, and they come to Hirasaka because they can share in that pain without someone being too intrusive about it.
Of course, that's not Yanagi's reason either, but the intrigue just deepens there.
"They are... intriguing," Myunghon agrees on Tsumugi, though that wasn't really what Yanagi said, was it? They almost sound distracted for a moment. That finger on their chin must've left an effect, for someone who really isn't all about touch but had to really posture an air of ease and poise when around strangers. "And I do look forward to their work."
But even today, Yanagi is bearing monochrome in her own way -- though the pleaats and folds and ruffles are a lot more extravagant than the distinct lines of Myunghon's suit, rumpled as it may be -- but always fastidious and clean. The smell of disinfectant seems to match that well. And clearly, Myunghon has their moments where they want to deviate -- such as the gothic lolita Angura dress they first came to the Peacock Silk in, so it isn't as if there is absolutely no eye for fashion there.
"Your outfit really pops today. You and I both have a penchant for monochrome, given our pale features," Myunghon speaks, "But Tsumugi did have a point. They wondered if I was truly alive, and I suppose I do often look the part of someone embalmed, about to be cremated after the funerary rites." It's not taken as an insult, but perhaps just an observation. And it is, perhaps, true -- many people end up in black and white suits, and with how covered in bandages Myunghon is, perhaps that would also have been a way to give the deceased in a horrible car accident some grace.
"But I can see how this phoenix hairpin brings out a wonderful accent. They spoke of how a splash of colour does a lot, and perhaps an accessory would do just that on a day where I desire it."
Would they be willing to trade for it?
Myunghon considers this for a moment, then chuckles. "I think that would be a fine deal. Very well, we can work on those terms. I was not certain what that splash colour would be, though... I suppose I have reached for red in the past. Do you have any thoughts, Yanagi?"
<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.
"They are! Don't you love their cool manner, like they're so disaffected, but then they come in close all of a sudden and touch you?" Yanagi gushes, her smile gaining a certain rosiness. It's easier to tell when that happens that her own pallor is actually offset by subtle make-up--"natural," they call it, but making it look as though she has a vibrancy and subtle... well, life to her that she might not otherwise normally have. The blush merely accentuates the blush. "It's such a thrill! <3"
She giggles and adds, "But I expect that's not what your interest is, Myunghon~. If it is, I should warn you you've got competition!"
...It's hard to tell from her upbeat and gay manner if she's serious or joking.
She beams at Myunghon's compliment and twirls on one foot, supported by her polished walking stick. It's no pirouette, but it is a freedom of movement she wouldn't have without the help of the supernatural. The ruffles fly in her wake. "Thank you~! I like to wear this when I go out on my own. It's a simpler ensemble than some of my other clothes, but it's light and easy to walk in. Although the leggings are a bit hard to get on! I tend to prefer skirts, but I like these too. There's something nice about clothes that are meant to be physically active in."
The mention of Tsumugi's point gets her to settle, and she tilts her head as she takes in Myunghon's current appearance and muses on it. "You do," she agrees. It's a simple but honest statement. She grins at the compliment on today's hair pins, though. "Thank you~!" It's very true that a splash of color does a lot--that's the intent behind this get-up. It's simple, but for the jewelry in her hair, and that's the point. (There are no other pieces of jewelry today; these pins are allowed to speak for themselves.) Myunghon agrees to her suggestion, too, and then invites her opinion on what color might suit them.
"Hmmm... Red is always a beautiful and striking color, but in your case, it would just look like blood," Yanagi opines. "A persimmon orange could be striking, or a vivid, alluring blue. Before all that, though--are there any colors that you like best?" Yanagi leans in, dark eyes bright with passion. "It's absolutely true that there are colors that flatter one better than others, but just as important is liking the colors you're in! It doesn't matter if it complements your skin tone if it doesn't bring you joy to see yourself in it! Also, what kind of accessories do you prefer? Rings? Earrings? Anklets? Oh!" She gasps, leaning back to raise a hand to her mouth. "I've got it!! I could make you a *stunning* eye patch! I'll need some help from Saika with the leatherworking, but I could stud it with a beautiful design of your choice!"
She purses her lips and tilts her head to one side as she considers her own suggestion. "Hmmm... But that wouldn't be equal as a trade, would it... Maybe not, then. You should definitely talk to Saika about something like that, though!"
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Ah. Yanagi's also experienced The Tsumugi Experience, clearly, but is quite a lot more free and vocal about it, because that was exactly what happened. It's true... it's been so long that they've experienced touch, largely because of themself and the way they don't really want touch, but at the same time, it isn't as if their body and mind and heart suddenly has stopped craving some of it. Like some kind of hedgehog's dilemma. But Myunghon does note of how that makeup does give some life to Yanagi...
And it does make them think of when they do bother to put on makeup themself -- they do have the skill for it, because The Perfect Student had makeup on, of course, but they associate it with that stage of their life that they'd rather leave in the past. Though it isn't as if they haven't done it -- the Angura look required it. Life, huh?
"Ah?" Myunghon almost sounds caught off-guard for a moment. "Please, perish the thought. I would not dare."
... that's all it was, right? Just being startled back by a moment that caught them off-guard and made them realise that they're not quite all dead inside. Exactly by being pointed out that Tsumugi wasn't sure if they were dead or alive.
"I can fully share that pain about leggings... even now when I do not wear skirts or leggings so often, it only takes a moment of carelessness and a hang nail and -- whoops, you need a new pair," Myunghon laments. But Yanagi has a nice point about clothes that are meant for physical activity. "It is true. I think clothing that achieves both form and function are quite admirable, aren't they? When I was more interested in the Shibuya street fashion scene, being out for hours at a time was testament to how you achieved that."
Oh, so there is some history there? It's not unsurprising, perhaps. Myunghon does look the sort like they had some experience being a LaForet regular, a Takeshita looker, strutting in Daikanyama... now that they're in Hirasaka, though, it's as if those days are behind them.
"Persimmon orange or blue..." Myunghon muses. But the question is turned -- what ARE their favourite colours? "... I profess to not having one," as they think about how they *are* most comfortable in their blacks and whites and grays, but this is a challenge to step out of that comfort zone, isn't it? "Red was always easy, but perhaps too easy. Orange is a nice thought, though."
Besides, what situation would they want this in, anyway? And what form should it take -- a ring, earring, anklets...? And then--
An eyepatch?! Myunghon looks flummoxed for a moment, before stammering, "A-an eyepatch? That would be a bit much, would it not? And... hmm, yes, this trade is between you and I, and it would be unfair to her."
They imagine it for a moment. The Cardboard Dragon... arrr! Hoist sails, ye mateys...! ... see? It takes no time at all to go from 'eyepatch' to 'pirate'. And while there is a certain air of cool about eyepatches that Myunghon can't deny... maybe... maybe they want to lean a bit more towards cute than cool...
They will never voice this admission, not even to Buddha.
"I was thinking a lapel pin might be nice, on this canvas of black."
That's a bit of a safer choice, but... they can be a bit shy, so give it some time.
<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.
One doesn't need to wait long to have The Tsumugi Experience, and Yanagi has been working (and living) at Peacock Silk for half a year or so now. If Myunghon had been charmed by Tsumugi, Yanagi wouldn't be surprised at all. But it's as she says: they've have a lot of competition to try to capture their attention.
"Oh? You wouldn't?" Yanagi considers this, then nods. "That's just as well." She smiles ruefully as they commiserate with her about leggings though. "You understand! You have to be so careful to put them on... Stockings are even worse. I can't wear those at all; it's just too much frustration, even for me. They are admirable though--and that sleek look and feel can be nice, so it can be worth the occasional torn leggings. In the end, we all have to make the occasional sacrifice." She gives them an interested look at the mention of Shibuya street fashion. "What turned you away from it?"
It isn't unsurprising; Yanagi is more curious about why the change. Maybe they just lost interest over time, but maybe there's something more dramatic at play! For now, though... "Definitely too easy," she agrees. "You're banned from red until you find a different color that strikes your fancy!"
Can she just do that?! Apparently she just did--assuming Myunghon goes along with it, of course. They could simply contradict her.
"Oh, you don't like eyepatches? But you just said you like a combination of form and function, didn't you?" Yanagi wonders. She shrugs. "Well, I'll leave that to you and Saika either way, if you decide to reach out to her. Or if she reaches out to you." It's not just pirates who wear eyepatches, anyway. Yakuza wear them too! ...That probably does not inspire Myunghon any, all considered.
"A lapel pin... Hmmm... That isn't much of a 'splash.' You'll need an eye-catching design if you go that route," Yanagi muses. "If you want something naturalistic, maybe a piece of amber with an insect embedded in it, set on a background of bronze. Or if you want something more civilized, I could carve a piece of orange jade and embed it on gold! Of course, blue and gold contrast each other even better, so maybe you'd prefer something in sodalite? It's a very striking shade of deep blue! Maybe a golden bird with sodalite feathers?"
Peacock Silk does love its birds! All of these might sound like very bold designs for a simple lapel pin, though...
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Charmed is a fair word for it. But at the moment, Myunghon's unhealthy self-image doesn't allow them to believe anything could be lasting. Perhaps it's why their other attractions are similarly fleeting and doomed too, like the day they were so vulnerable they requested Shinobu take them out to the arcade.
... still, intrigued was the correct word. Not just Tsumugi, really. Yanagi and the rest of the Peacock Silk have a familiarity to them that makes them feel at home, like kindred spirits. And it isn't just the raw Gender oozing out of the place.
"Yes... especially the sheer ones," Myunghon nods, on the topic of stockings. They're definitely never going back to those. Leggings, fine, stockings? No way. That can stay in the past with the Perfect Student. Fashion does involve occasional sacrifice, it's true... but what turned them away from street fashion?
"Well, I did have to move back to Sumaru. I mostly participated during my days at Todai," Myunghon explains. Tokyo University... that was something of a pressure release valve for them, with how their father manipulated things so they had to graduate a year early. There's a whole side-story there, studying during the day, and becoming a briefly shining star at night.
"And... well, the accident that left me how I am also had a big part of that," Myunghon does admit. They call it an accident, but nothing about it was an accident. Still, 'accident' has a nice, deniable ring to it, the kind of word that feels like a doorknob -- easily pried into if one were interested, and easily left enough alone if not. But it's not hard to guess that someone who looks the way Myunghon does has self-image issues.
Banned from red! Myunghon can't help but chuckle -- "Banned from red," they agree easily enough.
But Yanagi points out -- doesn't Myunghon like form and function? Why not eyepatches? She has them there. Isn't that contradictory? "I suppose... but the Cardboard Dragon has rumours enough as is," Myunghon does admit. With how close they are to crime, if they got an eyepatch, they're one gold tiger jacket away from being some kind of Mad Dog!! ... that would definitely boost their popularity, but at what cost? Shimano awaits...
A lapel pin isn't much of a 'splash'. A piece of amber...? That is intriguing, and perhaps just a little eccentric enough... but the problem of orange and gold not constrasting does eventually settle them on blue. "A bird..." Myunghon chuckles. "I wonder what I should bring Pernelle next time I visit? I brought snacks, but he wasn't in."
But not to get too distracted, they continue, "Perhaps a chain would help bring it out more? They have lapel pins where it's attached to a thin chain to the breast pocket," they trace their long, bony finger from where the pin would be, to the empty pocket. Myunghon doesn't have a square in it at present.
<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.
...Though the raw Gender surely doesn't hurt, either.
Yanagi nods at Myunghon's explanation of their break from Shibuya street fashion. Moving away from Tokyo is certainly one reason. As someone who technically dropped out of high school (its own very long and complicated story), she can't even imagine what it's like to attend a college, especially one as prestigious as Tokyo University. The mention of an "accident" prompts her to flick her eyes towards Myunghon's bandages.
"Hmmm... So that's why you like Angura now instead," she assumes. The bandages really blend in well with that look. "But that's fine. The willingness to change is an important part of being alive!" She takes a step forward and, if Myunghon lets her, clasps their hand as she gives them an earnest look. ...Just a look, and perhaps a squeeze of that hand, though, before she takes a step back again.
She smiles as they agree: banned from red. "Oh? You don't like being gossiped about? ...I understand. People used to gossip about me a lot when I was younger, and it was very frustrating," Yanagi admits. "They probably still gossip about me now, but I no longer care!" She beams.
And because of that, she's willing to let the matter of the eyepatch drop. If Myunghon doesn't like it, there's no point in pressing the matter, anyway.
"You can never go wrong with fried potatoes! His very favorite is tater tots, but an offering of French fries from Big Bang Burger always appeals to him," Yanagi tells them. She clasps a hand to her chest at the suggestion of a chain. "Oh!! That would stand out! Yes, I could do something like that! But in that case--I wonder what you prefer to be chained by?" she teases, leaning in with a smile. "Tell me, and I'll design something along those lines!"
That is, if Myunghon is willing to share something that personal with her.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
The raw Gender definitely, definitely doesn't hurt.
University was, ironically, nowhere near as chaotic a time as Sevens -- Myunghon never ended up opening themself up again in the way they allowed with Miho, Yua and Remi, and thus they were able to dissociate themself harder. They were there for the airs of it -- numbers on a sheet of paper that meant prestige, when they were still obeying their father to become a meteoric, corporate star. Perhaps there is regret, that Myunghon never made that much of their university life, that it's such gray mush in their history.
"It is an appealing look... though I cannot say I do it often enough to be part of that scene," Myunghon admits. They're not active in Angura troupes or anything, and hasn't really ever visited the theatres. Though -- to be honest, some of the Angura-angled versions of the Takarazuka-style productions have caught their eye... well, that's another time.
But Yanagi steps forward and takes hold of their hand -- their cold, bony, almost lifeless hand. There's a blink-and-you'll-miss it miniature jolt, before the camouflaging takes over and Myunghon reflexively deploys that smile again as Yanagi comes closer. "The willingness to change, hmm? I admit it can be easy to be swept up in the current as you enter adulthood... it takes a lot more conscious effort to change it yourself."
A tilt of their head, and that bob-slash-wolf cut of theirs sways to one side along with them. "Like we are doing now."
But of gossip... "I suppose it isn't just about me," Myunghon admits. "A few months ago, what this shop was to the public was merely just that, a front for my Skill Card and Rumourmongering business. But recently, it's become something of a haven to some of the more troubled kids from Kasu, so I should take more care of it." To the point where they're now risking life and limb to not have it be taken away from them by Kaneshiro.
"Perhaps I'll even have that front entrance fixed next time. The elevator is old and frequently breaks down, but no one is willing to foot the bill for it."
Fried potatoes, huh? Myunghon's chuckle is rich as they imagine Pernelle eating tater tots. "He's got quite the discerning palate, I suppose," they muse, but... what do they prefer to be chained by? Myunghon has to consider this for a moment, and then they smile, perhaps a bit of that wanness and sorrow coming through a little more:
"Life, perhaps? The metaphor does lend itself well to a bird, I would say."
<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.
"That's a shame. It was a good look for you. Still, you are banned from red, so it's just as well!" Yanagi smiles coquettishly. "Though I don't intend to let you languish under that ban for very long~!" Maybe they can even catch one of those Takarazuka-style production together sometime and enjoy the Angura together! Shimokita is well-known for its theatre scene. But yes, that's another time.
She grabs their hand, and they jolt, and then smile. "Yes," Yanagi agrees, though her smile has faded. She's already stepped back by now, but still-- "Did you dislike that? You flinched."
Her eyes widen in thought as Myunghon admits it's also about being a safe haven. "Oh!" Her smile returns, warmer than ever. "If that's what you want, then you should. It's nice to have people around you that you like when you don't fit into proper society." That's surely not a stretch for her to imply about them, considering how they met. Yanagi doesn't fit in either, though it's not like 'normal' people have never treated her kindly, either. When you simply can't do the same activities as most others, though... Inevitably you get left behind, no matter how kind others want to be.
It's rare to have people who will keep you right by their side. If that's what's Myunghon is cultivating, either by design or by accident, Yanagi is fully supportive. Case in point: "Oh! I would like that! An elevator is much easier to take than the stairs. I like to take on the challenge sometimes anyway, when I can, but..." Her expression turns briefly, reflexively apologetic. "Sometimes I can't. I hope you can find the money for it."
Pernelle, possessed of a discerning palate? Yanagi thinks of the time he ate the neighbor's store keys; another time he gnawed down a single chopstick; that poor folding fan, so stunning that Pernelle had to rip it apart and devour it to acquire its power; and of course, who could ever forget the time he made bell soup with a bunch of bells he'd collected? She'd pressed her ear to him and shaken him afterwards, and she could faintly hear their jingling chimes.
"His palate is actually quite broad," she replies. "It's just that tater tots are his favorite."
Life... "That's very broad--almost uselessly so! But if a bird does appeal to you after all, I'll do that." She nods decisively. Apparently she's just going to slide right past the 'useless' remark? "I already have an idea--I'll text you rough sketches later." She reaches for a pocket hidden in the folds of her ruffles and produces her phone. It's the effort of a moment to exchange phone numbers.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon probably really would be up for watching Takarazuka-style theatre with Yanagi. It's one of the most common ways to see people transgress gender lines, so it's never been exactly off their radar. "Does that include bleeding? I'll have to come up with a way to have pink blood, like I've been censored by CERO." That's a joke just for you!
Yanagi pointed out the flinch, though. She's really, really perceptive. It leaves them feeling a bit insecure, like their masking isn't as flawless as they're hoping it would be. It's the end of a long day, and they were just injured during an outing, so it makes sense, but it leaves them feeling defeated everytime nonetheless. "No, I was just a little... taken in."
They didn't say 'surprised', like they're clawing for position so desperately, despite the smoothness of their countenance and grace at present.
There's definitely no slight taken for 'not fitting into proper society', though given that exchange just now, Myunghon does wonder how many layers deep the masking has to go. Surely there's a point in which they're with such company they can let go...? But their fright of, in their own words, not understanding human beings is so pervasive that even now, ostensibly amongst company that would understand them, it isn't achievable just yet.
"I was unsure how lonesome it would be, but a number of people have flocked here, yes," Myunghon answers, but the topic of the elevator is a nice off-ramp for them to take. "The only other business in this building isn't likely to stump for it, as they are on the ground floor, so it really does fall on me. Look forward to it next time, Yanagi."
A safe haven should be accessible, and as much airs as Myunghon likes to put on, they do want the shop to be inviting and accessible, much like how it aggravates them that Kaneshiro made their guests feel unsafe in their store. If they creatively twist their budget just enough, it should be possible... but buying the wrong game console certainly set that back.
But is Pernelle not possessed of a discerning palate?? If Myunghon knew the things Pernelle had sticked into his craw, they'd say -- 'a kindred spirit, like me!' Myunghon, who has been seen on-screen putting toy racecars and Tartarus and who knows what else into their mouth! Myunghon, who would likely cook with Dettol and call it gourmet cooking! Yes, the perfect adjoinment of souls!
But this exchange is only happening on narrative, and thus, tater tots it will be. "I can imagine," Myunghon answers in turn. But Yanagi rightly calls them out on their answer being uselessly broad. But a bird... "Or a... koala, perhaps..." Koala Pin. Their eye glints for a moment. A Koala Chain...
But numbers are exchanged easy enough, before long -- in their fatigued state, Yanagi might even be able to spot the Meta-Nav application in their list of apps, if she's looking hard enough.
"There. And here is your card, Yanagi," before they forget, handing the Skill Card over with a sleeve, just so that it's protected and not as evident before she can make use of it.
<Pose Tracker> Yanagi Nagisa has posed.
"Hmmmm...! Well, as long as you aren't accessorizing with your blood on purpose, I'll allow it!" Yanagi declares, her Very Serious Tone undercut by the sparkle in her eye.
But Myunghon claims they were merely taken in. "Oh! Like with Tsumugi?" Yanagi beams sunnily, eyes squinting shut. "Then I'm very flattered!"
...She might be perceptive, but she's easy to lie to, at least. Politely, one might call it a willingness to take others at face value, but six of one... So don't worry, Myunghon: your masking hasn't been defeated yet.
(Maybe you should worry about it a little, though...)
Still, Myunghon says they'll take on an elevator after all. "I will!"
The cage of the meta-narrative strikes again!! But Myunghon will find out sooner or later. No doubt after spending more than ten minutes in Pernelle's glorious presence.
For now, though, Yanagi spots that glint in their eye as they muse on a koala pin, and leans in anew. "Aha! I knew there was something that would catch your heart~! I haven't designed something with a koala before. I'll do that!"
Phone numbers are exchanged--and Yanagi might or might not spot the Meta-Nav app, but since she doesn't have it and isn't familiar with it, it wouldn't stand out to her anyway. More importantly is that Skill Card, which she accepts with gratitude, and tucks away in another secret pocket. The pockets, really, are how you know Peacock Silk designs their own clothing and accessories...!