2025-08-26: So, Like... You Just Pick A Girl Off The Girl Tree?
- Log: So, Like... You Just Pick A Girl Off The Girl Tree?
- Cast: Tsubasa Seki, Ichika Kawase
- Where: The Grand Transit From Shibuya to Hirasaka
- OOC Date: 2025-08-26
- IC Date: Sunday, July 01 2012
- Summary: Ichika and Tsubasa meet up, after a long day out in Shibuya, and talk about what's been going on. Then, Tsubasa comes out as bi. Somehow, the straight girl has more insight into all this than the musei guy. How do you pick a girl off the Girl Tree, anyway? Do you like, answer a riddle, or...
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
> yo
> u ready 2 bounce??
Tsubasa, having had ramen, leans on Buchiko's statue as they wait for Ichika to get in. Of course, they just jump the turnstile, because they cannot be bothered to pay a fare. And so, on the train... Tsubasa just happens to stand beside Ichika so that she can put her back to the clear separator which shields the rare seats. You know. Just in case any bright sparks get the idea to play grab-ass.
... they're a way less attractive target for that sort of thing.
"... how'd it go?" Tsubasa asks, over the din of all the office workers excited that they're getting home on time, for once. "My shit worked out for me... oh, ran into Amamiya-san, too. Also, like, this guy called Sakamoto-kun, but like, literally... nah, it's cool, though. He's cool." Beat. "Read me as a guy. It was actually pretty cool... he was cool with the truth too, tho'."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
> yes lets go
Ramen is good. Ichika instead got a bunch of snacks. Snacks are very good. And it means she won't be hungry on the way back. She did use her pass to get through the turnstile... But it's fine. She has it, after all.
It's an unspoken thing now that Tsubasa shields Ichika like this, and it's something she appreciates a lot. ...One of those things.
Ichika has a few bags and a box! The box has a florist's name on it. "Good," Ichika answers. "Yeah, he mentioned," she says of Amamiya. "I ran into him too. Did some shopping together. Got a cactus." Pause. "I'll show you when it won't fall over and hit somebody."
"But oh yeah? That's great. ...Both parts."
"Got some clothes and stuff, you know. ...Amamiya-san's pretty cool. Mentioned some friends, too."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
'He' mentioned... Tsubasa silently recognises Ren's situation, in their mind, before they roll along with it. (It's at least correct one-third of the time, in his situation.) They'd tell the Boss anything... except, as it turns out, another X's secret gender feelings.
Eh, it's cool, everyone's got one exception or another rattling around in their brains.
"A cactus, huh," Tsubasa says. "Sounds pretty tough." Probably make a decent bat, they think, or a good thing to shove down Eiji's throat. They don't say that, though, because a cactus is a living plant and they're pretty sure thinking the terrible thing makes them a bad person.
It's still funny, though.
"Cool," Tsubasa nods. Shifts their stance a bit, as the train rolls around a corner, to make sure Ichika's still safely between the solid surface and them. They don't call attention to it. "Ended up catchin' most of a movie. 'The Worst Detective'... pretty good. Funny shit. Found a good ramen joint, too."
And, like, other things, but the unspoken 'and another thing' in Tsubasa's eyes is something they don't bring up on a crowded train.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ren didn't mention it to Ichika! She has some guesses about them, but doesn't really know much. She wouldn't begrudge this secret, probably.
It's fine.
"Yeah," Ichika says. "Amamiya-san's got a plant... and I thought I'd get one, too. This one likes the heat. So that's good. Because it's still gonna be hot for a while." A pause. "...I'm thinking it's nice to have something alive around."
Ichika does not know.
For now though, the train rolls and Ichika stiffens slightly to keep herself in place. "Oh, yeah?" Ichika asks. "Ramen sounds nice. I wanna hear more about this Sakamoto, too. Me, I got some snacks with Amamiya-san at the grocery store after we stopped by the flower place. ...I'll share when we're off the train." Because of course she will. She gathers there's more things, but--
They can talk about that off the train. "i had some stuff to show you anyway..."
And, "Oh, yeah, did I tell you? Yesterday I met up with that reporter again."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Oh, yeah? I can see it. He seems like a plant guy." Tsubasa doesn't know about cats eating plants, and so doesn't know to suspect Morgana. "Ain't no way the dorm can complain about a houseplant."
Beat.
"Yeah?" Tsubasa adds, in query, because they're actually not sure how strict the dorm is supposed to be.
"Cool," Tsubasa nods. Snacks! "He's this punk kid from Shujin... apparently he was rollin' on his own for a while before he ever got in with a gang. Pretty cool." Tsubasa, as Ichika knows, has never been a lone wolf punk. Their entire punk career has been in a pack. No wonder they'd admire someone going at it alone, given that. "Big on action flicks... had a pretty good quip about the 'X' standin' for 'extreme'." Beat. "Cool hair, too." Of course they're into the bleach. It's Ichika-approved, after all.
And, "Yeah?" Tsubasa asks, head tilting a bit to punctuate the question. "How it go?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"They won't care," Ichika's pretty sure on the dorm. "Not that they care about all that much anyway. ...But at least I won't have to sneak it in. I'm pretty sure a cactus is fine. Besides... It's not thorns exactly, but it's kinda similar, right?"
But snacks. And... a punk kid. "Hmmm," Ichika says. "That's cool," she agrees. "Going it on your own... Hard to do. Must be a tough guy." Action flicks. "Nice." The quip? Ichika grins. "Yeah, that's really cool," she says. Good hair, too? Good to know.
"Maybe I'll run into him next time, if he's a friend of Amamiya-san's. ...You know? One of his other friends is a model, apparently."
But, Tsubasa asks and Ichika nods. "...She thinks I've got 'reporter's intuition'," Ichika says. "This is the one who interviewed me for that magazine I showed you. ...I'm thinking about trying to do stuff like that," she ventures. "...Apparently it doesn't matter if your grades suck if you still try to learn the right stuff."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Cactus's still got thorns," Tsubasa shrugs. What? They're called prickles? Fuck off with that, they're on a plant, they're thorns.
"You reckon? Never got round to askin' who his pals were, but... I mean, they're both Shujin, and it kinda seems like the crowd Amamiya-san would end up in." The people who don't give a shit about his rep. Or, you know, maybe Ryuji would think that rep was cool, he seems like a chill guy, he might be into it. "... a model, tho', huh. Cool." Now that one doesn't fit the pattern, but...
Ichika talks about her intuition, though, and Tsubasa nods. "... it'd be a good gig for ya, Boss," they point out, shrugging a shoulder. "Revealin' shit people are tryin' to get buried... it's like, y'know, cavin' a dude's face in for kissin' a chick who weren't into it, but just more big-picture and shit." Which is also, crucially, something Ichika already does. "'Sides, you got the kinda vibe people talk to about shit. Reckon that'd work pretty good... ain't somethin' you can learn in a classroom, neither." Well, as far as Tsubasa knows, anyway.
The train rattles and rolls into the station, and Tsubasa shifts their weight to give Ichika a path out of the train before they shove their own way out, too. "Fuckin' A, man," they grouse, as they shove their way through the station. "Comin' back when work's out blows." ... it's also crammed for several hours, because so many office workers just decide to work late in Tokyo. That's probably healthy and fine.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Close enough!
"Might be. It seems right. But I'm not really sure or anything. We'll find out, right? ...I get the feeling it's not the last we're going to see of Amamiya-san or his friends, if we're lucky." She seems to like them! ...Not like that, though you never know with Ichika.
"Yeah. Part-time, obviously, but... Still, that's impressive."
A good gig. Hmm. "...Yeah," Ichika says. "And like... I mean, it's not like I'm planning to just do the big stuff. Even the stuff that's just about what people like and how to figure it out... Might be fun." A pause. "But you got a good point about that. Bigger picture..." She has a hard time looking at the big picture; even now it's difficult to imagine it.
Still. "Thanks," Ichika says. "I hope so. It's... the best lead I've had in a while, you know?"
Rattle rattle roll. Ichika gets a path out and takes it, careful with her cactus box. "Ugh," she agrees with Tsubasa. "Yeah, totally." It's super healthy and fine. "C'mon, let's get away from the crowd. It's a little noisy for me anyway."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Yeah," Tsubasa shrugs. "Already arranged somethin' with him. Wanted to help me with a thing comin' up, uh... tell you in a bit. But he said he'd mind Lance." Wow, they must think Ren's legit, if they're letting him mind their dog.
But... Ichika has plans. "Sounds fun," Tsubasa nods, with stoic encouragement. "... followin' leads is what reporters do, anyway. So, like." See, Ichika? You're ALREADY DOING IT.
Elbow, elbow, shove. "Damn kids!" A salaryman snaps, as Tsubasa stomps on ahead of him.
"Eat a dick," Tsubasa tosses over their shoulder, reflexively.
Stomp, stomp, shove--!!
Finally, they get out of the underground, and Tsubasa hooks a right from Hirasaka Station to find the nearest alleyway. (Of course they know all the best alleyways in Hirasaka. Where do you think they bolt to?) "Shit," Tsubasa exclaims, leaning against a wall. "Like I'm a fuckin' sardine, man."
They puff out a breath, hand grasping at the side of their chest as they note just how hard it is to catch it. ... they usually try not to notice shit like that.
"It's, uh... this thing I been sittin' on. See, Yeo-sama set me up to go talk to this person at this ritzy upscale joint called Peacock Silk... apparently they're like me, and they can make me this, like, binder thing that works better than tyin' shit up. Guess you can, like... hurt yourself with it or whatever." Ichika's seen the bruises, that's not hard to believe. "But I been scared to go, man," they admit, rubbing at their neck. "Like... what if they look at me and figure out I'm not for real."
They shrug, leaning back against the wall. "He was just, uh... talkin' with me about that kinda shit," they approximate. "Shit like that was on my mind... and... uh, I was gonna pin down Shuyo-kun about it, but I guess it just came out."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Oh, wow." Lance-minding privs. Ichika nods along. "Cool, then. Sounds great."
And following leads... Hmm. She's totally doing it. That's great. But before she can comment more, there's the salaryman, and Ichika shrugs expansively at him. "Fuck off," she informs him politely. And Tsubasa hooks a right, which means Ichika hooks a right. A sardine...
"Yeah," she says. "Thanks for that, too. ...had enough grab-ass the other day."
Ichika notices how hard it is for them to catch their breath, though. And, "Oh, yeah?" Ichika asks. "Yeah, I've been there." She recalls it. it was pretty distinctive at the time. "Haven't bought anything yet though."
A binder... "Yeah," Ichika says, because she has seen those bruises. "If Yeo-san set it up, then I don't think they'll dick you around. They're real good."
A pause. But... Hmm.
"Yeah?" Ichika asks. "That's really cool. ...You know, he seems like the kinda guy who'd know that stuff," Ichika says, and it's positive when she says it. "So, sounds like that went good? I'm glad. We talked a little about clothes and stuff, but..." Not gender, so much.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Men are pigs," Tsubasa spits, when Ichika mentions the other day, and of course they understand that they're referring to that specific demographic and that specific indignity, but it's nice to reinforce that there's no place for it where they're standing.
"Yeah," Tsubasa nods. "I mean, I was talkin'..." Because of course they're not saying anything about Ren, obviously. It means they have to be a bit more creative with the sequence of events to avoid outing him, but they do that without complaint. "Like, about that, and... like... what it's not. Y'know, I ain't no museiai." As distinct from musei, which they are, and they have to distinguish the word with 'love' to make sure they're emphasising that their agender experience doesn't come with asexuality. It's really too bad they're rubbish at English.
They rub at their neck, a touch awkwardly. "But it's weird, like... y'know, for ages, I was like... yeah, I like dudes? But then I'd have to be like... well it'd have to be a dude that's cool with bein' in the woman's role, 'cuz I sure as hell ain't gonna be one. And I never really... y'know... thought about it. But, uh... y'know, like..."
Well, don't spit out Occam's razor this century, Tsubasa, we all have plenty of time.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Yeah," Ichika says. It's pretty specific--but it's pretty porcine, too.
Ichika doesn't know a thing about Ren on that front, and that doesn't change for now. "...Hmm, yeah," she says. She can gather it pretty well. "Yeah, for sure. Opting out of one doesn't mean opting out of the rest, right?" she confirms. Ichika's not any better at English, so she has to muddle through like this. And then...
Dudes, and... Well. Ichika remembers this part. But the way Tsubasa talks about it...
"...Huh, yeah," she says. "So that's a thing for you?" She's not gonna put words in Tsubasa's mouth, but she isn't going to just act like she doesn't get it, either.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Yeah," Tsubasa nods. And --
It's a really good thing they've caked enough shit on their face that no one can see how red it is right now.
"Y--yeah," they stammer out, though, staring enraptured at a spare scrap of wall, so maybe they're not as obscured as they think they are. "I mean -- maybe? I think? I-I dunno, man, I just realised... like, I could be, and... is that weird?" Oh God, it's gotta be so weird.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika can't even see! ...But she can hear their stammering, which kind of makes sense, considering. Also the staring. That's a thing. But when Tsubasa asks, Ichika shakes her head. "Nah," she says. "Not weird. It makes sense. ...Kinda, 'guys who play the woman's role' is sorta missing the simpler option, huh?"
"Didn't bug me when it was Shuyo-kun, doesn't bug me if it's you either."
"So... I guess, congrats? Even if you're not sure, that's kind of a big thing to realize."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Oh," Tsubasa smiles. "Oh, yeah, cool. I mean -- guess it's the same, just -- didn't know if it was weird, since, y'know, I'm... uh..." Well, there's one difference between them and Shuyo, yeah.
"But it's, like... I ain't really gendered, but... if I gotta get pushed in a lane, I'd rather get counted with the dudes, y'know?" They shrug, folding their arms, as if they're way too cool for all this. "At least if I get scanned as a guy, it means no one's thinkin' I'm a fuckin' girl... b-but, y'know, Sakamoto-kun didn't realise I meant 'ran with' like a gang and was talkin' 'bout how cool it was I had a girl, and I was like..."
Tap, tap, their fingers tap on their arm. "... thought... maybe... it'd be cool. Y-yeah, it's... it's a lot. Y--you're sure it's cool?"
... perhaps it's no wonder they're a little anxious about it, when a little part of their brain is wondering when their father is going to jump out from the train station to start yelling at them about how they're even more of a freak now.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Nah," Ichika says. "It's not weird." Ichika knows what they mean, but doesn't know how to say it in a way that isn't shitty, so she just kind of rolls with it. Instead, she smiles.
"Yeah," Ichika says. "--Ohhh, yeah? Well, that would be pretty cool," she admits. "Maybe you'll have to get yourself one."
She knows a lot of reasons Tsubasa'd be anxious about it, but, "It's cool. I promise."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
Well, the important thing is that Ichika doesn't think it's weird when it's coming from that direction.
Tsubasa, who can feel how red their face is but God willing no one will ever know because they are so cool and the most subtle beast on the planet, shrugs. "Y-yeah. Maybe." Like what, Ichika??? Go to the Girl Tree and go pick a girl off it??? HOW DOES THAT EVEN WORK?!? "Somehow."
See, it's cooler when they say it like that. They're so cool.
There's a dozen questions cascading from that, of course. What if a girl doesn't even want to be with them because they don't -- you know -- have the right configuration? What if the girls who do want to be with them like girls and that's why they're fine with them?! What if this is all totally stupid and doesn't even apply to them in the first place because they have a face that scares people and --
Well, Ichika can probably tell when Tsubasa's Stony Expression is covering the fact that they're blatantly freaking out under there, but they think they're playing it off pretty cool. ... besides, she just promised it was cool, so it's gotta be cool. Right?
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika doesn't! And hey, there's totally Girl Trees. It's not like there's not some girls at Kasugayama, even, who might...
Well, Ichika notices Tsubasa still freaking out about it, so she purses her lips a moment and looks them over. She thinks about it for a moment, what to say, how to say it...
"Hey," she says. "You wanna talk about it?"
Ichika pauses. "It's a big deal, right? A lot to think of all at once. Not like you gotta figure it out all on your own right now, either."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"I-I just, uh..." Tsubasa's voice comes out a little smaller, when they try to. "Y'know... like... the kinda girls I'd like... would they even want a guy like me? I'm not... y'know, a guy, so... and like, I know there's chicks like, like, uh, Jinushi-san, but if someone like that was interested... wouldn't it be 'cuz I'm a... like, they'd just be thinkin' I'm, like, a crossdresser, right?"
(Tsubasa don't know 'bout butch and femme. Miho wept.)
One arm drops to their side, as they rub it, with their other hand. "Just... I mean, I can think about it, but... maybe the whole thing's stupid, like... a bad idea. I mean... it's all just theory, anyway, ain't like anyone would... be interested. I, uh... y'know, when people talk shit 'bout 'Beauty and the Beast'... they ain't callin' you an animal, y'know?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Mm." Ichika listens. A crossdresser, is it? Ichika knows a little, but not enough to correct certain impressions. Still... The bigger issue is--
"I don't think that's true," Ichika says. "The part about nobody being interested, for sure. That's just what that asshole said. ...besides; if you can be 'neither', why wouldn't some people like 'neither'? And anyway, like..."
"People like all kinds of people. I don't believe there's anybody who's just... unlovable."
"...And anybody going on about 'Beauty and the Beast' I'll kick their ass anyway."
"If you were as shit and awful as all that, why'd he have to work so hard to make sure you knew it?"
"...Nah. Don't give up before you've gotten started. That's what I think."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"Huh? You think... there's people into that?" Tsubasa looks shocked to even consider the corollary to their gender. Like... people can have a preference for that????
What the fuck?????????????
(you'd really think tsubasa would be more on top of this than the straight girl, but here we are and this is the world we have to live in)
Tsubasa looks down at themself, though, when Ichika talks about it like that. "I mean... he didn't have to work that hard," they say, a touch whining, before they shake their head. "... man, the fuck am I defendin' him?"
Still...
Tsubasa takes a breath, straightening up off of the wall. "... y-yeah, you're right. Dunno why I'd... do the assholes' job for them already. Ain't... like I don't wanna try, or nothin'."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Shock! Ichika nods. "Yep," she says. "I don't see any reason why not."
Ichika is pretty sure she knows what she likes... But she does at least find the 'other' option to be pretty cool. After all, "...you've got a kind of freedom that a lot of us don't. You get to decide stuff like that. It's really cool."
Ichika has slept with a bi guy, so that's the transitive property or something, right?
Still, "...Yep," she says.
"Yeah. So, give yourself a chance," Ichika says. "...And when you figure it out, tell me what you're into. I can keep an eye out."
Ichika smiles.
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
"I never thought of that." Tsubasa says it as if Ichika just pointed out that actually, the sky IS green, look up there and you'll see it right fucking now.
Blink, blink. "So it's up to me, huh..." Well, that's cool. Anyway, Ichika wouldn't say it was freedom shit if she wasn't cool with it.
Still... what they're into...
Tsubasa scratches at a cheek, which is still, thankfully, too tanned to show their red face. "S-sure, Boss. I'll do that. Thanks... like, for real. I... never had a talk like this go okay before," they admit, quietly.
"Y'know. Tellin'... people what were important to me."
Their family would still be horrible about it, they're sure, but...
... y'know, it's cool there's Ichika now, too.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Super green.
"Yep," Ichika says. "That's how it is." ...Of course, if she really minded her own gender, she might look outside it for answers, too. But Ichika's pretty comfortable being a 'girl'. She just admires someone who can figure out their own path.
Still, "Cool," Ichika says when Tsubasa says they'll do it, and it's believable that Ichika now has a quest to Ship Tsubasa one day.
"You're welcome," Ichika says. "...I'm honored you thought you could. With me, I mean."
"...C'mon. If we find somewhere to put our stuff down, I can give you some of those snacks."
<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
... it's pretty cool Ichika admires them for that.
But the Good Ship Tsubasa... man, that's gonna take some work.
(Like, with them, even leaving any theoretical girls on the Girl Tree. Can Ichika really imagine Tsubasa going on a date and not bolting out the back gate??? Really???)
Still -- she's honoured, and that's -- Tsubasa blinks a little more rapidly, because of course they're not going to cry, that would be super lame, God. "'Course I could," they say, and if their voice is a little choked up, no it isn't.
"... yeah, let's beat it. We gotta go meet the Princess, anyway, Lance is gonna be missin' us..."
And snacks. Snacks are good. ... Ichika's pretty good, too.