2025-09-06: Youth
- Log: Youth
- Cast: Ken Amada, Minako Arisato, Shizuka Kuroki, Yukari Takeba, Reiya Aomori, Hitomi Mandai, Ririka Kawase, Mitsuru Kirijo, Akihiko Sanada, Moriko Kumamoto, Fuuka Yamagishi, Shinjiro Aragaki
- Where: SEES Dormitory, Iwatodai
- OOC Date: September 06, 2025
- IC Date: July 07, 2012
- Summary: Ken Amada is introduced to the SEES dorms, where he'll be staying over the summer. Only ten years old, his arrival harkens bad memories to past tragedies for Shinjiro (who has accidentally arrived at the dorm at a bad time), Akihiko, and Mitsuru.
<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.
It is after school on Saturday at the Iwatodai Dorms. It is a decent day, cloudy but with no rain.
Shuji Ikutsuki, chairman of Gekkoukan and SEES's advisor, sits with his arms folded at his usual chair. He has called all available members of SEES to tell them about something that will be affecting the group going forth. Most of them have been informed it's about the introduction of the newest SEES candidate, and that isn't wrong, but...
As people eventually filter in, Ikutsuki speaks, turning towards a chair near his that appears to be occupied by a young boy. The boy, who has fluffy brown hair and oddly deep eyes and wears an orange vest over the Gekkoukan Elementary summer uniform, sits quietly and offers a small smile of greeting to those present--especially Yukari, whom he perks up to see.
"Hello, everyone," Ikutsuki says. "I'm sorry for the short notice, but I'd like to introduce you to a young man who'll be staying with you all over the summer. Due to his circumstances, he doesn't leave for the summer like most students." He smiles softly, turning his head to the boy. "This is Ken Amada. He goes to Gekkoukan's elementary school, and possesses... potential."
The word choice is deliberate.
Ken, for whom the word means only and exactly what it sounds like, continues to smile. "Hello."
"He'll be moving in at the start of summer vacation, and we'll be preparing a room for him before then," Ikutsuki continues. "For now, please, introduce yourselves and help make him comfortable about his upcoming stay."
"Thank you very much for having me," Ken adds, standing up to bow to everyone. "I'll do my best to be quiet and not get in anybody's way."
That's a very normal thing for a ten-year-old child to say!
Minako Arisato has arrived from Historia: The White Chronicle.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
"Potential...?" Minako Arisato repeats. There is a blink of her crimson eyes -- and a glance at Ken. Then, she looks back at Shuji Ikutsuki. She has a flicker of doubt -- this is a child. Would they really ask him to fight? On the other hand--
She shakes her head, quickly. Then, she looks at Ken, and she is all smiles. It's funny, how easily she can do that.
"It's nice to meet you, Amada-kun!" she says. "Try to have fun while you're here, okay? And let me know if you need anything. Anything at all!"
She does a quick wave. "I'm Minako Arisato, second year."
<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.
That's a ten year old boy.
This is a ten year old boy, Chairman!
Shizuka, of course, does not say this aloud. Ikutsuki only said he had potential, not that he'd be joining. And it's not like the rest of them were much older anyway, but... It's a ten year old boy...
She shakes her head a bit to cast those thoughts aside. He's just staying over, that's fine. She stands up and walks over to the boy, leaning down with a smile.
"Nice to meet you, Ken-kun. I'm Shizuka Kuroki, but it's okay if you call me Shizuka. And don't you worry about getting in anyone's way, I do that enough for the both of us, hehe!" Kid's definitely a little stiff, but Shizuka's never been one to back down from a challenge.
Moriko Kumamoto has arrived from Historia: The White Chronicle.
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
Yukari is here certainly, spending much of it in her room trying to make up for lost time on school work. Her trips to Sumaru City had in fact, taken a toll on her free time.
Time which she had to make up.
When she comes down, she's wearing a pink halter top and a pair of flared ankle jeans and sandals.
"Oh Amada-kun, hey." She says with a friendly smile.
You see, Yukari already knows him. She's is acquainted because she ran across him a few times when they were both praying at the Naganaki Shrine.
There are reasons he could be here, maybe even looking for her or Junpei, but given that it's nearly meeting time, she's more suspicious, "Iiii didn't expect to see you here today, what's going on?"
She tries to ask it casually, but soon enough.
And then, he introduces him, says he's going to be staying with them. And Yukari's head already whirls around the many possibilities, but lands on one even before he says it.
'Oh no.'
She doesn't say, but it's written on her face, as her expression changes to something more sullen, "His circumstances? Right..."
She'd always figured something was going on with him. Kids don't come to pray at the shrine as often than him unless they have problems. She's living proof of that.
Her eyes look towards Minako, then says,
"Don't worry. Nobody's worried about that. I'd be happy to help you settle in around here."
Junpei himself chimes in not long after too, "Everyone be friends with him, alright? He's a good kid. I for one am happy to welcome another occupant to the men's side of the dorm!" He says affably.
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya Aomori is here, of course. When did he get here? Don't worry about that.
Potential... Reiya looks inscrutably to Ikutsuki for a moment, blinking once--but then looks to Ken, instead.
"Hello, Amada-kun," he says.
"Yes, Iori-kun is right. We'll be glad to have you."
"Quiet is acceptable, but you will not be in the way regardless. Welcome."
<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.
All available members of SEES? But that's Hitomi Mandai! She's available!
Hitomi had been studying upstairs. And for once it was actual studying; she has put her game cards in a plastic bin, which she closed, put under a blanket, and put a stuffed penguin she picked up somewhere and which has been a supportive mascot for her personal chambers on top of it. Under Peng-san's supervision, she will actually study.
Or would, until now.
Hitomi descends to the room. She is wearing a loose UNIQLO-issued graphic T-shirt (primarily red, with a white applique of a jar of some kind of French marmalade on the right breast) along with sweatpants. This may be thoughtless. "Mmh," she answers Ikutsuki, then, and Hitomi's eyes turn downwards towards...
Ken Amada.
Her lips purse for a moment. He has the potential, but...
What's the story?
Hitomi returns the bow, lightly. "Good to meet you, Amada-kun," she says, pushing her glasses up her nose with her thumbnail. "I'm Hitomi Mandai, second year." Her eyes turn momentarily to Shizuka. Then back to Yukari, and finally to Junpei.
Before she says, "Do you play any card games?" to Ken, one hand resting on her hip.
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka got back to the dorm late last night and has been in a pretty bad mood. She hasn't inflicted this on anyone else, but instead been keeping to herself. She files in with everyone else, headphones draped around her neck. She's still in her uniform, and she's tapping her fingers distractedly on her thigh.
She blinks as she sees Ken, and then Ikutsuki introduces him. And... 'potential.' Oh, that's concerning. She frowns a bit, and glances around to her fellow SEES members to see their reactions.
She looks between Ken and Ikutsuki for a moment, and tries to put on a reassuring smile for Ken. "It's nice to meet you, Amada-kun. I'm Ririka Kawase. I'm also a second year at the high school. Let us know if we can do anything to make you comfortable while you're here, okay?"
<Pose Tracker> Mitsuru Kirijo has posed.
Mitsuru Kirijo has had a lot to think about these past few days. A lot to prepare for.
Unfortunately, none of it has been particularly pleasant. But it's fine. She tells herself that it is fine.
This, too, is just the nature of the responsibility she must shoulder as a Kirijo.
For perhaps the past week, while Mitsuru has made herself available if anyone needed to approach her on matters of SEES business, she's otherwise been a non-entity within the Dorms. Either she has been out, Elsewhere after school, or she was otherwise holed up in her room or the command room, working on something or the other. She never quite specifies what, if anyone has the courage to ask.
All she says is that it was personal business.
It means that she's a little more blindsided by this impromptu meeting by Ikutsuki than she rightly should be; it's clear by the brief, bewildered blink in the redhead's eyes as she happens upon the boy sitting in the chair as she settles in to the meeting (ahead of schedule, of course).
"... Ah..." She hesitates, perhaps for the first time in a long time in such a public setting. "... ... ... hello."
By the time the majority of the others have arrived, her walls of perfectly poised composure have been re-erected. Seated in her customary chair, legs crossed, arms folded under her chest, one index finger taps rhythmically against her bicep as she turns her dark red gaze from Ikutsuki, to Ken. A second passes, as her brows furrow.
"... Welcome to the dorms, Amada-kun. I'm Mitsuru Kirijo. Should you need anything, simply ask."
It's... perfunctory, but gracious. A graceful mask that does not allow any compromise. But as the others turn to greet and chat with Ken, Mitsuru's gaze turns towards Ikutsuki once more, and her tone lowers, beneath the pitch of the conversation.
"... Are you certain about this, Chairman?" she asks. "This is... unorthodox. And besides, he's..."
She doesn't finish the thought, whatever it is. For a rare once in a lifetime moment, Mitsuru Kirijo's sentence simply trails.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko knew about this. It was he who discovered the young boy in the Dark Hour after all. In fact, he tricked his friend Shinji to be present here too. A request for some training materials from Sumeru, hand delivered. The silver-haired man takes up a wall to lean against, arms crossed. He looks downwards at first.
This situation does not make Akihiko happy. Ken Amada, a young boy with the 'potential' and the victim in the truest sense of that night, 2 years ago. That fact weighs heavily on the SEES seniors.
But we can't linger on the past anymore, Shinji.
Akihiko flashes a serious glance towards his friend in the big red coat, and kicks himself off of the wall. "It'll be good to have you, Amada-san." He says. "We have some good kids here. You won't be stepping on any toes. And I expect everyone'll be on their best behavior around you." Perhaps somewhat a pointed look towards Junpei, but it lasts for only a moment. There's no doubt in his voice. "You'll be in good hands."
Akihiko's attention has already turned back to Shinji. His look seems to ask, 'so? What's your next move, old friend?'
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko is a bit late escaping her homework. She had a bit to make up on. Getting wrapped up in her work on her bike. And card games. Maybe more the latter than the former. Dressed in a loose fit pale green blouse and darker shorts, it might be the first time she's been spotted dressed.. nicely when it's not her uniform.
The kid standing there gets a scary face look at the leadership. Intentional for once even!
No reason to take it out on the kid though, and after some effort, she even manages something of a smile! Not that it probably helps as much as she'd like. "I've got a brother about your age. It's nice to meet you Amada-c-" She cuts herself off, habit since, aforementioned brother! "Amada-kun. I'm Moriko Kumamoto." The problems she's got with the implications can come later. When the kid in question isn't going to think he's the cause of it all. "If you share any hobbies, could drag him out here more often."
Then, she looks to the others as she straightens up.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
A meeting has been called after school. It's short notice... but, Fuuka didn't really have any plans and was heading straight back to the dorm anyway, so that doesn't cause too much of an issue for her.
A SEES candidate... she's curious who it is - but the reality of it is someone she would have never expected.
"Amada-kun?" Fuuka observes, surprised. This isn't her first time meeting him, either.
She moves to take a seat, looking around at everyone else, judging their expressions. She isn't the only one who's surprised, and for good reason.
...She's a little nervous about it. Even if his potential is only just that for now... Him being here is bound to get him caught up in something. But is it safer for him to be here than somewhere else...?
Is there ant good solution in this situation?
For now... Fuuka tries to put on a welcoming smile.
"Yes, welcome... If you need help finding anything, please let us know." She offers.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
It's been a long time since Shinjiro's been at these dorms. It's been several days since he's seen Mitsuru, and days further since he's seen Akihiko.
He's still reeling from the former.
But, Akihiko asked him to do him a favor, since Shinjiro's been hanging out in Sumaru, so he reluctantly agreed since, well, it wasn't too out of his way.
That is why Shinjiro walks into the dorm holding a box simply reading 'MUSCLES' on the side.
"Hey, Aki!" Shinjiro calls out as if it's still his home, looking around for his friend. "Do you really need this much training shit..?"
<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.
"Minako Arisato-san...? Are you by any chance related to Minato Arisato-san?" Ken wonders, eyes widening a bit. If it's a coincidence, that will be very surprising. Still, he gives her a little nod. "That's very kind of you. I'll take you up on that if I need to," he says--a bit noncommittal, because he did pick up on her initial uncertainty. She isn't the only one, either, though Shizuka's even more in-his-face friendliness gets a little surprised blink. "Kuro--I mean... Shizuka-san," Ken corrects himself. Her reassurances get a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes, though he maintains his smile. "Um... thank you. And thank you too, Kawase-san," he adds to Ririka at her collective offer to help make him comfortable.
Yukari's presence is at least reassuring to him since they do know each other already--same with Junpei. Ikutsuki beats Ken to the punch when it comes to explaining what Ken's doing here, but the sudden change in Yukari's expression is matched with one of Ken's own. "Oh, um, I hope that isn't a problem..." He looks around at the others--almost all of whom look pretty unenthusiastic about his presence--and misunderstanding why, he adds, "I stay in the dorms over the summer because, um... it's just me. It used to be my mother and me, but she was in an accident two years ago."
"Right now, one of his distant relatives is paying for his school expenses," Ikutsuki adds placidly, apparently wholly unconcerned by everyone else's concern. He catches Mitsuru's dismayed look and adds, "Why, of course. Besides, it would be a shame to make him stay at the elementary school
dorm all by himself, wouldn't it? Don't worry--it's just for the summer." Ikutsuki gives everyone a knowing look. "He's
still just an elementary school student, so anything else is only a possibility for now."
Ken still looks worried for a moment--but then Yukari changes her tone, and Junpei asks everyone to be his friend, and Ken smiles in relief. It helps that Reiya reiterates what Shizuka and Junpei are saying. "Thank you very much," he says--still politely, to better speedmatch Mitsuru, who absolutely radiates authority in this place, but also a little more relaxed, thanks to Fuuka's calming presence. It helps that he knows her already too.
"Oh, um, some," Ken says to Hitomi of card games. "But not very often... I'm sorry." Moriko offers to bring her kid brother around, and Ken replies, "Oh, thank you, but I don't want to put anyone out, either. I'll only be here for the summer, after all."
He does brighten at Akihiko's reassurances. "Right! Thank you very much, Sanada-senpai!" Clearly he has a lot of respect for the undefeated boxing champ of Gekkoukan High.
His gaze goes past Akihiko then to the tall, surly-looking teenager carrying in a heavy-looking box. Their eyes meet for a moment, Shinjiro's narrowed, Ken's unrecognizing. Then Shinjiro looks away and seems to continue on with his business. Ken keeps watching him for another confused moment. He's not wearing a Gekkoukan uniform, so... maybe he's not a student here...?
But it isn't his business, or so Ken presumes, so he says nothing for now. However kindly everyone is treating him, he's an outsider here too.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
Minako glances back at Yukari with a knowing look. It's a look that says 'oh my god.' She keeps a smile on her face, though, and then she looks sideways at Reiya. She wonders for a moment if he knew, or--
No, best to not get distracted. This is happening. And if he does have the potential...
He is in danger, out there.
Surely, Kirijo-senpai must know about this and be ready. Surely, she has an explanation, and--oh. She seems taken aback too. She glances sideways at her, at the question she asks, and then she looks back at Akihiko. There is a moment where she hesitates, as she looks at him. She swallows, sharply, before she smiles at him. "We'll make sure he's in good hands. Right, Sanada-senpai?"
Then she looks at Fuuka, and flashes a smile at her. It's an attempt to be reassuring.
At Ken's question, Minako blinks her eyes. But, she nods quickly. "I am," she says. "He's my twin brother, actually. Do you know him?"
But then Shinjiro walks in -- and she looks at him, her eyes briefly wide with surprise. Then she smiles, even as she catches sight of the box. She reads the word 'MUSCLES.'
Then, slowly, her eyes track to Akihiko.
dot dot dot
<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.
Shizuka looks over to Yukari, noticing the look on her face and remarking that for once, they agree on something. Pursing her lips, she turns to Hitomi, nodding as she addresses Ken again. "If you play hanafuda, be careful. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty good." She makes a show of proudly adjusting her tie, with a proud hum.
"Pei-kun, you better not be giving Ken-kun any bad ideas." She glares over at Junpei, pointing an accusing finger. "We've got enough to handle with one of you."
And then Shinjiro.
"Aragaki-san?" She knew enough to know that Shinjiro and the other third years had history, but having joined after he left and not really knowing him too much in first or second year, she didn't really know what to make of this.
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Even Mitsuru is surprised and unsure. Reiya keeps that note in mind. However...
When Ken mentions his mother, Reiya's expression shifts slightly. His stoicism turns just down a little notch, into concern.
"It isn't a problem," Reiya says then. "My mother is usually out of town. It's part of why I stay in the dorms." Not these dorms in particular, but still.
"There will not be an issue." He walks up from where he'd been, closer.
"...I have a younger sister at Gekkoukan Elementary, as well. You may know her. Yuzuki Aomori."
Muscles. ...They are unimportant to Reiya in the moment.
"I'm Reiya Aomori," he introduces finally. "When you settle in, I would like to show you my fish."
That's the most welcoming he can be.
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
For ONCE, Yukari Takeba does not mind Mitsuru Kirijo's reaction to this too much. One should be hesitant to accept a ten year old.
But, he has the Potential. They never said he awakened. Or that he's joining SEES, just that he'd be here...
And given what she knows of his 'circumstances'.
Well, she can't actually be upset about him being here, it's probably the only place safe for him right now.
"Oh it's no problem at all, Amada-kun!" She says as her expression looks awkward at being caught by a ten year old, but she says sympathetically, "I promise. I'd really much rather you stay here than at a Dorm all by yourself."
And she is sincere about that. She understands what that's like, with a parent dead. ... And another who might as well be.
"Oh right. Your brother ran into me and him at the shrine not long ago. So they're kinda acquainted!" She tells Minako, trying to keep the 'oh my god' look off her own face, since Ken picked up on that right away.
And hey at least Reiya tries to talk about a sister his age, but whyyyy does she get the feeling that won't appeal to him too much? (From personal experience of not fitting in at that age Yukari, duh.)
And that's when Shinjiro walks into the dorms, and there's momentary panic on her expression as she didn't expect to see him over.
Because if he said too much...
Well it's fine, she has literal blackmail material on her.
It's just, the way Shinjiro looks at this scenario, and Akihiko... well, it's easy to understand why he might be upset to see Ken here in the same respect as everyone else.
He left SEES after all...
... but, why does she swear it looks more personal than that?
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Fuuka looks up to the door as someone else enters. Surprise crosses her face as she spots Shinjiro. She sees the way he stops - but she doesn't know him well enough to register that as anything more than having walked in on a meeting. She meet Minako's look next. She manages a smile back as Minako offers her that reassuring smile. It's a good reminder for her to stop and try to breathe. It's... okay. This doesn't have to mean anything more than looking after him while he's possibly in danger.
"No, it isn't a problem at all, Amada-kun. Takeba-san is right - we'd be glad to have you here." Fuuka assures. He does seem a little more relaxed now, at least - especially after spotting Akihiko. ...Though she feels a pang of sympathy for him, as he recounts why he's on his own. "Let me know if you need any help with your schoolwork, too."
It might be the best thing she can offer, at this point.
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
There is a voice Ririka did not expect to hear so soon, especially not on the heels of what happened last night. She almost doe a double take. "A-- Aragaki-san?" she says in a hushed voice. She doesn't know what's going on, but... it didn't make this less awkward, she iknows that.
You know, come to think of it, he does use an Evoker like (most of) the rest of them do...
She pulls her attention back to Ken at the thanks. "Of course. I... hope you'll have a really fun summer. Do you like any kind of music?" She's trying to be friendly, and that's an easy topic to go to, but...
His mother was in an accident. Oh, no... Ririka doesn't know how to respond to that, yet, so she stays quiet on it, for the moment.
<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Hitomi answers Ken with a smile that isn't quite big-sisterly but is reaching in that direction. "Some of us just play card games and I thought it might be fun, you know? Summer's got a lot of downtime!"
Akihiko-sempai is making a better appeal for Ken's comfort and engagement. Thank you Lord Buddha, thinks Hitomi, before...
Her head slowly turns...
Her eyes *WIDEN*...
Her mouth *hangs slightly open*...!
"Beanie-ku-- k- Aragaki!?" Hitomi erupts in total, unabashed astonishment. She looks at Fuuka - Minako - Yukari - Moriko - back ahead. One hand is about to come up and point but she visibly stops the reflex, fingers splayed out awkwardly before she shoves that hand into her sweatpants-pocket to avoid the obvious problems.
In the aftermath, she looks back-and-forth kind of swiftly between Mitsuru and Ikutsuki. (Somehow, not Akihiko, despite the obvious connection. Maybe the muscles intimidate her.)
</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Mitsuru Kirijo has posed.
Yes, even Mitsuru Kirijo the ever-prepared, she who probably has contingencies in place for each of your study regimens the very second they dip below the acceptable GPA line, has been defeated by this precocious child.
Maybe she's simply bad with children. Is it really so unbelievable?
She notes he misgivings with Ikutsuki quietly, regardless. And when he quite calmly rebuffs them with facts and logic, a small frown tugs at the corners of scarlet lips, but Mitsuru does not protest. She just looks, briefly, Akihiko's way.
"... I suppose that is fair," she finally settles on, within a calm, measured exhale. "Very well." This, too, is fine. If he has the Potential, truly, it's better he's here, somewhere that she can watch over and make certain he's safe.
... But of all people...
...why him...?
She's lost within her own reverie until Ken speaks of his circumstances. It's imperceptible, the way her jaw tenses just so. That she shuts her eyes after is also not especially noteworthy -- she's prone to such things, after all.
It used to be my mother and me, but she was in an accident two years ago.
Impeccably cared-for nails dig gently and briefly into her biceps.
"..."
As is so often the case, Mitsuru remains a woman of few words, simply attempting a small smile for Ken's sake (WHY DOES IT LOOK SO INTIMIDATING THOUGH IT'S JUST A SMILE). No -- it's only when that door cracks open and that familiar voice rings out that Mitsuru's eyes suddenly open once more in brief, muted surprise. As Hitomi looks over, she'll find the SEES leader lifting swiftly from her seat.
"Aragaki?" she says as she rises; she covertly positioning herself in a way that tries to put her between Ken and Shinjiro's lines of sight by - of course - pure coincidence.
Too late.
She quietly curses, and tries to push past.
"What -- are you doing here?"
For a brief, terrible moment, she wonders if he's already accepted her offer at the absolute worst possible time -- but it hasn't been a week, yet. So why--
MUSCLES
Mitsuru stares at that box. For some reason, unbidden, it evokes a single word she's heard uncountable times in the years she has known Akihiko Sanada:
PROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPROTEINPR
"... Ah. I see."
Wait.
"--Beanie-kun?"
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko's smile wavers briefly listening to Ken, "If you ever want to talk, I lost my dad to one too." Trying to offer a hand out of sorts. She glances away briefly, then resumes with a half-smile, "Nah, not a big deal. He likes the excuse to go for rides anyway. He plays card games a lot to boot. I take him out some nights to play." Though she doesn't mention that would require a train trip probably. The bike's definitely not good for more than two! It might also cut into her playing the game. Hm.
"Wait really?" She sort of blurts out when Minako mentions having a twin. She hadn't quite caught it. Her mind was clearly elsewhere when looking at names.
She does give Reiya a look when he offers to show a kid his fish. "At least tell him what kind it is." She has to mess with him a bit. "Has she been doing alright?" She pauses, then says, "Later." She's supposed to be welcoming a kid.
Taking a seat, Shinjiro's given a wave. That's a new face. For her at least. She's the newer one right? "Beanie-kun?" The look to her from Hitomi is met with a bewildered one!
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko offers Ken a reassuring smile, before going to keep Shinji firmly present. He sneaks by the crowd and places a hand onto the box Shinji's holding. Not to take the burden, but merely to keep him here. He wouldn't expect Shinji to drop the box on his feet, after all.
"You came just in time, Shinji. We were welcoming our new...comrade, Ken Amada." A bit chummier phrasing than his more distant -san's. This is a friendly conversation after all. Not a hostage situation. "Turns out, he has potential. Isn't that great?" Though the tone is friendly, the meaning is anything but.
To Minako, Akihiko smiles and gives a nod. "Right, Arisato-san." He then uses this to his advantage to twist the knife a little harder. "You've been coming around more often for club activities, Shinji. You'll help protect Amada-san, right?"
"Besides..." He moves on quickly, to lighten the mood from the hidden threats. "Someone has to keep me from spiking the pancakes with protein powder, right?
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro meets Minako's gaze only briefly, nodding once, before turning to Shizuka. "Kuroki," he greets with a poker face, even if he's internally very anxious to leave.
Reiya barely pays attention to Shinjiro, so he gets ignored.
Yukari gets a glance and a nod as well, though he doesn't SAY ANYTHING INCRIMINATING. For now.
Fuuka says nothing, but her words about 'we'd be glad to have you here' confirm Shinjiro's suspicions and makes his heart hurt, even as he maintains the mask of stoicism. He can't let anyone realize what's hurting him right now.
Ririka gets a glance. She was there last night, wasn't she? In a mask... the Wolf. He doesn't say anything like he doesn't with Yukari, though, nodding. "Got a problem? I'm making a delivery."
Hitomi starts calling him BEANIE-KUN before she cuts herself off. "Tch, that's not my name."
As Mitsuru asks him why he's here, though, his eyes just scan back over to Akihiko, as if selling him out.
Moriko gets a nod as she waves. He doesn't know her, but whatever.
Akihiko's words, though, drag his attention. Shinjiro locks his own jaw, gritting his teeth, as the box is stopped from making him leave.
"Is that so?"
Potential... no. Nononononononononononono. This *cannot* be happening.
"Yeah, club activities." He has to lie here, unfortunately. To contradict Akihiko is to give away his pain and hurt the others in turn. "...Sure." It sounds more noncommittal than the word implies, like he's not promising to join yet... just to protect Amada.
A sharp grimace. "Please don't put protein powder anywhere *near* prepared food in general. You're going to ruin it." A pause, as he turns to the group. "Does he still eat unseasoned chicken?"
And then, he turns to Ken, a nod. "Shinjiro Aragaki. It's nice to meet you."
It really isn't.
<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.
Ken nods to Minako. "Yes, we met at Naganaki Shrine recently. Yukari-san introduced me to him. They've all been very kind to me." He offers her another little smile. "I hope we can continue to get along."
...He leaves it ambiguous which 'we' he means, though. It's important not to overstep with older people--especially when they're all trying so hard to pretend like they're okay with this. It's all right. Ken knows he isn't like the other kids. He's mature. He's mature and grown up, just like all these teenagers.
He smiles at Shizuka and her proud tie-adjusting and Junpei-pointing. She does seem like the comical type, doesn't she? "I'll be sure to watch myself." Hitomi weighs in on the matter and he nods, expression lightening a little. "Then... if any of you feel like inviting me..." he says to them as well as Moriko, "I wouldn't mind playing some card games sometime."
Yukari becomes more emphatic about reassuring him, and vouches for him with Minako too (or at least corroborates what he says), and that helps a lot also. "I'm glad to hear that. I don't want to be a bother to anybody." To Fuuka, he adds, "Thank you very much. I make sure to keep on top of my summer homework, but if there's anything I have any problems with or I don't understand, I'll be sure to come to you."
When Reiya comes closer and namedrops his sister, Ken's eyes spark with recognition. "Oh... Yuzuki-chan? I know her a little bit. She comes to some of the soccer matches I'm in." It's... at least a neutral reaction? His smile takes on a bit of warmth at the offer to see his fish, though. "I'd like that! I have a hamster, myself. Oh, but don't worry--he isn't too noisy, and I keep his cage very clean."
Ririka asks if he likes music. Ken looks briefly hunted. "N-not really... But, um, some of my classmates like things like the theme to Featherman, so I'm familiar with those songs... Th-they're catchy, so they can't help but get stuck in your head." Plausible deniability, established. Nailed it.
He looks briefly dismayed when Moriko mentions she's also lost her father to an accident. "I see... I'm really sorry to hear that. It's hard, isn't it...?" He shakes his head a little, shooting a look at the others, and quickly adds, "Oh, but I'm fine! It's been a while already, so I'm used to it." He smiles. It's definitely not forced. "Everyone is always very kind to me, and my relatives are taking care of my expenses, so I don't have any reason to complain."
A lot of people seem very surprised to see this Aragaki person. Akihiko in particular has kind of a weird vibe about him, even though it seems like Aragaki is here to make a delivery for him...? Ken gives them--and him--a confused look. He at least doesn't read anything into Mitsuru's body language (beyond what he has already for everyone else) or the fact that she gets up in between him and Shinjiro.
Why would he need or want to protect him, though...? Ken does not ask. He's used to adult conversations that go just a bit over his head. He won't betray his lack of understanding by asking childish questions like 'What do you mean?' or 'What's going to happen to me?' If it's important enough, they'll explain it; if not, he'll make do on his own.
Besides, they seem to have their own history going on. It's probably just some sort of inside joke Ken doesn't get. Best not to force himself into the conversation and annoy them.
Ikutsuki, meanwhile, looks on the group with that same placid calm. He gives Mitsuru a nod when she gives her understanding and assent, and likewise says nothing when Shinjiro arrives and complicates matters. He does, however, watch them and everyone else.
At least, until Shinjiro introduces himself properly. Ikutsuki glances at Ken, who stands up straight. "Yes! I'm Ken Amada. It's nice to meet you too, Aragaki-san," he says, though he's not entirely sure that's true. But it surely isn't any less true than anyone else here, right?
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
"Oh, did you? That's great! The shrine is really nice, huh?" Minako asks Yukari and Ken -- though it's really a question posed to Ken. She nods at him, though, then.
"I'm sure!" she says. "My brother's really nice. I'm the more talkative one, but I'm just as nice." She winks at Ken, then. And if there's a flicker in her expression at the talk of dead parents -- or the way she seems to double her efforts to be friendly -- well, it's fleeting.
She does look at Fuuka, though, and gives her a quick nod.
"Me, too," she says. A beat. "But Yamagishi-san might be more help there." Minako is a strictly average student, after all.
She looks at Hitomi, then -- and blinks. Then she is trying very hard to fight a smile at 'Beanie-kun.' "Do, um, you know him, Mandai-chan?"
She glances over at Mitsuru. She doesn't catch how she tries to interject herself between Shinjiro and Ken. She isn't sure what is going on, but Shinjiro's presence -- clearly -- is a surprise to all of them.
She looks back at him. She hesitates for a second. "Well..." Then she looks at Akihiko. "He does love his protein powder."
She isn't quite selling him out.
<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.
"It's... nice to see you again, Aragaki-san. You look well." She looks over to Akihiko as he needles Shinjiro. She hadn't pried with Mitsuru and him about why Shinjiro had left, but she knew that Akihiko wanted him back. "I think he puts some salt on it now. Talk about an as-salt to the taste buds, huh?" She smiles, desperately trying to deflate the situation and probably failing.
"A-Anyway, Ken-kun, we'll make sure to take good care of you. Do you have any luggage to bring in?"
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
Indeed, Yukari would agree that Ken's very mature for his age. It's partially why they get along as friendly acquaintances at the shrine. They both know they're grieving in some way. They don't talk about that.
Because who would ever?
It's nice.
But that's the way relationships are for her aren't they? Nothing nice and uncomplicated can ever last.
Him coming here marks change, and change isn't something she ever deals with all that well.
"Honestly? I think the boys here will be better off for having you living here with them. They could use someone as responsible as you to balance things out." She says, complimentary, as Junpei eyes her, "Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" "Figure it out..." She says, with a raised hand, as if marking the fact he couldn't read into a comment so obvious.
And there it is in the tone of him reacting to Reiya talking about her little sister, Yukari figured that, but is she gonna try to do anything? Nope.
It's Ken's business. She's not about to air how she thinks he's getting along at school with people his age.
"Beanie-kun?" Yukari tries her hardest to be mature and not to snicker, but fails, a tiny amount, just you know, a smidge.
"Um, I'd usually wonder but I get the feeling you don't actually know each other that well."
But it's the way Akihiko addresses the matter to Shinjiro that causes her to look closely at him.
There's a hidden implication there, and she can only hear it because Akihiko is being a little weird and he's about as subtle as the taste of protein powder in a batch of pancakes.
She just doesn't know what it is???
What did Shinjiro part ways with SEES over? For some reason, that question comes to mind.
She wonders...
"Well luckily the kitchen isn't fully set up yet, so it's really not something we have to worry about." Yukari suggests to Shinjiro's comment on Aki's cooking.
"Yet at least."
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
His sister! "That makes sense," Reiya answers of his sister. "She likes sports. We all do." His sisters and himself. Warmth, though--Reiya actually smiles at Ken. "A hamster," he answers. "Very good. I hear that they make good pets, and offer much opportunity to enrich them with their habitats..."
He believes him about the cage. Still. Classmates with Featherman. Reiya is thoughtful about that. he doesn't mention his own father, unlike Moriko, but he does say, "The music is very catchy."
He looks around at the others. There are many with difficulty with this, but...
Yukari mentions responsibility. Reiya frowns, but doesn't answer her. Instead, she looks at Shinjiro and frowns thoughtfully. Akihiko...
What does it mean?
"...Protein powder would affect the consistency of pancakes," he says, and for once, he is dissembling.
Because he's watching Shinjiro very carefully all of a sudden.
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko offers Ken a quick thumbs up, "I'll let him know and I'll let you know the next time we're going." Which is probably soon, knowing both Moriko and her brother Hideki.
She might however, start humming the Featherman song. Muttering to herself as she does so, "It really does." She's got a younger brother. She doesn't even need to make an excuse for that.
It's interrupted when she puts her hands up, "It is, but sometimes having someone to talk to helps right?" She's got a few bad habits that she'd rather not see someone else pick up!
"Does it?" She asks Reiya at the mention of protein powder. Then, "Oh, guess it would make it chalky right?" She tried one. Wasn't her favorite thing. Reiya's concern gets her to look to Shinjiro, mostly in curiosity though. Such a mixed bag of reactions.
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
Fuuka returns Minako's nod with one of her own, before looking back toward Ken.
"Of course. My door's always open." Fuuka replies with a nod, as Ken says he'll come to her if there's anything he has problems with or doesn't understand. ...He's a good kid - she can see the way he's trying to meet them on their level. It probably isn't any easier for him than it is for them.
He has a hamster, though...
"He's welcome here, too. What's his name?" Fuuka says. She loves animals. She's a little happy to hear he has a friend.
...Still, she can feel some underlying tension in the room. She looks between Akihiko and Shinjiro. Still, there's one thing that she does latch onto.
...Is protein powder in prepared food really that much of a problem? Isn't it supposed to be mixed into things? A quizzical expression crosses her face. Shinjiro sounds like he knows what he's talking about, at least... She makes a mental note.
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka was, indeed, there. She wasn't really that hard to identify, especially once the PErsona came out. "No," she says quietly. "Just surpried to see you here, is all." She's not gonna bring up last night, either.
Ken responds to her question about music with a 'Not really.' "Oh, well that's okay, was just curious..." She brighten a little. "Oh yeah! The Featherman theme is pretty catchy, huh? It's actually really interesting, when you look at how they... put it together..." she trails off a bit.
Ririka clears her throat. "A-anyway... Amada-kun, are you... into any video games?"
She glances to Moriko as she hums the Featherman theme. Oh, so she knows it, too...
<Pose Tracker> Hitomi Mandai has posed.
That's not my name, Shinjiro says.
Hitomi's face reddens considerably. Her teeth set for a moment. Her other arm - the one not attached to the hand in her pocket - folds across her chest and grasps her alternate bicep, eyes cutting off to the side. Akihiko's talking, at least.
'He has potential! isn't that great?' says Akihiko, and Hitomi's jaw tightens.
Fortunately, the child bearing a grim destiny bails her out. This may be a foretaste of things to come. "Sure," she tells Ken. "No rush! No rush." Because there is no rush. There's just a card game to play sometime. There's a card game to play sometime *instead of putting your foot directly into your mouth so far your toenails are tickling your tonsils!!*
Hitomi answers Minako without looking. "yeah we ran into each other a couple of times. it was kind of a funny story"
She also answers Yukari, also without looking: "shut uuuuup"
<Pose Tracker> Mitsuru Kirijo has posed.
Yes. He's here because of Akihiko.
Mitsuru connects those dots faster than the dot assets actually take loading in.
"It's been how many years now?" Mitsuru instead pivots to talk of protein and ruining meals, a thumb pressed to space between her brows as she sighs and shakes her head. "You of all people aren't going to convince Akihiko of doing any differently -now-, Aragaki."
For a brief moment, a sliver of time in this unexpectedly stressful situation, it feels like the old days.
And the moment swiftly passes as she shoots Akihiko a pointed look for those not-so-subtly coded words of his.
Shortly thereafter, Mitsuru turns to face Ken fully. She starts as if preparing to speak -- and then pauses. Considers a moment.
And then crouches from her standing position, so she can address him seriously, eye-to-eye.
"You don't need to worry, Amada-kun," she assures, her voice full of inspiring, firm promise.
"Akihiko will never be in charge of preparing dorm meals."
She knows when she was younger the last thing she wanted as people looking down on her and treating her like a child in grave circumstances.
... Even though he is a very small elementary school child and that fact is indisputable.
... Is this what becoming an adult feels like...?
Still -- Yukari raises a very good point. And, another convenient distraction. Mitsuru's very serious gaze is compromised in a fluttering blink of realization. "Ah. It hasn't, has it?" she asks, about the kitchen; rising back up to her feet and smoothing out her skirt, Mitsuru lifts a hand to her chin. "Mm. We should fix that before Amada-kun moves in. I'll put in some calls to have an inspection done and get the remaining essentials squared away so the kitchen is ready when he arrives."
Is an inspection -- really necessary?
"Thank you for the reminder, Takeba." She does not believe the world she's in, where speaking with Yukari is somehow one of the -least- awkward and uncomfortable options available to her. The gratitude, however, is genuine. It provides a distraction for her.
"... Perhaps you could assist me, Aragaki. I would like your advice on some of the finishing touches. Perhaps we could speak on it more in a moment."
And, a subtle out for Shinjiro, if he needs it.
It's only then, of course, that she springboards back to the rest of the ensuing topics with a furrow of her brows. "... What is a... 'Feather Man,' exactly?"
You can.
you can just -hear- that deliberate space
like she's just imagining a giant feather of a man or something and is deeply perplexed
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Fairly satisfied now, Akihiko relents and receives the muscles box. "Thank you, Shinji." The rest can come later, when they don't have to speak around the gathered group. And he's sure he'll pay from Mitsuru later. She'll understand. This is for Shinji's sake, and hers. And his own. A chance to move past and free all of them from the guilt that's hung over their heads.
Now is the time, Shinji. We can move on, together.
Akihiko grimaces lightly as he's teased by Minako, Shizuka, and Shinji, but takes it all in good fun. "If you wanna be a champion, you have to eat like a champion."
Aki nods with Yukari's statement. "We really should get that kitchen set back up soon. We have more than enough people who'd want to be using it."
Finally, finally someone understands him! And from the most unlikeliest of places. "Thank you, Fuuka. Yes, it's made to be mixed into things. Typically shakes or even oatmeal. What's wrong with a cup of protein powder per cup of flour in pancakes?" There's the issue. The man has no sense of scale or moderation.
"Come on, now..." Akihiko laughs a bit as Mitsuru assures Ken that he won't be cooking. He scratches the back of his head lightly. "I don't know, I've been tempted to work on a stack of pancakes one of these days. Those were my favourite days back in the orphanage..." He smiles sheepishly. "Completely normal ones. Promise."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Ken saying his name gets Shinjiro to nod once, internally frustrated at having to meet this kid. It's not Ken's fault, of course, he didn't do anything wrong. He never did anything wrong.
Minako doesn't sell Akihiko out. Shinjiro nods once. "Can't do anything without me, huh, Aki?"
Shinjiro, who is dressed in a winter coat and looking like a street rat, nods to Shizuka. "Yeah." It's terse, as he never knew her well, despite being in his class ostensibly. He kept ditching.
Yukari mentions the kitchen isn't set up. "Then what the hell do you all eat? Don't tell me you're living on packaged food."
They have way too much money for that.
Reiya gets glanced back at, as Shinjiro feels watched right now. "Tch," he says, but does not address Reiya directly.
Moriko gets a sigh. "I don't think he should be trusted with the stuff at all but I'm not his mother."
Fuuka and ririka both get glances, especially Ririka, who gets a nod. "I used to live here, so."
At the very least, Mitsuru gets a distraction. "True, but I can make fun of him for it." That is indeed the old-style Shinjiro.
To the point that he snorts and glances at Akihiko as Mitsuru says the former will never be in charge of dorm meals.
Aki, on the other hand, finally takes the box. Shinjiro noticed Mitsuru's out, so he's going to wait for that instead of running away immediately.
"Pancakes, huh? I've never been able to get the old recipe, though I think I have some ideas on what they did for it."
It was packaged, Shinjiro. You just assumed it couldn't be because you were seven.
Shinjiro glances back to Ken, though. What can he say? What can he do?
"You need anything, you'll have help. Count on that."
Even if Shinji can't move on like Akihiko wants... he knows the decision he has to make now, even if he refuses to admit it just yet.
<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.
"It is! It's a very quiet and calming place. I like to go there to think and pray. It's nice that there's playground equipment for other kids my age, too; it really adds to the local community," Ken tells Minako, because he has the soul of a sixty-year-old man. When she winks, he breathes a little chuckle and relaxes a bit more.
He laughs a little more when Yukari praises him for being Responsible and Sure To Be A Good Influence. Junpei might not be able to read between the lines, but Ken understands her loud and clear, and he's relieved to have a chance to make himself useful. "I'll do my best," he promises.
Ikutsuki meanwhile reminds Shizuka, "He's not moving in until later this month, at the start of summer vacation. But I'm sure the offer lifts a weight off his shoulders! Haha, right, Ken-kun? Because luggage is heavy?"
Ken's smile is now definitely forced. "Um... right..." Moving on, he turns to Moriko and says, "Thank you." He might or might not take her up on that in the future, but he definitely won't right now. He brightens again, though, as Reiya comments on what good pets hamsters are and Fuuka asks his name. "They are! His name's Hamburger. I can show him to you two if you want, once I've moved in." Obviously he's not leaving him behind!
Moriko starts humming the Featherman theme, though, and Ken flushes like he's been caught. Fortunately, Ririka starts geeking out about music, and Ken looks at her in wonder. "Oh, no, I'm actually sort of curious--what do you mean, how they put it together?" he asks. Her other question, he gives her an apologetic look. "I'm more into soccer... Sorry."
Ken isn't the only one reddening, at least. Hitomi seems pretty uncomfortable all of a sudden... Ken gives her an uncertain look, but doesn't say anything. He just give her a nod about Future Card Games.
But then Mitsuru faces Ken directly.
She crouches so she can look him in the eye.
And solemnly promises him that Akihiko Sanada, champion boxer...
...will never prepare any dorm meals. Ever.
"Um... th-thank you...??"
He looks increasingly alarmed about all this kitchen talk and all the effort that seems to be getting prepared just because of him. "I-it's okay, really! You don't need to go to all that trouble on my account!" (It's not just on his account, obviously; he's just the catalyst. But that's what it sounds like to his young ears.)
That alarm turns into horror when Mitsuru asks what a Feather Man is. "Y... you don't..." He pauses in agony. "I-it's just a silly show some of my classmates like. I don't know much about it myself," he lies desperately, because Mitsuru is The Coolest And Most Mature One Here, and if she doesn't know what Featherman is, he absolutely will not be the one to explain it to her.
For all this protein talk around Akihiko, though... is that really a bad thing? "Protein helps you build muscle, right? If you add it to your regular meals, that seems like a smart way of getting stronger without too much more effort..." Ken suggests, a little unsure of if he's stepping on a landmine here or not. Is a 1:1 ratio of protein powder to flour too much? He doesn't cook enough to know.
The talk of a nice stack of normal pancakes does get another smile out of him, though--a wistful but nostalgic one. So Akihiko used to be in an orphanage... That tidbit of knowledge gets Ken to muster up the courage to say, "Pancakes are really tasty, though. It'd be nice to have some sometime while I'm here... if that isn't too much trouble, Sanada-senpai. Just, if you're making them anyway."
And so Ken has flagrantly ignored Mitsuru's heartfelt and earnest attempt to protect him...
Shinjiro gets another look. Oh, so he used to live in this dorm... Of course. He must have some shared history here. No wonder things seem strange. It's one of those inside jokes that kids sometimes have with their friends after all. Ken doesn't look sad about that. Looking sad about things is how you upset the people around you.
But Shinjiro tells him he'll have help if he needs it, and... there's something a little different about it coming from him, compared to the others. Ken isn't sure why he gets that impression. Maybe he's just imagining it.
Just like how he imagined what happened that night. Everyone keeps telling him so, so it must be true.
"Thank you very much, Aragaki-san," he says dutifully, and leaves it at that.
<Pose Tracker> Minako Arisato has posed.
"I'm pretty sure adding protein powder would affect a lot of things," Minako says, with a scratch of her cheek, and a glance in Moriko's direction.
She does perk up a bit at the mention of a hamster. Her head turns, peering at Ken and his answer to Fuuka's question. But she looks at Hitomi, and then she nods. "That's cool!" she says, cheerfully. But there's the matter of the kitchen--
"I can help, Kirijo-senpai! I should try to practice cooking," she says. She isn't the best at it, after all. She looks at Akihiko. "And I'd be curious about those pancakes, Sanada-senpai."
There is a glance, for a moment, at Shinjiro. Does he cook? Now, she has to wonder.
Then, she looks at Ken -- and she blinks, before she smiles. She doesn't point out that he sounds mature; she hated when people did that to her, at his age. (This happened very, very rarely.)
"It's really peaceful," she says. "I love going there to think."
She does quiet down, though -- and her lips purse, as she watches Shinjiro and Ken interact. There is something she is missing here...
...but she isn't sure what.
<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.
Shizuka sighs. Yeah, on the rare occasion that Shinjiro graced their class, he was just as prickly. Frankly, she didn't know what Akihiko saw in him, but who was she to judge.
"Aha, oh yeah, I guess I got so wrapped up in having a new face around, hehe! Well, I'll be looking forward to seeing you around, Ken-kun!"
She turns to look at Mitsuru. As always, Kirijo-san knew how to take care of things. Hard to imagine a guy like Shinjiro working in the kitchen. Humanity contains multitudes... "Ah, Featherman is this kids action show. It's on Sunday mornings."
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"I'd appreciate that." Junpei seems to grasp it further from the context, "Hey! I'm sure the kid has a lot to learn from my example." "... Thatttt's yet to be proven."
Yet Mitsuru kneels before Ken and- "Wow. And here I thought it was an inside joke about the protein powder - or that everyone was exaggerating or something. But if even Kirijo-senpai is saying it..."
She's only seen Mitsuru have a sense of humor like zero point five times. Because this is the first, and she's only half sure it's a joke!!!
"Uh! You're welcome?" She seems startled that Mitsuru abruptly thanks her, like she doesn't realize what for, until it's made clear by the kitchen, and Akihiko agreeing.
"Yeah it would be nice, especially since we don't have a Dorm Mom around here anymore."
Was there once one? She heard it was so at least! But it might have just been idle gossip.
As Shinjiro asks that, Yukari says, "Mostly... food we stop by for on the way back? And things we can store in the fridges in our room. It's been a lit bit of a hassle." She nods Minako's way, "Yeah I wouldn't mind helping either? Being able to cook my own meals again would save me a lot of trouble."
Then Mitsuru asks what is a 'Feather Man'- and Yukari's mouth gapes for a moment, wondering if she's at '1.0 Jokes' from Mitsuru today but then it becomes clear she's serious.
Then she murmurs to herself almost mutely, "I guess Kirijo rich is not even knowing what Featherman is." Even she knows that and she's not a kid who was a kid for long. It leaves a bitter aftertaste in her mouth that someone so rich can be so disconnected from the rest of the world, if they want to be.
She listens to Ken cover trying to deny that he knows anything really, and she gets it. But it makes her a little sad.
Kids should be kids, but the world doesn't allow that now, does it?
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya remembers what Shinjiro said--the things that made him stay away. So what's changed? ...And what does it have to do with Ken?
Reiya may not know, but he knows he may not like it. Hamburger, though--he will like Hamburger. "I would like that," Reiya says of meeting Ken's hamster.
And Moriko hums... Ririka of course is curious about music, but--Featherman???
"It is a popular show, particularly but not exclusively among boys. Heroic fighters dress in matched uniforms and battle the forces of evil and navigating interpersonal difficulties."
A pause.
"Hm," Reiya says.
he doesn't specify what he eats. However...
He regards minako for a moment as she says she wants to practice cooking. And Akihiko...
"Hm. I suppose I could stand to add more protein to my regimen..."
A pause, and he looks to Ken. "Protein helps, but a rigorous exercise regimen is also important to take advantage. ...Sanada-senpai would know a lot about that, I think."
<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.
'Other kids his age'... Fuuka doesn't miss that wording. She feels another pang of sympathy. It's difficult to feel distant from your peers at that age.
...She would know - even if their reasons are vastly different.
Hamburger... Oh, that's adorable.
"That's a cute name." Fuuka says. "I'd love to meet him."
Protein... There's really a lot that she doesn't know, isn't there? And he wants pancakes...
...With the kitchen being inspected soon, maybe she would be able to be of more use if she could cook for everyone. It's true that they really haven't had much opportunity for home-cooked meals, and she wants Ken to have a good time here, too.
"That might be a good idea..." She considers, as Minako says she wants to try practicing cooking. Fuuka nods to herself.
<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.
Moriko realizes she's getting some looks for knowing the song. She then proceeds to do her best attempt at looking innocent. Joining in with the answers though, "It's one of my brother's favorite shows." Before sitting up and looking to the others.
"We could start doing some cooking nights maybe." Offering an idea. An excuse to keep in practice maybe even!
"Yeah I think it would." Choosing to reply to Minako and Shinjiro instead, regarding the protein powder. "That bad?" She asks to Shinjiro specifically. Though she can guess by the reactions.
Ken's give na nod again. She gets it. "Don't worry about it too much." She tries assuring him. About the Featherman thing. Even if she's pretty bad about her own nerd habits.
It's different! She swears!
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka blinks and looks to Mitsuru. "Oh, um... Kirijo-senpai, it's all one word," she offers as gently as she can. "It's a superhero show. There's--" She looks to Reiya as he explains. "... What he said."
Ririka looks to Shinjiro with a small amount of surprise on her face. "Oh-- Okay." Of course, that immediately begs the question: why does she keep running into Shinjiro in Sumaru, instead? But she won't ask about that here.
But she actually has a small smile for Ken. "Oh, I just mean... how they wrote the music. You know, to make it so catchy. I'm a musician, so I like studying different songs." Which, yes, includes Featherman. "Oh, that's okay. But if you're into soccer, well... maybe we could hit up a soccer field sometime over the summer? It might be nice to play a little bit."
She doesn't miss the way he speaks of 'other kids his age', but... that's not the kind of thing she can comment on.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko's smile turns more confident. "Sure can't. You know we need you here, Shinji." If only to keep Akihiko from cooking. He won't push much more on the joining aspect, just yet. We can move together, Shinji.
"There's nothing to worry about, Amada-san. I'll make enough for everyone and plenty more. And you're more than welcome to help me, Arisato-san. Same to you, Yamagishi-san." How much would that take anyways, at least a sack of flour? Possibly more? Shinji please save him.
"Oh, are you interested Aomori-san? I'd be more than happy to make some reccomendations." He chuckles. "And we'll get Amada-kun ready to strat building some muscle too." Please someone stop him, before he's getting all of SEES on a protein diet.
<Pose Tracker> Mitsuru Kirijo has posed.
Akihiko and Mitsuru are on similar wavelengths about getting Shinjiro back into SEES; that certainly hasn't changed. But...
... the context has changed so dramatically for Mitsuru, in such a breathtakingly short amount of time, in ways she can't even properly tell one of the few people in this world she trusts enough to be on a first-name basis with.
It's fine, she tells herself once more.
What's one more secret, for the sake of the few friends she has in this isolated life?
Shinjiro, at least, has grasped the hook she's given her. But he's not the only one to take the offered bait; dark red eyes flutter in a blink as she looks over towards Minako, as the ever-cheerful (has she ever not seen Minako full of that cheery vibrancy, she suddenly wonders? ... curious. Perhaps some people are just like that--) SEES Field Leader makes that guileless offer of assistance.
It's enough to make Mitsuru feel briefly guilty for using it at least partially as pretense. All the same, though:
"Oh? Very well then. That would be appreciated, Arisato. We'll figure out our first steps, then."
Step one: make a meal plan for everyone separate from Akihiko's. Is she joking about all of that? ... Yukari's right: it's legitimately hard to tell. Mitsuru has a poker face that could put the most highly trained black ops agents to shame. And she is also very serious about a -lot of absurd topics-.
Case in point:
What is Feather Man?
And further --
WHY is Feather Man?
These are two things Mitsuru Kirijo legitimately seems to want to know in this moment.
She gets answers, courtesy of a swift attempt to downplay his interest by one Ken Amada, followed by further explanation thanks to Shizuka. Her brows furrow, as if she were still having issue with wrapping her head around it - ESPECIALLY as Ririka clarifies 'Featherman' is all one word which gramatically makes NO sense to her - but Reiya's matter-of-fact delivery helps elucidate.
"... Ah. I see," she says after a frowning delay that probably might feel DAMNING to any young, closet enthusiasts of Featherman, worried it's not cool enough to the classy excessively mature high schooler. Her brows furrow. "... Featherman. Like a child's cartoon. That is... cute."
Cute
Cute
Cute
Cute
Cute
t h a t i s c u t e.
"Well then. Aragaki, Arisato. Come with me, if you would."
And just as easily as she ground Ken Amada's great passion in life beneath her heel without even noticing, she crisply turns, to discuss. Kitchen things.
A matter of utmost importance, so stressed by Yukari Takeba.
Sorry Ken. Mitsuru doesn't mean to stamp on your childhood dreams, nor is that royal red hair flip meant to be dismissive, it's just --
interfacing with children is
difficult.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro lays off Ken, noticing the mutual odd tension, or at the very least, his own.
Instead, he turns to Minako. "You cook?" He nods once. APPROVAL RATING +5
Shizuka gets a tch at that sigh. He's prickly!!! What *does* Akihiko see in him?
Yukari says what they eat. The tch is louder. "That's stupid. You've got a state of the art dorm, you'll need the kitchen sooner than later."
Reiya may not know what changed with Shinjiro, but Shinjiro surely does, looking back at Ken. There's only one option here, isn't there?
Fuuka wants to cook for everyone... if Shinjiro knew, he'd feel that's commendable. If he knew her talent level...
"Yes," he tells Moriko.
That's a good question, Ririka... why IS Shinjiro in Sumaru so much? The world wants to know!
Mitsuru calls Shinjiro to come with her (and Minako?!) and he steps over, nodding to Aki once about we need you here. He doesn't respond this time. "See you, Aki. Everyone."
As soon as he helps them, he's going home. He has things to think about.
But first: saving the SEES kitchen!!!
<Pose Tracker> Ken Amada has posed.
"Oh, you do too? Then I'm sure I'll see you there sometime, Minako-san," Ken replies, smiling. He giggles--no, chuckles, giggling is what children do--as Yukari and Junpei's back and forth. As stiff as he was at first, he has started to feel more comfortable around everyone now.
"Thank you very much, Shizuka-san." It is nice of her to act eager to have him move in for the summer. It's even nicer that she and Reiya explain to Mitsuru what Featherman is...
Ririka explains she's a musician. "Oh, I see. That sounds interesting, actually," he tells her. "I've heard that sports" fighting "have close ties to music, thanks to both of them having a rhythm. Maybe we could... combine that with soccer sometime...?" She seems to actually want to do something with him, if she keeps pushing connection points with him, so maybe it'd be okay...
"Then I'll be sure to introduce you two to him," Ken tells Reiya and Fuuka, then adds to Reiya, "I'd like to meet your fish, too." As for protein and exercise: "Of course! Actually moving your body around is the first thing. But if there's something that can boost that..." At the suggestion that Akihiko would know more, Ken turns a hopeful look his way. If he could learn to get stronger from an undefeated champion like him...!
(Why does Ken want to get stronger? Don't worry about it.)
Akihiko, thankfully, seems on board with that--as well as with letting Ken enjoy delicious pancakes, as befits someone of the Justice Arcana. "Thank you very much!" he enthuses to both. "I'd love your help with that, senpai!"
It makes sense that Moriko knows the Featherman theme if she has a kid brother. Ken doesn't find that suspicious. He carefully does not respond to her not to worry about it. Asking her what he shouldn't worry about would be too self-incriminating...
especially
when
Mitsuru
calls it
cute.
Ken, maintaining that plastered-on polite smile, dies ten thousand agonizing deaths inside as he keeps his mouth clamped f i r m l y s h u t. He is fervently glad that he very COOLLY and EXPERTLY avoided any sort of commitment to the idea that HE PERSONALLY might have any interest in any sort of feathered mans. Sorry, Moriko. Your reassurances have critically failed. It wasn't your fault.
A cooking night for everyone, though--he doesn't have much of his own experience with cooking, but with how many people seem interested in cooking in general, that might be a good way to make himself useful. (unlike someone who would like a FEATHER MAN like a CUTE CHILD that HE IS NOT) He makes a mental note to read up on cookbooks over the next couple of weeks. Aloud, he offers, "That sounds like fun. I'd like to help out, if I can."
Maybe I can even help Aragaki-san in the kitchen sometime, Ken thinks that as he watches him leave, now that his delivery is (presumably) complete. He talked about recipes like he uses them. Shinjiro doesn't seem all that keen on him, but no more than anyone else. Plus, he and Akihiko seem close, and Ken wants Akihiko's approval. More than that, he seems tall and strong, both points Ken admires, so... maybe it would be a good way to make a good impression on what seems like a very prickly person indeed.
Wouldn't that be nice?
Before any plans can be committed to, however, Ikutsuki's phone beeps, and he checks his watch. "Oh, look at the time... Ken-kun, we'll need to leave now so we can get you back to your current dorm before curfew."
Ken nods, then bows again to the various members of SEES. "Thank you all again for making me feel welcome. I look forward to seeing you all again later this month," he says. "Please have a nice rest of your day."
Ikutsuki rises to his feet with a bit of a chuckle. "Well then, shall we?"
Waiting just long enough for anyone who wants to do bid Ken farewell, he'll then escort the young boy out and back to his dorm.