2025-09-13: Like a Cardboard Dragon: Kenzan!!
- Log: Like a Cardboard Dragon: Kenzan!
- Cast: Myunghon Yeo, So-young Park, NPCs Suzie Park and Cheolje
- Where: Misen Kaiseki Restaurant, Rengedai Ward, Sumaru City
- OOC Date: September 13, 2025
- IC Date: July 10, 2012
- Summary: Myunghon and So-young are summoned to have dinner with their mother, Suzie Park.
- Content Warning: Misgendering, implicit transphobia
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
So-young and Myunghon were picked up by a nice but otherwise nondescript black sedan with... Uncle inside!! It doesn't even smell like cigarettes or anything.
Then they got moving. It's a fair ways to Kaiseki restaurant MISEN, because it's over in Rengedai and traffic's particularly busy. Myunghon doesn't seem to have any particularly strong reactions to Uncle -- Cheolje -- though he appears graceful and polite enough as he drives. They do seem pretty distant, like this isn't a particularly special arrangement as they mostly reserve their gaze to the traffic outside.
"It appears you two have been getting along," Cheolje observes.
Myunghon doesn't answer immediately.
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
As they wait, So-young is clearly working her confidence and poise up - she's much less talkative than normal, slowly building a bubble of focus around herself as if she were about to do a performance. Of course, that dissipates a little when she spots Uncle, together with a faint 'oh thank god' under her breath. Hopefully this means that the two of them won't be facing this all alone.
Somehow she looks younger as she rattles off the latest news about her performances and her plans to organize some events for Aoba Park, to a patiently listening Uncle. There's a tinge of nostalgia to it, like every time this happens she can revert a little back to that starry-eyed first year in university or perhaps even earlier than that. If she's drawing any contrasts between her reaction to Uncle's presence and Myunghon's, she doesn't voice them. Chances are it will take her some time to even spot.
At the question, she glances over towards Myunghon, her eyebrows raised slightly in a wordless question. "... as well as could be expected given the situation, I suppose? I haven't made Myunghon scream in frustration or throw me out, so that's a plus."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Hmm. Well, the young--" A pause. "Myunghon is often said to be graceful with their guests," responds Cheolje in that manner that feels more transactional and deferential than when So-young talks to Uncle, though someone who was just observing wouldn't be able to take much difference, save for the accidental whatever honorific was going to be used. Myunghon remains fairly quiet through all this, though they appear to be listening to So-young as she talks about Aoba Park too.
"We are," Myunghon quietly responds, after a bit. They didn't follow So-young on the plan to dress nicely -- they're still in their black and white suit with the all-important new cape clinging ever closer than ever, as if it were the only defence between them and what's to come.
"I'm certain you'll do great at Aoba Park. But the weather can be quite temperamental," Cheolje ruminates quietly.
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
"... on that note, I must admit I was a bit surprised how readily you referred to me as 'nunna'," So-young notes to Myunghon. "Not in a bad way, of course, but you did seem to accept it much more easily than I had imagined." She frowns to herself, not really sure how to take that. She'd always figured it was courteous, but never really thought about what that might mean, as someone who hadn't been an elder sister before now.
So-young hasn't gone all out so much as she's just selected her best classy evening dress for this. She's pretty sure her mother would roast her alive if she went for anything with a frill on it, and she's not about to be put on the back foot any more than she needs to be. "A little rain never hurt anyone," she puffs towards Uncle, which is a demonstrably false statement when you're talking about an orchestra. "Still, the problem is organizing the whole thing in the first place. It's new to me, but I'm tackling it."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Do you think so? After I determined you weren't lying, it seemed like... merely a matter of fact," Myunghon reflects quietly. "It could be eonni too. I don't much mind which one you prefer." That's probably not the part So-young was having surprise over, but their mind is a little elsewhere... or a little bit floaty right now.
"Perhaps it would've been better if it had been sooner. But, it's better late than never," Cheolje remarks. "Anyway, we're here. Good luck, you two."
And just like that, any satisfaction So-young had about having backup is probably dead in the water. Myunghon steps out first, and then assists So-young out if she needs it, given she's the one in the evening dress. Misen is a high-class affair, a little cutout of stark Japanese traditionalism in the poshest part of Rengedai, the kind of restaurant that's meant to evoke you to a different time and era altogether.
The kind of place that leads you through a beautiful little garden in a slightly roundabout manner, so you can admire how much care went into the wabi-sabi aesthetic. Then, one sliding door later and there's a singular attendant. It's very quiet. No one else is here. "Park-sama has been awaiting you. Please, this way."
Myunghon takes their shoes off and changes to slippers, and walks quietly. They're lead to a private room with tatami that overlooks a meticulous stone garden, and Suzie Park is seated perpendicular from it. There's an artful tray of translucent fugu sashimi in front of her.
Suzie Park is in her late sixties, though one might guess ten or fifteen years younger with how dignified and taut her countenance is. She's the kind of person who looks wiser and more mature, than time-battered and weathered, as she ages. Her fashion statement is, as always, outlandish. Today's fashion is a leopard-print coat with fur trimmings, sunglasses that've been rescued from 70s Americana, and otherwise business attire.
She doesn't say a word, as Myunghon quietly bows their head and takes their seat, seiza-style.
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
"I'm not saying I dislike it, just that I was surprised. I hadn't honestly thought any further about it than that," So-young admits, without shame and with an easy smile and a shrug of one shoulder. Anything more she could say on the topic is instantly lost as Cheolje encourages them forwards and indicates he's not coming.
"Ehhhh...?" So-young straight-out whines like she's a teenager, but sags her head and accepts Myunghon's hand out of the car with a resigned sigh. "That figures. Take it easy, Uncle."
Momentarily taken by the whole setting, the musician can't help but add a little bit of flourish as she steps out, as if there were a red carpet waiting for the two of them. "Wow, look at you," she immediately adds to Myunghon with a twinkle in her eye. "Very dashing, don't you think?" ... this is her last-minute attempt to build a bit of levity, not least because even she can get intimidated by something as mundane as a restaurant.
By the time they're padding through the corridors that levity has faded away again, and So-young is back to pulling her confidence around her much like Myunghon's coat. It doesn't escape her that they're on their own here, and she mutters something indistinct under her breath at that realisation. She's not worried about danger, of course, it's just-- right now, she really misses the warm and friendly izakaya across from the Cardboard Dragon, or the beef bowl place at the foot of her apartment building.
"I don't think this is what they usually mean by 'family restaurant'," she grumbles to her mother as they sit down. So-young keeps her legs drawn up under her, but a seiza position is clearly the last thing on her mind.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
There's something of a smirk and a chuckle well under Suzie Park's breath as So-young grumbles to her mother, but then there's nothing. Suzie quietly and deftly uses her chopsticks and sweeps a good nineful of absurdly thin fugu sashimi slices, before consuming in one fell swoop. It's all artful in a way that might be impressive, but nonetheless is more designed to say: I'm here, enjoying myself, and you have to wait for me.
A whole minute passes like this. Myunghon still hasn't said a damn thing.
Then Suzie takes a sip from her cup of nihonshu. Cloudy.
There hasn't been a damn menu or anything. Kaiseki restaurants are supposed to have lavish title cards for all the meals they'll be regaling you with. They're gonna get fed, right? It's not just one dish for Suzie alone? Why are all the shoji doors open, as if to indicate how extremely empty the entire restaurant is?
It's all power projection.
"So," Suzie finally deigns to say after 79 seconds of enjoying herself.
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young spends that time making a minor nuisance of herself, first staring flatly at their mother as she eats and then reaching over to drag one of the small stands to her side to lean her arm on, the sound of it unnaturally large in the suffocating silence. In some ways, this sort of power projection is something she deals with a little better than words - she's not afraid to fill a vacuum with noise or movement, and even goes so far as to speak up. "Do you really have to put this all on for your children?" she sighs.
There's no answer, but she doesn't expect one. That's fine. Simply breaking the silence is the important part as far as she's concerned. She did, in fact, take Myunghon's advice and get a snack before she came here. She's not full by any means, but that just means that she can burn off whatever happens here afterwards with some comfort food.
"So," So-young returns like it's a tennis volley, and then sags a little. "... if you want a status report, I will tell you the same thing I told Uncle - we are doing remarkably well for two siblings who only just found out about each other's existence, are from entirely different walks of life, are perhaps polar opposites in personality, and who are entirely confused about how this situation even came about," she counts off on her fingers.
"People keep saying I must be upset, but that isn't even it, not really. I'm just confused, if anything," she admits with a frown.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon is a hypocrite despite everything, and probably didn't eat and just forgot about food like usual. Their observation of how So-young combats the silence seems to fascinate them quietly, however, as does her question, which goes unanswered. The way So-young projects her own presence and doesn't seem deterred is something they're taking into note in silence.
"I gave you an address," Suzie Park points out on the last little detail, as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. She lets that marinate for two seconds, before returning to her food.
"And you clearly went to said address."
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
"Yes, quite, thank you," So-young huffs back. For all that she's doing her best to project her personality back at her mother, she doesn't _quite_ have the same poise and energy she usually does - if it were anyone else she wouldn't sag quite so easily and readily in her seat, nor break into the deadpan she's now trending towards. She's doggedly trying, but she's also clearly aware this is someone extremely well-placed to rebuff her.
"I had meant more in a philosophical sense, you understand. The deep and abiding conundrum of 'how did we get here?' routed through the fact that 'did your mother have an affair?' was not a question I particularly expected to have to entertain any time soon."
Sorry, Yukari. So-young is prepared to throw almost anyone under the bus if it will help her get a conversational leg up here. Hopefully their mother is not psychic enough to pull that identity out of her brain, but So-young wouldn't put it past her.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Ha ha!"
Suzie's laughter suddenly cuts through the restaurant building, as if making them all aware at how spacious it truly is -- and how much she can project her voice to command a reaction whenever she desires to. Another sip of her favourite nihonshu.
"Hmm. This is certainly a pleasant one. Get it hot if you do."
Myunghon's clearly trying their best for So-young, but at the same time she gets the sense that they really usually handle these meetings by being in another solar system altogether, with how distant and superliminal their look is.
"I take it you enjoyed meeting each other, then," Suzie Park continues to answer the question by not answering the question. "A loud firebrand like you's poised to set fire to a wallflower like her, So-young."
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young doesn't flinch at the sudden sound, but it's a close thing, and only because it's tempered by the fact she was kind of expecting it given the way she'd practically invited it with her comments. "You know I prefer umeshu if I'm drinking anywhere up-market. I'm the sort of person who will be happy with one of those cups from the convenience store."
... she says that, but she takes the tip on board anyway, glancing at the flask. There's no reason not to. A good drink is a good drink.
If So-young hesitates at all, it's when she picks out the way in which their mother refers to Myunghon. Navigating this is not So-young's forte by any means. Maybe Myunghon hasn't told her... or conversely, maybe their mother is aware of the situation but choosing to bull over it regardless. The question of whether to call it out lingers on So-young's mind as she glances across at Myunghon, but there are no answers to be found there.
"That's the thing," So-young sighs as she shelves that line of thought for a moment and pitches her voice a little lower. (Sorry, Shinjiro. It's your turn too. If Suzie Park actually has a way to pick out names Sumaru will be a battlefield before the night is out.) "'Do you regret it?' No? Of course not. It's been interesting and fun. I'm glad you _finally_ told me," she puts emphasis on that word.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
It's difficult to tell. Those sunglasses are there for a reason: to make her harder to read. Myunghon doesn't visibly react, but it's the way in which a trained boxer might tighten their core muscles in response to being gut punched. They still look like they want to be anywhere but here.
"Would you like some drink somewhere with your sugar?" is the snappy answer Suzie returns to So-young. It sounds jovial, like the kind of low-key shots fired between half-inebriated friends, but the context here is a bit different, isn't it.
"When you said you wanted to move to Japan two years ago, I considered telling you outright. But I figured it would be funnier, to make it a game, to see if anyone else would spill the beans, if you'd in some way find out."
Two years ago. To So-young it might not be that significant a time, barring the one where she chose to move to a completely different country with a completely different culture and language, but Myunghon is now wondering if that timing was deliberate. Two years ago. Ten years ago. Why do these years-ago moments feel so weighty and ominous now. Dead mothers, children forced to fight Shadows, the mangling of oneself into a debrided corpse, a secret sister. Are they all connected?
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
"There's nothing wrong with having a sweet tooth," So-young shoots back, and at least in this she is supremely confident. "Besides, I'm not drinking for the alcohol, exactly. I'm not interested in getting blackout drunk so much as enjoying what I'm drinking," she adds as she folds her arms across her chest. It's a bit ridiculous to be having this conversation without an actual drink in front of her.
She hesitates again, and then frowns in sheer confusion. "Like whom? Cheolje clearly wouldn't have given the information up without consulting you first, and it's not like we have anything in the way of mutual acquaintances. I think you're underestimating how many people are in Tokyo, let alone Japan." It says a lot that So-young doesn't even really think about any other potential family ties here. She's not the sort to really imagine calling the aunties, let alone focusing on much but her work and her interests.
The mention of two years ago slips off of her like water off a duck's back. The galaxy-braining can be safely left up to Myunghon. If they're in another solar system entirely at this point, they might as well make use of it, you see.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Whom indeed."
But just as So-young's wondering drinks in front of the complete nothing in front of her, an attendant does arrive. She kneels on the floor and bows until her forehead is nearly touching, then expresses: "Park-sama, the courses are ready. We will start with appetizers..."
And then, indeed, just like that, they're regaled with beautiful food with explanations that're a little too long but you just gotta smile when the attendant talks about how the sweet potato is from Yamazaki prefecture and the shrimp is fresh-caught this morning from the Sea of Okthotsk and prepared by a chef with over thirty nine years of experience. The table has gone from empty to lavish.
Myunghon looks extremely alarmed at this, like their mother's managed to get ANOTHER one over them, given their advice to So-young. Of course, they can't eat any of this without the dread guilt of all this expensive high-class food tasting like ash. That's another play in which she's gotten one over them.
So-young even gets a drink of her choice. Myunghon sticks with water, which gets them that polite 'oh you crude simpleton' smile from the attendant.
Ten minutes into the meal, Suzie Park waits until So-young is drinking...
"So, you think you're the product of an affair."
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
... ... ... sadly, So-young is not a tactical mastermind.
"Oh!" she says in mild surprise as the attendant arrives, and then a huge spread of lavish food is laid out in front of them. So-young is suddenly thankful that all she had was a snack, because family tension or no family tension she's not about to turn down a chance at a fine meal, and this is clearly an extremely fine meal.
Damn it, ten minutes really is enough time for her to relax, because this time she does choke on her sake cup. (She'd taken her mother's advice in stride. Why not? You can't find this brand just anywhere.)
"For-- for the record," So-young manages to grind out past a cough. "I strictly do not care. Whatever you do is your business. It doesn't change who you, I, or Myunghon are, and may even have been formulaic to our growth." Her brow flickers for a moment as her brain spins back up. "At the same time, I would be extremely surprised if either of us were. I really don't think you're the sort. We just have different fathers. There's a difference."
She sighs. "... but the problem wasn't exactly navigating my answer but getting the question in the first place."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Am I not? My, it would be a salacious scandal if it were. It wouldn't be inconvenient to just me. It'd be inconvenient for the both of you as well," Suzie laughs, clearly getting her jollies in from So-young's reaction -- and how full of disclaimers she ends up being. Well on the back foot, she undoubtedly thinks.
Myunghon for the record doesn't even really flinch at that sudden question -- though it wasn't targetted at them. They've no doubt thought about it. Far more than they probably should've. Angsted about it more than they should've. Because their father is a known quotient, and is just as much of a piece of shit, if not larger, somehow, than what they currently know of their mother... though they think retribution and judgement is still coming.
They take a polite sip of water.
"I didn't realise Myunghon was injured, though. Play a little too much sports?" Suzie asks. This is about the most fool question one can throw at Myunghon if she knows anything about them, which is likely why Suzie chose it.
"I simply overexerted myself a little at work," comes the answering machine response.
"A real shame, that. You have to cherish your youth while you have it."
And here comes the parent special:
"Between the two of you, I'm expecting grandkids *somewhere*! Ha ha ha!"
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
"... you'd enjoy it, definitely, but it wouldn't be your thing," So-young grumbles back. She has to take a moment to recenter herself, but it's not like she was lying. They might have been presented as disclaimers, but her arguments seem correct enough to her; she truly can't imagine her mother losing that much control, or risking her career to that degree.
Even So-young has to stare at their mother in open disbelief as she asks if Myunghon got injured during a bout of lively sports, then sighs as she neatly picks up a bowl to eat a cube of extremely silken tofu. She can hardly figure out what to say to that, but she's aware that probably means there's a second salvo coming--
"--oh, really now, can you even imagine--" she automatically starts to say, except she has to backpedal quickly away from her reflexive answer. She's faced this question before, she's answered it in the same way before, but the sudden mechanics of a second sibling make that particular line of defence all the more weird, as if she's divesting that particular responsibility over to Myunghon instead.
She retreats to familiar ground, and shoves the other cube of tofu into her mouth. Take that, mother!!
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon has been dissociating for like a good ten minutes now, while So-young has been eating, because on the surface they probably look like the veteran who's used to these affairs and already pre-loaded on food but no, So-young knows Myunghon hasn't had a damn thing and will continue to not eat a damn thing and--
Wait, they're going for the tofu too. They're absentmindedly trying to see if they can have just a piece of silken tofu with no sauce on it.
In it goes.
A pause.
It's still bad. They're making a mental note to Shinjiro and Yua: tofu is still a no go.
"It's a whole *thing* women endure both in Korea and Japan, you know, but it doesn't make it any less true," Suzie remarks. "But So-young! You're already approaching thirty and I don't even see a single suitor in your life either. No, I suppose it's got to fall on you, Myunghon."
Myunghon negatively vibrates for a moment, as if in that boxer analogy they took another gut punch. They didn't realise So-young had Shirked the aggro onto them and didn't put enough cooldowns on for the inevitable tankbuster. What a bad mistake.
"Perhaps so, mother," comes Myunghon's surprising deference. And then, in the most genteel of tones: "But would you not prefer a Park than a Yukichi?"
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young kind of watches in mild surprise as Myunghon finally decides to try eating something, her eyebrows going up. Whatever the verdict, her attention is tugged back to her mother, as So-young folds her arms. "I'm much too busy for something like that. Do you know how long a musical career takes to properly establish sometimes? It's already a minor miracle I've made it this far, and I certainly don't intend to rest on my laurels just yet."
It's not exactly a counterattack of her own, but in this instance it's a remarkably solid defence, because this is certainly a well-trodden topic amongst many of her co-workers and associates. So-young is completely steadfast, and entirely realistic about how much she adores working in music. Unfortunately, this does mean that Myunghon takes the brunt of this attack, and--
--she looks over to Myunghon in amazement at the question her sibling poses, and can't hide her curiosity about the answer. "No, but... hasn't the door kind of closed on one of those?" So-young finds herself saying, but she sounds extremely less than sure.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon's face contorting a little is probably all the story So-young needs on how that experiment is going. More water. Water won't betray them.
"Exactly," laughs Suzie Park. "You're a career woman! Well in the prime of your achievements! Can't stop for even a second, or you're yesterday's news. That's why I'm tugging the ear of this layabout here instead. It wouldn't be my first choice, no, Myunghon, but we can't all get what we want, now can we?"
Myunghon's eye narrows slowly at that. There's so many more variables here than when they're alone. The food actually coming out instead of being forced to just watch to eat. Is it because So-young is here? Is So-young the preferred daughter and thus gets preferential treatment? Or is it just a trap to make them think there's A-B testing? Or is it because someone's been snooping and they've been more loose-lipped about their eating disorder and thus Suzie has a new weapon against them?
"No. I suppose we can't all get what we want, mother."
Suzie simply laughs at that, but then does draw into her purse and pulls out a red envelope. "Before I forget." She hands it to Myunghon, who quietly accepts it with both hands, fingers tightening gently around it, then sets it away into the folds of their coat.
...
Which is still on, during the meal, which is some measure of rude, but it's probably the only defence remaining to them at this point.
But as to So-young's question: "Why would you think that was the case?"
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young definitely frowns this time. The words 'first choice' kind of sting there, and even if So-young can't elucidate exactly why, before she knows what she's doing So-young has delivered a warning. "Mother..." is all she says, but the way her brow is knitted is more genuine than normal, and her frown carries an amount of distaste to it.
It's not much as far as coming to Myunghon's defence, but it might be better than nothing.
Either way, the situation is defused by the appearance of a red envelope. So-young frowns again, but says nothing - she's kind of just grateful for its existence at this point, because she's still not sure how to navigate the idea she might be the favoured daughter and what that might mean for her relationship with Myunghon. She didn't ask to be put in this position, but she's becoming more aware of how favourable that position is in terms of her life as a whole and what wrinkles and gaps in her knowledge that has left behind.
She blinks up from that thought, her eyes wide. "... no, I mean... whoever 'Mr. Park' might have been, that was twenty-five years and another country ago, right?" She's fallen back to genuine, quiet confusion. She's not judging the idea that her mother might have grown apart from her father - that's just life.
Then her brain actually catches up to her, and she realizes she's crossed the wires on herself - they're talking about grandkids, not the chance of yet another secret sibling, and she'd gotten a little muddled at some point. She puts on a glum frown as she forgives herself that one.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Are they, now?" Suzie employs that infuriating technique of answering a question with another one, but there's a genuine glee at the kind of rings that they're running around So-young about her heritage. There's another laugh, and then they recede into spending a bit of time with their precious nihonshu.
Myunghon's moved onto trying to find something -- anything -- to gnaw on. ... they've managed to find the edible flowers ontop of some of the beautiful, artful serving platters and is chewing on that like they're some kind of goat. It's a little more tolerable.
The meal continues in relative silence for a while longer, before Suzie rises slowly. "It's about time I went back to my hotel. My handlers are having a time and a half asking where I am." She cackles to herself. "Feel free to amuse yourself to any other drinks."
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young's reply is an uncertain hum, her brow knitted. You can tell that she's trying to pick out what she can from these non-answers and little tidbits, but she's just not the sort to worry about that sort of analytical thinking unless it involves time signatures and key changes. Maybe if she thought of it that way-- no, then her mother would just be represented as a pair of cymbals - and worse, a larger and louder pair than her.
She looks incredibly surprised when their mother lifts up from the table. "... that's it?" she blurts from over the rim of her cup, the feeling of being full of good food and quite satisfied warring with the sheer confusion. What was this visit even for, then? Did she just want to take in the sight of her two children sitting together? That answer feels much too nostalgic and wistful for their mother.
The idea that the answer to 'why didn't you tell us' is 'lol it'd be funny' is certainly in character, but-- well, So-young can't help but admit that she was psyching herself up for some kind of weird grand conspiracy or sordid tale. She's left with nothing to really alter how she's had to process the whole situation.
"... jeez, I'm glad I don't have handlers," she sighs. She would almost certainly handle them the same way - like mother like daughter - but one of the fringe benefits of not going into acting is definitely the ability to just live as she wishes, in her own apartment.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Were you expecting something more, somehow? We had a very lavish dinner, between a mother and two daughters," Suzie can't help herself, though Myunghon's quite dull to it at this point. "That's more than many other families get." It's a very innocuous statement, but certainly one that comes to mind of empty dining rooms with the lights off when 7pm rolled around for Myunghon. Of tiptoeing onto the household phone and having a script to read out ahead of time to order food because they didn't like what was already shrinkwrapped in the microwave.
"Thank you for the meal," is the neutral dispelling answer Myunghon has instead.
And with that... she's gone. One, two, three, four, five seconds...
And then you can positively feel the dark aura (30 ft.) she exudes leaving the restaurant, like you've finished this leg of the main plot in a Drake Adventure game and the town's about to go back to having happy music, not sad music.
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young's brow furrows again - but then their mother has swept out, leaving So-young with a lingering frown and a lot of questions to go over by herself later.
She pauses, and then makes an extremely deliberate show of draining her cup in one long swig.
"Well, we're alive," she decides as she places it down in front of her.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon does wait for another five seconds, like they aren't sure Suzie is about to jumpscare them around the corner. "Yes. That didn't proceed how it usually does." They look at their portion of the meal and slides it over. "You can have whatever you liked from the meal here. I'm not going to eat this."
They make a motion of straightening out the collar on their coat, like it's not already about to swallow them whole like a Venus flytrap. "I'm not certain how your own dinners with her go, myself. Though I suppose I more had the impression you largely spoke more over the phone."
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young frowns again, because she's still not aware of Myunghon's issues on this front. "... everything okay? I know you're not a big eater, but food is food," she points out, then considers the conversation they've just had. "I mean, I get it if you're deliberately drawing a line here, though."
She'll still steal the sashimi, mind you.
"You're right," she nods after half the plate has disappeared, because this is another chance she's absolutely not going to turn down to have some extremely good quality food. "If we're talking meeting up for a meal, it's usually Uncle. Mother's too busy most of the time. ... I'll admit... she seems to have it out for you more than she does me," she adds awkwardly, not really sure what to make that. "I don't know if it's deliberate, or..."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"I'm just... picky," Myunghon feels the protective words Yua chose for them come like a guardian angel. That's not really going to convince So-young and they know it, but they don't feel like getting into it right now, especially because they're convinced the whole restaurant is bugged. They do derive some fondness out of watching So-young eat their food, though, since it's activating the part of the brain that's soothed by giving to others.
"Oh, do you think so? I thought it was awkward for you as well," Myunghon seems more porcelain here than before, like they're muddying the waters by trying to recast it as being uncomfortable for everyone. Like it wasn't a 3 and a 7, but rather a 5 and a 5. "It seems she has few problems with the career you're undertaking, and that's certainly a relief."
Was that deliberate, though?
"I do wonder sometimes. But you know how bullish she can be," Myunghon carefully keys onto Suzie's loudest character traits that So-young no doubt has experienced so much of.
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young just tilts her head, accepting the reply. Even if she's not completely convinced - it'd be hard to be picky with the variety of food here - she's certainly not in the state of mind where she wants to gear up for another battle, and she can get behind the idea of wanting to be in control of what you eat and when you eat it. Maybe Myunghon's just saving themselves for some comfort food of their own. So-young wouldn't blame them.
"No," So-young says, surprising herself with how adamantly she says it. "I mean, she's good at making it awkward for everyone, but you definitely bore the brunt of that. Sorry about that," she huffs softly, not sure how else to navigate it. There's a lot she could bring up or dwell on to make the point, but dragging that conversation out any longer doesn't feel good, so she leaves it at that.
At least she smirks quietly at the word 'bullish'. "Well, I had to get it from somewhere, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
There'll certainly be comfort food later. There's protein in the fridge and everything. They'll have fun letting the protein cubes melt halfway in their mouth and then make a fun little crunchy snack out of them. If they're adventurous, they'll even have other half of the bag of beansprouts they bought and sprinkle some more powder on them. It all feels like progress.
"I'm used to it," is the polite, yet reserved answer Myunghon has regarding their shared mother. But on whether or not So-young inherited the bullishness from her... there's a quiet little chuckle. "Hmmm. It seems a waste to say you inherited it from her. I'd rather consider it a triumph of your own confidence."
They quietly rise up from the floor cushion themself. "I have some errands for Miho I need to run in Rengedai. Cheo-- 'Uncle' will be outside to take you back, whether you're headed straight back to Tokyo or to Hirasaka."
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
Myunghon's answer seems to have the opposite effect, because it only makes the musician's expression more sour. "That doesn't matter. Used to it or not, it's still true. I was getting pretty upset at her," she adds as she folds her arms. Not that 'getting upset' really means much in this context, but So-young still considers it important to at least voice.
At least she preens a little at Myunghon's... praise. She'll take what she can get right now. "I wonder. Sometimes there's no escaping family, I suppose, but at least we made it through."
Blinking, her eyebrows go up in surprise as Myunghon also rises from the table. "You sure? I don't really mind leaving now if you want a lift back as well. ... well, that and even I'd feel a little bit awkward finishing this all on my own, you know?" she sniggers softly. Moments pass, and her eyes light up with mischief as she does her best to rebound. "What if we called Shinjiro-kun here to eat your portion? I'd love to see the staff's faces."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon does allow a pretty private smile at So-young insisting she was getting upset at Suzie. Then there's a hit of guilt as they wonder whether or not their answer before was tactically considered to manipulate that response from So-young. It doesn't matter. "Well, I must thank you regarding that one way or another, however you mean, then." That's a muddy-ass answer, but they don't feel like being crystal clear on the point either.
There's no escaping family. "On that note, we are in wholehearted agreement."
But then... So-young wonders if they could call Shinjiro here. "... why don't you ask the staff for some takeaway boxes instead." A pause. "Also, you're treating him like he still has that homeless habit. He is a better cook than the both of us put together, you realise."
<Pose Tracker> So-young Park has posed.
So-young's expression looks kind of glum at the extremely convoluted answer she gets from Myunghon, but she leaves it at that. It's thorny - So-young's aware that on its own isn't really enough to be considered anything that would take an actual effort, but she can't just assume Myunghon's situation and how much their mother may or may not know. Feeling a bit dissatisfied, she leaves it at that agreement, nodding her head.
Only now does So-young realize that treating Shinjiro like a spectacle might be, uh, extremely rude - and she blinks in surprise as Myunghon mentions his ability to cook. "That wouldn't be saying much in my case," is her immediate answer, borne more from being able to deliver a snappy answer than anything else, before she awkwardly frowns and scratches at her cheek. "... you're right. Sorry."