2025-09-30: Who Are You Wearing?
- Log: Who Are You Wearing?
- Cast: Kazusa Motojima, Myunghon Yeo
- Where: Outside Peacock Silk, Shimokitazawa Ward, Tokyo
- OOC Date: September 30, 2025
- IC Date: Thursday, July 19, 2012 (Afternoon)
- Summary: Kazusa is at an outdoor cafe studying for final exams, but also people-watching during. She spots Myunghon wearing a fashion she doesn't recognize, and approaches them to ask about it. They discuss fashions past and present as well as the elusive Peacock Silk.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
The narrow, cramped streets and shops of Shimokitazawa provide the perfect environment for independent fashion boutiques to thrive and flourish, chasing away the bigger chains that would demand a certain amount of homogeneity and rigidity. The streets are a melding of fashions and styles, and it is for that reason that Kazusa actually kind of likes it here. It's a prime place to go shopping, though she's not in the mood to shop today. Instead, she's engaging, intermittently, in a different hobby: people watching.
Of course, if anyone were to ask her what she was doing, she would say that she's studying. She's set herself up at a table situated just outside of a tiny cafe. She has several textbooks and notebooks out, reviewing and revising her notes for next week's finals. Very carefully placed outside the range of the textbooks is a very tall cup that holds a brightly-colored straw and is half-full of a fruit smoothie.
Kazusa is clearly a Shujin student by her uniform, worn untucked, accompanied by several silver bracelets on each wrist and bold pink socks. Her hair is black, long and straight, with two long bangs that curve slightly inwards to frame her face, and her dark purple eys are focused and intent.
And every so often she picks up a small sketchbook and looks to the people passing by, sketching down various outfits or even just single clothing pieces. Right now the left page has several sketched out outfit pieces, and the right page seems to be something more fanciful, a large figure wearing a blend of the current street fashion and medieval armor, with various design iterations filling the space around the main figure, along with a few notes about what does and doesn't work.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon has business here in Shimokitazawa, but it turns out that they're rather early -- and thus, they've elected to wait fortuitously outside of the very cafe that Kazusa is seated at, in clear view of the window seat that she has. They're leaned on one of the street bollards, and bears a chocolate-coloured ruffle button-down blouse, with a black ribbon tie, with a white inverted-pleat A-line skirt. Black leggings and white Mary Janes cover the ensemble -- the clothes aren't brand new, but they're very fastidiously kept -- Kazusa doesn't recognise them as a lineup from any summer season from the big brands, and it has the look of something custom made.
The ensemble is kept together by a nice, long white coat draped over their shoulders, which clings rather nicely, and goes with the white sling on their right arm, not to mention the bandages on their face and neck and hands. Is this some kind of cosplay? There's a variety of injury-type looks that's quite popular amongst the youth, such as guro-kei or angura. Their white hair's done in a wolf-cut style, somewhat shaggy but perhaps fitting in contrast to the neat and tidy clothes. There's a white leather messenger bag at their shoulder, with burnished clasps and a cream-coloured strap.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa happens to have something better than a window seat--she's outside, at an outdoor table. She lets out a quiet, frustrated grunt as she strikes through one of the alternate ideas surrounding the main figure on the page. It just wasn't clicking. She sets the sketchbook aside to go back to studying... but then Myunghon is there, and not moving. Kazusa frowns a little--a person just standing there kind of blocks part of her view of the street.
But then she looks, a critical eye running over Myunghon's outfit. Those are some interesting color choices, and the bandages... not a style she would pick, certainly, but she does still recognize it.
It's the kind of style that's killer for a tough brawler character, after all.
Kazusa reaches for her sketchbook and very quickly flips to a new page to start taking down all of the details. The blouse and skirt contrasted against the guro-kei elements is an interesting contrast, and she's working quickly in case Myunghon decides to leave. And when she's done, Kazusa sits back a little, tapping her finger against the page. She doesn't recognize the brand, or label, or a specific character, so it has to be older, or custom-made.... but it looks well-kept, so maybe custom-made?
Kazusa frowns as she jots down a few more notes and ideas, then marks it with a question mark.
Her gaze lifts to watch Myunghon again, silently, weighing some pros and cons, followed by some glances up and down the street. She doesn't see any other Shujin uniforms, nor anybody she recognizes... silently Kazusa slips out of her chair, taking her sketchbook with her.
Her expression is a bit intent and focused, but at least she's polite-sounding as she approaches Myunghon and asks, "Excuse me, miss, but do you mind if I ask about your outfit?" Her sketch of Myunghon's outfit and her noted observations can be seen on the open page of her sketchbook.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon is, sadly, far from a tough brawler character. They're wispy and wirey, thin as a rail -- and they don't answer immediately, seemingly somewhat... sleepy, perhaps? They're deep in their own thoughts, perhaps about some of the arguments and difficult things that've happened recently. But eventually they realise it's them that Kazusa is asking about -- not used to being addressed as a 'miss' -- and blinks once with those gray eyes.
"Oh-- my apologies," Myunghon's language is quite polite, as they take Kazusa in turn. A Shujin uniform, though there's definitely accessorising going on here. "My... outfit?" They look a little surprised at that, before chuckling faintly. "I can answer some questions. I was waiting for an appointment over there," they gesture to the Peacock Silk in the background, "But it seems that I was a bit early."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa isn't privy to (and, frankly, isn't terribly interested in) Myunghon's emotional state. She's not also privy to Myunghon's correct pronouns. (Sorry, Myunghon.) But she is focused, and intent, and she will try again to get a response if one doesn't come quickly.
"An appointment...?" Kazusa glances across the street and then does a double take. "Wait-- No way. You have an appointment at Peacock Silk?" The nuance of her emphasis is 'wait am I raelly talking to someone who would have an appointment there?' not a judgement of Myunghon's personal suitability to be a client there, but that might be a hard nuance to catch.
"W-well," Kazusa tries to recover a little. "They talk about being fashionably late, but that's definitely not the kind of place where that applies." Exclusive places like that demand punctuality. Unles you're an even bigger deal than Peacock Silk is, but Kazusa doubts that's the cae.
But questions. "Did you put that outfit together yourself?" It might be a blunt way to start, but she continues. "I just-- I don't recognize it from a recent lineup, and you don't look like a particular character, so I was wondering if there was a particular inspiration for it."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon doesn't really correct Kazusa -- they're often more prone to just kind of dying inside a little when misgendered than actively in argument about it, but today they're not particularly fragile enough to really be wounded by it. There's a tender little chuckle as they look to the Silk again, perhaps knowing already why Kazusa might've already been turned away at the door. "I appear to have made friends with the purveyor," or more than friends, at least, "and I have a commission waiting for me."
A commission! Custom jewelry or clothing, no doubt! This person truly is walking the tightrope of the high class of fashion.
Myunghon places a finger to their lip gently, as Kazusa asks if they put that outfit themself. They don't particularly mind -- but they look amused when they say they don't look like a character. So she's thinking it might be cosplay. "A friend designed this outfit for me several years back... do you know Lapin Angelique? It closed this year, sadly, but..."
Lapin Angelique, four years ago, was a briefly very popular fashion store that opened in the basement of LaForet, Harajuku, amidst its EGL peers and became a bit of a sensation online. Then, they moved to Daikanyama, many speculating that the gentrification of Harajuku raised rent costs, and then the website said late last year:
'Due to personal circumstances, we regret to inform that Lapin Angelique will be closing as of April, 2012.'
And it did, earlier this year. Perhaps almost flower-like, blossoming brightly only for a brief time, before falling apart... such is the fate of many fashion designers, perhaps, moving with the times and what the public demands.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa hasn't even tried yet. She's heard the clientelle is exclusive, and she has a hunch that mere money isn't something that interests them--there'd be talk in different circles if that was the case.
She did see, in some obsessive scouring of gossip online, someone claiming that there was both an actual live peacock in the store (which sounded preposterous but exactly the right kind of preposterous to build a brand and a reputation around) that actually talked (which she immediately dismissed as stupid. A brand like Peacock Silk doesn't need a trashy mascot gimmick like that, surely not.)
So Kazusa stares. "You made... friends?" The gears turning in her mind are Kazusa reevaluating all of her first impressions of Myunghon. "And you have a commission?" There is a great inner struggle within her, a burning need to ask how, but also knowing the utterly awful truth.
Some things, if you have to ask, you'll never know.
Patience, Kazusa. Play the long game.
But then another answer comes, and Kazusa stares. "No way. Seriously?" She brings her notebook up--the sketch of Myunghon's outfit is clearly visible (and she's got a pretty deft hand with a peincil, it seems), and she starts crossing out some of her incorrect guesses and writing the newly-given answer. She writes down 'from a couple of years ago' and then pauses. "... She had some really amazing designs," Kazusa admits. "I should have recognized it."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon does look softly bashful as Kazusa sounds startled that they made friends. "I admit I thought my street scene days were past me, at this point, but there was something about Peacock Silk that really reminded me of my university days... I could not help but want to see it. A lot of the stores here are more youthful than some of the big brands that've sprawled all over Shibuya and Harajuku... that was our story as well."
But there's a faint little flush as they take a peek of the outfit that Kazusa's sketched down in her notebook. "Unfortunately, she's not with us any longer. That was why Lapin Angelique had to close down. A boutique isn't much without its clothing designer, now is it? Mei Arisugawa was really the brainchild of the whole thing... I was largely only the doll she draped in her clothes," they chuckle, though there's a bit of sorrow, as if they're quoting her words, not theirs.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Well, they've certainly caused quite a stir," Kazusa comments of Peacock Silk. She pushes some hair back behind her shoulder with a flick of her handas Myunghon mentions the bigger brands. "That's why I'm here," she says, a bit archly. "Anyone can keep up with the big chains, but this is where all the innovation happens."
Kazusa quickly snaps her sketchbook closed and holds it behind her back like it wasn't even there. She's not going to acknowledge it. As for the designer... Kazusa frowns a little, looking aside a bit as that informatiuon sits with her uncomfortably. A quiet "That's too bad" is her best attempt to offer sympathy, and she pushes past it quickly. "Well, I'm sure she would be pleased you took such good care of the outfit."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Mmm. That, and online, these days," Myunghon chuckles. "Even back then there were people who were cataloguing the different styles and brands that were happening on the Shibuya streets, and I imagine that with social media erupting larger than ever, word travels much more quickly over the phones and feeds, than magazines."
There's a soft tilt of their head. "You're interested in the Peacock Silk? I do hope that you find what you're seeking there. But don't be too discouraged if they turn you away -- I'm myself not quite certain what they see in a prospective client, but..." There's a soft chuckle at their half-lie, because they do know they look for Persona-Users, but beyond that, the interests and desires of the Peacock Silk are still a mystery to them.
Myunghon doesn't seem bothered Kazusa isn't terribly sympathetic, but then they say, "Are there any particular designers you follow or like the look of right now, then?"
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Mm. Well, online helps, certainly," she says casually, almost dismissively, as if she weren't obsessively refreshing websites on her phone instead of falling asleep in bed at night. "... but I'd rather see it in action."
Myunghon points out that Kazusa is interested in Peacock Silk, and Kazusa immediately tries to brush it off, looking at her painted nails. "Well, isn't everybody?" This is even more performatively dismissive. "Exclusivity always generates interest, don't you think?"
"Well, anybody who knows anything about street fashion knows SNEAK, of course... they started with jewelry but their streetwear is always on point, don't you agree?"
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"We were quite lucky, to have garnered interest overseas at the time. People say that was what helped Lapin Angelique become more popular," Myunghon does reminisce. They really weren't the webmaster, though, it was Shinichiro's magic and reach that really made them a very brief buzz when they were in the thick of it. It was like a resurgance of a style that'd become popular back then, but became new as it was embraced by a new generation, was the way people put it.
There's a quiet chuckle as Myunghon allows Kazusa to appear uninterested. "True. But others still would run counter-clockwise, adopting a contrarian stance."
But Kazusa speaks of SNEAK, and Myunghon has to consider that for a while. "Ah, yes, Shin-kun was quite into them... I think the bondage side of our style might've been inspired by him being inspired by them."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Good fashion deserves to flourish," Kazusa agrees. "... and it is convenient to see what's happening in other places, as well."
"Well of course," Kazusa says, nonchalantly. "Sometimes you find fashion by going against the grain, rather than with it."
There is a tinge to Kazusa's cheeks as Myunghon mentions that part of the brand. "That's possible," she allows. "But you would know better than I."
She looks Myunghon over again. Those bandages are incongruous with the outfit, now that she knows where it's from. The question floats on her lips, but she asks something else instead. "Do you work with any other brands?"
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"It's all a bit too bold for me -- the studded leather collars, the distressed look, that kind of thing appealed to Shin-kun a lot, and he had the looks for it," Myunghon chuckles, speaking of their friend. "The way Mei dressed me, she was always more interested in straddling the line between lolita fashion and everyday cutsews, the kind that's understated enough that you can still wear them day to day. Which isn't a new concept, but it came at a time when trends were moving more towards orthodox, so a bit of boldness went a long way. This blouse was one of them."
It is kind of interesting Kazusa thinks of the bandages as part of the look, though. Myunghon does take the time to incorporate them since they wear them anyway, but...
Do they work with any other brands?
"I confess, I haven't had much time for fashion lately, so I'm rather behind the times. I think you'd be more up to date than I am!"
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Not everything has to work for everybody. I happen to like leather in small amounts, but not as a collar," Kazusa says offhandedly. "That sounds much more versatile. Something you can dress up or dress down as you need it. It's good when you have an item that can serve multiple functions."
Not much time for fashion though. Internally, Kazusa is a bit disappointed. "I see. Well, thta's too bad, then." She gives a slow shrug of her shoulder. "Probably," she admits, with a touch of arrogance, now that her potential evalutaion of Myunghon has dropped a few notches. "You ahve to stay in the know with ouw fast everything moves."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon does watch as Kazusa's disappointment permeates her being after they admit they haven't been keyed to the fashion scene as of late. "True, but I never said I was still in the scene either." They wonder what kind of guidance or mentor she might've been looking for, and perhaps if she were still with them, Mei would've gotten along real fine with Kazusa... but they check their watch again.
"Ah-- my apologies, I've lost track of the time. I should be going now, it's time for my appointment." They drape up that bag to their shoulder and waves gently, before walking up towards the Peacock Silk proper.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Myunghon never said they were still in the scene. "I suppose not, wering something two years old like that," she comments with an offhand dismissiveness.
"Don't keep them waiting--go, go," Kazusa shooes Myunghon off, and then returns to her table. She sits down, opening her sketchbook to make one last note by the sketch of Myunghon's outfit.
... So much for a potential lead she could share with Ann. Kazusa sighs and sets the sketchbook aside, going back to her studies.