2025-10-06: Shared Secrets
- Log: Shared Secrets
- Cast: Ichika Kawase, Ririka Kawase, Yuusei Ogawa
- Where: Kawase Family Home, Iwatodai City
- OOC Date: October 06, 2025
- IC Date: Sunday, July 22, 2012 (Evening)
- Summary: It's a quiet evening at home when Ichika approaches Ririka to ask to show her something. Ririka gets to learn something about Ichika's boyfriend Yuusei, and shares something about herself in turn.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
It's a nice evening at the Kawase home, it being Sunday night and thus a day without school. Ichika came home this weekend, opting to spend some time with her family and her Tatsumi friends. Meanwhile, her parents are out on a date at the moment, taking advantage of some of Dr. Kawase's time off work. Finally, Ichika has a boy over--one Yuusei Ogawa. So Ririka might expect that thus she has the living areas to herself for a while, because Ichika hasn't come out of her closed bedroom with Yuusei in quite some time now.
But! This is not so.
"Hey, Ririka-chan?"
Ichika opens up her door and announces her presence that way, stepping out. She's in casual clothes that she wore for the day, a pair of green cargo pants and a skull tanktop with her midriff bare. "Back in a minute," she says into the room, and closes the door behind her, stepping out towards Ririka where she is.
"Wanted to talk about something."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka has been at home, and she has been... studying, rather predictably. Finals are all this week, after all, but aside from being engrossed in her textbooks and the occasional mental break, that's what she's spent most of the day doing.
Ririka's dressed in a pair of light shorts and a band t-shirt, with her hair back in a ponytail to keep it out of her face. And of course, she's got her headphones on.
But she looks up from a passage she's been rereading several times now hiwle her fingers drum along to her music. She hits pause and slips them off. "Hey, nee-san." She blinks as Ichika says she wants to talk.
"... uh, sure." She takes her headphones off and puts them on the table, then stands up to stretch. "So... what's up? Everything okay?"
She knows Yuusei and Ichika have been in Ichika's bedroom most of the day. She hasn't really pried, since... well, bedroom. And she's needed to study.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika has actually been studying some too--though, that's not what she's been up to for the past while. It's best that Ririka doesn't pry into that part, though.
On the other hand, her nails have fresh polish on them! So that's nice? Green, this time.
"Oh yeah, everything's good," Ichika says. She comes over closer, walking to conversational distance. "So, I remember when we talked about... what you like," she says, euphemising because she's not sure Ririka's ready to talk about it openly. "And I'd been thinking about it."
"I think you should talk to Sei-kun about it. And I'll show you why! ...It's cool if you don't, but I wanna show you anyway."
"We both do! It's the kind of thing we think you'd like."
She steps back towards her room. "If you don't want to," she says, "It's cool, you can go back to studying. ...I should probably get some more studying in too, but I was thinking I'd do that tonight when I went back to the dorm..."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
What she'd like. "Oh, yeah!" Ririka rubs the back of her neck a little. "You've been thinking about it, huh...?" She's not sure how to feel about that, but she's leaning towards positive. Though... there's a glance in the direction of Ichika's bedroom. "Should we talk about that now...?"
And then she blinks. "You... think I should talk about it with him?" There's a curious, slightly bewildered look, but... she trusts Ichika. "Uh... sure. Did you already tell him, or...?"
"Well, if you both wanna show me... sure? I think I'm due for a break anyway." Ririka grabs a water bottle and follows Ichika back to her room. "So... what do you guys wanna show me?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"I have!" Ichika says. "...Well, of course I have. I've had a lot else going on," she admits, things she hasn't wanted to burden Ririka with but can't help but have mentioned--she mentioned Tsubasa's plight, since it was in the news, but that was yesterday--"But I have been thinking how to support you. People I can introduce you to."
A nod. "Yep, I do. And you'll see why in a minute. But no, I haven't told him. I'm hoping you will, though. You're not the only person who thinks about their gender, right?"
"Sei-kun!" Ichika knocks at her door. "Come on out!"
"Sure!" comes a masculine voice--Yuusei's--from the room. And then the door opens from inside, and someone steps out! A someone in a green dress with a yellow jacket over, in cute knee-high boots. Ririka might recognize these as Ichika's clothes. She might also recognize, underneath the dramatic eyeshadow and deep red lipstick, that this is Yuusei!
He waves to Ririka in greeting.
"Doesn't he look great?" Ichika says, enthusiastic. "...He's still a guy and all, but he likes to try stuff out."
"Right," Yuusei says. "Why should girls have all the fun with dressing up? You know I usually like bright colors, but it's nice to see how far I can go, too."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka nods a little as Ichika mentions support. "Oh, um... thanks. I appreciate that. It's... I mean, you got your own things going on though, so I wouldn't want to take away from that..."
She was glad to have any news no Tsubasa. They're not close, but she worries for anybody who's good friends with her sister. Plus, you know, it's not fair they're getting stuck with a bum rap.
So she hasn't said. "Oh, okay." She nods slowly at the mention of gender. "Uh, yeah, a bit... kinda hard to get away from, sometimes..." Being a girl who skateboards is not always easy.
But then Yuusei steps out! Ririka stares for a moment, blinking as she processes what she's seeing. Ichika's clothes, the makeup, but that's definitely Yuusei under there.
She brusts into a laugh and quickly coers her mouth, but it's not unkind--it's a little bit of disbelief but mostly surprise and some quickly growing enthusiasm. "Whoa, no way! Ogawa-senpai!?" She looks him up and down again. "Wow, you look... amazing!" When her hand drops she's grinning widely.
She immediately looks to Ichika. "Is this what you meant when you said you like guys willing to play around with gender?" She looks between the both of them. "Okay, two questions. How long, and do Mom and Dad know?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"You aren't," Ichika says. "Nothing I can do for Tsubasa-kun until I know where they are," she says, since obviously that's the big thing on her mind. "So I might as well do something for you."
A nod back. "Yeah." Of course, from Ichika's perspective, 'liking girls' is itself thinking about gender--she's grown up with the idea that part of being a woman the 'normal way' is being into men, after all. It's not an uncommon view. ...And on top of that, the skateboarding and all, indeed...
Ririka stares--and laughs! But it's not a bad-natured laugh, so Yuusei relaxes after a moment. Ichika was a little worried for a second, too. But Yuusei grins at the compliment. "Thank you," he says, with an exaggerated pose.
"Yep," Ichika says. "I like really masc guys too, of course. But Sei-kun being so comfortable with himself, willing to try stuff... He's so pretty that it makes me want him more, you know?"
Yuusei continues to hold his pose for a moment. And then lets go. "Oh, your Mom knows," he confirms. "She probably told your Dad..."
"A while, though," Ichika says. "I actually met him in the womens' section at a store..."
"Yep," Yuusei confirms. "...It's a secret," he says. "But Ichi-chan told me you'd be cool. Looks like she was right!"
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"Wherever they are, I hope they're okay. Let me know if there's anything I can do for them when you learn more, okay?"
All that about attraction and being a woman is true, too. But it's not the part she get sgruff about, usually, since most people don't know about it, so she's usually thinking of the other thing more often.
"Wow. Sorry for laughing, I was just... really surprised. But in a good way! Wow." She looks voer the outfit again. "You are rocking those boots. And did you do your own makeup for was that Ichika-chan?"
Ichika comments on Yuusei being pretty, and Ririka glances to the side a bit. "Y-yeah, he is... definitely pretty like this." Her cheeks might be tinged pink.
Ichika might have some idea of what Ririka is thinking, now, given their prior conversation.
"Okay, they know, cool," Ririka says. She glances at Ichika. "You met him... wow." She looks to Yuusei. "That is... really kind of brave of you."
Ririka rubs the back of her neck. "Yeaaaah, uh... there's a reason she knew I'd be cool." She looks to Ichika again for a little bit of moral support, and then back to Yuusei. "... a few weeks ago the subject of dating came up, and... I told Ichika-chan I was gay."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Thanks. I will."
"It's cool. I was only worried for a second." Yuusei grins. "Thanks! But nah, Ichi-chan did it this time--I can do my own, but it always looks better when somebody who can see you touches it up instead of just leaning on the mirror."
Definitely pretty. Ichika laughs, because she sure does get what Ririka is thinking there. "Yeah?" she asks. "Hmmmmm." She's starting to understand more about Ririka's 'type'.
"Mom was surprised, since... Well." She doesn't explain yet. Instead, he picks up at bravery, "Sometimes I just say I'm shopping for a girlfriend, and sometimes it's true! I don't do this stuff in public, but... I might do a little more when I'm out of school. Not all the way, but experiment more, right?"
But there's a reason she knew. Ichika smiles encouragingly at Ririka--and Yuusei listens--
"Oh!" he says. "Oh, yeah, that'd do it, all right. Good for you! I'm glad you were able to tell her about it."
A beat, "I'm still mostly into girls," he says. "I just... think it's fun to go all-out. Sometimes that's looking like a girl, sometimes it's blurring the lines... You know, whatever I feel like."
Ichika takes Yuusei's arm, "Mm-hm. He's definitely... still into girls," she says with a laugh. "But yeah, Sei-kun, you see why I wanted to introduce you two like this. I can't understand it the same way you two can, from the outside."
"But maybe you two could talk more?"
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"You can do your own, huh? Taht's cool," says Ririka with a small grin.
When Ichika asks 'Yeah?' Ririka makes some vague noncommital noise.
Look, it's just plain awkward to admit to your sister that you think her boyfriend is cute.
"She was, huh? I bet." Ririka seems to accept that at face value, at least. She nods to Yuusei, chuckling. "I mean, that's a pretty good excuse, though." Not in public. "Yeaaah, that's fair. But that's cool if you experiment with it more." Ririka smiles. "Let me know if I can do anything to help. I think it's honestly really awesome you're willing to experiment."
Ririka was a little tense leading up to coming out to Yuusei, but she relaxes once he seems accepting. "Thanks. Yeah, me too. It, uh..." She looks to Ichika and smiles a little. "... it's gonna make discussing some stuff a lot less awkward now, I hope."
"Mostly, huh?" Ririka grins but she doesn't push. "But no, that's rad. I don't really ever feel like dressing up as 'a guy', I guess, but... I mean, it's not like I'm wearing skirts and dresses to go skateboarding, so..."
"I mean, I'd be down for chatting more. Ichika is basically the only person who knows, since I haven't told our parents, and I don't reallyu know anybody else, so..."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Of course!"
Ichika thrives on that kind of awkward. She grins mercilessly.
"She didn't take it badly--she just assumed that if he liked to dress up, then he wouldn't like girls," Ichika explains. "And I can see where you'd get there... But it's not always the case."
"Right?" Yuusei says. "And I know a lot of girls, so it's pretty plausible. When you know how much works girls go through to look good, it's a little easier to appreciate."
"I hope so," Ichika says of less awkwardness, smiling back. "So far so good."
"Mostly," he agrees, noting that grin. "Haven't tried it with a guy, yet." But he might eventually. "True!" he answers then. "You're not exactly a girly girl like your sister in the first place."
Even her sukeban tendencies are very 'girl', from a certain point of view.
"Great!" Ichika says. "Then now you have two people to talk to."
Yuusei says, "Telling your parents is rough; I haven't talked to mine so much, yet, so I get it. But sure. Anytime."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka blinks. "Oh! Yeah, I guess I can see where she's coming from." Beat. "I mean, I like dressing as a girl and I'm also into girls, soooo..." Ririka rubs at the back of her neck.
That's another mark in the 'Not Yet' column for coming out to her parents.
"Yeah, I haven't been on a date in a while but it's a lot of work to get ready for one. So I'm glad you can appreciate all the effort."
"Well, good luck if you ever decide to." Ririka laughs a little. "I mean... I still like skirts and cute tops too, you know. It all depends on... what mood I'm in, I guess. Just like how I don't lean into my stage look all the time, either."
"Besides, I think Ichika-chan's been wearing cargo pants way more often than I have, lately," Ririka says with a playfully teasing tone in her voice. "You rock them, though. Your Sukeban look is really good."
"Yeah, I probably should, buuuut... I dunno if I'm ready for it yet."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"It's just stuff she's not familiar with," Ichika says. "I think she'll be good when you do."
"Of course," Yuusei answers. He does!
But, "Thanks," he also says of if he decides to. "I will, sooner or later. ...But maybe later. Not sure yet... It'd rock the boat, all right." Still, Ichika smiles at that. "Right. Different looks can be fun different times. I like the 'rough' look for some things, and sometimes I wanna go softer..."
Cargo pants! Ichika laughs. "Thanks," she says. "I do like the long skirts for some things. It's a lot harder for creeps with phones, for one."
Yuusei grimaces at that one.
Still, but, "It's fine not to be ready," Yuusei says. "You do it when you feel up for it. Don't rush. ...Your parents are pretty cool, though."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"You think so...?" Ririka asks Ichika. She still sounds uncertain, though.
"Yeah, I bet," Ririka says of rocking the boat. "That's kind of the same reson I haven't really tried..." Well, going out with a girl. "Not to mention, you gotta find someone who's into it, and..." Ririka rubs the back of her neck. "And when you occasionally get interviewed for things..."
Suddenly a private thing could turn way more public.
"Yeah, being the me that's on stage is... honetsly kind of exhausting. It's fun, but... I couldn't do it all the time."
"Ugh. Yeah, no kidding. And you wouldn't believe some of the other comments I used to get from the male skateboarders, too."
Pretty cool. "... I mean, I guess. If they're okay with you wearing that..." She drops a hand to lightly tap at her thgh as she thinks some more. "... I dunno. Sometimes I think they expect me to be a certain way, and... sometimes I am, and sometimes I'm not."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"I do," Ichika says. But she has reasons to believe in their parents on that front.
Still, "Makes sense," Yuusei says. "And it's probably harder that way, too. You can't really advertise if you're keeping it a secret..." Especially not if your secrets might become everybody's secrets.
Still, "I get you," Ichika says. "Being all the way 'on' as the Boss can be tiring sometimes, too. ...Not that different."
And Ichika and Yuusei can both believe the comments she used to get. Still...
"Well, yeah," Ichika says. "You've always tried to be that way," she says. "I think they'd be surprised if you changed. ...But I worry a little, if you think you can't express this part of you, too..."
Yuusei looks over, "Hard stuff."
Ichika smiles at Ririka. "...Well, no pressure for now, OK? I just wanted to show you... there's more people who are friendly to this."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka might have an easier time of it if she took a page out of So-young's book, but she does not have that kind of energy or social cachet to pull that off.
"Yeah, unless I just happen to run into someone, but..." Ririka looks down for a moment. "... that's probably not going to happen a second time." Which implies a first that Ichika knows about, but Yuusei probably doesn't.
Ririka looks to Ichika, though, considering. "Oh huh... I never considered it that way. Well, I'm glad we both don't have to be on all the time, then."
Ichka brings up a good point, though. Ririka starts to speak and then pauses, looking pensively down at the ground again. "... I mean... I dunno. You remember how they reacted when I got into skateboarding. Or how surprised they were when I started playing video games with Toshi-kun. I just... couldn't handle it if it didn't go well."
She nods, and tries to smile a little. "I do appreciate that, nee-san. And I'm glad both of you trusted me with this." She's looking at Yuusei, too. "I'll be nice having someone else I can talk to about this. Or if you wanna talk, I'm willing to listen."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
So-young is pretty special.
"Can't really count on that," Ichika agrees. Yuusei glances to Ichika and back to Ririka. "We kinda ran into each other too," Yuusei admits, "Though... we didn't start hooking up until later."
Ichika smiles. "It's not all a put-on. But like... maintaining the intimidation factor takes some work sometimes."
Still, as Ririka looks down, Ichika nods. "It's OK," she says. "You should take your time. ...It's yours to say, after all."
But Ichika smiles back, and so does Yuusei.
"Good," Ichika says, and Yuusei, "Hey, I might be for that. It'd be good to have another friend who gets it."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"I should be so lucky," says Ririka with a mock sigh. "But I'm glad you two ran into each other. Annnd that my sister's wardrobe suits you," she says with a small laugh. It's still good-natured, though.
"And it's not like it isn't fun being the leader of Polychord, either..."
"I'll think on it. But right now I just wanna focus on finals... maybe I'll tell them over summer break, if I'm up for it."
"Cool," Ririka says. "And, seriously? Awesome. It's cool seeing people get to do what they like."
Ririka stretches. "Speaking of finals, I should probably get back to studying. But it was really nice getting to meet this side of you, senpai."