2025-11-19: Operation Babe Hunt
- Log: Operation Babe Hunt
- Cast: Junpei Iori, Reiya Aomori, Shinjiro Aragaki, Minato Arisato, Koh Katsuhiro, Junes (GM), Suzume Fukura, Aigis
- Where: Yakushima Island, Japan
- OOC Date: November 19, 2025
- IC Date: Mon, August 13, 2012
- Summary: Some of SEES enact an important operation for the enjoyment of their summer vacation. Abandon all hope ye who enter here.
(|============================= Okinawa Islands ==============================|)
-============================================== Other Japan/Okinawa Region ====-
Part of an archipelago that stretches from the southern tip of Japan to nearly
Taiwan, the Okinawa Islands are home to a distinct culture of the Ryukyuan
people who were forced to become a part of Japan four hundred years ago.
Resentment for being viewed as expendable stretches back much further than the
Second World War.
Those who respect the locals will find that Okinawa is the ideal for summer in
Japan, with its proud shisaa serving as guardians on rooftops and gates to
households alike. The local cuisine is distinct from mainland Japan; goya
chanpuru is a popular stir-fried delight.
People can travel between the Okinawa Islands through a vast network of ferries
that carry people to and fro, and no two of them are alike. However, one should
be careful not to go too far off the beaten path... or violate one of its
clearly marked sacred sites.
Sometimes the ferries take an awfully long time coming back, and if some people
disappear here? Well.
Accidents happen all the time on vacation.
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
It's about mid-morning on Yakushima, the water temperature has warmed up some, and Junpei has called all the guests of the Kirijo Mansion from SEES for a little 'beach fun'. Leading to all of the guys, and several girls meeting at the end of the trail to the beach.
Junpei is there in his orange swim trunks with fire red blossoms upon it, his baseball cap turned backwards and sandals with all of his grinning aplomb. "Where are all the girls at? Those sleepyheads! The Ocean's not going to sit around and wait for us you know?"
"Ah well, by the way-" As he nudges Minato, "-pretty sure I just got one of those maid's numbers. She just strolled up to me and handed me this-!" As he pulls forth a letter, unfolds it, and with a little 'ahem' begins to read-
"'We got up before sunrise to go see the Jomon Cedar Tree.'" In what is very obviously, Fuuka Yamagishi's handwriting. Junpei rapidly goes through the five stages of grief to get to anger, "Oh come on! We're on an island resort in the middle of Summer, and they're not on the beach!? Why are they treating this like some kind of field trip?"
Balling up the letter, he throws it towards a trash bin, missing it- and he steps over, picks it up and drops it in, "Screw this. They're gonna leave us to ourselves? Then we're going to make the most of it. This is the frontier of romance! We're not gonna let that get us down, we're gonna meet someone new here."
Turning around, he rests his hand on his hip, grinning as he regains some of his cheer, "We're gonna stage a little something of our own today. We'll call this mission, Operation: Babe Hunt!"
As he looks upon those who are gathered, "So how about it? Are you all in?" Junpei of course, doesn't expect anyone but guys to join in on his side. Though he's happy enough for babes to be here to be hunted.
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya Aomori is also here. Of course he is! He wouldn't disappoint his bro Junpei by not showing up.
He has no baseball cap, but he does have his blue shorts and a good bit more muscle than a non-athletic-club student might be expected to have, though he's far from a bodybuilder either. He's just in good, lean shape! Don't worry about it.
"...Junpei..."
Reiya considers his offer. He considers, for a few moments, the long distance from his ex-girlfriend. He considers his pride as a man.
"A mission," Reiya reflects. "I can't turn down a mission. It wouldn't be right."
He reaches out for Minato's shoulder. "As this is a mission, you're in charge, Leader."
He looks fiercely into Minato's eyes. Is Minato prepared!?
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro Aragaki came to the beach, because he wanted to try swimming and relaxing again. He was skeptical that *Junpei* was the inviter, because Junpei is a natural disaster, but he came regardless, in his open white hoodie without an undershirt and swim shorts.
Once Junpei reads the letter, Shinjiro, who is standing nearby looking at the waves, laughs.
"You really thought you'd get one of *Kirijo*'s maids?"
But then, Junpei makes his suggestion. The frontier of romance. Meeting someone new.
Operation: Babe Hunt.
"Absolutely not," he starts. "This is stupid."
Words that are true, which hides the immediate internal conflict, the sadness that wells up whenever Junpei talks about romance or the summer of youth or whatever.
And then his eyes scan over to Reiya. "...don't tell me *you're* partaking, Aomori." Goddammit.
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
Minato lowers his water gun and leans over, with interest, when Junpei elbows him. "Yeah?", he asks, looking quietly impressed, which isn't all that different to his usual :| ... but Junpei can surely tell.
Or at least believe in himself to be true.
But then, as the letter unfolds... Minato beholds Fuuka's handwriting.
For a moment, he wonders: did Fuuka decide to become a traditional maid at the Kirijo Estate?
Then, of course, he actually hears what she had to say.
"I see," Minato says, mildly.
Of course... the girls on their team wouldn't take up maid work.
Let's be serious about this, Minato.
Junpei's getting fired up, too. (Minato blinks, once, as he misses the trash can.) He watches him, deadly serious, and still.
Operation: Babe Hunt...
As Reiya claps him on the shoulder, Minato's grey-blue eyes slide over to him, with a grim nod. He readies his water gun, and says: "Got it."
Minato doesn't seem to think it's stupid in the slightest.
<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.
"My condolences, Iori-san." Koh says as Junpei crumples up his letter. He's dressed in the usual island style, swim trunks and left print shirt.
"Butbabe hunt! Koh is happy to be a part of this exercise and a good friend.
"Are you sure you want to lead, Aristao-san? Iori knows a lot about girls, he'd make us all look better." Koh beams. He's capable of malevolence after all...
"Come on. Aragaki-senpai. We need you to keep us safe if something goes wrong." He adds to help Reiya's case. "And keep Iori-san in check, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya nods firmly to Minato. Then he turns to Shinjiro. "Of course," he says. "Social skills are almost important to an operative. We may be obligated to deal with others in the course of our missions." He nods to Koh, who is helping. He considers for a moment, and looks to his senpai.
Pause. "...Of course, I suppose it's Sanada-senpai who all the girls are interested in. I shouldn't have assumed it would be likewise for you..."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro stops, as not only Reiya, but also Minato and Koh (actually that one makes sense) accept the Babe Hunt. He's going to just walk off...
'Of course, I suppose it's Sanada-senpai who all the girls are interested in. I shouldn't have assumed it would be likewise for you.'
"Oh, screw you..." Shinjiro starts, though he *is* turning back. "Fine. You want me to keep Iori in check and all of you safe? I'll do it. Just don't regret it when you get ignored."
If he has to fake flirt, so be it. He knows nothing ever comes of these things, especially with teenagers, so it's like making friends or some shit, right? He can do that. Just be casual.
<Pose Tracker> Babe Radar has posed.
OPERATION START -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0LTJ4TrMNw
The beach is not crowded, but there are little clusters of people here and there. Some of them are irrelevant to the mission--men, who could be BABES but are outside the purview of Junpei's HUNT. The sand is white; the water is blue; the bikinis... are on.
The group can safely discount those girls already in the water, or already hanging out with dudes. They can probably discount the mixed-gender group by the volleyball net over there.
But there is not one, not two, but three potential babes in perfect location not far from here!
There is a girl in a yellow bikini, obviously a little older than the group, talking to a younger, shorter girl with a volleyball whom they may or may not recognize from behind. And there is a second girl in an orange bikini also talking to her. What they're saying is hard to make out without getting closer...
But they're there!
ansi(+red,TARGET ACQUIRED)]!?
<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.
The younger girl isn't *that* hard to recognize... if you know her.
But given how much time she typically spends in loose clothes that conceal her build, she may not actually be immediately recognizable in the one-piece swimsuit she has on; a more athletic suit than a bikini, almost like a sleeveless shirt combined with a pair of snug shorts, black with a red stripe up each side from thigh to underarm.
She's short, but athletic, maybe a little stocky but it mostly comes off as fit; broad-shouldered, broad-hipped, large-chested. Shoulder-length dark purple hair, currently tied back with a hair scrunchie. She's not a supermodel - supermodels are noticably skinny, while she's more solid - but she's attractive, even from behind...
...though it may take getting a little closer to realize it's Suzume, who has finally pulled her hair back. She is holding a volleyball under one arm and chatting with the others. She didn't go out to see the cedar tree because she'd gone on a long nature hike a couple days ago and also vanished yesterday on a trip elsewhere on the island, but she didn't leave a note today either.
(It may take that extra time to recognize her because it's not quite the outfit people have seen her in before. There's no board shorts today, because she does intend to swim rather than play sports and the swimsuit's a one-piece, and Suzume typically does not pull her hair back - she generally leaves it loose and floofy, but it got too long and she's finally fed up with it, as it gets in her eyes too much when it's wet.)
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
"Maannn." Iori sighs at Koh's condolences, "Hey! What makes you think I wouldn't have a shot?!" Junpei fires back at Shinjiro implying he wouldn't. "They're probably all lonely staying in that mansion all day anyhow!"
"That's the spirit!" Junpei says to Reiya's showing of pride as a man. Before- he asks- "Wait why him!?" And Koh stirs the pot, "What he said! I know girls way better than that guy!"
Glowering now at Minato, he tries to drive the responsibility of being the leader home- "You better take this seriously. Don't screw this up for me- I mean us!"
OPERATION START!
And as a target is acquired, "Oohh target sighted- perfect, Fukura's even with them! That gives us the advantage." He turns to the other guys, "Okay this is my area of expertise, so lemme give you some pointers. First off, think of something to talk about- something they might be interested in. Like take for instance- that volleyball. That's an easy hook there to get the 'ball' rollin'. That's the Golden Rule."
Junpei then strolls up and- "Hey there, ladies! I see Fukura there's prepared for a game. What say you all join us for a little beach fun."
He flashes a grin at Suzume, like he's hoping that'll hook her in particular. After all his read on her is that she's just a really shy Tomboy, waiting for the right guy.
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
Take this seriously? "I understand," Minato nods, firmly.
"In order to have the best odds of success," he states, as he strides forward,
"... we should execute a back attack. Aomori-kun, with me."
With that, Minato breaks off from Junpei, right in the middle of his advice.
The Golden Rule is not to walk off while people are talking to you, Minato...
While Junpei and the others are distracting from the front, two deeply similar blue boys are approaching from behind, steathily, until --
"Fukura-san," Minato says, from behind the girls, having misunderstood the premise of Junpei's plan entirely. (It would help if you listened to it, Minato.) "Let's engage in the frontiers of romance. This is Summer Vacation. Our mission is to find someone new for a whirlwind summer romance. Let's make the most of it."
He pauses.
He looks around the girls, to Junpei.
"But Fukura-san is one of us..."
Wait, she's with these losers?!
<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.
There is very little timidity in Koh's embrace of Operation Babe Hunt. It's a fun beach activity with friends and no chance of danger!
When Junpei points out the acquired targets Koh nods somberly, sizing up the opposition. He squints, and when Junpei points it out...
"Huh. Fukura-san is a girl..." His tone is more contemplative than surprised.
And then Junpei engages in the pincer attack! With Minato's help(?).
"Yo." Koh says, scooting in behind Junpei and raising a hand. "Can we play? The teams are a little uneven, but I can help out over there." He's already turning on his own side!!!
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya nods firmly to Shinjiro. "I am prepared."
But then... "When exploring a new frontier," Reiya says, having approached with Minato, "Sometimes it is good to have a guide who is familiar." He nods, firmly.
But Koh slides in!? "It is important to have even teams..."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro has gotten determined, even if that determination is 'to keep these guys from being too idiotic and also put another notch on the Shinji vs Aki scoreboard'.
"Because you're you," Shinjiro replies to the 'expert' simply enough.
This is why, as Junpei gives them instructions, he's sighing. Even so, he follows along, hanging in the back - he's tall, so he doesn't want to crowd one of the other guys.
As Minato goes for a back attack, though, Shinjiro's glancing at the girls... oh god, it's Suzume. Abort abort abort-
No. He already sold his soul to the devil of Gekkoukan High School...
"Hey, Fukura," Shinjiro nods once, though his eyes plead 'save me'.
He's already calling this one a wash having heard Minato and Reiya's words. He's not capable of salvaging it. SORRY TEAM.
"Volleyball, huh?" Is all he says when Koh asks about playing. He's always been th best as a strong silent type. Better not talk too much until addressed.
...wait, how many 'strong silent types' do they have?!
<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.
Suzume knew the girls had gone out. She had, for some reason, assumed at least some of the boys had too, either on that trip or another, because she hadn't seen them anywhere on the beach when she went down; she figured she might have some time without running into too many members of SEES.
How little she knew.
At the sound of a voice she recognizes, Suzume turns toward Junpei as he approaches. She looks somewhere between confused and surprised, because...
For a moment, she doesn't even realize she's being hit on. Or, rather, that the group as a whole is. "Oh, hey, Iori. It's their ball, I just caught it when it went flying," she says, before adding, "which is better than you managed when Arisato-chan threw one."
No, she didn't forget what Junpei said to her back then. She generally likes Junpei; they can bond over baseball and other sports and the stash of shounen manga that she brought with her when she moved in. But she hasn't gotten back at him for calling her a tomboy (accurate) with a shy side (...no comment).
"So I don't know if they're gonna add someone else to their game, though - "
But then there's someone *behind* her - two someones, neither of which are very loud. Until they speak.
Suzume whirls with enough speed to make her new tail of hair flare outward as she just looks at Minato. And Reiya. And back to Minato. Over to Koh and *Shinjiro* of all people... and back to Minato.
...
"What - ?" Suzume blurts out. She's feeling kind of ganged up on all of a sudden. Her cheeks begin to burn despite her best efforts. "Arisato, what the *hell*? You come up to me on a perfectly good vacation and start asking *that*? What part of hanging at the dorms made you think - "
A beat as she considers Reiya and Koh's words too. "You guys are making fun of me!" Still red-faced, Suzume winds up and *pitches* the volleyball at Minato. (It's OK; it's a beach volleyball, not a regulation volleyball, so it's softer and lighter, and too big for her to pitch particularly well. It will bounce. If she wanted to do damage she should have spiked it.) "You've been doing it the whole time we've been here, haven't you? Where I can't hear!" It's probably a good thing she didn't hear Koh thoughtfully (?) remarking that yes, she is a girl after all.
Extremely red-faced, Suzume's voice raises: "I'm not - I don't - ugh!" She doesn't even know the right words. She doesn't even know what she feels, it's mostly a big mess of confusion right now, and she throws up her hands now that they're free.
...wait she threw away someone else's ball. Crap. Suzume scrambles after it so she can give it back to its proper owners, which also lets her hide her face for a few moments. "What the hell are you even *doing*?" she asks, continuing to stay in the ruder, more direct tone.
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
"Oh that so? Well no reason we can't have a game together-" 'which is better than you managed when Arisato-chan threw one.' "-uhhh what're you talking about?"
Minato and Reiya perform a back attack and Junpei- sees them come up from behind, and he nods as if in approval, with a little cant of his head like 'Back me up dudes.'
When-
"U-Uh... wait huh!?" Junpei recoils at what Minato actually tries, like he's startled beyond words, then tries to mouth, 'Dude you are killing me here!'
"Sure yeah? I mean... yeah! New frontiers. A game like this... things just happen." As he flashes a grin at Suzume, as Reiya pipes in and he looks confused, "Uh yeah- a guide. A guide like me. No need to be shy here. I'd be happy to be on your team, Fukura."
But Suzume freaks out some and he puts up his hands, "H-Hey! It's okay! Calm down! We're not making fun of you or anything! We're just-"
Minato takes a volleyball spike, and Junpei is frozen by a sudden brush with you know - PTSD.
"... Anyhow! It's not like that!" 'What the hell are you even *doing*?' "We're-We're just hitting on you! What the hell else would we be doing!?"
<Pose Tracker> Babe Radar has posed.
Target sighted: and the boys stroll up. One of the girls lifts an eyebrow at Junpei's bold approach. "Beach fun, huh?" She looks him down and up. "How about you--"
SNEAK ATTACK. "What the--" The girl in yellow is surprised by this encounter. "Don't scare me like that! Miruka-chan, did you see that!?"
The one in orange (Miruka) looks to Suzume and lifts an eyebrow. "You know these guys?" she asks.
"These... weird... guys?" The one in yellow peers at Minato--and then looks at Shinjiro. "I mean, we were playing volleyball a minute ago..."
"C'mon, Shiori-chan," the other one says. "Let's just get our ball and--"
Shoop. Ball goes away. "Wait a sec," Shiori says. "You guys are *high schoolers*, aren't you?"
Miruka laughs. "Oh man."
"But seriously," Shiori says, "High schoolers vacationing at Yakushima... It kind of pisses me off."
"Yeah," Miruka admits. "Kinda does." She looks at Koh in particular. "We don't need the extra numbers. And maybe don't act surprised your friend's a girl?"
"Whatever, these guys are full of it. Let's get out of here."
"Later, girlie," they say to Suzume, who at least they part on better terms with? ...Reasonably? "Thanks for catching the ball, anyway."
But... there are other TARGETS AVAILABLE.
Two girls (women?) one with a bikini with a wrap skirt and the other in a one-piece. They're about 5'1" and 5'3". They're talking while looking out at the water, and they look a lot less intimidating than the ones near Suzume just became. Their suits are well-fitting; they have a mature beauty to them--they are definitely not in high school. One has short black hair and the other longer brown, and they both are unsuspecting.
Another choice is a girl lounging on a beach chair, sunning herself. She has a nice tan and a great blue-and-green swimsuit, two-piece, along with shades over her eyes and a twin-tailed hairstyle. She has a nice drink with an umbrella in it on the table, and there's a second, empty chair beside her. She looks a little closer to the party's ages.
CHOOSE YOUR FATE: try again with the girls walking off? Or try some of the others?
The edge of the beach and the forested area beyond approaches in the distance...
It might be wise to calm Suzume first though.
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
The same girl from the other day is on the beach again, waiting at the far end of the dock on the far opposite side of the beach trail.
Moments ago, she had emerged from the forest. She has confirmed the location of one of the targets: by the big tree. Presence remains undetected. Mission successful.
The other one ... sensors indicate that he is in this direction.
Casting a brief glance towards the other side of the beach, she recognizes him -- along with the gaggle of his peers of similar age. The next instant, she turns her gaze seaward. Scheduling next visual check for 600 + rand(0, 120) seconds from now.
Reiya and several others may recognize her as a familiar face, but as far as she knows, only by the alias that she had given earlier, 'Hiwa Komi' -- that is, unless one of the Kirijo Group adults had spilled the beans.
Distant surveillance is sufficient for the time being. Interacting with the targets more directly may raise the suspicions of her pursuers sooner than she'd like. She cannot run the risk of being sent back, unable to observe or protect.
If she doesn't move, then she will attract less attention than the other beachgoers. Motion draws eyes. Clearly, if she waits here silently and looks like the least fun person around, no one will approach her. This logic is foolproof. She is in perfect Babe Radar CAMOUFLAGE.
... it is not actually foolproof. From afar, she may actually look mysterious and contemplative. She is entirely oblivious to this possibility. While she may not yet be a target, it's only a matter of time until she, too, appears on the radar.
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
Minato gets beaned by a beach ball, but unlike Junpei, it hits his face and bounces right off as Minato stands there, a solemn-faced statue.
"Failure..." He intones, gravely.
"We're not making fun of you," he adds, though, when she scrambles back. (It took him a moment. Maybe the ball did daze him?) "This is Operation: Babe Hunt. We're hunting babes. You're a babe."
He pauses. He is thinking. That, or he got beachball-related brain damage.
"But you need to send a babe to catch a babe," he states, in that same mild tone. "I saw that on television." Thieves, Minato. You're thinking of thieves. "So the way we'll prove we weren't making fun of you..."
Minato hands over his water gun to Suzume, gravely. "I challenge you to hunt more babes than me," he insists, still quite serious. "If we're competing, we'll have a hundred dates by lunch."
AND SO:
"A successful mission is often predicated on a surprise attack," Minato declares, as he buries Junpei in sand.
"Summer camouflage... go."
If only Minato were as good at camouflage as certain people... why does he have the strange sense someone's watching him?
<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.
"I knew she was a girl!" Koh defends himself against the squad of older girls. "I just didn't know she was, you know--" He's helping.
After (most) of the girls retreat Koh frowns thoughtfully. "Iori-san. Those girls were too mature."
"Or maybe...they weren't mature enough!?" He helpfully points toward the two women off in the distance. "Good luck." Koh claps Minato on the shoulder before he immediately vacates the area.
And goes toward the girl sitting alone. "Yo~" He trills, "The water looks nice today, huh?" Uninvited, he plops onto the nearby chair.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"I am *not* hitting on her," Shinjiro suddenly says as he notices Suzume get agitated and Junpei insists they were. "Can you guys not be assholes to people we live with for five seconds?"
A pause. "I'd prefer 'at all' but that seems impossible."
As the two ladies reject them, though, he sighs. "Don't listen to them, Fukura. We got roped into one of Iori's schemes, and somehow the others are into it?" He seems baffled by this. "I'm here for... my own reasons."
He imagines Akihiko off training in the forest of Yakushima or something, and sighs.
"You alright?" he then asks, as Koh vanishes and Junpei is buried alive, trying to make sure Suzume isn't too shaken up by that.
He might be useless right now in ACTUALLY HELPING HUNT for a second. His time will come.
<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.
"He said what?" Suzume's baleful gaze shifts to Koh. "Why would I NOT be a girl? I've always been a girl!" Koh is now firmly in her target zone: "That she was *what*? Hey, I'm not done talking to you!" she calls, as Koh heads off.
'We're just hitting on you! What the hell else would we be doing!?'
Under most circumstances, nobody really hits on Suzume. Or, not quite. This is actually not entirely true. Suzume merely has, let's say, an ability to miss signals that rivals the most oblivious of boys. Flirting with someone and getting a response that isn't, for instance, Suzume throwing a volleyball, implies mutual attraction, and, well...
...she just isn't. Maybe something's wrong with her, she thinks, and not for the first time.
"Yeah," she says, with a sigh, as the other women head out. "Nice meeting you. Sorry about these dorks." You're all dorks now, Babe Hunters. Sorry. It's been said, and so it's true.
And then Minato calls her a babe, which gets her to bristle, for some reason. Is she a babe? She's not nearly as hot as some of the other members of SEES, let alone - she is prevented from either her thoughts running around in circles or chasing down Koh for additional explanations by Minato distracting her by shoving a water pistol in her hands.
Suzume accepts it reflexively, but: "Wait, why am *I* hunting babes? That doesn't even make sense!" How would she know how to hunt babes? This isn't a skill she knows anything about! Even in a competition... "You do it! I'm not hunting guys." Or babes.
...
"I'd better keep an eye on you though," she adds, "because Aragaki apparently can't. Yeah, I'm *fine*." If Suzume is answering in that tone, she's like fifty percent okay, at least.
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
"Dude!?" He says to Shinjiro, "When you put it like that you make it sound like she's not worth hitting on! Come on!"
Oh... he has a point.
"Good work man..." Junpei makes an exasperated noise at Koh, "... have you ever even met a girl? The last thing they want is to be told they're not 'girly' enough! Yeesh-!"
You know, Junpei really shouldn't be saying things like 'have you ever met a girl' but really even he knows that one.
"Uh - well, if she's joining us... it... counts? Kinda." He gives Suzume a thumbs up, "Welcome to the Operation! Uhhhhh I guess you can be our wing girl? You know - help us butter up some babes. Though if you're interested in... you know what? I'll ask you later!"
(He will too. Just ask Yukari Takeba how many times he's asked.)
-=-=-
But now, Junpei is buried up to his neck in sand. Indeed- he's now camouflaged, which is why when he gets the opportunity...
... a talking head says to the twin-tailed beauty and spouts the pick up line he's recited in his head for the last few minutes:
"Hey there. Is your heart made of sand? Because every time I look at you... I find myself sinking deeper into your charm."
<Pose Tracker> Babe Radar has posed.
Does it? Says miss twin-tails. "I didn't notice, because I've been sitting here by the water for an hour and never bothered to look." Her voice is bright, high, and.. actually kind of cutting, but it takes a moment to hit. She doesn't even turn her head.
Neither does she turn when she speaks up to Shinjiro, "Don't swear on the beach. It's annoying to have to listen to that kind of gruffness when I'm working on my tan."
She actually finally does turn her head to stare at Junpei for a moment as she notices he's buried up to his neck in the sand. She stares. She stares. And she actually lifts her sunglasses to--
"...How are you mixing up 'sand' and 'charm'? Like, i could buy it if you could see my eyes, but you couldn't. Your like... narrative makes no sense. I'm not sinking into your heart, guy."
"Smart to bring the other girl," she says, pointing at Suzume, "But the tall guy's bringing down your vibe." She jerks her thumb to Koh. "But he at least had the guts to sit down," she says, "And those two," she remarks of Reiya and Minato, "Managed to get that whole thing done without me noticing, and," to Junpei, "This guy shows commitment."
Pause.
"But c'mon," she says. "You got my attention, at least. Shoot your shot."
She waits expectantly.
...Of course, you could abandon ship, and go after the other girls down the way. But she's right there! She's hot! And she's looking at you!
On the other hand, closer to the end of the beach...
A woman of about 5'4" with long blue hair and big, dangly earrings. She's in a one-piece with a light blouse over it, with a big, floppy hat. She is alone!
So, CHOOSE YOUR FATE.
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
"I see Aragaki-senpai doesn't approve of our mission... even so, I promised I would take this seriously." Minato remarks, blandly.
He thinks, to himself, that Koh is possessed of great wisdom.
"Because it's hunt or be hunted," Minato advises Suzume, just as grave. "I saw that on television once, too." Minato, you just watch too much TV! He considers Junpei's wisdom, and adds... "That's it. You're our wing girl."
There. Now she can play, too.
And there -- Koh's got one. "Good work," he nods, firmly, to Koh, as Minato steps forward.
"You must have fallen from heaven," Minato says, still entirely straight faced, "because you're my guardian angel."
......................
that's a line from a movie, too...
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
Junpei winces at Koh tries and just fails.
But then she critiques his line!? "I-ah-ah- knew... with... a body like yours, that your eyes must be extra pretty?"
Junpei stumbles, like he can't believe this is happening. Do girls care about the narrative of pick up lines!?
He might need to hire a scriptwriter.
"That's right! The commitment here is real!"
'Shoot your shot.'
Minato does, and Junpei looks at him in horror- for use of the most common pickup line in existence, "Dude, no! Bad choice!"
Junpei looks like a deer caught in the headlights for a time because of what he regards as Minato's flub, before panicking because every single pick up line slips his mind.
And so... he falls back into a tried and true classic of his, "Yakushima. An island famous for it's incredible beaches - but even more so for the babes who line it's sunkissed shores in the summer. But did you know, that there's one babe who tops them all? With an incredible body, and a razor sharp tongue to match- she has the mystique of a mature woman- and this treasure at the peak of femininity is lying right here in front of us... making us the luckiest guys on planet Earth."
What
is
he
doing
"Believe it... or don't." He concludes, triumphantly.
<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.
Koh's head slowly tilts as the twin-tailed girl fustigates her assembled audience. He reaches a hand to apply a steadying pressure to his temple before his head falls off his body.
He should have tried the mysterious girl...
No! Stay on target!
Koh glances up at Minato and offers the other boy an encouraging smile. But as for his own line...
"I, uh, I just thought you were pretty." Now that he's being asked to perform this seems a lot harder. He falls back on the classics: "...if we're bothering you, you can take it out on Iori-san. He can't run away." Koh makes a sweeping gesture toward Junpei's head.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"That's *not* what I'm saying," Shinjiro tells Junpei, a wince as he looks to Suzume. She's attractive! But *they have to live with her*.
He does seem fairly apologetic if Suzume looks, at least, though he winces again as she mentions that he's not capable of it. This is such a horrible situation...
But the final nail in the proverbial coffin is when the woman tells him to stop cursing and says he's bringing down the vibe. Shinjiro brushes a hand through his brown hair and turns.
"Tch, fine. I'll leave you all to it, then."
One might get the impression Shinjiro is quitting. The answer is: yes, sorta, but he is going to go talk to people on the off chance it sorts out the bad feelings shaping through his brain right now.
If he accidentally hits on someone, that's in the spirit of Babe Hunt, right?
This is why he's approaching the blue-haired woman in the hat.
He's hiding the feelings he has about this, which, honestly, it's not Junpei's fault. When you've given up on the ability to be young like this, to search for romance, even *when* you're trying to live...
Stark reminders of what you've lost are nothing but painful.
As he approaches the woman, his eyes are observant as usual. At the least, his body language is normal and not particularly weird.
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya Aomori turns his head slowly from the sharp-tongued beauty before them. And there, he sees Shinjiro Aragaki approaching the blue-haired woman.
"!" he vocalizes, but he says nothing.
he is distracted at a critical moment...!
<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.
Koh is safe. For now. Briefly. Suzume will absolutely bother him on the way home until he answers: what did he mean about her?
As for Shinjiro, he leaves them to it. Honestly, Suzume kind of expected that. He doesn't seem the sort of person who would be very attached to this... though she's completely misread the why, she assumes he just doesn't want to be roped into an Iori plan. And Suzume doesn't always mind Iori plans, but... yeah. This one? Not so hot.
But right now, Suzume has been designated wingman. Wingwoman. Winggirl? We'll find the right word eventually.
At the moment she is actually smirking at the attempts to hit on this woman. She's *slightly* more receptive than the others despite being too old for them to get away with a whirlwind romance with, but...
Honestly Suzume thinks she may just be leading them on. Because although Suzume completely misreads signals aimed at *her*, if she even notices them at all, she can at least pick up the vibes when they're *not* aimed at her. Obliviousness only goes so far.
...which is why she elbows Minato. "That one's out of date," she hisses. See? She's helping! (By not helping!) "Seriously, nobody says that anymore. ...I think."
<Pose Tracker> Babe Radar has posed.
"..." The girl looks at Minato for a few moments, and just lifts a brown eyebrow. (Yes, the blonde is dyed.)
She then regards Junpei, thoughtfully. he goes into an entire speech about it...
And Koh, "Hmmm."
"She's right," the girl says to Suzume. "I'm definitely no guardian angel. That's Elly-chan!"
Then she shakes her head, calmly. "...You," she says, pointing at Koh. "1/10. Honesty's not a bad approach, but selling out your wingman is a violation of the code!"
To Reiya, "You're not even trying! You're staring at some other girl!"
To Junpei, "...INCREDIBLY dorky. 3/10. You get an extra point for effort though. Lose the soul patch and you might have better luck with girls your own age."
A point to Minato, "0/10. That line was dead when I was born."
"Oh well," she says. "That was entertaining, at least. But," she says, and flashes her left hand, which had been underneath a book, "I'm taken." A couple of rings on her ring finger. "And you're too young."
"But good luck, boys. Keep it up and you might get to stand next to a girl for a few minutes!"
Yuka Ayase puts back on her shades.
As for Shinjiro... the woman over there turns back to him, and lifts an eyebrow. "Bold," she says, "If you're anything like your friends over there. But I'm afraid I'm way too old for you."
She winks. She doesn't actually look surprised to see Shinjiro--in fact, her tone has more the tone of teasing, before, "You should make sure to enjoy your summer," she advises.
But the other girls who were on the beach are starting to leave; there's only one left on this side of the beach...
The mysterious girl in blue.
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
0m30s remaining until next scheduled visual check.
Deviation from neutral position over the last ten minutes: 0.7. Chances of being noticed by motion alone are within acceptable bounds.
0m15s.
Auditory sensors have detected the words 'Because you're my guardian angel.' CPU temperature rising. Memory banks indicate that it is a commonly spoken line in multiple films (and they're outdated enough to even be in her memory banks). This is an abnormal reaction. Simple data lookup should not result in this much computational stress. Filing time and details of incident as a note for next routine maintenance check.
0m0s!
She turns back around to see just how well her gambit has worked out and -- oh my stars and garters, as they say. They're CLOSER?! And all the other beachgoers have since departed. Even that twin-tailed lady serving as her last barrier ...
Babe Radar Camouflage effectiveness: -15%.
Conflict would raise suspicion. So would running, either on land or swimming away. Or running totally submerged on the beach floor.
Contingency plan in place. Fetching contents of smalltalk.dat from disk to active memory.
...
...
... Load complete. After analyzing its contents ... no, this is useless.
No, her only remaining option is to hope that the roasting from the dyed-blonde babe was enough to cause them to turn back and leave her alone, too.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
As Shinjiro approaches the blue-haired woman, he recognizes her, as observant as he is, though there's only a little bit of a visual dawning realization. He wasn't coming to really flirt, even if he WOULD if he thought it'd make him happier. It probably wouldn't, though.
"Nah, I'm not," he says about 'being like them'. Sure, it could come off as 'I'm cooler than that'.
That's not really what he means.
"...yeah, probably should try. Enjoy yours as well, miss."
He turns back to the others, a thought racing through his head. What the hell is he doing?
Mitsuru told him he should have a fulfilling life. This isn't... quite what he finds fulfilling, but even so, he's already letting this get to his head.
He shakes himself out of it, and decides to go rejoin them.
"So, this is still stupid, but I did say I'd stick with you," Shinjiro admits to the others, a dry laugh leaving him.
There's only one girl left. He glances to her, before gesturing.
"Well, what are you waiting for? There's still one left, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
Koh offers him up as a sacrifice!? "That's right- hey wait!? Don't just act like you'll leave me behind! Aren't you our navigator!?"
Unfortunately 310 and- "Dorky!? Only a 310!? That was at least worth a 6!"
Was it though?
"And don't knock the beard! I'll have you know I've stood next to a girl for a few hours!"
is that
eally a brag
"Maaan."
He struggles, before looking towards the woman with the shades, "Uh, any chance I could... get some help here?"
You poor summer child.
-=-=-
It took Junpei a while to extricate himself from the sand, and one dip later in the ocean to get the sand off him.
And it's then, only then, that he spies the girl of his dreams. Distinct from... every other girl who has ever been the girl of his dreams.
The girl in blue whose camou rating has gone way way down.
"Talk about saving the best for last... Now that's what I'm talking about." He says, awed at the vision standing there in all of her (un)camouflaged glory. "Holy hell she's cute. Okay... wait a second-" She says by even getting in front of Shinjiro and the rest, "-this time, we go by one by one, rather than as a group. We'll decide this way who goes first...!"
Fist on palm, he taps it down three times, "Jan! Ken! PON!"
-=-=-
For once in his life, Junpei won the right first, and so he comes up behind the girl on the pier with a smile on his face and a song in his heart.
A song of love.
But as he gets close, butterflies in his stomach start to form, because she's so gorgeous. "Uh, h-hey... I noticed you been, uh, starin' at the ocean. Which... really sets you apart." From a certain twin-tailed savage. "Um, you here with anyone? I'm just... wondering if you'd be down to talk."
Pause.
"My name's J-Junpei."
<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.
"Iori-san..." Koh laments as his soul leaves his body. "Scored more...than me...?
With a heartfelt sigh the boy brushes a hand through his hair and gets to his feet.
-=-=-
"I was gonna save you if she attacked," Koh assures Junpei as he helps dig the other boy. "And, in my defense, it would have been really funny."
"Good to have you back, Aragaki-senpai." He salutes between sifting handfuls of sand.
-=-=-
There's still one chance!
But Junpei gets to go first. "Man," Koh says to his fellow babe hunters (and Suzume), "No fair." Notably he's keeping the others boys between him and the lone SEES girl. For safety reasons.
"Okay, me next," He decides, once an appropriate amount of time has passed.
"You look lonely!" Koh intrudes, "Pretty girls shouldn't hang out on the beach without friends!"
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
As the group decides to approach the girl in blue, Shinjiro waits for his turn. He has a turn, of course, because he decided 'I'm just gonna give it a shot, what's the worst that could happen'.
-=-=-
Approaching the girl in blue, Shinjiro is calm, confident, andserious.
"You here alone? Beach is emptying... why not come hang out with us?"
okay that was pretty generic but you can't knock him for playing it safe, JUNPEI
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
"I didn't notice you leave when you joined us before," is Reiya's contribution to the attempts to bring aboard the blue-dressed girl.
"Your stealth skills must be very good."
Then he smoulders. Blue Steel? More like Cobalt.
...Yeah he's just staring into space.
<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.
Technically, they are standing next to a girl now.
Unfortunately (?) that girl is Suzume, who is not laughing, but only because she is grinning. "I was pretty sure she was leading you on," she admits, "but I was just gonna let you finish." That isn't being a wing girl at all! "I don't think you're gonna have all that much luck with older women... none of them want a teenager."
She pauses. "None of them you should go with want a teenager," she corrects herself. "Anyway, better to hit on girls your own age."
Like that one. It takes Suzume a few moments to remember Hiwa Komi's name from the first day, but she eventually does. And - well, she's about the right age. And Minato did practically demand she join in...
"Hey, this time I'm gonna meet her too," Suzume decides, shouldering in for a jan-ken-pon of her own. "Maybe that way she'll get one person who doesn't have the worst pickup lines in the world."
-=-=-
Suzume's approach is casual. She tries to put her hands in her pockets until she remembers that, being in a bathing suit, she does not have pockets even if she sort of has shorts.
"Uh, hi."
Spoilers: Suzume has no pickup lines at all.
Also spoilers: she's nervous. Why is SHE nervous? She's not hitting on Hiwa. Obviously. She's here to break up the hitting-on attempts! But she is kind of cute, Suzume decides. With her self-consciousness back from before, when she thought Minato was teasing her: Definitely cuter than me.
"Komi-chan, right? If you're bored at the beach we can hang out. Don't even need to bring one of the guys, they're mostly going to hit on you anyway."
Is Suzume helping or harming? It is a mystery. Even she does not know.
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
"I'm devastated," Minato says, atonally, as he's given such a bad score. "Complete operation failure..."
But there's still one more babe on the beach.
Minato watches, as everyone, in turn, approaches the girl in blue.
That girl in...
... blue.
Minato's been playing, this whole time. That woman was right: he's a kid. His pickup lines are worse than old. This isn't about getting laid; it's about the experience.
He's remained mild this whole time, but as he watches the others approach her, something intense creeps into his expression.
He takes a breath, and turns, in the sand.
Slowly, he takes a step. Another. Another.
With that mild expression, he looks to that girl in blue, standing a mere few paces from her.
"It's almost time for full tide, huh?" He asks...
... which means, yes...
... that's the best he's got.
He's as charming as he's ever going to be, and this boy is still as good at social skills as a bag full of rocks.
But when he catches a look at her face --
a splatter of red on a dark bridge
-- his eyes widen, and he gasps, between grit teeth.
"..."
He should ask: do I know you?
He should ask: how long have you been gone?
He should ask: what is your name?
He should ask: why is my heart aching?
"..."
But he says nothing at all.
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
Her chosen means of not standing out is what caused her to stand out? This does not compute.
"Acknowleged. Your name is J-Junpei-san. I have registered this." She imitates his stutters -- it's what he said his name was!
In response to Junpei's queries, she replies, I am waiting here for someone. I should not leave my post." Her tone of voice may be mistaken as cold.
Is she down to talk? ... another scan of smalltalk.dat indicates 'no.' "I am not interested in speaking with you." She clearly indicated her intent and she was polite, right? That's how it works, right? ... Right?
-=-=-
Koh's next up. 'Pretty girls shouldn't hang out on the beach without friends.'
This statement checks out. She's a weapon. He is simply making conversation and not referring to her, clearly. While it is a bit of a non sequitur, she has no reason to object to the contents of what he had said.
Aigis nods and simply says "Okay." She smiles dimly and stares at him awkwardly. Unblinking. Unmoving.
... You got anything else, Koh? She can do this all day.
-=-=-
Shinjiro invites her along. She recognizes him from before, but shakes her head. "Thank you, but I am waiting here for someone. Are you enjoying your summer, at least?"
-=-=-
Aomori ... Aomori the Younger earns a level of cautious scrutiny above what the others had received. "... I didn't notice all of you make your way up the beach. Likewise, your stealth skills must be very good."
Rather than stare at his beautiful supermodel smouldering face, she tries to follow his gaze out into the ocean, but sees nothing. Her facial expression turns to one of confusion.
She averts her own gaze in order to avoid him catching a closer glimpse at her face, though he may be forgiven for interpreting this as disinterest.
-=-=-
She nods at Suzume and gives her a polite bow. "That is correct, I am Komi-chan. I do not think I caught your name. Might I ask it of you?"
She is unable to become bored, so that isn't a concern of hers. "There is no need for us to hang out."
As for her comment about the guys, she looks over at the mixed crew of SEES boys, then back to Suzume with some measure of alarm. "It would be unwise of them to strike me. I do not think their knuckles would withstand the impact. They have not made any attempts to do so, either ..."
-=-=-
Finally,
Him.
Aigis can scarcely determine what course of action to take, herself. This is not the distance she had intended to surveil him at.
"The tide level is a function primarily of the gravitational pull of the moon on the earth. I am uncertain as to why you would ask me that rather than consult astronomical data regarding its current proximity ..."
... He seems to be doing well. That's good.
More directly than she had done so for the rest of the group, Aigis intently stares back at Minato, content to remain in this moment until it passes.
<Pose Tracker> Koh Katsuhiro has posed.
Koh blinks at Aigis reply. Okay.
Okay, and?
He cranes his head, like he needs to listen harder for more words to manifest.
But everyone else seems to have struck out too, besides Minato. Maybe?
Koh sighs. Operation failed.
<Pose Tracker> Reiya Aomori has posed.
Reiya does not appear to recognize the girl in blue by face. Instead, he gets lost in his own little world and she doesn't seem intersted in him anyway...
Beniho...
Reiya puts a hand on Koh's shoulder. "We did our best," he says. "Not every operation succeeds..."
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
"Wait no it's- Oh you're just... teasing, right? Aha." He tries to take her imitating his stammer in stride. "For... someone? Okay. Well I can always stand with you, if you don't-"
'I am not interested in talking to you.'
If there were such a thing as a 'Triple Weakness' hit, then Aigis found it for him.
"Ah... right." Head bowed, he takes the walk of shame back in a slow walk.
"Ugh... this sucks." He says to Reiya and Koh in the aftermath of MASS DESTRUCTION. "I could cry."
He says pathetically.
Before- Minato-
"What the hell!?" He then looks at Koh and Reiya for guidance, "Are... girls just that into the tides?"
<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.
"Oh, I'm Suzume Fukura," Suzume says. "What, you gonna use some cool martial arts on them?" A beat. "Why didn't I think of that?" she asks of thin air.
...
Unfortunately that's about as much of a conversation as she gets before she, like all the guys who tried their luck (except one - we'll get to him in a moment), heads back. She doesn't feel quite as bad about it as some of the others because she *wasn't* flirting with the cute girl in the dress, but even so.
"Well, that's that," she says. "Guess you guys are all outta luck." She looks at Koh as she walks by, elbowing him. "And YOU get to give me an answer on the way back." He never said what he meant! Eventually she falls into line behind Junpei.
But...
"Huh. Looks like Arisato actually got her attention," Suzume says, standing on tiptoe as if that would help her see better (it does not). "I'm gonna take credit! He'd never have managed it if it wasn't for me breaking up all the testosterone, ha ha! See, I can be a wing girl."
Suzume no.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"...I don't know yet," Shinjiro admits to the girl in blue. He'll leave amicably, because, well, she was at least *nicer* to him.
-=-=-
Shinjiro rejoins the others, watching Minato. "Maybe he knows something we don't?"
Then, he smiles to Suzume. "Congrats, winggirl. You survived an Iori plan."
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
'breaking up all the testosterone, ha ha! See, I can be a wing girl.'
"Oh, yeah-? Huh. I think you're right." Before Shinjiro- "What's that supposed to mean!? Of course she survived!"
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
"So any chance you'd wanna go out with me sometime?"
He asks Suzume now - even with his confidence shattered into itty bitty pieces.
<Pose Tracker> Babe Radar has posed.
But there's a woman who was just over there--who Shinjiro was just talking to. And she approaches.
No, she's here; her approach was, somehow, completely silent.
"Ah!" Dr. Himari Aomori says, brightening as she sees the girl in blue.
"There you are! I've been looking all over for you!"
A couple of men in labcoats move to stand next to her.
She smiles. "Now, won't you come along?" Her eyes slide briefly to Minato, and then back to the girl in blue.
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
"... because..."
Never mind the full tide, Minato's brain is operating in a riptide; for every step forward he takes, the pressure drags out from his ankles up through his hips, intent on tripping him into open water, intent on sweeping him away.
"... I ..." don't know you wanted to speak with you needed to find you don't remember who you are
But now there's a woman here (where did she come from--), and Minato turns, distracted from his impossible thoughts as he hears Dr. Aomori's voice again.
<Pose Tracker> Aigis has posed.
Teasing? No, it's what he said ...
Blissfully unaware of the mass destruction she had caused to Junpei, she smiles and waves goodbye at him. "Farewell!"
-=-=-
Listen all you want, Koh. She still just thinks it's your turn to speak.
... Oh. She does look disappointed as he turns away. Maybe she had misread the situation ..?
-=-=-
Hmmm. 1 for 3 with how the interaction fizzles with Reiya, too. Communication with humans is difficult.
(Somehow, she considered her exchange with 'J-Junpei' a success?!)
-=-=-
"I hope you find out," she replies to Shinjiro.
At least she has the sense to not wish him 'Happy Birthday.'
-=-=-
"Fukura-san. I have registered this," she intones along with another bow.
She shakes her head. "I am not a practitioner of any martial arts which are suitable to use on them, no."
She's left dumbfounded by Suzume's question of 'Why didn't I think of that?!' H ... how would she know?
-=-=-
Aigis backs away a step at Minato's approach, but doesn't break her stare.
The ocean never sleeps nor dreams; it never stops to ponder what it sees, committed to its satellite -- no can move her, but they sure as hell can try.
This is my fault.
I'm sorry.
I'll remain at your side and protect you.
She considers approaching him instead.
This is my responsibility.
She takes another step forward again.
This is my duty, that which surpasses even my other -- no, aligns with my original --
-=-=-
Speak of the devil, and she appears. Aomori the Older.
No no no no no NO. Red alert!
Fear flickers across her face, and she points in the direction of the big tree deeper in the forest. "I think you must be mistaken, but I do see someone over there." That should turn at least a few heads, by her estimation.
... her estimation may be overly optimistic.
Regardless, she leans forward and splays her arms out behind her as she dashes through the sand towards the beach trail on the other side. Performing evasive maneuvers!
...
She might not be as lucky this time.
<Pose Tracker> Suzume Fukura has posed.
"I've survived them before!" Suzume objects to Shinjiro, because she is equally likely to come up with a really direct plan; only the fact that she and Junpei are frequently not in the same place prevents them from getting *real* bad.
Though about that...
Suzume is very clearly completely surprised by the question, given the range of expressions that cross her face. She does not have much of a poker face.
Her first, instinctive response is what she does without thinking: she elbows him, hard enough to push but not hard enough to really hurt. "What, because you couldn't get a hot babe from the beach who'd listen to you for more than twenty seconds you're gonna try to use me as a backup? Don't even start it! I'm not that kind of girl!" she objects, rolling her eyes - though her cheeks begin to redden as her voice raises and she straightens
By now she's looking at him in an almost challenging way. "And I thought you didn't like 'tomboys'," she accuses. "Or is this like Koh-san? You're too dumb to notice that I'm a girl as long as I'm not dressing in - " Her flush worsens.
"Ugh! You suck," she finishes, elbowing again before turning away, stomping off. She pulls the hair scrunchie out of her hair and lets it fall back down around her shoulders again as she goes, tossing it angrily to the side.
It's not really Junpei's fault. She's been picking at this all night. She's *not* attracted to him, or Minato, or any of them. He's just a guy. And she never thinks about dating. But... should she be? Is something wrong with her? Or does she misunderstand what dating's like?
They like some of the same things; she likes hanging out with him and bullshitting. If she puts on baseball on the shared television (which she does when she has time, especially if the Tigers are playing) he sometimes shows up to watch and chill. She doesn't think he's as stupid as some of the others call him. He's (usually) cool (or uncool in an acceptable way) in her books.
SHOULD she have said yes? But she's not really interested... Why do these things have to happen?
But all Junpei gets is an angry Suzume stomping her way back to the Kirijo manor. She doesn't even see what's going on with Minato and 'Komi'.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
As Minato hits it off, Junpei gets aggrssively rejected by Suzume, and Aomori arrives...
Shinjiro's immediately glancing to Reiya. Scientists, huh...
Shinjiro is aware of what, more or less, Himari Aomori does for Kirijo. His body tenses and his lips curl downwards. He's watching the girl as she runs. He's staring at Reiya again.
And then, quietly, he moves to leave, trailing very distantly after Suzume. He doesn't want to blow Reiya's trust or say the wrong thing right now, so he won't. But knowing the types of things Kirijo does...
Shinjiro's certainly worried.
<Pose Tracker> Minato Arisato has posed.
Minato turns and watches, as the girl in blue runs away. "...", he never finished his sentence.
At some point, he remembers to shut his jaw.
... but he's rather quiet, after all that.
<Pose Tracker> Junes has posed.
Reiya looks back at Shinjiro, and shakes his head lightly.
But Dr. Aomori does not look away as Aigis points. Instead, she watches the girl in blue bolt, and grimaces.
"On we go," she says, and the scientists flanking her follow as she starts into the forest.
She spares a look for Reiya. "Don't stay out too late, boys."
Then they too are gone.
<Pose Tracker> Junpei Iori has posed.
An elbow shoves him back, "Wait wha-!? No!? I never said-" But he gets elbowed again.
Told he sucks...
... then she storms off...
"... Maan... you were like, the first girl I hit on today..."
He sighs, massaging his ribs.
Because of this, he doesn't even notice when Reiya's Mom comes back for-
"Uhhhhh..."
A view of the beauty in blue running away with scientists following, "... What'd I miss?"
Pause.
"... Dang she can really haul in that dress."