2025-11-20: Talking It Out
- Log: Talking It Out
- Cast: Ichika Kawase, Ryuji Sakamoto
- Where: Moonlight Bridge, Iwatodai City
- OOC Date: November 20, 2025
- IC Date: August 13, 2012
- Summary: Ryuji and Ichika meet up in Iwatodai, on the Moonlight Bridge. They have an important talk about each other past the Palace, and Ryuji and Ichika learning some of each other's respective secrets. Ryuji as a Phantom Thief; Ichika and the depth of her relationship with Eiji. Relationship talk ensues, including a surprising additional angle.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
> Let's meet on the bridge.
Ichika sent a picture of a location a little while later, to make it easier. She now waits on a bench along the walkway, on the Moonlight Bridge, which is a large suspension bridge across the bay. At her feet are a few Paulownia Mall shopping bags, of various places. She's dressed not in her usual skull type shirt--it felt a little weird under the circumstances--but in an outfit with a short skirt, thigh-highs, and layered tanktops, with bracelets on her wrists and dangling earrings.
She's... okay.
She's been thinking about this the whole day, but she's okay.
The lights will be on soon this evening, though, and it'll make for a really striking view of the bay...
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Admittedly Ryuji needed the picture to find the place. He has not adjusted to Port Island yet...Come to think of it, he was still trying to figure out Sumaru. He was going to need to study Ramen places for him to retain ANYTHING. (BTW, he navigates somewhat by Ramen Shop proximity. It's a thing.) No, the picture helped him locate Ichika quickly.
Which was now awkward since he was standing in front of her slouched with a way too big smile out of fear of what to do next.
Say something.
"Uh...hey?" Ryuji visibly winces at his delicate way with words there. He takes a long beat to measure what to say next. Finally, he settles on "I...I'm sorry I couldn't tell you."
After another pause and ticking of mental gears. "...I mean I knew you were tough but I didn't want to get you involved in the crazy heat I'm involved in. I mean we aren't exactly everyone's favorite people." He does finally manage a grin.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika kind of had a feeling it would be like that.
When he shows up, she smiles back, but doesn't immediately say anything herself; it's difficult for her, too. Until...
"That's fine," Ichika says, in a tone a little more gentle than she realized it would be. "Really. It's not just you who was on the line--your friends, too. You wouldn't sell them out, even to a girl you like. That's good. I approve."
It's not as if she doesn't have a few secrets, too.
But she laughs. "I guess that's true. But it's fine."
"...You wanna sit with me?" she offers.
"It's cool if you'd rather stand. I'm a little antsy myself."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji would probably do better to stand. He wouldn't look as nervous if he stood after all. Buuuuut she just asked him to sit with her...also his knee was bothering him so two reasons I guess.
So Ryuji is going to sit with her. Damn straight.
Except he kinda overshoots and ends up very close to her. The act turns him bright red and backs him up pretty fast. He ain't that bold!
Ryuji takes a moment and calms himself down. He lets out a sigh. "So...besides that I occasionally read slice of life rom com manga. There, you know everything about me...I think. There's probably more, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika manages not to laugh when Ryuji turns bright red and backs up, but she can't keep a smile off her face. "That so?" she asks. "Well, it's OK. I kinda like sports, too. I used to be into tennis."
But, she knows why she stopped. That's not as good a story.
"There's more. I'm sure of that. But, I'd like to take my time learning it, right?"
"...But I think..."
"That's not what we gotta talk about, no." Ichika sighs, and looks out over the bay. "It's nice, huh?" she asks. "The water sparkles, kind of."
She pauses. "So you saw about my past. You know... what it was like, with Eiji, more or less. And you know my... damage, I guess."
"You can ask me questions. I'd rather you do. ...It's fine, if... all that's too much, or you need to know some other things."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Finally, his trademark grin returns. "That so? I guess we're both jocks then."
But she is right. It was now her turn to talk about her uncomfortable secrets. Ryuji's grin flattens and he nods with a serious expression across his face. It was out of respect to her 'damage'.
He lets her talk, nodding as he processes it all again. Finally, he just looks her in the eye. "I don't really feel comfortable interrogating you for something in the past. Like I've seen some dark things doing what I do...It's his palace not yours, you know?" He smiles softly, meeting her gaze for a moment before a thought causes him to break it. Ryuji sighs. "Look, what I do...It's made me look at a lot of things differently. Eiji is a scum bag and I'm going to take pleasure in breaking his fucking nuts from a well timed roundhouse kick... But people who get hurt aren't the problem. So unless I totally misread what I saw--you don't have anything to feel bad about."
Pause.
"But here's my question I guess...with everything you want and have experience with, why are you into a cherry boy like me?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Ha. Guess so."
Ichika waits; she's opened herself up rather a lot, after all. But he's serious. And when he looks her in the eye, she looks right back.
"I guess it would feel kinda like interrogation, huh?" she allows, nodding. He smiles, and she keeps watching him even as he looks away.
"...No," Ichika says. "I wonder sometimes if I could've done something differently... how things might've changed, if I hadn't made him so angry. Wonder, wonder, wonder."
"But I didn't do those things. He did. I... I know that, on my good days."
But he does have one question.
Ichika smiles. "Because you charm me," she says. "...You look good, sure. But it's more... you're earnest. You care, really clearly. Your passion shines through. ...And, since you're a 'cherry boy', I know you're not just in it for my body, I guess."
"It's true. I've got experience, and there's things I want you're definitely not ready for. ...But some of those things I'm not ready for yet, either. I'm really not ready to get engaged again. I want to--but not now. Instead, I think..."
"I think maybe our relationship could grow into something really good, and I'm willing to put aside some stuff for a while 'til it does."
She pauses. "If I wanted sex, it wouldn't be hard for me to get. I've got friends who'd take me up on it in a minute. But I've realized what I want more is... a relationship."
"So if you're sure you never want to get married or have kids... Then yeah, maybe we won't work out for more than a little fun."
"But if you're just not ready for that stuff anytime soon... We're in the same boat, you know?"
"So that's why. It's because I like you, and I think you're a good guy. I... could really go for a 'good' guy."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji nods as he listens, looking off into space as he focuses on just listening and dealing with what she was saying. It was a lot and so very close to him this time. While he could handle this, it would be a challenge for his boyish tendencies in the future.
"I mean yeah...I guess. You do got a smokin bod though." He shoots her a small smile before going back to just listening. He finally adds, "I mean that isn't even on my radar yet... not that I'm opposed to getting there. Jus' you know... this all just makes me feel like a kid in comparison." He shuts his eyes and sighs for a moment.
"For real? Are we like destined and stuff? Holy shit, am I Utena?" Ryuji seems geniune as opposed to messing with her. He smiles oddly. Maybe he was serious?
"I mean I didn't realize I inspired such praise though...I'm very new at this." Ryuji smile grows a little sad. "I don't know that far ahead...This is gonna be more on you I think. You want an adult life and I'm still worry about which character made it in the Jump popularity polls. You gotta be willing to shoot that path and trust that I'm heading in that direction, ya know? But if you want my opinion, I'm in?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Heh, thanks," Ichika says, and winks. "Stick around, and you'll see more of it eventually."
But she smiles back. "That's cool," she says. "I know it's not." Utena! Man. That's a reference she didn't expect from him. "Hmm. That's pretty good. Since I need some help getting out of the hole I'm in... but you can't get me out if I don't want out."
She's familiar!
"I do," she admits. "But I kinda think... I mean, I think I'm growing up a little too fast," she admits. "Sex is one thing, but I'm not supposed to have had a fiance and... and a baby, by now. I'm only eighteen. Right? And sure, that's a little older than you, but not that much."
"I could stand to care a little less about the Future and a little more about manga."
"...But great. I'm glad to hear it. I trust you, and... if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. I'd like to give it a shot, though."
A smile--and then a thoughtful look. "But there is... one thing you should know, if you're gonna go out with me more. It's kinda unusual, but it's important. And it's not about Eiji."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji blushes under the wink, scratching the back of his head as he looks away for a moment. "Right."
Ryuji turns red on the mention of 'sex'. Not completely flustered just a goofy grin appears on his face. He snaps out of the guyishness pretty fast, prompting a nod.
"I mean manga is pretty cool...and I'm not saying any of this is off the table. Just you know...later."
The next look prompts a head tilt from Ryuji, blinking a few times. "Sure...Whats up? Don't tell me you are a magical gir---wait we kinda are. Crap, I can't think of a good fake thing. WAIT...What are you and Tsubasa some kind of thing?" He smiles at his good totally not real thing like a child whose hand turkey was particularly "lit".
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
The blush is charming, too--Ichika beams a little at Ryuji's reaction. "I won't rush," she assures him when he snaps out of it.
"Cool," Ichika says then. "Later is what I want. That's why I broke up with Gotou-kun? ...He wanted all that right now. He's the last guy I was with. Well, we weren't together together, but..."
She gestures. Anyway, the--"Yeah we kind of are," she reflects. But--
Ichika opens her mouth and closes it. Ryuji's smiling, but Ichika looks pretty surprised.
"Well," she says, "Not exactly, but... kinda yeah?" she says. "We're like... really close. And I thought it was just a really close friendship but I realized it might be more than that? But like, they can't be my boyfriend, they're not a boy."
"...But there's something? It's like... It's not boyfriend/girlfriend, but it's not just friends, either. And I need some room to... figure out what that is."
"But we haven't like, 'done' anything other than just be close, since... I said I was going out with you."
"So like..."
"If you're OK with that, then... Then cool. I just..."
"I feel like it's something different. But I still want to explore where things could go with you."
"...I get it, if that's a problem. Or if it's something you need to think more about. But they got me through a lot of stuff..."
"They're kind of... why I feel ready to give it a real go with a boy, you know?"
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji smiles, nodding. "Thanks."
Ryuji's smile slowly fades into something that can only be described as "oh". He was right about something like that?! He just listens now as she describes it. Finally, he just coughs uncomfortably to break the tension.
"I guess that is fine? I trust you." He isn't really sure how to handle all of this. There really wasn't a manga or movie that he could turn to for inspiration here either. Ryuji sighs again, slouching in his seat as he tries to relax somewhat. "Seki is good people so I trust them too."
"Look, I like you a lot, Ichika. If you promise to try not to breakoro my kokoro(Localization failure...or success?), I'll work on what we need to." He gives her a corny thumbs up, snickering a little.
"But seriously, thanks for telling me that. I'm dumb so I might've gotten the wrong idea." He nods to his eternal shame.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Oh!!
"...Okay!" Ichika sounds a little surprised by that. But he trusts her, and he trusts them...
"Thanks," Ichika says. "I'll do my best. If you're OK with the fact that me and Tsubasa have something to explore too... then I'll be the best girlfriend you could ever have."
It's great localization. Super great.
She laughs a little. "That's a hell of a phrase though."
Pause. "You're welcome. I felt like... it wasn't fair to either of you, not to be honest. Like..."
"Well, I mean. It's not stuff I would want to do behind your back."
"But you're not so dumb. Or at least, I'm not smarter than you," she goes for, "So we're good."
"...I mean it, though. I really like you..."
"And all you gotta work on is being you. I'm willing to wait on all that other stuff." She pauses. "...Go at your pace. And I'll... try to live in the moment, some more."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Even Ryuji is a little surprised he isn't more critical of whatever this would turn out to be. Still...If she's honest and explains how it is, can he really deny her that? Was this the weirdest thing?
"Bestest? Heh that sounds pretty cool. I can't lie." Ryuji laughs with her. "Yeah it's one I'm playing with. That and whats Bonking..." He looks pretty proud of those, for better or worse.
"Yeah. I guess you're right...I guess I oughta give you the same deal with my skeletons though. I mean your damage is personal but my damage is pretty dangerous. Even as a Persona user, it gets pretty hairy going into people's minds."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
It all makes sense to Ichika; she's just a little surprised it makes sense to someone else. Her categories, she's found, don't always...
She smiles back. "Good," she says. "Hmmm... What's bonking..." She thinks about that one. "I'll have to hear you try it a few more times."
The same deal? Ichika nods. "Yeah. You're in some real dangerous stuff. I'm not exactly safe town myself, but..."
"You guys go up against powerful people, more than once. It's... pretty admirable. I admit, I was skeptical at first, but seeing you in action..."
"Well, if I can be somebody who supports you in that, I want to. And we're together on this next one, right?"
"So I'm in, too."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
What's...What IS Bonking? Ryuji considers this philosophical question more seriously than it deserves. "Yeah, I'm still work shopping it. The other has legs though right?"
He listens to Ichika assessment of the Phantoms, nodding slowly. "Yeah. We do. I won't lie and say Eiji isn't one of the worst but we've dealt with some pretty heinous people. So we don't do this without thought...every one of those changed hearts were situations where it was the only option. Shitty Adults whose fucked up hearts made them toxic to the world around then."
Ryuji hears her want to support him and he feels his face grow flush. He would love to do something to show his affection but he is so not there yet.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Totally," Ichika agrees. Hot legs!
"Eiji..." Ichika shakes her head. "I can't believe what he's doing. That he's really like this. How could I be so blind?" She sighs. "But Kaneshiro was pretty bad, too. And that Kamoshida I heard about..."
The only option. "Yeah. And Eiji's younger.. but he'll only get worse, if we let him."
A smile back. "...I see you," she says, and reaches out to take and squeeze his hand.
"I see you doing your best. ...And I like it."
"...You wanna get some ramen or something before you go home? I think it'd be nice."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji nods, frowning at her assessment of Eiji. "Yeah. I admittedly haven't seen a lot of people with a Palace that bad when they are close to my age. Like you have to be real messed up to have one of those places."
Ryuji's smile brightens as he takes her hand and squeezes back. "Yeah. I just want to prove you right." He grins, looking over at that breath taking bridge view. It was good to reorient himself and not let this girl drive him crazy with her charms.
Then she actually speaks his language, prompting him to perk up like a dog who just heard 'walk'. He grins widely and nods. "You know me so well already. Am I dreaming?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"So it is weird," Ichika confirms. "OK. I kinda... hoped so. I don't like to think people our age are like that, but... Well, he proved it to me. And now all this."
But she smiles anyway, because for a moment, she's holding Ryuji's hand. "I love being right!" Ichika laughs. She keeps watching him, instead of the view; she's pretty charmed, herself.
"Not at all! It's also supposed to be good for your skin--something about the collagen... I dunno, but it tastes good. C'mon, it's this way."
With another squeeze she takes her hand back, gathers her bags--
And gets up to go!