2025-12-02: Strawberry Shortcake
- Log: Strawberry Shortcake
- Cast: Umie Akabane, Shinjiro Aragaki
- Where:A Safehouse in Hirasaka Ward, Sumaru City
- OOC Date: December 02, 2025
- IC Date: August 19, 2012
- Summary: Poor Shinjiro had no idea what would happen when he answered Umie's text of 'what kind of cake do you like?' Now, he must pay the price: by eating a slice of delicious strawberry shortcake.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
One of Myunghon's safehouses is smelling and feeling a little like a house (assuming this isn't just an apartment somewhere), today. The smell of strawberries and spongecake are in the air, along with--
"*SNZT*." Umie sneezes into her sleeve after inhaling some flour through her nose.
WIth Shinjiro well aware of Umie's.... tattoo, when her half-sleeves became a detriment, they were cast aside, allowing the young woman to actually *work* with her hands in what feels like the first time in... a few days, to be realistic. (Her hands aren't the steadiest for painting masks.)
But in terms of baking? It's been a while. Don't worry, the Mark does not, by itself, contribute to any bad vibes to the cake. Umie's made her own share of them after all.
... But never strawberry shortcake.
Which likely led to the more awkward text from Umie Katsuya's likely seen in a while, especially after having had to deal with her last request:
>> how do you make shortcake????
Whether Katsuya was able to text back with advice or not, Umie has been making the shortbread, cutting the strawberries (with only one cut on her finger, which has been bandaged up), whipping up the cream, placing the strawberries, and layering it up.
She's even tried to find the fanciest plate she could find to set it out: in this case, it's just a plain white platter.
The strawberries are poked into place until they are perfect, the whipped cream propped up with a few extra strawberries as one side threatens to compress down, giving the cake a lopsided look. Damn it, this may be the first strawberry shortcake Umie's ever done, but it *has* to be *perfect*.
Her plan was to let Shinjiro know when his 'surprise' was done, but that may not keep him from arriving anyway, as she tries to poke the cake into tiptop shape.
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro was in the mood to visit Umie. He'd say it was because he needed to check on her, to make sure everything's alright, to make sure everyone's taken care of.
But after what happened in that Palace yesterday, a subconscious part of him wants care and companionship too, even if that part of him feels so wrong, so selfish.
A knock suddenly cracks against the door, a telltale knock that could only belong to one teenager. "Hey, it's Shinjiro. You busy?" he calls through the door. "Sorry for dropping by unexpected, I was in the area."
Hopefully, she's not busy! If she is, well, he'll leave. That's fine...
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Umie did mention to Shinjiro she wanted him to come over, but never gave a time, due to... not being sure how her first attempt would go.
However, Katsuya came and saved the day, if by phone.
The detailed instructions and tips Katsuya texted Umie without a second thought likely are want allowed the shortcake to happen in the condition that it is: ie, presentable.
Umie hears a knock.
"Oh, uh!!" Her head snaps up from snapping a photo of the cake (because she's honestly still proud of it and wanted to show Katsuya how he helped). "Give me a sec!"
She opens the door, and, in a split second decision, manages to hide her Mark behind the doorframe. It's not for Shinjiro's sake anymore, of course, but for the possible idea that someone out there may be watching.
For some reason.
Well, let them look, because all Umie is right now someone who has properly using an apron, and has the stains to prove it.. ".... I was going to text you, actually. Your, uh, birthday present." She stifles another sneeze in the crook of her elbow. "It's... done."
Shinjiro can only guess, by the wafting smell of strawberries and cream from behind the very messy Umie. "Come on in."
The kitchen is still in need of being cleaned up, but the cake sits there at the kitchen table in all its freshly homemade glory. "I should've asked if you eaten first, but, even if you did, I think cake tastes better when it's been in the fridge a little, I think." She itches the side of her head; her hair, instead of its usual double bun, is in a simple ponytail. "Sorry for missing your birthday party. I just..." She makes vague motions with her hands. "It's... with... what we've been investigating... it was a lot. I had to decompress."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
As the door is opened, Shinjiro's blinking twice. "My... birthday present."
He follows her in, having suspicions... but the actual result is more surprising than anything he could have imagined.
And also, in many ways, painful. Not because it's bad - no, definitely because it's good. Even if he's trying to heal, it's still hard, especially on days like these.
"...thank you," he remembers to start, but it is genuine. "...you didn't have to do this..."
Umie explains why she missed the birthday party though, and with a wave of a hand, Shinjiro's shaking his head. "It's fine. It's been rough as shit, and more important stuff was going on."
In other words, he thinks his birthday's the lowest priority himself.
"Here, let me help clean up," he says, moving over to start even if he's not given an indication to.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
----YEARS AGO----
It became customary to not really expect much on Umie's birthday, as she got older. Still, the card, with the money inside, was nice. She wasn't sure if it would even happen; she hadn't seen her parents in days.
With her Seven Sisters uniform hung up and exchanged for casual clothing, Umie out on an apron that had seen better days, likely still marked from the last time she even got it out. Out came the carton of eggs and the milk, along with the box mix she bought at the market days ago.
The pan cake will be simple, but good.
It'll taste even better during the Dark Hour, as she flopped back on top of the house roof, staring at the green sky.
----NOW----
'My... birthday present.' "That *is* the custom, for people who have birthdays." Umie smile is impish, but the good intentions behind it hard to miss. "And you *did* have one recently, right?"
She's pulling his leg.
'...you didn't have to do this...'
"Of course I did. Though I'd... consider tasting it first before you get mopey on me. I had to call in help for this one, but it was a fun challenge." Strawberry shortcake; who knew. Something so delightfully dainty and sweet, for someone who tried to project to the world that he's anything but sweet. "It's still your birthday."
Shinjiro offers to help clean up, and, not wanting to keep him from feeling useful, Umie lets him. "Yeah, just let that soak in the sink for now. I can probably do something with the remaining ingredients, so put them in the fridge. Unless SEES'd like some strawberries?" She's afraid they might lie forgotten in Myunghon's fridge, with so much else on their mind. "Did you celebrate while you were with SEES? I heard you guys went out someplace nice." She says this as she begins washing some of the mixing bowls, handing them to Shinjiro if he has a hand towel ready. "Did you have fun?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
Shinjiro sighs, though as he moves to clean, he considers his response. "Thank them for me, then. I'll taste it in a minute," he promises, following her instructions. The cleaning goes fast with two hands, though, as he replies to her question.
"Yeah. I grilled for the group at a private venue. They had fun, I think." He DEFINITELY told them that he didn't need a birthday party, but from the way his face softens, he probably enjoyed it too.
Once he's done cleaning, he does grab *two* plates and a knife, moving over to the table. "We're going to try it now. Might not be as good as fridged, but it's fresh, so let's enjoy it." Maybe he can enjoy things if he thinks it benefits someone else, too?
Once he's sliced them two equal slices, he moves to take a seat, but doesn't bite down just yet.
"...I talked to Kirijo, by the way. About school." He seems a little nervous. "I'm planning on returning next semester."
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"I will. I'll be sending him a photo when I get around to it." It was likely a nicer request for Katsuya to receive than the ones he's gotten before from Umie before.
"Sounds like fun." Umie hands another dish for Shinjiro to wipe dry. "They probably liked being able to celebrate with you, too." ... Knowing Shinjiro, he probably would have refused anything too celebratory, Umie thinks. "Sanada-san and Kirijo-san where there too, right?"
Those two'd likely appreciate it the most, if not Shinjiro, by Umie's estimation.
Umie spots the two plates and grins. Ah, so sly. But of course she'll have a slice, if Shinjiro insists. "Right. C'mon, before I poke the strawberries again."
It would be hard to ascertain just how much poking (or lack thereof) those strawberries on the top have suffered at the hands of the merciless Umie Akabane; they seem... just fine.
.... Like things not a perfect size and make would be, arranged on top of a cake.
She lets the birthday boy (who is, by the way, much much taller than her) decide on the size of the slices. She fills two glasses with ice and water and sets them, with one for her and one for Shinjiro, then sits herself, though she doesn't dig in just yet.
He seems a little nervous, for some reason, but the words he says seem like anything but bad news.
"Hey, that's good news! I'm glad you're taking the initative." She thinks for a moment, a slight smirk edging on her lips. "Are you thinking I'm going to be sad you won't be at Cardboard Dragon as much? Joke's on you, if so; I am offering my services as a tutor. I'll even commute there." She takes a sip out of her iced water. "So, did my oracle senses work, or did I assume wrong?"
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"Kirijo was there. Aki was a bit busy, but we went on a nature walk in the forest afterwards. Okinawa's pretty nice..." Shinjiro admits.
Though, once they're sitting down... he takes a breath. Initiative, huh...
"No, that's not it... I mean, a little bit. I won't be able to help as much." A pause. "But also... I don't know if I really deserve this. I've been trying to tell myself I do, but it's hard, you know?" He finally takes a bite of the cake, reserving judgment for a second before as his eyes light up, "That's pretty good."
He's never had much cake, and he hasn't had it really since he was a child. It would be good either way.
"But I'd appreciate that. The make-up tests are gonna be rough."
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"That's good! Okinawa, huh? Man, now *that*'s a vacation. Kirijo-san makes sure everyone's treated nice, huh..." Umie still hasn't had a piece of her cake; that's on Shinjiro to have the first bite, as she's arbitrarily decided.
He won't be able to help as much, though that isn't his main worry. "Shinji-kun," yes, Shinjiro, you have been upgraded not only to SHinjiro-kun, but _Shinji-kun_ (because it falls off the tongue easier), "I was running around Port Island because some Strega guy was being active. You're fine there."
He doesn't know if he really deserves this, even if he tells himself that he does.
Umie holds her chin on one palm, listening. She definitely wants to say something, but she lets Shinjiro take a bite first, giving his thoughts (and appreciation of the cake) room to simply exist. "You know what I'd say, of course. Keep moving forward, and all that. The best kind of life you can have is one where you're not waiting for the end, but acting like it's not coming."
She wants to make a quip to the notion of 'maybe the doctors just misplaced their papers' or something else, but it feels... wrong.
She finally presses her fork into her own slice, and pops it in her mouth. "Oh hey, this turned out pretty good. I should do this again."
"I can help you with the tests. It shouldn't be that different from Seven Sisters."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"Yeah... we stayed at her palace in the forest," Shinjiro half-teases. "...cold, though," because of course he'd think being shirtless at the beach is cold.
Shinjiro got UPGRADED TO SHINJI-KUN!!! "I guess... I just want to be to be useful."
But then, she tells him to keep moving. He takes another bite as she speaks, listening, before responding about the tests. "Thanks. Yeah, Gekkoukan's also pretty elite, so..."
But on the previous subject of acting like it's not coming, he circles back. "...I can't just pretend I'm not dying, Umie."
He sighs. "Every day, I can feel it. My body is rebelling. Some days I can barely get out of bed. I don't think acting like it's not coming... will make me feel happy. It sounds like avoiding the truth."
What does it mean to feel happy, though? He still hasn't figured that out, as he takes another bite of cake. He's clearly enjoying it at least, despite the sad topic.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
FINALLY, A PALACE THAT ISN'T RANCID.
"What--" Umie's about to make a comment joking if Shinjiro was implying that Mitsuru was an Ice Queen, but she saves herself from a potential EXECUTION by realizing oh, he means him. "You wore a swimsuit, huh." She chuckles. "A guy like you probably attracted his share of eyes, but that's not really much of a compliment if you're freezing." For once, she actually indicates her Mark, quietly raising her right arm, her hand still holding a fork, slightly off the table. "This sucker's why I've never been much of a beach fiend myself, so at least you have some company."
Gekkoukan *is* elite. "But so's at least one of your friends."
".... Yeah," Umie says, on a softer note. "... It just... gets to me, still. But I'm dealing with it." Trying to ignore it *is* technically a way of dealing with it, but that's not something she wants to admit.
But she can't tell him why, when she doesn't even know what her own situation is.
"I think you still need to know it's there, though-- that someone hates it that you're dying, but doesn't intend to stop being your senpai."
The crooked half smile is there, in a blink, as she slips that word in. "I want to make you more cakes. But I guess, waiting for a birthday would be pretty cruddy, eh? So I'm going to have to give you a cake for each year you've never gotten one."
It's a heady promise, delivered spur of the moment, like many things that feel like they could possibly hold no consequences. "We'll have to space them out, of course."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"Hoodie and swim shorts, yeah," Shinjiro explains. "Didn't even have my beanie."
Though, Umie says she's dealing with it... "You don't have to deal with it alone, at least. Don't hold back from feeling on my account."
Shinjiro takes another bite, when Umie mentions she hates that he's dying... "I hate it too. I'm sorry," he says, and it might not be clear what exactly he's apologizing for, though it's likely 'the fact it's happening'. It's his fault, after all.
But then he's blinking, as she mentions she wants to make more cakes. His eyes widen at 'one for each year', and he shakes his head.
"You don't need to do that... but I'd like to have cake with you again. Maybe we can make one together sometime?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"No beanie..." Umie places a hand to her cheek. "My word."
It's in good fun, as she munches further on her cake.
But the sour topic still lies in the room, with Umie trying not to acknowledge it.
Yet, when Shinjiro says those words, and even says how he hates it too...
"I'm sorry, that I can't make it right, even though I'm right in front of you, and we're sitting here." She looks down, her lips drawing back in a grimace.
No, she's cried in front of Shinjiro once. Once was enough.
"But I'm glad I'm able to. Things like this outweigh the parts that hurt. I hope it's like that for you, too, Shinji-kun. That's why you should go to Gekkoukan High, and do your best. Make friends, maybe find someone to date, if that's something you can free yourself up to do, and use the cards you have to do good."
Shinjiro says she doesn't have to do all those cakes, and Umie laughs. "What, they can be small ones, right?"
But having cake, and maybe making one... Umie grins, and raises her fork in approval.
"I'd really like that."
<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.
"It was cursed," Shinjiro agrees.
But as that sour topic lies in the room, and Umie apologizes back, refusing to cry... Shinjiro grimaces a little himself. It seems like he's going to protest. But...
The words Umie says are good ones. Important ones that may be useful.
"...yeah. I don't know about *all* of that, but... I'll do my best." He still has problems imagining intimacy of any kind, so that stings him a bit, but... she did say only if he could.
"But as she grins, affirming the desire to have cake and bake cakes, he raises his own, before moving to scoop into the cake again..
"We have time. Let's try not to waste it."