2026-01-18: Faces
- Log: Faces
- Cast: Kazusa Motojima, Haru Okumura
- Where: Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome Ward, Tokyo
- OOC Date: January 18, 2026
- IC Date: Wednesday, September 12, 2012 (Lunchtime)
- Summary: Every person has many faces, and Kazusa's newest one is certainly... quite a change from the one she wore as the Demon Queen. Haru, wanting to be proactive, decides to sit with Kazusa at lunch, to see if there is anything she can do for her.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
There have been plenty of rumors floating around Shujin recently--how the school's 'Demon Queen' isn't nearly so demonic anymore... or really, nearly so queenly. The Kazusa of the last year and a semester has been popular, rich, fashionable, and a... shall we say, forceful personality. (And especially 'forceful' t those that don't conform to the norms expected around school.)
Haru might remember, from a stray meeting at a dinner party attended with parents, a Kazusa that is formal and exactingly polite, but also very subtly tense when around her father.
The current Kazusa... is none of that. Softer, much more cheerful, and nowhere near as sharp. (And also, bizzarely, an even stronger member of the Rhythmic Gymanstics team, like her gracefulness just took a huge leap up, not that she was a slouch in that departmet before...)
And Tsubasa may have provided some crucial context to the Phantom Thieves, that Kazusa got caught out in cosplay at a con by her father, and that he had some very disparaging words to say about her choice of activity.
Today, however, finds Kazusa sitting alone at lunch, carefully picking through a bento box with an especially artful presentation. She's about 5'2" when standing, with long, straight black hair and a pink headband. She's even humming to herself as she eats. She might seem like any other average high school second year...
... but anyone with a PErsona can tell she is absolutely not human, under the skin.
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
As with anyone, there are many faces to the individual known as Kazusa Motojima. Haru is only passingly familiar with those faces she wears. The first time was long ago, at a dinner party along with her father. Few words beyond the polite formalities were exchanged, back then, but that subtle tension brought subtle understanding, in a way.
When they crossed paths again at Shujin Academy, Haru had come to wonder if it was Kazusa who had changed so much when she became the Demon Queen of the school, or if it was because she had known her so little all along. Either way, Haru did the same with her as she had most students - kept her distance.
Whether that was the right thing to do, Kazusa has changed, once again. For the better, it looked like, and yet ... Tsubasa passed on some concerning information to the rest of the Phantom Thieves. As school breaks for lunch, Haru passes by Kazusa, sitting alone in the cafeteria. Having become all the more proactive lately, Haru decides she won't keep her distance anymore. There has to be some way they can do something.
Haru places down her own bento box, light and mostly filled with health-conscious, hearty foods. "Hello, Motojima-san." Haru says, calmly. "Do you mind if I sit next to you today?" There's some tension as she sits down, if Kazusa agrees. As long as she has Milady within her heart, she can tell something is not right with her...
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Even if Milady can't be summoned in this space, she can still be a useful bulwark for what she represents.. and at least, as far as anyone can tell, the thing that is not a human hasn't done anything violent or untowards.
Whereas Haru withdrew, Kazusa, up until very recently, very definitely did not. Still, when Haru appears and asks to sit, Kazusa looks up and offers a bright smile. "Oh! Okumura-senpai!" She looks surprised, but not unwelcoming. "Of course not," she says with a smile that seems perfectly pleasant on the face but i uncanny once one knows it is also utterly inhuman.
Her own bento is fairly health-conscious, and clearly put together by a motgher with some artistic aspirations. (It is the one type of artistic creativity Kazusa's father endorses, because it is, to him, an inherently feminine and domestic type of art, carried out by a very feminine and domestic wife.)
Kazusa tilts her head a little as she considers her older classmate. "Is there something I can do for you, senpai?" They aren't particularly friends--there must be a reason Haru is joining her for lunch... right?
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
Kazusa may not appear "human", but that doesn't mean she isn't worthy of compassion. Haru is aware of the horible things people who really are fully human will do, after all. If the only kindness she can offer is to give her someone to sit next to at lunch, that much will have to do. "Ehehe... there's no need to call me Senpai." Haru smiles back, not even judging the uncanny smile she's given. She opens her bento box, and picks at the vegetables with her chopsticks.
"I like your bento box," Haru comments, glancing over at what her companion is eating. "It's very thoughtfully arranged." To Haru, there's something special about seeing food being arranged as if it were art - especially when raised by a father whose business model is 'efficiency at all costs'. It feels like something her grandfather might appreciate. Unfortunately, Kazusa's father seems to have his own vices, but at least that's one talking point.
They aren't close enough to be friends, and there's a certain awkwardness as Kazusa asks if there's something she can do for her. It's not a question Haru could ever imagine the Kazusa she had watched the semester prior asking. But even if she lacks that humanity, it doesn't feel as if there's any malice, either. At least, she really hopes her hunch is correct, even if Milady is protecting her heart.
"Oh! Nothing in particular," Haru answers, stirring around her rice. "It's just that you normally don't sit alone for lunch, Motojima-san. Normally, I do... but I thought it was best to make sure everything's okay." She answers, honestly. It's something a Senpai ought to do for her junior, right? "It may be forward of me to ask, but is there something on your mind?" She tilts her head.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
That's true. Some humans will do awful things... and so far all the Homunculus has done is try to live her life. (At the expense of one other person, grantd, but... isn't it better this way?) Kazusa's Homunculus blinks as Haru says that 'senpai' isn't required. She actually looks... a little bit confused at that, for a moment. "Oh, then... how should I address you...?" she asks, with ah int of uncertainty. (The old Kazusa was never this indecisive.)
But she seems more certain again when Haru compliments her bento box, finding her conversational footing. "Oh! Thank you!" Another smile. "My mother put it together. She's really good at it... and flower arrangement and caligraphy, as well. I guess she just has an artistic eye." Older, more 'traditional' art forms are apparently the only ones Kazuki tolerates. "Who put together yours?"
Kazusa might have actually asked that question before, in all honesty--Haru's family has had business dealings with Kazusa's family, after all, and it wouldn't do for her to do anything to damage that... since that might upset her father, if word of the disrespect got back to him. (Though Katsuko might be able to testify that Kazusa's respect would only go so far.)
The fact that she's sitting alone is why she's here. "Oh, I see. Well, Waka-chan had something to take care of, is all," she says brightly. That's Wakana Oosaka, Kazusa's purported best friend but also purported lackey, who is al;so on the rhythmic gymnastics team with her... and was at the con when Kazusa ws 'busted', too. But Haru was concerned. "Oh, thank you, Okumura-s--" Wait, she doesn't know what to call her now. There's an awkward pause, before she resumes. "Thank you, but... I'm fine, really. I appreciate the company, though."
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
"Haru-san is just fine," Haru answers , continuing to sit with the uncanniness of the moment. Here she is, reconnecting with someone she barely knew, who doesn't even seem to be there in any discernible way. She truly doesn't know what to make of this, at all. "Unless you're not comfortable?" She follows up, at least. For some reason, she just prefers to avoid using her last name.
The awkwardness continues, but at least the discussion about the bento box... feels like a discussion in some way. There's some comfort in that, even if it's small talk. And her mother made it for her. "Oh, that's really nice! Your mother has a real knack for at the arts, it seems. I'm almost a little jealous~" Haru smiles, as is polite. As for her own... Haru stares into her bento box. "I did," She answers, simply. Her mother isn't alive, and she ought to be old enough to make her own lunch. "That's why it's nothing quite as special, hehe." Haru picks up her chopsticks. She does not eat. For some reason, she's feeling a little sick.
But she presses on. It's a pleasant enough conversation, at least - so Haru doesn't feel the need to retreat into herself. It's a conversation she could have had with Kazusa many times over, had she been there. "I see," Haru nods, when Kazusa explains that her friend had something else to take care of. "Right. You're on the gymnastics team, aren't you?" She follows up. "How are you finding that?"
After the awkwardness with honorifics, Kazusa insists she's fine. Everything about her on the mental plane seems to suggest otherwise, but there is absolutely no polite way to breach that, is there? Haru falls silent for a moment, tapping her cheek with her free hand. "Is that so?" She finally prompts. "Well, I'm glad. It's been some time since we've spoken, after all." People change a lot in that amount of time. She's probably far less sociable herself. "I hope your family is well, too." The Homunculus had mentioned her mother after all.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
Kazusa looks uncertain for a moment more as Haru suggests what to call her. Jumping right to the first name is more familiar than she'd otherwise be, but... it ios a request of a senpai. "Oh, okay..." Unless she's uncomfortable with that? "Kazusa shakes her head quickly. "Oh, not at all! Haru-san is perfect!" she insists.
You can't disappoint a senpai, right?
A real eye for tha arts. "She does! I just hope I can learn to do it half as well as her someday." (Haru cannot possibly know that the real Kazusa hates the thought of being like her mother.) Jealous, though. "Eh heh... well... yours still looks really good, Haru-san." See? She's already using th ename like Haru wanted. She drops her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ".... I try to watch what I eat too, you know?"
She's in the Rhythmic Gymnastics club. Of course she has to watch her figure.
And also obliviuos to Haru being sick. "I am!" she says cheerfully. "Waka-chan and I both are. And I really like it. I've been on Shujin's team since I started at the middle school. And I've won a number of competitions for the school, too," she says proudly, strangely without sounding like she's bragging. "My parents think I should keep doing rhythmic gymnastics after I graduate. They're going to start looking into getting me extra coaching..."
But she's been talking about herself a lot. "Haru-san, are you in any clubs?"
Maybe they could have had this conversation before, but for the moment there's no way to know how that would have gone. (And broaching the subject directly might... be hazardous, actually.) "It has," Kazusa agrees, of it having been some time./ "They're doing great! Thank you for asking." She smiles, a bit too cheerfully (she doesn't now about Haru's family that well), "I hope yours is, too."
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
Kazusa is quick to follow along with what Haru suggests. Maybe a little too quick. But at least that keeps the conversation flowing smoothly without having to worry too much about tripping around honorifics. "Hehe... thank you." Haru smiles.
"I'm sure you will if you keep at it." Haru encourages Kazusa, as she wishes to live up to her mother's talents. "Do you like the arts, too, then?" If she's a gymnast, that kind of makes sense. It requires a lot of physical prowess, but there's some artistic ability to the way they move. Kind of like dance. "Well... that's kind of you to say. I do try to grow my own vegetables at least~" She smiles, but that fades a little as Kazusa admits to watching what she eats.
"Because someone asked you to?" That's unfortunately the first conclusion Haru comes to. "...I think it's important to eat healthy." Says the heiress of Big Bang Burger. "But it's just as important that it's fulfilling, right?" Despite that, she hasn't actually eaten any of her vegetables or rice.
"I knew we had a good gymnastics team, but that's really incredible, Motojima-san." Haru smiles, as Kazusa speaks of her accomplishments for the team. "I think if that's what you really want to do... if it makes you that happy, then you should pursue that dream." She nudges her along a bit. Haru doesn't mind that the conversation hasn't really entered on her up until now. After all...
"Only the go-home club, unfortunately." Haru giggles a little. "There wasn't really anything that I think I'd be a good fit for." She admits. "But I do like to take care of the garden on the top of the rooftop. Have you seen it? Actually that's where these vegetables came from." She gestures to her bento box. "I like being able to take care of them and watch them grow, you know?"
"That's good to hear," Haru nods, as Kazusa cheerfully explains her family is doing great. She doesn't know her family situation very well, either. As for her own... "My father has been quite busy as of late." Dealing with company scandals for one. "I've been trying to stay out of his hair, lately. But I think everything's okay." She doesn't mention her fiance at all. Kazusa probably doesn't even know she's engaged.
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
It's kind of a recurring pattern with this version of Kazusa, really.
"You really think so...? Thank you very much!" says Kazusa brightly. "I've been trying to put the practice in again... my skills aren't what they should be, but hopefully if I work really hard, they'll improve." As for the arts. "Well, I like learning what my mother has been passing on, at least." But she looks interested. "Oh, you do? I've never tried growing anything... is it difficult to do? Do they come out better than the vegetables you can buy from the store...?"
Because someone asked her? Kazusa gives a shake of her head. "Oh, no, nobody had to ask me." That... probably still counts as a sort of 'yes', even if she hadn't been asked directly. As for fulfilling... "Well... that just makes the snacks all the sweeter, right?" Maybe not the kind of fulfillment Haru menat.
"Yeah, I just hope I keep making whatever team I end up on proud, you know? It'll be difficult, but... it's what my father recommended, so it's for the best, right?" She doesn't sound... that distressed about following along with what her father wants. Which probably doesn't jibe at all with the events of the con.
Go-home club! "Aww, that's too bad," that Haru couldn't find a good fit. "Oh, you do? Wow, that's really impressive, Haru-san. I don't think I've ever been up there... But it's really cool you were able to do that." she admits. She seems to think long and hard about something for a moemnt before she adds, "... maybe you could start a Gardening Club? I bet you could find some people who were interested..."
"Oh, I see." Busy is understandable, for a father who runs a major company like that. And trying to stay out of his hair. "That's good," she declares, with a level of certainty and uncanny calm. "I bet he works really hard, after all." She does not know, and so she does not comment on the fiance.
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
"I wish you the best in your endeavours~" Haru nods, as Kazusa is enthusiastic to improve her creative skills. As for the vegetables... "Are they better? Well... I don't know if I'd say that." Haru admits, and giggles a little. "I'm still learning too, right?" She has been making progress, though! Every harvest is just a little better.
"Hehe. That's not quite what I meant, but there's nothing wrong with having a sweet tooth either." Haru laughs, a little awkwardly, about what Kazusa says about dieting and snacks. "I tend to take my coffee and teas with sugar myself~" She admits, in turn.
Kazusa explains her motivation for working hard for the gymnastics team, and it doesn't take long for Haru's smile to fade. What her father recommended... from everything she knows about the real Kazusa, that certainly doesn't sound right. "Mmm. Are you happy with that?" Haru asks as an answer to Kazusa's question.
5r"I suppose it is..." Haru nods, about the clubs. "But usually, the rooftop seems to be off-limits to students. I think it's because I'm doing something productive with it, that they allow me to spend time up there." Haru considers, about the rooftop. No one has got her in trouble for it, at least - not even the Detective Prince. "A Gardening Club? Hehe... that would be nice. I'll have to give it some thought." She always has Ren to help her out but that's two people - you need five to become an official club, right? "Though at the same time, if I draw too much attention to the garden, it could be very well shut down." She also considers.
"Yes," Haru agrees. "He does. He's been quite interested in expanding the company internationally lately, it seems." Haru explains, with a certain amount of distance. It's not often that she talks about her family's business decisions. But Kazusa is a little more familiar with that world. At least she should be. "He's mostly been encouraging me to focus on my studies here... before I graduate."
<Pose Tracker> Kazusa Motojima has posed.
"Thank you, Haru-san," Kazusa says cheerfully to the best wishes. "Maybe I'll have some pictures to show off sometime," she mentions. She actually has her phone out on the table--it's a smartphone, and Motojima-braneded at that. Probably a prototype. But she picks it up to show Haru some photos of other bento boxes, and a few flower arrangements, too. ('These are all my mother's'.) But Haru is still learning how to grow the vegetables. "Heehee, that's fair," she says. "But I guess as long as you enjoy eating them, that's what matters, right?"
Has she noticed that Haru hasn't been eating anything? Maybe not...
Kazusa looks around a little and drops her voice. "I do sometimes, too, but not all the time. And I make sure to do some extra jogging when I do."
The real Kazusa definitely isn't happy with that... and to go from a quiet defiance at the con to openly embracing his wishes for her... might be its own kind of worrying. But her own smile doesn't fade. "Of course! Why wouldn't I be?" She can explain the incident at the convention, but since Haru hasn't brought it up, she won't either.
"Ohh, I guess that's why I've never seen it," Kazusa says with a firm nod, of the rooftop being off limits. But a club might draw too much notice... "Oh, I guess that's true... That's too bad," she says with a sympathetic frown.
Expansion! "Oh, yeah, I guess that's true... expanding into new markets sounds pretty difficult, huh?" That's... true, but said in a way that seems like even for that recognition she might have a simplistic view of how difficult it is. "Well, good luck with your studies, Haru-san."
She's been eating as she talks, and she's very nearly finished her bento, at that. "Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, Haru-san," she says with a smile. "It was nice having the company." She starts to pack up her bento box, and has also put her phone away, looking intent to leave.
<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.
Haru doesn't flinch as Kazusa brings out the latest in technology - a smartphone! (She has a slightly older model of one, technically. But she doesn't bring it to the school premises.) Instead, she just looks as Kazusa scrolls through photos of her mother's artwork. "Those are very pretty. Your mother must work hard for you." Haru notes, about the flowers. "We're both learning, then, aren't we?" She giggles a bit. Is the Homunculus learning? Maybe you could say that. "Yes, I think so, too. Food is its own blessing." She agrees. "I don't wish to take it for granted, even if I planted it with my own hands."
"The bitter taste of coffee is difficult to get used to, right?" Haru giggles a little. It sounds like Kazusa tries to avoid sugar for different reasons, though.
Still, Haru does wonder about the difference between Kazusa's attitude now and her attitude at the con. She'd like to hear the explanation, but she'd also like to avoid bringing up an upsetting and embarrassing moment for Kazusa - and the politeness wins out. "If you're happy... then I suppose that's what's really important." Haru agrees, though it's with some hesitation. She doesn't meet Kazusa in the eyes.
"It is too bad, but I don't mind it the way it is." Haru nods. "It's quiet up there, right? It's nice to have a place like that in a school as loud as this one. If you ever need to find me... please feel free to take a look." She'll vouch for Kazusa to the teachers if need be. And considering how the conversation's going, she wants to leave that line open.
"It must be. It's rare for Japanese food companies to reach international success. It's a logistical nightmare for the company, if I may be honest." Haru nods, about the difficulty of expansion, elaborating a bit onto Kazusa's simple concern."Thank you, Motojima-san. If you ever need help with your second year courses, you can always ask." She smiles, about studies. "You're welcome. I'm just glad we could talk a bit again. I'm sorry I've been so... distant." Haru closes up her own bento box, despite never working up the appetite to have any of it. Lunch should be over pretty soon. "Let's catch up again." She waves Kazusa off, and takes a deep breath.