2026-02-05: The Strength They Sought
- Log: 2026-02-05: The Strength They Sought
- Cast: Akihiko Sanada, Yukari Takeba
- Where: Iwaitodai Station, Hagekure Ramen
- OOC Date: February 05, 2026
- IC Date: September 21, 2012
- Summary: Akihiko finally finds a chance to take his junior, Yukari Takebe out for a ramen date... To apologize for being cringe!!! They talk about strength, friends, and touch gently on what it means to be kind.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko stuffs his hand in his pocket, as he waits for his kouhai outside of Hagakure Raman. He finally has a decent evening he can devote to rest mainly, and he's decided to spend it taking Yukari Takebe out for apology ramen. (Do girls like ramen? He really hopes so.)
Anyways, it's been a long time coming. Akihiko's had a decent stretch (read: 2) of events that led to himself embarrassing myself. He can make it up even a little bit, at least!
As soon as he spots that tuft of pink cardigan, Akihiko will raise his hand. "Yo, Takeba-san! Over here!"
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
An invitation out to Ramen!
Ramen is a lot of calories, so she eats a real real light- can you call it a lunch if it's just Edamame? Well, she'll endure, because she's dieting! Even if she dreams of Azuki Arai's Strawberry Daifuku.
Anyhow, Yukari strolls up to him as he waves her over, deciding for the twentieth time 'This is not a date' 'who would take a date out for Ramen anyway' 'besides Junpei'.
"Hey, Senpai. Thanks for inviting me, I'm really looking forward to this."
Truth, because her stomach was emptier after she ate the Edamame than before she ate it. And it's only gotten emptier still.
"... What's the occasion?" She asks casually.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Ah, the complexities of intergender relations... Akihiko isn't as ignorant about the troubles thankfully, so he gives a bashful smile. "Oh, just apology ramen." He coughs into his fist. "Nothing serious. I'm sure I've been embarrassing lately, especially when you asked to check Amamiya-san out. So. Dinner, on me."
Akihiko scratches the back of his head lightly, trying to make himself as non-threatening as possible. He's way more used to spending time with Mitsuru, who doesn't mean to mind as much but... Takeba-san is a bit more... (Don't say feminine, don't say feminine), appearance focused. "I'm glad you're looking forward to it, Takeba-san. I was worried about my pick. Let's go in? Shinji and I's usual seats should be free."
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"Apology ramen?" She looks confused at first, before- "Ohhhh... well-" Pause. "-a little. I won't lie to you." She gives it to him straight on that.
(Yukari of course would have no idea that Mitsuru is less 'appearance focused.' Just look at that girl's fashion!)
"But you don't need to apologize, really. I kinda dragged you into it... you know?" Now she looks sheepish but, "But I sure won't turn it down either... I'm pretty hungry right now."
As they step inside, she notes, "Wow, I didn't actually expect you to be a regular here. The meals you make for yourself back at the dorm were always so..."
She remembers the horror of seeing unseasoned Chicken+Egg+Broccoli frozen together in the refrigerator.
"... health conscious? It's kinda nice to know you indulge yourself every now and then."
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko chuckles. "You really don't mince words, huh Takeba-san?" He doesn't mind the jab, it's at least lighter than what Yukari sends at Junpei on a regular basis. "Yeah. Me too..." Trying to awkwardly 'bro out' with Amamiya-san is definitely keeping him up at night.
(Comparatively, anyways! Plus, they've been friends for years now. Familiarity makes it so much easier too.)
Akihiko shakes his head through. "I've already invited you out. It'd be bad manners to turn you away now! ...Just don't mention this to Junpei-san, yeah? He'll be begging trying to embarrass me for free dinner." He laughs and leads the way inside. "Besides, I can embarrass myself without any help."
They snag the corner of the bar seats, as promised. "Oh? Well... We all need a cheat day, occasionally." Akihiko says, that cool senior aura just overflowing. He raises a hand to catch the chief's attention "Usual please."
His meals aren't that terrible...are they? "Well, the meals I make for myself does tend to be the most effective ways... But Shinji's the real cook. It's been nice having him back. He's been great at cooking, hasn't he?"
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"Not really." She says, agreeing with his statement, "If I did then - I'd probably be in a lot of uncomfortable situations."
It's true, after all, if she were more vague, there were some boys who's asked her out who just wouldn't give up.
Sometimes you gotta give a firm answer.
"Haha..." She chuckles as he says not to tell Junpei, "... your secret's safe with me. He'd probably follow you around like a little puppy until you gave in, if he found out."
Akihiko... well, huh...
He really can be cool in some situations, definitely? Yukari's eyes follow him, before she sits down beside him and puts her bag on the counter.
"You're not wrong. Just - it's tempting to make occasionally 'frequently' enough to defeat the point." She then checks briefly, "Hmm, I'll take the Special. Oh-with an extra egg?" She adds quickly, before turning to Akihiko.
"Yeah absolutely. He's a good enough cook that even I feel self-conscious about my skills." Yukari can cook, but she's out of practice. She hasn't done it in a few years since her last dorm had a dorm mother cooking for them.
There's a pause and-
"Well. Since you felt the need to apologize... why do you think it's hard for you to- you know?"
She says, without saying it, because she doesn't want to put it out there to everyone here.
"I really never noticed before then. You always seemed to have it pretty together, no matter who you were speaking to."
Cool even, most of the time, she didn't say. "It's okay if you don't want to say. Just... well, since we went through that together, I thought it'd be nice to get it out in the open."
And maybe she'll tell him one of her flaws. It feels only fair he know one after she saw his.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
Akihiko nods. "It's something I really respect about you, Takeba-san. You can tell Mitsuru and I what for." Despite his admiration, Akihiko wouldn't think that he needs to pick up the skill. It's truly scary being oblivious, all of the poor fangirls he leaves in his wake...
Akihiko goes to mention that Junpei already has been, but... Talking about anything near Operation Babe Hunt is gonna be a bad idea. "Thanks.~"
"Ha! Yeah, cheating too much isn't good. That's why you need a firm resolve." Is that the reason behind Akihiko's flavourless food? Resolve? Anyways, Yukari's order gets a nod of approval, and soon they'll have their pipping hot bowels of ramen.
"Really?" Akihiko definitely doesn't want to share the thoughts that just went through his head. "...He's been good at it since the orphanage."
Yukari asks why and that's... such a tough question to answer. "Well... It's hard to be cool when you're thinking about it, isn't it?" He scratches the back of his head, struggling to find the words. "It's a skill I've never needed to develop. It isn't like I'm shaking people down during boxing club." He lets out a laugh. "I prefer to let my fists do the talking."
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"Aha... well, that's not always a good thing." Yukari says, carding fingers through the side of her hair and looking away in embarrassment. "I kinda know now that I was being a little unfair..."
Yakushima taught her that lesson painfully. But, she only said a little unfair. She thinks skepticism of the Kirijo Group is very fair.
'Resolve would be easier if we didn't have mini-fridges' she almost says, but instead, "Resolve's easier for boxers I guess. After all you have weigh-ins." She points out, "For Kyudo Archery it doesn't make a difference in competition."
She kinda wishes Kyudo Archery did have that, maybe she'd need to diet less - and control her eating habits more.
"Huh. That young? Unusual for a guy, though- not as strange at an orphanage." She notes, as she thinks about the atmosphere. The thoughts of not having enough to eat...
Yeah, she can see why a little boy without a Mom cooking for him would think 'I should learn how to cook'.
It is a tough question, but - she doesn't mince words after all, "... Yeah, I can see that." She says, considering what he says then, before laughing, "Well, I couldn't imagine the boxing club going around doing shakedowns. So I see your point but-"
She trails off into silence before...
"... that's kind of a lonely way to live. Not that I'm looking down on it or anything."
And she isn't, she had her own lonely way of living. "Amamiya-san... asked if you had any friends and, well, there's Aragaki-senpai, but before he came back..."
Another pause, as she asked, "...are there any other guys you just... you know, hang out with?"
It is a bit probing in a personal sense, but after the conversation turned to him when she spoke to Ren, she can't get her mind off of it.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"I can't really speak for Mitsuru, but I know I don't mind it." Akihiko pauses for a moment, as he takes a drink. "I hope you can find what you're looking for."
"Oh? How is it different for archery then?" Akihiko asks, interested. "Weigh-ins are mainly so you don't hurt the other guy too badly. Do archers need to stay slim...? I would have thought draw strength would mean arm strength is king?"
That's right on the money. "Yup. It's nicer to a homecooked meal for the kids." Though, thinking about it, Akihiko gets a little sentimental. "I always liked pancake day the best.~"
Yukari really gets to the heart of the matter, huh? Akihiko chuckles. "I'm closed with Shinji and Mitsuru. Junpei-san likes to hang out. And I'd like to say that I'm friendly with all of you in SEES, and some guys in the Boxing Club. Oh, and Iwaisaki-san, roughly." He laughs. Maybe it is a little sad. "Outside of that, I'm too busy with my training, or work for SEES." He pauses. "Are you...concerned for me, Takeba-san?" He asks. He's definitely not offended by his tone, maybe a bit appreciative. But he doesn't see anything wrong with his way of life either.
"Believe it or not, I spoke with Amamiya-san about this too. I haven't had a rival in a long while."
"....What about you, Takeba-san?" Akihiko asks, his voice growing a bit more gentle. "Do you have friends you're particularly close with?"
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
'I hope you can find what you're looking for.'
She did - but it wasn't what she thought it would be. Still, she manages to nod to that. "Yeah me too." She doesn't even know what she's looking for now, but- she doesn't want to chew his head off.
Not when he's just being nice to her.
"Mostly just that we're not overly concerned with weight control. I mean we are - just - as girls, not as archers. But if we go a few pounds over, it's not gonna affect much."
She chuckles at that, "It's kinda embarrassing for me to put it like that though. But mostly yeah. Arm strength. But there's also good balance. If you don't have a strong stance, then it's easy for your shot to veer off in ways you didn't want."
Yukari wouldn't call herself muscular. Most Japanese girls would hate to be thought of that way, but she is athletic at least.
"I can imagine." She did - until she didn't get homecooked meals. Then she learned to do it on her own. Her mother didn't teach her anything, after the funeral.
"Pancakes huh? I wouldn't have thought that was your favorite! But it's pretty endearing that it is."
Akihiko lists it off who he hangs with, and when he finishes, she nods, looking at him out of the corner of her eye, "I see." It's not a judgmental phrase necessarily. She's trying to stay neutral.
'Are you concerned for me, Takeba-san?'
Her eyelashes flutter gently, at the question, as her gaze falls. She thinks recently of what Shinjiro told her on that rooftop.
She thinks of how he hasn't even told Akihiko. But it's not her place to tell him either. Life is hard like that.
"Well yeah, I guess I am a little." She raises her gaze, trying to keep that worry out off her face.
"A rival, huh?" She side-eyes him, "Well, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who boxes. Sooo does that mean you have feelings for Arisato-chan?"
Yep, no mincing words there. Flat out.
But, Akihiko then asks her, and it's a dose of her own medicine in a way, "I have friends but..."
There's a small shake of her head, "... No one I'm particularly close to, no. I guess it's always been hard for me listening to people talk about family drama like they're taking them for granted, after my Dad died. It just made me so jealous, listening to it all. And you begin to think 'there's no way they'd understand how I feel' so you just - don't let them get any closer."
It may be surprising to hear her talk about this, but she thinks it's only fair, if she stumbled upon this side of him, that she say something about herself.
"Kinda dumb huh?"
That she's such a petty, jealous girl. Even if she doesn't say it all like that.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
It doesn't have to come right now. But it will come in time. Akihiko believes this at least a little bit.
"Right, I get that." He was once an older brother. He wonders if Miki would be worrying about the same things. "Boxers can prefer to stay in a certain weight tier too." He offers. "I prefer to stay agile as well."
"It requires a fair bit more of dexerity." Akihiko adds. Sports tend to have a good amount of overlap. "I imagine aiming requires a lot of breath control too."
"Heh. Pancakes are something I still enjoy occasionally. What kid wouldn't like such a sweet breakfast?"
Yukari asks about Minako and- Oh god, Akihiko chokes on his water, sputtering. "N-no! No, nope, no!" Ahem! He cleans himself up with a napkin. "No, uh. I mean in boxing. I don't have any rivals, and haven't had any for a while."
God, how does he even try to explain anything? "Um. Amamiya-san has a rival, in... In Akechi-san. That detective. And was talking to me about that." That makes sense, doesn't it? "We were also talking about Arisato-san and Iwasaki-san." He coughs once more. "About sports!!!"
As Yukari talks more about herself, Akihiko gets a solid chance to recompose himself. Digging into his ramen for a bit, nodding at the apporioate points.
"...Yeah. I understand." Akihiko says. "There was some time where I'd hear kids complain about their siblings and felt similarly. When all I could feel was pain. Missing my younger sister, and wanting to become stronger so desperately."
There's a gulf still. Akihiko can't quite bring himself to absolve Yukari's dismissal of her own feelings. He still hasn't moved past his own feelings yet. But he can share in the pain at least, in his own quiet way.
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"Huh. Now that I think about it... that makes sense? You do have the build for it."
An agile boxer of course.
"I guess most boxers they make a big deal about on TV are heavyweight champions, but there's all kinds?"
Certainly, she doesn't see Akihiko as the type that has huge muscles, but she can't predict the future.
"Yeah exactly. There's eight whole stages for firing a single arrow actually. Breathing is a part of the second stage, Dozukuri. You just wouldn't know it because, the muscle memory becomes so natural?"
What kid doesn't enjoy a sweet breakfast? "Yeah... I like strawberries with mine, but that feels too indulgent, you know?" Strawberries are pretty expensive in Japan, after all.
Akihiko chokes on water, sputtering, "Uh-huh." She says in a monotone which conveys 'Not sure if I believe that' perhaps, but without calling him out.
She furrows her brow when he mentions Akechi-san, that detective. "Wait that Detective on TV? The celebrity?" She sounds startled, "How's he know a guy like that?"
Why's a TV Detective hanging out with someone with a criminal record? That's an uncomfortable thought...
But then she sideeyes him again, "About sports... righttttt." She inhales, then looks forward.
Despite being hungry, it's only now that she cracks her chopsticks apart, and begins to eat, as Akihiko talks about himself, grabbing some noodles to start, and slurping them up in a restrained manner.
It's really good, but she's focused more on Akihiko right now. "Yeah I can imagine."
She says quietly, after she swallows the bite, "... I was always told that girls don't need to be strong, but after he died- I felt like I needed to grow stronger myself. Even if it wasn't in the same way."
...
"I guess we're kinda alike in that sense." She says, softly, before moving back to her Ramen again.
How will Akihiko take it when he finds out? A guy who solves problems with his fists? What can he hit, when death itself is looming over a friend?
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"Heh, thanks. It does take a lot of work to build that amount of heavy muscle for heavyweight. Me? I like being able to out-maneuver."
Who knows about where he'll fall on in the future? He certainly would like to get built, but not bulky. He'll keep on his path.
"Really?" Akihiko knows about other sports in very loose terms. He's a good senpai across the athletics department sure, but there's some things that still surprise him. "It sounds...tedius. Must be good to remain calm during fights, huh?"
Yukari likes strawberries. Akihiko files this in his head. "It's not bad as a treat here and there. A reward for good work. Plus, they're rich in vitamin C."
Akihiko really tries to figure out a way to defuse the 'crush' situation but fails. Any way he tries is just going to be 'Sure, Senpai. You totally don't have a crush on the pretty redhead junior.' He lets out a sigh... "You can think whatever you like..." He relents. "Just don't tell Arisato-san? It shouldn't be her issue." He really doesn't want his relationship with their Leader any more awkward than it already is.
Anyways. Akechi. "I don't really know. They play billiards together." Akihiko pauses. "Amamiya-san asked about whether Akechi-san was bullied about being an orphan. Like Amamiya-san was following up on whether he was being lied to." It's a strange thought, isn't it? To hang out with someone you're not sure you can trust. Akihiko doesn't know what to think about that.
Huh. That's a new one for Akihiko, actually. Mostly, because he thinks about Mitsuru, and how she's one of the strongest people he knows.
"There is more to strength than just brute strength." Akihiko agrees, at least. "Kindness, as an example."
....Akihiko's maxed out guts stat is doing work at least. "For what it's worth as well, Takeba-san, I really respect your strength."
"We are." It's nice, actually. To feel seen with someone so similar.
If only he knew what was waiting for him over the next hill.
<Pose Tracker> Yukari Takeba has posed.
"It's definitely my preference too. To just - not get hit, if I can manage it." It's not like she does boxing footwork but as a Persona User... she's not someone who likes to stand there and get hit.
"It is when you're learning the fundamentals, but it just becomes second nature. I imagine if you break down proper technique for boxers- it's probably got almost as many steps."
There's a shrug, she isn't certain on that, but she bets it's the case. Even if it's not for one punch, it might be for all of them combined.
Whereas there's only the same eight stages for every arrow.
Akihiko tries and fails, yes, but thankfully Yukari is not the type of person to give away secrets. Indeed, that's kinda what prompted some of this conversation.
She can't tell him about Shinjiro, it's not her place.
"Don't worry. Believe it or not, I can keep a secret pretty well- plus there's just some things you don't spill to other people?"
She knows some girls love gossiping about this kind of thing, but she isn't one of them.
She'd hate it if someone else found out who she had a crush on before she had a chance to tell them herself.
"Lied to?" She looks, weirded out by that whole idea, "That's odd. Maybe he's undercover or something? But if he knows he's a Detective already... huh."
Why would he ask Akihiko though? Oh - the orphanage thing. Huh. She decides not to pry further.
Akihiko however mentions kindness, and there's a thin-lipped, self-deprecating smile, "I don't think I'm kind at all, but- it's nice to hear that from you."
That does take guts to tell her, a lot of it, but it is something she can talk about. "Maybe it means I'm closer than I think to where I want to be." She can at least acknowledge that.
"Yeah... I should dig in more before the noodles get soggy. ... This is delicious by the way. Can see why you and Aragaki-senpai are regulars."
And she does. Dig in that is.
She doesn't have the guts to tell him his friend is about to die. Even if it's being respectful of secrets...
... it's why she doesn't think of herself as kind today. She knows what death does to a person, more time to prepare could only benefit.
But she holds her tongue.
<Pose Tracker> Akihiko Sanada has posed.
"And you do a fine job of it, Takeba-san." Akihiko agrees. "We have plenty of bodies to get in front of you too, if need be." He says that, and then immediately realizes he put his foot in his mouth. "...I mean me. I'm putting myself in front of you and the enemy." Bro NEEDS to stop being cringe.
"...Yeah. That's true, actually." It stops being about the movements for him to a point. He just has to follow through on his training.
"I believe you." Akihiko says, readily. She's done a wonderful job in keeping the more cringe aspects of Akihiko to herself too. Even if the power of girls gossiping terrifies him to his core.
Akihiko shrugs. "My information on Akechi-san is sorely outdated." He says, simply.
Akihiko pauses for a moment. Is he strong? Is he kind? That medal, hanging in his dorm room, still lives in the back of his mind. "I don't know if I am either."
It's strange actually. After a while, speaking with Yukari is just like speaking friend. Which means he really has to hold back from clapping her on the shoulder in a very bro-y way.
He saves himself from one fail at least. "Mm. We've been going here since middle school at least. Shinji and the chief get along very well. Something of a mentor for him."
It's going to hurt. When Akihiko finally finds out. But tonight, he can talk with a friend and finish up dinner, before heading back to the dorms.