2026-04-26: A SMILE For Halloween
- Log: A SMILE For Halloween
- Cast: Niko Kirisaki, Kurou Ryouhara
- Where: Shibuya Central Street
- OOC Date: April 26, 2026
- IC Date: October 31, 2012
- Summary: Niko's suggestion of a Halloween movie night to Kurou having been entirely serious, the two enjoy a special themed showing of SMILE. Though exposing several of her weaknesses in the process, Niko can trust Kurou not to take advantage of them - and to go along with her every whim, to boot. Their strange dynamic somehow works for the both of them, certainly nothing tragic will lie ahead in their futures.
(|========================== Central Street - Main ===========================|)
-====================================================== Tokyo/Shibuya Ward ====-
Chances are, if you're a fan of a youth trend in Tokyo, it started here. Less
than a five minute walk from Shibuya Station, Central Street is lined with
businesses that cater to youth culture. Boutiques and media stores are just as
common as cafes and fast food. Arcades display the cabinets and claw games with
the latest merch, while back alley shops serve more merchandise for more niche
interests, such as military otaku looking for realistic-looking model guns at
Untouchable.
Drug stores, convenience stores, book stores, discount stores, video rental
stores? You name it, they got it. Sports gyms, karaoke bars, movie theatres,
diners? Yup. The local Big Bang Burger stands out most of all with its flashy
space-themed pneumonic entrance.
While it has a reputation as a safe neighborhood for both tourists and locals in
order to preserve its image as 'for the youth,' darker elements have started to
creep in from back alley folks that try to offer school kids opportunities for a
quick buck or job opportunities for tourists who find their passport stolen in
short order. Or so the rumor goes.
Still, rumors are just rumors, aren't they? There's no reason to hold back, so
come on in, enjoy yourselves.
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
For all Niko will claim she was 'just saying shit' whenever it suits her, when she casually threw out the suggestion to go watch a movie come Halloween, she clearly wasn't kidding. As is Niko's wont, her follow-up came not in the form of a suggestion - Kurou had already agreed, after all. All that remained was informing him what they would be doing, and so she did a few days ago: a special Halloween evening showing of SMILE, at the movie theatre on Shibuya's Central Street. ...Which is just like a regular showing, except for the decorations and themed snacks.
Speaking of snacks, Kurou was tasked with handling those, 'in whatever way he deemed fit'. That might be a dangerous thing to say to someone who can't be expected to act according to any sort of common sense, but that is of course exactly why Niko phrased it like that, she wanted to see what he'll do. In return, he wouldn't need to worry about the tickets. Those tend to go quick for special celebratory days, but in Niko's exact words: "don't worry about it, I know a guy".
And so, around eight in the evening on the 31st, out in front of the movie theatre... Kurou will immediately need to contend with the first curveball. Niko did briefly mention the dressing up part of Halloween during their previous in-person contact, but she hasn't brought it up since. She certainly didn't mention any sort of expectation for him to dress up for this at all. But if he failed to do so, then he's absolutely going to be in the minority here. Not only is it absolutely packed out there, there's ghouls and ghosts all over the place! And no obvious Nikos to be seen.
That's because Niko DID dress up for this. She's among the crowd, but she's wearing a black, long-sleeved but short-skirted, hooded dress with the bones of a skeleton depicted on the front and back. With the hood up and eyeshadow increased by multiple factors, it's not exactly the most effort anyone's ever put in appearing more skeleton-like, but if that was the point then the skeleton pattern on her clothes probably wouldn't be neon pink. It even glows in the dark!
Will he manage to find her among all the other spooks, or will she have to find him...?
<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.
If being invited to the movies is supposed to mean anything to Kurou beyond seeing a movie together, then he's unfortunately missed the memo. Demonstratively, Kurou's missed a lot of memos. His main concern is what Niko had said before... How she had lost family, and how she had been hurt, and that her smiles seemed stuck on in the way his own were off.
But there is no need to let revenge consume one wholly. If they are 'just a little lost', then... they should be permitted to wander.
And he had agreed to wander with her to the movies, so when Niko had given the time and the place, Kurou was there without question. His duty was snacks... 'in whatever way he deemed fit'. That one bringing their own concessions to a movie is not permitted is neither here nor there: Kurou would be an embarrassment to the Ryouhara name if he could not do something as simple as sneak in his own selection of snacks without notice, hidden upon his person.
He arrives not entirely without thought to his appearance, for once. His usual blue streaks and nail polish are orange today -- except for the accent nail, which is black. For Kurou, this is a notable attempt to respect the festivities. It is, as he swiftly learns, an under dressed attempt.
"Ah," Kurou says to no one as he notes the crowd. He considers a moment, then puts the hood of his grey, casual vest hoodie up: it does have those wolf ears sewn onto it. Strange how a quality considered alternative and unusual is now understated here...
But how will he find Niko...? Kurou considers his phone, then considers the noise and stimulation of the crowd gathered for this special showing. He would also be an embarrassment of a Ryouhara shinobi if he could not locate his target. Kurou stalks into the crowd in silence
...
"... Skeleton-chan..." he greets with quiet wonder, before saying or doing anything else to announce himself.
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
This, too, may all be part of Niko's efforts to keep her mind off more painful matters. But what's wrong with that? Surely having fun is preferable to wallowing in sorrow over things that can't be changed. Or... can't be changed yet. As much as revenge is part of Strega's bread and butter, tonight it's the furthest it could be from her mind. Because it's freaking Halloween and that may well be her favorite day of the year, nothing's going to keep her from enjoying it.
Dressing up is all part of the fun, so obviously she was going to do that - in her own way. Considering what she learned about Kurou last time, perhaps it only stands to reason that she'd end up picking a skeleton motif. If there was any doubt at all about that having something to do with it, those doubts should be removed in her response to hearing the address of 'Skeleton-chan', turning to Kurou with a wide grin.
"Gashagasha," she vocalizes the onomatopoeia of rattling bones featured in the name of Kurou's Persona, wiggling her arms as she does so, then twirling about to show off both sides of the outfit. "You like it? Figured it might match your tastes~" She sure looks to be having a good time already.
She won't fault the comparatively minor changes in Kurou's usual look, acknowledging, "Looks like you're getting in the spirit of things yourself." Only to immediately move on to, "You got the goods?" Of course it would only make sense to opt for sneaking in snacks rather than buying any at the venue. That's how you do it, she expected no less.
<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.
Kurou may not be the most festive person, but he is someone who understands the value of honoring a ritual. Especially when there are events in life that can make it difficult to think -- or make one think too much -- otherwise.
But he certainly did not expect Skeletoniko, even having shown her Gashadokuro before. She responds as only a skeleton can: the rattling of bones. Kurou's face does not do very many things, but his eyes seem to be sparkling in the evening light.
He nods to her. "It is a very 'you' skeleton," he says. "You have taken a reminder of mortality and turned it whimsical. That is a powerful thing."
Maybe it wouldn't be Kurou without seeing everything with intense gravity.
Kurou touches at the orange streak in his hair. He makes a monotone hum to express his uncertainty. "... Next time, I will need to be better prepared." Akabane-san might even have helped him with a mask.
The goods, though. Kurou gives a quick scan around the area, then gives Niko a discreet nod. "A small selection. I believe they should be appropriate given the movie's advertised subject matter."
Rather than risk giving away his whole stash to any authority who may be watching, he reaches for Niko's hand to press a preview of what he's brought into her palm.
... A tortoise shell colored hard candy. A bekkoame. In the urban legend of Kuchisake-onna, providing such candy is one means to escape her wrath.
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
No one expects the Skeletoniko! Heaven forbid she'd ever get predictable. As little as Kurou may visibly react to things in general, there are plenty of signs to inform Niko that she made a good call here, so that's a win in her book. Even if this is of course also for her own amusement, it'd sure have been dampened if this failed to land in the way she'd hoped.
"Uh-huh, that's definitely what I did," she responds matter-of-factly to Kurou's assessment. Anyone else could probably tell that she didn't put a single bit of thought into the aspects he brought up. Skeletons don't even make her think about mortality at all, she just thinks they're neat. Maybe one day he'll learn there doesn't need to be a deep reason for everything.
With a raised finger, she cautions, "Good plan, but careful not to overdo it on the fanciness. Some people may expect you to outdo yourself every year." People like her, in fact.
Niko's expression turns pensive at Kurou's description of the chosen snack selection, briefly wondering if she made a mistake here. In what way could he have overthought the assignment THIS time? Should she be worried?
The candy pressed into her palm is quick to disperse all concerns. Her eyes go wide when she realizes what exactly it is. "...Kurou-chan, you..." Briefly at a loss for words even, before she shakes her head. "...You really put a lot of thought into this, huh?" Finally then, the smile that confirms that which she is about to say. "I'm impressed. I mean it, you matched the theme and everything, totally exceeded my expectations on that one."
There's no way he could know how much it means to her to play along to this degree. It's enough to make Niko feel a little awkward, prompting her to quickly suggest with a jerk of the head in the direction of the entrance, "Well then... want to go grab our seats?"
There's no mention of tickets from her, as they pass by the booth and head straight to the ticket taker, dressed no differently than usual except for the Frankenstein's Monster mask. Even so, Niko clearly knows who's under there, as she extends her hand for a brief fist-bump with the 'monster', who then proceeds to produce a pair of tickets from his pocket, and hand her the stubs in short order. Without any words exchanged, Niko just keeps going like this is normal, only addressing Kurou again afterwards.
"So, just to make sure... you clearly looked into the movie, but you didn't look way into the movie, did you? Like, you're not supposed to know everything that happens before watching it for the first time. If you did... well, you do you, but I don't wanna know anything in advance, got it?"
<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.
Niko has her work cut out for her if she intends to give Kurou a moment to not overthink a deeper meaning in everything. But for now, she plays along, and Kurou can only be impressed by this display against death. He is not yet sure what experiences the two of them share, but he knows it has put them on a similar path, and broken them in similar ways. Hers is an important display against death's shroud.
She is also far more experienced in Halloween rituals than he is. Kurou nods along attentively with her advice, but then he pauses with a small tilt of his head.
"Is rising to such challenges not an important part of the celebration?"
He concedes it could go either way, depending on the purposes of the festival, which may well differ per individual.
But for snacks, Kurou is confident in his choices. Bekkoame, kuroame, and small hard candy lollipops. Coins are also said to work, and so chocolate coins are among the mix... dark chocolate, to offset the sweetness of his other confectionery picks.
He certainly did not take on this task to do it by halves.
"You asked me to take care of it," he simply replies to her. "I could do no less."
Kurou remains blissfully unaware of any awkwardness, and gives a firm and dutiful nod. He does not question the who she knows, how she knows them, and what benefits this incurs. He knows the best thing to do in these moments is remain inconspicuous and act like everything is normal. ... But it's hard not to notice how Niko gets along with so many people.
Those that have made enemies of her clearly had to work at it.
Niko's questions on the matter of spoilers are something even Kurou cannot deny to be a valid concern. He did say he was new to the idea of watching movies.
"I understand surprise is meant to be an important factor to the viewing experience. I know its title, and I know the posters it advertises with, and that is all I know."
It's enough to know the subject of horror, but anything else... Kurou would not even know to know there's a difference between a psychological thriller from a slasher.
"... And I will keep any suspicions drawn from this information to myself until after the film has completed."
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
Leave it to Niko to be surrounded by people in guises that resemble the living dead and not for a moment think about actual death. That's not really what Halloween is supposed to be about, certainly not to her. There's only good memories of this, the one day every year she felt okay with dressing up and acting a little outside her usual comfort zone. At least, that's how it was in a different place, a different time.
Her perspective on certain things is far from different, however. She'd never back down from a Halloween-related dare. So where it comes to rising to challenges...
"'course that's important! You always gotta keep trying to do better. It's just that, the higher you set the bar, the harder it'll be to clear the next jump, y'know?" Maybe not the best analogy to explain it, but it's what her mind goes to.
Kurou sure did take his part in this seriously, though. Big believer in 'everything worth doing is worth doing well', or so it seems. Good attitude, really. In hindsight, she doesn't know why she's even surprised he'd treat Halloween with just as much seriousness as everything else.
But, for the time being, what really matters is that they have both snacks and tickets. Regardless of how things were procured, it only matters that you have the right things at the right time. But sometimes, you can overdo such things, such as in gathering intel on a movie. Fortunately, Kurou stopped short of that, this time.
"Oh good, that's a relief. Then we can both have the full and proper movie-watching experience." Yeah, she has some Opinions on spoilers. But this means she can skip this spiel, and move onto the other matters of concern.
"Alright, so, since you were worried about it. Let me tell you the proper way to watch a movie. Keep your eyes on the screen, no getting distracted by your surroundings. Snacks are ok at any time, but no talking until after it's over. That's it. Simple enough, right?" It's not like these are official rules, but they are Niko's rules and that's what matters.
However, during the actual movie, Niko fails to entirely uphold her own rules. She's clearly into it, tensing up when things are coming up to where everyone can tell things are about to go horribly wrong... and then the first on-screen killing happens. At that moment, Niko lets out a little yelp, and turns her eyes away from the screen... towards Kurou's arm, which she'd abruptly latched onto.
That only lasts for a short moment, when she abruptly lets go and backs away, pointedly avoiding looking in his direction for the rest of the movie. Though continuing to get visibly spooked throughout the movie, she manages to avoid a repeat of the incident, partially through breaking another one of her rules, and vocalizing her thoughts aloud. Especially of the 'no, no, don't do that' variety, when the characters do things that seem like a bad idea. Outright exclaiming, "That's not what you say!" when a foolish answer is given to the infamous question 'Am I Pretty?'
Could it be that... Niko is also not actually good at watching movies...?
<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.
Kurou is not a boy unfamiliar with 'costumes', although rarely have they been fanciful or for fun. He needed to learn how to dress up to blend in, not to express himself. But even his style of wear today, now that he's found life in his eyes again, shows that somewhere buried in there, he still knows what that idea is and reaches for it.
A challenge, too, is something the fire in him is fueled by.
"Then it must be built as high as it can be, and must be cleared all the same."
Even 'fun' is serious with this guy... (But is that fine, as long as it is fun?)
Thankfully, this has included his dedication to a spoiler-free experience for both himself, and more importantly, Niko. And even more thankfully, Niko has all the wisdom he needs to watch movies properly. Sit and watch, she said before, but now in valuable detail: no talking, no looking away, snacks okay.
This, of course, he takes dreadfully seriously with terrifyingly strict posture, utter silence, and complete stillness. Even his chewing makes no sound. Even his breathing is near imperceptible. One wouldn't be wrong to get the idea he's mentally taking notes, putting his whole head toward who is who and what is what. But he does not even flinch when the killing begins.
The only thing that gets a reaction is Niko, who yelps and clings to his arm, and he can feel which way her face is facing. Or, more to the point, where it isn't. He does not turn away, as if this might be some form of test, looking at her only through his peripheral vision.
... And he does a few more times when she begins bargaining with the characters to avoid inevitable doom. Her rules for movies did not cover for what to do when the rules begin to break because of panic. (Panic is a bit of a strong word, Kurou...) Niko's right, though: 'yes' isn't what you say, and this is going to go very poorly.
Hm. Kurou considers, wondering if it's worse to get more distracted by the idea that the survivors are mishandling the wounds they're receiving if they want to maximize survival odds, or by Niko's own distress.
In the end, without looking toward her, he reaches for her hand...
... and places a few more bekkoame in her palm.
This way, she may feel safer from the threat upon the silver screen.
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
What a response THAT was. It even gives Niko pause to wonder whether she should in some way discourage Kurou putting the bar as high as he claims he will. She won't, of course. This only gives her more reason to look forward to next Halloween. It's sounding like she won't be able to even fathom what his costume's going to be like. As for the current Halloween...
Niko sure did steal some glances at Kurou's rigid following of 'the rules', finding it amusing as always, though she kept her snickering to the inward kind. But that, of course, abruptly stopped after that... momentary incident. Then she's suddenly glad he's not the kind to needle her about that. Or worse, view it as some kind of encouragement to act upon. He's so still, she doesn't even feel she needs to worry about whether or not she might be visibly blushing.
Even so... she can't just pretend none of that happened. This guy overthinks everything, what kind of conclusions is he going to reach without her setting the record straight? She'll have to think of what to tell him after the movie--
She gasps, breathing suddenly coming to a stop as Kurou's hand touches hers. For a fleeting, yet seemingly long moment, she's forced to doubt her previous assessment and wonder if he in fact did feel in some way encouraged... only to find his hand soon retreating, leaving candy pressed into hers. She really struggles to keep a guffaw from coming out. She really should have known better. There was never any way that was going to happen.
Soon, the movie ends - with Niko predictably startled by the stinger, and remaining frozen in her seat for a few moments before abruptly hurrying out. Kurou may have cause to wonder what exactly she's fleeing from, but in the end will discover that it's not him, judging from how she waits for him outside of the theater, looking very uncomfortable. She's still not entirely sure how she's going to put things into words, but then, it's more her style to just start and see where it ends up going, isn't it? She wastes little time, once face to face with Kurou again.
"...Can I tell you a secret, Kurou-chan? I love spooky movies, but I don't actually... handle them very well." ...Yes, that sure was a big secret wasn't it, after what just happened back there.
"Go on, laugh," she says to the guy she knows is the least likely to laugh at anything ever. "We deal with horrors all the time and this is what gets to me? Ridiculous, right? Makes you want to laugh, right?" She gives him the opening to, not that she expects him to take it. Then she averts her eyes.
"It's just... this is different, alright? It just feels more... more real."
It really says a lot about Niko, that a movie feels more real to her than anything the Dark Hour could throw at her.
<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.
It is already a difficult challenge to consider. To select the right subject matter, and then to execute it well... He will need to do more research on the matter of Halloween's purpose, and how he will embody its meaning in a potential costume. Niko has her own meaning in her neon pink skeleton of whimsy... He will have to dig deeply into his own soul.
For now, a movie. And luckily(?) for Niko, Kurou's overthinking requires him to have a thought which to overthink. There are some thoughts that seem to never quite enter his head. Why would Niko clutch his arm? Because she is startled. The rules, he realizes, must be their own sort of challenge to meet.
It's a difficult scenario, though... to address it without breaking the rules himself. Candy given, and Niko not reprimanding him on the spot, Kurou gains confidence that he is doing Good At Movie.
He even remains perfectly still and attentive during the credits! Then, the stinger, and he wonders if it's not over after all...? Until Niko leaves, in a hurry. Ah, yes, being in a hurry is also a possible correct response to a Kuchisake-onna's 'Am I pretty?' Niko is well prepared for this scenario. Kurou stands and bows to the screen, remarking, "We are running late," before following after.
Kurou meets Niko outside, looking for all the world like he expected to meet her there. Because he did. And now that the movie's over, conversation begins again, with a secret.
"I see. So you experience frightened impulses that make it harder not to break the 'rules'..." Well, yes but also perhaps not entirely the point. He regards Niko in his usual blank way when told to laugh, and though one might think he'd take such a command literally, it does not compel the urge.
Does it make him want to...?
"Not particularly..." he replies, blandly honest.
Movies as something that feels more 'real'...
"... You love them." Niko had said that first, hadn't she. "Even though they frighten you. And they frighten you because they feel real." Kurou looks at the way she does not look at him. "Is that also why you love them?"
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
If only Niko realized Kurou's thought process for the way she just ran out like that. That's not even a complete misunderstanding. It wasn't the primary reason, by a long shot, yet somehow, he's managed to spot an element even Niko herself didn't consciously realize was at play at the time. Will wonders never cease.
As such, this couldn't really be part of the explanation that does end up happening, mostly prompted by different worries. She'll never be able to guess the way Kurou thinks, she needs to hear him say things out loud to be sure whether anything bears correction. ...And it already starts off not sounding entirely correct, but maybe it's okay to let that part about the 'rules' go.
Bland honesty can be a relief - even though Niko already guessed Kurou never felt an impulse to laugh about anything, it helps to hear it confirmed. But then comes the conclusion, and... Niko just stands there blinking a moment, dumbfounded. "I... I guess, maybe...?" Kurou really does think things over a lot more than she typically does.
She shakes her head. "It's probably not as deep as all that. But... I suppose it's true that, no matter how much the world changes, you can still trust a movie to be a movie. If that makes sense." She's genuinely not sure if it does. All that she's sure of is, "We can't help the way we feel... and how the way we feel makes us act."
While she doesn't follow that up verbally, she does give Kurou a meaningful look, at that point. Acting on feelings. Would he claim not to know what that's like? That would be something that she'd need to correct him on. She's certain she's seen him do just that, even if she's equally certain he wouldn't have noticed.
Instead, she loops back to her reasons, adding another, more specific one, the memory of which visibly unsettles her all over again. "I... actually met one once. A Kuchisake-onna, that seemed to have it in for me. Managed to get away, but... guess maybe it got to me a little more than I thought."
She clears her throat and takes a breath, building back up to her usual self. "Well. Guess that made this good therapy, right? So uh, thanks for coming with, made it easier, for sure." She stops short of spelling it out quite that much, but ultimately, she did really want to see this movie, and there's no way she could have watched it by herself. That established... a grin forms, as she places her hands on the back of her head.
"Man, but those twists really were something, huh? Even if some of them only happened because of stupid mistakes. Heck, the whole premise happened because of stupid mistakes. That's the moral of the story here, Kurou-chan: always be honest in matters of love, or you're gonna regret it."
<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.
Sometimes a broken Kurou is right twice a day. If he's lucky, sometimes even thrice.
As ever, he manages to be so straightforward that he misses the mark, for few targets in this world can be hit with a straight line. For all Kurou fails to recognize how much Niko might be fretting over certain things, at least his demeanor and discussion confirms it: he doesn't think her reactions are something to poke fun of. He's simply curious about her thoughts on the movie, or even movies in general.
Niko doesn't seem to agree with his assessment fully, and Kurou sees no reason to think she's wrong about her own heart. But something that doesn't change...
"It does make sense." Kurou folds his arm, tapping his finger thoughtfully against it. "... And to have something so frightening, but unable to hurt you... That is an... interesting experience."
But Niko says she cannot help how she feels makes her act, and Kurou's gaze unfocuses, eyes going eeriely dull for a few moments too long.
"... I think... it is better when that is true." His eyes refocus on her. "To be able to gasp out loud, and to verbally express your concern for the fates of Kishi-san and the others. Niko-chan truly is a kind person."
Is he really missing what she's getting at this badly...?! Yes. Maybe that's just as well in some respects, if not for others.
A real Kuchisake-onna... this is, sadly, not surprising given the supernatural worlds Niko and he both now experience. But it does reframe some of Niko's nervous energy during the film.
"Then I am happy if you were able to enjoy the movie, despite any bad memories. And if it helps you overcome one in any future encounters, then it is more than worth it." He pauses thoughtfully. "... I wonder if it would confuse one to ask if she thinks you are pretty, giving the opportunity to stab first..."
Kurou might try this himself if he meets one, he thinks.
Then Niko is back to grinning, and has taken wisdom from the story that Kurou himself did not see. His eyes widen, just a fraction, to be hit with this unexpected piece of information.
"I had not thought of it that way... So it could be a metaphor for how a heart might feel if handled carelessly, and the way tragedy can ripple to others' lives as well..." A very bloody, stabby slashy metaphor that he is definitely overthinking. "That would explain why she was so inefficient in her technique. Each slash was meant to be an expression of how it felt, rather than a means to an end..."
<Pose Tracker> Niko Kirisaki has posed.
To be told something makes sense by Kurou is hardly a guarantee that it's going to make sense to anyone else. But since no one else needs to know about today's events, Kurou's perspective is all that matters here. ...Still, he didn't need to rub it in that a movie can't hurt you like that. If she wasn't entirely sure he didn't realize how that could parse, she'd have said something about that.
Besides, it's far more concerning how he can just... zone out like that. She can't fathom what goes on in his head at times like that, but it's probably a hornet's nest best left unpoked. She's no stranger to diverting one's focus to easier matters, that felt like what was happening there, for sure.
...And while she won't confirm it, she also won't deny his claims of her being a kind person. Hard though it may be to believe anyone who'd say that knows what they're talking about, that doesn't make it any less nice to hear.
Instead, she only lets out a chuckle to the matter of dealing with Kuchisake-onna. "Worth a shot," so she says, but who knows if she'd have the nerve in the heat of the moment.
Her good humor is back entirely when Kurou starts theorizing like that, which gets a more hearty laugh in response. "Stabbing technique was nooot really what I was getting at... but, good thinking there, Kurou-chan. Never just assume that what you thought to know is the whole truth. Gotta stay open to possibilities that you just couldn't see at the time." Like, you know. Not actually being dead.
Abruptly, Niko steps forward, motioning for Kurou to follow. "Hey, but what are we standing around here for, night's still young! What say we take our movie talk over to Big Bang, grab a Moon Burger while we're there? It's the seasonal special! You gotta try the seasonal specials."
And, if it's left up to her, next will be Escapade's Halloween rave for the rest of the night! Interrupted by trashing some Shadows when the Dark Hour gets in the way of the fun, but, no reason not to keep going afterwards. Gotta make the most of this day! ...So what if tomorrow's a Thursday? No issue there that she can see.
<Pose Tracker> Kurou Ryouhara has posed.
Unfortunately, Kurou is not immune to becoming so wrapped up in his own interpretations and thoughts on the matter that he commits accidental splash damage. Sorry, Niko.
With the look he gives, there is, despite his stoicism, clearly a lot of thoughts about the movie going on under the surface. But he wouldn't know where to begin articulating them. It seems to him more... 'fun', and more practical, to take this from Niko's perspective first, as much as possible.
She's the one who knows movie rules, after all. But Kurou's heart feels more at ease to see her laughing. It does not occur to him that he should not have been internally criticizing the killer's technique during the screening.
Or was that his own Kurou way of distracting from a frightful experience?
"One cannot learn what they think they already know," he agrees. "It would also help explain why the victims often spilled more blood than the human body has available... I did not realize this was a decision of visual poetry."
This is why he was worried about not being good at watching movies. There seems to be a great deal of nuance.
He follows along easily, almost automatically in his way. "Moon... Burger?" Kurou nods to her. "Very well. We will go try it."
Tomorrow is Thursday, but... Kurou's midterm exams are finished now, and he did score quite well. Shiryuu told him to find people who 'get' him... Perhaps, for tonight, it is permissible to 'party hard', for he will be hard pressed to deny the rest of Niko's agenda for the night.
He'll just have to text Akabane-san and tell her he will be out late for the holiday, and not to wait up or worry.