2026-09-16: Plans and Labels
- Log: Plans and Labels
- Cast: Ichika Kawase, Ririka Kawase
- Where: Kasugayama Girls' Dorm, Hirasaka - Main
- OOC Date: September 16, 2026
- IC Date: Thursday, January 10, 2013
- Summary: Ririka heads over to the Kasugayama Girls' Dorm to visit with her sister*. Ririka and Ichika chat about the future, labels, wisdom, and more. *And also her girlfriend.
(|============================= Hirasaka - Main ==============================|)
-=============================================== Sumaru City/Hirasaka Ward ====-
The westernmost ward of the city, and also the one furthest inland, Hirasaka is
considered one of the least desirable places to live in Sumaru. This is in part
due to the bad reputation of local Kasugayama High School, nicknamed "Kasu High"
by its students and "Cuss High" by its detractors. A school of overwhelmingly
boys but some errant girls, it's said to be for delinquents, poors, and other
"problem" children. Just down the street is Sumaru Prison, which is not a prison
but an underground club with a live stage, and either way the parents of Sevens
students hate it.
It's not all bad in Hirasaka, though. The shopping is second to none, with a
huge five-story mall called Smile Hirasaka that offers a wide variety of
businesses and conference meeting rooms; just be sure to go on a day when the
stores aren't closed. For those who want a more homey atmosphere for their
purchases, there's Kameya Alley. Plenty of office buildings populate the area,
too.
AS: Coin has readied for combat as Krepel! She is now fully healed! Umie Akabane says, "you know, I just realized you weren't a guest" Coin is SINGULAR You say, "Hahaha." Umie Akabane says, "'ah, a guest named themselves as Coin'"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
The good old Kasugayama Girls' Dorms: bars on the windows, little supervision, but a nice enough kitchen. Ichika is here, and this is home... but not for much longer. It's her last term at Kasu High...
There's someone else here relevant to Ririka too, but this is her sister's room. Posters on the walls, the aforementioned bars on the windows, a bed and a rolled-up futon both. A desk for work, a chair for sitting at the desk...
And of course, the dresser. Ichika's long since changed out of her uniform, and currently she's sitting back on the bed reading something on her phone while she waits.
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka isn't going to exactly miss this place once her sister stops attending Kasugayama. For one thing, her girlfriend will still be attending here, but, the place has still become a little bit familiar over the last year, for all the trips Ririka has made to visit Ichika.
She's just made a quick detour to say hi to Ikumi in her dorm room, but now is at Ichika's door knocking. "Hey, sis," she calls out.
She's currently dressed in a black band tee, flannel shirt, jacket, and jeans for the winter chill.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Naturally, Ichika's more 'femme' than her sister--short skirt, green tanktop, a loose sweater she'd wear over both if she were outside hanging on her chair. As her door gets a knock--
"Come on in."
Ichika looks up, and smiles at Ririka once she enters. Her hair is still blonde! (Bleached).
"How was the trip?" A beat, "How's the girl?"
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ichika, don't pretend that you don't also wear cargo pants. (And Ririka has skirts in her wardrobe, too.)
But it's true, she's not very 'femme' right now.
She enters, and smiles. "Hey, nee-chan. Ride was good." She blushes a little but grins wider. "Ikumi-chan's good, too. How're you?"
Ririka's thought about doing something with her hair for a while, but it's still long and undyed.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika is totally girlier than Ririka on average.
"Cool," Ichika answers, and grins back. "You can get back to her in a bit. I want to talk with you some first."
A beat, "I'm fine." Tsubasa less so, given their mother... but Ichika isn't quite ready to bring that up at the moment. "Back in school and all, we're working on another issue of the paper. ...have a lot to think about, though. It feels like the year's gone by pretty fast..."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
That's probably a fair statement.
Ririka laughs a little and rubs the back of her neck. "Eh heh... I mean, I wanna spend time with you, too, you know?"
She still feels terrible about Tsubasa's mother, too, but... isn't sure what more she can do about it, at the moment.
"Hey, that's great! I hope it goes well!" Ririka sets her bag down and grabs a seat. "Yeah, it's... been kind of a crazy year, huh...?" Really, just... the entirety of the Supernatural.
"So... what's on your mind? Anything you wanna talk about?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Sure, sure," Ichika says with a smile back. "I know." That's why she's here!
Still...
"So far so good. I think the paper's going to keep going after I graduate..."
"Yeah, it has," she says. "...Really crazy. But it's a new year, right? That's cool. ...I feel like... I can look ahead to it, now."
"Anyway, right now, uh. I'm still kinda thinking... identity stuff. I have to settle a lot of those things, right? If I get into a school."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"Hey, that's awesome. It'll be cool to see something you helped start continue on... I'll get Ikumi-chan to pick up copies for me so I can share them with you," Ririka says with a grin.
"Yeah, a new year..." Ririka's silent for a moment as she considers that. "I'm glad you can look ahead, sis. I'm trying to do that, too."
"Identity stuff, huh? You wanna talk it out?" Ririka's been thinking about that quite a bit, too, but wants to make space for her sister to talk. "Yeah... how do you think you did on your entrance exams?"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"It would be!" Ichika agrees. "That'd be great. I'd appreciate it."
But a new year... "Just trying?" Ichika wonders. "That mean there's soemthing holding you back?"
But talking about it... Hmm. "I just... always assumed certain things, I guess. And now I'm thinking about it, I wonder how much of what I assumed doesn't have tobe true...? I don't know. I'm looking at a lot of stuff."
"I think I did OK," Ichika says. "Hopefully good enough. ...Won't know until I know, though."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"Sure thing."
"W-well, I mean..." Ririka looks down at the ground a little. "Just... I guess I'm still thinking about what I want my future to be. And, you know... just... some stuff I can't stop thinking about."
She nods. "I mean... been there, you know? I didn't really have anybody I felt like I could talk to, so... I'm all ears. I'm not gonna judge."
Ririka gets up to give Ichika a hug around the shoulder. "Good luck, sis! I know how hard you've been studying."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"That's cool," Ichika says. "You've got plenty of time to think, still. Next year, you should probably try to start putting whatever you're thinking into action..." Not that she did until the second half of the year, but--well, Ririka can learn from her. "...But what's up? Anything you want to talk about?"
Ririka's been there, all right. "OK, cool. ...I dunno, I just... Being around all these different people is making me wonder how I relate. I'm not exactly a bystander in this stuff..."
Ichika smiles. "Thanks," she says. "Hopefully, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"Yeah, I guess I still have time, that's true..." Ririka understands Ichika's circumstances, though, and, frankly, likes seeing Ichika looking forward to the future. "I mean, I'm still thinking about what to do with music, my band, um... I've been thinking about... what it would mean, if I was more out?"
There's a longer pause. "... I'm still thinking about Toshi-nii, too..."
"Yeah... I guess not. But... you can still be an ally even if you aren't something yourself, you know? Are you still considering whether you're straight or not? Did any of the website links I gave you help?"
"Yeah. I'm rooting for you, sis."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"You do. I know it might not seem like it--since you're so busy, doing so much--but you do. You're not 'stuck'."
Ichika looks over Ririka for a moment. "Yeah... I guess you have to figure that out. But yeah? ...What are you thinking, there?" Being more out. "I'd support you, obviously."
"You can," Ichika says, "But I don't feel like an ally. I feel like I'm... I mean, like. I'm with two people, I'm with someone who's not really a man or a woman... I'm not exactly going it the 'usual' way."
"But yeah, some did. I'm still thinking about what I was reading... Some of it went over my head a little."
"Thanks."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"I mean, I did cut back a bunch since... you know." She fainted. She's still kind of embarrassed about it. "... if I'm still busy, it's just with... other stuff. I played this fun game with a bunch of friends a few days ago."
Ririka shrugs a little. "I dunno. Just... I hate having to hide a part of myself? But... I know it's not exactly... accepted, either. Like, if I'm out, and I'm in Polychord, and it affects the band, then... it affects my band members, too." She smiles. "And thanks. I appreciate hearing that."
Ririka nods. Not feeling like an ally. "That's fair. You are both those things... So... maybe you're more than just an ally, then."
"Oh, I'm glad they helped, then. If you want, we can look at some of the ones you didn't get together sometime. I can't promise I get all of it either, but..."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Yeah, and that's great," Ichika says. "...But you are still busy. With..." She considers. "it's Persona stuff, isn't it?" she asks. "Not just games with your friends. What was the game, though? Games are cool."
And... hiding. "Mm. It does affect the band, and your members. But you're a really honest kind of person. ...I think you'll be happier being true to yourself, even if it gives you problems. But that's just me."
"...'Course, I'm not exactly hiding who I am either..."
"Right. That's kinda how I feel. I don't know what 'label' i should be using, but..."
"Would it surprise you if I say I'm kinda curious what it's like with a girl? I never used to think about it."
Still, "Cool, that'd be good. You're smart like that. I'm not stupid or anything, but... I'm not... you know, some booksmart genius."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka shrugs a little. "I mean... yeah? But it's not exactly like I can just... ignore when stuff is happening, right?"
She does feel an obligation to assist her fellow SEES members, after all.
"Oh, it's this game called Blade World? Have you ever heard of it?"
A really honest kind of person. "... you think so? I guess that's true... But it's already... I mean, I'm a girl leding a rock band. If I'd wanted to be an idol, or just stick to classical piano, it'd be easier, but... to deal with that and being out as a bian..."
"That's true..." Ririka considers. Yukari was even mentioning it the other day. "... you know, I was talking with this girl from my class the other day, Yukari Takeba? She described me as the kind of girl that really wanted a boyfriend, but was embarrassed to show it... And I mean..."
"Well... maybe it's okay not to have a label yet? You don't need one to consider yourself part of the queer community..."
Ririka sits up a little. "Yeah? I guess I'd be a little surprised, but... that's cool, if you're curious! I can bring over some of my manga sometime if you wanna see more of it."
"Eh heh..." Ririka is tapping on her thigh again. "I meaaan, you say that, and I still... you know, made myself faint twice because I was taking on way too much..." Ririka shakes her head. "I wouldn't call myself a genius..."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"That's true," she says. "You can't. ...I couldn't either."
But, Blade World... "Nope," Ichika answers. "What's it like?"
A girl leading a rock band... "It'll be a lot," Ichika says. "You'd be better off asking adults who are 'out' if you can manage it--but you already picked the hard way, so..."
Pause. "What made her think that?" Ichika wonders. "Takeba-san's instincts are usually pretty spot-on--but I doubt she's thought about the possibility that you're--well, a bian."
"...Mm, that's true... but I like organizing stuff. Labels feel good."
But, Ichika laughs. "Yeah, I thought so. I mostly picked up BL at that con--the guys are pretty hot--but... I'm interested in seeing, I think."
Then, "You did. That just means you're not wise, not that you're not smart. Two totally diferent things."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka nods a little, and then considers. "... you know, you don't... usually bring up Persona stuff." Ririka doesn't--mostly because she doesn't usually advertise about SEES.
"It's, like... like it's kind of like the RPGs I've played? But it's you and your friends, you all make characters, one person describes what's happening in the game and for all the NPCs, you say what you want to do, you roll dice to see if your character manages to do it... it's kind of fun? I only played the one game of it, so I'm still getting used to it, but... I wanna try more, I think."
"I kind of did? But..." She's not sure if Hana will remember afterwards. Oh well. "She said, if I'm not after fame and fortune, then maybe I can get by with a niche audience... it'll be a lot harder, though, without, like, a label or something."
Ririka laughs, and it's only a touch embarrassed. "I mean, she wasn't all wrong... I kinda spent the last two and a half years imagining what it'd be like, having a girlfriend, so..." Ririka shrugs a little, then blushes. "Annnd, you know. About... sex."
A quiet laugh. "Yeah, I get you. I guess I felt better once I had a word for what I was feeling..."
"Sure. Then, I'll bring some more over sometime."
Ririka opens her mouth to say something, stops, and then frowns. "... okay. I guess that's true..."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"I don't," Ichika says. "..But I've been thinking about it lately."
"Ohhhh, so it's like that? Hmm. Well, have fun! Maybe i'll try it sometime. A game where you talk to people sounds nice."
But, kind of? "Hmm... You might still be able to get a label--but it probably wouldn't be one of the big ones."
"So, she's kinda right..." Ichika nods along. "She's really perceptive. I had her figured for this uptight prude, but she's not like that at all. ...She's got a good handle on what people expect."
"...Heh. Well, you can always talk to me about that stuff. Or probably Mom."
"Yeah. Right?" she says of labels.
Manga are good, but--Ichika grins. "Big sis still has a few things to say, huh?"
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"Yeah...? Whatcha been thinking about? If you don't mind me asking." Ririka looks curious.
"Yeah, I don't... I hope I'm describing it okay, it's not really like any other game I've played, but... I thought it as fun, at least."
"Mmm... yeah... but maybe that'd be okay... I dunno. I've also been thinking about... how to put more of myself in my music, too."
"Kinda, yeah. She's just wrong about the... you know. Who I'm attracted to." Ririka shrugs. "We haven't exactly gotten along in the past, but... maybe we're starting to get along better. I... kinda had the same impression of her, at first."
"Yeah, I know. I still think about it, but... I haven't..." Ririka glances at the door. "... exactly talked to Ikumi-chan about it yet."
Ririka laughs a little. "Yeaah, I guess so... But you're smart in ways I'm not. I think trying to organize a party would stress me out a whole lot."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Mm... I'm not quite ready to say," she decides. "But... There's been a lot happening, with that stuff lately. It's making me rethink a few things. I'll tell you when I come up with what I want to say."
"Couldn't tell you," Ichika admits of describing Blade World. "But it sounds fun."
"...Yeah? Maybe that's good. People appreciate music more when it's sincere."
"Makes sense. I uh... Well, I respect her. And I think girls should stick together on some things."
"That's fine," Ichika says. "YOu don't have to move fast. However you two want to do it is fine. It's your relationship."
Still... "I don't think that's smarts," she says. "It's just knowing people. ...Which I'm pretty good with. But to me, it's all... wife stuff. I'll need to know this stuff when I get married and all."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
"Oh, okay." Well now Ririka's curious, but... she won't push. "Uh... sure. Take your time, sis. I'll be around."
"Well, if I made it sound fun, I guess that's good, then."
"Yeah... like my music is always me, I just... want to put more of me in it, if I can."
"There's parts about her I respect, too." Ririka nods. "Yeaaah. That's true."
"Yeah, I just... don't want to push her too fast, you know? I've had way longer to think about it, so..."
Wife stuff... "Hmm. Yeah, I guess that's... true... I haven't really... thought about that a lot." She's a bit young for it, of course, but even then...
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Thanks."
"Right, that makes sense." Then, "...Heh. Yeah. And as for your girlfriend--it's fair to worry about it? I was worried about that with Ryuji-kun, too. But ultimately it's her call, too--so remember that part, OK?"
"Nah. I don't see you as the housewife type--not that it'll go exactly 'traditional' for you either way, but..." She gestures.
"I have. I'm still going to school, I want like... stuff I can do. But I'm gonna get married eventually. I know I want that stuff."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
But it's also Ikumi's call... Ririka considrs that for a moment, nodding slowly. "... Yeah, you're right. I'll remember that, thanks." There's a moment, and then Ririka smiles, though she doesn't say why.
Ikumi's a good kisser, and she's just thinking about it.
"Yeaaah... Getting married someday might be nice, but for two girls..." Ririka shakes her head.
"It's cool that you've thought about it. And that you know what you want."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"Heh." Ichika can guess what Ririka is thinking about. And with that in mind...
"Not so easy," Ichika says. "I get it. Like me and Tsubasa..."
She shakes her head. "Anyway, I'm gonna get to some homework. You go see your girlfriend."
She grins. "Like I know you want to."
<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.
Ririka will deny everything!
"Yeah..."
Ririka blushes, but she's grinning a bit, too. "I also wanted to see you, too, sis!" Ririka gets up and gives Ichika a hug. "Good luck with homework, and... if you need me..."
She heads for the door and pauses. "... well, try not to need me for a bit." And then she heads out.