2026-10-20: Smiles
- Log: Smiles
- Cast: Misato Fushihara, Lisa Silverman
- Where: Rengedai - Main
- OOC Date: October 20, 2026
- IC Date: Sunday, January 27, 2013
- Summary: Lisa heads to Bakery Pan-Pan on a snack run, and runs into Misato who works there. The two of them catch up and discuss the difficulties of balancing school and work and the need to put on a smile for the world, whether real or fake.
(|============================= Rengedai - Main ==============================|)
-=============================================== Sumaru City/Rengedai Ward ====-
The central ward of Sumaru, built on the Tanabata River that splits the city
like a yin-yang symbol, is called Rengedai, or "Lotus Pedestal," because it
looks like a lotus flower floating on the water. It's a quiet, peaceful place to
live, and though it has undergone modernization over the past decade or two, a
good number of historical sites remain.
Its most standout feature is Mt. Iwato, a small mountain with a significant
network of caverns that spelunkers are advised not to explore casually. Alaya
Shrine is available for worship at its foot. It has never been set on fire.
The prestigious Seven Sisters School stands nearby; according to rumor, the
symbol sewn on the school's uniforms will protect you from the Joker Curse. To
the west is Honmaru Park, built on the site of feudal leader Kiyotada Sumaru's
castle and in his dubious memory, but it's under construction, so you can't go
in there.
Mansions, houses, and apartment complexes dot the riverside banks. The Lotus
Plaza Shopping Mall is right there with them, offering modest shopping in
convenient walking distance.
<Pose Tracker> Misato Fushihara has posed.
Bakery Pan-Pan is a cozy little bakery located along a stretch of road not too far from Seven Sisters School. It might be no surprise that students are its primary customer base. It's a Sunday afternoon, though, which makes for a quiet workday. The weather is pleasant enough given the season, but it's still cold... and perhaps because of that, the warm, freshly-baked pastries displayed in the window might seem extra enticing. Next to the door, a chalkboard held by the bakery's mascot - a panda that appears to be made of dough - advertises daily specials.
The atmosphere within is cute and comfortable, with shelves displaying ready-made baked goods of all shapes and flavors. What isn't on the shelves can be found in the menu, including sandwiches and beverages. There's even a small dining area with a few tables and chairs set up, with a board next to it displaying flyers for upcoming local events and numbers one can call for help or support.
And, there might be a familiar face here already, wearing a white apron displaying the bakery's logo... Misato Fushihara is here, swapping out the expired advertisements on the dining area noteboard with some more recent ones.
She's wearing a haircover, but her bright yellow ribbon stands out as ever.
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
Lisa Silverman is a girl on a mission. Today, it is a solo mission; Meeho had writing to do, and Sheba was working hard as usual, but Lisa? Lisa is taking a little time off. The blonde is hunting...
Pastries.
She'll bring a couple back when she returns for late practice. But that isn't right now. Right now is the mission.
So, dressed in a nice furry jacket and jeans for the cold, Lisa walks into Bakery Pan-Pan and looks around. "Hoisamuro...!" Chocolate-filled bread. It looks great.
Suddenly, Lisa is--
Interrupted!! As she spots, "Oh, hi!" she says to Misato Fushihara.
<Pose Tracker> Misato Fushihara has posed.
It's a fine mission, indeed. The sights are dangerous enough - but the moment one passes through that door, they must contend with the scent, as well.
Misato hears someone enter before she hears her.
"Good afternoon~! I'll be right with you!" She greets, her tone as sunny as ever. But when she hears Lisa speak, she recognizes the voice immediately. She puts up the last of the flyers, and turns to offer her a smile.
"Well, if it isn't Silverman-san! How've you been?" Misato asks. They're in the same class, of course, but that doesn't mean they know everything about what the others have been up to. "Can I get anything, or are you browsing today?"
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
Diets? Don't worry about it.
"Thanks!" Lisa chimes in after the greeting, but then smiles back. "That's me!" she answers. "I'm good, Fushihara-san! Was just taking a brak from practice for a bit..." Not kung fu practice this time but idol practice, of course; her career is well-known in the school by now.
"I'd love it if you could get me three of these chocolate ones, please," she says. "I'm gonna bring some back for Meeho and Sheba. ...Well, not that I'm planning to leave yet, if I don't have to. You mind if I stay and hang out a bit?"
<Pose Tracker> Misato Fushihara has posed.
"I see, I see! That's good!" Misato replies, nodding in understanding. "Nothing like some baked goods to bring you back to life, right?"
They've always been helpful for her, though in her case, it's the process of actually making them that's most rejuvenating. ...The end result is always still a good bonus, of course.
Lisa makes her request - three of the chocolate ones...
"Ah, are they hard at work? Anyway, coming right up~!" Misato replies. She steps away from the dining area and gets to work. She carefully relocates three of the chocolate breads into a box with a cute design, featuring the bakery's panda mascot in a series of comedic poses along the sides. As for whether or not she minds, Misato shakes her head.
"Not at all! Feel free to stick around as long as you like. It's a slow day today, so I don't mind the company." She assures. "We have some hot beverages, too, if you'd like to get some warmth back into you."
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"Totally!"
"Mm-hm. I should be too, but I won coming to gt stuff!" Pause. "...Well, i also just had some free time."
Cut edesign!! Lisa loves the mascot. but when Misato confirms that it' okay to hang out, Lisa moves to take a seat nearby.
"Oooh. Whatever's handy is good," she says. She isn't concerned about cost, either; she usually doesn't have to think too much about that.
"So how's it going? You seem to like your job OK!"
<Pose Tracker> Misato Fushihara has posed.
"Ah, score~!" Misato comments with a small laugh, as Lisa says she won. And she had some free time, too... "Getting pastries is always a good use of your time."
Lisa takes a seat, and says that whatever's handy is good. Misato nods.
"Then one coffee, coming right up." She replies, heading over to the coffee machine. But as she works on that, she considers Lisa's question.
"It's going pretty well! Can't complain, can't complain." She replies. There was a day a little while back where she seemed exhausted, but... she smiled her way through it, so it didn't seem too serious...
As for her job...
"Mm-hm, I do." Misato confirms. "I like baking well enough anyway, so it's nice to get paid for doing it... And they let me take home any leftover ingredients that they can't save, for experimenting with... So that's a plus. How's yours treating you?"
She returns to Lisa's table, setting down the coffee.
"Feel free to help yourself to anything at the table." She adds, indicating a tray with various add-ins available.
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"Agreed!!"
Lisa is enthusiastic about the pastries and the coffee. But Misato can't complain, and indeed explains further. "So you're a baker baker," she says, "Not just a worker. That's really cool. I can cook some stuff but... mostly just traditional Japanese dishes."
Because her family is like that. Not that Misato may know that. It might be a surprise!
"That's really cool!"
She smiles back. "I'm good. Just between us, we're gonna release something new soon! We've all been working pretty hard."
She will definitely take some add-ins; Lisa likes sweets.
<Pose Tracker> Misato Fushihara has posed.
"Mm-hm! I like to think I'm good at it, anyway..." Misato replies, smiling as she says that it's cool. Lisa says she can cook some stuff - mostly just traditional Japanese dishes.
She doesn't know Lisa's family. If she did she might realise how loaded that is, but...
"That's still good to know! It's important to be able to feed yourself, right?" Misato replies.
And for Lisa's part, she's good... Misato nods along, though she perks up with interest when she says that they're going to release something new soon.
"Oh, that must be exciting... I'm sure you're all looking forward to it. Good luck!" Misato replies.
...She wonders what that feels like, she reflects - to have a goal to strive for, and to have it so close in reach.
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"If you're up to 'experiment' baking, you're already ahead of me," Lisa says warmly. Warmly, like pastries!
"That's true," she says. "I won't be at my parents' house forever. I better know how to eat."
Misato's interest is encouraging for Lisa. "We totally are! Touche!" A little more Cantonese, just because she does that.
"It's..." She considers. "It's pretty rewarding," she says. "It's a little hard having a 'job' while going to school, but it's nice, too. I'm grateful!"
She wants tos ay the right things... but she's not faking it, either.
"I guess you'd know too, though--since you're working here."
<Pose Tracker> Misato Fushihara has posed.
"I suppose that's a good point." Misato admits with a small laugh. It's a little beyond the realm of a casual interest...
"Mm-hm. Self-sufficiency is important! And once you have a good base, you can start branching out." She agrees. It's something that's important to her.
Misato beams as Lisa confirms that they are, in fact, all looking forward to it.
Lisa says it's rewarding - hard, but nice, too. Misato nods thoughtfully.
"That makes sense. It can be difficult to balance it, but if you can manage it there's a lot to get out of it..."She considers. Lisa says she'd know, too, and Misato lets out a small laugh. "I suppose I would, but it's kinda different, too... We've got different expectations on us."
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"Hmm. Maybe I will... right now I totally don't have time," she admits. and she has the luxury of not having time--her family is loaded, and she lives with them.
She smiles back. "Oh,' she says. "Yeah. Not just the money or anything, but also the experience, right?"
"...Hm. That's true. We both have to put on a bright face though, right?"
Pause. She flushes. "I mean, not that I'm just putting on a nice face! I really do like my work! But... serving customers, dealing with fans, you've gotta be happy whether you're happy or not, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Misato Fushihara has posed.
"Of course, of course. Just something to think about for when you do." Misato replies with an understanding nod.
"Mm-hm. The money's nice, but experience is a lot harder to replace." Misato agrees. "Some things you only learn when you have something pushing you."
Lisa agrees with her, that they have different expectations on them... but points out that they both have to put on a bright face.
For a moment, things feel just a little too real, and Misato has to wonder what she knows - but with her clarification she can relax a little. Still, it seems like she gets her more than she expected...
"...I suppose that's true. That's life, I guess." Misato agrees. "Even if we do like what we're doing, sometimes we gotta force a smile anyway."
<Pose Tracker> Lisa Silverman has posed.
"Right!"
"Hmmm, yeah. That's true... I used to find being 'pushed' kind of annoying, but I can apprecaite it more now. ...I guess it helps that part of what pushes me these days is my little sister."
Lisa has no idea of Misato's true secrets--she just happens to have touched on something important. And maybe she does understand that part.
"Right, totally. ...Well, here's hoping yours are mostly real upcoming!"
She lifts her coffee as if in toast. "This is really good, by the way. Thank you!"
<Pose Tracker> Misato Fushihara has posed.
"I'm glad you've found something positive to push you, then!" Misato replies. She didn't know she had a little sister... Having someone worth doing things for makes a difference, she supposes.
"Thanks. Yours too!" Misato replies - and laughs, as Lisa raises her coffee in toast. "You're welcome. Glad you like it~!"
At least for right now, that smile is genuine.