Bel: Created page with "'''Cutscene: Taking Care''' '''Cast:''' Ichika Kawase, Shuyo Hayama '''Where:''' A house in the Aoba Ward, Sumaru City '''OOC Date:''' August 11, 2025 '''IC Date:''' Saturday June 23, 2012 '''Summary''': ''Ichika, after a long day, arranges for some alone time with Shuyo. But his mom makes it weird, and then she finds there's a lot she wants to talk about first... (Takes place the night of 2025-08-10: Don't Let The Assholes Win)'' ---- "Ohh, you..."

2025-08-12T03:28:07Z

Created page with "*'''Cutscene: Taking Care''' *'''Cast:''' Ichika Kawase, Shuyo Hayama *'''Where:''' A house in the Aoba Ward, Sumaru City *'''OOC Date:''' August 11, 2025 *'''IC Date:''' Saturday June 23, 2012 *'''Summary''': ''Ichika, after a long day, arranges for some alone time with Shuyo. But his mom makes it weird, and then she finds there's a lot she wants to talk about first... (Takes place the night of 2025-08-10: Don't Let The Assholes Win)'' ---- <poem> "Ohh, you..."

New page

*'''Cutscene: Taking Care'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Ichika Kawase]], Shuyo Hayama
*'''Where:''' A house in the Aoba Ward, Sumaru City
*'''OOC Date:''' August 11, 2025
*'''IC Date:''' Saturday June 23, 2012
*'''Summary''': ''Ichika, after a long day, arranges for some alone time with Shuyo. But his mom makes it weird, and then she finds there's a lot she wants to talk about first... (Takes place the night of [[2025-08-10: Don't Let The Assholes Win]])''

----

<poem>

"Ohh, you brought home the pretty one again!" A woman of forty-something smiles at Ichika and Shuyo as they walk into the living room. She has black hair and green eyes, like her son Shuyo, and a big smile on her face as she welcomes them both.

"I bet you say that to every girl who comes over," Ichika comments, and Shuyo in turn mock-sighs, adding, "Rude to the others, I think."

"Haha," Shuyo's mother answers. "No no, I just compliment the others' personality. A pity you came after dinner! I could've made more!"

"That's all right," Ichika answers. "I'm not very hungry anyway."

"Guess you wouldn't be, with that figure," Shuyo's mother reflects, turning her head a little to look Ichika up and down. Mostly up, given how tall Ichika is. But then the older woman says, "Oh, I'll let you two be. Maybe I'll see to my own man, instead." A beat, "Be good to her, Shuyo-kun. You don't want to let this one get away."

"...Yes, Mom," Shuyo answers with a sigh, as if by rote. But his mother is already swanning off towards the office. "Oh," she says, raising her voice a little to talk to her husband, "Shuyo-kun's brought back a girl tonight, perhaps we should give them a little privacy..."

Shuyo turns to Ichika once they're alone in the living room. "Sorry about that, Boss. You know what she's like."

"You're the one it stresses out," Ichika points out. "As long as she doesn't tell me 'oh, take good care of him', it's fine."

"That would be weird," Shuyo agrees. "C'mon. You want a drink or whatever?" He can drop by the kitchen, goes the implication; true to her word, his mother returns only long enough to smile one more time before she goes to her own room.

"Sure," Ichika says. "Bet I'll be thirsty." She pauses at that, while she follows Shuyo into the kitchen. "But let's go to your room. I want to... talk, in private first."

"Talk, huh? Well, that tracks." Shuyo opens the fridge.

"Smartass," Ichika complains. "...About Tsubasa-kun, I mean."

"I figured," Shuyo answers. "Half the reason you called me instead of someone else, right?"

Ichika glances to the side, and accepts the glass of water when he puts it in her hand. "...Yeah." He's got her there.

Shuyo grins and brings out a glass for himself. "But c'mon. I won't drag it out of you out here."

Down the hall, through the second door on the right, and into Shuyo's room. Ichika's been here before; it's much easier than sneaking him into the dorms. The beige walls are mostly bare; he doesn't keep up posters and decorations much. There's a night-stand by the bed, which is in the corner of the room with basic sheets and covers in cyan. A dresser with a mirror, a closet closed up. A desk, well-organized with tabs and stickers peeking out of notebooks and folders.

Even the magazines under the bed are organized.

Shuyo closes the door behind them and takes a sip of his water. "So what's on your mind?" he asks first. He gestures to the bed for if she'd like the more comfortable seat, and Ichika walks over to take it. She doesn't have to adjust a skirt she's not wearing; she's in green cargo pants and a skull-emblazoned crop top today.

Once she's comfortable, she looks down for a moment, and only after that does she answer, "Tsubasa-kun. They're in a rough spot. ...You did... guy talk, with them?"

"Yep," Shuyo answers, and crosses the distance to his desk, where he turns the chair around and takes a seat. Out of uniform in summer he's got on a fitted t-shirt with a colorful design and some jeans. He has black hair, like his mother. And he says, "It was fine. Dude talk mostly involves a little more punching and a little more pretending our feelings are manlier. ...But I got them talking a little. Bet you got them talking more?"

"Yes," Ichika replies. "...I appreciate it. I don't think either of us were getting through on our own."

"You appreciate it?" Shuyo wonders. "They're part of the crew. We look out for each other, that's what you always say. Nothing weird about that, right?"

"No, but..." Ichika hesitates.

"Heh. I'm just messing with you. I know they're your bestie." Shuyo grins. "...It's cool. We give a shit, that's all. Glad to help. I do care, too, you know." He pauses. "...They ran into their ex. They tell you that? Ugly-ass story." He sips his water. "They say you never expect it out of the tough ones, but it tracks to me. Probably gave them lines about how they were special, then switched in the stick for the carrot. Stupid shit," he says.

"...Yeah," Ichika agrees. "They did. I'm not gonna say what it was like," she starts.

Shuyo adds, "Not gonna pry unless they tell me. Just speculating. I hate guys like that. It's not hard to get a girl without being a dick about it. They do it because they get off on the cruelty."

"Mm," Ichika answers. "...Yeah."

"So do we get our expert lockpick back at school?" Shuyo asks. "Or are they gonna stay away."

"I think they're coming back," Ichika says. "...But that guy who got axed, he's on their mind, too. And mine, I guess."

"Be fucked up to see something like that," Shuyo agrees. "Glad I wasn't there. Sucks about you two, though. ...You OK though, Boss? You don't talk about your own shit that much."

"I'm..." Ichika feels a little smaller in the moment, and slouching makes her look it. Or it would, if she weren't still taller than Shuyo, especially up on the bed. "...No."

Shuyo is quiet at that. "Kinda figured," he admits. "You clammed up when I started talking about shitty guys. This isn't just about that dude that hit you when you broke it off, huh?"

"Right," Ichika answers. "Maybe we should just..."

"Uh-uh," Shuyo says. "Now that I know you're fucked up about it, I'll be all distracted. I mean, you're the Boss, but I'd be more comfortable if we talked about it."

"...Right," Ichika says. "And I told you not to call me Boss when we're doing this, anyway. Makes it feel weird. Like I'm taking advantage, or something."

"So you did. So no Boss privs to get you out of this one. What's up?"

"Ugh," Ichika starts, caught by her own logic to... do something she wants to do anyway. It's just difficult. "All right. So... Tsubasa-kun's ex wasn't alone. He was with an ex of mine, too. One who was big. Not just some random guy I hooked up with, but... Serious, you know?"

Shuyo could make a joke there about being one of those guys--but he can tell how serious Ichika is about it. So instead he says, "Right. Serious ex. ...Take it it's not a good set of memories."

"That's complicated," Ichika answers. "Some are. Some aren't. But I like... I almost married this guy. It was last year. He's why I left Sevens. Why I ended up at Kasugayama. I don't want to get into all of it, but... I want you to know some of it. I'm gonna tell Shizuko, too. Soon. ...But you're a little more relevant, since..."

"Since you're spending the night at my house," Shuyo finishes. "I get it. ...So it was rough, huh? Well, you can tell me whatever you're comfortable with, and I'll be satisfied with that. You heard me out. I'll give you the same."

"Thanks," Ichika says. "...Yeah. Long story short... He hurt me. Really hurt me, really bad. Like... physically. And it got all turned around on me, like I was trying to 'ruin his future'... and that's how I got where I am."

"...Is that why you don't take any shit from guys like that?" Shuyo asks. "Makes sense, if it is."

"Yeah," Ichika replies. "It's also... I remember the good times and the bad times, and the good times make me wonder, and the bad times... I still get nightmares about. I go back and forth. But I want to make... good memories," she says. "Good memories to weigh out the bad ones. I want..."

"Mm," Shuyo answers, when Ichika trails off and doesn't finish what she was saying. "So that's why. You're real big on 'claiming your own body', and all that. Nice platitudes. ...But that's not how it is, exactly."

"...Yeah," Ichika says. "I feel like... Like I'm damaged goods," she decides gloomily, and picks back up her water to stare into it. "So if it feels like I'm just using you... I'm sorry."

"Heavy," Shuyo says. "...It's cool, though. I don't feel 'used'. I feel like I'm having a good time with a friend. If I can get her out of her own head for a while, hey, great. ...I mean, you're not exactly hurting me here, you know?"

Ichika quietly looks over at Shuyo instead of down in her water. "...I guess not," she allows.

"Definitely not," Shuyo corrects. He wouldn't usually correct the Boss--but she doesn't want the subordinate right now. He can switch modes. He's always been good at it. "A lot of girls would've got mad at what I told you. Or would've thought I was some kind of weird perv. You didn't. ...I'm gonna go out ona limb here and say you don't mind if I get a little mushy. I care about you. So I'm honored you felt you could tell me about your ex."

Ichika's smile is small, but it's there. So Shuyo continues...

"...You wanna talk some more?" Shuyo adds, "It's cool. We got all night. ...I'll be a little disappointed if we just talk, but I'll get over it."

"No, no," Ichika says. "I didn't come just to talk," she's quick to say. "...But yeah, actually. If I can tell you a little more..."

"All ears." Shuyo lifts both his hands, gesturing to urge Ichika on.

"He used to get onto me about how I made him look," Ichika explains, her eyes going distant. "How what I did reflected on him, since we were an 'us'. ...And I got used to that. So I thought all the time about how things would make him look, and how to make him look better, and..."

Shuyo listens along.

"So there was this one party I did..."

</poem>

[[Category:Cutscenes]]
[[Category:Season 1]]
[[Category:Season 1, Episode 1]]

2025-08-11: Taking Care - Revision history