2025-11-15: Detonating Cats
- Log: Detonating Cats
- Cast: Myunghon Yeo, Tatsuya Sudou
- Where: The Cardboard Dragon, Hirasaka Ward
- OOC Date: November 15, 2025
- IC Date: August 11, 2012
- Summary: Myunghon gets a visit from a terribly nice man called Taka Suho and sells him a copy of Detonating Cats. Will the world ever be the same after?
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
It's... a remarkably slow Saturday at the Cardboard Dragon. The kids aren't here, despite it being summer break -- or perhaps because it is summer break, because even Kasugayama High kids have plans that involve being somewhere other than a dingy, fairly run-down card game and bookstore nestled in an alley in Hirasaka Ward. Like, for starters, not being in Hirasaka if they can help it.
Myunghon's been having a troubled time of late, and today they're largely holed up in the store themself, seated at the couch having just returned from a trip outside, with a chocolate ruffle blouse with a black ribbon bolo tie, a white A-line inverted pleat skirt, leggings, and white shoes. Their Cognitive Coat isn't worn at present, hung on a coat rack about five metres away.
They've got something urgent to share with the Dark Side of Sumaru, so most of their focus is on the computer at present...
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
The door chimes, and in steps a rather tall blonde hair fellow wearing a pair of jeans a red t-shirt and a blue overshirt. The face is a new face to the shop. The customer stops upon the shop and looks around and even sniffs the air, nothing weird about this.
Tatsuya Sudou slowly makes his way through the aisles as he stops and looks at Myunghon, "Huh no Akabane-san today it seems." A casual comment is made before he approaches the front.
Standing there a little awkward for a moment before he says, "So, I have a couple of young siblings. Trying to find something new for them to enjoy. Think you could help me out?"
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
The doorbell chimes, and a new customer enters. The blonde fellow is not someone Myunghon's seen before -- the air is pleasant enough for how old a building this is; it's a fastidiously kept-enough space. There's an advertising for the NEW! Sourdough Princess Sourdough Starter Set: Bring Your Dough in today!
Of course, this is also the place where, if the rumours are true (and they always are), you could seek out Rumourmonger Merry and find Skill Cards here, if you're in the know... a person Sudou's fought in Sevens, that one time. They were bleeding out by the end then.
Myunghon blinks twice, before quietly rising with a tilt of their head and a soft, tired smile. "Ah, are you... a friend of Akabane-san's? Sorry, they aren't present today." There's something about this man's resonance... it does remind them of Umie, somehow. Something obfuscated. Something obscure.
A pause, as the customer inquires that he wants something for his siblings. "Ah, certainly. We do have card games suited for younger ages..." Why are they suddenly nervous, and even a bit scared? They want to reach for the coat, but that's a bit rude to a customer.
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
Sudou doesn't blink at the uncomfortableness radiating from Myunghon, he is kinda nose-deaf to it after all. Taking a moment he contemplates what to actually get. "Well let see, I have one about to go off to college, avid book lover. I have another in highschool, he is obsessed with explosions. Then again what kid isn't at that age. Then I have a baby sister who is totally into cute things. " Sudou rambles on for a moment as he scans behind the counter.
" Oh and also for one of their friends, this kid who likes flowers, OH and another who has that high schooler hero complex. You know the guy who thinks he is going to make it all right." Sudou nods his head as he rambles before he gives Myunghon a moment to respond.
Rubbing his chin, "Not quite a friend, I bumped into her once when she was leaving here. Literally. I was carrying some glass ketchup bottles, and oh man." Sudou chuckles, "After they shattered on the ground we both looked like we had come out of some bad murder stage play."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Taken at face value, Sudou's story would be quite heartwarming... that's quite the large family. Sudou himself looks like he could be around the same age as this older sibling, if not a bit older. "A book lover? We do carry a lot of books here, both in their original languages and translated to Japanese..." Myunghon expresses gently, trying to not let the stammer show.
There's a source of Cognition here that pings to Sudou -- it's coming from the binder just behind the counter. It's unmistakably the binder where the Skill Cards are stored.
"That sounds like you have quite the handful... ah, my apologies, my name is Myunghon Yeo. And yours?" Myunghon attempts polite talk. He's gone off to speak about his siblings' friends... a kid who likes flowers? And another with a hero complex... well, they could write off his comments as just being particularly friendly and thoughtful about those around him and yet--
"A-ah, here?" Myunghon looks uncomfortable at the mention of ketchup bottles. Umie did say she was attacked before. "My, I hope there wasn't any light-coloured clothing involved. But is it true? I heard ketchup doesn't appear realistic. What they have to do in movies to make the blood look realistic is quite a difficult endeavour, I heard..."
Why are they still talking about blood? A stiffness has risen around their shoulders, the man's obfuscated aura only drawing and piquing more paranoia around them. They reach for their phone on the counter to try to text -- but Sudou could intercept this if he wants to.
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
Sudou snickers, " Well this shirt use to be white, but alas it did not survive." Looking at the shirt, it is obvious that it was red from the store and the smiles on Sudou's face says he is making a joke. A few beats later he adds another chuckle, "No light-colored clothes were harmed."
Sudou's head tilts for a moment to the binder with the skill cards but turns back to Myunghon. " It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Taka Suho. " A slight bow is given as he smiles at the greeting. "Oh you know, some people say they are trouble but really my siblings are just misunderstood. Also I swear there friends like to try to get them in trouble."
"So for a book lover, would you have a recommendation for philosophy, or perhaps at least some poetry? "
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon stops in the midst of their texting as Sudou points out the shirt used to be white, but not anymore. It's... that's not a white shirt stained red with ketchup. The implications are perturbing. "Ah, yes, of course," they mask a quiet chuckle. "Suho-san, then..." It's... not the world's best attempt at a psuedonym, is it. "Do tell me a little more about your siblings. Where do they go to school at -- at Kasu, or?"
The Rumourmonger paces around the counter to move towards the shelves, perhaps a terrible choice given how more obscured they are from the rest of the store. "Philosophy or poetry... let's see, what about the poetry of Akiko Yosano? They're quite short but very evocative," they gesture towards a whole section of older books by authors from quite a ways back. It's all pretty dated, no books released in the last several decades...
"I must say, I feel as if I've seen you somewhere before, Suho-san. Perhaps it's related to Akabane-san, or..."
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
"Gekkoukan High School, " Sudou says as he follows behind Myunghon and begins to peruse the books. At the mention of Akiko Yosano, he reaches out and touches the books for a moment. In some way as if he is expecting something to happen. You never know with dusty old books. " Oh I think he would definitely enjoy that. " Without another thought he picks up the poetry book.
Standing up straight he blinks at Myunghon, "Well I don't remember this shop being here ten years ago so it couldn't be that. I only got back into town recently." A few steps and still scanning the shelves, " I come and go down these streets often enough lately that I am sure you've spotted me here and there. I finally had a free day and with mid-terms over and all I felt no better time than to peek in with a valid excuse." A genuine smile appears on his face.
"I do wish I had a place like this when I was in highschool. I would have lived here."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"I see... over at Tatsumi, hmm?" Myunghon muses gently, and lets Sudou collect the poetry book. The spine's pretty well-bound, how about that! Not all their books just disintegrate the moment you touch them. They'd probably still be very vulnerable to Fire, however. But Sudou mentions not remembering this shop from ten years ago--
"Ah...?" Myunghon pauses, as the words Ten Years Ago echo in their mind. To Yukari, to the incident at Gekkoukan... "This is quite the old building, but I think there was a minor newspaper office here. It was abandoned by the time I purchased the rights. This building is quite... interesting." Sudou does mention that he only got back into town recently, but he does come and go around quite a bit...
They walk towards the counter again, having presented the books. "So you are in university, then. And I do appreciate a nice bookstore, it is true..." A longer pause. "I went to Sevens myself. There's been a lot of commotion happening there. I didn't expect one of the teachers to be attacked by the Joker Killer and everything..."
The Rumourmonger pauses, as if the old scar wound on their stomach is hurting again.
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
Sudou chuckles, "You flatter me. I wish I was still in university. No I went up north for university, and came back here now to help raise my siblings and give them the same opportunity." Sudou was absolutely a good big brother. " Though I will admit, my younger siblings are going to have to learn some maturity before they get to university."
Looking at the building for a moment he tries to remember this place, "Was it a newspaper office? I barely even remember that now. " Shaking his head he chuckles lightly, " I guess back then I wasn't really paying attention to any place that I didn't have a reason to go to. I could tell you the ramen at the convenient shop a few blocks over was always great. "
"So what games would you recommend to a couple of highschoolers who like explosions and cute things."
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
"Up north, hmm... I've never been. Sendai or someplace else?" Myunghon hazards a guess. He's not particularly reaching for the topics they're setting out, perhaps out of a lack of interest or something else... well, no matter. "I suppose that's how siblings are for you -- I've never quite known how to handle one myself..."
A quiet tap of their chin, gently. "I believe so, but I don't think it was a particularly successful building. This particular place has changed hands so many times that it was being sold for a song by the time I arrived..." Myunghon remarks gently. It's so strange. He really doesn't look like he'd be far out of university at most... one supposes that if he were their age, he could've been reminiscing from when he was a teen in Hirasaka.
"I do recommend Shiraishi Izakaya at the Kameya Alley, if you want a place to eat here," Myunghon does advise. Not Shiraishi Ramen? And that Detective office moved too... tch... it's all different.
Explosions and cute things.
"Let's see... there's this party game that only has a deck of cards called Detonating Cats," Myunghon draws it from the shelf and places it in front of them. "The art is quite cute, and the game is very simple to play even with younger siblings, but it has some strategy for it for the adults."
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
"I suspect with just about anything involving people, it differs depending on the sibling. Perhaps if they are really difficult just treat them like a customer till you get a grip on things. " Sudou offers unsolicited advice before he adds. " I do hope you have better luck with this building than the other tenants. I have a shrine visit coming up, I will wish you goodluck. "
Sudou's eyes light up at the game recommendation, "That sounds perfect for the two and I will even get to play myself perfect. They will get a lesson in strategy. " Sudou chuckles as he places the book on the game. "So what's the damage?"
Sudou pulls a wallet out of his back pocket and then looks at Myunghon, "Does Shiraishi Izakaya do take out? If so maybe I will plan a game night with me and my siblings. "
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon blinks once at that advice, then can't help but weakly chuckle. "... I have been unfair on my end as well. Once I compared her to being more difficult than if I had to negotiate with a demon. But it seems like you are quite experienced handling siblings, Suho-san." It still sounds so fake... there's a gentle nod as he says he'll pray for them at the shrine. Well, that's very nice of him.
"The Detonating Cats game is 2,000 yen," Myunghon advises. "The Akiko Yoshida poetry book will run you 3,980... but for the two, how about we just call it 5,000 all up? Call it a first-time bonus to encourage you to come back."
They're still unsure about the nature of this obsfuscated man. It's like something could pounce out of the shadows at any moment. But that's not the only person they've done business with, now is it? There's Shiryuu...
"I do believe they do takeout. Ma'am is a pretty generous soul." They look towards that wallet for a moment.
<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.
Sudou nods his head and smiles, "I greatly appreciate that." The wallet flips open and is immediately opened for paper currency. It's not a lot maybe 10,000 yen in a variety of bills. He grabs a few and is about to hand it over before catching something and chuckles. "Oops wrong one." He places it back in the wallet, that one having a few drops of ketchup on it.
The 5,000 yen is set on the countertop and Sudou picks the two things up. "I wouldn't worry to much about your sibling, demons are not always that hard to negotiate with if you just offer your soul up." A laugh is given after as Sudou finds his own words funny. " I appreciate everything. Especially the food recommendation. I will make sure to come by, or send my siblings even. " Sudou promises more patronage before he turns to leave, just as casually as he came in.
<Pose Tracker> Myunghon Yeo has posed.
Myunghon's had quite the nose for blood ever since they became the target of a Rumour of being the Hirasaka Hospital Vampire... and the way Suho-san opens his wallet and accidentally (accidentally?) pulls out the blood-stained 10,000 yen bill does give them pause. A blood-stained bill with a Yukichi on it. Fukuzawa Yukichi... or Myorei Yukichi? Something echoes within that particular bill--
"... ah, yes, I remember when Yukichi-san famously had ketchup on his clothes," Myunghon does murmur, staring up towards Suho. They accept the 5,000 yen and does help Sudou with any wrapping if he requires it, but Sudou's words about how Demon negotiation isn't that hard -- they only have to offer their soul up for it.
"Are we all not?" Myunghon inquires, a rigid, Merry-like smile on their face. "Do take care, Suho-san. Yes, perhaps when someone calls you for me, hmmm?"