Leisurely Expedition [Izumi/Misha]

❝

Misha had always had very few material wants. The Kitamura children, at this side of it, were more or less similar. Thus, window shopping was a lazy excuse for the children to go out and about aimlessly. So while the chef had nothing to really look for, she happily accepted Izumi's plan to go downtown to browse without a further thought. Thankfully, further thought did eventually kick in and Misha realized it would be a good opportunity to get something for Nao as well.

With the weekend rolling in faster than expected, Misha found herself digging through her closet, picking out an outfit for the day. Autumn's chill demanded a more covered approach, which the baker was more than happy to oblige. A faded white turtleneck beneath a corduroy pinafore up top, thick winter tights with snowflake motif beneath sturdy leather laced thigh boots below. A simple getup, but one that Misha enjoyed. The only tough decision to make was whether to use a ribbon accessory for her hair or to rely on a beret. Eventually, the simple black beret won over; with two of her three ribbons given to Nao, Misha felt awkward to be using the third on its own for now.

One last thing was missing. Next to the door handle was the white-and-gold cane, waiting obediently. Misha glanced at it pensively - it was long past the time she needed to to walk, but going without it felt like she was walking out without clothes. Ponderously she walked to the door and and weakly gripped the handle. The cold metal was still comforting as Misha drew the cane to her side. Well, if Shiraishi-san didn't complain about it last time, it ought to be fine now, right?

The sound of the cane tapping against the floor joined the sound of Misha's footsteps as she walked out of her room and towards the door of the dorm room. Apparently, she was the first to be ready, though it was still early. The baker pivoted as she reached the door, leaning backwards and closing her eyes as she called out down the hall.

"Shiraishi-san? I am ready when you are. There is no rush."

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Oh! This was her idea..?

Izumi had little to do at this time of year, besides trying to avoid becoming incredibly grumpy due to the change in weather. Rainy weather was fun, but she didn't want to get a cold, or her uniform ruined.
At this time of year, there was little better to do than read books, but even that was boring her at this point.
She didn't feel like scaring Satou-san, and decided to instead get to know her roommate just a bit more.

Her first intentional public outing with another person!
A task that seemed near-mythical to her, now realised in the fact Shirayma-san was calling for her name just now.

Distant rummaging noises could be heard, followed by a loud sigh, and then frantic shuffling sounds, before a soft voice called out from the room.
"I'm coming, sorry! Please give me just another moment- aah, wait, there it is.."

A few moments later, Izumi stepped out, a slightly nervous smile on her face.
The hair dye that she'd been using had successfully been removed, and as such, she was now back to her natural shade of brown, a more conventional appearance befitting that of her formal mannerisms.

Her hair curled, and in twintails held in place with small, black ribbons, and wearing a sleeveless, navy blue sailor dress, matching knee-length socks, Izumi's appearance was a stark contrast to her darker fashions back earlier on.
Hurriedly putting her tan overcoat on, which effectively followed the shape of the dress, she quickly buttoned it on, and made a quick dash towards her roommate, winter boots in hand.

Bowing before she spoke, Izumi made sure to regain her composure, and not to flounder her words as she so often did.

"Shirayama-san, apologies for being late, I was just doting over what to wear, and I got into a bit of a rut. I assure you, I am more than ready to venture out into the town with you. Seeing as you're the guest in this situation, would you perhaps like to suggest where to begin? I can't exactly say I have much in mind to begin with, as I've only ventured out into the town once, and that was just to get fruit, and then I looked at wedding dresses.. not the most eventful outing, I assure you."

The act of "rising star Shiraishi-san" always kicked itself out when she spoke to Shirayama-san, as Izumi held her roommate only second to her own mother in regards of importance. She always could count on her friend for anything at this point, and decided it'd be better to at least repay the gratitude in some way or form, even if she knew Shirayama-san would most likely say no.

Even so, it was just nice to be around someone she knew that wouldn't make her feel uncomfortable at all.
Today was going to be an enjoyable experience for the both of them, and she'd make sure nothing would change that, no matter what came up.

❝

Misha's fingers energetically tapped against her cane as a sense of nostalgia washed over the baker. There truly was no agenda that needed to be stringently followed, but the sound of frantic activity was familiar and seeing her roommate finally emerge from her room elicited a warm chuckle from the baker. Visually, gone from Shiraishi-san was the blue hair dye, supplanted by a more natural look all around. But in terms of mannerisms, her roommate still carried with her that formality; not that Misha minded - she knew that such things don't change easily. Then, in a moment of clarity, Misha understood the reason for the nostalgia: she was reminded of her younger sister Haruna and found herself resisting the temptation to playfully flick Shiraishi-san's nose and scold her in the same manner.

"Well, wedding dresses is thinking quite far ahead in the future, isn't it? Did you have someone in mind already?" Misha asked with a soft chuckle and gentle smile, opting to tease her roommate in that manner. She shuffled to the side as she fished out a from her pinafore's front pocket the dorm room key. "But, I think we can follow that line of thought, that theme of time and the future. The seasons are changing and likely so will the fashions. Not that I am particularly invested in following the trends. It's more...wanting to see what innovative designs have been put forth. So how about we start there?"

A flick of wrist sent the cane in her hand a short distance airborne, which was quickly caught with a flourish as Misha turned around to open the door. "Now, I do have a location in mind, a department store a bit downtown. But, that does mean taking a bus if you are okay with that. Otherwise, well. We still have the shops near the park that we can wander about, right? See what the autumn has brought us." Misha said as she look a step back to let the door swing open. With a careful gesture with the cane, she offered to her roommate the chance to egress before her.

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Wedding dresses? Oh, yes! They weren't just collectibles... they had an actual purpose, said purpose being marriage, which was a very, very long way away.

Izumi, if she did have have to pick.. there were too many possible options, too many styles, lengths, shades among other things! And plus, they were expensive. She couldn't imagine spending her hard-earned money as an adult on collecting gowns that would never be worn at all. It just seemed like an ironic twist of fate for someone so interested in wedding gowns, to never get married at all.

Just.. how did things even work to lead up to that moment? Her mother was unmarried, and seemed to not remotely be interested in love of the romantic sort, telling Izumi to be cautious, yet here she was, not having seen a single trace of what that was, outside of watching movies, and reading books.

The future was unclear for Izumi, as she'd constantly find herself adapting to the environment around her, even now finding herself willing to start conversation with others, and not take flight once she found herself remotely stressed.
Someone in mind..? Izumi's daydreams were wild and unrealistic, her imagination freely running with many things; and the thought of romance just seemed to be something that left her confused, having asked Misha about this already.


She stood still, staring out into space for a few brief moments, before looking into Misha's eyes, a nervous smile visible on her face.
"Oh, so... well-"
A faint, pink blush did appear on her cheeks right there, accompanied by a change of tone in her voice, to a more nervous one.
"I.. truly do wish I could say that, honestly. I just feel.. well.. if I were to fall in love, I don't know what I look for in someone, aha.. all these fairytales don't help either.."
Her naïve view on romance was something she'd kept, instead of adapting.

"Does... I.. we'll go to the ones nearer the park, I don't exactly like public transport anyway."
Shifting away from fruitless concept of a future love that didn't yet exist, or seem real, Izumi focused on what Shirayama-san had offered, taking the lead offered by Shirayama-san.

"Also.. is it alright if we refer to each other by given names? I do suppose we've been acquainted with each other far enough?"
She asked, stepping through the door, only to spin around, and make way for Shirayama-san.
Although, calling her Misha-chan didn't exactly seem normal to her at the moment, strengthening the bond between the two just felt like it was something Izumi needed to be done.

❝

It was admittedly amusing to Misha to see Izumi so flustered, raising an eyebrow with a grin as Izumi spoke a blushed. It was rather refreshing to see someone so self-aware over their own inexperience and biases but the baker's instincts as a older sister made a mental note to have a more serious discussion on the topic of romance sometime later, lest Izumi find herself caught in an otherwise avoidable pitfall. Also worrying, albeit slightly less so, was Izumi's apparent discomfort with the public transport. Surely there was some in Okinawa, but that would be a question for later.

"If Izumi-san feels more comfortable doing so, then I would be happy to call each other by our given names," Misha said with as a wink and a smile before locking the door behind them. "In fact, it would be a nice change of pace. 'Shirayama-san', 'Vice President', senpai... it does get a bit a grating to hear that after a while. And definitely, definitely, I would rather not hear out when I'm not school!"

A good-natured laugh came out of Misha's lips as she pocketed her keys and follow Izumi's lead towards the main entrance of the dorms. The tapping of her cane against the floor echoed down the hallway until a brisk autumn wind greeted them as they reached the front entrance. Misha closed her eyes and took a deep breath to take in the cool air as the breeze ruffled her hair and clothes. "Ah...how nostalgic," Misha sighed. "Autumn is here...and Winter rapidly approaching."

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Following behind at a brisk pace, she softly shared a laugh with Misha.
The rush of colder air caught Izumi off guard for a slight moment, resulting in a quiet, squeaky gasp as it hit her.

"Well.. it's certainly.. a lot, lot lot... colder.. gah.. Okinawa really isn't like the mainland now."
She nervously chuckled, unfamiliar with the environment around her.
"I err... really.. didn't expect it to be like this. I'm not cold, just.. surprised, mhm-"
She shifted a bit closer to Misha quickly, soflty exhaling.


"Izumi-san.. Izumi-san... I, am not too used to anyone besides mother calling me Izumi, but I'll do my best, Misha-chan."
Just what did Fukui offer at this time of year, besides its unforgivingly colder climate? Okinawa had the cherry blossoms around this time, and mother would usually drag Izumi and a few of her cousins out to observe, and then they'd go to get some burgers, or something else relatively unhealthy, yet tasty. Sure, she was missing out on that, but trying something new could be fun, maybe more along the lines of one of her books. Adventure was what Izumi was out for, and while it was cold, she'd be able to manage.

She took a good look up at the sky, and then back to Misha's eyes.
"Without any further ado, should we get going? I feel as if things may get busier with each passing minute. As you know I'm not too well versed with the area, I think it'd be better of me to leave it to you."
She couldn't help but grin in anticipation of her first outing, with her first real friend. She felt the feeling of reading a new instalment of her favorite book series, and even more.

Questions, a mystery, and much more!
Izumi was making her best effort to not explode right there.
Friendship was unfamiliar with her, yet it felt great.

Now, what else was there to chase after? Too many things to think of, they'd just have to go along as they saw them, really.

The only question now, was just what mother would think of her. She didn't know if she was growing in the right direction, or not focusing too hard on her barely intact attempts at theater.

The roles that Izumi was hoping to play were not fully realised, but she was going to do her best when they showed themselves.

As for now, she could relax, and enjoy this day out.

❝

Misha couldn't help but chuckle at Izumi's reaction to the cold. But, where they in Okinawa on a summer day, surely the shoe would be on the other foot, Misha humbly realized. The baker pulled her cane closer to herself as Izumi drew nearer, raising her eyebrows in mild surprise at 'Misha-chan'. She had expected a -san suffix, but if this was how closely Izumi regarded her, then Misha found herself rather content.

Wordlessly, Misha nodded and gestured for Izumi to follow with a calm smile. Her cane tapped against the pavement lightly despite the brisk pace. After a few blocks of residences the two could see the corner of the park draw into view in front and left of them. But it was the bustle to the right of the park that caught Misha's eye. A steady stream of people were entering a large building to the right, and those exiting it were carrying a myriad of plastic bags - a supermarket.

"Ah, busy as usual, even at this time of day," Misha said, slowing down and narrowing her eyes to see what the contents were of various passerby. "Hm. Not much really special on sale it seems. Maybe some fish? I don't know what the catch would be at this time of year." With a sigh and shake of the head, she glanced over to Izumi before picking up the pace again. But it only took a few more steps before a a warm smell would reach them.

"Ah..this is the smell I was expecting," the baker mused aloud, chuckling. "One part cloves to two parts ginger, two parts nutmeg, and eight parts cinnamon. Of course you can vary the ratios to taste. A combination known as...pumpkin spice" She looked to Izumi with a grin. "I was rather surprised and even disappointed that pumpkin spice had no pumpkin in it."

As they walked, the brick façade of the building to their left gave way to a large glass window, where both could see inside a vast yet still cramped bakery. Various loaves of breads and even bagels lined the shelves - it was clearly a western-styled bakery. But more curiously was the a whole assortment of spiced pastries, undoubtedly filled autumn flavours. "Here we are, our first destination," Misha said, gesturing to the left as they turned the corner. "Tell me what catches your fancy and we can try them out."

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

A lot of people, just enjoying their lives with each other. The more Izumi familiarized herself with her environment, and those around her, the more it made sense to her, why she saw so many couples in the few other times she was out. She'd had a bit of trouble narrowing down what brought people together exactly, but the concept of love just seemed comforting to say the least.

Dwelling again on Misha's joke, she thought a bit more on it.
Some of her older cousins were in relationships by her age, and the few times she'd seen her cousins with their dates, it seemed somewhat awkward, how they'd hug, glance and just look into each others' eyes. Some of them did get married.. but that'd usually take a while depending on which said cousin was, as some weren't exactly mature to say the least.

Maybe it wasn't too good to just focus on that, if she'd just end up overwhelmed with questioning what love, romance and everything that came attached to it was.
Izumi could only say she had one friend, and that wasn't really much of a ground to suddenly start jumping towards the unknown abyss of love letters, sonnets and duets she'd familiarised herself with in various forms of fiction.

"Pumpkin spice.. false advertising.."
A soft chuckle came from Izumi, her eyes catching the sight of a sugary treat. Filled with toffee, sugar and whatever else was fresh, Izumi stopped in her tracks, and half-dashed towards it, kneeling down to get a closer inspection.
"Ok... I really shouldn't but.. Misha.."

She turned around, a hopeful look in those blue eyes of hers.
"Um... are these samples or would we just have to buy the full thing- not that I'm unwilling to pay, obviously.."
Food wasn't even what she was hoping to be after today. Just another one of her impulses immediately snapping to a sugary treat. It was also warm, so that helped. She loved warm food, and found it to be much, much better in comparison to having something cold. Only ice cream, or fruit was deemed worthy of being served cold in her book.

She'd reaffirm that she wanted it, a confident smile forming from her lips.
"I.. would very much like to get one of these, please."

❝

Misha chuckled softly, stopping near the door of the bakery where she lifted her cane and inverted it, the majority of its length now running along her arm as she turned to look to Izumi. Indeed it was Misha's plan to at least buy Izumi something from the bakery; the chef worried that having to spend so much out of pocket would be discouraging.

It was a surprise to see that Izumi seemed to have made a choice already. Misha took a few steps backwards and leaned in a bit to see Izumi's choice. So, Izumi had a sweet tooth like that? The baker took mental notes and nodded. "Sadly, I doubt that they'll give away too many samples, if at all," Misha said as she made her way back to the front door of the bakery, looking back with a playful wink. "And in any case, no need to stop at one item, do we?"

As the door opened, a warm breeze greeted the two of them, washing over with another mixture of homely smells of bread and spices. A very much expected scent for Misha, but one that was appreciated nonetheless. She held the door open for Izumi and followed in after her, heading directly to the breads on display and pulling out her phone. There was another reason why Misha chose a trip to the bakery - beyond getting food for herself, she wanted to send pictures to her family in Tokyo.

With the season came a plethora of seasonal breads, various mixes of pumpkin, apples, and cranberries mixed into every combination of loaves, buns, tarts, and pastries. The Shirayama Bakery had their mainstays, but Misha hoped that every picture she sent home would help inspire her family to have more seasonal items. Between each shot Misha took and sent to her family, she glanced over to Izumi to make sure she was still okay. Eventually, Misha's worry overcame her and she decided to delay the rest of the scouting out and approach Izumi again.

"Find anything else...?" Misha asked softly, almost in a whisper. "I mean...no rush. Okay?" A small smile broke through her lips as she tilted her head. "I know you said you were willing to pay but please, we can always work it out later. So no worries."

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

She nodded, standing up, and looking around the shop some more, just to see what else was on offer. Gingerbread and cinnamon were usually popular around this time of year, and Izumi would be heavily lying if she wasn't interested in something containing that.

Just where.. to start with sweeter things? They weren't yakisoba, or udon. You couldn't just enter a bakery and order a large serving of ramen like they did in the movies.

She then turned to Misha, taking a quick glance while she took a picture with her phone, before turning to face the bakery items on display.

From what she could guess based on previous conversations, Misha's whole family traditions, arts and talent was learned, and passed down throughout the family. It must have been stressful if they had high regards for her, yes? Izumi felt lucky enough to just forge her own path with willpower, and a bit of dumb luck here and there. The only thing she wished would change, is getting more control over what she could do when it came to theatre.


There wasn't a rush on a day like this, yet Izumi was already going at full speed for some reason. It seemed to just be that she was going off of her instincts again, as things that interested her nearly always played to her impulses. Most food never really bothered Izumi too much, but the toffee pastry was an exception.

But more than one item. Tempting, very much so. This sort of felt like a family shopping trip, minus the fact Izumi was all the way out in Fukui with her roommate, and the fact she didn't know Misha entirely well enough.

"So, so.. gingerbread.. cinnamon, or toffee..."
Izumi quietly spoke to herself, her finger hovering over the toffee pastry she'd singled out as an option earlier.
Misha did say they'd be able to pick a few, so...

Asking was not a bad idea at all. She'd raise a hand, and wave at Misha, raising her voice to its normal speaking level
"Misha-chan, if I'm able to pick two out of these, what would you recommend for me? The toffee pastry, an American style cinnamon roll, or gingerbread cake- ooh, there's carrot cake here too."

The last was unexpected, but Izumi could not exactly bring herself to decide right now, too many options as it seemed.

❝

With an amused chuckle, Misha walked around behind Izumi to stand in front of another display case, leaning forward on her cane to take a look at the choices there. Gingerbread, cinnamon, toffee...carrot. No fruits, Misha noticed, though whether it was a dislike of fruits or just a preference for other sugars, Misha couldn't tell.

"Well, if you were absolutely restricted to only having two, then I'd have to point out that cinnamon rolls and carrot cake tend to be offered year-round. So I would go for the toffee and especially the gingerbread while they are still offering it," the baker recommended, slowly standing upright with a nod. "Though, I suppose it begs the question - why only two?"

Misha glanced over to Izumi and tilted her head with a sly smile before walking over to the end of one of the shelves to pick up a plastic serving tray and a pair of tongs. The chef crossed behind Izumi again, making quite a racket with one hand opening and closing the tongs excitedly and the other holding the tray and her cane that was tapping against the tiled floor.

"I think we have enough storage space for a few more, unless you're concerned about overeating. Then you can pass it onto someone else too, a little gift for a classmate? Another friend?" Misha turned her head breifly to give Izumi a teasing grin before reaching into the display case with the tongs. "Like this one. Strawberries are out of season...but there's still this. It's very likely 'today' fresh but, I think Mashiro-chan would enjoy the surprise."

A jovial laugh came from Misha's lips as she pulled out a strawberry danish and set it on the tray.

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

"Well, two since I don't want to feel greedy, it doesn't feel right if we just suddenly acquired a large quantity of baked goods, and then forgot to eat them-"
Izumi momentarily paused upon the mention of classmates.

Classmate... classmate.. there really wasn't anyone that Izumi paid much attention to in class, seeing as how she had a habit of keeping her presence as miniscule as possible currently.

There was that red-haired girl she promised to show thanks to, but bakery treats seemed quite.. underwhelming in comparison to Izumi being helped from a fall, and headache.

Perhaps.. it was just best to wait. They could always go back here later in the year, and Izumi could very well find this place on her own in the future.

And, Mashiro-chan?
There surely wasn't another Mashiro being referred to, or that Izumi knew.

"Mashiro.. Satou-san?"
She smiled.

Well, to avoid saying that cliché phrase once more, it seemed that things were more closely knit than Izumi was aware of.
While Misha was near to some omnipotent deity as Izumi somewhat believed at times, the fact she knew Satou-san was something unexpected.

So, what was being implied? Misha knew Satou-san, her underclassman?
Or.. did Satou-san know Misha?
No, that was the same thing. They must've discussed it, and judging by the positive tone, and chuckle, things were all well.

Izumi's reputation was slowly starting to build itself, thankfully it was a good one so far.
Sudden encounters with people didn't end too well, mostly when it came to her luck among her peers.
And her upperclassmen, as mature and proper as they were, tended to illicit feelings of inadequacy, panic and general feelings of hostility in Izumi.

Perhaps it was best to just focus on the things she knew wouldn't end horribly.

Her eyes shifted from Misha, to the danish.. wow, Misha really liked those then, note taken.
Then, they shifted back to Misha.

"Well, I frankly had no idea, she's quite.. she gave me the indication she's rather shy and reserved, Misha. I would have never guessed that you knew her, although I am curious as to what your connection with her is."

❝

So, only two it would be, and that was fine. Misha's curiosity was sated though she would need confirmation on which pastries Izumi wanted, but she ambled over to where the gingerbread cake was, pivoting sharply towards Izumi as she heard Mashiro's name echoed. The baker held the cane in one hand and balanced the tray smartly against her hip with the other in a very practice motion.

"Mashiro-chan is my younger cousin~! Our mothers are sisters. My family runs the bakery, hers runs a confectionery, though she's here in Fukui to study music. Her brother is the one who will inherit the family shop," Misha explained with a hearty chuckle, her body swaying excitedly from side to side and carrying the tray along with her. Then, she picked up the strawberry danish with the tongs, turning it in mid-air as of inspecting it.

"Mashiro-chan very much likes strawberries and strawberry-flavoured things even though she worries about people thinking it has to do with her eyes," the pale-haired girl mused aloud, winking with her own blue-grey eye before setting down the danish again and looking to look at Izumi, her head tilted and with a worried smile. "Despite what her face and voice may show, she's a kind and very empathetic girl. She really wants to help everyone, and you too. But...she's a bit scared to reach out to people. She doesn't want to step on someone's toes to do so, you know?"

Misha tilted her head in the other direction to give Izumi a normal smile before standing up straight and pointing the tongs at the display case beside herself. "So, you want to go with gingerbread cake and toffee pastry today?"

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

She nodded, following Misha.
Two was enough, three was pushing it, and there was no chance she wanted anything above that.

"I.. really didn't know that.. I'm surprised. Though, it must be exceptionally good to have someone who you're quite familiar with around in a place not too familiar."
Her eyes flickered from the Danish, back to Misha.

"I can't say the same for my own cousins, they're too old, and incredibly sociable, and some have families by now.. that sort of thing is incredibly, out of the question for the moment, with all those busy things adult life consists of, and mother did warn me about. Although, I am about seven years their junior anyhow.."
She softly chuckled.

"I was somewhat unsure when I first spoke to Satou-san, but I suppose being shy of her underclassmen isn't anything particularly new among the students."
Saying that, Izumi had spent sufficiently long enough time being home schooled to the point that she did not remember what an upperclassman exactly was to her.

A college, or university student? By then, those were adults, and Izumi's view of them was mostly that they were in control of things then, exceptionally professional as her mother demonstrated to her.
For now, she wouldn't understand why some of the students in the year below were so shy to her peers, but maybe that was just a fact she'd have to get used to.
Not that Izumi wasn't shy of the third years, anyway.

"After we acquire these pastries, where are we going to go next? I was hoping I could take another brief look at the wedding dresses..."
Was it out of the way? Izumi did not particularly remember her bearings too well around the city of Fukui.

Not that there was a rush.
She did wonder if she was pacing herself too quickly when it came to completing tasks. If she was alone, she'd have simply just bought the pastries, and moved on with anything else she'd planned out.

❝

Gingerbread Cake and Toffee Pastry for Izumi. Strawberry Danish for Mashiro. Apple Bread for Yumeko. Bear Claw for Komachi. And a Chocolate Coronet for herself.

Misha walked slowly between various displays and shelves as she filled up the tray. She nodded intermittenly, but Izumi's talk of family had her mind drift overseas where another scion of her complicated family lived. Indeed, there was her cousin Kiril, roughly seven years older, finished with secondary education, at a stable job, and married. A soft sigh escaped Misha's lips; such questions and goals were both so distant yet loomed so ominiously. But was it really enough for Misha to understand how Izumi felt? The baker still felt like she was grasping at the feeblest of connections. Thankfully, Izumi changed the subject.

"Ah, you really are eager to take a look at those dresses, aren't you?" Misha replied teasingly. "If memory serves, the little boutique for the dresses stands at the other side of the square."

After a quick recount over the contents of the tray, Misha headed towards the cashier to pay for their haul, walking in measured and relaxed steps. "So, what we can do is forgo looking through the windows of the stores at the perimite and cut across. However, after that." Misha looked to Izumi with a grin. "I personally have never been to this store or any other like it, so I will naturally rely on Izumi-san's familiarity."

The baker gave a playful wink of the eye before setting her cane against her leg to free up a hand. The line for the cashier wasn't too long, but it gave Misha enough time to look for her wallet from her pinafore's pocket in time to keep up with the advancing line.

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

"Eager? Well, yes. Definitely yes, I can't deny that. Possibly more invested than a lot of brides when it comes to wanting to see. Not that I can understand the prospect of it myself, being a high-school student with no plans at all when it comes to marriage, and mother having explicitly warned me that if I am proposed to, said individual has to seek her approval before anything else. It's definitely a long, long, and even longer way away than just walking in."

Izumi smirked, keeping up with the line's advance, a soft chuckle audible.
She did not know where this said store was, and was going to rely on chance alone, being able to find it with enough searching, perseverance and whatnot.

"But, I am sure it'll stand out to you and I. Wedding dresses tend to have a certain distinctiveness to them. Or at least, this store does, with the big window, ever-changing mannequins, ever-changing displays, and ever-changing dresses, it's like.. an art gallery, except if the art was wearable... if that makes any sense, Misha-chan."

Her eyes hovered to the tray in Misha's hand, and she'd think to herself.
Most likely, gifts for other students Izumi wasn't acquainted with herself. There was no way they could split all of these, sans the Strawberry Danish between the two of them, unless they did.

Izumi was wondering to a decent extent.
Why yes, most people could eat a lot of pastries, but was it really worth it? She didn't really know.
It was possible, but why exactly?
Savoury food was the healthier option, yet... Okinawan donuts were not savoury items. Tempura items were savoury, but... thinking about food too hard was not a good idea right now, seeing as there were things that both Misha-chan and Izumi were wanting to do on this day out.

Izumi could only follow Misha-chan, and the queue as it gradually advanced.
Again, there was no hurry.

❝

A mother's approval for a groom was very much old-school, yet Misha really couldn't find fault in that notion. It did remind the baker of another task that she would eventually have to do, that is to introduce her own girlfriend, Naotora, to her family. And not just to her sister and parents, but to all the Kitamura family. And maybe not just Tokyo - Sapporo perhaps, since Yumeko was also at the school, but even...California?

Misha pushed aside that notion as she started to pull out yen bills from her wallet, listening to Izumi as they took a few steps closer to the cashier. The way Izumi described the dress displays was indeed vivid, and it elicted a chuckle as Misha nodded to say that Izumi was indeed making sense.

"Well, the way you describe it makes it seem all like a wonderful adventure to look through them all," Misha said with a smile. It was their turn to pay for their haul and Misha already had the exact change ready to go even before the cashier, a lively girl who could easily have been a classmate, finished ringing up the total. The pastries were swiftly bagged and placed into a paper box that was earnestly handed over the counter to them. Misha bowed slightly and accepted it before transferring it to one hand.

"Allons-y!" Misha smiled softly as she lightly gestured to the door with her cane to signal that it was time to head out. She waited for both of them to exit the bakery before speaking again. "I do wonder, and pardon me for prying, but has Izumi-san ever had to play the role of a bride in a play?" Misha asked as she lead the way again.

Her cane tapped against the ground in metered fashion against the sidewalk and then the road as they crossed the street and passed under a small archway that marked the entrance to the park. The brick footpath ahead was straight, albeit intersected by another brick walkway at the park's centre. But in the distance, the glass displays containing bridal dresses could be made out by a sharp eye.

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

"Look through them all... I.. really haven't tried that. Just looking from the outside, for a few brief seconds. I keep feeling like someone will recognise me from one of my classes, and then start asking as to why I'm spending so long staring at something that's more in-line with someone who has a large part of their life already planned out.. I would like to hope if I do end up in a situation like that, it's definitely the right person I've fallen for.. whoever, and however long that may take... hopefully soon!"

Izumi joked.

As they neared the exit of the park, Izumi's eyes locked on towards the not so distant window of the specialist store in front of them. If the two of them did enter, they wouldn't be kicked out for just browsing, right? It wouldn't seem so.. polite to just do that, provided that the two of them weren't doing anything harmful.

Stopping in her tracks, she'd sigh softly, and turn towards Misha.

"I... do remember it being not too small, so I guess I wouldn't be spotted immediately, and then it wouldn't be so.. odd.. but.. what would you say, Misha-chan? I don't want to hover around the outside window in this weather."
She had enough trust in Misha by now, that questions of this type weren't too odd to ask.

"And... perhaps.. no, I'm not sure what to say.. our previous talk about romance, yes.. I want to know what exactly brings two people together, not from a fictional standpoint, but under normal human circumstances, if that makes any sense? Not that I'm desperate to fall in love."

Eyes again glancing at the store, they'd go back to Misha as Izumi turned to face her.
"I do, and truly hope I am making sense to you, Misha-chan."
There were times for more serious words, and although this wasn't a serious situation, Izumi just wanted to get her queries, and points across to Misha.

❝

Misha happily listened to Izumi was they traversed the park. Though she tried not to walk too quickly, the small size of the park meant that they neared the other end faster than Misha had hoped - she wanted to listen to Izumi a bit more.

Still, the baker was able to get a better peek into her roommate's habits, or rather just how extensive her shyness was. Frankly, Misha never considered the notion of having a classmate come across her; even as the Student Council Vice President she could never conceive of any scandal regarding wedding dresses. But, the baker new better than to dismiss the notion as silly, rather she wondered just how much the notion of appearance had been drilled in.

Misha paused at the same time Izumi did, a bit surprised at the sudden stop. "No, you do make sense," Misha replied with a chuckle. "And I was intending from the start to actually go inside." She tilted her head and smiled to her roommate. "I know I teased you and asked you to be my guide, but, whenever you wish to leave, just tell me, okay?" Misha winked before turning to lead the way again, waiting for Izumi before crossing the street.

"As for romance? Love is a...rather complicated subject. There are many forms of it, and all the literature in the world will never prepare you for it." The metal cane tapped sharply as crossed and stepped back onto the pavement, and for the last few steps to the front door, Misha was silent in thought. In a way, Izumi's predicament reminded the chef of Naotora and her own struggles with writing her romance novels. But, Misha never told Izumi about Naotora yet, and to bring up notion that she already had a girlfriend felt too much like rubbing it in.

"Well, perhaps I should say that there are so many things that could bring two individuals together. So much that...nearly anything would do." Misha replied, smiling again towards Izumi as she stopped at the front door of the shop. That response was the compromise that Misha made with herself. Her eyes quickly glanced through the window and into the shop, where a sea of gowns draped over an army of mannequins silently awaited.

"There's no need to rush, Izumi-san," Misha said, try to sound reassuring. She gestured towards the door handle, but made sure to make it look like she wasn't reaching for it, not just yet. "When you are ready, we'll dive in together."

tag(s): Izumi Shiraishi ━ words: 000 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Nodding, Izumi followed slowly after, half-looking at the ground below, and half-looking at what was in front of her.
What was there to worry about, exactly? Fear of...? Just as Misha had said, they were not in a hurry, yet..

She paused, and looked up, exhaling softly through her nose, before continuing in the same direction towards Misha, and the door of said store.
At least, if she were to make a mistake in any such regard, Misha would be there to back her up. It felt quite odd that she could rely on someone that wasn't her mother, but also quite reassuring. Someone her age, who understood things more in line with her, compared to her mother's somewhat stricter, more serious approaches towards matters.

Smiling with this reassurance in mind, Izumi stood close to Misha after coming to a stop.

"I understand what you are saying, Misha-chan. Or, at least I believe we are on the same page here, hopefully. So. With that explanation, would it be better to say romance is going to find me first, rather than me finding it? Less of a fairytale encounter, and more of a Romeo and Juliet scenario... well, at least when they initially met, is what I'm referring to, minus all the family conflict and resulting turn of events, aha."

Tilting her head, Izumi gently laughed yet again.
"If literature truly can't prepare me, I do wonder what's going to happen in the future. I do suppose it's down to experience. Hopefully if I do end up in love, it'll be more magical than anything I can read in fiction, or possibly imagine."

Shrugging off her lack of knowledge, Izumi felt ready to enter the store that she and Misha stood before, confident and doubtless that it wouldn't be anything too stressful, just going with the calm pace they'd had.
Truthfully, this was her own idea, and so, Izumi did want to visit this place. Just that it did feel as if she was taking a deep look into the possible future, almost.

What was needed again?
Her mother's approval.. oh well, Izumi could always choose on the wedding theme, the venue and all the other things that followed. But now was not the time to think about an unsure future she had no bearing on, but instead focus on what was in front of her.

And if she did feel nervous, she could rely on Misha.
"Well, I do believe I am ready now, Misha-chan. I will follow, as earlier."