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watch me — i will go to my own sun. if i am burned by its fire, let me fly on scorched wings. |
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Post by himari fujiwara on Jun 12, 2021 17:13:24 GMT -5
♪ now playing: [ escape when it's tough ] — takayan 'Something different for each person'... she'd guessed.
Even if it was an offhanded statement, Himari figured she could at least take it to heart. Eyes glazed over the covers, she nodded at Kawahashi's words, wondering what she would potentially find interesting about each of the books. Most of it were the circumstances the girls in these stories had been put into, rather than the promise of romance. And yet to understand these relationships was an effort her room mate herself was invested with regards to them. At the very least, to Fujiwara, the novels, manga, would each be a learning experience of some kind.
Maybe she should jot down what she found personally interesting at the end of all of them, the girl mused. Kind of like a studying session.
And in the same vein she'd chosen to file each of the books as a topic of analysis, she couldn't help but notice the sudden fluster of her room mate's demeanor, particularly in how quickly Amaya's sights had been drawn towards the floor. In their silence, Himari couldn't help but smile, smugness radiating through that grin even though the girl was trying not to feel pride in it. One part of her wanted to chide her newfound friend — 'C'mon, Kawahashi-san', she might've said, 'You can't be that easy, can you?' — but the other had bets on her being too forward or too harsh at a sudden pipe as such. When her room mate finally returned to reality, Fujiwara squished out the remnants of her smirk.
(And then nearly restored it with a chuckle at Kawahashi's mention of professionalism.)
Himari waved off the thought with a grin, eyes shut tight, alongside the flap of her hand. "Hey! It's not like it's your job or anything. It's just a casual stroll around school between the two of us, isn't it?" The girl added a shrug for good measure. "You really don't have to be so formal about it. You're really just lugging me around for a bit, that's all."
With a short 'hup', Fujiwara shuffled herself back up on her own two feet. A quick scoop of the books on Amaya's bed, and she had her four novels tucked underneath her arm, the girl making her way over to setting them down on her own bed. "Yeah, the arts building is definitely a must-visit. I'd say exploring the courtyard too, but we'll be passing through it almost every day, if I'm not wrong. So there's no need to rush it with that spot."
The small collection was set down on her own bed, Himari taking a seat by the edge of it. Her legs were slightly set apart as she leaned forward, elbows on her knees, trying to tally the number of places she was interested in sight-seeing. "Let me think... There's the cafeteria, of course." Since they had mention its prominence earlier, it only made sense to have involved it in their tour now. The girl raised an index, tapping on the knuckle of her middle as she hummed. "Then there's the rooftops, if they're open. Usually they'd be pretty quiet and empty, wouldn't they? A nice secluded spot."
"—Ah..."
Fujiwara tilted her head, gaze towards the ceiling as she tried to recall. It was only after two beats that it came back down to settle on her room mate, the girl's eyes blank with uncertainty with her realization. "Though, I think there were gardens up on some of them, too? I don't mind taking a look through them, of course, but I'd prefer it if there was another wing without the presence of other students if given the chance." A corner of her mouth turned upwards to form a wry smile. "After all, it's a little embarrassing to scurry through work or belt in front of an audience sometimes, don't you think? Though it's fine either way; I'd usually leave school for such activities in the first place. Just would be convenient if my hideaway's only a couple minutes from here rather than a good few more."
Himari continued to ponder, eyes set to her fingers as she fidgeted in thinking for a moment. It was within seconds that she shook her head, finally, after some mutters, and turned back to Kawahashi. "I guess if there's anywhere else that you think might stand out, feel free to surprise me. Since you've been here at this school for longer and the like."
With a shrug, Fujiwara stood up, tucking her hands into her jacket's pockets. "As for which order to view them in... Well." She nudged her head towards the door. "You're the guide here, senpai. I'll let you decide what's more convenient for us, I suppose."
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Post by Amaya Kawahashi on Jun 20, 2021 16:45:13 GMT -5
Somewhere in Amaya's mind, she was starting to worry that perhaps she might not be able to pull off the tour as promised. Planning to take her roommate to all the places that vocal performance majors would be going to might not be so easy for her. There was a vague notion in her mind map of the Fukui school grounds of where those buildings would be, but she hoped they wouldn't have to spend too much time in them. Her secret might get out if they ran into other girls they were supposedly both in the same major as, which would be bad all around. Thankfully her roommate seemed to be more interested in seeing some other things at the school. Any concern over possibly getting in too deep washed away and she felt some confidence return to her.
So what they had on the table were a few spots that Fujiwara had mentioned, none of which were going to be a problem. The cafeteria was a popular spot especially when you were new at Fukui, but it was the rooftop gardens that intrigued Amaya more. She'd heard a few stories and rumors herself, but had never really gone out to look for them. They were probably not as frequented as the flower gardens that one of the clubs maintained on campus. A couple of people could just wander up to them and enjoy themselves without concern for interruptions by a large number of passers by. Just two girls feeling the cool breeze as it wafted through a special place that for all intents and purposes was there for them and them alone. Taking in the tranquility of healthy and happy plants, beautiful flowers and the silent company of one another. Perhaps their hands would unconsciously seek each other out, grasping for a connection neither girl knew they wanted at first. Then those hands would join and the two would suddenly look at each other, blush, then look away bashfully. Yet their hands remained joined.
Wait, what the heck was she thinking about?! Amaya froze in mid thought as she realized that her thoughts had drifted off into the world of yuri again. She hoped that she'd been able to keep her embarrassment at a minimum but she could feel her cheeks were a bit warm. For a few moments she stood there anxiously attempting to figure out whether she should attempt to work off that feeling of embarrassment or just move forward. Her right foot tapped on the floor a little bit while her jumbled mess of thoughts went in circles. Finally she managed to get herself to commit to moving on - it had worked so far with Fujiwara, so why not keep that up? Just act like it was fine and she probably wouldn't notice.
"O-okay then, I think maybe today we should start with some fun spots. Like the cafeteria, some g.. gardens.. and places like that," Amaya replied with a smile on her face attempting to fight off her awkwardness, "We'll be going to the building with our major a lot after all, so it's not something we.. um.. need to visit immediately."
She tried to think of what else to add, but suddenly her stomach audibly grumbled, "Oh.. um.. maybe we should stop by somewhere near the school to get some food? I guess I've worked up an appetite this morning. And.. er.. there are some nice spots to eat close by... " Amaya laughed awkwardly, then grabbed her shoulder bag and motioned to the door, "Sh-shall we go?"
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watch me — i will go to my own sun. if i am burned by its fire, let me fly on scorched wings. |
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY NIGHT
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Post by himari fujiwara on Jun 22, 2021 4:56:34 GMT -5
♪ now playing: [ kirari ] — fujii kaze It was in her thinking that Himari hadn't captured Kawahashi's fluster in the moment. Still, the stammering in her words right after made the girl question why. Was there something strange about the gardens? Her room mate indicated it as a 'fun' spot — sure, that categorization felt off, but it wasn't as though Fujiwara could disagree. Places surrounded by nature were where she felt safer, cozier after all. And under the open air from up high...
So that hesitance caused her to tilt her head, faint smile still stuck on her face. If there was an area Amaya had felt uncomfortable with, did Himari trust her new friend enough to be told about such an accommodation? She hoped so, just in case the heights up on the roof top unsettled her. Or maybe if the gardens were off limits up there. "Yeah, sounds good!"
The rumble from Kawahashi's tummy caught the girl off guard. A moment, stunned, before she chuckled, shuffling towards the door past her room mate. An appetite from singing? Fujiwara felt her heart burn with pride.
(Granted, it wasn't as though she was aware of Amaya's routine yet.)
"I guess it is just about time for lunch," Himari commented. "A quick trip out of school before coming back to campus? I don't mind." She turned the handle on the door, glancing over to her friend. Though she'd been in the city for a while, she hadn't explored the districts around the academy yet, and the thought of food paired with her interest showed on her face. A light shove of her arm, and the girl held the way open for her room mate. "By this hour, I guess shops've gotta be opening now, right?"
Her curiosity was sparked as Amaya picked up a shoulder bag. It must've been normal, the way she was carrying it, but Himari wasn't used to hauling baggage when making a quick stop nearby. Then again, it never hurt to be prepared — but the girl hadn't even had time to unpack herself. She'd figure out her lifestyle about the vicinity as time went on, Himari understood.
"Hey, are you craving for anything?"
Himari waited for Kawahashi to step into the corridor. A retracting of her arm afterwards; was there a need to lock the door? In the time that it took for her to think twice about doing so, Fujiwara had already gone through the motions out of habit. It was safe, and probably for the best. Had her friend started to move, the girl would catch up to her at a brisk pace, shoving the keys into her pockets.
Her headphones were only blaring louder in that enclosed, liminal space. It was with a cheeky and honest grin that she locked her hand around Amaya's, fingers laced in fragile contact. "Hey, hey," Himari added, voice brash as she ruminated about her preferred meal for the hour. Matched footsteps echoed around them in the light. "If I remembered, you mentioned a beef bowl place earlier, didn't you? Think they'd be open now?"
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Post by Amaya Kawahashi on Jun 26, 2021 21:34:19 GMT -5
Everything would be just fine, there was nothing at all to be concerned about here. Just a pair of recently introduced roommates who could be friends going to get some food and talk some more about whatever came to mind. It was a totally normal sort of outing, really, so Amaya wasn't terribly concerned as they stepped out of the dorm room. Added to that it would give her an opportunity to maybe check her phone in secret to make sure she knew where 'their' major had its classes. Some quick information gathering and she would be all perfectly set up for success. While her roommate locked up Amaya grinned a bit as she felt some bravado returning after her recent train of thought throwing her off. Yup, this would be just f.... was Fujiwara holding her hand?
And there went the poor girl's confidence yet again. Of all things that could happen in fiction, two girls holding hands was obviously one of the most intimate and romantic things that could be shown. There were other things that would probably happen too but you didn't often get to see those kinds of affectionate displays in manga or the real world. Amaya had had many a daydream or thought exercise where she might be holding hands with someone herself. She hadn't thought it was going to happen with a girl she had just met and found out she would be sharing a room with. Her grin faded from view as her cheeks flared up with a rosy tinge yet again. What was Fujiwara thinking? Were they closer in the other girl's mind than Amaya had perceived? Was there even some interest in her on the part of the girl who she was now walking alongside? So many questions and so few answers. It was confusing, frustrating and embarrassing all in one go.
She was aware enough of her surroundings that she was able to kind of guide the way from campus. Her explorations of Fukui had been frequent enough that she had a pretty good idea how to get to their destination without giving it much thought. The time that it took to get from the dorms to the edge of the Fukui campus was needed as she began to stabilize her thoughts again. Okay, so they were holding hands. And that might mean that Fujiwara kind of liked her or something. But it didn't confirm anything really when you thought about it. Fujiwara was a different kind of girl than the usual ones Amaya spent time with. Maybe this was just her way of being nice or showing her desire for closeness or something. Probably best not to give it too much thought... and then her mind briefly reimagined the situation as being herself and Sora holding hands. It gave her another flash of warmth in the cheeks, but the thought also calmed her down a bit. Amaya's conclusion was that holding hands with different people probably meant different things depending on who it was. That's all.
So a few minutes after being asked, Amaya finally replied, "Y-yeah, of course the beef bowl place would be open! I think they're open at around 9 or 10, so we should be fine." She stopped and looked around to get her bearings. After a moment she pointed to a shop on the opposite street corner, "There we go! Sukiya! Affordable beef bowls with complimentary tea, and different sizes so you can match it to how hungry you are."
With a triumphant grin she tugged on Fujiwara's hand and led them across the street to the restaurant. There she let go of her friend's hand and pushed the door open, "After you this time. Just pick wherever looks like a good spot to sit."
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watch me — i will go to my own sun. if i am burned by its fire, let me fly on scorched wings. |
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY NIGHT
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Post by himari fujiwara on Jun 27, 2021 9:16:45 GMT -5
♪ now playing: [ inside joke ] — ZUTOMAYO A few minutes? Granted, if this had been someone else Kawahashi was walking with, perhaps they might've forgotten their proposed question.
Not that Himari seemed to mind. As their discussions hit a silence, Fujiwara let her gaze wander, taking in the sights between their dorm building towards the school entrance. She set her mind to memorizing the way out of the academy; a turn here, the cluster of trees there, the familiar tables that would indicate which sector of campus she'd find herself around. In her idle observations, she did wonder if her room mate hadn't heard her question. Perhaps it was alright to pose it again?
Of course, when her gaze went to Amaya's image, all she caught was a familiar flush. And Fujiwara decided to let it be. Whether it was between the girl's selfish pride or obliviousness to how much hand holding meant to the other girl, neither of them would know. The quiet was comfortable enough, between her music, their footsteps and the passing scenery. Himari simply decided to take a backseat to life and keep the peace; they were still headed to one location or another, after all. Perhaps their destination was to be a surprise.
So it was only in the present that her attention to examining the waking district was stolen by Amaya's stutter of a response. Were they headed for the beef bowl store after all? At the girl's tug, Fujiwara hastened her steps. "Took you long enough to respond," she replied. "Joking, joking~" Though, in all seriousness, she was simply appreciative of the heads up after the silence. If such contemplation was one of Kawahashi's little tics, Himari would have to commit it to memory for the future.
"Now, let's see..."
The shop seemed reminiscent of another family diner she used to visit on occasion back in her hometown. As such, she had a preference for one familiar spot, approaching a cushioned booth deeper in the store, next to a wall. Each table had already been laid with a mat and a laminated menu, with which were several listings for different food served there. Interesting.
"Still, the signature is..."
Beef had been Kawahashi's recommendation, and so it made sense for it to be her first order here than a different sort of meat. Though, between the salmon and the poultry, each of the images looked rather appetizing to begin with. Fujiwara tore her eyes off the main courses, to the add-ons and side dishes listed at a corner. She took a liking to an onsen egg, as well as...
"The tamagoyaki," she spoke aloud, looking up to her friend for confirmation. "To share, if you don't mind!"
Her quick glances through the different items had also net her intel about the various drinks and desserts available at the store. The prospect of complimentary tea was enough for the girl, though the sight of dessert was too tempting to pass. In the past, she was liken to split the sweet treats between her group of friends; now, Himari felt the urge to do the same. Sweet toothed, impulsive girl.
That being said, it was only between the two of them rather than a group of individuals. Fujiwara had a moment of pause as she eyed the different bowl sizes. Would they be able to finish their meal?
Had they chosen to place their orders there and then, the girl would've given it without hesitation. "One small bowl, please," in a confident pitch, cheek resting upon the back of her hand, gesturing to the different images printed on the menus. "Beef, with a serving of egg. It comes with green tea, right? —Then the tamagoyaki... and the panna cotta, if you would." Her gaze would flick over to Amaya, justifying her purchase with a smile. "Want to try some? We could split it in half."
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Post by Amaya Kawahashi on Jul 5, 2021 21:43:50 GMT -5
Okay, things were a little better now that they had gotten themselves to a beef bowl place for lunch. Or at least a meal close enough to mid day to count as lunch regardless of the actual time. Amaya's stomach would be satisfied soon enough and that would let her think a little more clearly about how to convincingly go about leading a tour of campus in the guise of a vocal performance major. In fact, while her new friend read through the menu Amaya pulled out her phone to review the layout of the campus. She didn't even have to pretend that she wasn't looking it up either since she honestly was reviewing the campus layout for their upcoming tour. All in all despite the slight untruth that she was in the same major, Amaya felt as if she was more open than she'd been able to be in a long long time at Fukui.
Feeling happy again after her most recent flustering, Amaya opened up the campus map and thought about it for a bit. She could see a pretty straightforward route to the cafeteria and library which would be handy things for any girl to know. The question was how to get to the performing arts building and specifically the vocal performance classrooms. Amaya tapped her chin as he pondered the puzzle before her. Information on the specifics was a little harder to come by, but it was always possible that they could just kind of wing it when it came to that part. Maybe not even go to the classrooms of the major. Yeah that sounded like a solid plan! Then they could just find a rooftop garden to check out and it would all be just fine. Perfect plan, no problems that couldn't be worked around if or when Fujiwara decided to take it in an unexpected direction.
With that decided, she shut off her phone and took up the other puzzle before her. What was she hungry for? There were a lot of variations on the beef bowl formula available, and Fujiwara had already made up her mind on a number of things. Amaya's face scrunched up as she thought about all the options, despite the fact that she'd eaten at this chain a number of times before. Would it be better to try something totally new or go with a twist on an old classic? Her stomach would decide for her by rumbling just as she started to get into the finer details of each option before her. Had it not embarrassed her at that moment she probably would have started thinking about how the dishes were made, and that in turn would have made her pretty upset - cooking was never something Amaya wanted to give any thought to. Given how hungry she was, she just picked out something from the first section her eyes settled on in the aftermath of her stomach rumble.
"Well then I guess I will just go with the.. um.. beef katsu bowl, small serving with maybe some matcha ice cream for dessert," Amaya finally announced, setting her menu down and looking to Fujiwara, "And sure we can share something, no problem. It sounds... um.. f-fun!"
Amaya placed her order with the first server she could get over to the table, then looked to Fujiwara, "Anyway, I think I've got a route for the tour picked out too. We can do some detours if you want, but it should take us everywhere we talked about."
After a moment of silence she asked, "So.. um.." Okay, topic of conversation... what did you talk about with a new friend? All she could think of in the moment, and something she'd regret she was sure, was, "Any questions for me that aren't about school? I-I think I've asked you a good number and all.. right?"
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watch me — i will go to my own sun. if i am burned by its fire, let me fly on scorched wings. |
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY NIGHT
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Post by himari fujiwara on Jul 11, 2021 6:59:24 GMT -5
♪ now playing: [ 決戦スピリット ] — CHiCO with HoneyWorks Questions that weren't about school? That came as a surprise. Most of the time, the friends that Fujiwara would've hung out with were quick to fill the void with bantering amongst themselves, leaving the girl herself either to listen wholeheartedly or interject whenever she herself had something to add to the conversation; a decision she could make out of her own freedom at and her convenience. Latest trends, newest fads on the internet, those sorts of things. Himari was surprised — but not disappointed — to observe drawing a blank in their discussion. She'd almost smiled at it, even.
Where should she begin?
"Hmm..."
Her index tapped at her chin as she raised her head, sights pointed upwards, expression forming a little pout. It was after a few seconds that her signature grin, full of smugness began to form again. "Well, I wouldn't have to ask what your hobby is by now, I should think," she explained, looking back towards Kawahashi with a wave of her hand. "I could hazard a guess."
Back to thinking, eyes set to the ceiling — she could always have resorted to asking about her room mate's life before or outside the academy, perhaps even broach about her family, even? If only the topic didn't feel so heavy to begin with — credit granted to Himari, she herself would've preferred to keep her own life under wraps where she could, the thought of debates amongst her own almost introducing a sour taste to her mouth. Foods? Though at any other point in time, it would've made for a somewhat intriguing topic, they were already waiting for their own meals to arrive; no sense getting themselves even hungrier by this point, the girl reasoned.
Fujiwara hummed, still pondering on her options. Then the thought struck her like a bolt from the blue, and she wondered for a moment where it'd come from — formed so defiantly, she could hardly believe she was out for lunch and wasn't instead asking questions at somebody else's sleepovers. Though the idea seemed more personal that asking about someone's history, surely it couldn't have been that much of a step ahead. Plus, after all those books Himari had caught sight of from Kawahashi's collection? Surely it must've been an open topic — or at least one that would get the girl thinking of an answer, if there hadn't already been one.
If anything, the tantalizing ask itself simply replaced the dulling neutral expression on Fujiwara's face into that smidge of a mischievous smirk — and then it faded away just as fast, Himari trying to cover up her motives with a quick grin.
"So, Kawahashi-san, given how long you've been building your yuri collection..."
The girl had begun tracing her fingers out in circles upon the wooden table's surface, other hand holding up her chin by the base of her palm. If her smile had seemed menacing, it was most obviously an effect of their conversation moreso than Fujiwara's intent. But that didn't shake away the looming, prying interest that was carried in her voice.
Her eyes had been distant since her initial drawl, mind instead wondering about the possibilities of Amaya's answer. Someone in their class, perhaps? Or a senior? Was it maybe even... her best friend?
(How cliché — but entirely sweet — would that be?)
"— Just out of curiosity, of course, and only if you'd feel comfortable in humoring me." The last minute clarifications were only there to ease the tinge of guilt Himari had for asking, a half-hearted apology for siding constantly with the side of herself that was just a little too interested in knowing the details than caring for boundaries. "I don't suppose you happen to have a type of person you were interested in right now. Did you?"
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Post by Amaya Kawahashi on Jul 18, 2021 14:57:31 GMT -5
Well Amaya had offered herself as an open book to her roommate. Maybe she hadn't expected that her new friend would immediately go to such a personal topic. Amaya didn't answer immediately as she found herself taken aback by how direct Fujiwara had been. This wasn't the kind of thing that she had really expected to talk about with someone from school over lunch, much less their first time together. But was it really that surprising coming from someone like Fujiwara, who had unexpectedly been very interested in the yuri collection under Amaya's bed? Someone who was genuinely interested in the books that she was and who just outright accepted Amaya's weirdness without question.
So if it wasn't that surprising really, what should she do now? Was there something to hold her back from answering the question? Amaya thought about it for a moment but couldn't really think of any reason for doing so. It wasn't like she was particularly secretive about her interest in other girls. The large collection of books and manga Fujiwara had already seen was evidence enough of that. She gazed over at Fujiwara and considered her friend a bit more - she seemed to be trustworthy really. Not the sort of person she'd have expected herself to room with but here they were. So what she was left with was the question that she had been asked. Was there a type of person that she was interested in right now?
That required its own line of thinking. A lot of manga and novels had certain types of girls who appeared continually. The older girl who awakened the love in her kouhai. A dashing girl who swept an otherwise very simple girl off her feet. For Amaya though they were just an escape for a little while, fuel for her daydreams and inner desires for a girlfriend of her own. Did she have a type? Amaya strained her brain but couldn't really pinpoint one particular type of person she was interested in. It wasn't really a good explanation, but she thought that maybe there was something else that she was looking for. Something simple that transcended all the different types of people she read about and had met.
"I.. guess it's.. more like I'm just interested in someone who can see me for me. Like she's there at my side and I'm there at hers, and we just.. follow our hearts without worrying about anyone else's expectations," Amaya finally replied, shoulders relaxing from the tenseness that had filled them during her thought process, "Someone who I can just go exploring places with and forget the time while we're together. It doesn't even have to be anywhere special or anything special because it's with her."
She laughed a little, "It's funny, I don't really have a type. But I think I'd know her when I met her, you know?" Briefly a face appeared in her thoughts and she shook it off by deciding on something to ask Fujiwara. No time to think about Sora right now, that was impolite!
Amaya ran a finger through her hair as she asked, "What about you, Fujiwara-san? Is there any kind of person you're interested in?"
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watch me — i will go to my own sun. if i am burned by its fire, let me fly on scorched wings. |
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY NIGHT
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Post by himari fujiwara on Aug 1, 2021 7:02:54 GMT -5
♪ now playing: [ 法螺話 (w/ Guiano) ] — 理芽 It was evident from the aftermath that her query had indeed been too straight forward. Not as though the question could be taken back, now. During the wait for her answer, Amaya's stiffness not gone unnoticed, Himari had almost wanted to prompt the girl further for an answer. A date idea here, a subtle romantic thought there, dragging her victim across the coals — We weren't discussing who it was, but you ended up thinking of her, didn't you?
Fujiwara couldn't help but laugh, however, thankful that she hadn't played that card once room mate had answered her. Maybe that would've been too cruel, in hindsight. Better that she'd shut her lip when her companion was contemplating the finer details. She'd already have a track record for chasing people off.
And Kawahashi's response had been earnest.
Of course, that should've been the case with anyone else holding such a desire, the type to want to be close to someone, Fujiwara figured. Good to know that her room mate too had been giving it some thought.
"So someone you can look forward to growing with, in short?" Any external observer might've sympathized due to their youthfulness, bright-eyed and ready to take on the world. Himari instead related to such a want. She'd paused. "Quality time as a love language then? aside from helping each other out, I guess. That feels like a given if it's someone you like being with, y'know?"
The girl hummed, further putting her mind to work. "Bet its tough though, given school. I get that we have days off and such, but if most of your time's dedicated to studies, there'd be little left for that special someone, huh?"
Her gaze had strayed across the restaurant as she'd spoken, over towards the kitchen where she was certain their dishes were still being prepared, delivery underway.
"... Oh—"
Half-lidded, her attention only jolted, barely focused on the present as she came to a quick realization. "—But I'm not already expecting you to already have someone in mind, of course." A light grin came to grace her image if only to cover up her lack of awareness. "Although even if you did, even dropping her name would've been a big ask from a near-stranger, huh?"
That laugh afterwards was nearly a cackle. Himari still had honest intentions, after all.
Then the question was turned on her. Fujiwara stilled, eyes widening more out of surprise than of shock. A game of question ping-pong?
"Ah... Not really, not really!" It was her hasty reply paired with a burning green, accompanied only by the wave of her hand and a slight lean backwards. "Dare I say it... I might've asked to compare notes, that's all." Then she laughed.
A conversation about romance was always welcome to Himari, had always been so in the past. But not when the spotlight happened to shine down on her, more a listener than an active participant on those discussions. Though she knew that it was unfair for Kawahashi to take the brunt of her teasing, moreso than was absolutely necessary for a first introduction between two others.
The glance towards the kitchen was merely in check for her next spiel, and so she rested her elbows on the table again, holding her chin cupped in one hand. "I'm not particularly interested in the dating scene myself, I guess. Not like being alone's a problem for me; I've already got singing to focus on, y'know?"
Fujiwara began to become acquainted with a short strand of red fabric on the sleeve of her jacket, picking at it gently while forming the words.
"But attraction like that... I figure you've got to let it play out naturally. The dynamic between different people are likely to differ, of course; you'd never really know what to expect from life itself other than meeting those whom you start to become familiar with..."
She'd nearly started humming, absent-minded, as she finally managed the strand between her fingertips. A break in her speech, enough for her to huff it away once it was wobbling, dancing on her index. Himari sighed through a smile before returning her sights over to Amaya. "Or maybe I'm making it too complex a deal for myself. In any case, I'm on the frame of mind not to give it too much thought at the moment. If it happens, it happens. Y'know?"
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Post by Amaya Kawahashi on Aug 10, 2021 21:55:42 GMT -5
There was a good bit of truth in how Fujiwara poke about romance. As much as the novels and manga that Amaya consumed would have her believe otherwise, it didn't seem like she could force it. When it happened, it happened. Unless there were some circumstances which happened to her that brought that girl to light she really didn't know when she would meet her. Someday was the best she could hope for right now even though her heart did wish for someone to grow with and fall for. Maybe she would suddenly find that girl as if out of thin air! Or perhaps she would just discover the feelings there for someone whom she had already met but didn't realize she liked at the time. Many possibilities existed, and all that she was certain of was that she kind of loved the idea of love. Yes, someday that girl in a relationship would be her and she would find all kinds of ways to make her girlfriend happy! Until then? She had her books to help her along and give her ideas for future dates.
Something else that was surprised her was how happy she felt just having someone to talk to about her dreams for romance. By no means was she secretive about her interest being exclusively in girls, but not all other people were happy to discuss such things. Himari on the other hand was right here sharing her own thoughts on the matter as if this were just any other topic. The shared interest was actually quite magical when she got right down to it. Sora would listen to Amaya if she ever wanted to talk about it but Sora couldn't share her own take on it. Amaya smiled contentedly as she ruminated on the feeling she had just discovered she had in the midst of their conversation.
Just then their food arrived, still steaming and carrying the scents of each bowl and dish to the girls. After the waitress set the plates and glasses of tea down she beat a hasty retreat, leaving the two students to their meal. Amaya gave a quick 'itadakimasu' before breaking apart her chopsticks and beginning to munch. Her hunger overwhelmed any sense of politeness as she wolfed down a chunk of her bowl. When she remembered herself she slowed her bites and tried to think what to say now. She really wanted to keep chatting with Fujiwara but wasn't sure what else she should talk about now. For a bit she just sat there chewing her food and wondering what she ought to say to continue the conversation. Finally an idea struck her, though it might sound a little odd to someone who spoke about things so matter of factly.
"Hey, so thanks for being willing to talk with me about liking girls and wanting to date.. I don't have many people I can do that with. I think they'd just get bored or have nothing to say back to me," Amaya spoke appreciatively. She brushed some of her hair over her shoulder as she added, "And hey if we both end up with a girlfriend at some point I'd love to do a double date."
Amaya laughed at the thought before asking, "So tell me something, Fujiwara-san. What do you do during breaks from school? Are you planning to go home or just stick around Fukui?"
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watch me — i will go to my own sun. if i am burned by its fire, let me fly on scorched wings. |
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY NIGHT
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Post by himari fujiwara on Aug 23, 2021 10:16:36 GMT -5
♪ now playing: [ オノマトペ ] — 羽生まゐご feat.りりあ —Ah, and their food had arrived right in the nick of time. Just when Himari had been thinking twice about the possibility of a dead end in their conversation, too.
A clatter of ceramic and silverware, alongside her heartfelt and quiet thanks filled the air. The girl first reached for the tiny bowl with pudding upon it first. Despite it being dessert, Fujiwara had always been quick for sweet treats, and delved into splitting the panna cotta right in half, down its center. She ate directly with one tiny spoon, its surface cold, gaze flittering between the spread of food before them, before bouncing towards Kawahashi's side of the dining table. There was a hint of envy in Himari's eyes as she watched her room mate work the bowl; mostly due to the girl's appetite, Fujiwara herself finding her own just a slight bit lacking in comparison. She savoured the dessert in the silence, caramel syrup melting beneath her tongue, watching the thin slices of beef vanish into her room mate's mouth.
Delectable.
And speaking of delicious, her observations had warranted utmost surprise from Himari herself. The tamagoyaki previously ordered had been accompanied by a small serving of mentaiko sauce. No wonder Amaya had sung praises about the restaurant from earlier, Fujiwara reflected. That bit of tangy goodness was more than welcome on the young girl's palette, once she'd completed her share of the pudding and went back to settle on her main course. It was only when she'd swapped her utensils, spoon for chopsticks, that Kawahashi began to speak again. And Himari listened, half-attentive, dipping one side of an omelette slice into the small mash of pink roe.
"Seriously?" The corners of her mouth went up into a grin. Then again, she supposed she had no reason to be surprised. Their topic was often sensitive to many, past how personal it would've been, aside from their given climate to boot. She chuckled again when Amaya seemed flippant on the idea of finding a girlfriend. "Said it like it's the easiest thing in the world."
Fujiwara tutted, waving the slice of egg in her grasp before popping it into her mouth, chewing it slow. Somehow, somewhere within herself, Himari had already decided how unlikely it was that turn of events, finding someone out of the blue to date since she'd just gotten here. Hell, it had only been her first day at Fukui, after all. But accompanying her room mate on her dates sure did sound like fun.
"Don't hold me accountable to it, though," the girl added, chin set upon the back of her hand, a sparkle glinting in her eye. Sly. "Wouldn't want to ruin the mood for the both of you now, y'know? Be it with just me or if I had anyone to tag along with. Especially if it was just a pair of us tailing the other. But what an idea..."
Her voice trailed off, Fujiwara returning her sights to her food. "Student discounts were always such a bargain..."
A snort quickly followed, just as Himari disassembled herself from her thoughts.
"Joking, joking~"
The girl started to return to her food, the tip of her sticks breaking open that liquid egg yolk. Another pull of the omelette not too far away, dipped in more sauce -- then it was Kawahashi's turn to ask the questions, and better hers than Fujiwara's, it seemed.
"Breaks, huh?"
Her eyes barely left the bowl as she busied herself, folding beef slices upon a field of white. Upon that metal spoon, mixed with dollops of gold and pink, vapors were simmering in thin, fragile wisps. Himari gave the concoction a light blow, stewing on her answer.
"Well, I'm definitely not going home." A statement said plainly, the girl waiting for her serving to cool. "I guess... at best, if I needed to escape the dorms for a while, I could head back to a family's around the city. A cousin's place, sort of. It's not as convenient as remaining in the academy, though, come to think of it." She hummed, huffing again at the warm spoonful. "No harm in staying back in our room to relax on my own, to be honest."
Fujiwara's grin appeared to return once she'd stuck the food in her mouth. Two ideas struck her at once, like a flash of lighting; one of them was surprise at the mix of flavours, her lips pulled together in a welcome, blissful tart. "This is really good," she'd murmured, briefly finding herself capable of mentioning it before she waded through her bowl once again, building up more dollops of servings.
In that distracted haze, she'd also managed to glance up, turning back on Kawahashi with only a brighter smile. "Why, need me to be out of your hair when you find some girl to be sweet on?"
Had her mouth not swiftly been stuffed full with her meal, Himari would've probably laughed off her words again. This time, she stuck to her course, however. The busy work of trying to keep herself together from giggling out of dizzying control was incomparable to the taste of a well-made, home cooked dish such as this.
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Post by Amaya Kawahashi on Sept 13, 2021 21:35:48 GMT -5
The distraction of food was quite welcome for Amaya while her new friend responded to her questions. Not a distraction from the answers themselves but from the tons of other things that threatened to swarm Amaya's imagination at any given moment. There were in fact some other manga that she hadn't yet gotten her hands on which she thought perhaps the other girl would be interested in. This was hardly the time to be thinking of still more things that she ought to suggest to her new friend for quality reading. Fujiwara was already going to be borrowing a small stack of them from her, no need to pile on the extra titles. Especially when Amaya had yet to purchase them! It was just that they had proven to be difficult ones to get her hands on, given the incredibly niche subject material they included. Besides, they weren't even talking about things to read right now! She munched some more meat mixed with rice as her roommate kept speaking.
It was there that Amaya found herself stuck on another topic that suddenly came to mind. Fujiwara had asked her jokingly if she was just trying to get alone time and space for if she found that special girl. If this were any of the manga or light novels that she loved so much Amaya would have been blushing at the mere suggestion of such a motive. More for the actual thought of spending some quiet time alone with a girl than the ulterior motive itself. Yet she wasn't really phased at the jest whatsoever and kind of wondered at that for a little bit. Why was it that she was decidedly low key when it came to discussing her own interest in girls? Amaya tapped a finger on her chin as she thought it over, as if the rhythm would help her find an answer to it. Really what it came down to was that she wasn't embarrassed about liking girls and not ever having a single solitary interest in boys like so many of her classmates. She was open about it and it really wasn't a huge deal to her. Liking a specific girl would be a different story of course but she didn't actually have anyone she liked that way right now.. did she?
Amaya shrugged as she replied, "Nah, if that happened I'd just ask if we could get some time alone. Not a big deal really. I was just wondering if you had any plans for break because I thought it might be fun to hang out. If you're not leaving Fukui then maybe we could make some plans to go exploring town without worrying about making it back to the dorms at a certain time to beat the curfew. Up to you though. I don't really want to go home, my sisters and my parents are a big chore to deal with."
She then munched a bit more food as she thought about something else. If they were friends now then wasn't it possible that just using their family names might be a little too formal? Especially considering that Amaya was none too keen on someone using her family name as often as it might come up in conversation with a new friend. That being said, she wasn't totally sure that just blurting out the suggestion would be the best way to go about it. Yet she couldn't think of any other options that wouldn't just get misconstrued as flirting (she had read far too many yuri stories to believe it wouldn't be). How did one ask without asking? Amaya wasn't going to find out because as she was musing on the idea her mouth just kind of resolved the issue for her.
"So, Fujiwara-san, I was wondering. Can I call you by your first name? Or is there some nickname you like to use?" Amaya asked, then blushed as she realized what she'd done so absent-mindedly. To try and cover her tracks she shoveled more food into her mouth, but she was still listening for any hint that Fujiwara had taken it the wrong way.
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watch me — i will go to my own sun. if i am burned by its fire, let me fly on scorched wings. |
PLAYED BY OOC NAME
PLAYED BY NIGHT
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Post by himari fujiwara on Oct 17, 2021 6:02:57 GMT -5
♪ now playing: [ FRIENDS FOR SUMMER ] — Rin Ishi "Nah, if that happened I'd just ask if we could get some time alone. Not a big deal really."
"Ehhhhh."
The groan was half in amusement, one corner of her lips tugged upwards when her cheeks couldn't help but raise. But the lidded gaze she gave back to Amaya spoke otherwise...
... Not that her hesitation nor disagreement would matter. Himari leaned forward with a tight smirk abruptly. "Really? Isn't that kind of a mood killer to get your buddy-pal to leave? You'd usually just not have me around in the first place in order to setup some intimacy, y'know...?"
The girl reeled her teasing in faster this time, leaning backwards comfortably just as the light in her eyes picked up sparks again. "Joking, joking." After all, if her accomplice was so narratively inclined, she must've realized what went into building a mood, definitely — and the offer extension must've been nothing more than gentle courtesy. Fujiwara's chopsticks were set back to work once more, picking at the beef and omelette mixture smeared with pink sauce upon her bowl. She wouldn't fret about floating around Amaya when she was with company, at least for now.
Himari had then decided to listen somewhat attentively to her room mate as Kawahashi begun to speak about summer trips and explorations. Oh, was that something about a curfew? Right, she'd already forgotten they had those. The girl wasn't trying to forget, she promised.
Half of her spoonful was pushed to the side of her mouth as she reflected upon Amaya's own words. Because the math seemed to add up in her own head, Himari skipping over her brain's silent connections, piecing the details together with ferocity. "Wow, planning for late night excursions already? I didn't know you were that kind of person, Kawahashi-san. You seemed pretty innocent to me."
Only the clatter of a continued meal followed the student's calmed actions.
Had either of them been waiting for Fujiwara's signature waiver, it never seemed to come.
Instead, the girl had taken time to think about Amaya's offer. Late night trips around town; where would they go? Even if they were to lounge around in karaoke rooms, their voices wouldn't be able to hold out for that long, she reckoned. And she hadn't taken Kawahashi to be the sporty type, either. Fishing? No, that was Fujiwara's own thing; she'd asked about it earlier, too, didn't she? Either way, late at night, it wouldn't be advised. Considering that the world would be asleep during their outing, Himari could barely scavenge together what possibilities of 'hanging out' were viable between the two of them.
Oh, and the other part. About family? Fujiwara hadn't missed it.
"I get what you mean," she followed up afterwards, still half-ruminating on the idea of late night activities. (A water-side barbeque? That was possible, wasn't it? The gentle waft of something sizzling on the grill sent her taste buds in a frenzy, and the girl continued to chow down to stop herself from wanting more food.) "I guess that's why the dorm is there for us, of course."
A distracted gaze swept over the rest of their meal, leaving Fujiwara silent, chewing. Yes, a part of her did feel the urge to elaborate on her own familial issues, and yet she felt as though it would've sullied the mood if she'd mentioned her own as well. Maybe, she decided, family was more likely to be a bother to most people than otherwise.
"So, Fujiwara-san, I was wondering. Can I call you by your first name? Or is there some nickname you like to use?"
And then Amaya's question took her attention out of her own thoughts.
"Eh?"
(What? First name basis already? It had only been a day... no, not even—)
Had her friend been paying attention, Kawahashi would've noticed the chopsticks wavering in her conversation partner's hand. And even for the densest of people, surely the sudden, drawn pause to Himari's reply would've stood out.
"Ah, sure—!"
That summer's beam seemed to return again, once the girl had swallowed her food and finally caught her breath. Rationale would hit her later, justifications of letting it slip through despite it feeling unusual or forward. Another tilt to the side, and a cheeky grin followed the clacking of utensils.
"Although, we've only been talking for what feels like the better half of two hours. Are y'sure you want to throw your lot in with me already? Sure it won't kill your social life or anything by getting to know the new student?"
She didn't linger on that note, chuckling as she righted herself again. Fujiwara shrugged, almost in a motion that said 'it's up to you', and continued to pick at the contents of her bowl. By now, it must've been nearly empty.
"Of course, then the offer extends back to you, doesn't it? Hey, how's it supposed to go; it's up to you to tell me so. Right, Amaya-chan?"
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