[ Jun's been made aware it's Leo's birthday soon! Yep, the day before, so he's sort of scrambling. ]
hey, ohii-san, it's tsukinaga-senpai's birthday tomorrow, and he wants a birthday cake. i said i'd do it no problem, but i was wondering if you had ideas for gifts? thinking about something he could use for composing, or, dunno, what else could he want?! we could all pitch in, if you want? but i'm gonna go ask rinne-senpai for ideas, just so he knows. i dunno if his ideas'll be helpful, though...?
[ So watch this space??? Leo's a 10, so he likely has everything he needs, but that doesn't mean he deserves to go without a present or have his fellow idols not know it's his birthday! ]
Is it? That's awfully sudden. He ought to give more notice next time!
[He didn't see this one coming. He's never given much thought to the issue of celebrating birthdays in this place. Surely he and Jun won't still be here when July and August come around... will they? It's a depressing thought.
But he pushes that aside for now. He'd much rather focus on gift-giving, celebrations, and other fun things like that! Those are his specialties.]
I'm not sure what he loves, other than composing and his little sister. I know he has a recording studio in his room, though, so perhaps we could find him some new equipment? There's always stationery and fountain pens and the like, as well, but my feeling is that he's happy to compose wherever and doesn't need to do it in a leather-bound journal.
When I'm stumped for what to get someone, I usually have our personal chef whip them something up. But he's not here right now, and instead we have you! I'm also not sure what food Leo-kun likes, since he doesn't seem to eat much. Maybe something coffee-related? A gift basket with different beans, perhaps? I'll figure something out!
Are we also throwing him a party? Or are we simply delivering the gifts up to his room?
yeah, wish he'd told me or one of you guys sooner, cuz then we'd have more time to plan.
[ And Jun agrees, it would've been more convenient if Leo had told them in advance! Unless Leo forgot his own birthday..? Hopefully, by the time their birthday's roll around, they'll be back home and can celebrate outside of this place.
Right, he recalls Leo talking about his sister! And what Hiyori's talking about makes sense. Leo does compose whenever he wants, not particularly caring for where his music ends up. Which is why Jun's stumped about gifts! At least he knows Ohii-san's good with figuring out that kind of thing. ]
that's why i'm having trouble coming up with something.. i figure no matter how much paper we get him, he'll run out of it sooner than later. maybe they've got some sorta pen here that never runs outta ink?
i'm already running around, figuring out the cake situation. but it'd be handy if your personal chefs were here. yeah, all he's been doing lately has been living on coffee and i keep telling him off for it, but tsukinaga-senpai's stubborn. do we really wanna feed into his coffee habit? but when all else fails, that's something he likes. i appreciate your help, ohii-san! i don't want tsukinaga-senpai to think we'd forget about a gift or anything βͺ
we could throw him a party! it's just hard to get everything on short notice. so maybe just giving the gift and cake is better? that'd sorta be like a party.
I suppose he's not really a "plan things in advance" sort. He's more like a scatterbrain, so it wouldn't surprise me if he forgot his own birthday was coming up. Especially since the timeline is all mixed-up between this place and our world.
[New goal: find a way out of here before their birthdays. He doesn't want to celebrate a single one of his birthdays here! But they aren't getting out in time for Leo's; there's no getting around that, so they might as well make the most of it.]
You've gotten pretty good at thinking outside the box! This place seems to run on magic, so I guess it's possible they'd sell something like that. If not, though, there are still hundreds of shops to browse. So many that it seems like overkill, and this is coming from me, who loves to shop! But I'm sure we can find something he'll like.
My feeling with the coffee is that, if he's going to live off it, he might as well live off the good stuff! But maybe we can get him to eat if we got something coffee-flavored? Like a coffee rub for meat, or a sauce or marinade. Or perhaps a breakfast product, since those don't require cooking.
There must be places where you can reserve a room around here, but I assume that costs chips. And since this is all rather last-minute, it might be best if we brought the party up to him! I'll pick up some party poppers and hats for us to wear. That should set the mood just right π₯³π
guess not? he forgets stuff all the time, not that it bothers me much. but that's not still a theory? or you've got more proof now?
[ That's not exactly the most important part of their conversation, but as he's reading the rest, Rinne does manage to message him back. As thought, nothing he added seemed very helpful. ]
well, yeah! you've got all those theories and talking about magic with people, so i thought i'd give it a shot! something like that'd be a pretty good gift, and tsukinaga-senpai'd never worry 'bout running outta ink! yeah, figured and rinne-senpai finally texted back:
"cake gel pen
blank white cake
i'll get us alcohol~"
i dunno why he'd type cake twice? or what he's tryna say. anyway, do coffee rubs for meat exist? guess if something like that does, it'd exist here. but half the time, i dunno if tsukinaga-senpai's awake for breakfast? though, it'd help cuz he forgets to eat.... and those're pretty good gift ideas! i knew you'd have really good ideas, ohii-san π
[ He DID text Jun at 3am, and said he had a cup of coffee. Multiple! But he sang Leo to sleep, so maybe there's nothing to worry about?! He never really got a clear answer about when Leo sleeps, anyway... ]
maybe if we're still here for someone's birthday, we can rent a room. i don't mind using my chips, but you're right, saying it's last minute and bringing the party to tsukinaga-senpai instead. hats and stuff'd work! it'll be like a real party βͺ
[ There might be potentially several rooms, but it's still last minute! As long as they show up for Leo's birthday, it will be an enjoyable, and unforgettable party. ]
Yep, just like he forgot Robin-kun's name! Actually, he'd forgotten Rinne-senpai's, too. When I first ran into him here, I asked who else from ES was around, and he said "Someone whose name is kinda like 'Ritsu', but not 'Ritsu!'"
By "timeline," I just meant that it was a different date when we arrived compared to what it should have been at home. It was two days before New Year's Eve when we got snatched, but when I arrived here, there was all this Valentine's decor they were taking down, and then that big welcome market happened at the beginning of March. All of January and most of February disappeared, in other words. Which sort of reminds me of Rinne-senpai's predicament.
[Yet another thing to ponder slash investigate. Though time is a wibbly-wobbly thing, and if he thinks about it too hard, he might just give himself a headache.]
I've talked to people who can do magic, but I'm not sure if any of them can enchant regular pens. Some people can't do magic here because of that "limiter" thing I mentioned, or because they're missing some tool they need, like a mage stone. Others say they can do it, but that it takes time to see results. And this is all rather last-minute, so there goes that option!
But oh well, that's fine. It doesn't need to be something magical. There surely must be other suitable gifts, even in this place.
[He's not buying Leo a sex toy! He's not!!]
Sounds borderline-incomprehensible as usual! And also like he forgot that none of us can legally drink except him. Though I guess Leo-kun can as of tomorrow? Although if he's missing some months, maybe he can't... Or can he?
[Yep. Very headache-inducing.]
Yep, there are coffee ones, along with all sorts of other rubs! Sweet ones, savory ones, spicy ones, herb rubs, you name it. The market did have a wide variety of spices and things, so I wonder if they might sell something like that here. I'm not sure how much it'd excite him, though. Or rather, I can see him mistaking it for instant coffee and dumping it into some hot water, so on second thought, never mind! Let's scratch that one out! If all else fails, we'll just get him some more permanent markers he can use to write all over the walls!
[Should he really be saying that over text? The resort might know it's him leaving musical graffiti everywhere!]
Real parties are less about the environment and more about the spirit, in my opinion. So if we act like it's a party, that'll make it so! π₯³ππ₯³ππ₯³π I'm sure the presents and your cake will help, too.
yeah, now you've said it, he did forget he'd even met that guy. and rinne and ritsu sound nothing alike, so i dunno where he'd get that comparison from!
oh, right. so if you're saying that, then it took, what? almost 2 months? maybe time moves in mysterious ways here, cuz something like that shouldn't make sense if we were taken at the end of december. i'd completely forgotten it was 'round valentine's day when we arrived.
[ Now that seems so long ago now, not that he's completely forgotten. Thinking about how much time has passed and maybe how they've missed a couple of months does make his head hurt. ]
yeah, so it probably can't be done? i figure now you're talking about the limiters again, that'll mean none of the shops here'll have anything close.. well, it *was* a good idea!
nah, it can be anything! uh, not anything, anything. just something tsukinaga-senpai'd enjoy.
[ He also doesn't want to buy anything close to that for Leo. Too bad they'll have to figure out the magic pen situation for next year. (If they're still here next year...) ]
part of me even wonders why i bothered asking, but hey! i think he did, and it's not like they'd check for id's hereβnot that i'm saying we're gonna drink! just feels as if the bars wouldn't care. i dunno the answer to that one, ohii-san. we'll find out when we get home, probably?
[ Will they ever know the answer? Tune in next time to ES idols stuck inside a sex casino. ]
wow, sounds pretty cool! i never woulda expected anything close to that. i know all about rubs, but coffee ones sound like the last sorta ones you'd wanna put on meat. you know what? you're actually right. yeah, if the rub ends up looking something like instant coffee, he probably would. but maybe if i hide it somewhere...? do we wanna take that chance? and i don't think we should be encouraging vandalism. won't tsukinaga-senpai end up arrested if someone catches him??
[ Probably not, but at least music notes over the casino brightens up the ugly decor! ]
yeah, even if we can't go all out, if we're all celebrating, it'll feel like a real party. and even if we can't find a proper gift right now, the cake could be a temp one!
I'm not sure what went on. But it sounds awfully similar to Rinne-senpai's predicament, doesn't it? He said he went to bed one night and woke up someplace else in the morning, but a month had passed for the rest of us. We know "the House" is capable of stealing our precious time away.
I just wonder what might be going on at home. To Nagisa-kun and the others, does it feel like we've been gone for two months? Does it feel more like six months to a year? Or does it feel like no time has passed at all? That's what I'd most like to know. But since there's no way of contacting the outside world, I'm not sure how we'll figure that out. We'll just have to keep our eyes peeled for clues.
[He hopes it's the last one: that it feels like no time has passed. But how does any of this even work? There are all sorts of other issues too, like Rinne and Leo not remembering as much as them. And then he remembers talking to Senku, who claims to have spent thousands of years in cryptosleep.
What month will it be when they get out? What year will it be? What sort of world will they be walking into? He just doesn't know the answer to basic questions anymore, and that unsettles him.]
I wouldn't assume they don't sell anything with magic properties. Lots of people here can use magic, after all. But when you don't understand much about how that stuff works, it's probably fairly easy to get scammed. So if anyone tries to sell you something like "magic crystals," remember to take it with a grain of salt, alright? No need to waste chips!
[He says, like he isn't the one more likely to spend money on stuff he doesn't need.]
I'm sure you're right and they don't check. Everyone seems to be treated as an "adult" for all intents and purposes, even though I've met people as young as 16 here. But I'd rather not do anything that reflects poorly on myself, even if my fans aren't around to see it. Not to mention that the alcohol in this place might just be spiked with something.
If we have to hide it from him, it won't exactly work as a gift, will it? And if he got arrested, he could just spend a day or two in that "jail." I doubt he'd care much as long as he can compose. But a prison sentence wouldn't be the best birthday gift, so hopefully he'll hold off a day or two!
Anyway, I'm not set on the permanent markers. That's more of a back-up plan. First, we'll go shopping!
Or I will, anyway. I know you're busy with the cake. So you need me to, I could choose something for both of us and we'll call it a joint gift.
it does, and that's why i'm not gonna let "the House" or anyone else take away more of our time. good thing rinne-senpai's in one piece, and he wasn't stuck in some void.
wish i knew the answer, ohii-san. we'll just keep looking 'till we do.
[ Part of him doesn't want to think about how much time might've passed on the outside, not without knowing a clear answer. He's only made sure to read the words carefully, wanting and wishing he could give Hiyori an answer, but there isn't a clear one he could give.
What if, when they finally leave this place, ES no longer exists? And all the idols are either retired or moved on? Leaving Rinne, Leo, Hiyori and himself without careers or anything substantial to fall back on. ]
seriously, d'you think i'm an idiot? i'm not gonna go buy some magic crystal if someone's offering me one. i know we've gotta save our chips, even if you're not. i'm saving mine for our food, so don't worry, ohii-san.
[ Even if Hiyori has been spending regularly, being frivolous with his chips, there is nothing around him that he has been interested in buying. (Unless it's new workout clothes, he deserved the upgrade!) Jun knows they have to eat, and he doesn't mind paying the chips so they both can have decent meals whenever they'd like. ]
well, deuce-kun is 16, isn't he? so he'd probably not be asked. no one asked for his ID when we got some tea together one time. [ The tea, which was meant to help them sleep, instead made them feel as if they were floating away. ] just be careful, alright? long as we stick together, nothing bad's gonna happen.
[ Such as spiked drinks or otherwise, he hopes. ]
guess so. well, there goes that idea. he'll probably find it months later, when it's useless. it's not gonna be a punishment, just like it wasn't for us. so sure, we'll figure out something else.
or you'll figure out something, like you said, i'm a lil' busy. a joint gift sounds good! just tell me how many chips i'm gonna owe you when you're done. i appreciate you doing all that, ohii-san.
[It all feels very hopeless. He just has no clue how the whole time thing works or what might be going on outside. They've got no control over anything, as usual.
Maybe it was selfish of him to say all that stuff out loud. (Or put in text, rather.) He doesn't mean to worry Jun with thoughts about losing a year's worth of time back home. He knows Jun is just as frustrated and worried as he is. Still, he did promise to share his findings and his thoughts with him, without holding anything back or trying to shield him. They are partners, after all.
Either way, it looks like that discussion has resolved itself. He won't talk about that anymore for now. This was supposed to be about Leo's birthday, a much more pleasant topic!
And also about his spending habits, which he proceeds to defend.]
Not to worry! I don't spend like I do at home! I did have some extra expenditures last month, but those were more like business expenses. If you're trying to pry a high-class mage, a god, or a wealthy celebrity for info, you take them out to lunch first! And you make sure the cafe or wherever is upscale enough to please them! That's lesson 1 in the Hiyori Tomoe Book of Etiquette! β
[Actually, that lesson really only applies to this place. If this was at home, he wouldn't be questioning mages!
... mostly because he doesn't know any. If he did meet a real one, he probably would talk their ear off with various questions.]
Yep. As long as we're together, we're unstoppable ππ
It's not just alcohol or food, by the way. Apparently some of the flowers also contain pollen that have the same effects as other stuff. I haven't encountered anything like that myself, though, and we were fine during the flower exhibition. Still, I know Leo-kun and Rinne-senpai have run into it, so we can't be too careful.
[He probably should've said this before the exhibit, but oh well. All's well that end's well! And now finally back to the topic at hand:]
I do like shopping and gift-giving, so that suits me fine. Alright, very well. I'll take care of the present, you take care of the cake! And I suppose you don't need to worry about paying me back, since I haven't exactly paid you back for every ingredient you've ever bought for my food. Unless it's something really pricy, we can consider it even.
[ There has to be a way to control what's going on outside this place, even if they're stuck in time here. For the sake of Ibara and Nagi-senpai, and their fans at the very least, there's only hope that everyone appears normal on the outside. But how can anyone know they have vanished if that is how it seems on the outside?
These are tumultuous thoughts that one's not sure they should be having. But he wouldn't say Hiyori's completely at fault for them, not while one of them is rather focused on anything but the time and space outside. Even though he fails to follow some of the theories, he'd not mind discussing them in person because they are supposed to be supporting one another here. It is just that thinking about the topic makes his head spin, wishing he could answer his partner's questions.
For now, those theories will take a pause as they return to the discussion of Hiyori's spending habits. ]
do i even wanna know why you've been doing all that? i'm pretty sure that's not how you get information outta someone. and you can't write off business expenses here, ohii-san!! but it's not really my business what you do with your chips.
[ Sadly, this isn't home, where his family boasts a slew of restaurant chains or where Ibara can write off business ventures where it's beneficial to them. ]
huh, what? we've gotta stay away from the flowers now? good thing nothing bad happened to us, it would've been seriously annoying if we had to deal with *that* ontop of everything.
[ He didn't know about the flowers, but nothing bad happened, so nothing to worry about! ]
got it! that i can do, ohii-san. i trust whatever you pick, and if you don't want that, then i'll just keep my chips. just let me know if it is, alright? i wanna help you out, no matter what you've said.
[ Also, he'd never charge for food when they both have to eat, though he's not sure if it might consider them even. ]
First off, the more we know, the more prepared we'll be! And second, it helps to have strong allies. I may not have any magical abilities, but I'm excellent at chatting people up and forming connections. We all have skills, and those are my skills. Therefore, I'll use them!
[With or without his wealth, although it sure would be preferable if he did have access to his bank account and could really treat people. And himself. And Jun. Think of the lavish dates they could go on between investigations!]
I wouldn't plan to stay away entirely. I just wouldn't get within smelling distance unless you know it's safe. Though some flowers produce more pollen than others, and I assume those are most dangerous. Carnations, like the one I pinned to your shirt, tend to be allergy-safe by comparison. Though I guess there's no telling what's safe and what's not if they've been genetically modifying things.
But anyway, I wouldn't worry about it for now. I just wanted to give you a heads-up in case some shady salesperson goes up to you and says, "Here, sniff these flowers! They carry a lovely scent!" Now you know to say, "No thanks!"
[Perhaps we can add "bouquet" to the list of things they shouldn't buy Leo for his birthday. But that wasn't on the table anyway, really.]
Yep, no problem! I'm not sure what just yet, but I promise I'll find something we can proudly present him together. Something that says, "This is a lovely gift from Eve!"
[ He wants to respond with a snarky comment like, "I dunno, you tell me." But more incoming messages demand his attention, leaving him with no time to craft a clever response. ]
prepared for what? the only thing i wanna prepare for is leaving here. yeah, i already know that's your skill, ohii-san, but i'm pretty confused about how "chatting up people and forming connections" will help. i'm not doubting you can't form allies or whatever you're doing, i guess i'm not really following *why* you're doing it????
[ While some people might be swayed by material possessions, being treated to lavish gifts, he couldn't think of anything worse. Rather content with the idea of enjoying Hiyori's company on simple, ordinary dates, he places greater importance on the genuine connection they share. ]
i'm still only learning about flowers, so i dunno which ones to stay away from. how're you gonna know which ones are safe from a distance, anyway? sounds like it's gonna be pretty hard to tell. well, the carnation didn't make me feel funny or anything, so you're probably right.
and i'm not dumb enough to fall for some random guy asking me to sniff flowers. you do realise how shady that sounds, right? i'll say no thanks to any random person coming up to me.
[ Yet another gift to strike down! If things continue this way, half of the present ideas will not be very Leo friendly. ]
whatever you pick for his gift is gonna be great, just throwing it out there. and i'm pretty sure tsukinaga-senpai will know it's from the two of us, so it'll be something he remembers us by.
[Yep... that's the problem with Hiyori's texting style. It's like his speaking style! He never stops!!
But he does stop and pause for a moment here.
His smile fades as he reads that first message. Boy, Jun-kun is clueless. He really has no idea about the dangers around here. In all fairness, Hiyori only learned about some of them recently, and hasn't informed him about all of them just yet. But there are reasons it might help to have strong allies, besides just being able to escape.]
Prepared for anything, I guess. I know it might seem like the only real threat is drugs that make your body feel hot, but I've heard some disturbing things recently. Things about monster sightings and ghoul sightings, for example. Not to mention that with so many powerful people running around, I'm not sure it's safe to assume there aren't any bad eggs. Some people's powers are dangerous by their own admission. They might not be strong enough to overthrow the House, but they could still do some real damage to so-called "ordinary" people like ourselves. Plus that frenzy we saw out in the hall was sort of disturbing...
[There's more that he could say here. He really needs to tell Jun that someone accidentally (?) killed a staff member and faced no consequences for it. Murder is okay here, apparently. And if that gets out to everyone, who knows what sort of chaos might ensue?
Of course there isn't danger lurking around every corner. The only time he really felt unsafe was probably at the Roost, and you have to go out of your way to find that place. Still...]
Those are just some reasons I'd like to have strong allies. I figure it also helps to know how magic works, since the whole place seems to run on it. Though that's its own can of worms, since magic seems to operate according to different rules in every world.
But anyway, if it's my connections you're concerned about, then worry not! I may forge other connections, but I still intend to rely plenty on you! And even if I start working together with others, Jun-kun will still be my precious partner! π₯° I don't want you feeling lonely or left out, so I just thought I'd say that.
[He knows damn well that wasn't Jun's concern.]
Honestly, I'm not sure either. The House can always cheat by using magic, so even the low-pollen flowers might not be safe. I don't think it's the majority though, since we went to that exhibition and we came back alright. Plus I sniffed some flowers in the marketplace at that welcome thing, and those didn't leave me feeling anything except refreshed!
[Actually, both the flowers he sniffed did have side effects, but he doesn't know that. One of them just made whoever smelled it more confident in their appearance, but he was already plenty narcissistic confident, so he noticed no change!]
Sounds good! If you want to give it a little personalized touch, we could always include a tag or a card with both our signatures. But anyway, I'll leave you to work on that cake soon, and I'll start looking for gifts posthaste!
[ It never ends! Though sometimes it is too much to take in, Jun has become familiar to it by this point, so he makes an effort to keep up when he can.
Frowning only a touch, he squints down at his watch, scrolling upward to read the text in its entirety. One thing he does know is about the ghosts and dopplegangers, which he found out from Weiss; he's just forgotten to tell Hiyori about them. ]
well, i know about the ghosts and something about dopplegangers! but what about monsters? the powers thing has me thinking about the limiters.
[ The religious frenzy in the lobby still seems to him to be reminiscent of a cult, but he has not given it much thought since. Hopefully, neither Leo nor Rinne suffer any sort of harm. He genuinely hopes that nobody gets hurt here. ]
goddamn, ohii-san!! you forming connections with other people really means nothing to me??? i dunno where you'd come up with *that* idea from. i guess that's what delusion sounds like! π
[ Now, in the span of a few seconds, he feels as though he has aged a hundred. ]
maybe they took pity of everyone in the maze or something? we turned out fine, but i never really spoke to anyone else who went in, unless you did?? uh, refreshed? sounds sus, ohii-san..
[ Yep, sounds sus as hell about the flowers, but as someone who had no contact with them, he has no idea what the effects were. ]
oh, yeah? giving the present a personalised touch might be nice. we'll both sign the card, so i'll leave the gift in your hands when i really start working on the cake.
[ There's hope the cake comes out fine, considering Leo wants every flavour he can get.. so fingers crossed. ]
Apparently there are monsters with tentacles roaming around. Somewhere "deeper underground" is what the person said, but then she also said she knows people who've encountered them, so I guess they don't *stay* underground. In any case, if there's already one type of monster slithering the halls, *and* there are ghosts around, it seems safe to assume there could be other dangers.
But what's this about dopplegangers now? You didn't meet *your* doppleganger, did you?
[He flashes back to the cracktastic Network conversation he had with Leo. The one where they wondered whether or not they'd encounter their doppleganger if they went back to the original timeline they came from! Leo thought they might have to kill them, but Hiyori would rather make love with himself, not war...
Er. Not that he'd sleep with his doppleganger, or anything! It was Leo who planted the idea in his head! And he made sure to dismiss the whole thing!!]
Now that's just uncalled for! There *are* delusional people around, but I'm not one of them! I was just trying to reassure you that you're still first in my heart, that's all β€οΈ Especially Nagisa-kun, Mary, and the rest of my family aren't here!
[He just had to go and ruin in...]
I'm not sure I know anyone else who's done the flower maze, either. Rinne-senpai was gone at the time, and it doesn't seem like Leo-kun's sort of thing. There weren't enough surfaces for him to write on, plus I assume he'd just get lost!
[He says, like he wouldn't have gotten hopelessly lost himself without Jun there to guide him.]
I don't know what "sus" is. But I just mean I felt refreshed! Like I'd smelled something good, and I was in good spirits, and such. Nothing odd about that. It definitely did *not* leave me feeling hot all over, I can tell you that much.
[No, both the peonies and the tulips did give him status effects, but he just failed to notice it both times...]
Sounds good! I'll bring the card for you to sign, and then we'll head up to his room together.
[ Tentacle monsters.. What in the name of all that is holy is going on? ]
well, we're gonna stay far away from them, alright? i don't want any tentacle monsters coming near us, ohii-san! so if we see them, we'll just run away or the other way.
and nah, not mine! a friend told me about them. said she saw her doppelganger in a painting and then she wasn't in a painting? i dunno, but it turned out it was a ghost or something. just you saying all that about ghosts had me remembering what she said.
[ Weiss told him that, actually! But with everything going on, he'd completely forgotten about it until the mention of ghosts and the like. Maybe he should be the one writing things down so he can remember to tell Hiyori later. ]
right. did you really need to mention all that stuff? even if i think you're delusional, you really felt the need to remind me i still rank below mary back home. well, it's not like i care about your stupid ranking, anyway!
[ And maybe learning he ranks first in Hiyori's heart here makes him a little happy, not that he'll ever admit to it. ]
now i'm thinking about it, probably for the better, tsukinaga-senpai didn't go in.
really, ohii-san? man, i knew you were old-fashioned but sus means suspicious. it's just slang! but i dunno.. you're usually always in good spirits. and still sounds pretty unreal knowing what's around here, and you already went on about what rinne-senpai said.
[ About staying away from them! But he has so many questions about 'refreshing' flowers. What does that mean, first of all? ]
yeah! i'm gonna be down in the communal kitchens for who knows how long, so meet me whenever you get done.
[ Especially after he receives the call from Rinne-senpai about what the "blank, white cake" actually means. ]
Well of course we'd run far away. I don't want to be hugged and squeezed by any tentacles, and I'm sure you don't either! My point was just that it might be handy to know people who can fight monsters, or do things like cure sickness. Sort of like knowing a handyman! And in exchange for their services, I can sing them a special song ππ΅πΆ
Or give them vouchers. One of the two.
A ghost??
[He was following that explanation until the last bit. ... also, his source on the tentacle monsters was Weiss, too. Big shoutout to her for educating Eve on all the weird stuff going on around here!]
I know there are ghosts here, but why would her doppleganger be a ghost? And how could a ghost get inside a painting? Now I'm very confused.
Perhaps you should care! There's always room for you to improve your rank! In my personal ranking, I mean. Not the so-called "rank system" here. My ranking is much more important. If you got even cuter, then you and Mary could be on the same level π
So it was slang, hmm? Very well! I'll start adding that to my vocabulary! I'm not totally old-fashioned, just so you know. I know some slang. For example, "spill the tea" and "that's the tea on that." Aira-kun taught those to me at a Pretty 5 meeting! Arashi-chan knew it, too, actually. Now we say it all the time!
Anyway, I think those flowers I sniffed were fine. However, I *do* see your point. I should be careful, and you should be careful! From now on, we'll sniff flowers sparingly! Though just so you know, I'd already smelled those flowers before Rinne-senpai told me about the pollen issue, so that wasn't an example of me being careless.
i'd prefer *that* not happening, ohii-san. you're not wrong. uh, how're we gonna rely on other people for checkups? i dunno if i'd trust anyone enough.
[ But then again, can they trust anyone as a doctor here? And he'd rather Hiyori not offer vouchers for services, but it's not as if they're hurting for them now... But, wow! Weiss sure is educating Eve on the monsters here. She must have gone through it. ]
i dunno? weiss-san told me the story so she'd know more about what went on. and it was pretty confusing, but you'd be better off getting the full story off of her. i think weiss-san said she knew you already.
i knew what you meant, ohii-san. no part of me wants to improve my rank here. but why'd i want to improve your "personal ranking"? in case you haven't noticed, i'm not the type of guy who's "cute." or wants to be on the same level as other people??? mary, included.
[ Besides, he loves Mary! She deserves her spot on Hiyori's list. What kind of co-parent would Jun be if he overtook her?
What exactly is Shiratori-kun teaching Pretty 5? He's aware that Aira spends a considerable amount of time online, but the notion both Arashi and Hiyori are saying "spill the tea" and "that's the tea on that" out loud??? ]
ohii-san, you guys aren't talking like that, right? what the hell has shiratori-kun been teaching you guys in pretty 5...... π€¨
[ Actually, he can imagine Aira teaching them internet slang, but more words like "tbh," "omg," or "lol". Anyway, he has to concentrate on the cake, meaning they cannot have a lengthy discussion about internet slang. However, he would probably pass away if Hiyori spoke like that in front of him. At the very least, he's not talking about "dabbing on the haters" or anything similar. ]
i'll be careful, you'll be careful and we don't have to worry. ok, guess that one doesn't count?
i guess we can continue the convo later. "ttyl" π
[ And here is more slang for Hiyori to figure out. ]
I wasn't talking about check-ups. I was talking more about what to do if something bad ever happens. There's that clinic, but we already know the staff tends to be useless.
Hopefully it won't ever come to that, of course. We managed to avoid that flower-coughing disease last month, which means we must have sturdy immune systems! It just doesn't hurt to have connections, that's all.
[They won't need to worry about that turning-to-stone disease kicking in. And if it's a condition like whatever they were afflicted with during the Springtime gameβthe kind that makes your body turn hotβwell, they'll just take care of each other. But that goes without saying.]
It was that @ angel girl who told you? That's funny. She's the one who told me about those tentacle monsters! We actually have plans to go shopping soon, so I guess I'll ask her about that next time.
Perhaps you're not a "cute type" the way I'm a "cute type," or the way Ra*bits is full of cute types, but you *are* cute sometimes! Like whenever a fan profusely praises you at a handshake event, calling you "cool" and such, and you get shy over it. Or when you pull off a difficult dance move and look pleased with yourself afterwards. Or when you're thinking really hard about something, but it's obvious you're stumped! At times like those, I think to myself, "Jun-kun sure is cute!"
Of course, I'm also "the handsome type" and "the beautiful type" as well as the cute type.
[Regarding Aira, it's entirely likely that he simply messaged them something containing the phrase, and that Hiyori messaged back asking what it was. And then he explained it to them, so Hiyori started using the term over chat... and then started using it in-person, too, much to Aira's shock. But there's no law saying certain phrases have to stay on social media, right?? And Aira was probably at least a little happy to have one of his favorite idols adopt a phrase they learned from him...]
I'd say what he teaches us is basically "the fans' perspective." I didn't grow up watching idols on TV the way he did. Or the way you did, for that matter. So it's always nice to learn more about what fans think and feel. For example, I never realized some fans buy dozens of copies of our CDs until I spoke with him! I do love shopping, but I'd never considered buying endless versions of the same thing before. But that's how fans show their love ππ Or some of them, anyway.
I don't know what that last thing you said means, but alright, talk to you then! ππ€πβ¨οΈ
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
@lilith ~4/5
hey, ohii-san, it's tsukinaga-senpai's birthday tomorrow, and he wants a birthday cake. i said i'd do it no problem, but i was wondering if you had ideas for gifts? thinking about something he could use for composing, or, dunno, what else could he want?! we could all pitch in, if you want? but i'm gonna go ask rinne-senpai for ideas, just so he knows. i dunno if his ideas'll be helpful, though...?
[ So watch this space??? Leo's a 10, so he likely has everything he needs, but that doesn't mean he deserves to go without a present or have his fellow idols not know it's his birthday! ]
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[He didn't see this one coming. He's never given much thought to the issue of celebrating birthdays in this place. Surely he and Jun won't still be here when July and August come around... will they? It's a depressing thought.
But he pushes that aside for now. He'd much rather focus on gift-giving, celebrations, and other fun things like that! Those are his specialties.]
I'm not sure what he loves, other than composing and his little sister. I know he has a recording studio in his room, though, so perhaps we could find him some new equipment? There's always stationery and fountain pens and the like, as well, but my feeling is that he's happy to compose wherever and doesn't need to do it in a leather-bound journal.
When I'm stumped for what to get someone, I usually have our personal chef whip them something up. But he's not here right now, and instead we have you! I'm also not sure what food Leo-kun likes, since he doesn't seem to eat much. Maybe something coffee-related? A gift basket with different beans, perhaps? I'll figure something out!
Are we also throwing him a party? Or are we simply delivering the gifts up to his room?
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[ And Jun agrees, it would've been more convenient if Leo had told them in advance! Unless Leo forgot his own birthday..? Hopefully, by the time their birthday's roll around, they'll be back home and can celebrate outside of this place.
Right, he recalls Leo talking about his sister! And what Hiyori's talking about makes sense. Leo does compose whenever he wants, not particularly caring for where his music ends up. Which is why Jun's stumped about gifts! At least he knows Ohii-san's good with figuring out that kind of thing. ]
that's why i'm having trouble coming up with something.. i figure no matter how much paper we get him, he'll run out of it sooner than later. maybe they've got some sorta pen here that never runs outta ink?
i'm already running around, figuring out the cake situation. but it'd be handy if your personal chefs were here. yeah, all he's been doing lately has been living on coffee and i keep telling him off for it, but tsukinaga-senpai's stubborn. do we really wanna feed into his coffee habit? but when all else fails, that's something he likes. i appreciate your help, ohii-san! i don't want tsukinaga-senpai to think we'd forget about a gift or anything βͺ
we could throw him a party! it's just hard to get everything on short notice. so maybe just giving the gift and cake is better? that'd sorta be like a party.
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[New goal: find a way out of here before their birthdays. He doesn't want to celebrate a single one of his birthdays here! But they aren't getting out in time for Leo's; there's no getting around that, so they might as well make the most of it.]
You've gotten pretty good at thinking outside the box! This place seems to run on magic, so I guess it's possible they'd sell something like that. If not, though, there are still hundreds of shops to browse. So many that it seems like overkill, and this is coming from me, who loves to shop! But I'm sure we can find something he'll like.
My feeling with the coffee is that, if he's going to live off it, he might as well live off the good stuff! But maybe we can get him to eat if we got something coffee-flavored? Like a coffee rub for meat, or a sauce or marinade. Or perhaps a breakfast product, since those don't require cooking.
There must be places where you can reserve a room around here, but I assume that costs chips. And since this is all rather last-minute, it might be best if we brought the party up to him! I'll pick up some party poppers and hats for us to wear. That should set the mood just right π₯³π
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[ That's not exactly the most important part of their conversation, but as he's reading the rest, Rinne does manage to message him back. As thought, nothing he added seemed very helpful. ]
well, yeah! you've got all those theories and talking about magic with people, so i thought i'd give it a shot! something like that'd be a pretty good gift, and tsukinaga-senpai'd never worry 'bout running outta ink! yeah, figured and rinne-senpai finally texted back:
"cake gel pen
blank white cake
i'll get us alcohol~"
i dunno why he'd type cake twice? or what he's tryna say. anyway, do coffee rubs for meat exist? guess if something like that does, it'd exist here. but half the time, i dunno if tsukinaga-senpai's awake for breakfast? though, it'd help cuz he forgets to eat.... and those're pretty good gift ideas! i knew you'd have really good ideas, ohii-san π
[ He DID text Jun at 3am, and said he had a cup of coffee. Multiple! But he sang Leo to sleep, so maybe there's nothing to worry about?! He never really got a clear answer about when Leo sleeps, anyway... ]
maybe if we're still here for someone's birthday, we can rent a room. i don't mind using my chips, but you're right, saying it's last minute and bringing the party to tsukinaga-senpai instead. hats and stuff'd work! it'll be like a real party βͺ
[ There might be potentially several rooms, but it's still last minute! As long as they show up for Leo's birthday, it will be an enjoyable, and unforgettable party. ]
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By "timeline," I just meant that it was a different date when we arrived compared to what it should have been at home. It was two days before New Year's Eve when we got snatched, but when I arrived here, there was all this Valentine's decor they were taking down, and then that big welcome market happened at the beginning of March. All of January and most of February disappeared, in other words. Which sort of reminds me of Rinne-senpai's predicament.
[Yet another thing to ponder slash investigate. Though time is a wibbly-wobbly thing, and if he thinks about it too hard, he might just give himself a headache.]
I've talked to people who can do magic, but I'm not sure if any of them can enchant regular pens. Some people can't do magic here because of that "limiter" thing I mentioned, or because they're missing some tool they need, like a mage stone. Others say they can do it, but that it takes time to see results. And this is all rather last-minute, so there goes that option!
But oh well, that's fine. It doesn't need to be something magical. There surely must be other suitable gifts, even in this place.
[He's not buying Leo a sex toy! He's not!!]
Sounds borderline-incomprehensible as usual! And also like he forgot that none of us can legally drink except him. Though I guess Leo-kun can as of tomorrow? Although if he's missing some months, maybe he can't... Or can he?
[Yep. Very headache-inducing.]
Yep, there are coffee ones, along with all sorts of other rubs! Sweet ones, savory ones, spicy ones, herb rubs, you name it. The market did have a wide variety of spices and things, so I wonder if they might sell something like that here. I'm not sure how much it'd excite him, though. Or rather, I can see him mistaking it for instant coffee and dumping it into some hot water, so on second thought, never mind! Let's scratch that one out! If all else fails, we'll just get him some more permanent markers he can use to write all over the walls!
[Should he really be saying that over text? The resort might know it's him leaving musical graffiti everywhere!]
Real parties are less about the environment and more about the spirit, in my opinion. So if we act like it's a party, that'll make it so! π₯³ππ₯³ππ₯³π I'm sure the presents and your cake will help, too.
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oh, right. so if you're saying that, then it took, what? almost 2 months? maybe time moves in mysterious ways here, cuz something like that shouldn't make sense if we were taken at the end of december. i'd completely forgotten it was 'round valentine's day when we arrived.
[ Now that seems so long ago now, not that he's completely forgotten. Thinking about how much time has passed and maybe how they've missed a couple of months does make his head hurt. ]
yeah, so it probably can't be done? i figure now you're talking about the limiters again, that'll mean none of the shops here'll have anything close.. well, it *was* a good idea!
nah, it can be anything! uh, not anything, anything. just something tsukinaga-senpai'd enjoy.
[ He also doesn't want to buy anything close to that for Leo. Too bad they'll have to figure out the magic pen situation for next year. (If they're still here next year...) ]
part of me even wonders why i bothered asking, but hey! i think he did, and it's not like they'd check for id's hereβnot that i'm saying we're gonna drink! just feels as if the bars wouldn't care. i dunno the answer to that one, ohii-san. we'll find out when we get home, probably?
[ Will they ever know the answer? Tune in next time to ES idols stuck inside a sex casino. ]
wow, sounds pretty cool! i never woulda expected anything close to that. i know all about rubs, but coffee ones sound like the last sorta ones you'd wanna put on meat. you know what? you're actually right. yeah, if the rub ends up looking something like instant coffee, he probably would. but maybe if i hide it somewhere...? do we wanna take that chance? and i don't think we should be encouraging vandalism. won't tsukinaga-senpai end up arrested if someone catches him??
[ Probably not, but at least music notes over the casino brightens up the ugly decor! ]
yeah, even if we can't go all out, if we're all celebrating, it'll feel like a real party. and even if we can't find a proper gift right now, the cake could be a temp one!
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I just wonder what might be going on at home. To Nagisa-kun and the others, does it feel like we've been gone for two months? Does it feel more like six months to a year? Or does it feel like no time has passed at all? That's what I'd most like to know. But since there's no way of contacting the outside world, I'm not sure how we'll figure that out. We'll just have to keep our eyes peeled for clues.
[He hopes it's the last one: that it feels like no time has passed. But how does any of this even work? There are all sorts of other issues too, like Rinne and Leo not remembering as much as them. And then he remembers talking to Senku, who claims to have spent thousands of years in cryptosleep.
What month will it be when they get out? What year will it be? What sort of world will they be walking into? He just doesn't know the answer to basic questions anymore, and that unsettles him.]
I wouldn't assume they don't sell anything with magic properties. Lots of people here can use magic, after all. But when you don't understand much about how that stuff works, it's probably fairly easy to get scammed. So if anyone tries to sell you something like "magic crystals," remember to take it with a grain of salt, alright? No need to waste chips!
[He says, like he isn't the one more likely to spend money on stuff he doesn't need.]
I'm sure you're right and they don't check. Everyone seems to be treated as an "adult" for all intents and purposes, even though I've met people as young as 16 here. But I'd rather not do anything that reflects poorly on myself, even if my fans aren't around to see it. Not to mention that the alcohol in this place might just be spiked with something.
If we have to hide it from him, it won't exactly work as a gift, will it? And if he got arrested, he could just spend a day or two in that "jail." I doubt he'd care much as long as he can compose. But a prison sentence wouldn't be the best birthday gift, so hopefully he'll hold off a day or two!
Anyway, I'm not set on the permanent markers. That's more of a back-up plan. First, we'll go shopping!
Or I will, anyway. I know you're busy with the cake. So you need me to, I could choose something for both of us and we'll call it a joint gift.
[Giving gifts together, how couple-like.]
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wish i knew the answer, ohii-san. we'll just keep looking 'till we do.
[ Part of him doesn't want to think about how much time might've passed on the outside, not without knowing a clear answer. He's only made sure to read the words carefully, wanting and wishing he could give Hiyori an answer, but there isn't a clear one he could give.
What if, when they finally leave this place, ES no longer exists? And all the idols are either retired or moved on? Leaving Rinne, Leo, Hiyori and himself without careers or anything substantial to fall back on. ]
seriously, d'you think i'm an idiot? i'm not gonna go buy some magic crystal if someone's offering me one. i know we've gotta save our chips, even if you're not. i'm saving mine for our food, so don't worry, ohii-san.
[ Even if Hiyori has been spending regularly, being frivolous with his chips, there is nothing around him that he has been interested in buying. (Unless it's new workout clothes, he deserved the upgrade!) Jun knows they have to eat, and he doesn't mind paying the chips so they both can have decent meals whenever they'd like. ]
well, deuce-kun is 16, isn't he? so he'd probably not be asked. no one asked for his ID when we got some tea together one time. [ The tea, which was meant to help them sleep, instead made them feel as if they were floating away. ] just be careful, alright? long as we stick together, nothing bad's gonna happen.
[ Such as spiked drinks or otherwise, he hopes. ]
guess so. well, there goes that idea. he'll probably find it months later, when it's useless. it's not gonna be a punishment, just like it wasn't for us. so sure, we'll figure out something else.
or you'll figure out something, like you said, i'm a lil' busy. a joint gift sounds good! just tell me how many chips i'm gonna owe you when you're done. i appreciate you doing all that, ohii-san.
[ Wow, how domesticated! ]
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Maybe it was selfish of him to say all that stuff out loud. (Or put in text, rather.) He doesn't mean to worry Jun with thoughts about losing a year's worth of time back home. He knows Jun is just as frustrated and worried as he is. Still, he did promise to share his findings and his thoughts with him, without holding anything back or trying to shield him. They are partners, after all.
Either way, it looks like that discussion has resolved itself. He won't talk about that anymore for now. This was supposed to be about Leo's birthday, a much more pleasant topic!
And also about his spending habits, which he proceeds to defend.]
Not to worry! I don't spend like I do at home! I did have some extra expenditures last month, but those were more like business expenses. If you're trying to pry a high-class mage, a god, or a wealthy celebrity for info, you take them out to lunch first! And you make sure the cafe or wherever is upscale enough to please them! That's lesson 1 in the Hiyori Tomoe Book of Etiquette! β
[Actually, that lesson really only applies to this place. If this was at home, he wouldn't be questioning mages!
... mostly because he doesn't know any. If he did meet a real one, he probably would talk their ear off with various questions.]
Yep. As long as we're together, we're unstoppable ππ
It's not just alcohol or food, by the way. Apparently some of the flowers also contain pollen that have the same effects as other stuff. I haven't encountered anything like that myself, though, and we were fine during the flower exhibition. Still, I know Leo-kun and Rinne-senpai have run into it, so we can't be too careful.
[He probably should've said this before the exhibit, but oh well. All's well that end's well! And now finally back to the topic at hand:]
I do like shopping and gift-giving, so that suits me fine. Alright, very well. I'll take care of the present, you take care of the cake! And I suppose you don't need to worry about paying me back, since I haven't exactly paid you back for every ingredient you've ever bought for my food. Unless it's something really pricy, we can consider it even.
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These are tumultuous thoughts that one's not sure they should be having. But he wouldn't say Hiyori's completely at fault for them, not while one of them is rather focused on anything but the time and space outside. Even though he fails to follow some of the theories, he'd not mind discussing them in person because they are supposed to be supporting one another here. It is just that thinking about the topic makes his head spin, wishing he could answer his partner's questions.
For now, those theories will take a pause as they return to the discussion of Hiyori's spending habits. ]
do i even wanna know why you've been doing all that? i'm pretty sure that's not how you get information outta someone. and you can't write off business expenses here, ohii-san!! but it's not really my business what you do with your chips.
[ Sadly, this isn't home, where his family boasts a slew of restaurant chains or where Ibara can write off business ventures where it's beneficial to them. ]
huh, what? we've gotta stay away from the flowers now? good thing nothing bad happened to us, it would've been seriously annoying if we had to deal with *that* ontop of everything.
[ He didn't know about the flowers, but nothing bad happened, so nothing to worry about! ]
got it! that i can do, ohii-san. i trust whatever you pick, and if you don't want that, then i'll just keep my chips. just let me know if it is, alright? i wanna help you out, no matter what you've said.
[ Also, he'd never charge for food when they both have to eat, though he's not sure if it might consider them even. ]
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[He doesn't wait for an answer.]
First off, the more we know, the more prepared we'll be! And second, it helps to have strong allies. I may not have any magical abilities, but I'm excellent at chatting people up and forming connections. We all have skills, and those are my skills. Therefore, I'll use them!
[With or without his wealth, although it sure would be preferable if he did have access to his bank account and could really treat people. And himself. And Jun. Think of the lavish dates they could go on between investigations!]
I wouldn't plan to stay away entirely. I just wouldn't get within smelling distance unless you know it's safe. Though some flowers produce more pollen than others, and I assume those are most dangerous. Carnations, like the one I pinned to your shirt, tend to be allergy-safe by comparison. Though I guess there's no telling what's safe and what's not if they've been genetically modifying things.
But anyway, I wouldn't worry about it for now. I just wanted to give you a heads-up in case some shady salesperson goes up to you and says, "Here, sniff these flowers! They carry a lovely scent!" Now you know to say, "No thanks!"
[Perhaps we can add "bouquet" to the list of things they shouldn't buy Leo for his birthday. But that wasn't on the table anyway, really.]
Yep, no problem! I'm not sure what just yet, but I promise I'll find something we can proudly present him together. Something that says, "This is a lovely gift from Eve!"
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prepared for what? the only thing i wanna prepare for is leaving here. yeah, i already know that's your skill, ohii-san, but i'm pretty confused about how "chatting up people and forming connections" will help. i'm not doubting you can't form allies or whatever you're doing, i guess i'm not really following *why* you're doing it????
[ While some people might be swayed by material possessions, being treated to lavish gifts, he couldn't think of anything worse. Rather content with the idea of enjoying Hiyori's company on simple, ordinary dates, he places greater importance on the genuine connection they share. ]
i'm still only learning about flowers, so i dunno which ones to stay away from. how're you gonna know which ones are safe from a distance, anyway? sounds like it's gonna be pretty hard to tell. well, the carnation didn't make me feel funny or anything, so you're probably right.
and i'm not dumb enough to fall for some random guy asking me to sniff flowers. you do realise how shady that sounds, right? i'll say no thanks to any random person coming up to me.
[ Yet another gift to strike down! If things continue this way, half of the present ideas will not be very Leo friendly. ]
whatever you pick for his gift is gonna be great, just throwing it out there. and i'm pretty sure tsukinaga-senpai will know it's from the two of us, so it'll be something he remembers us by.
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But he does stop and pause for a moment here.
His smile fades as he reads that first message. Boy, Jun-kun is clueless. He really has no idea about the dangers around here. In all fairness, Hiyori only learned about some of them recently, and hasn't informed him about all of them just yet. But there are reasons it might help to have strong allies, besides just being able to escape.]
Prepared for anything, I guess. I know it might seem like the only real threat is drugs that make your body feel hot, but I've heard some disturbing things recently. Things about monster sightings and ghoul sightings, for example. Not to mention that with so many powerful people running around, I'm not sure it's safe to assume there aren't any bad eggs. Some people's powers are dangerous by their own admission. They might not be strong enough to overthrow the House, but they could still do some real damage to so-called "ordinary" people like ourselves. Plus that frenzy we saw out in the hall was sort of disturbing...
[There's more that he could say here. He really needs to tell Jun that someone accidentally (?) killed a staff member and faced no consequences for it. Murder is okay here, apparently. And if that gets out to everyone, who knows what sort of chaos might ensue?
Of course there isn't danger lurking around every corner. The only time he really felt unsafe was probably at the Roost, and you have to go out of your way to find that place. Still...]
Those are just some reasons I'd like to have strong allies. I figure it also helps to know how magic works, since the whole place seems to run on it. Though that's its own can of worms, since magic seems to operate according to different rules in every world.
But anyway, if it's my connections you're concerned about, then worry not! I may forge other connections, but I still intend to rely plenty on you! And even if I start working together with others, Jun-kun will still be my precious partner! π₯° I don't want you feeling lonely or left out, so I just thought I'd say that.
[He knows damn well that wasn't Jun's concern.]
Honestly, I'm not sure either. The House can always cheat by using magic, so even the low-pollen flowers might not be safe. I don't think it's the majority though, since we went to that exhibition and we came back alright. Plus I sniffed some flowers in the marketplace at that welcome thing, and those didn't leave me feeling anything except refreshed!
[Actually, both the flowers he sniffed did have side effects, but he doesn't know that. One of them just made whoever smelled it more confident in their appearance, but he was already plenty
narcissisticconfident, so he noticed no change!]Sounds good! If you want to give it a little personalized touch, we could always include a tag or a card with both our signatures. But anyway, I'll leave you to work on that cake soon, and I'll start looking for gifts posthaste!
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Frowning only a touch, he squints down at his watch, scrolling upward to read the text in its entirety. One thing he does know is about the ghosts and dopplegangers, which he found out from Weiss; he's just forgotten to tell Hiyori about them. ]
well, i know about the ghosts and something about dopplegangers! but what about monsters? the powers thing has me thinking about the limiters.
[ The religious frenzy in the lobby still seems to him to be reminiscent of a cult, but he has not given it much thought since. Hopefully, neither Leo nor Rinne suffer any sort of harm. He genuinely hopes that nobody gets hurt here. ]
goddamn, ohii-san!! you forming connections with other people really means nothing to me??? i dunno where you'd come up with *that* idea from. i guess that's what delusion sounds like! π
[ Now, in the span of a few seconds, he feels as though he has aged a hundred. ]
maybe they took pity of everyone in the maze or something? we turned out fine, but i never really spoke to anyone else who went in, unless you did?? uh, refreshed? sounds sus, ohii-san..
[ Yep, sounds sus as hell about the flowers, but as someone who had no contact with them, he has no idea what the effects were. ]
oh, yeah? giving the present a personalised touch might be nice. we'll both sign the card, so i'll leave the gift in your hands when i really start working on the cake.
[ There's hope the cake comes out fine, considering Leo wants every flavour he can get.. so fingers crossed. ]
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But what's this about dopplegangers now? You didn't meet *your* doppleganger, did you?
[He flashes back to the cracktastic Network conversation he had with Leo. The one where they wondered whether or not they'd encounter their doppleganger if they went back to the original timeline they came from! Leo thought they might have to kill them, but Hiyori would rather make love with himself, not war...
Er. Not that he'd sleep with his doppleganger, or anything! It was Leo who planted the idea in his head! And he made sure to dismiss the whole thing!!]
Now that's just uncalled for! There *are* delusional people around, but I'm not one of them! I was just trying to reassure you that you're still first in my heart, that's all β€οΈ Especially Nagisa-kun, Mary, and the rest of my family aren't here!
[He just had to go and ruin in...]
I'm not sure I know anyone else who's done the flower maze, either. Rinne-senpai was gone at the time, and it doesn't seem like Leo-kun's sort of thing. There weren't enough surfaces for him to write on, plus I assume he'd just get lost!
[He says, like he wouldn't have gotten hopelessly lost himself without Jun there to guide him.]
I don't know what "sus" is. But I just mean I felt refreshed! Like I'd smelled something good, and I was in good spirits, and such. Nothing odd about that. It definitely did *not* leave me feeling hot all over, I can tell you that much.
[No, both the peonies and the tulips did give him status effects, but he just failed to notice it both times...]
Sounds good! I'll bring the card for you to sign, and then we'll head up to his room together.
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well, we're gonna stay far away from them, alright? i don't want any tentacle monsters coming near us, ohii-san! so if we see them, we'll just run away or the other way.
and nah, not mine! a friend told me about them. said she saw her doppelganger in a painting and then she wasn't in a painting? i dunno, but it turned out it was a ghost or something. just you saying all that about ghosts had me remembering what she said.
[ Weiss told him that, actually! But with everything going on, he'd completely forgotten about it until the mention of ghosts and the like. Maybe he should be the one writing things down so he can remember to tell Hiyori later. ]
right. did you really need to mention all that stuff? even if i think you're delusional, you really felt the need to remind me i still rank below mary back home. well, it's not like i care about your stupid ranking, anyway!
[ And maybe learning he ranks first in Hiyori's heart here makes him a little happy, not that he'll ever admit to it. ]
now i'm thinking about it, probably for the better, tsukinaga-senpai didn't go in.
really, ohii-san? man, i knew you were old-fashioned but sus means suspicious. it's just slang! but i dunno.. you're usually always in good spirits. and still sounds pretty unreal knowing what's around here, and you already went on about what rinne-senpai said.
[ About staying away from them! But he has so many questions about 'refreshing' flowers. What does that mean, first of all? ]
yeah! i'm gonna be down in the communal kitchens for who knows how long, so meet me whenever you get done.
[ Especially after he receives the call from Rinne-senpai about what the "blank, white cake" actually means. ]
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Or give them vouchers. One of the two.
A ghost??
[He was following that explanation until the last bit. ... also, his source on the tentacle monsters was Weiss, too. Big shoutout to her for educating Eve on all the weird stuff going on around here!]
I know there are ghosts here, but why would her doppleganger be a ghost? And how could a ghost get inside a painting? Now I'm very confused.
Perhaps you should care! There's always room for you to improve your rank! In my personal ranking, I mean. Not the so-called "rank system" here. My ranking is much more important. If you got even cuter, then you and Mary could be on the same level π
So it was slang, hmm? Very well! I'll start adding that to my vocabulary! I'm not totally old-fashioned, just so you know. I know some slang. For example, "spill the tea" and "that's the tea on that." Aira-kun taught those to me at a Pretty 5 meeting! Arashi-chan knew it, too, actually. Now we say it all the time!
Anyway, I think those flowers I sniffed were fine. However, I *do* see your point. I should be careful, and you should be careful! From now on, we'll sniff flowers sparingly! Though just so you know, I'd already smelled those flowers before Rinne-senpai told me about the pollen issue, so that wasn't an example of me being careless.
OK, see you there! ππ€πβ¨οΈ
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[ But then again, can they trust anyone as a doctor here? And he'd rather Hiyori not offer vouchers for services, but it's not as if they're hurting for them now... But, wow! Weiss sure is educating Eve on the monsters here. She must have gone through it. ]
i dunno? weiss-san told me the story so she'd know more about what went on. and it was pretty confusing, but you'd be better off getting the full story off of her. i think weiss-san said she knew you already.
i knew what you meant, ohii-san. no part of me wants to improve my rank here. but why'd i want to improve your "personal ranking"? in case you haven't noticed, i'm not the type of guy who's "cute." or wants to be on the same level as other people??? mary, included.
[ Besides, he loves Mary! She deserves her spot on Hiyori's list. What kind of co-parent would Jun be if he overtook her?
What exactly is Shiratori-kun teaching Pretty 5? He's aware that Aira spends a considerable amount of time online, but the notion both Arashi and Hiyori are saying "spill the tea" and "that's the tea on that" out loud??? ]
ohii-san, you guys aren't talking like that, right? what the hell has shiratori-kun been teaching you guys in pretty 5...... π€¨
[ Actually, he can imagine Aira teaching them internet slang, but more words like "tbh," "omg," or "lol". Anyway, he has to concentrate on the cake, meaning they cannot have a lengthy discussion about internet slang. However, he would probably pass away if Hiyori spoke like that in front of him. At the very least, he's not talking about "dabbing on the haters" or anything similar. ]
i'll be careful, you'll be careful and we don't have to worry. ok, guess that one doesn't count?
i guess we can continue the convo later. "ttyl" π
[ And here is more slang for Hiyori to figure out. ]
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Hopefully it won't ever come to that, of course. We managed to avoid that flower-coughing disease last month, which means we must have sturdy immune systems! It just doesn't hurt to have connections, that's all.
[They won't need to worry about that turning-to-stone disease kicking in. And if it's a condition like whatever they were afflicted with during the Springtime gameβthe kind that makes your body turn hotβwell, they'll just take care of each other. But that goes without saying.]
It was that @ angel girl who told you? That's funny. She's the one who told me about those tentacle monsters! We actually have plans to go shopping soon, so I guess I'll ask her about that next time.
Perhaps you're not a "cute type" the way I'm a "cute type," or the way Ra*bits is full of cute types, but you *are* cute sometimes! Like whenever a fan profusely praises you at a handshake event, calling you "cool" and such, and you get shy over it. Or when you pull off a difficult dance move and look pleased with yourself afterwards. Or when you're thinking really hard about something, but it's obvious you're stumped! At times like those, I think to myself, "Jun-kun sure is cute!"
Of course, I'm also "the handsome type" and "the beautiful type" as well as the cute type.
[Regarding Aira, it's entirely likely that he simply messaged them something containing the phrase, and that Hiyori messaged back asking what it was. And then he explained it to them, so Hiyori started using the term over chat... and then started using it in-person, too, much to Aira's shock. But there's no law saying certain phrases have to stay on social media, right?? And Aira was probably at least a little happy to have one of his favorite idols adopt a phrase they learned from him...]
I'd say what he teaches us is basically "the fans' perspective." I didn't grow up watching idols on TV the way he did. Or the way you did, for that matter. So it's always nice to learn more about what fans think and feel. For example, I never realized some fans buy dozens of copies of our CDs until I spoke with him! I do love shopping, but I'd never considered buying endless versions of the same thing before. But that's how fans show their love ππ Or some of them, anyway.
I don't know what that last thing you said means, but alright, talk to you then! ππ€πβ¨οΈ