::Shibuya, the District that Never Sleeps::

[Rednal]

[12/13 - Evening]

Shiori Niko, aka "Marvel"

You couldn't listen to someone if they had no interest in talking... and there wasn't much she could do about that. This was Japan, after all - there was strong societal pressure for conformity and harmony, and it had taken her quite a long time (and a whole lot of frustration) to start resisting enough to speak out. Even now, it wasn't uncommon for people to blame her for being a victim, as if reporting crimes was as bad as committing them because it created negativity. Hah. What a load of crap.

With that, she gazed at the nervous wreck of a boy for a few moments... then raised an eyebrow. Repeated use of the same physical descriptor, huh? Well, people's reactions tended to show what their priorities were. "I was just passing by, and I still don't even know what was going on. If you really want to thank me, then help someone else that's in trouble... and try to stay out of it yourself." she answered, turning and starting to walk off. She wasn't terribly comfortable with giving her name to other people when she didn't need to, especially if they hadn't even introduced themselves first. Among other things, she had exactly no interest in creating some kind of 'girl saves boy, boy claims girl' scenario where she was basically just some trophy falling into someone's lap. Was it likely? She had no idea. Was it arrogant to assume that might even be a possibility? Perhaps. Either way, she wanted to avoid leading people on... and the best way to do that was to keep them at arm's length, at least until she felt she could trust them.  

[Great Ryoman!]

????
Back Alley in Shibuya

"...w-wait miss! You don't like to talk much, do you? I'm sorry for getting you involved with that...that beast. The truth is, I hear he's given several girls a rough time, like that miss who walked through here earlier. It might be presumptuous, but you seem um...memorable." It was inarguable that Shiori stood out amidst her peers, almost entirely due to her physique. The fact that the boy couldn't help but cast a glance again reassured her of that, but at the same time his eyes didn't linger too long, though the fact that he'd looked in the first place was...y'know, kind of rude. "Y-you should be careful. His name's Shouei Hihi, and he's becoming sort of infamous around here...I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to get some sort of revenge. I can give you my number, so you can call if anything happens..." Without waiting to see if she'd stopped he flipped open his phone and began pressing several buttons, clearly readying it to swap numbers through infrared. "...though, the police would probably be the safer course. But I'd feel bad if I got a girl mixed up with a ruffian like that, and then walked away. And I'd feel even worse if someone from our Shujin Academy made the news because they started causing trouble to you Kosei students. You are from Kosei, right?" Though nothing was a dead giveaway, it seemed like he was pretty sure of his assertion. It wasn't the kind of thing your everyday student could be confident in, but perhaps if he had a good grasp on the students of his own Academy...even then, Shujin was a big school though. Or maybe it was just a guess, after all, since he didn't recognize such a busty lady from his own home turf.  

[Hibarii chan]

Tamao Uehara

He looked surprised with her question, and it made her suddenly self-conscious, shifting on her place and brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Yeah...I mean, we haven't talked in a while and I --" Tamao rambled a bit; but quieted down when Saji recollected himself, answering with an energy that took her off guard. He perked up immediately, and his smile beamed even more than usual, making the teen to smile in return. It was impossible not to get some of the energy he was radiating. She listened intently, nodding to his words.

He had made new friends. Of course he would make new friends in his school. People that were art-oriented...it was easier to find people to get along with when they had similar passions, right? He even was friends with teachers and...even the principal of the school? Oh wow. The names that came afterwards were enough to make her head spin, but she chuckled, happy he had found such good people to get along with. That he...wasn't alone.

The feeling hit her out of nowhere. The ugly feeling of jealousy. The dark and awful feeling of self-hatred. With every word, she felt more and more alone, as if he had been able to move ahead...be bright and sunny and so innocent...so like him. He had gotten people that cared for him, people that liked him and wanted to spend time with him. He had...friends. And she...well, she had...only him. And not even that, really.

He had grown and he had changed, and in the meanwhile she had stayed stuck in the same quicksand that threatened on swallowing her whole in a second. She...she wanted to change. She wanted to be like him. She wanted people that wanted to be with her for her. She was so tired of the looks in school, of the whispers. And now, not even that. With the whole scandal and rumors that Shujin had wrapped around, no one cared about the 'stuck up model that wasn't as great as Ann chan'.

She just...wanted to scream.

Her smile dimmed a little, and she darted her gaze away, afraid he would be able to see through her mask...get to see just how ugly her thoughts were. She didn't want to feel jealous of him. She didn't want to feel like this towards him. And then...

And then he said he missed her.

The color reached her cheeks, and she looked up, catching those bright blue irises. "I am glad to hear that, Saji...You look happy, and that is...good. And well...you will always be the same Usa-chii I've always known." He had grown though...he was different.

She was happy for him. She truly was.

"I wish I could say the same for myself..." she heard herself say, the self-depreciating tone surprising her. "Things have been...difficult at work. And my mother is always pushing me to work harder."A sigh escaped her, but blurted out, as an afterthought, "I know she...she means well, but..." the teen rubbed her arm uncomfortably, not quite even sure why she was saying all this. "But she a little too forceful. Now she's got the idea I am not...well...curvy enough, you know?" she blushed lightly, lowering her eyes to her chest and back to him. "And she wants to--"

The ringing cut the girl's words short, making her jump in her place. Her heart raced as she looked at the device, fear visible in her eyes. She picked up, licking her lips nervously. "Mom? I'm still in Shibuya. Yes-- I met with a friend and I was...catching up. Ah? Just a friend. Mom, it doesn't matter. I'll get home soon. I...yes, I know the shoot is-- I know...-I am sorry. Yes. I know. ... ...Love you too."

Tamao sighed as she put the phone down, ashamed by that little display in front of Saji. "I...I am so sorry about that. I...should get going soon, Saji. My mother is...well--" she shrugged, a humorless smile crossing her lips. "She is worried I am not home yet. I got a photo shoot early tomorrow, so..."

She hated it. She hated it so much.

"So...let's finish up here, yeah?"

 

[Arena Emperor]

Usaji Azai, aka "Soma"
"...I will take everything! My friends, my family, my future...we'll take all of them together!..."

Everything was so nice...from the meal to the company to the way that his teasing and his stories seemed to make the girl beside him smile...when was the last time that he had spent an evening living such an enjoyable, normal life in Shibuya? So many things that had seemed just beyond his grasp a couple of months ago were suddenly more than within reach, they were the life that he was leading now. He had his friends, and he was grateful for them...yet it was moments like this that made him all the more aware of how much his life had changed since he had met them. And the beginning of all of it was that cell, shared with his two new friends, and the mysterious world that had swallowed them up before he even knew where they were going. Everything had changed since the Metaverse...his friends, his life, and most of all, himself...somehow, deep within the back of his mind, he wished that he could share it with Tamao. He wanted her to see that she could live the life that she wanted, do the things that she chose, and that the world that oppressed her and made her question herself were something to be rebelled against...not something to be painfully obeyed. In his curiosity, he wondered...what would her persona be if she had one? But to take her into that world would be too dangerous, he knew...and would she even want to take a risk like that? That aside, right now...in this moment...he was truly happy.

And he knew that it would come to an end.

As the night drew on and the full plates before them began to shrink little-by-little, he could see the expression on her face melting from a gentle smile into something a little more pained, a little wistful, and eventually, when her phone finally rang and she answered the voice that seemed to obviously be her mother...he could see the pain and distance return therein. It had always been plain to him that she didn't enjoy her work as a model, from her lifeless (to him) expressions in the magazines to the distance that it put between them when things began to grow more difficult for them to spend time together. And he could see it in the way that her mask slowly slipped back into place again, that sense of duty overriding her own will to act as she believed. Every muscle in her body tensed up and his blue eyes took notice of all of it, the nerves, the shame...why couldn't he think of the right words to help her do something other than what she seemed to feel confined to right now? He had changed so much, and he wanted to help her do the same...maybe, just maybe he...

...No, that wasn't right. He couldn't think that. Whatever Tama-chan's mother wanted, it couldn't be so bad that it deserved that...right? He shook the thought from his mind and returned her uneasy smile with a soft version of his own. If she felt that she couldn't smile honestly, then he promised himself that he would try to smile enough for the both of them. Until she could smile again, honestly, together.

"If you work too hard you'll get wrinkles, you know," he offered in a slightly playful jest, pulling out the money for their order and paying for both before she had the opportunity to protest...after all, she had bought something from his shop, so she couldn't complain about him spending a little bit on her in return, right? "Yeah, all right...let's get going, then." He stood at last from the counter and offered his thanks to the worker one last time, waiting for Tamao to join him before he started towards the door and opened it slowly, waiting for her to pass before following close behind.

"Want me to walk you home?" he asked as the brisk night air of Shibuya touched his face gently, the breath of winter surprisingly gentle all around them, "You still live in the same place...right?"

 

[Rednal]

[12/13 - Evening]

Shiori Niko, aka "Marvel"

Well, nothing was a giveaway aside from the obvious Kosei uniform, anyway. "If he tries for revenge, I'll just run, but... thanks for the warning." Shiori said. That much, at least, she needed to say to avoid being rude. She didn't take out her phone, though - mostly because she wasn't comfortable with giving her contact information to people she barely knew. That was actually kind of a problem for her - how was she ever going to make friends if she didn't meet people more than once? - but she was the type to leave it up to fate. If they met again, she'd at least seriously consider it... but otherwise, she didn't want to start off a relationship where somone felt like they kind of owed someone else. She wanted more equality, more... partnership, the way she related to the rest of the team. Otherwise, people were likely to muscle into her life in order to repay the debt they thought they had, and that was even worse...  

[Hibarii chan]

Tamao Uehara

Maybe if I get wrinkles, they won't want me in the studio anymore... Tamao thought to herself, but instead she just nodded and gave him a faint smile. "I'll be careful, Saji. After New Years...I'll probably have a little rest." She felt inadequate, feeling the air between them a little denser. She could see he had noticed her change in mood, but he said nothing, only smiling even brighter, being even softer with her. He tried to brush the awkward phone call away, willing with all his might for it to disappear...and Tamao didn't know if to feel grateful or guilty. She couldn't hide how things were for her, even if she was trying her hardest...even if she was trying so much to disguise how tired and how sick she felt. She knew she couldn't hide things from him though; somehow, even if they had been estranged for all those years, he still knew her well. He still could see when her smiles weren't genuine, when her laughter was a little fake, when her posture seemed a little forced. He knew...and it made her feel safe and uncomfortable all at the same time. Maybe if she could change...maybe if she didn't have to hide anything, she'd feel completely at ease with him.

He knew she was hiding stuff, but still, she made nothing to reveal her secrets. And he did nothing to push her. It was like a weird, heavy and dark wall between them, and they couldn't bring it down. Not yet.

He paid for their meals, and Tamao bit her lip when she felt a protest bubbling up her throat. He stood up, and she followed, bowing towards the worker in thanks before walking out the door.

A sigh escaped the teen model, and she unconsciously rubbed her arms in an attempt to keep warm, as they stepped into the cold streets of Shibuya. The silence grew between them, Tamao not finding the right words to say at that moment. She finally decided to speak up, about to thank him for dinner, when he spoke up, offering to walk her home. "I..." she hesitated for a second, before nodding, a soft smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "-...Yeah, the same place. You remember the way there?" she started walking down the street, her childhood friend on her side. It felt...nice. "And Saji? Thank you for dinner. You didn't have to pay for everything..."

 

[Great Ryoman!]

????
Back Alley in Shibuya

"Uh...o-okay, well see you- she's gone. Jeez." Despite his continued attempts at fraternization, Shiori ran off without a moment's hesitation and left the rather lithe figure behind. No question of whether he'd be safe walking home, no waiting to make sure some police arrived or something, and not even an exchange of names...saying it was perhaps the worst rescue in the history of Shibuya might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it wasn't that far off either. Then again, maybe Shiori simply had a sixth sense for these things, and realized that asking his name might have been meaningful down the road in some way? Buuut that would be a completely meaningless superpower. "Tch...stuck up b**ch. Maybe I'll just make you my next target...I will deliver justice." Long after Shiori had left the alleyway, the figure mumbled to himself and pressed a finger to the bridge of his glasses, adjusting them after the disaster earlier. To think he'd stumble upon him here of all places, and that he'd yell all that garbage about being friends again. The convicted needed only to accept their judgement, and disappear...Susu had no more time for those he'd already sent to hell. As he glanced down at the data on his phone, he smirked. She may not have given him her number, but that didn't mean he couldn't take it all the same, with his power. The internet could be a terrifying place, after all. "Shiori Niko from Kosei, huh? Interesting..."  

[Arena Emperor]

Usaji Azai, aka "Soma"
"...I will take everything! My friends, my family, my future...we'll take all of them together!..."

He could sense the strength it took her to force a smile as she assured him that she might get some rest after the New Year, but he wasn't quite fooled by the gentle reassurance that she offered. But there was little he could do other than return the smile, finally heading out of the diner with his childhood friend together. A breath escaped him, a sigh, both at the slight hint of melancholy that dawned between them and the freshness of the cool air. Somehow it always felt as though he could breathe easier when he was outside, beneath the light of the moon. He let some of the nerves within him fade away as twilight fully faded and night was wholly upon them now. There was a hint of helplessness that lingered within him, wishing, wondering what he could do that would make the girl beside him look just a little more alive, feel just a little safer, smile just a little more honestly. Would she ever feel like she had the strength to open up to him about what she really wished for...? Before, at the Sky Tower, she had backed down, but somewhere inside of her he was sure he could sense it...that rebellious spirit, that part of her that was willing to seek out her own happiness no matter what it takes. How could he reach her? No, how could he convince her to reach inside of herself and find it?

Some battles couldn't be fought with weapons or fists. They could only be fought with faith, hope, and the spirit within you. He knew that better than anyone...and he hoped that she would find her way as well.

But for now, the way home would have to suffice. He nodded in response to her question, returning her smile gently when she asked if he remembered the way back to her house. He was almost affronted that she might believe for a moment that he could forget, but he knew that it had been long enough that there was no reason to take offense. A long arm raised out towards the moon for a moment, almost as if to grab a bit of moon dust for his own, before he turned his eyes back to her and the road ahead.

"Of course I remember, my place is still nearby after all," the teen reminded her with a half-smile, though he didn't mention the fact that he had no intention of staying there tonight...that where he really planned to spend his night was the same place he spent most nights, in the room Miss Mariko lent him at the No Love Hotel. His home...hadn't felt like a home for a long time, if he was honest about it. But that fact which had plagued him for some time was one that mattered so much less now, thanks to the people who had become his new family. He had people who cared about him more honestly than his adoptive parents ever had, and he had a place that felt more like home than his apartment ever had. Would Tama-chan find a place like that one day as well? Would she like it there...together with them at the Hotel? He wondered...but those were thoughts, questions to be resolved in the future. For now, he simply laughed away her insistence that he didn't need to pay for their dinner with an innocent smile that was, perhaps, just a little less innocent and a bit more playful than it seemed. "It's nothing. I don't get the chance to treat someone very often, after all. Let alone you, Tama-chan." His smile was full and honest, the feeling of walking the night streets of Shibuya with her filling him with a nostalgia that made him feel 13 years old again, just a young kid with a cute girl and all the hope in the world. It took everything in his power not to take her hand and run right down the street together towards the park right then and there, like they used to. But well, he might be something of a trickster these days, but he was a bit more mature these days...he liked to think so, at least. That didn't mean that he couldn't put his newfound mischief to some use, though.

"Besides, if anyone recognized you, they might think we were on a date," he suggested with a cheeky wink, flashing his teeth as he smiled and let his eyes flash in amusement that hid...something, perhaps a hint of happiness at the idea? Perhaps if she watched him a little more, she might capture the meaning therein. "I could end up in a tabloid, the magazine might mention my accessories stand...ooh, I might even be caught up in one of their rumored 'scandals'. I've always wanted to be the subject of one of those '8 Ways to Healthy Buns' articles..."

Now he was being completely ridiculous. But hey, if it eased the weight that had settled between them and bought him just one more of her smiles...it would be more than worth it.