personavelvetroomdr | Cherry Blossom Evening Party

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Cherry Blossom Evening Party

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Throughout the week, Hamuko has messaged the vast majority of people she's met so far - and eagerly invited them to come meet at Inokashira Park starting at 5pm.

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You're invited to an evening sushi-party-turned-hanami-picnic-party! I've organized a bunch of cognitive chefs and performers to come to that park on the listed date/time. I've sent this to you because you were part of one of the three teams that helped with fighting Fatalis or rescuing Falcon and Wolf (or are Falcon and Wolf themselves!!) - we've all busted our butts a lot lately, so I think we deserve to have something nice together too! Of course, the party is open if you have any +1s or more. But before spring turns into summer, let's celebrate what we've all accomplished together!

.🌸˚𑁍.ೃ࿔*:･

The Venue...

Inokashira Park has a lovely river and trail and a phenomenal collection of cherry blossom trees. They're in the tail end of their season, filling the air with petals like snowfall.

In a large open area, Hamuko's arranged a ton of picnic blankets for people to claim and sit down on, though each blanket is HUGE to accommodate people sitting with as many people as they can handle! There are cozy pillows for sitting on too, stacked neatly to be borrowed.

There's a truly humongous row of tables laid out with an impressive amount of sushi presented. With a few trucks nearby, it seems there's a few sushi chefs making fresh platters of it to lay out through the night.

Similarly, there are food carts along the trails if you're not in the mood for sushi and would rather have some more traditional fare like dango, taiyaki, matcha, takoyaki... it's got the place lively and smelling fantastic! There's sake for the adults, and some cherry-blossomed themed mocktails for minors.

🌸𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖🎐

Activities

There's a few set out activities besides just chowing down and socializing or walking along the lantern-lit trails under the cherry blossoms! Inoshikara Park has always had cute little swan pedal boats or regular rowboats for 'rental' (not that money matters here).

The area is SO pretty, perfect for taking pictures to have as keepsakes. There's even a booth to claim a yukata and privately change into it, if you want to go the extra mile!

Finally, in lieu of a traditional band or modern concert, Hamuko has picked out a large set of speakers connected to a small karaoke stage and screen - menace the party with your sing-along! Get a little boost to your Guts!!

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He... he hadn't thought he'd ever have this much alcohol in his entire life.

Well—perhaps he had, once. In mourning. In sorrow. At the graveyard of a future he had once so carefully sorted, and in the wake of reviving a dream he'd long buried. But not like this. Not while sharing drinks with a man who had no particular desire to be his friend—or maybe one who had simply lowered his guard enough to humor him with a drinking competition.

And for a while, he'd been confident. Confident that he might actually make it through to the end as the victor.

Maybe he shouldn't have underestimated Wolf's tolerance after all.

It was a miracle he could even hold the two skewers of takoyaki in his hand, given how badly he was shivering now. The warmth of the sake was slowly draining from his body, even as it somehow still managed to burn him up from the inside. Too much. Went overboard again.

The cognitive chefs must have taken mercy on him, at least—he could still taste the incredible crust, the subtle sweetness of the sauce, and the texture of the octopus meat. It was the closest impression of the real thing he’d had in some time.

He idly chewed on a single skewer while sitting near the karaoke stage, trying to feel his own mouth again after what felt like nearly drowning it in alcohol. A small box sat beside him, a few more skewers poking lazily out of the opened packaging.

Hm... maybe she’s already left.

Edited 2025-04-30 15:19 (UTC)

She wasn't at the stage right now, but that was simple enough - she had seen Maruki and Zenkichi drink a crazy amount of alcohol, and then had seen that Maruki was shivering.

It'd taken a few minutes for her to track down an actual blanket, not a picnic blanket, and hurry back over with that and a bottle of water. Hamuko came up from behind him, holding the cold bottle on top of his head.

"Boop."

Truly, Maruki’s senses were in a league of their own. Which is to say—they had long since left the park.

When she came up behind him, he startled, flinching just slightly as if the world had returned on a short delay.
“...Ah—Hamuko-san,” he said slowly, voice a little hoarse at the edges.

He turned to face her with careful, deliberate movement, as though the air itself had become heavier. His eyes, half-lidded and unfocused, blinked slowly—cheeks tinged pink not just from the alcohol, but from the effort it took to keep upright.

He stared at her for a second too long, like a cat trying to catch the end of a moving thread.

“...Didn’t hear you coming,” he murmured at last.

Then, with a faint, lopsided smile that tugged tiredly at his lips, he added in a voice lower and softer than usual, “Am I that easy to read...?”

"I saw you and Wolf drinking like crazy, then I saw you over here shivering - that's not so much a book to read as it is a poster, you know?" she teased a little, passing the bottle to him and unfolding the blanket to wrap around his shoulders. She sat down on the blanket next to him, a slightly amused smile on her face.

"You're gonna be sick, drinking like that! Was it fun?"

Maruki blushed out of straight embarassment, trying to keep his expression in check while he bit inside his cheek, fidgeting with his hands before catching the bottle passed onto him and feeling the blanket draped over his shoulder. He constantly switched between looking at the takoyaki to adjusting the fabric on his shoulders, catching Hamuko sitting next to him.

Levelling her a smile, he finished the last of the takoyaki stabbed through the skewer and sets it aside for now, pulling his legs to his chest as he nearly curled into the blanket. Warm..

Was it fun?

What was..?

"Hm?" Oh, she asked him a question. "Uh...will be honest, I didn't want you to see me like this," he answers honestly with a nervous chuckle. "I heavily underestimated Zenkichi-san...he's a whole tank."

"Hahaha! Plus, he has like - nanomachines! That's practically cheating. But he's in a much better mood now," Hamuko giggled approvingly.

She got the feeling that's... probably what he was trying to do, right? Trying to keep things from getting too tense with Ichinose and Wolf.

Hamuko understood why everyone was being very cautious with the two scientists, but she also understood how they are probably feeling.

"Ichinose-san seems to be having fun, too! I'm glad you brought her along."

Hamuko would get to see the older man visibly brighten at the fact that even she noticed his mood was better. "I am glad to hear that," he remarks with a sigh as he looks down at the bottle and screws it shut.

...In two tries. The first time the cap fell on the blanket.

He doesn't regret trying to patch some things between Ichinose and Zenkichi, if they were even visible. Both of them should get to enjoy the party, shouldn't they? This wasn't a viable environment to be seperated for long, not when you don't know how long you will have to stay.

Really he would have loved to mention all that but all he does is offer a sincere smile to Hamuko as he says- "I am glad you went ahead and invited us. Allowed me to bring her along- even with your close relationship to Zenkichi-san." Yes, of course he sees things. Wolf was soft for her. Like a father.

"I heard from Akane what the whole deal was, what happened, all of that. I don't think it was very wise of him, but I understand why he did that, especially since he thought it might be 'his' Ichinose," Hamuko nodded, hugging her knees casually, comfortably.

"And I get why you took Ichinose-san in, and why she went into hiding. I don't necessarily approve of anything that happened, but I understand everyone."

It didn't matter if she approved of it or not, that wouldn't have changed a damn thing for him...just a little disheartened but not surprised.

Maruki eased up, looking ahead at the way the bright flowers stood out in the dark, almost magical even with the lights or the reflection of the trees against the ripples of the water.

"It's easy to hate and misunderstand," he continues slowly. "I wouldn't say I am above it either...but if I can salvage something good from my time here- then that's all that matters in the end."

"Yeah. No one's immune to it, it's only human to misread things or act rashly."

She's done it plenty, she's done it here, and she'll probably keep doing it for as long as she's here.

"I'm frustrated that Zenkichi went on what was basically a suicide mission, as far as he knew... I'm frustrated he didn't step back and not scare the shit out of a newcomer... I'm frustrated she feels like she has to hide to stay safe."

Hamuko sighed a bit.

"I knew you would give someone a chance, though. I'm glad you helped her out. I would've done the same thing."

A suicide mission. Right. Hasegawa-san didn't have much going for his own world, did he? "People bank a lot on the fact that no one can die here permanently. Atleast not in a way that's cheated the system. I could see both sides of why Zenkichi-san did what he thought was right."

It was so awful. The system itself, not the fact that death isn't permanent. Its a decent addition, given that if it weren't for that he might have already died.

And did nothing to really fight against his fate anyway.

His expression turned sombre at what she just said. I would've done the same thing.

"...maybe she should have gone to you," he replied quietly. "Not because I don't like her company-! Nothing of those sorts... it's just maybe she would have an easier time opening up to everyone else."

"She can stay wherever she wants, just let her know she can count on me to keep an eye on her. Err, safety-wise, not surveillance-wise," she added to clarify, tilting her head a bit at Maruki's blue mood.

It was such a contrast to his expressions around Ichinose, earlier. His expressions when he would hang out with Hamuko, too. But the disapproval he got weighed heavily, didn't it...

"You two look like you have a lot of good friend chemistry, though - you two seem to hit it off in no time flat."

"I will," he nods- grateful for her offer anyway. Probably better this way, isn't it? He can work on helping Morning while seeing Ichinose occasionally for work. He doesn't even think about a possibility where the researcher might not wish for something like that, barely crosses his mind even.

In the past month where he's known her, she was a farcry from the warnings issued about her. She wanted to help others, like him in her own way. Design assistant and optimized systems so that humans will find it easier to tackle their own problems.

"You know what they say in a place like this-" he chuckles weakly as he fidgeted with his left hand, rubbing it to soothe out the tension in him. "Hazards of the profession. That aside- I am just glad for the opportunity to learn more from her. For my research and otherwise."

The words good friend chemistry, did make him pause for a moment. Chemistry...love...ah-!

"I have...a slightly strange question regarding uhh-" he considers his words very carefully. "Supernatural aspects. That is beyond my field. Somehow and its been haunting me for a while."

"Supernatural aspects beyond your field... huh. Like what?" Hamuko asked, sincerely, sitting upright again to show she was paying attention.

"Lovers."

The word quickly slipped off his tongue. That's how much the question has been haunting me.

"I was told that I uncovered a bond with the Lovers. What does that mean?"

"Lovers...?"

Hamuko only pauses a second to think, before it clicks. Oh. Oh!

"Wait a moment! Like the Lovers card from tarot? I didn't know you got Social Links, too - those are bonds made manifest to give you strength. It's what helped me face Nyx," she explained, a little surprised. The Lovers card, though... "Is Ichinose-san your Lovers link?"

Those are bonds made manifest to give you strength.

Okay, maybe asking this question while drunk wasn't a good idea because while he gets the idea of how experience shapes a person in general, this little variable with the titles seemed so off. Especially in Ichinose's case. How would she feel if he told her about this?
It couldn't be positive. Maybe it would creep her out more if anything.

"I don't know," he admits with a wry chuckle. "...Maybe?"

It took Hamuko a beat, but she looked at Maruki's flustered, bewildered expression.

H e h .

Whether he actually felt anything about it or not, the funnier thing to Hamuko is how dead serious he was about it when he brought it up.

"You don't read the tarot much, do you, Maruki-san?"

Why is she looking at him like that-

Maruki pouted, looking close to a kicked puppy as his brows furrowed. "Is something the ma-"

He cuts himself off at Hamuko's question.

Tarot...huh...

"I did...attend one?" He asks but it ends off as more of a question, like he wasn't sure what to call it. "One tarot reading session organized by the occult club," he frowns. "...wayyy back in a high school festival. I always found it to be a silly little thing with fancy cards, you know?" The idea of having your fate intricately woven into pre-defined archetypes like astrology or otherwise seems more of a placebo effect.

"Not like that tarot reading was accurate," he added. "Why do you ask?"

"They're archetypes! Archetypes of a person's journey, their relationships, their own personhood... I think the world of the supernatural reflects the tarot because it speaks to a lot of our lived experience."

Come to think of it, even the Nyx Avatar recalled the Tarot... was that from Ryoji? Or did even Nyx herself acknowledge the Tarot?

"The Lovers card is sometimes about romance, sure. But it's actually a bit more broad than that - it refers to making choices, most of the time. About someone being at a crossroads, and having to choose which way to move forward. So that's probably what you and Ichinose are going to learn from each other - finding that crossroads for one or both of you and deciding what path to choose."

Edited 2025-05-01 00:41 (UTC)

Huh.

Maruki considered her words, his mind following slowly in comparison to how it would usually work- given that he sort of correlated their meaning regardless of his own belief in it.

About someone being at a crossroads, and having to choose which way to move forward.

Fascinating.

He...did find himself at the crossroads. And when Ichinose walked in at the cross, he found himself turning towards his dream again. She understood why he did what he did. Why this research meant everything to him and while he can try talking and comforting as many people as he can, he will always miss someone who was either too buried under unfair circumstances to make it out on the surface or didn't find themselves opening up.

Like Ichinose herself.

He took a long bit of a pause where he parsed what she meant.

"A choice can have a major domino effect and keeping things vague enough...maybe that's how the future works as well?" He tilts his head and the more he thinks about the fact that Ichinose is the lovers...he couldn't help but laugh.
"It's somehow both bizarre and somehow believable. Cognitive pscience truly is...eye opening."

"Though the romance aspect is a bit concerning..."

"Oh, woe is you! A woman that's pretty, educated and intelligent might get a crush on you," Hamuko teased, none the wiser.

"Say! You and I definitely have a bond. Which arcana am I? For me, you're The Hanged Man - makes perfect sense to me!"

Edited 2025-05-01 01:35 (UTC)

"I-" he squinted at her in confusion. "Oh no, I didn't mean it like that-! I am just saying I am not ready for a relationship like that and in all honesty, maybe I am just not giving her enough credit where credit is due. If this is an idea about crossroads..."

That said, he was grateful for the topic change. As much as he would love to discuss about Ichinose some other time, right now his brain is moving at the pace of a slug and if it wasn't for the sake of this conversation, he would be stuck curled up in the blanket like caterpillar hidden away in its cacoon.

While he was about to tell her what...archetype she was assigned by the mysterious voice in his head, what she says actually makes him stop and blinked. Once then twice.

Edited 2025-05-01 15:43 (UTC)

"I am....what?" He asks slowly, distinctly horrified. Makes perfect sense??

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