[Thankfully, the price isn't outrageous enough for Kouhei to be appalled, and he does have a job. Besides, hanging out with a friend like this is something he's never really done before! It's well worth it. Even if they're just going to be breaking plates and things.
But the break between his statement and Akira's response threw him off enough that he probably looks a little more than slightly shocked, and with a slight flush, he sighs and rubs at his neck.]
I can't believe you figured it out before I did....
[ The employee doesn't take too long before they bounce back over to them. ushering and guiding them to the room. It's all white, clean as the Apple store, and there's a wall of fine china ready to be demolished. When inspecting them, the wares are rather thin—cost-effective, probably.
Anyway, as they hit the doorway, Akira has been spooked into silence for a whole minute. ]
... So it really is your crush?
[ What?? Why is it that every time Akira makes a joke about people's crushes/relationships, they end up being true?
[This really is a unique place. Everything is so pristine that Kouhei feels a little bad that they're about to break all of this china, even though it doesn't look terribly expensive or anything. He's the guest here (?), so he's going to wait for Akira to do something first.... Or so he'd hoped.]
That's-- That's what I was trying to tell you!
[He isn't fretting too much, at least not outwardly, but his voice is clearly far less measured than it usually is.]
And it's not me, either way! It's the me in my memories.
[ ... They're both guests, Kouhei. He picks up one of the two bats provided to them. Feels pretty solid. He taps the floor with the bat before doing some practice swings. ]
I know you mentioned before that receiving memories of someone who seemed important to your past self feels strange... Are you doing okay?
[ Crush is a Big Step from "important someone." He notices the tone change, even if slight. It doesn't stop him from tossing a cup into the air and smashing it. It makes a crisp, clean shattering sound. ]
[Whoa.... That's impressive. Kouhei hasn't really touched a baseball bat since mandatory PE class in school, but those weren't even real bats. These are hefty, as he can tell from Akira's swinging, and he hesitates slightly before taking the other bat and tapping it against the floor just the same.]
It's only weird because every one of my memories was about them for a while, like they were the only thing that mattered to that me. And I've gotten other memories since then, so now I know it wasn't just them. But I think.... they meant a lot to me. The other me.
[It's just as he's turning around that Akira tosses the cup in the air, and Kouhei whips his head around to look just in time to watch the impact. The noise resulting from it is more than loud enough for him to hear clearly, and the debris hits the floor and shatters even further. Good thing they're wearing protective gear!]
... I hope you can find someone like that here, too.
[ They all deserve happiness in whatever form, even if he knows they all need to fight for a happy ending. He twirls the bat with ease before stepping aside so Kouhei can pick out hits target. They are sharing the porcelain and the room, after all.
He balances the end of the bat on the ground before squatting, hands still firmly clasped on the knob. ]
Yeah. Do you need some safety earmuffs?
[ Scratching his cheek, he thinks he could have thought this through...? It may not be ear-shattering, but it can spook the meek. Kouhei does fit that type. ]
[He laughs briefly under his breath, just a touch awkward, and picks up a medium sized plate. It's nice and light.... Which means that it should probably break rather cleanly.]
No, I'm fine. I'm just surprised I can hear it so clearly. Besides, I can turn my hearing aids down if it gets bothersome, though I wouldn't be able to understand you. So that's a last resort.
[It's his turn, isn't it? Throwing the plate at the wall like a frisbee would be easy enough, but he does have pretty good coordination.... So after ensuring that he's far enough away, Kouhei tosses the plate up and swings at it, managing to break it and send a few pieces flying toward the opposite side of the room.]
[ He considers that maybe instead of exchanging recipes, they should exchange tips. Humming thoughtfully, he considers how to boost Kouhei's self-esteem, but the crisp sound of shattering porcelain brings him back to their activity.
At first, he doesn't say anything when the plate breaks into little pieces, but he continuously taps the bat against the floor like applause. He's proooud. ]
[He looks shocked, more than anything, and almost a little incredulous. Did he really just break a plate with one swing of the bat? It was so easy! Is this what baseball is like?]
It was.... New, I guess? I don't think I've ever purposefully broken something before. It's just as much fun watching you, though.
[ ... No, it isn't what baseball is like, but no one is going to tell Kouhei otherwise. ]
I thought so.
[ He's glad that Kouhei finds it at least remotely interesting. Leaving his bat to lean against the wall, he picks a porcelain cup and tosses it to Kouhei.
[He knew Kouhei had never broken anything?! ....Not that it's hard to tell, but like. Come on.]
Have you ever been somewhere like this before? You seem pretty comfortable with a bat and things breaking--
[That sure is a cup being tossed his way. He has to drop his bat to catch it, but manages to do so even as he winces at the slightly loud noise it makes.]
I'm good—[ KOUHEI. He tossed that cup so you could swing at it like a true baseball player. Blurting a raspberry, he lets it go. This is why it's obvious Kouhei has never thought about this before. ]
I did break things in my memories... Not with a bat though. [ Should he even mention this? ] It was cathartic.
[ Yes... Yes, he should have, but Akira isn't going to fuss over it. Instead, he grabs a plate and drops it onto the floor. It falls into pieces and scatters across the floor.
Also, he'll be fiiiiine. He can dodge it. When he tosses the next one, he takes a grand step to the side to avoid any flying debris. ]
[He's so out of his element here that he almost asks why Akira just dropped the plate instead of throwing it or striking it, but.... that works too.
Still, bat in hand, Kouhei stands his ground and manages to swing at the cup when it's thrown toward him. He.... He actually hit it! It wasn't square in he middle of the bat, but still! That's worth something, right?
....But it's less impressive than what Akira's talking about. With a dagger?!]
[ Oh, boy. Maybe he shouldn't have mentioned anything at all. Akira rubs his neck nervously as he looks at their limited selection. They're down to a couple of plates and a tea set now. Still enough fun, but not enough to deflect the conversation topic.
[One would think that Kouhei would be more alarmed by this revelation, but his expression remains rather measured, and he cants his head slightly as he takes the saucer and waits for Akira to break his item of choice first.]
Like a thief? ....I'm sorry if you had a hard life.
[In many ways, he's still just waiting for some huge plot twist to come up in his memories, given how normal they are. Like "surprise, I guess memory Kouhei is a murderer!" Besides, Akira's his own person, and shouldn't be judged for what he remembers.]
... Yeah. It's all right. I'm not a thief in this life.
[ No, he's still a thief in this life, more of a literal kind, too. He doesn't know how else to move it along—talk about good things? He smashes a teacup against the wall. The sound... Is so crisp and nice. It's weird.
He finds it comforting. ]
But the other me was happy—he had friends and a guardian that cared for him. I'm a little jealous, sometimes, but I have that, too. Isn't that weird?
[Trailing off like that is a pretty good indication that he shouldn't press too much more. Part of him feels bad for bringing it up, and another part feels slightly guilty that he hasn't remembered any hardships more challenging than the usual ones he's faced in his everyday life.
A little quiet, Kouhei takes a second teacup and tosses it against the wall a little less forcefully, taking in the noise as it shatters. It isn't overwhelming, but he can hear it loud and clear.]
That's important. I'm glad he seemed to have a good life. ....But I know what you mean. About a weird sense of envy over the life you remember. It may not be exactly the same, but.... I think I might understand.
[ Though he says that, it doesn’t change how he feels about his other self. It takes time to accept he is who he is—also, it would be rude to go listless when they’re hanging out. The shattering cup grounds him in a different way. Taking some small teacups, he starts to juggle them with ease.
How long can he keep this up before dropping them? Well, he passes a cup to Kouhei... then another. Another on top of that. And again. ]
What matters is what you can do now in this life. For you, that might mean setting up a profile on a dating app.
[Really, they're friends, and learning more about Akira makes Kouhei feel just a touch closer to him. Not to mention that listening as a whole is something he doesn't want to take for granted.... not when he isn't sure if someday he'll be able to hear nothing at all.
But all the same, there isn't any time to dwell on that when Akira starts to effortlessly juggle teacups, and Kouhei immediately gives him an incredulous, startled look. That's one teacup he's now holding.... two, three, four....]
Do you really think I'm the kind of guy who could use a dating app? "Hi, I'm an antisocial, deaf college kid who likes to read and has no other hobbies--" Why are you handing me teacups?!
The fact that you'd go to get-togethers at all means you're way more social than I am, believe me.
[Not that he knows for sure, but Akira seems to have so many friends! And he's always around on Retrospec. But it's difficult to keep thinking about that as teacups are piled into his hands. Dropping these isn't an option!]
What? No way. I'd choose you over me any day. [WHAT'S A BOOST WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE?] I can't break any of them if you keep giving them to me!
You do it to save face, Kouhei. Whatever face you have, I suppose.
[ There were plenty of parties where he attended for his family, shown off as an asset and the like. However, Akira does have many friends, but that has only changed in the turn of a year. It came with a lot of challenges and hurdles. ]
You can say that because saying you would date yourself is weird.
[ While he's distracted, he tips one of the cups out of Kouhei's hold. Crash, shatter, there it goes. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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But the break between his statement and Akira's response threw him off enough that he probably looks a little more than slightly shocked, and with a slight flush, he sighs and rubs at his neck.]
I can't believe you figured it out before I did....
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Anyway, as they hit the doorway, Akira has been spooked into silence for a whole minute. ]
... So it really is your crush?
[ What?? Why is it that every time Akira makes a joke about people's crushes/relationships, they end up being true?
He's scared of this power. ]
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That's-- That's what I was trying to tell you!
[He isn't fretting too much, at least not outwardly, but his voice is clearly far less measured than it usually is.]
And it's not me, either way! It's the me in my memories.
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I know you mentioned before that receiving memories of someone who seemed important to your past self feels strange... Are you doing okay?
[ Crush is a Big Step from "important someone." He notices the tone change, even if slight. It doesn't stop him from tossing a cup into the air and smashing it. It makes a crisp, clean shattering sound. ]
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It's only weird because every one of my memories was about them for a while, like they were the only thing that mattered to that me. And I've gotten other memories since then, so now I know it wasn't just them. But I think.... they meant a lot to me. The other me.
[It's just as he's turning around that Akira tosses the cup in the air, and Kouhei whips his head around to look just in time to watch the impact. The noise resulting from it is more than loud enough for him to hear clearly, and the debris hits the floor and shatters even further. Good thing they're wearing protective gear!]
It's.... It's loud.
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[ They all deserve happiness in whatever form, even if he knows they all need to fight for a happy ending. He twirls the bat with ease before stepping aside so Kouhei can pick out hits target. They are sharing the porcelain and the room, after all.
He balances the end of the bat on the ground before squatting, hands still firmly clasped on the knob. ]
Yeah. Do you need some safety earmuffs?
[ Scratching his cheek, he thinks he could have thought this through...? It may not be ear-shattering, but it can spook the meek. Kouhei does fit that type. ]
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[He laughs briefly under his breath, just a touch awkward, and picks up a medium sized plate. It's nice and light.... Which means that it should probably break rather cleanly.]
No, I'm fine. I'm just surprised I can hear it so clearly. Besides, I can turn my hearing aids down if it gets bothersome, though I wouldn't be able to understand you. So that's a last resort.
[It's his turn, isn't it? Throwing the plate at the wall like a frisbee would be easy enough, but he does have pretty good coordination.... So after ensuring that he's far enough away, Kouhei tosses the plate up and swings at it, managing to break it and send a few pieces flying toward the opposite side of the room.]
Um.... I hit it? [As if that wasn't obvious.]
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At first, he doesn't say anything when the plate breaks into little pieces, but he continuously taps the bat against the floor like applause. He's proooud. ]
How does it feel?
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It was.... New, I guess? I don't think I've ever purposefully broken something before. It's just as much fun watching you, though.
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I thought so.
[ He's glad that Kouhei finds it at least remotely interesting. Leaving his bat to lean against the wall, he picks a porcelain cup and tosses it to Kouhei.
Smash this, too. ]
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[He knew Kouhei had never broken anything?! ....Not that it's hard to tell, but like. Come on.]
Have you ever been somewhere like this before? You seem pretty comfortable with a bat and things breaking--
[That sure is a cup being tossed his way. He has to drop his bat to catch it, but manages to do so even as he winces at the slightly loud noise it makes.]
Another one? Don't you want to go next?
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I did break things in my memories... Not with a bat though. [ Should he even mention this? ] It was cathartic.
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S-Sorry, I-- I've never played baseball before, but if you throw another one, I'll try to hit it!
[Is that even okay, though?! They're both wearing protective gear, but he'd basically be swinging in Akira's direction!]
What do you mean? Things aside from dishes?
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[ Yes... Yes, he should have, but Akira isn't going to fuss over it. Instead, he grabs a plate and drops it onto the floor. It falls into pieces and scatters across the floor.
Also, he'll be fiiiiine. He can dodge it. When he tosses the next one, he takes a grand step to the side to avoid any flying debris. ]
... I broke vases. [ A pause. ] With a dagger.
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Still, bat in hand, Kouhei stands his ground and manages to swing at the cup when it's thrown toward him. He.... He actually hit it! It wasn't square in he middle of the bat, but still! That's worth something, right?
....But it's less impressive than what Akira's talking about. With a dagger?!]
What? Why vases? [WHY A DAGGER?]
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Well, he did bring it up. It's fine. ]
... To take what's inside it.
[ Here. Have a saucer. ]
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Like a thief? ....I'm sorry if you had a hard life.
[In many ways, he's still just waiting for some huge plot twist to come up in his memories, given how normal they are. Like "surprise, I guess memory Kouhei is a murderer!" Besides, Akira's his own person, and shouldn't be judged for what he remembers.]
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[ No, he's still a thief in this life, more of a literal kind, too. He doesn't know how else to move it along—talk about good things? He smashes a teacup against the wall. The sound... Is so crisp and nice. It's weird.
He finds it comforting. ]
But the other me was happy—he had friends and a guardian that cared for him. I'm a little jealous, sometimes, but I have that, too. Isn't that weird?
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A little quiet, Kouhei takes a second teacup and tosses it against the wall a little less forcefully, taking in the noise as it shatters. It isn't overwhelming, but he can hear it loud and clear.]
That's important. I'm glad he seemed to have a good life. ....But I know what you mean. About a weird sense of envy over the life you remember. It may not be exactly the same, but.... I think I might understand.
MOBILE FUCKED IT UP
[ Though he says that, it doesn’t change how he feels about his other self. It takes time to accept he is who he is—also, it would be rude to go listless when they’re hanging out. The shattering cup grounds him in a different way. Taking some small teacups, he starts to juggle them with ease.
How long can he keep this up before dropping them? Well, he passes a cup to Kouhei... then another. Another on top of that. And again. ]
What matters is what you can do now in this life. For you, that might mean setting up a profile on a dating app.
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[Really, they're friends, and learning more about Akira makes Kouhei feel just a touch closer to him. Not to mention that listening as a whole is something he doesn't want to take for granted.... not when he isn't sure if someday he'll be able to hear nothing at all.
But all the same, there isn't any time to dwell on that when Akira starts to effortlessly juggle teacups, and Kouhei immediately gives him an incredulous, startled look. That's one teacup he's now holding.... two, three, four....]
Do you really think I'm the kind of guy who could use a dating app? "Hi, I'm an antisocial, deaf college kid who likes to read and has no other hobbies--" Why are you handing me teacups?!
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[ Kouhei, just keep catching them or let them drop. The fate of these cups rest in your hands. ]
Between the two of us, I would choose to go with you. [ Take that boost, man—right, the teacup ferry? Hm. ] Oh. I don't know.
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[Not that he knows for sure, but Akira seems to have so many friends! And he's always around on Retrospec. But it's difficult to keep thinking about that as teacups are piled into his hands. Dropping these isn't an option!]
What? No way. I'd choose you over me any day. [WHAT'S A BOOST WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE CONFIDENCE?] I can't break any of them if you keep giving them to me!
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[ There were plenty of parties where he attended for his family, shown off as an asset and the like. However, Akira does have many friends, but that has only changed in the turn of a year. It came with a lot of challenges and hurdles. ]
You can say that because saying you would date yourself is weird.
[ While he's distracted, he tips one of the cups out of Kouhei's hold. Crash, shatter, there it goes. ]
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[He has face with his mom. That's cool. ....NO, HE DOES HAVE FRIENDS, IT'S JUST. ALSO A NEW THING.]
At least I didn't say I'd date both of us-- whoa!
[That sure is a cup shattering by his feet! Well, okay then.]
How about we split these last few up evenly? You're going to have to help, though, since I can't really hand half of them to you with my arms full.
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