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[heartshutter]

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7/11 | afternoon | text

[hackberrydragon]

Hey. I hope I'm not bothering but you have a minute?

[heartshutter]

Aah, of course! Did you need something?

[hackberrydragon]

Kind of. I just wanted to know if what I saw was real.

Back home, did you know a little girl? Pale skin and hair? Gothlolita type? Wore red a lot?

[heartshutter]

You mean Anna! Have you seen her?

[hackberrydragon]

[ ...so her name's Anna. At least now he has a name to the face. ]

No. Not really. She isn't here if that's what you mean.

I'm only asking because I had a dream. I think they were some of my memories but I wasn't sure if my mind was just making up stuff. But I saw you with her in my dream so I figured if you did know her then maybe it was real.

[heartshutter]

You saw the two of us together in a dream? Do you know where we were at the time?

[hackberrydragon]

It kind of looked like somewhere in Japan but nowhere I've seen. Not here, at least.

But... if I saw you in my dream. I guess that means I'm from the same Japan you came from.

[ ....you and everyone else you know. ]

7/31 - Morning, text

[toremainbehind]

Do you have anything planned today?

[heartshutter]

Just a couple! Why?

[ A moment later. ]

Did you need me to come in to work? I can clear out my schedule for you, Kusanagi-san!

[toremainbehind]

No, it's fine. The bar is closed, anyway.

But can you meet me tomorrow at he bar? There's something I want to talk to you about.

[heartshutter]

Of course! It's fine -- I'll be there whenever you ask!

Is everything okay?

...It's not King, is it?

[toremainbehind]

Everything's fine.

And no, Mikoto's been good lately, so this has nothing to do with him.

[heartshutter]

[ Then he doesn't know what this is all about, but... ]

Okay, I trust you.

I'll be there whenever you ask!

8/30 or 31, after modeling underwear | text

[mostsuitable]

Good evening, Tatara-san.
I just finished the rest of the runway shows and wanted to ascertain we're still on for tea.

[Besides, it's always possible the god could've made other plans afterward.]

text

[heartshutter]

[ His new moniker looks even stranger in text. Tatara finds himself blinking at it for just a moment before a smile spreads across his face. ]

Of course we are! Come by any time you like, Munakata-san.

action

[mostsuitable]

[Assured by the response, Reisi packs up his tea ceremony equipment before taking it along to Minerva's temple. When he arrives, he heads to the front door and notifies the god of his arrival.]

Hello, Tatara-san. [He’d actually been about to say 'Totsuka-san' but managed to smoothly transition so that it didn’t sound strange or off.

Anyway, he appears to be wearing a backpack that presumably holds his tea ceremony utensils.] Thank you for inviting me. Is there a place to set up, by any chance?

[When he looks past the god, he could see a communal area with some seats and a coffee table that might suffice if they move things around a bit. Hopefully that would be all right.]

[heartshutter]

[ That knock would be him! But, why is Reisi wearing a backpack? It almost looks a little out of place, and almost amusingly so, though Tatara refrains. Largely because that question catches him off-guard enough to quell any potential laughter. ]

Set up? [ Blink blink. Well, on one hand, the Blue King has always been nothing if not formal -- even with the most menial things. (Though Tatara surely isn’t expecting a tea ceremony set.)

After a moment of thought and a small shrug, he gestures to the coffee table set amid seating. ]

We can use this area, can’t we?

[ He’s not sure what kind of “set up” this all entails, but smiles warmly all the same. ]

Please, make yourself at home, Munakata-san!

[mostsuitable]

You have my thanks. It'll be fine over there.

[After letting himself in, he moves past a large aquarium where only a single goldfish resides. He sets his backpack down near the coffee table before taking off his boots and properly puts them aside. After that, he begins to carefully unpack his tea ceremony set.]

Have you ever done tea ceremony before?

[heartshutter]

Hm? Tea ceremony? [ That question gives Tatara pause. If he has done it, it’s been long enough since by now that he’s got to wrack his brain to remember much of anything about it. There is a simple answer for this, however, that spares him that: ]

Well, I’ve never done one with you before, Munakata-san! [ Though he highly doubts a man so formal skips out on tea ceremonies among his own faction, so it’s simply Tatara’s affiliation that’s prevented this then, right? ]

So this will be fun!

[ And if he sounds genuinely enthused here, that’s not the product of acting skills. ]

Oct 31, shortly after waking

[mostsuitable]

[Seeing the last text message from Tatara, Reisi tries to recall whether he indeed had a nice day on the day Tatara had sent it... Well, in any case,]

Tatara, I apologize for failing to contact you for some time. I hadn't expected to fall asleep one night and only wake up three weeks later.

[heartshutter]

Ehh? You're just waking up?? Σ(°Д°υ)

[ Not hearing from someone for that long... he'd, well, kind of thought the worst. (When he let himself think on it, that is.) But even that was fine, wasn't it? He'll claim as much. ]

Are you alright?

[mostsuitable]

[That response alone tells Reisi that Tatara wants to treat things as normal regardless of whether or not he'd known about Reisi sleeping for so long.]

Yes. Actually, I woke up mere minutes ago.

If anything, I feel oddly refreshed. And naturally uninformed in general, given how much time has passed.

[heartshutter]

Well, I'm glad you feel rested!

[ He's surprised he's not more groggy, honestly! After all, three weeks? It doesn't make sense whatsoever. But, one thing is for certain in his mind: It wasn't Reisi's doing. ]

I thought maybe I stood in the way of your ideals somehow, or that Shun told you to stay away.

[ But that's another story entirely. ]

[mostsuitable]

[Ah, Tatara has finally admit some concern over his lack of contact.]

I would have informed you if either had been the case, and then promptly attempted negotiating with you.

[Which apparently has always been his modus operandi since his awakening as the Blue King back in their world. He really is exactly who he is, even without memories.]

In any case, I'd like to see you soon. Perhaps after I determine the general state of things here? Although if there's a better time that would work for you, I'm glad to oblige.

[heartshutter]

[ Concern? No way! He's just... explaining, that's all! Everything's fine. It's all fine.

Though secretly, he's impressed Reisi would take the time to negotiate, should something have arisen that would separate them permanently. That's a bit surprising, to say the least.

Perhaps he still has much to learn about the Blue King. ]

Soon is fine! I'm home, so... any time works!