[open]

[wordcarvings]

WHO: Koutarou & YOU!
WHERE: Various Recolle locations (animal shelter, buddhist shrine, university, library, etc)
WHEN: March
WHAT: Secrets, birthdays, anniversaries, books
WARNINGS: n/a


library and thereabouts (5th)
[ Things calm down somewhat regarding the secret that was spilled just the other day, and he doesn’t have to avoid people as much. That means that he can go to an activity he had intended to go to, because he always does.

He drops by the library with some books he’s read and won’t read again anytime soon. He hopes to be able to find some poetry (or maybe art books) among the books that had been dropped off. Something he has not read before, or something he doesn’t have yet. He buys some baked goods, too.

He also intends to go read whatever he picked up, and ends up sitting on the steps leading to the library front door, and eventually some stone wall a fair bit up from the ground. How did he even get up there? Jump? It’s not the easiest wall to climb.

Meanwhile, he feels stares at his back but tries to ignore them, chalking it up to the previous incident. He’s wrong, because there is a paper with some secret or other taped on his back. (He thought he managed to avoid that.)

> I was disowned.
> I went to Vesuvius with someone important that wasn’t my girlfriend.
> I won’t go on blind-dates because a girl scared me.
> I have not spoken to my father in nine years.
> I am horrible at technology and still barely knows how to use a computer.

At least when he sits up on the wall they’re less visible, but while he browses the books and sits on the stairs, they’re easy to read. ]


the animal shelter (13th)
[ He got a rare call from his youngest older sister early in the morning. So early that it was still the middle of the night. Wishing him a happy birthday, telling him his other sisters were doing well, not really mentioning anything else. He’s been in Recolle for nearly ten years now...

He (unintentionally) takes the day off to wander, starting from the early hour he was woken up by Naoko’s call, away from the memories, the knowledge that he needs to go other places at the end of the week. He even forgot his sketchbook, which doesn’t usually happen. This time of the year was his least favorite, and he couldn’t go be with Ashlee because she left for a short vacation with some friends just the other day. How many days had it been since he last saw her in person now, anyway?

Eventually he ends up in the area of the animal shelter, and he decides to go to visit it, to hang out there and see if there might ba anything he can do during the day, play with the animals and stuff. ]


a university art classroom (16th)
[ His students and anyone else he’s met at the university today may have noticed that he’s seemed a bit absent today. But finally the lesson is over and honestly, despite being a bit distant he did his job well. It’s just an off day- (Off week, really.)

He’s staying longer though, putting away tools of the trade and cleaning everything up. He’s not about to go home in quite a while and the light is on in his classroom even as it becomes late in the evening. ]


your local buddhist shrine (19th)
[ Saturdays are zumba. He started going with intentions on continuing to go. But this saturday he didn’t go. His mind was too filled with other things. And the day after he goes to clear his head a little bit. Best as he can, at least, for the time being.

He doesn’t go very often to the shrine. To buy incense, sometimes. To offer a prayer, once in a while. He doesn’t really offer prayers at the small home shrine he has in his apartment, and the picture of his mother is turned toward the window, so he doesn't have to feel her accusatory stare (which really only is in his imagination). So he goes to the shrine on the anniversary of her death - nine years already - to offer a prayer mostly out of obligation. He missed his family, but he knew it wasn’t his fault she died even if his father had said so on her wake.

He offers some incense at the memorial altar, prays for some minutes, then buys some more incense to bring home because he enjoys the scent. He strays among the lit incense sticks for a while, then heads to leave the shrine and go for a walk before heading home to his apartment in Birch Hills. ]


your local wild card (?th)
[ you know how this one works. i’m open to anything. ]

Comments

[liberal_arts]

-If he opened it, inside he'd find a vial of a special resist meant for silk painting. Not his usual medium, sure, but Kasen always thought he'd have a talent for it, if he ever gave it a try. It was... very expensive for being "not much", but Kasen wasn't going to mention that if it wasn't brought up.-

Happy birthday. Sort of, anyways.

[wordcarvings]

Thank you... [ Usually birthday wishes only came as words. Unless, sometimes, it was the people the very closest to him who gave him something, but it's a bit different to get a present from the person who just happens to own the building you work at. Right? It's definitely different to him. ] Um.....would you like me to open it now or later...?

[ Please decide for him because he has absolutely no idea. ]

[liberal_arts]

Well you don't need to open it on my account. -Kasen chuckled. Even someone like him could tell Kantarou was having an awkward time of it.-

Should I have... not?

[wordcarvings]

Oh, no, I'm happy. [ Truly, he is. ] It's just, we never did birthday presents in my family so I'm not really used to it.

[liberal_arts]

It's mostly a habit I developed here in America, if I'm being completely honest. -He never gave Izumi anything for his birthday. In all honesty, that day in particular always felt weirdly heavy for him.-

[wordcarvings]

I see... [ Customs were very different from home, it would be for many people. ] Anyway, thank you.

[ Later once he sees what he's been given he won't know how to react, he's not worth something so expensive. ]

[liberal_arts]

Did you want to catch a nightcap tonight, or were you just going to head home? -Awkwardness aside, this could be a moment for them to hang out, Kasen figured.-

[wordcarvings]

I... Suppose I would not mind that.

[ With so much on his mind that he keeps thinking about when he's alone, and with his girlfriend out of town, he could use some company. ]

[liberal_arts]

That's the spirit. I know a good place near campus. Not too many students around, so it gets a lot less awkward. -Kasen chuckled.-

You look like you could use that.

[wordcarvings]

[ Koutarou gets along very well with his students, but right now he supposes that avoiding them a little wouldn’t be wrong. ]

Yeah, I guess so. Thanks.

[liberal_arts]

Think nothing of it. They've got a great wine list, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. -Kasen reshouldered his bag and stepped outside the room, waiting for Koutarou.-

[wordcarvings]

I know very little about wine, really.

[ He can drink a lot without any worry of getting drunk , but it's his dear cousin who's the expert in the family.

He has to put away the mop and empty out bucket before he can leave though. Give him a couple minute. ]

[liberal_arts]

Oh there's a whole art to it, apparently. I'm trying to explore it, myself. -Kasen said from outside the door.-

[wordcarvings]

Oh. Yes, I have been told it can be quite deep...I think it was.

[ He doesn't remember the words exactly.

He dries off his hands on a towel after washing them off one last time, and fetched his coat. ]

[liberal_arts]

Do you often mop your own class? Not that I'm judging you for it, but I admit, I'm a little curious as to why. -It could just be as simple as not trusting the maintenance staff with not damaging art supplies and fixtures, Kasen figured.-

[wordcarvings]

[ He wouldn’t have thought he was judging him even without him saying that. ]

Sometimes, when I feel like it.

[ Or rather, when he needs to keep idle and also think at the same time. He gets too focused when he's painting so it's actually not very convenient for that.

He came up to the door and turned off the lights, locking up behind him. ]

[liberal_arts]

And they say I'm an eccentric. -Kasen shook his head, a good natured chuckle in his chest.-

[wordcarvings]

[ Koutarou gives a slight smile and slightly raised eyebrow as he pockets his keys. ]

Do they now?

[liberal_arts]

Considering you found me crawling around Recolle Square looking for a flower, I'm sure you can believe it.

[wordcarvings]

Hmmm, yes, I suppose that I can. Do you do things like that often?

[liberal_arts]

My whole life. Things considered strange or unusual to others. I swear -he laughs- I don't do it on purpose. It's just how I've always been. I... perceive things differently. For better or worse.

[wordcarvings]

I see.

[ So Kasen can’t stop himself either, huh. Though Koutarou had to force himself to not act on any impulses or as who he really was while he still lived with his parents. ]

Well, it’s not like it’s bad being an original, or different from other people. I quite like that in a person.

[liberal_arts]

You consider it an attractive quality, then? -Kasen cocked an eyebrow.-

[wordcarvings]

[ He smiles. ]

I suppose that I do.

[ Mind you, he's not flirting, only being honest. It's not like it's a secret that he has a girlfriend he adores (even if some of the hallucinomemories have started to mess things up in those regards). ]

[liberal_arts]

-Oh he's heard. Which was why he wasn't laying it on thick. But it did make him wonder...-

So you like weirdos, huh? Well, I suppose there's a reason we get along then. You should have seen some of the other reactions I was getting out there at the square.