I Know of Winter's Kiss (Closed)

[glacian]

WHO: Hitori Togusa & Gentiana Illyria
WHERE: Recollé City
WHEN: Valentine's Day (Early Evening)
WHAT: A blind date between two philosophical hopeless romantics.
WARNINGS: Ramblings about the pretense of love and random topics over sake and authentic sushi.



It really couldn't have been a better match.

While Gentiana never formerly signed up for these Valentine's Day shenanigans, the woman couldn't be any happier with the result. Togusa is an old college classmate she always somewhat admired since meeting him at the university. While she wouldn't go as far as claim to be smitten with him, Gentiana does seem to like him. Togusa is a brilliant man filled with so many questions and ideas about the metaphysical world around them. He's not a stagnant thinker like most men are. Togusa is constantly evolving and adapting to the world around him with boyish enthusiasm. The police officer is far from perfect but he's good enough for the mild-mannered poet.

That's why Gentiana walks with such a merry sway as she meets up with him by the local bus stop. It's six in the evening and Gentiana is dressed to impress despite the cold. Her penchant for black weaves a tale of how she tried to wear something colorful only to end up picking her favorite black dress. It's a simple dress with thin straps and a silky finish. It's the perfect combination of flirty and classy, especially when paired with an thick ivory shawl that she drapes along her petite shoulders to protect her from the chill. She wears a pair of short black riding gloved with this ensemble and a pair of tall black heels with a red sole at the bottom.

Gentiana of course isn't foolish enough to arrive without a proper coat. That's why she carries her wool blend black jacket with her. While the chill of February doesn't faze her much, Gentiana still can get a tad cold.

She's only human after all.

Comments

[standalonehuman]

It really couldn't have been any better. Togusa had honestly signed up himself for the matchmaking service as a way to head his best friend off at the pass. One too many comments about how he hadn't dated anyone since his ex-fiance some months ago. While the relationship had ended peacefully, just a drifting apart, the fact that Togusa had been burying himself in work was true. So, one way or another, Togusa would have ended up on there. It was better for himself to take charge of his own destiny, then.

And then it had turned out to be Gentiana that he was on a date with. The thought made him more nervous, but in a positive way. She is brilliant, and philosophical, with a similarly analytical mind to his own, if he had interpreted her right. But she has a very different opinion and point of view on the world, one that she isn't afraid to share, and which Togusa would love to know more about.

Togusa cleans up pretty nicely, himself. Best he can afford on an officer's salary, but he wears the suit well. There is a brief clear look of 'wow' on his face when he spots Gentiana before he composes himself better. He stands up when she arrives, and offers his arm. "Gentiana. You look wonderful. Thank you for coming."

[glacian]

Gentiana does her best to conceal her smile but fails horribly once she hears the compliment. Togusa does clean up rather nicely when he's off the clock. He looks quite handsome to Gentiana who approves of his fondness for blue. She had thought to wear a red dress she purchased on a whim years ago but for some oddity, Gentiana doesn't seem to like it. There's something about the color red that makes her uneasy. She always preferred either black or blue for the most part. It's just so much easier or her to coordinate.

"Thank you, Hitori." She says his given name with a hint of fondness as she gently takes his arm. Her grip is gentle and soft much like her smile. "You certainly look handsome tonight. You're almost glowing." Gentiana teases quietly as she smiles at him. This really couldn't have been a more perfect match. The soft-spoken poet is feeling oddly flustered but she hides it well. "Fate works in mysterious ways, Hitori. I never thought we would find ourselves here upon a date." Despite her surprise, Gentiana certainly looks quite pleased.

"Tell me, where would you like for us to dine? I know of a few decent Asian themed restaurants nearby."

[standalonehuman]

Although they're long since on a first-name basis, hearing Gentiana use his given name brings an extra twinge of- something, in his chest. It's fairly rare, thanks to work mostly, but even among his friends, it doesn't happen often. It tosses him off-center in a good way.

"I already thanked our 'hosts' for opening the door so Fate could work," Togusa smiles in return. "But they insist it was random, so maybe there's something to the idea."

Togusa looks up and points up the road. "Not far, have you ever been to Koshin? Trust me, it's the spot where everybody who comes here from Japan goes. There's also an authentic ramen spot not far from the University, but I figured that was a little too casual for tonight?"

Their destination is a smaller, quieter restaurant, because Togusa is here for the conversation. The front of the building is decorated subtly, there's less of a need for intense advertising because everyone who comes here already knows what they are in for. Togusa detatches Gentiana's arm so that he can open the door for her.

[glacian]

A delighted smile tugs at Gentiana's lips as she walks with Hitori. It does feel odd to call him by his given name considering she's a stickler for manners. However, it she quickly gets over it once she sees that welcoming smile. It seems that her colleague doesn't mind the slight intimacy and that makes her feel much more at ease.

"Koshin?" Gentiana shakes her head. "I cannot say I've heard of that particular restaurant. I do believe you've won my curiosity." She says with a slight grin. While the possibility of ramen certainly sits well with her, Gentiana is a little hesitant about going to a local college hangout dressed so fancily. She might run into her most dreaded annoyance: Ardyn Izunia. That man can spoil a good time and a good meal.

"Oh, thank you." There's slight surprise in her tone once Hitori opens the door for her. Manners and class, she certainly gotten lucky tonight. Gentiana steps inside the restaurant with a look of awe within her green eyes. "Breathtaking." She says in reference to the subtle Japanese aesthetics. There's hint of oak here and there that really gives this restaurant a rather stylish and sophisticated vibe without feeling pretentious. The dim yellow lighting also further helps gives this restaurant a rather relaxed feel.

"I take it we're about to dine on authentic Japanese cuisine." Gentiana says with a playful smile.

[standalonehuman]

There's a touch of relief that Gentiana seems impressed. Any sign of approval or encouragement from someone he's talking to always gets a big reaction out of Togusa. His smile comes easier, and he nods at Gentiana's assumption. "The senior kitchen staff and the owner came here from Japan. Although, cooking has been globalized so much, it's less of an 'isolated' authentic experience?" Complete with air quotes. "But this is as close as I can get to what I remember things tasting like from back home."

Togusa put in for reservations, so they are shown quickly to their table. Everything is spaced well apart, so their side of the room is quiet, the other diners (mostly couples, as well) fade into the background easily. Togusa gets Gentiana's chair for her, carefully sliding it out for her, before heading to his side of the table. Little touches of politeness, but they come off as automatic and unthinking, rather than forced.

"The only thing I can't speak to to the authenticity of," Togusa picks up the small alcohol menu and hands it across, "is the sake list. I left Kawasaki at 17, so I honestly don't know. Everything I've had here is excellent, though."

[glacian]

Gentiana listens on in pure fascination as Hitori talks about the Koshin staff. She's been to Japan on a few occasions with her foster mother and father but that was in her youth. Gentiana doesn't know much about her true mother but it's evident from her oriental features alone that she's at least half-Asian. The bright green eyes tell a different story but her overall appearance is very much so Asian. However, she has no idea if she's Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese or anything. All of that remains a mystery to her after she was abandoned at the steps of the orphanage.

"Then this promises to be a good experience." Gentiana replies with a chuckle before they got their table. She can't help but smile more once her handsome date shows off his good manners once more. Hitori Togusa is a class act clearly raised by a spectular mother and father. Gentiana can't stop staring at him with such admiration as he talks. It's almost as if she's really seeing him for the first time ever with eyes open.

"I'm quite fond of Midori Kawa, a specific brand of sake hailing from the Niigata Prefecture. It's an old honjuzo brew that's quite...fruity and light on the tongue." She explains while glancing through the alcohol menu very carefully. Gentiana doesn't like to drink much but when she does, it's usually sake or some form of red wine. The woman has a particular dislike for beers and other forms of social drinks.

"What sort of drink do you like, Hitori? I picture you to be more of an crisp cold Asahi lover." She smiles a bit.

[standalonehuman]

There is something about just mentioning Asahi that makes Togusa laugh quickly, and then he automatically puts a hand to his head. He is shaking his head with a huge smile. "I can't believe that I still like that stuff, but I do." He holds his hands up to indicate a size that is about three beer-cans tall. "You know you can get Asahi in cans this big?"

"That was the source of a few dumb nights at the Japanese Student Union," Togusa scratches the back of his head, fondly remembering. "But it didn't put me off the beer. Sake is better for sushi, but post-work? Every once in a while? You're right on the money."

"I pictured you as a sake drinker, though. Funny you know so much about sake. When you decide you like something, you put in the time to learn about it?" It's an interesting observation, but not a surprising one. Of course Gentiana would apply the same way she looks at academics to everything in her life.

[glacian]

Gentiana smiles a bit more as she listens to Hitori, her eyes eventually falling shut. "Theres nothing wrong with liking a cold beer." She replies quietly. "As long as it's a decent beer." While she's definitely not the type for beer, Gentiana does acknowledge that Asahi is at least better than most Americans beers. That much is a given even if she generally dislike them all.

A round of laughter escapes Gentiana at Hitori's observation of her. "Am I so easy to understand?" She ask with a hint of playfulness in her voice. There's more to her than what meets the eyes but Hitori certainly hit the nail on the head about her slight obsession over the things she enjoys. Gentiana is the type to take note and research what she likes while showing complete disinterest in anything else.

"I suppose I'm a tad passionate about my favorite wine." Gentiana states before glancing at the menu for a moment. He knowledge about sushi is limited to just California Rolls at best. "Is there a particular kind of sushi you enjoy, Hitori? It all sounds rather appetizing to me, especially anything tuna related." She thankfully isn't allergic to seafood or very picky.

[standalonehuman]

Togusa laughs lightly in return, but holds up a hand and shakes his head. "Not at all! You're-" Togusa looks down, choosing his words carefully, "you're still curious about the world. I meet so many people who have lost that sort of drive to explore. When I think I see it in somebody else?" Togusa smiles shyly, "I just want to know more." Maybe there's a bit of hope that Gentiana has the same sort of curiosity that drives Togusa's mentality at work (but that also occasionally gets him into trouble.)

But he doesn't want to let his own way of looking at the world to cover up what is really there to see in Gentiana. Thus, he's so happy at the chance to really talk. He grabs for the sushi menu and points to the sampler specials. "Everything here is excellent. I personally love anything with a tempura, the crunchy texture is great. But we could just put our fates in the hands of the chef." One of the specialties is a random assortment, chef's choice, rather than any specific roll.

"It's never steered me wrong before." Belies Togusa's slight sense of adventure, he is curious to see Gemtiana's reaction.

[glacian]

A humored chuckle escapes Gentiana once Hitori puts up the theatrics a bit. He's oddly cute when slightly flustered. It makes the cultured woman smile a bit more than she should. "Sometimes others forget that there's some good to be had in the world, places they should explore, food they should try." Her smile dims a little. "The monotony of the day by day takes ahold of them and skews their view on the world. They forget about the wonders that exist and focus so much on just...survival." A thoughtful hum escapes Gentiana as she ponders more about this topic. Will she someday become just as monotonous as others? Hopefully not.

"I want to see everything." She confesses with such a hopeful gleam within her eyes. "As content as I am now, life is meant to be a journey and I will travel it however far it may go." Her smile widen more. "You and I are adventurers, Hitori. I'm quite thankful for that."

In this notion of adventure, Gentiana couldn't help but quirk her lips upward once Togusa mentions leaving it up to the chef's choice. "A roll of the die then for the sake of being adventurous." She says as she closes the menu.

"I put my faith in the hands of a master of his craft."

[standalonehuman]

Togusa's face settles into a relieved and somewhat intrigued smile. When the server comes around, they put in the order for the special and for the sake that Gentiana had picked out.

"That's a bit of the point of your line of work, isn't it?" Togusa sounds curious, himself. "Really, the point of all art is to pull us out of that stupor of survival, and to really look at the world around us. But literature, in particular. It's supposed to show a different perspective, something that you wouldn't be able to learn anywhere else."

Togusa reaches for his glass of water. "You get to see everything, or at least see as much as you can, so long as you keep reading and keep an open mind. And, in particular, as a teacher, you're trying to impart that adventurous open-mindedness to students. Get them to carry it with them no matter what their 'major' is." Togusa shrugs a little. "It's what I always liked about those courses in college, at least."

[glacian]

Gentiana couldn't help but smile at her date. "You know literature quite well to understand its purpose beyond just words upon a page." She admits with such glee within her bright green eyes. "For a writer to convey perspective to an audience so used to seeing the world through their eyes is a task that many fail to achieve. Authors fall into a trap that usually ends up alienating their audience by not capturing the world through a different lense. I sometimes have difficulties captivating my readers in my longer works but poetry seems to work best."

A quiet him escapes Gentiana as she playfully taps her finger upon her lips. She's amused with Togusa, very amused. "You were an apt pupil, Hitori. It makes me wonder why you ever walked away from the academics to become an officer of the law." The woman chuckles quietly as she reaches for her glass of water. She sips it briefly. "Not that I doubt you're a good detective but I honestly thought you would become more of a...writer. You have some rather interesting thoughts, Hitori." Gentiana says with a charming grin,

"I mean it. You are quite open to suggestions and keep such a willingness to understand the physical world before you. It's commendable." She's not just singing him praises either. Hitori always seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. He's a thinker and that's a rarity.

"Our thoughts become so muddled and heavy with the oppression of the mundane."

[standalonehuman]

Togusa hmms, and tilts his head to the side. "I dont believe I got the opportunity to see any of your writing in school. We were always in the reading-heavy classes, not composition ones. I was never bold enough to give creative writing a try." He laughs and drinks from his own water. "But I'd love to read whatever you're willing to show me."

Her next question-in-a-statement is an astute one. He tilts his head down slightly at her praise, but doesn't try to wave it off. It does put a self-aware smile on his face. But how to answer her? Many people who knew Togusa as a student were surprised with his ultimate career path, Koutarou and Professor Izunia included. So how can he really verbalize how he ended up here?

"I would throw myself into any area of study as if it was my major. I couldn't be that student who seemed resistant to information outside of their little area of specialty. The idea that a class was required, therefore the information that you could possibly gain out of it has less value?" Togusa shakes his head. "So when I was in a literature class, I acted like an English major. In a law class, there I was in Pre-law."

Togusa chuckles and scratches the back of his head. "Not that I was always *successful* in all classes. It turns out a Biology lab is not a work environment that sets me up for success. But that experience? Has given me a lot of respect for the people in our Department's Crime Lab, for example. I still knew there was something to be gained, even if it's just a perspective."

Ah, but why, then, the career in the field as an officer of the law, and not in the office as an agent of the law? Togusa hesitates. "It came down to a realization of my own comfort in how I interact with the law. I dont want to lose sight of the people that I serve. I want the law to be a set of guidelines to follow, rather than to try to find creative applications to make the law bend to your own will." He frowns a little when he says that. "Sometimes being a lawyer felt like a game of what you could get away with."

Togusa brightens. "And that's not me. When it comes down to intent versus letter of the law, I still think intent needs to be taken into account, but the people the law is supposed to serve are the most important part. I can do more from my current position."