windfall | 01 — i know that it's your soul, but could you bottle it up?

[well, he supposes that could have gone worse. sometimes, akira ruminates on what it means to have a criminal record even in spite of having done nothing close to assault—did he regret trying to stand up for that woman, when she was being assaulted? no. but if everyone's so determined to make him out to be a criminal, maybe he might as well prove them right. give them a real reason to dislike him, other than how much he doesn't belong.

objectively, he knows that's not a productive train of thought. he could sink deeper into this self-pitying spiral. he really could.

instead, he drags himself out of it, and turns to start cleaning the coffee brewer. sometimes, he forgets—that maybe it's a cultural difference, how customers in the service industry can get more outspoken here in aurozora compared to what he remembers of his small hometown in japan.

it's past closing already. on the television, the host is discussing luminous studios' latest idol group, a male cohort, and how one of the original trainees slated to debut with them was knocked off the roster at the last moment. without missing a beat, akira grabs the remote, switches it off, and sets the remote aside gently, looking perfectly placid.]

...Sorry for the inconvenience.

[notably, he doesn't apologize for having said anything.]

Edited 2018-01-01 04:55 (UTC)

No. [she says immediately, her voice hot and tight. the longer she stands there — hands still on the counter, eyes still following the woman's back, even as she ducks into her car and drives away — the heavier she feels. slowly, her fingers start to curl inward, into fists, and if her nails weren't so finely trimmed, she would have surely left scratch marks deep into the wood of the counter.]

It wasn't. It wasn't an inconvenience. [and then the feeling is gone — just for the moment. just until sunny can find a better time to sit and stew in it at her leisure. with that said, she leaves the counter behind, passing akira by without really looking at him, and heads to the door of the coffee shop, flipping the sign from OPEN to CLOSED. there.]

Could you hand me one of the boxes? I'll refill the condiments station.

[akira isn't tracking the woman's movements keenly like sunny is—it seems he isn't quite as affected as his coworker—but he does notice the way her nails are digging into the counter, knuckles white. tactfully, he says nothing for the time being, instead bringing the removable parts of their main coffee brewer to the sink.]

...All right.

[he disappears into the storage room for a bit to dig through some of the shipment boxes, then reemerges after a few moments with one of the boxes containing condiments. it's as he's approaching sunny again with it that he stops for a moment, as if mulling over something to say. the fact is this: he knows sunny phongsavath, but not in the way she thinks. they're coworkers, certainly, and he'd never given any reason for her to think he'd recognized her, but he's followed her career with mds a bit, back when he was a trainee with luminous.

he has cds of some of her early roles, even.

akira doesn't really believe the authenticity of the drug scandal—the photos of it don't look shopped, but who the hell would really pay for drugs with a check? he knows what druggies look like, even the ones on the cusp of recovery; he's seen them in juvie, when he served his brief sentence before his parents negotiated something so he could serve an extended probation instead. sunny doesn't look like them. she probably never did, at all.]

...Don't let it get to you. People can be cruel, especially the less they know.

[akira sounds like he could be referring to how oblivious people can be of other people's circumstances. or, you know, he could just be calling that woman Stupid In General.]

[she's ironed herself out by now, her face clean of any trace of agitation; she even looks a bit amused. it's just easier this way.]

She mistook me for someone else. It happens. [she lifts the box out of akira's hands, but doesn't leave yet, her eyes scanning its contents in a way that might imply that she's counting. or just stalling, looking for the right words.] Sometimes, though, I feel like... the less people know, the better it is too, you know?

Anyways, thanks. Try and look alive, Akira. It's almost 2018.

Edited 2018-01-01 18:43 (UTC)

[he knows that feeling—the less people know, the fewer ways they know how to hurt you. there's safety in anonymity. he used to take blending in for granted, but in class, rumors have been circulating around him because of his assault charge, and it's not really the kind of limelight he was going for. at least they didn't publicize the name of luminous' dropped trainee. then people really wouldn't shut up.

hearing sunny's last few words, akira looks up at sunny, right in the eye, and offers, in the blandest, most deadpan voice he can manage:]

Haaaaappy new year.

[there should be an exclamation at the end of that sentence, but, uhhh...]

Ah, ah, ah. We still have an hour's worth of 2017 left to enjoy. Let's make the most of it.

[it takes a bit of elbow grease to get the restrooms looking spick-and-span, but, once they've gotten the weird fungus growing from the ceiling taken care of, all that's left to do is turn on the security system and close up. and they've got 5 minutes left 'til countdown.] ...I have to say, an extra pair of hands really did make a world's difference.

Feels like it's the cleanest this site's been for years... Just in time for 2018, right?

[akira's running through the mental checklist of things to do during closing again, but it really does seem they've hit every item on the list. he's finally untying his apron and taking it off, shaking out his hair after he pulls the apron over his head.]

Any plans?

Hm? [her apron is draped over her shoulder as sunny balances the cash drawer, flipping through the same stack of bills for the third time, just to make sure she hadn't miscounted. finally satisfied, she pushes the drawer back into the register, and then throws him a wry look from over her shoulder.] Plans? Good joke, Akira.

You said that didn't have any, right? Earlier, I mean. [releases her hair from its ponytail, combing her fingers through the tangles] Are you just going to head home?

Yeah, probably...

[he glances at the clock again.]

But I might stop by at the city square for a bit, since we wrapped up early. I figure they'll probably have performances and fireworks going off over there, so it can't hurt to catch a few before I head back. Since it's not far.

[he does have a guardian for the duration of his probation, but it's a distant family friend who doesn't particularly like him. anyway, they're out of town for new year's, so it's not as if akira has someone waiting for him to get home. he studies sunny a bit, then says:]

Wanna come?

[the truth is, sunny has no real reason to refuse. it's an innocent enough question; they've already spent most of the night together anyways. plus, it'd suck to end the year on such a low note, their last customer's presence having sobered them some. what did she have to lose?]

Uh, well... sure. Okay. Let me just grab my things and, um, lock up.

Take your time. I'm sure the performances are going to last for a while.

[akira doesn't have much aside from his coat, phone, and wallet, two of which are in a pocket anyway, so he just hangs up his apron, puts on his jacket, and goes to wait near the door, idling on his phone as sunny gets her stuff. in hindsight, maybe going to the square isn't the best decision; inevitably, some of the top artists from mds and luminous will be performing for the new year. still, maybe the vibe will be upbeat enough that they can enjoy themselves anyway... the fireworks in aurozora are in their own special league.]

Edited 2018-01-02 03:11 (UTC)

[unable to remember the last time she really hung out with anyone or hit the town, sunny finishes everything in a flurry, despite akira's reassurance, fueled by a mixture of excitement and nerves. once she's hastily zipped up her jacket, she approaches, nodding her head in the direction of the door.]

Ready. I don't know if we'll make it in time for the ball drop, but... maybe we'll see something interesting in the distance.

[akira leads the way outside, hovering a bit at the door to give sunny a moment to finish locking up. he slips on his gloves, letting out a breath—it's visible in the cold.]

Yeah, don't they usually have really impressive fireworks? Like huge ones with different shapes. [and maybe even numbers for the new year... aurozora isn't globally renowned as a major entertainment hub for nothing.]

Oh, yeah. [she hums to herself, remembering how she'd attended the lum-mds cocktail party the year before, following after her grandmother like a lost puppy after ben had been swept away by his posse] Last year, I'm pretty sure they launched out fireworks that spelled out, Will you marry me, Jane? And, apparently, she had an answer prepared, because a few seconds later, a really big NO came out.

[akira releases an outright laugh at that.] Her timing... That's one way to turn someone down on New Year's.

[he keeps a steady pace alongside sunny as he starts navigating them in the direction of the city square.]

There was another year when they went all-out and did some dragon fireworks. Wonder if we'll get dogs this year? [because c'mon who can resist when it's the YEAR OF THE DOGGO. sorta. even if it's not a new year yet on the lunar calendar.]

I hope so! [they're now on a street full of people coming and going, cheering and laughing, drinking and dancing — looks like they're headed the right way. in the distance, she can hear music playing; it sounds live.]

So, then... how did you spend New Year's Eve last year? Did you go to the square that time too?

Edited 2018-01-03 20:02 (UTC)

Nah, just some hot pot with friends. [he sounds rather nostalgic as he says this while watching some loud passersby click their wine glasses together.] We figured it'd be better since it was so cold last year.

[he hasn't spoken to them all that much since the whole court ordeal, but that's besides the point.]

Wonder which artists will be performing during the show...

[the popular, long-time fan favorites will definitely be back. maybe they'll even be in costumes by vega. now that'd be pretty exciting.]

I don't know. I don't really keep up with that stuff. [not recently, anyways. for the most part, working full-time has kept her busy. sometimes, she'll think about auditioning for a part in some no-name play, but she knows that there isn't much use. not with the name she has.]

Oh, but, hot pot sounds really good... [they pass by a particularly large and lively group of friends, jostling and giggling with one another; a good opportunity to change the subject] I'm not sure how much fun it'd be with just the two of us, though.

Yeah, it seems like something that would work better with a large group of people.

[not that he really knows who else he'd invite; akira hasn't really been in close contact with very many people recently anyway.]

[a small smile.] I'd kill for some fish tofu though. [stop right there akira, do not imagine warm fish tofu...]

[groooooaaaans]

Beef would be good too. Cuttlefish... Oh, crab sounds nice, now that I think about it. [damn you, akira] I think that all I want is something with a hot broth.

[don't worry sunny, akira's suffering increases exponentially with every food item you list.]

[in a rather mournful voice:] Wonder if any places are still open right now...

[they've reached the square by now, but there's so much going on at once, it's difficult to really decide on where to begin]

I don't know... it's pretty late. We can try searching on our phones, but... since we're here, should we check out the street vendors first? Just to see if they have anything?

[now that they're at the square, it sounds like there's a female artist being broadcast over the speakers, singing an upbeat remix of one of the top hits from the past year. she sounds familiar... akira's probably heard her on the radio countless different times before.]

Sounds good. Maybe they'll have—

[he's cut off by the first round of fireworks going off in the sky in a massive, dazzling display. the first set shows off "2018" in iridescent colors, and immediately after it's followed by a set of fireworks with the faces of different dog breeds.]

Wow, I don't even recognize some of those. That one looks like a Shiba, though... [still, akira's smiling, and the fireworks are reflecting off the glare of his glasses as he looks up.]

Edited 2018-01-04 15:59 (UTC)

Cuuuute. I want one.

[she gasps, eyes twinkling, as each firework shoots off into the sky. sunny's pretty sure one of them is supposed to be a bull terrier, but the sparks dissipate and descend before she can point it out. a few traditional, yet unnecessarily huge, fireworks shoot off after. it's funny, and a little cute, the way he's captivated by the display; she can't help shifting her gaze between the fireworks and his face, curious to see his reaction for all of them.]

Oh, hey, these next ones look like flowers. [squints a little, as if that'll help her identify them] Is that an orchid...? I can't tell.

Yeah, looks like it. [and hey, that one's even in purple, which is neat.] And that one's a daffodil, and a plumeria.

[he tilts his head a bit, considering, then amused realization rises in his gaze.]

Kind of cheesy, but it looks like they're really going for a "new beginnings" theme, judging by the flowers. [he holds up a gloved hand a little to breathe on it, warming it a little, then tucks both hands neatly in his pockets.]

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