wipingallout

Hamuko-san I meant to say this sooner, but thank you again for the satchel. It’s honestly perfect. I’ve been using it almost every day now—really sturdy, really well made. (attached image of: A close-up shot of the inside of the satchel. The inner lining is clean and minimal, with a faint discoloration near the seam where the takoyaki sauce has settled in) Also wow turns out you just used the stained part for the inside, huh? It's a little embarassing to think about their meeting back then, really I could have been much more smoother than whatever I did back there 🙃 Seriously though, I’m impressed. Great craftsmanship, and really thoughtful design. I’m not easy on my bags and this one’s already held up better than most I’ve owned. Thanks again, really. This was a very thoughtful gift. 😊

Edited 2025-05-24 01:12 (UTC)

Yay!!! I was pretty proud of those satchels, they're cute and pretty sturdy!! I thought you'd find it funny that I really did make the stained fabric work and well how often can you say that you LITERALLY bumped into someone right? LOL When did you want to meet up again? I promised we could chat honestly when you were sobered up!

It's like a fun little inside joke now! Honestly- I might be getting somewhere with using takoyaki as a new dyeing material 😌 Jokes aside- I will try not to bumble next time. That said- I think we discussed we will follow your lead this time. I haven't explored the Tatsumi Port Island door at all- despite the fact that its reasonably close to Odaiba! I may have missed out on the opportunity completely.

You bet!! There's a GREAT ramen place and then we can walk off the carbs going to the shrine. It's a lovely little shrine.

It's one that she feels comfortable being honest in, too.

Oh, I am excited! The last time I visited a shrine was in new years- it will be good to visit one in good company :) When are you free?

You wanna meet up for lunch today?

Sure! I might grab some ramen on the way back for the others so we can meet early. Are we meeting in the velvet room?

(((o(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)o))) Sure! I'll show you how to navigate the stations and where stuff is. It's not a crazy big area so it should be EZ

Sounds like a plan. It is slightly warmer than usual today so we should get ice cream after! See you there :)

The meetup in the velvet room was as casual as meeting up in a place like Shibuya square or going forward with getting to the train station and catching the monorail which spiralled to different parts of Tatsumi Port Island. There was the Iwaitodai strip wall that had hit Takuto with another wave of nostalgia, its lax design with the people walking in and out of the busy Wild Duck burger then climbing up the railing to walk down the narrow walkway and into the restaurant. The place was bustling with people still but thankfully because of the timing they had got a decent table.

"...shoryu pork ramen, huh?" he mutters more to himself but loud enough for hamuko to hear- looking through the menu card.

"I always get the house special here - senpai insisted on it once and I got completely won over," Hamuko assured fondly, giggling as she settled at the table. "I always sat at the bar, so this is a funny change! This whole place is so homey."

An employee shuffled over, eyes on their notes for the ticket. "Orders ready?"

"I'm doing the house special."

Won her over, huh? He raised a brow at that information, smiling still. The restaurant was homely and the timing kept the crowds at bay so it was nice to just sit at ease and stretch his legs a little- well as much as he could without being rude.

"If you want to sit at the bar, I don't mind-" he starts but cuts himself off when the employee shows up. He gives a quick smile with an added "good afternoon!" before digging into the menu card to get a good grasp of what he should order.

Eh, everything is free though so maybe ordering the special isn't a bad idea.

"I will get that one as well. A little healthy skincare bonus wouldn't hurt after all," he chuckled as he closed the menu card. "Oh along with that I will get some soda. You sure you don't want to get one as well?"

"Just water for me!" Hamuko smiled fondly.

"Alright, I'll bring the ramen in just a moment for you and your daughter, sir," the server blandly explained before walking towards the kitchen to fetch the glasses and bowls, stating the order to the ramen cook.

Hamuko just snickered at that. Wow.

Maruki's eyebrows flew behind his glasses as he glanced at the server's statement- immediately straightening up like a ruler with red tinging his cheeks. "...er- thank you..." he only manager to squeeze in before staring at Hamuko and her chuckling.

He shakes his head before rubbing the back of his neck- becoming awkward. "Probably for the best that way," he sighs. "I feel like this place is giving me a sign."

"Heehee..." Hamuko giggled, tickled pink. "Maybe you're destined to be a dad! I bet you'd be an incredible foster father."

He could be a little cagey, but honestly, she could easily see him becoming dedicated to any kids under his wing... she knows she would've probably had a much easier time with him, herself.

"How's Morning, by the way? The more I chat with him, the more... sassy! He gets. I think he really is slowly pipping through that shell."

Being destined to be a father- that brings him back to the little sibling joke Ichinose had said to morning earlier. The idea of being a foster father- really he wasn't opposed to it. He would have loved to adopt a kid back home its just-

"I don't make the best financial decisions...so I am probably going to be stopped right at the reception." He jokes but it falls flat- looking out to see the view from the adjacent window.

He perks up at the mention of morning, listening intently. "You think so too?! I have been seeing a gradual change in him as well and I think having people around is helping him."

"Did he say anything truly sassworthy? Or just...in general?" He knows his question is spoken in a light hearted manner but he was more so referring to something more cognizant or pertaining to Morning’s actual reality. Friends...family...

...

"I see little bits of it, sometimes - he's more joke-y lately in general, yeah, but something in him I think kind of lights up and pokes through when he talks about his Akechi."

She's not sure she should tell him about that time Morning uttered I hate that son of a bitch about his own dad... she's not sure how much this Maruki would internalize it and be upset by it.

"We haven't had a conversation as intense as Valentine's Day, but I definitely feel like he's changed since that day."

"Akechi Goro..." he chuckled lightly. "I suppose that shouldn't be a surprise. Akira-kun had mentioned him about two to three times back in my world- and its also a sign that he's becoming comfortable with you. I am glad you two are friends."

He meant that from the bottom of his heart. Even if he's trying to make out how much of what Morning mentioned is probably being kept under wraps.
And if it isn't relevant to his actualization....

...he has no place to think about. He's not that Maruki, he needs to tell himself that- time and again.

"I see- well, again- really I am the one who owes you big time for this," he folded his hands on his lap. "And I am grateful for that. Morning’s getting along with others as well and that's all I can really hope for."

"I think spending time with friends is gonna be key to him figuring out how to shake off whatever's smothering him. And it's good that you give him some place stable and safe to fall back on when going through the whole painful process... that open door means more than you can know, I think."

It was a big difference in her experience for sure. And with how isolated Morning felt, how much he talked about wishing no one would have to remember or worry about him so they wouldn't be sad...

Hamuko's thoughts are cut off by the server returning with the two bowls of ramen and the glasses for the drinks.

"Ohh! Thank you!"

"Ha, counselling me now, are we?" he grins just to keep the mood alleviated both for her but mostly...himself. He really couldn't go into the full emotional bit just yet- he doesn't want to put off how he's feeling about his situation.

"It is particularly difficult to remember I am the one who should be allowed through the door," he scratches his chin. "Rather than being mistook and turned away in the process."

His attention drifts again to server who shows up with two bowls and sees the carbonated drink being placed before him. He grins brightly- thanking them back.

He looks down at the bowl and welp-

There goes his glasses.

He heaves a deep inhale, taking in the smell. "Ah, the aroma's really triggered my appetite," he looks up and there it is. His glasses are all fogged up. He shakes his head, sighing like this was just another cruel twist of fate he was quite used to.

"Too bad I can't see it now."

That has Hamuko laughing - no one really had glasses in SEES, come to think of it, so she wasn't used to how they fogged up like that. And despite the heaviness of the subject, he found a way to still be silly - Hamuko could relate!

"Heheh! Do you have a wipe for your glasses? But I guess they'll get fogged up anyway... you'll just have to dig in and let the flavor take over!"

Takuto ended up laughing along as well, even with his lens all fogged up and fated to concealing all truth for him for the next 10 minutes.

"Life of a four eyes..." he shook his head- remembering what Akira-kun had said when they had lunch together. "Okay to be fair I am not completely blind without my glasses," he adds as he pulls off his glasses- revealing his doe brown eyes. "I can make out the colours and the general boundaries...even letters but only to an extent."

"That said- I am ready to dig in-!" he picks up his chopsticks and prepares to get the noodles and blows on his own. "I am too old to neglect that my skin needs some of that good old collagen."

"Do you use moisturizer after a shower? That helps a lot, too," Hamuko beamed, pausing to slurp up some noodles. Aaaah, that salty punchy flavor, soooo good...!

"Your skin is an organ, you should take good care of it!"

"I know, I know...I have been looking into aloevera as you suggested," he remarked before directly in- slurping down on the noodles with ease of a professional or that he barely had any breakfast. "Mhm! Delicious!"

For a minute or two he focuses mostly on his food and drinks but keeps up with some small talk.

"I am getting to the swing of things. Cycling, walking long distances...maybe I will even pick up jogging. A friend of mine really enjoyed doing that and I have all the time in the world now so," he set the chopsticks aside to drink more soda- letting the warmth settle in with the drink's sweet tanginess.

"Did you often come here?"

in text, between last week of april and first week of may

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