[ look at all that heartwarming enthusiasm. kogami can't help but smile, listening to him. ]
I hope they do. I'm sure all of you will shine.
[ maybe he'll make it to one or two of them -- concerts aren't his thing; too many people, all that noise. but maybe he'll make an exception, just to see ryuu and his friends in action. ]
[ such a simple thing, yet it makes him feel so light. ]
Until then!
[ tucking away the knowledge that kogami is apparently far from being immovable, ryuu goes about his day with a touch more energy and vigor - which might not be so noticeable for someone who's already peppy, but it's there.
by the time he makes it home, he cleans up quickly, much less high maintenance than his home profession might suggest. when he comes downstairs and exits the lobby, he's dressed nicely (and warmly) as usual. he lifts a hand on approach, a smile not least among the things that he's wearing. ]
Hey! I'm here - you weren't waiting too long, were you?
[ kogami makes exceptions for a select few; with most others, the man is as immovable as a boulder. there's something in ryuu that's infectious, exciting, his passion bubbling over and setting hearts alight. perhaps that's what you need as an idol, but that trait even in idols are so rare, to watch it shine in ryuu is endlessly fascinating.
ryuu is even more gorgeous than he remembers, graceful and practically glowing (he's sure it isn't just the streetlights), and he stubs his cigarette out on the trashcan before coming over to him. lips tugging in an answering smile, he shakes his head. his scarf is draped over his shoulders, a practical black -- more for utility than for a statement. ]
No, I just arrived.
[ more or less. kogami's early where it matters, and he falls into step easily beside him. ] How was practice today?
[ there's something faceted about the way kogami looks at him, as if every angle is visible, as if it all comes together to provide a sense of clarity without having to scrutinize, to pick him apart. instantly, he feels a throb of warmth at the base of his throat, voice rich with it. ]
It was a lot of fun! It's not always just me, sometimes others show up because they're interested in learning too. It gets so lively.
[ which is something an extrovert like him appreciates. angling in to follow him as he sets them off, given this is more or less a mystery location to him, he stuffs his hands in his pockets. ]
Are you settling in well? There's so much to explore here, and it doesn't seem like you take very well to being cooped up.
[ there's everything fascinating about the way ryuu practically blossoms before him, bright-eyed and enthusiastic about dance, how he always puts himself on the backburner and talks about others -- how rare, for an idol not only to be this down-to-earth, but so happy to have others share the moment with him as well.
ryuu is unselfish, sweet, and kogami snorts at that startlingly acute observation. yeah, he remembers this, too, the flashes of insight, where he captures kogami's habits perfectly. given time and practice, kogami thinks, the man would make a pretty good detective. ]
You're right. [ he tells him, and off they head towards caihong. ] Cooped up isn't my thing. I've mostly been in bookstores, and cafes.
[ and a lot of the time, the gym. the weirdest hipster. he adds dryly: ] If you need to buy a book, I've got the employee's discount.
[ ryuu loves people. dense as he is, he understands nuances of heart, commits them to memory down to the color and shape, the way they feel. and also how they resonate with his own, no matter the differences that might lie between them.
it's what makes him follow kogami's lead towards wherever they might be headed, unworried. ]
What cozy places! [ he can imagine it. kogami surrounded by that sophisticated kind of atmosphere - coffee, old ink on book pages, lazy, golden swirls of dust. ] If that means you've gotten a job there already, congratulations! You must love to read.
[ ryuu's interest in him is startling -- it's not self-serving; he's not searching for something in him to use, with an agenda up his sleeve. no, it's something else, something wholly unfamiliar to him.
kogami turns to look at him, warm and curious, for a moment unguarded. the man is trusting to almost a fault, as open and honest with his delight and warmth even if it doesn't concern him.
they enter caihong's bustling streets, kogami instinctively guiding him with a gentle touch to his elbow towards one of the streets, winding but no less cheerful for it, with stalls lining either side. ]
And the books themselves, too. Getting to feel the pages between your fingers. I don't get that much, in my time. But before I make it about me, tell me about you.
You didn't? That's a shame... I hadn't thought of reading like that before, but it can be pretty tactile, can't it?
[ his tone lilts thoughtfully, as though he stands by it being a shame, but there's a hopeful quality to it also - something that says that while kogami is here, at least he has that precious opportunity. soon after, he waves his hand as if to dispel the notion that there's anything particularly special about him. ]
I'm not sure if there's much to tell! You guessed what I do for work so easily.
I think you've got plenty of stories. What about your family in Okinawa?
[ kogami muses; ryuu probably just isn't used to telling them, that's all. they finally stop at a cozy family restaurant. chinese, clearly, but the young woman at the door brightens when she sees kogami. 'ah! you're here, mr kogami! here, come, come -- '
swiftly enough, they're shown to a relatively private table, and the young woman cheerfully continues, 'your food will be ready soon!' she gives ryuu a warm look, as if confirming to herself what she'd suspected before slipping away to pour them tea. kogami, for one, is entirely relaxed. ]
I hope you don't mind the lack of a menu. I made a few special requests. [ and it didn't come easy, either. ]
[ momentarily, ryuu pauses, knowing he does have plenty to say, but not usually one to just come out with it unless prompted, unless there's something to be given by sharing his regular cinderella story. not because he's guarded, but because that's how he measures the nature - the weight - of his thoughts and experiences.
and there's also the matter of being seated to see to first. it looks quaint and smells incredible, as expected of caihong. ryuu follows after kogami, quiet and wide-eyed at the exchange that leaves them alone at the table. ]
- not at all! Special requests... you must be a regular here already, then!
[ kogami's smile is crooked. it had taken a little while, but he'd refused payment -- instead choosing something more creative with ryuu in mind. it's the first time he's ever thought to do this, the unfamiliarity of it still a touch unnerving (had he gone too far?).
when their tea is served, he continues. ]
I spoke to your friend, Gaku. He really cares about you -- I was this close to giving him a detailed itinerary of this evening.
[ there's the tiniest little chuckle, and he shakes his head -- ] No, but I would've offered anyway.
[ because he knows how things go. he knows that dates can go so very wrong, how their loved ones should worry -- how they deserve to have their minds set at ease. and oh, ryuu's honesty is absolutely refreshing. ]
[ his expression mellows soon after, impossibly fond. his thumb brushes the lip of the teacup. ]
He asked if I knew you before he told you anything. Sorry. [ he apologizes, even when kogami was likely the one meeting gaku halfway. ] He has his reasons.
[ he's very beautiful in this light, the way his thumb brushes over the teacup, the softness in his eyes -- the flush of pink on pale cheeks, and kogami can't help but look, and look. he's captivating in a thousand different little ways, but before he can say anything else, the red half-curtains that separate their rustic, polished wooden booth from the other patrons is shifted aside, and out come the dishes.
the first dish (champuru): stir-fried bitter melon (a different shade from proper okinawan melon but it'll do, tofu, egg, and what looks like a lighter shade of spam. the second (rafute): a dish of a block of pork simmered in broth made from rice wine instead of awamori, a generous grilled fish, deep fried tofu, and two bowls of rice.
they're not authentic okinawan fare, not really -- but he'd tried to make sure they were as close to the original as possible. ]
I'm not sure if it'll suit you. I had them make some tweaks to the dishes, so that it's as Okinawan as it can possibly be.
[ especially from a non-Okinawan who only has an impression of the food to go off of. and information from gaku he had promptly passed to the chef. ]
[ it's been a lesson, time after time, here or home, that ryuu is adjusting to well enough, though it leaves his heart a little sore to know that distrust is sometimes healthy... but his reverie is broken soon after by the parade of dishes that come filing in, fragrant and warm. his brows draw upwards curiously.
ryuu would have been surprised at the spread either way, but as the plates come more into view, he's left awed by the familiarity. ]
That's... bitter melon, isn't it? - ah, all of this...!
[ owlishly, he blinks upwards at kogami. ]
You're worrying about it suiting me, when it looks this amazing?
[ he's -- concerned about that, yes. what if it doesn't meet his expectations? he knows the taste won't be like what it was in okinawa despite best efforts, he just doesn't want him to be disappointed.
the way his face brightens when he sees the food is absolutely charming, and he can't help but smile faintly, meeting his eyes. ]
I haven't done this for anyone before. Your opinion matters.
[ really, he's so touched by the gesture that his smile just wells up onto his features like a light cast upon something - he hadn't even been feeling low before this, but he has a way of wearing his homesickness well, a way of expressing gratitude for something with the entirety of him, whole and honest. ]
I never thought I'd see this kind of thing without having to prepare it myself! I don't think I realized how happy it could make me...
[ until, well. it appeared here right in front of him! ]
I noticed that you missed home. Not Tokyo -- Okinawa.
[ ryuu wears it well, but kogami reads people for a living -- gifted and cursed with the ability to interpret the tiniest details, reading intentions and the secrets between words, filling the spaces.
ryuu glows, open and honest, and kogami can't look away, his happiness and gratitude so profoundly charming that his breath catches. before he can stop himself, he says, blunt and honest and not at all empty flattery: ]
[ it's not the former comment that surprises him, but the latter - ryuu never pays any special mind to how it is that he presents himself, not precisely having anything to hide, especially here. so it's with a flutter of nervousness tightening in his chest that he laughs a bit, feeling warm from more than just the steam. ]
W, Well, um. I do tend to be in the spotlight enough to hear it pretty often, but...
[ but he knows, even when he just bumbles that much out -
[ that's definitely not what kogami is getting at, and the patient half-smile tugging at his mouth is clue enough. the blush high on those cheeks is comely, and he picks up his chopsticks, gesturing to him briefly. ]
[ food is an easier topic to focus on than himself, and ryuu is all too happy to accept the shift in conversation. ]
Of course! I can't imagine that it won't, you know? [ that excitement bubbling back up is so real. ] Let's see...
[ lucky he's never been a shy person about sharing a meal with someone, so without further prompting, he reaches over to get started in portioning out some of the stir fry. truly, he wants to eat everything at once, but he practices restraint in going for a healthy bite of his favorite first, a smile appearing before he's even had the chance to get it all the way down. don't speak with your mouth full, ryuu... ]
It's delicious! It's a little different, but not in a bad way at all.
[ food's definitely an easier topic, and when it swings back to ryuu's delight, kogami finds that really, it's not bad at all -- he's picking at the dishes himself, avoiding the bitter melon because that's just not him, okay. anyway, he's much more interested in hearing what ryuu has to say about it. ]
Different? How?
[ maybe if he could tweak the recipe so that it suits that okinawan palate, it'll be much better, right? also, has he mentioned how endearing this man is when he's eating with his mouth open, completely shedding the cool and wild idol persona he usually puts on before the camera. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I hope they do. I'm sure all of you will shine.
[ maybe he'll make it to one or two of them -- concerts aren't his thing; too many people, all that noise. but maybe he'll make an exception, just to see ryuu and his friends in action. ]
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[ and while he'd like it, he's not going to ask someone to step outside their comfort zone for something recreational, in the end. ]
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I might make it to a few.
[ his tone is warm, light. how strange, that the man can make him feel warm just by being him. ]
See you later.
[ and he will be waiting for him! biker jacket, jeans and boots, he's actually scrubbed up nice, idly smoking by the nearest lamp post. ]
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Until then!
[ tucking away the knowledge that kogami is apparently far from being immovable, ryuu goes about his day with a touch more energy and vigor - which might not be so noticeable for someone who's already peppy, but it's there.
by the time he makes it home, he cleans up quickly, much less high maintenance than his home profession might suggest. when he comes downstairs and exits the lobby, he's dressed nicely (and warmly) as usual. he lifts a hand on approach, a smile not least among the things that he's wearing. ]
Hey! I'm here - you weren't waiting too long, were you?
[ he's used to being the early one. ]
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ryuu is even more gorgeous than he remembers, graceful and practically glowing (he's sure it isn't just the streetlights), and he stubs his cigarette out on the trashcan before coming over to him. lips tugging in an answering smile, he shakes his head. his scarf is draped over his shoulders, a practical black -- more for utility than for a statement. ]
No, I just arrived.
[ more or less. kogami's early where it matters, and he falls into step easily beside him. ] How was practice today?
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It was a lot of fun! It's not always just me, sometimes others show up because they're interested in learning too. It gets so lively.
[ which is something an extrovert like him appreciates. angling in to follow him as he sets them off, given this is more or less a mystery location to him, he stuffs his hands in his pockets. ]
Are you settling in well? There's so much to explore here, and it doesn't seem like you take very well to being cooped up.
[ just a guess, a shot in the dark. ]
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ryuu is unselfish, sweet, and kogami snorts at that startlingly acute observation. yeah, he remembers this, too, the flashes of insight, where he captures kogami's habits perfectly. given time and practice, kogami thinks, the man would make a pretty good detective. ]
You're right. [ he tells him, and off they head towards caihong. ] Cooped up isn't my thing. I've mostly been in bookstores, and cafes.
[ and a lot of the time, the gym. the weirdest hipster. he adds dryly: ] If you need to buy a book, I've got the employee's discount.
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it's what makes him follow kogami's lead towards wherever they might be headed, unworried. ]
What cozy places! [ he can imagine it. kogami surrounded by that sophisticated kind of atmosphere - coffee, old ink on book pages, lazy, golden swirls of dust. ] If that means you've gotten a job there already, congratulations! You must love to read.
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kogami turns to look at him, warm and curious, for a moment unguarded. the man is trusting to almost a fault, as open and honest with his delight and warmth even if it doesn't concern him.
they enter caihong's bustling streets, kogami instinctively guiding him with a gentle touch to his elbow towards one of the streets, winding but no less cheerful for it, with stalls lining either side. ]
And the books themselves, too. Getting to feel the pages between your fingers. I don't get that much, in my time. But before I make it about me, tell me about you.
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You didn't? That's a shame... I hadn't thought of reading like that before, but it can be pretty tactile, can't it?
[ his tone lilts thoughtfully, as though he stands by it being a shame, but there's a hopeful quality to it also - something that says that while kogami is here, at least he has that precious opportunity. soon after, he waves his hand as if to dispel the notion that there's anything particularly special about him. ]
I'm not sure if there's much to tell! You guessed what I do for work so easily.
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[ kogami muses; ryuu probably just isn't used to telling them, that's all. they finally stop at a cozy family restaurant. chinese, clearly, but the young woman at the door brightens when she sees kogami. 'ah! you're here, mr kogami! here, come, come -- '
swiftly enough, they're shown to a relatively private table, and the young woman cheerfully continues, 'your food will be ready soon!' she gives ryuu a warm look, as if confirming to herself what she'd suspected before slipping away to pour them tea. kogami, for one, is entirely relaxed. ]
I hope you don't mind the lack of a menu. I made a few special requests. [ and it didn't come easy, either. ]
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and there's also the matter of being seated to see to first. it looks quaint and smells incredible, as expected of caihong. ryuu follows after kogami, quiet and wide-eyed at the exchange that leaves them alone at the table. ]
- not at all! Special requests... you must be a regular here already, then!
[ color him impressed. ]
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[ kogami's smile is crooked. it had taken a little while, but he'd refused payment -- instead choosing something more creative with ryuu in mind. it's the first time he's ever thought to do this, the unfamiliarity of it still a touch unnerving (had he gone too far?).
when their tea is served, he continues. ]
I spoke to your friend, Gaku. He really cares about you -- I was this close to giving him a detailed itinerary of this evening.
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So that's what that was about! [ he just blurts it out. not a surreptitious bone in his whole gigantic body. ] He didn't ask you for one, did he?!
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[ because he knows how things go. he knows that dates can go so very wrong, how their loved ones should worry -- how they deserve to have their minds set at ease. and oh, ryuu's honesty is absolutely refreshing. ]
So he told you, huh?
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He asked if I knew you before he told you anything. Sorry. [ he apologizes, even when kogami was likely the one meeting gaku halfway. ] He has his reasons.
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[ he's very beautiful in this light, the way his thumb brushes over the teacup, the softness in his eyes -- the flush of pink on pale cheeks, and kogami can't help but look, and look. he's captivating in a thousand different little ways, but before he can say anything else, the red half-curtains that separate their rustic, polished wooden booth from the other patrons is shifted aside, and out come the dishes.
the first dish (champuru): stir-fried bitter melon (a different shade from proper okinawan melon but it'll do, tofu, egg, and what looks like a lighter shade of spam. the second (rafute): a dish of a block of pork simmered in broth made from rice wine instead of awamori, a generous grilled fish, deep fried tofu, and two bowls of rice.
they're not authentic okinawan fare, not really -- but he'd tried to make sure they were as close to the original as possible. ]
I'm not sure if it'll suit you. I had them make some tweaks to the dishes, so that it's as Okinawan as it can possibly be.
[ especially from a non-Okinawan who only has an impression of the food to go off of. and information from gaku he had promptly passed to the chef. ]
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ryuu would have been surprised at the spread either way, but as the plates come more into view, he's left awed by the familiarity. ]
That's... bitter melon, isn't it? - ah, all of this...!
[ owlishly, he blinks upwards at kogami. ]
You're worrying about it suiting me, when it looks this amazing?
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the way his face brightens when he sees the food is absolutely charming, and he can't help but smile faintly, meeting his eyes. ]
I haven't done this for anyone before. Your opinion matters.
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I never thought I'd see this kind of thing without having to prepare it myself! I don't think I realized how happy it could make me...
[ until, well. it appeared here right in front of him! ]
What gave you the idea?
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[ ryuu wears it well, but kogami reads people for a living -- gifted and cursed with the ability to interpret the tiniest details, reading intentions and the secrets between words, filling the spaces.
ryuu glows, open and honest, and kogami can't look away, his happiness and gratitude so profoundly charming that his breath catches. before he can stop himself, he says, blunt and honest and not at all empty flattery: ]
Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?
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W, Well, um. I do tend to be in the spotlight enough to hear it pretty often, but...
[ but he knows, even when he just bumbles that much out -
he knows that's not what kogami's getting at. ]
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Come. Try some and let me know if it suits you.
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Of course! I can't imagine that it won't, you know? [ that excitement bubbling back up is so real. ] Let's see...
[ lucky he's never been a shy person about sharing a meal with someone, so without further prompting, he reaches over to get started in portioning out some of the stir fry. truly, he wants to eat everything at once, but he practices restraint in going for a healthy bite of his favorite first, a smile appearing before he's even had the chance to get it all the way down. don't speak with your mouth full, ryuu... ]
It's delicious! It's a little different, but not in a bad way at all.
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Different? How?
[ maybe if he could tweak the recipe so that it suits that okinawan palate, it'll be much better, right? also, has he mentioned how endearing this man is when he's eating with his mouth open, completely shedding the cool and wild idol persona he usually puts on before the camera. ]
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