[Late morning on the day of the welcome event, after absconding with a bunch of doujins he didn't want to take home, but felt obligated to so no one else would see them, he messages Jun!]
Looks like we got lost from each other, so I thought I'd message you here! Anyway, 2 questions:
1. Did you find all those ingredients we talked about?
2. Since coming here, have you had any locker room mishaps? For example, any incidents where a girl walked in on you changing clothes and started shrieking, so you furiously covered yourself and apologized for scaring her?
I know the second one's probably embarrassing to talk about, so a simple "Yes" or "No" will do.
Now that's a shame. He even had the gall to beg me for chips earlier, if you can believe it. He's just a leech! But you did get all the ingredients for salmon quiche, then? Excellent news 🥳
[Now, as for the locker room thing...]
I meant just what I said. But that's a "no," huh? I only asked because some girl was claiming that exact thing happened. She even knew you by name. But I had a feeling she was pulling my leg. Guess that's "case closed" on that~
[In reality, this is not what she claimed, and that scenario is just something Hiyori cooked up in his head. But shhhh.]
[Someday he'll have an inbox thread with Jun that wasn't triggered by Monika, but today isn't that day.]
Jun-kun, Jun-kun! Guess what I heard! Some girl told me you were scheduled to give her idol lessons!
Assuming that's true, why didn't you tell me? There are 4 of us here, or at least there will be once Rinne-senpai crawls out of whatever hole he fell into, so we ought to make it a group lesson! That should help impart even more wisdom!
I guess I won't message Rinne-senpai since he still isn't responding, so for now, I'll just tell Leo-kun!
[And he's off to go do that. He's so speedy about it that even if Jun replies right away and tells him not too, he'll have already sent the message. RIP.]
[ It's ok, it's fine when Hiyori's living rent-free in Jun's head, anyway. ]
hey, ohii-san, what're you talking about? how'd you hear about that?
and well, i did already!! if you're talking about monika-san, i said, "if you wanna have private lessons, you should ask him instead." the him i'm talking about is tsukinaga-senpai, cuz she went on about playing the piano? but i've *already* told her about the four of us, ohii-san....
she just really wants me to teach her for whatever reason?
[ No, Jun knows the reason after she went a little unhinged, confessing she "likes" him and whatever else. But he's apparently let her down gently, so it's fine. ]
i'd say don't, but you're not gonna listen and you've probably? already? done it?
[ This text comes absolutely at like 3am on the 4th or something. ]
heyyyyyy nami!! i want a strawberry cake! with lots of frosting! and sparkly decorations! and fun candles!
[ ...? He's talking about his birthday. He wants Jun to make him a birthday cake for the 5th with exactly this much warning. Couldn't this have waited for the afternoon or something? ]
[ Thank goodness he is not in Hiyori's room right now since things could become awkward! It may take him a few reads to get through, as who else but Leo would send him a text at three in the damn morning? ]
hey tsukinaga-senpai. shouldn't you be sleeping? but a strawberry cake i can do. what sorta frosting are you craving? if you want, i can do strawberry, vanilla, *and* chocolate. i've never really done sparkly decorations before, but i'll do my best ♪ and find some candles somewhere, cuz it's for your birthday ~
[ It might be three in the morning, but Jun's gathered as much! And you had him at strawberry cake; he'll do that easily and find Leo a nice present to go with it. ]
[ Am I a joke to you, Rinne-senpai???? Actually, don't answer that. ]
ok????????
[ Jun was actually going to the gym, minding his own business, wondering when the hell Rinne was going to show up again. Instead, this is what he gets? A random message from his senpai after disappearing for an entire month?! Well, it is not like this is the first time someone has completely forgotten about him. .. it's fine, he'll be there! ]
[On a whim, because he's been noticing things, Rinne decided to check in on people he knew. Starting, of course, with the few people who came from the same place as he did. Of course, just telling people 'Hey, I wanted to check in on you because some familiar faces disappeared. I'm glad you're okay.' would just be too easy, and you know, people will find it weird from Rinne. It isn't that he can't be honest, he is plenty honest, he just doesn't like being vulnerable.
So he does the clearly normal thing here.]
Open the door! You're under arrest, Sazanami Jun!
[Hope Jun wasn't sleeping this fine morning, because he's going to get a loud banging on the door, the demand spoken through a megaphone.]
[ Fortunately, he's inside his room for once, picking up a few stray items before heading off to the gym again. Or perhaps unfortunately is a better term, considering what happens next. Either side of the walls bang on Jun's, muttering obscenities considering it is nice and bright in the morning.
But what the hell is Rinne banging about? He'd better open the door before his neighbours become royally pissed. ]
Rinne-senpai, the hell're you doin'? Y'know it's real early, right? My neighbours are gonna be pissed...
[ He does look confused once the doors open, to which a relieved sigh is heard from another neighbouring room. Pointing to the megaphone, he frowns. ]
[A few days into the month of June, something strange happens: Hiyori Tomoe begins bursting into song in public!
No, he isn't cursed. And no, this isn't the first time, which means it's not really that strange: he did serenade someone for the Lawn Games challenge (they were unappreciative), and he even tried to cheer up a brainwashed guest outside of Love Dove (which just led to him getting dragged to the Spades party—no good deed goes unpunished around here!). He's also sung a few times while Leo played the piano, in order to earn vouchers. Which is the exact same reason he's been bursting into song so often lately: he needs vouchers! Or, well, he doesn't need them, but...
He could really use them, because he has to eat out a lot this month. And though the Red Cardinal isn't as expensive as Gilded Cage or some of the other higher-end restaurants, it's still not dirt cheap.
That's why he suggested it to Jun for dinner. They enjoyed a nice meal, pay for it with vouchers, and leave to return to their suite. But before they left, Hiyori made sure to stop by the bar and pay his compliments to the chef—or rather, to the proprietress, who seemed familiar with him, if still a little wary of his motives. Jun sees all this, of course. And that leads to Hiyori doing something he should've done yesterday: on the way back to their suite, he tells Jun everything—everything about the diary entry and the quest he's on, which requires him to gather three different people's memories.
Now, back at their suite, they sit on the couch. Hiyori has a notebook out and a pen in-hand, posed to start writing. As he explains to Jun:]
I'm sure I'll remember whatever you tell me. I have an excellent memory, after all ♪ But she asked for detail, so I wanted to make sure I don't miss anything.
[There's a brief pause after that; he knows Jun doesn't have as many happy memories in his life as someone who had a pleasant youth, so this might not be the happiest ask. Which is why he takes care to remind him,]
Remember, it can be anything you want. Just so long as it's not too mundane, I guess. I don't know what exactly she's looking for, but I do want to meet her standards. So if you're not sure what to say, you can just treat this like an interview.
[ Meanwhile, nothing out of the ordinary has happened to Jun. He hasn't been bursting into song, trying to serenade someone, or trying to cheer up a brainwashed guest. But he did find out a few different things about this place, all of which were relayed to Hiyori about the creepy bartender, what he found out from a few others from when Swan Lake went under.
After enjoying a nice meal together, without any surprises lurking in their food, eagerly looking forward to returning to the restaurant with Hiyori, he hopes they might be able to soon. Undoubtedly, it is the best dining option in the casino, though that may not be saying much. But on the way back to their suite, Jun learns about the quest given to his partner, listening with rapt interest.
He's curious why Hiyori asked for a memory. It's a fact that he doesn't have many to choose from, especially when it comes to "happy" memories. Perhaps there was a time when his parents cared for him, but struggling to recall one when they truly showed him care, love and affection, wouldn't be a good memory to offer. ]
I don't think I have any good memories to offer, Ohii-san.
[ There's a lengthy pause from when he begins speaking after Hiyori's done, pinching the bridge of his nose in thought. The truth remains, Jun has plenty of memories to offer, memories he has managed to lock away. But does he want a stranger, a proprietress to learn of them? Not really! But he'd rather help Hiyori benefit from offering up memories, so he'll search within himself to provide something meaningful, despite the emotional weight of reflecting on the past. ]
How 'bout we make tea before we get started? Don't want my throat clamming up when I'm talking, 'cause you'd probably wanna avoid that, yeah? And we'll be here a while...
[ This way he can dig even deeper into his psyche, ready to offer up the darkest, deepest parts of Reimei he's never spoken about. ]
Promise once we've got tea, I'll offer up something good.
[He didn't get cursed on his birthday after all, which means Jun shouldn't get cursed on his birthday either. Jun's his partner and his other half (as explained previously), so he should receive the exact same treatment Hiyori receives. You either curse both of them, or you curse neither of them! That's exactly how things should work.
Although his logic might be shaky, this supposition seems to prove correct. Jun wakes up feeling fine on the day of his birthday, which leaves him free to celebrate! And Hiyori, being the generous and fun-loving person that he is, goes all out. He buys party poppers and party hats! He gets Jun a piece of muscle-training gear! (Not a facial muscle relaxer this time. Jun smiles an awful lot these days, so there's no need for that!). He has an elegantly-decorated strawberry cake ready to be delivered to their room later! And he also informs Jun that he has another present for him, too, although that will have to come later. Right now, they're going out for a late breakfast!
It's just the two of them seated together at some café (Leo and Rinne can join them for birthday cake later). The place has plenty of bread products, some of which even feature strawberries if Jun feels like enjoying a double dose of those today. But there are also heartier, more protein-based options on the menu, too. Whatever Jun chooses, Hiyori will be reaching out with his own fork to pick a piece off Jun's plate.]
Rejoice, Jun-kun! Since today is your birthday, your only job is to be spoiled absolutely rotten by your own partner! Because you're such a good boy! ♪ And that includes me feeding you, so say "Ahn~" ♪
[He guides the forkful of food up to Jun's mouth. No he doesn't care that he's being embarrassing.]
[ So far, Jun hasn't been cursed. He doesn't feel any different from yesterday or when they went to bed the evening before. If only the House believed they should receive the same treatment! And it's not as if Jun thinks he'll be cursed, so he's assuming the House let both of them off for their birthdays. So far, so good.
It's hard not to smile these days, especially when Hiyori's the cause of why he has been in such a good mood. Despite his usual protein-based breakfast, filled with plenty of the usual suspects, this morning he opts for a strawberry pastry! Why? Because it's his birthday and he can forgo one morning without a hearty breakfast! (Even if he'll "feel" it later on.)
So.. it seems Hiyori wants to do this again. Not that Jun has an issue with being fed! Again, the Jun of a couple of months ago would have, but today it's his birthday, so he does deserve to be spoiled. But it's something Hiyori says that catches him off-guard. It's the "good boy" comment that usually makes his cheeks burn, and makes him feel a certain type of way instead of a strange compulsion coming over him.
It's a short, abrupt, sound from the back of his throat which vibrates loudly at the space between them. Something close to a bark, but not the kind Mary usually gives them! Usually, hers are high-pitched, varying on what kind of mood she's in. But instead, the bark which falls from Jun's throat is gruff, husky and short. Right as his hand covers his mouth, eyes widening as Hiyori hovers the forkful of strawberry pastry close to his covered mouth.
Another "woof" sounds as Jun looks up to meet Hiyori's gaze. Feeling embarrassed, even though no one surrounding them paid it any attention, he shoves his fingers further inside his mouth to stop a third bark before anyone else can hear it.
Jun attempts to speak, but with his fingers in his mouth, he can only manage to say "Ohii-san," as a jumbled mess of words instead. ]
[He falls asleep the same way he has the past few nights: clinging tightly to Jun for warmth, his arms around Jun's middle and his cold face pressed into Jun's neck. In his dream, however, he's alone.
His footsteps echo through a dark, frigid hallway. He hugs his arms against the chill, shuffling forward slowly—towards what, he doesn't know. Perhaps he'd been exploring and gotten lost in one of the resort's endless halls; all he knows is that there's nowhere to go but forward. He lifts his wrist and turns on his smartwatch. The glow of the screen provides at least a little illumination, which he uses to peer down the hall. Nope, no end that he can see. Then he looks to his side.
There's something on his left. When he casts his watch in that direction, he sees that it's a statue. There are several in a row, all stone statues standing on pedestals, not just on his left but also to his right; both sides of the hall are decorated with them. That's nothing new around here, but it still gives him the creeps. Then he hears a humming noise.
A light above one of the statues suddenly turned on. It pierces the darkness, bathing the statue in an eerie, ethereal glow. When he sees what it looks like in the light, his stomach drops.
He knows whose figure this is. The small stature and short ponytail, the arms held aloft like a conductor leading a symphony orchestra. That smile. They all point to one thing, one person. And yet a part of his brain refuses to accept the truth, even as he drags himself closer and looks at the statue's face.
This can't be Leo-kun. He just saw Leo not too long ago. It was close to a week ago, granted. He'd meant to check on Leo a few days ago but gotten sidetracked on the way up to his room—that was when he ran into Esikko and the whole connection thing began. But Leo has just been holed up in his studio making music, right? He failed to answer his messages because he was busy composing. That's what Hiyori assumed. Not that he disappeared. Not that the House turned him into this.
He feels too sick to continue looking. He looks down at his smartwatch instead, and his clumsy fingers fumble to pull up Rinne's contact. He gives him a ring. No response. He rings again. Still no response—a problem with the reception? He opens his messages and tries texting instead, furiously typing a stream of accusatory gibberish. Come here. You have to see this. Did you know about this? Why didn't you stop this? I look after Jun-kun. Looking after Leo-kun was YOUR job. Did you even check on him? Why didn't you do anything? You should've stopped this. We should've stopped this. It doesn't matter what he types, though, because none of the messages go through. And what's stranger still is the message he receives. ERROR: User not found. What does that mean, "user not found"?
And then a second spotlight hums to life directly behind him.
Slowly, with his heart beating wildly against his ribcage, he turns around. An icy feeling grips his heart when he sees the next statue lit up: a tall man, rambunctious body language, tufts of hair sticking out every which way on his head, a smirk carved into his face. Not an approximation of Rinne-senpai but the real thing, frozen in time, no longer a menace or a rebel but a fixture of the resort.
He's nauseous. He's shaking all over, and not just from the cold. There's nothing else to do, no one else to turn to except the one person he's always turned to. The one person he can rely on in the resort, the only thing he has left now that Rinne and Leo are like this. He rings Jun's watch.
No response.
Come here, he texts him, his fingers trembling on the tiny screen. Please come here. I'm scared.
The screen buffers endlessly. He's still waiting for the message to send when a third light hums on at the end of the hall.
Slowly, he lifts his eyes from the screen.
This time his thoughts don't race. This time his head is completely, utterly blank. He doesn't comprehend what he sees. His feet move without his brain's knowledge or consent, taking him to the end of the hall, until he's standing directly before that statue. But his eyes must be playing tricks on him. That can't be— No, that can't be—
His eyes raise higher—
(They can't)
until they fall—
(They can't take Jun-kun away)
on the statue's face.
(Anyone but Jun-kun)
He collapses to his knees on the cold tile.]
No...
[It starts out quiet. Something half-gasped, half-sobbed into Jun's shoulder.]
No!
[And then it changes to something louder. Inside the dream, his own anguished cry pierces his ears, and that's exactly how he wakes up: with a scream on his lips and hot tears spilling from his eyes, wetting the fabric of Jun's shirt, his fingers clenched tight in Jun's clothes.]
[ He hardly minds the cold face pressed up against him, nor the even colder body huddling against him for warmth. It has been that way for the past couple of nights, Jun wanting to keep Hiyori warm and snug, just as he always wants. It can’t be different from any other night, Jun singing a lullaby, carding through knots.
Having the same dream he has every night, a happy ending to the Hell that is the Golden Peacock resort. Beginning with Eden performing for their fans, but not only that, they’re performing for them overseas. Something Jun’s wanted for as long as he could remember. Before too long the scene changes again, Hiyori and Jun walking hand-in-hand towards a row of beautifully decorated roses.
Something feels off the closer they get. First, the roses look fake! As if the red has been painted on. Second, an unknown uneasiness creeps up on dream!Jun. A daunting feeling of fear, sending him into a deep conundrum of anxiety. Thankfully he’s still dreaming, not bothering to find an answer to his sudden bout of depressing thoughts.
Something shakes him awake, a knowing fear washing over him. Feeling as if a bowl of water has been dumped on his head, he groggily feels himself waking only to hear Hiyori yelling something in his sleep. ]
… Ohii-san?
[ He murmurs, groggily, still half-asleep as his shirt feels soaked through with something he isn’t aware are tears just yet.
Running the hand across Hiyori’s back in circles, wanting him to know he’s right here. ]
[ This is just eight picture messages in a row from Leo, from Jun's own suite, of Hiyori in his Christmas sweater holding a stuffed animal? They start from ridiculously cryptid and terribly focused and cropped (why is one picture just the head of the stuffed animal and like Hiyori's mouth? Why is one of his nose) to slow improvements to a nice picture at the end??
There's no explanation given but the explanation is Leo wanted to take a clear picture like Hiyori and Arashi and this was the process required for him to be patient enough to do it.
[ on the morning of december 25, which hua cheng has come to understand is christmas day, a knock on the door will herald the arrival of a gift. it's nestled in a box and wrapped in paper of his signature crimson and tied with a gold ribbon, both very auspicious colors for such an auspicious(?) holiday! it's also addressed to both jun and hiyori, but it's getting delivered to jun because hua cheng can do a lot but he can't be in two places at once.
the box contains a short length of red thread that flashes just slightly gold in the right light. when touched, it seems to resonate with spiritual energy, and it lengthens or shortens according to the distance between them when each of the ends is held.
along with the red string is a brief note from hua cheng, in his neatest and most legible handwriting. ]
Jun & Hiyori —
Affix the string to a finger of your choosing and make a vow to one another. When imbued with evidence of your affection, the string will from that point forward always lead you to each other — no matter how far separated you may be by space or time. The string will not always be visible, but the connection will always be there.
It can be removed, but only at a cost. Be certain.
[It's an ordinary evening. Christmas and New Year's both came and went, the festivities are over, and there hasn't been a proper "game" in several months, which gives Hiyori time to think about various things.
[ Time seems to fly by when you're stuck in a sex casino. At the moment, Jun is moving around his exercise equipment, giving them a much-needed cleaning.
He tucks the equipment back into their case, turning toward Hiyori with a confused look. Hiyori should know he wasn't the "slumber party" type.
... unless the phrase has some other meaning he's not aware of. ]
Slumber parties? Never had one before.
[ Have they ever spoken about slumber parties before? He can't recall a time where they ever have... especially when the few times they could have back home, Kohaku went off to a capsule hotel. (Except this isn't your typical one.) ]
Why're you suddenly talking 'bout slumber parties, Ohii-san? D'you wanna have one?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
@eve
Looks like we got lost from each other, so I thought I'd message you here! Anyway, 2 questions:
1. Did you find all those ingredients we talked about?
2. Since coming here, have you had any locker room mishaps? For example, any incidents where a girl walked in on you changing clothes and started shrieking, so you furiously covered yourself and apologized for scaring her?
I know the second one's probably embarrassing to talk about, so a simple "Yes" or "No" will do.
@lilith
yeah, rinne-senpai found me and took me somewhere and i'd lost sight of you by that point.
i got everything i could but i offered some strawberries to rinne-senpai, or maybe the better term is he was gonna take 'em anyway.
but no? i dunno what you mean by that.
[ He's not technically lying, but it wasn't a locker room; she didn't walk in on him and she didn't start shrieking, so! ]
no subject
[Now, as for the locker room thing...]
I meant just what I said. But that's a "no," huh? I only asked because some girl was claiming that exact thing happened. She even knew you by name. But I had a feeling she was pulling my leg. Guess that's "case closed" on that~
[In reality, this is not what she claimed, and that scenario is just something Hiyori cooked up in his head. But shhhh.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/?????
(no subject)
(no subject)
4/4 ok done (sorry)
1/2 i'm screaming ty for this
2/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
~04/03
no subject
(no subject)
(no subject)
@eve, backdated to the day after he makes his network post
Jun-kun, Jun-kun! Guess what I heard! Some girl told me you were scheduled to give her idol lessons!
Assuming that's true, why didn't you tell me? There are 4 of us here, or at least there will be once Rinne-senpai crawls out of whatever hole he fell into, so we ought to make it a group lesson! That should help impart even more wisdom!
I guess I won't message Rinne-senpai since he still isn't responding, so for now, I'll just tell Leo-kun!
[And he's off to go do that. He's so speedy about it that even if Jun replies right away and tells him not too, he'll have already sent the message. RIP.]
no subject
hey, ohii-san, what're you talking about? how'd you hear about that?
and well, i did already!! if you're talking about monika-san, i said, "if you wanna have private lessons, you should ask him instead." the him i'm talking about is tsukinaga-senpai, cuz she went on about playing the piano? but i've *already* told her about the four of us, ohii-san....
she just
really wants me to teach her for whatever reason?
[ No, Jun knows the reason after she went a little unhinged, confessing she "likes" him and whatever else. But he's apparently let her down gently, so it's fine. ]
i'd say don't, but you're not gonna listen and you've probably? already? done it?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
I like how I went back and edited that tag yet I still spy multiple typos...
i honestly never noticed! just pretend like you didn't make typos
will try (1/2)
2/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
un: knights
heyyyyyy nami!! i want a strawberry cake! with lots of frosting! and sparkly decorations! and fun candles!
[ ...? He's talking about his birthday. He wants Jun to make him a birthday cake for the 5th with exactly this much warning. Couldn't this have waited for the afternoon or something? ]
no subject
hey tsukinaga-senpai. shouldn't you be sleeping? but a strawberry cake i can do. what sorta frosting are you craving? if you want, i can do strawberry, vanilla, *and* chocolate. i've never really done sparkly decorations before, but i'll do my best ♪ and find some candles somewhere, cuz it's for your birthday ~
[ It might be three in the morning, but Jun's gathered as much! And you had him at strawberry cake; he'll do that easily and find Leo a nice present to go with it. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
audio
(no subject)
(no subject)
@hunnyB; 5/2
Great Tit in 10 mins. Get to it.
[He might have forgotten about Jun. Sorry, Jun.]
no subject
ok????????
[ Jun was actually going to the gym, minding his own business, wondering when the hell Rinne was going to show up again. Instead, this is what he gets? A random message from his senpai after disappearing for an entire month?! Well, it is not like this is the first time someone has completely forgotten about him. .. it's fine, he'll be there! ]
text, un: angel
I've decided to put on a small show. Are you free on the 14th?
no subject
hey! it's still jun...
you did? awesome! and yeah, i'm free on the 14th! where's it at?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
early june;
So he does the clearly normal thing here.]
Open the door! You're under arrest, Sazanami Jun!
[Hope Jun wasn't sleeping this fine morning, because he's going to get a loud banging on the door, the demand spoken through a megaphone.]
no subject
But what the hell is Rinne banging about? He'd better open the door before his neighbours become royally pissed. ]
Rinne-senpai, the hell're you doin'? Y'know it's real early, right? My neighbours are gonna be pissed...
[ He does look confused once the doors open, to which a relieved sigh is heard from another neighbouring room. Pointing to the megaphone, he frowns. ]
... was that thing seriously called for?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
action
No, he isn't cursed. And no, this isn't the first time, which means it's not really that strange: he did serenade someone for the Lawn Games challenge (they were unappreciative), and he even tried to cheer up a brainwashed guest outside of Love Dove (which just led to him getting dragged to the Spades party—no good deed goes unpunished around here!). He's also sung a few times while Leo played the piano, in order to earn vouchers. Which is the exact same reason he's been bursting into song so often lately: he needs vouchers! Or, well, he doesn't need them, but...
He could really use them, because he has to eat out a lot this month. And though the Red Cardinal isn't as expensive as Gilded Cage or some of the other higher-end restaurants, it's still not dirt cheap.
That's why he suggested it to Jun for dinner. They enjoyed a nice meal, pay for it with vouchers, and leave to return to their suite. But before they left, Hiyori made sure to stop by the bar and pay his compliments to the chef—or rather, to the proprietress, who seemed familiar with him, if still a little wary of his motives. Jun sees all this, of course. And that leads to Hiyori doing something he should've done yesterday: on the way back to their suite, he tells Jun everything—everything about the diary entry and the quest he's on, which requires him to gather three different people's memories.
Now, back at their suite, they sit on the couch. Hiyori has a notebook out and a pen in-hand, posed to start writing. As he explains to Jun:]
I'm sure I'll remember whatever you tell me. I have an excellent memory, after all ♪ But she asked for detail, so I wanted to make sure I don't miss anything.
[There's a brief pause after that; he knows Jun doesn't have as many happy memories in his life as someone who had a pleasant youth, so this might not be the happiest ask. Which is why he takes care to remind him,]
Remember, it can be anything you want. Just so long as it's not too mundane, I guess. I don't know what exactly she's looking for, but I do want to meet her standards. So if you're not sure what to say, you can just treat this like an interview.
no subject
After enjoying a nice meal together, without any surprises lurking in their food, eagerly looking forward to returning to the restaurant with Hiyori, he hopes they might be able to soon. Undoubtedly, it is the best dining option in the casino, though that may not be saying much. But on the way back to their suite, Jun learns about the quest given to his partner, listening with rapt interest.
He's curious why Hiyori asked for a memory. It's a fact that he doesn't have many to choose from, especially when it comes to "happy" memories. Perhaps there was a time when his parents cared for him, but struggling to recall one when they truly showed him care, love and affection, wouldn't be a good memory to offer. ]
I don't think I have any good memories to offer, Ohii-san.
[ There's a lengthy pause from when he begins speaking after Hiyori's done, pinching the bridge of his nose in thought. The truth remains, Jun has plenty of memories to offer, memories he has managed to lock away. But does he want a stranger, a proprietress to learn of them? Not really! But he'd rather help Hiyori benefit from offering up memories, so he'll search within himself to provide something meaningful, despite the emotional weight of reflecting on the past. ]
How 'bout we make tea before we get started? Don't want my throat clamming up when I'm talking, 'cause you'd probably wanna avoid that, yeah? And we'll be here a while...
[ This way he can dig even deeper into his psyche, ready to offer up the darkest, deepest parts of Reimei he's never spoken about. ]
Promise once we've got tea, I'll offer up something good.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/2
2/2
1/2
2/2
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
action (8/16)
Although his logic might be shaky, this supposition seems to prove correct. Jun wakes up feeling fine on the day of his birthday, which leaves him free to celebrate! And Hiyori, being the generous and fun-loving person that he is, goes all out. He buys party poppers and party hats! He gets Jun a piece of muscle-training gear! (Not a facial muscle relaxer this time. Jun smiles an awful lot these days, so there's no need for that!). He has an elegantly-decorated strawberry cake ready to be delivered to their room later! And he also informs Jun that he has another present for him, too, although that will have to come later. Right now, they're going out for a late breakfast!
It's just the two of them seated together at some café (Leo and Rinne can join them for birthday cake later). The place has plenty of bread products, some of which even feature strawberries if Jun feels like enjoying a double dose of those today. But there are also heartier, more protein-based options on the menu, too. Whatever Jun chooses, Hiyori will be reaching out with his own fork to pick a piece off Jun's plate.]
Rejoice, Jun-kun! Since today is your birthday, your only job is to be spoiled absolutely rotten by your own partner! Because you're such a good boy! ♪ And that includes me feeding you, so say "Ahn~" ♪
[He guides the forkful of food up to Jun's mouth. No he doesn't care that he's being embarrassing.]
no subject
It's hard not to smile these days, especially when Hiyori's the cause of why he has been in such a good mood. Despite his usual protein-based breakfast, filled with plenty of the usual suspects, this morning he opts for a strawberry pastry! Why? Because it's his birthday and he can forgo one morning without a hearty breakfast! (Even if he'll "feel" it later on.)
So.. it seems Hiyori wants to do this again. Not that Jun has an issue with being fed! Again, the Jun of a couple of months ago would have, but today it's his birthday, so he does deserve to be spoiled. But it's something Hiyori says that catches him off-guard. It's the "good boy" comment that usually makes his cheeks burn, and makes him feel a certain type of way instead of a strange compulsion coming over him.
It's a short, abrupt, sound from the back of his throat which vibrates loudly at the space between them. Something close to a bark, but not the kind Mary usually gives them! Usually, hers are high-pitched, varying on what kind of mood she's in. But instead, the bark which falls from Jun's throat is gruff, husky and short. Right as his hand covers his mouth, eyes widening as Hiyori hovers the forkful of strawberry pastry close to his covered mouth.
Another "woof" sounds as Jun looks up to meet Hiyori's gaze. Feeling embarrassed, even though no one surrounding them paid it any attention, he shoves his fingers further inside his mouth to stop a third bark before anyone else can hear it.
Jun attempts to speak, but with his fingers in his mouth, he can only manage to say "Ohii-san," as a jumbled mess of words instead. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
action (backdated to Hearts event)
[He falls asleep the same way he has the past few nights: clinging tightly to Jun for warmth, his arms around Jun's middle and his cold face pressed into Jun's neck. In his dream, however, he's alone.
His footsteps echo through a dark, frigid hallway. He hugs his arms against the chill, shuffling forward slowly—towards what, he doesn't know. Perhaps he'd been exploring and gotten lost in one of the resort's endless halls; all he knows is that there's nowhere to go but forward. He lifts his wrist and turns on his smartwatch. The glow of the screen provides at least a little illumination, which he uses to peer down the hall. Nope, no end that he can see. Then he looks to his side.
There's something on his left. When he casts his watch in that direction, he sees that it's a statue. There are several in a row, all stone statues standing on pedestals, not just on his left but also to his right; both sides of the hall are decorated with them. That's nothing new around here, but it still gives him the creeps. Then he hears a humming noise.
A light above one of the statues suddenly turned on. It pierces the darkness, bathing the statue in an eerie, ethereal glow. When he sees what it looks like in the light, his stomach drops.
He knows whose figure this is. The small stature and short ponytail, the arms held aloft like a conductor leading a symphony orchestra. That smile. They all point to one thing, one person. And yet a part of his brain refuses to accept the truth, even as he drags himself closer and looks at the statue's face.
This can't be Leo-kun. He just saw Leo not too long ago. It was close to a week ago, granted. He'd meant to check on Leo a few days ago but gotten sidetracked on the way up to his room—that was when he ran into Esikko and the whole connection thing began. But Leo has just been holed up in his studio making music, right? He failed to answer his messages because he was busy composing. That's what Hiyori assumed. Not that he disappeared. Not that the House turned him into this.
He feels too sick to continue looking. He looks down at his smartwatch instead, and his clumsy fingers fumble to pull up Rinne's contact. He gives him a ring. No response. He rings again. Still no response—a problem with the reception? He opens his messages and tries texting instead, furiously typing a stream of accusatory gibberish. Come here. You have to see this. Did you know about this? Why didn't you stop this? I look after Jun-kun. Looking after Leo-kun was YOUR job. Did you even check on him? Why didn't you do anything? You should've stopped this. We should've stopped this. It doesn't matter what he types, though, because none of the messages go through. And what's stranger still is the message he receives. ERROR: User not found. What does that mean, "user not found"?
And then a second spotlight hums to life directly behind him.
Slowly, with his heart beating wildly against his ribcage, he turns around. An icy feeling grips his heart when he sees the next statue lit up: a tall man, rambunctious body language, tufts of hair sticking out every which way on his head, a smirk carved into his face. Not an approximation of Rinne-senpai but the real thing, frozen in time, no longer a menace or a rebel but a fixture of the resort.
He's nauseous. He's shaking all over, and not just from the cold. There's nothing else to do, no one else to turn to except the one person he's always turned to. The one person he can rely on in the resort, the only thing he has left now that Rinne and Leo are like this. He rings Jun's watch.
No response.
Come here, he texts him, his fingers trembling on the tiny screen. Please come here. I'm scared.
The screen buffers endlessly. He's still waiting for the message to send when a third light hums on at the end of the hall.
Slowly, he lifts his eyes from the screen.
This time his thoughts don't race. This time his head is completely, utterly blank. He doesn't comprehend what he sees. His feet move without his brain's knowledge or consent, taking him to the end of the hall, until he's standing directly before that statue. But his eyes must be playing tricks on him. That can't be— No, that can't be—
His eyes raise higher—
(They can't)
until they fall—
(They can't take Jun-kun away)
on the statue's face.
(Anyone but Jun-kun)
He collapses to his knees on the cold tile.]
No...
[It starts out quiet. Something half-gasped, half-sobbed into Jun's shoulder.]
No!
[And then it changes to something louder. Inside the dream, his own anguished cry pierces his ears, and that's exactly how he wakes up: with a scream on his lips and hot tears spilling from his eyes, wetting the fabric of Jun's shirt, his fingers clenched tight in Jun's clothes.]
no subject
Having the same dream he has every night, a happy ending to the Hell that is the Golden Peacock resort. Beginning with Eden performing for their fans, but not only that, they’re performing for them overseas. Something Jun’s wanted for as long as he could remember. Before too long the scene changes again, Hiyori and Jun walking hand-in-hand towards a row of beautifully decorated roses.
Something feels off the closer they get. First, the roses look fake! As if the red has been painted on. Second, an unknown uneasiness creeps up on dream!Jun. A daunting feeling of fear, sending him into a deep conundrum of anxiety. Thankfully he’s still dreaming, not bothering to find an answer to his sudden bout of depressing thoughts.
Something shakes him awake, a knowing fear washing over him. Feeling as if a bowl of water has been dumped on his head, he groggily feels himself waking only to hear Hiyori yelling something in his sleep. ]
… Ohii-san?
[ He murmurs, groggily, still half-asleep as his shirt feels soaked through with something he isn’t aware are tears just yet.
Running the hand across Hiyori’s back in circles, wanting him to know he’s right here. ]
I’m right here.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
man I desperately need more sad/crying icons
i feel that... enstars make your characters cry more please and thanks
crosses fingers for Hiyori to be crying uncontrollably in his next unbloomed 5*
well now you've said it!!! conquest pt.2
time for Eden to disband (jk) (also 1/2)
2/2
noo don't give akira ideas!!! (she's just joking) 1/2
2/2
Akira sharpening knives in the background (1/2)
2/2
akira what do you have there (a knife)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
1/2
2/2
text @knights; earlier in the month when Jun has a fancy suite
There's no explanation given but the explanation is Leo wanted to take a clear picture like Hiyori and Arashi and this was the process required for him to be patient enough to do it.
Praise him now thanks ]
( 12/25 ) — xmas ding dong ditch
the box contains a short length of red thread that flashes just slightly gold in the right light. when touched, it seems to resonate with spiritual energy, and it lengthens or shortens according to the distance between them when each of the ends is held.
along with the red string is a brief note from hua cheng, in his neatest and most legible handwriting. ]
Jun & Hiyori —
Affix the string to a finger of your choosing and make a vow to one another. When imbued with evidence of your affection, the string will from that point forward always lead you to each other — no matter how far separated you may be by space or time. The string will not always be visible, but the connection will always be there.
It can be removed, but only at a cost. Be certain.
— Hua Cheng
Backdated to sometime in January
Including a certain conversation he had.]
Say, Jun-kun...
[He rests his teacup in his lap, turning to look at Jun on the sofa in their shared suite.]
How do you feel about slumber parties?
🏃
He tucks the equipment back into their case, turning toward Hiyori with a confused look. Hiyori should know he wasn't the "slumber party" type.
... unless the phrase has some other meaning he's not aware of. ]
Slumber parties? Never had one before.
[ Have they ever spoken about slumber parties before? He can't recall a time where they ever have... especially when the few times they could have back home, Kohaku went off to a capsule hotel. (Except this isn't your typical one.) ]
Why're you suddenly talking 'bout slumber parties, Ohii-san? D'you wanna have one?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)