♡ closed;

[dereban]

[ This wasn't her world.

She had known that all along, ever since the beginning.

While it looked like Yokohama and the sights were familiar enough for her to want her to call it home, she knew that it wasn't her home. This was just facsimile of the place she came from, an almost exact copy of where she lived. But there were things that were off.

They said that her world was 'frozen', after all; so it would have been fall of 2010.

But the date as she went through the streets didn't match up to what she remembered. It was the future of her world. Or at least, a world similar to her own. Taking out her eye phone, the one thing that she still had from her days at The Foundation before she was somehow thrown here for some unexplainable reason, she couldn't help but look at her contacts; more specifically, at the contact image of Atsushi as she breathed out a heavy white puff of air, leaning against the wall.

It was honestly rather cold for the dress (far right) that she was wearing, her hair in short twin braids. She wasn't particularly waiting for anybody, but she was on the lookout for any familiar faces.

Because she wanted to see which Yokohama she wound up in while trying to obscure her face by pretending that she was messing around with her phone. Certainly nobody would actually come up to her and bother her. . . right? ]

Comments

[jobbers]

[Taichi shifts a small package to his other hand as he races down the streets. He'll make it if he hurries, but his indecision in choosing has almost made him late. That'll teach me, huh?

But even if it might not be for all of the right reasons... This is still the first time he's gotten to experience this, and there's excitement stirred up in his chest. He had to try and do his best, or at least... what he hopes will be his best.

Soon enough, though, he's arrived. And sure enough, with a flood of warm recognition - she's there. He smiles wide as he steps up to announce his presence.]

Sorry to make you wait, Inaba! I hope you weren't out here for... [An eyebrow arches as he slows down, notices what's in front of her face.] too long...

[hold up a minute]

Is- Is that a new phone...?

[When did she have time to...?]

[dereban]

Huh?

[ Well, shit.

That certainly is a familiar voice and face and the expression in his eyes and the way he calls to her like that is enough for her to widen her dark eyes in surprise, even more so when Taichi notes that it's a new phone, which she quickly fumbles with and tries to put it away, out of sight in her bag. ]

No, it's not- you're just imagining things, Taichi.

[jobbers]

[Am... Am I really dense enough that she'd think I wouldn't notice that...?!

hmmmm

Taichi wouldn't have thought this much about it, honestly, but the fact that she's fumbling with it is... unusual, at least for Inaba. It strikes him as odd, but...]

...Well, it's probably not that big of a deal, right? You don't have to hide it or anything, I was just a bit surprised... But that's just like you to be on top of that sort of thing.

[He glances away for a moment, swallows as a beat passes. And then a bit of red fills his cheeks as his voice becomes quieter.]

You know, it's okay if you're nervous. I- I am too, you know? It's the first time we're doing this, after all.

[dereban]

Ah-

[ ...

Her shoulders sag a little, all the worries that she had fading a little bit. She shouldn't be too worried, maybe. But she can't help the concern because she knows full well that she's not supposed to be here, that she isn't the Inaba he remembers--

And then he says something like that and her cheeks seem to color, her hands tugging at the sides of the fabric of her dress.

She doesn't even have to be a mindreader to figure out what's going on here.

It's... a date, isn't it? ]

I'm not nervous, you know.

[jobbers]

[He can't help the smile that crosses his face at the sight of her blushing and fidgeting with her skirt. He's a little concerned still, but even so he can't help thinking she really is...]

You're acting a little different, you know. I didn't know what else to think.

[...she really is cute, isn't she?]

If there's something on your mind, though, you can tell me if you want to.

[dereban]

Different?

[ Her dark caramel colored eyes widen ever so slightly before waving her hands dismissively, a little frantic before just smiling rather innocently. ]

Am I really acting that weird, Taichi? [...] I'm fine, though.

[ She's just a little too insistent on that word there, almost as if she's trying to hide something, but she doesn't seem to let up on what exactly 'that' is. ]

[jobbers]

Well...

[Something in his gut nags at him, still, that something is not quite right. That he should make sure she really, really is okay. But Taichi fails his wisdom check can't really place what might be behind it, and it... probably isn't that big of a deal anyway. Probably just his brain overthinking things because of his own nerves.

Right?]

...no, if you say you're fine, I'll believe you.

[He's pushed her to talk before, but it'd be overbearing to do that for such a small thing. Besides, surely whatever's going on isn't as dire of a situation as what they've been through before.]

Alright then, what do you want to do first? We could around a bit, unless you wanted to go straight to the cafe...

[dereban]

[ It's when he says that he believes her in spite of her hiding behind half truths that she reaches out for his hand and squeezes it, if he allows her. Her emotions are still spiraling inside of her like a roller coaster that just doesn't seem to end.

She wants to tell him the truth.

But she's so very scared that he'll abandon her if and when she does. ]

Ah, well. . . there is a place I wanted to go before that, but it's kind of a weird choice. Is that okay?