008 | OVERFLOW

[godsoffortune]

This is an overflow post for 008 | Sakura 2.0: You Can (Not) Have A Picnic. Please bring any further comments here and link to your threads at the original source.

Thank you!

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[koukai_kirai]

Hm.

[That one was a little more directly suggestive, wasn't it? It doesn't do to get too direct, but backing away too much from the theme would feel anticlimactic.]

[He closes his eyes and dredges up some memories, tapping the ash from his cigarette.]

The sky blooms with stars
Here in your arms, I scatter
Soft, bright, and burning

[galactically]

[Sheryl may not consider herself a poet, but she can appreciate a good one when she sees it, like the saying of someone not being a cook to appreciate a good meal.]

I think this is a good ending. Don't you think so?

[She says with a bright smile, lifting up two fingers for a "V" sign. It starts with a cherry tree and ends with the blooming sky and a bunch of romantic metaphors. Must be the cherry blossoms at work.]

[koukai_kirai]

As good a place as any.

[He's not sure what the gesture she's doing with her hand means, but it seems innocuous enough. And he's... he's been having fun, which is pretty rare for him. He gives her a smaller, more contained, but no less genuine smile.]

Do you write often?

[galactically]

Pretty often, yeah.

[Collaborations don't come by often, even less if they're impromptu, but Sheryl has been having fun with these. Maybe she can try another one in the near future with this man. She keeps her smile intact, a proud look across her features.]

I'm a songwriter. I usually try to find inspiration first before writing down words.

[If only she had her notebook with her.]

[koukai_kirai]

[In spite of her apparent youth, he finds that he's unsurprised to hear about her work. She does have a way with words, doesn't she?]

I see. Glad you could spare some time to collaborate with a hobbyist, in that case.

[He could probably use any good influence he can get for his writing.]

[galactically]

I don't usually do this kind of thing often, but it's quite fun.

[Her smile widens a bit more, the slightest bounce to her feet as she takes a step forward. This man appreciates finely crafted words, she can tell.]

We should do it again, someday!

[koukai_kirai]

[He's not really the smiling sort -- he looks a little bit like a cautionary tale about making a face until it sticks forever, honestly -- but his posture is relaxed as she approaches.]

Might not mind that. What's your name?

[galactically]

Great! It's Sheryl. [A beat.] Sheryl Nome.

[Her introduction may be casual and light, but the way she says her name is filled to the brim with confidence.]

And yourself, sir?

[koukai_kirai]

[He gives a respectful little nod of his head at her introduction.]

Hijikata. It's a pleasure.

[galactically]

A pleasure to meet you, too, Mr. Hijikata.

[She dips her head a little in a polite greeting, now that she's introducing herself in front of an adult man. Despite her job as a pop star with the occasional diva flair, she tries to keep manners in check.]

Have you been here for long?

[koukai_kirai]

[Hijikata shakes his head.]

Not long. About a week an a half, since the day they had us all cleaning up around here. You?

[galactically]

Oh. They couldn't even do their own chores, so they had us do it for them instead. Lame!

[A soft puff of breath, an irritated sound. Despite her annoyance, Sheryl can't lie and say she didn't learn a thing or two about housekeeping chores. It's good for her experience.]

A month for me. [She folds her arms.] When I first arrived here, there was a festival going around while people have to move boats. What was it... Hinamatsuri, I think?

[koukai_kirai]

With the dolls?

[He tries to remember what he can about the festival. All his siblings are older, and after their parents' deaths, his surviving sister wasn't really in too much of a place to spend a lot of time playing with dolls...]

So that should be... a month and a half, two months?

[galactically]

Right! I saw boats being filled with those cute dolls.

[Is that even the right name? Admittedly Sheryl's first day at Tamakagahara is foggy save for a few moments, such as meeting some of her future teasing targets for the first time. Her first shinki, her favorite people... time sure flies. She looks utterly pensive.]

Two months so soon. Oh my, it doesn't even feel that way to me.

[koukai_kirai]

That's a bit of time to get used to it, at least.

[He gives a tiny, tired half-smile.]

Though they do seem to keep us busy, so far.

[galactically]

[She smiles right back, a bit muted and possibly brittle.]

Very busy, like they expect us to do aaaaall of their work. At least Miss Amaterasu isn't so bad.

[koukai_kirai]

[Hm. Someone's not pleased -- though he can't say he's thrilled about the menial chores, either.]

I can't say I've had the honor of making her acquaintance just yet.

[galactically]

I talked to her on the BBS once when she made her first announcement about those awful chocolates.

[There's a pause as Sheryl exhales gently, creasing her nose.]

She was trying to figure out who the culprits were.

[koukai_kirai]

The B -- ah. On the computer?

[That's new territory for him, but he's trying to adjust, at least.]

Any luck with that? I heard about the incident, but not in detail.

[galactically]

She told me that she's still looking for them.

[A faint scowl appears on her face. It may have happened a few months ago, but the bad moments are fresh in her head.]

I'm just happy there isn't a repeat of that terrible incident.

[koukai_kirai]

[Hijikata watches her expression, trying to read as much about the incident as he can in it.]

That's good to hear. We'll all need to be on our guard, though, especially if no one's figured out what happened.

[galactically]

[She draws out a heaving sigh, cupping her own cheek with one hand.]

If one incident is over, another one begins, just as bad if not worse! How irritating.

[koukai_kirai]

Hmm. That's just how life is.

[Irritating, and also one capital-I Incident after another.]

[galactically]

Life is such a mysterious thing, isn't it?

[Her tone turns wistful as she glances up at the stars glittering across the sky. She can't deny that the worst things in life exist, but...]

Isn't because of the terrible things that we have to fight to continue living for the best?

[koukai_kirai]

[He looks away from her at that -- not at anything, really, just away. His hand strays to his own stomach, and for a moment, he can almost feel the bullet that he's sure killed him.]

...Maybe so.

Maybe we owe it to the people who can't be here anymore to live life for them.