[ reigen graciously allows him to take the note, taking this time to prop his chin on his hand. ]
Please, Mob. The point wouldn’t be fame. It’d be getting to know the people of this city better by helping them with their problems!
[ and if some people receive modest acclaim for solving said problems, well ... big deal. if mob doesn’t like the spotlight, reigen can protect him from it, no sweat. he can take up enough space for the both of them. jeez, his parents really did set him up with a shrinking violet. ]
You can focus on that part. I’ll make sure people respect our private lives ... [ a beat, and a swift and smiling correction, like any good fiancé-- ] Private life.
[ under the weight of that impossible-to-read dark stare some part of reigen’s hindbrain shrinks a little. he can’t really place why. he’s not exactly an easily intimidated man.
he masks a swallow and keeps his chipper expression on as he adds, ]
B-besides, if we work well together, doesn’t it bode well for how we’d live together too?
We can work around your school schedule if that’s what you’ve got on the books. Really, you can even help out part-time. I just figured, since I was thinking of pursuing this anyway ... it’d be ridiculous not to see if you were interested.
[ the waitress stops by to greet them politely, setting down both of their beverages from her tray. reigen curves his hand around his teacup, then gestures out with it. ]
--and hey, I’d never ask you to hurt anyone. My powers being what they are ... if I decided to use them against other people ... I don’t believe in that. [ his expression goes from chipper to grave, mercury-quick. ] I get the feeling you’re the same way.
[Reigen claimed to have powers, and while Shigeo didn't sense anything, he still considered it might be possible. And if it were true, well... that may be a bit less lonesome, then.
Reigen really was strange. So emotional and expressive, but those peaks never seemed out of control.]
I don't really like the idea of using my powers in general. I've come this far without doing so. But if this is the kind of job you want to pursue... I should support you.
[ reigen can’t really imagine having psychic powers and not using them to his full advantage. they’ve only known each other for two or three days and already this guy feels like a blind box, something that reigen wants to pick up and shake until he can make sense of whatever’s inside.
he figures he’ll pick it up as they go along. start up a successful psychic business, get to know this odd fella his parents set him up with ... and hey, they’ll probably learn they’re better off as business partners than husbands. that’s the likeliest outcome, as far as reigen sees it, and it doesn’t sound painful at all. ]
Using psychic powers is just like any other skill. Like carpentry, or playing guitar. I can see why you wouldn’t want to use them very often on your own, but ... if it’s in the name of helping people, then I think you should give it a try. See how it makes you feel. [ a beat, and then: ] When I do it, it makes me feel pretty good. [ a smile, real this time, even if the words carry within them their own truths: ] Think of it as seeing if we have that in common. Okay?
[Seeing if he could help people... well... it would be putting forward his best effort to get to know his possible fiance. And the emphasis on helping people and how that was important to Reigen was a bit of a relief, too.]
...Okay. It will be nice, being able to help others.
[ internally reigen fist-pumps, because hell yeah, this might actually work ]
That’s the spirit.
[ god, he’s got so much to do tomorrow--he has to go to the printers, get some posters done, ad copy, really crunch the numbers on those pricing tiers--he lifts his teacup, halfway a toast and halfway a scold-- ]
Well, seeing as we might just be business partners now, not to mention [ a delicate pause, infinitesimal ] engaged. [ god, it’s weird to even think the word, never mind say it out loud. is he really engaged? to this straight-backed stone wall of a man? what were his parents thinking, what were mob’s parents thinking--no, nope, not now. he lifts his cup to take a jaunty sip, barreling forward-- ] You can cut it out with that Reigen-san stuff, just go with Aratakaaaah--!
[ LOCAL MAN BURNING HIMSELF ON HIS TEA, DROPPING THE MUG, IT IS GOING TO CRASH ON THE FLOOR ]
[Oop-- reaching out with his psychic powers, Shigeo caught all of the hot tea before the cup crashed or the tea itself splashed and burned anyone. Lucky. He lifted and refilled the cup, setting it back down on the table with some relief.]
Careful, you could have burned yourself... are you okay?
[He found his tissues in his pocket, offering some to him. He'd just... quietly not think too hard about the fact that they were betrothed, at the moment. It's a strange feeling! He hardly knows Reigen!]
[ his tongue kind of hurts. this is entirely secondary to the wonder of seeing psychic powers up close. in fact it may be tertiary to the fact of mob’s outstretched hand, the pack of tissues, the look of gentle concern in the sloping angles of his face.
shit. shit. abort, reigen. he reaches for a tissue and dabs at his mouth, coughing-- ]
Oh, yeah, I already rented out some office space with savings from my last job. Haven’t really done anything with it yet.
[ because he’d just quit said last job not too long before his parents had told him about the miai. not that anyone really has to know the finer details. ]
The timing’s just right. We can figure out how to deck out the place together too!
Right. I'll help you move furniture in, if needed. I was going to take a temporary job with construction to help cover startup costs, if needed. Should I still do that?
[ he’s almost too cooperative. in a way it’s almost a good thing he ended up with someone like reigen, who’s totally only pushy for the right reasons. ]
I ... ah ... no need to just yet. We should be okay for at least a month or two. Like I said, we’ll be filling a niche, so I expect we’ll find our feet pretty quickly.
[ reigen is in full grindset mode. it’s gonna be fine. ]
Besides, it was my idea in the first place, so I should be the one to support us as much as I can. That’s just good fiancé behavior.
If it's good fiancé behavior, I ought to do the same and support you, shouldn't I?
[Though Shigeo wasn't the most expressive, he attempted a small smile, wanting to be some degree of reassuring. He wasn't really sure how to read Reigen, but the other man seemed a bit high strung, so he didn't want to intimidate...]
[ look, as game as reigen is to use and abuse this guy’s power he simply doesn’t think he can in good conscience make him work two jobs to support reigen’s (admittedly short-term and half-assed) dream ... ]
Well, there’s one way you can help me today. After this, let’s check out the office and then scope out some furniture stores. Sound good?
[ right, the little brother. reigen saw a family photo at the kageyama household. that guy probably had no need for an arranged marriage; he seemed handsome, accomplished, a much more polished iteration of the man sitting across from him in this cafe.
still. who cares about polish? if reigen cared about polish he wouldn’t be hopping from job to job. ]
[ reigen meets mob’s dark even gaze for a few moments, then violently and with all his willpower suppresses a flush and stares down into his own tea. it’s probably cooled down a little. it’s tough to slow down when there’s so much to do. but--right. mob’s carefulness matches his carelessness, at least. he takes a sip, more ginger than the last, and that goes down fine. ]
Ah ... speaking of your brother ... I should meet him soon too, I guess. If we’re really doing this thing. [ engagement, he means. he pulls a face suddenly-- ] And you should probably meet my sister too. Though knowing her she’ll probably tell you to head for the hills.
...Don't take it very personally if Ritsu is the same way... he is just very protective.
[Their arrangement was already a bit strange, after all. Shigeo sipped a bit, finishing off his tea - but he'd gotten it a bit early already, and he didn't have as much trouble with heat as Reigen seemed to.]
Ritsu is really smart and cool, though, once you get to know him... hopefully you eventually get along. I'm very proud of him, he's going to a really prestigious school and he's considering a number of different jobs...
[ reigen is never really impressed by prestige or success, but it’s good info to take in anyway. over the top of his teacup he narrows his eyes a little, searching mob’s face for any hint of real jealousy, and comes up oddly empty. ]
You guys must be close, for you to talk about him like that.
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millefolium2023-01-19 06:49 pm
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Please, Mob. The point wouldn’t be fame. It’d be getting to know the people of this city better by helping them with their problems!
[ and if some people receive modest acclaim for solving said problems, well ... big deal. if mob doesn’t like the spotlight, reigen can protect him from it, no sweat. he can take up enough space for the both of them. jeez, his parents really did set him up with a shrinking violet. ]
You can focus on that part. I’ll make sure people respect our private lives ... [ a beat, and a swift and smiling correction, like any good fiancé-- ] Private life.
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[It's hard exactly to read what he was inflecting with that statement, or what the lingering, appraising stare was meant to convey.]
Community work does sound fulfilling...
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he masks a swallow and keeps his chipper expression on as he adds, ]
B-besides, if we work well together, doesn’t it bode well for how we’d live together too?
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[Shigeo rested his chin on one of his hands in thought, fiddling with his cup of tea as he did.]
Working in an office is stressful... I was going to switch to a trade school, instead.
[But then the little proposal, the meeting, and now this business idea...]
I won't use my powers to hurt anyone, Reigen-san.
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[ the waitress stops by to greet them politely, setting down both of their beverages from her tray. reigen curves his hand around his teacup, then gestures out with it. ]
--and hey, I’d never ask you to hurt anyone. My powers being what they are ... if I decided to use them against other people ... I don’t believe in that. [ his expression goes from chipper to grave, mercury-quick. ] I get the feeling you’re the same way.
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Reigen really was strange. So emotional and expressive, but those peaks never seemed out of control.]
I don't really like the idea of using my powers in general. I've come this far without doing so. But if this is the kind of job you want to pursue... I should support you.
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he figures he’ll pick it up as they go along. start up a successful psychic business, get to know this odd fella his parents set him up with ... and hey, they’ll probably learn they’re better off as business partners than husbands. that’s the likeliest outcome, as far as reigen sees it, and it doesn’t sound painful at all. ]
Using psychic powers is just like any other skill. Like carpentry, or playing guitar. I can see why you wouldn’t want to use them very often on your own, but ... if it’s in the name of helping people, then I think you should give it a try. See how it makes you feel. [ a beat, and then: ] When I do it, it makes me feel pretty good. [ a smile, real this time, even if the words carry within them their own truths: ] Think of it as seeing if we have that in common. Okay?
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...Okay. It will be nice, being able to help others.
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That’s the spirit.
[ god, he’s got so much to do tomorrow--he has to go to the printers, get some posters done, ad copy, really crunch the numbers on those pricing tiers--he lifts his teacup, halfway a toast and halfway a scold-- ]
Well, seeing as we might just be business partners now, not to mention [ a delicate pause, infinitesimal ] engaged. [ god, it’s weird to even think the word, never mind say it out loud. is he really engaged? to this straight-backed stone wall of a man? what were his parents thinking, what were mob’s parents thinking--no, nope, not now. he lifts his cup to take a jaunty sip, barreling forward-- ] You can cut it out with that Reigen-san stuff, just go with Aratakaaaah--!
[ LOCAL MAN BURNING HIMSELF ON HIS TEA, DROPPING THE MUG, IT IS GOING TO CRASH ON THE FLOOR ]
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Careful, you could have burned yourself... are you okay?
[He found his tissues in his pocket, offering some to him. He'd just... quietly not think too hard about the fact that they were betrothed, at the moment. It's a strange feeling! He hardly knows Reigen!]
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[ his tongue kind of hurts. this is entirely secondary to the wonder of seeing psychic powers up close. in fact it may be tertiary to the fact of mob’s outstretched hand, the pack of tissues, the look of gentle concern in the sloping angles of his face.
shit. shit. abort, reigen. he reaches for a tissue and dabs at his mouth, coughing-- ]
... thank you. Mob.
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Little did Shigeo know how much that would be a consistent theme in their budding partnership.]
Do you have a savings you're planning on using to start this business up? Renting a new space and getting what you need can be a bit pricey, right?
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[ because he’d just quit said last job not too long before his parents had told him about the miai. not that anyone really has to know the finer details. ]
The timing’s just right. We can figure out how to deck out the place together too!
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I ... ah ... no need to just yet. We should be okay for at least a month or two. Like I said, we’ll be filling a niche, so I expect we’ll find our feet pretty quickly.
[ reigen is in full grindset mode. it’s gonna be fine. ]
Besides, it was my idea in the first place, so I should be the one to support us as much as I can. That’s just good fiancé behavior.
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[Though Shigeo wasn't the most expressive, he attempted a small smile, wanting to be some degree of reassuring. He wasn't really sure how to read Reigen, but the other man seemed a bit high strung, so he didn't want to intimidate...]
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[ look, as game as reigen is to use and abuse this guy’s power he simply doesn’t think he can in good conscience make him work two jobs to support reigen’s (admittedly short-term and half-assed) dream ... ]
Well, there’s one way you can help me today. After this, let’s check out the office and then scope out some furniture stores. Sound good?
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I helped Ritsu carry his furniture up a few flights, so I know I can help carry some desks up. That'll be easy...
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still. who cares about polish? if reigen cared about polish he wouldn’t be hopping from job to job. ]
With psychic powers?
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Oh! Hahaha, of course, of course. Me too. I’m in shape, I mean. So if we have to do any lifting today it’ll be no problem.
[ well. he’s kind of rectangular. that’s a shape. ]
Alright! Finish your drink and let’s get going.
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[Antsy, isn't he... Shigeo just calmly sipped at his tea, staring at Reigen with no particular thought in mind. Just... staring.]
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[ reigen meets mob’s dark even gaze for a few moments, then violently and with all his willpower suppresses a flush and stares down into his own tea. it’s probably cooled down a little. it’s tough to slow down when there’s so much to do. but--right. mob’s carefulness matches his carelessness, at least. he takes a sip, more ginger than the last, and that goes down fine. ]
Ah ... speaking of your brother ... I should meet him soon too, I guess. If we’re really doing this thing. [ engagement, he means. he pulls a face suddenly-- ] And you should probably meet my sister too. Though knowing her she’ll probably tell you to head for the hills.
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[Their arrangement was already a bit strange, after all. Shigeo sipped a bit, finishing off his tea - but he'd gotten it a bit early already, and he didn't have as much trouble with heat as Reigen seemed to.]
Ritsu is really smart and cool, though, once you get to know him... hopefully you eventually get along. I'm very proud of him, he's going to a really prestigious school and he's considering a number of different jobs...
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You guys must be close, for you to talk about him like that.
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