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"Only the Hasegawas would probably know the detailed history behind it...I am not too sure since it's been so long. That Akechi didn’t seem to recognise there was anything off-putting about that EMMA in the first place." He finally allows himself to let go of her hand.

He reaches into his pocket to open up Flutter.

"From what I can discern, it's probably clean from anything that involves what they are searching for."

"Heh heh, well, that does make sense... if his world isn't one where cognitive psience has been researched, the factor EMMA explored wouldn't be the same. Ohh, but I am curious how she might interface with a literal digital world and sapient digital entities..."

Fascinating!! Oh, that will be MUCH too fun.

"And who knows! Maybe I can bribe him with some of what I know about coding to boost his own skills, so he might let me peek..."

"And snacks," he points out with an index, still clutching the phone before shaking his head. "You are naturally stepping forward to assist others and protecting yourself, it's a handy skill."

"If it weren't for what you said earlier, I might have considered a career change."

He stops, recognizing a familiar name in last year's network post. "Oh! There we go."

He turns the phone screen before setting it down before Kuon. "Their conversation should be in the comments. Think its locked after a certain point."

[OOC: i am guessing since falcon sees the text we can have it make it seem that their convo got locked after his reaction]

"Hmm...! Okay, fascinating. Thanks for tracking that down specifically," she hummed in amusement. It was nice to see some skepticism about EMMA from someone, but skepticism didn't mean a complete buy-in... especially if EMMA was from an earlier or more basic build.

"I'll definitely have to see if he's interested in chatting."

He brings his glass to his lips again, drinking most of the sake as he smiles at her earnestly. "It's my pleasure. If I can make your stay easier here with giving you as much context as you need- I would be happy to."

No one should be living here with zero support, If he can step forward and take some pressure off of her shoulders (or completely if she would allow him to tap into her heart); he would do it in a heartbeat.

Ooh!! Yellowtail!!! Kuon perks up and almost doesn't wait for the plate to be set down before digging in with her chopsticks.

"Hmmhmm! My hero. And I'm still here to keep you motivated."

With the sake finished, Maruki decides to take a break and focus on the sushi again. Or, well, the lack thereof. There's a firm blush on his face as he hears those words again. Hero...yes. He would like to be her hero. He would be her hero and so much more.

"Uh...yeah, I-"

He chuckles lightly, covering his mouth. Wow, did he drink that much in the process.

As he's about to pocket his phone, he pauses as his fingers hold its body while Ichinose digs away at the yellowtail like someone who hasn't had anything to eat in the past few hours. He grins.

"If we are talking about motivation...I’m pretty sure your excitement alone could power the entire palace on its own."

With his hands free and mind slightly caught in a haze, he straightens out his phone to take a quick snapshot.

Which...again, wasn't very subtle- given the bright flash.

"!" Kuon glanced over at the flash, smile shifting from joyful to amused as she gave Takuto's side a poke. "Don't make fun of how a lady eats, that's rude~"

"You're prompting me to take more," he teases with an almost mushy smile as he lowers his phone to look at the picture.

"You really like Yellowtail sushi, huh? Or did they add something else?"

"It is one of my favorites, but it's more of a victory lap. I didn't get any since the whole platter got eaten by one man last time," she hummed, taking another piece 'triumphantly'.

Takuto seemed so sincere though... what a contrast. He's cute.

"Sometimes a little petty victory is the best spice!"

"I am sure that's what he was going with, too," he laughs along- light and breezy with how much freer he felt being around her as is. "I am more of the Tamago enthusiast, but the yellowtail here, really is quite rich."

He quickly picks off some of the sushi with chopsticks as he finds himself scrolling through past pictures and videos.

"Guess what? Turns out Azathoth had actually recorded a video that day. I didn't even realise it until I checked my phone recently after the Hasegawas visited us. I think it might be an invasion of privacy...ugh, but seriously I don't think I have laughed like that in ages."

Edited 2025-06-25 19:53 (UTC)

"Tsk! Azathoth, how mischievous. What was he snooping about that was so funny?" she asked, leaning over already to see if he was going to pull it up.

Wait...

"Is that Zenkichi Hasegawa drunk off his ass and singing a Queen song?" HILARIOUS...

Edited 2025-06-25 20:31 (UTC)

Maruki for sure did pull it up, leaning forward and turning his phone to the side so that both of them could take a look at it.

He giggles still when Ichinose, evidently glowing up while Hasegawa goes along to sing his heart out on the stage. Honestly? The performance itself wasn't bad itself, whatever he was singing seemed to come from the bottom of his heart.

"Wait for the good part," he says the moment Zenkichi manages to convince Phoenix, the demon-bird from hell join the stage.

When the skies shifted. The song permeated the very air. Even the video itself captured the reverberations following through.

♪ So you think you can stone me and spit in my eye?
So you think you can love me and leave me to die?!! ♪♪

And Zenkichi actually screamed into his microphone, tearing through as he moves in almost, casually like he's trying to do the moonwalk.

♪♪Ohhhhhhhh, baby-! Can't do this to me, baby
Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta here ♪♪

"Well, he's not doing a bad job. For someone who drank a dozen shots of sake."

Edited 2025-06-25 22:10 (UTC)

"What is that?? A demon that has magic just to make dramatic lighting? Hahahah!" Ichinose laughed aloud, getting a few glances from the cognitive people around them. They were getting a little rowdy and rude...

"I have got to play this when he comes for the next update. I wonder if his face still turns red from embarrassment? Hahah!"

"Ah, Phoenix-! Yes, he's...yeah, he's apparently from some musical version of hell? Hahaha!" He laughs along with her, not even noticing the cognitive guests. "I mean- I do quite respect him. Even if he sent me to the jaws of death by working for that Drake of all people-!"

"Ugh." He doesn't want to think about him. Welp, bottom's up.

"Can you imagine? I wonder if he even knows he has the moves for it, but I can't help but find it endearing! It's a good look on him." His grin becomes lopsided. "You can see the blush when he actually gets drunk and doesn't just sober up right away. Damn...I don't think we will get that video from him again, though." He claps his hands together in a prayer-like gesture by putting his phone down. "Thank you, Azathoth. Lifesaver as always."

Oh? Ooooh?

Kuon's grin turned a bit mischievous. She rested her cheek on her hand and leaned in a bit.

"Do you find him attractive, Takuto~?"

He spaces out a bit, leaning back almost shyly when he sees her lean in- pleasant buzzing in his system imminent enough.

"...hmm? Wha- did I say something strange?" he tilts his head quizically before lazily blinking.

"You said it's a good look on him. And Azathoth - your inner self - snuck a video. Hehehe."

That strange little tone Zenkichi had about 'his' Maruki, too...

"Do you also like men and women, Takuto?"

Oh.

Oh.

"That doesn't really- ah-" he covers his face as he realises that, right, why the hell would Azathoth go out of its way to record a man. Even if Hasegawa was tall, imposing and rugged in ways that he never really got to meet or speak to.

"No, I mean- everyone can be a little attractive, you know?" He chuckles, scratching his chin while shyly staring at his shoes like they were the most interesting thing in the world. "I can appreciate a good-looking man while still being straight- which, Zenkichi-san is to be fair, but he's also, respectfully, very terrifying so-"

He pauses, like a vehicle screeching from a stalled off break.

"Do you?"

"Like men and women? Mmmhmm~" she nodded, chuckling in amusement. "Honestly, if the dog wasn't so likely to bite, I would've fawned over those cybernetic arms. Who could resist, right?"

Maruki nods along in agreement. He's only ever been in a proper relationship with Rumi for most of his life, and while he...could see the appeal, it was always a distraction for him at the end of the day. The idea of finding something appealing in his head didn't really incite that feeling of attraction, as say, Shibusawa would say, by looking at a pretty girl before his girlfriend came into play.

"He does have an...interesting stature," he hums- clearly too drunk to hear himself. "Could you imagine how his actual body looks? I am...seeing a full cyborg." With a stifled laugh, he grabbed one of the last pieces of sushi.

"It's a shame...seeing him at odds with us. Or himself, rather, but you could say that for almost everyone here."

"Do you think I'd be attractive with cybernetics?" Kuon hummed in thought, sitting back and running a finger up and down her arm. What if metal...

"Polished and perfect every day! Strong enough to pick anything up. An access cord so I can connect directly to the computer...! Ohh, installed scanners in my brain - in the movies and games they always show that with metal going along your eyes," she babbled, tracing from temple to under her eyes as if there would be a wire. "Oooh, maybe a metal spine - trailing all the way down my back. That would look incredible."

"Uhhh, I am not sure," Takuto answers honestly with a little chuckle. "While it may be attractive, I am more afraid of potential drawbacks with maintenance. Also...it would be quite the expensive process even to set up the whole research..."

He listens to her intently for a bit. When he hears the word metal spines, he hums in approval. Snapping his fingers, he points at her. "You've nearly sold me with that. I think I will need a metal spine anyway. Sometimes I wake up, I swear I feel like I am walking around with a dislocated vertebra, even if that's not the case.

"Riiiight? And you would look incredible shirtless with it, too," she giggled, picking up her cup and sipping at the sake. She was definitely, definitely getting drunk.

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