[Day: October 18, 2003. Time: 9:30 PM] [It's a late start, but it's time for Katie's birthday party to get underway! The doorman knows that there should be some guests coming. Kyon and Katie's apartment looks more festive than usual. At least, the food looks festive.] [Who knows when the guests will arrive? Only time will tell!] [Session start.] 06* Katie is dressed in what she wore earlier that day, which is to say, gray Lions t-shirt and blue jeans. She's ditched the hat and ponytail, and she's obviously giddy, bouncing around the apartment and checking the food. This may at least partially be because Kyon's parents aren't around anymore. 06* Kyon is not wearing what he was wearing earlier, because wearing your uniform him is not a good way to stay incognito after a playoff victory. He's in a the opposite color t-shirt from Katie, a blue Lions shirt with a grey logo, and dark grey jeans, with an ice pack strapped on his shoulder. "We're ready, Katie." 06* Katie beams at Kyon. "You won!" 06* Kyon nods curtly, and smirks back. "Yeah. And you survived my parents. Pretty good birthday so far." 06* Katie nods. "I think your mom's warming up to me." Think so, too. 06* Kyon smirks more, feeling good. "What did you do to her during the game?" 06* Katie blinks innocently. "*To* her?" 06* Kaede knocks on the door outside the apartment with the door knocker. 06* Kyon nods. "To her. Went for you fast," he confirms, and goes for the door. "Who is it?" 06* Kaede replies through the door. "Takeuchi." [The hallway outside the apartment is well-lit; there's an elevator that stops on this, the eighth floor, a window with a nice view of Meguro, and doors leading to the two apartments on the floor.] Right. 06* Kyon unlocks the door and slides it open. "Hey." 06* Katie talks as Kaede walks in, going over the list: "I did make sure I was pretty polite, but not fake. I did tell her about when I knew we were friends, and I did paint you in a really good light. Haruko did make me look really good by comparison." She pauses a moment, then adds, "I did not tell her that I hate kids." 06* Katie beams at Kaede as he walks in, bouncing on her heels a little. "Hi Kaede." 06* Kaede nods briefly to Kyon. He's wearing casual jeans with a t-shirt with a light floral design. Under his arm, he's got a package and he glances into the place. "Thanks for inviting me. "I..." He then blinks at the conversation he apparently caught the middle of. "I'm not intruding on anything, am I?" [The main door opens into a traditional entry-way with alcove, and then into a hallway that opens into the living room. A door is closed on this hallway for a tatami room. Further in, off the living room, is a kitchen with a dining room. Along another hallway from the dining room are two bedrooms on opposite sides of the apartment - Kyon's and what used to be a spare, but that one's now at Katie's disposal.] Nothing we can't pick up later. You're on time. 06* Katie grins. "Yes. Shoes off, or Kyon kills a puppy." 06* Kaede tilts his head at Kyon for a moment. "You'd have doubted me being on time? *Really*?" He then looks at Katie as he steps in taking off his shoes. "Akemi couldn't make it." Pause. "Again." 06* Katie shrugs, unbothered. "That's not a big surprise." 06* Kyon shakes his head curtly, and closes the door. "Little surprise, though. Figured she'd want to try a birthday party." Probably. I'm not sure. 06* Kaede rubs his hand through his hair. "I actually kind of think she felt left out." 06* Katie looks about to say something, and then Kaede says that, and she stops in her tracks. "What?" 06* Kaede tilts his head to the side. "She had her own thing going on during our whole thing. We had our group. She had hers. It'd be kind of awkward..." 06* Kaede rubs his head. "I don't know...I've been with her *this* long, and I still can't figure her out..." 06* Kyon leans against the wall by the door, listening, if they're not moving now. 06* Katie tilts her head. "She's not that hard to get." Well maybe you can write me a cheat sheet sometime then. Could be a good party game. 06* Kaede slaps his forehead. "No. Akemi'd come up with many other party games other than that." 06* Katie grins. 01 See? Not that hard. 06* Katie takes Kaede's hand and drags him into the apartment so he can stop standing in the entryway like a doof. 06* Kaede gets pulled into the apartment so he stops standing in the entryway like a doof. 06* Kyon follows the pair of them. 01 So this is the apartment. That's my room over there. 06* Katie points. 01 And that's Kyon's. 06* Katie points. 06* Katie is so giving the lamest tour ever. 06* Kaede snickers. "Enough room for the both of you. Convenient." 06* Kyon agrees on the tour's lameness level, but follows a little behind the pair. "Missed the tatami room back there," he says, pointing at the closed door. 06* Katie nods in agreement with Kyon. 01 And it's *for* both of us. 06* Katie lets go of Kaede's hand. Well then, that would make it convenient that there's enough *room* for the both of you, wouldn't it? 06* Katie looks at Kaede blankly. There's a joke here, and she's not getting it, and it's bothering her. 06* Kaede looks back at Katie and shakes his head. "Nevermind." He holds out the package. "Here." 06* Katie takes the package, still trying to figure out if she should be offended or not. She's frowning now, and she walks off to put it on the table. 06* Kyon follows Katie to the kitchen. He wanted to get over here anyway. "Doing presents now? Thought it'd be after we ate." 06* Kaede watches Katie for a moment, then looks over at Kyon. "Well...it could be either. Mostly, I didn't know where to set it..." 06* Katie replies, "No, I'm just putting it down." 06* Kyon nods curtly. "Right." He looks at Katie for a beat. "Drinks?" 06* Kaede nods. "May I sit?" Wherever you want. 06* Kaede nods in response to Kyon and sits in the living room for now, taking the place in. 06* Katie sets the present on the table and looks at it, preoccupied for a moment, before she says, "Yeah." Pause. "Thanks." Sure. 06* Kyon goes to the fridge to get out drinks, then! He put in rather a good selection of soft drinks, tea and juice and soda. There's sake and chu-hi, as well, but he's not putting it out unless someone asked. 06* Kaede looks over his shoulder. "So how did the game go?" 06* Katie looks back up to Kaede. "Oh, it was a really good game." She smiles. "The Lions won. That helps." [The living room also has a nice window with a different view of Meguro. There's a TV and a good video setup, a couple of bookshelves, as well as Katie's art supplies. There's also a couch, the same one from Kyon's old place, and a couple of chairs. In the middle of the room is a small table with zabuton underneath.] 06* Kyon doesn't look too pleased. "Not my best game. But yeah. We won. All that matters, in the playoffs." 06* Kaede grins. "Always helps when your team wins." He brushes off his shoulder a bit. "I wish I'd kept track of it better really." He then tilts his head and smirks at Kyon. "Humble as ever, I see." 06* Kaede loses the smirk and glances at Kyon. "How far are you thinking of going with it? The sports thing, I mean." 06* Kyon shrugs quickly. "Not humility. Pitched better before. But I'll take it as far as I can." 06* Katie shrugs, looking to the guys while still by the table. "Every game can't be your best one. You still did a really good job. Can I have a Coke?" Plus it's how we improve. 06* Kyon nods curtly. "Sure." He goes over to hand her one. 06* Katie takes it and smiles her thanks before moving to sit in the living room. Because that's one of the things you do in living rooms. Yeah. And I'll get there. Just don't want to need luck in the playoffs. 06* Kyon looks in at Kaede. "What do you want to drink?" 06* Kaede glances up at Kyon for a moment as he speaks, a little distracted. "Hmm? Oh. Um. Coke should be fine too." Thanks. 06* Katie peers at Kaede from her position on the couch. "Are you okay?" 06* Kyon brings in a Coke for him, then. And a cold bottle of tea for himself. He sits next to Katie on the couch. 06* Kaede rubs the bridge of his nose under his glasses, eyes squinting. "Yeah. Just a little tired..." 06* Kyon opens his bottle of tea, and takes a long slug. I slipped in computer class the other day because I've been so busy...I've forgotten what a headache that can be... 06* Katie looks at her Coke for a moment, then says decisively, "You need caffeine." Which is why I asked for it. I keep expecting a call too...even though she promised that she wouldn't call me tonight...it's weird. 06* Katie frowns again. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to." 06* Kaede blinks and looks at her. "What? No." 06* Kyon glances over at her, too, assessingly. 06* Katie looks up from the drink at Kaede - she's clearly annoyed but trying not to seem *too* annoyed. "Really, you're not here anyway. I'll open your present and you can go. Get some sleep." 06* Kyon frowns. "Nah. Can make some coffee, hang out. We're good. Haven't even gotten to the cake yet." 06* Kaede looks at Katie, and starts to say something, then looks at Kyon with the save. "That's right." He then looks back at Katie. "This is important." 06* Katie blinks in surprise. She looks at Kyon, too, kind of stunned. 06* Kaede rubs his nose. "Coffee...coffee sounds good. Thank you." 06* Kyon looks back at her, still frowning. "Right. Coming up." He pops off the couch and heads for the kitchen. 06* Katie watches Kyon walk off, *still* stunned. 06* Kaede watches Kyon walk off, and also watches Katie watching Kyon walk off. He's a bit stunned himself. 06* Kyon busies himself with coffee making. They don't really have fancy coffeemaker, but it works. 06* Kaede then looks at the apartment for a moment. "This is a nice place. How much is it?" 06* Taki knocks softly on the door. 01 Six hundred thousand. 06* Katie makes a face, then adds, "Kyon pays for it. I'm a poor college student." 06* Katie sets her Coke down and walks over to the door, peeping through the peephole. Hey, don't look at me. I've always been poor... 01 Well, get Akemi to pay you something. 06* Taki is on the other side of the door holdind a cardboard box and looking a bit nervious. 06* Katie bounces on her heels again. She opens the door. "Taki!" 06* Kaede snorts. "Until now, I meant." He looks at his coke. "I don't ask for much anyways. But it's enough to get by." 06* Kaede blinks at the doorway and looks Taki-ward. 06* Taki holds the box out in front of her. "Uhm, happy birthday Katie. I brought you a cake." 06* Kyon is all tied up with coffee-making, but rolls his eyes while no one in particular is looking at the moment. 01 Thanks! 06* Katie takes the cake. "Do you want to come in?" If that would be alright. I'm not interupting anything, am I? 06* Kyon calls out to Kaede. "You take anything in this?" 06* Katie shakes her head and goes to put the cake on the table. Cake! It's a good prize! 06* Kaede nods to Kyon. "Sugar, thanks." He glances back at Taki. 06* Taki waves nerviously. 06* Kyon nods to himself, and gets the sugar out. And a cup with a couple of birds on it. He waves curtly to Taki when she gets into the kitchen, without really looking. 06* Taki takes her shoes off and follows Katie to the table. "Good evening." 06* Katie puts the cake down in the center of the table, then waves for Taki to follow her to the living room. "How've things been going with you? We haven't talked in a while." 06* Kaede nods and half smiles at Taki. "We haven't. Evening, Shimiru-san." You were right about the third year classes being harder than the second year ones, but, after I graduate and get into one of the schools I want things should go better. I think. 01 It will. First year in college is really easy to coast through if you want to. 06* Kaede sips his coke and nods. "The teachers are idiots." 06* Katie reclaims her old seat on the couch, along with her Coke. She's cheered up considerably since she told Kaede to get out in so many words. "Yup." Well, it'll be a cullenary school, so if I just coast, I think I'm gonna get hungry. 06* Katie nods sagely. "Food is a good motivator." Depends. You might just have bland food. 01 That's what happens when you coast. Everything tastes like hotel waffles. 06* Kaede sighs and leans back. "Meanwhile, I have to remind myself not to cheat too much in my classes." 06* Taki makes a face. "Bleh, I'm just gonna keep working hard then." 06* Katie blinks at Kaede. Cheating? 06* Kyon brings in Kaede's coffee, and smirks. "Keep your conscience clear." 01 If you cheat, your conscience will taste like hotel waffles. And if you don't do any work at all your brain will turn into hotel waffles. 06* Kaede glances at Katie and notices her confusion. "Programming classes." He thanks Kyon for the coffee and sips. I wouldn't even take them if they weren't requirements. 06* Kyon grabs his tea and sits back down next to Katie. "Can't place out?" 06* Taki nods and looks at Katie and Kyon. "Do you have to take classes you don't need because of requirements too?" 06* Kaede sighs. "Tried, but not with these classes. Besides, if I could place, I could probably get the major outright and I'd rather not go through them questioning me about how I acquired my skills in the first place." 06* Katie sips her soda, then says, "Yeah, plus there are general requirements." 01 After a point you can't just test out. Kaede's there with that class. 06* Taki nods. "That sounds pretty annoying." 06* Kaede shakes his head, holding his coffee. "The *computers* think the professor's an idiot." 06* Kyon shrugs quickly. "Can be," he says to Taki, and glances sidewise at Kaede, smirking. "Just that professor?" 06* Taki stifles a giggle. 01 ... Computers have opinions? 06* Kaede glances at Kyon. "Well, and half the student body. Although I kind of stopped them when they started complaining about the ones who were surfing for illicit websites during class." 06* Kaede rubs the bridge of his nose. "Yes. No, not really. It's hard to explain..." 06* Kyon can't help asking. "What illicit websites?" 06* Katie hides her grin behind her glass. I, uhm, don't think I need to know that much about college life. 06* Kaede sips his coffee some more. "Pornography. Hentai. Gambling. Most of them are blocked but that doesn't prevent people from trying." 06* Kaede then looks at Taki for a moment, and sighs. "Probably not." 01 Wouldn't they be kind of... embarrassed, doing that during class? The ones that tend to try to spread out. Plus it's from logs and such, so I'm not sure when it actually happens. I didn't care to check. 06* Taki starts to fidgit with her hair braid, which is still the longest part of her hair, although the rest of it is much more evenly cut now. 06* Kyon looks between Kaede and Taki, and smirks. "Yeah. Better that way. Not something you need to know." Ah, the finer points of college life. Easy enough to shut out, but once it's said, it's there. Y-yeah. 01 My sculpting class is really fun. Sculpting does sound fun though. 06* Katie grins at Kaede. "They offer it every year." 06* Kaede raises an eyebrow at Katie. "You want me to *triple* major?" 06* Katie rolls her eyes. "Don't be stupid." 01 You can take an art class without majoring in art. Oh. So you just want me in your class. 01 Nope, I won't be taking that class next year. 06* Taki ponders. "I think most of the schools had art classes, but they mostly focused on presentation." 06* Kaede grins. "Well I'd rather learn from someone who knew their job if I wanted to learn it, so I guess you'd just have to teach me instead." 06* Kaede then turns to Taki. "And probably. 06* Taki thinks for a bit. "If I took a class in ice sculpting, I think I'd have a harder time not cheating than Kaede does." 06* Katie nods at Kaede, her fingers curled around her glass. "Sure, we can set up a time." 06* Kyon finds this amusing, until he realizes this probably means it'll be here. [Session pause!]