<@Ciara> [Date: Monday, January 12, 2004]
<@Ciara> [Time: Late Afternoon]
<@Ciara> [Behold, it is Coming of Age Day, as has been previously 
established.  And as has also been previously established, today there 
are two ceremonies, due to popular demand.  Kyon has chosen to attend the 
afternoon ceremony, in order to also have his parents be able to attend.  
And so they are!]
<@Ciara> [Before the ceremony, Haruko stopped by briefly to offer 
congratulations and good luck wishes before having to hurry off somewhere 
else in typical Haruko fashion.]
<@Ciara> [Now the ceremony has concluded, the speeches and giving of 
small gifts having gone quite well.]
<@Ciara> [Kyon has subsequently reunited with Katie and his parents.  
What will happen now?]
<@Ciara> [Session Start!]
 06* Tomoe is in a straight-lined teal dress that goes down to mid-calf, 
a soft black coat that stops above the knee, expensive white gloves and a 
matching hat, perfectly placed on her head with a tasteful brooch on it. 
She wears tasteful pumps and a string of pearls, but the latter are 
hidden under a discreet scarf. It is winter, after all! Even if it's 
positively balmy compared to Aomori.
 06* Kyon stands quietly near one of the gates. He's wearing a charcoal 
grey tailored suit, a just off-white button down shirt, and a black and 
orange striped tie. Also, an Arisugawa brewery tie clip, and citrine 
cufflinks. He's draped a black overcoat over one arm while they're 
waiting.
 06* Nozomu is wearing a men's kimono in black with a silver fan pattern 
and a haori over it. He's looking quite formal, if a bit cold.
 06* Katie is there! She's even wearing a dress, because it's Kyon's big 
day. It's a dark blue and stops just above her knee. She has black 
leggings on underneath (because it's *cold*, okay), half-inch heels, and 
her gray, wool coat. She's wearing her normal pair of sky blue gloves and 
scarf. But she's not wearing the hat! Look at her, her ears are red. Her 
earplugs-disguised-as-hearing-aids are not.
 06* Tomoe tries not to beam too brightly at her little boy. Man! Her 
grown-up man. Boy. Aah.
 06* Kyon rocks back on his heels, and looks around the area, surveying 
for other people that are not his family or girlfriend who might be 
looking at him.
<@Ciara> [There's probably the occasional curious glance.  You are an 
attractive gentleman, Sorata-san!]
 06* Katie walked-not-ran to Kyon. "Congratulations!" she tells him with 
a smile. "Does this mean you're a real grown up now?"
 06* Kyon smirks. "It's official."
 06* Nozomu walks slower thank Katie. He is in no hurry today. "That it 
is. I have a few things to say on the subject, but not while we're 
standing in the middle of a road."
 06* Tomoe shuffles up behind him, beaming the beams at her grown-up son. 
BEAMS
 06* Kyon nods quickly, and looks down at him. "Shouldn't just wait out 
here," he agrees.
 06* Katie looks around at the grown ups talking (because she isn't one).
 06* Nozomu looks at Tomoe. "Wasn't there a tea house you liked near 
here?"
 06* Tomoe takes a brief pause from beaming at her son to beam at her 
husband instead. "Yes there was! It's a short walk, or should we take the 
car?"
 06* Katie takes a tiny side step closer to Kyon while Tomoe is 
distracted, because he practically radiates heat and she's cold.
 06* Nozomu snorts. "By the time we found another place to park, it would 
be time to return home."
 06* Kyon nods quickly. "Walking's fine. We can warm up that way."
<Tomoe> "A walk would be nice," Tomoe agrees. 
 06* Nozomu nods. "Then lead on, dear."
 06* Tomoe does so, delightedly! But not before giving Katie a friendly 
smile!
 06* Katie smiles back, a little tentatively, and starts walking. She 
wonders about taking Kyon's hand but um, maybe not... she really doesn't 
know. Still. Walking! Going to a place!
 06* Kyon does walk at Katie's side, but he's not going to take any 
hands.
 06* Tomoe is certainly not taking anyone's hand. But she's going to walk 
with her husband in companionable proximity!
<Tomoe> "It was a very nice ceremony," she says.
 06* Kyon tugs on the overcoat; it's easier for walking that way. "None 
of the speeches were that bad. Or too long." He smirks. "Which is why 
it's outdoors."
 06* Katie rubs at her ears. "I can't really blame them."
 06* Nozomu nods. "It is a different experience as a parent then as a new 
adult. Although mostly I remember wishing that the mayor would speak 
faster so we could get out of the snow."
 06* Kyon looks up at the sky. "Least that didn't happen. Wouldn't've 
been good for the suit."
 06* Katie blows into her hands to get heat on her face. Of course it's a 
different experience, she doesn't say. That doesn't actually mean 
anything.
 06* Tomoe tuts. "You wouldn't want that," she says, referring to the 
suit. "I think we were quite lucky with the weather! But you get good 
weather in Tokyo."
 01<Katie> There was snow on Christmas.
<@Ciara> [The party walks!  After a little bit, you reach the teahouse, 
which isn't very crowded at all, as most of the newly-declared adults are 
off drinking booze!  (But there's considerable amounts of Arisugawa booze 
in there, so it's all okay.)  You are met by a young lady in a kimono and 
shown to a table, where another young lady waits to take your coats.]
<@Ciara> [There are elegantly lettered menus on the table, offering 
various tea sets - usually one sort of tea and some sort of sweet or 
other snack.]
 06* Katie is robbed of her coat and other winter things! She maintains 
control of her purse, though. The scar on her throat is visible for a bit 
before she manages to arrange a flimsier but nicer scarf over it.
 06* Tomoe removes her coat, and the pearls are revealed! They are quite 
nice, simple and classic, and she seems to be a little proud of them, in 
her body language.
 06* Kyon passes off his coat. He's not any more or less bare-throated 
than previously.
 06* Nozomu lets his haori get taken, and goes down several steps in the 
formality of clothing. He's still way too serious for his own good.
 06* Kyon settles into a seat, folding in his legs under the table, and 
takes up a menu, passing one up to Katie.
 06* Tomoe eyes the menu, but really, she already knows what she wants. 
She also casts sidelong glances at the Young People at her table.
 06* Katie sits next to Kyon. "Thanks," she says, taking the menu. 
Tomoe's eyeing her. Man.
 06* Kyon nods in answer without really looking up. Tea picking is hard.
 06* Katie lets out a little sigh through her nose and looks at the menu 
herself, her heart not really in it.
<@Ciara> [After an appropriate amount of time, one of the young ladies 
returns to take your orders.  There is then further exchanging of 
pleasantries and discussion of the ceremony and the weather and the like.  
Then the tea and snacks are brought out, and the attendant remains at a 
polite distance, out of earshot, allowing you to relax, enjoy your tea, 
and discuss whatever else you might like.]
 06* Katie is there, and she's been pretty quiet (holding her tongue when 
the internal snark gets too high). She's twisting the ring on her right 
ring finger with a kind of aimless energy.
 06* Tomoe is perhaps deliberately calm and composed, taking dainty sips 
of tea with an unreadable expression on her face... Could it be 
amusement?
 06* Kyon sips some tea, talks about the tea and the sweets, and waits. 
No use trying to rush what's coming.
 06* Nozomu drinks his tea and mostly watches his son, sometimes looking 
at Katie or Tomoe.
 06* Katie is bordering on defiant, though, and upon maybe the fifteenth 
time a parent eyes her with amusement or otherwise, she just goes, 
"What?"
<Nozomu> Thinking about the future. Actually this is as good a time as 
any.
 06* Nozomu takes a small wooden box out from his sleeve and sets it on 
the table in front of him.
 06* Kyon looks at it curiously. "What's that?"
 06* Nozomu looks his son straight on. "Sorata Kyon, for two hundred 
years it was traditional for the firstborn Sorata to be given his 
official first full time job at Arisugawa on his coming of age day. In 
the earliest days, the entire brewery was passed on. There is even..."
 06* Nozomu opens the box holds up a small scroll, “a traditional speech 
and a blessing for it.”
<Nozomu> You are an adult now, but what it means to be an adult has 
changed since those days. At twenty you are still in college, have your 
baseball, and even your writing. You have never been one to hide from 
responsibility.
<Nozomu> Your determination to educate yourself, your dedication to 
baseball, and the trust that your friends put in you will all serve you 
well in life, and prepare you for the challenges ahead.
 06* Nozomu puts the scroll back in its box. “This speech, and I, will 
wait until you are ready to come home, and that is your call to make, as 
an adult.”
 06* Tomoe clutches her hands together under the table, and there is 
visible emotion in her face, like, it is pouring out. She looks with 
glowing pride at her husband, for a moment, before returning the gaze to 
her sweet baby boy. It is an emotional day.
 06* Katie is blinking, and relaxing a little. She just watches.
 06* Kyon actually looks rather taken aback at this. "I thought." He 
shakes his head quickly. "You didn't take over when Grandfather died? 
That's not how it works?"
<Nozomu> You are correct, but I spent most of my twentieth year making 
sure sacks of grain were all accounted for. It taught me a great deal, 
but I do not think you need that lesson. 
 06* Tomoe looks down, smirking. She picks up her tea to hide the smirk.
<Nozomu> And your great-grandfather had the audacity to retire.
 06* Kyon nods quickly, but still looks more surprised than anything 
else. "He was a rebel. Remade the refinery. Brought in more Western 
equipment."
 06* Nozomu sips tea. "He is the reason we can compete today. I hope you 
will be the reason we can in the future."
 06* Katie watches attentively and notes details about the brewery and 
this whole inheritance thing. She's stopped twisting that ring of hers.
 06* Tomoe puts down her teacup with a faint clink. Punctuation.
 06* Kyon still looks surprised, but it's fading to looking more moved. 
"Father. That should be well in the future. You're still well. Nothing in 
the past couple of years. Right?"
 06* Nozomu nods and puts the box away. "I am still in fine health and 
you will have time for all of your baseball career and leaning the 
details of running the business before I'll even think of handing it to 
you. I'm not done yet."
 06* Tomoe smiles, privately.
 06* Kyon nods again, and watches where the box went. "What should I do 
now? From here?"
<Nozomu> Now? Drink your tea. Tonight, enjoy being an adult. Tomorrow, 
suffer for being an adult.
 06* Kyon snorts at that. "Tomorrow's the suffering? That early?"
<Tomoe> "This would depend on how much you enjoy tonight," Tomoe chirps, 
in a rare bit of coy humour!
 06* Kyon smirks. "Doubt it'll be so much tomorrow'll be bad."
<Nozomu> Then you are either worse at planning or better at moderation 
than I was at your age. We'll find out which it is come dawn.
 06* Tomoe hides her face in her tea again. La ~
 06* Katie can't help it; she totally cracks a smile at this. And picks 
up her tea.
 06* Kyon shakes his head, amused, and sips at his tea. "We will. I'll 
send you a report."
 01<Katie> If he can't for some reason, I can send it.
 06* Nozomu nods after a moment and drinks tea.
<Tomoe> "How good of you, dear," Tomoe smiles in approval.
 06* Kyon sips his tea, and then sets down the cup. "Does this mean you 
didn't make reservations for dinner?"
 06* Katie grins at Kyon's mother.
<Tomoe> "We thought you children should have some time for yourselves," 
Tomoe turns the smile to Kyon. "Today is about you, after all."
 06* Katie points out with mock seriousness, "Kyon's an adult, not a 
child. That's the whole point."
<Nozomu> We will have to get used to that.
<Tomoe> "We certainly will!" 
<Kyon> It's been coming. Been time to adjust already.
 06* Kyon cocks his head slightly. "So what are you doing, then?"
<Nozomu> We have reservations for both dinner and the theater tonight.
 06* Kyon nods, and drinks his tea. "So we'll see you tomorrow, then."
<Tomoe> "I was going to visit the Isetan tomorrow," Tomoe says. "But we 
could meet for lunch, or dinner perhaps. Oh! Katie, you should come with 
me!"
 06* Kyon glances at Katie cautiously at that one. "Dinner should work."
 06* Katie blinks in surprise at Tomoe's suggestion. "What?" She looks at 
Kyon. What?
 06* Kyon shrugs quickly, and says nothing.
<Tomoe> "It'll be nice! We can get a pick-up lunch at the food hall, and 
see what new things they have in store."
<Nozomu> Dinner would be fine.
 06* Katie looks back at Kyon's mother, considering, then asks, "Is 1:30 
okay? I have class, and then I'd need to get there." Plus it avoids lunch 
hour crowds.
 06* Kyon nods quickly, and then makes a suggestion for a dinner place.
 06* Tomoe seems victorious, and smiles at Katie. "Lovely, yes."
 06* Katie smiles back, a little nervously.
<@Ciara> [And so the afternoon passed, and the group finished their tea, 
and the older and younger adults prepared to part ways.  They are now 
standing outside the teahouse, with cold-weather gear back on.]
 06* Kyon looks about, and sticks on a hat out of habit.
 06* Katie is just finishing putting her gloves on, yup! She's feeling 
much warmer with the tea.
 06* Nozomu adjusts the collar on his haori. "And this is where we part 
ways. I look forward to hearing a report in the morning."
 06* Kyon nods quickly. "We will. I won't disappoint on that."
 06* Katie can't really hide her amusement, especially when she starts 
thinking about Kyon actually making a report.
<Tomoe> "Oh! And Katie, you and Kyon spent Christmas with your parents, 
didn't you?" Tomoe adjusts her scarf. "It would be lovely to meet them, 
some time."
 06* Kyon nods curtly and looks fairly poker-faced at that one.
 06* Katie's eyes widen slightly, but she composes herself quickly. 
"Maybe that can happen, yeah. My dad works a lot..." She glances at Kyon.
 06* Kyon nods quickly. "But we can try to arrange it."
 06* Katie smiles. "Yeah."
 06* Tomoe is pleased! Mission accomplished, time for date night with 
Nozomu.
 06* Kyon nods quickly. "Enjoy the play."
 06* Nozomu casts summon car, material components, one cell phone.
<@Ciara> [And so the elder Soratas headed off for the evening, leaving 
Katie and Kyon to wander by themselves.]
 06* Katie , once the car is around a corner, takes Kyon's hand and lets 
out the longest sigh fucking ever. "My parents? Really?"
 06* Kyon gives her hand a light squeeze, as they walk. "It's tradition. 
Surprised they haven't asked already."
 01<Katie> Who came up with that tradition? That's a dumb tradition.
 06* Katie walks along, the tips of her ears already pink again from the 
cold.
 06* Kyon shrugs quickly. "Need to know the family. You're living with 
me."
 06* Katie mutters, "I'm pretty sure your mom and my mom would get along. 
If they don't try to kill each other first."
 01<Katie> With smiles and endearments meant to injure.
 06* Kyon nods quickly, and smirks. "Maybe she's free tomorrow. She can 
go shopping with you."
 06* Katie snortlaughs, and she pushes Kyon's arm lightly and playfully 
with her free hand. "Don't even!"
 06* Kyon moves away slightly, and says, amused, "Don't think she'd like 
it?"
 01<Katie> Surprise! You wanted to meet my mother, so I brought her with 
me!
 06* Katie then mimics Kyon's mother. "Oh, but this isn't proper-" And 
then her own. "But Katie, dear, I thought we were just going to the 
bookstore. Who is this?"
<Kyon> Never said you should lie about what would happen. She'd need to 
prepare.
 01<Katie> She wouldn't go on such short notice if I didn't lie.
 06* Katie pauses, then adds, "Probably."
 06* Kyon nods, and then shrugs quickly. "Probably."
<@Ciara> [As Katie and Kyon pass by a noisy izakaya, a frazzled-looking 
figure with a cell phone pressed to his ear darts out, not really paying 
attention to where he's going and bumping straight into Kyon.  The figure 
half-mumbles a clumsy apology, and then... oh, hey, look who just ran 
into each other!]
 06* Katie asks, "Are you okay?" before really getting a good look at who 
it is.
 06* Kyon starts, and then scowls, looking down at the other figure. 
"Watch where you're going."
 06* Wataru nods at the girl's question, dismissively, since he's about 
to get his aunt on the phone and there is some kind of crisis, why would 
she be texting him if there wasn't a crisis. Then he looks up, and sees 
Katie. And Kyon. And he *glares* at Kyon. REALLY? THIS, NOW?
 06* Kyon just looks back coolly, adjusting his coat so it's hanging 
right again.
<@Ciara> [Meanwhile, Wataru's phone call goes through!  But the reception 
is really bad:]
 06* Katie grips Kyon's hand more tightly.
<@Ciara> ["Wataru? ...waiting... train... call back... later... okay?"  
And Aunt Midori hangs up, leaving it totally ambiguous as to whether or 
not he's supposed to call her back or she'll call him back.]
 06* Kyon doesn't pull away or anything. He just waits there, and then 
tugs on her hand slightly. Might as well go inside. No need to eavesdrop 
on the guy.
<Wataru> "What? Aunt Midori, you're breaking up... What's going on, you 
want me to call back?" Dammit....
 06* Katie is tugged, and she starts to be led away a bit, but at 
Wataru's words she stops (so unless Kyon gives her a really good tug, 
she's not going). "Are you okay?" she asks him again.
 06* Kyon waits, not looking super patient.
 06* Wataru sighs, noticing she hung up. He grips the phone, looks at 
Katie. Then at Kyon, who is also in a suit. A better suit. And are those 
*cufflinks*? Who even wears those, seriously. "I'm... It's fine." Wataru 
rubs a hand over his hair, which is shorter and slightly more tamed than 
it was yesterday. "I'm fine."
 06* Katie says, more concerned than anything else, "You don't *look* 
fine."
 06* Kyon moves back away from the door a step, and frowns.
 06* Wataru clenches his jaw. "I appreciate your concern, but the 
situation is under control." He blinks at Kyon. "Congratulations," he 
says. Because, you know. Today and all.
 06* Kyon nods back at him curtly, and echoes, "Congratulations. Now we 
can be adults."
 06* Katie nods at Kyon. "Yeah." And then she looks at Wataru, her eyes 
hard. "Because you're doing such a good job at that. Look, *you* ran into 
*him*, and I was just concerned. You're worried about your aunt. I get 
it. But taking your bad day out on us is just unfair."
<Wataru> "I'm very sorry if my 'bad day' became your problem, but I 
didn't intend it to. Sorata-san, I apologize for running into you. I'm 
not taking anything out on anyone, but honestly, you don't... need to be 
concerned. This isn't anything you need to worry about." I hope. 
 06* Wataru has a brief glance at Katie. You're like, 16 years old, you 
don't get to call me out on not being an adult.
 06* Kyon nods curtly at the apology, but he's not following up on it.
 06* Katie pinches her nose. "<You're just like Kaede was,>" she says in 
English. "<I can handle this, I can handle that, and in my fear and need 
to prove that I'm the real man of the house, I'm going to do my best to 
alienate people who might be able to help me in the process. I have a 
*lot* less patience now than I did then. Is this really something we 
don't need to worry about?>"
 06* Wataru spreads his hands. "<Wow, okay I was just having an issue 
with my aunt, how did this turn into a whole *thing* in like two 
seconds?>" He replies in the same language. "<Listen, sorry I bumped into 
you guys, I don't know why this triggered a whole bogus psycho-analysis 
takedown.>" These people!! Wataru puts his phone away, takes a breath. 
"It's probably fine," he resumes, in Japanese. 
 06* Wataru "You need to know? Fine. She texted me, wanting to talk, but 
now her phone is breaking up because she's waiting for a train or 
something." He looks at Katie. "<It's probably not the end of the 
world.>"
<@Ciara> [Wataru's phone rings again!]
<Wataru> "<EXCUSE ME,>" Wataru says. He picks up. "Hello?"
 06* Katie puts one gloved hand to her forehead, running her fingers 
through her bangs, because Wataru was just *acting* like it's probably 
the end of the world.
<@Ciara> [It is, in fact, Aunt Midori.  "Wataru?" she says.  "I'm sorry 
about earlier.  I thought I had much better reception than I actually 
did.  At any rate... I didn't mean to worry you, or interrupt your 
celebration with your friends.  I just wanted to ask you about this 
notification I received today about a large usage of bandwidth on your 
internet account."]
 06* Kyon looks down at Katie with an eyebrow raised. As if to say, can 
we just go in now?
<Wataru> "I got a webcam, and I was chatting with a friend in America. Oh 
man, was the bill through the roof? I'll pay for it, I didn't think this 
through, and we got carried away. I'm sorry, Aunt Midori!"
<Ciara> [Aunt Midori sighs.  "Thank you, Wataru.  I appreciate it.  
However... in the future, please take care to avoid this sort of thing.  
You should be working on proper management of your time."]
 06* Katie looks up at Kyon and nods.
<Wataru> "Yeah." Wataru thinks about this. "Okay, Aunt Midori. Time 
management." 
<Ciara> ["You're an adult, after all.  Goodbye, Wataru.  Enjoy the rest 
of your day."]
 06* Kyon opens the door for Katie, then.
 06* Wataru smiles a bit. "Absolutely. Thank you! I'll talk with you 
soon." He shuts the phone and looks at Katie! The smile isn't gone, 
either.
 06* Katie glances back at Wataru, then steps in, looking around.
<Ciara> [Someone comes up to Kyon, apologetically saying that all the 
tables are full right now.]
 06* Kyon scowls at this person and asks how long the wait is supposed to 
be.
 06* Katie murmurs to Kyon that she'll wait outside (while he deals with 
this). She edges back out.
<Ciara> [The hostess apologizes and says that because of the Coming of 
Age Day celebration, they're far more crowded than usual and wait times 
are very hard to estimate right now.  Perhaps twenty minutes to half an 
hour?  They seem uninclined to turn away customers already there given 
that they're all eating, drinking, and being merry.]
 06* Wataru is edging back in as Katie is edging out!
 06* Katie narrowly avoids running into him in her not-too-obvious haste 
to get out, and she says, "I'm glad your aunt's okay." It seems genuine, 
at least.
 06* Wataru has a small and equally sincere, if somewhat strained, little 
smile at Katie, and thanks her before heading in.
 06* Kyon looks over the crowd, and then tugs his hat off and looks down 
at her. "Just for two. No space anywhere here?"
 06* Wataru scoots by Kyon on the way to his table, that table over there 
that he has, while Kyon has no table.
<Ciara> [The hostess' eyes widen and she bows deeply and stammers an 
apology that they really, truly are full, although there was a gentleman 
who had a table in the back and he went outside for a while... oh, no 
wait, there he is.  Sorry, it is full.  But perhaps someone will be 
leaving soon.]
 01<Katie> [Izumi looks up from her now full mug of beer. That's because 
she got another one! "Wataru!" she cries, both hands going up towards the 
ceiling. "You came back!"]
 06* Katie, meanwhile, stands outside and breathes.
 06* Kyon shrugs quickly. "Put us down. And we'll see." Then he goes 
outside to Katie.
<Wataru> "I did," he grins to Izumi. "Man... She just wanted to chew me 
out about my internet bill," he laughs, pulling back his chair and taking 
a seat. 
 01<Katie> ["Wooooow," Izumi says. "She got it that fast? That's really 
fast." Izumi pushes Wataru's mug at him. "I changed my mind. Beer is 
awesome. This Arisugawa stuff is really good."]
<Wataru> "They CALLED HER. Because of my bandwidth. Ah, the cost of 
happiness." He smiles, and is clearly really relieved! "Tough. I won't 
stop talking with Satoshi, but I'll find another way."
 06* Katie looks up at Kyon and smiles weakly. "Sorry."
 01<Katie> [Izumi hmmmms, trying to think through Wataru's puzzle, but 
she's got nothing. "Carrier pigeon?"]
<Wataru> "Internet cafe," he grins. "And, shorter chats, at home. Just 
not HOURS." He picks up his beer, and drinks a whole bunch of it, because 
Izumi's way ahead of him now. "And emails. And more cell phone pictures!" 
He snaps one of the izakaya, pointed towards the door - maybe he can snag 
a glimpse of Kyon's stupid hair?
 06* Kyon shrugs quickly. "Not your fault. More his." He smirks. "He did 
the ramming."
 06* Katie nods. "Yeah... are we waiting, or?"
 01<Katie> [Izumi gives Wataru a thumbs up. "It's a plan! An adult 
plan!"]
<Wataru> "Speaking of adult plans - YOU said you had a guy for me?" he 
grins!
[End!]