[Jihatsu]
(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Evening of February 13, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Hey
To: Haruko Kinsha

Hey Haruko,

Thanks for contacting me today. I'm glad Katie's going to be all right. 

I'd been meaning to write to you for a while, so this is me getting my 
butt into gear I guess. Want to meet up sometime? Satoshi says you're 
good with powers and I've never really had anyone I could experiment with 
before. I also have a few more questions about stuff... 

Anyway, take it easy, and let me know!

Wataru

[Grysar]
Date: Morning February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Hey
To Wataru Yamada

Hey Wataru,

Happy Valentines day! I'm happy to get together. Taki recently found a 
spot we can use. Although I'll have to employ some of those skills I 
displayed at the clocktower to get us in when she's not around. 
Experimenting sounds like a lot of fun, and when you need a break you can 
go ahead and ask questions. It's wise to practice together anyways to 
prepare for helping Ozora. We can talk about next steps there too.

Sadly, taking it easy is not on the agenda, but things should ease up 
some after I get through today. Valentines day was supposed to get easier 
after high school! Le sigh. 

::Haruko then proceeds to list some date options::

QoC

Later that day, Wataru actually does find a small chocolates pack from 
Haruko. Nothing too elaborate, but still of reasonable quality. She 
guessed that he'd like milk chocolate, because that's an American thing, 
right? She dropped them off at the mailbox w/o ringing up.

The cholocates would have been dropped off by the time Wataru is back 
from his Izumi trip. it'd be Hershey's brand Giri-choco, milk chocolate. 
She picks out a wrapper with mountains on it. She'd also include a note 
on stationary from the family shrine saying that is honored to have him 
as a new friend. Haruko would seek Taki's advice on the Ken chocolates 
and would spend a string to offer XP for help. She's inclined to use an 
old motorcycle mold she has but to maybe try a recipe with a bit of 
spice, as she thinks that might be fun but doesn't want to overdo it.

Kaede, for the record, also gets chocolates and a stationary note. 
Somehow she finds one with clock motifs for him. She'd also drop them off 
in the afternoon, but would not ring the doorbell or anything, just a 
leave behind. Kyon gets dark chocolate branded with his home prefecture. 
That actually gets dropped off late at night, she may have had to search 
a while there.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru wakes up late with a lingering headache, and puts on a whole pot 
of coffee. 

He regards his cards with mistrust. He leaves them on the table, unpacked 
but otherwise untouched. 

He's in the shower when he realizes what the irritating pressure behind 
his brain is. It's Katie. Stupid Katie, who is *that way*. 

He lets his head thunk against the wall. "Your link is still up, you 
dolt," he says aloud. "Buuuuuhhhh."

He tries to let go, but it's - the simile is unpleasant, but it comes to 
him unbidden - sort of like constipation. Like he's been holding it in 
all day and now it just won't go.

"This is stupid." 

He sighs into the shower, finishes up, and dresses in a long-sleeved tee 
and jeans. He's meeting Izumi later, after all. He takes his time 
shaving, and tries to just relax and let the stupid link to stupid Katie 
break on its own.

This has never happened before.

He fries some eggs and three slices of whole wheat toast, turning two 
into a not-quite-peanut-butter and jelly sandwich that he packs for 
later. Gotta get out of the house today, the confined space is making his 
head hurt even worse. He downs a couple of painkillers with the last of 
the coffee, sets the now-empty cup and egg plate into the sink, and 
wonders about whether he should ask Katie to share her magical Satoshi 
peanut butter...

...but even just thinking of her makes his head throb. THIS IS STUPID. 

"Well, Valentine's Day is supposed to suck for people like me, right?" He 
grabs his wallet, phone, and deck, shrugs into a hoodie and coat, and 
heads out.

Into a brisk February day, down a street roughly perpendicular to the 
Axis of Katie. Ugh, he wonders if she and Kyon are like, making out or 
something. Gross. He walks and walks, putting distance between himself 
and her, but the further he goes the sharper the psychic icepick in his 
brain. 

"Yes, yes, I know, I know where fucking Katie is. You can let go now, I 
seriously don't care anymore." He leans against a telephone pole and 
sighs, pushing up his glasses and pressing the balls of his hands against 
his eyes. 

And has a stupidly obvious realization.

Rushing, almost running, Wataru seeks a secluded spot. It takes him a 
little while, but he eventually finds a karaoke place, the kind with the 
individual rooms. He rents the smallest free room they have for the 
lowest time they offer - one hour - and sits down on the squeaky leather 
couch. Door closed, lights low, he takes out his tarot deck. 

"Let's see now, might as well make this interesting. Uh..." He tries to 
think of something he actually wants to know. Maybe about Katie, to be 
safe... Oh, well, okay. _What should I do about this Council of Mysteries 
thing, and/or is there any other danger linked to it that we should be 
forewarned about._ That's fairly Katie-related, right?

[Ardweden]
Wataru's head pounds, but he shuffles his deck and cuts it, like always, 
setting it to one side. He draws the first one and flips it. The Tower.

Next card: next to the first, and as he does so the door slams open and 
his hand slips, skidding over the deck so two fall, face down, next to 
and half over the tower. "Good afternoon, Saga-san! You have a most 
unusual way of singing karaoke!"

It's a man's voice, and he sounds awfully familiar. Wataru's link to 
Katie still tugs at him, as strong as ever.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru scoops up his deck, making sure those two remain on top of the 
Tower as he does so. He'll have to look at them later. He stands, and 
turns. "And you have a most unusual concept of privacy, Uehara-san. Can I 
help you?"

[Ardweden]
Masaru bows in apology. "I apologize; I came here for privacy, myself. 
Though I was planning on singing." He doesn't seem bothered by the tarot, 
though. "How have you been?"

[Jihatsu]
"I did book this room." He tucks the deck into his pocket. "I've been all 
right, and yourself?"

[Ardweden]
"Good! My art's going well. I *do* enjoy February. Though the 
chocolates..." He frowns, considering something. Maybe he's offended by 
chocolate? And then he lights right back up. "And how is Kathy and your 
brother in spirit, Kyon? Doing well, I hope?"

The door behind Masaru, it should be pointed out, has closed.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru pinches the bridge of his nose. "Fine, I'm sure. If you must know, 
I'm nursing a bit of a headache, and I came in here hoping to fix it with 
some peace and quiet." 

[Ardweden]
"Oh." And then Masaru lowers his voice but not his enthusiasm. "I'm so 
sorry! But singing isn't generally the path to peace and quiet. That 
often isn't, either." He gestures to the deck in Wataru's hand.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru grits his teeth, just a bit, but manages what he thinks is a 
nonchalant shrug. "The Tarot, you mean? Clears the mind, I find. Helps 
put your problems from up here," he gestures to his head, "out here," he 
gestures noncommittally in the air, "so you can look at them more 
clearly. Anyway, you're probably right. Not the best place to find peace 
and quiet."

[Ardweden]
"Unfortunately, no. Even with private rooms, things can get loud!" Masaru 
chuckles to himself. "But one can't very well set up karaoke in the Tower 
Reversed. Anyway, I should leave you to your music or lack thereof. I 
hope you find the answers you're looking for." He bows again, Western-
style this time.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru bows, apologizing appropriately for his lack of sociableness 
re:headache, and wishes Uehara-san a pleasant time singing.

[Ardweden]
And then he whisks off! Off and away to... uh, wherever Masaru goes when 
he's offscreen. Where *does* he go? Perhaps someone may find out, but 
then he'd be onscreen, so. Awkward.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru gives him a slow count of 60, taking careful breaths, during which 
time he checks the cards...

[Ardweden]
He flips them over. One is the Wheel of Fortune; the other is the Ace of 
Wands.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru makes a fist and curses through clenched teeth. The count of 60 
up, he collects his things and goes to pay up his full unused hour before 
hurrying out of the karaoke place.

He pulls out his phone - ooh, a text from Satoshi - later. It can wait. 
He whips up an email to... Ah, hell. He whips up an email to Kyon.

(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Afternoon of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Council of Mysteries and the Ace of Wands
To: Kyon Sorata

Sorata-san,

I apologize for disturbing you, particularly after last night's 
difficulties, but Masaru Uehara just walked in on me doing a reading 
about the books that his brother wrote. I evaded him but him just 
happening across me like that is not natural. His card came up in the 
reading too. We need to talk. I don't want to bother Katie-san but this 
can't be a coincidence. I want to know how worried we need to be.

Apologies for the trouble,

Yamada

[Jihatsu]
And the link to Katie is nowhere near gone, either. Fuck. Well, at least 
it won't be hard to find Kyon, if the guy writes back.

For now though, Wataru hesitates a moment and then heads back home. Safe 
zone. 

He checks Satoshi's message on the way, and replies: "Things are so-so. 
Katie is being looked after, but we might have more book trouble than we 
bargained for. Don't worry about it for now, I'm looking into it. And 
yes, I'm being careful ;) Have a good game! Nobody likes Boston!"

He stares for a long time at the "careful" part, and wonders how careful 
he's really being. Doing a reading in a public place may have been 
careless - he's done it a million times before, no one ever cares, 
except... Fucking Masaru Uehara never just appeared out of nowhere 
before. Things may have changed. 

He presses send, and decides that since he's effectively going to start 
being more careful *now*, that sentence was not strictly speaking a lie. 

[Ardweden]
Weirdly, as Wataru heads home, he feels like he's going towards Katie. 
She must be moving around. Or maybe his mind is playing tricks on him.

[Jihatsu]
That is very weird indeed. Does he just have Katie on the brain! I mean, 
yes he does, but he feels like this might be pushing it. He continues 
homeward, getting inexplicably closer and closer to Katie.

[Ardweden]
It's pretty weird! And Wataru really does feel like he's getting closer 
and closer. By the time he steps into his apartment building, he feels 
like Katie's there, too, just above him somewhere.

[Jihatsu]
He speeds up. If Katie's at his place, that must mean something's *really 
wrong*. 

He kicks himself over facetiously griping about her making out with Kyon, 
and rushes up the stairs. 

[Ardweden]
Wataru rushes up the stairs; he can hear people coming down - no, one 
person - no, that's *Katie*, he can feel it, and he nearly runs into her 
on the stairwell. She ends up flattening against the wall at the second 
floor landing and staring at him with wide, very not-Japanese gray eyes.

She's wearing her knit hat and her coat is done up, and she has her bag, 
so she probably hasn't run off without telling anyone this time! 
Probably. Doesn't change that she looks pretty damn spooked.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru stares at her, as his irritating inner connection delights at 
finally having found its match. There! There is the Katie! Right there! 
You did it! Yay!

He frowns at her. "Katie -- I -- how -- is everything all right?"

[Ardweden]
Katie blinks at Wataru, her eyes shifting from unfocused to focused, and 
she takes a deep breath. She straightens, calms, and effectively composes 
herself in a few seconds as he watches. "Yeah," she says. "I was just 
dropping something off at your place."

Now that Wataru's found his match, he feels pretty damn good. Or maybe 
that's relative, like almost normal after a full day of being sick? The 
still-lingering headache is fading away, and the connection feels easier 
than before.

[Jihatsu]
Finally, geez. He has a bit of a smile. "It's good to see you. I'm..." He 
puts his hands in his pockets, shifting. "If you want to talk, I..." 

[Ardweden]
Katie nods. "Maybe later. I'm..." She trails off, looking at a point past 
Wataru, then focuses on him again and restarts with, "I'm sorry. I wasn't 
thinking."

[Jihatsu]
Wataru shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. We're all just glad you're 
safe and sound."

He blushes a tiny bit, realizing how presumptuous this sounds. Like any 
involvement of his can even begin to compare with what everyone else must 
have gone through. 

[Ardweden]
Katie nods again. "Yeah." She reaches out, hesitantly, and lightly 
touches the back of Wataru's hand.

[Jihatsu]
He jumps a tiny bit, but calms, and gives her a smile. 

[Ardweden]
Katie smiles, just slightly, back. "Thank you." And then: "Happy 
Valentine's Day."

She pulls her hand away, bringing it to her bag strap, just as a door 
opens below them and heavy footsteps start up the stairs.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru blushes a lot more!

"Th-thanks." 

Then he turns to look towards the loud footsteps!

[Ardweden]
It's a Japanese man, older and heavier than Wataru and Katie, in nice but 
casual clothes. He's carrying two bags of groceries, and he nods to the 
pair of them as he heads on past.

Once he's gone up half a flight, Katie says, "I'm going to go. See you 
later?"

[Jihatsu]
"Yeah - yeah, okay. Take care, Katie. And uh. Happy Valentines Day." Why 
is he blushing so much ugh. 

[Ardweden]
Katie flashes Wataru a grin and then skedaddles, half-running lightly 
down the stairs.

Wataru can feel the connection stretch as she leaves, but it's easy - 
like he could just wave his hand through it and it'll break, no problem.

[Jihatsu]
He closes his eyes and tries to let it just blow away, then, like cobwebs 
or a soap bubble just popping naturally. 

[Ardweden]
And just like that, it's gone! No more connection. He can hear, if he 
tries, Katie opening the door downstairs. But he doesn't feel a tug to 
her anymore.

[Jihatsu]
He leans against the wall with relief. Ahhhhhh. 

[Ardweden]
It's pretty great, and his leaning against the wall is accompanied by a 
complete lack of interruptions!

[Jihatsu]
Eventually, then, he heads back up to his apartment. 

He checks his phone. Any Satoshis? Any Kyons?

[Ciara]
It's the afternoon in Japan, so it's the middle of the night in Boston.  
No replies from Satoshi yet.

[Ardweden]
No e-mails from Kyon just yet.

[Jihatsu]
In that case...

Wataru sits for a while, then goes over to his computer and looks up 
whatever he can find about the Council of Mysteries books. 

He forgets to check his mailbox. 

[Ardweden]
Before Wataru can do that, he notices the gentle thump of the door to his 
apartment against something else as he tries to open it. If he looks 
down, he can see a small box of chocolates - maybe four or six pieces - 
and a little white envelope attached to the front, with Wataru's name 
written on it in maroon colored pencil.

[Jihatsu]
That indeed does occur! So when he sits and thinks, he does so with an 
unopened box of chocolates in his hand. 

And he reads the card just before doing the internet search!

[Ardweden]
It's a small, folded piece of heavy paper, really. The outside isn't 
decorated. The inside, though, has an inked over pencil sketch of a 
rabbit staring at Wataru, one ear up and one ear flopped down, sniffing 
at a bag of Doritos. Underneath, in nice handwriting and in ink, is 
"Happy Valentine's Day." Under that, more sloppily (but still pretty 
clearly from the same person) is "Thank you." And then Katie's name.

All of the writing is in English.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru sighs, and smiles. He places the chocolates on the table for 
later, and gently folds up the card to bring it into his room, where he 
deposits it on the Shelf of Tokens. Who knows when it might come in 
handy. 

And then, at last, he begins his googling. 

[Ardweden]
A quick google search tells Wataru that the Council of Mysteries is a 
series of light novels by Yukio Akatsuki. It's high school 
supernatural/horror/romance sort of fare, inspired by the strange events 
that happened in Tokyo back in 2002. The first book is out, and the 
second is scheduled to be published soon. He's been doing a few 
promotional events for it, one this past Christmas Eve.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru thinks for a while.

Then he emails Kaede. 

(Encrypted email)
Date: Late afternoon of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Council of Mysteries and online security 
To: Kaede Takeuchi

Hello Takeuchi-san, I'm very sorry to trouble you at a busy time. 
However, I have it on good authority that you are something of a whiz 
with technology? I have been trying to find out more about these books 
that are causing so much trouble. 

I had a rather unexpected and unwelcome visit this afternoon. It may have 
been an accident, since we were both in a somewhat public place, but the 
fact that Masaru Uehara would appear while I was attempting a reading on 
his brother's work unsettles me. I would like to find out more about the 
author, both under his public pseudonym and his real name, but I've 
become somewhat concerned about the possibility of someone tracking my 
activities online. Is there anything that you would recommend in order to 
keep my browsing habits private, even from Arcana such as yourself? 

I apologize for the hint of paranoia, but it pays to be careful.

Sincerely,

Yamada Wataru 

[Ardweden]
The e-mail sends successfully! There's no response from Kaede, at least 
yet.

Wataru's phone buzzes, though, with a text from Izumi: _shift over in 1 
hr SAVE ME._ Seems she's working today.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru smiles. _On my way, fair damsel!_

He collect his things, sticking them in a bag instead of his pockets this 
time around. Discovering a half sat on peanut butter sandwich but he 
regards with mistrust.

He shoves it in his bag anyway, and head over towards where Izumi works. 
He also thinks about responding to Haruko's message, but he can't quite 
wrap his head around it right now.

He still does not check his mailbox.

[Capfox]
An e-mail arrives from Kyon around now.

(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Later Afternoon of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Council of Mysteries and the Ace of Wands
To: Yamada Wataru

I have time tomorrow afternoon. Evening is possible if I move an 
engagement. If it's more urgent than that, I can find time tonight.

Sorata

[Jihatsu]
(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Later Afternoon of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Re: Council of Mysteries and the Ace of Wands
To: Sorata Kyon 

Tomorrow afternoon is fine. I should be free to meet at your convenience; 
just let me know when and where. I will leave it at your discretion 
whether you think Katie should be there or not. 

See you tomorrow,

Yamada

[Ardweden]
The rest of Wataru's ride goes smoothly, and in another twenty minutes he 
ends up at the station a couple of blocks down from the conbini where 
Izumi works.

[Jihatsu]
Cutest conbini clerk ever!

Wataru's mood is lifted by the time he arrives!

[Ardweden]
The conbini is brightly lit, as always, and filled with foodstuffs and 
advertisements. The chocolate section is practically bare, with only a 
handful of selections left on the bottom shelf. Izumi's in uniform and 
behind the counter, standing to one side while her manager cashes her 
out. She doesn't seem to have noticed him yet.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru browses magazines. Wow, such boobs. He just can't get over how out 
in the open the weird, drippy, booby cartoon ladies are in this country. 
Next to the fishing magazine, and the cookery special about leeks. 

[Ardweden]
Wataru's reading an article on the variety leeks to be found all over the 
world and their differences in taste and texture when his phone rings! If 
he checks caller ID, it says "Taki Shimiru".

[Jihatsu]
He frowns at it. Taki? With the hair? Vanishy Taki?

He picks up. "Hello?" 

[RDMgryphon]
"Hi, Yamada-san? Do you have a moment?"

[Jihatsu]
"Uhhhh," he glances over at Izumi, who still seems occupied. Well. "Yeah, 
sure. What's up?" 

[Ardweden]
Izumi's cashed out, but she's having a quiet conversation with her 
manager at this point.

[RDMgryphon]
"Well, I was going to deliver most of what’s left of the chocolate I made 
as a thanks for last night, buut, I kinda don’t know where you live. "

[Jihatsu]
Wataru blushes. What's with all the chocolate! Is this what having more 
than one female friend in Japan feels like?

"Oh, uhh... I'm not at home right now, but I can either give you my 
address or, uh, we can meet up? Whatever is fine. I don't want you to 
have to go out of your way---" but you're probably just going to 
transport yourself through the ether either way so it's not like it'll 
actually be difficult oh my god oh my god how is this my life. "That's... 
That's too nice of you, Taki-san."

[RDMgryphon]
Either way works, and it’s not like going out of my way to meet you is 
going to make me put off delivering Sorata’s any less. And I really do 
owe you, the best I could was try not to panic and blurt out every idea I 
had as soon as I had it.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru takes a moment to puzzle out what she means, and then decides she 
must have been really panicking about Katie. 

He realizes yet again how much of an outsider he actually is. It's sort 
of humbling... 

"Well, I'm meeting up with a friend at a conbini near [station name] 
Station, I'm sure it's fine if you want to meet us here for a bit? You're 
not in this book club thing too, are you?"

[Ardweden]
Izumi comes walking up now, wearing her jacket over her uniform and 
carrying her bag and a binder. She looks at Wataru curiously.

[RDMgryphon]
Taki shakes her head, not that Wataru can see it. “No, I’m not in the 
book club, and I’m not really in the book, I think I’m kinda split 
between Keiko and Yukiko, but not really. Uh, should I bring some 
chocolate for your friend too?"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru smiles. "Don't worry about it. I only asked because my friend is 
in the same book club as Haruko. I haven't read the book or anything." He 
waves at Izumi! Covering the receiver, he says, "One of Satoshi's 
friends. She has Valentine's Day chocolates for me, apparently. Is it 
okay if she meets up with us real quick?" He tries not to look super 
embarrassed!

[Ardweden]
"Oh, sure!" Izumi says with a grin! She looks like she wants to say more, 
but she refrains. Izumi is the model of restraint.

[Jihatsu]
Izumi he's used to. He knows just what she's thinking. He manages not to 
blush. 

"So I mean, your call. But we're leaving the conbini now, I guess you can 
meet us here or somewhere nearby?"

[RDMgryphon]
"It’ll take me a bit to get there by train, so if you’ve got plans you 
should probably just go wherever you’re going and I’ll meet up with you 
later."

[Jihatsu]
"Sure, okay. One sec." Covers the phone. "Izumi, where are we headed now? 
She's going to meet us there."

[Ardweden]
"I've gotta get changed. She could meet us at my place?"

[Jihatsu]
"If you're cool with that?" 

[Ardweden]
"Sure, why not! As long as she doesn't mind if it's kind of a mess. I 
wasn't expecting company." Because Wataru doesn't count as company, come 
on.

[Jihatsu]
Nope, definitely not company!

Back on the phone: "Izumi says we can meet at her place. I'll text you 
the directions, okay?"

[RDMgryphon]
"Ah, that’s fine by me. I don’t plan to stay too long so what you helped 
me with last night shouldn’t come up, right?”

[Jihatsu]
"Sounds good! See you there, then."

[RDMgryphon]
"Yep, see you soon." *hangs up*

[Jihatsu]
Wataru signs off, and then puts the phone away.

"Izumi! So, hi. Sorry about that. Happy Valentines Day." ^_^

[Ardweden]
"Happy Valentine's Day!" Izumi smiles. "Come on, I don't want to be at 
work anymore."

Once they're outside, she quips, "I didn't know Satoshi got you 
girlfriends."

[Jihatsu]
"SHUT UP." Ah, there is the blush! "I think she's just giving me 
chocolates out of obligation or something. I got some from Katie Andrews, 
too. And she is definitely not interested in me." He walks alongside her!

[Ardweden]
Izumi laughs good naturedly as they walk, binder held with both arms. "So 
is this another Sakuragaoka asshole? Why's she feel obligated? Katie 
Andrews, I guess, 'cause... she went to your place when with the weird 
American chips?" Doritos: TOTALLY weird American chips.

[Jihatsu]
"You know? I think I've sort of hung out with them and/or conversed with 
them enough that they kind of consider me part of the group now. I get 
the feeling that these girls are giving chocolates to everybody in the 
gang..." He eyes Izumi. "Who would've ever thought it, me, part of a 
gang," he quips. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi smiles. "Why not! You're awesome!"

[Jihatsu]
He glances at Izumi, and smiles. Then he seems thoughtful....

"You know… I barely know Taki. Definitely less than Katie Andrews. There 
isn't much reason for her to be getting me chocolates. You think she 
maybe.... Like, think there's any chance she actually maybe kinda *likes* 
me or something?"

[Ardweden]
"Maybe! I don't see why not. And you are single, so..." Taki. Hmm. Taki. 
Izumi wracks her brain, but she just can't remember someone from 
Sakuragaoka with that name. "Did she show any signs of liking you 
before?"

[Jihatsu]
"Given that I've met her like twice?" Wataru thinks. "Maybe three times. 
She's got very recognizable hair. Half red, half blue, and it's been that 
way since high school." He points to his head as he does it, then 
hesitates, and reverses the order of the pointing, saying "Or maybe half 
red, half blue."

[Ardweden]
"Oh!" Izumi snaps her fingers, shifting the binder to under one arm. "I 
remember her now!" And then she looks kind of embarrassed. "Just because 
of the hair, though."

[Jihatsu]
"It's memorable!" He laughs. "She cut it at least, though. I wonder how 
she got the school to let her get away with it, back in the day."

[Ardweden]
"I don't know. But Sorata has that orange hair," Izumi muses. "I heard 
it's natural, too."

[Jihatsu]
"Pft, no way Sorata's is natural. He's just one of those guys who think 
they're cool. He wouldn't be cool in America." Wataru hooks his thumbs 
through the belt loops of his jeans, like someone who's cool in America.

[Ardweden]
Izumi shrugs. "That's what I heard!" And she looks at Wataru. "Is that 
how people in America walk?"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru snerks! And unhooks his thumbs, one hand patting Izumi fondly on 
the back. "Sure, let's say that." :p "Anyway, how was your chocolate-ing 
today? Got anything for anybody speeecial?"

[Ardweden]
"Maaaaaybe," Izumi says. "Maybe at home!" She turns a corner. Almost 
there!

[Jihatsu]
Wataru is excited! "Are you still after that Takumi guy, the one with the 
really long arms?"

[Ardweden]
Izumi blushes, a little. "Yeah..."

[Jihatsu]
"Nice!" Grin~ "Nice nice! He seemed pretty decent, that one time I saw 
him through the bushes."

[Ardweden]
"I'm gonna give him his chocolate later. He's working today, too." Izumi 
approaches her apartment, which is two floors above a okonomiyaki place. 
She hands Wataru her binder so she can unlock the door to the stairs up.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru glances at it, but without opening it up. "What's in here?"

[Ardweden]
"The book I've been reading! It's an advance copy. The girls at the book 
club got one!" She fiddles with her keys fitting one into the lock out 
front.

If Wataru looks at the binding, it has a sticker that says "CoM 2".

[Jihatsu]
Wataru does not, as it happens, wet himself. However, he does drop the 
book, like it's suddenly burning through his fingers. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi had just gotten the door open when that happened. "Hey!" she says, 
alarmed, going to scoop up the binder while keeping the door open with 
one foot. "Be careful!"

[Jihatsu]
"Sorry! There was a, uh, bug. It startled me. Where did you get the 
advanced copy from?" He says, voice carefully conversational. 

[Ardweden]
"The book club. I think they got it from the author. Yukio Akatsuki-san. 
They were talking about how they went to this promotion thing he did on 
Christmas Eve..." She pushes the door open the rest of the way, now, and 
leads the way up the stairs.

[Jihatsu]
"That's amazing! Isn't he like, super popular?" Wataru takes paced, 
calming breaths. 

[Ardweden]
Wataru's voice cracks as he tries to keep cool, and Izumi looks over her 
eyes widening. "Wataru! Are you okay?"

His hands are shaking, a bit.

[Jihatsu]
"I-I-...." He looks at his shaking hands. "I seem to have developed a 
terrible phobia of bugs," he manages. 

[Ardweden]
"Bugs?" Izumi doesn't seem to believe him, but she doesn't press, at 
least yet. "Come on, let's get you inside." She urges Wataru inside and 
up the stairs.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru keeps up with those breaths. 

It's all just too much. Even as he nods, and follows her in, he feels 
himself breaking apart. Katie's disappearance, the sympathetic link, the 
botched readings, Masaru, emailing all those people, and now this... He 
needs something to bring him back down to earth and pull him together, 
like a stiff drink, or a nap.

[Ardweden]
Izumi helps Wataru up the stairs, careful to make sure he doesn't fall. 
She hasn't seen him this spooked since... since...

She doesn't like thinking about that.

Instead, she says, "Come on, we're almost there."

[Jihatsu]
He nods, following. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi unlocks her apartment door and holds it open for Wataru as she 
flips on the light. It's a Tokyo studio apartment that's exactly as big 
as one would expect on Izumi's salary: chairs for TV watching (and a TV, 
of course), a table for eating (with her laptop on it), a futon, a tiny 
kitchen area, a bookcase that's only half books (mostly light novels) and 
the rest other essentials, all crammed together. There's a reason they 
always end up at Wataru's place, for sure.

[Jihatsu]
And yet, there's something comforting about this place. It's just so 
packed with Izuminess. And she's been one of the only things that have 
been really kind of stable over the past years... 

He breathes a little less shallowly. "It's not *that* messy," he says, 
trying to remember how to be normal. "Not as bad as me when I let myself 
go."

[Ardweden]
"No way! I didn't fold up my futon, and my dishes are dirty, and- oh man, 
I have to change first, at least!" Izumi puts the binder and her bag on 
the table, drapes her coat over one of the chairs, and goes to her closet 
to pick something out.

[Rowyn]
It's about this time that Wataru's phone beeps with an e-mail reply. Or 
whatever indicator he happens to have. Did he put it on vibrate?

It's a response!

(Encrypted email)

Date: Early Evening of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Online Security
To: Yamada Wataru

>> Hello Takeuchi-san, I'm very sorry to trouble you at a busy time. 
However, I have it on good authority that you are something of a whiz 
with technology? I have been trying to find out more about these books 
that are causing so much trouble. 

It is always a busy time. Though I can't say I much expected an e-mail. I 
suppose that means you're considered part of the group now? This was so 
much easier when we had a gathering spot...

Anyhow, I'm not certain who your authority is, though they might have 
exaggerated. Masaru Uehara, up to this point, has been mostly harmless, 
though with his brother's involvement it's difficult to know how 
connected he is. How did the meeting go? Really, it is always hard to 
know, dealing with the Wheel as such. Coincidences have a large chance of 
being anything but.

>>I had a rather unexpected and unwelcome visit this afternoon. It may 
have been an accident, since we were both in a somewhat public place, but 
the fact that Masaru Uehara would appear while I was attempting a reading 
on his brother's work unsettles me. I would like to find out more about 
the author, both under his public pseudonym and his real name, but I've 
become somewhat concerned about the possibility of someone tracking my 
activities online. Is there anything that you would recommend in order to 
keep my browsing habits private, even from Arcana such as yourself? 

I suppose this depends on if you are going to go looking into this on 
your own. I would be more than happy to research it with you but there 
are still a lot of pitfalls I'm not sure you'll fully aware of yet. The 
difficulty is that there is no clear way of knowing what abilities exist 
out there. You are basically asking for a contingency against all 
possibilities and that is not likely to happen.

However, I do see you have gotten into the habit of using the encryption 
I'd provided the others, so that helps at least a little. Possibly the 
best way to protect yourself from being tracked is by utilizing computers 
that aren't your own. Barring that, there is some encryption that you can 
use, but no encryption is fool-proof and proxies only go so far. Also 
clearing the cache and the cookies as a standard of course. And talking 
to your computer and making sure it knows what you want. 

As for paranoia, that's nothing to apologize for. A healthy dose of 
paranoia is a survival skill. Let me know if you would want me to further 
set things up on your computer, but I would prefer to do such things in 
person rather than risk sending them over e-mail.

Takeuchi Kaede.

>>I apologize for the hint of paranoia, but it pays to be careful.

>>Sincerely,

>>Yamada Wataru 

[Ardweden]
Izumi picks out some clothes and accessories, and she disappears into the 
bathroom.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru smiles at Izumi, pleased that his distraction worked. But then his 
phone...? He looks down. "Oh, two seconds, I gotta reply to this real 
quick."

He leans against the kitchen counter and reads an email that shocks him 
with its thorough and considerate nature. He reads it over, then reads it 
again, Kaede's words slowly sinking into him and calming him, like heat 
from a bath after a long day. 

That's right. He really isn't alone now. He can reach out his hand, and 
someone else's hand will be there. 

He closes his eyes, takes a few slow breaths, and then replies. 

(Encrypted email)

Date: Early Evening of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Online Security
To: Takeuchi Kaede

Takeuchi-san, thank you for your quick reply.

I would indeed greatly appreciate it you could somehow enhance my 
personal computer's security. Thank you for your kind offer. If there is 
a time that is convenient for you over the next week or so, please let me 
know when we can meet.  The same goes for your suggestion of researching 
the Uehara brothers and their connections together; if you think this is 
a good idea, I'm amenable. My evenings are usually free, and I don't have 
classes on Fridays. I can do early Monday and Wednesday mornings as well, 
if that's easier given your already full schedule. 

I will make sure to take the precautions you mentioned when browsing the 
internet. Would an Internet Cafe be a convenient way to not use my own 
computer? Or did you mean something else?

I was surprised and somewhat relieved to hear you think of Masaru-san as 
mostly harmless. It would appear that opinions about him vary. Perhaps he 
simply rubs me the wrong way, a clash of personalities. That said, I tend 
to pay close heed to my instincts, even if it is an inexact science. This 
might be a case of needing to compare my notes against all of yours. You 
have all been involved with him, and with Arcana, for far longer than I. 

Our meeting was, as I mentioned, extremely unsettling. He acted fairly 
flippantly and didn't seem aggressive or anything, but that man has 
absolutely no consideration for personal space. Or privacy. Or people's 
own business. That could be mostly harmless, or it could be distinctly 
harmful, depending on what he's been getting into. And the fact that he 
walked into my karaoke room about five minutes after I had booked it, of 
all the possible places in the city he could have gone, also fills me 
with distrust.

Anyway, I welcome your comments and discussion on the matter further. 
Please let me know if and when we should meet.

Regards,

Yamada

[Ardweden]
It takes a while for Wataru to pick out the reply on his phone, but when 
he's done, Izumi still hasn't emerged from the bathroom. This isn't 
really a surprise; in his experience, she can take a while.

On the table next to him is that binder with the "CoM2" sticker.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru made a promise to Satoshi. He doesn't look at it. 

Except...

He does check to see if there is a dedication at the beginning of the 
book, or any "about the author" or "acknowledgments" sections...

[Capfox]
(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Evening of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Re: Council of Mysteries and the Ace of Wands
To: Yamada Wataru

Right. 3 PM, Easy Epoque. Not hard to get to. I'm attaching a map. Not 
sure about Katie yet. I'll talk with her about it.

Sorata

[Ardweden]
There is a dedication: "To my brilliant brother, without whom this would 
not be possible."

No acknowledgements; flipping to the very back page gets Wataru story: 
"cold and damp. Yukiko strained her eyes, but still, everything was dark. 
It was then that she realized..."

Wataru's phone beeps with the arrival of Kyon's e-mail.

[Ciara]
There is also an autograph on one of the first pages: it's made out to 
Tsubame, Chidori, Suzume, and Aki.  Wataru may remember Izumi mentioning 
her friend Chidori before; she's good with crafts and does amigurumi 
figures, including Izumi's keychain.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru's bold runs cold again, but not because of that last page. It's 
the dedication... It echoes a fear he's had brewing in his gut for the 
past few hours. And turns that fear into a theory...

And then Kyon's email comes, and Wataru know what he has to do.

(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Evening of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Council of Mysteries and the Ace of Wands
To: Sorata Kyon 

That sounds perfect. I'll see you there. 

Yamada

[Ardweden]
It takes Wataru a couple of stabs at the send button, but he succeeds and 
the e-mail is on its merry way through the internet ether to Kyon.

He can hear Izumi call something through the door before she turns the 
shower on. The last page continues to stare up at him.

[Jihatsu]
He closes the book. Promises to Satoshi matter. Especially given his 
reasons to make this one. 

"Sorry, what was that?" He calls to Izumi. 

[Ardweden]
She doesn't seem to hear him over the shower.

[Jihatsu]
He sighs. 

"I'm gonna have a glass of water," he says, whether or not she hears. He 
finds a clean one at the back of a cupboard and fills it from the tap.

[Ardweden]
More water to go with the water!

Seriously, Izumi keeps showering. But Wataru knows where everything is, 
and he's had the run of her place before.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru sits on her kitchen chair and drinks the water. 

And finally, he replies to Haruko. 

(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Evening of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Sounds good
To: Kinsha Haruko 

Hey Haruko,

Tuesday night would be the best for me. How about my place? Or did you 
mean something in particular about needing a special space to practice 
in? I can go wherever. 

I'm looking forward to it!
Happy Valentine's Day!

Wataru

[RDMgryphon]
And no sooner than he’s sent that message he gets a text from Taki:

"Hey, I’m in front of [okonomiyaki place], let me in?"

[Jihatsu]
_Sure thing!_ He replies. _Give me a minute._ 

He goes to knock on Izumi's bathroom door. "Izumi?"

[Ardweden]
"Yeah?" Izumi calls over the shower.

[Jihatsu]
"Taki is downstairs. Should I tell her to wait?"

[Ardweden]
"No, that's okay! I'll be done in a bit!"

[Jihatsu]
"All right! I'm going to go downstairs and let her in."

And Wataru heads to the door!

(More fun with voice to text: "I'm going to go downstairs and N.")

[RDMgryphon]
Go down, N, N, use key on door, open door, tell Taki to follow, S, S, Up, 
… Down, N, N, close door

[Jihatsu]
And that is what he does! More or less. He heads down the stairs, 
checking his phone on the landing in case there's anything. 

[Ardweden]
Nothing yet! There's probably a Taki downstairs.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru gets downstairs! 

[RDMgryphon]
And Taki is outside reading the menu while dressed in jeans, a tan coat 
that may have been brown once, and a new looking knit hat that makes the 
question of which way her hair color is divided hard to answer.

[Jihatsu]
"Hey," Wataru smiles. His face is a little pale - seeing her there 
reminds him of *not*-seeing her, very suddenly, last night. "I hope you 
didn't have any trouble finding the place?"

[RDMgryphon]
Taki shakes her head. “Nope, you give pretty good directions, and I even 
got to the station at the same time as the train.” She pulls a small 
plastic bag out of her pocket and holds it out. “These are for you, but 
what kind of chocolate does your friend like? I’ve got white, milk, dark, 
darker, and How-does-Kyon-even-eat-this-stuff?”

[Jihatsu]
Wataru snerks. KYON. "Figures," he says. "Um, I know she likes white," he 
says. 

He looks at Taki.... She's actually... Kind of cute. You know, for a 
girl. 

He stands around awkwardly. "You really didn't have to do this," he 
smiles. 

[RDMgryphon]
Taki shakes her head again and and starts fishing in her other pocket. On 
the third try she comes up with a white chocolate wrapped in plastic. 
“You helped Katie when I couldn’t, and I hate carrying debts around, even 
when I’m the only one who sees them that way.”

[Jihatsu]
Wataru smiles. "I'm really glad she's better. She brought me chocolates 
too, today," he pinks slightly. "I didn't think she'd be up and around." 

[RDMgryphon]
Taki winces when she hears that. “She can’t stand feeling helpless, but 
that’s not really a talk on the street sort of subject.”

[Jihatsu]
"Wanna come up? Izumi said it's fine."

[RDMgryphon]
"Uhm, I’ve got a few more deliveries to make, but sure I can spend a 
little time. Also, take the chocolate."

[Jihatsu]
Wataru blushes! "Thank you," he says, accepting his chocolate - "Do... do 
you want to give Izumi hers yourself, or...?"

[RDMgryphon]
Taki laughs. “Ah, yeah, I guess if I’m coming up I should, but… this’s 
gonna be really awkward now that I’m thinking about it."

[Jihatsu]
Wataru laughs a little! "I know what you mean. But hell. I guess it 
doesn't have to be? It's only as awkward as we make it. Or something." He 
crosses his arms, then uncrosses them, because it's very awkward to be 
awkward while telling someone they don't have to be awkward. 

[RDMgryphon]
Taki sighs and rubs her face. “On fifth thought, you take her chocolate 
and I’ll meet her at some point after we’ve come up with a better excuse 
than “He helped my friend with something really important and secretive 
even though they’d only met once or twice before.””

[Jihatsu]
Wataru feels a bit sad. 

"Yeah - yeah okay. No worries." And then he realizes that this really was 
all about Katie and she definitely doesn't have a crush on him and what 
was he thinking? She doesn't know him at all, and it's not like he's hot 
or something.  

Wataru smiles a bit. "Well, thanks a lot for this. I'm sure Izumi will 
thank you too, and sure, there will probably be other chances! I can take 
her chocolate up for you."

[RDMgryphon]
Taki hands over the white chocolate. “Thanks, I look forward to meeting 
Izumi-san when things are less awkward. You seem like the sort of person 
that makes interesting friends. Bye!” She waves as she starts to leave.

[Jihatsu]
"You too, Taki-san," Wataru smiles, giving her a wave as she goes. "Take 
care."

[RDMgryphon]
Taki walks away and leaves Wataru to his his aproximation of normalicy. 
At least she got him away from the draft copy of that book.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru goes back upstairs. 

"Ojama shimasu, it's just me," he calls as The shower's off, but Izumi's 
not out yet. "What?" she calls through the bathroom door. "Why not?"he 
opens Izumi's door. "Taki didn't come up."

[Ardweden]
The shower's off, but Izumi's not out yet. "What?" she calls through the 
bathroom door. "Why not?"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru shrugs, and closes the door behind him, toeing off his shoes. 
"Dunno. She gave me this for you, though," he hands her the white 
chocolate!

[Ardweden]
Izumi opens the bathroom door about now, toweling her hair with one hand 
while she takes the chocolate with the other. She's wearing a black skirt 
with leggings underneath and a pink sweater. "Oh, thanks!" She looks at 
it. "Is this handmade? I, uh- why didn't she want to come up? I can't 
thank her now!"

[Jihatsu]
"I don't *know*." He seems both irritated and disappointed. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi blinks at Wataru's tone. He's going through all of the emotional 
ranges today. "What's wrong?"

[Jihatsu]
"I don't think she has a crush on me." He walks over to the table. 

[Ardweden]
"Oh." Izumi goes to sit next to Wataru, putting her chocolate down.

[Jihatsu]
He sighs. "That whole thing was pretty giri to me. 'Thanks for being 
friends with my friends.' I mean, it's still really nice, but..." He 
sighs. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi nods, looking at Wataru. She reaches over to put her hand on his, 
then stops halfway there. "Did you *want* her to have a crush on you?"

[Jihatsu]
He looks up to meet her eyes... "It would... It would just have been so 
*convenient*, you know? She's even friends with everybody, like really 
good friends with Katie, especially - you know?" He sighs, letting 
himself slump in the chair. "If I'd dated her, then that might have laid 
all that... gay.. thing... to rest." SIGH. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi bites her lower lip briefly. "How... how did she find out? Katie 
Andrews, I mean - she didn't *tell* anybody, did she?"

[Jihatsu]
"I don't think she knows for sure. She just out and said that I --" 
Wataru blushes hard. "That I was in love with Satoshi. I think I may have 
convinced her otherwise, but still. It's scary, you know? I don't think 
she's told anyone but I hate her having that on me. Dating Taki would 
have taken that suspicion off of me."

[Ardweden]
Izumi nods. "Well, if she just *said* it then it's not like you can't 
deny it. But if that's not enough, I mean." Izumi squirms in her seat. 
"We could pretend to go out, I guess?"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru sighs. "Izumi..." He smiles. "I can't ask that of you. It's 
*super* unfair like, teenage romance drama bullshit, and anyway, you have 
Takumi to devote your attention to, huh?"

[Ardweden]
Izumi lightly blushes. "Maybe. If it works out. But it probably won't, 
and then I wouldn't even be helping you!"

[Jihatsu]
"Izumi." Wataru takes her hands. "Look. If.... If things look really bad, 
then... I mean, we can always just say we were being really private about 
it but have been dating for years. You know? Or - or I don't know. I 
don't know!" He sighs, letting go of her hands. "I just want Satoshi to 
ask to be my valentine, and then we run away together and live happily 
ever after and who am I kidding, even *I* don't buy this crap." He 
slumps, head in his hands. "It's... it's been a long 24 hours. I kind of 
don't want to think about anything anymore."

[Ardweden]
Izumi stands up and walks all of two steps over, and she gives the slumpy 
Wataru a hug.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru sighs, calmed almost instantly. 

After a moment, he hugs her back, warmly. 

_I wish I *could* date you. I wish I could be the boyfriend you deserve, 
because you'd be the best girlfriend, Izumi._

[Ardweden]
Izumi can't read minds - that's the guy Wataru is actually into - but she 
does hug him for a while. "You don't have to talk or think about anything 
you don't want to, okay?"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru smiles, a little, tiredly, and nods. "I know. I also know that's a 
very gentle and considerate way of asking me to talk about things." His 
smile grows a tiny bit. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi pshes. "What? No. No!"

[Jihatsu]
He has a weak chuckle. "As good as it feels most of the time, knowing I'm 
in love? Sometimes this whole Satoshi thing is really harder than it 
could be. Like on Valentine's Day." He sits back. "And then there was 
some unrelated drama with The Sakuragaoka Assholes yesterday that I ended 
up getting involved in, and then I woke up with a headache that I've been 
dragging along all day, and my ... my nerves are just shot. I don't 
know." Wataru runs his hands through his hair. "I expected Valentine's 
Day to be shitty, but not this shitty. Sorry to dump it all on you," 
says, expression contrite.

[Ardweden]
"It's okay." Izumi squeezes Wataru's hand. "What happened? If you wanna 
talk about it."

[Jihatsu]
He shakes his head, gently. "It's probably private. Even I kind of felt 
like an outsider. So it's probably really none of my business to talk 
about it to other people, you know? Anyway, I feel like things are 
probably on the right track now." He smiles a bit, squeezes her hand 
back. "I'm turning out to actually like this bunch of goobers. But 
there's a definite learning curve." ^^; "--Oh! Tell me about Haruko! You 
know her, right? What's she like when I'm not looking?" His expression 
brightens slightly!

[Ardweden]
"She's really nice and kind of flaky," Izumi says, but she's not 
deterred. "What do you mean by a learning curve? You can't just make a 
bunch of friends and not tell me about them!"

[Jihatsu]
"Well." Wataru smiles. Fine, he can do it this way. "What were your plans 
for right now? You look super cute by the way, when are you meeting 
Takumi? -- because if we're gonna gossip, I want to do it right." He 
grins. 

[Ardweden]
"You think so?" Izumi messes with her hair a bit. "I was going to meet 
him after dinner. For dessert, and after he had a chance to go home and 
clean up. Since we're not going out yet, really, we didn't want it to be 
weird..."

[Jihatsu]
"That sounds really promising." Wataru grins. "Okay. So do you need to 
eat first? We can do dinner, here or out, and I will regale you with 
Sakuragaoka Asshole gossip." 

[Ardweden]
"YES. I'm starving." Izumi shifts in place. "Let's go out. It can be like 
a pre-date not-date OH! Your chocolate!" She rushes to her closet and 
opens one of the drawers stashed in there.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru smiles! He is actually excited about the chocolate! Yes!

[Ardweden]
Izumi pulls out a medium sized box wrapped in nice paper with a little 
red and white ribbon. She goes to Wataru and presents it to him with a 
bow. "Happy Valentine's Day!"

[Jihatsu]
"Aww, thank you!" He takes it, looks at it. "Should I open it now, or 
later?"

[Ardweden]
"Whenever you want." Izumi goes to get her things. "So, where do you want 
to eat? My treat."

[Jihatsu]
"Aw, I can't make you pay for us!" But he knows her, so he relents easily 
- "Fine, well, next time is on me. I don't know, how sick are you of 
okonomiyaki?"

[Ardweden]
"Not very! Downstairs?"

The okonomiyaki place below Izumi's apartment is no frills, pretty cheap, 
and above average quality.

[Jihatsu]
"Yeah! Perfect!" 

[Ardweden]
And so they head downstairs for okonomiyaki! Since it's so close, Izumi 
just brings her purse - not even a coat - and Wataru could easily leave 
his chocolate and anything else he'd like in her apartment as well.

The restaurant is mostly clean, with just a little bit of grime on the 
table, and they manage to get in right as business picks up for the 
evening, claiming a table in the back. This gives Wataru a good view of 
various couples popping in for a bite to eat. Valentine's Day! That's the 
sort of day it is. Izumi doesn't seem bothered; she orders tea and, once 
drinks are brought, requests a pork and onion okonomiyaki.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru has basically the best non-romantic company he could ask for 
tonight so he manages to mostly ignore the couples. He orders the shrimp 
and cheese one!

[Ardweden]
"So!" Izumi chirps once the waiter is on his way, "What's this about 
Sakuragaoka goobers?" She grins.

[Jihatsu]
"All right, so first of all none of this goes past our little table, all 
right?" He leans in with a conspiratorial grin. 

[Ardweden]
"Obviously!" Izumi says, pretending to be offended he even asked.

[Jihatsu]
"Great. So." He thinks about where to start, carefully sorting 
information in his mind. "Well, you know Katie Andrews is dating Mr. 
Orange Hair, right?"

[Ardweden]
"Yeah." Izumi picks up her drink. "After she threatened me over dating 
him, like *that* was gonna happen."

[Jihatsu]
Wataru grins. "Okay well, scandal #1, I don't know if you knew that 
they're living together. But it doesn't end there."

[Ardweden]
"What? No way!" Izumi stares at him. "Isn't she, like, younger than I 
am?"

[Jihatsu]
"She's super young, yeah. I can't imagine *what* their families must 
think. I don't think they're even engaged." He sips some water. 

[Ardweden]
"Wow." Izumi sits back, trying to take that in. "My parents would kill 
me. No, they'd disown me. Then they'd kill me. 'Cause they'd feel bad 
about killing their own daughter.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru laughs, but not without sympathy. "Well, I mean, granted, she is 
American. It's a little different in America. Living together is a lot 
more common."

[Ardweden]
"Really? I guess that's why you don't seem to care. But Sorata's not, 
so..." Izumi shakes her head. "So anyway, okay. That's a thing."

[Jihatsu]
"It is a thing. But." Wataru leans in closer. "In spite of the thing, 
there are rumours about Mr. Sorata."

[Ardweden]
Izumi raises her eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"

[Jihatsu]
"I mean, from what I've seen, they're definitely close friends. And no 
one in the group seems to disapprove or question their laois and ship. 
But there's definitely rumours around campus that Mr. Sports Star's 
interests might lie elsewhere."

[Ardweden]
"What? Wait, you mean like-? No way."

[Jihatsu]
Wataru has a sloooow nod! "That's the rumour, at least. I haven't uh, 
seen any evidence of it myself." He has a slight blush. 

[Ardweden]
"Oh, then it's just a rumor." Izumi ponders. "If their friends aren't 
wondering about it, it's probably not true." Izumi Motobuchi: Ace 
Detective! "Plus, it's not like he has to live with her or anything, 
right?"

[Jihatsu]
"No, I guess not..." :\

[Ardweden]
Izumi tries to read Wataru's expression. "... Do you *want* him to be... 
I mean...?"

[Jihatsu]
"*NO*!" Wataru flushes. "Not like that. I mean. It would be kind of 
awesome. In a completely... Unrelated-to-me way." Sip. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi grins. "Uh huuuuh." But she doesn't press. "So okay, what else? Is 
Sorata your friend now?"

[Jihatsu]
"What? Ew," he makes a face! And then laughs. "Maybe a tiny bit? I think 
Katie is. I kinda like her. Which is why I'm not sure about sharing the 
rest of the gossip, since it's kind of about her too.... I feel like most 
of the interactions of that group seems to be Katie-related relationship 
drama, somehow." 

[Ardweden]
Izumi nods, and then the food arrives! A pork and onion okonomiyaki for 
Izumi and a shrimp and cheese okonomiyaki for Wataru. Izumi picks up her 
chopsticks. "Itadakimasu!"

[Jihatsu]
"Itadakimasu!" Wataru echoes! He also asks the waiter for more water. So 
thirsty today!

[Ardweden]
Izumi eats happily, and Wataru gets more water, no problem!

"Man, I was *so hungry*," she says after she eats a good chunk of her 
meal. "So uh, relationship drama with Katie? Really? ... Who is in this 
group, anyway?"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru thinks, and counts on his fingers. "Katie, Kyon, Haruko who's in 
your book club," he ignores the chill that runs through his bones, "uhh 
Kaede Takeuchi, who, omg, okay, HE's dating that idol, Akemi?"

[Ardweden]
"Akemi?" Izumi looks confused.

[Jihatsu]
"You know, the, uhh," he blushes. "The chesty one. In that makeup 
commercial. You know the one I'm talking about? 'Aaah, it's fluffy like 
mousse!' And no I'm never imitating that again." He glances around him. 

[Ardweden]
Izumi covers her mouth with both hands to stifle her giggle. A couple of 
patrons had glanced over, but they quickly go back to eating.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru rolls his eyes a bit, but seems pleased the impression went over 
well. He has a nice chunk of okonomiyaki, with a whole shrimp in there.

[Ardweden]
"Okay okay. So you met an *idol*? You met her, right? She's super 
pretty!"

[Jihatsu]
"So you do know her! Yeah, I met her once. She doesn't seem to hang out 
with the most of the time, but I guess that's because she's so busy being 
famous and stuff? She was suuuuper nice to me. I almost developed a crush 
on her. Even me!" He chuckles. 

[Ardweden]
"Ohmygod, I wonder if *I* would develop a crush on her." Izumi blushes as 
soon as the words are out of her mouth. "It's really cool that she's 
nice. I keep wondering if people like that actually are."

[Jihatsu]
"They can't possibly all be. You know? But Akemi totally is. Maybe you'll 
meet her someday and you can see for yourself," he giggles!

[Ardweden]
"Oh wow, that'd be so cool! Did she get you chocolate today, too?"

[Jihatsu]
"Hahah, I would be very surprised. I literally met her once." He pauses. 
"I don't think I actually checked my mailbox today though," he 
realizes...

[Ardweden]
"Ooh." Izumi grins, leaning on the table. "Maybe more chocolate from 
Wataru's new girlfriends."

[Jihatsu]
"*Izumi*," Wataru blushes and grins!

[Ardweden]
Izumi laughs! And eats okonomiyaki!

[Jihatsu]
"Man, sometimes I wish it was that easy," he says, around a bite of 
okonomiyaki. "That I could have the same problems as everyone else."

[Ardweden]
"Well... you have more friends now. Even if they come with drama?" Izumi 
smiles some. "Friends come with drama."

[Jihatsu]
"So it would seem," he smiles. "But... Yeah. God... This is.... It sounds 
so loserly, but being on the edge of this group - almost in it - it's... 
it's like..." His voice gets quiet. "It's something I've always denied 
that I ever wanted, you know?" He murmurs, looking down. "I don't know 
how long it's gonna last, but... I'll enjoy it while I can. At least..." 
He winces. "I'll try."

[Ardweden]
Izumi looks at Wataru for a moment, then she sighs. "Come on, Wataru. 
It's not like you don't deserve friends."

[Jihatsu]
He smiles up at her.... "I know. But I became friends with these people 
so quickly, and they're all so tight already. I might be an outsider 
forever." He looks aside... "...If it wasn't for Satoshi, I don't think 
they'd ever have accepted me."

[Ardweden]
Izumi shrugs. "Maybe. Who knows?" She sits back and picks her chopsticks 
back up. "Do you think they're just being friends with you because of 
Satoshi?"

[Jihatsu]
"Definitely," he chuckles! "At least, as a starting point. He told me to 
give them a chance; I'd bet a million yen he told them the same thing. 
Anyway, I'm no better. I'm only trying because I want to make him happy. 
But." He shrugs. "Just because that's where it starts, doesn't mean 
that's where it ends."

[Ardweden]
"Yeah!" Izumi says, enthusiastically. "Exactly! And you said you're 
starting to actually like them, so it's not like you're hanging out with 
them just because of Satoshi now."

[Jihatsu]
"That's true," he smiles....!

[Ardweden]
"So what I *really* wanted to know is... why do you like them?" Izumi 
seems quite earnest about this.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru thinks about this!!

"Hmm. You know, at first I was gonna say something like, 'because Satoshi 
does', but.... It might be as simple as the fact that they're giving me a 
chance. They're this crazy, interesting bunch, and they're reaching out 
to me and letting me in. Katie Andrews... I don't really have any 
American friends in Tokyo, so there's something weird and comforting 
about having that in common. And Haruko has so much energy and can-do 
attitude, she's fun to be around. The others... I mean, I don't know. I 
don't have much of an opinion on the others. Like that Kaede guy is a 
tightass, but he's pretty no-nonsense and I can respect that. Looks 
really good in a suit, too," Wataru admits, looking off to the side 
playfully.

[Ardweden]
Izumi grins. "Guys in uniform. Suits are uniforms?"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru purses his lips. "I don't know, it's not like I get hot under the 
collar about like police officers or nurses or something. But a sharp, 
tailored suit does wonders to a man." _And that is probably one of the 
gayest things I've ever said._ "That and sports uniforms, yeah." He 
smiles!

[Ardweden]
"Does he wear them a lot? I guess if he's dating Akemi..."

[Jihatsu]
"I don't think I've ever seen him not in one?" Wataru muses. 

[Ardweden]
"Not bad!" Izumi has another piece of okonomiyaki. "Sounds like they're 
pretty cool, for assholes. You have my blessing to keep hanging out with 
them."

[Jihatsu]
Wataru laughs! "Awesome. That means a lot," he twinkles!

[Ardweden]
Izumi smiles back! And so they finish their okonomiyaki, talking about 
other things (Wataru's classes, Izumi's classes, the fact that the reason 
Izumi had to take that shower is she found something sticky in her hair 
and she STILL doesn't know exactly what it was - she's guessing honey). 
The book club and Sakuragaoka assholes aren't mentioned again. It's a 
fun, leisurely dinner... at least until Izumi checks the time and yelps 
because SHE MIGHT BE LATE FOR HER NOT-DATE and has to rush back upstairs! 
She pays in a hurry and rushes back upstairs for her things!

[Jihatsu]
Wataru goes and gets his stuff too! "Oh, hey, you think I could borrow 
this for a couple days, by the way?" He hoists the book.

[Ardweden]
Izumi looks over from applying lip gloss. "A couple of days? What for-" 
and the word is barely out of her mouth before it clicks because it's 
obvious what for. "Ohmygod are you a Council of Mysteries fan, too?!"

[Jihatsu]
He manages a smile. "Well, I've been hearing so much about it, I thought 
I might give it a try."

[Ardweden]
She smiles. "That's awesome! It's really good. But, um." She looks at the 
binder in Wataru's hands. "That's the second book. You don't want to 
start there. Here, let me get you the first one..." She puts the lip 
gloss down and goes to her bookcase to find a slim novel.

[Jihatsu]
"Oh... Okay, sure." 

[Ardweden]
Izumi offers Wataru a book with Tokyo Tower displayed prominently on the 
cover and shadowy teenage forms standing under it: "Council of Mysteries: 
Volume 1" and under that "Yukio Akatsuki". "If you want, you can come to 
the book club with me next time! I was telling them all about my awesome 
friend Wataru, and I think they'd really like you. You'd like Chidori 
especially, I think. Oh, and Haruko's there! You know her, so that'd be 
less weird." She smiles!

[Jihatsu]
Wataru takes the book, certain that it's not doing anything remotely like 
burning his fingers. He smiles a bit. "Is it all girls?" ^^;

[Ardweden]
No tingling, no burning. And Izumi nods. "Yeah, so far." She hesitates. 
"You don't mind, right? You don't have to come, but they're really great 
people..."

[Jihatsu]
"I'll think about it for sure," Wataru nods! "We'll see what I think of 
it, first." SMILING NORMALLY LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE SMILE

[Ardweden]
Well, some approximation of a normal smile. Izumi looks at him 
sympathetically. "They're just people. Totally normal people. They're not 
gonna hurt you."

She moves to take the binder from Wataru.

[Jihatsu]
He hands it to her without ceremony! 

And flips to the dedication page of the first one, if applicable.

[Ardweden]
There is one! It says, "To my parents, who have never faltered in their 
support."

[Jihatsu]
Beh. Boring. "Well," he smiles, and puts the book in his bag. "Thanks a 
lot for this. And for the chocolate. And for dinner." Grin! "You feeling 
ready for your undate?"

[Ardweden]
"Oooh, I hope so." Izumi bounces in place a bit, waving her arms like 
she's getting ready for a run. A run in high heels and a skirt. "I don't 
want to screw this one up. He's cute, you know?"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru grins! "Then he's a good match for you," he encourages! 

[Ardweden]
Izumi blushes. "I hope so," she says, more subdued. "I'm trying not to 
get my hopes too high. But... we'll see, right?" She smiles!

[Jihatsu]
Wataru nudges her in the shoulder. "Text me later."

[Ardweden]
Izumi nudges back. "Obviously." And then she looks at the time again. "I 
have to go!" And she's a flurry of motion, grabbing her coat and purse 
and checking her hair one more time before she's out the door!

[Jihatsu]
She's so cute. Wataru loves her. 

He makes sure he has his stuff, and heads out too!

[Ardweden]
And so Wataru half-walk-half-runs Izumi to the station, with her 
breathlessly promising to text him about how things go and also hoping 
that he likes the book she's lending him, and then she's off for dessert 
with a boy! Wataru has to take a different train, and that's just where 
they split off.

He approaches his apartment building well into the increasingly cold 
evening.

[Jihatsu]
He feels wary, tense. And ridiculously exhausted. Watching the alleys and 
the hedges, hands clenching and unclenching in his pockets, fearing the 
worst..... 

[Ardweden]
Wataru looks around, and for a second, he swears - he *swears* - he sees 
one of the shadows move. The darkness in the alleys is oppressive; it 
reminds him of running into the missing Reiji Ozora at night some two 
years ago, and he's half-convinced that, at any instant, all of the 
lights are going to wink out at once, plunging him right into the center 
of silence and emptiness...

His phone beeps.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru jumps. He glances at his phone - while hurrying, cold sweat 
trickling down his back, towards his building. 

[Ardweden]
It's a text message from Satoshi Watanabe.

Wataru almost walks into the glass doors.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru runs upstairs - no elevators, who would take an elevator - and 
fumbles with his keys. Come on, come *on*!

[Ardweden]
Who *would* take an elevator?

Wataru runs right past his mail and the chocolates Haruko had left for 
him, and he drops his keys while fumbling for the right one, filling the 
empty hallway with a sudden, tinkling sound.

[Jihatsu]
He leans his head against the door, heart pounding in his ears. Got to 
get inside. Got to get safe. 

He bends down and picks up his keys, feeling them spring into his hand in 
a telekinetic panic. 

[Ardweden]
The keys jump into Wataru's hand: only a few inches, since he was already 
bending down, but they're there and it's that much faster to getting into 
his apartment.

[Jihatsu]
He tries again, inspired by that accident to actually use his TK to help 
steady his hand. Come on, keys plus lock, he's done it a thousand times. 

[Ardweden]
And now a thousand and one, as with the TK steadying help (his hand is 
shaking so violently on its own), Wataru successfully unlocks his door!

[Jihatsu]
He steps in and closes the door behind him, pulling the chain over it, 
locking all the locks. He turns on all the lights as he walks in, 
checking every dark corner, even the closets. 

[Grysar]
At this fraught moment, Haruko appends her just bypassed chocolates with 
a likely to be temporarily ignored email.

(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Evening of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Sounds good
To: Yamada Wataru

Good evening Wataru

Tuesday night can work for me. I've got a standing biweekly date with 
Hibiki, but that'd be our second one in a week so a reschedule should be 
okay. 

Taki had actually found a place that might be particularly convenient. A 
rooftop we've used one before where we don't have much worry about making 
a mess or disturbing people. That said, still working out a route up  may 
require employing some of the skills I used for the clocktower so we 
don't need to have Taki with us every time. [Haruko gives the address]. 
Íf your uncomfortable with that we can stick with your apartment or maybe 
a side room at my family's shrine.

Looking forward to it.

Haruko

[Ciara]
And Wataru's phone beeps again, reminding him of his unread text.

[Ardweden]
Nothing, nothing, nothing. Sometimes Wataru thinks that one of the 
shadows is too dark or too long, but then the light cuts through and it's 
just the corner by the bookcase, or the cardboard boxes in his closet...

Now his phone has an incoming e-mail, too.

[Jihatsu]
"What is it with everybody today," he huffs. But his apartment is lit - 
all of it, everywhere - and so he flumps down onto the couch and opens 
his phone. Clutching a pillow. 

He starts with Satoshi's message. 

[Ciara]
"Hey, Wataru! Just wanted to see how you were doing. Oh, and we won our 
first game against Northeastern 3-1! I was pretty tired and not at my 
best, but I was trying really hard and it was apparently really inspiring 
or something. Anyhow, I got a good night's sleep and am feeling a lot 
better.  Knowing Katie's in good hands helps a lot."

"Oh and happy Valentines Day! You get a lot of chocolate? ^^"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru runs his hands through his hair, and tries a calming breath. 

_Hey Satoshi_ ... He sits and looks at his phone. _Great job on the game! 
Efforts are really meaningful_

He erases everything except the first two words. Ugh... 

Wataru goes and washes his face. 

He makes himself a cup of tea, and opens up Izumi's chocolates - reading 
the card if there is one. 

[Ardweden]
It's an assortment of flavored chocolates: green tea, caramel salt, 
sriracha, and others. There's a little card! The front says "For My Best 
Friend" and inside, in Izumi's scrawl, is, "You're the best, Wataru! 
Never forget it. Happy Valentine's Day!" And a heart with Izumi's name.

[Jihatsu]
Awwwwww. 

Wataru melts. 

He stuffs a green tea chocolate into his mouth, shortly followed by a 
caramel one. NOOOMMMM. 

He writes to Satoshi. 

_Hey Satoshi, congrats on the game! And I'm glad you got some sleep now. 
Fingers crossed for the next one! Today was... Extremely weird, and 
definitely not all good. But I got chocolates from Izumi and Katie. And I 
still haven't checked my mailbox, but I don't want to leave my apartment 
for... reasons. Don't worry, I'm just spooked. I'll probably feel better 
after a good night's sleep too. Thanks for the Valentine's wishes. Did 
you have a good one, lots of adoring fans? ;)_

[Ardweden]
The chocolates are, predictably, really good.

[Ciara]
Wataru gets a response a bit later: "I guess everything that happened 
yesterday is still affecting you, huh? We can talk more about it later if 
you want; text probably isn't the best way and I have to go soon anyway."

"Also it's just starting to be Valentine's Day over here, so. Not that 
I'm expecting anything. I mean, we're the visiting team and all. No love 
for us. ^_~"

"Hope you feel better. And I mean, you can text me back if you want to 
talk more; I just might not be able to answer for a while."

[Jihatsu]
Wataru's in his PJs, brushing his teeth, when his phone buzzes.

He replies:

_No sweat! Let's video chat soon - when can you do it? And oh! I totally 
forgot, but Taki got me chocolates too. She's really sweet. I wasn't 
expecting that - I barely know her. Anyway! Have a good weekend, I think 
I'm going to bed now._

[Ardweden]
Wataru hits send! There's no reply from Satoshi, at least yet.

[Jihatsu]
And so, totally defeated by the day, Wataru slips into bed, poor Haruko 
having been completely forgotten once more. 

[Ciara]
Satoshi sends a quick message after Wataru has gone to sleep: "I'm not 
getting back until tomorrow afternoon my time so let me check my schedule 
after I get in and then get back to you."

"Also, Taki?  I am definitely asking."

"Night, Wataru.  Talk to you soon!"

[Ardweden]
The day has conquered Wataru, with its chocolates and girls and implied 
romances and Arcana weirdness - so much Arcana weirdness. It carries into 
his sleep, and he dreams.

She kneels on a mat, on a cold winter day, warming her hands by a fire 
pit. There are others there, too: other people like her, and it's almost 
without looking that she can place them: the Page of Cups, the Seven of 
Swords, the Sun. She looks them over. They’re children, no older than 
thirteen or fourteen. But they are hers.

“Take care of them like they’re your own,” the Queen of Wands, Yamako 
Minazuki, had said. "How?" Ayano remembers asking. "I have no children." 
The brittle Queen just laughed, throwing her long white hair over one 
shoulder. Ayano’s status as a Major Arcana never bothered her. Both women 
knew what she was to her. “Take care of them,” she repeated. “The Council 
protects you, so you must protect them. That’s what we are. That’s what 
we do.”

She’s trying. But the children are... they’re *children*. They don’t care 
about the cards. They don’t care about rules, or tradition. They’re 
special, and they know it; they can change the world, and they’ll try. 
And so, when the Seven runs into the Tower, blades flying as he tried to 
combat Death (her eyes so hard, her movement so fast, a mountain of 
corpses in her wake) Ayano knows that he’s going to die.

He’s going to die, and there’s nothing she can do, because the Star had 
said so. He had prophesied that any involvement would bring it down: the 
entire Tower, an inferno that would destroy the city. Ayano stared, 
frozen, as Death lifted the Seven by his neck, gasping for breath, his 
life going out, help too late and-

No.

It stopped. She stopped. Everything stopped, rewound. Seconds, a minute, 
two minutes back. Ayano shouts. Seven moves. Death and screams, her black 
eyes furious, her nails breaking off as she grasps at the ground.

It was involvement. Or was it? It’s not like the first version of events 
officially happened. And no one knows but her. Ayano sits at the fire 
pit, sharing a secret smile with herself while she listens to the 
children chatter. She has to protect them, just like the Council protects 
her. And she will.

[Jihatsu]
Wataru wakes, body warm and relaxed and cozy, almost catlike, in his 
blankets. He stretches and rolls over, the voices of the children lulling 
him, reassuring him. He knows how to help them, and he can, and he did. 
He does. He will never stop helping them, because they are his.

A little bit later, he stretches again, blinking his eyes open. He flops 
onto his side and closes his eyes again, burrowing his face into a 
distant, long-forgotten scent... One he knows he certainly never woke up 
to before. He sits up sharply, clutching his blankets to his chest, but 
the scent is gone, and with it the memory of the chiseled man with the 
impassive eyes and the pomaded hair.....

Wataru rubs his eyes, and slips out of bed, stumbling to the toilet, 
sitting down to pee. So much to do. The children depend on him. The Page 
of... The Page of.....

He washes his hands and heads to the fridge, makes some tea, some rice. 
Washing the rice with his hands, swirling it around the pot, pressing, 
again, again, and rinsing, and swirling. So much to do.

He has messages to respond to, he remembers. He turns on the rice cooker 
and carries his teacup into the living room, where he kneels on the floor 
and picks up his phone.

He reads the message from Satoshi... He smiles, that scent whispering 
through his mind again, making him blush. He composes a reply:

_Taki, indeed. As thanks for the help I provided the young Page, I 
suppose. Which was too kind of her. For a moment, though, I half 
suspected she was making a confession... I blame Izumi for this. The girl 
has put thoughts into my head._

_To my surprise, I slept quite well last night, although I remembered so 
much in my dreams. We would not have been in disagreement, in the end, I 
think, if only we had been the friends we are now. Let us talk soon, and 
seize the moment! Let me know when you are free. I have a meeting with 
the Queen and her companion this afternoon, to address yesterday's... 
Difficulties. I will surely have much to say thereafter._

He presses send without rereading.

And then Haruko... Haruko, Valentine's Day, right! He wraps a coat around 
him and pads down to his mailbox, finding her chocolate along with his 
most recent phone bill. He sweeps back into his apartment and rubs his 
hands together. 

He refreshes his tea and kneels again, a bit uncomfortable, finally 
settling on a scandalous masculine cross-legged position. He writes to 
Haruko.

(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Morning of February 15, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Sounds good
To: Kinsha Haruko

Haruko-san, you are too kind! I thank you warmly for your gift, and 
apologize for not replying sooner. The children 

Wataru looks at his words. What children?
Hmm... Right... the Page of Cups, the Seven of Swords, the Sun. 

The children needed my help. as I am sure you know well. I did not have 
the chance to check my mailbox until the morning. The chocolates look 
wonderful. I hope you do not take offense if I share them with the little 
ones? They have been through so much. We look after them, after all, as 
the Council looks after us. 

As for the training: I have never been one to shy from danger! The roof 
top seems as good a place as any. I look forward to it. 

Warm salutations,

Ayano 

Wataru stares with a sense of dread at the last word of his email just as 
his finger presses send. What was he thinking? No, really, what was he 
thinking. He rubs his face. Ayano. Wataru... He flirts with the idea of 
feeling mortified, but how can he stay mad at either of them? They're 
both just doing their best. They both want what's best for everyone. 

He sighs, and goes to check on the rice. He can tell he's in a weird 
place, an in-between place, but he can't really seem to be bothered, 
because it's a good place, a safe place. Comfortable like his bed. And he 
doesn't mind staying there a little while, as he tucks a blanket around 
himself on the couch and turns on the TV, sipping tea. Neither one thing 
nor the other, but content for a while, and warm, and free of fear.

[Ciara]
A little while later, Wataru gets a text reply: "Uh, okay?  Is this some 
sort of game you and Izumi are playing?  Answer your messages in formal, 
archaic Japanese?  Sorry I can't play along right now; I'm trying to get 
this to you before Liam comes back in.  Anyhow, it was a 0-0 tie tonight. 
No love for anyone, I guess.  I'll check back with you when I get to the 
dorm tomorrow and we can schedule stuff."
"P.S. Good luck with your meeting with Haruko."

[Ciara]
Satoshi texts Haruko next: "Hey, Haruko, when you meet up with Wataru, 
can you make sure he's doing okay?  I think the other night is affecting 
him more than he realizes. Thanks!
Satoshi"

[Jihatsu]
Wataru has dozed off! He is so dozing. Curled up on the couch. Z~. 

He will probably see Satoshi's message when he gets ready to go out and 
meet Kyon!

[Grysar]
Haruko wakes in the morning and checks her email, making a mental note 
that she really needs to swap jackets back with Kyon ASAP before Hibiki 
asks a really awkward question. She'd been hoping to do it when she 
dropped off his chocolates, but he hadn't replied to a quick text and 
given Katie's state this didn't really seem like the time to come up and 
knock uninvited. She sees the text from Satoshi and then reads her email, 
replying with a "Huh?" She reads both again and then shoots Satoshi a 
quick text reply.

"<MechanicMiko> Think u'r right. Just got odd email. I've got to run to 
class. But will reach out. We're training tomorrow. Hope it can wait, but 
not sure."

(Encrypted e-mail)

Date: Morning of February 15, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Sounds good
To: Yamada Wataru
BCC: Watanabe Satoshi:

Ayano-san and Wataru-san,

I am glad that my chocolates brought pleasure to many. You will have to 
introduce me to the children when the time is right, I would be honored 
to meet them. 

Also, I have it on good authority that there may be some unusual matters 
afoot today. If you have a chance, please give me a telephone call and we 
can discuss the details. I may try later today if we have not yet had a 
chance to connect.

Haruko

---

She then sends a follow-up text to Satoshi. "<MechanicMiko> Tempted to 
just drive rt now. But showering & then class. Tempted to consult Isao-
sama. What u think?

She doesn't wait on a reply and suppressed an urge to immediately contact 
Kyon and Katie. Katie doesn't need that and probably neither does Wataru.

[Jihatsu]
The naps are truly awesome, and Wataru/Ayano enjoys them immensely, 
untroubled by phone noises. ^^

[Rowyn]
(Chronologically, this e-mail would have came some time late at night. 
Trouble with e-mail correspondences, sometimes the player gets busy!)

Buried amongst Wataru's various e-mails....Oh there it is.

(Encrypted email)

Date: Late Evening of February 14, 2004 (Japan)
Subject: Re: Online Security
To: Yamada Wataru

Considering most Internet Cafes would take an ID card with associated 
info logged in the system, may associate this with your booth, no escape 
route from your cubicle or really way of knowing if you were tied up in a 
field....well, I suppose you may notice if your computer suddenly loses 
power. Of course by that time, it may well be too late.

So, yes. If you would like to risk that, considering you mentioned 
interacting with a character who for all intents and purposes has no 
respect for personal space, including karaoke booths, by all means. But I 
would not often recommend it. Typically, the best option is to remain 
mobile. At least then, if all else fails, a laptop is disposable.

Perhaps early morning coffee would work best. I don't if next Friday will 
work. I may have to put you in for two weeks out, but I'll get back to 
you. Hopefully sooner than later. What you said regarding Masaru is 
concerning. Typically he is more of a bumbling, well-meaning idiot. His 
behavior could mean a couple of things. I'll have to think of that.

I suppose this is where I say "welcome to the team?" I'm not precisely 
sure what exactly to call it these days. We'll still see.

-Takeuchi Kaede

[Ardweden]
And so, Wataru slept the sleep of the comfortable into the afternoon, not 
long before his meeting with Kyon (and maybe Katie). He'll just have to 
respond to phone messages later.

End!