1662/An Apology to a Princess

An Apology to a Princess
Date of Scene:	14 June 2024
Location:	Yumegahama Aquarium and Marine Center
Synopsis:	Yuuto makes an apology to Coco. She accepts but makes sure he knows she's not going to give up on Hinoiri. Follow up to 1658/The Road to Betterment.
Cast of Characters:	Yuuto Shiraishi, Coco Kiumi

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Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
After the argument that Yuuto and Coco had, Yuuto took some time to cool off. He was angry. He needed to clear his thoughts, because he was scared at the rate they were going, Coco was going to give his ring back. The next day, he made plans - still not having made contact in the morning, but eventually, he made a decision. After getting some things together, he takes out his phone and after drawing in a breath, sends a message.

<PHONE> Yuuto Shiraishi texts Coco Kiumi: Coco? Can we meet at the aquarium to talk? If you're still mad at me and don't want to, I'd understand.

Hitting send, he sends off the message and closes his eyes to wait, but not before pacing a bit as he stands beneath the fish tank - pacing back and forth in one of his best suits, dressed up, with a boquet of sea lillies and roses off to the side.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco has had her time to cool off already, having gone back home for a few hours right after their quarrel, not thinking about anything just watching the anemones wave in the sea currents and all manners of colourful fish swim by. By the time she had gotten back to land, she had calmed down, and stumbling upon Mamoru got her a sudden job as his bodyguard.

A lot had gone on then, and by the time she had received Yuuto's message the conflict had mostly slipped out of her mind. When it came back, hesitation stopped her hand upon reading that message. What was she going to see there once she got there?

<PHONE> Coco Kiumi texts Yuuto Shiraishi: I am heading there right now. Won't be long.

Once she goes there, if she arrives last, she gives a wave to the other teen, trying to keep the discomfort under control. "So, what did you want to say?" the mermaid asks, figuring she'd let him go first since he was the one who called her here.

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
When he sees her, Yuuto's heart skips a beat for a moment. Until he notices the discomfort and the words that she uses. And his heart sinks faster than the Titanic. "Hi... I..." he gets the boquet and presents it to her. "I wanted to apologize. I'm still really mad at what Hinoiri did to you." he admits quietly. "But I was never mad at you. Mainly at myself... for not being there when you were hurt. For showing up after the fact."

Letting out a breath, he waits for her to take the flowers. "I'm not as good at this as you are. I asked the fish if they'd spell out I'm sorry. But really... they're not. And I am."

And he waits.

Coco Kiumi has posed:
The yellow mermaid takes the flowers Yuuto offers her, just holding them in her hands as she listens to him talk. "They are beautiful flowers", she says first, gazing at their various colours creating a precise balance.

Waiting for the right words to come to her, she approaches one of the tanks, a glance towards Yuuto and a nod inviting him to approach her looking at the aquarium's inhabitants. "Talking to them doesn't mean they will automatically do as you say. The fish really do what they want. They are just a bit more mindful of me because of my role as one of the oceans' protectors."

Her hand moves up, going to rest against the glass wall. "Yuuto, none of us could have expected that sudden attack. Not me, not you, and in a sense not even Hinoiri herself. But I am really grateful that you were there to keep me company right after. Those moments were really special to me."

She turns her head towards him, her eyes hesitant. "Yuuto, I need you to give her a chance. Hinoiri is clearly sincere right now, and if all we do is stare and accuse, she really will feel alone and with no way out. Aqua Regina would like this too. Can you do that? If not for Hinoiri, at least for me?"

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"Yeah, that's what I kind of figured." Yuuto admits, watching her, but not approaching yet. She will make it clear, which she does eventually. Moving to stand beside her, he sighs. "They're great at listening. Not so much at giving advice, you know?" he offers to her. "You're one of the seven princesses, they have every right to follow you."

"She played with fire, got burned, and nearly destroyed everything else in the process, Coco." he points out to her. "I get that you're trying to see past that. But it feels like... I have no say in this. That what I feel doesn't matter." He blows out a breath. This isn't how he wanted it to go, or what he wanted to say.

"I'll give her a chance because you asked me to. But I'm not ready to just be her friend and pretend like what happened didn't happen. I'll do my best to be polite to her. I'll go with you because I want to be with you. Because you're right. I'm not going to do it for her. She's not the one I promised myself to."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco shakes her head when Yuuto comments about feeling like he doesn't have a choice. "It was my fault for not telling you what we were going to do yesterday. From now on, I am going to meet Hinoiri by myself, and we can see each other apart from those times. I don't want to force you to feel like you have to accept her, so this is the best I can come up with. Because I can't give up on her either now that wants to improve", Coco explains.

"You not getting angry towards her again is all that I ask", Coco says, reaching to take his hand unless he moves it away. "You don't have to be her friend. She is clearly confused, desperate and alone. Just let her try to be a better person, to become happier and to be someone who does good."

She unclasps the Sealing Key and looks at it, now bearing for Coco the memories of two different people, both hurting in different ways. "I am sorry, Yuuto, but I don't think this path is wrong. And I am going to see it to the end. On my honour as a princess."

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"If that's what you feel is best, Coco." Yuuto doesn't say anything else on the matter. He doesn't try to say anything on his point. Or anything else. he just accepts the hand that is offered to him. He squeezes it for a moment. It's clear he doesn't agree. But for now, she put Hinoiri first, "I'll just be by your side when you want me there." he finally decides.

"I love you. And my promise was to stand beside you even when we don't agree." He finally offers to her, leaving that there as it is. "I appreciate your honor as a princess. And I still want to be your consort." And that's where he just leaves it.

"Thank you for accepting my apology." He leans over, kissing her cheek, his attention returning to the water and the fish. "I should get used to using my fin." he finally says, changing the subject. "I haven't really had a chance to test it out."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco changes the subject too, and looks at the water in the tank in front of them, imagining it is the open sea. "The sea is beautiful at this time of the year", she comments, squeezing his hand and kissing his cheek. "It is so calm you can almost feel it singing with you. I think it would be a great time to try your tail."

"I know many beautiful places we can go see", she offers. "And we still haven't had that party we talked about. We can put the two things together. We are going to be hungry anyway after a lot of swimming."

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"Maybe it'll help me see things your way." Yuuto responds, his hand leaving hers, only to settle at her side and hold her to him. "I want to explore it with you. Maybe see if I can hear the song that you're talking about, the ones that you sing so well." A small sigh, as one of the fish come close to the couple, peering at them, and it seems it almost bows to Coco before swimming off.

"I look forward to you showing me around." Then she brings up the party. "I figured if you were going to have a party, you would probably want to invite Hinoiri. You're not alone in wanting to help her, I'm sure." He shrugs his shoulders. "Which is fine."

Coco Kiumi has posed:
Coco waves at the fish when it swims by before going back to address Yuuto. "It will definitely be fun, at least once you have gotten to swimming like us. I have never tried what's like swimming like humans do, but swimming as a merfolk is so effortless and fun." Then again, she is definitely biased and Yuuto is the only one who can compare the two.

"I am not sure if Hinoiri can swim", Coco ponders. "She is a unicorn, she will have learnt to swim as one. She may have to learn to do it again with a human form. I remember she said something about getting used to fingers once. She might have to get used to use legs to swim too."

Yuuto Shiraishi has posed:
"Let's consider that after I get used to my tail, hmm?" Yuuto responds, a small smirk for a moment. "It will be interesting to get used to using it in open water. I've practiced in the pool a few times." he admits to her. "But I imagine it's different under the ocean." He doesn't say anything on whether or not Hinoiri can swim, instead, he gestures.

"Since we're here, let's take you on a tour, Your Highness." His hand leaves her waist so that they can hold hands again. Yes, they've seen the aquarium plenty, but Yuuto knows it's a special place for her, so he's willing to walk it again.